MoCA use in general practice for the early detection of cognitive impairment.

Background: GPs can detect cognitive impairment at a very early stage, allowing early support for people and their caregivers. The early onset of cognitive impairment is between 50 and 60 years. Currently, in France, the Mini Mental State Examination remains the most used screening test, though it has a lower sensitivity and specificity than the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for detecting mild cognitive impairment, taking an average of 15 minutes to complete.

Platform trial design for neurofibromatosis type 1, NF2-related schwannomatosis and non-NF2-related schwannomatosis: A potential model for rare diseases.

Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1, -related schwannomatosis and non--related schwannomatosis (grouped under the abbreviation "NF") are rare hereditary tumor predisposition syndromes. Due to the low prevalence, variability in the range, and severity of manifestations, as well as limited treatment options, these conditions require innovative trial designs to accelerate the development of new treatments.

Methods: Within European Patient-Centric Clinical Trial Platforms (EU-PEARL), we designed 2 platform-basket trials in NF.

Structural and biochemical characterization of SmoPG1, an exo-polygalacturonase from Selaginella moellendorffii.

Polygalacturonases (PGs) can modulate chemistry and mechanical properties of the plant cell wall through the degradation of pectins, one of its major constituents. PGs are largely used in food, beverage, textile, and paper industries to increase processes' performances. To improve the use of PGs, knowledge of their biochemical, structural and functional features is of prime importance.

TBL38 atypical homogalacturonan-acetylesterase activity and cell wall microdomain localization in Arabidopsis seed mucilage secretory cells.

Plant cell walls constitute complex polysaccharidic/proteinaceous networks whose biosynthesis and dynamics implicate several cell compartments. The synthesis and remodeling of homogalacturonan pectins involve Golgi-localized methylation/acetylation and subsequent cell wall-localized demethylation/deacetylation. So far, TRICHOME BIREFRINGENCE-LIKE (TBL) family members have been described as Golgi-localized acetyltransferases targeting diverse hemicelluloses or pectins.

Affordable event and monthly rain samplers: Improving isotopic datasets to understand meteorological processes.

Rationale: Water-stable isotopes in rainfall are powerful tracers of atmospheric processes at different spatial and temporal scales. However, commercially available rain samplers for isotopic analysis are prohibitively expensive, especially for high spatial resolution networks and studies conducted in developing countries. A low-cost, simple, and robust sampler was designed for event and monthly rainfall samplings.

ERN GENTURIS tumour surveillance guidelines for individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a multisystem genetic disorder, predisposing development of benign and malignant tumours. Given the oncogenic potential, long-term surveillance is important in patients with NF1. Proposals for NF1 care and its specific manifestations have been developed, but lack integration within routine care.

Incidence, prevalence and long-term progression of Goh algorithm rated interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis in two independent cohorts in flanders: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The epidemiology of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) in Belgium is unknown. In literature, its prevalence varies between 19% and 52% in limited/diffuse cutaneous SSc (LcSSc/DcSSc). However, its prevalence in "early" SSc (pre-clinically overt SSc without [yet] skin involvement), nor its incidence rate in SSc (LcSSc/DcSSc/"early" SSc) has ever been described.

Ocular involvement in systemic sclerosis: A systematic literature review, it's not all scleroderma that meets the eye.

Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare and complex autoimmune disorder characterized by microvascular damage and progressive fibrosis which affects the skin and multiple other organs. Much of the published data concerning SSc and the eye consists of single case reports or small case studies. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the current level of evidence for SSc-related ocular changes.

[An interview guide for screening for psychological pain in oncology].

An interview guide has been introduced with patients treated in oncology in order to assess their psychological pain. It helps to structure the nurse interview. It also combines the identification of the patient's psychological needs with the creation of an opportunity to talk, thereby initiating a help relationship.

SU-E-T-231: Comparison of Beam Characteristics of Small Field 6 MeV Electrons as Replacement for Superficial X Ray Beam.

Purpose: To compare beam characteristics of superficial X-rays with 6 MeV Electrons for the purpose of replacing superficial treatments with electron fields for skin lesions.

Methods: Electron beam cutouts were made with 12mm thickness cerrobend in diameters 2-5 cm to match superficial X-ray machine cones. Central axis depth doses and profiles were generated using 0.

Genotoxicity surveillance programme in workers dismantling World War I chemical ammunition.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of personal protective measures in a dismantling plant for chemical weapons from World War I of the Belgian Defence.

Methods: Seventeen NIOSH level B-equipped plant workers exposed to arsenic trichloride (AsCl(3)) in combination with phosgene or hydrogen cyanide (HCN) were compared to 24 NIOSH level C-protected field workers occasionally exposed to genotoxic chemicals (including AsCl(3)-phosgene/HCN) when collecting chemical ammunition, and 19 matched referents. Chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronuclei (MNCB and MNMC), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and high frequency cells (HFC) were analysed in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

[Evaluation of 3D numerisation with structured light projection in breast surgery].

Introduction: Breast plastic surgery still remains subjective with no objective measurement tool to evaluate and to predict our results. In this aim, we did an evaluation of a new 3D surface measurement tool using the structured projected light technology (Inspeck) in breast surgery.

Material And Method: We evaluated the different measurement tools available (euclidean distance, projected on the surface distance, and volume measurement) with the numerisation system on distance and silicone prosthesis of known length and volume.

Prevalence of psychomorbidity among patients with chronic cough.

Background: Chronic cough may cause significant emotional distress and although patients are not routinely assessed for co-existent psychomorbidity, a cough that is refractory to any treatment is sometimes suspected to be functional in origin. It is not known if patients with chronic cough referred for specialist evaluation have emotional impairment but failure to recognise this may influence treatment outcomes. In this cross-sectional study, levels of psychomorbidity were measured in patients referred to a specialist cough clinic.

A phase I safety and immunogenicity trial with the candidate malaria vaccine RTS,S/SBAS2 in semi-immune adults in The Gambia.

RTS,S is a novel pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine based on the circumsporozoite surface protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum linked to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs) and combined with a novel adjuvant system (SBAS2). We have conducted a Phase I trial with three doses of this vaccine given at 0, 1, and 6 months to 20 semi-immune, adult, male volunteers in The Gambia to assess its safety and immunogenicity. Eighteen of the 20 volunteers completed the study.

Potent induction of focused Th1-type cellular and humoral immune responses by RTS,S/SBAS2, a recombinant Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine.

The RTS,S/SBAS2 vaccine confers sterile protection against Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite challenge. The mechanisms underlying this are of great interest, yet little is known about the immune effector mechanisms induced by this vaccine. The immune responses induced by RTS,S/SBAS2 were characterized in 10 malaria-naive volunteers.

Effect of phospholipid on factor VIII coagulant activity and coagulant antigen.

Incubation of purified factor VIII/von Willebrand factor complex or plasma with certain phospholipid preparation induced a two to threefold increase in apparent factor VIII activity, while a slight decrease of factor VIII coagulant antigen was observed. Between six or eightfold activity increases occurred when 10-3 units/ml of thrombin was present during the incubation. When the phospholipid was added first and the thrombin added 30 minutes later a twofold increase in apparent factor VIII activity occurred during the first part and this activity was then increased threefold further after the addition of thrombin.

Studies on a monoclonal antibody to human factor viii coagulant activity, with a description of a facile two-site factor VIII coagulant antigen assay.

IgG was purified from the ascites tumor fluid obtained from mice injected with a monoclonal cell line secreting antibody that inhibited VIII:C. With a modified Bethesda assay method (18 hr, 4 degrees C), the titer of the purified IgG was 14,000 U/mg. In a fluid-phase IRMA for VIII:CAg utilizing the Fab fragment prepared from the monoclonal IgG, two high-titer human anti-VIII:C inhibitors (IgG fractions) showed no demonstrable competition for the monoclonal VIII:CAg binding site.

The effect of naturally occurring antibodies to factor VIII on an immunoradiometric assay for factor VIII coagulant antigen. Observation on a cross-reacting material-positive (CRM+) hemophiliac with a factor VIII inhibit.

An IRMA for VIII:CAg was performed on plasma samples from 13 hemophilic and four nonhemophilic subjects, containing naturally occurring antibodies against factor VIII. The VIII:C binding ligand was an iodinated Fab fraction of a high-titer factor VIII antibody arising in a hemophiliac. Since the IRMA is an equilibrium binding assay, the inclusion of an antibody against VIII:C in the test system would be expected to compete with the ligand for the available antigenic sites on the VII:C molecule: the higher the titer of the antibody expressed in BIU, the greater the degree of inhibition of the IRMA measuring VIII:CAg.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to ruptured aneurysms in infants. Report of two cases.

Two infants with subarachnoid bleeding from middle cerebral artery aneurysms are presented, with detailed case histories.

The action of immobilized thrombin on factor VIII, fibrinogen and a synthetic tripeptide.

Bovine thrombin was insolubilized by attachment to cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose (Sepharose-thrombin) or to activated (Affi-Gel 10) agarose containing a 10 A long arm (Affi-Gel-thrombin). Coupling in both instances approximated 7,000 units of thrombin per ml packed gel as determined by 125I-thrombin incorporation. The thrombin beads hydrolyzed the synthetic tripeptide Bz-Phe-Val-Arg-pNA (S-2160) at different rates, with the Sepharose-thrombin more active (220 esterase units per ml) than Affi-Gel thrombin (20.