Giant magnetized outflows from the centre of the Milky Way.

The nucleus of the Milky Way is known to harbour regions of intense star formation activity as well as a supermassive black hole. Recent observations have revealed regions of γ-ray emission reaching far above and below the Galactic Centre (relative to the Galactic plane), the so-called 'Fermi bubbles'. It is uncertain whether these were generated by nuclear star formation or by quasar-like outbursts of the central black hole and no information on the structures' magnetic field has been reported.

Low-Mach-number turbulence in interstellar gas revealed by radio polarization gradients.

The interstellar medium of the Milky Way is multiphase, magnetized and turbulent. Turbulence in the interstellar medium produces a global cascade of random gas motions, spanning scales ranging from 100 parsecs to 1,000 kilometres (ref. 4).

The magnetic field of the Large Magellanic Cloud revealed through Faraday rotation.

We have measured the Faraday rotation toward a large sample of polarized radio sources behind the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) to determine the structure of this galaxy's magnetic field. The magnetic field of the LMC consists of a coherent axisymmetric spiral of field strength approximately 1 microgauss. Strong fluctuations in the magnetic field are also seen on small (<0.

Regression of endometrial thickness in combination with reduced withdrawal bleeding as a progestational effect of tibolone in postmenopausal women on oestrogen replacement therapy.

For 176 postmenopausal women on HRT with progestogen addition 'on demand' medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), noresthisterone and tibolone were used to protect the endometrium in 214 cases. Tibolone is a gonadomimetic steroid with combined progestogenic and estrogenic effects. In this study tibolone has been used as a progestogen.

[CRP versus BSE in pediatrics. How good is a diagnostic test?].

In a prospective study CRP and BSE values were compared in 130 children who came to the first aid of our hospital with symptoms suspicious for an infection either viral or bacterial. Since the predictive value of both parameters dependents on the prevalence of diseases we discussed the likelihood ratio and the receiver operating characteristic as better parameters in the evaluation of a test i.e.

Prophylaxis of respiratory tract infection in patients on artificial respiration.

In a pilot study, a prophylactic regimen including ciprofloxacin and amphotericin B was applied in 102 consecutive patients on artificial respiration for greater than or equal to 5 days to prevent respiratory tract infection with aerobic Gram-negative bacilli. Ciprofloxacin was given twice a day, as 500 mg through a gastric tube or 200 mg intravenously, and both applications led to negative cultures for aerobic Gram-negative bacilli from faeces and throat, except for a few periods of carriage lasting only a few days. No patient acquired respiratory tract infection with one of the Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonadaceae after 4 days of artificial respiration.

Influence of occupation and living habits on semen quality in men (scrotal insulation and semen quality).

Fifty-six males from infertile couples were categorised into two different groups and their semen quality examined. Patients in which there was no evidence of interference with normal testicular thermoregulation either during the day or the night were classified as 'cool workers' and 'cool sleepers' (Group I, n = 26). In the other group (II), 'warm workers'/'warm sleepers' (n = 30), there was evidence for scrotal insulation.

Ciprofloxacin therapy of respiratory tract infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Forty-two patients with respiratory tract infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa were treated with 500 mg ciprofloxacin administered orally twice daily. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was eradicated in 22 patients but recurred in eight patients. Clinical improvement or resolution was noted in 37 patients (88%).

Ciprofloxacin for respiratory tract infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Thirty one patients were treated with oral ciprofloxacin for bronchitis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Twenty eight patients had permanent and 14 transient risk factors. Nine patients had a hospital infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

An estimate for the source of coagulase-negative staphylococci in blood cultures.

An estimate for the source of coagulase-negative staphylococci in blood cultures is presented and its use illustrated in two populations. The method estimates the probability that a positive blood culture is positive due to contamination and the probability of it being positive due to bacteraemia. The effect of changes in efficiency of the blood culture technique on these estimates is demonstrated.

A comparison of single-dose and multi-dose metronidazole prophylaxis for hysterectomy.

A multi-centre double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed to determine the minimum number of doses of metronidazole required for effective prophylaxis of vaginal cuff abscess following hysterectomy. Four hundred and seventy-five patients received zero, one, two, three, six or twenty-one 500 mg doses of metronidazole. Data from 440 patients were analysed and showed that one dose of metronidazole markedly reduced the risk of vaginal cuff abscess in patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy.

Peroperative systemic prophylaxis in colorectal surgery.

In an effort to reduce infection rates in elective colorectal surgery to acceptable levels without oral non-absorbable antimicrobials, using only a short course of systemic antimicrobials, 50 patients were studied in a multicentre trial. Each patient received metronidazole for anti-anaerobic coverage. The anti-aerobic coverage consisted of netilmicin, cefuroxime or placebo, administered in a double-blind manner.

Prophylactic trimethoprim for prostatectomy.

The efficacy of prophylaxis for control of infection in prostatectomy was studied in 260 patients in a double-blind clinical trial using a single dose of 300 mg trimethoprim and a placebo. Results in 141 transurethral and 119 patients operated on abdominally were analyzed separately. Neither group showed significant heterogeneity of risk factors.

Netilmicin 150 mg every 12 hours in systemic infections.

Most (76%) of the 284 gentamicin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from patients hospitalised in Eindhoven or its vicinity proved to be sensitive to netilmicin. The sensitivity rate was 96% for amikacin and 97% for cefotaxime. Thirty-four patients with systemic infections and isolation of netilmicin-sensitive Enterobacteriaceae were treated with 150 mg netilmicin intravenously every 12 h.

[Campylobacter enteritis in 0-5-year-old children in the Eindhoven area - and epidemiological study].

In the region Eindhoven 36 children with Campylobacter-enteritis were examined from I January 1980 to 31 December 1980. Symptoms were studied and stools were cultured over a four-month period. Abdominal pain and/or diarrhea occurred in more than 90% of patients and were not infrequently of longer duration.

Nosocomial klebsiellas. II. Transfer in a hospital ward.

During a 6-month period an epidemiological survey of the carriage of Klebsiella was conducted in a hospital ward where no outbreak of nosocomial infection occurred. In this endemic situation the regular sampling of several sites of patients, members of the nursing staff, and the environment, and the biotyping of Klebsiella made it possible to analyse the patterns of transmission between sites. There was abundant evidence for striking transmission of Klebsiella between the throat, hands, and faeces of patients.

Nosocomial klebsiellas. I. Colonization of hospitalized patients.

The colonization of patients by Klebsiella and several other gram-negative bacteria was studied in a hospital urological ward over a period of six months. Before and during the survey there was no evidence of an outbreak of nosocomial infection and multi-drug resistant strains of Klebsiella were not isolated. Klebsiella were biotyped by nine biochemical tests, which led to the detection of 66 biotypes spread uniformly throughout the survey period.

Fetal breathing movements in the normal and growth-retarded human fetus: a multiscan/M-mode echofetographic study.

52 women were examined, between the 25th and 40th wk of pregnancy, during the day-time, by the echographic multiscan/M-mode technique. Definitions of normal fetal breathing movements and singultus fetalis movements were determined. In normal pregnancies fetal breathing movements occurred during 12-19% of the total observation time before the 39th wk of pregnancy but only during 6-9% of the observation time in the 39th or 40th wk.

Aprospective study of urinary-tract infections in a Dutch general practice.

In a Dutch general practice the adult female population was screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria (A.B.) by repeated urine culture after vulval cleansing.