[Oncology at a glance].

The prevalence of cancer is rising, on the one hand because of increasing cancer incidence as a consequence of lifestyle changes, aging and screening and on the other hand because of increasing survival rates thanks to increasingly successful therapeutic possibilities. Since virtually all caregivers are confronted with cancer patients or survivors, a basic knowledge of oncology is required. In this article we present a brief update on the current situation in the field of oncology.

Effect on diagnostic yield of repeated stool testing during outbreaks of Clostridium difficile-associated disease.

The effect on diagnostic yield of testing sequential stools was assessed during two hospital epidemics of Clostridium difficile. Using a rapid immunoassay, C. difficile-associated disease was diagnosed in 237 diarrhoeal patients, of whom 204 (86%) were diagnosed from the first faeces sample and 12 (5%) were diagnosed from follow-up samples obtained within 1 week.

Visible quantum cutting in LiGdF4:Eu3+ through downconversion.

For mercury-free fluorescent lamps and plasma display panels, alternative luminescent materials are required for the efficient conversion of vacuum ultraviolet radiation to visible light. Quantum cutting involving the emission of two visible photons for each vacuum ultraviolet photon absorbed is demonstrated in Eu3+-doped LiGdF4 with the concept of downconversion. Upon excitation of Gd3+ with a high-energy photon, two visible photons can be emitted by Eu3+ through an efficient two-step energy transfer from Gd3+ to Eu3+, with a quantum efficiency that approaches 200 percent.