Four-color laser white illuminant demonstrating high color-rendering quality

Solid-state lighting is currently based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and phosphors. Solid-state lighting based on lasers would offer significant advantages including high potential efficiencies at high current densities. Light emitted from lasers, however, has a much narrower spectral linewidth than light emitted from LEDs or phosphors. Therefore it is a common belief that white light produced by a set of lasers of different colors would not be of high enough quality for general illumination. We tested this belief experimentally, and found the opposite to be true. This result paves the way for the use of lasers in solid-state lighting.

Venous air embolism during semi-sitting craniotomy evokes thrombocytopenia

Venous air embolism activates platelets in vitro and can evoke platelet dysfunction in swine. We tested the hypothesis that venous air embolism during semi-sitting craniotomy induces thrombocytopenia in humans. We analysed the charts of 799 patients who had an elective craniotomy in the semi-sitting position between 1990 and June 2009. Venous air embolism occurred in 52 patients (6.5%) and was associated with a decrease in mean (SD) in platelet count from 270 (75) × 10⁹ l⁻¹ to 194 (62) × 10⁹ l⁻¹ (p < 0.001). In age-matched controls without venous air embolism mean (SD) platelet count did not change (254 (82) × 10⁹ l⁻¹ vs. 250 (97) × 10⁹ l⁻¹ (NS). While mean (SD) haematocrit fell slightly in both groups (venous air embolism: 0.40 (0.05) to 0.32 (0.04), p <0.001; no venous air embolism: 0.41 (0.04) to 0.35 (0.05), p < 0.001), normalising platelet count to haematocrit did not alter the results.

Phase II study of bendamustine in combination with rituximab as first-line treatment in patients 80 years or older with aggressive B-cell lymphomas

BACKGROUND

Rituximab plus combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) is widely recommended for the treatment of aggressive B-cell lymphomas. However, there is very little information regarding the management of elderly patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We initiated a phase II study of first-line treatment with rituximab and bendamustine in elderly patients (≥80 years) with aggressive B-cell lymphomas who were not eligible for R-CHOP or who did not agree to aggressive treatment. The treatment decision on eligibility for R-CHOP was left to discretion of the physicians.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients with a median age of 85 years (range 80-95 years) were included. The age-adjusted international prognostic index was zero in five patients, one in three patients, and two in six patients. Thirteen patients were assessable for response. Seven patients (54%) had a complete response, two (15%) a partial response, and four (31%) progressive disease. The median overall survival was 7.7 months, and the median progression-free survival 7.7 months; however, six patients (43%) were alive without disease at 20-72 months from the start of treatment. Major toxicity was neutropenia (17% grade 3 and 6% grade 4). All other grade 3 and 4 hematotoxicities and non-hematological toxic effects ranged between 2% and 11%

CONCLUSIONS

Because of its efficacy and low toxicity, bendamustine in combination with rituximab may be an alternative treatment for aggressive lymphomas in old patients not eligible for R-CHOP. These results, however, need to be confirmed in larger studies.

State-level differences in the oral health of Australian preschool and early primary school-age children

BACKGROUND

This study compares oral health outcomes and behaviours for young Australian children by residential state or territory to determine whether state differences arise from individual exposures to risk factors.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data for 4606 2-3 year olds and 4464 6-7 year olds were obtained from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Outcome measures were parent-reports of children's caries experience, frequency of toothbrushing and dental services use.

RESULTS

For 2-3 year olds, children from the Australian Capital Territory were less likely to have parent-reported caries than children from other states, and more likely to brush their teeth twice daily and to have used dental services. For 6-7 year olds, optimal outcomes were observed in New South Wales for lowest caries experience, Western Australia for highest toothbrushing, and South Australia for highest dental services use. Adjustments for socio-demographic predictors did not eliminate state differences in oral health.

CONCLUSIONS

  Large state differences in the oral health of young children persisted after adjustment for individual socio-demographic determinants, suggesting these arise from variations in the systems to promote and care for children's oral health. Several states would benefit from a stronger emphasis on oral health promotion in young children, and disparities from a young age suggest the need for better engagement of early childhood professionals in oral health promotion.

Observer variability and sensitivity of radiographic diagnosis of canine medial coronoid disease

OBJECTIVE

Medial coronoid disease (MCD) is a very common form of elbow joint disease and it's radiographic diagnosis can be challenging since it is frequently based on the detection of rather subtle primary or secondary changes than on a large primary lesion. We hypothesized that accuracy of radiographic diagnosis of MCD is highly dependent on training and experience level.

METHODS

Radiographs of 102 canine elbows were evaluated for MCD by four observers with different levels of training and experience. All elbows underwent CT scans and arthroscopy. Sensitivity and specificity of radiographic and CT interpretation was determined using arthroscopy as a gold standard. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement (reliability and repeatability) were assessed by using Cohen's Kappa (κ) statistic.

RESULTS

The sensitivity (92.4-96.7%) of the two experienced observers was almost comparable to that of CT (100%) and significantly higher than that of the two less experienced observers (77.2-80.4%). Reliability of the radiographic diagnosis of MCD was better between observers with higher experience level (κ= 0.74) than between observers of lower or different experience levels (κ=0.07-0.42). Repeatability was better in experienced (κ= 0.73-0.88) than in less experienced observers (κ= 0.31-0.42).

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm that training and experience play important roles in reaching high sensitivity, reliability and repeatability for the radiographic diagnosis of MCD.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Although radiography is inferior to CT in imaging of the medial coronoid process itself, sensitivity of radiographic diagnosis MCD can be significantly improved with observer experience almost reaching that of CT. Therefore, it is advised that radiographic screening for MCD should be performed by specialists experienced in the radiographic evaluation of elbow joint disease.

Adapting TESLA technology for future cw light sources using HoBiCaT

The HoBiCaT facility has been set up and operated at the Helmholtz-Zentrum-Berlin and BESSY since 2005. Its purpose is testing superconducting cavities in cw mode of operation and it was successfully demonstrated that TESLA pulsed technology can be used for cw mode of operation with only minor changes. Issues that were addressed comprise of elevated dynamic thermal losses in the cavity walls, necessary modifications in the cryogenics and the cavity processing, the optimum choice of operational parameters such as cavity temperature or bandwidth, the characterization of higher order modes in the cavity, and the usability of existing tuners and couplers for cw.