Giant Diffusion of Nanomechanical Rotors in a Tilted Washboard Potential

We present an experimental realization of a biased optical periodic potential in the low friction limit. The noise-induced bistability between locked (torsional) and running (spinning) states in the rotational motion of a nanodumbbell is driven by an elliptically polarized light beam tilting the angular potential. By varying the gas pressure around the point of maximum intermittency, the rotational effective diffusion coefficient increases by more than 3 orders of magnitude over free-space diffusion. These experimental results are in agreement with a simple two-state model that is derived from the Langevin equation through using timescale separation. Our work provides a new experimental platform to study the weak thermal noise limit for diffusion in this system.

[If you were to have another abortion, would you choose the same method? A study on 1032 patients' level of satisfaction]

INTRODUCTION

In 2016, the French National College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians revised the recommandations on abortion care. Abortions can now be medical, regardless of the term, depending on the patients' preference. The aim was to assess the influence of the term and method on patients' satisfaction, in Haute-Normandie.

METHOD

This is a prospective multicentric study. A questionnaire was completed by patients the day of the hospitalization. The main efficacy parameter was the patient's satisfaction depending on term and method.

RESULTS

A total of 1032 patients were included from November 2018 till August 2019: 733 medical abortions and 259 surgical abortions. For equivalent terms, medical abortion was associated with a lower satisfaction, OR: 1.9, CI 95 % [1.23; 2.99] P=0.004. For equivalent methods, a term higher than 9 weeks of gestation was also associated with a lower satisfaction OR: 1.56, CI 95 %: [1.09; 2.23], P=0.01. The satisfaction rate was up to 4 out of 5, regardless of the term or the method. For equivalent term and method, an imposed method due to the term was associated with a lower satisfaction OR:3.82, CI 95 % [2.15;6.90], P<0.001.

CONCLUSION

Term higher than 9 weeks of gestation, medical abortion and an imposed method are associated with a lower satisfaction.

Long-term implant of intramuscular sensors and nerve transfers for wireless control of robotic arms in above-elbow amputees

Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) amplifies the electrical activity of nerves at the stump of amputees by redirecting them in remnant muscles above the amputation. The electrical activity of the reinnervated muscles can be used to extract natural control signals. Nonetheless, current control systems, mainly based on noninvasive muscle recordings, fail to provide accurate and reliable control over time. This is one of the major reasons for prosthetic abandonment. This prospective interventional study includes three unilateral above-elbow amputees and reports the long-term (2.5 years) implant of wireless myoelectric sensors in the reinnervation sites after TMR and their use for control of robotic arms in daily life. It therefore demonstrates the clinical viability of chronically implanted myoelectric interfaces that amplify nerve activity through TMR. The patients showed substantial functional improvements using the implanted system compared with control based on surface electrodes. The combination of TMR and chronically implanted sensors may drastically improve robotic limb replacement in above-elbow amputees.

Revision der CEAP-Klassifizierung für chronische Venenleiden

Die CEAP-Klassifizierung für chronische Venenleiden wurde 1994 durch ein internationales Ad-hoc-Komitee des American Venous Forum entwickelt, durch die Society for Vascular Surgery unterstützt und 1995 in die „Reporting Standards in Venous Disease“ inkorporiert. Inzwischen benutzen die meisten publizierten klinischen Arbeiten das CEAPSystem, ganz oder in Teilen.

Um die Klassifizierung nicht als statisches System zu belassen, hat ein Ad-hoc-Komitee des American Venous Forum in Zusammenarbeit mit einem internationalen Verbindungskomitee eine Reihe von praktischen Änderungen empfohlen, die in diesem Konsensusbericht aufgelistet sind. Diese beinhalten eine Verfeinerung verschiedener Definitionen, welche der Beschreibung von chronischen Venenerkrankungen dienen, eine Verfeinerung der C-Klassen von CEAP, der Zusatz der Beschreibung n (no venous abnormality), das Datum der Klassifizierung, die Untersuchungsstufe sowie, als einfachere Alternative zur vollen (fortgeschrittenen) CEAP-Klassifizierung, die Einführung einer Basis-CEAP-Version. Es ist wichtig, darauf hinzuweisen, dass CEAP eine deskriptive Klassifizierung darstellt, wogegen das „Venous severity scoring“ sowie Lebensqualitäts- Scores Instrumente für longitudinale Outcome-Studien darstellen.

Sonographic screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip in preterm breech infants: do current guidelines address the specific needs of premature infants?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between gestational age versus corrected age at the time of hip ultrasound with findings for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in preterm breech infants.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective medical chart review was conducted to examine hip ultrasounds of 318 premature breech infants for findings associated with DDH.

RESULTS

Positive findings for DDH occurred in 3/135 (2%) of infants <32 weeks gestational age and 17/183 (9%) of infants 32 to <37 weeks gestational age (odds ratio: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.79, P<0.015). No infants born <32 weeks gestational age had abnormal findings for DDH upon follow-up ultrasound. Infants <40 weeks corrected age at the time of hip ultrasound were more likely to have DDH findings compared with infants ⩾44 weeks corrected age (odds ratio: 7.83, 95% CI: 2.20 to 29.65, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Current hip ultrasonography policies that include screening of premature breech infants may need to be revised.

Anatomical Patterns in Varicose Vein Disease: A Duplex Scanning Study

Objectives:

To determine symptomatology, clinical class, and topographic patterns of varicose veins in a consecutive series of patients with venous complaints.

Methods:

We performed clinical examination and duplex scanning of 498 lower limbs in 317 patients with obvious varicose veins for whom no previous treatment had been undertaken.

Results:

Classes of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) in 498 legs: grade 0: 117 (23.5%); gr 1: 310 (62.2%); gr 2: 47 (9.4%); gr 3: 24 (4.8%). Duplex-detected venous reflux was found in the greater saphenous vein territory (junction or trunk or related perforator or main tributary) in 423 limbs (85.3%) the sapheno-femoral junction was incompetent in only 342 legs (68.7%). Reflux was found in the lesser saphenous vein territory in 100 limbs (20.1%) and in sapheno-popliteal junction in 92 (18.5%). Strictly non saphenous origin of varicosities was found in 31 limbs (6.2%). Deep venous incompetence was found in 48 legs (9.6%).

Conclusions:

These findings yield data on the distribution and occurence of lower limbs venous lesions in patients with varicose disease.

Surgical Options in Post-Thrombotic Syndrome

Objective:

To review the outcome of surgical restoration of deep vein competence in 53 patients with post-thrombotic syndrome.

Design:

Single patient group.

Setting:

Unite de Pathologie Vasculaire Jean Kunlin, Clinique du Grand-Large, av. Leon-Blum, Decines Charpieu, France.

Patients:

Fifty-three patients with clinical and radiological evidence of post-thrombotic syndrome uncontrolled by conventional conservative treatment.

Interventions:

Surgical restoration of deep vein competence by one of four methods: valvuloplasty, vein transplantation, vein transposition, or Psathakis' sling procedure.

Main outcome measures:

Sustained ulcer healing, photoplethysmography (PPG) refilling times, abolition of venous reflux on duplex scanning, symptomatic improvement.

Results:

All four techniques led to sustained ulcer healing in approximately two-thirds of patients. There was a poor correlation between maintenance of ulcer healing and improvement in PPG refilling times or abolition of reflux on duplex ultrasound.

Endoluminal treatment of lower limb varicose veins by endovenous laser and radiofrequency techniques

Objective: New endovenous treatment techniques for varicose veins – endovenous laser (EVLT) and radiofrequency (RF) – have been the subject of numerous publications during recent years. The aim of this study was to analyse the articles published in English and French and to compare the two procedures with classical surgery.

Methods: While RF uses only one type of device, manufactured and distributed by a sole company, EVLT uses different types of lasers, manufactured and marketed by several companies. Therefore, RF benefits from a unique and well-defined protocol of practice, in contrast with EVLT which presents multiple variants.

Results: The short-term postoperative clinical status was studied in two controlled randomized trials comparing RF therapy with classical surgery, including one study that used a quality of life questionnaire. The results, including return to normal activity and convalescence duration assessment, were more favourable after RF therapy. In terms of thromboembolic complications investigated by systematic ultrasound duplex examination, the two procedures presented an approximately equal success rate of 0.5%. Other postoperative complications were transient: RF was associated with sensory nerve complications like paresthesia, while pain was more pronounced after EVLT. Results were difficult to analyse in terms of varicose vein treatment. In terms of signs and symptoms, detailed results were available at the three-year follow up for RF therapy. The improvement was very significant compared with the preoperative status and roughly equivalent to that previously reported for classical surgery. Clinical results after EVLT are less documented. Haemodynamic results by duplex ultrasound examination are well documented for RF but less detailed for EVLT. In a single-centre study, vein obliteration after EVLT was 93.4% at the two-year follow up and 88% after RF in a multicentre study at the three-year follow up. Correlation between clinical and haemodynamic results was established for RF at the two-year follow up and showed a strong link between the clinical results and absence of reflux. Finally, cost estimation of the two techniques showed that the EVLT fibre is cheaper than the RF catheter, the situation being inverse for the generators. The global cost of the RF procedure (including convalescence) was compared with classical surgery in a study. The findings favour RF for active patients.

Conclusions: In the absence of long-term controlled results comparing classical surgery and sclerotherapy with endoluminal surgery, the latter method was proved to be less aggressive postoperatively and effective at mid-term.

Dynamic Popliteal Phlebography

Phlebography of the popliteal vein is reviewed. An anatomical summary considers the superficial and deep venous systems, perforating veins and the gastrocnemius veins. Techniques and methods are described. Results of 2500 investigations are reported To date the puncture failure rate is only 0.3%. The method is useful in identifying incompetence in a wide variety of veins, varicose veins and post-phlebitic disease. The system is compared to other types of investigation. It is concluded that the technique enables a rapid evaluation of venous pathology in many instances and is ideal for use on out-patients.

Investigation of Popliteal Fossa Venous Reflux

Objective:

To assess the relative diagnostic merits of duplex scanning (DS) and dynamic popliteal phlebography (DPP) in the investigation of popliteal fossa venous reflux.

Design:

Prospective single patient study.

Setting:

Departments of Vascular Surgery, Radiology and Angiology, Jean Kunlin Unit of Vascular Pathology, Clinique du Grand-Large, Declines Charpieu, France.

Patients:

Eighteen consecutive patients with venous reflux in the popliteal fossa as demonstrated by hand-held Doppler insonation.

Interventions:

All limbs were investigated by DS and DPP before undergoing surgical exploration of the Popliteal fossa.

Main outcome measures:

The findings of the two modes of investigation were compared with the operative findings.

Results:

Both tests showed good specificity (98% DPP, 96% DS), but only moderate sensitivity (83% DPP, 87.5% DS). Both tests were wrong in two limbs.

Conclusion:

Phlebography can be reserved for cases where duplex scanning is inconclusive. Unsuspected anomalies will occasionally be found at operation despite exhaustive investigation.

Primary Venous Aneurysms of the Popliteal Fossa

Objective:

To report five cases of primary venous aneurysm arising in the popliteal fossa.

Setting:

Unite de Pathologie Vasculaire Jean Kunlin, Clinique du Grand-Large, av. Leon-Blum, Decines Charpieu, France.

Patients:

Five patients with radiological evidence of venous aneurysm in the popliteal fossa.

Interventions:

Surgical repair in all cases.

Main outcome measures:

Avoidance of pulmonary embolism.

Results:

Satisfactory postoperative recovery in all. No complications or subsequent pulmonary emboli.

Diurnal temperature cycle deduced from extreme daily temperatures and impact over a surface reanalysis system

Abstract. Due to the evolution of the observation network, hourly 2 m temperature analysis performed by reanalysis systems shows temporal inhomogeneities. The observation network gap is less present for extreme daily temperature observations. In order to reduce inhomogeneities and enable a climatological use of temperature analysis, information from extreme temperatures could be useful. In this study, the diurnal temperature cycle has been reconstructed for stations which only record extreme temperatures. These new "pseudo" hourly temperature observations are then provided to the analysis system. Two methods have been used to deduce hourly temperatures from extremes and compared to real observations. The results have shown that using those new pseudo-observations as an input for two different reanalysis systems enables reducing the bias in temperature analysis.

Anomalous light absorption around subwavelength apertures in metal films

In this Letter, we study the heat dissipated at metal surfaces by the electromagnetic field scattered by isolated subwavelength apertures in metal screens. In contrast to the common belief that the intensity of waves created by local sources should decrease with the distance from the sources, we reveal that the dissipated heat at the surface remains constant over a broad spatial interval. This behavior that occurs for noble metals at near infrared wavelengths is observed with nonintrusive thermoreflectance measurements and is explained with an analytical model, which underlines the intricate role played by quasicylindrical waves in the phenomenon. Additionally, we show that, by monitoring the phase of the quasicylindrical waves, the total heat dissipated at the metal surface can be rendered substantially smaller than the heat dissipated by the launched plasmon. This interesting property offers an alternative to amplification for overcoming the loss issue in miniaturized plasmonic devices.

Efficient and intuitive method for the analysis of light scattering by a resonant nanostructure

We present a semi-analytical formalism capable of handling the coupling of electromagnetic sources, such as point dipoles or free-propagating fields, with various kinds of dissipative resonances with radiation leakage, Ohmic losses or both. Due to its analyticity, the approach is very intuitive and physically-sound. It is also very economic in computational resources, since once the resonances of a plasmonic or photonic resonator are known, their excitation coefficients are obtained analytically, independently of the polarization, frequency or location of the excitation source. To evidence that the present formalism is very general and versatile, we implement it with the commercial software COMSOL, rather than with our in-house numerical tools.

Atypical depression and alcohol misuse are related to the cardiovascular risk in the general population

OBJECTIVE

The aims of the present study were to assess the associations between mood, anxiety and substance use disorders, including their subtypes, and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs).

METHOD

Thorough physical investigations, biological measures and standardized interview techniques were used to assess 3716 subjects of an urban area, aged 35-66 years.

RESULTS

Atypical depression was associated with increased prevalence of overweight, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.5, 95% C.I. 1.1-2.0; OR = 2.0, 95% C.I. 1.1-3.5, OR = 1.6, 95% C.I. 1.0-2.4 respectively), whereas decreased prevalence of overweight was found in melancholic (OR = 0.7, 95% C.I. 0.6-0.9) and unspecified depression (OR = 0.8, 95% C.I. 0.7-1.0). Alcohol abuse was associated with diabetes (OR = 1.8, 95% C.I. 1.1-2.9) and dyslipidemia (OR = 1.3, 95% C.I. 1.0-1.8), alcohol dependence with dyslipidemia only (OR = 1.4, 95% C.I. 1.0-2.0). Almost all mental disorders were associated with a lifetime history of regular cigarette smoking, and atypical depression, alcohol misuse and drug dependence were associated with inactivity.

CONCLUSION

To conclude results emphasize the need to subtype depression and to pay particular attention to the atypical subtype. Comorbid alcohol misuse may further increase the cardiovascular risk. Efforts to diminish smoking in subjects with mental disorders could be crucial measures to reduce their high incidence of cardiovascular disease.

On Advanced Estimation Techniques for Exoplanet Detection and Characterization Using Ground-based Coronagraphs

The direct imaging of planets around nearby stars is exceedingly difficult. Only about 14 exoplanets have been imaged to date that have masses less than 13 times that of Jupiter. The next generation of planet-finding coronagraphs, including VLT-SPHERE, the Gemini Planet Imager, Palomar P1640, and Subaru HiCIAO have predicted contrast performance of roughly a thousand times less than would be needed to detect Earth-like planets. In this paper we review the state of the art in exoplanet imaging, most notably the method of Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI), and we investigate the potential of improving the detectability of faint exoplanets through the use of advanced statistical methods based on the concepts of the ideal observer and the Hotelling observer. We propose a formal comparison of techniques using a blind data challenge with an evaluation of performance using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Localization ROC (LROC) curves. We place particular emphasis on the understanding and modeling of realistic sources of measurement noise in ground-based AO-corrected coronagraphs. The work reported in this paper is the result of interactions between the co-authors during a week-long workshop on exoplanet imaging that was held in Squaw Valley, California, in March of 2012.

Child and parental surveys about pre-hospitalization information provision

BACKGROUND

There is little available information about what children and parents would like to know about a forthcoming hospitalization and what they currently receive.

METHODS

The current study was a survey of 102 children between the ages of 6 and 10 years and their parents recruited either from the Recovery Unit following day surgery or from the wards following overnight admissions at Sydney Children's Hospital, Australia. Information was obtained about each child's experience in hospital, the nature and format of information that they had received prior to the admission, and what information the child/parent thought would be helpful to receive.

RESULTS

Parents recorded a total of 163 questions asked by children prior to their admission. Questions related to timing (e.g. duration of admission, length of procedure), pain, procedural information, anaesthesia, needles, whether parents can be present, activities to do in hospital, seeking explanations ('Why' questions), hospital environment, seeking reassurance and miscellaneous questions. Children who were satisfied with the amount of information they received before coming to hospital subsequently reported that they would be significantly less scared should they need to come back to hospital for a future procedure. A total of 46.7% of children received information about their hospitalization from their parent(s) and a further 12% from a doctor and parent.

CONCLUSIONS

Children were found to have many questions about a forthcoming hospitalization. Parents were found to have a major role as information providers. Further research is needed to assess parental confidence and competence to meet their child's information needs.

FC21-06 - Schizophrenia after the 1941 farhud (a pogrom in IRAQ); a study of 6,781 IRAQI-born men and women observed as parents in the jerusalem cohort

Introduction

Maternal stress during pregnancy has been associated with schizophrenia in some settings with evidence suggesting that male and female offspring might be affected differently.

Objectives/aims

In an outbreak of violence in 1941, at least 180 Jews died in Baghdad; rapes, beatings and property damage injured hundreds more in other towns. We questioned whether this stress might be reflected in any change in schizophrenia incidence in people born in 1941.

Methods

We studied admissions to psychiatric hospitals in 39,606 men and 41,208 women, parents of the population-based Jerusalem cohort. We used proportional hazards models to estimate relative incidence of schizophrenia in various groups, over time. Subjects were followed from age in 1950 or immigration, till age at first hospital admission, death or 2004. Schizophrenia was defined by discharge diagnosis, ICD-10 = F20–F29 at any hospital event. Models controlled for secular and cyclic time trends.

Results

For all years combined, the 3,679 male immigrants from Iraq showed a schizophrenia incidence similar to other men (relative risk RR = 0.92, 95% confidence limits 0.67–1.26). But for 141 men born in Iraq in 1941, RR = 4.12 (1.67–10.2, p = .0021 based on 6 cases), compared with men from Iraq born in all other years. Among other men, RR for 1941 births was 1.21 (0.78–1.88,). Women from Iraq showed no significant findings.

Conclusions

These findings enlarge on long-term consequences of ethnic violence. They raise intriguing questions about the relative resilience of the sexes, but should be interpreted cautiously, given that all subjects in this cohort had been able to reproduce.

[Grading of adults primitive glial neoplasms using arterial spin-labeled perfusion MR imaging]

PURPOSE

We investigated the relationship between tumor blood-flow measurement based on perfusion-imaging by arterial spin-labeling (ASL) and histopathologic findings in adults' primitive glial tumours.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thus, 40 primitive brain tumors (8 low-grade and 32 high-grade gliomas according to the Sainte-Anne classification) were imaged using pulsed (n=19) or continuous (n=21) ASL. Relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF=tumoral blood flow/normal cerebral blood flow) between high- and low-grade gliomas were compared.

RESULTS

Using pulsed ASL, differences in mean rCBF were observed in high- and low-grade gliomas although no significant (respectively 1.95 and 1.5). Using continuous ASL, mean rCBF were significantly higher for high-grade than for low-grade gliomas (P<0.05). High-grade gliomas could be discriminated using a CBF threshold of 1.18, with a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 60%, predictive positive value of 88%, and predictive negative value of 60%.

CONCLUSION

ASL-based perfusion provides a quantitative, non-invasive alternative to dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MR methods for evaluating CBF. ASL is a suitable method for gliomas initial staging and could be useful to identify intermediate tumoral evolution.

Age, sex and first treatment of schizophrenia in a population cohort

OBJECTIVE

Schizophrenia affects men more than women, but this may not be true at all ages. This study examines the incidence of first hospitalization for treatment of schizophrenia in each sex over different ages.

METHODS

We compared the incidence of first admission for treatment in a cohort of 46,388 males and 43,680 females followed from birth until ages 29-41, using life tables and proportional hazards methods.

RESULTS

Life table estimates of cumulative incidence by age 40 were 1.44% in males and 0.86% in females. For over all ages the relative risk (RR) in males was 1.6 (95% confidence limits=1.4-1.8) compared with females. Before age 17 there was no significant difference between the sexes (RR=0.86, 0.56-1.3). Excess risk in males was observed only from age 17 (RR=1.7, 1.4-1.9). There was no evidence of the incidence in females catching up with that in males, during the 30s.

CONCLUSION

In this population, there was a significant change, over age, in the relative incidence of first hospitalization for schizophrenia between the sexes; the excess incidence in males first developed at age 17.

Pharmacological treatment of primary chronic venous disease: rationale, results and unanswered questions

AIM

The aim of this article was first to review the complex pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for symptoms and signs of primary chronic venous disease (CVD) that allow the identification of targets for pharmacological treatment. The results of CVD treatment with venoactive drugs (VADs) were emphasised and presented in the form of recommendations. The last section raises key questions to be answered to improve protocols for good clinical trials and to draw up future guidelines on these agents.

METHODS

The literature has been reviewed here using PubMed and Embase.

RESULTS

Venous hypertension appears to underlie all clinical manifestations of primary CVD. Inflammation is key in wall remodelling, valve failure and subsequent venous hypertension. Changes in the haemodynamics of veins are transmitted to the microcirculation, resulting in capillary alteration leading to oedema, skin changes and eventually venous ulceration. Venous symptoms may be the result of interplays between pro-inflammatory mediators and nerve fibres located in the venous wall. Therefore, venous inflammation constitutes a promising therapeutic target for pharmacological intervention, and some available VADs could attenuate various elements of venous inflammation. Based on recent studies, reviews and guidelines, tentative recommendations for the use of VADs were proposed and strong recommendations were given to two of them (micronised purified flavonoid fraction and oxerutins).

CONCLUSION

VADs should be accorded a better role in the management of CVD. However, larger and more definitive clinical trials are needed to improve the existing recommendations.

[Patient safety and root cause analysis]

Safety in the field of transfusion medicine has greatly improved in France. The risk of viral transmission has decreased by a factor greater than 1500 within the last 20 years. In comparison, the risk related to ABO error has decreased only by half. The reporting of critical incidents, which occur at any step of the transfusion procedure is now mandatory in France and is subject to an in-depth analysis, using methods close to that used in aviation safety. The goal of these analyses is to better understand human factors in order to implement more adequate prevention measures.

Endovenous radiofrequency ablation of saphenous vein reflux. The VNUS Closure procedure with Closurefast. An updated review

Endovenous treatment is progressively supplanting open surgery in treatment of saphenous reflux. Among the emerging techniques the VNUS Closure, procedure with ClosureFast is one of the most promising. The aim of the presente review is to remind the principle of radiofrequency action in varicose vein treatment, to describe the procedure achievement including the devices used generator and catheter and finally to report the published studies on ClosureFast. A research in the published literature identified only two articles reporting the outcome of procedure. The first one, a prospective, non-randomized international multicenter prospective clinical trial includes 296 great saphenous veins treated by radiofrequency with the ClosureFAST catheter under tumescent anesthesia. Occlusion rate at 6 months (62 extremities) was achieved in 99.6% with no recanalisation since the first ultrasound assessment at 3 days. The Venous Clinical Severity Score was significantly improved at 6 months compared with the baseline one. No serious adverse events were reported. The second one RECOVERY trial was a multicenter prospective randomized comparative clinical trial of the ClosureFAST catheter and endovenous 980-nm laser ablation including 69 patients. Final results showed patients treated with the ClosureFAST catheter experienced significantly less post-procedure pain, bruising and tenderness when compared to laser ablation, There were statistically fewer complications in limbs treated with the ClosureFAST catheter compared to laser ablation (P=0.021). In conclusion radiofrequency segmental thermal ablation with ClosureFAST catheter is feasible, safe, and well tolerated. Procedure is shortened and short-term results are better than those provided by the previous Closure catheter. A randomized control trial ClosureFAST versus endovenous laser is in favour of the first one.

Invasive treatment of deep venous disease. A UIP consensus

Deep venous disease includes primary and/or secondary pathological changes in the deep venous system. These may consist of valve insufficiency, complete or incomplete vein obliteration and/or functional impairment.

A French-Italian survey on the prevalence of isolated varices (C2) and complicated varices (C2+). Results of a multi-centre study conducted by the SFA and the SFP under the auspices of the European Venous Forum

AIM

The advanced CEAP classification allows one to differentiate between isolated varicose veins (C2) and complicated varicose veins (C2, 3 - C2, 3, 4 - C2, 4 or C2, 3, 4, 5 etc) named (C2+).

METHODS

The main objective of this study was to identify when using the advanced classification the prevalence of isolated varicose veins (C2) and complicated varicose veins (C2+) among patients consulting vascular specialists and to compare their symptomatic status and the data issued from the advanced CEAP including also the headings, Anatomy (A), Etiology (E) and Pathophysiology (P).

RESULTS

171 patients were evaluated, 100 in France and 71 in Italy. The prevalence of C2 and C2+ was the same in both countries: 64.4% in France and 63.3% in Italy. Also no difference was found in the prevalence of other descriptors: etiology, anatomy or pathophysiology. The time to complete the advanced form was less than 5 minutes for 65% of the investigators.

CONCLUSION

The advanced CEAP is easy to use in daily pratice. We have the same prevalence of patients in France and in Italy, who consulted for isolated varicose veins or associated with other signs of chronic venous disorders.

A MRI myocardial perfusion analysis tool

MRI myocardial perfusion analysis is an important element for the ischemic heart disorder assessment. The spatio-temporal analysis of the myocardial raising during the first crossing of a contrast bolus allows to identify the ischemic or hypoperfused areas. Such an analysis requires an accurate tracking of the myocardium on the whole sequence and a robust segmentation to identify pathological and healthy regions inside the myocardium. In this paper, we present a semiautomatic tracking tool and a segmentation algorithm based on statistical tests and a recent concentration theorem. We show experimental results for both the tracking step and the segmentation of hypoperfused areas to confirm the availability of this setting.