Minimum weight shield synthesis for space vehicles

Minimum weight proton shield synthesis for space vehicle

Clinical and molecular practice of European thoracic pathology laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past and the near future

Background: This study evaluated the consequences in Europe of the COVID-19 outbreak on pathology laboratories orientated toward the diagnosis of thoracic diseases. Materials and methods: A survey was sent to 71 pathology laboratories from 21 European countries. The questionnaire requested information concerning the organization of biosafety, the clinical and molecular pathology, the biobanking, the workload, the associated research into COVID-19, and the organization of education and training during the COVID- 19 crisis, from 15 March to 31 May 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Results: Questionnaires were returned from 53/71 (75%) laboratories from 18 European countries. The biosafety procedures were heterogeneous. The workload in clinical and molecular pathology decreased dramatically by 31% (range, 3%-55%) and 26% (range, 7%-62%), respectively. According to the professional category, between 28% and 41% of the staff members were not present in the laboratories but did teleworking. A total of 70% of the laboratories developed virtual meetings for the training of residents and junior pathologists. During the period of study, none of the staff members with confirmed COVID-19 became infected as a result of handling samples. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on most of the European pathology laboratories included in this study. Urgent implementation of several changes to the organization of most of these laboratories, notably to better harmonize biosafety procedures, was noted at the onset of the pandemic and maintained in the event of a new wave of infection occurring in Europe

The Role and Limitations of 18-Fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) Scan and Computerized Tomography (CT) in Restaging Patients with Hepatic Colorectal Metastases Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Comparison with Operative and Pathological Findings

BACKGROUND: Recent data confirmed the importance of 18-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the selection of patients with colorectal hepatic metastases for surgery. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy before hepatic resection in selected cases may improve outcome. The influence of chemotherapy on the sensitivity of FDG-PET and CT in detecting liver metastases is not known. METHODS: Patients were assigned to either neoadjuvant treatment or immediate hepatic resection according to resectability, risk of recurrence, extrahepatic disease, and patient preference. Two-thirds of them underwent FDG-PET/CT before chemotherapy; all underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced CT and FDG-PET/CT. Those without extensive extrahepatic disease underwent open exploration and resection of all the metastases according to original imaging findings. Operative and pathological findings were compared to imaging results. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (33 lesions) underwent immediate hepatic resection (group 1), and 48 patients (122 lesions) received preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (group 2). Sensitivity of FDG-PET and CT in detecting colorectal (CR) metastases was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (FDG-PET: 93.3 vs 49%, P < 0.0001; CT: 87.5 vs 65.3, P = 0.038). CT had a higher sensitivity than FDG-PET in detecting CR metastases following neoadjuvant therapy (65.3 vs 49%, P < 0.0001). Sensitivity of FDG-PET, but not of CT, was lower in group 2 patients whose chemotherapy included bevacizumab compared to patients who did not receive bevacizumab (39 vs 59%, P = 0.068). CONCLUSIONS: FDG-PET/CT sensitivity is lowered by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CT is more sensitive than FDG-PET in detecting CR metastases following neoadjuvant therapy. Surgical decision-making requires information from multiple imaging modalities and pretreatment findings. Baseline FDG-PET and CT before neoadjuvant therapy are mandatory

Clinical and molecular practice of European thoracic pathology laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past and the near future

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the consequences in Europe of the COVID-19 outbreak on pathology laboratories orientated toward the diagnosis of thoracic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was sent to 71 pathology laboratories from 21 European countries. The questionnaire requested information concerning the organization of biosafety, the clinical and molecular pathology, the biobanking, the workload, the associated research into COVID-19, and the organization of education and training during the COVID-19 crisis, from 15 March to 31 May 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned from 53/71 (75%) laboratories from 18 European countries. The biosafety procedures were heterogeneous. The workload in clinical and molecular pathology decreased dramatically by 31% (range, 3%-55%) and 26% (range, 7%-62%), respectively. According to the professional category, between 28% and 41% of the staff members were not present in the laboratories but did teleworking. A total of 70% of the laboratories developed virtual meetings for the training of residents and junior pathologists. During the period of study, none of the staff members with confirmed COVID-19 became infected as a result of handling samples. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on most of the European pathology laboratories included in this study. Urgent implementation of several changes to the organization of most of these laboratories, notably to better harmonize biosafety procedures, was noted at the onset of the pandemic and maintained in the event of a new wave of infection occurring in Europe

Clinical and molecular practice of European thoracic pathology laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past and the near future.

This study evaluated the consequences in Europe of the COVID-19 outbreak on pathology laboratories orientated toward the diagnosis of thoracic diseases. A survey was sent to 71 pathology laboratories from 21 European countries. The questionnaire requested information concerning the organization of biosafety, the clinical and molecular pathology, the biobanking, the workload, the associated research into COVID-19, and the organization of education and training during the COVID-19 crisis, from 15 March to 31 May 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Questionnaires were returned from 53/71 (75%) laboratories from 18 European countries. The biosafety procedures were heterogeneous. The workload in clinical and molecular pathology decreased dramatically by 31% (range, 3%-55%) and 26% (range, 7%-62%), respectively. According to the professional category, between 28% and 41% of the staff members were not present in the laboratories but did teleworking. A total of 70% of the laboratories developed virtual meetings for the training of residents and junior pathologists. During the period of study, none of the staff members with confirmed COVID-19 became infected as a result of handling samples. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on most of the European pathology laboratories included in this study. Urgent implementation of several changes to the organization of most of these laboratories, notably to better harmonize biosafety procedures, was noted at the onset of the pandemic and maintained in the event of a new wave of infection occurring in Europe

Clinical and molecular practice of European thoracic pathology laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic The past and the near future

BackgroundThis study evaluated the consequences in Europe of the COVID-19 outbreak on pathology laboratories orientated toward the diagnosis of thoracic diseases.Materials and methodsA survey was sent to 71 pathology laboratories from 21 European countries. The questionnaire requested information concerning the organization of biosafety, the clinical and molecular pathology, the biobanking, the workload, the associated research into COVID-19, and the organization of education and training during the COVID-19 crisis, from 15 March to 31 May 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.ResultsQuestionnaires were returned from 53/71 (75%) laboratories from 18 European countries. The biosafety procedures were heterogeneous. The workload in clinical and molecular pathology decreased dramatically by 31% (range, 3%-55%) and 26% (range, 7%-62%), respectively. According to the professional category, between 28% and 41% of the staff members were not present in the laboratories but did teleworking. A total of 70% of the laboratories developed virtual meetings for the training of residents and junior pathologists. During the period of study, none of the staff members with confirmed COVID-19 became infected as a result of handling samples.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on most of the European pathology laboratories included in this study. Urgent implementation of several changes to the organization of most of these laboratories, notably to better harmonize biosafety procedures, was noted at the onset of the pandemic and maintained in the event of a new wave of infection occurring in Europe

Application du test microtox à la surveillance de la qualité des eaux destinées à la production d'eau potable

La surveillance de la qualité des eaux destinées à la production d'eau potable passe par la mise en place d'un système analytique complet capable de détecter le plus rapidement possible la nature des pollutions susceptibles d'empêcher la bonne marche des usines de production. Pour cela les laboratoires disposent de nombreuses technologies de détection physico-chimique mais manquaient jusqu'alors de tests rapides d'évaluation de la toxicité aiguë. Microtox tm, capable de donner une réponse en moins de 30 minutes, a déjà été largement utilisé pour l'évaluation de la toxicité aiguë d'effluents d'origine industrielle ou urbaine. Nous m'avons appliqué : . Au suivi régulier de rivières afin d'évaluer l'interférence de la pollution «chronique». . Après dosage d'eaux de rivière par des toxiques organiques ou minéraux pour évaluer l'influence de la matrice sur la sensibilité de réponse. . Lors de cas concrets de pollutions. On constate que son emploi semble limité, tout comme le test daphnies, à la détection de pollutions massives avec des sensibilités qui lui sont propres. Par sa rapidité de réponse et sa facilité de mise en œuvre, il constitue l'outil adapté actuellement pour compléter les méthodes analytiques et introduire le contrôle de toxicité dans les cas de pollutions accidentelles

Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus compared with cyclosporine microemulsion in primary simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: 1-year results of a large multicenter trial

Background. Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) transplantation has become an accepted therapy for type 1 diabetic patients with endstage renal disease. This open-label, multicenter study compared the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus with the microemulsion (ME) formulation of cyclosporine in a clinical setting. The 1-year results are reported here. Methods. The study was conducted in 10 European centers and one center in Israel. One hundred three patients were randomly assigned to tacrolimus and 102 to cyclosporine-ME. All patients received concomitant rabbit anti-T-cell globulin induction therapy, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and short-term corticosteroids. The initial daily oral doses were 0.2 mg/kg for tacrolimus, 7 mg/kg for cyclosporine-ME, and 2 to 3 g for MMF. Results. The 1-year incidence of biopsy-proven kidney or pancreas acute rejection was lower with tacrolimus (27.2%) than with cyclosporine-ME (38.2%; P=0.09). Pancreas graft survival at 1 year was 91.3% with tacrolimus and 74.5% with cyclosporine-ME (P < 0.0005). Renal graft survival was similar in the two study groups. There were no significant treatment-related differences in pancreatic or renal graft function. In total, 34 patients switched treatment from cyclosporine-ME to tacrolimus, but only 6 patients receiving tacrolimus required alternative therapy. Mean doses of MMF at I year were also lower in the tacrolimus group (1.36 vs. 1.67 g/day; P=0.007). Conclusion. These findings support the use of tacrolimus therapy for uremic patients with type 1 diabetes who are undergoing SPK transplantation