The CERN laser-ion source

This paper describes the first results of a feasibility study undertaken at CERN to determine whether a laser-produced plasma can be used as a source of intense highly charged heavy ion beams. A variety of important measurements have been made, and the results are encouraging. Furthermore, a beam of highly charged light ions produced by the laser ion source has been accelerated successfully in a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) structur

Hospital care of children with a cleft in England.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse hospital admissions in the first 2 years of life among children with cleft lip and/or palate in England. DESIGN: Analysis of national administrative data of hospital admissions. SETTING: National Health Service hospitals. PATIENTS: Patients born alive between 1997 and 2008 who underwent surgical cleft repair. OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of admissions, including the birth episode, and days spent in hospital were examined. Children were analysed according to cleft type and whether or not they had additional congenital anomalies. RESULTS: 10 892 children were included. In their first 2 years, children without additional anomalies (n=8482) had on average 3.2 admissions and 13.2 days in hospital, which varied from 2.6 admissions and 9.2 days with cleft lip to 4.7 admissions and 19.7 days with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Children with additional anomalies (n=2410) had on average 6.7 admissions and 51.4 days in hospital, which varied from 6.4 admissions and 48.5 days with cleft palate to 8.8 admissions and 67.5 days with BCLP. The mean number and duration of cleft-related admissions was similar in children without (1.6 admissions and 6.4 days) and in those with additional anomalies (1.5 admissions and 8.5 days). 35.2% of children without additional anomalies had at least one emergency admission, whereas the corresponding figure was 67.3% with additional anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of hospital care in the first 2 years of life varied according to cleft type and presence of additional anomalies. However, cleft-specific hospital care did not differ between children with and without additional anomalies

Traumatic bone cyst of the mandible of possible iatrogenic origin: a case report and brief review of the literature

The traumatic bone cyst (TBC) is an uncommon nonepithelial lined cavity of the jaws. The lesion is mainly diagnosed in young patients most frequently during the second decade of life. The majority of TBCs are located in the mandibular body between the canine and the third molar. Clinically, the lesion is asymptomatic in the majority of cases and is often accidentally discovered on routine radiological examination usually as an unilocular radiolucent area with a "scalloping effect". The definite diagnosis of traumatic cyst is invariably achieved at surgery. Since material for histologic examination may be scant or non-existent, it is very often difficult for a definite histologic diagnosis to be achieved. We present a well documented radiographically and histopathologically atypical case of TBC involving the ramus of the mandible, which is also of possible iatrogenic origin. The literature is briefly reviewed

Initial counselling for cleft lip and palate : parents' evaluation, needs and expectations

During the first counselling after the birth of a child with cleft lip and palate (CLP) information about the malformation should be delivered and a long-standing relationship between the cleft team and the affected family must be established. The present study was conducted to evaluate the parents' experiences, needs and expectations with this first consultation. A questionnaire was sent to 105 parents at the cleft clinic, which could be answered anonymously. It collected demographic data, data on the parents' pre-existing level of information and the parents' assessment of the counselling at the cleft centre. Seventy percent of the questionnaires were returned. In 16% the clefts were diagnosed prenatally, in 32% there were relatives with clefts. Seventy-one percent of the parents received detailed counselling, 89% of which occurred in the first week. The parents requested that information about surgery (80%), feeding the child (63%) and the aetiology of clefts (44%) should be given. The quality of the consultation was rated very good or good by 87% of families. This study confirms the importance of initial counselling for CLP. The exceptional psychological situation of the family has to be considered and a close collaboration between cleft centre and maternity hospitals is mandatory

Resorbable collagen membrane in surgical repair of fistula following palatoplasty in nonsyndromic cleft palate

Treatment of palato-nasal fistula following primary palatoplasty in patients with nonsyndromic cleft palate is often complicated by recurrence. The authors have tested the feasibility of a surgical technique adding a resorbable collagen membrane at the bony edge of the fistula and report the outcome in the first 14 patients in an open, non-comparative, preliminary investigation. The procedure was well tolerated by all patients, with no relapses during follow up ranging from 4 to 12 months