Shear-free perfect fluids with a solenoidal electric curvature

We prove that the vorticity or the expansion vanishes for any shear-free perfect fluid solution of the Einstein field equations where the pressure satisfies a barotropic equation of state and the spatial divergence of the electric part of the Weyl tensor is zero.Comment: 9 page

Evolution of European prostate cancer screening protocols and summary of ongoing trials

Population-based organised repeated screening for prostate cancer has been found to reduce disease-specific mortality, but with substantial overdiagnosis leading to overtreatment. Although only very few countries have implemented a screening programme on a national level, individual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is common. This opportunistic testing may have little favourable impact, while stressing the side-effects. The classic early detection protocols as were state-of-the-art in the 1990s applied a PSA and digital rectal examination threshold for sextant systematic prostate biopsy, with a fixed interval for re-testing, and limited indication for expectant management. In the three decades since these trials were started, different important improvements have become available in the cascade of screening, indication for biopsy, and treatment. The main developed aspects include: better identification of individuals at risk (using early/baseline PSA, family history, and/or genetic profile), individualised re-testing interval, optimised and individualised starting and stopping age, with gradual invitation at a fixed age rather than invitation of a wider range of age groups, risk stratification for biopsy (using PSA density, risk calculator, magnetic resonance imaging, serum and urine biomarkers, or combinations/sequences), targeted biopsy, transperineal biopsy approach, active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer, and improved staging of disease. All these developments are suggested to decrease the side-effects of screening, while at least maintaining the advantages, but Level 1 evidence is lacking. The knowledge gained and new developments on early detection are being tested in different prospective screening trials throughout Europe. In addition, the European Union-funded PRostate cancer Awareness and Initiative for Screening in the European Union (PRAISE-U) project will compare and evaluate different screening pilots throughout Europe. Implementation and sustainability will also be addressed. Modern screening approaches may reduce the burden of the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death in European males, while minimising side-effects. Also, less efficacious opportunistic early detection may be indirectly reduced.</p

Evolution of European prostate cancer screening protocols and summary of ongoing trials

Population-based organised repeated screening for prostate cancer has been found to reduce disease-specific mortality, but with substantial overdiagnosis leading to overtreatment. Although only very few countries have implemented a screening programme on a national level, individual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is common. This opportunistic testing may have little favourable impact, while stressing the side-effects. The classic early detection protocols as were state-of-the-art in the 1990s applied a PSA and digital rectal examination threshold for sextant systematic prostate biopsy, with a fixed interval for re-testing, and limited indication for expectant management. In the three decades since these trials were started, different important improvements have become available in the cascade of screening, indication for biopsy, and treatment. The main developed aspects include: better identification of individuals at risk (using early/baseline PSA, family history, and/or genetic profile), individualised re-testing interval, optimised and individualised starting and stopping age, with gradual invitation at a fixed age rather than invitation of a wider range of age groups, risk stratification for biopsy (using PSA density, risk calculator, magnetic resonance imaging, serum and urine biomarkers, or combinations/sequences), targeted biopsy, transperineal biopsy approach, active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer, and improved staging of disease. All these developments are suggested to decrease the side-effects of screening, while at least maintaining the advantages, but Level 1 evidence is lacking. The knowledge gained and new developments on early detection are being tested in different prospective screening trials throughout Europe. In addition, the European Union-funded PRostate cancer Awareness and Initiative for Screening in the European Union (PRAISE-U) project will compare and evaluate different screening pilots throughout Europe. Implementation and sustainability will also be addressed. Modern screening approaches may reduce the burden of the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death in European males, while minimising side-effects. Also, less efficacious opportunistic early detection may be indirectly reduced.</p

Interferon-β attenuates lung inflammation following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage

INTRODUCTION: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) affects relatively young people and carries a poor prognosis with a case fatality rate of 35%. One of the major systemic complications associated with SAH is acute lung injury (ALI) which occurs in up to one-third of the patients and is associated with poor outcome. ALI in SAH may be predisposed by neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) and inflammatory mediators. The objective of this study was to assess the immunomodulatory effects of interferon-β (IFN-β) on inflammatory mediators in the lung after experimental SAH. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were subjected to the induction of SAH by means of the endovascular filament method. Sham-animals underwent sham-surgery. Rats received IFN-β for four consecutive days starting at two hours after SAH induction. After seven days, lungs were analyzed for the expression of inflammatory markers. RESULTS: SAH induced the influx of neutrophils into the lung, and enhanced expression of the pulmonary adhesion molecules E-selectin, inter-cellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 compared to sham-animals. In addition, SAH increased the expression of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-2, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 in the lung. Finally, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was significantly increased in lungs from SAH-animals compared to sham-animals. IFN-β effectively abolished the SAH-induced expression of all pro-inflammatory mediators in the lung. CONCLUSIONS: IFN-β strongly reduces lung inflammation after experimental SAH and may therefore be an effective drug to prevent SAH-mediated lung injury

Participation in child and youth care

Participatie in het domein van de zorg voor jeugd ligt genuanceerd. Cliënten hechten belang aan participatie en spreken zich uit voor kwaliteitscriteria in termen van aspecten van participatie. Verschillende niveaus in participatie zijn te onderkennen, maar volledige participatie en verantwoordelijkheden zijn afhankelijk van de situatie. Het is van belang om met cliënten in de jeugdhulp te bespreken, dat de mogelijkheid bestaat om op deze hogere niveaus te participeren. Het gaat er om het potentieel van cliënten maximaal te erkennen en hen in de gelegenheid te stellen om te participeren op een zo hoog mogelijk niveau.Uit onderzoek naar participatie in de zorg voor jeugd wordt geconcludeerd dat participatie het resultaat van de zorg vergroot. Maar participatie is niet vanzelfsprekend en wordt niet altijd door professionals actief bevorderd. Voor die vergroting van de participatie zijn echter voldoende werkwijzen en instrumenten voorhanden. Zaak is die te benutten.<br/

Usage of TCRAV and TCRBV gene families in human fetal and adult TCR rearrangements

We have investigated fetal and adult T-cell receptor (TCR) A and B V-gene repertoires both by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis with the avialable TCR V region-specific mAbs and by the polymerase chain reaction (PRC) with TRC V gene family-specific oligonucleotides. Among the low number of CD3+ T cells, most of the TRC V region tested for could be detected by FACS analysis in liver, bone marrow, and spleen derived from a 14-week-old fetus and two 15-weeks-old fetuses. Similarly, the PCR analysis showed that the majority of the TCRAV and TCRBV families were expressed in the peripheral organs of the 13-week-old fetus, although an apparent absence of particular TCR V families was found in liver and bone marrow. This was most probably the consequence of the low number of CD3+ T cells in these organs. In 17-week-old week-old fetal thymi the level of expression of some TCRAV and TCRBV gene families, in particular those that contain single member, was lower compared to post-partum thymi and adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The combined data of FACS and PCR analysis demonstrate that TCR genes belonging to the majority of TCR V gene families can be used in TCR α and β chain rearrngements during early human fetal life. Our data also suggest that the expression levels of some of the single member TCR V gene families may be influenced by the development stage