A nationwide assessment of hepatocellular adenoma resection: Indications and pathological discordance.

Hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs) are benign liver tumors associated with bleeding or malignant transformation. Data on the indication for surgery are scarce. We analyzed indications and outcome of patients operated for HCAs < 50 mm compared to HCAs ≥ 50 mm. Changes in final postoperative diagnosis were assessed. We performed a retrospective study that included patients who underwent resection for (suspected) HCAs in the Netherlands from 2014 to 2019. Indication for resection was analyzed and stratified for small (<50 mm) and large (≥50 mm) tumors. Logistic regression analysis was performed on factors influencing change in tumor diagnosis. Out of 222 patients who underwent surgery, 44 (20%) patients had a tumor <50 mm. Median age was 46 (interquartile range [IQR], 33-56) years in patients with small tumors and 37 (IQR, 31-46) years in patients with large tumors ( p  = 0.016). Patients with small tumors were more frequently men (21% vs. 5%, p  = 0.002). Main indications for resection in patients with small tumors were suspicion of (pre)malignancy (55%), (previous) bleeding (14%), and male sex (11%). Patients with large tumors received operations because of tumor size >50 mm (52%), suspicion of (pre)malignancy (28%), and (previous) bleeding (5.1%). No difference was observed in HCA-subtype distribution between small and large tumors. Ninety-six (43%) patients had a postoperative change in diagnosis. Independent risk factors for change in diagnosis were tumor size <50 mm (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.4; p  < 0.01), male sex (aOR, 3.7; p  = 0.03), and lack of hepatobiliary contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) (aOR, 1.8; p  = 0.04). Resection for small (suspected) HCAs was mainly indicated by suspicion of (pre)malignancy, whereas for large (suspected) HCAs, tumor size was the most prevalent indication. Male sex, tumor size <50 mm, and lack of hepatobiliary CE-MRI were independent risk factors for postoperative change in tumor diagnosis.

A load-lock compatible system for in situ electrical resistivity measurements during thin film growth.

An experimental setup designed for in situ electrical resistance measurement during thin film growth is described. The custom-built sample holder with a four-point probe arrangement can be loaded into a high-vacuum magnetron sputter-deposition chamber through a load-lock transfer system, allowing measurements on series of samples without venting the main chamber. Electrical contact is ensured with circular copper tracks inserted in a Teflon plate on a mounting holder station inside the deposition chamber. This configuration creates the possibility to measure thickness-dependent electrical resistance changes with sub-monolayer resolution and is compatible with use of sample rotation during growth. Examples are presented for metallic films with high adatom mobility growing in a Volmer-Weber mode (Ag and Pd) as well as for refractory metal (Mo) with low adatom mobility. Evidence for an amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition at a film thickness of 2.6 nm is reported during growth of Mo on an amorphous Si underlayer, supporting previous findings based on in situ wafer curvature measurements.

[Ectopic pregnancy in an in vitro fertilization program]. / Embarazo ectópico en un programa de fertilización in vitro.

The ectopic pregnancy rate in 171 patients of our IVF program in the last two years is 2.58%, this is quite similar to the previously reported in the general population. However, the information available from other IVF programs; even with the small numbers, and the association is high for multiple causes of tubal disease; our rate still good.

Embarazo ectópico en un programa de fertilización in vitro / Ectopic pregnancy in an in vitro fertilization program

Se analizó la incidencia de embarazo ectópico durante dos años en el programa de la clínica de fertilización in vitro del Grupo de Reproducción y Genética de AGN y Asociados y se observó que se presentó en 2.58 por ciento de los casos. Se concluye que la tasa de embarazo ectópico se mantiene similar a la de la población general, se tiene como riesgo más importante el factor tubario, pero permanecen las demás características iguales a las presentadas por la población abierta, a pesar de que las cifras publicadas sean más elevadas para la fertilización in vitro.

[Quantitative changes of plasma fibronectin in Plasmodium knowlesi malaria]. / Variations quantitatives de la fibronectine plasmatique au cours du paludisme à Plasmodium knowlesi.

In order to study the variation of plasma fibronectin (FN) during malaria infection, two male monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were splenectomized and infected with Plasmodium knowlesi. As parasitaemia increased FN concentration decreased gradually from 260 to 140 microgram/ml and 300 to 85 micrograms/ml for monkeys 1 and 2 respectively. The significance of this finding is discussed.

[Comparative study of research methods to assess water pollution of the fecal origin in the rural Sudan-Western Sahara environment]. / Etude comparative de méthodes de recherche de la pollution hydrique, d'origine fécale, en milieu rural soudano-sahélien.

In the assessment of the bacteriological quality of water from 1,500 drills World has not in Burkina-Faso, three methods have been analyzed comparatively. The first, relying upon bacterial production of H2S as indicator of faecal pollution and proposed by Indian workers, has been found unreliable for determining water potability. The second, based upon the nitrate content of water, is unable to reveal water contamination by human and animal excreta. The third method, employing a membrane filtration, is to be commended since it is well adapted to the Sahelian conditions. Simple, reliable, of low cost, this method is providing the quality assurance of water potability, a requirement which must accompany the drilling programs.

[Preferential action of chloroquine on Plasmodium within mature erythrocytes]. / Action préférentielle de la chloroquine sur les Plasmodium hébergés dans des hématies matures.

In vitro studies on the effects of chloroquine on Plasmodium berghei in relation to the age of the host cell made it possible to demonstrate the preferential effect of the drug on parasites growing in mature red blood cells. The ED-50 for parasites in mature red blood cells is lower (1,64 +/- 0,2 mg/kg/day) than in reticulocytes (2,45 +/- 0,2 mg/kg/day). The result of clumping test for chloroquino-sensitive P. berghei growing in young red blood cells, is almost similar as in a chloroquino-resistant strain of the same species. These results are compared with physiological observations on Plasmodium host parasite relationships and bioclinical discrepancies noticed between in vivo chloroquine sensitivity of P. falciparum wild strains versus in vitro testing.

[Parasitic infestation and haemoglobinopathies in a population of 1170 refugees from South East Asia]. / Parasitoses et hémoglobinopathies chez 1 170 réfugiés du Sud-Est asiatique.

One thousand one hundred and seventy refugees from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were examined in the north of France from 1976 to 1980. 58% of them carried digestive parasites, 22% had anti-Plasmodium antibodies and 2% showed circulating Plasmodium. The most frequent parasites were hookworms (28%), Opisthorchiidae (15%) and Giardia intestinalis (12%). Strongyloides stercoralis (5,7%), Entamoeba histolytica (4,5%), tapeworms (3,3%), human coccidia (1,3%) and Trichostrongylus sp. (1%) were less frequent. Four cases of japonicum schistosomiasis were diagnosed by rectal biopsy. Three species of Plasmodium were identified: P. falciparum (10 cases), P. vivax (3 cases) and P. malariae (2 cases). 16% of the refugees displayed E haemoglobin (Hb E). The occurrence of parasitic infestation and Hb E were more frequent in Cambodians and Laotians than in Vietnameses. Specific anti-P. falciparum antibodies were observed with a significant higher frequency in patients carrying Hb E.