[Optimizing the management of bladder cancer in older patients]. / Optimisation de la prise en charge du cancer de la vessie chez les patients âgés.

AIM: To define and present potential improvements for the management of bladder cancer in older patients. METHOD: Bibliographical search was performed from the Medline bibliographic database (NLM Pubmed tool) and Embase focused on: bladder cancer, treatment, BCG, chemotherapy, cystectomy, and elderly. RESULTS: The oncological principles of medico-surgical management of bladder cancer do not differ according to age. On the other hand, the patient comorbidities have been likely to alter the tolerance of these treatments. At the NMIBC stages, no adaptation of the standard treatment has demonstrated any interest. At the MIBC stages, the prognosis was improved by geriatric multidisciplinary perioperative management. CONCLUSION: The indications and principles of surgical treatments must be identical regardless of the patient age. At the NMIBC stages, adjuvant therapy, including BCG therapy, should not be questioned because of the age of the patient. On the other hand, at the localized MIBC stages, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy should not be considered as a standard and their indications assessed individually after geriatric assessment.

[Epidemiological, pathological and prognostic characteristics of bladder cancer in elderly patients]. / Spécificités épidémiologiques, pathologiques et pronostiques du cancer de la vessie chez les patients âgés.

AIM: To define and present explanations for the epidemiological, pathological and prognostic differences in bladder cancer in elderly patients. METHOD: Bibliographical search was performed from the Medline bibliographic database (NLM Pubmed tool) and Embase focused on: bladder cancer, carcinogenesis, elderly, epidemiology, prognosis. RESULTS: Bladder cancer is a growing concern for the elderly first and foremost and with an impact, mainly those who are consumers or former users of tobacco, whose therefore frequently have comorbidities associated with this consumption. The initiated carcinogenesis extends with the life length of patients, increasing the prevalence of bladder cancer. Aging promotes carcinogenesis by both potentiating its genetic abnormalities and reducing the immune system performance of the aged host to destroy cancer cells. The delay in the diagnosis of bladder cancer in elderly patients is explained and make up for the time could improve the prognosis. CONCLUSION: Regardless of variations in therapeutic effect and morbidity and mortality of treatments, aging promotes the occurrence and aggressiveness of bladder cancer. The incentive to stop exposure to carcinogens and the search for bladder cancer in patients with hematuria should not reduce with advanced age but instead be promoted in order to improve the prognosis.

Electro-optically spectrum narrowed, multiline intracavity optical parametric oscillators.

We report on the first building of an active spectral narrowing mechanism in a pulsed, multiline optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on a novel aperiodically poled lithium niobate (APPLN) device constructed using the aperiodic optical superlattice technique. The APPLN device functions simultaneously in the system as a multi-channel optical parametric down converter (OPDC) and an electro-optic (EO) gain spectral filter working on the corresponding (multiple) signal bands. When the APPLN OPO was installed in a diode pumped Nd:YVO4 laser system, highly narrowed dual-wavelength signal lines (at 1540 and 1550 nm) were observed at the output of the system through EO control of the APPLN. Correspondingly, an enhancement of the power spectral density of the source by a factor of ~7.8 with respect to the system operated in passive mode was found.

Electro-optically spectrum tailorable intracavity optical parametric oscillator.

We report a unique, pulsed intracavity optical parametric oscillator (IOPO) whose output spectrum is electro-optically (EO) tailorable based on an aperiodically poled lithium niobate (APPLN) working simultaneously as an optical parametric gain medium and an active gain spectrum filter in the system. We have successfully obtained from the IOPO the emission of single to multiple narrow-line signal spectral peaks in a near-infrared (1531 nm) band simply by electro-optic control. The power spectral density of the EO tailored signal can be enhanced by up to 10 times over the original (nontailored) signal.

[Ductal carcinoma in situ treated with radiation therapy and additional boost]. / Carcinomes canalaires in situ du sein traités par chirurgie conservatrice et irradiation avec complément dans le lit opératoire.

PURPOSE: Women with ductal carcinoma in situ are treated with breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy. The impact of an additive boost radiation is under evaluation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All women treated for ductal carcinoma in situ with breast-conserving surgery and whole breast radiation therapy at a total dose of 45Gy with a boost radiation from 1990 to 2008 have been included in this retrospective monocentric retrospective study. RESULTS: We included 171 patients. Boost radiation to the surgical bed was delivered by brachytherapy in 66 patients (39%), by direct en-face electron beam in 86 patients (50%), and by tangential fields using photon beams in 19 patients (11%). Median follow-up was 95.1months. Eight local relapses (4.6%) have occurred. The 10-year local recurrence-free survival rate was 97%. The 10-year overall survival rate was 98%. On multivariable analysis, brachytherapy (P=0.05; HR=5.15; IC=1-26.3) was associated with a reduction risk of local recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSION: In our experience, women treated for a ductal carcinoma in situ with breast-conserving surgery and whole breast radiation therapy with a boost radiation have a high 10-year local recurrence-free survival rate.

Vibrational modes of GaN nanowires in the gigahertz range.

Brillouin-light-scattering measurements and finite-element modeling of vibrational spectra in the range of 5-40 GHz are presented for an array of monocrystalline GaN nanowires with hexagonal cross sections. Analysis of the spectra is substantially complicated by the presence of a distribution of nanowire diameters. The measurements and calculations reveal a variety of modes with simple flexural, higher-order flexural, approximately 'plane-strain', approximately longitudinal and torsional displacement patterns that are similar to the corresponding modes of isotropic cylinders. The largest peaks in the spectra with acoustic angular wavenumbers in the range of 4 to ~15 µm(-1) were determined to arise from modes with relatively large transverse displacements, consistent with inelastic light scattering arising predominantly from surface ripple. These dominant modes have finite frequencies in the limit of zero wavenumber, corresponding to transverse standing waves. At higher wavenumbers, the spectra provide evidence for increased scattering through elasto-optic coupling, especially with respect to the emergence of a peak from a mode analogous to the longitudinal guided modes of thin films.

Elastic constants and dimensions of imprinted polymeric nanolines determined from Brillouin light scattering.

Elastic constants and cross-sectional dimensions of imprinted nanolines of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) on silicon substrates are determined nondestructively from finite-element inversion analysis of dispersion curves of hypersonic acoustic modes of these nanolines measured with Brillouin light scattering. The results for the cross-sectional dimensions, under the simplifying assumption of vertical sides and a semicircular top, are found to be consistent with dimensions determined from critical-dimension small-angle x-ray scattering measurements. The elastic constants C(11) and C(44) are found to be, respectively, 11.6% and 3.1% lower than their corresponding values for bulk PMMA. This result is consistent with the dimensional dependence of the quasi-static Young's modulus determined from buckling measurements on PMMA films with lower molecular weights. This study provides the first evidence of size-dependent effects on hypersonic elastic properties of polymers.

Suspected hypersensitivity pneumonitis after exposure to a biologic forage inoculant.

A 44-year-old farmer had respiratory symptoms and bibasilar pulmonary infiltrates after three exposures to a new biologic forage inoculant. Open lung biopsy revealed chronic interstitial pneumonitis and bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia. The patient responded to oral corticosteroids but acutely worsened after an inadvertent reexposure to the forage inoculant. He later recovered, with return of lung function and chest radiograph toward normal. This case suggests that biologic forage inoculants may be associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

IV chenodeoxycholate prevents calcium bilirubinate gallstones during total parenteral nutrition in the prairie dog.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether IV chenodeoxycholate (CDC) could prevent total parenteral nutrition (TPN)-associated pigmented gallstones in the prairie dog. METHODS: Twelve prairie dogs were divided into two equal groups, each receiving an identical TPN regimen. Each animal received 92 kcal/d with 61% of the calories from carbohydrate. The total volume of infusate delivered to each animal was 59 mL/d. Animals in one group, termed the TPN + CDC group, received a daily bolus injection of CDC at a dose of 15 mg/kg. Prairie dogs in the second group, termed the TPN group, received water (vehicle carrier) 1 mL/kg/d. The TPN and TPN + CDC groups received TPN for 40.3 +/- 1.3 and 42.5 +/- 0.6 days, respectively. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the initial and final weights between the two groups. None of the TPN + CDC-treated animals had gallstones or calcium bilirubinate crystals. In contrast, all of the TPN-treated animals had calcium bilirubinate crystals (p = .002), and five of six had macroscopic black pigmented gallstones (p = .015). Cholesterol crystals were not observed in either group of animals. The amount of biliary bilirubin and ionized calcium was significantly greater in the TPN group (both p < .001); however, both groups had a similar total biliary calcium concentration. CONCLUSION: IV CDC is effective in preventing TPN-associated gallstones in the prairie dog.

Atypical chondroid syringoma.

In summary, chondroid syringoma is a rare sweat gland neoplasm characterized by its slow growth and unpredictable growth phase. When malignant, it has a significant potential for recurrence, metastases, and even death. Due to the rarity of this tumor, an accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Therefore, it is important for the clinician to have a high degree of suspicion for chondroid syringoma when considering the differential diagnosis of solid cutaneous nodules. A patient has been presented with a chondroid syringoma with atypical features, but no unequivocal evidence of malignancy. This poses a therapeutic dilemma. At the present time, the best therapeutic option appears to be accurate diagnosis, wide local excision, and close follow-up. Further research will elucidate the role of adjunctive treatment modalities.

Metastatic vaginal carcinoma to the temporal bone.

Metastatic carcinoma of the temporal bone is being reported with increasing frequency. A literature review reveals 16 new cases reported in the past 2 years. In this article we present the first case of vaginal squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to the temporal bone reported in the literature. The pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and diagnostic difficulties of metastatic carcinoma to the temporal bone are discussed.

[Regional ventricular function before and after sublingual administration of nitroglycerin in patients with recent myocardial infarction in the subacute and chronic stage]. / Regionale Ventrikelfunktion vor und nach sublingualer Gabe von Nitroglycerin bei Patienten mit frischem Herzinfarkt im subakuten und chronischen Stadium.

Seven patients with a recent myocardial infarction and mostly normal left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were investigated by radionuclide ventriculography after 3-4 days and three weeks before and after 1.6 mg nitroglycerin. Between day 3-4 and the third week global ejection fraction (EF) rose insignificantly (p greater than 0.05) from 31 +/- 4 to 37 +/- 6 percent. The regional EF in the non infarcted area remained nearly stable (74 +/- 5 to 85 +/- 13 relative percent, p greater than 0.05). However, the EF in the infarcted area rose from 22 +/- 9 to 38 +/- 11 relative percent (p less than 0.05 percent). On day 3-4 nitroglycerin induced a clear increase of the EF in the infarcted area from 22 +/- 9 to 35 +/- 11 relative percent (p less than 0.05). The global EF and the EF in the non infarcted area remained nearly constant (global EF from 31 +/- 4 to 34 +/- 5 percent, EF in the non infarcted area from 74 +/- 5 to 77 +/- 7 relative percent; p greater than 0.05). Three weeks after myocardial infarction 1.6 mg nitroglycerin did not produce a significant alteration of the ejection fraction (slight increase of the global EF from 37 +/- 6 to 40 +/- 6, the regional EF in the infarcted area from 38 +/- 11 to 48 +/- 11 relative percent and from 85 +/- 13 to 90 +/- 11 relative percent in the non infarcted area; p greater than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)