Nanoscale electronic order in iron pnictides.

The charge distribution in RFeAsO1-xFx (R=La,Sm) iron pnictides is probed using As nuclear quadrupole resonance. Whereas undoped and optimally doped or overdoped compounds feature a single charge environment, two charge environments are detected in the underdoped region. Spin-lattice relaxation measurements show their coexistence at the nanoscale. Together with the quantitative variations of the spectra with doping, they point to a local electronic order in the iron layers, where low- and high-doping-like regions would coexist. Implications for the interplay of static magnetism and superconductivity are discussed.

Comparison of performance of computer display monitors for radiological diagnosis; "diagnostic" high brightness monochrome LCD, 3MP vs "clinical review" colour LCD, 2MP.

A study to compare performance of the following display monitors for application as PACS CR diagnostic workstations is described. 1. Diagnostic quality, 3 Mega Pixel, 21 inch monochrome LCD monitors--Planar C3i. 2. Clinical review quality, 2 Mega Pixel, 21 inch colour LCD monitors--Planar PX212. Two sets of seventy radiological studies were presented to four senior radiologists on two occasions, using different displays on each occasion. The clinical condition used for this investigation was to query for the presence of a solitary pulmonary nodule. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for diagnostic performance for each presentation. Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) for diagnosis using different monitors were compared and the following results obtained: Monochrome AUC = 0.813 +/- 0.02, Colour AUC = 0.801 +/- 0.021. These results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the performance of these monitor types at a 95% confidence level.

Comparison of computer display monitors for computed radiography diagnostic application in a radiology PACS.

A study to compare the performance of the following display monitors for application as PACS CR diagnostic workstations is described. 1. Diagnostic quality, 3 megapixel, 21 inch monochrome LCD monitors. 2. Commercial grade, 2 megapixel, 20 inch colour LCD monitors. Two sets of fifty radiological studies each were presented separately to five radiologists on two occasions, using different displays on each occasion. The two sets of radiological studies were CR of the chest, querying the presence of pneumothorax, and CR of the wrist, querying the presence of a scaphoid fracture. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for diagnostic performance for each presentation. Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) for diagnosis using different monitors were compared for each image set and the following results obtained: Set 1: Monochrome AUC = 0.873 +/- 0.026; Colour AUC = 0.831 +/- 0.032; Set 2: Monochrome AUC = 0.945 +/- 0.014; Colour AUC = 0.931 +/- 0.019; Differences in AUC were attributed to the different monitors. While not significant at a 95% confidence level, the results have supported a cautious approach to consideration of the use of commercial grade LCD colour monitors for diagnostic application.

Can CT pulmonary angiography replace ventilation-perfusion scans as a first line investigation for pulmonary emboli?

A prospective study was performed to determine efficacy of diagnosis of pulmonary emboli by computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in patients who underwent both CTPA and ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scanning. The results were compared with the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED) study in which conventional pulmonary angiography had been performed instead of CTPA. Forty-two of 161 (26%) patients had a positive CTPA compared with a 27% prevalence in the PIOPED population. Fourteen of 16 patients (87.5%) with high-probability V/Q scans also had a positive CTPA compared with 87% in PIOPED. Twelve of 40 patients (30%) with intermediate probability V/Q scans also had a positive CTPA compared with 34.7% in PIOPED, while 12 of 80 patients (15%) who had low-probability V/Q scans had positive CTPA compared with 14.5% in PIOPED. Four of 25 patients (16%) with normal V/Q scans had positive CTPA compared with 0% in PIOPED. While the present study size was relatively small, the results compared favourably with PIOPED, suggesting that equivalent prevalence of clot was being detected using CTPA. This result, together with the cost considerations, has led us to replace V/Q scanning with CTPA for investigation of the majority of cases of suspected, acute pulmonary emboli.

[Heliotherapy in iridocyclitis and intermediate uveitis]. / Lichttherapie bei Iridozyklitis und intermediärer Uveitis.

In a pilot in 1985 we treated 45 patients suffering from recurrent anterior uveitis with heliotherapy (Dead Sea, Israel), improvements were noticed in 40% of the probants during the following year. In a further clinical trial 14 patients (25 affected eyes) received treatment with heliotherapy twice for 3 weeks with a 12 months interval. The clinical findings showed a significant correlation between administration of the therapy and intermittent inflammation of the eyes.

[Modification of the course of chronic intraocular inflammations by sunlight (Israel study)]. / Beeinflussung des Verlaufs chronischer intraokularer Entzündungen durch Sonnenlicht (Israel-Studie).

Natural treatment methods are currently becoming more and more interesting, in part due to recent results of experimental and clinical research. It has been shown that light of certain wavelengths has a systemic immunosuppressive effect. It therefore seemed logical to expose patients suffering from chronic iridocyclitis or intermediate (peripheral) uveitis to high doses of solar radiation. Following a stay in Israel (Dead Sea), a transient increase in visual acuity was observed. Inflammatory activity and the number of inflammatory attacks decreased. This could be the first step toward a more "physiological" method of immunosuppression in the treatment of chronic uveitis.

[Climatotherapy in chronic inflammations of the uvea]. / Zur Problematik der Klimatherapie bei chronischen Entzündungen der Uvea.

Treatment of uveitis depends on the inhibition of the inflammatory reaction by corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents. "Climatotherapy" remains a controversial subject and is generally not accepted. To test its efficacy a pilot study was undertaken. Children with chronic iridocyclitis or intermediate uveitis were sent to Israel for 3 weeks. During the follow-up period of 26 months there was an initial regression of the inflammatory reaction in most cases, followed by varied courses depending on the severity of the disease. Although no definite conclusions can be drawn owing to the small number of patients (5) there might been a beneficial effect. It seems very difficult to prove the efficacy of such "treatment", since not only the climate but also many other environmental factors were changed.

Studies on lamoxactam penetration into the aqueous humor of the human eye.

Eighteen patients scheduled for surgical lens removal were assigned to six groups of three patients each. These patients received 25 mg/kg lamoxactam i. v. 30 to 180 min prior to surgery. In the course of the operation, aqueous humor was obtained and a serum sample taken to determine the antibiotic concentration. The mean peak serum level was 154.5 mg/l after 30 min; it was still 46.4 mg/l after 3 h. The lamoxactam concentrations in the aqueous humor increased slowly. Peak levels after 2 h were 4.2 mg/l. The ratio of aqueous humor level: serum level after 1 h was 4.7%, after 1.5 h 5.3% and after 2 h 6.9%. The ratio then remained constant up to the third hour. Aside from some gram-positive bacterial species and Pseudomonas species, all relevant microorganisms which cause eye infections are included in lamoxactam's spectrum of susceptibility.

[Enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for demonstrating antibodies against toxoplasmosis]. / Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay (ELISA) zum Nachweis von Antikörpern gegen Toxoplasmose.

Serologic tests for specific antibodies are the primary method of diagnosis in suspected cases of toxoplasmosis. Available tests differ widely with regard to specificity and sensitivity. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is specific for toxoplasmosis and has a sensitivity comparable to radio-immuno assays. The reproducibility of the CORDIA-T assay, tested by the authors in their laboratory, was excellent; the test itself was very easy to perform. When testing sera of 590 apparently normal subjects the authors found specific antibodies in 17.9% to 48.1% of all cases, depending on age. The ELISA-test seems to be useful in the diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis.

[Endophthalmitis caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis]. / Metastatische Endophthalmitis durch Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

A 60-year-old woman developed an anterior uveitis of unknown etiology in her right eye. Topical treatment was corticosteroids led to a regression of the inflammation, but three months later a severe relapse occurred, followed by endophthalmitis and blindness. At this time a previously unknown pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed. In histologic sections of the enucleated eye numerous acid-fast bacilli were demonstrated. Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations are discussed.