Interferometric near-field characterization of plasmonic slot waveguides in single- and poly-crystalline gold films.

Single-crystalline gold films show superior plasmonic properties compared to their poly-crystalline counterparts. However, this advantage comes at the cost of a more complex preparation process. It is thus crucial to validate whether the impact of the material quality on the performance of the respective plasmonic device justifies this additional effort. In order to address this question for the case of plasmonic slot waveguides, we present interferometric near-field measurements at telecommunication wavelengths on slot waveguides in single- and poly-crystalline gold films. We observe significantly larger propagation lengths in the case of single-crystalline gold films for slot widths below 100 nm. In contrast for larger widths, both gold films give rise to comparable propagation lengths.

Freestanding metasurfaces for optical frequencies.

We present freestanding metasurfaces operating at optical frequencies with a total thickness of only 40 nm. The metasurfaces are fabricated by focused ion beam milling of nanovoids in a carbon film followed by thermal evaporation of gold and plasma ashing of the carbon film. As a first example, we demonstrate a metasurface lens based on resonant V-shaped nanovoids with a focal length of 1 mm. The second example is a metasurface phase plate consisting of appropriately oriented rectangular nanovoids that transform a Gaussian input beam into a Laguerre-Gaussian LG-1,0 mode.

[Castleman disease localized in the mesentery]. / Maladie de Castleman localisée au mésentère.

We report a case of Castleman disease in the mesentery localized to a 58 year-old man. The mass is hypervascular on CT, which can suggest the diagnostic before surgery.

[What are the physical complaints without pathological clinical signs in patients with diabetes mellitus?]. / Wie lassen sich Körperbeschwerden bei Patienten mit Diabetes mellitus ohne pathologische klinische Befunde verstehen?

UNLABELLED: In previous research it was found that patients with diabetes mellitus suffer from multiple physical symptoms even early in their disease course. Such complaints may relate to blood glucose levels or can be understood as a sign of distress in respect to the diagnosis of a chronic disease. PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate in a cross-sectional analysis all the symptoms that patients may complain of and to relate these symptoms to a possible dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. METHOD: We assessed the complaints of 66 patients with diabetes mellitus and compared these variables with those of patients with psychological disturbances (n = 794) or somatic disease (n = 162). The symptoms were recorded by means of several questionnaires such as the "Giessener Beschwerdebogen" (GBB), "the Freiburger Persönlichkeitsinventar" (FPI), the German version of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the German version of the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI). The autonomic nervous system was assessed using resting and mental stress conditions in a subset of patients with diabetes mellitus (n = 29) and psychological disturbances (n = 44). RESULTS: Patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and psychological disturbances showed a tendency to higher scores in GBB, STAI and STAXI. As far as psychological disturbances are concerned, the complaints experienced by patients with diabetes mellitus were found to be similar to those with somatic diseases. Both groups, however, rate clearly below those with psychological disturbances. The results of autonomic testing showed a significant disturbance in patients with diabetes mellitus with reduced sensitivity of the baroreceptor indicating autonomic neuropathy. CONCLUSION: Some of the physical complaints of patients with diabetes mellitus can be understood in connection with autonomic dysfunction. Moreover, an explicitly psychological view of these complaints may not be correct.

[Nephropathy and filariasis from Loa loa. Apropos of 1 case of adverse reaction to a dose of ivermectin]. / Néphropathie et filariose à Loa loa. A propos d'un cas de réaction adverse à la prise d'ivermectine.

A patient with a filarial infection due to Loa loa, received single oral dose of ivermectin A few hours after, he has presented a severe renal impairment. Native of the Cameroons, he was also treated for malaria. A renal biopsy has been done, because of chronic proteinuria. It has showed microfilariae in glomeruli, thickening of the basement membrane and a segmental and focal mesangial hyalinosis. By immunofluorescence microscopy there were granular deposits of IgM and C3 along this membrane. Electron microscopy has showed subepithelial electron- dense deposits. This suggests that the renal disease is immunologically induced. During the therapy, adverse reactions seemed to be related with massive liberation of filarial antigens. This is well known with diethylcarbamazine but also now, sometimes with ivermectin.

[Tumor of the peripheral nerve sheath with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation arising in a ganglioneuroma: neurilemmoma? A fortuitously detected case]. / Tumeur des gaines des nerfs périphériques à différenciation musculaire survenant sur un ganglioneurome: tumeur de Triton?

An otherwise healthy 21-year-old man with no evidence or family history of Von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis presented a posterior mediastinal mass detected on routine chest radiographs. The findings of standard light microscopy, ultrastructural examination and immunohistochemical studies suggested the working hypothesis of an unusual malignant "Triton" tumour: -arising in a pre-existing de novo ganglioneuroma; -fortuitously detected; -predominantly made of multinucleated spindle cells with only ultrastructural and immunohistochemical rhabdomyoblastic differentiation.

The lumbar anterior epidural cavity: the posterior longitudinal ligament, the anterior ligaments of the dura mater and the anterior internal vertebral venous plexus.

The contents of the anterior epidural cavity were studied to elucidate the relationship between veins, ligaments, and membranous formations. Anatomical, radiological and histological studies on human specimens after latex or gelatin/gadolinium venous injection at the level of the lumbar spine show that the posterior longitudinal ligament is a cross-shaped formation which includes the septum, the superficial part extending into the intervertebral foramen and the anterior ligaments of the dura mater. The anterior epidural cavity contains two medial and two lateral spaces. The two medial cavities enclose anterior and medial venous plexuses, which together receive the basivertebral veins; the two lateral cavities receive the anterior longitudinal veins. Contents of the medial and lateral cavities pass freely between the two. The lateral cavity connects with the intervertebral canal and dorsally into the posterior epidural space.

[Bilateral tumors of the testis: the role of the diagnosis of carcinoma in situ in early detection]. / Les tumeurs bilatérales du testicule: place du diagnostic de carcinome in situ dans le dépistage précoce.

In a series of 540 patients with testicular germ cell tumors, the diagnosis of bilateral tumor was observed nine times. Two patients presented a simultaneous bilateral tumor and for seven others a second tumor occurred after an interval varying from 1 to 16 years. The often late discovery of the contralateral cancer sometimes requires a prolonged follow up for patients with unilateral testicular malignancy. Incidence, risk factors and therapy are discussed, in particular the anomalies in testicular migration, hypofertility, testicular atrophy and carcinoma in situ. Prevention of bilateral consecutive tumors depends on the research of carcinoma in situ thanks to testicular biopsy. A slight radiotherapy allows eradication of this tumor, whose evolution towards invading cancer is particularly high. A rigorous watch of these patients can be considered. With the absence of early detection, the treatment of the simultaneous tumor needs taking into consideration the treatment of the initial tumor. In case of a diagnosis at stage 1, observation after orchidectomy is possible without further treatment.

[MRI aspects of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy]. / Aspects IRM de la leucoencéphalopathie multifocale progressive.

Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy is a demyelinating disease. MRI shows high signal intensity areas on T2w sequence and low intensity aeras on T1w sequence, without enhancement after intravenous contrast injection. The involvement of arcuate fiber (U fibers) creates a sharp border with the cortex. There is no mass effect. Involvement of parieto-occipital areas is frequent. The lesions may be uni or bilateral, single or multiple; bilateral lesions are asymmetric. This typical appearance on MR images occurs in 90% of the patients with PML. Some atypical patterns may occur: focal hemorrhage, atrophy, faint peripheral enhancement and involvement of deep gray matter (basal ganglia). In most cases, the clinical and MR features provide the diagnosis. The main differential diagnosis, in MRI, is HIV-leukoencephalitis, but lesions are diffuse, less intense on T2w sequence and not visible on T1, without involvement of the arcuate fibers. Stereotactic biopsy should be performed only for atypical lesions, particularly in case of predominant involvement of deep gray structures.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for postpolycythemic myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis: a case report.

Myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis develops in about 10% of patients with polycythemia vera. We report a case of a 48-year-old female with postpolycythemic myelofibrosis successfully treated with allogeneic HLA-matched bone marrow transplantation.

[Diffuse toxoplasmic encephalitis in a non-immunosuppressed patient]. / Encéphalite toxoplasmique diffuse chez un sujet non immunodéprimé.

Diffuse encephalitic toxoplasmosis is an unusual presentation of toxoplasmosis, in which neuroradiological investigations may not show focal abcesses. Until now it was only reported in immunocompromised patients. In immunocompetent patients, cerebral toxoplasmosis is very unusual, and appears as multiple abcesses, like the classic form in immunocompromised patients. We report the case of an immunocompetent patient who presented a diffuse encephalitic toxoplasmosis; CT and MR examinations showed only nonspecific features of brain swelling and cortical infarct due to vasculitis.

[Non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis. Role of the pathologist in the assessment of prognostic factors based on the specimen of orchiectomy. Proposal of an anatomopathological examination report defined by the Study Group of the Committee of Cancerology of the French Association of Urology]. / Tumeurs germinales non séminomateuses du testicule. Rôle de l'anatomopathologiste dans l'établissement des facteurs du prognostic sur la pièce d'orchidectomie. Proposition d'une fiche d'etude anatomopathologique établie par le Groupe de Travail du Comité de Cancérologie de l'Association Française d'Urologie.

Non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis. Role of the pathologist in the definition of the prognostic factors based on examination of the orchidectomy specimen. Proposal of a pathological examination report form defined by the study Group of the Oncology Committee of the French Urological Association.

MRI of the epidural space after gelatin/gadolinium venous injection.

The head and vertebral column from two human cadavers were injected with a solution of gelatin and gadolinium (Dotarem) and imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Comparisons between gross anatomic slices and corresponding images of the lumbar vertebral column confirmed the usefulness of a paramagnetic agent for visualising the epidural venous plexus. This technique provides accurate images of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

[Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy localized in the thalamic grey matter in an AIDS-patient]. / Leuco-encéphalopathie multifocale progressive localisée en substance grise thalamique chez un patient atteint de SIDA.

Involvement of the deep grey matter is unusual in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is disease of the white matter. Basal ganglia involvement is usually secondary to extension from lesions of adjacent white matter and easy to recognize. We report a biopsy-proven case of PML in which lesions were mainly thalamic.

[Lymphoma or testicular seminoma: histopathological aspects of the differential diagnosis]. / Lymphome ou séminome testiculaire: aspects histopathologiques du diagnostic différentiel.

Differential diagnosis between seminoma versus primary lymphoma of the testis can be difficult in some observations. Well established data, concerning epidemiological, clinical and radiological findings with histological results allows the right diagnosis to be made in most of cases. Cytological study of tumor prints is always interesting for uncertain cases. Therefore, if doubts persist, immunohistological study, even performed on paraffin embedded material, is the best method.

[Inflammatory pseudo-tumor of the lung. Clinico-pathologic report of a case]. / Pseudo-tumeur inflammatoire du poumon. Etude anatomo-clinique d'une observation.

One case of a solitary pulmonary nodule occurring in a 54-year-old woman with history of breast carcinoma is presented. Histological examination of the surgical specimen excluded breast carcinoma metastasis and revealed an inflammatory pseudotumor. Principal clinico-pathological findings in previously reported cases are described. Inflammatory pseudotumors may exhibit, as in our case, some nuclear atypia making the diagnosis sometimes difficult with malignancy.

[Chondrosarcoma of the thoracic wall. Review of the literature apropos of 4 cases]. / Chondrosarcomes de la paroi thoracique. Revue de la littérature à propos de 4 observations.

Primary tumors of the chest wall are rare. Chondrosarcoma are the more usual neoplastic tumors for those localisations. The authors describe 4 cases of primary chondrosarcoma of the chest wall diagnosed in the Hospital Val-de-Grâce since 12 years and make a review about chondrosarcoma.

[Primary brain lymphoma in AIDS. 17 cases studied by MRI before stereotaxic biopsies]. / Lymphome cérébral primitif du SIDA. 17 cas explorés en IRM avant biopsie stéréotaxique.

AIM: Determining which semiological criteria might help to suggest lymphoma when an intracerebral mass in observed in a patient with AIDS. The use of these criteria might shorten the duration of the anti-toxoplasmic test treatment and to perform puncture earlier. The fast growth of the lymphomas may account for the rapid death of these patients if untreated, but as a corollary, its increase in size can be objectively measured over a short period, about ten days. MEANS: Retrospective study of 17 lymphomas diagnosed with stereotaxic puncture. RESULTS: The most discriminating criteria are ventricular encasement or an original site in the white matter, as well as the moderate character of the edema and of the mass effect relative to the volume of the tumor. Other arguments also help: simple lesion, large size, sinuous contour, no signs of hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of lymphoma can often be proposed at once. A control must then be performed very soon, with stereotaxic puncture if the volume of the lesion has increased in the meantime.