Semi-empirical systematics of (n,3He) reaction cross-section at 14.6 and 20 MeV.

A new semi-empirical formula for the evaluation of (n,(3)He) reaction cross-sections at the energy of 14.6 and 20 MeV is presented. Formula was derived using the analytical expression for the evaluation of the (3)He spectrum within the frame of pre-equilibrium exciton model. The systematics obtained is compared with the empirical formula for the (n,(3)He) reaction cross-section.     

Analysis of surgical management of calvarial tumours and first results of a newly designed robotic trepanation system.

This study was performed to evaluate the surgical strategy in patients with calvarial tumours, in order to design and modify a robot-assisted trepanation system. A total of 75 patients underwent craniectomy for the treatment of calvarial tumours during the 10-year period from 1993 to 2002. The patients' complaints, the size, location and histology of the tumour, and the various cranioplasty techniques used were analysed retrospectively. In a second procedure several craniectomies at typical locations according to the study's results were performed in a laboratory setting using a hexapod robotic tool, constructed at the Helmholtz-Institute, RWTH Aachen University, and plastic model heads. The workflow was documented and the reproducibility and the accuracy of the procedure were registered. A total of 83 surgical procedures were performed on 75 patients. The majority (87 %) of lesions treated surgically were located in the frontal, temporal and anterior parts of the parietal region. Histological examination revealed benign lesions in 66 % of the patients and dural involvement in 46 %. According to these results craniectomies were performed using the robotic system. Mean positioning accuracy of the robotic system while milling was 0.24 mm, with a standard deviation of 0.04 mm, and maximum error under 1 mm. Craniectomies leaving a 1-mm layer of the tabula interna intact to ensure a healthy dura were performed in several regions successfully. The majority of calvarial tumours, requiring surgical treatment in our patients, were located in cosmetically relevant areas in which drilling can be carried out with the robotic trepanation system. Consequently, the surgical approach had to be planned carefully in order to achieve a good cosmetic outcome.     

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This paper gives an overview of the changes in the sector of accident insurance companies over recent months and a prognosis for the changes that can still be expected, especially with reference to the election results.     

Isolation and analysis of partial cDNA sequence coding for superoxide dismutase in Wuchereria bancrofti.

Molecular characterization of Wuchereria bancrofti is essential to develop suitable anti-filarial drugs and vaccines. We describe here isolation, sequence analysis and cloning of a partial cDNA of an enzyme superoxide dismutase from this parasite. The immunoscreening of a lambda zap W. bancrofti microfilarial (Mf) cDNA library with microfilaremic sera had resulted in the isolation of several seroreactive clones including, WbSOD. This clone contained a 309 bp insert and showed significant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence homologies to the superoxide dismutases of other nematode parasites. The antioxidant property of this enzyme may have important contribution in the defense mechanism of the parasite against host immune response.     

Outcomes of low-vision services using optometric and multidisciplinary approaches: a non-randomized comparison

Consecutive patients (n = 215) who were referred to optometric (55%) or multidisciplinary (45%) low-vision services and above 50 years of age were recruited from four hospitals in the Netherlands. They completed two vision-related quality of life questionnaires, the Vision Quality of Life Core Measure (VCM1) and the Low Vision Quality of Life Questionnaire (LVQOL), before their first visit with low-vision services and 1 year later. At follow-up, patients referred to multidisciplinary low-vision services had lower scores on the mobility subscale of the LVQOL than patients referred to optometric low-vision services [5.3 points; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2-10.5]. Paired sample t-tests for the two groups of patients taken together show improvement for the VCM1 (3.1 points; 95% CI: 0.6-5.6) and deterioration for the basic aspects of vision (3.5 points; 95% CI: 1.1-5.9) and the mobility (6.6 points; 95% CI: 3.7-9.5) subscales of the LVQOL. In conclusion, people referred to optometric services showed less deterioration in mobility than those referred to multidisciplinary services. No differences were observed for any of the other subscales of the LVQOL and the VCM1. Future research in this field should include randomized controlled designs comparing low-vision services with no treatment or placebo.     

Notification of rheumatic fever in South Africa -- evidence for underreporting by health care professionals and administrators.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether under-reporting of rheumatic fever occurs at hospital, municipal, provincial and national levels of the South African health system. BACKGROUND: Information on the incidence of rheumatic fever (RF) and the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is required for the prevention of valvular heart disease in developing countries. In South Africa, RF was made a notifiable condition in 1989. It has recently been suggested that the reporting of RF cases may be incomplete, possibly because of underreporting by health care professionals and deficient administration of the disease notification system in South Africa. METHOD AND RESULTS: We assessed whether underreporting of RF cases occurs by comparing the numbers of RF cases reported per year at hospital, municipal, provincial and national levels from 1990 to 2004. There was a fall in the number of RF cases reported per year at national and provincial level over the 15 years of observation. A detailed analysis of the number of RF cases reported at hospital, municipal and provincial level for a 5-year period showed that more cases were diagnosed in one hospital (serving a smaller population) than were captured at municipal and provincial level (serving a larger population), suggesting underreporting by health care professionals. There were discrepancies in the number of cases reported at municipal, provincial and national level, suggesting poor administration of the notification system. CONCLUSION: There appears to be underreporting of RF cases by health care professionals, and poor administration of the RF notification system. Health care professionals need to be educated about the statutory requirement to notify all RF cases in South Africa. An effective national disease notification system is required.