Simultaneous Generation of Surface Plasmon and Lossy Mode Resonances in the Same Planar Platform.

A planar waveguide consisting of a coverslip for a microscope glass slide was deposited in one of its two faces with two materials: silver and indium tin oxide (ITO). The incidence of light by the edge of the coverslip permitted the generation of both surface plasmon and lossy mode resonances (SPRs and LMRs) in the same transmission spectrum with a single optical source and detector. This proves the ability of this optical platform to be used as a benchmark for comparing different optical phenomena generated by both metal and dielectric materials, which can be used to progress in the assessment of different sensing technologies. Here the SPR and the LMR were compared in terms of sensitivity to refractive index and figure of merit (FoM), at the same time it was demonstrated that both resonances can operate independently when silver and ITO coated regions are surrounded by different refractive index liquids. The results were supported with numerical results that confirm the experimental ones.

Multidetector computed tomographic pulmonary angiography in patients with a high clinical probability of pulmonary embolism.

UNLABELLED: ESSENTIALS: When high probability of pulmonary embolism (PE), sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) is unclear. We investigated the sensitivity of multidetector CT among 134 patients with a high probability of PE. A normal CT alone may not safely exclude PE in patients with a high clinical pretest probability. In patients with no clear alternative diagnosis after CTPA, further testing should be strongly considered. BACKGROUND: Whether patients with a negative multidetector computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) result and a high clinical pretest probability of pulmonary embolism (PE) should be further investigated is controversial. METHODS: This was a prospective investigation of the sensitivity of multidetector CTPA among patients with a priori clinical assessment of a high probability of PE according to the Wells criteria. Among patients with a negative CTPA result, the diagnosis of PE required at least one of the following conditions: ventilation/perfusion lung scan showing a high probability of PE in a patient with no history of PE, abnormal findings on venous ultrasonography in a patient without previous deep vein thrombosis at that site, or the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in a 3-month follow-up period after anticoagulation was withheld because of a negative multidetector CTPA result. RESULTS: We identified 498 patients with a priori clinical assessment of a high probability of PE and a completed CTPA study. CTPA excluded PE in 134 patients; in these patients, the pooled incidence of VTE was 5.2% (seven of 134 patients; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-9.0). Five patients had VTEs that were confirmed by an additional imaging test despite a negative CTPA result (five of 48 patients; 10.4%; 95% CI 1.8-19.1), and two patients had objectively confirmed VTEs that occurred during clinical follow-up of at least 3 months (two of 86 patients; 2.3%; 95% CI 0-5.5). None of the patients had a fatal PE during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A normal multidetector CTPA result alone may not safely exclude PE in patients with a high clinical pretest probability.

Note: development of ESS Bilbao's proton ion source: Ion Source Hydrogen positive.

The Ion Source Hydrogen positive is a 2.7 GHz off-resonance microwave discharge ion source. It uses four coils to generate an axial magnetic field in the plasma chamber around 0.1 T that exceeds the ECR resonance field. A new magnetic system was designed as a combination of the four coils and soft iron in order to increase the reliability of the source. The description of the simulations of the magnetic field and the comparison with the magnetic measurements are presented. Moreover, results of the initial commissioning of the source for extraction voltage until 50 kV will be reported.

Isolated Horner's syndrome caused by intraoral gunshot.

A 45-year-old man developed Horner's syndrome after sustaining an intraoral gunshot in a suicide attempt. Examination did not show any major vascular injury or other neurological symptoms. Radiograph of the skull and helical computed tomography angiography of the brain and neck detected a bullet embedded in the interior of the left internal carotid artery (ICA) sheath. Surgical examination showed an intact left ICA. Horner's syndrome resulting from intraoral trauma rarely presents as an isolated sign and is generally associated with carotid injuries. It may herald a life-threatening artery injury and needs urgent investigation.

Coexistence of Paget's bone disease and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in males.

The coexistence of Paget's bone disease (PBD) and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) of the spine is controversial and could have implications for the pathogenic mechanisms involved in these disorders. In order to assess the prevalence of DISH in patients with Paget's disease, a prospective controlled study was carried out in which roentgenograms were obtained from a group of 50 consecutive ambulatory patients previously diagnosed as having PBD (25 males and 25 females; mean age: 66.2 +/- 8.9 years) and these were compared with 50 age- and sex-matched subjects selected randomly from various categories of medical disorders excluding PBD. DISH was found in 12 of 50 Paget's patients, this corresponding to an incidence of 24%; 10 (83%) of these 12 subjects were males. In the control population the incidence of DISH was 6%-2 males and 1 female. This difference between the two groups was statistically significant (chi 2 test; p = 0.02). Apart from the male gender, which was clearly associated with the presence of DISH in the Paget's group (p = 0.019), no other biological variable or characteristic of PBD was linked to the presence of DISH. In conclusion, our data revealed that PBD patients have a significantly greater prevalence of DISH than non-PBD probands. It would seem that the genetic mechanism which is responsible for the susceptibility of PBD to osteoclast viral infection could be related to the pathogenia of DISH in a sex-linked manner.

Case report 674: Well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma with skeletal involvement.

We report the case of a man with generalized osteosclerosis secondary to well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma. This finding is considered to be exceptional in this type of lymphoma, especially when other organs were not found to be involved. A year after the diagnosis was established the patient appeared to be in relatively good health. The radiological pattern showed no change from the original studies, nor was there any evidence of neoplastic involvement in any other location.