Executive dysfunction in dementia

Conference (2003, December)

Comparative efficacy of eletriptan and zolmitriptan in the acute treatment of migraine

in Cephalalgia : An International Journal of Headache (2003), 23(10), 942-952

Eletriptan 40 mg and 80 mg have shown greater efficacy in acute migraine than oral sumtriptan 100 mg and naratriptan 2.5 mg. This study continues the systematic series of active comparator trials in the ... [more ▼]

Eletriptan 40 mg and 80 mg have shown greater efficacy in acute migraine than oral sumtriptan 100 mg and naratriptan 2.5 mg. This study continues the systematic series of active comparator trials in the eletriptan clinical development programme. In a multicentre double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-groups trial, 1587 outpatients with migraine by IHS criteria were randomised in a 3: 3: 3: 1 ratio to eletriptan 80 mg, eletriptan 40 mg, zolmitriptan 2.5 mg or placebo. Of these, 1312 treated a single migraine attack and recorded baseline and outcome data to be included in the intention-to-treat population. The primary analysis was between eletriptan 80 mg and zolmitriptan. For the primary efficacy end-point of 2-h headache response, rates were 74% on eletriptan 80 mg, 64% on eletriptan 40 mg, 60% on zolmitriptan (P < 0.0001 vs. eletriptan 80 mg) and 22% on placebo (P < 0.0001 vs. all active treatments). Eletriptan 80 mg was superior to zolmitriptan on all secondary end-points at 1, 2 and 24 h, in most cases with statistical significance. Eletriptan 40 mg had similar efficacy to zolmitriptan 2.5 mg in earlier end-points, and significantly (P < 0.05) lower recurrence rate and need for rescue medication over 24 h. All treatments were well tolerated; 30-42% of patients on active treatments and 40% on placebo reported all-causality adverse events that were mostly mild and transient. On patients' global ratings of treatment, both eletriptan doses scored significantly better than zolmitriptan. [less ▲]

Cerebellar metabolite alterations detected in vivo by proton MR spectroscopy

in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (2003), 21(10), 1201-1206

The aim of our work was to evaluate the feasibility of in vivo single-voxel quantitative proton MR spectroscopy in order to identify possible alterations in the main metabolite concentrations due to some ... [more ▼]

The aim of our work was to evaluate the feasibility of in vivo single-voxel quantitative proton MR spectroscopy in order to identify possible alterations in the main metabolite concentrations due to some metabolic dysfunctions in the cerebellum of patients suffering from a particular form of migraine called "with aura." Measurements of metabolite levels in the cerebellum disclosed reduced choline values (normalized both to N-acetyl-aspartate and creatine) in the patient group with respect to the age-matched control group. Our interest in this pathology is motivated by the fact that there are no available specific biochemical markers for migraine characterization, and the current diagnostic only takes advantage of the medical history and the clinical examination. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

Endometriose stade I et II: implications physiopathologiques, cliniques et therapeutiques

in Journal de Gynécologie, Obstétrique et Biologie de la Reproduction (2003), 32(8, Pt 2), 11-4

Stage I and II endometriosis is defined by a r-AFS score respectively ranging from 1 to 5 and from 6 to 15. This mild, superficial endometriosis is a very common pathology occurring in infertile women ... [more ▼]

Stage I and II endometriosis is defined by a r-AFS score respectively ranging from 1 to 5 and from 6 to 15. This mild, superficial endometriosis is a very common pathology occurring in infertile women. Nevertheless, these women with stage I/II endometriosis have usually few pelvic pain. This review summarizes the recent literature concerning new data on the pathogenesis of peritoneal endometriosis and its clinical management. Retrograde menstruation, peritoneal adhesion of shed endometrial tissue, and outgrowth of endometrial cells, glands and stroma, are essential elements in the pathogenesis of endometriosis according to Sampson's classic implantation theory. Nevertheless, exact pathophysiology of endometriosis remains unknown. Superficial endometriotic lesions observed by laparoscopy have to be treated. Surgical procedure is not difficult for stage I and II of endometriosis. Surgical procedure remains controversial. Carbon dioxide (CO2) Laser can be used for laparoscopic destruction of endometriosis. Newer procedures, such as SurgiTouch (Lumenis), are more effective in vaporization and decrease the risk thermal damage of contiguous structures. The monopolar scissors can also be used in order to excise the peritoneal endometriotic lesions. Medical treatment may be usefull if surgical treatment is not complete or if the pelvic cavity is hypervascularized. In these cases, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone agonists (Gn-RHa) are the most common and effective treatment. [less ▲]

Preventive assessment and enhancement of power system voltage stability: an integrated approach of thermal and voltage security

Doctoral thesis (2003)

This thesis is devoted to the preventive assessment and enhancement of voltage stability and security in electric power systems. However, in the course of deriving all the proposed methods we have paid ... [more ▼]

This thesis is devoted to the preventive assessment and enhancement of voltage stability and security in electric power systems. However, in the course of deriving all the proposed methods we have paid attention to keeping them compatible with the (more traditional) handling of thermal overloads, thereby providing a unified treatment of voltage and thermal security. The approaches presented in this work apply to both deregulated environments and classical, vertically integrated ones. The heart of most methods developed in this thesis is : (i) the derivation of sensitivities indicating the relative efficiency of the various bus injections to restore voltage stability or increase an insufficient voltage security margin, and (ii) the use of these sensitivities in linearized security constraints that can be incorporated to various optimization problems. Using this formulation, we deal with three different problems of interest in preventive security analysis: 1) Congestion management. We propose two optimization-based approaches to manage congestions due to voltage instability and/or thermal overload. The control variables are either power injections (generation rescheduling and load curtailment) or power transactions; 2) Computation of Available Transfer Capabilities (ATCs). We determine the simultaneous ATCs of multiple transactions by means of a single optimization-based computation; 3) evaluation of security margins interval. To face the uncertainty affecting power transfers, we present an optimization-based computation of the minimal and maximal margins under the assumption that individual injections vary within specified bounds. Besides this main theme, the thesis offers additional reflections on the: 1) Filtering of contingencies. We propose a simple and reliable technique to filter out harmless contingencies when computing voltage security margins of a large set of contingencies; 2) Evaluation of reactive reserves with respect to a contingency, an important topic for voltage security reasons as well as within the context of a deregulated market where providing reactive reserves is an ancillary service which should be properly paid. Most of the methods proposed in this thesis were successfully tested on realistic power system models. From a practical viewpoint all the above computations have been coupled to the fast time-domain quasi steady-state simulation used in the ASTRE software developed at the University of Liège. [less ▲]

Le casier judiciaire central

in Jacobs, Ann; Masset, Adrien (Eds.) Actualités de droit pénal et de procédure pénale (2003)

Male hypogonadism caused by isolated LH deficiency : From pathology to gene, from gene to physiology

in Meeting of the Belgian Endocrine Society : December 2003 (2003, December)

Femmes de science belges : onze vies d'enthousiasme

Book published by L'harmattan (2003)

Afin de relever les défis de ce nouveau millénaire, l’Europe a un besoin crucial de scientifiques et de techniciens hautement qualifiés. Pourquoi alors ne pas chercher les compétences requises dans le ... [more ▼]

Afin de relever les défis de ce nouveau millénaire, l’Europe a un besoin crucial de scientifiques et de techniciens hautement qualifiés. Pourquoi alors ne pas chercher les compétences requises dans le réservoir humain gigantesque que les jeunes filles constituent, réservoir trop souvent négligé à ce jour ? Attirer les jeunes filles vers les sciences exactes ou appliquées ? Tout un programme ! Onze récits de vie, onze manifestations d’enthousiasme. Qu’elles soient mathématicienne, géologue, astrophysicienne, physicienne, ingénieure, physicienne, chimiste ou virologue, les sciences comblent les aspirations professionnelles de ces femmes. Mais cet enthousiasme omniprésent, n’occulte-t-il pas les difficultés que les femmes scientifiques rencontrent encore actuellement pour prendre place dans le monde académique, un des derniers bastions de la suprématie masculine ? [less ▲]

Effect of hemodiafiltration on pulmonary hemodynamics in endotoxic shock

in Artificial Organs (2003), 27(12), 1128-1133

Hemofiltration can improve pulmonary hemodynamics during septic shock. The main objective of the study was to determine whether hemodiafiltration (HDF) would also have beneficial effects on pulmonary ... [more ▼]

Hemofiltration can improve pulmonary hemodynamics during septic shock. The main objective of the study was to determine whether hemodiafiltration (HDF) would also have beneficial effects on pulmonary hemodynamics during septic shock. In the Endo group, six anesthetized pigs received a 0.5 mg/kg endotoxin infusion over 30 min. In the HDF group (n = 6), HDF was started 30 min after the end of the endotoxin infusion, while in the Control group (n = 4) they received HDF but no endotoxin infusion. Pulmonary hemodynamics were analyzed in detail with a four-element windkessel model. Although in the Control group, HDF did not alter pulmonary hemodynamic parameters, in the HDF group, it was responsible for an amplification of the deleterious pulmonary vascular response to endotoxin insult. Our results show that HDF must be used cautiously in septic shock since it can precipitate right heart failure by increasing pulmonary vascular resistance. [less ▲]

Influence de la variété sur le développement de Septoria tritici et sur les stratégies de protection fongicide chez le blé

Scientific conference (2003, December)