The current and future burden of hepatitis B in Switzerland: a modelling study.

Chronic hepatitis B infection (defined as sustained detection of hepatitis B virus [HBV] surface antigen [HBsAg] protein in serum) is a leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related deaths. A situation analysis carried out by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health estimated the HBsAg prevalence in Switzerland to be 0.53% (95% CI: 0.32-0.89%) in 2015 (~44,000 cases). A lower prevalence of chronic HBV in the younger generation and the adoption of universal coverage in the first year of life are expected to decrease the burden of HBV; however, a number of people in key populations (including migrants) remain undiagnosed and untreated, and infected individuals remain at risk of progressing to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Our primary objective was to examine the current and estimate the future disease burden of HBV in Switzerland and the impact of migration. The secondary objective was to estimate the impact of changing future treatment numbers. A modelling study was performed using an existing, validated model (PRoGReSs Model) applied to the Swiss context. Model inputs were selected through a literature search and expert consensus. Population data from the Federal Statistical Office were used alongside prevalence data from the Polaris Observatory to estimate the number of HBV infections among people born abroad. The PRoGReSs Model was populated with and calibrated to the available data and what-if scenarios were developed to explore the impact of intervention on the future burden of disease. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate 95% uncertainty intervals (95% UIs). In 2020, there were an estimated 50,100 (95% UI: 47,500-55,000) HBsAg+ cases among people born abroad. Among people born in Switzerland, there were approximately 62,700 (UI: 58,900-68,400) total HBV infections (0.72% [UI: 0.68-0.79%] prevalence). Prevalence among infants and children under the age of 5 were both <0.1%. By 2030, prevalence of HBV is expected to decrease, although morbidity and mortality will increase. Increasing diagnosis (90%) and treatment (80% of those eligible) to meet the global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis programme targets could prevent 120 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and 120 liver-related deaths. Thanks to the historical vaccination programmes and the continued rollout of universal 3-dose coverage in the first year of life, Switzerland is expected to exceed the global health sector strategy targets for the reduction of incidence. While overall prevalence is decreasing, the current diagnosis and treatment levels remain below global health sector strategy targets

Thickness effect on nanoscale electromechanical activity in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 thin films studied by piezoresponse force microscopy

0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3 (PMN–PT) ferroelectric thin films with thickness ranging from 28 to 110 nm were sputter deposited onto LaNiO3/SiO2/Si substrates. Optical properties were determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry. We found B = 4.6 and λ0 = 209 nm, which is consistent for all PMN–PT samples with previous results shown in the literature. Nanoscale electromechanical activity was probed by using piezoresponse force microscopy in imaging and spectroscopic modes. Both piezoresponse images and local piezoloops recorded on each film highlighted an enhancement of piezoelectric vibration amplitude when the film thickness increased from 28 to 62 nm (∼1.06 to ∼1.34 mV), then saturation was observed for thicker films. This specific evolution was explained taking into account the low-permittivity interfacial Pb2Nb2O7 layer existing between bottom electrode and PMN-PT layer. Higher leakage current when thickness is decreasing was shown, which could also explain the particular behavior of the local electromechanical properties

Etudes structurales et propriétés de luminescence d'une solution solide (La_1-xSm_x)_2 Ti_2O_7 (0 < x <0.8) synthétisées par voie sol-gel

Posterno abstrac

Microwave sintering: Improvement of the electrical properties of barium titanate doped with calcium and zirconia

International audienc

Terahertz properties of liquid crystals doped with ferroelectric BaTiO₃ nanoparticles

International audienceno abstrac

«α-La₂WO₆ : Nouveau composé ferroélectrique sans plomb»

National audienc

«α-La₂WO₆ : un nouveau composé ferroélectrique sans plomb en couche mince»

National audienc

Growth of Ca3Co4O9+δ thin film on sapphire substrate and CGO dense pellet by pulsed laser deposition. Structural, microstructural, surface and electrochemical characterizations

International audienceno abstrac