Effects of a cooling vest with sham condition on walking capacity in heat-sensitive people with Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose: Heat sensitivity is a common contraindication in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), and physical fatigue is one of the most frequently reported symptoms that can affect quality of life. Increases in body temperature may exacerbate fatigue and heat-related symptoms. Decreasing body temperature via cooling devices may mitigate disease symptoms and improve physical abilities and quality of life. This study evaluates the effects of a cooling vest with sham condition on walking capacity using a commercially-available cooling vest specifically designed for pwMS. Methods: A counter-balanced, cross-over design was used to assess the effects of a cooling vest (CryoVest Comfort, CryoInnov, France) (COLD) from a menthol-induced sham condition (CON) on ground walking time to exhaustion (Tex, s) and distance at exhaustion (Dex, m) in ambulatory pwMS. Secondary outcomes were heart rate (HR, bpm), thermal sensation (Tsens), skin chest (Tchest) and back (Tback) temperature. Results: Ten females with Multiple Sclerosis (59 \ub1 9\ua0years, EDSS 3.0\u20135.5) participated to the study. During COLD, pwMS walked significantly longer (1896 \ub1 602 vs. 1399 \ub1 404\ua0s, p < 0.001) and farther (1879 \ub1 539 vs. 1302 \ub1 318\ua0m, p < 0.001) than CON. Importantly, Tsens and HR at exhaustion were not significantly different between conditions, although Tchest ( 12\ua02.7 \ub1 1.8\ua0\ub0C, p < 0.01) and Tback ( 12\ua03.9 \ub1 1.8\ua0\ub0C, p < 0.001) were lower at volitional fatigue during COLD. Conclusion: The lightweight cooling vest improved total walking time and distance in heat-sensitive pwMS. These physiological improvements were likely due to feeling perceptually cooler in the COLD trial, compared to the corresponding point of fatigue in the CON condition

Extreme Energy Cosmic Rays (EECR) Observation Capabilities of an "Airwatch from Space'' Mission

The longitudinal development and other characteristics of the EECR induced atmospheric showers can be studied from space by detecting the fluorescence light induced in the atmospheric nitrogen. According to the Airwatch concept a single fast detector can be used for measuring both intensity and time development of the streak of fluorescence light produced by the atmospheric shower induced by an EECR. In the present communication the detection capabilities for the EECR observation from space are discussed.Comment: 3 pages (LaTeX). To appear in the Proceedings of TAUP'9

Self-Suspended Nanomesh Scaffold for Ultrafast Flexible Photodetectors Based on Organic Semiconducting Crystals

Self‐standing nanostructures are of fundamental interest in materials science and nanoscience and are widely used in (opto‐)electronic and photonic devices as well as in micro‐electromechanical systems. To date, large‐area and self‐standing nanoelectrode arrays assembled on flexible substrates have not been reported. Here the fabrication of a hollow nanomesh scaffold on glass and plastic substrates with a large surface area over 1 mm2 and ultralow leakage current density (≈1–10 pA mm−2 @ 2 V) across the empty scaffold is demonstrated. Thanks to the continuous sub‐micrometer space formed in between the nanomesh and the bottom electrode, highly crystalline and dendritic domains of 6,13‐bis(triisopropylsilylethinyl)pentacene growing within the hollow cavity can be observed. The high degree of order at the supramolecular level leads to efficient charge and exciton transport; the photovoltaic detector supported on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates exhibits an ultrafast photoresponse time as short as 8 ns and a signal‐to‐noise ratio approaching 10^5. Such a hollow scaffold holds great potential as a novel device architecture toward flexible (opto‐)electronic applications based on self‐assembled micro/nanocrystals

Fast-Response Photonic Device Based on Organic-Crystal Heterojunctions Assembled into a Vertical-Yet-Open Asymmetric Architecture

Crystalline dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide nanowires and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene microplates are integrated into a vertical-yet-open asymmetrical heterojunction for the realization of a high-performance organic photovoltaic detector, which shows fast photoresponse, ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio, and high sensitivity to weak light

A nanomesh scaffold for supramolecular nanowire optoelectronic devices

Supramolecular organic nanowires are ideal nanostructures for optoelectronics because they exhibit both efficient exciton generation as a result of their high absorption coefficient and remarkable light sensitivity due to the low number of grain boundaries and high surface-to-volume ratio. To harvest photocurrent directly from supramolecular nanowires it is necessary to wire them up with nanoelectrodes that possess different work functions. However, devising strategies that can connect multiple nanowires at the same time has been challenging. Here, we report a general approach to simultaneously integrate hundreds of supramolecular nanowires of N,N′-dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide (PTCDI-C8) in a hexagonal nanomesh scaffold with asymmetric nanoelectrodes. Optimized PTCDI-C8 nanowire photovoltaic devices exhibit a signal-to-noise ratio approaching 107, a photoresponse time as fast as 10 ns and an external quantum efficiency >55%. This nanomesh scaffold can also be used to investigate the fundamental mechanism of photoelectrical conversion in other low-dimensional semiconducting nanostructures

HbA1c levels in schoolchildren with type 1 diabetes are seasonally variable and dependent on weather conditions

Aims/hypothesis: We evaluated seasonal HbA$_{1c}$ changes in children with type 1 diabetes and its relation with measures of weather conditions. Methods: HbA$_{1c}$ changes over more than 3 years were evaluated in type 1 diabetic patients who were younger than 18 years and had diabetes duration of more than 12 months, and correlated with measures of weather conditions (ambient temperature, hours of sunshine and solar irradiance). After comparison of autocorrelation patterns, patterns of metabolic control and meteorological data were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation. Results: A total of 3,935 HbA$_{1c}$ measurements in 589 school (≥7 years) and 88 preschool (<7 years) children were analysed. Mean (±SD) HbA$_{1c}$ level for the whole study period was 7.65±1.12%. The lowest HbA$_{1c}$ levels were observed in late summer and the highest in winter months, with differences consistently exceeding 0.44%. Autocorrelation analysis of HbA$_{1c}$ levels in schoolchildren showed a sine-wave pattern with a cycle length of roughly 12 months, which mirrored changes in ambient temperature. Strong negative correlations of HbA$_{1c}$ with ambient temperature (R=−0.56; p=0.0002), hours of sunshine (R=−0.52; p=0.0007) and solar irradiance (R=−0.52; p=0.0006) were present in schoolchildren, but not in preschoolers (p≥0.29 for each correlation). Conclusions/interpretation: Seasonal changes of HbA$_{1c}$ levels in schoolchildren with type 1 diabetes are a significant phenomenon and should be considered in patient education and diabetes management. They may potentially affect the results of clinical trials using HbA$_{1c}$ levels as their primary outcome, as well as HbA$_{1c}$-based diagnosis of diabetes

Influence of solid-state microstructure on the electronic performance of 5,11-Bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene

The rich phase behavior of 5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene (TES ADT) - one of the most promising, solution-processable small-molecular organic semiconductors - is analyzed, revealing the highest performing polymorph among four solid-state phases, opening pathways toward the reliable fabrication of high-performance bottom-gate/bottom-contact transistors.We are very grateful to the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Dutch Polymer Institute (LATFE programme), and the ACS Petroleum Fund (New Directions Proposal) for financial support. We in addition acknowledge the EC’s seventh Framework Program ONE-P project (Grant Agreement 212311) for funding. N.S. is in addition supported by a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Independent Researcher Fellowship, under the grant agreement No. 279587. G.B. and E.P. acknowledges support from the ESF Project GOSPEL (Ref Nr: 09-EuroGRAPHENE-FP-001. G.B. acknowledges support from the Slovenian Research Agency, program P1-0055. N.W.O. is acknowledged for granting the beamtime at BM26B. J.E.A. acknowledges the Office of Naval Research for their support of the synthesis of organic semiconductor materials. G.B. and E.P. acknowledges support from the ESF Project GOSPEL (Ref Nr: 09-EuroGRAPHENE-FP-001). G.B. acknowledges support from the Slovenian Research Agency, program P1-0055

The COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Seasonality, With Increasing Cases of New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes in Children, From the Worldwide SWEET Registry

Objective: To analyze whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increased the number of cases or impacted seasonality of new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) in large pediatric diabetes centers globally. Research design and methods: We analyzed data on 17,280 cases of T1D diagnosed during 2018-2021 from 92 worldwide centers participating in the SWEET registry using hierarchic linear regression models. Results: The average number of new-onset T1D cases per center adjusted for the total number of patients treated at the center per year and stratified by age-groups increased from 11.2 (95% CI 10.1-12.2) in 2018 to 21.7 (20.6-22.8) in 2021 for the youngest age-group, <6 years; from 13.1 (12.2-14.0) in 2018 to 26.7 (25.7-27.7) in 2021 for children ages 6 to <12 years; and from 12.2 (11.5-12.9) to 24.7 (24.0-25.5) for adolescents ages 12-18 years (all P < 0.001). These increases remained within the expected increase with the 95% CI of the regression line. However, in Europe and North America following the lockdown early in 2020, the typical seasonality of more cases during winter season was delayed, with a peak during the summer and autumn months. While the seasonal pattern in Europe returned to prepandemic times in 2021, this was not the case in North America. Compared with 2018-2019 (HbA1c 7.7%), higher average HbA1c levels (2020, 8.1%; 2021, 8.6%; P < 0.001) were present within the first year of T1D during the pandemic. Conclusions: The slope of the rise in pediatric new-onset T1D in SWEET centers remained unchanged during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a change in the seasonality at onset became apparent.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio