Optoelectronic properties of methyl-terminated germanane

Germanane is a two-dimensional, strongly confined form of germanium. It presents an interesting combination of (i) ease of integration with CMOS technology, (ii) low toxicity, and (iii) electronic confinement which transforms the indirect bandgap of the bulk material into a direct bandgap featuring photoluminescence. However, the optoelectronic properties of this material remain far less investigated than its structural properties. Here, we investigate the photoluminescence and transport properties of arrays of methyl-terminated germanane flakes. The photoluminescence appears to have two contributions, one from the band edge and the other from trap states. The dynamics of the exciton appear to be in the range of 1–100 ns. Conduction in this material appears to be p-type, while the photoconduction time response can be made as short as 100 μs

Impact of species and antibiotic therapy of enterococcal peritonitis on 30-day mortality in critical care - An analysis of the OUTCOMEREA database

Introduction: Enterococcus species are associated with an increased morbidity in intraabdominal infections (IAI). However, their impact on mortality remains uncertain. Moreover, the influence on outcome of the appropriate or inappropriate status of initial antimicrobial therapy (IAT) is subjected to debate, except in septic shock. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether an IAT that did not cover Enterococcus spp. was associated with 30-day mortality in ICU patients presenting with IAI growing with Enterococcus spp. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of French database OutcomeRea from 1997 to 2016. We included all patients with IAI with a peritoneal sample growing with Enterococcus. Primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Results: Of the 1017 patients with IAI, 76 (8%) patients were included. Thirty-day mortality in patients with inadequate IAT against Enterococcus was higher (7/18 (39%) vs 10/58 (17%), p = 0.05); however, the incidence of postoperative complications was similar. Presence of Enterococcus spp. other than E. faecalis alone was associated with a significantly higher mortality, even greater when IAT was inadequate. Main risk factors for having an Enterococcus other than E. faecalis alone were as follows: SAPS score on day 0, ICU-acquired IAI, and antimicrobial therapy within 3 months prior to IAI especially with third-generation cephalosporins. Univariate analysis found a higher hazard ratio of death with an Enterococcus other than E. faecalis alone that had an inadequate IAT (HR = 4.4 [1.3-15.3], p = 0.019) versus an adequate IAT (HR = 3.1 [1.0-10.0], p = 0.053). However, after adjusting for confounders (i.e., SAPS II and septic shock at IAI diagnosis, ICU-acquired peritonitis, and adequacy of IAT for other germs), the impact of the adequacy of IAT was no longer significant in multivariate analysis. Septic shock at diagnosis and ICU-acquired IAI were prognostic factors. Conclusion: An IAT which does not cover Enterococcus is associated with an increased 30-day mortality in ICU patients presenting with an IAI growing with Enterococcus, especially when it is not an E. faecalis alone. It seems reasonable to use an IAT active against Enterococcus in severe postoperative ICU-acquired IAI, especially when a third-generation cephalosporin has been used within 3 months. © 2019 The Author(s)

VARIAÇÃO TEMPORÁRIA NA GAROUPA SÃO TOMÉ, EPINEPHELUS MORIO, ESTRUTURA DEMOGRÁFICA DO SUDOESTE DO GOLFO DO MÉXICO

Los cambios en la estructura demográfica del mero rojo Epinephelus morio en el  sureste del Golfo de México fueron evaluados para períodos durante los cuales se observaron: una disminución en las capturas totales, la CPUE y el rendimiento anual de la especie. Las muestras (n = 1887) fueron obtenidas a partir de las capturas comerciales realizadas entre agosto de 1989 y febrero del 2004 y la distribución de frecuencia de talla por sexos, la proporción por sexos, las tallas de primera madurez sexual y de inversión sexual, fueron comparadas entre tres períodos: P11989-1992 (n = 886); P21996-1998 (n = 413) y P32003-2004 (n = 588). La estabilidad temporal de las distribuciones de frecuencia de talla por sexos con los machos siempre de tamaño superior al de las hembras, y los valores de proporción sexual siempre sesgados a favor de las hembras fueron congruentes con el tipo de sexualidad presentada por la especie. La disminución del tamaño de las hembras y de los machos, así como de las tallas de primera madurez sexual y de inversión sexual de la especie entre el período de estudio más lejano hasta el más reciente, podrían ser una consecuencia de la intensidad pesquera ejercida sobre este stock. Las disminuciones de talla de las hembras y de los machos, asociadas a la relativa estabilidad de la proporción sexual y a la ausencia de una reducción drástica de la proporción de macho, pueden ser explicadas por la ecología reproductiva de la especie. Los resultados obtenidos son discutidos en relación con la capacidad de resiliencia reproductiva del mero rojo a la presión por pesca sufrida actualmente por el stock del Banco de Campeche.Changes in the demographic structure of red grouper Epinephelus morio from the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico, were evaluated during periods when total catches, CPUE and annual yields of the specie decreased. Fishery-dependent samples (n = 1887) were obtained between August 1989 and February 2004 from the Campeche Bank, and size-frequency distributions by sex, sex ratios and sizes of sexual maturation and sex change were compared between three periods: P11989-1992 (n = 886); P21996-1998 (n = 413); and P32003-2004 (n = 588). The temporal stability of size-frequency distribution by sex, with males always being larger than females, and the sex ratios always biased towards females, were consistent with this species’ type of sexuality. Size for females and males, as well as sizes at first sexual maturity and at sex reversal all decreased from the oldest period to the more recent one and could be a consequence of the fishing intensity applied to this stock. The reductions in size of females and males associated with a relatively stable sex ratio and the lack of any drastic decrease in the number of males can be explained by this species’ reproductive ecology. Results are discussed regarding the capacity for reproductive resilience of red grouper in response to fishing pressure like that currently experienced by the Campeche Bank stock.As mudanças na estrutura demográfica da garoupa São Tomé, Epinephelus morio, no sudeste do Golfo do México foram avaliadas em períodos durante os quais se observaram: uma redução nas capturas totais, a CPUE e o rendimento anual da espécie. As amostras (n = 1887) foram obtidas a partir das capturas comerciais realizadas entre agosto de 1989 e fevereiro de 2004 e a distribuição de frequência de tamanho por sexos, a proporção por sexos, os tamanhos de primeira maturidade sexual e de inversão sexual, foram comparadas entre três períodos: P11989-1992 (n = 886); P21996-1998 (n = 413) e P32003-2004 (n = 588). A estabilidade temporária das distribuições de frequência de tamanho por sexos com os machos sempre de tamanho superior ao das fêmeas, e os valores de proporção sexual sempre inclinado a favor das fêmeas foram congruentes com o tipo de sexualidade apresentada pela espécie. A diminuição do tamanho das fêmeas e dos machos, assim como dos tamanhos de primeira maturidade sexual e de inversão sexual da espécie entre o período de estudo mais distante até o mais recente, poderiam ser uma consequência da intensidade pesqueira exercida sobre este estoque. As diminuições de tamanho das fêmeas e dos machos, associadas à relativa estabilidade da proporção sexual e à ausência de uma redução drástica da proporção de macho, podem ser explicadas pela ecologia reprodutiva da espécie. Os resultados obtidos são discutidos com relação à capacidade de resiliência reprodutiva da garoupa São Tomé à pressão por pesca sofrida atualmente pelo estoque do Banco de Campeche. &nbsp

VARIAÇÃO TEMPORÁRIA NA GAROUPA SÃO TOMÉ, EPINEPHELUS MORIO, ESTRUTURA DEMOGRÁFICA DO SUDOESTE DO GOLFO DO MÉXICO

Changes in the demographic structure of red grouper Epinephelus morio from the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico, were evaluated during periods when total catches, CPUE and annual yields of the specie decreased. Fishery-dependent samples (n = 1887) were obtained between August 1989 and February 2004 from the Campeche Bank, and size-frequency distributions by sex, sex ratios and sizes of sexual maturation and sex change were compared between three periods: P11989-1992 (n = 886); P21996-1998 (n = 413); and P32003-2004 (n = 588). The temporal stability of size-frequency distribution by sex, with males always being larger than females, and the sex ratios always biased towards females, were consistent with this species’ type of sexuality. Size for females and males, as well as sizes at first sexual maturity and at sex reversal all decreased from the oldest period to the more recent one and could be a consequence of the fishing intensity applied to this stock. The reductions in size of females and males associated with a relatively stable sex ratio and the lack of any drastic decrease in the number of males can be explained by this species’ reproductive ecology. Results are discussed regarding the capacity for reproductive resilience of red grouper in response to fishing pressure like that currently experienced by the Campeche Bank stock.Los cambios en la estructura demográfica del mero rojo Epinephelus morio en el  sureste del Golfo de México fueron evaluados para períodos durante los cuales se observaron: una disminución en las capturas totales, la CPUE y el rendimiento anual de la especie. Las muestras (n = 1887) fueron obtenidas a partir de las capturas comerciales realizadas entre agosto de 1989 y febrero del 2004 y la distribución de frecuencia de talla por sexos, la proporción por sexos, las tallas de primera madurez sexual y de inversión sexual, fueron comparadas entre tres períodos: P11989-1992 (n = 886); P21996-1998 (n = 413) y P32003-2004 (n = 588). La estabilidad temporal de las distribuciones de frecuencia de talla por sexos con los machos siempre de tamaño superior al de las hembras, y los valores de proporción sexual siempre sesgados a favor de las hembras fueron congruentes con el tipo de sexualidad presentada por la especie. La disminución del tamaño de las hembras y de los machos, así como de las tallas de primera madurez sexual y de inversión sexual de la especie entre el período de estudio más lejano hasta el más reciente, podrían ser una consecuencia de la intensidad pesquera ejercida sobre este stock. Las disminuciones de talla de las hembras y de los machos, asociadas a la relativa estabilidad de la proporción sexual y a la ausencia de una reducción drástica de la proporción de macho, pueden ser explicadas por la ecología reproductiva de la especie. Los resultados obtenidos son discutidos en relación con la capacidad de resiliencia reproductiva del mero rojo a la presión por pesca sufrida actualmente por el stock del Banco de Campeche.As mudanças na estrutura demográfica da garoupa São Tomé, Epinephelus morio, no sudeste do Golfo do México foram avaliadas em períodos durante os quais se observaram: uma redução nas capturas totais, a CPUE e o rendimento anual da espécie. As amostras (n = 1887) foram obtidas a partir das capturas comerciais realizadas entre agosto de 1989 e fevereiro de 2004 e a distribuição de frequência de tamanho por sexos, a proporção por sexos, os tamanhos de primeira maturidade sexual e de inversão sexual, foram comparadas entre três períodos: P11989-1992 (n = 886); P21996-1998 (n = 413) e P32003-2004 (n = 588). A estabilidade temporária das distribuições de frequência de tamanho por sexos com os machos sempre de tamanho superior ao das fêmeas, e os valores de proporção sexual sempre inclinado a favor das fêmeas foram congruentes com o tipo de sexualidade apresentada pela espécie. A diminuição do tamanho das fêmeas e dos machos, assim como dos tamanhos de primeira maturidade sexual e de inversão sexual da espécie entre o período de estudo mais distante até o mais recente, poderiam ser uma consequência da intensidade pesqueira exercida sobre este estoque. As diminuições de tamanho das fêmeas e dos machos, associadas à relativa estabilidade da proporção sexual e à ausência de uma redução drástica da proporção de macho, podem ser explicadas pela ecologia reprodutiva da espécie. Os resultados obtidos são discutidos com relação à capacidade de resiliência reprodutiva da garoupa São Tomé à pressão por pesca sofrida atualmente pelo estoque do Banco de Campeche. &nbsp

Polymerization of racemic β-butyrolactone using gold catalysts : a simple access to biodegradable polymers

Novel gold(I) complexes containing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands have been synthesized and fully characterized. The resulting mononuclear gold complexes act as active initiators in the polymerization of rac-beta-butyrolactone under solvent-free conditions to provide the corresponding biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

The mitogaligin protein is addressed to the nucleus via a non-classical localization signal

Mitogaligin, a protein encoded by galig, an internal cytotoxic gene of the galectin-3 locus, is mostly a mitochondrial protein. Mitochondrial targeting is due to an already identified mitochondrial localization signal. Interaction of mitogaligin with mitochondria leads to cytochrome c cytosolic leakage and ultimately to cell death. We have previously pointed out that mitogaligin can also be directed to the nucleus when the mitochondrial addressing signal is inactivated, indicating a possible dual intracellular localization of the protein. When expressed in the nucleus, mitogaligin exhibits also apoptotic properties leading to cell death. In this report, we show that nuclear addressing of mitogaligin depends on a sequence differing from classical signals containing basic, lysine or proline-tyrosine rich residues. The signal consists of a long sequence of amino acids residues based on a series of a short repetitive degenerated sequence

The COlorectal NEoplasia Endoscopic Classification to Choose the Treatment classification for identification of large laterally spreading lesions lacking submucosal carcinomas: A prospective study of 663 lesions

International audienceAbstract Introduction Optical diagnosis is necessary when selecting the resection modality for large superficial colorectal lesions. The CO lorectal NE oplasia Endoscopic C lassification to C hoose the T reatment (CONECCT) encompasses overt (irregular pit or vascular pattern) and covert (macroscopic features) signs of carcinoma in an all‐in‐one classification using validated criteria. The CONECCT IIC subtype corresponds to adenomas with a high risk of superficial carcinoma that should be resected en bloc with free margins. Methods This prospective multicentre study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of the CONECCT classification for predicting submucosal invasion in colorectal lesions >20 mm. Optical diagnosis before en bloc resection by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was compared with the final histological diagnosis. Diagnostic accuracy for the CONECCT IIC subtype was compared with literature‐validated features of concern considered to be risk factors for submucosal invasion (non‐granular large spreading tumour [NG LST], macronodule >1 cm, SANO IIIA area, and Paris 0‐IIC area). Results Six hundred 63 lesions removed by ESD were assessed. The en bloc, R0, and curative resection rates were respectively 96%, 85%, and 81%. The CONECCT classification had a sensitivity (Se) of 100%, specificity (Sp) of 26.2%, positive predictive value of 11.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% for predicting at least submucosal adenocarcinoma. The sensitivity of CONECCT IIC (100%) to predict submucosal cancer was superior to all other criteria evaluated. COlorectal NEoplasia Endoscopic Classification to Choose the Treatment IIC lesions constituted 11.5% of all submucosal carcinomas. Conclusion The CONECCT classification, which combines covert and overt signs of carcinoma, identifies with very perfect sensitivity (Se 100%, NPV 100%) the 30% of low‐risk adenomas in large laterally spreading lesions treatable by piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection or ESD according to expertise without undertreatment. However, the low specificity of CONECCT leads to a large number of potentially not indicated ESDs for suspected high‐risk lesions

Optoelectronic properties of methyl-terminated germanane

Germanane is a two-dimensional, strongly confined form of germanium. It presents an interesting combination of (i) ease of integration with CMOS technology, (ii) low toxicity, and (iii) electronic confinement which transforms the indirect bandgap of the bulk material into a direct bandgap featuring photoluminescence. However, the optoelectronic properties of this material remain far less investigated than its structural properties. Here, we investigate the photoluminescence and transport properties of arrays of methyl-terminated germanane flakes. The photoluminescence appears to have two contributions, one from the band edge and the other from trap states. The dynamics of the exciton appear to be in the range of 1–100 ns. Conduction in this material appears to be p-type, while the photoconduction time response can be made as short as 100 μs.This article is published as Livache, Clément, Bradley J. Ryan, Utkarsh Ramesh, Violette Steinmetz, Charlie Gréboval, Audrey Chu, Thibault Brule, Sandrine Ithurria, Geoffrey Prévot, Thierry Barisien, Abdelkarim Ouerghi, Matthew G. Panthani, and Emmanuel Lhuillier. "Optoelectronic properties of methyl-terminated germanane." Applied Physics Letters 115, no. 5 (2019): 052106. DOI: 10.1063/1.5111011. Posted with permission.</p

Valuable but vulnerable: Over-fishing and under-management continue to threaten groupers so what now?

Among threats to marine species, overfishing has often been highlighted as a major contributor to population declines and yet fishing effort has increased globally over the past decade. This paper discusses the decadal reassessment of groupers (family Epinephelidae), an important and valuable group of marine fishes subjected to high market demand and intense fishing effort, based on IUCN criteria. Allowing for uncertainty in the status of species listed as Data Deficient, 19 species (11.4%) are currently assigned to a “threatened” category. This first reassessment for a large marine fish taxon permits an evaluation of changes following the original assessments, provides a profile of the current conservation condition of species, identifies the challenges of assessing con- servation status, and highlights current and emerging threats. Measures needed to reduce threats and lessons learned from conservation efforts are highlighted. Present threats include intensifying fishing effort in the face of absent or insufficient fishery management or monitoring, growing pressures from international trade, and an inadequate coverage in effectively managed, sized, or located protected areas. Emerging threats involve expansion of fishing effort into deeper waters and more remote locations, shifts to previously non-targeted species, increases in the capture, marketing and use of juveniles, growing demands for domestic and interna- tional trade, and, potentially, climate change. Those species most threatened are larger-bodied, longer-lived groupers, most of which reproduce in spawning aggregations

Targeted Temperature Management for Cardiac Arrest with Nonshockable Rhythm

International audienceBACKGROUND: Moderate therapeutic hypothermia is currently recommended to improve neurologic outcomes in adults with persistent coma after resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, the effectiveness of moderate therapeutic hypothermia in patients with nonshockable rhythms (asystole or pulseless electrical activity) is debated. METHODS: We performed an open-label, randomized, controlled trial comparing moderate therapeutic hypothermia (33° C during the first 24 hours) with targeted normothermia (37° C) in patients with coma who had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after resuscitation from cardiac arrest with nonshockable rhythm. The primary outcome was survival with a favorable neurologic outcome, assessed on day 90 after randomization with the use of the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scale (which ranges from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater disability). We defined a favorable neurologic outcome as a CPC score of 1 or 2. Outcome assessment was blinded. Mortality and safety were also assessed. RESULTS: From January 2014 through January 2018, a total of 584 patients from 25 ICUs underwent randomization, and 581 were included in the analysis (3 patients withdrew consent). On day 90, a total of 29 of 284 patients (10.2%) in the hypothermia group were alive with a CPC score of 1 or 2, as compared with 17 of 297 (5.7%) in the normothermia group (difference, 4.5 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1 to 8.9; P\,=\,0.04). Mortality at 90 days did not differ significantly between the hypothermia group and the normothermia group (81.3% and 83.2%, respectively; difference, -1.9 percentage points; 95% CI, -8.0 to 4.3). The incidence of prespecified adverse events did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with coma who had been resuscitated from cardiac arrest with nonshockable rhythm, moderate therapeutic hypothermia at 33° C for 24 hours led to a higher percentage of patients who survived with a favorable neurologic outcome at day 90 than was observed with targeted normothermia. (Funded by the French Ministry of Health and others; HYPERION ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01994772.)