Alternative Post-Processing on a CMOS Chip to Fabricate a Planar Microelectrode Array

We present an alternative post-processing on a CMOS chip to release a planar microelectrode array (pMEA) integrated with its signal readout circuit, which can be used for monitoring the neuronal activity of vestibular ganglion neurons in newborn Wistar strain rats. This chip is fabricated through a 0.6 μm CMOS standard process and it has 12 pMEA through a 4 × 3 electrodes matrix. The alternative CMOS post-process includes the development of masks to protect the readout circuit and the power supply pads. A wet etching process eliminates the aluminum located on the surface of the p+-type silicon. This silicon is used as transducer for recording the neuronal activity and as interface between the readout circuit and neurons. The readout circuit is composed of an amplifier and tunable bandpass filter, which is placed on a 0.015 mm2 silicon area. The tunable bandpass filter has a bandwidth of 98 kHz and a common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) of 87 dB. These characteristics of the readout circuit are appropriate for neuronal recording applications

Novel desmoplakin mutation: juvenile biventricular cardiomyopathy with left ventricular non-compaction and acantholytic palmoplantar keratoderma

Two sons of a consanguineous marriage developed biventricular cardiomyopathy. One boy died of severe heart failure at the age of 6 years, the other was transplanted because of severe heart failure at the age of 10 years. In addition, focal palmoplantar keratoderma and woolly hair were apparent in both boys. As similar phenotypes have been described in Naxos disease and Carvajal syndrome, respectively, the genes for plakoglobin (JUP) and desmoplakin (DSP) were screened for mutations using direct genomic sequencing. A novel homozygous 2 bp deletion was identified in an alternatively spliced region of DSP. The deletion 5208_5209delAG led to a frameshift downstream of amino acid 1,736 with a premature truncation of the predominant cardiac isoform DSP-1. This novel homozygous truncating mutation in the isoform-1 specific region of the DSP C-terminus caused Carvajal syndrome comprising severe early-onset heart failure with features of non-compaction cardiomyopathy, woolly hair and an acantholytic form of palmoplantar keratoderma in our patient. Congenital hair abnormality and manifestation of the cutaneous phenotype in toddler age can help to identify children at risk for cardiac death

Evolution of the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in Spain between March and November 2020: SEMI-COVID national registry

Objectives: Since the results of the RECOVERY trial, WHO recommendations about the use of corticosteroids (CTs) in COVID-19 have changed. The aim of the study is to analyse the evolutive use of CTs in Spain during the pandemic to assess the potential influence of new recommendations. Material and methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational study was conducted on adults hospitalised due to COVID-19 in Spain who were included in the SEMI-COVID- 19 Registry from March to November 2020. Results: CTs were used in 6053 (36.21%) of the included patients. The patients were older (mean (SD)) (69.6 (14.6) vs. 66.0 (16.8) years; p < 0.001), with hypertension (57.0% vs. 47.7%; p < 0.001), obesity (26.4% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.0001), and multimorbidity prevalence (20.6% vs. 16.1%; p < 0.001). These patients had higher values (mean (95% CI)) of C-reactive protein (CRP) (86 (32.7-160) vs. 49.3 (16-109) mg/dL; p < 0.001), ferritin (791 (393-1534) vs. 470 (236- 996) µg/dL; p < 0.001), D dimer (750 (430-1400) vs. 617 (345-1180) µg/dL; p < 0.001), and lower Sp02/Fi02 (266 (91.1) vs. 301 (101); p < 0.001). Since June 2020, there was an increment in the use of CTs (March vs. September; p < 0.001). Overall, 20% did not receive steroids, and 40% received less than 200 mg accumulated prednisone equivalent dose (APED). Severe patients are treated with higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%. Conclusions: Patients with greater comorbidity, severity, and inflammatory markers were those treated with CTs. In severe patients, there is a trend towards the use of higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%

A first-principles investigation on the electronic and mechanical properties of 1T TiSe2 multilayers for energy storage

In this work, the electronic and mechanical properties of bulk TiSe2 were studied, and the effects of confinement on the compound, into mono-, bi-, and tri-layered systems, on the electronic and mechanical properties using DFT-based calculations within the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) using Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) exchange-correlation functional. Lithium atoms were placed at different adsorption sites of the TiSe2 monolayer to study the consequences on the electronic and mechanical properties and to identify the most favourable adsorption site for Li in the TiSe2 systems. Mono -, bi-, and tri-layered systems have associated a metallic behaviour, similar to the bulk material. Young's modulus for mono-, bi-, and tri-layered systems show similar behaviour to the bulk case. On the other hand, monolayers with Li are metallic when Li atoms are placed at the surface; and this behaviour could be favourable to facilitate electronic transport by the monolayer. Finally, the mechanical properties analysis supported that the better adsorption sites are those labelled as Top and Hollow.This work was partially supported by the multidisciplinary project SIP-IPN 20201114, UNAM-DGAPA-PAPIIT program IN115219 and IN101421. J.E. Antonio and J.M. Cervantes want to acknowledge support from CONACyT and BEIFI-IPN. J.L. Rosas Huerta acknowledges the postdoctoral-scholarship granted by DGAPA-UNAM. J. Pilo acknowledges the postdoctoral scholarship granted by CONACyT.Peer reviewe

LDA+U study of hydrostatic pressure effect on double perovskite Sr2FeNbO6: crystal structure, mechanical and electronic properties

To study the effect of the applied hydrostatic pressure on the crystal structure and the electronic and mechanical properties of the Sr2FeNbO6 compound, computational calculations in the density functional theory framework, with the local density approximation and Hubbard correction as it is treated by the CA-PZ exchange-correlation functional were performed. The tetragonal structure with the I4/m space group is reported stable in the range from zero to 50 GPa according to Born's stability criterion. No crystal phase transition was found in agreement with experimental data; however, between 20 and 30 GPa, a brittle to ductile transition is confirmed by the Pugh's criterion and Poisson's ratio. Moreover, a change from ionic-covalent to metallic bonding is suggested by the Poisson's ratio. This behavior is reflected in the electronic properties, through the controlled modulation of the energy bandgap (Eg (eV)) as a function of pressure, according to a fitted linear equation, Eg = (−0.016)P + 2.040. At 50 GPa, Eg value is 1.236 eV, very close to the ideal 1.34 eV, which is required for hydrogen generation and photovoltaic applications.This work was partially supported by projects DGAPA-UNAM IN109718/30 and IN115219, as well as IPN–SIP 20202106. J L Rosas-Huerta and J A León-Flores acknowledge the postdoctoral-scholarship granted by Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico: Programa de Becas Posdoctorales en la UNAM; J E Antonio acknowledges the PhD scholarship that was granted by CONACYT; J. Pilo acknowledges the scholarship granted for a postdoctoral stay at ICN2 by CONACYT, as well as financial support from Spanish MICIU, AEI and EU FEDER (Grant No. PGC2018-096955-B-C43) and Generalitat de Catalunya (Grant No. 2017SGR1506). Research at ICN2 is also supported by the CERCA programme (Generalitat de Catalunya) and by the 'Severo Ochoa' programme for Centers of Excellence in R&D of MINECO (grant SEV-2017-0706).Peer reviewe

DFT Electronic Properties and Synthesis Thermodynamics of LixLa1-xTiO3Electrolytes for Li-Ion Batteries

Lithium lanthanum titanate perovskites Li x La1-x TiO3 (LLTO) are promising solid-electrolytes for Li-ion batteries. We studied, in the Density-Functional-Theory framework, the thermodynamic stability and the electronic and magnetic properties of LLTO, as bulk materials and as thin slabs with (001) exposed surfaces. Results show that LaTiO3 (LTO) exhibits semiconductor behavior and G-type antiferromagnetic order (AFMG), whereas the TiO2-terminated LTO slab is a semiconductor with ferromagnetic (FM) order. Contrasting, the LTO slab exposing a LaO-terminated surface is a conductor with AFMG ordered Ti cations' magnetic moments (MMs), but at the surface there are some FM ordered MMs (La atoms). LLTO bulk electrolyte is a semiconductor (x = 0.25) or insulator (x = 0.50). The LLTO slab is a FM (non-magnetic) conductor (TiO2 (LiO)-terminated surface) or a FM semiconductor (LaO-terminated). Besides, the stability of the LLTO bulk and slabs structures was analyzed, as well as the slabs' preferences for LiO, LaO or TiO2 ends.This work was partially supported by the projects IPN-SIP 20196659, 20201114 and 20210203. J. M. Cervantes, J. E. Antonio and H. Muñoz want to acknowledge the scholarship granted by the CONACyT and support from BEIFI-IPN. J. Pilo acknowledges the postdoctoral scholarship granted by CONACyT. J. L. Rosas-Huerta wants to acknowledge the postdoctoral-scholarship granted by DGAPA-UNAM