Ballistic resistivity in aluminum nanocontacts

One of the major industrial challenges is to profit from some fascinating physical features present at the nanoscale. The production of dissipationless nanoswitches (or nanocontacts) is one of such attractive applications. Nevertheless, the lack of knowledge of the real efficiency of electronic ballistic/non dissipative transport limits future innovations. For multi-valent metallic nanosystems -where several transport channels per atom are involved- the only experimental technique available for statistical transport characterization is the conductance histogram. Unfortunately its interpretation is difficult because transport and mechanical properties are intrinsically interlaced. We perform a representative series of semiclassical molecular dynamics simulations of aluminum nanocontact breakages, coupled to full quantum conductance calculations, and put in evidence a linear relationship between the conductance and the contact minimum cross-section for the geometrically favored aluminum nanocontact configurations. Valid in a broad range of conductance values, such relation allows the definition of a transport parameter for nanomaterials, that represents the novel concept of ballistic resistivity

Association between interleukin-6 promoter polymorphism (-174 G/C), serum interleukin-6 levels and mortality in severe septic patients

The association between interleukin (IL)-6 promoter polymorphism (-174 G/C), circulating IL-6 levels and mortality in septic patients has scarcely been addressed, and then only in studies of small sample size, and a direct association among them has not been previously reported. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine whether this association exists. An observational, prospective and multicenter study including severe septic patients was undertaken and serum IL-6 levels at severe sepsis diagnosis and IL-6 promoter polymorphism (-174 G/C) were determined. The end-point of the study was 30-day mortality. The study included 263 patients with the following genotypes of IL-6 promoter polymorphism (-174 G/C): 123 (46.8%) GG, 110 (41.8%) GC and 30 (11.4%) CC. CC homozygous patients showed lower sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, serum IL-6 levels and mortality at 30 days compared to those with other genotypes (GC or GG). On regression analysis, CC homozygous patients showed lower 30-day mortality than those with genotype GG (odds ratio = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.053-0.838; p = 0.03) or GC (hazard ratio = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.074-1.037; p = 0.06). The most important results of our study were that CC might be a favorable genotype in septic patients showing lower serum IL-6 levels and lower risk of death within 30 days

The 4G/4G genotype of PAI-1 polymorphism is associated with higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations and mortality in patients with severe sepsis

Objective: Two studies have reported that patients with the 4G/4G genotype of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) genetic polymorphism had higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations and higher risk of death than those with the 4G/5G or 5G/5G genotypes; one study involved 175 children with meningococcal disease, and the other included 88 adult patients with septic shock. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between carriage of the 4G/4G genotype, plasma PAI-1 concentrations and mortality in a large series of adult septic patients. Methods: An observational, prospective, multicenter study was carried out in six Spanish Intensive Care Units including severe septic patients. We determined the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and plasma PAI-1 concentrations in all patients. The end-points of the study were 30-day and 6-month mortality. Results: We included a total of 260 patients, 82 (31.5%) with 4G/4G, 126 (48.5%) with 4G/5G and 52 (20.0%) with 5G/5G genotype. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the 4G/4G genotype was associated with higher mortality at 30 days (Odds Ratio = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.063-3.561; p = 0.03) and at 6 months (Odds Ratio = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.221-3.934; p = 0.01), and that higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations were associated with higher mortality at 30 days (Odds Ratio = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.002-1.022; p = 0.02) at 6 months (Odds Ratio = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.003-1.023; p = 0.01). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that increased plasma PAI-1 concentrations were associated with the PAI-1 4G/4G genotype (regression coefficient = 4.82; 95% CI = 3.227 to 6.406; p<0.001). Conclusions: The major findings of our study, to our knowledge the largest series reporting data about 4G/5G polymorphism of the PAI-1 gene, plasma PAI-1 concentrations and mortality in septic patients, were that septic patients with the 4G/4G genotype had higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations and higher risk of death than those with 4G/5G or 5G/5G genotypes

El suicidio en instituciones psiquiátricas: descripción de dos casos

ResumenSe ha estimado que cerca del 5% de los suicidios ocurre dentro de las instituciones psiqui&aacute;tricas. Este reporte describe dos casos de suicidios en un hospital psiqui&aacute;trico, los cuales ilustran, por un lado, las caracter&iacute;sticas de riesgos suicida en el paciente psiqui&aacute;trico hospitalizado, y por otro, las limitaciones que a&uacute;n impiden evitar el suicidio.[Jim&eacute;nez A, Ibarra C,&nbsp;Pe&ntilde;alosa L, D&iacute;az JL. El suicidio en instituciones psiqui&aacute;tricas: descripci&oacute;n de dos casos. MedUNAB 2004; 7:140-3].Palabras clave: suicidio, hospital psiqui&aacute;trico y paciente psiqui&aacute;trico hospitalizado

OSTEMER polymer as a rapid packaging of electronics and microfluidic system on PCB

[EN] A new heterogeneous integration method is presented that allows the integration of a microfluidic platform and a multi-channel quartz crystal microbalance array on a printed circuit board (PCB) using a dry adhesive bonding method. In this work, the microfluidic platform is a replica molded using a UV-curable OSTEMER 322 Crystal Clear polymer. The OSTEMER acts both as a final package for the cartridge and as a functional material for hosting molded microfluidic channels, the input reservoirs and the waste reservoir. The method is demonstrated by the integration of an array of 24 of a 150 MHz high fundamental frequency quartz crystal microbalance (HFF-QCM) to the OSTEMER microfluidic packaging. The resulting bond interface is shown to be completely homogeneous and void free, and the package is tested to a differential pressure of up to 4 bars. The leak test of the cartridge is performed by pressurizing a microfluidic channel with an aqueous solution using an external peristaltic pump for more than 4 h. The cartridge performance is evaluated by the electrical characterization. Q-factor values of 9507 and of 650are achieved in air and DI water, respectively. Results show that this simple integration method of the HFF-QCM is a promising way to integrate microfluidics into the more complex heterogeneous system.This work was funded by the European Commission Horizon 2020 Programme under the Grant Agreement number ICT-28-2015/687785-LIQBIOPSENS (Reliable Liquid Biopsy technology for early detection of colorectal cancer).El Fissi, L.; Fernández Díaz, R.; García Molla, P.; Calero-Alcarria, MDS.; García Narbón, JV.; Jiménez Jiménez, Y.; Arnau Vives, A.... (2019). OSTEMER polymer as a rapid packaging of electronics and microfluidic system on PCB. Sensors and Actuators A Physical. 285:511-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2018.11.050S51151828

Fog interception by Ball moss (<i>Tillandsia recurvata</i>)

Interception losses are a major influence in the water yield of vegetated areas. For most storms, rain interception results in less water reaching the ground. However, fog interception can increase the overall water storage capacity of the vegetation and once the storage is exceeded, fog drip is a common hydrological input. Fog interception is disregarded in water budgets of semiarid regions, but for some plant communities, it could be a mechanism offsetting evaporation losses. <i>Tillandsia recurvata</i> is a cosmopolitan epiphyte adapted to arid habitats where fog may be an important water source. Therefore, the interception storage capacity by <i>T. recurvata</i> was measured in controlled conditions and applying simulated rain or fog. Juvenile, vegetative specimens were used to determine the potential upperbound storage capacities. The storage capacity was proportional to dry weight mass. Interception storage capacity (<i>C</i>_min) was 0.19 and 0.56 mm for rainfall and fog respectively. The coefficients obtained in the laboratory were used together with biomass measurements for <i>T. recurvata</i> in a xeric scrub to calculate the depth of water intercepted by rain. <i>T. recurvata</i> contributed 20 % to the rain interception capacity of their shrub hosts: <i>Acacia farnesiana</i> and <i>Prosopis laevigata</i> and; also potentially intercepted 4.8 % of the annual rainfall. Nocturnal stomatic opening in <i>T. recurvata</i> is not only relevant for CO₂ but for water vapor, as suggested by the higher weight change of specimens wetted with fog for 1 h at dark in comparison to those wetted during daylight (543 ± 77 vs. 325 ± 56 mg, <i>p</i> = 0.048). The storage capacity of <i>T. recurvata</i> leaf surfaces could increase the amount of water available for evaporation, but as this species colonise montane forests, the effect could be negative on water recharge, because potential storage capacity is very high, in the laboratory experiments it took up to 12 h at a rate of 0.26 l h⁻¹ to reach saturation conditions when fog was applied

Deterioration of an Etruscan tomb by bacteria from the order Rhizobiales

7 páginas, 4 figuras, 29 referencias.The Etruscan civilisation originated in the Villanovan Iron Age in the ninth century BC and was absorbed by Rome in the first century BC. Etruscan tombs, many of which are subterranean, are one of the best representations of this culture. The principal importance of these tombs, however, lies in the wall paintings and in the tradition of rich burial, which was unique in the Mediterranean Basin, with the exception of Egypt. Relatively little information is available concerning the biodeterioration of Etruscan tombs, which is caused by a colonisation that covers the paintings with white, circular to irregular aggregates of bacteria or biofilms that tend to connect each other. Thus, these colonisations sometimes cover extensive surfaces. Here we show that the colonisation of paintings in Tomba del Colle is primarily due to bacteria of the order Rhizobiales (Alphaproteobacteria), which were likely influenced by the neighbouring rhizosphere community and the availability of nutrients from root exudates.This work was funded through the projects CGL2010-17183, 201030E011 and Consolider 2007-00058. M.D.H. was supported by a JAE Research Fellowship from CSIC, and S.C. was supported by a Juan de la Cierva contract.Peer reviewe

Serum levels of caspase-cleaved cytokeratin-18 and mortality are associated in severe septic patients: Pilot study

Objective: Apoptosis is increased in sepsis. Cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), a protein of the intermediate filament group present in most epithelial and parenchymal cells, is cleaved by the action of caspases and released into the blood as caspase-cleaved CK (CCCK)-18 during apoptosis. Circulating levels of CCCK-18 have scarcely been explored in septic patients. In one study with 101 severe septic patients, the authors reported higher serum CCCK-18 levels in non-survivors than in survivors; however, the sample size was too small to demonstrate an association between serum CCCK-18 levels and early mortality and whether they could be used as a biomarker to predict outcomes in septic patients. Thus, these were the objectives of this study with a large series of patients. Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study in six Spanish Intensive Care Units with 224 severe septic patients. Blood samples were collected at the time that severe sepsis was diagnosed to determine serum levels of CCCK-18, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. The end point was 30-day mortality. Results: Non-surviving patients (n = 80) showed higher serum CCCK-18 levels (P391 u/L were associated with 30-day survival (Odds ratio = 2.687; 95% confidence interval = 1.449-4.983; P = 0.002), controlling for SOFA score, serum lactic acid levels and age. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the risk of death in septic patients with serum CCCK-18 levels >391 u/L was higher than in patients with lower values (Hazard Ratio = 3.1; 95% CI = 1.96-4.84; P<0.001). Serum CCCK-18 levels were positively associated with serum levels of IL-6 and lactic acid, and with SOFA and APACHE scores. Conclusions: The major novel finding of our study, the largest cohort of septic patients providing data on circulating CCCK-18 levels, was that serum CCCK-18 levels are associated with mortality in severe septic patients

Sustained high serum caspase-3 concentrations and mortality in septic patients

Caspase-3 is the main executor of the apoptotic process. Higher serum caspase-3 concentrations in non-survivor compared to survivor septic patients have been found. The objectives of this work (with the increase of sample size to 308 patients, and the determination of serum caspase-3 concentrations also on days 4 and 8 of diagnosis of severe sepsis) were to know whether an association between serum caspase-3 concentrationss during the first week, degree of apoptosis, sepsis severity, and sepsis mortality exists. We collected serum samples of 308 patients with severe sepsis from eight intensive care units on days 1, 4 and 8 to measure concentrations of caspase-3 and caspase-cleaved cytokeratin (CCCK)-18 (to assess degree of apoptosis). End point was 30-day mortality. We found higher serum concentrations of caspase-3 and CCCK-18 in non-survivors compared to survivors on days 1 (p < 0.001), 4 (p < 0.001), and 8 (p < 0.001). We found an association between serum caspase-3 concentrations on days 1, 4 and 8 of severe sepsis diagnosis and serum CCCK-18 concentrations (p < 0.001), SOFA (p < 0.001), serum acid lactic concentrations (p < 0.001), and 30-day sepsis mortality (p < 0.001). The new findings of this work were that an association between serum caspase-3 concentrations during the first week, apoptosis degree, sepsis severity, and sepsis mortality exists