Switch of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome: a pilot study

International audienceObesity is a major worldwide public health issue. The main respiratory complication stemming from obesity is obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). Most of the OHS patients diagnosed during an exacerbation are treated with non invasive ventilation (NIV). Up to date, no prospective study has demonstrated in real life conditions the feasibility of a systematic protocoled switch of NIV to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), once stability is achieved

Respir Res

Background: Sexual function is often affected in patients suffering from chronic diseases especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the effect of COPD on sexual satisfaction is underappreciated in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of COPD on patient’s sexuality and the explanatory variables of sexual dissatisfaction. Methods: Questionnaires were emailed to participants and they submitted their responses on the Santé Respiratoire France website. Data about sexual well-being (Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, ASEX), Quality of life (VQ11), anxiety, depression (Hospitalized anxiety and depression, HAD) and self-declared COPD grade were collected. Results: Seven hundred and fifty one subjects were included and were characterized as follows: women—51%, mean age—61 years, in a couple—62% and 70%—retired. Every grade of COPD was represented. Out of 751 participants, 301 participants (40%) had no sexual activity and 450 (60%) had sexual activity. From the 450 participants, 60% needed to change their sexual life because of their disease (rhythm, frequency and position). Subjects often used medications to improve sexual performance (43% used short-acting bronchodilator and 13% -specific erectile dysfunction drugs). ASEX questionnaire confirmed patients’ dissatisfaction (diminution of sexual appetite for 68% and sexual desire for 60%) because of breathlessness and fatigue. Eighty one percent of the responders had an altered quality of life (VQ11 mean score 35) and frequent suspected anxiety or depression (HAD mean score 10.8). Ninety percent declared that sexual dysfunction had never been discussed by their doctors, while 36% of patients would have preferred to undergo a specialized consultation. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is frequent among COPD patients and leads to an altered well-being, however being a cultural taboo, it remains frequently neglected. Sexual guidance should be a part of patient’s consultations improve quality of sexual life. © 2020, The Author(s)

Gross-alpha and gross-beta measurements. Critical remarks and a better alternative LSC approach

Trabajo presentado a la conferencia: LSC 2010 "Advances in Liquid Scintillation Spectrometry" celebrada del 6 al 10 de Septiembre en Paris.Peer Reviewe

To deprotect or not to deprotect : phosphonate ester versus phosphonic acid anchor ligands in copper(I)-based dye-sensitized solar cells

The performances of n-type DSCs containing the heteroleptic copper(I) dyes [Cu(1)(dmbpy)]+ and [Cu(2)(dmbpy)]+ (1 = ((6,6′-dimethyl-[2,2′-bipyridine]-4,4′-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(phosphonic acid);2 = tetraethyl ((6,6′-dimethyl-[2,2′-bipyridine]-4,4′-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(phosphonate); dmbpy = 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) have been evaluated to determine whether or not deprotection of the phosphonate ester prior to assembly of the heteroleptic [Cu(Lanchor)(Lancillary)]+ dye is an essential step. Fully masked DSCs containing [Cu(1)(dmbpy)]+ with I3−/I− electrolyte show conversion efficiencies, η, of ≈2.1% compared to ≈0.3% for those containing [Cu(2)(dmbpy)]+ in which 2 may be partially deprotected in situ. Compound 2is a surprisingly effective ancillary ligand; DSCs containing [Cu(1)(2)]+ exhibit η ≈2%. EQE spectra for DSCs containing the dyes [Cu(1)(dmbpy)]+ and [Cu(1)(2)]+ are similar, showing broad bands with λmax around 460–480 nm and EQEmax = 40%