Generic arrays of surface-positioned and shallow-buried gold multi-shapes as reference samples to benchmark near-field microscopes. Part 1: Applications in s-SNOM depth imaging

A wide palette of nanoscale imaging techniques operating in the near-field regime has been reported to date, enabling an important number of scientific breakthroughs. While the tuning and benchmarking of near-field microscopes represent a very important step for optimizing the outputs of the imaging sessions, no generally acknowledged standards exist yet in terms of calibration of near-field microscopes, which would play an important role in fully exploiting the potential of these instruments. With this work, we aim to contribute to filling in this gap, by introducing a prototypical sample, that holds potential for becoming a benchmark with respect to comparing the performances of diverse near-field measurement techniques, including traditional, aperture based, scanning near field microscopy (SNOM), or apertureless variants, such as scattering-type scanning nearfield optical microscopy (s-SNOM). The proposed samples have been thoroughly simulated, and an easy fabrication procedure is presented and demonstrated. In this latter context, Au-SiO2 samples sharing different configurations, in terms of geometry, number and depth of contrast yielding layers, enabling both surface and sub-surface nanoscopy measurements, were designed and fabricated. We argue that the proposed prototypical samples can be highly useful for benchmarking the outputs of various near-field microscopy techniques, as they facilitate a broad range of tests, relevant for comparing the performances and accuracy of many diverse investigation methods. We also introduce a methodology for numerically simulating the samples and their near-field after illuminating them with light of different wavelengths, as well as their simple process flow. This methodology can considerably augment their future use as a prototypical sample for the evaluation and calibration of current and next generation near-field nanoscopy techniques. Experimental evidence on the usefulness of these samples as s-SNOM testing and benchmarking tools is provided in the context of differentiation of surface and sub-surface structures, and influence of tip-sample distance on attainable amplitude and phase signals. We consider these efforts to represent an important, required step, in advancing the near-field imaging field, with important potential to augment the outputs of current near-field imaging systems, and to facilitate the development and benchmarking of next generation of near-field instrumentation

Effects of Gender on the Incidence of Cardiac Tamponade Following Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Results from a Worldwide Survey in 34,943 AF Ablation Procedures.

BACKGROUND -Cardiac tamponade is the most dramatic complication observed during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and the leading cause of procedure-related mortality. Female gender is a known risk factor for complications during AF ablation; however, it is unknown whether women have a higher risk of tamponade. METHODS AND RESULTS -A systematic Medline search was used to locate academic electrophysiologic (EP) centers that reported cases of tamponade occurring during AF ablation. Centers were asked to provide information on cases of acute tamponade according to gender and their mode of management including any case of related mortality. Nineteen EP centers provided information on 34,943 ablation procedures involving 25,261 (72%) males. Overall 289 (0.9%) cases of tamponade were reported: 120 (1.24%) in females and 169 (0.67%) in males (odds ratio 1.83, P<0.001). There was a reciprocal association between center volume and the occurrence of tamponade with substantial lower risk in high volume centers. Most cases of tamponade occurred during catheter manipulation or ablation; females tended to develop more tamponades during transseptal catheterization. No gender difference in the mode of management was observed. However, 16% cases of tamponade required surgery with lower rates in high volume centers. Three cases of tamponade (1%) culminated in death. CONCLUSIONS -Tamponade during AF ablation procedures is relatively rare. Women have an almost twofold higher risk for developing this complication. The risk of tamponade among women decreases substantially in high volume centers. Surgical back-up and acute management skills for treating tamponade are important in centers performing AF ablation

Real‐world biologics response and super‐response in the International Severe Asthma Registry cohort

BackgroundBiologic asthma therapies reduce exacerbations and long-term oral corticosteroids (LTOCS) use in randomized controlled trials (RCTs); however, there are limited data on outcomes among patients ineligible for RCTs. Hence, we investigated responsiveness to biologics in a real-world population of adults with severe asthma.MethodsAdults in the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR) with ≥24 weeks of follow-up were grouped into those who did, or did not, initiate biologics (anti-IgE, anti-IL5/IL5R, anti-IL4/13). Treatment responses were examined across four domains: forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) increase by ≥100 mL, improved asthma control, annualized exacerbation rate (AER) reduction ≥50%, and any LTOCS dose reduction. Super-response criteria were: FEV1 increase by ≥500 mL, new well-controlled asthma, no exacerbations, and LTOCS cessation or tapering to ≤5 mg/day.Results5.3% of ISAR patients met basic RCT inclusion criteria; 2116/8451 started biologics. Biologic initiators had worse baseline impairment than non-initiators, despite having similar biomarker levels. Half or more of initiators had treatment responses: 59% AER reduction, 54% FEV1 increase, 49% improved control, 49% reduced LTOCS, of which 32%, 19%, 30%, and 39%, respectively, were super-responses. Responses/super-responses were more frequent in biologic initiators than in non-initiators; nevertheless, ~40–50% of initiators did not meet response criteria.ConclusionsMost patients with severe asthma are ineligible for RCTs of biologic therapies. Biologics are initiated in patients who have worse baseline impairments than non-initiators despite similar biomarker levels. Although biologic initiators exhibited clinical responses and super-responses in all outcome domains, 40–50% did not meet the response criteria