Low temperature microwave emission from molecular clusters

We investigate the experimental detection of the electromagnetic radiation generated in the fast magnetization reversal in Mn12-acetate at low temperatures. In our experiments we used large single crystals and assemblies of several small single crystals of Mn12-acetate placed inside a cylindrical stainless steel waveguide in which an InSb hot electron device was also placed to detect the radiation. All this was set inside a SQUID magnetometer that allowed to change the magnetic field and measure the magnetic moment and the temperature of the sample as the InSb detected simultaneously the radiation emitted from the molecular magnets. Our data show a sequential process in which the fast inversion of the magnetic moment first occurs, then the radiation is detected by the InSb device, and finally the temperature of the sample increases during 15 ms to subsequently recover its original value in several hundreds of milliseconds.Comment: changed conten

Quantum Magnetic Deflagration in Mn12 Acetate

We report controlled ignition of magnetization reversal avalanches by surface acoustic waves in a single crystal of Mn12 acetate. Our data show that the speed of the avalanche exhibits maxima on the magnetic field at the tunneling resonances of Mn12. Combined with the evidence of magnetic deflagration in Mn12 acetate (Suzuki et al., cond-mat/0506569) this suggests a novel physical phenomenon: deflagration assisted by quantum tunneling.Comment: 4 figure

Spin configuration in isolated FeCoCu nanowires modulated in diameter

Cylindrical Fe28Co67Cu5 nanowires modulated in diameter between 22 and 35 nm are synthesized by electroplating into the nanopores of alumina membranes. High-sensitivity MFM imaging (with a detection noise of 1 µN m-1) reveals the presence of single-domain structures in remanence with strong contrast at the ends of the nanowires, as well as at the transition regions where the diameter is modulated. Micromagnetic simulations suggest that curling of the magnetization takes place at these transition sites, extending over 10–20 nm and giving rise to stray fields measurable with our MFM. An additional weaker contrast is imaged, which is interpreted to arise from inhomogeneities in the nanowire diameter

Efficacy and safety of the combination of pravastatin and sorafenib for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (ESTAHEP clinical trial)

Pravastatin has demonstrated anti-tumor activity in preclinical and clinical studies. This multicentric randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase II study (NCT01418729) investigated the efficacy and safety of sorafenib + pravastatin combination on the overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). A total of 31 patients were randomized. Median OS did not differ between both groups (12.4 months for the sorafenib + pravastatin group vs. 11.6 months for the control group). Of note, however, the radiological TTP was higher in patients treated with sorafenib + pravastatin than in the control group (9.9 months vs. 3.2 months; p = 0.008). Considering all the study population, the presence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) was associated with worse OS, being lower in patients with PVT compared to patients without PVT (6.3 months vs. 14.8 months; p = 0.026). Data also showed a decrease in OS in patients with vascular invasion (VI) compared to patients who did not present it (6.3 months vs. 14.8 months; p = 0.041). The group of patients without dermatological events (DE) showed lower OS (6.9 months vs. 14.5 months; p = 0.049). In conclusion, combination of sorafenib + pravastatin was safe and well-tolerated, prolonging the TTP of patients with aHCC but not improving the OS compared to sorafenib + placebo. The absence of PVT and VI and the development of DE are positive prognostic factors of sorafenib response

Astaxanteno procedente de cangrejo (Procambarus clarkii) como ingrediente colorante en la alimentación de gallinas ponedoras

Chicken egg yolks generally owe their color to yellow carotenoids. The addition of synthetic red pigments allows changes in color, from the original yellow to red hues which may be more appealing to consumers in certain markets.Our aim has been to test whether ground crayfish shells, which are a rich and natural source of astaxanthin, produce detectable changes in the coloration of egg yolks through the accumulation of this carotenoid. Laying hens were fed with a commercial feed mixed with crayfish powder and the carotenoid profiles of the yolks in the eggs laid during the trial were monitored by HPLC. The analyses showed a progressive increase in the astaxanthin concentration in the egg yolks, reaching similar levels to those obtained for the rest of present carotenoid pigments.La yema de huevo de gallina debe su coloración a la presencia de carotenoides de tonalidad amarilla. La adición de colorantes sintéticos de tonalidades rojas permite modificar e incrementar la coloración de la yema desde el amarillo original a tonos rojos que pueden ser demandados en ciertos mercados según las preferencias del consumidor. El objetivo del trabajo fue probar si un triturado obtenido a partir de caparazones de cangrejo, que es una fuente natural y rica en astaxanteno, produce cambios detectables en la coloración de la yema de huevo por la acumulación de dicho carotenoide. Las gallinas ponedoras se alimentaron con un pienso comercial al que se adicionó triturado de caparazón de cangrejo. Se realizó un seguimiento de los cambios en la composición carotenoide (mediante HPLC) de la yema de los huevos puestos durante el periodo de alimentación suplementada. Los análisis mostraron una progresiva incorporación de astaxanteno que alcanzó niveles similares al resto de carotenoides presentes inicialmente en la yema

"Invisible burials" and fragmentation practices in Iron Age Europe:Excavations at the Monte Bernorio Necropolis (Northern Spain)

The scarcity of burial remains in large parts of Iron Age Europe, particularly in the Atlantic regions, has often led scholars to discuss the apparent “invisibility” of graves. This paper presents the results from several excavation campaigns at Monte Bernorio, one of the most important sites of the 1st millennium b.c. on the Iberian Peninsula. The fieldwork and post-excavation work carried out in the area of the necropolis have identified numerous burial pits, with complex ritual activities characterized by fragmentation and the practice of the pars pro toto. In addition, evidence for later rituals in some of the graves can be linked to ancestor worship. The results provide important insights into funerary practices in Late Iron Age Europe, leading us to rethink the very meaning of cemeteries in the study area and beyond.- Burial Traditions in Iron Age Europe - The Monte Bernorio Archaeological Zone - The 2007–2008 Necropolis Excavations - The 2015–2016 Necropolis Excavations - Post-Excavation Work and Interpretation: The Faunal and Human Remains - Structure and Chronology of Monte Bernorio Area 7 - Destruction of the Body, Commemoration in the Absence of a Corpse, and Visibility of the Mortuary Rite

Comparing correction methods of RCM outputs for improving crop impact projections in the Iberian Peninsula for 21st century

Assessment of climate change impacts on crops in regions of complex orography such as the Iberian Peninsula (IP) requires climate model output which is able to describe accurately the observed climate. The high resolution of output provided by Regional Climate Models (RCMs) is expected to be a suitable tool to describe regional and local climatic features, although their simulation results may still present biases. For these reasons, we compared several post-processing methods to correct or reduce the biases of RCM simulations from the ENSEMBLES project for the IP. The bias-corrected datasets were also evaluated in terms of their applicability and consequences in improving the results of a crop model to simulate maize growth and development at two IP locations, using this crop as a reference for summer cropping systems in the region. The use of bias-corrected climate runs improved crop phenology and yield simulation overall and reduced the inter-model variability and thus the uncertainty. The number of observational stations underlying each reference observational dataset used to correct the bias affected the correction performance. Although no single technique showed to be the best one, some methods proved to be more adequate for small initial biases, while others were useful when initial biases were so large as to prevent data application for impact studies. An initial evaluation of the climate data, the bias correction/reduction method and the consequences for impact assessment would be needed to design the most robust, reduced uncertainty ensemble for a specific combination of location, crop, and crop management

Predictive model of pheochromocytoma based on the imaging features of the adrenal tumours

The purpose of our study was to develop a predictive model to rule out pheochromocytoma among adrenal tumours, based on unenhanced computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features. We performed a retrospective multicentre study of 1131 patients presenting with adrenal lesions including 163 subjects with histological confirmation of pheochromocytoma (PHEO), and 968 patients showing no clinical suspicion of pheochromocytoma in whom plasma and/or urinary metanephrines and/or catecholamines were within reference ranges (non-PHEO). We found that tumour size was significantly larger in PHEO than non-PHEO lesions (44.3 +/- 33.2 versus 20.6 +/- 9.2 mm respectively; P < 0.001). Mean unenhanced CT attenuation was higher in PHEO (52.4 +/- 43.1 versus 4.7 +/- 17.9HU; P < 0.001). High lipid content in CT was more frequent among non-PHEO (83.6% versus 3.8% respectively; P < 0.001); and this feature alone had 83.6% sensitivity and 96.2% specificity to rule out pheochromocytoma with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.899. The combination of high lipid content and tumour size improved the diagnostic accuracy (AUC-ROC 0.961, sensitivity 88.1% and specificity 92.3%). The probability of having a pheochromocytoma was 0.1% for adrenal lesions smaller than 20 mm showing high lipid content in CT. Ninety percent of non-PHEO presented loss of signal in the out of phase MRI sequence compared to 39.0% of PHEO (P < 0.001), but the specificity of this feature for the diagnosis of non-PHEO lesions low. In conclusion, our study suggests that sparing biochemical screening for pheochromocytoma might be reasonable in patients with adrenal lesions smaller than 20 mm showing high lipid content in the CT scan, if there are no typical signs and symptoms of pheochromocytoma

Lifestyles, arterial aging, and its relationship with the intestinal and oral microbiota (MIVAS III study): a research protocol for a cross-sectional multicenter study

The microbiota is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in the pathophysiology of many diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases, with lifestyles probably exerting the greatest influence on the composition of the human microbiome. The main objectives of the study are to analyze the association of lifestyles (diet, physical activity, tobacco, and alcohol) with the gut and oral microbiota, arterial aging, and cognitive function in subjects without cardiovascular disease in the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, the study will examine the mediating role of the microbiome in mediating the association between lifestyles and arterial aging as well as cognitive function.Methods and analysisMIVAS III is a multicenter cross-sectional study that will take place in the Iberian Peninsula. One thousand subjects aged between 45 and 74 years without cardiovascular disease will be selected. The main variables are demographic information, anthropometric measurements, and habits (tobacco and alcohol). Dietary patterns will be assessed using a frequency consumption questionnaire (FFQ) and the Mediterranean diet adherence questionnaire. Physical activity levels will be evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Marshall Questionnaire, and an Accelerometer (Actigraph). Body composition will be measured using the Inbody 230 impedance meter. Arterial aging will be assessed through various means, including measuring medium intimate carotid thickness using the Sonosite Micromax, conducting analysis with pulse wave velocity (PWA), and measuring pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) using the Sphygmocor System. Additional cardiovascular indicators such as Cardio Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI), ba-PWV, and ankle-brachial index (Vasera VS-2000®) will also be examined. The study will analyze the intestinal microbiota using the OMNIgene GUT kit (OMR−200) and profile the microbiome through massive sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), effect size (LEfSe), and compositional analysis, such as ANCOM-BC, will be used to identify differentially abundant taxa between groups. After rarefying the samples, further analyses will be conducted using MicrobiomeAnalyst and R v.4.2.1 software. These analyses will include various aspects, such as assessing α and β diversity, conducting abundance profiling, and performing clustering analysis.DiscussionLifestyle acts as a modifier of microbiota composition. However, there are no conclusive results demonstrating the mediating effect of the microbiota in the relationship between lifestyles and cardiovascular diseases. Understanding this relationship may facilitate the implementation of strategies for improving population health by modifying the gut and oral microbiota

Percutaneous mitral valve repair : Outcome improvement with operator experience and a second-generation device

Background and aim: Recent randomized data comparing percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) versus optimal medical treatment in patients with functional MR (FMR) seemed to highlight the importance of the learning curve not only for procedural outcomes but also for patient selection. The aim of the study was to compare a contemporary series of patients undergoing PMVR using a second-generation Mitraclip device (Mitraclip NT) with previous cohorts treated with a first-generation system. Methods: This multicenter study collected individual data from 18 centers between 2012 and 2017. The cohort was divided into three groups according to the use of the first-generation Mitraclip during the first (control-1) or second half (control-2) or the Mitraclip NT sys-tem. Results: A total of 545 consecutive patients were included in the study. Among all, 182 (33.3%), 183 (33.3%), and 180 (33.3%) patients underwent mitral repair in the control-1, control-2, and NT cohorts, respectively. Procedural success was achieved in 93.3% of patients without differences between groups. Major adverse events did not statistically differ among groups, but there was a higher rate of pericardial effusion in the control-1 group (4.3%, 0.6%, and 2.6%, respectively; p = 0.025). The composite endpoint of death, surgery, and admission for congestive heart failure (CHF) at 12 months was lower in the NT group (23.5% in control-1, 22.5% in control-2, and 8.3% in the NT group; p = 0.032). Conclusions: The present paper shows that contemporary clinical outcomes of patients undergoing PMVR with the Mitraclip system have improved over time