Orientational transitions in a nematic confined by competing surfaces

The effect of confinement on the orientational structure of a nematic liquid crystal model has been investigated by using a version of density-functional theory (DFT). We have focused on the case of a nematic confined by opposing flat surfaces, in slab geometry (slit pore), which favor planar molecular alignment (parallel to the surface) and homeotropic alignment (perpendicular to the surface), respectively. The spatial dependence of the tilt angle of the director with respect to the surface normal has been studied, as well as the tensorial order parameter describing the molecular order around the director. For a pore of given width, we find that, for weak surface fields, the alignment of the nematic director is perpendicular to the surface in a region next to the surface favoring homeotropic alignment, and parallel along the rest of the pore, with a interface separating these regions (S phase). For strong surface fields, the director is distorted uniformly, the tilt angle exhibiting a linear dependence with the distance normal to the surface (L phase). Our calculations reveal the existence of a first-order transition between the two director configurations, which is driven by changes in the surface field strength, and also by changes in the pore width. In the latter case the transition occurs, for a given surface field, between the S phase for narrow pores and the L phase for wider pores. A link between the L-S transition and the anchoring transition observed for the semi-infinite case is proposed. We also provide calculations with a phenomenological approach that yields the same main result that DFT in the scale length where this is valid.Comment: submitted to PR

Production of copper loaded lipid microparticles by PGSS® (particles from gas saturated solutions) process

Production of lipid particles loaded with metal nanoparticles by supercritical fluids based processes has been barely studied. In this work, copper nanoparticles were loaded into glyceryl palmitostearate microparticles by PGSS® (Particles from Gas Saturated Solutions). The effect of different variables, temperature (60-80 ºC), copper load (0.2-5%w/w) and water addition (0 – 40%w/w), in particle size and encapsulation efficiency has been studied. The dispersion of metal nanoparticles in the lipid has been determined by SEM-FIB coupled with EDS mapping. In all cases, mean particle size values lower than 70 μm have been obtained, and encapsulation efficiencies around 60% have been achieved. The addition of water has no negative effect in encapsulation efficiency nor in nanoparticles dispersion within the lipid microparticle, being important since nanoparticles are commonly synthetized in aqueous medium.2020-01-102020-01-10Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the University of Valladolid (JCI-2012-14992)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (Grant PEst-OE/EQB/LA0004/2011: SFRH/BD/77350/2011)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER 2014-2020 iNOVA4Health – UID/Multi/04462/2013 and UID/Multi/04551/2013 (GreenIT

Síndrome de Austrian: Una rara manifestación de la enfermedad neumocócica invasiva. Presentación de un caso y revisión bibliográfica

El síndrome de Austrian es una patología producida por la infección diseminada de Streptococcus pneumoniae y caracterizada por la tríada de neumonía, endocarditis y meningitis Tiene una incidencia estimada de 0,9-7,8 casos por diez millones de habitantes y año y una mortalidad del 32%. El consumo de alcohol, como principal factor de riesgo, aparece solamente en cuatro de cada diez pacientes. Un 14% no presentan factores de riesgo. Dos de cada tres enfermos son varones y ocurre en la época media de la vida. Asienta sobre válvula nativa, lesionándose la aorta en la mitad de los afectados. Presentan regurgitación severa dos de cada tres pacientes. El tratamiento antimicrobiano apropiado y la cirugía temprana de la endocarditis disminuyen la mortalidad. Es posible que la epidemiología del síndrome de Austrian esté cambiando por la introducción de la vacuna antineumocócica conjugada 13-valente en el calendario infantil. The Austrian syndrome is a pathology caused by disseminated Streptococcus pneumoniae infection and characterized for the triad of pneumonia, endocarditis and meningitis. It has an estimated incidence of 0.9-7.8 cases per ten millions people each year, and a mortality of 32%. Alcohol abuse, as the main risk factor, appears only in four out of ten patients. Moreover, 14% of patientes do not have any risk factor. Two out of three patients are males and it occurs in the middle aged of life. It is more frequently on native valve, aortic valve is injured in the half of the cases. Severe regurgitation occurs in two per three patients. Appropriate antimicrobial treatment and early endocarditis surgery decrease mortality. It is possible that Austrian syndrome epidemiology is changing by the introduction of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine in the children´s calendar

Statistical validation of Aeolus L2A particle backscatter coefficient retrievals over ACTRIS/EARLINET stations on the Iberian Peninsula

The Global Observing System (GOS) has encountered some limitations due to a lack of worldwide real-time wind measurements. In this context, the European Space Agency (ESA) has developed the Aeolus satellite mission, based on the ALADIN (Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument) Doppler wind lidar; this mission aims to obtain near-real-time wind retrievals at the global scale. As spin-off products, the instrument retrieves aerosol optical properties such as particle backscatter and extinction coefficients. In this work, a validation of Aeolus reprocessed (baseline 10) co-polar backscatter coefficients ( part Aeolus) is presented through an intercomparison with analogous ground-based measurements taken at the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network)/EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) stations of Granada (Spain), Évora (Portugal) and Barcelona (Spain) over the period from July 2019 until October 2020. Case studies are first presented, followed by a statistical analysis. The stations are located in a hot spot between Africa and the rest of Europe, which guarantees a variety of aerosol types, from mineral dust layers to continental/anthropogenic aerosol, and allows us to test Aeolus performance under different scenarios. The so called Aeolus-like profiles ( part Aeolus like;355) are obtained from total particle backscatter coefficient and linear particle depolarization ratio ( part linear) profiles at 355 and 532 nm measured from the surface, through a thorough bibliographic review of dual-polarization measurements for relevant aerosol types. Finally, the study proposes a relation for the spectral conversion of part linear, which is implemented in the Aeolus-like profile calculation. The statistical results show the ability of the satellite to detect and characterize significant aerosol layers under cloud-free conditions, along with the surface effect on the lowermost measurements, which causes the satellite to largely overestimate copolar backscatter coefficients. Finally, the Aeolus standard correct algorithm middle bin (SCAmb) shows a better agreement with ground-based measurements than the standard correct algorithm (SCA), which tends to retrieve negative and meaningless coefficients in the clear troposphere. The implementation of Aeolus quality flags entails a vast reduction in the number of measurements available for comparison, which affects the statistical significance of the results

Revista del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas

Alimentación del meloncillo Herpestes ichneumon y de la gineta Genetta genetta en la Reserva Biológica de Doñana, S.O. de la Península Ibérica.Determinación de la edad en Rana perezi Seoane, 1885. Aplicación al análisis del crecimiento somático de poblaciones.Influencias ambientales en la variación del tamaño, forma y peso de los huevos de la collalba rubia (Oenanthe hispanica L.)Características de un coro de sapos corredores (Bufo calamita) en el sureste de España.Estrategias alimentarias del ciervo (Cervus elaphus L.) en Montes de ToledoDistribución de los quirópteros de la provincia de Orense (Noroeste de España).Ecología trófica del lince ibérico en Doñana durante un periodo secoDesarrollo larvario de la rana común (Rana perezi) (anura: ranidae) en charcas temporales del noroeste de la Península Ibérica.Régimen alimenticio del mirlo común (Turdus merula) en el sureste de la Península Ibérica durante el periodo otoño-invierno.Reproducción del gorrión molinero (Passer montanus) en las Islas Canarias.Relación entre la cobertura vegetal y la distribución de nidos en las colonias de pagaza piconegraPeer reviewe

Dyslipidemias and stroke prevention: recommendations of the Study Group of Cerebrovascular Diseases of the Spanish Society of Neurology

Objetivo: Actualizar las recomendaciones de la Sociedad Española de Neurología para la prevención del ictus, tanto primaria como secundaria, en pacientes con dislipidemia. Desarrollo: Se ha realizado una revisión sistemática en Pubmed evaluando los principales aspectos relacionados con el manejo de las dislipidemias en la prevención primaria y secundaria del ictus, elaborándose una serie de recomendaciones relacionadas con los mismos. Conclusiones: En prevención primaria se recomienda determinar el riesgo vascular del paciente con el fin de definir los objetivos de LDLc. En prevención secundaria tras un ictus de origen aterotrombótico se recomienda un objetivo de LDLc < 55 mg/dl, mientras que en ictus isquémicos de origen no aterotrombótico, dado que su relación con dislipidemias es incierta, se establecerán los objetivos en función del grupo de riesgo vascular de cada paciente. Tanto en prevención primaria como secundaria las estatinas son los fármacos de primera elección, pudiendo asociarse ezetimiba y/o inhibidores de PCSK9 en aquellos casos que no alcancen los objetivos terapéuticosObjective We present an update of the Spanish Society of Neurology's recommendations for prevention of both primary and secondary stroke in patients with dyslipidaemia. Development We performed a systematic review to evaluate the main aspects of the management of dyslipidaemias in primary and secondary stroke prevention and establish a series of recommendations. Conclusions In primary prevention, the patient's vascular risk should be determined in order to define target values for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In secondary prevention after an atherothrombotic stroke, a target value < 55 mg/dL is recommended; in non-atherothombotic ischaemic strokes, given the unclear relationship with dyslipidaemia, target value should be established according to the vascular risk group of each patient. In both primary and secondary prevention, statins are the drugs of first choice, and ezetimibe and/or PCSK9 inhibitors may be added in patients not achieving the target valu

Influence of the length of hospitalisation in post-discharge outcomes in patients with acute heart failure: Results of the LOHRCA study

Objective: To investigate the relationship between length of hospitalisation (LOH) and post-discharge outcomes in acute heart failure (AHF) patients and to ascertain whether there are different patterns according to department of initial hospitalisation. Methods: Consecutive AHF patients hospitalised in 41 Spanish centres were grouped based on the LOH (15 days). Outcomes were defined as 90-day post-discharge all-cause mortality, AHF readmissions, and the combination of both. Hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted by chronic conditions and severity of decompensation, were calculated for groups with LOH >6 days vs. LOH <6 days (reference), and stratified by hospitalisation in cardiology, internal medicine, geriatrics, or short-stay units. Results: We included 8563 patients (mean age: 80 (SD = 10) years, 55.5% women), with a median LOH of 7 days (IQR 4–11): 2934 (34.3%) had a LOH 15 days. The 90-day post-discharge mortality was 11.4%, readmission 32.2%, and combined endpoint 37.4%. Mortality was increased by 36.5% (95%CI = 13.0–64.9) when LOH was 11–15 days, and by 72.0% (95%CI = 42.6–107.5) when >15 days. Conversely, no differences were found in readmission risk, and the combined endpoint only increased 21.6% (95%CI = 8.4–36.4) for LOH >15 days. Stratified analysis by hospitalisation departments rendered similar post-discharge outcomes, with all exhibiting increased mortality for LOH >15 days and no significant increments in readmission risk. Conclusions: Short hospitalisations are not associated with worse outcomes. While post-discharge readmissions are not affected by LOH, mortality risk increases as the LOH lengthens. These findings were similar across hospitalisation departments

Implications of early respiratory support strategies on disease progression in critical COVID-19: a matched subanalysis of the prospective RISC-19-ICU cohort.

Uncertainty about the optimal respiratory support strategies in critically ill COVID-19 patients is widespread. While the risks and benefits of noninvasive techniques versus early invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) are intensely debated, actual evidence is lacking. We sought to assess the risks and benefits of different respiratory support strategies, employed in intensive care units during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic on intubation and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality rates. Subanalysis of a prospective, multinational registry of critically ill COVID-19 patients. Patients were subclassified into standard oxygen therapy ≥10 L/min (SOT), high-flow oxygen therapy (HFNC), noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIV), and early IMV, according to the respiratory support strategy employed at the day of admission to ICU. Propensity score matching was performed to ensure comparability between groups. Initially, 1421 patients were assessed for possible study inclusion. Of these, 351 patients (85 SOT, 87 HFNC, 87 NIV, and 92 IMV) remained eligible for full analysis after propensity score matching. 55% of patients initially receiving noninvasive respiratory support required IMV. The intubation rate was lower in patients initially ventilated with HFNC and NIV compared to those who received SOT (SOT: 64%, HFNC: 52%, NIV: 49%, p = 0.025). Compared to the other respiratory support strategies, NIV was associated with a higher overall ICU mortality (SOT: 18%, HFNC: 20%, NIV: 37%, IMV: 25%, p = 0.016). In this cohort of critically ill patients with COVID-19, a trial of HFNC appeared to be the most balanced initial respiratory support strategy, given the reduced intubation rate and comparable ICU mortality rate. Nonetheless, considering the uncertainty and stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, SOT and early IMV represented safe initial respiratory support strategies. The presented findings, in agreement with classic ARDS literature, suggest that NIV should be avoided whenever possible due to the elevated ICU mortality risk

Association of candidate gene polymorphisms with chronic kidney disease : Results of a case-control analysis in the NEFRONA cohort

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk factor for end-stage renal disease, cardiovascular disease and premature death. Despite classical clinical risk factors for CKD and some genetic risk factors have been identified, the residual risk observed in prediction models is still high. Therefore, new risk factors need to be identified in order to better predict the risk of CKD in the population. Here, we analyzed the genetic association of 79 SNPs of proteins associated with mineral metabolism disturbances with CKD in a cohort that includes 2,445 CKD cases and 559 controls. Genotyping was performed with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. We used logistic regression models considering different genetic inheritance models to assess the association of the SNPs with the prevalence of CKD, adjusting for known risk factors. Eight SNPs (rs1126616, rs35068180, rs2238135, rs1800247, rs385564, rs4236, rs2248359, and rs1564858) were associated with CKD even after adjusting by sex, age and race. A model containing five of these SNPs (rs1126616, rs35068180, rs1800247, rs4236, and rs2248359), diabetes and hypertension showed better performance than models considering only clinical risk factors, significantly increasing the area under the curve of the model without polymorphisms. Furthermore, one of the SNPs (the rs2248359) showed an interaction with hypertension, being the risk genotype affecting only hypertensive patients. We conclude that 5 SNPs related to proteins implicated in mineral metabolism disturbances (Osteopontin, osteocalcin, matrix gla protein, matrix metalloprotease 3 and 24 hydroxylase) are associated to an increased risk of suffering CKD

Association of a single nucleotide polymorphism combination pattern of the Klotho gene with non-cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an elevated risk of all-cause mortality, with cardiovascular death being extensively investigated. However, non-cardiovascular mortality represents the biggest percentage, showing an evident increase in recent years. Klotho is a gene highly expressed in the kidney, with a clear influence on lifespan. Low levels of Klotho have been linked to CKD progression and adverse outcomes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the Klotho gene have been associated with several diseases, but studies investigating the association of Klotho SNPs with noncardiovascular death in CKD populations are lacking. The main aim of this study was to assess whether 11 Klotho SNPs were associated with non-cardiovascular death in a subpopulation of the National Observatory of Atherosclerosis in Nephrology (NEFRONA) study (n ¼ 2185 CKD patients). After 48 months of follow-up, 62 cardiovascular deaths and 108 non-cardiovascular deaths were recorded. We identified a high non-cardiovascular death risk combination of SNPs corresponding to individuals carrying the most frequent allele (G) at rs562020, the rare allele (C) at rs2283368 and homozygotes for the rare allele (G) at rs2320762 (rs562020 GG/AG þ rs2283368 CC/CT þ rs2320762 GG). Among the patients with the three SNPs genotyped (n ¼ 1016), 75 (7.4%) showed this combination. Furthermore, 95 (9.3%) patients showed a low-risk combination carrying all the opposite genotypes (rs562020 AA þ rs2283368 TT þ rs2320762 GT/TT). All the other combinations [n ¼ 846 (83.3%)] were considered as normal risk. Using competing risk regression analysis, we confirmed that the proposed combinations are independently associated with a higher fhazard ratio [HR] 3.28 [confidence interval (CI) 1.51-7.12]g and lower [HR 6 × 10- (95% CI 3.3 × 10--1.1 × 10-)] risk of suffering a non-cardiovascular death in the CKD population of the NEFRONA cohort compared with patients with the normal-risk combination. Determination of three SNPs of the Klotho gene could help in the prediction of non-cardiovascular death in CKD