A CMOS compatible ultracompact silicon photonic optical add-drop multiplexer with misaligned Sidewall Bragg gratings

We experimentally and via simulations demonstrate ultracompact single-stage and cascaded optical add-drop multiplexers using misaligned sidewall Bragg grating in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer for the silicon-on-insulator platform. The single-stage configuration has a device footprint of 400 μm × 90 μm, and the cascaded configuration has a footprint of 400 μm × 125 μm. The proposed designs have 3-dB bandwidths of 6 nm and extinction ratios of 25 dB and 51 dB, respectively, and have been fabricated for the transverse electric mode. A minimum lithographic feature size of 80 nm is used in our design, which is within the limitation of 193 nm deep ultraviolet lithography

The effect of high altitude on endothelial and vascular dysfunction markers in preeclamptic patients

Placental hypoxia, a major component of the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, is associated with various maternal vascular and endothelial dysfunctions. The higher incidence of preeclampsia at high altitude remains incompletely explained. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of high altitude on some endothelial and vascular dysfunction markers in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Eighty pregnant women (Paras 2–4) were enrolled in this study, which included four groups (each n = 20): normal pregnancies at low altitude (NL), normal pregnancies at high altitude (NH), preeclamptic pregnancies at low altitude (PL), and preeclamptic pregnancies at high altitude (PH). In normal pregnancies at high altitude serum ET-1, plasma TXA2, and serum TNF-α levels increased significantly with a significant reduction in plasma PGI2 (66.81 ± 7.36, 122.86 ± 13.37, 102.23 ± 13.31, 191.57 ± 19.68, respectively) compared with the NL group (48.92 ± 4.58, 89.03 ± 10.67, 69.86 ± 7.97, 238.01 ± 24.55, respectively). In preeclampsia at low altitude serum ET-1, plasma TXA2, and serum TNF-α levels increased significantly with a significant reduction in plasma PGI2 (88.39 ± 9.54, 162.73 ± 15.92, 142.39 ± 15.37, 149.155 ± 15.66, respectively) compared with both NL and NH groups. High altitude significantly augmented these changes in preeclamptic patients (117.75 ± 12.96, 211.01 ± 22.69, 196.86 ± 17.64, 111.92 ± 10.74) compared with PL, NH and NL groups. In conclusion hypoxia at high altitude aggravated the disturbances in the levels of ET-1, TXA2, PGI2 and TNF-α associated with preeclampsia. This may contribute to the higher risk of preeclampsia at high altitude

Free Radicals, Salicylic Acid and Mycotoxins in Asparagus After Inoculation with Fusarium proliferatum and F. oxysporum

Electron paramagnetic resonance was used to monitor free radicals and paramagnetic species like Fe, Mn, Cu generation, stability and status in Asparagus officinalis infected by common pathogens Fusarium proliferatum and F. oxysporum. Occurrence of F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum, level of free radicals and other paramagnetic species, as well as salicylic acid and mycotoxins content in roots and stems of seedlings were estimated on the second and fourth week after inoculation. In the first term free and total salicylic acid contents were related to free radicals level in stem (P = 0.010 and P = 0.033, respectively). Concentration of Fe3+ ions in porphyrin complexes (g = 2.3, g = 2.9) was related to the species of pathogen. There was no significant difference between Mn2+ concentrations in stem samples; however, the level of free radicals in samples inoculated with F. proliferatum was significantly higher when compared to F. oxysporum

ICAR: endoscopic skull‐base surgery

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LeishVet update and recommendations on feline leishmaniosis

Limited data is available on feline leishmaniosis (FeL) caused by Leishmania infantum worldwide. The LeishVet group presents in this report a review of the current knowledge on FeL, the epidemiological role of the cat in L. infantum infection, clinical manifestations, and recommendations on diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, prognosis and prevention of infection, in order to standardize the management of this disease in cats. The consensus of opinions and recommendations was formulated by combining a comprehensive review of evidence-based studies and case reports, clinical experience and critical consensus discussions. While subclinical feline infections are common in areas endemic for canine leishmaniosis, clinical illness due to L. infantum in cats is rare. The prevalence rates of feline infection with L. infantum in serological or molecular-based surveys range from 0 % to more than 60 %. Cats are able to infect sand flies and, therefore, they may act as a secondary reservoir, with dogs being the primary natural reservoir. The most common clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities compatible with FeL include lymph node enlargement and skin lesions such as ulcerative, exfoliative, crusting or nodular dermatitis (mainly on the head or distal limbs), ocular lesions (mainly uveitis), feline chronic gingivostomatitis syndrome, mucocutaneous ulcerative or nodular lesions, hypergammaglobulinaemia and mild normocytic normochromic anaemia. Clinical illness is frequently associated with impaired immunocompetence, as in case of retroviral coinfections or immunosuppressive therapy. Diagnosis is based on serology, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cytology, histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) or culture. If serological testing is negative or low positive in a cat with clinical signs compatible with FeL, the diagnosis of leishmaniosis should not be excluded and additional diagnostic methods (cytology, histology with IHC, PCR, culture) should be employed. The most common treatment used is allopurinol. Meglumine antimoniate has been administered in very few reported cases. Both drugs are administered alone and most cats recover clinically after therapy. Follow-up of treated cats with routine laboratory tests, serology and PCR is essential for prevention of clinical relapses. Specific preventative measures for this infection in cats are currently not available