Terahertz optically tunable dielectric metamaterials without microfabrication

We theoretically investigate the terahertz dielectric response of a semiconductor slab hosting an infrared photoinduced grating. The periodic structure is due to the charge carries photo-excited by the interference of two tilted infrared plane waves so that the grating depth and period can be tuned by modifying the beam intensities and incidence angles, respectively. In the case where the grating period is much smaller than the terahertz wavelength, we numerically evaluate the ordinary and extraordinary component of the effective permittivity tensor by resorting to electromagnetic full-wave simulation coupled to the dynamics of charge carries excited by infrared radiation. We show that the photoinduced metamaterial optical response can be tailored by varying the grating and it ranges from birefringent to hyperbolic to anisotropic negative dielectric without resorting to microfabrication.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figure

Extrinsic electromagnetic chirality in all-photodesigned one-dimensional THz metamaterials

We suggest that all-photodesigned metamaterials, sub-wavelength custom patterns of photo-excited carriers on a semiconductor, can display an exotic extrinsic electromagnetic chirality in terahertz (THz) frequency range. We consider a photo-induced pattern exhibiting 1D geometrical chirality, i.e. its mirror image can not be superposed onto itself by translations without rotations and, in the long wavelength limit, we evaluate its bianisotropic response. The photo-induced extrinsic chirality turns out to be fully reconfigurable by recasting the optical illumination which supports the photo-excited carriers. The all-photodesigning technique represents a feasible, easy and powerful method for achieving effective matter functionalization and, combined with the chiral asymmetry, it could be the platform for a new generation of reconfigurable devices for THz wave polarization manipulation.Comment: 11 page

\u3ci\u3eCheilosia corydon\u3c/i\u3e (Diptera: Syrphidae)., a Candidate for the Biological Control of Musk Thistle in North America

In Italy, larvae of the syrphid fly, Cheilosia corydon (Harris) (=grossa Fallen), infest the flower buds, stems, and roots of Carduus nutans L. and C. pycnocephalus L. (Compositae), both serious weeds in the United States. The fly was studied as a candidate biological control agent of musk and Italian thistle in North America. The host range of C. corydon is narrow, restricted to plants of the tribe Cardueae. Cirsium crassicaule (Green) Jeps., a threatened U.S. species, was marginally suitable as a host in laboratory trials. In open-field oviposition tests, using replicated and randomized plantings, no oviposition was observed on any U.S. Cirsium species tested, including C. crassicaule. Our data indicate that C. corydon is sufficiently host specific to introduce into the U.S. for the biological control of musk and Italian thistle

Low molecular weight Adiponectin increases the mortality risk in very old patients

Despite its beneficial role on insulin resistance and atherosclerosis, adiponectin has been frequently reported as an independent positive predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Very few information is available regarding adiponectin isoforms and mortality, in particular in advanced aging. Baseline serum levels of Total Adiponectin and its circulating isoforms (HMW-, MMW-, LMW-Adiponectin) were measured in 97 old patients (mean age: 79 years). Patients were followed up for all-cause mortality (study end-point) for an average of 76.4 ±37.3 months. A positive association was observed for LMW-Ad and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05-1,22, p: 0.002). After multivariate adjustment for age, sex and a previous history of myocardial infarction, higher levels of LMW-Ad were significantly associated with all-cause mortality (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.21; p: 0.017). Interestingly neither total adiponectin neither the other two circulating isoforms (MMW- and HMW-Ad) showed any significant association with the study end-point. Our data suggest that the association between high serum adiponectin levels and increased mortality rate in elderly is contingent to an unbalanced circulating levels of adiponectin isoforms. The present results support the hypothesis that high levels of Low Molecular Weight adiponectin are a biomarker for mortality risk in very old patients

C-peptide: a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in subjects with established atherosclerotic disease

Aim: Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Levels of C-peptide are increased in these patients and its role in the atherosclerosis progression was studied in vitro and in vivo over the past years. To evaluate the possible use of C-peptide as cardiovascular biomarkers, we designed an observational study in which we enrolled patients with mono- or poly-vascular atherosclerotic disease. Methods: We recruited 431 patients with stable atherosclerosis and performed a yearly follow-up to estimate the cardiovascular and total mortality and cardiovascular events. Results: We performed a mean follow-up of 56months on 268 patients. A multivariate Cox analysis showed that C-peptide significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular mortality [Hazard Ratio: 1.29 (95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.65, p<0.03513)] after adjustment for age, sex, diabetes treatment, estimated glomerular filtration rate and known diabetes status. Furthermore, levels of C-peptide were significantly correlated with metabolic parameters and atherogenic factors. Conclusion: C-peptide was associated with cardiovascular mortality independently of known diabetes status in a cohort of patients with chronic atherosclerotic disease. Future studies using C-peptide into a reclassification approach might be undertaken to consider its potential as a cardiovascular disease biomarker

Relationship between retinal microvascular impairment and subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE

objectives: patients with SLE have higher cardiovascular (CV) risk compared with healthy controls (HC) and are characterised by accelerated atherosclerosis; intima media thickness (IMT), marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, is higher in patients with SLE than in HCs. Retinal microvascular impairment detected through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was investigated as a marker of systemic vascular involvement in SLE.the aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between retinal vascular impairment and IMT in SLE. methods: cross-sectional study recruiting patients with SLE and HCs. Data of the study population were collected. CV risk was evaluated through the american college of cardiology/american heart association (ACC/AHA) guidelines, framingham and QRESEARCH risk estimator V.3 (QRISK3) scores. Both groups underwent OCTA and carotid ultrasound with IMT assessment.Statistical analysis was accomplished using Pearson/Spearman, t-test/Mann-Whitney or χ2 test. Variables statistically significant at univariate regression analysis were tested in an age-corrected and sex-corrected multivariate regression model. results: 43 patients with SLE and 34 HCs were recruited.patients with SLE showed higher triglycerides (p=0.019), triglycerides-glucose (TyG) Index (p=0.035), ACC/AHA guidelines (p=0.001), Framingham Risk Scores (p=0.008) and a reduced superficial (p&lt;0.001) and deep (p=0.005) whole retinal vessel density (VD) compared with HCs.In SLE univariate analysis, deep whole VD showed a negative correlation with IMT (p=0.027), age (p=0.001), systolic blood pressure (p=0.011), QRISK3 Score (p&lt;0.001), systemic lupus international collaborating clinics damage index (p=0.006) and apolipoprotein B (p=0.021), while a positive correlation was found with female sex (p=0.029). Age-adjusted and sex-adjusted multivariate analysis confirmed QRISK3 score (p=0.049) and IMT (p=0.039) to be independent risk factors for reduced retinal VD. conclusions: patients with SLE showed lower retinal VD and higher CV risk indicators compared with HCs. Among patients with SLE, QRISK3 Score and IMT were found to be independent risk factors for retinal vascular impairment, suggesting a role of OCTA in evaluating preclinical CV involvement in SLE. moreover, TyG index could represent a biomarker of CV risk in patients with SLE compared with HCs

IL-6 Levels Influence 3-Month All-Cause Mortality in Frail Hospitalized Older Patients

The multidimensional prognostic index (MPI) is a sensitive and specific prognosis estimation tool that accurately predicts all-cause mortality in frail older patients. It has been validated to assess the risk of 1-month to 2-year mortality in frail older patients during hospitalization and after hospital discharge. However, whether the MPI is a valid prognostic tool for follow-up periods of different lengths remains to be validated. To this end, we followed up 80 hospitalized patients (female=37, male 43) at least 75 years of age (mean age=82.6±4.4, range=75-94 years) to assess the 3-month all-cause mortality (mean follow-up=61.0 ± 31.7 months [range 4-90 days]). Accordingly, patients were subdivided into low (MPI-1, score 0-0.33), moderate (MPI-2, score 0.34-0.66) and high (MPI-3, score 0.67-1) mortality risk classes. Moreover, baseline biochemical, inflammatory and metabolic parameters, as well as anamnestic and clinical characteristics, were obtained. Although the MPI-3 score was significantly associated with 3-month all-cause mortality in univariate analysis (HR=5.79, 95%CI=1.77-18.92, p=0.004), a multivariate model indicated that only low albumin (HR=0.33, 95%CI=0.16-0.68, p=0.003) and high IL6 (HR=1.01, 95%CI=1.00-1.02, p=0.010) levels were significantly associated with 3-month all-cause mortality. In conclusion, we suggest that measurement of IL6 as well as albumin, rather than the MPI score, may help in providing tailored therapeutic interventions to decrease short term mortality in older hospitalized individuals

Alterations in Rev-ERBα/BMAL1 ratio and glycated hemoglobin in rotating shift workers: the EuRhythDia study

Objective: To detect premature gluco-metabolic defects among night shift workers with disturbances in circadian rhythms. Design and methods: We performed a hypothesis-generating, cross-sectional analysis of anthropometric, metabolic, lipid, and inflammation parameters, comparing active (a-NSW, n = 111) and former (f-NSW, n = 98) rotating night shift workers with diurnal workers (controls, n = 69). All participants were hospital nurses. We also evaluated the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and assessed expression of transcription factors REV-ERBα and BMAL1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as indicators of the molecular clock. Results: Both a-NSW and f-NSW participants had significantly higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and white blood cell counts (WBC) (p &lt; 0.001 for both), PSQI global score (p = 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure levels (p = 0.024) compared with controls. Expression of REV-ERBα/BMAL1 RNA in PBMC was significantly higher in a-NSW (p = 0.05) than in f-NSW or control participants. Multivariate regression analysis showed that working status and PSQI were independent determinants of higher HbA1c levels (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: We demonstrated that young, healthy night shift workers show subclinical abnormalities in HbA1c and changes in peripheral clock gene expression

Serum Resistin, Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Background: High serum resistin has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the general population, Only sparse and conflicting results, limited to Asian individuals, have been reported, so far, in type 2 diabetes. We studied the role of serum resistin on coronary artery disease, major cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes. Methods: We tested the association of circulating resistin concentrations with coronary artery disease, major cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke) and all-cause mortality in 2,313 diabetic patients of European ancestry from two cross-sectional and two prospective studies. In addition, the expression of resistin gene (RETN) was measured in blood cells of 68 diabetic patients and correlated with their serum resistin levels. Results: In a model comprising age, sex, smoking habits, BMI, HbA1c, and insulin, antihypertensive and antidyslipidemic therapies, serum resistin was associated with coronary artery disease in both cross-sectional studies: OR (95%CI) per SD increment = 1.35 (1.10–1.64) and 1.99 (1.55–2.55). Additionally, serum resistin predicted incident major cardiovascular events (HR per SD increment = 1.31; 1.10–1.56) and all-cause mortality (HR per SD increment = 1.16; 1.06–1.26). Adjusting also for fibrinogen levels affected the association with coronary artery disease and incident cardiovascular events, but not that with all cause-mortality. Finally, serum resistin was positively correlated with RETN mRNA expression (rho = 0.343). Conclusions: This is the first study showing that high serum resistin (a likely consequence, at least partly, of increased RETN expression) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in diabetic patients of European ancestry