Sacubitril-valsartan in heart failure and multimorbidity patients

Aims The poor control of symptoms in patients with advanced heart failure with reduced ejection function (HFrEF) can limit the functionality of patients. Sacubitril–valsartan, compared with enalapril, has been shown to reduce mortality and hospitalization, and nowadays, there is still little evidence about the improvement on functionality. The aim of our study is to analyse the improvement of the functional class and the 6 min walking test (6MWT) in patients with multiple pathologies and advanced heart failure. Methods and results From September 2016 to March 2018, 65 multimorbidity patients with severe symptomatic HFrEF were initiated to receive sacubitril–valsartan. Mean age was 78.6 ± 7.4 years, and 68% were male. The Charlson co-morbidity index was 8 points. Seventy-four per cent had New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class IV. After the treatment, patients were able to achieve 55.68 m or more on 6MWT, and 91% presented an improvement in the NYHA functional class. Conclusions Sacubitril–valsartan relieves symptoms and improves functional class prognostic risk of patients with advanced HFrEF and co-morbidit

Secukinumab for Psoriasis in Obese Patients: Minireview and Clinical Experience

Psoriasis (PsO) has been associated with obesity, and its severity increases in obese subjects. The link between psoriatic condition and obesity is based on shared pathophysiological pathways where local and systemic inflammation promote each other; PsO is an inflammatory, immune-mediated disease, and the adipose tissue is the source of proinflammatory adipokines. Moreover, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an important comorbidity of PsO that reduces quality of life and makes difficult the patient's management. Treatment of obese subjects with moderate to severe PsO, even more if PsA is present, is challenging because of reduced efficacy of several systemic drugs and increased risk of adverse events. Secukinumab, a monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to and neutralizes interleukin 17A, shows efficacy on PsO in all body weight groups, even in the highest, whose response has a slight downward trend. Clinical features of two obese subjects, affected by PsO and PsA, successfully treated with secukinumab, are described

Dispersión de rayos X aplicado al análisis de nanotubos de carbono, polímeros y nanocompuestos

[EN] In this review we will show that wide and small angle X-ray scattering techniques (WAXS and SAXS respectively) can be a valuable tool to characterize the structure of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and related CNT-polymer nanocomposites at different characteristic length scales. Ranging from single carbon nanotubes to aggregates of CNTs X-ray scattering may offer structural information which can be crucial in order to design new materials based on carbon nanotubes.[ES] En este trabajo de revisión mostramos que las técnicas de dispersión de rayos X a alto y bajo ángulo (WAXS y SAXS respectivamente) pueden ser una herramienta muy valiosa para caracterizar la estructura de nanotubos de carbono (CNT) y nanocompuestos CNT-polímero, en diferentes escalas de longitud. La dispersión de rayos X puede ofrecer información estructural en el rango desde nanotubos de carbono aislados, hasta agregados de CNT. Dicha información puede ser crucial de cara a diseñar materiales basados en nanotubos de carbono.The authors thank the financial support from the MCYT (grant MAT2005-01768), Spain. The help of G. Broza, Z. Roslaniec, K. Schulte, I. Sics, B. H. Hsiao, S. S. Funari in different parts of this work is gratefully acknowledge. M. C. G.-G. and A. N. are also grateful to the Ramón y Cajal Program for the support of this reserach­.Peer reviewe

CW Performance of an InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs Laterally-Coupled Distributed Feedback (LC-DFB) Ridge Laser Diode

Single-mode distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes typically require a two-step epitaxial growth or use of a corrugated substrate. We demonstrate InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs DFB lasers fabricated from a single epitaxial growth using lateral evanescent coupling of the optical field to a surface grating etehed along the sides of the ridge. A CW threshold current of 25 mA and external quantum efficiency of 0.48 mW/mA per facet were measured for a 1 mm cavity length device with anti-reflection coated facets. Single-mode output powers as high as 11 mW per facet at 935 nm wavelength were attained. A coupling coefficient of at least 5.8/cm was calculated from the subthreshold spectrum taking into account the 2% residual facet reflectivity

Anatomical basis of erector spinae plane block: a dissection and histotopographic pilot study

Purpose: Erector spinae plane (ESP) block is an interfascial blockade used in different clinical scenarios. This study investigated the ventral extent of dye diffusion in ESP block. Methods: The ultrasound-guided ESP block was bilaterally performed with an injection at the T5 vertebral level (21-Gauge, 50\ua0mm needle), using diluted black tissue marking dye (20\ua0mL; 1:4 ratio with standard saline solution) instead of local anesthetic on two fresh-frozen corpses within the body donation program of the University of Padova. Subsequently, the gross anatomical dissection was performed by a combined posterior plus anterior approach, and the histotopographic examination completed. Results: Macroscopically by gross anatomical dissection, the dye spreading ranged on the dorsal side of the chest from T2/3 to T10/11 with an extension up to 10\ua0cm laterally, and on the ventral side of the chest from T2/3\u2013T9/10. Microscopically by histotopographic examination, the dye diffused ventrally to the intercostal spaces (2\u20133 and 5\u20136 spaces on the right and left, respectively) by following the blood vessels coupled to the dorsal nerve passing through the costotransverse foramen. Conclusions: The anterior pathway of dye diffusion from the site of injection within the erector spinae muscle group during an ESP block seems to follow the blood vessels and dorsal rami of spinal nerves, suggesting the passing through the costotransverse foramen to reach the anterior paravertebral space and the intercostal nerves. These findings display an anterior histotopographic diffusion of dye resembling a paravertebral block

Comparison of infrared frequency selective surfaces fabricated by direct-write electron-beam and bilayer nanoimprint lithographies

We report on the fabrication of crossed-dipole resonant filters by direct-write electron-beam and nanoimprint lithographies. Such structures have bean used as spectrally selective components at visible, microwave; and infrared wavelengths. Imprinting is accomplished in a modified commercial hot press at 155 degreesC. The replica is then etched in oxygen plasma and developed in chlorobenzene to selectively dissolve the poly(methylmethacrylate and methacrylic acid) and poly(methylmethacrylate) bilayer resist. This step enhances undercut and improves lift-off metalization. Infrared fourier transform spectroscopy was performed to characterize the transmission response of the frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) fabricated. The resonant behavior for the direct-write FSS was found to be 5.3 mum and for the nanoimprinted FSS to be 6 mum. The shift towards longer wavelengths is consistent with the dimensions obtained for the FSSs elements in both cases. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(00)09706-4]

Comparison of infrared frequency selective surfaces fabricated by direct-write electron-beam and bilayer nanoimprint lithographies

We report on the fabrication of crossed-dipole resonant filters by direct-write electron-beam and nanoimprint lithographies. Such structures have been used as spectrally selective components at visible, microwave, and infrared wavelengths. Imprinting is accomplished in a modified commercial hot press at 155°C. The replica is then etched in oxygen plasma and developed in chlorobenzene to selectively dissolve the poly͑methylmethacrylate and methacrylic acid͒ and poly͑methylmethacrylate͒ bilayer resist. This step enhances undercut and improves lift-off metalization. Infrared fourier transform spectroscopy was performed to characterize the transmission response of the frequency selective surfaces ͑FSSs͒ fabricated. The resonant behavior for the direct-write FSS was found to be 5.3 m and for the nanoimprinted FSS to be 6 m. The shift towards longer wavelengths is consistent with the dimensions obtained for the FSSs elements in both cases

p75 neurotrophin receptor mediates apoptosis in transit-amplifying cells and its overexpression restores cell death in psoriatic keratinocytes.

p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) belongs to the TNF-receptor superfamily and signals apoptosis in many cell settings. In human epidermis, p75NTR is mostly confined to the transit-amplifying (TA) sub-population of basal keratinocytes. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), which signals through p75NTR, induces keratinocyte apoptosis, whereas β-amyloid, a ligand for p75NTR, triggers caspase-3 activation to a greater extent in p75NTR transfected cells. Moreover, p75NTR co-immunoprecipitates with NRAGE, induces the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and reduces nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) DNA-binding activity. p75NTR also mediates pro-NGF-induced keratinocyte apoptosis through its co-receptor sortilin. Furthermore, BDNF or β-amyloid cause cell death in TA, but not in keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) or in p75NTR silenced TA cells. p75NTR is absent in lesional psoriatic skin and p75NTR levels are significantly lower in psoriatic than in normal TA keratinocytes. The rate of apoptosis in psoriatic TA cells is significantly lower than in normal TA cells. BDNF or β-amyloid fail to induce apoptosis in psoriatic TA cells, and p75NTR retroviral infection restores BDNF- or β-amyloid-induced apoptosis in psoriatic keratinocytes. These results demonstrate that p75NTR has a pro-apoptotic role in keratinocytes and is involved in the maintenance of epidermal homeostasis

In situ monitoring of laser-induced periodic surface structures formation on polymer films by grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering

9 pags.; 9 figs.© 2015 American Chemical Society. The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on model spin-coated polymer films has been followed in situ by grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) using synchrotron radiation. The samples were irradiated at different repetition rates ranging from 1 up to 10 Hz by using the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (266 nm) with pulses of 8 ns. Simultaneously, GISAXS patterns were acquired during laser irradiation. The variation of both the GISAXS signal with the number of pulses and the LIPSS period with laser irradiation time is revealing key kinetic aspects of the nanostructure formation process. By considering LIPSS as one-dimensional paracrystalline lattice and using a correlation found between the paracrystalline disorder parameter, g, and the number of reflections observed in the GISAXS patterns, the variation of the structural order of LIPSS can be assessed. The role of the laser repetition rate in the nanostructure formation has been clarified. For high pulse repetition rates (i.e., 10 Hz), LIPSS evolve in time to reach the expected period matching the wavelength of the irradiating laser. For lower pulse repetition rates LIPSS formation is less effective, and the period of the ripples never reaches the wavelength value. Results support and provide information on the existence of a feedback mechanism for LIPSS formation in polymer films.The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the MINECO (MAT2011-23455, MAT2012-33517 and CTQ 2013-43086-P). E.R., I.M.-F., and A.R-R. also thank MINECO for a Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC-2011-08069) and FPI ́ fellowships (BES-2010-030074 and BES-2013-062620).Peer Reviewe