Effect of recombinant human nerve growth factor eye drops in patients with dry eye: a phase IIa, open label, multiple-dose study

Background: Dry eye disease (DED) affects more than 14% of the elderly population causing decrease of quality of life, high costs and vision impairment. Current treatments for DED aim at lubricating and controlling inflammation of the ocular surface. Development of novel therapies targeting different pathogenic mechanisms is sought-after. The aim of this study is to evaluate safety and efficacy of recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) eye drops in patients with DED. Methods: Forty consecutive patients with moderate to severe DED were included in a phase IIa, prospective, open label, multiple-dose, clinical trial to receive rhNGF eye drops at 20 μg/mL (Group 1: G1) or at 4 μg/mL (Group 2: G2) concentrations, two times a day in both eyes for 28 days (NCT02101281). The primary outcomes measures were treatment-emerged adverse events (AE), Symptoms Assessment in Dry Eye (SANDE) scale, ocular surface staining and Schirmer test. Results: Of 40 included patients, 39 completed the trial. Both tested rhNGF eye drop concentrations were safe and well tolerated. Twenty-nine patients experienced at least one AE (14 in G1 and 15 in G2), of which 11 had at least 1 related AE (8 in G1 and 3 in G2). Both frequency and severity of DED symptoms and ocular surface damage showed significant improvement in both groups, while tear function improved only in G1. Conclusions: The data of this study indicate that rhNGF eye drops in both doses is safe and effective in improving symptoms and signs of DED. Randomised clinical trials are ongoing to confirm the therapeutic benefit of rhNGF in DED. Trial registration number: NCT02101281

BaFe_{1.8}Co_{0.2}As_2 thin film hybrid Josephson junctions

Josephson junctions with iron pnictides open the way for fundamental experiments on superconductivity in these materials and their application in superconducting devices. Here, we present hybrid Josephson junctions with a BaFe_{1.8}Co_{0.2}As_2 thin film electrode, an Au barrier and a PbIn counter electrode. The junctions show RSJ-like current-voltage characteristics up to the critical temperature of the counter electrode of about 7.2K. The temperature dependence of the critical current, IC, does not show an Ambegaokar-Baratoff behavior. Well-pronounced Shapiro steps are observed at microwave frequencies of 10-18GHz. Assuming an excess current, I_ex, of 200 {\mu}A at 4.2K we get an effective I_C R_N product of 6 {\mu}V.Comment: submitted to Appl. Phys. Let

Effects of self-assembled gold nanoparticles on YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ thin films and devices

In our work we prepared YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (YBCO) thin films with self-assembled gold nanoparticles on SrTiO 3 (STO) substrates. We carried out different experiments to determine the effects on the crystallographic properties of the YBCO matrix as well as of the gold nanoparticles. Furthermore, we investigated how the particles influence the superconducting parameters of the film, e.g. the critical temperature T C and the critical current density j C . To ascertain j C we employed magneto-optical Faraday microscopy. In addition, the YBCO film was deposited and structured on STO bi-crystal substrates, thus producing grain boundary Josephson junctions. We studied those junctions with respect to the normal state resistance R N , and the dependence of the critical current I C on the temperature T as well as on the magnetic flux Φ. Finally, we prepared direct current superconducting quantum interference device (dc-SQUID) gradiometers and embedded gold nanoparticles at well-defined areas such as only the antenna or the SQUID region. We measured the flux noise in a shielded environment using an ac-bias reversal technique and compared it with that of sensors without gold nanoparticles. Thus, we demonstrate a new preparation method and an innovative application of gold nanoparticles

Influence of the spreading resistance on the conductance spectrum of planar hybrid thin film SNS' junctions based on iron pnictides

To investigate the superconducting properties of iron pnictides we prepared planar hybrid SNS' junctions in thin film technology with a pnictide base electrode, a gold barrier layer and a lead counter electrode. Our design allows characterization of the electrodes and the junction independently in a 4-probe method. We show how both electrodes influence the measured spectra due to their spreading resistance. While the Pb electrode has a constant resistance above its $T_c$, the contribution of the pnictide electrode is clearly current-dependent and thus it needs a more advanced method to be corrected. We present an empirical method, which is simple to apply and allows to deal with the spreading resistance in our junctions to recalculate the actual conductance and voltage of one junction at given temperature

A roadmap to vocational education and training systems around the world

With young people among the big losers of the recent financial crisis, vocational education and training (VET) is often seen as the silver bullet to the problem of youth joblessness. This paper provides a better understanding of VET around the world, dealing with three types of vocational systems: school-based education, a dual system in which school-based education is combined with firm-based training, and informal training. We first explore the motivation for these different types of training, before summarizing the institutional evidence, highlighting the key elements of each training system and discussing its main implementation strengths and challenges. We subsequently review the evidence on the effectiveness of VET versus general education and between the three VET systems. There are clear indications that VET is a valued alternative beyond the core of general education, while the dual system tends to be more effective than school-based VET. Informal training is effective, however relatively little is known of its relative strengths compared with other forms of vocational education

Grain boundary engineering with gold nanoparticles

We investigated high-T C grain boundary Josephson junctions with and without incorporated gold nanoparticles. Pulsed laser deposition was used for the deposition of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ thin films on SrTiO 3 bicrystal substrates with different grain boundary angles. During the deposition process, single-crystalline nanoparticles self-assembled from a thin gold layer which was sputtered on the substrate before the YBCO deposition. The interaction between nanoparticles and thin film growth significantly influences the quality of the YBCO films [1]. The critical current density and the critical temperature of the superconducting films can be increased in a defined manner. Furthermore, the nanoparticles influence the growth conditions in the region of the grain boundary and thus the properties of the later patterned Josephson junctions. The comparison between Josephson junctions with and without nanoparticles on the same substrate shows a reduction of the critical current I C and an increase of the normal state resistance RN for all investigated types of grain boundaries in the areas with gold nanoparticles. In some cases we even found an increase of the resulting I C R N product. We present the influence of light irradiation on the properties of the Josephson junctions