Acquired trichostasis in postoperative site: a case report

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The interface between silicon and a high-k oxide

The ability to follow Moore's Law has been the basis of the tremendous success of the semiconductor industry in the past decades. To date, the greatest challenge for device scaling is the required replacement of silicon dioxide-based gate oxides by high-k oxides in transistors. Around 2010 high-k oxides are required to have an atomically defined interface with silicon without any interfacial SiO2 layer. The first clean interface between silicon and a high-K oxide has been demonstrated by McKee et al. Nevertheless, the interfacial structure is still under debate. Here we report on first-principles calculations of the formation of the interface between silicon and SrTiO3 and its atomic structure. Based on insights into how the chemical environment affects the interface, a way to engineer seemingly intangible electrical properties to meet technological requirements is outlined. The interface structure and its chemistry provide guidance for the selection process of other high-k gate oxides and for controlling their growth. Our study also shows that atomic control of the interfacial structure can dramatically improve the electronic properties of the interface. The interface presented here serves as a model for a variety of other interfaces between high-k oxides and silicon.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures (one color

Mandeville, Bernard

Peer reviewe

Informing investment to reduce inequalities: a modelling approach

Background: Reducing health inequalities is an important policy objective but there is limited quantitative information about the impact of specific interventions. Objectives: To provide estimates of the impact of a range of interventions on health and health inequalities. Materials and methods: Literature reviews were conducted to identify the best evidence linking interventions to mortality and hospital admissions. We examined interventions across the determinants of health: a ‘living wage’; changes to benefits, taxation and employment; active travel; tobacco taxation; smoking cessation, alcohol brief interventions, and weight management services. A model was developed to estimate mortality and years of life lost (YLL) in intervention and comparison populations over a 20-year time period following interventions delivered only in the first year. We estimated changes in inequalities using the relative index of inequality (RII). Results: Introduction of a ‘living wage’ generated the largest beneficial health impact, with modest reductions in health inequalities. Benefits increases had modest positive impacts on health and health inequalities. Income tax increases had negative impacts on population health but reduced inequalities, while council tax increases worsened both health and health inequalities. Active travel increases had minimally positive effects on population health but widened health inequalities. Increases in employment reduced inequalities only when targeted to the most deprived groups. Tobacco taxation had modestly positive impacts on health but little impact on health inequalities. Alcohol brief interventions had modestly positive impacts on health and health inequalities only when strongly socially targeted, while smoking cessation and weight-reduction programmes had minimal impacts on health and health inequalities even when socially targeted. Conclusions: Interventions have markedly different effects on mortality, hospitalisations and inequalities. The most effective (and likely cost-effective) interventions for reducing inequalities were regulatory and tax options. Interventions focused on individual agency were much less likely to impact on inequalities, even when targeted at the most deprived communities

Availability and Affordability of Medicines for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases in Pharmacies in Six Regions of the Russian Federation

Aim. To evaluate the availability and affordability of medicines used to treat of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in several regions of the Russian Federation with different climatic, geographic, economic and demographic characteristics. Material and methods. The study was conducted in 6 regional capitals, chosen to differ in geographically, economically, and demographically. In each city, 5 pharmacies providing free medicines to certain categories of citizens (beneficiaries) and 5 private pharmacies serving anyone were selected at random. Medicine availability was assessed in all pharmacies, along with price only in the private pharmacies. Data were obtained for both original drug and appropriate generics. A list of 25 of the most frequently prescribed medicines for cardiovascular diseases was compiled. Results. Some general findings emerged. With the existence of a generic drug, the original drug was not available in the pharmacy supplying beneficiaries. Diuretics, as well as some ACE inhibitors, are not available in a number of pharmacies for beneficiaries. Enalapril in most licensed pharmacies is represented by generics, lisinopril in a number of cities is represented by both the original drug and generics. The presence of sartans was much lower than ACE inhibitors. Bisoprolol was most common beta-blocker. Calcium antagonists: if amlodipine was present in all licensed pharmacies, at list as generic, then nifedipine was not available in many licensed pharmacies. Among antiplatelet agents, aspirin was available in most pharmacies, and clopidogrel was mostly represented by generics. As for statins, only simvastatin could be found in almost all pharmacies. When analyzing the cost of drugs in licensed pharmacies, it was found that drugs containing furosemide are the cheapest among generics – about 17 rubles. The most expensive treatment with generics of rosuvastatin – about 4,374 rubles a month. The most expensive original medicine was also rosuvastatin – about 4,500 rubles for 30 tablets, the cheapest – the original drug of furosemide – about 35 rubles. On average, the cost of CVD treatment with major classes of drugs, including ACE inhibitor, beta-blocker, antiplatelet drug and statin, is 1,921.9 rubles per month. Conclusion. The basic cardiovascular medicines were characterized by a relatively high availability in 6 regions of the Russian Federation included in the analysis both by the criterion of the availability of drugs and by the criterion of the minimum price.</jats:p

Panorametry: suggestion of a method for mandibular measurements on panoramic radiographs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Orthopantomography (panoramic radiography) has been used for the study of measurements involving particularly the prediction of the eruption of impacted lower third molars and analyses of measurements of the ramus and head of mandible. The discrepancies involved with the projection of this radiographic image has stimulated the search for further ways to use it, particularly in orthodontic treatments and oral and maxillofacial surgeries. The author proposes a graphimetric method for the mandible, based on panoramic radiography. The results are expressed in linear and angular measurements, aiming at bilateral comparisons as well as the determination of the proportion of skeletal and dental structures, individually and among themselves as a whole. The method has been named Panorametry, and allows measurement of the mandible (Mandibular Panorametry) or the posterior mandibular teeth (Dental Panorametry). When combining mandible and maxilla, it should be referred to as Total Panorametry. It may also be used, in the future, with Cone Beam computed tomography (CT) images, and in this case it may be mentioned as CT Panorametry.</p

Survival of patients treated with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation at a tertiary care center in Pakistan – patient characteristics and predictors of in-hospital mortality

BACKGROUND: Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) has an established role in the treatment of patients presenting with critical cardiac illnesses, including cardiogenic shock, refractory ischemia and for prophylaxis and treatment of complications of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Patients requiring IABC represent a high-risk subset with an expected high mortality. There are virtually no data on usage patterns as well as outcomes of patients in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent who require IABC. This is the first report on a sizeable experience with IABC from Pakistan. METHODS: Hospital charts of 95 patients (mean age 58.8 (± 10.4) years; 78.9% male) undergoing IABC between 2000–2002 were reviewed. Logistic regression was used to determine univariate and multivariate predictors of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: The most frequent indications for IABC were cardiogenic shock (48.4%) and refractory ischemia (24.2%). Revascularization (surgical or PCI) was performed in 74 patients (77.9%). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 34.7%. Univariate predictors of in-hospital mortality included (odds ratio [95% CI]) age (OR 1.06 [1.01–1.11] for every year increase in age); diabetes (OR 3.68 [1.51–8.92]) and cardiogenic shock at presentation (OR 4.85 [1.92–12.2]). Furthermore, prior CABG (OR 0.12 [0.04–0.34]), and in-hospital revascularization (OR 0.05 [0.01–0.189]) was protective against mortality. In the multivariate analysis, independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were age (OR 1.13 [1.05–1.22] for every year increase in age); diabetes (OR 6.35 [1.61–24.97]) and cardiogenic shock at presentation (OR 10.0 [2.33–42.95]). Again, revascularization during hospitalization (OR 0.02 [0.003–0.12]) conferred a protective effect. The overall complication rate was low (8.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients requiring IABC represent a high-risk group with substantial in-hospital mortality. Despite this high mortality, over two-thirds of patients do leave the hospital alive, suggesting that IABC is a feasible therapeutic device, even in a developing country

External versus internal fixation for bicondylar tibial plateau fractures: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain whether external fixation or open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) is optimal for patients with bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase Classic, Embase, AMED, the Cochrane Library, Open Grey, Orthopaedic Proceedings, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Current Controlled Trials, US National Institute for Health Trials Registry, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The search was conducted on 3rd October 2014 and no language limits were applied. Inclusion criteria were all clinical study designs comparing external fixation with open reduction internal fixation of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Studies of only one treatment modality were excluded, as were those that included unicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Treatment effects from studies reporting dichotomous outcomes were summarised using odds ratios. Continuous outcomes were converted to standardized mean differences to assess the treatment effect, and inverse variance methods used to combine data. A fixed effect model was used for meta-analyses. RESULTS: Patients undergoing external fixation were more likely to have returned to preinjury activities by six and twelve months (P = 0.030) but not at 24 months follow-up. However, external fixation was complicated by a greater number of infections (OR 2.59, 95 % CI 1.25-5.36, P = 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of deep infection, venous thromboembolism, compartment syndrome, or need for re-operation between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Although external fixation and ORIF are associated with different complication profiles, both are acceptable strategies for managing bicondylar tibial plateau fractures

Epigenetic Differences in Cortical Neurons from a Pair of Monozygotic Twins Discordant for Alzheimer's Disease

DNA methylation [1], [2] is capable of modulating coordinate expression of large numbers of genes across many different pathways, and may therefore warrant investigation for their potential role between genes and disease phenotype. In a rare set of monozygotic twins discordant for Alzheimer's disease (AD), significantly reduced levels of DNA methylation were observed in temporal neocortex neuronal nuclei of the AD twin. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms may mediate at the molecular level the effects of life events on AD risk, and provide, for the first time, a potential explanation for AD discordance despite genetic similarities

Ambient Temperature Influences Australian Native Stingless Bee (Trigona carbonaria) Preference for Warm Nectar

The interaction between flowers and insect pollinators is an important aspect of the reproductive mechanisms of many plant species. Several laboratory and field studies indicate that raising flower temperature above ambient can be an advantage in attracting pollinators. Here we demonstrate that this preference for warmer flowers is, in fact, context-dependent. Using an Australian native bee as a model, we demonstrate for the first time a significant shift in behaviour when the ambient temperature reaches 34°C, at which point bees prefer ambient temperature nectar over warmer nectar. We then use thermal imaging techniques to show warmer nectar maintains the flight temperature of bees during the period of rest on flowers at lower ambient temperatures but the behavioural switch is associated with the body temperature rising above that maintained during flight. These findings suggest that flower-pollinator interactions are dependent upon ambient temperature and may therefore alter in different thermal environments