Current-induced spin polarization in InGaAs and GaAs epilayers with varying doping densities

The current-induced spin polarization and momentum-dependent spin-orbit field were measured in In$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As epilayers with varying indium concentrations and silicon doping densities. Samples with higher indium concentrations and carrier concentrations and lower mobilities were found to have larger electrical spin generation efficiencies. Furthermore, current-induced spin polarization was detected in GaAs epilayers despite the absence of measurable spin-orbit fields, indicating that the extrinsic contributions to the spin polarization mechanism must be considered. Theoretical calculations based on a model that includes extrinsic contributions to the spin dephasing and the spin Hall effect, in addition to the intrinsic Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling, are found to qualitatively agree with the experimental results.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Clinical pathways of epileptic seizures and status epilepticus: results from a survey in Italy

Objective: Patients with seizures or status epilepticus (SE) access the hospital through emergency departments and may be admitted into different wards according to the level of care required. Clinicians with different expertise are in charge of taking critical therapeutic decisions. To date, very few studies have investigated the stage at which these patients are referred to neurologists or epileptologists and how guideline recommendations are applied in clinical practice. Methods: A survey was used to investigate how patients with epileptic seizures or SE are managed in emergency and in subsequent hospital pathways in Italy. Results: One hundred and seventy-seven physicians (mainly neurologists) from all parts of Italy filled in a questionnaire. Less than half of the participants (35%) answered that, in their hospital, patients with epilepsy were managed by epileptologists. The percentages were lower for patients presenting with acute seizures (21%) or SE (16%). Diagnostic, therapeutic, and assistance pathways (PDTA) for patients presenting with seizure(s) or SE were available for both conditions in about 50% of cases, while, in the rest of the hospitals, participants indicated informal agreements (about 25% of cases) or lack of any agreement (about 25% of cases) between clinicians. Professionals more often involved in PDTA were epileptologists/neurologists, emergency physicians, and intensivists. More than half ot the participants (55%) thought that organizational issues are the most important criticalities for such patients and need to be improved (61%). Significance: There is a high variability in hospital clinical pathways for epilepsy in Italy

Water sorption and diffusion in cellulose acetate: The effect of plasticisers

The conservation of cellulose acetate plastics in museum collections presents a significant challenge, due to the material's instability. Several studies have led to an understanding of the role of relative humidity (RH) and temperature in the decay process. It is well established that the first decay mechanism in cellulose acetate museum objects is the loss of plasticiser, and that the main decay mechanism of the polymer chain involves hydrolysis reactions. This leads to the loss of sidechain groups and the breakdown of the main polymer backbone. However, interactions between these decay mechanisms, specifically the way in which the loss of plasticiser can modify the interaction between cellulose acetate and water, has not yet been investigated. This research addresses the role of RH, studying the sorption and diffusion of water in cellulose acetate and how this interaction can be affected by plasticiser concentration using Dynamic Vapour Sorption (DVS)

Unveiling the importance of diffusion on the deterioration of cellulose acetate artefacts: The profile of plasticiser loss as assessed by infrared microscopy

Cellulose acetate (CA) artefacts are one of the most valued plastic items in museum collections and are known to present stability issues, with the loss of plasticiser being among the main degradation processes. This study investigates the concentration distribution of diethyl phthalate (DEP) plasticiser throughout the dimensions of CA using infrared microscopy for the first time. Artificial ageing experiments using reference and historic CA plasticised with DEP were performed to assess the change in the concentration profiles as a function of ageing time. Our analysis indicates that the plasticiser loss from CA artefacts is likely controlled by its diffusion, resulting in a concentration gradient in which lower plasticiser contents are observed at the external layers of the material

Arthropods on Mars?

As presented in this report numerous fossils like forms resembling a variety of marine arthropods including crustaceans, sea spiders, scorpions, arachnids, nematodes, annelids, tube worms, sea snakes, Kimberlla, Namacalathus, Lophotrochozoa, armored trilobites and millipedes have been found in Gale Crater (on Sols 302, 553, 753, 781, 809, 869, 880, 905, 1032), and Meridiani Planum both of which have hosted rivers, lakes, and inland seas. Similar specimens are mixed within a variety of divergent fossillike forms and are also found on distant sediment and mud stone. All specimens are distinct from underlying substrate and there are no obvious patterns or repetitions typically produced by erosion or weathering. Although without extraction and direct examination it is impossible to precisely determine the identity of all these specimens, the same problems bedevil identification of Burgess Shale fossils some of which are presented in this report for comparative analysis. The discoveries presented here and in other reports supports the theory that metazoans and other marine organisms evolved in the lakes, oceans and inland seas of Mars

A methodology for the customization of hinged ankle-foot orthoses based on in vivo helical axis calculation with 3D printed rigid shells

This study aims to develop techniques for ankle joint kinematics analysis using motion capture based on stereophotogrammetry. The scope is to design marker attachments on the skin for a most reliable identification of the instantaneous helical axis, to be targeted for the fabrication of customized hinged ankle-foot orthoses. These attachments should limit the effects of the experimental artifacts, in particular the soft-tissue motion artifact, which affect largely the accuracy of any in vivo ankle kinematics analysis. Motion analyses were carried out on two healthy subjects wearing customized rigid shells that were designed through 3D scans of the subjects’ lower limbs and fabricated by additive manufacturing. Starting from stereophotogrammetry data collected during walking and dorsi-plantarflexion motor tasks, the instantaneous and mean helical axes of ankle joint were calculated. The customized shells matched accurately the anatomy of the subjects and allowed for the definition of rigid marker clusters that improved the accuracy of in vivo kinematic analyses. The proposed methodology was able to differentiate between subjects and between the motor tasks analyzed. The observed position and dispersion of the axes were consistent with those reported in the literature. This methodology represents an effective tool for supporting the customization of hinged ankle-foot orthoses or other devices interacting with human joints functionality

Effects of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents on the Mental Health of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C: A Prospective Observational Study

In chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients, interferon-based treatments showed toxicity, limited e cacy, and psychiatric manifestations. Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents appeared safer, though it remains unclear if they may exacerbate or foster mood symptoms in drug-naïve CHC patients. We evaluated 62 CHC patients’ mental status, before and 12 weeks after DAA therapy, by assessment scales and psychometric instruments. We subdivided patients into two groups, CHC patients with (Group A) or without (Group B) a current and/or past psychiatric history. After DAA treatment, Group A patients showed low anxiety and improved depression, no variation in self-report distress, but worse general health perceptions. No significant di erence emerged from coping strategies. Depression and anxiety improved in Group B, and no change emerged from total self-reported distress, except for somatization. Moreover, Group B increased problem-focused strategies for suppression of competing activities, and decreased strategies of instrumental social support. Contrarily, Group B reduced significantly emotion-focused strategies, such as acceptance and mental disengagement, and improved vitality, physical and social role functioning. DAA therapy is safe and free of hepatological and psychiatric side e ects in CHC patients, regardless of current and/or past psychiatric history. In particular, patients without a psychiatric history also remarkably improved their quality of life

Reprogramming human T cell function and specificity with non-viral genome targeting.

Decades of work have aimed to genetically reprogram T cells for therapeutic purposes1,2 using recombinant viral vectors, which do not target transgenes to specific genomic sites3,4. The need for viral vectors has slowed down research and clinical use as their manufacturing and testing is lengthy and expensive. Genome editing brought the promise of specific and efficient insertion of large transgenes into target cells using homology-directed repair5,6. Here we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 genome-targeting system that does not require viral vectors, allowing rapid and efficient insertion of large DNA sequences (greater than one kilobase) at specific sites in the genomes of primary human T cells, while preserving cell viability and function. This permits individual or multiplexed modification of endogenous genes. First, we applied this strategy to correct a pathogenic IL2RA mutation in cells from patients with monogenic autoimmune disease, and demonstrate improved signalling function. Second, we replaced the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) locus with a new TCR that redirected T cells to a cancer antigen. The resulting TCR-engineered T cells specifically recognized tumour antigens and mounted productive anti-tumour cell responses in vitro and in vivo. Together, these studies provide preclinical evidence that non-viral genome targeting can enable rapid and flexible experimental manipulation and therapeutic engineering of primary human immune cells

Hypothermic Oxygenated New Machine Perfusion System in Liver and Kidney Transplantation of Extended Criteria Donors:First Italian Clinical Trial

With the aim to explore innovative tools for organ preservation, especially in marginal organs, we hereby describe a clinical trial of ex-vivo hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE) in the field of liver (LT) and kidney transplantation (KT) from Extended Criteria Donors (ECD) after brain death. A matched-case analysis of donor and recipient variables was developed: 10 HOPE-ECD livers and kidneys (HOPE-L and HOPE-K) were matched 1:3 with livers and kidneys preserved with static cold storage (SCS-L and SCS-K). HOPE and SCS groups resulted with similar basal characteristics, both for recipients and donors. Cumulative liver and kidney graft dysfunction were 10% (HOPE L-K) vs. 31.7%, in SCS group (p = 0.05). Primary non-function was 3.3% for SCS-L vs. 0% for HOPE-L. No primary non-function was reported in HOPE-K and SCS-K. Median peak aspartate aminotransferase within 7-days post-LT was significantly higher in SCS-L when compared to HOPE-L (637 vs.344 U/L, p = 0.007). Graft survival at 1-year post-transplant was 93.3% for SCS-L vs. 100% of HOPE-L and 90% for SCS-K vs. 100% of HOPE-K. Clinical outcomes support our hypothesis of machine perfusion being a safe and effective system to reduce ischemic preservation injuries in KT and in LT

Long term results of down-staging and liver transplantation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the conventional criteria

The objective of the study is to evaluate 10 years of down-staging strategy for liver transplantation (LT) with a median follow-up of 5 years. Data on long-term results are poor and less information is available for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) non-responder patients or those ineligible for down-staging. The outcome of 308 HCC candidates and the long-term results of 231 LTs for HCC performed between 2003 and 2013 were analyzed. HCCs were divided according to tumor stage and response to therapy: 145 patients were T2 (metering Milan Criteria, MC), 43 were T3 successfully down-staged to T2 (Down-Achieved), 20 were T3 not fully down-staged to T2 (Down-not Achieved), and 23 patients were T3 not receiving down-staging treatments (No-Down). The average treatment effect (ATE) of LT for T3 tumors was estimated using the outcome of 535 T3 patients undergoing non-LT therapies, using inverse probability weighting regression adjustment. The 24-month drop-out rate during waiting time was significantly higher in the down-staging groups: 27.6% vs. 9.2%, p < 0.005. After LT, the tumor recurrence rate was significantly different: MC 7.6%, Down-Achieved 20.9%, Down-not Achieved 31.6%, and No-Down 30.4% (p < 0.001). The survival rates at 5 years were: 63% in Down-Achieved, 62% in Down-not Achieved, 63% in No-Down, and 77% in MC (p = n.s.). The only variable related to a better outcome was the effective down-staging to T2 at the histological evaluation of the explanted liver: recurrence rate = 7.8% vs. 26% (p < 0.001) and 5-year patient survival = 76% vs. 67% (p < 0.05). The ATE estimation showed that the mean survival of T3-LT candidates was significantly better than that of T3 patients ineligible for LT [83.3 vs 39.2 months (+44.6 months); p < 0.001]. Long term outcome of T3 down-staged candidates was poorer than that of MC candidates, particularly for cases not achieving down-staging. However, their survival outcome was significantly better than that achieved with non-transplant therapies