Autonomic impairment of patients in coma with different Glasgow coma score assessed with heart rate variability

Primary objective: The objective of this study is to assess the functional state of the autonomic nervous system in healthy individuals and in individuals in coma using measures of heart rate variability (HRV) and to evaluate its efficiency in predicting mortality. Design and Methods: Retrospective group comparison study of patients in coma classified into two subgroups, according to their Glasgow coma score, with a healthy control group. HRV indices were calculated from 7 min of artefact-free electrocardiograms using the Hilbert–Huang method in the spectral range 0.02–0.6 Hz. A special procedure was applied to avoid confounding factors. Stepwise multiple regression logistic analysis (SMLRA) and ROC analysis evaluated predictions. Results: Progressive reduction of HRV was confirmed and was associated with deepening of coma and a mortality score model that included three spectral HRV indices of absolute power values of very low, low and very high frequency bands (0.4-0.6 Hz). The SMLRA model showed sensitivity of 95.65%, specificity of 95.83%, positive predictive value of 95.65%, and overall efficiency of 95.74%. Conclusions: HRV is a reliable method to assess the integrity of the neural control of the caudal brainstem centres on the hearts of patients in coma and to predict patient mortality

Resolution, X-ray structure and absolute configuration of a double-stranded helical diiron(II) bis(terpyridine) complex

A dinuclear double helix constructed around two iron(II) bis(terpyridine) centres has been resolved by preparative column chromatography, several tens of milligrams of each enantiomer were obtained, with an excellent enantiomeric excess.\u

Formation and stability of intermetallics formed by solid-state reaction of Ni on In0.53Ga0.47As

International audienceInGaAs, as a channel material, is an attractive option in order to enhance CMOS performances and continue the downscaling of transistors. In order to make reliable InGaAs-based devices, many aspects must be studied. We have studied the silicide-like formation of contacts for the InGaAs's MOSFET's by solid-state reaction of Ni on InGaAs on InP substrates. Precise comprehension of the so-formed material according to annealing temperature is crucial to obtain the desirable quality, stability and low resistivity of the intermetallic

Mechanisms involved in the platinization of sol-gel-derived TiO2 thin films.

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Photocatalytic generation of silver nanoparticles and application to the antibacterial functionalization of textile fabrics

International audienceAn all-inorganic protocol, entirely based on wet chemistry methods, has been studied to form nanosized Ag metallic particles in solution Liquid suspensions of anatase TiO(2) nanocrystallites have first been prepared through a sal-gel route Silver nanoparticles (NPs) have then been generated through the photocatalytic reduction of a silver salt, diluted in TiO(2) liquid suspensions, and exposed to UV light, which results in the formation of a mixed Ag-TiO(2) suspension. Mechanisms occurring in solutions during the metallization step and a post-metallization ageing period have been studied by UV/vis spectroscopy Chemico-structural and morphological properties of resulting silver NPs have been studied by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ag-TiO(2) suspensions have then been impregnated on cotton-based textile samples and the antibacterial activity of so-functionalized textiles has been studied with respect to E colt and L. innocua bacteria It is shown that, while TiO(2) NPs attached to textile fibres have no antibacterial activity, functionalized textiles exhibit a strong antibacterial activity due to Ag NPs, and this activity can be reached for a large range of impregnated silver amounts. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserve

Dual photochemical bond cleavage for a diarylethene-based phototrigger containing both methanolic and acetic sources

International audienceIn this paper, we present a novel concept for "smarter" photolabile organic compounds combining not one but two caged functions. As proof of principle, this diarylethene-based compound possesses two inhibited chemical groups (OMe and OAc) and its efficient release in different solvents is reported. In low- to medium-polarity media, both MeOH and AcOH are released, with a slight preferential uncaging of AcOH except in 1,4-dioxane, where MeOH is preferentially released. In contrast, DMSO or DMF render AcOH release strongly dominating. DFT calculations of the corresponding photoreactive conformations not only afford strong support to the observed release of MeOH and AcOH but also qualitatively explain the preferential release of acid in terms of dispersive noncovalent interactions. Finally, mechanistic aspects are discussed on the bases of the spectroscopic observations and of the TD-DFT calculations