We explore the unusual electromagnetic response of ultrathin anisotropic σ-near-zero uniaxial metasurfaces, demonstrating extreme topological transitions--from closed elliptical to open ...hyperbolic--for surface plasmon propagation, associated with a dramatic tailoring of the local density of states. The proposed metasurfaces may be implemented using nanostructured graphene monolayers and open unprecedented venues for extreme light confinement and unusual propagation and guidance, combined with large tunability via electric bias.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
Introduction
This narrative review focusing on critical care echocardiography (CCE) has been written by a group of experts in the field, with the aim of outlining the state of the art in CCE in the ...10 years after its official recognition and definition.
Results
In the last 10 years, CCE has become an essential branch of critical care ultrasonography and has gained general acceptance. Its use, both as a diagnostic tool and for hemodynamic monitoring, has increased markedly, influencing contemporary cardiorespiratory management. Recent studies suggest that the use of CCE may have a positive impact on outcomes. CCE may be used in critically ill patients in many different clinical situations, both in their early evaluation of in the emergency department and during intensive care unit (ICU) admission and stay. CCE has also proven its utility in perioperative settings, as well as in the management of mechanical circulatory support. CCE may be performed with very simple diagnostic objectives. This application, referred to as basic CCE, does not require a high level of training. Advanced CCE, on the other hand, uses ultrasonography for full evaluation of cardiac function and hemodynamics, and requires extensive training, with formal certification now available. Indeed, recent years have seen the creation of worldwide certification in advanced CCE. While transthoracic CCE remains the most commonly used method, the transesophageal route has gained importance, particularly for intubated and ventilated patients.
Conclusion
CCE is now widely accepted by the critical care community as a valuable tool in the ICU and emergency department, and in perioperative settings.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The gate-controllable complex conductivity of graphene offers unprecedented opportunities for reconfigurable plasmonics at terahertz and mid-infrared frequencies. However, the requirement of a gating ...electrode close to graphene and the single 'control knob' that this approach offers limits the practical implementation and performance of these devices. Here we report on graphene stacks composed of two or more graphene monolayers separated by electrically thin dielectrics and present a simple and rigorous theoretical framework for their characterization. In a first implementation, two graphene layers gate each other, thereby behaving as a controllable single equivalent layer but without any additional gating structure. Second, we show that adding an additional gate allows independent control of the complex conductivity of each layer within the stack and provides enhanced control on the stack equivalent complex conductivity. These results are very promising for the development of THz and mid-infrared plasmonic devices with enhanced performance and reconfiguration capabilities.
Ultrathin metasurfaces with record‐high nonlinear optical response of 1.2 × 106 pm V−1 for second harmonic generation are experimentally demonstrated in the mid‐infrared spectral range. A second ...harmonic power conversion efficiency of 0.075% is achieved in a 400‐nm‐thick (λ/25) metasurface at a pump intensity of only 15 kW cm−2.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Summary The effects of oleuropein on the processes of osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human bone marrow have been studied. We report that oleuropein, a ...polyphenol abundant in olive tree products, reduces the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), inhibits adipocyte differentiation, and enhances differentiation into osteoblast. Introduction Age-related bone loss is associated with osteoblast insufficiency during continuous bone remodeling. It has been suggested that the formation of osteoblasts in bone marrow is closely associated with adipogenesis, and age-related changes in this relationship could be responsible for the progressive adiposity of bone marrow which occurs with osteoporosis. In addition, the consumption of oleuropein, a major polyphenol in olive leaves and olive oil, has been associated with a reduction in bone loss. Methods We have analyzed the effects of oleuropein--at concentrations between 10⁻⁶ and 10⁻⁴ M--on the processes of osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis in MSCs from human bone marrow. Results The results show an increase in osteoblast differentiation and a decrease in adipocyte differentiation when there is oleuropein in the culture media. The gene expression of osteoblastogenesis markers, RUNXII, osterix, collagen type I, osteocalcin, or alkaline phosphatase (ALP), was higher in osteoblast-induced oleuropein-treated cells. Also, the ALP activity and extracellular matrix mineralization were higher when oleuropein was present in the media. Oleuropein in MSCs induced adipocytes to produce a decrease in the expression of the genes involved in adipogenesis, the PPARγ, lipoprotein lipase, or fatty acid-binding protein 4, and minor fat accumulation. Conclusion Our data suggest that oleuropein, highly abundant in olive tree products included in the traditional Mediterranean diet, could prevent age-related bone loss and osteoporosis.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We study the time scales associated with diffusion processes that take place on multiplex networks, i.e., on a set of networks linked through interconnected layers. To this end, we propose the ...construction of a supra-laplacian matrix, which consists of a dimensional lifting of the laplacian matrix of each layer of the multiplex network. We use perturbative analysis to reveal analytically the structure of eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the complete network in terms of the spectral properties of the individual layers. The spectrum of the supra-laplacian allows us to understand the physics of diffusionlike processes on top of multiplex networks.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
To demonstrate the efficacy of the anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe corticosteroid-resistant Graves orbitopathy (GO).
Double-masked ...randomized clinical trial.
Setting and Participants: Thirty-two adults with moderate-to-severe corticosteroid-resistant GO from 10 medical centers in Spain were randomized (1:1). Intervention: Randomization to either 8 mg/kg body weight tocilizumab or placebo administered intravenously at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12, and follow-up for an additional 28 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a change from baseline to week 16 of at least 2 in the clinical activity score (CAS).
The primary outcome was met by 93.3% (95% confidence interval CI 70.1%-98.8%) of the patients receiving tocilizumab and 58.8% (36%-78.3%) receiving placebo (P = .04; odds ratio, 9.8 CI 1.3-73.2). A significant difference was also observed in the proportion of patients achieving a CAS < 3 (86.7% CI 62.1%-96.2% vs 35.2% CI 17.3%-58.7%, P = .005; OR 11.9 CI 2.1-63.1) at week 16. Additionally, a larger proportion of patients with improvement in the European Group on GO–proposed composite ophthalmic score at week 16 (73.3% CI 48%-89.1% vs 29.4% CI 13.2%-53.1%; P = .03), and exophthalmos size change from baseline to week 16 (-1.5 -2.0 to 0.5 mm vs 0.0 -1.0 to 0.5 mm; P = .01) were seen with tocilizumab. One patient experienced a moderate increase in transaminases at week 8; another had an acute pyelonephritis at week 32 in the tocilizumab-treated group.
Tocilizumab offers a meaningful improvement in activity and severity in corticosteroid-resistant GO. This trial justifies further studies to characterize the role of tocilizumab in GO.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Aim
To quantify the expression of angiogenic growth factors (ANG2, VEGFA, TGFß1) and their corresponding receptors (VEGFR1, VGFR2, NRP1 and TGFßR1) in human dental pulps from extracted third molars ...with complete and incomplete root development.
Methodology
Fifty‐six dental pulp samples obtained from freshly extracted human third molars were divided equally into two groups according to their stage of root development; 28 third molars with complete root development and 28 third molars with incomplete root development. All samples were processed and total RNA was extracted, cDNA was then synthetized for each sample and the target genes expression profiles for ANG2, VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, NRP1, TGFß1 and TGFßR1 were obtained by RT2‐PCR. The data was analysed with a Student's t‐test to compare the replicate ∆∆Ct values for each gene.
Results
Teeth with incomplete root development were associated with a significantly greater gene expression of TGFβR1 (P = 0.03), whereas in teeth with complete root development the genes that had significantly greater expression were VEGFA (P = 0.04).
Conclusion
The angiogenic growth factors (ANG2, VEGFA, TGFβ1) and their receptors (NRP1, VEGFR1, VEGFR2 and TGFßR1) were expressed in pulps of teeth with complete and incomplete root development measured by RT2‐PCR, with TGFBR1 genes being significantly different in teeth with incomplete root development and VEGFA genes in teeth with complete root development.
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BFBNIB, CMK, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The propagation of surface waves along spatially dispersive graphene-based 2-D waveguides is investigated in detail. Graphene is characterized using a full-k ρ conductivity model under the ...relaxation-time approximation, which allows to obtain analytical and closed-formed expressions for the wavenumber of plasmons supported by sheets and parallel plate waveguides, respectively. Per unit length equivalent circuits are introduced to accurately characterize the propagation in different waveguides, and analytical relations between the effective TM-mode circuit lumped elements and graphene conductivity are derived. The proposed circuits allow identifying the different mechanisms involved in spatially dispersive plasmon propagation, explaining their connection with the intrinsic properties of graphene. Results demonstrate that spatial dispersion, which significantly decreases the confinement and the losses of slow surface plasmons, must be accurately assessed in the design of graphene-based plasmonic components at millimeter-waves and low terahertz frequencies.
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