Background
Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a severe but rare variant of psoriasis. Our objective is to review the clinical profile, comorbidities, and outcome of patients with GPP.
Materials ...and methods
A retrospective note review of all patients with adult‐onset GPP.
Results
A total of 102 patients with adult‐onset GPP were diagnosed between 1989 and November 2011, with a female to male ratio of 2 : 1. The mean age at onset of GPP was 40.9 years (range: 21–81 years). Acute GPP was the most common variant seen (95 cases), followed by four localized variants of GPP and three with annular pustular psoriasis. Fever and painful skin were present in 89% of patients, arthritis in 34.7%, and leukocytosis in 78.4%. Common triggers were systemic steroids (45 cases), pregnancy (17 cases), and upper respiratory tract infections (16 cases). A positive family history of psoriasis and GPP was present in 29% and 11%, respectively. Comorbidities included obesity (42.9%), hypertension (25.7%), hyperlipidemia (25.7%), and diabetes mellitus (23.7%). The mean duration of admission and pustular flare for acute GPP was 10.3 days (range: 3–44 days) and 16 days (range: 7–60 days), respectively. Fifty‐four patients responded to systemic retinoid, 21 to methotrexate, eight to cyclosporine, and one to adalimumab, but recurrences were common.
Conclusions
Our study confirms the poor response of GPP to currently available anti‐psoriatic agents, with frequent flare‐ups. There is a need for a more effective targeted therapy for this condition.
The objective of this study was to synthesize available information on prevalence and time trends of overweight and obesity in pre-school children in the European Union. Retrieval and analysis or ...re-analysis of existing data were carried out. Data sources include WHO databases, Medline and Google, contact with authors of published and unpublished documents. Data were analysed using the International Obesity Task Force reference and cut-offs, and the WHO standard. Data were available from 18/27 countries. Comparisons were problematic because of different definitions and methods of data collection and analysis. The reported prevalence of overweight plus obesity at 4 years ranges from 11.8% in Romania (2004) to 32.3% in Spain (1998-2000). Countries in the Mediterranean region and the British islands report higher rates than those in middle, northern and eastern Europe. Rates are generally higher in girls than in boys. With the possible exception of England, there was no obvious trend towards increasing prevalence in the past 20-30 years in the five countries with data. The use of the WHO standard with cut-offs at 1, 2 and 3 standard deviations yields lower rates and removes gender differences. Data on overweight and obesity in pre-school children are scarce; their interpretation is difficult. Standard methods of surveillance, and research and policies on prevention and treatment, are urgently needed.
A new approach to the ‘3D solar‐cell concept’ is reported. Atomic layer chemical vapor deposition is employed to infiltrate CuInS2 into the pores of nanostructured TiO2. In this way it is possible to ...obtain a nanometer‐scale interpenetrating network between n‐type TiO2 and p‐type CuInS2. Cells created this way show photovoltaic activity with a maximum monochromatic incident photon‐to‐ current conversion efficiency of 80 %.
The search for low‐cost thin‐film solar cells, to replace silicon multi‐crystalline cells in due course, calls for new combinations of materials and new cell configurations. Here we report on a new ...approach, based on semiconductor nanocomposites, towards what we refer to as the three‐dimensional (3D) solar‐cell concept. Atomic layer chemical vapor deposition is employed for infiltration of CuInS2 inside the pores of nanostructured TiO2. In this way it is possible to obtain a nanometer‐scale interpenetrating network between n‐type TiO2 and p‐type CuInS2. X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and current–voltage measurements are used to characterize the nanostructured devices. The 3D solar cells obtained show photovoltaic activity with a maximum monochromatic incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency of 80 % and have an energy‐conversion efficiency of 4 %.
The three‐dimensional‐solar‐cell concept is explored using a new approach. A nanocomposite consisting of a wide‐bandgap n‐type semiconducting oxide (nanocrystalline TiO2) and a p‐type visible‐light‐sensitive semiconductor (CuInS2), mixed on a nanometer scale (see Figure), is used as the active material.
We present our recent study of SnS particles in the backdrop of significant developments that have taken place so far for which a review of the present status of this material, its structural, ...optical, electronic characteristics, and device performance is described. To further improve the performance of low‐cost chalcogenide‐based solar cells, we propose to employ a third‐generation solar cells fabrication scheme, where an intermediate bandgap layer can be incorporated in a CIS solar cell to increase its current generation and efficiency. For this purpose SnS quantum dots (QD) embedded indium sulfide (In2S3) layer is developed. We address how to cap the QD surface for defect passivation and protection from ambient and the doping nature of the particles.
In this Feature Article, an update of the advancements in SnS material, especially in its nanoparticle form, is presented to motivate the readers the importance of this material for solar cell application. These considerations form the background against which the authors present their results on SnS/In2S3 core‐shell nanoparticles. The conductivity of individual nanoparticles, the doping nature and optical properties are discussed, based on which the design of a solar cell structure incorporating these quantum dot sized particles has been proposed.
The recently developed CuInS2/TiO2 3D nanocomposite solar cell employs a three‐dimensional, or “bulk”, heterojunction to reduce the average minority charge‐carrier‐transport distance and thus improve ...device performance compared to a planar configuration. 3D nanocomposite solar‐cell performance is strongly influenced by the morphology of the TiO2 nanoparticulate matrix. To explore the effect of TiO2 morphology, a series of three nanocomposite solar‐cell devices are studied using 9, 50, and 300 nm TiO2 nanoparticles, respectively. The photovoltaic efficiency increases dramatically with increasing particle size, from 0.2 % for the 9 nm sample to 2.8 % for the 300 nm sample. Performance improvements are attributed primarily to greatly improved charge transport with increasing particle size. Other contributing factors may include increased photon absorption and improved interfacial characteristics in the larger‐particle‐size matrix.
The size of TiO2 particles employed in CuInS2/TiO2 nanocomposite solar cells dramatically influences the photovoltaic performance. Cells built from large (300 nm) TiO2 crystallites significantly outperform cells built from small (9 nm) crystallites (see figure), largely due to the increased transport resistance associated with the small crystallites.
Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the common preventable causes of intellectual disability in neonates, by early detection through neonatal screening. We present the 8-year experience of the ...National Institute for Mother and Child Health (INSMC) in using MEDILOG national registry for the neonatal screening of CH.
Neonatal screening for CH, done by TSH measurement in dried blood spot, is organized in 5 regional centers, each with a reference laboratory.
In 2018 80% of all the newborns, from 80% of the maternity hospitals, were registered in MEDILOG. After re-testing of TSH and T4/FT4 from venous blood in positive cases, the incidence of confirmed CH in 2018 was 1/3576 - 1/ 4746. In INSMC center (which includes 26 counties and Bucharest, out of 41 counties), in 2018 the incidence of positive CH cases at screening was 1/2094 (TSH cut-off ≥17 mIU/L) and of confirmed CH cases 1/3576 newborns. For positive screening cases, the median duration from birth to the INSMC laboratory result was 19 days: median of 9 days between screening and laboratory registration and 6 days between registration and test result.
MEDILOG registry is a practical instrument for monitoring the steps of neonatal CH screening, the incidence of CH, the evolution of the diagnosed cases, for evaluation of iodine deficiency (by neonatal TSH), and also for research, with the aim of improving early disease detection and treatment.
Thin films of CuS (covellite) were deposited onto TCO (SnO2:F) glass by Spray Pyrolysis (SP) technique. Aqueous and water:alcohol (ethanol, 1-propanol) solutions of copper(II) chloride and thiourea ...with different Cu/S molar ratio have been used as precursors. The substrate temperature was varied from 185 °C to 285 °C. The structural and the morphological characterization of the films has been carried out by Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The X-Ray Diffraction analysis of as-grown films showed the single-phase covellite, with hexagonal crystal structure built around three preferred orientations corresponding to (102), (103) and (110) atomic planes. The dense morphology of CuS films with large crystallites/aggregates suggest that crystal growth is the limiting step in the films deposition, at 235 °C and at 285 °C, from precursors' solution containing water or mixtures of water:alcohol as solvents. The growth of CuS thin films by spray pyrolysis is favored by increasing both the alcohol concentration and the deposition temperature.
Raman spectroscopy and XRD methods were applied to determine the phase composition and crystal quality of copper indium sulfide (CIS) films grown by spray pyrolysis. The aim of the study was to ...develop a low--cost preparation technique for solar cell quality materials. The Cu/In molar ratio in spray solution (0*8--1*1) and post--deposition heat treatment conditions were taken as variables. According to XRD, KCN--etched films from Cu--rich solutions result in single phase CuInS2. The A1 phonon modes at 290 and 300 cm(--1)in Raman spectra show that CIS films deposited at 370 deg C consisted of chalcopyrite (CH) and Cu--Au (CA) ordered phases of CuInS2. Both XRD and Raman studies showed the presence of an extra phase in as--deposited films using Cu/In=0*8--1*0, which could belong to CuIn5S8. Thermal treatments reduced the amount of secondary phase and improved the crystallinity of the films. The heat treatment at 525 deg C in H2S led to an increase in CH content with a decrease in the FWHM of A1 mode. Furthermore, the rise of the quality factor (I(CH)/I(CH)+I(CA)) up to 62% was observed, indicating the formation of CuInS2 films with better crystal quality.
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