Endometriosis is a benign uterine disorder characterized by menstrual pain and infertility, deeply affecting women’s health. It is a chronic disease and requires a long term management. Hormonal ...drugs are currently the most used for the medical treatment and are based on the endocrine pathogenetic aspects. Estrogen-dependency and progesterone-resistance are the key events which cause the ectopic implantation of endometrial cells, decreasing apoptosis and increasing oxidative stress, inflammation and neuroangiogenesis. Endometriotic cells express AMH, TGF-related growth factors (inhibin, activin, follistatin) CRH and stress related peptides. Endocrine and inflammatory changes explain pain and infertility, and the systemic comorbidities described in these patients, such as autoimmune (thyroiditis, arthritis, allergies), inflammatory (gastrointestinal/urinary diseases) and mental health disorders.
The hormonal treatment of endometriosis aims to block of menstruation through an inhibition of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis or by causing a pseudodecidualization with consequent amenorrhea, impairing the progression of endometriotic implants. GnRH agonists and antagonists are effective on endometriosis by acting on pituitary-ovarian function. Progestins are mostly used for long term treatments (dienogest, NETA, MPA) and act on multiple sites of action. Combined oral contraceptives are also used for reducing endometriosis symptoms by inhibiting ovarian function. Clinical trials are currently going on selective progesterone receptor modulators, selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors. Nowadays, all these hormonal drugs are considered the first-line treatment for women with endometriosis to improve their symptoms, to postpone surgery or to prevent post-surgical disease recurrence. This review aims to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art on the current and future hormonal treatments for endometriosis, exploring the endocrine background of the disease.
Ternary I‐III‐VI2 nanocrystals (NCs), such as CuInS2, are receiving attention as heavy‐metals‐free materials for solar cells, luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), LEDs, and bio‐imaging. The origin ...of the optical properties of CuInS2 NCs are however not fully understood. A recent theoretical model suggests that their characteristic Stokes‐shifted and long‐lived luminescence arises from the structure of the valence band (VB) and predicts distinctive optical behaviours in defect‐free NCs: the quadratic dependence of the radiative decay rate and the Stokes shift on the NC radius. If confirmed, this would have crucial implications for LSCs as the solar spectral coverage ensured by low‐bandgap NCs would be accompanied by increased re‐absorption losses. Here, by studying stoichiometric CuInS2 NCs, it is revealed for the first time the spectroscopic signatures predicted for the free band‐edge exciton, thus supporting the VB‐structure model. At very low temperatures, the NCs also show dark‐state emission likely originating from enhanced electron‐hole spin interaction. The impact of the observed optical behaviours on LSCs is evaluated by Monte Carlo ray‐tracing simulations. Based on the emerging device design guidelines, optical‐grade large‐area (30×30 cm2) LSCs with optical power efficiency (OPE) as high as 6.8% are fabricated, corresponding to the highest value reported to date for large‐area devices.
Ternary I–III–VI2 nanocrystals are interesting nontoxic materials for numerous optoelectronic and photonic technologies, and in particular, for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). The mechanisms underpinning their optical properties are not fully understood. Here, a recent theory suggesting that the characteristic Stokes‐shifted, long‐lived luminescence of CuInS2 nanocrystals is due to their valence‐band structure is endorsed experimentally. Based on these findings, large‐area semitransparent LSCs (30 cm × 30 cm) with a record efficiency of 6.8% are fabricated.
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•DAAs improve survival in patients with HCV-related early HCC that has been successfully treated.•The improvement in survival seems to be caused by a reduction in hepatic ...decompensation.•DAAs did not impact on HCC recurrence.
The effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against hepatitis C virus (HCV), following successful treatment of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been studied extensively. However, the benefit in terms of overall survival (OS) remains to be conclusively demonstrated. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of DAAs on OS, HCC recurrence, and hepatic decompensation.
We prospectively enrolled 163 consecutive patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and a first diagnosis of early Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0/A HCC, who had achieved a complete radiologic response after curative resection or ablation and were subsequently treated with DAAs. DAA-untreated patients from the ITA.LI.CA. cohort (n = 328) served as controls. After propensity score matching, outcomes of 102 DAA-treated (DAA group) and 102 DAA-untreated patients (No DAA group) were compared.
In the DAA group, 7/102 patients (6.9%) died, HCC recurred in 28/102 patients (27.5%) and hepatic decompensation occurred in 6/102 patients (5.9%), after a mean follow-up of 21.4 months. OS was significantly higher in the DAA group compared to the No DAA group (hazard ratio HR 0.39; 95% CI0.17–0.91; p = 0.03). HCC recurrence was not significantly different between the DAA and No DAA groups (HR0.70; 95% CI0.44–1.13; p = 0.15). A significant reduction in the rate of hepatic decompensation was observed in the DAA group compared with the No DAA group (HR0.32; 95% CI0.13–0.84; p = 0.02). In the DAA group, sustained virologic response was a significant predictor of OS (HR 0.02; 95% CI 0.00–0.19; p <0.001), HCC recurrence (HR 0.25; 95% CI 0.11–0.57; p <0.001) and hepatic decompensation (HR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02–0.38; p = 0.02).
In patients with HCV-related cirrhosis who had been successfully treated for early HCC, DAAs significantly improved OS compared with No DAA treatment.
We aimed to determine whether direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) significantly improve overall survival in patients with hepatitis C virus-related compensated cirrhosis and a first diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which has been successfully treated with curative resection or ablation. Using propensity-score matched patients, we found that DAAs improved overall survival and reduced the risk of hepatic decompensation. However, the risk of HCC recurrence was not significantly reduced.
Ultrafast plasmonics is driving growing interest for the search of novel plasmonic materials, overcoming the main limitations of noble metals. In this framework, titanium nitride (TiN) is brought in ...the spotlight for its refractory properties combined with an extremely fast electron‐lattice cooling time (<100 fs) compared to gold (≈ 1 ps). Despite the results reported in literature, a clear‐cut explanation of the origin of the ultrafast and giant optical response of TiN‐based materials upon excitation with femtosecond laser pulses is still missing. To address this issue, an original model is introduced, capable of unfolding the modulation of TiN optical properties on a broad bandwidth, starting from the variations of electronic and lattice temperatures following ultrafast photoexcitation. The numerical analysis is validated on ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy experiments on a simple structure, a TiN film on glass. This approach enables a complete disentanglement of the interband and intraband contributions to the permittivity modulation. Moreover, it is also shown that, varying the synthesis conditions of the TiN film, not only the static, but also the dynamical optical response can be efficiently tuned. These findings pave the way for a breakthrough in the field: the design of TiN‐based ultrafast nanodevices for all‐optical modulation of light.
Titanium nitride (TiN) boasts a hot electron cooling time one order of magnitude faster than gold. In this work, the origin of the modulation of TiN optical properties is unfolded on a broad spectral range, starting from the increase of carrier and lattice temperatures following ultrafast photoexcitation. The numerical analysis is validated on pump–probe spectroscopy experiments on a TiN film.
We studied carrier dynamics in semiconductor nanocrystals consisting of a small CdSe dot embedded in an elongated, rod-shaped CdS shell, using the ultrafast pump−probe technique. We found clear ...evidence of a substantial suppression of the Auger nonradiative recombination in the biexciton regime. Moreover, a simple model of the dynamics in which biexcitons show no Auger recombination, and only holes are localized in the dot, fits well the differential transmission observed at all pump densities. The long biexciton lifetime results into an observed long-living gain having a peak that is red shifted with respect to the lowest energy absorption peak. We argue that the origin of the large relative gain observed at large fillings is related to the peculiar structure of the electronic levels, and in particular, to delocalization of electrons in the rod.
Hybrid plasmonic‐semiconductor assemblies are receiving considerable attention due to the possibility to achieve hot‐carrier‐based photodetection. In this context, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides ...(TMDs) coupled to metal nanostructures are very promising. However, the plasmon‐to‐TMD carrier injection process is extremely challenging to achieve and even to reveal in a clear‐cut way. Herein, a report of multiple transient absorption ultrafast measurements, with tunable pump excitation, enabling quantitative comparison between the ultrafast behavior of metal nanostructures, TMDs, and their assembly is shown. This allows to provide the evidence of plasmon‐enhanced charge injection from Au nanostripes to a rippled‐shaped molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) few‐layer nanosheet. Finite element method numerical simulations and modeling of the transient optical response corroborate the charge transfer mechanism, showing that the experimental data cannot be described in terms of the thermomodulational nonlinearity of gold nanostripes or by simple superposition of metal and semiconductor responses. The sample is obtained by a self‐organization process on a large area; this demonstrates that plasmon‐enhanced photon harvesting exploiting hot‐electron injection can be achieved on a large area (approximately cm2) surface and provides a substantial advancement toward scalable ultrathin photodetection devices based on hot‐electrons technology.
A hot‐electron injection process in large area (approximately cm2) hybrid Au–MoS2 self‐organized metasurface is demonstrated by means of a series of pump–probe experiments supported by finite element method numerical simulations. The possibility to achieve hot‐electron injection on a large area provides a substantial advancement toward scalable hot‐electron devices employing 2D materials.
Nanofoam materials are gaining increasing interest in the scientific community, thanks to their unique properties such as ultralow density, complex nano‐ and microstructure, and high surface area. ...Nanofoams are attractive for multiple applications, ranging from advanced catalysis and energy storage to nuclear fusion and particle acceleration. The main issues hindering the widespread use of nanofoams are related to the choice of synthesis technique, highly dependent on the desired elemental composition and leading to a limited control over the main material properties. Herein, femtosecond pulsed laser deposition is proposed as a universal tool for the synthesis of nanofoams with tailored characteristics. Nanofoams made by elements with significantly different properties—namely, boron, silicon, copper, tungsten, and gold—can be produced by suitably tuning the deposition parameters. The effect of the background pressure is studied in detail, in relation to the morphological features and density of the resulting nanofoams and nanostructured films. This, together with the analysis of the specific features shown by nanofoams made of different elements, offers fresh insights into the aggregation process and its relation to the corresponding nanofoam properties down to the nanoscale, opening new perspectives toward the application of nanofoam‐based materials.
Nanofoams and nanostructured materials unique properties attract interest for multiple applications, ranging from energy storage to nuclear fusion. Composition and material properties control are fundamental, and femtosecond pulsed laser deposition is shown to be a universal and versatile tool for tailored nanofoam synthesis. The background pressure effects on morphology and density are studied, providing useful insights into the aggregation mechanisms.
During pregnancy and in the post-partum period, several diseases may arise or become exacerbated. Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease with an increasing incidence in Western countries. The ...incidence of acute pancreatitis during pregnancy is not different with respect to the general population, but this incidence increases in the first 2 years after delivery. Biliary sludge and stones are the most frequent aetiologies, followed by hypertriglyceridemia. Taking care of the mother and foetus through a potentially severe disease requires a team consisting of an obstetrician, a gastroenterologist, an anaesthesiologist, and a surgeon. It is necessary to monitor the health of the foetus/child and the mother during pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium. The management of this care depends on the systemic and local complications, the severity of the acute pancreatitis, and the trimester of pregnancy. Some diagnostic tools and many drugs are not safe for foetuses, while interventional endoscopy and surgery have limitations and can only be used after an accurate evaluation of benefit/risk ratios. Despite these limitations, maternal mortality due to acute pancreatitis is low during pregnancy, mainly thanks to multidisciplinary approaches for these patients. A careful diet to prevent obesity, alcohol abstinence, routine serum triglyceride control, and breastfeeding for at least three months may prevent acute pancreatitis during and after pregnancy.
Electro‐optical mapping of the charge density with sub‐micrometer resolution can be obtained in a high mobility, top‐gate n‐channel polymer field‐effect transistor by charge modulation microscopy. ...Local features on the 1 μm scale are unveiled and, using scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy measurements, are attributed to structural variations within the polymeric film.
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