Temperature-dependent infrared ellipsometry of Mo-doped VO2 thin films across the insulator to metal transition.

We present a spectroscopic ellipsometry study of Mo-doped VO2 thin films deposited on silicon substrates for the mid-infrared range. The dielectric functions and conductivity were extracted from analytical fittings of Ψ and Δ ellipsometric angles showing a strong dependence on the dopant concentration and the temperature. Insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) temperature is found to decrease linearly with increasing doping level. A correction to the classical Drude model (termed Drude-Smith) has been shown to provide excellent fits to the experimental measurements of dielectric constants of doped/undoped films and the extracted parameters offer an adequate explanation for the IMT based on the carriers backscattering across the percolation transition. The smoother IMT observed in the hysteresis loops as the doping concentration is increased, is explained by charge density accumulation, which we quantify through the integral of optical conductivity. In addition, we describe the physics behind a localized Fano resonance that has not yet been demonstrated and explained in the literature for doped/undoped VO2 films.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of 3 methacholine challenge tests: importance of simplified protocols

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Does airway hyperresponsiveness monitoring lead to improved asthma control?

The current guidelines recommend an approach to asthma management based on asthma control, rather than asthma severity. Although several specific questionnaires have been developed and control criteria have been established based on clinical guidelines, the evaluation of asthma control is still not optimal. In general, these indicators provide adequate assessment of current control, but they are more limited when estimating future risk. There is much evidence demonstrating the persistence of airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in patients with total control. Therefore, the objective of this review was to analyse the possible role of AHR monitoring as an instrument for assessing asthma control. We will evaluate its capacity as an indicator for future risk, both for estimating the possibility of clinical deterioration and loss of lung function or exacerbations. Furthermore, its relationship with inhaled corticosteroid treatment will be analysed, while emphasizing its capacity for predicting response and adjusting dosage, as well as information about the capability of AHR for monitoring treatment. Last of all, we will discuss the main limitations and emerging opportunities of AHR as an assessment instrument for asthma control.

Optical detection and modulation at 2µm-2.5µm in silicon.

Recently the 2µm wavelength region has emerged as an exciting prospect for the next generation of telecommunications. In this paper we experimentally characterise silicon based plasma dispersion effect optical modulation and defect based photodetection in the 2-2.5µm wavelength range. It is shown that the effectiveness of the plasma dispersion effect is dramatically increased in this wavelength window as compared to the traditional telecommunications wavelengths of 1.3µm and 1.55µm. Experimental results from the defect based photodetectors show that detection is achieved in the 2-2.5µm wavelength range, however the responsivity is reduced as the wavelength is increased away from 1.55µm.

Constraints on cosmic strings from the LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave detectors.

Cosmic strings can give rise to a large variety of interesting astrophysical phenomena. Among them, powerful bursts of gravitational waves (GWs) produced by cusps are a promising observational signature. In this Letter we present a search for GWs from cosmic string cusps in data collected by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors between 2005 and 2010, with over 625 days of live time. We find no evidence of GW signals from cosmic strings. From this result, we derive new constraints on cosmic string parameters, which complement and improve existing limits from previous searches for a stochastic background of GWs from cosmic microwave background measurements and pulsar timing data. In particular, if the size of loops is given by the gravitational backreaction scale, we place upper limits on the string tension Gµ below 10(-8) in some regions of the cosmic string parameter space.

Infección por micobacterias no tuberculosas en pacientes con bronquiectasias no causadas por fibrosis quística / Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasias

Objetivo. Conocer la prevalencia y características de la infección por micobacterias no tuberculosas en enfermos con bronquiectasias no relacionadas con la fibrosis quística. Pacientes y métodos. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de pacientes adultos con bronquiectasias no relacionadas con la fibrosis quística con un seguimiento de al menos dos años. Resultados. Se incluyeron 68 pacientes, 50 mujeres (73,5%), con una edad media de 63,31±16,2 años. La etiología más frecuente fue la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (28 pacientes, 41,2%) con una afectación leve-moderada y colonización por Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (70,6%). Siete pacientes (10,3%) presentaron infección por micobacterias no tuberculosas, tratándose de Mycobacterium avium complex en 6 ocasiones (7,35%). Cuatro (57,14%) pacientes recibieron tratamiento antimicrobiano específico. En los enfermos infectados fue menor la frecuencia de P. aeruginosa y el uso de corticoides inhalados. No hubo diferencias espirométricas significativas entre los pacientes infectados por micobacterias no tuberculosas y los no infectados. Conclusiones. Las bronquiectasias no relacionadas con la fibrosis quística podrían considerarse un factor de riesgo para la infección por micobacterias no tuberculosas(AU)

Aims. To know the characteristics and prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection infection in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Patients and methods. A retrospective descriptive study of NCFB adult patients whose disease had been followed-up for at least two years was performed. Results. A total of 68 subjects were included, 50 females (73.5%), with mean age of 63.31± 16.2 years. The most frequent etiology of the non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis was COPD in 28 cases (41.2%) with a light-moderate pulmonary involvement and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) colonization (70.6%). Seven patients (10.3%) had MNT infection, six of whom had Mycobacterium avium complex (7.35%). Four patients (57.14%) were treated. In the infected patients, P. aeruginosa and the use of inhaled steroids were observed with less frequency. There were no significant differences between the infected and non-infected patients in relation to spirometric values. Conclusions. The non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis could be considered a risk factor for non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection(AU)

[Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasias]. / Infección por micobacterias no tuberculosas en pacientes con bronquiectasias no causadas por fibrosis quística.

AIMS: To know the characteristics and prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection infection in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study of NCFB adult patients whose disease had been followed-up for at least two years was performed. RESULTS: A total of 68 subjects were included, 50 females (73.5%), with mean age of 63.31± 16.2 years. The most frequent etiology of the non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis was COPD in 28 cases (41.2%) with a light-moderate pulmonary involvement and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) colonization (70.6%). Seven patients (10.3%) had MNT infection, six of whom had Mycobacterium avium complex (7.35%). Four patients (57.14%) were treated. In the infected patients, P. aeruginosa and the use of inhaled steroids were observed with less frequency. There were no significant differences between the infected and non-infected patients in relation to spirometric values. CONCLUSIONS: The non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis could be considered a risk factor for non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection.

¿Qué saben los pacientes adultos con fibrosis quística de su enfermedad? Adherencia al tratamiento / What do patients suffering cystic fibrosis know about their disease?

Introducción: La fibrosis quística (FQ) ha aumentado la supervivencia debido al avance del tratamiento multidisciplinar. Nos hemos propuesto averiguar si los pacientes de una unidad de adultos con FQ cumplen su tratamiento habitual, así como observar qué nivel de conocimiento tienen sobre su enfermedad, sus terapias y sus implicaciones. Material y métodos: Hemos realizado un estudio descriptivo transversal, con variable cualitativo ordinal y ciego simple, en una Unidad de adultos con FQ que contestaron un cuestionario donde se preguntó sobre el tratamiento de la enfermedad y su administración, hábitos tóxicos, conocimiento de su enfermedad y preocupación por su presente o futuro. Resultados: El cuestionario fue contestado por 35 pacientes (40%) durante los años 2000-2001, lo que suponía el 40% del total de enfermos, con una edad media de 31,43 ± 8,49 años. Un 85,7% (30 pacientes) contestaron saber qué tratamiento llevaban y lo anotaron correctamente. Un total de 24 pacientes (68,57%) precisaban enzimas pancreáticas. Al preguntar sobre el conocimiento de la enfermedad, el 94,3% (33 pacientes) se consideraba informado sobre la misma y el 91,4% (32 pacientes) dijo que la información dada por sus médicos era adecuada. Lo que más les preocupaba era el empeoramiento de su calidad de vida, 14,3% (5 pacientes), la preocupación por el futuro, 11,4% (4 pacientes), las limitaciones en la vida diaria, 8,6% (3 pacientes) y su mortalidad o tener recaídas, 2,9% (1 paciente). No respondieron a esta pregunta un 11,4% (4 pacientes). Conclusiones: la mayoría de los enfermos que contestaron la encuesta están enterados de su enfermedad y de su tratamiento y tiene claras sus preocupaciones por el futuro. Sin embargo, contestaron menos de la mitad del total de los pacientes, lo que indica que se deberían indagar las causas de este problema (AU)

Nueva formulación de tobramicina inhalada en polvo seco para la colonización crónica por Pseudomonas aeruginosa en fibrosis quística / A new inhaled dry-powder formulation of tobramycin for chronic colonization by pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis

La sobreinfección por Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) es frecuente en los pacientes con fibrosis quística (FQ). El tratamiento antibiótico por via inhalatoria es el más recomendado (..) (AU)

Superinfection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is common in patients with cystic (..) (AU)

Elevación diafragmática como hallazgo radiológico de un tumor fibroso aislado de pleura / No disponible

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Directional limits on persistent gravitational waves using LIGO S5 science data.

The gravitational-wave (GW) sky may include nearby pointlike sources as well as stochastic backgrounds. We perform two directional searches for persistent GWs using data from the LIGO S5 science run: one optimized for pointlike sources and one for arbitrary extended sources. Finding no evidence to support the detection of GWs, we present 90% confidence level (C.L.) upper-limit maps of GW strain power with typical values between 2-20×10(-50) strain(2) Hz(-1) and 5-35×10(-49) strain(2) Hz(-1) sr(-1) for pointlike and extended sources, respectively. The latter result is the first of its kind. We also set 90% C.L. limits on the narrow-band root-mean-square GW strain from interesting targets including Sco X-1, SN 1987A and the Galactic center as low as ≈7×10(-25) in the most sensitive frequency range near 160 Hz.

[Antibiotic consumption in a community of Mexico City. II. Survey of purchases at pharmacies]. / Uso de antibióticos en una comunidad de la Ciudad de México. II. Encuesta de compras en farmacias.

In developing countries, antibiotics are the most common sales of drugs and it has been suggested that their irrational use leads to the emergence of resistant bacteria. In order to assess the purchase of antimicrobials in a peri-urban community in Mexico City six local drug stores were randomly selected. A social worker made five visits to each pharmacy and she observed the events during the purchase of the drug and applied a structured questionnaire to the customer immediately after the transaction. Antibiotics were the majority (29%) of the drug sales. Of all purchasers of an antibiotic 43% did it without medical prescription and 72% answered that a physician had influenced on the purchase. Duration of the antibiotic therapy was specified in one out of three prescriptions that were examined and only in 28% of the sales the purchase was enough for a treatment duration of more than four days. More information, from similar surveys in drug stores in other settings, is needed to support the reinforcement of actions to control the sales of antibiotics in the community.

[Primary hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Presentation of 18 cases]. / Parálisis periódica hipokalémica primaria. Presentación de 18 casos.

The clinical features of 16 males and 2 females with hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HPP) are presented. Five patients had familial HPP, 4 thyrotoxic HPP and 9 sporadic disease. The age of onset ranged from 6 to 42 years. Clinical pictures varied from paraparesis to severe quadriplegia. The disease onset was earlier in familial HPP (p < 0.05) while sporadic cases showed the most severe, albeit shorter paralysis (p < 0.05). On admission, serum potassium levels ranged from 1.5 to 3.3 mEq/L; they did not correlate with the severity of paralysis. Glucose-insulin provocation test was positive in 5/5 patients. Oral potassium chloride and amiloride were useful to prevent paralysis. Contrasting with reports from USA and Europe, in México, HPP is not exceptional, and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute paralysis.