Increasing the number of topological nodal lines in semimetals via uniaxial pressure.

The application of pressure has been demonstrated to induce intriguing phase transitions in topological nodal-line semimetals. In this work we analyze how uniaxial pressure affects the topological character of BaSn[Formula: see text], a Dirac nodal-line semimetal in the absence of spin-orbit coupling. Using calculations based on the density functional theory and a model tight-binding Hamiltonian, we find the emergence of a second nodal line for pressures higher than 4 GPa. We examine the topological features of both phases demonstrating that a nontrivial character is present in both of them. Thus, providing evidence of a topological-to-topological phase transition in which the number of topological nodal lines increases. The orbital overlap increase between Ba [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] orbitals and Sn [Formula: see text] orbitals and the preservation of crystal symmetries are found to be responsible for the advent of this transition. Furthermore, we pave the way to experimentally test this kind of transition by obtaining a topological relation between the zero-energy modes that arise in each phase when a magnetic field is applied.

Evaluation of Polysaccharide Typhim Vi Antibody Response as a predictor of Humoral Immunodeficiency in Haematological Malignancies.

An increasing healthcare challenge in the management of haematological malignancy (HM) is secondary immunodeficiency. From January 2019, the EMA included the evaluation of specific antibody (Ab) responses to better select patients for immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT). We evaluated Ab responses to pneumococcal and Salmonella typhi pure polysaccharide immunization in a cohort of 42 HM patients and 24 healthy-controls. Pre-post specific Ab concentrations were measured by ELISA at 4 weeks. Globally, significantly lower Typhim Vi (TV) seroprevalence (9%) compared to 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) (76%) (p <0.001) was observed. TV non responders (88%) were higher than PPV non responders (62%) (p <0.0001) and correlated better to infectious history. By ROC analysis, pre-post 5-fold TV increase was the best cut-off to discriminate HM with recurrent infections and controls (sensitivity 91%, specificity 100%). Despite the small sample cohort, our results suggest that specific anti-S typhi Ab response is a useful complementary assay in the diagnosis and management decision of SID to HM.

Role of primary care in the follow-up of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea undergoing CPAP treatment: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether follow-up of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) undergoing CPAP treatment could be performed in primary care (PC) settings. DESIGN: Non-inferiority, randomised, prospective controlled study. SETTINGS: Sleep unit (SU) at the University Hospital and in 8 PC units in Lleida, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with OSA were randomised to be followed up at the SU or PC units over a 6-month period. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURED: The primary outcome was CPAP compliance at 6 months. The secondary outcomes were Epworth Sleep Scale (ESS) score, EuroQoL, patient satisfaction, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: We included 101 patients in PC ((mean±SD) apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) 50.8±22.9/h, age 56.2±11 years, 74% male) and 109 in the SU (AHI 51.4±24.4/h, age 55.8±11 years, 77% male)). The CPAP compliance was (mean (95% CI) 4.94 (4.47 to 5.5) vs 5.23 (4.79 to 5.66) h, p=0.18) in PC and SU groups, respectively. In the SU group, there were greater improvements in ESS scores (mean change 1.79, 95% CI +0.05 to +3.53, p=0.04) and patient satisfaction (-1.49, 95% CI -2.22 to -0.76); there was a significant mean difference in BMI between the groups (0.57, 95% CI +0.01 to +1.13, p=0.04). In the PC setting, there was a cost saving of 60%, with similar effectiveness, as well as a decrease in systolic blood pressure (-5.32; 95% CI -10.91 to +0.28, p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with OSA, treatment provided in a PC setting did not result in worse CPAP compliance compared with a specialist model and was shown to be a cost-effective alternative. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials NCT01918449.

Denitrification in a hypersaline lake-aquifer system (Pétrola Basin, Central Spain): the role of recent organic matter and Cretaceous organic rich sediments.

Agricultural regions in semi-arid to arid climates with associated saline wetlands are one of the most vulnerable environments to nitrate pollution. The Pétrola Basin was declared vulnerable to NO3(-) pollution by the Regional Government in 1998, and the hypersaline lake was classified as a heavily modified body of water. The study assessed groundwater NO3(-) through the use of multi-isotopic tracers (δ(15)N, δ(34)S, δ(13)C, δ(18)O) coupled to hydrochemistry in the aquifer connected to the eutrophic lake. Hydrogeologically, the basin shows two main flow components: regional groundwater flow from recharge areas (Zone 1) to the lake (Zone 2), and a density-driven flow from surface water to the underlying aquifer (Zone 3). In Zones 1 and 2, δ(15)NNO3 and δ(18)ONO3 suggest that NO3(-) from slightly volatilized ammonium synthetic fertilizers is only partially denitrified. The natural attenuation of NO3(-) can occur by heterotrophic reactions. However, autotrophic reactions cannot be ruled out. In Zone 3, the freshwater-saltwater interface (down to 12-16 m below the ground surface) is a reactive zone for NO3(-) attenuation. Tritium data suggest that the absence of NO3(-) in the deepest zones of the aquifer under the lake can be attributed to a regional groundwater flow with long residence time. In hypersaline lakes the geometry of the density-driven flow can play an important role in the transport of chemical species that can be related to denitrification processes.

Laparoscopy-assisted transvaginal resection of sigmoid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopy-assisted transvaginal resection of sigmoid cancer. METHODS: From 2009 to 2011 we performed 21 laparoscopy-assisted transvaginal resections of sigmoid cancers. RESULTS: The resected tumours were T1(6), T2(7) and T3(8). The median number of resected lymph nodes was 15. Median operative time was 150 min and no conversion to open technique was necessary. A total of eighteen patients tolerated a liquid diet 24 h after surgery. The average VAS pain score (0 = no pain, 10 = unbearable pain) was 1.8 after 24 h and 1.1 after 48 h. One patient experienced a postoperative ileus, two patients had vaginal spotting with serous flow and three patients suffered urinary tract infections. One patient developed a hernia at the umbilical trocar site that was operated on. None of the sexually active patients reported any differences in sexual activity pre-op and postop on a postoperative questionnaire. After a median of 25 (10-41) months of follow-up, all patients are alive and well, with no evidence of recurrent disease. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy-assisted transvaginal resection of sigmoid cancer is feasible and safe in a selected group of patients.

Fully valley-polarized electron beams in graphene.

We propose a device to break the valley degeneracy in graphene and produce fully valley-polarized currents that can be either split or collimated to a high degree in a experimentally controllable way. The proposal combines two recent seminal ideas: negative refraction and the concept of valleytronics in graphene. The key new ingredient lies in the use of the specular shape of the Fermi surface of the two valleys when a high electronic density is induced by a gate voltage (trigonal warping). By changing the gate voltage in a n-p-n junction of a graphene transistor, the device can be used as a valley beam splitter, where each of the beams belong to a different valley, or as a collimator. The result is demonstrated through an optical analogy with two-dimensional photonic crystals.

[Eosinophilic ulcer of the tongue. Pathogenic role of eosinophils]. / Ulcera eosinofílica de la lengua. Papel patogénico del eosinófilo.

A male patient with an ulcerative lesion on the edge of his tongue is present. The histopathologic findings were typical for "Eosinophilic Ulcer of the Tongue". This was contiguous with a carious molar, the remotion of which was followed by total remission of the ulcer. Its possible aetiology and pathogenesis are discussed. Based on the injurious effects of eosinophils mentioned in anothers affections the authors postulate that eosinophils may have an important rol in production or maintainance of this ulcer.

[Vater Paccini's neurofibroma. Report of 3 cases]. / Neurofibroma de Vater Paccini. Reporte de tres casos.

The authors study three clinical cases of Pacinian neurofibromas. All of them were located in the fingers. A bibliographic review was performed. The morphologic, clinical and histological features are reviewed and stressed its benign behavior and special localization.

[B-pseudolymphoma: lymphocytoma]. / Pseudolinfoma "B": linfocitoma.

We have revised the concept of pseudolymphoma, some of its classifications and its differences with the malignant lymphoma, which sometimes are only an evolution, not existing other elements of judgement. We publish the summary of ten lymphocytoma cutis cases studied by us, which we believe are the paradigm of the B pseudo-lymphoma due to the clinical and hystological controversy in our patients. One of them shifted to malignant lymphoma after 30 years of evolution as a lymphocytoma. Under the denomination of lymphocytoma we believe should be included a group of not well defined process, of unknown etiology, described in literature under the names of "Spiegler-Fendt Sarcoid", "lymphadenosis benigna cutis", "benign lymphocytic reticulosis" and "lymphocytic infiltration of Jessner" all of them with clinical evidences of papulo-tuberous lesion, covered by a yellowish to brownish red erythematous skin with the appearance of "orange skin" with no ulcers and usually located on the head (nose, forehead and scalp) or in any other part of the skin, looking sometimes, like the malignant lymphoma. Histologically characterized by a dense lymphocytic reaction proliferation; polymorphous with a diffuse or nodular pattern, characteristic in B pseudolymphoma. We should establish the differences between at least two clinical forms: the one of single lesion, of multiple lesions in the same area, called therefore single and multiple regional form, each one with its own characteristics and with certain clinical and hystological relations: single-Nodular and multiple-diffuse. The existence of important adenopathies in the multiple form, its clinics, its long evolution and its developing in malignant lymphoma in one of our cases makes us especially aware of this form and we strongly recommend to keep a lifetime control.

[Cutaneous manifestations of disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome. Apropos of 7 cases]. / Manifestaciones cutáneas del síndrome de coagulación intravascular diseminada (CID). A propósito de siete observaciones.

Seven cases of DIC with cutaneous manifestations which permitted us to make the diagnosis. Etiopathogenic references are cited and the dermatological literature pointing out especially the cutaneous lesions with their clinical characteristics: ecchymoses which usually evolve to necrosis, bullae, petechiae, hematomas, cyanosis and bleeding at injection sites, and histological: Fibrinous thrombosis of the vessels of the dermis, with hemorrhages, necrosis and dermoepidermic bullae, with slight or no inflammation . In some of these cases the dermatological lesions antedated the characteristic laboratory data.

[True myelinic neuroma. Its associations (neurocrestopathies)]. / Neuroma verdadero mielínico. Sus asociaciones. (Neurocrestopatías)

A case of true mielinic neuroma is described. An exhaustive review of the literature on this subject, basically of the Bolande article is carried out by the authors. The mielinic neuromata are a partial aspect of the complexe neuro-crestopathic syndromes associating the cutaneous lesions to: 1) Medullary tyroid carcinoma, 2) pheocromocytoma and 3) neurofibromatous lesions. The observation related by the authors shows: 1) Ehlers-Danlos disease (not described previously), 2) skeletal abnormalities, 3) medullary tyroid carcinoma and 4) pheochromocytoma symptoms.

[Papulois lymphomatoide]. / Papulosis linfomatoide

Clinical study and bibliographic review of the lymphomatoid papulosis (Macaulay-1968) and parapsoriasis varioliformis acute (Mucha-1916). A personal case is reported after a review of nosological location of these diseases and the variable prognosis. The authors reach the following conclusions: 1st) From the clinical point of view the small number of lesions in the lymphomatoid papulosis bring about a different clinical picture from that of parapsoriasis varioliformis acuta in here usually there is a considerable number of lesions. 2nd) There are concomitant lesions of parapsoriasis gutata in parapsoriasis varioliformis and none of the type in lymphomatoid papulosis. 3rd) Protracted course in lymphomatoid papulosis and short lived eruption in the parapsoriasis varioliformis acuta. 4th) From the histological point of view denser and atypical infiltrate in cases of parapsoriasis varioliformis.