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Abstract. Laser ablation has proven to be an important technique for thin film deposition because of the high velocity heating and quenching of materials. We have used a nitrogen laser, which is capable of producing nanosecond pulses of intense UV (337.1 nm) radiation to generate high-temperature and high-electron-density plasmas when strongly focused on titanium targets. Laser beam pulses with a peak energy of 32 J/cm[sup 2] and a power density of 1.6 GW/cm[sup 2] were used in this experiment. As ablated Ti species are allowed to expand further in a nitrogen atmosphere, they cool down and eventually dissipate. In this sequence, they meet a substrate where condensation, nucleation, and growth processes yield TiN thin films because of the reaction with the nitrogen gas. Thin film depositions were made on stainless steel (AISI 1020 and AISI 304) substrates at nitrogen gas pressures ranging from 10[sup -1] Pa to 200 Pa and for different distances between the substrate and the spot where the laser beam was focused upon the target. For rather short distances (less than 7 mm), optical microscopy shows the effect of a further plasma--thin film interaction, while at larger distances, the depositions exhibit a regular film condensation from the vapor. Microstructure characterization of the thin film deposited was done by several techniques. The typical cubic TiN phase was identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Transplant Procurement Management and the University of Barcelona has offered a Master of Donation and Transplantation degree since 2004. The aim of this study is to analyze the number of participants, their profiles, and scores to evaluate improving measures introduced since 2011, when the modular structure was stablished. The data is organized in 3 groups: number of participants, profile, and scores in each module. The variables for the profile are gender, nationality, and background. According to the number of participants, 127 professionals were trained since 2011, with a decrease in the last classes (21; 20; 15). Regarding their profiles, from 2011 until 2016 the proportion of women was higher (63.13%). The background heterogeneity was an average of 4 different backgrounds in each edition, and medicine was most frequent background for students (58.27%). Participants were from 37 countries, mostly from the United States (45.6%) and Europe (40.9%). As for the scores, participants were evaluated in 4 modules (Donation, Transplantation, Management, and Tissue Banking), an internship, and a final master dissertation. The Donation module presented the lowest score (7.45/10) and the Transplantation module the highest (8.22/10). Considering that the main characteristics of the master's degree are the participants' internationality and heterogeneity, improvement measures must continue focusing on flexibility in the module selection and promoting the online modality. Highlights • A master program on donation and transplantation adapts to the needs of participants. • Online courses allow and facilitate the training of international participants. • Heterogeneity of participants leads to modular structure of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral therapy has become first line treatment for patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction (ED). Studies have shown that sildenafil may not be effective in all patients, and has been associated with a variety of adverse effects and an adverse interaction with nitrates and inhibitors of cytochrome P450 enzymes. The objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of three different oral combinations with the highest dose of sildenafil in men with moderate to severe ED. Randomized, double blind, unblinded active-controlled, Phase II study was carried out at three sites in Mexico. After a 4-week placebo run-in period, patients received all four of the following treatments using a 4-way cross-over design: 40mg phentolamine (PM) +6mg apomorphine (Apo); 40 mg PM + 150 mg papaverine (Pap); 40 mg PM + 6 mg Apo + 150 mg Pap (Tricombo); 100mg sildenafil (SC). With the exception of sildenafil tablets, all study medication was blinded. Moderate to severe ED was defined as a less than 50% vaginal penetration success rate during the placebo run-in period. A total of 44 patients were enrolled, of whom 36 completed all four treatment periods. All treatments produced a significant effect in primary efficacy variable (Sexual Encounter Profile) compared to baseline, however, no statistically significant differences were found between treatments. A significant period effect was observed. Also, the four treatments were found not to differ significantly in five out of six secondary efficacy variables. The lowest incidence of treatment-related adverse events (AE) occurred in the 40 mg PM + 6 mg Apo group (9.8%), followed by 100mg SC (15%), and the other two combinations (16.7 and 17.5%, respectively). Nasocongestion and headache were the most frequently reported AE. An oral combination of vasoactive agents may provide an alternative approach to sildenafil. Based on these results a combination of phentolamine and apomorphine warrants further clinical investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present experimental results on the photoluminescence (PL) of gas-suspended zinc oxide nanoclusters prepared during ablation of sintered ZnO targets by a pulsed ArF laser in the presence of oxygen ambient gas. The PL spectra in the UV spectral region correspond to the exciton recombination in the nanoclusters which are crystallized and cooled down to the temperature of the ambient gas in the ablation chamber. The time evolution of the spectra as well as their dependence on the ambient gas pressure are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]