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Introduction: The impact of sex bias in medical research is a matter of significant relevance and importance especially in the modern age. Despite notable improvements in sex equity across various societal fields, disparities in sex representation persist within clinical and pharmacological research. The objective of this article is to investigate the sex bias within Prospective Follow-up Observational Studies with Drugs authorized by the Advisory Commission on Post-Authorization Studies with Medicines in Catalonia, a southern European region. Methods: A retrospective study that analyses data from final reports of Prospective Follow-up Observational Studies with Drugs authorized by the Advisory Commission on Post-Authorization Studies with Medicines in Catalonia from 2015 to 2021. Disease categories and specific diseases, obtained from the Global Data Exchange, were evaluated for sex bias, comparing female participation to female prevalence. Results: There were 1,06,399 participants, including 43,778 female participants (42.5%). A significant underrepresentation of females was observed across various disease categories. Notably, in 12 out of 19 categories (63.2%), a pronounced female underrepresentation (sex bias ≤ 0.05) was evident, particularly in the categories of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (sex bias = −0.5659). Furthermore, 11 categories (57.9%) also demonstrated significant female underrepresentation, with the same notable categories, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (sex bias = −0.4439). When examining specific diseases, significant female underrepresentation was observed in 13 out of 29 diseases (46.4%), especially in HIV (sex bias = −0.4781). The overall findings indicate that the degree of sex bias was notably less favorable for females in numerous disease categories and specific conditions. Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated a significant sex bias within observational studies, mirroring patterns observed in clinical trials. Importantly, our findings highlight a pervasive underrepresentation of women across various disease categories and specific conditions. Despite efforts to promote both sexes inclusivity, our results emphasize the persistent challenges in achieving balanced sex representation in study populations. Furthermore, the absence of categorization of diseases based on male and female prevalence poses a significant challenge in accessing pertinent data, particularly concerning the sex distribution of specific diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present experimental and theoretical results of the molecular sensing performance of a novel platform based on magnetic modulation of surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy. For this, we study the effect that molecular infrared vibrations of a PMMA layer have on the optical and magneto-refractive response of spintronic antennas. Specifically, a periodic array of rods is fabricated from giant-magneto-resistance Au/Ni81Fe19 metallic multilayers, and the effect of depositing a layer of PMMA on top of the array is investigated from both experimental and theoretical points of view. We find that the relative changes induced by the infrared vibrations of PMMA on the magneto-refractive signal are larger than the relative changes induced on the optical transmission. This result indicates that the magneto-refractive response is more sensitive to the excitation of molecular vibrations than the optical response and fosters the development of a novel type of an infrared sensing technique based on spintronic antennas: Magneto-Refractive Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption (SEIRA) Spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1D nanowire arrays and 3D nanowire networks of topological insulators and metals have been fabricated by template-assisted deposition of Bi2Te3 and Ni inside anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates, respectively. Despite the different origins of the plasmon capabilities of the two materials, the results indicate that the optical response is determined by plasmon resonances, whose position depends on the nanowire interactions and material properties. Due to the thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3 nanowires, these plasmon resonances could be used to develop new ways of enhancing thermal gradients and their associated thermoelectric power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach which allows both electrochemical studies and surface enhanced infrared characterization of electrodeposited Cytochrome C is presented. This approach is based on in-plane disordered arrays of resonant slits engraved in Au substrates using focused ion beam. For light-polarized perpendicular to the slit, the reflectivity spectra of the slit arrays show dips related to the excitation of the slit plasmon resonance, whose position depends on the slit length. Due to the presence of the continuous Au layer around the slits, the very same substrates can be used to perform electrochemical studies. By varying the slit length, we have tuned the plasmon resonance to match the absorption bands of electrodeposited Cytochrome C, demonstrating the detection of minute amounts of this protein, all the way down to a single monolayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a study of Au:CoNPs and Co:AuNPs doped magnetoplasmonic systems. In particular, we analyze the effect of adding different concentrations of Co (or Au) nanoparticles (NPs) in a Au (or Co) matrix on both the optical and magneto-optical constants. Through the use of a simple effective medium model, relevant changes in the optical properties of the Au NPs compared to those of bulk material have been identified. Such effects are not observed in the Co NPs system. However, in both systems, there is an increase of the effective diameter of the NPs as compared to the real diameter that can be due to interface effects surrounding the NPs. Moreover, the magneto-optical constants values of both systems are smaller (in absolute values) than expected, which could also be attributed to interface effects such as hybridization between Au and Co. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arrays of in plane randomly placed aligned slits were engraved on an anisotropic magneto resistance Ni81Fe19 film, a material whose optical properties depend on the relative orientation of the light polarization and the magnetization direction (orientational magneto optical effect). In the 3–14 μm spectral range and for light polarized perpendicular to the slit axis, the reflectivity of the arrays presents a dip related to the excitation of the slit plasmon longitudinal resonance. We show that the intensity of this feature is different if the direction of the magnetization is parallel or perpendicular to the light polarization that excites this resonance. By varying the slit length, the spectral dependence of this magnetic modulation of the plasmon resonance has been analyzed. The results suggest that the orientational magneto optical effect could be used for magnetic modulation of plasmon resonances from the mid-infrared to the far-infrared spectral ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have analysed the effect that holes have on the properties of propagative surface plasmon modes in semitransparent nanoperforated Au films. The modes have been excited in Kretschmann configuration. Contrary to continuous films, where only one mode is excited, two modes are observed in Au nanohole array. The origin of this different behavior is discussed using effective optical properties for the nanoperforated films. The presence of the holes affects the effective optical constants of the membranes in two ways: it changes the contribution of the free electrons, and it gives rise to a localized transition due to a hole induced plasmon resonance. This localized transition interacts with the propagative surface plasmon modes, originating the two detected modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spintronics and Photonics constitute separately two disciplines of huge scientific and technological impact. Exploring their conceptual and practical overlap offers vast possibilities of research and a clear scope for the corresponding communities to merge and consider innovative ideas taking advantage of each other's potentials. As an example, here we review the magnetic field modification of the optical response of photonic systems fabricated out of spintronic materials, or in which spintronic components are incorporated. This magnetic actuation is due to the Magneto Refractive Effect (MRE), which accounts for the change in the optical constants of a spintronic system due to the magnetic field induced modification of the electrical resistivity. Due to the direct implication of conduction electrons in this phenomenon, this change in the optical constants covers from the mid-infrared to the THz regime. After introducing the non-expert reader into the spintronic concepts relevant to this work, we then present the MRE exhibited by a variety of spintronic systems, and finally show the different applications of this property in the generation of active spintronic-photonic platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the magnetoplasmonic (MP) features and sensing capabilities of Au/Fe/Au trilayer structures, as transducers of the magneto-optic surface plasmon resonance (MOSPR) biosensor. This biosensor, which can surpass the sensitivity of the standard SPR sensor, is based on a MP modulation technique generated by the simultaneous stimulation of the surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) and the transversal magneto-optical Kerr effect (TMOKE). We study the magneto-optical activity of the trilayers as a function of the thickness and position of the Fe layer. We first demonstrate that this kind of structure allows modulating the SPP through an external magnetic field and moreover, induce a strong enhancement of the TMOKE effect. The modulation of the SPP is linearly proportional to the thickness of Fe layer and inversely proportional to the distance between the Fe layer and the external dielectric medium. Finally, we experimentally confirm a twofold increase in the MOSPR sensitivity with respect to the intensity-interrogated SPR biosensor in bulk refractive-index changes, keeping a similar chemical resistance and stability, unprecedented in other MP transducers, and biofunctionalization protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the optical and magneto-optical (MO) properties of Co nanoparticles embedded in ZrO2 in the spectral range from 1.4 to 4.3 eV. The nanostructured films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition in a wide range of Co nanoparticle concentrations varying from 20% to 80%. For Co concentration lower than x∼0.45 the size of the nanoparticles was found to remain almost constant (D∼2.5 nm), whereas it increases above it. Differences are found between the optical and MO constant of the Co nanoparticles and those of continuous Co films. Those differences are associated with size effects of the intraband contribution inside the nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We find that the use of V(100) buffer layers on MgO(001) substrates for the epitaxy of FePd binary alloys yields to the formation at intermediate and high deposition temperatures of a FePd–FeV mixed phase due to strong V diffusion accompanied by a loss of layer continuity and strong increase of its mosaic spread. Contrary to what is usually found in this kind of systems, these mixed phase structures exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) which is not correlated with the presence of chemical order, almost totally absent in all the fabricated structures, even at deposition temperatures where it is usually obtained with other buffer layers. Thus the observed PMA can be ascribed to the V interdiffusion and the formation of a FeV alloy, being the global sample saturation magnetization also reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study on the magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal of Fe(110) islands grown on Al2O3 versus the island size, the island size distribution, and the magnetic interaction between islands. For small islands magnetically connected via a polarizable capping layer, the samples behave as a uniform film with an induced uniaxial in-plane anisotropy. Magnetically isotropic samples are obtained when the islands size is increased. Transverse susceptibility measurements show that the magnetic anisotropy of the particles is macroscopically averaged due to the interisland magnetic interaction. The island size distribution is correlated to the magnetic anisotropy field dispersion. When the capping layer material is Al, a superparamagnetic behavior is found due to the absence of the interisland interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a structural, morphological, magnetic, and magneto-optical study of cobalt nanoparticles deposited on 50 Å AlN/c-sapphire substrates and embedded in an AlN matrix. The dependence of the properties of Co nanoclusters deposited on AlN with growth temperature and amount of deposited Co are studied and discussed. Also we directly compare the properties of as grown and AlN embedded Co nanoclusters and show that the AlN matrix has a strong impact on their magnetic and magneto-optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magneto-optic (MO) studies are performed on regular arrays of Fe(100) micrometric squares, where the elements are patterned with different sizes (2.5–10 μm) and separations (0.2–0.6 μm). When a laser beam is focused inside the patterned structure a Bragg diffraction pattern is produced allowing MO studies on both reflected and diffracted spots. The magnetic anisotropy has been analyzed by in-plane MO hysteresis loops finding that, for square sizes below 2.5 μm, it is not consistent with the Fe crystalline cubic anisotropy, presenting a uniaxial-like behavior. The magnitude of the corresponding anisotropy constants has been determined by analyzing the array response (on reflected and diffracted spots) to a rotational magnetic field in a magneto-optical torque setup. For square sizes of 10 μm the anisotropy induced by patterning is negligible whereas for the small squares (2.5 μm) the uniaxial magnetic constant has been found to be roughly 0.2 times the Fe cubic anisotropy constant. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen incorporates into Fe thin films during reactively sputtered TiN capping layer deposition. The influence that this nitrogen incorporation has both on the structure and magnetic properties is discussed for a series of Fe(001) thin films grown at different temperatures. A higher nitrogen content is accompanied by distortion in the Fe lattice and by reduction in the Fe magnetization saturation as well as in the effective anisotropy constant, K. The reduction of K brings as a consequence lowering in the coercive field with respect to equivalent Fe films with no nitrogen present. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present magnetic field induced modulation of the optical response of slit plasmonic metasurfaces fabricated out of giant magnetoresistance/spintronic materials in the 2–17 μm spectral range of the spectrum. The modulation of the slit plasmonic modes is due to the modification of the electrical resistivity (and, in turn, of the optical constants) induced by the application of an external magnetic field. This modulation is found to continuously increase both with the slit concentration and with the slit resonance wavelength, with a prospective further increase for wavelengths of up to 60–80 μm. The direct fabrication and implementation of the modulation setup opens a competitive route for the development of active plasmonic metasurfaces in a wide spectral range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the optical and chirooptical response of two Au nanorods vertically separated and with arbitrary relative in-plane orientation. The use of a simple model of Lorentzian oscillators assigned to the resonances of each individual rod allows analyzing the evolution of the optical properties of this 3D chiral system as a function of relative in-plane orientation, inter-rod separation, and rod dimensions. These results are compared with real physical structures fabricated by multiaxial thermal evaporation through nanohole masks. Despite the simplicity of the theoretical model, the obtained results reproduce the main experimental optical properties of the rod system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on a study which focused on the oxidization process of the structural and magneto-optical properties of postdeposition oxidized Co thin films. Formation of a double-layered structure of fcc Co3O4 in the oxidization process; Measurement of the magneto-optical Kerr effect; Methodology used to conduct the study; Results of the study.

Studies the magneto-optical and magnetic properties of sputtered epitaxial FePd (001) alloy films as a function of the film deposition temperature. Changes in the magnetic anisotropies and Kerr effect spectra; Correlation with the degree of long range chemical ordering.

In this paper we present the Raman scattering of self-assembled InSb dots grown on (001) oriented InP substrates. The samples were grown by pulsed molecular beam epitaxy mode. Two types of samples have been investigated. In one type the InSb dots were capped with 200 monolayers of InP, in the other type no capping was deposited after the InSb dot formation. We observe two peaks in the Raman spectra of the uncapped dot, while only one peak is observed in the Raman spectra of the capped dots. In the case of the uncapped dots the peaks are attributed to LO-like and TO-like vibration of completely relaxed InSb dots, in agreement with high resolution transmission electron microscopy photographs. The Raman spectra of the capped dot suggest a different strain state in the dot due to the capping layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that investigated the optical properties of gallium arsenide/aluminum arsenide superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and atomic layer MBE on gallium arsenide substrates. Photoluminescence excitation spectra of atomic layer MBE superlattices; Comparison between the interfaces of MBE and atomic layer MBE; Factor to which the differences in the optical properties of the samples can be attributed.

Determines the optical direct interband transitions in a set of AlInAs and AlGaP alloys by using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Factor that made it possible to obtain a wide class of new materials with optical properties different from those of the binary compounds; Advantage of using the ellipsometric method; Function of the aluminum composition.

Investigates optical properties of strained-layer superlattices. Reasons for interests in semiconductor heterostructures made of lattice-mismatched materials; Details on the experiment; Calculation of the optical properties of structures consisting of two superlattices confining gallium arsenide quantum well.

Presents information on a Raman study of InSb etched by reactive ion beam etching using a CH[sub4]/H[sub2]/N[sub2] plasma generated by electron cyclotron resonance. Experimental procedure; Results and discussion.

Presents information on a study which determined the deformation potentials of gallium arsenic phosphide layers. Background of the study; Methodology of the study; Results and discussion.

Presents a study that investigated the optical properties of aluminum-gallium phosphide semiconductor alloys using electrolyte electroreflectance. Relationship between transition energies and alloy composition; Determination of the flatband potential of the alloys; Analysis of the indirect energy gap of the samples.

Here, we show the high wavelength tunability and magnetic field modulation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) of a waveguide mode that Double-layer Dielectrics and Ferromagnetic Metal, Al2O2/SiO2/Fe, trilayer structures exhibit when excited in the Otto configuration of attenuated total reflection setup. First by modeling, and then experimentally, we demonstrate that it is possible to tune the wavelength at which the angular dependent reflectance of these structures reaches its absolute minimum by simply adjusting the SiO2 intermediate dielectric layer thickness. This precise wavelength corresponds to the cut-off condition of SPPs' waveguide mode supported by the proposed structure, and it can be then switched between two values upon magnetization reversal of the Fe layer. In this specific situation, a large enhancement of the transverse magneto-optical effect is also obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical, ellipsometric, and magneto-optical surface sensitivity to dielectric environment of magnetoplasmonic nanodisks is experimentally studied. Here, the shift of the corresponding spectral structures as a function of the thickness of a coating SiO2 layer is characterized. Our results reveal that the so called pseudo-Brewster Angle, easily identified in the ellipsometric phase (D) spectrum, is up to four times more sensitive than the conventional features used in surface plasmon resonance based sensors. These results highlight the need of investigating the factual implementation of this technique to develop improved ellipsometric-phase based transducers for bio-chemical sensing purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphology tuning of a series of Au/Co/Au nanostructures which gradually evolve from disk to ring allows controlling their optical and magneto-optical spectral responses in the visible and near infrared ranges. This is achieved by the combined use of hole mask colloidal lithography with offnormal deposition and substrate rotation. The morphological parameters responsible for this control, the disk/ring outer diameter and height, are determined by the off-normal deposition angle and the amount of deposited material, respectively. The single dipolar symmetric resonance mode in nanodisk splits into two characteristics, low (symmetric) and high energy (antisymmetric) ring modes. The ring's high energy mode, determined by the rings' section, is basically independent of the deposition angle, while the low energy symmetric mode is basically controlled by the outer diameter/ height aspect ratio for both disk-like and ring structures, and therefore allowing a fine tuning of the wavelength position of this resonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of plasmonic and magnetoplasmonic interferometers as refractometric-based sensors is studied theoretically, and their performance compared to that of the most commonly used plasmonic sensing technique, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. The analysis is based on the evolution with the refractive index of the physical parameters involved for each kind of sensor, as well as the behaviour of the actual measured quantity. Two kinds of sensing configurations, two-dimensional surface and three-dimensional bulk, are considered, and the spectral dependence of the three systems is also taken into account. We show that, although the plasmonic interferometer and the SPR system are based on the same physical parameter, namely the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) wavevector, the first offers better properties as its final sensitivity depends on the interferometer size and can thus be increased by its enlargement. For the magnetoplasmonic interferometer, on the other hand, a new physical parameter participates—the modulation of the SPP wavevector induced by an external applied magnetic field. This new parameter has a higher sensitivity to the refractive index than the SPP wavevector, so monitoring it can lead to sensors with increased properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic-field-induced wave-vector modulation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) is analytically derived for dielectric/metal and dielectric/metal/dielectric systems when a very thin magneto-optical metallic film is placed at different positions in the metal. In the simplest case of a single dielectric/metal interface, the SPP wave-vector modulation is found to be proportional to the intensity of the electromagnetic field at the location of the magneto-optically active layer. For the more complex dielectric/metal/dielectric systems, the SPPs existing at each dielectric/metal interface interact to give rise to modes with a symmetric- and anti-symmetric-like character. We show that in this case the relationship between wave-vector modulation and field distribution is more complex and does not follow a proportionality law for coupled eigenmodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanosystems with combined magnetic and plasmonic functionalities have in recent years become an active topic of research. By an adequate internal architecture of the constituting components, the magneto‐optical activity of these systems can be greatly increased due to the electromagnetic field enhancement associated with the plasmon resonance. Simultaneously, the magnetic functionality permits the control of the plasmonic properties by an external magnetic field, which allows the development of active plasmonic devices. These materials find applications in, for example, gas and biosensing areas, and in integrated photonic devices for telecommunications. In the present work the state of the art and current understanding of the phenomenology associated with magnetoplasmonic structures where magnetism and plasmonics are intertwined are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a morphological, structural, and magnetic characterization of Co nanoparticles (mean diameter of 10.3 ± 1.8 nm) grown using a gas aggregation source and embedded in a silicon oxide matrix by sequential deposition of nanoparticles and silicon oxide. We show that the Co nanoparticles 'soft-land' on the substrates and suffer a moderate oxidation in contact with the silicon oxide. Despite this moderate oxidation, it is found that, at room temperature, the magnetic volume of the resulting nanoparticles is below the superparamagnetic limit. The results presented in this article are compatible with the presence of an assembly of magnetically independent particles that also display a moderate exchange bias at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical and magneto-optical properties of hybrid Co-SiO systems are studied as a function of Co concentration. The structures were prepared by alternate depositions of SiO thin films and layers of 10-nm-diameter Co nanoparticles produced by an Ion Cluster Source. Both optical and magneto-optical constants of the system gradually increase with the amount of Co, though maintaining low optical absorption values in the visible range. The experimental results are well reproduced assuming that the nanoparticles have a cobalt core (7-8 nm in diameter) surrounded by a cobalt oxide shell (1-2 nm thick). The magneto-optical activity versus optical absorption figure of merit of this system is compared with other magneto-optical dielectric systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-plasmon-mediated confinement of optical fields holds great promise for on-chip miniaturization of all-optical circuits. Following successful demonstrations of passive nanoplasmonic devices, active plasmonic systems have been designed to control plasmon propagation. This goal has been achieved either by coupling plasmons to optically active materials or by making use of transient optical nonlinearities in metals via strong excitation with ultrashort laser pulses. Here, we present a new concept in which the active optical component is a metal–ferromagnet–metal structure. It is based on active magneto-plasmonic microinterferometry, where the surface plasmon wave vector in a gold–ferromagnet–gold trilayer system is controlled using a weak external magnetic field. Application of this new technique allows measurement of the electromagnetic field distribution inside a metal at optical frequencies and with nanometre depth resolution. Significant modulation depth combined with possible all-optical magnetization reversal induced by femtosecond light pulses opens a route to ultrafast magneto-plasmonic switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete magneto-optical characterization of Pt capped Ag-Co-Ag sputtered trilayers with varying Co thickness is presented. Polar Kerr rotation and ellipticity exhibit a gradual increase in signal as the Co layer gets thicker, with a sharp feature around 3.75 eV due to the bulk Ag plasmon resonance. The transverse Kerr signal of such trilayers is strongly affected by the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) resonance excitation when measured in the Kretschmann configuration, with a maximum transverse Kerr effect for around 2 nm Co thickness which corresponds to the optimum SPP excitation. This behavior is in contrast with the monotonous increase in transverse Kerr signal with Co thickness measured when the SPP is not excited. These results are in qualitative agreement with simulations using the transfer matrix formalism, the discrepancies mainly being due to the deviation from 2-D growth of the system and possible Ag and Co oxidation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of fibrin for mesh fixation in laparascopic hernioplasty has theoretical advantages in that it could result in reducing postoperative pain. The objective of this study is to demonstrate this improvement in postoperative pain with the highest level of evidence possible.Methods: Unicenter single surgeon prospective randomized double-blind study of transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) bilateral hernioplasties comparing autologous fibrin sealant (FG) used for mesh fixation on one side and staples (SG) on the other. Data were collected regarding anthropometric measures, costs, complications and pain evaluation at postoperative days 7, 30 and 180 using a visual analogue scale. The patients were also asked to answer the following simple question: "On which side do you have more pain?"Results: Twenty-two eligible patients were included in the study. Both groups were comparable. The operating time was significantly longer (30 min more) in the FG. The incidence of seroma was similar in both groups, and that of hematoma was higher in the SG (0 vs. 9.1%). At 1 week, the visual analogue scale scores were significantly lower in the FG (median: 1.7 vs. 4.5; MWU:103.5, p < 0.05). At 1 month, this difference became clinical and statistically insignificant. 72.7% of the patients referred more pain on the side with staples at 1 week, 38% at 1 month, and 0% at 6 months (after patients with hernia recurrence were excluded). The recurrence rate was higher in the FG (9.9 vs. 13.6%). A hernia in the FG cost 200 Euros more than that in the SG, or even more if a complete economic study is considered.Conclusions: The use of fibrin produces less postoperative pain in the first week, but prolongs operating time and increases costs. Moreover, there appears to be a higher recurrence rate and a lower incidence of hematoma, while the incidence of seroma remains unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the magnetooptic (MO) effects in surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) propagating in thin metallic layers as a function of the metal thickness. Two different configurations are analyzed: a ferromagnetic metal surrounded by nonmagnetic dielectrics and a nonmagnetic metal bounded by ferromagnetic dielectrics. Depending on the configuration and the thickness of the metallic layer, waveguides with very low attenuation losses and high MO effects can be obtained. These configurations could be used to design MO active devices in SPP-based optics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]