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Alberto Migliore,1 Andrea Sorbino,2 Serenella Bacciu,2 Alberto Bellelli,3 Bruno Frediani,4 Sandro Tormenta,3 Carmelo Pirri,2 Calogero Foti2 1Rheumatology, S. Pietro Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Rome, Italy; 2Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy; 3Radiology, Fatebenefratelli S. Pietro Hospital, Rome, Italy; 4Research Centre of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases Behcet Disease Clinic and Rheumatology-Ophthalmology Collaborative Uveitis Centre Department of Medical Sciences Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyCorrespondence: Andrea Sorbino Email a.sorbino@quaderni.bizBackground: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common spine diseases and represents the most frequent cause of absence from work in developed countries. Approximately 40% of chronic LBP is related to discogenic origin. The goal of the study is producing a review of literature to describe analytically the techniques of intradiscal injections.Methods: PubMed database was searched for clinical studies with the different key terms: “intradiscal”, “injection”, “steroid” “procedures”, “techniques”, “CT”, “MRI”, “fluoroscopy”, “fluoroscopic”, “guidance”, “ozone”, “ultrasound”, “images”. Only studies written in English, French, or Italian in which the intradiscal injection represents the main procedure for the low back discopathy treatment on humans were considered. We excluded the articles that do not mention this procedure; those which indicated that the intradiscal injection had happened accidentally during other treatments; those reporting the patient’s pain was determined by other causes than the discopathy (facet joint syndrome, tumor, spondylodiscitis).Results: Thirty-one articles dated from 1969 to 2018 met the criteria. The examined population was 6843 subjects, 52.3% male and 47.7% female, with a mean age of 45.9± 10.1 years. The techniques are highly variable in terms of procedure: different operators, needle guidance, injection sites, drugs, tilt angle of the needle).Conclusion: The efficacy and the safety of the intradiscal procedures are not easily comparable due to different types of studies and their limited number. Further studies are needed to standardize the intradiscal injection technique/procedure to improve safety, repeatability and effectiveness, and last but not least to reduce peri- and postoperative care and health-care costs.Keywords: discopathy, guidance, injection, intradiscal injections, low back pain, safety

International audience; Several studies have reported the possible growth of germanene on various metal surfaces. However, the exact structure of the layers formed upon evaporation at or above room temperature remains controversial. In particular, the layers obtained after Ge deposition on Al(111) have been either considered as honeycomb organization of Ge atoms on top of a nonreconstructed substrate, or as alloyed layers. Using quantitative measurements by surface x-ray diffraction compared to density functional theory calculations, we show that the (√7×√7)R±19.1∘ reconstruction obtained after room temperature deposition is a mixed Ge-Al honeycomb layer, on top of an Al(111) plane, and not a pure germanene layer.

Two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb lattices beyond graphene, such as germanene, promise new physical properties such as quantum spin Hall effect. While there have been many claims of growth of germanene, the lack of precise structural characterization of the epitaxial layers synthesized hinders further research. The striped layer formed by Ge deposition on Ag(111) has been recently ascribed as a stretched germanene layer. Using surface X-ray diffraction and density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that it corresponds in fact to a Ag$_2$Ge surface alloy with an atomic density 6.45% higher than the Ag(111) atomic density. The overall structure is formed by stripes associated with a face-centered cubic top-layer alignment, alternating with stripes associated with an hexagonal-close-packed top-layer alignment, in great analogy with the ($22\times\sqrt3$) Au(111) reconstruction.

International audience; Two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb lattices beyond graphene, such as germanene, promise new physical properties such as quantum spin Hall effect. While there have been many claims of growth of germanene, the lack of precise structural characterization of the epitaxial layers synthesized hinders further research. The striped layer formed by Ge deposition on Ag(111) has been recently ascribed as a stretched germanene layer. Using surface X-ray diffraction and density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that it corresponds in fact to a Ag2Ge surface alloy with an atomic density 6.45% higher than the Ag(111) atomic density. The overall structure is formed by stripes associated with a face-centered cubic top-layer alignment, alternating with stripes associated with an hexagonal-close-packed top-layer alignment, in great analogy with the (22×√3) Au(111) reconstruction.

The objective of the work is to fabricate and functionalize 3D printed PDMS-based microfluidic chips through digital light processing DLP-3D printing.

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Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is related to unhealthy habits, mainly to unfavorable dietary profiles. MTHFR gene encodes MethyleneTetraHydroFolate Reductase, a regulatory enzyme whose polymorphisms are associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. Among polymorphisms, C677T, a thermolabile form, but not A1298C, thermostable, was associated with fatty liver and insulin resistance.to investigate if NAFLD, in subjects referred for nutritional assessment and counselling, has any difference of prevalence and severity when associated with isolated MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and hyperhomocysteinemia.94 subjects, age 55.65 ± 15.43 years, BMI 27.88 ± 5.17 kg/m2, 26 with MTHFR Wild type genotype (1298AA) and 68 with MTHFRA1298C single polymorphism were studied: of them, 35 were homozygous (MTHFR1298CC), 33 were heterozygous (MHTFR 1298AC). Insulin resistance was assessed by HOMA-IR, NAFLD by UltraSound Brigh-Liver-Score (BLS).MTHFR subgroups (wild and A1298C single polymorphism) were not different for age, gender, dietary profile and BMI. In NAFLD, MTHFR 1298AC (heterozygous) vs. homozygous wild genotype (MTHFR 1298AA) patients had more severe NAFLD (BLS: 1.12 ± 1.14 vs. 0.54 ± 0.76, p0.029), greater insulin resistance (HOMA 3.20±2.35 vs. 2.12 ± 1.12; p0.036), higher AST and gammaGT.MTHFR1298AC gene heterozygous polymorphisms can be weakly predictive for NAFLD severity. This mutation occurs frequently in populations with low prevalence of overall mortality and of atherosclerosis-associated disease: it could have maintained and maintain its persistence by an heterozygosis advantage mechanism, within significant adherence to healthy nutritional profiles. Interactions of nutrition, genetics and health are a part of the aging process throughout the life span and a greater consideration to the genetic characteristics of populations and individuals is warranted.

Although it is commonly believed that a strong causal link exists between psychological stress and hypertension, as well with other factors, such as obesity, just what kind of empirical evidence supports this assumption is still controversial. The aim of the study is to investigate if perceived stress have any interference with intrarenal resistance and hence with mechanisms related to Essential Hypertension (EH) and if Anxiety, Depression, Self efficacy and Illness Perception can account for perceived stress.Obesity, insulin resistance (HOMA), Doppler Renal Resistive Index (RRI) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are studied along with Psychological Stress Measure (PSM), Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), Generalized Self-Efficacy scale (GSE) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in 119 hypertensive patients referred for stable lasting EH, and 150 normal controls. Lower salt/lower calories Mediterranean diet, physical activity increase and smoking withdrawal counseling were provided.By Odds Ratios, higher risk of EH is associated with greater perceived stress, older age, lower GFR, obesity, greater RRI and insulin resistance. By Multiple Linear Regression the most significant variable that accounts for higher RRI are abdominal obesity and arterial pulse pressure; the only significant independent psychological variable that accounts for abdominal obesity are PSM and identity IPQ subscale. Self-Efficacy anxiety and Illness perception subscales (IPQr), accounts significantly for 62.0% of the variance to PSM, with possible effects on RRI and on the pathophysiological hypertension cascade.Worst identity and treatment control perceptions of EH, and a lower self-efficacy are the main psychological factors accounting for a greater stress. Interventions aimed to reduce perceived stress can be warranted in EH.

In recent years, the scientific community has considered with interest the possibility to integrate YBCO-based devices with silicon-based electronics. In fact, the proved YBCO radiation hardness makes this integration appealing from the point of view of space and telecommunication applications. In this paper we report on the influence of buffered substrate properties on the superconducting performances of YBCO films. In this framework we here consider the Si/CeO(2)/YBCO multilayer. The non-satisfying quality of the YBCO film in this multilayer is attributed to an unavoidable interlayer of SiO(2) between Si and CeO(2). On the other hand, we prove, by means of quantitative magneto-optical analysis, the excellent properties of the bi-layer CeO(2)/YBCO on YSZ substrate. Thus, these measurements indicate YSZ as the best candidate to be deposited between Si and CeO(2) for optimal YBCO performances on silicon.

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A combination of low-energy electron diffraction, x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning-tunneling microscopy studies, in conjunction with ab initio calculations leads us to suggest a model for the carbon (C)-induced Si(001)c(4x4) atomic structure. This surface superstructure is obtained in a defined range of C2H4 exposures at 600 degreesC. Experimental probes show that the c(4x4) superstructure involves C atoms in both surface and subsurface sites. This is reflected in well-marked features in photoemission valence- and core-level spectra. Surface carbon atoms are stabilized in Si-C heterodimers, with a surface density of about 0.25 monolayer (ML) [i.e., two C atoms per c(4x4) unit cell of eight atoms]. In the subsurface region, carbon atoms substitute for Si atoms in well-defined sites of the third or fourth layers of the Si substrate. The subsurface C density increases with C2H4 exposure time up to a limit value of about 0.5 ML, within the c(4x4) surface structure. Further exposure disrupts the c(4x4) reconstruction and leads to a (2x1) low-energy electron diffraction pattern. Interaction with atomic hydrogen shows that the surface contains a mixture of heterodimers (Si-C) and homodimers (Si-Si), with an 1:1 proportion. These assignments are supported by first-principle calculations, which yield valence band and core level states in fairly good agreement with the experiment. Furthermore, total energy calculations strongly favor C incorporation in surface Si-C dimers and in third and fourth layer sites, and rule out C incorporation in sites of the second Si layer. The most stable c(4x4) surface configuration, suggested by our calculations, consists of alternate Si-C and Si-Si dimer lines. In such a configuration, surface carbon atoms in Si-C dimers induce a surface stress that leads to charge redistribution and atomic relaxation of the adjacent Si-Si dimers, consistent with scanning-tunneling microscopy images. Additional C atoms (in excess of those accommodated in surface sites) are forced in selected compressive (alpha) sites of the third and fourth layers. This model is discussed with respect to the previous models published in the literature

We present the optical realization and characterization of complex suspended microchannel resonator (SMR) for biomechanical sensing applications. We exploit the flexibility of two-photon direct laser writing to optimize a highly versatile fabrication strategy based on a shell-writing procedure with the aim to reduce fabrication time of big inlet/outlet sections compatible with most microfluidic systems for lab-on-chip. Compared with standard microfabrication techniques, requiring several technological steps to obtain suspended hollow structures, this method allows to fabricate complex SMR sensors in only one fabrication step by virtue of its intrinsically 3-D nature. The realized resonant structure was characterized by laser doppler vibrometry, showing good agreement with finite-element methods simulations and an experimental quality factor of the fundamental mode of $\sim 60.$ [2014-0309]

Among all the photovoltaic technologies developed so far, dye-sensitized solar cells are considered as a promising alternative to the expensive and environmentally unfriendly crystalline silicon-based solar cells. One of the possible strategies employed to increase their photovoltaic efficiency is to reduce the charge recombination at the cell conductive substrate through the use of a compact blocking layer. In this paper, we report on the fabrication and characterization of dye-sensitized solar cells employing niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5 ) thin film blocking layer deposited through the pulsed laser deposition technique on conductive substrates. The careful selection of the optimal film thickness led to a 30% enhancement of the photoconversion efficiency with respect to reference cells fabricated without blocking layer. Open circuit voltage decay and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques proved that the effective suppression of the charge recombination occurring at the substrate/electrolyte interface represents the main reason for the improvement of the photovoltaic efficiency.

Despite significant antiemetic advances, almost 50% of treated cancer patients still experience nausea and vomiting (NV). The goal of antiemetic therapy--complete prevention of treatment-induced nausea and/or vomiting (TIN+/-V)--remains elusive for several reasons. Potentially, NV may be part of a symptom cluster where co-occurring symptoms negatively affect antiemetic management. Consequently, we examined TIN+/-V incidence and the impact of nausea, vomiting and symptom cluster(s) containing them, respectively, on patients' quality of life (QoL) and psychological adjustment across treatment.A longitudinal secondary analysis was performed on data from a prospective, observational QoL study involving 200 newly diagnosed cancer patients who underwent combined modality treatment. QoL, psychological adjustment and patient/clinical characteristics were examined at pretreatment, on-treatment (8 weeks) and post-treatment.Overall, 62% of patients experienced TIN+/-V, with TIN (60%) doubling TIV incidence (27 %). Exploratory factor analyses of QoL scores at each treatment time point identified a recurrent gastrointestinal symptom cluster comprising nausea, vomiting and appetite loss. Approximately two thirds of patients reported co-occurrence of all three symptoms, which exerted synergistic effects of multiplicative proportions on overall QoL. Patients who reported co-occurrence of these symptoms during treatment experienced significantly greater QoL impairment (physical, role and social functioning, fatigue, NV, appetite loss, overall physical health, overall QOL) and psychological distress (cancer distress, premorbid neuroticism) than those unaffected (0.001p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, nausea was more pervasive than vomiting or appetite loss across treatment and had a greater impact on overall QoL. While antiemetic therapy was effective for vomiting and helped prevent/relieve associated appetite loss, the benefits for appetite loss were seemingly constrained by its failure to exert adequate control over nausea in many patients.TIN+/-V still represents a very major concern for patients. Uncontrolled TIN+/-V often results in significant appetite and weight loss, leading to increased risk for malnutrition. Malnutrition and weight loss, in turn, are associated with poorer prognosis, treatment tolerance and response, performance status, QoL and survival. Consequently, a multiple symptom intervention approach focusing on NV as core symptoms is recommended. Clinicians should genuinely consider combining essential antiemetic therapies with other evidence-based pharmacological (e.g. nausea: psychotropics, such as olanzapine) and non-pharmacological approaches (e.g. NV: relaxation) in attempts to not only improve prevention and control of NV for their patients, but also reduce the synergistic impact of cluster symptoms (e.g. NV, appetite loss) as a whole and resultant QoL impairment likewise. Where associated symptoms are not adequately controlled by these antiemetic-based interventions, targeted evidence-based strategies should be supplemented.