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Si0.6Ge0.4 nanocrystals, of diameter

SiGeO films were deposited by LPCVD using Si2H6, GeH4 and O2 as reactive gases and furnace annealed to segregate the possible excess of Si and Ge in the form of nanocrystals embedded in an oxide matrix. For low GeH4:Si2H6 flow ratios and deposition temperatures of 450 ∘C or lower, the deposited film consists of a SiO2 matrix incorporating Ge. No Ge oxides and no nanocrystals are detected. After annealing of the samples with SiO2 matrices at temperatures of 600 ∘C or higher, quasi-spherical isolated Ge nanocrystals with diameters ranging from 4.5 to 9 nm and homogeneously distributed throughout the whole film thickness are formed. In the samples deposited with low GeH4:Si2H6 flow ratios, the original SiO2 matrix holds its composition.

Objective: to understand the episiotomy rate and its relationship with various clinical variables. Method: a descriptive, cross-sectional, analytic study of 12,093 births in a tertiary hospital. Variables: Parity, gestational age, start of labor, use of epidural analgesia, oxytocin usage, position during fetal explusion, weight of neonate, and completion of birth. The analysis was performed with SPSS 19.0. Results: the global percentage of episiotomies was 50%. The clinical variables that presented a significant association were primiparity (RR=2.98), gestational age >41 weeks (RR=1.2), augmented or induced labor (RR=1.33), epidural analgesia use (RR=1,95), oxytocin use (RR=1.58), lithotomy position during fetal expulsion (RR=6.4), and instrumentation (RR=1.84). Furthermore, maternal age ≥35 years (RR=0.85) and neonatal weight 41 semanas (RR=1,2), início do parto estimulado ou induzido (RR=1,33), uso de analgesia epidural (RR=1,95), uso de ocitocina (RR=1,58), posição de litotomia durante a expulsão fetal (RR=6,4) e instrumentação (RR=1,84). Por outro lado, idade materna ≥ 35 anos (RR=0.85) e peso do neonato < 2500 g (RR=0,8) estão associados a uma menor incidência de episiotomia. Conclusões: a episiotomia depende de intervenções obstétricas feitas durante o parto. Se desejarmos reduzir a taxa de episiotomia, será necessário manter em mente esses fatores de risco para estabelecer políticas para reduzir esse procedimento. Objetivo: conocer la tasa de episiotomía y su relación con distintas variables clínicas. Método: estudio descriptivo, transversal y analítico, de 12.093 partos en un hospital de tercer nivel. Las variables fueron: paridad, edad gestacional, inicio del parto, uso de analgesia epidural, uso de oxitocina, posición durante la expulsión fetal, peso del recién nacido y finalización del parto. El análisis se realizó con el programa estadístico SPSS 19.0. Resultados: el porcentaje global de episiotomías fue de 50%. Las variables clínicas que presentaron una asociación significativa fueron: primiparidad (RR=2,98), edad gestacional > 41 semanas (RR=1,2), inicio del parto estimulado o inducido (RR= 1,33), uso de analgesia epidural (RR=1,95), uso de oxitocina (RR=1,58), posición de litotomía durante la expulsión fetal (RR=6,4) e instrumentación (RR=1,84). Por otra parte, la edad materna fue ≥35 años (RR=0,85) y el peso del recién nacido < 2500g. (RR=0,8), se asociaron con una menor incidencia de episiotomía. Conclusiones: la episiotomía estuvo condicionada por las intervenciones obstétricas que se realizaron durante el desarrollo del parto. Si deseamos reducir la tasa de episiotomía será necesario tener en cuenta los factores de riesgo para establecer políticas de reducción de este procedimiento.

Luminescent multilayers of SiGe nanocrystals embedded in an oxide matrix have been fabricated by Low Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition of SiGe and SiO 2 in a single run followed by a Rapid Thermal Annealing treatment to crystallize the SiGe nanoparticles. Structural parameters like the diameter of the nanoparticles and the oxide interlayer thickness, as well as the annealing conditions have been investigated in order to get the maximum intensity of the luminescence emission. Structures with small nanoparticles (3-4.5 nm) separated by thick oxide barriers (≈35 nm) annealed at 900 °C for 60 s yield the maximum intensity as a result of a compromise between the appropriate crystallization of the small nanoparticles and a reduced degradation of their composition by Ge diffusion. An additional treatment at 450 °C in forming gas for dangling-bond passivation increases the intensity of the luminescence by 25%.

The aim of the present work was to study the morphological, structural, and chemical analysis as a function of depth in vanadium alloys with a 5 at.% of titanium implanted at 673 K with 1.2 keV N+ ions, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), glow discharge (GD) analysis, and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. These results are correlated with those of previously published nanoindentation tests, and the species and chemical states responsible for the increase in hardness are identified. The maximum increase in hardness corresponds to the highest N concentration, measured by both photoemission spectroscopy and GD. In addition, the thickness of the layer (≈1000 nm), where structural modifications are observed using TEM, can also be directly correlated with the thickness of the implanted layer, where an incremental increase in hardness has previously been measured. These findings support the conclusion that the formation of vanadium and titanium nitride/oxynitrides (–N–O,–O–N–H) compounds are responsible for the increased hardness of these V–5at.% Ti samples implanted with N at low ion energy and high sample temperature.

Lung cancer is currently the most common cause of cancer-related death in the world and approximately 85% of all lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies have shown that patients with NSCLC containing high densities of CD8+ memory T cells have a survival advantage. Others have identified an association between relatively high numbers of regulatory T cells and poor prognosis. Our group is interested in better characterizing the immune infiltrates and refining prognostic biomarkers that identify patients at risk of recurrence. Recent advances in multispectral imaging provide an opportunity to evaluate up to 7 markers in a single 4 micron section of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. Using this technology, we reported that a high ratio of CD8:FoxP3 at the tumor correlated with the ability to isolate tumor-specific T cells from melanomas (Feng et al., submitted). This determination could be further improved by incorporating the ratio of CD8:PD-L1 present in the tumor into the evaluation. Now we are applying these same strategies to the study of NSCLC. Initial analyses have been performed on more than 450 tumor cores from 77 patients with Stage 3A/3B/4 NSCLC and included the following markers: CD3, CD8, FoxP3, CD163 and PD-L1. Additional markers are being evaluated. Ultimately, we expect that this approach could be used to stratify patients for clinical trials. We anticipate that some biomarkers will identify suppressive pathways and be associated with a short progression-free survival. While we expect there will be heterogeneity in escape mechanisms, identification of a specific mechanism could be used to tailor therapy with an agent or agents to overcome the specific immune suppressive pathway operational in that specific tumor. Patients who lack evidence for a specific suppressive pathway would be randomized to treatment with combination immunotherapy that includes a cancer vaccine.

Meeting abstracts Bavituximab is a novel chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting the membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylserine (PS), externalized on the luminal surface of endothelium in tumors, tumor cells, and tumor exosomes under stressor conditions in the tumor microenvironment. PS exposure

A lack of universality with respect to ion species has been recently established in nanostructuring of semiconductor surfaces by low-energy ion-beam bombardment. This variability affects basic properties of the pattern formation process, like the critical incidence angle for pattern formation, and has remained unaccounted for. Here, we show that nonuniform generation of stress across the damaged amorphous layer induced by the irradiation is a key factor behind the range of experimental observations, as the form of the stress field is controlled by the ion/target combination. This effect acts in synergy with the nontrivial evolution of the amorphous-crystalline interface. We reach these conclusions by contrasting a multiscale theoretical approach, which combines molecular dynamics and a continuum viscous flow model, with experiments using Xe+ and Ar+ ions on a Si(100) target. Our general approach can apply to a variety of semiconductor systems and conditions., This work has been partially supported by MICINN (Spain) Grant MAT2011-13333-E, and MINECO (Spain) Grants FIS2012-38866-C05-01, FIS2012-38866-C05-05, FIS2013-47949-C2-2-P and FIS2012-32349. A.M.-B. acknowledges support from MINECO, through FPI scolarship BES-2010-036179. A.R.C. acknowledges funding from Juan de la Cierva program (Spain) under Contract No. JCI-2012-14509.

Nanomemories, containing Ge-nanoparticles in a SiO2 matrix, can be produced by dry thermal oxidation of a SiGe layer deposited onto a Si-wafer with a barrier SiO2 layer on its top. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry has been used to characterize the kinetics of the oxidation process, the composition profile of the growing oxide, the Ge-segregation and its diffusion into the barrier oxide in samples with thin and thick barrier oxide layers. The Ge segregated during the oxidation of the SiGe layer diffuses into the barrier oxide. In the first case the diffusion through the thin oxide is enhanced by the proximity of the substrate that acts as a sink for the Ge, resulting in the formation of a low Ge concentration SiGe layer in the surface of the Si-wafer. In the second case, the Ge-diffusion progresses as slowly as in bulk SiO2. Since barrier oxide layers as thin as possible are favoured for device fabrication, the structures should be oxidized at lower temperatures and the initial SiGe layer thickness reduced to minimize the Ge-diffusion.

Amorphous SiGe nanoparticles embedded in an oxide matrix, with controlled composition, diameter of a few nm, located in the same plane and with an areal density above 10 12 cm -2 have been deposited by Low Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition in a single run using a conventional hot wall reactor. The deposited nanoparticles were crystallized by Rapid Thermal Annealing. X-ray Reflectometry and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, with models developed for these purposes, have been tested as fast and reliable analytical tools to determine the composition, size and areal density of the nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy has been used to validate the results and to study the nanoparticle crystallization.

Ge nanoparticles embedded in an oxide matrix have been obtained by (a) steam thermal oxidation at 650 °C of polycrystalline SiGe layers and (b) deposition of discontinuous Ge films/SiO2 multilayers by low pressure chemical vapour deposition at 390 °C and thermal annealing at 700 °C. These two approaches are compared in terms of the composition and size of the nanoparticles and the luminescence properties of the structures. In both cases violet luminescence peaking at 3.1 eV is detected. The origin of this emission in both types of structures is the same and it will be related to defects at the interface between the nanocrystalline Ge and the dielectric matrix. Thinking about future applications, the second approach is found to be much more attractive from the technological point of view, even considering that the first one gives a more intense luminescence emission, since the structure can be fabricated in a single-run process; these structures are currently being investigated to improve their luminescence emission.

Two methods, ion implantation and crystallization at two different temperatures, have been investigated to reduce the process time and to improve the structural properties of polycrystalline SiGe films obtained by solid phase crystallization for thin film transistors applications. The starting material was amorphous SiGe films deposited by low pressure chemical vapour deposition on oxidized silicon substrates. The crystallization kinetics and microstructure were analyzed in both cases using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The first method consisted of the ion implantation with C or F and the subsequent crystallization at 600 ºC. The implanted samples show greater grain sizes, smaller grain size dispersion and stronger (111) preferred orientation than the unimplanted ones. The second method consisted of the crystallization by sequential annealing at two different temperatures. The samples were processed by rapid thermal annealing at 625 ºC for several minutes to form a certain density of crystalline nuclei. The subsequent crystallization at 525 ºC takes place mainly from the previously induced nuclei. The process time is reduced by 50 %. The grain size in the samples processed in this way is at least equal than in the samples crystallized without the RTA treatment. This crystallization method does not affect the preferred orientation of the grains.Se han investigado dos métodos, implantación iónica y cristalización a dos temperaturas, para reducir el tiempo de proceso y mejorar la estructura de películas policristalinas de SiGe obtenidas por cristalización en fase sólida aplicables en transistores de película delgada. Se partió de capas amorfas de SiGe obtenidas mediante depósito químico en fase vapor a baja presión sobre Si oxidado térmicamente. En ambos casos se estudió la cinética de cristalización y la microestructura de las capas mediante microscopía electrónica de transmisión y difractometría de rayos X. El primer método consistió en la implantación iónica de las muestras con C o F y la posterior cristalización a 600 ºC. Las muestras implantadas tienen tamaño de grano mayor y más uniforme que las no implantadas y los granos presentan una orientación (111) más acentuada. El segundo método consistió en la cristalización mediante dos recocidos a temperaturas distintas. Las muestras fueron procesadas a 625 ºC mediante procesado térmico rápido durante varios minutos para formar una cierta densidad de núcleos. Seguidamente se cristalizaron las capas a 525 ºC partiendo de los núcleos creados. La duración del proceso se reduce hasta en un 50 %. El tamaño de grano es igual o mayor que en las muestras no procesadas previamente y la orientación de los granos no se ve alterada.

TiN/AlN bilayers and multilayers were deposited on (100) silicon substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering technique. These combined coatings are known to possess high hardness and wear resistance, hence, their structural and mechanical properties were investigated. X-Ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry and nanoindenter measurements were applied to characterise the films. The bilayer hardness increases with the individual layer thickness ratio approaching unity and further enhancement was obtained in the multilayers. The enhanced hardness seems to be related to a dislocation blocking effect at the interfaces which is promoted by the hexagonal (002) and cubic (111) textures found in AlN and TiN layers, respectively.

ResumenObjetivo: Conocer las creencias, actitudes y prácticas de los adolescentes en sus relaciones de noviazgo y caracterizar el perfil de los adolescentes que reproducen y que son más susceptibles de sufrir violencia de género.Método: Diseño observacional, descriptivo, transversal y analítico a través de 3 cuestionarios a 131 hombres y 139 mujeres adolescentes de Educación Secundaria de la Región de Murcia (España).Resultados: Los adolescentes con padres de bajo nivel educativo y los hombres reconocen en menor medida las formas de violencia y justifican en mayor proporción los comportamientos violentos de control y poder sobre las mujeres. Tanto hombres como mujeres perpetúan la violencia, pero ellos ejercen más la violencia sexual mientras que ellas la verbal, que al mismo tiempo es más sufrida por las adolescentes.Conclusiones: Las adolescentes son más susceptibles de sufrir violencia verbal y violencia sexual por parte de sus parejas, conformando un grupo de riesgo de violencia de género sobre el que hay que implementar medidas de prevención, detección y protección. Es necesario sensibilizar y formar en igualdad de género, especialmente, a los adolescentes con padres de bajo nivel educativo y los de sexo masculinoAbstractObjective: To determine the beliefs, attitudes and practices of adolescents in their relationships and to characterize the profile of adolescents who reproduce and who are more susceptible to suffer gender violence.Method: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional design through self-administered questionnaires to 131 men and 139 women adolescents from secondary education centers in the Region of Murcia (Spain). Results: Adolescents with parents of low educational level and adolescent men recognize forms of violence to a lesser extent than women and justify to a greater extent, violent behaviors of control and power over adolescent women. Both men and women perpetuate violence, but men exert more sexual violence while women exert more verbal violence. At the same time, adolescent women are most susceptible to verbal violence from their intimate partners.Conclusions: Female adolescents are more susceptible to verbal violence and sexual violence by their partners, forming a group at risk of gender violence for which prevention, detection and protection measures must be implemented.It is necessary to sensitize and train in gender equality, especially, to adolescents with parents of low educational level and males. Keywords intimate partner violence, adolescent, aggression, sexism, gender and health, interpersonal relations, sexual violence.

Producción Científica, MicroRaman spectroscopy was used for the characterization of heterostructured SiGe/Si nanowires. The NWs were grown with alloyed AuGa catalysts droplets with different Ga compositions aiming to make more abrupt heterojunctions. The heterojunctions were first characterized by TEM; then the NWs were scanned by the laser beam in order to probe the heterojunction. The capability of the MicroRaman spectroscopy for studying the heterojunction is discussed. The results show that the use of catalysts with lower Ge and Si solubility (AuGa alloys) permits to achieve more abrupt junctions., Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA302U13)

This paper reports the improvements achieved in the tribological performance of V 5 at% Ti vanadium-based alloy ion implanted with nitrogen at low energy. Nitrogen ion implantation was carried out at 400°C with a current density of 1 mA/cm2 and an accelerating voltage of 1.2 kV. Nanoindentation tests showed hardness increases by a factor close to 3. Ball-on-disk tests showed a decrease in friction coefficient. The thickness of the active implanted layer estimated from the nanoindentation tests is close to 500 nm. A clear correlation between the improvement in the tribological properties: hardness, friction and wear and the implanted layer has been observed.

This paper describes the modifications introduced by nitrogen implantation on V5 at.% Ti alloys at high energy. Two sets of samples were treated with three successive atomic and molecular nitrogen implantations, in order to obtain flat profiles of nitrogen concentration, namely 20 and 40%. On implanted samples microhardness tests with a final load of 2 mN showed a hardness increase by a factor of 2. Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to identify the concentrations and chemical states of the elements present in the high dose implanted V5Ti surface. The obtained results indicate a correlation between the hardness increase and the nitrogen implantation. From the spectroscopic results we can distinguish three different regions: an amorphous carbon layer up to 10 nm from the surface, followed by an interface of mixed amorphous carbon and carbide (VC–TiC) of approximately 20 nm, in which nitrogen is in the form of nitride. The third region from 30 nm is characterized by a decrease in the oxygen concentration of 40%, together with slight nitrides increase and stable carbides.

Unintentionally doped AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on GaN/Al2O3 templates. An optical, structural, and electrical characterization has been performed to determine and correlate the main factors that limit the low temperature mobility of the 2DEG. Hall effect measurements reveal a high electron density as well as differences in the Hall mobility between samples. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy images exhibit V-shaped pits in the AlGaN top layer of all samples, linked to threading dislocations. Results from cathodoluminescence suggest that the V-shaped pits and the regions close around may have different Al composition than the regions between pits. The AlGaN low-temperature photoluminescence spectra is dominated by nothing donor–acceptor pairs emission in samples having the lowest mobility. The enhanced electric field by the 2DEG charge in samples with high donor–acceptor densities, together with the alloy disorder and surface roughness arising from the pit regions, are most likely the dominant factors that limit the mobility to very low values.

The behaviour of Ir implanted into Si during subsequent thermal processing has been studied using ion beam analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Si(1 0 0) samples preamorphized by Si implantation and subsequently implanted with Ir were used. After regrowth of the amorphized substrate region at 550 °C, the samples were further annealed in vacuum at temperatures in the 650–800 °C interval for 600 s using a rapid thermal annealing system. As crystallization takes place, Ir segregates towards the amorphous part of the sample, in such way that the Ir concentration profile is shifted almost rigidly without Ir losses. At intermediate temperatures (700–730 °C) the Ir-rich layer remains buried into the Si. At high temperatures (above 750 °C) the Ir-rich layer reaches the surface of the sample. Both, the movement of the Ir layer and the maximum concentration of Ir in the Si crystallized region are characterized and their dependence on the temperature analyzed.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blast and leukemic stem cells highly express CD123, which is associated with high-risk disease and disease progression. CD123 expression on normal hematopoietic stem cells is minimal, enabling a strategy of preferential ablation of AML with a CD123-targeted approach. Flotetuzumab (MGD006/S80880) is a novel T-cell redirecting (CD123 x CD3) bispecific DART® protein being tested in a phase 1 study in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods: This phase 1 dose-escalation study is designed to define the safety profile, maximum tolerated dose and schedule (MTDS), and preliminary anti-leukemic activity of flotetuzumab. Relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML or intermediate-2/high-risk MDS patients (pts) are treated on 28-day cycles at doses from 3-1000ng/kg/day on one of 2 dosing schedules (4-day on/3-day off or a continuous 7-day on schedule). To mitigate cytokine-release syndrome (CRS), a one-step lead-in dose (LID) (100ng/kg/day for 4 days) or two-step LID (30 ng/kg/day for 3 days followed by 100ng/kg/day for 4 days) was instituted during Cycle 1/Week 1 (C1W1), followed by the cohort target dose (300-1000ng/kg/day) on either of the dosing schedules on W2-4. Cycle 2 and beyond, all pts were treated on a 4-day on/3-day off schedule at the cohort target dose for a maximum of 12 cycles, with 2 cycles after a complete response or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery. Steroid-sparing, anti-cytokine therapy was used, if clinically indicated, to manage CRS symptoms. Disease status was assessed by International Working Group (IWG) criteria. Samples were collected for pharmacokinetics, anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and cytokine analysis, including IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF. Results: 45 pts with R/R AML/MDS (89% AML and 11% MDS) have been treated with flotetuzumab, median age of 64 (29-84), and 44% female. The MTDS has been reached at 500ng/kg/day. Overall flotetuzumab has demonstrated manageable toxicity; drug-related adverse events ≥G3 were observed in 20/45 (44%) pts; infusion-related reaction/CRS (IRR/CRS), the most common toxicity, was observed in 34/45 (76%) pts (G3 in 6/45, 13%). The most frequent CRS symptoms were pyrexia (15), chills (10), tachycardia (10), and hypotension (4). Cytokine levels were higher in pts with CRS than in pts without (median IL-6, 116.2 vs. 67.9 pg/mL; IL-8, 191.1 vs. 144.6 pg/mL; IL-10, 867.6 vs. 348.7 pg/mL) and were generally higher with increasing CRS grade. A two-step LID during week 1 appeared to decrease the severity of CRS grade (mean grade reduction 0.54) compared to pts that received a one-step LID during cycle 1. In addition, lower median peak cytokine levels are observed with two-step LID during W1 and after achieving W2 target dose. Fourteen pts treated at the threshold 500 ng/kg/day dose cohort and beyond (700ng/kg/day dose cohort) have completed at least one cycle of treatment and had a post-treatment bone marrow (BM) biopsy. Anti-leukemic activity was documented in 57% (8/14) pts, 6/14 reached IWG criteria (3 CR, 1 CRi, 1 MLF, 1 PR) for an overall response rate (ORR) of 43%, and 2 pts had stable disease and bone marrow (BM) blast reduction of 20 and 25% from baseline, respectively. Blast reduction occurred rapidly, often within one cycle of therapy, and extended beyond flotetuzumab discontinuation. Multispectral immunohistochemistry analysis of BM samples showed flotetuzumab in situ with a significant increase (in CD-8 T cells (1.58-fold increase, p=0.0013). Consistent with T-cell activation, CD-25, CD-69 and PD-1 upregulation on both CD-4 and CD-8 T-cells was also observed in peripheral blood samples. Conclusions: Flotetuzumab in R/R AML and MDS demonstrated evidence of anti-leukemic activity (ORR 43%) with a manageable safety profile. This program advances an immune-activating agent in treating AML and continues to enroll patients in cohort expansion (24 AML and 24 MDS patients at the MTDS) in the US and Europe. clinicaltrials.gov NCT02152956. Disclosures Uy: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; GlycoMimetics: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Other: Travel Suppport. Foster: Macrogenics: Research Funding; Shire: Honoraria; Pfizer: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria; Incyte: Honoraria; Celgene: Research Funding; Celator: Research Funding. Arellano: Cephalon Oncology: Research Funding. Rizzieri: Shire: Research Funding; Erytech: Research Funding. Topp: Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, Research Funding; Macrogenics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: Travel; Regeneron: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Martinelli: Incyte, Pfizer, MSD, Abbvie, J&J, Seattle Genetics, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Astellas: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board, Speakers Bureau. Ciceri: GSK: Other: B-thalassemia gene therapy was developed by Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele and has been inlicenced by GSK that provides funding for the clinical trial, Research Funding. Lelièvre: Institut de recherches international Servier: Employment. La Motte-Mohs: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre: Patents & Royalties; MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties. Sun: Macrogenics Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Baughman: MacroGenics, Inc.: Employment. Shannon: MacroGenics, Inc.: Employment. Fox: Bristol Myers-Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; AstraZeneca/MedImmune: Consultancy, Research Funding; PerkinElmer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen/Johnson and Johnson: Consultancy, Research Funding; Argos: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; Definiens: Consultancy; OncoSec: Consultancy, Research Funding; PrimeVax: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; Peregrine: Consultancy; UbiVac: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Co-Founder and managing Member of LLC; Ventana/Roche: Consultancy; Viralytics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Bonvini: MacroGenics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Research Funding. Wigginton: MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Davidson-Moncada: MacroGenics: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) produce suppressive factors that impair the immune system, thus limiting effective antitumor immunity. OX40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family and its biologic activity leads to potent co-stimulation, which can enhance T-cell memory, proliferation and antitumor activity in patients with metastatic cancer. However, its effect on wound healing and the optimal timing of administration in relation to surgery to induce immune changes within the tumor microenvironment (TME) is not known. Objectives: To determine the safety and peak immunologic activity of neoadjuvant anti-OX40 treatment administered prior to definitive surgical resection in patients with locoregionally advanced HNSCC. Methods: Between January 2016 and July 2016, 10 patients with locoregionally advanced HNSCC were enrolled into this phase Ib neoadjuvant time course trial testing a murine antibody to OX40 (MEDI6469) administered 2 days, 1 week and 2 weeks prior to definitive surgical resection. In order to assess changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME), a tissue biopsy and peripheral blood samples were obtained prior to MEDI6469 infusion and tissue was also harvested at the time of surgical resection from the primary tumor site, metastatic and draining lymph nodes along with peripheral blood. Assessments of tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) populations were performed based on flow cytometry and fluorescent multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC); other circulating immunologic parameters that correlate with changes induced by MEDI6469 administration were also measured. These immune changes were assessed and compiled in a “cumulative suppression index,” which incorporates immunosuppressive elements within the tumor, such as FoxP3+ and PD-L1+ cells, to be correlated with clinical variables and outcome. Surgical complications were described using the Clavien-Dindo grading scale. Clinical trial information: NCT02274155. Results: MEDI6469 administration was well tolerated and there were no grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) attributable to anti-OX40 treatment. The toxicity profile was mild, most commonly consisting of low-grade fever prior to surgery, which was performed in all patients without delay. Postoperative grade 3 and 4 complications per Clavien-Dindo scale were observed in two patients. Immunologic changes were observed at all time courses with significant activation and proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ central and effector memory T-cell populations in both the TME and circulation occurring between 12 and 19 days following MEDI6469 infusion. Ki67 was specifically induced in the TME and on peripheral blood PBMCs after MEDI6469 administration, returning to baseline at Day 55. Up-regulation of PD-L1 was also seen in the tumor post treatment in the majority of specimens. In the tumor, expression of CD39, ICOS and PD-1 is increased on CD4+ T cells in almost all patients and a recently identified tumor-reactive T-cell subset of CD39+CD103+CD8+ T cells, with resident memory phenotype, was increased in some patients. Conclusion: Preoperative MEDI6469 administration prior to surgery is feasible and safe in patients with HNSCC and results in activation and proliferation of T cell populations and up-regulation of PD-L1 in tumor cells occurring between 12 and 19 days following infusion. Citation Format: R. Bryan Bell, Rom S. Leidner, Rebekka A. Duhen, Carmen Ballesteros-Merino, Zipei Feng, Yoshinobu Koguchi, Carlo B. Bifulco, Brendan D. Curti, Walter J. Urba, Bernard A. Fox, Andrew D. Weinberg. Anti-OX40 (MEDI6469) prior to definitive surgical resection in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; April 23-25, 2017; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(23_Suppl):Abstract nr 37.

78 Background: Recent publications support the emergence of predictive biomarkers for pembrolizomab in melanoma based on the expression of PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment (Daud 2016a) or the frequency of PD-1hiCTLA-4hi on CD8+ TIL (Daud 2016b) whereby immunologically inactive tumors show poor response to immune checkpoint inhibition alone. Since intratumoral pIL-12 with electroporation (IT-pIL12-EP) increases TIL in both treated and untreated lesions, we hypothesize that non-response can be rescued with the combination of IT-pIL12-EP and anti-PD-1. Phase II clinical and immunological data are shown. Methods: Melanoma stage III/IV patients were enrolled with CD8+ TIL < 25% PD-1hiCTLA-4+measured by flow cytometry (NCT02493361). PD-L1 IHC (22C3 Ab) was also evaluated. Patients were treated with pembrolizumab (200mg every 3 weeks) and IT-pIL12-EP. Patients were evaluated for ORR every 12 weeks (RECISTv1.1). Pre- and post-treatment blood and tumor specimens were collected, and analyzed for immune phenotyping, gene expression, T cell receptor diversity, and changes in the tumor microenvironment by IHC. Results: TIL assessment for evaluable enrolled patients were < 22% PD-1hiCTLA-4+, a value associated with anti-PD-1 non-response (Daud 2016b). Remarkably, although predicted to be an unresponsive population, the ORR was 40% (4CR/ 2PR) by RECISTv1.1. In patients with CR/PR, analysis of the tumor microenvironment revealed many significant immunological changes not seen in non-responders, including number and ratios of CD8+:PD-L1+by IHC, increased expression of NK, CD8 and ‘adaptive resistance’ markers by NanoString, as well as increased clonality and T cells by TCR sequencing. Conclusions: The excellent safety profile and striking 40% clinical response rate is encouraging as treated patients were predicted to be non-responsive to pembrolizumab. The correlative data shows an immune-directed mechanism that is differentiated between responders and non-responders suggesting the combination can effectively alter the tumor microenviroment to benefit patients otherwise unlikely to respond to anti-PD-1 monotherapy. Clinical trial information: NCT02493361.

Small-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels regulate neuronal excitability in a variety of ways. To understand their roles in different neuronal subtypes it is important to determine their precise subcellular distribution. Here, we used biochemical, light microscopy immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopy techniques, combined with quantitative approaches, to reveal the expression and subcellular localization patterns of SK2 in the developing cerebellum. Using western blots, the SK2 protein showed a progressive increase during postnatal development. At the light microscopic level, SK2 immunoreactivity was very prominent in the developing Purkinje cells, particularly in the molecular layer. Electron microscopy revealed that throughout development SK2 was mostly detected at the extrasynaptic and perisynaptic plasma membrane of dendritic shafts and dendritic spines of Purkinje cells. However, there was some localization at axon terminals as well. Quantitative analyses and 3D reconstructions further revealed a progressive developmental change of SK2 on the surface of Purkinje cells from dendritic shafts to dendritic spines. Together, these results indicate that SK2 channels undergo dynamic spatial regulation during cerebellar development, and this process is associated with the formation and maturation of excitatory synaptic contacts to Purkinje cells.

The potential of Ge nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in Al2O3 with tunable effective optical bandgap values in the range of 1.0-3.3 eV to induce enhanced Er3+ light emission is investigated. We demonstrate nonresonant indirect excitation of the Er3+ ions mediated by the Ge NPs at room temperature. Efficient Er3+ light emission enhancement is obtained for Ge NPs with large effective optical bandgaps in the range of 1.85 to 2.8 eV. The coupled Ge NP-Er emission shows a negligible thermal quenching from 10 K to room temperature that is related to Er3+ de-excitation through thermally activated defect states.

In this work, the solid-phase crystallization kinetics of amorphous SiGe films deposited by low-pressure chemical-vapor deposition on oxidized Si wafers has been studied by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and ultraviolet reflectance. The microstructure of the fully crystallized films has also been analyzed using these techniques in combination with transmission electron microscopy. The Ge fraction of the films (x) was in the 0–0.38 interval. The samples were crystallized at temperatures ranging from 525 to 600 °C. The crystallization monitored by all techniques was found to follow the Avrami model. Different crystallization behaviors are distinguished depending on the Ge content of the films and the crystallization temperature. The results are discussed in terms of the identification of the nucleation site location and the dimensionality of the grain growth, taking into account the probe depth of the different techniques and the values of the Avrami exponent derived from the crystallization curves....

Thermochemical reduction (TCR) at 2173K has been performed on nominally pure yttria-stabilized zirconia crystals. After TCR the crystals become opaque owing to a very intense optical absorption band centred at 2.64eV. Analytical transmission electron microscopy studies have shown that both copper and iron impurity precipitates are present. Colloids with different sizes and shapes are inhomogeneously distributed and both large and small precipitates are observed. Most of the large precipitates are elongated and irregular shaped, with an average dimension of 130 nm × 30 nm; they all contain copper. Exclusively copper and exclusively iron contents can be found in different parts of the same precipitate, an observation that is compatible with the fact that copper and iron are inmiscible. Smaller precipitates, with an average size of about 5 nm, are usually iron rich or copper rich.

Structural disorder induced by epitaxial strain relaxation in c -axis oriented [YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x n u.c /PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 5 u.c. ] superlattices on (100) SrTiO 3 substrates has been analyzed by high-resolution and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy. Epitaxial strain shows up in ultrathin YBCO layers with thickness below 4 unit cells. Strain relaxation takes place when layer thickness increases above this value. Microscopy observations for epitaxially strained superlattices show a good morphology of the layers, with sharp and flat interfaces. However, in relaxed samples rougher interfaces are observed, together with microdomains showing the c -axis parallel to the substrate plane which preserve the superlattice compositional profile. Such microdomains of c -parallel growth provide a path for reduced lattice mismatch, conforming a very efficient mechanism for strain relaxation.

Charge neutrality and stoichiometry impose severe restrictions on the mechanisms of epitaxial growth of complex oxides. The fundamental question arises of what is the minimum growth unit when sample thickness is reduced beyond the size of the unit cell. We have investigated the growth mechanism of YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7) cuprate superconductor, using a consistent approach based on the growth of noninteger numbers of YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7) layers in YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7)/PrBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7) superlattices. Ex situ chemical and structural analysis evidence a 2D block-by-block mechanism in which the minimum growth units are complete unit cell blocks, growing coherently over large lateral distances.

The crystallization kinetics and film microstructure of poly-SiGe layers obtained by solid-phase crystallization of unimplanted, C and F-implanted amorphous SiGe films have been studied. After crystallization, the F and C implanted SiGe films show larger grain sizes, both in-plane and perpendicular to the surface of the sample, than the unimplanted SiGe films. Also, the (111) texture is strongly enhanced when compared to the unimplanted SiGe or Si films. The structure of the C implanted SiGe samples consists of a mixture of grains with well defined contour and a small number of quasi-dendritic grains. These samples also show a very low grain size dispersion.

The effects of epitaxial strain in ultrathin ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ layers have been investigated by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The samples used were high quality $[{\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}(\mathrm{YBCO}{)}_{N}/{\mathrm{PrBa}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}(\mathrm{PBCO}{)}_{M}{]}_{1000\AA{}}$ superlattices, grown by high oxygen pressure sputtering, with N ranging between 1 and 12 unit cells and $M=5$ unit cells. Superlattice structure is refined by fitting x-ray spectra to a structural model containing disorder related parameters. Epitaxial mismatch strain and the absence of step disorder are found for YBCO layer thickness below 4 unit cells. A surprising reorganization of interatomic distances results, which seems to correlate with the decrease in the critical temperature. For larger YBCO layer thickness, stress relaxes and step disorder builds up. Transmission electron microscopy observations show the presence of a-axis orientated microdomains, which seem to be correlated to the release of epitaxial strain, provided in plane mismatch is smaller in this orientation.

An MgO crystal was thermochemically reduced (TCR) under extreme reducing conditions such that the concentration of anion vacancies $(F$ centers) was exceptionally large, $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{18}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}.$ Optical absorption measurements demonstrate that in addition to F centers absorbing at $250\mathrm{nm},$ anion-vacancy clusters absorbing at $355,$ $406,$ $440,$ $480,$ and $975$ nm were observed. Upon thermal annealing in a reducing atmosphere, a broad extinction band at 345 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 1.25 eV emerged. With further heat treatment the peak wavelength shifted toward 370 nm and the FWHM varied between $1.25$ and 2.25 eV. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that concomitantly there exist rectangular defects with typical dimensions of $3\mathrm{nm}.$ Microdiffraction, x-ray microanalysis, and high-resolution electron microscopy, in conjunction with Mie theory, indicate that these rectangular defects are nanocavities with their walls plated with magnesium. Therefore, both oxygen vacancies and magnesium-rich regions have been observed in a thermochemically reduced MgO crystal.

A wet etching method for GaN and AlxGa1-xN, based on aqueous solutions of KOH, is presented. A detailed analysis of the etching rate dependence with temperature and concentration is described. This etching has been used for the fabrication of high optical quality pyramidal nanostructures in wurtzite N-face GaN grown on AlN-buffered Si(111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. These nanostructures have been studied by high-resolution transmission and scanning electron microscopy and their optical quality has been analysed by low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The pyramids are parallel to the basal plane and limited by {111} planes and its presence improves the overall PL response of the sample. The relationship between the polarity of GaN and the characteristics of the AlN buffer has also been analysed.

a-Axis-oriented superconducting EuBa2Cu3O7 films and EuBa2Cu3O7/PrBa2Cu3O7 superlattices have been grown by sputtering on SrTiO3 (100) substrates. Structural analysis by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction has been performed. Both kind of samples are well-oriented with the c-axis parallel to the substrate plane, the structure at the boundaries is highly coherent and, in the superlattices, high angle X-ray satellite peaks are observed. The presence of PrBa2Cu3O7 layers in the superlattices induces a reduction in the superconducting transition temperature that can be attributed to a charge redistribution process in the CuO2 planes, which in this a-axis orientation belong simultaneously to insulating and superconducting layers.

The crystallization kinetics and film microstructure of poly-SiGe layers obtained by solid-phase crystallization (SPC) of amorphous SiGe with Ge fractions (x) in the 0 to 0.42 range have been studied in detail. Amorphous SiGe layers 100 nm thick were deposited by LPCVD at 450°C on thermally oxidized Si afers and 7059 Corning glasses, using Si 2 H 6 and GeH 4 as gas sources. The samples were crystallized at 550°C and low pressure (below 9 Pa The evolution of the crystallization and the resulting film microstructure were characterized by X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results on growth kinetics fit the Avrami's model. The characteristic crystallization time decreases with x, slowly for x < 0.3 and more abruptly for higher values of x. The transient time depends exponentially on x in all the intervals. The crystallized films have a (111) preferred orientation for low values of x and evolve to a randomly oriented polycrystal as x increases. The grain size in the fully crystallized layers decreases with increasing x. The results are similar for the films deposited on silicon dioxide and glass.

Pure Fe powders, milled down to 10 nm crystallite size, have been analyzed by a combination of Mossbauer spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and magnetization measurements. After annealing the as-milled powders at 570 K for 1 hour, a new phase is identified with a hyperfine field of 21 T, a lower magnetic moment than bulk Fe, a magnetic order-disorder transition temperature of about 500 K, and a fcc crystal structure. It is tentatively interpreted as a new magnetically ordered phase of Fe. © 1998 The American Physical Society.

A high-resolution transmission-electron-microscopy study of the relaxation and crystallization of a ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{80}{\mathrm{B}}_{20}$ amorphous alloy has been performed. An intermediate state, corresponding to the crystallization of ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}\mathrm{B}$ and to the formation of amorphous nickel, is discussed. This noncrystalline nickel is shown to consist of regions with only short-range order, together with regions of nascent crystallinity with a high density of defects, which resemble grain-boundary structures.

Grazing incidence RBS has been tested as a technique to detect and characterize SiGe nanoparticles embedded in a SiO2 matrix. Suitable structures were deposited by low pressure chemical vapour deposition and characterized by TEM and RBS. The layers containing nanoparticles have been modelled by stacks of sublayers consisting of SiGeO layers with compositions calculated according to presumed shapes, sizes, Si/Ge ratios and particle area densities and used as input for RUMP. The nanoparticle parameters obtained by fitting the experimental RBS spectra agree well with the findings by TEM. This demonstrates that RBS is a useful and fast technique to characterize this kind of structures.

Objetivo: Explorar las percepciones de un grupo de mujeres sometidas a mutilacion genital femenina sobre el impacto de esta practica en su salud sexual y reproductiva. Material y metodo: Estudio cualitativo de tipo fenomenologico. La muestra esta formada por nueve mujeres, cuya media de edad es de 30 anos, residen en Espana entre 1 y 14 anos, y proceden de Africa subsahariana, que fueron sometidas a mutilacion genital en sus paises de origen. Para la recopilacion de datos se ha aplicado un cuestionario sociodemografico y una entrevista personal estructurada, en profundidad. Posteriormente se ha realizado un analisis tematico del discurso. Resultados: Los discursos se han agrupado en cuatro categorias relativas a la percepcion sobre la mutilacion genital femenina, las relaciones de pareja, el embarazo y el parto, y la repercusion social. Conclusiones: La mutilacion genital femenina es una practica que las mujeres mantienen debido a la presion sociofamiliar, que se transmite de generacion en generacion y que es silenciada por las propias mujeres. Esta practica afecta a su salud sexual y reproductiva, debido a la anorgasmia y la dispareunia que comporta. Se sienten satisfechas con la asistencia sanitaria recibida durante el embarazo y el parto, pero se identifica una planificacion familiar insatisfecha en la mayoria de ellas.

© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Three copper base materials were fabricated following different routes: cast Cu-1 wt.%Y (C-Cu1Y) produced by vacuum induction melting, and Cu-1 wt.%Y (PM-Cu1Y) and Cu-1 wt.%Y2O3 (PM-Cu1Y2O3) both processed by a powder metallurgy route and sintering by hot isostatic pressing. PM-Cu1Y alloy was prepared by cryomilling and PM-Cu1Y2O3 by conventional milling at room temperature. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy and microhardness measurements. C-Cu1Y presents a characteristic eutectic microstructure while PM-Cu1Y2O3 exhibits a composite like microstructure. Electron microscopy analyses of as-HIP PM-Cu1Y revealed irregular decoration of yttrium-rich oxides at the grain boundaries and an inhomogeneous dispersion of polygonal shaped yttrium-rich oxides dispersed in the Cu matrix. Tensile tests performed on PM-Cu-1Y on the temperature range of 293-773 K have showed a decrease of the yield strength at temperatures higher than 473 K, and monotonically decrease of the ultimate tensile strength and maximum plastic strain on increasing temperature.

Producción Científica, The control of the SiGe NW composition is fundamental for the fabrication of high quality heterostructures. Raman spectroscopy has been used to analyse the composition of SiGe alloys. We present a study of the Raman spectrum of SiGe nanowires and SiGe/Si heterostructures. The inhomogeneity of the Ge composition deduced from the Raman spectrum is explained by the existence of a Ge-rich outer shell and by the interaction of the NW with the electromagnetic field associated with the laser beam., Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA302U13)

This study evaluates the mechanical behaviour of an Y2O3-dispersed tungsten (W) alloy and compares it to a pure W reference material. Both materials were processed via mechanical alloying (MA) and subsequent hot isostatic pressing (HIP). We performed non-standard three-point bending (TPB) tests in both an oxidising atmosphere and vacuum across a temperature range from 77 K, obtained via immersion in liquid nitrogen, to 1473 K to determine the mechanical strength, yield strength and fracture toughness. This research aims to evaluate how the mechanical behaviour of the alloy is affected by oxides formed within the material at high temperatures, primarily from 873 K, when the materials undergo a massive thermal degradation. The results indicate that the alloy is brittle to a high temperature (1473 K) under both atmospheres and that the mechanical properties degrade significantly above 873 K. We also used Vickers microhardness tests and the dynamic modulus by impulse excitation technique (IET) to determine the elastic modulus at room temperature. Moreover, we performed nanoindentation tests to determine the effect of size on the hardness and elastic modulus; however, no significant differences were found. Additionally, we calculated the relative density of the samples to assess the porosity of the alloy. Finally, we analysed the microstructure and fracture surfaces of the tested materials via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In this way, the relationship between the macroscopic mechanical properties and micromechanisms of failure could be determined based on the temperature and oxides formed.

The strain compensation produced by heavy boron doping in Si1−xGex layers with x = 0.21, 0.26, and 0.34 grown by solid phase epitaxy on (001) Si wafers has been analyzed using high resolution electron microscopy, high resolution x-ray diffractometry, and ion channeling. The structure of the epilayers consists of a defect-free region located next to the layer-substrate interface and a top region which contains strain-relieving defects. In the undoped samples the defect-free layers are partially relaxed and their relaxation increases as the Ge fraction increases. Substitutional boron incorporated to the SiGe lattice to levels of 2.8 ± 0 3 × 1020 cm−3 during the growth process reduces the lattice mismatch between the epilayers and the substrate. The boron-doped, defect-free layers are thicker than the corresponding undoped layers of the same Ge content and their strain relaxation is lower. It has been shown that it is possible to grow at least 27 nm thick defect-free and fully strained heavily boron-doped layers with x = 0.21 by solid phase epitaxy.

Coarse-grained commercially pure (CP) Titanium is subjected to hydrostatic extrusion resulting in the formation of ultrafine lamellar-type microstructure having very strong fiber texture. Uni-axial tensile tests of longitudinal and transverse specimens are carried out to study anisotropy of uni-axial deformation behavior of hydrostatically extruded CP Titanium. Small punch testing of longitudinal and transverse specimens is performed to study the anisotropy of its bi-axial deformation behavior. It is demonstrated that there is significant anisotropy of both uni-axial and bi-axial deformation of CP Titanium after hydrostatic extrusion which is related to the specific microstructure and texture developed in the material during hydrostatic extrusion. This work was carried out in frames of the European project LIMEDU (FP7 ERA-NET MATERA+2009, Project No MATERA/ESM- 1889) funded by Fundacion MADRI+D and by the National Centre for Research and Development (Project NCBiR/ERA-NET MATERA+/03/ 2011).

To explore the perceptions of a group of women who underwent female genital mutilation on the impact of this practice on their sexual and reproductive health.We performed a phenomenological qualitative study in a sample of 9 sub-Saharan Africa women, whose mean age was 30 years old and who had lived in Spain for 1 to 14 years. These women underwent genital mutilation in their countries of origin. Data was collected using a socio-demographic survey and an in-depth, structured personal interview. Subsequently, we performed a thematic discourse analysis.The discourses were grouped into four categories related to participants' perceptions of female genital mutilation. These categories were intimate relationships, pregnancy, childbirth, and social impact.The practice of female genital mutilation is maintained due to social and family pressure, transmitted from generation to generation and silenced by women themselves. This practice affects their sexual and reproductive health, as demonstrated by anorgasmia and dyspareunia. The women were satisfied with the healthcare received during pregnancy and childbirth. Nevertheless, most of them were not satisfied with family planning.

Small-conductance, Ca(2+) -activated K(+) (SK) channels are expressed in the hippocampus where they regulate synaptic responses, plasticity, and learning and memory. To investigate the expression of SK3 (KCNN3) subunits, we determined the developmental profile and subcellular distribution of SK3 in the developing mouse hippocampus using western blots, immunohistochemistry and high-resolution immunoelectron microscopy. The results showed that SK3 expression increased during postnatal development, and that the localization of SK3 changed from being mainly associated with the endoplasmic reticulum and intracellular sites during the first postnatal week to being progressively concentrated in dendritic spines during later stages. In the adult, SK3 was localized mainly in postsynaptic compartments, both at extrasynaptic sites and along the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. Double labelling showed that SK3 co-localized with SK2 (KCNN2) and with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Finally, quantitative analysis of SK3 density revealed two subcellular distribution patterns in different hippocampal layers, with SK3 being unevenly distributed in CA1 region of the hippocampus pyramidal cells and homogeneously distributed in dentate gyrus granule cells. Our results revealed a complex cell surface distribution of SK3-containing channels and a distinct developmental program that may influence different hippocampal functions.

Objectives Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains carrying the mecC gene have been reported from humans and animals from several European countries, but never from Spain. We describe the first isolates of mecC-positive MRSA of human origin collected in Spain and report a fatal case of bacteraemia. Methods Isolates were tested for phenotypic resistance using cefoxitin, tested for the mecA/mecC genes and toxin genes by PCR, and typed by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), PFGE, spa, multilocus sequence typing and agr. Results During 2008-13 five MRSA isolates showing resistance to cefoxitin and carrying the mecC gene were recovered at one hospital in Spain. In a review of 5505 S. aureus strains received at the Spanish National Reference Centre for Staphylococci from the same period, we found two additional mecC-positive isolates. The isolates were recovered from blood (two), wounds (two), joint fluid (one), urine (one) and a nasal swab (one). All MRSA were mecA negative, presented SCCmecXI, belonged to agr group III and to clonal complex 130, and were negative for the production of the toxin genes tst1, eta, etb, etd and Panton-Valentine leucocidin. Six isolates belonged to spa type t843 (ST130 and ST1945, where ST stands for sequence type) and one to spa type t6220 (ST1945). One patient with mecC-positive MRSA sepsis died in the emergency department. Conclusions We confirm the presence of MRSA carrying the mecC gene in Spain, the ability of this livestock-associated MRSA to cause severe infections in humans and the need to perform culture-based susceptibility testing methods in order to detect these emerging strains.

Linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LRSA) emerged in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in different countries several years ago ([1][1]), and we have also observed this problem in Spain. The most frequent mechanism of linezolid resistance in staphylococci is a G2576T point mutation within domain

Objectives To describe the differences in obstetrical results and women's childbirth satisfaction across 2 different models of maternity care (biomedical model and humanised birth). Setting 2 university hospitals in south-eastern Spain from April to October 2013. Design A correlational descriptive study. Participants A convenience sample of 406 women participated in the study, 204 of the biomedical model and 202 of the humanised model. Results The differences in obstetrical results were (biomedical model/humanised model): onset of labour (spontaneous 66/137, augmentation 70/1, p=0.0005), pain relief (epidural 172/132, no pain relief 9/40, p=0.0005), mode of delivery (normal vaginal 140/165, instrumental 48/23, p=0.004), length of labour (0–4 hours 69/93, >4 hours 133/108, p=0.011), condition of perineum (intact perineum or tear 94/178, episiotomy 100/24, p=0.0005). The total questionnaire score (100) gave a mean (M) of 78.33 and SD of 8.46 in the biomedical model of care and an M of 82.01 and SD of 7.97 in the humanised model of care (p=0.0005). In the analysis of the results per items, statistical differences were found in 8 of the 9 subscales. The highest scores were reached in the humanised model of maternity care. Conclusions The humanised model of maternity care offers better obstetrical outcomes and women's satisfaction scores during the labour, birth and immediate postnatal period than does the biomedical model.

Commercially pure (CP) titanium has been subjected to hydrostatic extrusion at room temperature at true strains ranging from 0.70 to 3.24. Isochronal thermal treatments, from room temperature to 1 200 °C, have been performed and the thermal stability of the deformation-induced defects has been studied by positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). In non-annealed samples, vacancy-type defects are formed and interact with iron impurities. These defects are not stable near room temperature. Saturation of the positron annihilation parameters is not observed for cumulative true strains as large as 3.24, due to dynamic recovery during the extrusion process. TEM experiments confirm the formation of iron-rich precipitates. Vacancy-type defects and vacancy–impurity complexes anneal out at temperatures ≈700 °C.