Tailoring Optical Performance of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Crystal Violet Band-Pass Filters via Solvent Features.

Optical filters are essential components for a variety of applicative fields, such as communications, chemical analysis and optical signal processing. This article describes the preparation and characterization of a new optical filter made of polyvinyl alcohol and incremental amounts of crystal violet. By using distinct solvents (HO, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and HO) to obtain the dyed polymer films, new insights were gained into the pathway that underlies the possibility of tailoring the material's optical performance.

Non-invasive respiratory support in children and young adults with complex medical conditions in pediatric palliative care.

Objective: Dyspnoea and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are common in children with life-limiting conditions but studies on treatment with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are scarce. The aim of the study was to describe children treated with long-term NIV/CPAP within a paediatric palliative care programme in France.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey on children and young adults with complex medical conditions treated within the French paediatric NIV network with long-term NIV/CPAP.

Lung volume recruitment and airway clearance for children at home in France.

Background: Airway clearance (ACT) and lung volume recruitment (LVR) techniques are used to manage bronchial secretions, increase cough efficiency and lung/chest wall recruitment, to prevent and treat respiratory tract infections. The aim of the study was to review the prescription of ACT/LVR techniques for home use in children in France.

Methods: All the centers of the national pediatric noninvasive ventilation (NIV) network were invited to fill in an anonymous questionnaire for every child aged ≤20 years who started a treatment with an ACT/LVR device between 2022 and 2023.

New Insights on Solvent-Induced Changes in Refractivity and Specific Rotation of Poly(propylene oxide) Systems Extracted from Channeled Spectra.

Investigation of chiroptical polymers in the solution phase is paramount for designing supramolecular architectures for photonic or biomedical devices. This work is devoted to the case study of poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) optical activity in several solvents: benzonitrile, carbon disulfide, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and -dioxane. To attain information on the interactions in these systems, rheological testing was undertaken, showing distinct variations of the rheological parameters as a function of the solvent type.

Pediatric long-term noninvasive respiratory support in children with central nervous system disorders.

Rationale: The use of long-term noninvasive respiratory support is increasing in children along with an extension of indications, in particular in children with central nervous system (CNS) disorders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of children with CNS disorders treated with long-term noninvasive respiratory support in France.

Methods: Data were collected from 27 French pediatric university centers through an anonymous questionnaire filled for every child treated with noninvasive ventilatory support ≥3 months on 1st June 2019.

Testing the Performance of the Azo-Polyimide Supramolecular Systems as Substrate for Sensors Based on Platinum Electrodes.

Azo-polyimide films with supramolecular structure were obtained by casting onto glass plates a mixture based on polyamidic acid and different quantities of azochromophore, followed by thermal treatment to realize the final azo-polyimide structure. The dielectric characteristics of the supramolecular structure of polymer films were investigated by broad-band dielectric spectroscopy measurements at different temperatures and frequencies. The free-standing films proved to be flexible and tough and maintained their integrity after repeated bending.

Atomic Force Microscopy Probing and Analysis of Polyimide Supramolecular Systems for Sensor Devices.

A series of polyimide supramolecular systems containing different amounts of azochromophore were tested as flexible supports that can be used in the fabrication of certain devices, such as sensors for monitoring the temperature changes, by coating them with conductive metals. That is why it is required to have good interfacial compatibility between the flexible substrate and the inorganic layer. The interface of the sensor elements must be designed in such a way as to improve the sensitivity, accuracy, and response time of the device.

Review on Optical Methods Used to Characterize the Linear Birefringence of Polymer Materials for Various Applications.

Optical polymers are recognized for their high transparency, raised flexibility, low cost, and good film-forming ability; hence, they introduce a multitude of benefits in a wide range of devices, such as information storage, displays, optical communications, and filters. Among the optical properties, birefringence is an essential parameter in practical cases that demand the control of the state of polarization of light. This review is focused on describing some fundamental and applicative aspects concerning the optical birefringence of the polymer materials.

Polyimide-Derived Supramolecular Systems Containing Various Amounts of Azochromophore for Optical Storage Uses.

The progress of digital technologies demands more speed and larger storage capacity. Optical storage systems have the advantage of being cheap, fast and capacious. This article explores the potential use of polyimide-based films as a recording medium for optical storage devices.

Cobalt Ferrite/Polyetherimide Composites as Thermally Stable Materials for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Uses.

The progress of the automated industry has introduced many benefits in our daily life, but it also produces undesired electromagnetic interference (EMI) that distresses the end-users and functionality of electronic devices. This article develops new composites based on a polyetherimide (PEI) matrix and cobalt ferrite (CoFeO) nanofiller (10-50 wt%) by mixing inorganic phase in the poly(amic acid) solution, followed by film casting and controlled heating, to acquire the corresponding imide structure. The composites were designed to contain both electric and magnetic dipole sources by including highly polarizable groups (phenyls, ethers, -CN) in the PEI structure and by loading this matrix with magnetic nanoparticles, respectively.

Long term noninvasive ventilation and continuous positive airway pressure in children with neuromuscular diseases in France.

The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of children with neuromuscular diseases treated with long term noninvasive ventilation or continuous positive airway pressure in France. On June 1st 2019, 387 patients (63% boys, mean age 11.2 ± 5.

Polyimide Layers with High Refractivity and Surface Wettability Adapted for Lowering Optical Losses in Solar Cells.

The performance of photovoltaics with superstrate configuration is limited by the rigidity and low refractivity of a classical glass cover. In this work, two polyimides (PIs) and two copolyimides combined in the main chain cycloaliphatic moieties, aromatic sequences, chalcogen atoms, and having/lacking fluorine atoms, are proposed as shielding covers for solar cells. The samples containing small cycloaliphatic moieties displayed high transmittance above 80% at 550 nm.

A New Texturing Approach of a Polyimide Shielding Cover for Enhanced Light Propagation in Photovoltaic Devices.

The efficiency of photovoltaics (PVs) is related to cover material properties and light management in upper layers of the device. This article investigates new polyimide (PI) covers for PVs that enable light trapping through their induced surface texture. The latter is attained via a novel strategy that involves multi-directional rubbing followed by plasma exposure.

Respiratory management of spinal muscular atrophy type 1 patients treated with Nusinersen.

Introduction: The recent development of disease-modifying treatments in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1 shifted these patients' management from palliative to proactive. The aim of this study was to assess patients' nocturnal gas exchanges before noninvasive ventilation (NIV) initiation and their clinical evolution to determine if capnia is a good criterion to decide when to introduce respiratory support.

Patients And Methods: This multicentric retrospective study reports the respiratory management and evolution of 17 SMA type 1 children (10 females) for whom treatment with Nusinersen was initiated between 2016 and 2018.

New Strategy for Inducing Surface Anisotropy in Polyimide Films for Nematics Orientation in Display Applications.

The operability of liquid crystal displays is strongly impacted by the orientation aspects of nematics, which in turn are affected by the alignment layer surface features. In this work, two polyimide (PI) structures are obtained based on a cycloaliphatic dianhydride and aromatic or aliphatic diamines with distinct flexibility. The attained PI films have high transmittance (T) for visible radiations, i.

Paediatric long term continuous positive airway pressure and noninvasive ventilation in France: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of children treated with long term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in France.

Design: Cross-sectional national survey.

Setting: Paediatric CPAP/NIV teams of 28 tertiary university hospitals in France.

Automatic oxygen flow titration in spontaneously breathing children: An open-label randomized controlled pilot study.

Introduction: When children require supplemental oxygen due to acute hypoxemic respiratory distress (AHRD), manual control of the oxygen flow is often difficult and time-consuming, and carries the risk of unrecognized hypoxia and hyperoxia. To date, no automatic oxygen titration system has been developed and evaluated in spontaneously breathing children.

Methods: Children between 1 month and 15 years of age receiving supplemental oxygen due to AHRD were recruited within 24 hours following the onset of the O administration in a French University Department of Paediatrics.

Thoracic circumference: A new outcome measure in spinal muscular atrophy type 1?

Since respiratory insufficiency is the first cause of morbidity and mortality in spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA 1), specific respiratory outcome measures are needed to evaluate changes and assess innovative therapies. In this study, thoracic circumference (TC) was used as a proxy for chest growth and an indirect measurement of respiratory function. The anthropometric parameters including TC and head-circumference (HC) were evaluated from birth to 13 months in 19 infants with SMA 1 and 124 control infants.

[Update on the management of acute viral bronchiolitis: proposed guidelines of Grand Ouest University Hospitals].

Background And Objectives: While our European and North American colleagues have recently updated their recommendations, the 2000 Consensus Conference remains the main guideline on management of acute viral bronchiolitis in France. We aimed to establish an updated inter-regional protocol on management of acute viral bronchiolitis in infants.

Method: Pediatricians, pediatric pulmonologists, and emergency physicians of the Grand Ouest University Hospitals (France) gathered to analyze the recent data from the literature.

Statistical analysis on morphology development of some semialicyclic polyimides using atomic force microscopy.

The morphological features and surface texture parameters of some polyimide films prepared from a flexible and alicyclic dianhydride, in combination with five aromatic diamines, were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in order to determine their applicability in electronics. By means of the surface roughness, shape of the surface height distribution, and angular and radial texture, a precise description of the actual surface topographies at the interface with other materials was made. The polyimide structures led to the development of different surface morphologies (from granular to porous and from bumpy to spiky).

Morphological and rheological insights on polyimide chain entanglements for electrospinning produced fibers.

Solution rheology and electrospinning performance of an aromatic polyimide based on 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and 3,3'-dimethyl-4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane (MMDA) was studied. Analyzing the dependence of specific viscosity on polymer concentration enabled the evaluation of the transition from semidilute unentangled to semidilute entangled regime at 18.3%.