Treatment of Polymeric Films Used for Printed Electronic Circuits Using Ambient Air DBD Non-Thermal Plasma.

This study aims to present the properties of the polymeric films after being subjected to DBD plasma treatment in atmospheric conditions. Three different commercial films of polyester (Xerox Inkjet transparencies and Autostat CUS5 Clear film) and polycarbonate (Lexan™ 8010 MC) have been considered for the tests. The surface wettability has been evaluated based on static water contact angle (WCA) for different treatment times varying between 0.

Reproductive health in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

As type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) reaches epidemic proportions in the developed world and the age at diagnosis decreases, more women of reproductive age are being affected. In this article, we provide a synoptic view on potential mechanisms and relevant factors underlying menstrual cycle disorders and fertility issues in women with T2DM. The article discusses the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, the central role of the hypothalamus in the homeostasis of this system, the central modulators of the axis, and the peripheral metabolic signals involved in neuroendocrine control of reproduction.

Differentiating Psoriatic Arthritis From Psoriasis Without Psoriatic Arthritis Using Novel Serum Biomarkers.

Objective: There is a high prevalence of undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients with psoriasis. Identifying soluble biomarkers for PsA will help in screening psoriasis patients for appropriate rheumatology referral. We therefore aimed to investigate whether serum levels of novel markers previously discovered by quantitative mass spectrometric analysis of synovial fluid and skin biopsies performs better than the C-reactive protein (CRP) level in differentiating PsA patients from those with psoriasis without PsA (PsC).

From Clinical Considerations to Theory - Blood Pressure Variability Profiles and Patterns.

Background: Blood pressure variability (BPV) has recently been associated with adverse cardiovascular (CV) events, endothelial dysfunction as well as both CV and non-CV morbidity and mortality. Different BPV indicators have been associated with increased CV risk.

Methods: We included 744 hypertensive patients referred to our clinic for uncontrolled arterial hypertension (HTN) between 2012 and 2014, with a minimum of 40 successful daytime and 8 successful nighttime readings on automatic blood pressure monitoring (ABPM Meditech-05 device, recordings at 15-20 minutes intervals during daytime and 20-30 minutes intervals during nighttime).

Medication use by middle-aged and older participants of an exercise study: results from the Brain in Motion study.

Background: Over the past 50 years, there has been an increase in the utilization of prescribed, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and natural health products. Although it is known that medication use is common among older persons, accurate data on the patterns of use, including the quantity and type of medications consumed in a generally healthy older population from a Canadian perspective are lacking. In this study, we study the pattern of medication use in a sedentary but otherwise healthy older persons use and determined if there was an association between medication use and aerobic fitness level.