Differences in phagosome acidification of Manila clam hemocytes in response to two Perkinsus species with contrasting proliferation dynamics in the host: P. olseni and P. mediterraneus.

Understanding the factors determining the host ranges of Perkinsus spp., a significant group of pathogenic protozoans affecting shellfish, is essential for preventing their spread and designing effective control measures. Considering that differences in the ability to proliferate within the host may influence the determination of host range, we first injected six Perkinsus spp.

Tailoring ultrabroadband near-infrared luminescence in Bi-doped germanosilicate glasses.

Bi-doped glasses and optical fibers are extensively studied since they present broadband optical amplification in the near-infrared region (NIR), in which the optical telecommunication industry greatly depends for the transmission of optical signals. There are many scientific challenges about the NIR luminescent emissions from Bi ions, such as understanding its origin and further improving the associated optical amplification capacity. In this work, Bi-doped germanosilicate glass compositions with ultrabroadband NIR luminescence were fabricated, in the range of 925-1630 nm, which covers O, E, S, C, and L-telecommunication bands.

Towards REPO nanocrystal-doped optical fibers for distributed sensing applications.

Rayleigh scattering enhanced nanoparticle-doped optical fibers, for distributed sensing applications, is a new technology that offers unique advantages to optical fiber community. However, the existing fabrication technology, based on in situ grown alkaline earth nanoparticles, is restricted to few compositions and exhibit a great dependence on many experimental conditions. Moreover, there is still several uncertainties about the effect of drawing process on the nanoparticle characteristics and its influence on the scattering enhancement and the induced optical loss.

Unveiling Structural Insights into Nanocrystal-Doped Optical Fibers via Confocal Raman Microscopy.

An in-depth characterization of nanoparticle-doped optical fibers is crucial to understand the potential new functionalities of the engineered glass and thus their applicability fields. The high temperatures of the manufacturing process strongly affect the nanoparticle features, and therefore, their analysis is necessary after fiber drawing. However, the difficulties associated with the use of atomic resolution microscopies to analyze the nanoparticle features in the fiber core, mainly related to sample preparation and expensive costs, usually prevent their study.

Engineering nanoparticle features to tune Rayleigh scattering in nanoparticles-doped optical fibers.

Rayleigh scattering enhanced nanoparticles-doped optical fibers are highly promising for distributed sensing applications, however, the high optical losses induced by that scattering enhancement restrict considerably their sensing distance to few meters. Fabrication of long-range distributed optical fiber sensors based on this technology remains a major challenge in optical fiber community. In this work, it is reported the fabrication of low-loss Ca-based nanoparticles doped silica fibers with tunable Rayleigh scattering for long-range distributed sensing.

Oncological outcomes of lipofilling in breast reconstruction: a matched cohort study with 250 patients.

Background: Fat grafting is a procedure commonly used in breast reconstruction nowadays. Nevertheless, its oncological safety remains controversial. The potential risk that progenitor cells included in fat graft tissue may contribute to disease progression in patients with breast cancer is still debatable.

What Is Your Reality? Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality in Plastic Surgery Training, Education, and Practice.

Virtual reality and other technological advancements both inside and outside the operating room have shown an exponential increase in the past two decades. Surgical technique and finesse in delicate procedures have become ever more important, and the onus is on plastic surgeons and plastic surgery residents to meet these needs to provide the best outcomes possible to patients. The ability to learn, simulate, and practice operating in a fashion that poses no harm to any patient is truly a gift from technology to surgery that any surgeon could benefit from, whether trainee or attending.

Current impact of pandemic on Spanish plastic surgery departments: a multi-center report.

Background: After its initial description in China, is hitting nations across the world, with Spain as the third country in number of deaths, after the USA and Italy. Similarly to what is happening in other countries, an important reduction in available operating rooms is affecting our departments. In this study, we aim to know how Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the delivery of plastic surgery services in Spain.

Implant-based immediate breast reconstruction: failure rate when radiating the tissue expander or the permanent implant-a meta-analysis.

Background: Implant-based immediate approach remains to be a first line option for reconstruction of mastectomy defects. When combined with post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) two different schemas are possible: radiating the temporary tissue expander (TTE) or the permanent implant (PI). The present article intends to be the biggest cohort meta-analysis to the date comparing reconstructive failure (RF) rate in these two scenarios: PMRT to TE compared with PMRT to PI.

Employer Policy and Practice Toward Older Workers in Hong Kong: The Role of Shifting Intergenerational Dynamics.

Many governments are seeking to encourage the extension of working lives to counteract potential labor market shortages that might result from population aging. Nevertheless, research shows that older workers continue to face a range of barriers to their labor market participation. However, this research has not tended to take a holistic view of the factors shaping employer policy and practice or acknowledge that older workers' experiences are embedded within broader social structures and age dynamics.

Fingertip Necrosis due to Intravascular Use of Mephedrone: A Case Report.

Mephedrone is a new synthetic cathinone-derived drug. It is a sympathomimetic drug, and its structure is similar to amphetamines, although its specific pharmacokinetics and metabolism remain unknown. We performed a literature search in PUBMED with the following key words: Mephedrone AND Necrosis AND Hand.

A new LaCo0.71(1)V0.29(1)O2.97(3) perovskite containing vanadium in octahedral sites: synthesis and structural and magnetic characterization.

In the course of an investigation to prepare the hypothetic new double perovskite La(3)Co(2)VO(9) with Co(2+) and V(5+) in octahedral sites, we obtained the new simple perovskite LaCo(0.71(1))V(0.29(1))O(2.

A theoretical study of the optical properties of nanostructured TiO2.

Optical properties of TiO(2) nanoclusters (with more than 30 TiO(2) units) were calculated within a fully atomistic quantum dynamic framework. We use a time dependent tight-binding model to describe the electronic structure of TiO(2) nanoclusters in order to compute their optical properties. We present calculated absorption spectra for a series of nanospheres of different radii and crystal structures.