Highly efficient and tunable spin-to-charge conversion through Rashba coupling at oxide interfaces.

The spin-orbit interaction couples the electrons' motion to their spin. As a result, a charge current running through a material with strong spin-orbit coupling generates a transverse spin current (spin Hall effect, SHE) and vice versa (inverse spin Hall effect, ISHE). The emergence of SHE and ISHE as charge-to-spin interconversion mechanisms offers a variety of novel spintronic functionalities and devices, some of which do not require any ferromagnetic material. However, the interconversion efficiency of SHE and ISHE (spin Hall angle) is a bulk property that rarely exceeds ten percent, and does not take advantage of interfacial and low-dimensional effects otherwise ubiquitous in spintronic hetero- and mesostructures. Here, we make use of an interface-driven spin-orbit coupling mechanism-the Rashba effect-in the oxide two-dimensional electron system (2DES) LaAlO3/SrTiO3 to achieve spin-to-charge conversion with unprecedented efficiency. Through spin pumping, we inject a spin current from a NiFe film into the oxide 2DES and detect the resulting charge current, which can be strongly modulated by a gate voltage. We discuss the amplitude of the effect and its gate dependence on the basis of the electronic structure of the 2DES and highlight the importance of a long scattering time to achieve efficient spin-to-charge interconversion.

Spin to Charge Conversion at Room Temperature by Spin Pumping into a New Type of Topological Insulator: α-Sn Films.

We present results on spin to charge current conversion in experiments of resonant spin pumping into the Dirac cone with helical spin polarization of the elemental topological insulator (TI) α-Sn. By angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), we first check that the Dirac cone (DC) at the α-Sn (0 0 1) surface subsists after covering Sn with Ag. Then we show that resonant spin pumping at room temperature from Fe through Ag into α-Sn layers induces a lateral charge current that can be ascribed to the inverse Edelstein effect by the DC states. Our observation of an inverse Edelstein effect length much longer than those generally found for Rashba interfaces demonstrates the potential of TIs for the conversion between spin and charge in spintronic devices. By comparing our results with data on the relaxation time of TI free surface states from time-resolved ARPES, we can anticipate the ultimate potential of the TI for spin to charge conversion and the conditions to reach it.

Midcervical neuronal discharge patterns during and following hypoxia.

Anatomical evidence indicates that midcervical interneurons can be synaptically coupled with phrenic motoneurons. Accordingly, we hypothesized that interneurons in the C3-C4 spinal cord can display discharge patterns temporally linked with inspiratory phrenic motor output. Anesthetized adult rats were studied before, during, and after a 4-min bout of moderate hypoxia. Neuronal discharge in C3-C4 lamina I-IX was monitored using a multielectrode array while phrenic nerve activity was extracellularly recorded. For the majority of cells, spike-triggered averaging (STA) of ipsilateral inspiratory phrenic nerve activity based on neuronal discharge provided no evidence of discharge synchrony. However, a distinct STA phrenic peak with a 6.83 ± 1.1 ms lag was present for 5% of neurons, a result that indicates a monosynaptic connection with phrenic motoneurons. The majority (93%) of neurons changed discharge rate during hypoxia, and the diverse responses included both increased and decreased firing. Hypoxia did not change the incidence of STA peaks in the phrenic nerve signal. Following hypoxia, 40% of neurons continued to discharge at rates above prehypoxia values (i.e., short-term potentiation, STP), and cells with initially low discharge rates were more likely to show STP (P < 0.001). We conclude that a population of nonphrenic C3-C4 neurons in the rat spinal cord is synaptically coupled to the phrenic motoneuron pool, and these cells can modulate inspiratory phrenic output. In addition, the C3-C4 propriospinal network shows a robust and complex pattern of activation both during and following an acute bout of hypoxia.

Assessment of human lymphocyte proliferation associated with metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of various metabolic conditions, has become epidemic and causes increased morbidity and mortality. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare lymphocyte proliferation under two different stimuli, Concanavalin A (ConA) and insulin, in a group of patients with MetS (Group 1) and a healthy group (Group 2). METHODS: Group 1 consisted of 53 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for MetS. Group 2 consisted of 63 patients without MetS. All individuals were evaluated for lipid profile and glycemia. Lymphocyte extraction and culture were performed for each subject and lymphocyte proliferation was assessed using the Alamar blue technique. RESULTS: There was no gender difference between both groups, but in terms of age, there was a significant difference. The use of Con A at concentrations of 1 and 5 µg/mL induced a high lymphocyte proliferation in both groups. In contrast, when different concentrations of insulin were added, no significant changes in lymphocyte proliferation were observed. However, the proliferation of lymphocytes was significantly higher in Group 1 compared to Group 2 under insulin stimulus, which did not happen under ConA stimulation. Even after age and gender correction, this difference was maintained. CONCLUSIONS: The increased lymphocyte proliferative response to insulin in patients with MetS found in this study suggests a role of the lymphocyte response to insulin in the pathophysiology of MetS. This response may be used as an immuno-biological marker for MetS, although further studies to evaluate its clinical usefulness need to be conducted.

Switchable spin-current source controlled by magnetic domain walls.

Using nonlocal spin injection, spin-orbit coupling, or spincaloritronic effects, the manipulation of pure spin currents in nanostructures underlies the development of new spintronic devices. Here, we demonstrate the possibility to create switchable pure spin current sources, controlled by magnetic domain walls. When the domain wall is located at a given point of the magnetic circuit, a pure spin current is injected into a nonmagnetic wire. Using the reciprocal measurement configuration, we demonstrate that the proposed device can also be used as a pure spin current detector. Thanks to its simple geometry, this device can be easily implemented in spintronics applications; in particular, a single current source can be used both to induce the domain wall motion and to generate the spin signal.

Changing trends in the epidemiology of hip fracture in Spain.

UNLABELLED: Temporal trends in hip fracture incidence have recently been reported in some developed countries. Such data in Spain has previously been incomplete; this study reports the stratified incidence of hip fractures in people over 65 in Spain during the last 14 years. INTRODUCTION: The main objective is to establish whether temporal trends in hip fracture incidence in Spain exist. METHODS: Ecological study with data from hospital discharges nationwide. The study includes patients aged ≥ 65 years during a 14-year period (1997-2010). The analysis compares two periods of four years: 1997-2000 (P1) and 2007-2010 (P2). RESULTS: There were 119,857 fractures in men and 415,421 in women. Comparing periods (P1 vs P2) over 10 years, the crude incidence rate/100,000 inhabitant/year increased an average of 2.3%/year in men and 1.4% in women. After adjustment, the rate increased an average of 0.4%/year in men (p < 0.0001), but decreased 0.2%/year in women (p < 0.0001). In men, younger than 85, the decrease was not significant except in 70-74 years, and from 80 years, the adjusted rate increases significantly (p < 0.0001). In women under 80 years of age, the decrease in adjusted rate was significant; there was no change in 80-84 years, and the adjusted rate increased significantly in individuals 85 years and older (p < 0.0001). Mortality rates declined by 22% in both sexes, and the index of overaging population rises 30.1 % in men and 25.2% in women. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports other international studies by showing changes in the incidence of hip fractures after age-population adjustment, which denotes a decrease in the younger age groups and among women and shows an increase in both groups over 85 years. The increase in the crude incidence rate of hip fracture in Spain reflects changes in population structure.

Spin pumping and inverse spin Hall effect in platinum: the essential role of spin-memory loss at metallic interfaces.

Through combined ferromagnetic resonance, spin pumping, and inverse spin Hall effect experiments in Co|Pt bilayers and Co|Cu|Pt trilayers, we demonstrate consistent values of ℓsfPt=3.4±0.4 nm and θSHEPt=0.056±0.010 for the respective spin diffusion length and spin Hall angle for Pt. Our data and model emphasize the partial depolarization of the spin current at each interface due to spin-memory loss. Our model reconciles the previously published spin Hall angle values and explains the different scaling lengths for the ferromagnetic damping and the spin Hall effect induced voltage.

Impact of an educational intervention about healthy lifestyles in teenagers.

BACKGROUND: During the last years, lifestyle has worsened along the entire European population, causing an alarming boom-up regarding overweight and obese people. Pediatric population is also influenced in this sense, which may predispose to suffer from several diseases in adulthood. Educational interventions at early ages could be an effective strategy to face this situation. AIM: To describe the impact of an educational intervention about healthy lifestyle in adolescents. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study analyzing the knowledge of high school students, before and after a brief educational intervention based on a self-elaborated questionnaire including questions from the validated questionnaire CAPA (from Spanish, Conocimientos en Alimentación de Personas Adolescentes). RESULTS: The results of this study show a significant increase in knowledge about healthy lifestyles in the study population after the educational intervention (14.3±3.8 vs. 16.5±4.5; p<0.001). In addition, this improvement presents an asymmetric distribution according to gender (13.2±3.6 vs. 14.9±4.6; p=0.002 in men; 15.6±3 vs. 18.1±3.6; p<0.001 in women) and the type of educational center (14.17±3.6 vs. 16.48±4.17; p<0.001 in public schools and 14.86±4.15 vs. 16.54±5.32; p=0.047 in private schools). Parents' educational level was associated with improvement in knowledge about healthy lifestyles (13.44±2.9 vs. 15.67±5.37; p=0.132 at low level, 14.22±3.42 vs. 16.9±4.68; p<0.001 at medium level and 15.75±3.3 vs. 17.39±4.5; p=0.022 at high level). CONCLUSION: Educational intervention taught by primary health care professionals is a useful and efficient tool for the acquisition of nutritional and healthy lifestyle knowledge in adolescents.

A gene encoding a novel RFX-associated transactivator is mutated in the majority of MHC class II deficiency patients.

Major histocompatibility class II (MHC-II) molecules are transmembrane proteins that have a central role in development and control of the immune system. They are encoded by a multigene family and their expression is tightly regulated. MHC-II deficiency (OMIM 209920) is an autosomal recessive immunodeficiency syndrome resulting from defects in trans-acting factors essential for transcription of MHC-II genes. There are four genetic complementation groups (A, B, C and D), reflecting the existence of four MHC-II regulators. The factors defective in groups A (CIITA), C (RFX5) and D (RFXAP) have been identified. CIITA is a non-DNA-binding co-activator that controls the cell-type specificity and inducibility of MHC-II expression. RFX5 and RFXAP are two subunits of RFX, a multi-protein complex that binds the X box motif of MHC-II promoters. Mutations in the genes encoding RFX5 (RFX5) or RFXAP (RFXAP) abolish binding of RFX (refs 7,8,12). Similar to groups C and D, group B is characterized by a defect in RFX binding, and although it accounts for the majority of patients, the factor defective in group B has remained unknown. We report here the isolation of RFX by a novel single-step DNA-affinity purification approach and the identification of RFXANK, the gene encoding a third subunit of RFX. RFXANK restores MHC-II expression in cell lines from patients in group B and is mutated in these patients. RFXANK contains a protein-protein interaction region consisting of three ankyrin repeats. Its interaction with RFX5 and RFXAP is essential for binding of the RFX complex to MHC-II promoters.

[Multidrug resistant narcolepsy]. / Narcolepsia multirresistente.

INTRODUCTION: Narcolepsy type 1 is a focal degenerative disease of the hypothalamus that selectively affects orexin (hypocretin)-producing neurons. It presents multiple clinical manifestations, both in wakefulness and in sleep. The symptoms are often so disruptive that they cause enormous suffering and impair patients' quality of life. Although a non-pharmacological approach is sometimes sufficient, the vast majority of patients need medication for adequate clinical management. CASE REPORT: A male who, at 43 years of age, began to present acutely with excessive daytime sleepiness and episodes of cataplexy. After a thorough examination, he was diagnosed with narcolepsy type 1. Throughout the course of the disease, he was prescribed antidepressants, neurostimulants and sodium oxybate, in monotherapy or in combination. The response to pharmacological treatment was insufficient and accompanied by numerous side effects. Following the introduction of pitolisant, there was a marked improvement in his symptoms and a reduction in the dose of the other drugs and their adverse effects was achieved. CONCLUSION: A number of measures are now available to address the cardinal symptoms of the disease, although there are still cases that are resistant to anti-narcoleptic treatment. Drugs with mechanisms of action that act upon receptors in the histaminergic system can be very useful in these cases.

TITLE: Narcolepsia multirresistente.Introducción. La narcolepsia de tipo 1 es una enfermedad degenerativa focal del hipotálamo que afecta selectivamente a las neuronas productoras de orexina (hipocretina). Presenta múltiples manifestaciones clínicas, tanto en vigilia como en sueño. Con frecuencia, los síntomas son tan disruptivos que ocasionan enorme sufrimiento y deterioro de la calidad de vida de los pacientes. Aunque en ocasiones es suficiente con un abordaje no farmacológico, la gran mayoría de los enfermos necesita medicación para un adecuado control clínico. Caso clínico. Varón que a los 43 años comenzó a presentar de forma aguda excesiva somnolencia diurna y episodios de cataplejía. Tras un exhaustivo estudio se le diagnosticó narcolepsia de tipo 1. A lo largo de la evolución de la enfermedad se le prescribieron antidepresivos, neuroestimulantes y oxibato sódico, en monoterapia o en combinación. La respuesta al tratamiento farmacológico fue insuficiente y se acompañó de numerosos efectos secundarios. Tras la introducción de pitolisant se objetivó una franca mejoría de los síntomas, y se consiguió reducir la dosis de los otros fármacos y de sus efectos adversos. Conclusión. Son numerosas las medidas disponibles en la actualidad para abordar los síntomas cardinales de la enfermedad, aunque siguen existiendo casos resistentes al tratamiento antinarcoléptico. Los fármacos con mecanismos de acción sobre receptores del sistema histaminérgico pueden resultar de gran utilidad en estos casos.

Crossover from spin accumulation into interface states to spin injection in the germanium conduction band.

Electrical spin injection into semiconductors paves the way for exploring new phenomena in the area of spin physics and new generations of spintronic devices. However the exact role of interface states in the spin injection mechanism from a magnetic tunnel junction into a semiconductor is still under debate. In this Letter, we demonstrate a clear transition from spin accumulation into interface states to spin injection in the conduction band of n-Ge. We observe spin signal amplification at low temperature due to spin accumulation into interface states followed by a clear transition towards spin injection in the conduction band from 200 K up to room temperature. In this regime, the spin signal is reduced to a value compatible with the spin diffusion model. More interestingly, the observation in this regime of inverse spin Hall effect in germanium generated by spin pumping and the modulation of the spin signal by a gate voltage clearly demonstrate spin accumulation in the germanium conduction band.

[Fatigue, quality of life, and use of healthcare resources in children with complex chronic diseases].

BACKGROUND: The objective was to assess fatigue in children with complex chronic diseases (CCCDs) and analyze its relationship with clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, use of healthcare services, and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in CCCDs attended in a tertiary hospital during 2016. Fatigue (PedsFacit-F questionnaire) and quality of life (PedsQL) were determined, and the following variables were registered: use of health resources, disease group, time with disease, and educational level and type of employment of the parents. A multiple regression model was developed to predict the use of healthcare resources. RESULTS: Seventy children were included in this study; mean age 10.5 years (range: 8-17), 41.4% girls, and cancer was the most frequent group disease (28.6%). Annual use of healthcare resources (38.86; SD: 30.73) increased with fatigue (r=-0.292; p=0.015). Higher levels of fatigue were determined for children with cancer (24.9; SD: 10.7) in comparison to other pathologies, while lower levels were found for heart diseases (44.5; SD: 7.9). The QoL perceived by CCCDs (20.6; SD: 16.5) directly correlated (p<0.001) with that of their parents (22.8; SD: 16.8); a correlation with fatigue was seen in both cases (r=0.528 and r= 0.441; p<0.0001). The adjusted effect of higher levels of fatigue (lower scores), lower length of disease duration, and higher level of education of the mother, predicted greater use of healthcare resources. CONCLUSION: CCCDs with higher fatigue levels use healthcare resources more often and perceive a worse QoL. This should be considered when providing care to this population.

Discovery and insights from DSX mission's high-power VLF wave transmission experiments in the radiation belts.

Space weather phenomena can threaten space technologies. A hazard among these is the population of relativistic electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts. To reduce the threat, artificial processes can be introduced by transmitting very-low-frequency (VLF) waves into the belts. The resulting wave-particle interactions may deplete these harmful electrons. However, when transmitting VLF waves in space plasma, the antenna, plasma, and waves interact in a manner that is not well-understood. We conducted a series of VLF transmission experiments in the radiation belts and measured the power and radiation impedance under various frequencies and conditions. The results demonstrate the critical role played by the plasma-antenna-wave interaction around high-voltage space antennae and open the possibility to transmit high power in space. The physical insight obtained in this study can provide guidance to future high-power space-borne VLF transmitter developments, laboratory whistler-mode wave injection experiments, and the interpretation of various astrophysical and optical phenomena.

Socio-occupational and employment profile of patients with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: Epilepsy has a significant impact on quality of life. Many studies have observed higher unemployment rates among patients with epilepsy. However, unemployment rates vary according to the clinical conditions, country, and group studied. METHODS: Between October 2007 and February 2008, we performed a cross-sectional multicenter epidemiological study to evaluate the socio-occupational and employment profiles of 872 adult patients with epilepsy followed in outpatient epilepsy clinics in Spain. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of the patients were employed at the time of the survey, 10.9% of the patients were unemployed, and 12.5% were occupationally incapacitated. CONCLUSION: Patients with epilepsy had employment rates similar to those of the general population, and slightly higher levels of unemployment. The main factors associated with unemployment and incapacity were the presence of refractory epilepsy, the occurrence of a seizure in the last 12 months, level of education, and polytherapy.

[Postdural puncture headache in obstetrics]. / Cefalea postpunción dural en obstetricia.

Postdural puncture headache is the most common major complication following neuraxial anesthesia; this adverse event is particularly frequent in obstetrics. The headache is usually benign and self-limited but if left untreated can lead to more serious complications that may be life-threatening. Many treatments and prophylactic measures have been suggested, but evidence supporting them is scarce in many cases. After accidental dural puncture the only effective preventive measure is to leave the catheter inside the dura; epidural morphine infusion may also help. Once symptoms begin, treatment is conservative for the first 24 hours. If this approach fails, the most effective intervention continues to be a blood patch, which should not be delayed beyond 24 to 48 hours in order to avoid suffering. If more blood patches are required, other possible causes of headache should be ruled out.

Influence of surface morphology and internal structure on the mechanical properties and tribological response of Boa Red Tail and Python Regius snake skin.

The understanding of the tribological behavior of natural structures has been used as inspiration to design and optimize surfaces for diverse applications in engineering. In the present work, morphological, microstructural, mechanical and tribological characterization of the shed skin of two snake species, namely Boa Red Tail and Python Regius was carried out. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses showed the existence of deterministic patterns, i.e., ordered arrays of geometrical features at the surface, while Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) allowed studying the internal structure and chemical composition of the skin sheds. Nanoindentation measurements showed significant variations in hardness and elastic modulus from the surface to the inner layers of the skin, and pin-on-disc tests revealed anisotropic behavior of the friction coefficient (COF) as a function of the sliding direction against balsa wood in dry conditions. Correlations between the friction data, nano-indentation mechanical properties and subsurface skin structure were established for both species taking into account the ways in which the skins' deterministic patterns influence the tribological performance.

SEOM clinical guideline thyroid cancer (2019).

Thyroid carcinoma is the most frequent endocrine malignancy and accounts for around 3% of global cancer incidence. Different histologies and clinical scenarios make necessary a multidisciplinary approach that includes new diagnostic methods and surgical, radiopharmaceutical and systemic therapies. This guideline updates several aspects of management of thyroid cancer.

[Modal analysis of failures and effects in intra-hospital transfers]. / Análisis modal de fallos y efectos en las transferencias intrahospitalarias.

OBJECTIVES: To identify gaps in patient safety during intra-hospital transfers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A working group was set up and patient transfers carried out in the different healthcare areas of a hospital were identified. Using the Modal Failure and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the risks of each failure mode identified were quantified using the Risk Prioritisation Index (RPI) and establishing improvement measures for all RPIs with scores greater than 100. RESULTS: There were 31 critical points that could lead to failures / deficiencies in 20 types of transfers. A total of 35 safety improvement measures were proposed for the transfers in the different areas analysed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of FMEA has made it possible to objectify the risks for patient safety during internal hospital transfers by providing information to prioritise improvement strategies.

Strategies to detect adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the frequency and types of adverse effects (AEs) in patients treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) according to the strategies used by the neurologist to detect them. METHOD: This cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out in standard clinical practice. Two strategies were used to detect AEs: spontaneous reporting by the patient, and a checklist of possible treatment-related adverse reactions completed by the patient. RESULTS: A total of 579 patients were recruited for the study. Roughly a third (33.7%) reported AEs spontaneously, and 65.2% did so when administered the checklist. The main reason for changing medication was lack of efficacy, but significant side effects were also an important reason for modifying treatment in those patients who reported higher levels of discomfort. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an active approach is recommended for detection of AEs of AED treatment. AEs appear to have a key effect on the decision to change treatment.