Arrays of resonant nanopillars for biochemical sensing.

In this Letter, we demonstrate for the first time the experimental capability for the biochemical sensing of resonant nanopillars (RNPs) arrays. These arrays are fabricated over a glass substrate and are optically integrated from the backside of this substrate. The reflectivity profiles of the RNPs arrays are measured by infiltrating different ethanol fractions in water in order to evaluate the optical response for the different refractive indexes, which range from 1.330 to 1.342. A linear fit of the resonant modes shift is observed as a function of the bulk refractive index of the liquid infiltrated. For the type of transducer analyzed, a relative sensitivity of 10017 cm(-1)/Refractive Index Unit (RIU) is achieved, allowing us to reach a competitive Limit of Detection (LoD) in the order of 1×10(-5) RIU.

Periodic nanostructures on unpolished substrates and their integration in solar cells.

We present a novel fabrication process based on laser interference lithography, lift-off and reactive ion etching, which allows us to fabricate periodic nanostructures on photovoltaic substrates with an average root mean square (RMS) roughness of 750 nm. We fabricate nanostructures on unpolished crystalline silicon substrates, which reduces their reflectance 30% as fabricated. When an additional passivation layer is deposited, the light trapping grows, achieving a reflectance reduction of 60%. In addition, we have successfully integrated the nanostructured substrates in silicon wafer-based solar cells following standard processes, achieving a final efficiency of 15.56%.

[Treatment of ureteral stenosis complicated by endourethral prosthesis. Long-term results]. / Tratamiento de las estenosis uretrales complicadas con prótesis endouretrales. Resultados a largo plazo.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term results obtained in the treatment of urethral stenosis complicated with urethral endoprosthesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between March 1991 and December 1996, 40 endourethral prosthesis were implanted in 36 patients; 2 prosthesis were placed in 4 patients. Of the 40 prosthesis implanted, 37 were UroLume and 3 Ultraflex. All, with the exception of 2, were patients with recurrent stenosis after earlier failures of prior internal urethrotomy and/or repeat urethral dilations. RESULTS: Immediate post-operative symptomatic relief was achieved in 97.2% patients. Only one patient required removal of the endoprosthesis. In 4 patients (11.1%) urethral restenosis develop distal or proximal to the endoprosthesis. No patient developed restenosis due to endoprosthetic fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term results obtained in the treatment of bulbar urethral stenosis complicated with endoprosthesis demonstrate the efficacy and stability over time of this technique, which shows a low complications rate when patients are strictly selected.

[Predicting factors of tumor organ-confinement in adenocarcinoma of the prostate]. / Factores predictores de organoconfinación tumoral en el adenocarcinoma de próstata.

OBJECTIVE: Difficulties for a precise staging of patients with prostate cancer are huge. This article presents the initial results from a study to investigate the contribution that various clinical and analytical parameters, together with the study of prostate biopsy for staging, could have on our environment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 70 patients undergoing curative radical prostatectomy were studied through an analysis of their PSA. PSAD, and PSAD ad pre-operative levels and, in the biopsy cylinders, the tumour unilateral or bilateral nature, Gleason grade, percentage and total number of involved cylinders, and percentage of cancer length over the cylinders' total length. This data was then correlated to the pathological stage. Gleason's grade and tumoral volume of the surgical specimen. RESULTS: 97% of patients studied showed clinical organ confinement versus only 64.28% after examination of the surgical specimen. (I Kappa = 0.1). Concordance between the biopsy's Gleason grade and the prostatectomy specimens was moderate (I Kappa = 0.34). Pre-operative PSA showed no statistically significant difference (SSD) between organ-confined and non-organ-confined tumours (p = 0.15), opposite to PSAD (p = 0.039) and PSAD ad (p = 0.038) which did. The tumour's unilateral or bilateral nature in the cylinders, and the total number or percentage of affected cylinders showed no SSD with regard to organ confinement of tumours. Neither the length percentage of the affected cylinders showed SSD in relation to the tumour's organ confinement. The specimen's tumoral volume was significantly correlated to the length percentage of cancer and positive biopsies, as well as with clinical stage, PSA, PSAD, and PSAD ad. CONCLUSIONS: Both PSAD and PSAD ad, and the sum of the biopsy's Gleason may contribute to predict the pathological stage. The percentage and total number of biopsy cylinders affected by the tumour, as well as the total length percentage of cancer affected cylinders are correlated to the tumoral volume but not to the organ confinement of the tumoral disease, not meeting the clinical stage in our patients (selected according to our group's staging algorithm). These findings must be ratified by further study of larger series.

[The neurological status in patients with erectile dysfunction: somatosensory evoked potentials and the bulbocavernosus reflex]. / Estudio neurológico en pacientes con disfunción eréctil: potenciales evocados somatosensoriales y reflejo bulbo-cavernoso.

OBJECTIVES: The present study investigated the somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) from the dorsal penile nerve and the bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) in healthy volunteers and patients with erectile dysfunction in order to establish a model of normality and investigate the abnormal neuro-urophysiological measurements in patients with erectile dysfunction and their relationship with different factors (age, neurological disease). METHODS: 30 healthy volunteers and 102 patients who had consulted for erectile dysfunction underwent neuro-urophysiological diagnostic evaluation (dorsal penile nerve SSEP and BCR). The mean age was 51.2 years (range 27 to 66). RESULTS: The group of healthy volunteers showed SSEP mean latency of 46.374 ms and a BCR mean latency of 43.721 ms. Thirty-four patients (33.33%) had at least one abnormal neuro-urophysiological measurement, the SSEP were abnormal in 7 (20.58%), the BCR in 5 (14.70%) and both in 22 (64.70%). We found an increased SSEP latency and BCR latency in the patients with erectile dysfunction and with no urological disease. Comparison of the older with the younger patients was only statistically significant for increased BCR latency in patients > 60 years old. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed neuro-urophysiological abnormalities in 34 impotent patients (33.33%). The finding of abnormalities in both BCR and SSEP was the most frequent.