Positron annihilation and relaxation dynamics from dielectric spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance: cis-trans-1,4-poly(butadiene).

We report a joint analysis of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), dielectric spectroscopy (BDS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on cis-trans-1,4-poly(butadiene) (c-t-1,4-PBD). Phenomenological analysis of the orthopositronium lifetime τ(3)-T dependence by linear fitting reveals four characteristic PALS temperatures: T(b1)(G)=0.63T(g)(PALS), T(g)(PALS), T(b1)(L)=1.22T(g)(PALS), and T(b2)(L)=1.52T(g)(PALS). Slight bend effects in the glassy and supercooled liquid states are related to the fast or slow secondary ß process, from neutron scattering, respectively, the latter being connected with the trans-isomers. In addition, the first bend effect in the supercooled liquid coincides with a deviation of the slow effective secondary ß(eff) relaxation related to the cis-isomers from low-T Arrhenius behavior to non-Arrhenius one and correlates with the onset of the primary α process from BDS. The second plateau effect in the liquid state occurs when τ(3) becomes commensurable with the structural relaxation time τ(α)(T(b2)). It is also approximately related to its crossover from non-Arrhenius to Arrhenius regime in the combined BDS and NMR data. Finally, the combined BDS and NMR structural relaxation data, when analyzed in terms of the two-order parameter (TOP) model, suggest the influence of solidlike domains on both the annihilation behavior and the local and segmental chain mobility in the supercooled liquid. All these findings indicate the influence of the dynamic heterogeneity in both the primary and secondary relaxations due to the cis-trans isomerism in c-t-1,4-PBD and their impact into the PALS response.

Helicobacter pylori, efficacy of the new triple therapy in six and twelve-day schedules.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of four eradicating patterns of 6 and 12 days duration with new triple therapies adapted to our environment. PATIENTS: After an endoscopic diagnosis of Duodenal or Gastric Ulcer, and the confirmation of the presence of Helicobacter pylori using a rapid urease test in antral biopsies, 274 patients were treated with one of four eradicating therapies, verifying its efficacy with the C-13 urea breath test, at least one month after the end of the treatment and 10 days after withdrawal of proton pump inhibitors. RESULTS: Maximum eradicating efficacy was achieved with Omeprazole (20 mg/12 hours), Clarithromycin (500 mg/12 hours) and Amoxycillin (1 g/12 hours), given for 12 days (96.6%), and Omeprazole (20 mg/12 hours), Tinidazole (500 mg/12 hours) and Clarithromycin (500 mg/12 hours), also given for 12 days (95.2%). The same drugs and doses, when given during six days, achieved percentages of 78.3% and 82.2% respectively. Results with Tinidazole suggest lack of resistance to this drug in the Community of Madrid.

[A user-friendly scale for the short and long term outcome of bipolar disorder: the CGI-BP-M]. / Escala sencilla de evaluación del curso del trastorno bipolar: CGI-BP-M.

UNLABELLED: Bipolar disorder is a cyclic and polymorphic disease. Patients may show manic, hipomanic, depressive or mixed symptoms, and they may be in partial or complete remission. For this reason, the assessment of the course, severity and outcome of the disorder is very complex. Most of the available psychometric instruments have been designed for the assessment of acute episodes of specific polarity. METHODS: We present the modified version of the Clinical Global Impression for Bipolar Disorder (CGI-BP-M) a condensed version of the CGI-BP, which is also an adaptation of the CGI for bipolar patients. RESULTS: The CGI-BP-M takes only a few minutes to complete, and it has proved to be useful in the assessment of the short and long-term efficacy of several treatments such as olanzapine and quetiapine. Significant improvements in several subescales of the CGI-BP-M after treatment with these compounds are shown. CONCLUSIONS: The CGI-BP-M, a user-friendly scale for the assessment of manic, hypomanic, depressive or mixed symptoms, and long-term outcome of bipolar disorder, is a useful tool for the assessment of the efficacy of several treatments.

Escala sencilla de evaluación del curso del trastorno bipolar: CGI-BP-M / A user-friendly scale for the short and long term outcome of bipolar disorder: the CGI-BP-M

El trastorno bipolar se caracteriza por su curso clínico y su gran polimorfismo. Los pacientes pueden presentar episodios maníacos, hipomaníacos, depresivos o mixtos, con períodos de remisión parcial o completa. Por este motivo, la evaluación del curso, gravedad y pronóstico de la enfermedad es enormemente compleja. La mayor parte de instrumentos psicométricos disponibles están diseñados para la evaluación de síntomas agudos de un tipo específico de episodio. Material y método. Se presenta la 'escala de impresión clínica global para el trastorno bipolar modificada' (CGIBP-M), que es una versión reducida diseñada por los autores a partir de la CGI-BP, que a su vez es una adaptación de la CGI para su uso específico en pacientes bipolares. Resultados. La CGI-BP-M exige sólo unos minutos y se ha demostrado útil en la evaluación de la eficacia de diversos tratamientos como la olanzapina y la quetiapina, tanto a corto como a largo plazo, mostrando reducciones significativas en las puntuaciones de gravedad sintomática para diversas subescalas tras el tratamiento. Conclusiones. La CGI-BP-M, una escala sencilla de evaluación de la enfermedad de los síntomas maníacos, hipomaníacos, depresivos y mixtos, y de la evolución a largo plazo del trastorno bipolar, es un instrumento útil para la evaluación de la eficacia de nuevos tratamientos (AU)