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The adequate formulation of topical vehicles to treat skin diseases is particularly complex. A desirable formulation should enhance the accumulation of the active drugs in the target tissue (the skin), while avoiding the penetration enhancement to be so large that the drugs reach the systemic circulation in toxic amounts. We have evaluated the transcutaneous penetration of three drugs chosen for their widely variable physicochemical properties: Amphotericin B, Imiquimod and Indole. We incorporated the drugs in fluid or ultra-flexible liposomes. Ultra-flexible liposomes produced enhancement of drug penetration into/through human skin in all cases in comparison with fluid liposomes without detergent, regardless of drug molecular weight. At the same time, our results indicate that liposomes can impede the transcutaneous penetration of molecules, in particular small ones.

All the described approaches, in one way or another, improve strain hardening. The alternative is the seventh approach, which is to improve strain rate hardening, as known from the Hart's instability criterion.16 A material with a strain rate sensitivity, m, of the order of unity could be superplastic.

It has been well established that the origin of p -wave superconductivity is the balance between pair creation and annihilation, described by the spin-less fermionic Kitaev chain model. In this work, we study the dynamics of a composite system where the pair source and drain are spatially separated by a long distance. We show that this non-Hermitian system possesses a high-order exceptional point (EP) when only a source or drain is considered. The EP dynamics provide a clear picture: A pair source can fully fill the system with pairs, while a drain can completely empty the system. When the two coexist simultaneously, the dynamics depend on the distance and the relative phase between the pair creation and annihilation terms. Analytical analysis and numerical simulation results show that the superconducting state can be dynamically established at the resonant pair source and drain: from an initial empty state to a stationary state with the maximal pair order parameter. It provides an alternative way of understanding the mechanism of the nonequilibrium superconducting state.

We investigated the topological pumping charge of a tetramerized Kitaev chain with spatially modulated chemical potential, which hosts nodal loops in parameter space and violates particle number conservation. In the simplest case, with alternatively assigned hopping and pairing terms, we show that the model can be mapped into the Rice–Mele model by a partial particle-hole transformation and subsequently supports topological charge pumping as a demonstration of the Chern number for the ground state. Beyond this special case, analytic analysis shows that the nodal loops are conic curves. Numerical simulation of a finite-size chain indicates that the pumping charge is zero for a quasiadiabatic loop within the nodal loop and is ±1 for a quasiadiabatic passage enclosing the nodal loop. Our findings unveil the topology of Kitaev chains in parameter space.

Hemodynamic assessment is an integral part of the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease. Four-dimensional cardiovascular magnetic resonance flow imaging (4D Flow CMR) allows comprehensive and accurate assessment of flow in a single acquisition. This consensus paper is an update from the 2015 ‘4D Flow CMR Consensus Statement’. We elaborate on 4D Flow CMR sequence options and imaging considerations. The document aims to assist centers starting out with 4D Flow CMR of the heart and great vessels with advice on acquisition parameters, post-processing workflows and integration into clinical practice. Furthermore, we define minimum quality assurance and validation standards for clinical centers. We also address the challenges faced in quality assurance and validation in the research setting. We also include a checklist for recommended publication standards, specifically for 4D Flow CMR. Finally, we discuss the current limitations and the future of 4D Flow CMR. This updated consensus paper will further facilitate widespread adoption of 4D Flow CMR in the clinical workflow across the globe and aid consistently high-quality publication standards.

The high-temperature stability and mechanical properties of refractory molybdenum alloys are highly desirable for a wide range of critical applications. However, a long-standing problem for these alloys is that they suffer from low ductility and limited formability. Here we report a nanostructuring strategy that achieves Mo alloys with yield strength over 800 MPa and tensile elongation as large as ~ 40% at room temperature. The processing route involves a molecular-level liquid–liquid mixing/doping technique that leads to an optimal microstructure of submicrometre grains with nanometric oxide particles uniformly distributed in the grain interior. Our approach can be readily adapted to large-scale industrial production of ductile Mo alloys that can be extensively processed and shaped at low temperatures. The architecture engineered into such multicomponent alloys offers a general pathway for manufacturing dispersion-strengthened materials with both high strength and ductility. Although molybdenum alloys — often used in turbines and fusion reactors — can be easily hardened, they suffer from low ductility and toughness. Now, a nanostructuring processing route that leads to a microstructure consisting of submicrometre grains with nanometric oxide particles uniformly distributed in the grain interior achieves high-strength molybdenum alloys with large tensile elongation at room temperature.

BackgroundAutologous fat grafting is common in facial reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries; the most important drawbacks are the high absorption rate and unpredictable volume retention rate. Surgeons usually make clinical judgements based on their own experience. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically and quantitatively review the volume retention rate of facial autologous fat grafting and analyse the relevant influencing factors.MethodsA systematic literature review was performed using the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases in October 2019 for articles that reported objectively measured volume retention rates of facial fat grafting. Patient characteristics, fat graft volumetric data, and complications were collected. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model was conducted to pool the estimated fat retention rate. Relevant factors were analysed and reviewed on the basis of subgroups.ResultsWe included 27 studies involving 1011 patients with facial fat grafting. The volume retention rate varied from 26 to 83%, with a mean follow-up of 3–24 months. The overall pooled retention rate was 47% (95% CI 41–53%). The volume measurement method significantly influenced the reported retention rate. A trend towards better retention was found for secondary fat grafting procedures and patients with congenital deformities. Only 2.8% of all patients had complications.ConclusionThe exact percentage of facial fat grafts retained is currently unpredictable; the reported rate varies with different estimation methods. This review analysed studies that provided objectively measured volume retention rates, the pooled average percentage of facial fat graft retention (47%, 95% CI 41–53%), and relevant factors.Level of Evidence IIIThis journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Background Diet is an important environmental factor that interacts with genes to modulate the likelihood of developing disorders in lipid metabolism and the relationship between diet and genes in the presence of other chronic diseases such as obesity. The objective of this study was to analyze the interaction of a high fat diet with the APOA2 (rs3813627 and rs5082), APOA5 (rs662799 and rs3135506) and LEPR (rs8179183 and rs1137101) polymorphisms and its relationship with obesity and dyslipidemia in young subjects. Methods The study included 200 young subjects aged 18 to 25 years (100 normal-weight and 100 obese subjects). Dietary fat intake was measured using the frequency food consumption questionnaire. Genotyping of polymorphisms was performed by PCR-RFLP. Results Individuals carrying the APOA5 56 G/G genotype with a high saturated fatty acid consumption (OR = 2.7, p  = 0.006) and/or total fat (OR = 2.4, p  = 0.018), associated with an increased risk of obesity. We also found that A/G + G/G genotypes of the 668 A/G polymorphism in the LEPR gene with an intake ≥12 g/d of saturated fatty acids, have 2.9 times higher risk of obesity ( p  = 0.002), 3.8 times higher risk of hypercholesterolemia ( p  = 0.002) and 2.4 times higher risk of hypertriglyceridemia ( p  = 0.02), than those with an intake <12 g/d of saturated fatty acids. Similarly, LEPR 668 A/G + G/G carriers with a high fat total intake had 3.0 times higher risk of obesity ( p  = 0.002) and 4.1 times higher risk of hypercholesterolemia ( p  = 0.001). Conclusion Our results suggest that dietary fat intake modifies the effect of APOA5 and LEPR polymorphisms on serum triglycerides, cholesterol levels and obesity in young subjects.

We propose an extended Bogoliubov transformation in real space for spinless fermions, based on which a class of Kitaev chains of length 2 N with zero chemical potential can be mapped to two independent Kitaev chains of length N . It provides an alternative way to investigate a complicated system from the result of relatively simple systems. We demonstrate the implications of this decomposition by a Su–Schrieffer–Heeger Kitaev model, which supports rich quantum phases. The features of the system, including the groundstate topology and nonequilibrium dynamics, can be revealed directly from that of sub-Kitaev chains. Based on this connection, two types of Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS)-pair order parameters are introduced to characterize the phase diagram, showing the ingredient of two different BCS pairing modes. Analytical analysis and numerical simulations show that the real-space decomposition for the ground state still holds true approximately in presence of finite chemical potential in the gapful regions.

The drought can cause a decrease in food production and loss of biodiversity. In northern Mexico, an arid region, the chiltepin grows as a semi-domesticated crop that has been affected in its productivity and yield. An alternative to mitigate the effect of drought and aid in its conservation could be using Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB). The present study evaluated the capacity of native Bacillus spp., isolated from arid soils, as PGPBs and drought stress tolerance inducers in chiltepin under controlled conditions. Chiltepin seeds and seedlings were inoculated with native strains of Bacillus spp. isolated from arid soils, evaluating germination, vegetative, and drought stress tolerance parameters. The PGPBs improved vegetative parameters such as height, stem diameter, root length, and slenderness index in vitro . B. cereus (Bc25-7) improved in vitro survival of stressed seedlings by 68% at −1.02 MPa. Under greenhouse conditions, seedlings treated with PGPBs exhibited increases in root length (9.6%), stem diameter (13.68%), leaf fresh weight (69.87%), and chlorophyll content (38.15%). Bc25-7 alleviated severe water stress symptoms (7 days of water retention stress), and isolates B. thuringiensis (Bt24-4) and B. cereus (Bc25-7, and Bc30-2) increased Relative Water Content (RWC) by 51%. Additionally, the treated seeds showed improved germination parameters with a 46.42% increase in Germination Rate (GR). These findings suggest that using PGPBs could be an alternative to mitigate the effect of drought on chiltepin.