BACKGROUND Predicting fluid responsiveness remains a difficult question in hemodynamically unstable patients. The author's objective was to test whether noninvasive assessment by transthoracic echocardiography of subaortic velocity time index (VTI) variation after a low volume of fluid infusion (100 ml hydroxyethyl starch) can predict fluid responsiveness. METHODS Thirty-nine critically ill v...

We present a micro-mechanical terahertz (THz) detector fabricated on silicon insulator (SOI) substrate and operating at room-temperature. The device is based U-shaped cantilever of micrometric size, top which two aluminum half-wave dipole antennas are deposited. This produces an absorption extending over the $\sim 2-3.5$THz frequency range. Due to different thermal expansion coefficients alumin...