Interaction between plasma sprayed YBaCuO and nimonic substrates

The interaction of YBaCuO layers, deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying, with nimonic substrates at high temperature has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Both the region at the YBaCuO/ nimonic interface and the surface of clean nimonic substrates after annealing in vacuum and oxygen have been studied in terms of chemical composition and peak shapes. Chromium was detected more than 20 ¿m deep in the YBaCuO layer. This is explained in terms of a chemical reaction of Cr3+ oxides from the nimonic with the YBaCuO. Depth profiling of the interface region combined with AES measurements reveals also an extensive migration of nickel oxides from the substrate into the YBaCuO

First principles modelling of magnesium titanium hydrides

Mixing Mg with Ti leads to a hydride Mg(x)Ti(1-x)H2 with markedly improved (de)hydrogenation properties for x < 0.8, as compared to MgH2. Optically, thin films of Mg(x)Ti(1-x)H2 have a black appearance, which is remarkable for a hydride material. In this paper we study the structure and stability of Mg(x)Ti(1-x)H2, x= 0-1 by first-principles calculations at the level of density functional theory. We give evidence for a fluorite to rutile phase transition at a critical composition x(c)= 0.8-0.9, which correlates with the experimentally observed sharp decrease in (de)hydrogenation rates at this composition. The densities of states of Mg(x)Ti(1-x)H2 have a peak at the Fermi level, composed of Ti d states. Disorder in the positions of the Ti atoms easily destroys the metallic plasma, however, which suppresses the optical reflection. Interband transitions result in a featureless optical absorption over a large energy range, causing the black appearance of Mg(x)Ti(1-x)H2.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 4 table

Protocol to utilize fresh uncultured human lung tumor cells for personalized functional diagnostics

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Development of an adenosquamous carcinoma histopathology - selective lung metastasis model

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A Smart Wireless Car Ignition System for Vehicle Security

Copyright: © 2017 Haider A, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.The paper proposes a novel car ignition system to replace the traditional wired technology and enhance vehicle security. This new system uses wireless transmissions to start the engine and hence eliminates the ignition wire behind the dashboard. It also allows the user to set a password of his/her choice to keep the system protected. A theft alarm that goes ‘’ON’’ when an unusual activity is sensed and/or when the wrong password is attempted to unlock the system is integrated in the system. Moreover, important factors such as economic feasibility, adaptability to the new vehicle technologies and customers’ preferences have been taken into consideration in the design of the proposed vehicle security system.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Driving pressure during general anesthesia for open abdominal surgery (DESIGNATION) : study protocol of a randomized clinical trial

Background Intraoperative driving pressure (Delta P) is associated with development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC). When tidal volume (V-T) is kept constant, Delta P may change according to positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)-induced changes in lung aeration. Delta P may decrease if PEEP leads to a recruitment of collapsed lung tissue but will increase if PEEP mainly causes pulmonary overdistension. This study tests the hypothesis that individualized high PEEP, when compared to fixed low PEEP, protects against PPC in patients undergoing open abdominal surgery. Methods The "Driving prESsure durIng GeNeral AnesThesIa for Open abdomiNal surgery trial" (DESIGNATION) is an international, multicenter, two-group, double-blind randomized clinical superiority trial. A total of 1468 patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two intraoperative ventilation strategies. Investigators screen patients aged >= 18 years and with a body mass index <= 40 kg/m(2), scheduled for open abdominal surgery and at risk for PPC. Patients either receive an intraoperative ventilation strategy with individualized high PEEP with recruitment maneuvers (RM) ("individualized high PEEP") or one in which PEEP of 5 cm H2O without RM is used ("low PEEP"). In the "individualized high PEEP" group, PEEP is set at the level at which Delta P is lowest. In both groups of the trial, V-T is kept at 8 mL/kg predicted body weight. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of PPC, recorded as a collapsed composite of adverse pulmonary events. Discussion DESIGNATION will be the first randomized clinical trial that is adequately powered to compare the effects of individualized high PEEP with RM versus fixed low PEEP without RM on the occurrence of PPC after open abdominal surgery. The results of DESIGNATION will support anesthesiologists in their decisions regarding PEEP settings during open abdominal surgery

Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling Networks Define Sensitivity to ERBB Inhibition and Stratify Kras Mutant Lung Cancers

Most non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) contain nontargetable mutations, including KRAS, TP53, or STK11/LKB1 alterations. By coupling ex viva drug sensitivity profiling with in vivo drug response studies, we aimed to identify drug vulnerabilities for these NSCLC subtypes. Primary adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) or adenocarcinoma (AC) cultures were established from Kras(G12D/+);Lkb1(fl/fl) (KL) tumors or AC cultures from Kras(G12D/+);p53(fl/fl) (KP) tumors. Although p53-null cells readily propagated as conventional cultures, Lkb1-null cells required conditional reprograming for establishment. Drug response profiling revealed short-term response to MEK inhibition, yet long-term clonogenic assays demonstrated resistance, associated with sustained or adaptive activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK): activation of ERBBs in KL cultures, or FGFR in AC niltures. Furthermore, pan-ERBB inhibition reduced the clonogenidty of KL cultures, which was exacerbated by combinatorial MEK inhibition, whereas combinatorial MEK and FGFR inhibition suppressed clonogenicity of AC cultures. Importantly, in vivo studies confirmed KL-selective sensitivity to pan-ERBB inhibition, which correlated with high ERBB ligand expression and activation of ERBB receptors, implying that ERBB network activity may serve as a predictive biomarker of drug response. Interestingly, in human NSCLCs, phosphorylation of EGFR or ERBB3 was frequently detected in ASCs and squamous cell carcinomas. We conclude that analysis of in situ ERBB signaling networks in conjunction with ex vivo drug response profiling and biochemical dissection of adaptive RTK activities may serve as a valid diagnostic approach to identify tumors sensitive to ERBB network inhibition.Peer reviewe