Spectroscopic and Structural Properties of Yb3+-Doped and Undoped 2D-Mos2 Thin Films for Optoelectronic and Photonic Device Applications

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) has layered structure and is classed as a transition metal-disulphide (TMD) material. Recently it has drawn significant attention for exploring optoelectronic and photonic properties on sub-nanometre scale, with a potential for accessing quantum interactions [1]. The electronic structure and stoichiometry of TMDs make them distinguishable from the metallic graphene, as the TMDs depict a clear bandgap, as in compound semiconductors [2], which is quite attractive for device engineering and applications in photovoltaic, energy storage, and bandgap engineered light-sources [3]. In this research, the fabrication of undoped and Yb 3+ -ion doped MoS 2 nanometre (nm)-scale thin films are discussed using femto-second pulsed laser deposition (fs-PLD) and the structural and spectroscopic properties of fs-PLD are compared with liquid-phase epitaxy grown undoped MoS 2 films. Such a comparative analysis may offer materials fabrication platform in future for engineering optoelectronic and photonic devices on silica glass and silicon platforms

Fabrication of Multi-Layered Bone Scaffolds using Femtosecond Pulsed Lasers

An IR femtosecond pulsed laser was used for micropatterning of biomineral containing chitosan membranes, aiming to enhance bone mineralization and angiogenesis. Pre and post irradiation materials have been characterized with XRD, SEM and spectroscopic techniques

THE PERFORMANCE OF PERFORATED SCREEN SEAWALL IN DISSIPATING WAVES, MINIMIZING REFLECTED WAVE AND RUN-UP/RUN-DOWN

Perforated screen seawall was considered as one of the multi function coastal structures that can be dissipating the wave energy and reducing both the reflected wave height and the wave run-up/run-down simultaneously. Physical model with 1:20 geometric scale has been conducted in 16 m length, 1.20 m width and 1.00 m high of a wave flume to simulate the models. Three models are distinguished on the perforated screen density ie. S = 0.5B; S = B and S = 1.5B (S is spacing perforated gaps and B is width of the closing part) set in a slope of 45?? have been simulated by 3 variations of wave height and wave length (Hi & L). The results indicated that the higher density of the perforated screen rising the wave dissi-pation capability, minimizing both the wave reflection and run-up/run-down. Wave steep-ness parameter (Hi/L) and the density of perforation (S/B) either individually or jointly in non dimensional parameter is significantly influenced on wave reflection and dissipation. The maximum deduction of wave run-up about 30% - 60% by high to low density of perforated screen was found in around 2.5 of Irribaren number. The Empirical obtained equations for Kd and Kr both in relationship with BHi/SL and the curves of Ru/H and Rd/H in the relationship with IrS/B can be used for prototypes design purpose

Interventions on the social dimension of people with chronic heart failure: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Aims The symptom burden of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), together with social determinants and psychosocial factors, results in limitations to maintain adequate social life and roles, participate in social events and maintain relationships. This situation's impact on health outcomes makes it of utmost importance to develop meaningful social networks for these patients. The primary objective aimed to identify randomized controlled trials that impact the social dimension of people with CHF. The secondary objectives were to analyze the methodological quality of these interventions, establish their components, and synthesize their results. Methods and results A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted in Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsychINFO, and CINAHL databases between 2010 and February 2022. The Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials was used. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO. Eight randomized controlled trials were identified, among which two were at ‘high risk of bias.’ Interventions were synthesized according to the following categories: delivery format, providers and recipients, and the intervention content domains. Half of the studies showed statistical superiority in improving the intervention group's social support in people with CHF. Conclusion This review has highlighted the scarcity of interventions targeting the social dimension of people with CHF. Interventions have been heterogeneous, which limits the statistical combination of studies. Based on narrative review and vote counting, such interventions could potentially improve social support and self-care, which are important patient reported outcomes, thus warrant further research. Future studies should be co-created with patients and families to be adequately targeted

Oral vaccination stimulates neutrophil functionality and exerts protection in a Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection model

Abstract Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) causes paratuberculosis (PTB), a granulomatous enteritis in ruminants that exerts high economic impact on the dairy industry worldwide. Current vaccines have shown to be cost-effective against Map and in some cases confer beneficial non-specific effects against other pathogens suggesting the existence of trained immunity. Although Map infection is mainly transmitted by the fecal-oral route, oral vaccination has not been deeply studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the oral route with a set of mycobacterial and non-mycobacterial vaccines with a subcutaneously administered commercially available vaccine. Training effects on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and homologous and heterologous in vivo protection against Map were investigated in the rabbit infection model. Oral vaccination with inactivated or live vaccines was able to activate mucosal immunity as seen by elevation of serum IgA and the expression of IL4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In addition, peripheral PMN phagocytosis against Map was enhanced by vaccination and extracellular trap release against Map and non-related pathogens was modified by both, vaccination and Map-challenge, indicating trained immunity. Finally, PBMCs from vaccinated animals stimulated in vitro with Map antigens showed a rapid innate activation cytokine profile. In conclusion, our data show that oral vaccination against PTB can stimulate neutrophil activity and both innate and adaptive immune responses that correlate with protection.The research was funded by the Department of Economy, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government and by grant RTA 2017-00089-00-00 of the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INIA) to N.E. I.L.-A. and M.O. both held predoctoral fellowships from the DEI of the Basque Government. This research was also partly supported by the Agriculture Funding Consortium members Alberta Agriculture and Forestry and Alberta Milk (2018F019R) to J.D.B. CIC bioGUNE thanks the Ministry of Science and Innovation for the Severo Ochoa excellence award (SEV-2016-0644

Fast 4D imaging of fluid flow in rock by high‐speed neutron tomography

High‐speed neutron tomographies (1‐min acquisition) have been acquired during water invasion into air‐filled samples of both intact and deformed (ex situ) Vosges sandstone. Three‐dimensional volume images have been processed to detect and track the evolution of the waterfront and to calculate full‐field measurement of its speed of advance. The flow process correlates well with known rock properties and is especially sensitive to the distribution of the altered properties associated with observed localized deformation, which is independently characterized by Digital Volume Correlation of X‐ray tomographies acquired before and after the mechanical test. The successful results presented herein open the possibility of in situ analysis of the local evolution of hydraulic properties of rocks due to mechanical deformation

A continuous source of translationally cold dipolar molecules

The Stark interaction of polar molecules with an inhomogeneous electric field is exploited to select slow molecules from a room-temperature reservoir and guide them into an ultrahigh vacuum chamber. A linear electrostatic quadrupole with a curved section selects molecules with small transverse and longitudinal velocities. The source is tested with formaldehyde (H2CO) and deuterated ammonia (ND3). With H2CO a continuous flux is measured of approximately 10^9/s and a longitudinal temperature of a few K. The data are compared with the result of a Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures v2: small changes in the abstract, text and references. Figures 1 & 2 regenerated to prevent errors in the pd

K-shell ionization and double-ionization of Au atoms with 1.33 MeV photons

At relativistic energies, the cross section for the atomic photoelectric effect drops off as does the cross section for liberating any bound electron through Compton scattering. However, when the photon energy exceeds twice the rest mass of the electron, ionization may proceed via electron-positron pair creation. We used 1.33 MeV photons impinging on Au thin foils to study double K-shell ionization and vacuum-assisted photoionization. The preliminary results yield a ratio of vacuum-assisted photoionization and pair creation of 2x10{sup -3}, a value that is substantially higher than the ratio of photo double ionization to single photoionization that is found to be 0.5-1x10{sup -4}. Because of the difficulties and large error bars associated with the small cross sections additional measurements are needed to minimize systematic errors

Preclinical formulation for the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of GBO-006, a selective polo like kinase 2 (PLK2) inhibitor for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer

GBO-006 was shown to be a highly specific and selective PLK2 inhibitor that promoted mitotic arrest in various cancer cell lines, subsequently resulting in their apoptotic death. Intraperitoneal alternate day dosing of GBO-006 using 100 % DMSO as formulation showed significant tumor regression in xenograft models, demonstrating proof of concept of PLK2 inhibition in vivo. These studies necessitated the development of a suitable and GRAS (generally considered as safe) preformulation for pharmacokinetic and efficacy studies. GBO-006 possesses challenging physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties like poor solubility in aqueous media, low permeability and a crystalline nature. Different methods like cosolvency, complexation and micellar solubilization were employed to improve the solubility of GBO-006. A strategy of co-solvency is used to solubilize the GBO-006 up to 10 mg/mL. A formulation with 20 % DMSO, 40 % PEG 400, 30 % of 100 mM citrate buffer (pH 3.0) and 10 % solutol displayed clear solution without any visual precipitation of the drug even after 2 weeks of storage. GBO-006 showed moderate clearance in rat and high systemic clearance in mouse and dog. It showed poor oral bioavailability across all species. Intraperitoneal dosing of GBO-006 demonstrated the linear exposure. GBO-006 showed significant inhibition of tumor progression

Slowing and cooling molecules and neutral atoms by time-varying electric field gradients

A method of slowing, accelerating, cooling, and bunching molecules and neutral atoms using time-varying electric field gradients is demonstrated with cesium atoms in a fountain. The effects are measured and found to be in agreement with calculation. Time-varying electric field gradient slowing and cooling is applicable to atoms that have large dipole polarizabilities, including atoms that are not amenable to laser slowing and cooling, to Rydberg atoms, and to molecules, especially polar molecules with large electric dipole moments. The possible applications of this method include slowing and cooling thermal beams of atoms and molecules, launching cold atoms from a trap into a fountain, and measuring atomic dipole polarizabilities.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures. Scheduled for publication in Nov. 1 Phys. Rev.