Experimental realisation of off-stoichiometric Fe-Mn-Si full Heusler alloy with hexagonal crystal structure by pulsed laser deposition

FAPERJ - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIROCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL E NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFull Heusler alloys are well known to either crystallize in a cubic structure (Cu2MnAl-type), or present tetragonal distortions. Both structure types present interesting properties, like room temperature magnetic memory shape effect and/or remarkable magnetocaloric effect, mainly ruled by strong magnetostructural coupling. Due to this interplay, our aim was to produce a new crystal phase for the Heusler alloys, different from those well-established cubic and tetragonal, responsible for those well-known physical properties. Thus, we have produced nanoparticles of full Heusler alloys using a pulsed laser deposition technique (from targets of Fe2MnSi) and obtained a core-shell pattern, presenting an amorphous shell and a crystalline core, with hexagonal symmetry. In accordance with these experimental findings, it was shown, by means of density functional calculation, the existence of a minimum of energy as a function of the hexagonal lattice parameters, with a true indication that the hexagonal phase is metastable. The magnetic properties differ considerably from those of bulk Fe2MnSi, including an increase of the Curie temperature from 220 K to 295 K, which is of potential interest for room-temperature applications. This work opens the door to research in a new family of materials, whose properties have only now begun to be explored.143268273FAPERJ - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIROCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL E NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPERJ - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIROCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL E NÍVEL SUPERIORCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOsem informaçãosem informação465448/2014-3Agências de fomento estrangeiras apoiaram essa pesquisa, mais informações acesse artig

TiO2 bioactive implant surfaces doped with specific amount of Sr modulate mineralization

One of the main problems that remain in the implant industry is poor osseointegration due to bioinertness of implants. In order to promote bioactivity, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and strontium (Sr) were incorporated into a TiO2 porous layer produced by micro-arc oxidation. Ca and P as bioactive elements are already well reported in the literature, however, the knowledge of the effect of Sr is still limited. In the present work, the effect of various amounts of Sr was evaluated and the morphology, chemical composition and crystal structure of the oxide layer were investigated. Furthermore, in vitro studies were carried out using human osteoblast-like cells. The oxide layer formed showed a triplex structure, where higher incorporation of Sr increased Ca/P ratio, amount of rutile and promoted the formation of SrTiO3 compound. Biological tests revealed that lower concentrations of Sr did not compromise initial cell adhesion neither viability and interestingly improved mineralization. However, higher concentration of Sr (and consequent higher amount of rutile) showed to induce collagen secretion but with compromised mineralization, possibly due to a delayed mineralization process or induced precipitation of deficient hydroxyapatite. Ca-P-TiO2 porous layer with less concentration of Sr seems to be an ideal candidate for bone implants.This work was supported by FCT with the reference projects UID/EEA/04436/2019, M-ERA-NET/0001/2015 and FCT/CAPES Procs.. 4.4.1.00. Also the support of FAPESP is acknowledged (Proc. 2017/24300-4). A.I. Costa is very grateful for the PhD grant through NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000051 project. The authors would like to thank the LABNANO/CBPF and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (Cenabio) in Rio de Janeiro for technical support during electron microscopy work

Unit cell volume reduction of Gd5(Si,Ge)4 nanoparticles controlled by bulk compressibility

The production of Gd5(Si,Ge)4 compounds in reduced dimensionality, through pulsed laser deposition (PLD), have shown their potential for practical applications. Here, we present nanoparticles ranging from 10 to 27 nm of average particle size of Gd5(SixGe1-x)4, with x = 0, 0.45 and 0.60, obtained using an Nd:Yag (1064 nm) and an Excimer KrF laser (248 nm). Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction measurements revealed a reduced unit cell volume in comparison to their bulk counterpart. The x = 0 sample presented a ~1.99% reduction while x = 0.45 composition, a shrinkage of ~1.81% on the unit cell volume that are a result of a structural change to a Gd5Si4-type structure [O(I)]. In contrast, x = 0.60 nanoparticles conserve the bulk crystal structure with ~ 0.95% of volume shrinkage. As a consequence, there is a change on the magnetic transition order from a first to a second one for all nanostructures followed by a magnetocaloric response reduction. These observations unveil a direct correlation between the bulk compressibility values and the unit cell shrinkage, suggesting that the rise of a surface stress plays a major role on the particle and unit cell dimensions.FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Programme and National Funds throught FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/NAN/50024/2013 and by NECL with the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-022096. This work was also supported by the European Union’s Horizon −2020 research, innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 734801 and by the Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil (FAPESP) - Project No. 2017/10581-1. The authors would like to thank LABNANO/CBPF for the grants and technical support. We would also like to thank Prof. Kleber R. Pirota for reading the manuscript and contribute with suggestions that were important for the work evaluation. VMA thanks the CNPq for the Grant No. 203180/2014-3. J.H. Belo thanks FCT for the Grant SFRH/BD/88440/2012, the project PTDC/FIS-MAC/31302/2017 and his contract DL57/2016 reference SFRH-BPD-87430/2012. MSR thanks CNPq and FAPERJ for financial support. He belongs to the INCT of Refrigeração e Termofísica, funding by CNPq by Grant No. 404023/2019-

The impact of an open or laparoscopic approach on the development of metachronous peritoneal metastases after primary resection of colorectal cancer: results from a population-based cohort study

Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of open or laparoscopic resection of primary colorectal cancer (CRC) on the development of metachronous colorectal peritoneal metastases (CPM) in a population-based cohort. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective, population-based study of CRC patients who underwent open or laparoscopic resection of the primary tumour in the Netherlands between January 1st and June 30th 2015. Patients with synchronous metastases were excluded. CPM were considered metachronous if diagnosed ≥ 90 days after resection of primary CRC. Multivariable cox regression analysis was performed to correct for tumour location, histology, differentiation, and stage, nodal stage, tumour perforation, primary surgery type, and unclear resection margins. Results: In total, 1516 CRC patients underwent open resection and 3236 CRC patients underwent laparoscopic resection, with a 3-year cumulative incidence of metachronous CPM of 7.3% and 3.7%, respectively (p < 0.001), after median follow-up of 42 months. Open surgical approach was significantly associated with the development of metachronous CPM: HR 1.4 [95%CI 1.1–1.8]. Other prognostic factors were mucinous adenocarcinoma histology (HR 1.6, 95%CI 1.0–2.5), T4 stage (HR 3.2, 95%CI 2.3–4.5), N1 stage (HR 2.9, 95%CI 2.1–4.0), and N2 stage (HR 4.2, 95%CI 2.9–6.1). Conclusions: Patients treated with open resection had a significantly higher risk to develop metachronous CPM than patients treated with laparoscopic resection. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unknown but might be related to differences in per-operative specimen handling, tumour spill, surgical trauma and pro-inflammatory response. This finding might imply the need for a personalized follow-up after primary resection of CRC

Perioperative systemic therapy and cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC versus upfront cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC alone for isolated resectable colorectal peritoneal metastases: Protocol of a multicentre, open-label, parralel-group, phase II-III, randomised, superiority study (CAIRO6)

Background: Upfront cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC (CRS-HIPEC) is the standard treatment for isolated resectable colorectal peritoneal metastases (PM) in the Netherlands. This study investigates whether addition of perioperative systemic therapy to CRS-HIPEC improves oncological outcomes. Methods: This open-label, parallel-group, phase II-III, randomised, superiority study is performed in nine Dutch tertiary referral centres. Eligible patients are adults who have a good performance status, histologically or cytologically proven resectable PM of a colorectal adenocarcinoma, no systemic colorectal metastases, no systemic therapy for colorectal cancer within six months prior to enrolment, and no previous CRS-HIPEC. Eligible patients are randomised (1:1) to perioperative systemic therapy and CRS-HIPEC (experimental arm) or upfront CRS-HIPEC alone (control arm) by using central randomisation software with minimisation stratified by a peritoneal cancer index of 0-10 or 11-20, metachronous or synchronous PM, previous systemic therapy for colorectal cancer, and HIPEC with oxaliplatin or mitomycin C. At the treating physician's discretion, perioperative systemic therapy consists of either four 3-weekly neoadjuvant and adjuvant cycles of capecitabine with oxaliplatin (CAPOX), six 2-weekly neoadjuvant and adjuvant cycles of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin with oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), or six 2-weekly neoadjuvant cycles of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin with irinotecan (FOLFIRI) followed by four 3-weekly (capecitabine) or six 2-weekly (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin) adjuvant cycles of fluoropyrimidine monotherapy. Bevacizumab is added to the first three (CAPOX) or four (FOLFOX/FOLFIRI) neoadjuvant cycles. The first 80 patients are enrolled in a phase II study to explore the feasibility of accrual and the feasibility, safety, and tolerance of perioperative systemic therapy. If predefined criteria of feasibility and safety are met, the study continues as a phase III study with 3-year overall survival as primary endpoint. A total of 358 patients is needed to detect the hypothesised 15% increase in 3-year overall survival (control arm 50%; experimental arm 65%). Secondary endpoints are surgical characteristics, major postoperative morbidity, progression-free survival, disease-free survival, health-related quality of life, costs, major systemic therapy related toxicity, and objective radiological and histopathological response rates. Discussion: This is the first randomised study that prospectively compares oncological outcomes of perioperative systemic therapy and CRS-HIPEC with upfront CRS-HIPEC alone for isolated resectable colorectal PM