129 research outputs found
Epitaxy of Fe3O4 on Si(001) by pulsed laser deposition using a TiN/MgO buffer layer
Epitaxy of oxide materials on silicon (Si) substrates is of great interest
for future functional devices using the large variety of physical properties of
the oxides as ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, or superconductivity. Recently,
materials with high spin polarization of the charge carriers have become
interesting for semiconductor-oxide hybrid devices in spin electronics. Here,
we report on pulsed laser deposition of magnetite (Fe3O4) on Si(001) substrates
cleaned by an in situ laser beam high temperature treatment. After depositing a
double buffer layer of titanium nitride (TiN) and magnesium oxide (MgO), a high
quality epitaxial magnetite layer can be grown as verified by RHEED intensity
oscillations and high resolution x-ray diffraction.Comment: submitte
Rogue waves and other solutions of single and coupled AblowitzâLadik and nonlinear Schrödinger equations
We provide a simple technique for finding the correspondence between the solutions of AblowitzâLadik and nonlinear Schrodinger equations. Even though they belong to different classes, in that one is continuous and one is discrete, there are matching solutions. This fact allows us to discern common features and obtain solutions of
the continuous equation from solutions of the discrete equation. We consider several examples. We provide tables, with selected solutions, which allow us to easily match the pairs of solutions. We show that our technique can be extended to the case of coupled AblowitzâLadik and nonlinear Schrodinger (i.e. Manakov) equations. We provide some new solutions
The Great Lakes Area Climate Change (Temperature and Precipitation) Forecast for the Year 2050: Based on PRECIS High Resolution RCM (25km x 25km) Analysis Results
Mixed debris interaction with obstacle array under extreme flood conditions
This investigation explores the interactions of different shaped debris with an array of obstacles under subcritical flow conditions, representative of a flood associated with a storm surge or tsunami. Panels, blocks and cylinders were used in a flow channel, as analogues for house panels, cars/containers and trees respectively, whilst some tests used a mix of debris. The backwater effect due to the blockage caused by the obstacles was most (least) significant for panels (cylinders). There was some evidence that smaller key log types and higher flow rates led to smaller dams. It was also evident that key logs formed at different depths depending on debris shape; debris shape also determined the vertical shape of the dam. Capture efficiency had a broadly negative (positive) correlation with the Froude number (permeability). Also, from video footage there were examples of the debris moving more quickly through partial dams. Finally, the drag force, deduced from only the water depths and the flow discharge, showed a clear relationship between drag force and Froude number, and a dependency of drag force on debris shape. There are some implications for the layout of building footprints in the inundation zones and the use of large, break-away panels
Whole-genome analysis of extraintestinal Escherichia coli sequence type 73 from a single hospital over a 2 year period identified different circulating clonal groups
© 2020 The Authors. Sequence type (ST)73 has emerged as one of the most frequently isolated extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli. To examine the localized diversity of ST73 clonal groups, including their mobile genetic element profile, we sequenced the genomes of 16 multiple-drug resistant ST73 isolates from patients with urinary tract infection from a single hospital in Sydney, Australia, between 2009 and 2011. Genome sequences were used to generate a SNP-based phylogenetic tree to determine the relationship of these isolates in a global context with ST73 sequences (n=210) from public databases. There was no evidence of a dominant outbreak strain of ST73 in patients from this hospital, rather we identified at least eight separate groups, several of which reoccurred, over a 2 year period. The inferred phylogeny of all ST73 strains (n=226) including the ST73 clone D i2 reference genome shows high bootstrap support and clusters into four major groups that correlate with serotype. The Sydney ST73 strains carry a wide variety of virulence-associated genes, but the presence of iss, pic and several iron-acquisition operons was notable
Trends in Diabetic Retinopathy, Visual Acuity, and Treatment Outcomes for Patients Living With Diabetes in a Fundus Photograph-Based Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Program in Bangladesh
IMPORTANCE: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of low vision among working-age
adults. An estimated 6.9 million people in Bangladesh were living with diabetes in 2017, which is
projected to increase to more than 10 million people in 2025. Currently, no standardized and/or
large-scale DR screening program exists in Bangladesh.
OBJECTIVE: To develop a novel fundus photographâbased eye screening model for early detection
of DR to prevent vision loss in Bangladeshi individuals with diabetes.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cross-sectional study, 49 264 patients with
diabetes underwent opportunistic eye screening at 2 eye hospitals and 1 diabetic hospital in
Bangladesh between June 1, 2010, and September 30, 2017. The data set was analyzed from April 8
to December 30, 2018. Technicians were trained to obtain 2-field digital fundus photographs and to
grade each according to a standardized DR severity scale. Each patient was counseled and triaged
for treatment using defined DR referral criteria.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary DR grading outcomes, visual acuity, and treatment
outcomes.
RESULTS: A total of 49 264 patients (54.3% male; mean [SD] age, 50.8 [12.3] years) underwent DR
screening during a 7-year period. The DR prevalence rate across all 3 sites was 33% (95% CI,
33%-33%). Prevalence rates varied by center (Chittagong, 64.6% [95% CI, 64.0%-65.0%]; Dhaka,
39.8% [95% CI, 39.0%-41.0%]; and Feni, 13.0% [95% CI, 13.0%-14.0%]). Across all age groups, male
patients were at higher risk of prevalent DR than female patients (odds ratio, 1.99; 95% CI,
1.90-2.07). The prevalence was 3.9% for preproliferative DR, 7.8% for proliferative DR, and 19.2% for
maculopathy. Individuals with DR had significantly worse visual acuity than those with no DR (bestcorrected visual acuity, 0.35 vs 0.21 logMAR; P < .001). The rate of moderate visual impairment was
12.2%, and the rate of blindness was 2.5%. Primary treatments included laser photocoagulation
(n = 1637), intravitreal injection (n = 1440), and vitrectomy (n = 309).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Screening Bangladeshi individuals known to have diabetes using
fundus photography identified large numbers of patients with sight-threatening proliferative DR,
maculopathy, and visual impairment or blindness. Expansion of eye screening services in Bangladesh
is warranted as part of a national government eye care and diabetes health polic
OCT2013, an ischaemia-activated antiarrhythmic prodrug, devoid of the systemic side effects of lidocaine
Background and Purpose
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) caused by acute myocardial ischaemia and ventricular fibrillation (VF) is an unmet therapeutic need. Lidocaine suppresses ischaemia-induced VF, but its utility is limited by side effects and a narrow therapeutic index. Here, we characterise OCT2013, a putative ischaemia-activated prodrug of lidocaine.
Experimental Approach
The rat Langendorff-perfused isolated heart, anaesthetised rat and rat ventricular myocyte preparations were utilised in a series of blinded and randomised studies to investigate the antiarrhythmic effectiveness, adverse effects and mechanism of action of OCT2013, compared with lidocaine.
Key Results
In isolated hearts, OCT2013 and lidocaine prevented ischaemia-induced VF equi-effectively, but OCT2013 did not share lidocaine's adverse effects (PR widening, bradycardia and negative inotropy). In anaesthetised rats, i.v. OCT2013 and lidocaine suppressed VF and increased survival equi-effectively; OCT2013 had no effect on cardiac output even at 64âmg·kgâ»Âč i.v., whereas lidocaine reduced it even at 1âmg·kgâ»Âč. In adult rat ventricular myocytes, OCT2013 had no effect on CaÂČâș handling, whereas lidocaine impaired it. In paced isolated hearts, lidocaine caused rate-dependent conduction slowing and block, whereas OCT2013 was inactive. However, during regional ischaemia, OCT2013 and lidocaine equi-effectively hastened conduction block. Chromatography and MS analysis revealed that OCT2013, detectable in normoxic OCT2013-perfused hearts, became undetectable during global ischaemia, with lidocaine becoming detectable.
Conclusions and Implications
OCT2013 is inactive but is bio-reduced locally in ischaemic myocardium to lidocaine, acting as an ischaemia-activated and ischaemia-selective antiarrhythmic prodrug with a large therapeutic index, mimicking lidocaine's benefit without adversity
Short-Range Ising Spin Glass: Multifractal Properties
The multifractal properties of the Edwards-Anderson order parameter of the
short-range Ising spin glass model on d=3 diamond hierarchical lattices is
studied via an exact recursion procedure. The profiles of the local order
parameter are calculated and analysed within a range of temperatures close to
the critical point with four symmetric distributions of the coupling constants
(Gaussian, Bimodal, Uniform and Exponential). Unlike the pure case, the
multifractal analysis of these profiles reveals that a large spectrum of the
-H\"older exponent is required to describe the singularities of the
measure defined by the normalized local order parameter, at and below the
critical point. Minor changes in these spectra are observed for distinct
initial distributions of coupling constants, suggesting an universal spectra
behavior. For temperatures slightly above T_{c}, a dramatic change in the
function is found, signalizing the transition.Comment: 8 pages, LaTex, PostScript-figures included but also available upon
request. To be published in Physical Review E (01/March 97
latrogenic and Idiopathic Vocal Cord Paralysis: A Real Obligation of Endoscopic Appraisal
Background: The larynx is an inevitable mouthpiece of the human body which has to execute very associated assignment like protection, respiration, and phonation. To fulfill this mission, the larynx should be accommodated, integrated, and sensible. The vocal cord is the concern of larynx, which served all-purpose. If any occurrence due to iatrogenic, idiopathic, or any other causes shut down the vocal cord mobility, the patient is facing miserable complexity in their life. Methods: It is a cohort retrospective study of 67 cases in the department of otolaryngology and HeadNeck Surgery, Bangladesh, from 01 July 2016 to 31 June 2019
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