Silicon Encapsulated Carbon Nanotubes

A dual stage process of depositing bamboo-like carbon nanotubes (BCNTs) by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) and coating Si using Radio frequency sputtering (RFS) technique. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electron field emission studies (EFE). SEM results suggest a dense network of homogeneous silicon-coated BCNTs. From the comprehensive analysis of the results provided by these techniques emerges the picture of Si encapsulated BCNTs

A new inflammatory marker in overweight patients: triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1

WOS: 000530579700002PubMed: 32356439BACKGROUND: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) is secreted by phagocytes in adipose tissue and it also upregulates the expression of genes involved in the inflammatory response and atherosclerotic conditions. This study was aimed to investigate the serum TREM-1 levels in overweight patients. METHODS: Twenty-eight subjects in the overweight group (OG) and 20 age-matched healthy subjects in the control group (CG) (BMI 27.6 +/- 1.2 vs 23.1 +/- 2.17 kg/m(2), respectively, p< 0.001) were included in the study. The serum sTREM-1 level was measured by ELISA. The homeostasis model assessment score (HOMA-IR) was also calculated. RESULTS: The mean TREM-1 levels were significantly higher in OG than in CG (407.3 +/- 323.7 vs 150.3 +/- 152.7 pg/mL, respectively, p< 0.001). The HOMA-IR score was also significantly higher in OG than in CG (3.42 +/- 3.63 vs 2.77 +/- 1.61, respectively). A positive correlation was detected between TREM-1 and BMI (r= 0.318, p= 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: This study mainly demonstrated that a high serum TREM-1 level might be an early inflammatory marker in overweight patients. We found that TREM-1 might be associated with BMI in overweight patients regardless of insulin resistance (Tab. 1, Ref. 21). Text in PDF www.elis.sk