Surface activation and direct bonding of semiconductor wafers

An apparatus for surface activation treatment of a substrate 101 comprises first and second electrodes 102, 103 for generating a plasma, and a substrate mount disposed perpendicular to the electrodes 102, 103. The electrodes 102, 103 define a plasma generation region 100 which is separated from the substrate mount. At least one of the electrodes 102, 103 has perforations which allow active neutral species generated in the plasma to diffuse on to substrate 101 to treat the substrate surface whilst restraining charged species of the plasma. A method of pre-bonding treatment of one or more substrates 101 comprises exposing the surface of the one or more substrates 101 to active neutral species created locally by non-equilibrium electrical discharges. The apparatus and methods disclosed reduce substrate surface damage by using indirect plasma exposure

Thoracoscopic diagnosis and repair of central congenital diaphragmatic hernia in a neonate: A case report of a rare entity

Abstract Introduction Central congenital diaphragmatic hernia that involves a central tendon defect is a very rare form of diaphragmatic hernias. Experience in the thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia has expanded in recent years, but this expansion was mainly for the most common type; the posterolateral. We report a case of central congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which is supposed to be the case number seventeen of those reported in literature. And we report the first use of thoracoscopic repair in such rare entity. Case presentation We present a case report of a Bengali neonate who had a prenatal diagnosis of left congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which was supposed to be the usual posterolateral type. As we usually approach such cases by thoracoscopy, the patient had an intraoperative diagnosis of central congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The defect was amenable to a successful thoracoscopic repair. Conclusion The rare neonatal central congenital diaphragmatic hernia could present as a left sided herniation that clinically resembles the usual posterolateral congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Thoracoscopic approach offers a tremendous tool for diagnosis as well as the management of this kind of presentation of a central congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Hypertensive Disorders during Pregnancy and Risk of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Very Preterm Infants.

 It is not yet fully known whether hypertensive disorders (HTD) during pregnancy impose an increased risk of development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborn infants. OBJECTIVE:  To test the hypothesis that preeclampsia and other HTD are associated with the development of BPD in preterm infants. MATERIALS AND METHODS:  Data on mothers and preterm infants with gestational age 24 to 30 weeks were prospectively analyzed in 11 Portuguese level III centers. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS statistics 23. RESULTS:  A total of 494 preterm infants from 410 mothers were enrolled, and 119 (28%) of the 425 babies, still alive at 36 weeks, developed BPD. The association between chronic arterial hypertension, chronic arterial hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension in mothers and BPD in preterm infants was not significant (p = 0.115; p = 0.248; p = 0.060, respectively). The association between preeclampsia-eclampsia and BPD was significant (p = 0.007). The multivariate analysis revealed an association between preeclampsia-eclampsia and BPD (odds ratio [OR] = 4.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.529-13.819; p = 0.007) and a protective effect for BPD when preeclampsia occurred superimposed on chronic arterial hypertension in mothers (OR = 0.077; 95%CI 0.009-0.632; p = 0.017). CONCLUSION:  The results of this study support the association of preeclampsia in mothers with BPD in preterm babies and suggest that chronic hypertension may be protective for preterm babies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Thoracoscopic resection of a lung keratocyst associated with pulmonary sequestration in a neonate

Abstract Introduction Keratocyst is a cystic lesion that has distinctive histological features composed of an epithelial lining with surface keratinization that is corrugated and predominantly parakeratotic. Although rare, they present in human pathology mainly as odontogenic keratocysts and have occasional association with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. Case report We present a neonate with an antenatal suspicion of congenital pulmonary airway malformation. While stable and imaging confirmation studies were accomplished, thoracoscopic exploration and excision of a bronchogenic-like lung cyst attached to an extralobar pulmonary sequestration supero-medial to the left upper lobe were performed successfully at day 44 of life. Histopathological study has revealed keratocystic features of the lung cyst attached to a pulmonary sequestration tissue. Discussion and conclusion Up to our knowledge and review of the literature, this is the first case and occurrence of Lung Keratocyst. Long-term follow up is needed to assess the outcome of the thoracoscopic management of such lesion, and its hypothetic relation with odontogenic keratocysts or any associated syndromes

Entrevista a DORA LAINO. Referente ineludible de la psicopedagogía argentina

En el marco del proyecto de investigación “Opciones epistemológicas, conceptos teóricos y prácticas profesionales en relación con el objeto teórico y el objeto de intervención de la psicopedagogía. Referentes nacionales y provinciales Argentina-Rio Negro 2018-2021”, Fernando Lima, Cintia Lacaze y Soledad Basse -CURZA-UNCo- entrevistaron a la Dra. Dora Laino. Es Licenciada en Psicología por la Universidad de Buenos Aires y Doctora en Psicología por la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Se desempeñó en el campo de la clínica psicopedagógica en el ámbito privado y estatal, cuenta con una vasta experiencia en docencia de grado y posgrado en distintas instituciones académicas. Ha dirigido numerosos proyectos de investigación, extensión y ha participado en distintas actividades académicas (congresos, seminarios, jornadas, paneles, conferencias) tanto nacionales como internacionales

Host Plant Record for the Fruit Flies, Anastrepha fumipennis and A. nascimentoi (Diptera, Tephritidae)

The first host plant record for Anastrepha fumipennis Lima (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Geissospermum laeve (Vell.) Baill (Apocynaceae) and for A. nascimentoi Zucchi found in Cathedra bahiensis Sleumer (Olacaceae) was determined in a host plant survey of fruit flies undertaken at the “Reserva Natural da Companhia Vale do Rio Doce”. This reserve is located in an Atlantic Rain Forest remnant area, in Linhares county, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The phylogenetic relationships of Anastrepha species and their hosts are discussed. The occurrence of these fruit fly species in relation to the distribution range of their host plants is also discussed

Characterization of the proteome of Theobroma cacao beans by nano-UHPLC-ESI MS/MS

Cocoa seed storage proteins play an important role in flavour development as aroma precursors are formed from their degradation during fermentation. Major proteins in the beans of Theobroma cacao are the storage proteins belonging to the vicilin and albumin classes. Although both these classes of proteins have been extensively characterized, there is still limited information on the expression and abundance of other proteins present in cocoa beans. This work is the first attempt to characterize the whole cocoa bean proteome by nanoUHPLC-ESI MS/MS analysis using tryptic digests of cocoa bean protein extracts. The results of this analysis show that a total of 906 proteins could be identified using a species-specific Theobroma cacao database. The majority of the identified proteins were involved with metabolism and energy. Additionally, a significant number of the identified proteins were linked to protein synthesis and processing. Several proteins were also involved with plant response to stress conditions and defence. Albumin and vicilin storage proteins showed the highest intensity values among all detected proteins, although only seven entries were identified as storage proteins. A comparison of MS/MS data searches carried out against larger non-specific databases confirmed that using a species-specific database can increase the number of identified proteins, and at the same time reduce the number of false positives. The results of this work will be useful in developing tools which can allow the comparison of the proteomic profile of cocoa beans from different genotypes and geographic origins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD005586

Season does not have a deleterious effect on proportions of stallion seminal plasma proteins

The mechanism by which the content of the major groups of seminal plasma proteins in stallion semen changes between the breeding and non-breeding seasons remains unknown. Here, we investigated the proportions of non-heparinbinding, phosphorylcholine-binding, and heparin-binding proteins in seminal plasma with the aim of relating them to sperm quality and testosterone levels in good and bad freezer stallions. Only minor variations in the major protein groups were found between the breeding and non-breeding seasons. In the non-breeding season, a higher content of a subset of nonheparin binding proteins as well as of heparin-binding proteins was found. Analysis of semen characteristics revealed a somewhat contrasting picture. While only minor variations in sperm kinematics and sperm morphology were found between seasons, the flow-cytometric measurements of mitochondrial membrane potential and also, to some extent, reactive oxygen species production indicated lower sperm quality in the breeding season. Chromatin integrity and testosterone levels were unchanged between seasons. The results suggest that stallion ejaculates could be used year-round for freezing, since only minor differences in protein composition exist between the breeding and non-breeding seasons, as well as between good and bad freezers. In addition, sperm quality is not impaired during the non-breeding season