The potential hazard of a non-slip element balloon causing distal longitudinal stent deformation: the first clinical experience and in vitro assessment

Background: A new complication, longitudinal stent deformation (LSD), is increasingly reported withrecent intracoronary stent designs. There have been experiences of unusual cases of distal LSD causedby entrapment of a Lacrosse® non-slip element (NSE) balloon (Goodman Co., Ltd., Nagoya, Japan),which has three flexible nylon elements to prevent slippage. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to reportthe clinical experience of distal LSD caused by the NSE in the documented center and to investigate theincidence and mechanisms involved.Methods: Coronary intervention cases were retrospectively reviewed using the NSE balloon in hospitalbetween May 2014 and June 2017. In bench testing, distal LSD was reproduced in a silicon tube modelto identify its mechanism.Results: A total of 95 patients with 107 lesions underwent coronary interventions with NSE. Of these,72 lesions (12 de-novo lesions and 60 in-stent restenosis) were treated using in-stent dilatation. Twodistal LSD cases occurred, representing an incidence of 2.78% (2/72) among all procedures; 16.7%(2/12) of the de-novo lesions developed LSD. In vitro experimentation allowed indentification of themechanisms involved and bailout strategies.Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate NSE balloon catheter entrapment complicated by distalLSD in which reconstruction of the deformed stent and retrieval of the NSE could be achieved successfully.There is a potential hazard for distal LSD during post-dilatation using the NSE balloon due to itsstructural characteristics. Careful assessment is needed to prevent this complication

Low-Temperature Processed TiOx Electron Transport Layer for Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

The most frequently used n-type electron transport layer (ETL) in high-efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is based on titanium oxide (TiO2) films, involving a high-temperature sintering (>450 °C) process. In this work, a dense, uniform, and pinhole-free compact titanium dioxide (TiOx) film was prepared via a facile chemical bath deposition process at a low temperature (80 °C), and was applied as a high-quality ETL for efficient planar PSCs. We tested and compared as-deposited substrates sintered at low temperatures (< 150 °C) and high temperatures (> 450 °C), as well as their corresponding photovoltaic properties. PSCs with a high-temperature treated TiO2 compact layer (CL) exhibited power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) as high as 15.50%, which was close to those of PSCs with low-temperature treated TiOx (14.51%). This indicates that low-temperature treated TiOx can be a potential ETL candidate for planar PSCs. In summary, this work reports on the fabrication of low-temperature processed PSCs, and can be of interest for the design and fabrication of future low-cost and flexible solar modules

Infective Endocarditis Associated with Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome due to Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis Infection in a Hemodialysis Patient

The risk of infective endocarditis in chronic hemodialysis patients is markedly higher than that in the general population. We report the first case of a hemodialysis patient with infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) who presented with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. In the last decade, there has been an increase in the incidence of SDSE infections. Therefore, it is important to recognize SDSE as a possible causative agent of infective endocarditis in an immunocompromised population, such as hemodialysis patients

Metal Oxide Compact Electron Transport Layer Modification for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have appeared as a promising design for next-generation thin-film photovoltaics because of their cost-efficient fabrication processes and excellent optoelectronic properties. However, PSCs containing a metal oxide compact layer (CL) suffer from poor long-term stability and performance. The quality of the underlying substrate strongly influences the growth of the perovskite layer. In turn, the perovskite film quality directly affects the efficiency and stability of the resultant PSCs. Thus, substrate modification with metal oxide CLs to produce highly efficient and stable PSCs has drawn attention. In this review, metal oxide-based electron transport layers (ETLs) used in PSCs and their systemic modification are reviewed. The roles of ETLs in the design and fabrication of efficient and stable PSCs are also discussed. This review will guide the further development of perovskite films with larger grains, higher crystallinity, and more homogeneous morphology, which correlate to higher stable PSC performance. The challenges and future research directions for PSCs containing compact ETLs are also described with the goal of improving their sustainability to reach new heights of clean energy production