954 research outputs found

    9-Oxo-4,5-diaza­fluoren-4-ium tetra­chloridoaurate(III)–4,5-diaza­fluoren-9-one (1/1)

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    The AuIII atom in the title compound, (C11H7N2O)[AuCl4]·C11H6N2O, is in a nearly square-planar environment defined by four Cl atoms. The protonated 9-oxo-4,5-diaza­fluoren-4-ium cation forms an N—H⋯N hydrogen bond with the neutral 4,5-diaza­fluoren-9-one mol­ecule

    Material Versatility Using Replica Molding for Large-Scale Fabrication of High Aspect-Ratio, High Density Arrays of Nano-Pillars

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    Arrays of high aspect-ratio (AR) nano-pillars have attracted a lot of interest for various applications, such as for use in solar cells, surface acoustic sensors, tissue engineering, bio-inspired adhesives and anti-reflective surfaces. Each application may require a different structural material, which can vary in the required chemical composition and mechanical properties. In this paper, a low cost fabrication procedure is proposed for large scale, high AR and high density arrays of nano-pillars. The proposed method enables the replication of a master with high fidelity, using the subsequent replica molds multiple times, and preparing arrays of nano-pillars in a variety of different materials. As an example applied to bio-inspired dry adhesion, polymeric arrays of nano-pillars are prepared in this work. Thermoset and thermoplastic nano-pillar arrays are examined using an atomic force microscope to assess their adhesion strength and its uniformity. Results indicate the proposed method is robust and can be used to reliably prepare nano-structures with a high AR

    Survival of lung cancer patients in a resource-limited country

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    Aim: Data on lung cancer survival are lacking in developing countries. Our objectives were to describe the survival of our lung cancer patients and to determine independent prognostic factors affecting survival. Method: All patients diagnosed with lung cancer from August 2007 to August 2010 were recruited from a single referral hospital of the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Detailed demographic data, ECOG (Eastern Cooperation Oncology Group) performance status, stage of disease and treatment were recorded. The date of histology or cytology confirmation was used as the date of entry. Survival time was calculated from the date of entry to the date of death. Results: One hundred forty-nine patients were included for survival analysis. The median age was 62 years and patients were predominantly males (78%) and smokers (78%). The majority had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (94%); only six patients (4%) had small cell lung cancer. All patients presented with stage 3 or stage 4 disease. Overall median survival was 18 weeks. “No definitive treatment” and “ECOG 3–4” were the significant independent predictors of death, with the hazard ratios of 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4, 3.0) and 1.6 (95% CI 1.1, 2.3) times, respectively. Among NSCLC patients on treatment, 1- and 2-year survival rates were 27% and 15%, respectively. Conclusion: The majority of lung cancer patients in Pahang presented with advanced disease. No definitive treatment and ECOG 3–4 were independent poor prognostic factors

    Liquid-to-liquid phase transition in pancake vortex systems

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    We study the thermodynamics of a model of pancake vortices in layered superconductors. The model is based on the effective pair potential for the pancake vortices derived from the London approximation of a version of the Lawrence-Doniach model which is valid for extreme type-II superconductors. Using the hypernetted-chain (HNC) approximation, we find that there is a temperature below which multiple solutions to the HNC equations exist. By explicitly evaluating the free energy for each solution we find that the system undergoes a first-order transition between two vortex liquid phases. The low-temperature phase has larger correlations along the field direction than the high-temperature phase. We discuss the possible relation of this phase transition to the liquid-to-liquid phase transition recently observed in Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors in high magnetic fields in the presence of disorder.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

    L-theanine in the adjunctive treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

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    Partial or non-response to antidepressants in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is common in clinical settings, and adjunctive biological interventions may be required. Adjunctive herbal and nutraceutical treatments are a novel and promising treatment option. L-theanine is a non-protein amino acid derived most-commonly from tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves, which may be beneficial in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disturbance as suggested by preliminary evidence. We conducted a 10-week study (consisting of an 8-week double-blind placebo-controlled period, and 1-week pre-study and 2-week post-study single-blinded observational periods) involving 46 participants with a DSM-5 diagnosis of GAD. Participants received adjunctive L-theanine (450–900 mg) or matching placebo with their current stable antidepressant treatment, and were assessed on anxiety, sleep quality, and cognition outcomes. Results revealed that adjunctive L-theanine did not outperform placebo for anxiety reduction on the HAMA (p = 0.73) nor insomnia severity on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI; p = 0.35). However, LT treated participants reported greater self-reported sleep satisfaction than placebo (ISI item 4; p = 0.015). Further, a separation in favour of L-theanine was noted on the ISI in those with non-clinical levels of insomnia symptoms (ISI ≤ 14; p = 0.007). No significant cognitive effects (trail making time and the modified emotional Stroop) were revealed. While this preliminary study did not support the efficacy of L-theanine in the treatment of anxiety symptoms in GAD, further studies to explore the application of L-theanine in sleep disturbance are warranted
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