The feasibility of Sn, In, or Al doped ZnSb thin film as candidates for phase change material

The potentials of Sn, In, or Al doped ZnSb thin film as candidates for phase change materials have been studied in this paper. It was found that the Zn-Sb bonds were broken by the addition of the dopants and homopolar Zn-Zn bonds and other heteropolar bonds, such as Sn-Sb, In-Sb, and Al-Sb, were subsequently formed. The existence of homopolar Sn-Sn and In-In bonds in Zn₅₀Sb₃₆Sn₁₄ and Zn₄₁Sb₃₆In₂₃ films, but no any Al-Al bonds in Zn₃₅Sb₃₀Al₃₅ film, was confirmed. All these three amorphous films crystallize with the appearance of crystalline rhombohedral Sb phase, and Zn₃₅Sb₃₅Al₃₅ film even exhibits a second crystallization process where the crystalline AlSb phase is separated out. The Zn₃₅Sb₃₀Al₃₅ film exhibits a reversible phase change behavior with a larger Ea ( 4.7 eV), higher Tc (~ 245ᴼ C), better 10-yr data retention (~ 182ᴼ C), less incubation time (20 ns at 70 mW), and faster complete crystallization speed (45 ns at 70 mW). Moreover, Zn₃₅Sb₃₀Al₃₅ film shows the smaller root-mean-square (1.654 nm) and less change of the thickness between amorphous and crystalline state (7.5%), which are in favor of improving the reliability of phase change memory.This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61306147, 61377061), the Public Project of Zhejiang Province (Grant No.2014C31146), the Young Leaders of academic climbing project of the Education Department of Zhejiang Province (pd2013092), the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (Grant No. LQ15F040002), the Scientific Research Foundation of Graduate School of Ningbo University, and sponsored by K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University

Central retinal vein occlusion in patients with metastatic solid tumors on tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a report of case series and literature review

BackgroundCentral retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is a rare adverse effect related to the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with metastatic malignancies, which has only been reported in several case reports.Case presentationWe reported the case series of three CRVO patients on regular regimens of TKIs as part of targeted therapies for metastatic malignancies, all of whom were otherwise healthy with no or well-controlled systemic conditions. All these patients received injections of intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IDI) and achieved a fluid-free macula at the end of the visit. In addition, we reviewed the existing literature on this subject and present here an updated analysis of the related TKIs, ocular presentation, treatment, and prognosis.ConclusionAll patients diagnosed with CRVO on TKIs received dexamethasone implant treatment and obtained a fluid-free macula. We would like to raise awareness among our colleague oncologists about the possibility of CRVO related to TKI use and the necessity for patients to be screened regularly by a retinal specialist

Roles of mir155hg and TNF-α in evaluation of prognosis of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by multi-organ multi-system inflammation, causing severe damage to various organs or systems. Recent studies have shown that miR-155 can affect the progression of Lupus Nephritis via regulating TNF-a. The present study aims to explore the roles of MIR155HG and TNF-a in the evaluation of prognosis of patients with SLE, so as to provide a basis for clinical work. Methods: A total of 130 patients with SLE admitted to our hospital were selected, were selected from June 2015 to December 2017., and the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score was given. The expressions of MIR155HG and TNF-a were detected via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the incidence of complications during treatment was observed, and the associations of MIR155HG and TNF-a with SLEDAI before treatment and complications were analyzed. All patients were followed up after discharge, and the related factors to the prognosis of patients were analyzed via Cox regression analysis. Results: The levels of MIR155HG and TNF-a were higher in patients with an SLEDAI score of 10-14 points than those in patients with an SLEDAI score of 5-9 points and 0-4 points. MIR155HG and TNF-a were positively correlated with the incidence of infection, renal damage and cardiac damage (r=0.623, 0.533 and 0.621; r=0.431, 0.498 and 0.552) (P<0.05). Moreover, there was also a positive correlation (r=0.3398, P<0.001) between the expressions of serum MIR155HG and TNF-a in SLE patients. SLEDAI score ≥10 points, complications during hospitalization, and highly-expressed MIR155HG and TNFa were risk factors related to the prognosis of patients. Conclusions: MIR155HG and TNF-a affect the activity of SLE, and the high expressions of them promote the occurrence of such complications as infection, renal damage and cardiac damage, harming the prognosis

Reprogramming of Mice Primary Hepatocytes into Insulin-Producing Cells by Transfection with Multicistronic Vectors

The neogenesis of insulin-producing cells (IPCs) from non-beta-cells has emerged as a potential method for treating diabetes mellitus (DM). Many groups have documented that activation of pancreatic transcription factor(s) in hepatocytes can improve the hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. In the present study, we explored a novel protocol that reprogrammed primary hepatocytes into functional IPCs by using multicistronic vectors carrying pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1 (Pdx1), neurogenin 3 (Ngn3), and v-musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A (MafA). These triple-transfected cells activated multiple beta-cell genes, synthesized and stored considerable amounts of insulin, and released the hormone in a glucose-regulated manner in vitro. Furthermore, when transplanted into streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, the cells markedly ameliorated glucose tolerance. Our results indicated that ectopic expression of Pdx1, Ngn3, and MafA facilitated hepatocytes-to-IPCs reprogramming. This approach may offer opportunities for treatment of DM

Te-based chalcogenide films with high thermal stability for phase change memory

This study reports on the synthesis of tellurium-based chalcogenide films that have high thermal stability for phase change memory application. Several Te-based chalcogenide alloys of In-Bi-Te, Ag-Bi-Te, In-Sb-Te, Sn-Sb-Te, Zn-Ge-Te, and Ga-Ge-Te are reported. Their thermal, optical, and electrical properties are investigated. The results show that Bi-Te-based films have a higher crystallization temperature and greater activation energy compared with the other Sb-Te-based and Ge-Te-based films. Especially, In₂.₈Bi₃₆.₆Te₆₀.₆film exhibits high crystallization temperature (252 °C) and great activation energy (5.16 eV), showing much improved amorphous thermal stability. A relatively wider optical band gap (0.674 eV) of thermal annealed In₂.₈Bi₃₆.₆Te₆₀.₆film is obtained. In addition, it also has a higher amorphous/crystalline resistance ratio of about 10⁵, implying that current consumption could be low in the phase-change memory operation.This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61008041, 61107047, and 60978058), the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (Grant No. Y1090996), the Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo City, China (Grant No. 2011A610092), the Ningbo optoelectronic materials and devices creative team (Grant No. 2009B21007), the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. SKLST201010), and sponsored by K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University

Comparative study of surface integral methods in aeroacoustic prediction

Introduction: Surface integral methods based on the acoustic analogy and Kirchhoff formulation are widely employed in computational aeroacoustics. The computational accuracy is usually highly dependent on the selections of the acoustic prediction method and of the integral surfaces.Methods: This paper analyzes the pros and cons of each aeroacoustic prediction method and studies numerically sound generated from flow past a circular cylinder by employing different surface integral methods. The acoustic analogy based on the impermeable solid surfaces either ignores the quadrupole contribution or needs high computational cost to calculate the quadrupole contribution, and the acoustic analogy based on the permeable integral surfaces usually suffers from the spurious source issue.Results: Both the pressure-based or density-based Kirchhoff formulations can be used in aeroacoustic prediction, however, the numerical results indicate that the pressure-based Kirchhoff formulation also suffers from the issue of the spurious sound because the pressure fluctuations at the permeable integral surfaces are contaminated by hydrodynamic component.Discussion: It seems that only the density-based Kirchhoff formulation does not suffer from the issue of the spurious sound, but this formulation requires the acoustic sources should be extracted from compressible flow simulations

Estimated plasma volume status as a simple and accessible predictor of 28-day mortality in septic shock: insights from a retrospective study of the MIMIC-IV database

BackgroundAssessing volume status in septic shock patients is crucial for tailored fluid resuscitation. Estimated plasma volume status (ePVS) has emerged as a simple and effective tool for evaluating patient volume status. However, the prognostic value of ePVS in septic shock patients remains underexplored.MethodsThe study cohort consisted of septic shock patients admitted to the ICU, sourced from the MIMIC-IV database. Patients were categorized into two groups based on 28-day survival outcomes, and their baseline characteristics were compared. According to the ePVS (6.52 dL/g) with a hazard ratio of 1 in the restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis, patients were further divided into high and low ePVS groups. A multivariable Cox regression model was utilized to evaluate the association between ePVS and 28-day mortality rate. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve was plotted, and all-cause mortality was compared between the high and low groups using the log-rank test.ResultsA total of 7,607 septic shock patients were included in the study, among whom 2,144 (28.2%) died within 28 days. A J-shaped relationship was observed between ePVS at ICU admission and 28-day mortality, with an increase in mortality risk noted when ePVS exceeded 6.52 dL/g. The high ePVS group exhibited notably higher mortality rates compared to the low ePVS group (28-day mortality: 26.2% vs. 30.2%; 90-day mortality: 35% vs. 42.3%). After adjustment for confounding factors, ePVS greater than 6.52 dL/g independently correlated with an increased risk of 28-day mortality (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10–1.31, p &lt; 0.001) and 90-day mortality (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.15–1.35, p &lt; 0.001). Kaplan–Meier curves demonstrated a heightened risk of mortality associated with ePVS values exceeding 6.52 dL/g.ConclusionA J-shaped association was observed between ePVS and 28-day mortality in septic shock patients, with higher ePVS levels associated with increased risk of mortality

A New Direct Process to Prepare YBa2Cu3O7-&#61540; films on Biaxially Textured Ag{110}<211>

YBCO films were successfully prepared on biaxially textured Ag{110} substrates by using pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction results showed that the degree of preferential orientation of Ag{110} substrates varied with increasing annealing temperature. With a thin template layer deposited at low temperature, YBCO film with c-axis orientation and in-plane biaxial alignment could be obtained at high deposition temperature. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that YBCO grains enlarged but Ag grains on the surface of the YBCO films became smaller with increasing deposition temperature. At optimal deposition conditions, Ag atoms diffuse into the YBCO grain boundaries, and then fill in the weak-link regions in the YBCO film, resulting in the conduction easier. Jc value of 5&#61620;105A/cm2 was obtained at 77K and zero magnetic field for the best YBCO film in our work.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure