Structure and electrical properties of single-phase cobalt manganese oxide spinels Mn3xCoxO4 sintered classically and by spark plasma sintering(SPS)

Cobalt manganese oxide spinels Mn3�xCoxO4 (with 0.98pxp3) were prepared by the thermal decomposition in air of oxalate precursors. The influence of the thermal treatments on the structure of these materials is emphasized. Single-phase ceramics were obtained after optimization of the sintering parameters. A precise phase diagram for the Co–Mn–O system is proposed according to thermal stability and structure of oxide powders. The electrical measurements on single-phase ceramics show that low values of resistivity can be achieved. The conduction could take place through jumps of polarons between Mn3+ and Mn4+ on octahedral sites. These compounds present interesting electrical characteristics for negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor application

Electrical properties of Mn₃-ₓCoₓO₄(0 ≤ x ≤ 3) ceramics: an interesting system for negative temperature coefficient thermistors

Single-phase spinel manganese cobalt oxides Mn₃-ₓCoₓO₄ dense ceramics were prepared for the first time and their structural/electrical property relationships characterized. The electrical properties, that is, the resistivity at 25°C, the energetic constant, and the resistance drift at 125°C, were determined and correlated with the cation distribution. Finally, the electrical characteristics of the Mn₃-ₓCoₓO₄ system were compare'd with other important classes of manganese-based spinel oxides, Mn₃-ₓNiₓO₄ and Mn₃-ₓCuₓO₄, already commercialized as negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors. The high values of energetic constant and low resistivities observed in Mn₃-ₓCoₓO₄ ceramics present a promising interest for such industrial applications

Two decades after coronary radiation therapy: A single center longitudinal clinical study

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the very long-term clinical outcome after radioactive stent (RS) implantation and intracoronary β radiation brachytherapy (IRBT). Background: Radioactive stents (RS) and intracoronary β radiation brachytherapy (IRBT) were introduced to prevent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Both techniques were associated with a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in the short and intermediate-term follow up as compared to conventional PCI. Methods: One hundred and thirty-three patients received radioactive stents (32P) and 301 patients were treated with IRBT adjunctive to PCI. These groups were propensity matched to respectively 266 and 602 control patients who were treated with routine PCI during the same inclusion period. Endpoints were all-cause mortality and MACE, defined as all-cause death, any myocardial infarction or any revascularization. Results: Median follow-up duration was 17 years. All-cause mortality rates were similar in all groups. Adjusted hazard ratios for MACE and mortality in the RS cohort were 1.55 (95% CI 1.20–2.00) and 0.92 (95% CI 0.63–1.34), respectively. Adjusted hazard ratios for MACE and all-cause mortality in the IRBT cohort were 1.41 (95% CI 1.18–1.67) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.74–1.21), respectively. The difference in MACE rates was predominantly driven by coronary revascularizations in both groups, with a higher MI rate in the IRBT group as well. Conclusions: Coronary radiation therapy was associated with early increased MACE rates, but the difference in MACE rates decreased beyond 2 years, resulting in a comparable long-term clinical outcome. Importantly, no excess in mortality was observed

Temporal patterns of macrophage- and neutrophil-related markers are associated with clinical outcome in heart failure patients

Aims: Evidence on the association of macrophage- and neutrophil-related blood biomarkers with clinical outcome in heart failure patients is limited, and, with the exception of C-reactive protein, no data exist on their temporal evolution. We aimed to investigate whether temporal patterns of these biomarkers are related to clinical outcome in patients with stable chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods and Results: In 263 patients with CHF, we performed serial plasma measurements of scavenger receptor cysteine-rich type 1 protein M130 (CD163), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5 (TRAP), granulins (GRN), spondin-1 (SPON1), peptidoglycan recognition protein 1 (PGLYRP1), and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). The Cardiovascular Panel III (Olink Proteomics AB, Uppsala, Sweden) was used. During 2.2 years of follow-up, we collected 1984 samples before the occurrence of the composite primary endpoint (PE) or censoring. For efficiency, we selected 567 samples for the measurements (all baseline samples, the last two samples preceding the PE, and the last sample before censoring in event-free patients). The relationship between repeatedly measured biomarker levels and the PE was evaluated by joint models. Mean (±standard deviation) age was 67 ± 13 years; 189 (72%) were men; left ventricular ejection fraction (%) was 32 ± 11. During follow-up, 70 (27%) patients experienced the PE. Serially measured biomarkers predicted the PE in a multivariable model adjusted for baseline clinical characteristics [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) per 1-standard deviation change in biomarker]: CD163 [2.07(1.47–2.98), P < 0.001], TRAP [0.62 (0.43–0.90), P = 0.009], GRN [2.46 (1.64–3.84), P < 0.001], SPON1 [3.94 (2.50–6.50), P < 0.001], and PGLYRP1 [1.62 (1.14–2.31), P = 0.006]. Conclusions: Changes in plasma levels of CD163, TRAP, GRN, SPON1, and PGLYRP1 precede adverse cardiovascular events in patients with CHF

SYNTAX score II predicts long-term mortality in patients with one- or two-vessel disease

Objective SYNTAX score II (SSII) is a long-term mortality prediction model to guide the decision making of the heart-team between coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with left main or three-vessel coronary artery disease. This study aims to investigate the long-term predictive value of SSII for all-cause mortality in patients with one- or two-vessel disease undergoing PCI. Methods A total of 628 patients (76% men, mean age: 61±10 years) undergoing PCI due to stable angina pectoris (43%) or acute coronary syndrome (57%), included between January 2008 and June 2013, were eligible for the current study. SSII was calculated using the original SYNTAX score website (www.syntaxscore.com). Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between continuous SSII and long-term all-cause mortality. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to assess the performance of SSII. Results SSII ranged from 6.6 to 58.2 (median: 20.4, interquartile range: 16.1–26.8). In multivariable analysis, SSII proved to be an independent significant predictor for 4.5-year mortality (hazard ratio per point increase: 1.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.07–1.13; p<0.001). In terms of discrimination, SSII had a concordance index of 0.77. Conclusion In addition to its established value in patients with left main and three-vessel disease, SSII may also predict long-term mortality in PCI-treated patients with one- or two-vessel disease

Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Treatment Outcome and Predictors of Response

Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been proposed as an alternative to ablative neurosurgery for severe treatment-resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), although with partially discrepant results probably related to differences in anatomical targetting and stimulation conditions. We sought to determine the efficacy and tolerability of DBS in OCD and the existence of clinical predictors of response using meta-analysis. Methods We searched the literature on DBS for OCD from 1999 through January 2014 using PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO. We performed fixed and random-effect meta-analysis with score changes (pre-post DBS) on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) as the primary-outcome measure, and the number of responders to treatment, quality of life and acceptability as secondary measures. Findings Thirty-one studies involving 116 subjects were identified. Eighty-three subjects were implanted in striatal areas anterior limb of the internal capsule, ventral capsule and ventral striatum, nucleus accumbens and ventral caudate 27 in the subthalamic nucleus and six in the inferior thalamic peduncle. Global percentage of Y-BOCS reduction was estimated at 45.1% and global percentage of responders at 60.0%. Better response was associated with older age at OCD onset and presence of sexual/religious obsessions and compulsions. No significant differences were detected in efficacy between targets. Five patients dropped out, but adverse effects were generally reported as mild, transient and reversible. Conclusions Our analysis confirms that DBS constitutes a valid alternative to lesional surgery for severe, therapy-refractory OCD patients. Well-controlled, randomized studies with larger samples are needed to establish the optimal targeting and stimulation conditions and to extend the analysis of clinical predictors of outcome

Serially Measured Cytokines and Cytokine Receptors in Relation to Clinical Outcome in Patients With Stable Heart Failure

In this prospective cohort study of 250 stable heart failure patients with trimonthly blood sampling, we investigated associations of 17 repeatedly measured cytokines and cytokine receptors with clinical outcome during a median follow-up of 2.2 (25th-75th percentile, 1.4- 2.5) years. Sixty-six patients reached the primary end point (composite of cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalization, heart transplantation, left ventricular assist device implantation). Repeatedly measured levels of 8 biomarkers correlated with clinical outcomes independent of clinical characteristics. Rates of change over time (slopes of biomarker evolutions) remained independently associated with outcome for 15 biomarkers. Thus, temporal patterns of cytokines and cytokine receptors, in particular tumour necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 13B and interleukin-1 receptor type 1, might contribute to personalized risk assessment

Thermal Treatment of Aerosol Deposited NiMn₂O₄ NTC Thermistors for Improved Aging Stability

This paper examines the influence of a short-term thermal treatment of aerosol deposited negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor films on the NTCR characteristics and their long-term stability with different electrode materials. An aerosol deposition of a spinel-based NiMn2O4 powder on alumina substrates with screen-printed AgPd and Au interdigital electrode structures was performed. The manufactured components of the typical size of 1206 were tempered in a moderate temperature range of 200 °C to 800 °C and aged for 1000 h at 125 °C in air. Based on R-T measurements in a high-precision silicone oil thermostat bath and high temperature XRD analyses, the influence of the thermal treatment was analyzed and discussed. A 60-min tempering at 400 °C proved to be optimal, as both the NTCR parameters and their ageing stability could be significantly improved. The findings are explained