Influence of interfacial nitrogen on edge charge trapping at the interface of gate oxide/drain extension in metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors

The influence of interfacial nitrogen on edge charge trapping at the interface of gate oxide/drain extension in metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors was investigated. Positive edge charge trapping was observed for both pure and nitrided oxides with an oxide thickness of 6.5 nm. Results showed that nitrogen at the interface enhance the edge charge trapping.published_or_final_versio

A Regional Decision Support Scheme for Pest Risk Analysis in Southeast Asia

A key justification to support plant health regulations is the ability of quarantine services to conduct pest risk analyses (PRA). Despite the supranational nature of biological invasions and the close proximity and connectivity of Southeast Asian countries, PRAs are conducted at the national level. Furthermore, some countries have limited experience in the development of PRAs, which may result in inadequate phytosanitary responses that put their plant resources at risk to pests vectored via international trade. We review existing decision support schemes for PRAs and, following international standards for phytosanitary measures, propose new methods that adapt existing practices to suit the unique characteristics of Southeast Asia. Using a formal written expert elicitation survey, a panel of regional scientific experts was asked to identify and rate unique traits of Southeast Asia with respect to PRA. Subsequently, an expert elicitation workshop with plant protection officials was conducted to verify the potential applicability of the developed methods. Rich biodiversity, shortage of trained personnel, social vulnerability, tropical climate, agriculture-dependent economies, high rates of land-use change, and difficulties in implementing risk management options were identified as challenging Southeast Asian traits. The developed methods emphasize local Southeast Asian conditions and could help support authorities responsible for carrying out PRAs within the region. These methods could also facilitate the creation of other PRA schemes in low- and middle-income tropical countries

Blood Transfusion Requirement and not Preoperative Anaemia is associated with Perioperative Complications following Intracorporeal Robotic Assisted Radical Cystectomy

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of preoperative anaemia and the impact of preoperative anaemia and blood transfusion requirement on 30- and 90-day complications in a cohort of patients undergoing robotic assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion (iRARC). PATIENTS & METHODS: IRARC was performed on 166 patients between June 2011-March 2016. Prospective data was collected for patient demographics, clinical and pathological characteristics, perioperative variables, transfusion requirements and hospital length of stay. Thirty- and 90-day complications were classified according to the modified Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Clavian-Dindo system. RESULTS: Preoperative anaemia was common (43.4%) and greatest in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (48.6%) (p<0.001). Patients with preoperative anaemia were significantly more likely to have an Ileal conduit (p=0.033), higher cystectomy stage (≥pT3) (p=0.028) and a lower lymph node yield (p=0.031). Preoperative anaemia was not associated with increased perioperative morbidity but was associated with the need for blood transfusion (p=0.001). Blood transfusion was required in 20.4% of patients with intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusion rate was 10.2% and 13.9% respectively. The 30-day all complication rate and 30-day major complication rate was 55.4% and 15.7% respectively while 90-day all complication rate and 90-day major complication rate were 65.7% and 19.3% respectively. Intraoperative blood transfusion was not associated with increased complications but postoperative blood transfusion requirement was independently associated with perioperative morbidity: all 30 day complications (p=0.003), all 90-day complications (p=0.009) and 90-day major complications (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: The presence of preoperative anaemia in patients undergoing iRARC is not associated with increased surgical risk although preoperative anaemic patients were significantly more likely to require blood transfusion. Blood transfusion requirement and specifically postoperative blood transfusion is independently associated with perioperative morbidity and is an important factor for the optimisation of postoperative outcomes

Photon-induced conduction modulation in SiO 2 thin films embedded with Ge nanocrystals

The authors report the photon-induced conduction modulation in Si O2 thin films embedded with germanium nanocrystals (nc-Ge). The conduction of the oxide could be switched to a higher- or lower-conductance state by a ultraviolet (UV) illumination. The conduction modulation is caused by charging and discharging in the nc-Ge due to the UV illumination. If the charging process is dominant, the oxide conductance is reduced; however, if the discharging process is dominant, the oxide conductance is increased. As the conduction can be modulated by UV illumination, it could have potential applications in silicon-based optical memory devices. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Contact printing of colloidal nanocrystal thin films for hybrid organic/quantum dot optoelectronic devices

Novel thin film optoelectronic devices containing both inorganic colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and organic semiconductor thin films have been widely investigated in recent years for a variety of applications. Here, we review one of the most versatile and successful methods developed to integrate these two dissimilar material classes into a functional multilayered device: contact printing of colloidal QD films. Experimental details regarding the contact printing process are outlined, and the key advantages of this QD deposition method over other commonly encountered techniques are discussed. The use of tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) to effectively characterize QD film morphology both on an elastomeric stamp (before contact printing) and as-transferred to the organic semiconductor receiving film (after contact printing) is also described. Finally, we offer suggestions for future efforts directed toward the goal of rapid, continuous QD deposition over larger substrates for the advancement of hybrid optoelectronic thin film devices

Influence of charge trapping on electroluminescence from Si-nanocrystal light emitting structure

We report a study on the influence of charge trapping on electroluminescence (EL) from Si nanocrystal (nc-Si) distributed throughout a 30 nm Si O2 thin film synthesized by Si+ implantation into an oxide film thermally grown on a p -type Si substrate. The electron and hole trapping in the nc-Si located near the indium tin oxide gate and the Si substrate, respectively, cause a reduction in the EL intensity. The reduced EL intensity can be recovered after the trapped charges are released. A partial recovery can be easily achieved by the application of a positive gate voltage or thermal annealing at hot temperatures (e.g., 120 °C) for a short duration. The present study highlights the impact of charging in the nc-Si on the light emission efficiency and its stability of nc-Si light-emitting devices. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Theory of Star Formation

We review current understanding of star formation, outlining an overall theoretical framework and the observations that motivate it. A conception of star formation has emerged in which turbulence plays a dual role, both creating overdensities to initiate gravitational contraction or collapse, and countering the effects of gravity in these overdense regions. The key dynamical processes involved in star formation -- turbulence, magnetic fields, and self-gravity -- are highly nonlinear and multidimensional. Physical arguments are used to identify and explain the features and scalings involved in star formation, and results from numerical simulations are used to quantify these effects. We divide star formation into large-scale and small-scale regimes and review each in turn. Large scales range from galaxies to giant molecular clouds (GMCs) and their substructures. Important problems include how GMCs form and evolve, what determines the star formation rate (SFR), and what determines the initial mass function (IMF). Small scales range from dense cores to the protostellar systems they beget. We discuss formation of both low- and high-mass stars, including ongoing accretion. The development of winds and outflows is increasingly well understood, as are the mechanisms governing angular momentum transport in disks. Although outstanding questions remain, the framework is now in place to build a comprehensive theory of star formation that will be tested by the next generation of telescopes.Comment: 120 pages, to appear in ARAA. No changes from v1 text; permission statement adde

Benefits of robotic cystectomy with intracorporeal diversion for patients with low cardiorespiratory fitness: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing radical cystectomy have associated comorbidities resulting in reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) measures including anaerobic threshold (AT) can predict major adverse events (MAE) and hospital length of stay (LOS) for patients undergoing open and robotic cystectomy with extracorporeal diversion. Our objective was to determine the relationship between CPET measures and outcome in patients undergoing robotic radical cystectomy and intracorporeal diversion (intracorporeal robotic assisted radical cystectomy [iRARC]). METHODS: A single institution prospective cohort study in patients undergoing iRARC for muscle invasive and high-grade bladder cancer. Inclusion: patients undergoing standardised CPET before iRARC. Exclusions: patients not consenting to data collection. Data on CPET measures (AT, ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide [VE/VCO2] at AT, peak oxygen uptake [VO2]), and patient demographics prospectively collected. Outcome measurements included hospital LOS; 30-day MAE and 90-day mortality data, which were prospectively recorded. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to assess whether CPET measures were associated with or predicted outcomes. RESULTS: From June 2011 to March 2015, 128 patients underwent radical cystectomy (open cystectomy, n = 17; iRARC, n = 111). A total of 82 patients who underwent iRARC and CPET and consented to participation were included. Median (interquartile range): age = 65 (58–73); body mass index = 27 (23–30); AT = 10.0 (9–11), Peak VO2 = 15.0 (13–18.5), VE/VCO2 (AT) = 33.0 (30–38). 30-day MAE = 14/111 (12.6%): death = 2, multiorgan failure = 2, abscess = 2, gastrointestinal = 2, renal = 6; 90-day mortality = 3/111 (2.7%). AT, peak VO2, and VE/VCO2 (at AT) were not significant predictors of 30-day MAE or LOS. The results are limited by the absence of control group undergoing open surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Poor cardiorespiratory fitness does not predict increased hospital LOS or MAEs in patients undergoing iRARC. Overall, MAE and LOS comparable with other series

Ultralow Thermal Conductivity, Multiband Electronic Structure and High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in TlCuSe

The entanglement of lattice thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and Seebeck coefficient complicates the process of optimizing thermoelectric performance in most thermoelectric materials. Semiconductors with ultralow lattice thermal conductivities and high power factors at the same time are scarce but fundamentally interesting and practically important for energy conversion. Herein, an intrinsic p-type semiconductor TlCuSe that has an intrinsically ultralow thermal conductivity (0.25 W m−1 K−1), a high power factor (11.6 µW cm−1 K−2), and a high figure of merit, ZT (1.9) at 643 K is described. The weak chemical bonds, originating from the filled antibonding orbitals p-d* within the edge-sharing CuSe4 tetrahedra and long TlSe bonds in the PbClF-type structure, in conjunction with the large atomic mass of Tl lead to an ultralow sound velocity. Strong anharmonicity, coming from Tl+ lone-pair electrons, boosts phonon–phonon scattering rates and further suppresses lattice thermal conductivity. The multiband character of the valence band structure contributing to power factor enhancement benefits from the lone-pair electrons of Tl+ as well, which modify the orbital character of the valence bands, and pushes the valence band maximum off the Γ-point, increasing the band degeneracy. The results provide new insight on the rational design of thermoelectric materials

Semi-individualised Chinese medicine treatment as an adjuvant management for diabetic nephropathy: a pilot add-on, randomised, controlled, multicentre, open-label pragmatic clinical trial

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