Molecular Memory with Atomically-Smooth Graphene Contacts

We report the use of bilayer graphene as an atomically-smooth contact for nanoscale devices. A two-terminal Bucky ball (C60) based molecular memory is fabricated with bilayer graphene as a contact on the polycrystalline nickel electrode. Graphene provides an atomically-smooth covering over an otherwise rough metal surface. The use of graphene additionally prohibits the electromigration of nickel atoms into the C60 layer. The devices exhibit a low-resistance state in the first sweep cycle and irreversibly switch to a high resistance state at 0.8-1.2 V bias. The reverse sweep has a hysteresis behavior as well. In the subsequent cycles, the devices retain the high-resistance state, thus making it write-once read-many memory (WORM). The ratio of current in low-resistance to high-resistance state is lying in 20-40 range for various devices with excellent retention characteristics. Control sample without the bilayer graphene shows random hysteresis and switching.Comment: 13 pages and 4 figure

Outcome of shaft fractures among children treated with elastic stable intramedullary nailing

Background: Long bone fractures are frequent occurrence among children and considered a frequent pediatric orthopedic injury requiring hospitalization. Authors aimed to retrospectively analyze the outcome of fixation of long bone fractures with elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) among children and adolescents.Methods: From 2010 to 2018, ESIN was performed on 128 children aged 2 to 17 years having single shaft fractures of long bones. The data related to associated injuries, postoperative complications, postoperative treatment, till bony union or removal of rods, mal-union, functional deficit, need for secondary surgical intervention and subjective complaints at follow-up originated from postoperative clinical and radiological consultations carried out regularly. The primary end points were time of complete radiological union or removal of rods.Results: The mean age at the time of accident was 9.5 years. There were 37 (28.9%) femoral fractures, 16 (12.5%) of the lower leg, 51 (39.8%) fractures of radius/ulna and 24 (18.8%) of the humerus. In 2 (2.3%) children, reoperation was necessary due to prominent ends of elastic rods and 6 (4.7%) had early removal of rods due to same reasons. End point of the study, removal of rods noted in 126 (82.8%), radiological evidence of union in 7 (5.5%) and 15 (11.7%) cases were lost at follow-up.Conclusions: ESIN fixation of diaphyseal fractures in children and adolescents is safe. ESIN was found to be minimally invasive method, noted to produce excellent functional as well as cosmetic outcomes

Measurement of LLE For Biodiesel and Bio-Oil in Solvents

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for internal combustion engmes. It can reduce carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC) and particulate matter (PM) emissions, compared with diesel fuel, but there is also an increase in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission. The combustion of diesel oil will produces carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming and sulfur that lead to acid rains. Furthermore, the high prices of fossil fuel make researchers find an alternative and renewable fuel. The diesel oil or methyl ester is produced in transesterification oftriglycerides with methanol. It is called in other name with alcoholysis. In the reaction of producing biodiesel, the product that is glycerol is formed simultaneously to methyl esters. This condition will complicate the reactant and product recovery and thus increase operation cost. The knowledge of the complex phase behaviours is essential in designing and optimizing the recovery. Therefore, an experimental investigation of the complex phase behaviours between methanol, different oils, and catalyst as reactants and methyl ester and glycerol as products need to be done to define suitable process conditions for reaction and product separation. Hopefully this study will enhance the production of biodiesel from rubber seed oil m Malaysia

Crank-Nicolson finite difference method for two-dimensional fractional sub-diffusion equation

A Crank-Nicolson finite difference method is presented to solve the time fractional two-dimensional sub-diffusion equation in the case where the Gr¨unwald-Letnikov definition is used for the time-fractional derivative. The stability and convergence of the proposed Crank-Nicolson scheme are also analyzed. Finally, numerical examples are presented to test that the numerical scheme is accurate and feasible

Acute ischemic stroke treatment barriers in Pakistan

Worldwide stroke is the second most common cause of death and the third most common cause of disability (1). No large-scale epidemiological studies are available to determine the true incidence of stroke in Pakistan. There is only one published stroke prevalence study which was conducted in a community residing in Karachi, the prevalence was 4.8%, however the results of the study should be interpreted with caution as a non-validated questionnaire was used. (2). Another community-based survey suggested as estimated 21.8% prevalence of stroke in an urban slum of Karachi (3). These studies although published in local journals but do not highlight the aspects of stroke treatment and prevalence. While the incidence is decreasing in high-income countries, it is increasing in low-income countries such as Pakistan, where there is not even a single established comprehensive stroke center with fully equipped facilities to do endovascular treatment of AIS. Medical advances in stroke treatment have greatly improved survival rates and disability from stroke during the last decade, these advances include cerebral angiographic techniques to remove the blood clot from brain vessels called Mechanical Thrombectomy. The quality of care and equipment available to stroke victims makes a world of difference. That is why the public needs to have access to the stroke center. Neurointerventional Radiology training and practice in Pakistan is still in early phases, being practiced in few leading hospitals of the country but no separate accredited postgraduate training program still available

Underlying Effect of Customer Satisfaction on Repurchase Intentions: Mediating role of Trust and Commitment

Pakistani banking industry rivalry becomes more intense with the development of this sector.  This study aims to examine the relationship between customers satisfaction and repurchase intentions through the prologue of trust and commitment as mediators in the banking industry of Pakistan. 225 customers of banks was included in the analysis with 87% response rate. Results showed positive relationship between satisfaction and repurchase intentions, trust and repurchase intentions, trust and commitment. Satisfaction positively enhances the trust subsequently trust fosters the commitment and this increase the repurchase intentions of customer. Commitment and trust both are act as mediators between customers satisfaction and repurchase intentions. These findings have strategic implications for increasing customers repurchase intentions in banking industry of Pakistan. Keywords: Satisfaction, Trust, Commitment, Repurchase intention