Cadmium-free Thin-Film Cu(In,Ga)Se2(In2S3) Heterophotoelements Fabrication and Properties

The method of heat treatment of metallic Cu–In–Ga layers in the N2 inert atmosphere in the presence of selenium and sulfur vapors was used to grow homogeneous films of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 alloys onto which the CdS or In2S3 films were deposited and, on the basis of these structures, the thin-film glass/Mo/p-Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2/n-(In2S3,CdS)/n-ZnO/Ni–Al photoelements were fabricated. The mechanisms of charge transport and the processes of photosensitivity in the obtained structures subjected to irradiation with natural and linearly polarized light are discussed. The broadband hotosensitivity of thin-film heterophotoelements and the induced photopleochroism were detected; these findings indicate that there is an interference-related blooming of the structures obtained. It is concluded that it is possible to use ecologically safe cadmium-free thin-film heterostructures as high-efficiency photoconverters of solar radiation

Comparative efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine in combination with corticosteroids in the treatment of lymphocytic myocarditis

Aim. To study the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MM) in combination with corticosteroids in the treatment of lymphocytic myocarditis in comparison with a standard combination of corticosteroids and azathioprine.Material and methods. The study included 46 patients aged 18 years and older with severe and moderate lymphocytic myocarditis (men, 34; women 12; mean age, 53,5±13,0 years). The diagnosis was verified using endomyocardial biopsy. Symptom duration averaged 9,5 [4; 20.25] months. All patients had class 3 [2,75; 3] heart failure (HF). The main group included 29 patients who received MM 2 g/day, including six patients — instead of azathioprine, which was canceled due to cytopenia (n=3) or insufficient effect (n=3). The comparison group included 17 patients who received azathioprine 150 [100; 150] mg/day. Patients of both groups also received methylprednisolone at a starting dose of 24 [24; 32] and 24 [24; 24] mg/day and standard HF therapy. In 7/2 patients, the parvovirus B19 genome was detected in the myocardium. In all cases, an increase in anticardiac antibody titers was evidence of immune activity. The average follow-up period was 24 [12; 54] months (at least 6 months).Results. The groups were completely comparable in age, initial characteristics and standard drug therapy. In both groups, a comparable significant increase in the ejection fraction (EF) was noted as follows: from 31,2±7,6 to 44,7±8,3% and from 29±9,1 to 46±11,9% (p<0,001). An excellent response to treatment (an increase in EF by 10% or more) was noted in 68,2% and 66,7% of patients, a good response (by 9-5%) — in 27,3% and 14,3%, a poor response (an increase in less than 5% or a decrease in EF) — in 4,5% and 19,0%, respectively. In both groups, we noted the same significant (p<0,01) decrease in pulmonary artery systolic pressure (36,3±12 to 28,1±6,1 mm Hg in the MM group and from 44,1±8,5 to 30,7±12,1 mm Hg in the azathioprine group), left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimension (from 6,4±0,6 to 6±0,7 cm and from 6,2±0,5 to 5,8±0,6 cm), LV end-diastolic volume (from 188,7±55,2 to 178,8±57,1 ml and from 167,8±47,5 to 163,3±61,8 ml), LV end-systolic volume (from 130,3±44,1 to 98,4±32 ml and from 118,1±39 to 94,1±46 ml), left atrial volume (from 98,3±30,3 to 86,7±32,6 ml and from 105±27,4 to 91,2±47,3 ml, p<0,05), as well as mitral regurgitation grade. The incidence of deaths was 2 (6,9%) and 2 (8,7%), transplantation — 1 (3,4%) and 1 (4,3%) patients, death+transplantation end point — 3 (10,3%) and 2 (11,8%) without significant differences between the groups. The presence of the parvovirus B19 genome did not affect the results of treatment. The incidence of infectious complications was comparable in both groups (in one case, MM was completely canceled), no new cytopenia cases were noted during the follow-up period.Conclusion. In patients with moderate and severe virus-negative (except for parvovirus B19) lymphocytic myocarditis, the combination of moderate-dose corticosteroids with mycophenolate mofetil 2 g/day is at least no less effective than the standard regimen of immunosuppressive therapy. There was a tendency towards a more pronounced decrease in anticardiac antibody titers in combination with better tolerance (no cases of cytopenia) in MM group. MM in combination with corticosteroids can be recommended as an alternative treatment regimen for lymphocytic myocarditis

The state of the orbicularis oris muscle in patients with hearing deprivation

For the purpose of research of the functional state of students with hearing deprivation and malocclusion, an electromyographical study of the orbicularis oris muscle was performed in 19 patients. It is determined that the BP of the orbicularis oris muscle in the HIC in a state of the rest has a significant deviation from the norm, namely, there is a hyperactivity of the orbicularis oris muscle. The amplitude of BP during the functional test "maximum arbitrary lips compression" is almost twice lower than normal. For students with hearing deprivation, the asymmetry in the work of the orbicularis oris muscle, both the upper lip and the lower lip, is characteristic.; С целью изучения функционального состояния мышц у школьников с депривацией слуха и с зубочелюстными аномалиями было проведено электромиографическое исследование круговой мышцы рта у 19 пациентов. Установлено, что БП круговой мышцы рта в ДВС в состоянии покоя имеет значительное отклонение от нормы, а именно, является имеющаяся гиперактивность работы круговой мышцы. Амплитуда БП в состоянии функциональной пробы «максимальное волевое сжатия губ» почти в два раза ниже нормы. Для школьников с депривацией слуха характерна асимметрия в работе круговой мышцы, как верхней губы, так и нижней губы.; З метою вивчення функціонального стану у школярів із депривацією слуху та з зубощелепними аномаліями було проведено електроміографічне дослідження колового м’яза рота в 19 пацієнтів. Встановлено, що БП колового м’яза рота в ДВС у стані спокою має значне відхилення від норми, а саме, є наявна гіперактивність роботи колового м’яза. Амплітуда БП в стані функціональної проби «максимальне вольове стиснення губ» майже в два рази нижча за норму. Для школярів із депривацією слуху характерна асиметрія в роботі колового м’яза як верхньої губи, так і нижньої губи

The state of the orbicularis oris muscle in patients with hearing deprivation

For the purpose of research of the functional state of students with hearing deprivation and malocclusion, an electromyographical study of the orbicularis oris muscle was performed in 19 patients. It is determined that the BP of the orbicularis oris muscle in the HIC in a state of the rest has a significant deviation from the norm, namely, there is a hyperactivity of the orbicularis oris muscle. The amplitude of BP during the functional test "maximum arbitrary lips compression" is almost twice lower than normal. For students with hearing deprivation, the asymmetry in the work of the orbicularis oris muscle, both the upper lip and the lower lip, is characteristic.; С целью изучения функционального состояния мышц у школьников с депривацией слуха и с зубочелюстными аномалиями было проведено электромиографическое исследование круговой мышцы рта у 19 пациентов. Установлено, что БП круговой мышцы рта в ДВС в состоянии покоя имеет значительное отклонение от нормы, а именно, является имеющаяся гиперактивность работы круговой мышцы. Амплитуда БП в состоянии функциональной пробы «максимальное волевое сжатия губ» почти в два раза ниже нормы. Для школьников с депривацией слуха характерна асимметрия в работе круговой мышцы, как верхней губы, так и нижней губы.; З метою вивчення функціонального стану у школярів із депривацією слуху та з зубощелепними аномаліями було проведено електроміографічне дослідження колового м’яза рота в 19 пацієнтів. Встановлено, що БП колового м’яза рота в ДВС у стані спокою має значне відхилення від норми, а саме, є наявна гіперактивність роботи колового м’яза. Амплітуда БП в стані функціональної проби «максимальне вольове стиснення губ» майже в два рази нижча за норму. Для школярів із депривацією слуху характерна асиметрія в роботі колового м’яза як верхньої губи, так і нижньої губи

Search for W' boson production in the W'->tb decay channel

We present a search for the production of a new heavy gauge boson W' that decays to a top quark and a bottom quark. We have analyzed 230 pb^{-1} of data collected with the Dzero detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. No significant excess of events above the standard model expectation is found in any region of the final state invariant mass distribution. We set upper limits on the production cross section of W' bosons times branching ratio to top quarks at the 95% confidence level for several different W' boson masses. We exclude masses between 200 GeV and 610 GeV for a W' boson with standard-model-like couplings, between 200 GeV and 630 GeV for a W' boson with right-handed couplings that is allowed to decay to both leptons and quarks, and between 200 GeV and 670 GeV for a W' boson with right-handed couplings that is only allowed to decay to quarks.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Phys. Lett.

Search for R-parity violating supersymmetry via the LLE couplings lambda_{121}, lambda_{122} or lambda_{133} in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

A search for gaugino pair production with a trilepton signature in the framework of R-parity violating supersymmetry via the couplings lambda_121, lambda_122, or lambda_133 is presented. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of L~360/pb, were collected from April 2002 to August 2004 with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. This analysis considers final states with three charged leptons with the flavor combinations eel, mumul, and eetau (l=e or mu). No evidence for supersymmetry is found and limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the gaugino pair production cross section and lower bounds on the masses of the lightest neutralino and chargino are derived in two supersymmetric models.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures (fig2 includes 3 subfigures

Search for right-handed W bosons in top quark decay

We present a measurement of the fraction f+ of right-handed W bosons produced in top quark decays, based on a candidate sample of $t\bar{t}$ events in the lepton+jets decay mode. These data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 230pb^-1, collected by the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ Collider at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. We use a constrained fit to reconstruct the kinematics of the $t\bar{t}$ and decay products, which allows for the measurement of the leptonic decay angle $\theta^*$ for each event. By comparing the $\cos\theta^*$ distribution from the data with those for the expected background and signal for various values of f+, we find f+=0.00+-0.13(stat)+-0.07(syst). This measurement is consistent with the standard model prediction of f+=3.6x10^-4.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review D Rapid Communications 7 pages, 3 figure

Measurement of the Bs0B^{0}_{s} Lifetime Using Semileptonic Decays

We report a measurement of the $B^0_{s}$ lifetime in the semileptonic decay channel $B^0_{s}\to D^-_s \mu^{+}\nu X$ (and its charge conjugate), using approximately 0.4 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the D0 detector during 2002 -- 2004. We have reconstructed 5176 $D^-_s \mu^{+}$ signal events, where the $D_s^-$ is identified via the decay $D_s^-\to \phi\pi^-$, followed by $\phi\to K^+ K^-$. Using these events, we have measured the $B^0_s$ lifetime to be $\tau(B^0_{s}) = 1.398 \pm 0.044$ $({stat}) ^{+0.028}_{-0.025}$ $({syst}) {ps}$. This is the most precise measurement of the $B_s^0$ lifetime to date.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett., 7 pages, 2 figure