Oscillatory tunnel magnetoresistance in double barrier magnetic tunnel junctions

We report an unconventional oscillatory tunnel magnetoresistance as a function of the applied bias in double barrier magnetic tunnel junctions that were made of two Al2O3 barriers sandwiched by three ferromagnetic layers. When the center ferromagnetic layer is aligned antiparallel to the top and bottom magnetic layers, a distinct magnetoresistance oscillation appears with respect to the increase of the bias voltage at 4.2 K and at room temperature. The period of the oscillation is about 1.6 mV

Analysis of fractal characteristic of fragments from rock burst tests under different loading rates

Prsnuće stijene je uobičajena ozbiljna geološka opasnost kod podzemnih tehničkih radova koja uvelike utječe na razvoj projekata. Mehanizam prsnuća stijene može se objasniti zakonom raspodjele komadića stijene i njihovim fraktalnim karakteristikama. Proveden je simulacijski eksperiment rasprsnuća stijene s uzorcima granita pri dvoosnom opterećenju strojnog sustava u analizi fraktalnih karakteristika krhotina rasprsnule stijene. Krhotine granita su sakupljene i metodom selekcije podijeljene u grube, srednje, fine i mikro zrnca. Broj i raspodjela mase krhotina po veličini u različite nizove također su analizirani. Izračunate su fraktalne dimenzije krhotina stijene metodom distribucije mase-zrnatosti. Rezultati pokazuju da je stupanj opterećenja proporcionalan stupnju štete nastale prskanjem stijene; masa ostataka stijene povećava se porastom stupnja opterećenja, što pokazuje da visoki stupanj opterećenja dovodi do znatnog oštećenja stijene. Visoki stupanj opterećenja također rezultira malim količinama finih i srednjih zrna i velikim iznosom grubih zrna, uz zanemarivu promjenu mikro zrna. U uvjetima visokog stupnja opterećenja, fraktalne dimenzije ostataka stijene su male, ali je oslobođena energija rasprsnuća stijene velika. Zaključci dobiveni ovim istraživanjem potvrđuju mogućnost smanjenja rizika rasprsnuća stijene podešavanjem brzine iskapanja kod tehničkih radova i osnova su za daljnja istraživanja mehanizma rasprsnuća stijene.Rock burst is a common serious geological hazard in underground engineering, which seriously affects the progress of projects. The mechanism of rock burst can be explained by the distribution law of rock fragments and its fractal characteristics. A simulation experiment of rock burst was conducted with the granite samples under a biaxial loading machine system to analyze the fractal characteristics of the fragments from rock burst tests. The granite fragments were collected and divided into coarse, medium, fine, and micro grains by a screening method. The number and mass distribution of the fragments in different size ranges were also analyzed. The fractal dimensions of the rock fragments were calculated by the mass-granularity distribution method. Results show that the loading rate is proportional to the damage degree of rock burst; the mass of rock burst debris increases with the increase in loading rate, which indicates that a high loading rate leads to considerable rock damage. A high loading rate also results in small proportions of fine and medium grains and a large proportion of coarse grain, with no significant change in the micro grain. Under the high-loading-rate condition, the fractal dimensions of rock fragments are small, but the released energy of rock burst is large. The conclusions obtained in this study confirm the feasibility of reducing the risk of rock burst by adjusting the excavation rate in engineering practice and provide the basis for further study on the mechanism of rock burst

Apatinib inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in PNET models

Angiogenesis has a pivotal role in the growth and metastasis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). Apatinib inhibits angiogenesis as a highly selective KDR inhibitor and has been used to treat advanced gastric cancer and malignancies in clinical settings. However, the efficacy of apatinib in PNETs remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the antitumor efficacy of apatinib with that of the standard PNET drug sunitinib in our subcutaneous and liver metastasis models of insulinoma and non-functional PNET. Our results revealed that apatinib had a generally comparable or even superior antitumor effect to that of sunitinib on primary PNET, and it inhibited angiogenesis without directly causing tumor cell cytotoxicity. Apatinib inhibited the tumor in a dose-dependent manner, and the high dose was well tolerated in mice. We also found that the apatinib efficacy in liver metastasis models was cell-type (disease) selective. Although apatinib efficiently inhibited INR1G9-represented non-functional PNET liver metastasis, it led to the emergence of a hypoxic area in the INS-1-represented insulinoma and promoted liver metastasis. Our study demonstrated that apatinib has promise for clinical applications in certain malignant PNETs, and the application of anti-angiogenesis drugs to benign insulinomas may require careful consideration

Hierarchically heterostructured metal hydr(oxy)oxides for efficient overall water splitting

The design of highly efficient electrocatalysts containing non-precious metals is crucial for promoting overall water splitting in alkaline media. In particular, Janus catalysts simultaneously facilitating the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are desirable. Herein, we fabricated a unique hierarchical heterostructure via growing Ni4W6O21(OH)2·4H2O (denoted as Ni-W-O) nanosheets on NiMoO4 rods, which was indispensable for regulating the morphology of the Ni-W-O structure. This heterostructure of Ni-W-O/NiMoO4 could be utilized as an electrocatalyst to realize superior activity for overall water splitting in 1.0 M KOH. It substantially promoted overall water splitting with 1.6 V at 30 mA cm-2, outperforming numerous bifunctional electrocatalysts under the same conditions. Notably, the remarkable stability for continuously splitting water endowed this hierarchical heterostructure with potential applications on a large scale. This work emphasizes the effectively controlled growth of heterostructured non-noble-metal catalysts for energy-conversion reaction

Analysis and realization of pathology diagnosis on intraoperative frozen sections of papillary thyroid carcinoma

目的  探讨术中冷冻切片在甲状腺肿瘤手术中的应用，提高甲状腺乳头状癌术中冷冻病理诊断的准确率。方法  回顾性观察我科43例甲状腺乳头状癌患者的术中冷冻切片。结果  术中冷冻切片诊断甲状腺乳头状癌43例，确诊率为100%。结论  为提高术中冷冻切片病理诊断的准确性，必须加强与临床医师沟通，详细了解患者的临床资料，正确全面的取材，掌握甲状腺乳头状癌的病理诊断及鉴别要点，提高冷冻切片质量。Objective:To explore the application of intraoperative frozen sections in thyroid tumor surgery and to improve its diagnostic accuracy in thyroid tumor surgery. Methods:To respectively analyze the intraoperative frozen sections of 43 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma in our department. Results:By intraoperative frozen sections, 43 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma were diagnosed, the diagnostic accuracy amounting to 100%.Conclusion:Increasing the diagnosis accuracy of intraoperative frozen sections counts in understanding clinical data in detail，drawing materials correctly and comprehensively，commanding common papillary thyroid carcinoma pathologic diagnosis and differentiated points，enhancing the communication with clinicians and improving the quality of frozen sections

Cyclic deformation leads to defect healing and strengthening of small-volume metal crystals

When microscopic and macroscopic specimens of metals are subjected to cyclic loading, the creation, interaction, and accumulation of defects lead to damage, cracking, and failure. Here we demonstrate that when aluminum single crystals of submicrometer dimensions are subjected to low-amplitude cyclic deformation at room temperature, the density of preexisting dislocation lines and loops can be dramatically reduced with virtually no change of the overall sample geometry and essentially no permanent plastic strain. This “cyclic healing” of the metal crystal leads to significant strengthening through dramatic reductions in dislocation density, in distinct contrast to conventional cyclic strain hardening mechanisms arising from increases in dislocation density and interactions among defects in microcrystalline and macrocrystalline metals and alloys. Our real-time, in situ transmission electron microscopy observations of tensile tests reveal that pinned dislocation lines undergo shakedown during cyclic straining, with the extent of dislocation unpinning dependent on the amplitude, sequence, and number of strain cycles. Those unpinned mobile dislocations moving close enough to the free surface of the thin specimens as a result of such repeated straining are then further attracted to the surface by image forces that facilitate their egress from the crystal. These results point to a versatile pathway for controlled mechanical annealing and defect engineering in submicrometer-sized metal crystals, thereby obviating the need for thermal annealing or significant plastic deformation that could cause change in shape and/or dimensions of the specimen.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant DMR-1120901)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (DMR-1410636)Singapore-MIT Allianc

Calibration of X-ray telescope prototypes at PANTER

We report a ground X-ray calibration of two X-ray telescope prototypes at the PANTER X-ray Test Facility, of the Max-Planck-Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, in Neuried, Germany. The X-ray telescope prototypes were developed by the Institute of Precision Optical Engineering (IPOE) of Tongji University, in a conical Wolter-I configuration, using thermal glass slumping technology. Prototype #1 with 3 layers and Prototype #2 with 21 layers were tested to assess the prototypes' on-axis imaging performance. The measurement of Prototype #1 indicates a Half Power Diameter (HPD) of 82" at 1.49 keV. As for Prototype #2, we performed more comprehensive measurements of on-axis angular resolution and effective area at several energies ranging from 0.5-10 keV. The HPD and effective area are 111" and 39 cm^2 at 1.49 keV, respectively, at which energy the on-axis performance of the prototypes is our greatest concern.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

Gold mineralized diorite beneath the Linglong ore field, North China craton: New insights into the origin of decratonization-related gold deposits

Gold deposits in Precambrian cratons were mostly generated during the formation and stabilization of the cratons, but the North China craton is unusual in that its gold deposits were mainly formed ∼1.7 b.y. after its stabilization. A magmatic-hydrothermal origin or mantle-derived fluid source has been proposed for the giant gold deposits of the Jiaodong District in the eastern North China craton, but direct evidence is sparse, and the mineralization processes remain controversial. Here, we present the results of a comprehensive geological, geochronological, and geochemical study of the gold mineralized Xiejia diorite beneath the Linglong ore field at Jiaodong to link the gold mineralization to underlying magmatism. Magmatic zircon and titanite grains from the Xiejia diorite have laser ablation−inductively coupled plasma−mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb ages of 121.3 ± 0.9 Ma to 120.8 ± 1.1 Ma and 121.7 ± 3.9 Ma, respectively, which are indistinguishable from the time of gold deposition throughout the Jiaodong District as constrained by previous studies. The diorite has a shoshonitic composition and is characterized by strong enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare earth elements (LREEs) along with significant depletion in high field strength elements (HFSEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). Samples of the diorite have high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios, but low εNd(t) and ɛHf(t) values and low Pb isotope ratios. These geochemical characteristics are akin to those of contemporaneous mafic dikes in most gold mines at Jiaodong, indicating that the Xiejia diorite was most likely derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle source. The upper part of the diorite intrusion is pervasively altered and mineralized, containing an average of 0.32 g/t Au, but locally up to 7.59 g/t. Hydrothermal titanite from the mineralized diorite has a LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of 122.3 ± 4.3 Ma, which is consistent with the gold-bearing pyrite Re-Os isochron age of 122.5 ± 6.7 Ma. Ore-related sericite aggregates from the Dongfeng gold deposit above the Xiejia diorite have a 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 122.6 ± 1.3 Ma. Pyrite from the mineralized diorite yielded δ34SCDT values of 2.1‰−9.7‰, which are comparable with those of pyrite (δ34SCDT = 5.8‰−8.1‰, where CDT indicates the Canyon Diablo troilite standard) from gold ores of Dongfeng. Pyrite grains from both groups also have similar Pb isotope compositions. The S and Pb isotope data are consistent with values of mafic dikes that are spatially and temporally associated with gold veins in the Linglong ore field. The results presented here thus indicate a possible genetic link between gold mineralization in the Xiejia diorite and underlying magma presumably represented by the Xiejia diorite. The auriferous fluids exsolved from that magma and migrated upward along the Potouqing fault to form the Dongfeng gold deposit above the Xiejia diorite. The mineralized diorite thus links shallow gold mineralization to deep-seated mantle-derived magmatism generated during the extensive destruction of the North China craton induced by the rollback of the subducted paleo-Pacific plate