Nano-structured carbide-derived carbon films and their tribology

Tsinghua Science and Technology, 10(6): pp. 699-703. Retrieved March 13, 2006 from http://nano.materials.drexel.edu/Papers/CDC_Tibology_TSINGHUA.pdf. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1007-0214(05)70138-3Carbide-derived carbon (CDC) is a form of carbon produced by reacting metal carbides, such as SiC or TiC, with halogens at temperatures high enough to produce fast kinetics, but too low to permit the re-arrangement of the carbon atoms into an equilibrium graphitic structure. The structure of CDC is derivative of the original carbide structure and contains nanoscale porosity and both sp2 and sp3 bonded carbon in a variety of nanoscale structures. CDC can be produced as a thin film on hard carbides to improve their tri-bological performance. CDC coatings are distinguished by their low friction coefficients and high wear resis-tance in many important industrial environments and by their resistance to spallation and delamination. The tribology of CDC coatings on SiC surfaces is described in detail

Psychotropic medication use among nursing home residents in Austria: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of psychotropic medications and their adverse effects in frail elderly has been debated extensively. However, recent data from European studies show that these drugs are still frequently prescribed in nursing home residents. In Austria, prevalence data are lacking. We aimed to determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication prescription in Austrian nursing homes and to explore characteristics associated with their prescription.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study and association analysis in forty-eight out of 50 nursing homes with 1844 out of a total of 2005 residents in a defined urban-rural region in Austria. Prescribed medication was retrieved from residents' charts. Psychotropic medications were coded according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification 2005. Cluster-adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate institutional and residents' characteristics associated with prescription.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Residents' mean age was 81; 73% of residents were female. Mean cluster-adjusted prevalence of residents with at least one psychotropic medication was 74.6% (95% confidence interval, CI, 72.0–77.2). A total of 45.9% (95% CI 42.7–49.1) had at least one prescription of an antipsychotic medication. Two third of all antipsychotic medications were prescribed for bedtime use only. Anxiolytics were prescribed in 22.2% (95% CI 20.0–24.5), hypnotics in 13.3% (95% CI 11.3–15.4), and antidepressants in 36.8% (95% CI 34.1–39.6) of residents. None of the institutional characteristics and only few residents' characteristics were significantly associated with psychotropic medication prescription. Permanent restlessness was positively associated with psychotropic medication prescription (AOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.32–1.79) whereas cognitive impairment was inversely associated (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.56–0.88).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Frequency of psychotropic medication prescription is high in Austrian nursing homes compared to recent published data from other countries. Interventions should aim at reduction and optimisation of prescriptions.</p

Identification of carbon allotropes in carbide derived carbon using electron microscopy.

Identification of carbon allotropes in carbide derived carbon using electron microscopy

Nano-structured carbide-derived carbon films and their tribology

Das US-Holocaust-Museum in Washington hat eine neue Online-Datenbank in Betrieb genommen, die den Zugang zu den Dokumenten seines Archivs erleichtern soll. Die Internetseite http://WorldMemoryProject.org solle den Zugang zu Informationen über jüdische und nicht-jüdische Opfer des Holocaust verbessern, teilte das Museum mit. Das Archiv des Museums umfasst demnach Dokumente zu 17 Millionen Menschen, die von den Nationalsozialisten verfolgt wurden."Das World Memory Project wird die Zugänglichkei..

Acute Kidney Injury After Heart Transplantation: Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring renal-replacement therapy (RRT) after heart transplantation (OHT) is common and impairs outcomes. This study aimed to identify independent donor and recipient risk factors associated with RRT after OHT. Design: A retrospective data analysis. Setting: Data were collected from clinical routines in a maximum-care university hospital. Participants: Patients who underwent OHT. Interventions: The authors retrospectively analyzed data from 264 patients who underwent OHT between 2012 and 2021; 189 patients were eligible and included in the final analysis. Measurements and Main Results: The mean age was 48.0 ± 12.3 years, and 71.4% of patients were male. Ninety (47.6%) patients were on long-term mechanical circulatory support (lt-MCS). Posttransplant AKI with RRT occurred in 123 (65.1%) patients. In a multivariate analysis, preoperative body mass index >25 kg/m² (odds ratio [OR] 4.74, p < 0.001), elevated preoperative creatinine levels (OR for each mg/dL increase 3.44, p = 0.004), administration of red blood cell units during transplantation procedure (OR 2.31, p = 0.041) and ischemia time (OR for each hour increase 1.77, p = 0.004) were associated with a higher incidence of RRT. The use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers before transplantation was associated with a reduced risk of RRT (OR 0.36, p = 0.013). The risk of mortality was 6.9-fold higher in patients who required RRT (hazard ratio 6.9, 95% CI: 2.1-22.6 p = 0.001). Previous lt-MCS, as well as donor parameters, were not associated with RRT after OHT. Conclusions: The implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy, weight reduction, minimizing ischemia time (ie, organ perfusion systems, workflow optimization), and comprehensive patient blood management potentially influences renal function and outcomes after OHT