The Effects of Zr Doping on the Optical,Electrical and Microstructural Properties of Thin ZnO Films Deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), with high optical transparency (≥85%) and low electrical resistivity (10⁻⁴ Ω·cm) are used in a wide variety of commercial devices. There is growing interest in replacing conventional TCOs such as indium tin oxide with lower cost, earth abundant materials. In the current study, we dope Zr into thin ZnO films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to target properties of an efficient TCO. The effects of doping (0–10 at.% Zr) were investigated for ~100 nm thick films and the effect of thickness on the properties was investigated for 50–250 nm thick films. The addition of Zr⁴⁺ ions acting as electron donors showed reduced resistivity (1.44 × 10⁻³ Ω·cm), increased carrier density (3.81 × 10²⁰ cm⁻³), and increased optical gap (3.5 eV) with 4.8 at.% doping. The increase of film thickness to 250 nm reduced the electron carrier/photon scattering leading to a further reduction of resistivity to 7.5 × 10⁻⁴ Ω·cm and an average optical transparency in the visible/near infrared (IR) range up to 91%. The improved n-type properties of ZnO: Zr films are promising for TCO applications after reaching the targets for high carrier density (>10²⁰ cm⁻³), low resistivity in the order of 10⁻⁴ Ω·cm and high optical transparency (≥85%).     

Targeting brain microvascular endothelial cells: a therapeutic approach to neuroprotection against stroke

Brain microvascular endothelial cells form the interface between nervous tissue and circulating blood, and regulate central nervous system homeostasis. Brain microvascular endothelial cells differ from peripheral endothelial cells with regards expression of specific ion transporters and receptors, and contain fewer fenestrations and pinocytotic vesicles. Brain microvascular endothelial cells also synthesize several factors that influence blood vessel function. This review describes the morphological characteristics and functions of brain microvascular endothelial cells, and summarizes current knowledge regarding changes in brain microvascular endothelial cells during stroke progression and therapies. Future studies should focus on identifying mechanisms underlying such changes and developing possible neuroprotective therapeutic interventions.     

Small Airways Dysfunction in Asthma: Evaluation and Management to Improve Asthma Control

The small airways have been neglected for many years, but interest in the topic has been rekindled with recent advances in measurement techniques to assess this region and also the ability to deliver therapeutics to the distal airways. Current levels of disease control in asthmatic patients remain poor and there are several contributory factors including; poor treatment compliance, heterogeneity of asthma phenotypes and associated comorbidities. However, the proposition that we may not be targeting all the inflammation that is present throughout the whole respiratory tree may also be an important factor. Indeed decades ago, pathologists and physiologists clearly identified the importance of small airways dysfunction in asthmatic patients. With improved inhaler technology to deliver drug to target the whole respiratory tree and more sensitive measures to assess the distal airways, we should certainly give greater consideration to treating the small airway region when seeing our asthmatic patients in clinic. The aim of this review is to address the relevance of small airways dysfunction in the daily clinical management of patients with asthma. In particular the role of small particle aerosols in the management of patients with asthma will be explored.     

人工晶状体睫状沟悬吊术缝线改良研究

目的探讨人工晶状体Ⅱ期睫状沟悬吊缝线改良的可行性和实用性。方法选取需Ⅱ期人工晶状体睫状沟悬吊患者32例(32只眼),采用折叠人工晶状体,利用VE2200人工晶状体植入系统,由双针各带有环形10-0非吸收聚丙烯缝线固定于睫状沟,结扎缝线关闭自创的口袋样裂隙状板层巩膜瓣,线结自行埋藏。结果患者术后植入的人工晶状体居中,裸眼视力均有不同程度的提高。术后3个月,视力>0.8的眼3只(9.4%),视力0.4~0.8眼17只(53.1%),视力<0.4的眼12只(37.5%)。术前、术后3个月平均角膜散光均值分别为(1.75±1.24)D与(1.64±1.32)D,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。切口闭合线结埋藏满意。结论采用双针10-0聚丙烯缝线睫状沟悬吊固定晶状体、关闭自创口袋样巩膜裂隙状板层瓣、线结埋藏一次完成,操作简捷,手术并发症少,有效可行。     

离子造影剂增强Micro-CT扫描对大鼠关节软骨形态的定量分析

利用Micro-CT技术的较高分辨精度,探索一种新的测量小动物关节软骨形态的方法,为进一步利用小动物模型开展关节软骨的损伤和退变等研究提供基础。选择不同浓度的造影剂及Micro-CT扫描条件,通过造影剂对比增强Micro-CT扫描大鼠膝关节,对大鼠股骨远端关节软骨进行手动分割、重建,得到软骨3D模型,利用重建得到的3D模型,对软骨的厚度和体积等形态学参数进行无创定量分析。根据造影剂、软骨和软骨下骨对X射线吸收的平均相对衰减值差异,确定30%的离子造影剂浓度为最佳。利用该浓度对4个不同的正常大鼠关节软骨进行扫描和重建,分析获得关节软骨的体积和厚度,并求得关节软骨体积和厚度的变异系数均方根分别为7.3%和6.1%。结果提示,利用造影剂增强Micro-CT扫描能够对软骨形态重要参数厚度、体积等进行定量评价。     

正常小肠血管与小肠腺癌血管对比研究

目的：建立正常小肠血管形态及小肠腺癌血管形态。材料与方法：对１０例正常小肠标本、１６例经病理证实的手术切除标本，其中８例术前已作肠系膜上动脉造影，分别采用血管铸型、血管造影、解剖镜观察及图像分析。结果：正常小肠血管的形态、分布与传统观点不尽相同。血管密度以十二指肠球部最低、在空、回肠呈由低增高，继而降低的变化规律。小肠腺癌术前血管造影确诊率较低（３／８）例，血管造影呈现：供血动脉增粗、杵状中断、狭窄，癌体内造影剂池，癌周血管增多、扭曲，肿块实质血管减少等特征。与正常组比，小肠腺癌血管面密度（目标总面积／统计场总面积）显著性减少（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结论：认识正常小肠血管分布规律，有助于小肠肿瘤的介入诊断和治疗。小肠腺癌癌周血管增多、变形，癌体内血管少、常见造影剂池征。     

膝关节镜下中心成形联合边缘稳定术治疗外侧盘状半月板损伤

目的探讨关节镜下中心成形联合边缘稳定术治疗外侧盘状半月板损伤的疗效。方法收集自2009-01—2013-08诊治的盘状半月板损伤68例(72膝),经MRI和关节镜下确诊后,随机分成2组。A组给予保留边缘6~8 mm成形联合半月板稳定术,进行体部、肌腱裂口周围垂直缝合固定,前、后角经胫骨骨道固定;B组行盘状半月板全切或次全切除术。观察2组术后3、6、12膝关节功能Lysholm评分,术后12个月MRI半月板板台比。结果 A组34例获得随访,B组34例获得随访,随访时间平均12.3(12~14)个月。患者术后关节活动度恢复满意,关节交锁及弹响症状消失,无再撕裂或因症状复发需要二次手术者。2组术后3、6个月Lysholm评分差异无统计学意义(t=1.826,P=0.077;t=0.442,P=0.661);术后12个月A组Lysholm评分较B组高,差异有统计学意义(t=3.718,P=0.001)。A组术后12个月MRI半月板板台比为(9.2±2.6)%,B组为(5.0±2.7)%,A组残存半月板板台比较B组高,差异有统计学意义(t=3.475,P=0.001);但比同侧正常的(12.3%)低。结论对于不稳定盘状软骨损伤,在半月板成形的基础上,给予周边缝合固定及前后角重建固定,能最大程度地保留外侧半月板周缘并保持其稳定性,具有良好的短期疗效。     

siRNA 干扰雄激素受体相互作用蛋白 HSPBAP1对人前列腺癌 PC3细胞恶性表型的影响

目的：探讨siRNA干扰雄激素受体相互作用蛋白HSPBAP1对前列腺癌PC3恶性表型的影响。方法 siRNA干扰PC3细胞HSPBAP1的表达,检测细胞增殖、克隆形成、细胞周期及迁移和侵袭的变化。结果 siHSPBAP1组与对照组相比,增殖能力、克隆形成能力、迁移和侵袭能力显著减弱（ P ＜0．05）, G0／G1期细胞数增多,S期和G2／M期细胞数显著减少（ P ＜0．05）。结论干扰HSPBAP1能够抑制前列腺癌PC3细胞的恶性表型。     

Evaluation of In Vivo Properties of Velosorb™ Fast Versus Vicryl™ Rapide in a Functional Rabbit Model of Intradermic Suture and Episiotomy

Objective: Fast-absorbing polyglactin 910 is commonly used to suture skin and vaginal incisions. In vitro studies have shown similar tensile strength properties between Velosorb? Fast and Vicryl? Rapide (Al-Qattan MM. J Hand Surg Br Eur. 2005;30(1):90–91). This randomized study compared Velosorb? Fast (Covidien) with Vicryl? Rapide (Ethicon) in a rabbit model of intradermic suture and episiotomy. Materials and Methods: This randomized prospective study was performed on 20 New Zealand rabbits, in which we realized a mediolateral perineo-vaginal incision and two vertical skin incisions of about 8 cm on the abdominal wall. The sutures were randomized between Velosorb? Fast (Covidien) and Vicryl? Rapide (Ethicon), and each rabbit was treated with the same suture on both vaginal incision and left abdominal incision, while the right abdominal incision was closed with an alternate suture. A macroscopic examination was performed on days 5 and 11. On day 11, animals were sacrificed for histological (Badylak quantitative score) and electron microscopic examinations. Differences were considered significant at p < .05. Results: All of the rabbits survived and were included in the final results. Fifty-one sutures were visible by histologic analysis (27 in the Velosorb? Fast group and 24 in the Vicryl? Rapide group). The power of the study was ≥80%. There was no significant difference between the two groups based on the total histologic Badylak score analysis or the Badylak sub-score analysis. Conclusions: Velosorb? Fast seems to be as efficient as Vicryl? Rapide for use in perineal and skin closure.