Numerical Study on the Dependency of Microstructure Morphologies of Pulsed Laser Deposited TiN Thin Films and the Strain Heterogeneities during Mechanical Testing

Numerical study of the influence of pulsed laser deposited TiN thin films’ microstructure morphologies on strain heterogeneities during loading was the goal of this research. The investigation was based on the digital material representation (DMR) concept applied to replicate an investigated thin film’s microstructure morphology. The physically based pulsed laser deposited model was implemented to recreate characteristic features of a thin film microstructure. The kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) approach was the basis of the model in the first part of the work. The developed kMC algorithm was used to generate thin film’s three-dimensional representation with its columnar morphology. Such a digital model was then validated with the experimental data from metallographic analysis of laboratory deposited TiN(100)/Si. In the second part of the research, the kMC generated DMR model of thin film was incorporated into the finite element (FE) simulation. The 3D film’s morphology was discretized with conforming finite element mesh, and then incorporated as a microscale model into the macroscale finite element simulation of nanoindentation test. Such a multiscale model was finally used to evaluate the development of local deformation heterogeneities associated with the underlying microstructure morphology. In this part, the capabilities of the proposed approach were clearly highlighted.     

Prenatal stress‐related alterations in synaptic transmission and 5‐HT7 receptor‐mediated effects in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus are ameliorated by the 5‐HT7 receptor antagonist SB 269970

Early life adversity exerts a detrimental influence on developing brain neuronal networks and its consequences may include mental health disorders. In rats, prenatal stress may lead to anxiety and depressive‐like behavior in the offspring. Several lines of evidence implicated an involvement of prenatal stress in alterations of the brain serotonergic system functions, but the effects of prenatal stress on its core, the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), still remain incompletely understood. The present study was aimed at finding whether prenatal stress induces modifications in the glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs to DRN projection cells and whether it affects DRN 5‐HT₇ receptors, which modulate activity of these synapses. Prenatal stress resulted in an increase in basal frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and in a decrease in basal frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) recorded from putative projection neurons in DRN slices ex vivo. While there were no changes in the excitability of DRN projection neurons, the 5‐HT₇ receptor‐mediated reduction in the sEPSC frequency and rise in the sIPSC frequency, seen in control rats, were largely absent in slices obtained from prenatally stressed rats. Repeated administration of SB 269970, a 5‐HT₇ receptor antagonist, resulted in a reversal of prenatal stress‐induced alterations in 5‐HT₇ receptor‐mediated effects on the sEPSC/sIPSC frequency. Moreover, the treatment reversed prenatal stress‐induced alterations in basal excitatory transmission and partially reversed the effect of stress on basal inhibitory transmission in the DRN.     

Atypical Abnormal Pulmonary Vein Drainage with Atrial Septal Defect: Surgical Treatment

Sinus venosus atrial septal defect (SV‐ASD) usually coexists with partial anomalous pulmonary vein connection (PAPVC). It is a difficult diagnosis in transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) due to eccentric position of defects. We present a rare case of atypical anatomical variation in PAPVC, which was never described before. Two right pulmonary veins drained into superior vena cava, which overrode SV‐ASD and interatrial septum, a third pulmonary vein into the right atrium. Complete diagnosis could not be set after TTE, nor transesophageal echocardiography, whereas angio‐CT was finally conclusive. This diagnostic approach allowed the surgical planning.     

Predictive utility of autistic traits in youth with ADHD: a controlled 10-year longitudinal follow-up study

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - The objective of this study was to investigate the stability and predictive utility of autistic traits (ATs) in youth with...     

Dioxane-Linked Amide Derivatives as Novel Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitors against Gram-Positive Staphylococcus aureus

In recent years, novel bacterial topoisomerase inhibitors (NBTIs) have been developed as future antibacterials for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. A series of dioxane-linked NBTIs with an amide moiety has been synthesized and evaluated. Compound 3 inhibits DNA gyrase, induces the formation of single strand breaks to bacterial DNA, and achieves potent antibacterial activity against a variety of Gram-positive pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Optimization of this series of analogues led to the discovery of a subseries of compounds (22–25) with more potent anti-MRSA activity, dual inhibition of DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, and the ability to induce double strand breaks through inhibition of S. aureus DNA gyrase.     

Recycling of Waste Solution after Hydrothermal Conversion of Fly Ash on a Semi-Technical Scale for Zeolite Synthesis

Nowadays, using fly ash for zeolites production has become a well-known strategy aimed on sustainable development. During zeolite synthesis in a hydrothermal conversion large amount of post-reaction solution is generated. In this work, the solution was used as a substrate for Na-A and Na-X zeolites synthesis at laboratory and technical scale. Obtained materials were characterized using particle size analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm. Produced zeolites revealed high purity (>98%) and monomineral zeolitic phase composition. The SiO₂ content was in the range 39–42% and 40–38%, whereas Al₂O₃ content was 23–22% and 25–26% for Na-X and Na-A, respectively. TEM and BET analyses revealed Na-X zeolite pores were almost identical to commercial 13X with S_BET in the range 671–734 m²/g. FTIR indicated slight differences between materials obtained at laboratory and technical scale in Si-O-(Si/Al) bridges of the zeolitic skeleton. The results showed good replicability of the laboratory process in the larger scale. The proposed method allows for waste solution reusability with a view to highly pure zeolites production in line with circular economy assumptions.     

Medication management in Minnesota schools: The need for school nurse–pharmacist partnerships

Background

Pharmacist participation in school medication management (MM) is minimal. School nurses are responsible for increasingly complex medication administration and management in schools.