Wear and Corrosion Resistance of AlSi10Mg–CP–Ti Metal–Metal Composite Materials Produced by Electro-Sinter-Forging

Metal–metal composites are a class of composite materials studied for their high ductility and strength, but their potential applications are currently limited by the complex manufacturing processes involved. Electro-sinter-forging (ESF) is a single-pulse electro discharge sintering technique that proved its effectiveness in the rapid sintering of several metals, alloys, and composites. Previous studies proved the processability of Ti and AlSi10Mg by ESF to produce metal–metal composites and defined a correlation between microstructure and processing parameters. This paper presents the wear and corrosion characterizations of two metal–metal composites obtained via ESF with the following compositions: 20% Ti/80% AlSi10Mg and 20% AlSi10Mg/80% Ti. The two materials showed complementary resistance to wear and corrosion. A higher fraction of AlSi10Mg is responsible for forming a protective tribolayer in dry-sliding conditions, while a higher fraction of Titanium confers improved corrosion resistance due to its higher corrosion potential.     

Solid-State NMR and Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of Fluoride-Substituted Apatites Obtained in Various Thermal Conditions

Fluoride-substituted apatites were synthesized by the standard sol-gel method and then calcined at three different temperatures: 800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1200 °C. Using a similar method, hydroxyapatite was synthesized and used as a reference material. The obtained powders were characterized by physicochemical methods: powder X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. All these methods allowed to identify additional α-TCP phase (tricalcium phosphate) in the HAP samples heated at 1000 °C and 1200 °C while fluoridated apatites turned out to be thermally stable. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy and NMR allowed to establish that the powders substituted with fluoride ions are not pure fluorapatite and contain OH- groups in the crystal structure. All the obtained materials had crystals with a shape similar to that of biological apatite.     

显微共聚焦拉曼技术在细菌分类鉴定中的应用

拉曼光谱可以用于识别和描述微生物的特征,作为当今微生物分类鉴定研究的热点。 相比于传统的微生物分离培养技术和分子生物学鉴定技术,拉曼技术具有免培养、快速和高效等优点。 随着光学领域拉曼技术和分子生物学的结合发展,使得微生物的鉴定变得更加高效快捷。 拉曼显微光谱结合稳定同位素探针、荧光原位杂交和光镊技术,为研究生态系统中不可培养微生物的功能和生理提供了一种独立的方法。 显微共聚焦拉曼技术在细菌分类鉴定中具有巨大的应用前景。 本文主要阐述拉曼光谱技术的基础知识和显微共聚焦拉曼技术在细菌分类鉴定中的研究进展,并对该技术的优缺点进行总结和评价,旨在为拉曼光谱技术应用于微生物学的研究提供参考。     

Adsorption Features of Various Inorganic Materials for the Drug Removal from Water and Synthetic Urine Medium: A Multi-Technique Time-Resolved In Situ Investigation

Pharmaceutical active compounds, including hundreds of different substances, are counted among the emerging contaminants in waterbodies, whose presence raises a growing concern for the ecosystem. Drugs are metabolized and excreted mainly through urine as an unchanged active ingredient or in the form of metabolites. These emerging contaminants are not effectively removed with the technologies currently in use, making them a relevant environmental problem. This study proposes the treatment of urine and water at the source that can allow an easier removal of dissolved drugs and metabolites. The treatment of synthetic urine, with dissolved ibuprofen as a model compound, by adsorption, using various classes of inorganic materials, such as clays, hierarchical zeolites and ordered mesoporous silica (MCM-41), is presented. A multi-technique approach involving X-ray powder diffraction, solid-state NMR, UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopies was employed to investigate the adsorption process in inorganic adsorbents. Moreover, the uptake, the ensuing competition, the efficiency and selectivity as well as the packing of the model compound in ordered mesoporous silica during the incipient wetness impregnation process were all thoroughly monitored by a novel approach, involving combined complementary time-resolved in situ ¹H and ¹³C MAS NMR spectroscopy as well as X-ray powder diffraction.     

In-Depth Experimental Analysis of Influence of Electroplated Gold Thickness on Thermal and Electro-Optical Properties of mid-IR AlInAs/InGaAs/InP Quantum Cascade Lasers

In this paper, we have examined the influence of electroplated gold thickness on the thermal and electro-optical properties of mid-IR AlInAs/InGaAs, InP QCLs. The experimental results show a significant reduction of the temperature of QCL active region (AR) with increasing gold layer thickness. For QCLs with 5.0 μm gold thickness, we observed a 50% reduction of the active region temperature. An improvement of key electro-optical parameters, that is, threshold current density and maximum emitted power for structures with thick gold, was observed. The results of micro-Raman characterization show that the electroplated gold layer introduces only moderate compressive strain in top InP cladding, which is well below the critical value for the creation of misfit dislocations.     

Outcomes for Surgery in Large Cell Lung Neuroendocrine Cancer

IntroductionThere are limited small, single-institution observational studies examining the role of surgery in large cell neuroendocrine cancer (LCNEC). We investigated the outcomes of surgery for stage I to IIIA LCNEC by using the National Cancer Database.MethodsPatients with stage I to IIIA LCNEC were identified in the National Cancer Database (2004–2015) and grouped by treatment: definitive chemoradiation versus surgery. Overall survival, by stage, was the primary outcome. Outcomes of surgical patients were also compared with those of patients with SCLC or other non–small cell histotypes.ResultsA total of 6092 patients met the criteria: 96%, 94%, 75%, and 62% of patients received an operation for stage I, II, IIIA, and cN2 disease, respectively. Complete resection was achieved in at least 85% of patients. The 5-year survival rates for patients undergoing an operation for stage I and II LCNEC were 50% and 45%, respectively. Surgical patients with stage IIIA and N2 disease had 36% and 32% 5-year survival rates, respectively. When compared with stereotactic body radiation in stage I disease and chemoradiation in patients with stage II to IIIA disease, surgery was associated with a survival benefit. Patients with LCNEC who underwent an operation generally experienced worse survival by stage than did those with adenocarcinoma but experienced improved survival compared with patients with SCLC. Perioperative chemotherapy was associated with improved survival for pathologic stage II to IIIA disease.ConclusionsSurgery is associated with reasonable outcomes for stage I to IIA LCNEC, although survival is generally worse than for adenocarcinoma. Surgery should be offered to medically fit patients with both early and locally advanced LCNEC, with guideline-concordant induction or adjuvant therapy.     

Role of Raman spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in the United Kingdom and is the second largest cause of cancer related death in the United Kingdom after lung cancer. Currently in the United Kingdom there is not a diagnostic test that has sufficient differentiation between patients with cancer and those without cancer so the current referral system relies on symptomatic presentation in a primary care setting. Raman spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are forms of vibrational spectroscopy that offer a non-destructive method to gain molecular information about biological samples. The techniques offer a wide range of applications from in vivo or in vitro diagnostics using endoscopic probes, to the use of micro-spectrometers for analysis of biofluids. The techniques have the potential to detect molecular changes prior to any morphological changes occurring in the tissue and therefore could offer many possibilities to aid the detection of CRC. The purpose of this review is to look at the current state of diagnostic technology in the United Kingdom. The development of Raman spectroscopy and SERS in clinical applications relation for CRC will then be discussed. Finally, future areas of research of Raman/SERS as a clinical tool for the diagnosis of CRC are also discussed.