The temperature induced current-voltage (I–V-T) characteristics of the Al/SiO2/p-Si diodes with the interfacial native oxide layer were experimentally investigated in present our study. The values of ...24.35 and 1.02 eV for the tunneling factor (aδχ) and the potential barrier presented by the interfacial layer (χ) were determined for the Al/SiO2/p-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) diode. The χ value obtained from the forward bias I–V-T characteristics of the SiO2/p-Si diode is a crucial result according to those from only room temperature I–V curves in literature studies. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the apparent barrier heights of the forward bias I–V-T characteristics displayed a Gaussian distribution (GD) of inhomogeneous barrier heights (BHs). Thus, the standard deviation values of σ1s0=147.65 mV for high temperature range and σ2s0=83.66 mV for low temperature range were obtained from the GD plot of the BHs (the apparent BH versus (2kT)−1 plot). Again, for the mean barrier height Φ‾b0 from the GD plot of the BHs, the values of 1.16 eV and 0.70 eV were obtained from the high temperature region and low temperature region, respectively. Furthermore, the Richardson constant values of 54.66 and 58.42 A/K2cm2 from these temperature regions are approximately 1.70 times higher than the theoretical value of 32 A/K2cm2 of the p-type Si semiconductor.
•The temperature induced carrier transport in Al/p-Si/Al diodes with the interfacial native oxide layer have been analyzed.•In the literature, the c value had been obtained only room temperature I-V curves for SiO2/p-Si MIS diodes.•Gaussian distribution plot of inhomogeneous barrier heights has been drawn by the temperature induced data of the device.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted orthopaedic practice since it started. In our study, we aimed to examine these effects on outpatient services.
The patients who applied to the ...orthopedic outpatient clinic (n=1,518) in six months period under the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020-March 2021) and patients (n=1,207) who applied during the same period before the pandemic (September 2019-March 2020) were analyzed according to the demographic characteristics (age, gender), reasons for admission, duration of complaints, treatments applied, surgical acceptance rate, and compliance with treatment.
The mean age in the pre-pandemic outpatient clinic admissions was 39.1 years (1-91 years), the gender ratio was 635/572 (Female/Male), the mean age of the patients was 38.1 years (1-95), and the sex ratio was 793/725 (F/M) during the pandemic. Admissions of patients with acute complaints decreased after the pandemic, and applications for subacute or chronic complaints increased. Applications for sports medicine, pediatrics, and hand surgery increased, applications for trauma, foot and ankle surgery decreased, and applications for oncology and spine did not change. Conservative treatment recommendations decreased, the surgical treatment recommendation did not change, and the rate of patients who were given only follow-up decisions increased. There was no significant difference in the treatment rejection and surgical acceptance rate.
We observed that the number of traumas decreased, and the hospital admission duration extended. The increase in the consultation rate and follow-up preference indicates that the treatment is more conservative in this period. In this process, patients should be adequately informed about the precautions taken, and their treatment should not be interrupted.
The Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI) are a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders that affect enamel formation. To date, mutations in 4 genes have been reported in various types of ...AI. Mutations in the genes encoding the 2 enamel proteases, matrix metalloproteinase 20 (MMP20) and kallikrein 4 (KLK4), have each been reported in a single family segregating autosomal-recessive hypomaturation AI. To determine the frequency of mutations in these genes, we analyzed 15 Turkish probands with autosomal-recessive hypomaturation AI for MMP20 and KLK4 gene mutations. No KLK4 mutations were found. A novel MMP20 mutation (g.16250T>A) was found in one family. This missense mutation changed the conserved active-site His226 residue of the zinc catalytic domain to Gln (p.H226Q). Zymogram analysis demonstrated that this missense mutation abolished MMP20 proteolytic activity. No MMP20 mutations were found in the remaining 14 probands, underscoring the genetic heterogeneity of hypomaturation AI.
Here, we have employed principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to analyze the Mie-calculated UV-Vis spectra of gold nanospheres (GNS). Eigen spectra of PCA perform ...the Fano-type resonances. PCA vector spectra determine the 3D vector fields which reveal the homoclinic orbit strange attractor. Quantum confinement effects are observed by the 3D representation of LDA. Standing wave patterns resulting from oscillations of ion-acoustic phonon and electron waves are illustrated through the eigen spectra of LDA. Such capabilities of GNPs have brought high attention to the high energy density physics applications. Furthermore, accurate prediction of gold nanoparticle (GNP) sizes using machine learning could provide rapid analysis without the need for expensive analysis. Two hybrid algorithms consist of unsupervised PCA and two different supervised ANN have been used to estimate the diameters of GNPs. PCA-based artificial neural networks(ANN) were found to estimate the diameters with a high accuracy.
The effect of protein, sorbitol, beeswax and potassium sorbate concentrations in whey protein films on their water vapor permeability, water solubility and organoleptic properties was investigated ...using mixture response surface methods. All factors including protein, sorbitol, beeswax and potassium sorbate influenced water vapor permeability and water solubility of the films. Beeswax was the most important factor influencing the stickiness and appearance of the films. Amount of protein (50–65%, w/w) had no effect on stickiness and appearance, while the amount of sorbitol (35–50%, w/w) in the films had no influence on appearance. Mixture proportions of protein
=
0.53, sorbitol
=
0.38, beeswax
=
0.08 and potassium sorbate
=
0.01 would yield an edible film with minimum stickiness, water vapor permeability
⩽
9
g
mm
m
−2
h
−1
kPa
−1, water solubility
⩾
39% and appearance score
⩾
80.
Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is associated with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, which contributes to characteristic phenotypical manifestations including metabolic alterations. Extensive research has ...demonstrated important associations between androgens and liver function.
Investigation of the association between metabolic parameters, sex hormones and liver function in males with KS, both treated (T-KS) and untreated (U-KS) and healthy control males.
A total of 65 KS males were recruited, of which 32 received testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Also, 69 healthy controls were recruited. We used alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), alkaline phosphatase and PP (prothrombin-proconvertin time ratio) as the main liver markers. Multivariable regression was performed within the three groups. All statistics were calculated using STATA. Principal component analysis was utilized to demonstrate the interconnected patterns among all measured biomarkers, and to elucidate how the different groups were linked to these patterns.
Higher levels of main liver markers were observed in U-KS compared to controls, with no significant differences between U-KS and T-KS. T-KS had lower abdominal fat, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol than U-KS. Using multivariable models, variation in ALAT in U-KS was explained by HOMA2%S; in T-KS by BMI and SHBG; and in controls by hip circumference and estradiol. We found no multivariable models explaining variation in PP in U-KS; in T-KS, PP was explained by BMI and LDL cholesterol, and in controls by total cholesterol. Using principal component analysis U-KS was positively associated to D1 (an obese profile, which also included ALAT) and controls negatively associated with D1 (non-obese profile).
KS males have mild liver dysfunction reflected by a significant increase in the main liver markers and decrease in albumin. The presented data underscore a primary role of metabolic conditions including obesity, insulin resistance and unfavourable lipid profile, in the elevated liver function markers seen in males with KS. Whether TRT can improve liver function in KS warrants further studies. Our findings, highlight that an evaluation of the liver function should be part of the clinical care in males with KS.
We study the growth and equilibration of an initially V-shaped surface consisting of monolayer height steps separated by terraces by Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) method. Some of the processes that are ...considered are attachment and/or detachment of particles to/from steps, freely diffusing atoms on the surface and movement of particles along the step or cluster edges. Ehrlich–Schwoebel (ES) barrier effect is also considered. The bottom of the V-shape with respect to flat surface evolves as d(t)~tα where α is approximately 1/2 in the absence of particle flux to the surface and in general 0.5<α<1. It is found that the exponent α depends on both the temperature and the flux rate in the presence of a constant flux of particles to the surface. The lower the temperature and the higher the flux, the higher the value of α is. The shape of the groove also depends both on temperature and on the value of the flux to the surface. For low or no flux to the surface, the bottom of groove becomes rounded. At high values of flux and at low temperatures, the V-shape of the profile is preserved for a long period of time.
•The evolution of an initially V-shaped surface is investigated using KMC method.•Both growth and equilibration of the surface are considered.•The evolution of height of surface depends on temperature and flux to the surface.•The shape of the groove also depends both on temperature and particle flux.•The V-shape is preserved at high flux and low temperature values.
•The evolution of all treated surfaces is investigated in Diffusion Limited regime.•Only the equilibration of the surface is considered.•Height’s evolution scales with the wavelength and amplitude of ...periodic surface.•Similar behavior is observed for more general surfaces also.•The surface’s height decreases as τα where alpha depends on the initial shape.
A surface below its roughening temperature consisting of two dimensional concentric circular monoatomic steps is discussed under step-flow model. Entropic interactions between the steps are considered and the diffusion equation is solved in two dimensional polar coordinates. It is assumed that the local mass transfer occurs due to surface diffusion only during the evolution of the initial surface. The evolution of initial surfaces bounded by both a sinusoidal and other envelope functions of the form xγ are considered. The evolution of the height of surface as a function of time is analyzed for each surface in Diffusion Limited (DL) regime. We have determined three scaling characteristics of evolution of the height of the surface. For an initial sinusoidal surface profile we have the following findings: The height of surface approximately decreases as τα where α is independent of wavelength and initial height of the surface. The time dependence of the evolution of the height scales with the cube of the wavelength of the initial surface. Finally the normalized height of the initial surfaces of different amplitudes with the same wavelength scales linearly with the amplitude as a function of time. Similar findings are obtained for non-sinusoidal initial surfaces also.
Summary
Background
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, relapsing and debilitating inflammatory disease associated with profound morbidity.
Aim
In this multicentre study, we investigated the ...demographic and clinical features of HS, and determined risk factors of disease severity.
Methods
In total, 1221 patients diagnosed with HS from 29 centres were enrolled, and the medical records of each patient were reviewed.
Results
The mean age of disease onset was 26.2 ± 10.4 years, and almost 70% (n = 849) of patients were current or former smokers. Mean disease duration was 8.9 ± 8.4 years with a delay in diagnosis of 5.8 ± 3.91 years. Just over a fifth (21%; n = 256) of patients had a family history of HS. The axillary, genital and neck regions were more frequently affected in men than in women, and the inframammary region was more frequently affected in women than in men (P < 0.05 for all). Acne (40.8%), pilonidal sinus (23.6%) and diabetes mellitus (12.6%) were the most prevalent associated diseases. Of the various therapies used, antibiotics (76.4%) were most common followed by retinoids (41.7%), surgical interventions (32.0%) and biologic agents (15.4%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the most important determinants of disease severity were male sex (OR = 2.21) and involvement of the genitals (OR = 3.39) and inguinal region (OR = 2.25). More severe disease was associated with comorbidity, longer disease duration, longer diagnosis delay and a higher number of smoking pack‐years.
Conclusions
Our nationwide cohort study found demographic and clinical variation in HS, which may help broaden the understanding of HS and factors associated with disease severity.
The effect of protein, sorbitol, beeswax and potassium sorbate concentrations in whey protein films on their ultimate tensile strength, Young’s modulus, elongation and transparency was investigated ...using mixture response surface methods. Protein, sorbitol and potassium sorbate were important factors influencing ultimate tensile strength, Young’s modulus and elongation. Beeswax did not have an impact on ultimate tensile strength and Young’s modulus, and it had little effect on elongation. On the other hand, it was the primary factor affecting the transparency of the films. Mixture proportions of protein
=
0.58, sorbitol
=
0.38, beeswax
=
0 and potassium sorbate
=
0.04 would yield an edible film with transparency ⩾89%, ultimate tensile strength ⩾4
MPa, elongation ⩾40% and Young’s modulus ⩽190
MPa.
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