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In present work, thermal properties of silver thiogallate (AgGaS2) crystal were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements performed at different heating and cooling rates. The DSC results confirmed that the melting point was 1249 K with a slight change around 5 K and that the nucleation temperature varied from 1183 K to 1218 K. The supercooling temperature was evaluated in the range 37.69 K to 62.46 K which was considered to be harmful for the single nucleus formation at the beginning of crystal growth. The activation energy E and the pre-exponential factor A were also calculated using different isoconversional methods, namely Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) method and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) method, and the results showed good agreement with each other. According to the results of DSC, a larger temperature gradient up to 30 K/cm was utilized to suppress the formation and growth of multi nuclei and a rapid cooling rate 25 K/min was applied to minimize the second-phase precipitates during the process of crystal growth. Finally, an integral and transparent AgGaS2 single crystal with diameter of 22 mm and the length of 55 mm was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Premise of the study: Most invasive plants grow faster and produce more biomass than the species that they displace, but physiological mechanisms leading to invasive success are poorly understood. To foster novel control approaches, our goal was to determine whether the grass Phalaris arundinacea possessed superior physiological strategies that contributed to its success over native sedges. • Methods: Data for spring, summer, and autumn diel gas-exchange, leaf morphology, and nitrogen content for plants of P. arundinacea and Carex stricta in water-saturated, drained, and periodically flooded sites in northern Indiana, USA, were compared with similar data for plants in a greenhouse. • Key results: Phalaris arundinacea had higher maximum CO2 assimilation (A) across a broad range of temperatures, greater summer/autumn net carbon gain, higher water use efficiencies, larger leaf areas per shoot, and higher specific leaf areas than did C. stricta. Species differences in gas-exchange data were similar in the greenhouse. However, long-term flooding reduced A for P. arundinacea. Greater declines in leaf A and nitrogen content from July to October compared to P. arundinacea were suggestive of earlier leaf senescence for C. stricta. • Conclusions: We propose that superior daily and seasonal carbon gain, especially during rhizome carbohydrate storage in the summer and autumn, contribute to the success of invasive P. arundinacea over C. stricta. This advantage may be enhanced by frequent summer/autumn heat waves. The poor performance of P. arundinacea during long-term flooding is consistent with C. stricta's, dominance in water-saturated soil, implying that water management strategies could be crucial to controlling P. arundinacea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Midazolam has some potential in pain control of patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. However, the results remain controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the effect of midazolam on pain control after knee arthroscopy. Methods: PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases are systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of midazolam on pain management after knee arthroscopy are included. Two investigators have independently searched articles, extracted the data, and assessed the quality of the included studies. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model. Results: Six RCTs are included in this meta-analysis. Compared with control intervention after knee arthroscopy, midazolam intervention can significantly reduce the pain scores (standard mean difference (Std. MD) = - 3.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) = - 6.81 to - 0.60; P = 0.02), the number of patients requiring analgesics (risk ratio (RR) = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.49 to 0.88; P = 0.005), and analgesic consumption (Std. MD = -1.62; 95% CI = - 3.04 to - 0.19; P = 0.03), as well as increase the time to first analgesic requirement (Std. MD = 1.58; 95% CI = 0.17 to 2.99; P = 0.03). In addition, midazolam intervention results in no increase in adverse events following knee arthroscopy (RR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.18 to 2.98; P =0.67). Conclusions: Midazolam intervention is revealed to substantially reduce the pain scores, the number of patients requiring analgesics, and analgesic consumption, as well as improve the time to first analgesic requirement after knee arthroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach to target development for laboratory astrophysics experiments at high-power laser facilities is presented. With the dawn of high-power lasers, laboratory astrophysics has emerged as a field, bringing insight into physical processes in astrophysical objects, such as the formation of stars. An important factor for success in these experiments is targetry. To date, targets have mainly relied on expensive and challenging microfabrication methods. The design presented incorporates replaceable machined parts that assemble into a structure that defines the experimental geometry. This can make targets cheaper and faster to manufacture, while maintaining robustness and reproducibility. The platform is intended for experiments on plasma flows, but it is flexible and may be adapted to the constraints of other experimental setups. Examples of targets used in experimental campaigns are shown, including a design for insertion in a high magnetic field coil. Experimental results are included, demonstrating the performance of the targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impairment of intestinal motility and related infectious complications are the predominant clinical phenomenon in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). We aimed to investigate the effects of Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (DCQD) on the gastrointestinal injury in SAP patients and the potential mechanism involved in rats. DCQD was enema administered to 70 patients for 7 days in West China Hospital. Mortality and organ failure during admission were observed and blood samples for laboratory analysis were collected. We also experimentally examined plasma inflammatory cytokines in rat serum and carried the morphometric studies of the gut. Intestinal propulsion index and serum and tissue vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were also detected. Though DCQD did not affect the overall incidence of organ failure, it shortened the average time of paralytic intestinal obstruction and decreased the morbidity of infectious complications in patients with SAP. Compared with untreated rats, the DCQD lowered the levels of proinflammatory cytokine and decreased the mean pathological intestinal lesion scores. The VIP level in intestinal tissue or serum in DCQD group was obviously lowered and intestinal propulsion index was significantly improved. In conclusion, DCQD has good effect on pancreatitis-associated intestinal dysmotility in patients and in rat models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The role of insulin glargine as a risk factor for cancer is controversial in human studies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between insulin glargine and cancer incidence. Methods: All observational studies and randomized controlled trials evaluating the relationship of insulin glargine and cancer risk were identified in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and the Chinese Biomedical Medical Literature Database, through March 2012. Odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated with a random-effects model. Confidence in the estimates of the obtained effects (quality of evidence) was assessed by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Results: A total of 11 studies including 448,928 study subjects and 19,128 cancer patients were finally identified for the meta-analysis. Insulin glargine use was associated with a lower odds of cancer compared with non-glargine insulin use (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.98, P = 0.03; very low-quality evidence). Glargine did not increase the odds of breast cancer (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.46, P = 0.966; very low-quality evidence). Compared with non-glargine insulin, no significant association was found between insulin glargine and prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and respiratory tract cancer. Insulin glargine use was associated with lower odds of other site-specific cancer. Conclusions: Results from the meta-analysis don't support the link between insulin glargine and an increased risk of cancer and the confidence in the estimates of the effects is very low. Further studies are needed to examine the relation between insulin glargine and cancer risk, especially breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]