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Amidst a world of never-ending waste production and waste disposal crises, scientists have been working their ways to come up with solutions to serve the earth better. Two such commonly found trashes deteriorating the environment are glass and tin can waste. This study aims to investigate the comparative suitability of response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) in predicting the mechanical strength of concrete prepared with fine glass aggregate (GFA) and condensed milk can (tin) fibers (CMCF). An experimental scheme has been designed in this study with two input variables as GFA and CMCF, and two output variables as compressive and splitting tensile strength. The results show that both variables influenced the compressive and splitting tensile strength of concrete at 7, 28, and 56 days (p

Evidence collected to date by our group has demonstrated that tin(II)-functionalized hydroxyapatites (Sn/HAP) are a newly discovered class of ecofriendly reductive adsorbents for Cr(VI) removal from wastewaters. In this work an upgraded series of Sn/HAP materials assured a maximum removal capacity of ≈ 20 mg

Potential leaching of Co ions could decrease the catalytic activity and cause secondary pollution of water, thereby threatening ecological safety and human health. In response, the in-situ generation of well-dispersed Co

Children with a history of temporary conductive hearing loss (CHL) during early development may show long-term impairments in auditory processes that persist after restoration of normal audiometric hearing thresholds. Tones in noise provide a simplified paradigm for studying hearing in noise. Prior research has shown that adults with sensorineural hearing loss may alter their listening strategy to use single-channel energy cues for tone-in-noise (TIN) detection rather than rove-resistant envelope or spectral profile cues. Our objective was to determine the effect of early CHL on TIN detection in healthy children compared to controls. Children ages 4-7 years, with and without a history of CHL due to otitis media with effusion (OME) before age 3 years, participated in a two-alternative forced choice TIN detection task. Audiometric thresholds were normal at the time of testing. Thresholds for detection of a 1000 Hz tone were measured in fixed-level noise and in roving-level noise that made single-channel energy cues unreliable. Participants included 23 controls and 23 with a history of OME-related CHL. TIN thresholds decreased with increasing age across participants. Children in both groups showed similar TIN sensitivity and little or no threshold elevation in the roving-level condition compared to fixed-level tracks, consistent with use of rove-resistant cues. In contrast to older listeners with sensorineural hearing loss, there was no detectable change in TIN sensitivity with roving level for children with a history of OME-related CHL.

The functional connectivity network (FCN) has been used to achieve several remarkable advancements in the diagnosis of neuro-degenerative disorders. Therefore, it is imperative to accurately estimate biologically meaningful FCNs. Several efforts have been dedicated to this purpose by encoding biological priors. However, owing to the high complexity of the human brain, the estimation of an 'ideal' FCN remains an open problem. To the best of our knowledge, almost all existing studies lack the integration of domain expert knowledge, which limits their performance. In this study, we focused on incorporating domain expert knowledge into the FCN estimation from a modularity perspective. To achieve this, we presented a human-guided modular representation (MR) FCN estimation framework. Specifically, we designed an adversarial low-rank constraint to describe the module structure of FCNs under the guidance of domain expert knowledge (i.e., a predefined participant index). The chronic tinnitus (TIN) identification task based on the estimated FCNs was conducted to examine the proposed MR methods. Remarkably, MR significantly outperformed the baseline and state-of-the-art(SOTA) methods, achieving an accuracy of 92.11%. Moreover, post-hoc analysis revealed that the FCNs estimated by the proposed MR could highlight more biologically meaningful connections, which is beneficial for exploring the underlying mechanisms of TIN and diagnosing early TIN.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate human osteoblasts (HOB) response towards different dental implant abutment materials. Methods: Five dental implant abutment materials were investigated: (1) titanium (Ti), (2) titanium coated nitride (TiN), (3) cobalt chromium (CoCr), (4) zirconia (ZrO₂), and (5) modified polyether ether ketone (m-PEEK). HOBs were cultured, expanded, and seeded according to the supplier's protocol (PromoCell, UK). Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were evaluated at days 1, 3, 5, and 10 using Alamar Blue (alamarBlue) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) colorimetric assays. Data were analysed via two-way ANOVA, one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test (significance was determined as p < 0.05 for all tests). Results: All the investigated materials showed high and comparable initial proliferation activities apart from ZrO₂ (46.92%), with P% of 79.91%, 68.77%, 73.20%, and 65.46% for Ti, TiN, CoCr, and m-PEEK, respectively. At day 10, all materials exhibited comparable and lower P% than day 1 apart from TiN (70.90%) with P% of 30.22%, 40.64%, 37.27%, and 50.65% for Ti, CoCr, ZrO₂, and m-PEEK, respectively. The cytotoxic effect of the investigated materials was generally low throughout the whole experiment. At day 10, the cytotoxicity % was 7.63%, 0.21%, 13.30%, 5.32%, 8.60% for Ti, TiN, CoCr, ZrO₂, and m-PEEK. The Two-way ANOVA and Tukey's Multiple Comparison Method highlighted significant material and time effects on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity, and a significant interaction (p < 0.0001) between the tested materials. Notably, TiN and m-PEEK showed improved HOB proliferation activity and cytotoxic levels than the other investigated materials. In addition, a non-significant negative correlation between viability and cytotoxicity was found for all tested materials. Ti (p = 0.07), TiN (p = 0.28), CoCr (p = 0.15), ZrO₂ (p = 0.17), and m-PEEK (p = 0.12). Significance: All the investigated materials showed excellent biocompatibility properties with more promising results for the newly introduced TiN and m-PEEK as alternatives to the traditionally used dental implant and abutment materials.

International audience; Future high energy particle colliders are under study, with a first goal of 16 T dipoles, which is believed to be the practical limit of Nb3Sn magnets. Another more ambitious goal is to aim for 20 T dipoles. This very high field would require High Temperature Superconductors (HTS), such as Bi2212 or REBCO. Their substantially higher cost necessitate anyways the use of Nb3Sn for an affordable accelerator application. Therefore, hybrid designs can be proposed, where the HTS are used in the high field (16–20 T) area, and Nb3Sn are used in the low field (3Sn-HTS design generating 20 T in the bore with margin, using a block-coil concept. Several conductor options are discussed. The design also proposes stress-management solutions to deal with the large stress developing in the coils.

Due to its high theoretical capacity and appropriate potential platform, tin-based alloy materials are expected to be a competitive candidate for the next-generation high performance anodes of lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, the immense volume change during the lithium-ion insert process leads to severe disadvantages of structural damage and capacity fade, which limits its practical application. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) multicore-shell hollow nanobox encapsulated by carbon layer is obtained via a three-step method of hydrothermal reaction, annealing and alkali etching. During the electrochemical reactions, the CoSn@void@C nanoboxes provide internal space to compensate the volumetric change upon the lithiation of Sn, while the inactive component of Co acts as chemical buffers to withstand the anisotropic expansion of nanoparticles. Owing to the above-mentioned advantages, the elaborated anode delivers an excellent capacity of 788.2 mAh/g at 100 mA/g after 100 cycles and considerable capacity retention of 519.2 mAh/g even at a high current density of 1 A/g after 300 cycles. The superior stability and high performance indicate its capability as promising anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Microalgae based biophotovoltaic (BPV) cells are substantiated as innovative renewable energy generation devices, owing to their ability in mimicking the catalytic activity of microorganisms for water splitting reaction along with an effectual reduction of carbon footprint in our environment. As the direct contact between algal cells and anodic surface effectually governs the electron transfer and overall BPV performance, the development of electrochemically active and stable catalysts is crucial for the evolution of high performance BPVs. Accordingly, the monoclinic structured copper (Cu) metal organic framework (MOF) is prepared through the simple ageing process and the consequent bimetallic (Cu-Nickel(Ni)) MOF is developed via the partial substitution of Cu2+ with Ni2+ nodes without any variation in the chemical structure of Cu-MOF. The as-formulated MOFs loaded indium tin oxides (ITOs) are exploited as BPV anodes and their influences on green energy generation by using the freshwater microalgae Chlorella sp. UMACC 313 as a catalytic system are scrutinized in detail. The electrochemical activeness and robust stability of as-fabricated BPV anodes are enunciated, respectively, from the cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. Cu-Ni MOF/ITO equipped BPV establishes the power density of 40 μWm−2, which is substantially higher than those of Cu-MOF/ITO and ITO. The substantial features of Cu-Ni MOF including the elevated structural integrity, existence of different metallic ions with the rational electrical conductivity, and supplemental functionality accelerate its maximum green energy generation performance. Thus, these verdicts establish a distinctive approach in tailoring the electrochemically active and stable MOF anode materials for the evolution of ecologically benevolent fuel cells.

Catalysis today 376, S0920586121002856 (1-10) (2021). doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2021.06.018, The objective of this research was to investigate how the photocatalytic activity of pure TiO$_2$ can be improved bySnO$_2$ modification. Different molar ratios of tin to titanium were prepared. The correlation between tin concentration and structural properties was investigated to explain the mechanism of photocatalytic efficiency and to optimize the synthesis conditions to obtain enhanced activity of the SnO$_2$-modified TiO$_2$ photocatalysts under UV-irradiation. The SnO$_2$-modified TiO$_2$ photocatalysts were prepared by a low-temperature sol-gel method based on organic tin and titanium precursors. The precursors underwent sol-gel reactions separately to form SnO$_2$-TiO$_2$ sol. The sol-gels were deposited on a glass substrate by a dip-coating technique and dried at 150 °C to obtain the photocatalysts in the form of a thin film. To test the thermal stability of the material, an additional set of photocatalysts was prepared by calcining the dried samples in air at 500 °C. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was determined by measuring the degradation rate of an azo dye. An increase of up to 30% in thephotocatalytic activity of the air-dried samples was obtained when the TiO$_2$ was modified with the SnO$_2$ in a concentration range of 0.1–1 mol.%. At higher SnO$_2$ loadings, the photocatalytic activity of the photocatalystwas reduced compared to the unmodified TiO$_2$. The calcined samples showed an overall reduced photocatalyticactivity compared to the air-dried samples. Various characterization techniques (UV-Vis, XRD, N2-physisorption,TEM, EDX, SEM, XAS and photoelectrochemical characterization) were used to explain the mechanism for the enhanced and hindered photocatalytic performances of the SnO$_2$-modified TiO$_2$ photocatalysts. The results showed that the nanocrystalline cassiterite SnO$_2$ is attached to the TiO$_2$ nanocrystallites through the Sn-O-Ti bonds. In this way, the coupling of two semiconductors, SnO$_2$ and TiO$_2$, was demonstrated. Compared to single-phase photocatalysts, the coupling of semiconductors has a beneficial effect on the separation of charge carriers, which prolongs their lifetime for accessibility to participate in the redox reactions. The maximum increase in activity of the thin films was achieved in the low concentration range (0.1–1 mol.%), which means that an optimal ratio and contact of the two phases is achieved for the given physical parameters such as particle size, shape and specific surface area of the catalyst., Published by Elsevier, Amsterdam

The development of innovative ceramic tiles looks for materials with improved mechanical and tribological properties as well as a higher corrosion resistance (high relative humidity, daily watering, household chemical cleaners). In addition, a greater durability leads to lower environmental impact. Along with their improved functionality and recyclability, ceramic tiles should also provide aesthetic properties. Ceramic tiles can be treated to modify the physico-chemical properties of the surface by metal coatings or metallic compounds, also providing an attractive metallic sheen appearance. In the present paper, titanium nitride (TiN) and zirconium nitride (ZrN) coatings were deposited on glazed porcelain stoneware by an industrial PVD multicathode arc deposition system under a reactive nitrogen atmosphere. After the process, the tiles showed a gold-like colour, a smooth surface and a coating thickness between 0.7 and 1.6 μm. The coating composition, scratch resistance and corrosion behaviour have been evaluated. It can be concluded that both coatings are suitable for use in domestic environments due to their stability and resistance to aggressive conditions. Few references have been found regarding these coatings on ceramic tiles for domestic and industrial applications, but it has been proved that they bring added value to traditional ceramics, giving new functional properties of ceramics both decorative and highly corrosion and mechanical resistance., This work has been partially funded by CENIT PROJECT 20072014, “Advances in technological coatings for decorative applications (ART-DECO)”, funded by CDTI.

Spectral shaping employing a tin filter can be used for dose reduction in CT of the abdomen in patients with urolithiasis. As ureteral stents may be in direct contact with the calculus, a good image quality is mandatory. The goal of this study was to obtain data of the effect of tin filtering on image quality and dose in patients with urolithiasis in direct contact with ureteral stents.84 examinations (conventional low dose vs. modified low dose protocol with tin filtering, randomized) were performed in 65 patients (48 men, 17 women, age 55.0 ± 15.2 years (18-90 years), maximum of one examination per protocol). Image quality and visibility of the calculus was rated on a 5-point-Likert scale by 2 experienced radiologists. Quantitative indicators of image quality were signal-to-noise-(SNR) and contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNR) as well as a figure-of-merit (FOM).With a non-inferiority margin of 0.5 points of the 5-point Likert scale, there was non-inferiority of the examinations with tin filter regarding image quality (95 % CI 4.1-4.3, rejection limit 3.5). Non-inferiority regarding visibility of the calculus could be shown (calculus size: 1-2.4 mm: 95 % CI 3.39-4.12; limit 2.73; 2.4-3.8mm: 95 % CI 4.09-4.47; limit 3.65; 3.8mm: all maximal ratings). Average values of CNR were significantly higher using tin filters (17.0 vs. 10.6). Doses were significantly reduced in the modified protocol (effective dose 1.2 mSv vs. 1.5 mSv; size-specific dose estimate 2.33 mGy vs. 3.09 mGy) with non-significant effect in the subgroup of patients with BMI ≥ 35.Even with direct contact between a calculus and ureteral stent, radiation reduced examinations by spectral shaping by tin filters are non-inferior to examinations without tin filtering at a concurrent significant dose reduction.· Spectral shaping by tin filter is suitable for dose reduction.. · The image quality in patients with ureteral stents with tin filtering is non-inferior to that in a conventional low-dose protocol..· Axer B, Garbe S, Hadizadeh DR. Comparative Evaluation of Diagnostic Quality in Native Low-dose CT without and with Spectral Shaping employing a Tin Filter in Urolithiasis with implanted Ureteral Stent. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2022; 194: 1358 - 1366.ZIEL: Spektrale Filterung mittels Zinnfilter eignet sich zur Dosisreduktion in der CT des Abdomens bei Urolithiasis. Harnleiterschienen zur Entlastung der Harnstauung können dabei im direkten Kontakt zum Urolithen stehen. Eine hohe Bildqualität ist daher in diesem Kontext von besonderer Bedeutung. Ziel dieser Studie war eine Analyse der Auswirkungen des Einsatzes von Zinnfiltern auf Bildqualität und Dosis von Niedrigdosis-CTs des Abdomens bei Urolithiasis mit direktem Kontakt von Harnsteinen zu Harnleiterschienen.84 Einzeluntersuchungen (konventionelles Niedrigdosis- vs. modifiziertes Niedrigdosis-Protokoll mit Zinnfilterung, Zuteilung randomisiert) wurden bei 65 Patienten (48 Männer, 17 Frauen, mittleres Alter 55,0 ± 15,2 Jahre [18–90 Jahre], maximal eine Untersuchung pro Protokoll) durchgeführt. Die allgemeine Bildqualität sowie die Abgrenzbarkeit des Steins wurden anhand einer 5-Punkte-Likert-Skala durch 2 erfahrene Radiologen beurteilt. Als quantitative Indikatoren der Bildqualität wurden zusätzlich das Signal-zu-Rausch- (SNR) und das Kontrast-zu-Rausch-Verhältnis (CNR) sowie eine figure-of-merit (FOM) als Maß der Dosiseffizienz berechnet.Mit einem Non-Inferiority-Margin von 0,5 Stufen der 5-Punkte-Likert-Skala bestand eine Nichtunterlegenheit der Untersuchungen mit Zinnfilter hinsichtlich der allgemeinen Bildqualität (95 %-CI 4,1–4,3; Verwerfgrenze 3,5). Auch hinsichtlich Sichtbarkeit des Harnsteins bestand Nichtunterlegenheit (Größe des Harnsteins: 1–2,4 mm: 95 %-CI 3,39–4,12; Verwerfgrenze 2,73; 2,4–3,8mm: 95 %-CI 4,09–4,47; Verwerfgrenze 3,65; 3,8mm: durchgehend Maximalbewertung). Der Durchschnittswert des CNR war unter Verwendung des Zinnfilters signifikant erhöht (17,0 zu 10,6). Die Dosis im modifizierten Protokoll war signifikant reduziert (effektive Dosis 1,2 mSv vs. 1,5 mSv, size-specific-dose-estimate 2,33 mGy vs. 3,09 mGy); nur bei der Subgruppenanalyse der Patienten mit BMI = 35 erreichte diese Dosisreduktion nicht das Signifikanzniveau.Auch bei direkt an einem Stein angrenzender Harnleiterschiene sind dosisreduzierte Untersuchungen mit spektraler Filterung mittels Zinnfilter konventionellen Niedrigdosis-CT nicht unterlegen bei gleichzeitig signifikanter Dosisreduktion.· Spektrale Filterung mittels Zinnfilter ist eine geeignete Methode zur Dosisreduktion.. · Die Bildqualität ist mittels Zinnfilter bei Steinkontrollen bei einliegender Harnleiterschiene der herkömmlichen Low-dose-Technik nicht unterlegen..· Axer B, Garbe S, Hadizadeh DR. Comparative Evaluation of Diagnostic Quality in Native Low-dose CT without and with Spectral Shaping employing a Tin Filter in Urolithiasis with implanted Ureteral Stent. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2022; 194: 1358 – 1366.

This study aims to assess breast cancer (BC) association with metals and whether polymorphisms in CYP1A1, CYP1B1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 act as confounders or as modifiers of those relationships. We performed a secondary analysis of 499 histologically confirmed BC cases and the same number of age-matched population controls. We measured urinary concentrations of 18 metals with mass spectrometry. We determined the genetic variants of interest by allelic discrimination and multiplex PCR. After adjusting for covariates, we found BC negatively associated with arsenic, barium, cobalt, copper, magnesium, molybdenum and vanadium concentrations and positively with those of caesium, manganese, tin and thallium. Most associations remained after stratifying by the genetic variants. We identified that polymorphisms in CYP1B1, CYP1A1 and GSTM1 genes interacted with some metals on BC: interaction p-values CYP1B1 G119T × antimony= 0.036, CYP1B1 G119T × cobalt0.001, CYP1B1 G119T × tin= 0.032, CYP1A1 A4889G × aluminium= 0.018, CYP1A1 A4889G × arsenic= 0.031, CYP1A1 A4889G × nickel= 0.036, CYP1A1 A4889G × vanadium= 0.031 and GSTM1 deletion × barium= 0.035. Exposure to various individual metals, along with genetic characteristics may contribute to BC development. Further studies are warranted to confirm our results.

The Essure® permanent contraceptive implant, comprised of four alloys (nickel-titanium, 316L stainless steel, platinum-iridium, and tin-silver solder) and Dacron (PET) fibers, has been approved for use in the US for about two decades. However, little has been published on this implant's biomaterials performance, and as this implant gains interest in terms of in vivo performance, methods of implant post-retrieval storage also need to be assessed. This study investigated the electrochemical properties and ion release profile of Essure® during storage in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 10 mM H

To reevaluate a tin filter's (TF) dose reduction effect in computed tomography (CT) using a combination of an anthropomorphic chest phantom and a rod-shaped phantom.A third-generation dual-source CT system equipped with a built-in TF was employed. A chest phantom was scanned under low-dose conditions of 0.2 to 1.0 mGy with the TF at 100 kV (TF100kV) and without it at 100 kV and 120 kV (NF100kV and NF120kV). To eliminate effects other than that of the TF, only filtered back projection (FBP) was used for image reconstruction. On the images of the rod phantom placed inside the lung field, the CT number and the spatial resolution using the modulation transfer function (MTF) were measured. Using these indices plus the noise power spectrum (NPS) that was also measured, the detectability index based on the non-prewhitening model observer (d'The CT numbers and MTFs were almost identical across the three conditions. The area under the NPS curve was decreased by 13-17% with the TF compared with non-TF conditions. NPS increases at low frequencies of 0.06 mmBased on the analysis of the FBP images of a chest phantom, the dose reduction attributable only to the TF was estimated at 22-25%, notably lower than those reported in previous studies.

The synthesis of homolimonenol by Prins condensation of limonene and paraformaldehyde over heterogeneous tin-based catalysts is reported for the first time. The tin supported MCM-41, SBA-15, and KIT-6 materials were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method, using SnCl2·2H2O as a tin precursor. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by N2-physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), pyridine adsorption (Py-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and chemical analysis. Sn4+ species were identified on the surface of the catalysts, and the materials showed mainly Lewis acid sites, which are responsible for the activity in the Prins reaction. Production of homolimonenol was confirmed by GC-MS and NMR analysis. Among the evaluated catalysts, the best conversion (26%), selectivity (90%) and TOF (12.7 h−1) were obtained over Sn-SBA-15, in the presence of ethyl acetate; Sn-SBA-15 catalyst was reused five times without loss of activity. The reaction was scaled up from 2 to 200 mL glass reactor with a local orange oil (93% wt/wt limonene) as a substrate, obtaining a 30% conversion of limonene and a 93% selectivity to homolimonenol.

Low-dose (LD) computed tomography (CT) is still rarely used in musculoskeletal (MSK) radiology. This study evaluates the potentials of LD CT for follow-up pelvic imaging with special focus on tin filtration (Sn) technology for normal and obese patients with and without metal implants.In a phantom study, 5 different LD and normal-dose (ND) CT protocols with and without tin filtration were tested using a normal and an obese phantom. Iterative reconstruction (IR) and filtered back projection (FBP) were used for CT image reconstruction. In a subsequent retrospective patient study, ND CT images of 45 patients were compared with follow-up tin-filtered LD CT images with a 90% dose reduction. Sixty-four percent of patients contained metal implants at the follow-up examination. Computed tomography images were objectively (image noise, contrast-to-noise ratio [CNR], dose-normalized contrast-to-noise ratio [CNRD]) and subjectively, using a 6-point Likert score, evaluated. In addition, the figure of merit was calculated. For group comparisons, paired t tests, Wilcoxon signed rank test, analysis of variance, or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used, where applicable.The LD Sn protocol with 67% dose reduction resulted in equal values in qualitative (Likert score) and quantitative image analysis (image noise) compared with the ND protocol in the phantom study. For follow-up examinations, dose could be reduced up to 90% by using Sn LD CT scans without impairment in the clinical study. However, metal implants resulted in a mild impairment of Sn LD as well as ND CT images. Cancellous bone ( P0.001) was assessed worse and cortical bone ( P = 0.063) equally in Sn LD CT images compared with ND CT images. Figure of merit values were significant ( P ≤ 0.02) lower and hence better in Sn LD as in ND protocols. Obese patients benefited in particular from tin filtration in LD MSK imaging in terms of image noise and CNR ( P ≤ 0.05).Low-dose CT scans with tin filtration allow maximum dose reduction while maintaining high image quality for certain clinical purposes, for example, follow-up examinations, especially metal implant position, material loosening, and consolidation controls. Overweight patients benefit particularly from tin filter technology. Although metal implants decrease image quality in ND as well as in Sn LD CT images, this is not a relevant limitation for assessability.

Hardening the x-ray beam, tin prefiltration is established for imaging of high-contrast subjects in energy-integrating detector computed tomography (EID-CT). With this work, we aimed to investigate the dose-saving potential of spectral shaping via tin prefiltration in photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) of the temporal bone.Deploying dose-matched scan protocols with and without tin prefiltration on a PCD-CT and EID-CT system (low-/intermediate-/full-dose: 4.8/7.6-7.7/27.0-27.1 mGy), 12 ultra-high-resolution examinations were performed on each of 5 cadaveric heads. While 120 kVp was applied for standard imaging, the protocols with spectral shaping used the highest potential available with tin prefiltration (EID-CT: Sn 150 kVp, PCD-CT: Sn 140 kVp). Contrast-to-noise ratios and dose-saving potential by spectral shaping were computed for each scanner. Three radiologists independently assessed the image quality of each examination with the intraclass correlation coefficient being computed to measure interrater agreement.Regardless of tin prefiltration, PCD-CT with low (171.2 ± 10.3 HU) and intermediate radiation dose (134.7 ± 4.5 HU) provided less image noise than full-dose EID-CT (177.0 ± 14.2 HU; P0.001). Targeting matched image noise to 120 kVp EID-CT, mean dose reduction of 79.3% ± 3.9% could be realized in 120 kVp PCD-CT. Subjective image quality of PCD-CT was better than of EID-CT on each dose level ( P0.050). While no distinction was found between dose-matched PCD-CT with and without tin prefiltration ( P ≥ 0.928), Sn 150 kVp EID-CT provided better image quality than 120 kVp EID-CT at high and intermediate dose levels ( P0.050). The majority of low-dose EID-CT examinations were considered not diagnostic, whereas PCD-CT scans of the same dose level received satisfactory or better ratings. Interrater reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.903).PCD-CT provides superior image quality and significant dose savings compared with EID-CT for ultra-high-resolution examinations of the temporal bone. Aiming for matched image noise, high-voltage scan protocols with tin prefiltration facilitate additional dose saving in EID-CT, whereas superior inherent denoising decreases the dose reduction potential of spectral shaping in PCD-CT.

The tropical mangrove at the Estação Ecológica do Lameirão (Southeastern Brazil), an ecosystem of high socio-economic value, receives a large load of pollutants from domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources. Samples of interstitial water, sediments, and crustacean specimens were collected at different periods and regions throughout the study area to measure the concentrations of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and tin (Sn) along the mangrove, as well as the bioaccumulation behavior in the crab Ucides cordatus. Subsequently, we correlated the accumulation of metals in U. cordatus with the concentrations of metals in the environment and physicochemical and climatic factors. Furthermore, we compared the bioconcentration factors (BFCs) of trace elements with the concentration levels obtained from the mangrove sediment. The fluctuation of rain and tide throughout the study period caused oscillations in the concentrations of trace elements. This condition induced bioconcentration records (BFC 1), influencing the bioaccumulation trend in U. cordatus. We also identified that the lowest metal concentration values in the sediment were close to the river, indicating that the rivers cause a dilution effect. Finally, we found that the hepatopancreas had the highest levels of bioaccumulated heavy metals, explained by its detoxifying ability. In females of U. cordatus, we found a slightly lower accumulation of trace elements when compared to males, possibly related to the high rate of ecdysis in females. Ucides cordatus is a species widely used for human consumption. Our results show that the mangrove environment influences the concentration of trace elements in this organism, which the authorities should consider in mapping safer fishing areas.

CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR) has been considered as an effective technology to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle. Formate, a product of two-electron transfer in CO2RR, is an economically valuable feedstock. In this work, nanoporous tin oxides were controllable synthesized by a facile and scalable electrochemical anodic oxidation method. XPS result indicated that the increased Sn4+ species after anodic oxidation were beneficial to reduce the overpotential of formate formation. Operando Raman spectra revealed that the enhanced formate selectivity could be attributed to the high local pH within the porous structure, which suppresses hydrogen evolution reaction (competing reaction against CO2RR). Further flow cell test showed a formate partial current density of 285 mA·cm−2 with the selectivity of 96.4%, indicating a promising industrial application prospect.

As the oxidative stress is related to human aging and many diseases, a diversity of antioxidant biomimetic enzymes to eliminate reactive oxygen species in vivo and maintain the redox balance has attracted intensive attention. Of particular interest are superoxide dismutase (SOD)-mimicking artificial enzymes that bear inherent characteristics of natural counterparts but overcome their deficiencies in thermal and acidic stability. Inspired by the metallized active center of natural SODs, here, we engineered different groups of metalloporphyrins and found that Sn-metallized porphyrins can act as novel SOD mimics, in which Sn-metallized meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphine (Sn-TCPP) can more effectively catalyze the disproportionation of superoxide radical anions (•O

Supported noble metals offer key advantages over homogeneous catalysts for in vivo applications of parahydrogen-based hyperpolarization. However, their performance is compromised by randomization of parahydrogen spin order resulting from rapid hydrogen adatom diffusion. The diffusion on Pt surfaces can be suppressed by introduction of Sn to form Pt-Sn intermetallic phases. Herein, an unprecedented pairwise selectivity of 19.7 ± 1.1% in the heterogeneous hydrogenation of propyne using silica encapsulated Pt-Sn intermetallic nanoparticles is reported. This high level of selectivity exceeds that of all supported metal catalysts by at least a factor of 3. Moreover, the pairwise selectivity for alkyne hydrogenation is about 2 times higher than for alkene hydrogenation, an observation attributed to the higher coverage of the former and its effect on diffusion. Lastly, PtSn@mSiO

There is keen interest in using Ti alloys as lightweight structural materials for aerospace and automotive industries. However, a long-standing problem for these materials is their poor oxidation resistance. Herein, we designed and fabricated a Ti5Si3 reinforced Ti-4(wt.%)Mo composite with two-scale network architecture by low energy milling and spark plasma sintering. It displays superior oxidation resistance at 800°C owing to the in-situ formation of a multi-component surface layer. This oxide layer has a dense grain size gradient structure that consists of an outer TiO2 layer and an inner SiO2-padding-TiO2 layer, which has remarkable oxidation resistance and thermal stability. Furthermore, it was revealed that the hitherto unknown interaction between Ti5Si3 reinforcement and nitrogen during oxidation would contribute to the formation of a TiN nano-twin interface layer, which accommodates the thermal mismatch strain between the oxide layer and matrix. This, along with high adhesion, confers excellent thermal cycling life with no cracking or spallation during long-term oxidation. In this regard, the secure operating temperature of this new composite can be increased to 800°C, which provides a design pathway for a new family of Ti matrix composites for high-temperature applications.

The properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials are highly dependent on their phase and thickness. Various phases exist in tin disulfide (SnS2), resulting in promising electronic and optical properties. Hence, accurately identifying the phase and thickness of SnS2 nanosheets is prior to their optoelectronic applications. Herein, layered 2H-SnS2 and 4H-SnS2 crystals were grown by chemical vapor transportation and the crystalline phase of SnS2 was characterized by X-ray diffraction, ultralow frequency (ULF) Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. As-grown crystals were mechanically exfoliated to single- and few-layer nanosheets, which were investigated by optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy and ULF Raman spectroscopy. Although the 2H-SnS2 and 4H-SnS2 nanosheets have similar optical contrast on SiO2/Si substrates, their ULF Raman spectra obviously show different shear and breathing modes, which are highly dependent on their phases and thicknesses. Interestingly, the SnS2 nanosheets have shown phase-dependent electrical properties. The 4H-SnS2 nanosheet shows a current on/off ratio of 2.58 × 105 and excellent photosensitivity, which are much higher than those of the 2H-SnS2 nanosheet. Our work not only offers an accurate method for identifying single- and few-layer SnS2 nanosheets with different phases, but also paves the way for the application of SnS2 nanosheets in high-performance optoelectronic devices.

The Mesoproterozoic Rondônia Tin Province of the Amazonian craton records a protracted history of about 600 m.y. of successive rare-metal granite intrusions and hosts the youngest known event of tin-granite emplacement of the craton—a rare-metal granite suite known as the Younger Granites of Rondônia intrusive suite. The ~1 Ga suite is currently interpreted as intracratonic magmatism resulting from a Grenvillian-age orogeny during the assembly of Rodinia. The Santa Bárbara massif is a tin-granite system of the Younger Granites of Rondônia intrusive suite that hosts Sn-Nb-Ta-W–bearing endogreisen and stockwork, as well as important placer deposits. The Santa Bárbara mine produces about 800 to 1,000 t Sn/year from placers and weathered greisen and represents about 20% of the tin mine output of the Rondônia Tin Province. Here, we report laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) cassiterite U-Pb ages of 989 ± 3 and 987 ± 6 Ma for the Santa Bárbara greisen and the cassiterite-quartz vein system, respectively. Alluvial cassiterite from placer mining has a U-Pb age of 995 ± 4 Ma, which is, within uncertainty, indistinguishable from those of primary cassiterite. These ages agree well with the previously published zircon and monazite U-Pb ages for the Santa Bárbara granite (978 ± 13 and 989 ± 13 Ma), which indicate a coeval relationship between hydrothermal tin mineralization and granite magmatism. The previously suggested 20- to 30-m.y. time span between granite magmatism and hydrothermal tin mineralization, which was based on mica K-Ar and Ar-Ar age data, is likely due to younger thermal disturbance of the isotopic systems.

This study reports the enrichment behaviors of heavy metals, including copper, tin, lead and zinc, in the process of microwave pyrolysis of spent printed circuit boards (SPCBs). The SPCB had good microwave absorptivity. Under the optimal conditions of microwave power of 700 W, pyrolysis temperature of 400 °C, dwell time of 5 min, N

Pb-free Sn-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have recently made inspiring progress, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.8% has been achieved. However, due to the energy-level mismatch and poor interfacial contact between commonly used hole transport layer (i.e., poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate), PEDOT:PSS) and FASnI3 film, it is still challenging to effectively extract holes at the interface. Owing to the p-type nature of Sn-based perovskites, the efficient hole extraction is of particular significance to improve the PCE of their solar cells. In this work, for the first time, the role of chiral cations, α-methylbenzylamine (S-/R-/rac-MBA), in promoting hole transportation of FASnI3-based PSCs is demonstrated. The introduction of MBAs is found to form 2D/3D film with low-dimensional structures locating at PEDOT:PSS/FASnI3 interface, which facilitates the energy level alignment and efficient charge transfer at the interface. Importantly, chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect of R-MBA2SnI4 induced by chiral R-MBA cation is found to further assist the specific interfacial transport of accumulated holes. As a result, R-MBA-based PSCs achieve decent PCE of 10.73% with much suppressed hysteresis and enhanced device stability. This work opens up a new strategy to efficiently promote the interfacial extraction of accumulated charges in working PSCs.

INTRODUCTION While tin prefiltration is established in various CT applications, its value in extremity cone-beam CT relative to optimized spectra has not been thoroughly assessed thus far. This study aims to investigate the effect of tin filters in extremity cone-beam CT with a twin-robotic X-ray system. METHODS Wrist, elbow and ankle joints of two cadaveric specimens were examined in a laboratory setup with different combinations of prefiltration (copper, tin), tube voltage and current-time product. Image quality was assessed subjectively by five radiologists with Fleiss' kappa being computed to measure interrater agreement. To provide a semiquantitative criterion for image quality, contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were compared for standardized regions of interest. Volume CT dose indices were calculated for a 16 cm polymethylmethacrylate phantom. RESULTS Radiation dose ranged from 17.4 mGy in the clinical standard protocol without tin filter to as low as 0.7 mGy with tin prefiltration. Image quality ratings and CNR for tin-filtered scans with 100 kV were lower than for 80 kV studies with copper prefiltration despite higher dose (11.2 and 5.6 vs. 4.5 mGy; p

This work investigated the influence of introduction methods of cerium and tin on the physicochemical properties as well as the activity and durability of titanium-based catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3 (NH3-SCR). Precipitation and impregnation methods were adopted to synthesize a series of cerium-tin-titanium catalysts. These catalysts were characterized by XRD, Raman, N2 adsorption–desorption, HRTEM, EDS mapping, XPS, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and in situ DRIFT. Notably, Ce/Sn/Ti(imp) catalyst prepared by stepwise-impregnation method could provide an interface between Ce and Sn for more facile electron transfer than Sn/Ce-Ti(co), Ce/Sn-Ti(co) and Sn/Ce/Ti(imp) catalysts. It promoted the redox equilibrium of Ce4+ + Sn2+ ↔ Ce3+ + Sn4+ shifting to right to produce adequate Ce3+ and surface adsorbed oxygen, resulting in optimal reducibility and surface acidity of Ce/Sn/Ti(imp) catalyst. Besides, the activation of NH3 and desorption of NOx readily occurred on the surface of Ce/Sn/Ti(imp), which were favorable for the proceeding of subsequent reactions and excellent performance of NH3-SCR.

Routine CT examinations are crucial in colorectal cancer patients (CCPs); however, the high frequency of radiation exposure is a significant concern. This study investigated the radiation dose, image quality, and diagnostic performance of tin filter-based spectral shaping chest–abdominal–pelvic (CAP) CT for CCPs. We reviewed 44 CCPs who underwent single-phase enhanced tin-filtered 100 kV (TF100kV) and standard 120 kV (ST120kV) CAP CT on separate days. Radiation metrics including the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose-length product (DLP), and effective dose (ED) were calculated for both protocols. Two radiologists assessed the presence of the following lesions: lung metastasis, liver metastasis, lymph node metastasis, peritoneal dissemination, and bone metastasis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for the diagnostic performance of each protocol. Radiation metrics of the TF100kV protocol were significantly lower than those of the ST120kV protocol (CDTIvol 1.60 ± 0.31 mGy vs. 14.4 ± 2.50, p < 0.0001; DLP 107.1 (95.9–125.5) mGy·cm vs. 996.7 (886.2–1144.3), p < 0.0001; ED 1.93 (1.73–2.26) mSv vs. 17.9 (16.0–20.6), p < 0.0001, respectively). TF100kV protocol achieved comparable diagnostic performance to that of the ST120kV protocol (AUC for lung metastasis: 1.00 vs. 0.94; liver metastasis: 0.88 vs. 0.83, respectively). TF100kV protocol could substantially reduce the radiation dose by 89% compared to that with the ST120kV protocol while maintaining good diagnostic performance in CCPs.

The thermodynamic stability limits of Sn(II) under ambient conditions imposes constraints on the densification of divalent tin based oxides. In the case of tin monoxide (SnO), a low temperature (≤ 300 °C) electric field assisted processing route (Cool-SPS) affords densification up to 90% of theoretical density. This is demonstrated for both conventional SnO and reactive tin(II) oxyhydroxide [Sn6O4(OH)4] precursor powders. The choice of starting precursor impacts both the optimized processing parameters and the resulting ceramic microstructure. Characterization of phase content and stability has been performed on both the precursor powders and resulting ceramics. Preliminary electrochemical property measurements are presented and their connection to observed microstructure and choice of initial precursor is discussed.

Ti2AlN powders were synthesized through molten salt method and re-calcination process using TiH2, Al and TiN powders as raw materials at 1100 ℃. The composition of final composite was directly influenced by the initial Al and TiH2 content in the starting mixture. The purity of the synthesized Ti2AlN powder could reach 97.1 wt% when the Al molar ratio was 1.05. Then high strength Ti2AlN ceramics were successfully prepared in different modes, including two forms of pulse electric current sintering (PECS/SPS) and hot-pressing sintering (HP). A record-high flexural strength of 719 MPa was obtained for the PECS/SPS with an electrical insulating die (PECS/SPS II) sintered sample, based on the synthesized powder in which the initial molar ratio of Al was 1.1. The sintering behaviors in various modes were analyzed, confirming the shrinkage of particles starting at lower temperature in PECS/SPS II. The density, microstructure, Vickers hardness and elastic modulus of sintered ceramics were also investigated. Therefore, the present work provided the new methods about powder preparation and ceramic sintering of Ti2AlN, making it possible to be used as high strength structural ceramics.

To significantly improve the electrochemical performance of tin-based materials as anodes for lithium ion batteries, hybridizing tin-based nanomaterials with carbon is an effective way. This is due to carbon materials serving not only as conductive networks to increase the electrical conductivity, but also as construct void to buffer volume expansion. However, the use of excess carbon in hybrids and the low lithium storage ability of the carbon could lead to the reduced total capacity of the electrode. Herein, we develop a simple and effective approach to the synthesis of EG/SnO2-x in which SnO2 nanoparticles are tightly anchored on the surface of expanded graphite (EG) with well-defined expanded structures and highly conductive frameworks. Benefiting from the rational mass loading of SnO2, as well as the high conductivity and strong lithium storage characteristic of EG, the EG/SnO2-3 hybrid displays outstanding electrochemical performance with excellent rate capability (e.g., 406.3 mAh g–1 at 1 A g−1) and long cycling stability (e.g., 262.7 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles). In particular, the large proportion of capacity secured from a narrow voltage range of 0.01–0.3 V, corresponding to a low average working potential, is vital for the hybrids applied in high voltage full-cell LIBs.

Mining is a high-risk activity due to its dangerous processes. Tin (Sn) is obtained from cassiterite ore and mining activities expose workers to the metal. Chronic exposure to Sn may cause pneumoconiosis, gastrointestinal and hematological effects, among others. This work aimed to assess the exposure of workers to tin in a cassiterite ore processing industry, using the speciation analysis in blood plasma. Twelve subjects donated the blood samples; six were occupationally exposed to Sn. Size exclusion chromatography separated proteins in blood plasma; a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer determined total tin in the plasma and eluted fractions, while SDS-PAGE determined molecular masses of proteins. Tin levels in the workers’ plasma were four times higher than in the reference individuals. After fractionation, the metal only appeared in the total inclusion volume, not being possible to confirm the binding of tin to proteins, which certainly modifies their functions and impair workers’ health. Despite that, the work process needs to change since Sn levels in the workers’ plasma pointed to metal exposure. Further works are necessary to clarify whether the metal is free or bound to small proteins in blood plasma and understand the true impact of tin on workers’ health. RESUMO A mineração é uma atividade de alto risco devido aos seus processos perigosos. O estanho (Sn) é obtido do minério de cassiterita e as atividades da mineração expõem os trabalhadores ao metal. A exposição crônica ao Sn pode causar pneumoconiose, gastrointestinal e hematológica entre outros efeitos. Este trabalho avaliou a exposição de trabalhadores ao estanho em uma indústria de processamento de minério de cassiterita, utilizando a análise de especiação no plasma sanguíneo. Doze indivíduos doaram amostras de sangue, sendo seis expostos ocupacionalmente ao Sn. A SEC separou as proteínas do plasma sanguíneo, a GFAAS determinou a concentração total de estanho no plasma sanguíneo e frações eluídas, enquanto o SDS-PAGE determinou as massas moleculares das proteínas. O plasma dos trabalhadores apresentou níveis quatro vezes maiores do que os indivíduos de referência. Após fracionamento, Sn só apareceu no volume de inclusão, não sendo possível confirmar sua ligação às proteínas. Contudo, o processo de trabalho precisa mudar, pois os níveis de Sn no plasma dos trabalhadores apontam para exposição ao metal. Outros trabalhos são necessários para esclarecer se o metal está livre ou ligado a pequenas proteínas do plasma e entender o verdadeiro impacto do estanho na saúde dos trabalhadores.

ObjectiveThe advantage of beta-blockers has been postulated in patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) given the pathophysiological role of catecholamines. We hypothesised that beta-blocker treatment after discharge may improve the long-term clinical outcome in this patient population.MethodsThis was an observational, multicentre study including consecutive patients with TTS diagnosis prospectively enrolled in the Takotsubo Italian Network (TIN) register from January 2007 to December 2018. TTS was diagnosed according to the TIN, Heart Failure Association and InterTAK Diagnostic Criteria. The primary study outcome was the occurrence of all-cause death at the longest available follow-up; secondary outcomes were TTS recurrence, cardiac and non-cardiac death.ResultsThe study population included 825 patients (median age: 72.0 (63.0–78.0) years; 91.9 % female): 488 (59.2%) were discharged on beta-blockers and 337 (40.8%) without beta-blockers. The median follow-up was 24.0 months. The adjusted Cox regression analysis showed a significantly lower risk for all-cause death (adjusted HR: 0.563; 95% CI: 0.356 to 0.889) and non-cardiac death (adjusted HR: 0.525; 95% CI: 0.309 to 0.893) in patients receiving versus those not receiving beta-blockers, but no significant differences in terms of TTS recurrence (adjusted HR: 0.607; 95% CI: 0.311 to 1.187) and cardiac death (adjusted HR: 0.699; 95% CI: 0.284 to 1.722). The positive survival effect of beta-blockers was higher in patients with hypertension than in those without (pinteraction=0.014), and in patients who developed cardiogenic shock during the acute phase than in those who did not (pinteraction=0.047).ConclusionsIn this real-world register population, beta-blockers were associated with a significantly higher long-term survival, particularly in patients with hypertension and in those who developed cardiogenic shock during the acute phase.

This article examines the career of Erasmus Purling, an English engineer who wrote a short alchemical treatise in 1657. After serving the Royalist cause in the late 1640s, he joined the Commonwealth forces in the early 1650s. He then attempted to manufacture and market a tin alloy supposedly resembling silver, first in England, where he was opposed by the London pewterers and imprisoned. In 1657, he was granted a monopoly privilege from the French Crown for his invention, which he promoted in his alchemical pamphlet. This publication, as well the other works he used to promote his discoveries, attracted the hostility of Parisian pewterers. They attempted to bring his enterprise, and transmutational alchemy in general, into disrepute. Despite this, Purling's pewter sold well, attracted influential investors, and was even protected by a second privilege obtained in 1659. At the Restoration, Purling returned to England, where he tried to implement similar projects, probably without success. Nevertheless, his troubled and little-known career illustrates several facets of alchemical entrepreneurship in the seventeenth century, including conflicting relationships within the world of crafts and trades and ambiguous relationships with state administrations on the eve of the reign of Louis XIV.

To enhance the corrosion resistance of an aluminum (Al) 6082 alloy, our research used electroless deposition to coat a trio sequence of Zn-Cu-Sn layers: zinc, copper and tin. To isolate the reactions and micro-mechanisms in the tin coating, the Zn-Cu layering parameters of time, temperature, and bath concentration were held constant while varying those during the Sn electroless deposition. Microstructures and layer thicknesses of the coated samples were studied using both optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Local chemical compositions were analyzed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Tin deposition on the Cu layer starts with a displacement reaction formed by the nucleation of discontinuous bulges that gradually grow into inhomogeneous crowns. During Sn deposition, surface Cu consumption and bath composition varies hindering access to displacement reactants, thus curtailing the significance of displacement. However, deposition continues via reduction and disproportionation directly tied to the solution. Peak layer quality was deposited at a temperature of 45 oC with a 1.5 times concentration for 1200 sec. Anti-corrosion behavior of the Sn-coated sample was examined by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to detect notable enhancement.

To inhibit the agglomeration of tin-based nanomaterials and simplify the complicated synthesis process, a facile and eco-friendly self-formed template method is reported to synthesize tin submicron spheres dispersed in nitrogen-doped porous carbon (Sn/NPC) by pyrolysis of a mixture of disodium stannous citrate and urea. The vital point of this strategy is the formation of Na2CO3 templates during pyrolysis. This self-formed Na2CO3 acts as porous templates to support the formation of NPC. The obtained NPC provides good electronic conductivity, ample defects, and more active sites. Serving as anode for Li-ion batteries, the Sn/NPC electrode obtains a stable discharge capacity of 674.1 mAh/g after 150 cycles at 0.1 A/g. Especially, a high discharge capacity of 331.2 mAh/g can be achieved after 1100 cycles at 3 A/g. Additionally, a full cell coupled with LiCoO2 as cathode yields a discharge capacity of 524.8 mAh/g after 150 cycles at 0.1 A/g. In-situ XRD is implemented to investigate the alloying/dealloying reaction mechanisms. Density functional theory calculation ulteriorly explicates that NPC heightens intrinsic electronic conductivity, and NPC especially pyrrolic-N and pyridinic-N doping facilitates the Li-adsorption ability. Climbing image nudged elastic band method reveals low Li+ diffusion energy barrier in presence of N atoms, which accounts for the terrific electrochemical properties of Sn/NPC electrode.

This paper reports the improvement of electrical, ferroelectric and endurance of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) thin-film capacitors by implementing W electrode. The W/HZO/W capacitor shows excellent pristine 2Pr values of 45.1 μC/cm2 at ±6 V, which are much higher than those of TiN/HZO/W (34.4 μC/cm2) and W/HZO/TiN (26.9 μC/cm2) capacitors. Notably, the maximum initial 2Pr value of W/HZO/W capacitor can reach as high as 57.9 μC/cm2 at ±7.5 V. These strong ferroelectric polarization effects are ascribed to the W electrode with a fairly low thermal expansion coefficient which provides a larger in-plane tensile strain compared with TiN electrode, allowing for enhancement of o-phase formation. Moreover, the W/HZO/W capacitor also exhibits higher endurance, smaller wake-up effect (10.1%) and superior fatigue properties up to 1.5 × 1010cycles compared to the TiN/HZO/W and W/HZO/TiN capacitors. Such improvements of W/HZO/W capacitor are mainly due to the decreased leakage current by more than an order of magnitude compared to the W/HZO/TiN capacitor. These results demonstrate that capping electrode material plays an important role in the enhancement of o-phase formation, reduces oxygen vacancies, mitigates wake-up effect and improves reliability.

For this study, NiCrBSi–TiN composite coatings were fabricated on Q235 steel substrates by reactive plasma spraying and the coatings were heat treated at 600 °C, 700 °C, 750 °C and 800 °C for 1 hour. The microstructure evolution of these coatings untreated and treated at different temperatures was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The hardness of the coatings was characterised using the Weibull distribution while the wear and corrosion resistance were studied using a block-ring tribometer and an electrochemical workstation. The phase composition of coatings after heat treatment changed, the compactness of coatings was increased, and the interlayer bonding was significantly improved. Comprehensive experimental results illustrated that the performance of the NiCrBSi–TiN composite coatings was excellent at the heat treatment temperature of 700 °C.

This study deals with the dialectics of Carl von Clausewitz in conjunction with the philosophy of G. W. F. Hegel in particular, his insights regarding the relationship between the lord and the bondsman. Understanding war through this relationship is significant to understand the opposites through their predicates and in unity. Then, the opposites imply each other; they are not to be understood as fixed entities situated in a dualistic juxtaposition. Together with his dialectics, Clausewitz’s historicism is fundamental to educe the notion of freedom from his work. He emphasises the uniqueness of any war, in the sense that it is being a social interaction contingent on the social milieu. This corresponds also to the absolving of the commander from the doctrinal manuals on war drawn up with respect to wars that happened in the past. These manuals consider wars as if they were merely technical and military matters. His elaboration on war provides the scope for a commander to assert the subjectivity he constitutes through his insights into the objective world he acts within. Clausewitz’s method indicates that his theory possesses a discernible universal essence, thus, his work is relevant not only to understand the wars of the era that he lived in but also the contemporary ones. Bu çalışmada Carl von Clausewitz’in diyalektik yöntemi G. W. F. Hegel’in felsefesiyle, özellikle onun köle ile efendi arasındaki ilişkiyi kavrayışıyla bağlantılı olarak ele alınmıştır. Bu girişim karşıtları yüklemleri dolayısıyla ve birlik içerisinde kavramak için önemlidir. Bu yolla karşıt tarafların her birinin ötekinde ima edildiği ve onların salt ikicil bir tertip içindeki değişmez varlıklar olarak varsayılmadığı bir ilişkiyi ileri sürmek mümkün olur. Clausewitz’in diyalektik yöntemi onun tarihselciliğiyle tamamlanır ve onların birliği yoluyla onun çalışmasındaki özgürlük kavramını çıkarmak mümkün olur. Clausewitz her bir savaşın, içerisinde meydana geldiği toplumsal ilişkilere bağlı olarak gerçekleşen eşsiz bir toplumsal etkileşim olduğunu vurgular. Bu sayede savaştak kumandan her bir savaşı geçmiş savaşların deneyimlerine dayalı olarak, salt teknik ve askeri bir mesele olarak ele alan doktriner kılavuzlardan özgürleşir. Clausewitz’in kavrayışı komutanın içerisinde eylemde bulunduğu nesnel dünyaya dair içgörüleri yoluyla oluşturduğu öznelliğini ileri süreceği teorik alanı açar. Clausewitz’in metodolojisi onun teorisinin ayırt edilebilir bir evrensel özü olduğuna işaret eder. Öyleyse onun eseri yalnızca onun yaşadığı çağın savaşlarını değil günümüzde gerçekleşenleri anlamak için de geçerlidir.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) is an important cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and advanced CKD. Only a limited number of studies have reported etiology-based differences in the clinical and/or histopathological properties and kidney outcomes of the biopsy-proven TIN.Patients with biopsy-proven TIN identified from 2005 to 2016 in five hospitals were categorized based on the etiologies and were retrospectively analyzed in relation to the clinicopathological findings and kidney outcomes.Among 4815 biopsy cases screened, 153 Japanese TIN patients were identified, of whom 139 patients with ≥ 6 months of follow-up data (median 58 years old, 45.3% female, median 31.5 months follow-up) were further analyzed. TIN was drug-induced in 32.4%, autoimmune-related in 24.5%, of unknown etiology in 27.3% and other disease-related in 15.8%. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics were major causative drugs in drug-induced TIN, and IgG4-related disease, Sjögren's syndrome and sarcoidosis were common in autoimmune-related TIN. Among etiology groups, drug-induced TIN showed advanced AKI with elevated serum creatinine (sCr) and increased C-reactive protein levels at the diagnosis. TIN patients with autoimmune diseases showed less-severe AKI, but were more frequently treated with corticosteroids than others. Tubulointerstitial injury expansion in biopsy specimens was comparable among the groups. Complete or partial kidney function recovery at 6 months was more frequent in drug-induced and autoimmune-related TIN than in others. sCr levels at 6 months were similar among the groups.This largest case series study of the biopsy-proven TIN in Japan provides detailed information regarding both etiology-based clinicopathological properties and kidney outcomes.

Animal hair is a useful biomonitoring tool for assessing the occurrence of trace elements in ecosystems. Essential (chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, and zinc) and nonessential (aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, palladium, platinum, rubidium, tin, and vanadium) elements were investigated in hair of badger (Meles meles), wild boar (Sus scrofa), marmot (Marmota marmota), wolf (Canis lupus), fox (Vulpes vulpes) and deer (Cervus elaphus) from Northwestern Italy. Badger was found to be the highest bioaccumulator of metals, while wolf, fox and deer recorded the lowest values. Essential elements contribute in higher degree to the sum of metals for all species except for wild boar. Results have shown that animals with omnivorous diet such as badger, marmot and wild boar have metal content (especially Al, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, V) higher than carnivores (wolf and fox) and herbivores (deer) and could represent an effective sentinel of environmental exposure to metals.

In this work, a rapid coprecipitation reaction is developed to obtain nano-sized Zn-doped tin oxide samples (Zn-SnO-II or Zn-SnO2-IV) for the first time by simply mixing tin ion (Sn2+ or Sn4+) and zinc ion (Zn2+) containing salts in a mild aqueous condition. Characterization results illustrate the Zn-SnO-II sample is constituted by an overwhelming quantity of Zn-doped SnO nanobelts and a small quantity of Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles. The redox reaction between the Sn2+ ions from the Zn-SnO-II sample and the surface oxygen-containing functional groups from functionalized carbon nanotube (F-CNT) and graphene oxide (GO) leads to the formation of the final Zn-SnO2/CNT@RGO composites. As an anode active material for lithium-ion batteries, the Zn-SnO2/CNT@RGO product showed superior electrochemical performance than the controlled Zn-SnO2/CNT and Zn-SnO2/RGO samples, which had a high gravimetric capacity of 901.3 mAh·g−1 at a high charge and discharge current of 1000 mA·g−1 after 300 cycles and excellent rate capability. The reaction mechanism for the successful synthesis of the Zn-doped tin oxide samples has been proposed, and the insight into the outstanding lithium-ion storage performance for the Zn-SnO2/CNT@RGO composite has been revealed. The synthetic processes for both the Zn-doped tin oxides and derived carbon supported composites are straightforward and involve no harsh conditions nor complicated treatment, which have good potential for massive production and application in wider fields.

In this work, a hierarchical reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supportive matrix consisting of both larger two-dimensional RGO sheets and smaller three-dimensional RGO spheres was engineered with ZnO and SnO2 nanoparticles immobilized. The ZnO and SnO2 nanocrystals with controlled size were in sequence engineered on the surface of the RGO sheets during the deoxygenation of graphene oxide sample (GO), where the zinc-containing ZIF-8 sample and metal tin foil were used as precursors for ZnO and SnO2, respectively. After a spray drying treatment and calcination, the final ZnO@SnO2/RGO-H sample was obtained, which delivered an outstanding specific capacity of 982 mAh·g-1 under a high current density of 1000 mA·g-1 after 450 cycles. Benefitting from the unique hierarchical structure, the mechanical strength, ionic and electric conductivities of the ZnO@SnO2/RGO-H sample have been simultaneously promoted. The joint contributions from pseudocapacitive and battery behaviors in lithium-ion storage processes bring in both large specific capacity and good rate capability. The industrially mature spray drying method for synthesizing RGO based hierarchical products can be further developed for wider applications.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) is currently the imaging modality of choice for guiding pulmonary percutaneous procedures. The use of a tin filter allows low-energy photons to be absorbed which contribute little to image quality but increases the radiation dose that a patient receives. Iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR) was developed to diminish metal artefacts. This study investigated the impact of using tin filtration combined with an iMAR algorithm on dose reduction and image quality in CT-guided lung biopsy. METHODS: Ninety-nine consecutive patients undergoing CT-guided lung biopsy were randomly assigned to routine-dose CT protocols (groups A and B; without and with iMAR, respectively) or tin filter CT protocols (groups C and D; without or with iMAR, respectively). Subjective image quality was analysed using a 5-point Likert scale. Objective image quality was assessed, and the noise, contrast-to-noise ratio, and figure of merit were compared among the four groups. Metal artefacts were quantified using CT number reduction and metal diameter blurring. The radiation doses, diagnostic performance, and complication rates were also estimated. RESULTS: The subjective image quality of the two scan types was compared. Images with iMAR reconstruction were superior to those without iMAR reconstruction (group A: 3.49±0.65 vs. group B: 4.63±0.57; P0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tin filtration combined with an iMAR algorithm may reduce the radiation dose compared to the routine-dose CT protocol, while maintaining comparable diagnostic accuracy and image quality and producing fewer metal artefacts.