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Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) in the maxillary sinus and their correlations with the tubular, cribriform, and solid histopathologic types of ACC.Study Design: Twenty cases of histopathologically proven ACC in the maxillary sinus were retrospectively reviewed. CT and MRI findings were correlated with histopathologic results.Results: On CT, significant differences were discovered among the 3 histopathologic ACC types in range, size, shape, margins, type of bone destruction, and time intensity curve (TIC) (P ≤ .018). Tubular lesions were limited in range, were smaller than the other types, produced small cystic patterns with well-defined margins, and caused a cribriform pattern of bone destruction. All tumors demonstrated heterogeneous intensity signal on T1- and T2-weighted images (T1WI and T2WI) and appeared as hypo- or isointense small cystic lesions on T1WI and hyperintense on T2WI (n = 6). Postcontrast MRI revealed marked heterogeneous enhancement for all lesions. The TIC showed a rapidly enhancing and slow washout pattern in all tubular lesions and a rapidly enhancing and rapid washout pattern in solid tumors.Conclusions: Different histologic patterns of ACCs have distinctive radiologic features, which can facilitate accurate preoperative diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Arrestin-1 binds light-activated phosphorhodopsin and ensures timely signal shutoff. We show that high transgenic expression of an arrestin-1 mutant with enhanced rhodopsin binding and impaired oligomerization causes apoptotic rod death in mice. Dark rearing does not prevent mutant-induced cell death, ruling out the role of arrestin complexes with light-activated rhodopsin. Similar expression of WT arrestin-1 that robustly oligomerizes, which leads to only modest increase in the monomer concentration, does not affect rod survival. Moreover, WT arrestin-1 co-expressed with the mutant delays retinal degeneration. Thus, arrestin-1 mutant directly affects cell survival via binding partner(s) other than light-activated rhodopsin. Due to impaired self-association of the mutant its high expression dramatically increases the concentration of the monomer. The data suggest that monomeric arrestin-1 is cytotoxic and WT arrestin-1 protects rods by forming mixed oligomers with the mutant and/or competing with it for the binding to non-receptor partners. Thus, arrestin-1 self-association likely serves to keep low concentration of the toxic monomer. The reduction of the concentration of harmful monomer is an earlier unappreciated biological function of protein oligomerization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The crystal structure and photoluminescence properties of Eu2+ doped Li2Ca0.7Sr0.3SiO4 phosphors were investigated. The Li2Ca0.7Sr0.3SiO4 is not an alloy between the tetragonal Li2CaSiO4 and hexagonal Li2SrSiO4 but crystallizes in orthorhombic structure similar to Li2(CaSr)SiO4. Photoluminescence properties of the Li2Ca0.7Sr0.3SiO4:Eu2+ phosphors, summarized in effective excitation in the UV region, strong emission in the blue light range (with a peak at 427nm) and the CIE chromaticity coordinate (0.154, 0.038), indicate this phosphor has great potential in UV-chip pumped white LEDs. White light output by mixing the Li2Ca0.7Sr0.3SiO4:Eu2+ blue and Li2SrSiO4:Eu2+ yellow phosphor was attempted. With proper molar ratio of these two compound phosphors, warm white light with CIE chromaticity coordinate close to that of the nature white light (0.33, 0.33) and color temperature about 5000K was obtained. The results indicated that the Li2Ca0.7Sr0.3SiO4:Eu2+ may become an important phosphor candidate for ultra-violet chip pumped and multi-phosphors converted white LEDs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Eu2+ and Mn2+ co-doped SrSi2O2N2 green-phosphors, with promising luminescent properties (examined by their powder diffuse reflection, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra) suitable for UV converted white LEDs, were produced by high temperature solid-state reaction method. The produced materials exhibited intense broad absorption bands at 220–500nm and a broad emission band centered at ca. 530nm, attributed to 4f–5d transitions of Eu2+. The emission intensity of Eu2+ ions was greatly enhanced by introducing Mn2+ ions into SrSi2O2N2:Eu2+ due to the energy transfer from Mn2+ to Eu2+. The energy transfer probability from Mn2+ to Eu2+ depends strongly on the Mn2+ concentration, which is maximized at a Mn2+ concentration of 3mol%. It drastically decreases for higher concentrations. The results indicated that SrSi2O2N2:Eu2+, Mn2+ is a promising green-emitting phosphor for white-light emitting diodes with near-UV LED chips. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial function declines during aging in various tissues and in a wide range of organisms. This correlates with an age-dependent large accumulation of specific point mutations in the mtDNA control region that was reported recently in human fibroblast and skeletal muscle. However, evaluations of aging-related mtDNA mutations in other model animal systems. In this study, we analyzed mtDNA control regions of brain, skeletal muscle, heart, and other tissues from aged mice, in search of specific point mutations. A 948-bp fragment covering the entire mtDNA control region from various tissues of mice at the age of 25–26 months was sequenced. The sequence analysis was accomplished with a newly developed program Mutation Quantifier, which was able to accurately detect mutations with frequencies as low as 3%. Probably due to the relative shorter life-span, unlike what has been reported in human mtDNA, our results indicated there might be no significant accumulation of specific mutations in mouse mtDNA control region during aging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polyhedral Zn 2 SnO 4 (ZTO) have been successfully fabricated with a facile hydrothermal method. Their morphologies, gas sensing and photocatalytic properties were carefully studied. The morphologies were found to be dependent on the growth time. Morphologies achieved include cubes and octahedrons with the reaction time of 16 h and 36 h. A plausible mechanism for the formation of octahedral ZTO microstructure was proposed. The gas sensing properties of triethylamine (TEA) for ZTO microstructures showed that the sensor response ( S = R a / R g ) reach to be 37 at 100 ppm, which is much larger than the previous reports. Furthermore, the detection limit can be down to 5 ppm-level with a response value about 11 at 200 °C. For the photocatalytic performance, the octahedral ZTO structures (24 h) exhibited faster photocatalytic degradation efficiency toward methylene blue (MB) than others (16 h and 36 h) which can be ascribed to their specific octahedral structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Visual arrestin-1 plays a key role in the rapid and reproducible shutoff of rhodopsin signaling. Its highly selective binding to light-activated phosphorylated rhodopsin is an integral part of the functional perfection of rod photoreceptors. Structure-function studies revealed key elements of the sophisticated molecular mechanism ensuring arrestin-1 selectivity and paved the way to the targeted manipulation of the arrestin-1 molecule to design mutants that can compensate for congenital defects in rhodopsin phosphorylation. Arrestin-1 self-association and light-dependent translocation in photoreceptor cells work together to keep a constant supply of active rhodopsin-binding arrestin-1 monomer in the outer segment. Recent discoveries of arrestin-1 interaction with other signaling proteins suggest that it is a much more versatile signaling regulator than previously thought, affecting the function of the synaptic terminals and rod survival. Elucidation of the fine molecular mechanisms of arrestin-1 interactions with rhodopsin and other binding partners is necessary for the comprehensive understanding of rod function and for devising novel molecular tools and therapeutic approaches to the treatment of visual disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CaSi2O2N2 phosphors co-doped with Ce3+ and Eu2+ was synthesized via solid-state reaction method. The experiments aimed at optimizing the composition of those phosphors for achieving the highest luminescence intensity as well as at shedding light in the mechanism that governs their luminescence behavior. The overlap of the blue emission spectrum due to Ce3+ with the yellow excitation spectrum due to Eu2+ suggests resonance-type energy transfer mechanism from Ce3+ to Eu2+ taking place in the CaSi2O2N2 host lattice, where electric dipole–dipole interactions dominate. The properties of the produced phosphors qualify them for further consideration in the technology of white light-emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Divalent europium-activated strontium orthosilicate Sr2SiO4:Eu2+ and Mg0.1Sr1.9SiO4:Eu2+ phosphors were synthesized through the solid-state reaction technique. Their luminescent properties under ultraviolet excitation were investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that these phosphors are of α′-Sr2SiO4 phase with a trace of β-Sr2SiO4. Doping of Eu2+ ion into the crystal lattice results in the lattice constant being expended, while Mg2+ makes the lattice constant shrinking. A solid solution with the same crystal structure is formed when Eu2+ or Mg2+ substitutes part of Sr2+ ions and occupies the same lattice sites. The Sr2SiO4:Eu2+ phosphors show two emission spectra peaked at 535 and 473nm originated from the 5d–4f transition of Eu2+ ion doped in two different Sr2+ sites in the host lattice. By substitution of 0.1mol of Sr2+ with Mg2+, these two emission bands are tuned to be in the blue and yellow region (459 and 564nm for Mg0.1Sr1.88SiO4:Eu0.02), respectively. The tuning effect is discussed. With a combination of the blue and yellow emission bands the phosphors show white color, indicating that these phosphors may become promising phosphor candidates for white light-emitting diodes (LEDs). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tb-doped SrSi2O2N2 phosphors with promising luminescent properties were synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction method, characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and studied by photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra. The synthesized materials exhibited a weak blue emission and a strong green emission in the region of 400–470nm and 480–650nm, which are attributed to 5D3→7F j (j=5, 4, 3) and 5D4→7Fj (j=6, 5, 4, 3) transitions of Tb3+, respectively. The green emission from 5D4→7F5 at 543nm showed the highest intensity under the optimized concentration of 0.1mol, after which the quenching concentration became relevant. The quenching behavior of the emission of Tb3+ was explained by the cross-relaxation of its excited state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phosphor layer are essential in the application of phosphor-converted white light emitting diodes (pc-WLEDs). However, the conventional structure of red–green–blue (RGB) phosphor layers can cause severe re-absorption of blue light, resulting in low luminous efficiency and colour rendering index (CRI). In this paper, we fabricated a new WLEDs phosphor layer, which consisted of patterned RGB phosphor pixel arrays in a planar configuration, by the stencil printing technique. Optical simulation based on Monte-Carlo theory has been applied to assist designing the optimal pattern of the phosphor pixel arrays. By tuning the layout of the pixel arrays and the size of phosphor pixels, we achieved uniform output white light with high luminous intensity of 1.47 × 109 cd and CRI of 95.6, which are superior compared with the intensity of 1.11 × 109 cd and CRI of 93.5 obtained from WLEDs with conventional dispensing phosphor layer. Our newly-designed phosphor pixel-array layer possesses great potential for applications in advanced lighting and display devices with vast implications for industrial improvement in these research areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D porous boron nitride (BN) foam with thin boron nitride nanosheets walls has been prepared by a in situ templet-free foaming reaction with ammonia borane and thiourea. Thiourea serves as foaming agent in the synthesis and frothing the precursor into Three-dimensional (3D) structure BN foam with thin walls. The products are hierarchically porous with large area of rough surfaces, presenting high adsorption of N 2 /CO 2. Typically, for CO 2 adsorption, it could reach up to 150 ml/g under 50 bar at room temperature. • The density of this 3D BN foam is extremely low. • The synthesis process and recycling treatment after CO 2 adsorption is clean. • This 3D BN foam shows efficient CO 2 adsorption in room temperature. • This 3D BN foam can be easily recycled and reused by high temperature annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a family of hydrogenated- and halogenated-SbIV (SbIVX-2) materials that simultaneously have two-dimensional (2D) structures, high stability and appealing electronic properties. Based on first-principles total-energy and vibrational-spectra calculations, SbIVX-2 monolayers are found both thermally and dynamically stable. Varying IV and X elements can rationally tune the electronic properties of SbIVX-2 monolayers, effectively modulating the band gap from 0 to 3.42 eV. Regarding such superior stability and broad band-gap range, SbIVX-2 monolayers are expected to be synthesized in experiments and taken as promising candidates for low-dimensional electronic and optoelectronic devices, such as blue-to-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (LED) and photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Single-phase broad-band red-emitting Ca3Si2O7:Eu2+ phosphors, with photoluminescence features that qualify them as candidates for white light-emitting diodes applications, were successfully synthesized via a modified solid-state reaction method that employed H3BO3 as a flux. The phosphors produced have an intense broad red emission band, with a peak at 603nm, a full width at half maximum of 110nm, and color coordinates of (0.550, 0.438). Concentration quenching occurred at 0.01mol Eu2+. The discussion of the results shows that Eu2+ ions should be accommodated at the Ca-sites of the lattice, dipole–dipole interactions should predominantly govern the energy transfer mechanism among them, and the critical distance between them is ∼31Å. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ce3+/Eu2+ co-doped Li2SrSiO4 phosphor yields two emission bands consisted of blue and yellow components, which shows great potential as single host white phosphor for white LEDs. Effective energy transfer occurs in Ce3+/Eu2+ co-doped Li2SrSiO4 due to large spectral overlap between the emission of Ce3+ and excitation of Eu2+. Co-doping of Ce3+ enhances the emission intensity of Eu2+ greatly by transferring its excitation energy to Eu2+. The Ce3+ →Eu2+ energy transfer, thoroughly investigated by their absorption, excitation and photoluminescence decay behaviors, is demonstrated to be in the mechanism of electric dipole–dipole interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ba2+-doped Sr2SiO4:Eu2+ phosphors were synthesized with the high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. The experimental results, summarized in the successful production of a single-phase powder with fine microstructure of spherical particles with smooth surface, suggest that Ba2+-doping favors the stabilization of α′-Sr2SiO4. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffractograms suggests that Ba2+ and Eu2+ ions occupy the sites of Sr2+ in the lattice of α′-Sr2SiO4. The produced phosphors show two intense emission bands at green and yellow regions of spectrum, originated from Eu2+ ions accommodated at two different sites in the host crystal, whose peaks depend on the concentrations of Ba2+ and Eu2+. Intense and broad excitation spectra extend from ultraviolet to the blue region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A kind of polymer composite was fabricated using polystyrene as the matrix and Si3N4 powder as filler employing the method of heat press molding. Microstructure, thermal conductivity and dielectric constant of the Si3N4 filled composite were evaluated. The effect of the volume fraction of Si3N4, the particle size of the polystyrene matrix and the silane treatment of Si3N4 filler on the thermal conductivity of the composite was investigated; dielectric constant of the composite was evaluated. The main factors that affect the thermal conductivity of the composite were confirmed through theoretical analyzing of the experimental data and the thermal conductivity model. Experimental results show that with the filler content increasing, a thermally conductive network is formed in the composites, thus the thermal conductivity of the composite increases rapidly. The composites experience a highest thermal conductivity of 3.0W/mK when the volume fraction of the filler reaches 40%. The increasing of thermal conductivity is dominated by the ease of forming a thermal conductive network. A larger polystyrene particle size, a higher Si3N4 filler content and the silane treatment of the filler have a beneficial effect on improving the thermal conductivity. The dielectric constant increases with the content of Si3N4 filler, however, it remains at a relatively low lever (<4, at 1MHz). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The oxygen content is usually difficult to control in direct bonding copper process. In this study a new method for preparation of direct bonding copper on alumina ceramic substrates was realized. 96% Al2O3 ceramic substrates were first oxidized by pasting a thin layer of Cu2O and firing at 1150 °C in air. Then copper foil was bonded to the substrate by heating to 1070 °C in pure N2 atmosphere. Microstructure and composition of the interface between the copper and Al2O3 ceramic were analyzed. The XRD and EDS results show that an interphase of CuAlO2 was formed and a eutectic transformation between oxygen and copper took place at the interface of the copper and the ceramic substrate. The interface was much thicker than the traditionally bonded substrates, which resulted in a better bonding strength. The directly bonded copper alumina substrate samples showed no evidence of de-bonding after 50 thermal cycles comprising quenching from 220 °C to room temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]