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Silicon-germanium (SiGe) alloys are prominent high-temperature thermoelectric (TE) materials used as a powering source for deep space applications. In this work, we employed rapid cooling rates for solidification by melt-spinning and rapid heating rates for bulk consolidation employing spark plasma sintering to synthesize high-performance p-type SiGe nano-alloys. The current methodology exhibited a TE figure-of-merit (ZT) ≈ 0.94 at 1123 K for a higher cooling rate of ∼3.0 × 107 K/s. This corresponds to ≈ 88% enhancement in ZT when compared with currently used radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) in space flight missions, ≈ 45% higher than pressure-sintered p-type alloys, which results in a higher output power density, and TE conversion efficiency (η) ≈ 8% of synthesized SiGe nano-alloys estimated using a cumulative temperature dependence (CTD) model. The ZT enhancement is driven by selective scattering of phonons rather than of charge carriers by the high density of grain boundaries with random orientations and induced lattice-scale defects, resulting in a substantial reduction of lattice thermal conductivity and high power factor. The TE characteristics of synthesized alloys presented using the constant property model (CPM) and CTD model display their high TE performance in high-temperature regimes along with wide suitability of segmentation with different mid-temperature TE materials.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is irradiated to moderate gamma doses 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kGy to carry out the study of change in its states. It is conducted by measuring resistivity and capacitance due to scissoring of chains; hence, immergence of various functional groups in the bulk of samples is irradiated to three doses 10, 30 and 40 kGy. Enhanced resistivity is found to follow sequential change as ρ10kGy > ρ30kGy > ρ40kGy > ρpris. Fractional change of resistivity, (ρ − ρ0)/ρ0, at small frequencies is correlated with fractional change of volume which is measured using the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy to estimate index of disorder, X. Disorder index, X, is the highest in the case of sample irradiated to 10 kGy gamma dose. Electrical capacitance, C, measured across the bulk of HDPE is found maximum in the case of 10 kGy dose, while samples irradiated to 30 and 40 kGy show capacitance smaller than the pristine HDPE indicating different dielectric behavior. Similarly, dissipation factor is found to be the smallest in the case of 10 kGy than 30 and 40 kGy doses up to several thousands of frequency in Hz. In all cases, electrical capacitance is found to be sustainable at high frequencies in the pristine as well as samples irradiated to the 10, 30 and 40 kGy doses.

High thermal conductivity and exorbitant cost of Hf has for a long time limited the prospects of half-Heusler (HH) alloys for applicability in thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion devices. This work demonstrates the implication of nanostructuring and efficacy of p-type acceptor dopant in (Ti,Zr)CoSb based HH alloys for enhancing the figure of merit (ZT) while eliminating the use of Hf. A series of (Ti,Zr)CoSb1−x(Si,Sn)x HH composition was synthesized using arc-melting and consolidated employing spark plasma sintering (SPS). The optimal doping of acceptor dopants, namely, Si and Sn significantly improves the power factor and strengthens the phonon scattering resulting in an enhanced TE performance with maximum ZT of 0.26 and 0.5 at 873 K, obtained for TiCoSb0.8Sn0.2 and ZrCoSb0.8Sn0.2, respectively. For further optimization, microstructural modifications by fine-tuning of the Ti to Zr ratio induces strain field effects and mass fluctuation in (Ti,Zr)CoSb0.8Sn0.2 compositions, which remarkably introduces additional phonon scattering resulting in maximum ZT ∼ 0.8 at 873 K for the best performing Zr0.5Ti0.5CoSb0.8Sn0.2 compound. The current study provides a better understanding of p-type dopants in HH materials by which prospective high TE performance can be obtained in low-cost Hf-free p-type (Ti,Zr)CoSb half-Heusler alloys.

This review focuses on the key issues raised during the International Coronary Congress (ICC) 2016. The left internal thoracic artery and the drug-eluting stents in relation to the left anterior descending artery re-vascularization have been compared and the role of Heart Team stressed upon. The current role of bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting is discussed. The importance of and tools for intra-operative assessment of graft patency have been outlined. The patency and related issues of saphenous vein grafts harvested using the no-touch technique has been discussed in detail. Following the discussion at ICC 2016 and review of literature, we conclude that left internal thoracic artery remains the best option for left anterior descending artery lesions and for left main and ostial or proximal left anterior descending artery lesions. The Heart Team should be approached for decision making. Bilateral internal thoracic artery usage should be encouraged especially in the Indian population which includes a higher proportion of younger patients with a particularly high prevalence of diabetes. Transit time flowmetry is a useful tool to confirm and assess whether intra-operative graft flow and saphenous vein grafts harvested with a no-touch technique have better patency than conventionally harvested vein grafts.

In this study, we report low and mid temperature range thermoelectric properties of Sb-substituted Cu2SnSe3 compounds. The Cu2Sn1−xSbxSe3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) alloys were prepared using conventional solid-state reaction followed by spark plasma sintering. The crystal structure was characterized using XRD and it reveals that all the samples exhibit cubic structure with space group $$\stackrel{-}{4}3m$$. The electrical transport characteristics indicate degenerate semiconducting behavior. Electrical resistivity was found to follow small polaron hopping (SPH) model in the entire temperature range of investigation. The Seebeck coefficient data reveals that the majority of charge carriers are holes and the analysis of Seebeck coefficient data gives negative values of Fermi energy indicating that the Fermi energy is below the edge of valence band. The electronic contribution (κe) for total thermal conductivity is found to be less than 1%. The maximum ZT value of 0.64 is observed for the sample with x = 0.03 (at 700 K) which is approximately 2.3 times that of the pristine sample.

New aromatic diamine containing preformed amide, ether, and methylene; bis-[(4′-aminobenzyl)-4-benzamide] ether (BABE), was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry. Aromatic–aliphatic polyamides were prepared from BABE with aliphatic/aromatic diacids via Yamazaki’s polymerization. The polyamides were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, inherent viscosity [ηinh], solubility tests, differential scanning calorimetry [DSC], thermogravimetric analysis [TGA], and X-ray diffraction [XRD]. Polyamides had inherent viscosities 0.35–0.84 dL/g, soluble in aprotic polar solvents like N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N, N-dimethyl acetamide and dimethyl sulphoxide containing LiCl due to an amorphous to partially crystalline morphology; as XRD patterns indicated. DSC analysis of polyamides showed glass transition temperatures 166–268 °C. Polyamides showed high thermal stability as they did not degrade below 300 °C, had 10% weight loss temperature higher than 375 °C, and the char yields at 900 °C were 22–55%; indicating potential applications as engineering materials.

We examined the brain oxidative stress which accompanies 30 min of bilateral carotid artery ligation (BCAL) in terms of changes in brain levels of glutathione; reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) forms and the exacerbation of oxidative stress by disulfiram (DSF). These results indicate that BCAL alone decreases GSH content and limits glutathione reductase (GR) activity, and these changes were enhanced by DSF pretreatment. Similar observations were recorded with DSF alone. GR activity (74.3 +/- 4.0 micromol min(-1) mg(-1) tissue; p0.001) and GSH content (1.23 +/- 0.06 micromol min(-1) g(-1) tissue; p0.001) was attenuated in rats subjected to synergistic effect of BCAL and DSF with a concomitant increase of GSSG (0.006 +/- 0.006 micromol min(-1) g(-1) tissue; p0.001). Recovery of GSH/GSSG level and GR activity during reperfusion following 30 min BCAL was considerably delayed (96 h) in the BCAL and DSF group as compared to the recovery time of 24 h in the group subjected to BCAL-reperfusion alone. Perturbation of GSH/GSSG homeostasis as a result of BCAL was augmented by DSF. These findings clearly demonstrate central nervous system oxidative stress due to a BCAL-DSF synergistic effect. Based on the results obtained with this model, we conclude that DSF increases brain oxidative stress and this may be detrimental to alcoholics who might drink and develop an acetaldehyde-induced hypotension while taking DSF.

Background The prognosis for patients with breast tumor metastases to brain is extremely poor. Identification of prognostic molecular markers of the metastatic process is critical for designing therapeutic modalities for reducing the occurrence of metastasis. Although ubiquitously present in most human organs, large-conductance calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channel (BKCa) channels are significantly upregulated in breast cancer cells. In this study we investigated the role of KCNMA1 gene that encodes for the pore-forming α-subunit of BKCa channels in breast cancer metastasis and invasion. Methods We performed Global exon array to study the expression of KCNMA1 in metastatic breast cancer to brain, compared its expression in primary breast cancer and breast cancers metastatic to other organs, and validated the findings by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry was performed to study the expression and localization of BKCa channel protein in primary and metastatic breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cell lines. We performed matrigel invasion, transendothelial migration and membrane potential assays in established lines of normal breast cells (MCF-10A), non-metastatic breast cancer (MCF-7), non-brain metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), and brain-specific metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-361) to study whether BKCa channel inhibition attenuates breast tumor invasion and metastasis using KCNMA1 knockdown with siRNA and biochemical inhibition with Iberiotoxin (IBTX). Results The Global exon array and RT-PCR showed higher KCNMA1 expression in metastatic breast cancer in brain compared to metastatic breast cancers in other organs. Our results clearly show that metastatic breast cancer cells exhibit increased BKCa channel activity, leading to greater invasiveness and transendothelial migration, both of which could be attenuated by blocking KCNMA1. Conclusion Determining the relative abundance of BKCa channel expression in breast cancer metastatic to brain and the mechanism of its action in brain metastasis will provide a unique opportunity to identify and differentiate between low grade breast tumors that are at high risk for metastasis from those at low risk for metastasis. This distinction would in turn allow for the appropriate and efficient application of effective treatments while sparing patients with low risk for metastasis from the toxic side effects of chemotherapy.