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On the basis of successful research into new metal-aluminium nitride (M-AlN) cermet solar selective coatings, a commercial-scale cylindrical direct current (dc) magnetron sputter coater has been developed for the deposition of these cermet solar coatings onto batches of tubes. The coater vacuum chamber has a diameter of 0.8 m and is 1.8 m in height. 32 glass tubes may be accommodated in the chamber. Stainless steel-aluminium nitride (SS-AlN) cermet material has been investigated as a solar absorbing layer. Three cylindrical post cathodes, consisting of stainless steel, aluminium and copper tubes, are installed in the chamber. During the deposition of an SS-AlN cermet layer, both the Al and SS targets are sputtered simultaneously in the gas mixture of argon and nitrogen. The nitrogen partial pressure is set sufficiently high at the aluminium target side to ensure that a nearly pure AlN ceramic sublayer is deposited by dc reactive sputtering. The planetary rotation of the 32 tubes results in a multi-layered system consisting of alternating SS and AlN sublayers. This multi-sublayer system can be considered as a macro-homogeneous cermet layer. Varying SS target current achieves different SS volume fractions in the cermet layers. A solar absorptance of 0.94-0.95 and emittance of 0.04-0.05 at room temperature has been achieved for the SS-AlN cermet solar coatings. These solar tubes are stable at 330-400 [degrees] C. Using this commercial-scale coater, it should be possible to produce solar tubes stable at even higher temperatures (450-550 [degrees] C), based on a high melting point transition metal aluminium nitride cermet.

Reports that thin tungsten nitride films were produced by reactive dc magnetron sputtering of tungsten in an Ar-N2 gas mixture. Effects of the variation of nitrogen partial pressure on the composition, residual stress and structural properties of the thin films; Analysis of the films in situ by a cantilever beam technique.

A human skull, buried about 2500 years ago in a Bronze Age cemetery at Jinggouzi, a site of an important ethnic group in ancient China, appeared to have characteristics of fibrous dysplasia. The CT images indicated a reduction in bone density and relatively homogeneous lesions. More features were revealed using CT reconstruction techniques. Lesions seen in low‐magnification images using a 3D deep‐field microscope had an irregular honeycomb‐like structure. At higher magnification, the trabeculae morphology and the gaps between the trabeculae were irregular and varied in size and shape. Paraffin‐embedded specimens stained with HE showed trabeculae with tortuous irregular arrangements varying in shape and width. The irregular trabeculae of woven bone has been described as having fibrous dysplasia. Molecular analysis of the GNAS gene indicated no mutation. This provides a non‐invasive approach for us to make more comprehensive diagnoses and to assist research into ancient human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to lack of patient/health care provider awareness causing delayed diagnosis, the bleeding phenotype and provider interventions in adolescents with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and bleeding disorders (BD) may be different when compared to adults. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare/characterize bleeding phenotype and provider interventions in postmenarchal adolescents < 18 years and premenopausal adults  ≥ 18 years with HMB and BD. Methods: Patient demographics, BD, and provider interventions/therapy details for HMB were compared between both age groups enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Female Universal Data Collection (UDC) surveillance project in United States hemophilia treatment centres. Cross‐sectional descriptive analyses including frequency distributions, summary statistics, bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Of 269 females (79 adolescents; median age 16 years, interquartile range (IQR) = 2; 190 adults; median age 27 years, IQR = 13) evaluated, BD distribution was similar in both groups. Compared to adolescents, adults more often had family history of bleeding (Adjusted odds ratios [AOR] = 2.6, 1.3‐5.6), delay in diagnosis (AOR = 2.5, 1.2‐4.9), bleeding with dental procedures (AOR = 2.0, 1.0‐4.0), gastrointestinal bleeding (AOR = 4.6, 1.0‐21.9), anaemia (AOR = 2.7, 1.4‐5.2), utilized desmopressin less often (AOR = 0.4, 0.2‐0.8) and underwent gynaecologic procedure/surgery more frequently (AOR = 5.9, 1.3‐27.3). Conclusion: Bleeding phenotypes of adolescents and adults with HMB and BD were different with more frequent bleeding complications, anaemia, gynaecologic procedures/surgeries, less desmopressin use and more delay in diagnosing BD in adults. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether improved patient/provider awareness and education will translate to early diagnosis and timely management of BD/HMB in adolescents that may prevent/reduce future haematologic/gynaecologic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]