Nanocrystalline Cubic Phase Scandium-Stabilized Zirconia Thin Films.

The cubic zirconia (ZrO) is attractive for a broad range of applications. However, at room temperature, the cubic phase needs to be stabilized. The most studied stabilization method is the addition of the oxides of trivalent metals, such as ScO.

Surgical management of spinal schwannomas arising from the first and second cervical roots: Results of a cumulative case series.

Objective: Schwannomas of the first and second nerve roots are rare neurosurgical entities, harboring specific surgical features that make surgical resection particularly challenging and deserve specifics dissertations. This study is a retrospectively analysis of 14 patients operated in two different neurosurgical centers: the San Filippo Neri Hospital of Rome and the Federal Centre of Neurosurgery of Tjumen.

Materials And Methods: In the last 6 years, 14 patients underwent neurosurgical resection of high cervical (C1-C2) schwannomas, in two different neurosurgical centers.

Plasmon-Enhanced Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Inkjet-Printed Au Nanoparticles Embedded into TiO Microdot Arrays.

The exceptional property of plasmonic materials to localize light into sub-wavelength regimes has significant importance in various applications, especially in photovoltaics. In this study, we report the localized surface plasmon-enhanced perovskite solar cell (PSC) performance of plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) embedded into a titanium oxide (TiO) microdot array (MDA), which was deposited using the inkjet printing technique. The X-ray (XRD) analysis of MAPI (methyl ammonium lead iodide) perovskite films deposited on glass substrates with and without MDA revealed no destructive effect of MDA on the perovskite structure.

Improving the Stability of Halide Perovskite Solar Cells Using Nanoparticles of Tungsten Disulfide.

Halide perovskites-based solar cells are drawing significant attention due to their high efficiency, versatility, and affordable processing. Hence, halide perovskite solar cells have great potential to be commercialized. However, the halide perovskites (HPs) are not stable in an ambient environment.

Author Correction: Camphor-Engine-Driven Micro-Boat Guides Evolution of Chemical Gardens.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

[Seton drainage in sphincter-sparing treatment of rectal fistulas].

Sphincter-sparing procedures for rectal fistulas are becoming more popular among coloproctologists. However, the outcomes are not optimal that forces surgeons to seek new approaches in order to improve results. Seton drainage prior to radical stage is one of these methods.

Camphor-Engine-Driven Micro-Boat Guides Evolution of Chemical Gardens.

A micro-boat self-propelled by a camphor engine, carrying seed crystals of FeCl, promoted the evolution of chemical gardens when placed on the surface of aqueous solutions of potassium hexacyanoferrate. Inverse chemical gardens (growing from the top downward) were observed. The growth of the "inverse" chemical gardens was slowed down with an increase in the concentration of the potassium hexacyanoferrate.

Self-propulsion of a metallic superoleophobic micro-boat.

The self-propulsion of a heavy, superoleophobic, metallic micro-boat carrying a droplet of various aqueous alcohol solutions as a fuel tank is reported. The micro-boat is driven by the solutocapillary Marangoni flow. The jump in the surface tension owing to the condensation of alcohols on the water surface was established experimentally.

Superoleophobic Surfaces Obtained via Hierarchical Metallic Meshes.

Hierarchical metallic surfaces demonstrating pronounced water and oil repellence are reported. The surfaces were manufactured with stainless-steel microporous meshes, which were etched with perfluorononanoic acid. As a result, a hierarchical relief was created, characterized by roughness at micro- and sub-microscales.

On universality of scaling law describing roughness of triple line.

The fine structure of the three-phase (triple) line was studied for different liquids, various topographies of micro-rough substrates and various wetting regimes. Wetting of porous and pillar-based micro-scaled polymer surfaces was investigated. The triple line was visualized with the environmental scanning electron microscope and scanning electron microscope for the "frozen" triple lines.

Scaling law governing the roughness of the swash edge line.

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the shape of the swash edge line. Formation of the swash boundary is treated as an interfacial phenomenon. The simplest quantitative characteristic of the roughness of interface is its width w, defined as the root-mean-square fluctuation around the average position.

Revisiting the fine structure of the triple line.

The fine structure of the triple line for water droplets deposited on porous polymer substrates was investigated. Substrates were obtained with the breath-figures self-assembly. Water droplets demonstrated the pronounced Cassie-Baxter wetting regime.

Wetting transitions and depinning of the triple line.

Physical mechanisms of Cassie-Wenzel wetting transitions are discussed. The origin of the potential barrier separating the Cassie and Wenzel wetting states is clarified. It may contain contributions originating from the filling of hydrophobic pores and displacement of the triple line along the smooth portions of the relief.

Stable water and glycerol marbles immersed in organic liquids: from liquid marbles to Pickering-like emulsions.

Water and glycerol marbles coated with various powders and immersed in organic liquids gave rise to water-in-oil and glycerol-in-oil Pickering-like emulsions. Non-polar oils such as polydimethylsiloxane, toluene, xylenes and chlorinated solvents supported the formation of emulsions, whereas polar liquids such as dimethylsulfoxide, N,N,-dimethylformamide, acetone and ethanol did not. It is demonstrated that there is a direct contact between a liquid filling the immersed marble and the surrounding liquid.

Water rolling and floating upon water: marbles supported by a water/marble interface.

Floating of liquid marbles on a water/air interface was studied. The critical density allowing floating marbles containing NaCl solution was established experimentally and compared with its calculated value. A satisfactory agreement between experimental and theoretical values of the critical density is reported.

On the mechanism of floating and sliding of liquid marbles.

The mechanisms of floating and sliding of liquid marbles are studied. Liquid marbles containing CaCl(2) and marbles containing NaOH water solutions float on water containing Na(2)CO(3) and an alcoholic solution of phenolphthalein with no chemical reaction. Sliding of liquid marbles, consisting of NaOH water solutions, on polymer substrates coated with phenolphthalein is studied as well.

Shape, vibrations, and effective surface tension of water marbles.

The surface of water "marbles" obtained with hydrophobic lycopodium and polyvinylidene fluoride particles was investigated first with environmental scanning electron microscopy. The shape of water marbles was studied both experimentally and theoretically. The mathematical model describing the deformation of marbles by gravity is proposed.

New investigations on ferrofluidics: ferrofluidic marbles and magnetic-field-driven drops on superhydrophobic surfaces.

The motion of ferrofluidic marbles on flat polymer substrates is reported. Nanopowders of polyvinylidene fluoride and gammaFe2O3 were used for the preparation of ferrofluidic marbles. The marbles are activated easily with an external magnetic field.

Characterization of rough surfaces with vibrated drops.

Wetting transitions were studied with vertically-vibrated drops on various artificial and natural rough substrates. Alternative pathways of wetting transitions were observed. The model of wetting transition is presented.

Contact angle hysteresis on polymer substrates established with various experimental techniques, its interpretation, and quantitative characterization.

The effect of contact angle hysteresis (CAH) was studied on various polymer substrates with traditional and new experimental techniques. The new experimental technique presented in the article is based on the slow deformation of the droplet, thus CAH is studied under the constant volume of the drop in contrast to existing techniques when the volume of the drop is changed under the measurement. The energy of hysteresis was calculated in the framework of the improved Extrand approach.

Localization of MTT formazan in lipid droplets. An alternative hypothesis about the nature of formazan granules and aggregates.

MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-dihphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay is a widely used method to assess cell viability and proliferation. MTT is readily taken up by cells and enzymatically reduced to formazan, a dark compound which accumulates in cytoplasmic granules. Formazan is later eliminated by the cell by a mechanisms often indicated as exocytosis, that produces characteristic needle-like aggregates on the cell surface.

Patterning in rapidly evaporated polymer solutions: formation of annular structures under evaporation of the poor solvent.

Patterning in the intensively evaporated polymer solutions based on polystyrene and poor solvent (acetone) was investigated. SEM and AFM studies demonstrated that annular elements of the surface topography are formed in this case, in contrast to the honeycomb patterns obtained under the evaporation of the good solvent (chloroform). The authors suggest that the theory of viscous dewetting developed by de Gennes explains the phenomenon satisfactorily.

Self-assembly in evaporated polymer solutions: influence of the solution concentration.

Amorphous polymers were dissolved in chlorinated organic solvents and deposited on thin horizontal substrates. The solutions with various concentrations of polymers were deposited and evaporated under ambient conditions in a slow air current. Self-assembled oriented mesoscopically scaled patterns were observed.

Economic analysis of the Confronting COPD survey: methodology.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition characterized by progressive airflow limitation, which causes considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. Yet the burden of COPD is poorly recognized, and the disease remains an inadequately managed health problem. Few studies have attempted to quantify the impact of the disease on patient health, the healthcare system and society as a whole.

[The effects of implementing a smoking cessation intervention in Spain on morbidity, mortality and health care costs].

Objective: We estimated the effect that a smoking cessation intervention in the Spanish population of smokers would have on smoking-related morbidity, mortality and health care costs.

Methods: We adopted the model Health and Economic Consequences of Smoking sponsored by the WHO Health Organization and developed by the The Lewin Group. The smoking cessation intervention proposed includes pharmacological treatment to 35% of smokers who are trying to quit smoking and obtains a quit rate of 7.