Adhesion properties of polyimide coated stacks: An in-depth analysis of the cross-sectional nanoindentation method.

Adhesion at the interface between dissimilar materials in the semiconductor industry is an important topic, but reliable quantitative methods for strongly adhesive or highly plastic layers are hardly available. This study aims to investigate the suitability of the cross-sectional nanoindentation (CSN) method for determination of the critical energy release rate of thin film stacks in the presence of a polyimide layer as a representative structure for such a case. For this purpose, the adhesion of a deliberately weakened Si/SiO interface in a Si/SiO/Al/SiN/polyimide stack is examined by systematic variation of the experimental parameters.

Cigarette smoking is associated with reduced neuroinflammation and better cognitive control in people living with HIV.

People living with HIV (HIV+) are roughly twice as likely to smoke cigarettes (Smok+) as the general population. With the advent of effective antiretroviral therapies, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of chronic HIV infection and cigarette smoking on brain function and cognition since HIV+ individuals have heightened neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits even with such therapies. Based on prior studies demonstrating that smoking reduces a marker for neuroinflammation in HIV- individuals, we hypothesized that HIV+/Smok+ individuals would have less neuroinflammation and better cognitive control than HIV+/Smok- individuals.

Protecting children against sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations: A qualitative vignette study on (potential) offenders' and therapists' views of Safeguarding Programs.

Background: Holistic approaches to preventing child sexual abuse (CSA) such as German Safeguarding Programs integrate comprehensive analysis, intervention, prevention, and evaluation efforts and can be used to address CSA in youth-serving organizations (YSOs). To date, little is known about how adults who have committed CSA in YSOs in the past (i.e.

Combined antifungal therapy with immunostimulation for refractory cutaneous and peritoneal mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus microsporus.

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection typically affecting immunocompromised patients. Here, we report a severe case of invasive cutaneous and peritoneal mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus microsporus, successfully treated with a combination of antifungal therapy, PD-1 inhibitor, and interferon-gamma. We highlight the importance of personalized immunotherapy in refractory cases of invasive mucormycosis.

Serum and urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, serotonin, chromogranin A, and NT-proBNP for the detection of carcinoid heart disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of different biomarkers for the detection of carcinoid heart disease (CHD) in neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), in particular serum 5-HIAA (s5HIAA).

Design: An explorative ancillary study of the French CrusoeNET cohort.

Methods: Patients managed in the Lyon-EURACAN Center of Excellence (CoE) were included when they were aged of at least 18 years, treated and followed for an advanced/metastatic ileum or lung NET, a NET irrespective of the primary location or from unknown primary location but with clinical CS, and/or elevation of urinary 5-HIAA (u5HIAA) twice greater than the upper limit of normal.