bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls among elderly patients seeking treatment for back pain
Authors: Kim J. , Hwang J. Y. , Oh J. K. , Park M. S. , Kim S. W. , Chang H. , Kim T-H. 
Published: May 2017

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls in elderly patients who have sought treatment for back pain. Balanced spinal sagittal alignment is known to be important for the prevention of falls. However, spinal sagittal imbalance can be markedly compensated by the lower extremities, and whole body sagittal balance including the lower extremities should be assessed to evaluate actual imbalances related to falls. Methods Patients over 70 years old who visited an outpatient clinic for back pain treatment and underwent a standing whole-body radiograph were enrolled. Falls were prospectively assessed for 12 months using a monthly fall diary, and patients were divided into fallers and non-fallers according to the history of falls. Radiological parameters from whole-body radiographs and clinical data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 144 patients (120 female patients and 24 male patients) completed a 12-month follow-up for assessing falls. A total of 31 patients (21.5%) reported at least one fall within the 12-month follow-up. In univariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of falls was significantly increased in older patients and those with more medical comorbidities, decreased lumbar lordosis, increased sagittal vertical axis, and increased horizontal distance between the C7 plumb line and the centre of the ankle (C7A). Increased C7A was significantly associated with increased risk of falls even after multivariate adjustment. Conclusion Whole body sagittal balance, measured by the horizontal distance between the C7 plumb line and the centre of the ankle, was significantly associated with risk of falls among elderly patients with back pain. Cite this article: J. Kim, J. Y. Hwang, J. K. Oh, M. S. Park, S. W. Kim, H. Chang, T-H. Kim. The association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls among elderly patients seeking treatment for back pain. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:–344. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.65.BJR-2016-0271.R2.
What the Chilcot report teaches us
Authors: Falk Richard 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
After six years the United Kingdom embarked upon an official inquiry into its participation in the 2003 attack on Iraq and role in the subsequent occupation up until 2009. The inquiry, known by the last name of its chair, Sir John Chilcot, produced an exhaustive report that contains many details of great interest, but it is disappointing when it comes to the bigger questions relating to the culpability and accountability of Tony Blair, the relationship between Britain and international law in war–peace contexts, and a considered analysis of the proper show of respect for the authority of the United Nations by a member State. This article offers a critical appraisal of the United Kingdom’s 2016 Iraq Inquiry.
Russian Association of Endocrinologists clinical practice guideline for adrenal incidentalomas differential diagnosis
Authors: Beltsevich Dmitriy G. , Melnichenko Galina A. , Kuznetsov Nikolay S. , Troshina Ekaterina A. , Platonova Nadezhda M. , Vanushko Vladimir E. , Yukina Marina Y. , Molashenko Natalia V. 
Published: May 2017

Обсуждается диагностический алгоритм при случайно выявленных образованиях надпочечников, направленный на определение гормональной активности и злокачественного потенциала, показания и ранжированность наблюдения для группы пациентов с гормонально неактивными доброкачественными опухолями.
Рекомендовано определение гормональной активности образования, которая может проявляться гиперкатехоламинемией, эндогенным гиперкортицизмом, первичным гиперальдостеронизмом.
Всем пациентам рекомендовано определение кортизола в утренние часы на фоне подавляющего теста с 1 мг дексаметазона. При отсутствии физиологического подавления уровня кортизола в качестве подтверждающего теста предлагается использовать определение адренокортикотропного гормона в утренние часы.
В качестве метода первичной диагностики феохромоцитомы/параганглиомы (ФХЦ/ПГ) рекомендовано определение свободных метанефринов плазмы или фракционированных метанефринов суточной мочи. При положительном результате тестирования необходимо углубленное обследование для исключения или подтверждения ФХЦ/ПГ.
При наличии у больного с опухолью надпочечника артериальной гипертензии рекомендовано определение соотношения между уровнем альдостерона и активностью ренина плазмы (прямой концентрации ренина) для исключения первичного гиперальдостеронизма.
Для диагностики злокачественного потенциала опухоли рекомендована оценка количественных денситометрических показателей компьютерной томографии.
Лечебная тактика в отношении инциденталом надпочечников не рассматривается в настоящих рекомендациях, так как является сферой компетенции соответствующих рекомендаций по конкретным нозологиям.
Recurrent insulinoma in a 10-year-old boy with Down's syndrome
Authors: Ahmad Noman , Almutawa Abdulmonem Mohammed , Abubacker Mohamed Ziyad , Elzeftawy Hossam Ahmed , Bawazir Osama Abdullah 
Published: May 2017

Summary
An insulinoma is a rare tumour with an incidence of four cases per million per year in adults. The incidence in children is not established. There is limited literature available in children with insulinoma, and only one case is reported in association with Down’s syndrome in adults. Insulinoma diagnosis is frequently missed in adults as well as in children. The Whipple triad is the most striking feature although it has limited application in young children. Hypoglycaemia with elevated insulin, C-peptide and absent ketones is highly suggestive of hyperinsulinism. We present a case of 10-year-old boy with Down’s syndrome with recurrent insulinoma. He was initially misdiagnosed as having an adrenal insufficiency and developed cushingoid features and obesity secondary to hydrocortisone treatment and excessive sugar intake. The tumour was successfully localised in the head of the pancreas with an MRI and octreotide scan on first presentation. Medical treatment with diazoxide and octreotide could not achieve normal blood glucose levels. The insulinoma was laparoscopically enucleated and pathological examination confirmed a neuroendocrine tumour. Subsequently, he had complete resolution of symptoms. He had a recurrence after 2 years with frequent episodes of hypoglycaemia. The biochemical workup was suggestive of hyperinsulinism. MRI and PET scan confirmed the recurrence at the same site (head of the pancreas). He had an open laparotomy for insulinoma resection. The pathology was consistent with benign insulinoma, and subsequently, he had complete resolution of symptoms.

Learning points:

Insulinoma is a very rare tumour in children; it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypoglycaemia with absent ketones.

Refractory neurological symptoms like seizure, migraine, mood changes and regression of learning abilities should suggest evaluation for hypoglycaemia.

MRI with contrast and PET scan would localise the majority of pancreatic beta islet cell lesions.

Medical treatment with diazoxide, octreotide and the addition of corn starch in feeds is not curative but can be supportive to maintain normoglycemia until the surgical resection.

Surgical resection is the only curative treatment. The surgical procedure of choice (laparoscopic/open laparotomy) depends on local expertise, preoperative localisation, tumour size and number.

Surgical treatment results in complete resolution of symptoms, but all cases should be closely followed up to monitor for recurrence. The recurrence rate is four times higher in MEN1 cases.
Porous Silicon Multilayer Mirrors and Microcavity Resonators for Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Chan S. , Tsybeskov L. , Fauchet P.M. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractPorous silicon multilayer structures are easily manufactured using a periodic current density square pulse during the electrochemical dissolution process. The difference in porosity profile, corresponding to a variation in current density, is attributed to a difference in refractive index. Manipulating the difference in refractive index, high quality optical filters can be made with a maximum reflectivity peak ˜ 100%. The next logical step to further exploit these optical mirrors is to incorporate them into an LED device. The benefit of adding a multilayer mirror below a luminescent film of porous silicon is to significantly reduce the amount of light loss to the silicon substrate and increase the light output. However, oxidation is required to stabilize the as-anodized porous silicon film. This disrupts the overall index profile of the multilayer stack, causing the peak reflectance to blue shift. This phenomenon must be quantified and accounted before device implementation. We present a detailed study on the effects of oxidation temperature, gas environment, and annealing time of porous silicon multilayer structures in a
device configuration.
Silicon-Based UV Detector Prototypes Using Luminescent Poroussilicon Films
Authors: Peraza Limarix , Cruz Madeline , Estrada Angel , Navarro Carlos , Avalos Javier , Fonseca Luis F. , Resto Oscar , Weisz S. Z. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe luminescent properties of porous silicon (PSi) films in the visible region were used to improve the photoresponse of PSi/Si-wafer and PSi/Si p-n junctions UV detector prototypes in the region below 500nm. A luminescent PSi overlayer was formed on top of the Si wafers and p-n junctions by electrochemical anodization. These overlayers have emission spectra peaking close to 690nm. In the case of the PSi/Si wafer, the PSi film was produced with a high optical transparency above 600nm and highly absorbent below this value. With such characteristics, the incident UV radiation is partially absorbed and converted into visible radiation that can be highly transmitted through the PSi film and efficiently absorbed by the wafer or the junction. The UV measurements show enhancement of the photoresponse at 366nm as compared with control prototypes without PSi. Details about the enhancement process are discussed.
Integration of Multilayers in Er-Doped Porous Silicon Structures and Advances in 1.5 μm Optoelectronic Devices
Authors: Lopez H. A. , Chan S. , Tsybeskov L. , Koyama H. , Bondarenko V. P. , Fauchet P. M. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractInfrared photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) from erbium-doped porous silicon (PSi) structures are studied. The PL and EL from the Er-doped PSi structures and the absence of silicon band edge recombination, point defect, and dislocation luminescence bands suggest that the Er-complex centers are the most efficient recombination sites. PSi multilayers with very high reflectivity (R ≥ 90%) in the 1.5 gim range have been incorporated in the structures resulting in a PL enhancement of over 100%. Stable and intense EL is obtained from the Er-doped structures. The EL spectrum is similar to that of the PL, but shifted towards higher energy. The unexpected shift in emission opens up the possibility for erbium related luminescence to encompass a larger part of the optimal wavelength window for fiber optic communications.
Enhancing the External Quantum Efficiency of Porous Silicon LEDs Beyond 1 % by a Post-Anodization Electrochemical Oxidation
Authors: Gelloz B. , Nakagawa T. , Koshida N. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractExternal quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of electroluminescent devices based on porous silicon (PS) reported to date are still below the minimum requirements for practical applications such as display devices (1 %) and optical interconnection (10 %). Post-anodization anodic oxidation of PS to enhance the EQE of electroluminescence from devices based on a thin transparent indium tin oxide contact mounted on either porosified n+-type silicon or p+n+-type silicon has been investigated. Enhancement of EQE by more than 2 orders of magnitude has been achieved on our devices. CW EQE of 0.51% has been obtained by using a single anodically oxidized n+-type porous layer. The device based on the p+n+ substrate yielded a CW EQE of 1.1 %, with a power efficiency of 0.08%. It is the first time that EQE greater than 1% is obtained. Furthermore, anodically oxidized devices show better stability than non-oxidized devices. The anodic oxidation proceeds in such a way that it mainly decreases the size of nonconfined silicon in PS. The dramatic enhancement in EQE can therefore be explained by preferential reduction of leakage carrier flow through non-confined silicon.
Enhancement in Efficiency and Stability of Oxide-Free Blue Emission from Porous Silicon by Surface Passivation
Authors: Mizuno H. , Koshida N. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe establishment of tuning techniques of visible emission from porous silicon (PS) is very important from both physical and technological viewpoints. As previously reported that the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of PS can continuously be controlled from red to blue simply by postanodization illumination method without any growth of the surface oxide. Details of this oxide-free blue emission have been studied in terms of the PL decay dynamics and surface chemistry. We report here that post-preparation exposure of PS to hydrogen gas is very useful for improvement in efficiency and stability of blue PL. Based on this technique, it has become possible to get blue electroluminescence even at low bias voltages.
Plasmons on Luminescent Porous Silicon Prepared with Ethanol and Critical Point Drying
Authors: Resto O. , Fonseca L. F. , Weisz S. Z. , Many A. , Goldstein Y. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe investigated the plasmon characteristics on luminescent porous silicon using electron energy loss spectroscopy. The samples were prepared from p-type crystalline silicon, (100) face, using the conventional electrochemical etching technique with the usual solution of HF, ethanol and water, followed by a critical point drying process. The energy of the bulk plasmon was measured both before and after sputter cleaning the sample with argon-ion bombardment. We found that initially the plasmon energy was slightly higher, ∼18 eV, than the plasmon energy of crystalline silicon. After sputter cleaning the sample with 5 keV Ar+ ions, the plasmon energy increased to ∼20 eV. Exposure to the electron beam used for the measurements caused a slow upward shift of the plasmon energy as a function of time, toward a saturation energy of 22-23 eV, an energy close to the plasmon energy of SiC. Auger spectroscopy performed in parallel showed an increasing carbon coverage. We prepared also samples without ethanol in the etching solution and/or with no critical point drying. Samples that did not undergo the critical point drying process showed consistently a practically constant plasmon energy, with almost no change upon sputtering and/or exposure to the electron beam. On the other hand, samples that were prepared with or without ethanol but using the critical point drying process, showed an appreciable increase in the plasmon energy upon exposure to the electron beam.We conclude that traces of CO2, used in the critical point drying process, are stored in the pores of the porous silicon surface and serve as a source of carbon. Apparently, upon activation by argon bombardment or by the electron beam, the carbon interacts with the porous Si surface forming a carbon-silicon compound, most probably SiC.
Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance and Double Beam Photoluminescence of CdS/HgS/CdS Nanoparticles
Authors: Porteanu H. , Glozman A. , Lifshitz E. , Eychmüller A. , Weller H. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCdS/HgS/CdS nanoparticles consist of a CdS core, epitaxially covered by one or two monolayers of HgS and additional cladding layers of CdS. The present paper describes our efforts to identify the influence of CdS/HgS/CdS interfaces on the localization of the photogenerated carriers deduced from the magneto-optical properties of the materials. These were investigated by the utilization of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and double-beam photoluminescence spectroscopy. A photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the studied material, consists of a dominant exciton located at the HgS layer, and additional non-excitonic band, presumably corresponding to the recombination of trapped carriers at the interface. The latter band can be attenuated using an additional red excitation. The ODMR measurements show the existence of two kinds of electron-hole recombination. These electron-hole pairs maybe trapped either at a twin packing of a CdS/HgS interface, or at an edge dislocation of an epitaxial HgS or a CdS cladding layer.
Light Induced ESR Measurements on Microcrystalline Silicon with Different Crystalline Volume Fractions
Authors: Müller J. , Finger F. , Hapke P. , Wagner H. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractMicrocrystalline silicon with various crystalline volume fractions was prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The material was studied by steady state and transient electron spin resonance in the dark and under light illumination. The observed resonances at g-values of 2.01, 2.0052, 2.0043, 1.998 can be attributed to the amorphous and microcrystalline constituents, and their respective intensities change as the ratio of amorphous to crystalline volume is varied. The origin of a fifth resonance at g = 1.995 remains unclear. Smaller crystalline volume fractions lead to lower spin densities and affect the recombination behaviour of photogenerated charge carriers. The recombination behaviour in highly crystalline material is also influenced by moderate Fermi level shifts, where differences show up between n-type (or undoped) and p-type samples. The differences are attributed to trapping of photo-generated holes in deep states within the disordered regions.
Light Emitting Micropatterns of Porous Semiconductors
Authors: Lockwood D. J. , Schmuki P. , Erickson L. E. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe report a principle that allows writing visible light emitting semiconductor patterns of arbitrary shape down to the sub-micrometer scale. We demonstrate that porous semiconductor growth can be electrochemically initiated preferentially at surface defects created in an n-type substrate by Si++ focused ion beam bombardment. For n-type material in the dark, the electrochemical pore formation potential (Schottky barrier breakdown voltage) is significantly lower at the implanted locations than for an unimplanted surface. This difference in the threshold voltages is exploited to achieve the selectivity of the pore formation process. Visible light emitting patterns of porous Si and GaAs have been created in this way. At present, the size of the structures is limited only by the diameter of the writing ion beam, and pattern diameters in the 50–200-nm range are possible.
VLS Growth of Si nanowhiskers on a H-terminated Si{111} surface
Authors: Ozaki N. , Ohno Y. , Takeda S. , Hirata M. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe have grown Si nanowhiskers on a Si{1111} surface via the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. The minimum diameter of the crystalline is 3nm and is close to the critical value for the effect of quantum confinement. We have found that many whiskers grow epitaxially or non-epitaxially on the substrate along the 〈112〉 direction as well as the 〈111〉 direction.In our growth procedure, we first deposited gold on a H-terminated Si{111} surface and prepared the molten catalysts of Au and Si at 500°C. Under the flow of high pressure silane gas, we have succeeded in producing the nanowhiskers without any extended defects. We present the details of the growth condition and discuss the growth mechanism of the nanowhiskers extending along the 〈112〉 direction.
In-Situ X-ray Diffraction Study of Lithium Intercalation in Nanostructured Anatase Titanium dioxide
Authors: Krol R. Van de , Meulenkamp E. A. , Goossens A. , Schoonman J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractElectrochemical lithium intercalation in nanostructured anatase TiO2 is investigated with in-situ X-ray diffraction. A complete and reversible phase transformation from tetragonal anatase TiO2 to orthorhombic anatase Li0.5TiO2 is observed. The difference of the XRD spectra before and after insertion can be fitted with the lattice parameters of the two phases as fit parameters. The maximum amount of lithium that can be dissolved in anatase TiO2 before the phase transformation occurs is found to be very small.
Novel Electronic Conductance CO2 Sensors Based on Nanocrystalline Semiconductors
Authors: Baraton M.-I. , Merhari L. , Keller P. , Zweiacker K. , Meyer J.-U. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe have recently demonstrated that screen-printed sensors using a 20 nm- instead of microsized BaTiO3-CuO-additives powder exhibit up to one order of magnitude higher sensitivity to CO2. In this paper, we focus on both the surface chemistry of the nano-BaTiO3- CuO-additives powder (mix-BaTiO3) and electrical changes during O2 and CO2 adsorptions. We show by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, thus without using electrodes, that the mix-BaTiO3 system behaves like a p-type semiconductor at the operating temperature. The variations of the electrical conductivity versus CO2 concentrations are followed in situ by FTIR spectrometry and prove to be dependent on the surrounding oxygen. These IR results are then correlated to the electrical measurements performed on the sensor. Preliminary electrical response modelling shows a good agreement with the surface barrier layer theory.
In Situ Diagnostics of Nanomaterial Synthesis by Laser Ablation: Time-resolved Photoluminescence Spectra and Imaging of Gas-Suspended Nanoparticles Deposited for Thin Films
Authors: Geohegan D. B. , Puretzky A. A. , Meldrum A. , Duscher G. , Pennycook S. J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe dynamics of nanoparticle formation by laser ablation into background gases are revealed by gated-ICCD photography of photoluminescence (PL) and Rayleigh-scattering (RS) from gas-suspended nanoparticles. These techniques, along with gated-spectroscopy of PL from isolated, gassuspended nanoparticles, permit fundamental investigations of nanomaterial growth, doping, and luminescence properties prior to deposition for thin films. Using the time-resolved diagnostics, particles unambiguously formed in the gas phase were collected on TEM grids. Silicon nanoparticles, 1-10 nm in diameter, were deposited following laser ablation into 1-10 TorrAror He. Three in situ PL bands (1.8, 2.6, 3.2 eV) similar to oxidized porous silicon were measured, but with a pronounced vibronic structure. Structureless photoluminescence bands were reproduced in the films (2.1, 2.7, 3.2 eV) only after standared annealing. The ablation of metal zinc into Ar/02 is also reported for the preparation of < 10 nm diameter hexagonal zincite nanocrystals, The particles were analyzed by bright field and Z-contrast TEM and high resolution EELS.
Microstructure and Sensing Properties of Cryosol Derived Nanocrystalline Tin Dioxide
Authors: Kudryavtseva S. M. , Vertegel A. A. , Kalinin S. V. , Kheifets L. I. , Landuyt J. Van , Meshkov L. L. , Nesterenko S. N. , Rembeza E. S. , Gaskov. A. M. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe powders of nanocrystalline tin dioxide were prepared by two different methods: conventional hydrolysis of SnCl4 in aqueous solution and novel cryosol technique. The microstructure, composition, and electrical properties of the samples were investigated. The sintered pellets obtained by means of the cryosol method are characterized by significantly higher values of electrical resistance as compared to those prepared by conventional technique. A significant effect of the microstructure on the sensing properties of nanocrystalline SnO2 has been found. The sensitivity to H2S of the samples synthesized by cryosol method was shown to be higher than that of the samples obtained by traditional precipitation.