Growth and crystallization behaviors of anodic oxide films on sputter-deposited titanium at very low potentials

Growth and crystallization of titanium anodized films were studied by performing the anodization of the sputter-deposited titanium samples under cyclic voltammetry （CV） mode at very low potentials. The surface features, crystalline behaviors and chemical compositions of the formed anodic oxide layers were detected by AFM, SE and XPS. It was found that the structure of the titanium anodized films is crystalline, even though the maximum oxidation potential （（Pmax） is very low （as low as 1000 mY）. Both enlarging the applied voltage and reducing the potential scanning rate are beneficial for the growth and crystallization of titanium oxide films. It was thought that the internal compressive stress, other than the local joule heating accepted for many researchers, is the main force of stimulating the crystallization of anodic titanium oxide films at very low potentials.

Clinicopathological characteristics and typing of multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential

BACKGROUND Up until now,no research has been reported on the association between the cli-nical growth rate of multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential(MCRNLMP)and computed tomography(CT)imaging characteristics.Our study sought to examine the correlation between them,with the objective of distin-guishing unique features of MCRNLMP from renal cysts and exploring effective management strategies.AIM To investigate optimal management strategies of MCRNLMP.METHODS We retrospectively collected and analyzed data from 1520 patients,comprising 1444 with renal cysts and 76 with MCRNLMP,who underwent renal cyst decom-pression,radical nephrectomy,or nephron-sparing surgery for renal cystic disease between January 2013 and December 2021 at our institution.Detection of MC-RNLMP utilized the Bosniak classification for imaging and the 2016 World Health Organization criteria for clinical pathology.RESULTS Our meticulous exploration has revealed compelling findings on the occurrence of MCRNLMP.Precisely,it comprises 1.48%of all cases involving simple renal cysts,5.26%of those with complex renal cysts,and a noteworthy 12.11%of renal tumors coexisting with renal cysts,indicating a statistically significant difference(P=0.001).Moreover,MCRNLMP constituted a significant 22.37%of the patient po-pulation whose cysts demonstrated a rapid growth rate of≥2.0 cm/year,whereas it only represented 0.66%among those with a growth rate below 2.0 cm/year.Of the 76 MCRNLMP cases studied,none of the nine patients who underwent subsequent nephron-sparing surgery or radical nephrectomy following renal cyst decompression experienced recurrence or metastasis.In the remaining 67 patients,who were actively monitored over a 3-year postoperative period,only one showed suspicious recurrence on CT scans.CONCLUSION MCRNLMP can be tentatively identified and categorized into three types based on CT scanning and growth rate indicators.In treating MCRNLMP,partial nephrectomy is preferred,while radical nephrectomy should be minimi-zed.After surgery,active monitoring is advisable to prevent unnecessary nephrectomy.

Photoelectron angular distributions of H ionization in low energy regime:Comparison between different potentials

We theoretically investigate the low energy part of the photoelectron spectra in the tunneling ionization regime by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrdinger equation for different atomic potentials at various wavelengths.We find that the shift of the first above-threshold ionization（ATI） peak is closely related to the interferences between electron wave packets,which are controlled by the laser field and largely independent of the potential.By gradually changing the short-range potential to the long-range Coulomb potential,we show that the long-range potential＇s effect is mainly to focus the electrons along the laser＇s polarization and to generate the spider structure by enhancing the rescattering process with the parent ion.In addition,we find that the intermediate transitions and the Rydberg states have important influences on the number and the shape of the lobes near the threshold.

The Pressure Gradient Elastic Wave： Energy Transfer Process for Compressible Fluids with Pressure Gradient

The temperature separation was discovered inside the short vortex chamber （H/D = 0.18）. Experiments revealed that the highest temperature of the periphery was 465 ℃, and the lowest temperature of the central zone was -45 ℃ （the compressed air was pumped into the chamber at room temperature）. The objective of this paper is to proof that this temperature separation effect cannot be explained by conventional heat transfer processes. To explain this phenomenon, the concept of PGEW （Pressure Gradient Elastic Waves） is proposed. PGEW are kind of elastic waves, which operate in compressible fluids with pressure gradients and density fluctuations. The result of PGEW propagation is a heat transfer from area of low pressure to high pressure zone. The physical model of a gas in a strong field of mass forces is proposed to substantiate the PGEW existence. This physical model is intended for the construction of a theory of PGEW. Understanding the processes associated with the PGEW permits the possibility of creating new devices for energy saving and low potential heat utilization, which have unique properties.

The pathology of urinary bladder lesions with an inverted growth pattern

Inverted lesions in the urinary bladder have been the source of some difficulty in urological pathology. The two common ones are von Brunn＇s nests and cystitis cystic/cystitis glandularis, which are considered normal variants of urothelium. Apart from them, a number of other rare urothelial lesions with inverted growth pattern occur in the urinary bladder. Some of them are only reactive conditions, just as pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia. Some are benign tumors, namely inverted papilloma. Whereas others are malignant neoplasms, including inverted papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential （PUNLMP）, non-invasive inverted papillary urothelial carcinoma （low-grade and high-grade）, and invasive urothelial carcinoma （inverted, nested and big nested variants）. Because of the overlapping morphological features of all the inverted lesions mentioned above, even between high-grade invasive carcinoma and psendoearcinomatous hyperplasia which are only a kind of reactive conditions, it is very important for the surgical pathologist to recognize and be familiar with these inverted lesions in urinary bladder. In this article, we review these spectrums of inverted lesions of the urinary bladder. Emphasis is placed on histogenesis, morphology, differential diagnosis of these lesions, and the pathologic grading of the non-invasive inverted neoplasms, such as inverted papilloma, inverted PUNLMP, non-invasive inverted papillary urothelial carcinoma with low-grade, and non-invasive inverted papillary urothelial carcinoma with high-grade.

Magnetic Resonance Gd？RGD Imaging Study of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with High and Low Metastatic Potential before and after Human Bone Marrow？derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Intervention

Background： Biotherapy based on human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells （BMSCs） is currently the focus of research, especially in the field of autologous stem cell transplantation. A novel type of metastasis-associated magnetic resonance （MR） molecular imaging probe was constructed, and the changes in metastasis and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） before and after BMSC intervention were observed through MR imaging （MRI）. Methods：Metastasis-associatedMRmolecularimagingprobe,integrin αvβ3 ligandcRGD-PEG-DGL-DTPA-Gd （Gd-RGD）,wereconstructed. After human BMSC intervention was performed for 6weeks, tumor weight inhibition rates were calculated, and the RGD molecular probe was imaged through MRI with molecular imaging agent Gd-DTPAas control.The signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） and contrast-to-noise ratio （CNR） in the MRI experiment were used as semi-quantitative indicators. Polymerase chain reaction method was performed to detect proliferation- and metastasis-associated indicators, transforming growth factor β-1 （TGFβ1）, osteopontin （OPN）, and integrin subunit αv and β3. Results： The highest tumor weight inhibition rates were observed 3 weeks after the BMSC transplantation. The MR Gd-RGD in the HCC tissues after the BMSC intervention showed less enhancement than Gd-DTPA. The Gd-DTPAMRI of control group had higher SNR and CNR than Gd-RGD MRI in the experimental groups （P 〈 0.05）. For high metastatic potential hepatocellular carcinoma （MHCC97-H）, significant differenceswereobservedintheSNRsandCNRsofGd-RGDMRIbeforeandaftertheBMSCintervention（P〈0.05）.Forlowmetastaticpotential hepatocellular carcinoma （MHCC97-L）, the CNRs of Gd-RGD MRI were statistically different before and after BMSC intervention （P 〈 0.05）. With regard to MHCC97-H, OPN, β3, and TGFβ1 expression significantly decreased after BMSC intervention （P 〈 0.05）. In MHCC97-L and OPN, β3, TGFβ1, and αv expression after BMSC intervention decreased, and the difference was statistically significant （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions： The CNR index of MRI is a good indicator for distinguishing high- and low-metastatic potential HCC tissues.After BMSC transplantation of MRI through the two kinds of tracer, the SNR and CNR indexes can distinguish two kinds of high and low metastatic potential HCC tissues, and Gd-RGD imaging is more suitable in distinguishing the metastatic potential changes through BMSC intervention.

Carbon Foam Anode Modified by Urea and Its Higher Electrochemical Performance in Marine Benthic Microbial Fuel Cell

Electrode materials have an important effect on the property of microbial fuel cell(MFC). Carbon foam is utilized as an anode and further modified by urea to improve its performance in marine benthic microbial fuel cell(BMFC) with higher voltage and output power. The electrochemical properties of plain carbon foam(PC) and urea-modified carbon foam(UC) are measured respectively. Results show that the UC obtains better wettability after its modification and higher anti-polarization ability than the PC. A novel phenomenon has been found that the electrical potential of the modified UC anode is nearly 100 m V lower than that of the PC, reaching-570 ±10 m V(vs. SCE), and that it also has a much higher electron transfer kinetic activity, reaching 9399.4 m W m-2, which is 566.2-fold higher than that from plain graphite anode(PG). The fuel cell containing the UC anode has the maximum power density(256.0 m W m-2) among the three different BMFCs. Urea would enhance the bacteria biofilm formation with a more diverse microbial community and maintain more electrons, leading to a lower anodic redox potential and higher power output. The paper primarily analyzes why the electrical potential of the modified anode becomes much lower than that of others after urea modification. These results can be utilized to construct a novel BMFC with higher output power and to design the conditioner of voltage booster with a higher conversion ratio. Finally, the carbon foam with a bigger pore size would be a potential anodic material in conventional MFC.

Positive Impact of Deficit Irrigation on Physiological Response and Fruit Yield in Citrus Orchards： Implications for Sustainable Water Savings

Different strategies of deficit irrigation based on water stress dynamics were applied in an 11-year old citrus trees （Citrus sinensis L. Osb. cv. Navelina） grafted on carrizo citrange （Citrus sinensis L. Osb.×Poncirus Trifoliata L. Osb.）. The trees were subjected to two irrigation treatments： （1） sustainable deficit irrigation （SDI） established with water supplied at 60% of the crop evapotranspiration （ETc） and （2） low frequency deficit irrigation （LFDI） irrigated according to the plant water status. In addition, a treatment irrigated at 100% of ETc was included as a control （C）. Midday stem-water potential （ψUstem）, stomatal conductance （gs）, and micrometric trunk diameter fluctuations were measured during the maximum evapotranspirative demand period to evaluate the plant-water status, and establish the main relationships among them. The seasonal pattern of the studied variables had a behavior consistent with the contributions made by the volumes of applied irrigation water. Especially significant close relationships of ψstem with gs, and with the maximum daily shrinkage （MDS） were found. The lowest ψstem and gs values were registered in the treatments with lowest irrigations levels （SDI and LFDI）, being the MDS was significative higher than in the C treatment. The LFDI showed an oscillating behavior in these parameters, which was on line with the supplied irrigation restrictions cycles. Thus, according to the results of the present experiment the physiological stress indexes based in MDS or ψstem allow establishing different irrigation restriction cycles, encouraging important water saving without significant impact on yield and the fruit quality parameters.

Corrosion Evolution of Low Alloy Steel in Deaerated Bicarbonate Solutions

Corrosion evolution during immersion tests （up to 43 days） of NiCu steel in deaerated 0.1 mol/L bicarbonate solutions was investigated by electrochemical measurements, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. Results show that NiCu steel transformed from the anodic dissolution in the early stage of immersion to a metastable passive state in the final stage as the open-circuit potential value shifted positively, which was aroused by the precipitation of corrosion products. This process was mainly promoted by the trace amount of oxygen. Simultaneously, dominant cathodic reaction transformed from the hydrogen evolution in early stage to reduction processes of corrosion products in later stages. Possible corrosion processes were discussed with the assistance of a corresponding Pourbaix diagram.