Increase In Deposition Rate Research Articles

Construction and validation of a predictive model for malignant tumors in patients with membranous nephropathy

BackgroundThe association between membranous nephropathy (MN) and malignant tumors has long been focused. However, most existing studies have primarily concentrated on patients diagnosed with malignant tumors within a limited timeframe, typically defined as one year before or after the diagnosis of MN. This narrow focus only captures a subset of MN patients complicated by malignant tumors, leaving those diagnosed outside this timeframe understudied and largely unexplored. In the present study, we aim to comprehensively investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of MN patients complicated with malignant tumors and to develop an effective predictive model for identifying the risk of malignancy in MN patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the demographic, clinical, and pathological characteristics of 174 MN patients complicated with malignant tumors and 604 idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) patients without malignant tumors. All patients were randomly allocated into a training cohort (n = 584) and a validation cohort (n = 194) in a 3:1 ratio. A predictive model was developed using regression analysis, and its performance was evaluated in terms of discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility through the area under the ROC curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsMN patients complicated with malignant tumors demonstrated significantly increased deposition rates of glomerular IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and PLA2R, as well as decreased deposition rates of IgG4. Based on independent risk factors, a predictive model was developed, which exhibited excellent performance upon validation.ConclusionIn this largest cohort to date of MN patients with malignant tumors, a predictive model was constructed using pathological parameters to estimate the risk of malignancy effectively. This tool aims to assist clinicians in decision-making and improve the prognosis of high-risk MN patients by facilitating tumor screening at the time of initial diagnosis.

Template‐Assisted Growth of CsxFA1‐xPbI3 with Pulsed Laser Deposition for Single Junction Perovskite Solar Cells

AbstractCesium‐formamidinium lead iodide (CsxFA1‐xPbI3) perovskites are a promising methylammonium‐free alternative for efficient single‐junction solar cells. However, they have not been fully explored by vapor‐phase deposition techniques. Herein, a template‐assisted approach is demonstrated for the growth of CsxFA1‐xPbI3 perovskite films using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from a single‐source target of mixed precursors. Implementing a lead iodide (PbI2) + CsxFA1‐xPbI3 tailored template, phase‐pure CsxFA1‐xPbI3 films with uniform coverage on both planar and textured substrates are achieved. Compositional analysis via X‐ray fluorescence confirms near‐stoichiometric transfer of the inorganic cations (Cs/Pb), with identical Cs0.2FA0.8PbI3 composition and a bandgap of 1.58 eV achieved in templated and non‐templated films. However, the presence of the template proves essential for attaining phase‐pure films in the photoactive cubic (α‐) phase. Proof‐of‐concept solar cells fabricated with templated‐PLD α‐CsxFA1‐xPbI3 achieve an efficiency exceeding 12.9% on 0.1 cm2 area devices without the employment of passivation approaches. Additionally, increasing deposition rates does not alter the phase, morphology, or optoelectronic properties of the templated films on textured substrates, indicating the robustness of this methodology. The compositional control of PLD for Cs‐FA‐based perovskites is showcased, and template‐assisted growth is demonstrated as a reliable pathway to high‐quality reproducible perovskite films.

Transport and retention of microplastic fibers in streams are impacted by benthic algae, discharge, and substrate

AbstractMicroplastics (particles < 5 mm) are pollutants of emerging concern in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Streams are key sites of microplastic input, retention, and transport, and empirical measurements of microplastic movement in lotic ecosystems are needed to inform global microplastic budgets. However, factors that influence microplastic retention in lotic ecosystems are not well studied. We used particle spiraling metrics to directly measure microplastic retention following pulse releases of polyester fibers using outdoor, experimental streams lined with substrates of varying sizes. We tested the impact of benthic algae, stream discharge, and substrate type on the transport of experimentally added microplastic fibers. We also quantified microplastic retention in and release from the stream benthos after an increase in discharge to simulate a storm event. Microplastic deposition rates were significantly higher with (1) well‐established benthic algal biofilms, (2) higher stream discharge, and (3) larger benthic substrate. The increase in microplastic deposition rates with elevated discharge is opposite the expected trend observed for particulate organic matter, indicating distinct retention processes for microplastics. A rapid increase in discharge in our experimental streams resulted in resuspension of retained microplastic from all substrate types, suggesting that storm events could trigger microplastic release in natural streams. The results from this study provide direct measurements of the magnitude and direction of factors that drive microplastic retention in streams, which will contribute to the parameterization of models for microplastic deposition (and release) at larger spatial and temporal scales for freshwater ecosystems.

Pulsed Laser Deposition of Halide Perovskites with over 10-Fold Enhanced Deposition Rates.

The potential of the vapor-phase deposition of metal halide perovskites (MHPs) for solar cells remains largely untapped, particularly in achieving rapid deposition rates. In this study, we employ in situ photoluminescence (PL) to monitor the growth dynamics of MHPs deposited via pulsed laser deposition (PLD), with rates ranging from 6 to 80 nm/min. Remarkably, the PL intensity evolution remains consistent across both low- and high-deposition rates, indicating that increased deposition rates do not significantly alter the fundamental mechanisms driving MHP formation via PLD. However, microstructural analysis and time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements reveal that increasing deposition rates lead to randomly oriented films on contact layers and reduced charge mobility compared with films grown at lower deposition rates. These findings emphasize the critical role of controlling initial nucleation and the value of in situ PL monitoring in optimizing the vapor-phase deposition of MHPs for enhanced photovoltaic performance at high deposition rates.

Tailoring the structure of Al50Mo50 alloy films towards realizing the well match between mechanical and electrical performance by controlling the growth mode

Tailoring the structure of Al50Mo50 alloy films towards realizing the well match between mechanical and electrical performance by controlling the growth mode

Vegetation Effects on Air Pollution: A Comprehensive Assessment for Two Italian Cities

The role of urban vegetation in urban air quality is usually assessed by considering only the pollutant removal capacity of the plants. This study aims to show, for the first time, the effects of vegetation on air pollutant concentrations through its effects on meteorology, separately from its biogenic emissions. It also investigates how air quality changes when only biogenic emissions are altered by using plants with different emission factors, as well as the potential effects of introducing new vegetation into urban areas. These assessments were conducted using atmospheric modelling systems currently employed for air quality forecasting and planning, configured specifically for the cities of Bologna and Milan. Simulations were performed for two representative months, July and January, to capture summer and winter conditions, respectively. The variability in air concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM10) within the municipal boundaries was assessed monthly. When evaluating the impact of future vegetation, changes in temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity were also considered. The results indicate that vegetation influences air quality more significantly through changes in meteorological conditions than through biogenic emissions. Changes in biogenic emissions result in similar behaviours in O3 and PM10 concentrations, with the latter being affected by the changes in the concentrations of secondary biogenic aerosols formed in the atmosphere. Changes in NO2 concentrations are controlled by the changes in O3 concentrations, increasing where O3 concentrations decrease, and vice versa, as expected in highly polluted areas. Meteorologically induced vegetation effects also play a predominant role in depositions, accounting for most of the changes; however, the concentrations remain high despite increased deposition rates. Therefore, understanding only the removal characteristics of vegetation is insufficient to quantify its effects on urban air pollution.

The Impact of Fluroxypyr Drift on Soybean Phytotoxicity and the Safety Drift Thresholds

Maize–soybean intercropping can increase soybean yields and stabilize maize yields, and this practice has been widely promoted in China. Fluroxypyr is a recommended herbicide for maize seedlings, and its drift will cause phytotoxicity to neighboring soybean seedlings. A laboratory toxicity test was performed on soybeans by using a mobile bioassay spray tower. It showed that both the carrier volume and the drift deposition rate of fluroxypyr significantly influenced soybean fresh weight. The soybean fresh weight inhibition rate increased with the increase in the drift deposition rate, especially in the range of 1% to 6%, and soybean fresh weight decreased rapidly. The lack of fit R2 was 0.6875, with a 9% maximum deviation between experimental values and simulated values. The drift deposition rate upper threshold for mild phytotoxicity (10% fresh weight inhibition rate, ED10) was determined to be 3.35%, while the threshold for no phytotoxicity (0% fresh weight inhibition rate, ED0) was 1.01%. To ensure soybean safety, isolation devices and anti-drift nozzles were installed on the boom sprayer to maintain drift below ED0 or, at most, ED10. Maize seedling strip weed control field tests showed that the highest drift deposition rate was 0.689% under the carrier volume of 330 L·ha−1. There was no phytotoxicity observed on soybeans after 21 days of application, which was consistent with laboratory research results. In this study, the phytotoxicity risk and safe thresholds for the fluroxypyr drift on soybean seedlings were established, which provide a theoretical basis for the safe production of soybeans.

Hydroxyapatite Nanocoatings Deposited by Means of Resonant Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is one of the most widely studied materials for utilization in the development of artificial implants. Research is mainly aimed at the production and modification of HAp coatings for simplification of the deposition process, cost reduction, and increase in biocompatibility. In this paper, the authors deposited HAp synthetic microparticles by means of matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) on Ti6Al4V alloy plate substrates and obtained uniform HAp coatings without further treatment or modifications. The authors utilized a tunable pulsed laser to adjust its wavelength to the selected solvents, in order to optimize the process for deposition speed and quality. The following solvents were used as matrices: deionized water, isopropyl alcohol, and a 3:2 mixture of isopropanol:acetonitrile. Obtained coatings were examined by means of scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and profilometry in order to evaluate coating quality, uniformity, and structural integrity. MAPLE deposition allowed the acquisition of approx. 200 nm thick coatings for water and isopropanol matrices and approx. 320 nm for isopropanol:acetonitrile matrix, which indicates an increase in deposition rate by 37%. The obtained coatings meet requirements for further biocompatibility testing, material modification, and composite synthesis.

Two-dimensional ASEP model to study density profiles in CVD growth

Two-dimensional ASEP model to study density profiles in CVD growth

Enhancement of copper nanoparticle yield in magnetron sputter inert gas condensation by applying substrate bias voltage and its influence on thin film morphology

Enhancement of copper nanoparticle yield in magnetron sputter inert gas condensation by applying substrate bias voltage and its influence on thin film morphology

Historical co-enrichment, source attribution, and risk assessment of critical nutrients and heavy metal/metalloids in lake sediments: insights from Chaohu Lake, China.

In Chinese freshwater lakes, eutrophication often coincides with heavy metal/metalloids (HM/Ms) pollution, yet the coevolution of critical nutrients (P, S, Se) and HM/Ms (Cd, Hg, etc.) remains understudied. To address this gap, we conducted a sedimentary chemistry analysis on a 30cm-deep core, dating back approximately 200years, retrieved from Chaohu Lake, China. The age-depth model revealed a gradual increase in deposition rates over time. Notably, the concentrations and enrichment factors (EFs) of most target elements surged in the uppermost ~ 15cm layer, covering the period from 1953 to 2013, while both the concentrations and EFs in deeper layers remained relatively stable, except for Hg. This trend indicates a significant co-enrichment and near-synchronous increase in the levels and EFs of both nutrients and HM/Ms in the upper sediment layers since the mid-twentieth century. Anthropogenic factors were identified as the primary drivers of the enrichment of P, Se, Cd, Hg, Zn, and Te in the upper core, with their contributions also showing a coupled evolutionary trend over time. Conversely, geological activities governed the enrichment of elements in the lower half of the core. The gradual accumulation of anthropogenic Hg between the - 30 to - 15cm layers might be attributed to global Hg deposition resulting from the industrial revolution. The ecological risk index (RI) associated with HM/Ms loading has escalated rapidly over the past 50years, with Cd and Hg posing the greatest threats. Furthermore, the PMF model was applied to specifically quantify source contributions of these elements in the core, with anthropogenic and geogenic factors accounting for ~ 60 and ~ 40%, respectively. A good correlation (r2 = 0.87, p < 0.01) between the PMF and Ti-normalized method was observed, indicating their feasibility and cross-validation in source apportionment. Finally, we highlighted environment impact and health implications of the co-enrichment of nutrients and HM/Ms. This knowledge is crucial for developing strategies to protect freshwater ecosystems from the combined impacts of eutrophication and HM/Ms pollution, thereby promoting water environment and human health.

Calcium carbonate crystallization process analysis on a heat transfer surface

Calcium carbonate crystallization process analysis on a heat transfer surface

Self-organized composite morphologies and interface instability of immiscible alloy thin films during physical vapor deposition: Insights from phase-field simulations

Self-organized composite morphologies and interface instability of immiscible alloy thin films during physical vapor deposition: Insights from phase-field simulations

Controlling the morphology of polycrystalline diamond films via seed density: Influence on grain size and film texture

Controlling the morphology of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) films is crucial for various applications, including thermal management and quantum sensors. PCD films are typically produced by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on substrates seeded with nanodiamonds. Different film morphologies can be achieved by controlling growth rates of crystal-forming facets, which is commonly managed through deposition temperature and hydrocarbon concentration in the plasma. However, the impact of seed density on film morphology remains largely unexplored. In this study, we observed that reducing seed density on silicon substrates has a similar effect on PCD film morphology as increasing hydrocarbon concentration in the plasma. Specifically, as seed density decreases, deposition rate increases, and film texture transitions from (1 1 1) to (1 0 0), followed by the formation of large grains with (1 0 0) facets surrounded by clusters of small grains. These changes were observed using electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. To explain our results, we hypothesize that the silicon–plasma interface surrounding the growing diamond seeds acts as a diamond precursor source. Our proposed explanation requires relatively long precursor migration lengths compared to those assumed in standard diamond deposition theory. Finally, we also propose two new mechanisms for diamond precursor adsorption based on well-established physical phenomena and recent publications. Our findings may open new avenues in diamond research, applicable not only to polycrystalline but also to single-crystal diamond deposition.

Numerical investigation on ash accumulation characteristics of serrated spiral finned tube heat exchanger in waste heat utilization

Numerical investigation on ash accumulation characteristics of serrated spiral finned tube heat exchanger in waste heat utilization

Structural properties controlled magnetisation of Ni/Al multilayers sputtered on flexible polymer substrate: Impact of Ni deposition rates

The goal of this work is to determine how the rate of Ni deposition rates affect the structural characteristics that regulate the magnetization of Ni/Al multilayer thin films sputtered on flexible acrylic acetate polymer substrates. The films with a 5[Ni(20 nm)/Al(10 nm)] structure were gradually sputtered as different Ni deposition rates in the total thickness of 150 nm. With an increase in the rate of Ni deposition, the Ni contents increased from 61.5% to 69.6%. And, X-ray diffraction analysis verified that the films featured a face-centered cubic structure with variable peak intensities. Also, the scanning electron microscopy surface morphology analyses revealed that variations in the film surfaces were a result of the deposition rates. For magnetic measurements, the differences in the structural analysis were observed to cause a notable variation in saturation magnetization, MS, and coercivity, HC values. Accordingly, MS values increased consistently between 359.0 and 389.7 emu cm−3, but HC values decreased from around 34–32 to 28 Oe with the increase in Ni deposition rate from 0.02 to 0.10 nm s−1. It is also observed that when the Ni layers are generated at very fast deposition rates, the Ni/Al multilayer films have a high MS/HC ratio, which is significant for magnetic sensors. It has been concluded that the magnetisation of Ni/Al multilayer thin films can be controlled by the structural properties adjusting the Ni deposition rate.

Analysis of dynamic wave model for unsteady flow and sediment transport in alluvial rivers

The coupling interactions between flood propagation, sediment transport, and river morphology in alluvial rivers are mathematically described by the high-order dynamic wave model. The coupling capability of currently used dynamic wave models is systematically conducted. The results indicate that the propagation of a dynamic flood wave only depends on the Froude number, but is independent of the coupling of sediment transport and river mobility. Furthermore, based on the continuum hypothesis, the dynamic equations describing the motion of the active bed layer are obtained. A renewed dynamic wave model is established. Four families of asymptotic solutions to the eigenvalues of the renewed four-order hyperbolic system are obtained by means of the singular-perturbation technology. The results demonstrate that the interactions between flood propagation, sediment transport, and riverbed mobility are coupled. Propagation of the main dynamic flood wave and the dynamic sediment wave will be slower with the increasing deposition rate, but will be faster when the erosion intensity is enhanced. These mainly occur in the lower flow regime. In the process of deposition, the second dynamic flood wave and the dynamic bed wave will propagate both upward and downstream. Besides, the dynamic bed wave will propagate downstream and the second dynamic flood wave will only propagate upstream, regardless of the flow regime.

Impact of deposition rate on structural, morphological and optical properties of E-beam evaporated chromium thin film

Impact of deposition rate on structural, morphological and optical properties of E-beam evaporated chromium thin film

Micromechanical Analysis of Metal-Ceramic Thin-Films on Steel Substrates

Thin-layered coatings on material surfaces can resist contact forces and provide protection against material wear. In this study, FeCrNi-Al2O3 composite coatings were prepared by electrodeposition onto a 316L steel substrate. The effects of electrodeposition cathode current density (3 A·dm−2, 5 A·dm−2, 7 A·dm−2 and 9 A·dm−2) and post annealing at 500°C in Ar atmosphere were investigated. An increase in deposition rate resulted in a rougher coating surface and a thicker coating at a constant deposition duration. Post-deposition heat treatment caused the surface roughness to increase because of the introduction of denser micro-cracks. Higher current densities improved adhesion and prevented angled cracks during scratching, while annealing led to scratching-induced failures at lower applied loads. FeCrNi-Al2O3 composite coatings showed higher hardness but lower Young's modulus compared to the steel substrate. The coating hardness is slightly enhanced by increasing the electrodeposition current density from 5 A·dm−2 to 9 A·dm−2, and a more significant increase is observed after annealing. However, the hardness is negatively impacted by the combined effect of annealing and higher current density. These findings demonstrate the importance of carefully balancing the electrodeposition current density and annealing conditions to achieve optimal coating properties. To optimize metal-ceramic composite coatings, it is crucial to investigate multiple process parameters that may interact with each other.

Numerical study on particle deposition characteristics of turbine blade with cooling film

Numerical study on particle deposition characteristics of turbine blade with cooling film