Copper(I) oxide (Cu 2 O), which is obtained from copper(II) oxide (CuO) through a reduction process, is a p-type oxide material with a band gap of 2.1−2.4 eV. However, the switching performance of typical Cu 2 O thin-film transistors (TFTs) is poor because the reduction process increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies (V O ), which interfere with the conduction of hole carriers. Ga with high oxygen affinity was doped in Cu 2 O thin films to decrease V O during the reduction process. As a result, the V O concentration of 1.56 at % for Ga-doped Cu 2 O (Ga:Cu 2 O) thin films decreased from 20.2 to 7.5% compared to pristine Cu 2 O thin films. Accordingly, the subthreshold swing or S-factor, on/off-current ratio (I on/off ), saturation mobility (μ sat ), and threshold voltage (V th ) of Ga:Cu 2 O TFTs were improved compared to pristine Cu 2 O TFTs with values of 7.72 from 12.50 V/dec, 1.22 × 10 4 from 2.74 × 10 2 , 0.74 from 0.46 cm 2 /Vs, and −4.56 from −8.06 V, respectively. These results indicate that Ga plays an important role in improving the switching performance of p-type Cu 2 O TFT.

PurposeWe aimed to determine whether head elevation during combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSE) and Caesarean section provided improved hemodynamics and appropriate sensory block height.Materials and MethodsForty-four parous women undergoing CSE for elective Caesarean section were randomly assigned to one of two groups: right lateral (group L) or right lateral and head elevated (group HE) position, for insertion of the block. Patients were positioned in the supine wedged position (group L) or the left lateral and head elevated position (group HE) until a block height of T5 to light touch was reached. Group HE was then turned to the supine wedged position with maintenance of head elevation until the end of surgery. Hemodynamics, including the incidence of hypotension, ephedrine dose required, and characteristics of the sensory blocks were analyzed.ResultsThe incidence of hypotension (16 versus 7, p=0.0035) and the required dose of ephedrine [24 (0-40) versus 0 (0-20), p<0.0001] were greater in group L compared to group HE. In group L, the time to achieve maximal sensory block level (MSBL) was shorter (11.8±5.4 min versus 20.1±6.3 min, p<0.0001) and MSBL was also higher than in group HE [14 (T2) versus 12 (T4), p=0.0015].ConclusionHead elevation during CSE and Caesarean section is superior to positioning without head elevation in the lateral to supine position, as it is associated with a more gradual onset, appropriate block height, and improved hemodynamics.

Diameter- and interlayer-controlled carbon nitride nanotubes (CNNTs) having nanopores with approximately 6 A diameters are synthesized by our new plasma-assisted growth method on catalysts located inside the organic silica mesoporous templates. Our experiments and first-principles calculations show that hydrogen stored inside nanopores of 6.2 A are attributed to the hydrogen released at 257.24 K.

High performance n-channel micro-crystalline silicon (μc-Si) TFT was fabricated by 5 mask process. Indirect thermal crystallization (ITC) method was applied to crystallize amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin films. ITC technique adopted infrared laser with 808 nm wavelength and heat transition layer of Molybdenum on a-Si. We analyzed the crystallinity of a-Si with the width of crystallization area which is marked by semiconductor laser beam on the surface of a-Si films. Crystallinity of μc-Si films was calculated by Raman spectra and it shows correlation of field effect mobility with crystallinity fraction. In this study, we presented field effect mobility of 6.2 cm2 /Vs and sub-threshold slope of 0.41 V/dec. And bias temperature stress characteristics confirmed the reasonable reliability of device employing ITC technique compare to that of a-Si TFT.

Nanoscale Sn-Bi-Ag compound powders were successfully synthesized using the pulsed wire discharge (PWD) method. In PWD, when a high current is passed through high-density metal wires, the wires explode because of resistance heating, forming fine particles or metal vapor. In this study, we used Sn-Bi and Ag wires in order to obtain three-component nanopowders. A high current was applied to the wires between the electrodes in a N2 atmosphere. We discussed the results based on the K factor, which is the ratio of the charging energy of the capacitor to the vaporization energy of the wire. The three-component (Sn-Bi-Ag) nanoparticles were synthesized under a N2 atmosphere at 4 and 6 kV. From the particle-size distribution curves, it was found that the mean particle diameter (D1) values of the Sn-Bi and Ag nanopowders were within the range of 16.32-42.37 nm under each condition. The melting point of the Sn-Bi-Ag nanoparticles was found to be within the range of 188.68-214.97 ℃, which is about 40 ℃ lower than that obtained from the phase diagram and computational thermodynamics of the Sn-Bi-Ag system. In this study, the nanopowders were obtained by subjecting the wires at extreme energies, to improve their solid solubility. † (