We present a facile route which combines the functionalization of a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface with an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to allow for conformal Al2O3 layers. While the trimethylaluminum (TMA)∕H2O process caused selective deposition only along step edges, the TMA∕O3 process began to provide nucleation sites on the basal planes of the surface. O3 pretreatment, immediately followed by the ALD process with TMA∕O3 chemistry, formed Al2O3 layers without any preferential deposition at the step edges. This is attributed to functionalization of graphene by ozone treatment, imparting a hydrophilic character which is desirable for ALD deposition.

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There is some controversy regarding the effects of HNO3 on films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). In this study we examined the change in sheet resistance of an HNO3-modified SWCNT film after different drying times at 85 degrees C using various analytical techniques. The shift and suppression in the Raman spectra, bleaching of the transition peaks related to van Hove singularities and a shift in the original peak in the C 1s XPS spectra provided evidence for p-type doping. A decrease in sheet resistance was also observed in the SWCNTs films due to the removal of residual N-methylpyrrolidone solvent on the surface and bundle of SWCNTs. These results suggest that p-type doping has a larger effect on the sheet resistance than the removal of residual N-methylpyrrolidone by an HNO3 treatment.

To explore the effects of white matter in the absence of auditory input in the early deaf, we conducted a tract-based statistical analysis of the diffusion tensor anisotropy and the voxel-based morphometry in the white matter of 13 early deaf and 29 hearing individuals. Deaf individuals showed significant decreases in diffusion anisotropy and in regional volume reductions within the temporal white matter. Decreased anisotropy was also found at the internal capsule, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the inferior frontal white matter. In contrast, the forceps major of the corpus callosum, where interhemispheric connections between visual cortices exist, showed increased anisotropy. We interpreted these white matter alterations in terms of both disuse-driven atrophy and compensatory plasticity in the early deaf.

Background Radical lymph node dissection (LND) along the left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is surgically demanding and can be associated with substantial postoperative morbidity. The question of whether robot-assisted esophagectomy (RE) might be superior to video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy (VATE) for performing LND along the RLN in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains open. Methods/design We will conduct a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial (Robotic-assisted Esophagectomy vs Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy (REVATE)) enrolling patients with ESCC scheduled to undergo LND along the RLN. Patients will be randomly assigned to either RE or VATE. The primary outcome measure will be the rate of unsuccessful LND along the left RLN, which will be defined as: failure to remove lymph nodes along the left RLN (i.e., no identifiable nodes on pathology reports); or occurrence of permanent (duration > 6 months) left RLN palsy following LND. Secondary outcomes will include the number of successfully removed RLN nodes, postoperative recovery, length of hospital stay, 30-day and 90-day mortality, quality of life, and oncological outcomes. Discussion The REVATE study provides an opportunity to explore whether RE could facilitate LND along the left RLN—a complex surgical procedure that, as of now and with the use of VATE, remains difficult to perform and associated with a significant burden of morbidity. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03713749 . Registered on 22 October 2018. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-019-3441-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.