Low-temperature synthesis of 2D anisotropic MoTe2 using a high-pressure soft sputtering technique.

We demonstrate a high-pressure soft sputtering technique that can grow large area 1T' phase MoTe2 sheets on HOPG and Al2O3 substrates at temperatures as low as 300 °C. The results show that a single Mo/Te co-sputtering step on heated substrates produces highly defected films as a result of the low Te sticking coefficient. The stoichiometry is significantly improved when a 2-step technique is used, which first co-sputters Mo and Te onto an unheated substrate and then anneals the deposited material to crystalize it into 1T' phase MoTe2. A MoTe2-x 1T' film with the lowest Te vacancy content (x = 0.14) was synthesized using a 300 °C annealing step, but a higher processing temperature was prohibited due to MoTe2 decomposition with an activation energy of 80.7 kJ mol-1. However, additional ex situ thermal processing at ∼1 torr tellurium pressure can further reduce the Te-vacancy (VTe) concentration, resulting in an improvement in the composition from MoTe1.86 to MoTe1.9. Hall measurements indicate that the films produced with the 2-step in situ process are n-type with a carrier concentration of 4.6 × 1014 cm-2 per layer, presumably from the large VTe concentration stabilizing the 1T' over the 2H phase. Our findings (a) demonstrate that large scale synthesis of tellurium based vdW materials is possible using industrial growth and processing techniques and (b) accentuate the challenges in producing stoichiometric MoTe2 thin films.

Better Resolution of High-Spin Cobalt Hyperfine at Low Frequency: Co-Doped Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O3 as a Model Complex.

Low-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is used to extract the EPR parameter A-mid and support the approximate X-band value of g-mid for Ba(CoyZn1/3-yTa2/3)O3. Although the cobalt hyperfine structure for the |±1/2〉 state is often unresolved at X-band or S-band, it is resolved in measurements on this compound. This allows for detailed analysis of the molecular orbital for the |±1/2⟩ state, which is often the ground state. Moreover, this work shows that the EPR parameters for Co substituted into Zn compounds give important insight into the properties of zinc binding sites.

Conventional and novel stem cell based therapies for androgenic alopecia.

The prevalence of androgenic alopecia (AGA) increases with age and it affects both men and women. Patients diagnosed with AGA may experience decreased quality of life, depression, and feel self-conscious. There are a variety of therapeutic options ranging from prescription drugs to non-prescription medications. Currently, AGA involves an annual global market revenue of US$4 billion and a growth rate of 1.8%, indicating a growing consumer market. Although natural and synthetic ingredients can promote hair growth and, therefore, be useful to treat AGA, some of them have important adverse effects and unknown mechanisms of action that limit their use and benefits. Biologic factors that include signaling from stem cells, dermal papilla cells, and platelet-rich plasma are some of the current therapeutic agents being studied for hair restoration with milder side effects. However, most of the mechanisms exerted by these factors in hair restoration are still being researched. In this review, we analyze the therapeutic agents that have been used for AGA and emphasize the potential of new therapies based on advances in stem cell technologies and regenerative medicine.

Nanoporous delafossite CuAlO2 from inorganic/polymer double gels: a desirable high-surface-area p-type transparent electrode material.

Nanoporous structures of a p-type semiconductor, delafossite CuAlO(2), with a high crystallinity have been fabricated through an inorganic/polymer double-gel process and characterized for the first time via Mott-Schottky measurements. The effect of the precursor concentration, calcination temperature, and atmosphere were examined to achieve high crystallinity and photoelectrochemical properties while maximizing the porosity. The optical properties of the nanoporous CuAlO(2) are in good agreement with the literature with an optical band gap of 3.9 eV, and the observed high electrical conductivity and hole concentrations conform to highly crystalline and well-sintered nanoparticles observed in the product. The Mott-Schottky plot from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies indicates a flat-band potential of 0.49 V versus Ag/AgCl. It is concluded that CuAlO(2) exhibits band energies very close to those of NiO but with electrical properties very desirable in the fabrication of photoelectrochemical devices including dye-sensitized solar cells.

New Zealanders' knowledge of palliative care and hospice services.

AIM: This project investigated New Zealanders' views about palliative care and local hospice services. METHOD: A representative population-based sample of 1011 New Zealanders completed an online survey. RESULTS: The age, gender, and geographic region of the 1011 participants were broadly representative of the New Zealand population. Varying awareness of hospice services and palliative care were displayed among respondents, with age and gender influencing awareness. CONCLUSIONS: There was a reasonably good understanding of the concept of palliative care. However, participants could not always identify local hospices, with younger people and males more unaware of accessible hospice services. Low levels of understanding point to the need for continued public education so that the holistic nature of palliative care is understood and accessible hospice services are sought when required.

Microwave loss in the high-performance dielectric Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O3 at 4.2 K.

Temperature- and magnetic-field-dependent measurements of the loss tangent in Ba(Zn(1/3)Ta(2/3))O(3) doped with transition metals (Mn, Ni) are compared to those from samples doped with other impurities (Cd, Ga, Mg, and Zr). These results, combined with pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance measurements, show conclusively that microwave loss in transition-metal-doped Ba(Zn(1/3)Ta(2/3))O(3) at cryogenic temperatures is attributable to resonant spin excitations of unpaired transition-metal d electrons in isolated atoms (light doping) or exchange coupled clusters (moderate to high doping), a mechanism that differs from the usual suspects.

Implementing interpersonal and social rhythm therapy for mood disorders across a continuum of care.

OBJECTIVE: Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy for mood disorders. The goal of this quality improvement initiative was to demonstrate feasibility of implementing IPSRT across the continuum of outpatient and inpatient care within an academic medical center. METHODS: A multidisciplinary work group was convened to implement IPSRT in outpatient (N=48), inpatient (N=602), and intensive outpatient (N=68) programs of an academic medical center. Quality improvement performance markers (including symptoms and group attendance rates) were collected. RESULTS: Institutional preference for group treatments required adaptation of IPSRT from an individual to group psychotherapy format. Iterative problem solving and protocol development resulted in models of group IPSRT appropriate for each level of care. Performance outcome markers were favorable, indicating feasibility of implementation. CONCLUSIONS: At a single, multisite, urban, academic medical center, IPSRT proved a feasible evidence-based psychotherapy for implementation across levels of care in routine practice.

Cd(13-x)In(y)Sb10 (x approximately 2.7, y approximately 1.5): an interstitial-free variant of thermoelectric beta-Zn4Sb3.

Cd(13-x)In(y)Sb10 (x approximately 2.7, y approximately 1.5) was synthesized in the form of mm-sized crystals from reaction mixtures containing excess cadmium. The intermetallic compound crystallizes in the rhombohedral space group R3m with a=12.9704(4), c=12.9443(5) A, V=1886.0(1) A3, Z=3 and is isostructural to thermoelectric beta-Zn4Sb3 and beta-Cd4Sb3. However, in contrast to these last two compounds Cd(13-x)In(y)Sb(10) is free from interstitial atoms and does not display any temperature polymorphism. The electrical resistivity of Cd(13-x)In(y)Sb10 is considerably higher than that of Zn4Sb3 and Cd4Sb3 although the temperature behavior remains that of a metal. The thermal conductivity of Cd(13-x)In(y)Sb10 is low, with room-temperature magnitudes around 0.8 W m(-1) K(-1), which is comparable to disordered or complex structured Cd4Sb3 and Zn4Sb3.