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This study investigated the impact of the post-deposition annealing (PDA) process on the material and electrical properties of copper oxide (Cu2O) and nickel oxide (NiO) thin films deposited on a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate. Through radiofrequency (RF) sputtering, these films were subjected to PDA in a nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) gas environment. Remarkably, the Cu2O films resisted phase transition following the N2 PDA process but exhibited a transition to cupric oxide (CuO) after undergoing the O2 PDA process. The symmetry of Cu 2p in the as-deposited Cu2O film was excellent; however, the phase-transformed CuO films exhibited an increase in binding energy and the emergence of satellite peaks. The Ni 2p exhibited various defects, such as nickel vacancies (VNi) and interstitial oxygen (Oi), in response to the different PDA atmospheres. The rectification ratios of the N2-annealed Cu2O and NiO devices were determined as 1.50 × 107 and 4.01 × 106, respectively, signifying a substantial enhancement by a factor of approximately 789 for the Cu2O/SiC device and 124 for the NiO/SiC device relative to their non-annealed counterparts. The findings of this study indicate that meticulous control of deposition for potential p-type materials such as Cu2O and NiO can significantly improve the performance in applications involving high-throughput and low-cost electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to elucidate the intramuscular distribution pattern of the medial plantar nerve and determine its motor nerve ending territories within the abductor hallucis muscle using modified Sihler's staining and external anatomical landmarks. The study included 40 specimens of the abductor hallucis muscle (13 men and seven women) from formalin-fixed (ten cadavers) and fresh cadavers (ten cadavers), with a mean age of 77.6 years. The entry point of the medial plantar nerve into the muscle was examined, followed by Sihler's staining to analyze the intramuscular distribution pattern and motor nerve ending location within the abductor hallucis muscle. Ultrasound- and palpation-guided injections were performed to verify the applicability of motor nerve ending location-based injections. The areas with the highest concentrations of nerve entry points and nerve endings were identified in the central portion of the muscle. Ultrasound- and palpation-guided injections were safely positioned near the densest nerve ending region of the muscle. These detailed anatomical data and injection methods would be beneficial for proceeding with safe and effective injection treatments using various analgesic agents to alleviate abductor hallucis muscle-associated pain disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botulinum neurotoxin (BNT) injection into the cricopharyngeus muscle (CPM) under ultrasound (US) guidance is a minimally invasive technique performed to relieve cricopharyngeal dysphagia by reducing CPM spasticity. This technique is basically accessible only to both lateral sides of the CPM. This cadaveric study aimed to evaluate whether US-guided injection could effectively deliver BNT to abundant areas of gross nerve endings within the CPM. We utilized a newly modified Sihler's staining method to identify regions with abundant neural endings within the CPM while preserving the three-dimensional morphology of the muscle in 10 sides of 5 fresh cadavers. A mixture of 0.2 mL dye was injected into the 16 sides of CPM under US guidance in 8 cadavers. Nerve endings were abundant in posterolateral areas of the CPM; the injected dye was identified at the posterolateral area on 12 sides (12/16 side, 75%) without diffusion into the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle. The injection failed on four sides (two sides of the prevertebral fascia and two sides of the esophagus below the CPM). These results suggest that US-guided injection could be a feasible technique as it can deliver BNT to the most abundant nerve distribution areas within the CPM in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper oxide (Cu2O) is a promising p‐type material owing to its high absorption coefficient, suitable bandgap width, chemical stability, nontoxicity, and abundance. In this study, the effect of postdeposition annealing (PDA) on the electrical properties of Cu2O thin films deposited on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates is investigated. The films are subjected to PDA using radio‐frequency sputtering at various temperatures in air. During PDA, the Cu2O films are maintained at <300 °C and transitioned to cupric oxide (CuO) at 400 °C. The as‐deposited Cu2O film exhibits a low oxidation peak (Cu2+), whereas the phase‐transformed CuO films exhibit a higher binding energy with the emergence of satellite peaks. The rectification ratios of the Cu2O device annealed at 300 °C and CuO device annealed at 400 °C are determined as 2.02 × 107 and 1.01 × 105, respectively, denoting the substantial enhancement of approximately 55.04 for the Cu2O/SiC device and degradation of approximately 0.28 for the CuO/SiC device relative to their non‐annealed counterparts. Therefore, in this study, the significant improvement in the performance of Cu2O thin films with the meticulous deposition control of potential p‐type materials, such as Cu2O and CuO, for high‐throughput and low‐cost electronic applications is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated morphological properties of vertical heterojunction Schottky diodes based on (Al0.1Ga0.9)2O3/4H-SiC (AGO) thin films and analyzed the effect of post-annealing on their temperature-dependent electrical characteristics over the temperature range of 298 to 498 K. The AGO films were deposited using radio frequency sputtering and analyzed the as-deposited and N2-annealed films at 950 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere. The N2-annealed sample exhibited an estimated grain size of 63.2 nm compared to an average grain size of 43.6 nm in the as-deposited samples. As temperature increased, the barrier height (Φb) exhibited an upward trend, while the ideality factor (n) showed a declining trend. The calculated values of Φb and n in the as-deposited sample varied from 1.11 eV and 2.76 at 298 K to 1.47 eV and 1.37 at 498 K. The Schottky diode’s I–V characteristics, which vary with temperature, exhibited a Gaussian distribution. The temperature-dependent electrical characteristics of the Schottky diodes have shown a Gaussian distribution, yielding a mean barrier height of 2.08 eV and a standard deviation of 0.22 V for the as-deposited sample. In contrast, the N2-annealed sample’s mean barrier height was 1.16 eV, with a standard deviation of 0.13 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ga2O3/4H-SiC heterojunction diodes were fabricated by depositing Ga2O3 thin films on 4H-SiC substrates using aerosol deposition (AD). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that all Ga2O3 peaks increased with increasing oxide thickness. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to confirm grain size and deposited area. The I–V curves showed relevance between oxide thickness and electrical properties. For these thin films, the 1200 nm sample shows low Vth among them. It was confirmed that the Ron,sp value and the On-state current increased as the oxide thickness increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Botulinum neurotoxin treatment typically focuses on the teres major muscle as a primary target for addressing shoulder spasticity. The muscle is located deep within a large muscle group and optimal injection locations have not been identified. Objective: To identify the preferred location for administering botulinum toxin injections in the teres major muscle. Methods: Teres major specimens were removed from 18 cadaveric models and stained with Sihler's method to reveal the neural distribution within the muscle. The muscles were systematically divided into equal lengths from origin to insertion. The neural density in each section was evaluated to determine the location that would be likely to increase effectiveness of the injection. Results: The greatest density of intramuscular nerve endings was located in the middle 20% of the muscle. The tendinous portion was observed at the ends of the muscle. Conclusions: The results suggest that botulinum neurotoxin should be delivered in the middle 20% of the teres major muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate neural patterns within the gluteus maximus (Gmax) muscle to identify optimal EMG placement and injection sites for botulinum toxin and other injectable agents. Methods: This study used 10 fixed and 1 non-fixed adult Korean cadavers. Intramuscular arborization patterns were confirmed in the cranial, middle, and caudal segments of 20 Gmax muscles using Sihler staining. Ultrasound images were obtained from one cadaver, and blue dye was injected using ultrasound guidance to confirm the results. Results: The intramuscular innervation pattern of the Gmax was mostly in the middle part of this muscle. The nerve endings of the Gmax are mainly located in the 40–70% range in the cranial segment, the 30–60% range in the middle segment, and the 40–70% range in the caudal segment. Discussion: Addressing the spasticity of the gluteus maximus requires precise, site-specific botulinum toxin injections. The use of EMG and other injection therapies should be guided by the findings of this study. We propose that these specific sites, which correspond to areas with the densest nerve branches, are the safest and most efficient locations for both botulinum toxin injections and EMG procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Inadvertent entry of filler products into the supratrochlear, supraorbital, or dorsal nasal arteries, among other branches of the ophthalmic artery, might result in an immediate and devastating loss of vision. We wanted to examine how much filler could block the ophthalmic artery. Materials and Methods: Twenty‐nine fresh cadavers were examined. We exposed the arterial supply to the opthalmic artery by dissecting the orbital area. Thereafter, 17 filler injections were introduced into the supratrochlear, supraorbital, and dorsal nasal arteries each. The amount of filler injection that completely blocked the ophthalmic artery was measured. Additionally, one of the head specimens was processed using phosphotungstic acid‐based contrast enhancement micro‐computed tomography to analyze each arteries to obstruct its whole ophthalmic artery. Results: The supratrochlear, supraorbital, and dorsal nasal arteries had mean volumes in milliliter (mean ± standard deviation) of 0.0397 ± 0.010 mL, 0.0409 ± 0.00932 mL, and 0.0368 ± 0.00732 mL, respectively. However, the arteries did not differ significantly. Conclusion: Even a modest amount of filler injection can completely block the ophthalmic artery, resulting in visual loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectoralis Minor Syndrome (PMS) causes significant discomfort due to the compression of the neurovascular bundle within the retropectoralis minor space. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections have emerged as a potential treatment method; however, their effectiveness depends on accurately locating the injection site. In this study, we aimed to identify optimal BoNT injection sites for PMS treatment. We used twenty-nine embalmed and eight non-embalmed human cadavers to determine the origin and intramuscular arborization of the pectoralis minor muscle (Pm) via manual dissection and Sihler's nerve staining techniques. Our findings showed the Pm's origin near an oblique line through the suprasternal notch, with most neural arborization within the proximal three-fourths of the Pm. Blind dye injections validated these results, effectively targeting the primary neural arborized area of the Pm at the oblique line's intersection with the second and third ribs. We propose BoNT injections at the arborized region within the Pm's proximal three-fourths, or the C region, for PMS treatment. These findings guide clinicians towards safer, more effective BoNT injections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histological and naked-eye dissections are frequently used to investigate human anatomy. However, limitations of conventional methods include tissue damage and difficulty in observing structures, rendering findings limited. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) allows for a three-dimensional observation with whole-mount staining for contrast enhancement. A precise anatomical understanding of the larynx is essential for both the medical and surgical fields; however, the larynx is difficult to dissect because of its minuscule and complex structures. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the detailed anatomy of the larynx using micro-CT. The study was conducted on twelve specimens of cadavers using Lugol-based-contrast micro-CT. Using Lugol-micro-CT, relevant information on human structures was obtained. Consequently, we successfully employed the Lugol-micro-CT technique in the analysis of specific human soft tissue structures that are challenging to analyze using conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofascial pain syndrome caused by myofascial trigger points is a musculoskeletal disorder commonly encountered in clinical practice. The infraspinatus muscle is the region most frequently involved in the myofascial pain syndrome in the scapular region. The characteristics of the myofascial trigger points are that they can be found constantly in the motor endplate zone. However, localizing myofascial trigger points within the motor endplate zone and establishing an accurate injection site of the infraspinatus muscle has been challenging because the anatomical position of the motor endplate zone of the infraspinatus muscle is yet to be described. Therefore, this cadaveric study aimed to scrutinize the motor endplate zone of the infraspinatus muscle, propose potential myofascial trigger points within the muscle, and recommend therapeutic injection sites. Twenty specimens of the infraspinatus muscle for nerve staining and 10 fresh frozen cadavers for evaluation of the injection were used in this study. The number of nerve branches penetrating the infraspinatus muscle and their entry locations were analyzed and photographed. Modified Sihler's staining was performed to examine the motor endplate regions of the infraspinatus muscle. The nerve entry points were mostly observed in the center of the muscle belly. The motor endplate was distributed equally throughout the infraspinatus muscle, but the motor endplate zone was primarily identified in the B area, which is approximately 20–40% proximal to the infraspinatus muscle. The second‐most common occurrence of the motor endplate zone was observed in the center of the muscle. These detailed anatomical data would be very helpful in predicting potential pain sites and establishing safe and effective injection treatment using botulinum neurotoxin, steroids, or lidocaine to alleviate the pain disorder of the infraspinatus muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]