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Numerous Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) airborne spores are inhaled daily by humans and animals due to their ubiquitous presence. The interaction between the spores and the respiratory epithelium, as well as its impact on the epithelial barrier function, remains largely unknown. The epithelial barrier protects the respiratory epithelium against viral infections. However, it can be compromised by environmental contaminants such as pollen, thereby increasing susceptibility to respiratory viral infections, including alphaherpesvirus equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). To determine whether Af spores disrupt the epithelial integrity and enhance susceptibility to viral infections, equine respiratory mucosal ex vivo explants were pretreated with Af spore diffusate, followed by EHV-1 inoculation. Spore proteases were characterized by zymography and identified using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Proteases of the serine protease, metalloprotease, and aspartic protease groups were identified. Morphological analysis of hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained sections of the explants revealed that Af spores induced the desquamation of epithelial cells and a significant increase in intercellular space at high and low concentrations, respectively. The increase in intercellular space in the epithelium caused by Af spore proteases correlated with an increase in EHV-1 infection. Together, our findings demonstrate that Af spore proteases disrupt epithelial integrity, potentially leading to increased viral infection of the respiratory epithelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Clinical signs of guttural pouch mycosis in equids tend to be nonspecific but can include epistaxis, cranial nerve disorders, uni- or bilateral mucoid nasal discharge or a combination of these symptoms. On the basis of these warning symptoms, the equine practitioner will confirm the diagnosis through an endoscopy and must be prepared, sometimes in an emergency, to propose the most appropriate therapeutic approach, depending on the clinical situation. A three-step therapeutic approach to this condition is described, including temporary common carotid artery ligature at the barn, the trans-arterial coil embolization procedure in a specialized equine surgery center to stop or prevent epistaxis, and topical oxygen therapy to improve local defences in the respiratory mucosa of the guttural pouches while reducing the development of the mycotic organism. The temporary ligation of the common carotid artery is performed as an emergency aid in cases of guttural pouch mycosis. Its usefulness is put into perspective after an anatomical summary of arterial vascularization involving a guttural pouch. It helps to better understand the need for the cranial (cerebral) and caudal (cardiac) occlusion of an arterial rupture by embolization in order to achieve maximum success in preventing and treating an hemorrhage. Topical oxygen therapy used alone or in a multimodal approach with embolization surgery is performed to promote healing of the inflammatory and mycotic lesions observed when an individual is affected. In conclusion, this three-step therapeutic approach should enable the equine practitioner to better orient their decision tree when faced with this condition which, while rare, can be potentially fatal if poorly treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gate dielectric materials play a crucial role in the design of organic thin-film transistors. The effects of the low-k and high-k gate dielectric materials, both organic and inorganic, on the bottom gate Pentacene/a-IGZO thin-film transistors (TFT) are studied and simulated using 2D numerical device simulation. The effect on the electrical characteristics of different gate dielectrics namely Air, SiO2 (Silicon Oxide), Si3N4 (Silicon Nitride), Al2O3 (Aluminum Oxide), Sapphire, Y2O3 (Yttrium Trioxide), HfO2 (Hafnium Oxide), Ta2O5 (Tantalum Oxide), La2O3 (Lanthanum Oxide), Nb2O5 (Niobium Oxide) and TiO2 (Titanium Oxide) have been studied and compared using current–voltage (I–V) transfer characteristics in the linear and saturation regime for both n-type and p-type transistors. In addition, the analysis was also carried out for organic gate dielectrics such as PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate), silk fibroin, PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and CEP (Cyanoethyl pullulan). From the extracted results, it is found that the device shows better performance for TiO2 which shows a high ON current of − 1.36 µA and 13.4 µA for p-and n-type transistors respectively. Furthermore, the low threshold voltage (VTH), high ON/OFF ratio, high gate oxide capacitance (C′OX), and low subthreshold slope (SS) ensure a low operating voltage, thus enabling the realization of low power devices and low gate leakage (IGS), which also suppresses the excess heat generated in the device. Finally, the tuning of the high-k gate dielectric thickness can be extended further for future work and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the sol-gel method for depositing La2O3 thin films on n-type Si substrates and quartz substrates, and investigates the impact of annealing temperature on the microcomposition, surface morphology, optical properties, and band characteristics of the films. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that the films are amorphous below 500 °C, with annealing resulting in a hexagonal-phase La2O3 (h-a2O3) and new non-hydrated impurities. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis reveals that the prepared La2O3 film is unaffected by moisture. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provide evidence that the La2O3 film has a smooth, uniform surface without cracks. The roughness increases from 0.426 nm to 1.200 nm, and the film thins from 54.85 nm to 49.80 nm as the annealing temperature rises. The film's transmittance is above 75%, as measured by UV-Vis, and the calculated optical bandgap increases from 5.11 eV to 5.75 eV. The calculated band offset of the La2O3 film is greater than 1 eV, which meets the minimum requirements for MOS devices, thus providing promising prospects for La2O3 films in MOS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of deposition temperature of TiN thin films deposited using the thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) method was investigated. TiCl4 precursor and NH3 reactive gas were used, and the deposition rate, resistivity change, and surface morphology characteristics were compared in the deposition temperature range of 400 °C–600 °C. While resistivity decreased to 177 µΩcm as the deposition temperature increased to 600 °C, an increase in surface roughness (Rq) to 0.69 nm and a deterioration in the step coverage were identified. In order to obtain a high-quality TiN thin film with excellent resistivity and step coverage characteristics even at low deposition temperatures, the TiN thin film was post-treated with plasma in a combination of N2/He gas ratio of 3:2 to confirm the change in resistivity. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed crystallization change in the TiN thin film caused by plasma energy. As a result, the resistivity of the TiN thin film deposited at 400 °C was confirmed to be lowered by about 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Northern Mariner / Le Marin du Nord is the property of Canadian Nautical Research Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With valuable physicochemical properties, yttria-stabilized zirconia crystal has promising advantages in optical applications. In this paper, the waveguide effect is observed in yttria-stabilized zirconia crystal irradiated by energetic oxygen ions. The waveguide properties and the field intensity are analyzed using prism and end-face coupling method arrangements, and the results show that monomode is found in the near-surface region and the light beam can be well confined in the waveguide structure, which shows refractive index distribution of the barrier-wall and enhanced-well type. The lattice damage induced by irradiation is investigated by the Rutherford backscattering/channeling experiment and high-resolution X-ray diffraction techniques. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The nasopharyngeal bacterial and fungal microbiota of normal horses and those with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome (NCS) are unknown. Hypotheses/Objectives: To describe the microbiota from nasopharyngeal washes of healthy horses and of horses acutely affected with NCS. Animals Twenty‐six horses acutely affected with NCS horses and 14 unaffected horses. Methods: Prospective, observational cohort study. Horses were recruited by investigators through personal communications in central Texas. Bacterial (16s RNA) and fungal (internal transcribed spacer) microbiota from nasopharyngeal washes were evaluated. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of Pythium insidiosum was performed. Results: Results indicated that 6 fungal genera (Alternaria, Bipolaris, Microascus, Spegazzinia, Paraconiothyrium, Claviceps) and 1 bacterial genera (Staphylococcus) were significantly different between affected and unaffected horses. The fungal genus Bipolaris had increased abundance in NCS affected horses and on NCS affected farms. Pythium insidiosum was absent in the nasopharyngeal wash of all horses, irrespective of health status. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Significant differences were identified in the fungal microbiota in horses affected with NCS and farms affected with NCS compared to those unaffected. Therefore, Bipolaris warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystals of yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) doped with various concentrations of Sm2O3 were synthesized by the optical floating zone method, and their structure and spectroscopic properties characterized using powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorption, and luminescence measurements. XRD showed that the cubic phase of ZrO2 was stabilized by addition of Y2O3 and a series of absorption peaks characteristic of Sm3+ was detected by UV‐visible absorption spectroscopy. Three phenomenological J‐O oscillator strength parameters Ωt (t = 2, 4, 6) were calculated to evaluate the local structure and bonding in the vicinity of the Sm3+ for the 0.75 mol% Sm2O3: YSZ sample. These were in order of Ω2 < Ω4 < Ω6 with values of Ω2 = 5.46 × 10−20 cm2, Ω4 = 10.70 × 10−20 cm2, and Ω6 = 12.67 × 10−20 cm2, and indicate a relatively high symmetry and low covalent character for the Sm‐O bond at the Sm3+ sites in the YSZ matrix. Photoluminescence spectra recorded under an excitation of 404 nm showed four emission bands centered at 571 nm, 621 nm, 652 nm, and 716 nm corresponding to the transitions 4G5/2→6Hj (j = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2, 11/2). The transition probability, lifetime, and branching ratio obtained from the emission spectrum of the 0.75 mol% Sm2O3: YSZ crystal showed that YSZ is a potential host for Sm3+ to achieve a reddish‐orange laser output, and the Sm3+‐modified YSZ crystals have a possible use in reddish‐orange laser and lighting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, transparent, stable coplanar top-gate thin film transistors (TFTs) with an active layer of neodymium-doped indium oxide and zinc oxide (Nd-IZO) were successfully fabricated on a glass substrate by all sputtering processes. The devices with a post-annealing temperature of 400 °C exhibited good electrical performances with a saturation mobility (μsat) of 4.25 cm2·V−1·S−1, Ion/Ioff ratio about 106, Vth of −0.97 V and SS about 0.34 V/decade. Furthermore, the devices exhibited excellent negative and positive bias stability (NBS, PBS) of only a ΔVth shift of about −0.04 V and 0.05 V after 1 h, respectively. In addition, the devices showed high transparency about 96% over the visible-light region of 400–700 nm, which indicates a great potential in transparent displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Veterinary Journal / Revue Vétérinaire Canadienne is the property of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Mycotic rhinitis is an uncommon disease in horses with a wide range of clinical signs and treatment options based on case studies of a single or only a few individuals. Moreover, while dogs with mycotic rhinitis appear to respond well to treatment with topical enilconazole, this approach has yet to be reported in horses. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical findings, results of diagnostic investigations, treatment, and outcome in horses with mycotic rhinitis treated with topical enilconazole. Animals: Eight horses were included in the study. Methods: Medical records from 1995 to 2007 from an equine veterinary teaching hospital were reviewed to identify cases with a diagnosis of mycotic rhinitis. Results: Eleven cases were identified, of which 8 were treated with topical enilconazole. Seven of those 8 horses recovered and had normal appearance of the nasal passages on endoscopic examination. Fungal culture, where positive, yielded only Aspergillus spp. Treatment was readily performed and no adverse effects were noted in these horses. In 5 horses, long-term follow-up revealed complete recovery for an average of 5 years. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Mycotic rhinitis owing to Aspergillus spp. in horses can be effectively and safely treated with topical enilconazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tantalum oxide thin films are promising materials for various applications: as coatings in optical devices, as dielectric layers for micro and nanoelectronics, and for thin-films solid-state lithium-ion batteries (SSLIBs). This article is dedicated to the Ta-O thin-film system synthesis by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) which allows to deposit high quality films and coatings with excellent uniformity and conformality. Tantalum (V) ethoxide (Ta(OEt)5) and remote oxygen plasma were used as tantalum-containing reagent and oxidizing co-reagent, respectively. The influence of deposition parameters (reactor and evaporator temperature, pulse and purge times) on the growth rate were studied. The thickness of the films were measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray reflectometry. The temperature range of the ALD window was 250–300 °C, the growth per cycle was about 0.05 nm/cycle. Different morphology of films deposited on silicon and stainless steel was found. According to the X-ray diffraction data, the as-prepared films were amorphous. But the heat treatment study shows crystallization at 800 °C with the formation of the polycrystalline Ta2O5 phase with a rhombic structural type (Pmm2). The results of the X-ray reflectometry show the Ta-O films' density is 7.98 g/cm3, which is close to the density of crystalline Ta2O5 of the rhombic structure (8.18 g/cm3). The obtained thin films have a low roughness and high uniformity. The chemical composition of the surface and bulk of Ta-O coatings was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Surface of the films contain Ta2O5 and some carbon contamination, but the bulk of the films does not contain carbon and any precursor residues. Cyclic voltammetry (CVA) showed that there is no current increase for tantalum (V) oxide in a potential window of 3–4.2 V and has prospects of use as protective coatings for cathode materials of SSLIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Y2O3–Al2O3 dielectrics were prepared and used in ZnO thin film transistor as gate insulators. The Y2O3 film prepared by the sol–gel method has many surface defects, resulting in a high density of interface states with the active layer in TFT, which then leads to poor stability of the devices. We modified it by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology that deposited a thin Al2O3 film on the surface of a Y2O3 dielectric layer, and finally fabricated a TFT device with ZnO as the active layer by ALD. The electrical performance and bias stability of the ZnO TFT with a Y2O3–Al2O3 laminated dielectric layer were greatly improved, the subthreshold swing was reduced from 147 to 88 mV/decade, the on/off-state current ratio was increased from 4.24 × 106 to 4.16 × 108, and the threshold voltage shift was reduced from 1.4 to 0.7 V after a 5-V gate was is applied for 800 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-voltage, solution-processed organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) have tremendous potential to be key components in low-cost, flexible and large-area electronics. However, for these devices to operate at low voltage, robust and high capacitance gate dielectrics are urgently needed. Herein, the fabrication of OTFTs that operate at 1 V is reported. These devices comprise a solution-processed, self-assembled monolayer (SAM) modified tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) as the gate dielectric. The morphology and dielectric properties of the anodized Ta2O5 films with and without n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) SAM treatment have been studied. The thickness of the Ta2O5 film was optimized by varying the anodization voltage. The results show that organic TFTs gated with OTS-modified tantalum pentoxide anodized at 3 V (d ~7 nm) exhibit the best performance. The devices operate at 1 V with a saturation field-effect mobility larger than 0.2 cm2 V−1 s−1, threshold voltage −0.55 V, subthreshold swing 120 mV/dec, and current on/off ratio in excess of 5 × 103. As a result, the demonstrated OTFTs display a promising performance for applications in low-voltage, portable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]