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This study was designed to evaluate whether fat and iron affect the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the liver parenchyma in the settings of fibrosis and inflammation.We evaluated the diffusion-weighted images (DWIs) of 58 patients with chronic liver disease and 48 control subjects. Liver specimens of patients were assessed for fibrosis, necroinflammation, iron, and steatosis. Liver ADCs, spleen ADCs, and normalized liver ADCs (defined as the ratio of the liver ADC to spleen ADC) values were analyzed after stratifying patients with either fibrosis stages or histology activity index (HAI) scores. The relationship between ADC values and histopathological findings was studied using multiple linear regression analysis.The median liver and normalized liver ADC values were significantly lower in higher stages of fibrosis and HAI scores. Compared to the control group, patients with the highest stages of fibrosis and inflammation had significantly higher spleen ADCs. The effect of the fibrosis stage on liver ADC and normalized liver ADC values was significant in the setting of inflammation, whereas the degree of steatosis and iron grade did not affect these ADC values.ADC values can distinguish both later stages of liver fibrosis and inflammation. There is no significant effect of fat and iron on ADC values. Therefore, DWI may be reliable in evaluating liver fibrosis and inflammation.

Study question Is there any difference between using or not using depot GnRH agonist pre-treatment on pregnancy outcomes in patients with adenomyosis before frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles? Summary answer GnRH agonist pre-treatment before frozen-thawed embryo transfer has no effect on pregnancy outcomes in adenomyosis patients. What is known already Uterine adenomyosis negatively affects implantation and clinical pregnancy rates and also increases the risk of early pregnancy loss. Increased inflammatory markers and increased myometrial peristalsis are thought to decrease the rate of implantation. Depot GnRH agonist pre-treatment is thought to increase implantation rate by both decreasing myometrial contractility and reducing inflammatory marker production. Study design, size, duration This retrospective cohort study was conducted at ART and Reproductive Genetics Centre, Memorial Sisli Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Patients with adenomyosis undergoing a FET cycle between 2011 and 2021 were evaluated. Patients between 25-45 years old with good and top-quality blastocysts were included and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was applied to patients who were >37 years old. A total of 144 frozen embryo transfer cycles were examined. Participants/materials, setting, methods Diagnosis of adenomyosis was made using transvaginal ultrasound and/or pelvic magnetic resonance imaging which revealed an asymmetrically thickening between the anterior and posterior uterine walls, focal adenomyosis, myometrial cysts and irregular/interrupted junctional zone of the endometrium. 65 patients in the study group (Group I) who received depot GnRH agonist pre-treatment for minimum 2 and maximum 6 months and 79 patients without GnRH agonist pre-treatment (Group 2) were evaluated. Main results and the role of chance There was no significant difference in patient characteristics such as age, endometrial thickness on embryo transfer day, BMI, infertility duration, and anti mullerian hormone levels between groups 1 and 2. Endometrial preparation was done using artificial cycle in the depot agonist group, whereas both artificial and modified natural cycle were used in patients without depot GnRH agonist pre-treatment.The pregnancy rate was 53.8%(n = 35) in group 1 and 54.4%(n = 43) in group 2. The clinical pregnancy loss rate was 20% (n = 9) in group 1 and 15.7% (n = 6)in group 2. The live birth rate was 40% (n = 26) in group I and 39.2. (n = 31) in group II. There were no statistically significant differences in pregnancy rates, clinical pregnancy losses, and live birth rates between the groups. Limitations, reasons for caution The limitation of the study is its retrospective nature. Wider implications of the findings The lack of any statistically significant differences in pregnancy outcomes in this study suggests the need for further evaluation of the value/effectiveness of GnRHa treatment in adenomyosis patients before embryo transfer cycles. Trial registration number not applicable

Study question Can AI be used as a tool in the evaluation of the risk of pregnancy loss after euploid embryo transfer? Summary answer AI-annotated tSB (time to start blastulation) and tB (time to formation of full blastocyst) were predictive of miscarriage and live birth. What is known already Despite the advantage of PGT-A in preventing miscarriages, a pregnancy loss still can occur after the transfer of a chromosomally normal embryo. Unfortunately in the literature there are no clear criteria indicating which morphologically good euploid embryos may be at risk of resulting in pregnancy loss. Study design, size, duration Retrospective cohort analysis of 455 euploid embryos allowing for the analysis of a range of variables for prediction of live birth or miscarriage from ICSI cycles, that were cultured in the Embryoscope (Vitrolife) at a single clinic (Istanbul Memorial Hospital, ART and Reproductive Genetics Center), and transferred between 2017-2020. This is the largest reported AI study to date predicting outcome in euploid SETs. Participants/materials, setting, methods Patients were aged between 24-44 years. Each morphokinetic feature was annotated manually and by CHLOE-(Fairtility), and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Main results and the role of chance When annotated using AI, the average time (mean±standard deviation (SD)) for tSB (98±7 vs 97±7, p Implantation and blastulation scores were not significantly predictive of clinical miscarriage (0.77±0.22 vs 0.74±0.24, NS and 0.97±0.15 vs 0.97±0.16, NS for live birth and miscarriage, respectively). Embryos that aborted and led to live birth had an equal proportion of direct unequal cleavage (DUC) (respectively, DUCs assessed by CHLOE was: 6.8% vs 6.8%, NS). There was no significant difference between the presence of DUC and the pregnancy outcome (miscarriage rate in the presence or absence of DUC was 16.1% vs 16.3%, NS). Limitations, reasons for caution Retrospective data using embryos selected for transfer Wider implications of the findings AI-annotated tSB and tB can be added to the already existing range of available evaluation methods for embryo viability and functions which can predict the risk of miscarriage after a euploid embryo transfer. Trial registration number NA

Study question Do the presence of necrotic foci and/or the presence of separate blastomeres and the blastocoele expansion degree affect pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed euploid embryo transfer cycles? Summary answer Significant correlations were observed between pregnancy outcomes and the degree of blastocoele expansion, the presence of necrotic foci or separate blastomeres in the euploid embryo. What is known already Implantation failure and pregnancy losses may occur despite the selection of a healthy euploid embryo for transfer and the elimination of other risk factors. Blastocyst morphology is known to affect pregnancy outcomes, but the effect of necrotic foci and/or separate blastomeres in the embryo on pregnancy outcomes needs further investigation. Study design, size, duration This is a retrospective cohort study and was conducted at ART and Reproductive Genetics Centre, Memorial, Sisli Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey between January 2017 and September 2021. A total of 2758 frozen-thawed euploid embryo transfer cycles were included in the study. Participants/materials, setting, methods After thawing, the embryos were divided into groups according to their morphological grades, whether there were necrotic foci and whether there were separate blastomeres, and were evaluated in terms of pregnancy outcomes. Blastocysts were graded by using Gardner and Schoolcraft’s grading system. Ongoing pregnancy was defined as a pregnancy that had reached 20 weeks. Miscarriage was defined as a pregnancy loss occurring before the 20th gestational week. Main results and the role of chance Our data showed that the presence of necrotic foci in the inner cell mass or trophectoderm reduced the ongoing pregnancy rates and increased the miscarriage rates. The ongoing pregnancy rate was lower (41.0%, vs 60.0%, p The presence of separate blastomeres decreased the ongoing pregnancy rates (50.3% in the group with separate blastomeres, 61.8% in the group without separate blastomeres) (p 0.004). The ongoing pregnancy rates for blastocoele expansion degrees of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were 39.5%, 38.3%, 59.3%, 59.8%, and 61.4%, respectively and the miscarriage rates for blastocoele expansion degrees of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were 35%, 33.3%, 21%, 21.2%, 18.4%, respectively. Embryos with degrees of expansion grade ≤ 3 had lower ongoing pregnancy rates and higher miscarriage rates than those with degrees of expansion > 3 (p Limitations, reasons for caution Retrospective study. Wider implications of the findings When choosing the embryo to be transferred in cases with more than one euploid embryo, the selection should be made by considering the blastocoele expansion degrees and the presence of necrotic foci and separate blastomeres in the embryo. Trial registration number not applicable

Study question Are hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) and intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) both effective alternative methods for sperm selection? Summary answer Similar results were obtained in embryo morphokinetics between HOST and IMSI. What is known already HOST is a simple, low-cost and rapid test based on the swelling of the tail of the sperm in a hypoosmotic environment. Less DNA fragmentation, membrane integrity and aneuploidy rates have been found in sperm selected by the HOST method. It also allows identification of viable sperm in a totally immotile sperm sample. IMSI, on the other hand, is a method for identifying the morphologically best sperm using high-magnification microscope. In studies, IMSI has been associated with high fertilization rates. However, it is a time-consuming method that requires expensive equipment. Study design, size, duration Time-Lapse Monitoring (TLM)-incubated sibling embryos of 25 male factor patients who applied for ART treatment to Istanbul, Sisli Memorial ART and Genetics Center in 2021 were included into the study. Sibling embryos were grouped according to their sperm selection method. In the IMSI group 170 embryos, in the HOST group 173 embryos were evaluated retrospectively in terms of the morphokinetic parameters, the rates of blastulation, Top- Quality (TQ) and Good Quality (GQ) embryos and euploidy. Participants/materials, setting, methods Blastocyst grading was performed according to Gardner’s classification. Blastocysts 3AA,4AA,4AB,4BA,4BB,5AA,5AB,5BA,5BB were accepted as TQ+GQ. Blastulation rates was determined including the embryos at least 2 expansion. PGT-A results were obtained by Next Generation Sequencing(NGS) method. The comparison of the TLM parameters and clinical features of the patients were performed using Student’s t-test. Chi-square test was used for comparing the rates of fertilization, blastulation, TQ+GQ embryo and euploidy in each group. Main results and the role of chance No statistical difference was observed between IMSI and HOST groups in terms of morphokinetic parameters (tPN, tPNf, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, t7, t8, t9, tSC, tM, tSB, tB, tEB) (p > 0.05). There were higher rates of normal fertilization in the HOST group (90.8%) than in the IMSI group (82.4%) and of TQ+GQ embryo (HOST: 50%, IMSI: 47.3%). However, these diffrences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was statistically lower abnormal fertilization rate was found in HOST group (2.3% vs 7.1%, p = 0.038). When PGT-A results were compared (HOST:19 embryos, IMSI: 19), slightly higher results were observed in IMSI group than HOST group ( 63%, 58% respectively) (p > 0.05). Limitations, reasons for caution This was a retrospective of a small number of cases. Wider implications of the findings The similarity of the outcome in these initial findings studying a small number of cases, suggest that this study should be extended. Trial registration number None

Study question What is CHLOE’s (Fairtility) efficacy of prediction of blastulation (at 30hpi), pregnancy and ongoing clinical pregnancy following single embryo transfer (SET)? Summary answer CHLOE(Fairtility) algorithms are effective predictors of blastulation, ploidy, pregnancy, implantation and ongoing clinical pregnancy What is known already Time-lapse incubators have increased the amount of information available to the embryologist to help determine the fate of embryos. This has led to differences in clinical practice between clinics in how this information is prioritised. Moreover, inter-operator inconsistencies and the time-consuming nature of manually annotating time-lapse videos are challenges currently experienced by time-lapse users that can be relieved with Artificial Intelligence(AI) tools, such as CHLOE(Fairtility). CHLOE levergaes AI-based predictors to predict blastulation and implantation, whilst providing transparency to which biological characteristics have led to that determination. There is a need to validate AI tools before their incorporation into clinical practice. Study design, size, duration This was a single centre study that took place between 2017-2020, at Istanbul Memorial Sisli Hospital in Turkey, ART and Center. This was a retrospective cohort analysis that reviewed 6748 time-lapse videos containing 5392 cleaved embryos, 3763 blastocysts, 877 single embryo transfers(SET) with known ongoing pregnancy outcome (KOPO), 306 euploid SETs and 25 mosaic embryo SETs with KOPO. CHLOE blastocyst and implantation score efficacy of prediction of clinical outcomes was quantified using the metric AUC. Participants/materials, setting, methods Time-lapse videos were assessed using CHLOE(Fairtility), an AI based tool, to quantify quantitative and qualitative morphokinetics (including automated annotations of tPNa,tPNf,t2,t3,t4,t5,t6,t7,t8,t9,tM,tSB,tB,tEB), CHLOE implantation score and CHLOE blastocyst score (calculated at 30hpi) relative to laboratory (ploidy results, blastulation) and clinical outcomes (biochemical, clinical and ongoing pregnancy) following overall SET. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate area under the curve (AUC) as a measure of prediction efficacy. Main results and the role of chance Blastulation score assessment of cleaved embryos was predictive of blastulation (AUC=0.96, baseline=70% n = 5392, p 0.05). Following SET, implantation score was predictive of biochemical (AUC=0.71, baseline=49%, n = 866, p 0.05). Implantation score prediction of outcome was higher for non-PGT-A transfers than overall transfers for biochemical (Non-PGTA: AUC=0.73, baseline=33%, n = 535, p Limitations, reasons for caution This is a single centre study, using retrospective data where embryos were selected for transfer by human embryologists. Despite the data has heterogeneity in terms of clinical features, the study is part of a larger framework for responsible incorporation of AI into clinical practice through robust validation. Wider implications of the findings AI-based tools have the potential of increasing consistency, efficiency and efficacy of embryo selection. The additional information on quantitative and qualitative morphokinetics that AI tools such as CHLOE provide, bring transparency to the prediction, allowing for improvement in personalisation of care down to each individual embryo. Trial registration number None

Study question Does trophectoderm biopsy affect the initial level and rate of increase in ß-HCG levels after single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer?A comparison of PGT and non-PGT cycles. Summary answer Initial serum β-hCG concentrations from cycles resulting in a live birth was significantly lower than that for the non-PGT group. What is known already β-hCG may serve as early predictor of pregnancy outcome and potentially assist in reducing stress related to the uncertainty of outcome in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) treatments and counselling. hCG is produced primarily by differentiated syncytiotrophoblasts. Due to removal of trophectoderm cells, the secretion of β-hCG may be affected. Little, however, is known about the influence of trophectoderm biopsy on serum β-hCG levels in early pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to investigate if the levels and pregnancy outcomes predictive values of β-hCG vary in PGT and non-PGT cycles. Study design, size, duration This was a single center retrospective cohort study conducted at Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Reproductive Genetics Center, Istanbul Memorial Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey between January 2012-January 2021. A cohort of women with frozen-thawed single blastocysts transfers and having positive serum ß-HCG results on day 9 following ET (≥20 IU/L) were allocated into two groups; PGT group (1777 cycles) and non-PGT group (1874 cycles). Participants/materials, setting, methods The serum ß-hCG levels on day 9 and 11 after embryo transfer (ET) and the rate of ß-hCG increase were compared between the PGT and non-PGT cycles with respect to biochemical pregnancy loss (BPL), clinical pregnancy loss (CPL), and live birth. The cutoff values of initial β-hCG levels and the rate of ß-hCG increase from day- 9 to day-11 were evaluated for live birth and compared between the two groups. Main results and the role of chance Initial β-hCG levels were significantly higher in pregnancies resulting in live birth (184.68±99.54 IU/L, p = Limitations, reasons for caution This is a retrospective analysis. Wider implications of the findings Initial serum β-hCG values and the rate of β-hCG increase may be useful for predicting pregnancy outcomes in PGT cases undergoing trophectoderm biopsy. Trial registration number Not applicable

Chromosome testing strategies, such as preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), improve initial IVF outcomes by avoiding unwitting transfer of aneuploid embryos in morphology-based selection practices. Newer technologies have revealed that some embryos may appear to have intermediate whole chromosome (or parts of a chromosome termed segmental) copy number results suggesting trophectoderm mosaicism. An embryo with a trophectoderm mosaic-range result may be the only option for transfer for some patients. Recent data suggest that such mosaic embryos can be transferred without added risk of abnormal birth outcomes but may be associated with increased implantation failure and miscarriage rates, with higher values of mosaicism appearing to be less favourable for producing good outcomes. In this Position Statement, we provide guidance to laboratories, clinics, clinicians and counsellors to assist in discussions on the utility and transfer of mosaic embryos. Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[No Abstract Available]

OBJECTIVETo develop a methodology for case selection and whole-exome sequencing (WES) analysis in infertile women due to recurrent oocyte maturation defects(OOMD) and/or preimplantation embryo lethality (PREMBL).DESIGNRetrospective cohort study.SETTINGIVF patients attending the Istanbul Memorial Hospital (2015-2021). WES and bioinformatics were performed at Igenomix and National Research Council, Italy.PATIENTSA statistical methodology for identification of infertile endophenotypes (recurrent low oocyte maturation rate, LMR, low fertilization rate, LFR, and preimplantation developmental arrest, PDA, was developed using a large IVF dataset (11,221 couples). 28 OOMD/PREMBL infertile women were subsequently enrolled for WES.INTERVENTION30X-WES was performed on women’s gDNA. Pathogenic variants were prioritized using a custom-made bioinformatic pipeline set to minimize false positive discoveries through resampling in control cohorts (i.e., HGDP and 1,343 WES from oocyte donors). Individual scRNAseq data from 18 human MII oocytes and antral granulosa cells(AGC) was used for genome-wide validation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREIdentification of High-impact variants causative of OOMD/PREMBL endophenotypes.RESULTSVariant prioritization analysis identified 265 unique variants in 248 genes (average per sample 22.4). 87.8% of genes harbouring high-impact variants are expressed by MII oocytes and/or AGC, significantly higher compared to a random sample of controls. Seven of the 28 women (25%) are homozygous carriers of missense pathogenic variants in known candidate genes for OOMD/PREMBL, including PATL2, NLRP5 (N=2), TLE6,PADI6, TUBB8 and TRIP13. Furthermore, novel gene-disease associations were identified. One LMR woman was a homozygous carrier of high impact variants in ELSA, an essential gene for phopase I meiotic transition in mice, whereas three women carried biallelic pathogenic variants in CEP128 gene, participating in the formation of the spindle in mitosis and ciliogenesis.CONCLUSIONSThis analytical framework revealed known and new genes associated with isolated recurrent OOMD/PREMBL, providing essential indications for scaling this strategy to larger studies.

To evaluate whether gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the measurements of quantitative and qualitative parameters on hepatobiliary phase images can predict the risk of postoperative complications in patients underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) PATIENTS AND METHODS: We obtained Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3 Tesla MRI before living donor hepatectomy in donors (donor group; n=30) and after LDLT in their recipients (recipient group; n=30). MRIs were evaluated in terms of quantitative and qualitative variables. Quantitative parameters included relative liver enhancement value, biliary signal intensity value, and muscle signal index value. Qualitative parameters included visual evaluation of the liver and biliary enhancement on hepatobiliary phase images. Patients were followed up for postoperative biliary and vascular complications and divided according to the presence and absence of complications. The relationship between MRI parameters and postoperative complications was statistically analyzed.The mean relative liver enhancement values, mean biliary signal values, and muscle signal index were significantly lower in recipients with postoperative complications than those in donors and recipients without complications (p0.001). Visual assessments of liver enhancement and biliary signal were also significantly different in recipients with postoperative complications than that in donors and recipients without complications (p0.001).Quantitative and qualitative MRI parameters obtained by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI on hepatobiliary phase images may potentially become a reliable tool for the assessment of the risk for postoperative complications after LDLT.

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by using chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The effects of different annealing atmospheres (air and sulfur) on the structural, morphological and optical properties of CdS thin films were studied at three different pH values. Compactness and smoothness of the films (especially for pH 10.5 and 11) enhanced after sulfur annealing. pH value of the precursor solution remarkably affected the roughness, uniformity and particle sizes of the films. Based on the analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the films, micro-strain and dislocation density values of the sulfur-annealed films (pH 10.5 and 11) were found to be lower than those of air-annealed films. Air-annealed films (pH 10.5, 11 and 11.5) exhibited higher transmittance than sulfur-annealed films in the wavelength region of 550–800 nm. Optical band gap values of the films were found between 2.31 eV and 2.36 eV.

CdS thin films have been obtained on glass substrates by using chemical bath deposition technique. Different concentrations of coumarin were used as an additive in the growth solutions, for the first time. The effects of coumarin on the properties of the as-deposited and annealed CdS thin films were investigated. It was found that increasing coumarin concentration in the growth solution remarkably affects the crystallinity and uniformity of the films. The 1% and 2% presence of coumarin enhanced the surface morphology while higher concentrations decreased surface uniformity. In the optical band gap values of both as-deposited and annealed films, a decrease has been observed with increasing additive concentration. Through temperature dependent resistance measurements of the films, impurity levels׳ electrical activation energies for each film have been estimated by means of the obtained discrete linear regions indicating different conduction mechanisms.

CuO nanostructures with and without Pb were synthesized by the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction method. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that the morphology of the film surface was changed from plate-like to coral-like nanostructures with increasing Pb concentration. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed the monoclinic crystal structure with preferential planes of ( 1 ¯ 1 1 ) and (1 1 1). Furthermore, ultraviolet–visible spectra showed that the band gap of the films was tailored by Pb doping.

WOS: 000342139300006, In this paper, we report, for the first time, the results of the polyethylene glycol- (PEG) assisted preparation and characterization of high-quality and well-crystallized Cu2SnS3 (CTS) thin films obtained using sol-gel spin-coating method and a subsequent annealing in a sulphur atmosphere. Structural, morphological, compositional, electrical and optical investigations were carried out. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the samples proved the polycrystalline nature and preferred crystallization of the films. No peak referring to other binary or ternary phases were detected in the patterns. The intensity of the preferred orientation and crystallite size of the films increased with increasing PEG content. This trend yielded an improvement in photo-transient currents of the PEG-assisted growth of CTS films. The scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the CTS films have continuous, dense and agglomeration-like morphology. Through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies, it has been deduced that the samples consist of Cu, Sn and S of which atomic percentages were consistent with Cu/Sn and S/metal initial ratios. The agglomerated morphology of the samples has been attributed to increasing PEG content. A remarkable enhancement was observed in photo-transient currents of p-n junction of the produced films along with increasing PEG content. Through resistivity-temperature measurements, three impurity level electrical activation energy values for each film were found. Optical band gap values of the films were estimated via absorbance-wavelength behaviours and decreased with increasing PEG content. It has been revealed that PEG-assisted growth of CTS thin films is a promising way to improve its photovoltaic characteristics., Scientific Research Commission of the Mustafa Kemal University [11,680], The financial support from Scientific Research Commission of the Mustafa Kemal University (Project No: 11,680) is greatly appreciated.

Copper zinc tin sulfide (Cu2ZnSnS4) has been receiving a lot of attention in recent years as a new, alternative absorber for the production of cheap thin film solar cells owing to the high natural abundance of all the constituents, its tunable direct-band-gap energy, and its large optical absorption coefficient. In addition, to overcome the problem of expensive vacuum-based methods, solution-based approaches are being developed for Cu2ZnSnS4 deposition. In this study, Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films were grown on soda lime glass substrates via the sulfurization of solution grown Cu2SnS3/ZnS stacked sulfide layers. A new facile route to overcome the difficulty of depositing Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film with a desired stoichiometric composition in a single cation solution has been presented. The influences of deposition cycles of layers on the morphological, compositional, structural, and optical properties of the samples were investigated. It was observed from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images that the films were continuous and composed of homogenously distributed large grains. Possible chemical formulations of the best samples were predicted to be Cu1.99Zn1.25Sn1.00S3.76 and Cu1.97Zn1.03Sn1.29S3.71via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) results. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples matched very well with the reference values. The Raman-scattering analysis of the films proved the phase purity of the CZTS samples. The optical absorption coefficient of the films was found to be about 104 cm−1 based on absorbance spectroscopy. The optical band gaps of the films were estimated to be between 1.36 and 1.50 eV. From these we are able to conclude that CZTS thin films can be effectively obtained via the vacuum-atmosphere sulfurization of Cu2SnS3/ZnS stacked sulfide layers.

As a promising and alternative solar absorber material, the copper–zinc–tin–sulfide compound (Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 ) has been drawing attention in recent years for the production of cheap thin-film solar cells owing to the high natural abundance and non-toxicity of all the constituents, a tunable direct-band-gap energy and a large optical absorption coefficient. In addition, to overcome the problem of expensive vacuum-based methods, solution-based approaches are being developed for Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 deposition. In this study, we have produced Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 thin films via the sol–gel technique and subsequent sulfurization. The effects of the sulfurization temperature on the structural, morphological, compositional and optical properties of the films were investigated. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analyses confirmed the formation of phase-pure CZTS films. The crystallinity of the films increased with an increasing sulfurization temperature. From the surface images and the results of the composition analysis, it was found that the films are uniform, composed of homogenously distributed grains and have compositions with Cu deficit. The values of the optical absorption coefficients for the films were found to be 10 4 cm −1 based on absorbance spectroscopy. The optical band-gap values were estimated to be between 1.32 and 2.27 eV depending on the sulfurization temperature.

In this paper, we report the production of Cu2SnS3 thin films with high phase purity via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method on soda lime glass substrates. Structural, morphological, compositional, optical and electrical investigations were carried out. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the samples matched very well with the reference pattern and proved the polycrystalline nature of the films. As a secondary phase, one weak peak indicating covallite Cu2–xS phase was observed in the pattern of the sample deposited by using equimolar Cu and Sn. The surface morphologies of the films were found to be continuous and composed of homogeneously distributed large grains. From the reflectance and transmittance data, the optical absorption coefficient values of the films were found to be about 104 cm−1 and the films were found to be almost opaque in the wavelengths from 200 to 600 nm with a small reflectivity of about 10%. Band gap values of the films decreased from 1.45 to 1.35 eV with decreasing Cu content. Electrical characterization showed that the films were p-type semiconductor. Two different impurity levels for each film were found via resistivity-temperature characteristics.

Boron doped CdS thin films were deposited by spray pyrolysis method using perfume atomizer. The effects of ultraviolet light on the structural, optical and electrical properties of B-doped CdS thin films were investigated as a function of dopant concentration (B/Cd). X-ray diffraction studies showed that all samples were polycrystalline nature with hexagonal structure. It was determined that the preferred orientation of non-illuminated samples changes from (1 0 1) to (0 0 2) with B concentration. The c lattice constant of films decreases from 6.810 A to 6.661 A with boron doping. The XRD peak intensity increased with the illumination for almost all the samples. The lattice parameters of B-doped samples remained nearly constant after illumination. It was found that the optical transmittance, photoluminescence spectra, resistivity and carrier concentration of the B-doped samples are stable after the illumination with UV light. Also the effects of UV light on B-doped CdS/Cu 2 S solar cell were investigated and it was determined that photoelectrical parameters of B-doped solar cell were more durable against the UV light.

We report the fabrication of Al/n-ZnO/p-Si/Al diode structures with a flower-like ZnO layer. The average grain size, microstrain and dislocation density in the ZnO layer were determined as 25 nm, 1.55 × 10−3 and 3.23 × 1013 cm−2, respectively. From absorption spectra, the optical band gap was found to be ∼3.17 eV. A red shift was attributed to non-stoichiometry arising from Zn+2 ions substituting for oxygen vacancies. The ideality factor was determined as 1.55. The barrier height was calculated as 0.71 eV from I–V characteristics and 0.73 eV using the Norde plots.

Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Ctr Human Reprod Prof Franco Jr, Paulista Ctr Diag Res & Training, Dept Gynecol & Obstet,Botucatu Med Sch, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

Mn 0.2 Ni 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were synthesized by PEG assisted hydrothermal technique. XRD and FT-IR analysis confirmed the composition and structure as spinel ferrite. The average crystallite size was found as 27 nm from the XRD pattern. SEM measurements have revealed that the nanoparticles exhibit large grain structures having regular morphology (polygons) with soft agglomerations. Gas sensing characteristics of the film fabricated by Mn 0.2 Ni 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were investigated for different concentrations of humidity, ethanol, acetone, methanol, toluene and benzene and for oxygen gas. It was found that the sensor is highly sensitive to humidity but weakly sensitive for the other organic volatile compounds and especially for oxygen gas.

In this study, we investigated the effects of coumarin presence in the growth solution on the properties of ZnO. Significant changes/improvements were observed in morphology and crystal structure. From the morphological studies, it was seen that the substrates were uniformly covered with rod/rice-like nano-structures and average diameters of the structures decreased with increasing coumarin content in the growth solution. Also coumarin affected the surface morphology, coverage density and uniformity of the shape of the structures. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that all diffraction peaks were well indexed to hexagonal phase crystalline ZnO. The greater intensities of (0 0 2) peaks in the patterns revealed c-axis orientation normal to the substrate. The crystallization of the samples was gradually enhanced with increasing coumarin volume up to 5%. When the coumarin volume exceeded 5%, the crystallization was affected negatively. The electrical resistivity values increased with increasing coumarin content and it was attributed to the decrease in carrier concentration originated by carrier traps at the grain boundaries.

Nanostructured cadmium hydroxide (Cd(OH)2) thin films have been fabricated on glass substrates by the chemical bath deposition method and converted into cadmium oxide (CdO) films by heat treatments. Some of the films were studied as-grown and the others were annealed in air at 150, 300 and 450 °C. The effects of various annealing processes on the structural, morphological and optical properties of the Cd(OH)2 and CdO films were studied. The band gaps of the films vary from 2.74 eV to 2.32 eV for different annealing temperatures. It was observed that there is a direct dependence of the structural, morphological and optical properties on the annealing temperature of the films. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements showed that as-grown and annealed film at 150 °C fully consist of Cd(OH)2 and the annealed films at 300 and 450 °C consist of CdO nanoparticles. The size of the nanoparticles, which were calculated from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) figures by using a pixels program, was found to lie betwe...

We have investigated the effects of Al, K and Co dopant elements on the properties of ZnO thin films deposited by CBD method on glass substrates. Changing in morphology, structural parameters, ionization energies of impurity levels, absorption behavior and optical band gap values were investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), resistance–temperature measurement (R–T) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) techniques. From the SEM observations, various morphologies (rod-like, flower-like and rice-like) were observed. Those morphological variations were attributed to the change in stable growth mechanism of intrinsic ZnO, induced by different atomic radius and different electronegativity of dopants. XRD results indicated that all orientations are well indexed to hexagonal phase crystalline ZnO. The impurity level ionization energy values (ΔE) were estimated as 0.32/0.13/0.07 eV; 0.34/0.15 eV; 0.40/0.13 eV and 0.48/0.22 eV for the Al, K, Co doped samples and i-ZnO, respectively. Optical band gap values were found that the doped samples' were higher than the intrinsic one's. This increasing (blue shift) was attributed to a deterioration which occurred in the lattice of the structures after doping. This effect was also supported by the structural results.

In this paper, undoped and tin-doped ZnO nanostructures were grown onto non-conductive substrates by a simple solution method. Structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the structures were investigated with respect to tin concentration. From XRD studies, all the ZnO nanostructures were found as hexagonal wurtzite type structures growing preponderantly oriented with c-axis normal to the substrate. An increase in tin content resulted in a decrease in grain size, whereas the dislocation density increases. SEM observations indicated that all the structures were textured throughout the substrates without any cracks or pores. The influence of incorporation of tin on surface morphology of the samples was clearly seen. Average diameter of the nanostructures decreased with increasing tin content. Absorption spectra of the structures revealed that the band gap of the films increases with increasing tin concentration. It is found that the tin-doped samples have higher average transmittance than the undoped one. The 1 % tin-doped sample exhibited ∼80 % average transparency, which was the best transparency among the doped samples. Electrical measurements showed that resistivity of the structures increased with increasing dopant concentration. This increasing was attributed due to a decrease in carrier concentration caused by carrier traps at the grain boundaries.

Tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) thin films were prepared by thermal evaporation method onto quartz substrates at room temperature. Effect of annealing temperature (from 200 to 800 °C) to morphology, crystallographic structure and electrical properties were investigated. In order to investigate the temperature dependant resistivity properties of the films dark current–voltage measurements were done at the temperatures of 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 °C. From the AFM pictures it is seen that the increasing annealing temperature causes an increase in grain sizes. At elevated temperatures the grains combine to each other and thus form continuous and homogenous surfaces. From the XRD patterns it was seen that the as-prepared and annealed films at 200, 300, 310 and 320 °C were amorphous. On the other hand at 330 °C and higher temperatures the films were found as in crystallized structures (monoclinic phase). From the current–voltage measurements it was seen that the contacts areohmic and the current increased with increasing temperatures. From the calculated values it was seen that the produced films shows good semiconducting nature.

In this paper, growth steps of well defined ZnO nanorod arrays deposited on seeded substrates were investigated. To obtain ZnO seed layer on glass substrates, a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method was used and then ZnO nanorods were grown on seed layer using a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The effects of seed layer and deposition time on morphology, crystallographic structure (e.g. grain size, microstrain and dislocation density) and electrical characteristics of ZnO nanorods were studied. From the SEM micrographs, it could be seen that the ZnO nanorods densely covered the substrate and were nearly perpendicular to the substrate surface. The XRD patterns showed that the ZnO nanorod arrays had a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred orientation along the (002) plane. An increase in deposition time resulted in an increase in the intensity of the preferred orientation and grain size, but a decrease in microstrain and dislocation density. Electrical activation energi...

Highly c-axis oriented ZnO films were deposited on seeded glass substrates. Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method and chemical bath deposition (CBD) method were used to obtain seed layers and ZnO films. To see the effects of seed layer and deposition time, structural (e.g. grain size, microstrain and dislocation density), morphological, and electrical (e.g. resistivity, activation energy) properties of the films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and four point probe method. From the SEM images, resultant structures were found as well defined nanorods nearly perpendicular to the substrate surfaces and densely cover the substrates. The XRD patterns showed that ZnO films have hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred c-axis orientation along (002) plane. C-axis orientation was also supported by texture coefficient calculations. The lattice parameters of the structures were determined as a = 3.2268 A, b = 5.2745 A, α = β = 90° and γ = 120°. From the XRD patterns, it was revealed that, microstrain and dislocation density values of the structures decreased whereas grain size increased. This was attributed to enhancement occurred in lattice structure of the ZnO films. Activation energy values of the films were found in between 0.12 and 0.15 eV from the dark electrical resistivity-temperature characteristics in a temperature range of 300–500 K.

This novel study reports the behaviour of coumarin during the ZnO chemical bath deposition (CBD) process. Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed that grain sizes of the ZnO nanostructures get smaller and become more uniform in size with increasing coumarin content. Length-to-diameter ratio of the structures increased with the incorporation of coumarin. From the X-Ray diffraction results, with increasing coumarin content, significant decrease in grain sizes was determined. It was found that resistivity values of the structures increased with increasing coumarin content. This increase is attributed with a decrease in carrier concentration originated by carrier traps at the grain boundaries. Through slopes of versus curves, impurity level ionization energy values were calculated as 0.16, 0.06 eV; 0.11, 0.02 eV; and 0.08, 0.06 eV for the structure growth in the solutions containing 0, 1 and 5 at.% coumarin, respectively.

Two simple, safe and environmental friendly chemical solution methods which are suitable to mass production, applicable at low temperatures and cost effective, were used to prepare homogenous nano-structured cupric oxide (CuO) films. By using different types of substrates (glass, quartz, Cu foil and Si) and techniques various types of CuO nanostructures (plate, needle and network like) were produced. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and temperature dependant dark electrical resistivity measurements in order to investigate the effects of substrate on morphology, crystallographic structure and electrical properties of the films. From these characterizations it was seen that there are significant differences in the morphological, crystallographic, structural and electrical properties of the nanostructures that were produced by different techniques and/or on different substrates. Besides, growth mechanisms of CuO films have been investigated.

In order to investigate the effect of thermal oxidation temperature on tin dioxide (SnO2), tin dioxide films were obtained on quartz substrates by vacuum evaporation of tin metal. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), temperature dependent electrical resistivity measurement and optical absorption spectroscopy. The SEM images showed that the films are dense, continuous and are composed of nanoparticles and particle sizes are increased after thermal oxidation. From the X-ray measurement results, the films indicated two strong reflection peaks of tetragonal structure in the orientations of (1 0 1) and (2 0 0) at 2θ = 33.89° and 37.95°, respectively. Intensity of the peaks increased with increasing thermal oxidation temperature. We found resistivity values of about 10−4 Ω-cm. Optical absorption spectra of the films in the UV–Vis spectral range revealed that optical band gap (Eg) value of the films increases with increasing thermal oxidation temperature.

Introduction: Weight loss amongst women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is crucial to reduce the risk of endocrine, reproductive and metabolic complications including hirsutism, menstrual disturbances and cardiovascular disease. With approximately 50% of women with PCOS being overweight or obese, effective dietary management of weight in PCOS is essential. However, there is inconsistent evidence as to whether specifically modified diets (e.g. reduced carbohydrate diets) are more effective at achieving weight loss amongst women with PCOS than are conventional healthy hypocaloric diets. Material and Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that had compared weight and BMI between women with PCOS who had undergone either a specifically modified diet or a conventional healthy hypocaloric diet were performed. Six electronic databases were searched, a manual search of the reference lists of the included studies was carried out and authors were contacted for additional information. Nine studies with a total of 395 participants (all with a body mass index [BMI] ≥30) were included in the meta-analysis. The effect size used was the mean difference in post-intervention weight and BMI between participants who had undergone a specifically modified diet and participants who had undergone a conventional healthy hypocaloric diet. Results: There were no differences between groups in post-intervention weight (mean difference 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.92 to 3.43, p = .26; heterogeneity I2 = 50%, p = .04) or BMI (mean difference 0.15, 95% CI -0.93 to 1.23, p = 0.79; heterogeneity I2 = 44%, p = 0.10). Subgroup analyses according to the presence of a dietary run-in period (a period at the start of the study during which all participants are placed on an identical diet in order to equalize them on variables influenced by diet), intervention duration and type of diet and a sensitivity analysis according to study quality were not significant. Conclusions: Whilst the results should be interpreted in light of the moderate heterogeneity observed, they suggest that specifically modified diets offer no added benefit for weight loss in women with PCOS over conventional healthy hypocaloric diets. The findings of this meta-analysis may promote the unification of guidelines for the dietary management of PCOS and allow clinicians to be confident in prescribing conventional healthy hypocaloric diets for weight loss amongst their PCOS patients.

Introduction: The effect of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on neurodevelopmental outcome is unclear. Probably, IVF does not affect traditional measures of neurological development in infancy, but little is known on long-term effects. Recently a new video-based instrument to evaluate neuromotor development was developed. The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) evaluates neuromotor condition in infants in terms of the quality of spontaneous motor behaviour. The IMP does not only assess traditional neuromotor domains, such as performance, symmetry and movement fluency, but also two novel domains: variation and variability. Movement variation denotes the size of the child's movement repertoire. Previous studies demonstrated that reduced movement variation is associated with early lesions of the periventricular white matter and - more generally - reflects the integrety of cortical connectivity. In addition, reduced variation during infancy is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in later life and reduced intelligence at school age. Variability denotes the child's ability to select from the repertoire of movements the strategy that suits the situation best. In this prospective, assessor-blinded cohort study, we address the question whether ovarian hyperstimulation and/or the in vitro procedure affect movement variation during infancy. Material and Methods: Singletons born following IVF with conventional controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH-IVF, n = 68), following IVF in a modified natural cycle (MNC-IVF, n = 57) and following natural conception born to subfertile couples (Sub-NC, n = 90) were assessed with the IMP at 4, 10 and 18 months. The assessment resulted in a total IMP score and 5 domain scores: variation (i.e. the size of movement repertoire), variability (i.e. the ability to select motor strategies), symmetry, fluency and performance. Primary outcome was the domain score variation. Outcome variables were analyzed with a mixed effects model. Results: The mixed model indicated an overall effect of treatment on variation (p Conclusions: The preliminary data suggest that ovarian hyperstimulation may be associated with reduced movement variation in infancy. These findings stress the need to carefully monitor neurodevelopment in IVF offspring.

This paper describes a simple, low temperature and cost effective solution method to synthesize homogenous cupric oxide (CuO) nano-structured thin films. By this method dense and continuous CuO films with good crystallinity can be prepared in a short time, e.g., in 15 min. The scanning electron microscopy illustrated that the synthesized CuO plate-like nanostructures have RMS thicknesses of 100 nm. The XRD measurements showed that the synthesized CuO nanostructures have a high crystallinity with monoclinic crystal structure preferentially in ( 1 ¯ 1 1 ) and (1 1 1) directions. From the temperature dependant dark electrical resistivity measurements the ionization energies of the impurity levels and thermal band gap energies of the films were calculated.