The formation of minibands due to the quantum confinement and the

The formation of minibands due to the quantum confinement and the phonon-bottleneck effect on carrier-phonon scattering are considered. For transport of bulk-like electrons, a Boltzmann-transport-equation-based semiclassical model is used to describe the multiband transport processes of carriers. The intrinsic carrier scatterings as well as the carrier-interface scattering of these bulk-like electrons are considered. We then apply the two-channel transport model to predict thermoelectric transport properties of n-type find more PbSe/PbTe quantum dot nanocomposites with PbSe quantum dots uniformly embedded in the PbTe matrix. The dependence of thermoelectric transport

coefficients on the size of quantum dots, interdot distance, doping concentration, and temperature are studied in detail. Due to the formation of minibands and the phonon-bottleneck effect on carrier-phonon scattering, we show that simultaneous enhancement of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient can be realized in quantum dot nanocomposites. Our Belinostat cell line study could shed some light on the design of high-efficiency thermoelectric materials for energy conversion and thermal management. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3653263]“
“Hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence with accelerated fibrosis following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT)

is a universal phenomenon. To evaluate mechanisms contributing to HCV induced allograft fibrosis/cirrhosis, we investigated HCV-specific CD4+Th17 cells and their induction in OLT recipients with recurrence

utilizing 51 HCV+ OLT recipients, 15 healthy Z-IETD-FMK price controls and 9 HCV- OLT recipients. Frequency of HCV specific CD4+ Tcells secreting IFN-gamma, IL-17 and IL-10 was analyzed by ELISpot. Serum cytokines and chemokines were analyzed by LUMINEX. Recipients with recurrent HCV induced allograft inflammation and fibrosis/cirrhosis demonstrated a significant increase in frequency of HCV specific CD4+Th17 cells. Increased pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-17, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1), decreased IFN-gamma, and increased IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 levels were identified. OLT recipients with allograft inflammation and fibrosis/cirrhosis demonstrated increased frequency of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) that inhibited HCV specific CD4+Th1 but not Th17 cells. This suggests that recurrent HCV infection in OLT recipients induces an inflammatory milieu characterized by increased IL-6, IL-1 beta and decreased IFN-gamma which facilitates induction of HCV specific CD4+Th17 cells. These cells are resistant to suppression by Tregs and may mediate an inflammatory cascade leading to cirrhosis in OLT recipients following HCV recurrence.”
“The phase relation of tetragonal and cubic PbTiO3 and their unit-cell parameters have been determined by synchrotron x-ray diffraction at pressures up to 7.8 GPa and temperatures up to 1074 K with a cubic anvil apparatus.

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