Ultra-dry air plasma treatment for enhancing the dielectric properties of Al2O3-GPTMS-PMMA hybrid dielectric gate layers in a-IGZO TFT applications.

We assessed the effects of ultra dry-air plasma surface treatments on the properties of Al2O3-GPTMS-PMMA hybrid dielectric layers for applications to high-performance amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs). The hybrid layers were deposited by an easy dip coating sol-gel process at low temperature and then treated with dry-air plasma at 1, 2 and 3 consecutive cycles. Their properties were analyzed as a function of the number of plasma cycles and contrasted with those of the untreated ones. The dielectric characteristics of the hybrid layers were determined from I-V and C-f measurements performed on metal-insulator-metal and metal-insulator-semiconductor devices. The results show that the plasma treatments increase the surface energy and wettability of the hybrid films. There is also a reduction of the OH groups and oxygen vacancies in the hybrid network improving the dielectric properties. The incorporation of nitrogen into the hybrid films surface is also observed. The plasma-treated hybrid dielectric layers were applied as dielectric gate in the fabrication of a-IGZO TFTs. The best electrical performance of the fabricated TFTs was achieved with the 3 cycles plasma-treated hybrid dielectric gate, showing high mobility, 29.3 cm2 V-1 s-1, low threshold voltage, 2.9 V, high I ON/OFF current ratio, 106, and low subthreshold swing of 0.42 V dec-1.

Pentoxifylline during steroid window phase at induction to remission increases apoptosis in childhood with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Purpose: Pentoxifylline (PTX) has been shown to increase chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. A clinical trial was developed to evaluate the effect of the addition of PTX to the induction steroid window phase in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods: Thirty-two children were enrolled on this study. Children with a new diagnosis of ALL were randomly assigned to receive prednisone (PRD) 40 mg/m2/day only during the 7-day treatment pre-phase (PRD group, 11 patients) or to receive PRD with PTX (10 mg/kg/day) (PTX group, 11 patients); the control group included children with normal bone marrow (10 patients). Bone marrow aspiration (BMA) was performed at diagnosis (day -7) in all groups, and at day 0 (end of PRD window) for patients with ALL (PRD and PTX groups). Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry (FC) using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) stains. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Apoptotic index at day -7 was similar in all groups. However, at day 0 post-treatment, apoptosis was significantly higher in the PTX group than in the PRD group (p < 0.001). There were no serious adverse effects associated with PTX. Conclusions: PTX potentiates blast apoptosis induced by PRD in children with ALL during steroid window phase (AU)

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Pentoxifylline during steroid window phase at induction to remission increases apoptosis in childhood with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE: Pentoxifylline (PTX) has been shown to increase chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. A clinical trial was developed to evaluate the effect of the addition of PTX to the induction steroid window phase in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: Thirty-two children were enrolled on this study. Children with a new diagnosis of ALL were randomly assigned to receive prednisone (PRD) 40 mg/m(2)/day only during the 7-day treatment pre-phase (PRD group, 11 patients) or to receive PRD with PTX (10 mg/kg/day) (PTX group, 11 patients); the control group included children with normal bone marrow (10 patients). Bone marrow aspiration (BMA) was performed at diagnosis (day -7) in all groups, and at day 0 (end of PRD window) for patients with ALL (PRD and PTX groups). Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry (FC) using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) stains. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Apoptotic index at day -7 was similar in all groups. However, at day 0 post-treatment, apoptosis was significantly higher in the PTX group than in the PRD group (p < 0.001). There were no serious adverse effects associated with PTX. CONCLUSIONS: PTX potentiates blast apoptosis induced by PRD in children with ALL during steroid window phase.