Controlling the Polarity of the Molecular Beam Epitaxy Grown In-Bi Atomic Film on the Si(111) Surface.

Synchrotron radiation core-level photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and first-principles calculations have been utilized to explore the growth processes and the atomic structure of the resulting films during the two-step molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of In and Bi on the Si(111) surface. Deposition of 1.0-ML Bi on the In/Si(111)-(4 × 1) surface at room temperature results in Bi-terminated BiIn-(4 × 3) structures, which are stable up to ~300 °C annealing. By contrast, deposition of In on the ß-Bi/Si(111)-(√3 × âˆš3) surface at room temperature results in three dimensional (3D) In islands. In both cases, annealing at 460 °C results in the same In-terminated In0.75Bi/Si(111)-(2 × 2) surface. Our DFT calculations confirm that the surface energy of In-terminated In0.75Bi/Si(111)-(2 × 2) system is lower than that of Bi-terminated Bi0.75In/Si(111)-(2 × 2). These findings provide means for the control of the polarity of the MBE In-Bi atomically thick films.

Voice Therapy Effect on Mutational Falsetto Patients: A Vocal Aerodynamic Study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of voice therapy (VT) and analyze the vocal aerodynamic characteristics in mutational falsetto (MF) patients. METHODS: From October 2010 through May 2014, 26 patients with MF at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital were studied retrospectively. Vocal assessment, including the 10-item Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10), fundamental frequency (F0), and vocal aerodynamic parameters (subglottic pressure [SGP]), aerodynamic power [AP], mean expiratory airflow, and maximum phonation time [MPT]), was proceeded before and after VT. RESULTS: Before VT, the mean F0, AP, and SGP of MF patients were significantly higher than Control Group, whereas mean MPT was significantly shorter. After a 4-week VT, the mean F0, AP, and SGP were decreased, and the mean MPT was significantly increased compared with the measurements obtained before VT. After the 4-week VT, the VHI-10 scores in 21 patients reverted to normal Control Group's level (Effective Subgroup), whereas the VHI-10 scores in the other 5 patients remained higher than the normal Control Group (Ineffective Subgroup). Subgroup analysis showed the mean AP and SGP of the Ineffective Subgroup were similar to the Control Group, whereas the Effective Subgroup showed higher AP and SGP. After the 4-week VT, MPT in both the Effective Subgroup and Ineffective Subgroup increased significantly, but AP and SGP in the Ineffective Subgroup did not change significantly. CONCLUSION: VT is an effective treatment for MF patients with laryngeal hyperfunction. Most MF patients can return to normal voice in 4 weeks. Vocal aerodynamic examination can help in predicting the VT effect and deciding the treatment plan. MF patients without laryngeal hyperfunction may need longer VT period or other adjuvant treatment.

[Comparison of biological characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia with those from non-leukemia].

This study was aimed to compare partial biological characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) in AML patients, AML patients with complete remission (CR) and non-leukemia patients. The bone marrow (BM) MSCs were divided into 3 groups: group of MSCs from AML patients, group of MSCs from AML patients with CR, group of MSCs from non-leukemia patients. The morphologic features of MSCs were observed by light microscopy; CFU-F numbers of MSCs were counted after Wright-Giemsa staining in situ; the fusion times of MSCs were determined; the growth curves of MSCs were drawn by counting cell numbers; the immunophenotypes and cell cycle of MSCs were detected by flow cytometry; the DI values of MSCs were calculated. The results showed that the morphologic features of MSCs in 3 groups did not display difference; there was significant difference (p < 0.01) of CFU-F numbers in 3 groups, while CFU-F number of MSCs in AML group was minimal; there was significant difference of MSC fusion time in 3 groups, while fusion time of MSCs in AML group was most long; the growth curves of MSCs in 3 groups were similar; MSCs in 3 groups highly expressed CD105 and CD106, but not expressed CD45; the cell distribution ratios at phase of G(0)/G(1) for MSCs in 3 groups were 89.9 +/- 4.0%, 90.2 +/- 3.0% and 91.0 +/- 3.0% respectively; the DI values of MSCs in 3 groups were between 0.9 and 1.1. It is concluded that no significant difference of biological characteristics of the second generations of MSCs is found between those in leukemia and non-leukemia patients.