The combination of PLT with SV and RV could predict Child-Pugh class of liver cirrhosis and identify the presence of esophageal varices.

The effect of active alumina on the sintering behavior of andalusite powder was studied. The results revealed that the addition of active alumina delayed the decomposition of andalusite and primary mullitization, beginning temperature of secondary mullitization was about 1350°C. The temperature at which the effect of expansion of the secondary mullitization emerged was about 1400°C, and the expansion effect of secondary mullitization did not yet complete at 1600°C.

Gas-phase methanol carbonylation over HMOR catalyst was investigated for the synthesis of dimethyl ether (DME) and acetic acid (HOAc). The results revealed that the selectivity of DME reached 98% and the methanol conversion was 45% under the reaction temperature of 493K. While, the selectivity of HOAc was 30% and the methanol conversion reached 80% when reaction temperature was increased to 573K. TEM, SEM, XRD, N2 physisorbtion, XPS and TG-DTG measurements were performed to characterize the texture and structure of the catalyst. Serious coking on the catalyst surface significantly limited the utilization of unmodified HMOR catalyst in the reaction.

Abstract. This paper presents the fabrication technologies related to flexible titanium-dioxide (TiO 2 ) working electrodes and graphite counter electrodes on plastic substrates for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSC on a plastic substrate had a sandwich structure consisting of a TiO 2 working electrode, an electrolyte, and a graphite counter electrode. Nano-crystalline TiO 2 powder, titanium (IV) bis (ammonium lactato) dihydroxide (TALH), de-ionized water (DI water), and Triton X-100 were added to the mixture of PDMS base and curing agents to form TiO 2 colloids for the TiO 2 working electrode. The material analysis of the TiO 2 working electrode and the graphite counter electrode employed field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Nano-crystalline TiO 2 powder was used to form the TiO 2 working electrode. The surface characteristics of the TiO 2 and graphite films were investigated herein. The low-cost fabrication technologies of the TiO 2 working electrode and graphite counter electrode on the plastic substrate were clearly demonstrated.