Nanocrystalline silicon films were prepared by pulsed-laser ablation in high-purity He, Ar or Ne gas at room temperature under a deposition pressure of 10 Pa. The Raman and Xray diffraction spectra indicate that the films are nanocrystalline. Scanning electron microscopy images show that Ar or Ne gas, compared to He gas, yields smaller and more uniform-sized Si nanoparticles at the same deposition conditions, which is also confirmed by the blue-shifted and narrower peaks obtained in photoluminescence measurement. Ne gas induces the smallest and most uniform, in size, Si nanoparticles among all the three gases, which may be attributed to a more effective energy transfer between Si and Ne atoms resulting from the adjacent degree of the atomic weights.

BackgroundDementia and care need are challenging aging populations worldwide. Lower extremity injury (LEI) in the elderly makes matters worse. Using a multi-state approach, we express the effect of LEI on dementia, care need, and mortality in terms of remaining life expectancy at age 75 (rLE) and years of life lost (YLL).MethodsA population-based random sample of beneficiaries aged 75–95 years was drawn from the largest public health insurer in Germany in 2004 and followed until 2010 (N 62,103; Mean Age ± SD 81.5 ± 4.8 years; Female 71.2 %). We defined a five-state model (Healthy, Dementia, Care, Dementia & Care, Dead), and calculated transition-specific hazard ratios of LEI using Cox regression. The transition probabilities as well as the YLL due to LEI were estimated.ResultsLEI significantly increased the risk for each transition, with a maximum risk for the transition from Healthy to Care (HR: 1.70, 95 % CI: 1.63-1.77) and a minimum risk for the transition from Care to Dead (HR: 1.16, 95 % CI: 1.10-1.22). If the elderly had LEI-history, their age-specific mortality was generally higher and their probabilities of transient states peaked at younger ages. At age 75, initially dementia-free and care-independent elderly experiencing LEI lost about 2 years of life, of which more than 90 % were life years free of dementia or care need. Dementia patients lost about one and a half year, more than 60 % were free of long-term care need.ConclusionsLEI not only casts a large health burden on care need, but is also associated with cognitive decline and shortened rLE. LEI plus dementia extend the relative life time in need of care, despite generally shortening rLE. Using the composite measure YLL may help to better convey these results to the elderly, families, and health professionals. This may strengthen preventive measures as well as improve timely and rehabilitative treatment of LEI, not only in cognitive and physically intact elderly.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0184-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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BackgroundExtremity injuries (EI) and dementia are important causes of long-term care (LTC), but they can also cause each other and are often present concurrently. Mobility-limiting EI can increase the risk of dementia, and dementia increases the risk for falls, which are often the cause of EI. When EI and dementia are present together, they can increase their negative effect on long-term care risk. This study aims to assess the strength of this interaction and the role of different body regions and severities of EI regarding LTC risk.MethodsWe use Cox proportional-hazard models on LTC as dependent variable. EI (primarily fractures) and dementia (all types) are the central independent variables. We control for age, sex, rehabilitation and 18 relevant comorbidities. Analyses are based on health claims records for 2004–2010 for a random sample of about 122.000 insurants of Germany's largest public health insurance "AOK" aged 65+, about 25.000 of whom entered LTC.ResultsWithout concurrent dementia, non-severe EI (NSEI) of the lower and both extremities and all kinds of severe EI (SEI) increase LTC risk (HR: hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval. Lower NSEI: HR = 1.09 [1.05–1.14]; both NSEI: HR = 1.36 [1.29–1.44]. Lower SEI: HR = 1.67 [1.57–1.79]; upper SEI: HR = 1.27 [1.19–1.37]; both SEI: HR = 1.94 [1.81–2.07]). Dementia alone increases LTC risk more than fourfold (HR = 4.23 [4.11–4.35]).Taking the interaction of EI and dementia into account, the concurrent presence of EI and dementia tends to increase the LTC risk more than expected for lower as well as upper NSEI and SEI. Summarily, when lower or upper EI and dementia are both present, the LTC risk tends to be higher than expected, suggesting synergistic effects.ConclusionsEI and dementia are important independent risk factors for long-term care. When lower or upper EI and dementia are present together, the resulting long-term care risk is increased disproportionately. Since the concurrent presence of both conditions increases the risk for care need, and a working treatment for dementia is not in sight, preventing EI, lessening the impact of EI and improving the outlook after an EI could help to reduce LTC need in the coming decades.

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In the field of natural gas pipeline leak detection, based on infrasonic wave method of gas pipeline leak detection technology gradually be taken seriously. This paper introduces the basic features of pipeline leak signals and basic principles of infrasonic wave leak detection technology. It analyzes the key factors, which affect accurate positioning. According to the characteristics of leak signal and performance requirements of leakage monitoring system, the infrasonic wave speed algorithm in gas pipeline is modified. Using correlation analysis and wavelet transform method on the leakage signals, the dynamic response time diversity between sensors installed in first and last stop will be more precise. As a result, it improves the positioning precision of leak detection effectively.