Hardness was measured for six different nominally pure and single-phase high-entropy diboride ceramics with the AlB2 structure that were produced by a two-step process. Most of had relative densities greater than 99.5%. Vickers hardness average values ranged from 21.0 GPa to 25.4 at load 9.81 N, while increased range 33.1 48.3 0.49 N. Among compositions, highest N 48.3±2.3 (Cr0.2Hf0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2...

Nanotubular materials inspired by crystalline diborides such as AlB2 are proposed. The atomic structure, in particular the basic chemical question of where to put Al atoms in order to stabilize nanotubular Al-B systems, is investigated using density-functional calculations for prototype systems. The optimized tubular prototypes are found to be competitive in energy with their bulk crystalline c...

The usefulness of Candida ID 2 (CAID2) reformulated medium (bioMérieux, France) has been compared with that of the former Candida ID (CAID; bioMérieux), Albicans ID 2 (ALB2; bioMérieux), and CHROMagar Candida (CAC; Chromagar, France) chromogenic media for the isolation and presumptive identification of clinically relevant yeasts. Three hundred forty-five stock strains from culture collections, ...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the predictive value of serum albumin (ALB) for persistent organ failure (POF) in acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS We selected 158 patients with AP in this retrospective study from Jan.1st, 2015 to Dec.31st, 2015. Forty-six patients were diagnosed with POF. All the values of laboratory parameters were measured upon admission to hospital. And 48 h after admission, we exa...

There is a continuing need to discover new bioactive natural products, such as antibiotics, in genetically-amenable micro-organisms. We observed that the enteric insect pathogen, Serratia marcescens Db10, produced a diffusible compound that inhibited the growth of Bacillis subtilis and Staphyloccocus aureus. Mapping the genetic locus required for this activity revealed a putative natural produc...

Background: To evaluate the predictive value of serum albumin (ALB) for persistent organ failure (POF) in acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods: We selected 158 patients with AP in this retrospective study from Jan.1st, 2015 to Dec.31st, 2015. Forty-six patients were diagnosed with POF. All the values of laboratory parameters were measured upon admission to hospital. And 48 h after admission, we exa...