Abstract A study of ZnO-based ceramic films prepared by the spray-pyrolysis technique is presented. Pure and Ni-doped thin film samples were deposited as a coating on a glass substrate and experimentally characterized using scanning electron and atomic force microscopies, X-ray diffraction, and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy. The morphologic, crystallographic, and optical properties were analyzed. Structural and electronic properties were compared to predictions obtained from computational calculations based on the density functional theory plus U approach (DFT+U). All these simulations provided additional data that could be used as a reference for material modeling and a better understanding of the experimental results. It was found that spray pyrolysis can be used to produce thin film ceramic samples (~300 nm) with low amounts (<5%) of Ni impurities substitutionally located at the cationic sites of the ZnO wurtzite host structure. The results of this investigation showed that an experimental and theoretical study aided in a better characterization of the thin films, and helped to outline a more robust model of the samples.

Background: obstructed defecation is one of the most common subtypes of constipation, and it is frequently responsive to biofeedback treatment. Aims: since a history of sexual and physical abuse may be present in patients with obstructed defecation, we assessed the incidence of abuse history in patients with obstructed defecation referred to a general gastroenterology practice, and whether such a history may lead to a different outcome of biofeedback training in these patients. Patients and methods: one hundred and twenty-one patients (17 men, 104 women, age 53 ± 15 years) with obstructed defecation were studied by retrospective chart review. Their history of sexual, physical and psychological abuse was obtained by a standard interview, and biofeedback training was carried out by means of a three-balloon technique. Results: a history of sexual/physical or psychological abuse was present in 12.4% patients. Biofeedback training yielded a successful improvement of obstructed defecation in 93% patients without abuse and in 100% of patients with abuse; this difference was not statistically different (p = 0.53). Conclusions: the prevalence of sexual/physical or psychological abuse in a population of patients with obstructed defecation referred to a general gastroenterology practice is relatively low; such a history seems not to affect the outcome of biofeedback training in these patients.