bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stereo-controlled anti-hydromagnesiation of aryl alkynes by magnesium hydrides
Authors: Wang Bin , Ong Derek Yiren , Li Yihang , Pang Jia Hao , Watanabe Kohei , Takita Ryo , Chiba Shunsuke
Published: May 2020

Anti-hydromagnesiation of aryl alkynes was facilitated solely by magnesium hydride. The resulting alkenylmagnesium intermediates were functionalized with various electrophiles to afford stereochemically defined tri-substituted alkenes.
Structure and redox tuning of gas adsorption properties in calixarene-supported Fe(ii)-based porous cages
Authors: Deegan Meaghan M. , Ahmed Tonia S. , Yap Glenn P. A. , Bloch Eric D.
Published: May 2020

We describe the synthesis of Fe(ii)-based coordination cages whose stability and gas adsorption properties can be tuned through structural modifications and redox reactivity.
Highly basic solid catalysts obtained by spray drying of a NaAlO2 and boehmite suspension for the upgrading of glycerol to acetins
Authors: Ramesh Sreerangappa , Amoura Makhlouf , Debecker Damien P.
Published: May 2020

In here, we present the low-cost spray drying production of NaAlO2–Al2O3 catalysts, which exhibit high activity in the transesterification of methyl acetate with glycerol to obtain acetins.
Encapsulated Sb and Sb2O3 particles in waste-tire derived carbon as stable composite anodes for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Palanisamy Manikandan , Pol Vilas G. , Evans Samuel F. , Jackson Kia , Jafta Charl J. , Bridges Craig A. , Dai Sheng , Levine Alan M. , Lee Richard J. , Paranthaman Mariappan Parans
Published: May 2020

Homogenized Sb2O3/WTC composite anode exhibited encapsulated surface morphology and revealed stable redox peaks at 0.21/0.26 V and 0.80/0.76 V. Thus, the sodium half-cell delivered the discharge-charge capacities of 218/ 207 mA h g–1 at 37 mA g–1.
Cu-based metallic glass with robust activity and sustainability for wastewater treatment
Authors: Li Zhengkun , Qin Xindong , Zhu Zhengwang , Zheng Shijian , Li Hailong , Fu Huameng , Zhang Haifeng
Published: May 2020

Cu-based MGs exhibit excellent catalytic activity and high sustainability in degrading organic water contaminants.
Electrochromic and energy storage bifunctional Gd-doped WO3/Ag/WO3films
Authors: Yin Yi , Gao Tian , Xu Qingfan , Cao Gangqiang , Chen Qi , Zhu Haoyu , Lan Changyong , Li Chun
Published: May 2020

Transparent conductive WGd–Ag–WGd films with superior electrochromic and energy storage performance have been obtained on glass substrates by reactive sputtering.
Quantum dot materials engineering boosting the quantum dot sensitized solar cell efficiency over 13%
Authors: Rao Huashang , Zhou Mengsi , Pan Zhenxiao , Zhong Xinhua
Published: May 2020

An average PCE of 13.71%, and a certified efficiency of 13.49% were obtained from the type-I core/shell structured ZCISe/ZnSe QD based sensitized solar cells.
Nitrile-substituted 2-(oxazolinyl)-phenols: minimalistic excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT)-based fluorophores
Authors: Göbel Dominik , Duvinage Daniel , Stauch Tim , Nachtsheim Boris J.
Published: May 2020

Nitrile-substituted 2-(oxazolinyl)-phenols are efficient single-benzene, excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESPIT)-based fluorophores.
Quantitative understanding of the ultra-sensitive and selective detection of dopamine using a graphene oxide/WS2 quantum dot hybrid
Authors: Das Ruma , Bora Abhilasha , Giri P. K.
Published: May 2020

The sensing of dopamine at a picomolar level on a WS2/GO hybrid platform and its mechanistic insight.
Ultralong lifetime room temperature phosphorescence and dual-band waveguide behavior of phosphoramidic acid oligomers
Authors: Liu Zheng-Fei , Chen Xue , Jin Wei Jun
Published: May 2020

The phosphoramidic acid oligomer as an organic non-conjugated RTP system is proposed. The new system not only has ultralong phosphorescence lifetime up to 777 ms and high quantum yield, but also displays dual-band optical waveguide behavior.
First member of an appealing class of cyclometalated 1,3-di-(2-pyridyl)benzene platinum(ii) complexes for solution-processable OLEDs
Authors: Dragonetti Claudia , Fagnani Francesco , Marinotto Daniele , di Biase Armando , Roberto Dominique , Cocchi Massimo , Fantacci Simona , Colombo Alessia
Published: May 2020

A novel highly luminescent N^C^N Pt(ii) complex with a thiolate ligand allows fabrication of efficient processable solution-OLEDs with a tuneable color.
Galerkin–collocation approximation in time for the wave equation and its post-processing
Authors: Anselmann Mathias , Bause Markus , Becher Simon , Matthies Gunar
Published: May 2020

We introduce and analyze families of Galerkin–collocation discretization schemes in time for the wave equation. Their conceptual basis is the establishment of a connection between the Galerkin method for the time discretization and the classical collocation methods, with the perspective of achieving the accuracy of the former with reduced computational costs provided by the latter in terms of less complex algebraic systems. Firstly, continuously differentiable in time discrete solutions are studied. Optimal order error estimates are proved. Then, the concept of Galerkin–collocation approximation is extended to twice continuously differentiable in time discrete solutions. A direct link between the two families by a computationally cheap post-processing is presented. A key ingredient of the proposed methods is the application of quadrature rules involving derivatives. The performance properties of the schemes are illustrated by numerical experiments.
Primary Aldosteronism: Where Are We Now? Where to from
Here?
Authors: Funder John Watson
Published: May 2020

The past nine years have seen major advances in establishing the etiology of
unilateral primary aldosteronism, and very possibly that of bilateral
hyperaldosteronism, in response to somatic mutations in aldosterone synthase
expressing cells. Though there have been important advances in the management of
primary aldosteronism, in small but convincing studies, they represent minor
changes to current guidelines. What has been totally absent is consideration of
the public health issue that primary aldosterone represents, and the public
policy issues that would be involved in addressing the disorder. In his
introduction to PiPA 6, Martin Reincke calculated that only one in a thousand
patients in Germany with primary aldosteronism were treated appropriately, an
astounding figure for any disease in the 21st century. Towards remedying this
totally unacceptable public health issue, the author proposes a radical
simplification and streamlining of screening for primary aldosteronism, and the
management of most patients by general practitioners. The second bottle-neck in
current management is that of mandatory adrenal venous sampling for all but
1–2% of patients, a costly procedure requiring rare expertise.
Ideally, it should be reserved – on the basis of likelihood, enhanced
imaging, or peripheral steroid profiles – for a small minority of
patients with clear evidence for unilateral disease. Only when costs are
minimized and roadblocks removed will primary aldosteronism be properly treated
as the public health issue that it is.
Health-Related Quality of Life, Treatment Satisfaction and Adherence Outcomes of Haemophilia Patients Living in a German Rural Region
Authors: von Mackensen Sylvia , Schleicher Christian , Heine Sabine , Graf Norbert , Eichler Hermann
Published: May 2020

In the context of the ‘Mobile Haemophilia Outpatient Care (MHOC)’ project we aimed to gather insights into the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), treatment satisfaction (TS) and adherence of persons with haemophilia (PWHs) who get treated at the Saarland University Hospital Haemophilia Treatment Centre (HTC). PWHs were visited at home at least twice (baseline, follow-up) by trained medical staff. Individual interviews were performed to measure patients' HRQoL and TS with validated questionnaires (Haem-A-QoL/Haemo-QoL and Hemo-SatA/Hemo-SatP). Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. In total, 79 PWHs were enrolled; 56 adults with a mean age of 37.4 ± 16.4 years (17–78) and 23 children [mean age of 9.8 ± 4.2 years (3–16)]. In total, 62% were severely affected; 48.1% received prophylaxis. Patients reported good HRQoL (adults: 23.1 ± 17.1; kids: 24.3 ± 11.1). Patients (M = 11.2 ± 9.5) and parents (M = 14.3 ± 7.4) were very satisfied with their provided treatment. The majority of study participants were evaluated to have a good treatment adherence. After 1-year follow-up of the MHOC, a significant improvement in HRQoL was seen in adults (p < 0.033) and in proxy ratings of parents (p < 0.0001); TS remained high with no change by MHOC intervention. Patients reported good HRQoL and TS. Most of them were evaluated as having a good treatment adherence. After implementation of the MHOC, adult patients reported a better HRQoL. Such a mobile medical care service is considered beneficial for patients, especially with limited access to a HTC.
The Digital Healthcare Act – a Turning Point in the German Digitisation Strategy?
Authors: Dittrich Florian , Albrecht Urs-Vito , von Jan Ute , Malinka Christin , Ansorg Jörg , Jung Jochen , Back David Alexander ,   AG Digitalisierung
Published: May 2020

The recently ratified Digital Healthcare Act – DVG – has paved the way, among other issues, for the prescription of health apps. The German DVG creates an entitlement to health apps for the very first time. However, this entitlement is initially limited to low-risk medical devices that have been included in the publicly accessible Register for Digital Health Applications by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. Listing in the register is granted, if the manufacturer has submitted a health app and verified that it meets basic requirements for medical devices and data security as well as positive health care effects. It is questionable, whether the DVG will lead to sustainable improvements in future patient care. In order to pursue this question and align the DGOUCʼs digitization strategy closely with its basis, an online survey was conducted among the respective members on the DVGʼs content and its associated opportunities and risks. A total of 461
German-speaking, predominantly male, experienced and elderly physicians in leading positions took part in the survey. In this study, it was shown that the majority of the participating German orthopaedic and trauma surgeons is not familiar with the DVGʼs contents. Despite a fundamentally positive attitude towards digitization, scepticism about the use of “apps on prescription” and potential risks still prevails at present. The closing of ranks between medicine, IT and the legislature via interdisciplinary expert groups and the involvement of medical societies might be obligatory.
EVALUATION OF EFFECT OF REUSED EDIBLE OILS ON VITAL ORGANS OF WISTAR RATS
Authors: S. Shastry C. , Ambalal Patel Narendrakumar , Himanshu Joshi , J. Aswathanarayana B.
Published: May 2020

Objective: Cooking oils (edible oils) are vegetable oils which are extensively used for cooking in India. These edible oils are rich in triglycerides, sterol, tocoferol, carotenes and pigments. Upon frying, edible oils gives rise to formation of free radicals and other harmful agents. The degraded products of oils generated while cooking produce unfavorable effects. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of reused edible oils (sunflower oil and palm oil) on vital organs of experimental animals.

Materials and Methods: Wistar rats were fed fresh and reused edible oils - sunflower oil and palm oil (15 gm oil/100gm of feed consumed) and control group received normal food and water for a period of 8 weeks. The parameters studied include changes in physicochemical properties of reused oils, change in body weight of animals, plasma lipid profile, biochemical parameters and histopathological examination.

Results: The result showed the change in physicochemical characteristics of reused oils. The animals fed with fresh and reused palm oil significant increase the body weight while reused sunflower oil fed group showed decrease significantly. The biochemical parameters, SGPT (serum glutamate–pyruvate transaminase), SGOT (serum glutamate- oxaloacetate transaminase), and ALP (alkaline phoshphatase) were increased in reused oils fed groups. The histopathological study showed the change in size of liver, heart, kidney and testes cells in reused oil groups.

Conclusions: From the present study, it can be concluded that reused sunflower oil and palm oil, can be toxic and can cause considerable damage to the vital organs of the experimental animals.
QUADRIPAERESIS - A RARE CASE OF EPITHELOID HAEMANGIOENDOTHELIOMA.
Authors: Hegde Deepak , Shetty Vikram , Shetty J. P. , B. Sandeep Kini
Published: May 2020

A 62 yr old male presented with complaints of neck pain associated with weakness of both upper and lower limbs for 2 months.Weakness began with upper limb progressing to involve the lower limbs.

X-ray cervical spine showed C7 vertebral collapse with decreased joint spaces.MRI scan showed compression collapse of C7 vertebral body, thecal sac narrowing & cord changes at this level.C7 corpectomy and biopsy with anterior fusion with bone graft and instrumentation was performed revealing mass around C7 vertebra.Histology revealed fragments of cartilage, bone, & vascular tumorcomposed of well formed vessels lined by cuboidal to hobnail endothelium. Focal areas showed lymphocytic infiltration and occasional benign giant cells suggestive of haemangioendothelioma. The purpose is to present a rare tumour occurring at an unusual site presenting as cervical myelopathy.
Ophthalmology Residents' Experience with Complex Cataract Surgery at a VA Hospital over 10 Years
Authors: Maturana Colleen , Lee Paul , Fredrick Douglas , Chadha Nisha
Published: May 2020

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of complex cataract surgery performed by third-year ophthalmology residents at an academic Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Methods A chart review was conducted of all resident cataract surgeries performed at the James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center in The Bronx, NY between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2017. Correct categorization was confirmed by review of operative report and reason for complex categorization was recorded, as well as the use and type of nonstandard device or technique.

Results A total of 2,429 routine and 114 complex cataract surgeries were performed by 40 different residents over the 10-year period. In total, 4.5% of all cataract surgeries were categorized as complex. The most common reasons for complex categorization included intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (35.8%), miosis (38.4%), zonular instability (9.6%), mature cataract (7%), posterior synechiae (7.8%), and posterior capsular plaque (1.8%). Nonstandard techniques/devices included iris hooks (65.3%), pupil expansion device (8.5%), extracapsular cataract extraction (6.8%), synechiolysis (7.6%), mechanical iris dilation (0.8%), capsular tension ring (9.3%), and primary posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (1.7%).

Conclusion A review of third-year resident cataract surgery experience at our institution's VA hospital where a significant amount of their surgical volume, approximately 50%, is obtained revealed that complex cataracts constituted a minimal portion of the cases. Education in cataract surgery should be competency based, extend beyond achieving minimums, and focus on variety and complexity of surgical experience. Formal tracking of routine versus complex cases should be considered to optimize training experience and assure patient safety.
Assessment of Celiac Axis and Hepatic Artery Variations in Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Malignancy with Multidetector Computed Tomography Angiography
Authors: Raj Gaurav , Kaushik Namrata , Singh Ragini , Singh Neha , Chauhan Abhishek , Narayan Shamrendra , Kumar Tushant , Dixit Nitin A.
Published: May 2020

Introduction Delineation of variant anatomy in celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery including its origin and branching pattern and variations in branching pattern of hepatic artery in patients of hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancy with the use of mutidetector CT (computed tomography) angiograpgy was performed.

Materials and Methods All CT examinations were performed on a 64-multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanner. Technical features of multislice computed tomography (MSCT) are as follows: 64 mm × 1 mm collimation, minimum slice thickness of 0.625, gantry rotation time of 320 ms, 120 kV, and 320 mAs. CT angiography was performed with intravenous (IV) administration of nonionic contrast material, that is, iodixanol (Visipaque). The contrast medium and saline solution were injected with a Medrad power injector at 3 mL/sec through an 18-gauge plastic intravenous catheter placed in an antecubital vein in most of the cases. Contrast medium volumes varied between 100 and 150 mL at 1.5 mL/kg. Images were obtained in triphasic pattern at arterial (20–30 seconds), portal (60–70 seconds), and equilibrium (at 3 minutes) phases.

Results Five types of celiac axis anatomic variations and nine type of variants in celiac axis branching was found in the study sample of 124 patients. Classical celiac axis anatomy was seen in 92.7% of the cases, while the five types of variation in branching were found in nine patients. Majority of cases showed pattern I (59.6%) followed by patterns V (12.1%), II (9.7%), and III (8.9%). There were three (2.4%) cases each showing pattern VIII and AA, and two (1.6%) cases each showing patterns IV and VI, respectively. There was one (0.8%) case each showing pattern VII and IX. A total of three (2.4%) cases showed right hepatic artery arising from celiac axis.

Conclusion We conclude that most common pattern of celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) branching is classical pattern (92.7%) which is in concordance with literature. Type-I pattern of hepatic artery branching was most common (59.6%), similar to that documented in literature. Although the most common variation in our study is type V (12.1%), followed by types II (9.7%) and III (8.9%), the most common variation in most of the literature was found to be type III. CT angiography hence is an excellent diagnostic modality for depiction of arterial anatomic variations and provides a roadmap for surgical treatment.
Direct Oral Anticoagulants for the Treatment of Acute Venous Thromboembolism Associated with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Giustozzi Michela , Agnelli Giancarlo , del Toro-Cervera Jorge , Klok Frederikus A. , Rosovsky Rachel P. , Martin Anne-Céline , Herold Joerg , Tzoran Inna , Szmit Sebastian , Bertoletti Laurent , Becattini Cecilia , Huisman Menno V.
Published: May 2020

Background International guidelines have endorsed the use of edoxaban or rivaroxaban as an alternative to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for the treatment of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients. Recently, a large randomized controlled trial of apixaban versus dalteparin in patients with cancer was completed. We performed an updated meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus LMWH in patients with cancer-associated VTE.

Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry) were systematically searched up to March 30, 2020 for randomized controlled trials comparing DOACs versus LMWH for the treatment of VTE in patients with cancer. The two coprimary outcomes were recurrent VTE and major bleeding at 6 months. Data were pooled by the Mantel–Haenszel method and compared by relative risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results Four randomized controlled studies (2,894 patients) comparing apixaban, edoxaban, or rivaroxaban with dalteparin were included in the meta-analysis. Recurrent VTE occurred in 75 of 1,446 patients (5.2%) treated with oral factor Xa inhibitors and in 119 of 1,448 patients (8.2%) treated with LMWH (RR 0.62; 95% CI 0.43–0.91; I
2, 30%). Major bleeding occurred in 62 (4.3%) and 48 (3.3%) patients receiving oral factor Xa inhibitors or LMWH, respectively (RR 1.31; 95% CI 0.83–2.08; I
2, 23%).

Conclusion In patients with cancer-associated VTE, oral factor Xa inhibitors reduced the risk of recurrent VTE without a significantly higher likelihood of major bleeding at 6 months compared with LMWH.
On how religions could accidentally incite lies and violence: folktales as a cultural transmitter
Authors: Vuong Quan-Hoang , Ho Manh-Tung , Nguyen Hong-Kong T. , Vuong Thu-Trang , Tran Trung , Hoang Khanh-Linh , Vu Thi-Hanh , Hoang Phuong-Hanh , Nguyen Minh-Hoang , Ho Manh-Toan , La Viet-Phuong
Published: May 2020

Folklore has a critical role as a cultural transmitter, all the while being a socially accepted medium for the expressions of culturally contradicting wishes and conducts. In this study of Vietnamese folktales, through the use of Bayesian multilevel modeling and the Markov chain Monte Carlo technique, we offer empirical evidence for how the interplay between religious teachings (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism) and deviant behaviors (lying and violence) could affect a folktale’s outcome. The findings indicate that characters who lie and/or commit violent acts tend to have bad endings, as intuition would dictate, but when they are associated with any of the above Three Teachings, the final endings may vary. Positive outcomes are seen in cases where characters associated with Confucianism lie and characters associated with Buddhism act violently. The results supplement the worldwide literature on discrepancies between folklore and real-life conduct, as well as on the contradictory human behaviors vis-à-vis religious teachings. Overall, the study highlights the complexity of human decision-making, especially beyond the folklore realm.
Monsters in the dark: the discovery of Thuggee and demographic knowledge in colonial India
Authors: Bhattacharya Sagnik
Published: May 2020

The thugs have been one of the most lasting images in the portrayal of India in Western imagination. Although several scholars have questioned the authenticity of the information contained in the thug archive, that is, the corpus of colonial knowledge about the thugs, Martine van Wœrkens and Tihanyi (The strangled traveler: colonial imaginings and the thugs of India. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2002) and Macfie (Rethinking Hist 12(3):383–397, 2008) argue that the very phenomenon as it was known to the British, was an orientalist construct. However, though the orientalist and romantic genesis of the thug imagery has been well established, the precise nature, reasons, and implications of the same largely remain “terra incognita”. This article examines the discovery of the thugs and analyzes parts of the thug-archive through the concept of the monster as elaborated by Mary Douglas (Purity and danger: an analysis of concepts of pollution and taboo. Routledge, New York, 1966), Victor Turner (“Betwixt and between: the liminal period in rites de passage”. The forest of symbols. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1967) and Michel Foucault et al. (Abnormal: lectures at the Collège de France, 1974–1975. Picador, New York, 2003), and establishes the thug as an epistemological monster emerging from the cracks and gaps in colonial information gathering mechanisms that arose as a result of the changing nature of the Indian “state” and the employment of alien categories for demographic knowledge production. The key question here is: how can we explain the sudden appearance of thugs in the colonial archive in the 1830s and the disproportionate interest of the administration in eradicating them? This article analyzes the journalistic and legal discourse surrounding the thugs in the nineteenth century and tries to demonstrate how the notion of the “monster” can act as a methodological tool in explaining the efforts of the Thug Department. The argument is then concluded through an investigation into the implications of the discovery of the thugs for the teleology of Indian history and the consequence of “othering” tribal and other anomic populations in the new Weberian state that the colonial and post-colonial regimes envisioned to establish.
High-resolution sub-sampling incoherent x-ray imaging with a single-pixel detector
Authors: He Yu-Hang , Zhang Ai-Xin , Li Ming-Fei , Huang Yi-Yi , Quan Bao-Gang , Li Da-Zhang , Wu Ling-An , Chen Li-Ming
Published: May 2020

X-ray “ghost” imaging has drawn great attention for its potential to obtain images with a high resolution and lower radiation dose in medical diagnosis, even with only a single-pixel detector. However, it is hard to realize with a portable x-ray source due to its low flux. Here, we demonstrate a computational x-ray ghost imaging scheme where a real bucket detector and specially designed high-efficiency modulation masks are used, together with a robust deep learning algorithm in which a compressed set of Hadamard matrices is incorporated into a multi-level wavelet convolutional neural network. With a portable incoherent x-ray source of ∼37 µm diameter, we have obtained an image of a real object from only 18.75% of the Nyquist sampling rate. A high imaging resolution of ∼10 µm has been achieved, which is required for cancer detection and so represents a concrete step toward the realization of a practical low cost x-ray ghost imaging camera for applications in biomedicine, archeology, material science, and so forth.
A laser-ARPES study of LaNiO3 thin films grown by sputter deposition
Authors: Cappelli Edoardo , Tromp Willem O. , McKeown Walker Siobhan , Tamai Anna , Gibert Marta , Baumberger Felix , Bruno Flavio Y.
Published: May 2020

Thin films of the correlated transition-metal oxide LaNiO3 undergo a metal–insulator transition when their thickness is reduced to a few unit cells. Here, we use angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study the evolution of the electronic structure across this transition in a series of epitaxial LaNiO3 films of thicknesses ranging from 19 u.c. to 2 u.c. grown in situ by RF magnetron sputtering. Our data show a strong reduction in the electronic mean free path as the thickness is reduced below 5 u.c. This prevents the system from becoming electronically two-dimensional, as confirmed by the largely unchanged Fermi surface seen in our experiments. In the insulating state, we observe a strong suppression of the coherent quasiparticle peak, but no clear gap. These features resemble previous observations of the insulating state of NdNiO3.
Pulsed-laser epitaxy of metallic delafossite PdCrO2 films
Authors: Ok Jong Mok , Brahlek Matthew , Choi Woo Seok , Roccapriore Kevin M. , Chisholm Matthew F. , Kim Soyeun , Sohn Changhee , Skoropata Elizabeth , Yoon Sangmoon , Kim Jun Sung , Lee Ho Nyung
Published: May 2020

Alternate stacking of a highly conducting metallic layer with a magnetic triangular layer found in delafossite PdCrO2 provides an excellent platform for discovering intriguing correlated quantum phenomena. Thin film growth of delafossites may enable not only the tuning of the basic physical properties beyond what bulk materials can exhibit, but also the development of novel hybrid materials by interfacing with dissimilar materials, yet this has proven to be extremely challenging. Here, we report the epitaxial growth of metallic delafossite PdCrO2 films by pulsed laser epitaxy (PLE). The fundamental role of the PLE growth conditions, epitaxial strain, and chemical and structural characteristics of the substrate is investigated by growing under various growth conditions and on various types of substrates. While strain plays a large role in improving the crystallinity, the direct growth of epitaxial PdCrO2 films without impurity phases was not successful. We attribute this difficulty to both the chemical and structural dissimilarities with the substrate and volatile nature of the PdO sublayer, which make nucleation of the right phase difficult. This difficulty was overcome by growing CuCrO2 buffer layers before PdCrO2 films were grown. Unlike PdCrO2, CuCrO2 films were readily grown with a relatively wide growth window. Only a monolayer thick buffer layer was sufficient to grow the correct PdCrO2 phase. This result indicates that the epitaxy of Pd-based delafossites is extremely sensitive to the chemistry and structure of the interface, necessitating near perfect substrate materials. The resulting films are commensurately strained and show an antiferromagnetic transition at 40 K that persists down to as thin as 3.6 nm in thickness. This work provides key insights into advancing the epitaxial growth of the broader class of metallic delafossites for both studying the basic physical properties and developing new spintronic and computing devices.
Preparation of epoxy coatings by plasma-electrostatic spraying
Authors: Zhai Zhe , Feng Lajun , Cai TaoTao , Li Feng
Published: May 2020

In this work, low-temperature plasma was introduced into the traditional electrostatic spraying process. The highly active groups in the plasma were used to increase the thickness and density of the electrostatic spray coating. The analysis of the properties of the coating shows that the introduction of oxygen, nitrogen, or air plasma can effectively increase the thickness, reduce the porosity, and improve the barrier property of the coating. Among the three kinds of plasma, the modification effect with oxygen plasma is the best. The thickness of the oxygen plasma-modified coating can reach 140 µm; the porosity is 0.75 dot/cm2; and the bonding strength is 2.59 ± 0.27 MPa.
Catalytic materials for efficient electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Song Jaejung , Cho Seungho
Published: May 2020

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the simplest peroxide consisting of only hydrogen and oxygen, is globally used as a green oxidant. It is also a promising fuel source, and it can be produced on large scales in centralized containers. H2O2 is mainly produced by the anthraquinone process, but it involves energy-consuming reactions and generates organic waste. As the demand for H2O2 continues to grow, alternative technologies that overcome these drawbacks are sought for its generation. The generation of H2O2 through the redox reaction of water and oxygen can be a low-cost, sustainable, and efficient production method. However, this reaction requires active and stable catalysts. In general, H2O2 can be generated by the oxidation of H2O at the anode of an electrochemical cell. Alternatively, H2O2 can also be formed by the reduction of O2 at the cathode. Despite the progress in the development and advancement of materials that catalyze these reactions, further research is required to increase the electron transport rates and active sites of the catalyst. In this article, we review the available catalytic materials for the electrochemical production of H2O2 and provide a summary and outlook of this field.
Sliding discharge plasma actuation for forebody vortex control on a slender body at high angles of attack
Authors: Zheng Borui , Xue Ming , Ge Chang
Published: May 2020

Two innovative kinds of sliding discharge plasma actuators based on different formation hypotheses of forebody asymmetric vortices are designed using a slender body model. Particle image velocimetry and surface pressure measurements are synchronously used to compare the control effect of antiflow and along-flow sliding discharge actuators for a forebody asymmetric vortex at high angles of attack. The experimental results show that the two kinds of sliding discharge plasma actuators can effectively change the random lateral force caused by the asymmetric vortices, and a better control effect is manifested using the along-flow sliding discharge plasma actuator, which contributes to the approximately linear proportional control of the lateral force. This finding suggests that the convective instability of the forebody vortex system in the leeward region of the slender body has a significant influence on the random lateral forces and moments. Through improving the spatial stability of forebody vortices, the flow control efficiency can be effectively improved. An optimal pulse frequency exists in each of the three actuation modes, but it may vary due to the different geometry configuration of the plasma actuator. In this regard, the research findings will potentially provide technical guidance for improving the efficiency of plasma actuators and understanding the formation mechanism of asymmetric vortices.
Effects of adrenocorticotrophic hormone on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in the bovine ovary
Authors: Belotti E. M. , Amweg A. N. , Matiller V. , Varela M. L. , Stassi A. F. , Velázquez M. M. L. , Ortega H. H. , Rey F. , Salvetti N. R.
Published: May 2020

Cattle undergo numerous environmental and management stressors that reduce fertility and affect ovulation. The extracellular matrix of the follicle wall can be altered by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the activities of which are regulated by interleukins and tissue-specific inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), especially during ovulation. The aims of the present study were to: (1) evaluate changes in the hormone milieu, the localisation and activity of MMP2 and MMP9 and the localisation of MMP14, TIMP1 and TIMP2 in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) during the preovulatory period in cows; and (2) determine the direct effects of ACTH on the mRNA expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in the cultured follicle wall of bovine ovaries obtained from an abattoir. 100IU ACTH was administered during pro-oestrus every 12h until ovariectomy, which was performed before ovulation. Cortisol concentrations in the plasma and follicular fluid (FF) of preovulatory follicles were higher in ACTH-treated than control cows. Progesterone presented subluteal concentrations in plasma of ACTH-treated cows (P<0.05). MMP2 immunostaining and activity in ovaries were higher in ACTH-treated than control cows (P<0.05), whereas MMP9 immunostaining was similar between the two groups. However, unlike in control cows, MMP9 activity was absent in the FF of ACTH-treated cows. These results suggest that the administration of ACTH during the preovulatory period in cows could cause changes that culminate in modifications in the content and activation of MMPs and TIMPs in the ovary, which could interfere with the ovulation process.
Chinese learners’ use of concessive connectors in English argumentative writing
Authors: Hsu Chan-Chia , Davis Richard Hill , Wang Yu-Chi
Published: May 2020

A learner corpus, i.e., a principled collection of contextualized texts produced by second language learners, can be of invaluable help in identifying learners’ needs. Previous learner corpus research has indicated that an area for improvement in second language writing is learners’ use of logical connectors as cohesive devices. While most previous studies have been general surveys that examined a wide range of English connectors, the present one is a more focused investigation, probing into Chinese-speaking learners’ use of concessive connectors. The data is taken from a self-constructed corpus of argumentative essays written by Taiwanese freshmen, who were placed into four proficiency levels. Common errors, including orthographical, syntactic, and semantic ones, were identified and categorized. The frequency distribution of the attested concessive connectors reveals Chinese learners’ development in their use of individual connectors. Difficulties may be attributed to the linguistic complexity of concessive connectors in English and L1 transfer. Moreover, previously identified lexico-syntactic characteristics in learners’ use of English connectors were reconfirmed by our corpus data. More importantly, the pragmatic function of concessive connectors in Chinese learners’ argumentative writing is also addressed. The findings have important pedagogical implications. Pragmatics is an area in need of further attention in learner corpus research, and we have gone some way toward enhancing our understanding of that area.
Generalizing in the context of an early algebra intervention (La generalización en el contexto de una intervención algebraica temprana)
Authors: Strachota Susanne
Published: May 2020

This study aims to understand the instructional interactions that foster students’ generalizing. By analysing video-recorded lessons from 13 different Grade 3 classrooms in which an early algebra intervention was implemented, activities related to generalizing and students’ generalizing activities were identified, and the nature of the relationships between these activities were explored. Namely, I consider the activities that potentially encourage students’ generalizing and the generalizing that students themselves do, and describe ways in which these activities interact. The findings have both practical and theoretical implications; in the former case, they provide insight into the design of instruction to foster generalizing, and in the latter case, they contribute to an ongoing conversation about students’ mathematics learning.
Combining endocannabinoids with retigabine for enhanced M-channel effect and improved KV7 subtype selectivity
Authors: Larsson Johan E. , Karlsson Urban , Wu Xiongyu , Liin Sara I.
Published: May 2020

Retigabine is unique among anticonvulsant drugs by targeting the neuronal M-channel, which is composed of KV7.2/KV7.3 and contributes to the negative neuronal resting membrane potential. Unfortunately, retigabine causes adverse effects, which limits its clinical use. Adverse effects may be reduced by developing M-channel activators with improved KV7 subtype selectivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prospect of endocannabinoids as M-channel activators, either in isolation or combined with retigabine. Human KV7 channels were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The effect of extracellular application of compounds with different properties was studied using two-electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to construct channels with mutated residues to aid in the mechanistic understanding of these effects. We find that arachidonoyl-L-serine (ARA-S), a weak endocannabinoid, potently activates the human M-channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Importantly, we show that ARA-S activates the M-channel via a different mechanism and displays a different KV7 subtype selectivity compared with retigabine. We demonstrate that coapplication of ARA-S and retigabine at low concentrations retains the effect on the M-channel while limiting effects on other KV7 subtypes. Our findings suggest that improved KV7 subtype selectivity of M-channel activators can be achieved through strategically combining compounds with different subtype selectivity.
Purification, characterization and exploitation of Azadirachta indica gum for the production of drug loaded nanocarrier
Authors: Samrot Antony V , Angalene J Lavanya Agnes , Roshini S M , Stefi S M , Preethi R , Raji P , A Madan Kumar , Kumar S Suresh
Published: May 2020

In this study, gum polysaccharide of Azadirachta indica was extracted and purified. The obtained polysaccharide was subjected to TLC chromatography, spectroscopic analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and GC-MS analysis. The polysaccharide was found to have Glucose, Idosan, Allose, Galactose, Ribose and Xylose. The polysaccharide was not having antibacterial activity but possessed good antioxidant and anticancer activity. The extracted polysaccharide was further carboxymethylated and used for the synthesis of nanocarrier to carry anticancer drug, curcumin. Size of the drug unloaded nanocarrier were found to be size below 40 nm, whereas the drug loaded nanocarriers were around 50 to 70 nm. The nanocarriers were studied for cytotoxicity against MCF7 cancer cell line and found to be effective.
A modified Johnson-Cook model for dynamic behavior of spray-deposition 17 vol.% SiCp/7055Al composites at high strain rates
Authors: Tang Binbin , Wang Haitao , Jin Peipeng , Jiang Xianquan
Published: May 2020

In this study, the dynamic impact tests of spray-deposited 17 vol% SiCp/7055Al composites at various strain rates were performed with a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB). In these tests, the strain rate was 392 s−1–2002 s−1, and the temperature was 293 K–623 K. Subsequently, the Johnson-Cook (JC) was used to describe the flow behaviors under high speed impact deformation, and its effectiveness was assessed. Results show that the stress values predicted by the JC model could be inconsistent with the experimental ones. A modified JC constitutive model of 17 vol% SiCp/7055Al composites was developed by modifying the strain rate hardening term and considering coupling effects of strain, temperature and strain rate. According to the comparison between the experimental data and the results assessed with the modified JC model, the proposed model could assess the stress-strain values more accurately, especially in the beginning of plastic deformation. This indicates that the composites exert the joint effects of strain rate hardening and temperature softening during high-speed impact deformation.
Synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite from fly ash and its adsorption of phenol, quinoline and indole in aqueous solution
Authors: Liu Yong , Lu Hao
Published: May 2020

This work tries to synthesize ZSM-5 zeolite using fly ash (FA) by hydrothermal method and study the adsorption effect of the zeolite on phenol, quinoline and indole in aqueous solution. The zeolites were characterized with x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. The characterization results showed that HZSM-5 zeolite was successfully synthesized. The higher mass ratio of sodium carbonate to fly ash during melting is beneficial to improve the purity of ZSM-5 zeolite and its removal rate of organic matters. These results have been confirmed by XRD and principal component analysis (PCA). The adsorption process of phenol, quinoline and indole in aqueous can be well described with the double exponential kinetic model. The adsorption capacity of ZSM-5 zeolite for phenol, quinoline and indoles can be up to 24.41 mg g−1, 35.99 mg l−1 and 34.05 mg g−1 respectively, and the removal rates can reach up to 82.80%, 84.86% and 83.20% respectively. The optimal pH value for adsorption ranges from 5 to 7.
Apostrophe
Authors: Flannery Denis
Published: May 2020

Apostrophe is a rhetorical figure that is most commonly found (and thought of) in lyric poetry. It also occurs in other literary and cultural forms—memoir, prose fiction, song, theater, and cinema.

Derived from the Greek prefix “apo” (away from) and “strophe” (turn or twist), the word “apostrophe” is often confused with a punctuation mark, a single inverted comma used in English to denote a possessive (as in “ the Queen’s English” or “the cat’s whiskers”). In this context, an apostrophe stands in for something absent. Anglo-Saxon, a heavily inflected language and the basis for modern English, had a genitive case where nouns used in a possessive way tended to end in “es” (“cyninges” was the Anglo-Saxon for “King’s”). This more common sense of the word “apostrophe” denotes, therefore, a punctuation mark that stands in for an elided letter “e” or vowel sound.

In the context of rhetoric and poetry “apostrophe” has come to denote what occurs when a writer or speaker addresses a person or entity who is dead, absent, or inanimate to start with. The figure is described by Cicero and Quintillian. The former described it as a “figure that expresses grief or indignation.” Quintillian emphasized its capacity to be “wonderfully stirring” for an audience. For both rhetoricians, apostrophe was something that occurred in a public context, usually a debate or trial, and was part of the arsenal of political rhetoric. Apostrophe has therefore a double valence beyond the common understanding as a punctuation mark that stands in for a missing possessive “e.” It denotes what occurs when a speaker turns from addressing her audience to addressing another figure or entity, one who may or may not be present, alive, or even animate. And it has also come to denote that very process of addressing the absent, the dead, and the inanimate.

The figure occurs in medieval rhetoric and poetry, in Shakespeare’s poetry and plays, and has come to be identified with lyric poetry itself, especially through the work and legacy of the literary theorist Paul de Man. For him, a poem describing a set of circumstances has less claim to the status of lyric poetry than a poem apostrophizing aspects of those circumstances. In part as a result of de Man’s influence, apostrophe has come to be connected with different forms of complicated affect—most notably grief, embarrassment, and any number of ways in which human life can be seen or experienced as vulnerable, open to question, or imbued with potential. It has also been used to explore complicated legal and ethical terrains where the boundary between the living and the dead, the present and the absent, the animate and the inanimate can be difficult to draw or ascertain. Two areas of contemporary criticism and thought for which the employment of the figure is most resonant are therefore eco-criticism and “thing theory” (most notably the work of Jane Bennett). The possibilities of apostrophe continue to be regularly employed in political rhetoric, song, poetry, theater, fiction, and cinema.
Lyric Poetry and Poetics
Authors: Tiffany Daniel
Published: May 2020

Lyric poetry is an ancient genre, enduring to the present day, but it is not continuous in its longevity. What happens to lyric poetry and how it changes during its numerous and sometimes lengthy periods of historical eclipse (such as the 18th century) may be as important to our understanding of lyric as an assessment of its periods of high achievement. For it is during these periods of relative obscurity that lyric enters into complex relations with other genres of poetry and prose, affirming the general thesis that all genres are relational and porous. The question of whether any particular properties of lyric poetry endure throughout its 2,700-year checkered history can be addressed by examining its basic powers: its forms; its figurative and narrative functions; and its styles and diction. The hierarchy of these functions is mutable, as one finds in today’s rift between a scholarly revival of formalist analysis and the increasing emphasis on diction in contemporary poetry. As a way of assessing lyric poetry’s basic operations, the present article surveys the ongoing tension between form and diction by sketching a critique of the tenets of New Formalism in literary studies, especially its presumptions about the relation of poetic form to the external world and its tendency to subject form to close analysis, as if it could yield, like style or diction, detailed knowledge of the world. Long overshadowed by the doctrinal tenets of modernist formalism, the expressive powers of diction occupy a central place in contemporary concerns about identity and social conflict, at the same time that diction (unlike form) is especially susceptible to the vocabularistic methods of “distant reading”—to the computational methods of the digital humanities. The indexical convergence of concreteness and abstraction, expression and rationalism, proximity and distance, in these poetic and scholarly experiments with diction points to precedents in the 18th century, when the emergence of Anglophone poetries in the context of colonialism and the incorporation of vernacular languages into poetic diction (via the ballad revival) intersected with the development of modern lexicography and the establishment of Standard English. The nascent transactions of poetics and positivism through the ontology of diction in the 21st century remind us that poetic diction is always changing but also that the hierarchy of form, figuration, and diction in lyric poetry inevitably shifts over time—a reconfiguration of lyric priorities that helps to shape the premises and methods of literary studies.