bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies are common in children with HLA-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, but are weakly associated with thyroid function
Authors: Saare Liisa , Peet Aleksandr , Tillmann Vallo
Published: July 2020

Objectives

The need for screening for autoimmune thyroid disease in children who have HLA-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D), but have not yet been diagnosed with T1D, has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies and its effect on thyroid function in children with genetic susceptibility to T1D as well as to describe the association between thyroid autoimmunity and HLA-DQ genotypes.

Methods

Cross-sectional study in 223 children (112 boys) aged 7.4–10.5 years with HLA-conferred susceptibility to T1D. TPOAb were measured in all children; thyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb) and thyroid function in TPOAb positive subjects.

Results

Girls had a significantly higher median TPOAb concentration than boys (12 vs 11 kU/L; p=0.001). Positive TPOAb occurred in 13.9% and positive TGAb in 4% of subjects. Only two children had mild changes in thyroid function. There was no association between HLA risk groups and the prevalence of TPOAb.

Conclusions

TPOAb are common in children with HLA-conferred susceptibility to T1D, yet are weakly associated with thyroid function, suggesting limited value of thyroid screening in this cohort.
Continuous glucose monitoring reduces pubertal hyperglycemia of type 1 diabetes
Authors: Nwosu Benjamin Udoka , Yeasmin Shamima , Ayyoub Sanaa , Rupendu Shwetha , Villalobos-Ortiz Tony R. , Jasmin Gabrielle , Parajuli Sadichchha , Zahedi Bita , Zitek-Morrison Emily , Alonso Laura C. , Barton Bruce A.
Published: July 2020

Background

Physiologic hyperglycemia of puberty is a major contributor to poor glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This study’s aim was to determine the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to improve glycemic control in pubertal youth with T1D compared to a non-CGM cohort after controlling for age, sex, BMI, duration, and insulin delivery methodology. The hypothesis is that consistent CGM use in puberty improves compliance with diabetes management, leading to increased percentage (%) time in range (TIR70–180 mg/dL) of glycemia, and lowering of HbA1c.

Methods

A longitudinal, retrospective, case-controlled study of 105 subjects consisting of 51 T1D controls (60.8% male) age 11.5 ± 3.8 y; and 54 T1D subjects (48.1% male) age 11.1 ± 5.0 y with confirmed CGM use for 12 months. Pubertal status was determined by Tanner staging. Results were adjusted for baseline HbA1c and diabetes duration.

Results

HbA1c was similar between the controls and the CGM group at baseline: 8.2 ± 1.1% vs 8.3 ± 1.2%, p=0.48 respectively; but was significantly lower in the CGM group 12 months later, 8.2 ± 1.1% vs. 8.7 ± 1.4%, p=0.035. Longitudinal change in HbA1c was similar in the prepubertal cohort between the control- and CGM groups: −0.17 ± 0.98% vs. 0.38 ± 1.5%, p=0.17. In contrast, HbA1c increased with advancing age and pubertal status in the pubertal controls but not in the pubertal CGM group: 0.55 ± 1.4 vs −0.22 ± 1.1%, p=0.020. Percent TIR was inversely related to HbA1c in the CGM group, r=-0.6, p=0.0004, for both prepubertal and pubertal subjects.

Conclusions

CGM use significantly improved glycemic control in pubertal youth with T1D compared to non-CGM users.
Rechtspraxis als soziale Praxis. Das Beispiel der Huntingdonshire Eyre von 1286
Authors: Schwandt Silke
Published: July 2020

This article examines the practice of law as a social practice. Especially at a time when there were only a few professional courts, the interaction at court also has a social component. Courts come together and are formed by actors for whom the judicial service was only one of many (often vassal) tasks. This means: at the moment of the court, at the moment of the trial, a group is formed for a certain purpose. It will be observed how these groups form, how they are composed, and how the decisions of the actors for a particular jurisdiction influence these processes. A case in point will be the so-called Justices in Eyre and their session in Huntingdon in 1286, representing a royal court journeying into the localities to challenge local courts and to provide royal justice for the population.
Magnetic switching of Kerker scattering in spherical microresonators
Authors: Zouros Grigorios P. , Kolezas Georgios D. , Almpanis Evangelos , Baskourelos Konstantinos , Stefański Tomasz P. , Tsakmakidis Kosmas L.
Published: July 2020

Magneto-optical materials have become a key tool in functional nanophotonics, mainly due to their ability to offer active tuning between two different operational states in subwavelength structures. In the long-wavelength limit, such states may be considered as the directional forward- and back-scattering operations, due to the interplay between magnetic and electric dipolar modes, which act as equivalent Huygens sources. In this work, on the basis of full-wave electrodynamic calculations based on a rigorous volume integral equation (VIE) method, we demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining magnetically-tunable directionality inversion in spherical microresonators (THz antennas) coated by magneto-optical materials. In particular, our analysis reveals that when a high-index dielectric is coated with a magneto-optical material, we can switch the back-scattering of the whole particle to forward-scattering simply by turning off/on an external magnetic field bias. The validity of our calculations is confirmed by reproducing the above two-state operation, predicted by the VIE, with full-wave finite-element commercial software. Our results are of interest for the design of state-of-the-art active metasurfaces and metalenses, as well as for functional nanophotonic structures, and scattering and nanoantennas engineering.
Berberine/Ag nanoparticle embedded biomimetic calcium phosphate scaffolds for enhancing antibacterial function
Authors: Hu Cheng , Wu Lina , Zhou Changchun , Sun Huan , Gao Peng , Xu Xiujuan , Zhang Chenxi , Liang Jie , Fan Yujiang , Sun Jianxun , Zhou Xuedong , Zhang Xingdong
Published: July 2020

In the past decade, biomimetic calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics have been considered as practicable grafts and biomaterial substitutes in repairing jaw bone defect after tumor resection or traffic accident. Nowadays, increasing incidence of biomedical material-associated infection has raised a concern when applying these materials. In this work, a new porous CaP scaffold with antibacterial coating was proposed. This biomimetic scaffold was composited with berberine (BBR), Ag nanoparticles (nAg), and silk fibroin (SF). The microstructures and phase composition of the scaffolds were analyzed. The cytocompatibility and osteogenic potential of the prepared samples were evaluated in vitro. The scaffolds held hierarchical structure: the first-level porous CaP ceramic with micron pores ranged from 250 to 600 µm; the second-level spongy-like structure with abundant capillary pores ranged from 500 nm to 10 µm; and the third-level structure was achieved by filling BBR, nAg, and SF gel coatings into the above porous structures. The experimental results showed that the antimicrobial capability of single BBR coating is inconspicuous. However, the introduction of nAg could significantly promote the antibacterial effect of scaffolds. At the same time, such scaffolds showed improved osteoinductivity. This new biomimetic CaP scaffold with antibacterial and osteoinductive properties may be a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering.
Corrosion behaviour of multilayer CrN coatings deposited by hybrid HIPIMS after oxidation treatment
Authors: Yu-Jie Zhu , Jing-Ling Ma , Guang-Xin Wang , Ke-Xing Song , Stock Heinz Rolf
Published: July 2020

Chromium nitride coatings prepared by physical vapour deposition (PVD) show high hardness, high strength and good thermal conductivity, which makes them useful for cutting and forming tools. In this article, the microstructure and corrosion resistance of multilayer Cr/CrN coatings deposited by arc evaporation and hybrid high power impulse magnetron sputtering (hybrid HIPIMS) after oxidation between 500 and 800°C were examined. The average thickness of the coatings was about 3.5 µm. By means of the surface morphology analysis, elemental energy spectrometry and potentiodynamic polarization tests, the performances of the two groups of coatings have been compared. The results revealed that the coating deposited by the hybrid HIPIMS has stronger binding force with substrate, fewer surface defects and a denser structure. Also, the hybrid HIPIMS coatings have a better oxidation resistance and a better corrosion resistance compared to the arc evaporated coatings.
Diversity and ecological characteristic of algae and cyanobacteria of thermokarst lakes in Yakutia (northeastern Russia)
Authors: Kopyrina Liubov , Pshennikova Elena , Barinova Sophia
Published: July 2020

A total of 437 species (453 with infraspecific taxa) of algae and Cyanobacteria were identified in 2034 samples collected during the first research on nine thermokarst lakes in Yakutia carried out in 1986–1994 and 2001–2015. The richest algal flora was determined in Lake Aalah, represented by 241 taxa. Bacillariophyta species dominated in four lakes, whereas Chlorophyta and Cyanobacteria dominated in the others. The algal bioindication demonstrated preferences for benthic and plankticbenthic life, temperate temperature, low alkalinity, waters with moderate oxygenation, low to medium enrichment with chloride, low organic pollution, and mesotrophic state. Comparative floristic, CANOCO and JASP statistical methods divided the species and environmental variables into groups of lakes related to landscape terraces. Local landscape positions and high summer water temperatures may play a major role in the formation of algal flora. The index of algae taxa per area stabilized at about 70 species per km2. The highest polymorphism of algae floras, defined by the Subspecies/Species Index, was determined for the lakes of the Tungulunskaya terrace: Lake Ynakh, Lake Nal Tungulu and Lake Tungulu (1.041–1.058), and the average total flora was 1.036. Our results can help in monitoring and protecting the ecosystems of thermokarst lakes in Yakutia in the harsh climate environment of Northeastern Eurasia.
Hexabromocyclododecane contamination of herring gulls in the coastal area of the southern Baltic Sea
Authors: Reindl Andrzej , Falkowska Lucyna , Grajewska Agnieszka
Published: July 2020

Muscles and livers of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) found in the coastal area of the southern Baltic Sea were tested for the presence of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) isomers. They were detected in the muscles (ΣHBCD = 42.82 ± 30.65 ng g−1 l.w.) and livers (ΣHBCD = 65.51±27.96 ng g−1 l.w.) of all examined gulls. The α-HBCD isomer dominates in all types of samples. Our study has shown that bodies of gulls are less contaminated with HBCD than bodies of aquatic birds from other regions of the world. There was no clear correlation between HBCD concentrations and sex and age of birds. Nevertheless, it was indicated that the highest concentrations of HBCD and the α-HBCD isomer were found in the livers of immature females (mean = 89.31 ± 21.63 ng g−1 l.w. and mean = 76.72±24.54 ng g−1 l.w., respectively). The highest liver sequestration rates of the α-HBCD isomer were found in both adult and immature males (mean = 7.7 ± 13.7 and mean = 6.2 ± 11.9, respectively).
Plant replacement trend in soft-water lakes with isoetids
Authors: Ronowski Rafał P. , Banaś Krzysztof , Merdalski Marek , Szmeja Józef
Published: July 2020

A number of small, shallow inland lakes in the Northern Hemisphere are acidic, soft-water water bodies, mostly fed by precipitation. Some of these lakes are home to Lobelia dortmanna and other aquatic macrophytes from the isoetid group. The present study identifies a plant species replacement trend along the main environmental gradient in such lakes, i.e. pH of water.

In 70 lakes covered by the study and ordered along the gradient of increasing alkalinity, bryophytes gradually decline. Their decreasing frequency is 86.8% (pH 4.0), 32.5% (pH 6.5) and <10% (pH 6.6–9.5). At the same time, the frequency of vascular plants increases from 13.2% in strongly acidic lakes up to 92.8% in alkaline ones. The majority of isoetids usually occur at pH 5.5–6.7, but one of them (Littorella uniflora) often (frequency 40.5%) occurs also in eutrophic, alkaline lakes (pH 9.0–9.5), where it forms large populations. In lakes ranked according to the decreasing alkalinity gradient, bryophyte populations have been found to be smaller, while vascular plants become more abundant. The decreasing water acidity leads to partial or total elimination of bryophytes, which are replaced by eutrophilic vascular plants, frequently accompanied by some stonewort species.
Chemical Characterization of Vitreous Finds from Cosenza Cathedral (Calabria – Italy) by the Combined Use of Analytical Techniques
Authors: Barca Donatella , Papparella Franca C.
Published: July 2020

This article presents an archaeometrical research carried out on twenty-six vitreous finds collected in the Cosenza Cathedral (Calabria, Italy). The glasses have been subdivided in two typo-chronological groups. The first group is composed of 14 vitreous samples dating to the 4th–6th century AD. The second group includes twelve samples; seven are stems of funnel-shaped hanging lamps which date between the 12th and the 13th century AD, two are bottlenecks of balsamaria and three are concave bases. The aims of this study were the determination of the chemical composition of vitreous finds and the individuation of the primary glass sources. The samples were characterized through Electron Probe Micro Analyser with Wavelength Dispersive Spectrometer (EPMA-WDS) and Laser Ablation with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The data confirm that all the finds of the first group are “silica-soda-lime” type glasses characterized by a high content of Na2O and a low content of K2O and MgO. On the contrary, the samples of the second group, showing higher contents of K2O and MgO, are vegetable silica-soda-lime glasses. Their composition confirms the typological attribution to the medieval period.
Ni–Mo sulfide nanosized catalysts from water-soluble precursors for hydrogenation of aromatics under water gas shift conditions
Authors: Vutolkina Anna , Glotov Aleksandr , Baygildin Ilnur , Akopyan Argam , Talanova Marta , Terenina Maria , Maximov Anton , Karakhanov Eduard
Published: July 2020

The unsupported catalysts were obtained during hydrogenation by in situ high-temperature decomposition (above 300 °C) of water-soluble metal precursors (ammonium molybdate and nickel nitrate) in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions stabilized by surfactant (SPAN-80) using elemental sulfur as sulfiding agent. These self-assembly Ni–Mo sulfide nanosized catalysts were tested in hydrogenation of aromatics under CO pressure in water-containing media for hydrogen generation through a water gas shift reaction (WGSR). The composition of the catalysts was determined by XRF and active sulfide phase was revealed by XRD, TEM and XPS techniques. The calculations based on TEM and XPS data showed that the catalysts are highly dispersed. The surfactant was found to affect both dispersion and metal distribution for Ni and Mo species, providing shorter slab length in terms of sulfide particle formation and stacking within high content of NiMoS phase. Catalytic evaluation in hydrogenation of aromatics was performed in a high-pressure batch reactor at T = 380–420 °С, p(CO) = 5 MPa with water content of 20 wt.% and CO/H2O molar ratio of 1.8 for 4–8 h. As shown experimentally with unsupported Ni–Mo sulfide catalysts, the activity of aromatic rings depends on the substituent therein and decreases as follows: anthracene>>1-methylnaphthalene≈2-methylnaphthalene>1,8-dimethylnaphthale-ne>>1,3-di-methylnaphthalene>2,6-dimethylnaphthalene≈2,3-dimethylnaphthalene>2-ethyl-naphthalene. The anthracene conversion reaches up to 97–100% for 4 h over the whole temperature range, while for 1MN and 2MN it doesn’t exceed 92 and 86% respectively even at 420 °С for 8 h. Among dimethyl-substituted aromatics the higher conversion of 45% was achieved for 1,8-dimethylnaphthalene with 100% selectivity to tetralines at 400 °С for 6 h. Similar to 1- and 2-methylnaphtalenes, the hydrogenation of asymmetric dimethyl-substituted substrate carries out through the unsubstituted aromatic ring indicating that steric factors influence on the sorption mechanism over active metal sites. The catalysts were found to be reused for at least six cycles when the hydrogenation is sulfur-assisted preventing metal oxide formation. It was established, that at the first 2–3 h known as the induction period, the oxide catalyst precursors formed slowly by metal salt decomposition, which reveals that it is the rate-determining step. The sulfidation is rather fast based on high catalytic activity data on 2MN conversion retaining at 93–95% upon recycling.
Unusual behavior of bimetallic nanoparticles in catalytic processes of hydrogenation and selective oxidation
Authors: Redina Elena A. , Kirichenko Olga A. , Shesterkina Anastasiya A. , Kustov Leonid M.
Published: July 2020

Recent results obtained in studying mono- and bimetallic catalysts for selective hydrogenation of unsaturated carbonyl compounds, even unsaturated ones, acetylenic and nitro compounds as well as CO and bio-available alcohols oxidation are reviewed from the standpoint of the strong interaction between the metal nanoparticles, on the one hand, and two metals in the composition of bimetallic nanoparticles, on the other hand. Such interactions were demonstrated to result in partial positive or negative charging of metal nanoparticles, which, in turn, changes their adsorption and catalytic properties, especially with respect to the reactions involving hydrogen. Among the systems studied, Au–Pt, Au–Pd, Au–Cu, Au–Fe, Pt–WO
x
, Fe–Pd, Fe–Pt, Fe–Cu nanoparticles prepared by the redox procedure are considered to be most perspective in diverse catalytic applications because of the proper combination of the particle size and the electronic state of the metals.
COVID-19 and Collective Action
Authors: Sandler Todd
Published: July 2020

This conceptual article argues that COVID-19 poses myriad global collective action challenges, some of which are easier than others to address. COVID-19 requires numerous distinct activities – e.g., vaccine development, uncovering treatment practices, imposing quarantines, and disease surveillance. The prognosis for effective collective action rests on the underlying aggregator technologies, which indicate how individual contributions determine the amount of a COVID-19 activity that is available for consumption. Best- and better-shot aggregators are more apt to promote desired outcomes than weakest- and weaker-link aggregators. The roles for public policy and important actors (e.g., multi-stakeholder partnerships) in fostering collective action are indicated.
Capitalism and COVID-19: Crisis at the Crossroads
Authors: Murshed Syed Mansoob
Published: July 2020

Existential threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have historically engendered intellectual paradigm shifts, and even systemic transformations in the economy and polity. This paper focuses on two inter-related phenomena: rising economic inequality and the diminution of liberal democracy, a feature common to both developed and developing countries set in the context of a ubiquitous and globalized capitalism. In the post-pandemic world, we need to harness the positive dimensions of the powerful capitalist system to lower inequality and build a newer world akin to an earlier golden age of capitalism.
Continuous reactors of frontal polymerization in flow for the synthesis of polyacrylamide hydrogels with prescribed properties
Authors: Tonoyan Anahit O. , Varderesyan Anahit Z. , Ketyan Armine G. , Minasyan Aram H. , Hovnanyan Karlen O. , Davtyan Sevan P.
Published: July 2020

Taking into account the fact that since the 1970s frontal polymerization (FP) reactors in flow have been the subject of our study, the work gives a brief chronology of the development of FP reactors for the synthesis of high molecular polymers, polymeric hydrogels with cross-linked structure, their advantages and drawbacks. The reasons for the impossibility of the practical implementation of tubular FP reactors in flow for the synthesis of polymers are established. The possibility of implementation of tubular FP reactors for the synthesis of polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAH) capable of absorbing and releasing large amount of water is presented. The paper also presents some data on the methods for the synthesis of PAHs with prescribed properties in tubular continuous FP reactors by way of using nano-additives and regulating the kinetics of the synthesis process. As a result, the synthesis process of PAHs with the required properties both in the absorption and release of water, and in the physical-mechanical properties was carried out in frontal tubular-type reactors in flow, and the water absorption kinetic curves and physical-mechanical properties of the obtained hydrogels are presented.
Sonochemically synthetized ZnO-Graphene nanohybrids and its characterization
Authors: Cobianu Cornel , Dumbravescu Niculae , Serban Bogdan-Catalin , Buiu Octavian , Romanitan Cosmin , Comanescu Florin , Danila Mihai , Marinescu Roxana , Avramescu Viorel , Ionescu Octavian
Published: July 2020

The paper presents the morphological, structural and compositional properties of the sonochemically prepared ZnO-1.4wt% Graphene (Z-G) nanocomposites as a function of pH value of suspension varying from 8.5 to 14 and thermal annealing at 450°C in nitrogen or air ambient. The SEM analysis of the Z-G hybrids dried at 150°C in air has shown a nano-flower like nanostructure for a pH value of 14. The XRD analysis of dried Z-G hybrids revealed a crystallite size increase from 3.5 nm to 18.4 nm with pH increase, and this result was explained in terms of colloids zeta potential evolution with pH value. The Raman and EDS spectroscopy have shown a split of the G band (1575 cm−1) of graphene into two bands (1575 cm−1and 1605 cm−1), an increased height of D (1323 cm−1) band, and an additional amount of carbon due to CO2absorption from the air, respectively. The carbon incorporation increased with the decrease of pH, and was associated with a hydrozincite phase, Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6. The formation of dried Z-G nanocomposite was clearly demonstrated only at a pH value equal to 14, where two ZnO Raman active bands at 314.9 cm−1and 428.2 cm−1appeared. This result may indicate the sensitivity of the Raman spectroscopy to the nanoflower-like nanostructure of dried Z-G hybrids prepared at pH=14.The thermal treatment of Z-G hybrids in N2at 450°Chas increased the number of ZnO Raman bands as a function of pH value, it has decreased the amount of additional carbon by conversion of hydrozincite to ZnO andpreserved the graphene profile.The thermal treatment in air at 450°Chas increased the crystalline symmetry and stoichiometry of the ZnO as revealed by high and narrow Raman band from 99 cm−1specific to Zn optical phonons, but ithas severely affected the graphene profile in the Z-G hybrid, due to combustion of graphene in oxygen from the ambient.
Crystal structures of perovskite halide compounds used for solar cells
Authors: Oku Takeo
Published: July 2020

The crystal structures of various types of perovskite halide compounds were summarized and described. Atomic arrangements of these perovskite compounds can be investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Based on the structural models of basic perovskite halides, X-ray and electron diffractions were calculated and discussed to compare with the experimental data. Other halides such as elemental substituted or cation ordered double perovskite compounds were also described. In addition to the ordinary 3-dimensional perovskites, low dimensional perovskites with 2-, 1-, or 0-dimensionalities were summarized. The structural stabilities of the perovskite halides could be investigated computing the tolerance and octahedral factors, which can be useful for the guideline of elemental substitution to improve the structures and properties, and several low toxic halides were proposed. For the device conformation, highly crystalline-orientated grains and dendritic structures can be formed and affected the photo-voltaic properties. The actual crystal structures of perovskite halides in the thin film configuration were studied by Rietveld analysis optimizing the atomic coordinates and occupancies with low residual factors. These results are useful for structure analysis of perovskite halide crystals, which are expected to be next-generation solar cell materials.
Risk of Mercury exposure during childhood: a review of Sri Lankan situation
Authors: Galappaththi Himan K. A. , Suraweera Inoka
Published: July 2020

Sri Lanka had ratified the Minamata convention in the year 2017 and is planning to phase out Mercury by 2020. Mercury thermometers and compact fluorescent light bulbs are abundant at hospitals, households and schools. Limitations in safe disposal and containment mechanisms have enhanced the unregulated e-waste collection and extraction. Sri Lanka has plentiful lagoons, fishing bays, and inland irrigation systems. Fish consumption is high, especially around the coastal belt. Mercury can bioaccumulate in humans by the consumption of fish from contaminated sources. Children are at risk of exposure in their living environments and via food. A multicountry study done across three oceans on Mercury threat to women & children revealed, lagoon pollution from industrial Mercury emissions in Sri Lanka, possessing high Mercury among local females who consume fish from that lagoon. The mean hair Mercury level in coastal areas with high fish consumption exceeded the reference dose even among children. Aquatic life and crop studies revealed a mixed picture of Mercury levels which some are lower and some are higher than the permissible levels. Studies on environmental Mercury levels and correlations with health effects among children will help to fill the data gap. Public awareness of the health effects of Mercury and mechanisms of Mercury disposal should be established.
MAV quaternion attitude determination for accelerometer-magnetometer combination: Internal analysis
Authors: Wu Jin , Zhang Chengxi , Zhou Zebo
Published: July 2020

This paper proposes a novel fast deterministic quaternion attitude determination method for accelerometer and magnetometer combination (AMC). After taking insight to the attitude determination theory, an important relationship between the sensor outputs and the magnetometer’s reference vector is successfully derived. Based on the relationship, the optimal quaternion associated with the attitude of a certain object is easily calculated. The main breakthrough of this paper is that it significantly simplifies the determination of the magnetometer’s reference vector which always needs systematic calibration or iterative estimation in existing methods. We name the proposed method the Fast Accelerometer-Magnetometer Fusion (FAMF). Our proposed method has the advantages of better computation accuracy and less time consumption. Several experiments are carried out to illustrate the attitude determination results. Besides, comparisons with existing representative methods are also presented in the experimental section of this paper, which verify the effectiveness of the proposed FAMF. Finally, we experimentally show that the FAMF’s roll and pitch angles are immune to magnetic distortion, which ensures the robustness under complex environments for micro air vehicles (MAV).
Dynamical properties of nonlinear ion-acoustic waves based on the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in a multi-pair nonextensive plasma
Authors: Tamang Jharna , Saha Asit
Published: July 2020

Dynamical properties of nonlinear ion-acoustic waves (IAWs) in multi-pair plasmas (MPPs) constituting adiabatic ion fluids of positive and negative charges, and q-nonextensive electrons and positrons are examined. The nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) is considered to study the dynamics of IAWs in a nonextensive MPP system. Bifurcation of the dynamical system obtained from the NLSE shows that the system supports various wave forms such as, nonlinear periodic wave, kink and anti-kink waves in different ranges of q. The analytical solutions for ion-acoustic nonlinear periodic wave, kink and anti-kink waves are obtained. The impacts of system parameters such as, nonextensive parameter (q), mass ratio of negative and positive ions (μ
1), number density ratio of positive and negative ions (μ
2), number density ratio of positrons and negative ions (μ
p), temperature ratio of positive ions and electrons (σ
2) and temperature ratio of electrons and positrons (δ) on IAW solutions are bestowed. The results of this study are applicable to understand different dynamical behaviors of nonlinear IAWs found in the Earth’s ionosphere, such as, D-region [H+,

O
2
−

${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{-}$

] and F-region [H+, H−] and multipair plasma system laboratory [C+, C−].
La5Ir1.73In4.27with Lu5Ni2In4-type structure
Authors: Dominyuk Nataliya , Zaremba Vasyl’ I. , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: July 2020

Single crystals of La5Ir1.73In4.27were grown from a sample of the starting composition 47La: 17Ir: 36 In by arc-melting, followed by a long annealing sequence in a muffle furnace. La5Ir1.73In4.27crystallizes with the Lu5Ni2In4-type structure, space groupPbam, which was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffractometer data:a = 834.0(2),b = 1862.2(4),c = 385.31(8) pm,wR2 = 0.0278, 1165F2values and 37 variables. The 4hiridium site shows a small degree of Ir/In mixing. Geometrically one can describe the La5Ir1.73In4.27structure as a simple 4:1 intergrowth variant of CsCl and AlB2-related slabs. The iridium and indium atoms form a one-dimensional meandering [Ir1.73In4.27]δ–polyanion (292 pm Ir–In and 327 pm In–In) which is embedded in a lanthanum matrix.
Solid solutions EuAu4Cd2−x
Mg
x
with a remarkably stable ferromagnetic ground state
Authors: Reimann Maximilian K. , Bönnighausen Judith , Klenner Steffen , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: July 2020

Samples of the solid solutions EuAu4Cd2−x
Mg
x
were synthesized from the elements in sealed tantalum ampoules. The elements were reacted at a maximum temperature of 1273 K followed by slow cooling. For crystal growth, the polycrystalline samples were ground to powders, pressed to pellets and annealed again. All samples crystallize with the tetragonal YbAl4Mo2-type structure, space group I4/mmm. The solid solution extends up to x = 1 and the Cd/Mg substitution has only a minor influence on the lattice parameters. The samples have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and the structure of EuAu4Cd1.58(2)Mg0.42(2) was refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: a = 715.46(14), c = 549.96(11) pm, wR2 = 0.0334, 180 F
2 values and 11 variables. The striking crystal chemical motifs of the EuAu4Cd2−x
Mg
x
structures are Eu@Au12 and (Cd/Mg)@Au8(Cd/Mg)2 polyhedra and linear Cd/Mg chains in form of a tetragonal rod packing with distances of 275 pm for Cd/Mg–Cd/Mg. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements of all samples from the solid solutions EuAu4Cd2−x
Mg
x
revealed Curie–Weiss behavior and stable divalent europium. All samples are ordered ferromagnetically around T = 16 K, and magnetization isotherms at 3 K classify these materials as soft ferromagnets. It is remarkable that the structural Cd/Mg disorder within the chains does not influence the ferromagnetic ground state. The divalent nature of europium in these intermetallics was exemplarily studied for the EuAu4Cd1.4Mg0.6 sample by 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy. At 6 K the isomer shift is −9.95(4) mm s−1 and one observes full magnetic hyperfine field splitting with B
hf = 27.1(1) T.
The theoretical investigation of the opto-electronic properties of designed molecules having 2-(2-Methylene-3-oxo-indane-1-ylidene)malononitrile as end-capped acceptors
Authors: Tariq Amina , Ramzan Hina , Ahmad Syed Waqas , Bhatti Ijaz Ahmad , Ajmal Maryam , Khalid Muhammad , Iqbal Javed
Published: July 2020

Five acceptor-donor-acceptor molecules having different core units with 2-(2-Methylene-3-oxo-indane-1-ylidene)malononitrile as end capped terminal acceptor unit were designed. The ground state geometries and electronic properties were calculated by using density functional theory (DFT) at MPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. The absorption spectra were computed by using time dependent DFT at MPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. The designed molecules have broad absorption range in visible region. M3 shows relatively lower band gap so that having high light harvesting efficiency (LHE). The molecules consider as better hole blocking materials in term of high ionization potentials. The reorganization energies calculation of M1, M2 and M4 manifests that these molecules are the optimal candidate for electron transportation. High value of Voc has been observed for molecules which would favorably contribute in power conversion efficiency. M1, M2, M4 and M5 are more stable in terms of absolute hardness and electrostatic potential surfaces. All molecules show good opto-electronic properties in the aspect of their use in photovoltaic application.
Mesenchymal stem cells derivatives as a novel and potential therapeutic approach to treat diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Becerra-Bayona Silvia M , Solarte-David Víctor Alfonso , Sossa Claudia L , Mateus Ligia C , Villamil Martha , Pereira Jorge , Arango-Rodríguez Martha L
Published: July 2020

Diabetic foot ulcer morbidity and mortality are dramatically increasing worldwide, reinforcing the urgency to propose more effective interventions to treat such a devastating condition. Previously, using a diabetic mouse model, we demonstrated that administration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells derivatives is more effective than the use of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells alone. Here, we used the aforementioned treatments on three patients with grade 2 diabetic foot ulcers and assessed their beneficial effects, relative to the conventional approach. In the present study, two doses of cell derivatives, one dose of mesenchymal stem cells or one dose of vehicle (saline solution with 5% of human albumin), were intradermally injected around wounds. Wound healing process and changes on re-epithelialization were macroscopically evaluated until complete closure of the ulcers. All ulcers were simultaneously treated with conventional treatment (PolyMen® dressing). Patients treated with either cell derivatives or mesenchymal stem cells achieved higher percentages of wound closure in shorter times, relative to the patient treated with the conventional treatment. The cell derivative and mesenchymal stem cells approaches resulted in complete wound closure and enhanced skin regeneration at some point between days 35 and 42, although no differences between these two treatments were observed. Moreover, wounds treated with the conventional treatment healed after 161 days. Intradermal administration of cell derivatives improved wound healing to a similar extent as mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, our results suggest that mesenchymal stem cell derivatives may serve as a novel and potential therapeutic approach to treat diabetic foot ulcers.

Learning points:

In diabetic mouse models, the administration of mesenchymal stem cells derivatives have been demonstrated to be more effective than the use of marrow mesenchymal stem cells alone.

Mesenchymal stem cells have been explored as an attractive therapeutic option to treat non-healing ulcers.

Mesenchymal stem cells derivatives accelerate the re-epithelialization on diabetic foot ulcers.
Canine oviductal exosomes improve oocyte development via EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway
Authors: Lee Seok Hee , Oh Hyun Ju , Kim Min Jung , Lee Byeong Chun
Published: July 2020

Oviduct cells produce a favorable environment for the development of gametes by generating multiple growth factors. Particularly, in canine species, immature oocytes undergo serial maturation processes in the oviduct, while the other mammals already possess matured oocytes in ovulatory follicles. However, little is known about the potential effect exhibited by the components released from canine oviduct cells (OCs) for modulating the biological function of oocytes. Recently, exosomes are regarded as promising extracellular vesicles because they represent considerable data for molecular cargo. Therefore, we first investigated the effect of canine oviductal exosomes (OC-Exo) on oocyte development via EGFR/MAPK pathway. Our results showed that OC-Exo labeled with PHK67 are successfully incorporated with cumulus cells and oocytes during IVM. Also, OC-Exo markedly increased the proportion of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) exhibiting cumulus expansion as well as cumulus cell proliferation and maturation rate of oocytes (P < 0.05). Furthermore, gene expression patterns related with EGFR/MAPK pathway including EGFR, PKA, TACE/ADAM17, MAPK1/3, MAPK14, PTGS2, TNFAIP6, GDF9, and BMP15 were positively modified in COCs cultured with OC-Exo (P < 0.05). In addition, OC-Exo significantly up-regulated the protein expression levels of p-EGFR, p-MAPK1/3, GDF9 and BMP15 in COCs (P < 0.05). Consequently, the current study provides a model for understanding the roles of OC-Exo as bioactive molecules for canine oocyte maturation via EGFR/MAPK pathway, which would open a new avenue for the application of exosomes to improve assisted reproductive technology in mammals, including humans.
The Effects of Quantitative Trait Architecture on Detection Power in Short-Term Artificial Selection Experiments
Authors: Lou R Nicolas , Therkildsen Nina O , Messer Philipp W
Published: July 2020

Evolve and resequence (E&R) experiments, in which artificial selection is imposed on organisms in a controlled environment, are becoming an increasingly accessible tool for studying the genetic basis of adaptation. Previous work has assessed how different experimental design parameters affect the power to detect the quantitative trait loci (QTL) that underlie adaptive responses in such experiments, but so far there has been little exploration of how this power varies with the genetic architecture of the evolving traits. In this study, we use forward simulation to build a more realistic model of an E&R experiment in which a quantitative polygenic trait experiences a short, but strong, episode of truncation selection. We study the expected power for QTL detection in such an experiment and how this power is influenced by different aspects of trait architecture, including the number of QTL affecting the trait, their starting frequencies, effect sizes, clustering along a chromosome, dominance, and epistasis patterns. We show that all of these parameters can affect allele frequency dynamics at the QTL and linked loci in complex and often unintuitive ways, and thus influence our power to detect them. One consequence of this is that existing detection methods based on models of independent selective sweeps at individual QTL often have lower detection power than a simple measurement of allele frequency differences before and after selection. Our findings highlight the importance of taking trait architecture into account when designing and interpreting studies of molecular adaptation with temporal data. We provide a customizable modeling framework that will enable researchers to easily simulate E&R experiments with different trait architectures and parameters tuned to their specific study system, allowing for assessment of expected detection power and optimization of experimental design.
Žurnalisto kompetencijos ir gebėjimai šiandienos žiniasklaidoje
Authors: Matačinskaitė Jurgita
Published: July 2020

Žiniasklaidos darbuotojų – žurnalistų kompetencija yra viena iš daugiausia diskusijų visuomenėje kelianti tema. Ir nors žurnalistus profesionalus rengia trys Lietuvos aukštosios universitetinės mokyklos: Vilniaus universitetas (bakalaurus ir magistrus), Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas (magistrus), Klaipėdos universitetas (bakalaurus), tačiau žiniasklaidos priemonių savininkai (darbdaviai), priimdami į darbą žurnalistą, jo profesiniam išsilavinimui kol kas nekelia jokių ypatingų reikalavimų. Kitaip tariant, žiniasklaidos priemonių savininkų interesus atstovaujantys asmenys savo darbuotojams nekelia tokių profesinių reikalavimų, kurių negalėtų įveikti bet kurią kitą profesiją turintis žmogus. Tai yra vienas iš atsakymų į dažnai visuomenėje girdimą klausimą, kodėl žurnalistai taip paviršutiniškai aprašo sudėtingas problemas, kodėl nesugeba ar nenori pažvelgti giliau nei skandalo purslų taškymas ir pačių skandalų ar intrigų vaikymasis. Kartu tai yra atsakymas tiems, kurie pliekia žurnalistus už jų nuolatinius bandymus surasti sensaciją ten, kur, žiūrint savo srities profesionalo akimis, tos sensacijos nėra. Tai galėtų būti atsakymas ir tiems, kurie pasigenda žurnalistų, atliekančių visuomenėje svarbią politinės komunikacijos – „sarginio šuns“ funkciją, t.y. perspėjančio visuomenę apie numanomus pavojus ir teisės pažeidimus, nes šiandienos žurnalistas labiau linkęs laukti, kol tie pavojai pasireikš ir tik tuomet apie juos rašyti.Šio straipsnio tikslas – išnagrinėti profesionalaus žurnalisto kompetencijas ir gebėjimus, atlikus kiekybinį tyrimą – anketinę žurnalistų, dirbančių skirtingose visuomenės informavimo priemonėse apklausą, išsiaiškinti žiniasklaidos darbuotojams reikalingas kompetencijas ir gebėjimus bei nustatyti visuomenės informavimo priemonių savininkų/darbdavių bei auditorijos keliamus žurnalistinio profesionalumo reikalavimus.Straipsnio objektas – mokslinėje literatūroje pateikiamos pagrindinės profesionalaus žurnalisto kompetencijos ir gebėjimai, reikalingi sėkmingam darbui visuomenės informavimo priemonėse bei skirtingose visuomenės informavimo priemonėse (internetiniame portale, laikraštyje, žurnale, naujienų agentūroje, radijuje ar televizijoje) dirbantys žurnalistai.Esminiai žodžiai: auditorija, darbdaviai, kokybė, profesiniai gebėjimai, visuomenės pasitikėjimas žurnalistais, tyrimas, žurnalisto kompetencija
Communication after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Agrela Nicole , Santos Maria Emília , Guerreiro Sandra
Published: July 2020

Objective: The present study intends to assess the effects of a Pragmatics rehabilitation programme on communication skills.

Method: We have recruited 12 participants who had suffered from severe or moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), with more than two years post-onset, who were randomly divided into two groups, an Experimental Group (EG) and a Control Group (CG). The EG followed a specific programme for the rehabilitation of Pragmatic Communication and the CG followed a programme of communication stimulation through group conversation. Each programme consisted of 24 one-hour, thirty-minute sessions, twice a week, for 12 weeks. In order to verify the efficacy of the programme, both groups were assessed before and after using the two equivalent forms of the same scale, Forms A and B, of The Assessment Battery of Communication (ABaCo).

Results: Improvements were observed in both groups, although much more evident in the EG. Both groups obtained better results regarding Extralinguistic Comprehension and Production (questions, assertions, commands, requests and ironies by using gesticulation). In the EG there was also an improvement in Paralinguistic Production (facial expressions and intonation).

Conclusion: The results demonstrate the effectiveness and relevance of establishing rehabilitation programmes for communicative pragmatic disorders after TBI. The study shows how a simple conversation intervention programme can be beneficial when more elaborated therapies cannot be executed.
Monitoring the water supply system in a distributed production area using wireless technology
Authors: Petelyak Vladimir , Maslennikova Olga
Published: July 2020

The article is devoted to the results of a study on the choice of a method for monitoring the water supply network in a distributed industrial area, in particular, methods for collecting data from measuring instruments for detecting water leaks. Monitoring over a large industrial area is complicated by many factors that impede the use of existing leak detection methods: complex topography of the water supply network, which makes it difficult to segment; deterioration of infrastructure, both due to aging and corrosion; heterogeneity of the material of the manufacture of pipes; large variation in pipe diameters in one pipeline system; a variety of construction, installation and repair work carried out at the production site of the enterprise; significant level of round-the-clock production noise; the presence of uncontrolled elements of the water supply network.
In addition to complicating factors, it was necessary to take into account the specified limitations: a significant distance from the infrastructure; remoteness of control places from power supply networks; small amount of transmitted data; the need to install sensors in water wells, since it is impossible to guarantee the safety of elevated cabinets in a production environment.
As a possible solution, we considered wireless technologies for transmitting small-volume data over long distances belonging to the class of LPWAN (Low-power wide-area network): NB-IoT (Narrow Band Internet of Things), LoRa (Long Range) and Strizh. The common advantages of the technology are high penetration and long range and low power consumption, which allows end devices to provide uninterrupted autonomous operation for up to 10 years without replacing the battery. Each technology also has additional advantages and limitations.
The conclusion of the study is that to solve the problem in the given restrictions, you can use any of the technologies considered, while specifying the problem, you need to take into account additional parameters, such as the availability of network coverage in a given area, the number of sensors to be placed, the availability of the necessary devices, financial constraints.
The microbiology of head and neck space infections at the Maxillofacial Clinic at Livingstone Hospital
Authors: Singh N , Ngwenya S , Molepo J
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Head and neck space infections remain one of the most commonly encountered conditions at Maxillofacial clinics countrywide. Patients admitted with these infections tend to have prolonged hospital stays and often require intensive care support. This places financial and logistic constraints on our health care system. There are also growing concerns, worldwide, regarding antibiotic resistance AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the microbial spectrum of head and neck space infections in patients admitted to the Maxillo-Facial clinic at Livingstone Hospital in the Eastern Cape over a period of 5 years. METHODS: Demographic, clinical and laboratory data was retrieved from the medical records of 140 patients presenting with head and neck space infections RESULTS: Most patients were males aged 21-40 years. The most common cause of head and neck infections was non-odontogenic. The submandibular space was the most commonly implicated. Gram positive facultative anaerobes were most commonly identified. Bacteroides species and Staphylococcus aureus displayed sensitivity to clindamycin and amoxicillin with clavu-lanic acid. Viridans streptococci were sensitive to both penicillin and clindamycin CONCLUSION: Bacteroides species were the most commonly isolated bacteria, followed by Viridans streptococci and Staphy-lococcus aureus.