bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doppler evaluation of the posterior cerebral artery in fetuses with transposition of great arteries
Authors: Tan Ya , Zeng Shi , Liu YuShan , Tang HuaYu , Zhao BaiHua
Published: May 2020

Objective

To observe Doppler ultrasound changes in the two segments of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in fetuses with transposition of the great arteries (TGA).

Methods

The peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility index (PI), and velocity-time integral (VTI) of the two segments of PCA (the first segment: PCAS1, the second segment: PCAS2) and of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were compared in TGA fetuses and normal fetuses. The abnormality rate between the PCAS1-PI and MCA-PI was compared in TGA fetuses.

Results

The PCAS1-PI and MCA-PI were smaller in the TGA fetuses than in the controls (all P < 0.05), but the PCAS2-PI was unchanged (P > 0.05). The MCA-VTI, PCAS1-VTI, and PCAS2-VTI were larger in the TGA fetuses (all P < 0.05). In the TGA fetuses, the abnormality rate of the PCAS1-PI was significantly higher than that of the MCA-PI (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

In fetuses with TGA, there were hemodynamic differences between the two segments of the posterior cerebral arteries. Moreover, PCAS1 exhibited signs of vasodilatation more obviously than did the MCA in fetuses with TGA.
Protein and genetic expression ofCDKN1CandIGF2and clinical features related to human umbilical cord length
Authors: Olaya-C Mercedes , Ayala-Ramirez Paola , Sanchez-Barbero Ana I. , Guzmán-P Sandra L. , Gil Fabian , Silva Jaime L. , Bernal Jaime E.
Published: May 2020

Background

Umbilical cord (UC) abnormalities are related to neurological outcome and death; specific molecular factors that might be involved are, as yet, unknown; however, protein-coding genes insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1C (CDKN1C) have been identified as potential candidates.

Methods

An analytical observational study was carried out. Newborn UCs were collected, along with their clinical and morphological features. Immunohistochemical analysis was made on paraffin-embedded sections and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed in fresh UC tissue for the assessment of gene expression.

Results

A total of 100 newborns were included. A significant association was found between long UC and prematurity [odds ratio (OR) 9] and long UC and respiratory distress (OR 4.04). Gestational diabetes (OR 8.55) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) (OR 4.71) were found to be related to short UCs. The frequency for abnormal UC length was higher than expected. UC length was positively correlated with maternal, newborn and placental weight. No statistical association was found between IGF2 and CDKN1C (p57) expression and UC length; however, there was a tendency for higher CDKN1C expression in short UCs, while, on the contrary, higher IGF2 expression for long UCs.

Conclusion

UC length was observed to be associated with maternal and newborn complications. Protein expression, messenger RNA (mRNA) activity and the activity of said genes seem to be related to UC length.
Birth tears after spontaneous and vacuum-assisted births with different vacuum cup systems – a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kreft Martina , Zimmermann Roland , Kimmich Nina
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Birth tears are a common complication of vaginal childbirth. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of birth tears first by comparing the mode of vaginal birth (VB) and then comparing different vacuum cups in instrumental VBs in order to better advise childbearing women and obstetrical professionals.

Methods

In a retrospective cohort study, we analyzed nulliparous and multiparous women with a singleton pregnancy in vertex presentation at ≥37 + 0 gestational weeks who gave birth vaginally at our tertiary care center between 06/2012 and 12/2016. We compared the distribution of tear types in spontaneous births (SBs) vs. vacuum-assisted VBs. We then compared the tear distribution in the vacuum group when using the Kiwi Omnicup or Bird’s anterior metal cup. Outcome parameters were the incidence and distribution of the different tear types dependent on the mode of delivery and type of vacuum cup.

Results

A total of 4549 SBs and 907 VBs were analyzed. Birth tear distribution differed significantly between the birth modes. In 15.2% of women with an SB an episiotomy was performed vs. 58.5% in women with a VB. Any kind of perineal tear was seen in 45.7% after SB and in 32.7% after VB. High-grade obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) appeared in 1.1% after SB and in 3.1% after VB. No significant changes in tear distribution were found between the two different VB modes.

Conclusions

There were more episiotomies, vaginal tears and OASIS after VB than after SB. In contrast, there were more low-grade perineal and labial tears after SB. No significant differences were found between different vacuum cup systems, just a slight trend toward different tear patterns.
On Translator Training in Industry-Specific Universities in China – A case study of 16 MTI programs
Authors: Xu Mianjun , Zhao Tianyuan , Zhong Weihe
Published: May 2020

MTI programs in industry-specific universities have drawn little scholarly attention due to their short history and small scale, but they have irreplaceable advantages in training translators for specific industries because of their time-honored and well-established industry-specific disciplines and programs. For this reason, this paper focuses on MTI programs granted in 2014 in 16 industry-specific universities, which cover a variety of industries, including civil aviation, medicine, forestry, agriculture, post and telecommunications, architecture, ocean, petrol, electric power and water resources. All these MTI programs were subjected to the assessments by China National Committee for Translation and Interpreting Education in 2018. By inspecting their assessment data concerning teachers, students, training objectives, programs and characteristic courses, as well as horizontal communications with other disciplines of the respective universities and with language services companies, and by interviewing nine teachers from the universities concerned, the authors discuss the merits and demerits of these MTI programs. The paper concludes by offering some suggestions to translator training in China and beyond.
Unlocked in translation: techniques for the translation of Spanish and British courtroom figures
Authors: Vázquez y del Árbol Esther
Published: May 2020

Legal and courtroom figures always entail severe difficulties for both expert translators and translation trainees. They are a very fair reflection of the current society, and its organisation. When the translator is working with diverse legal systems (the British and the Spanish one), their complexity becomes stronger. Therefore, in this paper we will deal with the (English-Spanish) translation of the most representative and challenging courtroom figures from the UK and Spain by using the translation techniques applicable to court terminology.
El estrés en la Interpretación para los Servicios Públicos: Protocolo de actuación y estrategias para la formación de intérpretes
Authors: Parrilla Gómez Laura , Gutiérrez Solís Mª del Mar
Published: May 2020

Social interpretation allows foreigners to access public services in a country whose language or culture they do not know. Thanks to interpreters in public services, communication between user and provider can take place, becoming a necessary tool to overcome the language barrier. However, in many cases the interpreter is exposed to difficult situations, since the people who use these services are in a situation of vulnerability and share traumatic experiences they have suffered. Because of these intense stories, interpreters for public services often suffer work-related stress. This study aims, through a survey distributed among professional interpreters, to find out the level of stress they face and thus, with the results obtained, to create a protocol with different strategies to help students studying Translation and Interpretation to perform an interpretation in public services avoiding or minimising the appearance of stress.
La « compétence de la survie » du traducteur en zone de conflit : l’anxiété et la prise de décision
Authors: Assaad Hleihel Rhéa , Abou Fadel Saad Gina
Published: May 2020

Translators and interpreters operating in the war zone face numerous factors that alter their cognitive and emotional capabilities, among which: fear, anxiety troubles and post-traumatic stress disorder. This article explains the cerebral processes that generate anxiety, emotion and cognitive complexity, advances the new notion of “laboratory stress” and establishes the link between these processes and anxiety and decision‑making. Finally, the article suggests emergency exists such as positive appraisal and the innovative notion of sociocognitive counter‑conditioning.
Förderung von Perspektivenübernahme und Zielrezipientenorientierung im Translationsunterricht (deutsch – spanisch): kinderliterarische Ausgangstexte als didaktisches Instrument
Authors: Witte Heidrun
Published: May 2020

This paper will focus on
the role that source texts from early reader children’s literature can play in beginners’ translation classes helping students to develop culturally sensitive concepts of translator role and responsibility and encouraging them to use reader-oriented translation strategies.

In accordance with Functionalist Translation Theory, the translator’s ability to take into consideration culturally different perspectives is regarded as a basic component of his/her expert intercultural competence.

It will be argued that students’ empathy and ability to take others’ perspectives can be fostered through source texts that enable them to connect both with the fictional world (“text world”) and the target recipient’s situation (“real world”).
Availability of Print Resources as a Factor Affecting Reading Culture of Secondary School Students in Edo State, Nigeria
Authors: Ukpebor Christopher Osaretin
Published: May 2020

Studies have shown that Nigerians have a poor reading culture which could be as a result of several factors including unavailability of print resources. Literature has revealed that the quality of reading by secondary school students in Edo State was regrettably on the decline and that inadequate use of print resources was a major factor. The descriptive survey design of correlational type was adopted for the study. Stratified multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting participants for this study. Fifty percent was used to select nine local governments, 10 % to select public and private secondary schools from the already selected nine local governments, making a total of 65 schools. From each of the selected 65 schools, a sampling fraction of 11 % was used to select a total of 895 students for the study. A questionnaire was used for students while an interview checklist was used for school principals in justification of the students’ responses. Regression analysis (at 0.05 level of significance) was used to analyse the data. Findings revealed that secondary school students in Edo State have print resources readily available, while secondary school students had a poor reading culture with the weighted average of 3.06. The effect of print resources (β = 0.141; p < 0.05) in predicting students’ reading culture was significant. Conclusively, the study showed that secondary school students in Edo State have a poor reading culture irrespective of the availability of print resources.
Relationship between Organizational Culture and Knowledge Sharing: A Study of University Librarians
Authors: Ahmed Shamshad , Ashraf Asma , Sheikh Arslan
Published: May 2020

This paper aims to examine how librarians construe organizational culture based on employees’ satisfaction, good leadership, and organizational support with knowledge sharing practices relationships. The quantitative research method, using a structured questionnaire comprised of three constructs of Organizational Culture (OC), including employees’ satisfaction, good leadership, and organizational support, and six constructs of Knowledge Sharing (KS) (innovation, collaboration, communication channel, trust, loyalty, and ethics), was considered as the most suitable for this study. Correlation research design and Pearson correlation test were used for examining the relationships between OC and KS with respect to academic librarians. The findings disclosed significant relationships between OC and KS among the study participants. Organizational support followed by good leadership style and employees’ satisfaction are the strong predictors of knowledge sharing practices in the context of this study. This study has some practical implications for academic library administrators to consider the role of effective organizational culture in promoting knowledge sharing practices among LIS professionals. This paper is the first attempt to explore the relationship between OC and KS in library perspective.
On the temporal structure of nonculminating accomplishments
Authors: Tatevosov Sergei
Published: May 2020

In the growing body of literature on nonculmination one question seems to have attracted less attention than it may deserve: why do some but not all accomplishment predicates allow for nonculminating interpretations? The goal of this paper is to review attested restrictions on nonculminating accomplishments and to explore one specific aspect of their meaning. Assuming, with the literature on predicate decomposition, that accomplishments minimally consist of a process and change of state components, I focus on the temporal structure of the former. The main empirical finding of the study is that a nonculminating reading is unavailable if contextually relevant parts of this component are arranged by the temporal precedence relation in a unique way.
On “partitive dislocation” in Sardinian: A Romance and Minimalist perspective
Authors: Mensching Guido
Published: May 2020

The traditional philological literature on Sardinian claims that Sardinian has a “partitive object” construction, arguing that it is either inherited from Latin or due to Catalan influence. Under closer examination, however, the construction at issue turns out to be a common Romance clitic right dislocation (CLRD) structure involving the prepositiondeand a partitive clitic. The article presents the syntactic distribution of this Sardinian construction and its clitic left dislocation (CLLD) counterpart and compares it to similar structures in French, Catalan, and Italian. The result is that the structure appears in all these languages when a bare NP is dislocated, including split-QP/NumP/NP constructions: In all these languages, the dislocated indefinite NP is marked byde/diand a partitive clitic (Sardiniannde, Frenchen, Italianne, Catalanen/ne) shows up. The article ends with a Minimalist analysis, in which clitics are the spell-out of a probe in v that triggers movement of a complement to the specifier of vP to overcome a phase boundary. In this account, a probe that targets indefinite NPs assigns partitive case, while the probe itself is spelled out as a partitive clitic. While taking Sardinian as a starting point, the article bears on more general issues and unveils a common mechanism in one group of Romance languages.
Existence of a common solution to systems of integral equations via fixed point results
Authors: Işık Hüseyin , Park Choonkil
Published: May 2020

The goal of this article is to prove some coupled common fixed point results by using weakly increasing mappings with two variables. Several examples indicating the usability are provided. Also, we use the results obtained to demonstrate the existence of a common solution to a system of integral equations.
The second out-neighborhood for local tournaments
Authors: Li Ruijuan , Liang Juanjuan
Published: May 2020

Sullivan stated the conjectures: (1) every oriented graph has a vertex x such that d
++(x) ≥ d
−(x) and (2) every oriented graph has a vertex x such that d
++(x) + d

+
(x) ≥ 2d
−(x). In this paper, we prove that these conjectures hold for local tournaments. In particular, for a local tournament D, there are at least two vertices satisfying (1) and either there exist two vertices satisfying (2) or there exists a vertex v satisfying d
++(v) + d

+
(v) ≥ 2d
−(v) + 2 if D has no vertex of in-degree zero.
The adaptive finite element method for the Steklov eigenvalue problem in
inverse scattering
Authors: Zhang Yu , Bi Hai , Yang Yidu
Published: May 2020

In this study, for the first time, we discuss the posteriori error estimates and
adaptive algorithm for the non-self-adjoint Steklov eigenvalue problem in inverse
scattering. The differential operator corresponding to this problem is
non-self-adjoint and the associated weak formulation is not H
1-elliptic. Based on the study of Armentano et al. [Appl. Numer. Math.
58 (2008), 593–601], we first introduce error indicators for
primal eigenfunction, dual eigenfunction, and eigenvalue. Second, we use
Gårding’s inequality and duality technique to give the upper and lower
bounds for energy norm of error of finite element eigenfunction, which shows that our
indicators are reliable and efficient. Finally, we present numerical results to
validate our theoretical analysis.
Some inequalities on the spectral radius of nonnegative tensors
Authors: Ma Chao , Liang Hao , Xie Qimiao , Wang Pengcheng
Published: May 2020

The eigenvalues and the spectral radius of nonnegative tensors have been extensively studied in recent years. In this paper, we investigate the analytic properties of nonnegative tensors and give some inequalities on the spectral radius.
Māori Gender Non-conforming Identity: Analysing the ‘Takatāpui’ Discourse
Authors: Marino Francesca
Published: May 2020

This study aims to investigate the process of reconstruction of Māori postcolonial cultural identity in the twenty-first century which also passes through the reclamation and redefinition of ‘takatāpui’ notion. ‘Takatāpui’ is an umbrella term that nowadays indicates all the Māori with non-conformingwairua(spiritualities, gender identities), sexualities and sex characteristics. It is a culturally specific word which represents a form of intersectionality by identifying people as both Māori and queer.

As a consequence of the increasing spread of the Internet, which has become a virtual place to construe identity and to promote the dissemination of ideas, a Multimodal Discourse Analysis is conducted on a corpus comprising 10 audiovisual texts fully retrieved from the web and exclusively produced by Māori takatāpui activists and/or containing Māori takatāpui activists’ self-narratives or claims.

The corpus is analysed by applying a MMDA (Multimodal Discourse Analysis) framework based on Kress and van Leeuwen’s social semiotic framework (2006). The analysis is conducted also by taking into account Blommaert’s linguistic and ethnographic framework (2014).

The findings of the analysis show the different strategies through which Māori identities are construed and conveyed reinforcing what the Māori scholar, Tuhiwai Smith (1999. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Dunedin: Zed Books Limited, 28), calls “a very powerful need to give testimony to and restore a spirit, to bring back into existence a world fragmenting and dying”.
Unbiased estimation of the solution to Zakai’s equation
Authors: Ruzayqat Hamza M. , Jasra Ajay
Published: May 2020

In the following article, we consider the non-linear filtering problem in continuous time and in particular the solution to Zakai’s equation or the normalizing constant.
We develop a methodology to produce finite variance, almost surely unbiased estimators of the solution to Zakai’s equation.
That is, given access to only a first-order discretization of solution to the Zakai equation, we present a method which can remove this discretization bias.
The approach, under assumptions, is proved to have finite variance and is numerically compared to using a particular multilevel Monte Carlo method.
Corporations as the Outgroup?
Authors: Murphy Ryan H.
Published: May 2020

Because the evolutionary competitive process found in the market selects firms whose practices most closely maximize profits, as in Alchian (1950), members of society correctly perceive that firms will defect when it aligns with their long-run profitability. This holds regardless of the intentions of those running the firm. But in terms of moral psychology, members of society subsequently consider firms to be members of the outgroup, deserving of ostracism. However, because conventional economic analysis already assumes that firms maximize profits, the observation that firms only act “ethically” when it is in their rational self-interest to do so does not have policy implications that are not already contained in neoclassical economics.
Rehabilitation training improves nerve injuries by affecting Notch1 and SYN
Authors: Jing Mao , Yi Yang , Jinniu Zhang , Xiuli Kan , Jianxian Wu
Published: May 2020

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of rehabilitation training on Notch1 and synaptophysin (SYN) levels in brain tissues of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia.

Methods

Eighty-one male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into nine groups: three Sham groups, three Model groups, and three training groups. There were nine rats in each group. At different time points, the apoptosis cell rate was analyzed by the TUNEL assay, and the expression levels of Notch1 and SYN in brain tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and RT-qPCR assay.

Results

The apoptosis cell rate of training groups was significantly higher on day 28 (P < 0.05). The protein and mRNA levels of both Noth1 and SYN in training groups were significantly higher on day 28 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Rehabilitation training could improve nerve cell apoptosis by increasing the expression of both Notch1 and SYN.
Focus on localized laryngeal amyloidosis: management of five cases
Authors: Mesolella Massimo , Petruzzi Gerardo , Buono Sarah , Salerno Grazia , Salzano Francesco Antonio , Di Lorenzo Giuseppe , Motta Gaetano
Published: May 2020

Amyloidosis is a group of idiopathic clinical syndromes caused by the deposition of insoluble fibrillar proteins (amyloid) in the extracellular matrix of organs and tissues. These deposits disrupt the function of the target organ. Amyloidosis can manifest as a systemic disease or a single-organ involvement (local form). Its etiology still remains unclear. Deposits of amyloid in the larynx are rare, accounting for between 0.2 and 1.2% of benign tumors of the larynx. In this retrospective study, we report the clinical aspects, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of five female patients with localized laryngeal amyloidosis without systemic involvement. The patients were all treated successfully using microlaryngoscopy with CO2 laser or cold instruments. Prognosis is excellent; however, appropriate follow-up is an important part of the long-term management of this disease in order to prevent and control the possibility of local recurrence.
Taugt die aggregierte Delinquenzrate einer Schulklasse als Maßzahl für die Bestimmung kriminogener Peer-Effekte?
Authors: Hirtenlehner Helmut , Bacher Johann , Weber Christoph
Published: May 2020

In der kriminologischen Forschung werden Effekte delinquenter Peerexposition auf das Legalverhalten junger Menschen gerne im Bezugsrahmen statistischer Mehrebenenanalysen bestimmt, in welchen die auf Kontextebene hochaggregierten Selbstauskünfte der befragten Personen als Indikator für die Kriminalitätsbelastung der Freunde verwendet werden. Gerade im europäischen Raum liegen solchen Untersuchungen häufig schulbasierte Stichproben zugrunde. Stillschweigend angenommen wird dabei, dass sich erstens die Freunde eines Jugendlichen aus den Schulkameraden rekrutieren und dass zweitens die aggregierte Delinquenzrate einer Schulkasse eine geeignete Messgröße für die Berechnung des Peer-Effektes darstellt. Dieser Beitrag problematisiert die zweite Annahme und weist nach, dass einerseits das Abstellen auf die unkorrigierte Klassenkriminalitätsrate artifizielle Befunde produziert, weil es den einzelnen Jugendlichen in die Bildung der Expositionsvariablen miteinbezieht (Ego-Bias-Problem), und andererseits der Rückgriff auf herkömmliche Mehrebenenanalysen die reziproken Wirkungsdynamiken zwischen jungen Menschen und ihren Klassenkameraden (Simultanitätsproblem) vernachlässigt. Beide Umstände können auf eine Überschätzung kriminogener Peer-Effekte hinauslaufen. Im gegenständlichen Beitrag werden Modellierungsvarianten, die hier geeignete Abhilfe versprechen, vorgestellt und beispielhaft auf die Ladendiebstahlsdelinquenz von Kindern und Jugendlichen angewandt. Sowohl Instrumentalvariablenregressionsanalysen als auch nicht-rekursive Strukturgleichungsmodelle erbringen Belege für eine moderate Abhängigkeit der Ladendiebstahlsprävalenz adoleszenter Personen vom Umfang der Diebstahlskriminalität ihrer Klassenkameraden.
MXene: two dimensional inorganic compounds, for generation of bound state soliton pulses in nonlinear optical system
Authors: Feng Tianci , Li Xiaohui , Guo Penglai , Zhang Ying , Liu Jishu , Zhang Han
Published: May 2020

MXene are a class of metal carbide and metal nitride materials with a two-dimensional layered structure. MXene Ti3C2Tx has the characteristics of good metal conductivity and adjustable chemical composition, which has attracted the attention of scientists. Recently, Mxene have shown strong nonlinear photonics and optoelectronic effect, which can be used to generate ultrashort pulsed laser. However, soliton molecules pulse in laser cavity based on Mxene have not been reported at present. In this article, MXene have been characterized systematically, and the nonlinear optical characters were measured. In addition, we combined MXene with taper fiber to make a saturable absorber device for an erbium-doped fiber laser. The modulation depth and saturation absorption intensity of MXene are 10.3% and 197.5 MW/cm2, respectively. Thanks to the outstanding character of MXene, a three-order soliton molecules pulse were generated in laser cavity. The center wavelength, pulse interval and spectral modulation period of soliton molecules are 1529.4 nm, 15.5 ps and 0.5 nm, respectively. The above experimental results show that MXene have broad application prospects in the fields of optical fiber communication, laser material processing and high-resolution optics.
Cherenkov radiation generated in hexagonal boron nitride using extremely low-energy electrons
Authors: Qu Tuo , Liu Fang , Lin Yuechai , Cui Kaiyu , Feng Xue , Zhang Wei , Huang Yidong
Published: May 2020

Cherenkov radiation (CR) is the electromagnetic shockwaves generated by the uniform motion of charged particles at a velocity exceeding the phase velocity of light in a given medium. In the Reststrahlen bands of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPPs) are generated owing to the coupling between mid-infrared electromagnetic waves and strong anisotropic lattice vibrations. This study theoretically and numerically investigates the generation of volume CR based on HPPs in hBN with super-large wavevectors. Results reveal that CR can be generated using free electrons with an extremely low kinetic energy of 1 eV—two orders of magnitude lower than that reported in extant studies. The findings of this investigation provide new insights into significantly reducing the electron energy required for CR generation and potentially open new research avenues in the fields of CR and HPP.
Loss and gain in a plasmonic nanolaser
Authors: Wang Shao-Lei , Wang Suo , Man Xing-Kun , Ma Ren-Min
Published: May 2020

Plasmonic nanolasers are a new class of laser devices which amplify surface plasmons instead of photons by stimulated emission. A plasmonic nanolaser cavity can lower the total cavity loss by suppressing radiation loss via the plasmonic field confinement effect. However, laser size miniaturization is inevitably accompanied with increasing total cavity loss. Here we reveal quantitatively the loss and gain in a plasmonic nanolaser. We first obtain gain coefficients at each pump power of a plasmonic nanolaser via analyses of spontaneous emission spectra and lasing emission wavelength shift. We then determine the gain material loss, metallic loss and radiation loss of the plasmonic nanolaser. Last, we provide relationships between quality factor, loss, gain, carrier density and lasing emission wavelength. Our results provide guidance to the cavity and gain material optimization of a plasmonic nanolaser, which can lead to laser devices with ever smaller cavity size, lower power consumption and faster modulation speed.
Nanofocusing of acoustic graphene plasmon polaritons for enhancing mid-infrared molecular fingerprints
Authors: Voronin Kirill V. , Aseguinolaza Aguirreche Unai , Hillenbrand Rainer , Volkov Valentyn S. , Alonso-González Pablo , Nikitin Alexey Y.
Published: May 2020

Mid-infrared (mid-IR) optical spectroscopy of molecules is of large interest in physics, chemistry, and biology. However, probing nanometric volumes of molecules is challenging because of the strong mismatch of their mid-infrared absorption and scattering cross-sections with the free-space wavelength. We suggest overcoming this difficulty by nanofocusing acoustic graphene plasmon polaritons (AGPs) – oscillations of Dirac charge carriers coupled to electromagnetic fields with extremely small wavelengths – using a taper formed by a graphene sheet above a metallic surface. We demonstrate that due to the appreciable field enhancement and mode volume reduction, the nanofocused AGPs can efficiently sense molecular fingerprints in nanometric volumes. We illustrate a possible realistic sensing sсenario based on AGP interferometry performed with a near-field microscope. Our results can open new avenues for designing tiny sensors based on graphene and other 2D polaritonic materials.
Microcavity-coupled emitters in hexagonal boron nitride
Authors: Proscia Nicholas V. , Jayakumar Harishankar , Ge Xiaochen , Lopez-Morales Gabriel , Shotan Zav , Zhou Weidong , Meriles Carlos A. , Menon Vinod M.
Published: May 2020

Integration of quantum emitters in photonic structures is an important step in the broader quest to generate and manipulate on-demand single photons via compact solid-state devices. Unfortunately, implementations relying on material platforms that also serve as the emitter host often suffer from a tradeoff between the desired emitter properties and the photonic system practicality and performance. Here, we demonstrate “pick and place” integration of a Si3N4 microdisk optical resonator with a bright emitter host in the form of ∼20-nm-thick hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The film folds around the microdisk maximizing contact to ultimately form a hybrid hBN/Si3N4 structure. The local strain that develops in the hBN film at the resonator circumference deterministically activates a low density of defect emitters within the whispering gallery mode volume of the microdisk. These conditions allow us to demonstrate cavity-mediated out-coupling of emission from defect states in hBN through the microdisk cavity modes. Our results pave the route toward the development of chip-scale quantum photonic circuits with independent emitter/resonator optimization for active and passive functionalities.
Crystal structure and anti-inflammatory activity of (3E,5E)-1-((4-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl)-3,5-bis(4-fluorobenzylidene)piperidin-4-one-dichloromethane (1/1), C26H20Cl3F2NO3S
Authors: Zhang Li-Xia , Hou Yun
Published: May 2020

C26H20Cl3F2NO3S, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 8.6281(7) Å, b = 11.3695(9) Å, c = 14.3529(11) Å, α = 68.166(7)°, β = 80.707(7)°, γ = 71.169(7)°, V = 1235.65(19) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0564, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1376, T = 100.00(10) K.
The crystal structure of (E)-2-(4-((4-fluorobenzyl)oxy)styryl)-4,6-dimethoxybenzaldehyde, C24H21FO4
Authors: Zhang Min , Lin Jin-Yuan , Liu Jing , Ruan Ban-Feng
Published: May 2020

C24H21FO4, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 6.9734(5) Å, b = 9.0402(7) Å, c = 16.0963(12) Å, α = 98.977(6)°, β = 92.867(6)°, γ = 97.501(6)°, V = 991.14(12) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0540, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1406, T = 273 K.
Atomic force microscopy for cell mechanics and diseases
Authors: Pérez-Domínguez Sandra , Kulkarni Shruti G. , Rianna Carmela , Radmacher Manfred
Published: May 2020

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful technique widely employed in biophysics, for instance to study topography of living cells and cell mechanics. Cell mechanics is a very interesting, biophysical parameter of cells, because it is strongly changed by various cellular processes, for example during cell division, cell movement, differentiation, aging, and also various diseases. Since cancer is a prominent example of changes in mechanical properties of diseases, the concept of the mechanical fingerprint has developed, which makes it possible to distinguish between healthy and diseased cells. In this article we report on various studies of cell mechanics with the AFM. We will first give a brief introduction on AFM principles and operational modes and then we will report on some applications of AFM in the field of cellular biophysics, like discriminating between healthy and cancer cells, as well as distinguishing cancer cells at different stages of malignancy. Overall, we will show that AFM has made a significant contribution in studying the biophysics of cancer and the concept of mechanical fingerprints could find a wide variety of applications in biomedicine and medical diagnostics.
Thermoelastic analysis of FGM hollow cylinder for variable parameters and temperature distributions using FEM
Authors: Sharma Dinkar , Kaur Ramandeep
Published: May 2020

This paper presents, numerical study of stress field in functionally graded material (FGM) hollow cylinder by using finite element method (FEM). The FGM cylinder is subjected to internal pressure and uniform heat generation. Thermoelastic material properties of FGM cylinder are assumed to vary along radius of cylinder as an exponential function of radius. The governing differential equation is solved numerically by FEM for isotropic and anistropic hollow cylinder. Additionally, the effect of material gradient index (β) on normalized radial stresses, normalized circumferential stress and normalized axial stress are evaluated and shown graphically. The behaviour of stress versus normalized radius of cylinder is plotted for different values of Poisson’s ratio and temperature. The graphical results shown that stress field in FGM cylinder is influenced by some of above mentioned parameters.
Elastic-plastic model for the mechanical properties of paperboard as a function of moisture
Authors: Marin Gustav , Nygårds Mikael , Östlund Sören
Published: May 2020

To verify a linear relation between normalized mechanical property and moisture ratio, in-plane tensile tests were performed on four types of paperboard from different manufacturers. Tensile properties were normalized with respect to the property at standard climate (50 % RH, 23 °C). Short-span Compression Tests were also performed to investigate if the relation was linear also for in-plane compression. The tests were performed at different relative humidity (20, 50, 70 and 90 % RH) but with constant temperature (23 °C) in MD and CD, respectively. The linear relation was confirmed for the normalized mechanical properties investigated. In fact, when also the moisture ratio was normalized with the standard climate, all paperboards coincided along the same line. Therefore, each mechanical property could be expressed as a linear function of moisture ratio and two parameters. Moreover, an in-plane bilinear elastic-plastic material model was suggested, based on four parameters: strength, stiffness, yield strength and hardening modulus, where all parameters could be expressed as linear functions of moisture ratio. The model could predict the elastic-plastic behavior for any moisture content from the two parameters in the linear relations and the mechanical properties at standard climate.
Interrogations of the “Chinese Dream” campaign from a critical perspective: deconstruction, receptions and critiques
Authors: Ni Alexandra Jingsi , Liu Qian
Published: May 2020

The high-profile “Chinese Dream” campaign, which appeared in the public discourse in as early as 2012, has captured worldwide attention. Various interpretations and dissections of this heavily promoted political catchphrase have been proposed by a large number of scholars, political commentators, China specialists and even policy-makers across the globe. Academic publication and popular media coverage regarding the “Chinese Dream” campaign are extensive and numerous.

However, despite the sheer amount of literature in existence, a critical deconstruction of the “Chinese Dream” is almost neglected and the crucial strategic functionalities the “Chinese Dream” campaign performs are also downplayed. Therefore, in this article, we intend to provide a series of critical interrogations and in-depth critiques of the “Chinese Dream” campaign from a more critical perspective in order to argue the following points: A) what are the true meanings of the “Chinese Dream” and what are the crucial ingredients deliberately included and excluded in the campaign; B) what are the important strategic functionalities the “Chinese Dream” campaign is designed to perform and what is the supporting understructure upon which the “Chinese Dream” campaign operates and C) what are the uncertainties and challenges facing the eventual realization of the ambitious “Chinese Dream” in the foreseeable future.
Realization of preemptive focus on form in the English-language teaching context
Authors: Tajik Leila , Karimi Khadijeh , Ramezani Ameneh
Published: May 2020

Whilereactive focus on form(FonF) has been addressed extensively in the literature,preemptive FonFhas not attracted the attention it deserves. To fill in part of this gap in the English-language teaching (ELT) context, the present study was conducted to examine the occurrence of preemptive focus on form episodes (FFEs) in the classes of two male and two female English-language teachers. Additionally, it aimed to explore the frequency of student-initiated and teacher-initiated FFEs as well as the uptake and no uptake moves in four classes. To address these issues, all cases of preemptive FFEs were identified in 6 h of instruction obtained from videotaping of four classes. Results confirmed that preemptive FonF does occur in the process of meaning-focused communication and that they are used by male and female teachers almost equally to deal with linguistic difficulties. The findings further showed that student-initiated and teacher-initiated FFEs occurred almost equally in four classes. As to the type of moves, no uptake move was recorded to occur more frequently in male teachers’ classes and to occur more frequently in student-initiated episodes in all classes. Results can raise the awareness of ELT teachers about the benefits of employing preemptive FonF in the context of meaning-focused communications.
Impact of double-diffusive convection and motile gyrotactic microorganisms on magnetohydrodynamics bioconvection tangent hyperbolic nanofluid
Authors: Sajid Tanveer , Sagheer Muhammad , Hussain Shafqat , Shahzad Faisal
Published: May 2020

The double-diffusive tangent hyperbolic nanofluid containing motile gyrotactic microorganisms and magnetohydrodynamics past a stretching sheet is examined. By adopting the scaling group of transformation, the governing equations of motion are transformed into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The Keller box scheme, a finite difference method, has been employed for the solution of the nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The behaviour of the working fluid against various parameters of physical nature has been analyzed through graphs and tables. The behaviour of different physical quantities of interest such as heat transfer rate, density of the motile gyrotactic microorganisms and mass transfer rate is also discussed in the form of tables and graphs. It is found that the modified Dufour parameter has an increasing effect on the temperature profile. The solute profile is observed to decay as a result of an augmentation in the nanofluid Lewis number.
Law as Literature: The Interdisciplinary Endeavour of Oudropo,, and Their Interdisciplinary Play with Text
Authors: Pichler Doris
Published: May 2020

The present paper concentrates on the foundational and conceptual basis of the interdisciplinary endeavor of Law and Literature and contributes to an interdisciplinary concept of text. The concept of text must be considered as one of the basic concepts which lie at the heart of both involved disciplines. By departing from a concept of text inspired by literary studies (Roland Barthes, Julia Kristeva, and others) the paper sets out to sketch the characteristics of a concept of text for Law and Literature and suggests adopting practice theories and social semiotics for this purpose. The French group Oudropo,, ‒ a group of mainly legal scholars who playfully deconstruct existing legal documents ‒ serves as a very successful, and rare, example of law as literature and illustrates convincingly the practical application of an interdisciplinary concept of text.
Ionic gelated β-cyclodextrin-biotin-carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles prepared as carrier for oral delivery of protein drugs
Authors: Chen Kuanmin , He Suoju , Wang Hui , Zhang Song , Yu Lizhen , Zhang Yue , Elshazly Ezzat H , Ke Lixia , Gong Renmin
Published: May 2020

In this paper, the β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and biotin (Bi) were successfully grafted onto carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS). And then the β-CD-Bi-CMCS nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared as oral nano-delivery carrier of protein drugs by ionic gelation method. The morphological feature of fabricated drug carrier was determined by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The result showed that the prepared NPs presented spherical structure with an average diameter of 138 nm. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as model protein drug that was entrapped in prepared drug carrier with satisfactory entrapment efficiency (79.18%) and loading content (3.96%). The drug release profiles of BSA/β-CD-Bi-CMCS NPs were studied at different pH environment for simulated gastric fluid (SGF), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) and simulated colonic fluid (SCF). It was found that the BSA/β-CD-Bi-CMCS NPs displayed a pH dependent drug release profiles. After 72 h, the cumulative release amount of BSA in SGF, SIF, and SCF was about 20.57, 74.46, and 91%, respectively. Furthermore, the enzymatic degradation and cytotoxicity studies showed the synthesized β-CD-Bi-CMCS NPs had high chemical stability and biocompatibility. This work indicated that the β-CD-Bi-CMCS NPs had the potentiality as promising nanocarriers for oral delivery of protein drugs.
Bidirectional chemotherapy combining intraperitoneal docetaxel with intravenous 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin for patients with unresectable peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer: the first study in Western countries
Authors: Lo Dico Rea , Gornet Jean Marc , Guglielmo Nicola , Zaanan Aziz , Taieb Julien , Pocard Marc
Published: May 2020

Background

A new treatment using bidirectional intraperitoneal (IP) and intravenous (IV) chemotherapy developed by Asiatic surgeons improves outcomes in patients with synchronous peritoneal metastasis (PM) from gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

We enrolled six consecutive patients with unresectable PM from GC who underwent bidirectional chemotherapy using IP docetaxel and IV FOLFOX or LV5FU2. In one course, IP docetaxel 30 mg/m2was administrated on days 1, 8 and 15, and IV FOLFOX or LV5FU2 was administered on days 1 and 15, followed by 7 days of rest. Before and after a complete bidirectional cycle of three courses, the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was evaluated by laparoscopy. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of bidirectional chemotherapy. Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), and the success of the therapeutic strategy was reflected by a decrease of 25% of the initial PCI.

Results

All patients completed one bidirectional cycle. The regimen was well tolerated. The median OS was 13 months [range 5–18], and the 1-year OS rate was 67%. After the first bidirectional cycle, the PCI decrease ≥25% of the initial value in four patients. A major histological response was observed in four patients.

Conclusions

This is the first Western study and confirms the feasibility and safety of bidirectional treatment using IP and IV chemotherapy for patients with unresectable PM from GC, resulting in a 13-month median OS with limited morbidity. The decrease in PCI after one bidirectional cycle is promising.
Phase-transfer catalysis and the ion pair concept
Authors: González Adelantado Florenci V.
Published: May 2020

This review outlines the recent advances in the field of asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis and the ion-pair concept including alkylation of amino acids and peptides, oxyindoles and other substrates, conjugate additions, fluorinations, photo-induced phase-transfer catalysis, Nitro-Mannich reactions, heterocyclizations and cycloadditions for the preparation of heterocycles, derivatization of isoxazoles, umpolung conjugate addition of imines and other three asymmetric reactions.
Green possibilities in a green industrial sector: The lumber industry
Authors: Wong Roby
Published: May 2020

Industries have gone on far too long escaping the eyes of the general public on matters of sustainability and global environmental “greening”. The lumber industry itself has gone on for hundreds of years without any indication of environmental consciousness, even with their main resource at a slow decline. From early human civilization to the present modern age, wood has been a longstanding staple as a natural resource and a symbol of environmental awareness. With the consumer public becoming more aware and conscious of worldwide concerns such as climate change, greenhouse gases, and other environmental issues, businesses are being condemned for their lack of initiative in preserving the global ecosystem for future generations. While the lumber industry is one such corporation, generations of wood technologies have contributed to the growing environmental effort of the business. From simply recycling wood scraps as fuel to processing wood composite boards for a myriad of different applications, these advancements to wood products and lumber processing have contributed exorbitant amounts of careful planning in order to construct a more sustainable, environmentally “green” industry.
Process simulation approach in computer aided industrial design
Authors: Staszak Maciej
Published: May 2020

The work presents the process of design using simulation approach. The fundamental unit operations were described including chemical reaction, separation in distillation units and heat exchange process together with thermodynamics considerations. Detailed description of the available methods and procedure is provided. The design process is based on the use of Chemcad software.
Naphthopyran Dyes
Authors: Towns Andrew
Published: May 2020

This article covers the most commercially important type of photochromic dye. It outlines which of its subclasses are of most use and how they are manufactured. The history of the industrial exploitation of this kind of colorant is briefly given before illustrating its versatility with examples of the most useful ways in which photochromic properties can be manipulated by making adjustments to molecular structure.