bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus monotherapy and cyclophosphamide combined with glucocorticoid in the treatment of adult primary membranous nephropathy: protocol of a multicenter, randomized, controlled, open study
Authors: Chen Shasha , Ren Song , Wang Amanda Y. , Tran Hieu , Li Zheng , Cheng Xiaoyun , Liu Manli , Li Guisen , Wang Li , Hong Daqing
Published: February 2020

Background

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) remains the leading cause of adult nephrotic syndrome. Immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX) is often successful in reducing proteinuria, but its use is associated with severe side effects. Tacrolimus (TAC) is effective in achieving complete remission (CR) in patients with IMN. However, whether it is as effective as CTX in inducing and maintaining complete or partial remission in these patients is unknown. This trial aims to test TAC monotherapy for its non-inferiority to CTX in inducing long-term remission of proteinuria.

Methods

Patients with biopsy-proven IMN with nephrotic syndrome will be randomized into a 12-month treatment period with oral TAC of 0.05–0.1 mg/kg/day for 6 months or with CTX + glucocorticoid. The efficacy of the treatment will be assessed by the remission status (based on changes in proteinuria) and relapse rate.

Discussion

This study will test whether treatment with TAC monotherapy is superior to CTX with glucocorticoid in inducing long-term remission of proteinuria in patients with adult IMN. The role of serum anti-PLA2R antibodies in the early assessment of the response to therapy using different therapeutic regimens will also be clarified.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ChiCTR1800016140. Registered 12 June 2017.http://www.chictr.org.cn.
Hypoxia is regulating enzymatic wood decomposition and intracellular carbohydrate metabolism in filamentous white rot fungus
Authors: Mattila Hans Kristian , Mäkinen Mari , Lundell Taina
Published: February 2020

Background

Fungal decomposition of wood is considered as a strictly aerobic process. However, recent findings on wood-decaying fungi to produce ethanol from various lignocelluloses under oxygen-depleted conditions lead us to question this. We designed gene expression study of the white rot fungus Phlebia radiata (isolate FBCC0043) by adopting comparative transcriptomics and functional genomics on solid lignocellulose substrates under varying cultivation atmospheric conditions.

Results

Switch to fermentative conditions was a major regulator for intracellular metabolism and extracellular enzymatic degradation of wood polysaccharides. Changes in the expression profiles of CAZy (carbohydrate-active enzyme) encoding genes upon oxygen depletion, lead into an alternative wood decomposition strategy. Surprisingly, we noticed higher cellulolytic activity under fermentative conditions in comparison to aerobic cultivation. In addition, our results manifest how oxygen depletion affects over 200 genes of fungal primary metabolism including several transcription factors. We present new functions for acetate generating phosphoketolase pathway and its potential regulator, Adr1 transcription factor, in carbon catabolism under oxygen depletion.

Conclusions

Physiologically resilient wood-decomposing Basidiomycota species P. radiata is capable of thriving under respirative and fermentative conditions utilizing only untreated lignocellulose as carbon source. Hypoxia-response mechanism in the fungus is, however, divergent from the regulation described for Ascomycota fermenting yeasts or animal-pathogenic species of Basidiomycota.
Perception of prescribing factors and purchase statistics of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in an orthopedic clinic
Authors: Schjøtt Jan , Erdal Hilde , Opskar Sofie , Bjånes Tormod K.
Published: February 2020

Objectives

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are associated with concern of adverse drug reactions (ADRS) including gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, renal, and musculoskeletal. Non-selective and selective NSAIDS are proposed to differ with regard to their potential to cause ADRS. The aim of this pilot study was to compare perception of prescribing factors and purchase statistics of NSAIDS among physicians in a Norwegian orthopedic clinic.

Results

Forty-five (55%) of 82 invited physicians from the orthopedic clinic participated anonymous in a survey in February 2017. Effect and ADRS were rated as the most important factors for prescribing of NSAIDS. The participants were equally concerned about specific ADRS for prescription of non-selective and selective NSAIDS irrespective of type of ADR. They were generally more concerned about cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and renal ADRS than musculoskeletal. Purchase statistics from 2015 and 2016 showed that celecoxib, a selective NSAID, dominated in the orthopedic clinic. The discrepancy between perception of prescribing factors and purchase statistics of NSAIDS was possibly explained by a high degree of conformity to clinic guidelines. Our preliminary results indicate that perception of prescribing factors of NSAIDS among orthopedics should be surveyed in multicenter or multinational studies.
Porcine sialoadhesin suppresses type I interferon production to support porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection
Authors: Liu Yingqi , Li Rui , Qiao Songlin , Chen Xin-xin , Deng Ruiguang , Zhang Gaiping
Published: February 2020

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a significant threat to the global swine industry. Porcine sialoadhesin (poSn) has been previously shown to mediate PRRSV attachment and internalization. In the current study, we report its unidentified role in antagonism of type I interferon (IFN) production during PRRSV infection. We determined that poSn facilitated PRRSV infection via inhibition of type I IFN transcription. Mechanistically, poSn interacted with a 12 kDa DNAX-activation protein (DAP12), which was dependent on residues 51–57 within DAP12 transmembrane domain (TMD). PRRSV exploited the poSn-DAP12 pathway to attenuate activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). More importantly, the poSn-DAP12 pathway was involved in inhibiting poly (I:C)-triggered IFN production. All these results reveal a novel role of poSn in suppressing host antiviral responses, which deepens our understanding of PRRSV pathogenesis.
Architecture and experimental evaluation of context-aware adaptation in vehicular networks
Authors: Liu Hui , He Jialin , Wensowitch John , Rajan Dinesh , Camp Joseph
Published: February 2020

In vehicular networks, the propagation environment changes rapidly for mobile nodes. To achieve high throughput, wireless devices need to be highly adaptive to these environmental changes by altering their transmission parameters across different layers of the network stack. Sensors in mobile and vehicular nodes can be used to form an understanding of the surrounding context. Such contextual awareness is particularly important in vehicular networks as the frequent context switching and increased channel fluctuations can cause existing adaptation protocols to fail to converge to the optimal transmission parameters. In this paper, we leverage information about the environmental context to enable improved rate adaptation performance in vehicular networks. In particular, we propose a classification-based link-level adaptation framework, which can effectively learn the relationship between context information (such as velocity, SNR, and channel type) and the throughput of various transmission modes. We then quantify the throughput improvement using the proposed scheme and show that our proposed framework can significantly enhance the performance of rate adaptation. With experiments on emulated and in-field channels, we observe that the throughput increases by up to 245% over protocols which use SNR alone to make rate decisions. Based on an analysis of attribute importance, we identify channel type as a key parameter that affects classification performance. Since channel type often cannot be directly obtained, we propose a multi-dimensional channel inference method for use when knowledge about the channel type is not available. We demonstrate that the proposed channel inference achieves an accuracy of up to 94% in previously encountered channels and can quickly signal that a channel has not yet been encountered. The robustness of the proposed methods are demonstrated using experimental data from two different hardware platforms and three different carrier frequency bands. Lastly, we evaluate the most predominant Linux-based rate selection algorithm (Minstrel), study the relative rate selection accuracy of our approach, and analyze the key role that the retry mechanism in Minstrel plays on its performance.
Resistance Properties to Chloride Ingress of Standard-Cured Concrete Made with an Admixture Incorporating Rich SiO2 and Al2O3
Authors: Yamato Koichiro , Sasaki Akira , Ito Takayasu , Yoshitake Isamu
Published: February 2020

In regions where the concrete structures are exposed to a salty environment, the concrete requires high resistance to chloride-ion penetration. To achieve higher resistance against chloride ingress, a pozzolanic admixture incorporating a high volume of SiO2 and Al2O3 has been developed. The admixture is a fine mineral powder with a specific surface area of 13,000 m2/kg or higher. It is typically mixed with the concrete at a cement replacement level of 5–13 mass% (20–40 kg/m3). To demonstrate the applicability of the admixture to general ready-mix concretes, this study examined the fundamental properties of concrete cured under standard conditions regarding resistance against chloride ingress. Chloride immersion tests revealed high resistance against penetration of concrete produced with the admixture. Pore-size distribution analysis confirmed that the volume of pores less than 0.01 μm diameter increased whereas a decrease of large pores occurred (0.1 μm diameter or larger). The major contributor to the high resistance was found to be the immobilization of penetrating chloride ions by the formation of Friedel’s salt.
Are antibiotics substandard in Lebanon? Quantification of active pharmaceutical ingredients between brand and generics of selected antibiotics
Authors: Hobeika Eva , Farhat Joanna , Saab Joseph , Hleihel Walid , Azzi-Achkouty Samar , Sili Georges , Hallit Souheil , Salameh Pascale
Published: February 2020

Background

In developing countries, brand-generic substitution is not based on validated scientific evidence that confirm the therapeutic equivalence of the generic to the originator. Rather, decisions are made based on the availability of generic medications. Substitution by inappropriate preparations applies to antibiotics, which may increase the risk of resistance in case of underdosing. This analytical study aims to dose and assess for the accuracy of labeling three oral antibiotic preparations, namely ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, amoxicillin trihydrate and amoxicillin trihydrate-clavulanate potassium, the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) found in brand and generic tablets available on the Lebanese market.

Methods

One brand and 4 generics of ciprofloxacin tablets, 3 generic amoxicillin tablets, and 1 brand and 4 generics of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid medications, were quantified, taking 2 batches of each. According to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) guidelines, ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography was used to measure the APIs content within tablets. The USP required assay limit of the API was taken as the main comparison criteria.

Results

Out of the 5 ciprofloxacin medications tested, all 5 were out of the 2% required range, thus being substandard. For amoxicillin, all 3 medications were within the 20% range. As for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid medications, 4 out of 5 medications met the 30% required range of clavulanic acid and one exceeded the claimed amount of clavulanic acid, while all 5 met the assay limit for amoxicillin.

Conclusion

These findings raise safety and efficacy concerns, providing solid grounds for potential correlations of antibiotic resistance/substandard antibiotics.
A CT-based radiomics nomogram for differentiation of focal nodular hyperplasia from hepatocellular carcinoma in the non-cirrhotic liver
Authors: Nie Pei , Yang Guangjie , Guo Jian , Chen Jingjing , Li Xiaoli , Ji Qinglian , Wu Jie , Cui Jingjing , Xu Wenjian
Published: February 2020

Background

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a radiomics nomogram for preoperative differentiating focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the non-cirrhotic liver.

Methods

A total of 156 patients with FNH (n = 55) and HCC (n = 101) were divided into a training set (n = 119) and a validation set (n = 37). Radiomics features were extracted from triphasic contrast CT images. A radiomics signature was constructed with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm, and a radiomics score (Rad-score) was calculated. Clinical data and CT findings were assessed to build a clinical factors model. Combined with the Rad-score and independent clinical factors, a radiomics nomogram was constructed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Nomogram performance was assessed with respect to discrimination and clinical usefulness.

Results

Four thousand two hundred twenty-seven features were extracted and reduced to 10 features as the most important discriminators to build the radiomics signature. The radiomics signature showed good discrimination in the training set (AUC [area under the curve], 0.964; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.934–0.995) and the validation set (AUC, 0.865; 95% CI, 0.725–1.000). Age, Hepatitis B virus infection, and enhancement pattern were the independent clinical factors. The radiomics nomogram, which incorporated the Rad-score and clinical factors, showed good discrimination in the training set (AUC, 0.979; 95% CI, 0.959–0.998) and the validation set (AUC, 0.917; 95% CI, 0.800–1.000), and showed better discrimination capability (P < 0.001) compared with the clinical factors model (AUC, 0.799; 95% CI, 0.719–0.879) in the training set. Decision curve analysis showed the nomogram outperformed the clinical factors model in terms of clinical usefulness.

Conclusions

The CT-based radiomics nomogram, a noninvasive preoperative prediction tool that incorporates the Rad-score and clinical factors, shows favorable predictive efficacy for differentiating FNH from HCC in the non-cirrhotic liver, which might facilitate clinical decision-making process.
Individual and demographic responses of a marsh bird assemblage to habitat loss and subsequent restoration
Authors: Moreno-Opo Rubén
Published: February 2020

Background

The alteration and loss of habitats are two of the main threats that biodiversity conservation is currently facing up to. The present study describes the effects of a perturbation and restoration in a reedbed habitat on a bird assemblage. We studied the bird community of a wetland of central Spain between 1995 and 2009, during which time an anthropic perturbation altered the original structure of the habitat; subsequently, as a result of restoration works, the habitat returned to its original state.

Methods

We evaluated the effects on six population and physical parameters of the birds at three different phases of their life cycles (breeding, wintering and post-breeding migration seasons) before, during and after the habitat alteration. GLM was used to analyze the influence of three independent variables (year, perturbation phase and temperature).

Results

The relative abundance and the species richness values decreased when habitat was altered, but then recovered as a result of the regeneration works. This pattern was the clearest amongst specialist species. Breeding success also declined during the perturbation phase and then increased; likewise, the sex ratio changed given that the proportion of male birds increased when habitat was altered. These results are discussed in relation to changes on availability of resources in altered habitats, to the adaptive mechanisms in the exploitation of ecological requirements and to the selection of optimum and sub-optimum habitats by generalist and specialist species.

Conclusions

Ecosystem restoration can favour the recovery of population indexes of specialist passerines, although it depends on the efficiency of the type of restoration activity performed and on the complexity of the habitat.
Advances in salt tolerance molecular mechanism in tobacco plants
Authors: Sun Haiji , Sun Xiaowen , Wang Hui , Ma Xiaoli
Published: February 2020

Tobacco, an economic crop and important model plant, has received more progress in salt tolerance with the aid of transgenic technique. Salt stress has become a key research field in abiotic stress. The study of tobacco promotes the understanding about the important adjustment for survival in high salinity environments, including cellular ion transport, osmotic regulation, antioxidation, signal transduction and expression regulation, and protection of cells from stress damage. Genes, which response to salt, have been studied using targeted transgenic technologies in tobacco plants to investigate the molecular mechanisms. The transgenic tobacco plants exhibited higher seed germination and survival rates, better root and shoot growth under salt stress treatments. Transgenic approach could be the promising option for enhancing tobacco production under saline condition. This review highlighted the salt tolerance molecular mechanisms of tobacco.
Epidemiology and mental illness in old age
Authors: Lilford Philippa , Hughes Julian C.
Published: February 2020

This is an overview of epidemiology relevant to mental health problems in old age. We start by reviewing some basic terminology: the definitions of prevalence and incidence; the difference between descriptive and analytical epidemiology; the differences between study designs, including cross-sectional, case–control and cohort studies. We then cover the main epidemiological features of the major psychiatric diseases that affect older people (dementia and its different types, depression, late-onset schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, delirium, anxiety-related disorders, eating disorders, alcohol and substance misuse, personality disorders) and suicide.

We end with some descriptive statistics regarding quality of life in older people.
A review of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) in periodontitis
Authors: CONDOR Daniela , CULCITCHI Cristian , BARU Oana , CZINNA Julia , BUDURU Smaranda
Published: February 2020

Introduction:Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by a multitude of pathogens, that eventually affects the entirety of all periodontal tissues and may lead to tooth mobility or even tooth loss. The destruction of said tissues occurs via 2 pathways: a direct pathway (defense mechanisms belonging to the pathogens) and an indirect pathway (the host’s immune system). Therapy is complex and requires strict follow-ups in order to prevent relapse. Aim: Our objective was to determine whether or not aPDT can be considered to be an effective adjunctive approach to the current standard initial treatment method when dealing with periodontitis (scaling/root planing). Methods: We performed an electronical search of the PubMed and ScienceDirect data bases starting from January 2014 and up to May 2019. Eligibility criteria included English-language systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials which evaluated the efficiency of aPDT, and that had been carried out on human subjects with permanent dentition. We excluded studies and reviews that were focused on the microbiology and/or immunology in photodynamic therapy and also those that used other LASER treatment modalities than aPDT. Results: Current literature displays many opinions regarding periodontal therapy with adjunctive aPDT, but it seems to be mainly regarded as a safe, effective and easy-to-use approach. Conclusion: aPDT seems to be efficient in the treatment of periodontitis when carried out additionally to classical scaling/root planing. Residual pockets seem to respond well to aPDT, as opposed to subsequent debridement flap elevation and its consequences on hard and soft tissues. However, further studies with a stricter treatment protocol and subsequent follow-ups are required in order to obtain a firmer conclusion.

Key words: periodontitis LASER, periodontitis aPDT, periodontitis photodynamic therapy,
Effect of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on muscle pain in temporomandibular disorders – an update of literature
Authors: KUI Andreea , TISLER Corina , CIUMASU Alexandru , ALMASAN Oana , CONDOR Daniela , BUDURU Smaranda
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Temporomandibular disorders are complex pathologies with multifactorial aetiology. Due to this matter, different therapeutic approaches have been developed, one of them being physical therapy (also known as physiotherapy). Low-level laser therapy is often used in treating musculoskeletal diseases, TMJ pain and, although the exact mechanism of LLLT has not yet been completely elucidated, it seems that this kind of therapy induces analgesic, anti-inflammatory and bio-stimulating effects. The aim of this study was to create an update of scientific literature regarding the clinical use of LLLT in patients with temporomandibular disorders, and to identify the impact of this therapy on reducing pain in the masticatory muscles. Methods: A research of literature was performed - articles published over the last 10 years (January 2009 until December 2019) were searched for by introducing a combination of different keywords on the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. Results: A total number of 294 articles were found. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 articles were taken into consideration for our study, and among them, 9 were systematic meta-analyses or literature reviews and 19 were clinical studies. Conclusion: Low level laser therapy may effectively reduce pain in patients suffering from muscular- and/or joint-specific TMDs, but the effect appears to last only for a short period of time, and can be achieved only in less complex cases. LLLT may also improve oro-facial functions by reducing muscular activity. This research also reveals the need for better-designed clinical trials with larger sample sizes, in order to evaluate the efficacy of LLLT on improving the signs and symptoms of TMDs.

Key words: Low-level laser therapy, temporomandibular disorders, muscle pain,
Neurorehatilitation and complex therapeutical approaches in a patient with spinal multiple sclerosis
Authors: FILIP Roman Corina , CATANĂ Maria-Gabriela
Published: February 2020

The purely spinal form of multiple sclerosis, presenting as a progressive spastic paraparesis, hemiparesis, or, spastic monoparesis of a leg with varying degrees of posterior column involvement, is a special source of diagnostic difficulty. We present the case of a 47 years old patient, with no personal pathological antecedents, admitted in our department through the emergency ward for motor deficit of the lower limbs, sympthomatology that had an acute onset the day before admittance. The neurologic examination revealed: orthostatism and gait not possible, spastic paraparesis – 3/5 MRC (medical research council), deep tendon reflexes were found to be hyperactive on both lower extremities, bilateral plantar extension, a dermatomic level of sensory disturbance at T10 – T11 vertebral segment and urinary retention. The cerebral MRI revealed no pathological findings. The lumbar punction revealed oligoclonal bands and the spine MRI outlined multiple focal images with demyelination aspect reaching the cervical and dorsal level of the medullary cord. The patient had two more relapses each at approximately 6 months, and this allowed us to establish the final diagnostic: Pure spinal multiple sclerosis.

Key words: spinal multiple sclerosis, paraparesis, neurorehabilitation,
Remission of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in HIV- positive patient after multidisciplinary rehabilitation: a case report
Authors: DUMEA Elena , MIHAI Raluca , MAVRODIN Mihaela , DOGARU Gabriela , PASCU Corina
Published: February 2020

Introduction: One of the most common neurologic disease in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is represented by progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), being caused by John Cunningham (JC) polyoma virus.
Case presentation: We report a case of a 27 years old women, HIV-positive since childhood, under specific antiretroviral therapy with good adherence to it in that period but starting with adolescence adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) decreased. In this context her HIV viral load increased to a 690.000 copies/ml, and CD4 collapsed at 57 cells/mmc. She presented in our clinic with ataxic left hemiparesis, truncal ataxia and left hemi-hypoesthesia. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed a slightly pleocytosis and polymerase chain reaction performed from CSF diagnosed John Cunningham (JC) virus. Once diagnosis established, we reinitiated HAART, but some neurologic disorders persisted like difficulty of the left upper member, having the modified Rankin scale (mRS) of 5. The patient started a multidisciplinary rehabilitation (MDR) treatment, specifically adapted. It consisted of 4 sessions of neuromotor treatments, 20 sessions of massages, and 12 sessions of occupational therapy. According to MDR, the patient improved the ataxic walking, without support, presenting an improvement mRS of 3.
Conclusions: AIDS patients with PML could require a prolonged MDR treatment for neurological disorders and rehabilitation treatment promptly should be applied when such diagnosis is suspected.

Key words: progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, human immunodeficiency virus, neurological disorder, multidisciplinary rehabilitation,
A case of reversible aphasia-type speech disorders after treatment with quetiapine
Authors: Szczygieł-Pilut Elżbieta , Pilut Daniel
Published: February 2020

Kwetiapina jest pochodną benzotiazepiny zaliczaną do atypowych leków neuroleptycznych, która w chorobie Parkinsona znajduje zastosowanie w przypadku współistniejących objawów psychotycznych. Chociaż lek jest dobrze tolerowany jego zastosowanie zwłaszcza u pacjentów w podeszłym wieku może wiązać się z różnymi działaniami niepożądanymi. Celem pracy było ustalenie związku pomiędzy wystąpieniem afazji czuciowo – ruchowej u chorego z chorobą Parkinsona i współistniejącymi zaburzeniami psychotycznymi a stosowaniem kwetiapiny. Przedstawiamy przypadek 64 – letniego chorego z rozpoznaną chorobą Parkinsona i współistniejącymi zaburzeniami zachowania w czasie snu REM (RBD) potwierdzonymi w badaniu polisomnograficznym, u którego zastosowanie w terapii dodanej z powodu zaburzeń psychotycznych kwetiapiny (w dawce 50 mg/ dobę) spowodowało wystąpienie zaburzeń mowy o typie afazji mieszanej czuciowo- ruchowej. Afazja wystąpiła w czwartej dobie od rozpoczęcia leczenia atypowym neuroleptykiem. W badaniu MRI głowy nie stwierdzono ,,świeżego'' niedokrwienia mózgowia. W badaniu video- eeg nie zarejestrowano ogniskowego stanu padaczkowego. Całkowite wyleczenie nastąpiło po odstawieniu kwetiapiny. W związku z powyższym jako przyczynę ogniskowych zaburzeń neurologicznych przyjęto efekt uboczny leczenia kwetiapiną.
From Logic Acceptance to Logic Rejection: The Process of Destabilization in Hybrid Organizations
Authors: Cappellaro Giulia , Tracey Paul , Greenwood Royston
Published: February 2020

We study the introduction of the private logic into a mature Italian hospital that was governed previously as a hybrid of professional and public logics. Intriguingly, the reconstituted hospital was for several years widely praised for its strong clinical and financial performance, but quickly and with little warning, it became riven by political differences that led to its demise. Through our case analysis, we develop a multilevel model that reveals the destabilizing process that can unfold when a new logic enters an established organization. We contribute to the hybrids literature by explaining the puzzle of how a new logic can become accepted and then rejected in organizations, emphasizing the critical importance of the interaction between the audience, organization, and practice levels. Crucially, we reveal that positive feedback from multiple audiences may be a mixed blessing for hybrids: although it offers resource and legitimacy advantages, it can induce internal tensions with severe destabilizing consequences. Our findings and model also run counter to two core assumptions within the institutional literature: that social endorsement is advantageous and that alignment with institutional expectations results in stabilization. We qualify these assumptions and indicate the circumstances under which they are unlikely to hold.
High peak-power near-MW laser pulses by third harmonic generation at 355 nm in Ca5(BO3)3F nonlinear single crystals
Authors: Cassouret Florent , Kausas Arvydas , Yahia Vincent , Aka Gérard , Loiseau Pascal , Taira Takunori
Published: February 2020

In this work, the performance of Ca5(BO3)3F (CBF) single crystals was investigated for the third harmonic generation at 355 nm. A high energy conversion efficiency of 16.9% at 355 nm was reached using a two-conversion-stage setup. First, using a high peak power, passively Q-switched Nd3+:YAG/Cr4+:YAG microlaser based gain aperture in micro-MOPA, the second harmonic at 532 nm was achieved with lithium triborate (LBO) crystal, reaching 1.35 MW peak power. On a second step, laser pulses at 355 nm were generated using a 5 mm-long CBF crystal growth by TSSG method with energy, pulse duration and peak power of 479 µJ, 568 ps and 0.843 MW, respectively. These results are currently the highest reported for CBF material.
Terahertz-frequency temporal differentiator enabled by a high-Q resonator
Authors: Xie Jingya , Zhu Xi , Zhang Hongxiang , Zang Xiaofei , Chen Lin , Balakin Alexey V. , Shkurinov Alexander P. , Zhu Yiming
Published: February 2020

Terahertz (THz) fundamental “building blocks” equivalent to those used in multi-functional electronic circuits are very helpful for actual applications in THz data-processing technology and communication. Here, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a THz temporal differentiator based on an on-chip high-quality (Q) factor resonator. The resonator is made of low-loss high-resistivity silicon material in a monolithic, integrated platform, which is carefully designed to operate near the critical coupling region. The experiment demonstrates that the device can perform the first-order time derivative of the input signal electric field complex envelope at 214.72 GHz. Our investigation provides an effective approach for terahertz pulse re-shaping and real-time differential computing units.
Optical second harmonic generation in LiB3O5 modulated by intense femtosecond X-ray pulses
Authors: Deng Yunpei , Zerdane Serhane , Xie Xinhua , Divall Edwin , Johnson Philip J. M. , Arrell Christopher , Lemke Henrik Till , Mankowsky Roman , Oggenfuss Alex , Svetina Cristian , Erny Christian , Cirelli Claudio , Milne Christopher , Knopp Gregor , Beaud Paul , Johnson Steven L.
Published: February 2020

Many of the scientific applications for X-ray free-electron lasers seek to exploit the ultrashort pulse durations of intense X-rays to obtain femtosecond time resolution of various processes in a “pump-probe” scheme. One of the limiting factors for such experiments is the timing jitter between the X-rays and ultrashort pulses from more conventional lasers operating at near-optical wavelengths. In this work, we investigate the potential of using X-ray-induced changes in the optical second harmonic generation efficiency of a nonlinear crystal to retrieve single-shot arrival times of X-ray pulses with respect to optical laser pulses. Our experimental results and simulations show changes to the efficiency of the second harmonic generation of 12%, approximately three times larger than the measured changes in the transmission of the 800 nm center-wavelength fundamental pulse. Further experiments showing even larger changes in the transmission of 400 nm center-wavelength pulses show that the mechanism of the second harmonic generation efficiency modulation is mainly the result of X-ray-induced changes in the linear absorption coefficients near 400 nm. We demonstrate and characterize a cross-correlation tool based on this effect in reference to a previously demonstrated method of X-ray/optical cross-correlation.
Experimental evidence for terahertz emission of continuum electrons in the dual-color laser field
Authors: Zhang Kaixuan , Zhang Yizhu , Wang Xincheng , Shen Zhenjie , Yan Tian-Min , Jiang Y. H.
Published: February 2020

Terahertz (THz) wave generation (TWG) in a dual-color laser is investigated with joint measurements between THz and third-harmonic generation, where the relative phase delay of dual-color fields is determined in situ in sub-wavelength accuracy, allowing for the clarification of the TWG mechanism in a direct comparison with various theoretical predictions. The delay- and polarization-dependent experiment validates that the continuum–continuum transition within the escaped electron wavepacket in the single atom gives birth to THz emission, while the bound energetic level does not contribute to TWG. TWG from atoms and molecules would provide an all-optical, vacuum-free, and ultrafast tool to record the spatiotemporal evolution of tunneling electron wavepackets.
Photonic approach for the generation of switchable down-, up-, and dual-chirped linear frequency-modulated microwave signals
Authors: Li Peng , Yan Lianshan , Ye Jia , Zou Xiha , Luo Bin , Pan Wei
Published: February 2020

A photonic approach to generate switchable down-, up-, and dual-chirped linear frequency-modulated (LFM) microwave signals utilizing a dual-polarization dual-parallel Mach–Zehnder modulator (DP-DPMZM) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. By properly controlling the radio frequency signals and baseband LFM signals applied to the DP-DPMZM, switchable down-, up-, and dual-chirped LFM microwave signals with a tunable center frequency and chirp rate can be obtained. Experimental results show that switchable down-, up-, and dual-chirped LFM signals with a center frequency of 5 GHz and chirp rate of 1 GHz/4 µs are generated. In addition, the tunability of the center frequency and chirp rate of the generated microwave signals are also demonstrated.
MUTE-SIM: multiphoton up-conversion time-encoded structured illumination microscopy
Authors: Hu Chengyang , Wu Zhaoyang , Yang Xusan , Zhao Wanyue , Ma Chenshuo , Chen Minghua , Xi Peng , Chen Hongwei
Published: February 2020

Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) plays important role in biological imaging for its low scattering nature, yet it typically requires high illumination intensity. Although time-stretch of the ultrashort pulse can achieve ultrahigh speed scanning and deep penetration, the near-infrared illumination yields a compromised resolution because of its long wavelength. Here, by combining structured illumination with up-conversion materials, a multiphoton up-conversion time-encoded structured illumination microscopy (MUTE-SIM) with the scanning rate of 50 MHz is developed, which overcomes the limitation on the resolution. The resolution limit of near-infrared light is surpassed by a factor of 223.3% with low illumination intensity. This imaging strategy provides an ultrafast, low intensity, super-resolution MPM approach imaging, which has great potential in deep-tissue with high spatial resolution.
Food Irradiation An Established Food Processing Technology for Food Safety and Security
Authors: Singh Rita , Singh Antaryami
Published: February 2020

Food irradiation is a well-established and effective technology for food processing and preservation. The technology aids in reducing food losses and ensuring food safety by elimination of pathogens and parasites causing illness and death. Radiation treatment can be applied to agricultural produce and animal food products to get extended shelf life with improved microbiological safety and quality. Irradiating food can greatly reduce illness from foodborne pathogens thereby preventing morbidity and mortality. Various national and international food and health organisations have endorsed and supported the safety of food and foodstuffs subjected to ionising radiation based on the research and testing data of more than 50 year. A review is presented on the historical developments of food irradiation technology, radiation sources for treatment of food and, the safety and wholesomeness of foods processed by ionising radiation.
Rolling Moment of Slender Body at High Incidence for Air to Air Missile Rocket Applications
Authors: Kumar Priyank
Published: February 2020

Measurements of moments were carried out on a slender body having a pointed forebody at lower velocities. The slender body had an ogive nose shape and an overall length to diameter ratio of 16. The angle of incidence was varied from low to moderate angles of attack in the pitch plane. The main objective of the present investigation was to measure the rolling moments on the slender body with and without the control technique. The side force was reduced using a rectangular cross-sectioned ringplaced suitably on the body, however, the slender body was found to experience rolling moments which may be catastrophic.
Simplified Motion Control of a Vehicle manipulator for the Coordinated Mobile Manipulation
Authors: Mishra Swati , Mohan Santhakumar , Vishvakarma Santosh Kumar
Published: February 2020

This paper considers a resolved kinematic motion control approach for controlling a spatial serial manipulator arm that is mounted on a vehicle base. The end-effector’s motion of the manipulator is controlled by a novel kinematic control scheme, and the performance is compared with the well-known operational-space control scheme. The proposed control scheme aims to track the given operational-space (end-effector) motion trajectory with the help of resolved configuration-space motion without using the Jacobian matrix inverse or pseudo inverse. The experimental testing results show that the suggested control scheme is as close to the conventional operational-space kinematic control scheme.
Crystal structure of diisobutyl 2,5-dihydroxycyclohexa-1,4-diene-1,4-dicarboxylate, C16H24O6
Authors: Li Zhuang-Yu , Liu E. , Liu Xiao-Jing , Jian Fang-Fang
Published: February 2020

C16H24O6, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 6.3410(13) Å, b = 7.3430(15) Å, c = 10.241(2) Å, α = 94.06(3)°, β = 103.89(3)°, γ = 113.13(3)°, V = 418.3(8) Å3, Z = 1, R
gt(F) = 0.0546, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1691, T = 295(3) K.
Brief guide to the nomenclature of organic chemistry (IUPAC Technical Report)
Authors: Hellwich Karl-Heinz , Hartshorn Richard M. , Yerin Andrey , Damhus Ture , Hutton Alan T.
Published: February 2020

This IUPAC Technical Report is one of a series that seeks to distil the essentials of IUPAC nomenclature recommendations. The present report provides a succinct summary of material presented in the publication Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry – IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013. The content of this report will be republished and disseminated as a four-sided lift-out document (see supplementary information) which will be available for inclusion in textbooks and similar publications.
Membrane materials for energy production and storage
Authors: Yaroslavtsev A. B. , Stenina I. A. , Golubenko D. V.
Published: February 2020

Ion exchange membranes are widely used in chemical power sources, including fuel cells, redox batteries, reverse electrodialysis devices and lithium-ion batteries. The general requirements for them are high ionic conductivity and selectivity of transport processes. Heterogeneous membranes are much cheaper but less selective due to the secondary porosity with large pore size. The composition of grafted membranes is almost identical to heterogeneous ones. But they are more selective due to the lack of secondary porosity. The conductivity of ion exchange membranes can be improved by their modification via nanoparticle incorporation. Hybrid membranes exhibit suppressed transport of co-ions and fuel gases. Highly selective composite membranes can be synthesized by incorporating nanoparticles with modified surface. Furthermore, the increase in the conductivity of hybrid membranes at low humidity is a significant advantage for fuel cell application. Proton-conducting membranes in the lithium form intercalated with aprotic solvents can be used in lithium-ion batteries and make them more safe. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the synthesis, and modification and transport properties of ion exchange membranes, their transport properties, methods of preparation and modification. Their application in fuel cells, reverse electrodialysis devices and lithium-ion batteries is also reviewed.
Natural Disasters and Political Disorder: Why Urban Flooding Turns Violent. Applying a Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Authors: Plänitz Erik
Published: February 2020

Under what circumstances does a flood contribute to political disorder in Sub-Saharan Africa? Why has Accra experienced post-flood disorder and Abidjan not? This paper sheds light on the question: Why do some cities in Sub-Saharan Africa experience post-flood disorder while others do not? Given the expected urban population growth across Africa, its implications for the local infrastructure and climate-related changes in precipitation, this paper assumes that patterns of urban political disorder respond to those conditions in times of disasters. This contribution makes the argument that it is the socio-economic and political context that matters in the development of post-flood-related disorder. A conceptual framework is introduced that includes the role of contextual factors on the pathway from disasters to post-flood disorder. Drawing on that model, a Qualitative Comparative Analysis of 26 cases in Sub-Saharan Africa is used to test three scenarios. It suggests that a prompt post-flood response does not prevent the onset of disorder, but indeed proves to be a condition linked to the development of hostilities. The analysis found evidence that disorder occurred in cases that were marked by rapid political response to the flood. The study also unveiled the significant role of the areas that were flooded. If the flood predominantly hit marginalized neighborhoods, the likelihood of disorder increased. In contrast, the mere existence of a youth bulge or rapid urbanization per se seems to have a negligible impact on the development of unrest.
Selective Cs-removal from highly acidic spent nuclear fuel solutions
Authors: Lin Mu , Kajan Ivan , Schumann Dorothea , Türler Andreas , Fankhauser Adelheid
Published: February 2020

Thirty liters of highly acidic spent nuclear fuel solutions need to be disposed at the “Hot Laboratory (hotlab)” facility in Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Switzerland. In order to significantly reduce the γ dose rate before proper disposal treatment, 137Cs must be removed. In the here presented sub-project, the ion-exchange method was evaluated. Two promising sorbents, CLEVASOL® and AMP (ammonium molybdophosphate), and two derived products AMP_PAN (AMP immobilized in polyacrylonitrile) and AMP/SiO2 (AMP immobilized on silica gel) were tested by the batch method using model solutions of important high-yield fission products (Cs, Eu, Zr, Ru, Pd and Ag), as well as U and Pu. The results showed that AMP, AMP/SiO2 and AMP_PAN have higher selectivity for Cs than CLEVASOL® in 0.1–8 M (mol/L) HNO3 solutions. 4 M HNO3 solution was identified as the most suitable condition for Cs-removal with AMP, AMP_PAN and AMP/SiO2 due to the still sufficiently high separation factor of Cs from other metal ions and an acceptable volume increase factor after dilution. The follow-up kinetic studies on AMP, AMP_PAN and AMP/SiO2 indicated that although Cs exchange on AMP and AMP/SiO2 is faster than on AMP_PAN in the first 5 min, they all nearly reach equilibrium after 30 min of contacting time. The isotherm curves of Cs adsorption on AMP, AMP_PAN and AMP/SiO2 in 4 M HNO3 showed that the maximum sorption capacity of Cs is reached asymptotically. The results from Langmuir isotherm modeling agree with results from other publications.
Who Bears an Employee’s Special Annual Payment?
Authors: Hiller Tobias
Published: February 2020

In this note, we analyze the question of who bears an employee’s special annual payment if different external funders pay an employee’s wages over the course of a year. To answer this question, we provide a legal argument and use cooperative game theory.
Analysis of the essential oil composition of three cultivated Nepeta species from Iran
Authors: Amirmohammadi Fatemeh Zahra , Azizi Majid , Nemati Seyyed Hossein , Iriti Marcello , Vitalini Sara
Published: February 2020

Essential oils (EOs) of three Iranian cultivated Nepeta species were investigated. The oils were obtained by hydrodistillation of air-dried plant materials at full flowering stage and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). In total, 89 compounds were detected. In over 2 years, a number of constituents were identified in the EO of Nepeta binaloudensis first and second years (26 and 37, respectively), Nepeta cataria (25 and 32, respectively), and Nepeta assurgens (45 and 50, respectively). In the oils of N. binaloudensis, 4a-α,7-α,7a-α-nepetalactone (NL) 59.7% and 1,8-cineole (19.6%) during the first and second years, respectively, were the main constituents. The main components of N. cataria were 4a-α,7-α,7a-β-NL (72.8%) and 4a-α,7-β,7a-α-NL (73.9%) during the first and second years, respectively, and 4a–α,7-α,7a-α-NL (55.5%) and 1,8-cineole (24.1%) during the first and second years, respectively, were the main constituents of N. assurgens. The results showed that NLs isomers and 1,8-cineole were the main components of the oils of three cultivated Nepeta species.
Comparing the efficacy of intravenous ketorolac versus intravenous ibuprofen in relieving renal colic pain; a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Shaker Seyed Hossein , Borghei Seyed Ahmad
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Various therapies have been used to relieve or improve the urinary colic pain, but many of these treatments have been limited due to side effects associated with the drugs. In this regard, opioid drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a higher priority than other treatments. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare the level of pain relief from renal stones after the administration of two types of NSAIDs, including intravenous ibuprofen versus intravenous ketorolac. Patients and Methods: In this clinical trial (identifier: IRCT20180108038276N1), 70 patients with renal colic pain were randomly treated with intravenous ketorolac (30 mg, n = 35) or with intravenous ibuprofen (800 mg, n = 35). The patient’s pain severity was assessed by the visual analogue scaling (VAS) method before and 20 and also 60 minutes after interventions. Results: Although pain severity considerably reduced within 60 minutes of prescribing ibuprofen and ketorolac, the trend of the change in pin score was not different between the two groups (P = 0.734). We found no significant difference in appearance of some side effects including nausea and vomiting, requiring use of ondansetron, need to prescribe additional analgesics. However epigastric pain and need to administrating H2 blockers were not revealed in the group receiving ketorolac, but these complications were found in 25.7% of the patients received ibuprofen indicating a significant difference (P = 0.002). Conclusion: A single dose administration of both intravenous ketorolac and ibuprofen is associated with significant improvement in renal colic pain within one hour after administration. However, due to the lower incidence of gastrointestinal complications in the administration of ketorolac compared to ibuprofen, the use of ketorolac in treatment and relief of renal colic pains is preferable.