bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Applications of Photodynamic Therapy in Management of Periodontal Disease - A Review
Authors: Inasu Shiny , Thomas Biju
Published: April 2020

A novel noninvasive photochemical approach for infection control, namely photodynamic therapy, has received much attention in the treatment of oral diseases which requires three nontoxic ingredients namely visible harmless light, a photosensitizer and oxygen are involved in this therapy. It is based on the principle that a photosensitizer binds to the target cells which when activated by light of a suitable wavelength results in the production of singlet oxygen and other very reactive agents that are extremely toxic to certain cells and bacteria. This article highlights the application of photo-dynamic therapy in management of periodontal disease and its current status.
Dysbiosis of Oral Microflora: A Review
Authors: Hegde Mithra N ,   Mrinalini
Published: April 2020

Microorganisms being an integral part of human body colonise various sites, with oral cavity being one of the most densely populated environment. Within the oral cavity there are varying environment, properties of which determines the type of microbes colonising the site, while the metabolic activities of these microorganisms later on modifies the environmental properties. These microorganisms when in equilibrium confer health benefit however any alteration in the flora allows the pathogenic bacteria to outgrow in numbers and cause oral disease. Such alteration could be due to various factors. The present review article focuses on the various aspects of oral microbial flora, their role in the body, dysbiosis and factors influencing along with the reestablishment of normal healthy microbiome. A search was made on pubmed and scopus using keywords and 25 relevant articles published during 2000 to 2018 along with their references were included in the study.

With increasing knowledge of human microbiome, attempts are made to limit the alteration in oral ecosystem or re-establish the normal healthy flora as a part of prevention or treatment of diseases. This brings about change in approach which initially focused on elimination of microbes to maintaining their equilibrium.
An organic approach to low energy memory and brain inspired electronics
Authors: Goswami Sreetosh , Goswami Sreebrata , Venkatesan T.
Published: April 2020

Brain inspired electronics with organic memristors could offer a functionally promising and cost-effective platform for flexible, wearable, and personalized computing technologies. While there are different material approaches (viz. oxides, nitrides, 2D, organic) to realize memristors, organic materials are characteristically unique, as they could, in principle, offer spatially uniform switching, tunable molecular functionalities, and ultra-low switching energies approaching atto joules that are highly desirable but elusive with other material systems. However, despite a long-standing effort spanning almost 2 decades, the performance and mechanistic understanding in organic memristors are quite far from a translational stage and even a single suitable candidate is yet to emerge. Almost all the reported organic memristors lack reproducibility, endurance, stability, uniformity, scalability, and speed that are needed for an industrial application. In this review, we analyze the root cause of the prolonged failures of organic memory devices and discuss a new family of organic memristors, made of transition metal complexes of redox active organic ligands (RAL), that satisfy and go beyond the requirements specified in the 2015 ITRS roadmap for RRAM devices. These devices exhibit cyclability > 1012, retention of several months, on/off ratio > 103, switching voltage approaching 100 mV, rise time less than 30 ns, and switching energy <1 fJ, offering a quantum leap in organic memristor technology. This could give birth to a new generation of organic memristors that are industrially competitive with ample scopes for functional tunability by molecular engineering, such as variation of the metal center and ligands as well as the counterions. A combination of molecular and device engineering may enable this material system to be an ideal candidate for brain inspired electronics.
X-ray diffraction at the National Ignition Facility
Authors: Rygg J. R. , Smith R. F. , Lazicki A. E. , Braun D. G. , Fratanduono D. E. , Kraus R. G. , McNaney J. M. , Swift D. C. , Wehrenberg C. E. , Coppari F. , Ahmed M. F. , Barrios M. A. , Blobaum K. J. M. , Collins G. W. , Cook A. L. , Di Nicola P. , Dzenitis E. G. , Gonzales S. , Heidl B. F. , Hohenberger M. , House A. , Izumi N. , Kalantar D. H. , Khan S. F. , Kohut T. R. , Kumar C. , Masters N. D. , Polsin D. N. , Regan S. P. , Smith C. A. , Vignes R. M. , Wall M. A. , Ward J. , Wark J. S. , Zobrist T. L. , Arsenlis A. , Eggert J. H.
Published: April 2020

We report details of an experimental platform implemented at the National Ignition Facility to obtain in situ powder diffraction data from solids dynamically compressed to extreme pressures. Thin samples are sandwiched between tamper layers and ramp compressed using a gradual increase in the drive-laser irradiance. Pressure history in the sample is determined using high-precision velocimetry measurements. Up to two independently timed pulses of x rays are produced at or near the time of peak pressure by laser illumination of thin metal foils. The quasi-monochromatic x-ray pulses have a mean wavelength selectable between 0.6 Å and 1.9 Å depending on the foil material. The diffracted signal is recorded on image plates with a typical 2θ x-ray scattering angle uncertainty of about 0.2° and resolution of about 1°. Analytic expressions are reported for systematic corrections to 2θ due to finite pinhole size and sample offset. A new variant of a nonlinear background subtraction algorithm is described, which has been used to observe diffraction lines at signal-to-background ratios as low as a few percent. Variations in system response over the detector area are compensated in order to obtain accurate line intensities; this system response calculation includes a new analytic approximation for image-plate sensitivity as a function of photon energy and incident angle. This experimental platform has been used up to 2 TPa (20 Mbar) to determine the crystal structure, measure the density, and evaluate the strain-induced texturing of a variety of compressed samples spanning periods 2–7 on the periodic table.
A repetitive electron beam driver based on 6-stage linear transformer driver cavities
Authors: Wang Peng , Xiang Fei , Tan Jie , Luo Min , Kang Qiang , Wang Ganping
Published: April 2020

A repetitive electron beam driver based on 6-stage Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) cavities is presented. Each cavity consists of two Blumlein pulse forming networks (BPFNs) sharing a laser trigger switch. Voltage adding is obtained by means of Linear Transformer (LT) technology. The LTD cavity consists of two BPFNs connected in parallel, an LT with a ratio of 1:1, and a laser-triggered spark switch. The energy efficiency of a single LTD was investigated. The results show that the energy efficiency of an L-type BPFN and an LT was 94.3% and 92.8%, respectively. An electron beam driver consisting of 6 such cavities was developed with an output voltage of 740 kV, a current of 12.3 kA, and a power of 9.1 GW. The repetition frequency operation results show that the electron beam driver can operate stably for 20 s at 25 Hz with a jitter of approximately 1.7 ns.
The effect of shear stress reduction on endothelial cells: A microfluidic study of the actin cytoskeleton
Authors: Inglebert Mehdi , Locatelli Laura , Tsvirkun Daria , Sinha Priti , Maier Jeanette A. , Misbah Chaouqi , Bureau Lionel
Published: April 2020

Reduced blood flow, as occurring in ischemia or resulting from exposure to microgravity such as encountered in space flights, induces a decrease in the level of shear stress sensed by endothelial cells forming the inner part of blood vessels. In the present study, we use a microvasculature-on-a-chip device in order to investigate in vitro the effect of such a reduction in shear stress on shear-adapted endothelial cells. We find that, within 1 h of exposition to reduced wall shear stress, human umbilical vein endothelial cells undergo reorganization of their actin skeleton with a decrease in the number of stress fibers and actin being recruited into the cells’ peripheral band, indicating a fairly fast change in the cells’ phenotype due to altered flow.
Exploring non-adiabaticity to CO reduction reaction through ab initio molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Zheng Fan , Wang Lin-wang
Published: April 2020

Non-adiabatic chemical reaction refers to the electronic excitation during reactions. This effect cannot be modeled by the ground-state Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BO-MD), where the electronic structure is at the ground state for every step of ions’ movement. Although the non-adiabatic effect has been explored extensively in gas phase reactions, its role in electrochemical reactions, such as water splitting and CO2 reduction, in electrolyte has been rarely explored. On the other hand, electrochemical reactions usually involve electron transport; thus, a non-adiabatic process can naturally play a significant role. In this work, using one-step CO2 reduction as an example, we investigated the role of the non-adiabatic effect in the reaction. The reaction barriers were computed by adiabatic BO-MD and non-adiabatic real-time time dependent density functional theory (rt-TDDFT). We found that by including the non-adiabatic effect, rt-TDDFT could increase the reaction barrier up to 6% compared to the BO-MD calculated barrier when the solvent model is used to represent water. Simulations were carried out using explicit water molecules around the reaction site under different overpotentials, and similar non-adiabatic effects were found.
Vortex shedding characteristics in the wake of circular finned cylinders
Authors: Islam M. R. , Mohany A.
Published: April 2020

The near wake flow development and vortex shedding characteristics downstream of straight circular finned cylinders are experimentally investigated. Different finned cylinders with the same fin pitch and fin thickness, but different diameter ratios, Df/Dr = 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, are investigated. Particle image velocimetry measurements are carried out at a Reynolds number of Re = 2.0 × 104 based on the cylinder effective diameter (Deff), which corresponds to the sub-critical flow regime. The spatial flow development in the near wake is elucidated using both time-averaged and phase-resolved flow field characteristics. The proper orthogonal decomposition analysis is used to characterize the unsteady vortex shedding process in the wake of the cylinders. The results show that adding fins to the cylinder changes the flow development around it. Moreover, the extent of the recirculation region reduces significantly downstream of the finned cylinders as their diameter ratio increases due to higher flow entrainment between the fins. This causes an increase in both the energy of the primary vortex shedding and the strength of the vortices in the wake. The combination of stronger vortices with amplified periodicity leads to a more energetic vortex shedding process in the wake of the finned cylinders.
PCARE and WASF3 regulate ciliary F-actin assembly that is required for the initiation of photoreceptor outer segment disk formation
Authors: Corral-Serrano Julio C. , Lamers Ideke J. C. , van Reeuwijk Jeroen , Duijkers Lonneke , Hoogendoorn Anita D. M. , Yildirim Adem , Argyrou Nikoleta , Ruigrok Renate A. A. , Letteboer Stef J. F. , Butcher Rossano , van Essen Max D. , Sakami Sanae , van Beersum Sylvia E. C. , Palczewski Krzysztof , Cheetham Michael E. , Liu Qin , Boldt Karsten , Wolfrum Uwe , Ueffing Marius , Garanto Alejandro , Roepman Ronald , Collin Rob W. J.
Published: April 2020

Significance

The photoreceptor outer segments are primary cilia, modified for phototransduction by incorporation of stacked opsin-loaded membrane disks that are continuously regenerated. This process is disrupted in several types of inherited retinal dystrophy, but the driving force remained unclear. We show that C2orf71/PCARE (photoreceptor cilium actin regulator), associated with inherited retinal dystrophy subtype RP54, efficiently recruits the Arp2/3 complex activator WASF3 to the cilium. This activates an actin dynamics-driven expansion of the ciliary tip, resembling membrane evagination in lamellipodia formation. Colocalization of this actin dynamics module to the base of the outer segments, and absence thereof in
Pcare

−/−

mice, suggests PCARE-regulated actin dynamics as a critical process in outer segment disk formation.
Metal ions confinement defines the architecture of G-quartet, G-quadruplex fibrils and their assembly into nematic tactoids
Authors: Li Xiaoyang , Sánchez-Ferrer Antoni , Bagnani Massimo , Adamcik Jozef , Azzari Paride , Hao Jingcheng , Song Aixin , Liu Hongguo , Mezzenga Raffaele
Published: April 2020

G-quadruplex, assembled from a square array of guanine (G) molecules, is an important structure with crucial biological roles in vivo but also a versatile template for ordered functional materials. Although the understanding of G-quadruplex structures is the focus of numerous studies, little is known regarding the control of G-quartet stacking modes and the spontaneous orientation of G-quadruplex fibrils. Here, the effects of different metal ions and their concentrations on stacking modes of G-quartets are elucidated. Monovalent cations (typically K
+
) facilitate the formation of G-quadruplex hydrogels with both heteropolar and homopolar stacking modes, showing weak mechanical strength. In contrast, divalent metal ions (Ca
2+
, Sr
2+
, and Ba
2+
) at given concentrations can control G-quartet stacking modes and increase the mechanical rigidity of the resulting hydrogels through ionic bridge effects between divalent ions and borate. We show that for Ca
2+
and Ba
2+
at suitable concentrations, the assembly of G-quadruplexes results in the establishment of a mesoscopic chirality of the fibrils with a regular left-handed twist. Finally, we report the discovery of nematic tactoids self-assembled from G-quadruplex fibrils characterized by homeotropic fibril alignment with respect to the interface. We use the Frank–Oseen elastic energy and the Rapini–Papoular anisotropic surface energy to rationalize two different configurations of the tactoids. These results deepen our understanding of G-quadruplex structures and G-quadruplex fibrils, paving the way for their use in self-assembly and biomaterials.
Inner ear sensory system changes as extinct crocodylomorphs transitioned from land to water
Authors: Schwab Julia A. , Young Mark T. , Neenan James M. , Walsh Stig A. , Witmer Lawrence M. , Herrera Yanina , Allain Ronan , Brochu Christopher A. , Choiniere Jonah N. , Clark James M. , Dollman Kathleen N. , Etches Steve , Fritsch Guido , Gignac Paul M. , Ruebenstahl Alexander , Sachs Sven , Turner Alan H. , Vignaud Patrick , Wilberg Eric W. , Xu Xing , Zanno Lindsay E. , Brusatte Stephen L.
Published: April 2020

Major evolutionary transitions, in which animals develop new body plans and adapt to dramatically new habitats and lifestyles, have punctuated the history of life. The origin of cetaceans from land-living mammals is among the most famous of these events. Much earlier, during the Mesozoic Era, many reptile groups also moved from land to water, but these transitions are more poorly understood. We use computed tomography to study changes in the inner ear vestibular system, involved in sensing balance and equilibrium, as one of these groups, extinct crocodile relatives called thalattosuchians, transitioned from terrestrial ancestors into pelagic (open ocean) swimmers. We find that the morphology of the vestibular system corresponds to habitat, with pelagic thalattosuchians exhibiting a more compact labyrinth with wider semicircular canal diameters and an enlarged vestibule, reminiscent of modified and miniaturized labyrinths of other marine reptiles and cetaceans. Pelagic thalattosuchians with modified inner ears were the culmination of an evolutionary trend with a long semiaquatic phase, and their pelagic vestibular systems appeared after the first changes to the postcranial skeleton that enhanced their ability to swim. This is strikingly different from cetaceans, which miniaturized their labyrinths soon after entering the water, without a prolonged semiaquatic stage. Thus, thalattosuchians and cetaceans became secondarily aquatic in different ways and at different paces, showing that there are different routes for the same type of transition.
Piezoelectric “Kumihimo-gumi” sensor fabricated by braiding method using piezoelectric poly-L-lactic acid fiber
Authors: Tajitsu Y.
Published: April 2020

We have developed a piezoelectric braided cord consisting of a conducting fiber yarn core, piezoelectric poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) fiber yarn and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) middle sheath, and a conducting fiber outer shield (piezoelectric PLLA braided cord). Actually,
we made various types of piezoelectric PLLA braided cords using Japanese traditional braiding method called as Kumihimo-gumi in Japanese. Furthermore, by optimization based on the calculation results for each type of piezoelectric PLLA Kumihimo-gumi obtained by the finite element method (FEM),
we were able to develop a new type of piezoelectric PLLA braided cord with a sensing function for complex motion (piezoelectric PLLA Kumihimo-gumi). Finally, we developed a new wearable sensor for a selfie stick which is a popular smartphone accessory, fabricated from a piezoelectric PLLA
Kumihimo-gumi.
Population Genetics and Forensic Efficiency of 30 InDel Markers in Four Chinese Ethnic Groups Residing in Sichuan
Authors: Wang Fei , He Guanglin , Wang Zheng , Wang Mengge , Liu Jing , Zou Xing , Wang Shouyu , Song Mengyuan , Ye Ziwei , Xie Mingkun , Hou Yiping
Published: April 2020

Sichuan Province is located at the transitional junction regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the low-altitude plains. It also serves as the corridor of Sino-Tibetan-speaking population migration and expansion since neolithic expansion of Proto-Tibeto-Burman populations from Middle/Upper Yellow River during Majiayao period (3300–2000 BC). However, the population structure and the corresponding genetic diversity of forensic-related markers in this region remain unclear. Thus, we genotyped 30 insertion-deletion (InDel) markers in 444 samples from four ethnic groups (Han, Tibetan, Hui and Yi) from Sichuan Province using the Investigator® DIPplex kit to explore the characteristics of population genetics and forensic genetic focuses. All the loci were found to be in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) after applying a Bonferroni correction and no pairwise loci showed prominent linkage disequilibrium. The combined matching probability (CMP) and the combined power of discrimination (CPD) are larger than 1.8089 × 10−11 and 0.99999999995, respectively. Principal component analysis, multi-dimensional scaling plots and Neighbour-Joining tree among 65 worldwide populations indicated that Sichuan Hui and Han are genetically close to Hmong-Mien and Tai-Kadai-speaking populations, and Sichuan Tibetan and Yi bear a strong genetic affinity with Tibeto-Burman-speaking populations. The model-based genetic structure further supports the genetic affinity between the studied populations and linguistically close populations. Key PointsForensic parameters of 30 insertion-deletions (InDels) in 444 individuals from four populations are reported, which showed abundant genetic affinity and diversity among populations and high value in personal identification.Genetic similarities existed between the studied populations and ethnically, linguistically close populations.Sichuan Hui and Han are genetically close to Hmong-Mien and Tai-Kadai-speaking populations.Sichuan Tibetan and Yi bear a strong genetic affinity with Tibeto-Burman-speaking populations.
Lax Pairs of Integrable Systems in Bidifferential Graded Algebras*
Authors: Zhang Danda , Zhang Da-Jun , Lou Sen-Yue
Published: April 2020

Lax pairs regarded as foundations of the inverse scattering methods play an important role in integrable systems. In the framework of bidifferential graded algebras, we propose a straightforward approach to constructing the Lax pairs of integrable systems in functional environment. Some continuous equations and discrete equations are presented.
Pulse Characteristics of Cavityless Solid-State Laser
*
Authors: Guo Rui , Jiang Ye-Wen , Liu Ting-Hao , Liu Qiang , Gong Ma-Li
Published: April 2020

We propose a theoretical model (cavityless pulsed solid-state-laser theory) to analyze the pulse characteristics of cavity-less solid-state lasers. A high gain Nd:YVO
4
end-pumped cavityless laser system is adopted to verify the theoretical model. It shows that the performance of output energy and pulse width achieved in cavityless configuration is better than that in resonator configuration when the small-signal gain reaches the saturated level. The simulation results calculated by our theoretical model agree very well with the experimental results. This agreement proves the validity of our theoretical model, which has great importance for theoretical analyses of high gain pulsed laser.
Anomalous Hall Effect in Layered Ferrimagnet MnSb2Te4*
Authors: Shi Gang , Zhang Mingjie , Yan Dayu , Feng Honglei , Yang Meng , Shi Youguo , Li Yongqing
Published: April 2020

We report on low-temperature electron transport properties of MnSb
2
Te
4, a candidate of ferrimagnetic Weyl semimetal. Long-range magnetic order is manifested as a nearly square-shaped hysteresis loop in the anomalous Hall resistance, as well as sharp jumps in the magnetoresistance. At temperatures below 4 K, a lnT-type upturn appears in the temperature dependence of longitudinal resistance, which can be attributed to the electron-electron interaction (EEI), since the weak localization can be excluded by the temperature dependence of magnetoresistance. Although the anomalous Hall resistance exhibits a similar lnT-type upturn in the same temperature range, such correction is absent in the anomalous Hall conductivity. Our work demonstrates that MnSb
2
Te
4
microflakes provide an ideal system to test the theory of EEI correction to the anomalous Hall effect.
Sound dissipation from plate-type resonators excited in non-conventional transversal modes in liquids
Authors: Pfusterschmied G , Weinmann C , Schneider M , Platz D , Shen Naijian , Sader J , Schmid U
Published: April 2020

Vibrational modes of higher order in micromachined resonators exhibit low damping in liquid environments, which facilitates accurate sensing even in highly viscous liquids. A steady increment in mode order, however, results in sound dissipation effects at a critical mode number n
crit, which drastically increases damping in the system. Basic understanding in the emerging of sound dissipation in micromachined resonators is therefore of utmost importance, when an application of higher mode orders is targeted. For that reason, we experimentally investigated in this paper the appearance of sound dissipation in higher order non-conventional vibrational modes in MEMS plate resonators in liquids. The results are compared to those of an analytical model and of finite element method analyses. Micromechanical piezoelectric resonators were fabricated and characterized in sample fluids with a dynamic viscosity μ
fluid ranging from 1 to 5 mPa s and density values ρ
ﬂuid ranging from 0.774 up to 0.835 kg l−1. Quality factors up to 333 are obtained for the eighth mode order in model solution with a dynamic viscosity of 1 mPa s. By monitoring the resonance and damping characteristics as a function of mode order, sound dissipation effects occur, observed by the detection of increased damping, starting at mode number n = 8, which is in good agreement to the predictions of an analytical model and to finite element method simulations. At the critical mode number n
crit, a reduction in quality factor up to 50% is measured. The results show a direct correlation of n
crit and the density of the fluid, which agrees to theory. The lowest value of 8 for n
crit is obtained in a sample liquid with the lowest density value of 0.774 kg l−1, followed by n
crit = 9 in a sample liquid with ρ
ﬂuid = 0.782 kg l−1 and n
crit = 10 in a sample liquid with ρ
ﬂuid = 0.835 kg l−1. These findings are of particular interest for sensing applications in low dense liquids, as sound dissipation effects emerge even at lower mode numbers.
Superoscillations for monochromatic standing waves
Authors: Berry M V
Published: April 2020

For complex scalar waves, a convenient measure of the local oscillations and (‘faster than Fourier’) superoscillations is the phase gradient vector: the local wavevector, or weak value of the momentum operator. This vanishes for standing waves, described by real functions ψ(
r
); for such waves, an alternative descriptor of oscillations is the local weak value of the square of one of the momentum components, i.e.

K

2

r

=
−

∂

2

ψ

r

/
∂

x

2

/
ψ

r

, here called the ‘weak curvature’. Superoscillations correspond to places where K
2 lies outside the interval 0 ⩽ K
2 ⩽ 1. Two illustrations are given. First is an explicit family of real waves in dimension d = 2, with arbitrarily strong superoscillations; this could represent Neumann standing modes in a strip waveguide. Second is an exact calculation of the probability distribution of K
2 for Gaussian random real waves in d dimensions. This decays as

1
/

K

2

2

, as a consequence of the codimension 1 of nodes (e.g. nodal lines for d = 2). The superoscillation probability varies from 0.3918 (d = 2) to 0.3041 (d = ∞).
Revealing roaming on the double Morse potential energy surface with Lagrangian descriptors
Authors: Montoya Francisco Gonzalez , Wiggins Stephen
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we analyse the phase space structure of the roaming dynamics in a 2 degree of freedom potential energy surface consisting of two identical planar Morse potentials separated by a distance. This potential energy surface was previously studied in Carpenter B K et al (2018 Regul. Chaotic Dyn.
23 60–79), and it has two potential wells surrounded by an unbounded flat region containing no critical points. We study the phase space mechanism for the transference between the wells using the method of Lagrangian descriptors.
A new two-step selective laser remelting of 316L stainless steel: process, density, surface roughness, mechanical properties, microstructure
Authors: Lu Pan , Cheng-Lin Zhang , Hai-Yi Liang , Liang Wang , Tong Liu
Published: April 2020

A new two-step selective laser remelting (SLR) process was proposed to fabricate 316L stainless steel. The density, surface roughness, and mechanical properties were investigated by a multifunctional density tester, surface roughness meter, and tensile testing machine. Compared with the single-melting selective laser melting (SLM) process, the relative density, surface roughness (Ra), ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, elastic modulus, and elongation reached 99.31%, 6.67 μm, 725 MPa, 643 MPa, 13.95 GPa, and 40.8%, respectively. In addition, the microstructure and fracture characteristics were studied by OM, SEM, and EDS. The results showed little unmelted powder and fewer defects (balling, spatter, and cracks). In addition, a closer and smoother connection between the welds and equiaxed cell were obtained by the SLR process.
Microscopic morphology, thermodynamic and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane fabricated by selective laser sintering
Authors: Pan Ruiqi , Yang Lei , Zheng Li , Hao Liang , Li Yan
Published: April 2020

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is one of the elastomeric polymers which has widespread applicability in various fields. Selective laser sintering (SLS) technology is gradually being used to manufacture actual end-use components and enables novel applications (footwear, healthcare mattresses, cable and wire) for TPU. This work aims to explore an optimum protocol (laser power, scanning speed and layer thickness) for SLS fabricated TPU components, and to evaluate the processability of TPU powder through systematically analyzing the morphological properties, structure, melting temperature, crystallization characteristics and tensile properties under different processing parameters. The optimum SLS processing parameters for TPU are laser speed of 3500 mm s−1, laser power of 25 W and layer thickness of 0.1 mm. The tensile strength and superlative toughness of SLS-fabricated TPU samples can reach up to 20.02 MPa and 26 631 J mm−3, respectively. The tensile strength of optimized SLS specimens (parameters: 20 W, 4500 mm s−1, 0.15 mm) has been increased by 87.1% compared to that of reference.
A long-chain based bromo and methyl substituted chalcone derivatives; experimental and theoretical approach on nonlinear optical single crystals
Authors: Parol Vinay , Upadhyaya V , Prabhu A N , Lokanath N K , Taher Md Abu , Naraharisetty Sri Ram G
Published: April 2020

In the present work, growth of single crystals of chalcone derivatives {4-[(1E)-3-(4-methylphenyl)-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl]phenyl 4-methylbenzene-1-sulfonate} (4M1PMS) and {4-[(1E)-3-(4-bromophenyl)-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl]phenyl4-methylbenzene-1-sulfonate} (4BPMS), at room temperature is reported. The spectroscopic techniques are used to identify the presence of functional groups in the materials. The single-crystal XRD and powder XRD analysis reveals that 4M1PMS belongs to non-centrosymmetric (

P

2

1

2

1

2

1

) and 4BPMS belongs to centrosymmetric

(
P

2

1

/
n
)

crystalline system. The molecular structures exhibit C–H…O and π...π intermolecular interactions. From UV/VIS/NIR spectroscopic studies, it is found that both samples have bathochromic shifts in linear absorbance (cut-off region) spectra. The broad emission region involved in several sharp emission peaks in blue region, exhibits a blue light emission property, as observed from photoluminescence study, in both the samples. The thermal stability of the materials were studied by TGA/DTA techniques and crystals were thermally stable until the melting point. In NLO study, 4M1PMS crystal has shown SHG efficiency 2.2 times that of KDP crystal. In addition, electronic contribution in hyperpolarizability (first order and second order) tensors of both the compounds were computed theoretically by M06-2X functional at DFT level. The open/closed aperture Z-scan technique were performed to evaluate third order nonlinear optical materials by measuring experimental parameters such as nonlinear absorption/refraction and calculate second-order hyperpolarizability with corresponding third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility

(

χ

3

)

of 4M1PMS and 4BPMS. The surface damage threshold studies of 4M1PMS and 4BPMS were performed by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm.
Adsorption of NO2, HCN, HCHO and CO on pristine and amine functionalized boron nitride nanotubes by self-consistent charge density functional tight-binding method
Authors: Timsorn Kriengkri , Wongchoosuk Chatchawal
Published: April 2020

The adsorptions of toxic gases including NO2, HCN, HCHO and CO molecules on the pristine and amine functionalized (5,0) single-wall boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are investigated based on self-consistent charge density functional tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) method. The calculated results indicate that the pristine (5,0) BNNT exhibits weak adsorption for the gas molecules. Based on the calculated adsorption energy, interaction distances and charge transfer, amine functionalization at a boron atom of the pristine (5,0) BNNT enhances the sensitivity of the pristine (5,0) BNNT toward the gas molecules. The electronic densities of state results reveal that new local states in the vicinity of Fermi level for adsorption between amine functionalized BNNT and the gas molecules significantly appear. This confirms the improved sensitivity of the pristine (5,0) BNNT functionalized with amine for adsorption of the toxic gases. This study is expected to provide a useful guidance on gas sensing application of pristine and amine functionalized BNNTs for detection of the toxic gases at room temperature.
Skirmishing MDR strain of Candida albicans by effective antifungal CeO2 nanostructures using Aspergillus terreus and Talaromyces purpurogenus
Authors: Komal Rimsha , Uzair Bushra , Sajjad Shamaila , Butt Sajid , Kanwal Amna , Ahmed Iftikhar , Riaz Naveeda , Leghari Sajjad Ahmed Khan , Abbas Sehrish
Published: April 2020

Emerging antibiotics resistance fungal infectionsis a major global health problem and new antifungal formulations are direly needed to fight drug resistant Candida albicans strains. This study is aimed to synthesize effective antifungal nanostructures of cerium oxide (CeO2) using culture filtrates of two common fungal strains Aspergillus terreus and Talaromyces pupureogenus. The fungal strains used in the synthesis were identified by 18S rRNA gene sequencing and deposited to NCBI GenBank with the accession number of MN099077 and MN121629, respectively. The biofabricated CeO2 NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Pure CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using Aspergillus terreus culture filtrate were depicted spherical morphology with average size of 28.5 nm. The CeO2NPs synthesized using Talaromyces pupureogenus revealed the presence of nanosponges with average size of 21.4 nm. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry of culture filtrates of respective strains indicated the presence of ethanol, 1-propanol and tri-chloromethane in culture filtrate of Aspergillus terreus and with addition of palmitic acid in Talaromyces pupureogenus culture filtrate which may have a function as bio reducers and capping agents. Dose dependent anticandidal activity of CeO2 NPs using various different concentrations (100, 200, 300, 600 μg ml−1) synthesized by both fungal strains was observed by disc diffusion assay against Candida albicansas evidenced by increase in size of zone of inhibitions with increasing concentration of CeO2NPs. Further in-vitro and in-vivo experiments are required to access the potential of CeO2 NPs for controlling Candida albicans strains.
Association between triclosan levels and white blood cell counts in US adults from NHANES, 2011–2012
Authors: Yan Judy , Joseph Michael A , Reynolds Simone A , Veenema Ryne J , Geer Laura A
Published: April 2020

Triclosan is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent used in a multitude of healthcare and consumer products. Epidemiological studies link triclosan exposure to several adverse health outcomes including alterations in thyroid function and an increased risk for allergies and asthma suggesting an immunomodulatory role for the endocrine disrupting synthetic chemical. The effects of triclosan on the human immune system, particularly on the levels and function of white blood cells, have yet to be fully characterized. Using cross-sectional data from the NHANES 2011–2012 survey, we examined the relationship between triclosan exposure levels and white blood cell counts in adults 18–65 years of age. Results from multivariable linear regression analysis show lack of a statistically signficant association between urinary triclosan levels and white blood cell counts (β = −0.0007, p = 0.90, 95% CI = −0.012, 0.010). Findings may demonstrate an absence of association or may indicate that triclosan exposure levels were too low to have a significant detectable impact on white blood cell counts. Considering that prior animal and epidemiological studies have established links between triclosan exposure and alterations in immune system parameters and susceptibility to allergic diseases, the effects of triclosan exposure on the immune system should continue to be evaluated.
Collinear setup for delay control in two-color attosecond measurements
Authors: Ahmadi H , Kellerer S , Ertel D , Moioli M , Reduzzi M , Maroju P K , Jäger A , Shah R N , Lutz J , Frassetto F , Poletto L , Bragheri F , Osellame R , Pfeifer T , Schröter C D , Moshammer R , Sansone G
Published: April 2020

We present a compact experimental setup for performing attosecond-pump-infrared-probe experiments with long-time delay stability. The robustness of the setup is demonstrated over a two-day acquisition time in two-photon photoionization of argon in the photon-energy range 17−33 eV. The propagation of the input infrared pulse, as driving pulse for the high-order harmonic generation process and for the generation of the sidebands of the main photoelectron peaks, through the main optical components is simulated and discussed. Our setup allows us to perform attosecond experiments with an overall stability of ± 40 as.
St. Xenia and the Gleaners of Leningrad
Authors: Cherkaev Xenia
Published: April 2020

This text is, above all, a grateful testament to a local saint’s continued liveliness. It is a new hagiography, a story of a woman who gave away everything—her house, her money, her possessions, and even her name—who wandered homeless, and who has helped people resolve desperate situations ever since. Retelling the fragmented stories of how people asked for her intervention, and of how, through their actions, new mycelia of power grew on the ruins of the Soviet socialist state, I hope that this essay helps opens a loophole: a space between naïve faith and sociological faithlessness in which we might understand today’s miracles without crushing them by the secular objectivist gaze. Looking through this loophole, this essay retells some of stories I heard about the Soviet collapse and about how people survived it: about gleaning the planned economy’s rubble, chance connections, personal ties, Divine Providence, fast fortunes, and the enclosure of fields.
Renamed: The Living, the Dead, and the Global in Nineteenth-Century U.S. Christianity
Authors: Kaell Hillary
Published: April 2020

Over the nineteenth century, thousands of North Americans and Europeans paid to sponsor and rename foreign children in mission stations across the world. This popular fundraising model has been largely unstudied to date. When the extant records are pieced together, it becomes evident that U.S. Protestants commonly renamed foreign children after their own beloved dead. As a result, these programs offer important insight into how Americans who never traveled abroad still cultivated global subjectivities—in this case, through their connections with other-than-human presences. By nurturing relations with what they viewed as globally active agents, such as God, angels, and the dead, U.S. donors cultivated a sense of themselves as subjects who were Christian, American, and globally active. For mourning families, renaming also seemed to impress their dead’s “qualities” onto foreign children, creating what they viewed as opportunities to collaborate with the dead and reconstitute some aspect of ruptured domestic relations. Focusing on a group often assumed to be the most disenchanted of nineteenth-century moderns—U.S. Protestants in the rising middle class—this article calls for more attention to the “otherworldly” in histories of global relations.
In Their Own Words: Judith Weis
Authors: Verdier James
Published: April 2020

In Their Own Words chronicles the stories of scientists who have made great contributions to their fields, particularly within the biological sciences. These short oral histories provide our readers a way to learn from and share their experiences. Each month, we will publish in the pages of BioScience and in our podcast, BioScience Talks (http://bioscienceaibs.libsyn.com), the results of these conversations. This oral history is with Dr. Judith Weis of Rutgers University. She previously served as president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences.

Note: Both the text and audio versions have been edited for clarity and length.
Loss of MINAR2 impairs motor function and causes Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms in mice
Authors: Ho Rachel Xi-Yeen , Amraei Razie , De La Cena Kyle Oliver Corcino , Sutherland Evan G , Mortazavi Farzad , Stein Thor , Chitalia Vipul , Rahimi Nader
Published: April 2020

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common human neurodegenerative disease. Motor control impairment represents a key clinical hallmark and primary clinical symptom of the disease, which is further characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and the accumulation of α-synuclein aggregations. We have identified major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 encoded by KIAA1024L, a previously uncharacterized protein that is highly conserved in humans and other species. In this study, we demonstrate that major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 expression is significantly down-regulated in the frontal lobe brain of patients with Lewy body dementia. Major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 is predominantly expressed in brain tissue and is particularly prominent in the midbrain. Major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 interacts with neurogenic locus notch homologue protein 2 and is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum compartments. We generated major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 knockout mouse and demonstrated that the loss of major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 in mouse results in severe motor deficits such as rigidity and bradykinesia, gait abnormalities, reduced spontaneous locomotor and exploratory behaviour, symptoms that are highly similar to those observed in human Parkinson’s spectrum disorders. Analysis of the major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 knockout mice brain revealed significant anomalies in neuronal function and appearance including the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the pars compacta, which was accompanied by an up-regulation in α-synuclein protein expression. Taken together, these data demonstrate a previously unknown function for major intrinsically disordered NOTCH2-associated receptor 2 in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s spectrum disorders.
Motivational Interviewing to Support Oral AntiCoagulation adherence in patients with non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation (MISOAC-AF): a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Tzikas Apostolos , Samaras Athanasios , Kartas Anastasios , Vasdeki Dimitra , Fotos George , Dividis George , Paschou Eleni , Forozidou Evropi , Tsoukra Paraskevi , Kotsi Eleni , Goulas Ioannis , Karvounis Haralambos , Giannakoulas George
Published: April 2020

Aims

We aimed to assess the impact of an educational, motivational intervention on the adherence to oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and results

Hospitalized patients with non-valvular AF who received OAC were randomly assigned to usual medical care or a proactive intervention, comprising motivational interviewing, and tailored counselling on medication adherence. The primary study outcome was adherence to OAC at 1 year, which was evaluated according to proportion of days covered (PDC) by OAC regimens and was assessed through nationwide registers of prescription claims. Secondary outcomes included the rate of persistence to OAC, gaps in treatment, and clinical events. A total of 1009 patients were randomized, 500 in the intervention group and 509 in the control group. At 1-year follow-up, 77.2% (386/500) of patients in the intervention group were adherent (PDC > 80%), compared with 55% (280/509) in the control group [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.14–3.75; P < 0.001]. Mean PDC ± standard deviation was 0.85 ± 0.26 and 0.75 ± 0.31, respectively (P < 0.001). Patients that received the intervention were more likely to persist in their OAC therapy at 1 year (aOR 2.42, 95% CI 1.71–3.41; P < 0.001). Usual medical care was associated with more major (≥3 months) treatment gaps (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.76–3.26; P < 0.001). Clinical events over a median follow-up period of 2 years did not differ among treatment groups.

Conclusion

In patients receiving OAC therapy for non-valvular AF, a multilevel motivational intervention significantly improved medication adherence and rate of therapy persistence, and reduced major gaps in treatment. No significant impact on clinical outcomes was observed.

Trial registration number

NCT02941978.
Evaluation and optimization of air-based precooling for higher postharvest quality: literature review and interdisciplinary perspective
Authors: Wang Guanbang , Zhang Xinrong
Published: April 2020

Precooling is of significant importance for postharvest fruits and vegetables to control the quality degradation and prolong the shelf-life. Current precooling methods include room cooling, forced-air cooling, hydrocooling, vacuum cooling, contact or package icing, and cryogenic cooling, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages. The first two methods with the cooling medium of air are extensively used because of the wide applicable range of fruits and vegetables. Numerous studies have been devoted to cope with the drawbacks of these two air-based precooling methods with various evaluation criteria and optimization methods. A systematic literature review on these studies is firstly conducted with respect to experimental and numerical investigations respectively for the two methods. The main contributions from the previous studies are also summarized respectively with the research objectives and performance metrics. The literature review indicates that the current performance evaluation is limited to apparent parameters and the optimal design is only proposed based on the performance evaluation and comparison. Furthermore, with inspiration from the research in other domains, a scheme of advanced evaluation and optimization for air-based precooling methods is proposed with thermodynamic evaluation metrics and constructal optimization methods from the interdisciplinary perspective.
A review on the consumption of vended fruits: microbial assessment, risk, and its control
Authors: Igiehon Oluwakemi Osarumwense , Adekoya Ademola Ezekiel , Idowu Anthony Temitope
Published: April 2020

Fruits are very beneficial to health and their consumption has been recommended in daily diets. However, when fresh fruits are harvested and processed into sliced ready-to-eat or vended forms for sale, hygienic procedures are neglected. Thus, they are easily infested by pathogens. In addition, uneducated vendors who sell these fruits often display or hawk them on the streets in contaminated containers, utensils, or dirty environments. This poses a great threat to the health of consumers. In the light of this realization, some microbial assessments have been carried out to ascertain the safety of these vended fruits, thus making it a necessity to exploit the outcomes of some of these microbial assessments on vended fruits in order to sensitize the consumers on the effect of their consumption and mitigate risk by improving their quality. This will assist to lower certain health concerns, an outbreak of diseases, and death.
Exemplification Effects: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Krämer Benjamin , Peter Christina
Published: April 2020

The presentation of single cases as examples for larger phenomena has a long-standing tradition in journalism. However, their usage has been viewed rather critically within the scientific community, because they are employed in a highly selective manner. Consequently, over the course of the last three decades, communication scholars from different research traditions have concerned themselves with the question of how single-case information within media content affects audience judgments. Although most publications report exemplification effects of some sort, it remains unclear which types of exemplars are effective and whether they are capable of influencing both perceptual and personal judgments. Applying a multi-level meta-regression approach, we synthesize findings across different studies and investigate potential moderators. Our results suggest overall exemplification effects that seem to be most pronounced for first-level reality judgments, such as public opinion or frequency estimates, but that are limited in their robustness when controlling for interdependence of the measurements.