Development and characterisation of an irradiation device for biomedical studies covering the solar spectrum with individual regulated spectral bands.

To understand the importance of terrestrial solar exposure on human skin, not only individual spectral components need to be considered in biomedical studies, but also the relevance of the combined action profile of the complete solar spectrum (cSS) must be established. We therefore developed a novel irradiation device that combines the emission of four individual lamps (UVB, UVA, VIS and nIR) to achieve exposure from 280 to 1400 nm with individual controllable lamps. The integrated irradiance of each spectral band is similar to the solar spectrum. The lamps can be utilised individually or in any desired combination. Here we present the design, realisation, and validation of this irradiation device as well as biological results on cellular metabolism (MTT assay), cell cycle alterations, and clonogenic growth in HaCaT cells after exposures to the individual spectral bands as well as their simultaneous combinations. Thereby, we demonstrate that UVB combined with UVA is the main determinant for the metabolic activity within cSS. Also, UVB-dependent effects dominate cell cycle regulation in cSS, whilst UVA and nIR have little influence. Lastly, also clonogenic growth is dominated by the UVB action profile in cSS, despite nIR showing modulatory activity when applied in combination with UVB. Together, this highlights the regulatory influence of the different spectral bands on the three biological endpoints and demonstrates their modulation when being part of the complete solar spectrum.

Author Correction: Phenological shifts alter the seasonal structure of pollinator assemblages in Europe.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Phenological shifts alter the seasonal structure of pollinator assemblages in Europe.

Pollinators play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems by providing key ecosystem functions and services to wild plants and crops, respectively. The sustainable provision of such ecosystem functions and services requires diverse pollinator communities over the seasons. Despite evidence that climate warming shifts pollinator phenology, a general assessment of these shifts and their consequences on pollinator assemblages is still lacking. By analysing phenological shifts of over 2,000 species, we show that, on average, the mean flight date of European pollinators shifted to be 6 d earlier over the last 60 yr, while their flight period length decreased by 2 d. Our analysis further reveals that these shifts have probably altered the seasonal distribution of pollination function and services by decreasing the overlap among pollinators' phenologies within European assemblages, except in the most northeastern part of Europe. Such changes are expected to decrease the functional redundancy and complementarity of pollinator assemblages and, therefore, might alter the performance of pollination function and services and their robustness to ongoing pollinator extinctions.

The Genus Enlinia Aldrich in Chile (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), with the Description of Four New Species.

Four new species of Enlinia Aldrich are described from Chile: Enlinia biobio n. sp., Enlinia chilensis n. sp., Enlinia enormis n. sp., and Enlinia isoloba n. sp. These specimens were collected during a 2013 invertebrate survey in sclerophyll and Valdivian temperate rain forest habitats of the central and southern Chilean Andes. The only other species of Enlinia recorded from Chile is E. atrata (Van Duzee). Photos of holotypes and type localities and a key to the five species known to occur in Chile are provided.

Presence of Peierls pairing and absence of insulator-to-metal transition in VO2 (A): a structure-property relationship study.

Layered vanadium oxides have been extensively explored due to their interesting metal-insulator transitions and energy conversion/storage applications. In the present study, we have successfully synthesized VO2 (A) polymorph powder samples by a single-step hydrothermal synthesis process and consolidated them using spark plasma sintering. The structural and electronic properties of VO2 (A) are measured over a large temperature range from liquid helium, across the structural transition (400-440 K) and up to 500 K. The structural analysis around this transition reveals an antiferrodistorsive to partially ferrodistorsive ordering upon cooling. It is followed by a progressive antiferromagnetic spin pairing which fully settles at about 150 K. The transport measurements show that, in contrast to the rutile archetype VO2 (R/M1), the structural transition comes with a transition from semiconductor to band-type insulator. Under these circumstances, we propose a scenario with a high temperature antiferrodistorsive paramagnetic semiconducting phase, followed by an intermediate regime with a partially ferrodistorsive paramagnetic semiconducting phase, and finally a low temperature partially ferrodistorsive antiferromagnetic band insulator phase with a possible V-V Peierls-type pairing.

Invited article: A round robin test of the uncertainty on the measurement of the thermoelectric dimensionless figure of merit of Co0.97Ni0.03Sb3.

A round robin test aiming at measuring the high-temperature thermoelectric properties was carried out by a group of European (mainly French) laboratories (labs). Polycrystalline skutterudite Co0.97Ni0.03Sb3 was characterized by Seebeck coefficient (8 labs), electrical resistivity (9 labs), thermal diffusivity (6 labs), mass volume density (6 labs), and specific heat (6 labs) measurements. These data were statistically processed to determine the uncertainty on all these measured quantities as a function of temperature and combined to obtain an overall uncertainty on the thermal conductivity (product of thermal diffusivity by density and by specific heat) and on the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT. An increase with temperature of all these uncertainties is observed, in agreement with growing difficulties to measure these quantities when temperature increases. The uncertainties on the electrical resistivity and thermal diffusivity are most likely dominated by the uncertainty on the sample dimensions. The temperature-averaged (300-700 K) relative standard uncertainties at the confidence level of 68% amount to 6%, 8%, 11%, and 19% for the Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, and figure of merit ZT, respectively. Thermal conductivity measurements appear as the least accurate. The moderate value of the temperature-averaged relative expanded (confidence level of 95%) uncertainty of 17% on the mean of ZT is essential in establishing Co0.97Ni0.03Sb3 as a high temperature standard n-type thermoelectric material.

(Li/Ag)CoO2: a new intergrowth cobalt oxide composed of rock salt and delafossite layers.

A new ordered (Li/Ag)CoO(2) layered compound with an unusual oxygen packing combining rock salt and delafossite layers is obtained during the (Li(+), Na(+))/Ag(+) ionic exchange from the OP4-(Li/Na)CoO(2) precursor. This compound is actually an intermediate step to the final D4-AgCoO(2) delafossite and can be isolated thanks to the kinetics difference between the Li(+)/Ag(+) and Na(+)/Ag(+) exchange processes. It crystallizes in the P6(3)/mmc space group with cell parameters a(hex.) = 2.848(3) Å and c(hex.) = 21.607(7) Å. The details of the structure as well as its thermal stability and transport properties are presented and discussed.

First experimental evidence of a new D4-AgCoO2 delafossite stacking.

A new polytype of AgCoO(2) delafossite has been prepared from the ordered OP4-(Li/Na)CoO(2) layered compound using ion-exchange reaction in molten salts. As expected from the structural model assuming a topotactic process, the lamellar structure of this new polytype is an alternate combination of the already known 2H and 3R delafossite polytypes. It crystallizes in the P6(3)/mmc space group with cell parameters a(hex.) = 2.871(1) Å and c(hex.) = 24.448(1) Å. Thermal stability, morphology characterization, and electrical properties are reported here and compared with those of the 2H and 3R AgCoO(2) polytypes.

Reinvestigation of the OP4-(Li/Na)CoO2-layered system and first evidence of the (Li/Na/Na)CoO2 phase with OPP9 oxygen stacking.

The composition and synthesis conditions of the (Li/Na)CoO(2) phase with an ordered 1:1 Li/Na stacking alternating with CoO(2) slabs were determined from a careful study of the P2-Na(∼0.7)CoO(2)-O3-LiCoO(2) system. An in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) thermal study emphasizes the metastable character of this phase that can be stabilized only by very fast quenching. Its composition, (Li(0.42)Na(0.37))CoO(2), is significantly different from the ideally expected one, (Li(0.50)Na(0.35))CoO(2), and its structure, confirmed by Rietveld refinement of the XRD pattern, presents an ideal alternate ordering of lithium, cobalt, and sodium layers within OP4-type oxygen packing. The presence of vacancies in both alkali-ion layers was confirmed by electrochemical intercalation of lithium and sodium. For the first time, a new type of layered oxide exhibiting OPP9-type oxygen packing was evidenced. Between the CoO(2) slabs, alkali ions are intercalated in the following order: Li(octa)-Na(prism)-Na(prism). This material crystallizes in the R3m space group with a(hex) = 2.828 Šand c(hex) = 46.85 Šcell parameters.

Nanoblock coupling effect in iodine intercalated [Bi(0.82)CaO(2)](2)[CoO(2)](1.69) layered cobaltite.

We report on the structural, microstructural, and electronic properties of iodine intercalated [Bi0.82CaO2]2[CoO2]1.69 misfit cobaltite. We first prove through a detailed and careful structural study that the block layer structure can be modified in the desired way. Iodine enters the material between the [BiO] double layers, and the c-cell parameter of the pristine compound is elongated by 3.6 Angstrom. On the basis of this result, we point out the coupling between the block-layer structure and the transport properties. Additionally, we provide in-depth commentary and discussion of some extra results, clarifying some doping effects in the quasi-2D studied phase. Finally, we also propose some expressions that might be useful to material scientists for the tuning of the properties of such compounds.

[Efficacy and tolerability of morniflumate in acute otitis in infants: results of a randomized study versus placebos]. / Efficacité et tolérance du morniflumate dans les otites aiguës du nourrisson: résultats d'une étude randomisée contre placebo.

In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled, parallel group study, 79 infants with acute otitis media received treatment with suppositories containing either Nifluril (400 mg daily, morniflumate) or placebo for five days. Both groups of patients also received amoxicilline (50 mg/kg daily) for eight days. The combination of Nifluril with antibiotic therapy gave significantly greater relief from abnormalities of the tympanic membrane (after two days treatment), inflammation of the throat and nasal congestion than did antibiotic therapy alone. Overall clinical assessment confirmed a significantly greater recover rate in the Nifluril group compared with the placebo group. Very few side effects were recorded, limited to diarrhoea, without any drug interruption. Nifluril may be recommended as an effective safe adjuvant to the antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media in infants.

Management of vulvar condylomata acuminata with argon laser.

One hundred and one female patients with vulvar condylomata acuminata were treated with the argon laser. Most were managed under regional or general anesthesia because of the large size and extent of the warts. Ten patients were lost to follow-up after the first session. Of 91 other patients, 78 (86%) were free of lesions on follow-up examinations after one or two treatments. The 13 other patients had recurrent lesions: seven patients underwent three laser sessions; four required four sessions, and 2 others required five and six sessions, respectively. These results were comparable with those achieved with the carbon dioxide laser.