The Synthesis of Europium-Doped Calcium Carbonate by an Eco-Method as Free Radical Generator Under Low-Intensity Ultrasonic Irradiation for Body Sculpture

Body sculpture is a common method to remove excessive fat. The diet and exercise are the first suggestion to keep body shape; however, those are difficult to keep adherence. Ultrasound has been developed for fat ablation; however, it could only serve as the side treatment along with liposuction. In the study, a sonosensitizer of europium-doped calcium carbonate (CaCO3: Eu) would be synthesized by an eco-method and combined with low-intensity ultrasound for lipolysis. The crystal structure of CaCO3: Eu was identified by x-ray diffractometer (XRD). The morphology of CaCO3: Eu was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chemical composition of CaCO3: Eu was evaluated by energy-dispersed spectrophotometer (EDS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The electronic diffraction pattern was to further check crystal structure of the synthesized individual grain by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The particle size was determined by Zeta-sizer. Water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) were used to evaluate the cell viability. Chloromethyl-2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA) and live/dead stain were used to evaluate feasibility in vitro. SD-rat was used to evaluate the safety and efficacy in vivo. The results showed that CaCO3: Eu had good biocompatibility and could produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) after treated with low-intensity ultrasound. After 4-weeks, the CaCO3: Eu exposed to ultrasound irradiation on SD rats could significantly decrease body weight, waistline, and subcutaneous adipose tissue. We believe that ROS from sonoluminescence, CO2-bomb and locally increasing Ca2+ level would be three major mechanisms to remove away adipo-tissue and inhibit adipogenesis. We could say that the combination of the CaCO3: Eu and low-intensity ultrasound would be a non-invasive treatment for the body sculpture.

Detection of Changes of Ancient Buildings from Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Hyperspectral Imaging

Ancient buildings have various geometric and material changes caused by the historical and natural factors, and their comprehensive detection has also been a more important challenge. This way, in this paper, a flexible, scientific approach from terrestrial laser scanning and hyperspectral imaging is provided for this issue. It is possible to flexibly and accurately detect some potential crisis, which cannot be found in some surface phenomena of historical buildings. Furthermore, one of the main characteristic of this method is that the time and place of the two data acquisition need not be limited, but they can be accurately fused. Another one of the main features is that the fusion data can synthetically detect geometric and material changes of historical buildings. This method was applied to the case study of the Beijing Tianningsi Tower, an extremely dazzling pearl of the Chinese Buddhist pagoda, on which the signs of deformation and restoration were found in the tower shape and in the tower-body sculpture. It was possible to assess the typical physical, chemical, and biological changes of historical buildings, to provide scientific basis for comprehensive research. The results demonstrate that this method is feasible and applicable for detecting changes of ancient buildings and is applied to similar research using more analytical methods for multisource data.

Emlődaganatos nőbetegek komplex támogató terápiája. Egy pszichológiai intervenciós kutatás előzetes eredményei

Introduction: Interdisciplinary studies confirm that the traumatic nature of cancer diagnosis and the long course of treatment may often lead to a series of emotional problems among cancer patients, this way precluding physical and psychological recovery. Aim: The aim of the study was to create a complex psychosocial intervention program for breast cancer patients and to present our preliminary results. Method: In our 6 week long study, 50 breast cancer patients were assessed. The intervention group comprised of 20 patients, the control group comprised of 30 patients. Measurements included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Breast (FACT-B) and the Breast-Impact of Treatment Scale (BITS). Therapeutic tools used were the PRISM-D and the Body-Sculpture Test. Results: Our results indicate that the psychological interventions may have an instant stress-relieving and calming effect on our patients, this way providing social support. The type of surgery significantly influenced the levels of body change stress. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of early psychological screening among breast cancer patients before and after surgery as well. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(18): 700–709.

Xylotrechus (Kostiniclytus) alakolensis sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from East Kazakhstan

Xylotrechus (Kostiniclytus) alakolensis sp. nov. from East Kazakhstan is described. Distinguishing characters from closely related species are presented and discussed. The habitus, male genitalia and habitat of the newly described species are illustrated. The new species differs from X. (K.) arnoldii mainly due to its denser pubescence, stockier body sculpture, shape of the scutellum and shorter metatarsomere 1. It can also easily be distinguished from X. (K.) medvedevi inter alia by its smaller eyes, sparser pubescence of the pronotum and elytra, shorter 3rd antennal joint and more elongate, acute lobes of the protarsomere 3. Moreover, there are distinct differences in the morphology of the male genitalia in both cases. Furthermore, the Kostiniclytus subgenus consists exclusively of allopatric representatives and the new described species is distributed about 1,000 km from the known localities of most of the related taxa.

“Some People Are Born Strange”

The article explores the role of a Brechtian theater pedagogy as “philosophical ethnography” in four investigative drama-based workshops, which took international students’ intercultural “strangeness” experiences as the starting point for aesthetic experimentation. It is argued that a Brechtian theater pedagogy allows for a productive rather than representational orientation in research, which is underpinned by a love for the aesthetic “re-entanglement” of (dis-embodied) language and ethical concerns about mimetic representational acts. To show how a Brechtian research pedagogy functioned as philosophical ethnography, the article maps the aesthetic transformation of participant Jamal’s verbatim account in the drama workshops—from (a) its emergence in a post-creative-writing discussion in Workshop 2, to (b) its enactment as a body sculpture in Workshop 3, and (c) to its translation into a rehearsal piece in Workshop 4.

Sirovena Bouček (Pteromalidae: Pireninae), a new member of the fig wasp community associated with Ficus microcarpa (Moraceae)

Sirovena Bouček (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae, Pireninae) was known only from females of its type species, S. stigma Bouček, 1988. Males and host associations were both unknown. Both sexes of a second species of Sirovena, S. costallifera sp. nov., reared from Ficus microcarpa L. (Moraceae) in Yunnan, China, are described based on morphological characters and mitochondrial COI sequences. The males of S. costallifera show sexual dimorphism in body coloration, structure of the antennae and notauli, and body sculpture. Reliable host records of Pireninae are Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). Because midges also parasitize some figs, we speculate that S. costallifera is a parasitoid of some cecidomyiid midge that attacks fig syconia. A key to differentiate the two species is provided.