An end‐station for resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering and (resonant) X‐ray emission spectroscopy at beamline ID20 of ESRF – The European Synchrotron is presented. The spectrometer hosts five crystal ...analysers in Rowland geometry for large solid angle collection and is mounted on a rotatable arm for scattering in both the horizontal and vertical planes. The spectrometer is optimized for high‐energy‐resolution applications, including partial fluorescence yield or high‐energy‐resolution fluorescence detected X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and the study of elementary electronic excitations in solids. In addition, it can be used for non‐resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering measurements of valence electron excitations.
An end‐station for resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering at beamline ID20 of ESRF – The European Synchrotron is described. The spectrometer is optimized for high‐energy‐resolution applications, including partial fluorescence yield or high‐energy‐resolution fluorescence detected X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and the study of elementary electronic excitations in solids.
Heisenberg interactions are ubiquitous in magnetic materials and play a central role in modelling and designing quantum magnets. Bond-directional interactions offer a novel alternative to Heisenberg ...exchange and provide the building blocks of the Kitaev model, which has a quantum spin liquid as its exact ground state. Honeycomb iridates, A2 IrO3 (A = Na, Li), offer potential realizations of the Kitaev magnetic exchange coupling, and their reported magnetic behaviour may be interpreted within the Kitaev framework. However, the extent of their relevance to the Kitaev model remains unclear, as evidence for bond-directional interactions has so far been indirect. Here we present direct evidence for dominant bond-directional interactions in antiferromagnetic Na2 IrO3 and show that they lead to strong magnetic frustration. Diffuse magnetic X-ray scattering reveals broken spin-rotational symmetry even above the Néel temperature, with the three spin components exhibiting short-range correlations along distinct crystallographic directions. This spin- and real-space entanglement directly uncovers the bond-directional nature of these interactions, thus providing a direct connection between honeycomb iridates and Kitaev physics.
An end‐station for X‐ray Raman scattering spectroscopy at beamline ID20 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility is described. This end‐station is dedicated to the study of shallow core ...electronic excitations using non‐resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering. The spectrometer has 72 spherically bent analyzer crystals arranged in six modular groups of 12 analyzer crystals each for a combined maximum flexibility and large solid angle of detection. Each of the six analyzer modules houses one pixelated area detector allowing for X‐ray Raman scattering based imaging and efficient separation of the desired signal from the sample and spurious scattering from the often used complicated sample environments. This new end‐station provides an unprecedented instrument for X‐ray Raman scattering, which is a spectroscopic tool of great interest for the study of low‐energy X‐ray absorption spectra in materials under in situ conditions, such as in operando batteries and fuel cells, in situ catalytic reactions, and extreme pressure and temperature conditions.
An end‐station for X‐ray Raman scattering spectroscopy at beamline ID20 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility is described, dedicated to the study of shallow core electronic excitations using non‐resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering.
The fluctuations of electric polarization in a disordered ferroelectric substance, relaxor crystal PbMg_{1/3}Nb_{2/3}O_{3} (PMN), were studied using a nonlinear inelastic light-scattering technique, ...hyper-Raman scattering, within a 5-100 cm^{-1} spectral interval and in a broad temperature range from 20 to 900 K. The split ferroelectric mode reveals a local anisotropy of up to about 400 K. Spectral anomalies observed at higher temperatures are explained as due to avoided crossing of the single primary polar soft mode with a temperature-independent, nonpolar spectral feature near 45 cm^{-1}, known from Raman scattering. The temperature changes of the vibrational modes involved in the measured fluctuation spectra of PMN were captured in a simple model that accounts for the temperature dependence of the dielectric permittivity as well. The observed slowing down of the relaxational dynamics directly correlates with the huge increase of the dielectric permittivity.
Giant bladder stones, exceeding 100 g, are rare and typically affect males. This report describes an atypical case of a 35-year-old female with a 560-g bladder stone causing acute kidney injury ...without evidence of upper urinary tract stones.
A 35-year-old female presented with pelvic pain and urinary retention. Comprehensive imaging, including a KUB x-ray and subsequent ultrasound, revealed a giant bladder stone obstructing the ureters and causing bilateral hydronephrosis. Urinalysis showed a severe urinary tract infection. Given the stone's significant size and its firm attachment to the bladder wall, open cystolithotomy was performed. The patient recovered well and was subsequently discharged without postoperative complications.
Giant bladder stones are rare in young females. This case highlights the uncommon presentation of a 560-g stone in a female, causing acute kidney injury while there were no upper tract stones detected. The role of urinary tract infection as a contributing factor is explored, although other etiological factors are also considered.
Open cystolithotomy proved to be an effective treatment. Postoperative recommendations included dietary modifications to minimize the risk of recurrence. This case expands our knowledge of giant bladder stones in this population.
•Giant bladder stone caused urinary retention, infection, and acute kidney injury.•Open cystolithotomy successfully removed the 560-gram stone.•Stone analysis showed pure calcium oxalate composition.•Dietary modifications advised to prevent recurrence•The case expands knowledge on giant bladder stones and their management.
Detecting developmental delay in children is an ongoing world commitment, especially for those below three years. To accurately assess the development of children; a culturally appropriate screening ...tool must be used. Egypt lacks such tool and multiple studies have shown that western tools are not suitable in other cultures.
To develop and validate an easy, rapid, culturally appropriate and applicable screening chart for early detection of developmental delay among Egyptian children from birth up to 30 months and develop a Z-score chart for motor and mental development follow up based on our Egyptian screening chart.
A cross sectional randomized study was carried out on 1503 Egyptian children of both genders aged from birth up to 30 months assumed to have normal development according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were selected from vaccination centers and well-baby clinics. Developmental milestones from Baroda development screening test (BDST) were applied on them after items were translated and adapted to Egyptian culture. Egyptian children developmental milestones scores were analyzed and carefully prepared in tables and charts. A 97% pass level of developmental achievements represents the threshold below which children are considered delayed. A Z-score chart for motor and mental development follow up was designed by calculating each age group achievement. The developed Egyptian developmental screening chart (EDSC) was validated against Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) as a reference standard in another different sample of 337 children in different age groups.
The developed EDSC is represented in a chart format with two curves 50% and 97% pass level. Children considered delayed when the score below 97% pass level. Results revealed a statistically significant difference between EDSC and BDST at 50% and 97% pass levels. A Z-score chart for motor and mental development follow up was designed by calculating each age group achievement. EDSC sensitivity and specificity were calculated 84.38 (95% CI 67.21%-94.72%) and 98.36 (95% CI 96.22%-99.47%) respectively with an overall test accuracy 97.03 (95% CI 94.61%-98.57%) (
≤ .001). Agreement between EDSC and ASQ-3 was high (kappa score was 0.827) with negative and positive agreement 98.36 and 84.38, respectively.
Extensive revision of the BDST was needed in order to create and validate a more culturally appropriate Egyptian screening chart. This is the first study to create and validate an Egyptian-specific screening tool, to be rapid and easy to use in Egypt for early detection of developmental delay and enabling early intervention practices. A Z-score curve is reliable for follow up motor and mental development by calculating each age group achievement.
Molecular epidemiological analysis of cryptosporidiosis in Middle Eastern countries suggests that small ruminants could play a major role in the transmission of
Cryptosporidium
spp. to humans, with a ...dominance of
Cryptosporidium parvum
, especially its IId subtypes. However, little information is available on the epidemiology and risk factors of cryptosporidiosis as well the distribution of
Cryptosporidium
species/genotypes and subtypes in small ruminants in this area, including Kuwait. In the present study, 47 farms from several areas in Kuwait were visited once during October 2014 to September 2015 to collect data on risk factors associated with
Cryptosporidium
infection. Fecal samples from 334 sheep and 222 goats were examined for
Cryptosporidium
oocysts by Ziehl-Neelsen staining (ZN) and antigens by enzymatic immunoassay (EIA). The
Cryptosporidium
prevalence was higher when samples were examined by EIA than ZN (11.4 and 7.2% in sheep and goats by EIA, compared with 4.2 and 3.6% by ZN, respectively). Young age (less than 3 months) and closed housing system are risk factors of
Cryptosporidium
infection. A correlation between fecal consistency and the occurrence of
Cryptosporidium
spp. was observed; non-formed fecal samples were often found positive. Molecular characterization of 30 ovine and caprine samples using PCR-RFLP analysis of the small subunit rRNA gene revealed the presence of
C. parvum
in 23 samples,
Cryptosporidium ubiquitum
in five samples, and
Cryptosporidium xiaoi
in two samples. Sequence analysis of
C. parvum
at the 60 KDa glycoprotein gene locus identified two subtypes, IIaA15G2R1 and IIdA20G1, with the latter being more common (in 2 and 20 successfully subtyped samples, respectively). Only one subtype of
C
.
ubiquitum
(XIIa) was recorded. Cryptosporidiosis in small ruminants apparently poses public health problem in Kuwait.
Microhyper-Raman spectroscopy of PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O(3) (PMN) single crystal is performed at room temperature. The use of an optical microscope working in backscattering geometry significantly reduces ...the LO signal, highlighting thereby the weak contributions underneath. We clearly identify the highest frequency transverse optic mode (TO3) in addition to the previously observed soft TO-doublet at low frequency and TO2 at intermediate frequency. TO3 exhibits strong inhomogeneous broadening but perfectly fulfils the hyper-Raman cubic selection rules. The analysis shows that hyper-Raman spectroscopy is sensitive to all the vibrations of the average cubic Pm3¯m symmetry group of PMN, the three polar F1u- and the silent F2u-symmetry modes. All these vibrations can be identified in the Raman spectra alongside other vibrational bands likely arising from symmetry breaking in polar nanoregions.
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