Twenty‐five years of the Information Systems Journal: A bibliometric and ontological overview

The Information Systems Journal (ISJ) published its first issue in 1991, and in 2015, the journal celebrated its 25th anniversary. This study presents an overview of the leading research trends in the papers that the journal has published during its first quarter of a century via a bibliometric and ontological analysis. From a bibliometric perspective, the analysis considers the publication and citation structure of the journal. The study then develops a graphical analysis of the bibliographic material by using visualization of similarities software that employs bibliographic coupling and cocitation analysis. The work produces an ontological framework of impact and analyses the journal papers to assess qualitatively ISJ's impact. The results indicate that the journal has grown significantly over time and is now recognized as one of the leading journals in information systems. Yet challenges remain if the journal is to meet its aims in impacting and setting the agenda for the development of the Information Systems field.     

强激光的计算模拟:平顶高斯光束模型

基于广义惠更斯－菲涅耳衍射积分,将平顶高斯光束作为一个整体光束,对其基本性质和变换特性作了统一研究。推导出了平顶高斯光束通过有线性增益（损耗）的近轴ABCD光学系统、无光阑和有光阑ABCD光学系统后解析形式的传输方程。对平顶高斯光束的相似变换以及与超高斯光束的一致性也作了分析。所得结果对强激光的模拟提供了一个有用的计算模型。     

反应物量对纳米晶Fe_3Al组织和性能的影响

利用铝热反应熔化方法分别在反应物量为50、100、200g的条件下制备了块体纳米晶Fe3Al材料,通过TEM和XRD研究了材料的晶粒尺寸,并研究了材料室温压缩性能和硬度。结果表明,所制备的材料主要由非晶和纳米晶组织组成,当反应物量增大,部分区域甚至出现微米晶组织。反应物量为50g时Fe3Al材料中非晶较多,不存在微米晶;反应物量为100g时主要以纳米晶为主,非晶数量减少,伴随有少量的微米晶出现;反应物量为200g时,材料以纳米晶为主,微米晶数量较100g时有所增加。随着反应物量的增加,纳米晶相的平均晶粒尺寸增加,屈服强度和硬度呈先增大后减小的趋势。     

CCD focal-plane image reorganization processors for lossless imagecompression

Four image reorganization ICs that enable real-time difference encoding for hierarchical lossless image compression are reported. Two image reorganization processors are realized on the focal-plane and two are designed for hybridization to a separate imager IC. The two focal-plane ICs represent the first integration of a 256×256 buried-channel frame-transfer CCD image sensor with additional charge-domain circuitry to enable image reformatting at video rates (28 frames/s). The four ICs generate pyramidal pixel output in 3×3 blocks with the center pixel first. Pixel data reorganization is performed through simultaneous readout of three rows of data, followed by pixel resequencing and sampling to provide differential output. A novel architecture provides simultaneous readout of multiple imager rows on the focal-plane ICs. The ICs have achieved a charge-transfer efficiency (CTE) of 0.99996 in the conventional horizontal and vertical CCD registers, and a CTE of 0.99994 in the SP³ registers     

Comparative Antimicrobial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Obtained by Wet Chemical Reduction and Solvothermal Methods

The synthesis of nanoparticles from noble metals has received high attention from researchers due to their unique properties and their wide range of applications. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), in particular, show a remarkable inhibitory effect against microorganisms and viruses. Various methods have been developed to obtain AgNPs, however the stability of such nanostructures over time is still challenging. Researchers attempt to obtain particular shapes and sizes in order to tailor AgNPs properties for specific areas, such as biochemistry, biology, agriculture, electronics, medicine, and industry. The aim of this study was to design AgNPs with improved antimicrobial characteristics and stability. Two different wet chemical routes were considered: synthesis being performed (i) reduction method at room temperatures and (ii) solvothermal method at high temperature. Here, we show that the antimicrobial properties of the obtained AgNPs, are influenced by their synthesis route, which impact on the size and shape of the structures. This work analyses and compares the antimicrobial properties of the obtained AgNPs, based on their structure, sizes and morphologies which are influenced, in turn, not only by the type or quantities of precursors used but also by the temperature of the reaction. Generally, AgNPs obtained by solvothermal, at raised temperature, registered better antimicrobial activity as compared to NPs obtained by reduction method at room temperature.     

Chronic Hyperkaliemia in Chronic Kidney Disease: An Old Concern with New Answers

Increasing potassium intake ameliorates blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular (CV) prognoses in the general population; therefore the World Health Organization recommends a high-potassium diet (90–120 mEq/day). Hyperkalaemia is a rare condition in healthy individuals due to the ability of the kidneys to effectively excrete dietary potassium load in urine, while an increase in serum K⁺ is prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hyperkalaemia prevalence increases in more advanced CKD stages, and is associated with a poor prognosis. This scenario generates controversy on the correct nutritional approach to hyperkalaemia in CKD patients, considering the unproven link between potassium intake and serum K⁺ levels. Another concern is that drug-induced hyperkalaemia leads to the down-titration or withdrawal of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) and mineralocorticoids receptors antagonists (MRA) in patients with CKD, depriving these patients of central therapeutic interventions aimed at delaying CKD progression and decreasing CV mortality. The new K⁺-binder drugs (Patiromer and Sodium-Zirconium Cyclosilicate) have proven to be adequate and safe therapeutic options to control serum K⁺ in CKD patients, enabling RASI and MRA therapy, and possibly, a more liberal intake of fruit and vegetables.     

Targeting CD10 on B-Cell Leukemia Using the Universal CAR T-Cell Platform (UniCAR)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing T-cells are without a doubt a breakthrough therapy for hematological malignancies. Despite their success, clinical experience has revealed several challenges, which include relapse after targeting single antigens such as CD19 in the case of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), and the occurrence of side effects that could be severe in some cases. Therefore, it became clear that improved safety approaches, and targeting multiple antigens, should be considered to further improve CAR T-cell therapy for B-ALL. In this paper, we address both issues by investigating the use of CD10 as a therapeutic target for B-ALL with our switchable UniCAR system. The UniCAR platform is a modular platform that depends on the presence of two elements to function. These include UniCAR T-cells and the target modules (TMs), which cross-link the T-cells to their respective targets on tumor cells. The TMs function as keys that control the switchability of UniCAR T-cells. Here, we demonstrate that UniCAR T-cells, armed with anti-CD10 TM, can efficiently kill B-ALL cell lines, as well as patient-derived B-ALL blasts, thereby highlighting the exciting possibility for using CD10 as an emerging therapeutic target for B-cell malignancies.