Anna Sen

Introduction. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has the potential to impact disease activity and psychological well-being in people with rheumatic diseases. This study aimed to compare ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with and without COVID-19 history in terms of treatment, disease control, quality of life and psychological status by providing a cross-sectional look at treatment, disease control, quality of life and psychological status in patients with AS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. The study included 74 AS patients, in two groups based on COVID-19 history. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were recorded. Treatment, disease control, functional status, and quality of life were evaluated using Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and impact of COVID-19 on quality-of-life scales. Psychological status was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale, and COVID-19 anxiety scale. Results. Of the 74 patients diagnosed with AS, 44 were female and 34 were male. The mean age was 47.3 years. In total, 35 patients (47.3%) had COVID-19. We found that the group without COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of hypothyroidism than the other group (p = 0.008). The BASFI value was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (p = 0.031). The group with COVID-19 had a substantially higher rate of continuing non-anti-rheumatic drug use than the other group (p = 0.02). Conclusion. During COVID-19 pandemic period, the majority of patients continued their medication, so treatment and disease control were not negatively affected. Having COVID-19 did not cause a significant difference psychologically.

This article intends to contribute to research of environmental media activism in two ways: First, by discussing ways to frame research on this topic conceptually and historically. Second, by considering the specific strategies and experiences of environmental activist groups concerning activist medias and participatory actions. We will discuss what can be done when using Internet platforms. “The Right to Water” website has been selected as a case study, which is essentially a democratic platform against capitalist ecology policies. In this study, we examined Internet usage by environmentalist activist groups, by collecting and analyzing data on the usage and results of web-based activism, and discuss the impact of online activism within civil society.

Inert weakly coordinating carborane anions, CB11H6X6-, allow access to the long sought, highly electrophilic diethylaluminum moiety in Et2Al. X-ray crystallography reveals ion-like structural features reminiscent of the corresponding trialkylsilylium species. Et2Al is a potent catalyst for the electrophilic ethenation of benzene, the polymerization of cyclohexene oxide, and the oligomerization of ethene to a low molecular weight, highly branched product. Copyright © 2002 American Chemical Society.

Cluster-assembled materials combine the nanoscale size and composition-dependentproperties of clusters, which have highly tunable magnetic and electronic properties useful for a great variety of potential technologies. To understand the emergent properties as clusters are assembled into hierarchical materials, we have synthesized 23 cluster-assembled materials composed of As73--based motifs and different countercations and measured their band gap energies. We found that the band gap energy varies from 1.09 to 2.21 eV. In addition, we have carried out first principles electronic structure studies to identify the physical mechanisms that enable control of the band gap edges of the cluster assemblies.The choice of counterion has a profound effect on the band gap energy in ionic clusterassemblies. The top of the valence band is localized on the arsenic cluster, while the conduction band edge is located on the alkali metal counterions. Changing the counterion changes the position of the conduction band edge, enabling control of the band gap energy. We can also vary the architecture of the ionic solid by incorporating cryptates as counterions, which provide charge but are separated from the clusters by bulky ligands. Higher dimensionality typically decreases the band gap energy through band broadening; however band gap energies increased upon moving from zero-dimensional to two-dimensional assemblies. This is because internal electric fields generated by the counterion preferentially stabilize the adjacent lone pair orbitals that mark the top of the valence band. Thus, the choice of the counterion can control the position of the conduction band edge of ionic cluster assemblies. In addition, the dimensionality of the solid via internal electric fields can control the valence band edge.Through covalently linking arsenic clusters into composite building blocks, we have also been able to tune the band gap energy. We used a theoretical description based on cluster orbital theory to provide microscopic understanding of the electronic character of the composite building blocks and the observed variations in the band gap energy. Also, we have shown how dimeric linkers can be used to control the band gap energy. Lastly, we also investigated the effects of charge transfer complexes of M3 on the band gap energy. © 2013 American Chemical Society.