Non-allergic rhinitis: a case report and review

Rhinitis is characterized by rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal itch and/or postnasal drip. Often the first step in arriving at a diagnosis is to exclude or diagnose sensitivity to inhalant allergens. Non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) comprises multiple distinct conditions that may even co-exist with allergic rhinitis (AR). They may differ in their presentation and treatment. As well, the pathogenesis of NAR is not clearly elucidated and likely varied. There are many conditions that can have similar presentations to NAR or AR, including nasal polyps, anatomical/mechanical factors, autoimmune diseases, metabolic conditions, genetic conditions and immunodeficiency. Here we present a case of a rare condition initially diagnosed and treated as typical allergic rhinitis vs. vasomotor rhinitis, but found to be something much more serious. This case illustrates the importance of maintaining an appropriate differential diagnosis for a complaint routinely seen as mundane. The case presentation is followed by a review of the potential causes and pathogenesis of NAR

Metal–Polymer–Metal Split-Dipole Nanoantennas

The conjugated polymer semiconductor poly(3-hexylthiophene), (P3HT), is integrated directly into the slot region of resonant plasmonic split-dipole nanoantennas. The P3HT radiative emission rate is enhanced by a factor of up to 29, in experiment, and 550 for the ideal case, due to the large local density of optical states in the nanoantenna slot region. Additionally, the theoretical modified luminescence quantum efficiency is shown to increase from 1% to 45% for optimized nanoantenna parameters

CdSe Nanorods Dominate Photocurrent of Hybrid CdSe-P3HT Photovoltaic Cell

Photovoltaic devices based on organic semiconductors require charge-separating networks (bulk heterojunctions) for optimal performance. Here we report on the fabrication of organic-inorganic photovoltaic devices with tailored (n-type) CdSe nanorod arrays aligned perpendicularly to the substrate. The nanorod lengths varied from 58 +/- 12 to 721 +/- 15 nm, while the diameters and inter-rod spacings were kept constant at 89.5 +/- 7.5 and 41.3 +/- 9.9 nm, respectively. Short-circuit densities improved linearly with nanorod length, resulting in power conversion efficiencies of up to 1.38% for cells with nanorods 612 +/- 46 nm long. Notably, the cell's efficiency was dominated by exciton generation in the CdSe nanorods

Die Kornkammer des Ostens blockiert ihre Markt- und Wachstumschancen

Der Kornkammer des Ostens, namentlich Russland, der Ukraine und Kasachstan, wird aufgrund riesiger Flächen- und Ertragspotenziale eine zunehmende Bedeutung für die Weltgetreidemärkte zugesprochen. Allerdings blockieren widersinnige Markt- und Handelspolitiken, anhaltende betriebliche Produktivitätslücken sowie Defizite in der Vermarktungsinfrastruktur nachhaltig die Realisierung von Produktions- und Marktpotenzialen. Voraussetzung für deren Realisierung wären eine Priorisierung marktkonformer und exportorientierter Politiken sowie massive Investitionen in die räumliche und betriebliche Infrastruktur. Des Weiteren wäre aktuell natürlich auch eine zügige Bewältigung der Krim-Krise erforderlich

Eastern breadbasket obstructs its market and growth opportunities

Because of its enormous land and yield potentials, the breadbasket of the East, i.e. Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are increasingly important for world grain markets. However, counterproductive market and trade policies, continual farm-level productivity gaps and deficits in marketing infrastructure consistently obstruct the breadbasket's production and market potentials. A prerequisite for their realization would be prioritizing market-conforming and export-oriented policies, as well as massive investments into spatial and farming infrastructures