bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intimacy in online classrooms
Authors: Dobinson Toni
Published: November 2022

In this article I describe the transition of a group of university students in Australia into an online learning environment during COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. I reflect upon my intersubjective experiences as the lecturer in an unexpected situation of urgency and physical distancing. Research has acknowledged synchronous virtual learning contexts as less psychologically distancing than previously thought. I argue that these contexts can foster profound intimacy between participants through linguistic and multimodal means. I use an auto-ethnographic narrative inquiry approach to share observations gained retrospectively through multimodal, critically reflexive, social semiotic discourse analysis of audio-visual recordings of synchronous workshops conducted in 2020. I attempt to fill the gap in research on intimacy in online educational settings by suggesting that intimacy can be created by linguaplay, personal testimonies, and contrived chaotic material ecologies. I advocate moving away from an obsession with standardising and generating student knowledge in formal online learning to a stance that values intimacy, connection, and spontaneity.
Thematic patterns, Cognitive Discourse Functions, and genres
Authors: Wu Yanming (Amy) , Lin Angel M. Y.
Published: November 2022

As CLIL is developing into an established discipline, it is timely to deepen the theorizing of integration of content and language, particularly in CLIL assessment. To illustrate the challenges, a representative example of a high-stakes CLIL biology assessment task in Hong Kong will first be presented. An Integrative Model for CLIL will then be proposed and applied to illuminate the demands of the assessment task and diagnose a sample student performance. The Integrative Model is developed by integrating genre and register theory (Martin & Rose, 2008), Cognitive Discourse Functions (Dalton-Puffer, 2013), thematic patterns theory (Lemke, 1990), Concept-and-Language-Mapping (CLM) Approach (He & Lin, 2019) and translanguaging/trans-semiotizing theories (Garcia & Li, 2014; Lin, 2019). To further illustrate the utility of the Model, a range of possible assessment-for-learning (Black et al., 2003) CLIL task examples designed by the authors will be presented. The article will conclude with implications for CLIL pedagogy and assessment.
Phonetic variation in Standard English spoken by Trinidadian professionals
Authors: Westphal Michael , Lau Ka Man , Hartmann Johanna , Deuber Dagmar
Published: November 2022

This paper analyzes the speech of 27 Trinidadian professionals (lawyers, lecturers, and politicians), who are typical speakers of Standard Trinidadian English in formal contexts, where traditionally Standard English is targeted. We investigate phonetic variation in Trinidadian English speech with regard to the varying integration of Creole features. The paper presents the results of an acoustic study of 10 vowels and an auditory analysis of three consonantal variables, using data from the Trinidad and Tobago component of the International Corpus of English.

The analysis shows that exonormative influences do not play a role. Individual Trinidadian Creole features are integrated into standard speech (voiced TH-stopping, partial overlap ofbath-start-trap, partial overlap ofstrut-lot) and some realizations are identical in both codes (faceandgoat), while others are avoided (voiceless TH-stopping, the realization ofdownwith as a monophthong with a velar nasal, thecloth-thoughtmerger, and the realization ofmouthas [ɔʊ]). These results from Trinidad confirm the validity of Irvine’s (2004,2008) model of load-bearing and non load-bearing variables for the distinction between English and Creole. The conclusion highlights methodological differences to Irvine’s study and discusses an extended conceptualization of Standard English that incorporates variation along the dimension of exo- versus endonormativity.
Whispering Gallery Mode Lasing Performance’s Evolution of Floating GaN Microdisks Varying with Their Thickness
Authors: Zhu Gangyi , Tian Mufei , Almokhtar M. , Qin Feifei , Li Binghui , Zhou Mengyao , Gao Fei , Yang Ying , Ji Xin , He Siqing , Wang Yongjin
Published: November 2022

Optical gain and loss of microcavity greatly affect the quality of lasing, how to improve optical gain and decrease optical loss is of great significance for the preparation of laser. In this study, four types standard microdisks with different thicknesses of 2.2 μm, 1.9 μm, 1.7 μm, and 1.45 μm were fabricated by micromachining technology process to modulate optical gain and loss of microdisk lasing. The whispering gallery mode lasing in the ultraviolet range of GaN microdisk devices was investigated for these devices in order to clarify the effect of microdisk thickness on device characteristics. The quality factor Q and lasing mode number for different thicknesses are calculated from the stimulated spectra. The lifetimes of the exciton combination properties of the devices were observed using time-resolved PL spectroscopy. The lasing modes are modulated, and the lifetime decreases, while the Q factor of the devices first increases and then decreases with decreasing thickness. All these results are induced by optical gain and loss competition.
Crack-free 2.2 μm-thick GaN grown on Si with a single-layer AlN buffer for RF device applications
Authors: Zhan Xiaoning , Liu Jianxun , Sun Xiujian , Huang Yingnan , Gao Hongwei , Zhou Yu , Li Qian , Sun Qian , Yang Hui
Published: November 2022

The paramount issues facing commercialization of GaN-on-Si RF devices include the inevitable wafer bowing and large thermal resistance when incorporating the conventional AlN/AlGaN multilayer or superlattice buffer for stress control. The large thermal resistance due to the strong phonon scattering by the AlGaN alloy and multiple interfaces of the AlN/AlGaN multilayer or superlattice buffer must be carefully addressed, which can significantly affect the performance and reliability of GaN-on-Si RF devices. In this letter, we report a successful growth of crack-free 2 μm-thick GaN film on 6 inch high-resistivity (>10 kΩ cm) Si with a single-layer AlN buffer. By virtue of a quasi-2D GaN nucleation on the AlN buffer layer, the as-grown GaN-on-Si wafer presents a tremendous reduction in warpage from 800 to less than 8 μm, while preserving a high crystalline quality. The full width at half maximum of x-ray diffraction of GaN (0002) and (10

1
ˉ

2) planes are 457 and 509 arcsec, respectively, and the residual stress is as low as 0.2 GPa. The underlying physical mechanisms of the quasi-2D GaN nucleation layer involved in stress engineering and dislocation annihilation have been discussed in detail. This work paves the way for the fabrication of low-cost and high-performance GaN RF devices grown on HR-Si.
Design of InAs nanosheet arrays for high-performance polarization-sensitive infrared photodetection
Authors: He Jun , Huang Zhiwei , Li Ziyuan , Wong Wei Wen , Yu Yang , Huang Longsibo , Li Xi , Fu Lan , Tan Hark Hoe , Jagadish Chennupati , Yuan Xiaoming
Published: November 2022

Polarization-sensitive infrared photodetectors are widely needed to distinguish an object from its surrounding environment. Polarization-sensitive detection can be realized by using semiconductors with anisotropic geometry or anisotropic crystal arrangement, such as semiconductor nanowires and two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, these photodetectors show drawbacks in low light absorption, weak polarization sensitivity and stability issues. Here, we designed 2D InAs nanosheet based arrays that are highly suitable for polarization-sensitive infrared photodetection. By using the finite element method (FEM) based on COMSOL Multiphysics, we optimized the geometry of single free-standing InAs nanosheets, obtaining dichroic ratio up to 127 (average) in the wavelength range of 2–3 μm by reducing the thickness and increasing the height. Extending this to a nanosheet array with an optimized geometry, an enhancement of the absorption intensity from 45% (for a single nanosheet) to over 67% with a dichroic ratio exceeding 50 in the wavelength range of 2–3 μm can be achieved. Moreover, these unique light absorption properties are tolerant to incident angles up to 30°. The design of such nanosheet array provides a new route for the development of high-performance infrared photodetectors for polarization photodetection.
Anharmonic lattice dynamics and structural phase transition of SnTe monolayer from first principles
Authors: Pandit Abhiyan , Hamad Bothina
Published: November 2022

In this work we investigate the role of quartic anharmonicity on the lattice- and thermo-dynamic properties of rectangular (

γ

) and square (β) phases of two-dimensional (2D) SnTe monolayer (ML) by using self-consistent phonon (SCP) theory, based on the first-principles calculations. For both phases, as compared to the usual harmonic approximation (HA), the renormalized phonon frequency at the optical modes (4–10) is found to be increased upon the inclusion of quartic anharmonicity via the SCP method, where the effects of cubic anharmonicity are neglected. At the experimentally observed transition temperature (T
c = 270 K), the difference in the vibrational free-energy between the square and rectangular phases of SnTe ML, calculated by using the anharmonic SCP correction is found to be much closer to the structural energy gain as compared to that obtained by using only the quasi-harmonic contribution. This validates the significance of SCP approach over the HA to explain the lattice dynamics properties and predict the T
c for SnTe ML and similar 2D compounds. The calculated lattice thermal conductivity of square SnTe ML (e.g. 10.67 W m−1K−1 at 300 K) is higher than that of the rectangular SnTe ML (e.g. 6.72 W m−1K−1 at 300 K) due to the relatively higher corresponding thermodynamic parameters: specific heat capacity, group velocity, and phonon lifetime obtained for the square SnTe ML. Particularly, the low energy phonon modes are found to transport most of the heat in the system and, hence, played major role to the total lattice thermal conductivity.
COMPACT—a new complex plasma facility for the ISS
Authors: Knapek C A , Couedel L , Dove A , Goree J , Konopka U , Melzer A , Ratynskaia S , Thoma M H , Thomas H M
Published: November 2022

Complex plasma is a state of soft matter where micrometer-sized particles are immersed in a weakly ionized gas. The particles acquire negative charges of the order of several thousand elementary charges in the plasma, and they can form gaseous, liquid and crystalline states. Direct optical observation of individual particles allows to study their dynamics on the kinetic level even in large many-particle systems. Gravity is the dominant force in ground-based experiments, restricting the research to vertically compressed, inhomogeneous clouds, or two-dimensional systems, and masking dynamical processes mediated by weaker forces. An environment with reduced gravity, such as provided on the International Space Station (ISS), is therefore essential to overcome this limitations. We will present the research goals for the next generation complex plasma facility COMPACT to be operated onboard the ISS. COMPACT is envisaged as an international multi-purpose and multi-user facility that gives access to the full three-dimensional kinetic properties of the particles.
Application of similarity laws to dual-frequency capacitively coupled radio frequency plasmas with the electrical asymmetry effect
Authors: Yang Dong , Wang Huihui , Zheng Bocong , Zou Xiaobing , Wang Xinxin , Fu Yangyang
Published: November 2022

Similarity laws (SLs) are useful for correlation and prediction of plasma parameters at different scales, which have been verified for geometrically symmetric capacitive radio-frequency (rf) discharges in nonlocal kinetic regimes. In this work, we demonstrate the applicability of SLs to dual-frequency rf discharges and confirm that similarity relations still hold considering the electrical asymmetry effect (EAE). By simultaneously tuning the control parameters (the gas pressure p, discharge gap d, and driving frequency f), we examine the similarity relations in rf plasmas via fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations with the external circuits coupled and solved self-consistently. The validity of the SL scalings in dual-frequency rf plasmas with the EAE is confirmed for parameters such as the electron/ion density, ion flux, dc self-bias, ion energy distribution function, and power absorption. Although adjusted by the EAE, the dc self-bias and ion energy distribution functions are identified as similarity invariants under similar discharge conditions. Furthermore, the plasma series resonance phenomenon, filamentation of power depositions of electrons and ions in bulk plasma, and electric field reversal are observed in dual-frequency discharges with the EAE, which can also be exactly replicated under similar discharge conditions. The results further extend the application of SL scaling to dual-frequency rf plasmas, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the scaling characteristics in rf plasmas.
Cellular breakdown and carrier lifetimes in gold-hyperdoped silicon
Authors: Hudspeth Quentin M , Altwerger Mark , Chow Philippe K , Sher Meng-Ju , Dissanayake Sashini Senali , Yang Wenjie , Maurer Joshua , Lim Shao Qi , Williams James S , Efsthadiadis Harry , Warrender Jeffrey M
Published: November 2022

Ion implantation of transition metals into Si, followed by pulsed laser melting and rapid solidification, shows promise for making Si devices with sub-band gap optoelectronic response. We study Si implanted with Au at doses ranging from 1015–1016 at cm−2, with all but the lowest dose exhibiting interface breakdown during solidification, resulting in heavily defected layers. Terahertz photocarrier lifetime measurements confirm that layers with breakdown show recombination lifetimes of about 100 ps, compared to 800 ps for a layer with no breakdown. Device measurements, however, show more photoresponse at 1550 nm in a layer with breakdown than in a layer without. The results suggest that avoiding breakdown may be desirable but might not necessarily be imperative for making a useful device.
Sub-bandgap photoresponse and leakage current analysis in gold thin film-hyperdoped silicon photodiodes
Authors: Chow Philippe K , Lim Shao Qi , Williams James S , Warrender Jeffrey M
Published: November 2022

We present a study of the sub-bandgap photoresponse and leakage current in gold-hyperdoped silicon photodiodes prepared using pulsed laser melting (PLM) of sub-nanometer gold films on n-type silicon substrates. Variable-temperature photo- and dark-current analysis provide insight into the role of PLM conditions on device performance. In general, we find photocurrent activation energies comparable to room temperature, suggesting a weak thermally-assisted optical photoresponse mechanism. Additionally, we establish a connection between repetitive PLM pulsing and increased device leakage current, which originates from electrically-active defects. Finally, we propose an explanation for the limited sub-bandgap external quantum efficiencies reported for hyperdoped silicon devices on the basis that the depletion layer largely does not encompass the hyperdoped layer where absorption occurs.
Anti-Hong–Ou–Mandel interference by coherent perfect absorption of entangled photons
Authors: Vetlugin Anton N , Guo Ruixiang , Soci Cesare , Zheludev Nikolay I
Published: November 2022

Two-photon interference, known as the Hong–Ou–Mandel effect, has colossal implications for quantum technology. It was observed in 1987 with two photodetectors monitoring outputs of the beamsplitter illuminated by photon pairs: the coincidence rate of the detectors drops to zero when detected photons overlap in time. More broadly, bosons (e.g. photons) coalesce while fermions (e.g. electrons) anti-coalesce when interfering on a lossless beamsplitter. Quantum interference of bosons and fermions can be tested in a single—photonics platform, where bosonic and fermionic states are artificially created as pairs of entangled photons with symmetric and anti-symmetric spatial wavefunctions. We observed that interference on a lossy beamsplitter of a subwavelength thickness, or a coherent perfect absorber, reverses quantum interference in such a way that bosonic states anti-coalesce while fermionic states exhibit coalescent-like behavior. The ability to generate states of light with different statistics and manipulate their interference offers important opportunities for quantum information and metrology.
Characterization and evaluation of stable localized corrosion in a 7075-T6 aluminum alloy FSW joint before and after anodizing treatment
Authors: Li Kai , Yang Hong , Zou Mengting , Yang Bingyuan , Xu Huibin , Zhao Huaxia , Yin Henggang , Ma Yanlong
Published: November 2022

The microstructure and corrosion processes of a friction stir welded (FSW) 7075-T6 aluminum alloy joint, before and after anodizing surface treatment, have been characterized by advanced techniques, and the feasibility of anodizing treatment as a corrosion mitigation method has been evaluated. The results showed that different zones of the FSW joint had distinctly different microstructure and consequently different corrosion behavior in NaCl solution. Stable localized corrosion occurred in the transitional regions between the thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ), and was characterized by intergranular corrosion. The intergranular corrosion was ascribed to the galvanic coupling effect between Cu-rich grain boundary precipitates and the precipitates free zones (PFZs). Although anodizing and the subsequent sealing treatments could greatly improve the corrosion resistance of the base metal, the TMAZ/HAZ transition regions still showed much higher corrosion susceptibility than other regions. The high corrosion susceptibility of the FSW joint after anodizing treatment is not ascribed to the difference of the anodic oxide film in the regions, but the heterogeneous microstructure of the alloy beneath the anodic film. The present paper has shown that the stable localized corrosion in the FSW joint is intrinsically stemmed from the welding process itself and traditional mitigation method such as anodizing treatment cannot solve the problem; more effective corrosion mitigation methods are still awaited.
Klaus Hasselmann and Economics*
Authors: Jaeger Carlo C
Published: November 2022

Klaus Hasselmann has earned the 2021 Nobel Prize in physics for his breakthroughs in analysing the climate system as a complex physical system. Since decades, as a leading climate scientist he is aware of the need for creative cooperation between climate scientists and researchers from other fields, especially economics. To facilitate such cooperation, he has designed a productive research program for economic analysis in view of climate change. Without blurring the differences between economics and physics, the Hasselmann program stresses the complexities of today’s economy. This includes the importance of heterogeneous actors and different time scales, of making major uncertainties explicit and bringing researchers and practitioners in close interaction. The program has triggered decades of collaborative research, especially in the network of the Global Climate Forum, that he has founded for this purpose. Research inspired by Hasselmann’s innovative ideas has led to a farewell to outdated economic approaches: single-equilibrium models, a single constant discount rate, framing the climate challenge as a kind of prisoner’s dilemma and framing it as a problem of scarcity requiring sacrifices from the majority of today’s population. Instead of presenting the climate problem as the ultimate apocalyptic narrative, he sees it as a challenge to be mastered. To meet this challenge requires careful research in order to identify underutilisation of human, technical and social capacities that offer the keys to a climate friendly world economy. Climate neutrality may then be achieved by activating these capacities through investment-oriented climate strategies, designed and implemented by different actors both in industrialised and developing countries. The difficulties to bring global greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero are enormous; the Hasselmann program holds promise of significant advances in this endeavour.
Distinct mechanisms of oligodendrocyte injury inform therapeutic interventions in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Garton Thomas , Gill Alexander J , Calabresi Peter A
Published: November 2022

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Diverse injury responses of human oligodendrocytes to mediators implicated in multiple sclerosis’ by Pernin et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac075).
Quantification of lymphatic burden in patients with Fontan circulation by T2 MR lymphangiography and associations with adverse Fontan status
Authors: Vaikom House Aswathy , David Dawn , Aguet Julien , Dipchand Anne I , Honjo Osami , Jean-St-Michel Emilie , Seed Mike , Yoo Shi-Joon , Barron David J , Lam Christopher Z
Published: November 2022

Aims

To quantify thoracic lymphatic burden in paediatric Fontan patients using MRI and correlate with clinical status.

Methods and results

Paediatric Fontan patients (<18-years-old) with clinical cardiac MRI that had routine lymphatic 3D T2 fast spin echo (FSE) imaging performed from May 2017 to October 2019 were included. ‘Lymphatic burden’ was quantified by thresholding-based segmentation of the 3D T2 FSE maximum intensity projection image and indexed to body surface area, performed by two independent readers blinded to patient status. There were 48 patients (27 males) with median age at MRI of 12.9 (9.4–14.7) years, time from Fontan surgery to MRI of 9.1 (5.9–10.4) years, and follow-up time post-Fontan surgery of 9.4 (6.6–11.0) years. Intraclass correlation coefficient between two observers for lymphatic burden was 0.96 (0.94–0.98). Greater lymphatic burden correlated with post-Fontan operation hospital length of stay and duration of chest tube drainage (rs = 0.416, P = 0.004 and rs = 0.439, P = 0.002). Median lymphatic burden was greater in patients with chylous effusions immediately post-Fontan (178 (118–393) vs. 113 (46–190) mL/m2, P = 0.028), and in patients with composite adverse Fontan status (n = 13) defined by heart failure (n = 3), transplant assessment (n = 2), recurrent effusions (n = 6), Fontan thrombus (n = 2), and/or PLE (n = 6) post-Fontan (435 (137–822) vs. 114 (51–178) mL/m2, P = 0.003). Lymphatic burden > 600 mL/m2 was associated with late adverse Fontan status with sensitivity of 57% and specificity of 95%.

Conclusion

Quantification of MR lymphatic burden is a reliable tool to assess the lymphatics post-Fontan and is associated with clinical status.
Extensive Recombination-driven Coronavirus Diversification Expands the Pool of Potential Pandemic Pathogens
Authors: Goldstein Stephen A , Brown Joe , Pedersen Brent S , Quinlan Aaron R , Elde Nels C
Published: November 2022

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is the third zoonotic coronavirus identified in the last 20 years. Enzootic and epizootic coronaviruses of diverse lineages also pose a significant threat to livestock, as most recently observed for virulent strains of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and swine acute diarrhea-associated coronavirus (SADS-CoV). Unique to RNA viruses, coronaviruses encode a proofreading exonuclease (ExoN) that lowers point mutation rates to increase the viability of large RNA virus genomes, which comes with the cost of limiting virus adaptation via point mutation. This limitation can be overcome by high rates of recombination that facilitate rapid increases in genetic diversification. To compare the dynamics of recombination between related sequences, we developed an open-source computational workflow (IDPlot) that bundles nucleotide identity, recombination, and phylogenetic analysis into a single pipeline. We analyzed recombination dynamics among three groups of coronaviruses with noteworthy impacts on human health and agriculture: SARSr-CoV, Betacoronavirus-1, and SADSr-CoV. We found that all three groups undergo recombination with highly diverged viruses from undersampled or unsampled lineages, including in typically highly conserved regions of the genome. In several cases, no parental origin of recombinant regions could be found in genetic databases, demonstrating our shallow characterization of coronavirus diversity and expanding the genetic pool that may contribute to future zoonotic events. Our results also illustrate the limitations of current sampling approaches for anticipating zoonotic threats to human and animal health.
Fibronectin-LILRB4/gp49B interaction negatively regulates osteoclastogenesis through inhibition of RANKL-induced TRAF6/TAK1/NF–kB/MAPK signaling
Authors: Su Mei-Tzu , Ono Karin , Kezuka Dai , Miyamoto Shotaro , Mori Yu , Takai Toshiyuki
Published: November 2022

Dysregulation of osteoclasts, the multinucleated cells responsible for bone resorption, contributes to several degenerative bone disorders. Previously, we showed that blocking the leukocyte immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor B4 (LILRB4), a kind of inhibitory receptor that plays an important role in immune regulation, promotes osteoclast differentiation in vitro. Here, we explored whether gp49B, the murine ortholog of LILRB4, regulates osteoclastogenesis in vivo, and whether fibronectin (FN), a ligand of LILRB4/gp49B, certainly contributes to LILRB4/gp49B-mediated osteoclastogenesis. In comparison with wild-type mice, gp49B deficiency mice exhibited a loss of trabecular bone number and an increase in osteoclast formation. Gp49B knockout improved the bone resorptive capacity of osteoclasts derived from murine Raw264.7 cells by increasing osteoclast formation. We further revealed that gp49B deficiency increased the receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced signaling transduction by increasing the phosphorylation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Furthermore, the N-terminal 30 kDa proteolytic fragments of FN promoted gp49B-mediated inhibition of osteoclastogenesis by increasing Src homology-2-containing tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) phosphorylation and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6)-SHP-1 association. In summary, the FN-LILRB4/gp49B interaction negatively regulates RANKL-induced TRAF6/TAK1/NF-κB/MAPK signaling in osteoclastogenesis.
Validated HPLC-DAD and Spectrophotometric Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Ternary Mixture of Analgin, Caffeine, and Ergotamine
Authors: Khalil Israa A , Razeq Sawsan A Abdel , Mohammed Samah A
Published: November 2022

Background

Amigrain®, the market formulation of the ternary mixture of analgin, caffeine, and ergotamine, is used for the symptomatic treatment of migraine.

Objective

The aim of the work is to develop and validate an high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array-fluorescence (HPLC-DAD) method and a novel spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of analgin, caffeine, and ergotamine in their pharmaceutical formulation.

Method

The HPLC separation of the ternary mixture was carried out using an Inertsil-C8 column and a gradient elution of mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and ammonium format buffer (pH 4.2), the ultraviolet detection for analgin and caffeine was carried out at λ = 280, 254 nm, and fluorometric detection for ergotamine was carried out at λ exc =310 nm, λ emm =360 nm. The two spectrophotometric methods were double divisor ratio spectra derivative (DDRD) and ratio dual wavelength (RDW) methods. The first method was used for determination of ergotamine at 355 nm and caffeine at 268 nm by the third and first derivative. The second one was based on using amplitude difference for the determination of caffeine and analgin.

Results

HPLC and spectrophotometric methods were applied over the concentration ranges of 50–400, 25–200, and 0.5–10 μg/mL and 10–35, 2–30, and 10–70 μg/mL for analgin, caffeine, and ergotamine for the two methods.

Conclusions

The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of the cited drugs in their pharmaceutical formulation, and the obtained results were statistically compared with those of the reported methods without any significant difference.

Highlights

The developed HPLC-DAD method has a high sensitivity for ergotamine. The spectrophotometric methods offer novelty, green solvent usage, and economic cost.
Sustainable Finance and Sovereign Debt: The Illusion to Govern by Contract
Authors: Lupo-Pasini Federico
Published: November 2022

Sovereign debt markets are rapidly venturing into the world of sustainable finance. Sovereign and sub-sovereign borrowers increasingly use ‘green’, ‘social’, and ‘sustainability’ bonds and loans to finance their domestic sustainability agenda. The rationale behind those instruments is to leverage the power of financial markets to incentivize public borrowers to pursue sustainability reforms and projects that would otherwise be difficult to implement. At the same time, given its clear objective to influence domestic policies, some see sovereign sustainable finance as an invasion of national sovereignty and a new form of private conditionality. This article assesses these claims. It sets out a theory of sovereign sustainable bonds that highlights the incentives of the two contractual parties—institutional investors and sovereign borrowers—to use finance as a tool for domestic sustainability reforms. I demonstrate that neither of the two parties has any incentive to use debt instruments to pursue a change in domestic policies and sustainability practices. A lack of financial incentives for investors and constitutional and political limitations on the sovereign borrower’s side make the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) contractual bargain very difficult to negotiate and implement. At the same time, both parties share the common goal of tapping into the ever-expanding ESG market. This results in a sustainable bond structure that only superficially addresses the sustainability objective for which it is marketed to investors.
Recent progress in adaptive laboratory evolution of industrial microorganisms
Authors: Wang Guanglu , Li Qian , Zhang Zhan , Yin Xianzhong , Wang Bingyang , Yang Xuepeng
Published: November 2022

Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) is a technique for the selection of strains with better phenotypes by long-term culture under a specific selection pressure or growth environment. Because ALE does not require detailed knowledge of a variety of complex and interactive metabolic networks, and only needs to simulate natural environmental conditions in the laboratory to design a selection pressure, it has the advantages of broad adaptability, strong practicability, and more convenient transformation of strains. In addition, ALE provides a powerful method for studying the evolutionary forces that change the phenotype, performance, and stability of strains, resulting in more productive industrial strains with beneficial mutations. In recent years, ALE has been widely used in the activation of specific microbial metabolic pathways and phenotypic optimization, the efficient utilization of specific substrates, the optimization of tolerance to toxic substance, and the biosynthesis of target products, which is more conducive to the production of industrial strains with excellent phenotypic characteristics. In this paper, typical examples of ALE applications in the development of industrial strains and the research progress of this technology are reviewed, followed by a discussion of its development prospects.
Kinematics of molecular gas in star-forming galaxies with large-scale ionized outflows
Authors: Hogarth L M , Saintonge A , Davis T A
Published: November 2022

We investigate the kinematics of the molecular gas in a sample of seven edge-on (i > 60°) galaxies identified as hosting large-scale outflows of ionized gas, using ALMA CO(1–0) observations at ∼1 kpc resolution. We build on Hogarth et al., where we find that molecular gas is more centrally concentrated in galaxies which host winds than in control objects. We perform full three-dimensional kinematic modelling with multiple combinations of kinematic components, allowing us to infer whether these objects share any similarities in their molecular gas structure. We use modelling to pinpoint the kinematic centre of each galaxy, in order to interpret their minor- and major-axis position velocity diagrams (PVDs). From the PVDs, we find that the bulk of the molecular gas in our galaxies is dynamically cold, tracing the rotation curves predicted by our symmetric, rotation-dominated models, but with minor flux asymmetries. Most notably, we find evidence of radial gas motion in a subset of our objects, which demonstrate a characteristic ‘twisting’ in their minor-axis PVDs generally associated with gas flow along the plane of a galaxy. In our highest S/N object, we include bi-symmetric radial flow in our kinematic model, and find (via the Bayesian Information Criterion) that the presence of radial gas motion is strongly favoured. This may provide one mechanism by which molecular gas and star formation are centrally concentrated, enabling the launch of massive ionized gas winds. However, in the remainder of our sample, we do not observe evidence that gas is being driven radially, once again emphasizing the variety of physical processes that may be powering the outflows in these objects, as originally noted in H21.
Characterizing the circumgalactic medium of quasars at z ∼ 2.2 through H α and Ly α emission
Authors: Langen Vivienne , Cantalupo Sebastiano , Steidel Charles C , Chen Yuguang , Pezzulli Gabriele , Gallego Sofia G
Published: November 2022

The discovery of giant quasar Ly α nebulae at z > 2 has opened up the possibility to directly study in emission the Circumgalactic and Intergalactic Medium (CGM/IGM). However, the resonant nature of the Ly α line and its different emission mechanisms hamper the ability to constrain both the kinematics and physical properties of the CGM/IGM. Here, we present results of a pilot project aiming at the detection of CGM H α emission, a line which does not suffer from these limitations. To this end, we first used KCWI to detect Ly α emission around three bright quasars with 2.25 < z < 2.27, a range which is free from bright IR sky lines for H α, and then selected the most extended nebula for H α follow-up with MOSFIRE. Within the MOSFIRE slit, we detected H α emission extending up to 20 physical kpc with a total H α flux of FH α = (9.5 ± 0.9) × 10$^{-18}~\mathrm{erg\, s^{-1}\, cm^{-2}}$. Considering the Ly α flux in the same region, we found FLy α/FH α = 3.7 ± 0.3 consistent with that obtained for the Slug Nebula at z = 2.275 and with recombination radiation. This implies high densities or a very broad density distribution within the CGM of high-redshift quasars. Moreover, the H α line profile suggests the presence of multiple emitting components overlapping along our line of sight and relatively quiescent kinematics, which seems incompatible with either quasar outflows capable of escaping the potential well of the host halo or disc-like rotation in a massive halo (>1012 M⊙).
Clinical Characteristics and Histopathology in Suspected Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
Authors: Gundersen Ingunn M , Berget Ellen , Haugland Hans Kristian , Bruun Trond , Almeland Stian Kreken , Assmus Jürg , Rath Eivind , Norrby-Teglund Anna , Skrede Steinar , Mosevoll Knut Anders
Published: November 2022

Background

Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are severe diseases with high morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis is challenging. Several guidelines recommend tissue biopsies as an adjunct diagnostic in routine management, but neither biopsy sampling nor classification is standardized or validated. We studied the quality of tissue biopsy examination as part of routine diagnostics in NSTIs.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing surgery due to suspected NSTIs in which tissue biopsy was taken as part of routine management. Clinical data were reviewed. The biopsies were evaluated according to a proposed histopathologic classification system and independently assessed by 2 pathologists. Interrater reliability and diagnostic accuracy were determined.

Results

Tissue biopsies from 75 patients were examined, 55 NSTIs and 20 non-NSTIs cases. The cohorts were similar in clinical characteristics. Interrater reliability for histopathologic staging was moderate (0.53) and fair (0.37) for diagnosis. The sensitivity of histologic diagnosis was 75% and the specificity 80%. The positive predictive value was 91% and the negative predictive value 53%. Necrotizing Infection Clinical Composite Endpoint (NICCE) success was associated with a more severe histological stage, achieved by 42% and 71% of the cases in stage 1 and 2, respectively (P = .046).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that tissue biopsies have low clinical accuracy. The interrater reliability among experienced pathologists is only fair to moderate. A histopathologically more severe stage was associated with favorable outcome. These findings discourage the use of histopathologic evaluation as part of contemporary management of patients with suspected NSTI.
High Level of Pretreatment and Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus Drug Resistance in El Salvador: A Nationally Representative Survey, 2018–2019
Authors: Girón-Callejas Amalia , García-Morales Claudia , Mendizabal-Burastero Ricardo , Quezada Alma , Ruiz Lisette , Arguera Nelly , Sorto Salvador , Nieto Ana I , Tapia-Trejo Daniela , López-Sánchez Dulce M , Pérez-García Marissa , Cruz Luis , Andino Raúl , Sajquim Edgar , Juárez Sandra I , Farach Nasim , Ravasi Giovanni , Northbrook Sanny , Reyes-Terán Gustavo , Ávila-Ríos Santiago
Published: November 2022

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance (HIVDR) can negatively impact the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of pretreatment HIVDR (PDR) among ART initiators and the prevalence of viral load (VL) suppression and acquired HIVDR among individuals receiving ART for 12 ± 3 months (ADR12) and ≥48 months (ADR48) in El Salvador.

Methods

Nationally representative cross-sectional PDR, ADR12 and ADR48 surveys were conducted among adults with HIV from October 2018 to August 2019, following World Health Organization-recommended methods. Demographic and clinic data and blood specimens were collected.

Results

Two hundred sixty participants were enrolled in the PDR survey, 230 in ADR12 and 425 in ADR48. Twenty-seven percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.1%–39.9%) of ART initiators had PDR to efavirenz or nevirapine. The prevalence of VL suppression was 88.8% (95% CI, 83.1%–92.8%) in ADR12 and 80.5% (95% CI, 76.6%–84.0%) in ADR48 surveys. Among people with HIV receiving a first-line nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based ART regimens and with unsuppressed VL, the prevalence of ADR to efavirenz or nevirapine was 72.0% (95% CI, 32.3%–93.3%) and 95.0% (68.5%–99.4%) in the ADR12 and ADR28 surveys, respectively. ADR12 to boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r) or integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) was not observed. ADR48 was 1.3% (95% CI, 0.2%–9.6%) and 2.1% (0.3%–13.7%), respectively.

Conclusions

Programmatic improvements in ART delivery are urgently needed in El Salvador to address the high levels of resistance to efavirenz or nevirapine among ART initiators and the low VL suppression prevalence among individuals on treatment.
A Baker’s Dozen of Top Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Publications in Non–Hospital Care Settings in 2021
Authors: Green Sarah B , Marx Ashley H , Chahine Elias B , Hayes Jillian E , Albrecht Benjamin , Barber Katie E , Brown Matthew L , Childress Darrell , Durham Spencer H , Furgiuele Gabrielle , McKamey Lacie J , Sizemore Summer , Turner Michelle S , Winders Hana R , Bookstaver P Brandon , Bland Christopher M
Published: November 2022

The scope of antimicrobial stewardship programs has expanded beyond the acute hospital setting. The need to optimize antimicrobial use in emergency departments, urgent, primary, and specialty care clinics, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities prompted the development of core elements of stewardship programs in these settings. Identifying the most innovative and well-designed stewardship literature in these novel stewardship areas can be challenging. The Southeastern Research Group Endeavor (SERGE-45) network evaluated antimicrobial stewardship–related, peer-reviewed literature published in 2021 that detailed actionable interventions specific to the nonhospital setting. The top 13 publications were summarized following identification using a modified Delphi technique. This article highlights the selected interventions and may serve as a key resource for expansion of antimicrobial stewardship programs beyond the acute hospital setting.
Evolving Perspective on Community and Governance
Authors: Gardler Ross , Walli Stephen R
Published: November 2022

This chapter argues that collaboration of the type found in open source software is not new. Open source software communities and business teams make sharing the default position. They rely upon the fact that the reproduction of completed software components does not consume a scarce resource. Furthermore, company participants in open source communities recognise that because large portions of their products can be standardised and thus shared with collaborators at minimal cost there is an opportunity to reduce the initial cost of production and ongoing costs of maintenance for their businesses. Fundamental to the success of this model of software production is the adoption of an open source license. It is the license that protects each participant from exploitation. The license seeks to ensure that all contributors remain on equal terms.
Building Virtue Through App Cultures
Authors: Schnitker Sarah A.
Published: November 2022

Digital religions through app cultures provide assets for virtue development among adolescents. Examination of the affordances and deficiencies of app cultures in relation to the resources provided by traditional religions through ideological, social, and transcendent contexts reveals a complex picture. As an ideological context, app cultures make moral standards salient and supply opportunities for meaning-making when properly scaffolded, but they struggle to provide youth a coherent meaning system. As a social context, app cultures afford myriad opportunities for building social capital (though dangers lurk), provide access to models, and can facilitate virtue-building practices if adherence is high and extrinsic rewards do not undermine intrinsic motivation. As a transcendent context, app cultures scaffold prayer and meditation practices that cultivate connection, but smartphones themselves may undermine the necessary focus. Likewise, apps can evoke self-transcendent positive emotions but have yet to emulate the embodied experiences of traditional religions.
Digital Religion
Authors: Sumiala Johanna
Published: November 2022

This chapter sketches what kinds of methods are applied in the study of digital religion and how those methods guide research in the third and fourth wave of research in this interdisciplinary field. The chapter starts with providing a brief outline of digital religion as a research field and its historical development from a study of religion online/online religion to digital religion through the looking glass of methodology and discusses the various methodological choices involved in the study of digital religion in the present context. The author reflects on how “digitalization of methods” in the study field of digital religion is guiding current research, how this methodological development resonates with other research fields in humanities and social sciences, and where the study of digital religion may be heading in the future as scholarship attempts to better understand the workings of digital religion in contemporary hybrid media environments, immersed digital communication, and hypermediation of social and cultural life.
Advantages and Limitations of Combined Diffusion-Phase Equilibrium Modelling for Pressure–Temperature–Time History of Metamorphic Rocks
Authors: Faryad Shah Wali , Ježek Josef , Connolly James A D
Published: November 2022

This paper presents and discusses the results of phase diagram (Perple_X) and diffusion modelling (CZGM, or Compositional Zoning and its Modification by diffusion) to constrain the P–T path of metamorphism. The approach is based on the best fits between the zoning profile in measured garnet and that obtained by the intersections of garnet isopleths calculated by phase diagram modelling using whole rock bulk composition. The model was applied to garnets in natural rocks of various metamorphic grades, which were formed within different geotectonic environments. To compare the sequence of compositional change during Barrovian-type metamorphism, well-studied pelitic rocks from garnet–staurolite, kyanite–sillimanite, and sillimanite-K-feldspar metamorphic zones were selected. Garnets with two-stepped core and rim profiles that were formed during two different metamorphic stages or events were used for pressure–temperature (P–T) path constraint of each stage or event. For high-grade rocks, in which the original zoning profile in garnet was severely modified, the diffusion of the initial zoning profile was quantified to estimate the timescale of the metamorphic event. These rocks include high- to ultra-high-pressure rocks, which were subjected to thermal overprinting during collisional orogenesis. The results of the application of this approach allow for deciphering the reason why the calculated profile by phase diagram modelling does not fit with that of the measured garnet from low-grade rocks, in which garnet has preserved the original compositional zoning. This includes garnets whose nucleation was shifted from the garnet-in boundary to higher temperatures and pressures, as well as garnet crystallised during different metamorphic stages or events. Finally, the P–T paths in high-grade rocks were constrained after the multicomponent diffusion in garnet was quantified, and this was used for further P–T-time path constraint of metamorphism in the rocks.
Hallucinations in the Child and Adolescent “Ultra-High Risk” population: A Systematic Review
Authors: Di Luzio Michelangelo , Pontillo Maria , Di Vincenzo Cristina , Bellantoni Domenica , Demaria Francesco , Vicari Stefano
Published: November 2022

Background and Hypothesis

“Ultra-high risk” for psychosis young adults are assumed to be at higher risk of developing a psychotic spectrum disorder. Predominantly, the ultrahigh-risk population is aged 18–35 years, but it may also include younger children and adolescents. Individuals in this population experience psychosis prodromes in the form of attenuated or brief psychotic symptoms (particularly perceptual abnormalities). Albeit diagnosis is made via structured interviews, such measures fail to sufficiently assess the precise form and content of perceptual abnormalities, especially as they manifest in children and adolescents.

Study Design

The present study involved a systematic review of the literature on perceptual abnormalities (particularly hallucinations) in ultrahigh-risk children and adolescents.

Results

The analysis reviewed five studies and drew conclusions about the perceptual abnormalities (ie, hallucinations) experienced by the study samples, focusing on form, content, and associations with other symptoms. Of note, 2 of the investigated studies suggested a relationship between hallucinations and experiences of childhood trauma.

Conclusions

The transition to psychosis and experiences of childhood trauma could correspond to different types of hallucinations in ultrahigh-risk children and adolescents. This knowledge could improve the identification of prodromal states in the young, ultrahigh-risk population.