bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eligibility, Utilization, and Effectiveness of 17-Alpha Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate in a Statewide Population-Based Cohort of Medicaid Enrollees
Authors: Wang Xi , Garcia Stephanie M. , Kellom Katherine S. , Boelig Rupsa C. , Matone Meredith
Published: November 2021

Objective The primary objective was to estimate the initiation and adherence rates of 17 α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17OHPC) among eligible mothers in a statewide population-based cohort of Medicaid enrollees. The secondary objectives were to (1) determine the association of maternal sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with 17OHPC utilization and (2) assess the real-world effectiveness of 17OHPC on recurrent preterm birth prevention and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Study Design This is a retrospective cohort study using a linked, longitudinal administrative dataset of birth certificates and medical assistance claims. Medicaid-enrolled mothers in Pennsylvania were included in this study if they had at least one singleton live birth from 2014 to 2016 following at least one spontaneous preterm birth. Maternal Medicaid claims were used to ascertain the use of 17OHPC from various manufacturers, including compounded formulations. Propensity score matching was used to create a covariate balance between 17OHPC treatment and comparison groups.

Results We identified 4,781 Medicaid-covered 17OHPC-eligible pregnancies from 2014 to 2016 in Pennsylvania, 3.4% of all Medicaid-covered singleton live births. The population-based initiation rate was 28.5% among eligible pregnancies. Among initiators, 50% received ≥16 doses as recommended, while 10% received a single dose only. The severity of previous spontaneous preterm birth was the strongest predictor for the initiation and adherence of 17OHPC. In the matched treatment (n = 1,210) and comparison groups (n = 1,210), we found no evidence of 17OHPC effectiveness. The risks of recurrent preterm birth (relative risk [RR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97–1.24) and births admitted to NICU (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.84–1.18) were similar in treated and comparison mothers.

Conclusion The 17OHPC-eligible population represented 3.4% of singleton live births. Less than one-third of eligible mothers initiated treatment. Among initiators, 50% were treatment adherent. We found no difference in the risk of recurrent preterm birth or admission to NICU between treatment and comparison groups.

Key Points
Postpartum Opioid Use among Military Health System Beneficiaries
Authors: Watters Julie A. , Banaag Amanda , Massengill Jason C. , Koehlmoos Tracey P. , Staat Barton C.
Published: November 2021

Objective The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with opioid prescriptions to postpartum patients among TRICARE beneficiaries receiving care in the civilian health care system versus a military health care facility.

Study Design We evaluated postpartum opioid prescriptions filled at discharge among patients insured by TRICARE Prime/Prime Plus using the Military Health System Data Repository between fiscal years 2010 to 2015. We included women aged 15 to 49 years old and excluded abortive pregnancy outcomes and incomplete datasets. The primary outcome investigated mode of delivery and demographics for those filling an opioid prescription. Secondary outcomes compared prevalence of filled opioid prescription at discharge for postpartum patients within civilian care and military care.

Results Of a total of 508,258 postpartum beneficiaries, those in civilian health care were more likely to fill a discharge opioid prescription compared with those in military health care (OR 3.9, 95% CI 3.8–3.99). Cesarean deliveries occurred less frequently in military care (26%) compared with civilian care (30%), and forceps deliveries occurred more frequently in military care (1.38%) compared with civilian care (0.75%). Women identified as Asian race were least likely to fill an opioid prescription postpartum (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.75–0.83). Women aged 15 to 19 years had a lower odds of filling an opioid prescription (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.80–0.86). Women associated with a senior officer rank were less likely to fill an opioid prescription postpartum (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73–0.91), while those associated with warrant officer rank were more likely to fill an opioid prescription (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06–1.23).

Conclusion Our data indicates that women who received care in civilian facilities were more likely to fill an opioid prescription at discharge when compared with military facilities. Factors such as race and age were associated with opioid prescription at discharge. This study highlights areas for improvement for potential further studies.

Key Points
Niche level investment challenges for European Green Deal financing in Europe: lessons from and for the agri-food climate transition
Authors: Long Thomas B. , Blok Vincent
Published: November 2021

Green New Deal (GND) policies are proposed to tackle the climate emergency. These policies focus on driving climate innovation through unprecedented financial policy levers. However, while the macro-level financing dynamics are clear, the influence of niche level dynamics of sustainable innovation financing remain unexplored within these policy settings. Through the context of the European Green Deal and a focus on the agri-tech start-up sector in the Netherlands, we identify factors likely to reduce the efficacy of these policies from an innovation management perspective—such as project matching issues, socio-ethical factors or the characteristics of agri-food climate innovations. We go on to conceptualise that these challenges represent a range of asymmetries—from classic information asymmetries to less common value and objective asymmetries—between climate innovators and private investors and financers. Many remedies for asymmetries involve costs, likely to further inhibit the efficacy of the European Green Deal and similar policies. A partnering approach is proposed, where the non-financial resources of incumbent actors are harnessed and leveraged to enhance climate innovation performance.
Integrins inspire nanotechnology and biomedical innovations
Authors: Johnson-Groh Mara
Published: November 2021

Integrin-targeting biotech advances summarized in review of their activity, material design uses
Gyrokinetic simulations of electric current generation in ion temperature gradient driven turbulence
Authors: Chen Xiang , Lu Zhixin , Cai Huishan , Ye Lei , Chen Yang , Gao Baofeng
Published: November 2021

Gyrokinetic simulations in the collisionless limit demonstrate the physical mechanisms and the amplitude of the current driven by turbulence. Simulation results show the spatiotemporal variation of the turbulence driven current and its connection to the divergence of the Reynolds stress and the turbulence acceleration. Fine structures (a few ion Larmor radii) of the turbulence induced current are observed near the rational surfaces with the arbitrary wavelength solver of the quasi-neutrality equation. The divergence of the Reynolds stress plays a major role in the generation of these fine structures. The so-called spontaneous current is featured with large local magnitude near the rational surfaces.
Experimental evidence of high spatial confinement of elastic energy in a phononic cantilever
Authors: Coffy Etienne , Euphrasie Sébastien , Vairac Pascal , Khelif Abdelkrim
Published: November 2021

We report on experimental high spatial confinement of elastic energy in a silicon phononic cantilever for which the quality factor of a higher-order flexural resonance is increased by a factor of 27 (from Q ∼ 80 to Q ∼ 2130) with the use of a three-row phononic crystal (PnC) strip. As shown by numerical simulations performed with the finite element method, the PnC both reduces anchor loss and confines elastic energy inside the cantilever. The PnC and the cantilever are fabricated with standard clean room techniques on a silicon on insulator substrate. Optical measurements of the out-of-plane displacements are performed with a laser scanning interferometer in a frequency range around 2 MHz.
Enhancement of the conversion efficiency of soft x-ray by colliding gold plasmas
Authors: Yuan Y. , Ma Y. Y. , Yang X. H. , Wang W. P. , Zhang G. B. , Cui Y. , Chen S. J. , Wu F. Y. , Zi M. , Zheng P. F. , Xu B. H. , Ke Y. Z. , Kawata S.
Published: November 2021

A new scheme is proposed to enhance the conversion efficiency (CE) of soft x-rays (0.1–1.5 keV) generated by irradiating a double-gold-foil target using double laser pulses to collide gold plasmas. A detailed analysis of the hydrodynamic evolution of the colliding plasmas is performed by using one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations. The results show that the total soft x-ray CE can be enhanced up to 71.5% by setting the foil thickness as d1 = 0.3 μm, and this is 14.5% higher than that for a single laser irradiating a single-gold-foil target. Most of the enhanced soft x-ray CEs are generated from a stagnation layer formed by plasma collisions. Such a scheme is simple and practical, which is beneficial for their applications in astrophysical opacity calculations, inertial confinement fusion, and hydrodynamic instability analyses.
A leading-edge vortex initiation criteria for large amplitude foil oscillations using a discrete vortex model
Authors: Kamrani Fard Kiana , Ngo Vickie , Liburdy James A.
Published: November 2021

A leading-edge vortex initiation criterion of an oscillating airfoil is shown to provide a means to predict the onset of leading-edge separation. This result is found to collapse the occurrence of separation during the oscillation cycle when scaled using the leading-edge shear velocity determined from the foil oscillating kinematic motion. This is of importance in developing low order models for predicting energy harvesting performance, as is shown in this study using an inviscid discrete vortex model (DVM). Results are obtained for a thin flat airfoil undergoing sinusoidal heaving and pitching motions with reduced frequencies of k=fc/U∞ in the range of 0.06–0.16, where f is the heaving frequency of the foil, c is the chord length, and U∞ is the freestream velocity. The airfoil pitches about the mid-chord, and the heaving and pitching amplitudes of the airfoil are ho=0.5c and θ0=70°, respectively, illustrating results for conditions near peak efficiency for energy harvesting. The DVM uses a panel method, applicable to a wide range of foil geometries. An empirical trailing-edge separation correction is also applied to the transient force results. The vortex shedding criterion is based on the transient local wall stress distribution determined using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, indicating the time and location of zero stress at the foil surface. In addition, the local pressure gradient minimum is also used as a local indicator. The effects of a wide range of Reynolds numbers on separation are shown for the given range of reduced frequencies. The use of the effective angle of attack, when modified to include the pitching component, is also shown to correlate the leading-edge vortex initiation time. The advantage of the proposed separation criteria is that it can be fully determined from the motion kinematics and then applied to a wide range of low order models. Model results are given for the transient lift force and compare well with the CFD simulations. It is noted that at higher reduced frequencies the DVM overpredicts portions of the transient loads possibly caused by the reversed viscous flow from the trailing edge.
Bulk heterogeneity in barium titanate above the Curie temperature
Authors: Ormstrup Jeppe , Østergaard Emil V. , Christensen Magnus S. , Yildirim Can , Cook Philip K. , Kutsal Mustafacan , Olsen Thomas , Simons Hugh
Published: November 2021

We use dark-field x-ray microscopy to reveal evidence of subtle structural heterogeneity in BaTiO3 single crystals at temperatures of 150 °C—well above the Curie temperature of 125 °C. The heterogeneity exhibits domain-like ordering on the scale of several micrometers, pronounced curvature, and a preference for ⟨110⟩ lattice directions. Complementary high-resolution x-ray reciprocal space measurements suggest that the features originate from point defects (most likely oxygen vacancies) that coalesce along pre-existing domain walls during aging. A simple thermodynamic model suggests that the weak elastic strains associated with the heterogeneity are likely to locally raise the Curie temperature in their vicinity, creating nucleation sites for the ferroelectric phase upon cooling through the ferroelectric phase transition.
Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics analysis of hybrid Dion–Jacobson 2D leads iodide perovskites
Authors: Wang Ying , Pedesseau Laurent , Katan Claudine , Even Jacky , Prezhdo Oleg V. , Tretiak Sergei , Ghosh Dibyajyoti , Neukirch Amanda J.
Published: November 2021

The past six years have witnessed the rapid growth of interest in Dion–Jacobson (DJ) phase two-dimensional (2D) hybrid halide perovskites as optoelectronic materials with considerable intrinsic stability. The precise relationships between structural variations and the resulting charge carrier dynamics at finite temperature in these materials are keys to practical applications and are not yet completely understood. Here, we study 3-(aminomethyl) piperidinium (3AMP) and 4-(aminomethyl) piperidinium (4AMP) spacer cation-based lead iodide DJ phase systems and find these spacer cations to have a profound impact on the structural dynamics. Particularly, large conformational dynamics of the 3AMP-based perovskite compared to that of the 4AMP at room temperature leads to pronounced state energy fluctuation near band edges and further results in a shorter quantum coherence. The faster quantum decoherence of the 3AMP spacer-based perovskite underpins a longer nonradiative lifetime, offering insight into its superior performance as an optoelectronic material. This work sheds light on the relationship between structural fluctuations and charge carrier dynamics that can help in designing 2D perovskites with superior photophysical properties.
Electrostatic force evolution during the tip-induced ferroelectric domain switching
Authors: Liu Yue , Ren Kailin , Zeng Kaiyang
Published: November 2021

Different from the signals of amplitude and phase lag in piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and piezoresponse force spectroscopy (PFS), the signals of the contact resonance frequency (f0) have not been clearly interpreted. Due to the complexity of the tip–sample system at the nanoscale, the relevant models and mechanisms were continuously improved in the past decades. The variation of f0 has been reported in a few previous studies, but the physical meaning of the unique variation in ferroelectric materials still needs to be investigated. Due to the imperfect tip–sample contact, the existence of a dielectric gap and screening charges causes the discontinuity in the conduction band. The evolution of the electrostatic force during the PFS measurements is significantly affected by the tip-induced ferroelectric domain evolution, resulting in the variation of the effective contact stiffness (k*) and f0. By involving the screening effect and tunneling effect in this model, the anomalies of the on-field f0 and off-field f0 can be well explained, respectively.
p-type AlN based heteroepitaxial diodes with Schottky, Pin, and junction barrier Schottky character achieving significant breakdown performance
Authors: Ahmad Habib , Engel Zachary , Matthews Christopher M. , Doolittle W. Alan
Published: November 2021

The recent achievement of p-type AlN films via Be doping was utilized to achieve novel heteroepitaxial diodes with Schottky, Pin, and junction barrier Schottky (JBS) electrical behavior. Although the heteroepitaxial structures were quasi-vertical, which is subject to many issues lowering the breakdown voltage, the Pin diode achieved a breakdown voltage of ∼25 V for a 200 nm thick unintentionally doped intrinsic layer indicating ∼50% of the theoretical breakdown voltage performance for a similar homoepitaxial GaN pin diode. JBS and Schottky diodes were implemented using the inherent and intentional stress cracking properties of AlN grown on GaN films avoiding regrowth and plasma etching, both known to be technology impediments. The density of the intentional cracks and crystalline quality of the p-AlN films was controlled via Be doping and the total metal dose supplied during the metal modulated epitaxy shutter cycle resulting in differing degrees of grown stress. Since the intentional crack density determines the surface area ratio of the Schottky diode to the Pin diode, it is a key design parameter in optimizing device performance. Furthermore, a novel current spreading layer was implemented to improve the current uniformity in these devices. The high breakdown voltage and good forward voltage characteristics of these devices shows potential to enable high-performance III-nitride high-power devices.
One-step production of 3D printed ferroelectric polymer forms using fused deposition modeling
Authors: Akimchenko Igor O. , Dubinenko Gleb E. , Rutkowski Sven , Tverdokhlebov Sergei I. , Vorobyev Alexander O. , Bouznik Vyacheslav M. , Bolbasov Evgeny N.
Published: November 2021

This Letter presents the possibility of 3D print polymer forms with a ferroelectric crystal structure in a one-step process by using the fused deposition modeling method. The approach does not require any additional equipment, other than an extruder for filament production and a commercial 3D printer to fabricate ferroelectric polymer forms. By using the copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene as a filament for 3D printing, complex spatial structures, such as the gyroid form, are accessible. Compared to polyvinylidene fluoride, the copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene retains its ferroelectric properties even after melting in the 3D printing process and soldification. The x-ray diffraction investigation shows that the 3D forms are having a planar zigzag conformation on macromolecule scales, which relates to a crystal structure with ferroelectric properties. Annealing the 3D forms at a temperature of 110 °C for 12 h does not cause any changes to the spatial polymer structures but leads to an increase in the degree of crystallinity by more than 20%. This result contributes to an increase in the ferroelectric crystalline phase content by ∼17% and the Curie temperature by ∼7 °C in contrast to non-annealed 3D forms.
Da Vinci's observation of turbulence: A French-Italian study aiming at numerically reproducing the physics behind one of his drawings, 500 years later
Authors: Colagrossi A. , Marrone S. , Colagrossi P. , Le Touzé D.
Published: November 2021

This research was started in 2019 for the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death. Our Italian-French research group focused its attention on a famous drawing by da Vinci in which a water jet impacts on a pool (RCIN 912660 The Windsor Collection). This particular drawing has often been used by many fluid dynamicists as the first important document concerning turbulent flows. It is worth noting that the word “turbulence,” one of the most important phenomena in fluid dynamics, was used for the first time by da Vinci in the “Atlantic codex.” After a detailed study of different historical documents, we sought to reproduce the flow drawn in the sheet RCIN 912660 using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics model in order to better analyze the different descriptions that Leonardo reported beside his drawing.
Thermal and non-thermal equilibrium processes of charge extraction in accumulated charge measurement (ACM)
Authors: Tajima Hiroyuki , Kadoya Tomofumi , Yamaguchi Koji , Omura Yuichi , Oda Takeshi , Ogino Akinari
Published: November 2021

Accumulated charge measurement (ACM) is an experimental technique for studying the charge-injection and extraction processes in a condenser comprising the following: metal electrode 1, insulator (INS), organic semiconductor (OS), and metal electrode 2 (M2). In this method, the change in the accumulated charge (Qacc) is estimated by integrating the displacement current when the applied voltage changes from Voff to Voff + Va. Voff is the constant offset voltage and Va is the alternating voltage that is changed step-by-step; Qacc is expressed as a function Va. From the observed dataset of Qacc and Va, ΔQ and VOS are derived, where ΔQ is the degree of charge injection and VOS is the voltage drop within the OS layer caused by Va. The injection barrier at the OS/M2 interface can be evaluated from the plot of ΔQ as a function of VOS. In this study, two theoretical models for analyzing ACM data are developed using the Poisson–Boltzmann equation. On the one hand, the thermal equilibrium (TE) model reflects the TE process, in which charge evacuation simultaneously occurs at the INS/OS and OS/M2 boundaries. On the other hand, the non-thermal equilibrium (NTE) model assumes a two-step charge evacuation process at the interfaces: charge evacuation at the OS/M2 boundary occurs in the first step, followed by charge evacuation at the INS/OS boundary in the second step. The ACM data for condensers constituting pentacene and H2Pc are well reproduced by the TE and NTE models, respectively. The different behaviors of the two condensers can be attributed to the difference in their diffusion constants.
Slow monomer vibrations in formic acid dimer: Stepping up the ladder with FTIR and Raman jet spectroscopy
Authors: Nejad Arman , Meyer Katharina A. E. , Kollipost Franz , Xue Zhifeng , Suhm Martin A.
Published: November 2021

In an effort to extend the cold gas phase spectroscopic database of the cyclic formic acid dimer (FAD), we present and analyze the jet-cooled vibrational infrared and Raman spectrum of (HCOOH)2 in the monomer fingerprint region between 600 and 1500 cm−1. The present study bridges the gap between the intermolecular dimerization-induced and the carbonyl stretching fundamentals that have already been reexamined using jet-cooled or high-resolution spectroscopy. This completes the characterization of the jet-cooled vibrational (HCOOH)2 spectrum below the complex OH (CH) stretching fundamentals, and we report resonance-induced FAD combination/overtone transitions that will serve as a valuable reference for a theoretical modeling of its vibrational dynamics. As a by-product, several new formic acid trimer fundamentals are identified in the jet spectra and assigned with the help of second-order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2). The polar formic acid dimer still eludes detection in a supersonic jet, but we are able to estimate an experimental upper-bound of the polar dimer-to-trimer-to-cyclic dimer intensity ratio to about 1:10:100 under typical expansion conditions. Using VPT2 with resonance treatment (VPT2+K), we reinvestigate the notorious ν22 resonance triad. Generally, we find that VPT2, which is, of course, inadequate for modeling the resonance-rich OH stretching spectrum of FAD, is performing very satisfactorily in predicting fundamental and two-quantum state term values for the slower modes below 1500 cm−1. As these modes are the building blocks for the ultrafast energy dissipation in the OH stretching region, the present work opens the door for its quantitative understanding.
Quantitative Imaging in Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Schmainda Kathleen M.
Published: November 2021

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers superior soft tissue contrast due to its unique dependence on tissue water magnetization and the access to user-defined variables. As such, MRI contrast can also made dependent on water diffusion rates, a capability unique to MRI, from which quantitative estimates of tissue water diffusion can be derived. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging MRI (DTI) MRI are the two primary methods available for this purpose, but many newer options are emerging. MRI contrast can be further enhanced by administration of MRI contrast agents, which are routinely used for the clear identification of disease. When dynamic MR images are acquired during the administration of exogenous MRI contrast agents, a perfusion-dependent MRI signal will result, from which tissue perfusion parameters can be derived. The two primary approaches used for this purpose are dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC)-MRI. While qualitative assessment of structural, diffusion, and perfusion MRI images has positioned MRI solidly at the center of diagnostic imaging, the benefits of quantifying this information is becoming increasingly clear. This chapter describes the basic principles, applications to cancer, and challenges for quantification of structural MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging MRI, and perfusion-weighted imaging MRI techniques.
Corrigendum to: Does the C4 plant Trianthema portulacastrum (Aizoaceae) exhibit weakly expressed crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)?
Authors: Winter Klaus , Garcia Milton , Virgo Aurelio , Ceballos Jorge , Holtum Joseph A. M.
Published: November 2021

We examined whether crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is present in Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Aizoaceae), a pantropical, salt-tolerant C4 annual herb with atriplicoid-type Kranz anatomy in leaves but not in stems. The leaves of T. portulacastrum are slightly succulent and the stems are fleshy, similar to some species of Portulaca, the only genus known in which C4 and CAM co-occur. Low- level nocturnal acidification typical of weakly expressed, predominantly constitutive CAM was measured in plants grown for their entire life-cycle in an outdoor raised garden box. Acidification was greater in stems than in leaves. Plants showed net CO2 uptake only during the light irrespective of soil water availability. However, nocturnal traces of CO2 exchange exhibited curved kinetics of reduced CO2 loss during the middle of the night consistent with low-level CAM. Trianthema becomes the second genus of vascular land plants in which C4 and features of CAM have been demonstrated to co-occur in the same plant and the first C4 plant with CAM-type acidification described for the Aizoaceae. Traditionally the stems of herbs are not sampled in screening studies. Small herbs with mildly succulent leaves and fleshy stems might be a numerically significant component of CAM biodiversity.
Evaluating the effects of a Therapeutic Day Rehabilitation program and inclusion of gardening in an Australian Rural Community Health Service
Authors: Missen Karen , Alindogan Mark Anthony , Forrest Scott , Waller Susan
Published: November 2021

Therapeutic day rehabilitation (TDR) is a non-residential intensive structured program designed for individuals recovering from substance misuse. A weekly afternoon of therapeutic gardening was a new incentive initiated in a TDR program at one Australian community health service, designed to give participants the opportunity to spend time outdoors connecting with nature and each other. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of participants enrolled in this program by employing a convergent parallel mixed-method design using qualitative individual, semi-structured interviews (n = 14) and longitudinal quantitative quality of life (QOL) data at three different intervals (n = 17). The analysis of the quantitative data showed that there was a statistically significant increase in the participants’ QOL scores in three of four domains (physical health, psychological, social relationships) when comparing baseline and post completion of the TDR. These observed changes were maintained at the 4-week follow up. The key findings from the semi-structured interviews include positive effects for participants on social connectivity, structure and achievement, understanding of recovery and relaxation from contact with nature. This study shows that a combination of TDR and therapeutic gardening can improve participants’ physical health, psychological health and social relationships.
General practitioner knowledge of and engagement with telehealth-at-home medical abortion provision
Authors: Mazza Danielle , Seymour Jane W. , Sandhu Monisha Vaid , Melville Catriona , O’Brien Jacquie , Thompson Terri-Ann
Published: November 2021

In Australia, there are many barriers to abortion, particularly for women living in regional, rural and remote areas. Telehealth provision of medical abortion is safe, effective and acceptable to patients and providers. In 2015, Marie Stopes Australia (MSA) launched an at-home telehealth model for medical abortion to which GPs could refer. Between April and November of 2017, we interviewed 20 GPs who referred patients to MSA’s telehealth-at-home abortion service to better understand their experiences and perspectives regarding telehealth-at-home abortion. We found that there was widespread support and recognition of the benefits of telehealth-at-home abortion in increasing access to abortion and reducing travel and costs. However, the GPs interviewed lacked knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in medical abortion, and many were unaware of the availability of telehealth as an option until a patient requested a referral. The GPs interviewed called for increased communication between telehealth-at-home abortion providers and GPs. Increasing GP familiarity with medical abortion and awareness of the availability of telehealth-at-home abortion may assist people in accessing safe, effective medical abortion.
Passive coupling of membrane tension and cell volume during active response of cells to osmosis
Authors: Roffay Chloé , Molinard Guillaume , Kim Kyoohyun , Urbanska Marta , Andrade Virginia , Barbarasa Victoria , Nowak Paulina , Mercier Vincent , García-Calvo José , Matile Stefan , Loewith Robbie , Echard Arnaud , Guck Jochen , Lenz Martin , Roux Aurélien
Published: November 2021

Significance

Tension is the force-opposing stretch of lipid membranes. It controls cell functions involving membranes. Membranes rupture above a tension threshold, causing cell death if tension is not properly buffered. However, how cell membrane tension is quantitatively regulated is unknown because it is difficult to measure. Using a fluorescent membrane tension probe, we explored the coupling between membrane tension and cell volume changes during osmosis. This coupling is described by an equilibrium theory linking tension to folding and unfolding of the membrane. This coupling is nevertheless actively regulated by cell components such as the cytoskeleton, ion transporters, and mTOR pathways. Our results highlight that cell volume regulation and membrane tension homeostasis are independent from the regulation of their coupling.
When two languages are competing
Authors: Fan Damien Chiaming , Collart Aymeric , Chan Shiao-hui
Published: November 2021

Past studies have shown that expert interpreters were better than novices at using contextual cues to anticipate upcoming
information. However, whether such sensitivity to contextual cues can be traced by means of neural signatures is relatively unexplored. The
present study used event-related brain potentials (ERPs) along with a language-switching paradigm – including non-switched (Chinese–Chinese,
L1–L1) and switched (Chinese–English, L1–L2) conditions – to investigate whether interpreters with many years of experience, interpreters
with a few years of experience and post-graduate-level interpreting students differed in the way they process contextually congruent or
incongruent sentence-final target words. The results show that while the manipulations of congruency and switching independently induced a
strong brain response in all three groups, the interaction between the two factors elicited different patterns across groups during
500–700 ms: (1) while a sustained congruency effect was found in the two less-experienced groups for the switched condition, such an effect
was observed in the most experienced group for both switched and non-switched conditions; (2) only the least-experienced group showed a
frontal negativity towards incongruent trials in the switched condition. These 200 ms transient group differences revealed that it might be
possible to trace the development of interpreting ability by examining the ERP components in a language-switching setting.
Differentiating movement styles in professional tennis: A machine learning and hierarchical clustering approach
Authors: Giles Brandon , Peeling Peter , Kovalchik Stephanie , Reid Machar
Published: November 2021

Purpose: Recent explorations of tennis‐specific movements have developed contemporary methods for identifying and classifying changes of direction (COD) during match‐play. The aim of this research was to employ these new analysis techniques to objectively explore individual nuance and style factors in the execution of COD movements in professional tennis. Methods: Player tracking data from 62 male and 77 female players at the Australian Open Grand Slam were analysed for COD movements using a model algorithm, with a sample of 150,000 direction changes identified. Hierarchical clustering methods were employed on the time‐motion and degree characteristics of these direction changes to identify groups of different COD performers. Results: Five unique clusters, labelled “Cutters”, “Gear Changers”, “Lateral Changers”, “Balanced Changers” and “Passive Changers” were identified in accordance with their varying speed, acceleration, degree and directionality of change features. Conclusions: Player COD clustering challenge previously held assumptions regarding on‐court movement style, highlighting the complexity and variation in the sport's locomotion demands. In practice, the speed, acceleration, directionality and degree of change characteristics of each COD style can facilitate athlete profiling and the specificity of training interventions.

Highlights

We used machine learning techniques and cluster analysis methodology to explore the time motion characteristics of direction change skill in professional tennis.

We present five unique types of change of direction style in professional tennis players. These include “Cutters”, “Gear Changers”, “Lateral Changers”, “Balanced Changers” & “Passive Changers”. These style classifications were established in accordance with their varying speed, acceleration, degree and directionality of change features.

We show that the application of machine learning techniques to player tracking data can facilitate a more intricate understanding the sport's physical demands, which can be used to inform training programme design.
Advances toward structure-based drug discovery for inflammasome targets
Authors: Wang Li , Crackower Michael A. , Wu Hao
Published: November 2021

Inflammasome proteins play an important role in many diseases of high unmet need, making them attractive drug targets. However, drug discovery for inflammasome proteins has been challenging in part due to the difficulty in solving high-resolution structures using cryo-EM or crystallography. Recent advances in the structural biology of NLRP3 and NLRP1 have provided the first set of data that proves a promise for structure-based drug design for this important family of targets.
Analytical model of the modulated photoluminescence in semiconductor materials
Authors: Moron Nicolas , Bérenguier Baptiste , Alvarez José , Kleider Jean-Paul
Published: November 2021

Modulated photoluminescence (MPL) is an optoelectronic characterization technique of semiconductor materials. Going to high frequencies enables one to characterize fast phenomena, and so materials with a short lifetime such as chalcogenides or III–V absorbers. Some typical signatures have already been experimentally observed. However, physical mechanisms and quantitative analyses are not well understood yet. Here, using both an analytical approach and a full numerical modeling, we study how the energy position of a defect level, its electron and hole capture cross sections, its density, influence the frequency dependence of the MPL phase. We show that quantitative information can be extracted. We also study the effect of additional surface recombination, and of non homogeneities created by carrier generation profiles or asymmetric top surface and bottom surface recombination velocities, where diffusion of the carriers plays a role and can be limiting at high frequency. Finally we apply our model to an experimental result to extract defect parameters of the sample. Our analysis highlights the usefulness of MPL and the importance of having a proper modeling of the experiment.
Sparsity-driven deterministic sampling strategy for coded aperture x-ray computed tomography
Authors: Sonkar Munnu , Sasmal Pradip , Theeda Prasad , Sastry C S
Published: November 2021

The sub-sampling strategies in x-ray computed tomography (CT) have gained importance due to their practical relevance. In this direction of research, also known as coded aperture x-ray computed tomography (CAXCT), both random and deterministic strategies have been proposed in the literature. Of the techniques available, those based on compressive sensing (CS) have recently gained more traction because CS-based ideas efficiently exploit inherent duplication present in the system. The quality of the reconstructed CT images nevertheless depends on the sparse signal recovery properties of the sub-sampled Radon matrices. In the present work, we optimize CAXCT deterministically in such a way that the corresponding sub-sampled Radon matrices remain close to the equiangular tight frames for better numerical behaviour. We show that this optimization, involving the Khatri–Rao product, leads to a non-negative sparse approximation. While comparing and contrasting our method with its existing counterparts, we show that the proposed algorithm is computationally less involved. Finally, we demonstrate efficacy of the proposed deterministic sub-sampling strategy in recovering CT images in both noiseless and noisy cases.
Nano-dendrite structured cobalt phosphide based hybrid supercapacitor with high energy storage and cycling stability
Authors: Chen Xiaoyu , Chang Pu , Zhang Shuo , Guan Lixiu , Ren Guohe , Tao Junguang
Published: November 2021

The supercapacitors possessing high energy storage and long serving period have strategic significance to solve the energy crisis issues. Herein, fluffy nano-dendrite structured cobalt phosphide (CoP) is grown on carbon cloth through simple hydrothermal and electrodeposition treatments (CoP/C-HE). Benefit from its excellent electrical conductivity and special structure, CoP/C-HE manifests a high specific capacity of 461.4 C g−1 at 1 A g−1. Meanwhile, the capacity retention remains 92.8% over 10 000 cycles at 5 A g−1, proving the superior cycling stability. The phase conversion of Co2P during the activation process also contributes to the improved performance. The assembled two-electrode asymmetric supercapacitor demonstrates excellent performance in terms of energy density (42.4 W h kg−1 at a power density of 800.0 W kg−1) and cycling stability (86.3% retention over 5000 cycles at 5 A g−1), which is superior to many reported cobalt-based supercapacitors. Our work promotes the potential of transition metal phosphides for the applications in supercapacitors.
Investigation of the laser-induced breakdown plasma, acoustic vibrations and dissociation processes of water molecules caused by laser breakdown of colloidal solutions containing Ni nanoparticles
Authors: Baimler I V , Simakin A V , Gudkov S V
Published: November 2021

In this work the process of optical breakdown under laser irradiation by nanosecond pulses with an energy of 650 mJ of aqueous solutions of Ni nanoparticles is investigated. A monotonic change in the number of breakdowns, the average distance between closest breakdowns, the average plasma size of an individual breakdown, the luminosity of a plasma flash, the intensity of acoustic signals, and the rate of formation of dissociation products—O2, H2, OH•, and H2O2 with an increase in the irradiation time was established. With an increase in the concentration of nanoparticles, the measured values change non-monotonically. The maximum luminosity of a plasma flash is observed at a nanoparticle concentration of 109 NP ml−1 and 1010 NP ml−1 and reaches 350 cd m−2. The maximum pressure at the shock front is 1.5–2 MPa at a nanoparticle concentration of 1010 NP ml−1. The maximum rates of generation of O2, H2, OH• and H2O2 are observed at concentrations of 109 NP ml−1 and 1010 NP ml−1. Correlation analysis of the studied physicochemical phenomena shows that the formation of molecular gases is associated with acoustic processes, and the formation of radical products and hydrogen peroxide correlates with the physicochemical properties of plasma.
Molecular motor-driven filament transport across three-dimensional, polymeric micro-junctions
Authors: Reuther Cordula , Steenhusen Sönke , Meinecke Christoph Robert , Surendiran Pradheebha , Salhotra Aseem , Lindberg Frida W , Månsson Alf , Linke Heiner , Diez Stefan
Published: November 2021

Molecular motor-driven filament systems have been extensively explored for biomedical and nanotechnological applications such as lab-on-chip molecular detection or network-based biocomputation. In these applications, filament transport conventionally occurs in two dimensions (2D), often guided along open, topographically and/or chemically structured channels which are coated by molecular motors. However, at crossing points of different channels the filament direction is less well determined and, though crucial to many applications, reliable guiding across the junction can often not be guaranteed. We here present a three-dimensional (3D) approach that eliminates the possibility for filaments to take wrong turns at junctions by spatially separating the channels crossing each other. Specifically, 3D junctions with tunnels and overpasses were manufactured on glass substrates by two-photon polymerization, a 3D fabrication technology where a tightly focused, femtosecond-pulsed laser is scanned in a layer-to-layer fashion across a photo-polymerizable inorganic–organic hybrid polymer (ORMOCER®) with µm resolution. Solidification of the polymer was confined to the focal volume, enabling the manufacturing of arbitrary 3D microstructures according to computer-aided design data. Successful realization of the 3D junction design was verified by optical and electron microscopy. Most importantly, we demonstrated the reliable transport of filaments, namely microtubules propelled by kinesin-1 motors, across these 3D junctions without junction errors. Our results open up new possibilities for 3D functional elements in biomolecular transport systems, in particular their implementation in biocomputational networks.
Dynamics of string-like states of a hole in a quantum antiferromagnet: a diagrammatic Monte Carlo simulation
Authors: Diamantis Nikolaos G , Manousakis Efstratios
Published: November 2021

The dynamics of a hole motion in a quantum antiferromagnet has been studied in the past three decades because of its relationship to models related to superconductivity in cuprates. The same problem has received significant attention because of its connection to very recent experiments of the dynamics of ultra-cold atoms in optical lattices where models of strongly correlated electrons can be simulated. In this paper we apply the diagrammatic Monte Carlo method to calculate the single-hole Green’s function in the t–J model, where the J term is linearized, in a wide range of imaginary-time with the aim to examine the polaron formation and in particular the details of the contribution of the so-called string excitations found in such recent experiments. We calculate the single-hole spectral function by analytic continuation from imaginary to real time and study the various aspects that constitute the string picture, such as, the energy–momentum dependence of the main quasiparticle peak and its residue, the internal excitations of the string which appear as multiple peaks in the spectral function as well as their momentum dependence. We find that the earlier analysis of the spectral function based on a mobile-hole connected with a string of overturn spins and the contribution of the internal string excitations as obtained from the non-crossing approximation is accurate.
Coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity in MWCNT/Bi2SiO5 nanocomposites
Authors: Haldar Toton , Kumar V V Ravi Kanth
Published: November 2021

This work explores the temperature and field-dependent magnetic properties of Bi2SiO5 (BSO)/multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites prepared by hydrothermal method using different content of magnetic MWCNT (from 1 to 20 wt%). A pure BSO prepared by the same method was also studied as a reference. Phase purity and structure of the pure BSO and CBSO nanocomposites were analyzed by employing the Rietveld refinement of an X-ray diffraction pattern. DC magnetization analysis confirms the co-existence of multiple magnetic phases in CBSO nanocomposites, where a paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) transition experiences at ∼33 K, and a cluster spin glass behavior at near Curie temperature (i.e., TC ∼25 K). A weak superconducting transition (TSC) at around ∼23 K was observed for all the CBSO nanocomposite samples (i.e., 2.5 wt% MWCNT and above samples). Moreover, a novel feature of these nanocomposites is that they exhibit a complex magnetism corresponding to the co-existence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity. This behavior can be exploited to engineer a magnetic CBSO composites system with the magnetic transition tune by compositional structure, with interesting potential applications.
Swampland conjecture and inflation model from brane perspective
Authors: Sadeghi J , Pourhassan B , Noori Gashti S , Upadhyay S
Published: November 2021

Over the past few decades, inflation models have been studied by researchers from different perspectives and conditions in order to introduce a model for the expanding universe. In this paper, we introduce a modified f(R) gravitational model as (R + γ
R

p
) in order to examine a new condition for inflation models. Given that our studies are related to a modified f(R) gravitational model on the brane, therefore we will encounter modified cosmological parameters. So, we first introduce these modified cosmological parameters such as spectral index, a number of e-folds and etc. Then, we apply these conditions to our modified f(R) gravitational model in order to adapt to the swampland criteria. Finally, we determine the range of each of these parameters by plotting some figures and with respect to observable data such as Planck 2018.
Magnetic properties of a fullerene-like X20 structure with embedded metal atom
Authors: Gao Zhong-yue , Lv Dan , Wang Wei , Yang Lin-mei , Sun Lei , Wang Feng
Published: November 2021

Monte Carlo simulation has been used to study magnetic and thermodynamic properties of a ferrimagnetic mixed-spin (1, 3/2) Ising fullerene-like X20 structure with embedded metal atom. Under the influence of the anisotropy and the concentration of surface shell atom, the system tends to show the multiple stable saturation values of magnetization (M = 0.91, 0.85, 0.77, 0.64, 0.50 and 0.023) and the values of intermediate metastable magnetization (M = 0.88, 0.76 and 0.60) at zero temperature. The blocking temperature T

B
becomes higher by decreasing the anisotropies (∣D

C
∣, ∣D

S
∣), or increasing the exchange coupling ∣J

CS
∣, the magnetic field h and the concentration of surface shell atom P

S
. Some interesting phenomena have been found such as the double-loop hysteresis behavior for the relatively large values of ∣D

S

∣ (≥2.0), originating from the competition between different physical parameters.