bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Somatic 9p24.1 alterations in HPV
–
head and neck squamous cancer dictate immune microenvironment and anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor activity
Authors: Zhao Xin , Cohen Ezra E. W. , William William N. , Bianchi Joy J. , Abraham Jim P. , Magee Daniel , Spetzler David B. , Gutkind J. Silvio , Alexandrov Ludmil B. , Cavenee Webster K. , Lippman Scott M. , Davoli Teresa
Published: November 2022

Somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), generally (
1
) losses containing interferons and interferon-pathway genes, many on chromosome 9p, predict immune-cold, immune checkpoint therapy (ICT)-resistant tumors (
2
); however, genomic regions mediating these effects are unclear and probably tissue specific. Previously, 9p21.3 loss was found to be an early genetic driver of human papillomavirus–negative (HPV
–
) head and neck squamous cancer (HNSC), associated with an immune-cold tumor microenvironment (TME) signal, and recent evidence suggested that this TME-cold phenotype was greatly enhanced with 9p21 deletion size, notably encompassing band 9p24.1 (
3
). Here, we report multi-omic, -threshold and continuous-variable dissection of 9p21 and 9p24 loci (including depth and degree of somatic alteration of each band at each locus, and each gene at each band) and TME of four HPV
–
HNSC cohorts. Preferential 9p24 deletion, CD8 T-cell immune-cold associations were observed, driven by 9p24.1 loss, and in turn by an essential telomeric regulatory gene element,
JAK2-CD274
. Surprisingly, same genetic region gains were immune hot. Related 9p21-TME analyses were less evident. Inherent 9p-band-level influences on anti-PD1 ICT survival rates, coincident with TME patterns, were also observed. At a 9p24.1 whole-transcriptome expression threshold of 60th percentile, ICT survival rate exceeded that of lower expression percentiles and of chemotherapy; below this transcript threshold, ICT survival was inferior to chemotherapy, the latter unaffected by 9p24.1 expression level (
P-
values < 0.01, including in a PD-L1 immunohistochemistry-positive patient subgroup). Whole-exome analyses of 10 solid-tumor types suggest that these 9p-related ICT findings could be relevant to squamous cancers, in which 9p24.1 gain/immune-hot associations exist.
At the intersection of language, conflict, and security
Authors: Medda-Windischer Roberta , Carlà Andrea
Published: November 2022

While conflicts involving language are always intertwined with other issues such as ethnic and racial identity, religion, and democratic participation, the importance of the linguistic dimension is often underestimated, along with the difficulties of achieving effective, just and sustainable solutions through language legislation and policy. Language policies have political and social consequences; they can reinforce or diffuse conflicts and social unrest between language groups, they can accelerate language loss or facilitate language revitalization, and they can be instruments of inclusion or exclusion affecting the stability and security of the society. Against this background, this Special Issue aims to shed light on how language diversity impacts conflict and security. In particular, the SI will look at how issues revolving around language diversity interplay with security concerns and which dynamics trigger processes of securitization of language issues. How to balance language diversity to prevent conflict and promote security of linguistic majorities and minorities? How to reconcile the demands for linguistic diversity and political stability and unity? What is the role of international organizations in these processes? And how can the risk of the essentialization of linguistic communities and minority cultures leading to the division of societies into us-versus-them antagonisms thereby be overcome?
Quantitative research methods in ISLA
Authors: Li Shaofeng
Published: November 2022

This chapter provides a comprehensive, in-depth discussion of quantitative research methods in ISLA. It starts by informing the reader of the basic elements and principles of quantitative ISLA research and the major research questions examined. It then identifies three categories of ISLA research: experimental, correlational, and observational, followed by a discussion of the methods for evaluating the quality of quantitative research from the perspectives of construct validity, internal validity, external validity, and statistical conclusion validity. The chapter proceeds to offer advice for future researchers on how to carry out original and robust quantitative research and propose strategies to address common methodological issues. A conclusion is offered at the end.
Replication research in instructed SLA
Authors: McManus Kevin
Published: November 2022

Replication is a research methodology designed to verify, consolidate, and advance knowledge and understanding within empirical fields of study. By repeating a study’s methodology (with or without change), a replication aims to better understand the nature and generalizability of a previous study’s findings. This chapter introduces readers to the replication research process, beginning with a description of what replication research is, what the most common types of replication research are, and why carrying out replication is important. Close attention is paid to the types of research questions that replication studies are designed to investigate. This is followed by an overview of replication in the field of ISLA, with links to studies and resources. In addition, specific guidelines are provided for carrying out and reporting replication studies. Recommendations for future replications in ISLA are suggested as well as ways in which researchers can integrate replication into future programs of research.
Pragmatics
Authors: Taguchi Naoko , Youn Soo Jung
Published: November 2022

The field of instructed SLA (ISLA) has grown rapidly in recent years to examine how systematic manipulations of instructional conditions can lead to the development of second language (L2) knowledge and use (Loewen & Sato, 2017). Following this trend, L2 pragmatics researchers have implemented various instructional methods and examined their effectiveness using experimental designs (Taguchi, 2015; Taguchi & Roever, 2017). The critical issue in this practice is how to assess learning outcomes in order to make a claim that certain instructional methods can produce robust pragmatic knowledge. To address this question, this chapter presents an overview of assessment methods used in analyzing pragmatics learning outcomes. The chapter surveys instructed L2 pragmatics studies published in the last four decades to identify common assessment methods (i.e., discourse completion tasks and role-play tasks). We provide step-by-step illustrations of expert studies in order to demonstrate how researchers design an assessment task, evaluate learning, and interpret results. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the challenges and limitations of current methods and provides direction for addressing such challenges in pragmatics research.
Vocabulary
Authors: Iwaizumi Emi , Webb Stuart
Published: November 2022

Acquiring vocabulary knowledge is a vital part of L2 learning because vocabulary plays a significant role in every mode of communication (reading, listening, writing, and speaking). For learners to become independent users of a L2, they must know many thousands of words and learn how to use them well in communication. For example, learners of English must acquire up to 9,000 words (e.g., happy) and their morphologically-related forms (e.g., happiness, unhappy, happily) to comprehend spoken and written texts (e.g., conversation, television programs, films, novels, and newspapers) (Nation, 2006; Webb & Rodgers, 2009a, 2009b). Moreover, acquisition of L2 vocabulary entails learning different aspects of word knowledge such as word parts, collocations, and associations, not only learning form-meaning connections. Thus, the teaching, learning, and researching of L2 vocabulary can be highly complex. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a guide to researching instructed second language vocabulary acquisition. The chapter sets out to provide (1) an overview of key concepts in vocabulary research, (2) a brief overview of L2 vocabulary research focusing on intervention studies, (3) an overview of a frequently employed study design (pretest-posttest design), different measures for assessing L2 vocabulary knowledge as well as options and cautions for interpreting data, (4) advice for future vocabulary researchers, and (5) tips to overcome potential challenges.
Grammar
Authors: Toth Paul D.
Published: November 2022

Meaningfully assessing the effect of instruction on second language (L2) grammatical development requires research that credibly relates observed learner behaviors to relevant theories of language and language learning. After defining the role of grammar in meaningful language use, this chapter compares cognitive and social views of grammatical development to identify key constructs for exploration in ISLA research. It illustrates the relationship between theory and L2 elicitation strategies by first outlining general principles and then describing the design of acceptability judgment tasks and picture description tasks in detail, along with a framework for working with classroom recordings. Specific examples from the author’s research in U.S. high school L2 Spanish classrooms on explicit grammar instruction will be provided. Advice to future researchers will center on empowering readers to find optimal research designs through awareness of the questions about teaching and learning they wish to explore.
Plain-emphatic R phonemes in Arabic
Authors: Youssef Islam
Published: November 2022

Rhotics exhibit considerable variability across Arabic dialects, pertaining mainly to the notorious emphatic-plain distinction. This chapter aims to establish the underlying R phonemes (and their contextually conditioned allophones) in three different varieties of spoken Arabic, evidence of which is sought in phonological distribution and processes that target or are triggered by R. Examination of such evidence reveals three patternings of R phonemes: split-R, emphatic-R, and plain-R. The analysis, which employs a minimalist model of feature geometry, shows that different phonological representations can be ascertained through the patterning of the R phoneme(s) in the particular variety. It also confirms that phonetic criteria are not sufficient to determine the representation of a sound, and in so doing provides evidence for phonetics-phonology mismatches.
Tracing the acquisition of definiteness in Emirati Arabic
Authors: Ntelitheos Dimitrios
Published: November 2022

This paper presents initial results on the acquisition trajectory of the definite determiner əl- in Emirati Arabic. It is shown that Emirati children follow a maturational process sporadically producing target-like fully inflected DPs early on, but dropping determiners frequently in obligatory syntactic contexts, including prepositional phrases, after demonstratives, with generic nouns and certain proper names. In addition, children add determiners in contexts where they are illicit in the target language, including new referents and possessive structures. We argue for an intact syntactic D-system in early stages of acquisition but that the DP projection is underspecified, due to pragmatic factors, i.e. the children have not yet fully mastered the complex interplay between syntactic environment and pragmatic/discourse knowledge.
Investigating the scopes of textual metrics for learner level discrimination and learner analytics
Authors: Gaillat Thomas
Published: November 2022

This chapter investigates the linguistic interpretation of complexity metrics in L2 proficiency assessment. By analysing 84 formulas of metrics linked to lexical diversity, readability and syntactic complexity, we identify a taxonomy of their underlying linguistic scopes. These metrics are classified according to text, sentence, clause, phrase and word scopes with attributes and methods. Homogeneity of scopes was evaluated by applying a mixed clustering PCA approach to metrics computed for 328 L2 texts. Discriminative power was evaluated with a random forest approach on the same dataset including the CEFR levels. Results show that metrics are diversely clustered but they also suggest in-cluster homogeneity. The CEFR classification shows mixed results suggesting that diversity, repetition and size in word and text scopes are significant.
Syntactic complexity measures as linguistic correlates of proficiency level in learner Russian
Authors: Kisselev Olesya , Klimov Aleksandr , Kopotev Mihail
Published: November 2022

The study reports on the results of a corpus-based evaluation of automatically extracted syntactic complexity measures as indices of Russian as a foreign language (FL) and Russian as a heritage language (HL) writing development. A list of 12 syntactic complexity measures was tested on a set of longitudinal, classroom-based data. The analyses demonstrated that the syntactic complexity measures help delineate four proficiency levels (Intermediate Mid, Intermediate High, Advanced Low and Advanced Mid as established through the ACTFL proficiency guidelines), and that the changes in syntactic complexity indices across levels pattern slightly differently in the FL vs. HL learner groups. Our research confirms that the overall trends in interlanguage development in Russian align with the “complexification” trends found for other second languages.
Measuring lexical accuracy
Authors: Hoffmann Tim
Published: November 2022

This study seeks to contribute to the dialogue about the creation and application of lexical error annotation schemes for the purpose of studying learner language. It outlines some of the common issues that the creators of such lexical error annotation schemes face on the theoretical level, as well as the less theoretical issues that annotators encounter in practice. The chapter further illustrates the importance of a clean separation of codes that pertain to error description from those that seek to explain errors. In doing so, the study also highlights the importance of the hierarchical structure of error tag sets and how this (previously under-utilized) concept has implications for the comparability of results across learner corpora and their respective annotation schemes.
Key comparison BIPM.RI(I)-K7 of the air-kerma standards of the KRISS, Republic of Korea, and the BIPM in mammography x-rays
Authors: Kessler C , Burns D , Roger P , Yi Chul-Young , Kim Yun Ho
Published: November 2022

Main text

A first key comparison has been made between the air-kerma standards of the KRISS, Republic of Korea, and the BIPM in mammography x-ray beams. The results show the standards to be in agreement at the level of the expanded uncertainty for the comparison of 4.4 parts in 103. The results are analysed and presented in terms of degrees of equivalence, suitable for entry in the BIPM key comparison database.

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
APMP.M.H-S6 final report of the supplementary comparison of Vickers hardness
Authors: Pakkratoke Montree , Sasom Nitiwat , Hattori Koichiro , Tak Nae Hyung , Wu Chung-Lin , Bin Jarbua Sami A , Al Ayden Mohammed , Al Anazi Abdulrahman
Published: November 2022

Main text

This report purposed the results of supplementary comparison of Vickers hardness, APMP.M.H-S6, among five National Metrology Institutes (NIMT, NMIJ/AIST, KRISS, CMS/ITRI and SASO-NMCC). The comparison was carried out during November 2015 to January 2019 in order to determine the capability of the primary Vickers hardness standard, including standard conditions of each participant, to confirm the accuracy of Vickers hardness scale HV5, HV10, HV20, HV30, HV50 and HV100 measurement declared by each participant, which includes the effect of each participant's primary indenter, and determine the degrees of equivalence of hardness scale measurement in the range 100HV to 900HV. The pilot institute was the National Institute of Metrology (Thailand), NIMT. There were 2 different types of artifacts for the comparison. The first and second set were the set of Vickers hardness comparison: hardness measurement. The third set is a set of diagonal length comparison: diagonal length measurement.

The measurement results of each participant were used to compute the degree of equivalence in comparison reference value (CRV) and the uncertainty of this deviation at a 95% level of confidence. The En parameter was calculated to express the equivalence between the measurements of participants as well.

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
International comparison CCQM-K118 natural gas
Authors: Veen Adriaan M H van der , Zalewska Ewelina T , Kipphardt Heinrich , Beelen Roel R , Tuma Dirk , Maiwald Michael , Fükő Judit , Büki Tamás , Nagyné Szilágyi Zsófia , Beránek Jan , Cieciora Dariusz , Ochman Grzegorz , Kolasiński Piotr , Garnuszek Magdalena , Lis Anna , Kang Namgoo , Bae Hyun-Kil , Moon Dong-Min , Lee Sangil , Wu Hai , Ma Haomiao , Han Qiao , Smeulders Damian E , McCallum John B , Satumba Raymond , Shimosaka Takuya , Watanabe Takuro , Matsumoto Nobuhiro , Tshilongo James , Mogale David Mphara , Jozela Mudalo , Culleton Lucy P , Morris Abigail , Shah Nirav , Murugan Arul , Brewer Paul J , Brown Richard J C , Val'ková Miroslava , Tarhan Tanıl , Engin Erinç , Konopelko L A , Kustikov Yu A , Kolobova A V , Pankratov V V , Popova T A , Meshkov A V , Efremova O V
Published: November 2022

Main text

CCQM-K118 was an international key comparison on natural gas composition with two types of gases, i.e., a low calorific hydrogen-enriched natural gas and a high calorific LNG type of gas. There were 14 participating laboratories. The traveling standards (i.e., 14 mixtures each) were obtained from an external source and checked for homogeneity and stability before and after the participants' measurements at the two coordinating laboratories. The data evaluation was performed using a consensus value and a laboratory effect model. The results of the participants were benchmarked against a key comparison reference value computed from the largest consistent subset (LCS) of the submitted results, adjusted for the differences between the travelling standards. For the first time in a key comparison in gas analysis, the model included a term to account for excess variability in the LCS. Most of the participants reported one or a few (slightly) discrepant results. Partly this is due to the heterogeneity and heteroscedasticity of the datasets. In all, the results in this key comparison demonstrate the good comparability of the national measurement standards for natural gas composition maintained by the participating NMIs.

Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Experimental feasibility of xenon-enhanced dual-energy radiography for imaging of lung function
Authors: Basharat Fateen , Tanguay Jesse
Published: November 2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. We experimentally investigated the feasibility of two-dimensional xenon-enhanced dual-energy (XeDE) radiography for imaging of lung function. We optimized image quality under quantum-noise-limited conditions using a chest phantom consisting of a rectangular chamber representing the thoracic volume and PMMA slabs simulating x-ray attenuation by soft tissue. A sealed, air-filled cavity with thin PMMA walls was positioned inside the chamber to simulate a 2 cm thick ventilation defect. The chamber was ventilated with xenon and dual-energy imaging was performed using a diagnostic x-ray tube and a flat-panel detector. The contrast-to-noise ratio of ventilation defects normalized by patient x-ray exposure maximized at a kV-pair of approximately 60/140-kV and when approximately one third of the total exposure was allocated to the HE image. We used the optimized technique to image a second phantom that contained lung-parenchyma-mimicking PMMA clutter, rib-mimicking aluminum slats and an insert that simulated ventilation defects with thicknesses ranging from 0.5 cm to 2 cm and diameters ranging from 1 cm to 2 cm. From the resulting images we computed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the non-prewhitening model observer with an eye filter and internal noise. For a xenon concentration of 75%, good AUCs (i.e. 0.8–0.9) to excellent AUCs (i.e. >0.9) were obtained when the defect diameter is greater than 1.3 cm and defect thickness is 1 cm. When the xenon concentration was reduced to 50%, the AUC was ∼0.9 for defects 1.2 cm in diameter and ∼1.5 cm in thickness. Two-dimensional XeDE radiography may therefore enable detection of functional abnormalities associated with early-stage COPD, for which xenon ventilation defects can occupy up to 20% of the lung volume, and should be further developed as a low-cost alternative to MRI-based approaches and a low-dose alternative to CT-based approaches.
Low-temperature in situ deposited CuI-based hole-transporter for perovskite solar cells efficiency enhancement
Authors: Li Hang , Fu Chao , Shi Lei , Li Chaorong , Pan Jiaqi , Zhang Wenjun
Published: November 2022

CuI hole transporter-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are prepared via a low-temperature in situ deposition method. As demonstrated, the results of x-ray diffraction indicate that the CuI hole-transporter has been fabricated successfully and obtained a better stability, and this can be supported by corresponding scanning electron microscopy, including the dense surface and clear cross section. Furthermore, a maximum incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) of ∼16.78% is obtained at the CuI-based PSC cell with 2nd time deposition, which can be mainly attributed to the fact that, with the fewer defects in the high-quality interface and matched potential structure for promoting carrier interface immigration/diffusion, the CuI-based hole-transporter exhibits decent hole-extraction to make photo-generated electron/holes have a matched mobility. The remaining PbI2, with a better passivation, can inhibit carrier recombination, and both can improve the IPCE efficiently. Therefore, this lower cost and easily controlled technique is suitable for large-scale solar cells.
Low clock skew superconductor adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron logic circuits based on grid-distributed blocks
Authors: He Yuxing , Ayala Christopher L , Zeng Yu , Zou Xihua , Yan Lianshan , Pan Wei , Yoshikawa Nobuyuki
Published: November 2022

Adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron (AQFP) is a promising superconductor logic family exhibiting extremely low switching energy. Traditional excitation of AQFP circuits depends on a pair of ac sources (i.e., four-phase clocking), whose currents are propagated throughout the chip to excite and clock each gate sequentially. This scheme, however, produces a considerably large clock skew due to the long propagation of the current pair and will heavily limit the scalability of an AQFP circuit. In this work, a global clocking scheme for low skew AQFP circuits is proposed based on microwave H-tree excitation networks and grid-distributed blocks. The H-tree network starts with a single transmission line (TL) but is exponentially split to several levels of TLs by using passive splitters, creating multiple leaves at the final level. A large-scale AQFP circuit can thus be distributed into several local blocks and clocked synchronously by the split currents from these leaves. Therefore, the accumulation of clock skew is limited to a small value only within each local block. For validation, a test circuit comprising four blocks with data interconnections between each other, and a 1-to-4 H-tree excitation network is demonstrated, where we obtain correct operation and wide excitation margins at gigahertz frequencies. The proposed clocking scheme is advantageous for the realization of very large-scale adiabatic superconductor logic circuits in the future.
Effects of field distribution on the tunneling time of ultracold atoms through high-quality cavities
Authors: Badshah Fazal , Zhou Yuan , Basit Abdul , Ullah Zia , Li Xin-Ke , He Qing , Huang Haibo
Published: November 2022

We explore the traversal essence of the ultracold atoms propagating through high-quality cavities in vacuum, Fock state and coherent field distribution. The atom-field interaction is considered for a two-photon resonance process which transforms into a scattering-like venture with non-zero reflection/transmission probabilities. Here the field statistics strongly effects the interaction process and hence the tunneling time of the incident atoms through the cavity. We examine the propagation of the wave packet peaks associated with the atoms and referred it as the phase time of tunneling. It is found that for suitable field distributions, demeanor of the tunneling time might be smartly transposed from sub- to the super-classical nature. Further, extent and site of the sub- and superclassical peaks on the energy axis can be vigorously managed via the field intensity of the mazer cavity. Moreover, the mazer action (scattering like behavior) can be accomplished even for thermal atoms while using somewhat higher intensities of the field.
Formalism of rotating-wave approximation in high-spin system with quadrupole interaction
Authors: Ding Wen-Kui , Wang Xiao-Guang
Published: November 2022

We investigate the rotating wave approximation applied in the high-spin quantum system driven by a linearly polarized alternating magnetic field in the presence of quadrupole interactions. The conventional way to apply the rotating wave approximation in a driven high-spin system is to assume the dynamics being restricted in the reduced Hilbert space. However, when the driving strength is relatively strong or the driving is off resonant, the leakage from the target resonance subspace cannot be neglected for a multi-level quantum system. We propose the correct formalism to apply the rotating wave approximation in the full Hilbert space by taking this leakage into account. By estimating the operator fidelity of the time propagator, our formalism applied in the full Hilbert space unambiguously manifests great advantages over the conventional method applied in the reduced Hilbert space.
Crystal and electronic structure of a quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor Mg3Si2Te6
Authors: Huang Chaoxin , Cheng Benyuan , Zhang Yunwei , Jiang Long , Li Lisi , Huo Mengwu , Liu Hui , Huang Xing , Liang Feixiang , Chen Lan , Sun Hualei , Wang Meng
Published: November 2022

We report the synthesis and characterization of a Si-based ternary semiconductor Mg3Si2Te6, which exhibits a quasi-two-dimensional structure, where the trigonal Mg2Si2Te6 layers are separated by Mg ions. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the electronic structure. The experimentally determined direct band gap is 1.39 eV, consistent with the value of the density function theory calculations. Our results reveal that Mg3Si2Te6 is a direct gap semiconductor, which is a potential candidate for near-infrared optoelectronic devices.
Unified entropy entanglement with tighter constraints on multipartite systems
Authors: Sun Qi , Li Tao , Jin Zhi-Xiang , Liang Deng-Feng
Published: November 2022

Monogamy and polygamy relations characterize the distributions of entanglement in multipartite systems. We provide a characterization of multiqubit entanglement constraints in terms of unified-(q, s) entropy. A class of tighter monogamy inequalities of multiqubit entanglement based on the α-th power of unified-(q, s) entanglement for α ≥ 1 and a class of polygamy inequalities in terms of the β-th power of unified-(q, s) entanglement of assistance are established in this paper. Our results present a general class of the monogamy and polygamy relations for bipartite entanglement measures based on unified-(q, s) entropy, which are tighter than the existing ones. What is more, some usual monogamy and polygamy relations, such as monogamy and polygamy relations based on entanglement of formation, Renyi-q entanglement of assistance and Tsallis-q entanglement of assistance, can be obtained from these results by choosing appropriate parameters (q, s) in unified-(q, s) entropy entanglement. Typical examples are also presented for illustration.
Seeing measurements at OAUNI on 2016 and 2017 campaigns
Authors: Pereyra A , Tello J , Zevallos M
Published: November 2022

We present seeing measurements at OAUNI site gathered on 2016 and 2017 campaigns using V and R broadband filters. In order to quantify the seeing we used the full-width-at-half-maximum from stellar profiles on photometric sequences during the observational windows of our supernovae program. A typical median seeing of

1

″

.
8

was found on 2016 and a worst value of

2

″

.
0

on 2017. The last one was probably affected by anomalous conditions related to the 2017 extreme climatic event. The monthly first quartile analysis indicates that best seeing conditions can be achieved at a level of

1

″

.
5

. In general, our results indicate a reasonable sky quality for the OAUNI site.
Influence of the anisotropy and the DMI constant on the magnetic skyrmions in elliptical and rectangular-shaped nanomagnets
Authors: Alegre J W , Costilla J I , Talledo A , Pujada B R
Published: November 2022

Micromagnetic simulations have been used to study the influence of the anisotropy (K
U
) and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) constant on the stability and size of magnetic skyrmions in elliptical and rectangular-shaped nanostructures, in order to understand the role of the geometry on magnetic skyrmions. In order to compare the changes in the internal magnetic states for the elliptical and rectangular nanostructures, the lengths of the major and minor sides and axes of the rectangle and ellipse, respectively, are considered equal in values. For both types of geometries, micromagnetic simulations clearly demonstrate the influence of the K
U
and DMI constant on the stability and size of magnetic skyrmions. A plot of K
U
versus DMI for the range of 1.10 to 1.40 MJ/m3 and 0 to 6.0 mJ/m2, respectively, shows that the elliptical nanomagnets have a higher range of K
U
and DMI values to stabilize the skyrmions. It is also observed that for K
U
and DMI values of 1.30 MJ/m3 and 2.0 mJ/m2, respectively, the diameter of the skyrmions increases with the minor to the major length of the ellipse. These results have been explained in terms of the interplay between the different energies and the geometry of the nanostructure.
Study of the optical properties of BiFeO3 under different heat treatment temperatures
Authors: Ayala Z B , Peñalva J J , Eyzaguirre C R , Loro H , Lazo A , Hernández y J M
Published: November 2022

It is known that the optical absorption property of a material is linked to its crystal structure. Therefore, it can be modified or displaced when the material is subjected to thermal treatments, generating displacements of the unit cell, atomic positions and bond angles of its atoms. In this work, the analysis of three samples of BiFeO3 powders subjected to different heat treatment temperatures was carried out to study their optical properties by analyzing the crystal structure, diffuse reflectance, Raman scattering spectroscopy, density of state and band structure. In the results, the pure phase and the hexagonal structure of the samples were identified, showing an increase in the angles between the Fe-O-Fe atoms when the material is thermally treated. The band gap (Egexperimental) of the BiFeO3 samples without and with treatment temperature showed direct and indirect transitions according to the Tauc equation, these values were 2.36, 2.11 and 2.19 eV for direct band gaps and 2.10, 1.58 and 1.85 eV for indirect band gaps. In the Raman scattering spectroscopy analysis, overtones were observed in the samples when a green laser with a wavelength of 532nm (2.33 eV) was applied. In the density of states, the maximum valence band formed by the O(2p) state and the minimum of the conduction band formed by the hybridization of the Fe(3d) and O(2p) states were identified. In the electronic band structure, indirect band gap values (Egtheoretical) of 2.274, 2.216 (500 °C) and 2.217 eV (600 °C) were found for the samples without and with heat treatment. It is concluded that BiFeO3 absorbs visible light and that its band gap can decrease by increasing the bond angle of Fe-O-Fe atoms when the sample is subjected to heat treatment. These results demonstrate the semiconductor property of BiFeO3 and can be applied to solar cells, batteries, hydrogen production, among other applications.
Measurements and calculations of gas gains in methane-based TEG mixtures
Authors: Kowalski T. , Şahin Ö.
Published: November 2022

The gas gains in the methane-based tissue equivalent gas (TEG) mixture (64.4% CH4 + 32.5% CO2 + 3.1% N2) were measured in single wire proportional counters and calculated with Magboltz simulation program for various mixture pressures. The calculated gain values were always greater than the measured ones for all pressures. The source of the discrepancies was investigated in terms of dissociation of the molecules and non-equilibrium conditions. The impacts of both energy loss mechanisms on gas gain rise as the mixture pressure decreases.
ZnO nanoparticle modified chitosan/borosilicate bioglass composite scaffold for inhibiting bacterial infection and promoting bone regeneration
Authors: Qiu Dewei , Zhou Ping , Kang Jiawei , Chen Zhijun , Xu Zhiyong , Yang Hanwen , Tao Jun , Ai Fanrong
Published: November 2022

The treatment of implant-associated bone infection remains a significant clinical challenge. However, bone scaffolds with antimicrobial activity and osteoinductive properties can prevent these infections and improve clinical outcomes. In this study, borosilicate bioglass and chitosan composite scaffolds were prepared, and then the surface was modified with nano-zinc oxide. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the chitosan/borosilicate bioglass scaffolds have good degradation and osteogenic properties, while the oxidized Zinc scaffolds have better antibacterial properties.
Tracking a blue wave of ephemeral water across arid southern Africa
Authors: Schaffer-Smith Danica , Swift Margaret , Killea Allison , Brennan Angela , Naidoo Robin , Swenson Jennifer J
Published: November 2022

Surface water in arid regions is essential to many organisms including large mammals of conservation concern. For many regions little is known about the extent, ecology and hydrology of ephemeral waters, because they are challenging to map given their ephemeral nature and small sizes. Our goal was to advance surface water knowledge by mapping and monitoring ephemeral water from the wet to dry seasons across the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area of southern Africa (300 000 km2). We mapped individual waterholes for six time points each year from mid-2017 to mid-2020, and described their presence, extent, duration, variability, and recurrence. We further analyzed a wide range of physical and landscape aspects of waterhole locations, including soils, geology, and topography, to climate and soil moisture. We identified 2.1 million previously unmapped ephemeral waterholes (85%–89% accuracy) that seasonally extend across 23.5% of the study area. We confirmed a distinct ‘blue wave’ with ephemeral water across the region peaking at the end of the rainy season. We observed a wide range of waterhole types and sizes, with large variances in seasonal and interannual hydrology. We found that ephemeral surface water was associated with loam soils in the study area. From the wettest time period to the driest, there was a ∼44 000 km2 (62%) decrease in ephemeral water extent across the region—these dramatic seasonal fluctuations have implications for wildlife movement. A warmer and drier climate, expected human population growth, and associated agricultural expansion and development may threaten these sensitive and highly variable water resources and the wildlife that depend on them.
Soil physicochemical properties determine leaf traits but not size traits of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)
Authors: Guo Wen , Cherubini Paolo , Zhang Jian , Hu Xuan , Li Mai-He , Qi Lianghua
Published: November 2022

Understanding the relationships among leaf and size traits and environment factors is essential for understanding and predicting the dynamics and ecophysiological processes of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forests across their distribution range. Here, we evaluated these relationships at six sites within the moso bamboo distribution area in China. Specifically, we collected climate (mean annual temperature and precipitation) and soil physicochemical data from the sites, and we measured 14 leaf traits and 2 size traits (height and diameter) of both new and old moso bamboos and evaluated the relationship among environment factors, size traits and leaf traits. Climate factors had significant effects on the leaf traits of new bamboos but on those of old bamboos. For instance, mean annual precipitation (MAP) was the main driver of leaf-trait variation in new bamboos but not in old bamboos. Specifically, MAP was significantly negatively correlated with leaf mass (LM), leaf dry matter content, single leaf area (LA), and leaf width, but positively correlated with specific leaf area and the leaf length to width ratio. Moreover, potential evapotranspiration and solar radiation (SR) significantly affected the leaf nutrient traits of new bamboos. Mean annual temperature and actual evapotranspiration were significantly positively correlated with bamboo height. Bamboo diameter at breast height (DBH) had more explanatory power with respect to leaf traits than plant height, and LA, leaf length and width, and LM all decreased with increasing DBH in new bamboos. A structural equation model showed that soil physicochemical traits significantly affected leaf traits, but not size traits, of new bamboos. Overall, our study indicated an age-dependent response of bamboo leaf traits to environmental factors, although bamboos do not have secondary growth. These results suggest that future environmental changes, including climate change, will lead to age-related responses of bamboo leaf traits, which may further result in changes in stand structure and productivity of moso bamboo forests.
Installation of click-type functional groups enable the creation of an additive manufactured construct for the osteochondral interface
Authors: Beeren Ivo A O , Dijkstra Pieter J , Lourenço Ana Filipa H , Sinha Ravi , Gomes David B , Liu Hong , Bouvy Nicole , Baker Matthew B , Camarero-Espinosa Sandra , Moroni Lorenzo
Published: November 2022

Melt extrusion-based additive manufacturing (AM) is often used to fabricate scaffolds for osteochondral (OC) regeneration. However, there are two shortcomings associated with this scaffold manufacturing technique for engineering of tissue interfaces: (a) most polymers used in the processing are bioinert, and (b) AM scaffolds often contain discrete (material) gradients accompanied with mechanically weak interfaces. The inability to mimic the gradual transition from cartilage to bone in OC tissue leads to poor scaffold performance and even failure. We hypothesized that introducing peptide gradients on the surface could gradually guide human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) differentiation, from a chondrogenic towards on osteogenic phenotype. To work towards this goal, we initially manufactured poly(ϵ-caprolactone)-azide (PCLA) and PCL-maleimide (PCLM) scaffolds. The surface exposed click-type functional groups, with a surface concentration in the 102pmol cm−2 regime, were used to introduce bone morphogenic protein-2 or transforming growth factor-beta binding peptide sequences to drive hMSC differentiation towards osteogenic or chondrogenic phenotypes, respectively. After 3 weeks of culture in chondrogenic medium, we observed differentiation towards hypertrophic chondrogenic phenotypes with expression of characteristic markers such as collagen X. In osteogenic medium, we observed the upregulation of mineralization markers. In basic media, the chondro-peptide displayed a minor effect on chondrogenesis, whereas the osteo-peptide did not affect osteogenesis. In a subcutaneous rat model, we observed a minimal foreign body response to the constructs, indicating biocompatibility. As proof-of-concept, we finally used a novel AM technology to showcase its potential to create continuous polymer gradients (PCLA and PCLM) across scaffolds. These scaffolds did not display delamination and were mechanically stronger compared to discrete gradient scaffolds. Due to the versatility of the orthogonal chemistry applied, this approach provides a general strategy for the field; we could anchor other tissue specific cues on the clickable groups, making these gradient scaffolds interesting for multiple interfacial tissue applications.
A new practical framework for the stability analysis of perturbed saddle-point problems and applications
Authors: Hong Qingguo , Kraus Johannes , Lymbery Maria , Philo Fadi
Published: November 2022

In this paper we prove a new abstract stability result for perturbed saddle-point problems based on a norm fitting technique. We derive the stability condition according to Babuška’s theory from a small inf-sup condition, similar to the famous Ladyzhenskaya-Babuška-Brezzi (LBB) condition, and the other standard assumptions in Brezzi’s theory, in a combined abstract norm. The construction suggests to form the latter from individualfittednorms that are composed from proper seminorms.

This abstract framework not only allows for simpler (shorter) proofs of many stability results but also guides the design of parameter-robust norm-equivalent preconditioners. These benefits are demonstrated on mixed variational formulations of generalized Poisson, Stokes, vector Laplace and Biot’s equations.
Changes in Population Health-Related Behaviors During a COVID-19 Surge: A Natural Experiment
Authors: Delgado-Ortiz Laura , Carsin Anne-Elie , Merino Jordi , Cobo Inés , Koch Sarah , Goldberg Ximena , Chevance Guillaume , Bosch de Basea Magda , Castaño-Vinyals Gemma , Espinosa Ana , Carreras Anna , Cortes Martínez Beatriz , Straif Kurt , de Cid Rafael , Kogevinas Manolis , Garcia-Aymerich Judith
Published: November 2022

Background

The study of impact of lockdowns on individual health-related behaviors has produced divergent results.

Purpose

To identify patterns of change in multiple health-related behaviors analyzed as a whole, and their individual determinants.

Methods

Between March and August 2020, we collected data on smoking, alcohol, physical activity, weight, and sleep in a population-based cohort from Catalonia who had available pre-pandemic data. We performed multiple correspondence and cluster analyses to identify patterns of change in health-related behaviors and built multivariable multinomial logistic regressions to identify determinants of behavioral change.

Results

In 10,032 participants (59% female, mean (SD) age 55 (8) years), 8,606 individuals (86%) modified their behavior during the lockdown. We identified five patterns of behavioral change that were heterogeneous and directed both towards worsening and improvement in diverse combinations. Patterns ranged from “global worsening” (2,063 participants, 21%) characterized by increases in smoking, alcohol consumption, and weight, and decreases in physical activity levels and sleep time, to “improvement” (2,548 participants, 25%) characterized by increases in physical activity levels, decreases in weight and alcohol consumption, and both increases and decreases in sleep time. Being female, of older age, teleworking, having a higher education level, assuming caregiving responsibilities, and being more exposed to pandemic news were associated with changing behavior (all p < .05), but did not discriminate between favorable or unfavorable changes.

Conclusions

Most of the population experienced changes in health-related behavior during lockdowns. Determinants of behavior modification were not explicitly associated with the direction of changes but allowed the identification of older, teleworking, and highly educated women who assumed caregiving responsibilities at home as susceptible population groups more vulnerable to lockdowns.
The Test of Visuospatial Construction: A Novel Test of Non-motoric Visuoconstruction
Authors: McDermott Adam T , Frazier Rebecca L , Stewart Peter V
Published: November 2022

Objective

The Test of Visuospatial Construction (TVSC) was designed as an easily administered measure of non-motor visuoconstruction, though only preliminary data exists regarding the clinical utility of this task. The current study examined the diagnostic accuracy of the TVSC by comparing performance between healthy subjects and various clinical groups. The authors also wanted to determine whether previous findings could be replicated regarding its effectiveness at tracking cognitive decline.

Method

Archival data collected over a period of more than 10 years were utilized and the overall sample consisted of 955 individuals, 372 healthy subjects, and 583 subjects who were categorized into various clinical groups. Only TVSC test data and demographic variables were utilized for statistical analyses in this study.

Results

The control group obtained significantly higher scores on the TVSC than the clinical groups. AUC values were indicative of excellent discrimination between cases and controls. Exploratory ROC curve analyses suggested adequate to excellent discrimination between the control group and the individual clinical groups as well as between the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subgroups and the two dementia groups.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that the TVSC can effectively differentiate between healthy subjects and neurologically compromised individuals. Additionally, the TVSC may be able to measure the progressive decline in visuoconstructive abilities that occurs as patients traverse the spectrum of MCI and dementia.