bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Five-Year Prospective Study on Implant Failure and Marginal Bone Remodeling Expected Using Bone Level Implants with Sandblasted/Acid-Etched Surface and Conical Connection
Authors: Tallarico Marco , Lumbau Aurea Maria Immacolata , Meloni Silvio Mario , Ieria Irene , Park Chang-Joo , Zadrożny Lukasz , Xhanari Erta , Pisano Milena
Published: January 2022

Objective The purpose of the present prospective, case-series study was to report implant survival rate and marginal bone remodeling expected 5 years after loading using dental implants placed in daily practice.

Materials and Methods This research was designed as an open-cohort, prospective, case-series evaluation. Any partially or completely edentulous patient, scheduled to receive at least one bone level implant, was considered eligible for this study. Primary outcome measurements were: implant and prosthetic cumulative survival rate and any complications experienced up to the 5-year follow-up. Secondary outcome measures were: thickness of gingival biotype, implant insertion torque, implant stability quotient, and marginal bone loss (MBL).

Results Ninety consecutive patients (34 males and 56 females, aged between 24 and 81 years old [mean: 53.2 ± 15.4]) with 243 inserted implants were followed for at least 5 years after loading (mean: 65.4 ± 3.1 months; range from 60 to 72). At the 1-year follow-up, no drop-outs were recorded, but 17 patients (18.9%) with 18 restorations (12.6%) delivered on 34 implants (14%) were lost at the 5-year examination. At the 5-year follow-up examination, six implants lost osseointegration (97.5%). In the same period, four prostheses failed (97.2%). Five complications were reported in five different patients (prosthetic success rate was 96.5%, at patient level). Five years after loading, the mean MBL was 0.41 ± 0.30 mm. The difference from the 1-year data was 0.04 ± 0.19 mm. A statistically significant higher MBL was found for smokers, and patients with thin gingival biotype. The mean implant insertion torque was 42.9 ± 4.8 Ncm (range from 15 to 45 Ncm). Two-hundred and three implants (83.5%) were inserted with an insertion torque ≥35 and ≤45 Ncm.

Conclusions High implant survival and success rate could be expected with stable marginal bone remodeling up to 5 years after loading. Smoking and thin tissue biotype were the most important variabilities associated with higher MBL. Further research studies are needed to confirm these results.
Clinical Significance of Vascular Occlusive Events following Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: An Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Fletcher-Sandersjöö Alexander , Tatter Charles , Tjerkaski Jonathan , Bartek Jr Jiri , Svensson Mikael , Thelin Eric Peter , Bellander Bo-Michael
Published: January 2022

Preventing hemorrhage progression is a potential therapeutic opportunity in traumatic brain injury (TBI) management, but its use has been limited by fear of provoking vascular occlusive events (VOEs). However, it is currently unclear whether VOE actually affects outcome in these patients. The aim of this study was to determine incidence, risk factors, and clinical significance of VOE in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI. A retrospective observational cohort study of adults (≥15 years) with moderate-to-severe TBI was performed. The presence of a VOE during hospitalization was noted from hospital charts and radiological reports. Functional outcome, using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), was assessed at 12 months posttrauma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used for endpoint assessment. In total, 848 patients were included, with a median admission Glasgow Coma Scale of 7. A VOE was detected in 54 (6.4%) patients, of which cerebral venous thrombosis was the most common (3.2%), followed by pulmonary embolism (1.7%) and deep vein thrombosis (1.3%). Length of ICU stay (p < 0.001), body weight (p = 0.002), and skull fracture (p = 0.004) were independent predictors of VOE. VOE development did not significantly impact 12-month GOS, even after adjusting for potential confounders using propensity score matching. In conclusion, VOE in moderate-to-severe TBI patients was relatively uncommon, and did not affect 12-month GOS. This suggests that the potential benefit of treating bleeding progression might outweigh the risks of VOE.
Recurrent Isolated Sixth Nerve Palsy in Childhood—Review on a Rare Phenomenon
Authors: Kingma Sandra D. K. , Ceulemans Berten
Published: January 2022

Sixth nerve palsy is an ominous sign in pediatric neurology. Due to the long and tortuous course of the sixth (abducens) nerve, it is generally considered a sign of intracranial pathology. Sixth nerve palsy is associated with increased intracranial pressure and neoplasms, among other less frequent causes. In ∼5 to 15% of cases, no cause can be identified. These cases are classified as idiopathic or “benign” and recovery is typically complete. A recurrence of symptoms is very rare. We provide a rare case report of recurrent benign sixth nerve palsy in a 5-year-old child. In addition, we provide an overview of all earlier published cases of recurrent isolated sixth nerve palsy. To date, only 72 pediatric patients with recurrent isolated sixth nerve palsy have been reported. Young females with left-sided sixth nerve palsy and recent immunization are at risk of recurrence. Pathophysiological mechanisms have been discussed, but have yet to be clarified. Recurrent isolated sixth nerve palsy is only rarely associated with severe causes and the need for extensive investigation may be questioned.
Analysis of Serum Cholesterol, Statins and Atherosclerotic Plaque in Ruptured and Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm
Authors: Pipek Leonardo Zumerkorn , Rabelo Nícollas Nunes , Pipek Henrique Zumerkorn , Telles Joao Paulo Mota , Barbat Natalia Camargo , Coelho Antônio Carlos Samaia da Silva , Yoshikawa Marcia Harumy , Barbosa Guilherme Bitencourt , Teixeira Manoel Jacobsen , Figueiredo Eberval Gadelha
Published: January 2022

Introduction Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a major healthcare concern. The use of statin to reduce serum cholesterol has shown evidence to reduce cardiovascular risk in various diseases, but the impact on IA has not been described. This study aims to determine whether statin use, and serum cholesterol levels interfere with outcomes after IA event.

Methods A cohort of patients with IA was analyzed. Patients social and demographics data were collected. Modified Rankin scale (mRS) score after 6 months of follow-up was the endpoint. The data regarding statins use, presence or not of atherosclerotic plaque in radiological images and serum cholesterol of 35 patients were included in our study. Linear regression models were used to determine the influence of those 6 variables in the clinical outcome.

Results The prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque, high cholesterol and use of statins was 34.3%, 48.5%, and 14.2%, respectively. Statins and serum cholesterol did not impact the overall outcome, measured by mRS after 6 months (p > 0.05), but did show different tendencies when separated by IA rupture status. Serum cholesterol shows an important association with rupture of aneurysm (p = 0.0382). High cholesterol and use of statins show a tendency for worse outcome with ruptured aneurysm, and the opposite is true for unruptured aneurysm. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques was not related with worse outcomes.

Conclusions Multiple and opposite mechanisms might be involved in the pathophysiology of IA. Ruptured aneurysms are associated with higher levels of serum cholesterol. Serum cholesterol and statins use were not correlated with worse outcomes, but further studies are important to clarify these relationships.
Constructing a teaching capability maturity model for content and language integrated learning teachers in Taiwan
Authors: Luo Wen-Hsing , Chen Yin-Che
Published: January 2022

The national policy of bilingual education will inevitably entail a demand for content and language integrated learning (CLIL) teachers. Consequently, feasible and sustainable CLIL teacher education in Taiwan will be required. This study explored a teaching capability maturity model for CLIL teachers based on the level of maturity of teachers’ teaching capabilities. The modified Delphi method and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process were used. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 33 interdisciplinary professional CLIL teachers. The three most important levels in the model were the basic course management, advanced course management and implementation, and initial levels. Implications of the results are discussed and suggestions for CLIL teacher education are proposed, such as emphasising the development of course management capabilities and providing teachers with practical experience in teaching content subjects.
Speak, memory: the postphenomenological analysis of memory-making in the age of algorithmically powered social networks
Authors: Kudina Olya
Published: January 2022

This paper explores the productive role that social network platforms such as Facebook, play in the practice of memory-making. While such platforms facilitate interaction across distance and time, they also solidify human self-expression and memory-making by systematically confronting the users with their digital past. By relying on the framework of postphenomenology, the analysis will scrutinize the mediating role of the Memories feature of Facebook, powered by recurring algorithmic scheduling and devoid of meaningful context. More specifically, it will show how this technological infrastructure mediates the concepts of memory, control and space, evoking a specific interpretation of the values of time, remembering and forgetting. As such, apart from preserving memories, Facebook appears as their co-producer, guiding the users in determining the criteria for remembering and forgetting. The paper finishes with suggestions on how to critically appropriate the memory-making features of social network platforms that would both enable their informed use and account for their mediating role in co-shaping good memories.
Mapping and assessing sexual and reproductive health policy changes over time in Colombia: measuring their impact on pregnancy terminations
Authors: Nazif-Munoz José Ignacio , Chabot Rose
Published: January 2022

Sexual and reproductive health and rights policies (SRHRPs) and their association with reproductive and non-reproductive behavior require precise theoretical and methodological frames. By studying the case of Colombia, we move forward with a comprehensive framework that considers simultaneously multiple SRHRP conceptualizations and their impacts over time on induced pregnancy terminations (IPT). With a mixed-method approach, we first map the evolution of SRHRPs and then analyze their direct and indirect effects on IPTs, using the provision of contraceptive methods by the government, female use of contraceptive methods, and conversations with health professionals in a mediation approach. We build a unique data set from more than 2100 policy documents, and then use data on 81,760 women (20–40 years) from four waves (2000–2015) of Colombia’s Demographic and Health Surveys. We find that SRHRPs are directly associated with an 18% reduction in reported IPTs. Associations between these variables are explained by the increased use of modern contraceptive methods (6%), and the government’s provision of those contraceptive methods (13%). Studies interested in the impact of SRHRPs need to consider not only the direct effects of legal changes on abortion outcomes but also show changes over time may operate through different sub-programs embedded in these policies, such as access to contraceptive methods and family planning. This will add further nuances to how SRHRPs are both multilayered and implemented.
The production of social science research in Nigeria: status and systemic determinants
Authors: Egbetokun Abiodun , Olofinyehun Adedayo , Sanni Maruf , Ayo-Lawal Aderonke , Oluwatope Omolayo , Yusuff Utieyineshola
Published: January 2022

Nigeria has a very large research system, with nearly 200 universities that employed more than 60,000 academic staff at the end of 2019. The country is also one of Africa’s largest producers of scientific research across all disciplines, surpassed only by South Africa and Egypt. In the social sciences, in particular, Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest producer of published research, after South Africa. However, the country’s social science research (SSR) production does not match the size of its SSR system. Using mixed methods, we come up with two important reasons for this: (i) research inputs are low, mainly because research is poorly funded and researchers devote too little time to research as a result of poor organisational climate, and (ii) the research support system is weak. No single institution currently has a clear mandate to centrally coordinate SSR in Nigeria. Consequently, research efforts are often duplicated and the limited research resources are spread too thin. Moreover, logistical support for research is missing or inefficient in most organisations. Therefore, improving research productivity in the country would require much stronger research coordination and wide-ranging improvements in the research climate.
The sanctity of goddesses: an insight into the worship of Bà Tổ Cô in Northern Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Dinh Lam , Nguyen Ky Nam , Phan Quang Anh
Published: January 2022

In Vietnam, a country where religious expression is widespread, many gods and goddesses are commonly worshipped. Among those, Bà Tổ Cô (Family Goddess) is widely worshipped in the North of Vietnam due to her exceptional background as unmarried, young, and having spiritual roots, unlike other national and heroic figures. This article examines the sanctity of the Family Goddess by decoding the terms, worshippers, beliefs and practices, sacred encounters and supports. The research is a final result of decade-long field trips, archival study, and in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. The research findings show that the veneration of the Family Goddess in Northern Vietnam is a continuity of a long-standing tradition of worshipping female deities in Asia and thus emphasising the need to maintain this unique intangible heritage as a crucial part of Vietnamese cultural diversity.
Assessment practices in Saudi higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Almossa Samar Yakoob , Alzahrani Sahar Matar
Published: January 2022

This study determines the assessment practices used by teaching staff in Saudi universities, explores how these assessment practices have changed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and investigates how teaching staffs’ priorities and preferences for education on assessment during the pandemic were shaped. To support professional development, the study also aims to raise teaching staffs’ awareness of assessment practices. Teaching staff in Saudi universities were invited to complete the Approaches to Classroom Inventory survey. The results showed that the most highly endorsed practices included giving feedback, linking assessments to learning objectives and learning outcomes, using scoring guides, and monitoring and revising assessment approaches. The least endorsed practices included mapping summative assessment to curriculum expectations, responding to the cultural and linguistic diversity of students, and accommodating students with special needs/exceptionalities in assessments. Further, during the pandemic, formative assessments were rarely used. Although faculty members from various colleges and fields of specialty showed similar patterns in endorsing assessment practices, they differed in their preferences and needs for assessment education.
Study on surface conductivity distribution of pollution layer during the propagation of local arc on the wet polluted insulation surface
Authors: Yang Hao , Cao Wen , Wen Ran , Wang Yang , Shen Wei , Zhang Lu
Published: January 2022

The surface conductivity of the pollution layer plays a pivotal role in the investigation of flashover voltage and the propagating mechanism of the local arc. In order to study the characteristics of the pollution layer, an experimental system is designed in this paper. Ferric chloride is employed as the color indicator for demonstrating the dry state distribution of the pollution layer. Thus, the surface conductivity is calculated by analyzing the red–green–blue value of the pollution layer. In addition, a numerical model for calculating the heat transfer on the surface of the pollution layer is also established. It has been revealed that the dry state distribution of the pollution layer is affected by the leakage current and the speed of the local arc. Moreover, the relationship between the surface conductivity of the pollution layer and the thickness of the surface water film is obtained. The comparative analysis shows that the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data.
Multi-scale evolution of Kelvin–Helmholtz waves at the Earth's magnetopause during southward IMF periods
Authors: Nakamura T. K. M. , Blasl K. A. , Hasegawa H. , Umeda T. , Liu Y.-H. , Peery S. A. , Plaschke F. , Nakamura R. , Holmes J. C. , Stawarz J. E. , Nystrom W. D.
Published: January 2022

At the Earth's low-latitude magnetopause, the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI), driven by the velocity shear between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere, has been frequently observed during northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) periods. However, the signatures of the KHI have been much less frequently observed during southward IMF periods, and how the KHI develops under southward IMF has been less explored. Here, we performed a series of realistic 2D and 3D fully kinetic simulations of a KH wave event observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission at the dusk-flank magnetopause during southward IMF on September 23, 2017. The simulations demonstrate that the primary KHI bends the magnetopause current layer and excites the Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI), leading to penetration of high-density arms into the magnetospheric side. This arm penetration disturbs the structures of the vortex layer and produces intermittent and irregular variations of the surface waves which significantly reduces the observational probability of the periodic KH waves. The simulations further demonstrate that in the non-linear growth phase of the primary KHI, the lower-hybrid drift instability (LHDI) is induced near the edge of the primary vortices and contributes to an efficient plasma mixing across the magnetopause. The signatures of the large-scale surface waves by the KHI/RTI and the small-scale fluctuations by the LHDI are reasonably consistent with the MMS observations. These results indicate that the multi-scale evolution of the magnetopause KH waves and the resulting plasma transport and mixing as seen in the simulations may occur during southward IMF.
Rare-earth defects and defect-related luminescence in ZnS
Authors: Hoang Khang
Published: January 2022

Structure and energetics of rare-earth (RE) defects and luminescence of RE and related defects in zincblende zinc sulfide (ZnS) are investigated using hybrid density-functional defect calculations. We find that europium (Eu) is stable predominantly as the divalent Eu2+ ion in bulk ZnS. The trivalent Eu3+ ion is structurally and electronically stable but energetically unfavorable compared to Eu2+ due to the presence of low-energy native defects and Eu2+-related defect complexes. Other RE dopants, dysprosium (Dy) and erbium (Er), are stable only as Dy3+ and Er3+, respectively. These results provide an explanation why it is difficult to realize Eu3+ in bulk ZnS. A non-negligible Eu3+/Eu2+ ratio might be achieved with Li co-doping under S-rich (and probably non-equilibrium) synthesis conditions. Optically, Eu-related defects can act as carrier traps for band-to-defect transitions and emit light in the visible range. To assist with experimental optical characterization of the RE defects, we include band-to-defect luminescence involving native defects (Zn vacancies) and/or non-RE impurities (Cu, Cl, and Al) that may also be present in Eu-doped ZnS samples and assign luminescence centers often observed in experiments to specific defect configurations.
On the thermodynamics of curved interfaces and the nucleation of hard spheres in a finite system
Authors: Montero de Hijes P. , Vega C.
Published: January 2022

We determine, for hard spheres, the Helmholtz free energy of a liquid that contains a solid cluster as a function of the size of the solid cluster by means of the formalism of the thermodynamics of curved interfaces. This is done at the constant total number of particles, volume, and temperature. We show that under certain conditions, one may have several local minima in the free energy profile, one for the homogeneous liquid and others for the spherical, cylindrical, and planar solid clusters surrounded by liquid. The variation of the interfacial free energy with the radius of the solid cluster and the distance between equimolar and tension surfaces are inputs from simulation results of nucleation studies. This is possible because stable solid clusters in the canonical ensemble become critical in the isothermal–isobaric ensemble. At each local minimum, we find no difference in chemical potential between the phases. At local maxima, we also find equal chemical potential, albeit in this case the nucleus is unstable. Moreover, the theory allows us to describe the stable solid clusters found in simulations. Therefore, we can use it for any combination of the total number of particles, volume, and global density as long as a minimum in the Helmholtz free energy occurs. We also study under which conditions the absolute minimum in the free energy corresponds to a homogeneous liquid or to a heterogeneous system having either spherical, cylindrical, or planar geometry. This work shows that the thermodynamics of curved interfaces at equilibrium can be used to describe nucleation.
Cholesky decomposition of complex two-electron integrals over GIAOs: Efficient MP2 computations for large molecules in strong magnetic fields
Authors: Blaschke Simon , Stopkowicz Stella
Published: January 2022

In large-scale quantum-chemical calculations, the electron-repulsion integral (ERI) tensor rapidly becomes the bottleneck in terms of memory and disk space. When an external finite magnetic field is employed, this problem becomes even more pronounced because of the reduced permutational symmetry and the need to work with complex integrals and wave function parameters. One way to alleviate the problem is to employ a Cholesky decomposition (CD) to the complex ERIs over gauge-including atomic orbitals. The CD scheme establishes favorable compression rates by selectively discarding linearly dependent product densities from the chosen basis set while maintaining a rigorous and robust error control. This error control constitutes the main advantage over conceptually similar methods such as density fitting, which relies on employing pre-defined auxiliary basis sets. We implemented the use of the CD in the framework of finite-field (ff) Hartree–Fock and ff second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). Our work demonstrates that the CD compression rates are particularly beneficial in calculations in the presence of a finite magnetic field. The ff-CD-MP2 scheme enables the correlated treatment of systems with more than 2000 basis functions in strong magnetic fields within a reasonable time span.
Picosecond-range switching of high-voltage Si diode due to the delayed impact-ionization breakdown: Experiments vs simulations
Authors: Ivanov Mikhail , Brylevskiy Viktor , Smirnova Irina , Rodin Pavel
Published: January 2022

The effect of delayed impact ionization breakdown initiated in a high-voltage Si or GaAs p+nn+ diode by a steep voltage ramp leads to 100 ps avalanche transient from the blocking to conducting state. Here, measurements of the voltage and current dependences in the Si diode exhibiting 100-ps kilovolt switching are presented together with simulations with focus on comparison. Device voltage and current are measured simultaneously and independently in a high-quality matched coaxial circuit. In simulations, we account for wave propagation and reflection processes in the coaxial driving/measuring circuit and for the inhomogeneity of the avalanche switching over the device cross section. This makes quantitative comparison with measurements possible. An agreement in switching time and transient characteristics can be achieved only under the assumption that a smaller part of the cross section is avalanching. The 100-ps switching time is formed not during the passage of superfast ionizing front in the “active” part of the device, as it is widely believed, but by the discharge time of the “passive part” over the conducting “active” part. The inner circuital current that flows within the device along the closed loop plays a dominant role in this process. Sources of initial carriers, the temperature dependence of the effect, and the limits of drift-diffusion transport model in describing the phenomenon of delayed breakdown are discussed.
Density functional theory of alkali metals at the IL/graphene electrochemical interface
Authors: Montes-Campos H. , Rivera-Pousa A. , Méndez-Morales T.
Published: January 2022

The mechanism of charge transfer between metal ions and graphene in the presence of an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) is investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. For that purpose, two different comparisons are established: (i) the behavior of Li+ and K+ when adsorbed onto the basal plane of graphene and (ii) the differences between Li+ approaching the carbon surface from the basal plane and being intercalated through the edge plane of trilayer graphene. In the first case, it is found that the metal ions must overcome high energy barriers due to their interaction with the ionic liquid before reaching an equilibrium position close to the interface. In addition, no significant charge transfer between any of the metals and graphene takes place until very close energetically unfavorable distances. The second configuration shows that Li+ has no equilibrium position in the proximity of the interface but instead has an equilibrium position when it is inside the electrode for which it has to cross an energy barrier. In this case, the formation of a LiC12 complex is observed since the charge transfer at the equilibrium distance is achieved to a considerable extent. Thus, the interfacial charge transfer resistance on the electrode in energy devices based on ionic liquids clearly depends not only on the binding of the ionic liquid to the metal cations and their ability to form a dense solvation shell around them but also on the surface topography and its effect on the ion packing on the surface.
Electron–phonon effects on the photoacoustic response of gold core–silica shell nanoparticles: From the linear regime to nanocavitation
Authors: Lombard Julien , Biben Thierry , Merabia Samy
Published: January 2022

Coating gold nanostructures with a silica shell has been long considered for biomedical applications, including photoacoustic imaging. Recent experimental and modeling investigations reported contradicting results concerning the effect of coating on the photoacoustic response of gold nanostructures. Enhanced photoacoustic response is generally attributed to facilitated heat transfer at the gold/silica/water system. Here, we examine the photoacoustic response of gold core–silica shell nanoparticles immersed in water using a combination of the two temperature model and hydrodynamic phase field simulations. Here, of particular interest is the role of the interfacial coupling between the gold electrons and silica shell phonons. We demonstrate that as compared to uncoated nanoparticles, photoacoustic response is enhanced for very thin silica shells (5 nm) and short laser pulses, but for thicker coatings, the photoacoustic performance are generally deteriorated. We extend the study to the regime of nanocavitation and show that the generation of nanobubbles may also play a role in the enhanced acoustic response of core–shell nanoparticles. Our modeling effort may serve as guides for the optimization of the photoacoustic response of heterogeneous metal–dielectric nanoparticles.
A liquid with distinct metastable structures: Supercooled butyronitrile
Authors: Gabriel Jan P. , Thoms Erik , Guiseppi-Elie A. , Ediger M. D. , Richert Ranko
Published: January 2022

The dielectric relaxation behavior of the molecular glass former butyronitrile is revisited by measuring both bulk samples cooled from the melt and samples obtained by physical vapor deposition. We find that the dielectric constant in the viscous regime of the bulk liquid is much higher than reported previously, reaching εs = 63 at T = 103 K, i.e., just above the glass transition temperature Tg = 97 K. By contrast, varying the deposition temperature and rate of vapor-deposited samples leads to dielectric constants in a range between 4.5 and 63 at T = 103 K. Values much below εs = 63 persist for thousands of seconds, where the dielectric relaxation time is about 0.1 s. The observations can be interpreted by the formation of clusters in which pair-wise anti-parallel dipole orientation is the preferred state at temperatures well below the glass transition. These non-crystalline clusters are long-lived even above Tg, where the remaining volume fraction is in the state of the equilibrium polar liquid.
Deconstructing
Methanosarcina acetivorans
into an acetogenic archaeon
Authors: Schöne Christian , Poehlein Anja , Jehmlich Nico , Adlung Norman , Daniel Rolf , von Bergen Martin , Scheller Silvan , Rother Michael
Published: January 2022

Significance

The reductive acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) pathway is the only carbon fixation pathway that can also be used for energy conservation like it is known for acetogenic bacteria. In methanogenic archaea, this pathway is extended with one route toward acetyl-CoA formation for anabolism and another route toward methane formation for catabolism. Which of these traits is ancestral in evolution has not been resolved. By diverging virtually all substrate carbon from methanogenesis to flow through acetyl-CoA,
Methanosarcina acetivorans
can be converted to an acetogenic organism. Being able to deconstruct methanogenic into the seemingly simpler acetogenic energy metabolism provides compelling evidence that methanogens are not nearly as metabolically limited as previously thought and suggests that methanogenesis might have evolved from the acetyl-CoA pathway.
Interplay between Asters/GRAMD1s and phosphatidylserine in intermembrane transport of LDL cholesterol
Authors: Trinh Michael N. , Brown Michael S. , Seemann Joachim , Vale Gonçalo , McDonald Jeffrey G. , Goldstein Joseph L. , Lu Feiran
Published: January 2022

Significance

Cholesterol constitutes 50% of lipids in the plasma membrane (PM) of animal cells. Sensors in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) maintain this level by adjusting cholesterol uptake, synthesis, and storage. Uptake is mediated by LDL receptors, which deliver cholesterol-carrying LDL to lysosomes from which cholesterol moves to the PM and then to the ER. We report PM-to-ER transport of LDL cholesterol requires cholesterol-binding Aster proteins anchored to the ER and phosphatidylserine embedded in the PM. Asters are known to bind phosphatidylserine, and this accounts for part of the phosphatidylserine requirement. However, the current data suggest an additional requirement for phosphatidylserine independent of Asters. These data advance our knowledge of PM cholesterol homeostasis, a control mechanism essential for cell growth and survival.
Coping styles in heterosexual and non-heterosexual students in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study (Estilo de afrontamiento en estudiantes heterosexuales y no heterosexuales en Líbano: un estudio transversal)
Authors: Jaspal Rusi , Assi Moubadda , Maatouk Ismaël
Published: January 2022

The Lebanese population has been exposed to multiple stressors associated with political and economic instability for decades. Using survey data from 203 university students in Beirut, this study focuses on the factors that predict coping styles in men and women and heterosexual and non-heterosexual people in Lebanon. Heterosexual people reported higher religiosity and ethnic identification but lower psychological distress than non-heterosexual people. Women reported higher religiosity but lower identity resilience and engagement in the re-thinking/planning coping style than men. Religiosity was positively associated with identity resilience and ethnic identification but negatively associated with the social engagement coping style. Ethnic identification and identity resilience were positively associated with the social engagement and re-thinking/planning coping styles. Identity resilience and religiosity were negatively associated with psychological distress. The social engagement and re-thinking/planning coping styles were positively correlated. Results suggest that non-heterosexual people may be less likely to adopt adaptive coping styles because of their decreased religiosity and ethnic identification and that men and women have distinct pathways to adaptive coping strategies (through identity resilience and religiosity, respectively).
Relationship between TV watching during childhood and adolescence and fitness in adulthood in the Raine Study cohort
Authors: Haynes Andrew , McVeigh Joanne , Lester Leanne , Eastwood Peter R. , Straker Leon , Mori Trevor A. , Beilin Lawrence , Green Daniel J.
Published: January 2022

To investigate: (1) whether TV watching habits throughout childhood and adolescence, a proxy of sedentary behaviour, impacted cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adulthood, and (2) whether any potential impact of TV watching in childhood and adolescence on CRF in adulthood was changed by adult physical activity (PA) levels. A longitudinal study with questionnaire data available regarding TV watching collected at ages 5, 8, 10, 14, 17 and 20 yrs, allowed trajectories of TV watching to be developed. At age 28 yrs, participants completed a V̇O2peak test and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. General linear models tested for differences in CRF (time to exhaustion TTE and V̇O2peak mL·kg−1·min−1) between TV watching trajectories. The secondary analysis tested the potential effect current PA levels has on the relationship between TV trajectory and fitness. In total, 449 participants [male n = 255 (56.8%), 28.3 ± 0.5 yrs; female n = 194 (43.2%), 28.2 ± 0.4 yrs] were included in the study. Three distinct trajectories of TV watching were identified: High TV, Increasing TV and Low TV. CRF was lowest in the High TV watching trajectory and increased progressively from High to Increasing TV and Increasing to Low TV (all P < .05). Within each of the TV trajectories, those engaging in high levels of current PA had greater CRF than those engaging in low and moderate PA. TV watching in childhood and adolescence negatively impacts upon adult fitness at the age of 28 years. However, this negative impact of historical TV watching on CRF can largely be attenuated by engaging in higher levels of PA in adulthood.
Multiparameter-controlled laser ionization within a plasma wave for wakefield acceleration
Authors: Stumpf M , Melchger M , Montag S , Pretzler G
Published: January 2022

We present an optical setup for well-defined ionization inside a plasma such that precisely controlled spots of high electron density can be generated. We propose to use the setup for Trojan Horse Injection (or Plasma Photocathode Emission) where a collinear laser beam is needed to release electrons inside a plasma wakefield. The reflection-based setup allows a suitable manipulation of the laser near field without disturbing the spectral phase of the laser pulses. A required ionization state and volume can be reached by tuning the beam size, pulse duration and pulse energy. The ionization simulations enable a prediction of the ionization spot and are in good agreement with dedicated experiments which measured the number of electrons created during the laser–gas interaction.
Photo- and exchange-field controlled line-type resonant peaks and enhanced spin and valley polarizations in a magnetic WSe2 junction
Authors: Alipourzadeh Mohammad , Hajati Yaser , Makhfudz Imam
Published: January 2022

Existing resonant tunneling modes in the shape of line-type resonances can improve the transport properties of the junction. Motivated by the unique structural properties of monolayer WSe2 e.g. significant spin–orbitcoupling and large direct band gap, the transport properties of a normal/ferromagnetic/normal WSe2 junction with large incident angles in the presence of exchange field (h), off-resonance light (

Δ
Ω

) and gate voltage (U) is studied. In a certain interval of U, the transmission shows a gap with optically controllable width, while outside it, the spin and valley resolved transmissions have an oscillatory behavior with respect to U. By applying

Δ
Ω

(h), an optically (electrically) switchable perfect spin and valley polarizations at all angles of incidence have been found. For large incident angles, the transmission resonances change to spin-valley-dependent separated ideal line-type resonant peaks with respect to U, results in switchable perfect spin and valley polarizations, simultaneously. Furthermore, even in the absence of U, applying h or

Δ
Ω

at large incident angles can give some spin-valley dependent ideal transmission peaks, making h or

Δ
Ω

a transmission valve capable of giving a switchable fully spin-valley filtering effect. These findings suggest some alternate methods for providing high efficiency spin and valley filtering devices based on WSe2.
Pressure-stabilized high-energy-density material YN10
Authors: Lu Wencheng , Hao Kun , Liu Siyu , Lv Jian , Zhou Mi , Gao Pengyue
Published: January 2022

Polynitrogen compounds have been intensively studied for potential applications as high energy density materials, especially in energy and military fields. Here, using the swarm intelligence algorithm in combination with first-principles calculations, we systematically explored the variable stoichiometries of yttrium–nitrogen compounds on the nitrogen-rich regime at high pressure, where a new stable phase of YN10 adopting I4/m symmetry was discovered at the pressure of 35 GPa and showed metallic character from the analysis of electronic properties. In YN10, all the nitrogen atoms were sp
2-hybridized in the form of N5 ring. Furthermore, the gravimetric and volumetric energy densities were estimated to be 3.05 kJ g−1 and 9.27 kJ cm−1 respectively. Particularly, the calculated detonation velocity and pressure of YN10 (12.0 km s−1, 82.7 GPa) was higher than that of TNT (6.9 km s−1, 19.0 GPa) and HMX (9.1 km s−1, 39.3 GPa), making it a potential candidate as a high-energy-density material.
A novel multi-information decision fusion based on improved random forests in HVCB fault detection application
Authors: Ma Suliang , Li Jianlin , Wu Yiwen , Xin Chao , Li Yaxin , Wu Jianwen
Published: January 2022

Evaluating the mechanical state of high-voltage circuit breakers (HVCBs) based on vibration information has currently become an important research direction. In contrast to the unicity of the travel–time and current–time curves, the vibration information from the different positions is diverse. These differences are often overlooked in HVCB fault identification applications. Additionally, the fault recognition results based on different location information often vary, and conflicting diagnosis results directly cause the accurate identification of the fault type to fail. Therefore, in this paper, a novel multi-information decision fusion approach is proposed based on the improved random forest (RF) and Dempster-Shafer evidence theory. In the proposed method, the diagnostic distribution of all classification regression trees in the RF is considered to solve the conflicts among the multi-information diagnosis results. Experimental results show that the proposed method eases the contradiction of multi-position diagnostic results and improves the accuracy of fault identification. Furthermore, compared to the common classifiers and probability generation methods, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified.
Derivation of ensemble Kalman–Bucy filters with unbounded nonlinear coefficients
Authors: Lange Theresa
Published: January 2022

We provide a rigorous derivation of the ensemble Kalman–Bucy filter as well as the ensemble transform Kalman–Bucy filter in case of nonlinear, unbounded model and observation operators. We identify them as the continuous time limit of the discrete-time ensemble Kalman filter and the ensemble square root filters, respectively, together with concrete convergence rates in terms of the discretisation step size. Simultaneously, we establish well-posedness as well as accuracy of both the continuous-time and the discrete-time filtering algorithms.
Investigation of 4,4′-bis[(N- carbazole) styryl] biphenyl (BSB4) for a pure blue fluorescent OLED with enhanced efficiency nearing the theoretical limit
Authors: Barah Dhruvajyoti , Sahoo Subhamoy , Inaganti Naga Sai Manoj , Kesavan Haripriya , Bhattacharyya Jayeeta , Ray Debdutta
Published: January 2022

4,4′-bis[(N-carbazole) styryl] biphenyl (BSB4 or BSBCz) is one of the widely studied organic fluorescent materials for blue organic electroluminescent devices in the recent times. In this work, BSB4 is used as a guest material to construct the host-guest matrix for the emissive layer (EML) of a pure blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diode (OLED). A pure blue emission suitable for display application with a Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage coordinate of (0.147,0.070) is achieved by the blue-shift of the emission spectrum of the host-guest matrix from that of the pristine guest (BSB4) molecules. The optimization of OLED structures is carried out by considering (a) charge balance in the EML for high exciton density, and (b) optical interference of generated light in the organic layers for increased light outcoupling. A thorough comparative study on the use of different combinations of widely used hole and electron transport layers to obtain charge balance in the EML of the OLED, thereby enhancing the external quantum efficiency (EQE) is shown. Optical interference effects in the fabricated OLEDs are analyzed by optical simulation of each device structure by transfer matrix method. With the optimized device structures, we are able to overcome the 2% EQE limit that has been reported so far for blue fluorescent OLEDs with BSB4 as light emitting material and achieve a maximum EQE of 4.08%, which is near to the theoretical limit of EQE for fluorescent OLEDs.
Study of the impact of interface traps associated with SiN
X
passivation on AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMTs
Authors: Baby Rijo , Venugopalrao Anirudh , Chandrasekar Hareesh , Raghavan Srinivasan , Rangarajan Muralidharan , Nath Digbijoy N
Published: January 2022

In this work, we show that a bilayer SiN
x
passivation scheme which includes a high-temperature annealed SiN
x
as gate dielectric, significantly improves both ON and OFF state performance of AlGaN/GaN metal insulator semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MISHEMTs). Surface and bulk leakage paths were determined from devices with different SiN
x
passivation schemes. Temperature-dependent mesa leakage studies showed that the surface conduction could be explained using a 2D variable range hopping mechanism; this is attributed to the mid-gap interface states at the GaN(cap)/SiN
x
interface generated due to the Ga–Ga metal like bonding states. It was found that the high temperature annealed SiN
x
gate dielectric exhibited the lowest interface state density and a two-step C–V indicative of a superior quality SiN
x
/GaN interface as confirmed from conductance and capacitance measurements. High-temperature annealing helps form Ga–N bonding states, thus reducing the shallow metal-like interface states. MISHEMT measurements showed a significant reduction in gate leakage and a four-orders of magnitude improvement in the ON/OFF ratio while increasing the saturation drain current (I
DS) by a factor of 2. Besides, MISHEMTs with two-step SiN
x
passivation exhibited a relatively flat transconductance profile, indicating lower interface states density. The dynamic R
on with gate and drain stressing measurements also showed about 3× improvements in devices with bilayer SiN
x
passivation.
Laser double optical resonance excitation-ionization of Mo with optogalvanic detection
Authors: Lu Hu , Varvarezos Lazaros , Nicolosi Piergiorgio , Andrighetto Alberto , Scarpa Daniele , Mariotti Emilio , Costello John T
Published: January 2022

We report on the first measurement of resonant three-step, two-colour ionization of atomic molybdenum, using a hollow cathode lamp (HCL) with optogalvanic detection. Wavelength scans were made for two specific transitions involved in the ionization pathways under investigation, namely 4d5(6S)5s 7S3–4d5(6S)5p 7P4 and 4d5(6S)5p 7P4–4d5(6S)6d 7D5. So-called ‘slow’ and ‘fast’ optogalvanic signals were respectively observed for each resonant quantum jump and for the simultaneous excitation of the two laser frequencies. This successful detection confirms the HCL as a cost effective spectroscopic investigation tool. In particular its use in the optogalvanic mode of operation allows one to precisely, easily and reliably tune the wavelength of one or more lasers to resonances of interest for experiments in the general domain of atomic vapour laser isotope selection (AVLIS). This activity has been undertaken in the framework of the Selective Production of Exotic Species (SPES) project at the ISOL facility of the Legnaro National Laboratories of INFN. These measurements are a necessary step towards the realization of the MOLAS subproject of SPES, whose aim is to verify the production of 99m technetium for medical application via laser ionization of the 99 uma isotope of Molibdenum.
First principle investigation of stuctural, electronic, and thermoelectric properties of Ga1-x
In
x
P (x = 0.0 to 1.0) alloys
Authors: AlObaid Abeer A
Published: January 2022

Group III-V semiconductors are extensively studied for various technological applications. Different properties of Ga1-xInxP such as electronic, optical, elastic, thermal and mechanical properties were studied under different concentrations. However, there is no evident for thermoelectric performance of Ga1-xInxP (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0). In the present study, the structural, electronic and thermoelectric behavior of Ga1-xInxP computed by utilizing the WIEN2K package. The InP show indirect semiconductor nature of band gap of 2.1 eV. By adding the concentration of In, the band gap nature shifts from indirect to direct with a decrease in the band gap. For thermoelctric properties, Seebeck, thermal and electrical conductivity, power factor and figure of merit ZT are investigated through the BoltzTraP code. Our study reveals that Ga1-xInxP has a maximum value of ZT = 0.79 at x = 1, provide an opportunity for developing good thermoelectric devices.