bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and effectiveness of balloon cryoablation for treatment of Barrett’s associated neoplasia: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Westerveld Donevan R. , Nguyen Khaai , Banerjee Debdeep , Jacobs Chelsea , Kadle Nikhil , Draganov Peter V. , Yang Dennis
Published: January 2020

Background and study aims Balloon cryoablation (BC) is a novel procedure for endoscopic ablation of Barrett’s esophagus (BE- associated neoplasia. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of BC for treatment of BE neoplasia.

Patients and methods Several databases were searched for relevant articles (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EMBASE) as well as abstracts of recent gastroenterology meetings. Data extraction was performed by two investigators using standardized forms, including age, gender, length of BE segment, prior treatments, procedural time and number ablation sessions, technical feasibility, adverse events, and eradication rates of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) and dysplasia (CE-D) at follow-up. Quality of the studies was assessed using a modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale.

Results Seven studies met inclusion criteria for a total of 548 ablation sessions in 272 patients. The most common histopathology reported prior to BC was high-grade dysplasia (n = 131), followed by low-grade dysplasia (n = 75), and intramucosal adenocarcinoma (n = 52). The pooled rate for technical feasibility was 95.8 % (95 % CI: 93.6–97.5 %; I2 = 13.2 %; P = 0.3). Pooled rates of CE-IM and CE-D were 85.8 % (95 % CI: 77.8–92.2 %, I2 = 55.5 %; p = 0.04) and 93.8 % (95 % CI: 85.5–98.7 %, I2 = 74.2 %; P = 0.001), respectively. The overall adverse event (AE) rate was 12.5 % (34 out of 272 patients), of which stricture formation was the most common (5.8 %), followed by mucosal laceration (0.7 %), perforation (0.4 %), and bleeding (0.4 %). All AEs were successfully managed endoscopically.

Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests that BC is a safe and effective ablative technique for treatment of BE neoplasia; future prospective comparative trials are needed to corroborate these initial findings.
Interdisziplinäres Management von Tumoren der Lid- und Periorbitalregion
Authors: Heichel Jens , Reich Waldemar , Stadie Volker , Viestenz Arne , Eckert Alexander
Published: January 2020

Einleitung Die Vorzugslokalisation eines Hautmalignoms ist die sonnenexponierte Gesichts- und Halshaut. Das Basalzellkarzinom macht hierbei den Hauptanteil aus. Unter Berücksichtigung der Demografie ist perspektivisch von einem steigenden Therapiebedarf auszugehen. Aus Sicht der Resektion und Rekonstruktion ist die Region der Lider sehr anspruchsvoll und sollte in ausgewählten Fällen interdisziplinär behandelt werden. Das Ziel der Analyse war es, erste Behandlungsergebnisse interdisziplinär therapierter Patienten mit einem Hautmalignom der Lid- und Periorbitalregion zu erfassen.

Material und Methoden Im Rahmen einer prospektiven Pilotstudie in der Zeit von September 2017 bis Juli 2019 wurden alle Patienten mit einem nicht pigmentierten Hautmalignom und klinischem Verdacht auf ein Basalzellkarzinom der Lider und Periorbitalregion erfasst. Die Krankheitsverläufe aller interdisziplinär (Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie und Ophthalmologie) betreuten Patienten wurden ausgewertet und die klinischen sowie histologischen Parameter in einer Datenbank dokumentiert. Von besonderem Interesse waren die Lokalisation, die Tumorentität, der Resektionsstatus inklusive definitiver Histologie und das rekonstruktive Konzept.

Ergebnisse Im Beobachtungszeitraum wurden 349 Patienten (162 Frauen, 187 Männer) im Alter von 12 bis 98 Jahren eingeschlossen. Hiervon wurden 14 Patienten interdisziplinär behandelt. Dies waren 6 Frauen (Durchschnittsalter 80,3 Jahre) und 8 Männer (Durchschnittsalter 65,3 Jahre). Histologisch handelte es sich um Basalzellkarzinome (n = 10) und um Plattenepithelkarzinome (n = 3). Einmal wurde lediglich eine aktinische Keratose nachgewiesen. Es konnte in allen Fällen eine R0-Resektion erzielt werden, wobei 8 der Patienten ein zweizeitiges operatives Vorgehen erhielten und 6 Patienten einzeitig operiert wurden. In einem Fall musste zweimalig nachreseziert werden.

Diskussion Die Lid- und Periorbitalregion stellt eine operative Herausforderung dar, welche in der Kooperation aus Ophthalmologen und Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgen umgesetzt werden sollte. Nicht selten weisen die Malignome eine erhebliche Tiefeninfiltration auf, wodurch totale Resektionen der Lidregion inklusive angrenzender Gewebestrukturen für einen R0-Status nötig werden. Entsprechend erfordert die rekonstruktive Strategie die Ausnutzung und gegebenenfalls Kombination des kompletten plastisch-chirurgischen Repertoires beider Fachdisziplinen.
Trichloroisocyanuric Acid Mediated Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Hydrazines­: A Practical Chemical Oxidation To Access Azo Compounds
Authors: Su Yingpeng , Liu Xuan , Yu Jie , Cao Guiyan , Zhang Rong , Zhao Yanan , Huang Danfeng , Wang Ke-Hu , Huo Congde , Hu Yulai
Published: January 2020

A highly efficient, metal-free, chemical oxidation of hydrazines has been implemented using environmentally friendly TCCA as oxidant. This benign protocol provides straightforward access to a wide range of azo compounds in THF in excellent yield. Altogether, 35 azo compounds were obtained in this way and scale-up preparations were performed. Additionally, a plausible mechanism was also proposed. Step-economical process, mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, high reaction efficiency, and easy scale-up highlight the practicality of this methodology.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Nair Sanjeev , Kolla Praveen Kumar , Desai Madhav , Mohan Pathapati Rama , K. Ramalingam , R. Aruna
Published: January 2020

Background and aim : Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease shows considerable variability in clinical features, including differences in severity of hypertension, rate of decline of renal function and variability in rate of cystogenesis, which are not fully explained by the genetic heterogeneity of this disease. Many different modifier variables have been proposed to explain this variability. This study aims to look at the role played by polymorphism of the ACE gene as a possible modifier in the clinical course and rapidity of progression. Material and Methods : Thirty seven patients diagnosed as ADPKD were recruited to the study. Clinical data were provided by questionnaires. Blood was collected for the determination of the ACE Insertion/Deletion (I/D) polymorphism genotype. The ACE genotype was also determined in a general control population (n = 40). The data was analyzed using the SPSS software. ACE genotype polymorphism frequencies were compared across groups using the one-way ANOVA tests. λ2 cross tabulation statistics was used to test for difference between frequency data. Results: The ACE genotype distribution showed no differences between the study (II 29.7%, ID 43.2%, DD 27.1%) and the control (II 35%, ID 45%, DD 20%) populations. Although patients on hemodialysis had a significantly higher Blood Pressure levels (p = 0.004) when compared to non-dialysis patients, no significant differences were demonstrated between genotypes of the study population. No difference was also demonstrated between the genotypes for rate of decline in renal function. Conclusion : No relationship between the ACE I/D polymorphism in ADPKD patients and severity of hypertension or progression towards ESRD was demonstrated.
Regression analysis for estimation of tibial length using dimensions of its distal end - A South Indian population study
Authors: KV Sarala Devi , K. Udhaya
Published: January 2020

Aim of study: Estimation of length of bone is an important method used to assess stature of an individual in forensic anthropology. Our study is aimed at estimation of length of tibia from the dimensions of its distal end and so an attempt has been made to look into the accuracy of correlation between the length and dimensions of distal end of tibia in south Indian population. Materials and methods: A collection of 270 dried adult normal human tibias of both sexes from the Department of Anatomy, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupanandha Variyar Medical College, Annapoorana Medical College and Vinayaka Mission's Homeopathy Medical College, Salem were included in this study. The length of tibia was measured using osteometric board. Height and width of fibular notch, height and width of medial malleolus, length and width of talar facet were measured using digital Vernier caliper. Statistical analysis was carried out to find out the correlation between the length and dimensions of distal end of tibia. Results : All the parametric variables showed positive correlation with the length of tibia. Regression equations were derived from stepwise analysis with different models. The equations derived showed moderate correlation with relatively low accuracy. Conclusion : These equations may be cautiously used to estimate length of tibia approximately when there are only distal fragments of bone is available for examination.
Organismic materials for beyond von Neumann machines
Authors: Zhang Hai-Tian , Panda Priyadarshini , Lin Jerome , Kalcheim Yoav , Wang Kai , Freeland John W. , Fong Dillon D. , Priya Shashank , Schuller Ivan K. , Sankaranarayanan Subramanian K. R. S. , Roy Kaushik , Ramanathan Shriram
Published: January 2020

The elementary basis of intelligence in organisms with a central nervous system includes neurons and synapses and their complex interconnections forming neural circuits. In non-neural organisms such as slime mold with gel-like media, viscosity modulation enables adaptation to changing environments. At a larger scale, collective intelligence emerges via social interactions and feedback in animal colonies. Learning and memory are therefore multi-scale features that evolve as a result of constant interactions with the environment. There is growing interest in emulating such features of intelligence in computing machines and autonomous systems. Materials that can respond to their environment in a manner similar to organisms (referred to as “organismic materials”) therefore may be of interest as hardware components in artificial intelligence machines. In this brief review, we present a class of semiconductors called correlated oxides as candidates for learning machines. The term “correlated” refers to the fact that electrons in such lattices strongly interact and the ground state is not what is predicted by classical band theory. Such materials can undergo insulator–metal transitions at near ambient conditions under external stimuli such as thermal or electrical fields, strain, and chemical doping. Depending on the mechanism driving the transition, intermediate states can be metastable with different volatilities, and the time scales of phase change can be controlled over many orders of magnitude. The change in electronic properties can be sharp or gradual, leading to digital or analog behavior. These properties enable the realization of artificial neurons and synapses and emulate the associative and non-associative learning characteristics found in various organisms. We examine microscopic properties concerning electronic and structural transitions leading to collective behavior and theoretical treatments of the ground state and dynamical response, showcasing VO2 as a model system. Next, we briefly review algorithms designed from the plasticity demonstrated by phase changing systems. We conclude the brief review with suggestions for future research toward realizing non-von Neumann machines.
Permittivity and permeability of epoxy–magnetite powder composites at microwave frequencies
Authors: Ghigna T. , Zannoni M. , Jones M. E. , Simonetto A.
Published: January 2020

Radio, millimeter, and sub-millimeter astronomy experiments as well as remote sensing applications often require castable absorbers with well known electromagnetic properties to design and realize calibration targets. In this context, we fabricated and characterized two samples using different ratios of two easily commercially available materials: epoxy (Stycast 2850FT) and magnetite (Fe3O4) powder. We performed transmission and reflection measurements from 7 GHz up to 170 GHz with a vector network analyzer equipped with a series of standard horn antennas. Using an empirical model, we analyzed the data to extract complex permittivity and permeability from transmission data; then, we used reflection data to validate the results. In this paper, we present the sample fabrication procedure, analysis method, parameter extraction pipeline, and results for two samples with different epoxy-powder mass ratios.
Update of ion-optical system of neutral beam of Tokamak à Configuration Variable
Authors: Sorokin A. V. , Akhmetov T. D. , Brul A. V. , Davydenko V. I. , Ivanov A. A. , Karpushov A. N. , Mishagin V. V. , Shikhovtsev I. V.
Published: January 2020

An injector of fast deuterium atoms for plasma heating was designed and installed at the Tokamak à Configuration Variable (TCV). The neutral beam can deliver 1 MW power to the plasma in 2 s pulses. An ion beam of the injector is formed by a triode multislit ion-optical system with spherical electrodes which provide ballistic focusing. Tests at TCV revealed that the total angular divergence of the neutral beam across the slits exceeded the expected value more than twice. It was finally established that this increase in divergence was caused by the asymmetry of the chamfers at the slit edges of the plasma electrode. The redesigned shape of the slits of the plasma grid together with precise machining significantly improved the beam quality. Experimental testing proved that the neutral beam profile in the direction across the grid slits became very close to the expected value.
Ferroelectric memory field-effect transistors using CVD monolayer MoS2 as resistive switching channel
Authors: Shen Pin-Chun , Lin Chungwei , Wang Haozhe , Teo Koon Hoo , Kong Jing
Published: January 2020

Ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) have been considered as promising electrically switchable nonvolatile data storage elements due to their fast switching speed, programmable conductance, and high dynamic range for neuromorphic applications. Meanwhile, FeFETs can be aggressively shrunk to the atomic scale for a high density device integration, ideally, without comprising the performance by introducing two-dimensional (2D) materials. So far, the demonstrated 2D material-based FeFETs mainly rely on mechanically exfoliated flakes, which are not favorable for large-scale industrial applications, and FeFETs based on organic ferroelectrics typically show a large writing voltage (e.g., >±20 V), making these types of memory devices impractical to be commercially viable. Here, we demonstrate that monolayer MoS2 grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) can be used as a resistive switching channel to fabricate FeFETs, in which the MoS2 channel is modulated by a hybrid gate stack of HfO2/ferroelectric HfZrOx thin films. The programming processes in the 2D MoS2 FeFETs originate from the ferroelectric polarization switching, yielding two distinct write and erase states for data storage and cumulative channel conductance for artificial synapse applications. Our 2D FeFETs show a low-voltage-driven feature (<±3 V) and gate-tunable ferroelectric hysteresis characteristics. The thin HfO2 layer in the hybrid gate stack likely plays crucial roles in preserving the ferroelectricity of the device and lowering the threshold of switching voltages through energy redistribution. Our findings open an avenue for the use of CVD-grown layered materials as the resistive switching mediums combined with HfO2-based ferroelectrics for future energy-efficient “brain-on-a-chip” hardware.
Interface-resolved numerical simulations of particle-laden turbulent channel flows with spanwise rotation
Authors: Xia Yan , Yu Zhaosheng , Guo Yu
Published: January 2020

Interface-resolved simulations of particle-laden turbulent channel flows with spanwise rotation at a Reynolds number of 180 and different rotation numbers ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 are performed with a fictitious domain method. The difficulty of the centrifugal force on the particles not satisfying the periodic boundary condition is circumvented by the feature of the fictitious domain formulation for the neutrally buoyant case, where the centrifugal force in the particle motion equation vanishes, and by only considering a low rotation number of 0.1 and setting the rotation center to be far away from the channel for the non-unity density ratio case. Our results show that the heavy particles (i.e., the particle density being larger than the fluid density) migrate towards the pressure wall, whereas the light particles migrate towards the suction wall. For the density ratio being unity, the particle concentration is higher near the pressure wall than near the suction wall, and we attribute the reason to the effects of the mean secondary flow structure (i.e., the Taylor–Görtler vortices), since similar particle concentration distribution and secondary flow structure are observed in a rotating laminar channel flow. The mean velocities of heavy particles are smaller in the pressure-side half channel except the near-wall region, and larger in the suction-side half channel, compared to the fluid mean velocity; the opposite occurs for the light particle case. The addition of the finite-size particles increases the flow drag. The flow drag is not sensitive to the density ratio for the light particles and increases with increasing density ratio for the heavy particles. The effects of the particles on the fluid root-mean-square velocities of the rotating turbulent channel flow are generally similar to the non-rotating channel case, but become more complicated because of the asymmetric turbulence intensity and particle concentration distribution near two walls caused by the channel rotation.
Graphene nanoribbons and iron oxide nanoparticles composite as a potential candidate in DNA sensing applications
Authors: Rodríguez B. A. G. , Pérez-Caro M. , Alencar R. S. , Souza Filho A. G. , Albino Aguiar J.
Published: January 2020

We report the synthesis and characterization of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) decorated with iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles to obtain the GNR_Fe3O4 nanocomposite and its use as a DNA sensor. Characterization results confirm the successful synthesis of a nanocomposite based on reduced GNRs and mostly Fe3O4 nanoparticles distributed randomly and homogeneously on the ribbon's surface and whose specific surface area (766 m2 g−1) is higher compared to pure GNRs (588 m2 g−1). These characteristics make this nanocomposite suitable for effective DNA immobilization and hybridization in sensor applications. Taking advantage of the latter, the electrochemical analysis demonstrated that GNR_Fe3O4-based electrodes amplify the electrochemical signal by more than one order of magnitude compared to bare carbon electrodes, and 70% more compared to pristine GNRs-based electrodes. The capability of the GNR_Fe3O4 nanocomposite as a DNA sensor was evaluated in terms of the electrochemical response by monitoring the cathodic peak in DNA immobilization and hybridization through a redox process. The electrochemical current was measured in immobilized single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA to be 92 and 49 μA, respectively, for GNR_Fe3O4-based electrodes; these values are indicative of an effective discrimination between the immobilization and hybridization of DNA. The present work demonstrates the viability of a DNA sensor based on the facile synthesis of GNRs decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles.
Controlled short time large scale synthesis of magnetic cobalt nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes by flash annealing
Authors: Mosey Aaron , Yue Lanping , Gaire Babu , Ryu Jong Eun , Cheng Ruihua
Published: January 2020

Nanopatterned arrays of discrete cobalt nanostructures showing characteristic parameter-dependent sizes are formed from continuous thin films on a carbon nanotube substrate using millisecond pulsed intense UV light. The nanoparticles exhibit ferromagnetic behavior with magnetic remanence and coercivity depending on the particle size. The end-state particle size is shown to be a function of initial thin film thickness and excitation energy and is therefore tunable. The evolutionary process from continuous thin films to a discrete morphology is thermodynamically driven by the large surface energy difference between metastable thin films and the underlying carbon nanotube substrate. Evidence of the Danielson model of the dewetting process is observed. These arrays can find applications as platforms for the self-assembly of magnetically susceptible materials, such as iron or nickel nanostructures, into a conduction matrix for applications in energy extraction from a latent heat storage device.
Acoustic holography using composite metasurfaces
Authors: Zhang Jin , Tian Ye , Cheng Ying , Liu Xiaojun
Published: January 2020

Acoustic holography has emerged as a revolutionary technique to reconstruct the desired wavefronts of sound fields. Traditional acoustic holography typically relies on arrays of discrete sound emitters independently driven by sophisticated circuits to generate the required phase and amplitude profile. Recently, we witnessed growing efforts to conquer the realm of acoustic metasurfaces as a possible platform to reconstruct computer-generated holograms due to their advantages in manipulating sound waves with a well-controlled phase and/or amplitude. In this article, we review the latest efforts to explore an acoustic metasurface hologram in transmission-type and reflection-type systems, where we discuss how artificial meta-pixels appear as highly useful ingredients to tailor the flow of sound and transform a conventional incident wave into a desired arbitrary-complex wavefront in the far field. We summarize the latest advancements from their design principles to versatile functional applications, and some future research directions are also provided.
The roles of step-site and zinc in surface chemistry of formic acid on clean and Zn-modified Cu(111) and Cu(997) surfaces studied by HR-XPS, TPD, and IRAS
Authors: Shiozawa Yuichiro , Koitaya Takanori , Mukai Kozo , Yoshimoto Shinya , Yoshinobu Jun
Published: January 2020

The adsorption, desorption, and decomposition of formic acid (HCOOH) on Cu(111), Cu(997), Zn-Cu(111), and Zn-Cu(997) were systematically studied by high-resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature programmed desorption, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. On the clean Cu(111) surface, 13% of formic acid molecules adsorbed at 83 K were dissociated to form bidentate formate species by heating at 300 K; however, on the Zn-Cu(111) surface, only 4% of adsorbed HCOOH molecules were dissociated into the bidentate formate species. On the contrary, 13% of adsorbed HCOOH molecules were already dissociated into monodentate formate species on Cu(997) even at 83 K and 17% of adsorbed formic acid molecules were transformed to bidentate formate species by heating at 300 K, indicating that the stepped Cu surface has higher reactivity for HCOOH dissociation at low temperature. On the Zn-Cu(997) surface, 20% of formic acid became bidentate formate species in contrast to the case with Zn-Cu(111). Thus, the Zn deposited Cu step surface shows special activity for adsorption and dissociation of formic acid. The desorption peak maxima of the formate decomposition products (CO2 and H2) on Zn-Cu(997) were shifted to higher temperatures than those on Cu(997). Zn on Cu surfaces plays an important role in the stabilization of formate species, which probably leads to the decrease in the activation barrier for hydrogenation on the Zn-Cu alloyed surface.
Surface-mediated construction of diverse coordination-dominated nanostructures with 4-azidobenzoic acid molecule
Authors: Li Qiujie , Yan Luyao , Wang Zhongping , Lu Yan , Wei Sheng , Liu Xiaoqing , Wang Li
Published: January 2020

The coordination reactions of 4-Azidobenzoic Acid (ABA) molecules on different active surfaces are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. ABA molecules deposited on Ag(111)/Ag(100)/Cu(100) held at room temperature lead to the decomposition of azide groups and the release of a N2 molecule per ABA molecule. Two residual segments of ABA molecules can interact with one Ag/Cu adatom to form a coordination dimer through the N–Ag/Cu–N coordination bond on different substrates. Different orientations with different symmetries can result in different nanostructures based on the dimers. Interestingly, the residual segments of ABA molecules can generate four Cu adatoms as the coordination center on Cu(100) to form a novel coordination complex after annealing, which is the first report for trapping four adatoms as a coordination center. The number and the species of adatoms captured can be changed to alter coordination structures. It expounds that various regulatory effects of different substrates lead to the diversity of nanostructures dominated by coordination bonds.
Design and application of electron energy measurement system based on silicon photodiode
Authors: Geng Jianghai , Wang Xinyu , Lv Fangcheng , Wang Shengfu , Wang Ping , Ding Yujian
Published: January 2020

The change in electron energy is the key to ionization. Studying the change law plays an important role in analyzing the gap discharge process. In this paper, an electron energy measurement system is designed based on a silicon photodiode, and the feasibility analysis is given. Combined with a photomultiplier tube, the electron energy of a slightly uneven field of a 3 cm ball-to-plate gap under dc voltage is obtained during the discharge process. This system can obtain the relationship curve between external voltage and electron energy, which provides help in analyzing the development of the discharge process and the establishment of the criteria.
Photoelectron circular dichroism in the multiphoton ionization by short laser pulses. III. Photoionization of fenchone in different regimes
Authors: Müller Anne D. , Kutscher Eric , Artemyev Anton N. , Demekhin Philipp V.
Published: January 2020

Photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) in different regimes of multiphoton ionization of fenchone is studied theoretically using the time-dependent single center method. In particular, we investigate the chiral response to the one-color multiphoton or strong-field ionization by circularly polarized 400 nm and 814 nm optical laser pulses or 1850 nm infrared pulse. In addition, the broadband ionization by short coherent circularly polarized 413–1240 nm spanning pulse is considered. Finally, the two-color ionization by the phase-locked 400 nm and 800 nm pulses, which are linearly polarized in mutually orthogonal directions, is investigated. The present computational results on the one-color multiphoton ionization of fenchone are in agreement with the available experimental data. For the ionization of fenchone by broadband and bichromatic pulses, the present theoretical study predicts substantial multiphoton PECDs.
Hyperfine structure in thallium atom: Study of nuclear magnetization distribution effects
Authors: Prosnyak S. D. , Maison D. E. , Skripnikov L. V.
Published: January 2020

The influence of the nuclear magnetization distribution effects on the hyperfine structure of electronic states of thallium atom is studied within the relativistic coupled cluster theory. Relative significance of these effects is demonstrated for the first excited electronic state 6P3/2 of neutral Tl. Based on the obtained theoretical and available experimental data, the nuclear magnetic moments of short-lived 191Tlm and 193Tlm isotopes are predicted: μ191 = 3.79(2) μN and μ193 = 3.84(3) μN, respectively. Using theoretical and experimental data for the neutral Tl, the magnetic anomalies 205Δ203 for the 7S1/2 state of the neutral Tl atom and the 1S1/2 state of the hydrogen-like ion are also predicted.
Write voltage-dependent transport mechanisms in Pt/BaTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 ferroelectric tunnel memristors
Authors: Ma Zhijun , Li Liqian , Wang Yihao , Zhou Peng , Guo Yizhong , Liu Ying , Liang Kun , Qi Yajun , Zhang Tianjin
Published: January 2020

Here, we demonstrate write voltage-dependent electron transport mechanisms in Pt/BaTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 ferroelectric tunnel memristors. Tunable resistances associated with a large resistance variation were observed at room temperature. It is found that the electron transport mechanism of the device depends not only on the polarity, but also on the magnitude of the write voltage. For positive write voltages, the memristor holds a low resistance state whereas for low negative write voltages, the memristor exhibits a high resistance state. However, an enhanced negative write voltage causes a transition of the transport behavior from direct tunneling into Schottky thermionic emission. The ferroelectric polarization modulation of electron accumulation or depletion at the ferroelectric/semiconductor interface and the resultant change of the interface barrier width/height under the external voltages are proposed to be responsible for the write voltage-dependent electron transport mechanisms.
Gravity current hazard prediction model for lahars, landslides and avalanches
Authors: Mandel Savannah
Published: January 2020

A theoretical shallow-water model is used to study surges in geophysical flows.
Ultrastable microwave kinetic inductance detector hits new single-pixel benchmark
Authors: Liebendorfer Adam
Published: January 2020

Device offers scalability found in other microwave kinetic inductance detectors with performance better than previous devices by an order of magnitude.
'…If I don't have that sort of money again, what happens?': adapting a qualitative model to conceptualise the consequences of out-of-pocket expenses for cancer patients in mixed health systems
Authors: Newton Jade C. , Hohnen Harry , Johnson Claire E. , Ives Angela , McKiernan Sandy , Platt Violet , Saunders Christobel , Slavova-Azmanova Neli
Published: January 2020

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore Western Australian cancer patients’ experiences of out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) during diagnosis and cancer treatment using a phenomenological approach. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive convenience sample of 40 Western Australian cancer patients diagnosed with breast, lung, prostate or colorectal cancer. Participants were asked about the impact of their diagnosis, the associated costs and their experience within the health system. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. ResultsThree key themes influencing participant OOPE experiences were identified: (1) personal circumstances; (2) communication with health providers; and (3) coping strategies. Despite Australia’s public healthcare system, several participants found the costs affected their financial security and resorted to coping strategies including medication rationing and restrictive household budgeting. The key themes had a complex and interrelated effect on patient OOPE experiences and were used to adapt Carrera et al.’s model of economic consequences of cancer treatment on the patient and patient coping to describe these relationships in a mixed healthcare system. ConclusionOrganised efforts must be implemented to mitigate maladaptive coping strategies being used by cancer patients: (1) health providers should seek informed financial consent from patients before commencing treatment; and (2) financial aid and support schemes for cancer patients should be reviewed to ensure they are delivered equitably. What is known on this topic?The financial cost of cancer can have significant adverse effects on cancer patients. Although financial transparency is desired by cancer patients, its implementation in practice is not clear. What does this paper add?This study adapts a conceptual model for the economic consequences of a cancer diagnosis and repurposes it for a mixed public–private health system, providing a framework for understanding downstream consequences of cancer costs and highlighting opportunities for intervention. What are the implications for health practitioners?Health practitioners need to initiate discussions concerning treatment costs earlier with cancer patients. There are several resources and guides available to assist and facilitate financial transparency. Without urgent attention to the financial consequences of cancer treatment and related expenses, we continue to leave patients at risk of resorting to maladaptive coping strategies, such as medication rationing and restrictive household budgeting.
Anthropogenic fire, vegetation structure and ethnobotanical uses in an alpine shrubland of Nepal’s Himalaya
Authors: Paudel Asha , Markwith Scott H. , Konchar Katie , Shrestha Mani , Ghimire Suresh K.
Published: January 2020

Alpine vegetation of the Himalaya is used as food, medicine or fodder, and is commonly managed with fire by agropastoralists. Prescribed fire can have positive effects on rangeland biodiversity, but studies evaluating its effects in alpine shrublands are scarce. Our objective was to examine the effects of anthropogenic fire on biophysical characteristics, species richness, abundance and composition in an alpine shrubland with socioeconomic value to local peoples in Langtang National Park in central Nepal. We surveyed biophysical variables, vascular plant species richness and composition along three transects at ascending elevations, and conducted interviews with local people and park officials on the use of fire in the region. We found 69 species of vascular plants in 89 plots; species richness was greater in burned plots and with increasing elevation, with 13 species unique to burned plots. We identified 14 indicator species in both burned and unburned plots; eight of them were Himalayan endemics. In burned plots, the indicator species were predominantly grasses and perennial forbs with ethnobotanical uses. This is the first detailed study on alpine shrubland anthropogenic fire in the Nepalese Himalaya. Burning may, at least temporarily, replace woody with more palatable herbaceous species, and weaken the elevational gradient of the shrubland.
The stress-responsive geneGDPGP1/mcp-1regulates neuronal glycogen metabolism and survival
Authors: Schulz Alexander , Sekine Yuichi , Oyeyemi Motunrayo J. , Abrams Alexander J. , Basavaraju Manasa , Han Sung Min , Groth Marco , Morrison Helen , Strittmatter Stephen M. , Hammarlund Marc
Published: January 2020

Maladaptive responses to stress might play a role in the sensitivity of neurons to stress. To identify novel cellular responses to stress, we performed transcriptional analysis in acutely stressed mouse neurons, followed by functional characterization in Caenorhabditis elegans. In both contexts, we found that the gene GDPGP1/mcp-1 is down-regulated by a variety of stresses. Functionally, the enzyme GDPGP1/mcp-1 protects against stress. Knockdown of GDPGP1 in mouse neurons leads to widespread neuronal cell death. Loss of mcp-1, the single homologue of GDPGP1 in C. elegans, leads to increased degeneration of GABA neurons as well as reduced survival of animals following environmental stress. Overexpression of mcp-1 in neurons enhances survival under hypoxia and protects against neurodegeneration in a tauopathy model. GDPGP1/mcp-1 regulates neuronal glycogen levels, indicating a key role for this metabolite in neuronal stress resistance. Together, our data indicate that down-regulation of GDPGP1/mcp-1 and consequent loss of neuronal glycogen is a maladaptive response that limits neuronal stress resistance and reduces survival.
Diversifying beam species through decay and recapture ion trapping: a demonstrative experiment at TITAN-EBIT
Authors: Leistenschneider E , Klawitter R , Lennarz A , Alanssari M , Bale J C , Barquest B R , Chowdhury U , Finlay A , Gallant A T , Kootte B , Lascar D , Leach K G , Mayer A J , Short D , Andreoiu C , Gwinner G , Wieser M E , Dilling J , Kwiatkowski A A
Published: January 2020

Recapturing the recoiling daughters from radioactive decay can be a simple way to diversify beam availability at rare isotope beam facilities. In the decay and recapture ion trapping (DRIT) technique, a parent species is stored in an ion trap and left to decay, and the daughter ions are recaptured by the trap and become available for use. We successfully demonstrated the technique using the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) at the TITAN facility. A pure cloud of 30Mg ions was stored in the EBIT for about one half-life and sent to a Penning trap mass spectrometer, which confirmed the production of 30Al daughter ions. Systematic measurements and simulations suggest high recapture efficiencies of the recoil ion and little influence of the recoiling energy in the observed losses. With the secondary beam, we also performed precision mass measurements of the parent 30Mg8+ and the daughter 30Al11+ ions. Our results agree with the literature and improve its precision. The success of this experiment shows that EBITs can produce high-quality beams through the DRIT technique.
Characterizing extreme laser intensities by ponderomotive acceleration of protons from rarified gas
Authors: Vais O E , Thomas A G R , Maksimchuk A M , Krushelnick K , Bychenkov V Yu
Published: January 2020

A new method to diagnose extreme laser intensities through measurement of angular and spectral distributions of protons directly accelerated by the laser focused into a rarefied gas is proposed. We simulated a laser pulse focused by an off-axis parabolic mirror by Stratton–Chu integrals, that enables description of laser pulse with different spatial-temporal profiles focusing in a focal spot down to the diffraction limit, that makes our theoretical predictions be a basis for experimental realization. The relationship between characteristics of the proton distributions and parameters of the laser pulse have been analyzed. The analytical and numerical results obtained justify the new method of laser diagnostics. The proposed scheme should be valuable for the commissioning of new extreme intensity laser facilities.
Azimuthal asymmetries of hadrons produced in unpolarized SIDIS at COMPASS
Authors: Moretti A
Published: January 2020

The asymmetry in the azimuthal angle distribution of hadrons produced in unpolarized Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS) carries information on the intrinsic transverse momentum of the quark

k
→

T

and on the still unknown Boer-Mulders parton distribution function

h
1
⊥

. Using the data collected in 2016 and 2017 with 160 GeV/c muon beams scattering off a liquid hydrogen target, the COMPASS Collaboration is measuring the azimuthal asymmetries

A

U
U

cos

ϕ
h

,

A

U
U

cos
2

ϕ
h

and

A

L
U

sin

ϕ
h

for charged hadrons. The preliminary results shown here confirm the strong kinematic dependencies observed in previous measurements conducted by COMPASS, HERMES and CLAS. The contribution from hadrons produced in the decay of vector mesons diffractively produced is also discussed.
Leveraging machine learning for predicting flash flood damage in the Southeast US
Authors: Alipour Atieh , Ahmadalipour Ali , Abbaszadeh Peyman , Moradkhani Hamid
Published: January 2020

Flash flood is a recurrent natural hazard with substantial impacts in the Southeast US (SEUS) due to the frequent torrential rainfalls that occur in the region, which are triggered by tropical storms, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. Flash floods are costly natural hazards, primarily due to their rapid onset. Therefore, predicting property damage of flash floods is imperative for proactive disaster management. Here, we present a systematic framework that considers a variety of features explaining different components of risk (i.e. hazard, vulnerability, and exposure), and examine multiple machine learning methods to predict flash flood damage. A large database of flash flood events consisting of more than 14 000 events are assessed for training and testing the methodology, while a multitude of data sources are utilized to acquire reliable information related to each event. A variable selection approach was employed to alleviate the complexity of the dataset and facilitate the model development process. The random forest (RF) method was then used to map the identified input covariates to a target variable (i.e. property damage). The RF model was implemented in two modes: first, as a binary classifier to estimate if a region of interest was damaged in any particular flood event, and then as a regression model to predict the amount of property damage associated with each event. The results indicate that the proposed approach is successful not only for classifying damaging events (with an accuracy of 81%), but also for predicting flash flood damage with a good agreement with the observed property damage. This study is among the few efforts for predicting flash flood damage across a large domain using mesoscale input variables, and the findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Adsorption potential of macroporous Amberlyst-15 for Cd(II) removal from aqueous solutions
Authors: Razzaq Rabil , Shah Khizar Hussain , Fahad Muhammad , Naeem Abdul , Sherazi Tauqir A
Published: January 2020

The macroporous ion exchange resins are unique and most suitable for the adsorption of heavy metal ions due to their porous three-dimensional structures and large specific surface areas. In the current investigation, a macroporous sulphonic acid cation exchange resin Amberlyst-15 was implemented for the adsorption of Cd (II) using batch adsorption technique to evaluate its removal efficiency. The characterization of resin surface was performed by several techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and Point of zero charge (PZC). The effects of various experimental parameters such as time, temperature, concentration, pH and dosage amount were examined in detail. The optimum pH for maximum uptake of Cd(II) onto the Amberlyst.15 was observed at pH 3 showing the efficient working of resin under highly acidic conditions. The results also proved that Amberlyst-15 showed tremendous adsorption potential toward Cd(II) removal; 99.95% removal within 30 min reaction time and 2.01 mmol g−1 maximum adsorption capacity at 323 K. The adsorption data was well described by Langmuir adsorption isotherm and pseudo second order models. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption was endothermic, spontaneous and feasible process with increased randomness at resin surface. The free energy of adsorption (E) (13–15 kJ mol−1) determined from Dubinin-Radushkevitch (D-R) model proved the ion exchange reaction mechanism for Cd(II) adsorption. The experimental results reported herein validate that Amberlyst.15 resin is a promising adsorbent for the enhanced removal of Cd(II) and other toxic metals from contaminated water and waste effluents.
Effect of Sr and La co-doping on structural and electrical properties of RF sputtered PZT thin films
Authors: Kathiresan M , Manikandan C , Premkumar S , Varadarajan E , Natarajan V , Jayaraj M K , Santhanakrishnan T
Published: January 2020

Doping in lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films is on the rise for next generation micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and energy harvesting applications, owing to their improved ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. Strontium, lanthanum and neodymium like elements are the most exploited for such applications. This paper reports realization of a PZT thin film with strontium and lanthanum co-doping in tandem, Pb1−x−3y/2Sr
x
La
y
(Zr0.56Ti0.44)O3
x = 0.06, y = 0.03 (PSLZT), by RF sputtering process. Different process conditions like substrate temperature from 250 °C–350 °C and annealing temperature from 650 °C–750 °C are studied to achieve pyrochlore free PSLZT thin film. The structure, surface morphology, surface topography and ferroelectric characteristics are investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and P-E analyser, respectively. Nanoscale polarization switching processes and the local surface displacements are studied to ascertain that the PSLZT thin film exhibits the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. Experimental results reveal that the present PSLZT thin film has a polarization of 5.5 μC cm−2, leakage current density of 10−5 A cm−2 and piezoelectric charge coefficient, d33, of 87 pm V−1, which are suitable for realization of various new piezoelectric MEMS sensors.
Ideal points of character varieties, algebraic non-integral representations, and undetected closed essential surfaces in 3–manifolds
Authors: Casella Alex , Katerba Charles , Tillmann Stephan
Published: January 2020

Closed essential surfaces in a 3–manifold can be detected by ideal points of the character variety or by algebraic non-integral representations. We give examples of closed essential surfaces not detected in either of these ways. For ideal points, we use Chesebro’s module-theoretic interpretation of Culler-Shalen theory. As a corollary, we construct an infinite family of closed hyperbolic Haken 3–manifolds with no algebraic non-integral representation into

PSL

2

(

C

)

\textrm {PSL}_2 (\mathbb {C})

, resolving a question of Schanuel and Zhang.
Proteomic Analysis of Brain Regions Reveals Brain Regional Differences and the Involvement of Multiple Keratins in Chronic Alcohol Neurotoxicity
Authors: Zhang Dingang , Dong Xiaoru , Liu Xiaochen , Ye Lin , Li Shuhao , Zhu Rongzhe , Ye Yonghong , Jiang Yan
Published: January 2020

Aims

Alcohol abuse has attracted public attention and chronic alcohol exposure can result in irreversible structural changes in the brain. The molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol neurotoxicity are complex, mandating comprehensive mining of spatial protein expression profile.

Methods

In this study, mice models of chronic alcohol intoxication were established after 95% alcohol vapor administration for 30 consecutive days. On Day 30, striatum (the dorsal and ventral striatum) and hippocampus, the two major brain regions responsible for learning and memorizing while being sensitive to alcohol toxicity, were collected. After that, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation -based quantitative proteomic analysis were carried out for further exploration of the novel mechanisms underlying alcohol neurotoxicity.

Results

Proteomic results showed that in the striatum, 29 proteins were significantly up-regulated and 17 proteins were significantly down-regulated. In the hippocampus, 72 proteins were significantly up-regulated, while 2 proteins were significantly down-regulated. Analysis of the overlay proteins revealed that a total of 102 proteins were consistently altered (P < 0.05) in both hippocampus and striatum regions, including multiple keratins such as Krt6a, Krt17 and Krt5. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed that previously reported diseases/biofunctions such as dermatological diseases and developmental disorders were enriched in those proteins. Interestingly, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling was among the top enriched pathways in both brain regions, while multiple keratins from the GR signaling such as Krt1 and Krt17 exhibited significantly opposite expression patterns in the two brain nuclei. Moreover, there are several other involved pathways significantly differed between the hippocampus and striatum.

Conclusions

Our data revealed brain regional differences upon alcohol consumption and indicated the critical involvement of keratins from GR signaling in alcohol neurotoxicity. The differences in proteomic results between the striatum and hippocampus suggested a necessity of taking into consideration brain regional differences and intertwined signaling pathways rather than merely focusing on single nuclei or molecule during the study of drug-induced neurotoxicity in the future.