bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the impact of multi-reference character of small transition metal compounds on their bond dissociation energies
Authors: Süß Daniel , Huber Stefan E. , Mauracher Andreas
Published: March 2020

Determining the multi-reference character of a molecular system and its impact on the limits within which its properties may be calculated accurately by different quantum chemical methods remains a difficult yet important task in computational chemistry. Especially, transition metal compounds continue to frequently provide a challenge to quantum chemists in this regard. In this work, we construct, analyze, and evaluate different computational protocols to determine the impact of the multi-reference character of transition metal compounds on their bond dissociation energies using a set of reference data for 60 diatomic molecules. We find that the fractional orbital density approach allows to determine two global indicators on a physically sound basis. These can subsequently be used to classify the assessed set of molecules with high accuracy into categories of systems for which their multi-reference character matters substantially for their bond dissociation energies and for which it does not. A comparison with earlier suggested thresholds for classification of molecular systems due to their multi-reference character suggests that our approaches yield substantially better performance.
Dark-current reduction accompanied photocurrent enhancement in p-type MnO quantum-dot decorated n-type 2D-MoS2-based photodetector
Authors: Pak Y. , Mitra S. , Alaal N. , Xin B. , Lopatin S. , Almalawi D. , Min J.-W. , Kim H. , Kim W. , Jung G.-Y. , Roqan I. S.
Published: March 2020

A highly crystalline single- or few-layered 2D-MoS2 induces a high dark current, due to which an extremely small photocurrent generated by a few photons can be veiled or distorted. In this report, we show that suppression in the dark current with the enhancement in the photocurrent of a 2D-based photodetector, which is a prerequisite for photoresponse enhancement, can be achieved by constructing an ideal p-n junction based on functionalizing n-type 2D-MoS2 with p-type quantum dots (QDs). Highly crystalline solution-processed manganese oxide QDs (MnO QDs) are synthesized via the pulsed femtosecond laser ablation technique in ethanol. The ablated MnO QDs are spray-coated on an exfoliated 2D-MoS2 substrate with interdigitated Au electrodes through N2-assisted spraying. In the resulting MnO QD-decorated 2D-MoS2 photodetector with a heterojunction, dark current is reduced and is accompanied by photocurrent enhancement, thereby markedly improving the photoresponsivity and detectivity of MoS2-based devices. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms contributing to this enhancement, power- and wavelength-dependent photoresponses, along with material characterizations based on spectroscopic, chemical, morphological measurements, and analyses, are discussed.
Oxide-based selector with trap-filling-controlled threshold switching
Authors: Saitoh Shuhei , Kinoshita Kentaro
Published: March 2020

A cross-point memory architecture will be adopted to make the most of the suitability of resistance change memories for high integration. To achieve this, the development of a selector device that is connected in series to the memory and helps to remove the sneak path current flowing through unselected and half-selected cells is an urgent requirement. In this Letter, we developed a selector based on a simple sandwiched structure of Pt/CoO/ITO and confirmed the nonpolar threshold resistance switching that does not require the first fire process. The selector showed an excellent performance of a very small dispersion of the threshold voltages and resistance in the OFF state with the relative standard deviations of less than 2% each, as well as the quick transition between the OFF and ON states within 50 ns. The scaling law was confirmed in the current, both in the ON and OFF states, ION and Ith. It allows us to analyze ION and Ith, based on which we can reduce the area of the device. The current conduction of the Pt/CoO/ITO selector is ruled by the trap-controlled space charge limited current (SCLC), and the threshold switching from ON to OFF states and vice versa is caused by the transition from the trap-unfilled to the trap-filled SCLC and vice versa, respectively.
Excited-state electronic structure of molecules using many-body Green’s functions: Quasiparticles and electron–hole excitations with VOTCA-XTP
Authors: Tirimbò G. , Sundaram V. , Çaylak O. , Scharpach W. , Sijen J. , Junghans C. , Brown J. , Ruiz F. Zapata , Renaud N. , Wehner J. , Baumeier B.
Published: March 2020

We present the open-source VOTCA-XTP software for the calculation of the excited-state electronic structure of molecules using many-body Green’s function theory in the GW approximation with the Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE). This work provides a summary of the underlying theory and discusses the details of its implementation based on Gaussian orbitals, including resolution-of-identity techniques and different approaches to the frequency integration of the self-energy or acceleration by offloading compute-intensive matrix operations using graphics processing units in a hybrid OpenMP/Cuda scheme. A distinctive feature of VOTCA–XTP is the capability to couple the calculation of electronic excitations to a classical polarizable environment on an atomistic level in a coupled quantum- and molecular-mechanics (QM/MM) scheme, where a complex morphology can be imported from Molecular Dynamics simulations. The capabilities and limitations of the GW–BSE implementation are illustrated with two examples. First, we study the dependence of optically active electron–hole excitations in a series of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based oligomers on molecular-architecture modifications and the number of repeat units. Second, we use the GW–BSE/MM setup to investigate the effect of polarization on localized and intermolecular charge-transfer excited states in morphologies of low-donor content rubrene–fullerene mixtures. These showcases demonstrate that our implementation currently allows us to treat systems with up to 2500 basis functions on regular shared-memory workstations, providing accurate descriptions of quasiparticle and coupled electron–hole excited states of various characters on an equal footing.
Sensitive linear optical sampling system with femtosecond precision
Authors: Lu Qiming , Shen Qi , Guan Jianyu , Li Min , Chen Jiupeng , Liao Shengkai , Zhang Qiang , Peng Chengzhi
Published: March 2020

A sensitive linear optical sampling (LOS) system with femtosecond precision was implemented and experimentally optimized for free-space time-frequency transfer. The effect of optical factors and electronic factors on timing jitter and sensitivity of LOS was quantitatively studied separately based on femtosecond optical frequency combs. These factors include the intensity of received signal light, the repetition frequency difference between two combs, the number of bits of the analog-to-digital converter, and the gain of the balanced detector. According to the experimental results, the performance of the LOS system was optimized and the minimum timing jitter of LOS was 2.06 fs when the power of the received signal light was 1 μW. Moreover, the sensitivity reached 3.03 nW when using a balanced detector with 160 K gain.
Field theoretic approach for block polymer melts: SCFT and
FTS
Authors: Matsen M. W.
Published: March 2020

This perspective addresses the development of polymer field theory for predicting the equilibrium phase behavior of block polymer melts. The approach is tailored to the high-molecular-weight limit, where universality reduces all systems to the standard Gaussian chain model, an incompressible melt of elastic threads interacting by contact forces. Using mathematical identities, this particle-based version of the model is converted to an equivalent field-based version that depends on fields rather than particle coordinates. The statistical mechanics of the field-based model is typically solved using the saddle-point approximation of self-consistent field theory (SCFT), which equates to mean field theory, but it can also be evaluated using field theoretic simulations (FTS). While SCFT has matured into one of the most successful theories in soft condensed matter, FTS are still in its infancy. The two main obstacles of FTS are the high computational cost and the occurrence of an ultraviolet divergence, but fortunately there has been recent groundbreaking progress on both fronts. As such, FTS are now well poised to become the method of choice for predicting fluctuation corrections to mean field theory.
Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Golmohammadi Nazila , Boland-Hemmat Mohadeseh , Barahmand Sanam , Eslami Hossein
Published: March 2020

We have constructed efficient coarse-grained (CG) models of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), using three mapping schemes, in which a repeat unit is lumped into either three or four beads. The CG potentials are parameterized to reproduce target distributions of an underlying accurate atomistic model [H. Eslami and F. Müller-Plathe, Macromolecules 42, 8241–8250 (2009)]. The CG simulations allow equilibration of long PET chains at all length scales. The CG results on the density of PET in melt and glassy states, chain dimension, local packing, and structure factor are in good agreement with experiment. We have established a link between the glass transition temperature and the local movements including conformational transitions and mean-square displacements of chain segments. Temperature transferabilities of the three proposed models were studied by comparing CG results on the static and thermodynamic properties of a polymer with atomistic and experimental findings. One of the three CG models has a good degree of transferability, following all inter- and intra-structural rearrangements of the atomistic model, over a broad range of temperature. Furthermore, as a distinct point of strength of CG, over atomistic, simulations, we have examined the dynamics of PET long chains, consisting of 100 repeat units, over a regime where entanglements dominate the dynamics. Performing long-time (550 ns) CG simulations, we have noticed the signature of a crossover from Rouse to reptation dynamics. However, a clear separation between the Rouse and the reptation dynamics needs much longer time simulations, confirming the experimental findings that the crossover to full reptation dynamics is very protracted.
Growth of strain-relaxed InGaN on micrometer-sized patterned compliant GaN pseudo-substrates
Authors: Pasayat Shubhra S. , Gupta Chirag , Wong Matthew S. , Wang Yifan , Nakamura Shuji , Denbaars Steven P. , Keller Stacia , Mishra Umesh K.
Published: March 2020

The compliant behavior of high fill-factor 10 × 10 μm2 square patterned 60–140 nm thick GaN-on-porous-GaN tiles was demonstrated by utilizing porous GaN as a semi-flexible underlayer. High resolution x-ray diffraction measurements showed a larger a-lattice constant of InGaN layers deposited on these patterned GaN-on-porous GaN pseudo-substrates in comparison to those deposited on co-loaded planar GaN-on-sapphire templates. Additionally, InGaN based light emitting diode (LED) structures deposited on these GaN pseudo-substrates exhibited room temperature electroluminescence at 547 nm compared to 506 nm for the LED structures grown on co-loaded planar GaN on sapphire templates, corresponding to a redshift of around 40 nm. The longer emission wavelength was associated with the higher indium incorporation into the InGaN quantum wells deposited on the compliant GaN pseudo-substrates, owing to a reduced lattice mismatch between the quantum well and the n-InGaN base layers grown on the compliant pseudo-substrates, due to the composition pulling effect.
Unified prediction of reshocked Richtmyer–Meshkov mixing with K-L model
Authors: Xiao Mengjuan , Zhang Yousheng , Tian Baolin
Published: March 2020

Hydrodynamic instabilities, including Rayleigh–Taylor, Richtmyer–Meshkov (RM), and Kelvin–Helmholtz, induced turbulent mixing broadly occur in both natural phenomena, such as supernova explosions, and high-energy-density applications, such as inertial confinement fusion. Reshocked RM mixing is the most fundamental physical process that is closely related to practical problems, as it involves three classical instabilities. In complex applications, the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes model analysis continues to play a major role. However, there are very few turbulence models that facilitate unified predictions of the outcome of reshocked RM mixing experiments under different physical conditions. Thus, we aim to achieve this objective using the K-L model based on three considerations: deviatoric shear stress is considered when constructing Reynolds stress tensor; the model coefficients used are derived based on a new systematic procedure; the performance of different numerical schemes are studied to ensure high resolution but basically no numerical oscillation. Consequently, a unified prediction is obtained for the first time for a series of reshocked RM mixing experiments under incident shock Mach numbers Ma = 1.2–1.98, Atwood numbers At = ±0.67, and test section lengths 8 cm ≤ δ ≤ 110 cm. The results reveal the feasibility of demonstrating different reshocked RM processes using a single model, without adjusting the model coefficients, which sheds light on the further application of the present model to practical engineering, such as inertial confinement fusion.
Cytoplasm lipids can be modulated through hormone-sensitive lipase and are related to mitochondrial function in porcine IVM oocytes
Authors: Zhuan Qingrui , Ma Haojia , Chen Jing , Luo Yuxi , Luo Yan , Gao Lei , Hou Yunpeng , Zhu Shien , Fu Xiangwei
Published: March 2020

Intracellular lipids provide energy for oocyte maturation and development. Triglycerides are the main components of cytoplasm lipid droplets, and hydrolysis of triglycerides requires several lipase-mediated steps. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the β-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol (ISO) and the hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) inhibitor CAY10499 on the IVM of porcine oocytes. ISO (5mg L−1) and CAY10499 (20mg L−1) had positive and negative effects respectively on invitro oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development. The rates of polar body extrusion, cleavage and blastocyst formation were significantly higher in the ISO-treated group than the control and CAY10499-treated groups. ISO treatment also upregulated intracellular cAMP levels in comparison with the control group, while CAY10499 significantly increased the triglyceride content of matured oocytes when compared with other groups, consistent with the observed decrease in LIPE (HSL) mRNA levels. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of CAY10499 included decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial temperature. These results indicate that ISO has a positive effect on the IVM of porcine oocytes, and that intracellular lipid metabolism can be modulated by CAY10499 through inhibition of HSL and is closely related to mitochondrial function.
Equatorial Guinea Spanish non-continuant /d/
Authors: Lipski John M.
Published: March 2020

In Equatorial Guinea, the only sub-Saharan African nation in which Spanish is widely spoken, prevocalic /d/ frequently receives a short occlusive articulation that approximates [ɾ]. A similar pronunciation occurs in some contemporary Afro-descendant populations in Latin America, and Afro-Hispanic literary stereotypes also include the /d/ > [ɾ] shift. Based on an acoustic analysis of naturalistic speech, this study proposes that non-continuant realizations of /d/ are part of a cluster of traits that include an alveolar realization of /t/ and /d/, partial neutralization of /ɾ/-/r/, and prominent svarabhakti vowels. A combination of incomplete L2 acquisition, L1 carryovers, and structural re-alignment emerges as the most likely account of Equatorial Guinean /d/ > [ɾ], which may partially extend to other Afro-Hispanic speech communities.
Social contact and linguistic convergence
Authors: Chappell Whitney
Published: March 2020

The Spanish spoken along Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast has been described as a dialect divergent from Western Nicaraguan Spanish, and one commonly cited difference is the realization of intervocalic /b, d, ɡ/. The present study uses intervocalic /d/ as a litmus test to determine whether young Miskitu-Spanish bilinguals in Bilwi are maintaining a distinct coastal dialect of Spanish or converging on national norms as contact increases with monolingual speakers from the West. The results of a mixed-effects linear regression model using relative intensity to measure /d/ constriction show no significant differences between the young bilinguals in Bilwi and the monolinguals from Managua, suggesting that the unique coastal dialect is receding among younger speakers, whose Spanish phonological system is increasingly monolingual-like.
Intervocalic phonemic stop realization in Amazonian Peru
Authors: Henriksen Nicholas , Fafulas Stephen , O'Rourke Erin
Published: March 2020

This study explores intervocalic phonemic stop realization in Spanish by monolingual and bilingual speakers in the Peruvian Amazon. We performed an acoustic analysis of sociolinguistic interviews conducted in Spanish with Spanish monolinguals and Yagua-Spanish bilinguals. We focus on Yagua-Spanish bilinguals since the substrate language, Yagua, does not contrast voiceless and voiced stops. Our results, derived from phonetic measurements of relative intensity and consonant duration, show that there is greater lenition of stops by Spanish monolinguals than by Yagua-Spanish bilinguals. They further suggest that ethnic Yagua communities are converging toward Spanish-like patterns of lenition of /p t k b d ɡ/. Altogether, this study contributes to the literature on Spanish contact phonology through an investigation of Spanish-Yagua bilingualism in Amazonian Peru.
Afro-Peruvian Spanish intonation
Authors: Butera Brianna , Rao Rajiv , Sessarego Sandro
Published: March 2020

This paper provides an analysis of Afro-Peruvian Spanish (APS) declarative intonation. APS is an Afro-Hispanic vernacular spoken across some rural villages in the Province of Chincha, coastal Peru. Results indicate that APS does not follow declarative intonation patterns found in most normative varieties of Spanish. In particular, it shows lower rates of downstepping; it presents systematic peak alignment at the word level (both in nuclear and prenuclear positions); and it is characterized by L- boundary tones at the intermediate phrase edges (rather than H- configurations). We analyze these results as the byproduct of contact-induced change, which led to the reduction of Spanish phonological targets in the APS grammar and to a subsequent reconfiguration of its prosodic system.
How much noise can you make through an interpreter?
Authors: Bartłomiejczyk Magdalena
Published: March 2020

The paper employs critical discourse analysis for a pragmatically-oriented exploration of several racist
statements by a Polish Eurosceptic Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Janusz Korwin-Mikke. The original fragments in English
or in Polish were extracted from a larger corpus containing all the plenary contributions of the MEP (2014–2018). They are
com­pared with their interpretations into German and, respectively, either Polish or English. The qualitative analysis reveals that
the approach to racist statements by interpreters is inconsistent, both across all the three language units and when the output of
each is considered separately. In the analysed interpretations, there is evidence of preservation of the pragmatic effect,
slight/radical mitigation, and strengthening. Slight mitigation seems to be the most popular option. The interpreters tended to
tone down anthroponyms functioning as racial slurs and to omit implicit racism.
The predicative adjectiveand its propositional arguments
Authors: Messina Simona
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this paper is to classify Italian adjectives that have the predicative function and accept a complement clause (Ch F) or an infinitive (V-inf) inN0orN1. For the formation of the word list, we have used electronic dictionaries from the “DELA” system in use in the Department of Communication Sciences at the University of Salerno (now Department of Political and Communication Sciences) and De Mauro Dictionaries (2000aand2000b).

34,132 adjectives of the Nooj list have been examined. The acquired data have been subjected to further verifications in order to obtain the adjectives responding to the basic theoretical hypothesis. The adjectives have been classified according to the principles of Lexicon-Grammar methodology as developed by Maurice Gross (1975,1981and further). The result was a list of 1,732 entries relating to 1,619 adjectives classified in 10 classes.
The political economy of automobile development in Nigeria
Authors: Ugwueze Michael I. , Ezeibe Christian C. , Onuoha Jonah I.
Published: March 2020

This briefing examines the major developments in Nigeria’s automobile industry since 1960. It argues that inconsistent implementation of automobile policies reinforces the capacity of non-indigenous automobile manufacturers to dominate the sector, and concludes that consistent auto-policy implementation that promotes the interests of indigenous manufacturers is relevant for increased local production and sustainable job creation in the sector.
Place (in)securities: older adults’ perceptions across urban environments in the United Kingdom ((In)seguridades de lugar. Percepciones de las personas mayores en distintos entornos urbanos del Reino Unido)
Authors: Makita Meiko , Woolrych Ryan , Sixsmith Judith , Murray Michael , Menezes Deborah , Fisher Jenny , Lawthom Rebecca
Published: March 2020

This paper explores empirical accounts of perceived insecurities and accompanying issues that make urban place problematic and can impact older adults’ well-being and overall quality of life. Findings reported derive from the project ‘Place-Making with Older People: Towards Age-Friendly Communities’ which investigates both barriers and facilitators to developing age-friendly cities. Drawing on interviews with older adults in three cities in the United Kingdom (UK), the analysis demonstrates that physical and social vulnerabilities, along with the characteristics of the built and social environment, play a role in influencing older adults’ behaviours, routines and habits in the community. The results are discussed with a view of influencing practice and policy priorities relating to age-friendly cities.
Quantum instability of the Cauchy horizon in Reissner–Nordström–deSitter spacetime
Authors: Hollands Stefan , Wald Robert M , Zahn Jochen
Published: March 2020

In classical general relativity, the values of fields on spacetime are uniquely determined by their values at an initial time within the domain of dependence of this initial data surface. However, it may occur that the spacetime under consideration extends beyond this domain of dependence, and fields, therefore, are not entirely determined by their initial data. This occurs, for example, in the well-known (maximally) extended Reissner–Nordström or Reissner–Nordström–deSitter (RNdS) spacetimes. The boundary of the region determined by the initial data is called the ‘Cauchy horizon.’ It is located inside the black hole in these spacetimes. The strong cosmic censorship conjecture asserts that the Cauchy horizon does not, in fact, exist in practice because the slightest perturbation (of the metric itself or the matter fields) will become singular there in a sufficiently catastrophic way that solutions cannot be extended beyond the Cauchy horizon. Thus, if strong cosmic censorship holds, the Cauchy horizon will be converted into a ‘final singularity,’ and determinism will hold. Recently, however, it has been found that, classically this is not the case in RNdS spacetimes in a certain range of mass, charge, and cosmological constant. In this paper, we consider a quantum scalar field in RNdS spacetime and show that quantum theory comes to the rescue of strong cosmic censorship. We find that for any state that is nonsingular (i.e., Hadamard) within the domain of dependence, the expected stress-tensor blows up with affine parameter, V, along a radial null geodesic transverse to the Cauchy horizon as T

VV
∼ C/V
2 with C independent of the state and C ≠ 0 generically in RNdS spacetimes. This divergence is stronger than in the classical theory and should be sufficient to convert the Cauchy horizon into a singularity through which the spacetime cannot be extended as a (weak) solution of the semiclassical Einstein equation. This behavior is expected to be quite general, although it is possible to have C = 0 in certain special cases, such as the BTZ black hole.
The high-pressure, high-temperature phase diagram of cerium
Authors: Munro K A , Daisenberger D , MacLeod S G , McGuire S , Loa I , Popescu C , Botella P , Errandonea D , McMahon M I
Published: March 2020

We present an experimental study of the high-pressure, high-temperature behaviour of cerium up to ∼22 GPa and 820 K using angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction and external resistive heating. Studies above 820 K were prevented by chemical reactions between the samples and the diamond anvils of the pressure cells. We unambiguously measure the stability region of the orthorhombic oC4 phase and find it reaches its apex at 7.1 GPa and 650 K. We locate the α-cF4–oC4–tI2 triple point at 6.1 GPa and 640 K, 1 GPa below the location of the apex of the oC4 phase, and 1–2 GPa lower than previously reported. We find the α-cF4 → tI2 phase boundary to have a positive gradient of 280 K (GPa)−1, less steep than the 670 K (GPa)−1 reported previously, and find the oC4 → tI2 phase boundary to lie at higher temperatures than previously found. We also find variations as large as 2–3 GPa in the transition pressures at which the oC4 → tI2 transition takes place at a given temperature, the reasons for which remain unclear. Finally, we find no evidence that the α-cF4 → tI2 is not second order at all temperatures up to 820 K.
Engulfment of ellipsoidal nanoparticles by membranes: full description of orientational changes
Authors: Agudo-Canalejo Jaime
Published: March 2020

We study the engulfment of ellipsoidal nanoparticles by membranes. It has been previously predicted that wrapping by the membrane can induce reorientation of the particle, however, previous studies only considered the wrapping process constrained to either side-oriented or tip-oriented particles. In contrast, we consider here the full two-dimensional energy landscape for engulfment, where the two degrees of freedom represent (i) the amount of wrapping and (ii) the particle orientation. In this way, we obtain access to the stability limits of the differently-oriented states, as well as to the energy barriers between them. We find that prolate and oblate particles undergo qualitatively different engulfment transitions, and show that the initial orientation of the particle at first contact with the membrane influences its fate.
Accurate tip characterization in critical dimension atomic force microscopy
Authors: Dai Gaoliang , Xu Linyan , Hahm Kai
Published: March 2020

A new method for accurately characterizing the tip geometry of critical dimension atomic force microscopy (CD-AFM) has been introduced. A sample type IVPS100-PTB whose line features have vertical sidewall, round corner with a radius of approx. 5 ∼ 6 nm and very low surface roughness has been applied as the tip characterizer. The geometry of the line features has been accurately and traceably calibrated to the lattice constant of crystal silicon. In this paper, detailed measurement strategies and data evaluation algorithms have been introduced, particularly concerning several important influence factors such as the line width roughness of the tip characterizer, measurement noise, measurement point density, and the calculation of the averaged tip geometry. Thorough experimental studies have been carried out, indicating high measurement accuracy of the developed method. For instance, tip geometry of a probe type CDR120 with a nominal tip diameter of 120 nm is reconstructed using two different tip characterizers before, during and after it is applied for a calibration of a user sample. The agreement of all 20 obtained tip profiles reaches 0.4 nm, confirming the high measurement stability, low tip wear as well as the high measurement consistency between two tip characterizers. Furthermore, the results of a nanofeature of the user sample after correcting the tip contribution show a repeatability of approximately 0.3 nm when it is repeatedly measured by a same tip, and a reproducibility of 0.9 nm when it is measured using two different tips, confirming the good performance of the tip correction method as well.
Investigation of the growth of few-layer SnS2 thin films via atomic layer deposition on an O2 plasma-treated substrate
Authors: Lee Namgue , Choi Hyeongsu , Park Hyunwoo , Choi Yeonsik , Yuk Hyunwoo , Lee JungHoon , Jeon Hyeongtag
Published: March 2020

Despite increasing interest in tin disulfide (SnS2) as a two-dimensional (2D) material due to its promising electrical and optical properties, the surface treatment of silicon dioxide (SiO2) substrates prior to the atomic layer deposition (ALD) deposition of SnS2 has not been thoroughly studied. In this paper, we prepared two types of SiO2 substrates with and without using an O2 plasma surface treatment and compared the ALD growth behavior of SnS2 on the SiO2 substrates. The hydrophilic properties of the two SiO2 substrates were investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements, which showed that using an O2 plasma surface treatment tuned the surface to be more hydrophilic. ALD-grown SnS2 thin films on the two different SiO2 substrates were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. To estimate the exact thickness of the ALD-grown SnS2 thin films, transmission electron microscopy was used. Our data revealed that using O2 plasma surface treatment increased the growth rate of the initial ALD stage. Thus, the ALD-grown SnS2 thin film on the SiO2 substrate treated with O2 plasma was thicker than the film grown on the non-treated SiO2 substrate.
Skyrmion dynamics and topological sorting on periodic obstacle arrays
Authors: Vizarim N P , Reichhardt C , Reichhardt C J O , Venegas P A
Published: March 2020

We examine skyrmions under a dc drive interacting with a square array of obstacles for varied obstacle size and damping. When the drive is applied in a fixed direction, we find that the skyrmions are initially guided in the drive direction but also move transverse to the drive due to the Magnus force. The skyrmion Hall angle, which indicates the difference between the skyrmion direction of motion and the drive direction, increases with drive in a series of quantized steps as a result of the locking of the skyrmion motion to specific symmetry directions of the obstacle array. On these steps, the skyrmions collide with an integer number of obstacles to create a periodic motion. The transitions between the different locking steps are associated with jumps or dips in the velocity–force curves. In some regimes, the skyrmion Hall angle is actually higher than the intrinsic skyrmion Hall angle that would appear in the absence of obstacles. In the limit of zero damping, the skyrmion Hall angle is 90°, and we find that it decreases as the damping increases. For multiple interacting skyrmion species in the collective regime, we find jammed behavior at low drives where the different skyrmion species are strongly coupled and move in the same direction. As the drive increases, the species decouple and each can lock to a different symmetry direction of the obstacle lattice, making it possible to perform topological sorting in analogy to the particle sorting methods used to fractionate different species of colloidal particles moving over two-dimensional obstacle arrays.
Single-ion addressing via trap potential modulation in global optical fields
Authors: Seck Christopher M , Meier Adam M , Merrill J True , Hayden Harley T , Sawyer Brian C , Volin Curtis E , Brown Kenton R
Published: March 2020

To date, individual addressing of ion qubits has relied primarily on local Rabi or transition frequency differences between ions created via electromagnetic field spatial gradients or via ion transport operations. Alternatively, it is possible to synthesize arbitrary local one-qubit gates by leveraging local phase differences in a global driving field. Here we report individual addressing of 40Ca+ ions in a two-ion crystal using axial potential modulation in a global gate laser field. We characterize the resulting gate performance via one-qubit randomized benchmarking, applying different random sequences to each co-trapped ion. We identify the primary error sources and compare the results with single-ion experiments to better understand our experimental limitations. These experiments form a foundation for the universal control of two ions, confined in the same potential well, with a single gate laser beam.
Comparison of clinicopathological traits and prognostic factors of hepatocellular carcinoma with and without cirrhotic background
Authors: Hu Jian , Zhang Zhi-Qing , Zhu Wei , Wu Zhen-Ru , You Yu , Liu Yan , Su Dai-Wen , Wang Yun-Bing , Gong Jian-Ping
Published: March 2020

The difference of the patients bearing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with and without cirrhosis at clinical level has not been completely determined. This study compared their differences in clinicopathological traits and prognostic factors for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Animal model was established to validate the result of clinical observation. As a result, 82 patients bearing HCC with no cirrhosis (HCC-NC) and 146 patients bearing HCC with cirrhosis (HCC-C) were included. HCC-NC exhibited shorter prothrombin time and higher plasma albumin than HCC-C. In HCC-NC, satellite nodule was an independent risk factor for OS, and high γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was an independent risk factor for RFS. In HCC-C, female sex was an independent risk factor for OS. Stratified analysis showed the OS and RFS of HCC-NC were better than HCC-C in conditions like without cancer embolus (in the portal vein or bile duct), without lymphadenopathy in hepatic portal, without satellite nodule and with small or high-differentiated tumor. Animal model analysis showed HCC-NC had a higher liver/body weight ratio, less tumor count and smaller max tumor volume than HCC-C. In conclusion, clinicopathological traits and risk factors influencing postoperative OS and RFS differed between patients with HCC-C and HCC-NC.
A Validated Stability-Indicating HPTLC Assay for Determination of 10-Hydroxy-2-Decenoic Acid Content in Royal Jelly Products Using Robust Regression Methods
Authors: Korany Mohamed A , Moneeb Marwa S , Asaad Aya M , El-Sebakhy Nadia A , El-Banna Alaa A
Published: March 2020

A new, simple, stability-indicating high-performance thin-layer chromatography method was developed for the quantification of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) in some royal jelly products marketed in Egypt. The used solvent system was chloroform:acetic acid (10:1, v/v) and the bands were measured densitometrically at 210 nm. First- and second-derivative treatments of the data were performed. The present study shows a comparison between three statistical regression methods for handling data: parametric, nonparametric and weighted regression (WR) methods. The developed methods were validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. To validate the stability-indicating power of the developed analytical method, the royal jelly standard was subjected to forced degradation studies including the effect of hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis and dry heat. It was found that derivative treatment of the chromatographic response data gives improved quantitation and sensitivity of the chromatographic signals. Weighted regression of the response data is found to be advantageous over the use of both parametric and nonparametric regression models. This was shown by a great enhancement in the accuracy and precision in the analysis of 10-HDA in royal jelly products. The % recovery in case of WR was 99.92 ± 0.16, while % recovery in case of nonparametric and parametric regressions were 99.56 ± 0.25 and 98.63 ± 0.65, respectively.
Analysis of Severe Adverse Events Reported Among Patients Receiving Isoniazid-Rifapentine Treatment for Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection—United States, 2012–2016
Authors: Schmit Kristine M , Wortham Jonathan M , Ho Christine S , Powell Krista M
Published: March 2020

We analyzed data from 2012 to 2016 for patients who were hospitalized or who died after ≥1 dose of isoniazid-rifapentine for treatment of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. No patients died; 15 were hospitalized. Nine patients experienced hypotension, and 5 had elevated serum aminotransferases, reinforcing the need for vigilant monitoring during treatment.
Risk Factors of Healthcare Workers With Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Designated Hospital of Wuhan in China
Authors: Ran Li , Chen Xuyu , Wang Ying , Wu Wenwen , Zhang Ling , Tan Xiaodong
Published: March 2020

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which originated in Wuhan, China, has caused many healthcare workers (HCWs) to be infected. Seventy-two HCWs manifested with acute respiratory illness were retrospectively enrolled to analyze the risk factors. The high-risk department, longer duty hours, and suboptimal hand hygiene after contacting with patients were linked to COVID-19.
Prospective Evaluation of the Turbidimetric β-D-Glucan Assay and 2 Lateral Flow Assays on Serum in Invasive Aspergillosis
Authors: Mercier Toine , Guldentops Ellen , Lagrou Katrien , Maertens Johan
Published: March 2020

Background

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) remains a potentially lethal disease and requires timely diagnosis and initiation of antifungal therapy. Recently, the IMMY lateral flow assay (LFA), the OLM Diagnostics lateral flow device (LFD), and the Wako turbidimetric β-d-glucan assay have been approved for use as a diagnostic aid. However, their performance in diagnosing IA on serum samples from at-risk patients and the added value to the existing detection of serum galactomannan remain to be investigated.

Methods

We prospectively collected serum samples from 239 hematology patients and evaluated the diagnostic performance of these 3 assays while using the 2019 EORTC/MSG definitions (study number S59863/S61797, NCT03004092).

Results

We identified 5 cases of proven IA, 36 cases of probable IA, and 188 controls. The LFA had the highest negative predictive value (NPV) and sensitivity (0.90 and 0.49, respectively) while galactomannan detection had the highest positive predictive value and specificity (0.93 and 0.99, respectively). Sensitivity was not significantly different between both tests. When used in combination, the highest NPV was seen in patients with a negative LFA and a negative β-d-glucan test. The sensitivity of the LFD was significantly lower than the LFA. After omitting serum galactomannan from the definitions to control for incorporation bias, the sensitivity of the LFA outperformed galactomannan detection (0.41 vs 0.31, P = .046).

Conclusions

The LFA is a fast and effective alternative to serum galactomannan detection for the diagnosis of IA and is especially useful for centers with low sample throughputs. The addition of the Wako β-D-glucan assay further improves the diagnostic performance.
Non-Universal Arguments under the European Convention on Human Rights
Authors: Altwicker Tilmann
Published: March 2020

It is popular to view international human rights law as universal. In a normative sense, human rights universality refers to certain qualities of human rights norms. These qualities have long been under attack, most recently by what is called here human rights nationalism. The main point made in this article is that some of the criticism levelled against normative human rights universality can be accommodated through interpretation. To this end, non-universality of human rights is judicially created (argumentative non-universality). This article offers an analysis of argumentative non-universality in the context of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It shows that the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) operationalizes argumentative non-universality through a conception of asymmetric protection, by using context as a difference-making fact and by allowing, in certain cases, for a decentralized interpretation of rights under the ECHR. As argued here, resorting to argumentative non-universality sometimes makes sense because non-universality takes seriously the fact that individual freedom is, to some extent, socially and politically conditioned. Furthermore, non-universality allows for reasonable interpretive pluralism, and it contributes to the institutional legitimacy of the ECtHR. In conclusion, the ECtHR is, rightly so, an ‘interpreter of universality’ (as quoted by Judge Pinto de Albuquerque) as it is an interpreter of the non-universality of convention rights.
Soil microbial diversity in adjacent forest systems – contrasting native, old growth kauri (Agathis australis) forest with exotic pine (Pinus radiata) plantation forest
Authors: Byers Alexa-Kate , Condron Leo , Donavan Tom , O'Callaghan Maureen , Patuawa Taoho , Waipara Nick , Black Amanda
Published: March 2020

Globally, the conversion of primary forests to plantations and agricultural landscapes is a common land use change. Kauri (Agathis australis) is one of the most heavily impacted indigenous tree species of New Zealand with <1% of primary forest remaining as fragments adjacent to pastoral farming and exotic forest plantations. By contrasting two forest systems, we investigated if the fragmentation of kauri forests and introduction of pine plantations (Pinus radiata) are significantly impacting the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities across Waipoua kauri forest, New Zealand. Using next generation based 16S rRNA and ITS gene region sequencing, we identified that fungal and bacterial community composition significantly differed between kauri and pine forest soils. However, fungal communities displayed the largest differences in diversity and composition. This research revealed significant shifts in the soil microbial communities surrounding remnant kauri fragments, including the loss of microbial taxa with functions in disease suppression and plant health. Kauri dieback disease, caused by Phytophthora agathidicida, currently threatens the kauri forest ecosystem. Results from this research highlight the need for further investigations into how changes to soil microbial diversity surrounding remnant kauri fragments impact tree health and disease expression.
Aerobic Exercise Training Induces the Mitonuclear Imbalance and UPRmt in the Skeletal Muscle of Aged Mice
Authors: Cordeiro André V , Brícola Rafael S , Braga Renata R , Lenhare Luciene , Silva Vagner R R , Anaruma Chadi P , Katashima Carlos K , Crisol Barbara M , Simabuco Fernando M , Silva Adelino S R , Cintra Dennys E , Moura Leandro P , Pauli José R , Ropelle Eduardo R
Published: March 2020

The impairment of the mitochondrial functions is a hallmark of aging. During aging, there is a downregulation of two mechanisms strictly associated with mitochondrial integrity, including the mitonuclear imbalance (eg, imbalance in mitochondrial- versus nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins) and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). Here, we evaluated the effects of aerobic exercise in the mitonuclear imbalance and UPRmt markers in the skeletal muscle of old mice. We combined the physiological tests, molecular and bioinformatic analyzes to evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of aerobic exercise training on mitonuclear imbalance and UPRmt markers in the skeletal muscle of young (2 months) and aged (24 months) C57BL/6J mice. Initially, we found that aging reduced several mitochondrial genes in the gastrocnemius muscle, and it was accompanied by the low levels of UPRmt markers, including Yme1l1 and Clpp mRNA. As expected, physical training improved the whole-body metabolism and physical performance of aged mice. The aerobic exercise increased key proteins involved in the mitochondrial biogenesis/functions (VDAC and SIRT1) along with mitochondrial-encoded genes (mtNd1, mtCytB, and mtD-Loop) in the skeletal muscle of old mice. Interestingly, aerobic exercise induced the mitonuclear imbalance, increasing MTCO1/ATP5a ratio and UPRmt markers in the skeletal muscle, including HSP60, Lonp1, and Yme1L1 protein levels in the gastrocnemius muscle of aged mice. These data demonstrate that aerobic exercise training induced mitonuclear imbalance and UPRmt in the skeletal muscle during aging. These phenomena could be involved in the improvement of the mitochondrial metabolism and oxidative capacity in aged individuals.
The Role of Feed in Aquatic Laboratory Animal Nutrition and the Potential Impact on Animal Models and Study Reproducibility
Authors: Brenes-Soto Andrea , Tye Marc , Esmail Michael Y
Published: March 2020

Feed plays a central role in the physiological development of terrestrial and aquatic animals. Historically, the feeding practice of aquatic research species derived from aquaculture, farmed, or ornamental trades. These diets are highly variable, with limited quality control, and have been typically selected to provide the fastest growth or highest fecundity. These variations of quality and composition of diets may affect animal/colony health and can introduce confounding experimental variables into animal-based studies that impact research reproducibility.
Changes in Renal Function After Switching From TDF to TAF in HIV-Infected Individuals: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Surial Bernard , Ledergerber Bruno , Calmy Alexandra , Cavassini Matthias , Günthard Huldrych F , Kovari Helen , Stöckle Marcel , Bernasconi Enos , Schmid Patrick , Fux Christoph A , Furrer Hansjakob , Rauch Andri , Wandeler Gilles ,   Swiss HIV Cohort Study, Anagnostopoulos A , Battegay M , Bernasconi E , Böni J , Braun D L , Bucher H C , Calmy A , Cavassini M , Ciuffi A , Dollenmaier G , Egger M , Elzi L , Fehr J , Fellay J , Furrer H , Fux C A , Günthard H F , Haerry D , Hasse B , Hirsch H H , Hoffmann M , Hösli I , Huber M , Kahlert C R , Kaiser L , Keiser O , Klimkait T , Kouyos R D , Kovari H , Ledergerber B , Martinetti G , de Tejada B Martinez , Marzolini C , Metzner K J , Müller N , Nicca D , Paioni P , Pantaleo G , Perreau M , Rauch A , Rudin C , Scherrer A U , Schmid P , Speck R , Stöckle M , Tarr P , Trkola A , Vernazza P , Wandeler G , Weber R , Yerly S
Published: March 2020

Background

Replacing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) with tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) improves renal tubular markers in HIV-infected individuals but the impact on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remains unclear.

Methods

In all participants from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study who switched from TDF to TAF-containing antiretroviral regimen or continued TDF, we estimated changes in eGFR and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) after 18 months using mixed-effect models.

Results

Of 3520 participants (26.6% women, median age 50 years), 2404 (68.5%) switched to TAF. Overall, 1664 (47.3%) had an eGFR <90 mL/min and 1087 (30.9%) an UPCR ≥15 mg/mmol. In patients with baseline eGFR ≥90 mL/min, eGFR decreased with the use of TDF and TAF (−1.7 mL/min). Switching to TAF was associated with increases in eGFR of 1.5 mL/min (95% confidence interval [CI], .5–2.5) if the baseline eGFR was 60–89 mL/min, and 4.1 mL/min (95% CI, 1.6–6.6) if <60 mL/min. In contrast, eGFR decreased by 5.8 mL/min (95% CI, 2.3–9.3) with continued use of TDF in individuals with baseline eGFR <60 mL/min. UPCR decreased after replacing TDF by TAF, independent of baseline eGFR.

Conclusions

Switching from TDF to TAF improves eGFR and proteinuria in patients with renal dysfunction.