bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stepwise reduction of a base-stabilised ferrocenyl aluminium(iii) dihalide for the synthesis of structurally-diverse dialane species
Authors: Dhara Debabrata , Fantuzzi Felipe , Härterich Marcel , Dewhurst Rian D. , Krummenacher Ivo , Arrowsmith Merle , Pranckevicius Conor , Braunschweig Holger
Published: August 2022

A bulky ferrocenyl-based NHC-stabilised aluminium(iii) dihalide was reduced in different solvents, leading to vastly different outcomes, including formation of a rare example of a dialane and a novel dialuminyl analogue of the Birch reduction.
Soft crystal lattice and large anharmonicity facilitate the self-trapped excitonic emission in ultrathin 2D nanoplates of RbPb2Br5
Authors: Pradhan Jayita , Das Anustoop , Kundu Kaushik , Chahat  , Biswas Kanishka
Published: August 2022

The presence of large anharmonicity and lattice softness in low dimensional metal halide, RbPb2Br5nanoplates, trigger strong electron–phonon coupling and consequently highly Stokes shifted broadband emission originates from self-trapped excitons.
Photoelectrochemical water splitting with a triazine based covalent organic framework
Authors: Pradhan Anirban , Addicoat Matthew A.
Published: August 2022

A triazine based covalent organic framework (COF) shows better photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting compare to a non-triazine based TFBB–TAB COF. This work enriches the structural variety of COFs and plays an important role in PEC water splitting.
H2-production and electron-transfer mechanism of a noble-metal-free WO3@ZnIn2S4 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst
Authors: Cao Shuang , Yu Jiaguo , Wageh Swelm , Al-Ghamdi Ahmed A. , Mousavi Mitra , Ghasemi Jahan B. , Xu Feiyan
Published: August 2022

A novel noble-metal-free WO3@ZnIn2S4 heterojunction showed outstanding photocatalytic H2-production activity resulting from S-scheme electron/hole separation and a lower H2-evolution barrier as evidenced by DFT calculation, in situ XPS and TRPL.
Modulating hepatic macrophages with annexin A1 in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: De Ponti Federico F. , Scott Charlotte L.
Published: August 2022

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and associated end-stage liver disease is a growing cause of concern throughout the Western world. It constitutes a significant clinical burden for which therapeutic approaches are very limited. Over the last years, considerable attention has therefore been paid to identifying potential therapeutic strategies to reduce this burden. Annexin A1 (AnxA1), a calcium-phospholipid binding protein, has been proposed to be a negative regulator of inflammation in the context of NASH. In a recent publication, Gadipudi, Ramavath, Provera et al. investigated the therapeutic potential of Annexin A1 treatment in preventing the progression of NASH. They demonstrate that treatment of mice with NASH with recombinant human AnxA1 can reduce inflammation and fibrosis without affecting steatosis or metabolic syndrome. This was proposed to be achieved through the modulation of the macrophage populations present in the liver. Here, we discuss the main findings of this work and raise some outstanding questions regarding the possible mechanisms involved and the functions of distinct macrophage populations in NASH.
Understanding the Experiences of Students Within Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology Programs: Perceptions About Their Educational Experiences
Authors: Sylvan Lesley , Becker Robyn
Published: August 2022

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of doctor of speech-language pathology (SLPD) students and graduates related to their engagement with the SLPD application process, their career goals and outcomes, and their general reflections regarding their decision to pursue the SLPD degree.

Method:

One hundred seven current students and alumni from SLPD programs completed a survey regarding their motivations and goals for applying to an SLPD program, experiences during the application process, the advantages and disadvantages of the SLPD degree and individuals' specific programs, and the impact of acquiring this degree. Recruitment efforts included contacting program directors and posting to national social media sites.

Results:

Survey results suggested that the majority of respondents felt that the SLPD degree is a good fit for working speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are motivated to further their education and that there is the potential to expand clarity and communication related to the purpose of the SLPD degree.

Conclusions:

The SLPD degree offers SLPs the flexibility to continue full-time work while deepening their knowledge and expertise in communication sciences and disorders. Increasing messaging by key stakeholders related to career outcomes would be beneficial.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20372331
Diversity of ghost notes in tubas, euphoniums and saxhorns
Authors: Mattéoli Rémi , Gilbert Joël , Terrien Soizic , Dalmont Jean-Pierre , Vergez Christophe , Maugeais Sylvain , Brasseur Emmanuel
Published: August 2022

The ghost note is a natural note which can be played exclusively on bass brass instruments with a predominantly-expanding bore profile such as tubas, euphoniums or saxhorns. It stands between the pedal note – the lowest natural note playable, or first regime – and the instrument’s second regime. However, if the interval between the pedal note and the second regime remains close to an octave regardless of the instrument, the interval between the pedal note and the ghost note vary from a minor third to a perfect fourth. References about this note are very scarce, and it is not commonly known among tuba players. This study shows that an elementary brass model describing the player coupled to the instrument is capable of bringing both the ghost and the pedal note to light. Here, we adopt a dynamical systems point of view and perform a bifurcation analysis using a software of numerical continuation. The numerical results provided in terms of frequency intervals between pedal note and ghost note are compared with frequency intervals experimentally inferred from recordings of seven different types of tuba, each of them being played by two professional tuba players.
Neuromechanical Integration of Pelvic-Thoracic Rotation among Youth
Baseball Throwers
Authors: Winters Eric , Doty Steven , Lott Melanie , Baker James
Published: August 2022

The kinetic sequencing involved in the overhead throw anticipates an
orchestration of body movement in which the more proximal segments of the body
initiate movement prior to the more distal segment. This investigation explored
neuromuscular and kinematic characteristics associated with one aspect of this
kinetic sequencing, pelvic-to-thoracic rotation. Neuromuscular activation was
recorded using surface electromyography and kinematic data was acquired using 3D
videography. Specific objectives included 1) to describe the maximum angulation
between the pelvic and thoracic body segments (Xmax angle), 2) to
test the hypothesis that glove-side external oblique peak neuromuscular
activation (GEOPA) occurs before Xmax angle, 3) to test the
hypothesis that throwing-side external oblique peak neuromuscular activation
(TEOPA) occurs following Xmax angle. Results show the mean Xmax
angle to be 45.96 degrees (±10.83). The time of mean GEOPA
(2.3653 sec±0.9094) occurred following the time of mean
Xmax angle (2.2793 sec,±0.9026, p<0.01),
thus refuting the first hypothesis. The time of mean TEOPA
(2.3658 sec,±0.8978) occurred following the time of mean
Xmax angle (2.2793 sec,±0.9026, p<0.01),
thus confirming the second hypothesis. Results suggest that youth baseball
participants may not adequately utilize the core of the body to fully benefit
from the optimal kinetic sequencing postulated within the literature.
Dig Deeper: A Case Report of Finding (and Fixing) the Root Cause of Add-On Laboratory Failures
Authors: Anstett Tyler , Smith Chris , Hess Kaitlyn , Patten Luke , Pincus Sharon , Lin Chen-Tan , Ho P. Michael
Published: August 2022

Background Venipunctures and the testing they facilitate are clinically necessary, particularly for hospitalized patients. However, excess venipunctures lead to patient harm, decreased patient satisfaction, and waste.

Objectives We sought to identify contributors to excess venipunctures at our institution, focusing on electronic health record (EHR)-related factors. We then implemented and evaluated the impact of an intervention targeting one of the contributing factors.

Methods We employed the quality improvement (QI) methodology to find sources of excess venipunctures, specifically targeting add-on failures. Once an error was identified, we deployed an EHR-based intervention which was evaluated with retrospective pre- and postintervention analysis.

Results We identified an error in how the EHR evaluated the ability of laboratories across a health system to perform add-on tests to existing blood specimens. A review of 195,263 add-on orders placed prior to the intervention showed that 165,118 were successful and 30,145 failed, a failure rate of 15.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.1–15.6). We implemented an EHR-based modification that changed the criteria for add-on testing from a health-system-wide query of laboratory capabilities to one that incorporated only the capabilities of laboratories with feasible access to existing patient samples. In the 6 months following the intervention, a review of 87,333 add-on orders showed that 77,310 were successful, and 10,023 add-on orders failed resulting in a postintervention failure rate of 11.4% (95% CI: 11.1, 11.8) (p < 0.001).

Conclusion EHR features such as the ability to identify possible add-on tests are designed to reduce venipunctures but may produce unforeseen negative effects on downstream processes, particularly as hospitals merge into health systems using a single EHR. This case report describes the successful identification and correction of one cause of add-on laboratory failures. QI methodology can yield important insights that reveal simple interventions for improvement.
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Predictor of the Need for Surgical Treatment in Children’s Intussusception
Authors: Delgado-Miguel Carlos , García Antonella , Delgado Bonifacio , Muñoz-Serrano Antonio Jesus , Miguel-Ferrero Miriam , Camps Juan , Lopez-Santamaria Manuel , Martinez Leopoldo
Published: August 2022

Objective Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an emerging inflammatory marker in abdominal pathologies. Ileocolic intussusception (ICI) involves a progressive intestinal inflammation, and the effectiveness of nonsurgical treatment (enema) might be related to the inflammation degree, although no previous studies have investigated this relationship. Our aim is to identify predictors of the need for surgical treatment in ICI.

Materials and Methods A single-center, retrospective, case-control study was performed in children with ICI, who were treated with initial nonsurgical management between 2005 and 2019. Patients were divided in two groups: A (effective enema) and B (need for surgery). Admission demographic and clinical and laboratory data were analyzed. Specificity and sensitivity of the different parameters as predictors of the need for surgical treatment were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results A total of 511 patients were included (410: group A; 101: group B), without statistically significant demographic differences. Group B presented significantly higher frequency of vomiting, bloody stools, and longer median time since symptoms onset (24 vs. 8 hours; p < 0.001). Group B presented higher median laboratory inflammatory markers than group A: NLR (6.8 vs. 1.8; p < 0.001), neutrophils (10,148 vs. 7,468; p < 0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP; 28.2 vs. 4.7; p < 0.001). In ROC curve analysis, NLR had an area under the curve of 0.925, higher than neutrophil count (0.776; p = 0.001), CRP (0.670; p = 0.001), and time since symptoms onset (0.673; p = 0.001). It was estimated a cut-off point of NLR greater than 4.52 (sensitivity: 73.2%; specificity: 94.5%).

Conclusion High NLR values imply a high degree of bowel inflammation and might anticipate the need for surgical treatment in ICI in children.

Level of Evidence III.
Using Lymphovenous Anastomosis and Lymph Node to Vein Anastomosis for Treatment of Posttraumatic Chylothorax with Increased Thoracic Duct Pressure in 3-Year-Old Child
Authors: Kim Yeongsong , Kim Hyung B. , Pak Changsik J. , Suh Hyunsuk P. , Hong Joon P.
Published: August 2022

Chylothorax is a rare disease and massive lymph fluid loss can cause life-threatening condition such as severe malnutrition, weight loss, and impaired immune system. If untreated, mortality rate of chylothorax can be up to 50%. This is a case report of a 3-year-old child with iatrogenic chylothorax. Despite conservative treatment and procedures, like perm catheter insertion, the patient failed to improve the respiratory symptoms over 3 months of period. As an alternative to surgical option, such as pleurodesis and thoracic duct ligation which has high complication rate, the patient underwent lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) and lymph node to vein anastomosis (LNVA). Follow-up at fourth month showed clear lungs without breathing difficulty despite perm catheter removal. This is the first report to show the effectiveness of LVA and LNVA against iatrogenic chylothorax.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Hypertrophic Scars
Authors: Chuangsuwanich Apirag , Kongkunnavat Natthapong , Kamanamool Malika , Maipeng Gulradar , Kamanamool Nanticha , Tonaree Warangkana
Published: August 2022

Background Hypertrophic scars cause aesthetic concerns and negatively affect the quality of life. A gold standard treatment for hypertrophic scars has not been established due to various responses of modalities. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a noninvasive and affects scar remodeling by fibroblast regulation. This study investigated the effectiveness of ESWT for hypertrophic scars.

Methods Twenty-nine patients were enrolled. All patients underwent ESWT once a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Their scars were assessed using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), erythema index, melanin index, and scar pliability before treatment and again 4 weeks after treatment completion.

Results Thirty-four hypertrophic scars in this study had persisted for between 6 months and 30 years. Most scars developed after surgical incision (55.88%). The chest and upper extremities were the predominant areas of occurrence (35.29% each). Most of the POSAS subscales and total scores were significantly improved 4 weeks after treatment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the pain, itching, and pigmentation subscale were improved. The pliability, melanin index, and erythema index were also improved, but without significance. The patients were satisfied with the results and symptoms alleviation, although subjective score changes were insignificant. No serious adverse events were found. The patients reported pruritus in 62.5% and good pain tolerance in 37.5%. Subgroup analyses found no differences in scar etiologies or properties at different parts of the body.

Conclusion The ESWT is a modality for hypertrophic scar treatment with promising results. Most of POSAS subscales were significantly improved.
Long-Term Evaluation of the Lip and Nose in Bilateral Complete Cleft Lip Patients following Lip Adhesion and Secondary Nose Correction
Authors: Kim Ryuck Seong , Seo Hyung Joon , Park Min Suk , Bae Yong Chan
Published: August 2022

Background Surgical correction of bilateral cleft lip deformities remains one of the most challenging areas in facial plastic surgery. Many surgical techniques and conservative devices have been offered for the early management of bilateral cleft lip in infants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lip adhesion on the lip and nose of patients with bilateral cleft lip.

Methods A retrospective review of 13 patients with bilateral cleft lip was performed and compared with age-matched noncleft children. Patients underwent lip adhesion at a mean age of 2.8 months, and cheiloplasty at 6.6 months of age using a modification the Mulliken method. Secondary rhinoplasty was performed at the age of 6 in 13 patients. The surgical results were analyzed using photographic records obtained at the age of 1 and 7 years. Twelve length measurements and one angle measurement were obtained.

Results All measurements were not statistically different from those of the noncleft age-matched control group at the age of 1. At 7 years of age, upper lip height and vermilion mucosal height were shorter (p < 0.05) than in the control group. Nasal tip protrusion and the nasolabial angle were greater (p < 0.05) than in the control group.

Conclusion Lip adhesion followed by secondary rhinoplasty resulted in an acceptable lip and nasal appearance. Although nasoalveolar molding is now widely used, lip adhesion can be an appropriate alternative if an orthodontist is not available due to geographical or economic constraints.
Informal institutions and the international strategy of MNEs: Effects of institutional effectiveness, convergence, and distance
Authors: Dau Luis Alfonso , Li Jiatao , Lyles Marjorie A. , Chacar Aya S.
Published: August 2022

Informal institutions influence all aspects of international business (IB), but they have received limited attention in the literature relative to formal institutions. This article extends prior IB work by examining the relationships between several key formal and informal institutional factors and the international strategy of MNEs. First, it examines the direct effects of formal and informal institutional effectiveness, convergence, and distance on MNE local adaptation, developing arguments and propositions for each relationship. Second, it focuses on the interactions of formal and informal institutional effectiveness and convergence to develop an eight-fold typology of market institutional configurations. This typology depicts the role that informal institutions take in a market depending on the interaction of these three institutional factors. Third, it builds on these interactions and the concept of institutional distance to develop a conceptual framework of market and MNE institutional diversity and dynamism. This framework captures the formal and informal institutional relationshipswithina home market, host market, parent firm, and foreign subsidiary, as well as the formal and informal institutional relationshipsacrosseach of these entities over time. In so doing, this article helps advance research on informal institutions and IB, which can lead to considerable future work on the topic.
Highly ordered graphite (HOPG) to hexagonal diamond (lonsdaleite) phase transition observed on picosecond time scales using ultrafast x-ray diffraction
Authors: Armstrong Michael R. , Radousky Harry B. , Austin Ryan A. , Tschauner Oliver , Brown Shaughnessy , Gleason Arianna E. , Goldman Nir , Granados Eduardo , Grivickas Paulius , Holtgrewe Nicholas , Kroonblawd Matthew P. , Lee Hae Ja , Lobanov Sergey , Nagler Bob , Nam Inhyuk , Prakapenka Vitali , Prescher Clemens , Reed Evan J. , Stavrou Elissaios , Walter Peter , Goncharov Alexander F. , Belof Jonathan L.
Published: August 2022

The response of rapidly compressed highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) normal to its basal plane was investigated at a pressure of ∼80 GPa. Ultrafast x-ray diffraction using ∼100 fs pulses at the Materials Under Extreme Conditions sector of the Linac Coherent Light Source was used to probe the changes in crystal structure resulting from picosecond timescale compression at laser drive energies ranging from 2.5 to 250 mJ. A phase transformation from HOPG to a highly textured hexagonal diamond structure is observed at the highest energy, followed by relaxation to a still highly oriented, but distorted graphite structure following release. We observe the formation of a highly oriented lonsdaleite within 20 ps, subsequent to compression. This suggests that a diffusionless martensitic mechanism may play a fundamental role in phase transition, as speculated in an early work on this system, and more recent static studies of diamonds formed in impact events.
Phonon study of Jahn–Teller distortion and phase stability in NaMnO2 for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Jung Haeyoon , Kim Jiyeon , Kim Sooran
Published: August 2022

Cathode materials undergo various phase transitions during the charge/discharge process, and the structural transitions significantly affect the battery performance. Although phonon properties can provide a direct clue for structural stability and transitions, it has been less explored in sodium cathode materials. Here, using the first-principles calculations, we investigate phonon and electronic properties of various layered NaMnO2 materials, especially focusing on the dependency of the Jahn–Teller distortion of Mn3+. The phonon dispersion curves show that the O′3 and P′2 structures with the Jahn–Teller distortion are dynamically stable in contrast to undistorted O3 and P2 structures. The structural instability of O3 and P2 structures is directly observed from the imaginary phonon frequencies, as so-called phonon soft modes, whose corresponding displacements are from O atoms distorting along the local Mn–O bond direction in the MnO6 octahedra. This is consistent with the experimental stability and a structural transition with the Jahn–Teller distortion at the high Na concentration. The orbital-decomposed density of states presents the orbital redistribution by the Jahn–Teller distortion, such as eg-band splitting in both O′3 and P′2 system, and the stability of O′3 and P′2 is not sensitive to the electron–electron correlation. Our results demonstrate the importance of phonon analysis to further understand the structural stability and phase transitions in cathode materials.
Anisotropic dielectric function, direction dependent bandgap energy, band order, and indirect to direct gap crossover in α-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 (≤x≤1)
Authors: Hilfiker Matthew , Kilic Ufuk , Stokey Megan , Jinno Riena , Cho Yongjin , Xing Huili Grace , Jena Debdeep , Korlacki Rafał , Schubert Mathias
Published: August 2022

Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry is applied to determine anisotropic optical properties for a set of single-crystal rhombohedral structure α-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 thin films (0 ≤ x ≤ 1). Samples are grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on m-plane sapphire. A critical-point model is used to render a spectroscopic model dielectric function tensor and to determine direct electronic band-to-band transition parameters, including the direction dependent two lowest-photon energy band-to-band transitions associated with the anisotropic bandgap. We obtain the composition dependence of the direction dependent two lowest band-to-band transitions with separate bandgap bowing parameters associated with the perpendicular (bEg,⊥ = 1.31 eV) and parallel (bEg,|| = 1.61 eV) electric field polarization to the lattice c direction. Our density functional theory calculations indicate a transition from indirect to direct characteristics between α-Ga2O3 and α-Al2O3, respectively, and we identify a switch in band order where the lowest band-to-band transition occurs with polarization perpendicular to c in α-Ga2O3 whereas for α-Al2O3 the lowest transition occurs with polarization parallel to c. We estimate that the change in band order occurs at approximately 40% Al content. Additionally, the characteristic of the lowest energy critical point transition for polarization parallel to c changes from M1 type in α-Ga2O3 to M0 type van Hove singularity in α-Al2O3.
Parallel study of transient dosing of antibiotics in a microfluidic device
Authors: Rackus Darius G. , Jusková Petra , Yokoyama Fumiaki , Dittrich Petra S.
Published: August 2022

Microfluidic tools are well suited for studying bacteria as they enable the analysis of small colonies or single cells. However, current techniques for studying bacterial response to antibiotics are largely limited to static dosing. Here, we describe a microfluidic device and a method for entrapping and cultivating bacteria in hydrogel plugs. Ring-shaped isolation valves are used to define the shape of the plugs and also to control exposure of the plugs to the surrounding medium. We demonstrate bacterial cultivation, determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration of an antibiotic, and transient dosing of an antibiotic at sub-1-h doses. The transient dosing experiments reveal that at dose durations on the order of minutes, ampicillin's bactericidal effect has both a time and concentration dependency.
Theory of magnetic-field effect on trions in two-dimensional materials
Authors: Chang Yao-Wen , Chang Yia-Chung
Published: August 2022

In this work, we present a theoretical method to study the effect of magnetic field on trions in two-dimensional materials. The trion is modeled by a three-particle Schrödinger equation and the magnetic-field interaction is included by means of a vector potential in symmetric gauge. By using a coordinate transformation and a unitary transformation, the trion Hamiltonian can be converted into the sum of a translational term describing the Landau quantization for the trion center-of-mass motion, an internal term describing the trion binding, and a translational–internal coupling term depending linearly on the magnetic-field strength. The trion eigenenergy and wavefunction can then be calculated efficiently by using a variational method, and the quantum numbers of trions in magnetic fields can be assigned. The eigenenergies, binding energies, and correlation energies of three trion branches, which correspond to the ground-state trion and two excited-state trions solved from the trion Hamiltonian in zero magnetic field, are studied numerically in finite magnetic fields. The present method is applied to study the magnetic-field dependence of trion energy levels in hole-doped WSe2 monolayers. The binding energies and correlation energies of positive trions in WSe2 are investigated over a range of magnetic fields up to 25 T.
Ultrathin two-dimensional van der Waals asymmetric ferroelectric semiconductor junctions
Authors: Zheng Dongqi , Si Mengwei , Chang Sou-Chi , Haratipour Nazila , Chen Zhizhong , Charnas Adam , Huang Shouyuan , Wang Kang , Dou Letian , Xu Xianfan , Avci Uygar E. , Ye Peide D.
Published: August 2022

Two-dimensional van der Waals ferroelectric semiconductors have attracted extensive research interest in both theoretical investigation and device applications due to their ferroelectricity and semiconducting nature. However, it is still not well understood how the ferroelectric phase is able to coexist with the semiconducting phase in this emerging material class. In this work, mm-scale continuous films of In2Se3 with a thickness of ∼3 nm were synthesized successfully by physical vapor deposition. Furthermore, we fabricated asymmetric ferroelectric semiconductor junctions (a-FSJs) from thick exfoliated and PVD-grown ultrathin In2Se3 films. A high read current density of ∼100 A/cm2 and a distinction ratio of over 102 at VRead = 0.5 V are achieved in devices fabricated by a 3 nm-thick In2Se3 film toward ultrahigh-density memory integration. Notably, the coercive voltage is constant, with In2Se3 film thickness decreasing from 200 to 3 nm. A qualitative model is proposed to elucidate the anomalous film-thickness-independent coercive voltage in this ultrathin a-FSJ, which can also be generalized to other emerging two-dimensional ferroelectric semiconductors.
Anisotropic atomistic shock response mechanisms of aramid crystals
Authors: Gurniak Emily J. , Tiwari Subodh C. , Hong Sungwook , Nakano Aiichiro , Kalia Rajiv K. , Vashishta Priya , Branicio Paulo S.
Published: August 2022

Aramid fibers composed of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) polymers are attractive materials due to their high strength, low weight, and high shock resilience. Even though they have widely been utilized as a basic ingredient in Kevlar, Twaron, and other fabrics and applications, their intrinsic behavior under intense shock loading is still to be understood. In this work, we characterize the anisotropic shock response of PPTA crystals by performing reactive molecular dynamics simulations. Results from shock loading along the two perpendicular directions to the polymer backbones, [100] and [010], indicate distinct shock release mechanisms that preserve and destroy the hydrogen bond network. Shocks along the [100] direction for particle velocity Up < 2.46 km/s indicate the formation of a plastic regime composed of shear bands, where the PPTA structure is planarized. Shocks along the [010] direction for particle velocity Up < 2.18 km/s indicate a complex response regime, where elastic compression shifts to amorphization as the shock is intensified. While hydrogen bonds are mostly preserved for shocks along the [100] direction, hydrogen bonds are continuously destroyed with the amorphization of the crystal for shocks along the [010] direction. Decomposition of the polymer chains by cross-linking is triggered at the threshold particle velocity Up = 2.18 km/s for the [010] direction and Up = 2.46 km/s for the [100] direction. These atomistic insights based on large-scale simulations highlight the intricate and anisotropic mechanisms underpinning the shock response of PPTA polymers and are expected to support the enhancement of their applications.
Short-term elevated temperature and CO
Authors: Zheng Tianyu , Yu Yuan , Kang Huixing
Published: August 2022

The continuous increases of atmospheric temperature and CO2 concentration will impact global photosynthesis. However, there are few studies considering the interaction of elevated temperature (eT) and elevated CO2 (eCO2) on dynamic photosynthesis, particularly for C4 species. We examine dynamic photosynthesis under four different temperature and [CO2] treatments: (1) 400 ppm × 28°C (CT); (2) 400 ppm × 33°C (CT+); (3) 800 ppm × 28°C (C+T); and (4) 800 ppm × 33°C (C+T+). In Glycine max L., the time required to reach 50% (T50%A) and 90% (T90%A) of full photosynthetic induction was smaller under the CT+, C+T, and C+T+ treatments than those under the CT treatment. In Amaranthus tricolor L., however, neither T50%A nor T90%A was not significantly affected by eT or eCO2. In comparison with the CT treatment, the achieved carbon gain was increased by 58.3% (CT+), 112% (C+T), and 136.6% (C+T+) in G. max and was increased by 17.1% (CT+), 2.6% (C+T) and 56.9% (C+T+) in A. tricolor. The increases of achieved carbon gain in G. max were attributable to both improved photosynthetic induction efficiency (IE) and enhanced steady-state photosynthesis, whereas those in A. tricolor were attributable to enhanced steady-state photosynthesis.
Dimensions of sexual experiences reflected through adjective selection: findings from a US nationally representative survey
Authors: Ford Jessie V. , Hensel Devon , McKetta Sarah , Carter Allison , Herbenick Debby
Published: August 2022

Background A growing body of research focuses on the quality of sexual experiences, such as the importance of sexual pleasure, comfort, and intimacy for overall health. Building upon this work, this study aims to develop a deeper understanding of the dimensions of sexual experiences using data from 2897 adult participants from the 2018 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB; 1314 men, 1583 women). Methods We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine the extent to which 20 adjectives describing adults’ most recent sexual experience (e.g. boring, playful, romantic, etc.) formed a coherent factor or several factors. Next, we explored how different scores on each factor were associated with sexual outcomes for women and men. Results Our EFA generated two explanatory factors that mapped onto two underlying components: sexual pleasure and sexual danger. These two factors were correlated with sexual health outcomes including sexual wantedness, orgasm, self-rated sexual health, meaningfulness of sex and pain during sex. Conclusions We found that the innovative list of adjectives used in the 2018 NSSHB provided important and reliable insight into latent dimensions of sex. Specifically, we found that the pleasure dimension was important for both genders, and especially for women, in experiences where the sex was wanted, orgasmic, meaningful, healthy, and without pain. Implications for sexual experiences and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Sulfur and methane oxidation by a single microorganism
Authors: Gwak Joo-Han , Awala Samuel Imisi , Nguyen Ngoc-Loi , Yu Woon-Jong , Yang Hae-Young , von Bergen Martin , Jehmlich Nico , Kits K. Dimitri , Loy Alexander , Dunfield Peter. F. , Dahl Christiane , Hyun Jung-Ho , Rhee Sung-Keun
Published: August 2022

Natural and anthropogenic wetlands are major sources of the atmospheric greenhouse gas methane. Methane emissions from wetlands are mitigated by methanotrophic bacteria at the oxic–anoxic interface, a zone of intense redox cycling of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen compounds. Here, we report on the isolation of an aerobic methanotrophic bacterium, ‘
Methylovirgula thiovorans
' strain HY1, which possesses metabolic capabilities never before found in any methanotroph. Most notably, strain HY1 is the first bacterium shown to aerobically oxidize both methane and reduced sulfur compounds for growth. Genomic and proteomic analyses showed that soluble methane monooxygenase and XoxF-type alcohol dehydrogenases are responsible for methane and methanol oxidation, respectively. Various pathways for respiratory sulfur oxidation were present, including the Sox–rDsr pathway and the S
4
I system. Strain HY1 employed the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle for CO
2
fixation during chemolithoautotrophic growth on reduced sulfur compounds. Proteomic and microrespirometry analyses showed that the metabolic pathways for methane and thiosulfate oxidation were induced in the presence of the respective substrates. Methane and thiosulfate could therefore be independently or simultaneously oxidized. The discovery of this versatile bacterium demonstrates that methanotrophy and thiotrophy are compatible in a single microorganism and underpins the intimate interactions of methane and sulfur cycles in oxic–anoxic interface environments.
The intergenerational sources of the U-turn in gender segregation
Authors: Zhu Ling , Grusky David B.
Published: August 2022

In the early 1970s, the balkanization of the US labor market into “men’s occupations” and “women’s occupations” began to unravel, as women entered the professions and other male-typed sectors in record numbers. This decline in gender segregation continued on for several decades but then suddenly stalled at the turn of the century and shows no signs of resuming. Although the stall is itself undisputed, its sources remain unclear. Using nearly a half-century of data from the General Social Survey, we show that a resurgence in segregation-inducing forms of intergenerational transmission stands behind the recent stall. Far from serving as impartial conduits, fathers are now disproportionately conveying male-typed occupations to their sons, whereas mothers are effectively gender-neutral in their transmission outcomes. This segregative turn among fathers accounts for 47% of the stall in the gender segregation trend (between 2000 and 2018), while the earlier integrative turn among fathers accounts for 34% of the initial downturn in segregation (between 1972 and 1999). It follows that a U-turn in intergenerational processes lies behind the U-turn in gender segregation.
Nonconcomitant host-to-host transmission of multipartite virus genome segments may lead to complete genome reconstitution
Authors: Di Mattia Jérémy , Torralba Babil , Yvon Michel , Zeddam Jean-Louis , Blanc Stéphane , Michalakis Yannis
Published: August 2022

Because multipartite viruses package their genome segments in different viral particles, they face a potentially huge cost if the entire genomic information, i.e., all genome segments, needs to be present concomitantly for the infection to function. Previous work with the octapartite faba bean necrotic stunt virus (FBNSV; family
Nanoviridae
, genus
Nanovirus
) showed that this issue can be resolved at the within-host level through a supracellular functioning; all viral segments do not need to be present within the same host cell but may complement each other through intercellular trafficking of their products (protein or messenger RNA [mRNA]). Here, we report on whether FBNSV can as well decrease the genomic integrity cost during between-host transmission. Using viable infections lacking nonessential virus segments, we show that full-genome infections can be reconstituted and function through separate acquisition and/or inoculation of complementary sets of genome segments in recipient hosts. This separate acquisition/inoculation can occur either through the transmission of different segment sets by different individual aphid vectors or by the sequential acquisition by the same aphid of complementary sets of segments from different hosts. The possibility of a separate between-host transmission of different genome segments thus offers a way to at least partially resolve the genomic maintenance problem faced by multipartite viruses.
T cells use distinct topographical and membrane receptor scanning strategies that individually coalesce during receptor recognition
Authors: Cai En , Beppler Casey , Eichorst John , Marchuk Kyle , Eastman Scott W. , Krummel Matthew F.
Published: August 2022

During immune surveillance, CD8 T cells scan the surface of antigen-presenting cells using dynamic microvillar palpation and movements as well as by having their receptors preconcentrated into patches. Here, we use real-time lattice light-sheet microscopy to demonstrate the independence of microvillar and membrane receptor patch scanning. While T cell receptor (TCR) patches can distribute to microvilli, they do so stochastically and not preferentially as for other receptors such as CD62L. The distinctness of TCR patch movement from microvillar movement extends to many other receptors that form patches that also scan independent of the TCR. An exception to this is the CD8 coreceptor which largely comigrates in patches that overlap with or are closely adjacent to those containing TCRs. Microvilli that assemble into a synapse contain various arrays of the engaged patches, notably of TCRs and the inhibitory receptor PD-1, creating a pastiche of occupancies that vary from microvillar contact to contact. In summary, this work demonstrates that localization of receptor patches within the membrane and on microvillar projections is random prior to antigen detection and that such random variation may play into the generation of many individually composed receptor patch compositions at a single synapse.
Sustainable Biodegradable Plastics and their Applications: A Mini Review
Authors: Kharb Jyoteshna , Saharan Ritu
Published: August 2022

Rising concern towards health and environmental menace caused by plastic wastes has fascinated scientists and chemists to find out greener and sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics. The conventional plastics are produced from crude oil and fossil fuels and ever-increasing demand of plastics results in depletion of these natural resources. Moreover, due to non-biodegradable in nature they persist in environment for a long time. A novel, eco-friendly and sustainable substitute to the traditional petro based plastic is biodegradable plastic which can be obtained from renewable and biogenic raw materials such as biomass, starch, wood pulp and vegetable oils. The utilization of renewable sources, their similar applications as conventional plastics, biodegradability, nontoxic properties and high recyclability are the major advantages for the use of biodegradable plastics. They are used for a large variety of applications in various sectors such as, packing, textiles, consumer goods, agriculture and horticulture, automotive and transport, coatings and adhesives, construction, electrical and electronics, medical, food packaging etc. In this mini review various biodegradable plastics, their attainable properties and applications in a wide variety of fields are summarized.
Thermohydraulic Management of Batteries with the help of the Peltier Cell for Automotive and Space Applications
Authors: Rapaka Sreeja , Bobba Naga Sai Nandan , Penigandla Geetesh Sai , Dondapati Raja Sekhar
Published: August 2022

The main challenge that the researchers have been facing these days is the thermohydraulic management of electrical and electronic devices since it plays a very crucial role in the efficiency of these devices. The same cause has been affecting the performance of automotive and space batteries. The temperature rise in the batteries has been affecting the life of the battery as well. For better performance and a long-life battery, the necessity of battery thermal management is important. In this paper, we are proposing a method to manage the high temperature with the help of Peltier cells attached to the battery. The cooling side of the Peltier cell will control the heat dissipated from the battery and the heating side of the Peltier cell will be optimized by the hydraulic pipes. As TECs (Thermoelectric Cooler) is a viable use in this technological growing world, we have been using them as our main thermal manager by using the cold side of the module. The Peltier cells are also been using in the formation of ice in the refrigerator and other applications where major low temperatures are required. With the effective usage of the Peltier cells, this paper proposes a method to manage the heat emitting from the battery.
Vibration signal analysis of a rotor-bearing system through wavelet transform and empirical mode decomposition
Authors: Kumar Ashutosh , Sathujoda Prabhakar , Bhalla Neelanchali Asija
Published: August 2022

Vibration analysis is widely used for the monitoring of the health of rotating machinery. There are different methods to interpret the vibration signals like time-domain analysis and frequency domain analysis, where the conventional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) method is applied. FFT has been used successfully to extract stationary parameters from the frequency domain data. Complex machines normally consist of many parts and their vibration response contains many non-stationary signals and nonlinear signals. The objective of this research is to explore the feasibility of utilizing the wavelet transform (WT) and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to efficiently decompose the sophisticated vibration signals of a rotor-bearing system into a finite number of intrinsic mode functions so that the fault characteristics of the rotor-bearing system can be analysed. A test rig of a rotor-bearing system was used to perform the experiments, and the vibration signals were recorded through NI-DAQ system. Vibration signals received from the test rig were analyzed using MATLAB software to present the useful information. The analysis result showed that the proposed approach is capable of diagnosing the faults of the rotor-bearing system.
A proximate analysis of soil corrosivity to water pipelines in the Manohara Town Planning area of Kathmandu Valley using a probabilistic approach
Authors: Regmi Shrawan K , Dahal Kumar P , Bhattarai Jagadeesh
Published: August 2022

The facts of early non-performance of iron-based underground water pipes of the Kathmandu Valley (Nepal) are mostly due to the corrosive nature of the surrounding soil factors. A comparatively high percentage of the damage to the water pipelines in Nepal is anticipated, compared with the data reported in the developed countries. For the reasons, the quantitative data analysis of six kinds of the corrosive soil factors (i.e., moisture-holding capacity, pH, electrochemical resistivity, redox potential, Cl−, and SO42−ions) of 15 specimens, sampled from the Manohara Town Planning (MTP) area, was carried out using a novel probabilistic model, which is based on the internationally accepted standards (i.e., ASTM, NACE, AASTHO) with some modifications. The corrosivity of each soil factor was categorized into four corrosive groups (CGs) based on the conventionally applied classification methods. The experimentally obtained data of the soil factors were then used for proximate analysis using a new non-deterministic (probabilistic) model to classify the corrosive sub-groups (CSGs) of the soil specimens. This model would be a meritorious method to assess the soil corrosion condition of any area of the country, where the engineers and technologists could be applied pertinent methods or materials for the buried-pipe works in the future.
Numerical analysis of origami-ending crash tubes
Authors: Farooq Haris , Kumar Manoj
Published: August 2022

A crash tube is an essential component in assuring the safety of a vehicle. In a low-speed accident, crash tubes avoid damage to passengers and goods. They are mounted at the vehicle's front end and are designed to disperse kinetic energy and lessen impact loads during a collision. A novel origami-ending crash tube (OET) is presented in this study. FEA tool ABAQUS EXPLICIT was used for validation, design, and simulation studies. The dihedral angle and thickness of the tube were varied to optimize the crashworthiness. Crashworthiness measures, like mean force, specific energy absorbed, and peak force, were used to conduct comparative investigations. A dihedral angle of 1650 was found to optimize all the crashworthiness parameters, and a thickness of 2mm was found to be significant for better crashworthiness of the tube. OETs are suitable for engineering applications due to substantial improvements in the structure's crashworthiness.
On the Evaluation of Thermodynamic Properties for Copper in Sodium Carbonate and Potassium Carbonate
Authors: shukla Arpita , Noyel Victoria S. , Manivannan R.
Published: August 2022

This study investigates sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate as oxidizers for copper (Cu) chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). The dissolution study was conducted to estimate etch rate (ER) in the entire odd pH range for both the suggested oxidizers. The etch rate decreases as the pH increases from acidic to alkaline region. The effect of change in temperature of the working solution on Cu dissolution is also investigated. Based on the experiment conducted and the values obtained, the enthalpy (ΔHact) and entropy (ΔSact) of both the system were calculated. The contact angle was measured to further examine the surficial synergy between the oxidizers and the exposed Cu surface.
Investigation of flexural properties in 3D printed continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Ansari Anis A. , Kamil M.
Published: August 2022

Fiber-reinforced polymers and their advancements have been remarkably addressed in the past few decades. In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) technology has added a new dimension to the polymer composite industry. This article is intended to explore the AM technique, in particular, fused deposition modeling (FDM), to highlight the effect of various printing parameters on flexural properties. Flexural specimens were prepared as per ASTM D790 standard with a Nylon-based matrix (Onyx) and continuous fibers, such as glass fiber, Kevlar fiber, and carbon fiber using Markforged Mark Two 3D printer. After analysis of the results, it was observed that the flexural properties are highly influenced by the print parameters. Fiber type and isotropic fiber angles were found as the most influencing parameters for flexural strength and modulus responses. After reinforcement, the flexural strength was increased by 76.4% for Kevlar fiber, 129.8% for glass fiber, and 230.1% for carbon fiber. This work will provide the researchers in the 3D printing domain to gain an insight into the characteristics of fiber-reinforced polymeric composites.