bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comprehensive Evaluation of Tinnitus Apps
Authors: Deshpande Aniruddha K. , Shimunova Tova
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The use of mobile phones is on the rise worldwide. Many people who experience tinnitus often turn to the Internet and applications (apps) on their smartphones to acquire information on tinnitus and solutions to “cure” tinnitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate and summarize features offered by tinnitus-related apps on different mobile platforms.

Method

This study was conducted on 3 mobile platforms—Apple iOS, Google Android, and Windows. The key word
tinnitus
was searched, and all free and paid apps were downloaded. Relevant apps were reviewed in-depth and then classified into 4 categories based on their functionality—“tinnitus education, awareness, and prevention,” “tinnitus assessment and measurement,” “tinnitus management,” and “misinformation.”

Results

All mobile platforms yielded both free and paid tinnitus apps, allowing individuals to learn more about tinnitus, assess and measure their own tinnitus, gain access to different sounds to help manage their tinnitus, and find strategies to better cope with their tinnitus. The Google Android platform revealed the most number of tinnitus apps. The “tinnitus management” category consistently outperformed the other categories—containing the most number of apps and the most number of features. A small proportion of misinformation apps were detected across platforms. There were no significant differences in the total number of features between free and paid apps (except on the Windows platform). A cost–feature analysis revealed that more expensive apps did not necessarily offer more number of features.

Conclusions

This study reveals that a variety of tinnitus-related apps—both free and paid—are available on different mobile platforms. Clinicians should be aware that patients with tinnitus often rely on apps for additional help and should be prepared to direct them to valid apps. Implications for end users are discussed as well.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.8956775
Faint solar analogues at the limit of no reddening
Authors: Giribaldi R. E. , Porto de Mello G. F. , Lorenzo-Oliveira D. , Amôres E. B. , Ubaldo-Melo M. L.
Published: July 2019

Context. The flux distribution of solar analogues is required for calculating the spectral albedo of solar system bodies such as asteroids and trans-Neptunian objects. Ideally a solar analogue should be comparatively faint as the target of interest, but very few analogues fainter than V = 9 mag have been identified so far. Only atmospheric parameters equal to solar guarantee a flux distribution equal to solar as well, while only photometric colours equal to solar do not. Reddening is also a factor to consider when selecting faint analogue candidates.

Aims. Our aim is to implement the methodology for identifying faint analogues at the limit of precision allowed by the current spectroscopic surveys. We quantify the precision attainable for the atmospheric parameters of effective temperature (Teff), metallicity ([Fe/H]), and surface gravity (log g) when derived from moderately low-resolution (R = 8000) spectra with S∕N ~ 100. We estimate the significance of reddening at 100–300 pc from the Sun.

Methods. We used the less precise photometry in the HIPPARCOS catalogue to select potential analogues with V ~ 10.5 mag (located at ~135 pc). We calibrated Teff and [Fe/H] as functions of equivalent widths of spectral indices by means of the principal component analysis regression. We derived log g, mass, radius, and age from the atmospheric parameters, Gaia parallaxes, and evolutionary tracks. We evaluated the presence of reddening for the candidates by underestimations of photometric Teff with respect to those derived by spectral indices. These determinations were validated with extinction maps.

Results. We obtained the atmospheric parameters Teff, [Fe/H], and log g with precision of 97 K, 0.06 dex, 0.05 dex, respectively. From 21 candidates analysed, we identify five solar analogues: HIP 991, HIP 5811, and HIP 69477 have solar parameters within 1σ errors, and HIP 55619 and HIP 61835 within 2σ errors. Six other stars have Teff close to solar, but slightly lower [Fe/H]. Our analogues show no evidence of reddening except for four stars, that present E(B−V) ≥ 0.06 mag, translating to at least a 200 K decrease in photometric Teff.
The Most Massive galaxy Clusters (M2C) across cosmic time: link between radial total mass distribution and dynamical state
Authors: Bartalucci I. , Arnaud M. , Pratt G. W. , Démoclès J. , Lovisari L.
Published: July 2019

We study the dynamical state and the integrated total mass profiles of 75 massive (M500 > 5 × 1014 M⊙) Sunyaev–Zeldovich(SZ)-selected clusters at 0.08 <  z <  1.1. The sample is built from the Planck catalogue, with the addition of four SPT clusters at z >  0.9. Using XMM-Newton imaging observations, we characterise the dynamical state with the centroid shift ⟨w⟩, the concentration CSB, and their combination, M, which simultaneously probes the core and the large-scale gas morphology. Using spatially resolved spectroscopy and assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, we derive the total integrated mass profiles. The mass profile shape is quantified by the sparsity, that is the ratio of M500 to M2500, the masses at density contrasts of 500 and 2500, respectively. We study the correlations between the various parameters and their dependence on redshift. We confirm that SZ-selected samples, thought to most accurately reflect the underlying cluster population, are dominated by disturbed and non-cool core objects at all redshifts. There is no significant evolution or mass dependence of either the cool core fraction or the centroid shift parameter. The M parameter evolves slightly with z, having a correlation coefficient of ρ = −0.2 ± 0.1 and a null hypothesis p-value of 0.01. In the high-mass regime considered here, the sparsity evolves minimally with redshift, increasing by 10% between z <  0.2 and z >  0.55, an effect that is significant at less than 2σ. In contrast, the dependence of the sparsity on dynamical state is much stronger, increasing by a factor of ∼60% from the one third most relaxed to the one third most disturbed objects, an effect that is significant at more than 3σ. This is the first observational evidence that the shape of the integrated total mass profile in massive clusters is principally governed by the dynamical state and is only mildly dependent on redshift. We discuss the consequences for the comparison between observations and theoretical predictions.
Fonctionnement limite et sexualité à l’adolescence : le complexe traumatique
Authors: Loisel Yoann
Published: July 2019

La pathologie limite est considérée comme organisée autour du psychotraumatisme. En effet, à côté de facteurs traumatiques récents dans l’anamnèse des adolescents présentant ces troubles de personnalité, la sémiologie est le plus souvent post-traumatique depuis l’enfance, elle renvoie à une continuité de l’instabilité relationnelle et identitaire chez les parents eux-mêmes. L’hypothèse d’un complexe traumatique rend compte de cette construction transgénérationnelle du fonctionnement limite, également du lien avec les récurrences traumatiques. Elle décrit comment le psychotraumatisme est toujours à l’intérieur de la pensée, puissamment activé à la puberté par la maturation sexuelle qui va provoquer les signes cliniques les plus extériorisés.
Nitrosoalkenes: Underappreciated Reactive Intermediates for Formation of Carbon–Carbon Bonds
Authors: Weinreb Steven M.
Published: July 2019

This Account describes studies carried out by my group during the past decade on both intra- and intermolecular conjugate additions of carbon nucleophiles to nitrosoalkenes. Using the Denmark protocol for the generation of nitrosoalkenes from α-chloro-O-silyloximes, a number of bridged and fused bicyclic ring systems can be prepared via the intramolecular version of this process. Intermolecular conjugate addition reactions of nitrosoalkenes with a wide variety of ester enolates as coupling partners can also be achieved efficiently using a similar procedure. Some stereochemical aspects of these nucleophilic additions have been studied with both acyclic and cyclic nitrosoalkenes. This methodology has been applied as key steps in synthetic approaches to some complex indole and Myrioneuron alkaloids.

1 Introduction

2 Conjugate Additions of Nitrosoalkenes

2.1 Background

2.2 Intramolecular Reactions

2.3 Intermolecular Reactions

2.4 Stereochemical Aspects

3 Applications to Natural Product Synthesis

3.1 Angustilodine and Related Alkaloids

3.2 Approach to Apparicine-Type Alkaloids

3.3 Myrioneurinol

4 Summary and Outlook
Transapical Deployment of Thoracic Stent Graft for Ascending Aorta Coronary Bypass Pseudoaneurysm in a Patient with Prosthetic Aortic Valve
Authors: Antonello Michele , D'Onofrio Augusto , Zavatta Marco , Isabella Giambattista , Maturi Carlo , Piazza Michele , Gerosa Gino
Published: July 2019

The authors describe the transapical deployment of a thoracic endograft to exclude a saphenous vein graft proximal anastomotic pseudoaneurysm following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a 63-year-old male with a prosthetic aortic valve. A standard thoracic endograft has been deployed via transapical access after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of the native vessel perfused by the patent CABG. The procedure was uneventful; an 8-month computed tomography scan showed complete exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm with patency of supra-aortic trunks.
Omitting Chest Tube Drainage after Subxiphoid Thoracoscopic Thymectomy
Authors: Xu Hao , Guo Congying , Li Yi , Yang Lei , Zhang Linyou
Published: July 2019

Background This study investigated the feasibility and safety of omitting chest tube drainage after subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy.

Methods From July 2018 through October 2018, 20 patients underwent subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy without chest tube drainage. The clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes of these patients are presented.

Results All patients (10 males, 10 females; average age: 53.25 ± 12.50 years old) completed the operation. Chest tube drainage was omitted in a total of 20 patients. The operative time was 89.45 ± 49.80 minutes. No adverse events were observed. The bed-side ultrasound examination of the pleural cavity on the day of surgery showed a thimbleful of effusion and did not require thoracentesis. A postoperative chest roentgenogram on the next morning showed full expansion without pneumothorax in all patients. None of the patients required reintervention with chest drainage through the time of discharge.

Conclusion The omission of chest tube drainage may be an alternative procedure for selected patients undergoing thoracoscopic thymectomy. The omission of chest tubes in thymectomy is safe, but further investigation is required.
Turkish Validation of the Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey
Authors: Gode Sercan , Ozturk Arin , Sahin Mustafa , Berber Veysel , Apaydin Fazil
Published: July 2019

The objective of this study is to provide a valid and reliable Turkish version of the original Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey (SCHNOS). The SCHNOS questionnaire was translated from English to Turkish using standardized guidelines. Participants completed the questionnaire twice, with an interval of 7 to 10 days. Reliability and validity analyses were performed based on these answers. Differences between the rhinoplasty and control groups, the internal consistency of the instrument (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), and the strength of association between the two repeated measures (Pearson's correlation coefficient) were analyzed. Of the 188 included individuals (106 females, 82 males; mean age 28 ± 8.4 years), 97 were in the rhinoplasty group and 91 were in the control group. The mean total SCHNOS scores were 0.6 ± 0.4 and 29.4 ± 8.9 in the control and rhinoplasty groups, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference in total scores between the groups (p < 0.001). The internal consistency reliability of the scale was found to be highly significant (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96, with a lower 95% confidence interval of 0.89). The test–retest correlation value was 0.95 for the total score, and each item had a strong test–retest correlation, ranging from 0.92 to 0.96. The Turkish version of the SCHNOS is a valid and reliable scale for evaluating both functional and cosmetic outcomes in Turkish-speaking patients undergoing rhinoplasty.
Models of gradient type with sub-quadratic actions
Authors: Ye Zichun
Published: July 2019

We consider models of gradient type, which are the densities of a collection of real-valued random variables ϕ ≔ {ϕx: x ∈ Λ} given by Z−1 exp(−∑j∼kV(ϕj − ϕk)). We focus our study on the case that V(∇ϕ)=[1+(∇ϕ)2]α with 0 < α < 1/2, which is a nonconvex potential. We introduce an auxiliary field tjk for each edge and represent the model as the marginal of a model with log-concave density. Based on this method, we prove that finite moments of the fields [v⋅ϕ]p are bounded uniformly in the volume. This leads to the existence of infinite volume measures. Also, every translation invariant, ergodic infinite volume Gibbs measure for the potential V above scales to a Gaussian free field.
Modeling and experimental study of low-frequency electromagnetic wave propagation in cylindrical enveloping plasma produced by a shock tube
Authors: Xie Kai , Guo Shaoshuai , Sun Bin , Quan Lei , Liu Yan
Published: July 2019

A promising solution has been proposed to overcome blackout using the magnetic field component of low-frequency electromagnetic waves to transmit a small amount of critical data. The principle of the method is that the magnetic-field attenuation is less than the electric-field attenuation for low-frequency electromagnetic waves in electrically small plasma. This paper presents an experiment based on a shock tube to verify the theory. Analytical expressions of SE and SH suitable for a shock-tube cylindrical model are derived using an equivalent circuit, which is used to describe the different forms of attenuation of electric and magnetic fields. For comparison, numerical simulations are conducted with varying plasma parameters. In the experiment, low-frequency electromagnetic waves penetrate the plasma produced by the shock tube from the test section, and measurements are made by field-strength probes at the center of the plasma flow field. A difference between SH and SE is found in both the experiment and theoretical simulation, with |SH| being less than |SE| by 20–30 dB when the frequency of low-frequency electromagnetic waves is 10 MHz. The verification of this theory thus shows that the magnetic field component of the low-frequency electromagnetic waves may potentially be used to transmit a small amount of critical data or vocal communication, allowing continuous communication during a period of radio blackout.
Controlling the persistence of photoconductivity through additional sub-bandgap photoexcitation in individual m-axial GaN nanowires
Authors: Yadav Shivesh , Das Gupta Kantimay , Dhar Subhabrata
Published: July 2019

The persistence of photoconductivity after switching off the photoexcitation is investigated in individual m-axial n-GaN nanowires as a function of temperature. At room temperature, photoconductivity is found to decay with a time scale of several hours. The capture barrier height is estimated to be ∼450 meV from the stretched exponential fitting of the decay characteristics recorded at different temperatures. This energy value is found to be much less than the surface band-bending energy of ∼770 meV, which is believed to act as the capture barrier in this system. This finding indicates the tunneling of electrons through the top part of the band-bending barrier. Interestingly, the decay rate of photoconductivity is observed to reduce significantly when the photoconductivity in these wires is quenched by an additional sub-bandgap illumination prior to the switching off the photoexcitation. A rate equation model is proposed to explain the upward band bending at the surface as well as the persistent photoconductivity effect in terms of the transfer of holes between the valence band and acceptor-type surface states of the nanowires. Photoconductivity decay profiles simulated from the model are found to match very well with the experimental data recorded at different temperatures in both quenched and unquenched cases.
Numerical investigation of wake structures of an atmospheric entry capsule by modal analysis
Authors: Ohmichi Yuya , Kobayashi Kenji , Kanazaki Masahiro
Published: July 2019

This study investigates the flow structures behind an atmospheric entry capsule at Mach number 0.4 through an improved detached eddy simulation and a modal analysis. The simulated flowfields reveal relatively low-frequency peaks of St ≈ 0.016 and St = 0.17–0.2 in the aerodynamic coefficient variation, where St is the nondimensional frequency. Then, the dominant fluid structures that cause the frequency peaks are identified through dynamic mode decomposition and the compressive-sensing-based mode selection method. Many of the dominant fluid phenomena have a frequency of St ≈ 0.2. In this frequency range, the fluid phenomena are mainly characterized with a large-scale vortex shedding separated from the capsule’s shoulder part and with a helical fluid structure in the wake. Moreover, the variation in the lift coefficient of the capsule is mainly attributed to the large-scale vortex shedding phenomenon. Furthermore, a fluid phenomenon at a frequency of St = O(0.01) is found, which describes the pulsation, or periodic growth or shrinkage, of the recirculation bubble, accompanied by pressure fluctuation behind the capsule that exerts a large drag fluctuation of the capsule. Additionally, this phenomenon seems related to the dynamic instability phenomena of the capsule, as indicated by its time scale, which is close to that of the capsule’s attitude motion.
Impact of Pt embedded nanocrystals on the resistive switching and synaptic properties of forming free TiO2 – x/TiO2 – y-based bilayer structures
Authors: Sakellaropoulos D. , Bousoulas P. , Tsoukalas D.
Published: July 2019

The resistive switching characteristics of forming free TiO2 – x/TiO2 – y memory devices containing Pt nanocrystals (NCs) beneath the top electrode were systematically investigated through experiments and numerical simulation insights. By embedding Pt nanocrystals, we have the possibility to narrow down the possible locations where the switching effect will evolve and thus significantly improve the inherent variability of the devices. Besides, the deployment of bilayer structures can tune the resistance levels, since the presence of the layer with low oxygen content (TiO2 – y) acts practically as series resistance, limiting the operating currents and at the same time forcing the switching effect to evolve in the layer with the higher oxygen content (TiO2 – z). A numerical model is implemented, in order to shed light into the origin of the SET/RESET transitions and illustrate the direct impact of NCs on the conducting filament (CF) shape and distribution of oxygen vacancies. It is demonstrated that a higher density of oxygen vacancies is created in the vicinity of NCs, which can directly impact the operating current values and the uniformity of the switching characteristics. The presence of NCs also facilitates the reduction of the operating voltages (∼3 V), and, as a result, it significantly improves power consumption, without sacrificing the switching ratio (∼103), temporal/spatial variability (σ/μ < 0.2), and pulse endurance (108 cycles) characteristics of our memory cells. Evidence about the impact of the NCs position within the material configuration are also presented. The direct impact of Pt NCs on the depression and potentiation characteristics of the synaptic weight denotes similarly the huge applicability of our approach to tune a wide range of resistive switching properties.
Sensitivity analysis of the theoretical performance of semiconductor upconversion nanostructures
Authors: Zhang Jing , Chen Eric Y. , Doty Matthew F. , Zide Joshua M. O.
Published: July 2019

Detailed balance models of the performance of upconverter-backed single-junction solar cells show significantly improved solar cell efficiency of over 47% under 1-sun and 63% under concentration. Realizing these predicted gains, however, requires finding or engineering materials that can realize the upconversion performance needed. Semiconductor upconversion heterostructures show the greatest potential in this respect, with over 39% solar cell efficiency predicted using a kinetic rate model to describe the upconverter photophysics. Although the kinetic rate model used was based on realistic material parameters, material design and engineering requires trade-offs that should be informed by a sensitivity analysis of the upconverter kinetic rate model assumptions. Here, we analyze the robustness of the kinetic rate model by considering how the internal upconversion quantum efficiency is affected by variations in the solar spectrum splitting (i.e., photon absorption energy ranges), upconverter absorption cross section, carrier relaxation and recombination rates, and solar concentration. We further analyze the upconverter-backed solar cell performance as a function of these variations using detailed balance methods. The results show that the theoretical performance of this upconversion paradigm under concentrated sunlight agrees with previous models and exceeds 60% solar energy conversion efficiency. More importantly, the results show that the predicted performance is relatively insensitive to the assumptions made in the model, suggesting that practical realization of such a semiconductor upconverter heterostructure paradigm is possible.
Phase structure and quasi-single-domain mechanism in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals near morphotropic phase boundary
Authors: Zhou Yaming , Li Qiang , Xu Chao , Zhuo Fangping , Liu Donglin , Yan Qingfeng , Zhang Yiling , Chu Xiangcheng
Published: July 2019

Based on the domain configuration analysis, we demonstrate that orthorhombic (O) phase is a structural bridge between the rhombohedral (R) and tetragonal (T) phase in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 (PMN-xPT) crystals near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), as illustrated in the composition-temperature phase diagram. After poling along the polar direction, domain patterns in PMN-0.30PT, PMN-0.33PT, and PMN-0.37PT single crystals are found to accord with quasisingle-domain configurations (1R*, 1O*, and 1T*) after removal of the electric field. Furthermore, by the thermodynamic theory analysis, the quasisingle-domain states present one dominant domain and other adjacent domains owing to partial depolarization. Our results provide a reliable and nondestructive method to identify the phase structures near the MPB region in the PMN-xPT and other similar relaxor-ferroelectric single crystals.
MEM-FLASH non-volatile memory device for high-temperature multibit data storage
Authors: Singh Pushpapraj , Arya Dhairya Singh , Jain Udit
Published: July 2019

We demonstrate microelectromechanical system-based flash memory (MEM-FLASH) for multinary bit storage. The MEMS switch integrated with the transistor provides the precise control of the charges on the floating gate. This maneuvering of the charges to 8 different levels provides 3-bit operation even at an elevated temperature of ∼300 °C. The key challenge in the realization of such a memory is the know-how the amount of charge to be transferred to the floating gate to alter the bit state. The charge estimation on the floating gate cannot be performed by direct probing of the device, as this will disturb the original charge values of the floating gate and thus the threshold value. Ergo, an indirect read approach is developed. Furthermore, the cantilever switch is fabricated and tested in a vacuum environment for experimental validation of the approach. The percentage variation from the theoretical to experimental approach is in the adoptable limit of 2%.
Effect of vortex-induced vibration of finned cylinders on heat transfer enhancement
Authors: Izadpanah Ehsan , Ashouri Ali , Liravi Mohammad , Amini Yasser
Published: July 2019

Two-degree-of-freedom vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a finned cylinder with heat transfer is studied numerically at the Reynolds number Re = 150. The governing equations in the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian frame are solved by the finite volume method. The dynamics of the oscillating cylinder (with or without fins) in the fluid flow was approximated as a mass-spring system. The effects of the number and arrangement of the fins (14 different cases) on the vortex shedding pattern, vibration amplitude, and frequency and heat transfer of the cylinder are investigated and discussed. The results indicate that in comparison with the stationary state, the effects of the number and arrangement of the fins on the wake pattern and the heat transfer enhancement in the VIV state are significant. Different vortex shedding pattern like 2S, P, 2P, S + P and combination of them with stable or unstable interactions between vortices and cylinders are observed in an oscillating cylinder. In the vibration state of finned cylinders, the heat transfer enhances up to 50.4% with respect to the stationary state and increases up to 64% with respect to the stationary smooth cylinder.
In-phase supermode operation in GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser
Authors: Kuramoto Masaru , Kobayashi Seiichiro , Tazawa Komei , Tanaka Kazufumi , Akagi Takanobu , Saito Tatsuma
Published: July 2019

A phase-locked ring-array GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) was demonstrated using a floral-patterned structure, based on a buried-SiO2 lateral optical confinement technique. This structure enabled the realization of evanescently coupled waveguides in the circumferential direction with a high differential quantum efficiency of 30%, even in a blue GaN-based VCSEL. A coupled ring array with eight optical spots produced a very narrow divergence beam of 2.8° with an on-axis far-field emission. These results, together with single-longitudinal-mode operation in the lasing spectrum, provide evidence that the proposed GaN-based VCSEL exhibits in-phase supermode operation.
Characterization of a system that combines energy dispersive X-ray diffraction with X-ray fluorescence and its potential applications in archeometry
Authors: Santos Hellen C. , Silva Tiago F. , Leite Alisson R. , Assis Renan F. , Campos Pedro H. O. V. , Rizzutto Marcia A. , Tabacniks Manfredo H.
Published: July 2019

We report a proof of concept constructing an experimental setup to explore the imaging capability of a single X-ray detector, simulating a pixelated X-ray detector, to measure EDXRF (Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence) and EDXRD (Energy Dispersive X-ray Diffraction) image spectra simultaneously. Combining a conventional rotating anode Cu X-ray source and assembling a single X-ray detector (Si-PIN Amptek, 139 eV at 5.98 keV) on a computer controlled XY stage, a proxy of an imaging X-ray detector was constructed for the measurement of simultaneous EDXRD and EDXRF of the same spot of a sample. The main advantages of this setup are the virtual need for sample preparation and the simultaneous XRF-XRD measurements of the same spot, enabling a combined and consistent analysis of a sample. The time consumed in an analysis using this setup is largely due to the need for acquiring multiple (several hundred) single spectra, which can be compensated, by using a variable acquisition time, depending on the count rate, exploring the high dynamic range of the X-ray emission during data acquisition. A Python code was written for offline data filtering and analysis. Using a simple geometrical model, d-spacings were calculated, and the model predictions were superimposed to the ED (Energy Dispersive) surface plots with good agreement. The instrument proved to work according to expectations and helped set the main experimental parameters for a more compact and portable setup under development.
Electrical modulation of degenerate semiconductor plasmonic interfaces
Authors: Dong Zuoming , Vinnakota Raj K. , Briggs Andrew F. , Nordin Leland , Bank Seth R. , Genov Dentcho A. , Wasserman Daniel
Published: July 2019

We demonstrate electrical modulation of plasmonic interfaces in semiconductor p-n++ junctions fabricated from both III–V and Si materials. Junction diodes are grown/fabricated, consisting of degenerately doped n-type material and heavily doped p-type material, where the n++ semiconductor acts as a plasmonic material capable of supporting infrared propagating surface plasmon polaritons. Devices were characterized electrically and optically, and we achieved tuning of the reflectivity under applied bias with amplitude reaching 1.5% in mid-IR wavelengths. We developed a model of electrical carrier injection at the degenerately doped interface, which we used to model the bias-dependent optical properties of the system. A strong agreement between our model and experimental results is demonstrated. The presented devices offer the opportunity for electrical modulation of propagating plasmonic modes in an all-semiconductor system.
Sputter deposition of porous thin films from metal/NaCl powder targets
Authors: Dedoncker R. , Rijckaert H. , Depla D.
Published: July 2019

A method to deposit porous thin films is elucidated. For this purpose, NaCl powder was mixed with a metal powder, cold pressed, and used as a target material in order to deposit a metal/NaCl thin film by DC magnetron sputtering. The thin film was immersed in water after deposition to remove the salt and to obtain a porous film. The low thermal conductivity of the target results in target heating and salt sublimation. In this way, the salt content in the layer and hence the film porosity are controlled by the discharge power. This procedure was carried out for Cu and Ti. The study focuses on the deposition of porous Cu thin films. From scanning transmission electron microscopy images, two film structures were observed. Films with a density higher than ≈40% of the bulk density exhibit a homogeneous spongelike microstructure with pores around 20 nm. At lower density, a noncontinuous, fractured layer is formed. The blocks between the observed cracks manifest itself in the form of columnar pores. The lowest measured density was ≈23% of the bulk density. This approach combines the flexibility of powder targets and the scalability of magnetron sputtering and avoids the usage of aggressive chemicals.
Opportunities for adaptive devices expand with promising application of resistive switching in photonics
Authors: Mandel Savannah
Published: July 2019

Resistive switching allows on-the-go tunability when exploring optical rectification phenomena.
Impact of iron and manganese nano-metal-oxides on contaminant interaction and fortification potential in agricultural systems – a review
Authors: Gillispie Elizabeth C. , Taylor Stephen E. , Qafoku Nikolla P. , Hochella Jr Michael F.
Published: July 2019

Environmental contextNanominerals are more reactive than bulk minerals, a property that strongly influences the fate of nutrients and contaminants in soils and plants. This review discusses applications of Fe- and Mn-nano-oxides in agricultural systems and their potential to be used as fertiliser and contaminant adsorbents, while addressing potential phytotoxicity. We discuss areas where significant advances are needed, and provide a framework for future work.
AbstractRising population growth and increase global food demand have made meeting the demands of food production and security a major challenge worldwide. Nanotechnology is starting to become a viable remediation strategy of interest in farming. Ultimately, it may be used as a sustainability tool in agricultural systems. In these roles, it could be used to increase the efficiency of techniques such as food monitoring, pathogen control, water treatment and targeted delivery of agrochemicals. In addition to these uses, nanoparticles, particularly nano-metal-oxides (NMOs), have been engineered to act as contaminant scavengers and could be applied to a wide range of systems. Numerous studies have investigated the scavenging ability of NMOs, but few have investigated them in this role in the context of agricultural and food systems. Within these systems, however, research has demonstrated the potential of NMOs to increase crop health and yield but few have studied using NMOs as sources of key micronutrients, such as Fe and Mn. In this review, we address previous research that has used Fe- and Mn-NMOs in agricultural systems, particularly the worldwide crop production of the four major staple foods – rice, wheat, maize and soybeans – highlighting their application as fertilisers and sorbents. Fe- and Mn-NMOs are strong candidates for immobilisation of agricultural contaminants in soils and, because they are naturally ubiquitous, they have the potential to be a cost-effective and sustainable technology compared with other remediation strategies.
Locke’s and Leibniz’s virtual debate over Of our knowledge of the existence of God
Authors: Shoham Kuti
Published: July 2019

The paper tries to reconstruct a possible polemical dialog between Locke and Leibniz over Of our knowledge of the existence of God, which is the title of Chapter 10, book 4, of the Essay and the New Essays. God’s existence is crucial to Leibniz’s metaphysics as well as to Locke’s philosophical enterprise, however, Locke is a kind of a tabula-rasa empiricist and Leibniz is a kind of a rationalist, therefore any a priori argument will not gain their mutual consent. Furthermore, because the former is a kind of realist whereas the latter holds a kind of an anti-realist ‘no-windows-point-of-view’ of the world, any a posteriori argument will eventually likely fail too.
Locke and Leibniz on matter and solidity
Authors: Shimony Idan
Published: July 2019

In this paper I analyze the virtual debate between Locke and Leibniz on solidity as proposed in Leibniz’s chapter on solidity in his New Essays on Human Understanding. I first track the oddities of the dialogue presented in the New Essays’ chapter on solidity. In this virtual dialogue, Leibniz’s representative often digresses and sometimes overlooks or misrepresents some of Locke’s most important insights. I then argue that these oddities reflect Leibniz’s sentiment that a productive controversy on this issue cannot be conducted due to his substantial differences with Locke regarding solidity and the nature of matter. These differences are at most indirectly implied in passing in Leibniz’s chapter on solidity and to see them one has to consider other texts presenting Leibniz’s theory of matter.
Dialogue in philosophical practices
Authors: Bertolino Luca
Published: July 2019

The definition of the lowest common denominator of philosophical practices is widely debated: what is the
philosophical core that allows us to distinguish them from other activities? Also, is it possible to identify a
methodical peculiarity in philosophical practices? Indeed, many philosophical practitioners refer to dialogue as the
specific philosophical character marking their professional activity. This statement, which as such is rather naive,
is obviously somewhat problematic. However, philosophical practitioners stress the λόγος of dialogue.

In addition to investigating how the dialogue is understood in the different philosophical practices, this
contribution aims at enhancing the διά, the “between” of dialogue. This dimension, in fact, may be a possible
theoretical framework within which to understand philosophical practices as a whole.
Listening to the other
Authors: Giani Alberta
Published: July 2019

The listening process is the object of the present work. I start from the definition of listening, and then, I expound on its development by referring to studies about fetal auditory perception and to the first experiences of intersubjectivity (Trevarthen, 1998, 2001, Ammaniti & Gallese, 2014). Thereafter, I examine processual aspects through a psychological interpretation of “The Arabian Nights”, from which I take inspiration in identifying the defining elements of listening as a communicative dimension that, for Self and Other changing, is understood as intentional intersubjective practice, activated in a somewhat implicit way. The theoretical framework of this work is infant research (Beebe & Lachmann, 1994; Reddy, 2010), whose studies concern the child’s emotional and affective development, evaluated with dynamic constructs (Stern, 1985, 2005; Winnicott, 1965, 1988; Sanders, 1985, 2007).
Coordination games and disagreement
Authors: Laas Oliver
Published: July 2019

This essay explores the suitability of coordination games for the study of strategic argumentation in disagreements. An argumentative battle of the sexes (ArgBoS) game is introduced for studying various strategies of rational disagreement resolution. The properties of both normal- and extensive-form ArgBoS are explored. In addition, the strategic effects of burning money will be studied. It will be shown that burning money can have strategic advantages in resolving disagreements.
Nouns and nominalizations in economics
textbooks
Authors: Hu Chunyu , Gao Hongmiao
Published: July 2019

Grammatical metaphors are indispensable resources that
scientists employ to create scientific worlds. Nominalization, as a powerful
tool of grammatical metaphor, can shed new light on the nature of economics
through reconstruing human experiences in the process of economic activities.
This study endeavours to initiate an innovative way to study nominalizations in
economics discourses by extracting nouns in a self-built 1-million-word corpus
of economics textbooks (CETB). The results show that nouns and nominalizations,
accounting respectively for 21% and 10% of the total words in the corpus, have
construed the vast theoretical edifice of modern economic knowledge. In addition
to transmitting disciplinary knowledge to achieve ideational functions,
nominalizations can also situate the participants within the economics discourse
community to fulfil interpersonal functions, and facilitate the text to progress
as a chain of reasoning to perform textual functions. This investigation of nouns
as well as lexical bundles not only provides new insights into nominalization
but also provides an important entry point to observe discipline-specific lexis
and the typical co-text in which items occur. This study, as a combination of
work in economics, corpus linguistics and systemic functional linguistics, has
implications for education in economics as well as the study of disciplinary
English in other fields.
The place/s of Tagalog in Hong Kong’s Central district
Authors: Guinto Nicanor
Published: July 2019

The Central district is the government, financial, and business center of Hong Kong. Yet, on Sundays, it turns
temporarily into a space densely occupied by migrant domestic workers from the Philippines. It is then that Tagalog emerges as a
valuable linguistic resource in the center of Hong Kong, primarily as it is used on commercial signage as well as by speakers of
other languages who see the presence of Filipinos – predominantly female domestic workers – as a business opportunity. Other signs
in central Hong Kong that include Tagalog are regulatory, indexing the same Filipinos as low status domestic workers. Using the
key concepts of sociolinguistic scales (Blommaert, 2007) and
center-periphery dynamics (Pietikäinen & Kelly-Holmes, 2013),
I analyze the underlying forces relevant to Tagalog’s (and hence its speakers) symbolic centering and peripheralization in Hong
Kong’s semiotic landscape.
X
Authors: Jaworski Adam
Published: July 2019

The grapheme and symbolxhas been documented as relatively indeterminate and polysemic (e.g.Gale, 2015). Yet, various typographic, orthographic and other design choices make it particularly salient in the contemporary semiotic landscape. The paper starts by outlining briefly the history of the changing uses and associations ofxin different areas of social life. This is followed by discussion of the typographic and orthographic salience ofx, emphasizing its unique, unsettling, and ‘foreignizing’ effect on displayed language. The paper concludes by linking the salience ofxwith a global verbal-visual register that I have called ‘globalese’ (Jaworski, 2015a), and by briefly pointing to its origins in the typographic experiments of avant-garde art.
Complex spatial prepositions from Latin to Castilian
Authors: Lehmann Christian
Published: July 2019

From among the various processes that form prepositions in the history from Latin to Castilian, the investigation concentrates on the formation of prepositional adverbs like Spanishdelante (de)‘in front (of)’. There are two mechanisms for their formation: (a) An adverb or a preposition is preceded by a superordinate simple local preposition which initially specifies a local relation, but ends up as a reinforcing expansion of its base; and (b) an adverb is converted into a preposition by a following functional preposition which serves as a relationalizer.

In case #a, the syntactic structure is often destroyed by univerbation, and the resulting reinforced preposition is lexicalized. In case #b, the alternation between adverb and relationalized preposition is regular and bidirectional, so that the combination of adverb and relationalizer is normally not univerbated. The exceptiondesdeis given some attention.

As a result, the formation of prepositions of this structure is, at the outset, not a matter of word formation, and such complex prepositions are therefore not compound prepositions, but instead lexicalized univerbations.
The effect of cash transfers from the PROSPERA programme (formerly Oportunidades) on poverty in urban households in Northeast Mexico
Authors: Martínez-Martínez Oscar A. , Coronado-García Mauricio , Orta-Alemán Dania
Published: July 2019

The paper presents the effects of Mexico’s conditioned cash-transfers programme (PROSPERA programme, formerly Oportunidades) on household poverty in the Northeast urban areas. The estimate was calculated using the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke Index. We use three poverty lines (i.e. food, capability, and patrimonial poverty) which costs were established by the National Assessment Council of the Social Development Policy. The results show that, in the three lines, the intensity and inequality of poverty diminished. Regarding incidence, only in extreme poverty was found a significant effect, so, there is no evidence to support that cash transfers help households to escape poverty.
Tetrapartite entanglement measures of W-class in noninertial frames*
Authors: Torres-Arenas Ariadna J , López-Zúñiga Edgar O , Antonio Saldaña-Herrera J , Dong Qian , Sun Guo-Hua , Dong Shi-Hai
Published: July 2019

We present the entanglement measures of a tetrapartite W-class entangled system in a noninertial frame, where the transformation between Minkowski and Rindler coordinates is applied. Two cases are considered. First, when one qubit has uniform acceleration whilst the other three remain stationary. Second, when two qubits have nonuniform accelerations and the others stay inertial. The 1–1 tangle, 1–3 tangle, and whole entanglement measurements

π

4

and

Π

4

, are studied and illustrated with graphics through their dependence on the acceleration parameter r
d for the first case and r
c and r
d for the second case. It is found that the negativities (1–1 tangle and 1–3 tangle) and π-tangle decrease when the acceleration parameter r
d or in the second case r
c and r
d increase, remaining a nonzero entanglement in the majority of the results. This means that the system will be always entangled except for special cases. It is shown that only the 1–1 tangle for the first case vanishes at infinite accelerations, but for the second case the 1–1 tangle disappears completely when

r
>
0.472473

. An analytical expression for the von Neumann information entropy of the system is found and we note that it increases with the acceleration parameter.
Reducing the calculation workload of the Green function for electromagnetic scattering in a Schwarzschild gravitational field*
Authors: Jia Shou-Qing
Published: July 2019

When the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is used to solve electromagnetic scattering problems in Schwarzschild space-time, the Green functions linking source/observer to every surface element on connection/output boundary must be calculated. When the scatterer is electrically extended, a huge amount of calculation is required due to a large number of surface elements on the connection/output boundary. In this paper, a method for reducing the calculation workload of Green function is proposed. The Taylor approximation is applied for the calculation of Green function. New transport equations are deduced. The numerical results verify the effectiveness of this method.
The design of 2/8-type high-pressure cell applied to in situ neutron diffraction*
Authors: Xiang Chun-Jiang , Hu Qi-Wei , Wang Qiang , Xie Lei , Chen Xi-Ping , Fang Lei-Ming , He Duan-Wei
Published: July 2019

The DIA-type Kawai cell possesses a larger volume and a quasi-hydrostatic pressure environment and has been widely used in materials’ synthesis and x-ray diffraction experiments. However, few high-pressure in situ neutron diffraction experiments were performed in the DIA-type Kawai cell because there is no wide window for neutron diffraction and the second-stage anvils and guild block material attenuates the neutron signal significantly. In this work, we tentatively modified the normal DIA-type Kawai cell (MA 2-6-8) into a MA 2-8 mode by removing the six first-stage tungsten carbide anvils. As a consequence, the eight tungsten carbide anvils (Kawai cell) are directly driven by the guide blocks. The results of ex situ and in situ pressure calibration show that the cell pressure can reach 5 GPa with small truncation edge lengths (TEL) of 3 mm even at the load of 300 kN. It suggests that this MA 2-8 cell may open a new way for high-pressure and high-temperature in situ neutron diffraction.
Accurate all-electron calculation on the vibrational and rotational spectra of ground states for O2 and its ions*
Authors: Wang Qiao-Xia , Wang Yu-Min , Ma Ri , Yan Bing
Published: July 2019

The potential energy curves, spectroscopic constants, and low-lying vibration–rotation levels of ground-state O2 and its cation

O

2

+

and anion

O

2

−

were calculated with the explicitly correlated multireference configuration interaction method. The zeroth-order reference wavefunction was treated with the complete active space multiconfigurational self-consistent field method, in which the active space was carefully selected, and an additional molecular orbital

π

u

was added into the full valence active space. The electron correlation of the 1s core in the oxygen atom was considered in the computations. The Davidson correction on molecular energy was considered to account for higher electron excitation. The relativistic effects, including the scalar relativistic effect and spin–orbit coupling, were considered in the computation of potential energy curves. These physical effects on the spectroscopic constants were examined. The low-lying levels of vibration–rotation spectra of O2 and its ions were determined based on the computed potential energy curves. Comparisons with available experiments were made and excellent agreement was obtained for the vibrational and rotational parameters. The spectroscopic constants and vibration–rotation spectrum of

O

2

−

, which is sparse in experiments, were provided. Our study will shed some light on further theoretical and experimental studies on these simple but important molecular systems.