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Water ices are a common component of cold space environments, including molecular and protostellar clouds, and the frozen surfaces of moons, planets, and comets. When exposed to ionizing and/or thermal processing, they become a nursery for new molecular species and are also responsible for their desorption to the gas-phase. Crystalline water ice, produced by the deposition of gaseous water at warm (80–150 K) surfaces or by the heating of cold amorphous water ice (up to ∼150 K), is also regularly detected by astronomical observations. Here, we employed the procoda code to map the chemical evolution of 5 keV electron-bombarded crystalline water-ices at different temperatures (12, 40, 60 and 90 K). The chemical network considered a total of 61 coupled reactions involving nine different chemical species within the ice. Among the results, we observe that the average calculated effective rate constants for radiation-induced dissociation decrease as the ice´s temperature increases. The abundance of molecular species in the ice at chemical equilibrium and its desorption to gas-phase depend on both the temperature of the ice. H2O molecules are the dominant desorbed species, with a desorption yield of about 1 molecule per 100 electrons, which seems to be enhanced for warmer crystalline ices. The obtained results can be employed in astrochemical models to simulate the chemical evolution of interstellar and planetary environments. These findings have implications for astrochemistry and astrobiology, providing insight into crucial chemical processes and helping us understand the chemistry in cold regions in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased predation where ground cover is reduced after severe wildfire is increasingly implicated as a factor causing decline of vulnerable prey populations. In arid central Australia, one species detrimentally affected by repeated wildfire is the great desert skink or tjakura (Liopholis kintorei), a distinctive lizard of the central Australian arid zone that constructs and inhabits multi‐entranced communal burrows. We aimed to test whether tjakura or predator activity at burrow entrances varied with cover and how tjakura respond to predator presence. Using time‐lapse photography, we monitored tjakura and predator activity at the largest entrance of 12 burrows ranging from high (>70%) to low (<50%) cover and at multiple entrances of two other burrows. Overall activity did not vary between burrows with high and low cover. Within burrow systems tjakura were more active at sparsely vegetated entrances, often sitting wholly or partly inside the burrow. However, consistent between and within burrow systems, skinks spent proportionally more time fully outside where cover was higher. Predators—mostly native—were detected at most burrows, with no apparent relationship between predator activity and cover. Skinks also did not appear to modify their activity in response to predator visits. Our results indicate that tjakura may spend more time outside burrow entrances when cover is higher but there was no direct evidence that this related to perceived or real predation risk. Differences in food availability, thermoregulatory opportunities and opportunities for ambush foraging associated with differences in vegetation cover or composition are other factors likely to be important in determining the activity of tjakura at burrows. Our research demonstrates the usefulness of camera traps for behavioural studies of ectothermic burrowing animals. The complex relationships between tjakura activity and vegetation cover thereby revealed, suggest outcomes of fire‐mediated habitat change on predator–prey interactions are not easily predictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the location and boundary of underground obstructions and/or anomalies is a common problem and often a great challenge for tunneling and underground construction. In this study, geotechnical investigations (penetration tests and borehole drilling/sampling) and geophysical investigations (surface wave method and cross-hole seismic method) were conducted with the aim of identifying the location and boundary of rock obstructions in Changi East, Singapore. The surface wave method is frequently used in the sites with lateral homogeneity in previous studies, but its application in the sites with rock obstructions is rare. The experimental results of this study indicate that the surface wave method is also able to determine the upper surface of rock obstructions, but difficult to identify the lateral and bottom boundaries of rock obstructions. To improve the precision of detection, the full waveform inversion (FWI) method was used to process the data from the cross-hole seismic survey. The results indicate that the inversion precision of P-wave is higher than that of S-wave. The horizontal and vertical ranges of rock obstructions in the P-wave inversion results are 14-26 m and 7.5-11.0 m respectively, roughly consistent with the results of penetration tests (about 15-25 m) and borehole log (8.85-10.80 m). This result proves that the sequential application of first-arrival time analysis and FWI can effectively delineate the boundary of rock obstructions. Finally, the results of various detection methods were analyzed and compared in this study. Considering the advantages of various methods, we propose a cost-effective and high-precision workflow containing both geotechnical and geophysical investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abnormal growth of cells in the liver causes liver cancer which is also known as hepatic cancer, where, Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer which makes up 75% of cases. The detection of this tumour is difficult and mostly found at advanced stage which causes life-threatening issues. Hence it is far essential to discover the tumour at an early stage. So the principle intention of this project is to detect liver cancer at earlier stage using image processing technique. Here the malignant liver tumours are detected from Computed Tomography (CT) images. The image undergoes enhancement using anisotropic diffusion filters and segmented by morphological operations which is simple and easy to work. This operation uses combination of two processes, dilation and erosion. The scope of this propounded technique is to highlight the tumour region present in the Computed Tomography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a rare condition called pilar sheath acanthoma, which is a benign follicular hamartoma that typically affects adults aged 40-70 years old. The study analyzed five cases of pilar sheath acanthoma diagnosed through dermoscopy and histopathology. The clinical manifestations included red papules on the mandible, eyelid, and nose, with a central opening covered with gray-white scabs. Dermoscopic features showed dark red papules with white translucent scales, "four-leaf clover" and white circle-shaped structures, and punctate and linear blood vessels. Histopathological examination revealed cystic dilatation of the hair follicle and a lobulated tumor mass protruding to the dermis. Surgical resection was performed, and no recurrence was observed during follow-up. The article provides insights into the diagnosis and dermoscopic features of pilar sheath acanthoma, helping improve diagnostic sensitivity for this condition. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: The objective of this retrospective study was to assess safety and comparative clinical effectiveness of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) and robot-assisted inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) from multi-institutional experience in Taiwan. Methods: Medical records from a total of eight hospitals were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Patients primarily diagnosed of inguinal hernia, recurrent inguinal hernia or incarceration groin hernia patients who either underwent laparoscopic or robot-assisted inguinal hernia repair between January 2018 and December 2022 were included in the study. Baseline characteristics, intra-operative and post-operative results were analyzed. To compare two cohorts, overlap weighting was employed to balance the significant inter-group differences. We also conducted subgroup analyses by state of a hernia (primary or recurrent/incarceration) and laterality (unilateral or bilateral) that indicated complexity of surgery. Results: A total of 1,080 patients who underwent minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair from 8 hospitals across Taiwan were collected. Following the application of inclusion criteria, there were 279 patients received RIHR and 763 patients received LIHR. In the baseline analysis, RIHR was more often performed in recurrent/incarceration (RIHR 18.6% vs LIHR 10.3%, p = 0.001) and bilateral cases (RIHR 81.4 vs LIHR 58.3, p < 0.001). Suturing was dominant mesh fixation method in RIHR (RIHR 81% vs LIHR 35.8%, p < 0.001). More overweight patients were treated with RIHR (RIHR 58.8% vs LIHR 48.9%, p = 0.006). After overlap weighting, there were no significant difference in intraoperative and post-operative complications between RIHR and LIHR. Reoperation and prescription rates of pain medication (opioid) were significantly lower in RIHR than LIHR in overall group comparison (reoperation: RIHR 0% vs. LIHR 2.9%, p = 0.016) (Opioid prescription: RIHR 3.34 mg vs LIHR 10.82 mg, p = 0.001) while operation time was significantly longer in RIHR (OR time: RIHR 155.27 min vs LIHR 95.30 min, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This real-world experience suggested that RIHR is a safe, and feasible option with comparable intra-operative and post-operative outcomes to LHIR. In our study, RIHR showed technical advantages in more complicated hernia cases with yielding to lower reoperation rates, and less opioid use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Measuring the performance of models that predict individualized treatment effect is challenging because the outcomes of two alternative treatments are inherently unobservable in one patient. The C-for-benefit was proposed to measure discriminative ability. However, measures of calibration and overall performance are still lacking. We aimed to propose metrics of calibration and overall performance for models predicting treatment effect in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Methods: Similar to the previously proposed C-for-benefit, we defined observed pairwise treatment effect as the difference between outcomes in pairs of matched patients with different treatment assignment. We match each untreated patient with the nearest treated patient based on the Mahalanobis distance between patient characteristics. Then, we define the Eavg-for-benefit, E50-for-benefit, and E90-for-benefit as the average, median, and 90th quantile of the absolute distance between the predicted pairwise treatment effects and local-regression-smoothed observed pairwise treatment effects. Furthermore, we define the cross-entropy-for-benefit and Brier-for-benefit as the logarithmic and average squared distance between predicted and observed pairwise treatment effects. In a simulation study, the metric values of deliberately "perturbed models" were compared to those of the data-generating model, i.e., "optimal model". To illustrate these performance metrics, different modeling approaches for predicting treatment effect are applied to the data of the Diabetes Prevention Program: 1) a risk modelling approach with restricted cubic splines; 2) an effect modelling approach including penalized treatment interactions; and 3) the causal forest. Results: As desired, performance metric values of "perturbed models" were consistently worse than those of the "optimal model" (Eavg-for-benefit ≥ 0.043 versus 0.002, E50-for-benefit ≥ 0.032 versus 0.001, E90-for-benefit ≥ 0.084 versus 0.004, cross-entropy-for-benefit ≥ 0.765 versus 0.750, Brier-for-benefit ≥ 0.220 versus 0.218). Calibration, discriminative ability, and overall performance of three different models were similar in the case study. The proposed metrics were implemented in a publicly available R-package "HTEPredictionMetrics". Conclusion: The proposed metrics are useful to assess the calibration and overall performance of models predicting treatment effect in RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Emotion regulation (ER) deficits are increasingly implicated in obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). The ER difficulty of 'non-acceptance of emotions' has been most consistently found to correlate with OCS -- albeit not uniformly with all OCS dimensions. This study examined the causal relationships between the acceptance of emotions and four OCS dimensions: contamination, responsibility of harm, unacceptable thoughts and symmetry. Methods: Participants in this online study rated their baseline emotional distress and compulsive urges to OC scenarios corresponding to each OCS dimension. After completing questionnaires on ER, OCS, anxiety and depressive symptoms, participants were randomly assigned to two conditions and instructed to observe and accept their emotions (acceptance condition; n = 180) or observe their emotions (control condition; n = 185) as they re-read the scenarios. Participants then rated their post-manipulation emotional distress and compulsive urges to each scenario. Results: The instructions to accept emotions resulted in lower compulsive urges to the responsibility of harm scenario, for participants with lower baseline compulsive urges. There were no other group differences on post-manipulation measures. Conclusions: The current findings suggest that even brief instructions to accept one's emotions reduced compulsive urges, pointing to the potential clinical utility of enhancing the acceptance of emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness and depression are common problems significant in a portion of the elderly population. The study's aim was to understand the relationship between loneliness and depression among the 100 elderly, (42 females, and 58 males), ages varying from 60 years and above, both living (N-50) and not living in old-age homes (N=50) in Chennai. Depressive symptoms were measured using Geriatric Depression Scale: Short Form (GDS: SF) and loneliness, using UCLA-R Loneliness Scale. Results revealed that there is a strong relationship between loneliness and depression in the elderly, and the elderly who do not live in old age homes felt lonelier than the elderly who live in old age homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unknown whether Ivor Lewis (IL) or McKeown (McK) esophagectomy is preferred in patients with potentially curable esophageal or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. Patients with mid- and distal esophageal and GEJ cancer without distant metastases who underwent IL or McK esophagectomy in the Netherlands between 2015 and 2017, were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients were propensity score matched for sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologist classification, comorbidity, tumor type, tumor location, clinical stage, neoadjuvant treatment and year of diagnosis. The primary outcome was a 3-year relative survival (RS). Secondary outcome parameters were number of lymph nodes examined, number of positive lymph nodes, radical resection rate, tumor regression grade, post-operative complications and mortality. A total of 1627 patients who underwent IL (n  = 1094) or McK (n  = 533) esophagectomy were included. Patient and tumor characteristics were balanced after propensity score matching, leaving 658 patients to be compared. The 3-year RS was 54% after IL and 50% after McK esophagectomy, P  = 0.140. The median number of lymph nodes examined, median number of positive lymph nodes, radical resection rate and tumor regression grade were comparable between both groups. Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (2 vs. 5%, P  = 0.006) occurred less frequently after IL esophagectomy. No differences were observed in post-operative anastomotic leakage rate, pulmonary complication rate and mortality rates. There was no statistically significant difference in the 3-year RS between IL and McK esophagectomy. Based on these results, both IL and McK esophagectomy can be performed in patients with mid to distal esophageal and GEJ cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the conclusion, entitled "Meeting with the Past", Kim emphasizes that the 2000-2001 reunions showcased the "cosmopolitan orientation of South Korea's most proactive decade of engagement with North Korea" (189). First configured in 1945 at the 38th parallel and redrawn in 1953, a demilitarized zone (DMZ) demarcates the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north. [Extracted from the article]

This study focuses on the analysis of air quality behavior, with a specific focus on tropospheric nitrogen dioxide as a parameter of interest in the Andean region of Colombia. To achieve this analysis, 12 cities in the country were taken as reference points. By processing more than 250,000 images, crucial data were extracted to evaluate the behavior of air quality during the period between 2019 and 2022. The results reveal a counterintuitive behavior, as the city with the most inhabitants is not the one with the highest pollution levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the optimal energy harvesting conditions of an oscillating wing with a trailing edge flap for various parameters such as flap length and maximum wing and flap pitch angles. Numerical simulations were performed for flap lengths ranging from 20 % to 70 % of the chord length (c). The maximum wing pitch angle varied from 40° to 75°, whereas the maximum flap pitch angle varied from 15° to 60°. Results show that the power output performance of a large flap is higher than that of a short flap. This is because the incoming fluid is deflected relatively more vertically by a large flap than by a short flap at the same maximum wing and flap pitch angles. Consequently, the momentum change is enhanced in the direction of the heaving motion, which eventually improves the power output performance. In addition, the camber of the wing increases with flap length, leading to an increase in incoming fluid velocity on the leeward surface of the wing. This caused a decrease in leeward surface pressure for large flaps, resulting in an increased pressure difference on the wing surfaces, which assisted in enhancing the heaving force and power. The maximum power output was obtained at a maximum wing pitch angle of 70° for a flap length 20 % of c, and it was reduced to 45° for a flap length 70 % of c. However, the optimum maximum flap pitch angle varied between 35° and 45° for varying flap lengths. The power output and efficiency were improved by around 27 % and 21 %, respectively, compared with an oscillating wing without a flap, and this was achieved for a flap length 60 % of c with the maximum wing and flap pitch angles of 50° and 45°, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) are associated with improved survival outcomes in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but the data on the response to treatment and tumour-based endpoints across different tumour types are unknown. We carried out a retrospective study at two tertiary referral centres in Taiwan. All adult patients treated with ICIs between January 2015 and December 2021 were included. The primary outcome was overall survival and the secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and clinical benefit rates. In total, 734 patients were enrolled in our study, of which 171 were RAASi users and 563 were non-users. Compared with non-users, RAASi users had a longer median overall survival [26.8 (interquartile range 11.3–not reached) versus 15.2 (interquartile range 5.1–58.4) months, P < 0.001] and PFS [12.2 (interquartile range 3.9–34.5) versus 5.0 (interquartile range 2.2–15.2) months, P < 0.001]. In univariate Cox proportional hazard analyses, the use of RAASi was associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of mortality [hazard ratio 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.44–0.76), P < 0.001] and disease progression [hazard ratio 0.62 (95% confidence interval 0.50–0.77), P < 0.001]. The association remained significant after adjusting for underlying comorbidities and cancer therapy in multivariate Cox analyses. A similar trend was observed for PFS. Furthermore, RAASi users experienced a greater clinical benefit rate than non-users (69% versus 57%, P = 0.006). Importantly, the use of RAASi before ICI initiation was not associated with improved overall survival and PFS. RAASi were not associated with an increased risk of adverse events. The use of RAASi is associated with improved survival outcomes, treatment response and tumour-based endpoints in patients undergoing immunotherapy. • RAASi were associated with improved clinical outcomes across a broad range of cancer patients receiving ICI. • Subgroup analysis showed that ARB were associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients undergoing immunotherapy. • The use of RAASi before immune checkpoint blockade was not associated with improved survival. • RAASi were not associated with increased risk of adverse events among cancer patients receiving ICI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical consciousness has received growing attention in developmental science, but most of the work has been conducted in Western liberal democracies. A critical examination is needed to determine whether critical consciousness can be appropriately measured in less democratic societies, where opportunity structures are different from those in Western liberal democracies. To establish the psychopolitical validity of a measure of critical reflection in less democratic societies, this study developed the Critical Reflection Scale (CRS) based on a sample of 3,015 youths in China. The results support a two-factor model of critical reflection, including (1) recognition of social inequity and (2) awareness of everyday oppression. The findings reveal varying levels of critical reflection across age, gender, and sexual orientation. Two items of the CRS function differently between young women and men. The CRS demonstrates good internal consistency and convergent validity, indicating that it is a psychometrically sound measure of critical reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate assessment of intravascular volume status in hemodialysis (HD) patients presents a significant challenge. Current clinical practices to determine dry weight is flawed due to interobserver variability and nonreproducibility. This miscalculation results in either chronic hypervolemia or hypovolemia with intra or interdialytic hypotension. The quest for noninvasive volume assessment tools to aid in the estimation of dry weight still continues. This study aims at goal-directed ultrafiltration removal compared with clinical dry-weight assessment in achieving euvolemic status of patients on chronic HD. It is a prospective, single-centered, nonrandomized, noninvasive interventional study on HD patients, for 12 months. Fifty two patients participated out of which 46 completed the study. Ultrasound-guided inferior vena cava collapsing index (IVCCI) and B lines were measured at intervals along with cardiac parameters. Dry weight was first estimated clinically by trial and error method. New dry weight target was set when B-lines were less than four in the eight site lung ultrasound and IVCCI between 50 and 75%, after 30 min post dialysis. Approximately 23.9% of the patients did not require dry-weight modification throughout the study. About 19% patients did not achieve dry weight in spite of all interventions. Overall, 56.5% of the patients achieved dry weight during the study period. A total of 46.3% of patients with NYHA Grade 3 dyspnoea observed at the start of study was reduced to 2.2%, showing statistical significance. Clinical assessment when bundled with noninvasive technology of assessment of dry weight showed encouraging results. B-lines and IVCCI estimation could be additional tools to achieve target weight goals, reducing complications and increasing compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumatic probes such as five-hole probes (5HP) can conveniently measure three-dimensional flow angles, plus total and static pressure. In most applications, transducers are connected using pneumatic tubes, allowing the probe head to be highly miniaturized and robust. However, such "steady" probes are often used in unsteady flows, where they measure a pneumatically averaged flowfield that can differ from the time mean. To better understand these pneumatic averaging effects, an analytical framework is constructed using a quasi-steady model. Total and static pressure coefficients have a symmetric response to both positive and negative incidence. When incidence fluctuates, there is therefore a bias in the pneumatic average. These errors are evident in a shedding wake experiment, where a 5HP overestimates total pressure loss by up to 44% compared to a Kiel probe. These effects can be predicted by coupling an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes calculation with the quasi-steady model. By predicting pneumatic averaging errors, the quasi-steady model can be used to obtain like-for-like validation of calculations against experimental data. Measurement data can also be corrected, provided that flow angle fluctuations can be measured or estimated. This approach can be readily used to postcorrect the large body of historical data likely to have been corrupted by pneumatic-averaging errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article challenges François Jullien's reading of Chinese thought based on his disjunction between ontology and shi, or propensity. According to Jullien, the Chinese history of ideas has been a never-changing entity in a homogeneous society for thousands of years. Jullien's juxtaposing and contrasting 'European thought' and 'Chinese thought' falls into the trap of cultural essentialism he wanted to avoid. Jullien's interpretation of shi also led him to believe that Chinese people never challenge reality, never confront or resist, tend to stay in conformity, and lack interest in critical thinking. This paper argues that, despite the combination of Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism that constituted a powerful paradigm of normative governmentality of the hierarchical system in different dynasties in Chinese history, the spirit of political resistance has never ceased. Zhang Taiyan, at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of Republican China, demonstrated the tradition of such critical political thinkers. The re-reading of Zhang Taiyan's Buddhist-inspired reading of Zhuangzi could offer us an additional possibility for the emancipatory and political thinking that can be inspirational even today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase selection mechanism within undercooled liquid Nb90Si10 hypoeutectic alloy was investigated by electrostatic levitation technique combined with deep neural network molecular dynamics. A stepwise-solidification procedure was conducted, where the primary phase and eutectic microstructure successively solidified from undercooled liquid alloy and undercooled residual liquid, respectively. The intermetallic phase of the eutectic structure transfers from Nb3Si to βNb5Si3 and finally into αNb5Si3 compound with the increase in liquid undercooling. The deep neural network molecular dynamic simulations have shown that the phase selection between Nb3Si and Nb5Si3 is mainly controlled by the short-range order of residual liquid, considering that the predominant short-range configuration transforms from Nb3Si-like to Nb5Si3-like structures. The αNb5Si3-like medium-range order, which is characterized by vertex-connected ⟨0,2,8,4⟩ clusters, is shown to significantly influence the competitive nucleation of the αNb5Si3 and βNb5Si3 phases. The residual liquid favors the αNb5Si3-like medium-range order rather than βNb5Si3 at large undercoolings, which explains the transformation from βNb5Si3 to αNb5Si3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to analyse surgical outcomes of paediatric patients with congenital cholesteatoma according to age. Method: This was a retrospective study reviewing the records of 186 children (136 boys and 50 girls) from August 1993 to January 2016. Patients were divided into three age groups (equal to or less than 3 years, over 3 and less than 7 years, and 7 to 15 years). Results: There were significant differences in chief complaints, location of cholesteatoma in the middle ear, computed tomography findings, operation methods, ossicular erosion and type of cholesteatoma sac among the three groups. In addition, older age, open type cholesteatoma, ossicular erosion and mastoid invasion of cholesteatoma increased the recurrence rate after surgery. However, despite higher pre-operative air–bone gap in older children, hearing can be improved enough after proper surgery with ossicular reconstruction. Conclusion: Delayed detection of paediatric cholesteatoma can lead to extensive disease and the need for an aggressive operation, which can result in worse hearing outcomes and an increased recurrence risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cataract if left untreated, can lead to complications such as lens induced glaucoma and permanent visual loss. The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in movement control orders causing closure and reduction of non-COVID hospital services resulting delayed appointment dates. This study described the side effects of delayed patient appointments due to COVID-19 pandemic. A 70-year-old man presented with right eye (RE) pain and redness. There was gradual reduction in RE vision over the last year but treatment was delayed due to pandemic. In examination, visual acuity on his RE was hand movement and left eye (LE) was 6/12 (ph6/12) and near vision of N5. The right pupil was mid-dilated, reacting sluggishly with presence of relative afferent pupillary defect. Intraocular pressure (IOP) on the RE was 54 mmHg and LE was 16 mmHg. Circumciliary injection of right conjunctiva with central corneal haziness was seen. The anterior chamber was deep with the presence of 3+ cells with whitish lens material at the pupillary axis. A Morgagnian cataract with phacodonesis was present. A diagnosis of lens induced glaucoma was made. Immediate reduction of IOP included topical and systemic medication and pain relief were instituted. Intracapsular cataract extraction with anterior vitrectomy and surgical peripheral iridectomy was performed. This highlights the late presentation of a patient with mature cataract during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patient awareness and education are essential in recognising the complications of mature cataract if it is presented later. A reminder of signs and symptoms of lens induced glaucoma should be conveyed to patient when appointment is delayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phospholipase C are key enzymes in phospholipid signaling in plant growth, development, biotic, and abiotic stress responses. So far, many PI-PLC (phosphoinositide-specific PLC) genes have been cloned from various plant species and their functions have been analyzed. However, the current understanding of the PI-PLC signal transduction pathway in woody plants is limited, and the function of PI-PLC in plant abiotic stress responses still needs to be experimentally verified. In order to explore the evolution and function of the poplar PI-PLC gene family, 7 PI-PLC genes were identified through genome-wide analysis. The encoded proteins all had X and Y conserved catalytic domains and C2 domain. Chromosomal location analysis showed that the PtPI-PLCs were located on 4 of the 19 poplar chromosomes. Phylogenetic relationship analysis showed that the poplar PtPI-PLC gene family had high similarity with the PLC sequences in other plants. Expression pattern analysis showed that PsnPI-PLC6 was transiently up-regulated under cadmium stress conditions in the root, stems, and leaves of Populus simonii × P. nigra. Physiological and biochemical results showed that the SOD activities were increased under cadmium stress, implying that expression of PsnPI-PLC6 in tobacco increased ROS scavenging ability. This study provides new insights into the functional analysis of poplar PI-PLC genes in response to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and standardised amino acid digestibility coefficients (SIDC) of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for broiler chickens. 2. The BSFL contained, on a g/kg dry matter basis: crude protein, 486; crude fat, 320; ash, 58.5; neutral detergent fibre, 181; calcium, 6.8 and phosphorus, 9.1. 3. In Experiment 1, an AME assay was performed wherein broilers were fed two experimental diets (a maize-soy basal diet and a test diet containing 250 g/kg BSFL) for 4 d from d 18 posthatch. The AME of BSFL was calculated based on the difference between the AME values of basal and test diets. The AME and nitrogen-corrected AME were determined to be 19.1and 18.0 MJ/kg of dry matter, respectively. 4. In Experiment 2, the ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility of BSFL was determined using 22-d-old broilers by the direct method and the digesta was collected on d 25. The ratios between the AA and titanium in the diet and digesta were used to calculate the apparent digestibility and then standardised using previously published endogenous losses to estimate the SIDC of AA. The SIDC of Lys, Met, Thr, Val and average SIDC of AA in our BSFL sample were 0.85, 0.90, 0.91, 0.87 and 0.84, respectively. 5. The findings showed that the BSFL meal is a good source of available energy and digestible AA, and could be a potential substitute for soybean meal in broiler diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the psychotherapeutic treatment of social phobia, the hand movement behaviour exhibited during the interaction provides information about the success of the therapy. In particular, the degree of mutual somatosensory stimulation of the hands (hands moving on each other, as a unit, apart) appears to be relevant regarding the patient's mental state. To test this hypothesis, the present study investigates hand coordination in the course of psychotherapy in patients with and without symptom improvement and in the corresponding therapeutic dyads. Forty‐two videos of patient–therapist dyads consisting of 21 patients (n = 11 non‐improved; n = 10 improved; according to Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale self‐assessment) from the Social Phobia Research Network project were investigated in early psychotherapy sessions and in pre‐last sessions. Hand movements of four randomised video sequences per dyad were analysed with NEUROGES®‐ELAN. Patients with non‐improved symptoms displayed shorter act apart coordination and more act on each other coordination than patients with improved symptoms. Patients displayed more act apart and act on each other and less act as a unit coordination than therapists. In therapeutic dyads, act on each other coordination in early sessions, as well as short act apart coordination, was significantly related to non‐improvement. Patients with non‐improved symptoms are characterised by more hand coordination associated with a high degree of somatosensory stimulation serving self‐regulation (act on each other), as well as short complex gestural expressions (act apart). Thus, hand coordination constitutes a progression and outcome parameter informing on somatosensory stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study explored the association between 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) uptake and the quantitative expression of immunohistochemical markers related to glucose metabolism, hypoxia, and cell proliferation in benign and malignant thyroid nodules of indeterminate cytology. Procedures: Using a case–control design, 24 patients were selected from participants of a randomized controlled multicenter trial (NCT02208544) in which [18F]FDG-PET/CT and thyroid surgery were performed for Bethesda III and IV nodules. Three equally sized groups of [18F]FDG-positive malignant, [18F]FDG-positive benign, and [18F]FDG-negative benign nodules were included. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for glucose transporters (GLUT) 1, 3, and 4; hexokinases (HK) 1 and 2; hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF1α; monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4); carbonic anhydrase IX (CA-IX); vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); sodium-iodide symporter (NIS); and Ki-67. Marker expression was scored using an immunoreactive score. Unsupervised cluster analysis was performed. The immunoreactive score was correlated to the maximum and peak standardized uptake values (SUVmax, SUVpeak) and SUVmax ratio (SUVmax of nodule/background SUVmax of contralateral, normal thyroid) of the [18F]FDG-PET/CT using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and compared between the three groups using Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results: The expression of GLUT1, GLUT3, HK2, and MCT4 was strongly positively correlated with the SUVmax, SUVpeak, and SUVmax ratio. The expression of GLUT1 (p = 0.009), HK2 (p = 0.02), MCT4 (p = 0.01), and VEGF (p = 0.007) was statistically significantly different between [18F]FDG-positive benign nodules, [18F]FDG-positive thyroid carcinomas, and [18F]FDG-negative benign nodules. In both [18F]FDG-positive benign nodules and [18F]FDG-positive thyroid carcinomas, the expression of GLUT1, HK2, and MCT4 was increased as compared to [18F]FDG-negative benign nodules. VEGF expression was higher in [18F]FDG-positive thyroid carcinomas as compared to [18F]FDG-negative and [18F]FDG-positive benign nodules. Conclusions: Our results suggest that [18F]FDG-positive benign thyroid nodules undergo changes in protein expression similar to those in thyroid carcinomas. To expand the understanding of the metabolic changes in benign and malignant thyroid nodules, further research is required, including correlation with underlying genetic alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil microbiome is crucial for regulating biogeochemical processes and can, thus, strongly influence tree health, especially under stress conditions. However, little is known about the effect of prolonged water deficit on soil microbial communities during the development of saplings. We assessed the response of prokaryotic and fungal communities to different levels of experimental water limitation in mesocosms with Scots pine saplings. We combined analyses of physicochemical soil properties and tree growth with DNA metabarcoding of soil microbial communities throughout four seasons. Seasonal changes in soil temperature and soil water content and a decreasing soil pH strongly influenced the composition of microbial communities but not their total abundance. Contrasting levels of soil water contents gradually altered the soil microbial community structure over the four seasons. Results indicated that prokaryotic communities were less resistant to water limitation than fungal communities. Water limitation promoted the proliferation of desiccation tolerant, oligotrophic taxa. Moreover, water limitation and an associated increase in soil C/N ratio induced a shift in the potential lifestyle of taxa from symbiotic to saprotrophic. Overall, water limitation appeared to alter soil microbial communities involved in nutrient cycling, pointing to potential consequences for forest health affected by prolonged episodes of drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Advanced serrated polyps (ASPs) have a comparable risk as advanced adenomas (AAs) to progress into colorectal cancer (CRC). The yield of most CRC screening programs, however, is based on AAs and CRC only. We assessed the ASP detection rate, and increase in positive predictive value (PPV) including ASPs in the yield of a FIT-based screening program. Methods We analysed findings of follow-up colonoscopies of FIT-positive screenees in the Dutch CRC screening program from 2014 until 2020. Data was retrieved from the national screening and pathology database. ASP was defined as any serrated polyp ≥10mm, sessile serrated lesion with dysplasia or traditional serrated adenoma. ASP detection rate was defined as the proportion of colonoscopies with ≥1 ASP. PPV was defined as proportion of persons with a CRC or AA. The updated PPV definition included CRC, AA and/or ASPs. Results In total, 322,882 colonoscopies were included in the analyses. Overall detection rate of ASPs was 5.9%. ASPs were more often detected in females than males (6.3% vs 5.6%, p<0.001). ASP detection rates in individuals aged 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 and 70+ were 5.2%; 6.1%; 6.1%; 5.9% (p<0.001), respectively. The PPV for CRC and AA was 41.1% and increased to 43.8% when including ASP. The PPV increase was larger in females than in males (3.2% vs 2.4%). Conclusion A proportion of 5.9% FIT-positive screenees had ASPs, but half of these were detected in combination with CRC or AA. Therefore, including ASPs results in a small increase in the yield of FIT-based screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a paediatric motor speech disorder. We investigated the lexical tone perception and production abilities of children with CAS and the relationships between the two. Three children with CAS, aged between 3;7 and 5;8, were given the Cantonese Tone Identification Test (CANTIT) and the Hong Kong Cantonese Articulation Test (HKCAT) for assessment of tone perception and production, respectively. Accuracy and error patterns were investigated based on their performance on the two tests. Correlation analysis was performed on children's perception and production scores. Two children scored at the lowest rank on the CANTIT, while one child obtained a Z score of 0. All children scored three standard deviations below the mean on the HKCAT. No statistical differences were found among the six tones with respect to perception accuracy, H(5) = 3.731, p = 0.589. Error analysis showed that children with CAS demonstrated more confusion on perceiving tones compared with TD peers. There were no main effects for task (F(1,2) = 0.040, p = 0.859) or tone (F(5,10 = 0.997, p = 0.467); nor were there task or tone interaction effects on perception versus production accuracy (F(5,10) = 1.772, p = 0.206). Tone perception and production accuracy were not significantly correlated (r2 = 0.181, p = 0.078). Tone perception deficits were evident in two out of three children with CAS, while all children had lexical tone production difficulties. In this small sample, tone production was more universally affected than tone perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of microstructure evolution during rapid solidification and the proactive regulation of phase constitution to optimize the micromechanical properties of multicomponent alloys have been the focus of research in recent years. In this paper, the evolution of microstructural growth kinetics and the formation of amorphous phase in CoCrFeNiZr0.5 alloy were achieved by melt spinning technique and electrostatic levitation coupled melt quenching. According to the theory of transient nucleation, the nucleation incubation time of Laves, FCC, Fe23Zr6 and BCC phases with undercooling during rapid solidification of the alloy was calculated. And based on this, the mechanism of phase transition in the process of regular eutectic → anomalous eutectic → nanocrystalline → amorphous composite → complete amorphous structure was discussed and explained. The growth behavior of primary and eutectic phases solidified at different undercoolings was investigated. Combined with melt quenching, the alloy melts were quenched in the superheated state, liquidus, undercooled state and recalescence process. Multiple microstructures, including amorphous structure, amorphous plus nano-eutectic, gradient nano-eutectic and composite structure of primary Laves phase, along with primary eutectic plus secondary quenched eutectic structures were obtained, respectively. Moreover, the shear band and free volume theory were applied to explain the deformation behavior and the discrepant mechanical performance between amorphous composites and amorphous structures. The formation of quenched nano-eutectic and amorphous structure not only improves the hardness of the alloy, but also enhances the fracture toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monosexism has been increasingly recognized as a minority stressor uniquely experienced by plurisexual individuals. The present study investigated the effects of monosexist discrimination on mental health and examined the moderating role of gender and sexual identity integration (i.e., negation, authenticity, and disclosure). In a sample of 314 bisexual and pansexual individuals in Hong Kong (73.9% women and 26.1% men), the results showed that monosexist discrimination was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, above and beyond heterosexist discrimination. The association between monosexist discrimination and depression symptoms was stronger among bisexual and pansexual men than women, despite there being no gender differences in vulnerability to monosexist discrimination. Moreover, sexual identity negation, authenticity, and disclosure moderated the associations of monosexist discrimination with depression and anxiety symptoms, such that the associations were not significant among those with more positive integration of sexual identity (i.e., lower levels of sexual identity negation as well as higher levels of sexual identity authenticity and disclosure). This study provides insight into the deleterious impact of monosexism and the protective role of sexual identity integration. Implications for plurisexual-affirming psychological intervention, public policy, and community practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EVs) are widely recognized for their environmentally friendly attributes and superior performance. They offer considerable potential for managing energy in low-voltage distribution networks through the use of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and grid-to-vehicle (G2V) technologies. This article provides a detailed investigation into the management of energy in distribution networks using a combination of EVs, solar photovoltaic (PV), and diesel generators (DG). The water filling algorithm (WFA) is utilized to distribute the storage of EVs in each energy zone in an optimal manner, thereby achieving load flattening, minimizing energy costs, and reducing grid reliance. A multiobjective genetic algorithm (MOGA) is employed to solve a formulated multiobjective optimization problem for load flattening and voltage regulation, with optimal power transaction (OPT) serving as the decision variable. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based EV ranking technique is employed to prioritize EVs based on their ability to provide the required services and determine optimal energy distribution (OED) for different scenarios. This study investigates the impact of OED in several scenarios and examines the influence of ANFIS prioritization on overall EV power availability and cost of charging (CoC). The findings of this study are crucial for developing effective energy management strategies that minimize energy costs and reduce grid reliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic consequences of the subdivision of populations are regarded as significant to long‐term evolution, and research has shown that the scale and speed at which this is now occurring is critically reducing the adaptive potential of most species which inhabit human‐impacted landscapes. Here, we provide a rare and, to our knowledge, the first analysis of this process while it is happening and demonstrate a method of evaluating the effect of mitigation measures such as fauna crossings. We did this by using an extensive genetic data set collected from a koala population which was intensely monitored during the construction of linear transport infrastructure which resulted in the subdivision of their population. First, we found that both allelic richness and effective population size decreased through the process of population subdivision. Second, we predicted the extent to which genetic drift could impact genetic diversity over time and showed that after only 10 generations the resulting two subdivided populations could experience between 12% and 69% loss in genetic diversity. Lastly, using forward simulations we estimated that a minimum of eight koalas would need to disperse from each side of the subdivision per generation to maintain genetic connectivity close to zero but that 16 koalas would ensure that both genetic connectivity and diversity remained unchanged. These results have important consequences for the genetic management of species in human‐impacted landscapes by showing which genetic metrics are best to identify immediate loss in genetic diversity and how to evaluate the effectiveness of any mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancement in chemisorption is one of the active research areas in carbon materials. To remedy the thermally degraded chemisorption occurring at high temperatures, we report a comprehensive study of kink structures in free-standing monoatomic carbon nanowires upon heating. Our Monte Carlo simulation considers multi-monoatomic carbon chains laterally interacting by van der Waals forces. Our study reveals that carbon nanowires maintain their linearity regardless of chain length at low temperatures, but this is not the case at high temperatures. Disordered kink structure is observed in short carbon chains, especially above the Peierls transition temperature. A severe kink structure may increase the possibility of attaching negatively charged atoms, thereby contributing to the development of next-generation materials for chemisorption at high temperatures. We have also provided an important indication that any physical property of the finite-length carbon chain predicted by ab initio calculation should reconsider the atomic rearrangement due to thermal instability at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of a trailing-edge active controlled flap on the power output performance of an oscillating wing energy harvester were investigated by numerical analysis. The overset mesh technique was adopted, and a structured mesh was used to simulate multiple moving bodies in close proximity to a wall to improve the accuracy. Sinusoidal motion was applied to both the wings and flaps. The maximum pitch angles for the wing and flap were varied to determine the optimum operating conditions. Numerical results show that the attachment of a flap onto an oscillating wing deflects the incoming flow in flap's direction and increases the vertical momentum change, which consequently increases the pushing force and power. The wing and flap maximum pitch angles significantly affect the power output of the energy harvester. The maximum power output is obtained at maximum pitch angles of 70° and 35° for the wing and flap, respectively. The maximum power is enhanced by 11 % when the flap length is 20 % of the chord length, as compared with the optimum condition of an oscillating wing without a flap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive traits that function in pollinator attraction may be reduced or lost during evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to selfing. Although floral scent plays an important role in attracting pollinators in outcrossing species, few studies have investigated associations between floral scent variation and intraspecific mating system transitions. The breakdown of distyly to homostyly represents a classic example of a shift from outcrossing to selfing and provides an opportunity to test whether floral fragrances have become reduced and/or changed in composition with increased selfing. Here, we evaluate this hypothesis by quantifying floral volatiles using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry in two distylous and four homostylous populations of Primula oreodoxa Franchet, a perennial herb from SW China. Our analysis revealed significant variation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among populations of P. oreodoxa. Although there was no difference in VOCs between floral morphs in distylous populations as predicted, we detected a substantial reduction in VOC emissions and the average number of scent compounds in homostylous compared with distylous populations. A total of 12 compounds, mainly monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, distinguished homostylous and distylous morphs; of these, (E)‐β‐ocimene was the most important in contributing to the difference in volatiles, with significantly lower emissions in homostyles. Our findings support the hypothesis that the transition from outcrossing to selfing is accompanied by the loss of floral volatiles. The modification to floral fragrances in P. oreodoxa associated with mating system change might occur because high selfing rates in homostylous populations result in relaxed selection for floral attractiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the continuous casting process, the residual oxygen in the tundish can be significantly reduced by argon blowing from the tundish cover (ABTC). As a result, the effect of protective casting can be obviously improved, which helps to reduce the reoxidation of molten steel in the tundish. In the present work, numerical models for the ABTC of a six-strand continuous casting machine were established and verified by the measured oxygen mass fraction in the tundish during the ABTC. The results indicate that the best conditions for ABTC are to install the argon pipes on either side of the tundish cover holes, seal the baking holes, and keep the stopper rod holes open. The argon flow rate should be =120 m³/h during the period of empty tundish and =60 m³/h during the period of normal casting. Based on the calculation results, industrial testsof ABTC were carried out. The results indicated that the increased nitrogen content in steel(Δw[N]) decreased by 21.5% from 8.78×10-6 to 6.89×10-6, from the end of RH to tundish, and the amount of inclusions except for MnS in bloom (scanned size: 8 mm × 8 mm) decreased by 21.3% from 13.43 to 10.57, and the average size of inclusions decreased by 19.0% from 9.27 µm to 7.51 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have primarily used an individual differences approach to identify dispositional factors associated with bullying behavior, which often neglect the broader school context in which bullying occurs. The present study used a multilevel research design to examine the contextual influence of school normative climate on allyship, bullying, and internalized homonegativity. The study included 3020 students (M = 15.83 years, SD = 1.50) from ten secondary schools in China. The results showed that school-level gender role attitudes were positively associated with bullying perpetration among heterosexual students as well as bullying victimization and internalized homonegativity among LGBQA+ students. In addition, there was a negative association between school-level sexual prejudice and allyship among heterosexual students. The findings demonstrate the contextual influence of school normative climate and highlight the need for regular school climate assessments, so that appropriate instructions, policies, and practices can be implemented to address gender biases and homophobia and the resulting bullying behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION Does a short interval (i.e. ≤90 min), compared to a long interval (i.e. ≥180 min), between semen collection and intrauterine insemination (IUI) increase the cumulative chance of an ongoing pregnancy after six IUI cycles? SUMMARY ANSWER A long interval between semen collection and IUI resulted in a borderline significant improvement in cumulative ongoing pregnancies and a statistically significant shorter time to pregnancy. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Retrospective studies assessing the effect of the time interval between semen collection and IUI on pregnancy outcomes have shown inconclusive results. Some studies have indicated a beneficial effect of a short interval between semen collection and IUI on IUI outcomes, while others have not found any differences. To date, no prospective trials have been published on this subject. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The study was performed as a non-blinded, single-center RCT with 297 couples undergoing IUI treatment in a natural or stimulated cycle. The study was conducted between February 2012 and December 2018. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Couples with unexplained or mild male subfertility and an indication for IUI were randomly assigned for up to six IUI cycles into either the control group (long interval, i.e. 180 min or more between semen collection and insemination) or the study group (short interval, i.e. insemination as soon as possible after semen processing and within 90 min of semen collection). The study was carried out in an academic hospital-based IVF center in the Netherlands. The primary endpoint of the study was ongoing pregnancy rate per couple, defined as a viable intrauterine pregnancy at 10 weeks after insemination. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In the short interval group, 142 couples were analyzed versus 138 couples in the long interval group. In the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, the cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the long interval group (71/138; 51.4%) compared to that in the short interval group (56/142; 39.4%; relative risks 0.77; 95% CI 0.59–0.99; P  = 0.044). The time to pregnancy was significantly shorter in the long interval group (log-rank test, P  = 0.012). A Cox regression analysis showed similar results (adjusted hazard ratio 1.528, 95% CI 1.074–2.174, P  = 0.019). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Limitations of our study are the non-blinded design, the long inclusion and follow-up period of nearly seven years and the large number of protocol violations, especially because they predominantly occurred in the short interval group. The non-significant results in the per-protocol (PP) analyses and the weaknesses of the study should be taken into account in the assessment of the borderline significance of the results in the ITT analyses. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Because it is not necessary to perform the IUI immediately after semen processing, there can be more time available to choose the optimum work-flow and clinic occupancy. Clinics and laboratories should find their optimal timing of insemination, considering the time between human chorionic gonadotropin injection and insemination in relation to the sperm preparation techniques used as well as the storage time and conditions until insemination. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) There were no external funding and no competing interests to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Dutch trial registry, trial registration number NTR3144. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE 14 November 2011. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLLMENT 5 February 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extant literature explains autocratization either through domestically or internationally-driven explanations. The former focuses on studying autocratic strongmen's executive aggrandizement or promissory coups from a domestic perspective, while the latter highlights the critical role of autocratic powers in promoting autocratic practices to neighboring countries from an international perspective. Transcending such a dichotomous approach, this study endeavors to explore the coupling of domestic and international drivers in causing autocratization in the context of Asia through a comparative analysis of Cambodia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Thailand. The comparative analysis indicates that domestic politics spearheads autocratization (that is, the role of autocratic strongmen in spearheading autocratization through executive aggrandizement or promissory coups), while international politics consolidates such autocratization (that is, the role of autocratic powers in consolidating autocratization pathway through their exporting influence). With the rising rivalry between democratic and autocratic powers, there are more pressing needs than ever to integrate domestic and international perspectives in autocratization studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission properties for square potential barriers have been investigated and compared from graphene to a dice lattice via a variable coupling parameter. There are two limiting cases of pseudospin 1/2 and 1, respectively. The perfect Klein tunneling has been obtained for all parameter conditions. With the increase of the coupling parameter, the tunneling probability increases at oblique incidence. The tunneling shows little dependence on the number of barriers for the dice model. However, the barrier number is an effective factor to tune the transmission feature in graphene. The tunneling peaks can be analyzed from the energy band structure in the expanded periodic potential system and the wave function distribution in the well/barrier regions. The present findings are useful in the development of electronic devices based on quantum transport property with massless pseudospin particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]