Time-varying functional connectivity predicts fluctuations in sustained attention in a serial tapping task.

The mechanisms for how large-scale brain networks contribute to sustained attention are unknown. Attention fluctuates from moment to moment, and this continuous change is consistent with dynamic changes in functional connectivity between brain networks involved in the internal and external allocation of attention. In this study, we investigated how brain network activity varied across different levels of attentional focus (i.

Cloud condensation nuclei activity of internally mixed particle populations at a remote marine free troposphere site in the North Atlantic Ocean.

This study reports results from research conducted at the Observatory of Mount Pico (OMP), 2225 m above mean sea level on Pico Island in the Azores archipelago in June and July 2017. We investigated the chemical composition, mixing state, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activities of long-range transported free tropospheric (FT) particles. FLEXible PARTicle Lagrangian particle dispersion model (FLEXPART) simulations reveal that most air masses that arrived at the OMP during the sampling period originated in North America and were highly aged (average plume age > 10 days).

Association between soil organic carbon and calcium in acidic grassland soils from Point Reyes National Seashore, CA.

Unlabelled: Organo-mineral and organo-metal associations play an important role in the retention and accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC). Recent studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between calcium (Ca) and SOC content in a range of soil types. However, most of these studies have focused on soils that contain calcium carbonate (pH > 6).

High-Resolution X-ray Spectromicroscopy Reveals Process-Structure Correlations in sub-5-μm Diameter Carbon Nanotube-Polymer Composite Dry-Spun Yarns.

A persistent lack of detailed and quantitative structural analysis of these hierarchical carbon nanotube (CNT) ensembles precludes establishing processing-structure-property relationships that are essential to enhance macroscale performance (e.g., in mechanical, electrical, thermal applications).

Sub-4 nm mapping of donor-acceptor organic semiconductor nanoparticle composition.

We report, for the first time, sub-4 nm mapping of donor : acceptor nanoparticle composition in eco-friendly colloidal dispersions for organic electronics. Low energy scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) mapping has revealed the internal morphology of organic semiconductor donor : acceptor blend nanoparticles at the sub-4 nm level. A unique element was available for utilisation as a fingerprint element to differentiate donor from acceptor material in each blend system.

The Emerging Layered Hydroxide Plates with Record Thickness for Enhanced High-Mass-Loading Energy Storage.

The past decade has witnessed the development of layered-hydroxide-based self-supporting electrodes, but the low active mass ratio impedes its all-around energy-storage applications. Herein, the intrinsic limit of layered hydroxides is broken by engineering F-substituted β-Ni(OH) (Ni-F-OH) plates with a sub-micrometer thickness (over 700 nm), producing a superhigh mass loading of 29.8 mg cm on the carbon substrate.

Information content of and the ability to reconstruct dichroic X-ray tomography and laminography.

Dichroic tomography is a 3D imaging technique in which the polarization of the incident beam is used to induce contrast due to the magnetization or orientation of a sample. The aim is to reconstruct not only the optical density but the dichroism of the sample. The theory of dichroic tomographic and laminographic imaging in the parallel-beam case is discussed as well as the problem of reconstruction of the sample's optical properties.

Mismatching integration-enabled strains and defects engineering in LDH microstructure for high-rate and long-life charge storage.

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) have been extensively investigated for charge storage, however, their development is hampered by the sluggish reaction dynamics. Herein, triggered by mismatching integration of Mn sites, we configured wrinkled Mn/NiCo-LDH with strains and defects, where promoted mass & charge transport behaviors were realized. The well-tailored Mn/NiCo-LDH displays a capacity up to 518 C g (1 A g), a remarkable rate performance (78%@100 A g) and a long cycle life (without capacity decay after 10,000 cycles).

Nurse-run preanaesthesia assessment clinics: an initiative towards improving the quality of perioperative care at the ambulatory care centre.

Introduction: Nurse-run preanaesthesia assessment is well established in ambulatory surgery. However, in the Middle East the implementation of such a service is new and needed careful preparation. Aim of this audit is to assess the feasibility and the quality of preoperative assessments by the specially trained nurses, patient and nurse satisfaction and overall perioperative quality of recovery.

Crystallization by Amorphous Particle Attachment: On the Evolution of Texture.

Crystallization by particle attachment (CPA) is a gradual process where each step has its own thermodynamic and kinetic constrains defining a unique pathway of crystal growth. An important example is biomineralization of calcium carbonate through amorphous precursors that are morphed into shapes and textural patterns that cannot be envisioned by the classical monomer-by-monomer approach. Here, a mechanistic link between the collective kinetics of mineral deposition and the emergence of crystallographic texture is established.

Thorium amidates function as single-source molecular precursors for thorium dioxide.

We report the synthesis of four homoleptic thorium(iv) amidate complexes as single-source molecular precursors for thorium dioxide. Each can be sublimed at atmospheric pressure, with the substituents on the amidate ligands significantly impacting their volatility and thermal stability. These complexes decompose via alkene elimination to give ThO2 without need for a secondary oxygen source.

A 3rd ventricular colloid cyst causing acute hydrocephalus with stunned myocardium: A case report.

Background: Third ventricular colloid cysts are benign but may cause acute hydrocephalus, raised intracranial pressure, decreased consciousness level, and sudden death. These ventricular colloid cysts associated with stunned myocardium are rarely reported in the literature. This study reported a case of a third ventricular colloid cyst presented as acute hydrocephalus complicated with severe neurogenic pulmonary edema, stunned myocardium, and heart failure, which survived at the end.

Magnetic Resonance Angiogram Findings of Internal Carotid Artery Narrowing and Anterior Cerebral Artery Hypoplasia Associated With Optic Atrophy After Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

We use MRA to elucidate a potential association of unilateral optic atrophy in infancy, ipsilateral internal carotid artery narrowing after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and ipsilateral hypoplasia of the A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery.

Assessment of Clinical Conditions Associated With Splenic Infarction in Adult Patients.

This case series examines the clinical conditions associated with splenic infarction of adult patients between 2010 and 2015 from computed tomographic imaging scans.

Crystal nucleation and growth of spherulites demonstrated by coral skeletons and phase-field simulations.

Spherulites are radial distributions of acicular crystals, common in biogenic, geologic, and synthetic systems, yet exactly how spherulitic crystals nucleate and grow is still poorly understood. To investigate these processes in more detail, we chose scleractinian corals as a model system, because they are well known to form their skeletons from aragonite (CaCO) spherulites, and because a comparative study of crystal structures across coral species has not been performed previously. We observed that all 12 diverse coral species analyzed here exhibit plumose spherulites in their skeletons, with well-defined centers of calcification (CoCs), and crystalline fibers radiating from them.

Potential Control of Oxygen Non-Stoichiometry in Cerium Oxide and Phase Transition Away from Equilibrium.

Cerium oxide (ceria, CeO) is a technologically important material for energy conversion applications. Its activities strongly depend on redox states and oxygen vacancy concentration. Understanding the functionality of chemical active species and behavior of oxygen vacancy during operation, especially in high-temperature solid-state electrochemical cells, is the key to advance future material design.

Demonstration of Machine Learning-Based Model-Independent Stabilization of Source Properties in Synchrotron Light Sources.

Synchrotron light sources, arguably among the most powerful tools of modern scientific discovery, are presently undergoing a major transformation to provide orders of magnitude higher brightness and transverse coherence enabling the most demanding experiments. In these experiments, overall source stability will soon be limited by achievable levels of electron beam size stability, presently on the order of several microns, which is still 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than already demonstrated stability of source position and current. Until now source size stabilization has been achieved through corrections based on a combination of static predetermined physics models and lengthy calibration measurements, periodically repeated to counteract drift in the accelerator and instrumentation.

Shifts in N and δN in wheat and barley exposed to cerium oxide nanoparticles.

The effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO-NPs) on N/N ratio (δN) in wheat and barley were investigated. Seedlings were exposed to 0 and 500 mg CeO-NPs/L (Ce-0 and Ce-500, respectively) in hydroponic suspension supplied with NHNO, NH , or NO . N uptake and δN discrimination (i.

X-ray Linear Dichroism in Apatite.

The recent observation in parrotfish teeth of X-ray linear dichroism motivated an in-depth investigation into this spectroscopic effect in various apatite crystals, including geologic hydroxyapatite (Ca(PO)OH), fluorapatite (Ca(PO)F), and their biogenic counterparts in human bone, mouse enamel, and in parrotfish bone, dentin, and enameloid, the equivalent of dental enamel in certain fish. These data are important because they now enable visualization of the nano- to microscale structure of apatite crystals in teeth and bone. Polarization-dependent imaging contrast (PIC) maps of lamellar bone, obtained with a new method that minimizes space-charge and charging effects, show the expected rotating apatite crystal orientations.

Validity and time course of surgical fear as measured with the Surgical Fear Questionnaire in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to assess the convergent validity of the Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ) with other self-report instruments and biological indices of stress. Secondary aims were the examination of predictors of the level and time course of fear and preferences for fear treatment.

Methods: In a prospective observational cohort study SFQ short-term (SFQ-s) and long-term (SFQ-l) scores were assessed one week, one day, and the morning before cataract surgery, together with salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA) levels, and numeric rating scale (NRS) fear score.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles transformation at the root-soil interface of barley ( L.).

The transformation of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO-NPs) in soil and its role in plant uptake is a critical knowledge gap in the literature. This study investigated the reduction and speciation of CeO-NPs in barley ( L.) cultivated in soil amended with 250 mg CeO-NPs kg soil.

Comprehensive Experimental and Computational Spectroscopic Study of Hexacyanoferrate Complexes in Water: From Infrared to X-ray Wavelengths.

We present a joint experimental and computational study of the hexacyanoferrate aqueous complexes at equilibrium in the 250 meV to 7.15 keV regime. The experiments and the computations include the vibrational spectroscopy of the cyanide ligands, the valence electronic absorption spectra, and Fe 1s core hole spectra using element-specific-resonant X-ray absorption and emission techniques.

Hartmann characterization of the PEEM-3 aberration-corrected X-ray photoemission electron microscope.

Aberration correction by an electron mirror dramatically improves the spatial resolution and transmission of photoemission electron microscopes. We will review the performance of the recently installed aberration corrector of the X-ray Photoemission Electron Microscope PEEM-3 and show a large improvement in the efficiency of the electron optics. Hartmann testing is introduced as a quantitative method to measure the geometrical aberrations of a cathode lens electron microscope.