Asymmetric Research Articles

Unambiguous identification of asymmetric and symmetric synapses using volume electron microscopy.

The brain contains thousands of millions of synapses, exhibiting diverse structural, molecular, and functional characteristics. However, synapses can be classified into two primary morphological types: Gray's type I and type II, corresponding to Colonnier's asymmetric (AS) and symmetric (SS) synapses, respectively. AS and SS have a thick and thin postsynaptic density, respectively. In the cerebral cortex, since most AS are excitatory (glutamatergic), and SS are inhibitory (GABAergic), determining the distribution, size, density, and proportion of the two major cortical types of synapses is critical, not only to better understand synaptic organization in terms of connectivity, but also from a functional perspective. However, several technical challenges complicate the study of synapses. Potassium ferrocyanide has been utilized in recent volume electron microscope studies to enhance electron density in cellular membranes. However, identifying synaptic junctions, especially SS, becomes more challenging as the postsynaptic densities become thinner with increasing concentrations of potassium ferrocyanide. Here we describe a protocol employing Focused Ion Beam Milling and Scanning Electron Microscopy for studying brain tissue. The focus is on the unequivocal identification of AS and SS types. To validate SS observed using this protocol as GABAergic, experiments with immunocytochemistry for the vesicular GABA transporter were conducted on fixed mouse brain tissue sections. This material was processed with different concentrations of potassium ferrocyanide, aiming to determine its optimal concentration. We demonstrate that using a low concentration of potassium ferrocyanide (0.1%) improves membrane visualization while allowing unequivocal identification of synapses as AS or SS.

Do Between-limb Strength Differences in the Elbow Flexors Affect Their Neuromuscular and Strength Adaptations to Short-term Strength Training?

Purpose. The present study quantified between-limb responses to strength training in the stronger (STR) versus weaker (WEA) elbow flexors in participants with symmetric (SYM) or asymmetric (ASY) 1-RM strength. Methods. Neural, hypertrophic and strength adaptations to 4 weeks (3∙wk-1) of unilateral elbow flexion training of both arms were examined in 24 participants (6 men and 6 women in each group) who had not undertaken strength training in the past 12 months. Changes in one-repetition maximum load (1-RM strength), isokinetic (20°·s-1 and 210°·s-1) and isometric (MVIC) strength and rate of force development (RFD) as well as muscle activation (EMG; normalised to maximum M-wave amplitude) and size (CSAFlexor) were measured. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to assess motor evoked potential amplitude (MEP) and cortical silent period duration (cSP). Results. Following training, significant increases in 1-RM strength (SYM, STR: ∆ = 2.4±1.1 kg, WEA: ∆ = 1.9±1.1 kg; ASY, STR: ∆ = 1.8±0.7 kg, WEA: ∆ = 1.7±0.7 kg) and CSAFlexor (SYM, STR: ∆ = 107±98 mm2, WEA: ∆ = 121±64 mm2; ASY, STR: ∆ = 108±73 mm2, WEA: ∆ = 105±65 mm2) were observed, although they were not different between arms in either group. Increases in isokinetic strength were also detected, but only in STR (SYM: 20°·s-1, 210°·s-1; ASY: 20°·s-1). No statistical changes were detected in MVIC, RFD, EMG, MEP or cSP. Correlation analyses demonstrated both similarities and differences in the between-limb responses when comparing the groups. Conclusion. Between-limb responses to strength training in participants with and without strength symmetry were similar, although isokinetic strength increases were only observed in the stronger arms. However, the correlation results suggest that individual differences exist between the groups, signalling that between-limb responses can differ in individuals with and without strength asymmetry.

Self-assembled carbon wrapped manganese cobaltite nano-composite with promising electrochemical performance for symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor device

The growing energy requirements of modern society have led to an intensive search for advanced supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials. Binary transition metal oxides with excellent supercapacitive performance are among the most promising materials. However, the phase transformation of these metal oxides during repeated charging/discharging is a major concern, which depletes their cyclic performance. Coating metal oxides with carbon can provide structural stability to the metal oxide, thereby increasing their cyclic life. In addition, the highly conductive carbon enhances the capacitance of metal oxides by allowing the effective transfer of charges from MnCo2O4 to the current collector. In this study, self-assembled carbon-wrapped MnCo2O4 composite has been prepared through a two-step process involving hydrothermal and solution-mixing processes. The structural/electrochemical performances of the composites have been investigated. The optimized composite offered a maximum capacitance of 626.8 Fg−1 withholding 98 % of capacitance for 6000 cycles. Furthermore, the electrochemical performance of the composite has also been tested in an all-redox symmetric SC (SSC) as well asymmetric (ASC) configuration. In the symmetric cell, 30.2 Whkg−1 of energy is reported for 1.6 kWkg−1 of power. The asymmetric cell with the optimized composite as a cathode and MnO2/Activated carbon as an anode was fabricated. The ASC displayed 45.5 Whkg−1 of energy corresponding to 10 kWkg−1. Three SSCs/ASCs in series illuminated a panel of 39 red-LEDs for 9 and 15 min, respectively. The results suggest the promising performance of such composites for hybrid supercapacitors. Thus, the fabrication of all-redox-type SSCs/ASCs can be a futuristic approach for hybrid storage systems.

In-situ infrared spectroscopy analysis of proton-conducting oxy-hydroxides Ba(Zn, M)O2.9−y(OH)2y (M = Ta or W)

The bonding nature of hydroxide ions in two proton-conducting oxy-hydroxides, perovskite-type Ba(Zn0.4Ta0.6)O2.9−y(OH)2y (BZT) and double perovskite-type Ba(Zn0.55W0.45)O2.9−y(OH)2y (BZW), has been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) at temperatures of 40–600 ​°C. A broad absorption peak at 2500−4000 ​cm−1 attributable to O–H stretching vibration was analyzed by deconvolution into four components, assigned as two symmetric (SC) and two asymmetric (AC) proton sites in the crystal lattice. The temperature variations of peak intensities revealed a difference in proton site preference between BZT and BZW, suggesting a crucial role of B-site cationic order in the proton distribution and, thereby, the proton conductive property.

Monolithically integrated photonic chips with asymmetric MQWs structure for suppressing Stokes shift

An asymmetric (ASY) multiple quantum wells (MQWs) structure consisting of emission and detection regions with different In components and thicknesses is presented for suppressing the Stokes shift in monolithically integrated photonic chips. Compared with conventional MQWs, the total luminescence intensity of ASY MQWs is improved due to the action of the potential field for transferring more holes to the quantum well near the n-GaN side. Meanwhile, resulted from about 25–30 nm redshift in response spectra, a 4.5-fold increase in the overlap of luminescence-detection spectra is realized. A photodetector exhibits a photo-to-dark current ratio of up to 107 at 0 V bias. Furthermore, the reported ASY MQWs diode shows a maximum bandwidth (−3 dB) of 173 MHz, suggesting that a monolithically integrated chip has tremendous potential on the application of the on-chip visible light communication.

Exploring the redox characteristics of porous ZnCoS@rGO grown on nickel foam as a high-performance electrode for energy storage applications.

A supercapattery is a device that combines the properties of batteries and supercapacitors, such as power density and energy density. A binary composite (zinc cobalt sulfide) and rGO are synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method and modified Hummers' method. A notable specific capacity (Cs) of 1254 C g-1 is obtained in the ZnCoS@rGO case, which is higher than individual Cs of ZnS (975 C g-1) and CoS (400 C g-1). For the asymmetric (ASC) device (ZnCoS@rGO//PANI@AC), the PANI-doped activated carbon and ZnCoS@rGO are used as the cathode and anode respectively. A high Cm of 141 C g-1 is achieved at 1.4 A g-1. The ASC is exhibited an extraordinary energy density of 45 W h kg-1 with a power density 5000 W kg-1 at 1.4 A g-1. To check the stability of the device, the ASC device is measured for 2000 charging/discharging cycles. The device showed improved coulombic efficiency of 94%. These findings confirmed that the two-dimensional materials provide the opportunities to design battery and supercapacitor hybrid devices.

Analysis of Proton Flux with Solar Wind Parameters, Symmetric (SYM) and Asymmetric (ASY) H-indices

After significant solar eruptions, protons are fired at extremely high speeds, sometimes reaching several thousand kilometer per second (km/s), resulting in solar radiation storms. Solar particle events can be found all around the heliosphere. The cross-correlation analysis along with time series analysis is used to look at how the solar wind and proton flux are related. The parameters used in this work are flux of Solar Energetic Protons (SEP) ranging from >10 MeV to >60 MeV along with speed, density, and pressure of the solar wind parameters. The findings indicate that proton flux (E>10 MeV) shows significant changes just before the storm while flux (E>30 MeV) and (E>60 MeV) doesn’t correlate with solar parameters although during quiet day no significant changes were observed. These finding suggested that SEP can be used as precursor of CME driven storms.

Grain boundary plane rotation analysis for FCC bicrystal structures using MD simulation

Grain boundary (GB) plane rotation, one of the GB engineering mechanisms, was investigated using the activation–relaxation technique by molecular dynamics simulation. The simulation systems considered in this work are bicrystals with Lennard-Jones-type interatomic potential. The systems of four GB types established are symmetric (SYM), asymmetric (ASYM), symmetric zigzag (SZ), and high-angle zigzag (HZ) models. Of the first two models, [Formula: see text]5 (310) for SYM and [Formula: see text] tilted for ASYM particularly provided reference atomic potential energy distributions and structures at minimum energy state at 0 K. The characteristic of SYM is the discrete atomistic potential distributions which are distinct from ASYM. The other two models based on zigzag-like GBs were created by rotating GB planes about [001] at the center of a [Formula: see text]5 (310)[Formula: see text]GB system for the SZ case and a high-angle GB system for the HZ case. Simulation results show that the initially tilted GBs kinetically transferred to relaxed states for shorter-length GBs through a series of curved GBs. The GBs consist of different combinations of order defect segments, amorphous regions, and defect-free regions. A mechanism proposed is the GB plane rotation, the rate of which is structure-dependent. A low-[Formula: see text] coincidence site lattice boundary section can stabilize the systems at a specified metastable state.

Effects of Limb Dominance on Postural Balance in Sportsmen Practicing Symmetric and Asymmetric Sports: A Pilot Study

The current literature shows no consensus regarding the difference between the dominant leg (D-Leg) and the non-dominant leg (ND-Leg) in terms of postural control. This lack of consensus could stem from motor experience (i.e., symmetric or asymmetric motricity) and/or the physiological state induced by physical exercise. This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of fatiguing exercise on postural control when standing on the D-Leg and the ND-Leg, in athletes practicing symmetric (SYM) and asymmetric (ASYM) sports. Thirty healthy male participants were recruited and divided into two groups, (SYM n = 15) and (ASYM n = 15, on the basis of the motricity induced by the sport they practice. Monopedal postural control was assessed for the D-Leg and the ND-Leg before and after the fatigue period (which consisted of repeating squats until exhaustion). A force platform was used to calculate the spatio-temporal characteristics of the displacements of the center of foot pressure (COP). A significant fatigue effect was observed in both groups on the D-Leg and the ND-Leg for all the COP parameters. There was a tendency (p = 0.06) between the ASYM and SYM groups on the D-Leg, concerning the relative increase in the COP velocity in the frontal plane after the fatigue period. The fatigue condition disturbed postural control in both the SYM and ASYM groups on the D-Leg and ND-Leg. This disturbing effect related to fatigue tends to be more marked in athletes practicing asymmetric sports than in athletes practicing symmetric sports on the D-Leg.

Superior energy‐power performance of N‐doped carbon nano‐onions‐based asymmetric and symmetric supercapacitor devices

Highly graphitic nitrogen-doped carbon nano-onions (N-CNO) have attracted much attention in the field of energy storage device applications. Herein, we have synthesized N-CNO by a simple flame pyrolysis method for symmetric and asymmetric (ASC) supercapacitor devices. The nitrogen doping is performed in-situ during the pyrolysis of pyrrole. The synthesized N-CNO has a high surface area of 49 m2 g−1 with 4 at% nitrogen content. The structural properties have confirmed the formation of graphitic N-CNO with highly ordered concentric graphene layers with proper lattice spacing. The fabricated symmetric and asymmetric devices have shown high specific capacitance and excellent energy-power performance. Especially, the ASC device shows a specific capacitance value 205 F g−1 with a high energy density (60 Wh kg−1) and power density (5.5 kW kg−1), leading to an increase in the power density by 260% for a mere 60% decrease in the energy density. In addition, both the novel symmetric and asymmetric devices have shown excellent capacity retention of 96% to 98% over 5000 cycles. The demonstrated results show the superior electrochemical performance of the active material, which indicates that the N-rich-CNOs can be used as a novel anode material in energy storage devices with high energy density and high power performance.

Comparison of clinical outcomes of 2 platforms for topography-guided LASIK in primary eyes.

To compare differences in visual, refractive, and ablating outcomes between corneal topography-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) by SCHWIND AMARIS and WaveLight Contoura for myopia and myopic astigmatism correction. Department of Refractive Surgery, Guangzhou Aier Eye Hospital, Guangzhou, China. Prospective nonrandomized study. Patients treated with LASIK to correct ametropia and corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) with 6.5 mm of plan optical zone were recruited. In the AMARIS platform, there were 2 centration strategies: the symmetric (AA) and asymmetric (AS) offset modes. In the WaveLight platform, there was only symmetric offset (ES) mode. HOAs, contrast sensitivity, effective optical zone (EOZ), ablation depth, and ablating center were evaluated 3 months after the operation. The study included 138 eyes. At 3 months after operation, the postoperative manifest refractive spherical equivalent was 0.04 ± 0.34 diopters (D), 0.06 ± 0.25 D, and -0.09 ± 0.21 D in AS, AA, and ES groups, respectively (P = .018). The EOZs of the AS and AA groups were 5.01 mm and 4.96 mm, and both were larger than 4.88 mm in the ES group (P = .04 and .03, respectively). The ablation depth of the AS group was 103.6 μm, which were larger than 86.6 μm in the AA group and 91.2 μm in the ES group. The SCHWIND AMARIS and WaveLight EX500 corneal topography-guided LASIK achieved comparable and excellent visual and refractive outcomes. The EX500 Contoura LASIK ablated less corneal tissue because of the smaller EOZ compared with the AMARIS, with a similar plan optical zone.

Identification of symmetric and asymmetric responses in seasonal streamflow globally to ENSO phase

The phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has large-ranging effects on streamflow and hydrologic conditions globally. While many studies have evaluated this relationship through correlation analysis between annual streamflow and ENSO indices, an assessment of potential asymmetric relationships between ENSO and streamflow is lacking. Here, we evaluate seasonal variations in streamflow by ENSO phase to identify asymmetric (AR) and symmetric (SR) spatial pattern responses globally and further corroborate with local precipitation and hydrological condition. The AR and SR patterns between seasonal precipitation and streamflow are identified at many locations for the first time. Our results identify strong SR patterns in particular regions including northwestern and southern US, northeastern and southeastern South America, northeastern and southern Africa, southwestern Europe, and central-south Russia. The seasonally lagged anomalous streamflow patterns are also identified and attributed to snowmelt, soil moisture, and/or cumulative hydrological processes across river basins. These findings may be useful in water resources management and natural hazards planning by better characterizing the propensity of flood or drought conditions by ENSO phase.

Young Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Single-Leg Landing Asymmetries at the Time of Return to Sport Demonstrate Decreased Knee Function 2 Years Later

Background: Previous work shows that young athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) demonstrate single-leg (SL) landing movement asymmetries at the time of return to sport (RTS); however, the effect of movement asymmetries on longitudinal knee-related function after ACLR has not been examined. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of SL drop-landing movement symmetry at the time of RTS on knee-related function 2 years later in young athletes after ACLR. The first hypothesis was that young athletes who demonstrated SL drop-landing asymmetries at RTS would demonstrate decreased knee function 2 years later compared with those who demonstrated symmetric SL drop-landing mechanics. The second hypothesis was that SL drop-landing movement symmetry at RTS would be associated with knee functional recovery 2 years later. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: This study included 48 young athletes who had undergone ACLR and were assessed at the time of RTS (77% female; mean [±SD] age at RTS, 17.6 ± 2.6 years) and followed for 2 years after RTS. Three sagittal-plane landing variables of interest were calculated using 3-dimensional motion analysis during an SL drop-landing task at the time of RTS: knee flexion excursion, peak internal knee extension moment, and peak trunk flexion. The limb symmetry index (LSI) was calculated for each landing variable using the following: LSI = (involved/uninvolved) × 100%. The LSI was used to divide the cohort into symmetric (SYM) and asymmetric (ASYM) groups for each landing variable: knee flexion excursion (SYM: LSI ≥ 90% [n = 23]; ASYM: LSI < 85% [n = 18]), peak internal knee extension moment (SYM: LSI ≥ 90% [n = 19]; ASYM: LSI < 85% [n = 22]), and peak trunk flexion (SYM: LSI ≤ 105% [n = 25]; ASYM: LSI > 115% [n = 19]). At 2 years after RTS, knee-related function was evaluated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form, and performance on SL hop tests. Functional recovery was defined based on literature cutoffs for knee-related functional measures. Differences in 2-year function were compared between the symmetry groups using Mann-Whitney U tests because of nonnormality. Logistic regression was used to determine if landing symmetry at the time of RTS would be associated with 2-year knee functional recovery after RTS. Results: The ASYM knee flexion excursion group demonstrated decreased function at 2 years after RTS compared with the SYM group on the KOOS-Pain (ASYM: 93.0 ± 8.2; SYM: 98.4 ± 3.0; P = .008) and the KOOS–Quality of Life (ASYM: 81.6 ± 16.1; SYM: 94.1 ± 9.7; P = .008). Knee flexion excursion was associated with knee functional recovery on the KOOS-Pain and the KOOS–Quality of Life (P = .033 and P = .012, respectively) at 2 years after RTS, after controlling for the quadriceps strength LSI and graft type. Conclusion: Young athletes after ACLR with asymmetries in knee kinematics at the time of RTS reported decreased self-reported function 2 years later; however, the clinical importance of these differences needs to be further understood.

One-Dimensional Assembly of Conductive and Capacitive Metal Oxide Electrodes for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

A one-dimensional morphology comprising nanograins of two metal oxides, one with higher electrical conductivity (CuO) and the other with higher charge storability (Co3O4), is developed by electrospinning technique. The CuO-Co3O4 nanocomposite nanowires thus formed show high specific capacitance, high rate capability, and high cycling stability compared to their single-component nanowire counterparts when used as a supercapacitor electrode. Practical symmetric (SSCs) and asymmetric (ASCs) supercapacitors are fabricated using commercial activated carbon, CuO, Co3O4, and CuO-Co3O4 composite nanowires, and their properties are compared. A high energy density of ∼44 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 14 kW kg-1 is achieved in CuO-Co3O4 ASCs employing aqueous alkaline electrolytes, enabling them to store high energy at a faster rate. The current methodology of hybrid nanowires of various functional materials could be applied to extend the performance limit of diverse electrical and electrochemical devices.

Mechanical Properties and Crystallographic Texture of Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Cold Rolled IF Steels

The crystallographic texture developed during cold rolling and subsequent annealing of interstitial free sheet steels aims to increase conformability. For this, it is necessary to obtain partial α-fiber and continuous and homogeneous γ-fiber texture components. In this work, the influence of symmetric (SR) and asymmetric (AR) cold rolling on crystallographic texture and mechanical properties of an interstitial free steel (IF) was investigated. Symmetric cold rolling yields α- and γ-fibers, which are enhanced as deformation increases. Moreover, α-fiber weakening occurs due to recrystallizations, improving formability. The same fibers are produced by asymmetric cold rolling, but in this case, the γ-fiber is slightly shifted in psi, which is one of Euler angles second ROE's notation1,2, and more homogeneous than in symmetric rolling. The best mechanical properties were achieved by asymmetric cold rolling/annealed with about 80% deformation.

Influence of Asymmetric Rolling on the Deformation Textures, Grain Size and Mechanical Properties of B&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;C/Al Composite

B4C/Al composite was a promising neutron absorb material. In this work, B4C/Al composite sheets were asymmetrically rolled and annealed. The asymmetric (ASR) condition was introduced by applying mismatched roll diameters with diameter ratios of 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, respectively., while the symmetric rolling (SR) was used as the control experiment. Mechanical properties and microstructures of the composite were tested after cold rolling and annealing. Results showed that: ASR with small diameter ratio decreased the texture volume fraction in the B4C/Al composite, but when diameter ratio of ASR reached 1.3 new slip systems were actuated and the texture volume fraction started to increase. The average grain size of the aluminium matrix was smaller after ASR, and it decreased with the increasing diameter ratio. The hardness of B4C/Al composite after ASR was about 40% higher than the one rolled by symmetric rolling, proved that ASR is a promising way to enhance the properties of B4C/Al composite.

Solar flare effect on low latitude asymmetric indices

Low latitude asymmetric (ASY) indices in addition to auroral electrojet (AE) indices have been widely used to monitor magnetic substorm phenomenon. However, low latitude ASY indices are strongly affected by various current systems in the magnetosphere and the ionosphere which may not have any direct relation with substorm activity. In this paper we investigate the effect of solar flares on non-substorm and substorm times ASY indices using solar flare and indices data during the solar cycles 22 and 23 (year 1986–2008). We observe that during quiet magnetospheric conditions, long-lasting intense solar flares generate asymmetry similar to substorm events in ASY indices. In addition, substorm time ASY indices are also substantially affected by intense solar flares.

Relation of the indices characterizing the symmetric (SYM) and asymmetric (ASY) ring currents to the AE (AU, AL) indices of auroral electrojet activity

The correlation between the indices, characterizing the intensity of the symmetric (SYM) and asymmetric (ASY) parts of a magnetic disturbance during a magnetic storm, and the indices, reflecting the intensity of the eastward (AU) and westward (AL) electrojets in the auroral zone, are analyzed. The role of the magnetospheric-ionospheric current systems in the generation of a geomagnetic disturbance asymmetry during the magnetic storm main and recovery phases has been assessed based on this analysis.

Quasisymmetric and asymmetric gap solitons in linearly coupled Bragg gratings with a phase shift

We introduce a model including two linearly coupled Bragg gratings, with a mismatch (phase shift theta) between them. The model may be realized as parallel-coupled fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), or, in the spatial domain, as two parallel planar waveguides carrying diffraction gratings. The phase shift induced by a shear stress may be used to design a different type of FBG sensor. In the absence of the mismatch, the symmetry-breaking bifurcation of gap solitons (GSs) in this model was investigated before. Our objective is to study how mismatch theta affects families of symmetric and asymmetric GSs, and the bifurcation between them. We find that the system's band gap is always filled with solitons (for theta not equal to 0, the gap's width does not depend on coupling constant lambda if it exceeds some minimum value). The largest velocity of the moving soliton, cmax, is found as a function of theta and lambda (cmax grows with theta). The mismatch transforms symmetric GSs into quasisymmetric (QS) ones, in which the two components are not identical, but their peak powers and energies are equal. The mismatch also breaks the spatial symmetry of the GSs. The QS solitons are stable against symmetry-breaking perturbations as long as asymmetric (AS) solutions do not exist. If theta is small, AS solitons emerge from their QS counterparts through a supercritical bifurcation. However, the bifurcation may become subcritical at larger theta. The condition for the stability against oscillatory perturbations (unrelated to the symmetry breaking) is essentially the same as in the ordinary FBG model: both QS and AS solitons are stable if their intrinsic frequency is positive (i.e., in a half of the band gap).

Symmetric vs asymmetric nucleon-induced fission of thorium up to 200 MeV

The transition from asymmetric to symmetric fission as dependent on the excitation energy and nucleon composition of fissioning Th and Pa nuclei is investigated for the 232Th(n, F) and 232Th(p, F) reactions, respectively. Observed neutron-induced fission cross sections are described in a fission/evaporation approximation. A separate relatively high outer fission barrier EfBSL with significant curvature was assumed for the symmetric mode, while the inner one (EfASL(AS)) was assumed to be the same for symmetric (SL) and asymmetric (AS) modes. Axial asymmetry and mass symmetry is assumed for the outer saddle of the SL-mode, as distinct from the AS-mode. A drop of (EfASL−EfAAS)=3.5 MeV to ∼1–1.5 MeV for Th and Pa nuclei with A⩽226 is responsible for the increase of the symmetric fission contribution to 225,229,230,231,232Th(n, F) or 232Th(p, F) fission cross sections with nucleon energy up to En(p)=200 MeV. It is shown that with increase of the En(p) above ∼80 MeV the 229,230,231,232Th(n, F) fission cross sections are no longer dependent on the Th target nuclide fissility. The dependence of 232Th fission cross section on the incident particle (n or p) is predicted to be different than in case of 238U target nuclide.