Original Position Research Articles

Ultrafast Halogen Dance Reactions of Bromoarenes Enabled by Catalytic Potassium Hexamethyldisilazide.

Lochmann-Schlosser base, a stoichiometric combination of nBuLi and KOtBu, is commonly used as a superbase for deprotonating a wide range of organic compounds. In the present study, we report that catalytic potassium hexamethyldisilazide (KHMDS) exhibits higher catalytic activity than KOtBu for successive bromine-metal exchanges. Accordingly, 1-10 mol% of KHMDS dramatically enhances halogen dance reactions to introduce various electrophiles to bromopyridine, bromoimidazole, bromothiophene, bromofuran, and bromobenzene derivatives with the bromo group translocated from the original position. A dual catalytic cycle is proposed to explain the ultrafast bromine transfer.

(012) Sexual Dysfunction in Men After Failed Hypospadias Repair

Abstract Introduction Hypospadias is commonly treated in childhood, and future sexual function of such patients is sometimes overlooked. Some published reports reveal excellent sexual function following hypospadias repair at long term, while other authors state high prevalence of sexual dysfunction which depends on original position of urethral meatus. Patients with complications of primary hypospadias repair are one of the most difficult subpopulations to evaluate. This is a unique subset of patients who should be described separately from men who underwent successful hypospadias repair. Objective To describe the spectrum of sexual dysfunction in patients with sequelae of failed hypospadias repair and our experience in its management. Methods We evaluated 112 patients with a history of failed hypospadias repair, defined as presence of voiding symptoms or cosmetic problems remaining despite previous surgery or caused by it. Patients’ median age was 29.5 years (range: 18–62). There were no intersex cases. Only 9.8% (11/112) underwent single attempt at surgical reconstruction, the median number of attempts was 3.5 (range: 1–9). Patients with IIEF-EF score ≤ 25 were considered to have erectile dysfunction; those with IIEF-EF ≤ 16 underwent penile doppler ultrasound, penile electromyography and endocrine assessment. Results 64.2% of patients (72/112) were dissatisfied with penile appearance, 40.2% (45/112) had ED, 71.4% (80/112) had ejaculation disorders. Psychogenic ED was diagnosed in 21 patients with preserved non-coital erections and no evidence of organic ED. Median IIEF-EF in ED patients was 20 (range: 8–25). Asthenic ejaculation, delayed ejaculation and anejaculation were present in 63.4% (71/112), 7.1% (8/112) and 3.5% (4/112) patients, respectively. Premature ejaculation was present in 28.6% (32/112) patients, but its association with hypospadias or previous surgery is unlikely. On univariate analysis only the number of previous attempts at surgical repair was a significant predictor of sexual dysfunction following definitive surgery (p = 0.033). Rate of normal sexual function was 37.5%, 23.5% and 9.1% among patients with history of ≤ 3, 4–6 and ≥ 7 procedures, respectively. Conclusions Failed hypospadias repair may lead to a wide spectrum of sexual dysfunction, involving sexual desire, erection and ejaculation. Repeated surgery leads to increased risk of sexual dysfunction which may be devastating for patient’s quality of life. Disclosure No.

Is “memory-for-when” universal? Group and individual variability in temporal position memory for words, faces, and classrooms

ABSTRACT Many contemporary theories of memory assume that everyone automatically stores temporal contextual information about all types of encountered information, yet most studies on this topic have used words and ignored individual differences. Five experiments accumulated evidence that explicit storage of temporal context information does not appear to occur automatically for all people and types of memoranda. We collected judgments of temporal position (memory-for-when) for words (Experiments 1 & 3), faces (Experiments 2A, 3, 4, and 5), and classrooms (Experiments 2B & 3). At the group level, for each of these memoranda memory-for-when was sensitive to the original input position and showed a temporal primacy effect reflecting better memory for position for items near the beginning of the list, indicating some automatic storage of temporal context information. However, memory-for-when was significantly better for words than classrooms, with faces in the middle. Moreover, individuals varied dramatically in their ability to indicate memory-for-when, especially for classrooms where many people performed at or near chance. Taken together, the data suggest that explicit memory-for-when may be dissociable from the more implicit use of temporal contextual information that is theorised to occur during free recall.

Pnictogen bond-driven control of the molecular interaction between organophosphorus and acetylcholinesterase enzyme.

This study addresses a comprehensive assessment of the interaction between chemical warfare agents (CWA) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) systems, focus on the intriguing pnictogen-bond interaction (PnB). Utilizing the crystallographic data from the Protein Data Bank pertaining to the AChE-CWA complex involving Sarin (GB), Cyclosarin (GF), 2-[fluoro(methyl)phosphoryl]oxy-1,1-dimethylcyclopentane (GP) and venomous agent X (VX) agents, the CWA is systematically displaced by increments of 0.1 Å along the PO bond axis, extending its distance by 4 Å from the original position. The AIM analysis was carried out and consistently revealed the presence of a significant interaction along the PO bond. Investigating the intrinsic nature of the PnB, the NBO and the EDA analysis unearthed the contribution of orbital factors to the overall energy of the system. Strikingly, this observation challenges the conventional σ-hole explanation commonly associated with such interactions. This finding adds a layer of complexity to understanding of PnB, encouraging further exploration into the underlying mechanisms governing these intriguing chemical phenomena.

Genesis of Gabbroic Hosted Copper Mineralisations in the Albanian Mirdita Zone (Kçira, Thirra)

There is a wide variety of ore deposits in Albania, where 20% of the Cu resources belong to a deposit type of unknown genesis (sulphide-bearing quartz veins in gabbroic rocks). The focus of this paper is on two mineralisations of this type (Kçira and Thirra) in the Mirdita Zone, an ophiolite zone representing the Mesozoic Neotethys Ocean in the Dinarides. Our aim is to understand the ore-forming processes and the genesis of these deposits, which can be used in future exploration projects. According to the petrographical analysis, the host rock suffered propylitic alteration or subgreenschist facies metamorphism. Mineral chemistry of pyrite and epidote suggests a VMS related origin, more precisely, the deeper part of its stockwork feeder zone. The bulk rock geochemical analyses confirms that the mineralisations are classified as mafic-, Cyprus-type VMS deposits. Differences in the geochemical compositions and the corresponding mineralogical observations are attributed to the distinct original geotectonic positions: higher amount of compatible elements (Cr, Ni, V and Cu) occur in Kçira, which formed in a mid-oceanic ridge environment, while incompatible elements (Ag, As, Co and Zn) are more abundant in the Thirra deposit, which formed in a supra-subduction zone setting.

The production of relative clauses in Italian-speaking children with DLD

Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) have been shown to struggle with the acquisition of complex structures requiring structural embedding and movement of a sentential element from its original position. This study examines the production of subject and object relative clauses (RCs) by Italian children, investigating whether: i) seven-year-old children with DLD are impaired in embedding or movement operations; ii) specific factors, such as animacy of the arguments, affect the production of sentences with movement and embedding, iii) the linguistic profile of children with DLD is qualitatively different from that of typically developing (TD) children. We elicited the production of RCs with animate and inanimate arguments in 12 Italian-speaking children with DLD (mean age = 7;2) and in two TD control groups: age matched (AM) and language matched (LM). Children with DLD produced fewer RCs than either control group and made different errors, showing a slightly different developmental path. Animacy mismatch did not improve RC production in any group. Results suggest that seven-year-old children with DLD are in a transitional stage: they can use embedding but still have difficulties with movement operations, especially in object RCs. This indicates that the language competence of children with DLD improves with age, but long-distance dependencies continue to be challenging.

Total Pelvic Floor Lifting: A New Approach for the Anatomic Repair of Pelvic Floor Hypermobility and Vaginal Laxity in Parous Women.

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the information available regarding pelvic floor changes after childbirth. Obstetric trauma, to which all structures of the urogenital sphere are subjected, can affect different anatomical areas, including the vagina, perineum, deep pelvic floor muscles, and sphincter. Main complaints of parous women with regard to their pelvic floor are vaginal laxity, a wide introitus, and increased mobility of the uterus. Unilateral pectineal suspension is a novel method for surgical correction of the sequelae of vaginal birth-giving such as uterine hypermobility and perception of loose tissue, restoring a natural anatomy when conservative therapy has failed. Since the method is not ablative and does not interfere with anatomical structures, subsequent pregnancies and deliveries remain possible. Furthermore, there is no mesh application, adding to the safety aspects of this unique approach. The surgical technique is straightforward and can be adopted by laparoscopically trained surgeons without problems. The procedure consists of five clearly defined steps, which makes it easily reproducible. Unilateral pectineal suspension restores the pelvic floor and the vagina, with a single suture lifting the sagging structures back to their original position. If needed and according to the patient's choice, a short perineum associated with a wide introitus can be corrected in the same session by perineoplasty, resulting in a total aesthetic reconstruction of the female genital anatomy.

Numerical investigation of axial force of a centrifugal pump in the reverse mode

This paper numerically investigates the hydraulic performance and axial force of a low specific speed centrifugal pump in the turbine mode using the k - ω SST model. Numerical results are validated against the experimental data in the literature and a good agreement is observed. Results show that the rotation factor increases by flowrate, since the head, which is directly proportional to the transferred circumferential momentum, increases by the flowrate in the turbine mode. Moreover, values of rotation factors on both sides varies in radial direction due to geometrical parameters and, they reduce where larger axial gaps are present. Additionally, the pressure distributions on the hub and shroud sides are correlated with rotation factors on these areas. Interestingly, the axial position of the impeller plays an important role in the axial force of the PAT. By applying impeller movement of 5 mm from its original position, the point of zero axial force has shifted to higher flowrates and the maximum axial force is reduced 50%. Finally, with 10 mm movement of the impeller, the axial force exhibits distinct behavior so that its direction is preserved and, the returned magnitude is almost constant in the working range by 60% decrease in the maximum axial force.

NGOs and the Neo-Liberalization of Political Theatre in Pakistan: Ajoka’s Surrender to the Politics of Rights

The neoliberal enterprise of NGOs has transformed the left-leaning politics of the political theatre movement in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Commencing in the 1980s, this theatre acted as a vibrant movement of the Left, challenging the brutal military dictatorship of General Zia. At a later stage, its politics changed to the neoliberal politics of NGOs, giving way to economics and the agenda of international donor organizations of the Global North. This article demonstrates the turn-around of theatre company Ajoka’s recent production Saira aur Miara (2019) and focuses on the production’s politics, together with its text, design, and performance modes in aesthetic terms. A materialist and context-specific political approach examines to what extent class struggle and leftist ideas inform this company’s ideological imaginings and how much it has moved away from its original political position. It indicates the tensions and contradictions that have been created during this change and because of it.

Facile synthesis method of C self-doped g-C3N4 and its performance in photodegradation of sulfamethoxazole

A simple method for preparing C self-doped g-C3N4 (CCN) was proposed by calcining urea and barbituric acid to effectively degrade sulfamethoxazole (SMX). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and element content analysis implied C atom replaced the original position of the bridging N atom to form CCN. Compared to g-C3N4, the absorption edge of CCN was red-shifted. As a result, the band gap of CCN was reduced, which improved the light absorption capacity of CCN and the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole. Ultimately, the photocatalytic activity of CCN was finally boosted. CCN can effectively degrade SMX under visible light. Among CCN with various C dosage, when 0.05 g of barbituric acid was added in the preparation process, the obtained sample (CCN-0.05) exhibited uppermost degradation efficiency on SMX, which can reach 99.0 % after irradiation for 60 min. Additionally, the first-order kinetic reaction rate constant (0.086 min−1) was 8.9 times higher than that of g-C3N4 (0.0097 min−1). Electron paramagnetic resonance and trapping experiments showed that the dominant reactive species on SMX degradation were surface ·O2− and photogenerated holes by CCN-0.05 under visible light. Moreover, CCN-0.05 can still achieve effective removal of SMX under actual water backgrounds and showed selective degradation on sulfonamides.

Akibat Hukum Dari Pembatalan Perjanjian Kerjasama

Agreement is a legal relationship between two or more parties based on an agreement to give rise to legal consequences of rights and obligations for both parties. Cancellation of the agreement can only be done if it is known that there was an oversight, fraud, or coercion from one of the parties when making the agreement. Oversight, fraud, or coercion are reasons that can cancel the agreement. This study aims to analyze the legal consequences of the cancellation of the cooperation agreement according to the Civil Code (KUH Perdata) and the legal remedies that can be taken by the parties as a result of the cancellation of the cooperation agreement. This type of research is normative legal research using a statutory approach. The results of the study show that the legal consequence of canceling the cooperation agreement is returning to its original position as it was before the agreement occurred. Meanwhile, the legal remedy resulting from the cancellation of the cooperation agreement is actively asking for the cancellation of the agreement which does not fulfill its subjective requirements in court or passively waiting for the opposing party to submit an annulment in court.

The Incompatibility of Rawls's Justice as Fairness and His Just War Approach

AbstractA fundamental tension exists between Rawls's ideal Kantian conception of justice as fairness (JAF), which requires respecting people as ends, and his realistic non‐Kantian consequentialist conception of a supreme emergency in a just war. By justifying the targeting of objectively innocent noncombatants during a supreme emergency exception, Rawls allows for treating them as means only. Hence, his appeal to a supreme emergency is insufficient to avoid this tension. First, since for him JAF is ideal but also practical, one might argue that his fictional people in the original position must reflect on the justification for using force on behalf of JAF. And second, since Rawls justifies targeting objectively innocent people during a supreme emergency exemption, he justifies what one might conceive of as emergency terrorism. Emergency terrorism, however, treats people as means only. Therefore, Rawls's Kantian conception of JAF is in tension with his consequentialist justification of a supreme emergency in a just war and hence with emergency terrorism.

Study on Osseointegration Capability of β-Type Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta-Si Alloy for Orthopedic Implants.

Osseointegration is the basic condition for orthopedic implants to maintain long-term stability. In order to achieve osseointegration, a low elastic modulus is the most important performance indicator. It is difficult for traditional titanium alloys to meet this requirement. A novel β-titanium alloy (Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta)98Si2 was designed, which had excellent strength (a yield strength of 1296 MPa and a breaking strength 3263 MPa), an extremely low elastic modulus (37 GPa), and did not contain toxic elements. In previous in vitro studies, we confirmed the good biocompatibility of this alloy and similar bioactivity to Ti-6Al-4V, but no in vivo study was performed. In this study, Ti-6Al-4V and (Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta)98Si2 were implanted into rabbit femurs. Imaging evaluation and histological morphology were performed, and the bonding strength and bone contact ratio of the two alloys were measured and compared. The results showed that both alloys remained in their original positions 3 months after implantation, and neither imaging nor histological observations found inflammatory reactions in the surrounding bone. The bone-implant contact ratio and bonding strength of (Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta)98Si2 were significantly higher than those of Ti-6Al-4V. The results confirmed that (Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta)98Si2 has a better osseointegration ability than Ti-6Al-4V and is a promising material for orthopedic implants.

Spatiotemporal variability in the diffuse attenuation coefficient of sea ice.

The diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd) is known to be closely related to the light transmittance of sea ice, which plays a critical role in the energy balance and biological processes of the upper ocean. However, the commercial instruments cannot easily measure Kd in sea ice because sea ice is a solid. The authors of this study are developing an instrument with a high spectral solution to measure the irradiance profile of sea ice and the irradiance in the atmosphere. Three Kd experiments were carried out, including two in-situ experiments in the Liaodong Bay and one in the laboratory. The results showed that the Kd of the sea ice varied with depth, and the values in adjacent sea ice layers differed by up to 2 times. In addition, due to changes in the climate environment, the Kd of sea ice showed temporal variations. For example, there was a 1.38-fold difference in the Kd values of the surface layer of sea ice at different times in 2022. The values in different sea ice layers also showed different trends over time, and the coefficient of determination (R2) of Kd between adjacent layers over time was as low as 0.008. To explain the driving mechanism of spatio-temporal variability of Kd, an additional experiment focusing on the physical microstructure of sea ice was conducted in Liaodong Bay in 2022. The result shows that the change in air bubbles in the sea ice may be the main the reason for the change in Kd. For example, when the sea ice was exchanging brine and bubbles with the atmosphere above and the seawater below, the highly absorbent particles in it tend to remain in their original position. Considering that the total absorption coefficient changed slightly, the bubbles with the characteristic of intense scattering were found to be the main factor influencing the Kd changes. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the value of R2 between the bubbles and Kd was 0.52. If climatic changes have led to an increase in the volume of bubbles, the more bubbles will increase the scattering properties of sea ice and lead to an increase in Kd. Conversely, the reduced bubble volume would reduce the scattering properties of sea ice, which in turn would reduce Kd.

An improved Goodman-Smith fatigue limit diagram for railway vehicle base metals and welded structures

In this paper, an improved method of Goodman-Smith (GS) fatigue limit diagrams for metallic materials of railway vehicles is proposed. Firstly, this method is based on the three traditional GS curves described in the TB/T 3548–2019 standard, coupled with the S-N curve model from the British BS7608 standard, resulting in improved GS curves applicable to different structural configurations. Within this framework, the survival probability p is introduced as a controllable parameter into the improved GS diagrams, and based on this, the conversion equations of yield strength under different cyclic characteristics applicable to different structures are given for the base metal and the welded structure, which are diametrically opposed in terms of the influence of stress ratios, respectively. Finally, fatigue simulation tests were conducted on the bogie frame to verify and validate the improved GS diagrams. It was found that, while meeting the required criteria, the safety margin at the same survival probability reduced to 0.58 times of the original maximum position. Additionally, the coordinates of the inflection points of the improved GS diagrams for different bogie frame structures and their corresponding design criteria were provided.

Sulphur-template method for facile manufacturing porous silicon electrodes with enhanced electrochemical performance

Sulphur (S)-template method based on conventional slurry-casting method has been developed to produce porous silicon (Si) electrodes. The facile fabrication technology is suitable for current production line and expected to be widely applied to various electrode materials under large volume change during operation. Specifically, S particles as template agent are mixed with active material Si, carbon conductor and binder forming uniform slurry. After casting and drying, the electrodes are immersed in carbon disulfide solution to remove S particles rapidly, generating pores in-situ at the original position of S particles. Electrochemical analysis shows that the pores inside electrodes are able to shorten lithium ion diffusion paths, reduce normal expansion rate and decrease formation of cracks in the Si electrode (2 mgSi/cm2), demonstrating a reversible capacity of 951 mAh/g at 0.5 A/g after 100 cycles (with a capacity retention of 99.5%) and a capacity of ∼826 mAh/g at 2 A/g.

A Two Year Multidisciplinary Treatment for Malocclusion Caused by Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis

This report is presented multidisciplinary treatment for malocclusion due to generalized aggressive periodontitis and emphasized the importance of perfect retention with both ways of retainers (plastic and metal) for two years period. This clinical case demonstrates a relapse, which is the return of some teeth to their original position after a year and a half due to the non-use of plastic retainers on the upper jaw, despite the presence of a fixed wire retainer. The patient was a 49-year-old woman who turned to the clinic with the chief complaint of displacement in the anterior tooth. An oral examination revealed pathological tooth mobility throughout the entire oral cavity due to severe loss of periodontal support. Crowding in the mandibular anterior teeth were also observed. The goal of subsequent treatment was to enhance aesthetics while preserving most of the natural teeth and to achieve ideal inclination by aligning the teeth.

In silico simulation of hyperoside, isoquercetin, quercetin, and quercitrin as potential antivirals against the pNP868R protein of African swine fever virus.

African swine fever (ASF) causes disease in pigs with up to 100% mortality rates. There is no effective vaccine to protect against it. This study aimed to perform in silico docking of ASF virus (ASFV) pNP868R protein with potential flavonoid ligands to identify ligands that interfere with mRNA cap formation. The ASFV pNP868R protein was tested with hyperoside, isoquercetin, quercetin, and quercitrin in this in silico simulation. ASFV pNP868R protein was extracted from the Research Collaboration for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) database with PDB ID 7D8U (https://www.rcsb.org/structure/7D8U). Standard ligands were separated from proteins using UCSF Chimera 1.13. The standard ligand was redocked to protein using AutoDockTools 1.5.6 with the AutoDock4 method for validation. In the docking process, the grid box size was 40 × 40 × 40 Å3 with x, y, and z coordinates of 16.433, -43.826, and -9.496, respectively. The molecular docking process of the proposed ligand-protein complex can proceed if the standard ligand position is not significantly different from its original position in the viral protein's pocket. The root mean square deviation (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), and radius of gyration (RoG) of the hyperoside with the lowest energy binding need to be analyzed with molecular dynamics using Groningen machine for chemical simulation 5.1.1. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation revealed that hyperoside had the most stable and compact binding to the pNP868R protein. Hyperoside binds to the protein at the minimum energy of -9.07 KJ/mol. The RMSD, RMSF, and RoG values of 0.281 nm, 0.2 nm, and 2.175 nm, respectively, indicate the stability and compactness of this binding. Hyperoside is the most likely antiviral candidate to bind to the pNP868R protein in silico. Therefore, it is necessary to test whether this flavonoid can inhibit mRNA capping in vitro and elicit the host immune response against uncapped viral mRNA.

Lower limit characterization of segregation degree for large-size low-alloy steel.

Based on the original position statistic distribution analysis technique, the characterization method of segregation for large-size metal materials gives significant guidance to the research of material properties and production. However, random errors are inevitably brought into the calculation of segregation degree for materials characterization by the Spark Mapping Analysis for Large Sample (SMALS) technique, resulting in a misguide of the segregation degree. In this paper, we present the lower limit of segregation degree (Ds(L)) method to distinguish the random error from metal material segregation for large-size samples over the SMALS method. The random error of standard material in the 95% confidence interval was utilized as Ds(L) and the method has been applied for macro-segregation quantitative analysis. The precision correlation between Spark Atomic Emission Spectrometry (Spark-AES) and SMALS was established. Furthermore, the functional relationship between the Ds(L) and element content C can be obtained in the SMALS method. The Ds(L) method as the criterion can be used to not only characterize the minimum limit of the segregation degree but also the segregation existence for large-size samples. Applying to low-alloy steel can illustrate the effective performance of the Ds(L) method. Results on both spark mapping analysis and Spark-AES verify the substantial consistency.

ASEAN Policies towards the US-China Relationship during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The relationship between the US, China, and ASEAN as regional cooperation covers a wide range of aspects of international relations. Although the aspect of security and finance are considered as traditionally the largest aspect of the cooperation. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic brings one more aspect to this relationship. The covid-19 pandemic is also showing the rivalry between two major powers now, China and the United States. The question is then where ASEAN will stand in this contestation. The US has been playing a role as a crucial partner for ASEAN and its member states, but in recent decades, some people argue that ASEAN is growing more preference to China. Some argue that the historical, cultural, and geographical proximity led ASEAN members to be close to China, others argue that Chinese financial and investment supports are more accessible than the ones from the Western world including the US. Some argue that ASEAN is openly embracing Chinese influence in the region because China does not bother with any issues regarding human rights, something that ASEAN member states’ government are reluctant to deal with. For ASEAN, under the mixture of the situation of China-US rivalry, the global pandemic, and domestic problems that occurred in each member states, what should ASEAN do? How the pandemic weighs in the US-China-ASEAN relationship? This study is examining the policies of ASEAN regarding the rivalry between the US and China during the time of the Covid 19 pandemic. I argue that ASEAN will not move away from its original position to stay neutral. And at the same time, ASEAN will also apply the non-interference policies toward its member states to conduct their own bilateral relations with the US and China. These policies are also applied for their policies regarding Covid-19 vaccines. Most ASEAN member states are buying Covid-19 vaccines from China. This study limits the examination only from the perspectives of ASEAN as regional cooperation and ASEAN member states toward US-China dynamics relations during the pandemi.