Perfect Morphology Research Articles

Tense and aspect in the interlanguage of Slavic speakers learning Romance languages

ABSTRACT The study addresses the research gap of how being a speaker of a Slavic language influences the ability to convey tempo-aspectual meanings in Romance languages by examining personal and impersonal narratives delivered in written and spoken mode by learners of L3 Spanish and L3 Italian with L1 Slovak and L2 English. Narratives are analysed following the methods of interlanguage analysis proposed by Ellis and Barkhuizen [(2005). Analysing learner language. Oxford University Press] and Salaberry and Comajoan [(2013). Research design and methodology in studies on L2 tense and aspect. De Gruyter Mouton], such as coding for grounding, frequency analysis of tense forms and lexical aspectual classes, etc. Following the ideas presented by Bayley (2013, Data analysis: Quantitative approaches. In M. R. Salaberry & L. Comajoan (Eds.), Research design andmethodology in studies on L2 tense and aspect (pp. 357–390). De Gruyter Mouton), binomial logistic regression models were built which showed that (a) the combination of discourse grounding and lexical aspect is of predictive power regarding the appropriateness of participants’ choices of morphological marking; (b) the distributional characteristics of morphological marking on telic predicates differs from activities and statives. One of the main differences compared to the results of previous studies, conducted on speakers of Germanic languages, is that the data did not provide enough evidence for morphological marking being used to convey primarily temporal distinctions (see Salaberry, 1999, The development of past tense verbal morphology in classroom L2 Spanish. Applied Linguistics, 20(2), 151–178. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/20.2.151; Wiberg, E. (1996). Reference to past events in bilingual Italian-Swedish children of school age. Linguistics, 34(5), 1087–1114. https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1996.34.5.1087]) and presented the marking of telic predicates in foreground with perfective morphology as consistent, disregarding the level of participants’ performance.

Evolution of the Structure and Morphology of Dual-Linker ZIF-301-eIm.

Few studies have reported on the continuous evolution of dual-linker zeolitic imidazolate frameworks' (ZIFs) structure and morphology during the crystal growth process. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel ZIF material with CHA topology (ZIF-301-eIm) via the combination of a small-sized 2-ethylimidazole (eIm) with the large-sized 5-chlorobenzimidazole ligand. A series of derivative materials with distinct structures and morphologies were obtained via two pathways: (1) insufficient amount of eIm with prolonged crystallization time (pathway A) and (2) sufficient amount of eIm with prolonged crystallization time (pathway B). Various characterization techniques revealed the continuous evolution of structure and morphology during the crystal growth process. Insufficient amount of eIm and crystallization time (crystallization pathway A) led to ZIF-301-eIm derivatives with defective and open structures alongside an aggregated morphology of nanoparticles. Prolonging the crystallization time allowed small-sized eIm ligands to gradually fill into the framework, resulting in the formation of ZIF-301-eIm-A5 characterized by complete but dense structures with a perfect polyhedral morphology. Remarkably, a sufficient amount of eIm during synthesis (crystallization pathway B) formed ZIF-301-eIm-B1 with a similar structure and morphology to ZIF-301-eIm-A5 in just 1 day. ZIF-301-eIm-B3, with intact, dense structures, exhibits superior acetone/butanol separation performance compared to ZIF-301-eIm-A3 due to small pore windows and large cages facilitating selective adsorption of acetone through exclusion separation.

Shock‐induced pervasive remelting of Fe sulfides in the basaltic shergottite Northwest Africa 14672: A benchmark for shock stages S6/S7 on Mars

AbstractNorthwest Africa (NWA) 14672, the most highly shocked Martian meteorite so far, has experienced >50% melting, compatible with peak pressure >~65 Gpa, at a transition stage 6/7. Despite these extreme shock conditions, the meteorite still preserves a population of “large” Fe sulfide blebs from the pre‐shock igneous assemblage. These primary blebs preserve characteristics of basaltic shergottites in term of modal abundance, preferential occurrence in interstitial pores along with late‐crystallized phases (ilmenite, merrillite), and Ni‐free pyrrhotite compositions. Primary sulfides underwent widespread shock‐induced remelting, as indicated by perfect spherical morphologies when embedded in fine‐grained silicate melt zones and a wealth of mineral/glass/vesicle inclusions. Extensive melting of Fe‐sulfides is consistent with the decompression path experienced by NWA 14672 after the peak shock pressure at ~70 GPa. Primary sulfides acted as preferential sites for nucleation of vesicles of all sizes which helped sulfur degassing during decompression, leading to partial resorption of Fe‐sulfide blebs and reequilibration of pyrrhotite metal/sulfur ratios (0.96–0.98) toward the low oxygen fugacity conditions indicated by Fe‐Ti oxides hosted in fine‐grained materials. The extreme shock intensity also provided suitable conditions for widespread in situ redistribution of igneous sulfur as micrometric globules concentrated in glassy portions of fine‐grained lithologies. These globules exsolved early on quenching, allowing dendritic skeletal Fe‐Ti oxide overgrowths to nucleate on sulfides.

Bead-Free Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffold Made of PVOH/Keratin/Chitosan Using a Box–Behnken Experimental Design and In Vitro Studies

Bead-free nanofibrous scaffolds composed of PVOH/keratin/chitosan were prepared using electrospinning after optimising the process parameters using a Box–Behnken experimental design. Two quadratic models were developed to optimise the fibre diameter and the diameter of fibre beads considering the voltage, flow rate, spinning distance, and amount of biopolymer as independent variables. All independent variables were found to be significant in determining responses, although not all interactions among these were significant. The models were highly effective in describing responses, with an R2 of 98.58 and 99.67%. The optimum conditions were determined to be 15.82 kV voltage, 0.25 mL/h flow rate, 105 mm spinning distance, and 30% biopolymers. The accuracy of the models was verified and found to be within an acceptable range. The bead-free nanofibrous scaffold exhibited no cytotoxicity to Human Aneuploid Immortal Keratinocyte (HaCaT) and Normal Human Dermal Fibroblast (NHDF) cell lines, enabling cell adhesion and proliferation. Both cell lines remained attached with perfect cell morphology when co-cultured on the scaffold for 30 days, indicating the scaffold’s potential for biomedical applications.

Study on the effect of promotors in CO2 utilization for syngas production via dry reforming of methane over Co-MOX/TiO2-Al2O3 (MOX = La, Ce, Mg, and K) catalysts

In this study, Co-based catalysts supported over Ti-Al oxide and promoted with La, Ce, Mg, and K metals were assessed for CO2 reforming of methane reaction to produce syngas. Titania-alumina mixed oxide supports were prepared using the template-assisted-solvothermal method, and then Co and promotors were co-impregnated over the as-prepared support. Different characterizations of catalysts showed that variation in promotor metal impacts these catalysts' physical and chemical properties. The Ti-Al oxide support possessed the perfect hexagonal morphology. Potassium-promoted catalysts possessed the highest number of basic sites, whereas the La-promoted catalyst possessed the highest number of acidic sites. La promotion improved the Co dispersion, while Mg promotion enhanced the metal support integration. La-promoted catalysts are deactivated because of active metal oxidation and the generation of hard carbon. The carbon was deposited in all catalysts; however, the activity of the Mg-promoted catalyst was unaffected. The intermediate surface basicity and strong metal support interaction improved the Mg-promoted catalyst's stability. The La and Mg-promoted catalysts possessed lower apparent activation energies.

Growth and characterization of AlInN/GaN superlattices

Data are presented on near-lattice-matched Al1-xInxN/GaN superlattices (SLs) with superior morphology to thick AlInN layers. The SLs are grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and consist of ∼ 3 nm thick AlInN, ∼1 nm thick GaN layers, and x=0.153 to 0.203. The SLs are grown with either 20 or 100 periods on GaN-on-sapphire or free-standing GaN substrates. Growth conditions are explored, and the In-content of the AlInN layers within the SL increases with growth temperature and pressure, while the growth rate decreases with pressure. Thick AlInN layers grown on GaN-on-sapphire exhibit island growth with a root mean square (rms) roughness of ∼ 0.65 nm, while the AlInN/GaN SLs have steplike morphology and rms ∼ 0.3 nm. Also, 80 nm thick AlInN/GaN SLs grown on GaN substrates exhibit nearly perfect steplike morphology with a lower rms of ∼ 0.13 nm and extremely low pit densities. The refractive index of the SLs is the weighted average of AlInN and GaN, and they emit light from the quantum states within the thin GaN layers. These AlInN/GaN SLs are a potential replacement for AlInN layers in optoelectronic and electronic devices that require steplike morphology and controlled pitting.

Effects of Process Parameters on Bond Properties of Ag-2.35Au-0.7Pd-0.2Pt-0.1Cu Alloy Wire.

Bond properties were performed on Ag-2.35Au-0.7Pd-0.2Pt-0.1Cu alloy wire with a diameter of 25 µm under different process parameters. The effects of electrical flaming off (EFO) current and EFO time on the deformability of the free air ball (FAB) were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as the effects of ultrasonic power and bonding force on the bond characteristic. The experimental results show that FAB grows from a preheated tip to a small ball, a regular ball, and finally to a golf ball with increasing either the EFO current or the EFO time, and the FAB presents an optimal shape at 25 mA and 650 μs. Moreover, a nonlinear relationship between FAB diameter and EFO time is obtained at an EFO current of 25 mA, which could be expressed by a cubic equation. Further, at a constant bonding force, as the ultrasonic power increased, the mashed ball diameter grew larger and larger, the capillary hole imprint became more and more obvious, and the tail width also increased, and vice versa. The optimal ultrasonic power and bonding force are 70 mW and 45 gf for ball bonding and 90 mW and 75 gf for wedge bonding, respectively. Finally, for all the bonded wire samples prepared under optimal process parameters, no ball and wedge bond lifts happened after the destructive pull test, and full intermetallic compound coverage with perfect morphology occurred on the bond pad after the ball shear test, which meant that the bonded wire samples had high bond strength and hence improved the reliability of microelectronic products. It provided technical support for the reliability research of Pt-containing Ag-based bonding alloy wires.

Systematic investigation on preparation and characterization of silica shell microencapsulated phase change materials based on sodium silicate precursor

A kind of paraffin@silica (Pn@SiO2) microencapsulated phase change materials (MEPCM) were prepared by sol-gel method using sodium silicate as silica precursor. The investigation of this synthesis technique demonstrates that pH value and core/shell ratio play key role in optimizing the morphology and microstructure of Pn@SiO2 microcapsules to achieve optimal thermal storage properties. Therefore, we systematically investigated the effects of pH value and core/shell ratio on the microstructure, crystallization behavior and phase transition properties of Pn@SiO2. It was determined that at pH 3 and Pn/SiO2 ratio of 5:1, the synthesized Pn@SiO2 exhibited well-defined core-shell structure and regularly spherical morphology. The encapsulation rate reached 74.14 % with latent heat of about 186.4 J/g due to the formation of perfect microstructure and morphology. In addition, Pn@SiO2 presents excellent heat storage capacity, high thermal stability and good shape stability, and shows reliable and durable phase-change performance. In summary, sodium silicate was used as the SiO2 precursor for the first synthesis of MEPCM with high encapsulation rate and regularly spherical morphology.

The Effect of Lexical Aspect and Discourse Grounding in the Acquisition of Spanish Past Tense Aspect by Mandarin Chinese Speakers: Replicating the Approach Used in Salaberry (2011)

In this work, we replicate the approach of Salaberry (2011). Based on an a written 40 item discourse based forced-choice task, we analyze the influence of lexical aspectual class and grounding information in discourse on the use of perfective and imperfective verbal morphology of Spanish by Chinese learners of three levels of proficiency (B1, B2, C1 of the CEFR). Our results show that the preference to use prototypical associations predicted by the LAH and the DH coincide with Salaberry’s (2011) results. However, we found that our L1 Mandarin Chinese learners show a particular developmental pattern compared with the L1 English learners in Salaberry (2011).

Polymer-Assisted Compressed Flux Growth: A Universal and High-Yield Method for Dimension-Controlled Single Crystals.

Single crystals possess the most perfect and stable morphology and represent the intrinsic and upper limits of performance when integrated into various application scenarios. However, for a large portion of the newly emerging low-dimensional and molecular materials, the mass production of crystals with a desirable shape is still challenging. Here, a universal and high-yield method to grow functional single crystals with controlled dimensions is provided that can be directly integrated into a device. By utilizing a polymeric flux in combination with a compressed growth space, numerous materials can be grown into size-controllable single crystalline flakes, with millions produced in one batch. This scalable growth method shows promise for the large-scale integration of micro-single-crystals as functional components, as exemplified by the construction of a 5 in. field-effect transistor array.

Quasi-Cu-MOFs: highly improved water stability and electrocatalytic activity toward H2O2 reduction among pristine 3D MOFs

QHKUST-1 calcined at 250 °C for 1 h maintains the perfect octahedral morphology of HKUST-1 and exhibits superior moisture stability and enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared to the original water-sensitive HKUST-1.

Chalcogenide Glass IR Artificial Compound Eyes Based on Femtosecond Laser Microfabrication

AbstractThe compact and lightweight infrared (IR) optics devices are highly demanded in booming applications. However, fabrication of IR optics devices with high efficiency is still technically challenging, especially artificial compound eyes (ACE) with low aberration imaging and large field of view. In this work, a method of femtosecond laser wet etching combining with the “two‐step” precision glass molding based on chalcogenide glass is proposed to fabricate glass IR ACE. The as‐prepared consists of 6000 ommatidia (diameter of 88 µm and the sag height of 11 µm) arranged in a hexagonal manner with perfect parabolic morphology and high uniformity. The chalcogenide glass IR ACE exhibits excellent optical performance both in IR active imaging and IR passive imaging with high transmittance (60–70%) ranging from 2.5 to 15 µm. The ommatidia have a high resolution up to 20.16 lp mm−1, and imaging with large field of view up to 60° and low aberration can be achieved. Furthermore, the proposed technology shows advantages to fabricate glass IR ACE with low cost and high efficiency, and glass IR ACE shows great potential in IR imaging, robot vision, IR 3D motion tracking, and so on.

A reverse facial artery perforator flap for partial thickness defect at the lateral upper lip: Technical note

The reliability of the facial artery perforator's flap allowing freestyle design flaps for facial reconstruction is promising for one-stage upper lip repair This article describes the coverage of a large defect of the lip with a paramodiolus flap based on a reverse flow of the facial artery perforator. This technique was performed on a 65-year-old man who presented with basal cell carcinoma of the upper lateral lip. Its excision has created a cutaneous defect that was repaired with a paramodiolus flap based on the facial artery perforator. The donor site was situated in the beard skin adjacent to the upper lateral lip defects. Based on the anatomical knowledge, the perforator was not skeletonized, and carried in the subcutaneous layer of the flap. The coverage of the defect after transposing the flap with a rotational arc has led to perfect lip morphology with a natural hair pattern.

Highly repeatable dry etch corner rounding solution for 0.11 μm shallow trench isolation

A highly repeatable dry etch corner rounding solution for 0.11 μm shallow trench isolation (STI) without increasing additional process steps was proposed. It is mentioned for the first time that the two-step silicon nitride over etching method is used in the STI etching to get the corner rounding effect, in which the gas combination is CF4 + CH2F2. The top rounding can be achieved by properly adjusting the proportion of two-step etching gas. The STI prepared by this method has a perfect top rounding morphology in both dense and isolate areas. The subsequent TEM images show that the thickness of gate oxide at the thinnest part increased from 40 to 52 A, an increase of 30%. The results of the gate oxide integrity test confirmed that the value of breakdown voltage is greatly improved by using the new etching methods regardless of n-MOS or p-MOS. In terms of the breakdown voltage, the improvement level of n-MOS is higher than that of p-MOS. The breakdown voltage of n-MOS is increased by 10% and that of p-MOS is increased by 7%. With the further reduction of semiconductor size, the increase in gate oxide thickness in corner of STI is very important for the improvement of device reliability and performance.

Premature ventricular contractions with acute successful radiofrequency catheter ablation near the atrioventricular node using reversed C curve technique

BackgroundWe sought to clarify the electrophysiological (EP) characteristics of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) with acute successful radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) near the atrioventricular node (AVN).Methods and resultsEighteen patients with acute successful RFCA near the AVN were included in this study. Systematic mapping was performed with two mapping methods: antegrade mapping technique (group A) and reversed C curve mapping technique (group R). RFCA was preferentially performed underneath the tricuspid valve (TV) with reversed C curve technique in all patients. The a amplitude/v amplitude ratio during sinus rhythm in group A was significantly larger than in group B (0.19 ± 0.10 vs 0.06 ± 0.02, p < 0.01). The earliest bipolar activation preceded the QRS onset in group A was significantly smaller than in group R (19.6 ± 4.9 vs 24.4 ± 6.6 ms (ms), p < 0.01). Pace mapping in group A and group R demonstrated perfect QRS morphology (12/12) match only in 5.6% (one patient) and 16.7% (3 patients) of patients, respectively. The mean duration of successful RFCA was 8.2 ± 2.4 s in 13 patients (72.2%). Early (within 3 days) and late (one-year) recurrence rates were 5.6% (one patient) and 16.7% (3 patients), respectively. No atrioventricular block occurred during RFCA or the one-year follow up.ConclusionsPVCs near the AVN are a subgroup of idiopathic PVCs with distinctive EP features. RFCA using reversed C curve technique is effective and safe for the acute elimination of these challenging AVN-PVCs.

CaGdAl3O7:Eu3+ unidimensional nanostructures: Facile electrospinning synthesis, structure and luminescence

Inorganic luminescent materials with special unidimensional morphologies have become one kind of highly promising materials in luminescence field. Here, CaGdAl3O7:Eu3+ unidimensional nanostructures containing nanofibers, nanobelts and hollow nanofibers are fabricated perfectly via facile mono-axial electrospinning technology combined with subsequent oxidation procedure. The formation mechanisms of CaGdAl3O7:Eu3+ unidimensional nanostructures have been put forward and a new technology of constructing the unidimensional nanostructures is given. The morphologies of nanofiber, nanobelt and hollow nanofiber can be easily modulated via regulating the components of spinning solution and spinning parameters. CaGdAl3O7:Eu3+ unidimensional nanostructures are tetragonal in structure with space group of P‾ 421m and possess perfect unidimensional morphologies. The unidimensional nanostructures show the predominant emissions at 590 and 619 nm under 256-nm ultraviolet light excitation, which result from 5D0→7F1 and 5D0→7F2 transitions of Eu3+ ions, respectively. The luminescence properties of the nanostructures can be adjusted by altering Eu3+ content, calcination temperatures and morphologies of the nanostructure. In brief, this work is of great significance for follow-up investigations of melilite group aluminates luminescence nanomaterials with distinct unidimensional morphologies.

Gelatin-glucosamine hydrochloride/crosslinked-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks@IBU composite hydrogel long-term sustained drug delivery system for osteoarthritis treatment

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of articular cartilage degradation and inflammation of the joint capsule. Combining anti-inflammatory therapy with nutritional supplement is an effective means for the treatment of OA. In this study, we prepared gelatin (Gel)-glucosamine hydrochloride (GH) mixed crosslinked-cyclodextrin metal-organic framework (G-GH/CL-CD-MOF) composite hydrogel. Polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether was the crosslinking agent of GH and Gel to solve the problem of poor mechanical properties and water solubility at 37 °C. CL-CD-MOF was fabricated through a simple one-step chemical reaction to crosslink the hydrophilic hydroxyl groups in CD-MOF with diphenyl carbonate. Electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis of CL-CD-MOF showed perfect porous morphology with a chaotic internal structure. CL-CD-MOF@IBU was prepared by immersing CL-CD-MOF in high-concentration ibuprofen (IBU) solution. CL-CD-MOF@IBU was uniformly dispersed in Gel and GH mixed solution to prepare G-GH/CL-CD-MOF@IBU composite hydrogel long-term sustained drug delivery system. The compression curve of G-GH/CL-CD-MOF composite hydrogel showed a non-linear elastic behavior. The cyclic loading–unloading compression showed that the shape of the G-GH/CL-CD-MOF composite hydrogel can be kept intact under 50% strain. On the day 14, the G-GH/CL-CD-MOF@IBU composite hydrogel was degraded by 87.1%, 61% of IBU was released. G-GH/CL-CD-MOF@IBU exhibited good biocompatibility during co-culture with MC3T3-E1 cells. Briefly, the certain mechanical properties, sustained drug release behavior, and good biocompatibility of G-GH/CL-CD-MOF@IBU composite hydrogel showed that it has potential application in OA treatment of long-term sustained nutritional supplement and anti-inflammatory synchronously.

Highly efficient luminescence and enhanced stability of nanocomposites by encapsulating perovskite quantum dots in defect-related luminescent silica nanospheres

The metal-halide perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have been emerged as new stars of optoelectronic materials with fascinating luminescence properties. However, the poor stability of these materials severely restricts their practical applications. In this work, the novel defect-related luminescent mesoporous silica nanospheres are employed as protective matrix to improve the stability of PQDs for the first time. Firstly, the monodisperse CsPbBr3 and CsPbBr1.5I1.5 PQDs with perfect nanocube morphology and eminent luminescence properties have been prepared respectively by a facile synthesis strategy. Then, the CsPbBr3 and CsPbBr1.5I1.5 PQDs are encapsulated into the non-luminescent (SN) and luminescent silica matrix (DL-SN) respectively, resulting in the PQDs@SN and PQDs@DL-SN nanocomposites. The incorporation of the PQDs and silica matrix can be confirmed by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, XPS, elemental mapping images, N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, and density functional theory. The as-synthesized silica matrix especially for the DL-SN presents a remarkable enhancement of stability against temperature, storage time, and water for both CsPbBr3 and CsPbBr1.5I1.5 in comparison to the pristine PQDs. Furthermore, the formation mechanism and stability improvement mechanism have been discussed in detail. This work provides a facile and general approach to solve the intrinsic instability of all-inorganic PQDs, which may have a significant impact on their practical applications.

Effects of Recasts, Metalinguistic Feedback, and Students’ Proficiency on the Acquisition of Greek Perfective Past Tense

The role of interactional corrective feedback in second language assessment has attracted both teachers’ and second language researchers’ interest, as they are concerned with when corrective feedback can be implemented to assist second language acquisition. This quasi-experimental intervention study aims to investigate the impact of two corrective feedback types, namely recasts and metalinguistic feedback, and students’ proficiency in the acquisition of the Greek perfective past tense. The sample consists of ten adult beginners’ classes (n = 86 students) of the Modern Greek Language Teaching Center of the University of Athens. The classes were randomly assigned to three treatment conditions: (a) recast; (b) metalinguistic feedback; (c) no feedback and participated in form-focused production activities. A grammaticality judgment pretest and posttest were administrated to measure participants’ development on the explicit knowledge of perfective past tense morphology. After the treatment, participants were divided in the database into high and low beginner students based on their performance on a placement test administrated prior to the treatment. Results revealed that the groups that received corrective feedback outperformed the control group, while no statistical significance was found between the two treatment groups. Moreover, high-beginner learners benefited equally from both feedback types, whereas low-beginner learners benefited significantly from metalinguistic feedback.

Ultrathin 2D bismuth oxychloride nanosheets as novel catalytic interfaces for detection of biomolecules

We introduce highly stable 2D layered bismuth oxychloride nanosheets as the catalytic interfaces to bind important biomedical analytes. Transmission electron and atomic force microscopy revealed the prepared nanosheets possess perfect square morphology possessing average lateral size of 200 nm, and thickness around 3–4 nm. We specifically demonstrated characteristics for the binding of uric acid. When these sheets were employed to functionalize microchips, the limit of detection was achieved as low as 0.38 µM (S/N = 3). We further investigated that the modified devices determined successfully uric acid in human blood sample. This is the first study where ultrathin nanostructures are integrated with microchips. This work establishes the potential of ultrathin graphene-like nanosheets to design smart and effective interfaces for label-free binding of molecules of clinical and pharmacology significance.