Significant Moment Research Articles

Optimizing the thermoelectric behavior of novel quaternary CoIrMnX (X=Sn, Sb) alloys through chemical potential or carrier concentration doping

Materials exhibiting significant polarisation at high spin rates are considered the most promising candidates for spintronic devices. This study investigates the mechanical, optical, spin-polarised electronic structure, magnetism, and thermoelectric properties of CoIrMnX (where X = Sn, Sb). We performed calculations of quaternary Heusler alloys using first-principles calculations. The CoIrMnSn and CoIrMnSb compounds have the most stable Type III crystal structures, according to the calculations performed on the alloys under investigation. We found that the two alloys, CoIrMnSn and CoIrMnSb, possessed a half-metallic ferromagnetic structure, characterised by indirect band gaps of 1.008 eV and 0.806 eV in the predominant spin channels, respectively. Both alloys demonstrate a significant overall magnetic moment of 5 and 6 μβ, respectively. CoIrMnX (where X = Sn, Sb) are ferromagnetic half-metals with 100 percent spin polarisation, according to the results. The results of the elastic constants demonstrate the alloys' mechanical stability. We also investigated optical characteristics such as dielectric function, absorption, reflectance, and optical conductivity. CoIrMnX (where X = Sn and Sb) acts as an efficient absorber in the ultraviolet region and possesses a high refractive index. Alloys exhibit considerable potential as viable candidates for implementation in spintronic devices. The maximum ZT value for CoIrMnSn (CoIrMnSb) is 0.915 (0.6619). To achieve this value, it is necessary to either reduce the charge carrier concentration to n = 0.0812 x 1020 (0.0952 x 1020) cm-3 or the μ to 0.83843 (0.83806) Ryd. Substantially examined materials demonstrate considerable potential for application in the field of thermoelectrics.

A critical analysis of India and Pakistan’s terrorism discourse in the context of geopolitics and imperialism

ABSTRACT Why do India and Pakistan always quarrel over terrorism? The prevailing arguments more often implicate intriguing South Asian geopolitics surrounding the unresolved Kashmir dispute or pathological partition of British India in 1947 to explain this puzzle. Surprisingly, why and how the two countries verbalise terrorism has hardly been investigated in a comparative framework as a potential underpinning of this historical syndrome. This void has deprived South Asia’s existing literature and public and policy debates of an understanding of the underlying determinants of the terrorism discourse. Namely, how has the discourse originated, what are its distinct metaphysics, and how it has shaped and normalised discursive practices at significant moments in the history of these two countries, and with what consequences? This article responds to these broader questions. It argues that among other vital underpinnings, the Indo-Pakistan terrorism discourse, with its origins in colonialism, functions to institute and enable rival practices of exclusionary politics, doublespeak and propaganda. More importantly, it nurtures self-fulfilling concepts of statehood deriving from a constructed “real” reality characterising an imagined geopolitical pathology that, in turn, perpetuates Indo-Pakistan imperialism. In addressing this argument, the paper makes multiple original contributions, including identifying research avenues and indicating various intersecting causes of friction that afford reconciliation possibilities to the stakeholders.

Enhancing Electronic and Magnetic Properties in Eu‐Doped GaN Nanowires via p‐f Hybridization of Eu‐Defect Complexes

AbstractDensity functional theory (DFT) is employed based on the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), including the Hubbard (U) parameter, to investigate the modification of the electronic properties of GaN nanowires (NWs) by Eu dopants introduced via Eu‐associated defect complexes to explore the origin of magnetic characteristics. These findings show that incorporating Eu dopants, including Eu‐intrinsic defect complexes, in GaN NWs leads to a significant change in the electronic properties of GaN, as evident from p‐f state hybridization, resulting in unique magnetic characteristics. However, while Ga‐vacancies (VGa) in Eu‐doped GaN NWs impart a significant magnetic moment on N atoms, N‐vacancies (VN) produce a negligible effect on the magnetic properties of NWs. To predict the magnetic exchange effect, two Eu3+ ions are introduced in the NWs, showing that the complex with two Eu atoms and Ga‐vacancy (2Eu‐VGa) induces stable ferromagnetism above room temperature.

Characteristic of Video Clips of Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Ability to Notice

Noticing is the teacher's ability to pay attention to critical moments during learning. The noticing ability of preservice mathematics teachers can be trained by watching video recordings of teaching practices. However, there are limited video clips that can be used as teaching materials to develop the noticing abilities of preservice mathematics teachers. Therefore, this study aims to identify the characteristic of preservice mathematics teacher’s ability to notice. Video clips consist of a series of significant moments to observe. This research used a survey of moments in video recordings of preservice mathematics teachers when noticing their students' thinking in the learning process. The data analysis was based on learning video clips, containing the complexity of noticing problems related to the preservice mathematics teacher’s ability. The results indicated that the identified video clips, recordings of classroom interactions, featured teacher activities such as asking, guiding, responding, and assisting students. However, the preservice teachers demonstrated a low ability to notice, particularly in the interpreting and shaping aspects. These video clips, specifically those that highlight these teacher activities, can be utilized as learning tools in teacher development programs to enhance preservice teachers' noticing skills, especially in interpreting and shaping aspects.

The Inducers of an Elite Male Table Tennis Player’s Emotional Experience Throughout His Career: A Single Case Study Based on the Critical-Incident Method

Despite a growing interest in emotions in sport psychology, little has been written about the contextual elements triggering athletes’ emotional experience. This single case study aimed to analyze the inducers of an elite table tennis player’s emotional experience throughout his career. He was ranked among the 15 best players in the world, and his career spanned more than 20 years. Inspired by the critical-incident method, we conducted a lengthy interview with the player, during which he related the most significant moments of his career. The categorization of the 96 critical incidents collected highlighted four inducers of positive emotions and five inducers of negative emotions, emerging over five periods (exponential progression, first difficulties, major difficulties, second career, and end of career). These findings contribute to the development of an innovative single-case-study design, allowing an understanding of the contextual origin of athletes’ emotions over the long term. Finally, highlights are discussed and recommendations for the practice of sport psychology are formulated.

Assistance force-line of exosuit affects ankle multidimensional motion: a theoretical and experimental study

BackgroundThe talocrural joint and the subtalar joint are the two major joints of the ankle-joint complex. The position and direction of the exosuit force line relative to these two joint axes can influence ankle motion. We aimed to understand the effects of different force-lines on ankle multidimensional motion.MethodsIn this article, three assistance force line schemes for ankle exosuits were proposed: perpendicular to the talocrural joint axis (PT), intersecting with the subtalar joint axis (IS), and parallel to the triceps surae (PTS). A theoretical model was proposed to calculate the exosuit’s assistance moment. Seven participants completed four experimental tests of ankle plantarflexion, including three passive motions assisted by the PT, PTS and IS schemes, and one active motion without exosuit assistance (Active).ResultsThe simulation results demonstrated that all three exosuits were able to produce significant moments of ankle plantarflexion. Among these, the PT scheme exhibited the highest moments in all dimensions, followed by the PTS and IS schemes. The experimental findings confirmed the effectiveness of all three exosuit schemes in assisting ankle plantarflexion. Additionally, as the assistive force lines approached the subtalar joint, there was a decrease in ankle motion assisted by the exosuits in non-plantarflexion directions, along with a reduction in the average distance of ankle angle curves relative to active ankle motion. Furthermore, the linear correlation coefficients between inversion and plantarflexion, adduction and plantarflexion, and adduction and inversion gradually converged toward active ankle plantarflexion motion.ConclusionsOur research indicates that the position of the exosuit force line to the subtalar joint has a significant impact on ankle inversion and adduction. Among all three schemes, the IS, which has the closest distance to the subtalar joint axes, has the greatest kinematic similarity to active ankle plantarflexion and might be a better choice for ankle assistance and rehabilitation.

Investigating the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of Cd1-xVxTe: Insights from First-Principles calculations

In our study, we aim to investigate the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of CdVTe, a diluted magnetic semiconductor with a Cadmium telluride (CdTe) structure. To achieve this, we employ the full potential linear augmented plane wave method implemented in the CASTEP code, which allows us to accurately simulate the behavior of the system. To describe the electronic exchange and correlation effects, we adopt the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) within the density functional theory (DFT) framework. This choice of methodology ensures reliable and accurate calculations of the electronic and magnetic properties of Cd1-xVxTe. Our results reveal that the substitution of Vanadium (V) into the Cadmium (Cd) site of the CdTe lattice does not alter the zinc blende crystal structure, demonstrating the stability and structural integrity of the system. Furthermore, our calculations demonstrate that the introduction of Vanadium impurities leads to spin polarization within the material, resulting in the emergence of a magnetic moment. Notably, we find that a Vanadium concentration of approximately x≈0.12 exhibits the strongest magnetic properties, characterized by a significant magnetic moment. These findings provide valuable insights into the behavior and potential applications of CdVTe as a diluted magnetic semiconductor, shedding light on the interplay between structural, electronic, and magnetic properties in this material.

Analysis of lumbar spine loading during walking in patients with chronic low back pain and healthy controls: An OpenSim-Based study.

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent and disabling disease worldwide. However, the specific biomechanical changes due to LBP are still controversial. The purpose of this study was to estimate the lumbar and lower limb kinematics, lumbar moments and loads, muscle forces and activation during walking in healthy adults and LBP. A total of 18 healthy controls and 19 patients with chronic LBP were tested for walking at a comfortable speed. The kinematic and dynamic data of the subjects were collected by 3D motion capture system and force plates respectively, and then the motion simulation was performed by OpenSim. The OpenSim musculoskeletal model was used to calculate lumbar, hip, knee and ankle joint angle variations, lumbar moments and loads, muscle forces and activation of eight major lumbar muscles. In our results, significant lower lumbar axial rotation angle, lumbar flexion/extension and axial rotation moments, as well as the muscle forces of the four muscles and muscle activation of two muscles were found in patients with LBP than those of the healthy controls (p < 0.05). This study may help providing theoretical support for the evaluation and rehabilitation treatment intervention of patients with LBP.

Impact of Diimine Ligand on Singlet-to-Triplet Charge Transfer Electroabsorption in Iron and Ruthenium Complexes.

The electroabsorption and absorption spectra of eight homoleptic complexes of the general form [M(LL)3]2+ where M = Ru, Fe, and LL = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), and 4,4',-(R)2-bpy where R = -OCH3, -CF3, were quantified at 77 K in a butyronitrile glass. Intense metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption bands were evident in the visible region. Electroabsorption spectra measured with applied electric fields >0.2 MV/cm were analyzed by the two-state Liptay model. Significant light-induced dipole moment changes of = 4-13 D were found consistent with a metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state comprised an electron localized on a single diimine ligand, [MIII(LL-)(LL)2]*2+, in the initially formed Franck-Condon excited state. A low energy feature evident in the electroabsorption spectra was assigned to a direct singlet-to-triplet MLCT excited state. The identity of the diimine ligand had an unexpected and large impact on these transitions. Analysis relative to the higher energy absorption provides a comparison of spin-allowed and disallowed transitions for first- and second-row transition metal complexes. With the notable exception of [Fe(CF3bpy)3]2+, the change in dipole moment for the 3MLCT excited states was less than or equal to that of the 1MLCT excited states. The charge transfer distances for the iron complexes were generally larger than those for the Ru complexes, a behavior attributed to a smaller degree of iron-diimine coupling in the ground state. A striking result was the sensitivity of the extinction coefficient and spectral profile of the low energy electroabsorption assigned to the identity of the diimine ligand; data that suggests electronic coupling with ligand localized triplet states and high spin metal centered states must be considered when modeling the Franck-Condon excited state.

Students' perezhivaniya and engagement in English language learning

Perezhivanie, i.e., emotional lived experience, is a psychological structure for understanding dynamic influences derived from personal and social sources. In this study, two Japanese university students' perezhivaniya (plural) of English learning in their final year of high school and first two years of university studies were examined using a dataset containing a semi-structural interview, informal interviews and a series of classroom observation. This paper describes these students' perezhivanyia of English learning and explains their engagement as 1. in-the-moment responses anchored in personally significant events or moments; and 2. beyond-the-moment refractions during re-visitation of these events. Language learning engagement is therefore experiential, situated and reflective from a perezhivanie perspective. The findings indicate that students' changing engagement in English learning cannot be fully understood if it is removed from the irreducible unit of perezhivanie.

Towards governmentality with Chinese characteristics: higher education policy discourses in post-colonial Hong Kong and Macao

ABSTRACT This article examines the intertwining and evolution of neoliberal and nationalist discourses in post-colonial Hong Kong and Macao, arguing that their combination reveals the dual layers of political rationality in the dynamics of higher education policymaking. It suggests a move towards governmentality with Chinese characteristics, marked by gradual and continuous shifts towards decolonisation and re-Sinicisation within the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework. This perspective contrasts with existing literature on Hong Kong that emphasises the maintenance of the colonial status quo and points out abrupt changes due to the 2019 protests and the 2020 National Security Law. By analysing the reconfiguration of governmentality in the higher education systems of these post-colonial Chinese societies amid changing political landscapes, the article sheds light on both the incremental changes and significant moments influencing the trajectory of higher education development in Hong Kong and Macao.

Surface ferromagnetism of lead-free ferroelectric bismuth sodium titanate materials

The role of complex surface defect on the magnetic at the (110) surface of bismuth sodium titanate (Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3) was discussed based on the first-principles calculation. The first-principle calculations for various types of surface defects exhibited the existence of magnetic moments for selected chemical and position defects. Specifically, Na and Bi vacancies induced large magnetic moments of 0.52 µB/f.u and 0.50 µB/f.u, respectively, which were larger than that of Ti vacancies of 0.01 µB/f.u. Interestingly, oxygen vacancies did not induce local magnetic moments. Furthermore, significant magnetic moments of 0.50 µB/f.u and 0.49 µB/f.u were obtained for Na and Bi interstitial defects, while the local magnetic moments were slightly achieved around 0.03 µB/f.u and 0.04 µB/f.u for Ti and O interstitial defects, respectively. Anti-site defects between Bi and Na at A-site in perovskite ABO3 structure exhibited magnetic moments of 0.55 µB/f.u for Na anti-site at Bi-site and 0.39 µB/f.u for Bi anti-site at Na-site. Interestingly, anti-site defects between the A-site and B-site in perovskite ABO3 structure resulted in larger magnetic moments, with values of 0.57 µB/f.u and 0.53 µB/f.u obtained for Ti anti-site defects at the Bi-site and Na-site, respectively. Additionally, magnetic moments of 0.50 µB/f.u and 0.54 µB/f.u were achieved for Bi and Na anti-site defects at the Ti-site, respectively. We expected that our work further contributed to the understanding of the role of surface defects in the magnetism of Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 materials in integrating ferromagnetic properties into lead-free ferroelectric materials for smart electronic device applications.

Cognitive and Relational Processes Associated to Mental Health in Italian High School Students during COVID-19 and Russian-Ukrainian War Outbreaks.

The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been widely demonstrated; however, few studies have investigated the psychological processes involved in this impact, including core beliefs violation, meaning-making disruption, interpersonal support, or one's relational functioning. This study explored the mental health of 215 Italian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. By administering a set of questionnaires, several cognitive and emotional variables were investigated, including core belief violation, meaning attribution to the pandemic and war, attachment, and emotion regulation, social media addiction, and relationships with significant others and teachers. We conducted some descriptive, mean difference, correlational, and predictive analyses that revealed a significant association between core belief violation caused by war and pandemic, ability to integrate war and pandemic within personal meaning universe, the relational support received, and mental health. The relationship with teachers during these challenging periods improved significantly according to the respondents' opinion, becoming both more authoritative and empathic. This study offers insights into what cognitive and relational processes are useful to intervene on to reduce the distress of adolescents who are facing significant moments of crisis due to events that challenge their cognitive and emotional balance.

The Black Woman in Caribbean Photography: Intersectional Narratives between Race and Gender

This article examines the evolution of the representation of Black women in the Caribbean photographic universe, establishing two significant moments: the foundation of the figure of the “Black woman” as a sign in nineteenth-century photography and the shift in paradigm in the work of contemporary Caribbean artists, with an emphasis on the photographic works of Renée Cox, from Jamaica, and María Magdalena Campos and Susana Pilar Delahante, both from Cuba. Some arguments from decolonial feminism, in the voice of María Lugones, are taken as theoretical sources, with an emphasis on the intersectionality between race and gender as an interpretative key to assess the evolution of the sign “Black woman” in Caribbean photography.

Mycroanalysis from a Music Therapy Session with a Bereaved Child / Microanaliza unei ședințe de meloterapie cu un copil în doliu

This study presents a microanalysis of a critical moment in a music therapy session with a bereaved child. Through this microanalysis, the therapist explored and examined the key musical and emotional elements that led to one of the most significant therapeutic moments. The microanalysis was done using digital tools, thus highlighting the benefits of incorporating such elements into therapeutic practice.

Media (De)concentration and Editorial Cross-Media Self-Promotion: Evidence from Flanders

ABSTRACT This article asks what the impact is of ownership concentration and deconcentration on editorial cross-media selfpromotion. Zooming in on two significant ownership changes in the small and highly concentrated media market of Flanders (Belgium) in 2017-18, we quantitatively analysed 1,209 articles published in the two largest Flemish newspapers comparing periods before and after two significant moments of ownership concentration and deconcentration. We assess the immediate impact of these changes on cross-media self-promotion between newspapers and audio-visual channels in terms of frequency, length, and presence of visual cues in referencing to media brands belonging to the same mother company and brands that belong to the rival commercial media company. We also measure references to the public broadcaster as a control variable to check whether changes before and after mergers, and/or differences between newspapers from both media groups might be explained by factors other than ownership changes. Our analysis reveals that concentration in Flemish media ownership led to significantly more coverage of the "own" brands of the newspaper’s overarching company. We discuss the broader implications of our Flemish findings, with the two most dominant private media corporations rapidly expanding their brand portfolios in several European countries.

Reading No Friend but the Mountains: From National to Transnational Contexts of Recognition

ABSTRACT In 2018, Behrouz Boochani’s testimonial memoir No Friend but the Mountains confronted Australian readers with their complicity in the nation’s carceral border-industrial complex. In the five years since its publication, it has been translated and sold into eighteen languages in twenty-three countries and adapted for film, theatre and a song cycle. This article uses a book-historical approach to present a short biography of No Friend, analysing how it has evolved as a noteworthy work that has taken on distinct lives in the nation and beyond. It analyses two significant moments of recognition in the biography of this book: the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, and the special issue of the life writing journal Biography. The life of this book—its production, reception and material form—suggests the potential for allegiances between cultural and literary elites in the reception of life narratives by forcibly displaced people. These allegiances mark the early versions of No Friend and have been central to its extensive mobility to new readerships.

Experimental study and modelling of flexural behaviour of continuous fibre-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete one-way slab at ambient and elevated temperatures

An experimental study on the flexural behaviour of six fibre-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (FRLWAC) one-way slab strips under ambient and elevated temperatures is presented in this paper. Two slabs, one simply-supported and one continuous, were loaded to failure at ambient temperature as references for the fire tests, while another simply-supported and three continuous slabs with varying degrees of design moment redistribution were loaded and exposed to elevated temperatures until failure. The ambient tests showed that the steel fibre addition prevents premature flexural-compression failure commonly observed in lightweight aggregate concrete structures. The rotations of FRLWAC plastic hinges were concentrated in a single crack under ambient temperature and a few cracks under fire exposure. The fire tests revealed significant moment redistribution towards the hogging moment area in the continuous slabs due to restrained thermal-induced deflection. Furthermore, the reinforcement configuration that catered for moment redistribution towards the hogging area was found to enhance the fire resistance of continuous FRLWAC slabs. A fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) plastic hinge model, based on the rigid-body rotation concept, was proposed and validated. This model predicts the moment-rotation behaviour of FRC hinges at ambient temperature and the fire resistance of FRLWAC one-way slabs with good accuracy.

Hearing loss and cognitive decline: Prioritizing equity in a world in which hearing health matters.

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRDs) and age-related hearing loss are the intersection of two major public health challenges. With age as the primary risk factor for both disease processes, the burden of ADRDs and age-related hearing loss is growing, and each field maintains significant barriers to broadscale identification and management that is affordable and accessible. With the disproportionate burden of ADRDs among racial and ethnic minority older adults and existing disparities within hearing care, both areas face challenges in achieving equitable access and outcomes across diverse populations. The publication of the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) trial in July 2023 marked a significant moment in the fields of brain and hearing health. The ACHIEVE trial was the first randomized controlled trial to examine whether providing hearing intervention, specifically provision of hearing aids, compared to an education control, would reduce cognitive changes over 3 years. The participants most at risk for cognitive decline, with lower education, lower income, more likely to identify as Black, and have more cardiovascular risk factors, were the participants who benefited most from the hearing intervention and are also the least likely to be represented in research and the least likely to obtain hearing care. With growing evidence of the interconnection between cognitive and sensory health, we have an opportunity to prioritize equity, from purposeful inclusion of diverse participants in trials to influencing the emerging market of over-the-counter hearing aids to supporting expanded models of hearing care that reach those who have traditionally gone unserved. No longer can hearing go unrecognized by clinicians, researchers, and advocates for brain health. At the same time, the fields of brain and hearing health must center equity if we are going to meet the needs of diverse older adults in a world in which hearing health matters.

Analysis of Nexus among Socioeconomic Status, Happiness, Gratitude, and Psychological Wellbeing in Adults

Pakistan's population faces heightened susceptibility to mental health disorders and overall psychological well-being concerns due to the country's myriad social and economic challenges. The present research explored the relationships among adults' socioeconomic status, gratitude, happiness, and psychological well-being. Utilizing a cross-sectional study design and quantitative research methodology, a sample of 350 adults was selected through purposive sampling techniques. The study utilized a self-developed demographic sheet in conjunction with standardized questionnaires, including the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) and the Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-Being (PWB). The SHS, comprising four self-report items, was crafted by psychologist Carol D. Ryff. Conversely, the PWB, a 42-item scale, was designed to gauge six dimensions of well-being and happiness: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships with others, meaning in life, and self-acceptance. Additionally, the Gratitude Questionnaire-20, developed by Bernabe Valero and Jose Salvador Blasco Magraner, was employed. The study underscores a positive nexus between socioeconomic status, gratitude, happiness, and psychological well-being. Methodologically, it employs a Pearson product-moment correlation for descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions to forecast the relationship between psychological well-being and happiness, gratitude, and socioeconomic status (SES). Results illuminate a robust direct correlation among gratitude, happiness, SES, and psychological well-being, with all variables exhibiting strong positive associations. Notably, happiness and SES demonstrate a significant Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r=0.135*, p=0.032), underscoring their pivotal role. Furthermore, linear regression analysis, while controlling for GRT, SH, and SES, unveils the substantial predictive capacity of happiness and gratitude on adults' psychological well-being, elucidated by an R-squared value of 0.15. Collectively, these findings accentuate the salient influence of socioeconomic status, happiness, and gratitude on psychological well-being, fostering a deeper comprehension of their interconnectedness.