Competing Magnetic Orderings and Tunable Topological States in Two-Dimensional Hexagonal Organometallic Lattices

The exploration of topological states is of significant fundamental and practical importance in contemporary condensed matter physics, for which the extension to two-dimensional (2D) organometallic systems is particularly attractive. Using first-principles calculations, we show that a 2D hexagonal triphenyl-lead lattice composed of only main group elements is susceptible to a magnetic instability, characterized by a considerably more stable antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulating state rather than the topologically nontrivial quantum spin Hall state proposed recently. Even though this AFM phase is topologically trivial, it possesses an intricate emergent degree of freedom, defined by the product of spin and valley indices, leading to Berry curvature-induced spin and valley currents under electron or hole doping. Furthermore, such a trivial band insulator can be tuned into a topologically nontrivial matter by the application of an out-of-plane electric field, which destroys the AFM order, favoring instead ferrimagnetic spin ordering and a quantum anomalous Hall state with a non-zero topological invariant. These findings further enrich our understanding of 2D hexagonal organometallic lattices for potential applications in spintronics and valleytronics.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Stock Return Synchronicity and Analysts’ Forecast Properties

Using stock return synchronicity as a measure of a firm’s information environment, our research investigates how the firms’ stock return synchronicity affects analysts’ forecast properties for the accuracy and optimism of the analysts’ annual earnings forecasts. Stock return synchronicity represents the degree to which market and industry information explains firm-level stock return variations. A higher stock return synchronicity indicates the higher quality of a firm’s information environment, because a firm’s stock price reflects more market-level and industry-level information relative to firm-specific information. Our study shows that stock return synchronicity positively affects the forecast properties. Our finding shows that when stock return synchronicity is high, analysts’ annual earnings forecasts are more accurate and less optimistically biased

Stock Return Synchronicity and Analysts’ Forecast Properties

Using stock return synchronicity as a measure of a firm’s information environment, our research investigates how the firms’ stock return synchronicity affects analysts’ forecast properties for the accuracy and optimism of the analysts’ annual earnings forecasts. Stock return synchronicity represents the degree to which market and industry information explains firm-level stock return variations. A higher stock return synchronicity indicates the higher quality of a firm’s information environment, because a firm’s stock price reflects more market-level and industry-level information relative to firm-specific information. Our study shows that stock return synchronicity positively affects the forecast properties. Our finding shows that when stock return synchronicity is high, analysts’ annual earnings forecasts are more accurate and less optimistically biased

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the sphenoid sinus presenting as isolated oculomotor nerve palsy

BACKGROUND: Solitary involvement of the sphenoid sinus has rarely been reported in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Isolated oculomotor nerve palsy is uncommon as an initial presentation of malignant tumors of the sphenoid sinus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year-old woman presented with a three-month history of headache and diplopia. Neurological examination revealed complete left oculomotor nerve palsy. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) demonstrated a homogenous soft-tissue lesion occupying the left sphenoid sinus and invading the left cavernous sinus. The patient underwent transsphenoidal biopsy and the lesion was histologically diagnosed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell type. Tumor cells were positive for CD20 and negative for CD3. Following six cycles of chemotherapy, the left oculomotor nerve palsy that had been previously observed was completely resolved. There was no enhancing lesion noted on follow-up MRI. CONCLUSION: It is important to recognize that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the sphenoid sinus can present with isolated oculomotor nerve palsy, although it is extremely rare. The cranial nerve deficits can resolve dramatically after chemotherapy.ope

Cancer-related Fatigue in Patients with Advanced Cancer Treated with Autonomic Nerve Pharmacopuncture

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to observe the effects of autonomic nerve pharmacopuncture (ANP) treatment on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in patients with advanced cancer. This observational case study was conducted at the East West Cancer Center of Daejeon University's Dunsan Korean Medical Hospital. Two patients were observed. One patient was diagnosed with left thymic cancer metastatic to the left pleura. The other patient had terminal-stage cervical cancer with iliac bone and lumbar 5 metastases. We injected mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP) into acupoints alongside the spine (Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue, EX B2). We examined the patients for CRF using the Korean version of the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale (RPFS-K), which is a self-assessment tool. The scores on the RPFS-K for both patients tended to decrease during the treatment. Laboratory findings, including hematological changes, were also checked. Liver and renal function tests showed that the treatment was safe. Although further large-population studies are necessary, this case study suggests that ANP has a favorable effect on CRF in patients with advanced cancer

The relationship between changes in grit, taekwondo ability, and academic achievement of university students majoring in science and engineering and participating in taekwondo class

GRIT, which was conceptualized by the American psychologist Duckworth, was designed by grouping growth (G), resilience (R), intrinsic motivation (I), and tenacity (T), which means con-tinuing to be patient and put in effort to achieve goals without being frustrated by adversity or failures experienced in the process of striving toward one’s goals. The purpose of this study was to determine GRIT changes caused by participation of students majoring in science and engineering in taekwondo class. Effects of taekwondo ability on GRIT and academic achievement were also examined to determine structural relationships among taekwondo ability, GRIT, and academic achievement. We selected a total of 305 students (204 participants and 101 non-participants) as research subjects and conducted a GRIT (preliminary) measurement. After one-year of taekwondo class, we collected and statistically processed the data of GRIT (post) measurement, taekwondo ability, and academic achievement of the participants. Reliability analysis, technical statistics, paired sample t-test, correlation analysis, and path analysis were performed. Changes in the GRIT values of the participants were found to be greater than those of non-participants. It was also found that taekwondo ability, GRIT, and academic achievement had significant correlations with each other. Finally, it was found that the higher the taekwondo ability, the higher the academic achievement and the higher the GRIT. Moreover, the higher the GRIT, the higher the academic achievement. Taekwondo training increased the GRIT values of participants. In addition, the taekwondo ability had positive effects on GRIT and academic achievement. GRIT also had a positive effect on academic achievement. Thus, there were structural relationships among taekwondo ability, GRIT, and academic achievement. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.1

Relative Contribution among Physical Fitness Factors Contributing to the Performance of Modern Pentathlon

This study reveals the relationship between physical fitness factors and performance in modern pentathlon and identifies the contribution of each physical factor to overall performance. The physical fitness assessment data and the competition records collected by the Korean national team pentathletes for the years 2005 to 2019 were tracked. The correlation between the competition records and fitness factors was confirmed by correlation analysis. In addition, the physical factors affecting performance were identified through multiple regression analysis, and the average difference between national and international competitions was verified by t-test. The first result was that fencing, swimming, and horseback riding rankings were more relevant to the overall pentathlon performance score than the combined rankings in national competitions. In the international competitions, performance in the combined running and shooting event was more relevant than fencing, swimming, and horseback riding. Second, the basic fitness factors of grip strength and sergeant jump and the specific fitness factors of leg strength—left and right average flexor were correlated with overall pentathlon performance national competitions. However, in international competitions, sergeant jump, 20 m shuttle run, reaction time, lung capacity, and back strength were correlated (presented in high to low order). In terms of the specific fitness factors, relative (%BW) and absolute (Nm) leg strength—left and right average flexor, lower body anaerobic fatigue rate, half squat, relative (W/kg) and absolute (Watts) maximal lower body anaerobic power were correlated accordingly with overall pentathlon performance. Third, we analyzed the differences between average performance in national and international competitions. Only the combined running and shooting event out of the five modern pentathlon events showed a difference. Grip strength and relative leg strength—average extensor AP (%BW) appeared to be different among the physical fitness factors. Fourth, we examined the level of contribution of each of the fitness factors on overall performance. The model’s goodness of fit was confirmed, and grip strength was found to have a significant contribution on overall performance. Furthermore, the level of contribution was higher in the following order: relative leg strength—left and right average flexor (%BW), bench press, half squat, relative leg strength— average extensor AP(%BW), GXT—time to exhaustion, relative lower body anaerobic average power (W/kg), and maximal lactic acid concentration. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics just around the corner, combined running and shooting performance appeared to be a decisive factor in the final ranking in modern pentathlon according to the analysis of the basic and specific fitness factors of pentathletes. The basic fitness factors are critical in order of sergeant jump, grip strength, reaction time, lung capacity, side-step, back strength, 20 m shuttle run, sit-and-reach, sit-ups, and single leg standing. With respect to the specific fitness factors, relative leg strength—left and right average flexor (%BW), bench press, half squat, relative leg strength—average extensor AP (%BW), GXT—time to exhaustion, relative lower body anaerobic average power (W/kg), and maximal lactic acid concentration showed their relevance accordingly. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.1

Synthesis of Porous Silica with Hierarchical Structure Directed by a Silica Precursor Carrying a Pore-Generating Cage

We have obtained a new class of porous silica with good structural order and additional corrugated nanopores clustered around the primary mesopores from the co-condensation of TEOS and adamantylphenol-grafted trimethoxysilane (adam-graft SQ) using a triblock Pluronic P123 (EO20PO70EO20,Mw = 5800) copolymer as a structure-directing agent. Thermally activated removal of pore-generating moieties (i.e., adamantylphenol groups) in adam-graft SQ involves the generation of secondary micro-to-small mesopores, while the block copolymer template generates 2D-hexagonal mesopores. We found that the mesostructural characteristics and the generation of secondary indented pores right next to the mesopores can be tailored by the addition order of the two silica precursors (TEOS and adam-graft SQ), varying the molar ratio between TEOS and adam-graft SQ in the starting sol mixture, and the degree of silica polymerization. The increase in the hexagonal unit cell parameters is attributed to the increment of pore size originating from the removal of adamantylphenol moieties. It is believed that the hydrophobicity of adamantylphenol groups plays a key role in its selective incorporation into the region near the PPO core blocks and the subsequent generation of corrugated pores along the silica channels resulting in the increase of pore diameter.This work was financially supported by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grant through the Acceleration Research Program (R17-2007-059-01000-0) and the NANO Systems Institute – National Core Research Center (R15-2003-032-02002-0) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) and the Brain Korea 21 Program endorsed by the MEST. Financial support from the Korean Collaborative Project for Excellence in Basic System IC Technology (System IC 2010) is also greatly acknowledged