Visualization and chemical characterization of the cathode electrolyte interphase using He-ion microscopy and in situ time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

Unstable cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) formation increases degradation in high voltage Li-ion battery materials. Few techniques couple characterization of nano-scale CEI layers on the macroscale with in situ chemical characterization, and thus, information on how the underlying microstructure affects CEI formation is lost. Here, the process of CEI formation in a high voltage cathode material, LiCoPO4, has been investigated for the first time using helium ion microscopy (HIM) and in situ time-of-flight (ToF) secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The combination of HIM and Ne-ion ToF-SIMS has been used to correlate the cycle-dependent morphology of the CEI layer on LiCoPO4 with a local cathode microstructure, including position, thickness, and chemistry. HIM imaging identified partial dissolution of the CEI layer on discharge resulting in in-homogenous CEI coverage on larger LiCoPO4 agglomerates. Ne-ion ToF-SIMS characterization identified oxyfluorophosphates from HF attack by the electrolyte and a Li-rich surface region. Variable thickness of the CEI layer coupled with inactive Li on the surface of LiCoPO4 electrodes contributes to severe degradation over the course of 10 cycles. The HIM–SIMS technique has potential to further investigate the effect of microstructures on CEI formation in cathode materials or solid electrolyte interphase formation in anodes, thus aiding future electrode development

Subanesthetic ketamine treatment promotes abnormal interactions between neural subsystems and alters the properties of functional brain networks

Acute treatment with subanesthetic ketamine, a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist, is widely utilized as a translational model for schizophrenia. However, how acute NMDA receptor blockade impacts on brain functioning at a systems level, to elicit translationally relevant symptomatology and behavioral deficits, has not yet been determined. Here, for the first time, we apply established and recently validated topological measures from network science to brain imaging data gained from ketamine-treated mice to elucidate how acute NMDA receptor blockade impacts on the properties of functional brain networks. We show that the effects of acute ketamine treatment on the global properties of these networks are divergent from those widely reported in schizophrenia. Where acute NMDA receptor blockade promotes hyperconnectivity in functional brain networks, pronounced dysconnectivity is found in schizophrenia. We also show that acute ketamine treatment increases the connectivity and importance of prefrontal and thalamic brain regions in brain networks, a finding also divergent to alterations seen in schizophrenia. In addition, we characterize how ketamine impacts on bipartite functional interactions between neural subsystems. A key feature includes the enhancement of prefrontal cortex (PFC)-neuromodulatory subsystem connectivity in ketamine-treated animals, a finding consistent with the known effects of ketamine on PFC neurotransmitter levels. Overall, our data suggest that, at a systems level, acute ketamine-induced alterations in brain network connectivity do not parallel those seen in chronic schizophrenia. Hence, the mechanisms through which acute ketamine treatment induces translationally relevant symptomatology may differ from those in chronic schizophrenia. Future effort should therefore be dedicated to resolve the conflicting observations between this putative translational model and schizophrenia

Calcium-Mediated Actin Reset (Caar) Mediates Acute Cell Adaptations

Actin has well established functions in cellular morphogenesis. However, it is not well understood how the various actin assemblies in a cell are kept in a dynamic equilibrium, in particular when cells have to respond to acute signals. Here, we characterize a rapid and transient actin reset in response to increased intracellular calcium levels. Within seconds of calcium influx, the formin INF2 stimulates filament polymerization at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while cortical actin is disassembled. The reaction is then reversed within a few minutes. This Calcium-mediated actin reset (CaAR) occurs in a wide range of mammalian cell types and in response to many physiological cues. CaAR leads to transient immobilization of organelles, drives reorganization of actin during cell cortex repair, cell spreading and wound healing, and induces long-lasting changes in gene expression. Our findings suggest that CaAR acts as fundamental facilitator of cellular adaptations in response to acute signals and stress

Vestibular Perception following Acute Unilateral Vestibular Lesions.

Little is known about the vestibulo-perceptual (VP) system, particularly after a unilateral vestibular lesion. We investigated vestibulo-ocular (VO) and VP function in 25 patients with vestibular neuritis (VN) acutely (2 days after onset) and after compensation (recovery phase, 10 weeks). Since the effect of VN on reflex and perceptual function may differ at threshold and supra-threshold acceleration levels, we used two stimulus intensities, acceleration steps of 0.5°/s(2) and velocity steps of 90°/s (acceleration 180°/s(2)). We hypothesised that the vestibular lesion or the compensatory processes could dissociate VO and VP function, particularly if the acute vertiginous sensation interferes with the perceptual tasks. Both in acute and recovery phases, VO and VP thresholds increased, particularly during ipsilesional rotations. In signal detection theory this indicates that signals from the healthy and affected side are still fused, but result in asymmetric thresholds due to a lesion-induced bias. The normal pattern whereby VP thresholds are higher than VO thresholds was preserved, indicating that any 'perceptual noise' added by the vertigo does not disrupt the cognitive decision-making processes inherent to the perceptual task. Overall, the parallel findings in VO and VP thresholds imply little or no additional cortical processing and suggest that vestibular thresholds essentially reflect the sensitivity of the fused peripheral receptors. In contrast, a significant VO-VP dissociation for supra-threshold stimuli was found. Acutely, time constants and duration of the VO and VP responses were reduced - asymmetrically for VO, as expected, but surprisingly symmetrical for perception. At recovery, VP responses normalised but VO responses remained shortened and asymmetric. Thus, unlike threshold data, supra-threshold responses show considerable VO-VP dissociation indicative of additional, higher-order processing of vestibular signals. We provide evidence of perceptual processes (ultimately cortical) participating in vestibular compensation, suppressing asymmetry acutely in unilateral vestibular lesions

Topological crossovers near a quantum critical point

We study the temperature evolution of the single-particle spectrum $\epsilon(p)$ and quasiparticle momentum distribution $n(p)$ of homogeneous strongly correlated Fermi systems beyond a point where the necessary condition for stability of the Landau state is violated, and the Fermi surface becomes multi-connected by virtue of a topological crossover. Attention is focused on the different non-Fermi-liquid temperature regimes experienced by a phase exhibiting a single additional hole pocket compared with the conventional Landau state. A critical experiment is proposed to elucidate the origin of NFL behavior in dense films of liquid $^3$He.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Recent FRC translation experiments on FRX-C/T

Since the last CT Symposium, several accomplishments have been realized from the FRC translation studies on the FRX-C/T device: (1) FRCs have been launched into, and trapped in, a dc magnetic guide field region without the use of any pulsed ''gate'' coils; (2) detailed studies of translation dynamics have been performed which are consistent with energy conservation, adiabatic compression theory, and 2-D MHD simulations; (3) the confinement properties of translated FRC has been evaluated; (4) translation through either puff or static deuterium gas fill has been demonstrated; (5) higher density (n less than or equal to 4 x 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -3/) FRCs have been translated over 10-m lengths; (6) the n = 2 rotational instability has been stabilized by FRC translation into a weak helical quadrupole field

Longer postpartum hospitalization options – who stays, who leaves, what changes?

BACKGROUND: This paper examines the practice implications of a policy initiative, namely, offering women in Ontario Canada up to a 60-hour postpartum in-hospital stay following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. This change was initiated out of concern for the effects of 'early' discharge on the health of mothers and their infants. We examined who was offered and who accepted extended stays, to determine what factors were associated with the offer and acceptance of this option, and the impact that these decisions had on post-discharge health status and service utilization of mothers and infants. METHODS: The data reported here came from two related studies of health outcomes and service utilization of mothers and infants. Data were collected from newly delivered mothers who had uncomplicated vaginal deliveries. Questionnaires prior to discharge and structured telephone interviews at 4-weeks post discharge were used to collect data before and after policy implementation. Qualitative data were collected using focus groups with hospital and community-based health care managers and providers at each site. For both studies, samples were drawn from the same five purposefully selected hospitals. Further analysis compared postpartum health outcomes and post discharge service utilization of women and infants before and after the practice change. RESULTS: Average length of stay (LOS) increased marginally. There was a significant reduction in stays of <24 hours. The offer of up to a 60-hour LOS was dependent upon the hospital site, having a family physician, and maternal ethnicity. Acceptance of a 60-hour LOS was more likely if the baby had a post-delivery medical problem, it was the woman's first live birth, the mother identified two or more unmet learning needs in hospital, or the mother was unsure about her own readiness for discharge. Mother and infant health status in the first 4 weeks after discharge were unchanged following introduction of the extended stay option. Infant service use also was unchanged but rate of maternal readmission to hospital increased and mothers' use of community physicians and emergency rooms decreased. CONCLUSION: This research demonstrates that this policy change was selectively implemented depending upon both institutional and maternal factors. LOS marginally increased overall with a significant decrease in <24-hour stays. Neither health outcomes nor service utilization changed for infants. Women's health outcomes remained unchanged but service utilization patterns changed

Organization Culture as an Explanation for Employee Discipline Practices

Most supervisors dread employee discipline and often employ strategies not officially sanctioned by the organization. Poorly designed discipline systems cause this variation in discipline practices. Inconsistent discipline can cause losses in productivity and reduce employee morale. Extant literature offers little in the form of guidance for improving this important human resource activity. This article explore where normative literature on organizational culture may have explanatory value for understanding variation in discipline practices. The article suggests two groups of factors that have causal effects on discipline practices. The tangible factors are those describing the formal practices the organization wishes its employees to follow. The intangible factors provide cues for explaining why informal strategies emerge as successful practices for getting things done. Using this conception of organization culture, the article proposes hypotheses for future testing to validate the suspected influence of culture on decisions regarding employee discipline.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Dysconnectivity of the medio-dorsal thalamic nucleus in drug-naïve first episode schizophrenia: diagnosis-specific or trans-diagnostic effect?

Converging lines of evidence implicate the thalamocortical network in schizophrenia. In particular, the onset of the illness is associated with aberrant functional integration between the medio-dorsal thalamic nucleus (MDN) and widespread prefrontal, temporal and parietal cortical regions. Because the thalamus is also implicated in other psychiatric illnesses including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), the diagnostic specificity of these alterations is unclear. Here, we determined whether aberrant functional integration between the MDN and the cortex is a specific feature of schizophrenia or a trans-diagnostic feature of psychiatric illness. Effective connectivity (EC) between the MDN and rest of the cortex was measured by applying psychophysiological interaction analysis to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 50 patients with first episode schizophrenia (FES), 50 patients with MDD, 50 patients with PTSD and 122 healthy controls. All participants were medication-naïve. The only significant schizophrenia-specific effect was increased EC between the right MDN and the right pallidum (p < 0.05 corrected). In contrast, there were a number of significant trans-diagnostic alterations, with both right and left MDN displaying trans-diagnostic increased EC with several prefrontal and parietal regions bilaterally (p < 0.05 corrected). EC alterations between the MDN and the cortex are not specific to schizophrenia but are a trans-diagnostic feature of psychiatric disorders, consistent with emerging conceptualizations of mental illness based on a single general psychopathology factor. Therefore, dysconnectivity of the MDN could potentially be used to assess the presence of general psychopathology above and beyond traditional diagnostic boundaries