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The Latin ablative absolute construction is usually considered a unitary phenomenon with regard to its external syntax, being a clausal participial adjunct, mostly appearing in the left–peripheral area of their hosts. A closer analysis carried out in the framework of the Minimalist Program of Chomsky (1993, 1995), with theoretical proposals put forward in Chomsky (2013, 2015b, 2020b, 2021) and related work as the specific background, allows accounting for their properties as a result of Set‐Merge and interaction of independently motivated properties of syntactic operations. The behaviour of ablative absolute with regard to accessibility to operations targeting them from outside and their labeling properties follow from specific featural specification of their constituents. It is also argued that accounting for syntactic properties of different kinds of the ablative absolute construction does not require positing any language–particular or construction–specific rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate treatment at the Kpémé plant uses hydrocycloning with seawater, which produces phosphate sludge wastes discharged into the sea without any prior treatment. This waste is highly enriched in trace elements and is the source of water and coastal sediment pollution. The objective of this study is to highlight the pollutant load of the different phases of phosphate mud mining waste and their possible impact on the marine environment of the Togolese coast and certain neighboring countries, depending on their density. The methodology consists of a classification using a mini hydrocyclone Galaxi–Tower and a geochemical characterization of the phases of these sludgy mining wastes. A study of the bulk density of the phases obtained shows that the apatite-rich phase is denser than the clay-rich phase. Clay-rich phases will be transported over longer distances than apatite-rich phases, in accordance with the sea environment conditions prevailing on the coast. The clay-rich phase has a higher degree of acidity and redox potential than the apatite-rich phase. These phosphate sludgy wastes and the various phases are enriched in Cr, Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, Ni and Hg compared with the earth's crust. On the other hand, the light phase is more enriched in trace elements than the apatite-rich phase. The light phase has a higher apparent partition coefficient for all elements than the apatite-rich phase, except for Cd and Zn. In the dissolved solutions of clay-rich phases, Fe, Zn and Hg contents are higher than in apatite-rich phases. In contrast, Al, Cr, Cd, Cu and Ni contents are higher in apatite-rich phases than in clay-rich phases. Article Highlights: Separation of phosphate sludge waste phases according to density in seawater using a mini hydrocyclone Galaxi-Tower Assessment of trace element load of the particles constituting this sludgy phosphate waste and each separated phase Demonstration of trace element level in dissolved solution of phases during their possible transit in marine environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction sector in emerging nations like Pakistan faces challenges due to the limited use of advanced technology. Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers key benefits, including cost savings, reduced rework, and early detection of design faults. BIM also manages large amounts of data by integrating information from various phases of the project life-cycle. This study examines BIM’s impact on planning, design, and construction phases through a survey of 40 field experts, ranked using the Likert scale. Results show that BIM enhances collaboration, supports better design pathways, and assists project managers during planning. In design, it improves information sharing, efficiency, and scheduling. Dur-ing construction, BIM facilitates seamless information flow, visualized model execution, and effective risk management. The findings highlight BIM’s potential to address lifecycle chal-lenges and improve overall project outcomes.

Abstract Phosphate treatment at the Kpémé plant uses hydrocycloning with seawater, which produces phosphate sludge wastes discharged into the sea without any prior treatment. This waste is highly enriched in trace elements and is the source of water and coastal sediment pollution. The objective of this study is to highlight the pollutant load of the different phases of phosphate mud mining waste and their possible impact on the marine environment of the Togolese coast and certain neighboring countries, depending on their density. The methodology consists of a classification using a mini hydrocyclone Galaxi–Tower and a geochemical characterization of the phases of these sludgy mining wastes. A study of the bulk density of the phases obtained shows that the apatite-rich phase is denser than the clay-rich phase. Clay-rich phases will be transported over longer distances than apatite-rich phases, in accordance with the sea environment conditions prevailing on the coast. The clay-rich phase has a higher degree of acidity and redox potential than the apatite-rich phase. These phosphate sludgy wastes and the various phases are enriched in Cr, Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, Ni and Hg compared with the earth’s crust. On the other hand, the light phase is more enriched in trace elements than the apatite-rich phase. The light phase has a higher apparent partition coefficient for all elements than the apatite-rich phase, except for Cd and Zn. In the dissolved solutions of clay-rich phases, Fe, Zn and Hg contents are higher than in apatite-rich phases. In contrast, Al, Cr, Cd, Cu and Ni contents are higher in apatite-rich phases than in clay-rich phases.

This paper is a commentary regarding the journey of change in Singapore's teacher education, in particular at the National Institute of Education (NIE). Change in Singapore's teacher education follows closely the phases of school accountability in the education system. Although initial teacher education is centralised at the NIE, further teacher education and professional development are increasingly decentralised in the system. Despite the need to adapt very quickly to the needs of the profession, teacher education is built in a balanced and steady manner, so that there is both change and continuity over the years. The commentary also suggests three areas to consider regarding what lies ahead for teacher education in Singapore and NIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing water surface waves is a promising approach for enhancing wave power in clean energy harvesting. This study presents a novel method that simplifies the wave-scattering problems of large-scale three-dimensional (3D) focusing blocks by decomposing them into scattering problems of two-dimensional (2D) phase regulators. The phase lags of transmitted waves over such 2D structures of various heights and thicknesses are investigated using both linear potential flow theory and numerical simulations based on smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Due to propagation path differences of a converging wave, our approach compensates for circular phase differences within a maximal collection angle by optimizing the geometries of 2D phase regulators. Based on this concept, we designed three types of submerged structures and tested them in a 3D numerical water tank. All three structures successfully converted monochromatic plane waves into circular waves, which then converged at the designated focal point. This study offers a potential method to enhance the collection efficiency of monochromatic and regular waves for wave energy converters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the feedback stability analysis of infinite-dimensional discrete-time linear time-varying systems with combined gain and phase information. The framework considers a system to be a causal linear operator described by a lower triangular infinite-dimensional complex matrix. For |$r$| -sectorial operators, we first derive a sufficient condition for the invertibility of |$I+AB$| using the gain and phase information. Finally, we use this invertibility criterion to give a sufficient condition for feedback stability of |$r$| -sectorial systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser surface alloying is a method used to modify a metal surface to produce a thin surface layer with improved mechanical properties. The results of tests on surface carburizing and boriding of steel 20 using a laser beam are presented. Before laser irradiation, the surface of the material was coated. Two types of coating were used: suspensions of graphite powder and boron carbide. Steel 20 was carburized and borided by melting the coating and the substrate. This processing produced various microstructures in the surface layer, depending on the type of coating used and the processing parameters. The microhardness of the alloyed layers was measured along the depth axis. The surface layer consists of an alloying zone and a heat-affected zone. Some specimens carburized by surface alloying displayed cracking and porosity due to carbon enrichment and high solidification rates. The laser-borated surface has a remelting zone consisting of an eutectic mixture of iron borides FeB, Fe2B, and Fe3B. The dense boride zone located near the surface, while the content of the eutectic mixture of borides and martensite increased toward the base metal. The microhardness of the borated layer was 1200 HV. The alloy layers were tested for abrasive wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global trend of ore quality degradation, which is occurring in parallel with increased production volumes of primary metals, has led to the necessity of comprehensive processing of raw materials. This involves the concentration and recycling of metallurgical technogenic wastes, which were previously considered unprofitable. In particular, this means the introduction of dump tailings and sludges from holding ponds to concentration, as well as the feeding of matured concentrates, dump, and recycled slags, and in-house low-grade reverts to metallurgical processing. The feed and the product of its concentration demonstrate an increased content of the refractory spinel phase, which has a variable composition. A share of the technogenic feed in charge of head smelting units exceeds 20%. The majority of main smelting units employ autogenous processes, such as flash smelting, liquid bath smelting, and oxygen-flash smelting. The processing of technogenic low-heat feed in autogenous smelting units results in thermal imbalance, loss of melt homogeneity, and, consequently, disrupts the discharge of smelting products, potentially leading to complete shutdown of the unit. Such behavior is typical for both types of autogenous units operated in the Nornickel Polar Division, namely the Vanukov furnace and the flash smelting furnace. The issue of melt heterogeneity and the formation of refractory accretion at problem areas of the flash smelting furnace is widely known and sufficiently investigated in foreign literature as well as by the authors of this paper. However, further investigation is required for the Vanukov furnace, with a particular focus on the formation mechanism of the intermediate layer phase in the melt. This investigation should aim to develop effective mitigation strategies to address the adverse impact of this phase formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influence of thermomechanical treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a new metastable β-titanium Ti-23.6Nb-5.1Mo-6.7Zr alloy was assessed. The objective was to determine if the alloy is a potential candidate for a future fabrication of orthopedic implants, in particular prosthetic hip stems with a functional gradient of mechanical properties. Two thermomechanical processing routes were investigated: (a) 90% cold-rolled, (b) 90% cold-rolled, followed by annealing at 950 °C for 1 h. After these initial processing steps, samples were aged between 300 °C and 500 °C from 0.5 h to 4 h. Microstructural characterization was conducted by optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Young's modulus and microhardness were measured. Young's modulus of the sample annealed after cold rolling is lower than that after the cold rolled one. Aging was effective at increasing hardness but also increasing Young's modulus. The hardening during aging resulted from fine ωiso and α precipitation. The transmission electron microscopy investigations indicated that an aging treatment at 500 °C leads to a fine (α + β) microstructure, avoiding brittle ωiso precipitation. For these reasons, this alloy is a potential candidate for the manufacture of a hybrid hip prosthetic stem by employing localized aging treatment at 500 °C in the neck region, creating a functional strength gradient and maintaining a low Young's modulus in the distal part, which is needed to mitigate the stress shielding of the bone.

Background: Clinical staging, already widespread in medicine, represents a new frontier in psychiatry. Our goal was to convert the existing theoretical staging model for schizophrenia into a feasible tool to have a timely assessment of patients' health status applicable in any psychiatric facility. Methods: We assessed the empirical soundness of a staging model for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), primarily centered on their current status. This model delineated six sequential stages (1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and 4) based on factors like symptom recurrence, persistence, and progression, including functional decline. Our analysis involved data from 137 individuals affected by SSDs. We examined 22 baseline variables, 23 construct-related variables, and 31 potentially modifiable clinical variables. Results: The latter stages demonstrated significantly poorer outcomes compared to the early stages across various measures, indicating medium to large effect sizes and a dose-response pattern. This pattern confirmed the validity of the model. Notably, stages 2 and 3A exhibited pronounced differences in comparison to other stages, although variables from each validation category also distinguished between consecutive stages, particularly 3A and beyond. Conclusion: Baseline predictors, such as familial predisposition to schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental impairment, childhood adversities, treatment delay, negative symptoms, neurological impairment, and inadequate early response to treatment, independently largely explained the staging variance. The clinical staging model, grounded in the extended course of psychosis, exhibited sound validity and feasibility, even without the use of biological or neuroimaging markers, which could greatly improve the sensitivity of the model. These findings provide insights into stage indicators and predictors of clinical stages from the onset of psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the structure of the legal liability concept, genesis of the relevant institute of law. It can be traced from various sources, for example: from legal systems, moral principles, etc. Legal systems are the basis of any properly organized societies, a set of interdependent and coordinated legal means and social relations. There are: the national legal system of Ukraine, the supranational legal system of the European Union, and the religious systems. Moral principles are the basic foundation of the idea of general human behavior, on which the principal, most important moral norms are based, and the spirit of the law and its letter are derived from these norms. Liability in law is defined as the application of state coercive measures to the guilty person for the committed offense. It is considered obligatory to have negative consequences for the offender. However, according to this definition, the process of restoration of the violated right is not provided, which is crucial. Liability must cause legal damage, burden the offender as a means of education and is by no means limited to the forced fulfillment of a single obligation that he or she did not voluntarily fulfill for some reason. The author also surveys the term «constitution» in different periods of its use. Its historical origins, in particular, in the Ancient World are exemined. Also, among other things, the author considers the question of the origins (sources) of not only legal but also other types of social liability. The considered documents are: Athenian Politics, Corpus Juris Civilis, constitutional acts of Great Britain, Apostolic (Papal) Constitutions, etc. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: The sources of both legal and other types of social liability are weighed. The author offers his own comprehension of the public-private approach to the constitutional liability institute and a periodization of the constitutional tort (delict) understanding in Ukraine. It is emphasized that the Ukrainian doctrine, its approaches and vision differ from the approaches used in the USSR or currently used in the Republic of Poland or other EU Member States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the design, phase identification, and microstructural properties of high-entropy alloy (HEA)-reinforced aluminium (Al) matrix composites. Thermophysical expressions for HEAs were employed during the design phase of the HEA; both theoretical frameworks and experimental analyses were used to anticipate stable phases while a field-assisted sintering technique was employed to consolidate the samples. Calculation of phase diagram (CALPHAD) predictions for the phases present in the HEA align with valence electron concentration (VEC) calculations as both predicted the presence of BCC and FCC phases. The microhardness results reveal a substantial increase in the hardness value of the composites as compared to the pure Al, such that as low as 5 wt% HEA addition resulted in over a 100% improvement, while the densification of the composites was found to decrease with an increase in the wt% of HEA. SEM micrographs and XRD analyses show fair dispersion, bonding, and phase integration in the HEA-reinforced composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct laser melting of plasma sprayed bond coat has the possibility of improving the surface topography and can be done with Yb:YAG laser. In the current paper, laser melting of plasma sprayed coatings of 50 wt. % standard Amdry 963 (Ni24.5Cr6Al0.4Y) and 50 wt. % standard Amdry 9621 (Ni22Cr10AlY) was carried out by using 600 W continuous wave Yb:YAG laser. Notably, the obtained melted tracks were investigated from the upper surface plan view and transverse section. The topography, microstructure, phases, hardness, and compositions of the plasma sprayed coatings and laserremelted tracks were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), roughness, and microhardness. By controlling the dependent laser variables (power density and interaction time), a different effect can be obtained for the plasma sprayed bond coating (NiCrAlY). Typically, the results obtained show that at low specific energies, four different distinct zones were observed. These specific energies were not sufficient to produce a uniform melting. The MCrAlY coatings remelted with high specific energies were characterized by completely uniform melting and cellular/dendritic microstructures. The melted coatings have high roughness reduction (1.2 μm) and low hardness (275 HV0.5) in comparison with plasma-sprayed coatings (10.5 μm) and (315 HV0.5) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In many Romance varieties the inverted order between subject clitic and verb characterizes interrogation contexts and, in Rhaeto-Romance languages, V2 contexts. This phenomenon gives rise to paradigms whereby in interrogative and V2 contexts the verb is followed by the enclitic form of the SCl, possibly also in combination with the proclitic subject. The enclisis on the verbal form has been dealt with as the result of the movement of the verb, typically in cartographic approaches, whereby the enclitic subject has been seen as the inverted proclitic form. Nevertheless, enclitics usually show a partially different form. Other authors deal with enclitics as inflections, whereby North Italy and Rhaeto-Romance varieties have an inflectional paradigm specialized for modal contexts such as interrogative clauses. V2 varieties with inversion contribute to suggesting a clearer and more complete explanation of this phenomenon. In this article we will motivate the inflectional nature of enclitics based on their distribution and in the light of the hypothesis that it is the result of syntactic Merge. As for inversion, we will propose a hypothesis based on the phasal organization of the clause and the domains of subject-verb agreement.

In the process of studying the conceptual bases of managing the transparency of enterprise development in the context of convergence of investment processes, methods of analysis and synthesis, empirical methods, procedures of induction and deduction, graphical and logical method, method of financial and economic, cluster and statistical analysis are used. The methodological ground of the study is parametric and integral methods of evaluation, the results of which allow to improve the conceptual bases for managing the transparency of enterprise development in the context of convergence of investment processes. The article improves the conceptual bases for managing the transparency of enterprise development in the context of convergence of investment processes, which provide for an empirical study of the convergent features of the functioning of industrial enterprises and the identification of problems of transparency in the development of their individual divisions, allowing for making sound managerial decisions and creating conditions for the implementation of potential investment reserves, focusing on the formation of intellectual, informational, analytical and material resources, as well as on the interaction between the links of the organizational structure and the regulatory framework. This determines an increase in the interest of the administrative apparatus in ensuring continuous and stable development, as well as a strategic orientation, which necessitates an analysis of the impact of management and investment target programs on the level of transparency in the development of industrial enterprises, defining the role of the mechanism of radical changes in the development management system; establishing renovation requirements for strategically relevant parameters of change; creating the basis for the implementation of radical changes at the level of strategic management which requires a systematic reformatting of interaction with the external environment and the internal organization of processes, technologies, and structure.

Recent data have identified that certain risk factors for rupture differ between small and larger intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Such differing risk factors make up 5 out of the 6 predictor variables used in the PHASES score, which raises the question on whether IA size has a significant effect on the score's performance. Patients who were diagnosed with an IA incidentally or due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage between 2015 and 2023 were selected for potential inclusion. The median IA size of the cohort was chosen as the cutoff point to categorize small and large (6 mm). The PHASES score was calculated for all patients, and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the classification accuracy of PHASES in predicting rupture for small and large IAs. A total of 677 IAs were included. Among the IAs, 400 (58.9%) presented as UIAs and 279 (41.0%) as subarachnoid hemorrhage. The average PHASES score was 2.9 and 6.5 for small (n = 322) and large (n = 355) IAs, respectively. The PHASES score performed significantly lower for predicting rupture in smaller IAs (area under the curve: 0.634) compared with the larger (area under the curve: 0.741) (P = 0.00083). PHASES was shown to underperform on small IAs. The decision to treat small unruptured IAs remains highly controversial, and the development of a new score to estimate the annual rupture rate while accounting for IA morphology is of great need. Our findings can help encourage future researchers to develop such a score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is considered a construct of great heuristic value and has attracted the attention of numerous researchers and inspired influential theoretical models. The objective of the present study was to provide an upto-date, comparative and integrated description of the theoretical models of SRL used in current empirical research. For this purpose, we conducted a critical review of the scientific literature referring explicitly to any SRL model and we described, compared and integrated the processes and personal and situational dimensions considered in each model. The models have clearly evolved from focusing on cold self-regulation, conscious activity and individual functioning, to emphasising hot self-regulation and considering implicit activity and interindividual functioning. Among empirical research lines based on the most recent models, the following stand out: detailed analysis of SRL during its progress, the manifestation of SRL in diverse instructional formats and the role of affective/motivational self-regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PHASES (Population, Hypertension, Age, Size, Earlier subarachnoid hemorrhage, Site) score was developed to facilitate risk stratification for management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). This study aimed to identify the optimal PHASES score cutoff for predicting neurologic outcomes in patients with surgically treated aneurysms. All patients who underwent microneurosurgical treatment for UIA at a large quaternary center from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria included a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of ≤2 at admission. The primary outcome was 1-year mRS score, with a "poor" neurologic outcome defined as an mRS score >2. In total, 375 patients were included in the analysis. The mean (SD) PHASES score for the entire study population was 4.47 (2.67). Of 375 patients, 116 (31%) had a PHASES score ≥6, which was found to maximize prediction of poor neurologic outcome. Patients with PHASES scores ≥6 had significantly higher rates of poor neurologic outcome than patients with PHASES scores <6 at discharge (58 [50%] vs. 90 [35%], P = 0.005) and follow-up (20 [17%] vs. 18 [6.9%], P = 0.002). After adjusting for age, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, nonsaccular aneurysm, and aneurysm size, PHASES score ≥6 remained a significant predictor of poor neurologic outcome at follow-up (odds ratio, 2.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.42–5.36, P = 0.003). In this retrospective analysis, a PHASES score ≥6 was associated with significantly greater proportions of poor outcome, suggesting that awareness of this threshold in PHASES scoring could be useful in risk stratification and UIA management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment decisions for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) pose a challenge for neurosurgeons, prompting the development of clinical scales assessing hemorrhage risk to provide management guidance. This study compares recommendations from the PHASES and UIA treatment scores (UIATS) applied to anterior communicating artery (AComA) UIAs against real-world management. Methods: While UIATS recommends management, for PHASES, an aneurysm with score of 10 or more was considered "high-risk". Analysis involved assessing the concordance in each group alongside comparison to real-word management. Results: Among 129 patients, 46.5% were observed and 53.5% were treated. PHASES scores were significantly higher in the treatment group (p = 0.00002), and UIATS recommendations correlated with real-world decisions (p < 0.001). We observed no difference in the frequencies of UIATS recommendations between high- and low-risk groups. When comparing the UIATS and PHASES, 33% of high-risk aneurysms received a UIATS conservative management recommendation. In 39% of high-risk aneurysms, the UIATS recommendation was not definitive. Conversely, 27% of low-risk aneurysms obtained a UIATS UIA repair recommendation. Overall, concordance between PHASES and UIATS was 32%. Conclusions: Significant discordance in therapeutic suggestions underscores the predominant influence of center experience and individual assessments. Future studies should refine and validate decision-making strategies, potentially exploring alternative applications or developing tailored scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By examining local subject A'-movement, the paper argues for a split IP and a contextual approach to the EPP where its locus is not a fixed, unique position, but varies depending on the syntactic context. The landing site of subject wh-movement (wholeft) is argued to be lower than non-subject wh-movement (whodid he leave) but higher than regular subjects (Amyleft). Quirky subjects are argued to be lower than agreeing subjects, with a generalization proposed regarding their availability. The overall account is extended to many cases, including V-2 in Germanic, subject-restricted relativizations, only-subjects, Defaka focus-movement, Hong Kong Sign Language wh-movement, imperative and CP subjects, locative inversion, Singlish non-agreeing subjects, Japanese and Chinese subjects. Regarding the EPP, the paper argues for a contextual approach where, on a par with a contextual approach to phases, there is an EPP domain, with the highest projection in the EPP domain being the locus of the EPP (on a par with the highest projection in a phasal domain being a phase). This conception of the EPP is put into a broader perspective regarding a more general move toward contextuality in syntax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundClinical staging, already widespread in medicine, represents a new frontier in psychiatry. Our goal was to convert the existing theoretical staging model for schizophrenia into a feasible tool to have a timely assessment of patients’ health status applicable in any psychiatric facility.MethodsWe assessed the empirical soundness of a staging model for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), primarily centered on their current status. This model delineated six sequential stages (1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and 4) based on factors like symptom recurrence, persistence, and progression, including functional decline. Our analysis involved data from 137 individuals affected by SSDs. We examined 22 baseline variables, 23 construct-related variables, and 31 potentially modifiable clinical variables.ResultsThe latter stages demonstrated significantly poorer outcomes compared to the early stages across various measures, indicating medium to large effect sizes and a dose–response pattern. This pattern confirmed the validity of the model. Notably, stages 2 and 3A exhibited pronounced differences in comparison to other stages, although variables from each validation category also distinguished between consecutive stages, particularly 3A and beyond.ConclusionBaseline predictors, such as familial predisposition to schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental impairment, childhood adversities, treatment delay, negative symptoms, neurological impairment, and inadequate early response to treatment, independently largely explained the staging variance. The clinical staging model, grounded in the extended course of psychosis, exhibited sound validity and feasibility, even without the use of biological or neuroimaging markers, which could greatly improve the sensitivity of the model. These findings provide insights into stage indicators and predictors of clinical stages from the onset of psychosis.

In the concerned review article, the synthesis, characterization, photocatalytic, and antimicrobial applications of Bi2O3 are discussed thoroughly. The synthesis of Bi2O3 in its various phases is itself a challenging process. As a result, we have studied qualitative improvements to variables like pH, synthesis and calcined temperatures, oxidizing and reducing chemical reagents, capping reagents, solvents, etc. that influence the phases and morphology of Bi2O3. Comprehensive discussions were made on the physical, optical, topological, thermal, and magnetic characteristics of the materials. Despite extensive prior research into the chemical properties, we have focused on the physical properties and their mechanisms from the perspective of commercialization. In addition, Bi2O3 is also examined for its photocatalytic activity and its potential to be used in antibacterial applications.

Focusing water surface waves is a promising approach for enhancing wave power in clean energy harvesting. This study presents a novel method that simplifies the wave-scattering problems of large-scale three-dimensional (3D) focusing blocks by decomposing them into scattering problems of two-dimensional (2D) phase regulators. The phase lags of transmitted waves over such 2D structures of various heights and thicknesses are investigated using both linear potential flow theory and numerical simulations based on smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Due to propagation path differences of a converging wave, our approach compensates for circular phase differences within a maximal collection angle by optimizing the geometries of 2D phase regulators. Based on this concept, we designed three types of submerged structures and tested them in a 3D numerical water tank. All three structures successfully converted monochromatic plane waves into circular waves, which then converged at the designated focal point. This study offers a potential method to enhance the collection efficiency of monochromatic and regular waves for wave energy converters.

This empirical study links emotional burnout with self-attitude. The contemporary pedagogical environment subjects school teachers to emotional burnout and professional deformation. On the one hand, the state and society have extremely high professional requirements for teachers, who strive to improve their psychological, pedagogical, didactic, methodological, and digital competencies. On the other hand, the social and financial insecurity forces school teachers to increase their workload at the expense of their physical and psycho-emotional recovery. The authors hypothesized that a particular self-attitude can trigger the burnout syndrome in teachers. They relied on the subject-activity approach to the emotional burnout syndrome to survey 237 secondary school teachers (169 women, 68 men; 32–40 y.o.). Their self-attitudes were identified by the personal differential method, W. Stephenson’s Self-Image Test, and V. V. Stolin and S. R. Panteleev’s Self-Attitude Test. The level of emotional burnout was measured using V. V. Boyko’s Diagnostics of Emotional Burnout. An expert assessment served as an additional method to identify the performance indicators. The empirical research revealed that the teachers with an adequately positive self-attitude demonstrated fewer symptoms of emotional burnout, which stayed at an initial stage. They managed to maintain high standards of working capacity and professional motivation, as well as effective vertical and horizontal social communication. The teachers with a less positive self-attitude experienced severe symptoms of burnout and professional deformation, which affected their professional activities. They were confrontational and complained about low motivation, poor performance, procrastination, etc. The data obtained may help to improve psychological support programs and psychological counseling in schools.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is considered a construct of great heuristic value and has attracted the attention of numerous researchers and inspired influential theoretical models. The objective of the present study was to provide an up-to-date, comparative and integrated description of the theoretical models of SRL used in current empirical research. For this purpose, we conducted a critical review of the scientific literature referring explicitly to any SRL model and we described, compared and integrated the processes and personal and situational dimensions considered in each model. The models have clearly evolved from focusing on cold self-regulation, conscious activity and individual functioning, to emphasising hot self-regulation and considering implicit activity and interindividual functioning. Among empirical research lines based on the most recent models, the following stand out: detailed analysis of SRL during its progress, the manifestation of SRL in diverse instructional formats and the role of affective/motivational self-regulation.

Handball is a team sport that involves fourteen players who are attempting to score more goals than their opponent within two thirty-minute halves. A biomechanical analysis based on measuring the kinematics of jump throws could provide us with information on the ball's velocity, the maximal internal rotation of the trunk, and the trunk's flexion, as well as the angular velocity of the ball during shoulder rotation. The main aim of this study was to determine the wrist velocity during jump throws and standing throws without a run-up. The trunk, arm rotation, and wrist velocity will influence the speed of the ball during throwing. This case study included a senior-grade male handball player aged 18.75 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 25.5. The biomechanical evaluation was carried out using a three-dimensional Vicon system. The biomechanical analysis consisted of an evaluation of angular trunk velocity, angular arm rotation velocity, and wrist velocity during two types of throwing: jump throws and standing throws without a run-up. The data were recorded for standing throws without a run-up (S1) and jump throws (S2). For each situation, we measured two phases due to the great variation in the kinematic parameters. Phase 1 (F1) occurred when the elbow angle was 90°, up to the moment when the wrist had an inflection of its trajectory, and Phase 2 (F2) finished when the wrist's velocity reached its maximum. The results regarding the angular velocity of the trunk torsion showed a high value of this parameter during Phase F2 compared to Phase F1 for both types of throws (S1 and S2). The angular velocity of the arm rotation achieved its maximum value in F2 during S2, and the wrist velocity was highest during Phases F2 and S2. The correlation analysis demonstrated that there was a good correlation between the angular velocity of the trunk torsion and the angular velocity of the arm rotation for S1 in Phase F1; however, in Phase F2, we found a good correlation between the angular velocity of the trunk torsion and wrist velocity. For S2, we found that in Phase F1, there was a good correlation between the angular velocity of the trunk torsion and wrist velocity; however, for Phase F2, there was a good correlation between the angular velocity of the arm's rotation and wrist velocity. Therefore, the results from this case study indicate that the wrist velocity is influenced by the other two kinematic parameters, especially the angular velocity of the arm's rotation. This means that the development of explosive force in the muscles of the trunk and arm could improve the wrist's velocity and also increase the optimization of throwing in handball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit remarkable properties that are strongly influenced by their atomic structures, as well as by various types of defects and interfaces that can be precisely engineered and controlled. These features make 2D TMDs and TMD‐based materials highly promising for a wide range of applications in electronics, optoelectronics, magnetism, spintronics, catalysis, energy, etc. By providing a comprehensive approach to understand the structure–property–functionality relationship in materials at the atomic scale, electron microscopy, and spectroscopy techniques have emerged as invaluable tools for studying both the static characteristics and dynamic evolutions of 2D TMDs. In this review, the primary focus lies in exploring intrinsic and artificial structures in TMDs and their heterostructures, along with their corresponding properties, through cutting‐edge aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Additionally, recent advancements in the field of in situ visualization and manipulation of 2D TMDs using electron beams are highlighted. It is anticipated that the up‐to‐date overview provided, along with a glimpse into the future development of STEM‐based techniques, will make a substantial contribution to advancing research on 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effect of cooling rate on the solidification of hypereutectic Al–Ce alloys, where varying cooling rates were obtained using a step casting mold. The thinner section sizes led to higher cooling rates, leading to a decrease in grain size. The microstructure, density, hardness, and phase composition of the alloy samples were observed and analyzed. The results showed that a high cooling rate led to a reduction in the size of the intermetallic particles while improving the hardness of the alloy. The phase identification showed that the phases consisted of eutectic Al, eutectic Al11Ce3, and primary Al11Ce3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Agricultural wastes and their valorization are at the heart of the EU policies related to the circular bioeconomy. Conversion of those wastes to products could be made through composting followed by vermicomposting. As the effectiveness mostly depends on the microorganisms involved, we aimed to identify the prokaryotic microbiome associated with four composting phases and one vermicomposting phase of wheat straw and cow manure composting. We used 16S rDNA PCR amplicon evaluation with the Illumina metagenomic technique generating a total of 653,057 sequences reads from the samples. Temperature had major role in the composting bacteriome changes influencing positively species abundance, Shannon and Simpson indices, and negatively Ace and Chao1. A reduction of C:N ratio from 25.94 to 14.24 and of pH and EC from 8.63 to 7.8 and from 2.26 mS.cm-1 to 1.7 mS.cm-1, respectively, were observed. Phylum Firmicutes (62%) and Actinobacteria (14%) prevailed in the source material (SM), while Proteobacteria (51%) and Bacteroidetes (8%) dominated in the first mesophilic phase (MP). Similarly to the SM, the thermophilic prokaryotes (TP) were represented by Firmicutes (54%) and Actinobacteria (9%), but also by Proteobacteria (6%). Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed a significant weight of the total variation of bacterial taxa (PC1-68.16% and PC2-23.46%. Thus PCoA grouped together SM and TP, by one site, and both mesophilic phases and the vermicompost (COMP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we first define the phases of a sectorial operator based on the numerical range. We are interested in the estimation of the spectrum phases of AB based on the phases of two sectorial operators A and B. Motivated by the classical small gain theorem, we formulate an operator small phase theorem with necessity for the invertibility of I + A B , which plays a crucial role in feedback stability analysis. Afterwards, we consider the special class of sectorial operators of the form P + K , where P is strictly positive and K is compact. More properties of the phases for those operators are studied, including those of compressions, Schur complements, operator means and products. Finally, for the special class of sectorial operators, we further establish a majorization relation between the phases of the spectrum of AB and the phases of two operators A and B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pivotal role of metal implants within the host's body following reconstructive surgery hinges primarily on the initial phase of the process: the adhesion of host cells to the implant's surface and the subsequent colonization by these cells. Notably, titanium alloys represent a significant class of materials used for crafting metal implants. This study, however, marks the first investigation into how the phase composition of titanium alloys, encompassing the volume fractions of the α, β, and ω phases, influences cell adhesion to the implant's surface. Moreover, the research delves into the examination of induced hemolysis and cytotoxicity. To manipulate the phase composition of titanium alloys, various parameters were altered, including the chemical composition of titanium alloys with iron and niobium, annealing temperature, and high-pressure torsion parameters. By systematically adjusting these experimental parameters, we were able to discern the distinct impact of phase composition. As a result, the study unveiled that the colonization of the surfaces of the examined Ti–Nb and Ti–Fe alloys by human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells exhibits an upward trend with the increasing proportion of the ω phase, concurrently accompanied by a decrease in the α and β phases. These findings signify a new avenue for advancing Ti-based alloys for both permanent implants and temporary fixtures, capitalizing on the ability to regulate the volume fractions of the α, β, and ω phases. Furthermore, the promising characteristics of the ω phase suggest the potential emergence of a third generation of biocompatible Ti alloys, the ω-based materials, following the first-generation α-Ti alloys and second-generation β alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern magnesium-based alloys are broadly used in various industries as well as for biodegradable medical implants due to their exceptional combination of light weight, strength, and plasticity. The studied ZEK100 alloy had a nominal composition of 1 wt.% zinc, 0.1 wt.% zirconium, and 0.1 wt.% rare earth metals (REMs) such as Y, Ce, Nd, and La, with the remainder being Mg. It has been observed that between the solidus (Ts = 529.5 ± 0.5 °C) and liquidus temperature (Tl = 645 ± 5 °C), the Mg/Mg grain boundaries can contain either the droplets of a melt (incomplete or partial wetting) or the continuous liquid layers separating the abutting Mg grains (complete wetting). With the temperature increasing from Ts to Tl, the transformation proceeds from incomplete to complete grain boundary wetting. Below 565 °C, all grain boundaries are partially wetted by the melt. Above 565 °C, the completely wetted Mg/Mg grain boundaries appear. Their portion grows quickly with an increasing temperature until reaching 100% at 622 °C. Above 622 °C, all the solid Mg grains are completely surrounded by the melt. After rapid solidification, the REM-rich melt forms brittle intermetallic compounds. The compression strength as well as the compression yield strength parameter σ02 strongly depend on the morphology of the grain boundary layers. If the hard and brittle intermetallic phase has the shape of separated particles (partial wetting), the overall compression strength is about 341 MPa and σ02 = 101 MPa. If the polycrystal contains the continous intergarnular layers of the brittle intermetallic phase (complete wetting), the overall compression strength drops to 247 Mpa and σ02 to 40 Mpa. We for the first time observed, therefore, that the grain boundary wetting phenomena can strongly influence the mechanical properties of a polycrystal. Therefore, grain boundary wetting can be used for tailoring the behavior of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]