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Ambient-Pressure Solvothermal Synthesis of Highly Mn-Doped Titania and Its Behavior as an Anode in Lithium-Ion Batteries
No full textOver the past few decades, battery research has increasingly focused on titanium dioxide (TiO2) and manganese dioxide (MnO2), with TiO2 commonly used as an anode material and MnO2 as a cathode, due to their stability, abundance, and low cost. In this study, a novel TiO2-based material doped with high manganese (Mn) content was synthesized via a high-temperature solution-phase synthesis method using a single-source precursor for application in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The synthesis was conducted under controlled conditions, achieving high Mn n+ cation doping levels of up to 20-25 mol %, leading to previously unreported changes in the material's electrochemical performance. A temperature-dependent phase transformation from anatase to rutile was observed. Samples with 5 mol %, 20 mol %, and 50 mol % Mn n+-ion doping were prepared and investigated for their structural, morphological, and electrochemical characteristics. Characterization techniques included X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The doped materials exhibited properties distinct from those of pure TiO2 and pure MnO2, indicating effective Mn incorporation into the TiO2 lattice. This study highlights the potential of high-Mn-content TiO2-based materials as next-generation anode candidates for LIBs while also revealing the performance limitations associated with excessive Mn doping. The resulting insights into the chemistry of Ti-Mn mixed oxide anodes demonstrate the strong link between molecular precursor design and the resulting phase composition and structure. The latter is directly related to the electrochemical performance, offering a better understanding for future design and engineering of next-generation mixed oxide electrodes
Molecular insights into nucleocapsid assembly and transport in Marburg and Ebola viruses
No full textLive-cell imaging enables visualization of the spatiotemporal dynamics of signals in cells. Intracytoplasmic movement of nucleocapsids is crucial during the life cycle of enveloped viruses; however, the molecular mechanisms governing their assembly and transport are not fully understood. Using a Marburg virus (MARV) live-cell imaging system, we identified three nucleocapsid proteins-nucleoprotein (NP), VP35, and VP24-that are necessary and sufficient to form transport-competent nucleocapsid-like structures (NCLSs). These findings are consistent with observations in Ebola virus (EBOV). Interestingly, despite incompatibility among these proteins, VP30 interacts with nucleocapsid proteins from both MARV and EBOV, supporting viral transcription and replication in heterologous systems. Furthermore, we show that the conserved PPxPxY motif at the C-terminus of NP regulates NP-VP30 interactions in both homologous and heterologous contexts and is crucial for VP30 association with NCLSs. Because this motif is conserved across filoviruses, it represents a promising target for antiviral development. Our findings advance the understanding of nucleocapsid formation and offer new avenues for therapeutic intervention against MARV and EBOV.IMPORTANCEThis study provides crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms of nucleocapsid assembly and transport in filoviruses, specifically Marburg virus (MARV) and Ebola virus (EBOV). Using advanced live-cell imaging, we uncovered how the conserved PPxPxY motif in nucleoprotein (NP) mediates its interactions with VP30, thereby regulating nucleocapsid formation and viral replication. Notably, while VP30's role differs between MARV and EBOV, the underlying mechanism of NP-VP30 interaction via this motif appears conserved across filoviruses, making it a promising target for broad-spectrum antiviral strategies. These findings deepen our understanding of nucleocapsid protein compatibility and virus-host interactions, offering new avenues for therapeutic intervention against these deadly pathogens
Self-disclosures in online crisis counselling : Levelling asymmetries while maintaining client-focus
No full textWhile self-disclosures are often cautioned against in social work practice, research on crisis helplines has shown that self-disclosures can be connected to positive outcomes. Based on conversation analysis of 38 online chats, drawn from a larger corpus of crisis helpline interactions, the current paper unpacks the details of how trained volunteer counsellors use self-disclosures to support work with clients. The findings demonstrate how vague and general self-disclosures maintain a focus on the client and offer clients opportunities rather than requirements to learn. In online talk about suicide, self-disclosures are beneficial because they provide a way to display investment and understanding, which may be more difficult without verbal resources. On the other hand, self-disclosures often require clients to wait for counsellors to type in a time-sensitive situation. Showing this, the study contributes knowledge on interactional resources in online communication, in particular the work whereby counsellors and clients manage asymmetries connected to who knows, who can share, and who decides about courses of actions
From ideal vibrations to possible anomalies : Insights from tellurium lifetime measurements and modelling
No full textThe work presented in this thesis explores the structure of tellurium (Te) isotopes through precise measurements of nuclear lifetimes. Lifetime measurements offer a way of probing the inner structure of the atomic nucleus through its close connection to transition probabilities and collectivity. The Te isotopic chain acts as an ideal laboratory for studying collectivity in general and quadrupole vibrations in particular. However, previous measurements have left key gaps which hindered further understanding of nuclear collectivity and the evolution of structure both near the midshell region and towards the most neutron deficient Te nuclei. This work aims to fill those gaps by providing new lifetime data for both even-A (108Te, 118Te) and odd-A (117Te, 119Te) isotopes and interpret them using theoretical models. Two experiments were conducted at the JYFL accelerator laboratory in Jyväskylä, Finland. Excited states in Te isotopes were populated using fusion-evaporation reactions. The Recoil Distance Doppler Shift (RDDS) method was the primary tool used for lifetime measurements. In the case of the very neutron deficient 108Te, Recoil Decay Tagging (RDT) helped in isolating the gamma rays associated with its decay. Lifetimes of the 2+ → 0+ and 4+ → 2+ transitions were measured in 118Te with improved precision. With this reduced uncertainty in the B(E2) values of 118Te, together with new lifetime measurements in the odd-mass nuclei 117Te and 119Te presented in this work, the evolution of the structure in midshell region Te is starting to emerge. In 108Te, a new measurement of the 4+ → 2+ lifetime allowed for the calculation of the B4/2 ratio, an important indicator of collectivity. These results contribute towards resolving the unexplained B4/2 anomaly seen in several isotopes, among them 114Te. Finally, a newly developed Python package for IBM/IBFM calculations is presented, together with results from applications within the Te chain
Information om våld i nära relationer och tillgång till stöd för utlandsfödda kvinnor - En : intervjustudie med invandrade kvinnor som vistats i Sverige mindre än 10 år
No full textVåld i nära relationer betraktas som ett allvarligt samhällsproblem i Sverige. Kvinnor som invandrat från länder med mer inrotade patriarkala strukturer identifieras ofta som en särskilt sårbar grupp för partnervåld. Samtidigt saknas det studier som behandlar vilken information om våld i nära relationer som utlandsfödda ges i Sverige, om de inte redan blivit våldsutsatta och sökt stöd för detta. Vårt syfte är därför att undersöka utlandsfödda kvinnors kunskap om våld i nära relation. Vi fokuserar på vilken information som har nått dem vad gäller det svenska samhällets regler och lagar och om vilket stöd och vilka insatser som är tillgängliga för dem om de skulle utsättas. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med tio kvinnor som kommer från Eritrea, Iran och Syrien. Intervjutranskriptionerna har analyserats med hjälp av tematisk analys. Resultaten visar att den information som de hittills fått är otillräcklig och att kvinnorna ej vet vart de bör vända sig vid möjlig utsatthet. Flera svar avspeglar också hur de försöker hitta en balans mellan ursprungslandets och mottagarlandets delvis divergerande kulturella uppfattningar i frågan om våld i nära relationer. Studien visar att det finns ett behov av bättre anpassad information om våld i nära relationer till utlandsfödda kvinnor. Violence in intimate relationships is considered a serious social problem in Swedish society and immigrant women from countries with more ingrained patriarchal structures are generally regarded as especially vulnerable to such violence. No domestic study has investigated what information about violence in intimate relationships has been made available to immigrant women who have not been victims of violence. The purpose of this study is to explore what knowledge foreign-born women possess about violence in intimate relations, what kind of information they have received about Swedish laws and regulations and about what kinds of support are available to victims of such abuse. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with ten women originally from Eritrea, Iran and Syria. The results have been interpreted using thematical analysis. The results indicate that the information that has reached them so far is insufficient. Several interview responses mirror the respondents’ efforts to find a balance between diverging cultural norms in their emigrant and immigrant societies. This study indicates a need for better adapted information about violence in intimate relationships
Inter- and intrarater reliability of the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System in Sweden
No full textPurpose: To evaluate inter- and intrarater reliability, of the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS) for children and adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in Sweden. Methods: Four speech and language pathologists rated EDACS from videos of 30 individuals with CP, 3 to 62 years, (mean 21 y, 10 m, SD 18 y, 6 m), six at each level of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Inter- and intrarater reliability were estimated using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence interval. Results: Interrater reliability was excellent, ICC 0.98 (95% CI 0.95-0.99) for EDACS levels I-V and ICC 1 for need for support, as was intrarater reliability, ICC 0.97 (95% CI 0.93-0.98) for EDACS levels I-V and ICC 0.99 (95% CI 0.99-1) for need for support. Conclusions: When rated by speech and language pathologists, EDACS shows excellent inter- and intrarater reliability for children and adults with CP. EDACS can identify eating and drinking ability and need for support in individuals at all GMFCS levels
Molecular dynamics simulations of the sputtering of boron and boron oxide surfaces
No full textWe employ classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study processes governed by particle–surface interactions. The interatomic potential energy functions are described by a neural network potential (NNP) trained on an extensive set of density functional theory (DFT) calculations in a semi-iterative fashion. Potential construction and simulation set up follow the Behler–Parrinello approach. As a specific example we investigate sputtering, reflection, and adsorption phenomena occurring on boron and boron oxide surfaces under the impact of deuterium atoms, systems that reflect recent developments in materials science. Besides the frequent use of boron surfaces as an oxygen-gathering material in technical applications, boron-based compounds will be used in future fusion devices. Understanding their interaction with energetic plasma particles is essential, yet their stability and sputtering behavior at the atomic level have remained largely unexplored. From our simulations, we analyzed sputtering yields, adsorption, and reflection events on both boron and boron oxide surfaces. The production simulations included about 750 atoms and covered a range of incident energies and impact angles. Increasing the deuterium impact energy generally leads to an increase in sputtering yields but with distinct energy-dependent trends. The sputtering yield of boron from boron oxide surfaces remains significantly lower than from surfaces of pristine boron. We use an analytical approach to estimate an effective surface binding energy. The work presented here, especially the various energy- and angle dependent rates, can be used to create a parametric model of the B and B2O3 surfaces under the impact of hot particles
Protracted exposure to 134Cs and 137Cs gives substantial contribution to long-term thyroid absorbed dose after nuclear power plant accidents
No full textThyroid dose estimations after nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents are traditionally based on internal uptake of radioiodine, mainly 131I, either by instrumental measurements of thyroid uptake or by ecological estimations based on geographical dispersion of the radioiodine cloud, demographics, and food habits. However, it has been shown that 134Cs and 137Cs in some cases can be the dominant contributors to the thyroid dose over long time following NPP accidents. Based on an ecological model using Swedish-specific parameters of the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986, estimations of the protracted (30 years) thyroid absorbed dose were made for the population in northern Sweden (2.2 million inhabitants in 1986). The internal dose contribution was estimated from both the short-lived nuclides—mainly 131I (T½,phys = 8.1 d) in dairy milk and from inhalation—and nuclides with longer half-lives—134Cs (T½,phys = 2.06 y) and 137Cs from aggregate ecological transfer of radiocesium in foodstuff (T½,phys = 30.2 y). The external radiation dose to the thyroid was based on air-borne measurements of the ground deposition of 137Cs, combined with absorbed dose contribution of short-lived radionuclides and with correction for shielding from residential buildings and snow cover. The total thyroid absorbed dose from 1986 to 2015 ranged from 0.06 to 15.5 mGy (mean 2.0 mGy) among subjects in the study population. The calculated mean thyroid absorbed dose the first year was 0.7 mGy, where radioiodine accounted for ~0.3 mGy. The protracted thyroid absorbed dose after 30 years was 0.3 mGy (15%) from 131I, and 1.7 mGy (85%) from internal and external 134Cs and 137Cs taken together. Hence, the estimated mean absorbed dose contribution from radiocesium was higher than for radioiodine (131I) both in the first year and in the consecutive 30 years. Furthermore, the 30-year external absorbed dose (1.2 mGy) dominates over the internal absorbed dose (0.8 mGy) to the thyroid. This finding is of relevance for low-dose exposure epidemiological studies of thyroid cancer which previously have focused solely on radioiodine
Genome-wide association study of long COVID
No full textInfections can lead to persistent symptoms and diseases such as shingles after varicella zoster or rheumatic fever after streptococcal infections. Similarly, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can result in long coronavirus disease (COVID), typically manifesting as fatigue, pulmonary symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. The biological mechanisms behind long COVID remain unclear. We performed a genome-wide association study for long COVID including up to 6,450 long COVID cases and 1,093,995 population controls from 24 studies across 16 countries. We discovered an association of FOXP4 with long COVID, independent of its previously identified association with severe COVID-19. The signal was replicated in 9,500 long COVID cases and 798,835 population controls. Given the transcription factor FOXP4's role in lung physiology and pathology, our findings highlight the importance of lung function in the pathophysiology of long COVID
Acute side effects of proton and photon radiotherapy for medulloblastoma : a retrospective national multicenter study
No full textPurpose A comparison of acute toxicity between photon and proton radiotherapy (RT) for children undergoing treatment for medulloblastoma. Methods This retrospective multi-institutional cohort study included 96 children < 18 years treated for medulloblastoma in Sweden during 2008-2020. Patients treated with protons (n = 37) and photons (n = 59) were compared regarding acute side effects and radiation dose to intracerebral organs at risk (OARs). Data was collected from a prospectively maintained national database and was supplemented from a retrospective review of medical records. Acute symptoms were graded according to CTCAE (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events), maximum grade occurring during RT and within 2 months after RT. Hematological toxicity was evaluated according to maximum grade and percentual reduction during RT. Results No significant differences in incidence or severity of acute symptoms were observed between proton-RT and photon-RT; grade >= 2 fatigue (5.4 vs. 10.2%), headache (2.7 vs. 3.4%), nausea (43.2 vs. 42.4%), dermatitis (5.4 vs. 15.3%), gastrointestinal toxicity (0 vs. 0%), weight loss (10.8 vs. 8.5%). Median percentual reduction (0% vs. -11,25%) in hemoglobin was significantly smaller during proton-RT (p < 0.001). No difference was observed for leucocytes, neutrophiles, or platelets. Absorbed mean dose to intracranial OARs was significantly lower with proton-RT. Conclusion This is one of the largest studies comparing acute side effects of proton-RT and photon-RT including only paediatric medulloblastoma patients. Proton-RT was safe and well tolerated regarding acute side effects. Absorbed dose to intracranial OARs was significantly lower with proton-RT. Further investigations of long-term side effects and cognitive evaluation is needed to show that this will translate into true clinical value for patients