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At least 1,405 records · Page 78

Nation-Scale Adoption of Shorter Breast Radiation Therapy Schedules Can Increase Survival in Resource Constrained Economies: Results From a Markov Chain Analysis

Purpose: Hypofractionated whole breast irradiation and accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) offer women options for shorter courses of breast radiation therapy. The impact of these shorter schedules on the breast cancer populations of emerging economies with limited radiation therapy resources is unknown. We hypothesized that adoption of these schedules would improve throughput in the system and, by allowing more women access to life-saving treatments, improve patient survival within the system. Methods and Materials: We designed a Markov chain model to simulate the different health states that a postlumpectomy or postmastectomy patient could enter over the course of a 20-year follow-up period. Transition rates between health states were adapted from published data on recurrence rates. We used primary data from a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, to populate the model with proportional use of mastectomy versus breast conservation and to estimate the proportion of patients suitable for APBI. Sensitivity analyses on the use of APBI and relative efficacy of APBI were conducted to study the impact on the population. Results: The shorter schedule resulted in more women alive and more women remaining without evidence of disease (NED) compared with the conventional schedule, with an absolute difference of about 4% and 7% at 15 years, respectively. Among women who had lumpectomies, the chance of remaining alive and with an intact breast was 62% in the hypofractionation model and 54% in the conventional fractionation model. Conclusions: Increasing throughput in the system can result in improved survival, improved chances of remaining without evidence of disease, and improved chances of remaining alive with a breast. These findings are significant and suggest that adoption of hypofractionation in emerging economies is not simply a question of efficiency and cost but one of access to care and patient survivorship.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Unraveling the nature of Fe-doping mediated inter- and intra-chain interactions in Ca 3 Co 2 O 6

The structural and magnetic properties of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) spin-chain compounds Ca 3 Co 2-x Fe x O 6 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) synthesized by a sol-gel method have been systematically studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), neutron powder diffraction (NPD), dc and ac magnetization measurements. The samples adopt a rhombohedral crystal structure with the space group R-3c in a temperature range of 5–100 K. Fe ions are found to locate at the trigonal prism Co2 crystallographic sites. Fe doping converts some of low-spin Co 3+ ions at Co1 octahedral sites into Co 2+ ions. For the high-temperature paramagnetic phase, the Curie paramagnetic temperature θp changes its sign from positive to negative at x = 0.2, implying that the dominant magnetic interaction is driven from ferromagnetic (FM) to antiferromagnetic (AFM) upon Fe substitution. A partial low-spin to high-spin state crossover of the Co1 ions is observed at high Fe-doping level x = 0.3. All the samples exhibit a long-range spin-density wave (SDW) AFM ordering below TN, followed by a spin-glass-like transition at Tf. These low-temperature magnetic phases were significantly suppressed upon Fe doping. The Fe substitution in Ca 3 Co 2-x Fe x O 6 weakened both intrachain and interchain magnetic interactions, caused by enhanced magnetic disorder due to the different magnetic characters of Ising Co and Heisenberg Fe spins.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Influence of hydrophilic groups and metal-ion adsorption on polymer-chain conformation of amidoxime-based uranium adsorbents

In this study, we focus on the influence of hydrophilic groups and metal-ion loading on adsorbent polymer conformation, which controls access to adsorption sites and may limit adsorption capacity. Gaining a better understanding of the factors that influence conformation may yield higher-capacity adsorbents. Polyamidoxime (PAO), deuterated-PAO polyacrylic acid diblock copolymers (d-PAO-b-PAA), and randomly configured copolymers (PAO-co-PAA) were synthesized and characterized by neutron reflectometry in air and D 2 O. For d-PAO-b-PAA, characterization was also performed after alkali conditioning and in simulated seawater. PAO and PAO-co-PAA, with similar molecular weight and grafting density, extended from 95-Å thickness in air to 180 and 280-Å in D 2 O, respectively. This result suggests that polymer swelling may cause the additional adsorption capacity observed when polymer hydrophilicity increases. Two d-PAO-b-PAA samples, A and B, with a d-PAO thickness of 55-Å swelled to 110-Å and 140-Å, respectively, with an overall thickness increase of ~160% in D 2 O. After alkali conditioning, molecular interactions increased the density of PAA near the PAO-PAA interface, while the d-PAO thickness only decreased by ~10 Å. The d-PAO thickness of both samples declined to ~90-Å after adsorption in simulated seawater due to polymer-chain crosslinking. In conclusion, these results are expected to aid in improving adsorbent synthesis to increase uranium capacity.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Phase-coexistence simulations of fluid mixtures by the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method using single-particle models

We present a single-particle Lennard–Jones (L-J) model for CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2}. Simplified L-J models for other small polyatomic molecules can be obtained following the methodology described herein. The phase-coexistence diagrams of single-component systems computed using the proposed single-particle models for CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2} agree well with experimental data over a wide range of temperatures. These diagrams are computed using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method based on the Gibbs-NVT ensemble. This good agreement validates the proposed simplified models. That is, with properly selected parameters, the single-particle models have similar accuracy in predicting gas-phase properties as more complex, state-of-the-art molecular models. To further test these single-particle models, three binary mixtures of CH{sub 4}, CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2} are studied using a Gibbs-NPT ensemble. These results are compared against experimental data over a wide range of pressures. The single-particle model has similar accuracy in the gas phase as traditional models although its deviation in the liquid phase is greater. Since the single-particle model reduces the particle number and avoids the time-consuming Ewald summation used to evaluate Coulomb interactions, the proposed model improves the computational efficiency significantly, particularly in the case of high liquid density where the acceptance rate of the particle-swap trial move increases. We compare, at constant temperature and pressure, the Gibbs-NPT and Gibbs-NVT ensembles to analyze their performance differences and results consistency. As theoretically predicted, the agreement between the simulations implies that Gibbs-NVT can be used to validate Gibbs-NPT predictions when experimental data is not available.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Accelerating Monte Carlo molecular simulations by reweighting and reconstructing Markov chains: Extrapolation of canonical ensemble averages and second derivatives to different temperature and density conditions

Accurate determination of thermodynamic properties of petroleum reservoir fluids is of great interest to many applications, especially in petroleum engineering and chemical engineering. Molecular simulation has many appealing features, especially its requirement of fewer tuned parameters but yet better predicting capability; however it is well known that molecular simulation is very CPU expensive, as compared to equation of state approaches. We have recently introduced an efficient thermodynamically consistent technique to regenerate rapidly Monte Carlo Markov Chains (MCMCs) at different thermodynamic conditions from the existing data points that have been pre-computed with expensive classical simulation. This technique can speed up the simulation more than a million times, making the regenerated molecular simulation almost as fast as equation of state approaches. In this paper, this technique is first briefly reviewed and then numerically investigated in its capability of predicting ensemble averages of primary quantities at different neighboring thermodynamic conditions to the original simulated MCMCs. Moreover, this extrapolation technique is extended to predict second derivative properties (e.g. heat capacity and fluid compressibility). The method works by reweighting and reconstructing generated MCMCs in canonical ensemble for Lennard-Jones particles. In this paper, system's potential energy, pressure, isochoric heat capacity and isothermal compressibility along isochors, isotherms and paths of changing temperature and density from the original simulated points were extrapolated. Finally, an optimized set of Lennard-Jones parameters (ε, σ) for single site models were proposed for methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Impact of reduced dimensionality on the correlation length and magnetization dynamics of the spin chain cobaltite Ca 3 Co 2 O 6

We have recently applied the magnetic field and temperature dependence of magnetic entropy change as a probe of the magnetic states of a single crystal of Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 to establish a more comprehensive magnetic phase diagram for this exotic system. The results are consistent with the spin-density wave description of the ground state and indicate the suppression of the modulated state in favor of a ferrimagnetic up-up-down arrangement of the spin chains with the application of a moderate field. We demonstrate, in this study, that the features of the static magnetic phase diagram are preserved when the grain size of Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 is reduced to 440 nm (below the maximum c-axis correlation length of ~550 nm in Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 ), although the polycrystalline materials show a non-saturating behavior, rounded steps, and reduced magnetization when compared to the single crystal. Our new finding of the multiple low-temperature magnetization steps in the 440 nm sample, together with conflicting reports concerning such steps in nanostructured samples, suggests that correlations in the ab plane are more important than correlations along the c-axis in the appearance of the plateaus. The relaxation processes in the system are studied through the decay of remanent magnetization, ac susceptibility, and Argand diagrams. The introduction of grain boundaries in Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 weakens the slow-dynamic state, widens the low-temperature distribution of relaxation times, and lowers activation energies within the Arrhenius-like relaxation regime.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Co-assembly of Zn(SPh){sub 2} and organic linkers into helical and zig-zag polymer chains

Two novel one-dimensional coordination polymers, single helicate [Zn(SPh){sub 2}(TPyTA)(EG)]{sub n} (EG=ethylene glycol) (1) and zig-zag structure [Zn(SPh){sub 2}(BPyVB)]{sub n} (2), were synthesized under solvothermal conditions at 150 Degree-Sign C or room temperature by the co-assembly of Zn(SPh){sub 2} and organic linkers such as 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPyTA) and 1,3-bis(trans-4-pyridylvinyl)benzene (BPyVB). X-ray crystallography study reveals that both polymers 1 and 2 crystallize in space group P2{sub 1}/c of the monoclinic system. The solid-state UV-vis absorption spectra show that 1 and 2 have maxium absorption onsets at 400 nm and 420 nm, respectively. TGA analysis indicates that 1 and 2 are stable up to 110 Degree-Sign C and 210 Degree-Sign C. - Graphical abstract: Two novel one-dimensional coordination polymers, single helicate [Zn(SPh){sub 2}(TPyTA)(EG)]{sub n} (1) and zig-zag structure [Zn(SPh){sub 2}(BPyVB)]{sub n} (2), were synthesized. Solid-state UV-vis absorptions show that 1 and 2 have maxium absorption onsets at 400 nm and 420 nm, respectively. TGA analysis indicates that 1 and 2 are stable up to 110 Degree-Sign C and 210 Degree-Sign C. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two novel one-dimensional coordination polymers have been synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TPyTA results in helical structures in 1 while BPyVB leads to zig-zag chains in 2. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid-state UV-vis absorption spectra and TGA analysis of the title polymers were studied.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Enhanced ferromagnetic order in Sr{sub 4}Mn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3} featuring canted [MnO{sub 4}]{sub ∞} spin chains of mixed-valent Mn(III)/Mn(IV). Aliovalent substitution of the Sr{sub 4−x}Ln{sub x}Mn{sup III}{sub 2+x}Mn{sup IV}{sub 1−x}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3} solid-solution

Crystals of Sr{sub 4−x}Ln{sub x}Mn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3} (x=0; x∼0.15 for Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm. Eu, Gd, Dy; x∼0.3 for Ln=Gd) were isolated upon using high-temperature, solid-state methods in molten-salt media. These compounds are isostructural with the previously reported Na{sub 3}LnMn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(AsO{sub 4}){sub 3} (Ln=La, Sm, Gd) series that contains the same [MnO{sub 4}]{sub ∞} spin chains. The synthesis of the Sr{sub 4}Mn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3} (x=0) phase was carried out by a double aliovalent substitution with respect to the Sr{sup 2+} and Ge{sup 4+} ions that replace Na{sup +}/Ln{sup 3+} and As{sup 5+} in Na{sub 3}LnMn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(AsO{sub 4}){sub 3}, respectively. The title series contains mixed-valent Mn(III)/Mn(IV) and shows a limited range of solid solution, both of which were not observed in the previously reported Na{sub 3}LnMn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(AsO{sub 4}){sub 3} series. To form the Sr{sub 4−x}Ln{sub x}Mn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3} solid solution, one of the Sr{sup 2+} sites, i.e., the original Ln-site in Na{sub 3}LnMn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(AsO{sub 4}){sub 3}, is partially substituted by Ln{sup 3+} in a statistical disorder of Sr{sub 1−x}/Ln{sub x}. Initial magnetic investigations of selected derivatives reveal higher ferromagnetic ordering temperatures than those reported for the Na{sub 3}LnMn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(AsO{sub 4}){sub 3} series, presumably attributed to a lesser degree of canting as a result of introducing non-Jahn–Teller Mn{sup 4+} ions. Also intriguing is the observation of multiple anomalies at low temperatures which appear to be of electronic origins. - Graphical abstract: Sr{sub 4−x}Ln{sub x}Mn(III){sub 2+x}Mn(IV){sub 1−x}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3}. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Double aliovalent substitution: Sr{sub 4}Mn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(GeO{sub 4}){sub 3} with respect to Na{sub 3}LnMn{sub 3}O{sub 3}(AsO{sub 4}){sub 3}. • Solid solution with respect to statistical disorder of Sr{sub 1−x}Ln{sub x} in one of the two Sr sites. • Mn{sup 3+}/Mn{sup 4+} magnetic ions are spatially arranged in a triangular kagomé fashion. • Enhanced ferromagnetic ordering attributed to doping non-Jahn–Teller Mn{sup 4+}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Unique microporous NbO-type Co{sup II}/Zn{sup II} MOFs from double helical chains: Sorption and luminescent properties

Under solvothermal conditions, the reactions of Co{sup II}/Zn{sup II} ions with bent ligand 3-(pyridin-4-yl)-5-(pyrazin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole (4-Hpzpt) afford two compounds {[M(4-pzpt)_2] guest}{sub n} (guest=H{sub 2}O, M=Co{sup II} (1), Zn{sup II} (2)). Both compounds are the thermally and hydrolytically robust 4-connected 3D NbO framework, which formed by double helical chains to give rise to 1D hollow nanochannel with uncoordinated nitrogens completely exposed on the pore surface. Compound 1 exhibits improved N{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2} uptake capacities, while compound 2 displays the strong luminescent emission with obvious red shift. - Graphical abstract: Two 2-fold interpenetrated NbO-type MOFs with 1D nanochannel were synthesized. Compound 1 exhibits improved N{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2} uptake capacities, while compound 2 displays the strong fluorescent emission with obvious red shift. Display Omitted.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Synthesis and structure determination of the novel aluminophosphate TL-1: A new layered compound with corner-sharing AlX{sub 6} chains

A novel layered aluminophosphate (TL-1) has been synthesized. Crystals grow as pseudo-hexagonal thin platelets and their whole morphology depends on the synthesis conditions. The structure was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using charge flipping methods. The synthesized layered material, with composition [AlPO{sub 4}F(H{sub 2}O)]-(H{sub 10}C{sub 4}ON){sub 4}, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}/a with a=9.2282(5) Å, b=6.9152(4) Å, c=14.4615(9) Å, β=101.57(1)°. The novel compound has corner sharing AlO{sub 3}F{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O) octahedral chains running along [010], where fluorine atoms are at the shared apices, three oxygen atoms are shared with PO{sub 4} tetrahedra while the sixth oxygen pertain to an H{sub 2}O molecule. The stability field of the novel material is enclosed in the HF/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ratio ranging between 1 and 4 and the HF/morpholine ratio lower than 3. At temperature lower than 190 °C, the synthesis results is a pure aluminophosphate sample (low alumina/morpholine ratio). A treatment with H{sub 2}CO{sub 3} leads to a complete morpholine removal, as shown by in situ Raman spectroscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction reveals that, after morpholine extraction, the material collapses. The collapse is irreversible. - Highlights: • A new layered aluminophosphate was obtained and characterized. • The crystal structure is a sequence of aluminophosphate and organic layers. • The stability field of the new phase was defined by changing chemistry and T. • The templating agent can be removed by using a CO{sub 2} aqueous solution. • The decomposition of the morpholine induce a collapse in the structure.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Two noncentrosymmetric polyphosphates featuring infinite one-dimensional (PO{sub 3}){sub ∞} chain, LiMP{sub 2}O{sub 6} (M = Rb, Cs): Synthesis, structure and optical properties

Highlights: • The crystal structure of two noncentrosymmetric LiMP{sub 2}O{sub 6} (M = Rb, Cs) is described in detail. • The linear and nonlinear optical properties for them were characterized firstly. • Band structures and density of states for them have been calculated firstly. - Abstract: Two noncentrosymmetric polyphosphates, namely LiCsP{sub 2}O{sub 6} and LiRbP{sub 2}O{sub 6} have been synthesized from the high temperature solution. The structural analysis suggests that both of them crystallize in orthorhombic space group Fdd2 (No.43), with lattice parameters: a = 18.517(4) Å, b = 19.037(4) Å, c = 13.011(3) Å, and Z = 32 for LiRbP{sub 2}O{sub 6,} while a = 19.009(13) Å, b = 19.402(13) Å, c = 13.180(9) Å, and Z = 32 for LiCsP{sub 2}O{sub 6}. In the structure, the PO{sub 4} polyhedra are connected through corner-sharing to form 1D infinite (PO{sub 3}) {sub ∞} chains stretching along the c axis, which are further linked by the LiO{sub 4} polyhedra to construct a 3D framework with two types of tunnels. And the Rb/Cs atoms are filled in or around the periphery of the tunnels to keep the charge equilibrium. The IR spectra verify their structural validity. In addition, other characterizations including the UV−vis−NIR diffuse reflectance spectra, as well as first-principles theoretical studies have been performed on the two compounds.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Development of a rapid viability polymerase chain reaction method for detection of Yersinia pestis

Due to the occurrence of natural plague outbreaks and its historical usage as a biological weapon, Yersinia pestis is considered one of the high-priority biological threat agents. It can remain viable in certain environments including water for >100 days. Because of its slow-growth characteristic, it usually takes three or more days to detect and confirm the identity of viable Y. pestis cells by PCR, serological, or biochemical assays when using the traditional microbiological plate-culture-based analysis, and that too, assuming faster growing microbes present in a water sample do not mask the Y. pestis colonies and interfere with analysis. Therefore, a rapid-viability Polymerase Chain Reaction (RV-PCR) method was developed for detection of Y. pestis . The RV-PCR method combines 24 h-incubation broth culture in a 48-well plate, and pre- and post-incubation differential PCR analyses, thereby allowing for rapid and high-throughput sample analysis compared with the current plate culture method. One chromosomal and two plasmid gene target-based real-time PCR assays were down-selected, showing ca. 10 genome equivalent detection; the chromosomal assay was then used for RV-PCR method development. A 10 1 -cell level (10–99 cells) sensitivity of detection was demonstrated even with complex sample backgrounds including known PCR inhibitors (ferrous sulfate and humic acid), as well as metal oxides and microbes present in Arizona Test Dust (ATD). The method sensitivity was maintained in the presence of dead Y. pestis cells up to 10 4 cells per sample. While affording high-throughput and rapid sample analysis, the 48-well plate format used in this method for sample enrichment significantly reduced labor requirements and generation of BioSafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory waste as compared to the usual microbiological plate-culture-based methods. In conclusion, this method may serve as a model for other vegetative bacterial pathogens.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Rapid viability polymerase chain reaction method for detection of Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis, which causes potentially fatal tularemia, has been considered an attractive agent of bioterrorism and biological warfare due to its low infectious dose, reported environmental persistence, and ability to be transmitted to humans via multiple exposure routes. Additionally, due to slow growth on even selective culture media, detection of viable F. tularensis from environmental and drinking water samples, usually takes >3 days. Therefore, a rapid viability polymerase chain reaction (RV-PCR) method was developed to detect and identify viable F. tularensis cells in environmental samples. The method uses a change in PCR response during high throughput (48-well) sample incubation in Brain Heart Infusion/Vitox/Fildes/Histidine growth medium to detect viable F. tularensis presence, which is at least two times faster than the current plate culture-based method. Using the method, 101 to 102 live F. tularensis cells were detected in simulated complex sample matrices containing chemical and biological interferences.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Exploiting fission chain reaction dynamics to image fissile materials

Radiation imaging is one potential method to verify nuclear weapons dismantlement. In this work, we present a method to discriminate between non-multiplying and multiplying neutron sources using a neutron coded aperture imaging system. This method applies time-correlated pulse-height (TCPH) analysis to identify neutrons in fission chain reactions and recreate images using only these events. This analysis was applied to measurements of weapons-grade plutonium (WGPu) metal and 252 Cf performed at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Device Assembly Facility in July 2015. The results demonstrate it is possible to eliminate the non-fissile 252 Cf source from the image while preserving the fissile WGPu source. TCPH analysis was also applied to additional scenes in which the WGPu and 252 Cf sources were measured individually. The results of these separate measurements further demonstrate the ability to remove the non-fissile 252 Cf source and retain the fissile WGPu source. Simulations performed using MCNPX-PoliMi indicate that in a one hour measurement, hollow WGPu spheres are retained at a 1σ level for neutron multiplications M ≃ 2:7 and above. This work has potential application to dismantlement verification where it may be valuable to verify that all neutron sources in an image are multiplying.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Spectroscopic camera analysis of the roles of molecularly assisted reaction chains during detachment in JET L-mode plasmas

The roles of the molecularly assisted ionization (MAI), recombination (MAR) and dissociation (MAD) reaction chains with respect to the purely atomic ionization and recombination processes were studied experimentally during detachment in low-confinement mode (L-mode) plasmas in JET with the help of experimentally inferred divertor plasma and neutral conditions, extracted previously from filtered camera observations of deuterium Balmer emission, and the reaction coefficients provided by the ADAS, AMJUEL and H2VIBR atomic and molecular databases. The direct contribution of MAI and MAR in the outer divertor particle balance was found to be inferior to the electron–atom ionization (EAI) and electron–ion recombination (EIR). Near the outer strike point, a strong atom source due to the D$^+_2$ -driven MAD was, however, observed to correlate with the onset of detachment at outer strike point temperatures of T e,osp = 0.9 –2.0 eV via increased plasma-neutral interactions before the increasing dominance of EIR at T e,osp < 0.9 eV, followed by increasing degree of detachment. The analysis was supported by predictions from EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations which were in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Antisymmetric Spin-Orbit Coupling in a d-p Model on a Zigzag Chain

In this paper, we theoretically investigate how an antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling emerges in electrons moving on lattice structures which are centrosymmetric but break the spatial inversion symme- try at atomic positions. We construct an effective d-p model on the simplest lattice structure, a zigzag chain of edge-sharing octahedra, with taking into account the crystalline electric field, the spin-orbit coupling, and on-site and inter-site d-p hybridizations. We show that an effective antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling arises in the sublattice-dependent form, which results in a hidden spin polarization in the band structure. Finally, we explicitly derive the effective antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling for d electrons, which not only explains the hidden spin polarization but also indicates how to enhance it.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Traveling wave solutions in a chain of periodically forced coupled nonlinear oscillators

Artificial perceptions of light called phosphenes were motivated by earlier studies. We analyze traveling wave solutions in a chain of periodically forced coupled nonlinear oscillators modeling this phenomenon. We examine the discrete model problem in its co-traveling frame and systematically obtain the corresponding traveling waves in one spatial dimension. Direct numerical simulations as well as linear stability analysis are employed to reveal the parameter regions where the traveling waves are stable, and these waves are, in turn, connected to the standing waves analyzed in earlier work. We also consider a two-dimensional extension of the model and demonstrate the robust evolution and stability of planar fronts. Moreover, our simulations also suggest the radial fronts tend to either annihilate or expand and flatten out, depending on the phase value inside and the parameter regime. Finally, we observe that solutions that initially feature two symmetric fronts with bulged centers evolve in qualitative agreement with experimental observations of phosphenes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Breathers in a locally resonant granular chain with precompression

Here we study a locally resonant granular material in the form of a precompressed Hertzian chain with linear internal resonators. Using an asymptotic reduction, we derive an effective nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) modulation equation. In turn, this leads us to provide analytical evidence, subsequently corroborated numerically, for the existence of two distinct types of discrete breathers related to acoustic or optical modes: (a) traveling bright breathers with a strain profile exponentially vanishing at infinity and (b) stationary and traveling dark breathers, exponentially localized, time-periodic states mounted on top of a non-vanishing background. Moreover, the stability and bifurcation structure of numerically computed exact stationary dark breathers is also examined. Stationary bright breathers cannot be identified using the NLS equation, which is defocusing at the upper edges of the phonon bands and becomes linear at the lower edge of the optical band.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗