bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of 3D micro-structured TIMEPIX detectors for neutron imaging
Authors: Polo Matteo , Mendicino Roberto , Quaranta Alberto , Dalla Betta Gian-Franco
Published: November 2023

Neutron imaging provides additional information to X-ray imaging and can be used in many applications, for example, nuclear engineering, non-industrial diagnostics and homeland security. This paper presents the latest development results of a new 3D structured pixel detector for thermal neutron detection and imaging. The device is based on Medipix/Timepix read-out chip family. The detector, without converter materials, was initially tested in the laboratory with a 241Am source, to simulate events that are induced by reaction products of active material in the silicon bulk. Thanks to the analysis of the size of event clusters and deposited energy, α particles and noise signals were discriminated. The detector was also tested with β and γ sources, to study the effect of other radiation on the device. These results can be useful as a starting point for future experiments, where a neutron source will be used, after filling the cavities with active materials, such as 6Li or 10B. In this paper, the results of the characterization and a comparison between experimental data and Monte Carlo simulations are shown.
Particles discrimination and tracking through a matrix of detection coupled with a voltage-controlled oscillator
Authors: Coulié Karine , Rahajandraibe Wenceslas , Ottaviani Laurent
Published: November 2023

A particle detection chain based on a CMOSSOI VCO circuit associated to a 3x5 matrix of detection is presented. The solution is optimized for the recognition and tracking of low energy particles. Two ions are considered: an alpha and a lithium. These two ions were chosen because there are the secondary particles generated by the neutronboron 10 interaction.
Endovascular treatment of renal artery stenosis in Germany: a retrospective analysis of the DEGIR registry 2018–2021
Authors: Feyen Ludger , Artzner Christoph , Paprottka Philipp , Haage Patrick , Kröger Knut , Alhmid Bachar , Katoh Marcus
Published: November 2023

Purpose To provide an overview of endovascular treatment of renal artery stenosis (RAS) using the data of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für interventionelle Radiologie (DeGIR) quality management system.

Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was performed. Pre-, peri- and postprocedural data, technical success rates, complication rates, and clinical success rates at dismissal were examined.

Results Between 2018 and 2021, 2134 angiography examinations of the renal arteries were performed: diagnostic angiography in 70 patients (3 %), balloon angioplasty in 795 (37 %), stent implantation in 1166 (55 %) and miscellaneous procedures in 103 (5 %). The lesion length was less than or equal to 5 mm in 1837 patients (87 %), between 5 and 10 mm in 197 (9 %), and between 10 and 20 mm in 62 (3 %). The degree of stenosis was less than 50 % in 156 patients (7 %), greater than 50 % in 239 (11 %), and greater than 70 % in 1472 (70 %). Occlusion was treated in 235 patients (11 %). Symptoms at discharge resolved in 600 patients (29 %), improved in 1012 (49 %), were unchanged in 77 (4 %), and worsened in 5 (0.2 %). Complications were reported in 51 patients (2.5 %) and the mortality rate was 0.15 %.

Conclusion A substantial number of patients with RAS and occlusions were treated by radiologists in Germany, with high technical success rates and low complication rates. The indication should be determined carefully as the current European guidelines for the treatment of RAS suggest that only carefully selected groups of patients will benefit from recanalizing treatment.

Key Points:
Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning for Advancing PET Image Reconstruction: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions
Authors: Hellwig Dirk , Hellwig Nils Constantin , Boehner Steven , Fuchs Timo , Fischer Regina , Schmidt Daniel
Published: November 2023

Positron emission tomography (PET) is vital for diagnosing diseases and monitoring treatments. Conventional image reconstruction (IR) techniques like filtered backprojection and iterative algorithms are powerful but face limitations. PET IR can be seen as an image-to-image translation. Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) using multilayer neural networks enable a new approach to this computer vision task. This review aims to provide mutual understanding for nuclear medicine professionals and AI researchers. We outline fundamentals of PET imaging as well as state-of-the-art in AI-based PET IR with its typical algorithms and DL architectures. Advances improve resolution and contrast recovery, reduce noise, and remove artifacts via inferred attenuation and scatter correction, sinogram inpainting, denoising, and super-resolution refinement. Kernel-priors support list-mode reconstruction, motion correction, and parametric imaging. Hybrid approaches combine AI with conventional IR. Challenges of AI-assisted PET IR include availability of training data, cross-scanner compatibility, and the risk of hallucinated lesions. The need for rigorous evaluations, including quantitative phantom validation and visual comparison of diagnostic accuracy against conventional IR, is highlighted along with regulatory issues. First approved AI-based applications are clinically available, and its impact is foreseeable. Emerging trends, such as the integration of multimodal imaging and the use of data from previous imaging visits, highlight future potentials. Continued collaborative research promises significant improvements in image quality, quantitative accuracy, and diagnostic performance, ultimately leading to the integration of AI-based IR into routine PET imaging protocols.
A Scoping Review to Evaluate the Clinical Efficacy of Indigenously Produced, Patient-Specific Acrylic Cranial Prosthesis in Decompressive Craniectomy in India
Authors: Guleria Charu , Nalin Shrish , Kumar Dinesh
Published: November 2023

Health Technology Assessment in India assesses, evaluates, and carries out cost-effectiveness of available health technologies in the country for evidence-based decision-making. Current study carried out a scoping review to assess clinical efficacy of poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) after decompressive craniectomy using various prototyping techniques in published literature. The O'Malley methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalysis for Scoping Reviews—PRISMA-ScR—checklist were used to assess published literature from year 2008 to 2023. A total of 507 records were identified after searching electronic databases. After removing duplicate studies and studies that did not meet inclusion criteria, a total of 12 studies were included for review. A total of four studies were described as experimental and eight were case reports/series. The sample size of intervention studies varied between 10 and 30 patients with a mean age of 36.7 years. In a total of seven studies, cranioplasty was done by a self-made PMMA prosthesis fabricated using a novel three-dimensional-printed cranial model fabrication technique. In experimental study, objective criteria like operative Glasgow Outcome Scale, Cranial Index of Symmetry score, and Visual Analog Score for Cosmesis were employed. Clinical assessment for cranial symmetry was observed favorable for PMMA with fewer complications, though sample size was inadequate (range: 10–30) with comparator group in two studies.
The Clinical Significance of MicroRNAs in Colorectal Cancer Signaling Pathways: A Review
Authors: Michas Athanasios , Michas Vasileios , Anagnostou Evangelos , Galanopoulos Michail , Tolia Maria , Tsoukalas Nikolaos
Published: November 2023

Colorectal carcinoma (colon and rectum) is currently considered among the most prevalent malignancies of Western societies. The pathogenesis and etiological mechanisms underlying colorectal cancer (CRC) development remain complex and heterogeneous. The homeostasis and function of normal human intestinal cells is highly regulated by microRNAs. Therefore, it is not surprising that mutations and inactivation of these molecules appear to be linked with progression of colorectal tumors. Recent studies have reported significant alterations of microRNA expression in adenomas and CRCs compared with adjacent normal tissues. This observed deviation has been proposed to correlate with the progression and survival of disease as well as with choice of optimal treatment and drug resistance. MicroRNAs can adopt either oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles during regulation of pathways that drive carcinogenesis. Typically, oncogenic microRNAs termed oncomirs, target and silence endogenous tumor-suppressor genes. On the other hand, tumor-suppressive microRNAs are critical in downregulating genes associated with cell growth and malignant capabilities. By extensively evaluating robust studies, we have emphasized and distinguished a discrete set of microRNAs that can modulate tumor progression by silencing specific driver genes crucial in signaling pathways including Wnt/b-catenin, epidermal growth factor receptor, P53, mismatch repair DNA repair, and transforming-growth factor beta.
Seed biology can inform conservation actions: a case study on Geijera parviflora
Authors: Liyanage Ganesha S. , Gilpin Amy-Marie , Offord Catherine A. , Martyn Yenson Amelia J.
Published: November 2023

Context Knowledge of seed biology is imperative for effective curation and utilisation of seeds. Aims We studied the seed biology and reproduction of Geijera parviflora, a species suitable for ecological restoration and ornamental horticulture that has largely been overlooked because of issues with unreliable germination and viability. Methods Germination in response to dormancy-breaking treatments and soil seed burial, and variation in germination at an inter-population level were assessed for G. parviflora. Seed storability in a conventional seedbank was tested. Floral phenology was assessed. Key results Germination of untreated and seed coat removed seeds were 0 ± 0.0% and 67 ± 5.5% respectively. Seed germination varied between 21.9 ± 1.8 and 66.6 ± 5.5% at an inter-population level. Seeds buried in soil for 6 months showed 11.7 ± 0.8% germination without any treatment. All seeds buried for 12 months were non-viable. Drying seeds from 11.4 ± 0.19% to 5.79 ± 0.17% moisture content resulted in 40% less germination. Visual observation of floral attributes confirmed the presence of orange-coloured pollen grains for 3.5 ± 0.48 days from floral opening. The stigmatic surface became shiny 3.5 ± 0.21 days after floral opening. Conclusion Seeds of G. parviflora demonstrate physiological dormancy; treatments that remove seed coat resistance against embryo growth enable germination. Local environmental conditions may explain the inter-population variation in germination. Seeds are short-lived in soil and ex situ seedbank conditions. In soil, seeds release dormancy at the end of first winter, so seeds are available to germinate the following spring/summer with high rainfall. Floral phenology assessment indicated protandrous sequential hermaphroditism, which may reduce the probability of self-pollination in G. parviflora. Implications This knowledge supports use of G. parviflora in ecological restoration and horticulture.
Optimisation of hormonal treatment to improve follicular development in one-day-old mice ovaries cultured under in vitro condition
Authors: Torkzadeh Tahoura , Asadi Zahra , Jafari Atrabi Mohammad , Eivazkhani Farideh , Khodadi Maryam , Hajiaghalou Samira , Akbarinejad Vahid , Fathi Rouhollah
Published: November 2023

Context Base medium containing knock-out serum replacement (KSR) has been found to support formation and maintenance of follicles in one-day-old mice ovaries, but has not been shown to properly support activation and growth of primordial follicles. Aims The present study was conducted to tailor the hormonal content of base medium containing KSR to enhance development of primordial follicles in neonatal ovaries. Methods One-day-old mice ovaries were initially cultured with base medium for four days, and then, different hormonal treatments were added to the culture media and the culture was proceeded for four additional days until day eight. Ovaries were collected for histological and molecular assessments on days four and eight. Key results In experiment I, the main and interactive effects of FSH and testosterone were investigated and FSH promoted activation of primordial follicles and development of primary and preantral follicles, and upregulated genes of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (Pi3k), KIT ligand (Kitl), growth differentiation factor 9 (Gdf9) and follicle stimulating hormone receptor (Fshr) (P < 0.05). Combination of testosterone and FSH, moreover, boosted gene expression of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (Bmp15), Connexin-43 (Cx43) and luteinising hormone and choriogonadotropin receptor (Lhcgr) (P < 0.05). In experiment II, the effect of various gonadotropins including FSH, equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) on cultured ovaries was assessed and hMG supported development of primary follicles greater than eCG and FSH did (P < 0.05). Additionally, eCG and hMG increased gene expression of Lhcgr (P < 0.05), but FSH did not (P > 0.05). Conclusions Supplementation of culture medium containing KSR with gonadotropins, particularly hMG, could improve follicular growth and expression of factors regulating follicular development. Implications This study was a step forward in formulating an optimal medium for development of follicles in cultured one-day-old mice ovaries.
Final report for CCQM-P212: coherence of carbon isotope delta reference materials
Authors: Chartrand Michelle M G , Liu Fong-Ha , Merrick Jeffrey P , Fasciotti Maíra , Garrido Bruno Carius , Rego Eliane Cristina Pires do , Monteiro Thays Vieira da Costa , Wollinger Wagner , Moossen Heiko , Geilmann Heike , Chubchenko Ian , Kolobova Anna , Ogrinc Nives , Potočnik Doris , Dunn Philip J H , Goenaga-Infante Heidi , Hill Sarah , Malinovsky Dmitriy , Mester Zoltán , Meija Juris
Published: November 2023

Main text

This pilot study evaluates the coherence of carbon isotope delta reference materials (RMs) used by laboratories worldwide. The goal was to assess how well laboratories can realize the VPDB scale using these RMs. In total, carbon isotope delta values of 36 RMs were measured by seven laboratories as well as the vanillin sample previously evaluated in CCQM-K167/P211. A hierarchical Bayesian measurement model was used to evaluate the coherence between these RMs, and to determine the carbon isotope delta value of each of these RMs. In general, this study shows that the 36 carbon isotope delta RMs are reliable. Further, the value assigned to the vanillin sample in this study is within 0.02 ‰ from the CCQM-K167 KCRV.

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
International comparison EURAMET.QM-K3.2019 - automotive exhaust gases
Authors: Ziel Ruben P , Zalewska E , Veen Adriaan M H van der , Kipphardt Heinrich , Tuma Dirk , Esteban Andres Rojo , Fernández Vicente Teresa E , Macé Tatiana , Sutour Christophe , Marioni Fabrice , Fükő Judit , Szűcs László , Büki Tamás , Nagyné Szilágyi Zsófia , Cieciora Dariusz , Ochman Grzegorz , Romanowski Przemysław , Lis Anna , Garnuszek Magdalena , Valkova Miroslava , Ackermann Andreas , Pascale Celine , Niederhauser Bernhard , Tarhan Tanıl , Boztepe Aylin , Beránek Jan , Bárta Miroslav
Published: November 2023

Main text

EURAMET.QM-K3.2019 was a repeat of the key comparison EURAMET.QM-K3 on the composition of automotive exhaust gases. New in EURAMET.QM-K3.2019 was the addition of the amount fraction oxygen to the programme. The key comparison reference values were obtained independently, using static gravimetry and appropriate corrections from purity analysis and are linked to those of CCQM-K3.2019. The key comparison results show equivalence between the measurement standards maintained by the participating national metrology institutes. The demonstrated equivalence can be used to underpin services related to automotive exhaust gases as well as generically through the flexible scheme ("track A")

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
DRIP: deep regularizers for inverse problems
Authors: Eliasof Moshe , Haber Eldad , Treister Eran
Published: November 2023

In this paper we consider inverse problems that are mathematically ill-posed. That is, given some (noisy) data, there is more than one solution that approximately fits the data. In recent years, deep neural techniques that find the most appropriate solution, in the sense that it contains a-priori information, were developed. However, they suffer from several shortcomings. First, most techniques cannot guarantee that the solution fits the data at inference. Second, while the derivation of the techniques is inspired by the existence of a valid scalar regularization function, such techniques do not in practice rely on such a function, and therefore veer away from classical variational techniques. In this work we introduce a new family of neural regularizers for the solution of inverse problems. These regularizers are based on a variational formulation and are guaranteed to fit the data. We demonstrate their use on a number of highly ill-posed problems, from image deblurring to limited angle tomography.
Controlling phase transformation of La/Ni oxides by switching annealing conditions and their resultant pseudocapacitive behaviour
Authors: Gopi Undavalli Venkata , Reddi Uday Sai , Karthik M , Smaran Kumar Sai
Published: November 2023

Annealing step is a critical step in the hydrothermal assisted synthesis of La/Ni oxides such as LaNiO3−δ
(LNOA) and La2NiO4+δ
(LNON). In the current study, we have discovered the interlink between the atmosphere and temperature conditions which dictate the product formed. La/Ni nitrate precursors were subjected to a hydrothermal synthesis followed by an annealing step at appropriate temperature and varying atmosphere resulting in the synthesis of the corresponding oxides. The annealing temperature was varied in the range between 650 °C and 800 °C and also the annealing was carried out either in pure N2 atmosphere or air. From the x-ray diffraction analysis, it was inferred that annealing in air invariably resulted in the rhombohedral LaNiO3 (LNOA) perovskite phase, while annealing in N2 atmosphere resulted in an orthorhombic Ruddlesden–Popper phase La2NiO4 (LNON), a layered oxide containing traces of NiO phase. Typically, iodometric titrations substantiate the presence of Ni (III) which further can be correlated to the presence of oxygen vacancies (δ). Iodometric test results demarcated the difference between the two phases with absolutely minimal I2 liberated from the LNON samples proving that negligible amount of Ni (III) was present in LNON Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed an agglomeration of particles annealed at higher temperatures irrespective of the atmosphere. Temperature dependent oxygen non-stoichiometry (Δδ) was analyzed through thermogravimetric analysis, wherein Δδ was inversely proportional to the annealing temperature for all of the LNOA samples. Considering that large δ values favor pseudocapacitive behaviour, it was observed LNOA oxides showed excellent pseudocapacitive behaviour compared to the LNON oxides. Dunn deconvolution of the cyclic voltammograms of LNOA 800 °C at 5 m Vs−1 indicated that diffusive contribution (66%) was predominant over capacitive contributions. The LNOA sample annealed at 800 °C displayed the highest specific capacitance of 100.3 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density.
Insights to the production of SnS-cubic thin films by vacuum thermal evaporation for photovoltaics
Authors: Sánchez Fabiola De Bray , Nair M T S , Nair P K
Published: November 2023

Thin films of SnS-CUB with a lattice constant of 11.6 Å, 32 units of SnS per cell and an optical bandgap (E
g) of 1.7 eV (direct), are mostly produced by chemical techniques. This cubic polymorph is distinct from its orthorhombic polymorph (SnS-ORT) with an E
g of 1.1 eV. This work is on the deposition of SnS-CUB thin films of 100–300 nm in thickness by thermal evaporation at substrate temperatures of 400 °C–475 °C on glass or on a chemically deposited SnS-CUB thin film (100 nm). Under a slow deposition rate (3 nm min−1) from a SnS powder source at 900 °C, the thin film formed on a SnS-CUB film or glass substrate at 450 °C is SnS-CUB. At a substrate temperatures of 200 °C–350 °C, the thin film is of SnS-ORT. A low atomic flux and a higher substrate temperature favor the growth of SnS-CUB thin film. The E
g of the SnS-CUB film is nearly 1.7 eV (direct gap), and that of the SnS-CUB film is 1.2 eV (indirect gap). The electrical conductivity (σ) of SnS-CUB and SnS-ORT films are 10–7 and 0.01 Ω–1 cm−1, respectively. A proof-of-concept solar cell of the SnS-CUB thin film showed an open circuit voltage of 0.478 V, compared with 0.283 V for the SnS-ORT solar cell. The insights to the deposition of SnS-CUB and SnS0.45Se0.55-CUB (E
g, 1.57 eV; σ, 0.02 Ω−1 cm−1) thin films by vacuum thermal evaporation offer new outlook for their applications.
Double-speed piezoelectric–electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester driven by cross-moving magnets
Authors: Shi Ge , Hu Xiangzhan , Xia Yinshui , Jia Shengyao , Wang Xiudeng , Xia Huakang , Sun Yanwei , Shi Mang , Wang Binrui
Published: November 2023

Energy harvesters have gained popularity as green energy devices that transform mechanical energy from the environment into electricity. However, traditional piezoelectric energy harvesters are limited by narrowband response, and the output capability of electromagnetic energy harvesters is dependent on the rate of magnetic field changes on the coil, which is constrained by the device’s structure. To address these issues, this paper presents a hybrid energy harvester (HEH) that combines coils and arc magnets, forming an electromagnetic component (EMEH). Additionally, it incorporates a piezoelectric cantilever beam (PECB) as a piezoelectric component (PEH). Unlike traditional electromagnetic energy harvesters, this design utilizes two arc magnets to drive the rotating brackets, thereby achieving the opposite movement of the coil and magnet. This increases the relative velocity and consequently enhances the rate of magnetic field change on the coil. Simultaneously, it achieves frequency up-conversion by inducing vibration in the PECB through magnetic force. Under an external excitation of 5.5 Hz, the PEH achieves a maximum power of 0.362 mW at a load resistance of 330 kΩ, while the EMEH with 1200 turns of coil attains a maximum power of 8.74 mW at a load resistance of 110 Ω. The power density of the PEH reaches 94.96 μW cm−3. These results highlight the significant potential of the proposed energy harvester for powering low-power devices.
Finger joint aligned flat tube folding structure for robotic glove design
Authors: Liu Hao , Wu Changchun , Lin Senyuan , Chen Yonghua
Published: November 2023

Pneumatic soft actuators have been widely considered the safest actuation technology for use in wearable rehabilitation robots. For soft robotic gloves, researchers commonly put soft extending or bending actuators on dorsal fingers to assist hand flexion. In this research, we propose a novel pre-folded flat tube actuator (PFTA) to assist finger flex into a pre-set bending angle or contact force. The PFTA has three folds, aligned with each of the finger joint. Different from other soft actuators, the PFTA exerts bending torque directly on each finger joint without large actuator deformation. The PFTA made of heat shrink flat tube has a small profile, with low cost, easy fabrication, and high safety. When actuated, the PFTA has the tendency to unfold as well, we call this effect as unfolding flat tube actuation. This effect is characterized by a range of bending angles and input air pressures in which four distinct response regimes were observed. They are defined as shearing, collapsing, creasing, and flattening regimes. Similarly, experimental characterization of PFTAs is also conducted to evaluate the level of joint flexion assistance based on which design guidelines for robotic gloves are recommended. Finally, we build PFTAs on a soft wearable glove and demonstrate their capability in assisting the grasping operations of various object shapes.
Detection of atomic vortex beam using the near-field diffraction method
Authors: Deechuen Pissunee , Srisuphaphon Sorakrai , Buathong Sitti , Deachapunya Sarayut
Published: November 2023

We theoretically introduce the method for detecting the atomic vortex (AV) of a helium atomic beam. The AV detection is based on near-field diffraction. The simulations relied on the Feynman path integral. The Gaussian beam and velocity distribution of helium atoms are taken into account. Gravitational field is also included in this study. This research can be useful in the field of matter-wave optics.
Asymptotic behaviour of energy levels of a quantum free particle in an elliptic sector
Authors: Nikulin M A , Popelensky Th Yu , Shafarevich A I
Published: November 2023

We study quantum solution for a free particle in a domain bounded by an ellipse and arc(s) of confocal hyperbola(s). We found asymptotic behaviour of energy levels as focal distance tends to zero and show how it is related to the energy levels of limiting wedge billiard. Classical billiard system in the considered domains is integrable due to existence of an additional conserved quantity. There is a corresponding quantum counterpart, and we calculate its eigenvalues.
An alternative method to mimic mode conversion for ion cyclotron resonance heating
Authors: Zhang J.H. , Zhang X.J. , Qin C.M. , Zhang W. , Yang Y.Q.
Published: November 2023

Ion cyclotron range of frequency waves in hot plasmas exhibit spatial dispersion effects and the wave equation takes the integro-differential form. Under the local plasma model assumption, the wave equation can be simplified to the differential form and adapts to the numerical scheme of the finite element method (FEM). Even though direct absorption of fast waves by ions and electrons can be described well by the local plasma model, linear mode conversion associated with non-local effects is absent. To deal with this issue, an alternative method is put forward in this paper where quasi-electrostatic fluid waves based on the multi-fluid warm plasma model are employed to take the place of ion Bernstein waves in mode conversion. On this basis, an interative fluid-kinetics (INTFLUK) code based on the FEM is developed for full-wave simulation in hot plasmas. Derivation of the wave equations as well as benchmarking of the INTFLUK code against other wave simulation codes are carried out. In both one- and two-dimensional cases, the validity of the INTFLUK code was verified by comparison of the wave field distributions and power deposition. As a useful illustration of the INTFLUK code including the scrape-off layer and a realistic antenna, the influence of the poloidal antenna phasing difference on ion cyclotron resonance heating is analyzed. Finally, it should be noted that the method in this paper has the potential to be extended to the three-dimensional case, which will be considered in the near future.
Improvement of electron temperature and density accuracy in Thomson scattering diagnostics
by an accumulation of 100 laser pulses within 5 milliseconds
Authors: Funaba H. , Yasuhara R. , Uehara H. , Den Hartog D.J. , Yanai R. , Kenmochi N. , Yamada I.
Published: November 2023

In order to measure the electron temperature and density in high-electron-temperature and
low-density plasmas, improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio of the Thomson scattering
measurement signal in the Large Helical Device has been tried. One hundred laser pulses of about
1 J in 5 ms were injected at 50 μs intervals into plasmas in an almost steady state. By
averaging the scattered signals obtained from the same plasma and the same location, the noise in
the signals and the error in the background level were also reduced. When the number of signals
to be averaged was large, the scattering of the electron temperature profile was small and the
magnitude of the error also became small.
Deep-learning soft-tissue decomposition in chest radiography using fast fuzzy C-means clustering with CT datasets
Authors: Jeon Duhee , Lim Younghwan , Lee Minjae , Kim Guna , Cho Hyosung
Published: November 2023

Chest radiography is the most routinely used X-ray imaging technique for screening and
diagnosing lung and chest disease, such as lung cancer and pneumonia. However, the clinical
interpretation of the hidden and obscured anatomy in chest X-ray images remains challenging
because of the bony structures overlapping the lung area. Thus, multi-perspective imaging with a
high radiation dose is often required. In this study, to address this problem, we propose a
deep-learning soft-tissue decomposition method using fast fuzzy C-means (FFCM) clustering with
computed tomography (CT) datasets. In this method, FFCM clustering is used to decompose a CT image
into bone and soft-tissue components, which are synthesized into digitally reconstructed
radiographs (DRRs) to obtain large amounts of X-ray decomposition datasets as ground truths for
training. In the training stage, chest and soft-tissue DRRs are used as input and label data,
respectively, for training the network. During the testing, a chest X-ray image is fed into the
trained network to output the corresponding soft-tissue image component. To verify the efficacy of
the proposed method, we conducted a feasibility study on clinical CT datasets available from the
AAPM Lung CT Challenge. According to our results, the proposed method effectively yielded
soft-tissue decomposition from chest X-ray images; this is encouraging for reducing the visual
complexity of chest X-ray images. Consequently, the finding of our feasibility study indicate that
the proposed method can offer a promising outcome for this purpose.
Cosmic muons as PMT and SiPM detector background signals
Authors: Fardipour Raki Gholamreza , Khakzad Mohsen , AbdusSalam Shehu
Published: November 2023

Photomultiplier tube (PMT) and Silicon Photo Multiplier
(SiPM) are often used for detecting small number of photons or very
weak radiations. A light guide usually connects these photodetectors
to the test space. In this article, we investigate the effect of
background signals caused by cosmic muons scintillation or
interactions with PMT and SiPM, their light guide or input window
materials. We study such interactions by making simulations using
GATE software package and undertaking experiments using detector
circuits developed as in [1]. The background cosmic
muons can generate photons which will lead to errors in low
radiation and single photon detection experiments especially if
standard scintillators are not used. For such experiments, we
conclude that the most useful method for cutting down the cosmic
muons background should be by conducting the experiments deep
underground or inside tunnels with several tens of meters of
materials above it.
Tilt-induced charge localisation in phosphide antiperovskite photovoltaics
Authors: Wu Ruiqi , Ganose Alex M
Published: November 2023

Antiperovskites are a rich family of compounds with applications in battery cathodes, superconductors, solid-state lighting, and catalysis. Recently, a novel series of antimonide phosphide antiperovskites (A
3SbP, where A = Ca, Sr Ba) were proposed as candidate photovoltaic absorbers due to their ideal band gaps, small effective masses and strong optical absorption. In this work, we explore this series of compounds in more detail using relativistic hybrid density functional theory. We reveal that the proposed cubic structures are dynamically unstable and instead identify a tilted orthorhombic Pnma phase as the ground state. Tilting is shown to induce charge localisation that widens the band gap and increases the effective masses. Despite this, we demonstrate that the predicted maximum photovoltaic efficiencies remain high (24%–31% for 200 nm thin films) by bringing the band gaps into the ideal range for a solar absorber. Finally, we assess the band alignment of the series and suggest hole and electron contact materials for efficient photovoltaic devices.
Generating smooth potential landscapes with thermal scanning-probe lithography
Authors: Lassaline Nolan
Published: November 2023

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) uses a sharp tip to interrogate surfaces with atomic precision. Inputs such as mechanical, electrical, or thermal energy can activate highly localized interactions, providing a powerful class of instruments for manipulating materials on small length scales. Thermal scanning-probe lithography (tSPL) is an advanced SPM variant that uses a silicon tip on a heated cantilever to locally sublimate polymer resist, acting as a high-resolution lithography tool and a scanning probe microscope simultaneously. The main advantage of tSPL is the ability to electrically control the temperature and applied force of the tip, which can produce smooth topographical surfaces that are unattainable with conventional nanofabrication techniques. Recent investigations have exploited these surfaces to generate potential landscapes for enhanced control of photons, electrons, excitons, and nanoparticles, demonstrating a broad range of experimental possibilities. This paper outlines the principles, procedures, and limitations of tSPL for generating smooth potentials and discusses the prospective impact in photonics, electronics, and nanomaterials science.
Quantifying the hierarchical adherence of modular documents
Authors: Benatti Alexandre , Brito Ana C M , Amancio Diego R , da F Costa Luciano
Published: November 2023

Several natural and artificial structures are characterized by an intrinsic hierarchical organization. The present work describes a methodology for quantifying the degree of adherence between a given hierarchical template and a respective modular document (e.g. books or homepages with content organized into modules) organized as a respective content network. The original document, which in the case of the present work concerns Wikipedia pages, is transformed into a respective content network by first dividing the document into parts or modules. Then, the contents (words) of each pair of modules are compared in terms of the coincidence similarity index, yielding a respective weight. The adherence between the hierarchical template and the content network can then be measured by considering the coincidence similarity between the respective adjacency matrices, leading to the respective hierarchical adherence index. In order to provide additional information about this adherence, four specific indices are also proposed, quantifying the number of links between non-adjacent levels, links between nodes in the same level, converging links between adjacent levels, and missing links. The potential of the approach is illustrated respectively to model-theoretical networks as well as to real-world data obtained from Wikipedia. In addition to confirming the effectiveness of the suggested concepts and methods, the results suggest that real-world documents do not tend to substantially adhere to respective hierarchical templates.
Science and Exploration
Authors: Crawford I
Published: November 2023

The Wargo Award is given annually to scientists or engineers for integrating science and exploration throughout their careers. Here 2023 winner Ian Crawford pays tribute to his influences and sources of inspiration, and outlines his hopes for the future.
Working for diversity
Authors: Fernando B
Published: November 2023

In the first of a series of features, chair Ben Fernando outlines the workings and goals of the RAS Committee on Diversity in Astronomy and Geophysics
Understanding the quality and safety of food production through the lens of The Microbiome of The Built Environment
Authors: Imai Kota , Niwa Ryo , Fujioka Masaki , Ito Kohei
Published: November 2023

The Microbiome of the Built Environment (MoBE) is profoundly implicated in various sectors, including food science. The balance between beneficial and pathogenic microbes in these facilities directly influences product quality and public health. Maintaining a careful check on MoBE and external microbes is vital to the food industry to ensure quality control. There is also a risk of contamination in the meat processing facility as well. However, over-sanitization can increase drug-resistant microbes, highlighting the importance of balanced microbial management. Additionally, facility design, influenced by understanding MoBE, can optimize the growth of beneficial microbes and inhibit pathogenic microbes. Microbial mapping, an emerging practice, offers insights into microbial hotspots within facilities, resulting in targeted interventions. As the food industry evolves, the intricate understanding and management of MoBE will be pivotal to ensuring optimal food quality, safety, and innovation.
COMMO: a web server for the identification and analysis of consensus gene modules across multiple methods
Authors: Wu Xiaojing , Han Mingfei , Song Xinyu , He Song , Bo Xiaochen , Zhu Yunping
Published: November 2023

A variety of computational methods have been developed to identify functionally related gene modules from genome-wide gene expression profiles. Integrating the results of these methods to identify consensus modules is a promising approach to produce more accurate and robust results. In this application note, we introduce COMMO, the first web server to identify and analyze consensus gene functionally related gene modules from different module detection methods. First, COMMO implements eight state-of-the-art module detection methods and two consensus clustering algorithms. Second, COMMO provides users with mRNA and protein expression data for 33 cancer types from three public databases. Users can also upload their own data for module detection. Third, users can perform functional enrichment and two types of survival analyses on the observed gene modules. Finally, COMMO provides interactive, customizable visualizations and exportable results. With its extensive analysis and interactive capabilities, COMMO offers a user-friendly solution for conducting module-based precision medicine research.

Availability and implementation

COMMO web is available at https://commo.ncpsb.org.cn/, with the source code available on GitHub: https://github.com/Song-xinyu/COMMO/tree/master.
Gut immune responses and evolution of the gut microbiome—a hypothesis
Authors: Viney Mark , Cheynel Louise
Published: November 2023

The gut microbiome is an assemblage of microbes that have profound effects on their hosts. The composition of the microbiome is affected by bottom-up, among-taxa interactions and by top-down, host effects, which includes the host immune response. While the high-level composition of the microbiome is generally stable over time, component strains and genotypes will constantly be evolving, with both bottom-up and top-down effects acting as selection pressures, driving microbial evolution. Secretory IgA is a major feature of the gut’s adaptive immune response, and a substantial proportion of gut bacteria are coated with IgA, though the effect of this on bacteria is unclear. Here we hypothesize that IgA binding to gut bacteria is a selection pressure that will drive the evolution of IgA-bound bacteria, so that they will have a different evolutionary trajectory than those bacteria not bound by IgA. We know very little about the microbiome of wild animals and even less about their gut immune responses, but it must be a priority to investigate this hypothesis to understand if and how host immune responses contribute to microbiome evolution.
Gene Duplication, Shifting Selection, and Dosage Balance of Silicon Transporter Proteins in Marine and Freshwater Diatoms
Authors: Bryłka Karolina , Pinseel Eveline , Roberts Wade R , Ruck Elizabeth C , Conley Daniel J , Alverson Andrew J
Published: November 2023

Numerous factors shape the evolution of protein-coding genes, including shifts in the strength or type of selection following gene duplications or changes in the environment. Diatoms and other silicifying organisms use a family of silicon transporters (SITs) to import dissolved silicon from the environment. Freshwaters contain higher silicon levels than oceans, and marine diatoms have more efficient uptake kinetics and less silicon in their cell walls, making them better competitors for a scarce resource. We compiled SITs from 37 diatom genomes to characterize shifts in selection following gene duplications and marine–freshwater transitions. A deep gene duplication, which coincided with a whole-genome duplication, gave rise to two gene lineages. One of them (SIT1–2) is present in multiple copies in most species and is known to actively import silicon. These SITs have evolved under strong purifying selection that was relaxed in freshwater taxa. Episodic diversifying selection was detected but not associated with gene duplications or habitat shifts. In contrast, genes in the second SIT lineage (SIT3) were present in just half the species, the result of multiple losses. Despite conservation of SIT3 in some lineages for the past 90–100 million years, repeated losses, relaxed selection, and low expression highlighted the dispensability of SIT3, consistent with a model of deterioration and eventual loss due to relaxed selection on SIT3 expression. The extensive but relatively balanced history of duplications and losses, together with paralog-specific expression patterns, suggest diatoms continuously balance gene dosage and expression dynamics to optimize silicon transport across major environmental gradients.
Developing a solid-phase method for the enzymatic synthesis of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate backbones
Authors: Stancanelli Eduardo , Liu Wei , Su Guowei , Padagala Vijay , Liu Jian
Published: November 2023

Despite the recent progress on the solution-phase enzymatic synthesis of heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS), solid-phase enzymatic synthesis has not been fully investigated. Here, we describe the solid-phase enzymatic synthesis of HS and CS backbone oligosaccharides using specialized linkers. We demonstrate the use of immobilized HS linker to synthesize CS, and the use of immobilized CS linker to synthesize HS. The linkers were then digested with chondroitin ABCase and heparin lyases, respectively, to obtain the products. Our findings uncover a potential approach for accelerating the synthesis of structurally homogeneous HS and CS oligosaccharides.
Paper promises: Peruvian frontline health workers’ perspectives on mental health policies during COVID-19
Authors: Mayo-Puchoc Nikol , Bejarano-Carranza Jenny , Paredes-Angeles Rubí , Vilela-Estrada Ana Lucía , García-Serna Jackeline , Cusihuaman-Lope Noelia , Villarreal-Zegarra David , Cavero Victoria , Ardila-Gómez Sara
Published: November 2023

Governments globally deployed various non-pharmacological public health measures to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. lockdowns and suspension of transportation, amongst others); some of these measures had an influence on society’s mental health. Specific mental health policies were therefore implemented to mitigate the potential mental health impact of the pandemic. We aimed to explore the implementation of mental health regulations adopted by the Peruvian health system by focusing on the care services at Community Mental Health Centres (CMHCs), based on the experiences of health workers. We conducted a phenomenological qualitative study to understand the implementation of mental health policies launched in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were obtained from a document review of 15 national policy measures implemented during the pandemic (March 2020 to September 2021), and 20 interviews with health workers from CMHCs (September 2021 to February 2022). The analysis was conducted using thematic content analysis. Most implemented policies adapted CMHC care services to a virtual modality during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, various challenges and barriers were evidenced in the process, which prevented effective adaptation of services. Workers perceived that ineffective telemedicine use was attributed to a gap in access to technology at the CMHCs and also by users, ranging from limited access to technological devices to a lack of technological skills. Further, although mental health promotion and prevention policies targeting the community were proposed, CMHC staff reported temporary interruption of these services during the first wave. The disparity between what is stated in the regulations and the experiences of health workers is evident. Policies that focus on mental health need to provide practical and flexible methods taking into consideration both the needs of CMHCs and socio-cultural characteristics that may affect their implementation.
Oriented Right-Angled Artin Pro-ℓ Groups and Maximal Pro-ℓ Galois Groups
Authors: Blumer Simone , Quadrelli Claudio , Weigel Thomas S
Published: November 2023

For a prime number $\ell $, we introduce and study oriented right-angled Artin pro-$\ell $ groups $G_{\Gamma ,\lambda }$(oriented pro-$\ell $ RAAGs for short) associated to a finite oriented graph $\Gamma $ and a continuous group homomorphism $\lambda \colon{\mathbb{Z}}_{\ell }\to{\mathbb{Z}}_{\ell }^{\times }$. We show that an oriented pro-$\ell $ RAAG $G_{\Gamma ,\lambda }$ is a Bloch–Kato pro-$\ell $ group if, and only if, $(G_{\Gamma ,\lambda },\theta _{\Gamma ,\lambda })$ is an oriented pro-$\ell $ group of elementary type, generalizing a recent result of I. Snopce and P. Zalesskiĭ—here $\theta _{\Gamma ,\lambda }\colon G_{\Gamma ,\lambda }\to{\mathbb{Z}}_{\ell}^{\times }$ denotes the canonical $\ell $-orientation on $G_{\Gamma ,\lambda }$. This yields a plethora of new examples of pro-$\ell $ groups that are not maximal pro-$\ell $ Galois groups. We invest some effort in order to show that oriented right-angled Artin pro-$\ell $ groups share many properties with right-angled Artin pro-$\ell $-groups or even discrete RAAG’s, for example, if $\Gamma $ is a specially oriented chordal graph, then $G_{\Gamma ,\lambda }$ is coherent generalizing a result of C. Droms. Moreover, in this case, $(G_{\Gamma ,\lambda },\theta _{\Gamma ,\lambda })$ has the Positselski–Bogomolov property generalizing a result of H. Servatius, C. Droms, and B. Servatius for discrete RAAG’s. If $\Gamma $ is a specially oriented chordal graph and $\operatorname{Im}(\lambda )\subseteq 1+4{\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ in case that $\ell =2$, then $H^{\bullet }(G_{\Gamma ,\lambda },{\mathbb{F}}_{\ell }) \simeq \Lambda ^{\bullet }(\ddot{\Gamma }^{\textrm{op}})$ generalizing a well-known result of M. Salvetti (cf. [ 39]). Dedicated to the memory of Avinoam Mann.