bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Length-weight relationships and condition factors of Cephalopholis argus harvested in the northern coast of Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Fadli Nur , Damora Adrian , Muchlisin Abidin Zainal , Dewiyanti Irma , Ramadhaniaty Mutia , Djamani Rianjuanda , Syahril Alfis , Nur Firman M. , Batubara Agung S. , Razi Muhammad Nanda , Macusi Edison D. , Siti-Azizah Mohd N.
Published: January 2022

The peacock hind grouper (Cephalopholis argus) is among several highly exploited grouper fishes globally. Categorized as least concern (LC) in the IUCN, biological data on the species is limited, especially in the Aceh region. This research targeted to investigate the biological features of the C. argus fished on the northern coast of Aceh. The fish samples were collected from Pelabuhan Perikanan Samudera (PPS) Lampulo, Kuta Alam District, Banda Aceh, Aceh from June - September 2020. Overall, 30 specimens C. argus were compiled in this study. The total length (TL) varied between 136.0-284.0 mm, while weight (W) ranged between 46.5-460.0 g. In addition, Fulton's condition (K) ranged from 1.45-4.61, and relative weight (Wr) ranged from 81.75-128.53 g. The LWRs analysis revealed a b value of 3.1329 with a correlation coefficient of 0.94, indicating a positive allometric growth pattern. This study provides length-weight relationships (LWR) and condition factors value for the peacock hind grouper that will assist in building a feasible management of the fish.
The impact of the spread of covid-19 on marine tourism-based small businesses and suggested recovery plans
Authors: Chan Syafruddin , Asni Kurnia
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this study is to find out the real impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on tourism-based small businesses in the island, as well as what recovery strategies that should be undertaken from the standpoint of company owners, including potential for leveraging digital business technology. This research was conducted using a quantitative descriptive method. Data collected using online questionnaires. 50 questionnaires distributed using non-probability sampling. The distribution of Covid-19 had a detrimental effect on the small companies who participated in this study. The greatest consequence is a decrease in revenues due to a decrease in demand for its products and services. As a result, firms downsized by reducing their business scale and laying off staff. Companies are beginning to employ technology to enter digital industries, such as joining online apps and selling more aggressively in e-markets. Virtual reality tour business opportunities can be tried to generate alternative income.
Analysis of rice production trends and the effect of harvest failure on insured land area in Aceh Province
Authors: Deli Anwar , Pahlevi Muhammad R. , Rahmaddiansyah Rahmaddiansyah , Afwanudin Ali , ND Authar Muhammad , Miswar Edy , Irham Muhammad
Published: January 2022

Agricultural insurance is a risk transfer that can provide compensation due to farming losses so that the sustainability of farming can be guaranteed. Rice farming insurance (AUTP) is a pilot program or pilot project that has been implemented in Aceh Province since 2015. However, the realization of the insurance program is still very low from the target set. The central government coordinates with local governments to implement the AUTP program by issuing a policy of providing premium subsidies of 80 percent or IDR.144,000/Ha/MT of the total premium of IDR.180,000/Ha/MT. AUTP participants only pay a premium of 20% per hectare of land insured with an insured value of IDR.6,000,000/Ha with conditions damaged or failed in the event attack of the pest and natural disasters at least 75%. The purpose of this study is to see the effect of a simple regression analysis of the area of failed rice harvest on the area of land insured in Aceh Province. This study uses secondary data from 2010-2019. The results of this study via a simple regression analysis indicate that the effect of the area of rice harvest failure on the area of land insured in Aceh Province is not significantly affected.
An analysis of lighting design in a football stadium
Authors: Amir Nyak , Saifuddin  , Muhammad Muhammad , Maulana Riyan
Published: January 2022

Lighting is an essential element for human life. Based on the decree of the Minister of Health No.1405/Menkes/SK/XI/2002 Date: 19 November 2002 concerning the requirements and procedures for the implementation of healthy working environment. Indonesian National Standard 16-7062-2004 states that the quality of the inadequate lighting gives bad effects for visual function, the environment around the workplace, and psychological aspects that can be felt as fatigue, feeling less comfortable, less alertness until the effects of the most serious such as accident. The purpose of the study was to determine the intensity of the lighting, the spread of light, lighting design, type of lamp, light bulb conditions, efficiency of energy usage, and maintenance of the football stadium lights. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach using the type of evaluation research. The subject of this research is Harapan Bangsa Football Stadium in Banda Aceh. Data analysis techniques are: data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusion. The findings of the research showed that the lighting intensity of Harapan Bangsa Football Stadium was 341 lux. Meaning that it was deficit of 458.8 lux of the standard set by PT Liga Indonesia (800 lux), deficit of 959 lux of the standard set by AFC (1.200 Lux), and deficit of 1659 of the standard set by FIFA 2000 Lux. Lighting in the Harapan Bangsa Football Stadium spread unevenly. The lighting intensity design of the stadium was 594 lux. The kind of light bulb used was mercury. The electric power needed to support all of lamps was 377. 200 Watt. The type of light bulb used was Philips trademark. Most of the light bulbs were broken and expired. The use of mercury lamps has not been efficient in energy use. The maintenance of the lamps has not maximized yet.
A novel 5d-7f transition phosphor KAl1–xPO4Cl:Tbx3+ (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 1.0)
Authors: Akojwar Ashish , Nagapure Dipak , Naktode Purushottam , Shinde Kartik , Kokode Namdeo
Published: January 2022

The present work reports on the synthesis of Terbium (Tb) doped KAlPO4Cl phosphors by the combustion of metal nitrates and urea carried out in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 650 °C. The powder phosphor samples obtained after combustion were characterized for structural and morphological analysis. Upon excitation with ultraviolet light of 380 nm, KAlPO4Cl doped with trivalent terbium ions exhibited strong emission in green light region with a weak emission in blue region which is very close to NUV region emission peaks situated at 544 nm and 551 nm. The emission spectrum reveals the potential of KAlPO4Cl:Tb3+ phosphor for LED as well as W-LEDs.
Effects of Obesity on the Auditory Function of Children and Adolescents
Authors: Başer Engin , Kendirci Havva Nur Peltek
Published: January 2022

Introduction Childhood and adolescent obesity is associated with insulin resistance, abnormal glucose metabolism, hypertension, dyslipidemia, inflammation, liver disease, and compromised vascular function.

Objective We aimed to evaluate the effects of obesity on the auditory function and speech audiometry of children and adolescents.

Methods Subjects with a body mass index (BMI) higher than +2 standard deviation (SD) were classified as obese, and subjects with normal BMI SD were classified as the control group. Blood samples were taken for glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles following an 8-hour fasting period, and a hepatobiliary ultrasound was performed. The homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. The audiological evaluation included pure-tone audiometry (PTA), speech reception threshold (SRT), and speech discrimination score (SDS).

Results The study included 100 children (50 girls) with obesity, with a mean age of 11.4 ± 2.9 years and 30 children with normal body weight, with a mean age of 11.9 ± 3.3 years. Of the children with obesity, 55% (n = 55) were found to have hyperlipidemia, 68% (n = 68) insulin resistance, and 21% (n = 21) hepatosteatosis. There were no statistically significant differences between children with obesity and the control group in terms of SDS or PTA, while SRT was found to be higher in children with obesity. There was no difference between obese children with or without hyperlipidemia, between obese children with or without insulin resistance, and between obese children with or without hepatosteatosis, according to hearing tests.

Conclusion The result of the present study indicates that children with obesity are more prone to having auditory problems than the normal population. We recommend more frequent audiological evaluations, including speech audiometry, in children and adolescents with obesity problems
Thermocoagulation Treatment of a Patient with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Substance Use Disorder: Case Report
Authors: Guisolphi Natalia , Bessa Isabela Garcia , Silva Ledismar José da
Published: January 2022

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a possible cause associated with substance use disorder (SUD), a set of physical, psychological, behavioral, and cognitive phenomena related to the use of one or more chemical substances as a priority in a person's life that compromises quality of life. Since they can share the same neuronal network, this serves as a basis for neurosurgical procedures in cases refractory to conventional therapies. A 31-year-old male patient with a history of OCD and SUD refractory to conventional therapies underwent bilateral ablative stereotactic neurosurgery of the anterior limb of the internal capsule, the subgenual cingulate region, the nucleus accumbens, and the cingulate gyrus. Up to 33 months after the the procedure, the patient showed an absolute improvement in OCD and SUD and reported lack of withdrawal signs or symptoms and/or need to use drugs. In recent years, ablative neurosurgery has proven to be an alternative to OCD refractoriness, with long-term benefits. In the case analyzed, ablative stereotactic neurosurgery was effective in controlling both the signs and symptoms triggered by OCD, as well as those of anxiety and stress.
Onyx Embolization of an Indirect Carotid–Cavernous Fistula with Cortical Venous Reflux: Technical Note
Authors: Abaunza-Camacho Juan Felipe , Vergara-Garcia David , Madrinan-Navia Humberto , Riveros William Mauricio , Caballero Alberto
Published: January 2022

Background Indirect carotid–cavernous fistulas (iCCFs) are shunts between meningeal branches of the internal carotid and/or the external carotid arteries and the cavernous sinus. They account for 83% of all carotid–cavernous fistulas (CCFs). Symptomatic iCCFs and those with increased risk of hemorrhage should be treated. Transvenous endovascular treatment is the preferred treatment modality. However, in complex cases, a combination of transarterial and transvenous approaches (multimodal treatment) is required.

Methods A middle-aged woman presented with signs of increased intraocular pressure, blurry vision, diplopia, left proptosis, chemosis, conjunctival injection, ptosis, and cranial nerve VI palsy. Imaging confirmed the presence of a Barrow type D and Thomas type 4 iCCF with cortical venous reflux (CVR).

Results The patient underwent transarterial and transvenous onyx embolization of the shunt, achieving a complete obliteration of the fistula. No complications occurred and the patient had a satisfactory postprocedural evolution.

Conclusion Multimodal onyx embolization is an effective option for the treatment of a complex symptomatic iCCF. If CVR is identified, these lesions should be promptly treated to prevent hemorrhage secondary to rupture.
Targeted Partial Arthroscopic Trapeziectomy and Temporary K-Wire Distraction for Basal Joint Arthritis in Young Patients: A Retrospective Study of 39 Thumbs
Authors: de Villeneuve Bargemon Jean-Baptiste , Rouveyrol Mathias , Massin Valentin , Jaloux Charlotte , Levadoux M.
Published: January 2022

Purpose There is a real need to find less invasive therapeutic options for young patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal joint. We wanted to assess the effectiveness of targeted partial arthroscopic trapeziectomy with distraction of the trapeziometacarpal (TM) joint with Kirschner wires (K-wires) in 39 thumbs impacted by TM osteoarthritis.

Methods We conducted a retrospective study in which preoperative and postoperative data on pinch strength, grip strength, and pain on a visual analogue scale were collected. Subgroup analysis was performed based on two different K-wire distraction techniques. Only patients suffering from primary osteoarthritis and younger than 70 years were included. Second, we compared the frequency of complications relative to the position of the pins.

Results We found a significant improvement in pain (p = 0.005) and grip strength (p = 0.0021) as well as an improvement in pinch strength (p = 0.5704). There was reduction in pain for all Badia levels, which was significant for stages 2 (p = 0.002) and 3 (p = 0.032) as well as an overall improvement in grip strength and pinch strength for all Badia levels.

Conclusion Partial trapeziectomy with K-wire distraction in young patients suffering from TM osteoarthritis is a simple technique that requires minimal equipment and yields satisfactory outcomes. Conversion to another surgical treatment is still possible if this less invasive technique is unsuccessful.

Level of Evidence This is a Level IV study.
The Reproductive Impact of Eating Disorders in Adolescents
Authors: Curran Kelly A. , Pitt Paulette D.
Published: January 2022

Eating disorders are common, chronic illnesses that frequently arise during adolescence. Because of the impact on nutrition, individuals with eating disorders have significant health consequences, including effects on reproductive health. Adolescent women with eating disorders frequently have menstrual irregularities, though the causes of these abnormalities are complex and vary depending on the type of eating disorder. Teens with eating disorders may have changes in current and future fertility, and eating disorders during pregnancy can have medical and psychologic impacts for both mother and child. Though not well researched, eating disorders in men can affect reproductive health and potentially impact fertility. Lastly, eating disorders in adolescents can have significantly deleterious, irreversible effects on bone health.
Interest group access to decision makers at a democracy festival
Authors: Wollebæk Dag , Raknes Ketil
Published: January 2022

Democracy festivals are an emerging phenomenon in Northern European democracies. Currently, such festivals are found in 10 different countries, yet they have received virtually no scholarly attention. This article is a first attempt to subject such festivals to systematic study, by means of a survey of event organizers at one of the largest, most longstanding festivals, Norwegian Arendalsuka. A stated goal of Arendalsuka is to give organizations more equal access to decision makers. We analyze whether this ambition is fulfilled by examining whether the festival redistributes, reinforces, or reproduces patterns of access we observe in the rest of the year. We do so through the lens of two perspectives on interest group representation. Resource exchange theory argues that access to different political arenas is determined by how group resources match the demand of the gatekeepers. The cumulative access perspective argues that superior resources override dynamics of resource exchange. We find weak evidence of resource exchange and stronger evidence for cumulative access. With regard to politicians, the festival might reinforce differences compared to the rest of the year. Thus, even though the democracy festival under study actively tries to reduce bias, the dominance of the financially and professionally strongest actors prevails.
Measuring disorder at DNA junctions
Authors: Piccone Ashley
Published: January 2022

Spectroscopic measurements of chromophore probes reveal changes in the sugar-phosphate backbone structure of DNA at single-stranded - double-stranded junctions.
Risk assessment of COVID infection by respiratory droplets from cough for various ventilation scenarios inside an elevator: An OpenFOAM-based computational fluid dynamics analysis
Authors: Biswas Riddhideep , Pal Anish , Pal Ritam , Sarkar Sourav , Mukhopadhyay Achintya
Published: January 2022

Respiratory droplets—which may contain disease spreading virus—exhaled during speaking, coughing, or sneezing are one of the significant causes for the spread of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The droplet dispersion depends on the surrounding air velocity, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. In a confined space like an elevator, the risk of transmission becomes higher when there is an infected person inside the elevator with other individuals. In this work, a numerical investigation is carried out in a three-dimensional domain resembling an elevator using OpenFoam. Three different modes of air ventilation, viz., quiescent, axial exhaust draft, and exhaust fan, have been considered to investigate the effect of ventilation on droplet transmission for two different climatic conditions (30 °C, 50% relative humidity and 10 °C, 90% relative humidity). The risk assessment is quantified using a risk factor based on the time-averaged droplet count present near the passenger's hand to head region (risky height zone). The risk factor drops from 40% in a quiescent scenario to 0% in an exhaust fan ventilation condition in a hot dry environment. In general, cold humid conditions are safer than hot dry conditions as the droplets settle down quickly below the risky height zone owing to their larger masses maintained by negligible evaporation. However, an exhaust fan renders the domain in a hot dry ambience completely safe (risk factor, 0%) in 5.5 s whereas it takes 7.48 s for a cold humid ambience.
10 GHz generation with ultra-low phase noise via the transfer oscillator technique
Authors: Nardelli N. V. , Fortier T. M. , Pomponio M. , Baumann E. , Nelson C. , Schibli T. R. , Hati A.
Published: January 2022

Coherent frequency division of high-stability optical sources permits the extraction of microwave signals with ultra-low phase noise, enabling their application to systems with stringent timing precision. To date, the highest performance systems have required tight phase stabilization of laboratory grade optical frequency combs to Fabry–Pérot optical reference cavities for faithful optical-to-microwave frequency division. This requirement limits the technology to highly controlled laboratory environments. Here, we employ a transfer oscillator technique, which employs digital and RF analog electronics to coherently suppress additive optical frequency comb noise. This relaxes the stabilization requirements and allows for the extraction of multiple independent microwave outputs from a single comb, while at the same time, permitting low-noise microwave generation from combs with higher noise profiles. Using this method, we transferred the phase stability of two high-finesse optical sources at 1157 and 1070 nm to two independent 10 GHz signals using a single frequency comb. We demonstrated absolute phase noise below −106 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz from the carrier with corresponding 1 s fractional frequency instability below 2 × 10−15. Finally, the latter phase noise levels were attainable for comb linewidths broadened up to 2 MHz, demonstrating the potential for out-of-lab use with low SWaP lasers.
A modified affine arithmetic-based interval optimization for integrated energy system with multiple uncertainties
Authors: Zheng Wendi , Wang Xiangjie , Shao Zhenguo , Zhang Min , Li Yixin
Published: January 2022

In integrated energy systems, uncertainties cause day-ahead scheduling plans to be uncertain rather than an exact solution. However, traditional interval optimization models ignore the correlation between variables, resulting in an over-conservative range of solutions. To overcome this limitation, the present paper proposes a modified affine arithmetic to establish an interval optimal scheduling model based on deterministic optimization. The correlation between different variables is tracked by sharing noise terms, and the solution in affine form is transformed into a more intuitive interval solution by a modified affine approximation method and linear relaxation method. Finally, with the minimum midpoint and radii of daily operating cost interval as the objective function, the multi-objective function is converted into a single-objective function through Lagrange multiplication to solve the model. In a case study, the proposed method is compared with the Monte Carlo simulation method and the traditional interval optimization method without affine arithmetic. The simulation results show that the radii of the interval solutions obtained by the proposed method is 9.39% less than the traditional interval arithmetic at the 15% level of uncertainty.
Fast inertial relaxation engine in the CRYSTAL code
Authors: Ribaldone Chiara , Casassa Silvia
Published: January 2022

In the framework of ab initio simulations, the search for energy minimum atomic structures is the first step to perform in studying the properties of a system. One of the most used and efficient optimization algorithms is a quasi-Newton line-search scheme based on the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (Bfgs) Hessian updating formula. However, recent studies [Bitzek et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 170201 (2006) and Guénolé et al., Comput. Mater. Sci. 175, 109584 (2020)] suggested that minimization methods based on molecular dynamics concepts, such as the Fast Inertial Relaxation Engine (Fire) algorithm, often exhibit better performance and accuracy in finding local minima than line-search based schemes. In the present work, the implementation of Fire, in the framework of Crystal ab initio quantum mechanical simulation package [Dovesi et al., Wiley Interdiscip. Rev.: Comput. Mol. Sci. 8, e1360 (2018)], has been described. Its efficiency and performance in comparison with Bfgs quasi-Newton scheme have been assessed using Hartree–Fock and density functional theory with Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof and hybrid functionals to model the potential energy surface. Fire shows good convergence behavior for all the considered systems, well reproducing the minimum energy structures obtained by the Bfgs approach. As regards the computational cost, Fire requires more iterations to converge with respect to Bfgs, but each Fire iteration is faster than the Bfgs one. The overall efficiency of Fire improves as the size of the system increased so that this minimization method seems to be very promising for systems without symmetry (space group P1) with a large number of atoms.
Ultrafast end-to-end protein structure prediction enables high-throughput exploration of uncharacterized proteins
Authors: Kandathil Shaun M. , Greener Joe G. , Lau Andy M. , Jones David T.
Published: January 2022

Significance

We present a deep learning-based predictor of protein tertiary structure that uses only a multiple sequence alignment (MSA) as input. To date, most emphasis has been on the accuracy of such deep learning methods, but here we show that accurate structure prediction is also possible in very short timeframes (a few hundred milliseconds). In our method, the backbone coordinates of the target protein are output directly from the neural network, which makes the predictor extremely fast. As a demonstration, we generated over 1.3 million models of uncharacterized proteins in the BFD, a large sequence database including many metagenomic sequences. Our results showcase the utility of ultrafast and accurate tertiary structure prediction in rapidly exploring the “dark space” of proteins.
Sizing up adjectives
Authors: Loos Cornelia
Published: January 2022

Adjectives are often identified via notional or even translational criteria in sign language research, which reflects a lack of formal criteria for identifying this part of speech in the field. This paper presents the results of a guided production task investigating the conservative hypothesis that ASL has a small, closed adjective class consisting only of terms for dimension, age, value, and color. Evidence from the syntactic distribution of these core properties compared to non-core properties will be presented to refute the initial hypothesis and show that ASL has an open adjective class. Its members are characterized by their ability to occur as prenominal modifiers without function-indicating morphosyntax. The semantic distinction between core and peripheral adjectives is nonetheless reflected in a significant preference for core adjectives to be used as modifiers rather than as sentential predicates. Postnominal property signs are analyzed as (in most cases) reduced relative clauses. I further suggest that prototypically verbal signs can be used as prenominal modifiers when they are embedded in reduced relative clauses.
A call for community-informed translation
Authors: Attig Remy
Published: January 2022

This article considers the Spanish and French translations of nonbinary pronouns in Netflix’sOne Day at a Time, a social-justice-oriented sitcom. The article compares the source text with six parallel translations taken from one episode and isolates two main translation strategies. In the first strategy, translators rely on calque translations from English that demonstrate a misunderstanding of the source text. The second strategy shows an active engagement on the part of translators with Hispanic and Francophone Queer communities, replicating authentic Queer language practices. The article goes on to describe the implications of both strategies on reception and outlines several reasons why community-informed translation should be established as a best practice for Queer-oriented texts.
Truly 3D microfluidic heating system with iterative structure of coil heaters and fluidic channels
Authors: Jung Woojun , Lee Seonghyeon , Hwang Yongha
Published: January 2022

A microfluidic chip, in which both the coil heater and the fluidic channel are designed in a 3D iterative structure, is developed and experimentally demonstrated. Using the empty surrounding 3D space, the microfluidic chip increases the heat transfer area, thereby increasing the fluid temperature by 51.3%, with the same power consumption, compared to heaters and channels typically designed on a 2D plane. After casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) into a sacrificial mold printed using a 3D printer and dissolving the mold, the 3D coil Joule heater is fabricated by filling the interior part of the coil with liquid gallium by vacuuming. By adding an insulation wall filled with air having low thermal conductivity, an additional heating of 8.7% is achieved; this demonstrates the advantage of the 3D-printed soluble-mold technique, which can allow faster prototyping than the typical microfabrication based on soft lithography. Thus, this technique enables convenient design modifications with high priority for performance improvement. As all the components are manufactured simultaneously within a biocompatible, single PDMS body (because of the absence of bonding process between the devices), the risk of leakage in the device is inherently avoided, and the device can be bent without causing any fracture. Therefore, the reported fabrication process and devices are expected to contribute to miniaturization and performance enhancement of microfluidics; this will lead to the development of wearable 3D lab-on-a-chip devices in future.
Non-Gaussianities in the extended EFT of inflation
Authors: Ashoorioon Amjad , Geshnizjani Ghazal , Kim Hyung J.
Published: January 2022

In earlier works, we studied the validity of Extended Effective Field Theory of Inflation (EEFToI) in the regime where initial conditions are set with dispersion relations ω
2 ∝ k
6. We had also evaluated and examined the power spectrum for some interesting corners of the parameter space. In this paper, we compute the bispectrum in the EEFToI, take a closer look at the strong coupling constraints and calculate the size of the non-Gaussianities in those regions of parameter space. We also investigate the shape of triangles that contribute to the enhancement of non-Gaussianities in this regime. We find that there are allowed parts of parameter spaces where EEFToI description with initial conditions set with ω
2 ∝ k
6 is sensible and interesting.
Dynamic property of phase transition for non-linear charged anti-de Sitter black holes *
Authors: Du Yun-Zhi , Li Huai-Fan , Liu Fang , Zhang Li-Chun
Published: January 2022

Understanding the thermodynamic phase transition of black holes can provide deep insights into the fundamental properties of black hole gravity and help to establish quantum gravity. In this work, we investigate the phase transition and its dynamics for the charged EPYM AdS black hole. Through reconstructing Maxwell's equal-area law, we find there exists a high-/low-potential black hole (HPBH/LPBL) phase transition, not only the pure large/small black hole phase transition. The Gibbs free energy landscape (

) is treated as a function of the black hole horizon, which is the order parameter of the phase transition due to thermal fluctuation. From the viewpoint of

, the stable HPBH/LPBL states correspond to two wells of

, which have the same depth. The unstable intermediate-potential black hole state corresponds to the local maximum of

. Then we focus on the probability evolution governed by the Fokker–Planck equation. Through solving the Fokker–Planck equation with different reflection/absorption boundary conditions and initial conditions, the dynamics of switching between the coexistent HPBH and LPBL phases is probed within the first passage time. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on the dynamic properties of the phase transition is also investigated.
A Study on White Dwarf Masses in Cataclysmic Variables Based on XMM-Newton and Suzaku Observations
Authors: Yu Zhuo-Li , Xu Xiao-Jie , Li Xiang-Dong
Published: January 2022

The distribution of the mass of white dwarfs (WDs) is one of the fundamental questions in the field of cataclysmic variables (CVs). In this work, we make a systematical investigation on the WD masses in two subclass of CVs: intermediate polars (IPs) and non-magnetic CVs in the solar vicinity based on the flux ratios of Fe xxvi–Lyα to Fe xxv–Heα emission lines (I
7.0/I
6.7) from archival XMM-Newton and Suzaku observations. We first verify the (semi-empirical) relations between I
7.0/I
6.7, the maximum emission temperature (T
max) and the WD mass (M
WD) with the mkcflow model based on the apec description and the latest AtomDB. We then introduce a new spectral model to measure M
WD directly based on the above relations. A comparison shows that the derived M
WD is consistent with dynamically measured ones. Finally, we obtain the average WD masses of 58 CVs (including 36 IPs and 22 non-magnetic CVs), which is the largest X-ray selected sample. The average WD masses are 〈M
WD,IP〉 = 0.81 ± 0.21 M
⊙ and

〈

M

WD
,
DN

〉
=
0.81
±
0.21

M

⊙

for IPs and non-magnetic CVs, respectively. These results are consistent with previous works.
Monte Carlo Simulations of a Non-Invasive Positron Detector to Measure the Arterial Input Function for Dynamic PET
Authors: Carroll Liam , Enger Shirin A.
Published: January 2022

This work presents Monte Carlo (MC) study of a novel non-invasive positron detector, hereinafter called NID, designed to measure the arterial input function (AIF) through the wrist of a patient for use with dynamic positron emission tomography (PET). The goal of the study was to optimize a previously developed NID prototype, to determine its efficiency and ability to distinguish between the arterial and venous portions of the signal escaping a wrist phantom. A user code based on the Geant4 MC toolkit was developed to model the NID and a wrist phantom. The scintillator based detectors were modelled as 64 polystyrene cylinders, 0.97 mm in diameter, 10 cm long and capped with cylindrical photomultiplier tubes. The scintillator fibers were arranged in a single band around a 64.13 mm polyethylene cylinder representing a model of the wrist. Two cylinders, 2.30 mm in diameter were placed 6 mm apart, 2 mm below the surface of the wrist phantom representing the radial artery and vein. Two simulations were performed by placing 100 million decay events of oxygen-15 (15O) or fluorine-18 (18F), randomly distributed between the artery and vein. Visible wavelength photon tracking was enabled, and Photomultiplier tubes were simulated to collect the visible photons. Deposited energy per event and location of energy deposition were calculated. A python algorithm was used to analyse the results. The arterial signal produced a 5.28 mm and 10.32 mm FWHM for 15O and 18F respectively. The algorithm could determine the correct location of interaction 98% of the time. The NID can resolve the arterial and venous signal and is thus suitable for determining the AIF for dynamic PET.
Development of a practical clinical application of NIPAM kV-CBCT dosimetry
Authors: Pant K , Oldham M , Giles W , Adamson J
Published: January 2022

We report our progress towards developing a clinical application of NIPAM kV-CBCT dosimetry. The goal is to develop a practical kV-MV isocenter verification test for which the measurement and analysis can be carried out quickly (within an hour), and that eliminates the need for separate readout (other than on board kV-CBCT) or extra analysis steps such as image registration. Isocenter verification is performed using a NIPAM 3D gel dosimeter which is irradiated with a small field to ~16Gy at eight unique couch/gantry angles. Pre- and post-irradiation kV-CBCT images are acquired and dose is manifest as the intensity difference between pre- and post-CBCTs due to radiation induced changes in density. Code was developed to detect the geometry of each beam in the kV-CBCT and quantify relevant parameters. We applied this technique to verify the isocenter for MLCs as well as for SRS cones. The measured radius to encompass all beams for 4mm, 6mm, 7.5mm, 12.5mm, and 15mm cones was 0.55±0.11mm. The efficiency, robustness to setup errors, and unique ability to visualize spatial uncertainties in the kV-CBCT coordinate system make the NIPAM kV-CBCT test a practical and unique tool for kV-MV isocenter verification.
Effects of radical scavengers on nanocomposite Fricke gel for heavy ion beam irradiation
Authors: Maeyama T. , Fukunishi N. , Ishikawa K. L. , Fukasaku K. , Fukuda S.
Published: January 2022

NC-FG (nanocomposite Fricke gel) dosimeter is a 3D dosimeter for heavy ion beam without LET dependence. In this study, we evaluate the effects of silver perchlorate, a radical scavenger, on NC-FG. We find that radiological properties of NC-FG are changed by small amounts of silver perchlorate. Especially, dose response at high LET enhanced.
Synthesis and structural characterization of AI2O3 nanoparticles: Towards 3D optically stimulated luminescence dosimetry
Authors: Nielsen Camilla L , Bondesgaard Martin , Turtos Rosana M , Julsgaard Brian , Iversen Bo B , Muren Ludvig P , Balling Peter
Published: January 2022

Advanced radiotherapy techniques, which plan and deliver a treatment in complicated 3D geometries with steep dose gradients, push 3D dosimetry with correspondingly high spatial resolution to the top of scientific and clinical agendas. This paper presents the first steps taken towards an inexpensive and reusable material for 3D dosimetry based on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Carbon-doped alumina (Al2O3:C) nanoparticles were synthesized using supercritical flow synthesis, in which product properties can be finely controlled. The particles were characterized using electron microscopy and powder x-ray diffraction. C-doping did not alter the crystallographic structure appreciably, and a high elemental signal from C could be measured. Nanoparticles of amorphous γ-Al2O3:C were achieved, however calcining these to produce the OSL-relevant α-phase yielded microparticles. Future work will aim at producing phase-pure α-Al2O3:C nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution below 10 nm, and controllable C-concentration and O-deficiency.
From conception to clinical trial: IViST, the first multi-sensor-based platform for real-time In Vivo Source Tracking in HDR brachytherapy
Authors: Linares Rosales H. M. , Cantin Audrey , Aubin Sylviane , Beddar Sam , Beaulieu Luc
Published: January 2022

This study is aimed to introduce a novel multi-sensor-based dosimetry platform for real-time plan monitoring in HDR brachytherapy: IViST (In Vivo Source Tracking). IViST is a platform composed of three components: 1) an optimized and characterized multi-point plastic scintillator dosimeter (3 points mPSD; using BCF-60, BCF-12, and BCF-10 scintillators), 2) a compact assembly of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) coupled to dichroic mirrors and filters for high-sensitivity scintillation light collection, and 3) a Python-based graphical user interface used for system management and signal processing. IViST can simultaneously measure dose, triangulate source position, and measure dwell time. By making 100 000 measurements/s, IViST samples enough data to quickly perform key QA/QC tasks such as identifying wrong individual dwell time, position, or interchanged transfer tubes. By using 3 co-linear sensors and planned information for an implant geometry, the platform can also triangulate source position in real-time. A clinical trial to validate this system is presently on-going using the IViST system.
Development of an automated routine for the calibration of multi-point scintillation detectors for advanced dosimetry applications
Authors: Lessard B , Larose F , Berthiaume F , Lambert-Girard S , Therriault-Proulx F , Archambault L
Published: January 2022

Multi-point scintillation dosimeters have the advantage to allow real-time measurements of dose with a good spatial resolution, but these detectors must be accurately calibrated to perform precise dose measurements. This study demonstrates, by means of simulations and an experimental validation, that when the calibration dataset is well chosen, it is possible to perform an automated calibration of such dosimeters, with an accuracy on the measured output factors reaching (0.5 ± 0.1) %.
RSC: Dosimetry in high-dose-rate brachytherapy with a radio-fluorogenic gel dosimeter
Authors: Inoue K. , Watanabe Y. , Maeyama T. , Mizukami S. , Hayashi S. , Terazaki T. , Muraishi H. , Gomi T. , Shimono T.
Published: January 2022

A nanoclay-based radio-fluorogenic gel (NC-RFG) was used to verify the source position and dose distribution in high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. The dose response confirmed linearity up to 60 Gy. The source position could be detected with an accuracy of ≤0.3 mm, and the dose distribution near the Ir-192 source showed good agreement with the Monte Carlo simulation. NC-RFG can be expected to be a quality assurance tool suitable for the evaluating the dose distribution in HDR brachytherapy.
Signal requirements for 3D optically stimulated luminescence dosimetry
Authors: Jensen Mads L. , Turtos Rosana M. , Nyemann Jacob S. , Julsgaard Brian , Muren Ludvig P. , Balling Peter
Published: January 2022

For 3D optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) based dosimeters to be clinically applicable, certain standards must be met. Among these are low detectable doses with high accuracy and precision, ideally comparable with those of point-like detectors. By investigating a model of the central part of an OSL readout-system, we present an estimate of

∼
4
⋅

10

7

photons

Gy
⋅

mm

3

as the minimum required signal from OSL active materials embedded in a transparent matrix to allow measuring doses of 0.1 Gy with an accuracy and precision of 2 %. Further, 2D spatially resolved measurements of OSL emission from commercially available LiF:Mg, Cu, P pellets are presented and discussed.
Effects of TiO2 and Al2O3 nanoparticles addition on the thermal properties and wettability of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu-xTiO2-xAl2O3
Authors: Muzni Nur Haslinda Mohamed , Noor Ervina Efzan Mhd , Abdullah Mohd Mustafa Al-Bakri , Aksoy Canan
Published: January 2022

This study investigated the effects of adding titanium dioxide (TiO2) and aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles into Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (SAC) lead-free solder alloy on the thermal properties and wettability. In comparison with SAC lead-free solder without addition of nanoparticles, the melting temperature is very similar and comparable. The solidus temperature is in the range of 217.1 to 217.2 °C with the addition of TiO2 and Al2O3 nanoparticles. The results shows that the addition of 0.25-1.0 wt% of TiO2 and Al2O3 nanoparticles caused the liquidus temperature to decrease from 222.4 to 220.5 °C. The spreading area of SAC-xTiO2-xAl2O3 lead-free solder increases from 5.7 to 7.1mm at 0-0.5wt% of TiO2 and Al2O3 nanoparticles. The contact angle decreased from 66.09° to 46.84° when the composition of TiO2 and Al2O3 increases from 0-0.5wt%.
Peritectic Intermetallic Compound (IMC) Morphology of Transient Liquid Phase Solder - A Short Review
Authors: Saud Norainiza , Zan Muhammad Hafiz Hazizi @ , Said Rita Mohd , Mahim Zawawi
Published: January 2022

Transient Liquid Phase (TLP) has been a potential bonding technique for high temperature application solder alloy. TLP bonding for solder is a soldering method that using a low and high temperature metal layer for solid form solder, and a mixing of low and high temperature metal powder in flux medium, for paste form solder. Transient Liquid Phase bonding process involved thoroughly consumption of low melting point metal into high melting point metal and results in the formation of high temperature melting point peritectic intermetallic compound (IMC) which enables the solder to be soldered at typical low soldering temperature but, the solder connection can be applied in the high temperature application. The morphology of the peritectic IMCs mainly consist two solids, which is primary α as well as peritectic β together with liquid phase at peritectic temperature. The growth formation of those primary α and peritectic β phases has resulted with a variety of possible peritectic microstructure’s morphology as will be discussed further.
Investigation of integrated factors in the occurrence of copper wire bonding corrosion of semiconductor packages
Authors: Hamid K. A. , Badarisman A. H. , Jalar A. , Bakar M. A.
Published: January 2022

Copper wire bonding has got attracted attention over gold wire bonding due to its lower cost. However, despite many unique aspects and properties of copper wire bonding, corrosion of copper wire bonding has become a point of interest as it leads to the failure of semiconductor packages. Current and future trends and development in miniaturization and multifunction of the semiconductor packages show semiconductor manufacturers to establish good wire bonding with high reliability. However, this trend becomes a significant challenge in respect of corrosion occurrence. Several studies on the corrosion of copper wire bonding; however, there is no considerable study in the integrated factors leading to corrosion. Therefore, this paper focuses on investigating the corrosion phenomena of wire copper wire bonding, especially wedge bonds. This paper use a combination of the problem-solving approach for a complex problem. The analysis suggested that the weightage of factors, depending on process parameters and process steps, play a particular role in facilitating or preventing corrosion on the copper wire bonding. Therefore, it is essential to consider these factors when designing assembly process steps and parameters to control corrosion in semiconductor packages.
Study of doping a thallium atom in silicene nanoribbons in an electrical field
Authors: Ngoc Hoang Van
Published: January 2022

Silicene is a two-dimensional material made up of silicon atoms, the silicene nanoribbons (SNRs) studied here are made of silicene with edges modified by hydrogen atoms. The work doped a thallium atom into the unit cell of SNRs, the electric field acting on the system has a constant magnitude: 0.15V/Å. There are two doped structures studied, top structure and valley structure. Density functional theory (DFT) is used in this study, the bands of energy and states of the configurations will be plotted, investigated, and analysed. The partial states (s, p) will be studied.
Potential of epoxidized palm oil as a green alternative to rubber processing oils
Authors: Saigal R. , Chai A. B. , Saad N. S. , Ying Ch’ng Shiau
Published: January 2022

Sustainability is a growing concern in the rubber industry particularly due to the vast amount of environmental issues associated with the manufacturing process. The dependencies of hydrocarbons as Rubber Processing Oils (RPOs) throughout the compounding process is an area that is being heavily researched in search for greener alternatives. This study aims to determine the viability of a naturally available vegetable oil, Epoxidized Palm Oil (EPO), as a substitute to the current petroleum-based rubber processing oils. Therefore, the processability, cure characteristics as well as mechanical properties of the rubber compounds with EPO were benchmarked with those of the standard rubber compounds prepared with selected petroleum oils; Paraffin Oil, Aromatic Oil and Naphthenic Oil. The finding from this report suggests that EPO is a viable substitute to petroleum-derived RPOs as it performs within the acceptable range as the compounds with the other RPOs.
The Effect of Curing Temperature on the Properties of Kaolin Geopolymer Paste
Authors: Zainal Farah Farhana , Mah Hussin Fatini Wahida , Nordin Mohd Nasha’ain , Hastuty Sri
Published: January 2022

This research paper focuses on the effect of curing temperature on the properties of kaolin geopolymer paste. Alternatively, kaolin was used as binders in making concrete paste in order to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the environment. Kaolin geopolymer paste was made by mixture of kaolin and alkaline activators with 0.8 :1 of solid to liquid ratio. The alkaline activator solutions were prepared with 0.2:1 ratio of Na2SiO3/NaOH. The mixture were placed in cube moulds (50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm) and left for 24 hours until it hardened. Then, the samples were cured at 60, 70 and 80°C for 24 hours in the oven. The samples were then tested based on compressive strength, porosity, water absorption and morphology after days 28. Kaolin geopolymer paste with 70°C curing temperature is proved to have the highest compressive strength (1.04 N/mm2), lowest percentage of water absorption (1.71%) and lowest percentage of porosity (0.15%) compared to 60°C and 80°C curing temperature. The microstructure of 70°C curing temperature also shows that the geopolimerization was fully occurred with no pore.
Effect of the Calcination Temperature on the Properties of Hydroxyapatite from Black Tilapia Fish Bone
Authors: Dermawan Siti Khadijah , Mohd Ismail Zamratul Maisarah , Jaffri Muhamad Zaki , Abdullah Hasan Zuhudi
Published: January 2022

Hydroxyapatite, also known as HAp, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 is a naturally present form of calcium phosphate, which make up a large portion of inorganic components in human bones. Because of its near resemblance in structure to natural bone, it has been commonly used in orthopaedic applications. The ecosystem is negatively impacted by large amounts of by-product waste from fisheries factories. Thus, the aim of this study is to extract the HAp from black tilapia fish bones (BTFB) from a fish fillet factory. Fish bone can serve as a low-cost source of HAp and contribute significantly to biomedical applications. The BTFB was calcined for 3 hours at 700 °C and 900 °C, respectively. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the presence of derived HAp, which matched data from the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Powder Standard (JCPDS). For functional group analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used, and the organic compounds were removed throughout the calcination process according to the spectra. The chemical composition of Ca and P was revealed by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDX), with traces of magnesium, Mg, and sodium, Na present. In the BTFB samples, the Ca/P molar ratio was determined to be 1.67 which is the stoichiometries HAp. These findings have potential as a biomaterial for biomedical applications.