bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discharge characteristics of leader inception and development under 10 m long air gap—experimental observation and simulation results
Authors: Peng Changzhi , Dong Xuzhu , Zhao Yanpu , Li Zhijun , Zheng Yu , Pei Xuekai , Liu Lei , Luo Bing
Published: December 2022

The physical mechanism of leader formation and development is not well understood. In this study, we present experimental and simulation results obtained with a 10 m long air gap discharge. A 10 m outdoor discharge experiment is carried out to obtain the current, voltage, and optical image during the leader discharge process. Four different impulse voltages were applied to the rod‐plane gap. The measured current is used as an input for a plasma model, then the temperature and electric field could be calculated. The simulation results show that the temperature of the streamer stem during the dark period may exceed 2000 K. In addition, the critical charge required for leader initiation can be as low as 0.27 μC for a 10 m air gap. The channel temperature is relatively stable in the process of leader development, which is maintained at about 4500 K. The electron density is about 0.5–3 × 1020 m−3, and the discharge channel conductivity fluctuates in the range of 1–10 S/m for the leader current between 1 and 2 A. A long dark period is tended to be associated with a higher injected charge by the first streamer. It is inferred that the voltage increments during the dark period play an important role in promoting streamer‐to‐leader transition, except for temperature and the injected charge.
Exploring reverse-bias characteristics of CIGS solar cells: impact of alkali-post-deposition treatment and CdS buffer layer
Authors: Neerken Janet , Schäffler Raymund , Heise Stephan J.
Published: December 2022

The characteristics of solar cells in the reverse voltage direction are essential for the resilience of a photovoltaic module against partial-shading induced damage. Therefore, it is important to establish a thorough understanding of the mechanisms that lead to reverse breakdown in solar cells. This work studies thin-film solar cells based on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorber layers. Systematic material variations are investigated in order to learn more about the mechanisms governing reverse breakdown in these devices. To this end, devices with different thicknesses of the CdS buffer layer and with and without a RbF-post-deposition treatment (PDT) of the absorber layer were fabricated. The resulting current-voltage characteristics at negative voltage biases reveal that devices break down at much more negative voltages if they underwent a PDT, if the buffer layer thickness is increased, or if the buffer layer is not photoexcited. This implies that possibly a PDT may be disadvantageous for the shading tolerance of a module. The further analysis indicates that several mechanisms are involved in the reverse breakdown. Whereas tunneling currents in the buffer layer seem to play a major role for the actual breakdown, the strong effect of the PDT is probably caused by a reduction of shunt leakage currents along grain boundaries which lowers material heating.
Geschlechtsspezifische sexuelle Gesundheitsförderung in geschlossenen Einrichtungen. Ein systematisches Review zum internationalen Forschungsstand
Authors: Kaplan Anne , Schneider Lisa , Scharnberg Madeline , Metzner Franka
Published: December 2022

Einleitung Freiheitsentziehende Institutionen haben einen rechtlich normierten Auftrag zur sexuellen Gesundheitsförderung und Bildung. Maßnahmen zur sexuellen Gesundheitsförderung sollen gemäß der Ottawa-Charta der World Health Organization von 1986 ganzheitlich auf einem breiten und intersektionalen Verständnis von Sexualität und sexueller Gesundheit gründen. Nachgewiesene geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in der sexuellen Gesundheitskompetenz und im Sexualverhalten sollen darin berücksichtigt werden. Angebote sexueller Gesundheitsförderung in geschlossenen Einrichtungen sind bisher allerdings kaum dokumentiert.

Forschungsziele In diesem Beitrag soll der internationale Forschungsstand zu geschlechtsspezifischer sexueller Gesundheitsförderung in geschlossenen, freiheitsentziehenden Einrichtungen zusammengefasst und diskutiert werden.

Methoden Es wurde ein systematisches Literaturreview durchgeführt, um publizierte Konzepte und Studien zum genannten Themenspektrum zusammenzutragen. Dazu wurden sechs wissenschaftliche Datenbanken bis zum Stichtag 6. Oktober 2021 nach relevanten Publikationen auf Deutsch und Englisch durchsucht. Von k = 365 identifizierten Publikationen entsprachen k = 3 Studien nach der Bewertung durch zwei Reviewerinnen*1 allen 13 a priori festgelegten Einschlusskriterien (z. B. Publikation mit Peer-Review).

Ergebnisse Festgestellt wurde ein großes Desiderat hinsichtlich evidenzbasierter Maßnahmen zur sexuellen Gesundheitsförderung in freiheitsentziehenden Einrichtungen. Es mangelt bei den wenigen, ausschließlich im nordamerikanischen Raum untersuchten Programmen an einem breiten Verständnis von Sexualität und sexueller Gesundheit. Die identifizierten Programme sind hauptsächlich auf einen Gefahren abwehrenden Sexualitätsbegriff gerichtet.

Schlussfolgerung Menschen in Freiheitsentzug erscheinen von wissenschaftlichen und gesellschaftlichen Diskursen über Sexualität und sexuelle Gesundheit bisher weitgehend ausgeklammert zu sein. Evidenzbasierte Programme der sexuellen Gesundheitsförderung in geschlossenen Einrichtungen des Freiheitsentzuges sollten daher entwickelt und implementiert werden. Zentrale Themen wie (eigene) Geschlechtsidentitäten, Bindung und Partnerschaft oder Geschlechterrollen gilt es darin zu verhandeln und gemeinsam mit den Menschen in Freiheitsentzug kritisch zu reflektieren.
ω-3 und
Anti-Aging
Authors: Schmiedel Volker
Published: December 2022

In den letzten Jahrzehnten wurden viele Substanzen als Anti-Aging-Wundermittel
gehypt. Selten gab es jedoch belastbare Belege dafür, dass die
vollmundigen Versprechungen erfüllt werden konnte. Bei
ω-3-Fettsäuren (im Folgenden nur ω-3 genannt) scheint
dies anders zu sein, da mittlerweile eine Reihe von Studien und sogar
Metaanalysen existieren, die das Postulat einer lebensverlängernden und
jungerhaltenden Wirkung von ω-3 stützen.
Evaluation of the Morphometry of the Stylomastoid Foramen in the Turkish Population: A Retrospective Study Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)
Authors: Yurdabakan Zeliha Zuhal , Okumuş Özlem , Orhan Kaan
Published: December 2022

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the morphometric features of the stylomastoid foramen (SMF) and the facial canal in the Turkish population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) retrospectively.

Methods The randomly selected 479 patients aged from 8 to 87 years were examined, and a total of 958 CBCT images of the SMF and facial canal (FC) were analyzed. The diameter of the SMF and FC at the mastoid segment and their relation to age, gender, and side were evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov, one-way analysis of variance, Student's t-test, chi-squared test, Tukey's honestly significant difference, and Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test. p-Values < 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant at the 95% confidence interval.

Results The mean age of the patients was 40.49 ± 19.73 years. The mean diameter of the right SMF was 2.24 ± 0.58 and 2.50 ± 0.63 mm in females and males. The mean diameter of the left SMF was 2.25 ± 0.56 and 2.44 ± 0.62 mm in females and males. The mean diameter of the right FC was 1.60 ± 0.35 and 1.70 ± 0.34 mm in females and males. The mean diameter of left FC was 1.55 ± 0.35 and 1.66 ± 0.33 mm in females and males. A statistically significant difference was found between the age groups in terms of the mean SMF and FC diameter on both sides (p < 0.05).

Conclusion Information obtained from this study regarding the morphometric features of the SMF and thereby FC may assist surgeons in treatment plans and reduce the risk of neurosurgical complications.
Is There a Plateau to the Learning Curve for Acoustic Neuroma Resection?—Experience and Outcomes from a Single Interdisciplinary Team Over Thirty Years
Authors: Heiferman Daniel M. , Riedy Loren N. , Rezaii Elhaum G. , Nuru Mohammed , Sloane Dayna , Joyce Cara , Moore Mary E. , Shanker Rachyl M. , Grahnke Kurt A. , Malina Giselle E. K. , Szujewski Caroline C. , Leonetti John P. , Anderson Douglas E.
Published: December 2022

Objective The evolution of acoustic neuroma (AN) care continues to shift focus on balancing optimized tumor resection and control with preservation of neurological function. Prior learning curve analyses of AN resection have demonstrated a plateau between 20 and 100 surgeries. In this study of 860 consecutive AN surgeries, we investigate the presence of an extended learning curve tail for AN resection.

Methods A retrospective cohort study of AN resections by a single interdisciplinary team between 1988 and 2018 was performed. Proportional odds models and restricted cubic splines were used to determine the association between the timing of surgery and odds of improved postoperative outcomes.

Results The likelihood of improved postoperative House-Brackmann (HB) scores increased in the first 400 procedures, with HB 1 at 36% in 1988 compared with 79% in 2004. While the probability of a better HB score increased over time, there was a temporary decrease in slope of the cubic spline between 2005 and 2009. The last 400 cases continued to see improvement in optimal HB outcomes: adjusted odds of HB 1 score were twofold higher in both 2005 to 2009 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38–3.22, p < 0.001) and 2010 to 2018 (aOR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.49–3.19, p < 0.001).

Conclusion In contrast to prior studies, our study demonstrates the steepest growth for learning, as measured by rates of preservation of facial function outcomes (HB 1), occurs in the first 400 AN resections. Additionally, improvements in patient outcomes continued even 30 years into practice, underlining the importance of lifelong learning.
Comparative Analysis of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Immunochromatography for Rotavirus and Adenovirus Detection in Children below Five Years with Acute Gastroenteritis
Authors: Bagali Smitha , Kakhandaki Laxmi , Karigoudar Rashmi , Wavare Sanjay , Shahapur Praveen R. , Patil Mallanagouda M.
Published: December 2022

Introduction The most frequent etiologies of viral gastroenteritis among young children are rotavirus and enteric adenovirus. The clinical signs and symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are not distinct enough to allow for diagnosis. For the diagnosis and treatment of acute gastroenteritis, it is preferable to use quick, simple, and low-cost procedures. This study was undertaken to determine efficacy of immune-chromatography test (ICT) in comparison with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect rotavirus and adenovirus antigen in fecal specimen among children less than 5 years of age with acute gastroenteritis.

Materials and Methods In a cross-sectional observational study, 314 fecal samples were collected from children aged less than 5 years with acute gastroenteritis attending or admitted to a tertiary care hospital during the 1 year study period. Samples were tested for rotavirus and adenovirus antigen using ICT and ELISA.

Results Among the 314 children evaluated, 112 (35.66%) had rotavirus infection, nine (2.86%) had adenovirus infection, and three (0.95%) had both rotavirus and adenovirus infection. This study found that ICT is 98.20% sensitive and 100% specific for the diagnosis of rotaviral diarrhea and 100% sensitive and 99.7% specific for adenovirus diarrhea, compared to ELISA.

Conclusion Immunochromatography tests used for the detection of rotavirus and adenovirus in the fecal sample showed a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The ICT is easy to perform and rapid, and it does not require any special equipment. Hence, the ICT could be used as an alternative method for detecting viral pathogens in clinical practice.
Protein Malnutrition in BALB/c Mice: An Experimental Model Resembling Clinical Scenario
Authors: D'Souza Vinitha , RJ Madhura , Shetty Meghashree , A. Varsha , Chakraborthy Anirban , B. Mohana Kumar , A. Veena Shetty , Badanthadka Murali
Published: December 2022

Objectives The study aims to develop a stable malnourished experimental mice model resembling the human population for future experimental studies.

Materials and Methodology At weaning, female BALB/c mice are separated into two groups: one receiving a low protein diet (LPD, 10% protein) and the other receiving a commercially available normal pellet diet (ND, 18% protein). Model development and stability were assessed using body mass index (BMI), biochemical parameters such as glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, calcium, and phosphorus using serum samples at the 12th and 15th weeks of the study, antioxidant assay, and liver histopathology observation. Antioxidant assay and histopathology observation using liver tissue sample excised after euthanasia.

Results LPD mice are categorized under grade I malnutrition based on the body weight change with respect to ND as per the principles of Gomez's classification of malnutrition. A significant long-term decrease in BMI of the malnourished group indicates the development of the stable malnourished model. Elevated serum enzyme levels in the 15th week and decreased antioxidant activity suggest liver injury and oxidative stress at the cellular level in the malnourished group. Histopathology alterations in the liver tissue further strengthen these observations reported in the human population of malnutrition.

Conclusion This study confirms the development of a stable malnourished experimental model using a LPD (10% protein). This model may be used to study the role of malnutrition in the pathophysiology of any disease, drug action, and its kinetics in the future.
Outcomes and Management of Head and Neck Cancer at a South Indian Cancer Centre: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Nagarajan Murugaiyan , Banu Ramesh , Shrividhya Ananthakrishnan , Chellapandian Thirumalai Palanichamy , Rajkumar Arumugham , Mohanraj Ramaswamy
Published: December 2022

Introduction Head and neck cancers are one of the most common cancers in the Indian subcontinent. The trends of these cancers worldwide have drastically changed over the past 15 years. In spite of all the new technology and timely diagnosis, the treatment of these cancers is still a challenge. These cancers still continue to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Objectives To identify different patterns of care received by patients with primary head and neck cancer in a single center and analyze the outcomes of the different patterns of care received by these patients in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival.

Materials and Methods We included 707 patients with primary head and neck cancer registered and treated in our institution from January 2015 to December 2017. The demographic details of the patient, treatment received, and outcomes of treatment were collected retrospectively from our hospital's medical registry. Descriptive analysis was performed by calculating mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables, whereas frequency and proportion were calculated for categorical variables. The mean/median overall survival and recurrence-free survival were compared across various explanatory parameters using log rank–test. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results A total of 707 patients were included in the final analysis. The median age of presentation was 60 years. In total, 50% of patients presented with stage IV disease at diagnosis and 78% had a history of smoking or other tobacco use. Oral cavity was the most common primary site. Concurrent chemotherapy with radiation therapy was the most common modality of treatment used in 49% of patients: RT was the common modality of treatment in 21% patients. Fourteen percent patients were treated by only surgery. All patients who underwent treatment were included for survival analysis, which showed that the median overall survival time was 42 months (34–49 months). The median duration of disease free-survival time was 37 months (30–43 months).

Conclusion In our study, most patients presented with locally advanced disease. Multimodality treatment yielded better results. Based on our study, in early-stage cancer, where single modality treatment was used, adjuvant therapy should be tailored based on nomogram.
Anti-F-Actin Antibody Positivity on Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay Following Chinese and Alternative Medicine Therapy: A Case Report
Authors: Mahto Mala , Rai Neha , Dey Soma , Kumar Ramesh
Published: December 2022

Immunofluorescence on human epithelial type 2 cells is the standard screening assay for the detection of antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Cytoplasmic speckled patterns are a common finding. However, the less commonly reported ones include the cytoplasmic fibrillar patterns on indirect immunofluorescence technique (IIFT). The cytoplasmic fibrillar patterns include the cytoplasmic linear (AC-15), cytoplasmic filamentous (AC-16), and cytoplasmic segmental (AC-17). We report a case of cytoplasmic linear (F-actin) detected through IIFT during ANA screening in a 77-year-old man and later reconfirmed on liver mosaic biochip through IIFT on vascular smooth muscle substrate (VSM-47) without features suggestive of anti-smooth muscle antibody involvement post-complementary and alternative medicine therapy initiation.
Evaluating Interference of Lipemia on Routine Clinical Biochemical Tests
Authors: ArulVijayaVani Subramaniam , Mohanraj Palani Selvam , Reeta Rajagambeeram
Published: December 2022

Objective Lipemia is an important cause of preanalytical errors in laboratory results. They affect the specimen integrity and trustworthiness of laboratory results. The present study was to assess the impact of lipemia on routine clinical chemistry analytes.

Methods Anonymous leftover serum samples with normal levels of routine biochemical parameters were pooled. Twenty such pooled serum samples were used for the study. The samples were spiked with commercially available intralipid solution (20%) to produce lipemic concentrations of 0, 400 (mild, 20 μL), 1,000 (moderate, 50 μL), and 2,000 mg/dL (severe, 100 μL). Glucose, renal function test, electrolytes, and liver function test were estimated in all the samples. Baseline data without the effect of interference was considered as true value and percentage bias for the spiked samples was calculated. Interference was considered significant if the interference bias percentage exceeded 10%.

Result Parameters like glucose, urea, creatinine, direct bilirubin, sodium, potassium, and chloride showed negative interference at mild and moderate lipemic concentration and positive interference at severe lipemic concentration. Parameters like aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) showed negative interference at mild and positive interference at moderate and severe lipemic concentration. Whereas uric acid, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous showed positive interference at all concentrations. Significant interference (> 10%) was shown for magnesium (mild lipemia), albumin, direct bilirubin, ALT, and AST at moderate lipemic concentration. All parameters showed significant interference at severe lipemic concentration.

Conclusion All the study parameters are affected by lipemic interference at varying levels. Laboratory-specific data regarding lipemic interference at various concentrations on the clinical biochemistry parameters is needed.
Study of Hemato-morphological Features in Neuroblastoma Infiltrating Marrow
Authors: Singh Anurag , Rawat Shalini , Yadav Geeta , Kushwaha Rashmi , Verma Shailendra Prasad , Singh Uma S.
Published: December 2022

Objective Neuroblastoma typically affects children within the first 5 years of life and accounts for 10% of all pediatric malignancies. Neuroblastoma at onset may manifest as a localized or metastatic illness. The aim of this study was to identify hematomorphological features in neuroblastoma infiltrating marrow as well as to ascertain the prevalence of bone marrow infiltration in neuroblastoma.

Materials and Methods This retrospective study included newly diagnosed 79 cases of neuroblastoma, which were referred for bone marrow examination for the staging of the disease. Medical records were retrieved to acquire hematomorphological findings of peripheral blood and bone marrow smears. Statistical Package for Social Sciences, IBM Inc., USA, version 21.0 was used to analyze the data.

Results The interquartile age range of neuroblastoma cases was 24.0 to 72.0 months (median = 48 months) with a male to female ratio of 2.7:1. Also, 55.6% (44/79) of cases in the study population showed evidence of marrow infiltration. The bone marrow infiltration was significantly linked to thrombocytopenia (p = 0.043) and nucleated red blood cells (p = 0.003) in peripheral blood. The bone marrow smears of cases with infiltration showed a significant shift to the left in the myeloid series (p = 0.001) and an increased number of erythroid cells (p = 0.001).

Conclusion For neuroblastoma patients, a diligent, exhaustive search for infiltrating cells in bone marrow is advised if thrombocytopenia or nucleated red blood cells are identified on a peripheral blood smear and bone marrow smears showed myeloid left shift with an increased number of erythroid cells.
Comparison of Clinical Outcome between Immunocompetent and Immunocompromised Children Aged 1 to 12 Years Admitted with Acute COVID-19 Infection – A Retrospective Review
Authors: Goel Neha , Chowdhury Ritabrata Roy , Dabas Aditya , Mehndiratta Sumit , Singh Amitabh , Gera Rani
Published: December 2022

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created havoc in adults and children. Immunocompromised children are considered a high-risk group for the extreme manifestation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. There are conflicting reports on the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 disease in immunocompromised children. We aimed to find the difference in clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection between immunocompetent and immunocompromised children. This includes a retrospective chart review of children admitted with COVID-19 infection in a tertiary care pediatric hospital in Northern India from March 1, 2021, to May 31, 2021. There were 35 COVID-19-positive children aged 1 to 12 years admitted during the study period. The study participants were divided into two groups: immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. The clinical features, laboratory parameters, treatment needs, and outcomes in both groups were compared. Among 35 patients enrolled, 17 were immunocompromised and 18 were immunocompetent. The median duration of hospital stay, clinical features, laboratory parameters, severity of illness, treatment needs, and outcomes were comparable between the two groups. Immunocompromised children are not at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 manifestation compared to immunocompetent children.
Investigation of the interaction of internal solitary waves with the slope-shelf topography
Authors: Wang Chunling , Wang Yin , Wang Lingling
Published: December 2022

In this paper, internal solitary waves (ISWs) propagating over shelf topographies are studied based on numerical experiments conducted according to the lock-release method. The wave generation, propagation, and interactions with slope-shelf topography are investigated in a wave tank. The primary features of the propagation of ISWs on the slope are assessed. Shear and advection instabilities are observed in the current simulations in some cases with 1.29 < Bs < 1.75 (Bs is defined as the ratio of layer water depth on the shelf to the ISW amplitude). The induced density flow contributes to the growth of potential energy by dilution and stripping, primarily through its head, which is one of the factors used to enhance the mixing efficiency. In addition, the obtained results are compared with those of previous experiments conducted by other researchers, while considering the differences in local topography. The comparison reveals that local topography is a reason for the experimental differences of some research studies. ISW breaking on a slope is strongly influenced by the initial flow field of the slope, which may lead to differences in the prediction of the breaking point by using boundary layer separation as a criterion. As the incident wave amplitude increases, the location of the breaking point shifts downward and its magnitude gradually decreases.
Structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of γ-graphyne, γ-graphyne oxide, and boron nitride doped γ-graphyne: A DFT study
Authors: Ahmed Mohammad Tanvir , Islam Shariful , Ahmed Farid
Published: December 2022

The interesting characteristics of graphyne structure inspired this research to study the effect of oxygen incorporation and boron nitride doping on γ-graphyne. The structural stability, vibrational, and electronic properties of γ-graphyne, γ-graphyne oxide, and boron nitride doped γ-graphyne have been studied via density functional theory. The negative formation energy verified the structural stability of all the structures. Both γ-graphyne oxide and boron nitride doped γ-graphyne showed a significantly deformed geometry compared to pure γ-graphyne. The energy gap of pure γ-graphyne was obtained to be 2.604 eV, which tuned to 3.059 eV and 3.51 eV through oxygen addition and boron nitride doping, respectively. Boron nitride doped γ-graphyne revealed better structural stability, whereas high reactivity was observed for pure γ-graphyne.
The transit time of sound in a phononic crystal
Authors: Kliem Herbert , Bohdjalian Roxanne
Published: December 2022

Electron material waves cannot permeate a periodic atomic lattice at each energy or frequency. There exists a forbidden gap due to the periodicity of the atoms. In analogy, acoustic waves cannot penetrate a phononic or sonic crystal at each frequency. A two-dimensional sonic crystal consists of a periodic lattice of cylinders. The periodicity is adjusted according to the wavelength of sound. Depending on the frequency, there exist “allowed” bands with a propagation of the waves as well as a “forbidden” band without propagation corresponding to the bandgap in a semiconductor. The mathematical description of the phenomena in the sonic crystal and in the atomic crystal is technically similar. Here, we investigate experimentally the velocity of sound in a sonic crystal by measurement of the wave’s transit time through the crystal. The velocity in the crystal depends on the frequency and is smaller than the velocity in air.
Dimensionless Zakharov equation; high-frequency Langmuir waves and low-frequency ion-acoustic waves’ interaction
Authors: Algelany A. M. , El-Shorbagy M. A. , Khater Mostafa M. A.
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the physical significance of the dimensionless Zakharov equation ZE, which theoretically describes the interaction between high-frequency Langmuir waves and low-frequency ion-acoustic waves. Coastal engineering, fluid dynamics, nonlinear optics, and plasma wave physics are all fields of study that explore this relationship. We use the modified Khater method, the auxiliary equation approach, and the Khater II method, all cutting-edge ways to compute, to come up with a wide range of new and different solutions. Other physical aspects of this interaction are briefly explained below. To figure out the originality of our solutions, we have to compare our results to those of other published studies.
Soil and fertiliser nitrogen performance indicators for irrigated cotton in Australia
Authors: Smith John , Fukai Shu , Bell Michael
Published: December 2022

Context Current cotton industry nitrogen (N) performance indicators have been developed in a narrow geographic region and do not represent production in southern Queensland (SQld) and southern New South Wales (SNSW), Australia. Aims To benchmark soil and fertiliser N use efficiency (NUE) in irrigated cotton crops in these production areas, and to determine whether the current industry benchmarks are relevant in these regions. Methods Eight field experiments were conducted over three growing seasons on commercial farms in SQld and SNSW. Experiments applied rates of urea-N to fields using surface or overhead irrigation. Key results The industry partial factor productivity for N and internal N use efficiency (iNUE) benchmarks were not suitable NUE targets for these experiments because of variations in soil types, background soil N and other constraints to crop yield. Crops grown with soil N alone accumulated crop N and lint yield at 75% and 79% of crops producing 95% of site maximum lint yield (Y95). At fertiliser rates producing Y95, apparent N budgeting indicated only 25–30% of the potentially available soil and fertiliser N was present in crop biomass and soil mineral N at the end of season. Conclusions Improving fertiliser N efficiency in irrigated cotton will require an understanding of site-specific factors that influence N availability, crop N demand and the ability of the crop to produce lint from N accumulated in biomass. Implications Further research is required to develop the understanding of regional factors that influence crop N performance for the industry to improve its NUE.
Challenges for chemistry in Ukraine after the war: Ukrainian science requires rebuilding and support
Authors: Kondratov Ivan S. , Moroz Yurii S. , Gorgulla Christoph , Grygorenko Oleksandr O. , Komarov Igor V. , Wagner Gerhard , Tolmachev Andrey A.
Published: December 2022

The unprovoked Russian invasion has created considerable challenges for Ukrainian science. In this article, we discuss actions needed to support and rebuild Ukrainian science and educational systems. The proposed actions take into account past Ukrainian scientific achievements including developments in organic chemistry.
The idiosyncratic prepositionzaiin Mandarin Chinese and differential argument marking
Authors: Kuo Pei-Jung
Published: December 2022

In this paper, I focus on the Mandarin spatial prepositionzai(‘at’), which can appear in the VP domain, like other spatial prepositions, but which can also appear in the TP domain, where it’s presence or absence is sensitive to the animacy and definiteness properties of its object. I argue thatzai’sdistribution and behavior in the TP domain is expected if it functions as a differential argument marker triggered by internal topicalization of its object. Implications of the current analysis for the internal structure of spatial PPs are also considered.
The quantity adjectiveduōin Chinese and the event quantity construction
Authors: Liu Chen-Sheng Luther
Published: December 2022

In theduōevent quantity construction,duō‘much’ is a quantity adjective. Whatduō‘much’ modifies is the root of the verb and the root has to move to the light verb position to be categorically defined. The quantity adjectiveduō‘much’ functions to introduce a measure function which measures the event denoted by the verb along the dimension valued by the assignment functionA, and the domain to which the measure function applies must be monotonic. So, the ‘modification’ relation between the quantity adjectiveduō‘much’ and its modifyee essentially differs from that between a typical gradable adjective liketián‘sweat’ and its modifyee. This explains how the quantity adjectiveduō‘much’ differs from the typical adjective in syntax and semantics.
Effect of the laser beam geometry on laser-assisted muon pair production process at

e+e−

collider
Authors: Ouali M , Ouhammou M , Taj S , Manaut B , Benbrik R , Hrour E , El Idrissi M
Published: December 2022

In this research paper, we have investigated the process of muon pair production in high energy

e

+

e

−

collisions via the exchange of γ and Z-bosons in the presence of the laser field for different directions. Analytical calculations of the cross-section are done within the scattering matrix approach by using the Dirac-Volkov states for electron and positron. The numerical computation of the cross-section shows that it behaves differently by changing the laser wave direction. For a laser field propagating in parallel with the incident beam, the cross-section is strongly affected from low intensities. In addition, for a given laser field strength and frequency, the required number of photons to be transferred increases by increasing the centre of mass energy. Therefore, the acceleration gradient provided by a collinear laser field further enhances the centre of mass energy.
A congestion-aware and fault-tolerant readout network ASIC for a high-density electrode array targeting at neutrinoless double-beta decay search in a TPC
Authors: You B. , Xiao L. , Dai W. , Sun X. , Mei Y. , Huang G.
Published: December 2022

We present a distributed, self-organizing, fault-tolerant and congestion-aware readout network application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a high-density electrode array targeting at neutrinoless double-beta decay search in a time projection chamber (TPC). A sensor network is proposed to achieve the readout of the high-density electrode array. This network consists of approximately 1 × 105 single-electrode Topmetal-S sensors with a pitch of approximately 5~10 mm. Static routing is implemented in the first version of the sensor network, without the feature of congestion awareness, which means that only one deterministic path is available for a given packet. Because of the limited memory in each sensor, data will be lost when congestion occurs in this first version of the network. Therefore, the network should have congestion awareness to improve its memory occupancy and effective throughput. Accordingly, a 224 × 224 network with congestion awareness is emulated. The simulation results show that better performance of the sensor network can be achieved with less hardware. An ASIC named adaptive and fault-tolerant readout network chip (AFT-RNC) is implemented with 48.2% of the area of the first implementation.
Characterisation of gamma-irradiated MCz-silicon detectors with a high-K negative oxide as field insulator
Authors: Bharthuar S. , Bezak M. , Brücken E. , Gädda A. , Golovleva M. , Karadzhinova-Ferrer A. , Karjalainen A. , Kramarenko N. , Kirschenmann S. , Luukka P. , Ott J. , Tuominen E. , Väänänen M.
Published: December 2022

The high-luminosity operation of the Tracker in the Compact Muon Solenid (CMS) detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment calls for the development of silicon-based sensors. This involves implementation of AC-coupling to micro-scale pixel sensor areas to provide enhanced isolation of radiation-induced leakage currents. The motivation of this study is the development of AC-pixel sensors with negative oxides (such as aluminium oxide — Al2O3 and hafnium oxide — HfO2) as field insulators that possess good dielectric strength and provide radiation hardness. Thin films of Al2O3 and HfO2 grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) method were used as dielectrics for capacitive coupling. A comparison study based on dielectric material used in MOS capacitors indicate HfO2 as a better candidate since it provides higher sensitivity (where, the term sensitivity is defined as the ratio of the change in flat-band voltage to dose) to negative charge accumulation with gamma irradiation. Further, space charge sign inversion was observed for sensors processed on high resistivity p-type Magnetic Czochralski silicon (MCz-Si) substrates that were irradiated with gamma rays up to a dose of 1 MGy. The inter-pixel resistance values of heavily gamma irradiated AC-coupled pixel sensors suggest that high-K negative oxides as field insulators provide a good electrical isolation between the pixels.
Detection of MeV electrons using a charge integrating hybrid pixel detector
Authors: Fröjdh E. , Baruffaldi F. , Bergamaschi A. , Carulla M. , Dinapoli R. , Greiffenberg D. , Heymes J. , Hinger V. , Ischebeck R. , Mathisen S. , McKenzie J. , Mezza D. , Moustakas K. , Mozzanica A. , Schmitt B. , Zhang J.
Published: December 2022

Electrons are emerging as a strong complement to X-rays for diffraction based studies. In this paper we investigate the performance of a JUNGFRAU detector with 320 um thick silicon sensor at a pulsed electron source. Originally developed for X-ray detection at free electron lasers, JUNGFRAU features a dynamic range of 120 MeV/pixel (implemented with in-pixel gain switching) which translated to about 1200 incident electrons per pixel and frame in the MeV region. We preset basic characteristics such as energy deposited per incident particle, resulting cluster size and spatial resolution along with dynamic (intensity) range scans. Measurements were performed at 4, 10 and 20 MeV/c. We compare the measurements with GEANT4 based simulations and extrapolate the results to different sensor thicknesses using these simulations.
Investigating the effect of depth of interaction on coincidence time resolution
Authors: Ko K. , Choi H. , Kim W. , Yi Y. , Cho G.
Published: December 2022

The timing properties of scintillator-based detectors are a matter of importance in a wide range of fields. As fast scintillators progress and the sensors that preserve the quantized nature of the luminescent signal evolve, the optical transfer time may not always be negligible in ultra-fast time measurement. The present paper discusses the implications of this in a specific configuration for ultra-fast time measurement. To this end, we consider factors influencing the time spread such as the distribution of depth of interaction, non-instantaneous scintillation emission mechanism, and optical transport kinetics. Although such a topic has previously been studied by researchers, the aim of this work is focused on analyzing the detailed factors that govern arrival time spread. From these factors, we are able to obtain the post-interaction time spread, and we then derived the optical transfer time spread (OTTS) by a weighted sum of post-interaction time spread based on the cumulative density function of the depth of interaction. Based on the rejection sampling method, we could obtain the set of arrival times by the OTTS, and then the coincidence time resolution of radioactive sources was calculated. Consequently, we found that the difference in the attenuation coefficient causes the difference in the arrival time distribution, but it does not lend a significant contribution to the coincidence time resolution. In addition, when radiation with different energies is incident, the emission mechanism has a dominant effect on the time resolution, and thus incident radiation having higher energy in the same detector system has a higher light yield, which can exhibit better timing resolution compared to radiation with relatively low energy.
Study of timing performance parameters for a SiPM-based digital positron annihilation lifetime spectrometer
Authors: Choi H. , Ko K. , Kim W. , Lee J. , Sun G. , Chang H. , Yi Y. , Cho G.
Published: December 2022

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is a popular method for studying defects in materials. With the development of fast digital oscilloscopes and digitizers, the conventional analog positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectrometer is being replaced by a digital PAL spectrometer. Recently, newly conducted research has developed a PAL spectrometer using a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) instead of a photomultiplier tube (PMT). Timing resolution of PAL spectrometer needs to be improved to identify the lifetimes of positrons. Many parameters affect the timing performance of a SiPM-based digital PAL spectrometer: bias voltage, pulse smoothing, and the constant fraction value of digital constant fraction discrimination (dCFD). Timing resolution depends on the radiation energy, but only a few studies have considered the energy difference of 1274 keV and 511 keV. In this study, we optimized the timing performance parameters of the SiPM-based digital PAL spectrometer by conducting the timing resolution measurements using two γ-ray sources (22Na and 60Co). With a 32 V bias voltage, 5th degree polynomial fitting method, and optimal constant fraction value, we optimized the timing resolution of our SiPM-based digital PAL spectrometer. Furthermore, the optimal constant fraction value depended on the γ-ray energy and we verified it by timing resolution measurement using 207Bi. We studied the reason why performance parameters have optimal conditions and the optimal constant fraction value varies depending on the γ-ray energy. With optimized performance parameters, we measured the lifetime spectrum of pure silicon to confirm the SiPM-based digital PAL spectrometer. The timing resolution function of the SiPM-based digital PAL spectrometer was 185.6 ps.
High-precision thermostat for light scattering experiments of critical samples
Authors: Naseer A.P. , Santhi Krishna U. , Madhavan Unni P.K.
Published: December 2022

The characteristics of PID controllers lead to their widespread adoption and strong demand in temperature control systems since the experimental stability of temperature is required for many applied and research endeavours. The design and manufacture of both the thermal and electronic components of the milli-kelvin metallic thermostat, as well as the light scattering experimental set-up for the liquid mixture critical point research, are presented in this publication. The thermostat was tuned over a wide temperature range of 30–106°C, and short-term stability, long-term stability, and transient responses were studied in detail. The findings demonstrate that the thermostat provides accurate and steady temperature stability. The light scattering experimental setup was arranged and a LabVIEW software program was developed for data acquisition of the intensity of the incident beam, scattered beam, transmitted beam, and the temperature of the liquid mixture simultaneously.
Short time sequential luminescence imaging of water during irradiation by protons
Authors: Yamamoto Seiichi , Yabe Takuya , Yogo Katsunori , Akagi Takashi , Kataoka Jun
Published: December 2022

Although luminescence imaging of water during irradiation by particle ions is a promising method for dose estimation, it has only been tried for static images in which temporal information is not included. In addition to the positional distribution of the beam, temporal information is also important because the beams from a synchrotron-based therapy system have short pulse shapes called spills. The temporal information is also important for high dose rate, short-time radiotherapy, or so-called FLASH radiotherapy. To measure the particle ion beam distributions with precise temporal information, we conducted short time sequential luminescence imaging of protons. First, we measured short time sequential luminescence images during irradiation of a water phantom by 150-MeV protons using a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) camera at 0.143-s intervals. With this imaging, the images showed beam distributions, but the shapes of the spill were not precisely evaluated in time intensity curves due to the insufficient sampling rate of the imaging. Then we measured short time sequential optical images with 0.053-s intervals. With this imaging, the images showed that the beam distributions in the spill shape could be measured, but the image and depth profiles evaluated from the images were noisy due to the insufficient light intensity. Consequently, we measured short time sequential luminescence images during irradiation of fluorescein (FS) water by 150-MeV protons. Since FS water produced ∼10 times higher luminescence, we could obtain high-intensity images enabling us to evaluate the time intensity curves based on the shape of the spills during measurement with 0.053-s intervals. The depth profiles of the beam were also obtained from the measured images. With these results, we confirmed that time sequential luminescence imaging was possible and, in such cases, FS water images measured at 0.053-s intervals are most promising to measure the short time sequential luminescence images during irradiation of protons.
Autorrelation and cross-relation of graphs and networks
Authors: da Fontoura Costa Luciano
Published: December 2022

The concepts of auto- and cross-correlation play a key role in several areas, including signal processing and analysis, pattern recognition, multivariate statistics, as well as physics in general, as these operations underlie several real-world structures and dynamics. In the present work, the concept of multiset similarity, more specifically the coincidence similarity index, is used as the basis for defining operations between a same network, or two distinct networks, which will be respectively called autorrelation and cross-relation. In analogous manner to the autocorrelation and cross-correlation counterparts, which are defined in terms of inner products between signals, the two operations suggested here allow the comparison of the similarity of nodes and graphs respectively to successive displacements along the neighborhoods of each of the constituent nodes, which therefore plays a role that is analogue to the lag in the class correlation. In addition to presenting these approaches, this work also illustrates their potential respectively to applications for the characterization of several model-theoretic and real world networks, providing a comprehensive description of the specific properties of each analyzed structure. The possibility of analyzing the obtained individual autorrelation signatures in terms of their respective coincidence similarity networks is also addressed and illustrated.
The Efficacy of Different Nerve Blocks on Postoperative Pain and Sequelae in Patients Undergoing Abdominoplasty: A Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Seretis Konstantinos , Bounas Nikolaos
Published: December 2022

Background

Although abdominoplasty is growing in popularity, it still results in considerable postoperative pain, which prolongs recovery.

Objectives

The aim of this network meta-analysis was to combine evidence about different regional nerve blocks to examine their effectiveness in the management of postoperative pain sequelae and recovery following abdominoplasty.

Methods

An electronic literature search in the MEDLINE (PubMed; National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD), Scopus (Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Cochrane Library (London, UK) and US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register electronic databases (Bethesda, MD) was conducted from inception to July 2022. Inclusion criteria were the presence of intervention and control groups; data derived from controlled studies evaluating nerve blocks after abdominoplasty, in terms of analgesia needs, complications, and patient satisfaction; and publication in peer-reviewed journals. The quality of studies was assessed via Cochrane's risk-of-bias tool. A frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis was conducted for all outcomes of interest.

Results

A total of 12 studies, containing 543 patients with no differences in age, sex, BMI, and comorbidities, met the inclusion criteria. Transversus abdominis plane blocks have been found to reduce 24-hour and 48-hour opioid consumption (−3.70 and −5.01 weighted mean difference, respectively). In addition, the nerve blocks reviewed effectively prolonged the time to first rescue analgesia request, were safe in terms of complications, and were associated with high satisfaction rates.

Conclusions

Nerve blocks emerge as an effective and safe adjunct for adequate pain management following abdominoplasty. This meta-analysis provides an evidence-based strategy to optimize the current analgesia regimens following abdominoplasty.

Level of Evidence: 3