bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process of Renewal of PC&PNDT License of a Large Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of North India: How One Needs to Plan for It?
Authors: Deshikulu Srivatsa , Sodhi Jitender , Sharma Devender Kumar , Madaan Nirupam , Satpathy Sidhartha
Published: June 2024

Background The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PC&PNDT Act), 1994 was enacted to prevent sex determination and female feticide. As a mandatory statutory requirement, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India has to renew its PC&PNDT license after every 5 years.

Aim The current study was undertaken with an objective to delineate in detail, the process of PC&PNDT license renewal, and the challenges dealt with while submitting the renewal application.

Methods and Material An observational descriptive study was conducted from February to July 2022. The renewal process was categorized into preapplication, application, and postapplication phases. The requisite documents and data were collected from the Hospital Establishment Section and Medical Records Department.

Results The preapplication phase involved obtaining details from 24 departments, with 20 responding initially. Challenges included incomplete documents and deficient details. The application phase required consolidation, affidavits, form filling, and fee payment. Postapplication, an inspection was conducted, and the renewal certification was obtained.

Conclusion The study highlights the complexities of renewal of PC&PNDT license of a large multispecialty tertiary care teaching hospital. Planning leads obtained during various phases could serve as a guiding template for other similar teaching hospitals. The study suggests the need for digitalization and streamlining of documentation process to ease out the renewal process and hence contribute to better patient care at large.
Evaluation of Crohn's Disease Recurrence after Suspension of Immunobiological use in Patients in Sustained Remission
Authors: Lisboa Ana Carolina , Santos Victor Mayer Duarte , Almeida Júlia Naves de
Published: June 2024

Objective To evaluate the relapse rate after discontinuation of biological therapy in patients with Crohn's disease treated at the University Hospital.

Methods This is a series of 9 cases of CD patients who used long-term immunobiologicals. Non-randomized sample, followed for 1 year, prospectively.

Results Nine patients were studied, 8 females, with an average age of 43.8 years, and non-smokers. The average time of use of the immunobiological for suspension was 6.77 years, with 66.66% of them having been in use for more than 5 years. The mean initial CDAI was 25. After 6 months of follow-up, CRP was less than 10 mg/L in 88.8% of them. Only 3 patients measured the Calprotectin, low. (10, 15 and 30 mcg/g). The ESR averaged 15.77 mm/h. In 66.6% of those studied, the 6-month colonoscopy was normal - mayo 0. In the 1-year follow-up, 3 patients underwent CT, normal. At 1-year colonoscopy of 3 patients, there was endoscopic recurrence in 2. The mean CDAI after the first year was 38.11. The mean ESR was 17.11 mm/h. The worst outcomes occurred in 2 (20%) patients, both Montreal A3L3B2, with clinical and endoscopic recurrence. The same previous immunobiological was reintroduced, with excellent clinical response.

Conclusion Individualized analysis of the course of the disease proves to be the best way for adequate clinical monitoring during its use, optimization of the therapeutic regimen, and the possibility of interruption.
Patients' Description of Rectal Effluents Help Predict the Quality of Colonoscopy Preparation
Authors: Lescano Manuel Antonio Lescano , Machado Rodrigo Strehl , Rohr Maria Rachel , Miszputen Sender Jankiel
Published: June 2024

Introduction Evaluation of patients' reports of characteristics of rectal effluents as a predictor of the quality of the colonoscopy preparation assessed by the endoscopist.

Methods A total of 270 patients, aged 18 or older, were consecutively included to perform an outpatient colonoscopy, for a period of 8 months. Demographic and clinical data were collected and evaluated, as well as the rectal effluents' characteristics and data concerning the colonoscopy. The quality of bowel preparation was evaluated by employing the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale. The association between rectal effluents and the quality of preparation was verified by binary logistic regression.

Results Of the 270 patients, 67.3% were female, with a mean age of 59.69 ± 12.48 years. Reports of dark and thick, dark orange, or brown and thick effluents produced a higher likelihood of inadequate preparation (OR 4.26, CI 95% 1.51; 11.14, p = 0.004).

Conclusions Reports of dark and thick, dark orange, or brown and thick rectal effluents are predictors of inadequate preparation in the endoscopist assessment.
Hauptstadtkongress: Auf dem Weg zur Strukturbereinigung
Authors: Reisinger Kathrin
Published: June 2024

Vom 26. bis 28. Juni öffnet der Hauptstadtkongress seine Pforten. Die Erwartungen der Klinikmanager an die Politik sind so hoch wie nie. Einer der Teilnehmer ist Andreas Schlüter, Hauptgeschäftsführer (CEO) der Knappschaft Kliniken GmbH. kma sprach mit ihm über die dringendsten Probleme in Deutschlands Kliniken und über seine Hoffnungen auf Botschaften des Kongresses.
Europäischer Gesundheitskongress München 2024: Eigeninitiative ist der Schlüssel zum Erfolg
Authors: Küng Claudia
Published: June 2024

In Zeiten, in denen wichtige Gesetzesvorhaben auf sich warten lassen, die Transformation des Gesundheitswesens aber dringend nötig ist, muss gehandelt werden. Trotz vieler Unsicherheiten gilt es, die schon heute vorhandenen Spielräume zu nutzen.
Branchentrend: Labore setzen auf KI, Verbünde und Kooperationen
Authors: Reisinger Kathrin
Published: June 2024

Der Labormarkt befindet sich im Wandel. Personalengpässe und hoher Preisdruck bereiten der Branche Sorgen. Kliniken setzen zunehmend auf Laborverbünde, Kooperationen mit der Industrie und auf Zentralisierung. Zudem verändert der Einsatz von Künstlicher Intelligenz die Arbeit im Labor.
Mitarbeitergesundheit: Exoskelette für Pflegekräfte
Authors: Kucera Martin
Published: June 2024

Um die Gesundheit des Pflegepersonals zu schützen und so die Qualität der Patientenversorgung zu sichern, setzt die Universitätsmedizin Magdeburg auf Exoskelette. Nach einer ersten Probezeit erfolgt derzeit der Langzeittest. kma hat sich den Einsatz der innovativen Hilfsmittel vor Ort angeschaut.
Supraspinous Fossa: Anatomy and Pathology
Authors: Saran Sonal , Shirodkar Kapil , Gavvala Sai Niharika , Evans Scott , Iyengar Karthikeyan P. , Jevalle Devina Ghoorah , Botchu Rajesh
Published: June 2024

Supraspinous fossa is an important location in the periscapular region, which houses important structures such as the supraspinatus muscle and the suprascapular nerve. The supraspinous fossa can be affected by pathologies involving its contents (supraspinatus muscle and suprascapular nerve), osseous boundary (scapular body, distal clavicle, and spinous process), or superficial soft tissue covering it. In this pictorial review, we describe the detailed anatomy of the supraspinous fossa. We have also covered imaging of wide range of pathologies that can affect supraspinous fossa such as paralabral cyst, muscle edema/atrophy, malignancies (primary and secondary), and miscellaneous lesions (myositis ossificans, fibromatosis, nerve sheath tumor, etc.). An awareness of the imaging findings of these entities is essential for a radiologist to avoid misinterpretation and can aid a timely diagnosis.
KAM tori for two dimensional completely resonant derivative beam system
Authors: Xue Shuaishuai , Sun Yingnan
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we introduce an abstract KAM (Kolmogorov–Arnold–Moser) theorem. As an application, we study the two-dimensional completely resonant beam system under periodic boundary conditions. Using the KAM theorem together with partial Birkhoff normal form method, we obtain a family of Whitney smooth small–amplitude quasi–periodic solutions for the equation system.
0.279 nW fourth-order filter circuit for biological signal conditioning
Authors: Thakur Diksha , Sharma Kulbhushan
Published: June 2024

In this article, a fourth-order low-pass filter (LPF) is designed and analyzed for wearable biological healthcare applications. The proposed LPF is based on level shifter, class-AB folded flipped source follower, and pseudo-resistive voltage-variative approaches, which increases its power efficiency. The proposed LPF consumes 0.279 nW of power with a figure of merit of 2.13 × 10−15 J in CMOS 180 nm process. Furthermore, the post-layout simulations executed for the proposed LPF show a gain of −0.126 dB, a bandwidth of 100 Hz, total harmonic distortion (THD) of −48.53 dB, and a dynamic range (DR) of 50.19 dB. In addition to this, the Monte Carlo simulations with 200 samples demonstrate the corresponding mean and standard deviation values for gain (−0.282 and 0.517 dB), DR (50.18 and 0.025 dB), and THD (−46.175 and 3.258 dB). The proposed fourth-order LPF is a perfect match for wearable biological healthcare systems that are portable and safe.
Comparing ab initio and quantum-kinetic approaches to electron transport in warm dense matter
Authors: Shaffer N. R. , Hu S. X. , Karasiev V. V. , Nichols K. A. , Starrett C. E. , White A. J.
Published: June 2024

Accurate knowledge of the electronic transport properties of warm dense matter is one of the main concerns of research in high-energy-density physics. Three modern approaches with vastly different levels of fidelity are reviewed and compared: the Kubo–Greenwood (KG) approach based on density-functional-theory molecular dynamics simulations (QMD), quantum kinetic theory based on average-atom models, and time-dependent density functional theory. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the connection between static properties of the electrons (e.g., density of states) and transport properties. Overall, it is found that whenever the conduction electrons can be modeled as being nearly free, fair to excellent agreement is found between QMD and kinetic theory approaches. Such a circumstance is required for modeling warm dense matter as a plasma of ions and free electrons, which is assumed in most kinetic theory approaches. The sensitivity of transport properties to the electronic structure is further highlighted by comparing different exchange–correlation approximations in QMD and KG calculations. It is found that the inclusion of exact exchange via thermal hybrid functionals can make a pronounced impact on electrical and thermal conduction in warm dense matter. We also investigate dynamic screening physics via kinetic theory and time-dependent density functional theory calculations of the mean free path of an electron in a hot dense plasma. In sum, we identify three axes along which to make progress in predicting electron transport in warm dense matter.
High-performance GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MIS-HEMTs) using Sc0.2Al0.8N/SiNX as composite gate dielectric
Authors: Huang Qizhi , Deng Xuguang , Zhang Li , Lin Wenkui , Cheng Wei , Yu Guohao , Ju Tao , Mudiyanselage Dinusha Herath , Wang Dawei , Fu Houqiang , Zeng Zhongming , Zhang Baoshun , Xu Feng
Published: June 2024

GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MIS-HEMTs) with scandium aluminum nitride Sc0.2Al0.8N/SiNX composite gate dielectric were demonstrated with improved device performance in terms of current density, on-resistance, breakdown voltage, gate leakage, and current collapse. GaN MIS-HEMTs with single-layer Sc0.2Al0.8N or SiNX were also fabricated as reference. Notably, the current collapse was reduced from ∼38.8% in GaN MIS-HEMTs with single-layer SiNX dielectric to ∼4.9% in the device with composite gate dielectric. The insertion of the thin SiNX layer can mitigate the surface damage due to the ScAlN sputtering process and significantly reduce the interface state density. Furthermore, the high valence band offset of Sc0.2Al0.8N/SiNX of 0.78 eV also plays a key role in the suppression of hole injection and gate leakage current. This work shows the effectiveness of the Sc0.2Al0.8N/SiNX composite gate dielectric and can serve as an important reference for future developments of high-performance reliable GaN HEMTs for power and RF electronics.
Frequency-dependent dielectric properties of aromatic polyimides in the 25–330 GHz range
Authors: Liu Haonan , Sawada Ririka , Yanagimoto Shana , Yanagimoto Yoshiyuki , Ando Shinji
Published: June 2024

The dielectric constants (Dk) and dissipation factors (Df) of 11 types of polyimides (PIs) were systematically measured between 25 and 330 GHz using Fabry–Pérot resonators. Herein, the relationships between their frequency dependence and chemical structure are discussed. As the frequency increased, all the PIs exhibited a continuous decrease in Dk and a consistent increase in Df. Notably, no distinct peaks were observed over the entire frequency range. The decrease in Dk with frequency gradually approached the square of the refractive index (n2) in the near-infrared region. Additionally, based on the correlation between the dielectric dispersion and dielectric polarization (Pt), Dk showed a stronger correlation with the electronic polarization (Pe) at higher frequencies than with the dipolar orientational polarization (Pd). Moreover, in fluorine-containing PIs, Dk declined faster with increasing frequency as the fluorine content (F%) increased. Meanwhile, the increase in Df showed a negative correlation with the weight fraction of polar groups (polar%), and the PIs containing –CF3 groups in the diamine moieties exhibited a similar rapid increase in Df with frequency, suggesting characteristic absorptions in the terahertz (THz) domain. These data will be beneficial for developing high-performance polymer-based insulating materials for 5th/6th generation wireless communication technologies.
Angular momentum transfer to charged particles by interaction with Laguerre–Gauss pulses
Authors: Toma Petru-Vlad , Micluţa-Câmpeanu Sebastian , Boca Mădălina , Băran Virgil
Published: June 2024

Orbital angular momentum of light and the associated Laguerre–Gauss modes have garnered increasing interest due to the many applications they promise in the fields of telecommunications and quantum information, as well as charged particle acceleration. Here, we use the numerical simulation of the dynamics of a large number of identical, charged, relativistic, but classical particles, forming a statistical ensemble and seen as test-particles in a time-dependent external electromagnetic field, to get insight into the process of a head-on collision with a pulsed Laguerre–Gauss mode. We have identified two steady-states regimes (low a0 and large a0), where the distribution of the final angular momentum gained by the particles as a function of their initial coordinates is well-behaved and does not change its structure with variations of the reduced amplitude. For small reduced amplitudes a0 of the incoming electromagnetic field, we have also found an analytic approximation of the expression for the angular momentum transferred to the particles after the pulse has left their region. Using both numerical integration and the analytic approximation, we have investigated the effects of the field’s gradient, initial phase of the field, polarization type, and azimuthal order m.
Study on humidity-thermo-force coupling of anisotropic modified couple stress Mindlin laminates on the mesoscale
Authors: Xie Jiuming , Liu Yuesen , Zhang Jiawen , Kang Weiming
Published: June 2024

Considering the anisotropic characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced composites, the couple stress theory was modified, and the loading model of microscale Mindlin laminates in a hygrothermal environment was established. The material scale parameters affected by the environment were introduced, and the governing equations and boundary conditions were solved by using the principle of virtual work. Taking the four-sided simply supported square laminate by the orthogonal layer as an example, the displacement function of the Navier solution method was set to calculate the critical loads of the Mindlin laminates in a hygrothermal environment. The results show that the critical loads of Mindlin micro-laminate are greater than those of classical macro-theory under unidirectional axial compressive loads. The scale effect strengthens with the increase of material scale parameters, and the scale effect becomes more obvious with an increase in temperature change and hygroscopic concentration. The scale effect gradually disappears with the increase of the geometric parameters of the laminate, and the model degenerates into a macroscopic model.
Nanoscale spatially resolved thermal transport in nanocrystalline 3C-SiC
Authors: Farzadian Omid , Sekerbayev Kairolla , Wang Yanwei , Utegulov Zhandos N.
Published: June 2024

This study investigates spatially resolved phonon-mediated thermal transport across nano-sized grains and grain boundaries (GBs) in 3C-SiC using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This investigation involves controlling the complete range of inter-grain misorientation tilt angles (θ = 0°–90°) and nanoscale grain sizes (d = 2.18–130.77 nm). The grain boundary energy and interfacial thermal transport are found to be highly θ-sensitive and asymmetric with respect to θ = 45° due to the low symmetry associated with two interpenetrating diatomic SiC fcc lattices. When adjacent grains are tilted at θ = 14.25°, the interfacial heat conduction is highly suppressed compared to other θ values, especially for larger grains. The most stable atomic configuration of the GB region associated with the minimal GB energy results in the highest suppression of heat conduction across the GB interface. Spatially resolved thermal anisotropy reveals a strong GB-mediated nanoscale hydrodynamic phonon Poiseuille effect when heat flows parallel to the GB planes, as shown by our perturbed MD study. With the reduction of d, the intra-grain and inter-GB thermal conductivities decrease due to the enhanced phonon scattering from interfaces, but the difference between these conductivities becomes negligible for the heat flow normal to the GB planes. It is envisioned that nanoscale spatially resolved control of thermal energy will provide useful guidance to engineer nanocrystalline ceramics with tunable interfacial thermal properties.
High throughput oscillating-flow structure for polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Zhou Ranran , Sun Yu , Luan Yunxia , Jia Wenshen , Yu Yang , Yang Jing , Chen Jin , Wang Fengchao
Published: June 2024

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a revolutionary biomolecule technology that drives the development of bioscience. The current work reports a high throughput oscillating-flow PCR structure. In this chip, eight microchannels can simultaneously serve as PCR reaction chambers for nucleic acid sample amplification. To maximize the potential of this design, the effect of the chip structure parameter, fluid velocity, and channel spacing is simulated by finite element analysis. The thermal simulation results show that (1) when the distance between two temperature drivers is 4 mm, the width ratio is 1:3, the length of a single channel is 24 mm, the wall thickness is 3 mm (x) × 20 mm (y) × 1 mm (z), the diameter is 0.3 mm, and the fluid velocity is within 1 mm/s, two uniform temperature zones of 95 and 65 °C for the PCR process can be constructed and (2) the influence of channel spacing on temperature distribution is not significant. When the spacing is 2 mm, the relative standard deviations of the temperature for denaturation and the annealing/extension zone were 0.0706% and 0.0061%, respectively. Here, the chip sizes are 30 mm (x) × 54 mm (y) × 3 mm (z).
Comparative analysis of model reduction techniques for flapping wing dynamics
Authors: Thirunavukkarasu Arvind , Sundar Rahul , Sarkar Sunetra
Published: June 2024

Flows around flapping wings exhibit intricate vortex interactions and diverse dynamical regimes, requiring in-depth investigation to understand the underlying load generating mechanisms. Traditional computational fluid dynamics simulations are computationally demanding for long time resolution or even parametric exploration, prompting the adoption of reduced order models (ROMs) for efficiency. Model reduction techniques like proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), and spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) offer low-rank representations of high-dimensional flow-fields, crucial for constructing ROMs. However, applying these techniques to flows with moving boundaries, especially those generated using high-fidelity body non-conformal mesh-based methods like the immersed boundary method, is challenging. This study proposes a simple yet efficient approach to extend these different model reduction techniques to include moving solid boundaries in the flow-field, focusing on flapping wing problems. The suitability and shortcomings of the ROMs are analyzed on the basis of reconstruction error and their capability to obtain latent space representations that reflect the spatiotemporal scales of both periodic and aperiodic unsteady flows around a flapping airfoil at a low Reynolds number. Additionally, two recently proposed mode ranking strategies for DMD are compared and contrasted with the conventional method to improve its reconstruction capabilities, in the context of flapping wing dynamics. Overall, the results indicate that SPOD outperforms both POD and DMD in providing information-rich low-rank latent space and accurately reconstructing the flow-field across both periodic and aperiodic datasets.
Superadiabatic dynamical density functional theory for colloidal suspensions under homogeneous steady-shear
Authors: Tschopp S. M. , Brader J. M.
Published: June 2024

The superadiabatic dynamical density functional theory (superadiabatic-DDFT) is a promising new method for the study of colloidal systems out-of-equilibrium. Within this approach, the viscous forces arising from interparticle interactions are accounted for in a natural way by explicitly treating the dynamics of the two-body correlations. For bulk systems subject to spatially homogeneous shear, we use the superadiabatic-DDFT framework to calculate the steady-state pair distribution function and the corresponding viscosity for low values of the shear-rate. We then consider a variant of the central approximation underlying this superadiabatic theory and obtain an inhomogeneous generalization of a rheological bulk theory due to Russel and Gast. This paper thus establishes for the first time a connection between DDFT approaches, formulated to treat inhomogeneous systems, and existing work addressing nonequilibrium microstructure and rheology in bulk colloidal suspensions.
Solution-processed ZnBi2S4 polycrystalline thin films for low noise photodetection
Authors: Zhao Haoyu , Jia Zhenglin , Yang Yujie , Liu Yong , Lin Qianqian
Published: June 2024

Chalcogenide semiconductors have emerged as promising candidates for optoelectronic applications due to their unique properties, including low toxicity, fabrication cost, superior stability, and decent charge transport properties. In particular, Bi-based chalcogenides, e.g., AgBiS2 and Bi2S3, have been extensively studied for photovoltaic and photodetection applications. AgBiS2 exhibits relatively high photoconversion efficiency but large dark current. On the other hand, Bi2S3 possesses relatively low dark current but limited charge transport. In this study, we introduce zinc ion within the Bi2S3 precursor and fabricate phase-pure ZnBi2S4 semiconductor, which showed improved optoelectronic properties. The fundamental properties of ZnBi2S4 are fully characterized, and we also demonstrated photodiodes with excellent device performance, suggesting great potential for photodetection.
Flexural capacity of aligned steel fiber-reinforced geopolymer composite beams
Authors: Dong Xinyi , Zhou Huafei , Jiang Wenhong , Shi Kaixuan
Published: June 2024

Aligned steel fibers significantly enhance the flexural capacity of geopolymer composite. However, research on the flexural capacity of aligned steel fiber-reinforced geopolymer composite (ASFRGPC) is rare. Therefore, this study investigates the flexural capacity of the ASFRGPC beam. First, geopolymer beams with different fiber layer thicknesses were prepared and four-point bending tests were carried out. On this ground, simplified flexural capacity calculation models were established for full-section and partial-section ASFRGPC beams. Then, experimental data from full-section ASFRGPC were used to determine the stress block parameters α1 and β1. It turned out that the values of α1 ranged from 0.951 to 0.987 and those of β1 ranged from 0.804 to 0.841. By approximating the stress block parameters α1 and β1 as 1.0 and 0.8, the errors in the resulting flexural capacity and the depth of the compression zone are no more than 4.7% and 3.1%, respectively. Finally, experimental data from partial-section ASFRGPC were used to analyze the impact of fiber layer thickness on the flexural capacity. The results showed that as the thickness of the steel fiber layer increases, the flexural capacity initially increases until reaches a maximum and then decreases. Therefore, it indicates that there exists an optimum thickness for the steel fiber layer. It has also been found that the optimal thickness of the steel fiber layer is not a fixed value, which depends on the tensile strength of the ASFRGPC and the compressive strength of the geopolymer matrix.
The microstructure and mechanical properties of nickel fabricated by material extrusion-based 3D printing
Authors: Song Daosen , Ye Guiyou , Shi Kai , Han Zhifeng , Zhou Wei , Fu Zhiguo , Guo Chenxu , Gao Gongru , Zhang Guangming
Published: June 2024

This study presents a fabrication method for preparing Ni using material extrusion-based 3D printing. First, the corresponding printing process window was optimized by exploring the relationship between the layer thickness and printing parameters (printing air pressure, printing speed, and printing height) of different solid content slurries, slurries rheology, and platform heating temperature. Then, the experiments on Ni slurries with different solid contents under different post-treatment methods were investigated to obtain the effect of solid content and temperature on the material properties. The results show that when the solid content of Ni slurry increases from 70 to 84 wt. %, the relative density of Ni increases, the shrinkage decreases, and the mechanical properties increase; when the sintering temperature increases from 1250 to 1400 °C, the relative density of Ni increases, the shrinkage increases, the mechanical properties decrease, and the particle size increases. The relative density range is 82%–96.6%, the shrinkage range is 53.5%–59.6%, the tensile strength range is 237.7–294 MPa, and the hardness range is 51.6–104.8 HV. Finally, the relationship between slurry, manufacturing process, structure, and properties was established through process optimization and experimental results, and 3D models of different structures were prepared to complete the preparation of Ni with high structural integrity, good interlayer bonding, and excellent properties.
The ARK2N–CK2 complex initiates transcription-coupled repair through enhancing the interaction of CSB with lesion-stalled RNAPII
Authors: Luo Yefei , Li Jia , Li Xiaoman , Lin Haodong , Mao Zuchao , Xu Zhanzhan , Li Shiwei , Nie Chen , Zhou Xiao Albert , Liao Junwei , Xiong Yundong , Xu Xingzhi , Wang Jiadong
Published: June 2024

Transcription is extremely important for cellular processes but can be hindered by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) pausing and stalling. Cockayne syndrome protein B (CSB) promotes the progression of paused RNAPII or initiates transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER) to remove stalled RNAPII. However, the specific mechanism by which CSB initiates TC-NER upon damage remains unclear. In this study, we identified the indispensable role of the ARK2N–CK2 complex in the CSB-mediated initiation of TC-NER. The ARK2N–CK2 complex is recruited to damage sites through CSB and then phosphorylates CSB. Phosphorylation of CSB enhances its binding to stalled RNAPII, prolonging the association of CSB with chromatin and promoting CSA-mediated ubiquitination of stalled RNAPII. Consistent with this finding,

Ark2n
−/−

mice exhibit a phenotype resembling Cockayne syndrome. These findings shed light on the pivotal role of the ARK2N–CK2 complex in governing the fate of RNAPII through CSB, bridging a critical gap necessary for initiating TC-NER.
Language varieties and labor mobilities
Authors: Borlongan Ariane Macalinga , Vilog Ron Bridget
Published: June 2024

While language is clearly an important aspect of (labor) migration, there have not been many contemplations and
interrogations, although truly compelling and necessary, on language varieties and their place and position in labor migration and
transnational work in the contemporary world, and hence why we intend to do so in this article. In our paradigmatic analysis of
language varieties in the context of labor mobilities, we shall take the case of the varieties of English arising from the global
spread of the language worldwide as our focal point. The world Englishes paradigm thus greatly informs and substantiates our
discussion so we shall first give the principles of this paradigm shift in linguistics begun by Braj Kachru. We subsequently
connect world Englishes theorizing to labor migration practices. We shall argue that language is not only integral to the work
being done by migrants, but is actually the work in itself. A consequence of this is that there are language varieties and
Englishes which fit the work to be done more than others, and, therefore, these varieties and Englishes are becoming commodified
as well in labor migration. We shall also take a look at the structural ramifications of labor migration on Englishes, how these
new varieties are restructured further as they move from one place to another along with labor migrants. As it will become
apparent, our discussion covers the situation of labor migrants in precarity more than the hyper-mobile elites often privileged in
migratory contexts. Ultimately, we shall synthesize issues relating to language varieties in the context of transnational work and
propose strategies in dealing not only with multilingual but also language-varietal diversity in (labor) migrations and
mobilities.
Marking the sources of knowledge, asserting the epistemic stance
Authors: Meier Franz
Published: June 2024

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Jesuit priest Joseph Deharveng (1867–1929) was one of the main
representatives of a language correction movement based essentially on the standard Parisian model of French. Deharveng’s goal was
to clear the practices of French-speaking Belgians of everything which seemed to deviate from this supposed ‘good usage’ of
French. Under the evocative title Corrigeons-nous!, Deharveng published six anthologies from 1922 to 1928
reproducing the articles published in his language column “Récréation philologique et grammaticale” in the Brussels newspaper
La Jeunesse. The present study addresses how Deharveng makes use of evidential markers, that is, linguistic
features to express the sources of knowledge in his language column. The distribution of evidential markers in Deharveng’s column
is compared to those in two other Franco-Belgian language columns published by Albert Doppagne (1912–2003) from 1960 to 1987 in
the Brussels newspaper Le Soir and by Michel Francard (1952–) from 2018 to 2022, also in Le
Soir. The aim of this comparison is to discern author-specific and language ideology-driven similarities and differences
in the patterning of evidential strategies in language columns.
What frequencies tell us of the foodstuffs used as source domain to conceptualize attractive people in Peninsular
Spanish
Authors: García-Romero Margarita
Published: June 2024

This paper offers a study of the foodstuffs used by speakers of Peninsular Spanish when referring to an attractive
individual. Two online forums were scanned to automatically search for linguistic realizations of the metaphor an attractive
individual is appetizing food. A corpus of 860 short texts was compiled, which contains the food terms used in context.
The frequency distribution of the type of food and the variable of gender was measured. Results indicate a preference to exploit
the metaphor through salty food products and that the foodstuffs used are highly dependent on the variable of gender. Contrary to
previous studies (e.g., Caitlin Hines 2000; Irene
López Rodríguez 2007, 2008), the frequency of sweets and desserts is not
higher with female referents. The findings do not agree with prior assumptions about the foodstuffs used in Peninsular Spanish to
conceptualize attractive people and the cultural stereotypes associated with them.
The Cake is a Lie
Authors: Fontolan Marina , Costa Janaina Pamplona da , Malazita James Wilson
Published: June 2024

Authenticity is commonly discussed by scholars specialized in game localization. Their discussions range from the
challenge professional localizers face to the role of using authentic materials in the classroom to train new
localization professionals. This paper discusses the issue of localization practices and game authenticity, addressing how game
developers and localization professionals debate this issue. To do so, the paper defines localization and authenticity and
presents a literature review on the theme. After that, we present the results from interviews and fieldwork at game conventions on
three different themes: culture and authenticity in games, game changes during localization process, and authenticity definitions.
We conclude that the discussion between authenticity and localization should be based on the localizer’s language so the research
about this topic can be further investigated.
Five decades of natural killer cell discovery
Authors: Lanier Lewis L.
Published: June 2024

The first descriptions of “non-specific” killing of tumor cells by lymphocytes were reported in 1973, and subsequently, the mediators of the activity were named “natural killer” (NK) cells by Rolf Kiessling and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in 1975. The activity was detected in mice, rats, and humans that had no prior exposure to the tumors, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen matching of the effectors and tumor cells was not required, and the cells responsible were distinct from MHC-restricted, antigen-specific T cells. In the ensuing five decades, research by many labs has extended knowledge of NK cells beyond an in vitro curiosity to demonstrate their in vivo relevance in host defense against tumors and microbial pathogens and their role in regulation of the immune system. This brief Perspective highlights a timeline of a few selected advancements in NK cell biology from a personal perspective of being involved in this quest.
Measurements of the first-flux-penetration field in surface-treated and coated Nb: distinguishing between near-surface pinning and an interface energy barrier
Authors: Asaduzzaman Md , McFadden Ryan M L , Thoeng Edward , Laxdal Robert E , Junginger Tobias
Published: June 2024

We report measurements of the first-flux-penetration field in surface-treated and coated Nb samples using

(
μ
SR
)

. Using thin Ag foils as energy moderators for the implanted muon spin-probes, we ‘profile’ the vortex penetration field

μ

0

H

vp

at sub-surface depths on the order of

∼

10

μ

m to

∼

100

μ

m. In a coated sample [Nb3Sn(

2

μ
m

)/Nb], we find that

μ

0

H

vp

is depth-independent with a value of 234.5(35) mT, consistent with Nb’s metastable superheating field and suggestive of surface energy barrier for flux penetration. Conversely, in a surface-treated sample [Nb baked in vacuum at 120 ∘

C

for

48

h

], vortex penetration onsets close to pure Nb’s lower critical field

μ

0

H

c
1

≈

170

mT

, but increases with increasing implantation depth, consistent with flux-pinning localized at the surface. The implication of these results for technical applications of superconducting Nb, such as superconducting radio frequency cavities, is discussed.
The dependence of operating frequency of NbN Toggle Flip-flop on parameters of NbN Josephson junctions
Authors: Shao Yingyi , Wang Huiwu , Niu Minghui , Peng Wei , Ren Jie , Wang Zhen
Published: June 2024

We performed a comprehensive investigation of the relationship between the maximum operating frequency of the NbN superconducting frequency divider and the key parameters of the NbN Josephson junction (JJ). We designed a superconducting frequency divider that uses a single NbN JJ as a pulse generator, several NbN Josephson transmission lines, an NbN Toggle Flip-flop, and a load. By comparing the bias voltage V
in of the pulse generator with the output voltage V
out of the load, we determined if the circuit was working correctly and calculated the maximum operating frequency f
max. Additionally, we employed JSICsim software for simulations to analyze the impact of key parameters of the NbN JJ, such as critical current density J
c, gap voltage V
g, characteristic voltage V
c, quality factor Q, and specific capacitance C
s, on f
max. The simulation results demonstrate that f
max increases with increasing J
c and Q. Specifically when J
c exceeds 300 kA cm−2 and Q surpasses 4, the superconducting frequency divider can achieve a f
max of 1 THz. Furthermore, we successfully fabricated a superconducting frequency divider using a 10 kA cm−2 process and tested a f
max of 260 GHz, with a deviation of approximately 6% from the simulation results.
26.86-tesla direct-current magnetic field generated with an all-REBCO superconducting magnet
Authors: Zhang Xintao , Hu Shuai , Guo Liang , Hong Wenzhe , Wang Zhaoran , Ma Hongjun , Zhang Shuqing , Qin Jinggang , Zhou Chao , Gao Peng , Jin Huan , Shao Liangjun , Qu Timing , Hong Zhiyong , Liu Fang , Liu Huajun , Song Yuntao , Li Jiangang
Published: June 2024

This paper reports an all REBCO (REBa2Cu3Ox, where RE = Y, Gd) superconducting magnet that generated a direct-current magnetic field of 26.86 T at 4.2 K in self-field, which is the highest magnetic field achieved by the high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet. The magnet consists of a stack of 10 double pancake (DP) coils wound with two different width REBCO conductors, and the no-insulation (NI) winding technology was applied to increase its engineering current density. The inner and outer winding diameters and overall height of the magnet are 30 mm, 103.98 mm, and 102.6 mm, respectively. In order to control the stress risk in HTS magnet, the over-banding made of high elastic modulus stainless steel tapes was employed to the magnet. In addition, no obvious degradation was found in the performance of the magnet after quench at 26.86 T of 295.5 A. These test results demonstrate the great potential of REBCO magnets in high field applications.
Impact of post deposition treatment on optoelectrical and microstructural properties of tin sulfide thin film for photovoltaic applications
Authors: Nisha  , Sarkar Prosenjit , Kumar Pawan , Katiyar Ram S
Published: June 2024

Tin sulfide (SnS) has attracted significant interest due to its advantageous optoelectrical characteristics and abundant presence in nature. Post-deposition treatments (PDTs) are frequently employed to enhance the crystallinity of chalcogenide-based solar cells. This study examined the influence of the post-deposition heat treatment procedure on thermally evaporated SnS thin film. The post-deposition annealing process, as determined by XRD and AFM studies, supplies the necessary thermal energy for re-crystallization, potentially resulting in a modification of crystallite dimensions. The occurrence of Sn-S polytypes was examined using Raman and XPS studies. Annealing causes changes in the optical properties, as observed through optical analysis, which can be attributed to the improvement in crystallinity. Subjecting the material to annealing at temperature of 300 °C greatly improves both mobility and conductivity, while also causing a change in conduction type. The observed variations in conduction type are attributed to the differing ratios between the amounts of Sn2+ and Sn4+. This strategy offers a novel route for the fabrication of thin-film photovoltaic cells by using a p-type buffer layer.
Arc stability and ablation characteristics in O2, N2, and air environments
Authors: Dong Keliang , Yang Zefeng , Luo Yunfeng , Ma Yaguang , Qian Pengyu , Wei Wenfu , Gao Guoqiang , Wu Guangning
Published: June 2024

Arcing is widely used in the processing and manufacturing of electrical materials. Arc duration and stability play a key role in the quality and efficiency of arc welding and cutting. Therefore, a platform for arc experiment and test analysis in a multi-atmosphere environment is built in this paper. The influence of the gas environments and pressures on arc breaking distance, arc stability, and ablation characteristics is explored. The experimental results show that the arc stability and arc breaking distance in the oxygen environment are significantly different from those in the air and nitrogen environment. This phenomenon is mainly caused by the strong electronegativity of oxygen and the Rayleigh–Taylor instability between the arc and the air. In addition, the variation of arc ablation characteristics under different gas environments and pressures is found. The influence mechanism of gas environments and pressures on arc breaking distance, arc stability, and ablation characteristics are cleared. The correlation mechanism between arc breaking distance and arc ablation characteristics is revealed. The research results provide theoretical support for improving the quality of electrical material processing and manufacturing and the service life of electric contact systems.
Evaluating the concordance of Egyptian and international sunspot observations
Authors: Moustafa Sayed S R , Khodairy Sara S
Published: June 2024

This study provides an exhaustive examination of the evolution of sunspot number (SSN) observations within Egypt, a nation celebrated for its profound astronomical legacy. Although Egypt has a well-established tradition of solar observation, the local SSN records spanning from 2010 to 2022 are compromised by a considerable frequency of absent data, thereby presenting substantial challenges to the precise assessment of solar activity. Addressing this challenge, the study employs dynamic time warping (DTW) as a methodological tool to assess the alignment of local and global SSN datasets. This technique adeptly harmonizes these datasets by reconciling temporal inconsistencies and variations in sampling rates. Subsequent to the application of DTW, the research integrates orthogonal regression for the imputation of the absent values in the Egyptian SSN dataset. This method, preferred for its proficiency in managing errors in both the dependent and independent variables, deviates from conventional linear regression techniques, thereby providing a more nuanced approach to data approximation. The investigation delineates a noteworthy statistical association between the locally-estimated SSN values and the global SSN indices. This correlation is characterized by a consistent pattern in which the locally-derived SSN are systematically lower in comparison to their global counterparts. Nevertheless, these local values display parallel trends and seasonal fluctuations akin to those observed in the global dataset, validating the imputation method and highlighting the unique characteristics of the Egyptian SSN data within the global context of solar activity monitoring. The implications of these findings are significant for the discipline of solar physics, especially for regions contending with incomplete datasets. The methodologies advanced in this research offer a robust framework for the enhancement of datasets with missing data, thus broadening the comprehension of solar phenomena.
Research on mobile robot path planning in complex environment based on DRQN algorithm
Authors: Wang Shuai , Du Yuhong , Lin Jingxuan , Zhao Shuaijie
Published: June 2024

A deep reinforcement Q learning algorithm (DRQN) based on radial neural network is proposed to achieve path planning and obstacle avoidance for mobile robots in complex ground environments with different types of obstacles, including static and dynamic obstacles. Firstly, the path planning problem is represented as a partially-observed Markov decision process. Steering angle, running characteristics, and other elements are introduced into the state-action decision space and the greedy factor is dynamically adjusted using a simulated annealing algorithm, which improves the mobile robot’s environment exploration and action selection accuracy. Secondly, the Q-learning algorithm is improved by replacing the Q-table structure with an RBF neural network to enhance the approximation ability of the algorithm’s function values, and the parameters of the implicit layer and the weights between the implicit and the output layer are trained using the dynamic clustering and least-mean methods respectively, which improves the convergence speed and enhances the ability of mobile robots to handle large-scale computation. Lastly, the double reward mechanism is set up to prevent the mobile robot from blind searching in unknown environments, which enhances the learning ability and improves path planning safety and flexibility at the same time. Different types of scenarios are set up for simulation experiments, and the results verified the superiority of the DQRN algorithm. Taking the 30 * 30 complex scene as an example, using the DQRN algorithm for path planning reduces the values of distance, turning angle, and planning time by 27.04%, 7.76%, and 28.05%, respectively, compared to the average values of Q-learning, optimized Q-learning, deep Q-learning, and DDPG algorithms, which can effectively improve the path planning efficiency for mobile robots in complex environments.
Monte Carlo simulations of W-Re alloys under helium ion bombardment
Authors: Zheng Huaqing , Liu Xiaoqiao , Zhang Xin , Shen Junfeng , Liu Sanqiu , Xu Yuhong , Lei Guangjiu , Li Heng , Cui Zilin , Hu Jun , Zhu Yiqin , Li Xiaolong , Geng Shaofei , Chen Xiaochang , Liu Haifeng , Wang Xianqu , Liu Hai , Cheng Jun , Tang Changjian
Published: June 2024

Based on the Monte Carlo simulation method, this study used the SDTrimSP software to explore the sputtering and vacancy distribution of

W

1
−
x

Re

x

(x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25) alloys with (110), (100), and (111) surfaces under helium ion bombardment. Since the surface binding energy in the SDTrimSP software is replaced by cohesive energy, this causes certain difference. So we used LAMMPS to re-scan the surface binding energy of three crystal planes with an index of one at different W-Re alloy ratios to enhance computational accuracy. Subsequently we input this value into the SDTrimSP software to compute the sputtering and vacancy under different incident energies and angles. The results show that (110) crystal plane has the smallest sputtering yield which is related to the surface binding energy. With the increasing concentration of Re atoms in the alloys, the sputtering yield of W-Re alloy linearly increases. Compared with pure W, the difference in sputtering yields and vacancies of W-Re alloys in three crystal planes are not significant. These findings can be valuable when selecting materials for plasma-facing applications in fusion reactor design.