bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stellenwert der neuro-urologischen Betreuung von Patienten mit Rückenmarkverletzungen/-erkrankungen
Authors: Wöllner Jens , Kurze Ines
Published: June 2024

Die Integrität, Kontrolle und Steuerung des Harntrakts unterliegen einer komplexen neuronalen Steuerung mit Anteilen des sympathischen, parasympathischen und somatischen Nervensystems. Das Rückenmark nimmt in der Steuerung, aber auch als Transmitter der motorischen und sensorischen Bahnen eine zentrale Rolle ein. Die Störung der Blasenfunktion und die konsekutive Nierenfunktionsstörung war vor einer halben Dekade noch die häufigste Todesursache für Patienten mit Rückenmarkverletzungen/-erkrankungen (QSL). Die Fortschritte in Diagnostik und Therapie in der Neuro-Urologie, haben einen wesentlichen Anteil daran, dass aktuell die urologische Problematik nicht mehr lebenslimitierend ist. Neben der eigentlichen Funktion des Harntrakts, sind aber auch die komplexen Interaktionen bei einem Patienten mit QSL entscheidend. Nicht ausreichend therapierte Detrusorüberaktivität mit Autonomer Dysreflexie, Inkontinenz mit sekundären Hautveränderungen, oder die fehlende Handfunktion zur Durchführung des intermittierenden Selbstkatheterismus, sind Themen, die bei Betreuung dieser Patienten interdisziplinär evaluiert werden müssen. Die Rückenmarkverletzung/-erkrankung impliziert eine Vielzahl von Funktionsstörungen und sekundären Beeinträchtigungen des Organismus. Neben der Blasenfunktion, spielt auch die Sexualfunktionsstörung eine wesentliche Rolle. Insbesondere bei jungen Patienten, die vor oder in der Phase der Familienplanung eine Querschnittlähmung erleiden, ist die Störung und Einschränkung ein wesentlicher Grund für die Reduktion der Lebensqualität. Zusätzlich kommt der neurogenen Darmfunktionsstörung eine entscheidende Rolle in Bezug auf Lebensqualität und Bewältigung des Alltags zu.

In den letzten Jahren haben sich die neuro-urologischen Themengebiete deutlich erweitert. Der Fokus unserer Arbeit liegt schon lange nicht mehr nur beim Harntrakt und der Urodynamik. Insbesondere die Diagnostik und Therapie der neurogenen Darmfunktionsstörung liegt zunehmend in der Hand des Neuro-Urologen. Im komplexen Bild der Querschnittlähmung interagieren Blasen-, Darm- und Sexualfunktionsstörungen, sodass diese sich auch gegenseitig beeinflussen. Eine lebenslange und regelmäßige neuro-urologische Betreuung dieser Patienten an einem Querschnittzentrum ist daher für die nachhaltige Betreuung und Reintegration entscheidend. Und nicht zuletzt sind es genau diese neuro-urologischen Themen, wie Harnwegsinfekte, Harn- und Stuhlinkontinenz und Koprostase die am häufigsten zu einer Rehospitalisierung führen.
Insulinresistenz bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Diabetes mellitus Typ 1 – Eine Auswertung des DPV-Registers
Authors: Otto Sarah , Burow Konstantin , Eckert Alexander J. , Heldt Katrin , Henn Martina , Holder Martin , Schweizer Roland , Holl Reinhard W.
Published: June 2024

Patienten mit Diabetes mellitus Typ 1 müssen lebenslang mit Insulin substituiert werden. Dabei wird für jede Einzelne und jeden Einzelnen die passende Insulindosierung gewählt bzw. durch komplexe Algorithmen der AID-Systeme (Automatische Insulindosierung) berechnet. Hierbei fällt auf, dass es immer wieder Kinder und Jugendliche gibt, die einen steigenden Bedarf an Insulin bzw. eine Insulinresistenz aufzeigen. Das Auftreten einer Insulinresistenz bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Diabetes mellitus Typ1 – in unserer Publikation definiert als Insulindosierung von über 1U/kg/d – steht augenscheinlich in Zusammenhang mit verschiedenen Einflussgrößen wie u.a. Therapieform und Insulinart, sportlicher Betätigung, Übergewicht, Einnahme einer hormonellen Kontrazeption. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Analyse von Daten aus dem DPV-Register. Hierzu wurden die Daten von 48.357 Kindern und Jugendlichen mit T1D herangezogen, um einen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Auftreten einer Insulinresistenz und verschiedenen Einflussfaktoren nachzuweisen. Die Ergebnisse sollen dazu beitragen, Patienten mit ungewöhnlich hohem Insulinbedarf besser beraten zu können und gegebenenfalls durch entsprechende Therapiemaßnahmen zu versuchen, die Insulinresistenz bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit T1D zu verringern.
Beschaffungsstrategien neu justieren: Nachhaltige Versorgungssicherheit in einer sich wandelnden Welt
Authors: Wolf Andreas
Published: June 2024

Mit welchen Anpassungsstrategien lassen sich aktuelle europäische und nationale Gesetzgebungsverfahren sowie globale Herausforderungen in das Beschaffungsmanagement integrieren? Wie kann es unter den neuen Rahmenbedingungen gelingen, weiterhin eine sichere und wirtschaftliche Klinikversorgung aufrechtzuerhalten?
Versorgungssicherheit: Der Markt ist von einer Entspannung weit entfernt
Authors: Pott Ariane
Published: June 2024

Wie sieht die Realität in der Beschaffung im Jahr 2024 aus? Ralf Bannwarth und Prof. Dr. Dr. Wilfried von Eiff berichten, wie die Krankenhäuser durch eine langfristige Lagerhaltung den Versorgungsengpässen aus dem Weg gehen und ob eine On-demand-Logistik noch möglich ist.
AEMP: Beschaffung chemischer Desinfektionsmittel zur Aufbereitung wiederverwendbarer Medizinprodukte
Authors: Gertler Susann
Published: June 2024

Chemische Desinfektionsmittel sind ein wichtiger Baustein der Krankenhaushygiene. Der Beitrag gibt einen Einblick in die verschiedenen Produktklassen und ihre Wirksamkeit sowie zu beachtenden Regularien.
Transportlogistik mit Drohnen: Nachhaltige Transporte aus der Luft
Authors: Immoos Maurus
Published: June 2024

Welches Potenzial Drohnentransporte in der Krankenhauslogistik haben, testete das Stadtspital Zürich 2022 in einem Pilotbetrieb mit dem Anbieter Matternet. Wenn die bestehenden Hürden gemeistert sind, werden Drohnen nicht nur zur CO2-Reduktion beitragen, sondern auch die Transportkosten verringern.
Versorgungssicherheit im Care-Catering: Digitale Systeme für eine effiziente Warenwirtschaft
Authors: Greth Thorsten
Published: June 2024

Eine gesunde gastronomische Versorgung ist für das Wohlbefinden und die Genesung von Patienten und Pflegebedürftigen sehr wichtig. Um ihre gastronomische Versorgung unter Berücksichtigung besonderer diätetische Anforderungen sicherzustellen, kommen vermehrt digitale Anwendungen zum Einsatz.
Poststelle im Krankenhaus: Die Poststelle bleibt auch im Digitalisierungszeitalter unverzichtbar
Authors: Middeldorf Max , Otten Hubert
Published: June 2024

Die Poststelle eines Krankenhauses spielt nach erkennbaren Rückgängen des Sendungsaustausches in den letzten Jahren nach wie vor eine bedeutende Rolle im reibungslosen Ablauf des Klinikbetriebs. Es stellt sich die Frage, wie diese personalintensive hausinterne Dienstleistung optimal organisiert oder anderweitig unterstützt werden kann.
Die Resolution zur Stärkung der Rehabilitation im Gesundheitssystem
der Weltgesundheitsversammlung – auch eine Selbstverpflichtung
Deutschlands
Authors: Gutenbrunner Christoph , Sturm Christian , Egen Christoph
Published: June 2024

Die Weltgesundheitsversammlung („World Health Assembly; WHA“) ist der Souverän
der Weltgesundheitsorganisation der Vereinten Nationen („World Health
Organization; WHO“) und somit der oberste Entscheidungsträger. Sie besteht aus
Delegierten aller 194 Mitgliedsstaaten. Neben der Wahl des Sekretariats
diskutiert und verabschiedet sie regelmäßig auch Resolutionen zu wichtigen
Gesundheitsthemen, die von einzelnen Mitgliedsstaaten initiiert und im Executive
Board der WHO (34 Mitgliedsstaaten, gewählt in einem Rotationssystem) als
Beschlussvorlage vorbereitet werden. Die Resolutionen der WHA sind wie die der
UN-Generalversammlung allerdings nicht rechtlich bindend. Sie haben aber einen
hohen normativen und Aufforderungscharakter, insbesondere dann, wenn sie mit
großer Mehrheit oder einstimmig verabschiedet worden sind. Dies gilt auch für
die am 27. Mai 2023 von der WHA verabschiedeten Resolution zur Stärkung der
Rehabilitation in den Gesundheitssystemen („StrengtheningRehabiltation in Health
Systems“; WHO Document EB 152(10) 1),
der auch die deutsche Delegation zugestimmt und somit diese auch für sich
„adoptiert“ hat. Die Resolutionen der WHA folgen in aller Regel einem
einheitlichen Schema, in dem zunächst die Hintergründe, der Bezugsrahmen und die
Problemlage geschildert werden, gefolgt von den Forderungen an die
Mitgliedsstaaten, eine Einladung zur Mitarbeit durch zivilgesellschaftliche
Organisationen und die Forderungen an den Generaldirektor der WHO.
Flourine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis in Lung Cancer: A Case Study
Authors: Sathekge Tshimogo , Boktor Raef R. , Berlangieri Salvatore , Lee Sze Ting
Published: June 2024

Lung cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is a rare disease presentation. The presence of peritoneal disease is a sign of poor prognosis and is hard to diagnose. Flourine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is becoming more clinically significant in the management of patients with PC. A 60-year-old male presented with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and later showed signs of peritoneal disease on 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, which subsequently lead to the diagnoses of PC with histopathology from peritoneal biopsy. The patient showed an excellent initial response to their NSCLC treatment but later presented with PC that was shown by FDG-avid ascites and a soft tissue mass in the pelvic area. The abdominal-pelvic lesions were confirmed cytologically to be peritoneal metastatic disease. 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated value in preoperatively directing biopsy for diagnosing PC in this case of NSCLC. Further, 18F-FDG PET/CT was useful in the monitoring of disease progression and thus influenced management in this case of NSCLC with PC, which is often challenging to detect and manage.
Perioperative Diagnosis of Thyroid Lesions through Fine-Needle Aspiration: A Clinicopathological Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Elmatri Haitham H. , Gheryani Nabeia Ali , Saad Rema H. Faraj , Amer Abeer H. A.
Published: June 2024

Background Thyroid lesions are a worldwide common clinical problem. Majority of thyroid nodules are benign whereas less than 5% are malignant. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a commonly used method in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions with some limitations.

Aim The objective was to assess the precision of FNAC in identifying thyroid lesions.

Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 62 patients with thyroid lesions who underwent preoperative FNAC followed by surgical resection. Data collection took place from January 2017 to December 2022 and included demographic information such as age, gender, and chief complaint. Cytological and histopathologic diagnoses were obtained from pathology reports. The correlation between histopathological diagnosis and preoperative FNAC results was assessed for each patient in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy. The data were presented as frequencies and percentages.

Results The diagnosis by FNAC was correlated with histopathology. The analysis showed that FNAC had a sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 91%, PPV of 80%, and NPV of 97%. However, the overall accuracy in this study was determined to be 92%.

Conclusion As a tool for the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid lesions, FNAC was proved in our laboratory to be sensitive and specific with a high accuracy rate.
How Flow Diverter Selection Can Affect the Flow Changes within a Jailed Ophthalmic Artery: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Study
Authors: Ünsal Can , Güçlü Görkem , Olcay Ali Bahadir , Hassankhani Amir , Bilgin Cem , Hakyemez Bahattin
Published: June 2024

Introduction Flow diverter (FD) stents are widely used to treat giant aneurysms by reducing blood flow into the aneurysm sac. However, choosing the optimal FD for a patient can be challenging when a nearby artery, such as the ophthalmic artery (OA), is jailed by the FD placement. This study compares the impact of two FD stents with different effective metal surface area (EMSA) values on OA occlusion.

Materials and Methods A numerical model of a 59-year-old female patient with a giant aneurysm in the left internal carotid artery and a jailed OA was created based on clinical data. Two FD stents, FRED4017 and FRED4518, with different EMSA values at the aneurysm neck and OA inlet, were virtually deployed in the model. Blood flow and occlusion amount in the OA were simulated and compared between the two FD stents.

Results FRED4017 had higher EMSA values than FRED4518 at the aneurysm neck (35% vs. 24.6%) and lower EMSA values at the OA inlet (15% vs. 21.2%). FRED4017 caused more occlusion in the OA than FRED4518 (40% vs. 28%), indicating a higher risk of ocular ischemic syndrome.

Conclusion The EMSA value of FD stents affects the blood flow and occlusion amount in the jailed OA. Therefore, selecting an FD stent with a low EMSA value at the OA inlet may be beneficial for patients with a nearby jailed artery at the aneurysm neck.
The Old: Is There Any Role for Screening Colonoscopy after the Age of 75? The Surgeon's Perspective
Authors: Khan Imran , Belkovsky Mikhael , Gorgun Emre
Published: June 2024

Guidelines recommend individualized decision making for screening colonoscopy for colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients after the age of 75 years due to low additional benefits. That should be taken with a grain of salt, as these recommendations are based on expert opinion and simulation models which do not consider (1) the differences in pathogenesis and cancer biology of CRC in elderly; (2) the risks of colonoscopy in this patient population; (3) and the impact of new surgical and nonsurgical therapies for CRC. In this review, our goal is to bring a surgeon's perspective to understand the role of screening colonoscopy in patients older than 75 years.
Convolution of individual and group identity: self-reliance increases polarisation in basic opinion model
Authors: Quante Lennart , Stechemesser Annika , Hödtke Damian , Levermann Anders
Published: June 2024

Opinion formation within society follows complex dynamics. Towards its understanding, axiomatic theory can complement data analysis. To this end, we propose an axiomatic model of opinion formation that aims to capture the interaction of individual conviction with social influence in a minimalist fashion. Despite only representing that (1) agents have an initial conviction with respect to a topic and are (2) influenced by their neighbours, the model shows the emergence of opinion clusters from an initially unstructured state. Here, we show that increasing individual self-reliance makes agents more likely to align their socially influenced opinion with their inner conviction which concomitantly leads to increased polarisation. The opinion drift observed with increasing self-reliance may be a plausible analogue of polarisation trends in the real-world. Modelling the basic traits of striving for individual versus group identity, we find a trade-off between individual fulfilment and societal cohesion. This finding from fundamental assumptions can serve as a building block to explain opinion polarisation.
Recurrent chaotic clustering and slow chaos in adaptive networks
Authors: Rolim Sales Matheus , Yanchuk Serhiy , Kurths Jürgen
Published: June 2024

Adaptive dynamical networks are network systems in which the structure co-evolves and interacts with the dynamical state of the nodes. We study an adaptive dynamical network in which the structure changes on a slower time scale relative to the fast dynamics of the nodes. We identify a phenomenon we refer to as recurrent adaptive chaotic clustering (RACC), in which chaos is observed on a slow time scale, while the fast time scale exhibits regular dynamics. Such slow chaos is further characterized by long (relative to the fast time scale) regimes of frequency clusters or frequency-synchronized dynamics, interrupted by fast jumps between these regimes. We also determine parameter values where the time intervals between jumps are chaotic and show that such a state is robust to changes in parameters and initial conditions.
Temperature-dependent antiferroelectric properties in La3+ doped PbHfO3 thin films with enhanced energy storage density and stability
Authors: Shen Hao , Zhou Boxiang , Zhang Yuanyuan , Qi Ruijuan , Chen Yu'ang , Chen Xuefeng , Fu Zhengqian , Wang Genshui , Yang Jing , Bai Wei , Tang Xiaodong , Zhang Shujun
Published: June 2024

Antiferroelectric thin films have attracted blooming interest due to their potential application in energy storage areas. Pb(1−3x/2)LaxHfO3 (PLHO-x, x = 0–0.05) thin films were fabricated on Pt(111)/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates via the chemical solution deposition method. The x-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results show that the doping of La3+, which has a smaller ion radius, leads to a slight decrease in the lattice constant and unit cell volume, which can induce the lattice distortion. In addition, the dielectric and polarization properties indicate that with an increase in the temperature or La3+ content, the antiferroelectric (AFE) I phase can transform into an AFE II phase, exhibiting a slimmer P–E loop with enhanced switching field and more pronounced polarization dispersion. Notably, PLHO-0.04 showcases excellent energy storage performance (55 J/cm3, at 2.8 MV/cm). This material also exhibits good thermal, frequency, and fatigue stability. These results suggest that the energy storage performance of PbHfO3-based films can be enhanced through the phase structure design, presenting a valuable approach to fulfill the growing demand for advanced energy storage devices.
On the thermodynamic stability of polycations
Authors: Tikhonov Denis S. , Lee Jason W. L. , Schnell Melanie
Published: June 2024

We present a simple approximation to estimate the largest charge that a given molecule can hold until fragmentation into smaller charged species becomes more energetically favorable. This approximation solely relies on the ionization potentials, electron affinities of the parent and fragment species, and also on the neutral parent’s dissociation energy. By parameterizing these quantities, it is possible to obtain analytical phase diagrams of polycationic stability. We demonstrate the applicability of this approach by discussing the maximal charge dependence on the size of the molecular system. A numerical demonstration for linear polyenes, monocyclic annulenes, and helium clusters is provided.
Highly precise optical positioning through deep learning-assisted photo-thermoelectric detection
Authors: Qiu Mengchun , Zheng Wenwei , Chen Junming , Cheng Zhe , Wang Li , Wang Qisheng
Published: June 2024

Optical positioning through a position-sensitive detector (PSD) is a central technique for diverse applications, including laser guidance, pilotless automobiles, aerospace, real-time tracking, and robotics. However, both commercially segmented PSD and the lateral photovoltaic effect PSD reported so far suffer from serious nonlinearity, leading to distortion of position. Herein, we propose an ultrahigh-precise optical positioning method through a deep learning-assisted thermoelectric model. Specifically, we design a PbSe thermoelectric photodetector with twelve electrodes endowing the output of the photo-thermoelectric voltage matrix, which is highly laser position-correlated. As a result, the original location is accurately reconstructed through a regression-based convolutional neural network algorithm, giving rise to a nonlinearity of 0.3% with precision as high as 98.7%. Finally, our thermoelectric deep optical positioner fully recovers the moving path of a target defined by alphabets, numbers, or random trajectory, indicating its great potential in the applications of optical writing, robot guidance, and optical navigation.
Perfect absorption of violet light enabled by rotated Mie resonators
Authors: Xu Rongyang , Chen Dingwei , Takahara Junichi
Published: June 2024

The absorption of a free-standing ultra-thin film supporting a single resonant mode is, in principle, limited to 50%. Based on the degenerate critical coupling (DCC) of dipole modes, silicon Mie resonators can overcome the absorption limit and achieve perfect absorption in the green light range. DCC requires that the radiative loss of each dipole mode matches material loss. Due to the material properties of silicon, the material loss varies with wavelength. Therefore, flexible tuning of radiative loss to match the wavelength-dependent material loss is crucial for realizing DCC-based perfect absorbers. In this study, we propose that a 45-degree rotation of cubic Mie resonators enhances the radiative loss of electric dipole mode. Hence, the DCC-based perfect absorption can be extended to the violet light range. In addition to applications in photodetectors and imaging sensor pixels, the proposed perfect absorber has great potential to become nonlinear elements based on the photothermal effect for photonic neuromorphic computing due to its temperature-dependent scattering.
A review on free miscible buoyant jets
Authors: Hassanzadeh H. , Taghavi S. M.
Published: June 2024

Buoyant jets have been a topic of interest due to their presence in various natural and industrial phenomena, as well as in our daily lives. Covering extensive literature, our focus in this review article is on free, miscible buoyant jets with small-density differences (under the Boussinesq approximation) within uniform and stagnant environments. We examine the latest research on Newtonian jet flows and expand our scope to their viscoplastic counterparts, reflecting a burgeoning trend in contemporary literature. Our analysis covers negatively buoyant, pure, and positively buoyant jets, via delving into their dynamics. This includes regime classifications and key jet characteristics, such as laminar length, penetration length, mixing behavior, velocity profiles, and turbulence parameters. In particular, the effects of the key governing dimensionless parameters, including the Reynolds number, the Froude number, the Bingham number, the viscosity ratio, and the injection angle, on these characteristics are explored.
Ab initio melting curve of body-centered cubic bismuth
Authors: Burakovsky Leonid , Rehn Daniel A. , Anzellini Simone , Errandonea Daniel
Published: June 2024

Body-centered cubic bismuth (bcc-Bi) has long been considered an ideal pressure standard/calibrant; thus, the accurate knowledge of both its equation of state (EOS) and melting curve is of primary importance for future high pressure and high temperature experiments. However, its melting curve has never been measured experimentally beyond 5 GPa, and several theoretical calculations do not agree with each other and, in fact, differ by as much as a factor of 2 with regard to the bcc-Bi melting point at 50 GPa. Here, we present the calculation of the melting curve of bcc-Bi to 400 GPa via quantum molecular dynamics simulations using the Z method implemented with VASP. We also present the ab initio EOS of bcc-Bi as well as its principal Hugoniot, which both appear to be in excellent agreement with the available experimental data. At 100 GPa, the temperature extent (from zero to melt) of bcc-Bi is comparable to that of gold. At pressures of  GPa, the melting curve of bcc-Bi is (quasi-)parallel to, being  K below that of rhenium, the highest melter above  GPa among the elements of the third row of the periodic table, which makes bcc-Bi the second highest melter behind Re.
Toward an integrated multi-gigahertz ionizing particle diagnostic
Authors: Bohon J. , Grace C. , Gulley M. , Jacobson B. , Kachiguine S. , Kim D. , Martinez-Mckinney F. , Nagel N. , Nizam M. , Padilla R. , Prakash T. , Prebys E. , Rowling C. , Schumm B. A. , Torrecilla I. Silva , Smedley J. , Stuart D. , Wilder M. , Zhu D.
Published: June 2024

Needs arising at both current and future accelerator facilities call for the development of radiation-hardened position-sensing diagnostics that can operate with multi-GHz repetition rates. Such instruments are likely to also have applications in the diagnosis of rapid plasma behavior. Building on the recent work of our Advanced Accelerator Diagnostics Collaboration, we are exploring the development of integrated multi-GHz ionizing particle detection systems based on chemical-vapor deposition diamond sensors, with the initial goal of producing a quadrant detector that can determine the intensity and centroid position of a particle beam at a repetition rate between 5 and 10 GHz. Results from our initial high-speed characterization work are presented, including those from a single-channel sensor with a GHz response. Approaches to achieving multi-GHz (5–10 GHz) rate capability, including the design of a dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuit and the use of 3D RF-solver computer aided design software, are presented and discussed in more detail. 3D RF simulations suggest clean pulses of duration less than 250 ps (FWHM less than 125 ps) can be achieved with the approaches developed by this work.
Exceptional thermal conductivity increase of Nafion by hydrogen-bonded water molecules
Authors: Rahbar Mahya , Alahmad Qusai , Bai John , Zhang Lijun , Wang Xinwei
Published: June 2024

Nafion, a widely used proton exchange membrane in fuel cells, is a representative perfluorosulfonic acid membrane consisting of a hydrophobic Teflon backbone and hydrophilic sulfonic acid side chains. Its thermal conductivity (k) is critical to fuel cell's thermal management. During fuel cell operation, water molecules inevitably enter Nafion and could strongly affect its k. In this work, we measure the k of Nafion of different water content (λ). Findings reveal that k is significantly low in a vacuum environment characterized as 0.110 W m−1 K−1, but at λ ∼1, a notable increase is observed, reaching 0.162 W m−1 K−1. Moreover, k at λ ≈ 6 is 60% higher than that of λ ∼1. This exceptional k increase is far beyond the theoretical prediction by the effective medium theory that only considers simply physical mixing. Rather this k increase is attributed to the formation of water clusters and channels with increased λ, creating thermal pathways through hydrogen bonding, thereby improving chemical connections within the Nafion structure and augmenting its k. Furthermore, it is observed that Nafion's k reaches the maximum value of 0.256 W m−1 K−1 at λ ≈ 6, with no further increase up to λ ≈ 10.5. This phenomenon is explained by the coalescence of water clusters at λ ≈ 6, forming channels that optimize heat transfer pathways and connections within the Nafion structure. Moreover, the free movement of water molecules within water channels (λ > 6) shows physical alterations in Nafion structure (significant volume increase), which have a lesser impact on k.
Movements and habitat use of painted button-quail, Turnix varius, in tropical savanna of northern Queensland
Authors: Webster Patrick T. D. , Leseberg N. P. , Murphy S. A. , Watson J. E. M.
Published: June 2024

Despite painted button-quail, Turnix varius, being one of Australia’s most common and widespread button-quail, knowledge of the species’ habitat use and movements is poor, and largely based on incidental observations. We GPS tracked eight painted button-quail individuals near Mareeba in northern Queensland during both dry (May to June 2020) and wet (January to February 2021) seasons. We found no evidence of nomadic or migratory movements; individuals occupied small home ranges (1.38–10.3 ha) and the species was present year-round. Differences in home-range size were detected between sexes and between seasons, likely reflecting the species’ polyandrous mating system. In both wet and dry seasons, painted button-quail occupied open savanna with a groundcover of native perennial tussock grasses. The home ranges of all tracked birds were associated mostly with ridges and slopes, although some use of alluvial flats was observed. The presence of perennial tussock grasses was consistent across the areas used by tracked individuals. In contrast to anecdotal reports, painted button-quail utilised areas with open groundcover (as low as 5% groundcover vegetation) as well as areas of dense cover (95% groundcover vegetation). Given that this is the first GPS-based movement study of any button-quail species, our findings provide potentially important insights into the daily and annual movements of this cryptic genus.
An RNA pseudoknot mediates toxin translation and antitoxin inhibition
Authors: Eleftheraki Athina , Holmqvist Erik
Published: June 2024

Type I toxin–antitoxin systems (T1TAs) are bipartite bacterial loci encoding a growth-inhibitory toxin and an antitoxin small RNA (sRNA). In many of these systems, the transcribed toxin mRNA is translationally inactive, but becomes translation-competent upon ribonucleolytic processing. The antitoxin sRNA targets the processed mRNA to inhibit its translation. This two-level control mechanism prevents cotranscriptional translation of the toxin and allows its synthesis only when the antitoxin is absent. Contrary to this, we found that the
timP
mRNA of the
timPR
T1TA locus does not undergo enzymatic processing. Instead, the full-length
timP
transcript is
both
translationally active and can be targeted by the antitoxin TimR. Thus, tight control in this system relies on a noncanonical mechanism. Based on the results from in vitro binding assays, RNA structure probing, and cell-free translation experiments, we suggest that
timP
mRNA adopts mutually exclusive structural conformations. The active form uniquely possesses an RNA pseudoknot structure which is essential for translation initiation. TimR preferentially binds to the active conformation, which leads to pseudoknot destabilization and inhibited translation. Based on this, we propose a model in which “structural processing” of
timP
mRNA enables tight inhibition by TimR in nonpermissive conditions, and TimP synthesis only upon TimR depletion.
Language-based capabilities to conceptualise linguistic justice
Authors: Gialdini Cecilia
Published: June 2024

This article proposes an application of the capability approach (CA) within linguistic justice, adopting a
capability-based approach. The aim is to break down the concept into language-based capabilities associated with public goods,
which can be evaluated through qualitative or quantitative methods, aligning with policy cycle models. The objective is to
deconstruct the abstract notion of linguistic justice into manageable components, namely language-based capabilities, making it
amenable to scrutiny through policy analysis. Language-based capabilities are capabilities linked to public goods and services
that inherently require a language for conversion into functioning. The state plays a crucial role as a conversion enabler through
fair and effective language policies. This breakdown into language-based capabilities facilitates the identification of individual
strategies, making the evaluation of language policies easier. Such an approach enables an examination of the policymaking
process, including its efficacy, shortcomings, and opportunities for improvement. The ultimate goal is to translate a highly
normative approach into an operational definition, further breaking it down into measurable indicators, thereby advancing the
field.
Long-term stability of the picometer-resolution interferometer on TianQin-1 satellite
Authors: Ming Min , Cao Bin , Liao Fangjie , Yang Minglin , Huang Xiangqing , Jiang Yuanze , Li Zhu , Zhang Jingyi , Yang Shuju , Duan Huizong , Yeh Hsien-Chi
Published: June 2024

As ground-based gravitational wave (GW) detection has opened a new window for exploring the Universe, space-based GW detection will be the next frontier to deepen the understanding of galaxy evolution and massive black holes merging. TianQin-1 is a technology verification satellite for the space-based GW detector TianQin. One of the key technologies demonstrated in TianQin-1 is a high-precision and ultra-stable interferometer, with a noise floor lower than

100

pm

/

Hz

1

/

2

@

0.1

Hz

. In this paper, we report the long-term stability of the interferometer in the TianQin-1 satellite, which contains a quasi-monolithic optical bench made through hydroxide catalysis bonding (HCB). According to the results of the ground and in-orbit tests, the long-term stability of the interferometer for 13 months after launch has been evaluated. The resolution of the interferometer is better than 30 pm. The noise level of the interferometer is about

30

pm

/

Hz

1

/

2

@

0.1

Hz

and

10

pm

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Hz

1

/

2

above 1 Hz, fulfilling the mission requirement of TianQin-1. The successful in-orbit operation has demonstrated the interferometer’s high precision and long-term stability based on the quasi-monolithic optical bench.
The UmboMic: a PVDF cantilever microphone
*
Authors: Yeiser Aaron J , Wawrzynek Emma F , Zhang John Z , Graf Lukas , McHugh Christopher I , Kymissis Ioannis , Olson Elizabeth S , Lang Jeffrey H , Heidi Nakajima Hideko
Published: June 2024

Objective. We present the ‘UmboMic,’ a prototype piezoelectric cantilever microphone designed for future use with totally-implantable cochlear implants. Methods. The UmboMic sensor is made from polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) because of its low Young’s modulus and biocompatibility. The sensor is designed to fit in the middle ear and measure the motion of the underside of the eardrum at the umbo. To maximize its performance, we developed a low noise charge amplifier in tandem with the UmboMic sensor. This paper presents the performance of the UmboMic sensor and amplifier in fresh cadaveric human temporal bones. Results. When tested in human temporal bones, the UmboMic apparatus achieves an equivalent input noise of 32.3 dB SPL over the frequency range 100 Hz–7 kHz, good linearity, and a flat frequency response to within 10 dB from about 100 Hz–6 kHz. Conclusion. These results demonstrate the feasibility of a PVDF-based microphone when paired with a low-noise amplifier. The reported UmboMic apparatus is comparable in performance to a conventional hearing aid microphone. Significance. The proof-of-concept UmboMic apparatus is a promising step towards creating a totally-implantable cochlear implant. A completely internal system would enhance the quality of life of cochlear implant users.
Biochemical evaluation of wound healing efficacy of cold plasma-conditioned media under different operational conditions
Authors: Puri Sonakshi , Mandal Sumit Kumar , Sharma Navin Kumar , Pal Priti , Lamba Ram Prakash , Miller Vandana , Pal Udit Narayan , Deepa P R
Published: June 2024

Wound healing is a dynamic and intricate biological process crucial for tissue repair and regeneration. This study explores the potential therapeutic impact of non-thermal plasma generated by a hand-held cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet (C-APPJ) source on fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3) in vitro. The sequential phases of wound healing—inflammation, cell proliferation, and tissue remodelling, were assessed in the context of cell migration and oxidative stress dynamics. Typically, plasma generates a mixture of several reactive oxygen/nitrogen (ROS/RNS) species. The present study investigates the safety and efficacy of C-APPJ under distinct operating conditions (argon (GI) and argon + nitrogen (GII)) and exposure times (1 min and 3 min). Cell viability assays confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of the cold plasma conditioned medium. The levels of ROS/RNS and malondialdehyde (biomarker of oxidative stress) in the plasma-treated samples remained comparable with the control fibroblast cells grown in normal media, suggesting the favourable modulation of ROS by the cellular antioxidant mechanisms. Accelerated wound-closure rates from 6th hour to 24th hour in all the treated groups ranged from 38.76% to 45.66%, when compared to 34.25% in the control cells. Substantial cell migration leading to 51.59% of wound closure was recorded in the argon + nitrogen (GII) group exposed for 3 min. Taken together, the potential of cold plasma to effectively heal wounds without causing prolonged oxidative stress and chronic inflammation is implicated. These outcomes suggest scope for clinical application of C-APPJ as safe and cost-effective treatment of wounds (ulcers, burns, diabetic foot) and wound disinfection.
Orientation-dependent Andreev reflection in an altermagnet/altermagnet/superconductor junction
Authors: Niu Zhi Ping , Yang Zhe
Published: June 2024

Altermagnets, an emerging class of magnetic materials distinguished by a significant non-relativistic spin splitting band structure but zero net macroscopic magnetization, have recently received considerable attention. Here, we present a theoretical study focusing on the orientation-dependent conductance induced by Andreev reflection (AR) at an altermagnet/altermagnet/superconductor junction. Conventional and equal-spin AR processes occur when the Néel vector directions of the AMs are non-collinear and controllable by the altermagnet’s orientation θ and Néel vector direction α. The conductance spectra resemble ferromagnet/ferromagnet/superconductor junctions with parallel or antiparallel magnetization configurations, depending on θ and α. Both the anisotropic altermagnetic state and the equal-spin AR signature can be probed by studying conductance spectra. These findings suggest that altermagnet/superconductor junctions are promising platforms for future superconducting spintronics applications.
Reversal of the electric field and the anode fall in DC arcs in air during contact opening
Authors: Baeva Margarita
Published: June 2024

A unified one-dimensional model of an arc plasma in air, between copper electrodes, that includes the change of the gap distance is presented. The occurrence of multiple reversals of the electric field and the anode voltage drop is observed. The evolution of the spatial distribution of the electron and heavy particle temperatures with the gap distance and the opening speed is also studied. The model quantitatively predicts a number of plasma properties under conditions that are relevant to the contact separation in low-voltage switching devices.
Development of efficient nonthermal atmospheric-pressure Ar-plasma jet through simultaneous spectroscopic characterization and radical quantification
Authors: Srikar P S N S R , Allabakshi Shaik Mahamad , Gomosta Suman , Maliyekkal Shihabudheen M , Gangwar Reetesh K
Published: June 2024

The work investigates the correlation between the plasma characteristics and reactive chemical species generation in an Ar-nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma-jet (Ar-NTAPPJ) under various operating conditions such as gas flow rate, excitation voltage, and electrode gap and demonstrates the application of such understanding in developing efficient nonthermal plasma systems. The critical plasma parameters such as electron temperature (T
e) and electron density (n
e) under the various operating conditions were estimated using optical emission spectroscopy coupled with the collision radiative model and Stark broadening methods. At optimal setting of 5 LPM gas flow rate, 4 kV excitation voltage, and 6 mm electrode gap resulted in maximum T
e (0.6 eV), enhancing •OH production (0.056 mM) in the liquid phase and OH(A-X) emission in the gas phase, highlighting the significance of operating conditions on building energy efficient plasma systems. The enhanced performance of the optimized Ar-NTAPPJ is demonstrated by taking atrazine as a model herbicide. The degradation performance data was correlated and validated with results obtained from spectroscopic diagnostics. By adequately tuning the operating parameters, four times enhancement in energy yield (∼150 mg kWh−1) was obtained without perturbing the nonthermal plasma mode. In nonthermal mode, to best of the authors knowledge, it is the highest reported energy yield for atrazine degradation. The scalability aspect of the present plasma jet was also investigated by Intensified Charge-Coupled Device camera-based imaging technique. The study establishes the importance of adequate diagnostics in developing efficient next-generation plasma reactors.
Resistive switching suppression in metal/Nb:SrTiO3 Schottky contacts prepared by room-temperature pulsed laser deposition
Authors: Buzio R , Gerbi A
Published: June 2024

Deepening the understanding of interface-type resistive switching (RS) in metal/oxide heterojunctions is a key step for the development of high-performance memristors and Schottky rectifiers. In this study, we address the role of metallization technique by fabricating prototypical metal/Nb-doped SrTiO3 (M/NSTO) Schottky contacts via pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Ultrathin Pt and Au electrodes are deposited by PLD onto single-crystal (001)-terminated NSTO substrates and interfacial transport is characterized by conventional macroscale methods and nanoscale Ballistic Electron Emission Microscopy. We show that PLD metallization gives Schottky contacts with highly reversible current-voltage characteristics under cyclic polarization. Room-temperature (RT) transport is governed by thermionic emission with Schottky barrier height

ϕ

B

(

Pt

/

NSTO

)

∼
0.71
−
0.75

eV

,

ϕ

B

(

Au

/

NSTO

)

∼
0.70
−
0.83

eV

and ideality factors as small as

n

(

Pt

/

NSTO

)

∼
1.1

and

n

(

Au

/

NSTO

)

∼
1.6

. RS remains almost completely suppressed upon imposing broad variations of the Nb doping and of the external stimuli (polarization bias, working temperature, ambient air exposure). At the nanoscale, we find that both systems display high spatial homogeneity of

ϕ

B

(

⩽

50

meV

), which is only partially affected by the NSTO mixed termination (

|

ϕ

B

(

M

/

SrO

)

−

ϕ

B

(

M

/

Ti

O

2

)

|

<
35

meV

). Experimental evidences and theoretical arguments—based on a metal-insulator-semiconductor description of the M/NSTO—indicate that the PLD metallization mitigates interfacial layer effects responsible for RS. This occurs thanks to the reduction of the interfacial layer thickness and to the creation of an effective barrier against the permeation of ambient gas species affecting charge trapping and redox reactions. This description allows to rationalize interfacial aging effects, observed upon several-months-exposure to ambient air, in terms of a slow interfacial re-oxidation. Our work contributes to the fundamental understanding of interface-type RS and demonstrates that RT PLD offers a viable platform for the realization of robust, RS-free NSTO-based Schottky contacts.
Effect of magnetron sputtering power on the properties of the AlO
X
monolayer and AlO
X
/MgF2 bilayer anti-reflection films
Authors: Song Xinfei , Zhao Changjiang , Zhao Leran , Liu Juncheng
Published: June 2024

The AlO
X
monolayer anti-reflection (MLAR) films and the AlO
X
/MgF2 bilayer anti-reflection (BLAR) films were deposited on high-purity glasses with magnetron sputtering. We investigated the influences of sputtering power on the O/Al molar ratio, microstructure, and optical properties of the AlO
X
MLAR films and AlO
X
/MgF2 BLAR films. The results showed that a too high or a too low sputtering power was detrimental to the preparation of the high-quality films, which could only be obtained when the sputtering power was 115 W. However, the sputtering power did not affect the crystallinity of the films, all of which were amorphous. When the sputtering power was 115 W, the high-purity AlO
X
MLAR film exhibited an O/Al molar ratio of 2.27:1, a refractive index of 1.426, and an average transmittance (T
avg: average transmittance of the quartz glass deposited the film, hereinafter the same) of 94.03% within 300–1100 nm wavelength range. The T
avg of AlO
X
/MgF2 BLAR film with a power of 115 W was 94.99%, which was 1.92% higher than that of the glass substrate. And it improved the cell’s photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) by 3.19%.
Orbital magnetic susceptibility of zigzag carbon nanobelts: a tight-binding study
Authors: Inui Norio
Published: June 2024

The magnetic properties of a circular graphene nanoribbon (carbon belt) in a magnetic field parallel to its central axis is studied using a tight-binding model. Orbital magnetic susceptibility is calculated using an analytical expression of the energy eigenvalues as a function of the magnetic flux density for any size, and its temperature dependence is considered. In the absence of electron hopping parallel to the magnetic field, the orbital magnetic susceptibility diverges at absolute zero if the chemical potential is zero and the number of atoms is a multiple of four. As the temperature increases, the magnitude of susceptibility decreases according to the power law, whose exponent depends on the size. In the presence of electron hopping parallel to the magnetic field, the divergence of the susceptibility near absolute zero disappears, and the sign changes with the transfer integral parallel to the magnetic field and the temperature.
Research on stochastic error suppression method of FOG based on quasi-proportional information
Authors: Liang Zhe , Zhou Zhaofa , Li Hongcai , Zhang Zhili , Li Yongxu , Liu Jin
Published: June 2024

In order to improve the precision of fiber optic gyro (FOG), it is necessary to suppress the stochastic error effectively. Therefore, the stochastic error suppression of FOG is studied. Firstly, the data of FOG at room temperature and variable temperature are analyzed. Then, a general form of FOG random error model is derived, and an adaptive filtering method based on quasi-proportional information is proposed to estimate the process noise covariance effectively. At last, the room temperature experiment, the variable temperature experiment and the dynamic experiment are carried out. Compared with the recently proposed adaptive filter algorithm, the variance reduction of the proposed algorithm at the average time of 33 s, 54 s and 55 s is more than 70%, and the suppression effect of the algorithm on the random walk coefficient is improved by more than 2%, showing strong robustness.
Adaptive mode decomposition method based on fault feature orientation and its application to compound fault diagnosis of planetary gearboxes
Authors: Li Hongkun , Cao Shunxin , Zhang Kongliang , Yang Chen , Xiang Wei
Published: June 2024

Planetary gearboxes often experience multiple component failures during service, which can accelerate the degradation and failure of industrial equipment. Accurate separation and identification of multiple faults is an important means of ensuring the safe and stable operation of equipment. However, different faults can interact with each other, along with the influence of background noise, making it challenging to accurately extract faults with relatively weak energy among multiple faults. This difficulty leads to the problems of potential misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. To address this issue, an adaptive mode decomposition method based on fault feature orientation (AMD-FF) is proposed in this paper. Initially, a fault impact indicator (FII) is constructed based on period-weighted kurtosis of envelope spectral and correlated combination negentropy to effectively characterize the impulsiveness and periodicity of fault features. Furthermore, with the objective of maximizing the FII, an adaptive decomposition of the original signal is designed based on blind convolution theory using a finite-impulse response filter group. Subsequently, a variable weight particle swarm optimization is employed to adaptively optimize the key decomposition parameters. Finally, the data of industrial-grade planetary gear transmission test rig are collected to validate the proposed method for compound fault diagnosis of planetary gearboxes. The results indicate that the AFMD-FF can effectively separate and extract compound faults in planetary gearboxes, demonstrating superior fault separation and diagnostic performance compared to the fault mode decomposition (FMD) and adaptive FMD. This method offers a novel approach to diagnosing compound faults in rotating equipment in industrial scenarios.