Progrediente pigmentierte Fundusläsion nach 23 Jahren - therapieren oder beobachten?. - In: Die Ophthalmologie, ISSN 2731-7218, Bd. 120 (2023), 8, S. 851-856
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00347-022-01729-w
The computational turn in online mental health research: a systematic review. - In: New media & society, ISSN 1461-7315, Bd. 25 (2023), 10, S. 2781-2799
Digital trace data and computational methods are increasingly being used by researchers to study mental health phenomena (i.e. psychopathology and well-being) in social media. Computer-assisted mental health research is not simply a continuation of previous studies, but rather raises ethical, conceptual and methodological issues that are critical to behavioural science but have not yet been systematically explored. Based on a systematic review of n = 147 studies, we reveal a multidisciplinary field of research that has grown immensely since 2010, spanning the humanities, social sciences, and engineering. We find that a substantial majority of studies in our sample lack a standardized form of ethical consideration, focus on specific constructs and have a rather narrow focus on specific social media platforms. Based on our findings, we discuss how computational elements have influenced mental health research, highlight academic gaps and suggest promising directions for future studies.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448221122212
Generalized modeling of photoluminescence transients. - In: Physica status solidi, ISSN 1521-3951, Bd. 260 (2023), 1, 2200339, S. 1-12
Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements and the extraction of meaningful parameters involve four key ingredients: a suitable sample such as a semiconductor double heterostructure, a state-of-the-art measurement setup, a kinetic model appropriate for the description of the sample behavior, and a general analysis method to extract the model parameters of interest from the measured TRPL transients. Until now, the last ingredient is limited to single curve fits, which are mostly based on simple models and least-squares fits. These are often insufficient for the parameter extraction in real-world applications. The goal of this article is to give the community a universal method for the analysis of TRPL measurements, which accounts for the Poisson distribution of photon counting events. The method can be used to fit multiple TRPL transients simultaneously using general kinematic models, but should also be used for single transient fits. To demonstrate this approach, multiple TRPL transients of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure are fitted simultaneously using coupled rate equations. It is shown that the simultaneous fits of several TRPL traces supplemented by systematic error estimations allow for a more meaningful and more robust parameter determination. The statistical methods also quantify the quality of the description by the underlying physical model.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pssb.202200339
Recent developments and future prospects of transition metal compounds as electrode materials for potassium-ion hybrid capacitors. - In: Advanced Materials Technologies, ISSN 2365-709X, Bd. 8 (2023), 3, 2200515, insges. 18 S.
Potassium-ion hybrid capacitors (PIHCs) have attracted considerable attention as emerging electrochemical energy storage devices for simultaneously achieving high energy and power density, which the key to success is the development of compatible electrode materials for both battery-type anode and capacitive cathode. Among numerous electrode materials, transition metal compounds (including oxides, chalcogenide, carbides, and nitrides) show great potential owing to their high theoretical capacity to achieve high energy density, but their sluggish reaction kinetics restrict the attainable power density. Hence, in the last few years, different strategies are proposed to improve the performance of transition metal compounds as electrode materials for PIHCs, and significant progress is achieved. Herein, this review outlines recent advances of employing transition metal compounds as electrode materials for PIHCs. The performance and challenges of different transition metal compounds are discussed in detail. Finally, the future prospects of practical applications of transition metal compounds in PIHCs are briefly discussed.
https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202200515
Alternating complexity of counting first-order logic for the subword order. - In: Acta informatica, ISSN 1432-0525, Bd. 60 (2023), 1, S. 79-100
This paper considers the structure consisting of the set of all words over a given alphabet together with the subword relation, regular predicates, and constants for every word. We are interested in the counting extension of first-order logic by threshold counting quantifiers. The main result shows that the two-variable fragment of this logic can be decided in twofold exponential alternating time with linearly many alternations (and therefore in particular in twofold exponential space as announced in the conference version (Kuske and Schwarz, in: MFCS’20, Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs) vol. 170, pp 56:1-56:13. Schloss Dagstuhl - Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik, 2020) of this paper) provided the regular predicates are restricted to piecewise testable ones. This result improves prior insights by Karandikar and Schnoebelen by extending the logic and saving one exponent in the space bound. Its proof consists of two main parts: First, we provide a quantifier elimination procedure that results in a formula with constants of bounded length (this generalises the procedure by Karandikar and Schnoebelen for first-order logic). From this, it follows that quantification in formulas can be restricted to words of bounded length, i.e., the second part of the proof is an adaptation of the method by Ferrante and Rackoff to counting logic and deviates significantly from the path of reasoning by Karandikar and Schnoebelen.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00236-022-00424-2
Self-aligning metallic vertical interconnect access formation through microlensing gas phase electrodeposition controlling airgap and morphology. - In: Advanced electronic materials, ISSN 2199-160X, Bd. 9 (2023), 1, 2200838, S. 1-8
This publication reports self-aligning metallic via microlensing gas phase electrodeposition formation. Key operational parameters to fabricate vertical ruthenium and rhodium interconnects (via) with a diameter of 100 nm are discussed. Moreover, airgaps are implemented during the deposition process, which utilizes spark discharge to generate a flux of charged nanoparticles. An inert gas flow transports the nanoparticles through a reactor chamber close to the target substrate. The substrate uses a pre-patterned resist with openings to a silicon/silicon dioxide/metal stack to direct the deposition of the nanoparticles to form localized self-aligning vertical interconnects. Five process parameters were identified, which impact the morphology and conductance of the resulting interconnects: spark discharge power, gas flow rate, microlens via dimensions, substrate surface potential, and in situ flash lamp power. This parameter set enables a controlled adjustment of the via interconnect morphology and its minimum feature size. Gas flow rate in combination with spark discharge power contribute significantly to the morphology of the interconnect. Spark power and microlens via dimensions have the largest influence on the surface potential of the insulating resist cover, which enables a localized microlensing gas phase electrodeposition of a via with a controlled ratio between conducting diameter and airgap.
https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202200838
The residual effect of C60 fullerene on biomechanical and biochemical markers of the muscle soleus fatigue development in rats. - In: Journal of nanomaterials, ISSN 1687-4129, Bd. 2023 (2023), e2237574, S. 1-11
Muscle fatigue as a defense body mechanism against overload is a result of the products of incomplete oxygen oxidation such as reactive oxygen species. Hence, C60 fullerene as a powerful nanoantioxidant can be used to speed up the muscle recovery process after fatigue. Here, the residual effect of C60 fullerene on the biomechanical and biochemical markers of the development of muscle soleus fatigue in rats for 2 days after 5 days of its application was studied. The known antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used as a comparison drug. The atomic force microscopy to determine the size distribution of C60 fullerenes in an aqueous solution, the tensiometry of skeletal muscles, and the biochemical analysis of their tissues and rat blood were used in this study. It was found that after the cessation of NAC injections, the value of the integrated muscle power is already slightly different from the control (5%-7%) on the first day, and on the second day, it does not significantly differ from the control. At the same time, after the cessation of C60 fullerene injections, its residual effect was 45%-50% on the first day, and 17%-23% of the control on the second one. A significant difference (more than 25%) between the pro- and antioxidant balance in the studied muscles and blood of rats after the application of C60 fullerene and NAС plays a key role in the long-term residual effect of C60 fullerene. This indicates prolonged kinetics of C60 fullerenes elimination from the body, which contributes to their long-term (at least 2 days) compensatory activation of the endogenous antioxidant system in response to muscle stimulation, which should be considered when developing new therapeutic agents based on these nanoparticles.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/2237574
Characterization of pores in polished low temperature co-fired glass-ceramic composites for optimization of their micromachining. - In: Surface topography, ISSN 2051-672X, Bd. 10 (2022), 4, 045026, S. 1-14
Pores are intrinsic defects of ceramic composites and influence their functional properties significantly. Their characterization is therefore a pivotal task in material and process optimization. It is demonstrated that polished section analysis allows for obtaining precise information on pore size, shape, area fraction, and homogeneous distribution. It is proven that laser scanning microscopy provides accurate height maps and is thus an appropriate technique for assessing surface features. Such data is used to compare areas with good and poor polishing results, and various surface parameters are evaluated in terms of their informative value and data processing effort. The material under investigation is a low temperature co-fired ceramic composite. Through statistical analysis of the data, the inclination angle was identified as an appropriate parameter to describe the polishing result. By using masked data, direct conclusions can be drawn about the leveling of load-bearing surface areas, which are crucial in photolithographic processing steps and bonding technology. A broad discussion of different defects based on the results contributes to a critical analysis of the potentials and obstacles of micromachining of low temperature cofired ceramic substrates.
https://doi.org/10.1088/2051-672X/aca2c7
Multiphysics simulation of fluid interface shapes in microfluidic systems driven by electrowetting on dielectrics. - In: Journal of applied physics, ISSN 1089-7550, Bd. 132 (2022), 22, S. 224702-1-224702-17
We present a highly efficient simulation method for the calculation of three-dimensional quasi-static interface shapes under the influence of electric fields. The method is especially useful for the simulation of microfluidic systems driven by electrowetting on dielectrics because it accounts automatically and inherently for the highly non-trivial interface shape in the vicinity of the triple-phase contact. In particular, the voltage independence of the local contact angle predicted based on analytical considerations is correctly reproduced in all our simulations. For the calculation of the shape of the interface, the geometry is triangulated and the mesh nodes are shifted until the system energy becomes minimal. The same mesh is also used to calculate the electric field using the boundary-element method. Therefore, only the surface of the geometry needs to be meshed, and no volume meshes are involved. The method can be used for the simulation of closed systems with a constant volume (e.g., droplet-based microfluidics) while preserving the volume very precisely as well as open systems (e.g., the liquid-air interface within micro-cavities or capillaries). Additional effects, such as the influence of gravitational forces, can easily be taken into account. In contrast to other efficient simulations, such as the volume-of-fluid, level-set, or phase-field methods, ideally, sharp interfaces are obtained. We calculate interface shapes for exemplary systems and compare with analytical as well as experimental results.
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0110149
C60 fullerene attenuates muscle force reduction in a rat during fatigue development. - In: Heliyon, ISSN 2405-8440, Bd. 8 (2022), 12, e12449, S. 1-9
C60 fullerene (C60) as a nanocarbon particle, compatible with biological structures, capable of penetrating through cell membranes and effectively scavenging free radicals, is widely used in biomedicine. A protective effect of C60 on the biomechanics of fast (m. gastrocnemius) and slow (m. soleus) muscle contraction in rats and the pro- and antioxidant balance of muscle tissue during the development of muscle fatigue was studied compared to the same effect of the known antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). C60 and NAC were administered intraperitoneally at doses of 1 and 150 mg kg−1, respectively, daily for 5 days and 1 h before the start of the experiment. The following quantitative markers of muscle fatigue were used: the force of muscle contraction, the level of accumulation of secondary products of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and the oxygen metabolite H2O2, the activity of first-line antioxidant defense enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)), and the condition of the glutathione system (reduced glutathione (GSH) content and the activity of the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme). The analysis of the muscle contraction force dynamics in rats against the background of induced muscle fatigue showed, that the effect of C60, 1 h after drug administration, was (15-17)% more effective on fast muscles than on slow muscles. A further slight increase in the effect of C60 was revealed after 2 h of drug injection, (7-9)% in the case of m. gastrocnemius and (5-6)% in the case of m. soleus. An increase in the effect of using C60 occurred within 4 days (the difference between 4 and 5 days did not exceed (3-5)%) and exceeded the effect of NAC by (32-34)%. The analysis of biochemical parameters in rat muscle tissues showed that long-term application of C60 contributed to their decrease by (10-30)% and (5-20)% in fast and slow muscles, respectively, on the 5th day of the experiment. At the same time, the protective effect of C60 was higher compared to NAC by (28-44)%. The obtained results indicate the prospect of using C60 as a potential protective nano agent to improve the efficiency of skeletal muscle function by modifying the reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanisms that play an important role in the processes of muscle fatigue development.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12449