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This study was designed to analyze goal-scoring in elite soccer, drawing on an extensive dataset encompassing 892 goals and 3496 perturbations recorded in the German 2nd Bundesliga. A qualitative approach was used to analyze perturbations, which are technical–tactical situations that disrupt opponent stability and facilitate goal success. The research differentiated between offensive and defensive perturbations, characteristics of initiating disruptive perturbations, their zones of occurrence, directions of play, significant playing positions, and their contributions toward goals, as well as perturbation chains leading to goal success. The analysis determined that an average of 3.9 perturbations is typically required to forge a goal-scoring opportunity against the opposition. It was revealed that 39% of initiating perturbations were defensive, predominantly characterized by misplaced passes. In contrast, 43% were attributed to offensive group tactical perturbations, such as low passes, long-distance kicks, and crosses. Only 18% stemmed from individual perturbations, with runs without the ball and dribbling to bypass the opponent being the primary occurrences. An analysis focusing solely on the immediate actions can lead to misinterpretations regarding the genesis of goals. While only 79 goals resulted from a single perturbation, most commonly a shot on goal, 813 goals emerged from scenarios involving two or more perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromobility and autonomous driving has started a transformation in the automotive industry, resulting in new requirements for vehicle systems. Due to its functions, the electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture is one of the essential systems. Zonal E/E architecture is a promising approach to tackle this issue. The research presented in this paper describes a methodology for determining the optimal number of zones, the position of the zone control units (ZCU), and the assignment of electric components to these zones and ZCUs. Therefore, the design of the power supply and the wiring harness is essential. This approach aims to identify the most suitable system architecture for a given vehicle geometry and a set of electric components. For this purpose, the assignment of electric components is accomplished by k-means clustering, and Dijkstra's algorithm is used to optimize the cable routing. As ZCUs will be the hubs for the in-vehicle data and information transport in zonal architectures, their position and their number are crucial for the architecture and wiring harness development. Simulations show a suitable zonal architecture reduces wiring harness length as well as weight and brings functional benefits. However, the number of zones must be chosen with care, as there may also be functional limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anastomotic leakages after esophagectomies continue to constitute significant morbidity and mortality. Intrathoracic anastomoses pose a high risk for mediastinitis, sepsis, and death, if a leak is not addressed timely and appropriately. However, there are no standardized treatment recommendations or algorithms as for how to treat these leakages. Methods: The study included all patients at the University Hospital Regensburg, who developed an anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy with gastric pull-up reconstruction from 2007 to 2022. Patients receiving conventional treatment options for an anastomotic leakage (stents, drainage tubes, clips, etc.) were compared to patients receiving endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (eVAC) therapy as their mainstay of treatment. Treatment failure was defined as cervical esophagostomy formation or death. Results: In total, 37 patients developed an anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy with a gastric pull-up reconstruction. Twenty patients were included into the non-eVAC cohort, whereas 17 patients were treated with eVAC. Treatment failure was observed in 50% of patients (n = 10) in the non-eVAC cohort and in 6% of patients (n = 1) in the eVAC cohort (p < 0.05). The 90-day mortality in the non-eVAC cohort was 15% (n = 3) compared to 6% (n = 1) in the eVAC cohort. Cervical esophagostomy formation was required in 40% of cases (n = 8) in the non-eVAC cohort, whereas no patient in the eVAC cohort underwent cervical esophagostomy formation. Conclusion: eVAC therapy for leaking esophagogastric anastomoses appears to be superior to other treatment strategies as it significantly reduces morbidity and mortality. Therefore, we suggest eVAC as an essential component in the treatment algorithm for anastomotic leakages following esophagectomies, especially in patients with intrathoracic anastomoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam to polyamide‐6 the residual monomer concentration in the final polymer is an important characteristic. To determine this residual ε‐caprolactam monomer concentration, a fast and fail‐safe method was developed, which couples thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) gas analysis. FTIR allows an identification of the types of gasses released during heat treatment. Calibration of the infrared absorbance of ε‐caprolactam and the corresponding mass loss in TGA allows a quantitative evaluation of the ε‐caprolactam monomer release. Low‐heating rates and powdery samples guarantee high‐precision measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]