Search

The extent of casualty and property loss due to chemical accidents depends on how well the emergency action plan was established in advance and how fast the warning notice and evacuation orders are given to the public. Assistant methods for the establishment of protective action plans have been developed for several decades. However, the currently developed decision trees are complicated, so they may require a detailed analysis, and previous decision matrices do not consider the indoor and outdoor concentration directly and hence do not allow a change in evacuation order. In this study, five key parameters, report time, toxic cloud arrival/removal time and indoor/outdoor concentration, are selected for the evacuation decision, and the effectiveness of leakage and wind speed on five parameters is investigated. CFD simulations are performed for the various values of mass flow rate and wind speed. Near the release point of toxic gas, the maximum concentration is unaffected by wind speed, but the mass flow rate significantly influences it at low wind speeds. In the far field, the maximum concentration decreases with increasing wind speed. The termination time for shelter-in-place, suggesting a shift to evacuation, decreases with both higher mass flow rate and wind speed. For smaller mass flow rates ( m ˙ = 0.1 kg / s ), indoor concentration exceeds outdoor levels after 25.9 min, while for larger mass flow rates ( m ˙ = 2.0 kg / s ), this time shortens to 15.2 min. Increasing wind speed from 0.5 m / s to 5.0 m / s decreases the equilibrium concentration from 13.9 ppm to 3.4 ppm and reduces the escape time from 48.9 min to 16.0 min. Overall, higher mass flow rates and wind speeds shorten the equilibrium and escape times, improving toxic cloud removal efficiency. Based on the simulation results, a new evacuation decision matrix is developed which minimizes the total exposure concentration. This study provides the proper evacuation time along distance which eventually prevents traffic congestion because of the simultaneous escape rush. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Study on Optical Communications / Guangtongxin Yanjiu is the property of Study on Optical Communications Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the rapid growth of big data demand, electronic chips and their interconnection technologies cannot meet the requirements of high-speed data transmission and high energy efficiency in computing and storage systems. Compared to traditional electronic chips, Silicon based Photonic (SiP) integrated chips have lower costs, higher integration density, and larger communication capacity. Micro Ring Resonator (MRR), as an important optical device, has the advantages of high sensitivity, small size, and low power consumption, and is widely used in fields such as optical communication, optoelectronics, and sensors. MRR can be used for applications such as high-speed optical communication and optical signal processing. By injecting optical signals into the MRR, functions such as filtering, modulation, and amplification of optical signals can be achieved, thereby improving the transmission rate and reliability of optical communication. This article mainly summarizes the research progress of silicon based MRR at home and abroad from the perspectives of different structures and materials. It also analyzes the application limitations and performance effects of different structures on MRR, and compares the advantages and disadvantages of different materials in preparing MRR. The detailed horizontal and vertical comparison is made for the quality factor, free spectrum width, 3 dB bandwidth and other parameters that affect the device performance. This provides ideas for the further development of MRR photonic devices with higher integration and performance in the future.

Although the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has long served as a reference organism, few studies have interrogated its role as a primary producer in microbial interactions. Here, we quantitatively investigated C. reinhardtii's capacity to support a heterotrophic microbe using the established coculture system with Mesorhizobium japonicum, a vitamin B12-producing α-proteobacterium. Using stable isotope probing and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS), we tracked the flow of photosynthetic fixed carbon and consequent bacterial biomass synthesis under continuous and diurnal light with single-cell resolution. We found that more 13C fixed by the alga was taken up by bacterial cells under continuous light, invalidating the hypothesis that the alga's fermentative degradation of starch reserves during the night would boost M. japonicum heterotrophy. 15NH4 assimilation rates and changes in cell size revealed that M. japonicum cells reduced new biomass synthesis in coculture with the alga but continued to divide-a hallmark of nutrient limitation often referred to as reductive division. Despite this sign of starvation, the bacterium still synthesized vitamin B12 and supported the growth of a B12-dependent C. reinhardtii mutant. Finally, we showed that bacterial proliferation could be supported solely by the algal lysis that occurred in coculture, highlighting the role of necromass in carbon cycling. Collectively, these results reveal the scarcity of fixed carbon in this microbial trophic relationship (particularly under environmentally relevant light regimes), demonstrate B12 exchange even during bacterial starvation, and underscore the importance of quantitative approaches for assessing metabolic coupling in algal-bacterial interactions.

In the post and beam structure, the post and beam play a crucial role in directly supporting and transmitting loads, thus making them essential elements in structural design. In cases where the moment resistance performance of the post-beam joint is inadequate, a shear wall and bracing are frequently installed to provide support for horizontal load on the posts and beams. The structural insulated panel (SIP) is increasingly utilized and studied as shear walls alongside light-frame timber construction, owing to its insulation properties as well as its high shear strength. In this study, when using SIP as a shear wall between post and beams, three composite wall structures were considered based on the installation location of the SIPs on the post-beam structure and lateral resistance performance of the hybrid shear wall was evaluated according to the SIP installation location. Depending on the installation location SIPs on the posts and beams, shear strength for I-SIP 150, E-SIP 150, and M-SIP 150 were 23.2, 24.6, and 26.0 kN, respectively. In case of the shear stiffness, I-SIP 150, E-SIP-150, and M-SIP 150 were found to be 4.32, 3.99, and 2.74 kN/mm, respectively.

This paper presents a novel measurement method for evaluating the transmit/receive performance of the transmit/receive modules (TRMs) in active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems. Conventional TRMs structurally separate the transmitter and receiver, minimizing internal signal interference and simplifying performance verification. However, a recently developed TRM utilizes system-in-package (SiP) to achieve a compact and integrated structure. The transmitter and receiver are integrated, necessitating the verification of the transmit/receive performance so as to address the interference of internal signals during simultaneous transmission and reception. Moreover, because conventional automated measurement equipment are limited to testing the performances of the transmitter and receiver separately, assessing the influence of internal signal interference is difficult. Therefore, an automated measuring equipment capable of simultaneously testing the transmitter and receiver operations is proposed. Experimental verification of the performance of the integrated TRM, accounting for the influence of internal signal interference using the proposed equipment, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Piezoelectrics & Acoustooptics is the property of Piezoelectric & Acoustooptic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology is the property of Idokan Poland Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aiming at the problems of complex and diversified communication networks in various emergency rescue scenarios and the independence of the command and communication systems of ordinary dispatch consoles, a SIP-based emergency communication console is proposed, which not only describes in detail the composition of the hardware modules of the console, but also elaborates on the application of SIP soft switching technology in the program. The console supports access to digital and analog communication networks to realize voice communication and multimedia video communication through wired and wireless broad band communication. Based on SIP soft switch technology, the concept of fully converged communication is proposed for the emergency communication needs under different emergency rescue scenarios to complete the unified command and dispatching, which provides a reference for the development direction of the emergency communication console.

Microbial communities are key players in groundwater ecosystems. In this dark environment, heterotrophic microbes rely on biomass produced by the activity of lithoautotrophs or on the degradation of organic matter seeping from the surface. Most studies on bacterial diversity in groundwater habitats are based on 16S gene sequencing and full genome reconstructions showing potential metabolic pathways used in these habitats. However, molecular-based studies do not allow for the assessment of population dynamics over time or the assimilation of specific compounds and their biochemical transformation by microbial communities. Therefore, in this study, we combined DNA-, phospholipid fatty acid-, and metabolomic-stable isotope probing to target and identify heterotrophic bacteria in the groundwater setting of the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (CZE), focusing on 2 aquifers with different physico-chemical conditions (oxic and anoxic). We incubated groundwater from 4 different wells using either 13C-labeled veratric acid (a lignin-derived compound) (single labeling) or a combination of 13CO2 and D-labeled veratric acid (dual labeling). Our results show that heterotrophic activities dominate all groundwater sites. We identified bacteria with the potential to break down veratric acid (Sphingobium or Microbacterium). We observed differences in heterotrophic activities between the oxic and anoxic aquifers, indicating local adaptations of bacterial populations. The dual labeling experiments suggested that the serine pathway is an important carbon assimilation pathway and that organic matter was an important source of hydrogen in the newly produced lipids. These experiments also yielded different labeled taxa compared to the single labeling experiments, showing that there exists a complex interaction network in the groundwater habitats.

The article presents the analysis, design, and low-cost implementation of application-specific AD converters for M-sequence-based UWB applications to minimize and integrate the whole UWB sensor system. Therefore, the main goal of this article is to integrate the AD converter's own design with the UWB analog part into the system-in-package (SiP) or directly into the system-on-a-chip (SoC), which cannot be implemented with commercial AD converters, or which would be disproportionately expensive. Based on the current and used UWB sensor system requirements, to achieve the maximum possible bandwidth in the proposed semiconductor technology, a parallel converter structure is designed and presented in this article. Moreover, 5-bit and 4-bit parallel flash AD converters were initially designed as part of the research and design of UWB M-sequence radar systems for specific applications, and are briefly introduced in this article. The requirements of the newly proposed specific UWB M-sequence systems were established based on the knowledge gained from these initial designs. After thorough testing and evaluation of the concept of the early proposed AD converters for these specific UWB M-sequence systems, the design of a new AD converter was initiated. After confirming sufficient characteristics based on the requirements of UWB M-sequence systems for specific applications, a 7-bit AD converter in low-cost 0.35 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology from AMS was designed, fabricated, and presented in this article. The proposed 7-bit AD converter achieves the following parameters: ENOB = 6.4 bits, SINAD = 38 dB, SFDR = 42 dBc, INL = ±2-bit LSB, and DNL = ±1.5 LSB. The maximum sampling rate reaches 1.4 Gs/s, the power consumption at 20 Ms/s is 1050 mW, and at 1.4 Gs/s is 1290 mW, with a power supply of −3.3 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/purpose: This paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of a potential implementation of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, focusing on network architecture, VoIP phones, and servers. The study explores potential vulnerabilities and proposes solutions. The paper concludes by advocating for a holistic approach to securing VoIP systems, incorporating supplementary services to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of voice communications in the digital landscape. Methods: Review of the underlying theory, analysis of the end-user needs and potential solutions, practical viability assesment. Results: The theoretical points discussed were proven in practice, using commercially available resources. Communication was established in an expected manner. Conclusions: Implementing solutions similar to the one presented in the paper would be a relatively inexpensive way to make diverse improvements to the operation of tactical level units, both in peacetime and during war.

Microelectronics technology has enabled electronic devices from discrete to integrated, bringing exponential improvements in cost, reliability, power consumption, volume and other aspects for decades, which is the key to the wide application of electronic information technology. Currently, electronic information technology is facing bottlenecks such as bandwidth and energy consumption, and Moore’s Law is struggling. As another major carrier of information, photons have characteristics such as high bandwidth, high speed, low power consumption, and high parallelism. The continued progress of information technology must rely more on photons. However, the cost, reliability, and scale productivity of photonic devices lag behind the electronic devices. Therefore, based on the historical experience of the development of electronic devices, we propose the " microelectronization" of optoelectronics, emphasizing that optoelectronics take " integration" as the development track and " photoelectric fusion" as the development direction.Taking integration as the development track is to emphasize that optoelectronics should learn from microelectronics in order to meet the requirements of modern information systems for devices. The integrated development of optoelectronics has three main characteristics: the chip platform basing on silicon; the steady increase in integration scale; and the evolution of production mode towards fabless.Taking photoelectric integration as the development direction, it emphasizes the necessity of the combination of optoelectronics and microelectronics, and jointly solve the challenges of bandwidth, rate, power consumption and other challenges currently faced by information technology through device integration and function integration of the two, so as to meet the requirements of digital twins, metaverse and other applications. Photoelectronic fusion mainly has two levels: chip and system, involving monolithic optoelectronic integration, Co Packaged Optics (CPO), hybrid optoelectronic integration, device disaggregation, photoelectric hybrid computing, etc.The " microelectronization" of optoelectronics is not only a technological development guide, but also will have a significant impact on the information optoelectronics industry. The article have conducted open-minded thinking from the perspectives of market, competition, enterprises, products, etc., and pointed out that it may lead to industry reshaping.The " microelectronization" of the development of information optoelectronics is an objective requirement for the continued advancement of information technology. On the one hand, photons are being generalized from transmission technology to ubiquitous connection technology in the entire Information Communications Technology (ICT) domain, from the ground to the ocean and space at the macroscale, and from the shelf and board to the package, and chip at the microscale. On the other hand, photons will be generalized from bandwidth providing technology to a basic hardware technology for the entire ICT domain, from transmission and connection to complex functional domains such as computation, processing, and routing. The " microelectronization" of optoelectronics will enable photons not only have the potential but also the ability to fully utilize their advantages to support the continued progress of the information technology.

BackgroundLinking the identity of wild microbes with their ecophysiological traits and environmental functions is a key ambition for microbial ecologists. Of many techniques that strive for this goal, Stable-isotope probing-SIP-remains among the most comprehensive for studying whole microbial communities in situ. In DNA-SIP, actively growing microorganisms that take up an isotopically heavy substrate build heavier DNA, which can be partitioned by density into multiple fractions and sequenced. However, SIP is relatively low throughput and requires significant hands-on labor. We designed and tested a semi-automated, high-throughput SIP (HT-SIP) pipeline to support well-replicated, temporally resolved amplicon and metagenomics experiments. We applied this pipeline to a soil microhabitat with significant ecological importance-the hyphosphere zone surrounding arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) hyphae. AMF form symbiotic relationships with most plant species and play key roles in terrestrial nutrient and carbon cycling.ResultsOur HT-SIP pipeline for fractionation, cleanup, and nucleic acid quantification of density gradients requires one-sixth of the hands-on labor compared to manual SIP and allows 16 samples to be processed simultaneously. Automated density fractionation increased the reproducibility of SIP gradients compared to manual fractionation, and we show adding a non-ionic detergent to the gradient buffer improved SIP DNA recovery. We applied HT-SIP to 13C-AMF hyphosphere DNA from a 13CO2 plant labeling study and created metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) using high-resolution SIP metagenomics (14 metagenomes per gradient). SIP confirmed the AMF Rhizophagus intraradices and associated MAGs were highly enriched (10-33 atom% 13C), even though the soils' overall enrichment was low (1.8 atom% 13C). We assembled 212 13C-hyphosphere MAGs; the hyphosphere taxa that assimilated the most AMF-derived 13C were from the phyla Myxococcota, Fibrobacterota, Verrucomicrobiota, and the ammonia-oxidizing archaeon genus Nitrososphaera.ConclusionsOur semi-automated HT-SIP approach decreases operator time and improves reproducibility by targeting the most labor-intensive steps of SIP-fraction collection and cleanup. We illustrate this approach in a unique and understudied soil microhabitat-generating MAGs of actively growing microbes living in the AMF hyphosphere (without plant roots). The MAGs' phylogenetic composition and gene content suggest predation, decomposition, and ammonia oxidation may be key processes in hyphosphere nutrient cycling. Video Abstract.

Copyright of Military Technical Courier / Vojnotehnicki Glasnik is the property of Military Technical Courier / Vojnotehnicki Glasnik and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article deals with the potential of digitalization to improve participants' skills in the agri-food market. The topic of improving technical mechanisms and software technologies aimed at the qualitative development of e-education in Russia is being updated. The problems of providing the agri-food market with skilled personnel are analyzed. The problems of terminological uncertainty concerning the concepts of digitalization and distance education in computer sciences (informatics), information sciences, and other related scientific fields that have a negative impact on the overall wide turnover of scientific research, are touched upon. The authors propose a single generalized nonhierarchical technological model of the organization of e-education, schematically describing a set of software technologies in the form of a cloud telecommunications system. Particularly, it is recommended to use multicasting technologies and adaptive network means of signal delivery to promote educational content in the form of internet television. The basic integrative network tools and protocols for the specific organization of electronic educational activities via internet television are technically annotated. The conclusions briefly and conceptually reflect the course of the research, as well as the logic of the material analyzed by the authors, summarizing the research work done and to provide some recommendations for the operation of multicasting technology in the form of internet television in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: There needs to be more general agreement on the most effective treatment for the emergency patient with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis (SIP). This equivalence randomised clinical study compared the clinical efficiency, as an urgent treatment, of pulpotomy (POT) and pulpectomy (PEC) in the permanent teeth with SIP. The primary outcome was pain management, and the secondary outcome was the patient’s perception of duration, comfort, and satisfaction. Material & Methods: 80 patients were blindly and randomly allocated into two equal parallel groups, the control group treated by PEC and the test group by POT. Data were collected through numerical rating scales (NRS) during the intervention and 6, 24, and 72 h post-op. Non-parametric tests were used to analyse the data. The Brunner-Longer models were adopted for longitudinal data and the analysis of variance (ANOVA)-type statistical was used. Results: The mean preoperative pain levels for the whole sample scored 5.8 ± 2.8 and significantly decreased to 2.1 ± 2.4 at 6 h, 1.5 ± 2.1 at 24 h, and 1.3 ± 2 at 72 h, without any differences between the groups. No significant differences were found in the patient’s perception of treatment discomfort or duration between the groups. Three days after the intervention, patient satisfaction was high, with 9.2 ± 1.7 and 9.1 ± 2 in the PEC and POT groups, respectively. Self-reported pain was the only variable penalising the patient’s final satisfaction. Conclusions: The current randomised control trial (RCT) showed that both pulpectomy and pulpotomy effectively eliminate pain and achieve high levels of patient satisfaction. Furthermore, the patient’s perceptions of the duration and discomfort of the two treatments were similar. Given that pulpotomy is a faster and more straightforward technique, it may be recommended as a viable and pragmatic option for treating emergency patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Copyright of Engineering Management & Technology Discussion is the property of Omniscient Pte. Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we discuss the forced convective heat transfer of power-law fluid flow through porous annular sector duct by applying the Brinkman-extended Darcy flow model. A strongly implicit procedure (SIP) is utilized to solve the algebraic momentum and energy equations which was discretized by using the finite volume method (FVM). The effects of permeability factor and power-law index corresponding to the Brinkman-extended Darcy flow model and power-law fluid, respectively, on flow and heat transfer rate are carried out numerically and graphically against different values of parameters corresponding to geometrical configuration. In the pseudo-plastic fluids, a maximum decrease of more than 1 0 0 % has been observed in f Re , whereas maximum decrease in dilatant fluid is around 3 0 % , when we increase the values of k. A decrease of 16.02% in Nu has been carried out in pseudo-plastic fluid, whereas unforeseen decrease in Nu has been observed in both Newtonian and dilatant fluids comparably pseudo-plastic fluid for particular values of k. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Social information Processing (SIP) biases have been associated with child abuse risk. However, little research was conducted with the purpose to evaluate the contribution of the SIP model in the prediction of child abuse risk, with most research testing SIP components independent from the model. This study aimed to extend the validity of the SIP model of parenting by employing factors across different stages of the theory in order to predict child abuse risk. We hypothesized that parental cognitive schema can influence abuse risk directly and indirectly through biased processing of information. Methods: Results from 140 studies were integrated using a two stage meta-analytic structural equation modeling procedure. Studies were identified via three databases: The Psychological Abstracts International, ISI Web of Science and PubMed. Results: Meta-analytic results indicate significant associations among all study variables, except for the one between perception of child adjustment and unrealistic expectations (r =.048, p >.05). Path analysis results lend evidence for the role of SIP variables in predicting child abuse risk (R2 = 0.22) and support the role of cognitive processing in the link between cognitive schema and child abuse risk. Conclusions: Findings support the SIP model as a good framework to study child abuse risk and underscore the need to focus on SIP patterns when assessing and intervening with abusive families or families at high risk of abuse. Targeting cognitions related to children and child rearing in parenting interventions could influence the process and outcomes of such programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Study on Optical Communications / Guangtongxin Yanjiu is the property of Study on Optical Communications Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microbial communities are key players in groundwater ecosystems. In this dark environment, heterotrophic microbes rely on biomass produced by the activity of lithoautotrophs or on the degradation of organic matter seeping from the surface. Most studies on bacterial diversity in groundwater habitats are based on 16S gene sequencing and full genome reconstructions showing potential metabolic pathways used in these habitats. However, molecular-based studies do not allow for the assessment of population dynamics over time or the assimilation of specific compounds and their biochemical transformation by microbial communities. Therefore, in this study, we combined DNA-, phospholipid fatty acid-, and metabolomic-stable isotope probing to target and identify heterotrophic bacteria in the groundwater setting of the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (CZE), focusing on 2 aquifers with different physico-chemical conditions (oxic and anoxic). We incubated groundwater from 4 different wells using either 13C-labeled veratric acid (a lignin-derived compound) (single labeling) or a combination of 13CO2 and D-labeled veratric acid (dual labeling). Our results show that heterotrophic activities dominate all groundwater sites. We identified bacteria with the potential to break down veratric acid (Sphingobium or Microbacterium). We observed differences in heterotrophic activities between the oxic and anoxic aquifers, indicating local adaptations of bacterial populations. The dual labeling experiments suggested that the serine pathway is an important carbon assimilation pathway and that organic matter was an important source of hydrogen in the newly produced lipids. These experiments also yielded different labeled taxa compared to the single labeling experiments, showing that there exists a complex interaction network in the groundwater habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor applications require hardware designed directly for their specific application. The switching of broadband radio frequency and microwave signals is an integral part of almost every piece of high-frequency equipment, whether in commercial operation or laboratory conditions. The trend of integrating various circuit structures and systems on a chip (SoC) or in a single package (SiP) is also related to the need to design these integrated switches for various measuring devices and instruments in laboratories, paradoxically for their further development. Another possible use is switching high-frequency signals in telecommunications devices, whether mobile or fixed networks, for example, for switching signals from several antennas. Based on these requirements, a high-frequency semiconductor integrated switch with NMOS transistors was designed. With these transistors, it is possible to achieve higher integration than with bipolar ones. Even though MOSFET transistors have worse frequency characteristics, we can compensate them to some extent with the precise design of the circuit and layout of the chip. This article describes the analysis and design of a high-frequency semiconductor integrated switch for UWB applications consisting of three series-parallel switches controlled by CMOS logic signals. They are primarily intended for UWB sensor systems, e.g., when switching and configuring the antenna MIMO system or when switching calibration tools. The design of the switch was implemented in low-cost 0.35 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology with an emphasis on the smallest possible attenuation and the largest possible bandwidth and isolation. The reason for choosing this technology was also that other circuit structures of UWB systems were realized in this technology. Through the simulations, individual parameters of the circuit were simulated, the layout of the chip was also created, and the parameters of the circuit were simulated with the parasitic extraction and the inclusion of parasitic elements (post-layout simulations). Subsequently, the chip was manufactured and its parameters were measured and evaluated. Based on these measurements, the designed and fabricated UWB switch was found to have the following parameters: a supply current of 2 mA at 3.3 V, a bandwidth of 6 GHz, an insertion loss (at 1 GHz) of −2.2 dB, and isolation (at 1 GHz) of − 33 dB, which satisfy the requirements for our UWB sensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraqi Journal of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Real-time communication has witnessed a dramatic increase in recent years in user daily usage. In this domain, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a well-known protocol found to provide trusted services (voice or video) to end users along with efficiency, scalability, and interoperability. Just like other Internet technology, SIP stores its related data in databases with a predefined data structure. In recent, SIP technologies have adopted the real advantages of in-memory databases as cache systems to ensure fast database operations during real-time communication. Meanwhile, in industry, there are several names of in-memory databases that have been implemented with different structures (e.g., query types, data structure, persistency, and key/value size). However, there are limited resources and poor recommendations on how to select a proper in-memory database in SIP communications. This paper provides recommended and efficient in-memory databases which are most fitted to SIP servers by evaluating three types of databases including Memcache, Redis, and Local (OpenSIPS built-in). The evaluation has been conducted based on the experimental performance of the impact of in-memory operations (store and fetch) against the SIP server by applying heavy load traffic through different scenarios. To sum up, evaluation results show that the Local database consumed less memory compared to Memcached and Redis for read and write operations. While persistency was considered, Memcache is the preferable database selection due to its 25.20 KB/s for throughput and 0.763 s of call–response time.

The USSD is a very popular and simple way to reach services in all mobile network generation. The telecom protocols based in IP (SIGTRAN) are used to integrate the USSD server to the mobile network. With the 4G and 5G networks the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is deployed for the services integration. The SIP is used by default to transport the signaling information in the IMS core. There is a big different between using SIGTRAN and SIP to transport the USSD messages. The goal of this paper is to analyze the resources usage and the more optimize protocol to transport the USSD messages. The results are obtained by using the USSD server with UTRAN radio access and the USSI with eNodeB/gNodeB in Non-Stand-Alone configuration.

Aim: There needs to be more general agreement on the most effective treatment for the emergency patient with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis (SIP). This equivalence randomised clinical study compared the clinical efficiency, as an urgent treatment, of pulpotomy (POT) and pulpectomy (PEC) in the permanent teeth with SIP. The primary outcome was pain management, and the secondary outcome was the patient's perception of duration, comfort, and satisfaction. Material & Methods: 80 patients were blindly and randomly allocated into two equal parallel groups, the control group treated by PEC and the test group by POT. Data were collected through numerical rating scales (NRS) during the intervention and 6, 24, and 72 h post-op. Non-parametric tests were used to analyse the data. The Brunner-Longer models were adopted for longitudinal data and the analysis of variance (ANOVA)-type statistical was used. Results: The mean preoperative pain levels for the whole sample scored 5.8 ± 2.8 and significantly decreased to 2.1 ± 2.4 at 6 h, 1.5 ± 2.1 at 24 h, and 1.3 ± 2 at 72 h, without any differences between the groups. No significant differences were found in the patient's perception of treatment discomfort or duration between the groups. Three days after the intervention, patient satisfaction was high, with 9.2 ± 1.7 and 9.1 ± 2 in the PEC and POT groups, respectively. Self-reported pain was the only variable penalising the patient's final satisfaction. Conclusions: The current randomised control trial (RCT) showed that both pulpectomy and pulpotomy effectively eliminate pain and achieve high levels of patient satisfaction. Furthermore, the patient's perceptions of the duration and discomfort of the two treatments were similar. Given that pulpotomy is a faster and more straightforward technique, it may be recommended as a viable and pragmatic option for treating emergency patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial communities are key players in groundwater ecosystems. In this dark environment, heterotrophic microbes rely on biomass produced by the activity of lithoautotrophs or on the degradation of organic matter seeping from the surface. Most studies on bacterial diversity in groundwater habitats are based on 16S gene sequencing and full genome reconstructions showing potential metabolic pathways used in these habitats. However, molecular-based studies do not allow for the assessment of population dynamics over time or the assimilation of specific compounds and their biochemical transformation by microbial communities. Therefore, in this study, we combined DNA-, phospholipid fatty acid-, and metabolomic-stable isotope probing to target and identify heterotrophic bacteria in the groundwater setting of the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (CZE), focusing on 2 aquifers with different physico-chemical conditions (oxic and anoxic). We incubated groundwater from 4 different wells using either 13C-labeled veratric acid (a lignin-derived compound) (single labeling) or a combination of 13CO2 and D-labeled veratric acid (dual labeling). Our results show that heterotrophic activities dominate all groundwater sites. We identified bacteria with the potential to break down veratric acid (Sphingobium or Microbacterium). We observed differences in heterotrophic activities between the oxic and anoxic aquifers, indicating local adaptations of bacterial populations. The dual labeling experiments suggested that the serine pathway is an important carbon assimilation pathway and that organic matter was an important source of hydrogen in the newly produced lipids. These experiments also yielded different labeled taxa compared to the single labeling experiments, showing that there exists a complex interaction network in the groundwater habitats.

This letter presents several low‐frequency electromagnetic interference shielding solutions by using the conformal shielding technology with the sputtering process. The shielding effectiveness (SE) is verified by the near‐field test method with a transmission line (TL) as the radiating source. On the basis of the test condition and scenario, the TL‐based modeling method is applied to quickly predict the SE performance. Detailed measurement environment, setup, and procedures are also thoroughly introduced in this letter. Four copper (Cu) solutions with 5, 10, 20, and 30 μm shielding thicknesses and two hybrid copper/nickel‐iron (Cu/NiFe) solutions with 5/5 and 13/5 μm shielding thicknesses are tested. Among these solutions, a minimum of 15 dB and a maximum of 35 dB of measured SE at 10 MHz are seen. Moreover, the simulated and measured SE results are in good agreement. It is also noticed that the hybrid Cu/NiFe solution provides a comparable SE performance with a thinner thickness compared with the pure Cu solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral induced polarization (SIP) laboratory measurements on water‐saturated rocks show a strong correlation between the electrical polarization strength and the inner surface area of rocks. We investigate the influence of inner surface roughness on the SIP response by simulating the frequency‐dependent complex conductivity of micro‐scale rock models. Starting with smooth grain models, we introduce surface roughness using two different approaches: increasing the surface roughness in a fractal‐like manner, and creating random surface structures, resulting in more natural‐looking surfaces. We find that surface roughness has two distinct effects on the SIP response: (a) a shift in the position and magnitude of the primary relaxation frequency to lower frequencies and lower magnitudes, respectively, and (b) the formation of secondary polarizations above the polarization frequency of the primary polarization. We also compare the relaxation time and normalized chargeability obtained by Debye decomposition and the imaginary conductivity at 1 Hz of our models with mechanistic models and empirical relations. We point out the congruences and offer explanations for the discrepancies between our models and the empirical observations. We conclude that the results of our study are applicable to real rocks and that the SIP method has the potential to detect inner surface roughness. However, the SIP method it not able to discriminate between signals from rough particles and a distribution of smooth particles. Plain Language Summary: The spectral induced polarization method measures the electrical conductivity of the subsurface at depths of investigation ranging from a few dm to several 100 m. The potential of the method to detect mineral resources, contamination, microbial activity, etc. makes it a promising tool for today's environmental challenges. However, due to the complexity of the underlying physical and chemical processes the interpretation of SIP measurements often remains qualitative. Mathematical and mechanistic models used to describe the processes are usually simplified with respect to geometry, chemistry, and physical properties. In this study, we use computer simulations to investigate the surfaces of spherical particles (grains). After simulating the SIP response of models with smooth and rough surfaces, we analyze the influence of surface roughness on the SIP response. We find that surface roughness causes distinct changes in the SIP response compared to the smooth grain. However, we also find that this introduces an ambiguity in the interpretation of SIP data. Key Points: Inner surface roughness of rocks has substantial impact on spectral induced polarization responseSurface roughness shifts the primary polarization peak to lower frequenciesSurface roughness causes additional polarizations above the primary peak frequency [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Linking the identity of wild microbes with their ecophysiological traits and environmental functions is a key ambition for microbial ecologists. Of many techniques that strive for this goal, Stable-isotope probing—SIP—remains among the most comprehensive for studying whole microbial communities in situ. In DNA-SIP, actively growing microorganisms that take up an isotopically heavy substrate build heavier DNA, which can be partitioned by density into multiple fractions and sequenced. However, SIP is relatively low throughput and requires significant hands-on labor. We designed and tested a semi-automated, high-throughput SIP (HT-SIP) pipeline to support well-replicated, temporally resolved amplicon and metagenomics experiments. We applied this pipeline to a soil microhabitat with significant ecological importance—the hyphosphere zone surrounding arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) hyphae. AMF form symbiotic relationships with most plant species and play key roles in terrestrial nutrient and carbon cycling. Results Our HT-SIP pipeline for fractionation, cleanup, and nucleic acid quantification of density gradients requires one-sixth of the hands-on labor compared to manual SIP and allows 16 samples to be processed simultaneously. Automated density fractionation increased the reproducibility of SIP gradients compared to manual fractionation, and we show adding a non-ionic detergent to the gradient buffer improved SIP DNA recovery. We applied HT-SIP to 13C-AMF hyphosphere DNA from a 13CO2 plant labeling study and created metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) using high-resolution SIP metagenomics (14 metagenomes per gradient). SIP confirmed the AMF Rhizophagus intraradices and associated MAGs were highly enriched (10–33 atom% 13C), even though the soils’ overall enrichment was low (1.8 atom% 13C). We assembled 212 13C-hyphosphere MAGs; the hyphosphere taxa that assimilated the most AMF-derived 13C were from the phyla Myxococcota, Fibrobacterota, Verrucomicrobiota, and the ammonia-oxidizing archaeon genus Nitrososphaera. Conclusions Our semi-automated HT-SIP approach decreases operator time and improves reproducibility by targeting the most labor-intensive steps of SIP—fraction collection and cleanup. We illustrate this approach in a unique and understudied soil microhabitat—generating MAGs of actively growing microbes living in the AMF hyphosphere (without plant roots). The MAGs’ phylogenetic composition and gene content suggest predation, decomposition, and ammonia oxidation may be key processes in hyphosphere nutrient cycling. Video Abstract