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The design and commissioning of a cell suitable for operando studies using high‐energy‐resolution fluorescence‐detected X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (HERFD‐XANES) spectroscopy in the tender X‐ray regime is reported. The cell is optimized for measurements within the energy range of 1.5 keV to 4.5 keV. It has a plug‐flow geometry and can be used for sieved powder samples, analogous to reactors employed for laboratory tests. The functionality of the spectroscopic cell is demonstrated in the area of emission control using CO oxidation as target reaction over 1 wt.% Rh/γ‐Al2O3 as catalyst. We show how HERFD‐XANES at the Rh L3‐edge captures variations in the noble metal structure resulting from the interaction with the support material and reactant molecules. Moreover, distinct structural changes were identified along the catalyst bed as a function of temperature and local gas mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A group of European FOCIS Centers of Excellence adapted panels of the Human Immunophenotyping Consortium (HIPC) for whole blood analysis. Using four core panels [T/regulatory T cell/B/natural killer (T/Treg/B/NK) and myeloid cells] the main leukocyte populations were analyzed in a clinical–diagnostic setting in a harmonized manner across different platforms. As a first step, the consortium presents here the absolute and relative frequencies of the leukocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of more than 300 healthy volunteers across six different European centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In type 1 diabetes (T1D), autoreactive cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are implicated in the destruction of insulin‐producing β cells. The HLA‐B*3906 and HLA‐A*2402 class I genes confer increased risk and promote early disease onset, suggesting that CD8+ T cells that recognize peptides presented by these class I molecules on pancreatic β cells play a pivotal role in the autoimmune response. We examined the frequency and phenotype of circulating preproinsulin (PPI)‐specific and insulin B (InsB)‐specific CD8+ T cells in HLA‐B*3906+ children newly diagnosed with T1D and in high‐risk HLA‐A*2402+ children before the appearance of disease‐specific autoantibodies and before diagnosis of T1D. Antigen‐specific CD8+ T cells were detected using human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I tetramers and flow cytometry was used to assess memory status. In HLA‐B*3906+ children with T1D, we observed an increase in PPI5–12‐specific transitional memory CD8+ T cells compared to non‐diabetic, age‐ and HLA‐matched subjects. Furthermore, PPI5–12‐specific CD8+ T cells in HLA‐B*3906+ children with T1D showed a significantly more antigen‐experienced phenotype compared to polyclonal CD8+ T cells. In longitudinal samples from high‐risk HLA‐A*2402+ children, the percentage of terminal effector cells within the InsB15–24‐specific CD8+ T cells was increased before diagnosis relative to samples taken before the appearance of autoantibodies. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report HLA‐B*3906‐restricted autoreactive CD8+ T cells in T1D. Collectively, our results provide evidence that β cell‐reactive CD8+ T cells restricted by disease‐associated HLA class I molecules display an antigen‐experienced phenotype and acquire enhanced effector function during the period leading to clinical diagnosis, implicating these cells in driving disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the electron dynamics and body-frame angular dependence of valence photo-single ionization of CF4 and subsequent dissociation into CF3+ and F. Ionization from a valence t2 orbital shows overlapping shape resonances close to threshold that couple to the same total symmetry, leading to striking changes in the photoelectron angular distributions when viewed in the body-frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical experience has shown that allergic and non-allergic respiratory, metabolic, mental, and cardiovascular disorders sometimes coexist with bronchial asthma. However, no study has been carried out that calculates the chance of manifestation of these disorders with bronchial asthma in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Using ICD10 diagnoses from health care institutions, the present study systematically analyzed the co-prevalence and odds ratios of comorbidities in the asthma population in Germany. The odds ratios were adjusted for age and sex for all comorbidities for patients with asthma vs. without asthma. Bronchial asthma was strongly associated with allergic and with a lesser extent to non-allergic comorbidities: OR 7.02 (95% CI:6.83-7.22) for allergic rhinitis; OR 4.98 (95%CI:4.67-5.32) allergic conjunctivitis; OR 2.41 (95%CI:2.33-2.52) atopic dermatitis; OR 2.47 (95%CI:2.16-2.82) food allergy, and OR 1.69 (95%CI:1.61-1.78) drug allergy. Interestingly, increased ORs were found for respiratory diseases: 2.06 (95%CI:1.64-2.58) vocal dysfunction; 1.83 (95%CI:1.74-1.92) pneumonia; 1.78 (95%CI:1.73-1.84) sinusitis; 1.71 (95%CI:1.65-1.78) rhinopharyngitis; 2.55 (95%CI:2.03-3.19) obstructive sleep apnea; 1.42 (95%CI:1.25-1.61) pulmonary embolism, and 3.75 (95%CI:1.64-8.53) bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Asthmatics also suffer from psychiatric, metabolic, cardiac or other comorbidities. Myocardial infarction (OR 0.86, 95%CI:0.79-0.94) did not coexist with asthma. Based on the calculated chances of manifestation for these comorbidities, especially allergic and respiratory, to a lesser extent also metabolic, cardiovascular, and mental disorders should be taken into consideration in the diagnostic and treatment strategy of bronchial asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical resistance of Large Hadron Collider main busbar cable lap splices produced by soft soldering has been measured with two independent methods as a function of intercable contact area and for splices made of cables with various defects. For defect-free lap splices, the resistance increases from 0.3 to 10 \n\Omega (at 4.3 K in self-field) when reducing the cable overlap length from 120 to 3 mm, as expected assuming that the resistance is inversely proportional to the intercable contact area. The resistance of bridge splices that connect side-by-side cables can be predicted from the lap splice resistances and the overlap areas involved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) main interconnection splices consist of Rutherford-type cable splice and busbar stabilizer splices. Busbar stabilizer splices have been consolidated during the first long LHC shutdown by soldering additional Cu shunts. In view of the large number of quality controls (QCs) that were integrated in the splice consolidation process, efficient and unambiguous QC procedures needed to be developed. Direct-current electrical resistance measurements have been selected for the control of the busbar splices and the individual shunts. About 400 000 resistance measurements performed at room temperature before and after each consolidation step have been analyzed. The resistance of the consolidated splices is comparable with the resistance of continuous busbars without splice. Resistance changes during the consolidation process correspond to those calculated from the changes in Cu cross-sectional area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Der Unfallchirurg is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

There is a widely recognized need to improve our understanding of biosphere-atmosphere carbon exchanges in areas of complex terrain including the United States Mountain West. CO2 fluxes over mountainous terrain are often difficult to measure due to unusual and complicated influences associated with atmospheric transport. Consequently, deriving regional fluxes in mountain regions with carbon cycle inversion of atmospheric CO2 mole fraction is sensitive to filtering of observations to those that can be represented at the transport model resolution. Using five years of CO2 mole fraction observations from the Regional Atmospheric Continuous CO2 Network in the Rocky Mountains (Rocky RACCOON), five statistical filters are used to investigate a range of approaches for identifying regionally representative CO2 mole fractions. Test results from three filters indicate that subsets based on short-term variance and local CO2 gradients across tower inlet heights retain nine-tenths of the total observations and are able to define representative diel variability and seasonal cycles even for difficult-to-model sites where the influence of local fluxes is much larger than regional mole fraction variations. Test results from two other filters that consider measurements from previous and following days using spline fitting or sliding windows are overly selective. Case study examples showed that these windowing- filters rejected measurements representing synoptic changes in CO2, which suggests that they are not well suited to filtering continental CO2 measurements. We present a novel CO2 lapse rate filter that uses CO2 differences between levels in the model atmosphere to select subsets of site measurements that are representative on model scales. Our new filtering techniques provide guidance for novel approaches to assimilating mountain-top CO2 mole fractions in carbon cycle inverse models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical interconnection of Nb3Sn/Cu strands is a key issue for the construction of Nb3Sn based damping ring wigglers and insertion devices for third generation light sources. We compare the electrical resistance of Nb3Sn/Cu splices manufactured by solid state welding using electromagnetic pulse technology (EMPT) with that of splices produced by soft soldering with two different solders. The resistance of splices produced by soft soldering depends strongly on the resistivity of the solder alloy at the operating temperature. Using solid state welding, splice resistances below 10 nΩ can be achieved with 1 cm strand overlap length only, which is about four times lower than the resistance of Sn96Ag4 soldered splices with the same overlap length. A comparison of experimental results with finite element simulations shows that the electrical resistance of EMPT welded splices is determined by the resistance of the stabilizing copper between the superconducting filaments, and confirms that welding of the strand matrix is indeed achieved. EMPT allows the ductile, unreacted strands to be interconnected, which reduces the risk of damaging the brittle reacted Nb3Sn strands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a widely recognized need to improve our understanding of biosphere-atmosphere carbon exchanges in areas of complex terrain including the United States Mountain West. CO2 fluxes over mountainous terrain are difficult to measure often due to unusual and complicated influences associated with atmospheric transport in complex terrain. Using five years of CO2 mixing ratio observations from the Regional Atmospheric Continuous CO2 Network in the Rocky Mountains (Rocky RACCOON), five statistical (subsetting) filters are used to investigate a range of approaches for identifying regionally representative CO2 mixing ratios. Test results from three filters indicate that subsets based on short-term variance and local CO gradients across tower inlet heights retain nine-tenths of the total observations and are able to define representative diurnal variability and seasonal cycles even for difficult-to-model sites where the influence of local fluxes is much larger than regional mixing ratio variations. Test results from two other filters that consider measurements from previous and following days using spline fitting or sliding windows are overly selective. Case study examples showed that even when standardized to common subset sizes these windowing-filters rejected measurements representing synoptic changes in CO2, which suggests that they are not well suited to filtering continental CO2 measurements. We present a novel CO2 lapse rate filter that uses CO2 differences between levels in the model atmosphere to constrain subsets of site measurements that are representative on model scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major advances in understanding the pathogenesis of inherited metabolic disease caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations have yet to translate into treatments of proven efficacy. Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy is the most common mitochondrial DNA disorder causing irreversible blindness in young adult life. Anecdotal reports support the use of idebenone in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, but this has not been evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. We conducted a 24-week multi-centre double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 85 patients with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy due to m.3460G>A, m.11778G>A, and m.14484T>C or mitochondrial DNA mutations. The active drug was idebenone 900 mg/day. The primary end-point was the best recovery in visual acuity. The main secondary end-point was the change in best visual acuity. Other secondary end-points were changes in visual acuity of the best eye at baseline and changes in visual acuity for both eyes in each patient. Colour-contrast sensitivity and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness were measured in subgroups. Idebenone was safe and well tolerated. The primary end-point did not reach statistical significance in the intention to treat population. However, post hoc interaction analysis showed a different response to idebenone in patients with discordant visual acuities at baseline; in these patients, all secondary end-points were significantly different between the idebenone and placebo groups. This first randomized controlled trial in the mitochondrial disorder, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, provides evidence that patients with discordant visual acuities are the most likely to benefit from idebenone treatment, which is safe and well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical interconnection of Nb3Sn/Cu strands is a key issue for the construction of superconducting devices such as Nb3Sn based insertion devices for third generation light sources. As an alternative connection method for brittle superconducting strands like Nb3Sn/Cu, test joints have been produced by electrolytic deposition of Cu. The resistance of first test joints produced by electrolytic Cu deposition with a strand overlap length of 3 cm at 4.2 K is about 10 n\Omega, similar to the resistance measured for joints produced by soft soldering with the same strand overlap length. Interconnection by electrolytic Cu deposition can be done before or after the reaction heat treatment, and it produces a mechanically strong connection. Simulations have been performed with Comsol multiphysics in order to estimate the influence of deposit imperfections on the joint resistance, and to compare the resistance of joints made with different techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main busbar interconnection splices of the Large Hadron Collider are assembled by inductive soldering of the Rutherford type cables and the copper profiles of the stabilizer. Following the September 2008 incident, the assembly process and the quality assurance have been improved, with new measurement and diagnostics methods introduced. In the 2008-2009 shutdown the resistance both in the superconducting and in the normal conducting states have been the focus for improvements. The introduction of gamma radiography has allowed the visualization of voids between cable and stabilizer. It is now known that during the standard soldering heating cycle solder is lost from the busbar extremities adjacent to the splice profiles, leaving parts of the cable in poor contact with the stabilizer. A room temperature resistance measurement has been introduced as a simple, non-destructive test to measure the electrical continuity of the splice in its normal conducting state. An ultrasonic test has been performed systematically in order to verify if the vertical gaps between the splice profiles are filled with Sn96Ag4 solder. Visual inspections of the different splice components before and after interconnection have been reinforced. The additional information gained has allowed targeted improvements in the splice production process. Ad-hoc machining of splice components avoids macroscopic gaps, additional soldering foil and copper shims are used in critical areas in order to improve the cable to stabilizer contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austempered ductile iron (ADI) is the most recent development in the nodular iron family. The austempering treatment produces a unique microstructure, ausferrite, which provides high mechanical strength combined with ductility, toughness, and good fatigue and wear resistance. The effect of alloying elements Cu, Ni and Mo on the mechanical properties and austemperability of ADI is reported. The mechanical strength and toughness decreased with the addition of Mo, but both wear resistance and austemperability increased with Mo content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Orthopäde is the property of Springer Nature 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 Der Unfallchirurg is the property of Springer Nature 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 Der Unfallchirurg is the property of Springer Nature 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 Der Unfallchirurg is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

To test the validity and reliability of the scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). SARA is limited to eight items and can be performed rapidly. Ninety-six patients with a molecular genetic diagnosis of FRDA were rated using three different clinical scales, the FRDA Rating Scale (FARS), the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS), and SARA. Despite considerable discrepancies in scale size and subscale structure, SARA total scores were significantly correlated with ICARS (r = 0.953, P < 0.0001) and FARS (r = 0.938, P < 0.0001) total scores. SARA total scores also correlated with the activities of daily living (ADL, r = 0.929, P < 0.0001). Although originally developed for the use in dominantly inherited ataxias, which are primarily ataxias of the cerebellar type, SARA can also be used successfully to assess afferent ataxia, which is the predominant form in FRDA. Because SARA is characterized by high interrater reliability and practicability, SARA is applicable and well suited forclinical trials of FRDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly isolated and culture collection strains of Rhodopseudomonas palustris were able to transform phenol to 4-hydroxyphenylacetate under phototrophic conditions in the presence of acetate, malate, benzoate, or cinnamate as growth substrates. The reaction was examined with uniformly 14C-labelled phenol and the product was identified by HPLC retention time, UV-scans, and 1H- and 13C-NMR analysis. The transformation reaction was detectable in cell-free extracts in the presence of NAD+ and acetyl-CoA. For further degradation of 4-hydroxyphenylacetate by R. palustris, low partial pressures of oxygen were essential, presumably for aerobic aromatic ring fission reactions by mono- and di-oxygenases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identified 79 patients who underwent arthroscopically assisted intraarticular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with freeze-dried fascia lata allografts and an additional lateral extraarticular reconstruction. We were able to contact 62 patients (79%) for follow-up evaluation at an average of 134.5 months. Forty patients (51%) returned for objective evaluation. Lysholm scores at followup averaged 92.3 and Tegner activity scores averaged 5.1. Only four (6%) of the 62 patients contacted reported episodes of full giving way. Thirty (75%) of the 40 patients examined demonstrated 3 mm or less side-to-side difference on KT-1000 arthrometer manual maximum evaluation. Forty-eight (77%) of the 62 patients were participating in sporting activities at final followup. No patient had evidence of graft rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In class‐D operation the impedances of the output network at each harmonic frequency at the intrinsic terminals of the transistors are of main importance. This reported work demonstrates a new concept using pure differential transmission line filters for the matching of these impedances. Furthermore, de‐embedding techniques are used to compensate the impedance transforming characteristics of the package parasitics. A current‐mode class‐D (CMCD) amplifier with a power‐added efficiency (PAE) of 62% and a corresponding output power of 29.5 W at 2.6 GHz has been demonstrated. To the authors' knowledge, these are the highest reported values of the PAE as well as the output power at this frequency for a CMCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a method for the formation of noble metal nanoparticle ensembles in nanostructured silicon. The key idea is based on the unique property of the large reduction potential of extended internal hydrogen-terminated porous silicon surfaces. The process of metal nanoparticle formation in porous silicon was experimentally traced using their optical plasmon resonance response. We also demonstrate that bimetallic compounds can be formed in porous silicon and that their composition can be controlled using this technique. Experimental results were found to contradict partially with considerations based on Mie theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calculations show that electron states are not confined in the dashes in 1.55 μm InAs/InP quantum dash-in-a-well laser structures. The combination of strain and three-dimensional confinement reduces the calculated density of states (DOS) near the valence band maximum, with the conduction and valence DOS then almost equal close to the band edges. Calculations and photoabsorption measurements show strongly polarized spontaneous emission and gain spectra. Experimental analysis shows the room temperature threshold current is dominated by nonradiative current paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In class-D operation the impedances of the output network at each harmonic frequency at the intrinsic terminals of the transistors are of main importance. This reported work demonstrates a new concept using pure differential transmission line filters for the matching of these impedances. Furthermore, de-embedding techniques are used to compensate the impedance transforming characteristics of the package parasitics. A current-mode class-D (CMCD) amplifier with a power-added efficiency (PAE) of 62% and a corresponding output power of 29.5 W at 2.6 GHz has been demonstrated. To the authors' knowledge, these are the highest reported values of the PAE as well as the output power at this frequency for a CMCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]