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This study investigated mechanical and tribological properties of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and PEEK composites, before and after aging in liquid nitrogen for 5 months. Tribological tests conducted at 25 °C and at − 100 °C in air and in high vacuum (10−5 Pa) environment revealed the effect of matrix modification, fillers, environment, temperature, and cryogenic aging on their performances. Cryogenic aging of the polymers resulted in cryogenic embrittlement and decrease of the fracture toughness by around 10% and increase of wear rate by at least 20%. Very low coefficient of friction (0.02) was achieved in cryogenic vacuum environment for carbon fiber, graphite, and PTFE reinforced PEEK. The results indicate the significant impact of aging, temperature and environment on PEEK and its composites., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-04-05 (marisr);Full text license: CC BY

This study investigated mechanical and tribological properties of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and PEEK composites, before and after aging in liquid nitrogen for 5 months. Tribological tests conducted at 25 °C and at − 100 °C in air and in high vacuum (10−5 Pa) environment revealed the effect of matrix modification, fillers, environment, temperature, and cryogenic aging on their performances. Cryogenic aging of the polymers resulted in cryogenic embrittlement and decrease of the fracture toughness by around 10% and increase of wear rate by at least 20%. Very low coefficient of friction (0.02) was achieved in cryogenic vacuum environment for carbon fiber, graphite, and PTFE reinforced PEEK. The results indicate the significant impact of aging, temperature and environment on PEEK and its composites., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-04-05 (marisr);Full text license: CC BY

The present paper describes and analyzes the recent experimental results obtained at the High Voltage Padova Test Facility (HVPTF), the laboratory aimed at supporting the development of the prototype for the ITER Neutral Beam Injector. Evidences of Electron Stimulated Desorption of gas released from anodic surfaces have been observed during the onset of high voltage Direct Current vacuum discharges between stainless steel electrodes, separated by vacuum gaps of a few millimeters and with voltages of about 200 kV. The count of x-ray photons, produced by the accelerated electrons impinging the anode surface and observed as breakdown precursor in the 40% of the cases, was analyzed together with the images taken by an ultra-high speed camera during the onset of breakdown events. Electron stimulated desorption of neutral gas from the anodic surface appears to be a candidate for the voltage breakdown. The dynamic of the observed phenomena has been compared with the results obtained by a numerical model. The latter assumes a Townsend like discharge which develops following the emission of gas from the anode surface. The comparison shows good agreement between the experimental data and numerical simulations.

ObjectiveIdentify infants with abnormal suckling behavior from simple non-nutritive suckling devices.BackgroundWhile it is well known breastfeeding is beneficial to the health of both mothers and infants, breastfeeding ceases in 75 percent of mother-child dyads by 6 months. The current standard of care lacks objective measurements to screen infant suckling abnormalities within the first few days of life, a critical time to establish milk supply and successful breastfeeding practices.Materials and methodsA non-nutritive suckling vacuum measurement system, previously developed by the authors, is used to gather data from 91 healthy full-term infants under thirty days old. Non-nutritive suckling was recorded for a duration of sixty seconds. We establish normative data for the mean suck vacuum, maximum suck vacuum, suckling frequency, burst duration, sucks per burst, and vacuum signal shape. We then apply computational methods (Mahalanobis distance, KNN) to detect anomalies in the data to identify infants with abnormal suckling. We finally provide case studies of healthy newborn infants and infants diagnosed with ankyloglossia.ResultsIn a series of case evaluations, we demonstrate the ability to detect abnormal suckling behavior using statistical analysis and machine learning. We evaluate cases of ankyloglossia to determine how oral dysfunction and surgical interventions affect non-nutritive suckling measurements.ConclusionsStatistical analysis (Mahalanobis Distance) and machine learning [K nearest neighbor (KNN)] can be viable approaches to rapidly interpret infant suckling measurements. Particularly in practices using the digital suck assessment with a gloved finger, it can provide a more objective, early stage screening method to identify abnormal infant suckling vacuum. This approach for identifying those at risk for breastfeeding complications is crucial to complement complex emerging clinical evaluation technology.Clinical impactBy analyzing non-nutritive suckling

Liquid-jet photoelectron spectroscopy (LJ-PES) enabled a breakthrough in the experimental study of the electronic structure of liquid water, aqueous solutions, and volatile liquids more generally. The novelty of this technique, dating back over 25 years, lies in stabilizing a continuous, micron-diameter LJ in a vacuum environment to enable PES studies. A key quantity in PES is the most probable energy associated with vertical promotion of an electron into vacuum: the vertical ionization energy, VIE, for neutrals and cations, or vertical detachment energy, VDE, for anions. These quantities can be used to identify species, their chemical states and bonding environments, and their structural properties in solution. The ability to accurately measure VIEs and VDEs is correspondingly crucial. An associated principal challenge is the determination of these quantities with respect to well-defined energy references. Only with recently developed methods are such measurements routinely and generally viable for liquids. Practically, these methods involve the application of condensed-matter concepts to the acquisition of photoelectron (PE) spectra from liquid samples, rather than solely relying on molecular-physics treatments that have been commonly implemented since the first LJ-PES experiments. This includes explicit consideration of the traversal of electrons to and through the liquid’s surface, prior to free-electron detection. Our approach to measuring VIEs and VDEs with respect to the liquid vacuum level specifically involves detecting the lowest-energy electrons emitted from the sample, which have barely enough energy to surmount the surface potential and accumulate in the low-energy tail of the liquid-phase spectrum. By applying a sufficient bias potential to the liquid sample, this low-energy spectral tail can generally be exposed, with its sharp, low-energy cutoff revealing the genuine kinetic-energy-zero in a measured spectrum, independent of any perturbing intrinsic

Infant breastfeeding diagnostics remain subjective due to the absence of instrumentation to objectively measure and understand infant oral motor skills and suckling characteristics. Qualitative diagnostic exams, such as the digital suck assessment which relies upon a clinician's gloved finger inserted into the infant's mouth, produce a diversity of diagnoses and intervention pathways due to their subjective nature. In this paper, we report on the design of a non-nutritive suckling (NNS) system which quantifies and analyzes quantitative intraoral vacuum and sucking patterns of full-term neonates in real time. In our study, we evaluate thirty neonate suckling profiles to demonstrate the technical and clinical feasibility of the system. We successfully extract the mean suck vacuum, maximum suck vacuum, frequency, burst duration, number of sucks per burst, number of sucks per minute, and number of bursts per minute. In addition, we highlight the discovery of three intraoral vacuum profile shapes that are found to be correlated to different levels of suckling characteristics. These results establish a framework for future studies to evaluate oromotor dysfunction that affect the appearance of these signals based on established normal profiles. Ultimately, with the ability to easily and quickly capture intraoral vacuum data, clinicians can more accurately perform suckling assessments to provide timely intervention and assist mothers and infants towards successful breastfeeding outcomes.

Block freeze concentration (BFC) is considered an emerging technology which allows the acquiring of high quality organoleptic products, due to the low temperatures employed. In this study we have outlined how the vacuum-assisted BFC of whey was investigated. The effects of vacuum time, vacuum pressure, and the initial solids concentration in whey were studied. The results obtained show that the three variables significantly affect each of the following parameters analysed: solute yield (Y) and concentration index (CI). The best Y results were obtained at a pressure of 10 kPa, 7.5°Bx, and 60 min. For CI parameter, the highest values were given at 10 kPa, 7.5°Bx, and 20 min, respectively. In a second phase, by applying the conditions that provide higher solute yield to three different types of dairy whey, Y values of 70% or higher are reached in a single step, while that the CI of lactose are higher than those of soluble solids. Therefore, it is possible to recover, in a single step, at least 70% of the lactose contained in the initial whey samples. This suggests that vacuum-assisted BFC technology may be an interesting alternative for the recovery of lactose contained in whey., This research received no external funding. The APC was financed by AGRUPS-2022 at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and SGR-Cat 2021 of Departament de Recerca i Univer- sitats (Generalitat de Catalunya), Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum Responsables, Postprint (published version)

Aquest document presenta una síntesi del desenvolupament d'un sistema de filtració ciclònica per aspiradors manuals en el marc d'un projecte de final de grau en enginyeria de disseny industrial i desenvolupament de producte. L'objectiu fonamental consisteix en el desenvolupament d'un sistema de filtració ciclònica que pugui ser integrat en futurs models d'aspiradors manuals. La finalitat és reduir la pèrdua de succió ocasionada per la saturació dels filtres comunament utilitzats, d'aquesta manera, es busca incrementar el rendiment dels aspiradors. En el disseny final, s'espera obtenir valors d'acceleració centrípeta propers als assolits pels sistemes Dyson. A més, s'ha dedicat una atenció especial a la usabilitat del producte, amb l'objectiu de millorar el procés de neteja d'interiors de vehicles i d'espais de difícil accés. Durant el procés de desenvolupament, s'ha aplicat el mètode de disseny iteratiu, ja que permet provar diferents dissenys, avaluar-los i implementar millores ràpidament basades en els resultats obtinguts. S'han dut a terme anàlisis de fluids per observar el flux d'aire i aconseguir valors numèrics de paràmetres rellevants. A més, s'han emprat tecnologies d'impressió 3D per fabricar prototips funcionals, els quals han estat usats en proves experimentals. En aquestes proves, s'ha analitzat visualment el comportament del flux d'aire mitjançant l'ús de materials translúcids. Els resultats assolits en aquestes proves s'han comparat amb els resultats de les simulacions per extreure conclusions i proposar millores a implementar en les següents iteracions. Els primers resultats significatius s'han obtingut en la segona iteració de disseny. Les proves experimentals amb el prototip han assolit una retenció de partícules de cafè superior al 90%. Amb aquesta informació com a base, s'ha perfeccionat i definit la geometria interna del disseny final desenvolupat en aquest projecte. Aquest disseny incorpora els components i els encaixos definitius, els quals han, This document presents a summary of the development of a cyclonic filtration system for handheld vacuum cleaners within the framework of a final thesis in industrial design and product development engineering. The main objective is to develop a cyclonic filtration system that can be integrated into future models of handheld vacuum cleaners. The aim is to reduce suction loss caused by the saturation of the filters, thereby increasing the performance of the vacuum cleaners. In the final design, it is expected to achieve centripetal acceleration values close to those achieved by Dyson systems. Additionally, special attention has been given to the usability of the product, with the goal of improving the cleaning process of vehicle interiors and hard-to-reach spaces. During the development process, an iterative design method has been applied, as it allows for testing different designs, evaluating them, and implementing improvements quickly based on the results. Fluid analysis has been conducted to observe the airflow and obtain numerical values of relevant parameters. Furthermore, 3D printing technologies have been used to manufacture functional prototypes, which have made possible running experimental tests. In these tests, the behaviour of the airflow has been visually analysed using translucent materials. The results obtained in these tests have been compared with the simulation results to draw conclusions and propose improvements to be implemented in subsequent iterations. The first significant results have been achieved in the second design iteration. The experimental tests with the prototype have achieved a retention of coffee particles above 90%. Based on this information, the internal geometry of the final design developed in this project has been refined. This design incorporates the definitive components and fittings, which have been validated through a functional prototype manufactured with high-precision 3D printing technologies. To conclude, the designed cyc, Diseño de un sistema de filtración ciclónica para aspiradoras manuales. El objetivo es mejorar el rendimiento de las aspiradoras mediante la reducción de la pérdida de succión causada por la saturación de los filtros. Se ha utilizado el método de diseño iterativo, realizando análisis de fluidos y fabricando prototipos funcionales con impresión 3D. El sistema diseñado es capaz de capturar eficazmente las partículas aspiradas sin necesidad de filtros y es versátil en diferentes potencias. Este proyecto proporciona un punto de partida sólido para futuras innovaciones en la filtración ciclónica.

Following the miniaturisation of fluidic components, the demand for traceable measurements of micro and nanoflows is increasing in various technological fields such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and automotive industry. Gravimetric flow measurement methods are accurate at microflows and above, but have a lower limit of about 5nLmin−1. Several alternative approaches have been developed to circumvent this limit. Here a measurement setup and proof of principle is presented for a method measuring the gas flows generated by complete evaporation of liquid ethanol nanoflows. The gas flow measurement is based on the well-established method of determining the pressure drop across a geometrically precisely defined circular opening in the molecular flow regime. Liquid flow rates from a syringe pump in the range of 5nLmin−1 to 200nLmin−1 are measured with an expanded uncertainty as low as 340pLmin−1 at instantaneous flow rates. Strategies to further improve accuracy are discussed., The financial support by the Sweden’s Innovation Agency (VINNOVA) , grant number 2020-04318, is gratefully acknowledged.

This dissertation is a compilation of three published works that demonstrate the use of 3D printing and microcontrollers for chemistry research. Specifically, this work outlines the development of novel tools for high-throughput screening and laboratory automation.Modern biocatalysis relies on enzyme immobilization to operate at scale. Enzyme immobilization requires extensive optimization that is time consuming and expensive. To solve this problem, a suite of 3D-printed tools was developed to miniaturize and parallelize immobilization experiments. Their efficacy was demonstrated with three model enzymes: alkaline phosphatase, glucose dehydrogenase, and laccase. The experiment showed that each enzyme exhibited a marked preference for a different carrier. This insight was then used to optimize the immobilization of urease from Canavlia ensiformis. The result of this optimization was a packed bed reactor with a productivity of 0.72 L·mol-1·h-1, consuming nearly a kilogram of substrate in one day. In addition to 3D printing, microcontrollers can reduce the burden of repetitive laboratory tasks through automation. Cold traps employed to protect vacuum pumps must be frequently monitored, emptied, and replenished with cryogen. If this routine is interrupted, the trapped xii solvents aspirate into the pump, negating the cold trap’s function. Thus, an electronic circuit was developed to actively protect oil-sealed vacuum pumps without human intervention. This ‘TrapGuard’ was proven effective against six organic solvents commonly found in organic laboratories, reducing oil contamination by greater than 85% in each instance. In sum, this work exemplifies the ability of 3D printing and electronics to translate a researcher’s imagination into functional and high performing instruments without waiting for the commercial market to respond.

Immobilized yeast cells are used industrially in winemaking processes such as sparkling wine and Sherry wine production. Here, a novel approach has been explored for the infusion and immobilization of yeast cells into filamentous fungal pellets, which serve as a porous natural material. This was accomplished through vacuum application to force the yeast cells towards the core of the fungal pellets followed by culture in YPD medium to promote their growth from the interior. This method represents an improved variation of a previous approach for the assembly of yeast biocapsules, which entailed the co-culture of both fungal and yeast cells in the same medium. A comparison was made between both techniques in terms of biocapsule productivity, cell retention capacity, and cell biological activity through an alcoholic fermentation of a grape must. The results indicated a substantial increase in biocapsule productivity (37.40-fold), higher cell retention within the biocapsules (threefold), and reduction in cell leakage during fermentation (twofold). Although the majority of the chemical and sensory variables measured in the produced wine did not exhibit notable differences from those produced utilizing suspended yeast cells (conventional method), some differences (such as herbaceous and toasted smells, acidity, bitterness, and persistence) were perceived and wines positively evaluated by the sensory panel. As the immobilized cells remain functional and the encapsulation technique can be expanded to other microorganisms, it creates potential for additional industrial uses like biofuel, health applications, microbe encapsulation and delivery, bioremediation, and pharmacy. KEY POINTS: • New approach improves biocapsule productivity and cell retention. • Immobilized yeast remains functional in fermentation. • Wine made with immobilized yeast had positive sensory differences.

Titanium undergoes biological aging, represented by increased hydrophobicity and surface accumulation of organic molecules over time, which compromises the osseointegration of dental and orthopedic implants. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel UV light source, 172 nm wavelength vacuum UV (VUV), in decomposing organic molecules around titanium. Methylene blue solution used as a model organic molecule placed in a quartz ampoule with and without titanium specimens was treated with four different UV light sources: (i) ultraviolet C (UVC), (ii) high-energy UVC (HUVC), (iii) proprietary UV (PUV), and (iv) VUV. After one minute of treatment, VUV decomposed over 90% of methylene blue, while there was 3-, 3-, and 8-fold more methylene blue after the HUVC, PUV, and UVC treatments, respectively. In dose-dependency experiments, maximal methylene blue decomposition occurred after one minute of VUV treatment and after 20-30 min of UVC treatment. Rapid and effective VUV-mediated organic decomposition was not influenced by the surface topography of titanium or its alloy and even occurred in the absence of titanium, indicating only a minimal photocatalytic contribution of titanium dioxide to organic decomposition. VUV-mediated but not other light source-mediated methylene blue decomposition was proportional to its concentration. Plastic tubes significantly reduced methylene blue decomposition for all light sources. These results suggest that VUV, in synergy with quartz ampoules, mediates rapid and effective organic decomposition compared with other UV sources. This proof-of-concept study paves the way for rapid and effective VUV-powered photofunctionalization of titanium to overcome biological aging.

Following the miniaturisation of fluidic components, the demand for traceable measurements of micro and nanoflows is increasing in various technological fields such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and automotive industry. Gravimetric flow measurement methods are accurate at microflows and above, but have a lower limit of about 5nLmin−1. Several alternative approaches have been developed to circumvent this limit. Here a measurement setup and proof of principle is presented for a method measuring the gas flows generated by complete evaporation of liquid ethanol nanoflows. The gas flow measurement is based on the well-established method of determining the pressure drop across a geometrically precisely defined circular opening in the molecular flow regime. Liquid flow rates from a syringe pump in the range of 5nLmin−1 to 200nLmin−1 are measured with an expanded uncertainty as low as 340pLmin−1 at instantaneous flow rates. Strategies to further improve accuracy are discussed., The financial support by the Sweden’s Innovation Agency (VINNOVA) , grant number 2020-04318, is gratefully acknowledged.

Liquid-jet photoelectron spectroscopy (LJ-PES) enabled a breakthrough in the experimental study of the electronic structure of liquid water, aqueous solutions, and volatile liquids more generally. The novelty of this technique, dating back over 25 years, lies in stabilizing a continuous, micron-diameter LJ in a vacuum environment to enable PES studies. A key quantity in PES is the most probable energy associated with vertical promotion of an electron into vacuum: the vertical ionization energy, VIE, for neutrals and cations, or vertical detachment energy, VDE, for anions. These quantities can be used to identify species, their chemical states and bonding environments, and their structural properties in solution. The ability to accurately measure VIEs and VDEs is correspondingly crucial. An associated principal challenge is the determination of these quantities with respect to well-defined energy references. Only with recently developed methods are such measurements routinely and generally viable for liquids. Practically, these methods involve the application of condensed-matter concepts to the acquisition of photoelectron (PE) spectra from liquid samples, rather than solely relying on molecular-physics treatments that have been commonly implemented since the first LJ-PES experiments. This includes explicit consideration of the traversal of electrons to and through the liquid’s surface, prior to free-electron detection. Our approach to measuring VIEs and VDEs with respect to the liquid vacuum level specifically involves detecting the lowest-energy electrons emitted from the sample, which have barely enough energy to surmount the surface potential and accumulate in the low-energy tail of the liquid-phase spectrum. By applying a sufficient bias potential to the liquid sample, this low-energy spectral tail can generally be exposed, with its sharp, low-energy cutoff revealing the genuine kinetic-energy-zero in a measured spectrum, independent of any perturbing intrinsic

Superconducting radio frequency photo injectors (SRF gun) offer advantages for operating in continuous wave (CW) mode and generating high-brightness and high-current beams. A new SRF gun is designed as a low emittance photo injector for LCLS-II-HE and a prototype gun is currently being developed under collaboration between SLAC, FRIB, HZDR and ANL. The aim is to demonstrate stable CW operation at a cathode gradient of 30 MV/m. One of the crucial components for successful SRF gun operation is the photocathode system. The new SRF gun will adopt the HZDR-type cathode, which includes a cathode holder fixture (cathode stalk) developed by FRIB and a cathode exchange system designed by HZDR. This innovative cathode insertion system ensures accurate, particle-free and warm cathode exchanges. A novel alignment process targets the cathode to the stalk axis without touching cathode plug itself. To commission the prototype gun, metallic cathodes will be used. A specifically designed vacuum system ensures vacuum pressure of 10-9 mbar for transport of a single cathode from the cleanroom to the gun.

Superconducting radio frequency photo injectors (SRF gun) offer advantages for operating in continuous wave (CW) mode and generating high-brightness and high-current beams. A new SRF gun is designed as a low emittance photo injector for LCLS-II-HE and a prototype gun is currently being developed under collaboration between SLAC, FRIB, HZDR and ANL. The aim is to demonstrate stable CW operation at a cathode gradient of 30 MV/m. One of the crucial components for successful SRF gun operation is the photocathode system. The new SRF gun will adopt the HZDR-type cathode, which includes a cathode holder fixture (cathode stalk) developed by FRIB and a cathode exchange system designed by HZDR. This innovative cathode insertion system ensures accurate, particle-free and warm cathode exchanges. A novel alignment process targets the cathode to the stalk axis without touching cathode plug itself. To commission the prototype gun, metallic cathodes will be used. A specifically designed vacuum system ensures vacuum pressure of 10-9 mbar for transport of a single cathode from the cleanroom to the gun.

This video, published by Columbia Gorge Community College, is the first part of a two part lecture that examines vacuums in pneumatic systems, discussing "how vacuum conditions are measured, how vacuum is generated, and how vacuum is employed." This first part of the lecture primarily focuses on measuring vacuum, including a discussion of gauge pressure, absolute pressure, absolute height, and the vacuum scale. This video runs 9:03 minutes in length. The second part of the lecture is available to view separately.

© 1998 The American Physical Society. We are very grateful to G.A. Mena Marugán, M. Moles and P.F. González-Díaz for helpful discussions and suggestions. C.B. was supported by a Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) grant. C.B. is also grateful to J.B. Hartle and the Institute for Theoretical Physics (UCSB), where part of this work was done, for warm hospitality. This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY994–07194. L.J.G. was supported by funds provided by DGICYT and MEC (Spain) under Contract Adjunct to Project No. PB94–0107., We study the effects of asymptotically anti-de Sitter wormholes in low-energy field theory and give a general prescription for obtaining the local effective interaction terms induced by them. The choice of vacuum for the matter fields selects a basis of the Hilbert space of anti-de Sitter wormholes whose elements can be interpreted as states containing a given number of particles. This interpretation is subject to the same kind of ambiguity in the definition of a particle as that arising from quantum field theory in curved spacetime., National Science Foundation, DGICyT (Spain), MEC (Spain), Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 2010 The American Physical Society. The authors would like to thank Bei-Lok Hu, Ivette Fuentes, Robert Mann, and Paul Alsing for the helpful discussions during the International Workshop on Relativisitc Quantum Information (RQI-N 2010). The authors also thank Jorma Louko and Carlos Barcelo´ for their helpful comments and observations. This work was partially supported by the Spanish MICINN Projects No. FIS2008-05705/FIS and No. FIS2008-06078-C03-03, the CAM research consortium QUITEMAD S2009/ESP- 1594, and the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program CPAN (CSD2007-00042). E. M-M. was partially supported by CSIC Grant No. JAE-PREDOC2007 ., We analyze the entanglement degradation provoked by the Hawking effect in a bipartite system Alice-Rob when Rob is in the proximities of a Schwarzschild black hole while Alice is free falling into it. We will obtain the limit in which the tools imported from the Unruh entanglement degradation phenomenon can be used properly, keeping control on the approximation. As a result, we will be able to determine the degree of entanglement as a function of the distance of Rob to the event horizon, the mass of the black hole, and the frequency of Rob's entangled modes. By means of this analysis we will show that all the interesting phenomena occur in the vicinity of the event horizon and that the presence of event horizons do not effectively degrade the entanglement when Rob is far off the black hole. The universality of the phenomenon is presented: There are not fundamental differences for different masses when working in the natural unit system adapted to each black hole. We also discuss some aspects of the localization of Alice and Rob states. All this study is done without using the single mode approximation., Comunidad de Madrid, Spanish MICINN, Consolider-Ingenio, CSIC, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 1999 The American Physical Society. I thank Ed. Copeland and A. Dobado for useful suggestions. This work has been partially supported by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Spain) (CICYT AEN96-1634). The author also acknowledges support from SEUID-Royal Society., We study the production of massive fermions in arbitrary vector and axial-vector classical backgrounds using effective action techniques. A perturbative calculation shows the different features of each field and in particular it is seen that pure temporal axial fields can produce particles whereas it is not possible for a pure vector background. We also analyze from a non-perturbative point of view a particular configuration with constant electric and axial fields and show that the presence of the axial background inhibits the production from the electric field. [S0556-2821(99)04504-X]., Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Spain), SEUID-Royal Society, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© World Scientific. We are very grateful to Guillermo A. Mena Marugán, Mariano Moles and Pedro F. González-Díaz for helpful discussions and suggestions. C.B was supported by a Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) grant. C.B. is also grateful to James Hartle and the Institute for Theoretical Physics (UCSB), where part of this work was done, for warm hospitality. This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY94–07194. L.J.G. was supported by funds provided by DGICYT and MEC under Contract Adjunct to the Project No. PB94–0107., The effects of asymptotically anti-de Sitter wormholes in low-energy field theory are calculated in full detail for three different matter contents: a conformal scalar field, an electromagnetic field and gravitons. There exists a close relation between the choice of vacuum for the matter fields and the selection of a basis of the Hilbert space of anti-de Sitter wormholes. In the presence of conformal matter (i.e., conformal scalar or electromagnetic fields), this relation allows us to interpret the elements of these bases as wormhole states containing a given number of particles. This interpretation is subject to the same kind of ambiguity in the definition of particle as that arising from quantum field theory in curved spacetime. In the case of gravitons, owing to the nonconformal coupling, it is not possible to describe wormhole states in terms of their particle content., National Science Foundation, DGICYT, MEC, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

Soft tissue adhesion and sealing around dental and maxillofacial implants, related prosthetic components, and crowns are a clinical imperative to prevent adverse outcomes of periodontitis and periimplantitis. Zirconia is often used to fabricate implant components and crowns. Here, we hypothesized that UV treatment of zirconia would induce unique behaviors in fibroblasts that favor the establishment of a soft tissue seal. Human oral fibroblasts were cultured on zirconia specimens to confluency before placing a second zirconia specimen (either untreated or treated with one minute of 172 nm vacuum UV (VUV) light) next to the first specimen separated by a gap of 150 µm. After seven days of culture, fibroblasts only transmigrated onto VUV-treated zirconia, forming a 2.36 mm volume zone and 5.30 mm leading edge. Cells migrating on VUV-treated zirconia were enlarged, with robust formation of multidirectional cytoplastic projections, even on day seven. Fibroblasts were also cultured on horizontally placed and 45° and 60° tilted zirconia specimens, with the latter configurations compromising initial attachment and proliferation. However, VUV treatment of zirconia mitigated the negative impact of tilting, with higher tilt angles increasing the difference in cellular behavior between control and VUV-treated specimens. Fibroblast size, perimeter, and diameter on day seven were greater than on day one exclusively on VUV-treated zirconia. VUV treatment reduced surface elemental carbon and induced superhydrophilicity, confirming the removal of the hydrocarbon pellicle. Similar effects of VUV treatment were observed on glazed zirconia specimens with silica surfaces. One-minute VUV photofunctionalization of zirconia and silica therefore promotes human oral fibroblast attachment and proliferation, especially under challenging culture conditions, and induces specimen-to-specimen transmigration and sustainable photofunctionalization for at least seven days.

We describe the inception, design, development, and initial results of The Cold Atom Vacuum Standard (CAVS). It has been known for many years that vacuum level limits the lifetime of a cold atom cloud; we invert this to create a vacuum pressure measurement tool based on the trapped cloud lifetime. The difference between a standard and a sensor is of great concern to metrologists: a primary standard defines a unit, and a sensor transduces it. To have a device capable of both functions is to have a calibration-free measurement tool, which is of interest to many stakeholders in academia, industry, and defense. We describe all aspects of construction of the CAVS, including a lengthy investigation of vacuum technology. We ultimately demonstrate that the device is traceable to pressure through the fundamental physics of collision cross sections, thereby elevating it to status as not just a sensor, but a standard.

Organic peroxides are key intermediates in the atmosphere but are challenging to detect, especially in the particle phase, due to their instability, which has led to substantial gaps in the understanding of their environmental effects. We demonstrate that matrix-assisted ionization in vacuum (MAIV) mass spectrometry (MS), which does not require an ionization source, enables in situ characterization of peroxides and other products in the surface layers of organic particles. Hydroxyl radical oxidation of glutaric acid particles yields hydroperoxides and organic peroxides, which were detected with signals of the same order of magnitude as the major, more stable products. Product identification is supported by MS/MS analysis, peroxide standards, and offline high-resolution MS. The peroxide signals relative to the stable carbonyl and alcohol products are significantly larger using MAIV compared to those in the offline bulk analysis. This is also the case for analysis using fast, online easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry. These studies demonstrate the advantage of MAIV for the real-time characterization of labile peroxides in the surface layers of solid particles. The presence of peroxides on the surface may be important for surface oxidation processes as well as for the toxicity of inhaled particles.

Liquid-jet photoelectron spectroscopy (LJ-PES) enabled a breakthrough in the experimental study of the electronic structure of liquid water, aqueous solutions, and volatile liquids more generally. The novelty of this technique, dating back over 25 years, lies in stabilizing a continuous, micron-diameter LJ in a vacuum environment to enable PES studies. A key quantity in PES is the most probable energy associated with vertical promotion of an electron into vacuum: the vertical ionization energy, VIE, for neutrals and cations, or vertical detachment energy, VDE, for anions. These quantities can be used to identify species, their chemical states and bonding environments, and their structural properties in solution. The ability to accurately measure VIEs and VDEs is correspondingly crucial. An associated principal challenge is the determination of these quantities with respect to well-defined energy references. Only with recently developed methods are such measurements routinely and generally viable for liquids. Practically, these methods involve the application of condensed-matter concepts to the acquisition of photoelectron (PE) spectra from liquid samples, rather than solely relying on molecular-physics treatments that have been commonly implemented since the first LJ-PES experiments. This includes explicit consideration of the traversal of electrons to and through the liquid’s surface, prior to free-electron detection. Our approach to measuring VIEs and VDEs with respect to the liquid vacuum level specifically involves detecting the lowest-energy electrons emitted from the sample, which have barely enough energy to surmount the surface potential and accumulate in the low-energy tail of the liquid-phase spectrum. By applying a sufficient bias potential to the liquid sample, this low-energy spectral tail can generally be exposed, with its sharp, low-energy cutoff revealing the genuine kinetic-energy-zero in a measured spectrum, independent of any perturbing intrinsic

Superconducting radio frequency photo injectors (SRF gun) offer advantages for operating in continuous wave (CW) mode and generating high-brightness and high-current beams. A new SRF gun is designed as a low emittance photo injector for LCLS-II-HE and a prototype gun is currently being developed under collaboration between SLAC, FRIB, HZDR and ANL. The aim is to demonstrate stable CW operation at a cathode gradient of 30 MV/m. One of the crucial components for successful SRF gun operation is the photocathode system. The new SRF gun will adopt the HZDR-type cathode, which includes a cathode holder fixture (cathode stalk) developed by FRIB and a cathode exchange system designed by HZDR. This innovative cathode insertion system ensures accurate, particle-free and warm cathode exchanges. A novel alignment process targets the cathode to the stalk axis without touching cathode plug itself. To commission the prototype gun, metallic cathodes will be used. A specifically designed vacuum system ensures vacuum pressure of 10-9 mbar for transport of a single cathode from the cleanroom to the gun.

Superconducting radio frequency photo injectors (SRF gun) offer advantages for operating in continuous wave (CW) mode and generating high-brightness and high-current beams. A new SRF gun is designed as a low emittance photo injector for LCLS-II-HE and a prototype gun is currently being developed under collaboration between SLAC, FRIB, HZDR and ANL. The aim is to demonstrate stable CW operation at a cathode gradient of 30 MV/m. One of the crucial components for successful SRF gun operation is the photocathode system. The new SRF gun will adopt the HZDR-type cathode, which includes a cathode holder fixture (cathode stalk) developed by FRIB and a cathode exchange system designed by HZDR. This innovative cathode insertion system ensures accurate, particle-free and warm cathode exchanges. A novel alignment process targets the cathode to the stalk axis without touching cathode plug itself. To commission the prototype gun, metallic cathodes will be used. A specifically designed vacuum system ensures vacuum pressure of 10-9 mbar for transport of a single cathode from the cleanroom to the gun.

A novel approach is presented to 3D print vacuum–tight polymer components using liquid crystal polymers (LCPs). Vacuum–tight components are essential for gas storage and passive heat transfer, but traditional polymer 3D printing methods often suffer from poor interfaces between layers and high free volume, compromising vacuum integrity. By harnessing the unique properties of LCPs, including low free volume and low melt viscosity, highly ordered domains are achieved through nematic alignment of polymer chains. Critical gas–barrier properties are demonstrated, even in thin, single–print line–walled samples ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 mm. A 200 mm evacuated thermosiphon is successfully printed, which exhibits a thermal resistance of up to 2.18 K/W and an effective thermal conductivity of up to 28 W/mK at 60 °C. These values represent a significant increase compared to the base LCP material. Furthermore, the geometric freedom, enabled by 3D printing through the fabrication of complex–shaped thermosiphons, is showcased. The authors study highlights the potential of LCPs as high–performance materials for 3D printing vacuum–tight components with intricate geometries, opening new avenues for functional design. An application of integrating 3D printed thermosiphons as selective heat transfer components in building envelopes is presented, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in the construction sector., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

This thesis aims to investigate the effects of contact pressure and type of deformations on the thermal contact conductance(h’) for dry metal-metal contacts. Also, an attempt is made to develope a thermal contact conductance estimation model for the same. The materials used in this thesis are metals (aluminium and tin). Several experiments are performed on two different test setups. The first setup is situated in the process and energy department[P&E] of TU Delft where tin material is used to investigate deformation effects on h’ with respect to contact pressure ranging till 4MPa. The sample is in a shape of a wire with a diameter 2mm and placed between two copper cylinders for evaluating h’. The second setup is situated in Philips Engineering Solutions [PES] where flat aluminium samples are used with different roughness under high contact pressures (up to 25MPa). Later, the results from both experimental setups are compared to the prediction from literature models to brief their general applicability. The increase in contact pressure over a surface roughness, first deforms a surface elastically and then plastically. Plastic deformation increases the actual contact area and conducts more heat than elastic with sample contact pressure. Oxide layer formation over time is critical for aluminium surfaces and so aging may cause differences in contact conduction. In conclusion, there is a large difference between the experimental results and prediction by literature models. Only when a lot of effort is put in keeping orientation exactly the same, reproducibility is good, rest the thermal contact conduction is irreproducible. The development of an entirely new semi-empirical model is very complex. There is a need to be aware of validity ranges of thermal contact conductance literature models as they quickly deteriorate outside their application ranges and the usage of available models should be done critically. The real contact area plays a major role in estimating, Mechanical Engineering | Energy, Flow and Process Technology

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has become a good potential strategy to retain quality throughout the shelf life of perishable foods. The aim of this work was to evaluate different packaging atmospheres on semi-hard protected designation of origin Idiazabal cheese wedges. Six different packaging treatments (air, vacuum, and CO2/N2 gas mixtures in the ratio of 20/80, 50/50, 80/20, and 100/0% v/v, respectively) were studied. Changes in gas headspace composition, cheese gross composition, weight loss, pH, acidity, colour, and textural and sensory properties were investigated during 56 days of refrigerated storage at 5 ± 1 °C. MAP was the most effective preserving technique compared to air- and vacuum-packaging treatments. The cheese characteristics with the greatest discriminating weight in the preservation techniques were paste appearance, holes, flavour, a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) colour parameters, and slope to hardness. Air-packaged cheeses, on 35 day, presented a mouldy flavour. Vacuum packaging affected paste appearance (greasy, plastic marks, and non-homogeneous colour) and holes (occluded and unnatural appearance) starting after 14 packaging days. MAP mixtures with CO2 concentration between 50/50 and 80/20% CO2/N2 (v/v) are recommended to ensure sensory quality and stability in the distribution of these raw sheep-milk cheese wedges.

In the semiconductor industry, integrated circuits with nanometre scale structures are manufactured on silicon wafers. Particle contamination on the topside of the wafer can result in the defectivity of the entire die. In the ever-increasing efforts to create smaller structures onto a wafer particle contamination becomes more restrictive to prevent the defectivity of the die. In order to reduce the risk of particle contamination the wafer is placed in a vacuum environment. But further risks exist, during the grasping and positioning of the wafer new particles are generated and are able to transport to critical surfaces. This study investigates what guidelines need to be followed for the design of a kinematic coupling for use in a vacuum, whilst keeping particle generation as low as possible. The guidelines can be used to determine an optimal kinematic coupling design for any arbitrary object shape, size and mass. First of all, it is determined that abrasive wear, adhesive wear, contact stresses and outgassing are the predominant factors that have an effect on particle generation and influence the design of a kinematic coupling. The first guideline optimizes the constraint method of the kinematic coupling. Here, the guideline states that each constraint needs to be able to translate parallel to the surface of the object, doing so minimizes abrasive and adhesive wear. This can be achieved by suspending the contact points by using, for example, (folded) leaf springs. The second guideline encompasses the contact point shape and size. To equally distribute contact stresses, a spherical indenter shape should be chosen. Here, the radius of the indenter is chosen to be as small as possible to prevent adhesive wear. The third and last guideline optimizes the position of the contact points placed on the object. These positions influence the positioning repeatability, an algorithm is introduced that can calculate the optimal position for the contact points to maximize this rep, Mechanical Engineering | Mechatronic System Design (MSD)

The present paper investigates the effects of thermal annealing on the structural and magnetic properties of Co thin films. The films were prepared by using electron-beam evaporation method onto Si (100) wafers and annealed in vacuum at 200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C. A combination of X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry were used to characterize structural properties and the composition of the films, while magnetic behavior was studied by magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements. It was found that as deposited Co layer show predominantly uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, while after annealing at 200 °C and 300 °C a strong influence of fourfold contribution is observed, which is assigned to the thermally induced HCP→FCC phase transition. With further increase in annealing temperature of 400 °C the isotropic contribution becomes the main component of magnetization. Besides, a strong variation in coercive field with annealing temperature was observed, where the coercivity seems to depend closely on the crystallite size. The highest value of HC equals ∼70 Oe and was found for the temperature of 400 °C, where also mixing at the interface has started and formation of CoSi was observed.

Polyol-water clusters provide a template to probe ionization and solvation processes of paramount interest in atmospheric and interstellar chemistry. We generate glycerol water clusters in a continuous supersonic jet expansion and interrogate the neutral species with synchrotron-based tunable vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry. A series of glycerol fragments (m/z 44, 61, 62, and 74) clustered with water are observed. A judicious combination of backing pressure, nozzle temperature, and water vapor pressure allows for tuning the mol % of glycerol. The recorded appearance energies of the water cluster series m/z 62 and 74 are similar to that observed in pure glycerol, while the m/z 61 series shows a dependence on cluster composition. Furthermore, this series also tracks the water concentration of the beam. Theoretical calculations on neutral and ionized clusters visualize the hydrogen bond network in these water clusters and provide an assessment of the number of glycerol-glycerol, glycerol-water, and water-water hydrogen bonds in the cluster, as well as their interaction energies. This method of bond counting and interaction energy assessment explains the changes in the mass spectrum as a function of mol % and offers a glimpse of the disruption of the hydrogen bond network in glycerol-water clusters. The calculations also reveal interesting barrierless chemical processes in photoionized glycerol water clusters that are either activated or do not occur without the presence of water. Examples include spontaneous intramolecular proton transfer within glycerol to form a distonic ion, nonactivated breaking of a C-C bond, and spontaneous proton transfer from glycerol to water. These results appear relevant to radiation-induced chemical processing of alcohol-water ices in the interstellar medium.

The vacuum-exhausted isolation locker (VEIL) provides a safety barrier during the care of COVID-19 patients. The VEIL is a 175-L enclosure with exhaust ports to continuously extract air through viral particle filters connected to hospital suction. Our experiments show that the VEIL contains and exhausts exhaled aerosols and droplets.

Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to establish the rates of levator ani muscle (LAM) avulsion in patients after forceps delivery (FD) and vacuum delivery (VD) as assessed by 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound. Methods: A systematic search was performed in the MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase databases up to December 31, 2021. Studies that studied primiparous women diagnosed with LAM avulsion by 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound in VD or FD were included. To do the meta-analysis, the jamovi project program version 2.2 (2021) was used. Results: The search yielded 1225 studies that met the MeSH criteria, of which 26 were included in the review. The estimated joint OR for VD vs. normal vaginal delivery (NVD) was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.31–2.86), for FD vs. NVD was 5.33 (95% CI: 3.78–8.11), and for FD vs. VD was 2.36 (95% CI: 1.46–3.84). Conclusions: Instrumented delivery with forceps or vacuum favors LAM avulsion. It is not possible to establish whether this injury is attributable to the specific instrument or to the type of delivery involved in the instrumentation itself.

Membrane distillation (MD) is an emerging thermal desalination technology capable of desalinating waters of any salinity. During typical MD processes, the saline feedwater is heated and acts as the thermal energy carrier; however, temperature polarization (as well as thermal energy loss) contributes to low distillate fluxes, low single-pass water recovery and poor thermal efficiency. An alternative approach is to integrate an extra thermal energy carrier as part of the membrane and/or module assembly, which can channel externally provided heat directly to the membrane-feedwater interface and/or along the feed channel length. This direct-heat delivery has been demonstrated to increase single-pass water recovery and enhance the overall thermal efficiency. We developed a bench-scale direct-heated vacuum MD (DHVMD) process to desalinate pre-treated oil and gas "produced water" with an initial total dissolved solids of 115,500 ppm at a feed temperature ranging between 24 and 32 °C. We evaluated both water flux and specific energy consumption (SEC) as a function of water recovery. The system achieved a 50% water recovery without significant scaling, with an average flux >6 kg m-2 hr-1 and a SEC as low as 2,530 kJ kg-1. The major species of mineral scales (i.e., NaCl, CaSO4, and SrSO4) that limited the water recovery to 68% were modeled in terms of thermodynamics and identified by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In addition, we further developed and employed a physics-based process model to estimate temperature, salinity, water transport and energy flows for full-scale vacuum MD and DHVMD modules. Model results show that a direct-heat input rate of 3,600 W can increase single-pass water recovery from 2.1% to 3.1% while lowering the thermal SEC from 7,800 kJ kg-1 to 6,517 kJ kg-1 in an unoptimized module. Finally, the scaling up potential of DHVMD process is briefly discussed.

presented by Pascal Wintermeyer, Zusammenfassunng in deutscher Sprache, Masterarbeit University of Innsbruck 2022

Helicenes are of general interest due to the significant chiral signals in both absorption- and emission-based spectroscopy. Herein, the spectroscopic properties of four recently synthesized azaoxahelicenes are studied using density functional theory methods. The azaoxahelicenes have 7, 9, 10, and 13 units and one to two complete turns of the structure. UV-vis absorption and electronic circular dichroism spectra are determined both in vacuum and in solution using explicit solvation through a combined molecular dynamics/polarizable embedding framework. Additionally, emission and circularly polarized luminescence spectra are determined based on vibronic calculations. The resulting spectra are in good agreement with the experimentally available data, highlighting that both absorption- and emission-based spectra of the systems can be modeled computationally such that reliable predictions can be made for systems that are yet to be synthesized., QC 20230524

I den här rapporten undersöks möjligheten för att tillverka och använda gjutmodeller tillverkade genom additiv tillverkning, i folkmun kallat 3D-printing. Först görs en grundläggande analys över hur modellerna tillverkas idag och vilka krav som ställs på modellen. Detta innefattar både rena material och hållfasthetskrav, men även mer svårdefinierade krav där man enbart kan resonera kring rimliga antaganden. Sedan undersöks de tillverkningsmetoder som kan vara av intresse för den här rapporten samt vilka material som isåfall skulle vara lämpliga. Därefter kontaktas potentiella leverantörer för att undersöka den praktiska genomförbarheten och få in jämförande prisuppgifter. Som mål var också uppställt att genomföra ett praktiskt test som skulle utmynna i att en modell i full skala testades under verkliga förhållanden som en del av företagets produktion. Av tidsskäl så var den här rapporten, tyvärr, tvungen att färdigställas innan själva testet hann slutföras, men flera viktiga steg i tillverkningen hade genomförts och prognosen såg god ut. I rapporten så presenteras också kostnads och miljöanalyser av den tänkta tillverkningen. Där additiv tillverkning jämförs med den traditionella modelltillverkningen i trä. Slutligen sammanställs det som man har kommit fram till och rekomendationer inför framtiden ges till företaget., In this report the possibility for the manufacture and use of molding-patterns made through additive manufacturing methods, commonly called 3D-printing, is evaluated. First an analysis of how the patterns are currently being made and which demands that are put on them will be made. This includes more pure material and load demands, as well as more abstract and hard defined demands. After this the different possible manufacturing methods will be evaluated, as well as those materials that could be reasonable. After this potential suppliers are contacted to evaluate the practical aspects of the project. Here comparative prices will also be gathered. The goal was set to complete a full scale test under real circumstances, as a part of the companies production line. Due to time constraints this report sadly had to be finished before those tests were completed, but several important steps had been made and everything were looking good. In this report there are also some sections on the cost and environmental implications related to the planned production and use of a 3D-printed pattern. It will be compared to the conventional pattern-making in wood. Finally this is all compiled and recommendations for the future are made., 3D-printing large foundry patterns 3D-printing is a hot topic with new uses and possibilities popping up practically every day, but is it really the ``be-all, end-all" solution to industries demands? Sometimes going back to a more conventional process might be the right decision. For a long time the pattern making process has been more or less standardized, with a pattern-maker making the pattern out of wood, often with traditional methods such as turning. Though this produces good results it is really dependent on the pattern-makers personal skills and precision, and though the turning itself does not take that long, building up large blanks before the turning even starts does. To work around these issues the idea of making the patterns with 3D-printing arose, what in the industry is called additive manufacturing. With 3D-printing you don’t start with a solid object and then machine it down. Instead the machine build up the part layer by layer to achieve the desired three-dimensional shape. 3D-printing is today quite common, both in some industries but perhaps more noticeably as a hobby product. The prizes for 3D-printers have gone down drastically in the last ten years and as a result a lot of people find it both fun and useful to print their own parts from time to time. This could be either just for fun sakes or for printing more useful parts such as spare parts that are otherwise not available. The problem for this project was then the size. Most hobby 3D-printers are quite small, few being able to print anything larger than a 300mm cube. For this project the base has to be at least 1.2m and the height is around 600mm. This leaves few options, which in turn sets limits to what techniques that are available. For this project it narrowed it down so that the only option was FDM, Fused Deposition Modeling. If you have ever seen a 3D-printer, it is likely that it was an FDM-printer. It is by far the most common printer and can be likened to a computer controlled hot

Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to establish the rates of levator ani muscle (LAM) avulsion in patients after forceps delivery (FD) and vacuum delivery (VD) as assessed by 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound. Methods: A systematic search was performed in the MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase databases up to December 31, 2021. Studies that studied primiparous women diagnosed with LAM avulsion by 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound in VD or FD were included. To do the meta-analysis, the jamovi project program version 2.2 (2021) was used. Results: The search yielded 1225 studies that met the MeSH criteria, of which 26 were included in the review. The estimated joint OR for VD vs. normal vaginal delivery (NVD) was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.31–2.86), for FD vs. NVD was 5.33 (95% CI: 3.78–8.11), and for FD vs. VD was 2.36 (95% CI: 1.46–3.84). Conclusions: Instrumented delivery with forceps or vacuum favors LAM avulsion. It is not possible to establish whether this injury is attributable to the specific instrument or to the type of delivery involved in the instrumentation itself.

There are many islands without full access to electricity around the world. These energy-poor regions generally have drinking water supply issues too. Renewable energy-powered desalination units can convert seawater to freshwater by using such as oceanic wave energy to mitigate the water limitation in small islands. A novel wave-powered floating desalination system (WavoWater) was proposed for easy on-site deployment and minimal environmental impact. WavoWater can produce freshwater using a vacuum-applied air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) system, and the heat needed for the AGMD is provided through a heat pump powered by wave energy. Small-scale experiments were conducted to estimate the water generation rate of the vacuum-applied AGMD, and the WavoWater system modeling was developed based on the experimental results and wave data observed near the City of Newport, OR, USA. Fast Fourier transform was applied to estimate the wave energy spectrum in a random sea wave state. It was evaluated that 1 m-diameter WavoWater can produce 12.6 kg of fresh water per day with about 3.1 kWh of wave energy. With the performance evaluation, the aspects of zero discharging and minimal environmental impact were also highlighted for the stand-alone wave-powered desalination system.

presented by Pascal Wintermeyer, Zusammenfassunng in deutscher Sprache, Masterarbeit University of Innsbruck 2022

Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to establish the rates of levator ani muscle (LAM) avulsion in patients after forceps delivery (FD) and vacuum delivery (VD) as assessed by 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound. Methods: A systematic search was performed in the MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase databases up to December 31, 2021. Studies that studied primiparous women diagnosed with LAM avulsion by 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound in VD or FD were included. To do the meta-analysis, the jamovi project program version 2.2 (2021) was used. Results: The search yielded 1225 studies that met the MeSH criteria, of which 26 were included in the review. The estimated joint OR for VD vs. normal vaginal delivery (NVD) was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.31–2.86), for FD vs. NVD was 5.33 (95% CI: 3.78–8.11), and for FD vs. VD was 2.36 (95% CI: 1.46–3.84). Conclusions: Instrumented delivery with forceps or vacuum favors LAM avulsion. It is not possible to establish whether this injury is attributable to the specific instrument or to the type of delivery involved in the instrumentation itself.

Among the benefits which vacuum impregnation (VI) may provide to fruits and vegetables, this study focused on weight and texture changes during the processing of table olives. VI applied to Manzanilla olives led to around 10% weight gain, which was maintained after their packing as black olives. However, this weight gain was only around 4 % for Hojiblanca olives. Likewise, the use of calcium chloride was recommended to maintain the firmness of the olives, in particular those of the softer Manzanilla cultivar. With regard to the Spanish-style, the Hojiblanca cultivar achieved around 4% weight gain during processing but the use of VI for Manzanilla olives was ruled out due to softening of the fruit. In addition, the black and green color of olives and their flavor were not modified by the application of VI. This technology could be very useful to reduce weight loss during table olive processing. Copyright

Hydrogel has been used as aggregate binder to form hydrogel-based concrete (HBC). HBC can maximize the in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) at a construction site with only water and natural aggregates, e.g., Mars. In this study, the curing effect of combined extremely low temperature (−55 °C) and near-vacuum air pressure (10 Pa, or 0.01% atm), which mimic the Martian surface environment, on the mechanical properties of HBC is investigated for the first time. HBC cubes were made with a wide range of sol-to-aggregate ratios (0.05 to 0.4). Compressive tests were conducted with the cubes; microstructural evolution of the inter-aggregate gel joint was examined. The experimental results indicate that the elastic modulus and compressive strength of all HBCs first increase until the increasing s/a ratio reaches a critical value and decreases afterward, despite the different curing conditions; the frozen and freeze-dried HBCs have lower mechanical strength than the air-dried ones. The different mechanical properties, induced either by the s/a ratio or the curing conditions, are mainly attributed to the evolution of gel microstructure instead of the change of gel property. A finite element model of a four-story beacon under typical loadings on Mars surface was created to study the feasibility of using frozen and freeze-dried HBCs as the constituent material. The results show that they can provide adequate mechanical strength for this niche application.

Environmental chambers are used to test the expected performance of space instrumentation and to investigate certain processes which are relevant in space or other planetary environments. In this study, a computational model of an existing Martian experimental facility is investigated numerically using COMSOL Multiphysics. For this purpose, we simulate the near surface water cycle under Martian temperature and pressure experimental conditions as tested inside the chamber and we compare the simulations with the experimental data. The model shows good agreement with experiments on the equilibration time scales and thermal gradients. Due to the imposibility to place sensors at multiple locations inside the chamber, we use the model to extrapolate the one-point relative humidity of the experimental data to each grid points in the simulation. This model gives an understanding of the gradient in atmospheric water relative humidity to which the experimental samples such as deliquescent salts and Martian regolith simulants are exposed at different time intervals. The of the performance of HABIT instrument during the tests, of the ESA/IKI ExoMars 2022 robotic mission to Mars, when compared with the model shows the existence of an extra internal heating source of about 1 W which can be attributed to the hydration and deliquescence of the salts exposed to Martian conditions when in contact with atmospheric moisture. In addition, the presented model is used to predict the thermal gradients and understand the time response when the chamber is heated in vacuum conditions. Our analysis shows that for thermal vacuum tests, the chamber will take about 2.5 h to reach the test temperature of 420 K.

[ES] El objeto de este TFG consiste en aplicar conceptos como el de la sostenibilidad y reciclaje en la talla escultórica. Con ello conseguimos dotar a nuestros trabajos de nuevas posibilidades constructivas que revertirán en una mayor expresividad al vernos completamente libres de los condicionantes del soporte. Conseguiremos aportar un nuevo punto de vista a la talla al componer el volumen escultórico gracias al sistema de la hibridación. Integraremos recursos disponibles en forma de residuos por lo que trabajaremos el reciclaje. Nos desligaremos del trabajo exclusivamente extractivo para integrar la adición en cualquier fase del trabajo. Con ello conseguiremos potenciar la significación de la obra mientras disfrutamos de una libertad creativa total sin límite de formato. Y por último, introduciremos el cromatismo en la talla gracias a los colores de los diferentes tipos de piedra que utilizamos., [EN] The purpose of this TFG is to apply concepts such as sustainability and recycling to sculptural carving. With this we are able to provide our works with new constructive possibilities that will revert to greater expressiveness as we are completely free from the constraints of the support. We will be able to bring a new point of view to the carving by composing the sculptural volume thanks to the hybridization system. We will integrate available resources in the form of waste so we will work on recycling. We will separate ourselves from exclusively extractive work to integrate addition into any phase of work. With this, we will be able to enhance the significance of the work while enjoying total creative freedom without limit of format. And finally, we will introduce chromaticism in carving thanks to the colors of the different types of stone that we use.

[ES] El objeto de este TFG consiste en aplicar conceptos como el de la sostenibilidad y reciclaje en la talla escultórica. Con ello conseguimos dotar a nuestros trabajos de nuevas posibilidades constructivas que revertirán en una mayor expresividad al vernos completamente libres de los condicionantes del soporte. Conseguiremos aportar un nuevo punto de vista a la talla al componer el volumen escultórico gracias al sistema de la hibridación. Integraremos recursos disponibles en forma de residuos por lo que trabajaremos el reciclaje. Nos desligaremos del trabajo exclusivamente extractivo para integrar la adición en cualquier fase del trabajo. Con ello conseguiremos potenciar la significación de la obra mientras disfrutamos de una libertad creativa total sin límite de formato. Y por último, introduciremos el cromatismo en la talla gracias a los colores de los diferentes tipos de piedra que utilizamos., [EN] The purpose of this TFG is to apply concepts such as sustainability and recycling to sculptural carving. With this we are able to provide our works with new constructive possibilities that will revert to greater expressiveness as we are completely free from the constraints of the support. We will be able to bring a new point of view to the carving by composing the sculptural volume thanks to the hybridization system. We will integrate available resources in the form of waste so we will work on recycling. We will separate ourselves from exclusively extractive work to integrate addition into any phase of work. With this, we will be able to enhance the significance of the work while enjoying total creative freedom without limit of format. And finally, we will introduce chromaticism in carving thanks to the colors of the different types of stone that we use.

[ES] El objeto de este TFG consiste en aplicar conceptos como el de la sostenibilidad y reciclaje en la talla escultórica. Con ello conseguimos dotar a nuestros trabajos de nuevas posibilidades constructivas que revertirán en una mayor expresividad al vernos completamente libres de los condicionantes del soporte. Conseguiremos aportar un nuevo punto de vista a la talla al componer el volumen escultórico gracias al sistema de la hibridación. Integraremos recursos disponibles en forma de residuos por lo que trabajaremos el reciclaje. Nos desligaremos del trabajo exclusivamente extractivo para integrar la adición en cualquier fase del trabajo. Con ello conseguiremos potenciar la significación de la obra mientras disfrutamos de una libertad creativa total sin límite de formato. Y por último, introduciremos el cromatismo en la talla gracias a los colores de los diferentes tipos de piedra que utilizamos., [EN] The purpose of this TFG is to apply concepts such as sustainability and recycling to sculptural carving. With this we are able to provide our works with new constructive possibilities that will revert to greater expressiveness as we are completely free from the constraints of the support. We will be able to bring a new point of view to the carving by composing the sculptural volume thanks to the hybridization system. We will integrate available resources in the form of waste so we will work on recycling. We will separate ourselves from exclusively extractive work to integrate addition into any phase of work. With this, we will be able to enhance the significance of the work while enjoying total creative freedom without limit of format. And finally, we will introduce chromaticism in carving thanks to the colors of the different types of stone that we use.

[ES] El objeto de este TFG consiste en aplicar conceptos como el de la sostenibilidad y reciclaje en la talla escultórica. Con ello conseguimos dotar a nuestros trabajos de nuevas posibilidades constructivas que revertirán en una mayor expresividad al vernos completamente libres de los condicionantes del soporte. Conseguiremos aportar un nuevo punto de vista a la talla al componer el volumen escultórico gracias al sistema de la hibridación. Integraremos recursos disponibles en forma de residuos por lo que trabajaremos el reciclaje. Nos desligaremos del trabajo exclusivamente extractivo para integrar la adición en cualquier fase del trabajo. Con ello conseguiremos potenciar la significación de la obra mientras disfrutamos de una libertad creativa total sin límite de formato. Y por último, introduciremos el cromatismo en la talla gracias a los colores de los diferentes tipos de piedra que utilizamos., [EN] The purpose of this TFG is to apply concepts such as sustainability and recycling to sculptural carving. With this we are able to provide our works with new constructive possibilities that will revert to greater expressiveness as we are completely free from the constraints of the support. We will be able to bring a new point of view to the carving by composing the sculptural volume thanks to the hybridization system. We will integrate available resources in the form of waste so we will work on recycling. We will separate ourselves from exclusively extractive work to integrate addition into any phase of work. With this, we will be able to enhance the significance of the work while enjoying total creative freedom without limit of format. And finally, we will introduce chromaticism in carving thanks to the colors of the different types of stone that we use.