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Premium displays that offer outstanding characteristics are becoming more important in liquid crystal display market. Globally, researchers are looking for ways to improve contrast, transmittance, viewing angle dependency, resolution and switching speed while keep the high reliability level of liquid crystal devices. UB (Ultra Bright)‐technology (UBplus and UBFFS) can increase panel transmittance by using negative dielectric anisotropy LC mixtures compared with traditional FFS Mode, supporting higher resolution devices. In this paper we demonstrate the advantage of UB‐LC technology for TV as well as IT applications and summarize the recent developments of such liquid crystal mixtures in terms of contrast, switching speed and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaming display market has been increased over the recent years and is expected to further grow. For immersive gaming experience high refresh rate driving is required and thus very fast response time LC is essential to enable better gaming experience. We have been looking for ways to improve response time of Liquid Crystal devices through LC mixture concept development. In this paper, we would like to demonstrate new mixtures with significantly improved switching speed parameter beyond limits by introduction licristal® XtraFast LC single. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Energy efficiency" and "Green Technology" are currently buzzwords in the display industry. Upcoming mandatory energy regulations are further driving this development, challenging the display industry. Within this context, we would like to demonstrate the advantage of UBplus LC technology for application in TVs. UBplus technology using LC mixtures with negative dielectric anisotropy offers a unique solution to this challenge due to a high transmittance level, whilst retaining the classic FFS cell layout. This paper summarizes the recent developments of liquid crystal mixtures for UBplus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The summer of 2022 was one of the hottest and driest summers that Germany experienced in the 21st century. Water levels in rivers sank dramatically with many dams and reservoirs running dry; as a result, fields could not be irrigated sufficiently, and even power generation and supply were affected. The impact of abnormally high temperatures for extended periods (heatwaves) is not restricted to nature and the economy but is also a considerable public health burden. Experts worldwide agree that these extreme weather events are being driven by climate change and will increase in intensity and frequency in the future. The adverse impact of these extreme weather events multiplies among dense urban environments, e.g., through heat islands. This calls for cities to take action to heat-proof and water-secure their urban developments. Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is one such approach to mitigate the aforementioned challenges by leveraging the urban water ecosystem with special attention to the subject of water reclamation, retention, treatment and distribution. This paper introduces and builds upon a prototype of WSUD that centers around an artificial lake as an integrated water resource management system (IWRMS) fed by treated grey water and storm water obtained from two housing blocks flanking the water reservoir. Based on the specifications of this prototype, indicators of site suitability are derived and applied to identify potential locations for replicable projects in the city of Darmstadt. The results confirm the impact WSUD can have: a total of 22 sites with 2527 apartments are found suitable for prototype implementation in Darmstadt. Savings in town water consumption from these 22 sites would add up to 147 million liters. Further benefits include the provision of 24 million liters of irrigation water, storm water retention, adiabatic cooling during heatwave, increased biodiversity and the improvement in livability of the sites and the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The defense of a computer network requires defenders to both understand when an attack is taking place and understand the larger strategic goals of their attackers. In this paper we explore this topic through the replication of a prior study "Extracting Attack Narratives from Traffic Datasets" by Mireles et al. [Athanasiades, N., et al., Intrusion detection testing and benchmarking methodologies, in First IEEE International Workshop on Information Assurance. 2003, IEEE: Darmstadt, Germany]. In their original research Mireles et al. proposed a framework linking a particular cyber-attack model (the Mandiant Life Cycle Model) and identification of individual attack signatures into a process as to provide a higher-level insight of an attacker in what they termed as attack narratives. In our study we both replicate the original authors work while also moving the research forward by integrating many of the suggestions Mireles et al. provided that would have improved their study. Through our analysis, we confirm the concept that attack narratives can provide additional insight beyond the review of individual cyber-attacks. We also built upon one of their suggested areas by exploring their framework through the lens of Lockheed Martin Cyber Kill Chain. While we found the concept to be novel and potentially useful, we found challenges replicating the clarity Mireles et al. described. In our research we identify the need for additional research into describing additional components of an attack narrative including the nonlinear nature of cyber-attacks and issues of identity and attribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt, Germany, provides unique possibilities for a new generation of hadron-, nuclear- and atomic physics experiments. The future antiProton ANnihilations at DArmstadt (PANDA or P ¯ ANDA) experiment at FAIR will offer a broad physics programme, covering different aspects of the strong interaction. Understanding the latter in the non-perturbative regime remains one of the greatest challenges in contemporary physics. The antiproton–nucleon interaction studied with PANDA provides crucial tests in this area. Furthermore, the high-intensity, low-energy domain of PANDA allows for searches for physics beyond the Standard Model, e.g. through high precision symmetry tests. This paper takes into account a staged approach for the detector setup and for the delivered luminosity from the accelerator. The available detector setup at the time of the delivery of the first antiproton beams in the HESR storage ring is referred to as the Phase One setup. The physics programme that is achievable during Phase One is outlined in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The design described in this paper was applied in the local cryogenics system of the SIS100 synchrotron, part of the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) constructed in Darmstadt, Germany. This paper presents the selected aspects of a superconducting cryogenic bypass line (BPL) design, a part of the international Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) SIS100 cryogenic system, currently under construction in Darmstadt, Germany. Design, manufacturing, and installation of the superconducting cryogenic bypass line is a part of a Polish in-kind contribution to the FAIR project, realized by the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. The BPL is dedicated to transferring liquid helium and AC electric current between SIS100 arc sections and superconducting quadrupole magnets located in warm straight sections of the synchrotron. A main innovative feature of the cryogenic bypass line is transferring the electric current and liquid helium in one vacuum vessel, while in other similar projects, namely, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (CH) or the Tevatron at FermiLab (USA), those functions are separated. The coexistence of superconducting busbars and liquid helium process pipes in one limited space, as well as numerous additional functional and technical requirements, was a source of the serious design and production challenges described in the paper, including two designs of the internal suspension system based on steel rods and aramid cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local climate policy in Germany is embedded in a complex and dense multilevel system. While higher levels of governance confront cities with legal frameworks and regulations, they are not constrained to mere implementation of requirements from the national or supranational levels. Cities can influence and make strategic use of opportunities stemming from the multilevel structure to introduce innovative climate policy measures as best practices. Within a multilevel structure, they can engage in trans‐local action and become actors in various processes of upscaling. In this paper, we analyze the configurations of success for local climate innovations. We focus on the impact of cities' trans‐local and strategic activities within the European multilevel system in conjunction with city‐specific context conditions. The research is based on a concept‐structural framework that combines trans‐local activities and internal context conditions in a way that accounts for interactions between the two spheres. A comparison of the German cities of Darmstadt, Hagen, Offenbach, and Oldenburg indicates that configurations of strategic action in the multilevel system and beneficial local conditions explain the adoption of climate innovations. Therefore, such trans‐local action should not be understood as a sufficient condition of innovative climate policy measures, but as an enabling factor embedded in local contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exclusive channels of antiproton annihilation on the bound nucleon are sensitive to mesonic interactions with the target residue. If the hard scale is present, then such interactions should be reduced due to color transparency (CT). In this paper, the d (p ¯ , π − π 0) p reaction is discussed at a large center-of-mass angle. Predictions for the future PANDA (antiProton ANnihilations at DArmstadt) experiment at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany) are given for nuclear transparency ratios calculated within the generalized eikonal approximation and the quantum diffusion model of CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superconducting dipole magnet for the compressed baryonic matter (CBM) experiment at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR Project, Darmstadt, Germany) is developed in Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (BINP, Novosibirsk). The dipole magnet has an aperture of 1.4 m × 1.8 m and a maximum magnetic field of 3.25 T. To ensure the reliable operation of the magnet, a wire with a high copper-non-copper ratio is required. To provide a copper-non-copper ratio as high as 7–10, the "wire-in-channel" technology is traditionally used, where the NbTi multifilament superconducting strand is soldered into a groove of copper channel with a cross-section of 3.25 mm × 2.02 mm. This paper presents the alternative technology for manufacturing a large cross-section NbTi wire for a CBM detector, which has a monolithic design with copper-non-copper ratio about 7.4. Test results indicate that critical current density (Jc) of monolithic NbTi wire exceeds Jc obtained by the "wire-in-channel" technology. Using the technology developed, more than 1 t of NbTi wire was produced with a cross-section of 3.25 mm × 2.02 mm and a total length of more than 30 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-based particle accelerators have been an active field of research for over two decades moving from laser systems capable of one shot every hour to systems able to deliver repetition rates in the Hz regime. Based on the advancements in laser technology, the corresponding detection methods need to develop from single to multiple use with high readout speed. Here, we present an online compact tracker of particles using scintillators with nine resolvable energy levels and a spatial resolution of 3.6 × 3.6 mm2 over the whole active area. This paper describes the design and construction of the detector, which is based on pixellated scintillators embedded inside an absorber matrix. The scintillator pixels are fiberoptically coupled to a camera system for online readout and analysis. Calibration with a radioactive source and first experimental data measuring laser accelerated ions at the PHELIX laser at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany, are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetrically excited meandered microstrip line RF coil elements are widely used in multichannel approaches; i.e., being integrated in ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems (i.e., 7-Tesla and higher). These elements have demonstrated strong magnetic field in deep areas through the object under imaging. Designing a radio frequency (RF) coil array that employs these elements without decoupling networks might cause non-optimized driving performance of coil array which in turn result in non-clear image. In this paper, two different methods of decoupling are studied: port decoupling and array elements decoupling. In the first one, the coil elements are designed at Larmor frequency (297.3 MHz), while in the other one, the coil elements are designed at higher frequencies but matched at Larmor frequency. Port decoupling does not always mean element decoupling. Conventional decoupling methods, such as single capacitor or inductor, face challenges to realize the coil element decoupling for meandered microstrip arrays. An optimized reactive (T-shaped) network is needed in order to achieve element decoupling which in turn prevents distortion of the EM field. All simulation results have been obtained using the CST time domain solver (CST AG, Darmstadt, Germany). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Passive House (PH) was built in 1990/1991 in Darmstadt-Kranischstein (Germany). It was the first real-size implementation of a concept proposed by Wolfgang Feist. Since then, several empirical design solutions have been developed by the Passive House Institute (PHI) of Darmstadt. This paper deals with the feasibility of the PH concept in Southern Hemisphere. The paper compares general climate conditions for 13 European localities and 38 localities in South America, South Africa, mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Further analysis is performed by estimating the energy performance of a prototype passive building when located in any of these localities. The prototype passive building is AMVIC PH built in 2008 in Bragadiru (Romania). The energy performance is evaluated by using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) developed by PHI. Passive buildings located in Tasmanian and South American localities at latitudes higher than 53° have a higher heating demand than European localities at similar latitudes. New Zealand and South American localities at latitudes lower than 53° generally have lower heating demand than European localities at the same latitude. The cooling demand is generally smaller in Southern Hemisphere than in Northern Hemisphere. Passive buildings placed in Tasmania, New Zealand, and South America do not require cooling while those located in South Africa and mainland Australia require a reduced amount of cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Planetary physics research is an important part of the high energy density ( HED) physics programme at the Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research ( FAIR) at Darmstadt. In this paper, we report numerical simulations of a proposed experiment named LAboratory PLAnetary Sciences ( LAPLAS). These simulations show that in such experiments, an Fe sample can be imploded to extreme physical conditions that are expected to exist in the interior of the Earth and in the interior of more massive rocky planets named, super-Earths. The LAPLAS experiments will thus provide very valuable information on the equation-of-state ( EOS) and transport properties of HED Fe, which will help the scientists to understand the structure and evolution of the planets in our solar system and of the extrasolar system planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an alternative to regenerative therapies, numerous authors have recently proposed bringing back subperiosteal implants. The aim of the study was to present our clinical experience with a subperiosteal jaw implant that needs minimal bone preparation and enables the rapid implantation of prosthetic teeth in edentulous, atrophic alveolar bone. The research included 36 complete or partial edentulous patients (61 subperiostal implants) over a period of 6 years. To create the patient-specific subperiostal implants design, DentalCAD 3.0 Galway software (exocad GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany) was used and fabricated with a Mysint 100 (Sisma S.p.A., Piovene Rocchette, Italy) by titanium alloy powder. The results showed that only 9 of the 36 cases were successful at 6-year follow-up, while 27 cases had complications, including exposure of the metal frame (early or delayed), mobility of the device prior to the first 4–6 months, and late mobility due to recurrent infections and progressive structure exposure; 1 case failed for reasons unrelated to the device. This study indicated that the prudent application of fully customized subperiosteal jaw implants is a dependable alternative for the dental rehabilitation of atrophic edentulous cases that necessitate bone grafts for traditional fixed dental implant solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The clinical significance of negative toxin enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) is unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the significance of toxin EIA-negative in the diagnosis and prognosis of CDI. Methods: All stool specimens submitted for C. difficile toxin EIA testing were cultured to isolate C. difficile. In-house PCR for tcdA, tcdB, cdtA, and cdtB genes were performed using C. difficile isolates. Stool specimens were tested with C. difficile toxins A and B using EIA kit (RIDASCREEN Clostridium difficile toxin A/B, R-Biopharm AG, Darmstadt, Germany). Characteristics and subsequent CDI episodes of toxin EIA-negative and -positive patients were compared. Results: Among 190 C. difficile PCR-positive patients, 83 (43.7%) were toxin EIA-negative. Multivariate analysis revealed independent associations toxin EIA-negative results and shorter hospital stays (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p = 0.013) and less high-risk antibiotic exposure in the preceding month (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.16–0.94, p = 0.035). Toxin EIA-negative patients displayed a significantly lower white blood cell count rate (11.0 vs. 35.4%, p < 0.001). Among the 54 patients who were toxin EIA-negative and did not receive CDI treatment, three (5.6%) were diagnosed with CDI after 7–21 days without complication. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that toxin EIA-negative patients had milder laboratory findings and no complications, despite not receiving treatment. Prolonged hospitalisation and exposure to high-risk antibiotics could potentially serve as markers for the development of toxin EIA-positive CDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports on the 40 years of development of Computer Graphics and, more recently, Visual computing (VC) at the Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany, from its beginning in 1975 to the leading “Computer Graphics and Visual Computing Hub” in Europe as of 2014. This development is described along three axes. First, the institutional development and its rational to establish Computer Graphics as a discipline of Computer Science and as an enabling technology for developing our Knowledge Society, are described. Second, the scientific and technological impact based on the teaching activities and the large number of theses submitted in Darmstadt for the area during these 40 years are addressed. Finally, the research road maps of the Computer Graphics and Visual Computing Hub in Darmstadt are presented relatively to the different stages of CG and VC research, relatively to a scientific view to the large number of projects implemented over these 40 years and, finally, also relatively to the project results as seen from the media. In order to manage the quantity as well as the complexity of the information available, the description of these road maps is divided in four time periods: 1975–1984, 1985–1994, 1995–2004 and 2004–2015. The paper also gives the view of the authors on how they see the future of Computer Graphics and Visual Computing. At the end, the paper includes an extensive list of references for the reported content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Launched in October 2018, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission is set to arrive at Mercury in late 2025. The modular S/C consists of two scientific Mercury orbiters and a cruise module with electric propulsion to support the 7-years cruise phase with planetary flybys at Earth (1x), Venus (2x) and Mercury (6x). Flight operations of the composite spacecraft are performed by ESOC Darmstadt, Germany. In the first year of flight, extensive near-Earth commissioning operations as well as two electric propulsion thrust arcs have taken place, with the S/C in excellent shape and well on its way to Mercury. Starting with a mission overview, the paper will present operations in the first year of flight, the current status of BepiColombo, as well as providing an outlook on upcoming activities and events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DIRICH front-end board (FEB) is a 32+1 channel FPGA based TDC readout module for Multianode Photomultipliers (MAPMT), and also Multianode MCPs. Due to its low cost and excellent timing precision in single photon measurement applications it will be used in the RICH detector of the Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at the future FAIR facility at GSI Darmstadt, Germany. In the regions of highest photon density at the CBM RICH one expects an average hit rate of ≃ 300 kHz per MAPMT pixel (6 mm × 6 mm) and ∼ 15 % occupancy for minimum bias Au+Au collisions at 35 A GeV at an interaction rate of 10 MHz. In order to validate the high-rate capability of the DIRICH readout, a dedicated lab setup simulating realistic detector signals by employing a pulsed picosecond laser light source in combination with a constant current driven LED was commissioned. In this paper the setup is introduced and first results are discussed. We show that individual readout channels can withstand photon rates up to 2.2 MHz per pixel, limited only by maximum data rate capability and buffer size on the front-end board. Using the same setup, also effects of high photon occupancy on the MAPMTs are investigated, which might cause additional signals due to capacitive cross-talk within the MAPMT or readout chain. Occupancies of up to 55% (simultaneous photon hits on more than half of the MAPMT pixels) are investigated, indicating that in the expected occupancy range of 10 % – 15 % the readout works flawlessly with very low cross-talk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PANDA (antiProton ANnihilation in DArmstadt) experiment at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) in Darmstadt, Germany, will use an antiproton beam with unprecedented momentum resolution and will achieve very high luminosity, thanks to a high-density internal hydrogen target. To allow the best angular acceptance, the detector will be composed of two independent spectrometers, the Target Spectrometer (TS) and the Forward Spectrometer (FS). The central part of the TS will be a superconducting solenoid with 2 T central field with an instrumented return yoke for muon spectrometry. At the heart of the FS a normal-conducting dipole will operate with 2 \ T\cdotm field integral. Both magnets have been designed to cope with stringent requirements on field uniformity and operational reliability. Further requirements for a smooth integration of the sub-detectors housed inside the two magnets have had to be taken into account. A complete project for both the magnets has been developed and approved by the FAIR Technical management as Technical Design Report. The paper presents a summary of the magnetic, thermal, mechanical and technical challenges of the PANDA magnet system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hydrodynamic behavior of a cylindrical solid target, heated by the intense heavy-ion beams, was simulated. The target was of the LAboratory PlAnetary Science (LAPLAS)-type geometry, as described by Tahir (LAPLAS). An iron target irradiated by the intense heavy-ion beams, with parameters available from the planned High Intensity Accelerator Facility or Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, Society for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany, will transform to the warm-dense state, similar to the situation that exists in the planet interior. The dependence of the achievable state of iron on the outer-shell material and beam location was investigated with Medusa-code simulations. The simulation results show that the compression of inner iron is significantly influenced by the density-to-mass ratio of the outer-shell material and the location of the beam heating. Using the LAPLAS geometry, a uranium beam of 800 MeV/u, and 1.5 x 1011 particles per pulse, our simulations show that the warm-dense-matter regime for iron is obtained. Details depend on the yet unknown equation of state and will be measured when this beam intensity is available in a couple of years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of ultra-high power lasers has lead to the very interesting and important field of Laboratory Astrophysics. Recent progress and expected near future developments in the technology of strongly bunched intense particle beams has opened up the possibility of studying planetary interiors in the laboratory which hopefully will eventually converge in the new field of Laboratory Planetary Physics. GSI Helmholzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt is a well known laboratory worldwide due to its unique particle accelerator facilities. Construction of the new huge accelerator complex, the Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research (FAIR), will substantially improve the existing capabilities of the GSI. A dedicated program named, HEDgeHOB, that aims to study different problems in High Energy Density (HED) Physics at the FAIR facility, has been proposed. One of these proposed experiments LAPLAS (LAboratory PLAnetary Science), aim to study materials at extreme conditions as relevant for the interiors of giant planets. In this paper we present simulation results that show that various regions of the high-pressure phase diagram of water can be probed within the LAPLAS experiments. For instance, the plasma and the superionic phase are predicted to occur in the interior of water-rich planets such as Uranus and Neptune as well as in extrasolar planets such as GJ 436b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes operation principles and the in-beam performance of Start Detector (SD) assemblies consisting of Diamond Detectors (DDs) grown by Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) and Front End Electronics (FEE) which have been designed for and used in various nuclear physics experiments at GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at giving an overview of the main issues for estimating the radiation protection quantities in complex radiation fields. The measurability (or non-measurability) of the radiation protection quantities is discussed together with the main approaches for their estimate. The main mechanisms through which the various components of complex radiation fields are generated are also outlined. The main instruments employed for estimating the radiation protection quantities are described and discussed together with their response. Finally, a practical example is given, by discussing the results of an inter-comparison exercise held at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung mbH in Darmstadt (Germany) in the framework of the COordinated Network for RAdiation Dosimetry project, funded by the European Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An ionization beam profile monitor relying on a supersonic gas-jet shaped into an extended, thin curtain is proposed for operation in an ultra high vacuum environment for very low perturbation on the accelerated beam, as requested for the in-ring profile monitoring at the Ultra low energy Storage Ring (USR) at the Facility for Low-energy Antiproton and Ion Research (FLAIR), in Darmstadt. In this paper, we describe the working principle of the monitor, as well as providing an analysis of sensitivity and resolution dependence on geometrical design and gas curtain thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field of High Energy Density (HED) physics is very important from the scientific as well as technological point of view and due to these reasons, it has been an area of very active research over the past many decades. Static as well as dynamic experimental configurations have been used to study this subject. Recently, a new approach that involves isochoric and uniform heating of matter by intense ion beams, has been proposed to generate HED sates in the laboratory. Extensive theoretical work has been carried out to propose various experiment designs employing this technique. In this paper we describe one of these proposed experiments that can be used to study planetary interiors in the laboratory and is named LAPLAS ( LAboratory PLAnetary Sciences). Detailed analysis of implosion and hydrodynamic stability of the target is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) is one of the most important and interesting areas of science that spans over numerous branches of basic and applied physics. In this paper, we present an overview of different experimental techniques that have been used to study this field over the past decades. We also introduce a recently proposed novel technique to study HEDP that involves isochoric and uniform heating of extended targets using intense particle beams. The Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), Darmstadt, is a leading laboratory worldwide that is well known for its unique accelerator facilities. The construction of a new accelerator complex named FAIR (Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research) will substantially increase the accelerator capabilities of GSI, which will make it possible to employ this new technique to study HEDP. In this paper we highlight some of the salient features of this proposed new method. We also note that in order to organize the construction of experimental facilities at FAIR and later to carry out experiments on HEDP, an international collaboration, named, HEDgeHOB (High Energy Density Matter generated by Heavy IOn Beams), has been organized. The work presented in this paper has been done within the framework of the HEDgeHOB Collaboration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, the major upgrades and technical improvements of the buffer gas handling system for the cryogenic stopping cell of the FRS Ion Catcher at GSI/FAIR (in Darmstadt, Germany) are described. The upgrades include implementation of new gas lines and gas purifiers to achieve a higher buffer gas cleanliness for a more efficient extraction of reactive ions as well as suppression of the molecular background ionized in the stopping cell. Furthermore, additional techniques have been implemented for improved monitoring and quantification of the purity of the helium buffer gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, the thermal compensation loops on a composite, superconducting NbTi cable were investigated. This type of cable is used in the superconducting, fast ramping magnets of the SIS100 synchrotron, part of the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) under construction in Darmstadt, Germany. The influence of space restrictions and electromagnetic cross-talk on the design of the thermal compensation loop was discussed. Plastic deformation of cable components during bending was analyzed by numerical simulations and experiments. A three-dimensional numerical model of the cable was prepared with individual superconducting wires in contact with a central cooling pipe. The bending of a straight cable into a compensation loop shape was simulated, followed by cyclic operation of the cable during thermal cycles. The maximum strains in the superconducting strands and cooling tube were analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Super conducting FRagment Separator (Super-FRS) is a part of Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, a new international accelerator facility for the research with antiprotons and ions to be built in Darmstadt, Germany. The Super-FRS includes 24 super ferric H-type dipole magnets with trapezoidal structure and large aperture, deflection radius of 12.5 m, magnetic field of up to 1.6 T, and effective length of more than 2 m for bending ion beams (with a rigidity from 2 to 20 Tm). Two Nb-Ti coils will be located inside the cryostat in order to be cooled with liquid He, but the yoke will remain at room temperature (RT). A chamfered-pole was designed to meet the required field homogeneity. This paper reports on the status of such a dipole. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite the benefits and biological value of dairy products, they can also be a source of dangerous substances of natural and artificial origin. Such substances include the estrogen hormone 17β-estradiol, an excessive amount of which causes oncological diseases and reproductive system dysfunction. A study was conducted to determine the toxicological evaluation of raw milk with different 17β-estradiol content on the culture of the ciliate Tetrachymena pyriformis. The content of 17β-estradiol was determined by enzyme immunoassay using the RIDASCREEN®17β-őstradiol test system (Art-Biopharm/R-Biopharm, Darmstadt, Germany). During the determination of acute toxicity, under the condition of the content of 17ß-estradiol in the raw milk in the amount from 20.0 to 2500 pg/ml, no changes in motor activity, body shape and inhibition of reproduction of ciliates were observed. At the content of 17ß-estradiol in milk in the range of 5000.0−5500.0 pg/ml, a slowdown in the motor activity of ciliates was observed without changing the nature of the movement. Thus, the amount of 17ß-estradiol in milk greater than 5000.0 pg/ml causes a minor effect on the vital activity and motor activity of Tetrachymena pyriformis ciliates. During 96 hours of the existence of ciliates in milk, chronic toxic effects on cells were not observed for the content of 17ßestradiol from 20.0 to 2500.0 pg/ml. Addition of 17ß-estradiol to raw milk in the amount of 5000.0 to 5500.0 pg/ml caused a chronic toxic effect on ciliates, as a result of which the total score in all determined indicators increased to 2 points. Thus, raw milk with an amount of 17ß-estradiol from 5000.0 to 5500.0 pg/ml may exhibit some chronic toxic effect on the cells of the ciliated infusoria. It was established that the relative biological value of raw milk with a content of 17ß-estradiol up to 2500.0 pg/ml was from 98.6 to 97.7 %, and in samples of raw milk with the maximum amount of the hormone (5000.0−5500.0 pg/ml) decreased by an average of 10 % to 89.22 %. Therefore, if the amount of 17ß-estradiol in milk is more than 5000.0 mg/ml, a chronic toxic effect on Tetrachymena pyriformis cells is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the design, prototype developments and test results of the new time-of-flight detector (ToFD) which is part of the R 3 B experimental setup at GSI and FAIR, Darmstadt, Germany. The ToFD detector is able to detect heavy-ion residues of all charges at relativistic energies with a relative energy precision σ Δ E / Δ E of up to 1% and a time precision of up to 14 ps (sigma). Together with an elaborate particle-tracking system, the full identification of relativistic ions from hydrogen up to uranium in mass and nuclear charge is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the first proof of the principal of an in situ diagnostics of the heavy-ion beam intensity distribution in irradiation of solid targets is proposed. In this scheme, x-ray fluorescence that occurs in the interaction of heavy-ions with target atoms is used for imaging purposes. The x-ray conversion to optical radiation and a transport-system was developed, and its first test was performed in experiments at the Universal Linear Accelerator in Darmstadt, Germany. The Au-beam intensity distribution on thin foils and Cu-mesh targets was imaged using multiple x-ray pinholes (polychromatic imaging) and 2D monochromatic imaging of Cu Kα radiation by using a toroidally bent silicon crystal. The presented results are of importance for application in experiments on the investigation of the equation of states of high energy density matter using high intensity GeV/u heavy-ion beams of ≥1010 particles/100 ns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the understanding that the EU is building a value-based digital society, this research aims to recapture the narrative of the smart city and to introduce the latter as an actor in EU digital policy. It starts from the acknowledgement that smart cities are reduced to mere business-led strategies and lack direct grassroots engagement that would bring value to the urban landscape. Then, it deconstructs the main pillars of the digital society as proposed by the current Commission and searches for areas of congruence between smart cities and the model for the digital society. To illustrate this congruence, the article analyses policy documents at the European and local level and features a case study of Darmstadt, designated Germany's Digital City in 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Which success rates do female and male IVF patients expect, what determines their expectations and do patients reconsider their expectations after receiving a personal IVF prognosis at the expense of anxious reactions?Summary Answer: Female and male IVF patients have unrealistic high expectations which are positively associated with their dispositional optimism, and which are only reconsidered by patients receiving a less than average IVF prognosis, which leads to more anxious reactions in females.What Is Known Already: Female patients undergoing IVF are known to have unrealistic expectations of the success of their own IVF cycle. The available evidence suggests women expect above average performance of their fertility clinic and (family) reproductive systems. The association of gender and personality trait dispositional optimism, with expectations of IVF success and the impact of providing couples with their IVF prognosis have not been studied previously.Study Design, Size, Duration: A total of 148 partnered individuals participated in this prospective survey at two separate points in treatment: following oocyte aspiration (T1) and embryo transfer (T2) (2019-2020, participation rate = 85%). At the time of embryo transfer, gynaecologists provided couples with their IVF prognosis, calculated with the Adapted van Loendersloot model. Women and their male partners completed questionnaires independently and immediately following oocyte aspiration and embryo transfer.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Dispositional optimism ('LOT-R' questionnaire) and expectations of IVF success (numerical rating scale) were assessed in eligible couples commencing a 2nd-6th IVF cycle on T1. Expectations of IVF success and anxiety ('Spielberger State-Anxiety Inventory') were (re)assessed on T2. The inter-partner correlation of expectations of IVF success was examined. Linear mixed models examined hypothesized determinants of expectations of IVF success (T1) and explored (determinants of) whether participants reconsidered their expectations after receiving their IVF prognosis (T1-T2) and whether couple's IVF prognosis was associated with anxious reactions (T2).Main Results and the Role Of Chance: The mean of the IVF success rates expected by patients immediately after oocyte aspiration was 59.1% (±20.0), irrespective of gender (P = 0.077). Partners expectations of IVF success were moderately correlated (r = 0.483; P < 0.001). Expectations of IVF success were positively associated with the participant's dispositional optimism (P < 0.001) but were not associated with their partner's dispositional optimism, women's age and their previous (un)successful IVF experiences. Gynaecologists gave couples their calculated IVF prognosis ranging from 4.8% to 69.2% (mean = 30.9%) at the time of embryo transfer. Gender did not influence whether participants reconsidered their expectations after receiving their prognosis. In contrast to the subgroup (n = 78), who received at least an average IVF prognosis and that did not reconsider their expectations of IVF success, the subgroup (n = 70) receiving a below average IVF prognosis lowered their expectations of IVF success (interaction effect: P < 0.001) from 55% to 46%. A below average IVF prognosis was associated with anxious reactions in women but not in men (interaction effect: P = 0.011).Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The study design and sample size were more optimal for examining hypothesized determinants of patient's expectations of IVF success than for studying the impact of sharing prognoses with patients. Whether (reconsidering) expectations influences IVF discontinuation rates and achieved live birth rates has yet to be followed-up.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Clinics are advised to offer patients the opportunity of receiving their IVF prognosis. Providing prognoses is in line with patient preferences and tempers the unrealistic high expectations of both partners in couples with a less than average prognosis. A sensitive communication style is indicated, as lower prognoses are associated with mild anxious reactions in women.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): E.A.F.D. holds a postdoctoral fellowship of the Research Foundation-Flanders (12H9819N) and this study was funded by the Research Council of the KU Leuven (C14/18/106; project of J.V., K.P. and E.A.F.D.) and as an investigator sponsored study of K.P. and E.A.F.D. by Merck nv/sa Belgium, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this study.Trial Registration Number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The FAIR project undertaken at GSI (Darmstadt, Germany) will lead to the construction of 2 superconducting synchrotrons and one superconducting fragment separator called Super-FRS. This paper presents quench measurements and calculations on the FAIR Super-FRS dipole using two different 3D FEM programs. The first (called Opera Quench) gives the same order of propagation velocities as those computed with a 1D program. The second (developed by CIEMAT) succeeds to reproduce the current drop and quench resistance measured on the Super-FRS dipole. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Professor Rolf Jakoby from the Technical University of Darmstadt talks about the work behind his group's latest paper 'Compact tuneable dual channel antenna based on ferroelectric ceramics' on page 897. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjacent to the existing accelerator complex of the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research at Darmstadt, Germany, the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) substantially expands research goals and technical possibilities. It will provide worldwide unique accelerator and experimental facilities allowing for a large variety of unprecedented fore-front research in hadron, nuclear and atomic physics as well as applied sciences which will be described briefly in this paper. The start version of FAIR, the so-called Modularized Start Version, will deliver first beams in 2017/2018. As an example the paper presents research efforts on strangeness at FAIR using heavy ion collisions, exotic nuclei from fragmentation and antiprotons to tackle various topics in this area. In particular hypernuclei and metastable exotic multi-hypernuclear objects will be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The FOPI detector at the heavy-ion synchrotron SIS-18 at GSI in Darmstadt has upgraded part of its time-of-flight (ToF) system by adding a new sub-detector shell (called the MMRPC Barrel) that is made out of Multi-strip Multi-gap Resistive-Plate Counters (MMRPCs). The MMRPC Barrel has an active area of 5m2 covered by 2400 individual anode strips which are read out at both ends by custom-designed electronics . With these multi-strip anodes we have obtained an enhanced detector granularity with 95% efficiency and a ToF resolution better than 90ps which increases the identification limit for charged kaons up to laboratory momenta of at least 1GeV/c. In this paper we report on the design, construction and operational characteristics of the MMRPC Barrel and describe its performance during the first experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Intense heavy ion beams offer a unique tool for generating samples of high energy density matter with extreme conditions of density and pressure that are believed to exist in the interiors of giant planets. An international accelerator facility named FAIR (Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research) is being constructed at Darmstadt, which will be completed around the year 2015. It is expected that this accelerator facility will deliver a bunched uranium beam with an intensity of 5×1011 ions per spill with a bunch length of 50-100 ns. An experiment named LAPLAS (Laboratory Planetary Sciences) has been proposed to achieve a low-entropy compression of a sample material like hydrogen or water (which are believed to be abundant in giant planets) that is imploded in a multi-layered target by the ion beam. Detailed numerical simulations have shown that using parameters of the heavy ion beam that will be available at FAIR, one can generate physical conditions that have been predicted to exist in the interior of giant planets. In the present paper, we report simulations of compression of water that show that one can generate a plasma phase as well as a superionic phase of water in the LAPLAS experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In experiments conducted recently at the ion storage-cooler ring ESR of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum, Darmstadt, the two-body orbital electron-capture (EC) decay of stored and cooled hydrogen-like 140Pr and 142Pm ions has been investigated. On top of the exponential decay, periodic modulations with a period and an amplitude were found for both systems. Tentatively these observations were explained as a kind of “quantum beats”, due to the fact that the electron neutrino, generated in these strict two-body decays, is a flavor—but neither a mass- nor energy- nor momentum-eigenstate. This interpretation has raised many objections. In order to discuss them reasonably, the first section of this paper after the introduction aims for a precise description of the experimental technique and the observables revealed in our experiments. It will be proven that many of the objections are entirely irrelevant, because they are based on a misinterpretation of our experiments and, in particular, of the observables addressed there. In the last section, the actual experimental status will be summarized, including preliminary results of the EC decay of hydrogen-like 122I ions. An outlook is presented on forthcoming experiments which could corroborate or disprove our observations and their explanation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: At Darmstadt, in Germany, is under construction FAIR a new international Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research. This will provide scientists in the world with outstanding beams and experimental conditions for studying matter at the level of atoms, nuclei, and other sub-nuclear constituents. An antiproton beam with intensity up to and high momentum resolution will be available at the High Energy Storage Ring (HESR) where the ANDA detector will be installed. ANDA will carry out a wide scientific program including meson spectroscopy from light to charm quark sector, baryon/antibaryon production, charm in nuclei, and strangeness physics with particular attention to the systems with strangeness . In this paper will be illustrated the details of the ANDA scientific program related to strangeness physics, after a brief introduction about the FAIR facility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper presents new experimental results and FLUKA-simulations of residual activation induced by high-energy argon ions in copper. It follows the previous residual activation studies performed at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt with uranium ions as a preparatory work for constructing the FAIR facility. Copper samples were irradiated by 1GeV/u and 500MeV/u 40Ar ions and investigated by gamma-ray spectroscopy. The samples were irradiated in the stacked-foil geometry. The isotopes with dominating contribution to the total residual activity were identified and their partial activities were quantified. Depth-profiling of the partial residual activities of all identified isotopes was performed by measurements of individual target foils. The experimental results were compared with simulations by the FLUKA-code. A satisfactory agreement between the experiment and the simulations was observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The European Commission has funded within its 6th Framework Programme a three-year project (2005–2007) called CONRAD, COordinated Network for RAdiation Dosimetry. A major task of the CONRAD Work Package “complex mixed radiation fields at workplaces” was to organise a benchmark exercise in a workplace field at a high-energy particle accelerator where neutrons are the dominant radiation component. The CONRAD benchmark exercise took place at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung mbH (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany in July 2006. In this paper, the results of the spectrometry using four extended -range Bonner sphere spectrometers of four different institutes are reported. Outside Cave A the neutron spectra were measured with three spectrometers at six selected positions and ambient dose equivalent values were derived for use in the intercomparison with other area monitors and dosemeters. At a common position all three spectrometers were used to allow a direct comparison of their results which acts as an internal quality assurance. The comparison of the neutron spectra measured by the different groups shows very good agreement. A detailed analysis presents some differences between the shapes of the spectra and possible sources of these differences are discussed. However, the ability of Bonner sphere spectrometers to provide reliable integral quantities like fluence and ambient dose equivalent is well demonstrated in this exercise. The fluence and dose results derived by the three groups agree very well within the given uncertainties, not only with respect to the total energy region present in this environment but also for selected energy regions which contribute in certain strength to the total values. In addition to the positions outside Cave A one spectrometer was used to measure the neutron spectrum at one position in the entry maze of Cave A. In this case a comparison was possible to earlier measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we propose a novel experimental scheme, named LAboratory PLAnetary Sciences (LAPLAS), to study interiors of the giant planets in our solar system as well as exoplanets. This scheme involves low-entropy compression of a test material like hydrogen or ice that is imploded in a multi-layered cylindrical target driven by an intense heavy ion beam. Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of implosion of a typical LAPLAS target assuming beam parameters that will be available at the future Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research (FAIR) at Darmstadt, are reported, that demonstrate the feasibility of this scheme. Moreover, it is shown that the target implosion will be robust and will be stable towards hydrodynamic instabilities. This work has been done within the framework of the High Energy Density Matter Generated by Heavy Ion Beams (HEDgeHOB) collaboration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]