40 Years On: Reflections on the Iranian Revolution

The three articles compiled here are based on a panel discussion held at the Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC) on 23 May 2019. Marking the 40th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, its aim was to revisit the debate on the causes and impact of the revolution for Iran and beyond. Three questions in particular guided the interdisciplinary dialogue and political reflections on this world historical event: How should we analyse the conditions underpinning the revolutionary dynamics in Iran in the global context of the 1970s? How should the Iranian Revolution be analysed in an historical-comparative perspective? And, what is the legacy, or rather, the multiple legacies, of the revolution for the political struggles in Iran and the Middle East todayhttps://ecommons.aku.edu/uk_ismc_series_ops/1000/thumbnail.jp

Synthesis and growth of solution-processed chiral perovskites

In materials science, chiral perovskites stand out due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties and the versatility in their structure and composition, positioning them as crucial in the advances of technologies in spintronics and chiroptical systems. This review underlines the critical role of synthesizing and growing these materials, a process integral to leveraging their complex interplay between structural chirality and distinctive optoelectronic properties, including chiral-induced spin selectivity and chiroptical activity. The paper offers a comprehensive summary and discussion of the methods used in the synthesis and growth of chiral perovskites, delving into extensive growth techniques, fundamental mechanisms, and strategic approaches for the engineering of low-dimensional perovskites, alongside the creation of novel chiral ligands. The necessity of developing new synthetic approaches and maintaining precise control during the growth of chiral perovskites is emphasized, aiming to enhance their structural chirality and boost their efficiency in spin and chiroptical selectivity

Long-term effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by sphincter-preserving resection on anal sphincter function in relation to quality of life among locally advanced rectal cancer patients: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND: There is growing recognition for the consequences of rectal cancer treatment to maintain an adequate functional sphincter in the long-term rather than preserving the anal sphincter itself. This study aims to evaluate long-term effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by sphincter-preserving resection on anal sphincter function in relation to quality of life (QoL) among locally advanced rectal cancer patients. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients treated with nCRT followed by low anterior resection surgery were included in this study. Data on patient demographics, tumor location and symptoms of urgency and fecal soiling were recorded and evaluated with respect to Wexner Fecal Incontinence Scoring Scale, European Organization for Research and Cancer (EORTC) cancer-specific (EORTC QLQ-C30) and colorectal cancer-specific (EORTC QLQ-CR38) questionnaires and anorectal manometrical findings. Correlation of manometrical findings with Wexner Scale, EORTC QLQ-CR38 scores and EORTC QLQ-C30 scores was also evaluated. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 45.6 months (ranged 7.5–98 months. Higher scores for incontinence for gas (p = 0.001), liquid (p = 0.048) and solid (p = 0.019) stool, need to wear pad (p = 0.001) and alteration in life style (p = 0.004) in Wexner scale, while lower scores for future perspective (p = 0.010) and higher scores for defecation problems (p = 0.001) in EORTC QLQ-CR38 were noted in patients with than without urgency. Manometrical findings of resting pressure (mmHg) was positively correlated with body image (r = 0.435, p = 0.030) and sexual functioning (r = 0.479, p = 0.011) items of functional scale, while rectal sensory threshold (RST) volume (mL) was positively correlated with defecation problems (r = 0.424, p = 0.031) items of symptom scale in EORTC QLQ-CR38 and negatively correlated with social function domain (r = −0.479, p = 0.024) in EORTC QLQ-C30. RST volume was also positively correlated with Wexner scores including incontinence for liquid stool (r = 0.459, p = 0.024), need to wear pad (r = 0.466, p = 0.022) and alteration in lifestyle (r = 0.425, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: The high risk of developing functional anal impairment as well as the systematic registration of not only oncological but also functional and QoL related outcomes seem important in rectal cancer patients in the long-term disease follow-up

Calculation of shielding effectiveness and specific absorption rate via Transmission Line Matrix method

İletim Hattı Matrisi (İHM) yöntemi günümüzde sıkça kullanılmaya başlanan zaman-domeni tekniklerden birisidir. Bu çalışmada, söz konusu teknik öncelikle analitik çözümleri mevcut olan problemlere uygulanarak kalibre edilmiş ve geçerliliği gösterilmiş, analitik çözümün henüz mevcut olmadığı problemlerde ise diğer bir zaman-domeni yöntemi olan Zamanda Sonlu Farklar (ZSF) yöntemi ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Ele alınan iki önemli problem, ekranlama etkinliği (EE) ve özgül soğurma oranı (ÖSO)’dır. Bu problemlerin ortaya çıktığı yapıların modellenmeleri hayli karmaşık ve zor olduğu gibi bu büyüklüklerin deneysel olarak belirlenmesi de çoğu kez olanaksızdır. Bu nedenle her iki problemin çözümünde de sayısal yöntemler en yaygın ve etkili yaklaşımı oluşturmaktadır.Anahtar Kelimeler: İletim hatları, İHM yöntemi, ZSF yöntemi, ekranlama etkinliği, özgül soğurma oranı.Transmission Line Matrix (TLM) method is a very effective time-domain method, which has been extensively used in the past two decades for solving various electromagnetic (EM) problems. This method is not only used in the solution of EM problems but also in that of different types of problems such as diffusion and viscosity in the literature because of its nature. In this work, TLM is applied for determining solutions of two complex EM problems which have not been addressed via TLM. These two problems are the calculation of shielding effectiveness (SE) and specific absorption rate (SAR), which are very important in the daily life. These two areas present difficult modeling and simulation problems which may require excessive computer resources. However, since the determination of SE and particularly of SAR experimentally via measurements is often not possible numerical techniques play a dominant role in such applications. Analytical verification of the results have also been performed by comparing Green?s function solution of a PEC resonator with TLM results. And also radiation from an aperture is used for the same purpose in this study. Very satisfactory results are obtained via these validations. These results have shown that TLM method can safely been applied for solving two complex problems which are calculation of SE and SAR..Keywords: Transmission lines, TLM method, FDTD method, shielding effectiveness, specific absorption rate