Physics-Based Mixed-Mode Reverse Recovery Modeling And Optimization Of Si PiN And MPS Fast Recovery Diodes

The paper presents the results of the application of physics-based mixed-mode simulations to the analysis and optimization of the reverse recovery for Si-based fast recovery diodes (FREDs) using Platinum (Pt) lifetime killing. The trap model parameters are extracted from Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) characterization. The model is validated against experimental characterization carried out on the current International Rectifier (IR) FRED PiN technology. Improved designs, using emitter control efficiency and merged PiN-Schottky structures, are analyzed. Comparison between simulated and measured results are presente

Simvastatin improves the sexual health-related quality of life in men aged 40 years and over with erectile dysfunction : Additional data from the Erectile Dysfunction and Statin trial

© 2014 Trivedi et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.Background: Erectile dysfunction is prevalent in men over 40 years, affecting their quality of life and that of their partners. The aims of this study were:a)To evaluate the internal reliability of the male erectile dysfunction specific quality of life (MED-QoL) scale and explore its factor structure.b)To evaluate the effect of simvastatin on subscales of the MED-QoL in men over forty years with erectile dysfunction. Methods: This is a double blind randomised controlled trial of 40 mg simvastatin or placebo given once daily for six months to men over forty years with untreated erectile dysfunction, who were not at high cardiovascular risk and were not on anti-hypertensive or lipid-lowering medication. 173 eligible men were recruited from 10 general practices in East of England. Data were collected at two points over 30 weeks. We report on the factor structure of MED-QoL, the internal reliability of the scale and the derived subscales, and the effect of simvastatin on MED-QoL subscales. Results: An initial analysis of the MED-QoL items suggested that a number of items should be removed (MED-QoL-R). Exploratory factor analysis identified three subscales within the MED-QoL-R which accounted for 96% of the variance, related to feelings of Control, initiating Intimacy, and Emotional response to erectile dysfunction. The alpha value for the revised scale (MED-Qol-R) was >0.95 and exceeded .82 for each subscale. Regression analysis showed that patients in the placebo group experienced a significantly reduced feeling of Control over erectile dysfunction than those in the statin group. Those in the placebo group had significantly lower Emotional response than those in the statin group at the close of trial, but there was no significant treatment effect on Intimacy. Conclusions: Our revised MED-QoL-R identified three subscales. Secondary analysis showed a significant improvement in sexual health related quality of life, specifically in relation to perception of control and emotional health in men with untreated erectile dysfunction given 40 mg simvastatin for six months. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN66772971.Peer reviewe

Superconducting Effects in Optimization of Magnetic Penetration Thermometers for X-ray Microcalorimeters

Like MMCs, MPTs enable high energy microcalorimeters with zero bias power dissipation and potential resolution < 1 eV. MPTs can provide d(phi)/dT as large as 1000 (Phi)(sub 0)/K, with no excess noise, thereby reducing the importance of SQUID noise. Long coherence length in a Type-I superconducting MoAu film offers multiple advantages for efficient flux expulsion in MPT. Region of steepest d(phi)/dT is the Meissner effect in the small device; flux is expelled/penetrates to minimize free energy. Steepness of transition can be engineered with choice of film thickness and coil pitch relative to lambda(sub eff)(0), ratio of T/T(sub c), and bias circuit inductance

The fundamental pro-groupoid of an affine 2-scheme

A natural question in the theory of Tannakian categories is: What if you don't remember \Forget? Working over an arbitrary commutative ring $R$, we prove that an answer to this question is given by the functor represented by the \'etale fundamental groupoid \pi_1(\spec(R)), i.e.\ the separable absolute Galois group of $R$ when it is a field. This gives a new definition for \'etale \pi_1(\spec(R)) in terms of the category of $R$-modules rather than the category of \'etale covers. More generally, we introduce a new notion of "commutative 2-ring" that includes both Grothendieck topoi and symmetric monoidal categories of modules, and define a notion of $\pi_1$ for the corresponding "affine 2-schemes." These results help to simplify and clarify some of the peculiarities of the \'etale fundamental group. For example, \'etale fundamental groups are not "true" groups but only profinite groups, and one cannot hope to recover more: the "Tannakian" functor represented by the \'etale fundamental group of a scheme preserves finite products but not all products.Comment: 46 pages + bibliography. Diagrams drawn in Tik

The Magnetically-Tuned Transition-Edge Sensor

We present the first measurements on the proposed magnetically-tuned superconducting transition-edge sensor (MTES) and compare the modified resistive transition with the theoretical prediction. A TES's resistive transition is customarily characterized in terms of the unit less device parameters alpha and beta corresponding to the resistive response to changes in temperature and current respectively. We present a new relationship between measured IV quantities and the parameters alpha and beta and use these relations to confirm we have stably biased a TES with negative beta parameter with magnetic tuning. Motivated by access to this new unexplored parameter space, we investigate the conditions for bias stability of a TES taking into account both self and externally applied magnetic fields

Decentralization in Ukraine and bottom-up European integration

Author´s accepted manuscript.Available from 30/07/2023.acceptedVersio

Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland from different points of view : protocol for a mixed-methods study

“To die with dignity” has reached the significance of a core value in democratic societies. Based on this unconditional value, people require autonomy and care. "Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking" (VSED) represents an alternative to assisted suicide because no one else is involved in the action of death fastening, even though from outside, it might be considered as an extreme form of passive euthanasia. However, there are no data available about the prevalence and frequency of either explicit VSED or the implicit reduction of food and liquid in Switzerland. The responsible and independent ethics committee of the Greater Region of Eastern Switzerland (EKOS 17/083) approved this study

Non-response in a survey of physicians on end-of-life care for the elderly

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physicians are quite often surveyed with the aim to investigate their opinions regarding provision and improvement of health care. However, in many cases response rates tend to be rather low. The aim of the study is to reflect methodological aspects regarding survey conduction and to analyse factors that cause physicians to take part in a study on delivering end-of-life care for the elderly.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>N = 4,727 physicians in Lower Saxony, Germany, received a standardised questionnaire on their attitudes about end-of-life care for the elderly. Non-responders were asked to state the reasons for non-participation. Comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics between responders and non-responders, and evaluation of the reasons for non-participation were made.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The response rate to the questionnaire on end-of-life care for the elderly was 40% (n = 1,892). Of the non-responders to the questionnaire, 12.8% (n = 364) stated the reasons for non-participation. Overall, the response rate to the questionnaire varied with specialty and location of the practice: radiotherapists answered significantly more frequently than other categories of physician (e.g. general practitioners) and physicians in rural areas significantly more frequently than their colleagues in urban areas. The reasons most frequently given for non-participation were "Not concerned with the subject" and "No time".</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The varying rates of response indicate that the survey was not sufficiently relevant to all groups of physicians, or that the awareness of the topic may be partly underdeveloped.</p

Demonstration of Time Domain Multiplexed Readout for Magnetically Coupled Calorimeters

Magnetically coupled calorimeters (MCC) have extremely high potential for x-ray applications due to the inherent high energy resolution capability and being non-dissipative. Although very high energy-resolution has been demonstrated, until now there has been no demonstration of multiplexed read-out. We report on the first realization of a time domain multiplexed (TDM) read-out. While this has many similarities with TDM of transition-edge-sensors (TES), for MGGs the energy resolution is limited by the SQUID read-out noise and requires the well established scheme to be altered in order to minimize degradation due to noise aliasing effects. In cur approach, each pixel is read out by a single first stage SQUID (SQ1) that is operated in open loop. The outputs of the SQ1 s are low-pass filtered with an array of low cross-talk inductors, then fed into a single-stage SQUID TD multiplexer. The multiplexer is addressed from room temperature and read out through a single amplifier channel. We present results achieved with a new detector platform. Noise performance is presented and compared to expectations. We have demonstrated multiplexed X-ray spectroscopy at 5.9keV with delta_FWHM=10eV. In an optimized setup, we show it is possible to multiplex 32 detectors without significantly degrading the Intrinsic detector resolution