Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age.

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Neutrino oscillation studies with IceCube-DeepCore

AbstractIceCube, a gigaton-scale neutrino detector located at the South Pole, was primarily designed to search for astrophysical neutrinos with energies of PeV and higher. This goal has been achieved with the detection of the highest energy neutrinos to date. At the other end of the energy spectrum, the DeepCore extension lowers the energy threshold of the detector to approximately 10 GeV and opens the door for oscillation studies using atmospheric neutrinos. An analysis of the disappearance of these neutrinos has been completed, with the results produced being complementary with dedicated oscillation experiments. Following a review of the detector principle and performance, the method used to make these calculations, as well as the results, is detailed. Finally, the future prospects of IceCube-DeepCore and the next generation of neutrino experiments at the South Pole (IceCube-Gen2, specifically the PINGU sub-detector) are briefly discussed

Highly-parallelized simulation of a pixelated LArTPC on a GPU

The rapid development of general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is allowing the implementation of highly-parallelized Monte Carlo simulation chains for particle physics experiments. This technique is particularly suitable for the simulation of a pixelated charge readout for time projection chambers, given the large number of channels that this technology employs. Here we present the first implementation of a full microphysical simulator of a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) equipped with light readout and pixelated charge readout, developed for the DUNE Near Detector. The software is implemented with an end-to-end set of GPU-optimized algorithms. The algorithms have been written in Python and translated into CUDA kernels using Numba, a just-in-time compiler for a subset of Python and NumPy instructions. The GPU implementation achieves a speed up of four orders of magnitude compared with the equivalent CPU version. The simulation of the current induced on 10^3 pixels takes around 1 ms on the GPU, compared with approximately 10 s on the CPU. The results of the simulation are compared against data from a pixel-readout LArTPC prototype

Thermally activated flux flow in Fe1.06Te0.6Se0.4 single crystal

<b>Highlights</b>\ud \ud - Resistivity of Fe_1.06Te_0.6Se_0.4 is investigated around superconducting transition region in different magnetic fields.\ud \ud - Based on a theoretical prediction of the resistivity and experimental data, thermally activated energy is studied.\ud \ud - The study shows that Arrhenius curve slopes are directly related to but not equal to thermally activated energy.\ud \ud - Modified thermally activated flux flow model is suggested to use, where the temperature dependence of 2ρ_cU/T is considered.\ud \ud - Modified TAFF method results are in good agreement with very high critical current density values from experimental data.\ud \ud <b>Abstract</b>\ud \ud Resistivity of Fe_1.06Te_0.6Se_0.4 single crystal is investigated around superconducting transition region in different magnetic fields. The thermally activated energy (TAE) is analysed using the Arrhenius relation and modified thermally activated flux flow (TAFF) model. The results indicate that the Arrhenius curve slopes are directly related to but not equal to TAE. Therefore, use of the modified TAFF model is suggested, ρ(T,B) = ρ_{<font size="small">0f</font>} exp(−U/T), where the temperature dependence of the pre-factor ρ_0f = 2ρ_cU/T and the nonlinear relation of the TAE should be considered. The modified TAFF method results are in good agreement with the very high critical current density values from the experimental data. It was found that the vortex glass has a narrow region, and it depends weakly on magnetic field. The vortex phase diagram was determined based on the evolution of the vortex-glass transition temperature with magnetic field and the upper critical field

Structural and hydrogen absorption/desorption properties of Zr<inf>2</inf>(Co<inf>0.5</inf>Fe<inf>0.2</inf>Ni<inf>0.2</inf>V<inf>0.1</inf>) intermetallic alloy

The Zr2(Co0.5Fe0.2Ni0.2V0.1) intermetallic alloy was prepared by arc melting method and its physical properties and hydrogen storage performance were investigated. XRD analysis by Rietveld refinement and Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements revealed a multiphase crystal structure, in which the dominant phases are C16 Laves phase. The hydrogen-induced cracks, chemical composition, and elements distribution were analyzed by SEM and EDX mapping. The optimum conditions for the activation process, hydrogen absorption kinetics, cyclic durability performance, and disproportionation behavior were discussed. Zr2(Co0.5Fe0.2Ni0.2V0.1) alloy has a high absorption kinetic rate, with an activation energy of 10.11 kJ/mol, high hydrogen capacity (2.1 wt%) at room temperature, and good anti-disproportionation behavior (hydrogen pressure up to 8 bar and temperature below 783K). The hydrogen capacity decreased in the first three cycles (~25%) and then remained almost stable, which is likely caused by the high stability of hydride. The studied hydride has interesting features that can be considered for practical applications

Dosimetric characteristics of PASSAG as a new polymer gel dosimeter with negligible toxicity

Despite many advantages of polymer gel dosimeters, their clinical use is only not realized now. Toxicity of polymer gel dosimeters can be considered as one of their main limitations for use in routine clinical applications. In the current study, a new polymer gel dosimeter is introduced with negligible toxicity. For this purpose, 2-Acrylamido-2-Methy-1-PropaneSulfonic acid (AMPS) sodium salt monomer was replaced instead of acrylamide monomer used in PAGAT gel dosimeter by using 6 T and 50 C to the gel formula and the new formulation is called PASSAG (Poly AMPS Sodium Salt and Gelatin) polymer gel dosimeter. The irradiation of gel dosimeters was carried out using a Co-60 therapy machine. MRI technique was used to quantify the dose responses of the PASSAG gel dosimeter. Then, the MRI responses (R2) of the gel dosimeter was analyzed at different dose values, post-irradiation times, and scanning temperatures. The results showed that the new gel formulation has a negligible toxicity and it is also eco-friendly. In addition, carcinogenicity and genetic toxicity tests are negative for the monomer used in PASSAG. The radiological properties of PASSAG gel dosimeter showed that this substance can be considered as a soft tissue/water equivalent material. Furthermore, dosimetric evaluation of the new polymer gel dosimeter revealed an excellent linear R2-dose response in the evaluated dose range (0�15 Gy). The R2-dose sensitivity and dose resolution of PASSAG gel dosimeter were 0.081 s�1Gy�1 (in 0�15 Gy dose range) and 1 Gy (in 0�10 Gy dose range), respectively. Moreover, it was shown that the R2-dose sensitivity and dose resolution of the new gel dosimeter improves over time after irradiation. It was also found that the R2 response of the PASSAG gel dosimeter has less dependency to the 18, 20, and 24 °C scanning temperature in comparison to that of room temperature (22 °C). © 2018 Elsevier Lt

Dosimetric characteristics of PASSAG as a new polymer gel dosimeter with negligible toxicity

Despite many advantages of polymer gel dosimeters, their clinical use is only not realized now. Toxicity of polymer gel dosimeters can be considered as one of their main limitations for use in routine clinical applications. In the current study, a new polymer gel dosimeter is introduced with negligible toxicity. For this purpose, 2-Acrylamido-2-Methy-1-PropaneSulfonic acid (AMPS) sodium salt monomer was replaced instead of acrylamide monomer used in PAGAT gel dosimeter by using 6 T and 50 C to the gel formula and the new formulation is called PASSAG (Poly AMPS Sodium Salt and Gelatin) polymer gel dosimeter. The irradiation of gel dosimeters was carried out using a Co-60 therapy machine. MRI technique was used to quantify the dose responses of the PASSAG gel dosimeter. Then, the MRI responses (R2) of the gel dosimeter was analyzed at different dose values, post-irradiation times, and scanning temperatures. The results showed that the new gel formulation has a negligible toxicity and it is also eco-friendly. In addition, carcinogenicity and genetic toxicity tests are negative for the monomer used in PASSAG. The radiological properties of PASSAG gel dosimeter showed that this substance can be considered as a soft tissue/water equivalent material. Furthermore, dosimetric evaluation of the new polymer gel dosimeter revealed an excellent linear R2-dose response in the evaluated dose range (0�15 Gy). The R2-dose sensitivity and dose resolution of PASSAG gel dosimeter were 0.081 s�1Gy�1 (in 0�15 Gy dose range) and 1 Gy (in 0�10 Gy dose range), respectively. Moreover, it was shown that the R2-dose sensitivity and dose resolution of the new gel dosimeter improves over time after irradiation. It was also found that the R2 response of the PASSAG gel dosimeter has less dependency to the 18, 20, and 24 °C scanning temperature in comparison to that of room temperature (22 °C). © 2018 Elsevier Lt

Simulation of light C4+ ion irradiation and its enhancement to the critical current density in BaFe1.9Ni0.1As2 single crystals

In this work, we analyse the influence of C⁴⁺ irradiation with ion flounce of 3 × 10¹² up to 2.3 × 10¹⁵ ion·cm^&#8722;2 on significant enhancement of the critical current density, <i>J_c\ud </i>, in BaFe_1.9Ni_0.1As₂\ud single crystals. <i>J_c\ud </i> was increased from 0.61 × 10⁵ up to 0.94 × 10⁵ A/cm² at <i>T</i> = 10 K and <i>H</i> = 0.5 T. BaFe_1.9Ni_0.1As₂ single crystals with and without the C⁴⁺-irradiation\ud were characterized by magneto-transport and magnetic measurements up to 13 T over a wide range of temperatures below and above the superconducting critical temperature, <i>T_c\ud </i>. It is found that the C⁴⁺-irradiation causes little change in <i>T_c\ud </i>, but it\ud can greatly enhance the in-field critical current density by a factor of up to 1.5. Higher dose of C⁴⁺ ions, causes further <i>J_c\ud </i> enhancement at <i>T</i>=10 K. furthermore, flux jumping completely disappeared at <i>T</i>=2 K after second C⁴⁺-irradiation.\ud Our Monte Carlo simulation results show that all the C⁴⁺ ions end up in a well defined layer, causing extended defects and vacancies at the layer, but few defects elsewhere on the irradiation paths. Furthermore, the normal state resistivity is enhanced by the light C⁴⁺\ud irradiation, while the upper critical field, <i>H</i>\ud _{\ud <i>c</i>2}, the irreversibility field, <i>H</i>\ud _irr, and <i>T_c\ud </i> were affected very little