Local structure and dynamics of hydrogen in carbon nano-materials: a neutron scattering and DFT approach

The study of the interaction between hydrogen and carbon monolayers has attracted a remarkable interest in different scientific domains, from interstellar chemistry, to nanoelectronics and energy storage just to name a few. The debate about the peculiar state of hydrogen at the graphene surface is still open and active and has important fundamental and technological issues. It is evident that the behavior of a chemically absorbed H atom at the graphene surface depends on different parameters, like the chemical bonds and the local atomic environment. The latter properties are specific to the graphene samples studied, namely to their preparation and further processing, as well as to the hydrogenation stage. Recently, the development of chemical methods, which exploit the thermal exfoliation of graphite oxide for producing gram-scale amount of graphene (TEGO), has opened the routes towards the experimental investigations of graphene using techniques that are usually reserved to bulk systems, like neutron scattering. In this work, macroscopic amount of graphene are studied using neutron scattering (neutron diffraction and spectroscopy). We show that the hydrogen local environment can be efficiently characterized, both qualitatively and quantitatively, thanks to its in influence on the dynamics of the chemisorbed hydrogen atoms. The combination of experimental data and ab-initio DFT calculations allows to identify the spectral fingerprints of the specific C-H configurations located at in-plane defects onto the graphene plane. The temperature dependence of the neutron spectra, coupled to 1H-NMR investigations, reveals an activated evolution of the structure of the in-plane voids, with a surprisingly low activation barrier. Finally, we extend the neutron studies to other type of carbon nanostructures, in particular to Nickel-decorated graphenes and to Lithium-intercalated fullerides, all of them being material relevant to hydrogen storage

Direct and indirect measurement of magnetocaloric effect in NiCoMnGa alloys

The Co-substitution for Ni in the Mn-rich NiMnGa Heusler alloys changes substantially their structural and magnetic ordering. The results will be discussed within the basic thermodynamic relations

Changes Induced by Exposure of the Human Lung to Glass Fiber–Reinforced Plastic

The inhalation of glass dusts mixed in resin, generally known as glass fiber–reinforced plastic (GRP), represents a little-studied occupational hazard. The few studies performed have highlighted nonspecific lung disorders in animals and in humans. In the present study we evaluated the alteration of the respiratory system and the pathogenic mechanisms causing the changes in a group of working men employed in different GRP processing operations and exposed to production dusts. The study was conducted on a sample of 29 male subjects whose mean age was 37 years and mean length of service 11 years. All of the subjects were submitted to a clinical check-up, basic tests, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); microscopic studies and biochemical analysis were performed on the BAL fluid. Tests of respiratory function showed a large number of obstructive syndromes; scanning electron microscopy highlighted qualitative and quantitative alterations of the alveolar macrophages; and transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of electron-dense cytoplasmatic inclusions indicating intense and active phlogosis (external inflammation). Biochemical analyses highlighted an increase in protein content associated with alterations of the lung oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis. Inhalation of GRP, independent of environmental concentration, causes alterations of the cellular and humoral components of pulmonary interstitium; these alterations are identified microscopically as acute alveolitis

High Voltage System for the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The CMS electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) is made of about 75000 lead tungstate crystals. The 61200 crystals of the barrel part are read by avalanche photodiodes (APD) with internal amplification of the signal. Since the gain strongly depends on the bias voltage, the APDs require a very stable power supply system. To preserve the high energy resolution of the calorimeter, a stability of the bias voltage of the order of 10^-4 is required over several months, a typical interval between absolute calibrations of the full read-out chain with physics events. This paper describes the High Voltage power supply system developed for CMS ECAL and its performances as measured in laboratory tests and during test-beam operations of several modules of the calorimeter

Bulk-Sensitive Soft X-ray Edge Probing for Elucidation of Charge Compensation in Battery Electrodes

To this day, elucidating the charge transfer process in electrode materials upon electrochemical cycling remains a challenge, primarily due to the complexity of chemical reactions at the electrode surfaces. Here, we present an elegant and reliable method to probe bulk-sensitive soft edges for elucidating anodic and cathodic charge compensation contribution via X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy. By using a hard X-ray incident beam, this technique circumvents surface limitations and is practically free of self-absorption due to its nonresonant nature. In addition, it does not require complex sample preparation or experimental setups, making it an ideal tool for potential in situ analysis of the electronic structure of electrode materials. In this study, we monitored, for the first time, bulk soft edges of both oxygen and transition metal (iron) of the cathode material $Li_2FeSiO_4$ during one complete electrochemical cycle concurrently. Our results reveal that the redox mechanism relies primarily on the iron (cathodic) contribution. Nevertheless, a change in electron confinement of the oxygen suggests its active involvement in the charge compensation process (anodic). Moreover, we were able to support the experimentally observed changes in the electronic structure with ab initio-based simulation

AIRO Breast Cancer Group Best Clinical Practice 2022 Update

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common tumor in women and represents the leading cause of cancer death. Radiation therapy plays a key-role in the treatment of all breast cancer stages. Therefore, the adoption of evidence-based treatments is warranted, to ensure equity of access and standardization of care in clinical practice.Method: This national document on the highest evidence-based available data was developed and endorsed by the Italian Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) Breast Cancer Group.We analyzed literature data regarding breast radiation therapy, using the SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) methodology (www.sign.ac.uk). Updated findings from the literature were examined, including the highest levels of evidence (meta-analyses, randomized trials, and international guidelines) with a significant impact on clinical practice. The document deals with the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of primary breast cancer, local relapse, and metastatic disease, with focus on diagnosis, staging, local and systemic therapies, and follow up. Information is given on indications, techniques, total doses, and fractionations.Results: An extensive literature review from 2013 to 2021 was performed. The work was organized according to a general index of different topics and most chapters included individual questions and, when possible, synoptic and summary tables. Indications for radiation therapy in breast cancer were examined and integrated with other oncological treatments. A total of 50 questions were analyzed and answered.Four large areas of interest were investigated: (1) general strategy (multidisciplinary approach, contraindications, preliminary assessments, staging and management of patients with electronic devices); (2) systemic therapy (primary, adjuvant, in metastatic setting); (3) clinical aspects (invasive, non-invasive and micro-invasive carcinoma; particular situations such as young and elderly patients, breast cancer in males and cancer during pregnancy; follow up with possible acute and late toxicities; loco-regional relapse and metastatic disease); (4) technical aspects (radiation after conservative surgery or mastectomy, indications for boost, lymph node radiotherapy and partial breast irradiation).Appendixes about tumor bed boost and breast and lymph nodes contouring were implemented, including a dedicated web application. The scientific work was reviewed and validated by an expert group of breast cancer key-opinion leaders.Conclusions: Optimal breast cancer management requires a multidisciplinary approach sharing therapeutic strategies with the other involved specialists and the patient, within a coordinated and dedicated clinical path. In recent years, the high-level quality radiation therapy has shown a significant impact on local control and survival of breast cancer patients. Therefore, it is necessary to offer and guarantee accurate treatments according to the best standards of evidence-based medicine

Energy Resolution Performance of the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The energy resolution performance of the CMS lead tungstate crystal electromagnetic calorimeter is presented. Measurements were made with an electron beam using a fully equipped supermodule of the calorimeter barrel. Results are given both for electrons incident on the centre of crystals and for electrons distributed uniformly over the calorimeter surface. The electron energy is reconstructed in matrices of 3 times 3 or 5 times 5 crystals centred on the crystal containing the maximum energy. Corrections for variations in the shower containment are applied in the case of uniform incidence. The resolution measured is consistent with the design goals

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis