SICANE: a Detector Array for the Measurement of Nuclear Recoil Quenching Factors using Monoenergetic Neutron Beam

SICANE is a neutron scattering multidetector facility for the determination of the quenching factor (ratio of the response to nuclear recoils and to electrons) of cryogenic detectors used in direct WIMP searches. Well collimated monoenergetic neutron beams are obtained with inverse (p,n) reactions. The facility is described, and results obtained for the quenching factors of scintillation in NaI(Tl) and of heat and ionization in Ge are presented.Comment: 30 pages, Latex, 11 figures. Submitted to NIM

Theoretical Directional and Modulated Rates for Direct SUSY Dark Matter Detection

Exotic dark matter together with the vacuum energy (cosmological constant) seem to dominate in the flat Universe. Thus direct dark matter detection is central to particle physics and cosmology. Supersymmetry provides a natural dark matter candidate, the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP). Furthermore from the knowledge of the density and velocity distribution of the LSP, the quark substructure of the nucleon and the nuclear structure (form factor and/or spin response function), one is able to evaluate the event rate for LSP-nucleus elastic scattering. The thus obtained event rates are, however, very low. So it is imperative to exploit the two signatures of the reaction, namely the modulation effect, i.e. the dependence of the event rate on the Earth's motion, and the directional asymmetry, i.e. the dependence of the rate on the the relative angle between the direction of the recoiling nucleus and the sun's velocity. These two signatures are studied in this paper employing various velocity distributions and a supersymmetric model with universal boundary conditions at large tan(beta).Comment: 11 LATEX pages, 1 table and 4 ps figures included. Paper presented in DARK2002, Fourth Heidelberg International Conference on Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics, Cape Town, South Africa, 4-9 February, 2002, to appear in the proceedings (to be published by Springer Verlag

AI may enable robots to make a clinical impact in total knee arthroplasty, where navigation has not!

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is on the verge of being revolutionized by artificial intelligence (AI), which will make it possible for robots to have a clinical influence in areas where navigation systems have been rendered ineffective. Navigation has been shown to increase surgical accuracy; never- theless, it has not been shown to provide major gains in terms of clinical outcome for the patient. On the other hand, robotic systems that are powered by artificial intelligence have the potential to improve functional outcomes, boost precision, and tailor procedures to the specific anatomy of each unique patient. Through the utilization of real‐time data and prediction algorithms, artificial intelligence‐guided robots have the potential to overcome the limits of conventional approaches, thereby establishing a new benchmark for TKA

Showdown in Schönau: a contest case study

This chapter analyzes a referendum campaign as a case study of a contest. The referendum, held in 1996 in the small German town of Schönau, led to the replacement of the convention-al electricity supplier by a firm founded by the local environmentalists. We discuss both quali-tative aspects (activities, arguments and strategies of the environmentalists, the electricity firm and its local allies) and quantitative aspects (lobbying effectiveness, stakes, effort and success probability). We identify voter groups more inclined to vote one way or the other and factors that contributed to the environmentalists’ victory. Finally, we discuss modeling implications

Same same but different—Image-based versus imageless robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty!

Robotic‐assisted total knee arthroplasty (RTKA) has gained widespread acceptance due to its demon- strated ability to improve surgical accuracy com- pared to conventional total knee arthroplasty (CTKA). While the precise impact of RTKA on postoperative patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) remains inconclusive, the increased accuracy in alignment and joint kinematics suggests potential improvements in patient satisfaction and functional outcomes. Two primary RTKA systems exist: image‐based, which uses preoperative CT scans for detailed 3D modeling, and image‐less, which relies on intra‐operative digitization of ana- tomical landmarks. Both systems aim to achieve accurate implant placement and soft‐tissue bal- ancing, yet they differ in methodology and reliance on preoperative data. Despite RTKA's theoretical advantages, there is ongoing debate about whether accuracy alone is sufficient to achieve optimal postoperative out- comes, particularly concerning joint kinematics and alignment strategies. Literature reveals no significant difference in coronal plane alignment between image‐based and image‐less systems, though image‐less systems may be more prone to varus errors due to the reliance on intra‐articular landmarks. Additionally, image‐free systems may face challenges in replicating native knee anat- omy, especially in the sagittal plane, leading to potential limitations in achieving ideal tibial slope reconstruction. The future of RTKA may lie in refining implant po- sitioning strategies that minimize postoperative al- terations to pre‐arthritic knee kinematics, particu- larly with standardized off‐the‐shelf implants. As robotic technology evolves, there is potential to enhance surgical outcomes by combining accurac

The cross on rings performed by an Olympic champion

The cross is a key skill in Male Artistic Gymnastics rings routines. However, few researches were found about this skill. There is knowledge about the forces needed to perform the cross, or about muscles activation, separately. The aim of this paper was to accomplish a comprehensive research about the biomechanics of cross on rings, in order to obtain a descriptive model about this skill. Therefore, the currently Olympic champion on rings event volunteered in this research. He performed three crosses with the usual apparatus in his training gym. The measurement methods were combined: One digital video camera, one strain gauge in each cable and surface electromyography of nine right shoulder muscles were used. Statistical analyses were performed by parametric and non parametric tests and descriptive statistics. Symmetry values were calculated for shoulder angles and cables of right and left side. Coefficient of variation of muscle activation and co contraction were verified. Within gymnast variability was calculated using biological coefficient of variation (BCV), discretely for kinematic measures. Low variability values of shoulder angles and cable forces were verified and low values of asymmetry as well. Muscle activation varied according to muscle function, while co-contraction values were different among trials. These results pointed out the characteristics of the cross performed by an elite gymnast. Knowledge about the characteristics of cross can inform coaches, practitioners and clinicians how a successful skill should be presented

Spatiotemporal phase slip patterns for visual evoked potentials, covert object naming tasks, and insight moments extracted from 256 channel EEG recordings

Funding Information: A portion of this work was funded by grants from the Landspitali Research Fund and the Icelandic Research Fund (RANNIS), Grant Number: 174236-051, Modeling of Cranial Muscle Artefacts in EEG Data. UG was funded by German Research Foundation, Grant Number: GR 5251/1-1. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Ramon, Graichen, Gargiulo, Zanow, Knösche and Haueisen.Phase slips arise from state transitions of the coordinated activity of cortical neurons which can be extracted from the EEG data. The phase slip rates (PSRs) were studied from the high-density (256 channel) EEG data, sampled at 16.384 kHz, of five adult subjects during covert visual object naming tasks. Artifact-free data from 29 trials were averaged for each subject. The analysis was performed to look for phase slips in the theta (4–7 Hz), alpha (7–12 Hz), beta (12–30 Hz), and low gamma (30–49 Hz) bands. The phase was calculated with the Hilbert transform, then unwrapped and detrended to look for phase slip rates in a 1.0 ms wide stepping window with a step size of 0.06 ms. The spatiotemporal plots of the PSRs were made by using a montage layout of 256 equidistant electrode positions. The spatiotemporal profiles of EEG and PSRs during the stimulus and the first second of the post-stimulus period were examined in detail to study the visual evoked potentials and different stages of visual object recognition in the visual, language, and memory areas. It was found that the activity areas of PSRs were different as compared with EEG activity areas during the stimulus and post-stimulus periods. Different stages of the insight moments during the covert object naming tasks were examined from PSRs and it was found to be about 512 ± 21 ms for the ‘Eureka’ moment. Overall, these results indicate that information about the cortical phase transitions can be derived from the measured EEG data and can be used in a complementary fashion to study the cognitive behavior of the brain.Peer reviewe

Spatiotemporal phase slip patterns for visual evoked potentials, covert object naming tasks, and insight moments extracted from 256 channel EEG recordings

Phase slips arise from state transitions of the coordinated activity of cortical neurons which can be extracted from the EEG data. The phase slip rates (PSRs) were studied from the high-density (256 channel) EEG data, sampled at 16.384 kHz, of five adult subjects during covert visual object naming tasks. Artifact-free data from 29 trials were averaged for each subject. The analysis was performed to look for phase slips in the theta (4–7 Hz), alpha (7–12 Hz), beta (12–30 Hz), and low gamma (30–49 Hz) bands. The phase was calculated with the Hilbert transform, then unwrapped and detrended to look for phase slip rates in a 1.0 ms wide stepping window with a step size of 0.06 ms. The spatiotemporal plots of the PSRs were made by using a montage layout of 256 equidistant electrode positions. The spatiotemporal profiles of EEG and PSRs during the stimulus and the first second of the post-stimulus period were examined in detail to study the visual evoked potentials and different stages of visual object recognition in the visual, language, and memory areas. It was found that the activity areas of PSRs were different as compared with EEG activity areas during the stimulus and post-stimulus periods. Different stages of the insight moments during the covert object naming tasks were examined from PSRs and it was found to be about 512 ± 21 ms for the ‘Eureka’ moment. Overall, these results indicate that information about the cortical phase transitions can be derived from the measured EEG data and can be used in a complementary fashion to study the cognitive behavior of the brain