Munich University of Applied Sciences

Materials with low dimensionality have been identified as potential candidates for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Semiconducting polyphosphides with one‐dimensional (1D) substructures, such as materials adopting the HgPbP 14 ‐structure type or Pb 5 I 2 P 28 , are examples of this class. Herein, we report on (PbBr 2 )[Pb 2 P 14 ] 2 that crystallizes monoclinically, in space group P 2 1 / n (No. 14), with the cell parameters a = 9.8175(7) Å, b = 17.5841(11) Å, c = 18.9568(15) Å, and β = 97.612(6)°. The title compound consists of formal charge‐neutral PbBr 2 units that interlink entities, resulting in a more descriptive formula (PbBr 2 )[Pb 2 P 14 ] 2 rather than the sum formula Pb 5 Br 2 P 28 . Raman spectroscopy was used to support this adduct description, indicating that the title compound exhibits a bonding situation within the Pb substructure similar to PbBr 2 . First‐principle density functional theory (DFT) calculations on (PbBr 2 )[Pb 2 P 14 ] 2 and isostructural (PbI 2 )[Pb 2 P 14 ] 2 (Pb 5 I 2 P 28 ) illustrate typical semiconductor behavior for these two polyphosphides. Photoluminescence spectroscopy shows two band gaps at 1.90 and 1.79 eV in both (PbBr 2 )[Pb 2 P 14 ] 2 and (PbI 2 )[Pb 2 P 14 ] 2 , which align with the calculated values found from DFT calculations.

Despite advances in multimodal therapy, survival in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has improved only modestly. Tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays allow early detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) and recurrence after curative treatment. We analyzed ctDNA in plasma from 76 and saliva from 54 HNSCC patients before and after curative-intent surgery, testing 656 plasma and 128 saliva samples longitudinally. High preoperative ctDNA shedding correlated with advanced pathological stage, lymph node involvement, adverse histologic features, and molecular markers including PD-1 expression and tumor mutational burden. Transcriptomic profiling showed associations between high shedding and increased proliferation, EGFR/MAPK pathway activity, and upregulation of EGFR-related invasion and metastasis genes. Plasma ctDNA detected ≥14 days post-surgery identified 91.3% of recurrences, with lead times up to 500 days before clinical confirmation. These results highlight the value of serial ctDNA monitoring for early relapse detection and potentially improved treatment guidance in HNSCC.

Requirements specification, based on informal elicitation of requirements, is a tedious process that is typically performed manually on the basis of informal requirements descriptions, meeting notes, sketches, and other types of documentation, such as regulatory or company-internal standards. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of partially automating this process using Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). We propose an architecture that can retrieve information from a multitude of sources including text documents, images, websites, and PDF documents, and that enables the user to interactively refine requirements documents. Via the RAG pipeline, the architecture can incorporate knowledge and experience from previous, related projects. Session contexts can be persisted and restored, such that refinements can be made subsequently. Using the example of a company providing engineering services in software, hardware, and mechanical engineering, we show that the requirements specification process can be meaningfully accelerated using this architecture. Open-source implementation (code + prompts): https://github.com/frickly-systems/reqrag

Abstract This opinion paper critically examines the potential and limitations of language model-based AI, with a focus on ChatGPT, in the context of tourism research. While recent studies emphasize the use of generative AI in education and service applications, little attention has been paid to its validity, reliability, and objectivity for scientific knowledge creation in tourism. Through empirical tests involving text analysis of tourism abstracts and image interpretation, the study reveals significant shortcomings in consistency, reliability, and methodological rigor. The findings underscore the risks of overreliance on AI-generated outputs without critical verification and highlight the necessity of maintaining established scientific standards. The paper advocates a cautious integration of AI as a supportive tool rather than a substitute for rigorous research.

Abstrakt Glas weist aufgrund seiner energieintensiven Herstellung einen hohen Anteil sogenannter „grauer Energie“ auf und beeinflusst über seine bauphysikalischen Eigenschaften den Energiebedarf von Gebäuden im Betrieb. In Deutschland sind derzeit noch über 150 Mio. Fenstereinheiten mit unbeschichteten Zweifach‐Isoliergläsern verbaut, die in den kommenden Jahren ersetzt werden müssen. Die Aufbereitung, Ertüchtigung und erneute Nutzung ausgebauter Glasscheiben bieten ein erhebliches Potenzial zur Reduktion von CO 2 ‐Emissionen. Der Beitrag untersucht anhand aktueller Fallstudien, wie ein solches Vorgehen technisch umgesetzt werden kann. Zentrale Aspekte sind der Umgang mit der visuellen Qualität und die Bestimmung der Festigkeit ausgebauter Glasscheiben sowie die Herstellung neuer Isolierglaseinheiten unter Verwendung dieser Bestandskomponenten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Remanufacturing‐Konzepte einen wirksamen Ansatz darstellen, um Materialkreisläufe im Bereich Flachglas zu schließen und Ressourcen zu schonen.

ABSTRACT Planet formation in the discs around young stars involves the coagulation of submicrometre-sized dust grains into much larger grains that may be mixed by turbulence and migrate through the disc. In this paper, we describe how we have combined a method for modelling the coagulation of a population of dust grains with the multigrain algorithm for modelling the dynamical evolution of a population of dust grains that are subject to strong gas drag. We solve the dynamical evolution of the dust grains due to gas drag using a recently developed implicit integration method, and we introduce a new implicit method to model the diffusion of the dust due to unresolved hydrodynamic turbulence. The resulting smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code allows us, for the first time, to model the growth, mixing and migration of dust grain populations during the early stages of star formation and the formation, growth, and evolution of a young protoplanetary disc using three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations. In doing so, we find that including turbulent dust diffusion within the disc provides a substantial enhancement of the rate of dust grain growth due to the fact that the turbulent diffusion provides a source of small and intermediate dust grains to the regions in which the largest dust grains are growing.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations frequently encounter unique low-altitude wind hazards such as gusts, wind shears, vorticities, venturi effects, up- and downdrafts, turbulences, and self-induced downwash. These micro-scale atmospheric hazards change rapidly, particularly due to building-induced airflow, and are difficult to detect, emphasizing the importance of pilot awareness for UAM safety. To address this challenge, this study introduces a novel approach that, for the first time, integrates real-time wind field forecasts, using a Factorized Fourier Neural Operator (F-FNO), into an H145 Level D full-flight simulator (FFS) to enable the simulation of highly realistic atmospheric conditions. For each predicted wind field, hazardous wind phenomena are classified as adaptive keep-out geofences using an enhanced $\alpha$-shape algorithm. These keep-out geofences are depicted in real time through a JVC augmented reality (AR) headset as well as through an additional display inside the cockpit, providing pilots with a new and immersive method for wind field visualization to support navigation and situational awareness. Workload and performance were evaluated in specific, reproducible flight test scenarios conducted by two professional pilots, each with more than 3,000 hours of flight experience. Special emphasis was placed on the realism of wind effects in the lee of buildings during approach and landing in urban environments, as well as on the acceptance, applicability, and usability of innovative visualization techniques for UAM pilots. The provided feedback indicated that the detailed and realistic simulated wind and flow fields, together with the flight model’s response, provide a clear training advantage and outperforms all previously experienced simulators. This work demonstrates the added value of realistic wind effects in flight simulators for pilot training and educational purposes, as well as the benefits of visualized hazardous wind regions for pre-flight briefing, approach and landing procedures. Consequently, the future objective is to enable UAM pilots to train even more effectively using novel visualization approaches such as AR, virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), or flight instrument adjustment, thereby enhancing pilot behavior in critical situations and increasing safety in upcoming real-world operations.

Liquid photopolymers processed under high-vacuum conditions tend to release dissolved gases, which, during UV curing, can result in randomly foamed structures with a high void content. For the application of photopolymers in in-space manufacturing of external satellite components, however, consistent and reliable mechanical properties are essential. To meet this requirement, this study investigates the influence of pre-degassing on the storage modulus and density of photopolymer samples. The results show that degassed specimens exhibit a higher storage modulus than non-degassed samples. This increase is accompanied by a higher density, indicating a reduced void fraction and improved polymer network formation. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the use of degassed resin significantly enhances the mechanical performance and leads to denser, more robust structures.