bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical modelling of traffic-induced dynamic loading on a two-story residential building
Authors: Shiferaw Henok Marie , Teshager Girma Moges , Hailu Solomon Aynalem , Shiferaw Tadiyos Marie
Published: November 2023

Background

This paper presents a numerical modelling procedure of dynamic loading due to traffic on a two-story residential building. In developing countries cities and towns, poor quality narrow road sections with high traffic density are common. In such cases, ground vibration due to traffic could be higher and lightweight buildings located closer are exposed to traffic-induced dynamic loading. Design codes require a proper assessment of such vibrations. However, a clear and definite procedure of assessment is not usually provided. This research presents an assessment procedure of dynamic loading due to traffic on a soil foundation system of light weight buildings based on numerical modeling. Traffic induced ground vibration acceleration amplitudes, frequencies and durations were measured, and the dynamic loads were calculated from measured vibration accelerations and vibrating mass of the vehicle. A two-story residential building with flexible square shallow footings was modelled together with the foundation soil using PLAXIS-2D. The dynamic load was modelled as harmonic loading considering the highest amplitude of vibration measured.

Results

On the calculation stage, static loading analysis, dynamic loading analysis and free vibration dynamic analysis were carried out. A maximum increase in extreme total displacement of the soil to 22.03 mm was observed after the dynamic loading from 18.96 mm extreme total displacement due to static loading. Extreme effective mean stress in the soil increased to 112.81 kPa from 110.5 kPa, due to the dynamic loading. In addition, a differential settlement of 3.14 mm between two adjacent footings was observed after the traffic induced ground vibration. Furthermore, the Mohr–Coulomb plastic points were observed to be concentrated to the side of the soil-foundation system which the dynamic load was acting on.

Conclusion

The regular exposure to traffic-induced vibrations may cause frequent change in stress and deformation response of the foundation-soil system. In areas where lightweight buildings are exposed to regular traffic induced vibrations, proper assessment of the effect should be carried out and measures should be taken to mitigate the problem. Improving road surfaces and limiting vehicle speed are possible remedial measures to reduce ground vibrations due to traffic.
Does financial repression inhibit or facilitate private investment? The case of Ethiopia
Authors: Fisseha Fentaw Leykun
Published: November 2023

This study examines the impact of financial repression (FR) on private investment in Ethiopia over the period 1980 to 2020. Investigating the consequences of FR policies makes use of the cointegration technique. The dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) estimation result demonstrated that FR has a detrimental and statistically significant impact on private investment, resulting in considerable lost opportunities for private investors by driving away banks' productive investment. In addition, the structural reforms implemented since 2011 have a beneficial and significant influence on private investment. The effects of financial development, per capita GDP, and domestic lending to the private sector all produce similar consequences. Additionally, Ethiopia's private investment is negatively impacted by trade liberalization and inflation. The primary findings are used to infer potential policy implications.
An investigation of factors affecting the depths of steady-state surface nuclear magnetic resonance signals
Authors: Grombacher Denys , Griffiths Matthew Peter , Kass Mason Andrew , Larsen Jakob Juul
Published: November 2023

Recent developments in surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data transmit schemes, called steady-state measurements, involve the acquisition of the NMR signal during a train of closely spaced identical pulses, and indicate great promise to enhance the measurement’s signal-to-noise ratio. The steady-state signal displays a complex dependence on a range of experimental parameters, such as the strength of the individual pulse and the separation between the pulses, as well as subsurface parameters, such as the relaxation times controlling the time dependence of the NMR signals. It is imperative to understand the role that each of these parameters plays in controlling the depth of origin for steady-state signals so as to enable optimization of a suite of measurements consisting of the fewest possible measurements delivering satisfactory resolution. A range of synthetic studies are conducted to gain insights into controls on steady-state signals’ depths of origin. Relaxation times, duty cycle, and pulse train timing are all observed to influence the signal’s depth, in addition to the pulse duration and current strength. A discussion of whether high-duty cycle steady-state sequences may enhance depth penetration is given, along with the presentation of a field data set composed of a nontraditional depth sounding approach, where repetition times are varied to encode depth sensitivity.
Implementation of Precision Oncology in the National Healthcare System: A Statement Proposal Endorsed by Italian Scientific Societies
Authors: Fasola Gianpiero , Barducci Maria C. , Tozzi Valeria D. , Cavanna Luigi , Cinieri Saverio , Perrone Francesco , Pinto Carmine , Russo Antonio , Sapino Anna , Grossi Francesco , Aprile Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

PURPOSE

Precision oncology (PO) promises positive results for patients. To date, in Italy, the effort to implement PO has been made autonomously by regional health institutions in a top-down fashion. This approach is not very efficient and jeopardizes patients' equal access to PO. Similar outcomes have been recorded in other Western countries. We tested a method of collaboration among professionals, scientific societies, and government institutions to facilitate the delivery of PO innovation to patients' bedsides.

METHOD

We designed an organizational research project on the basis of a bottom-up approach. We started by observing PO-related activities in five health care authorities (HCAs) in one Italian region. We then compared the issues that emerged with those of three additional HCAs in other Italian regions. Using the results of the initial observation and adopting validated multiple-step consensus methods, we finally derived 14 statements that were approved by the four main scientific societies of oncology and pathology at the national level.

RESULTS

The 14 statements addressed the main issues linked to the implementation of PO in clinical practice. The strong professional consensus advocated for prompt adoption within the national healthcare system.

CONCLUSIONS

The consensus on the statements that were obtained shows the importance of a synergistic effort among professionals, scientific societies, and health care institutions in defining homogeneous solutions for innovation implementation within the health care system.
Zeeman dependence of the quasiparticle scattering rate and ARPES in copper oxides and related materials
Authors: Kastrinakis George
Published: November 2023

Within a strongly interacting Fermi liquid framework, we calculate the effects of the Zeeman energy ω

H
for a finite magnetic field, in a metallic system with a van Hove peak in the density of states, located close to and below the Fermi surface. We find that the chemical potential increases with the square of ω

H
. We obtain a characteristic quasiparticle scattering rate linear in the maximum of ω

H
and temperature, both in the normal and the d-wave superconducting state. We predict that ARPES experiments in copper oxides, and related compounds, should be able to elucidate this behavior of the scattering rate, and in particular, the difference between spin up and down electrons.
Two Cases of Surreptitious Steroid Use Uncovered Utilizing Urine Synthetic Glucocorticoid Testing
Authors: Pape Bryn J , Kern Philip A
Published: November 2023

Although most patients are transparent regarding steroid use, rare patients use steroids surreptitiously, which can occasionally result in factitious Cushing syndrome or extensive diagnostic testing. We present 2 cases, 1 with factitious Cushing syndrome and the second with surreptitious steroid use resulting in abnormal laboratory results and a complicated clinical picture. Synthetic glucocorticoid urine testing was positive for triamcinolone acetonide and fluticasone propionate in case 1 and triamcinolone acetonide only in case 2, which clarified the diagnosis and minimized additional and potentially invasive testing.
Jornada de carreira no escritório de advocacia Mattos Filho: dos silos ao trabalho colaborativo
Authors: Pinheiro Marcelo , Rigato Vasconcellos Luis Henrique , Davis Mattar Laura , Di Lauro Fabiana , Maiorino Renata
Published: November 2023

Após a remodelação dos processos de gestão e remuneração de seus sócios iniciada em 2009, o escritório de advocacia Mattos Filho decidiu estender essa mudança para todos os seus profissionais em 2016. O principal objetivo era transpor o trabalho individual de excelência técnica para promover um trabalho colaborativo, baseado em saberes jurídicos complementares. José Eduardo, então sócio-diretor, ficou incumbido, junto com o Comitê Executivo e líderes, de promover essa mudança cultural. Agora, eles enfrentam o desafio de como integrar e incentivar a colaboração entre as práticas, superando as abordagens individuais e de equipe isoladas que prevalecem no escritório.
Transfer of maternal immunity using a polyvalent vaccine and offspring protection in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus
Authors: Amrullah Amrullah , Wahidah Wahidah , Ardiansyah Ardiansyah , Indrayani Indrayani
Published: November 2023

Background Vaccination is an effective and alternative means of disease prevention, however, it cannot be conducted on the offspring of fish. For this process to take place, the transfer of maternal immunity should be implemented. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of transferring immunity from the broodstock to the offspring using a polyvalent vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Pseudomonas fluorescens in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Methods Nile tilapia broodstock with an average weight of 203g (±SD 23) was reared in spawning ponds until mass spawning and harvested one week post-spawning for vaccination. After being vaccinated according to the treatment, each fish broodstock was reared in 3x3 m cages installed in an earthen pond with a density of 20 broodstock, consisting of 15 females and 5 males. The vaccine used was a formalin-killed whole-cell vaccine at a density of 1010 cfu/mL injected intramuscularly (i.m.) at a dose of 0.4 mL/kg fish. Nile tilapia was injected with a vaccine used as a treatment. Example include A. hydrophila monovalent (MA), S. agalactiae monovalent (MS), P. fluorescens monovalent (MP), A. hydrophila and S. agalactiae bivalent (BAS), A. hydrophila and P. fluorescens bivalent (BAP), P. fluorescens and S. agalactiae bivalent (BPS), and A. hydrophila, S. agalactiae, and P. fluorescens polyvalent vaccines (PAPS). While the control was fish that were injected with a PBS solution. The broodstock’s immune response was observed on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days, while the immune response and challenge test on the offspring was conducted on the 10th, 20th, 30th, and 40th day during the post-hatching period. The parameters observed consisted of total leukocytes, phagocytic activity, antibody titer, lysozyme, and relative survival percentage (RPS). Result The application of PAPS in broodstock could significantly induce the best immune response and immunity to multiple diseases compared to other treatments. The RPS of the PAPS was also higher than the other types of vaccines. This showed that the transfer of immunity from the broodstock to the Nile tilapia offspring could protect it against bacterial diseases such as A. hydrophila, S. agalactiae, and P. fluorescens. Conclusion The application of polyvalent vaccine A. hydrophila, S. agalactiae, P. fluorescens vaccines increased the broodstock’s immune response and it was transferred to their offsprings. Polyvalent vaccines derived from maternal immunity can protect offspring from disease up to 30 days of age. They were able to produce tilapia seeds that are immune to diseases caused by A. hydrophila, S. agalactiae, and P. fluorescens.
Neuromuscular assessment of force development, postural, and gait performance under cognitive-motor dual-tasking in healthy older adults and people with early Parkinson's disease: Study protocol for a cross-sectional Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) study
Authors: Marusic Uros , Peskar Manca , Šömen Maja Maša , Kalc Miloš , Holobar Ales , Gramann Klaus , Wollesen Bettina , Wunderlich Anna , Michel Christoph , Miladinović Aleksandar , Catalan Mauro , Buoite Stella Alex , Ajcevic Milos , Manganotti Paolo
Published: November 2023

Background Neuromuscular dysfunction is common in older adults and more pronounced in neurodegenerative diseases. In Parkinson's disease (PD), a complex set of factors often prevents the effective performance of activities of daily living that require intact and simultaneous performance of the motor and cognitive tasks. Methods The cross-sectional study includes a multifactorial mixed-measure design. Between-subject factor grouping the sample will be Parkinson’s Disease (early PD vs. healthy). The within-subject factors will be the task complexity (single- vs. dual-task) in each motor activity, i.e., overground walking, semi-tandem stance, and isometric knee extension, and a walking condition (wide vs. narrow lane) will be implemented for the overground walking activity only. To study dual-task (DT) effects, in each motor activity participants will be given a secondary cognitive task, i.e., a visual discrimination task for the overground walking, an attention task for the semi-tandem, and mental arithmetic for the isometric extension. Analyses of DT effects and underlying neuronal correlates will focus on both gait and cognitive performance where applicable. Based on an a priori sample size calculation, a total N = 42 older adults (55–75 years) will be recruited. Disease-specific changes such as laterality in motor unit behavior and cortical control of movement will be studied with high-density surface electromyography and electroencephalography during static and dynamic motor activities, together with whole-body kinematics. Discussion This study will be one of the first to holistically address early PD neurophysiological and neuromuscular patterns in an ecologically valid environment under cognitive-motor DT conditions of different complexities. The outcomes of the study aim to identify the biomarker for early PD either at the electrophysiological, muscular or kinematic level or in the communication between these systems. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT05477654. This study was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee (106/2021).
The genome sequence of the Black Spongefly, Sisyra nigra (Retzius, 1783)
Authors: Broad Gavin R. , Crowley Liam M. , McCulloch James ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: November 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Sisyra nigra (the Black Spongefly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Neuroptera; Sisyridae). The genome sequence is 372.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 7 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.34 kilobases in length.
Determinant of labor absorption in Yogyakarta
Authors: Nasir Mohammad Dendi Abdul , Afandi Mukhamad Yazid , Ali Hishamuddin Mohd
Published: November 2023

This study aims to examine government expenditure, investment, economic growth and inflation and their effect on labor absorption in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) in the 2010–2019 research period and to prove the Okun’s law and Phillips curve in DIY. Methodologically, this research was conducted using quantitative methods using secondary data. The data analysis technique used is panel data analysis with the chosen approach, namely the random effect model. Based on the results of the simultaneous test, this study shows that the four independent variables together have a positive and significant influence on labor absorption in the DIY Province. Meanwhile, based on the results of the partial test, it shows that the variables of government expenditure and inflation have a positive and significant effect on labor absorption. Investment and economic growth variables have a negative and significant effect on labor absorption. Implication of the study is the importance of the effectiveness of government expenditure and investment to increase labor absorption and strengthen the environment of investment to stimulate labor absorption in DIY.
East Java Province: Economic structure and forecast GRDP analysis
Authors: Ayuningtyas Fitri Juniwati , Astuti Ismadiyanti Purwaning , Apriliawan Dimas Imam , Shi Kai
Published: November 2023

Most of the sectors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic caused economic growth to decline. The sectors involved are not only the health sector but also the economy, especially trade, industry, and tourism. The research aims to identify the leading sectors, know the characteristics of the pattern and structure of the economy East Java Province. The method analysis used in this research is Location Quotient, Klassen typology, Shift-Share, and linear trend. The findings of this study are: (1) Industrial Sector Processing, Water Supply, Waste Management, Waste and Recycling, Wholesale and Retail Trade; Car and Motorcycle Repair, Provision of Accommodation and Food and Drink, and Information and Communication are the leading sectors that can encourage economic development in East Java Province; (2) Industrial Sector Processing, Water Supply, Waste Management, Waste and Recycling, Wholesale and Retail Trade; Car and Motorcycle Repair, Transportation and Warehousing, Provision of Accommodation and Food and Drink, Information and Communication, Financial and Insurance Services, Educational Services, Health Services and Social Activities are potential sectors in producing production to meet local demand; (3) The manufacturing industry sector is the sector that provides the largest contribution to the GRDP of East Java Province.
Factors affecting poverty using a geographically weighted regression approach (case study of Java Island, 2020)
Authors: Belantika Bernica Tiyas , Rohmad Bagus , Arandita Hawa Dwi Nur , Hutasoit David R. , Kartiasih Fitri
Published: November 2023

Poverty is still the main problem in development both at the national and regional levels. The poverty reduction program carried out has not paid attention to spatial aspects so that the policies taken are often not on target. This study aims to see the spatial pattern of poverty in Java Island which includes Banten, DKI Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, DI Yogyakarta and East Java. The method used is geographically weighted regression (GWR) with addiptive weighting of the Gaussian Kernel which is processed with QGIS, Geoda and GWR4 software. This approach can identify spatial patterns that cannot be identified in ordinary regression analysis as found in previous studies. The data used in this study is secondary data in 2020 sourced from the Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) and government website. The results of the study showed positive and group spatial autocorrelation in 34 districts/cities. There are 65 districts/cities in Java Island only affected by HDI, 4 districts/cities affected by TPT and HDI, 47 districts/cities affected by MSEs and HDI, and 3 districts/cities affected by TPT, UMK and HDI.  The government can improve the quality of education, the level of public health services, and provide job training to reduce poverty.
Analysis of inclusive growth in ASEAN countries
Authors: Anindyntha Firdha Aksari
Published: November 2023

There are 17 goals to achieve sustainable development in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. One of SDG that promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth is SDG number 8. Sustainable economic growth seeks to achieve goals that support the process of economic development. Inclusive growth is sought to support the process of economic growth and economic development to prevent future generations from suffering depletion of resources.  The effort to achieve inclusive growth in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ASEAN was formed as an integration of any counties as a result of globalization,. The integrated economies of ASEAN countries form economic liberalization, giving rise to economic openness. The manifestation of economic openness is trade openness and financial openness.  The panel regression method is used to see the effect of economic openness and macroeconomic variables on economic growth as a proxy for inclusive growth. The results found that inflation and unemployment as macroeconomic variables had a significant negative effect on economic growth. It means to achieve the inclusive growth; the ASEAN countries should keep the inflation stable and low unemployment rate.
Talismans ( pujŏk 符籍) for Rebirth in Chosŏn Buddhist Rituals and their Earlier Traces in China
Authors: Moon Sang-leun , Kim Youn-mi
Published: November 2023

Abstract: The ritual of the seven stars of the Great Dipper thrived during the Chosŏn period. Although the state-level Great Dipper ritual was abolished by the royal court, the ritual was still popularly performed in private among people who prayed to the Dipper to fulfill their various wishes. Buddhism of this period served almost all social strata of Chosŏn, including members of the Confucian elite, in seeking the benign help of the Great Dipper by, for example, presenting ritual manuals for this cult and establishing religious shrines for its performance. Sŏn masters joined this period Buddhist trend, as can be demonstrated in the case of Paekp'a Kŭngsŏn 白坡亘璇 (1767–1852). He compiled one of the most complete Korean Buddhist manuals for the Great Dipper cult, a cult that constitutes one link between Buddhism and Daoist-folk religious cults in Chosŏn society.
Allegorical Investigations: Autism, Applied Behavioral Analysis, and Medieval Poetry
Authors: Crassons Kate
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This essay explores the connections between the modern autism intervention Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and medieval personification allegory to show how literature powerfully enables the work of neurodiversity. Invoking the theory of the language game to investigate the clinical history of ABA, the essay puts the fourteenth-century poet William Langland in dialogue with Ludwig Wittgenstein and Stanley Cavell. I argue that the approach to language emerging from this constellation of voices works as a precise tool for diagnosing the ethical liabilities of ABA. By highlighting the shared interest in a set of animated terms across different historical and disciplinary domains, we can see how allegorical writing becomes an essential resource for exposing how ABA travesties human need and emotion. Working against the ethos of this "therapeutic" intervention, Langland, Wittgenstein, and Cavell join with autistic writers in advancing a model of language development based on mutuality, reciprocity, and shared forms of life.
Paraphrasing Finitude: Seeking Refuge from Death in Thomas Bernhard's Wittgenstein's Nephew
Authors: Meirosu Madalina
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Thomas Bernhard's novella Wittgenstein's Nephew is typically read as a quasi-memoir about Bernhard's relationship with Paul Wittgenstein, the nephew of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. But Bernhard is up to something else. The novella dramatizes the different ways that language and storytelling defend against anxieties associated with illness and mortality. Bernhard is able to show this defense mechanism at work while simultaneously crafting a broken narrative that tells a story of its own, a story of an illness that cannot be contained in usual narrative threads and that asks for new forms of storytelling. He thus reveals at once both the concealing and disclosive potential of language in the face of illness as he finds innovative ways to embody the experience of illness in the very fabric of the text.
Diagnosing Desire: Imaginative Experiments with Sexuality and the Nerves
Authors: Halpern Ira
Published: November 2023

Abstract: American fiction often tells us that there is something sick about romantic desire. But the writers who I discuss in this article told their readers this even as they critiqued the medical profession's pathologization of women's desires and non-normative sexual subjectivities. In particular, this article looks at two literary responses to the medical notion that marriage was a cure for hysteria and other nervous disorders: Oliver Wendell Holmes's A Mortal Antipathy (1885) and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps's Doctor Zay (1886). While the medical rhetoric of nervous pathology could be repressive and stigmatizing, these fictions sought to reclaim and reimagine the medical treatment of nervous desire in subversive ways.
Contagion and the Body Politic: De Quincey on the 1830 Revolution in France
Authors: Covelo Roxanne
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Writing in the fall of 1830, in the period immediately following France's révolution de juillet , Thomas De Quincey predicts the imminent breakdown of social order in Britain. In his political writing for Blackwood's Magazine over the course of this period, he consistently frames the threat of French-style revolution in terms of the body politic and its vulnerability to contagion, often playing on the meaning of a country's "constitution." In 1831, upon the introduction of the Reform Bill, his worst fears appear to have been confirmed, and he now presents the upcoming revolution almost as a fait accompli. De Quincey's dire predictions fit into a larger framework of nineteenth-century alarmism surrounding contagion, "sympathy," and the collective action of the mob. This article examines the presence and influence of these concepts in De Quincey's political writing for Blackwood's over the period of 1830 to 1832, the year the Bill was successfully passed.
Multi-harmonic structured illumination-based optical diffraction tomography
Authors: Liu Ruihua , Wen Kai , Li Jiaoyue , Ma Ying , Zheng Juanjuan , An Sha , Min Junwei , Zalevsky Zeev , Yao Baoli , Gao Peng
Published: November 2023

Imaging speed and spatial resolution are key factors in optical diffraction tomography (ODT), while they are mutually exclusive in 3D refractive index imaging. This paper presents a multi-harmonic structured illumination-based optical diffraction tomography (MHSI-ODT) to acquire 3D refractive index (RI) maps of transparent samples. MHSI-ODT utilizes a digital micromirror device (DMD) to generate structured illumination containing multiple harmonics. For each structured illumination orientation, four spherical spectral crowns are solved from five phase-shifted holograms, meaning that the acquisition of each spectral crown costs 1.25 raw images. Compared to conventional SI-ODT, which retrieves two spectral crowns from three phase-shifted raw images, MHSI-ODT enhances the imaging speed by 16.7% in 3D RI imaging. Meanwhile, MHSI-ODT exploits both the 1st-order and the 2nd-order harmonics; therefore, it has a better intensity utilization of structured illumination. We demonstrated the performance of MHSI-ODT by rendering the 3D RI distributions of 5 µm polystyrene (PS) microspheres and biological samples.
Multi-window approach enables two-fold improvement in OCT axial resolution with strong side-lobe suppression and improved phase sensitivity
Authors: Walker Clayton B. , Wisniowiecki Anna , Tang Jack C. , Quiñones Patricia M. , Kim Wihan , Oghalai John S. , Applegate Brian E.
Published: November 2023

A common processing approach for optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses a window function (e.g., Hann or rectangular window) for spectral shaping prior to calculating the Fourier transform. Here we build on a multi-window approach [Opt. Express 8, 5267 (2017)10.1364/BOE.8.005267] that enables improved resolution while still suppressing side-lobe intensity. The shape of the window function defines the trade-off between main-lobe width (resolution) and side-lobe intensity. We have extended the approach to include the interferometric phase for phase-sensitive applications like vibrometry and Doppler OCT. Using the Hann window as a reference, we show that 11 Taylor windows are sufficient to achieve 50% improvement in axial resolution, -31 dB side-lobe intensity, and 20% improvement in phase sensitivity with low computational cost.
Arbitrary combinations of helical-conical optical beams in free space
Authors: Guo Ji , Kang Xiangyu , Chen Keyu , Li Ziyan , Wang Guanxue , Gao Xiumin , Liu Yi
Published: November 2023

Helical-conical optical beams (HCOBs) have attracted considerable interest due to their peculiar optical features. Their characteristic helical light intensity distribution has exerted unprecedented advantages in many fields, but multiple combinations of HCOBs have not been reported due to the limitations of algorithms and light field modulation techniques. We propose and experimentally demonstrate arbitrary combinations of multiple HCOBs in free space to construct hybrid HCOB arrays. The similarity between the experimental results and the numerical simulation results is 94.22%. The initial orientation of the HCOBs is flexibly tuned by the rotation factor β, and the optical pen is used to combine the HCOBs. This approach allows multiple parameters in the array to be precisely tuned, including the type, number, and position of HCOBs, adding more design flexibility. The constructed HCOB arrays have a higher degree of modulation freedom and may find applications in fields where dynamic control is in high demand, including optical tweezers, biological cell sorting, and multiparticle manipulation.
Comparing continuous and pulsed nitrogen-vacancy DC magnetometry in the optical-power-limited regime
Authors: Wang Maggie , Caouette-Mansour Michael , Solyom Adrian , Childress Lilian
Published: November 2023

Ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center spins in diamond offer a robust, precise, and accurate magnetic sensor. As their applications move beyond the laboratory, practical considerations including size, complexity, and power consumption become important. Here, we compare two commonly employed NV magnetometry techniques—continuous-wave (CW) versus pulsed magnetic resonance—in a scenario limited by the total available optical power. We develop a consistent theoretical model for the magnetic sensitivity of each protocol that incorporates NV photophysics—in particular, including the incomplete spin polarization associated with limited optical power; after comparing the models’ behavior to experiments, we use them to predict the relative DC sensitivity of CW versus pulsed operation for an optical-power-limited, shot-noise-limited NV ensemble magnetometer. We find a ∼2−3× gain in sensitivity for pulsed operation, which is significantly smaller than seen in power-unlimited, single-NV experiments [Phys. Rev. B 84, 195204 (2011)PRBMDO0163-182910.1103/PhysRevB.84.195204]. Our results provide a resource for practical sensor development, informing protocol choice and identifying optimal operation regimes when optical power is constrained.
Stability of the homogeneous mode in the metamaterial regime with structural disorder
Authors: Sogrin M. A. , Rybin M. V. , Maslova E. E.
Published: November 2023

This research considers the stability of the ε-near-zero homogeneous mode in the metamaterial composed of dielectric rods. The homogeneous mode is shown to be tolerant to modification of the geometrical shape of metamaterial boundaries as well as to introduction of internal boundaries associated with super-wavelength voids inside the structure. Additionally, we study the influence of structural disorder, namely, the deviation of the rod position from the lattice sites, which is the inherent feature of any real structure. We investigate the influence of the disorder degree on homogeneous mode stability. The closer parameters of the structure are to the boundary of the “photonic crystal–metamaterial” transition, the less stable the ε-near-zero homogeneous mode is. The homogeneous mode collapses at a fixed frequency; however, there is a range of disorder degree at which the homogeneous mode is still observed but at a lower frequency. While the change in frequency is weak, the ε-near-zero homogeneous mode is robust against the introduction of structural disorder.
From non-scattering to super-scattering with Mie-tronics
Authors: Barati Sedeh Hooman , Litchinitser Natalia M.
Published: November 2023

Electric anapoles, arising from the destructive interference of primitive and toroidal electric dipole moments, have recently emerged as a fundamental class of non-scattering sources. On the other hand, super-scattering states represent the opposite regime wherein the scattering cross-section of a subwavelength particle exceeds the single-channel limit, leading to a strong scattering behavior. Here, we demonstrate that the interplay between the topology of light and the subwavelength scatterer can lead to these two opposite responses within an isolated all-dielectric meta-atom. In particular, we present the emergence of a new non-scattering state, referred to as hybrid anapole, which surpasses conventional electric dipole anapoles by achieving a remarkable 23-fold enhancement in the suppression of far-field radiation and almost threefold enhancement in the confinement of electromagnetic energy inside the meta-atom. We also explore the role of particle orientation and its inversion symmetry in the scattering response and predict the possibility of switching between non-scattering and super-scattering states within the same platform. The presented study elucidates the role of light and matter topologies in the scattering response of subwavelength meta-atoms, uncovering two opposite regimes of light-matter interaction and opening new avenues in applications such as nonlinear optics and spectroscopy.
Prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with tobacco use among patients with priority tobacco related illnesses at four Kenyan national referral hospitals, 2022
Authors: Mwenda Valerian , Odeny Lazarus , Mohamed Shukri , Gathecha Gladwell , Kendagor Anne , Kiptui Dorcas , Jaguga Florence , Mugi Beatrice , Mithi Caroline , Okinda Kennedy , Mwai Daniel , Njuguna David , Awuor Winnie , Kitonyo-Devotsu Rachel , Ong’ang’o Jane Rahedi
Published: November 2023

Tobacco use is a risk factor for many chronic health conditions. Quantifying burden of tobacco use among people with tobacco-related illnesses (TRI) can strengthen cessation programs. This study estimated prevalence, patterns and correlates of tobacco use among patients with TRI at four national referral hospitals in Kenya. We conducted a cross-sectional study among patients with five TRI (cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary tuberculosis) during January–July 2022. Cases identified from medical records were interviewed on socio-demographic, tobacco use and cessation information. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize patterns of tobacco use. Multiple logistic regression models were used to identify associations with tobacco use. We identified 2,032 individuals with TRI; 46% (939/2,032) had age ≥60 years, and 61% (1,241/2,032) were male. About 45% (923/2,032) were ever tobacco users (6% percent current and 39% former tobacco users). Approximately half of smokers and 58% of smokeless tobacco users had attempted quitting in the last month; 42% through cessation counselling. Comorbidities were present in 28% of the participants. Most (92%) of the patients had been diagnosed with TRI within the previous five years. The most frequent TRI were oral pharyngeal cancer (36% [725/2,032]), nasopharyngeal cancer (12% [246/2.032]) and lung cancer (10% [202/2,032]). Patients >60 years (aOR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.84, 2.73) and unmarried (aOR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.42) had higher odds of tobacco use. Female patients (aOR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.41) and those with no history of alcohol use (aOR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.31), had less odds of tobacco use. Our study shows high prevalence of tobacco use among patients with TRI in Kenya, especially among older, male, less educated, unmarried, and alcohol users. We recommend tobacco use screening and cessation programs among patients with TRI as part of clinical care.
The surveillance of plague among rodents and dogs in Western Iran
Authors: Esmaeili Saber , Mahmoudi Ahmad , Esmaeili Parisa , Yousefi Ghalejoogh Zohreh , Mordadi Alireza , Ghasemi Ahmad , Mohammadi Ali , Bagheri Amin , Sohrabi Aria , Latifian Mina , Rajerison Minoarisoa , Pizarro-Cerda Javier , Mostafavi Ehsan
Published: November 2023

Background

The causative agent of plague, Yersinia pestis, is maintained in nature via a flea-rodent cycle. Western Iran is an old focus for plague, and recent data indicate that rodents and dogs in this region have serological evidence of Y. pestis infection. The purpose of this study was to conduct a large-scale investigation of Y. pestis infection in shepherd dogs, rodents, and their fleas in old foci for plague in Western Iran.

Materials and methods

This study was conducted in Hamadan province from 2014 to 2020. Rodents and fleas were collected from various locations throughout this region. Y. pestis was investigated in rodent spleen samples and fleas using culture, serology, and real-time PCR methods. Additionally, sera samples were collected from carnivores and hares in this region, and the IgG antibody against the Y. pestis F1 antigen was assessed using an ELISA.

Results

In this study, 927 rodents were captured, with Meriones spp. (91.8%) and Microtus qazvinensis (2.6%) being the most prevalent. A total of 6051 fleas were collected from rodents and carnivores, most of which were isolated from Meriones persicus. None of the rodents or fleas examined tested positive for Y. pestis using real-time PCR and culture methods. Meanwhile, IgG antibodies were detected in 0.32% of rodents. All serologically positive rodents belonged to M. persicus. Furthermore, none of the sera from the 138 carnivores (129 sheepdogs, five Vulpes vulpes, four Canis aureus), and nine hares tested positive in the ELISA test.

Conclusion

This primary survey of rodent reservoirs shows serological evidence of Y. pestis infection. Western Iran is an endemic plague focus, and as such, it requires ongoing surveillance.
Neural signatures of automatic repetition detection in temporally regular and jittered acoustic sequences
Authors: Ringer Hanna , Schröger Erich , Grimm Sabine
Published: November 2023

Detection of repeating patterns within continuous sound streams is crucial for efficient auditory perception. Previous studies demonstrated a remarkable sensitivity of the human auditory system to periodic repetitions in unfamiliar, meaningless sounds. Automatic repetition detection was reflected in different EEG markers, including sustained activity, neural synchronisation, and event-related responses to pattern occurrences. The current study investigated how listeners’ attention and the temporal regularity of a sound modulate repetition perception, and how this influence is reflected in different EEG markers that were previously suggested to subserve dissociable functions. We reanalysed data of a previous study in which listeners were presented with sequences of unfamiliar artificial sounds that either contained repetitions of a certain sound segment or not. Repeating patterns occurred either regularly or with a temporal jitter within the sequences, and participants’ attention was directed either towards the pattern repetitions or away from the auditory stimulation. Across both regular and jittered sequences during both attention and in-attention, pattern repetitions led to increased sustained activity throughout the sequence, evoked a characteristic positivity-negativity complex in the event-related potential, and enhanced inter-trial phase coherence of low-frequency oscillatory activity time-locked to repeating pattern onsets. While regularity only had a minor (if any) influence, attention significantly strengthened pattern repetition perception, which was consistently reflected in all three EEG markers. These findings suggest that the detection of pattern repetitions within continuous sounds relies on a flexible mechanism that is robust against in-attention and temporal irregularity, both of which typically occur in naturalistic listening situations. Yet, attention to the auditory input can enhance processing of repeating patterns and improve repetition detection.
Mean and volatility spillover in Asian economies: Evidence from trade war
Authors: Shafique Anum , Bhutta Nousheen Tariq
Published: November 2023

This study aims to assess the mean and volatility spillover due to trade war between US and China on the Asian markets using GARCH, evidencing that portfolio opportunity exists for the investors in these markets. These markets may offer diversification benefits to investors who fear the negative ramifications of stock markets of the economies in US and China. The study creates a composite variable to test the impact of trade war. The composition of the variable is based on Bilateral Tariffs, Trade policy and Economic policy uncertainty of US only. It means the study covers the US side only for creating a trade war variable. The findings of the study reveal no mean or volatility spillover exists. The study has implications for investors and policymakers.
The effects of COVID-19 mitigation measures on physical activity (PA) participation among adults in Rwanda: An online cross-sectional survey
Authors: Nganabashaka Jean Pierre , Niyibizi Jean Berchmans , Umwali Ghislaine , Rulisa Stephen , M. Bavuma Charlotte , Byiringiro Jean Claude , Ntawuyirushintege Seleman , Niyomugabo Pierre Celestin , Izerimana Lambert , Tumusiime David
Published: November 2023

Introduction

More than a third of the world’s population was under full or partial lockdown during COVID-19 by April 2020. Such mitigation measures might have affected participation in various Physical activity (PA) and increased sedentary time. This study aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 mitigation measures on participation of adults in various PA types in Rwanda.

Methods

We collected data from conveniently selected participants at their respective PA sites. We assessed the variation in time spent doing in four types of PA (Work related PA, PA in and around home, transportation PA and recreation, sport, and leisure purpose) across different pandemic period. We also evaluated the sedentary time over the weekdays and on the weekends.

Results

A total of 1136 participants completed online assisted questionnaire. 71.4% were male, 83% of the study participants aged 18 to 35 years (mean = 29, (standard deviation = 7.79). Mean time spent doing vigorous PA as part of the work dropped from 84.5 minutes per day before COVID-19 to 58.6 minutes per day during lockdown and went back to 81.5 minutes per day after the lockdown. Time spent sitting on weekdays increased from 163 before COVID-19 to 244.5 minutes during lockdown and to 166.8 minutes after lockdown. Sitting time on weekend increased from 150 before COVID-19 to 235 minutes during lockdown and to 151 minutes after lockdown. Sleeping time on weekdays increased from 7.5 hours per day before COVID-19 to 9.9 hours during lockdown and to 7.5 hours after lockdown while it increased from 8 hours before COVID-19 to 10 hours during lockdown and to 8 hours per day after lockdown during weekends.

Conclusion

The study emphasizes the significance of diverse PA, including home-based programs, during pandemics like COVID-19. It suggests promoting PA types like work-related, transportation, and domestic works during lockdown and similar period.
Impact of emotional divorce on the mental health of married women in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AL-shahrani Hend Faye , Hammad Mohammad Ahmed
Published: November 2023

Emotional divorce occurs when physical, psychological, mental, and spiritual separation occurs between spouses despite the fact that they live in the same house and exercise their marital duties. Emotional divorce has adverse effects on the mental health of those involved, as evidenced by the higher incidence of depression, anxiety, and loneliness among such couples. Saudi women are particularly vulnerable to emotional divorce owing to social, legal, economic, and cultural factors. Therefore, it is important to examine the relationship between emotional divorce and mental health issues (depression, anxiety, and loneliness) in married women in Saudi Arabia. Using scales that assess emotional divorce, depression, anxiety, and loneliness, data were collected from 241 married Saudi women (Mage = 34.41 years; SDage = 5.23 years). Findings revealed a statistically significant correlation between emotional divorce, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. One-way ANOVA confirmed that those with high levels of emotional divorce concurrently scores higher on the depression, anxiety, and loneliness tools, followed by those with moderate and low emotional divorce scores, respectively. Linear regression analysis indicated that depression, anxiety, and loneliness were strong predictors of emotional divorce, explaining 61% of the variance in the emotional divorce scores in this sample. These findings highlight the need to focus on the mental health outcomes of individuals experiencing emotional divorce, especially in societies where legal divorce may not be acceptable or encouraged. The need for regular evaluation and timely interventions for individuals struggling with mental health problems, and for restoring a healthy marital relationship is also highlighted.