bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acceptance and commitment therapy on perceived stress and psychological flexibility of psychiatric nurses: a randomized control trial
Authors: Zarvijani Seyyed Arman Hosseini , moghaddam Ladan Fattah , Parchebafieh Samaneh
Published: November 2021

Background

Nursing in psychiatric wards is considered a highly stressful career due to the type of patients and the problem of communicating with them. Finding appropriate solutions to overcome this stress can improve the general health of nurses and improve their quality of work. The aim was to investigate the impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the perceived stress (PS) and psychological flexibility (PF) of nurses in psychiatric wards.

Methods

A total of 70 nurses of Razi Psychiatric Center of Tehran were randomly selected and divided into two experimental and control groups of 35. In addition to routine interventions, the experimental group was provided with eight 2-h sessions of ACT training, whereas the control group only received routine interventions. Prior to the intervention sessions and a month after the last session, demographic information, PS scale, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (2nd Edition) were completed in both groups.

Results

There was a significant difference regarding the PS level (P = 0.002) and PF (P = 0.001) in the control and experimental groups; the experimental group showed lower PS and higher PF.

Conclusions

ACT can lead to reduced PS and improved PF, which can be considered as a solution to empower nurses working in psychiatric wards.

Trial registration

This was registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) (clinical trial code: IRCT20180506039557N1. Registered 2018-10-31. Retrospectively registered,

https://en.irct.ir/trial/31040
Older assistant workers in intermediate care facilities, and their influence on the physical and mental burden of elderly care staff
Authors: Sakurai Ryota , Watanabe Saya , Mori Hiroki , Sagara Tomoya , Murayama Hiroshi , Watanabe Shuichiro , Higashi Kentaro , Fujiwara Yoshinori
Published: November 2021

Background

As there is a shortage of care staff in elderly care homes, seniors are expected to work as assistants to help the care staff. This study examined the influence of older assistant workers in intermediate elderly care facilities on care staff, specifically focusing on emotional exhaustion which is a sign of burnout. These facilities provide long-term nursing and supportive care to older residents.

Methods

Data from a mail survey of intermediate elderly care facilities with older assistant workers were analyzed. Care staff were asked about the advantages and disadvantages of introducing older assistant workers in elderly care work, and their degree of emotional exhaustion. We also assessed work self-evaluations of older assistant workers, including the benefits of the work, and physical and mental burdens.

Results

A significantly large number of care staff reported improvements in workload with the employment of older assistant workers. Intermediate elderly care facilities enrolling more older assistant workers showed lower mean emotional exhaustion among care staff, independent of possible covariates. While older assistant workers felt that their work contributed to helping both care users and staff, they also reported a mental burden.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that older assistant workers can play a significant role in reducing the physical and mental burden of intermediate elderly care facility staff. Thus, employing older assistant workers can be an effective approach to addressing shortages of care staff in elderly care homes.
Marked reduction in antibiotic usage following intensive malaria control in a cohort of Ugandan children
Authors: Krezanoski Paul J. , Roh Michelle E. , Rek John , Nankabirwa Joaniter I. , Arinaitwe Emmanuel , Staedke Sarah G. , Nayiga Susan , Hsiang Michelle S. , Smith David , Kamya Moses , Dorsey Grant
Published: November 2021

Background

Intensive malaria control may have additional benefits beyond reducing the incidence of symptomatic malaria. We compared antibiotic treatment of children before and after the implementation of highly effective malaria control interventions in Tororo, a historically high transmission area of Uganda.

Methods

Two successive cohorts of children, aged 0.5 to 10 years, were followed from September 2011 to October 2019 in a dedicated study clinic. Universal distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets was conducted in 2013 and 2017. Sustained indoor residual spraying of insecticide (IRS) was initiated in December 2014. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to compare the incidence of antimalarial and antibiotic treatments before and after vector control measures were implemented.

Results

Comparing the period prior to the implementation of IRS to the period after IRS had been sustained for 4–5 years, the adjusted incidence of malaria treatments decreased from 2.68 to 0.05 per person-year (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.02, 95% CI 0.01–0.03, p < 0.001), and the adjusted incidence of antibiotic treatments decreased from 4.14 to 1.26 per person-year (IRR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.27–0.34, p < 0.001). The reduction in antibiotic usage was primarily associated with fewer episodes of symptomatic malaria and fewer episodes of fever with sub-microscopic parasitemia, both of which were frequently treated with antibiotics.

Conclusions

In a historically high transmission setting, the implementation of highly effective vector control interventions was followed by a marked reduction in antibiotic treatment of children. This added benefit of malaria control could have important implications for antibiotic prescribing practices, efforts to curtail antimicrobial resistance, and health system costs.
Proceedings of the inaugural Canadian Healthcare Navigation Conference: a forum for sharing innovations and best practices in navigation services
Authors: Markoulakis R. , Luke A. , Reid A. , Mehra K. , Levitt A. , Doucet S.
Published: November 2021

Background

Individuals experiencing chronic illnesses face many physical, emotional, and social strains as a result of their illnesses, all the while trying to navigate unfamiliar territory in the healthcare system. Navigation is a strategy that can help people facing complex care needs and barriers to care in finding and accessing needed supports in the health care system. Navigators provide a patient-centred service, guiding individuals through their care plans and overcoming barriers to care. Navigation supports for individuals experiencing complex care needs have shown significant promise and have been gaining traction across Canada.

Methods

The Canadian Healthcare Navigation Conference was the first event of its kind in Canada to bring together navigation researchers, service providers, students, decision makers, and individuals with lived experience to share lessons learned, promising practices, and research findings. This event was co-hosted by the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and NaviCare/SoinsNavi at the University of New Brunswick, and took place virtually on April 15–16, 2021.

Results

This event spanned two days, which both began with a keynote address, one from a researcher and medical professional in navigation, and another from an individual with lived experience involved in advocacy in Canadian healthcare. Concurrent oral presentations by a variety of presenters were held following each keynote presentation. A poster session was held at the end of the first day, and a panel presentation rounded out the second day. Concurrent and poster presentations covered a range of topics pertaining to approaches to navigation, navigator roles, evaluation and quality improvement, lived experience in navigation, and navigation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel presentation focused on identifying how the navigation field has progressed in Canada and identifying crucial next steps in navigation. These next steps were determined to be: 1) agreement on navigation-related definitions, 2) regulation and training, 3) equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, 4) integrating lived experience, and 5) regional coordination.

Conclusion

This conference was an important first step to creating a shared national conversation about navigation services so that we can continue to develop, implement, and share best evidence and practices in the field.
Delivery of nanovaccine towards lymphoid organs: recent strategies in enhancing cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Cai Ting , Liu Huina , Zhang Shun , Hu Jing , Zhang Lingxiao
Published: November 2021

With the in-depth exploration on cancer therapeutic nanovaccines, increasing evidence shows that the poor delivery of nanovaccines to lymphoid organs has become the culprit limiting the rapid induction of anti-tumor immune response. Unlike the conventional prophylactic vaccines that mainly form a depot at the injection site to gradually trigger durable immune response, the rapid proliferation of tumors requires an efficient delivery of nanovaccines to lymphoid organs for rapid induction of anti-tumor immunity. Optimization of the physicochemical properties of nanovaccine (e.g., size, shape, charge, colloidal stability and surface ligands) is an effective strategy to enhance their accumulation in lymphoid organs, and nanovaccines with dynamic structures are also designed for precise targeted delivery of lymphoid organs or their subregions. The recent progress of these nanovaccine delivery strategies is highlighted in this review, and the challenges and future direction are also discussed.

Graphical Abstract
The relationship between health literacy and health-related quality of life among school-aged children in regional China
Authors: Qiao Huifen , Wang Xiaorong , Qin Zhenzhen , Wang Na , Zhang Ning , Xu Fei
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To examine the association between health literacy (HL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among primary and high school students in Nanjing, China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected primary (graders 4–6), junior (graders 7–9) and senior (graders 10–12) high school students in 2018 in Nanjing Municipality of China. HRQoL, the outcome variable, was assessed with the validated Chinese version of Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) and used as continuous variable, while HL, our independent variable, was measured with the validated Chinese Students’ Health literacy Assessment Scale and treated as categorical variable (“adequate” or “inadequate”) in the analysis. Mixed-effects linear regression models were introduced to calculate mean difference and 95% confidence interval (CI) for examining the association between HL and HRQoL.

Results

Totally, 4388 of 4498 students completed the survey. Among these responders, the mean score of CHU9D was 0.78 ± 0.17, and the proportion of participants with adequate HL was 85.8% (95% CI = 84.7%, 86.8%). After adjustment for potential confounders and class-level clustering effects, participants who had adequate HL were observed having, on average, an elevated HRQoL score of 0.08 (95% CI = 0.06, 0.11) units compared to their counterparts with inadequate HL. Such a positive HL-HRQoL association was also identified among each stratum of participants’ age, gender and residence.

Conclusions

HL was positively associated with HRQoL score among primary and high school students in China. It has public health implications that HRQoL may be improved through school-based health literacy intervention among children and adolescents in China.
CircCRIM1 promotes ovarian cancer progression by working as ceRNAs of CRIM1 and targeting miR-383-5p/ZEB2 axis
Authors: Du Yuping , Liu Xin , Zhang Song , Chen Shuo , Guan Xue , Li Qianhui , Chen Xi , Zhao Yang
Published: November 2021

Background

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death in patients with gynecologic cancer, and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in cancer progression. However, there are limited studies on the roles of circRNAs in ovarian cancer.

Methods

We designed divergent and convergent primers, used sanger sequencing and RNase R digestion to verify the source of circCRIM1. We detected the expression of circCRIM1 and its parental gene cysteine rich transmembrane BMP regulator 1 (CRIM1) in ovarian cancer and normal ovarian samples via qRT-PCR. MTT viability assay, apoptosis assay, wound healing assay and invasion assay were used to investigate the function of circCRIM1 and CRIM1 in ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR3 and CAOV3. Mice xenografts experiment was performed. Bioinformatics predicted the microRNAs that bond with circCRIM1 and CRIM1, and dual luciferase reporter system confirmed it. Rescue experiments of microRNAs mimics transfection on the basis of circCRIM1 over-expression were carried out to uncover the mechanism by which circCRIM1 played cancer-promoting roles in ovarian cancer.

Results

CircCRIM1 was derived from CRIM1 by back-splicing. CircCRIM1 and CRIM1 had higher expression in ovarian cancer than in normal ovarian tissues, and both of them promoted ovarian cancer progression in vitro. In vivo circCRIM1 promoted the growth of tumors. CircCRIM1 and CRIM1 had a positive correlation relationship in the same cohort of ovarian cancer tissues. Bioinformatics predicted and dual luciferase assay confirmed circCRIM1 and CRIM1 bond with miR-145-5p, and circCRIM1 bond with miR-383-5p additionally. CircCRIM1 positively affected the expression of CRIM1. After circCRIM1 was over-expressed, miR-145-5p mimics transfection reversed the expression of CRIM1. Western blot discovered circCRIM1 positively affected the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2). Rescue experiments found miR-383-5p mimics reversed ZEB2 expression and the cancer-promoting effects of circCRIM1.

Conclusions

CircCRIM1 bond with miR-145-5p to work as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of CRIM1, and circCRIM1 bond with miR-383-5p to improve the expression of ZEB2 in ovarian cancer. CircCRIM1 and CRIM1 promoted the ovarian cancer progression and supplied a novel insight into the researches of ovarian cancer.
Involvement of impaired CD8+ mucosal-associated invariant T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Zhu Mengting , Xu Yuping , Li Caihua , Lu Zhimin , Bi Kaihuan , Wang Kangxia , Guo Peipei , Jiang Huanhuan , Cao Yunxia
Published: November 2021

Background

Immune dysfunction is one of the mechanisms to promote polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Various immune cells have been reported to be involved in the development of PCOS. Meanwhile, the disturbance of metabolism is closely related to PCOS. The aim of this study is to explore the association of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) with the metabolic dysfunction in PCOS.

Methods

68 PCOS patients and 40 controls were recruited in this study and we collected the peripheral blood of participants’ during their follicular phase. The frequencies of MAIT cells and MDSCs were determined by flow cytometry after being stained with different monoclonal antibodies. And the concentrations of cytokines were determined by ELISA.

Results

Compared to controls with normal metabolism, the frequency of MDSCs, CD8+MAIT cells and CD38+CD8+MAIT cells were significantly decreased in PCOS patients with normal metabolism, however, proportion of CD4+MAIT cells exhibited a noticeable increase. Similar results of CD8+MAIT, CD38+CD8+MAIT cells and reduced expression of IL-17 were observed in PCOS patients with metabolic dysfunction as compared to controls with metabolic disorders. PCOS patients with excessive testosterone levels displayed significantly decreased levels of CD8+MAIT, CD38+CD8+MAIT cells, MDSCs and Mo-MDSCs as compared to PCOS patients with normal testosterone concentrations. PCOS patients with abnormal weight showed a lower level and activation of CD8+MAIT cells. On the contrary, they displayed an enrichment of CD4+MAIT cells. PCOS patients with glucose metabolic disorder displayed a remarkable dysregulation of MDSCs and Mo-MDSCs. MDSCs were positively correlated with MAIT cells. Negative correlations between the frequency of CD8+MAIT cells, CD38+CD8+MAIT cells and body mass index were revealed. CD4+MAIT cells positively correlated with BMI. Mo-MDSCs were found to be negatively related to the levels of 2hour plasma glucose and HOMA-IR index.

Conclusion

The impairment of CD8+MAIT cells and MDSCs is involved in the metabolic dysfunction of PCOS.
Effect of brain radiotherapy strategies on prognosis of patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with brain metastasis
Authors: Deng Guangchuan , Zhang Yingyun , Ke Jiaojiao , Wang Qi , Qin Hongyue , Li Jianbin , Li Zhenxiang
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant lung cancers have a high risk of developing brain metastases (BM). Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), local radiotherapy, and WBRT + Boost are frequently used for treatment of BM. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the difference in efficacy of these radiotherapy modes in patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with BMs. Further, we determined the optimal radiotherapy regimen for patients based on Lung-molGPA.

Methods and materials

We retrospectively enrolled 232 patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with BMs. Patients were divided into three groups based on the different modes of brain radiotherapy: WBRT group, local radiotherapy group, and WBRT + Boost group. Graded prognostic assessment for lung cancer using molecular markers (Lung molGPA), overall survival (OS), and intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) were calculated. Kaplan–Meier was used to compare iPFS and OS in different groups.

Results

The median OS for the WBRT (n = 84), local radiotherapy (n = 65), and WBRT + Boost (n = 83) cohorts was 32.8, 59.1, and 41.7 months, respectively (P = 0.0002). After stratification according to the Lung-molGPA score, the median OS for the WBRT (n = 56), local radiotherapy (n = 19), and WBRT + Boost (n = 28) cohorts was 32.5, 30.9, and 30.8 months, respectively, in subgroup with score 1–2 (P = 0.5097). In subgroup with score 2.5–4, the median OS for the WBRT (n = 26), local radiotherapy (n = 45), and WBRT + Boost (n = 54) cohorts was 32, 68.4, and 51 months, respectively (P = 0.0041).

Conclusion

The present study showed that in patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with BM, local radiotherapy and WBRT + Boost perform similarly well both in the subgroups with low and high scores of Lung-molGPA. Considering the side effect caused by whole brain radiotherapy, we recommended local radiotherapy as optimal brain radiation mode for those subtype lung cancer patients.
Viral loads in nasopharyngeal aspirates and tracheal aspirates among children hospitalized with invasive ventilation for human adenovirus pneumonia
Authors: Xie Le-Yun , Zeng Sai-Zhen , Yu Tian , Hu Xian , Wang Tao , Yang Le , Zhong Li-Li , Li Jin-Song , Duan Zhao-Jun , Zhang Bing
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To evaluate viral loads in children with human adenovirus (HAdV) pneumonia at different stages of disease and compare the viral load between upper and lower respiratory tract samples.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled children who required invasive ventilation for HAdV pneumonia. Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) and tracheal aspirate (TA) samples were collected throughout the entire period of invasive ventilation. Viral detection and quantification were performed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Ninety-four children were enrolled. The median age of the children was 12.0 months (IQR: 11.0–24.0), and > ninety percent of patients were aged between 6 and 59 months. Seven hundred and nine paired NPA-TA samples were collected. The median viral loads of the NPA and TA samples were 7.31 log10 and 7.50 log10 copies/mL, respectively. Viral loads generally decreased steadily over time. The median viral load after 1, 2, 3, and > 3 weeks of the disease course was 8.65, 7.70, 6.69, and 5.09 log10 copies/mL, respectively, in NPA samples and 8.67, 7.79, 7.08, and 5.53 log10 copies/mL, respectively, in TA samples. Viral load showed a significant negative correlation with time since symptom onset in both NPA samples (Spearman r =  − 0.607, P = 0.000) and TA samples (Spearman r =  − 0.544, P = 0.000). The predicted duration of HAdV shedding was 60.17 days in the NPA group and 65.81 days in the TA group. Viral loads in NPA and TA from the same subjects correlated well with each other (R2 = 0.694). HAdV loads in NPA and TA were most comparable during the early phase of infection (95% limits of agreement, − 1.36 to 1.30 log10 copies/mL, R2 = 0.746). Variation increased during the late phase of infection (i.e., in follow-up samples), with viral loads remaining significantly higher in TA than NPA.

Conclusions

In children with HAdV pneumonia, viral loads in both NPA and TA steadily decreased during the course of the disease, and the predicted duration of viral shedding was more than 2 months. The HAdV DNA load of NPA is highly correlated with that of TA, especially in the initial phase of infection.
Artificial intelligence to diagnosis distal radius fracture using biplane plain X-rays
Authors: Oka Kunihiro , Shiode Ryoya , Yoshii Yuichi , Tanaka Hiroyuki , Iwahashi Toru , Murase Tsuyoshi
Published: November 2021

Background

Although the automatic diagnosis of fractures using artificial intelligence (AI) has recently been reported to be more accurate than those by orthopedics specialists, big data with at least 1000 images or more are required for deep learning of the convolutional neural network (CNN) to improve diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this study was to develop an AI system capable of diagnosing distal radius fractures with high accuracy even when learning with relatively small data by learning to use bi-planar X-rays images.

Methods

VGG16, a learned image recognition model, was used as the CNN. It was modified into a network with two output layers to identify the fractures in plain X-ray images. We augmented 369 plain X-ray anteroposterior images and 360 lateral images of distal radius fractures, as well as 129 anteroposterior images and 125 lateral images of normal wrists to conduct training and diagnostic tests. Similarly, diagnostic tests for fractures of the styloid process of the ulna were conducted using 189 plain X-ray anteroposterior images of fractures and 302 images of the normal styloid process. The distal radius fracture is determined by entering an anteroposterior image of the wrist for testing into the trained AI. If it identifies a fracture, it is diagnosed as the same. However, if the anteroposterior image is determined as normal, the lateral image of the same patient is entered. If a fracture is identified, the final diagnosis is fracture; if the lateral image is identified as normal, the final diagnosis is normal.

Results

The diagnostic accuracy of distal radius fractures and fractures of the styloid process of the ulna were 98.0 ± 1.6% and 91.1 ± 2.5%, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.991 {n = 540; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.984–0.999} and 0.956 (n = 450; 95% CI 0.938–0.973).

Conclusions

Our method resulted in a good diagnostic rate, even when using a relatively small amount of data.
The Line between Medicaid and Marketplace: Coverage Effects from Wisconsin's Partial Expansion
Authors: Dague Laura , Burns Marguerite , Friedsam Donna
Published: November 2021

Context: States have experimented with the income eligibility threshold between Medicaid coverage and access to subsidized Marketplace plans in an effort to increase coverage for low-income adults while meeting other state priorities, particularly a balanced budget. In 2014, Wisconsin opted against adopting an ACA Medicaid expansion, instead setting the Medicaid eligibility threshold at 100% of the poverty level—a state-funded partial expansion. Childless adults gained new eligibility, while parents and caregivers with incomes between 101–200% of poverty lost existing eligibility.

Methods: We used Wisconsin's all-payer claims database to assess health insurance gains, losses, and transitions among low-income adults affected by this partial expansion.

Findings: We found that less than one third of adults who lost Medicaid eligibility definitely took up commercial coverage, and many returned to Medicaid. Among those newly eligible for Medicaid, there was little evidence of crowd-out. Both groups experienced limited continuity of coverage. Overall, new Medicaid enrollment of childless adults was offset by coverage losses among parents and caregivers, rendering Wisconsin's overall coverage gains similar to nonexpansion states.

Conclusions: Wisconsin's experience demonstrates the difficulty in relying on the Marketplace to cover the near poor and suggests that full Medicaid expansion more effectively increases coverage.
Naive poison frog tadpoles use bi-modal cues to avoid insect predators but not heterospecific predatory tadpoles
Authors: Szabo Birgit , Mangione Rosanna , Rath Matthias , Pašukonis Andrius , Reber Stephan A. , Oh Jinook , Ringler Max , Ringler Eva
Published: November 2021

For animals to survive until reproduction, it is crucial that juveniles successfully detect potential predators and respond with appropriate behavior. The recognition of cues originating from predators can be innate or learned. Cues of various modalities might be used alone or in multi-modal combinations to detect and distinguish predators but studies investigating multi-modal integration in predator avoidance are scarce. Here, we used wild, naive tadpoles of the Neotropical poison frog Allobates femoralis ( Boulenger, 1884) to test their reaction to cues with two modalities from two different sympatrically occurring potential predators: heterospecific predatory Dendrobates tinctorius tadpoles and dragonfly larvae. We presented A. femoralis tadpoles with olfactory or visual cues, or a combination of the two, and compared their reaction to a water control in a between-individual design. In our trials, A. femoralis tadpoles reacted to multi-modal stimuli (a combination of visual and chemical information) originating from dragonfly larvae with avoidance but showed no reaction to uni-modal cues or cues from heterospecific tadpoles. In addition, visual cues from conspecifics increased swimming activity while cues from predators had no effect on tadpole activity. Our results show that A. femoralis tadpoles can innately recognize some predators and probably need both visual and chemical information to effectively avoid them. This is the first study looking at anti-predator behavior in poison frog tadpoles. We discuss how parental care might influence the expression of predator avoidance responses in tadpoles.
Allocation Mechanisms without Reduction
Authors: Dillenberger David , Segal Uzi
Published: November 2021

We study a simple variant of the house allocation problem (one-sided matching). We demonstrate that agents with recursive preferences may systematically prefer one allocation mechanism to the other, even among mechanisms that are considered to be the same in standard models, in the sense that they induce the same probability distribution over successful matchings. Using this, we propose a new priority groups mechanism and provide conditions under which it is preferred to two popular mechanisms, random top cycle and random serial dictatorship. (JEL C78, D44, D82)
Acumulação de Capacidades Tecnológicas para Inovação e Fortalecimento da Competitividade no Ecossistema de Biotecnologia para Saúde Humana no Brasil
Authors: Figueiredo Paulo , Daniela Uziel , Cabral Bernardo , Palhinha Lohanna , Gomes Pedro Ivo
Published: November 2021

Este documento apresenta uma versão parcial do estudo em desenvolvimento sobre o processo de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas para atividades de produção e de inovação, suas fontes e impactos na performance competitiva, em nível de empresas, no setor de biotecnologia para saúde humana no Brasil. Considerando a alta importância estratégica dessas indústrias para a economia brasileira, a sua capacidade para inovar e competir internacionalmente impacta diretamente no grau e extensão do desenvolvimento socioeconômico do Brasil. A despeito da quantidade de estudos sobre essas indústrias no Brasil, há uma enorme escassez de evidências e explicações sistematizadas e dinâmicas, com adequado grau de detalhe e profundidade, em nível intraindústria e empresarial, que possam iluminar e suportar o desenho e a implementação de políticas públicas aliadas a estratégias empresariais orientadas ao fortalecimento das capacidades tecnológicas inovadoras e da competitividade internacional dessas indústrias no Brasil. Baseando-se em uma metodologia inovadora, validada cientificamente, em nível internacional, e utilizada largamente no exame de outras indústrias intensivas em processo no Brasil, a pesquisa aqui proposta objetiva: (a) Gerar novas evidências e explicações sobre o processo de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas, suas fontes e seus impactos em atividades inovadoras e indicadores de competitividade, com base em evidências de empresas selecionadas das indústrias farmoquímica e farmacêutica voltadas para saúde humana no Brasil. As evidências serão coletadas e examinadas em nível de empresas e de forma anonimizada e os dados da pesquisa, embora em nível micro e intraindústria, serão tratados de forma agregada; (b) Gerar insumos e suporte para o desenho, redesenho e/ou aprimoramento de políticas públicas aliadas a estratégias empresariais orientadas ao fortalecimento da competitividade internacional da indústria farmacêutica e farmoquímica no Brasil. Considerando que inovação e fortalecimento da competitividade são processos, esta pesquisa, quando concretizada, terá o potencial para estimular esforços para a construção de um sistema de monitoramento contínuo de indicadores de inovação e competitividade dessas indústrias no Brasil, com base nas evidências, análises e metodologia da pesquisa.

Palavras chave: Capacidade Tecnológica, Aprendizagem Tecnológica, Inovação, Biotecnologia, Saúde Humana
Οι χοροί ψαλτών κατά την βυζαντινή παράδοση
Authors: Σπυράκου Ευαγγελία
Published: November 2021

Η παρούσα διατριβή στοχεύει να αναδείξει τη δομή των Βυζαντινών Χορών Ψαλτών μέσα από το λειτουργικό τους ρόλο σε κοσμικά και μοναστικά περιβάλλοντα. Το πηγαίο υλικό της προέρχεται από τις τυπικές διατάξεις μουσικών χειρογράφων, Τυπικών (Λειτουργικών- Κτητορικών) και Ευχολογίων. Μέσω της συνδυασμένης εξέτασης αμέσων και εμμέσων πηγών, αποδεικνύεται ότι η παράδοση στην οποία βασίζεται το σύστημα του βυζαντινού Χορού παραμένει αναλλοίωτη, παρά τις λεπτομέρειες και τη διαφοροποίηση που εντοπίζονται κατά τις διάφορες φάσεις που πέρασε. Στο πρώτο μέρος παρουσιάζεται η έννοια των Ψαλτών, καθώς αναδύεται μέσα από αυτό που οι Ορθόδοξοι θεωρούν ως Εκκλησιαστική Παράδοση. Δηλαδή την Αγία Γραφή, τους Πατέρες και τις Οικουμενικές Συνόδους. Το πρώτο μέρος της διατριβής καταλήγει στην παρουσίαση του πηγαίου υλικού δομημένου σε Πίνακες, με κριτήριο τις Ακολουθίες. Προηγούνται δύο κεφάλαια για καλύτερη κατανόηση και αξιολόγηση του αρχικού υλικού. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, δίδονται λειτουργικές πληροφορίες, καθώς οι δύο βασικές φάσεις ανάπτυξης του Τυπικού καθορίζουν τα δύο κρίσιμα σημεία της εξέλιξης των Βυζαντινών Χορών. Επιπλέον, δίνονται ιστορικές πληροφορίες που βασίζονται στα δύο τελετουργικά περιβάλλοντα (κοσμικά-μοναστηριακά), στα οποία καλούνται να λειτουργούν οι Χοροί. Σκοπός των κεφαλαίων είναι να αναδείξουν τις δύο εκδοχές των βυζαντινών ψαριών ως παράγωγα των αναγκών και αρχών του εκάστοτε περιβάλλοντος.Τα αποτελέσματα της επεξεργασίας πηγαίου υλικού παρουσιάζονται και εμπλουτίζονται στο δεύτερο μέρος. Χωρίζονται σε κεφάλαια που σχετίζονται με την εσωτερική οργάνωση και λειτουργικό ρόλο, την ιεραρχία του Χορού, και τα κοσμικά Οφφίκια ή Διακονήματα για τις μονές, τα οποία διαφοροποιούνται μέσω των αμφίων τους. Ειδικά κεφάλαια ασχολούνται με τη μουσική εκπαίδευση των Ψαλτών και τη χορωδιακή διεύθυνση. Τέλος, υπάρχει ένα κεφάλαιο που ασχολείται με το γενικό καθεστώς των Ψαλτών στην Οθωμανική αυτοκρατορία και τις συνέπειές της στην οργάνωση και λειτουργία της Χορωδίας.
Αξιολόγηση συνδυαστικής θεραπείας κρυοχειρουργικής και τοπικής ιμικουϊμόδης για τη θεραπεία διηθητικών βασικοκυτταρικών καρκινωμάτων του δέρματος
Authors: Νομικός Κάτων
Published: November 2021

Το βασικοκυτταρικό καρκίνωμα (BCC) αποτελεί τον πιο συχνό τύπο καρκίνου του δέρματος στους Καυκάσιους, σε ορισμένα δε μέρη του κόσμου ο επιπολασμός του λαμβάνει επιδημικές διαστάσεις. Εξ αυτού του λόγου η ανάγκη νέων θεραπευτικών προσεγγίσεων σε εξωνοσοκομειακό περιβάλλον καθίσταται εντονότερη. Η κρυοχειρουργική και η τοπική ιμικουϊμόδη συνιστούν καθιερωμένες μονοθεραπείες για τα επιφανειακά βασικοκυτταρικά, ωστόσο είναι ανεπαρκείς για τους συμπαγέστερους όγκους. Η ανοσοκρυοχειρουργική είναι ένας ξεχωριστός συνδυασμός tοπικής ιμικουϊμόδης και κρυοχειρουργικής που έχει αποδειχθεί ιδιαίτερα αποτελεσματική στη θεραπεία των βασικοκυτταρικών, ιδιαίτερα μεγάλων νεοπλασμάτων και περιοφθαλμικών όγκων. Αυτή η μέθοδος αναπτύχθηκε προκειμένου να αξιοποιήσει τη συνέργεια των αντιογκογόνων επιδράσεων, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της πρόκλησης ανοσιολογικών αποκρίσεων που προκαλούνται από την ιμικουϊμόδη και την κρυοχειρουργική. Στην παρούσα εργασία μελετούμε τη διήθηση των βασικοκυτταρικών καρκινωμάτων (BCC) από επιλεγμένα φλεγμονώδη κυτταρικά είδη κατά τη διάρκεια ενός κύκλου θεραπείας ανοσοκρυοχειρουργικής. Η πυκνότητα των κυτταρικών διηθήσεων CD68+, CD3+ και Foxp3+ μελετήθηκε με ανοσοϊστοχημεία σε 56 βιοψίες BCC που ελήφθησαν τυχαιοποιημένα από 28 σημεία 26 υπό θεραπεία ασθενών κατά την έναρξη και κατά τη 12η, 16ηκαι 28η ημέρα της θεραπείας. Η ανοσοχειρουργική προκαλεί στατιστικά σημαντικές αλλοιώσεις και στις τρεις κατηγορίες κυττάρων (p<0.003). Η πυκνότητα των CD68+ αυξήθηκε ήδη από την 12η ημέρα και παρέμεινε σε υψηλότερο επίπεδο κατά τη διάρκεια του υπόλοιπου κύκλου της θεραπείας. Η πυκνότητα των κυττάρων CD3+ αυξήθηκε σημαντικά μεταξύ της 12ης και της 16ης μέρας της θεραπείας. Η πυκνότητα των κυττάρων Foxp3+ αυξήθηκε στην πρώτη φάση της θεραπείας (φθάνοντας το υψηλότερο σημείο τη 12η ημέρα) ενώ στη συνέχεια μειώθηκε σημαντικά ήδη δύο ημέρες μετά τη κρυοχειρουργική συνεδρία (16η ημέρα) και στη συνέχεια μέχρι την 28η ημέρα του κύκλου θεραπείας (p=0.033). Μέσα στον ιστό του όγκου, αυτές οι αλλοιώσεις οδηγούν σε απότομη αύξηση της αναλογίας CD3+/Foxp3+, ένα εύρημα που υποδηλώνει ότι η κρυοχειρουργική διαταραχή μπορεί πιθανώς να διαδραματίσει καθοριστικό ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση της κυτταρικής σύνθεσης της φλεγμονώδους διήθησης κατά τη διάρκεια της ανοσοκρυοχειρουργικής, προαναγγέλλοντας τελικά την επαγωγή μιας αποτελεσματικής ανοσολογικής απόκρισης που αποδομεί τον όγκο.
Η καταπολέμηση του ρατσισμού και της ξενοφοβίας μέσω του ποινικού δικαίου
Authors: Μητσέλου Βασιλική
Published: November 2021

Η εκπόνηση αυτής της εργασίας στοχεύει στο να θέσει ερωτήματα και παράλληλα να προσφέρει απαντήσεις στα ζητήματα που προκύπτουν μέσα από την παρουσίαση, ανάλυση και ερμηνεία των ποινικών διατάξεων του Ν. 4285/2014 (ΦΕΚ Α’ 191/10.09.2014), ο οποίος τροποποίησε το Ν. 927/1979 (ΦΕΚ Α’ 139/28.06.1979) «Περί κολασμού πράξεων ή ενεργειών αποσκοπουσών εις φυλετικάς διακρίσεις». Η έρευνα ουσιαστικά έχει ως σημείο αναφοράς ένα πολύ συγκεκριμένο πεδίο της ανθρώπινης παραβατικότητας, το οποίο αποτελεί συνάμα και μία επιμέρους έκφανση του ρατσιστικού φαινομένου, αυτό της «ρητορικής του μίσους», άλλως του «λόγου του μίσους» (διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένος και ως “hate speech”). H ρητορική του μίσους, ως λόγος που εξωτερικεύεται και απευθύνεται σε άλλους ανθρώπους προσπαθώντας να επέμβει στο πεδίο της βούλησής τους, ώστε να πάρουν απόφαση και να προβούν σε πράξεις διακρίσεων, μίσους ακόμα και βίας σε βάρος προσώπου ή ομάδας προσώπων που προσδιορίζονται με βάση το χρώμα, τη φυλή, τη θρησκεία, το σεξουαλικό προσανατολισμό τους κ.ά., αποτελεί κατά τούτο «επικοινωνιακό ενέργημα» και, υπό προϋποθέσεις, «έγκλημα γνώμης». Έτσι, όμως, γίνεται αντιληπτό ότι η απαγόρευσή του με τα μέσα του ποινικού δικαίου περιορίζει αναπόφευκτα τη συνταγματικά αλλά και διεθνώς κατοχυρωμένη ελευθερία της έκφρασης ή ελευθερία της γνώμης, ως αποτέλεσμα της σχετικότητας της προστασίας των ατομικών δικαιωμάτων ή ελευθεριών.
Evolutionary game theory and economic policy
Authors: Πετρόχειλος-Ανδριανός Ιωάννης
Published: November 2021

Στα πλαίσια της εξελικτικής θεωρίας παιγνίων, μελετούμε τη συνεξέλιξη της συμμόρφωσης και της ρυθμιστικής παρέμβασης, με μη συμμορφούμενους οικονομικούς δρώντες, επιτρέποντας τη μίμηση και όχι την ορθολογικότητα στην εξέλιξη της κατανομής των διαθέσιμων στρατηγικών τους στον πληθυσμό, κάνοντας χρήση της έννοιας της εξίσωσης δυναμικού αντιγραφέα. Το γενικό πλαίσιο συνδυάζει καθιερωμένες προσεγγίσεις της βιβλιογραφίας όπου οι οικονομικοί δρώντες είναι μιμητές και όχι ορθολογικοί βελτιστοποιητές και σχηματίζουν ενδογενώς υποκειμενική πιθανότητα να ελεγχθούν από τις αρχές. Ο κοινωνικός σχεδιαστής επιλέγει είτε μυωπικά είτε βέλτιστα -στο πλαίσιο βέλτιστου ελέγχου- τιμές στα διαθέσιμα μέσα πολιτικής, πάντα λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τη μιμητική συμπεριφορά των οικονομικών δρώντων. Στη συνέχεια αναλύουμε τα σημεία ισορροπίας και τις ιδιότητες των δυναμικών συστημάτων διαφορικών εξισώσεων που περιγράφουν την αλληλεπίδραση μεταξύ της οικονομικής πολιτικής και της εξέλιξης των στρατηγικών των οικονομικών δρώντων.
Ανάπτυξη και χαρακτηρισμός ικριωμάτων πολυμερικών υδροπηκτών για βιοϊατρικές εφαρμογές
Authors: Καρύδης-Μεσσήνης Ανδρέας
Published: November 2021

Το υψηλό ποσοστό θανάτων ασθενών που υποφέρουν από εγκαύματα μεγάλης επιφάνειας (70 % της συνολικής επιφάνειας του σώματος) και το υψηλό κόστος διαχείρισης/φροντίδας των τραυμάτων, καθιστούν την ανάπτυξη επιθεμάτων μέσω απλών και οικονομικών συνθετικών διαδικασιών, επιτακτική.Για την ανάπτυξη των υδροπηκτών χρησιμοποιήθηκαν τα φυσικά πολυμερή χιτοζάνη, ζελατίνη ιχθύων και θειϊκή χονδροϊτίνη ενώ η χρήση της γλυκερόλης κρίθηκε αναγκαία για τη συνολική βελτίωση των ιδιοτήτων των υλικών. Για περαιτέρω βελτίωση μέρους των ιδιοτήτων, πραγματοποιήθηκε θερμική κατεργασία, οδηγώντας σε λήψη υλικών με εξαιρετικές ιδιότητες (μείωση του ρυθμού αποδόμησης και βελτίωση του κυτταρικού πολλαπλασιασμού). Επίσης με σκοπό τη λήψη πορώδους υλικού πραγματοποιήθηκε λυοφιλίωση. Τα υλικά που συντέθηκαν στα πλαίσια της διατριβής, χαρακτηρίστηκαν μέσω φασματοσκοπίας υπερύθρου (FTIR), περίθλασης ακτίνων-Χ (XRD), θερμικής-σταθμικής ανάλυσης (TGA), δυναμικής μηχανικής ανάλυσης (DMA) και ηλεκτρονιακής μικροσκοπίας σάρωσης (SEM). Πραγματοποιήθηκαν μελέτες απορρόφησης νερού, ρυθμού αποδόμησης και απώλειας νερού. Επιπρόσθετα, ενσωματώθηκαν στις υδροπηκτές αντιβιοτικά (υδροχλωρική τετρακυκλίνη και αργυρούχος σουλφαδιαζίνη) και εμβαπτίστηκαν με αιθέρια έλαια (ρίγανης και θυμαριού) με σκοπό να προσδοθούν αντιμικροβιακές ιδιότητες. Τέλος, πραγματοποιήθηκαν in vitro δοκιμές εποίκησης ενδοθηλιακών κυττάρων στις υδροπηκτές με σκοπό αρχικά τη μελέτη ύπαρξης κυτταροτοξικού παράγοντα και στη συνέχεια της κυτταρικής προσκόλλησης και πολλαπλασιασμού. Τα αποτελέσματα της ζώνης αναστολής (δοκιμές αντιμικροβιακής δραστικότητας) όπως επίσης και αυτά της κυτταρικής προσκόλλησης και του κυτταρικού πολλαπλασιασμού (in vitro δοκιμές εποίκησης ενδοθηλιακών κυττάρων στις υδροπηκτές), υποδεικνύουν ότι οι υδροπηκτές μπορούν πιθανώς να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως βιοϋλικά στον τομέα της επούλωσης/φροντίδας τραυμάτων (προστασία από βακτήρια, παροχή υγρού περιβάλλοντος κ.τ.λ.).
Η μεθοδολογία της εκπαιδευτικής έρευνας υπό το πρίσμα της θεωρίας των νομιμοποιητικών κωδίκων
Authors: Δορλή Ευαγγελία
Published: November 2021

Η παρούσα διατριβή εξετάζει τη Μεθοδολογία της Εκπαιδευτικής Έρευνας ως γνωστικό αντικείμενο σε προπτυχιακό επίπεδο στα πανεπιστημιακά τμήματα των Επιστημών της Αγωγής και της Εκπαίδευσης στην Ελλάδα υπό το πρίσμα μιας σχετικά νέας κοινωνιογλωσσικής θεωρίας που ονομάζεται «Θεωρία των Νομιμοποιητικών Κωδίκων». Η θεωρία αυτή επεκτείνει τις ιδέες του Άγγλου Κοινωνιογλωσσολόγου Basil Bernstein και χρησιμοποιεί στοιχεία από το «πεδίο» του Pierre Bourdieu και τον Κριτικό Ρεαλισμό του Roy Bhaskar. Υπό το πρίσμα αυτής της θεωρίας συζητούνται στην παρούσα διατριβή οι τρόποι με τους οποίους γνώσεις και «γνώστες» στο υπό εξέταση γνωστικό αντικείμενο «νομιμοποιούνται» στη τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση, καθώς και οι τρόποι με τους οποίους οι κώδικες αυτοί εμφανίζονται κατά τη διδασκαλία του εν λόγω γνωστικού αντικειμένου. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, η παρούσα διατριβή εξετάζει την ιστορία και τους «κώδικες» της εκπαιδευτικής έρευνας στην Ελλάδα ως «απροσδιόριστης επιστήμης» από το 1920 ως τις μέρες μας. Σε ερευνητικό επίπεδο αναλύονται: (α) οι απόψεις 1005 φοιτητών και φοιτητριών και 71 καθηγητών και καθηγητριών από όλα τα πανεπιστημιακά τμήματα Αγωγής και Εκπαίδευσης στην Ελλάδα, (β) οι αφηγήσεις ζωής τριών πρωτοπόρων στη θεμελίωση της Μεθοδολογίας Εκπαιδευτικής Έρευνας ως διδακτικού αντικειμένου στην Ελλάδα (Μιχάλης Βάμβουκας, Μιχάλης Κασσωτάκης, Θάλεια Δραγώνα) και (γ) τέσσερις διδασκαλίες στο αντικείμενο της Μεθοδολογίας Έρευνας. Βρέθηκε ότι η Εκπαιδευτική Έρευνα θεωρείται «κατώτερη» από αυτή των άλλων επιστημών και νομιμοποιείται με τους ρεαλιστικούς και θετικιστικούς κώδικες της φισεριανής Στατιστικής και της Ψυχολογίας. Οι διδάσκοντες «νομιμοποιούνται» μέσω των γνώσεων των προαναφερθέντων κωδίκων αλλά και από το καλλιεργημένο βλέμμα του γνώστη. Τέλος, σημασιολογικά «κύματα» μεταβαλλόμενης «πυκνότητας» και «βαρύτητας» ανιχνεύτηκαν, σύμφωνα με την Θεωρία των Νομιμοποιητικών Κωδίκων σε πανεπιστημιακά μαθήματα.
Πολιτιστικές διαδρομές, ως μια πολυδιάστατη προοπτική
Authors: Κώστα Ελισσάβετ
Published: November 2021

Ο σχετικά πρόσφατος θεσμός της πολιτιστικής διαδρομής αποτελεί, εξαιτίας της δυναμικότητάς του, ένα σημαντικό πια «εργαλείο» αξιοποίησης της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς. Οι πολιτιστικές διαδρομές είναι αρκετά διαδεδομένες στην Ευρωπαϊκή ήπειρο καθώς προσφέρουν δυνατότητες για αξιοποίηση και προώθηση της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς. Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή αποσκοπεί στη μελέτη των πολιτιστικών διαδρομών από διαφορετικές οπτικές γωνίες. Ο σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας είναι διττός. Πρώτον, η ανάπτυξη ενός μοντέλου για το σχεδιασμό πολιτιστικών διαδρομών στην Ελλάδα, έπειτα από ενδελεχή μελέτη της εγχώριας και της διεθνούς βιβλιογραφίας, καθώς και ο σχεδιασμός πολιτιστικών διαδρομών σε Σπάρτη και Ιωάννινα, σύμφωνα με το μοντέλο που αναπτύχθηκε στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας έρευνας. Δεύτερον, η παρούσα διατριβή αποσκοπεί στο να αποτελέσει ένα εγχειρίδιο αναφορικά με τις πολιτιστικές διαδρομές. Στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας διατριβής πραγματοποιήθηκε έρευνα με τη χρήση ερωτηματολογίου, η οποία στοχεύει στην σκιαγράφηση της εξοικείωσης των πολιτών με τον όρο πολιτιστική διαδρομή, τον βαθμό πληροφόρησης τους αναφορικά με τις πολιτιστικές διαδρομές στην Ελλάδα και επιπλέον, την πρόθεση συμμετοχής των πολιτών στη διαδικασία διαμόρφωσης και επίσκεψης μιας πολιτιστικής διαδρομής. Για την επεξεργασία των δεδομένων της ποσοτικής έρευνας χρησιμοποιήθηκε το στατιστικό εργαλείο SPSS.
Computing Constrained Shortest-Paths at Scale
Authors: Vera Alberto , Banerjee Siddhartha , Samaranayake Samitha
Published: November 2021

Motivated by the needs of modern transportation service platforms, we study the problem of computing constrained shortest paths (CSP) at scale via preprocessing techniques. Our work makes two contributions in this regard: 1) We propose a scalable algorithm for CSP queries and show how its performance can be parametrized in terms of a new network primitive, the constrained highway dimension. This development extends recent work that established the highway dimension as the appropriate primitive for characterizing the performance of unconstrained shortest-path (SP) algorithms. Our main theoretical contribution is deriving conditions relating the two notions, thereby providing a characterization of networks where CSP and SP queries are of comparable hardness. 2) We develop practical algorithms for scalable CSP computation, augmenting our theory with additional network clustering heuristics. We evaluate these algorithms on real-world data sets to validate our theoretical findings. Our techniques are orders of magnitude faster than existing approaches while requiring only limited additional storage and preprocessing.
A long, difficult winter ahead
Authors: Halliwell Amanda
Published: November 2021

The Care Quality Commission's annual report on the state of care in England gives cause for concern for the foreseeable future, starting with the immediate issue of winter pressures, writes Amanda Halliwell
‘Suits’ and ‘creatives’: managerial control, the expropriation of fun and the manufacture of consent
Authors: Bob Hughes
Published: November 2021

Human skill poses a perennial problem to capitalist enterprises. This paper suggests that they have discovered, in the concept of ‘creativity’, a new weapon in the war on skill which simultaneously generates consent, sanctifies the use of inexperienced and expendable labour, and gives the manager even more power to control the worker while acting out the role of parent and protector. Creativity (as understood by modern managers) is an ineffable quality which ‘we know when we see’ — i.e. its existence and value are in the gift of the (managerial) beholder. Helpless and powerless, it is especially apt to be found amọngst the young and innocent. This paper draws on Michael Burawoy's study of ‘Manufacturing Consent’ in an engineering shop in the 1970s, and the author's own experience of working as a ‘creative’ in advertising agencies in the 1970s and 1980s.
The emergence of EMERGENCE: the challenge of designing research on the new international division of labour
Authors: Ursula Huws
Published: November 2021

This paper anatomises a pioneering international research project on the global relocation of telemediated employment. It outlines the intellectual origins of the project in the literature on globalisation, the knowledge society, teleworking and other related bodies of work and discusses the limits of the empirical information available up to 2000, when the project was launched. It then summarises the conceptual and methodological framework developed for the project, before discussing some of its limitations, drawing lessons for future international collaborative research on the changing international division of labour.
Constrained least-squares algorithm for active optics correction of a primary mirror
Authors: Li Wenru , Tang Jinlong , Guo Youming , Rao Changhui
Published: November 2021

Active optics technology improves the performance and image quality of large telescopes. To effectively compensate for optical aberrations, the constrained least-squares (CLS) algorithm, which considers the characteristics of the resultant moment, the force budget, and the local force smoothness, is proposed to optimize the force distribution. First, the constraint of the resultant moment is used to decouple the shape control and location control. Then, through the force budget, the surface residual and force amplitude can be balanced. At last, the local smooth constraint is proposed to reduce the mirror’s internal stress. Simulations were conducted on a 4 m thin mirror to compare the force distributions obtained by the least-squares, bending modes (BMs), and CLS algorithms. The results show that under equivalent residuals, the proposed algorithm is superior to the BM algorithm and performs better on local force smoothness.
Robust and low cost in-fiber acousto-optic Mach–Zehnder interferometer and its application in a dual-wavelength laser
Authors: Han Xiaofang , Wang Zhao , Gao Feng , Zhang Wending , Bo Fang , Dong Xiao , Zhang Guoquan , Xu Jingjun
Published: November 2021

A robust in-fiber tunable acousto-optic Mach–Zehnder interferometer with a taper-shaped sandwich-like fiber structure is proposed and characterized experimentally, based on which tunable dual-wavelength lasers are demonstrated. The fiber structure was prepared by two-step etching methods, which could be used to fabricate either a symmetric structure for a continuous tuning dual-wavelength laser or an asymmetric structure for a switchable one. The proposed structure has advantages of low cost, low driving power, and robustness.  The method for preparing the fiber structure is agile, which paves the way for its applications.