bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Synchronization Time for Tractor Power-Shift Transmission Using Multi-Body Dynamic Simulation
Authors: Han Hyun-Woo , Han Jung-Su , Chung Woo-Jin , Kim Ji-Tae , Park Young-Jun
Published: September 2021

Highlights

Prediction of synchronization time was performed for a power-shift transmission.

We derived an analytical equation for synchronization time and developed a multi-body dynamics model.

Model results were compared with results of a power-shift test on a synchronizer.

Reduced computation and design time was achieved for automatic transmission design.

Abstract. Synchronization time determines the capacity of a shift actuator for an automatic transmission system. Existing approaches for measuring this time only consider one rotational inertia and therefore cannot be applied to the power-shift transmission (PST) of a tractor with wet multi-plate clutches on both sides of the synchronizer. This study aims to predict the PST synchronization time by considering time-varying axial forces as first-order functions and the equivalent rotational inertias of the hub and the gear. First, we derive an analytical equation for the synchronization time. We then develop a multi-body dynamics (MBD) model that includes the drag torque of the wet multi-plate clutches. The MBD model is composed of a synchronizer, a linkage, and an output shaft of a shift actuator as a rigid-body system. A power-shift test was performed on the synchronizer at two shift stages requiring the maximum shift force of the system. The torque of the shift actuator (the input of the shift system) and the angular displacement of the output shaft of the shift actuator (the output of the shift system) were measured. The results of the simulation model were then compared with those of the shift test. Compared with the test results, the simulation results were validated within 7.63% accuracy, based on the maximum value for the torque of the shift actuator. The proposed equation was validated within a maximum error range of 8.25%. The proposed equation did not consider drag torque of the wet multi-plate clutches because that torque is much smaller than the cone torque of the synchronizer in the target shift system. The proposed equation can reduce computation time and will enable more precise sizing of the synchronizer and shift actuator in the early design stages of automatic transmissions. Keywords: Multi-body dynamics, Power-shift transmission, Synchronization time, Synchronizer, Tractor transmission.
Water stress in passion fruit cropping: an approach to its development
Authors: Contiero Leandro Fogagnoli , Cavichioli José Carlos , Aparecido Manzani Lisboa Lucas , Vitorino Rodrigo Aparecido , Ramos Samuel Bispo , Figueiredo Paulo Alexandre Monteiro de
Published: September 2021

In places with water restrictions, there is the occurrence of water stress, which compromises the entire cycle of passion fruit crop, causing damage to the vegetative and reproductive phase of the plant. Therefore, the objective of this work was to assess water stress in the passion fruit crop through an approach to its development. An experiment was carried out in May 2019 at São Paulo State University (Unesp), College of Agricultural and Technological Sciences located in the municipality of Dracena, State of São Paulo. The experimental design was completely randomized (DIC), in a 3x3 factorial arrangement, in which three passion fruit species were used: Passiflora gibertii; Passiflora foetida, and Passiflora edulis, interacting with three irrigation intervals, namely: 4, 8, and 12 days, with four replications, totaling 36 plots. It was found that the a 12-day interruption in the irrigation affects the growth of seedlings of different species of passion fruit, and the species P. gibertii has a growth rate higher than P. edulis and P. foetida. The species P. edulis showed lower contents of chlorophylls A, B, and total in relation to P. gibertii and P. foetida.
An empirical study identifying Fair Trade consumer attributes of compassion and sustainability awareness
Authors: Musa Shireen , Gopalakrishna Pradeep
Published: September 2021

While growing awareness, concern and expectation among stakeholders for companies to implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies exists, the fashion industry's global supply chains and product lifecycles are unsustainable. Fair Trade apparel bridges that gap. The Fair Trade and CSR literature supports the idea that fair trade consumers should possess the attributes of (a) compassion for oneself, others and the environment (COOE) and (b) desire for sustainability awareness (DSA). In this study, we contribute to the literature by developing two new scales to measure these unique qualities. Online surveys were distributed to 1,197 individuals and 258 respondents make up the sample. An Exploratory Factor Analysis, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax Rotation was administered on all items, which made up both scales to determine discriminant validity. Scholars and practitioners can use both new scales to holistically analyse and identify the attributes that motivate consumers to purchase Fair Trade apparel.
‘I was punished for telling the truth’: how allegations of parental alienation are used to silence, sideline and disempower survivors of domestic abuse in family law proceedings
Authors: Birchall Jenny , Choudhry Shazia
Published: September 2021

This article presents empirical findings from a research study conducted by Women’s Aid Federation England and Queen Mary University of London looking at domestic abuse and the family courts. The study found that allegations of parental alienation were frequently being used during child arrangements proceedings to obscure and undermine allegations of domestic abuse. These findings are presented against a backdrop of a recent revival of ideas around alienation in the family court in England and Wales. The article highlights a growing body of evidence demonstrating the gendered assumptions underlying parental alienation as a concept, and argues that the concept should not be accepted without analysis and understanding of the harmful impact it has on survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
Problemas de autoría en la traducción latina medieval del libro VI del DE SIMPL. MED. FAC. de Galeno
Authors: Díaz Marcos Marina
Published: September 2021

En el Occidente medieval apenas existían versiones en latín de las obras científicas griegas hasta el siglo xii, cuando nace la traducción científica propiamente dicha. En el ámbito de la Escuela de Traductores de Toledo una de las figuras más destacadas fue Gerardo de Cremona (s. xii), quien tradujo del árabe al latín el De simplicium medicamentorum facultatibus i-v/vi de Galeno, un tratado de farmacología compuesto por once libros. La complejidad de la transmisión del texto y los escasos estudios sobre las traducciones de textos médicos realizadas por Gerardo han supuesto un obstáculo en el análisis de la obra. Uno de los libros que más problemas suscita es el vi, ya que se conserva solo en 5 manuscritos (los libros i-v en 55) y se duda de su autoría, puesto que Gerardo nunca firmaba sus obras. El objetivo de esta propuesta es defender la autoría de dicho libro por parte de Gerardo mediante su estudio y posterior comparación con los otros libros, sí atribuidos a él. El resultado mostrará que el traductor es el mismo y que el libro vi fue publicado con posterioridad a los cinco primeros.
Arcaismo, clasicismo y epigrafía en Cos: notas a IG XII 4
Authors: Jerez Sánchez Gonzalo
Published: September 2021

El clasicismo es un fenómeno en la historia del arte que no solo abarca manifestaciones de las artes plásticas (en donde se origina el concepto) sino también la literatura y, como es el propósito de la presente contribución, la epigrafía, campo de estudio donde lo lingüístico y lo plástico se dan de la mano. En efecto, el recurso a formas de expresión pretéritas es un fenómeno conocido de la época helenística e imperial tanto en las artes plásticas como en la literatura, dando lugar a movimientos como, por ejemplo, el arte helenístico o, más tarde, la segunda sofística o el arcaísmo. En la epigrafía esta última corriente no ha recibido suficiente atención dada la inherente dificultad de su estudio. No obstante, el objetivo de este trabajo es presentar cómo el arcaísmo puede detectarse en la epigrafía, en concreto en las inscripciones de Cos. El antecedente inmediato y único de nuestro trabajo es el de Aleshire (1997), la cual establece algunas conclusiones sobre el arcaísmo epigráfico en las inscripciones áticas. La aportación de la estudiosa inglesa será tenida en cuenta y revisada.
E’ lecito ai poeti alterar le favole: The story of Dido according to Giovan Battista Busenello
Authors: Scalera Alessia Maria
Published: September 2021

The aim of this paper is to analyze the rewriting of Dido’s myth by Giovan Battista Busenello, the librettist of the first opera named after the queen of Carthage. The imposing regality of Dido and the highly dramatic tension of the Aeneid are absent in Busenello’s libretto. Interestingly, if in the fourth book of the Virgilian poem Dido kills herself with Aeneas’ sword, in the final act of the opera she marries Iarbas, king of Gaetulians. Poignantly, in her only aria Dido sings her rejection of Iarbas’ advances, instead of her death wish or her sorrow for Aeneas’ departure. The tragic éthos we expect of Dido surfaces in two other characters in the opera, Hecuba and Cassandra, specifically through their laments. The basso lines of their laments call to mind the formal archetype at the heart of the famous Dido’s lament, Dido’s aria in Dido and Eneas, composed by Henry Purcell forty-eight years after the Didone. In that way, Hecuba and Cassandra constitute the actual tragic characters in the Didone, while, conversely, Dido is granted a happy ending, a deviation from the source just as peculiar as its author.
San Jorge en la homnografía bizantina: el himno 66 de Romano Melodo
Authors: Urbano-Ruiz Míriam
Published: September 2021

El himno surge en las civilizaciones primitivas dentro de rituales de culto a las deidades paganas como una especie de poesía sagrada. La introducción del cristianismo marcará definitivamente la remodelación de los himnos griegos, que cuentan con, además de una clara ascendencia clásica, el influjo de la tradición semítica. San Jorge es uno de los retratos de relevancia en el campo de los santos denominados militares y además cuenta con una larga tradición en Occidente y Oriente. Es un santo muy estudiado, pero no por ello carece de interés la revisión de aquellos textos que, aun gozando de un carácter distinto al de los textos hagiográficos principales, aportan datos a su figura y culto. En este trabajo se lleva a cabo la contextualización y un breve análisis de un himno a san Jorge atribuido a Romano Melodo (nº 66), haciendo especial énfasis en la estructura formal y narratológica del texto, de acuerdo con las posibles fuentes hagiográficas.
Crandallite-rich beds of the Libkovice Member, Most Basin, Czech Republic: climatic extremes or paleogeographic changes at the onset of the Miocene Climatic Optimum?
Authors: Mach Karel , Rapprich Vladislav , Faměra Martin , Havelcová Martina , Matys Grygar Tomáš , Novotný Tomáš , Řehoř Michal , Erban Kochergina Yulia
Published: September 2021

We describe the occurrence and possible origin of rare beds 1–10cm thick and containing 20–70% of crandallite, a Ca-Al phosphate enriched in Sr and Ba, found within otherwise monotonous clay-rich lacustrine sediments of the Most Basin in the Central-European Neogene Ohře Rift system. The beds were formed at ca. 17.31, 17.06, and 16.88Ma, while the entire suite of monotonous clays of the Libkovice Member was deposited between 17.46 and 16.65Ma. Trace-element and organic geochemistry, Ar-Ar geochronology and C-O-Sr isotope systematics are used to infer their source and processes leading to their formation. The most enigmatic aspect of the formation of the crandallite beds is the removal of a huge amount of phosphorus from its biogenic cycle in the lacustrine system, which was otherwise stable for ca. 0.8My. Formation of detritus-poor crandallite beds could result from some exceptional environmental disruptions that hindered transport of fine clastic material to the basin floor. Silicic volcanic activity in the area of the Pannonian Basin could have triggered this disruption. Crandallite could provide evidence of long-lasting droughts and acidification of the exogenic environment, as they are roughly coeval with the onset of the Miocene Climatic Optimum at ca. 17.0Ma.
De l'art analògic a l'art digital: nous contextos i noves propostes de recerca
Authors: Polo Pujadas Magda
Published: September 2021

Presentació del número 18-19 de Matèria. Revista internacional d'Art, escrit per Magda Polo.
Estudios Musicales del Clasicismo
Authors: Ortiz-de-Urbina Sobrino Paloma
Published: September 2021

Reseña del libro Adela Presas y Miguel Salmerón (eds.), Estudios Musicales del Clasicismo. Debates estéticos sobre el teatro musical español del siglo XVIII, Madrid y Sant Cugat, Arpegio, 2019.
Mireia Freixa i Mar Léniz, El Park Güell i els seus orígens, 1894-1926, Barcelona, Museu d’Història de Barcelona - Ajuntament de Barcelona, 2019
Authors: Molet Petit Joan
Published: September 2021

Ressenya del llibre Mireia Freixa i Mar Léniz, El Park Güell i els seus orígens, 1894-1926, Barcelona, Museu d’Història de Barcelona - Ajuntament de Barcelona, 2019.
Polititzacions del malestar. Processos creatius i experiències compartides. Exposició / Arxiu digital / publicació
Authors: Creus Castellana Maia
Published: September 2021

Ressenya del llibre Nora ANCAROLA, Laia MANONELLES, Daniel GASOL (ed.), Polititzacions del Malestar, Barcelona, Raig Verd Editorial, 2017.
L'edició universitària de qualitat
Authors: Polo Pujadas Magda
Published: September 2021

Ressenya del llibre Belmar Gándara Sancho (ed.), Edición universitaria. Cuestión de estilo, Santander, Ediciones Universidad de Cantabria, 2020.
Els ulls del Vescomte. Mirades, mutacions i trasbalsos del sepulcre gòtic de Ramon Folc de Cardona, el Prohom vinculador, a Poblet
Authors: Beseran Ramon Pere
Published: September 2021

Aquest estudi es vincula a la recent restauració del sepulcre de Ramon Folc VI de Cardona i a la seva reubicació dins l’església del monestir de Poblet, i es proposa resseguir a partir de fonts antigues les vicissituds dels diversos elements del desmembrat conjunt gòtic. Es revisen els seus elements i es plategen hipòtesis sobre el caràcter factici de l’actual estructura i sobre la damnatio memoriae infligida al rostre i els ulls del jacent, aspectes ja documentats al segle XVI. Ja aleshores havia estat inventada la llegenda sobre la lluita del vescomte amb els ratpenats diabòlics que el van cegar, en un interessant cas de relectura de les representacions medievals després d’haver estat manipulades.
Traditional Japanese pottery and its influence on the American mid 20th century ceramic art
Authors: Tsoumas Johannis
Published: September 2021

The Japanese ceramic tradition that was to emerge along with other forms of traditional crafts through the Mingei Movement during the interwar period, as a form of reaction to the barbaric and expansive industrialization that swept Japan from the late nineteenth century, brought to light the traditional, moral, philosophical, functional, technical and aesthetic values that had begun to eliminate. Great Japanese artists, art critics and ceramists, such as Soetsu Yanagi and Shōji Hamada, as well as the emblematic personality of the English potter Bernard Leach, after caring for the revival of Japanese pottery, believed that they should disseminate the philosophy of traditional Japanese pottery around the world and especially in the post-war U.S.A. where it found a significant response from great American potters and clay artists, but also from the educational system of the country.  This article aims to focus precisely on the significant influence that postwar American ceramic art received from traditional Japanese pottery ideals. The author in order to document the reasons for this new order of things, will study and analyze the work of important American potters and ceramic artists of the time, and will highlight the social, philosophical and cultural context of the time in which the whole endeavor took place.
«Tan nuestro, tan de nuestra tierra». La consagración del paisajismo en Alicante a través de la literatura de Gabriel Miró y la pintura de Emilio Varela
Authors: Sánchez Izquierdo Pablo
Published: September 2021

Desde mediados del siglo XIX, la pintura de paisaje gozó de reconocimiento en España. Determinados teóricos de la generación del 98 estructuraron el discurso sobre los espacios naturales del país con base en una concepción ensalzadora de Castilla. No obstante, en determinadas regiones del Estado surgieron apreciaciones de enclaves nada similares al centro peninsular. Como ejemplo, este artículo analiza el nacimiento y la consagración del paisajismo en Alicante a través de la literatura de Gabriel Miró y la pintura de Emilio Varela. Se consideran cuestiones como las relaciones entre las novelas del escritor y los óleos del artista plástico, la recepción de estas manifestaciones en Alicante a través de la crítica de arte y la proliferación de exposiciones de paisaje en la capital de la provincia tras la irrupción de estos dos creadores.
Power-balanced hybrid optics boosted design for achromatic extended
depth-of-field imaging via optimized mixed OTF
Authors: Rostami Seyyed Reza Miri , Pinilla Samuel , Shevkunov Igor , Katkovnik Vladimir , Egiazarian Karen
Published: September 2021

A power-balanced hybrid optical imaging system has a diffractive computational camera, introduced in this paper, with image formation by a refractive lens and multilevel phase mask (MPM). This system provides a long focal depth with low chromatic aberrations thanks to MPM and a high energy light concentration due to the refractive lens. We introduce the concept of optical power balance between the lens and MPM, which controls the contribution of each element to modulate the incoming light. Additional features of our MPM design are the inclusion of the quantization of the MPM’s shape on the number of levels and the Fresnel order (thickness) using a smoothing function. To optimize the optical power balance as well as the MPM, we built a fully differentiable image formation model for joint optimization of optical and imaging parameters for the proposed camera using neural network techniques. We also optimized a single Wiener-like optical transfer function (OTF) invariant to depth to reconstruct a sharp image. We numerically and experimentally compare the designed system with its counterparts, lensless and just-lens optical systems, for the visible wavelength interval (400–700) nm and the depth-of-field range (0.5-

∞

m for numerical and 0.5–2 m for experimental). We believe the attained results demonstrate that the proposed system equipped with the optimal OTF overcomes its counterparts––even when they are used with optimized OTF––in terms of the reconstruction quality for off-focus distances. The simulation results also reveal that optimizing the optical power balance, Fresnel order, and the number of levels parameters are essential for system performance attaining an improvement of up to 5 dB of PSNR using the optimized OTF compared to its counterpart lensless setup.
10  W-level sub-100  ps 1  MHz MOPA laser with a microchip master oscillator
Authors: Koval V. V. , Balmashnov R. V. , Pokrovskiy V. P. , Viktorov E. A. , Kornev A. F.
Published: September 2021

A 10 W level master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser with pulse repetition rate up to 1 MHz and 75–95 ps pulse duration was developed based on a passively

Q

-switched

N
d

:

Y
V
O

4

microchip 1064 nm laser as a master oscillator. A double-rod double-end-pumping configuration of two-pass Nd:YAG ring power amplifier was used to achieve high gain, near-Fourier-transform-limited pulses, and laser beam quality factor

M

2

=

1.27

along both the horizontal and vertical directions.
Wafer-level testing of inverse-designed and adjoint-inspired vertical grating coupler designs compatible with DUV lithography
Authors: Van Vaerenbergh Thomas , Sun Peng , Hooten Sean , Jain Mudit , Wilmart Quentin , Seyedi Ashkan , Huang Zhihong , Fiorentino Marco , Beausoleil Ray
Published: September 2021

Perfectly vertical grating couplers have various applications in optical I/O such as connector design, coupling to multicore optical fibers and multilayer silicon photonics. However, it is challenging to achieve perfectly vertical coupling without simultaneously increasing reflection. In this paper, we use the adjoint method as well as an adjoint-inspired methodology to design devices that can be fabricated using only a single-etch step in a c-Si 193 nm DUV immersion lithography process, while maintaining good coupling and low reflection. Wafer-level testing of devices fabricated by a pilot line foundry confirms that both design paradigms result in state-of-the-art experimental insertion loss (<2 dB) and bandwidths (∼20 nm) while having only moderate in-band reflection (<−10 dB). Our best design has a (median) 1.82 dB insertion loss and 21.3 nm 1 dB-bandwidth.
Flexible bilayer terahertz metasurface for the manipulation of orbital angular momentum states
Authors: Wang Yan , Wang Hui , Su Runfeng , Li Shaohe , Tu Xuecou , Wu Jingbo , Zhang Caihong , Jin Biaobing , Wang Huabing , Chen Jian , Wu Peiheng
Published: September 2021

Metasurfaces employed for generating orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams have drawn tremendous interest since they can offer extensive applications ranging from quantum optics to information processing over the subwavelength scale. In this study, a flexible bilayer metasurface is proposed and experimentally verified in the terahertz (THz) region. Based on Pancharatnam-Berry (P-B) phase, the proposed meta-atom satisfies perfect polarization-flipping at the design frequency and is implemented for the generation of vortex beams under circularly polarized (CP) illumination. Two metasurfaces are designed, fabricated and experimentally characterized with a THz spectral imaging system for linearly polarized (LP) illumination. The transmitted field intensity distribution of y component is petal-shaped of gradually varied pieces with the frequency due to the complementary symmetric structure, indicating OAM state transition between a single vortex beam and superposition of two vortex beams. The measured spectral imaging distributions of amplitude and phase show good agreement with the simulation results. Such designs open a pathway for modulation of THz OAM states and bring more possibilities for flexible metasurfaces in a THz application.
Carrier-assisted differential detection with reduced guard band and high electrical spectral efficiency
Authors: Li Jingchi , An Shaohua , Ji Honglin , Li Xingfeng , Shieh William , Su Yikai
Published: September 2021

For high-capacity and short-reach applications, carrier-assisted differential detection (CADD) has been proposed, in which the optical field of a complex-valued double sideband (DSB) signal is reconstructed without using a sharp-edge optical bandpass filter or local oscillator laser. The CADD receiver features a transfer function with periodical nulls in the frequency domain, while the signal-signal beat interference (SSBI) is severely amplified around the frequency nulls of the transfer function. Since the null magnitude at the zero frequency is inevitable, a guard band is required between the carrier and the signal, leading to a higher receiver bandwidth and implementation cost. To reduce the needed guard band, we propose a parallel dual delay-based CADD (PDD-CADD), in which an additional delay is placed parallel to the original delay in the conventional CADD. By this means, the modified transfer function has a sharper roll-off edge around the zero frequency. Consequently, the requirement on the guard band can be relaxed, which maximizes the bandwidth utilization of the system. The parallel delay is first optimized through numerical simulation. We then perform a proof-of-concept experiment to transmit a 100-Gb/s orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) signal over an 80-km single-mode fiber (SMF). After the fiber transmission, the proposed PDD-CADD can reduce the required guard band from 3 to about 1.2 GHz compared with the single delay-based conventional CADD. To our best knowledge, for the direct detection of a single polarization complex-valued DSB signal without using a sharp-roll-off optical filter, we achieve a record electrical spectral efficiency of 5.9 b/s/Hz.
DFT-spread OFDM with quadrature index modulation for practical VLC systems
Authors: Ahmed Faheem , Nie Yungui , Chen Chen , Liu Min , Du Pengfei , Alphones Arokiaswami
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we for the first time propose and investigate a novel discrete Fourier transform-spread-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing with quadrature index modulation (DFT-S-OFDM-QIM) scheme for practical visible light communication (VLC) systems. By performing subcarrier index modulation on both the in-phase and quadrature components of each subcarrier, OFDM-QIM achieves a higher spectral efficiency than conventional OFDM with index modulation (OFDM-IM). Moreover, the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of OFDM-QIM can be substantially reduced by applying DFT spreading, and hence DFT-S-OFDM-QIM exhibits high tolerance against light-emitting diode (LED) nonlinearity. The superiority of the proposed DFT-S-OFDM-QIM scheme over other benchmark schemes has been successfully verified by both simulation and experimental results.
Resetting directional couplers for high-fidelity quantum photonic integrated chips
Authors: Yu Feng , Tian Zhen-Nan , Piacentini Simone , Li Xiao-Yan , Chen Qi-Dai , Osellame Roberto , Sun Hong-Bo
Published: September 2021

In this Letter, we propose a fabrication technique based on femtosecond laser secondary direct writing (FsLSDW) that allows us to statically reset the beam-splitting ratio of directional couplers. By modifying the interaction region with a second inscription, the coupling coefficient of the reconstructed devices can be indeed changed continuously within the range of 0.49–2.1 rad/mm, thus enabling a complete tunability of the reconstructed splitting ratio from zero to full power transfer between the waveguides. This powerful reconstruction capability facilitates the arbitrary reset of an imperfect device, from any initial splitting ratio to the correct one. In the future, such static control method could potentially solve the fabrication error problem in the manufacturing of high-fidelity large-scale integrated photonic quantum chips.
Concentration quenching and clustering effects in Er:YAG-derived all-glass optical fiber
Authors: Vonderhaar A. , Stone M. P. , Campbell J. , Hawkins T. W. , Ballato J. , Dragic P. D.
Published: September 2021

A detailed investigation of concentration quenching and ion clustering effects in Er:YAG-derived all-glass optical fibers fabricated using the molten core method (MCM) is presented. Fibers are drawn from four precursor Er:YAG crystals, each possessing a different Er3+ concentration. The resulting fibers exhibited active ion densities ranging from 2.58 × 1025 m-3 to 19.5 × 1025 m-3. Compositional and refractive index profiles (RIPs) are shown to be uniformly graded across the fibers, for a given core diameter, facilitating the study of the impact of draw and host composition on rare earth spectroscopy, a first to the best of the Author’s knowledge. Measurements of the fluorescence lifetimes indicate some degree of clustering persists in all fibers; however, its reduction can clearly be correlated to an increase in sesquioxide (Al2O3 and Y2O3) concentration. Similarly, the critical quenching concentration is also revealed to increase with increasing sesquioxide concentration and ranged from 23.9 × 1025 m-3 to 40.4 × 1025 m-3 in the present fibers. Finally, emission and absorption spectra were found to be practically indistinguishable between the various fibers, with a zero-concentration radiative lifetime determined to be around 8.3 ms. Compared with other silica-based hosts, this lifetime is slightly lower, giving rise to proportionately higher cross-sections.
Polarization spectroscopy of an excited state transition in Rubidium
Authors: Almuhawish Nourah F. , Chen Shuying , Downes Lucy A. , Jamieson Matthew J. , MacKellar Andrew R. , Weatherill Kevin J.
Published: September 2021

We investigate polarization spectroscopy of an excited state transition in room-temperature rubidium vapor. By applying a circularly polarized coupling beam, resonant with the 52S1/2 → 52P3/2 transition, we induce anisotropy in the atomic medium that is then probed by scanning a probe beam across the 52P3/2 → 62S1/2 transition. By performing polarimetry on the probe beam, a dispersive spectral feature is observed. We characterize the excited-state polarization spectrum as a function of coupling intensity for both isotopes and find that at high intensities, Autler-Townes splitting results in a sub-feature, which theoretical modelling shows is enhanced by Doppler averaging. This spectroscopic technique produces a narrow dispersive signal which is ideal for laser frequency stabilization to excited-state transitions.
Emergent spatiotemporal population dynamics with cell-length control of synthetic microbial consortia
Authors: Winkle James J. , Karamched Bhargav R. , Bennett Matthew R. , Ott William , Josić Krešimir
Published: September 2021

The increased complexity of synthetic microbial biocircuits highlights the need for distributed cell functionality due to concomitant increases in metabolic and regulatory burdens imposed on single-strain topologies. Distributed systems, however, introduce additional challenges since consortium composition and spatiotemporal dynamics of constituent strains must be robustly controlled to achieve desired circuit behaviors. Here, we address these challenges with a modeling-based investigation of emergent spatiotemporal population dynamics using cell-length control in monolayer, two-strain bacterial consortia. We demonstrate that with dynamic control of a strain’s division length, nematic cell alignment in close-packed monolayers can be destabilized. We find that this destabilization confers an emergent, competitive advantage to smaller-length strains—but by mechanisms that differ depending on the spatial patterns of the population. We used complementary modeling approaches to elucidate underlying mechanisms: an agent-based model to simulate detailed mechanical and signaling interactions between the competing strains, and a reductive, stochastic lattice model to represent cell-cell interactions with a single rotational parameter. Our modeling suggests that spatial strain-fraction oscillations can be generated when cell-length control is coupled to quorum-sensing signaling in negative feedback topologies. Our research employs novel methods of population control and points the way to programming strain fraction dynamics in consortial synthetic biology.
A natural history museum visitor survey of perception, attitude and knowledge (PAK) of microbes and antibiotics
Authors: Zichello Julia , Gupta Preeti , Scott Monique , Desai Bella , Cohen Ruth , Halderman Lauri , Perkins Susan , Porzecanski Ana , Planet Paul J. , Wyner Yael , Blaser Martin , Burk Robert , Diamond Judy , Kennett Rod , Borland Jennifer , DeSalle Rob
Published: September 2021

A kiosk-based survey at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City in 2016–2018 allowed us to assess public knowledge of antibiotics and public attitudes toward microbes in museum goers. Over 22,000 visitors from 172 countries and territories answered several carefully designed questions about microbes and antibiotics. These visitors also entered age, gender, and country demographic data that allowed for stratification along these demographic and geographic divisions. Because museum goers are likely to be better informed about these and other science-based topics, the results described here can set a potential upper bound for public knowledge on these topics. Surprisingly, the results of our analysis of museum goers’ answers about microbes and antibiotics indicate a substantial lack of familiarity with both topics. For example, overall only about 50% of respondents can correctly identify penicillin as an antibiotic and less than 50% of museum visitors view microbes as beneficial. The results described here suggest that we are perhaps off target with our educational efforts in this area and that a major shift in approach toward more basic microbial topics is warranted in our educational efforts.
Use of medicinal plants for COVID-19 prevention and respiratory symptom treatment during the pandemic in Cusco, Peru: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Villena-Tejada Magaly , Vera-Ferchau Ingrid , Cardona-Rivero Anahí , Zamalloa-Cornejo Rina , Quispe-Florez Maritza , Frisancho-Triveño Zany , Abarca-Meléndez Rosario C. , Alvarez-Sucari Susan G. , Mejia Christian R. , Yañez Jaime A.
Published: September 2021

Background

The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru has led to people seeking alternative treatments as preventives and treatment options such as medicinal plants. This study aimed to assess factors associated with the use of medicinal plants as preventive or treatment of respiratory symptom related to COVID-19 during the pandemic in Cusco, Peru.

Method

A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted on general public (20- to 70-year-old) from August 31 to September 20, 2020. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire via Google Forms, it consisted of an 11-item questionnaire that was developed and validated by expert judgment using Aiken’s V (Aiken’s V > 0.9). Both descriptive statistics and bivariate followed by multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess factors associated with the use of medicinal plants for COVID-19 prevention and respiratory symptom treatment during the pandemic. Prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and a P-value of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.

Results

A total of 1,747 respondents participated in the study, 80.2% reported that they used medicinal plants as preventives, while 71% reported that they used them to treat respiratory symptoms. At least, 24% of respondents used medicinal plants when presenting with two or more respiratory symptoms, while at least 11% used plants for malaise. For treatment or prevention, the multivariate analysis showed that most respondents used eucalyptus (p < 0.001 for both), ginger (p < 0.022 for both), spiked pepper (p < 0.003 for both), garlic (p = 0.023 for prevention), and chamomile (p = 0.011 for treatment). The respondents with COVID-19 (p < 0.001), at older ages (p = 0.046), and with a family member or friend who had COVID-19 (p < 0.001) used more plants for prevention. However, the respondents with technical or higher education used less plants for treatment (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

There was a significant use of medicinal plants for both prevention and treatment, which was associated with several population characteristics and whether respondents had COVID-19.
How effective are social distancing policies? Evidence on the fight against COVID-19
Authors: Glogowsky Ulrich , Hansen Emanuel , Schächtele Simeon
Published: September 2021

To fight the spread of COVID-19, many countries implemented social distancing policies. This is the first paper that examines the effects of the German social distancing policies on behavior and the epidemic’s spread. Exploiting the staggered timing of COVID-19 outbreaks in extended event-study models, we find that the policies heavily reduced mobility and contagion. In comparison to a no-social-distancing benchmark, within three weeks, the policies avoided 84% of the potential COVID-19 cases (point estimate: 499.3K) and 66% of the potential fatalities (5.4K). The policies’ relative effects were smaller for individuals above 60 and in rural areas.
Socio-economic and demographic determinants of fertility in six selected Pacific Island Countries: An empirical study
Authors: Lal Sumeet , Singh Rup , Makun Keshmeer , Chand Nilesh , Khan Mohsin
Published: September 2021

In this study, we seek to perform macro analysis of fertility in a panel of 6 selected Pacific Island Countries (PICs, hereafter). The macro analysis with secondary data, mostly obtained from World Bank database, stretched over the period 1990–2019 was stacked randomly in a balanced panel set-up, within which the most preferred fixed effect model is used for multivariate analysis. Pooled OLS and Random effect estimation techniques were applied for comparing results. Categories such as women’s empowerment, health, connectivity and cost of living were used to classify proxy variables as regressors for fertility determination. The results indicate variables such as contraceptive prevalence rate, female labour force participation rate and consumer price index (inflation) are negatively correlated with fertility at 1% level, while urbanisation is negatively correlated with fertility rate only at 10% significance level. Real GDP has negative relationship with fertility, however it is not statistically significant. Variables that are positively correlated with fertility but hold limited to no significance effects are female secondary enrolment, female population, mobile subscription and infant mortality rate. It is implied that those variables that are negatively associated with fertility, as well as Real GDP will be the major drivers for achieving replacement level fertility in the long run.
Right ventricular function and vasoactive peptides for early prediction of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Neumann Roland P. , Schulzke Sven M. , Pohl Christian , Wellmann Sven , Metze Boris , Burdensky Ann-Katrin , Boos Vinzenz , Barikbin Payman , Bührer Christoph , Czernik Christoph
Published: September 2021

Background

To assess the prognostic value of early echocardiographic indices of right ventricular function and vasoactive peptides for prediction of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or death in very preterm infants.

Methods

Prospective study involving 294 very preterm infants (median [IQR] gestational age 28.4 [26.4–30.4] weeks, birth weight 1065 [800–1380] g), of whom 57 developed BPD (oxygen supplementation at 36 weeks postmenstrual age) and 10 died. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), right ventricular index of myocardial performance (RIMP), plasma concentrations of mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) and C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET1) were measured on day 7 of life.

Results

RIMP was significantly increased (median [IQR] 0.3 [0.23–0.38] vs 0.22 [0.15–0.29]), TAPSE decreased (median [IQR] 5.0 [5.0–6.0] vs 6.0 [5.4–7.0] mm), MR-proANP increased (median [IQR] 784 [540–936] vs 353 [247–625] pmol/L), and CT-proET1 increased (median [IQR] 249 [190–345] vs 199 [158–284] pmol/L) in infants who developed BPD or died, as compared to controls. All variables showed significant but weak correlations with each other (rS-0.182 to 0.359) and predicted BPD/death with similar accuracy (areas under receiver operator characteristic curves 0.62 to 0.77). Multiple regression revealed only RIMP and birth weight as independent predictors of BPD or death.

Conclusions

Vasoactive peptide concentrations and echocardiographic assessment employing standardized measures, notably RIMP, on day 7 of life are useful to identify preterm infants at increased risk for BPD or death.
Influence of smoking and other cardiovascular risk factors on heart rate circadian rhythm in normotensive and hypertensive subjects
Authors: Accardo Agostino , Silveri Giulia , Ajčević Milos , Miladinović Aleksandar , Pascazio Lorenzo
Published: September 2021

Circadian heart rate (HR) is influenced by hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors particularly smoking, obesity and dyslipidemia. Until now, to evaluate the HR changes due to presence of these risk factors, a single HR office measure or a mean evaluated on day time or night time or 24h was used. However, since HR shows a circadian behavior, a single value represents only a rough approximation of this behavior. In this study, we analyzed the influence of smoking, obesity and dyslipidemia on the circadian rhythm in normotensive and hypertensive subject groups presenting only one of these risk factors. The 24h HR recordings of 170 normotensive (83 without risk factors, 20 smokers, 44 with dyslipidemia, 23 obese) and 353 hypertensive (169 without risk factors, 32 smokers, 99 with dyslipidemia, 53 obese) subjects were acquired using a Holter Blood Pressure Monitor. Results highlighted a specific circadian behavior with three characteristic periods presenting different HR means and rates of HR change in the eight subject groups. The slopes could be used both to estimate the morning HR surge associated with acute cardiovascular effects in the awakening and to evaluate the decline during the night. Moreover, we suggest to use three HR mean values (one for each identified period of the day) rather than two HR values to better describe the circadian HR behavior. Furthermore, smoking increased and dyslipidemia decreased mean HR values from 10:00 to 04:00, both in normotensive and hypertensive subjects in comparison with subjects without risk factors. In this time interval, hypertensive obese subjects showed higher values while normotensive ones presented quite similar values than subjects without risk factors. During the awakening (05:00–10:00) the slopes were similar among all groups with no significant difference among the mean HR values.
Environmental regulation, environmental responsibility, and green technology innovation: Empirical research from China
Authors: Wang Yuanyang , Yang Yanlin , Fu Chenyu , Fan Zengzeng , Zhou Xiaoping
Published: September 2021

Innovation and green are the directions to promote the circular economy and environmental sustainability at the corporate level. This paper examines the impact of environmental regulation (pollution charge) on green technology innovation and the mediating role of corporate environmental responsibility. Our results indicate that: (1) Environmental regulations stimulate manufacturing enterprises’ environmental responsibility and green technology innovation. It is worth noting that corporate environmental responsibility strengthens the relationship between environmental regulation and green technology innovation. (2) Further investigation reveals that R&D expenditure and environmental investment have greatly strengthened the positive effect of environmental regulation on green technology innovation. (3) With more detailed disclosure about enterprises’ environment-related information, the more outstanding stimulation effects of environmental regulation. Discussions on the features of enterprise location have revealed that, if the goal of environmental protection is set too high or if the fiscal decentralization is too strong, implementation of environmental regulation would not achieve desirable results. Accordingly, we need to optimize the collection of environmental taxes, strengthen the enterprises’ environmental responsibility, and increase investment in R&D and environment protection. Meanwhile, the execution of environmental regulation should also take into account the institutional environment and governance features of the enterprise locations.
Creating safe spaces to prevent unintentional childhood injuries among the Bedouins in southern Israel: A hybrid model comprising positive deviance, community-based participatory research, and entertainment-education
Authors: Gesser-Edelsburg Anat , Alamour Yousif , Cohen Ricky , Abed Elhadi Shahbari Nour , Hijazi Rana , Orr Daniela , Vered-Chen Liat , Singhal Arvind
Published: September 2021

Background

Despite several intervention programs, the Bedouin population living in the Southern District of Israel has the highest mortality rate among children and adolescents from unintentional injuries. Our research questions asked: (1) How does increasing the involvement and participation of Bedouin community members influence the issue of unintentional injuries among children? (2) How does reframing of the technical issue of safety into security influence community involvement and cooperation?

Objectives

1) To identify effective and efficacious positive deviance practices through community-based participatory research with adults, children, and professionals in the Bedouin community. 2) To create wider and deeper connections and cohesion between and among diverse Bedouin communities by seeding and sparking opportunities for social networking and cross-learning.

Methods

The study used a qualitative multi-method approach to generate a hybrid intervention model for reducing unintentional childhood injuries among the Bedouins. To frame the issue of unintentional injuries from the lived perspective of the Bedouins, we employed the Positive Deviance (PD) and Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. Drawing upon theatrical traditions, entertainment-education (EE), was employed as a way to narratively engage and persuade the Bedouins.

Results

Our research resulted in: (1) the emergence of several PD ideas and practices for preventing and avoiding children’s injuries; (2) the actual creation of a safe and secure playroom for children at a neighborhood mosque; and (3) the creation of cascading and cross-learning social networks between and among members of the Bedouin community spread across various locations.

Conclusion

This study helped in reframing the technical issue of accidents and safety into the notion of sacredness and security, enhanced the association between emotions and cognition by means of experiential and EE methods, and stimulated creative thinking and the emergence of new culturally and contextually relevant ideas and practices through the PD process. It demonstrated the synergistic power of using a hybrid model that combined the rigor and vigor of different health communication approaches to address a significant disparity in the burden of child accidents faced by the Bedouins. Our study generated solutions that emerged from, and directly benefitted, Bedouin children—those, who face overwhelming risk of injury and death from preventable accidents.
Maternal and zygotic activin signaling promotes adequate pattern and differentiation of mesoderm through regulation of pluripotency genes during zebrafish development
Authors: Hasanpour Shaghayegh , Eagderi Soheil , Poorbagher Hadi , Hasanpour Mohammad
Published: September 2021

To investigate the role of maternal Activin-like factors in the preservation of stemness and mesendoderm induction, their effects were promoted and inhibited using synthetic human Activin A or SB-505124 treatments, respectively, before the maternal to zygotic transition (MZT). To study the role of zygotic Activin-like factors, SB-505124 treatment was also used after the MZT. Promoting the signaling intensity of maternal Activin-like factors led to premature differentiation, loss of stemness, and no mesendoderm malformation, while its alleviation delayed the differentiation and caused various malformations. Inhibition of the zygotic Activin-like factors was associated with suppressing the ndr1, ndr2, oct4 (pou5f3), mycb and notail transcription as well as differentiation retardation at the oblong stage, and a broad spectrum of anomalies in a dose-dependent manner. Together, promoting the signal intensity of maternal Activin-like factors drove development along with mesendodermal differentiation, while suppression of the maternal or zygotic ones maintained the pluripotent state and delayed differentiation.