bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation and propagation of stable periodic arrays of soliton stripes in a bulk Kerr liquid
Authors: Maillotte Hervé , Grasser Régis
Published: February 2023

Stable periodic arrays of Kerr soliton stripes are generated within bulk carbon disulfide and propagate through the medium by controlling modulational instability with interferometrically induced Bragg diffraction. Picosecond experiments and nonlinear BPM simulations show the possibility to optically control the parameters of the soliton array and enlighten its propagation features and guiding properties.
III-V semiconductor waveguide photonic microstructures programmable for nonlinear, sub-picosecond and teraHertz applications
Authors: De La Rue R. M. , Aitchison J.S. , Allan B.D. , Arnold J.M. , Avrutin E.A. , Izutsu M. , Liu X. , Marsh J.H. , Millar P. , Murad S. K. , Smith C.J.M. , Wilkinson C.D.W. , Krauss T. F.
Published: February 2023

Deeply etched grating structures in III-V semiconductor waveguides offer a variety of functional possibilities for nonlinear optics including very compact Bragg mirrors and (sub)-cavities in mode-locked lasers, strongly-selective spectral filters and chirped structures for pulse expansion and compression. This poster will emphasize fabrication technology and device concepts.
Nonlinear periodic structure as a polarization switcher
Authors: Chigrin D. N. , Lavrinenko A. V.
Published: February 2023

The binary layered plane periodic structure consisted of isotropic linear and nonlinear materials is considered. It was shown that by changing the polarization state of pumping wave which produces anisotropy in nonlinear layers, the condition for full transmission through such laminated structure will be changed in dependence on polarization state of normally incident signal wave. This effects can be used for high efficient polarization mode switcher design.
Average dynamics of the optical soliton in communication lines with dispersion management: Analytical results
Authors: Turitsyn Sergei K. , Aceves Alejandro B , Jones Christopher K. R. T. , Zharnitsky Vadim
Published: February 2023

Applying asymptotic methods we present an analytical description of the
slow dynamics of breathing pulses propagating in fiber links with
dispersion management. We derive asymptotic averaged quantities which
characterize the stable pulse propagation. For the practically
important case of local high dispersion we have found fixed points
describing dispersion-managed solitons.
Breathing spatial solitons in quadratic media: An inverse scattering transform approach
Authors: Ibragimov Edem , Struthers Allan
Published: February 2023

Well-known second-harmonic bright spatial solitons consist of both fundamentals and harmonic, locked together in space. The resulting coupled waves propagate without spatial diffraction and can eliminate mutual walk-off. We show explicit analytical solutions with behavior similar to that of cascaded solitons.
The Hermite-Gaussian expansion for the soliton propagation in the regime of strong dispersion management
Authors: Lakoba T.I. , Kaup D.J.
Published: February 2023

We develop a theory of soliton propagation in the regime of strong dispersion management, based on the expansion over the Hermite-Gaussian functions. We present, in explicit form, (i) the conditions for stationary propagation of the soliton, (ii) the soliton’s shape, and (iii) the perturbation theory for the DM soliton.
Vertical waveguiding in etched semiconductor nonlinear microcavities
Authors: Oudar Jean-Louis , Rivera Thomas
Published: February 2023

Vertical microcavity devices, due to their specific geometry, are naturally adapted to the implementation of parallel architectures for information processing, taking advantage of the high interconnection capability of optics. However the density of active devices that can be operated simultaneously in a two-dimensional array format is generally limited by thermal dissipation, and significant efforts are currently devoted to increasing the efficiency and reducing the power consumption of individual devices.
Soliton collisions in strong dispersion-managed WDM systems
Authors: Niculae A.M. , Forysiak W. , Doran N.J.
Published: February 2023

Recently, the potential of dispersion management has been recognized to reduce the residual frequency shift caused by interchannel collisions [1,2,3]. Adiabatic theoretical analysis and numerical simulations indicate that dispersion management has three important advantages in terms of residual frequency shift. First, the residual frequency shift decreases with map strength, second, there exist parameters for which the residual frequency shift is zero and third, the inclusion of loss in the system has almost no effect for strong dispersion management. In this paper, we study soliton collisions in strong dispersion managed systems which give rise to significant pulse amplitude and width variations. We demonstrate a ten-fold suppression of the residual frequency shift compared to that predicted by the adiabatic theory and derive a modified theoretical expression which is in good agreement with the numerical simulations. These results indicate that dispersion managed solitons are particularly well suited to WDM applications.
Active Polarization Converter in AlGaAs
Authors: Fontaine Marie
Published: February 2023

Asymmetric AlGaAs waveguides working in a cross-phase modulation regime and operated at photon energies below the band gap could be promising for the design of active TE-TM polarization converters. Crucially important for devices with asymmetrical cross-section is the orientation of the optical axes to maximize the TE-TM conversion. For [100] oriented AlGaAs angle-facet rib-waveguides, it is seen that the rotation of the polarization state is optimized if one optical axis of the device is aligned closed to the 45° polarization-maintaining axis in the bulk medium. The design of such a waveguide is illustrated at Fig. 1.
Vector CW and solitary wave interactions with mixed Type 1-Type II second-harmonic generation
Authors: Boardman A D , Bontemps P , Parker D , Xie K
Published: February 2023

The four vector equations, appropriate to a mixed type I-type II second-harmonic generation in a thin planar waveguide made from a second-order nonlinear material are solved both approximately and exactly. The solutions offer a richer set of possibilities than just Type II and always involve for both the harmonic and the fundamental. A new kind of polarisation control is shown to be possible, through which CW shut down, of one component of the second harmonic is achieved. The extinction angle is shown to depend strongly upon the phase mismatch parameter. In a second application, for solitary waves, an aperture is placed at the output and it is shown that if approximate stationary states are used as an input then varying the angle of incidence of two input beams produces an excellent output control. It is shown that a switch from 80% of the input energy arriving at the output port to less than 3% is possible.
Semiconductor heterostructure bandstructure algorithms for the determination of nonlinear optical coefficients
Authors: Hutchings D. C. , Arnold J. M.
Published: February 2023

Semiconductors typically have very large nonlinear coefficients, e.g. GaAs in the near-infrared has a second-order susceptibility coefficient around 40 times greater than conventional birefringent phase-matched crystals and about 5 times greater than the appropriate coefficient in quasi-phase-matched LiNbO3. Semiconductors also possess a transparency range which extends into the mid-infrared, a mature fabrication technology, and have the potential to be integrated with diode laser pump sources. However, cubic semi-conductors do not possess any intrinsic birefringence. To implement quasi-phase-matching the nonlinear coefficient must be controllable. It has been established that this can be accomplished with quantum well growth and selective area disordering.1,2
Observation of Multi-Hump Multi-Mode Self-Trapped Beams
Authors: Mitchell Matthew , Segev Mordechai , Christodoulides Demetrios N.
Published: February 2023

We present the first observation of multi-hump multi-mode self-trapped beams in nature. Double and triple humped spatial profiles are found by incoherently populating two modes of the beams self-induced waveguide.
Oscillating cavity solitons with a saturable defocusing nonlinearity
Authors: Michaelis Dirk , Peschel Ulf , Lederer Falk
Published: February 2023

Damped-driven Fabry-Pérot cavities are among the prominent dissipative systems in nonlinear optics. In this environment the evolution of various instabilities towards e.g. pattern formation and self-oscillations has been studied. Recently stable localized structures or cavity solitons have attracted much attention. Besides fundamental aspects their inherent robustness makes them attractive for potential applications in all-optical information processing and storage schemes. Their existence was predicted for different types of cubic nonlinearities as saturable absorptive, saturable focusing and saturable defocusing ones [1-4]. A major result of the these studies consisted in that a saturation of the nonlinearity is an essential prerequisite for the formation stable localized structures. In the focusing case saturation prevents the catastrophic collapse, while in the defocusing case a variety of localized structures of different topology appears near the saturation intensity [4].
40Gbit/s soliton transmission over standard fibre with dispersion management
Authors: Govan D.S. , Forysiak W , Doran N.J.
Published: February 2023

The use of dispersion management has increased the possibility of transmitting information at higher data rates over standard fibre [1]-[6]. Standard fibre makes up the majority of fibre currently installed in the ground however it has low dispersion at 1.3µm whereas current systems operate at 1.5µm where the Erbium doped fibre amplifier can be utilised. The installed fibre has dispersion of between 16.0 and 17.0ps/nm/km at 1.5µm which means that systems operating at this wavelength are susceptible to high Gordon-Haus jitter [7] and soliton interactions [8], also the average powers required to transmit conventional solitons at 40Gbit/s over this fibre would be more than 200mW. It has previously been shown that it is possible to transmit soliton pulses at data rates of 10Gbit/s over transoceanic distances in standard fibre through the use of dispersion management [2, 3]. In this paper we show that it is possible to use similar techniques to transmit data at 40Gbit/s over more than 2000km of standard fibre.
The generation of spatial solitons from guided modes of nonlinear waveguides
Authors: Micallef Robert W. , Kivshar Yuri S. , Love John D. , Binder Rolf , Burak Darek
Published: February 2023

The nonlinear modes of a slab waveguide may be used to generate single solitons waves, bound states of two solitons, or two repelling solitons.
Generalized Higher-Order Nonlinear Evolution Equation for Multi-Dimensional Spatio-Temporal Propagation
Authors: Blair Steve , Wagner Kelvin
Published: February 2023

There is currently great interest in nonlinear spatio-temporal propagation phenomena. Advances [1] in short-pulse laser technology and in the measurement of pulse amplitude and phase [2] have allowed for the experimental study of phenomena that have been predicted theoretically using simple models of propagation. These studies have also revealed new phenomena, which have resulted in the development of new propagation models as well. Typically, one or more terms are added to the multi-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation in an attempt to explain these phenomena, but to date, no generalized higher-order spatio-temporal propagation equation has been obtained. Here, we present the results of the derivation of such a generalized envelope equation directly from Maxwell’s equations. This result uncovers physics that is not directly revealed in Maxwell’s equations in the form of higher-order terms in the NLS equation which allow for the description of the propagation of optical radiation with large spatial and temporal bandwidths.
Flip-flop operation based on symmetry-breaking in vectorial intra-cavity second harmonic generation
Authors: Peschel U. , Etrich C. , Lederer F.
Published: February 2023

Since several decades frequency conversion based on quadratic nonlinearities is a well-established technique in nonlinear optics. In particular, the interest in optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) as tunable light sources with low oscillation thresholds has been renewed. This is mainly due to recent advances in stable pump lasers and nonlinear materials. A considerable reduction of threshold pump power down to a few milliwatts could be achieved in phase-matched, triply resonant OPOs (TROs) [1]. Bistability as well as delayed bifurcation in this configuration could be verified experimentally [1]. In an OPO the high frequency incident photon spontaneously decays into two low frequency photons beyond the threshold. The alternative scenario, viz. intra-cavity frequency up-conversion, has likewise attracted much attention, in particular as far as the degenerate case (second-harmonic generation - SHG) is concerned. Efficient SHG was reported in Ti:LiNbO3 waveguide resonators a decade ago [2]. More recently a conversion efficiency of 82% in a monolithic MgO:LiNbO3 resonator with 100 mW input power was achieved [3]. Theoretically, for a high finesse cavity optical bistability was predicted for plane wave solutions [4] whereas different kinds of patterns and solitary waves [5] could be observed if transverse effects were taken into account.
Nonlinear guided soliton pulse trains in lossy optical fibers
Authors: Guerreiro das Neves M. V. , Brandão Faria J. A. M.
Published: February 2023

A numerical simulation procedure for analyzing soliton pulse train propagation in lossy optical fibers is presented. The model equation in normalized units considered in this analysis is the non-linear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) with a losses term included [1] where Z and T are, respectively, the spatial and temporal normalized coordinates, q is the potential function (lightwave electric field normalized complex amplitude), and Γ is the normalized damping rate.
Efficient frequency conversion in optical fibers with tailored birefringence.
Authors: Harvey J.D. , Murdoch S.G. , Leonhardt R. , Rong Z.
Published: February 2023

Four wave mixing in optical fibers has long been recognised as important method of generating new optical frequencies. While most investigations have been concerned with the small signal regime, recently attention has been focussed on the nonlinear dynamics in the strong conversion regime (1,2). The process holds promise as a means of wavelength switching for optical communications, but the presence of a nonlinear term in the phase-matching condition normally prevents strong energy exchange between the waves (1). We present here a scheme for optimising the power switching efficiency. The four wave mixingprocess considered here is called polarisation modulation instability (PMI) where a strong pump wave on one axis of a birefringent fiber results in the growth of two equally detuned sidebands on the other axis. In the absence of any external seed the sidebands grow at the phase-matched frequency shift where the wavevector mismatch, is zero. The wavevector mismatch is a function of the power of the pump and the fiber's dispersion, birefringence, and nonlinearity. The analysis of the evolution of the power in the sidebands utilises three coupled mode equations which describe the interaction of the pump, with a pair of sidebands polarised along the orthogonal fibre axis. In the absence of Raman gain, it is possible to solve for the birefringence as a function of position in the fibre which is required to maintain the phase matching condition.
Dynamics, Interactions and Collisions of Big Incoherent Solitons
Authors: Snyder A.W. , Akhmediev N. , Edmundson D. , Krowlikowski W. , Mitchell D.J.
Published: February 2023

This paper presents the first theoretical results describing dynamics, interactions and collisions of big incoherent solitons. Mitchel and Segev1 were first to observe spatial incoherent solitons and Christodolides2 first to discuss these solitons theoretically. Such solitons can be decomposed into a superposition of modes of the multimoded waveguide that they induce3.
Tamm plasmon-based dopamine detection by using a chitosan-polyaniline-gold nanostructure
Authors: Amouyan Farnaz , Sadrolhosseini Amir Reza , Hamidi Seyedeh Mehri , Kazemzad Mahmood , Hamzehzadeh Mehdi
Published: February 2023

Dopamine is a biomolecule that plays an important role in controlling
brain function. The concentration of dopamine is a critical parameter
in biotechnology. In the present research, a novel methodology for
synthesis of a chitosan/polyaniline-gold-nanoparticle nanostructure
layer by using the laser ablation technique is developed. The novel
polyaniline nanostructure composite layer was coated on the surface of
the photonic crystal with 28 alternating layers of SiO2 and
TiO2 by an electron gun deposition machine. By implementing
the reflectance set-up, a photonic
crystal/chitosan/polyaniline-gold-nanoparticle was used to measure the
low concentration of dopamine by the lowest concentration of dopamine
set to 1 ppm. The results propose a new approach and future
directions in sensor-based techniques.
Bidirectional high sidelobe suppression silicon optical phased array
Authors: Qiu Huaqing , Liu Yong , Meng Xiansong , Guan Xiaowei , Ding Yunhong , Hu Hao
Published: February 2023

An optical phased array (OPA), the most promising non-mechanical beam steering technique, has great potential for solid-state light detection and ranging systems, holographic imaging, and free-space optical communications. A high quality beam with low sidelobes is crucial for long-distance free-space transmission and detection. However, most previously reported OPAs suffer from high sidelobe levels, and few efforts are devoted to reducing sidelobe levels in both azimuthal (
φ
) and polar (
θ
) directions. To solve this issue, we propose a Y-splitter-assisted cascaded coupling scheme to realize Gaussian power distribution in the azimuthal direction, which overcomes the bottleneck in the conventional cascaded coupling scheme and significantly increases the sidelobe suppression ratio (SLSR) in the
φ
direction from 20 to 66 dB in theory for a 120-channel OPA. Moreover, we designed an apodized grating emitter to realize Gaussian power distribution in the polar direction to increase the SLSR. Based on both designs, we experimentally demonstrated a 120-channel OPA with dual-Gaussian power distribution in both
φ
and
θ
directions. The SLSRs in
φ
and
θ
directions are measured to be
15.1  dB
and
25  dB
, respectively. Furthermore, we steer the beam to the maximum field of view of
25°×13.2°
with a periodic
2λ
pitch (3.1 μm). The maximum total power consumption is only 0.332 W with a thermo-optic efficiency of
2.7  mW/π
.
Racial disparities in post-transplant stroke and mortality following stroke in adult cardiac transplant recipients in the United States
Authors: Liou Lathan , Mostofsky Elizabeth , Lehman Laura , Salia Soziema , Gupta Suruchi , Barrera Francisco J. , Mittleman Murray A.
Published: February 2023

Black heart transplant recipients have a higher mortality rate than white recipients 6–12 months after transplant. Whether there are racial disparities in post-transplant stroke incidence and all-cause mortality following post-transplant stroke among cardiac transplant recipients is unknown. Using a nationwide transplant registry, we assessed the association between race and incident post-transplant stroke using logistic regression and the association between race and mortality among adults who survived a post-transplant stroke using Cox proportional hazards regression. We found no evidence of an association between race and the odds of post-transplant stroke (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.83–1.20). The median survival time of those with a post-transplant stroke in this cohort was 4.1 years (95% CI: 3.0, 5.4). There were 726 deaths among the 1139 patients with post-transplant stroke, including 127 deaths among 203 Black patients and 599 deaths among 936 white patients. Among post-transplant stroke survivors, Black transplant recipients experienced a 23% higher rate of mortality compared to white recipients (HR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.00–1.52). This disparity is strongest in the period beyond the first 6 months and appears to be mediated by differences in the post-transplant setting of care between Black and white patients. The racial disparity in mortality outcomes was not evident in the past decade. The improved survival of Black patients in the recent decade may reflect overall protocol improvements for heart transplant recipients irrespective of race, such as advancements in surgical techniques and immediate postoperative care as well as increased awareness about reducing racial disparities.
Validation of the inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits among school-going adolescents in Malaysia
Authors: Mohamad Khalil Aref Ezrin , Kuay Hue San , Husain Maruzairi , Kueh Yee Cheng
Published: February 2023

A key component in the study of antisocial behaviour among adolescents is the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Among the established tools available to measure CU traits is the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits (ICU). To date, there is no validated questionnaire to assess CU traits for the local population. Therefore, there is a need to validate the Malay version of the ICU (M-ICU) so that research can be conducted to explore CU traits among adolescents in Malaysia. The aim of the study is to validate the M-ICU. Two phases of cross-sectional study involving 409 (phase 1 –exploratory factor analysis (EFA), n = 180; phase 2—confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), n = 229) adolescents aged between 13 to 18 years old were conducted from July until October 2020 at six secondary schools in Kuantan district. Participants were selected via multistage random sampling. The ICU was initially translated into Malay language using forward-backward translation procedure by a group of bilingual researchers. Study participants completed the final version of the M-ICU questionnaire and socio-demographic questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS version 26 and MPlus software for factor structure validity by performing EFA and CFA. Initial EFA revealed three factors with two items deleted. A further EFA with two factors resulted in the deletion of unemotional factor items. Cronbach’s alpha for overall scale improved from 0.70 to 0.74. CFA supported a two-factor solution with 17 items compared to the original English version that has three factors with 24 items. The findings revealed acceptable fit indices (RMSEA = 0.057, CFI = 0.941, TLI = 0.932, WRMR = 0.968). The study revealed that a two-factor model with 17 items of the M-ICU has good psychometric properties. The scale is valid and reliable to measure CU traits among adolescents in Malaysia.
Gibbs process distinguishes survival and reveals contact-inhibition genes in Glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Jahedi Afrooz , Kumar Gayatri , Kannan Lavanya , Agarwal Tarjani , Huse Jason , Bhat Krishna , Kannan Kasthuri
Published: February 2023

Tumor growth is a spatiotemporal birth-and-death process with loss of heterotypic contact-inhibition of locomotion (CIL) of tumor cells promoting invasion and metastasis. Therefore, representing tumor cells as two-dimensional points, we can expect the tumor tissues in histology slides to reflect realizations of spatial birth-and-death process which can be mathematically modeled to reveal molecular mechanisms of CIL, provided the mathematics models the inhibitory interactions. Gibbs process as an inhibitory point process is a natural choice since it is an equilibrium process of the spatial birth-and-death process. That is if the tumor cells maintain homotypic contact inhibition, the spatial distributions of tumor cells will result in Gibbs hard core process over long time scales. In order to verify if this is the case, we applied the Gibbs process to 411 TCGA Glioblastoma multiforme patient images. Our imaging dataset included all cases for which diagnostic slide images were available. The model revealed two groups of patients, one of which - the “Gibbs group,” showed the convergence of the Gibbs process with significant survival difference. Further smoothing the discretized (and noisy) inhibition metric, for both increasing and randomized survival time, we found a significant association of the patients in the Gibbs group with increasing survival time. The mean inhibition metric also revealed the point at which the homotypic CIL establishes in tumor cells. Besides, RNAseq analysis between patients with loss of heterotypic CIL and intact homotypic CIL in the Gibbs group unveiled cell movement gene signatures and differences in Actin cytoskeleton and RhoA signaling pathways as key molecular alterations. These genes and pathways have established roles in CIL. Taken together, our integrated analysis of patient images and RNAseq data provides for the first time a mathematical basis for CIL in tumors, explains survival as well as uncovers the underlying molecular landscape for this key tumor invasion and metastatic phenomenon.
Evaluate teaching quality of physical education using a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making framework
Authors: Chen Zhenyin , Luo Suizhi
Published: February 2023

The teaching quality evaluation of physical education is an important measure to promote the professional development of physical teachers, improve the quality of school teaching and personnel training. It is helpful for students to achieve all-round development and better meet the needs of modern talents in the new era. This study aims to establish a novel MCDM (multi-criteria decision-making) framework for evaluating teaching quality of physical education. First, PFNs (picture fuzzy numbers) are suggested to reflect dissimilar attitudes or preferences of decision makers. Then, the typical SWARA (Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) model is modified with PFNs to calculate the weights of evaluation criteria. Considering that some criteria are non-compensatory during the evaluation process, the idea of ELECTRE (elimination and choice translating reality) is introduced to obtain the ranking results of alternatives. Specially, the MAIRCA (Multi-Attribute Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis) method is extended to construct the difference matrix in a picture fuzzy environment. Last, the hybrid MCDM model is utilized to assess the teaching quality of physical education. Its superiority is justified through comparison analyses. Results show that our approach is practicable and can provide instructions for the teaching quality evaluation of physical education.
Clinical characteristics and severity prediction score of Adenovirus pneumonia in immunocompetent adult
Authors: Hu Chao , Zeng Ying , Zhong Zhi , Yang Li , Li Hui , Zhang Huan Ming , Xia Hong , Jiang Ming Yan
Published: February 2023

Background

Compared with children and immunocompromised patients, Adenovirus pneumonia in immunocompetent adults is less common. Evaluation of the applicability of severity score in predicting intensive care unit (ICU) admission of Adenovirus pneumonia is limited.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 50 Adenovirus pneumonia inpatients in Xiangtan Central Hospital from 2018 to 2020. Hospitalized patients with no pneumonia or immunosuppression were excluded. Clinical characteristics and chest image at the admission of all patients were collected. Severity scores, including Pneumonia severity index (PSI), CURB-65, SMART-COP, and PaO2/FiO2 combined lymphocyte were evaluated to compare the performance of ICU admission.

Results

Fifty inpatients with Adenovirus pneumonia were selected, 27 (54%) non-ICU and 23 (46%) ICU. Most patients were men (40 [80.00%]). Age median was 46.0 (IQR 31.0–56.0). Patients who required ICU care (n = 23) were more likely to report dyspnea (13[56.52%] vs 6[22.22%]; P = 0.002) and have lower transcutaneous oxygen saturation ([90% (IQR, 90–96), 95% (IQR, 93–96)]; P = 0.032). 76% (38/50) of patients had bilateral parenchymal abnormalities, including 91.30% (21/23) of ICU patients and 62.96% (17/27) of non-ICU patients. 23 Adenovirus pneumonia patients had bacterial infections, 17 had other viruses, and 5 had fungi. Coinfection with virus was more common in non-ICU patients than ICU patients (13[48.15%]VS 4[17.39%], P = 0.024), while bacteria and fungi not. SMART-COP exhibited the best ICU admission evaluation performance in Adenovirus pneumonia patients (AUC = 0.873, p < 0.001) and distributed similar in coinfections and no coinfections (p = 0.26).

Conclusions

In summary, Adenovirus pneumonia is not uncommon in immunocompetent adult patients who are susceptible to coinfection with other etiological illnesses. The initial SMART-COP score is still a reliable and valuable predictor of ICU admission in non-immunocompromised adult inpatients with adenovirus pneumonia.
Capturing the attentional response to clinical auditory alarms: An ERP study on priority pulses
Authors: Ribeiro Ferreira Vasco , Pereira Ana Rita , Vieira Joana , Pereira Frederico , Marques Rui , Campos Guilherme , Sampaio Adriana , Crego Alberto
Published: February 2023

Clinical auditory alarms are often found in hospital wards and operating rooms. In these environments, regular daily tasks can result in having a multitude of concurrent sounds (from staff and patients, building systems, carts, cleaning devices, and importantly, patient monitoring devices) which easily amount to a prevalent cacophony. The negative impact of this soundscape on staff and patients’ health and well-being, as well as in their performance, demand for accordingly designed sound alarms. The recently updated IEC60601-1-8 standard, in guidance for medical equipment auditory alarms, proposed a set of pointers to distinctly convey medium or high levels of priority (urgency). However, conveying priority without compromising other features, such as ease of learnability and detectability, is an ongoing challenge. Electroencephalography, a non-invasive technique for measuring the brain response to a given stimulus, suggests that certain Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) components such as the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) and P3a may be the key to uncovering how sounds are processed at the pre-attentional level and how they may capture our attention. In this study, the brain dynamics in response to the priority pulses of the updated IEC60601-1-8 standard was studied via ERPs (MMN and P3a), for a soundscape characterised by the repetition of a sound (generic SpO2 “beep”), usually present in operating and recovery rooms. Additional behavioural experiments assessed the behavioural response to these priority pulses. Results showed that the Medium Priority pulse elicits a larger MMN and P3a peak amplitude when compared to the High Priority pulse. This suggests that, at least for the applied soundscape, the Medium Priority pulse is more easily detected and attended at the neural level. Behavioural data supports this indication, showing significantly shorter reaction times for the Medium Priority pulse. The results pose the possibility that priority pointers of the updated IEC60601-1-8 standard may not be successfully conveying their intended priority levels, which may not only be due to design properties but also to the soundscape in which these clinical alarms are deployed. This study highlights the need for intervention in both hospital soundscapes and auditory alarm design settings.
Childhood and adolescent nutrition outcomes among girls exposed to gender-based violence: A rapid evidence assessment of quantitative research
Authors: Vahedi Luissa , Orjuela-Grimm Manuela , Bhatt-Carreno Silvia , Meyer Sarah Rachel
Published: February 2023

Background

An emerging evidence base has explored the nutritional consequences of gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrated against girls during childhood/adolescence. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment of quantitative studies describing associations between GBV and girls’ nutrition.

Methods

We adapted systematic review methods and included empirical, peer-reviewed studies, published after 2000 (until November, 2022), that were written in Spanish or English and reported quantitative associations between girls’ exposure to GBV and nutrition outcomes. A variety of GBV forms were considered: childhood sexual abuse (CSA), child marriage, preferential feeding of boys, sexual IPV and dating violence. Nutrition outcomes included anemia, underweight, overweight, stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, meal frequency, and dietary diversity.

Results

In total, 18 studies were included, 13 of which were conducted in high-income countries. Most sources utilized longitudinal or cross-sectional data to quantify associations between CSA, sexual assault, and intimate partner/dating violence and elevated BMI/overweight/obesity/adiposity. Findings suggest that CSA perpetrated by parents/caregivers is associated with elevated BMI/overweight/obesity/adiposity via cortisol reactivity and depression; this relationship may be compounded by additional intimate partner/dating violence in adolescence. The effects of sexual violence on BMI are likely to emerge during a sensitive period of development between late adolescence and young adulthood. Emerging evidence was found regarding the relationship between child marriage (and the related exposure: age at first pregnancy) and undernutrition. The association between sexual abuse and reduced height and leg length was inconclusive.

Conclusion

Given that only 18 studies were included, the relationship between girls’ direct exposure to GBV and malnutrition has received little empirical attention, especially with respect to studies conducted in LMIC and fragile settings. Most studies focused on CSA and overweight/obesity, where significant associations were found. Future research should test the moderation and mediation effects of intermediary variables (depression, PTSD, cortisol reactivity, impulsivity, emotional eating) and consider sensitive periods of development. Research should also explore the nutritional consequences of child marriage.
Mind the gap between non-activated (non-aggressive) and activated (aggressive) indoor fungal testing: impact of pre-sampling environmental settings on indoor air readings
Authors: Efthymiopoulos Spyros , Aktas Yasemin D. , Altamirano Hector
Published: February 2023

Indoor fungal testing has been within the researchers’ scope of interest for more than a century. Various sampling and analysis techniques have been developed over the years, but no testing protocol has been yet standardised and widely accepted by the research and practitioner communities. The diversity in fungal taxa within buildings with varied biological properties and implications on the health and wellbeing of the occupants and the building fabric complicates the decision-making process for selecting an appropriate testing protocol. This study aims to present a critical review of non-activated and activated approaches to indoor testing, with an emphasis on the preparation of the indoor environment prior to sampling. The study demonstrates the differences in the outcomes of non-activated and activated testing through a set of laboratory experiments in idealised conditions and a case study. The findings suggest that larger particles are particularly sensitive to the sampling height and activation, and that non-activated protocols, despite dominating the current literature, can significantly underestimate the fungal biomass and species richness. Therefore, this paper calls for better-defined and activated protocols that can enhance robustness and reproducibility across the research domain focused on indoor fungal testing.
The inï¬‚uence of corporate reputation on the quality corporate social responsibility disclosure: Banking sector
Authors: Pramukti Andika , Ahmad Hamzah , Saffanah Nurina
Published: February 2023

This study is aimed to examine the effect of reputation toward the quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure. This study applied an index based on the qualitative characteristics of the International Financial Reporting Standard Conceptual Framework. In addition, the study is modified with Â a measured variable of the Quality of Corporate Social responsibility Disclosure. Furthermore, this study used purposive judgment sampling and 13 relevant financial sector companies were obtained. The result indicates that company reputation has positive relationship with the quality of CSR disclosure, but it is insignificant. In addition, this study indicates that the relevant dimension has not been highlighted compared to other dimensions such as loyal representation, understanding, and Comparability. CSR disclosures prioritize quality in order to be credible communication tool for the users.
How do fraud diamond and procrastination trigger cheating behavior in online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic?
Authors: Novita Novita , Jannah Firdatul
Published: February 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic that hit Indonesia has changed the pattern of theÂ learning system from face-to-face in the classroom to online learning.Â In practice, the online learning system utilizes information technology,Â which raises not only effectiveness, but also new challenges. One of the challenges of the online learning system is the student cheating behavior.Â This study aims to determine the effect of the fraud diamond dimensions, which consist of pressure, opportunity, rationalization, and capability,and procrastination on the detection of student cheating behavior. This research is a quantitative research. The data used is primary data in the form of questionnaires. The respondents of this study are college students at LLDIKTI Region III DKI Jakarta. The data consists of 400 sample students. Data testing is carried out using STATA Version 14.2. TheÂ results of this study indicate that the fraud diamond dimensions consisting of pressure, opportunity, rationalization, and capability have a positiveÂ effect on the detection of student cheating behavior. Procrastination also has a positive effect on the detection of student cheating behavior.
The examination of the quotient of numerical semigroup with RF-matrices
Authors: Ã–zer Belgin , Dakkak Fatima
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we study quotients of a numerical semigroups with RF (Row-Factorization) matrices. We prove a formula for the Frobenious number of quotients of some families of numerical semigroups. Moreover, we examine half of the numerical semigroups, pseudo-symmetric numerical semigroups.
Design and implementation of a microcontroller based electrostatic spray pyrolysis instrument for thin film deposition
Authors: Ojonugwa  Daniel Thomas , Alu Noble , Oreoluwa Edaogbogun Goodness , Olajid Abdulmutolib , Amah Orji
Published: February 2023

This research is focused on the design and implementation of a microcontroller based electrostatic spray pyrolysis instrument that can sense and regulate temperature change with an alternating current to direct current converter in the range of 220V-1KV AC to 20KV DC for thin film deposition. In spray pyrolysis technique precise management of the spray parameters helps to create good and uniform thin films with ease of reproducibility of film properties. However it is a draw back in the manually operated electrostatic spray pyrolysis instrument mostly used in developing countries of Africa which causes variations in film structure, thickness, associated film properties and difficulty of reproducibility of film properties. The need for improved locally made ESP unit is also timely due to the inadequacy/unavailability of thin film deposition apparatus in most African institutions/materials research laboratories. The circuit was simulated on Multism software and transfer to PCB, etching was done using Lead (II) oxide while the unit components where assembled by soldering of electronics components, bonding and drilling of associated components. Arduinounoatmega 328 micro controller was employed. The fabricated device operated at 1KV to 20KV dc voltage for film deposition, at a substrate temperature range of 100oC to 450oC with a steady flow rate of 0.04ml/min, define spray pattern, define precursor usage and a precise control of major deposition parameters. ZnO:Al thin film deposited with the equipment was found to have a crystalline structure of fine grains.Â Â Â
Osseointegração de implantes em crianças e adolescentes: uma revisão de literatura
Authors: Trinta Luana Barbieri , Gomes Felipe Silva , Figueiredo Ramon Barros , Cantanhede Luana Martins , Freitas Claudio Vanucci Silva de
Published: February 2023

INTRODUÇÃO: Durante a infância, é comum a perda de elementos dentários em função de traumas e/ou patologias como anodontia e alterações congênitas ou não do processo alveolar. Para tais problemas, intervenções conservadoras são as mais propagadas, tanto no meio acadêmico quanto na prática clínica. Contudo, a instalação de implantes dentários em crianças com ausência de elementos dentários pode ser considerada uma forma de tratamento. Nesse sentido, o crescimento contínuo e dinâmico da maxila e da mandíbula se apresenta como um dos principais fatores de controvérsia entre os profissionais, visto que, com o tempo, a posição dos implantes pode se tornar desfavorável para reabilitação. OBJETIVO: Assim, o objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar o que há na literatura a respeito do tema citado, bem como sugerir a atuação do implantodontista no tratamento odontopediátrico como algo viável. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Essa revisão englobou vinte artigos, selecionados de acordo com o tema e aplicabilidade à pesquisa, entre os anos de 1993 e 2020, encontrados nas plataformas Google Acadêmico e PubMed. RESULTADOS: Observou-se concordância entre os autores quanto à relevância de que fatores como o sexo, nível de maturação óssea e localização do implante sejam ponderados, bem como o planejamento por uma equipe multidisciplinar composta por odontopediatra, implantodontista e ortodontista, antes da instalação dos implantes. CONCLUSÃO: Dessa forma, conclui-se que o uso de implantes em crianças e adolescentes deve ser adiado, se possível, até a maturação óssea, salvo em casos específicos, como nos de displasia ectodérmica.
Cirurgia plástica periodontal: técnica cirúrgica e experiência do operador como determinantes de sucesso — revisão narrativa
Authors: Oliveira Clara Fernandes Viana de , Rocha Luiz Eduardo Monteiro Dias da
Published: February 2023

INTRODUÇÃO: Existem várias técnicas cirúrgicas empregadas para recobrir recessões gengivais. Os fatores que podem infl uenciar o resultado da cirurgia de recobrimento radicular incluem elementos cirúrgicos/técnicos, como a experiência do cirurgião, tensão do retalho e preparação da superfície radicular. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi descrever e analisar a infl uência de fatores relacionados à técnica cirúrgica e à experiência do operador no sucesso da cirurgia plástica periodontal reportada na literatura. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: As bases de dados Pubmed e Google Scholar foram pesquisadas usando-se as palavras-chave "periodonto" ou "retração gengival" e "retalhos cirúrgicos" ou "cirurgia plástica". Algumas referências de estudos selecionados também foram incluídas. RESULTADOS: Um total de 29.704 de estudos foram encontrados. Os estudos mais relevantes em inglês foram selecionados após a leitura do título e resumo. Quarenta e seis foram lidos na sua integralidade, e artigos referenciados relevantes também foram designados para leitura total. Trinta estudos permaneceram incluídos nesta revisão. CONCLUSÃO: A técnica cirúrgica e a experiência do operador podem infl uenciar o resultado da cirurgia de recobrimento de recessões radiculares. Todas as técnicas produziram redução signifi cativa do tamanho da recessão com ganho de inserção clínica. O enxerto de tecido conjuntivo (ETC), adjunto ao retalho, parece ter o maior nível de previsibilidade para o recobrimento de recessões gengivais.
Introducing second-year medical students to diagnostic reasoning concepts and skills via a virtual curriculum
Authors: Chang Chelsea , Varghese Nevin , Machiorlatti Michael
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Curriculum for clinical reasoning in the preclinical years is sparse and the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need for virtual curriculums.

Methods

We developed, implemented and evaluated a virtual curriculum for preclinical students scaffolding key diagnostic reasoning concepts: dual process theory, diagnostic error, problem representation and illness scripts. Fifty-five second-year medical students participated in four 45-min virtual sessions led by one facilitator.

Results

The curriculum led to increased perceived understanding and increased confidence in diagnostic reasoning concepts and skills.

Conclusions

The virtual curriculum was effective in introducing diagnostic reasoning and was well-received by second-year medical students.
Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of 4-methylcatechol oligomer and preliminary evaluations as stabilizing agent in polypropylene
Authors: Wang Yanpeng , Jiang Fan , Zhang Lei
Published: February 2023

In the present work, 4-methylcatechol oligomer has been prepared by using enzyme-catalyzed polymerization in water and preliminary evaluations as stabilizing agent in polypropylene (PP) was performed. In comparison with intrinsic PP, the oxidation onset temperature of the 4-methylcatechol oligomer/PP composite increased by 66°C, and the oxidation induction time increased by 40 min. In addition, the mixing of a 4-methylcatechol oligomer with PP (i.e., in the formation of a 4-methylcatechol oligomer/PP composite) did significantly enhance the long-term stability of PP in a thermal oxidative environment. Moreover, the tensile strength of this composite did not significantly decrease after aging for 800 h in an air atmosphere at 120°C. These results show that the addition of a 4-methylcatechol oligomer will markedly delay the aging and degradation of PP materials, even under extreme conditions. Thus, an enzyme-catalyzed polymerization of phenol compounds may provide a new avenue toward the preparation of novel antioxidants.
Validated three-dimensional finite element modeling for static behavior of RC tapered columns
Authors: Kadhim Jabbar Abdalaali , Al. Zaidee Salah R.
Published: February 2023

This article aims to simulate the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) tapered columns subjected to static loads. The experimental data used in the study are from the literature. Two of the simulated columns are slender columns tested under uniaxial eccentric loads. The third one is a short column and was tested concentrically. The concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model offered in the Abaqus software, which accounts for stiffness degradation of concrete in both compression and tension, was used. The modulus of rupture of concrete and the value of the cracking strain proposed by the Abaqus analysis user’s manual were used as the parameters of tension stiffening. The modified Hognestadʼs model was used for the compressive behavior of concrete. The Static Riks analyses were performed with an activated geometric nonlinearity. The numerical failure load is 100.125, 99.297, and 102.16% of the experimental failure load for Models 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The agreement of the numerical results with the experimental results has confirmed the efficiency of the CDP model to simulate the concrete behavior, and has also revealed the validity of the numerical models.