bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical Activity Declines over a 12-Month Period in Parkinson’s Disease: Considerations for Longitudinal Activity Monitoring
Authors: Rosenfeldt Anson B. , Jansen A. Elizabeth , Lopez-Lennon Cielita , Zimmerman Eric , Imrey Peter B. , Dibble Leland E. , Alberts Jay L.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to evaluate trends in daily steps in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) over a 12-month period using continuous activity monitoring. Environmental (temperature) and cultural factors (represented by day of the week) were evaluated as potential external sources of variability. It was hypothesized that participants daily step counts would decline over the course of 12 months. Further, it was hypothesized that participants would take more steps on warmer days and that the day of the week would have minimal impact on step count as many participants were no longer in the workforce.

Methods

Participants were part of the Usual and Customary Care arm (N = 119) of the CYClical Lower Extremity Exercise Trial for Parkinson’s disease - II (CYCLE-II) at the Cleveland Clinic and University of Utah. Participants wore a Garmin Vivofit4® device daily for 12-months. A linear mixed effects model was created to model daily steps over 12-months.

Results

Participants wore their activity monitors 93% of study days. Steps per day declined by 6.1% over 12 months (95% CI 12.6% decline, 0.9% increase, p = 0.09). Steps per day were greater with warmer temperatures (p < 0.001), plateauing and declining around 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit (24-29 degrees Celsius). Participants took fewer steps on Sundays; this difference was more pronounced for Utah participants, who took 25% fewer steps on Sundays compared to other weekdays (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Most individuals live with PD for decades, and interventions should address the expected decline of 6% in daily step count. Environmental and cultural factors impact daily step count and should be adjusted for in short- and long-term monitoring of physical activity in individuals with PD.
Asymptotic behavior of the solutions of partial difference equations
Authors: Κωνσταντινίδης Κωνσταντίνος-Ραφαήλ
Published: November 2024

Στην παρούσα διατριβή, μελετάμε την ασυμπτωτική συμπεριφορά από ορισμένες μερικές εξισώσεις διαφορών και συστήματα μερικών γραμμικών ομογενών και μη ομογενών εξισώσεων διαφορών. Πιο συγκεκριμένα βρίσκουμε συνθήκες έτσι ώστε κάθε λύση για ένα σύστημα μερικών γραμμικών ομογενών εξισώσεων διαφορών να τείνει στο μηδέν και ερευνούμε την ασυμπτωτική ευστάθεια τηςτετριμμένης λύσης του συστήματος. Επιπρόσθετα, κάτω από ορισμένες συνθήκες για τη συνάρτηση του συστήματος των μερικών γραμμικών μη ομογενών εξισώσεων διαφορών, αποδεικνύουμε ότι κάθε λύση του δεύτερου συστήματος είναι φραγμένη και τέλος βρίσκουμε συνθήκες σε αυτή τη συνάρτηση ώστε κάθε λύση να τείνει στο μηδέν.Επίσης, μελετούμε την ευστάθεια κατά Hyers-Ulam για μία μη ομογενή γραμμική μερική εξίσωση διαφορών που αποτελείται από αντίστροφους πίνακες των οποίων τα στοιχεία τους είναι ακολουθίες που αποτελούνται από μία ή δύο μεταβλητές. Αυτή η έρευνα υλοποιείται χρησιμοποιώντας την εκθετική τριχοτομία η οποία εφαρμόζεται στην δική μας μερική εξίσωση διαφορών και κάτω από ορισμένες συνθήκες για τους πίνακες και τη συνάρτηση, αποδεικνύουμε την ευστάθεια κατά Hyers-Ulam. Στο τέλος της διατριβής, εξετάζουμε ένα σύστημα μερικών εξισώσεων διαφορών τύπου Lyness και ερευνούμε την ύπαρξη αναλλοίωτων, την περατότητα άνω και κάτω, την περιοδικότητα των θετικών λύσεων αυτού του συστήματος.
Ενδονουκλέωση
Authors: Γαλανοπούλου Ουρανία
Published: November 2024

Η πρωτεΐνη Setd8 είναι το μοναδικό ένζυμο που καταλύει τη μονομεθυλίωση της λυσίνης 20 στην ιστόνη Η4 και ρυθμίζει την αδειοδότηση της αντιγραφής, τη συμπύκνωση του DNA, την απόκριση σε βλάβες DNA, τη μεταγραφική επιμήκυνση κ.α. Τα επίπεδά της ρυθμίζονται αυστηρά κατά τη διάρκεια του κυτταρικού κύκλου. Κατά τη διάρκεια της διδακτορικής μου μελέτης, φάνηκε ότι, σε ποντίκια με ειδική απαλοιφή του γονιδίου Setd8 στα ηπατοκύτταρα (Setd8-LKO) μετά από χορήγηση μιτογόνου (TCPOBOP), τα περισσότερα ηπατοκύτταρα πεθαίνουν, αλλά ένας σημαντικός αριθμός επιβιώνει. Η επιβίωσή τους επιτυγχάνεται μπαίνοντας σε μια κατάσταση που παρουσιάζει χαρακτηριστικά που σχετίζονται με την κυτταρική γήρανση. Τα ηπατοκύτταρα με απώλεια της πρωτεΐνης Setd8 χαρακτηρίζονται από παύση του κυτταρικού κύκλου κατά τη φάση G2 και έχουν διογκωμένους πυρήνες και εγκολπώσεις του πυρηνικού φακέλου, που προχωρούν στον σχηματισμό ενδοπυρηνικών κυστιδίων που περιβάλλονται από πυρηνικό έλασμα. Αυτά τα κυστίδια περιέχουν γλυκογόνο, κυτταροπλασματικές πρωτεΐνες, ακόμη και ολόκληρα οργανίδια. Ονομάζουμε αυτή τη διαδικασία «ενδονουκλέωση». Παρά την παύση του κυτταρικού κύκλου, τα γηρασμένα κύτταρα σε ποντίκια Setd8-LKO διατηρούν την εγγενή ικανότητα να διπλασιάζουν το DNA, με αποτέλεσμα να χαρακτηρίζονται από χρωμοσωμική υπερπλοειδία που προκαλείται από ενδοδιπλασιασμό του γονιδιώματος. Τα ενδοπυρηνικά κυστίδια απουσιάζουν στα ηπατοκύτταρα με απώλεια των πρωτεϊνών Setd8 και Atg5, και η υπερπλοειδία δεν φτάνει στα ίδια επίπεδα όπως στα ηπατοκύτταρα Setd8-LKO. Αυτό υποδηλώνει ότι η ενδονουκλέωση απαιτεί τη λειτουργία του αυτοφαγικού μηχανισμού. Στους πυρήνες των ηπατοκυττάρων Setd8-LKO, οι ετεροχρωματινικές και ευχρωματινικές περιοχές φαίνονται σχετικά ανεπηρέαστες, ενώ τα πρότυπα πρόσδεσης των παραγόντων CTCF και cohesin έχουν αλλάξει σημαντικά. Η ενδονουκλέωση και η υπερπλοειδία είναι προσωρινά συμβάντα στα κύτταρα Setd8-LKO που επιβίωσαν. Τα μεγαλύτερα κυστίδια διασπώνται σε μικρότερα με την πάροδο του χρόνου και τελικά εξαλείφονται. Επίσης, φαίνεται να λαμβάνει χώρα διαχωρισμός των πυρήνων χωρίς μίτωση, προκαλώντας ανευπλοειδία. Συμπερασματικά, τα αποτελέσματα αποκαλύπτουν διαδοχικά συμβάντα σε κύτταρα με εκτεταμένες βλάβες DNA, τα οποία λειτουργούν ως μέρος των μηχανισμών επιβίωσης για την αποφυγή του κυτταρικού θανάτου.
Foundational Competencies and Responsibilities of a Research Software Engineer
Authors: Goth Florian , Alves Renato , Braun Matthias , Castro Leyla Jael , Chourdakis Gerasimos , Christ Simon , Cohen Jeremy , Druskat Stephan , Erxleben Fredo , Grad Jean-Noël , Hagdorn Magnus , Hodges Toby , Juckeland Guido , Kempf Dominic , Lamprecht Anna-Lena , Linxweiler Jan , Löffler Frank , Martone Michele , Schwarzmeier Moritz , Seibold Heidi , Thiele Jan Philipp , von Waldow Harald , Wittke Samantha
Published: November 2024

The term Research Software Engineer, or RSE, emerged a little over 10 years ago as a way to represent individuals working in the research community but focusing on software development. The term has been widely adopted and there are a number of high-level definitions of what an RSE is. However, the roles of RSEs vary depending on the institutional context they work in. At one end of the spectrum, RSE roles may look similar to a traditional research role. At the other extreme, they resemble that of a software engineer in industry. Most RSE roles inhabit the space between these two extremes. Therefore, providing a straightforward, comprehensive definition of what an RSE does and what experience, skills and competencies are required to become one is challenging. In this community paper we define the broad notion of what an RSE is, explore the different types of work they undertake, and define a list of foundational competencies as well as values that outline the general profile of an RSE. Further research and training can build upon this foundation of skills and focus on various aspects in greater detail. We expect that graduates and practitioners will have a larger and more diverse set of skills than outlined here. On this basis, we elaborate on the progression of these skills along different dimensions. We look at specific types of RSE roles, propose recommendations for organisations, give examples of future specialisations, and detail how existing curricula fit into this framework.
Assessment of heavy metal contamination in fish, fruits, and vegetables in Southwest Nigeria: A systematic review
Authors: Laoye Babafemi , Olagbemide Peter , Ogunnusi Tolulope , Akpor Oghenerobor
Published: November 2024

Background The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence of heavy metal contamination in fish, fruits, and vegetables in Southwest Nigeria. The review focused on studies published over a ten-year period, between 2014 and 2024. Methods Articles used for the study were obtained by conducting a comprehensive literature search using several databases, including ResearchGate, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). To identify relevant studies, a plethora of keywords were utilized to search for articles in the selected databases, including. Articles reporting heavy metal contamination in specified food products within the last decade were included. Results Of the 10,212 initially identified articles, 64 met the inclusion criteria after thorough screening. The selected studies were predominantly conducted in Lagos (30), Ondo (8), and Ogun (7) states, with few studies in Oyo, Ekiti, and Osun states. The majority of the research focused on fish (40 studies), followed by vegetables (20) and fruits (4). The commonly studied fish species were observed to be Tilapia zilli, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Clarias gariepinus, and Oreochromis niloticus, with heavy metal concentrations frequently exceeded WHO limits. Conclusions Therefore, this review highlights the significant risks posed by the presence of heavy metals in food products and underscores the importance of stringent environmental monitoring and the adoption of appropriate regulatory mechanisms for health and environmental risk mitigation. This could help in the formulation of appropriate policy implementation strategies geared towards mitigating heavy metal contamination in the region’s food supply.
Monarquías imposibles y repúblicas melancólicas: formas en disputa de la comunidad política
Authors: Hensel Riveros Franz
Published: November 2024

Este capítulo invita a suspender momentáneamente las fórmulas de transición y a reformular un poco la clásica sentencia alrededor de la conciencia de creación de una nueva sociedad. Enfatiza, más bien, la comprensión de la primera mitad del siglo xix como una experiencia desconocida, e insiste en la necesidad de explorar no tanto el resultado familiar de una u otra forma en particular —independencia/nación/república—, sino en comprender el proceso vertiginoso e inédito de constitución de una comunidad política. Insiste en que la emergencia del orden republicano en América se dio en competencia con horizontes de restauración monárquica hasta bien entrada la década de 1820. Repúblicas y monarquías —independientes o restauradas— fueron parte de la agenda de discusión y de acción política de las primeras décadas del xix. Con el paso de los años, la opción monárquica y la promesa de una república católica terminaron por diluirse para ocupar el lugar de un guiño nostálgico, una suerte de denuncia del estado de desgreño y anarquía de la república de mediados de siglo.
Cuando Colombia apareció en el mapa
Authors: Arroyo Isabel
Published: November 2024

Si decimos que hacia la década de los años veinte del siglo xix las gestiones exitosas de un grupo de personas lograron poner a Colombia en el mapa, leemos esa afirmación como una metáfora y asumimos que estamos hablando de la capacidad de la dirigencia que nos dio la independencia de dar a conocer a “nuestro país” en el exterior. Pero el título de este capítulo tiene un sentido literal. Se refiere al momento en que el nombre de Colombia empezó a ser registrado por las cartas geográficas que circulaban en Estados Unidos y Europa.
Service Operations for Justice-on-Time: A Data-Driven Queueing Approach
Authors: Bakshi Nitin , Kim Jeunghyun , Randhawa Ramandeep S.
Published: November 2024

Problem definition: Limited resources in the judicial system can lead to costly delays, stunted economic development, and even failure to deliver justice. Using the Supreme Court of India as an exemplar for such resource-constrained settings, we apply ideas from service operations to study delay. Specifically, court dynamics constitute a case-management queue, whereby each case may experience multiple service encounters spread across time, but all are necessarily with the same server. Our goal is to elucidate the drivers of congestion, focusing on metrics such as the expected case-disposition time (delay) and expected number of cases awaiting adjudication (pendency), and leverage this understanding to recommend operational interventions. Methodology/results: We employ data-driven calibrated simulations to model the analytically intractable case-management queue. The life cycle of a case comprises two stages: preadmission (before determining its merit for detailed hearings) and postadmission. Our methodology allows us to capture the queueing dynamics in which the judges are shared resources across the two stages. It also permits modeling of holiday capacity, which is flexibly tailored to address any surplus work that spills over from the regular year. We find that the second stage of this judicial queue is overloaded, but holiday capacity creates a perception of stability by steadying performance metrics. Managerial implications: The sources of inefficiency that drive congestion include a misalignment between scheduling guidelines and judicial capacity, coupled with the requirement to schedule hearings in advance. Together, these factors inhibit utilization of shared capacity across the two-stage judicial queue. We demonstrate how interventions that account for these inefficiencies can successfully tackle judicial delay. In particular, scheduling to improve the allocation of time across preadmission and postadmission cases can cut down the expected delay by as much as 65%.

Funding: This study is (partially) supported by a Korea University Business School Research Grant.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0530 .
Suicide prevention, USA
Authors: Smith Nina
Published: November 2024

Teacher Nina Smith wanted to learn how suicide prevention strategies in the United States and Australia could influence how such programmes could be structured and delivered in the UK
Career progression opportunities and the retention of health visitors
Authors: Woods Laura
Published: November 2024

There is a shortage of health visitors in England and career progression is known to increase staff retention in nursing. Therefore, a systematic search strategy was conducted and four main themes emerged following a reflexive thematic analysis. It found career progression opportunities improve staff retention, while barriers to career progression, including a lack of structured career pathways and progression opportunities, staff shortages, unavailable funding for staff training and gender inequalities, have a negative impact on staff retention. It is concluded that providing structured career pathways could improve the retention of health visitors. Further research examining the influencing factors on health visitor retention is recommended. Structured career pathways should be offered, allocating time during working hours for health visitors to attend courses and work on projects, and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion policies include specific strategies for female career progression.
Review article: Local medicinal plants in Nigeria for the management of diabetes; an evaluating of glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and physiological parameters
Authors:   Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria., Oyesola olusoji , Oluwabunmi Ojo-Adebayo Eunice ,   Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria., Emmanuel Olayemi Oluwaseye ,   Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria., Olawale Adebanjo Solomon ,   Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Published: November 2024

Background: Nigeria, like many regions worldwide, faces a growing burden of diabetes, prompting increased interest in traditional medicinal practices.

Objective: This review examines the efficacy of local medicinal plants in Nigeria for managing diabetes mellitus, focusing on their effects on glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and physiological parameters.

Materials and methods: Four commonly used plants, Aloe vera, bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), bitter lemon (Citrus aurantium), and ginger (Zingiber officinale), were scrutinized for their potential therapeutic effects.

Results: The literature review revealed numerous studies exploring the antidiabetic properties of these plants, including their ability to lower blood glucose levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and modulate various physiological parameters associated with diabetes.

Conclusion: The findings suggest promising avenues for utilizing local medicinal plants in diabetes management, although further research, including clinical trials, is warranted to validate their efficacy and safety.
FLEXIBILIZAÇÃO DO CONHECIMENTO MATEMÁTICO MEDIANTE USO DO ROLE PLAYING GAME FLEX: UMA EXPERIÊNCIA PEDAGÓGICA COM ESTUDANTES DO CURSO DE ADMINISTRAÇÃO
Authors: De Lima Renôr Ferreira Tereza Evâny , Brito Carneiro Leão Marcelo , Gomes Catunda de Vasconcelos Flávia Cristina
Published: November 2024

O estudo apresenta o RPG Flex, configurado como estratégia de ensino no Curso Superior de Administração. Questionam-se quais as contribuições do jogo de Role Playing Game (RPG) na flexibilização do conhecimento matemático dos estudantes do curso de administração e no desenvolvimento de capacidades analíticas e decisórias em cenários empresariais? O arcabouço teórico se estruturou no RPG pedagógico e na Teoria da Flexibilidade Cognitiva (TFC). A pesquisa, qualitativa e quantitativa, foi aplicada em uma universidade pública e em outra privada, com vinte e três estudantes voluntários do componente Administração Financeira. Na coleta de dados foi utilizado um gravador de voz e um questionário on-line. Os resultados da pesquisa identificaram que o Jogo de RPG Flex contribuiu com a flexibilização do conhecimento matemático dos estudantes parcialmente, pois um dos princípios da Teoria da Flexibilidade Cognitiva, “evitar o excesso de simplificação” identificado nas decisões do jogo, não alcançou a flexibilização do conhecimento matemático.
EDUCAÇÃO CIENTÍFICA E QUESTÕES ÉTNICO-RACIAIS: UMA PROPOSTA INTERCULTURAL PARA O ENSINO DE QUÍMICA NO NÍVEL MÉDIO
Authors: Dos Santos Souza Moreno Ingrid , Duarte de Lira Priscila , Michel dos Santos Menezes Jean
Published: November 2024

Embora a Lei 10.639 tenha sido publicada em 2003, trazendo a obrigatoriedade do ensino de conteúdos de história e cultura africana e afro-brasileira no ensino público e privado, ainda hoje as Questões Étnico-Raciais (QER) estão pouco presentes nas escolas e nas pesquisas em Ensino de Química (EQ). Assim, o objetivo dessa pesquisa foi investigar as potencialidades da aplicação de uma sequência didática com a abordagem de QER nas aulas de Química de uma turma de 3º ano do Ensino Médio de uma escola pública da cidade de Itacoatiara-AM. A pesquisa é de cunho qualitativa, e contou com a participação de 22 estudantes do ensino médio. Foram conduzidas três sequências didáticas, cada uma acompanhada por uma ficha de atividade contendo questões dissertativas (aberta). visando identificar as percepções dos alunos em relação aos tópicos discutidos durante o estudo. Os resultados evidenciaram que a introdução de materiais didáticos durante as aulas desempenha um papel crucial, pois desperta o interesse dos alunos em participar ativamente. Portanto, os temas geradores utilizados revelaram ser ferramentas eficazes para a contextualização temática social, contribuindo assim para um engajamento mais significativo dos alunos.
Camera-on-tip endoscope for in vivo cardiovascular diagnostics and surgical guidance
Authors: Sørensen Simon T. , Messina Walter , Niemitz Lorenzo , O’Dowling Claire , Buszman Piotr , Andersson-Engels Stefan , Burke Ray
Published: November 2024

Cardiovascular imaging with camera-on-tip endoscopes has the potential to provide physiologically relevant data on the tissue state and device placement that can improve clinical outcomes. In this work, we review the unmet clinical need for image-based in vivo cardiovascular diagnostics and guidance for minimally invasive procedures. We present a 7 Fr camera-on-tip endoscope with fibre-coupled multispectral illumination that includes methods for imaging in a blood-filled field of view (FOV). We demonstrate that the endoscope can be navigated from the femoral artery to cardiac regions such as the left atrium and left ventricle in a porcine model, where in vivo images of the cardiac walls are recorded. We further show that physiologically relevant parameters such as heart rate and respiration can be extracted from the images and that changes to tissue state can be inferred from the imaging data. Finally, a methodology for merging the imaging data with diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS) recorded through the optical fibre is outlined.
Aberrations of refracting surfaces between gradient-index media using a Lie algebraic approach
Authors: Barion A. , Anthonissen M. J. H. , ten Thije Boonkkamp J. H. M. , IJzerman W. L.
Published: November 2024

This paper demonstrates how to derive analytical expressions for aberration coefficients for refraction at curved interfaces between rotationally symmetric gradient-index (GRIN) media. The expansion formulas are encoded using the Lie algebraic method. Previous results about aberrations during propagation in GRIN media can be readily combined with the formulas in this paper, allowing us to completely describe ray paths through rotationally symmetric inhomogeneous media with curved end surfaces. The presented aberration coefficients are used to optimize the front surface of a focusing GRIN rod together with its refractive index parameters, with promising results.
Deep convolutional generative adversarial networks assisted inverse design of quad-channel full-space metasurface
Authors: Liu Xiaosong , Cao Xianbo , Hong Tao , Jiang Wen
Published: November 2024

In recent years, deep learning has emerged as a powerful data-driven approach to transform the way we discover, design, and utilize metasurfaces (MSs). In this paper, we propose an inverse method for designing a multifunctional metasurface based on deep convolutional generative adversarial networks (DCGANs). The meta-atom patterns are designed in topological configurations and encoded as binary matrices. By comprehensively analyzing the varying metal proportions within the meta-atoms, the design space is exhaustively explored, resulting in a high-quality training dataset with a full phase span. In addition, Gramian angular difference fields (GADFs) are introduced as a data representation method that encodes one-dimensional (1D) electromagnetic (EM) response data into two-dimensional (2D) images. This enables the DCGAN model to flexibly design MSs using the computer vision methodology. As a novel inverse design paradigm for functional MSs, we develop an asymmetric reflection-transmission-integrated quad-channel full-space metadevice. Upon illumination with different frequencies and linearly polarized excitations, the proposed design functions as both an orbital angular momentum (OAM) beam generator and a holographic imager, with both simulation and measurement confirming the design's accuracy.
Enhancing the optical and electrical performance of a micro-LED with GaN substrate by optimizing structural parameters
Authors: Huang Shan , Liu Yibo , Feng Feng , Zhang Jingyang , Liu Xinyi , Li Zichun , Wong Man Hoi , Kwok Hoi Sing , Liu Zhaojun
Published: November 2024

In this study, the impact of structural parameters on the optical and electrical performance of a micro-LED based on GaN substrate is evaluated through simulation. The adjusted structural parameters include Al content in the Al
x
Ga
1-x
N electron blocking layer (EBL), In content in the In
y
Ga
1-y
N quantum well (QW) layers, and the QW period. The results indicate that lower Al content in the EBL increases the radiative recombination rate in QWs, leading to higher quantum efficiency and output power. The effect of varying In content in the QWs on the recombination process of the device is discussed. Additionally, it was found that a shorter QW period in the active region could achieve lower power consumption and higher luminous brightness and efficiency. These findings enhance the understanding of GaN substrate-based Micro-LEDs and provide important guidance for optimizing and designing high-performance GaN substrate Micro-LEDs.
High-resolution and instability-driven image reconstruction based on wave localization in azobenzene polymer
Authors: Liu Yan , Han Jing , Guo Jinjia , Xu Qinfeng , Zhu Linwei
Published: November 2024

Transverse modulation instability (MI) has been proved useful for reconstructing noisy images. However, the signal-noise resonances for high-frequency modes are always suppressed during the generation of instability, resulting in the blurring of output images. By controlling of photo-birefringence and isomerization of azobenzene-derivative polymer, we proposed an instability-driven reconstruction by re-growing high-frequency modes via localizing wave response. The agreement between the experimental results and numerical simulations proves its effectiveness. This work provides a general and flexible way for high-resolution target detection.
Generation of 480 nm picosecond pulses for ultrafast excitation of Rydberg atoms
Authors: Mahesh T. P. , Matsubara Takuya , Torii Chew Yuki , Tomita Takafumi , de Léséleuc Sylvain , Ohmori Kenji
Published: November 2024

Atoms in Rydberg states are an important building block for emerging
quantum technologies. While excitation to Rydberg orbitals is
typically achieved in more than tens of nanoseconds, the physical
limit is in fact much faster, at the ten picoseconds level. Here, we
tackle such ultrafast Rydberg excitation of a rubidium atom by
designing a dedicated pulsed laser system generating 480 nm pulses of
10 ps duration. In particular, we improved upon our previous design by
using an injection-seeded optical parametric amplifier (OPA) to obtain
a stable pulsed energy, decreasing the fluctuation from 30 to 6%. We
then succeeded in ultrafast excitation of Rydberg atoms with
excitation probability of ∼90%, not limited anymore by energy
fluctuation but rather by the atomic state preparation, addressable in
future works. This achievement broadens the range of applications of
Rydberg atoms.
Misalignment tolerance enhancement of vector beams in a free-space optical communication link
Authors: Shi Shiyu , Xu Mingfeng , Pu Mingbo , Zhang Yiqun , Yu Yong , Chen Shuangcheng , Guo Yinghui , Li Xiong , Ma Xiaoliang , Luo Xiangang
Published: November 2024

Optical misalignment between transmitter and receiver leads to power loss and mode crosstalk in a mode division multiplexing (MDM) free-space optical (FSO) link. We report both numerical simulations and experimental results on the propagation performance of two typical vector beams, C-point polarization full Poincaré beams (FPB), and V-point polarization cylindrical vector beams (CVB), compared to homogeneous polarization scalar vortex beams (SVB) under optical misalignment. The FSO communication performance under misalignment using different transmit beams is evaluated in terms of power loss, mode crosstalk, power penalty, etc. Vector beams are shown to have superior misalignment tolerance compared to the corresponding SVBs, with the FPBs in particular being the most robust for small topological charges. At the same mode spacing, the CVBs have a larger misalignment tolerance, which causes the MDM-FSO communication systems with narrower mode spacing to have a smaller power penalty. Furthermore, moderately increasing the transmitted beam size could improve the system tolerance of lateral displacement while reducing that of tilt error.
Intelligent open-set MIMO recognition in OWC using a Siamese neural network
Authors: Zhao Yinan , Chen Chen , Cao Hailin , Zeng Zhihong , Liu Min , Haas Harald
Published: November 2024

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, a core component of 6G, has been widely adopted in optical wireless communication (OWC) systems. Accurate recognition of different MIMO types is essential for MIMO selection and demodulation. In this Letter, we propose an open-set MIMO recognition method for OWC systems using a Siamese neural network (SNN). Simulation results show that the SNN significantly outperforms other recognition approaches, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and traditional machine learning techniques. For SNN-based recognition, over 90% accuracy is achieved with training based on only nine fixed sampling points in both 2 × 2 and 4 × 4 MIMO-OWC systems.
Near-infrared optical thermometry of nickel color centers in diamond
Authors: Dharmasiri A. , Vincent C. , Rajib T. I. , Pochechuev M. , Liu X. , Verhoef A. J. , Hemmer P. R. , Zheltikov A. M.
Published: November 2024

We present an experimental study of temperature-dependent near-infrared
fluorescence spectra of nickel color centers in diamond. The
amplitude, the central wavelength, and the linewidth of the
zero-phonon line (ZPL) in the fluorescence spectrum of these centers
exhibit a strong temperature dependence, enabling highly sensitive
temperature measurements. Due to the ZPL wavelength, falling within
the biological transparency window, combined with a high-temperature
sensitivity and low noise floor, as demonstrated by our experiments in
practical thermometry settings, nickel color centers in diamond are
ideally suited for all-optical temperature measurements, including
thermometry of biological systems.
Pancharatnam’s connection and geometric phase of partially polarized light
Authors: Rantaeskola Kaisa , Saastamoinen Kimmo , Norrman Andreas , Chen Yahong , Friberg Ari T. , Setälä Tero
Published: November 2024

We extend the concepts of Pancharatnam’s connection and phase difference of optical beams to cover random, stationary, partially polarized quasimonochromatic light. The geometric and dynamic structures of the phase are assessed within the framework of classical statistical polarization theory when the beam undergoes a cyclic, unitary polarization-state evolution. The existence of the two phase types is confirmed experimentally by conducting an interferometric measurement where the phase changes are found from the variations in the position of an intensity fringe pattern. The formalism also leads to a definition of the geometric phase for partially polarized beams, which is consistent with the results on mixed (qubit) quantum states.
Analysis of Optical Bottle Generation by Coherent Beam Combining
Authors: Jabczynski Jan
Published: November 2024

The study evaluates the feasibility of generating a closed optical trap (“optical bottle”) using coherent beam combining. A semi-analytical model, based on paraxial wave optics and truncated Gaussian beam approximation, was employed. Proposed configurations include: (1) simple bifocal tilt, (2) bifocal tilt + polarization switching, (3) bifocal tilt
+ fractional vortex optical charge number, and (4) bifocal tilts + polarization switching in random shooting target geometries. The trap’s shell resembles inverted “wine glasses” stacked one over the other with azimuthal symmetry producing alternating bright and dark regions. A far field dark region and “bottle stoppers“ intensity variations yield a 30 dB intensity ratio.
VSS-SpatioNet: A Multi-scale Feature Fusion Network for Multimodal Image Integrations
Authors: Xiang Zeyu
Published: November 2024

Infrared and visible image (vis-ir) fusion is vital for enhancing clarity and enriching information, with significant applications in medical and biological imaging. Existing models, relying on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) or Transformers, often face challenges in balancing computational efficiency and capturing long-range dependencies. This paper introduces VSS-SpatioNet, a novel lightweight fusion network leveraging a Visual State Space (VSS) module instead of Transformers. Its asymmetric encoder-decoder structure integrates multi-scale features through a VSS-Spatial (VS) fusion strategy, combining CNN and VSS branches to capture fine details and long-range information. Extensive experiments demonstrate VSS-SpatioNet's superior performance, highlighting its potential in advanced imaging applications.
A study on the potential of higher education in reducing carbon intensity
Authors: Yuan Qin , Wang Ruiqi , Tang Huanchen , Ma Xin , Zeng Xinyue
Published: November 2024

The Chinese government has established definitive goals to reach a "carbon peak" by 2030 and achieve "carbon neutrality" by 2060. Investigating the attainment of these emission reduction objectives while simultaneously fostering regional economic growth and enhancing living standards holds critical importance. This study examines the link between higher education and carbon intensity across China’s thirty provincial-level administrative regions, employing fixed effects models on provincial panel data spanning 2001–2020. The findings, validated through robustness tests and a mediation effect model, elucidate the mechanisms by which higher education influences carbon intensity. Notably, the results reveal that enhancing higher education markedly lowers carbon intensity; specifically, a 1% increase in the logarithmic transformation of per capita investment in higher education in a province decreases its carbon intensity by 0.219%. Additionally, higher education’s output similarly contributes to reductions in carbon intensity. The influence of higher education on reducing carbon intensity is particularly pronounced in the central and western regions of China. Moreover, higher education facilitates the reduction of carbon intensity through mechanisms such as promoting environmental consciousness, advancing industrial structure, and encouraging technological innovation.
Identification of veterinary and medically important blood parasites using contrastive loss-based self-supervised learning
Authors: Busayakanon Supasuta , Kaewthamasorn Morakot , Pinetsuksai Natchapon , Tongloy Teerawat , Chuwongin Santhad , Boonsang Siridech , Kittichai Veerayuth
Published: November 2024

Background and Aim: Zoonotic diseases caused by various blood parasites are important public health concerns that impact animals and humans worldwide. The traditional method of microscopic examination for parasite diagnosis is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to variability among observers, necessitating highly skilled and experienced personnel. Therefore, an innovative approach is required to enhance the conventional method. This study aimed to develop a self-supervised learning (SSL) approach to identify zoonotic blood parasites from microscopic images, with an initial focus on parasite species classification.

Materials and Methods: We acquired a public dataset featuring microscopic images of Giemsa-stained thin blood films of trypanosomes and other blood parasites, including Babesia, Leishmania, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, and Trichomonad, as well as images of both white and red blood cells. The input data were subjected to SSL model training using the Bootstrap Your Own Latent (BYOL) algorithm with Residual Network 50 (ResNet50), ResNet101, and ResNet152 as the backbones. The performance of the proposed SSL model was then compared to that of baseline models.

Results: The proposed BYOL SSL model outperformed supervised learning models across all classes. Among the SSL models, ResNet50 consistently achieved high accuracy, reaching 0.992 in most classes, which aligns well with the patterns observed in the pre-trained uniform manifold approximation and projection representations. Fine-tuned SSL models exhibit high performance, achieving 95% accuracy and a 0.960 area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve even when fine-tuned with 1% of the data in the downstream process. Furthermore, 20% of the data for training with SSL models yielded ≥95% in all other statistical metrics, including accuracy, recall, precision, specification, F1 score, and ROC curve. As a result, multi-class classification prediction demonstrated that model performance exceeded 91% for the F1 score, except for the early stage of Trypanosoma evansi, which showed an F1 score of 87%. This may be due to the model being exposed to high levels of variation during the developmental stage.

Conclusion: This approach can significantly enhance active surveillance efforts to improve disease control and prevent outbreaks, particularly in resource-limited settings. In addition, SSL addresses significant challenges, such as data variability and the requirement for extensive class labeling, which are common in biology and medical fields.

Keywords: bootstrap your own latent, fractioned data, microscopic image, pre-trained, self-supervised learning, zoonotic disease.
Általános iskolások és gimnazisták kémia tantárgyi attitűdje, tanulási motivációja és a kémia tanulásával kapcsolatos véleménye
Authors: Korom Erzsébet , Purák Szandra
Published: November 2024

Régóta ismert jelenség, hogy az iskolai tanulmányok során csökken a természettudományok tanulása iránti érdeklődés, és kevesen választanak természettudományos pályát. A természettudományos tantárgyak közül a kémia különösen nehéz helyzetben van. A tantárgy tanulásához kötődő problémák megértését és az oktatás fejlesztését támogatja a tanulást befolyásoló affektív tényezők azonosítása és értékelése. A kutatás 7–8. évfolyamos általános iskolások (n = 265), valamint 9–10. évfolyamos gimnazisták (n = 300) körében vizsgálta a kémia tantárgyi attitűdöt, a kémia tanulási motivációt, valamint a kémia tantárggyal és pályaválasztással kapcsolatos véleményeket. Az online mérőeszköz a kémiatanulás motivációit a Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ II) (Glynn és mtsai, 2011) kémiára adaptált változatával (Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire II, CMQ II), a kémiával összefüggő továbbtanulási terveket Mujtaba és munkatársai (2018) kérdőíve alapján mérte. Az eredmények jelzik, hogy a kémia tantárgyi attitűd és a kémiatanulási motiváció a 7. és a 8. évfolyam között jelentős mértékben visszaesik, és a középiskolában tovább csökken. A kémia tantárgyi attitűd leginkább az intrinzik motivációval és az önhatékonysággal függ össze, míg a tantárgyi osztályzatokkal és a szülők iskolázottságával gyenge a kapcsolat. Bár a tanulók több, a kémiával összefüggésbe hozható szakmát is érdekesnek tartanak, csak kevesen terveznek olyan karriert, amely kapcsolódik a kémiához. Ez a kutatás felhívja a figyelmet a tanulást befolyásoló affektív tényezők alaposabb megismerésének fontosságára, különösen a kémiatanulás kezdeti szakaszában.
Serum Gastrin Levels Are Associated With Prevalent Neuroendocrine Tumors in Autoimmune Metaplastic Atrophic Gastritis
Authors: Jove Andre , Lin Christina , Hwang Joo Ha , Balasubramanian Vidhya , Fernandez-Becker Nielsen Q. , Huang Robert J.
Published: November 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Autoimmune metaplastic atrophic gastritis (AMAG) is a precancerous condition that predisposes to gastric neuroendocrine tumors (gNETs). There exist no methods to stratify patients with AMAG for gNET risk.

METHODS:

We identified a cohort of patients with AMAG within a university health system using histopathologic and serologic criteria. We analyzed features predictive of prevalent gNET.

RESULTS:

We identified 181 patients with AMAG and 41 (22.7%) with prevalent gNET. Gastrin levels were elevated in gNET (1,859.8 vs 679.5 pg/mL, P < 0.001), and gastrin titers demonstrated good discrimination (c = 0.799, 95% CI 0.707–0.892) for gNET.

DISCUSSION:

Gastrin levels differ significantly between patients with AMAG with and without gNET.
Small-Molecule Neutrophil Modulator ADS051 is Safe and Well-Tolerated in a Phase 1 Single Ascending Dose Study
Authors: Cheifetz Adam S. , Allegretti Jessica R. , Quintas Megan , Dixit Bharat , Farquhar Ronald , Miller Benjamin W. , Murphy Christopher K. , Hershberger Ellie , Ghahramani Parviz , Stevens A.C.
Published: November 2024

INTRODUCTION:

A need for better treatment options for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) persists because of the efficacy and safety limitations of current therapies. Neutrophil epithelial transmigration is associated with the characteristic colonic mucosal inflammation in and very likely involved with the pathogenesis and clinical symptoms of UC. ADS051 is a small-molecule inhibiting neutrophil migration and activation, which are potentially important therapeutic targets in UC. The phase 1 single ascending dose study evaluated ADS051's safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers.

METHODS:

Fifty healthy adults were randomized 4:1 into 5 ascending dose cohorts to receive a single oral dose of ADS051 100 mg, 300 mg, 700 mg, 1,500 mg, 3,500 mg, or placebo. Participants were followed until 30 days after dosing. Safety and pharmacokinetics of ADS051 in stool, blood, and urine were evaluated.

RESULTS:

ADS051 was safe and well-tolerated. Adverse events (AEs) of constipation were reported by 2 participants (5.0%) in the ADS051 1,500 mg group vs none in the placebo group. No serious AEs reported and no discontinuations due to AEs. In all dose groups, a cumulative average of 10%–24% of the ADS051 dose was recovered in stool, mostly within 48 hours after dosing. ADS051 was quantifiable in only 2 of 440 blood samples (7.64 and 69.8 ng/mL). On average, <0.035% of the ADS051 dose was excreted in urine.

DISCUSSION:

ADS051 was safe, well-tolerated, and achieved high stool concentrations with minimal systemic exposure. ADS051 could be a safe and effective, locally acting, neutrophil-targeting agent for the treatment of UC.
Orthodontic Rubber Band Traction Improves Trainees' Learning Curve of Colorectal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: A Prospective Randomized Study
Authors: Zheng Linfu , Chen Longping , Xu Binbin , Luo Baoxiang , Wang Fuqiang , Liu Zhilin , Gao Xingjie , Zhou Linxin , Chen Jiawei , Xie Longke , Hou Yaping , Li Dazhou , Wang Wen
Published: November 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a technically demanding operation with a long learning curve. The aim of this study was to determine whether orthodontic rubber band (ORB)-assisted colorectal ESD could improve the trainees' learning curve as it was shown to shorten colorectal ESD procedure time in trainees and experts.

METHODS:

This prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study involved 178 patients who underwent colorectal ESD, randomly divided into trainee ORB-assisted ESD (Trainee ORB-ESD; n = 60), trainee conventional ESD (Trainee C-ESD; n = 57), and expert conventional ESD (Expert C-ESD; n = 61) groups. The main outcome was procedure time.

RESULTS:

Per Protocol analysis showed a similar operative time in the trainee ORB-ESD and expert C-ESD groups, which was shorter than in the trainee C-ESD group [28.0 (21.0–35.0) and 25.0 (15.0–35.0) vs 41.0 (31.0–52.5) min; (P < 0.001)]. The trainee ORB-ESD, trainee C-ESD, and expert C-ESD groups differed significantly in resection speed (11.35, 9.07, and 12.56 mm2/min, respectively), good visual field exposure rate (96.7%, 80.7%, and 93.4%), and muscle injury rate (5.0%, 17.5%, and 6.6%). However, the trainee ORB-ESD and expert C-ESD groups were similar in these measures, and all 3 groups were similar in adverse events, en bloc resection, R0 resection, and pathology rates. The cumulative sum suggested that the learning inflection point of the trainee ORB-ESD group was earlier than that of the trainee C-ESD group.

DISCUSSION:

ORB-ESD shortened colorectal ESD procedure time and improved efficiency in trainees to an expert level. ORB-ESD could shorten the learning curve, justifying its widespread application.
To what extent has the UK Government achieved its aim of providing certainty to businesses in relation to the National Security and Investment Act 2021?
Authors: Mann Jai
Published: November 2024

Abstract: The National Security and Investment Act 2021 gave the UK Government sweeping powers to intervene in mergers and acquisitions in a broad range of scenarios. Because of this, the UK Government, when it announced plans for the Act, set out its aim to provide sufficient certainty to businesses so that the Act does not have a detrimental impact on investment in the UK. However, complaints about a lack of certainty about the Act amongst businesses and investors have persisted. This paper explores the two main concerns about the Act’s uncertainty - the lack of a ‘national security’ definition and the unclear definitions of the 17 mandatory notifiable sectors - and demonstrates that claims of a lack of certainty in these areas are largely unfounded and therefore, the Government has largely succeeded in its aim of providing certainty to businesses in relation to the Act.
Synthesis and Characterization of Zirconium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Various Liquid Media by Nd:YAG Pulse Laser Ablation and Its Antibacterial Application
Authors: Amalia Dwi Endah Ni’matul , Nurhasanah Iis , Khumaeni Ali
Published: November 2024

The issue of antibiotic resistance by bacteria has been studied to develop a new agent to inhibit bacterial activity. Recent studies have reported on nanoparticles promising antibacterial properties. Zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) have emerged as potential antibacterial agents for gram-negative bacteria. Nevertheless, there remains a gap in research done on producing stable nanoparticles. Additionally, it studies the impact of the liquid environment in the synthesis to keep a small size. In this present work, ZrO2 NPs have been successfully synthesized in various liquids by pulse laser ablation using the Nd:YAG laser. The laser was ablated on the surface of a zirconium metal plate in different liquid media, such as deionized water, ethylene diamine, and chitosan solution. Furthermore, the liquid media used has an effect on the characteristics of ZrO2 NPs and their antibacterial properties. An investigation of scanning electron microscope images reveals that ZrO2 NPs in deionized water, ethylene diamine, and chitosan solutions have a spherical morphology with diameters measuring around 24.33 nm, 19.76 nm, and 15.05 nm, respectively. The antibacterial effect of ZrO2 NPs in chitosan solution against E. coli bacteria is assessed by measuring the diameter of the inhibition zone (DIZ), which has greater colloidal stability than the other liquid media. The findings indicate that the stability and small size of nanoparticles enhance the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria.