bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of molecular imaging on patient selection for treatment intensification prior to salvage radiation therapy for prostate cancer: a post hoc analysis of the PROPS trial
Authors: Tremblay Samuel , Alhogbani Mofarej , Weickhardt Andrew , Davis Ian D , Scott Andrew M , Hicks Rodney J , Metser Ur , Chua Sue , Davda Reena , Punwani Shonit , Payne Heather , Tunariu Nina , Ho Bao , Young Sympascho , Singbo Mahukpe Narcisse Ulrich , Bauman Glenn , Emmett Louise , Pouliot Frédéric
Published: June 2023

Background

The impact of molecular imaging (MI) on patient management after biochemical recurrence (BCR) following radical prostatectomy has been described in many studies. However, it is not known if MI-induced management changes are appropriate. This study aimed to determine if androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) management plan is improved by MI in patients who are candidates for salvage radiation therapy.

Methods

Data were analyzed from the multicenter prospective PROPS trial evaluating PSMA/Choline PET in patients being considered for salvage radiotherapy (sRT) with BCR after prostatectomy. We compared the pre- and post-MI ADT management plans for each patient and cancer outcomes as predicted by the MSKCC nomogram. A higher percentage of predicted BCR associated with ADT treatment intensification after MI was considered as an improvement in a patient’s management.

Results

Seventy-three patients with a median PSA of 0.38 ng/mL were included. In bivariate analysis, a positive finding on MI (local or metastatic) was associated with decision to use ADT with an odds ratio of 3.67 (95% CI, 1.25 to 10.71; p = 0.02). No factor included in the nomogram was associated with decision to use ADT. Also, MI improved selection of patients to receive ADT based on predicted BCR after sRT : the predicted nomogram 5-year biochemical-free survivals were 52.5% and 43.3%, (mean difference, 9.2%; 95% CI 0.8 to 17.6; p = 0.03) for sRT alone and ADT±sRT subgroups, while there was no statistically significant difference between subgroups before MI.

Conclusions

PSMA and/or Choline PET/CT before sRT can potentially improve patient ADT management by directing clinicians towards more appropriate intensification.
Cholic and deoxycholic acids induce mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired biogenesis and autophagic flux in skeletal muscle cells
Authors: Abrigo Johanna , Olguín Hugo , Tacchi Franco , Orozco-Aguilar Josué , Valero-Breton Mayalen , Soto Jorge , Castro-Sepúlveda Mauricio , Elorza Alvaro A. , Simon Felipe , Cabello-Verrugio Claudio
Published: June 2023

Background

Skeletal muscle is sensitive to bile acids (BA) because it expresses the TGR5 receptor for BA. Cholic (CA) and deoxycholic (DCA) acids induce a sarcopenia-like phenotype through TGR5-dependent mechanisms. Besides, a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia was characterised by increased levels of serum BA and muscle weakness, alterations that are dependent on TGR5 expression. Mitochondrial alterations, such as decreased mitochondrial potential and oxygen consumption rate (OCR), increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and unbalanced biogenesis and mitophagy, have not been studied in BA-induced sarcopenia.

Methods

We evaluated the effects of DCA and CA on mitochondrial alterations in C2C12 myotubes and a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia. We measured mitochondrial mass by TOM20 levels and mitochondrial DNA; ultrastructural alterations by transmission electronic microscopy; mitochondrial biogenesis by PGC-1α plasmid reporter activity and protein levels by western blot analysis; mitophagy by the co-localisation of the MitoTracker and LysoTracker fluorescent probes; mitochondrial potential by detecting the TMRE probe signal; protein levels of OXPHOS complexes and LC3B by western blot analysis; OCR by Seahorse measures; and mtROS by MitoSOX probe signals.

Results

DCA and CA caused a reduction in mitochondrial mass and decreased mitochondrial biogenesis. Interestingly, DCA and CA increased LC3II/LC3I ratio and decreased autophagic flux concordant with raised mitophagosome-like structures. In addition, DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial potential and reduced protein levels in OXPHOS complexes I and II. The results also demonstrated that DCA and CA decreased basal, ATP-linked, FCCP-induced maximal respiration and spare OCR. DCA and CA also reduced the number of cristae. In addition, DCA and CA increased the mtROS. In mice with cholestasis-induced sarcopenia, TOM20, OXPHOS complexes I, II and III, and OCR were diminished. Interestingly, the OCR and OXPHOS complexes were correlated with muscle strength and bile acid levels.

Conclusion

Our results showed that DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial mass, possibly by reducing mitochondrial biogenesis, which affects mitochondrial function, thereby altering potential OCR and mtROS generation. Some mitochondrial alterations were also observed in a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia characterised by increased levels of BA, such as DCA and CA.
Pathophysiological functions of semaphorins in the sympathetic nervous system
Authors: Mizuno Yumiko , Nakanishi Yoshimitsu , Kumanogoh Atsushi
Published: June 2023

Upon exposure to external stressors, the body senses them and activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to maintain the homeostasis, which is known as the “fight-or-flight” response. Recent studies have revealed that the SNS also plays pivotal roles in regulating immune responses, such as hematopoiesis, leukocyte mobilization, and inflammation. Indeed, overactivation of the SNS causes many inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune diseases. However, the molecular basis essential for SNS-mediated immune regulation is not completely understood. In this review, we focus on axon guidance cues, semaphorins, which play multifaceted roles in neural and immune systems. We summarize the functions of semaphorins in the crosstalk between the SNS and the immune system, exploring its pathophysiological roles.
Patient-Reported Outcomes, Digital Health, and the Quest to Improve Health Equity
Authors: Pritchett Joshua C. , Patt Debra , Thanarajasingam Gita , Schuster Anne , Snyder Claire
Published: June 2023

The theme of the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting is Partnering With Patients: The Cornerstone of Cancer Care and Research. As we aim to partner with patients to improve their health care, digital tools have the potential to enhance patient-centered cancer care and make clinical research more accessible and generalizable. Using electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) to collect patients' reports of symptoms, functioning, and well-being facilitates patient-clinician communication and improves care and outcomes. Early studies suggest that racial and ethnic minority populations, older patients, and patients with less education may benefit even more from ePRO implementation. Clinical practices looking to implement ePROs can refer to the resources of the PROTEUS Consortium (Patient-Reported Outcomes Tools: Engaging Users & Stakeholders). Beyond ePROs, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer practices have rapidly adopted other digital tools (eg, telemedicine, remote patient monitoring). As implementation grows, we must be aware of the limitations of these tools and implement them in ways to promote optimal function, access, and ease of use. Infrastructure, patient, provider, and system-level barriers need to be addressed. Partnerships across all levels can inform development and implementation of digital tools to meet the needs of diverse groups. In this article, we describe how we use ePROs and other digital health tools in cancer care, how digital tools can expand access to and generalizability of oncology care and research, and prospects for broader implementation and use.
Impact of Disasters on Older Adult Cancer Outcomes: A Scoping Review
Authors: Lynch Kathleen A. , Merdjanoff Alexis A.
Published: June 2023

PURPOSE

There is an urgent need to address the growing global cancer burden in the context of complex disaster events, which both disrupt access to oncology care and facilitate carcinogenic exposures. Older adults (65 years and older) are a growing population with multifaceted care needs, making them especially vulnerable to disasters. The objective of this scoping review is to characterize the state of the literature concerning older adult cancer–related outcomes and oncologic care after a disaster event.

METHODS

A search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews, articles were extracted and screened for inclusion. Eligible articles were summarized using descriptive and thematic analyses.

RESULTS

Thirty-five studies met all criteria for full-text review. The majority focused on technological disasters (60%, n = 21), followed by climate-amplified disasters (28.6%, n = 10) and geophysical disasters (11.4%, n = 4). Thematic analysis classified the current evidence into three major categories: (1) studies concerned with carcinogenic exposure and cancer incidence related to the disaster event, (2) studies examining changes in access to cancer care and cancer treatment disruptions as a result of the disaster event, and (3) studies exploring the psychosocial experiences of patients with cancer affected by a disaster event. Few studies focused on older adults specifically, and most of the current evidence focuses on disasters in the United States or Japan.

CONCLUSION

Older adult cancer outcomes after a disaster event are understudied. Current evidence suggests that disasters worsen cancer-related outcomes among older adults by disrupting continuity of care and access to timely treatment. There is a need for prospective longitudinal studies following older adult populations postdisaster and studies focused on disasters in low- and middle-income country contexts.
Ordering kinetics in active polar fluid
Authors: Dikshit Shambhavi , Mishra Shradha
Published: June 2023

We model the active polar fluid as a collection of orientable objects supplied with active stresses and momentum damping coming from the viscosity of bulk fluid medium. The growth kinetics of local orientation field is studied. The effect of active fluid is contractile or extensile depending upon the sign of the active stress. We explore the growth kinetics for different activities. We observe that for both extensile and contractile cases the growth is altered by a prefactor when compared to the equilibrium Model A. We find that the extensile fluid enhances the domain growth whereas the contractile fluid supresses it. The asymptotic growth becomes pure algebraic for large magnitudes of activity. We also find that the domain morphology remains unchanged due to activity and the system shows the good dynamic scaling for all activities. Our study provides the understanding of ordering kinetics in active polar gel.
Reentrant condensation transition in a model of driven scalar active matter with diffusivity edge
Authors: Berx Jonas , Bose Aritra , Golestanian Ramin , Mahault Benoît
Published: June 2023

The effect of a diffusivity edge is studied in a system of scalar active matter confined by a periodic potential and driven by an externally applied force. We find that this system shows qualitatively distinct stationary regimes depending on the amplitude of the driving force with respect to the potential barrier. For small driving, the diffusivity edge induces a transition to a condensed phase analogous to the Bose–Einstein-like condensation reported for the nondriven case, which is characterized by a density-independent steady state current. Conversely, large external forces lead to a qualitatively different phase diagram since in this case condensation is only possible beyond a given density threshold, while the associated transition at higher densities is found to be reentrant.
Cinema of Senescence: Old Age, Slow Cinema, and Form
Authors: Dufournaud Daniel
Published: June 2023

If speed is a cornerstone of contemporary life, then one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome in the fight against agism is the fact that senescence entails a slowing down of the human body and mind. The question this essay asks is whether this form of life can afford epistemological and moral benefits within a productivist culture of speed that stigmatizes slowness and inactivity. In order to pursue an answer to this question, the essay turns to what critics have begun to call “slow cinema” and examines two films about people suffering from senescence-related slowness: Yasujirō Ozu's Tokyo Story (1953) and Lee Chang-dong's Poetry (2010). The essay treats the slowness that can accompany age as an experiential form and places it on the same plane of formalist inquiry as slow cinema, an aesthetic form characterized by a decelerated pace, long takes, minimalist editing, and an emphasis on the temporality of quotidian life. The essay establishes its methodological approach by bringing Caroline Levine's formalism into conversation with Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology and André Bazin's writings on cinematic realism. Ultimately, the essay contends that Ozu's and Lee's films associate the value of slowing down our thinking and expanding our attention spans with the perceptual potentialities of age-related slowness within a culture of speed.
Exercise as a Therapy to Maintain Telomere Function and Prevent Cellular Senescence
Authors: Kim Jeongjin J. , Ahn Alexander , Ying Jeffrey , Hickman Evan , Ludlow Andrew T.
Published: June 2023

Exercise transiently impacts the expression, regulation, and activity of TERT/telomerase to maintain telomeres and protect the genome from insults. By protecting the telomeres (chromosome ends) and the genome, telomerase promotes cellular survival and prevents cellular senescence. By increasing cellular resiliency, via the actions of telomerase and TERT, exercise promotes healthy aging.
How should we do equity, diversity and inclusion work in health professions education?
Authors: Kusurkar Rashmi A. , Naidu Thirusha , Rashid Mohammed Ahmed
Published: June 2023

This is an editorial for the special collection on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) for MedEdPublish. In this article, the guest advisors of this collection first reflect on the paradoxes in EDI in health professions education (HPE), then on the importance of recognising the existence of multiple authenticities on the basis of different contexts and settings, and finally encourage authors and readers to reflect on their position on the continuum of EDI work. They conclude the editorial by outlining the direction they wish to set for articles in the collection.
Mobility Assisted Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy for IoT Based Sensor Networks in 5G and Beyond
Authors: Dey Biswanath , Bandyopadhyay Sivaji , Nandi Sukumar
Published: June 2023

One of the massive machine type communication (mMTC) applications for monitoring and sensing in 5G cellular network is the Internet of Things (IoT) based wireless sensor network (WSN). Non uniform battery usage by the nodes in these networks often results in creating energy holes or voids in the network making the network disconnected. An effective solution is to deploy multiple mobile nodes throughout the network, however finding optimal path for these mobile nodes is reported to be an NP hard problem. This paper proposes MAACH (Mobility Assisted Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy), an efficient mobility assisted clustering and routing framework for IoT based sensor network in 5G and beyond. Also, an elaborate method to calculate the exact path optimally for multiple mobile nodes is presented to alleviate non uniform energy dissipation of the sensing nodes. Simulation results show that our algorithm effectively finds the optimal trajectory of multiple mobile nodes in a distribute manner and also improves network stability period by 60-70% and the network lifetime by 70-90% across multiple network deployments.
Developing Optimization Tools for Municipal Solid Waste Collection in the Argentine City of Berazategui
Authors: Bertero Federico , Cerdeiro Manuela , Durán Guillermo A. , Faillace Mullen Nazareno A.
Published: June 2023

We apply mathematical and computational techniques to the development of an approach for optimizing the waste collection system of the Argentine city of Berazategui, 26 km south of Buenos Aires. Taking full account of the city’s particular characteristics, our objective is to not only improve the system’s efficiency but also ensure equitable workloads for waste collection truck crews, including both drivers and collectors. The optimization problem is partitioned into three stages. In the first stage, a heuristic constructs structurally simple collection zones that are balanced in terms of collectors’ walking distances. In the second stage, a mixed-integer linear programming model designs a collection truck route for each zone and minimizes its length. In the third and final stage, each truck is assigned to two zones in such a way as to equalize to the extent possible the length of drivers’ working day. Because working-day length is influenced by multiple factors, we formulate this objective as a biobjective optimization problem and solve it by integer linear programming coupled with an iterative algorithm. The city implemented the approach in early 2020, resulting in a markedly more equitable workload distribution and significant fuel savings and maintenance expense for the city.

History: This paper was refereed.

Funding: This work was partly financed by the Universidad de Buenos Aires Ciencia y Técnica [Grant 20020170100495BA] (Argentina) and Proyectos de Investigación Plurianuales - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Grant 11220200100084CO (Argentina)]. G. A. Durán is also funded by the Instituto Sistemas Complejos de Ingeniería in Chile [Grants Iniciativa Científica Milenio - Fondo de Innovación para la Competitividad P05-004-F and Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica FB0816].
Perception Scale of Online Learning in the Indonesian Context During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Psychometric Properties Based on the Rasch Model
Authors: Nursulistyo Eko , Indratno Toni Kus , Dwiastuti Ety , Arifiyanti Fitria , Dina Puspitasari Ariati , Abdullah Nurul Syafiqah Yap binti , Sukarelawan Moh. Irma
Published: June 2023

This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of students' perception scales about online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesian culture. This study involved 176 students (Male = 54% and Female = 46%) at the junior and senior high school levels from public schools in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The age of the respondents ranged from 11 to 17 years, with a mean of 13.5 years and a standard deviation of 1.4 years. The online learning perception scale adopts 16 items developed by Bhagat and colleagues. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated based on the reliability of the person and item, the suitability of the Rasch model, the functionality of using a 5-point rating scale, and its unidimensionality. The analysis results show that the scale has good consistency and performance in the Indonesian context. Sixteen items are a good fit for the model and are unidimensional. The 4-point Likert rating scale is more effective than the original 5-point rating scale. So, 16 items in POSTOL have adequate psychometric properties to be used on students in Indonesia.
Horizontal approaches to infection prevention: daily chlorhexidine gluconate bathing
Authors: Brindle Tod
Published: June 2023

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant challenge in hospitals. Infection control strategies have been widely employed to mitigate their incidence. In hospitals, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) solutions are commonly used as antiseptic skin cleansers as part of comprehensive infection prevention bundles, with daily CHG bathing being highly effective in reducing HAIs and lowering skin micro-organism density. This evidence review addresses the challenges of risk stratification in implementing CHG bathing protocols in hospitals. It highlights the benefits of a horizontal approach, where CHG bathing is implemented across the entire facility rather than being limited to specific patient populations. Evidence from systematic reviews and studies suggests that CHG bathing consistently reduces HAI rates in both intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU settings, supporting the adoption of a hospital-wide approach. The findings emphasise the significance of incorporating CHG bathing as part of a comprehensive approach to infection prevention in hospitals and highlight the potential for cost savings.
Death, dying and caring: exploring the student nurse experience of palliative and end-of-life education
Authors: Murnane Sandra , Purcell Geraldine , Reidy Mary
Published: June 2023

Background:

Undergraduate education and training are fundamental in preparing student nurses for working in palliative and end-of-life care.

Aim:

This article explores the experiences of student nurses in their palliative and end-of-life undergraduate nurse education.

Methodology:

Sandelowski and Barroso's (2007) framework for undertaking a metasynthesis was used. Initial database searches returned 60 articles of interest. Re-reading the articles in the context of the research question identified 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Four key themes emerged.

Findings:

Student nurses voiced concerns regarding their feelings of unpreparedness, and lack of confidence and knowledge when dealing with the complexities of palliative and end-of-life care. Student nurses called for more training and education in palliative and end-of-life care.

Conclusion:

Flexible nursing curricula responsive to the needs of student nurses and the changing landscape of healthcare provision, including care to ensure a good death experience, should be prioritised at undergraduate level.
Co-designing health services for people living with HIV who have multimorbidity: a feasibility study
Authors: Nixon Eileen , Cooper Vanessa , Donetto Sara , Youssef Elaney , Robert Glenn
Published: June 2023

This study explored the feasibility of using an experience-based co-design service improvement methodology to develop a new approach to managing multimorbidity in people living with HIV. Patients with HIV and multimorbidity and staff were recruited from five hospital departments and general practice. Staff and patient experiences were gathered through semi-structured interviews, filmed patient interviews, non-participant observation and patient diaries. A composite film developed from interviews illustrated the touchpoints in the patient journey, and priorities for service improvement were identified by staff and patients in focus groups. Twenty-two people living with HIV and 14 staff took part. Four patients completed a diary and 10 a filmed interview. Analysis identified eight touchpoints, and group work pinpointed three improvement priorities: medical records and information sharing; appointment management; and care co-ordination and streamlining. This study demonstrates that experience-based co-design is feasible in the context of HIV and can inform healthcare improvement for people with multimorbidity.
Evolution of a video project to translate research findings about patient experiences into improved clinical care
Authors: Hainsworth Emma , Piercy Hilary
Published: June 2023

Background:

People living with HIV are at an increased risk of developing cancer. Cancer health professionals could benefit from improving and updating their knowledge of HIV and their understanding of patient experiences to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.

Aims:

Evidence-based educational resources to improve patient care were identified and developed using a co-production approach.

Methods:

There were two stages: a workshop discussion by experts to reach consensus on a priority intervention; and co-production of video content Life with HIV and Cancer.

Findings:

The consensus of the expert group was that video content featuring first-person accounts would be the most impactful intervention to address the gap in knowledge. Three co-produced and professionally made video resources were developed and disseminated.

Conclusion:

The videos provide insight into the impact of stigma as well as current information on HIV. Their use can improve oncology clinical staff knowledge and better equip them to provide patient-centred care.
Covid-19 y prisiones en Brasil
Authors: Rotta Almeida Bruno , Pimentel Elaine , Cacicedo Patrick
Published: June 2023

A partir de la comprensión de la realidad del sistema penitenciario brasileño, el artículo presenta el impacto del coronavirus y las medidas para hacer frente a la pandemia. Cuestiona cómo impacta la pandemia de Covid-19 en el encarcelamiento en general, y cuestiona las medidas adoptadas, en el ámbito judicial, para combatir la propagación del coronavirus. El artículo está dividido en cuatro capítulos: el primero muestra las gramáticas de la realidad carcelaria brasileña en el contexto de Covid-19; el segundo apunta el impacto y las vulnerabilidades; el tercero muestra la carga del encarcelamiento de mujeres; y el cuarto analiza las medidas adoptadas. Finalmente, concluye por la implementación de políticas públicas y la defensa de los derechos fundamentales, con atención a las vulnerabilidades de género, raza y clase, y la necesidad de una emergencia humanitaria en las cárceles. El artículo utiliza método deductivo, revisión teórica y análisis de datos e información penitenciaria
Reseña de 'Criminalization of Activism: Historical, Present and Future Perspectives'
Authors: Ternero Martín Juan Manuel
Published: June 2023

Reseña del libro 'Criminalization of Activism: Historical, Present and Future Perspectives', Valeria Vegh Weis (ed), Editorial Rouletge 2022, 286 pp.
Generalized central slice theorem perspective on Fourier-transform spectral imaging at a sub-Nyquist sampling rate
Authors: Men Ting , Tang Liyuan , Tang Haocheng , Hu Yaodan , Li Ping , Su Jingqin , Zuo Yanlei , Tsai Cheng-Ying , Liu Zhengzheng , Fan Kuanjun , Li Zhengyan
Published: June 2023

Fourier-transform spectral imaging captures frequency-resolved images with high spectral resolution, broad spectral range, high photon flux, and low stray light. In this technique, spectral information is resolved by taking Fourier transformation of the interference signals of two copies of the incident light at different time delays. The time delay should be scanned at a high sampling rate beyond the Nyquist limit to avoid aliasing, at the price of low measurement efficiency and stringent requirements on motion control for time delay scan. Here we propose, what we believe to be, a new perspective on Fourier-transform spectral imaging based on a generalized central slice theorem analogous to computerized tomography, using an angularly dispersive optics decouples measurements of the spectral envelope and the central frequency. Thus, as the central frequency is directly determined by the angular dispersion, the smooth spectral-spatial intensity envelope is reconstructed from interferograms measured at a sub-Nyquist time delay sampling rate. This perspective enables high-efficiency hyperspectral imaging and even spatiotemporal optical field characterization of femtosecond laser pulses without a loss of spectral and spatial resolutions.
Antireflection and radiative cooling difunctional coating design for silicon solar cells
Authors: Tu Yiteng , Tan Xinyu , Yang Xiongbo , Qi Guiguang , Yan Kun , Kang Zhe
Published: June 2023

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) as a zero-energy consumption cooling method has broad application potential. Common commercial crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell arrays suffer working efficiency loss due to the incident light loss and overheating. In this work, a radiative cooler with PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) film and embedded SiO2 microparticles was proposed to use in silicon solar cells. Both anti-reflection and radiative cooling performance can be improved through numerical parametric study. For the best performing of PDMS/SiO2 radiative cooler, the thickness of PDMS layer, volume fraction and radius of the embedded SiO2 particles have been determined as 55 µm, 8% and 500 nm, respectively. 94% of emissivity in first atmospheric window band (8–13 µm) for radiative cooling and 93.4% of solar transmittance at the crystalline silicon absorption band (0.3–1.1 µm) were achieved. We estimated that the PDMS/SiO2 radiative cooler can lower the temperature of a bare c-Si solar cell by 9.5°C, which can avoid 4.28% of efficiency loss. More incident light can enter and be utilized by silicon layer to enhance the efficiency of the solar cells. The proposed difunctional radiative cooling coating may become guidance for next generation encapsulation of crystalline silicon solar cells.
Terahertz bandpass filter with Babinet complementary metamaterial mirrors and silicon subwavelength structure
Authors: Miyata Kasumi , Toyoshima Lisa , Iijima Kodai , Goto Yuka , Shohmitsu Yoshinori , Wada Takehiko , Nakaoka Toshihiro
Published: June 2023

We fabricated a rigid bandpass filter with a broad far-infrared wavelength range of high transmission using a silicon subwavelength structure with a Babinet complementary metamaterial half-mirror pair, despite its apparent light-blocking structure. The rigid one-piece filter was produced by a simple process involving photolithography, dry etching, and deposition, each performed only once. The transmission principle relies on the Fabry-Perot resonance with a metamaterial half-mirror pair that exhibits extraordinary optical transmission due to spoof surface plasmon polaritons. The transmission center wavelength was successfully predicted by the basic equation of Fabry-Perot resonance with an effective medium approximation. In contrast, a narrower bandwidth and a lower minimum transmittance than those predicted from the basic equation were provided by the subwavelength Si structure between the metamaterial mirrors, resulting in enhanced bandpass filter characteristics.
Highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance temperature sensor based on a hollow core fiber multilayer structure
Authors: Zhang Qi , Liu Hailian , Hu Taotao , Li Bin , Zhang Xuenan , Wang Fang , Liu Zheng , Cheng Tonglei
Published: June 2023

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) temperature sensor based on a hollow core fiber (HCF) is designed in this paper. The sensor is composed of a multi-mode fiber (MMF)-HCF-MMF structure, and the self-made HCF is deposited successively with a thin layer of Au film (50 nm in thickness), gold nanoparticles (10 nm in diameter) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). A series of theoretical and experimental investiagtions are conducted, and the results are as follows: the proposed sensing structure only with Au film can effectively excite the SPR effect, with a sensitivity of (2200 ± 100) nm / RIU in the refractive index (RI) range of 1.3334-1.3811; after adding AuNPS, the sensitivity of the sensor is effectively improved, the sensitivity can be increased to (3100 ± 100) nm / RIU, and after the PDMS coating, temperature sensing can be realized due to its unique temperature-sensitive characteristics, a linear sensitivity of (−2.1 ± 0.1) nm / °C is realized in the temperature range of 25 °C to 100 °C. The sensor has the advantages of simple structure, wide application, large measurement range, high sensitivity, good stability and repeatability. Meanwhile, the internal air hole of HCF leaves a preparation channel for dual-parameter measurement. It has broad application prospect in medical treatment, environmental monitoring and manufacturing industry.
Distance recovery via swept frequency mixing for data-efficient FMCW LiDAR
Authors: Kim Nayoung , Jung Min Uk , Jang Hansol , Kim Chang-Seok
Published: June 2023

We propose a novel, to the best of our knowledge, distance recovery method via swept frequency mixing for frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to overcome the Nyquist limit and obtain high data efficiency. A one dimensional (1D) experiment was conducted to recover the optical fiber length; in addition, a 3D image was obtained by recovering the distances of several targets in free space. Compared to conventional methods based on fast Fourier transform (FFT), beat frequency up to 14 times the Nyquist limit for sampling frequency was successfully measured without aliasing. The proposed method dramatically increases the data efficiency in FMCW LiDAR by reducing the number of complex algorithms and experimental resources required.
Enhanced femtosecond nonlinear optical response in Mn-doped Cs2AgInCl6 nanocrystals
Authors: Ahmed Md Soif , Nayak Sudhanshu Kumar , Sireesha Lavadiya , Rathod Jagannath , Soma Venugopal Rao , Raavi Sai Santosh Kumar
Published: June 2023

Lead-free halide double perovskite nanocrystals (DPNCs) are emerging materials, recently explored as potential candidates in light-emitting, photovoltaic, and other optoelectronic applications. This Letter reveals unusual photophysical phenomena and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of Mn-doped Cs2AgInCl6 nanocrystals (NCs) via temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and femtosecond Z-scan measurements. The PL emission measurements suggest that self-trapped excitons (STEs) are present, and more than one STE state is possible for this doped double perovskite. We observed enhanced NLO coefficients, owing to the improved crystallinity arising from the Mn doping. From the closed aperture Z-scan data, we have calculated two fundamental parameters, Kane energy (29 eV) and exciton reduced mass (0.22m0). We further obtained the optical limiting onset (1.84 mJ/cm2) and figure of merit as a proof-of-concept application to demonstrate the potential in optical limiting and optical switching applications. Highlighting the self-trapped excitonic emission and NLO applications, the multifunctionality of this material system is demonstrated. This investigation provides an avenue to design novel photonic and nonlinear optoelectronic devices.
Enhanced sensitivity and durability in photodetector of Ag/nanocellulose/Si via plasma-assisted synthesis
Authors: Su Nan , Xu Kun , Yu Xinna , Liu Shuai , Zhao Xinhui , Hu Su , Bao Peng , Niu Yiru , Wang Hui
Published: June 2023

Position-sensitive detectors (PSDs) based on the lateral photovoltaic effect (LPE) are widely used for precision displacement and angle measurement. However, high temperatures can lead to the thermal decomposition or oxidation of nanomaterials frequently utilized in PSDs, and can ultimately affect the performance. In this study, we present a PSD based on Ag/nanocellulose/Si that maintains a maximum sensitivity of 416.52 mV/mm, even at elevated temperatures. By encapsulating nanosilver in a nanocellulose matrix, the device demonstrates excellent stability and performance over a wide temperature range from 300 to 450 K. Its performance can be comparable to that of room temperature PSDs. An approach that uses nanometals to regulate optical absorption and the local electric field overcomes carrier recombination due to nanocellulose, enabling a breakthrough in sensitivity for organic PSDs. The results indicate that the LPE in this structure is dominated by local surface plasmon resonance, presenting opportunities for expanding optoelectronics in high-temperature industrial environments and monitoring applications. The proposed PSD offers a simple, fast, and cost-effective solution for real-time laser beam monitoring, and its high-temperature stability makes it ideal for a wide range of industrial applications.
Liquid phase epitaxy growth and visible emission of Tb3+,Gd3+:LiYF4 layers
Authors: Baillard Amandine , Brasse Gurvan , Loiko Pavel , Solé Rosa Maria , Aguiló Magdalena , Díaz Francesc , Mateos Xavier , Benayad Abdelmjid , Ménard Vivien , Braud Alain , Camy Patrice
Published: June 2023

Single-crystalline layers of 12 at.% Tb3+, 5 at.% Gd3+:LiYF4 were grown by the liquid phase epitaxy method on (001) oriented bulk undoped LiYF4 substrates using LiF as a solvent. The growth temperature was 737–740 °C, the growth duration was 15 - 25 min, and the layer thickness was 40–90 µm. The structural, morphological, vibronic and spectroscopic properties of the layers were studied. Tb3+ ions were uniformly distributed in the layers with no diffusion into the substrate. Polarized Raman spectroscopy confirmed the orientation of the layers (growth along the [001] direction). Under excitation in the blue, the layers exhibited intense green emission. For the 5D4 → 7F5 Tb3+ transition, the peak stimulated-emission cross-section is 1.28 × 10−21 cm2 at 542.0 nm for π-polarization. The luminescence lifetime of the 5D4 Tb3+ state is 5.05 ms at room temperature. The crystal-field splitting of Tb3+ multiplets was determined at low temperature. The developed epitaxies are promising for green and yellow waveguide lasers.
FreeformNet: fast and automatic generation of multiple-solution freeform imaging systems enabled by deep learning
Authors: Mao Boyu , Yang Tong , Xu Huiming , Chen Wenchen , Cheng Dewen , Wang Yongtian
Published: June 2023

Using freeform optical surfaces in lens design can lead to much higher system specifications and performance while significantly reducing volume and weight. However, because of the complexity of freeform surfaces, freeform optical design using traditional methods requires extensive human effort and sufficient design experience, while other design methods have limitations in design efficiency, simplicity, and versatility. Deep learning can solve these issues by summarizing design knowledge and applying it to design tasks with different system and structure parameters. We propose a deep-learning framework for designing freeform imaging systems. We generate the data set automatically using a combined sequential and random system evolution method. We combine supervised learning and unsupervised learning to train the network so that it has good generalization ability for a wide range of system and structure parameter values. The generated network FreeformNet enables fast generation (less than 0.003 s per system) of multiple-solution systems after we input the design requirements, including the system and structure parameters. We can filter and sort solutions based on a given criterion and use them as good starting points for quick final optimization (several seconds for systems with small or moderate field-of-view in general). The proposed framework presents a revolutionary approach to the lens design of freeform or generalized imaging systems, thus significantly reducing the time and effort expended on optical design.
Essential and recurrent roles for hairpin RNAs in silencing de novo sex chromosome conflict in Drosophila simulans
Authors: Vedanayagam Jeffrey , Herbette Marion , Mudgett Holly , Lin Ching-Jung , Lai Chun-Ming , McDonough-Goldstein Caitlin , Dorus Stephen , Loppin Benjamin , Meiklejohn Colin , Dubruille Raphaëlle , Lai Eric C.
Published: June 2023

Meiotic drive loci distort the normally equal segregation of alleles, which benefits their own transmission even in the face of severe fitness costs to their host organism. However, relatively little is known about the molecular identity of meiotic drivers, their strategies of action, and mechanisms that can suppress their activity. Here, we present data from the fruitfly Drosophila simulans that address these questions. We show that a family of de novo, protamine-derived X-linked selfish genes (the Dox gene family) is silenced by a pair of newly emerged hairpin RNA (hpRNA) small interfering RNA (siRNA)-class loci, Nmy and Tmy. In the w[XD1] genetic background, knockout of nmy derepresses Dox and MDox in testes and depletes male progeny, whereas knockout of tmy causes misexpression of PDox genes and renders males sterile. Importantly, genetic interactions between nmy and tmy mutant alleles reveal that Tmy also specifically maintains male progeny for normal sex ratio. We show the Dox loci are functionally polymorphic within D. simulans, such that both nmy-associated sex ratio bias and tmy-associated sterility can be rescued by wild-type X chromosomes bearing natural deletions in different Dox family genes. Finally, using tagged transgenes of Dox and PDox2, we provide the first experimental evidence Dox family genes encode proteins that are strongly derepressed in cognate hpRNA mutants. Altogether, these studies support a model in which protamine-derived drivers and hpRNA suppressors drive repeated cycles of sex chromosome conflict and resolution that shape genome evolution and the genetic control of male gametogenesis.
Rab26 restricts insulin secretion via sequestering Synaptotagmin-1
Authors: Zhuang Ruijuan , Zhou Yuxia , Wang Ziyan , Cao Yating , Chen Jun , Xu Liju , Ren Yandan , Zheng Yige , Wei Ziheng , Qiu Hantian , Li Liangcheng , Han Yang , Yun Ye , Chen Xin , Hong Wanjin , Wang Tuanlao
Published: June 2023

Rab26 is known to regulate multiple membrane trafficking events, but its role in insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells remains unclear despite it was first identified in the pancreas. In this study, we generated Rab26-/- mice through CRISPR/Cas9 technique. Surprisingly, insulin levels in the blood of the Rab26-/- mice do not decrease upon glucose stimulation but conversely increase. Deficiency of Rab26 promotes insulin secretion, which was independently verified by Rab26 knockdown in pancreatic insulinoma cells. Conversely, overexpression of Rab26 suppresses insulin secretion in both insulinoma cell lines and isolated mouse islets. Islets overexpressing Rab26, upon transplantation, also failed to restore glucose homeostasis in type 1 diabetic mice. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that overexpression of Rab26 results in clustering of insulin granules. GST-pulldown experiments reveal that Rab26 interacts with synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) through directly binding to its C2A domain, which interfering with the interaction between Syt1 and SNAP25, and consequently inhibiting the exocytosis of newcomer insulin granules revealed by TIRF microscopy. Our results suggest that Rab26 serves as a negative regulator of insulin secretion, via suppressing insulin granule fusion with plasma membrane through sequestering Syt1.
Yolk granule fusion and microtubule aster formation regulate cortical granule translocation and exocytosis in zebrafish oocytes
Authors: Shamipour Shayan , Hofmann Laura , Steccari Irene , Kardos Roland , Heisenberg Carl-Philipp
Published: June 2023

Dynamic reorganization of the cytoplasm is key to many core cellular processes, such as cell division, cell migration, and cell polarization. Cytoskeletal rearrangements are thought to constitute the main drivers of cytoplasmic flows and reorganization. In contrast, remarkably little is known about how dynamic changes in size and shape of cell organelles affect cytoplasmic organization. Here, we show that within the maturing zebrafish oocyte, the surface localization of exocytosis-competent cortical granules (Cgs) upon germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) is achieved by the combined activities of yolk granule (Yg) fusion and microtubule aster formation and translocation. We find that Cgs are moved towards the oocyte surface through radially outward cytoplasmic flows induced by Ygs fusing and compacting towards the oocyte center in response to GVBD. We further show that vesicles decorated with the small Rab GTPase Rab11, a master regulator of vesicular trafficking and exocytosis, accumulate together with Cgs at the oocyte surface. This accumulation is achieved by Rab11-positive vesicles being transported by acentrosomal microtubule asters, the formation of which is induced by the release of CyclinB/Cdk1 upon GVBD, and which display a net movement towards the oocyte surface by preferentially binding to the oocyte actin cortex. We finally demonstrate that the decoration of Cgs by Rab11 at the oocyte surface is needed for Cg exocytosis and subsequent chorion elevation, a process central in egg activation. Collectively, these findings unravel a yet unrecognized role of organelle fusion, functioning together with cytoskeletal rearrangements, in orchestrating cytoplasmic organization during oocyte maturation.
Latent Dirichlet Allocation modeling of environmental microbiomes
Authors: Kim Anastasiia , Sevanto Sanna , Moore Eric R. , Lubbers Nicholas
Published: June 2023

Interactions between stressed organisms and their microbiome environments may provide new routes for understanding and controlling biological systems. However, microbiomes are a form of high-dimensional data, with thousands of taxa present in any given sample, which makes untangling the interaction between an organism and its microbial environment a challenge. Here we apply Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a technique for language modeling, which decomposes the microbial communities into a set of topics (non-mutually-exclusive sub-communities) that compactly represent the distribution of full communities. LDA provides a lens into the microbiome at broad and fine-grained taxonomic levels, which we show on two datasets. In the first dataset, from the literature, we show how LDA topics succinctly recapitulate many results from a previous study on diseased coral species. We then apply LDA to a new dataset of maize soil microbiomes under drought, and find a large number of significant associations between the microbiome topics and plant traits as well as associations between the microbiome and the experimental factors, e.g. watering level. This yields new information on the plant-microbial interactions in maize and shows that LDA technique is useful for studying the coupling between microbiomes and stressed organisms.
Mslar: Microbial synthetic lethal and rescue database
Authors: Zhu Sen-Bin , Jiang Qian-Hu , Chen Zhi-Guo , Zhou Xiang , Jin Yan-ting , Deng Zixin , Guo Feng-Biao
Published: June 2023

Synthetic lethality (SL) occurs when mutations in two genes together lead to cell or organism death, while a single mutation in either gene does not have a significant impact. This concept can also be extended to three or more genes for SL. Computational and experimental methods have been developed to predict and verify SL gene pairs, especially for yeast and Escherichia coli. However, there is currently a lack of a specialized platform to collect microbial SL gene pairs. Therefore, we designed a synthetic interaction database for microbial genetics that collects 13,313 SL and 2,994 Synthetic Rescue (SR) gene pairs that are reported in the literature, as well as 86,981 putative SL pairs got through homologous transfer method in 281 bacterial genomes. Our database website provides multiple functions such as search, browse, visualization, and Blast. Based on the SL interaction data in the S. cerevisiae, we review the issue of duplications’ essentiality and observed that the duplicated genes and singletons have a similar ratio of being essential when we consider both individual and SL. The Microbial Synthetic Lethal and Rescue Database (Mslar) is expected to be a useful reference resource for researchers interested in the SL and SR genes of microorganisms. Mslar is open freely to everyone and available on the web at http://guolab.whu.edu.cn/Mslar/.