bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indirect Effects of Access to Finance
Authors: Cai Jing , Szeidl Adam
Published: July 2024

We created experimental variation across markets in China in the share of firms having access to a new loan product. Access to finance had a large positive direct effect on the performance of treated firms but a similar-sized negative indirect effect on that of firms with treated competitors, leading to nondetectable gains in producer surplus. Access to finance had a positive direct effect on business quality and consumer satisfaction and a negative effect on price, which were not offset by indirect effects, implying net gains in consumer surplus. We document other indirect effects and combine effects in a welfare evaluation. (JEL D22, G21, G32, L81, O16, P31, P34)
A Discrimination Report Card
Authors: Kline Patrick , Rose Evan K. , Walters Christopher R.
Published: July 2024

We develop an empirical Bayes ranking procedure that assigns ordinal grades to noisy measurements, balancing the information content of the assigned grades against the expected frequency of ranking errors. Applying the method to a massive correspondence experiment, we grade the race and gender contact gaps of 97 US employers, the identities of which we disclose for the first time. The grades are presented alongside measures of uncertainty about each firm’s contact gap in an accessible report card that is easily adaptable to other settings where ranks and levels are of simultaneous interest. (JEL C11, D22, J15, J16, J71)
Effect of Vitamin-D on Glycemic Parameters and Adiponectin in gestational diabetes
Authors: Nadeem Amna , Ayesha Sadiqa  , Saeed Muniza
Published: July 2024

Objective: To determine the effect of Vitamin-D-supplementation on glycemic parameters: glucose levels in blood, insulin, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and adiponectin in women with gestational diabetes.
Methods: An experimental study was executed at PGMI/LGH of Lahore from June 2020 to June 2021, with 34 Vitamin-D-deficient women who had gestational diabetes (20–26 weeks). All were aged between 21–32 years, randomly and equally divided into controls and cases. Cases received 200,000 IU Vitamin-D-dose. Fasting blood was collected before as well as after treatment from each participant. Spectrophotometry and peroxidase method were used to estimate HbA1c and glucose concentrations respectively. Insulin, adiponectin, and Vitamin-D were assessed by ELISA. To verify data normality, the Shapiro-Wilk test was applied and to prove group comparison Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Sample-t tests were used via IBM-SPSS version-21.
Results: No difference in blood glucose was found between controls and cases before treatment (p=0.858), while post-treatment, significant reduction found in cases (p=0.019). Before treatment, no difference was noticed in insulin levels of both groups (p=0.44), however, post-treatment, a significant decline was expressed in cases (p=0.001). No difference was found in HOMA-IR between controls and cases before treatment (p=0.14) but post-treatment, significant reduction was observed in cases (p=0.001). Non-significant difference was noted in HbA1c before (p=0.664) and after (p=0.169) treatment in both groups. Non-significant upsurge in adiponectin was observed in cases before (p=0.544) and after (p=0.194) treatment.
Conclusion: Vitamin-D supplementation significantly improves glycemic control in gestational diabetic women, however, its effect on adiponectin was non-significant.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.9308
How to cite this: Nadeem A, Sadiqa A, Saeed M. Effect of Vitamin-D on Glycemic Parameters and Adiponectin in gestational diabetes. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(8):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.9308
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Genetic Variants in Vitamin-D Metabolism Genes (rs1155563, rs12785878 and rs10500804) among Females with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alharazy Shatha
Published: July 2024

Background & Objective: Hypovitaminosis D has shown to be linked with T2DM development and control in numerous studies. The association of SNPs in genes related to VitD metabolism with T2DM has not been sufficiently studied. Consequently, our aim in the present study was to explore the association between genetic variants in genes connected with VitD, mainly a SNP in GC (rs1155563), a SNP in DHCR7 (rs12785878) and a SNP in CYP2R1 (rs10500804) with glycaemic parameters in females with T2DM in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: The cross-sectional study included 149 females (age 38-52 years) with T2DM from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (September 2022-March 2023). Blood was extracted from the participants for biochemical tests including measuring VitD [25(OH)D] concentration, parameters of glycaemia (HbA1c, insulin, fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity indices including HOMA2-IR and HOMA2-%β), and for genomic DNA isolation. Sanger DNA sequencing was used to screen for VitD genetic polymorphisms (rs1155563, rs12785878 and rs10500804).
Results: Minor allele frequency for rs1155563C, rs12785878T and rs10500804G was 0.21, 0.23 and 0.37, respectively. Levels of 25(OH)D and glycaemic parameters as well did not show any significant difference between the genotypes of each SNP.
Conclusion: This study showed lack of association of rs1155563 in GC, rs12785878 in DHCR7 and rs10500804 in CYP2R1 with VitD level primarily and with glycaemic parameters secondarily. Additional research is required to explore further other VitD genetic polymorphisms influencing T2DM which might lead consequently to genetically-based personalized management for T2DM.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.9318
How to cite this: Alharazy S. Genetic Variants in Vitamin-D Metabolism Genes (rs1155563, rs12785878 and rs10500804) among Females with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(8):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.9318
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Understanding the habitat vulnerability of Slums to COVID 19: Case of two megacities of India
Authors: Panda Sudha , Ray Soumyendu Shankar
Published: July 2024

Background Urban slums are hotspots of infectious diseases like COVID-19 as was seen in the waves of 2020 and 2021. One of the primary reasons why slums are disproportionately affected is their location in inaccessible and uninhabitable zones, crowded and poorly ventilated living spaces, unsanitary conditions and common facilities (water taps, common toilets, etc.). Staying at home during pandemics is hardly an option for slum dwellers as it often means giving up work and even basic necessities. Methodology This paper aims to understand the habitat vulnerabilities of slums in the two Indian megacities of Pune and Surat which were the worst hit during both waves. The study is done at the level of wards, which is the smallest administrative boundary, taking the habitat vulnerability (congestion and access to basic services). To identify the explanatory variables which increase the vulnerability of slums to infectious diseases, literature study is done on the triggering factors which affect habitat vulnerability derived from common characteristics and definitions of slum. Results The aim of the research is to categorize the slums into 3 levels of risk zones and map them subsequently. Conclusion This study will help in formulating a model to prioritize the allocation of sparse resources in developing countries to tackle the habitat vulnerabilities of the slum dwellers especially during health emergencies of contagious diseases like COVID-19.
Flexible modular dwelling for rural environments; specific case: Cebadas – Ecuador
Authors: Cajamarca Dacto Karina Elizabeth , Montero Riofrio Jean Carlos , Nieto Páez Erick Fabricio , Tasan Cruz Dany Marcelo , González Espinosa Maikol Josueé
Published: July 2024

Background Sustainable modular dwelling design for rural areas should focus on creating healthy and economically accessible spaces, sensitive to local needs and integrating environmental, functional, sociological and technological aspects. Flexibility is essential to reduce the initial investment and allow future transformations, optimizing the recovery and reuse of materials. These houses must be adaptable, safe and have basic services, satisfying the needs and stages of families’ development. In Ecuador, poverty and energy inefficiency worsen the quality of life in rural areas. This project in the Cebadas parish proposes modular dwelling that applies bioclimatic and sustainable criteria, using local materials to improve habitability and promote the social and economic development of the community. Method The research approach is qualitative-quantitative. Qualitative, since it is necessary to identify the qualities of the sector, bibliographic exploration of guidelines and sustainable strategies. Quantitative, to evaluate the degree of affectation through a diagnosis of the study site and to provide efficient solutions that respond to the context and social reality. Results The spaces presented in the proposal respond to the spatial need for growth and expansion of the users of the sector, through 6 basic guidelines that this type of dwelling should have: Environment, Visual, Form, Function, Bioclimatic and Materials. Conclusions The flexible modular dwelling project for rural environments addresses complex housing needs, highlighting the flexibility and adaptability of an expandable module. It includes income generation with a duplex apartment, fosters communal and cultural life with public and commercial spaces, promotes tourism and rural development with landscape design and crops. In addition, it ensures sustainability through bioclimatic strategies and responsible use of resources.
Nonlinear Decision Rules Made Scalable by Nonparametric Liftings
Authors: Han Eojin , Nohadani Omid
Published: July 2024

Sequential decision making often requires dynamic policies, which are computationally not tractable in general. Decision rules provide approximate solutions by restricting decisions to simple functions of uncertainties. In this paper, we consider a nonparametric lifting framework where the uncertainty space is lifted to higher dimensions to obtain nonlinear decision rules. Current lifting-based approaches require predetermined functions and are parametric. We propose two nonparametric liftings, which derive the nonlinear functions by leveraging the uncertainty set structure and problem coefficients. Both methods integrate the benefits from lifting and nonparametric approaches, and hence provide scalable decision rules with performance bounds. More specifically, the set-driven lifting is constructed by finding polyhedrons within uncertainty sets, inducing piecewise-linear decision rules with performance bounds. The dynamics-driven lifting, on the other hand, is constructed by extracting geometric information and accounting for problem coefficients. This is achieved by using linear decision rules of the original problem, also enabling one to quantify lower bounds of objective improvements over linear decision rules. Numerical comparisons with competing methods demonstrate superior computational scalability and comparable performance in objectives. These observations are magnified in multistage problems with extended time horizons, suggesting practical applicability of the proposed nonparametric liftings in large-scale dynamic robust optimization.

This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, optimization.

Supplemental Material: The electronic companion and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.4988 .
Evaluation of Sleep Disorders in Allergic Diseases in Childhood
Authors: Metbulut Azize Pınar
Published: July 2024

Objective: Sleep is a vital component of human life that serves many critical roles in physical and mental health, and well-being. There were few studies on children, diagnosed with allergic diseases, especially preschool children. The aim of our study mas to evaluate sleep disorders in children with allergic diseases.

Material and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital Child Immunology and Allergy outpatient clinic between January 1 and March 20, 2024, patients included who were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, asthma and/or atopic dermatitis.The ‘Sleep Disturbance Scale for children (SDSC) was applied to the parents by the researcher during the outpatient clinic visit.

Results: In this study, 145 patients were involved. Five (3.4%) patients had clinically significant SDSC score. There was a statistically significant difference in the Children’s Sleep Disturbance Scale mean score between having and not having symptoms of allergic diseases. Patients diagnosed wheezy child tended to have higher mean score of SHY. Among patients having symptoms of allergic diseases, there was statistically significant difference in the SDSC mean score between having nose congestion, cough, and activity limitation and not having these symptoms. Patients using oral antihistaminic treatment tended to have higher total mean scores of SDSC.

Conclusion: In this study, out of 145 patients, 5 (3.4%) patients had clinically significant SDSC score. Patients having symptom of allergic diseases tended to have higher total mean score of childrens’ sleep disturbance scale. Patients diagnosed wheezy child tended to have higher mean score of SHY. Patients having nose congestion, cough, and activity limitation tended to have higher total mean score of SDSC.
Sequential occurrence of primary cutaneous indeterminate cell histiocytosis after oesophageal cancer and subsequent bullous pemphigoid: a case report
Authors: Jia Xiaoxiao , Shen Liling , Zhu Lu , Liu Dun
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Aims/Background Indeterminate cell histiocytosis is a rare proliferative histiocytic disease with an unknown aetiology, which shares immunophenotypic features of both Langerhans cells and macrophages. There is a relationship between indeterminate cell histiocytosis and cancer, while there are no reports about indeterminate cell histiocytosis and bullous pemphigoid. In this study, we reported the rare case of a patient with primary cutaneous indeterminate cell histiocytosis who had been diagnosed with oesophagal cancer and later developed bullous pemphigoid. The objective of this clinical case report is to analyse the association between solid tumours and indeterminate cell histiocytosis and focus on the coexistence of indeterminate cell histiocytosis and bullous pemphigoid in a patient with cancer.

Case Presentation This study presented the case of a 75-year-old man who exhibited annular erythema lesions of variable size and papules scattered over his chest, abdomen, and limbs, along with four bullae on his thigh, persisting for 1.5 months. The patient also had a 9-month history of oesophageal cancer treated with radical radiotherapy. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed cutaneous indeterminate cell histiocytosis. Bullae and blisters developed on the lower limbs 38 days after treatment. A diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid was established based on clinical and histopathological features and results of direct immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results Histopathological examination of the abdominal lesion revealed an accumulation of mononuclear cells in the dermis, with infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes in the superficial dermal layer. The histology of the blister on the thigh indicated the formation of an old subepidermal blister, with slurry and eosinophils present within the blister, and infiltration of eosinophils, lymphocytes, as well as histiocytoid cells in the superficial dermal layer. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for CD1a, S100, and CD68, and negative for CD207. Histopathological examination of blisters and bullae on the lower limbs revealed a subepidermal blister with infiltration of a large number of eosinophils within the blister and the dermis beneath it. Direct immunofluorescence showed that immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) were linearly deposited in the basal membrane zone.

Conclusion The coexistence of oesophageal carcinoma, indeterminate cell histiocytosis, and bullous pemphigoid in a single patient represents a rare case that warrants consideration of possible underlying mechanisms.
New perspectives and old challenges: Reassessing maritime trade in the central Adriatic Sea
Authors: Adlung Sebastian
Published: July 2024

Abstract: Studies of Hellenistic-Roman amphorae and excavation results have shown that in the first centuries BC and the first century AD these clay vessels were produced on the coasts of the Italian Peninsula and in opposing areas of the Adriatic east coast. Amphorae , along with shipwrecks, have been the focus of discussions about maritime trade in antiquity ever since. Far less frequently, harbours, and landing sites are considered in these questions. This is surprising, since studies of places where goods were stored, distributed, and shipped can add significantly to discussions of trade relations. This article seeks to add a harbor research perspective to debates on trade relations, while reinforcing the argument that opposing coasts of the Adriatic Sea should be understood as connected entities. This idea will be elaborated by discussing the settlement of Issa on Vis and the role of this island in maritime trade of the Adriatic Sea.
Lifecourse of Place, and Intergenerational Transmission of Health Determinants: A Long-Term View of Factors Affecting Health in two Deprived Areas in Malta
Authors: Satariano Bernadine , Curtis Sarah E.
Published: July 2024

Abstract: Using an approach framed by health geography perspectives (including the idea of ‘lifecourse of place’ as a health determinant), this study explores how the wellbeing of residents interviewed in two parts of Malta between 2013–2015 were found to be influenced by the physical, economic and social aspects of their place of residence, which had been generated over the long-term life-course of the place. Both study areas are relatively deprived, compared with the country of Malta as a whole, for reasons which we show to be partly associated with long term political and economic processes influencing the ‘lifecourse of place’ in these neighbourhoods. However, we also demonstrate how historically determined processes such as development of the built structure of neighbourhoods, political events, development of labour markets and employment practices, together with evolution of cultural norms, social processes and features of social capital have developed in rather different ways in the two study areas. We argue that this helps to explain why the contemporary local conditions that are seen by local residents to be important for their health and wellbeing also differ in some ways between the two places. This study therefore emphasises how and why historic development of conditions in places matter for the contemporary determinants of health and wellbeing.
‘Race’ to the Bottom?: Critical reflections on race relations in Malta over the past 20 years
Authors: Pisani Maria
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This paper seeks to reflect on how race relations have evolved in Malta since the turn of the twenty-first Century, and offers some reflections on how the nation has negotiated and constructed race relations and belonging following EU accession. Adopting a critical approach to discourse analysis, the paper documents key political, economic, demographic and sociocultural changes and explores how racialised border politics around the Mediterranean Sea migrant arrivals, and a determined shift in the economic model built on the importation of migrant labour, has impacted notions of belonging and new racial hierarchies in Malta. The paper concludes that whilst contemporary discourse around ‘Malteseness’ appears to be more inclusive, supported by an economic logic that, on the surface at least, appears to celebrate cosmopolitanism and plurality, the nation’s path to progress depends on a continuation of historical racial hierarchies, manifested for example, as exploitative work, racial profiling and violent practices of surveillance and control.
Governing the Greek Consolidation State: The Far Right as a Symptom of Failure and Manifestation of Efficienlcy
Authors: Maronitis Kostas
Published: July 2024

Abstract: The victory of the conservative party New Democracy with an absolute majority in the 2019 Greek general elections was met with enthusiasm from the international political and financial media. The newly elected administration was depicted as technocratic with a natural aversion to populism and capable of ending the political tensions between EU core and periphery, and between fiscal consolidation and social welfare. Such a depiction painted a distorted picture of an administration whose electoral victory and subsequent policies depend on the appropriation of the far-right’s communicative strategy and political opposition tactics. The aim of this article is twofold. First, the article establishes the relationship between the mainstream right and the far-right in Greece with reference to the wider political landscape of EU and Eurozone membership. Second, the article examines the negotiated scope of acceptable far-right politics in Greece as an EU and Eurozone member-state by deploying the concepts of the ‘consolidation state’, ‘technopopulism’ and ‘authoritarian liberalism’.
Measuring Vast Early America: Where and When, but Also Who and How
Authors: Piker Joshua
Published: July 2024

Abstract: In this editor's note, Joshua Piker invites readers to consider how we might measure the scope of Vast Early America using data from his time as editor of the William and Mary Quarterly .
The Second Installment of Arthur Lee's "Suppressed" Antislavery Essay, the Public Sphere, and the Digital Archive
Authors: Wolf Eva Sheppard
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This article transcribes and places in context the previously unidentified second portion of Arthur Lee's 1767 antislavery classic, "Address on the Abolition of Slavery and Retrieval of Specie in Virginia" (referred to by previous scholars as "Address on Slavery"). The second portion confirms that Lee's address, published under the pseudonym "Philanthropos," was part of a Virginia effort to end the slave trade, and it also demonstrates that Lee operated as part of a distinct, racist, Virginian antislavery tradition. The Quaker antislavery activist Anthony Benezet, who republished the first part of Lee's essay, belonged to a more humanitarian antislavery tradition; he probably read but kept silent about the essay's second portion, largely accounting for why historians have not known about it. Three additional newspaper essays inspired by Lee's, along with the previously unstudied Pennsylvania Chronicle subscription book for 1767, illuminate print culture in the 1760s and suggest that, so far as it concerned slavery, a coherent printed public sphere did not then exist. Finally, this article argues that the use of digital search tools, which revealed these previously unknown sources, creates an epistemologically distinct view of the past because searching and browsing are fundamentally different ways of acquiring information.
Time dilation and time reversal with the multiple-wavelengths range-gated active imaging principle
Authors: Matwyschuk Alexis
Published: July 2024

The possibility of realizing time dilation and time reversal of events
taking place in a scene by using the multiple-wavelengths range-gated
active imaging (WRAI) principle in superimposed style was studied.
Both temporal behaviors could be analyzed as a function of time since
the WRAI principle allows different positions of the object in the
image to be frozen at different moments according to the wavelengths.
As the speed of the photons varies in the function of the refraction
law of the crossed medium, different media were used to intervene in
the time of the events recorded by the camera. Different wavelengths
were used to select these media. By increasing the refractive index of
the crossed medium as a function of time, the scene events arrived
chronologically with an increasing delay compared to the events seen
in the open, giving the impression of slowing down time. Similarly, by
decreasing the refractive index of the crossed medium as a function of
time, the scene events arrived chronologically in the opposite
direction compared to the events seen in the open, giving the
impression of going back in time. Experimental test results validated
the theoretical part and the possibility of observing these different
temporal behaviors with the multiple-wavelengths range-gated active
imaging principle in superimposed style.
Analytical development of thermal lensing in an afocal setup with a Gaussian profile: relative beam size variation
Authors: Zinoune Julien-Bilal , Cassagne Christophe , Chis Mihaela , Boudebs Georges
Published: July 2024

In this study we develop a theoretical model describing the propagation of a Gaussian beam field from the entrance of an afocal setup to the image plane, passing through the focal plane where an absorbing medium is present inducing self-phase modulation via the thermal lens effect. We incorporate the Z-scan technique into our calculations by scanning the medium in the focal region and calculating the field distortion in the image plane at each z position. The analytical formulae obtained are numerically simulated to compare the theoretical results with the experimental acquisitions. A particular emphasis is placed on the measurement of the relative beam size variation of the output profile in order to correlate it with the thermo-optic parameters of the tested medium, finding a remarkable agreement within the limits of the approximations used.
Generation of coherent superpositions of LG0,±l modes with tunable topological charge in a Nd:YVO4 microchip laser
Authors: Wang Jinxiu , Hu Miao , Xu Mengmeng , Li Haozhen , Chen Shuying , Zhou Xuefang , Bi Meihua , Pan Sunqiang , Liu Chong
Published: July 2024

The generation of a coherent superposition of LG0,±l modes within a Nd:YVO4 microchip laser pumped by a ring-shaped light based on a self-made annular aperture is reported. Numerical simulations are conducted on the threshold ratio of LG0,l modes with adjacent topological charges. In the experiment, the focusing lens is adjusted axially to vary the size of the ring-shaped pumping light within the microchip crystal, enabling mode matching between the pumping light and LG0,l modes of different topological charges. Ultimately, the coherent superposition of LG0,±l modes with continuously tunable topological charges ranging from 7 to 19 is achieved. This approach offers the advantages of simplicity, compactness, and flexibility, as it does not necessitate the special design of the resonant cavity.
Measurement precision bounds on aberrated single-molecule emission patterns
Authors: Fang Li , Huang Fang
Published: July 2024

Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has revolutionized the study of biological phenomena by providing exquisite nanoscale spatial resolution. However, optical aberrations induced by sample and system imperfections distort the single-molecule emission patterns (i.e. PSFs), leading to reduced precision and resolution of SMLM, particularly in three-dimensional (3D) applications. While various methods, both analytical and instrumental, have been employed to mitigate these aberrations, a comprehensive analysis of how different types of commonly encountered aberrations affect single-molecule experiments and their image formation remains missing. In this study, we addressed this gap by conducting a quantitative study of the theoretical precision limit for position and wavefront distortion measurements in the presence of aberrations. Leveraging Fisher information and Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB), we quantitively analyzed and compared the effects of different aberration types, including index mismatch aberrations, on localization precision in both biplane and astigmatism 3D modalities as well as 2D SMLM imaging. Furthermore, we studied the achievable wavefront estimation precision from aberrated single-molecule emission patterns, a pivot step for successful adaptive optics in SMLM through thick specimens. This analysis lays a quantitative foundation for the development and application of SMLM in whole-cells, tissues and with a large field of view, providing in-depth insights into the behavior of different aberration types in single-molecule imaging and thus generating theoretical guidelines for developing highly efficient aberration correction strategies and enhancing the precision and reliability of 3D SMLM.
Real-time distributed observing on regeneration rates of an apodized type I fiber Bragg grating
Authors: Shao Guisong , Cui Zhiru , Song Bing , Wang Ziyu , Liu Shuo , Chai Quan , Tian Ye , Zhang Jianzhong
Published: July 2024

Regenerated fiber Bragg gratings (RFBGs) have garnered widespread attention owing to their fascinating high-temperature resistance. The flexible modulating refractive index of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is conducive to boost the versatility of RFBG fabrication. Nevertheless, the impact of different refractive index modulation (RIM) amplitudes on regeneration rate remains ambiguous. Given this, an optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR) is employed for real-time monitoring of RIM during the regeneration process. Experimental results illustrate the regeneration rate remains consistent at different RIM amplitudes. Furthermore, a functional relationship between regeneration ratio and regeneration time is proposed. To enhance the OLCR signal intensity, a promising optimized strategy is raised by introducing a phase shift at the edges of FBG. This work deepens our understanding of the FBG regeneration process and immensely improves the manufacturing flexibility of RFBG.
Fiber optic probe integrated with colloidal nanoparticles with directional diffraction selectivity for magnetic field vector detection
Authors: Duan Musen , Guo Ying , Chen Xuefeng , Li Peng , Liu Shengchun
Published: July 2024

A fiber optic probe integrated with colloidal nanoparticles with directional diffraction selectivity is proposed for wide-bandwidth magnetic field vector detection. The probe is constructed with the multimode fiber in which the end-surface is integrated with the Fe3O4@C colloidal nanoparticles by a silicone tube. The colloidal nanoparticles form a three-dimensional photonic crystal structure by magnetic field for diffraction selectivity. The lattice constant and diffraction angle are adjusted by the intensity and direction of the magnetic field, respectively. Obtaining the directional diffraction light through the magnetic field-induced photonic band gap shift with the wavelength blue shift and reflectivity change is confirmed by theory and experiment. The results show that the maximum sensitivity reaches up to 19.7 nm/mT in response range from 13 mT to 200 mT. For vector detection, the peak wavelength shift from 740 nm to 485 nm and reflectance shift from 71% to 7% covering the 0–45° region is verified. In addition, the proposed method could decouple intensity and direction of the magnetic field completely. The fiber optic probe integrated with colloidal nanoparticles has wide detection range and high sensitivity with rapid response. It will open up new horizons for inspiring design and application of magnetic field vector detection in robot posture control and motion perception.
Deep learning facilitated superhigh-resolution recognition of structured light ellipticities
Authors: Wu Ruitao , Li Kaiyuan , Du Luping , Yuan Xiaocong
Published: July 2024

Elliptical beams (EBs), an essential family of structured light, have been investigated theoretically due to their intriguing mathematical properties. However, their practical application has been significantly limited due to the inability to determine all their physical quantities, particularly the ellipticity factor, a unique parameter for EBs of different families. In this paper, to our knowledge, we proposed the first high-accuracy approach that can effectively distinguish EBs with an ellipticity factor difference of 0.01, equivalent to 99.9% field similarities. The method is based on a transformer deep learning (DL) network, and the accuracy has reached 99% for two distinct families of exemplified EBs. To prove that the high performance of this model can dramatically extend the practical aspect of EBs, we used EBs as information carriers in free-space optical communication for an image transmission task, and an error bit rate as low as 0.22% is achieved. Advancing the path of such a DL approach will facilitate the research of EBs for many practical applications such as optical imaging, optical sensing, and quantum-related systems.
Multifrequency nonlinear Schrödinger equation
Authors: Castelló-Lurbe David , Silvestre Enrique , Andrés Miguel V.
Published: July 2024

The multifrequency character of nonlinearity dispersion is often dismissed because, in principle, it increases the computational load exceedingly rendering an impractical modeling and, typically, nonlinearities barely depend on frequency. Nonetheless, nonlinearity dispersion has recently enabled a solution to a long-standing challenge in optics. To explore the potential of this research avenue on solid theoretical grounds, we derive a propagation equation accounting for multifrequency nonlinearities rigorously that maintains the computational advantages of conventional models.
Concept for power scaling by harmonic beam coaxial combination in an intra-cavity frequency doubling laser
Authors: Zhang Ao-Nan , Wang Yun-Ping , Li Zhen-Ling , Zeng Rang , Liu Ke , Wang Xiao-Jun
Published: July 2024

A new method of harmonic beam coaxial combination (HBCC) from two intra-cavity frequency doubling branches was demonstrated. Firstly, two identical nanosecond (ns) 532 nm green lasers with high power and good beam quality were created. Each green laser was constructed of an intra-cavity frequency doubling branch based on a laser diode (LD) end-pumped acousto-optical (AO) Q-switched 1064 nm Nd:YVO4 laser in a LiB3O5 (LBO) nonlinear crystal. Each branch generated about 45 W green output at a 50 kHz pulse repetition rate (PRR) with diffraction limited beam quality. The first green beam was injected into the LBO crystal in the second branch, and the pulses from the two branches did not exist simultaneously. Then, the HBCC was performed. Consequently, an 83 W combined green output power at 532 nm was obtained with a combination efficiency of 92.2%. The PRR of the HBCC pulse was doubled to be 100 kHz, with a pulse width of about 22 ns, corresponding to a single pulse energy of 0.83 mJ and a peak power of 37.73 kW. The combined beam quality factor was measured to be M
x
2 = 1.80 in the x direction and M
y
2 = 1.71 in the y direction, respectively. Moreover, many more beams could also be combined with this method for further scaling the green power.
Enhancement of Brillouin nonlinearities with a coupled resonator optical waveguide
Authors: Xu Mingyu , Lei Peng , Bai Yunhui , Chen Zhangyuan , Xie Xiaopeng
Published: July 2024

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is a nonlinear optical phenomenon mediated from the coupling of photons and phonons. It has found applications in various realms, yet the acousto-optic interaction strength remains relatively weak. Enhancing the SBS with resonant structures could be a promising solution, but this method faces strict constraints in operational bandwidth. Here, we present the first demonstration to our knowledge of the broadband enhancement of Brillouin nonlinearities by a suspended coupled resonator optical waveguide (CROW) on an SOI platform. By comprehensively balancing the Brillouin gain and operational bandwidth, a 3-fold enhancement for the Brillouin gain coefficient (G
B
) and a broad operational bandwidth of over 80 GHz have been achieved. Furthermore, this 1.1 mm device shows a forward Brillouin gain coefficient of 2422 m−1W−1 and a high mechanical quality factor (Q
m
) of 1060. This approach marks a pivotal advancement toward wide bandwidth, low energy consumption, and compact integrated nonlinear photonic devices, with potential applications in tunable microwave photonic filters and phonon-based non-reciprocal devices.
Magneto-optical metasurfaces for high-Q perfect absorption with quasi-bound states in the continuum
Authors: Zhang Haosen , Ping Wang Guo , Wu Kedi
Published: July 2024

We present a novel, to the best of our knowledge, magneto-optical (MO) metasurface composed of a bismuth iron garnet (BIG) nanocube array, designed to achieve near-perfect absorption through quasi-bound states in the continuum (QBICs). This metasurface supports a stable QBIC mode induced by MO-induced permittivity terms that break the symmetry of the permittivity tensors, corresponding to a longitudinal electric dipole (ED) mode. By integrating graphene to introduce material loss, the absorption reaches 99.6% at a wavelength of 1512.3 nm with a Q factor of 9440, despite monolayer graphene’s inherent absorption being only 2.3%. The inherent transverse ED background mode, with high reflection and low Q, helps decrease the radiative loss of the QBIC mode, allowing the structure to surpass the 50% absorption limit. This approach offers a simplified pathway for designing high-Q metasurface perfect absorbers, with potential applications in optical switches and modulators.
The LuxO-OpaR quorum-sensing cascade differentially controls Vibriophage VP882 lysis-lysogeny decision making in liquid and on surfaces
Authors: Santoriello Francis J. , Bassler Bonnie L.
Published: July 2024

Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of cell-to-cell communication that bacteria use to synchronize collective behaviors. QS relies on the production, release, and group-wide detection of extracellular signaling molecules called autoinducers. Vibrios use two QS systems: the LuxO-OpaR circuit and the VqmA-VqmR circuit. Both QS circuits control group behaviors including biofilm formation and surface motility. The Vibrio parahaemolyticus temperate phage φVP882 encodes a VqmA homolog (called VqmAφ). When VqmAφ is produced by φVP882 lysogens, it binds to the host-produced autoinducer called DPO and launches the φVP882 lytic cascade. This activity times induction of lysis with high host cell density and presumably promotes maximal phage transmission to new cells. Here, we explore whether, in addition to induction from lysogeny, QS controls the initial establishment of lysogeny by φVP882 in naïve host cells. Using mutagenesis, phage infection assays, and phenotypic analyses, we show that φVP882 connects its initial lysis-lysogeny decision to both host cell density and whether the host resides in liquid or on a surface. Host cells in the low-cell-density QS state primarily undergo lysogenic conversion. The QS regulator LuxO~P promotes φVP882 lysogenic conversion of low-cell-density planktonic host cells. By contrast, the ScrABC surface-sensing system regulates lysogenic conversion of low-cell-density surface-associated host cells. ScrABC controls the abundance of the second messenger molecule cyclic diguanylate, which in turn, modulates motility. The scrABC operon is only expressed when its QS repressor, OpaR, is absent. Thus, at low cell density, QS-dependent derepression of scrABC drives lysogenic conversion in surface-associated host cells. These results demonstrate that φVP882 integrates cues from multiple sensory pathways into its lifestyle decision making upon infection of a new host cell.
The American Friendship Project: A report on the status and health of friendship in America
Authors: Pennington Natalie , Hall Jeffrey A. , Holmstrom Amanda J.
Published: July 2024

Friendship is critical for individuals’ well-being, but recent efforts to characterize Americans’ friendship have suggested that these relationships are in peril. The present study is a report on the methods and results of three surveys from the American Friendship Project (AFP). The goal of the AFP is to be the most accurate and most complete account of American friendship as well as its health and change over time. The AFP reports on five critical facets of social health as it relates to friendship: 1) the structural factors of friendship (e.g., who are they, how many); 2) friendship quality (e.g., satisfaction, closeness); 3) social support from friends; 4) the quantity of online and offline communication; and 5) well-being (e.g., life satisfaction, loneliness, connection). Data was collected from two national samples of American adults in 2022 and 2023 and from a large sample of college students across three universities in 2022. The key finding from this investigation is, compared to the discouraging results of other recent surveys, Americans reported having more friends and fewer were friendless. AFP results also suggest that face-to-face (FtF) meetings among friends are quite common, as are telephone calls and text messaging. College student and adult samples reported very similar attitudes and experiences with friendship overall, but students were more likely to meet friends at school and to keep them for a shorter length of time. Another key finding is Americans long for greater closeness with friends; though over 75% were satisfied with the number of friends they had, over 40% felt they were not as close to their friends as they would like. Overall, the AFP is a rich source of data that can be used to answer a multitude of questions about friendship and its connection to well-being.
Selection of reference miRNAs for RT-qPCR assays in endometriosis menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Hacimoto Sabrina Yukari Santos , Cressoni Ana Clara Lagazzi , Silva Lilian Eslaine Costa Mendes da , Padovan Cristiana Carolina , Ferriani Rui Alberto , Rosa-e-Silva Júlio César , Meola Juliana
Published: July 2024

Choosing appropriate reference genes or internal controls to normalize RT-qPCR data is mandatory for the interexperimental reproducibility of gene expression data obtained by RT-qPCR in most studies, including those on endometriosis. Particularly for miRNAs, the choice for reference genes is challenging because of their physicochemical and biological characteristics. Moreover, the retrograde menstruation theory, mesenchymal stem cells in menstrual blood (MenSCs), and changes in post-transcriptional regulatory processes through miRNAs have gained prominence in the scientific community as important players in endometriosis. Therefore, we originally explored the stability of 10 miRNAs expressions as internal control candidates in conditions involving the two-dimensional culture of MenSCs from healthy women and patients with endometriosis. Here, we applied multiple algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper, and delta Ct) to screen reference genes and assessed the comprehensive stability classification of miRNAs using RefFinder. Pairwise variation calculated using geNorm identified three miRNAs as a sufficient number of reference genes for accurate normalization. MiR-191-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-103a-3p were the best combination for suitable gene expression normalization. This study will benefit similar research, but is also attractive for regenerative medicine and clinics that use MenSCs, miRNA expression, and RT-qPCR.
Unraveling the forage productivity puzzle: Comparing fast and slow-growing grasses
Authors: Pittaro M. Gabriela , Duchini Paulo G. , Guzatti Gabriela C. , Sbrissia André F.
Published: July 2024

Functional traits are powerful tools for distinguishing between plants with different resource acquisition strategies. Fast-growing plants normally dominate resource-rich habitats and present trait values associated with high productivity, such as high specific leaf area (SLA), short leaf lifespan, and rapid leaf elongation rate (LER). In contrast, slow-growing species have a higher leaf weight ratio (LWR), leaf lifespan (LLS), and phyllochron, which are useful traits for survival in stressful and unfertile environments, but are normally thought to be incompatible with high productivity, even under fertile conditions. We tested the hypothesis that slow-growing forage grasses have demographic parameters (tiller population density and canopy density) that offset their slow individual traits, making them as productive as fast-growing species when grown in fertile soil. Species with contrasting growth strategies (Arrhenatherum elatius L. and Festuca arundinacea Schreb cv. Quantum II, fast and slow-growing species, respectively) were cultivated in 45 m2 field plots and subjected to the same cutting regime and nitrogen supply level. Functional traits and canopy attributes were continuously measured during 8 growing cycles after the establishment of the swards. A. elatius had higher SLA, LER, leaf senescence, and leaf appearance rates, whereas F. arundinacea had higher LLS and LWR values. Conversely, there were no differences in relative growth rate or forage accumulation. F. arundinacea was able to offset their plant functional traits, typically associated with slow-growing grasses, with some demographic parameter like higher tiller population density, allowing it to be as productive as the fast-growing A. elatius when both were grown in fertile soil. Therefore, we suggest cautionary use of traditional plant functional traits to explain and predict the annual productivity of slow-growing grasses.
Elevated heterotrophic capacity as a strategy for Mediterranean corals to cope with low pH at CO2 vents
Authors: Hulver Ann Marie , Carbonne Chloé , Teixidó Nuria , Comeau Steeve , Kemp Dustin W. , Keister Elise F. , Gattuso Jean-Pierre , Grottoli Andréa G.
Published: July 2024

The global increase in anthropogenic CO2 is leading to ocean warming and acidification, which is threatening corals. In Ischia, Italy, two species of Mediterranean scleractinian corals–the symbiotic Cladocora caespitosa and the asymbiotic Astroides calycularis–were collected from ambient pH sites (average pHT = 8.05) and adjacent CO2 vent sites (average pHT = 7.8) to evaluate their response to ocean acidification. Coral colonies from both sites were reared in a laboratory setting for six months at present day pH (pHT ~ 8.08) or low pH (pHT ~7.72). Previous work showed that these corals were tolerant of low pH and maintained positive calcification rates throughout the experiment. We hypothesized that these corals cope with low pH by increasing their heterotrophic capacity (i.e., feeding and/or proportion of heterotrophically derived compounds incorporated in their tissues), irrespective of site of origin, which was quantified indirectly by measuring δ13C, δ15N, and sterols. To further characterize coral health, we quantified energy reserves by measuring biomass, total lipids, and lipid classes. Additional analysis for C. caespitosa included carbohydrates (an energy reserve) and chlorophyll a (an indicator of photosynthetic capacity). Isotopic evidence shows that ambient-sourced Mediterranean corals, of both species, decreased heterotrophy in response to six months of low pH. Despite maintaining energy reserves, lower net photosynthesis (C. caespitosa) and a trend of declining calcification (A. calycularis) suggest a long-term cost to low heterotrophy under ocean acidification conditions. Conversely, vent-sourced corals maintained moderate (C. caespitosa) or high (A. calycularis) heterotrophic capacity and increased photosynthesis rates (C. caespitosa) in response to six months at low pH, allowing them to sustain themselves physiologically. Provided there is sufficient zooplankton and/or organic matter to meet their heterotrophic needs, vent-sourced corals are more likely to persist this century and potentially be a source for new corals in the Mediterranean.