bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antagonistic effects of some commonly used herbs on the efficacy of Artemisinin derivatives in the treatment of malaria in experimental mice
Authors: Idowu O. A. , Babalola A. S. , Olukunle J.
Published: October 2020

Background

The use of herbs in combination with drugs in treatment of malaria is increasing, and this necessitated research on the possible antagonistic, additive, potentiation or synergistic properties of commonly used plants with standard drugs in treatment of malaria. In this study, extracts of Morindamorindiodes (Mm) root, Morindalucida (ML) leaf and Vernonia amygdalina (Va) leaf were combined with artesunate (Ar) and assessed for anti-malarial activities against established Plasmodium berghei NK65 infection in 45 experimental mice randomly distributed into 9 groups and treated at a graded dose of 100 mg/kg for the herbs and herbs–drugs combination, while chloroquine and artesunate was administered at 10 mg/kg

Results

At the end the sixth day, Mm root extract, ML and Va leaf extract reduced parasitaemia by 86.83%, 84.20% and 48.10%, respectively (p < 0.05). A total parasite clearance (100% chemosuppression) was observed in the group treated with artesunate and chloroquine. However, the combination of each extracts of M. lucida, M. morindiodes and V. amygdalina with artesunate significantly reduced the chemosuppression to 89.93%, 89.43% and 86.93%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study showed that though the extracts of Morinda morindiodes and Morinda lucida possess convincing antiplasmodial effect when administered singly, the combination of these extracts with artesunate could not produce total parasite clearance. There is need to enlighten the public on the possible setback associated with combined use of antimalarial plants with antimalaria drugs.
Detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology and geochemistry of the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach sediments, Veracruz State, Gulf of Mexico: a new insight on palaeoenvironment
Authors: Armstrong-Altrin John S.
Published: October 2020

Zircons are abundant in the beach sediments. In this study, surface microtexture, mineralogy, bulk sediment geochemistry, trace element composition and U–Pb isotopic geochronology of detrital zircons collected from the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach areas, southwestern Gulf of Mexico were performed to infer the sediment provenance and palaeoenvironment. The zircon microtexture was categorized as mechanically- and/or chemically-induced features. The weathering index values for the Riachuelos (~ 72–77) and Palma Sola (~ 71–74) beach sediments indicated moderate weathering of both of the two source areas. The major and trace element data of bulk sediments suggested passive margin settings for the two areas. The trace elemental ratios and chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns of bulk sediments revealed that the sediments were likely sourced by felsic and intermediate igneous rocks. And the zircon Th/U ratios (mostly more than 0.2) and zircon REE patterns (with negative Eu and positive Ce anomalies) suggested a magmatic origin for both of the beach sediments from these two areas. Two distinct zircon age peaks respectively belonging to the Paleozoic and the Cenozoic were identified both in the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach sediments. Zircon geochronology comparison research between the Riachuelos–Palma Sola beach sediments and potential source areas in SW Gulf of Mexico revealed that the source terrane supplied the Paleozoic zircons of this study was identified as the Mesa Central Province (MCP), and the Cenozoic zircons were transported from the nearby Eastern Alkaline Province (EAP). Moreover, although the Precambrian zircons were very few in the studied sediments, their geochronology and geochemistry results still could infer that they were contributed by the source terranes of Grenvillian igneous suites in the Oaxaca and the Chiapas Massif Complexes.
The formation of authigenic deposits during Paleogene warm climatic intervals: a review
Authors: Banerjee Santanu , Choudhury Tathagata Roy , Saraswati Pratul Kumar , Khanolkar Sonal
Published: October 2020

Although Paleogene warm climatic intervals have received considerable attention for atmospheric and oceanographic changes, the authigenic mineralization associated with these time spans remains overlooked. An extensive review of the literature reveals a close correspondence between the high abundance of glauconite and warm climatic intervals during the Paleogene period. The abundance of phosphorite, ironstone, lignite and black shale deposits reveals similar trends. Although investigated thoroughly, the origin of these authigenic deposits is never understood in the background of Paleogene warming climatic intervals. A combination of factors like warm seawater, hypoxic shelf, low rate of sedimentation, and enhanced rate of continental weathering facilitated the glauconitization. The last factor caused the excess supply of nutrients, including Fe, Si, K, Mg and Al through the rivers, the cations needed for the formation of glauconite. The excessive inflow of nutrient-rich freshwater into the shallow seas further ensured high organic productivity and stratification in shallow shelves, causing hypoxia. The consequent rapid rise in sea-level during the warm periods created extensive low-relief shallow marine shelves starved in sediments. Oxygen-deficiency in the shallow marine environment facilitated the fixation of Fe into the glauconite structure. The inflow of nutrient-rich water during the warm climatic intervals facilitated the formation of phosphorite, ironstone, and organic-matter-rich sedimentary deposits as well. Although global factors primarily controlled the formation of these authigenic deposits, local factors played significant roles in some of the deposits. Therefore, phosphorites formed in marine conditions with open circulation within the tropical zone. While lush growth of rainforest covers in the tropical belt facilitated the formation of coastal lignite.
Visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B using Bi2WO6/GO deposited on polyethylene terephthalate fabric
Authors: Du Zoufei , Cui Ce , Zhang Sihang , Xiao Hongyan , Ren Erhui , Guo Ronghui , Jiang Shouxiang
Published: October 2020

The environmental repercussions of wastewater from the dye process mean that it is very important to obtain an eco-friendly photocatalyst that would degrade wastewater. Herein, bismuth tungstate/graphene oxide (Bi2WO6/GO) composites are fabricated through in-situ hydrothermal reaction and then the Bi2WO6/GO photocatalysts are deposited onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric. The obtained Bi2WO6/GO deposited PET fabrics are then characterized through XPS, Raman, SEM, TEM, XRD, UV-vis, BET method and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) to investigate their chemical and crystal structures, morphology, optical property, surface area and photochemical properties. Photocatalytic performance is studied through examining the rate of degrading rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light. Surface of PET fibers is densely covered with Bi2WO6/GO. Bi2WO6/GO deposited PET fabrics show a broad absorption band in the visible spectra. Removal rate of RhB on the Bi2WO6/GO deposited PET fabric is the highest with the GO content of 2 g/L (labeled as Bi2WO6/2 g/LGO). The result of active species experiment shows that superoxide radicals (·O2−) plays a major role in the degradation of RhB. Moreover, Bi2WO6/2 g/LGO deposited PET fabric shows excellent cycle stability of photocatalytic degradation for RhB. The findings in this work can be extended to preparation other types of composite on the textile for photocatalysis, which can be applied to remove dyes in the wastewater produced by the textile or leather industry.

Graphical abstract
Profiling chromatin regulatory landscape: insights into the development of ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq
Authors: Ma Shaoqian , Zhang Yongyou
Published: October 2020

Chromatin regulatory landscape plays a critical role in many disease processes and embryo development. Epigenome sequencing technologies such as chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) have enabled us to dissect the pan-genomic regulatory landscape of cells and tissues in both time and space dimensions by detecting specific chromatin state and its corresponding transcription factors. Pioneered by the advancement of chromatin immunoprecipitation-chip (ChIP-chip) technology, abundant epigenome profiling technologies have become available such as ChIP-seq, DNase I hypersensitive site sequencing (DNase-seq), ATAC-seq and so on. The advent of single-cell sequencing has revolutionized the next-generation sequencing, applications in single-cell epigenetics are enriched rapidly. Epigenome sequencing technologies have evolved from low-throughput to high-throughput and from bulk sample to the single-cell scope, which unprecedentedly benefits scientists to interpret life from different angles. In this review, after briefly introducing the background knowledge of epigenome biology, we discuss the development of epigenome sequencing technologies, especially ChIP-seq & ATAC-seq and their current applications in scientific research. Finally, we provide insights into future applications and challenges.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Reduce Uterine Fibroid Incidence in Hypertensive Women
Authors: Fischer Nicole M , Nieuwenhuis Tim O , Singh Bhuchitra , Yenokyan Gayane , Segars James H
Published: October 2020

Absctract

Context

In vitro and in vivo evidence has supported the role of angiotensin II blockade in reducing leiomyoma cell proliferation and growth. However, no population-based study to date has investigated this potential association.

Objective

This work aims to determine whether prior angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) use is associated with a reduced odds of leiomyoma development.

Design

A nested case-control study was conducted.

Setting

The population was assembled from the Truven Health MarketScan Research Database, which includes private health insurance claims from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017.

Patients or Other Participants

We included (n = 353 917) women age 18 to 65 with hypertension. Cases (n = 13 108) with a leiomyoma diagnosis were matched to controls (n = 340 808) with no such diagnosis at a 1:26 ratio by age and region of origin within the United States.

Intervention

Prior ACEi use was determined from outpatient drug claims.

Main Outcome Measure

Leiomyoma development was indicated by a first-time diagnosis code.

Results

Women on an ACEi experienced a 31.8% reduced odds of developing clinically recognized leiomyoma compared to nonusers (odds ratio [OR] 0.68; 95% CI, 0.65-0.72). This association was significant for each age group: 30 to 39 years (OR 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74-0.99), 40 to 49 years (OR 0.71; 95% CI, 0.66-0.76), 50 to 59 years (OR 0.63; 95% CI, 0.58-0.69), and 60 to 65 years (OR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.50-0.69). Of the ACEis, lisinopril (OR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.71), quinapril (OR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.92), and ramipril (OR 0.35; 95% CI, 0.23-0.50) demonstrated a significant association with reduced leiomyoma incidence.

Conclusions

ACEi use was associated with a reduced odds of developing clinically recognized leiomyoma in adult hypertensive women.
Serum Irisin Levels in Central Precocious Puberty and Its Variants
Authors: Kutlu Esra , Özgen İlker Tolga , Bulut Huri , Koçyiğit Abdurrahim , Otçu Hafize , Cesur Yaşar
Published: October 2020

Aim

The exact mechanisms that trigger the onset of puberty are not well known. Adipomyokines are postulated to stimulate the central neural network. In the present study, we investigated irisin levels in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP), slowly progressing precocious puberty (SPPP), or premature thelarche (PT); we also studied prepubertal girls and to determine if this adipomyokine could be used as a marker in this context.

Methods

A total of 94 girls including 33 with CPP, 31 with precocious puberty (PP) variants (SPPP or PT), and 30 healthy controls were enrolled to the study. The mean irisin levels were compared between groups. The bivariate correlations of irisin levels with clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictive factors of irisin levels.

Results

Irisin levels were higher in the CPP group compared with the other groups (CPP group: 723.25 ± 62.35 ng/mL; PP variants group: 529.60 ± 39.66 ng/mL; and control group: 325.03 ± 27.53 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). Irisin levels were positively correlated with body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS), height-SDS, weight-SDS, bone age, uterus long axis, ovary size, baseline FSH and LH, and peak LH levels. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that irisin levels had the strongest correlation with peak LH. The other independent predictive factor of irisin levels was BMI-SDS.

Conclusions

The mean irisin levels were higher in patients with CPP compared with other groups. The results of this study imply that increased irisin levels may be used as a marker of CPP provided that these findings are confirmed in larger prospective studies.
Inducible modulation of miR-204 levels in a zebrafish melanoma model
Authors: Sarti Samanta , De Paolo Raffaella , Ippolito Chiara , Pucci Angela , Pitto Letizia , Poliseno Laura
Published: October 2020

Here, we present miniCoopR-I, an inducible upgrade of the constitutive miniCoopR vector. We developed miniCoopR-I-sponge-204 and miniCoopR-I-pre-miR-204 vectors and we successfully tested them for their ability to achieve time (embryo/juvenile/adult)- and space (melanocytic lineage)- restricted inhibition/overexpression of miR-204, a positive modulator of pigmentation previously discovered by us. Furthermore, melanoma-free survival curves performed on induced fish at adult stage indicate that miR-204 overexpression accelerates the development of BRAFV600E-driven melanoma. miniCoopR-I allows to study the impact that coding and non-coding modulators of pigmentation exert on melanomagenesis in adult zebrafish, uncoupling it from the impact that they exert on melanogenesis during embryonic development.
Royal jelly attenuates metabolic defects in a drosophila mutant with elevated TORC1 activity
Authors: Cheng Yang , Cai Jiadong , Fu Yuanyuan , Feng Congjing , Hao Yue , Wei Youheng
Published: October 2020

Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is a master regulator of cell metabolism, and its dysregulation has been linked to an array of pathologies, including cancer and age-related diseases. Nprl3, a component of GTPase-activating protein towards Rags complex 1 (GATOR1), inhibits TORC1 activity under nutrient scarcity status. The nprl3 mutant exhibits some metabolic defects due to hyper TORC1 activity in Drosophila. Royal jelly (RJ) is a honeybee-secreted product and plays an essential role in caste differentiation that required TORC1 activity. RJ is also used as a health-benefit food for its potential roles on antioxidant and anti-aging. In this study, the nprl3 mutant flies were used to measure the effect of RJ on metabolic modulating. Interestingly, RJ-feeding significantly increased survival and decreased TORC1 activity in the nprl3 mutant. RJ-feeding also ameliorated the abnormal reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and energy status in the nprl3 mutant. The proteins in RJ were characterized to be the essential components in increasing nprl3 mutant viability. These findings suggest that RJ modulates some metabolic defects associated with elevated TORC1 activity and that the nprl3 mutant fly might be a useful tool for investigating the bioactive components of RJ in vivo.
Zebrafish hif-3α modulates erythropoiesis via regulation of gata-1 to facilitate hypoxia tolerance
Authors: Cai Xiaolian , Zhou Ziwen , Zhu Junji , Liao Qian , Zhang Dawei , Liu Xing , Wang Jing , Ouyang Gang , Xiao Wuhan
Published: October 2020

The hypoxia-inducible factors 1α and 2α (HIF-1α and HIF-2α) are master regulators of the cellular response to O2. In addition to HIF-1α and HIF-2α, HIF-3α is another identified member of the HIF-α gene family. Even though whether some HIF-3α isoforms have transcriptional activity or repressive activity is still under debate, it is evident that the full length of HIF-3α acts as a transcription factor. However, its function in hypoxia signaling is largely unknown. Here, we showed that loss of hif-3α in zebrafish reduced hypoxia tolerance. Further assays indicated that erythrocyte number was decreased because red blood cell maturation was impeded by hif-3α disruption. We found that gata-1 expression was downregulated in hif-3α-null zebrafish, as were several hematopoietic marker genes, including alas2, band3, hbae1, hbae3 and hbbe1. hif-3α recognized the hypoxia response element (HRE) located in the promoter of gata-1 and directly bound to the promoter to transactivate gata-1 expression. Our results suggested that hif-3α facilities hypoxia tolerance by modulating erythropoiesis via gata-1 regulation.
Molecular basis for KDEL-mediated retrieval of escaped ER-resident proteins – SWEET talking the COPs
Authors: Newstead Simon , Barr Francis
Published: October 2020

Protein localisation in the cell is controlled through the function of trafficking receptors, which recognise specific signal sequences and direct cargo proteins to different locations. The KDEL receptor (KDELR) was one of the first intracellular trafficking receptors identified and plays an essential role in maintaining the integrity of the early secretory pathway. The receptor recognises variants of a canonical C-terminal Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu (KDEL) signal sequence on ER-resident proteins when these escape to the Golgi, and targets these proteins to COPI- coated vesicles for retrograde transport back to the ER. The empty receptor is then recycled from the ER back to the Golgi by COPII-coated vesicles. Crystal structures of the KDELR show that it is structurally related to the PQ-loop family of transporters that are found in both pro- and eukaryotes, and shuttle sugars, amino acids and vitamins across cellular membranes. Furthermore, analogous to PQ-loop transporters, the KDELR undergoes a pH-dependent and ligand-regulated conformational cycle. Here, we propose that the striking structural similarity between the KDELR and PQ-loop transporters reveals a connection between transport and trafficking in the cell, with important implications for understanding trafficking receptor evolution and function.
Assessing the influence of curcumin in sex specific oxidative stress, survival, and behavior in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Esquivel Abigail R. , Douglas Jenna C. , Loughran Rachel M. , Rezendes Thomas E. , Reed Kaela R. , Cains Tobias H. L. , Emsley Sarah A. , Paddock William A. , Videau Patrick , Koyack Marc J. , Paddock Brie E.
Published: October 2020

Oxidative stress, which occurs from an imbalance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and both endogenous and exogenous antioxidants, promotes aging and underlies sex-specific differences in longevity and susceptibility to age-related neurodegeneration. Recent evidence suggests that curcumin, a yellow pigment derived from turmeric and shown to exhibit antioxidant properties as an RONS scavenger, influences the regulation of genetic elements in endogenous antioxidant pathways. To investigate the role of curcumin in sex-specific in vivo responses to oxidative stress, Drosophila were reared on media supplemented with 0.25 mM, 2.5 mM, or 25 mM curcuminoids (consisting of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) and resistance to oxidative stress and neural parameters were assessed. High levels of curcuminoids exhibited two sex-specific effects; protection from hydrogen peroxide as an oxidative stressor and alterations in turning rate in an open field. Taken together, these results suggest that the influence of curcuminoids as antioxidants likely relies on changes in gene expression and that sexual dimorphism exists in the in vivo response to curcuminoids.
Temperature effects on metabolic scaling of a keystone freshwater crustacean depend on fish-predation regime
Authors: Glazier Douglas S. , Gring Jeffrey P. , Holsopple Jacob R. , Gjoni Vojsava
Published: October 2020

According to the metabolic theory of ecology, metabolic rate, an important indicator of the pace of life, varies with body mass and temperature due to internal physical constraints. However, various ecological factors may also affect metabolic rate and its scaling with body mass. Although reports of such effects on metabolic scaling usually focus on single factors, the possibility of significant interactive effects between multiple factors requires further study. In this study, we show that the effect of temperature on the ontogenetic scaling of resting metabolic rate of the freshwater amphipod Gammarus minus depends critically on habitat differences in predation regime. Increasing temperature tends to cause decreases in the metabolic scaling exponent (slope) in population samples from springs with fish predators, but increases in population samples from springs without fish. Accordingly, the temperature sensitivity of metabolic rate is not only size-specific, but also its relationship to body size shifts dramatically in response to fish predators. We hypothesize that the dampened effect of temperature on the metabolic rate of large adults in springs with fish, and of small juveniles in springs without fish are adaptive evolutionary responses to differences in the relative mortality risk of adults and juveniles in springs with versus without fish predators. Our results demonstrate a complex interaction among metabolic rate, body size, temperature, and predation regime. The intraspecific scaling of metabolic rate with body size and temperature is not merely the result of physical constraints related to internal body design and biochemical kinetics, but rather is ecologically sensitive and evolutionarily malleable.
Is it possible to estimate volume of bone defects formed on dry sheep mandibles more practically by secondarily reconstructing section thickness of cone beam computed tomography images?
Authors: Koç Alaettin , Kaya Sema
Published: October 2020

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of section thickness on volume estimations of bone defects scanned using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods:

25 bone defects were prepared on sheep mandibles and scanned using a KaVo 3D eXam (KaVo Dental, Biberach, Germany) CBCT device. Section thickness of images were reconstructed at 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mm to estimate the volume of these defects using the semiautomatic segmentation method. The volume averages obtained using microcomputed tomography and Archimedes’ method served as reference values. The estimated volumes at each section thickness were compared with the actual volumes using the Friedman test. The accuracy of volume estimation was determined by the percentage error with respect to the reference values, and the mean absolute error (MAE) was calculated.

Results:

Volumetric values of bone defects obtained with CBCT at section thicknesses up to 0.5 mm were compatible with the actual volumes (p > 0.05). The percentage errors at section thicknesses of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mm were −5.4%, −7.3%, and −13.1%, respectively. The mean absolute errors were 13.6 mm3, 15.7 mm3, and 18.2 mm3, respectively.

Conclusions:

The section thickness values of CBCT images can be increased to a reasonable level to obtain accurate volume estimation results and save time. The semiautomatic segmentation method can be used reliably for volume estimations of bone defects.
European response to COVID-19 health crisis
Authors: Nastos George
Published: October 2020

The world is undergoing the pandemic health crisis of COVID-19. First and foremost, the pandemic is causing losses in human lives all over the world. Secondly, it is testing the economies of all countries, regardless of the degree of dispersion and loss of lives between the states. Another consequence of this health crisis is that apart from national health systems, it also puts to the test political systems. This consequence is even greater for an evolving political system such as the European Union, which in a decade has faced two other crises - the Eurozone and the refugee crisis. The EU has once again been called upon to face an exogenous cross-border crisis. It has to confront a pandemic within the existing framework of its competence, tools and bodies, while creating new ones in the need to support its Member States. This paper focuses on the European Union's response to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the weaknesses that this crisis has brought to the fore and the policies that would help the EU manage similar crises in the future.
XENOBREAST Trial: A prospective study of xenografts establishment from surgical specimens of patients with triple negative or luminal b breast cancer
Authors: Veyssière Hugo , Passildas Judith , Ginzac Angeline , Lusho Sejdi , Bidet Yannick , Molnar Ioana , Bernadach Maureen , Cavaille Mathias , Radosevic-Robin Nina , Durando Xavier
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) can be used to explore tumour pathophysiology and could be useful to better understand therapeutic response in breast cancer. PDX from mammary tumours are usually made from metastatic tumours. Thus, PDX from primitive mammary tumours or after neoadjuvant treatment are still rare. This study aims to assess the feasibility to establish xenografts from tumour samples of patients with triple negative or luminal B breast cancer in neoadjuvant, adjuvant or metastatic setting.

Methods: XENOBREAST is a single-centre and prospective study. This feasibility pilot trial aims to produce xenografts from tumour samples of patients with triple negative or luminal B breast cancer. Patient enrolment is expected to take 3 years: 85 patients will be enrolled and followed for 28 months. Additional blood samples will be taken as part of the study. Surgical specimens from post-NAC surgery, primary surgery or surgical excision of the metastases will be collected to establish PDX. Histomolecular characteristics of the established PDX will be investigated and compared with the initial histomolecular profile of the collected tumours to ensure that they are well-established.

Ethics and dissemination: XENOBREAST belongs to category 2 interventional research on the human person. This study has been approved by the Sud Méditerranée IV – Montpellier ethics committee. It is conducted notably in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Study data and findings will be published in peer-reviewed medical journals. We also plan to present the study and all data at national congresses and conferences.

Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04133077; registered on October 21, 2019.
Analytical review of research on the determinants of delinquent behavior in minors
Authors: Il'yankova Ekaterina
Published: October 2020

The article deals with the relevance and social significance of the problem of identifying the determinants of delinquent behavior and factors of criminalization of minors. A statistical analysis of juvenile delinquency is provided. The purpose of the study is to analyze domestic and foreign studies of the determinants of delinquent behavior of minors. The article presents the results of theoretical analysis of foreign and domestic studies that reveal two leading groups of causes of juvenile delinquency: individual typological (a combination of personal characteristics, temperament properties, character accentuation, deformation of the value-semantic sphere of the individual, weakness of intellectual development, low academic performance, pedagogical neglect, inadequate self-esteem, a reduced level of self-control, unformed volitional qualities, socio-psychological maladaptation, inability to organize free time, etc.) and socio-psychological (family problems, violations of parent-child relationships, the breakdown of the family structure, early deprivation in the family, lack of parental involvement in the child's education, disparity of parenting styles of parents, the negative example of the impact of the reference group, dependence on deviant peers, the influence of criminal subculture, lack of social control, the availability and prevalence of negative information, social exclusion, stigma, stereotypes, etc., as well as situational circumstances – victim behavior of the victim, detection of unattended valuables, etc.). contradictions, insufficiently studied aspects, promising research directions for the causes and mechanisms of formation, as well as prevention of delinquent behavior of minors are Identified.
Joaquín Dicenta y Luis Bonafoux, dos precursores del periodismo narrativo en España
Authors: Del Arco Bravo Miguel Ángel
Published: October 2020

Este artículo reivindica las figuras de dos precursores del periodismo narrativo español en los alrededores de 1900: Joaquín Dicenta y Luis Bonafoux. Dicenta, quien además de periodista fue un autor teatral de éxito, se adelantó en varias décadas a George Orwell al relatar la vida cotidiana de los mineros, publicada por entregas en El Liberal. Bonafoux alcanzó fama como cronista y se anticipó a las coberturas en vivo por Twitter al publicar sus telegramas sobre el caso Dreyfus desde París para El Heraldo de Madrid. Estos cronistas de la bohemia modernista merecen, pues, ser rescatados del olvido e incorporados al canon del periodismo literario español.
Demand Estimation Under the Multinomial Logit Model from Sales Transaction Data
Authors: Abdallah Tarek , Vulcano Gustavo
Published: October 2020

Problem definition: A major task in retail operations is to optimize the assortments exhibited to consumers. To this end, retailers need to understand customers’ preferences for different products. Academic/practical relevance: This is particularly challenging when only sales and product-availability data are recorded, and not all products are displayed in all periods. Similarly, in revenue management contexts, firms (airlines, hotels, etc.) need to understand customers’ preferences for different options in order to optimize the menu of products to offer. Methodology: In this paper, we study the estimation of preferences under a multinomial logit model of demand when customers arrive over time in accordance with a nonhomogeneous Poisson process. This model has recently caught important attention in both academic and industrial practices. We formulate the problem as a maximum-likelihood estimation problem, which turns out to be nonconvex. Results: Our contribution is twofold: From a theoretical perspective, we characterize conditions under which the maximum-likelihood estimates are unique and the model is identifiable. From a practical perspective, we propose a minorization-maximization (MM) algorithm to ease the optimization of the likelihood function. Through an extensive numerical study, we show that our algorithm leads to better estimates in a noticeably short computational time compared with state-of-the-art benchmarks. Managerial implications: The theoretical results provide a solid foundation for the use of the model in terms of the quality of the derived estimates. At the same time, the fast MM algorithm allows the implementation of the model and the estimation procedure at large scale, compatible with real industrial applications.
Dynamic Probabilistic Selling When Customers Have Boundedly Rational Expectations
Authors: Huang Tingliang , Yin Zhe
Published: October 2020

Problem definition: The existing literature on probabilistic or opaque selling has largely focused on understanding why it is attractive to firms. In this paper, we intend to answer a follow-up question: How should opaque selling be managed in a firm’s operations over time? Academic/practical relevance: Answering this question is relevant yet complex, because in practice (i) the profitability of opaque selling depends on how customers respond to the firm’s product-offering strategies and (ii) the firm’s strategies have to be responsive to customers’ purchasing decisions to maximize its total profit. Methodology: We develop a simple game-theoretic framework to capture the dynamic nature of the problem in multiple periods when customers boundedly rationally expect the firm’s strategies through anecdotal reasoning. We characterize the firm’s optimal pricing and product-offering policy. Results: We find that offering the high-value product with a high probability followed by a lower probability is typically optimal over time. We finally analyze several model extensions, such as different numbers of customers, multiple anecdotes, infinitely many periods, and limited inventory, and show the robustness of our results. Managerial implications: We demonstrate the value of using a dynamic probabilistic selling policy and prove that our dynamic policy can double the firm’s profit compared with using the static policy proposed in the existing literature. In a dynamic programming model, we prove that a cycle policy oscillating between two product-offering probabilities is typically optimal in the steady state over infinitely many periods.
Why Do High-Status People Have Larger Social Networks? Belief in Status-Quality Coupling as a Driver of Network-Broadening Behavior and Social Network Size
Authors: Cao Jiyin , Smith Edward Bishop
Published: October 2020

Previous research has demonstrated that the size and reach of people’s social networks tend to be positively related to their social status. Although several explanations help to account for this relationship—for example, higher-status people may be part of multiple social circles and therefore have more social contacts with whom to affiliate—we present a novel argument involving people’s beliefs about the relationship between status and quality, what we call status-quality coupling. Across seven separate studies, we demonstrate that the positive association between social status and network-broadening behavior (as well as social network size) is contingent on the extent to which people believe that status is a reliable indicator of quality. Across each of our studies, high- and low-status people who viewed status and quality as tightly coupled differed in their network-broadening behaviors, as well as in the size of their reported social networks. The effect was largely driven by the perceived self-value and perceived receptivity of the networking target. Such differences were significantly weaker or nonexistent among equivalently high- and low-status people who viewed status as an unreliable indicator of quality. Because the majority of participants—both high- and low-status—exhibited beliefs in status-quality coupling, we conclude that such a belief marks an important and previously unaccounted-for driver of the relationship between status, network-broadening behaviors, and social networks. Implications for research on social capital, advice seeking, and inequality are highlighted in the discussion section.
Comunidade de remanescentes de quilombolas: práticas culturais de cuidado utilizadas no puerpério
Authors: Lucena Tâmara Silva de , Costa Luana Jeniffer Souza Farias da , Santos Amuzza Aylla Pereira dos , Silva Jovânia Marques de Oliveira e
Published: October 2020

Objetivo: descrever as práticas culturais de cuidado no puerpério de mulheres quilombolas. Métodos: estudo descritivo, de abordagem qualitativa e delineado por meio da Teoria da Diversidade e Universalidade do Cuidado de Madeleine Leininger. Participaram do estudo quatorze mulheres quilombolas que já tinham vivenciado o período puerperal. A coleta das informações ocorreu de junho a setembro de 2018. Projeto aprovado por Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa. Resultados: observou-se a manutenção das crenças e valores, considerando a cultura local relacionada às práticas de cuidado de puérperas quilombolas. Considerações finais: as práticas de cuidado desenvolvidas por mulheres quilombolas no pós-parto se caracterizam por receber influência das crenças, valores e modos de vida que foram transmitidas por meio da oralidade por outras mulheres que já tinham vivenciado esse período.
Integrated Microwave Photonic Advances for Photonic Signal Processing and Sensing
Authors: Minasian Robert A. , Yi Xiaoke
Published: October 2020

Integrated microwave photonics offers new paradigms for processing signals. Recent advances are presented, including broadband tunable microwave photonic filters, multi-function processors, and high-resolution photonic sensing systems that provide new capabilities for high-performance signal processing.
Intelligent edge processing with photonic multilevel memory
Authors: Miscuglio Mario , Meng Jiawei , Yesiliurt Omer , Zhang Yifei , Prokopeva Ludmila J. , Mehrabian Armin , Hu Juejun , Kildishev Alexander V. , Sorger Volker J.
Published: October 2020

Here we demonstrate an on-chip programmable multi-level non-volatile photonic memory used as node in a photonic neural network that effortlessly perform inference at the edge of the network as a passive and reprogrammable filter.
Slow-light Enhancement of the Purcell and Q factors in Silicon Nitride Nanobeam Cavities
Authors: Jafari Zeinab , Zhan Jiahao , Veilleux Sylvain , Dagenais Mario , De Leon Israel
Published: October 2020

We show that the Purcell and Q factors of cavities incorporating structured slow-light media increase with the square and cube of the cavity length.
Fabrication and Characterization of Topology-Optimized Photonic Cavities with Deep Subwavelength Confinement
Authors: Albrechtsen M. , Lahijani B. Vosoughi , Christiansen R.E. , Nguyen V.T.H. , Sigmund O. , Jansen H. , Mork J. , Stobbe S.
Published: October 2020

We design, fabricate, and characterize an ultracompact (<10 µm2) photonic nanocavity in silicon with a deep subwavelength mode volume, which enables strongly enhanced light-matter interaction for applications in nanolasers and nonlinear nanophotonics.
Octave spanning supercontinuum generation in dispersion-managed silicon waveguides
Authors: Wei Junxiong , Ciret Charles , Billet Maximilien , Leo François , Kuyken Bart , Gorza Simon-Pierre
Published: October 2020

Coherent supercontinuum spanning [1.2-2.7] μm is experimentally demonstrated in dispersion-managed silicon waveguides. We show that part of the spectrum is broadened by the trapping of dispersive waves, lowering the power to get octave-spanning spectra.
Integrated Quantum Photonics on Silicon Chips
Authors: Schuck Carsten
Published: October 2020

We present the integration of quantum emitters, nanophotonic circuit components and waveguide-integrated superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with photonic integrated circuits on silicon chips as a versatile platform for applications in quantum technology.
Induced Photon Correlations by the Superposition of Two Four-Wave Mixing Processes on a Photonic Chip
Authors: Roztocki Piotr , Kues Michael , Zhang Yanbing , Reimer Christian , Fischer Bennet , MacLellan Benjamin , Bisianov Arstan , Peschel Ulf , Little Brent E. , Chu Sai T. , Moss David J. , Caspani Lucia , Morandotti Roberto
Published: October 2020

We use two mode families of a microcavity to induce photon correlations linking two different four-wave mixing processes. Our findings are relevant for the fundamental understanding of quantum phenomena based on spontaneous parametric effects.
Harnessing Advanced Dynamic Effects for High Performance Directly Modulated Lasers
Authors: Liu Zhixin
Published: October 2020

This paper reviews the principle of three dynamic effects, inc. photon-photon resonance, detuned loading, and optical injection locking, for high speed directly modulated lasers. Designs and recent progress are discussed to inspire future research.
113-W cryogenically-cooled 946-nm Nd:YAG laser
Authors: Shayeganrad G. , Cante S. , Mosquera J. Pelegrin , Bailey W.O.S. , Mackenzie J.I.
Published: October 2020

We report a closed-cycle cryogenically-cooled, diode-end-pumped, continuous-wave Nd:YAG laser operating at 946-nm generating 113-W of output power (pump power limited) with a slope and an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 80% and 76%, respectively.
Aliasing-free Beam Steering from an Optical Array Emitter with Half-wavelength Pitch
Authors: Kong Ziyun , Lee Yun Jo , Noman Abdullah Al , Tang Yingheng , Chang Gregory , Chen Ruihan , Qi Minghao
Published: October 2020

We present an OPA with uniform half-wavelength pitch and grating emitters. Aliasing-free beam steering over ∼ 120° field-of-view is measured. Evanescent coupling between closely spaced emitters is suppressed by extreme skin-depth cladding structures.
Ultra-Compact Waveguide Crossings using Cosine Tapers on a Monolithic Silicon Photonics Platform
Authors: Chandran Sujith , Bian Yusheng , Moreira Paulo , Jacob Ajey , Dahlem Marcus S. , Gebregiorgis Yonas , Papadovasilakis Marios , Alkaabi Salim , Viegas Jaime , Rakowski Michal , Stricker Andy , Nummy Karen , Meagher Colleen , Peng Bo , Thomas Abu , Hu Shuren , Petykiewicz Jan , Riggs Dave , Letavic Ted , Yu Anthony , Giewont Ken , Pellerin John
Published: October 2020

A beam shaping approach has been implemented to realize high-performance waveguide crossings based on cosine tapers. Devices with a compact footprint of 4.7 µm × 4.7 µm are implemented on a GLOBALFOUNDRIES monolithic silicon photonics platform. Fabricated devices are found to be nearly wavelength-independent (± 0.035 dB for 1260 nm ≤ λ ≤ 1360 nm) with low insertion loss (~ 0.2 dB) and crosstalk (< -35 dB). The measured response of the devices is consistent with simulation results obtained by 3D FDTD computations. The design stability is confirmed by measuring the device insertion loss over nine chips, which is found to be 0.197 ± 0.017 dB at the designed center wavelength of 1310 nm.
Gain Characteristics of InAs/InP Quantum Dash Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers between S-and C-bands
Authors: Liu Guocheng , Wang Shurui , Lu Zhenguo , Liu Jiaren , Poitras Daniel , Rahim Mohamed , Barrios Pedro , Jiang Weihong , Pakulski Grzegorz , Poole Philip J.
Published: October 2020

This paper presents an InAs/InP quantum dash (QD) semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) operating between S- and C-bands. By using this QD-SOA we systematically investigate the gain characteristics under different injection current conditions.
Gallium phosphide on insulator photonics enabled by micro-transfer printing
Authors: Billet Maximilien , Léger Yoan , Cornet Charles , Raineri Fabrice , Sagnes Isabelle , Roelkens Gunther , Leo Francois , Kuyken Bart
Published: October 2020

Gallium phosphide-on-insulator (GaP-OI) has recently emerged as a promising platform for integrated nonlinear photonics due to its intrinsic material properties. Here we demonstrate the transfer of GaP layers to an oxidized silicon wafer using micro-transfer printing as a new approach for versatile future (hetero)-integrations.
Effect of Amplitude Mismatch on Entanglement Visibility in Photon-Pair Sources
Authors: Kuo Paulina S.
Published: October 2020

Entangled photons produced by parametric down-conversion effectively have two down-conversion paths. Ideally, amplitudes of the two paths are matched. We show that the entanglement visibility is, to first order, insensitive to amplitude mismatch.
Intensity Noisy Squeezing in NanoLEDs
Authors: Mork Jesper , Yvind Kresten
Published: October 2020

It is shown that nanoLEDs with Purcell-enhanced emission rates can generate intensity-squeezed light within a bandwidth of several gigahertz. These devices may be excellent sources for on-chip interconnects with extremely low power consumption.
Bimodal waveguide sensors enabled by subwavelength grating structures
Authors: Torrijos-Morán Luis , Griol Amadeu , García-Rupérez Jaime
Published: October 2020

A subwavelength grating sensor based on a bimodal waveguide configuration is presented for continuous in-flow measurements of refractive index variations. An experimental bulk sensitivity of 1350nm/RIU and a limit of detection of 2x10-5RIU is obtained in a single-channel refractive index sensor.
Heterogeneous integrated silicon photonic circuits with deterministically fabricated single quantum dot single-photon sources
Authors: Schnauber Peter , Singh Anshuman , Schall Johannes , Song Jin Dong , Rodt Sven , Srinivasan Kartik , Reitzenstein Stephan , Davanco Marcelo
Published: October 2020

We demonstrate integrated Si3N4 waveguides containing single-photon emitters based on single InAs quantum dots that were deterministically positioned in a GaAs nanowaveguide via a low-temperature in-situ electron-beam lithography.
Multipartite d-Level Two-Photon Cluster States and Their Entanglement Detection Via Feasible Witness Operators
Authors: Sciara Stefania , Reimer Christian , Roztocki Piotr , Moss David J. , Caspani Lucia , Munro William J. , Kues Michael , Morandotti Roberto
Published: October 2020

We demonstrate the first multipartite d-level cluster state by using two-photon hyper-entanglement in time and frequency, and validate its genuine entanglement via a novel witness operator enabling feasible detection of any complex quantum state.
Ultrawide Bandgap β-Ga2O3: Material Epitaxy, Doping, Heterostructures and Devices
Authors: Zhao Hongping
Published: October 2020

β-Ga2O3 represents an emerging ultrawide bandgap semiconductor for power electronics. This talk focuses on discussing the development of β-Ga2O3 and (AlxGa1-x)2O3 materials epitaxy, doping, heterostructure and device demonstration.
Microwave Consolidation of Photosensitive Planar Glass Layers
Authors: Gow P.C. , Holmes C. , Ahmed Q.S. , Smith P.G.R.
Published: October 2020

Consolidation of photosensitive doped silica glass using a microwave is presented. The work deposits planar glass layers through Flame Hydrolysis Deposition and direct writes Bragg gratings within them using a 244nm laser after consolidation.
Design and Realization of Air-Cladded, Polymer Optical Waveguides Supported only by a Narrow Fin
Authors: Gill Parvinder Kaur , Marom Dan M.
Published: October 2020

Single-mode polymer optical waveguides with air cladding, supported only by a narrow fin, were designed and fabricated by direct laser writing technique. The waveguides offer low bending losses and high confinement with increasing core diameter.
Quantum Peregrine Soliton Generation
Authors: Marcucci Giulia , Boyd Robert , Conti Claudio
Published: October 2020

Nonlinear quantum optics describes rogue wave emergence in faint light propagation through Kerr media. We apply phase-space methods to the quantum nonlinear Schrödinger equation to show that the generation efficiency increases at low photon numbers.
A novel silicon nitride polarization beam splitter based on polarization-insensitive MMIs and apodized Bragg gratings
Authors: Zhan Jiahao , Brock Joseph , Veilleux Sylvain , Dagenais Mario
Published: October 2020

We present the design and preliminary experimental results of a novel silicon nitride polarization beam splitter. Measured data show that a 33 dB polarization extinction ratio is achieved over a bandwidth of 18 nm.
Nonlinear optics with nanoscale topological corner states
Authors: Kruk Sergey , Gao Wenlong , Choi Duk Yong , Zentgraf Thomas , Zhang Shuang , Kivshar Yuri
Published: October 2020

We bring topological corner states to the realm of nanoscale photonics. We study experimentally topology-driven nonlinear effects at both edge and corner subwavelength topological states in optical valley-Hall dielectric metasurfaces.
Control of Kerr Cavity Soliton Combs by Chirped Pumping
Authors: Talenti Francesco Rinaldo , Hansson Tobias , Wabnitz Stefan
Published: October 2020

Pumping a dispersive Kerr cavity with chirped pump pulses permits to control the trapping position of temporal cavity soliton combs. Stability of single-cavity soliton generation is greatly enhanced by pump chirping.
Switching of Soliton States in an Integrated 30 GHz Soliton Microcomb Source
Authors: Voloshin Andrey S. , Liu Junqiu , Kondratiev Nikita M. , Lihachev Grigory V. , Lobanov Valery E. , Kippenberg Tobias J. , Bilenko Igor A.
Published: October 2020

Rich soliton formation dynamics via self-injection locking in an integrated microcomb source is studied. We demonstrate tuning of soliton repetition rate, switching of soliton states. The phase noise of soliton beatnote microwave signals is measured.