bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The quality of life after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
Authors: Zapolska Gabriela , Kowalska Małgorzata , Mariak Zenon , Matuszczak Ewa , Milewski Robert , Matus Łukasz , Hermanowicz Adam
Published: April 2024

Cervical discopathy is commonly associated with pain in the cervical spine which may affect patients’ quality of life. If conservative treatment fails to relieve the pain for at least 6 months and/or if neurological deficit progresses, the surgical treatment is taken under consideration. The aim of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and disability of patients after single- and multi-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with standalone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages. The study evaluated how ACDF influenced particular aspects of patients’ quality of life in the context of radiological outcome. The study included 30 consecutive patients with single- or multi-level cervical disc herniation. Patients underwent clinical and radiological evaluation before and one year after the ACDF procedure. For each patient, we assessed the severity of cervical pain with a numerical rating scale (NRS) and filled the neck disability index questionnaire (NDI). The health-related quality of life was assessed with the Polish version of 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). A significant decrease in all NDI aspects indicates a significant improvement after surgery. The quality of life in all aspects assessed with SF-36 scale was also improved. A moderate decrease in cervical spine mobility coexisted with a good outcome of the neurosurgical procedure. In the opinion of patients, the most important aspect after the cervical spine surgery is the reduction of pain severity. ACDF surgery is an effective method to reduce the severity of pain in patients with degenerative disc disease. ACDF improves the quality of patient’s life. According to the study results the physical role improved most significantly; the least improvement was noted in role-emotional aspect. Up to 83% of patients achieved a reduction of the NDI index by 5 or more points after surgical treatment which proves the high effectiveness of the surgical treatment. No statistically significant difference was noted between patients with single and multi – level discopathy. Up to 97% of patients who underwent ACDF reported a significant decrease in pain severity measured with NRS.
Motion Capture Technique with Enhancement Filters for Humanoid Model Movement Animation
Authors: Habibillah Ahmad Yasin , Prahara Adhi , Murinto Murinto
Published: April 2024

The definition of 3D animation is a representation of objects that are made into animation using characters or objects to look more alive and real.  Making 3D animation itself requires a long process and a large amount of funding. This is because most 3D animated films still use key-framing technology which causes the process to make an animation to take a lot of steps. In this research, a motion capture technique with an enhancement filter is proposed to make humanoid movement animation using Kinect 2.0. The method consists of several steps such as recording every skeleton joint of human movements using a Kinect sensor, filtering the movements to minimize the shakiness and jitter from Kinect data, mapping skeleton data to the bones of a rigged humanoid model, and recording each movement to make animation. The final result is in the form of a 3D animation of modern dance movements. The method is tested by measuring the similarity between the 3D humanoid model and the user movement. From the 10 animations of modern dance generated by the method and performed by the user, a questionnaire to measure the MRI and MSE value is distributed and the result achieves 4.27 on a scale of 5 for the averaged MRI score and 0.0539 for the MSE score. The MSE value is less than 5% which means the system is categorized as acceptable.
K-Means for Majoring Informatics Students' Interests Based on Brainwave Signals
Authors: Robin Qori Aulia , Azhari Ahmad
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the potential of utilizing EEG (electroencephalogram) as a determinant for the specialization choices of Informatics students. EEG, measuring brain activity patterns, is employed to discern majors of interest among students. A questionnaire revealed that some students opt for specializations due to class availability and peer influence, leading to potential mismatches between their abilities and interests, consequently affecting their final project or thesis. EEG data from 30 respondents, recorded using NeuroSky Mindwave and MyndPlayer Pro software, were subjected to K-Means Clustering after feature extraction through PCA. However, the evaluation using Silhouette indicated a low score of 0.453, possibly due to significant distance between cluster data and centroids, minimal dataset size, and random respondent selection without considering their specific areas of interest. This suggests limitations in using EEG alone for determining specialization choices, necessitating further refinement and integration with additional factors for more accurate predictions.
The Influence of Wellness on Job Satisfaction among Police Officers: Focused on the Mediating Effect of the Meaning in Work
Authors: Han Soolgi , Kang Kyonghwa
Published: April 2024

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate how meaning in work influences the connection between wellness and job satisfaction among police officers.Methods: This study analyzed secondary data. Original data was collected to explore changes in depression, job satisfaction, and quality of life in relation to police officers' psychological trauma. Data were analyzed using the t-test, One-way Analysis of Variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, hierarchical regression analysis, and PROCESS macro (version 4.3.1) with the SPSS/27.0 program.Results: The mean score for wellness was 3.40, meaning in work was 3.49, and job satisfaction was 3.36. The effect size of the mediation was indicated as 0.74, demonstrating that the meaning in work serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between wellness and job satisfaction among police officers.Conclusion: These findings indicate that wellness and meaning in work increased job satisfaction among police officers. Therefore, to increase job satisfaction among police officers, it is necessary to develop psychiatric nursing intervention strategies to increase wellness and meaning in work.
Validation and Reliability of Korean Short Version of the Perspectives on Caring for Older Patients Scale
Authors: Lee Jihye , Gang Moonhee
Published: April 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean short version of the Perspectives on Caring for Older Patients (PCOP) scale.Methods: The PCOP scale was translated from English to Korean through forward and backward translation. The participants were 313 nurses and nursing students in U & D cities. The construct reliability and validity of the Korean short version of the PCOP scale were analyzed using item analysis as well as exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and in terms of internal consistency using SPSS and AMOS 23.0.Results: The final scale consisted of eight items and two factors that were found to explain 65.9% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the Korean short version of the PCOP scale satisfied all goodness-of-fit parameters. Cronbach’s ⍺ for this scale was .78.Conclusion: The findings show that the Korean short version of the PCOP scale is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating the perspectives of nurses and student nurses in Korea in terms of caring for older patients. However, further research is needed to test the content validity and criterion-related validity of the scale.
Development of the Care Burden Scale for Family of Elderly in Nursing Facilities
Authors: Kim Eun Jeong , Sung Kyung Mi
Published: April 2024

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a measurement scale for the care burden experienced by families of elderly individuals in nursing facilities.Methods: We developed a preliminary tool based on a broad range of past studies, including experiences of care burden for the families of the elderly in nursing facilities. This tool is anchored on Pearlin’s (1990) construct of the stress process model. Data were collected from 208 families of elderly individuals in nursing facilities, and the construct validity and reliability of the preliminary scale were verified.Results: We developed a questionnaire consisting of a four-point Likert-type scale in a self-report form with 30 items divided into 4 factors. The factors were named 'Social burden', 'Economic burden', 'Psychological burden', and 'Physical burden'. The Cronbach’s ⍺ of the total items was .94, and the factors ranged from .65 to .87.Conclusion: The study results will help evaluate the level of caregiving burden for families of the elderly in nursing facilities. Therefore, it is expected to be used in future research on nursing interventions aimed at improving the understanding of caregiving burden and reducing the caregiving burden of elderly family members in nursing facilities.
A Summary of the Pharmacological Activity, Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy of Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.): Review Article
Authors: Abood Mais A. , Ibrahem Nabaa M. , Jasim Ali Rahman
Published: April 2024

Historically, medicinal herbs have been utilized as an important origin of chemicals with particular therapeutic potentials, and they continue to be a great place to find new medication candidates. Parthenocissus quinquefolia L. is a member of the grape-growing family Vitaceae. It is indigenous to Central and North America. It is widely dispersed in Iraqi gardens and plant houses from north to south. Traditionally, it has many uses, like relieving constipation, treating jaundice, expectorant, emetic, and others. At the same time, its proven activities include antioxidant activity, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, thrombin inhibitor effect, and medicine for treating eyelid eczema. Parthenocissus quinquefolia contains valuable phytochemicals like alkaloids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, polyphenolic compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tannins), anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, and reducing sugars that make it responsible for its critical pharmacological effects. The current review discussed the pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activity of Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.).
The Impact of Administration of Fenofibrate During Suckling on Glucose Homeostasis and Programming of Metabolic Function in Adolescent Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Ibrahim Kasimu Ghandi , Chivandi Eliton , Erlwanger Kennedy Honey
Published: April 2024

Fenofibrate, a PPAR α agonist used in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia is known to prevent diabetes and its complications. It is cautiously used during pregnancy and in neonates due to its potential for teratogenesis. The suckling period is a critical window for developmental programming. Drugs with antimetabolic syndrome activities have been used during critical developmental periods to program for protection against metabolic syndrome or its components. We evaluated the long-term metabolic effects of fenofibrate when administered during suckling and whether it would prevent the poor metabolic outcomes associated with high fructose intake in adolescent rats. A total of 119, 6-day-old (male and female) Sprague Dawley pups were randomly allocated to four groups and either orally gavaged with 10ml.kg-1 DMSO (0.5%), 100mg.kg-1 fenofibrate, 20% (w/v) fructose or both fructose and fenofibrate till 21 days after birth (PND) 21. Following weaning onto standard commercial rat cubes, the groups were split up further into two based on their drinking fluid: either fructose (20%, w/v) or tap water till PND 63 when they were subjected to an overnight fast before being terminated. Blood was taken for hormone analysis. The kidneys, pancreas, liver and visceral fat pad were weighed. Hepatic tissue was stored at -20ºC until quantification of hepatic fat content. Although the rats gained weight significantly (p<0.0001) throughout the study period, there were no significant differences in terminal body weights across the groups (p>0.05). The interventions did not significantly (p>0.05) alter concentrations of blood glucose, adiponectin and insulin. In both sexes, the HOMA-IR, liver lipids and visceral masses were similar in the different treatment groups. Fenofibrate administered to suckling rats did not adversely impact health of the study rats. It may therefore be safe for use in neonates.
Biodesign: An Innovative Technology for Sustainable Development Goals in Health and Environment
Authors: Ahmad Adnan , Haneef Mohammad , Ahmad Nabeel , Khan Fariya , Jaswani Samriddhi , Arif Tuba , Shakil Samiya
Published: April 2024

Biodesign is a tool that integrates diverse fields of biology with design for the development of a good lifestyle and, sustainable environment along with futuristic support to the society and ecosystem. Using the approach, Identify-Invent-Implement, the biodesigners identify and unravel the unmet needs of society in the field of healthcare, environment, and architecture sectors by developing novel products and improving technologies with the incorporation of design into it. With evolving technology, biodesign has created an impact globally in the ecology by preventing the ecological imbalance, creating an impact on the psychological behaviour of humans by boosting their confidence and thus influencing one’s behaviour. Biodesign crossed various technological barriers by developing devices such as hearing, and vision aids, prosthetics, implants, and eco-friendly cements and also used microorganisms to enhance the quality of the bricks. Biodesign has crossed the limits of earth curvature and reached space by innovation like future space colonization and protecting indigenous species.
Comparative Assessment of the Effectiveness of HSP70 / HIF-1α System Modulators after Prenatal Hypoxia
Authors: Aliyeva Olena , Belenichev Igor , Bukhtiyarova Nina , Semenov Denis , Voloshchuk Sergiy
Published: April 2024

Prenatal hypoxia (PH) poses a significant threat to fetal development and may be responsible for neonatal mortality or neurodevelopmental abnormalities. The proteins HSP70 and HIF-1, which hold a distinct significance in the cellular reaction to PH, can be regarded as potential targets for pharmaceutical interventions aimed at mitigating the repercussions of chronic PH. This study aimed to identify a possible correlation between offspring survival and stages of expression of endogenous neuroprotective factors (HSP70 and HIF-1) after chronic prenatal hypoxia with course administration of potential HSP70 modulators (angiolin, piracetam, thiotriazoline, nicomex, cerebrocurin, tamoxifen, L-arginine, glutoredoxin, HSF-1, and mildronate). In the rat offspring after PH we determined the plasma concentrations of HSP70 and HIF-1 by solid-phase ELISA immunoassay, and the expression of HIF-1 mRNA and HSP70 mRNA by real-time PCR. For the first time, we found a positive correlation between offspring survival after PH and the expression of HIF-1 and HSP70, both in groups without experimental therapy and in groups receiving pharmacological agents. The course administration of HSP70/HIF-1α modulators, especially angiolin (50 mg/kg), cerebrocurin (150 mg/kg), and HSF-1 (50 mg/kg), to rats that underwent PH reduces postnatal lethality, increases blood plasma concentrations of HSP70 and HIF-1α, and positively affects the expression level of HIF-1α mRNA in the rat brain. These drugs can be considered as the most promising drug candidates for new therapeutic strategies of pharmacological correction of the consequences of chronic PH.
Assessment of Anticancer Activity of Crude Ethanolic Extracts of Moringa Oleifera Pod and Leaves on 7,12 - Dimethylbenz Anthracene Induced Skin Cancer in Mice.
Authors: Saradha S , Abitha R , Prasath K Hari , Logithkumar S , Vijayashree R , Devi T Sobita , indhra P
Published: April 2024

Background and Objective: Carcinoma of the skin is the commonest cancer in the world. This study aims to assess the anti-cancer effect of the ethanolic pod and leaf extracts of Moringa Oleifera on 7,12 - dimethylbenz anthracene (DMBA) induced skin carcinoma in mice. Methodology: Animals were divided into 6 groups of 5 each. 7,12 - dimethylbenz anthracene (DMBA) was used topically for four weeks to induce tumour. Group 1 received placebo, Group 2 - standard drug 5- Fluorouracil, Groups 3, 4 received pod extract and Groups 5,6 received leaf extract of Moringa Oleifera of concentration 500 and 1000mg/kg respectively for 3 weeks. Hematological and biochemical parameters such as Hemoglobin, RBC, WBC and platelet counts, SGOT and SGPT, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were done before cancer induction and at the end of 7 weeks. Histopathological examination of the skin, liver and kidney were done at the end of 7 weeks. Results: There was reduction in tumor size in the Moringa Oleifera pod and leaf extract treated groups. Histopathology revealed infiltration of the cells with scarring of epidermis in the extract treated groups indicating the healing of tissues more pronounced at higher concentration. Control group showed atypical squamous cells whereas the standard drug treated group showed infiltration and scarring. Conclusion: This study exhibits a dose dependent anticancer effect of Moringa oleifera pod and leaf extracts in mice which was comparable with the standard drug 5-Fluorouracil.
Cytotoxic and Antiproliferative Testing of HeLa Cervical Cancer Cells Using Seagrass Ethanolic Extraction (Cymodocea rotundata and Enhalus acoroides )
Authors: Widiastuti Endang L. , Istikomah Eka Ayu Lailatul , Barliana Melisa Intan , Nurcahyani Nuning , Setyaningrum Endah
Published: April 2024

Many treatments of cervical cancer leave some side effects. Therefore, other cancer treatment which can reduce the side effects must be elaborated, one is by searching of some natural products. Some of the natural products could be obtained from the marine biota such as seagrass, Cymodecea rotundata and Enhalus acoroides. Most of seagrass have bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and steroids which have antioxidants, antitumor and anticancer activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the activity of the ethanolic extraction of C. rotundata and E. acoroides against HeLa cells. To determine their cytotoxic and antiproliferative activity, we used the CCK-8 assay, with series concentrations of 62.5 ppm, 125 ppm, 250 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm and 2000 ppm, and doxorubicin as control drug (with incubation times of 24, 48, 72 hours). The results indicated that both extracts had cytotoxic effect on HeLa cell line, with IC50 values of 856.65 ppm (C. rotundata) and 645.96 ppm (E. acoroides). While their anti-proliferative activity indicated by the doubling time of HeLa cell lines, reached 297 hours for C. rotundata at 1000 ppm, and 370 hours for E. acoroids at of 500 ppm. It was concluded that the ethanol extracts of C. rotundata and E. acoroides were cytotoxic and had antiproliferative activity against HeLa cells.
Design of Filtration Approach for Image Quality Improvement in Mango Leaf Disease Detection and Pharmaceutical Treatment
Authors: Garg Rinku , Sandhu Amanpreet Kaur , Kaur Bobbinpreet , Goyal Bhawna , Dogra Ayush
Published: April 2024

The traditional method of studying and diagnosing diseases in plants relies primarily on human vision, which is ineffective in identifying diseases in the plants. The color of the leaves gets changed and develops spots such as yellow, brown and black patches as a result of the symptoms. Manually observing leaves for detection is employed to identify the disease, which takes more time, is more costly, and is less accurate. As a result, use of image processing techniques may be a better alternative than certain other old traditional approaches for speedy and exact illness identification. The symptoms may be seen on plant components such as the fruit, leaves, stems, or lesions. The target is to appropriately identify and categorize the diseases based on the leaf photographs. The processes involved in the procedure include image pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction, and identification. Bacterial, viral, fungal, and insect-borne diseases are all considered. Mango leaves include anthracnose, bacterial canker, and black sooty mold. In this article, a hybrid filter was proposed based on image enhancement i.e., denoising, reducing blurriness and edge sharping of the images and then segmentation done by taking leaves of these three diseases and results are saved.
Efficacy and Bioavailability of silymarin on Plasma S100B Level in Cardiotoxicity-induced Rats
Authors: Jalil Diyar Majid , Altaei Taghreed
Published: April 2024

Cardiotoxicity is a cause of death by drug overdose. Silymarin, a cytoprotective agent used in this research to protect against induced-cardiotoxic effects in Albino Wister rats; exhibited signs of heart damage, such as elevated levels of S100B, troponin I, and CK-MB. Seventy albino Wister rats of both genders were divided randomly with each group having 10 rats. Silymarin-treated, cardiotoxic-induced, and control groups were treated for ten days. The bioavailability of silymarin was assessed, and evaluation of the efficacy of silymarin on the biomarker S100B and cardiac biomarkers (Troponin I, and CK-MB), also the histopathological assessments of the heart, liver, and kidney, in addition to the coefficient correlation of the studied biomarkers were analyzed. Research’s outcome indicated that the sets subjected to silymarin presented substantial differences in rat weight and food consumption, compared to a decrease in cardiotoxic clusters. S100B plasma level was increased in cardiotoxic groups, reduced in those subjected to silymarin, and eliminated by pretreatment with silymarin. Troponin I & CK-MB expressively elevated significantly in cardiotoxic prompted rats, which declined with silymarin treatment and were prohibited in pretreatment by silymarin. The shielding characteristic of silymarin detected in end organs, like the liver, kidneys, and hearts when exposed to the cardiotoxic agent clozapine was extremely significant. The consequences of the histopathological examination of this study illustrated silymarin’s cardioprotective effects. A significant positive coefficient correlation of S100B with troponin I & CK-MB was recorded. In conclusion, silymarin reduces and prevents to a larger extent the cardiotoxicity brought about by clozapine and averts heart injury. The cardioprotective efficacy of silymarin is explained by its new mechanism of action as decreasing S100B, troponin I & CK-MB levels with a strong significant correlation to each other. The cardioprotective efficacy of silymarin gives promise for monitoring the cardiotoxicity adverse drug reaction induced by drugs.
Prognostic factors for clinical outcomes after arthroscopic treatment of traumatic central tears of the triangular fibrocartilage complex
Authors: Cho Jae-Yong , Lee Sung-Woo , Kim Do-Hyun , Oh Won-Taek , Koh Il-Hyun , Chun Yong-Min , Choi Yun-Rak
Published: April 2024

Aims

The study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic debridement and partial excision in patients with traumatic central tears of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), and to identify prognostic factors associated with unfavourable clinical outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients arthroscopically diagnosed with Palmer 1 A lesions who underwent arthroscopic debridement and partial excision from March 2009 to February 2021, with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Patients were assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, Mayo Wrist Score (MWS), and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. The poor outcome group was defined as patients whose preoperative and last follow-up clinical score difference was less than the minimal clinically important difference of the DASH score (10.83). Baseline characteristics, arthroscopic findings, and radiological factors (ulnar variance, MRI, or arthrography) were evaluated to predict poor clinical outcomes.

Results

A total of 114 patients were enrolled in this study, with a mean follow-up period of 29.8 months (SD 14.4). The mean DASH score improved from 36.5 (SD 21.5) to 16.7 (SD 14.3), the mean MWS from 59.7 (SD 17.9) to 79.3 (SD 14.3), and the mean VAS pain score improved from 5.9 (SD 1.8) to 2.2 (SD 2.0) at the last follow-up (all p < 0.001). Among the 114 patients, 16 (14%) experienced poor clinical outcomes and ten (8.8%) required secondary ulnar shortening osteotomy. Positive ulnar variance was the only factor significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes (p < 0.001). Positive ulnar variance was present in 38 patients (33%); among them, eight patients (21%) required additional operations.

Conclusion

Arthroscopic debridement alone appears to be an effective and safe initial treatment for patients with traumatic central TFCC tears. The presence of positive ulnar variance was associated with poor clinical outcomes, but close observation after arthroscopic debridement is more likely to be recommended than ulnar shortening osteotomy as a primary treatment.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(4):380–386.
The rate of nonunion in the MRI-detected occult scaphoid fracture
Authors: Dean Benjamin J. F. , Riley Nicholas , Little Christopher , Sheehan Warren , Gidwani Sam , Brewster Mark , Dhiman Paula , Costa Matt L.
Published: April 2024

Aims

There is a lack of published evidence relating to the rate of nonunion seen in occult scaphoid fractures, diagnosed only after MRI. This study reports the rate of delayed union and nonunion in a cohort of patients with MRI-detected acute scaphoid fractures.

Methods

This multicentre cohort study at eight centres in the UK included all patients with an acute scaphoid fracture diagnosed on MRI having presented acutely following wrist trauma with normal radiographs. Data were gathered retrospectively for a minimum of 12 months at each centre. The primary outcome measures were the rate of acute surgery, delayed union, and nonunion.

Results

A total of 1,989 patients underwent acute MRI for a suspected scaphoid fracture during the study period, of which 256 patients (12.9%) were diagnosed with a previously occult scaphoid fracture. Of the patients with scaphoid fractures, six underwent early surgical fixation (2.3%) and there was a total of 16 cases of delayed or nonunion (6.3%) in the remaining 250 patients treated with cast immobilization. Of the nine nonunions (3.5%), seven underwent surgery (2.7%), one opted for non-surgical treatment, and one failed to attend follow-up. Of the seven delayed unions (2.7%), one (0.4%) was treated with surgery at two months, one (0.4%) did not attend further follow-up, and the remaining five fractures (1.9%) healed after further cast immobilization. All fractures treated with surgery had united at follow-up. There was one complication of surgery (prominent screw requiring removal).

Conclusion

MRI-detected scaphoid fractures are not universally benign, with delayed or nonunion of scaphoid fractures diagnosed only after MRI seen in over 6% despite appropriate initial immobilization, with most of these patients with nonunion requiring surgery to achieve union. This study adds weight to the evidence base supporting the use of early MRI for these patients.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(4):387–393.
PEDF peptide plus hyaluronic acid stimulates cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritis via STAT3-mediated chondrogenesis
Authors: Lu Yung-Chang , Ho Tsung-Chuan , Huang Chang-Hung , Yeh Shu-I , Chen Show-Li , Tsao Yeou-Ping
Published: April 2024

Aims

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is known to induce several types of tissue regeneration by activating tissue-specific stem cells. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of PEDF 29-mer peptide in the damaged articular cartilage (AC) in rat osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) were isolated from rat bone marrow (BM) and used to evaluate the impact of 29-mer on chondrogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs in culture. Knee OA was induced in rats by a single intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) in the right knees (set to day 0). The 29-mer dissolved in 5% hyaluronic acid (HA) was intra-articularly injected into right knees at day 8 and 12 after MIA injection. Subsequently, the therapeutic effect of the 29-mer/HA on OA was evaluated by the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) histopathological scoring system and changes in hind paw weight distribution, respectively. The regeneration of chondrocytes in damaged AC was detected by dual-immunostaining of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and chondrogenic markers.

Results

The 29-mer promoted expansion and chondrogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs cultured in different defined media. MIA injection caused chondrocyte death throughout the AC, with cartilage degeneration thereafter. The 29-mer/HA treatment induced extensive chondrocyte regeneration in the damaged AC and suppressed MIA-induced synovitis, accompanied by the recovery of cartilage matrix. Pharmacological inhibitors of PEDF receptor (PEDFR) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signalling substantially blocked the chondrogenic promoting activity of 29-mer on the cultured BM-MSCs and injured AC.

Conclusion

The 29-mer/HA formulation effectively induces chondrocyte regeneration and formation of cartilage matrix in the damaged AC.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(4):137–148.
Generation of multi-focus shaping with high uniformity based on an improved Gerchberg–Saxton algorithm
Authors: Chen Hang , Wang Ningxiao , Huang Yu , Wu Congyi , Rong Youmiu
Published: April 2024

The Gerchberg–Saxton (GS) algorithm has been extensively employed in computational holography and beam shaping with the advantages of quick iteration speed and high energy utilization. However, the GS algorithm is prone to trapping into local optima and not reaching ideal outcomes, leading to poor shaping quality. In this paper, a method of random disturbance superposition (RDS) was proposed to feedback GS amplitude, which could stably and universally achieve over 95% high uniformity shaping of multiple beams without other complex operations. In light of this, this paper also covered how this technique affected energy utilization. It has been discovered that the introduction of perturbation could decrease the energy utilization. By analyzing the mechanism, a phase value replacement (PVR) method was proposed, which could effectively improve energy utilization without reducing uniformity. Finally, the simulation results were experimentally validated and met expectations very well. This method helps to accurately control the energy distribution of multiple beams and has a driving effect on laser precision processing technology.
Experimental study of a thin thermally grown oxide layer in thermal barrier coatings based on the SWT-BP algorithm and terahertz technology
Authors: Luo Manting , Zhong Shuncong , Huang Yi , Zhang Zhenghao , Nsengiyumva Walter , Tu Wanli
Published: April 2024

As a promising nondestructive testing (NDT) technique with a very adaptive physical modeling of wave transmission process, terahertz technology is used for the detection and characterization of nonpolar materials and the evaluation of layered and/or defective structures. THz-TDS can also be used to perform spectroscopic analysis and detect structural defects in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) of aero-engines. Although it is generally difficult to measure the structure of the thin oxide layer of the thermal barrier coatings whose thickness is generally lower than 30 µm (the current axial resolution of the THz-TDS cannot exceed 30 µm). We were able to complete the detection of the oxide layer within 1–29 µm through simulation by using the SWT-BP algorithm. In this study, the analysis was performed on real-world samples, the fitting degree of the SWT-BP algorithm reached 0.77, and the minimum prediction error was less than 0.1 µm. The paper also put forward some improvement measures about the experimental results.
Single-molecule localization microscopy at 2.4-fold resolution improvement with optical lattice pattern illumination
Authors: Cao Xiaojie , Li Mingqiang , Li Qian , Fan Chunhai , Sun Jielin , Gao Zhaoshuai
Published: April 2024

Traditional camera-based single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), with its high imaging resolution and localization throughput, has made significant advancements in biological and chemical researches. However, due to the limitation of the fluorescence signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a single molecule, its resolution is difficult to reach to 5 nm. Optical lattice produces a nondiffracting beam pattern that holds the potential to enhance microscope performance through its high contrast and penetration depth. Here, we propose a new method named LatticeFLUX which utilizes the wide-field optical lattice pattern illumination for individual molecule excitation and localization. We calculated the Cramér-Rao lower bound of LatticeFLUX resolution and proved that our method can improve the single molecule localization precision by 2.4 times compared with the traditional SMLM. We propose a scheme using 9-frame localization, which solves the problem of uneven lattice light illumination. Based on the experimental single-molecule fluorescence SNR, we coded the image reconstruction software to further verify the resolution enhancement capability of LatticeFLUX on simulated punctate DNA origami, line pairs, and cytoskeleton. LatticeFLUX confirms the feasibility of using 2D structured light illumination to obtain high single-molecule localization precision under high localization throughput. It paves the way for further implementation of ultra-high resolution full 3D structured-light-illuminated SMLM.
Characterization of sub-20-attosecond timing jitter in erbium-doped fiber laser system
Authors: Rīgere Natālija , Brodschelm Andreas , Wilk Rafał , Iglev Hristo
Published: April 2024

The significance of timing jitter stems from its pivotal role in enhancing the precision of applications like spectroscopy and frequency metrology. In this study, we introduce a comprehensive procedure for achieving low timing jitter values in mode-locked fiber laser systems, highlighting dispersion, intracavity pulse energy, pulse length, and spectral bandwidth as key parameters. Notably, we unveil the influence of fiber amplifier pump power on jitter, a factor neglected in established theories and recent experiments. Applying this procedure to a 200-MHz all-polarization-maintaining (PM) erbium-doped (Er:) nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM) fiber laser system, we demonstrate an exceptionally low timing jitter of 14.25 attoseconds, measured using the balanced optical cross-correlation (BOC) technique and integrated from 10 kHz to 4 MHz. The implementation of our novel method offers the opportunity to improve jitter results in various fiber laser systems and increase the accuracy of fiber laser applications.
High-precision measurements of terahertz polarization states with a fiber coupled time-domain THz spectrometer
Authors: Tagay Zhenisbek , Romero Ralph , Armitage N. P.
Published: April 2024

We present a new method for high precision measurements of polarization rotation in the frequency range from 0.2 to 2.2 THz using a fiber coupled time-domain THz spectrometer. A free standing wire-grid polarizer splits THz light into orthogonal components that are then measured by two separate detectors simultaneously. We theoretically model the uncertainties introduced by optical component non-idealities and predict that we may expect to achieve accuracies of 0.8% when anti-symmetrizing the response with respect to an applied field. Anti-symmetrization improves accuracy by more than four orders of magnitude. We demonstrate this method on a 2D electron gas in magnetic field and show that we achieve a precision of 20 μrad (1.1 mdeg) for small polarization rotation angles. A detailed description of the technique and data analysis procedure is provided, demonstrating its capability to precisely measure polarization states in the 0.2 to 2.2 THz range.
Evolution mechanism of subsurface damage during laser machining process of fused silica
Authors: Han Yichi , Wan Songlin , Peng Xiaocong , Chen Huan , Wang Shengshui , Li Hanjie , Jiang Pandeng , Wei Chaoyang , Shao Jianda
Published: April 2024

The machining-induced subsurface damage (SSD) on fused silica optics would incur damage when irradiated by intense lasers, which severely restricts the service life of fused silica optics. The high absorption of fused silica to 10.6 µm makes it possible to utilize pulsed CO2 laser to remove and characterize SSD by layer-by-layer ablation, which improves its laser-induced damage threshold. However, thermal stress during the laser ablation process may have an impact on SSD, leading to extension. Still, the law of SSD morphology evolution mechanism has not been clearly revealed. In this work, a multi-physics simulated model considering light field modulation is established to reveal the evolution law of radial SSD during the laser layer-by-layer ablation process. Based on the simulation of different characteristic structural parameters, two evolution mechanisms of radial SSD are revealed, and the influence of characteristic structural parameters on SSD is also elaborated. By prefabricating the SSD by femtosecond laser, the measurements of SSD during CO2 laser layer-by-layer ablation experiments are consistent with the simulated results, and three stages of SSD depth variation under two evolution processes are further proposed. The findings of this study provide theoretical guidance for effectively characterizing SSD based on laser layer-by-layer ablation strategies on fused silica optics.
Programmable photoacoustic manipulation of microparticles in liquid
Authors: Li Jinzhi , Zhao Xichuan , Zhang Ruoqin , Zhou Di , Li Feng , Li Zhiyuan , Guo Honglian
Published: April 2024

Particle manipulation through the transfer of light or sound momentum has emerged as a powerful technique with immense potential in various fields, including cell biology, microparticle assembly, and lab-on-chip technology. Here, we present a novel method called Programmable Photoacoustic Manipulation (PPAM) of microparticles in liquid, which enables rapid and precise arrangement and controllable transport of numerous silica particles in water. Our approach leverages the modulation of pulsed laser using digital micromirror devices (DMD) to generate localized Lamb waves in a stainless steel membrane and acoustic waves in water. The particles undergo a mechanical force of about several µN due to membrane vibrations and an acoustic radiation force of about tens of nN from the surrounding water. Consequently, this approach surpasses the efficiency of optical tweezers by effectively countering the viscous drag imposed by water and can be used to move thousands of particles on the membrane. The high power of the pulsed laser and the programmability of the DMD enhance the flexibility in particle manipulation. By integrating the benefits of optical and acoustic manipulation, this technique holds great promise for advancing large-scale manipulation, cell assembly, and drug delivery.
High-capacity MIMO visible light communication integrated into mini-LED LCDs
Authors: Zhao Zhiqing , Qiu Yuqing , Zou Guowei , Liu Yi , Weng Jiefeng , Yang Bo-Ru , Qin Zong
Published: April 2024

Visible light communication (VLC) can be integrated into a liquid crystal display (LCD) by modulating its backlight while normally showing pictures. Received by ordinary cameras, such integrated display and communication (IDAC) systems are promising for the Internet of Things and Metaverse. However, in the premise of unaffected display function, the capacity of current IDAC systems is limited, with data rates of very few kbps. This work proposes a new architecture: multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) VLC integrated into a mini-LED LCD, whose many backlight segments act as multiple transmitters. A camera utilizes the rolling shutter effect with independent pixel columns to form multiple outputs. The communication capacity is thus significantly multiplied by the backlight column number. In addition, local dimming, which is favorable for an LCD’s contrast and power consumption, is exploited to achieve efficient signal modulation. We built a mini-LED LCD prototype with 8-by-20 backlight segments for experimental verification. The backlight segments multiplex a video-rate signal for local dimming and a high-frequency (∼34 kHz) signal modulated through multi-pulse position modulation (MPPM) for VLC. By taking photographs with a camera 1.1 m away from the screen, a record-high rate of 201.6 kbps (approximately ten times faster than current IDAC systems) was experimentally achieved with a bit error rate satisfying the forward error correction. Improved image contrast due to local dimming was also observed.
Experimental demonstration of flexible information rate PON beyond 100 Gb/s with rate-compatible LDPC codes
Authors: Zhang Xiangli , Xuan Yunpeng , Gong Zepeng , Zhang Xu , Li Jie , Luo Ming , Jia Bowen , Luo Dapeng , Huang Tianye , Li Xiang
Published: April 2024

The applications of rate-compatible low-density parity-check (RC-LDPC) codes are investigated for a 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM) signal and coherent detection system. With rate-compatible signals, we can provide the flexible net data rate between 135.5 Gb/s and 169.7 Gb/s in a passive optical network (PON) link. Based on the LDPC codes defined in the IEEE 802.3ca standard, we construct two sets of RC-LDPC codes with a fixed and variable information bit length. Since the puncturing operation may degrade the performance of LDPC codes, we apply the protograph-based extrinsic information transfer (PEXIT) technique to optimize the puncturing positions to mitigate the degradation. Additionally, we explore four low-complexity LDPC decoding algorithms (min sum, offset min sum, variable weight min sum, and relaxed min sum with 2
nd
min emulation) to investigate the relationship between the computational complexity and decoding performance. Simulation results indicate that the constructed codewords exhibit good performance in the waterfall region across a range of code rates. Finally, we conduct an experimental setup in a dual-polarization 25 GBaud 16QAM coherent PON to verify the effectiveness of the constructed LDPC codes with four decoding algorithms. The experimental results show maximal 4.8 dB receiver sensitivity differences, which demonstrate the feasibility of the method for constructing RC-LDPC codes in future high-speed flexible coherent PON.
Where is the orbital angular momentum in vortex superposition states?
Authors: Hu Huajie , Li Hehe , Qin Xueyun , Li Xinzhong
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we explore the distribution of the orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the coaxial vortex superposition states based on the independent propagation principle of light in this interference process. We find that in this case, some specific singular points exist in the spatial intensity distribution. The first type of singular point is located at the center point of the spatial intensity distribution. The second type of specific singular point is at the critical location of the overlapping area in angular direction. By analogy with the angular momentum superposition of two axially rotating homogeneous disks with different radius in rigid body, We present a suggestion: the center point is located at the overlapping area of all the superposed components. Therefore, the topological charge value in the center point should be doubled by the actual number of superposition field components. The singular point at the critical location of the overlapping area in angular direction should also be co-owned by the superposition components outside the position of the ring (including the corresponding component of the ring). The total OAM is exactly equal to the sum of those two types contained in the superposition states, which is equal to the input OAM of the superposition state components. The conservation of the OAM in the coaxial interference process is demonstrated.
Efficient single-scattering lookup table for lidar and polarimeter phytoplankton studies
Authors: Chemyakin Eduard , Stamnes Snorre , Allen James , Burton Sharon P. , Hair Johnathan , Hostetler Chris , Chowdhary Jacek , van Diedenhoven Bastiaan , Cairns Brian
Published: April 2024

Coupled atmosphere and ocean remote sensing retrievals of aerosol, cloud, and oceanic phytoplankton microphysical properties, such as those carried out by the NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, involve single-scattering calculations that are time consuming. Lookup tables (LUTs) exist to speed up these calculations for aerosol and water droplets in the atmosphere. In our new Lorenz–Mie lookup table, we tabulate single scattering by an ensemble of coated isotropic spheres representing oceanic phytoplankton at wavelengths from 0.355 µm. The lookup table covers phytoplankton particles with radii in the range of 0.15–100 µm at an increase of up to 104 in computational speed compared to single-scattering calculations. The allowed complex refractive indices range from 1.05 to 1.24 for the shell’s real part, from 10-7 to 0.3 for the shell’s imaginary part, from 0 to 0.001 for the core’s imaginary part, and equal to 1.02 for the core’s real part. We show that we precisely compute inherent optical properties for the phytoplankton size distributions ranging up to 5 µm for the effective radius and up to 0.6 for the effective variance. We test wavelengths from 0.355 to 1.065 µm and find that all the inherent optical properties of interest agree with the single-scattering calculations to within 1% for 99.9% of cases. We also provide an example of using the lookup table to reproduce the phytoplankton optical datasets listed in the PANGAEA database for synthetic hyperspectral algorithm development. The table together with C++, Fortran, MATLAB, and Python codes to apply different complex refractive indices and phytoplankton size distributions is freely available online.
Instantaneous thermometry imaging using two-photon laser-induced fluorescence
Authors: Stiti Mehdi , Kornienko Vassily , Kristensson Elias , Castanet Guillaume , Berrocal Edouard
Published: April 2024

Measuring temperature in complex two-phase flows is crucial for understanding the dynamics of heat and mass transfer. In this Letter, we introduce a novel, to the best of our knowledge, optical approach based on the combination of two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (2p-LIF) imaging and two-color laser-induced fluorescence (2CLIF) for instantaneous temperature mapping of complex liquid media. Using Kiton Red (KR) and Rhodamine 560 (R560), a temperature sensitivity of 1.54%/∘C has been achieved over a range of 17–60°C. The monitoring of two-dimensional transient temperature dynamics in the heating and degassing of water shows the efficiency of the 2p–2CLIF. This new approach contributes to the toolkit of optical temperature measurement techniques, providing a robust solution for studying transient scattering media and high-speed two-phase flows.