bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are There More HER2 FISH in the Sea? An Institution’s Experience in Identifying HER2 Positivity Using Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization in Patients with HER2 Negative Immunohistochemistry
Authors: Suydam Camille , Chibane Fairouz , Brown Nicole , Schlafly Madeleine , Arnold Alicia H. , Ghleilib Intisar , Easley Melissa , White Joseph
Published: November 2023

Background

Approximately 20% of breast cancers express HER2-positive receptors in the USA. HER2 receptor immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining with equivocal (2+) results commonly undergoes fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for further classification. Current guidelines do not recommend routine FISH testing in IHC-negative (0 or 1+) cases. This study investigates an institution that performs both IHC and FISH testing on all cases to identify the true HER2-positive rate.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective chart review from 2015 to 2021 was conducted at an institution where both HER2 IHC and FISH testing were performed at the time of diagnosis for all invasive breast cancers. The rate of true HER2-positive patients was determined, and patient and tumor characteristics were further explored.

Results

A total of 1835 invasive breast cancer cases were primarily treated at this institution. A total of 289 cases were HER2 positive on IHC and FISH testing (15.7%). An additional 38 cases were identified as HER2 negative on IHC, but reclassified as HER2 positive on reflex FISH testing. Total HER2 positive cases increased from 289 (15.7%) to 327 cases (17.8%) with reflex FISH testing.

Conclusions

The additional HER2-positive cases after completing FISH testing on IHC-negative tumors suggests there may be a role for routine FISH testing in addition to standard IHC staining to determine HER2 status for breast cancer. The ethical, prognostic and even  benefits of a correct diagnosis outweigh the added expense of FISH testing.
Analysis on factors affecting tourist involvement in coffee tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
Authors: Madhyamapurush Warach
Published: November 2023

Background The world economy was broken by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the coffee industry. The COVID-19 pandemic’s financial effects might influence equity markets and personal lives. This includes financial commodities like coffee, which the pandemic is predicted to damage. Coffee tourism is an emerging new kind of tourism in Thailand, formed in response to growing demand from visitors with a particular affinity for the beverage. Coffee tourism may contribute considerably to the expansion of Thai tourism if given the proper guidance and assistance. Methods As part of a coffee tourism experience focusing on first-hand activities and information, tourists can visit neighbouring sites while on a coffee plantation. This research uses a stochastic neuro-fuzzy decision tree (SNF-DT) to analyse coffee tourism in Thailand. The research surveys 400 international and Thai coffee tourists. According to studies, Thai visitors mostly visit coffee tourism locations in Thailand for enjoyment. They also wanted to visit coffee fields in order to get personal knowledge of coffee production and marketing. Based on the comments of Thai visitors, coffee tourism in northern Thailand looks to be highly and effectively handled. Due to the same factor, responses from foreign coffee tourists indicated that many of their journeys to coffee tourism destinations were made entirely for enjoyment rather than the business. They also wanted to meet local tour guides and acquire handmade and locally produced things to understand more about coffee tourism. Result According to study results, coffee tourism management in northern Thailand looks well-received by international tourists. We also compare the suggested model to the traditional one to demonstrate its efficacy. The performance metrics are prediction rate, prediction error, and accuracy. The estimated results for our proposed technique are prediction rate (95%), prediction error (97%), and accuracy (94%). Recommendations Major global businesses such as tourism have been harmed by COVID-19’s unprecedented effects. This study attempts to determine the role of coffee tourism in livelihoods based on real-time data using a machine-learning approach. More research is needed to analyse the factors of the coffee tourism experience using different machine learning approaches.
Bakuchiol, a natural constituent and its pharmacological benefits
Authors: Nizam Nuder Nower , Mahmud Sohel , Ark S M Albar , Kamruzzaman Mohammad , Hasan Md. Kamrul
Published: November 2023

Background and aims Natural compounds extracted from medicinal plants have recently gained attention in therapeutics as they are considered to have lower Toxicity and higher tolerability relative to chemically synthesized compounds. Bakuchiol from Psoralea corylifolia L. is one such compound; it is a type of meroterpene derived from the leaves and seeds of Psoralea corylifolia plants. Natural sources of bakuchiol have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for centuries due to its preventive benefits against tumors and inflammation. It plays a strong potential role as an antioxidant with impressive abilities to remove Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). This review has focused on bakuchiol’s extraction, therapeutic applications, and pharmacological benefits. Methods A search strategy has been followed to retrieve the relevant newly published literature on the pharmacological benefits of bakuchiol. After an extensive study of the retrieved articles and maintaining the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 110 articles were finally selected for this review. Results Strong support of primary research on the protective effects via antitumorigenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities are delineated. Conclusions From ancient to modern life, medicinal plants have always been drawing the attention of human beings to alleviate ailments for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. This review is a comprehensive approach to highlighting bona fide essential pharmacological benefits and mechanisms underlying their therapeutic applications.
Gender gaps in scientific research: a systematic review
Authors: Grijalva Salazar Rosario Violeta , Fernández-Bedoya Víctor Hugo , Meneses La Riva Mónica Elisa , Suyo Vega Josefina Amanda , Ríos Cubas Martín Alexander
Published: November 2023

Background: The gender gaps present in the field of scientific and academic research generate discrimination and lack of equal opportunities for women, resulting in several barriers that significantly limit women's scientific productivity. The objective was to identify the main gender gaps in productivity and scientific research. Method: The researchers conducted a systematic search for articles on gender disparities in women's scientific production in the SCOPUS and REDALYC repositories, taking into account manuscripts in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Articles on gender gaps in scientific production were included, while empirical studies with other approaches to gender discrimination were excluded. Studies that did not address gender differences in scientific research, those that focused only on specific scientific disciplines without taking gender into account, and those that were not available in their entirety were excluded. The search and selection were conducted from May and June 2023. To avoid stumbling blocks, other methods were used, such as initially filtering titles based on a search equation and then excluding those that did not address gender differences in scientific research. Next, manuscripts were reviewed and those that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. Finally, the remaining research was thoroughly reviewed to obtain the information needed for the study. Results: A total of 23 articles were analyzed, addressing various issues such as discrimination, lack of policies to support women, academic inequalities and other factors that make female participation more difficult. Conclusion: The main findings revealed gender gaps that have an impact on worldwide female scientific production. The literature frequently focuses on low output without investigating the causes. When they approach, they just treat the surface. Future research should focus on gender disparities in production, as well as the daily challenges women face in research and scientific production.
A review of ultrasound contrast media
Authors: Oglat Ammar A.
Published: November 2023

There have been numerous attempts over the past 50 years to develop efficient ultrasound contrast media (UCM) for both cardiac and noncardiac uses. In other words, the first UCM was created in the 1980s as a result of early reports from the 1960s documenting the findings of ultrasound contrast enhancement by microscopic gaseous bubbles during echocardiographic tests. A nontoxic UCM (Definity, Optison, Sonazoid, and SonoVue are some of the current commercial contrast media for echography that have shown promise in a range of on- and off-label clinical purposes) that may be injected intravenously, travels through the pulmonary, cardiac, and capillary circulations, and is stable for recirculation would be ideal. Many potential UCMs have been developed or are currently being worked on. The understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological behavior of microbubbles has greatly advanced in increase tumor vascularity, highlight sites of ischemia, and improve the ability to see vascular stenosis. Future potential, like ultrasonic molecular imaging and therapeutic uses of microbubbles, are anticipated to benefit from new inventive advancements.
The proximate composition, amino acid profile, fatty acid content, and mineral content of scale flour from three fish species as potential feeds for fish fry
Authors: Syandri Hafrijal , Azrita Azrita , Mardiah Ainul , Aryani Netti , Diharmi Andarini
Published: November 2023

Background Fish scale waste is highly valued both as a functional food ingredient and a potential feed source for farmed fish. This study aimed to analyse the chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and mineral content in fish scale flour of Osphronemus (O) goramy, Cyprinus (C) carpio, and Oreochromis (O) niloticus as potential feed for fish fry. Methods Fish scales were cleaned with 10% w/v NaCl solution at a ratio of 1:10 (w/w) for 24 hours at 4 °C. Agitation was used every eight hours to remove excess protein. Fish scales were evenly arranged in a cooker and cooked at 121 °C for 10 minutes with 15 psi pressure. After cooking, 100 grams of wet fish scales was dried at 50 °C for four hours. Dried fish scales were transformed into flour for proximate composition analysed via standard AOAC method, amino acid and fatty acid assessment employing HPLC and GC-MS, while mineral content was determined using AAS. Results The examined fish scale flour from three species displayed significant variations in chemical components, amino acids, and minerals (p<0.01). Crude protein content spanned 49.52% to 72.94%, and fat content ranged from 0.11% to 0.23%. Magnesium levels varied between 767.82 mg/kg and 816.50 mg/kg, calcium content ranged from 3.54 mg/kg to 12.16 mg/kg, iron content was within 40.46 mg/kg to 44.10 mg/kg, and zinc content ranged from 45.80 mg/kg to 139.19 mg/kg. Predominantly, glycine emerged as the main free amino acid (FAA), varying from 13.70% to 16.08%, while histidine had the lowest content, at 0.39% to 0.71%. Conversely, fatty acid content was low in all species examined ranging from 6.73% to 9.48%. Conclusions Flour from three farmed fish types has potential for fish fry feed due to its chemical composition, amino acid, and mineral content. Further validation is needed for amino acid comparison to fish meal.
Implications of Timanian thrust systems in the Barents Sea and Svalbard on using paleontological constraints for plate tectonics reconstructions
Authors: Koehl Jean-Baptiste P.
Published: November 2023

Background The Svalbard Archipelago is commonly believed to have been located at comparable latitude and, possibly, to have been attached to Laurentia in the early Paleozoic (500–420 Ma) based on trilobite assemblage similarities. Trilobite assemblage differences and lack of mixing between Laurentia–Svalbard and Baltica were further used to propose that these continents were separated by the Iapetus Ocean at that time. However, recent structural correlation of Timanian (650–550 Ma) thrust systems throughout the Barents Sea show that Svalbard was already attached to Baltica in the latest Neoproterozoic and remained so during the Phanerozoic. Methods The present study presents a new interpretation of seismic reflection data from the DISKOS database, which were tied to nearby exploration wells. The study uses recently acquired knowledge of the seismic facies of intensely deformed pre-Caledonian rocks and principles of sequence stratigraphy to interpret the data. Results The present study reconciles the proximity of Svalbard and Laurentia with the early accretion of Svalbard to Baltica in the latest Neoproterozoic. It also describes the influence of Timanian thrust systems on paleoenvironments and possible effects on trilobite assemblages, e.g., the lack of mixing between those of Laurentia–Svalbard and Baltica. Conclusions The results suggest that paleontological constraints are robust markers to discuss continent amalgamation but should be considered with greater care when discussing continent separation since other factors, such as major thrust systems, may create major, linear, topographical boundaries, which may act as major faunal barriers within a single tectonic plate. Other factors to consider include paleoclimatic belts.
Psychological factors of conflicts in the professional activities of minoral affairs employees
Authors: Krasnoshtanova Natal'ya
Published: November 2023

Based on the analysis of theoretical approaches to the interpretation of the phenomenon of "psychological security of the individual" in modern psychological science and their own empirical research of the views of the police officers about the phenomenon under study, the concept of "psychological security of the subjects of official activity" is clarified. By the method of an expert survey, which was attended by 18 employees of the Department of Internal Affairs serving as adjuncts of the Faculty of Training Scientific and Scientific-Pedagogical Personnel of the Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after V.Ya. Kikotya, its five-component structure was revealed, including: cognitive, emotional, motivational, socio-psychological, and psychophysiological components. It is established that experts consider the most important manifestations of the psychological security of subjects of official activity to be a subjective assessment of the situation as not threatening and controlled, but their capabilities for regulating it as sufficient; the absence of social anxiety and fear of interaction; the absence of psychological violence from Others; lack of social frustration (satisfaction with life and work). At the same time, the author comes to the conclusion that the differentiation of the psychological safety of the subject of official activity in the categories of mental phenomena should be carried out rather through the category of "mental education" than through the category of "mental state", as is done in most modern scientific research.
Empirical analysis of professional psychological selection of candidates for service (training) of educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
Authors: Kostina Elena
Published: November 2023

Conducting a qualitative selection of candidates for service (training) in the internal affairs bodies is one of the effective factors in reducing staff turnover. The article presents an empirical analysis of the psychological selection of candidates for service (training) Kikot Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after V.Ya. Kikot: dynamics of the number of candidates entering the service (training); distribution of candidates by gender; "regional footprint" of candidates sent from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow; correlation of categories of professional psychological fitness; features of interaction of the Commission for Professional Psychological Selection with the Centers of Psychodiagnostics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia; generalization of risk factors of deviant (socially dangerous) behavior; proposals for improving the professional psychological selection of candidates for service (training) in the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation. The author comes to the conclusion that the resources for improving professional psychological selection are: the inclusion of psychiatrists of the Centers of Psychodiagnostics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the composition of professional psychological selection Commissions; increasing the candidate selection index (the number of candidates for one vacancy) by component units and the entry barrier (passing USE points); improving the criteria for determining risk factors of deviant (socially dangerous) behavior; improvement of organizational and staff structure of psychological work units in order to save personnel and professional personnel core - creation of departments for professional psychological selection.
Commentary on “Dynamic Incentives in Sales Force Compensation”
Authors: Kong Xiangyin , Cheng Qi , Yu Yimin
Published: November 2023

This paper points out the error in the HJB equation in a previous published paper and presents the correct HJB equation.
Rejoinder: Dynamic Incentives in Sales Force Compensation
Authors: Rubel Olivier , Prasad Ashutosh
Published: November 2023

Dynamic incentives in sales force compensation
The Global Determinants of International Equity Risk Premiums
Authors: Londono Juan M. , Xu Nancy R.
Published: November 2023

We examine the commonalities in international equity risk premiums by linking empirical evidence for the ability of U.S. downside and upside variance risk premiums (DVP and UVP, respectively) to predict international stock returns with implications from an empirical model featuring asymmetric economic uncertainty and risk aversion. We find that DVP and UVP predict international stock returns through U.S. bad and good macroeconomic uncertainties, respectively. Sixty percent to 80% of the dynamics of the global equity risk premium for horizons under seven months are driven by economic uncertainty, whereas risk aversion appears more relevant for longer horizons. The predictability patterns of DVP and UVP vary across countries depending on those countries’ financial and economic exposure to global shocks. In those with higher economic exposure, investors demand higher compensation for bad macroeconomic uncertainty but lower compensation for good macroeconomic uncertainty, whereas the compensation for bad macroeconomic uncertainty is lower for countries with high financial exposure.

This paper was accepted by Lukas Schmid, finance.

Supplemental Material: The data and online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4958 .
Critical discourse analysis of proportional closed election system news (on the online media CNNindonesia.com and News.detik.com)
Authors: Purwaningrum Prapti Wigati , Harmoko Danang Dwi
Published: November 2023

The background of this research is the discourse on the implementation of a closed proportional system in the 2024 election. The research aims to find out the textual practices of the discourse of the two online media as information tools that can influence readers' opinions of a discourse. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method through a three-dimensional theoretical approach from Fairclough. Analysis of the object of research through three stages of analysis, description, interpretation and explanation. The results of the text analysis show that the two news media have different content. cnnindonesia.com seems to be answering the public's question mark about the reasons for PDIP as the only party that seems confident in supporting a closed proportional election system in the 2024 election. Through this system the chairman of the party absolutely appoints cadres in parliament. Meanwhile, news.detik.com's reporting places more emphasis on the possible impact that will be experienced by the PDIP and its implications for political developments in Indonesia if the system is implemented in the upcoming elections. From the two reports, there is a difference in the focus of representation and the purpose of the news. The conclusion is that the context of the media and the context of the communication situation appear to have a significant effect on determining the meaning of speech in online news media.
Integrating the wrist-worn tracker in cardiac rehabilitation programmes: a scoping review
Authors: Ibrahim Nur Syazwani , Lee Wan Ling , Rampal Sanjay , Suhaimi Anwar
Published: November 2023

Background/Aims

Physical activity has been recommended as a secondary prevention strategy to reduce the risk of recurrent adverse events and improve health. While it can be challenging for health practitioners to motivate patients to remain physically active, wrist-worn activity trackers can assist in monitoring adherence. The aim of this study was to identify and summarise the existing scientific literature on wrist-worn activity trackers monitoring physical activity among patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation. The authors also aimed to identify evidence gaps that require further investigation.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Method quality was appraised using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews instrument. The study focused on any physical activity data collected by wrist-worn activity trackers in cardiac rehabilitation.

Results

A total of 19 relevant records were identified. Wrist-worn activity trackers generally improved the patient's physical activity and the validity of heart rate and step count measurements was acceptable. Some studies demonstrated improvements in exercise capacity and health-related quality of life.

Conclusions

Wrist-worn activity trackers can help to monitor patients' physical activity in cardiac rehabilitation, with potential benefits for exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. Further research is necessary to strengthen the evidence that wrist-worn activity trackers may be beneficial to evaluate clinical outcomes, determine the intervention cost, acceptability of patients and allied health professionals, as well as explore feedback, including technical issues.
ACUTE CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME: RESULTS OF A PROTOCOL FOR EARLY NERVE DECOMPRESSION AND SURGICAL STABILIZATION FOR BONY WRIST TRAUMA
Authors: Jeffrey Hamish , Samuel Thomas , Hayter Edward , Lee George , Little Max , Hardman John , Anakwe Raymond
Published: November 2023

We undertook this study to investigate the outcomes of surgical treatment for acute carpal tunnel syndrome following our protocol for concurrent nerve decompression and skeletal stabilization for bony wrist trauma to be undertaken within 48-hours.

We identified all patients treated at our trauma centre following this protocol between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019. All patients were clinically reviewed at least 12 months following surgery and assessed using the Brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (bMHQ), the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and sensory assessment with Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing.

The study group was made up of 35 patients. Thirty-three patients were treated within 36-hours. Patients treated with our unit protocol for early surgery comprising nerve decompression and bony stabilization within 36-hours, report excellent outcomes at medium term follow up.

We propose that nerve decompression and bony surgical stabilization should be undertaken as soon as practically possible once the diagnosis is made. This is emergent treatment to protect and preserve nerve function. In our experience, the vast majority of patients were treated within 24-hours.
MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOMES FOR SURGICAL VERSUS NONOPERATIVE TREATMENT FOR BENNETT'S FRACTURES OF THE THUMB METACARPAL: A MATCHED COHORT STUDY
Authors: Battle Joseph , Francis Jonathan , Patel Vijay , Hardman John , Anakwe Raymond
Published: November 2023

There is no agreement as to the superiority or specific indications for cast treatment, percutaneous pinning or open fracture fixation for Bennett's fractures of the thumb metacarpal. We undertook this study to compare the outcomes of treatment for patients treated for Bennett's fracture in the medium term.

We reviewed 33 patients treated in our unit for a bennett's fracture to the thumb metacarpal with closed reduction and casting. Each patient was matched with a patient treated surgically. Patients were matched for sex, age, Gedda grade of injury and hand dominance. Patients were reviewed at a minimum of 5-years and 66-patients were reviewed in total. Patients were examined clinically and also asked to complete a DASH questionnaire score and the brief Michigan hand questionnaire. Follow up plain radiographs were taken of the thumb and these were reviewed and graded for degenerative change using the Eaton-Littler score.

Sixty-six patients were included in the study, with 33 in the surgical and non-surgical cohorts respectively. The average age was 39 years old. In each cohort, 12/33 were female, 19/33 were right-handed with 25% of individuals injuring their dominant hand. In each coort there were 16 Grade 1 fractures, 4 Grade 2 and 13 Grade 3 fractures. There was no difference between the surgically treated and cast-treatment cohorts of patients when radiographic arthritis, pinch grip, the brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire and pain were assessed at final review. The surgical cohort had significantly lower DASH scores at final follow-up. There was no significant difference in the normalised bMHQ scores.

Our study was unable to demonstrate superiority of either operative or non-operative fracture stabilization. Patients in the surgical cohort reported superior satisfaction and DASH scores but did not demonstrate any superiority in any other objectively measured domain.
PREVALENCE OF OSTEOPOROSIS IN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS INITIATING ANTI-RETROVIRAL DRUGS LIVING IN JOHANNESBURG
Authors: Khumalo Mzwakhe
Published: November 2023

Low-energy fractures complications are a major public health issue that make osteoporosis even worse. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of osteoporosis varies from 18.2% to 65.8%. There was no change in bone mineral density between HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV is widespread. Other investigations that demonstrated that HIV-infected people had poor BMD both before and after starting anti-retroviral treatment did not consistently show a low BMD finding. Inflammation-mediated bone remodelling has been associated with low BMD in HIV-infected patients. Antiretroviral Therapy has been demonstrated to exacerbate bone loss in addition to the pre-existing intrinsic risk of developing osteoporosis.

Question: Is there loss of bone in HIV-infected patients before initiating ART?

The patients who were HIV-positive and enrolled in the ADVANCE research were retrospectively reviewed on a desk. All of the 1053 individuals in the ADVANCE research had a DXA scan performed to evaluate BMD as part of the initial screening and recruitment approach. The ADVANCE research enrolled HIV-positive people and randomly assigned them to three ART arms.

A total of 400 patients were reviewed. Of these 400 records reviewed, 62.3% were female. 80% of the participants were younger than 40 years old, and 3% were older than 50 years. 82% were virally suppressed with less than 50 viral copies. The prevalence of osteopenia was 25.5% and osteoporosis was 2.8%, observed in predominantly African female participants aged between 30 and 39 years.

The findings of this study confirm that there is pre-existing bone loss among HIV-infected ART naïve individuals. Approximately 28.3% in our study had clinically confirmed evidence of bone loss and of these, 2.8% of the entire cohort had osteoporosis. Bone loss was most prevalent in black females who are virologically suppressed.
Zion, the Diaspora, and the Future of the Jewish People
Authors: Turner Yossi
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This paper considers the question of Zion and the Diaspora pragmatically, as a question concerning the conditions necessary to ensure the continued existence of the Jewish people. My overall goal is to show that because of the differences between Jewish life in the State of Israel and the contemporary Diaspora, there is a strong difference in the challenges that confront Israeli and Diaspora Jewry; but that because of a common past (for which the adjective "Jewish" can be applied to both) on the one hand, and the global implications of the digital revolution, on the other, even these differences are rooted in a shared problematic. The first phase of discussion demonstrates that while the prevailing tendency to see the question of Zion and the Diaspora as a political one often focuses solely on contemporary issues concerning Jewish existence, a cultural view requires consideration of the past and future as well. Following this, I discuss the question of Zion and the Diaspora through the generations, noting that the continuation of Jewish life in the Land of Israel as well as in the Diaspora has historically depended upon the "midrashic" method of interpretation when confronting the junction between the diachronic and synchronic aspects of Jewish life, in order to mediate the influences coming from within and from without. The paper then considers the implications of these findings with respect to two of the major revolutions in Jewish life of the modern and contemporary periods: the effects of emancipation and the digital revolution. The final section of the paper discusses the challenges facing the existence of the Jewish people in the contemporary Diaspora and State of Israel. Here I argue that Zionism has succeeded in reconstructing, within the State of Israel, a Jewish society that carries a much greater potential for the continued existence of the Jews as a people than is possible in the Diaspora, but that because of the contemporary state of human affairs in general, it still has much to learn from Diaspora Jewry.
The Rebbe and the Poet on Yom Kippur 1973
Authors: Aschkenasy Nehama
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Avot Yeshurun's poem, "The Tsaddik of Modzitz," highlights the unusual bond between two polar opposite personalities from the 1970s Tel Aviv scene: the secular poet Avot Yeshurun, and the ultraorthodox Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Taub, the Rebbe of Modzitz, who transcended his non-Zionist circles, gaining the admiration of Israelis of all walks of life. This relationship reaches a dramatic climax on a cataclysmic day in Israel's history, Yom Kippur 1973, when the surprising outbreak of a war shook Israelis' sense of invincibility and some of their Zionist creeds. At the heart of the poem is the Rebbe's luminous personality and demeanor during the services, and their impact on the poet. In his poetry, Yeshurun had revealed a conflicted personality, unable to reconcile between the vanished old world and the new reality, between the Zionist dream of his youth and the current Israeli geopolitical and ethical dilemmas. The Rebbe represents wholeness, finding in the ancient liturgy about the animals that were led to slaughter in the Temple an opportunity to subtly communicate his grief over the human sacrifices in Jewish recent past as well as at that very moment. The Rebbe's compassionate presence and his stirring niggunim eventually comfort the troubled poet. The Rebbe's words, with which Yeshurun closes his poem, reassure the poet of the validity of the State of Israel and appear to align with the paradigm of religious Zionism, viewing Israel as an essential moment in the Jewish journey toward redemption.
Beyond the Typical: Inji Efflatoun's Exhibitions in the USSR in 1970 and 1975
Authors: Nefedova Olga
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT: This paper will discuss the Egyptian artist Inji Efflatoun (1924–1989), whose first exhibition in Moscow in 1970 took place during the leadership of Gamal Abdul Nasser, and whose second, in 1975, was organized while Anwar Saadat was the president. They were very different in content, structure, complexity, and ambition, and probably in the political and social messages they sought to convey. Their content and political context will be examined here, based on archival material, as well as on Soviet newspapers and journals.
High-purity linearly frequency-modulated signal generation based on the integrated semiconductor laser subject to the dynamical optoelectrical feedback
Authors: Li Jin , Pu Tao , Zhang Yunshan , Liu Yang , Zheng Jilin , Zhang Xin , Chen Shilin , Wu Gengze , Chen Xiangfei
Published: November 2023

A novel photonic method of linearly frequency-modulated (LFM) signal generation with high purity based on the monolithically integrated semiconductor laser (MISL) subject to the dynamical optoelectrical feedback is proposed and demonstrated in this paper. In this approach, the MISL is firstly operated in period-one state. By introducing the dynamical optoelectrical feedback to modulate the MISL, the generated LFM signals would be constantly optimized as long as the delay of the feedback loop is matched with the repetition period of the LFM signal. In this system, no additional high-speed external modulator, high-frequency electrical LFM oscillator are required, highly simplifying the framework and reducing the power consumption. In the current proof-of-concept experiment, one LFM signal with the bandwidth as large as 5.6 GHz is generated and the corresponding frequency comb contrast can be drastically improved by 51 dB. Furthermore, the effect of the delay mismatch is also discussed in this paper.
Optical design algorithm utilizing continuous-discrete variables grounded on stochastic processes
Authors: Chen Qiao , Tang Xiongxin , Song Feijun , Zhao Jiacheng , Zhang Yuanlin , Chen Xiao , Tang Qiuyan , Xu Fanjiang
Published: November 2023

This work proposes an optimization algorithm in optical design based on the concepts of ergodic and stochastic processes in statistical mechanics. In mixed-variable optimization problems, pseudo-random number and discrete-to-continuous variable conversion dramatically increase the speed at which the system solves for the optimal solution. Pseudo-random numbers are mainly applied in two important steps in the optimization algorithm: determining the combination of glasses involved and the order in which the successive glass parameters are replaced by real glasses. After two series of stochastic processes, the merit function value decreases rapidly along the steepest descent path, and thus the optical system approaches the optimal solution within a very short duration of time. By using the method proposed in this paper, a plan apochromatic objective with a long working distance was optimized, and finally, a high-quality optical system was obtained.
Watt-level 815 nm lasing from Tm3+-doped fluorotellurite glass fibers
Authors: Wang Junjie , Jia Zhixu , Ren Yingshuai , Zhang Chuanze , Ohishi Yasutake , Qin Weiping , Qin Guanshi
Published: November 2023

Tm3+-doped fluorotellurite fibers based on TeO2–BaF2–Y2O3(TBY) glasses were fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method. By using an 81 cm-long Tm3+-doped fluorotellurite fiber as the gain medium and a 1400 / 1570 nm dual-wavelength pump technique, lasing at 815 nm was obtained for a threshold pump power of 629 mW at 1400 nm and a fixed pump power of 960 mW at 1570 nm. As the 1400 nm pump power is increased to 1803 mW, the obtained maximum output power was about 1616 mW. The corresponding optical-to-optical conversion efficiency was about 58.5%. Our results show that Tm3+-doped fluorotellurite fibers are promising gain media for constructing 815 nm fiber lasers.
Dispersion engineering in a Brillouin fiber laser cavity for Kerr frequency comb formation
Authors: Deroh Moise , Lucas Erwan , Kibler Bertrand
Published: November 2023

We conduct numerical and experimental investigations on Kerr comb generation in a nonlinear and non-reciprocal fiber cavity by leveraging both stimulated Brillouin backscattering and cascaded four-wave mixing. By engineering the net cavity dispersion to be either normal or anomalous, we enable the formation of diverse patterns and localized structures in the cavity field. The comb’s properties depend crucially on the mismatch between the frequency spacing of the bichromatic pump and the free spectral range of the Brillouin laser cavity in both cases. Particularly, in the anomalous regime, adjusting this parameter yields coherent, stable frequency combs in the modulation instability regime. This allows control and expansion of the spectral bandwidth up to 2 THz in normal dispersion and to 6 THz under anomalous net dispersion. This versatile and easily reconfigurable method holds potential for applications in high-speed communications and microwave synthesis.
Multiband switchable terahertz vanadium dioxide-GeTe hybrid metasurface
Authors: Li Jiu Sheng , Wu Rou-Lan
Published: November 2023

We proposed a multi-band switchable terahertz metasurface based on vanadium dioxide (VO2) and the chalcogen phase change material (GeTe). By controlling the phase transition of VO2 and GeTe, the operation function of the metasurface can be switched among linear-to-linear polarization converter, linear-to-circular polarization converter, and bandstop filter. The results show that the metasurface works in linear-to-linear polarization conversion mode as the VO2 is in insulating state (at 25°C). The polarization conversion rate (PCR) is more than 90% within 3.50-3.55 THz and 3.81-4.29 THz. When the VO2 is in the metallic state, it becomes a linear-to-circular polarization conversion mode. The normalized ellipticity is -1 in the range of 2.65-3.60 THz. While the GeTe is transitioned to the crystalline state, the structure operates as terahertz bandstop filter with 3 dB band-stop bandwidth of 355 GHz. Furthermore, the working principle of the proposed metasurface is analyzed by electric field distribution. Based on these characteristics, the proposed metasurface is expected to be used in various terahertz systems.
Photo-physical characteristics of color N3-center in diamond studied via UV femtosecond-laser pumped luminescence
Authors: Kudryashov Sergey , Danilov Pavel , Smirnov Nikita , Pakholchuk Peter , SKORIKOV Mikhail , Smetanin Igor , Pham Minh Hong , Pham Duong
Published: November 2023

Micro-joule UV-range (350-415 nm) femtosecond laser pulses generated via frequency-doubled parametric conversion of 525-nm 150-fs pulses of Yb-glass laser were used for “hot” photoluminescence excitation in a diamond plate enriched by blue-emitting N3-centers (zero-phonon line, ZPL, at 415 nm). Photoluminescence spectra acquired in the range of 400-500 nm exhibited wavelength-independent well-resolved ZPL and phonon progression bands, where the involved phonons possessed the only energies of 0.09 eV (LA-phonons) and 0.15 eV (softened LO/TO-phonons), potentially, as a result of Clemens decay mechanism. Photoluminescence yield in ZPL and other phonon bands exhibited the power slope of 1.8 at lower energies and of 1 at higher energies. The transition zone at fluence about 1014-15 photons/cm2 was related to saturation of the pumped resonance transition and slower non-radiative vibrational relaxation to ZPL-related excited electronic state, and nanosecond spontaneous photoluminescence transition to the ground state. As a result, the absorption cross-section S(370-390 nm) = 1x10-15 cm2 and concentration [N3] = 6x1014 cm-3 were determined along with the ZPL absorption cross-section S(415 nm) = 2.5x10-15 cm2, and non-radiative vibrational relaxation rate was estimated, providing altogether crucial information on lasing possibilities in N3-doped diamonds.
Stepped trenches structure of low crosstalk seven-core five-mode fiber
Authors: Hu Tianqi , An Mengdi , Luo Biyun , Jia Hongzhi
Published: November 2023

A novel seven-core five-mode fiber composed of stepped trenches and high index ring is proposed in this paper. Numerical analysis shows that the fiber can stably transmit five LP modes in the C + L band. The effective refractive index difference of the five LP modes at 1.55 μm is more significant than 1.2 × 10-3, which is conducive to the independent transmission of the modes. The inter-core crosstalk of the fiber is less than -160 (dB / km ). Therefore, the fiber can be well used to build a large-capacity optical fiber transmission system.
Quantitative mechanistic model reveals key determinants of placental IgG transfer and informs prenatal immunization strategies
Authors: Wessel Remziye E. , Dolatshahi Sepideh
Published: November 2023

Transplacental antibody transfer is crucially important in shaping neonatal immunity. Recently, prenatal maternal immunization has been employed to boost pathogen-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) transfer to the fetus. Multiple factors have been implicated in antibody transfer, but how these key regulators work together to elicit selective transfer is pertinent to engineering vaccines for mothers to optimally immunize their newborns. Here, we present the first quantitative mechanistic model to uncover the determinants of placental antibody transfer and inform personalized immunization approaches. We identified placental FcγRIIb expressed by endothelial cells as a limiting factor in receptor-mediated transfer, which plays a key role in promoting preferential transport of subclasses IgG1, IgG3, and IgG4, but not IgG2. Integrated computational modeling and in vitro experiments reveal that IgG subclass abundance, Fc receptor (FcR) binding affinity, and FcR abundance in syncytiotrophoblasts and endothelial cells contribute to inter-subclass competition and potentially inter- and intra-patient antibody transfer heterogeneity. We developed an in silico prenatal vaccine testbed by combining a computational model of maternal vaccination with this placental transfer model using the tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine as a case study. Model simulations unveiled precision prenatal immunization opportunities that account for a patient’s anticipated gestational length, placental size, and FcR expression by modulating vaccine timing, dosage, and adjuvant. This computational approach provides new perspectives on the dynamics of maternal-fetal antibody transfer in humans and potential avenues to optimize prenatal vaccinations that promote neonatal immunity.
Inferring causal connectivity from pairwise recordings and optogenetics
Authors: Lepperød Mikkel Elle , Stöber Tristan , Hafting Torkel , Fyhn Marianne , Kording Konrad Paul
Published: November 2023

To understand the neural mechanisms underlying brain function, neuroscientists aim to quantify causal interactions between neurons, for instance by perturbing the activity of neuron A and measuring the effect on neuron B. Recently, manipulating neuron activity using light-sensitive opsins, optogenetics, has increased the specificity of neural perturbation. However, using widefield optogenetic interventions, multiple neurons are usually perturbed, producing a confound—any of the stimulated neurons can have affected the postsynaptic neuron making it challenging to discern which neurons produced the causal effect. Here, we show how such confounds produce large biases in interpretations. We explain how confounding can be reduced by combining instrumental variables (IV) and difference in differences (DiD) techniques from econometrics. Combined, these methods can estimate (causal) effective connectivity by exploiting the weak, approximately random signal resulting from the interaction between stimulation and the absolute refractory period of the neuron. In simulated neural networks, we find that estimates using ideas from IV and DiD outperform naïve techniques suggesting that methods from causal inference can be useful to disentangle neural interactions in the brain.
BRASS: Permutation methods for binary traits in genetic association studies with structured samples
Authors: Mbatchou Joelle , Abney Mark , McPeek Mary Sara
Published: November 2023

In genetic association analysis of complex traits, permutation testing can be a valuable tool for assessing significance when the distribution of the test statistic is unknown or not well-approximated. This commonly arises, e.g, in tests of gene-set, pathway or genome-wide significance, or when the statistic is formed by machine learning or data adaptive methods. Existing applications include eQTL mapping, association testing with rare variants, inclusion of admixed individuals in genetic association analysis, and epistasis detection among many others. For genetic association testing in samples with population structure and/or relatedness, use of naive permutation can lead to inflated type 1 error. To address this in quantitative traits, the MVNpermute method was developed. However, for association mapping of a binary trait, the relationship between the mean and variance makes both naive permutation and the MVNpermute method invalid. We propose BRASS, a permutation method for binary traits, for use in association mapping in structured samples. In addition to modeling structure in the sample, BRASS allows for covariates, ascertainment and simultaneous testing of multiple markers, and it accommodates a wide range of test statistics. In simulation studies, we compare BRASS to other permutation and resampling-based methods in a range of scenarios that include population structure, familial relatedness, ascertainment and phenotype model misspecification. In these settings, we demonstrate the superior control of type 1 error by BRASS compared to the other 6 methods considered. We apply BRASS to assess genome-wide significance for association analyses in domestic dog for elbow dysplasia (ED) and idiopathic epilepsy (IE). For both traits we detect previously identified associations, and in addition, for ED, we detect significant association with a SNP on chromosome 35 that was not detected by previous analyses, demonstrating the potential of the method.
Domain-adaptive neural networks improve supervised machine learning based on simulated population genetic data
Authors: Mo Ziyi , Siepel Adam
Published: November 2023

Investigators have recently introduced powerful methods for population genetic inference that rely on supervised machine learning from simulated data. Despite their performance advantages, these methods can fail when the simulated training data does not adequately resemble data from the real world. Here, we show that this “simulation mis-specification” problem can be framed as a “domain adaptation” problem, where a model learned from one data distribution is applied to a dataset drawn from a different distribution. By applying an established domain-adaptation technique based on a gradient reversal layer (GRL), originally introduced for image classification, we show that the effects of simulation mis-specification can be substantially mitigated. We focus our analysis on two state-of-the-art deep-learning population genetic methods—SIA, which infers positive selection from features of the ancestral recombination graph (ARG), and ReLERNN, which infers recombination rates from genotype matrices. In the case of SIA, the domain adaptive framework also compensates for ARG inference error. Using the domain-adaptive SIA (dadaSIA) model, we estimate improved selection coefficients at selected loci in the 1000 Genomes CEU population. We anticipate that domain adaptation will prove to be widely applicable in the growing use of supervised machine learning in population genetics.