bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear Surface Waves and Bistability of Dielectric Permittivity Profiles Sustained by an Intense Radiation in Nonlinear Layers
Authors: Vukovic S. , Dragila R.
Published: February 2023

The initial theoretical studies1 of an interface between two dielectric materials, one of which has an intensity-dependent refractive index predicted that under appropriate conditions the reflectivity of the interface exhibit optical hysteresis and bistability2. The effect occurs at grazing angles of incidence and for weak nonlinearities. Then, the hysteresis jumps from the regime of nonlinear total internal reflection to the vanishing reflection regime appear in the reflection coefficient. There has been considerable evidence that surface waves have a strong influence on the nonlinear reflection2, but the current status of both theoretical and experimental investigations of nonlinear surface waves is far from being satisfactory.
Use of Optothermal Optically Bistable Devices to Telecommunications Switching
Authors: Buller G.S. , Paton C.R. , Smith S.D. , Walker A.C.
Published: February 2023

ZnSe nonlinear interference filters (NLIFs) with aluminium or silicon absorbing layers can be operated as BEAT devices [1] at wavelengths where there is little internal absorption. To minimise transverse conduction, 20-50 μm size isolated Al patches have been deposited on the uppermost NLIF layer and bistable switching at < 10 mW power levels demonstrated at 830 nm using GaAlAs laser diode sources (see Figure 1). This technique will work equally well at 1.3 μm or 1.55 μm, requiring only a proportional change in spacer thickness, and it is therefore fully compatible with all fibre-optic communications wavelengths.
Instabilities in Doppler Broadened Optically Pumped Far-Infrared Lasers
Authors: Laguarta F. , Pujol J. , Vilaseca R. , Corbalán R.
Published: February 2023

Recently Weiss and Brock observed Lorenz-type chaos in the 81.5μm emission from an optically-pumped 14NH3 laser1. The theoretical interpretation of the experimental results is an open question, however. In fact, the Lorenz-Haken model refers to incoherently pumped lasers with homogeneously-broadened two-level active media2. Models based on (at least) a three-level system are needed to describe optically-pumped lasers, whose dynamics is known to reduce to that of the Lorez-Haken model under certain limiting conditions3. But these conditions are not met in the 14NH3 laser, and indeed theoretical predictions of a model for this laser, which considered a homogeneously-broadened three-level active medium4, revealed striking differences with the experimental observations1.
First Observation of Deterministic Chaos in Passive Q-Switching Pulsation
Authors: Tachikawa M. , Tanii K. , Hong F-L. , Tohei T. , Kajita M. , Shimizu T.
Published: February 2023

A laser with a saturable absorber (LSA) shows spontaneous periodic pulsation (passive Q-switching, PQS) in the single-mode laser oscillation. Various types of periodic PQS are observed in a CO2 laser, depending on the conditions of the laser and absorber [1]. Recently we have developed a novel rate-equation model for the CO2 laser system which includes a fast vibrational relaxation of the lower laser level [2]. The model systematically reproduces almost all the PQS pulse shapes observed so far [2,3].
Dimensionality Studies of a Hybrid Optical Bistable System
Authors: Hawdon B J , O'Gorman J , Heffernan D M , McInerney J G
Published: February 2023

Recently there has been a great amount of interest in infinte-dimensional systems for which a delay parameter is defined. Le Berre et al1-2 have shown for several cases that as the delay parameter is increased the Lyapunov dimension (DL) of the associated chaotic attractors increases roughly linearly, and by extrapolation make the conjecture that DL would be infinite at the adiabatic limit.
Optical Frequency-Locking of Nematic Liquid Crystal in a Fabry-Perot Interferometer
Authors: Wang Peng-ye , Dai Jian-hua , Zhang Hong-jun
Published: February 2023

When a nematic film was inserted in a Fabry-Perot interferometer, the output would break into periodic oscillation at sufficiently high input laser intensity[1]. It can be proved that in the system of Ref.[1], the periodic oscillation can not develop to chaotic motion for a constant input because it is a two-dimensional autonomous system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the optical frequency-locking and chaos of a nematic liquid crystal film in a Fabry-Perot interferometer with a periodic optical drive.
On systematic errors in characterizing chaos
Authors: Mitschke F. , Möller M. , Lange W.
Published: February 2023

We experimentally examined the recent prediction [1] that low pass filtering of a chaotic signal can lead to significant overestimation of the dimension of the attractor. We used signals from an electronic circuit simulating the behaviour of a chaotic hybrid optical device [2], thus the experimental restraints of small data sets and low bit resolution were introduced, while the noise of the device played a minor role. Corresponding tests on the Hénon system were also performed.
Inhomogeneous Dephasing Inhibition By A Strong Stochastic Field
Authors: Tchénio P. , Débarre A. , Keller J.-C. , Le Gouët J.-L.
Published: February 2023

We demonstrate the locking of optical dipole dephasing by a strong incoherent light pulse, with emphasis on possible application to the fast sampling of broad inhomogeneous width.
Analysis of Laser-Induced Grating (LIG) Self-Diffraction in an Induced Absorbing Medium
Authors: Weber C. , Renner R. , Klingshirn C.
Published: February 2023

In the present contribution we investigate the dynamics of a system showing the nonlinearity of photoinduced absorption under LIG [1] excitation. The experimental realisation is obtained in CdS where plasma induced effects lead to a red shift of absorption and to optical bistability [2].
Mode add-drop technology based on few-mode fiber Bragg gratings
Authors: Li Xiuquan , Wang Haiyan , Zhu Hongjun , Hu Guijun
Published: February 2023

By increasing the number of modes of transmission in optical fiber, the mode-division multiplexing (MDM) technology can effectively improve the transmission capacity. The mode add-drop technology is an important part of the MDM system and a key element for realizing flexible networking. In this paper, a mode add-drop technology based on few-mode fiber Bragg grating (FM-FBG) is reported for the first time. The technology utilizes the reflection characteristics of Bragg grating to realize the add-drop function in the MDM system. The grating is written in parallel according to the optical field distribution characteristics of different modes. By changing the writing grating spacing Δa to match the optical field energy distribution of the few-mode fiber, the few-mode fiber grating with high self-coupling reflectivity for the high-order mode is fabricated, and the performance of the add-drop technology is improved. The mode add-drop technology is verified in a 3 x 3 MDM system, which uses quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation and coherence detection. The experimental results show that the excellent transmission, add, and drop of 3 x 8 Gbit/s QPSK signals in 8 km few-mode fibers are achieved. The realization of this mode add-drop technology only requires Bragg gratings, few-mode fiber circulators, and optical couplers. It has the advantages of high performance, simple structure, low cost, and easy implementation, and it can be widely used in the MDM system.
Efficient single-frequency 972 nm Yb-doped fiber amplifier with core pumping and elevated temperature
Authors: Lin Zhiquan , Cui Shuzhen , Jiang Huawei , Zeng Xin , Yang Xuezong , Chen Dijun , Feng Yan , Chen Weibiao
Published: February 2023

In this work, we present a monolithic single-frequency, single-mode and polarization maintaining Yb-doped fiber (YDF) amplifier delivering up to 6.9 W at 972 nm with a high efficiency of 53.6%. Core pumping at 915 nm and elevated temperature of 300 °C were applied to suppress the unwanted 977 nm and 1030 nm ASE in YDF, so as to improve the 972 nm laser efficiency. In addition, the amplifier was further used to generate a single-frequency 486 nm blue laser with 590 mW of output power by single-pass frequency doubling.
Afterpulse effects in quantum key distribution without monitoring signal disturbance
Authors: Liu Hang , Yin Zhen-Qiang , Wang Ze-Hao , Shan Yang-Guang , Wang Shuang , Chen Wei , Dong Chen , Guo Guang-Can , Han Zheng-Fu
Published: February 2023

The round-robin differential phase shift (RRDPS) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol is the only one that does not require monitoring of signal disturbance. Moreover, it has been proven that RRDPS has excellent performance of resistance to finite-key effects and high error rate tolerance. However, the existing theories and experiments do not take the afterpulse effects into account, which cannot be neglected in high-speed QKD systems. Here, we propose a tight finite-key analysis with afterpulse effects. The results show that the non-Markovian afterpulse RRDPS model optimizes the system performance considering afterpulse effects. The advantage of RRDPS over decoy-state BB84 under short-time communication still holds at typical values of afterpulse.
Intra-cavity coherent combining of DBR lasers on an InP generic foundry platform
Authors: Kumar Rakesh Ranjan , Nielsen Lars , Volet Nicolas , Heck Martijn J. R.
Published: February 2023

We report an intra-cavity coherent combining of two distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers with a combining efficiency of ∼84% on an InP generic foundry platform. The on-chip power of the intra-cavity combined DBR lasers is ∼9.5 mW at the injection current of 42 mA in both gain sections simultaneously. The combined DBR laser operates in a single-mode regime with a side-mode suppression ratio of 38 dB. This monolithic approach paves the way toward high-power and compact lasers, which is useful in scaling integrated photonic technologies.
Monolithically integrated photonic crystal surface emitters on silicon with a vortex beam by using bound states in the continuum
Authors: Li Haochuan , Tang Mingchu , Zhou Taojie , Xie Wentao , Li Renjie , Gong Yuanhao , Martin Mickael , Baron Thierry , Chen Siming , Liu Huiyun , Zhang Zhaoyu
Published: February 2023

Optical resonant cavities with high quality factor (Q-factor) are widely used in science and technology for their capabilities of strong confinement of light and enhanced light–matter interaction. The 2D photonic crystal structure with bound states in the continuum (BICs) is a novel concept for resonators with ultra-compact device size, which can be used to generate surface emitting vortex beams based on symmetry-protected BICs at the Γ point. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we demonstrate the first photonic crystal surface emitter with a vortex beam by using BICs monolithically grown on CMOS-compatible silicon substrate. The fabricated quantum-dot BICs-based surface emitter operates at 1.3 µm under room temperature (RT) with a low continuous wave (CW) optically pumped condition. We also reveal the BIC's amplified spontaneous emission with the property of a polarization vortex beam, which is promising to provide a novel degree of freedom in classical and quantum realms.
Computational holographic ghost diffraction
Authors: Ye Zhiyuan , Hou Wanting , Zhao Jilun , Wang Hai-Bo , Xiong Jun
Published: February 2023

Since the paradigm shift in 2009 from pseudo-thermal ghost imaging (GI) to computational GI using a spatial light modulator, computational GI has enabled image formation via a single-pixel detector and thus has a cost-effective advantage in some unconventional wave bands. In this Letter, we propose an analogical paradigm known as computational holographic ghost diffraction (CH-GD) to shift ghost diffraction (GD) from classical to computational by using self-interferometer-assisted measurement of field correlation functions rather than intensity correlation functions. More than simply “seeing” the diffraction pattern of an unknown complex volume object with single-point detectors, CH-GD can retrieve the diffracted light field’s complex amplitude and can thus digitally refocus to any depth in the optical link. Moreover, CH-GD has the potential to obtain the multimodal information including intensity, phase, depth, polarization, and/or color in a more compact and lensless manner.
Resolution improvement of photothermal microscopy by the modulated difference method
Authors: Wang Yonghui , Wang Fei , Song Peng , Liu Junyan
Published: February 2023

Photothermal microscopy (PTM) was developed to image non-fluorescent objects. In the past two decades, PTM has reached single-particle and single-molecule sensitivity and has been used in the fields of material science and biology. However, PTM is a far-field imaging method whose resolution is restricted by the diffraction limits. This Letter reports a resolution improvement approach for photothermal microscopy called modulated difference PTM (MD-PTM), which utilizes Gaussian and doughnut formalism heating beams that are modulated at the same frequency but are of opposite phase to generate the photothermal signal. Furthermore, the opposite phase characteristics of the photothermal signals are applied to determine the objective profile from the PTM magnitude, and this helps to improve the lateral resolution of PTM. The lateral resolution is related to the difference coefficient between the Gaussian and doughnut heating beams; an increase in the difference coefficient causes a larger sidelobe of the MD-PTM amplitude, which readily forms an artifact. A pulse-coupled neural network (PCNN) is employed for phase image segmentations of MD-PTM. We experimentally study the micro-imaging of gold nanoclusters and crossed nanotubes using MD-PTM, and the results indicate that MD-PTM has merit in terms of improving the lateral resolution.
2.3 µm lasing in Tm3+ doped fluoroaluminate glass fibers with an upconversion pumping scheme
Authors: Wang Junjie , Jia Zhixu , Mei Yuting , Zhang Chuanze , Wang Fangning , Sun Yan , Ohishi Yasutake , Qin Weiping , Qin Guanshi
Published: February 2023

Tm3+ doped fluoroaluminate glass fibers are fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method based on AlF3-BaF2-YF3-MgF2-PbF2 glasses. By using a 1400/1570 nm dual-wavelength upconversion pump technique, lasing at ∼2.3 µm is obtained from a 2.3 m long Tm3+ doped fluoroaluminate glass fiber. The measured maximum unsaturated output power is ∼111 mW for a pump power of 1.5/0.14 W at 1400/1570 nm, and the corresponding slope efficiency is ∼11%. The effect of the gain fiber length on lasing at ∼2.3 µm is also investigated. Our results indicate that Tm3+ doped fluoroaluminate glass fibers are promising gain media for constructing ∼2.3 µm fiber lasers.
3-W output power from a 2-µm InGaSb VECSEL using a hybrid metal-semiconductor Bragg reflector
Authors: Huwyler Nicolas , Gaulke Marco , Heidrich Jonas , Golling Matthias , Barh Ajanta , Keller Ursula
Published: February 2023

We present improved thermal management of an optically-pumped vertical
external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) at a center wavelength
of around 2 µm. This was achieved with a
backside-cooled, InGaSb-based VECSEL using a hybrid
metal-semiconductor Bragg reflector. We demonstrate the fabrication of
such a hybrid metal-semiconductor mirror by combining a copper mirror
with 10.5 AlAs0.08Sb0.92/GaSb distributed Bragg
reflector (DBR) pairs. Together with a thin 20 nm
SiO2 diffusion barrier we reach >99.9 %
reflectivity at 2 µm. This allows for a thinner gain
chip design compared to the standard DBR requiring 19.5 layer pairs.
The structure thickness was reduced from 7.5 µm to
4.7 µm lowering the thermal resistance of the device
from (2.79±0.16) K W−1 to
(2.12±0.19) K W−1. We
demonstrate record high average continuous wave (cw) output powers of
3 W for backside-cooled InGaSb-based VECSELs.
Enhancement of blue and ultraviolet components in PCF-based supercontinuum generation through inter-modal dispersive wave radiation
Authors: Xiaotao Yang , luo zhuozhao , Huang Jiapeng , sun weiyi , yin ruochen , zheng yu , dong han , Yu Haihu , Pang Meng , Jiang Xin
Published: February 2023

Broadband supercontinuum (SC) light sources, generated through nonlinear effects in solid-core photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), have been widely used in spectroscopy, metrology and microscopy, leading to great application successes. The short-wavelength extension of such SC sources, being a longstanding challenge, is a subject of intense studies over the past two decades. However, the exact mechanism of the blue and ultraviolet light generation, especially for some resonance spectral peaks in the short-wavelength regime, has not yet been fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that the effect of inter-modal dispersive-wave radiation, resulting from phase matching between pump pulses at fundamental optical mode and packets of linear waves at some higher-order modes propagating in the PCF core, might be one of critical mechanisms that can result in some resonance spectral components with wavelengths much shorter than that of the pump light. We observed in the experiment that several spectral peaks resided in the blue and ultraviolet regimes of the SC spectrum, whose central wavelengths can be tuned by varying the PCF-core diameter. These experimental results can be well interpreted using the inter-modal phase-matching theory, providing some useful insights into the SC generation process.
Computational 3D resolution enhancement for optical coherence tomography with a narrowband visible light source
Authors: de Wit Jos , Glentis George Othon , Kalkman Jeroen
Published: February 2023

Phase-preserving spectral estimation optical coherence tomography (SE-OCT) enables combining axial resolution improvement with computational depth of field (DOF) extension. We combine SE-OCT with interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy (ISAM) and computational adaptive optics (CAO) to obtain a high 3D resolution over a large depth range with a narrow bandwidth visible light super-luminescent diode (SLD). SE-OCT gives up to five times axial resolution improvement from 8 μm to 1.5 μm. The combination with ISAM gives a sub-micron lateral resolution over a 400 micrometer axial range, 16 times the conventional depth of field. CAO removes residual aberrations, resulting in high quality images. The results show that phase-preserving SE-OCT is sufficiently accurate for coherent post-processing, enabling the use of cost-effective SLDs in the visible light range for high spatial resolution OCT.
Conifer-killing bark beetles locate fungal symbionts by detecting volatile fungal metabolites of host tree resin monoterpenes
Authors: Kandasamy Dineshkumar , Zaman Rashaduz , Nakamura Yoko , Zhao Tao , Hartmann Henrik , Andersson Martin N. , Hammerbacher Almuth , Gershenzon Jonathan
Published: February 2023

Outbreaks of the Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) have decimated millions of hectares of conifer forests in Europe in recent years. The ability of these 4.0 to 5.5 mm long insects to kill mature trees over a short period has been sometimes ascribed to two main factors: (1) mass attacks on the host tree to overcome tree defenses and (2) the presence of fungal symbionts that support successful beetle development in the tree. While the role of pheromones in coordinating mass attacks has been well studied, the role of chemical communication in maintaining the fungal symbiosis is poorly understood. Previous evidence indicates that I. typographus can distinguish fungal symbionts of the genera Grosmannia, Endoconidiophora, and Ophiostoma by their de novo synthesized volatile compounds. Here, we hypothesize that the fungal symbionts of this bark beetle species metabolize spruce resin monoterpenes of the beetle’s host tree, Norway spruce (Picea abies), and that the volatile products are used as cues by beetles for locating breeding sites with beneficial symbionts. We show that Grosmannia penicillata and other fungal symbionts alter the profile of spruce bark volatiles by converting the major monoterpenes into an attractive blend of oxygenated derivatives. Bornyl acetate was metabolized to camphor, and α- and β-pinene to trans-4-thujanol and other oxygenated products. Electrophysiological measurements showed that I. typographus possesses dedicated olfactory sensory neurons for oxygenated metabolites. Both camphor and trans-4-thujanol attracted beetles at specific doses in walking olfactometer experiments, and the presence of symbiotic fungi enhanced attraction of females to pheromones. Another co-occurring nonbeneficial fungus (Trichoderma sp.) also produced oxygenated monoterpenes, but these were not attractive to I. typographus. Finally, we show that colonization of fungal symbionts on spruce bark diet stimulated beetles to make tunnels into the diet. Collectively, our study suggests that the blends of oxygenated metabolites of conifer monoterpenes produced by fungal symbionts are used by walking bark beetles as attractive or repellent cues to locate breeding or feeding sites containing beneficial microbial symbionts. The oxygenated metabolites may aid beetles in assessing the presence of the fungus, the defense status of the host tree and the density of conspecifics at potential feeding and breeding sites.
A time-series analysis of blood-based biomarkers within a 25-year longitudinal dolphin cohort
Authors: Rangan Aaditya V. , McGrouther Caroline C. , Bhadra Nivedita , Venn-Watson Stephanie , Jensen Eric D. , Schork Nicholas J.
Published: February 2023

Causal interactions and correlations between clinically-relevant biomarkers are important to understand, both for informing potential medical interventions as well as predicting the likely health trajectory of any individual as they age. These interactions and correlations can be hard to establish in humans, due to the difficulties of routine sampling and controlling for individual differences (e.g., diet, socio-economic status, medication). Because bottlenose dolphins are long-lived mammals that exhibit several age-related phenomena similar to humans, we analyzed data from a well controlled 25-year longitudinal cohort of 144 dolphins. The data from this study has been reported on earlier, and consists of 44 clinically relevant biomarkers. This time-series data exhibits three starkly different influences: (A) directed interactions between biomarkers, (B) sources of biological variation that can either correlate or decorrelate different biomarkers, and (C) random observation-noise which combines measurement error and very rapid fluctuations in the dolphin’s biomarkers. Importantly, the sources of biological variation (type-B) are large in magnitude, often comparable to the observation errors (type-C) and larger than the effect of the directed interactions (type-A). Attempting to recover the type-A interactions without accounting for the type-B and type-C variation can result in an abundance of false-positives and false-negatives. Using a generalized regression which fits the longitudinal data with a linear model accounting for all three influences, we demonstrate that the dolphins exhibit many significant directed interactions (type-A), as well as strong correlated variation (type-B), between several pairs of biomarkers. Moreover, many of these interactions are associated with advanced age, suggesting that these interactions can be monitored and/or targeted to predict and potentially affect aging.
Cost-effectiveness of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antenatal screening for prevention of mother-to-child transmission
Authors: Kowada Akiko
Published: February 2023

Background

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy-tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and health impact of HTLV-1 antenatal screening.

Methodology/Principal findings

A state-transition model was developed for HTLV-1 antenatal screening and no screening over a lifetime horizon from a healthcare payer perspective. A hypothetical cohort of 30-year-old individuals was targeted. The main outcomes were costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), life expectancy life-years (LYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), HTLV-1 carriers, ATL cases, HAM/TSP cases, ATL-associated deaths, and HAM/TSP-associated deaths. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set at US$50,000 per QALY gained. In the base-case analysis, HTLV-1 antenatal screening (US$76.85, 24.94766 QALYs, 24.94813 LYs, ICER; US$40,100 per QALY gained) was cost-effective compared with no screening (US$2.18, 24.94580 QALYs, 24.94807 LYs). Cost-effectiveness was sensitive to the maternal HTLV-1 seropositivity rate, HTLV-1 transmission rate with long-term breastfeeding from HTLV-1 seropositive mothers to children, and the cost of the HTLV-1 antibody test. HTLV-1 antenatal screening was cost-effective when the maternal HTLV-1 seropositivity rate was greater than 0.0022 and the cost of the HTLV-1 antibody test was lower than US$94.8. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis using a second-order Monte-Carlo simulation showed that HTLV-1 antenatal screening was 81.1% cost-effective at a WTP threshold of US$50,000 per QALY gained. For 10,517,942 individuals born between 2011 and 2021, HTLV-1 antenatal screening costs US$785 million, increases19,586 QALYs and 631 LYs, and prevents 125,421 HTLV-1 carriers, 4,405 ATL cases, 3,035 ATL-associated deaths, 67 HAM/TSP cases, and 60 HAM/TSP-associated deaths, compared with no screening over a lifetime.

Conclusion/Significance

HTLV-1 antenatal screening is cost-effective and has the potential to reduce ATL and HAM/TSP morbidity and mortality in Japan. The findings strongly support the recommendation for HTLV-1 antenatal screening as a national infection control policy in HTLV-1 high-prevalence countries.
Modelling modifiable factors associated with the probability of human rabies deaths among self-reported victims of dog bites in Abuja, Nigeria
Authors: Mshelbwala Philip P. , J. Soares Magalhães Ricardo , Weese J. Scott , Ahmed Nasir O. , Rupprecht Charles E. , Clark Nicholas J.
Published: February 2023

Canine-mediated rabies kills tens of thousands of people annually in lesser-developed communities of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, primarily through bites from infected dogs. Multiple rabies outbreaks have been associated with human deaths in Nigeria. However, the lack of quality data on human rabies hinders advocacy and resource allocation for effective prevention and control. We obtained 20 years of dog bite surveillance data across 19 major hospitals in Abuja, incorporating modifiable and environmental covariates. To overcome the challenge of missing information, we used a Bayesian approach with expert-solicited prior information to jointly model missing covariate data and the additive effects of the covariates on the predicted probability of human death after rabies virus exposure. Only 1155 cases of dog bites were recorded throughout the study period, out of which 4.2% (N = 49) died of rabies. The odds for risk of human death were predicted to decrease among individuals who were bitten by owned dogs compared to those bitten by free-roaming dogs. Similarly, there was a predicted decrease in the probability of human death among victims bitten by vaccinated dogs compared to those bitten by unvaccinated dogs. The odds for the risk of human death after bitten individuals received rabies prophylaxis were predicted to decrease compared to no prophylaxis. We demonstrate the practical application of a regularised Bayesian approach to model sparse dog bite surveillance data to uncover risk factors for human rabies, with broader applications in other endemic rabies settings with similar profiles. The low reporting observed in this study underscores the need for community engagement and investment in surveillance to increase data availability. Better data on bite cases will help to estimate the burden of rabies in Nigeria and would be important to plan effective prevention and control of this disease.
The association between day-to-day stress experiences, recovery, and work engagement among office workers in academia–An Ecological Momentary Assessment study
Authors: Bolliger Larissa , Baele Ellen , Colman Elena , Debra Gillian , Lukan Junoš , Luštrek Mitja , De Bacquer Dirk , Clays Els
Published: February 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the associations between day-to-day work-related stress exposures (i.e., job demands and lack of job control), job strain, and next-day work engagement among office workers in academic settings. Additionally, we assessed the influence of psychological detachment and relaxation on next-day work engagement and tested for interaction effects of these recovery variables on the relationship between work-related stressors and next-day work engagement.

Methods

Office workers from two academic settings in Belgium and Slovenia were recruited. This study is based on an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) with a 15-working day data collection period using our self-developed STRAW smartphone application. Participants were asked repeatedly about their work-related stressors, work engagement, and recovery experiences. Fixed-effect model testing using random intercepts was applied to investigate within- and between-participant levels.

Results

Our sample consisted of 55 participants and 2710 item measurements were analysed. A significant positive association was found between job control and next-day work engagement (β = 0.28, p < 0.001). Further, a significant negative association was found between job strain and next-day work engagement (β = −0.32, p = 0.05). Furthermore, relaxation was negatively associated with work engagement (β = −0.08, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

This study confirmed previous results, such as higher job control being associated with higher work engagement and higher job strain predicting lower work engagement. An interesting result was the association of higher relaxation after the working day with a lower next-day work engagement. Further research investigating fluctuations in work-related stressors, work engagement, and recovery experiences is required.
Epidemiology of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections in travellers: A 16-year retrospective descriptive study at a tertiary care centre in Prague, Czech Republic
Authors: Trojánek Milan , Grebenyuk Vyacheslav , Manďáková Zdenka , Sojková Naděžda , Zelená Hana , Roháčová Hana , Stejskal František
Published: February 2023

Introduction

This study aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics of imported cases of dengue (DEN), chikungunya (CHIK), and Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in Czech travellers.

Materials and methods

This single-centre descriptive study has retrospectively analysed data of patients with laboratory confirmed DEN, CHIK, and ZIKV infections diagnosed at the Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases of the University Hospital Bulovka in Prague, Czech Republic from 2004 to 2019.

Results

The study included a total of 313 patients with DEN, 30 with CHIK, and 19 with ZIKV infections. Most patients travelled as tourists:263 (84.0%), 28 (93.3%), and 17 (89.5%), respectively (p = 0.337). The median duration of stay was 20 (IQR 14–27), 21 (IQR 14–29), and 15 days (IQR 14–43), respectively (p = 0.935). Peaks of imported DEN and ZIKV infections were noted in 2016, and in 2019 in the case of CHIK infection. Most cases of DEN and CHIKV infections were acquired in Southeast Asia:212 (67.7%) and 15 (50%), respectively, while ZIKV infection was most commonly imported from the Caribbean (11; 57,9%).

Conclusions

Arbovirus infections represent an increasingly significant cause of illness in Czech travellers. Comprehensive knowledge of the specific epidemiological profile of these diseases is an essential prerequisite for good travel medicine practice.
Cervical kinematic change after posterior full-endoscopic cervical foraminotomy for disc herniation or foraminal stenosis
Authors: Paik Seungyoon , Choi Yunhee , Chung Chun Kee , Won Young Il , Park Sung Bae , Yang Seung Heon , Lee Chang-Hyun , Rhee John Min , Kim Kyoung-Tae , Kim Chi Heon
Published: February 2023

Objective

Posterior full-endoscopic cervical foraminotomy (PECF) is one of minimally invasive surgical techniques for cervical radiculopathy. Because of minimal disruption of posterior cervical structures, such as facet joint, cervical kinematics was minimally changed. However, a larger resection of facet joint is required for cervical foraminal stenosis (FS) than disc herniation (DH). The objective was to compare the cervical kinematics between patients with FS and DH after PECF.

Methods

Consecutive 52 patients (DH, 34 vs. FS, 18) who underwent PECF for single-level radiculopathy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical parameters (neck disability index, neck pain and arm pain), and segmental, cervical and global radiological parameters were compared at postoperative 3, 6, and 12 months, and yearly thereafter. A linear mixed-effect model was used to assess interactions between groups and time. Any occurrence of significant pain during follow-up was recorded during a mean follow-up period of 45.5 months (range 24–113 months).

Results

Clinical parameters improved after PECF, with no significant differences between groups. Recurrent pain occurred in 6 patients and surgery (PECF, anterior discectomy and fusion) was performed in 2 patients. Pain-free survival rate was 91% for DH and 83% for FS, with no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.29). Radiological changes were not different between groups (P > 0.05). Segmental neutral and extension curvature became more lordotic. Cervical curvature became more lordotic on neutral and extension X-rays, and the range of cervical motion increased. The mismatch between T1-slope and cervical curvature decreased. Disc height did not change, but the index level showed degeneration at postoperative 2 years.

Conclusion

Clinical and radiological outcomes after PECF were not different between DH and FS patients and kinematics were significantly improved. These findings may be informative in a shared decision-making process.
EEG Beta functional connectivity decrease in the left amygdala correlates with the affective pain in fibromyalgia: A pilot study
Authors: Makowka Soline , Mory Lliure-Naima , Mouthon Michael , Mancini Christian , Guggisberg Adrian G. , Chabwine Joelle Nsimire
Published: February 2023

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a major chronic pain disease with prominent affective disturbances, and pain-associated changes in neurotransmitters activity and in brain connectivity. However, correlates of affective pain dimension lack. The primary goal of this correlational cross-sectional case-control pilot study was to find electrophysiological correlates of the affective pain component in FM. We examined the resting-state EEG spectral power and imaginary coherence in the beta (β) band (supposedly indexing the GABAergic neurotransmission) in 16 female patients with FM and 11 age-adjusted female controls. FM patients displayed lower functional connectivity in the High β (Hβ, 20–30 Hz) sub-band than controls (p = 0.039) in the left basolateral complex of the amygdala (p = 0.039) within the left mesiotemporal area, in particular, in correlation with a higher affective pain component level (r = 0.50, p = 0.049). Patients showed higher Low β (Lβ, 13–20 Hz) relative power than controls in the left prefrontal cortex (p = 0.001), correlated with ongoing pain intensity (r = 0.54, p = 0.032). For the first time, GABA-related connectivity changes correlated with the affective pain component are shown in the amygdala, a region highly involved in the affective regulation of pain. The β power increase in the prefrontal cortex could be compensatory to pain-related GABAergic dysfunction.
Suppression of cGAS- and RIG-I-mediated innate immune signaling by Epstein-Barr virus deubiquitinase BPLF1
Authors: Lui Wai-Yin , Bharti Aradhana , Wong Nok-Hei Mickey , Jangra Sonia , Botelho Michael G. , Yuen Kit-San , Jin Dong-Yan
Published: February 2023

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has developed effective strategies to evade host innate immune responses. Here we reported on mitigation of type I interferon (IFN) production by EBV deubiquitinase (DUB) BPLF1 through cGAS-STING and RIG-I-MAVS pathways. The two naturally occurring forms of BPLF1 exerted potent suppressive effect on cGAS-STING-, RIG-I- and TBK1-induced IFN production. The observed suppression was reversed when DUB domain of BPLF1 was rendered catalytically inactive. The DUB activity of BPLF1 also facilitated EBV infection by counteracting cGAS-STING- and TBK1-mediated antiviral defense. BPLF1 associated with STING to act as an effective DUB targeting its K63-, K48- and K27-linked ubiquitin moieties. BPLF1 also catalyzed removal of K63- and K48-linked ubiquitin chains on TBK1 kinase. The DUB activity of BPLF1 was required for its suppression of TBK1-induced IRF3 dimerization. Importantly, in cells stably carrying EBV genome that encodes a catalytically inactive BPLF1, the virus failed to suppress type I IFN production upon activation of cGAS and STING. This study demonstrated IFN antagonism of BPLF1 mediated through DUB-dependent deubiquitination of STING and TBK1 leading to suppression of cGAS-STING and RIG-I-MAVS signaling.
Splice and the platformization of hip hop production: Navigating the online music platform for royalty-free samples
Authors: Arrieta Alexandria
Published: February 2023

As a large marketplace of royalty-free samples, the music platform Splice has worked to centralize and open up the process of hip hop production to over 4 million users, varying from beginning bedroom producers to established producers like Turbo (who has worked on tracks for artists including Young Thug, Gunna and Lil Baby). Founded by sound engineer Matt Aimonetti and GroupMe co-founder Steve Martocci in 2013, Splice experienced extreme growth during the COVID-19 pandemic as more aspiring producers took up beat-making from home. Hip hop producers have long used the internet to exchange and sell samples for beat production through direct messaging, sample blogs and sample marketplaces. While these digital exchanges have enabled quicker collaboration and accessibility for producers, they have also set the groundwork for companies like Splice to have an unprecedented influence in musical interactions and activity. Online platforms geared towards hip hop production and beat-making are becoming increasingly critical to the music industry, offering an important opportunity to examine digital creative economies and the platformization of cultural production. Splice incorporates features such as curation and algorithmic recommendation of samples to aid creators in their production process. Through interviews with producers who use Splice and a critical analysis of the platform’s user experience, this article demonstrates that producers can feel the need to strike a balance when engaging with the platform, finding ways to use automated tools that make their work more efficient while simultaneously striving to maintain high standards of individual creativity and technical skills. This suggests that it is necessary to have a nuanced understanding of Splice’s impact on music production and how it differs from streaming platforms because of its particular logics and functionalities geared towards music creators as a primary userbase.
Organic Breathing
Authors: Knickmann Tobias
Published: February 2023

In this article, Tobias Knickmann is dedicated to the question of breath in the works of composer Chaya Czernowin. Both vocal and orchestral respiration become not only auditory events but visceral experiences for performers and audiences alike. Considering Adiantum Capillus-Veneris (I-III) (2015/2016), he shows how the phytotherapeutical capabilities of the title's maidenhair fern metaphorically leave their imprints on the singer's breathing body. Whereas in Once I blinked nothing was the same for orchestra (2015) the musicians and audience become engaged with different qualities of the medium air and are thus made aware of the existentiality of the respiratory system.
Voice and Body in Extreme Metal Music
Authors: Radovanovic Bojana
Published: February 2023

Metal subgenres such as, for example, death metal, black metal, doom metal, which are considered as constituents of the »meta-genre« of extreme metal, have built up a very specific sound and imagery during the last several decades. As Keith Kahn-Harris noticed, this cluster of sub-genres gathers musical acts of different historical backgrounds and ideologies, which show the highest level of diversity, artistic vibrancy and dynamics, while at the same time being the most problematic area of metal culture in general. The supposed aggression, radicalism, and exclusivity in sound stem not only from the fast, virtuoso, and technically demanding playing of the instruments, but also from the very peculiar vocal emissions. Thisámonstrousávoice, which is the result of the extended vocal techniques (primarily screams, growls, squeals), is the point of intersection for several issues concerning voice, body, and technology. In this paper, Bojana Radovanović will give insight into the key points regarding these questions, while also delving into the issueáof gender. For, although metal culture has historically been considered to be male- oriented-and especially so in the extreme metal-the noticeable trend of the growing number of female musicians and vocalists in this scene encourages us to further explore who can stand behind theámonstrous voice.
Bridging Impairment and Disability with Music and Dance
Authors: Yeoh Pei Ann
Published: February 2023

Music and dance are two interdependent artistic forms that are tied to the experience of a moving-thinking body. This paper seeks to examine the extent of interdisciplinary conditions between music and dance in the context of disability. Furthermore, it seeks to advance understanding between concepts of impairment and disability by exploring collaborative practice between an able-bodied musician and a physically impaired dancer. The research asks: In what setting can creative expression translate disability to transcend the corporeality of performance? Authors such as Mairian Corker (1999), Carol Thomas (1999), and Jenny Morris (1981) have argued for the distinction between impairment and disability; whereby impairment refers to the corporeal entity and disability refers to a larger cultural understanding of disability experience. The body is both a corporeal object and a metaphor for a set of experiences revolving around cultural response to that impairment (Cheu, 2005:135-136). Part of the issue, thus, is the normative gaze of the able-bodied spectator being projected onto the performance, problematizing the tension between disability as impairment versus disability as cultural representation. This tension is explored in a series of recorded performances between musician and dancer, with their collective reflections offering contextual insight on disability in artistic practice.
Suffering Bodies, Relieved Souls
Authors: Wartner-Attarzadeh Talieh
Published: February 2023

Laṭmiyeh is a commemorative Shia women ritual, which is practiced by Iranian-Arab-Shia women from the southwestern- Iranian province of Khuzestan. This mourning ritual is combined with metrical singing, body movements and self-flagellation. Despite its sad lyrics and context, laṭmiyeh has an energetic sound atmosphere, one that resembles joyful celebrations from the region. Powerful flagellations in this vocal performance replace percussion and strengthen the rhythmic ambience of the songs, even though they are unpleasant and painful acts for their practitioners. This article investigates the sonic elements and the body role in laṭmiyeh in the twenty-first century Khorramshahr, Iran.
A Digital Touch
Authors: Merlini Mattia , Nicoletti Stefano Maria
Published: February 2023

In this article, Mattia Merlini and Stefano Maria Nicoletti ask themselves if machines ever take our place in the creation of art, and particularly music. Despite the outstanding results of some well-known Ais, the authors argue that machines present some intrinsic limits in creative contexts. In particular, their attention focuses on what they call the »body issue«, i.e. the role of the body in the experience and creation of music, grounded in contemporary findings in neuroscience, especially on embodied cognition, and also on the theories of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Roland Barthes.
Sozioökonomische Krisenfolgen und Geschlechtergerechtigkeit im Wissenschaftsbereich
Authors: Hönig Barbara , Liesnig Simone
Published: February 2023

Welche Auswirkungen hat die Coronakrise auf Geschlechtergerechtigkeit im Wissenschaftsbereich? Der vorliegende Beitrag geht dieser Fragestellung aus interdisziplinär sozioökonomischer Perspektive nach. Vermutet wird, dass geschlechtsspezifische lebensweltbezogene Auswirkungen der Coronakrise zur Verstärkung bestehender Ungleichheit im Wissenschaftsbereich beitragen und eine durch die Krise erzeugte verstärkte mediale Präsenz von Wissenschaft in öffentlichen Medien sozial- und geisteswissenschaftlichen Disziplinen nur teilweise zugutekam. Diese Thesen werden durch eine Kombination einer Literaturanalyse zu Kriseneffekten auf den Wissenschaftsbereich mit einer Diskursanalyse zur Wissenschaftspräsenz und Zuschreibungen wissenschaftlicher Expertise in deutschsprachigen Qualitätsmedien (Der Standard, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Spiegel Online) im Zeitraum von Herbst 2019 bis Frühjahr 2021 einer Überprüfung unterzogen.
Lernen in und aus der Pandemie
Authors: Sprung Annette
Published: February 2023

Annette Sprung geht in diesem Beitrag der Frage nach den Auswirkungen der Corona-Pandemie auf die Bildungschancen von Menschen mit Migrationsgeschichte in der österreichischen Erwachsenenbildung nach. Dabei stehen insbesondere die Herausforderungen für sozio-ökonomisch benachteiligte Lerner*innen im Mittelpunkt. Neben allgemeinen Daten zur Weiterbildungsbeteiligung werden ausgewählte empirische Erkenntnisse zu den Effekten der Pandemie auf die soziale Lage von Migrant*innen und zu Corona-bedingten Herausforderungen für die Erwachsenenbildung diskutiert. Die Analyse aktueller Studien sowie zusätzlich geführter Expert*inneninterviews mündet abschließend in die Skizzierung von Ansatzpunkten für den Abbau von Bildungsbenachteiligung - im Lichte der Pandemie und darüber hinaus.
Neo-Refoulement - Europäisches Migrationsmanagement als öffentliche Gewalt
Authors: Austermann Nele
Published: February 2023

Das europäische Migrationsmanagement nutzt Neo-Refoulement-Praxen, um Migrant*innen weit vor der europäischen Grenze zu stoppen und ihnen den Zugang zur europäischen Gerichtsbarkeit zu verwehren. Zur Umsetzung dieses Vorgehens bedient sich die EU der Internationalen Organisation für Migration. Nele Austermann deckt auf, wie fehlende Jurisdiktion, mangelnde völkerrechtliche Verantwortlichkeit internationaler Organisationen und eine eingeschränkte Menschenrechtsbindung hierbei zu einer Entsubjektivierung von Migrant*innen führen. Mit dem Konzept der internationalen öffentlichen Gewalt zeigt sie einen Weg auf, wie eine Rückführung in komplexitätsadäquate rechtliche Strukturen möglich ist.
Dialektik des Lebendigen
Authors: Zunke Christine
Published: February 2023

Die Biologie kennt alle Eigenschaften des Lebendigen, aber auf die Frage »Was ist Leben?« hat sie keine eindeutige Antwort. Der Grund dafür liegt im Organischen selbst: Seine Struktur folgt zwar kausalen Naturgesetzen, ist aber nicht hinreichend durch sie zu begründen. Wir beurteilen Lebewesen analog zur Technik als zweckmäßig aufgebaut, aber zugleich wissen wir, dass sie natürlich entstanden sind. Christine Zunke analysiert den Widerspruch, Leben über ein teleologisches Prinzip zu erklären und es zugleich nicht zu tun. Mit ihrer naturphilosophischen Reflexion zeigt sie auf, wie dieser Widerspruch das Denken in eine Dialektik des Lebendigen führt - oder zur Quelle biologistischer Ideologie wird.