bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Methimazole Withdrawl Period on the I-131 Uptake Estimation Using Tc-99 m Thyroid Scanning in Graves’ Disease
Authors: Wang Hui , Li Weijian , Chang Pengpeng , Jia Qiang , Tan Jian , Zhang Ruiguo
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The effect of methimazole withdrawal period (MWP) on the estimation of 24-hour-radioiodine thyroid uptake (131IU24h) from 99mTc-pertechnetate thyroid uptake (99mTcTU) remains unclear for patients with Graves’ disease (GD). This study aims to investigate the feasibility and reliability of 99mTcTU-based 131IU24h estimation with different MWPs.

Methods

We enrolled 116 GD patients scheduled for 131I therapy at our hospital between April 2022 and April 2023. Based on MWP, the patients were categorized as standard (no methimazole or MWP > 1 month), MWP1 (MWP ≤ 1 week), MWP2 (MWP > 1 week to ≤2 weeks), and MWP3 (MWP > 2 weeks to <1 month). Fisher's exact test, one-way ANOVA, or Kruskal–Wallis test were used to compare variables. Fitted curves of 99mTcTU20min vs 131IU24h were plotted for the standard group. Linear relationships and Bland–Altman plots were used to illustrate the relationship and consistency between estimated and measured 131IU24h.

Results

131IU24h was higher in the MWP1 group compared to MWP2 (70.22 ± 7.95% vs 61.92 ± 9.84%, P = .001), and thyroid mass was greater in the MWP1 group (36.15 ± 22.38 g) vs MWP3 (21.25 ± 11.90 g, P = .005). The relationship between 131IU24h and 99mTcTU20min in the standard group is described by the following algorithm: estimated 131IU24h = 11.3ln (99mTcTU20min) + 39.4 (R2 = 0.62). Based on it, the correlation between estimated and measured 131IU24h was weak in MWP1 and MWP2 (both P > .05) but strong in MWP3 (r = 0.66, P = .002). Additionally, the agreement between estimated and measured 131IU24h was highest in the MWP3 group (95% confidence interval, −15.86 to 15.52%) compared to the MWP1and MWP2 groups.

Conclusion

Estimated 131IU24h based on 99mTcTU is not suitable for GD patients with MWP less than 2 weeks at our institution, necessitating further prospective multicenter studies for validation.
Διερεύνηση της δομικής βάσης και των φυσικοχημικών παραγόντων της ενεργοποίησης βακτηριακών H-NOX (heme-nitric oxide/oxygen binding) επικρατειών από διατομικά αέρια
Authors: Χασάπη Στυλιανή
Published: November 2024

Η διαλυτή γουανυλική κυκλάση (sGC) είναι ένα από τα βασικά ένζυμα, το οποίο λειτουργεί ως υποδοχέας του μονοξειδίου του αζώτου (ΝΟ) σχεδόν σε όλους τους ευκαρυωτικούς οργανισμούς. Ο βιολογικός ρόλος και η λειτουργία του ενζύμου, εστιάζεται στην Η-NOX επικράτεια της β1 υπομονάδας. Η ενεργός μορφή της Η-ΝΟΧ επικράτειας φέρει μια πρωτοπορφυρίνη ΙΧ ως φυσικό προσδέτη, η οποία δεσμεύει ΝΟ και άλλα διατομικά αέρια. Ο τρόπος με τον οποίο η οξειδωτική κατάσταση της αίμης προσδιορίζει την ''ενεργή’’ κατάσταση της Η-ΝΟΧ αλλά και το πως διευθετεί την συναρμογή των διατομικών αερίων στο άτομο του σιδήρου, παραμένουν αναπάντητα. Η Η-ΝΟΧ επικράτεια απαντάται, επίσης, και στο γονιδίωμα των προκαρυωτικών οργανισμών, είτε ως μεμονωμένη πρωτεϊνική επικράτεια είτε ως εταίρος μεγαλύτερων πολυπεπτιδίων. Οι βιολογικές λειτουργίες αυτών των σηματοδοτικών μονάδων, παρουσιάζουν σημαντικές διαφοροποιήσεις ανάλογες της ιδιότητάς τους ως προς την πρόσδεση του υποκαταστάτη. Σε αυτήν την κατεύθυνση, εξετάζονται τρείς βακτηριακές H-NOX επικράτειες των οργανισμών Nostoc punctiforme, Shewanella oneidensis και Shewanella woodyi. Οι συγκεκριμένες, έχουν ορισμένα κοινά αμινοξέα στην ακολουθία τους, τα οποία δύναται να επεξηγούν έως έναν βαθμό την επιλεκτικότητα πρόσδεσης συγκεκριμένου μορίου-προσδέτη. Επιπλέον, μέσω των συμπλόκων των βακτηριακών Η-ΝΟΧ με ενεργοποιητές της sGC (ΒΑΥ 58-2667, ΒΑΥ 543) μπορούν να αναγνωριστούν ουσιαστικά δομικά χαρακτηριστικά τα οποία βοηθούν στην κατανόηση και διερεύνηση εις βάθος του μηχανισμού δράσης των παραγόντων αυτών παρέχοντας ουσιαστική πληροφορία για το σχεδιασμό και τη σύνθεση νέων θεραπευτικών παραγόντων. Στηριζόμενοι στις φυσικοχημικές και φασματοσκοπικές ιδιότητές τους, η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή στοχεύει στην επισήμανση των επαγόμενων διαμορφωτικών αλλαγών σε κοινά σημεία-κλειδιά των επιλεγμένων Η-ΝΟΧ επικρατειών.
A Dynamic, D-dimer-based Thromboprophylaxis Strategy in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Bhoopat Lantarima , Martynova Anastasia , Choi April , Pattharanitima Pattharawin , Han Semi , Du Senxi , Syed Ibrahim , Chan Catherine , Oh Esther E , Borok Zea , Liebler Janice , Wilson Melissa Lee , Tantiyavarong Pichaya , Connell Casey O
Published: November 2024

Background COVID-19 pandemics increases venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk during hospitalization, despite prophylactic anticoagulation. Limited radiological diagnosis in pandemic requires a guided protocol for anticoagulant adjustment. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single center as part of a quality improvement program evaluating the efficacy and safety of anticoagulation protocols. The study focused on implementing a guideline for anticoagulant dosing protocol based on dynamic changes in D-dimer levels in COVID-19 hospitalized patients. The dosing guideline allowed for dose escalation from standard prophylactic levels to escalated prophylactic or therapeutic levels, depending on the patient's risk profile for VTE. The primary endpoints included in-hospital survival comparing between fix and dynamic adjustment treatment groups. Secondary endpoints encompassed major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB) events, incidence of breakthrough thrombosis, length of hospitalization and ICU stay, days of mechanical ventilator use, and survival duration. Findings Among the 260 COVID-19-infected patients hospitalized between March 15th and June 15th, 2020. The patients received fixed anticoagulant dosage in 188, 72.3%) patients, while 72 (27.7%) were up-titrated according to the protocol. In-hospital survival at 30 days demonstrated superiority among patients whose anticoagulation was up-titrated to either escalated prophylactic or therapeutic (80.2%) compared to receiving fixed anticoagulant dosage (51.3%) (p=0.01). Bleeding events were significantly higher in up-titrate group (12.5%) compared to fixed anticoagulant dosage group (2.13%). Most of them are CRNMB. Conclusion A dynamic, D-dimer-based dose escalation of anticoagulation for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 holds promise in improving in-hospital mortality rates without a significant increase in fatal bleeding events.
Togetherness in musical interaction
Authors: Bishop Laura
Published: November 2024

This paper presents a model of musical togetherness (MT), defined as the sense of musical connection that arises during real-time interaction and results in feelings of social connection, pleasure, and trust. The model comprises three layers. The first layer, which provides a backdrop for subsequent layers, comprises players’ knowledge and expectations about what will unfold during an interaction. The second layer comprises five processes that build upon one another: Belief in intentional partners in a shared musical environment, perceived liveness, and perceived responsivity mainly strengthen the social dimension of MT, while perceived embodied alignment and joint agency mainly strengthen the positive valence dimension. The third layer comprises rewarding feelings of social connection, pleasure and trust. These feelings feed back to affect the second layer processes, effectively guiding players’ musical decision-making and behaviour. They also feed back to affect the first layer, creating lasting effects on the way players approach musical interactions and relate to their interaction partners. MT should be seen as a fluid aspect of interaction that fluctuates alongside the aesthetic quality of the music. Players will sometimes sacrifice MT in the short term in order to improve the quality of their playing and strengthen their sense of MT in the long term. The MT model provides structure for a construct that has been used casually in the music psychology literature and has implications for how the performance behaviour of ensemble musicians is understood.
Feasibility Study on the International Promotion of Wushu Bingdao under the Belt and Road Initiative: A Strategy Exploration Based on Multi-Method Analysis
Authors: Li Guan Chong , Zhang Guodong
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Background: This study aims to explore the feasibility of the international promotion of Wushu Bingdao within the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. As a significant component of traditional Chinese culture, Wushu Bingdao holds potential for cross-cultural exchange. However, its promotion faces multiple challenges in the globalized context, such as cultural differences, a shortage of skilled practitioners, market competition, and the limitations of traditional promotion methods.
Methods: Utilizing literature review, expert interviews, and qualitative analysis, this study systematically reviews literature related to the promotion of Wushu Bingdao, analyzing its cultural connotations and historical heritage, and identifying key obstacles to international promotion. Strategic recommendations are proposed to address these challenges.
Results: The study reveals that enhancing the understanding of the cultural essence of wushu, developing a specialized team of international promotion professionals, standardizing the Wushu Bingdao system, and employing innovative international communication methods can significantly increase the visibility and influence of Wushu Bingdao globally, facilitating its exchange and development within global cultural diversity.
Conclusion: Despite the numerous challenges facing the international promotion of Wushu Bingdao, leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative platform and combining innovative promotion strategies offer the potential for broader recognition and practice of Chinese Wushu Bingdao worldwide.
Die ARAL-Tankstelle als Identifikationsraum in Herkunft, von Saša Stanišić
Authors: Aragón Ruiz-Roso Manuel
Published: November 2024

Die Migration aus den ex-jugoslawischen Ländern spielt in der heutigen deutschsprachigen Literatur eine sehr wichtige Rolle, mit renommierten Autor:innen wie Jagoda Marinić (Restaurant Dalmatia, 2013), Melinda Nadj Abonji (Schildkrötensoldat, 2017), Nicol Ljubić (Heimatroman oder Wie mein Vater ein Deutscher wurde, 2006) oder Marica Bodrožić (Kirschholz und alte Gefühle, 2014). Im Falle des Buches Herkunft (Saša Stanišić 2019) haben junge Migranten aus unterschiedlicher Herkunft eine transkulturell dargestellte Gemeinde an einer Tankstelle gebildet. So wird ein typischer NichtOrt (Augé 1992) bzw. Transit-Ort (Wilhelmer, 2015) in dieser Erzählung als Identifikationsraum verstanden, d.h., als unverzichtbare Bezugspunkte für die Identität der Mitglieder dieser hybriden bzw. transkulturellen Gesellschaft. Die Gesellschaft der ARAL-Leute kann sich nur am Rande der herrschenden Gesellschaft ihre eigene Identität als imagined community (Anderson 1983) entwickeln: Da, wo andere nur vorbeifahren.
Die Jagd auf Anglizismen seit René Étiemble Héloïse.
Authors: Marie-Vincent Ghislaine Ducatteau Elisabeth
Published: November 2024

Anglizismen haben in verschiedenen Sprachen ihren Platz gefunden – oder sind in sie eingedrungen – und haben verschiedenartige Reaktionen hervorgerufen: Anziehungskraft, Zurückhaltung, Feindseligkeit. Die vorliegende Analyse fokussiert die puristische Einstellung, d.h. die Animosität, und wendet sich nach einer theoretischen Ausdifferenzierung der Anglizismentypen den Anglizismen im Deutschen und Spanischen zu, um sich dann auf die an ihnen geübte Kritik zu konzentrieren. Eine prominente Figur in diesem Kampf heißt René Étiemble, der seit der Nachkriegszeit anhand mehrerer Artikel und Monographien den Neologismus franglais geprägt hat. Benutzen zeitgenössische GegnerInnen dieselben Argumente gegen Anglizismen oder haben sie neue entwickelt? Inwiefern kann ihre Kritik abgeschwächt werden?
Dynamic Resource Allocation: The Geometry and Robustness of Constant Regret
Authors: Vera Alberto , Arlotto Alessandro , Gurvich Itai , Levin Eli
Published: November 2024

We study a family of dynamic resource allocation problems, wherein requests of different types arrive over time and are accepted or rejected. Each request type is characterized by its reward, arrival probability, and resource consumption. An upper bound for the collected reward is given by a linear optimization problem with a random right-hand side. This type of problem, known as packing linear program (LP), is ubiquitous in resource allocation. We provide a detailed characterization of the parametric structure of this packing LP. Relying on this geometric understanding, we revisit and expand on BudgetRatio algorithms that achieve constant regret by resolving this same packing LP in each period and accepting requests scored as sufficiently valuable. We illustrate the benefits of the geometric view in proving that (i) BudgetRatio achieves constant regret relative to the offline (full information) upper bound in the presence of inventory that is (slowly) restocked, and (ii) within explicitly identifiable bounds, the algorithm’s regret is robust to misspecification of the model parameters. This gives bounds for the bandits version of the problem in which the parameters have to be learned. (iii) The algorithm has an equivalent formulation as a generalized bid-price algorithm in which the bid prices can be adaptively and efficiently computed. Our analysis focuses on the evolution of the remaining inventory—in turn of the LP that drives BudgetRatio—as a stochastic process. We prove that it is attracted to sticky regions of the state space in which the online algorithm takes actions consistent with the optimal basis of the offline upper bound, a basis that is revealed only in hindsight at the horizon’s end.

Funding: This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense [Grant W911NF-20-C-0008].
Pancreatic cancer – challenge for modern medicine
Authors: Cholewa Marcin , Wójcik Julia , Kuca Maciej , Jaglarz Karolina , Janeczek Maksymilian , Kantor Karolina Kinga , Plewniok Julia , Szymańska Wiktoria Maria , Pamuła Kacper Wojciech , Partyka Maria
Published: November 2024

Introduction. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous carcinomas of the digestive tract, with a very poor prognosis for patients. Annually, more than three and a half thousand people in Poland are diagnosed with this tumor.
Aim. The aim of the work was to assess and compile existing knowledge about pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Materials and methods. Data for the paper was gathered with the usage of Google Scholar. Moreover, articles from sources like PubMed or National Institutes of Health were used. Materials were published between 2015 and 2024.
Results. Tumor morbidity is still increasing, the biggest group of patients are people who are more than 55 years old. Many modifiable and nonmodifiable factors play a role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. Lifestyle, stimulants, BMI or physical activity can be included into the first group. Nonmodifiable factors are sex, age, race, genetic predisposition or blood group. Typical symptoms of this tumor are loss of the body weight, fatigue, nausea, jaundice and abdominal pain. Clinicians use the following diagnostic methods: CT, MRI, ERCP, MRCP or USG. Only the radical chirurgical treatment gives a hope for total recovery, additionally chemotherapy can be admitted. Chemotherapy schemes are FOLFIRINOX or monotherapy with gemcitabine.
Conclusions. Pancreatic cancer is still a challenge for clinicians, as its treatment is limited by poor effectiveness of possible ways of treatment. The majority of tumors are diagnosed at the advanced stage, when full patient recovery is not possible. New ways of treatment such as immunotherapy, monoclonal antibodies or gene therapy are a ray of hope.

Keywords: pancreatic cancer, treatment of pancreatic cancer, epidemiology, diagnostic methods.
Diary of a spectacle designer
Authors: Davies Tom
Published: November 2024

This month Tom Davies gives advice on tackling the issue of inflation
Exploring global myopia trends
Authors: McClean Andrew
Published: November 2024

Too many UK practitioners are prescribing single vision methods for myopia. Andrew McClean reports
Shared care success
Authors: White Emma
Published: November 2024

Emma White reports on how the NHS Wales University Eye Care Centre triumphed to take the Enhanced Optical Service Optician Award 2022
Reporting to change for some
Authors: Bernstein Adam
Published: November 2024

Adam Bernstein explains how income tax is calculated for unincorporated businesses under recently updated rules
Under pressure
Authors: Farrell Eugene
Published: November 2024

Eugene Farrell outlines the challenges posed by anxiety in the workplace
Determine the Balance of Nitrogen, Potassium, and Silicon Fertilization for the Control of Rice Tungro Disease Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors:   Paddy and Rice Research Centre, MARDI Seberang Perai, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, Esa NurulNahar , Masarudin Mohd Fitri ,   Paddy and Rice Research Centre, MARDI Seberang Perai, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, Saad Maisarah Mohamad ,   Paddy and Rice Research Centre, MARDI Seberang Perai, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, Misman Siti Norsuha ,   Paddy and Rice Research Centre, MARDI Seberang Perai, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Published: November 2024

This study evaluates the efficacy of combined N, K, and Si treatments to find the balance of these three elements for tungro disease control and rice grain production. The study was conducted in a pot under a glasshouse. These elements were chosen as several findings have indicated the positive benefits of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and silicon (Si) fertilization on plant development, yield, and biotic stress relief. The methods used were central composite design and response surface methodology. Complete and balanced nutrition has always been the first line of defense for plants due to the direct involvement of mineral elements in plant protection. The results showed that rice tungro disease could be controlled with 138:42:62:200 (N:P2O5:K2O:Si). A high rate of nitrogen is needed to reduce disease development. The results on N may explain that not all conditions of rice plants are at risk with high N rates. Adding Si fertilizer contributes to plant defense mechanisms and plays a role in yield formation. In contrast, the balance of fertilizer for maximizing grain yield per plant was found to be not dependent on nitrogen but needed either low K (62 kg K2O/ha) or high K (80 kg K2O/ha) but with moderate Si (150 kg Si/ha). Prioritizing tungro disease control and adopting the rate of N:K2O:Si (138:62:200), it was found that there was a yield reduction of an average of 7.7%.
Outcomes of external versus internal fixation for traumatic lower limb fractures in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Pigeolet Manon , Sana Hamaiyal , Askew Morgan R. , Jaswal Shubham , Ortega Paola F. , Bradley Sarah R. , Shah Ayush , Mita Carol , Corlew Daniel S. , Saeed Ayesha , Makasa Emmanuel , Agarwal-Harding Kiran J.
Published: November 2024

Aims

Lower limb fractures are common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and represent a significant burden to the existing orthopaedic surgical infrastructure. In high income country (HIC) settings, internal fixation is the standard of care due to its superior outcomes. In LMICs, external fixation is often the surgical treatment of choice due to limited supplies, cost considerations, and its perceived lower complication rate. The aim of this systematic review protocol is identifying differences in rates of infection, nonunion, and malunion of extra-articular femoral and tibial shaft fractures in LMICs treated with either internal or external fixation.

Methods

This systematic review protocol describes a broad search of multiple databases to identify eligible papers. Studies must be published after 2000, include at least five patients, patients must be aged > 16 years or treated as skeletally mature, and the paper must describe a fracture of interest and at least one of our primary outcomes of interest. We did not place restrictions on language or journal. All abstracts and full texts will be screened and extracted by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias and quality of evidence will be analyzed using standardized appraisal tools. A random-effects meta-analysis followed by a subgroup analysis will be performed, given the anticipated heterogeneity among studies, if sufficient data are available.

Conclusion

The lack of easily accessible LMIC outcome data, combined with international clinical guidelines that are often developed by HIC surgeons for use in HIC environments, makes the clinical decision-making process infinitely more difficult for surgeons in LMICs. This protocol will guide research on surgical management, outcomes, and complications of lower limb shaft fractures in LMICs, and can help guide policy development for better surgical intervention delivery and improve global surgical care.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(11):1020–1026.
Silvicultural Practices and Water Table Dynamics of Coastal Forested Wetlands
Authors: Amatya Devendra M. , Williams Thomas M. , Skaggs R. Wayne , Nettles Jami E. , Mehan Sushant
Published: November 2024

Highlights

Forested wetland hydrology (WH) is characterized by changes in daily water table (WT) depth over time.

Silvicultural operations (harvesting, thinning, bedding, and minor drainage and intensity) affect WT dynamics.

Both WT dynamics and WH are also affected by tree stand age/growth and soil types, besides the climate.

Knowledge gaps and future research using modeling, including machine learning methods are discussed.

Abstract. Sustainable management of forested wetlands requires an understanding of water table (WT) dynamics affected by rainfall and evapotranspiration (ET) as well as management practices to sustain water quality, quantity, and ecosystem services. The hydrology, the most important factor influencing productivity of forested wetlands, may be characterized by measuring changes in WT depth over time. The hydrology of U.S. Southeastern Coastal Plain forested wetlands, particularly wet pine flats and pocosins, where drainage has been commonly used to improve tree growth, is relatively well understood. However, uncertainties remain regarding the effects of some silvicultural practices on WT dynamics of varying soil and drainage types and the role of climatic trends, including extreme events (precipitation and droughts), on WT dynamics of these forested lands. In this paper, we use information from long-term monitoring and modeling studies conducted at sites in the Southeastern Atlantic Coastal Plain to review the current state of research on potential effects of harvesting, thinning, bedding, and minor drainage on changes to WT dynamics in coastal non-riverine forested wetlands. We also briefly illustrate current gaps in knowledge and outline future potential research in this area. Keywords: Pine forest, Bedding, Harvesting, Minor drainage, Water table, Wetland hydrology, Hydrology models.
The purpose of life is a life of purpose: the work of the Independent Living Fund Scotland
Authors: Elder-Woodward Jim , Mladenov Teodor
Published: November 2024

The purpose of the Independent Living Fund Scotland is to empower disabled people to control their own support systems. Established as a ‘closed’ fund in 2015, it has been threatened with eventual closure through attrition. In response, a campaign was organised to open the fund, bolstered by two ‘social return on investment’ evaluations. As a result, the fund was opened in April 2024. This article discusses the background of the Independent Living Fund Scotland, celebrates its opening and attributes its success to being a purpose-led organisation that helps disabled people live purposeful lives.
The Upper Secondary School Act as legal violence in the Swedish welfare state: ‘I came to Sweden just so I could live’
Authors: Scott Hanna , Roos Anders
Published: November 2024

In this article we investigate the harmful effects of the 2018 Upper Secondary School Act (the ‘Study Law’) upon young people in Sweden who have sought to regularise their stay with the help of this law. We analyse these harmful impacts as ‘legal violence’: structural and symbolic violence embedded in or intensified by law (Menjívar and Abrego, 2012), in the context of Swedish welfare regulation.

The Study Law was ostensibly enacted to provide a new opportunity for some 7,000 young people, the majority of whom had fled Afghanistan. These young people had sought asylum in Sweden in 2015, but had not had their needs for protection recognised, instead being subjected to exclusionary laws, policies and growing racism. The Study Law substituted the possibility of protection with strict requirements of study, work and conduct, while the social and material support needed to fulfil these requirements largely was withheld.

In our analysis, we draw upon interviews with young people collected as part of a doctoral research project, legal materials, and our own, earlier joint experiences as legal practitioners working with those affected by this law. The legal violence of the Study Law, we argue, has produced individual and social harms, particularly impacting the lives of young people seeking asylum. The law has created a complex and hard-to-navigate, legally-violent regime that, directly and indirectly, has exacerbated hardships and facilitated suffering and even death.
42 mm large aperture variable-focus lens based on the liquid-membrane-liquid structure
Authors: Huang Yutao , Wang Lihui , Huang Shuangjiang , Fan Longfei , Chen Tao
Published: November 2024

Variable-focus lenses enable dynamic focus control and reduce the volume of the optical systems. However, few of them have been scaled up to large apertures of 10 mm, which limits their application scenarios. Here, a variable-focus lens prototype with a 42 mm large aperture based on the liquid-membrane-liquid structure was proposed and evaluated. The prototype shows a range of adjustable optical power at [−3 D, +3 D], and demonstrates high repeatability during the operation process. The average normalized modulation transfer function value for an imaging system shows 0.7904 in 17.204 lp/mm and 0.5439 in 34.409 lp/mm. The resolution values in horizontal and vertical directions are 8 lp/mm and 8.98 lp/mm, respectively. Besides, the millisecond-level response time of the prototype is achieved with a rising edge of 5.02 ms and a falling edge of 3.66 ms. The prototype demonstrates the application scenarios of variable-focus lenses for large aperture requirements with the potential for satisfactory performance, such as in wearable devices, machine vision systems, and so on.
Optimizing spectral phase transfer in four-wave mixing with gas-filled capillaries
Authors: Zhang Hao , Sun Lin-Shan , Hirschman Jack , Shariatdoust Mirali Seyed , Belli Federico , Carbajo Sergio
Published: November 2024

Four-wave mixing (FWM) in gas-filled hollow-core capillaries, a nonlinear optical process that mixes signal and pump photon frequencies to generate idler frequency photons, offers a method for precise spectral phase transfer from signal to idler at ultrashort timescales and extreme powers. However, this regime is challenged by competing linear and nonlinear dynamics, leading to significant trade-offs between spectral phase transfer and conversion efficiency. Our computational investigation focuses on the upconversion of femtosecond pulses from the infrared (IR) to the ultraviolet (UV), a range notoriously difficult to manipulate. We explore an intermediate energy regime that strikes an optimal balance between FWM-mediated phase-transfer fidelity and nonlinear conversion efficiency. By adjusting the energy ratios and spectral phase profiles of the input signal, we achieve conversion efficiencies of approximately 5-15% while maintaining an effective quasi-linear spectral phase transfer. These findings will contribute to establishing first-principles and scaling laws essential for applications such as high-precision imaging, spectroscopy, quantum transduction, and distributed entangled interconnects, facilitating advanced control of ultrafast photonic and electronic wavepackets in quantum materials with unprecedented spatial and temporal precision.
GaN/CuI heterostructure ultraviolet photovoltaic detector for low-power optical communication
Authors: Yin Shuoshuo , Zhou Xiangcheng , Gu Renning , Lu Jiaqi , Ji Xueqiang , Li Shan , Guo Yufeng , Tang Weihua
Published: November 2024

In this work, a planar structured GaN/CuI heterojunction ultraviolet photodetector (UVPD) with a self-powered manner was constructed by the spin-coating method. Both UVA and UVC waveband lights were precisely detected by this designed GaN/CuI PD. Irradiated upon 365 nm UVA light, our PD device performed decent self-powered photoresponse properties with a photo-to-dark current ratio (PDCR) of 1.3 × 103, a responsivity of 228 mA/W, and a specific detectivity of 4.3 × 1013 Jones at zero bias. There was barely degeneration in photocurrent during continuous reliability testing, even with the device being placed in air for five months without package. Severed as an optical signal receiver, the GaN/CuI heterojunction UVPD decoded a binary message of “GOOD” in a homemade optical communication system. These results indicated a great potential application of the self-powered GaN/CuI UVPD in energy conservation wireless communications.
Generation of the broadband indistinguishable two-photon state in the telecom band
Authors: Li Jiarui , Fan Yunru , Zhang Ruiming , Zhao Xuegong , Jiang Panqiu , Li Hao , You Lixing , Wang Zhen , Wang You , Deng Guangwei , Song Haizhi , Guo Guangcan , Zhou Qiang
Published: November 2024

The indistinguishable photon-pair sources are valuable in many quantum information applications, such as quantum microscopy, quantum synchronization, and quantum metrology. Based on cascaded sum-frequency generation (SFG) and spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) processes, we propose and demonstrate a scheme for the generation of spatially separated broadband indistinguishable photon pairs in the telecom band by using only one piece of a fiber-pigtailed periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide in a modified Sagnac loop. The measured joint spectral intensity of the generated entangled photon pairs is 7.27 THz (57.6 nm) at the full width at half-maximum (FWHM). The Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) interference of the generated broadband photons is measured with bandwidths of 5.35 THz (∼42.8 nm) and 100 GHz (∼0.8 nm), respectively. Visibility of 94.0±1.4% is achieved with the bandwidth of 5.35 THz, demonstrating good indistinguishability of the generated two-photon states, which could benefit the development of quantum microscopy and quantum synchronization.
710 kW stable average power in a 45,000 finesse two-mirror optical cavity
Authors: Lu Xin-Yi , Chiche Ronic , Dupraz Kevin , Martens Aurélien , Nutarelli Daniele , Soskov Viktor , Zomer Fabian , Liu Xing , Yan Li-Xin , Huang Wen-Hui , Tang Chuan-Xiang , Michel Christophe , Pinard Laurent , Lhermite Jérôme
Published: November 2024

Very high-average optical enhancement cavities (OECs) are being used both in fundamental and applied research. The most demanding applications require stable megawatt level average power of infrared picosecond pulses with repetition rates of several tens of MHz. Toward reaching this goal, we report on the achievement of 710 kW of stable average power in a two-mirror hemispherical optical enhancement cavity. This result further improves the state of the art. So far, in compact high-power systems, cavity geometry optimization has been driven by the need to limit the deformation of radii of curvatures due to thermal effects. Here we explicitly demonstrate that thermal lensing must be accounted for, too, and that it can be used to assess the absorption of coatings. Experimental observations are matched with a simple model of thermal effects in the mirror’s coatings. These results set a further stage for designing an optimized optical system for several applications where very high-average power enhancement cavities are expected to be operated.
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with subwavelength photonic double heterostructures
Authors: Wang Minglu , Zhang Jing , Zheng Wanhua , Liu Anjin
Published: November 2024

Control of transverse modes in the oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is a key issue. We demonstrate a VCSEL with a double heterostructure high-contrast grating (HCG) as the top mirror to control the transverse mode characteristics. Compared with the common HCG–VCSEL with a uniform HCG, theoretically the proposed double heterostructure HCG–VCSEL can suppress the higher-order transverse modes. Experimentally, the double heterostructure HCG–VCSEL has a reduced spectral width and red-shifted fundamental mode compared with a common HCG–VCSEL with a uniform HCG, which is consistent well with the theoretical results. This work provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, approach to control the transverse modes of the VCSEL.
Teaching deep networks to see shape: Lessons from a simplified visual world
Authors: Jarvers Christian , Neumann Heiko
Published: November 2024

Deep neural networks have been remarkably successful as models of the primate visual system. One crucial problem is that they fail to account for the strong shape-dependence of primate vision. Whereas humans base their judgements of category membership to a large extent on shape, deep networks rely much more strongly on other features such as color and texture. While this problem has been widely documented, the underlying reasons remain unclear. We design simple, artificial image datasets in which shape, color, and texture features can be used to predict the image class. By training networks from scratch to classify images with single features and feature combinations, we show that some network architectures are unable to learn to use shape features, whereas others are able to use shape in principle but are biased towards the other features. We show that the bias can be explained by the interactions between the weight updates for many images in mini-batch gradient descent. This suggests that different learning algorithms with sparser, more local weight changes are required to make networks more sensitive to shape and improve their capability to describe human vision.
EpiFusion: Joint inference of the effective reproduction number by integrating phylodynamic and epidemiological modelling with particle filtering
Authors: Judge Ciara , Vaughan Timothy , Russell Timothy , Abbott Sam , du Plessis Louis , Stadler Tanja , Brady Oliver , Hill Sarah
Published: November 2024

Accurately estimating the effective reproduction number (Rt) of a circulating pathogen is a fundamental challenge in the study of infectious disease. The fields of epidemiology and pathogen phylodynamics both share this goal, but to date, methodologies and data employed by each remain largely distinct. Here we present EpiFusion: a joint approach that can be used to harness the complementary strengths of each field to improve estimation of outbreak dynamics for large and poorly sampled epidemics, such as arboviral or respiratory virus outbreaks, and validate it for retrospective analysis. We propose a model of Rt that estimates outbreak trajectories conditional upon both phylodynamic (time-scaled trees estimated from genetic sequences) and epidemiological (case incidence) data. We simulate stochastic outbreak trajectories that are weighted according to epidemiological and phylodynamic observation models and fit using particle Markov Chain Monte Carlo. To assess performance, we test EpiFusion on simulated outbreaks in which transmission and/or surveillance rapidly changes and find that using EpiFusion to combine epidemiological and phylodynamic data maintains accuracy and increases certainty in trajectory and Rt estimates, compared to when each data type is used alone. We benchmark EpiFusion’s performance against existing methods to estimate Rt and demonstrate advances in speed and accuracy. Importantly, our approach scales efficiently with dataset size. Finally, we apply our model to estimate Rt during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. EpiFusion is designed to accommodate future extensions that will improve its utility, such as explicitly modelling population structure, accommodations for phylogenetic uncertainty, and the ability to weight the contributions of genomic or case incidence to the inference.
Prediction of causal genes at GWAS loci with pleiotropic gene regulatory effects using sets of correlated instrumental variables
Authors: Khan Mariyam , Ludl Adriaan-Alexander , Bankier Sean , Björkegren Johan L. M. , Michoel Tom
Published: November 2024

Multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) is a statistical technique that uses sets of genetic instruments to estimate the direct causal effects of multiple exposures on an outcome of interest. At genomic loci with pleiotropic gene regulatory effects, that is, loci where the same genetic variants are associated to multiple nearby genes, MVMR can potentially be used to predict candidate causal genes. However, consensus in the field dictates that the genetic instruments in MVMR must be independent (not in linkage disequilibrium), which is usually not possible when considering a group of candidate genes from the same locus. Here we used causal inference theory to show that MVMR with correlated instruments satisfies the instrumental set condition. This is a classical result by Brito and Pearl (2002) for structural equation models that guarantees the identifiability of individual causal effects in situations where multiple exposures collectively, but not individually, separate a set of instrumental variables from an outcome variable. Extensive simulations confirmed the validity and usefulness of these theoretical results. Importantly, the causal effect estimates remained unbiased and their variance small even when instruments are highly correlated, while bias introduced by horizontal pleiotropy or LD matrix sampling error was comparable to standard MR. We applied MVMR with correlated instrumental variable sets at genome-wide significant loci for coronary artery disease (CAD) risk using expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) data from seven vascular and metabolic tissues in the STARNET study. Our method predicts causal genes at twelve loci, each associated with multiple colocated genes in multiple tissues. We confirm causal roles for PHACTR1 and ADAMTS7 in arterial tissues, among others. However, the extensive degree of regulatory pleiotropy across tissues and the limited number of causal variants in each locus still require that MVMR is run on a tissue-by-tissue basis, and testing all gene-tissue pairs with cis-eQTL associations at a given locus in a single model to predict causal gene-tissue combinations remains infeasible. Our results show that within tissues, MVMR with dependent, as opposed to independent, sets of instrumental variables significantly expands the scope for predicting causal genes in disease risk loci with pleiotropic regulatory effects. However, considering risk loci with regulatory pleiotropy that also spans across tissues remains an unsolved problem.
Clonorchis sinensis infection contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma progression via enhancing angiogenesis
Authors: Wei Caibiao , Chen Junxian , Yu Qiuhai , Qin Yuling , Huang Taijun , Liu Fengfei , Pan Xiaolan , Lin Qiumei , Tang Zeli , Fang Min
Published: November 2024

Background

Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) infection plays an important role in the progression of hepatocarcinogenesis. However, its specific role in HCC progression remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether C. sinensis contributes to angiogenesis in HCC.

Methods

A comprehensive clinical analysis was conducted on 947 HCC patients, divided into two groups: C. sinensis (-) HCC and C. sinensis (+) HCC. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were utilized to assess survival outcomes. Microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated through CD34 immunohistochemistry on hepatectomy specimens. A chemistry analyzer and blood analyzer were employed to measure the concentration of circulating angiogenesis-related biomarkers. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression of angiogenesis-related genes (CD34, Ang1, Ang2, VEGF, PDGF) in HCC tissues.

Results

C. sinensis infection was associated with poorer outcomes in HCC patients, with significantly shorter overall survival (OS) (p = 0.014) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p<0.001). Notably, C. sinensis infection led to an upregulation of MVD in HCC tissues (p = 0.041). C. sinensis (+) HCC patients exhibited significantly higher levels of circulating angiogenesis-related biomarkers, including MONO (p = 0.004), EOSO (p < 0.001), C3 (p = 0.001), FIB (p = 0.010), PLT (p = 0.003), LDH (p = 0.004), GLDH (p = 0.003), compared to C. sinensis (-) HCC patients. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis revealed that most angiogenesis-related genes were overexpressed in patients with C. sinensis infection.

Conclusion

C. sinensis infection is closely associated with inflammatory responses and may promote metabolic reprogramming in HCC, thereby enhancing its malignant characteristics.
Spatial benefit assessment and marine climate response of coastal zone in Fujian Province under cross-system influence
Authors: Chen Wenjun , Wen Chaoxiang
Published: November 2024

To gain a scientific understanding of the cross-system impact of coastal zones and promote the sustainable development and protection of coastal areas, we constructed a spatial benefit evaluation system that encompassed both terrestrial and marine systems, focusing on the ecological, economic, and social dimensions. We employed the entropy method, moving average method, and Mann-Kendall trend test to quantitatively characterize the spatial benefits of the coastal zone in Fujian Province, China, and the evolution of the marine climate from 2005 to 2020. Building on this, the grey relational analysis method was applied to investigate the correlation between spatial benefits and marine climate and to explore the trends and magnitude of the impact of marine climate on spatial benefits. During the study period, the spatial benefits of the coastal zone in Fujian Province exhibited a fluctuating pattern of an initial increase followed by a decrease, with spatial benefits varying among cities. The role of the economic system in enhancing spatial benefits was not considerable. Changes in the marine climate aligned with the global warming trend, with the most considerable changes observed in sea level and tropical cyclone frequency and intensity, which are sensitive to human activities. There was a high degree of correlation between coastal zone spatial benefits and marine climate, with seawater salinity being most closely related to spatial benefits, while tropical cyclones showed the weakest correlation. The results of this study support sustainable development efforts in coastal zones.
Shifting employment and perceptions of household responsibilities during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada, USA
Authors: Coughenour Courtney , Chien Lung-Chang , Labus Brian , Gakh Maxim , Usufzy Pashtana
Published: November 2024

Background

Employment and household responsibility are critical health determinants. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the work and social landscapes in Nevada, USA through closures of workplaces and schools/childcare centers, changing patterns of employment, and household responsibilities. This study aimed to measure changes in employment status and perceived housework responsibilities among Nevada adults in December 2020, before widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines in a pandemic-affected economy.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional telephone survey of 1,000 Nevada adults, this study compared respondent experiences and perceptions of employment and time spent on housework in December 2020 to pre-pandemic using multinominal logistic, proportional odds, and logistic models.

Results

70.52% of participants experienced no employment change; roughly 24% reported being fired/laid-off, working reduced hours, or quitting. Chi-square analyses found participants of color more likely than Whites to report being fired/laid-off or working reduced hours (p-value = 0.0005), though these findings were not significant in our models. Participants in the lowest income bracket had higher odds of being fired/laid off (p-value = 0.0030), and participants aged 65+ were less likely to experience employment change (p-value<0.0001). 32.43% of participants reported more time spent on housework. Multivariate analyses showed age is significantly associated with changes in both employment status (p-value<0.0001) and housework time (p-value<0.0001); income is a significant factor for employment status change (p-value = 0.0024). Of those reporting their households spent more time on housework, females were 2.90 times (95% CI = 1.66, 5.05, p-value = 0.0002) more likely to report taking on the additional work.

Conclusions

Results demonstrate a disproportionate burden in employment change and/or more perceived household responsibilities on lower income and younger respondents, and females reporting they are more likely to take on additional housework. Understanding systemic vulnerabilities related to employment status and household responsibilities is necessary to aid impacted communities and to plan for future emergencies.
Post-transcriptional control drives Aurora kinase A expression in human cancers
Authors: Cacioppo Roberta , Rad Deniz , Pagani Giulia , Gandellini Paolo , Lindon Catherine
Published: November 2024

Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is a major regulator of the cell cycle. A prominent association exists between high expression of AURKA and cancer, and impairment of AURKA levels can trigger its oncogenic activity. In order to explore the contribution of post-transcriptional regulation to AURKA expression in different cancers, we carried out a meta-analysis of -omics data of 18 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Our study confirmed a general trend for increased AURKA mRNA in cancer compared to normal tissues and revealed that AURKA expression is highly dependent on post-transcriptional control in several cancers. Correlation and clustering analyses of AURKA mRNA and protein expression, and expression of AURKA-targeting hsa-let-7a miRNA, unveiled that hsa-let-7a is likely involved to varying extents in controlling AURKA expression in cancers. We then measured differences in the short/long ratio (SLR) of the two alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) isoforms of AURKA mRNA across cancers compared to the respective healthy counterparts. We suggest that the interplay between APA and hsa-let-7a targeting of AURKA mRNA may influence AURKA expression in some cancers. hsa-let-7a and APA may also independently contribute to altered AURKA levels. Therefore, we argue that AURKA mRNA and protein expression are often discordant in cancer as a result of dynamic post-transcriptional regulation.