bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nup93 and CTCF modulate spatiotemporal dynamics and function of the HOXA gene locus during differentiation
Authors: Labade Ajay S. , Salvi Adwait , Kar Saswati , Karmodiya Krishanpal , Sengupta Kundan
Published: November 2021

Nucleoporins regulate nuclear transport and are also involved in DNA damage, repair, cell cycle, chromatin organization and gene expression. Here, we studied the role of nucleoporin Nup93 and the chromatin organizer CTCF in regulating expression of the HOXA gene locus during differentiation. ChIP sequencing revealed a significant overlap between Nup93 and CTCF peaks. Interestingly, Nup93 and CTCF are associated with the 3′ and 5′ HOXA genes, respectively. Depletions of Nup93 and CTCF antagonistically modulate expression levels of 3′ and 5′ HOXA genes in the undifferentiated human NT2/D1 cell line. Nup93 also regulates the localization of the HOXA gene locus, which disengages from the nuclear periphery upon Nup93 but not CTCF depletion, consistent with its upregulation. The dynamic association of Nup93 and CTCF with the HOXA locus during differentiation correlates with its spatial positioning and expression. Whereas Nup93 tethers the HOXA locus to the nuclear periphery, CTCF potentially regulates looping of the HOXA gene cluster in a temporal manner. In summary, Nup93 and CTCF complement one another in modulating the spatiotemporal dynamics and function of the HOXA gene locus during differentiation. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first authors of the paper.
Ontogenetic changes in limb posture, kinematics, forces and joint moments in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)
Authors: Iijima Masaya , Munteanu V. David , Elsey Ruth M. , Blob Richard W.
Published: November 2021

As animals increase in size, common patterns of morphological and physiological scaling may require them to perform behaviors such as locomotion while experiencing a reduced capacity to generate muscle force and an increased risk of tissue failure. Large mammals are known to manage increased mechanical demands by using more upright limb posture. However, the presence of such size-dependent changes in limb posture has rarely been tested in animals that use non-parasagittal limb kinematics. Here, we used juvenile to subadult American alligators (total length 0.46–1.27 m, body mass 0.3–5.6 kg) and examined their limb kinematics, forces, joint moments and center of mass (CoM) to test for ontogenetic shifts in posture and limb mechanics. Larger alligators typically walked with a more adducted humerus and femur and a more extended knee. Normalized peak joint moments reflected these postural patterns, with shoulder and hip moments imposed by the ground reaction force showing relatively greater magnitudes in the smallest individuals. Thus, as larger alligators use more upright posture, they incur relatively smaller joint moments than smaller alligators, which could reduce the forces that the shoulder and hip adductors of larger alligators must generate. The CoM shifted nonlinearly from juveniles through subadults. The more anteriorly positioned CoM in small alligators, together with their compliant hindlimbs, contributes to their higher forelimb and lower hindlimb normalized peak vertical forces in comparison to larger alligators. Future studies of alligators that approach maximal adult sizes could give further insight into how animals with non-parasagittal limb posture modulate locomotor patterns as they increase in mass and experience changes in the CoM.
Θεωρησιακή Αισθητική
Authors: Mackay Robin
Published: November 2021

Οι παρακάτω σκέψεις ως προς τον αντίκτυπο του Θεωρησιακού Ρεαλισμού στην αισθητική, κυμαίνονται από τη σχέση της σύγχρονης τέχνης με την αισθητική, έως την επιτάχυνση και την αφαίρεση, τη λογική και τον σχεδιασμό. Το άρθρο προσβλέπει στη δυνατότητα μιας θεωρίας και πρακτικής που δε θα επενδύει στην εξωπραγματική υπόσχεση του αισθητικού, αλλά θα αναγνωρίζει την πραγματική δύναμη και έλξη των εικόνων στον κόσμο σήμερα, και τις νέες τεχνολογικές διαμεσολαβήσεις μεταξύ του αισθητήριου και του πλανητικού δικτύου μέσων, και θα αναδεικνύει το αισθητικό ως έναν φορέα ανάπτυξης νέων τρόπων γνώσης.
Εκτιμήσεις μέτρησης χρόνου: επιδόσεις και στρατηγικές παιδιών και ενηλίκων
Authors: Δεσλή Δέσποινα , Ξενίδου Ευδοξία
Published: November 2021

Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας ήταν να διερευνήσει την ικανότητα ενηλίκων και  παιδιών στην εκτίμηση μέτρησης του χρόνου καθώς και τις στρατηγικές που αυτοί χρησιμοποιούν κατά την εκτίμηση. Για τον σκοπό αυτό, πραγματοποιήθηκε έρευνα στην οποία συμμετείχαν 30 ενήλικες και 32 μαθητές της Στ΄ τάξης του δημοτικού σχολείου. Σχεδιάστηκαν και παρουσιάστηκαν στους συμμετέχοντες τρία έργα, τα οποία τους ζητούσαν: α) να εκτιμήσουν τον χρόνο που τους χρειάζεται για να ολοκληρώσουν ένα παιχνίδι, κάνοντας πρώτα μία μελλοντική εκτίμηση και κατόπιν μία αναδρομική εκτίμηση (Έργο 1: «Μελλοντικές και Αναδρομικές εκτιμήσεις»), β) να εκτιμήσουν τη διάρκεια οικείων ενεργειών (Έργο 2: «Εκτίμηση διάρκειας συγκεκριμένων ενεργειών») και γ) να υποδείξουν τρεις ενέργειες με συγκεκριμένη διάρκεια η κάθε μία (Έργο 3: «Υπόδειξη ενεργειών με συγκεκριμένη διάρκεια»). Όλοι οι συμμετέχοντες πραγματοποίησαν τις εκτιμήσεις τους με τυπικές και άτυπες μονάδες χρόνου. Βρέθηκε ότι οι συμμετέχοντες στο σύνολό τους, ανεξαρτήτως ηλικίας, παρουσίασαν παρόμοιες επιδόσεις στις εκτιμήσεις χρόνου που πραγματοποίησαν. Στο Έργο 1 οι αναδρομικές εκτιμήσεις των συμμετεχόντων ήταν πιο επιτυχημένες από τις μελλοντικές εκτιμήσεις. Για να πραγματοποιήσουν τις εκτιμήσεις τους, οι συμμετέχοντες βασίζονταν κυρίως στη διαίσθησή τους και σε γνωστά προς τους ίδιους σημεία αναφοράς, και πολύ λιγότερο στη χρήση τυπικών μονάδων για τη χρονομέτρηση ή τη γνώση του λεπτού. Στο Έργο 2, περισσότερο επιτυχείς εκτιμήσεις σημειώθηκαν στις ενέργειες με μικρή διάρκεια παρά με μεγάλη διάρκεια. Στο Έργο 3 οι συμμετέχοντες παρουσίασαν πάνω από 65% επιτυχείς εκτιμήσεις στην υπόδειξη ενεργειών με μεγάλη διάρκεια. Τα ευρήματα αυτά αναδεικνύουν την ανάγκη ενίσχυσης της ικανότητας για εκτίμηση μέτρησης του χρόνου από νωρίς.
Οι τρόποι σκέψης στο μοντέλο της Binkley και η ενίσχυσή τους μέσα από το ερευνητικό/παρεμβατικό πρόγραμμα «Δημιουργική Γραφή και Δεξιότητες Κοινωνικής Μάθησης» στο δημοτικό σχολείο
Authors: Τσάτσου-Νικολούλη Σοφία , Μαυρογένη Σταυρούλα , Κωτόπουλος Τριαντάφυλλος , Αλευριάδου Αναστασία
Published: November 2021

Η Binkley και οι συνεργάτες της στο μοντέλο που παρουσίασαν για τις δεξιότητες του 21ου αιώνα, τις οποίες πολλοί ταυτίζουν με τις κοινωνικές δεξιότητες, αναφέρουν ότι στους τρόπους σκέψης ανήκουν η συγκλίνουσα/αποκλίνουσα σκέψη, η καινοτομία/δημιουργικότητα και η μεταγνώση. Το ερευνητικό/παρεμβατικό πρόγραμμα «Δημιουργική Γραφή και Δεξιότητες Κοινωνικής Μάθησης» του τμήματος Βαλκανικών, Σλαβικών και Ανατολικών Σπουδών του Πανεπιστημίου Μακεδονίας, διάρκειας πέντε μηνών περίπου,  διερευνά την ενίσχυση των παραπάνω δεξιοτήτων, οι οποίες αποτελούν μέρος ενός ευρύτερου συνόλου κοινωνικών δεξιοτήτων που σχετίζονται με τη μάθηση, έχοντας ως εκπαιδευτικό εργαλείο τη δημιουργική γραφή και αφόρμηση λογοτεχνικά κείμενα των βαλκανικών χωρών. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 573 μαθητές της Ε΄ και ΣΤ΄ τάξης των δημοτικών σχολείων του νομού Θεσσαλονίκης, οι οποίοι χωρίστηκαν στην Ομάδα Παρέμβασης, που υλοποίησε το πρόγραμμα και στην Ομάδα Ελέγχου, που παρακολούθησε το κανονικό της πρόγραμμα. Η διερεύνηση του επιπέδου των δεξιοτήτων κοινωνικής μάθησης των παιδιών έγινε με τη χρήση ενός δομημένου αυτοσχέδιου ερωτηματολογίου, του οποίου οι συντελεστές αξιοπιστίας alpha Cronbach κυμαίνονται σε πολύ υψηλά επίπεδα. Η ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων κατέδειξε ότι η Ομάδα Παρέμβασης σημείωσε στατιστικά σημαντική μεγαλύτερη βελτίωση στην αξιολόγηση των παραπάνω δεξιοτήτων σε σχέση με την Ομάδα Ελέγχου και με εξισωμένα τα δημογραφικά και άλλα στοιχεία των μαθητών.
Risky sexual behaviours among young adults attending Higher Learning Institutions in Mbeya, Tanzania: implications for STIs and HIV preventive programs
Authors: Mcharo Ruby Doryn , Olomi Willyhelmina , Mayaud Philippe , Msuya Sia E.
Published: November 2021

Background

High-risk sexual behaviors(HRSBs) among young adults are key risk for Sexually Transmitted Infections(STIs), HIV and unplanned pregnancies. WHO has identified the 15-24years age-group as high-risk for STIs. Students at Higher Learning Institutions(HLIs) may be at higher risk because they are free of immediate parental-supervision, are a transient migratory population, probably at peak-years of sexual activity.  In Tanzania, information is limited on sexual and preventive behaviours among young adults in HLIs. We describe risky sexual behaviours and preventive practices among young adults attending HLIs in Mbeya-Tanzania.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study from March2019 to January2020 among randomly selected students aged 18-24years enrolled in HLIs within Mbeya.  Probability proportional to size was used to determine total student number from each HLI. We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect information on sexual health education, activity, behaviour and STI knowledge.

Results

Total of 504students were enrolled with mean age of 21.5(SD 1.74)years. Total of 446(88.5%) students reported ever having had sex. Mean-age at first sex was 18.4years and 9.9% reported sexual debut <15years. A higher proportion of male students(57%) reported sexual debut with non-steady partners than females(37.9%). Lack of condom use at sexual debut was reported by 52% of the participants. Consistent condom use during past 4-weeks was reported at 33% and 16.5% among males and females, respectively. About 1 in 10 students reported forced sex by someone they were dating. Sex under the influence of alcohol was reported by 24% of the students.  Nearly 8 in 10 (78.7%) students have heard of STIs, but only 16% were aware STIs can be asymptomatic. 

Conclusion

STI prevention programs need to recognize young adults in HLIs as at-risk population; and advocate targeted messages to minimize risk to acquiring STIs, counseling and support for those experiencing sexual violence, promote condom use and safer-sex negotiation skills.
Including a pen and/or cover letter, containing social incentive text, had no effect on questionnaire response rate: a factorial randomised controlled Study within a Trial
Authors: James Sophie , Parker Adwoa , Cockayne Sarah , Rodgers Sara , Fairhurst Caroline , Torgerson David J. , Rhodes Sarah , Cotterill Sarah
Published: November 2021

Background: Postal questionnaires are frequently used in randomised controlled trials to collect outcome data on participants; however, poor response can introduce bias, affect generalisability and validity, and reduce statistical power. The objective of this study was to assess whether a pen and/or social incentive text cover letter sent with a postal follow-up questionnaire increased response rates in a trial.

Method: A two-by-two factorial randomised controlled trial was embedded within the OTIS host trial. Participants due their 12-month (final) follow-up questionnaire were randomised to be sent: a pen; a social incentive text cover letter; both; or neither. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of participants in each group who returned the questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were: time to return, completeness of the questionnaire, necessity of a reminder letter, and the cost effectiveness.

Results: The overall 12-month questionnaire response rate was 721 out of 755 (95.5%). Neither the pen nor social incentive cover letter had a statistically significant effect on response rate: pen 95.2% vs. no pen 95.8%, adjusted OR 0.90 (95% CI 0.45 to 1.80; p=0.77); social incentive cover letter 95.2% vs. no social incentive cover letter 95.8%, adjusted OR 0.84 (95% CI 0.42 to 1.69, p=0.63). No statistically significant differences were observed between either of the intervention groups on time to response, need for a reminder or completeness. Therefore, neither intervention was cost-effective.

Conclusions: We found no evidence of a difference in response rates associated with the inclusion of a pen and/or social incentive cover letter with the final follow-up postal questionnaire of the host trial. However, when these results are combined with previous SWATs, the meta-analysis evidence remains that including a pen increases response rates. The social incentive cover letter warrants further investigation to determine effectiveness.

Trial registration: ISRCTN22202133 (21st June 2020).
PlotXpress, a webtool for normalization and visualization of reporter expression data
Authors: Brandorff Elias , Galland Marc , Goedhart Joachim
Published: November 2021

In molecular cell biology, reporter assays are frequently used to investigate gene expression levels. Reporter assays employ a gene that encodes a light-emitting protein, of which the luminescence is quantified as a proxy of gene expression. Commercial parties provide reporter assay kits that include protocols and specialized detection machinery. However, downstream analysis of the output data and their presentation are not standardized. We have developed plotXpress to fill this gap, providing a free, open-source platform for the semi-automated analysis and standardized visualisation of experimental gene reporter data. Users can upload raw luminescence data acquired from a reporter gene assay with an internal control. In plotXpress, the data is corrected for sample variation with the internal control and the average for each condition is calculated. When a reference condition is selected the fold change is calculated for all other conditions, based on the selected reference. The results are shown as dot plots with a statistical summary, which can be adjusted to create publication-grade plots without requiring coding skills. Altogether, plotXpress is an open-source, low-threshold, web-based tool, that promotes a standardized and reproducible analysis while providing an appealing visualization of reporter data. The webtool can be accessed at: https://huygens.science.uva.nl/PlotXpress/
An active human role is essential in big data-led decisions and data-intensive science
Authors: Seghier Mohamed L.
Published: November 2021

Big data is transforming many sectors, with far-reaching consequences to how decisions are made and how knowledge is produced and shared. In the current move toward more data-led decisions and data-intensive science, we aim here to examine three issues that are changing the way data are read and used. First, there is a shift toward paradigms that involve a large amount of data. In such paradigms, the creation of complex data-led models becomes tractable and appealing to generate predictions and explanations. This necessitates for instance a rethinking of Occam's razor principle in the context of knowledge discovery. Second, there is a growing erosion of the human role in decision making and knowledge discovery processes. Human users’ involvement is decreasing at an alarming rate, with no say on how to read, process, and summarize data. This makes legal responsibility and accountability hard to define. Third, thanks to its increasing popularity, big data is gaining a seductive allure, where volume and complexity of big data can de facto confer more persuasion and significance to knowledge or decisions that result from big-data-based processes. These issues call for an active human role by creating opportunities to incorporate, in the most unbiased way, human expertise and prior knowledge in decision making and knowledge production. This also requires putting in place robust monitoring and appraisal mechanisms to ensure that relevant data is answering the right questions. As the proliferation of data continues to grow, we need to rethink the way we interact with data to serve human needs.
Grant writing and grant peer review as questionable research practices
Authors: Conix Stijn , De Block Andreas , Vaesen Krist
Published: November 2021

A large part of governmental research funding is currently distributed through the peer review of project proposals. In this paper, we argue that such funding systems incentivize and even force researchers to violate five moral values, each of which is central to commonly used scientific codes of conduct. Our argument complements existing epistemic arguments against peer-review project funding systems and, accordingly, strengthens the mounting calls for reform of these systems.
The utilization of new products formulated from water coconut, palm sap sugar, and fungus to increase nutritional feed quality, feed efficiency, growth, and carcass of gurami sago (Osphronemus goramy Lacepède, 1801) juvenile
Authors: Undefined Azrita , Syandri Hafrijal , Aryani Netti , Mardiah Ainul , Suharman Indra
Published: November 2021

Background: Giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy Lacepede, 1801) has become popular aquaculture in Indonesia. However, information on the feed used is minimal. This study analyzed the change in feeding nutrition, fish growth, feed efficiency, and body-carcass using product formulated from water coconut, palm sap sugar, and fungus.

Methods: A total of 2,000 ml coconut water and 1,000 ml of palm sap sugar solution were formulated. Each product formulated was added with 6 g of Aspergillus niger (called product P1), 6 g of Rhizopus oligosporus (called product P2), and 6 g of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (called product P3). Commercial feeds supplemented with P1, P2, and P3 products are designated P1, P2, and P3 diets. Commercial feed added to freshwater is called the P4 diet (placebo). Their dosage is 300 ml/kg of feed. Gurami sago juveniles (initial weight 50±2.5 g and length 13.2±0.4 cm) were stocked in triplicate nets (2×1×1 m) in a freshwater concrete pond with a stocking density of 30 fish/net, an initial feeding rate of 3% per day until study termination.

Results: Our results support our hypothesis that different product formulations have a significant effect (p<0.05) on growth performance and feed efficiency. At the same time, supplementing commercial feed with varying formula products has a significant impact (p<0.05) on the fatty acid composition of the diets and carcass body of gurami sago.

Conclusion: Diet P2 contains a higher concentration of fatty acids to increase body weight, feed efficiency, and the best carcass fatty acid composition than other experiments for sago gurami reared in freshwater concrete ponds.
A multi-center, adaptive, randomized, platform trial to evaluate the effect of repurposed medicines in outpatients with early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and high-risk for complications: the TOGETHER master trial protocol
Authors: Reis Gilmar , Silva Eduardo Augusto dos Santos Moreira , Silva Daniela Carla Medeiros , Thorlund Kristian , Thabane Lehana , Guyatt Gordon H. , Forrest Jamie I. , Glushchenko Alla V. , Chernecki Cameron , McKay Paula , Sprague Sheila , Harari Ofir , Ruton Hinda , Rayner Craig R. , Mills Edward J.
Published: November 2021

Background: There remains a need for an effective and affordable outpatient treatment for early COVID-19. Multiple repurposed drugs have shown promise in treating COVID-19. We describe a master protocol that will assess the efficacy of different repurposed drugs as treatments for early COVID-19 among outpatients at a high risk for severe complications.

Methods: The TOGETHER Trial is a multi-center platform adaptive randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Patients are included if they are at least 18 years of age, have a positive antigen test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and have an indication for high risk of disease severity, including co-morbidities, older age, or high body mass index. Eligible patients are randomized with equal chance to an investigational product (IP) or to placebo.The primary endpoint is hospitalization defined as either retention in a COVID-19 emergency setting for greater than 6 hours or transfer to tertiary hospital due to COVID-19. Secondary outcomes include mortality, adverse events, adherence, and viral clearance. Scheduled interim analyses are conducted and reviewed by the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC), who make recommendations on continuing or stopping each IP. The platform adaptive design go-no-go decision rules are extended to dynamically incorporate external evidence on COVID-19 interventions from ongoing independent randomized clinical trials.

Discussion: Results from this trial will assist in the identification of therapeutics for the treatment of early diagnosed COVID-19. The novel methodological extension of the platform adaptive design to dynamically incorporate external evidence is one of the first of its kind and may provide highly valuable information for all COVID-19 trials going forward.

Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT04727424 (27/01/2021)
A First-Order Optimization Algorithm for Statistical Learning with Hierarchical Sparsity Structure
Authors: Zhang Dewei , Liu Yin , Davanloo Tajbakhsh Sam
Published: November 2021

In many statistical learning problems, it is desired that the optimal solution conform to an a priori known sparsity structure represented by a directed acyclic graph. Inducing such structures by means of convex regularizers requires nonsmooth penalty functions that exploit group overlapping. Our study focuses on evaluating the proximal operator of the latent overlapping group lasso developed by Jacob et al. in 2009 . We implemented an alternating direction method of multiplier with a sharing scheme to solve large-scale instances of the underlying optimization problem efficiently. In the absence of strong convexity, global linear convergence of the algorithm is established using the error bound theory. More specifically, the paper contributes to establishing primal and dual error bounds when the nonsmooth component in the objective function does not have a polyhedral epigraph. We also investigate the effect of the graph structure on the speed of convergence of the algorithm. Detailed numerical simulation studies over different graph structures supporting the proposed algorithm and two applications in learning are provided.

Summary of Contribution: The paper proposes a computationally efficient optimization algorithm to evaluate the proximal operator of a nonsmooth hierarchical sparsity-inducing regularizer and establishes its convergence properties. The computationally intensive subproblem of the proposed algorithm can be fully parallelized, which allows solving large-scale instances of the underlying problem. Comprehensive numerical simulation studies benchmarking the proposed algorithm against five other methods on the speed of convergence to optimality are provided. Furthermore, performance of the algorithm is demonstrated on two statistical learning applications related to topic modeling and breast cancer classification. The code along with the simulation studies and benchmarks are available on the corresponding author’s GitHub website for evaluation and future use.
The Sedgwickian Queerness of an Anime Lesbian: Reading Revolutionary Girl Utena
Authors: Cornejo Giancarlo
Published: November 2021

A tentative response to Eve Sedgwick's timely question "How to bring your kids up gay?" lies at the heart of Kunihiko Ikuhara's anime TV series Shōjo Kakumei Utena (1997). This article explores the affective sustenance that Revolutionary Girl Utenaoffers to some queer children and teens in the face of a somber heteronormative reality. This essay performs a close reading of Episode seven "Unfulfilled Juri", and it focuses on one of the queer feminine formations that the show cultivates, the tragic (joyful) anime lesbian. Paradoxically, and fortunately, the anime lesbian far from being an abject figure, becomes a site for queer identificatory projections and desires.
Los puentes de Virginia Woolf: punto de vista y epistemología de las outsiders en Tres guineas
Authors: Hernández Piñero Aránzazu
Published: November 2021

En este trabajo, analizo la figura del puente y su papel clave en la argumentación de Woolf en Tres guineas. Explicaré que el puente simboliza la noción de punto de vista elaborada por la autora: una perspectiva situada y diferenciada construida a partir de las experiencias de las mujeres. Sostendré que la diferencia de experiencia configura un punto de vista distinto del hegemónico que proporciona unos saberes otros, los saberes de las outsiders. Como consecuencia, los dilemas irresolubles desde el punto de vista dado pueden resolverse si son enfocados desde la perspectiva de las outsiders, lo cual tiene implicaciones epistemológicas y axiológicas. Asimismo, expondré que estas ideas las reencontraremos décadas después en el feminismo contemporáneo, tanto como legados reconocidos como mediante afinidades inexploradas. Por último, apuntaré afini- dades temáticas y metodológicas entre el planteamiento de Woolf, las epistemologías feministas anglosajonas y las de las mujeres radicales de color en Estados Unidos.
Alaíde Foppa y Alba de Céspedes: traductoras y mediadoras culturales en movimiento
Authors: Gianni Silvia
Published: November 2021

Alaíde Foppa y Alba de Céspedes transitaron por una multiplicidad de espacios geográficos, culturales e identitarios en los cuales desarrollaron sus creaciones literarias, tejieron redes y promovieron ámbitos donde hicieron confluir saberes y quehaceres diferentes. El nomadismo que caracterizó sus vidas y los procesos históricos que las permearon dieron origen a una escritura, a la participación intelectual y a una promoción cultural con marcados rasgos globales. Este artículo ahonda en el papel que desempeñaron las dos intelectuales como mediadoras entre mundos cul- turales distintos y en el afecto como elemento relevante, tanto para el desarrollo de sus prácticas como para la elección del lugar donde sentir sus arraigos.
La narrativa urbana de la escritora costarricense Carmen Naranjo Coto. Escritura globalizante desde una capital centroamericana
Authors: Cubillo Paniagua Ruth
Published: November 2021

Este artículo aborda tres ejes de análisis. En el primero se realiza un recorrido por la trayectoria vital de la intelectual costarricense Carmen Naranjo Coto (1928-2012), reconocida tanto por su labor de promoción cultural y su producción literaria como por su trabajo en el sector público y su participación en el ámbito político. En el segundo, se plantea que, en el contexto de la narrativa costarricense del siglo XX, las novelas de Naranjo pueden ser leídas como obras postmodernas y urbanas, y, finalmente, en el tercero se analiza el tema de la desestabilización del statu quo en la novela Diario de una multitud (1974), con el fin de profundizar en algunas de las innovaciones formales y temáticas propuestas por esta autora.
Optical analog-signal transmission and retrieval through turbid water
Authors: Pan Zilan , Xiao Yin , Cao Yonggui , Zhou Lina , Chen Wen
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we propose a new, to the best of our knowledge, and robust method to optically transmit analog signals in free space through turbid water. In the proposed method, each pixel of original signal is sequentially encoded into random amplitude-only patterns as information carrier. A single-pixel detector is utilized to collect light intensity at the receiving end. To verify feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method, a number of optical experiments are carried out in different kinds of water conditions, e.g., clean water, water mixed with milk, water with salt, and water with salt and milk. In addition, real seawater samples are also tested. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method shows high robustness against different propagation distances through turbid water and resists the effect of various turbulence factors. The proposed method is applicable to transmit information with high fidelity and high robustness against light wave diffusion in free space through complex environment. Furthermore, the proposed method is easy to operate and is cost-effective, which could open up a novel insight into optical signal transmission in free space through turbid water.
Dynamic wavefront measurement with a point diffraction interferometer based on birefringence polarization beam splitting
Authors: Yang Xin , Guo Renhui , Tang Xing , Yin Zhiyao , Liu Chengxing , Li Jianxin
Published: November 2021

In this study, we proposed a point diffraction interferometer based on birefringence polarization beam splitting (BPBS-PDI) for transmission wavefront measurements. Using the polarization beam splitting property of birefringent crystals and a specially designed calcite crystal as a polarization beam splitter, two beams of linearly polarized light with orthogonal polarization directions and a small angular separation can be obtained to produce the reference and test beams with perpendicular polarization directions through a pinhole point diffraction plate. By introducing spatial synchronization phase-shifting technology, influencing factors such as environmental vibrations on the measurement results, are reduced. Subsequently, the birefringent crystal and system error calibration methods were studied. Finally, a BPBS-PDI experimental device was set up to obtain the wavefront distribution of the lens to be tested. The experimental results are consistent with those of the ZYGO interferometer, indicating that the BPBS-PDI wavefront measurement method can be used to measure a lens transmission wavefront with high accuracy.
Image denoising for fluorescence microscopy by supervised to self-supervised transfer learning
Authors: Wang Yina , Pinkard Henry , Khwaja Emaad , Zhou Shuqin , Waller Laura , Huang Bo
Published: November 2021

When using fluorescent microscopy to study cellular dynamics, trade-offs typically have to be made between light exposure and quality of recorded image to balance the phototoxicity and image signal-to-noise ratio. Image denoising is an important tool for retrieving information from dim cell images. Recently, deep learning based image denoising is becoming the leading method because of its promising denoising performance, achieved by leveraging available prior knowledge about the noise model and samples at hand. We demonstrate that incorporating temporal information in the model can further improve the results. However, the practical application of this method has seen challenges because of the requirement of large, task-specific training datasets. In this work, we addressed this challenge by combining self-supervised learning with transfer learning, which eliminated the demand of task-matched training data while maintaining denoising performance. We demonstrate its application in fluorescent imaging of different subcellular structures.
Concentric tubes silicon-based metamaterial structure for mid-IR broadband absorption
Authors: Abouelatta Mahmoud A. A. , Othman Muhammad A. , Desouky Mai , Mahmoud Ahmed M. , Swillam Mohamed A.
Published: November 2021

In this work, we are proposing a silicon (Si) based concentric tube broadband absorber. The proposed broadband absorber is composed of consecutive concentric tubes of intrinsic Si and doped-Si (D-Si) layers. The structure exhibits a broadband performance within a wide range of mid-IR wavelength spectrum extending from 3 to 7 µm with an absorption peak that varies between 0.88 and 0.97 in the case of S-polarized incident light. We report that light coupling to the proposed concentric tube metamaterial absorber structure over a broad wavelength range is a result of exhibiting multiple resonance mechanisms at different wavelengths. We further show that bulk plasmon polaritons are excited within the layers leading to this noticeable absorption. We demonstrate CMOS compatible metamaterial absorber that is less dependent on polarization and angle. Furthermore, this proposed design reveals new avenues to realize silicon-based broadband absorption for mid-IR photo detection and mid-IR thermal harvesting applications.
Deep learning-enabled whole slide imaging (DeepWSI): oil-immersion quality using dry objectives, longer depth of field, higher system throughput, and better functionality
Authors: Guo Chengfei , Jiang Shaowei , Yang Liming , Song Pengming , Wang Tianbo , Shao Xiaopeng , Zhang Zibang , Murphy Michael , Zheng Guoan
Published: November 2021

Whole slide imaging (WSI) has moved the traditional manual slide inspection process to the era of digital pathology. A typical WSI system translates the sample to different positions and captures images using a high numerical aperture (NA) objective lens. Performing oil-immersion microscopy is a major obstacle for WSI as it requires careful liquid handling during the scanning process. Switching between dry objective and oil-immersion lens is often impossible as it disrupts the acquisition process. For a high-NA objective lens, the sub-micron depth of field also poses a challenge to acquiring in-focus images of samples with uneven topography. Additionally, it implies a small field of view for each tile, thus limiting the system throughput and resulting in a long acquisition time. Here we report a deep learning-enabled WSI platform, termed DeepWSI, to substantially improve the system performance and imaging throughput. With this platform, we show that images captured with a regular dry objective lens can be transformed into images comparable to that of a 1.4-NA oil immersion lens. Blurred images with defocus distance from −5 µm to +5 µm can be virtually refocused to the in-focus plane post measurement. We demonstrate an equivalent data throughput of >2 gigapixels per second, the highest among existing WSI systems. Using the same deep neural network, we also report a high-resolution virtual staining strategy and demonstrate it for Fourier ptychographic WSI. The DeepWSI platform may provide a turnkey solution for developing high-performance diagnostic tools for digital pathology.
Manipulation of lasing modes in a circular-side octagonal microcavity laser with a spatially distributed current injection
Authors: Zhang Zhen-Ning , Hao You-Zeng , Yang Ke , Ma Chun-Guang , Xiao Jin-Long , Yang Yue-De , Huang Yong-Zhen
Published: November 2021

We propose and demonstrate a circular-side octagonal microcavity (COM) semiconductor laser with a spatially distributed current injection for manipulating the lasing modes. There are two types of high-quality-factor whispering-gallery (WG) modes with distinct field patterns in a COM: the four-bounced quadrilateral modes and the eight-bounced octagonal modes. By designing two separated p-electrodes, the COM laser is divided into two regions that are pumped independently to select specific modes for lasing. The two types of WG modes lase simultaneously when the two regions are injected with equivalent currents. Degeneracy removal of the quadrilateral modes is observed in both simulation and experiment when the two regions are injected with inequivalent currents. The quadrilateral modes are suppressed when one of the two regions is un-injected or biased with a negative current, and single-octagonal-mode lasing is realized. The results show that the lasing modes can be efficiently manipulated with the spatially distributed current injection considering the distinct field patterns of different WG modes in the microcavities, which can promote the practical application of the microcavity lasers.
Real-time TWOS spectroscopy with sub-GHz resolution and high sensitivity
Authors: Soundararajan Srikamal J. , Duan Lingze
Published: November 2021

A real-time spectroscopic technique called time-wavelength optical sampling (TWOS) is investigated. TWOS combines the concepts of time-stretch spectroscopy (TSS) and ultrafast optical sampling to address some of the challenges facing the conventional TSS, such as its overreliance on detector speed and the inherent tradeoff between spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Using optical sampling by laser cavity tuning (OSCAT), a spectral resolution of 710 MHz has been achieved in the 1.5 µm wavelength range. A 15-dB improvement in low-power tolerance and a frame rate as high as 2 kHz for real-time measurement are also demonstrated. This work sets the benchmark performance for TWOS spectroscopy and thereby lays out a path towards practical applications of this new technique.
Optimal photon-magnon mode matching in whispering-gallery mode cavities
Authors: Wu Xing-Yu , Zhang Yong , Gao Yong-Pan , Wang Chuan
Published: November 2021

Optomagnonic structures are widely studied in the field of nanophotonics and quantum information science. They are the key platforms for the realization of magnon-mediated microwave to optical transducers in various applications of quantum computing. In order to enhance the coupling between light (photons) and spin waves (magnons), here in this work, we use the Lagrange multiplication method to find the optimum matching condition between the optical whispering-gallery mode and the magnon with Kittle and higher-order modes in microresonators. It is found that the magnon modes located near the edge of the resonator exhibits stronger coupling strength with the optical modes. Numerically, we find the coupling constant can approach

87.6
×
2
π
 

H
z

in Kittle mode, and

459
×
2
π
 

H
z

in high-order magnon mode for a yttrium iron garnet (YIG, Y3Fe5O12 ) microdisk cavity with a radius of 300 microns and a thickness of 10 microns. We believe these results may provide an efficient way for enhancing the magneto-optical interaction in the optical devices, which will facilitate the development of magneto-optical control, optical-microwave interaction, and optical nonlinearity.
Costas-coded linear frequency modulation waveform generation based on a VCO-controlled Fourier domain mode locking optoelectronic oscillator
Authors: Zhang Lingjie , Tian Xiangrui , Zeng Zhen , Tian Huan , Yuan Fei , Zhang Zhiyao , Zhang Shangjian , Li Heping , Liu Yong
Published: November 2021

A novel approach to generating tunable Costas-coded linear frequency modulation waveforms (LFMWs) from an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The OEO works under Fourier domain mode locking, where the oscillation modes are selected by using a fast-scanning microwave bandpass filter based on phase-modulation-to-intensity-modulation conversion via stimulated Brillouin scattering. Costas coding is realized by using an open-loop voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a fast tuning speed to generate an agile fast-scanning probe light via electro-optic frequency shift. The bandwidth of the generated Costas-coded LFMWs can be tuned by varying the voltage range of the low-frequency waveform applied to the VCO, and the center frequency can be finely tuned by varying the electro-optic frequency shift of the pump light. In the experiment, Costas-coded LFMWs with a 12-bit Costas code sequence of [9 5 7 12 6 4 1 8 11 10 2 3], a period of 20.39 µs and tunable frequency range are generated. The cross-correlation result with a time delay of 102.5 µs indicates that the generated Costas-coded LFMWs have excellent pulse-to-pulse coherence. In addition, the bad phase noise performance of the open-loop VCO has a negligible influence on the generated Costas-coded LFMWs. Benefited from employing an open-loop VCO with a fast tuning speed and a broad operation bandwidth, this approach has potential in generating agile broadband multi-format radar waveforms with low phase noise and excellent pulse-to-pulse coherence directly from an OEO.
Hysteresis and temperature drift compensation for FBG demodulation by utilizing adaptive weight least square support vector regression
Authors: Sheng Wenjuan , Dang Haiqi , Peng G. D.
Published: November 2021

Hysteresis and temperature drift deteriorate the demodulation performance of tunable Fabry-Perot (F-P) filters. This study addresses a novel adaptive weight least square support vector regression (AWLSSVR) to compensate for the hysteresis and temperature drift of F-P filters. The temperature drift of a referent fiber Bragg grating(FBG) is used to estimate the temperature drifts of other three sensing FBGs, and a novel adaptive weighting strategy with an asymmetric noise interval is proposed, to eliminate the effects of noise in the training dataset. The experimental results show that when the temperature-changing modes of the training and testing datasets were close to each other, the error of the proposed method is reduced to 8.7 pm, while the errors of the other three conventional methods based on LSSVR are more than 10.8 pm. Further, when the temperature-changing modes of the training and testing datasets were partly different, the error of the proposed method was reduced to 5.4 pm, while the errors of other methods were more than 11.9 pm. It was verified experimentally that the proposed AWLSSVR method is more accurate and robust than other versions of WLSSVR for training samples with noise, requires no additional hardware, and covers the entire C band.
Misalignment of spheres, aspheres and freeforms in optical measurement systems
Authors: Gronle Antonia , Pruss Christof , Herkommer Alois
Published: November 2021

When measuring surfaces it is always a challenge to differentiate whether differences to the expected form originate from positioning errors or from surface errors. In interferometry it is common to subtract tilt and power terms from the measurement result to remove misalignment contributions. This is a suitable approximation for spherical surfaces with small NA. For high NAs and increasing deviations from a spherical shape, which applies to aspheres and freeforms, additional terms show increasing magnitudes. A residual error remains after subtraction of tilt and power. Its form depends on the surface’s nominal shape and oftentimes has a non-negligible magnitude, therefore imposing the risk of being misinterpreted as topography error.
2D full-field displacement and vibration measurements of specularly reflecting surfaces by two-beam common-path digital holography
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Matoba Osamu
Published: November 2021

A new, to the best of our knowledge, configuration of common-path off-axis digital holography is proposed for simultaneous evaluation of out-of-plane and in-plane displacements of the vibrating object. The object is illuminated from two different directions, and each illumination interferes with its corresponding reference beam generated near the object, resulting in two independent holograms that are spatially multiplexed in a single camera image. Two multiplexed holograms, at undeformed and deformed states of the object, are recorded and processed to obtain the out-of-plane and in-plane displacements simultaneously. The proposed digital holographic system has the advantage of a simple and compact optical setup, is less sensitive to environmental disturbances, and has high temporal phase stability. The two-dimensional (

z
,

x

) full-field amplitude and phase vibration analysis of a perfect specularly reflecting surface are also demonstrated by the proposed holographic system. The experimental results authenticate the feasibility of the proposed system and reveal its unique advantages. The proposed digital holographic system, owing to simple and compact geometry and providing several advantages over other two-channel holographic systems, may find a wide range of applications in investigating real-time dynamic phenomena.
Observation of Imbert–Fedorov shift in monolayer MoS2 via quantum weak measurement
Authors: Das Akash , Mandal Soumen , Pradhan Manik
Published: November 2021

We report the experimental evidence of the Imbert–Fedorov (IF) shift in monolayer

M
o

S

2

for a fundamental Gaussian beam. Using Jones vector formalism, we have shown a novel, to the best of our knowledge, pathway to apply the quantum weak measurement technique for easy and accurate determination of the IF shift. We have revealed the dependence of IF shift over a large range of angles of incidence along with the mode of polarization of the incident light. Our experimental findings via the weak value amplification scheme are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. The present method is a general one and can also be implemented for other materials to observe such tiny transverse shifts.
Mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser based on function-integrated fiber coupler
Authors: Shaodong Hou , Zhijian Ma , Junbo Yang , Min Zhang , Peiguang Yan , Shuangchen Ruan
Published: November 2021

In an effort to realize a compact and integrated ultrafast fiber laser system, we propose a fiber component serving as a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), output coupler (OC), and mode-locker by a magnetron-sputtering saturable absorber (SA) on a laboratory-tapered coupler. With the function-integrated coupler, an Er-doped mode-locked fiber laser with 112 MHz repetition rate, 286 fs pulse width, and 87 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is demonstrated. The noise feature of the mode-locked laser is also characterized. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a mode-locked fiber laser based on a WDM/OC/SA integrated device.
Luminescence performance and vibronic behavior of Mn4+-activated Ca14-xKxAl10Zn6O35 deep-red phosphor
Authors: Zhang Lizhen , Yang Yan , Tang Fei , Xu Shijie , Wang Zihao , Zheng Changcheng , Ning Jiqiang , Tian Kangzhen
Published: November 2021

In this study, a significant improvement of deep-red luminescence was successfully achieved via the substitution approach in the

M

n

4
+

-activated

C

a

14
−
x

K

x

A

l

10

Z

n

6

O

35

phosphor. The optimal

M

n

4
+

doping level

x

was determined by studying luminescence concentration quenching behavior. The measured photoluminescence (PL) spectrum showed five distinct vibronic structures with the main peak centered at 712 nm. A theoretical simulation work was conducted for comparison, and the predominant phonon mode involving in the vibronic transition process was revealed. From the temperature-dependent PL spectra, an abnormal luminescence enhancement was observed at the temperature rising from

T

=

100

to 340 K, and the underlying phonon-assisted luminescence mechanism was theoretically disclosed. Finally, we studied the temperature-dependent luminescence lifetime, and the primary phonon energy in the vibronic behavior was identified from the fitting work.
Predicting novel candidate human obesity genes and their site of action by systematic functional screening in Drosophila
Authors: Agrawal Neha , Lawler Katherine , Davidson Catherine M. , Keogh Julia M. , Legg Robert ,   INTERVAL, Barroso Inês , Farooqi I. Sadaf , Brand Andrea H.
Published: November 2021

The discovery of human obesity-associated genes can reveal new mechanisms to target for weight loss therapy. Genetic studies of obese individuals and the analysis of rare genetic variants can identify novel obesity-associated genes. However, establishing a functional relationship between these candidate genes and adiposity remains a significant challenge. We uncovered a large number of rare homozygous gene variants by exome sequencing of severely obese children, including those from consanguineous families. By assessing the function of these genes in vivo in Drosophila, we identified 4 genes, not previously linked to human obesity, that regulate adiposity (itpr, dachsous, calpA, and sdk). Dachsous is a transmembrane protein upstream of the Hippo signalling pathway. We found that 3 further members of the Hippo pathway, fat, four-jointed, and hippo, also regulate adiposity and that they act in neurons, rather than in adipose tissue (fat body). Screening Hippo pathway genes in larger human cohorts revealed rare variants in TAOK2 associated with human obesity. Knockdown of Drosophila tao increased adiposity in vivo demonstrating the strength of our approach in predicting novel human obesity genes and signalling pathways and their site of action.