bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Weekday Variation on Glucose, Insulin, and Triglyceride: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From the Maastricht Study
Authors: Clemmensen Kim K B , Koster Annemarie , Nielen Yannick T H , Dagnelie Pieter C , Stehouwer Coen D A , Bosma Hans , Wesselius Anke , Færch Kristine , Eussen Simone J P M
Published: May 2022

Context

The timing of sleep, physical activity, and dietary intake show variation over the week, with different timings in the weekend compared to the weekdays, which may potentially lead to impaired glucose and lipid regulation on Mondays compared to other weekdays.

Objective

The aim of the study was to investigate differences in glucose metabolism and fasting triglyceride concentrations on Mondays compared to the rest of the week.

Design, setting and participants

This cross-sectional study is based on data from the Maastricht Study, including 6067 participants without known diabetes and 1568 previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Main outcome measures

Confounder-adjusted linear regression analysis was applied to study the associations of day of the week of examination with glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose tolerance test and fasting triglyceride concentrations.

Results

In fully confounder-adjusted models, mean (95% CI) concentrations of fasting glucose, insulin, and triglycerides were slightly higher on Mondays compared with the other weekdays [glucose: 1% (0-2); insulin: 9% (1-18); triglycerides: 5% (2-8)]. Interaction analyses revealed that the association of weekday with insulin was only pronounced in men [18% (3-35)], but not in women [1% (−8-10)], whereas the associations with glucose and triglycerides were only apparent for individuals with known type 2 diabetes [glucose: 4% (0-7); triglycerides: 14% (6-23)] compared to the background population [glucose: 0% (0-1); triglycerides: 3% (0-6)].

Discussion

Being examined on a Monday was associated with higher fasting insulin concentrations among men but not women.
German Ordoliberalism and Value Freedom: The Case of Walter Eucken
Authors: Nientiedt Daniel
Published: May 2022

Walter Eucken (1891–1950), the founder of German ordoliberalism, is best known for his work on economic policy. According to the orthodox view, giving policy advice involves not only technical expertise but also judgments of value. Against this background, the present article investigates Eucken's stance on the principle of value freedom, that is, the claim that positive and normative statements should be kept separate. While Eucken defended the notion of scientific objectivity in his earlier writings, he later distanced himself from the principle of value freedom as formulated by Max Weber. This article maintains that a closer reading of Eucken and Weber reveals the similarity of their positions. Thus, Eucken should be seen as a proponent of the principle of value freedom. At the same time, his treatment of the subject suggests that his (implicit) model of policymaking is incomplete because it does not specify the ultimate source of value.
The Introspective Model of Genuine Knowledge in Wang Yangming
Authors: Lederman Harvey
Published: May 2022

This article presents a new interpretation of the great Ming dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming’s (1472–1529) celebrated doctrine of the “unity of knowledge and action” (知行合一). Wang held that action was not unified with all knowledge, but only with an elevated form of knowledge, which he sometimes called “genuine knowledge” (真知). I argue for a new interpretation of this notion, according to which genuine knowledge requires freedom from a form of doxastic conflict. I propose that, in Wang’s view, a person is free from this form of doxastic conflict if and only if they are acting virtuously.
Poetry and Poetics in Gilles of Corbeil and Gentile da Foligno’sCarmina de urinarum iudiciis
Authors: Fritz-Morkin Maggie
Published: May 2022

Some medical treatises from medieval France and Italy demonstrate surprising rhetorical exuberance, especially in the paratexts where an authorial persona can emerge in the first person. This essay launches from the scatological metaphors and epithets in the exordia of works and commentaries by the physicians Archimattheus, Gilles of Corbeil, and Gentile da Foligno. In captationes benevolentiae styled after Ciceronian precepts, these authors attack their rivals before presenting their own superior science. Their scurrilous invectives—“Hoc salernitani cacantes sanitatem nominant!” (This is what the shitting Salernitans call health!); “discursores alienis fecibus imbuti” (vagrants steeped in other dreck)—tap into carnivalesque modes where excrement is organic, filthy, vituperative, and comic, in contrast to the sterility of the treatises’ technical, Scholastic discourse. A close reading of Gilles’s twelfth-century Carmina de urinarum iudiciis (Songs on Judging Urine) and Gentile’s fourteenth-century commentary on this verse treatise shows that both of these experts in uroscopy tie their excremental imagery into a nuanced poetics that extends from the paratexts into the heart of the work. Both writers demonstrate acute metaliterary sensibility, and respectable training in classical and medieval theories of rhetoric and poetry. Gilles defends his choice to write in verse through a constellation of metaphors pitting the synthetic clarity of both urine and poetry against the muddled confusion of feces and prose. He further ennobles his work by comparing the hermeneutics of uroscopy with allegorical interpretation. Gentile assumes the role of exegete, interpreting Gilles’s verses and unveiling their philosophical and theoretical underpinnings.
The Physician’s Species
Authors: Johnson Joseph R.
Published: May 2022

What is the physician’s species? In the vernacular beast fables and so-called beast epics that suddenly flourished in the twelfth century, medical (mal)practice forms a central concern. Nearly a tenth of the stories in Marie de France’s Aesopian fable collection deal with illnesses and their treatments; the Roman de Renart, for its part, finds Doctor Fox using his aura of medical authority to torture his fellow animals as part of a cruel and prolonged “cure.” Through an extended analysis of the figure of the doctor, who stands at the center of many of these medical narratives, this article argues that such texts draw their readers into the logic of the “animal clinic”: a conceptual space in which stakes of species difference and predation circulate alongside genuine medical knowledge, with the resulting instability calling into question everything from the nature of the cure to the desire of the sovereign.
Chronicle Conditions
Authors: Singer Julie
Published: May 2022

Sociological research on chronic illness, and especially on the autobiographical writings of modern patients, has yielded insights into how chronic conditions alter fundamental relationships between notions of self, body, and time. The chronic part of “chronic illness” can disrupt perceptions of the linearity of time, yielding alternate temporalities grounded in bodily experience. In contemporary self-fiction, to chronicle a chronic condition is to juggle different kinds of time. But what about genres, like premodern historiography, that impose a linear, chronological framework? What is at stake when the narrative temporality of a medieval chronicle is filtered through the disrupted temporalities of a chronically impaired subject? This article interrogates these questions through the works of Gilles li Muisis (1272–1353). A Tournaisian abbot, Gilles authored both a Latin chronicle and of a set of vernacular poems situating his writerly activity within a very specific corporeal context: he writes both poetry and chronicle after cataracts have so impaired his vision that he can no longer carry out his administrative duties at the abbey of Saint-Martin—and, remarkably, he abandons his writing after a successful surgery restores his eyesight. The ways in which Gilles talks about his own bodily condition, in both the chronicle and the poems, constitute an elaborate metadiscursive frame whose ultimate effect is to construct the project of the chronicler as a kind of self-writing avant la lettre. With readings of both the Latin and the vernacular works, this essay shows that the chronicle is achieved through a series of subtle chronological and sensory displacements: Gilles’s chronic condition has enabled him to create an anachronic subject-position, outside of both linear historiographical time and the “body-time” of his impairment.
Learning to Value Girls: Balanced Infant Sex Ratios at Higher Parental Education in the United States, 1969–2018
Authors: Rauscher Emily , Song Haoming
Published: May 2022

Infant sex ratios that differ from the biological norm provide a measure of gender status inequality that is not susceptible to social desirability bias. Ratios may become less biased with educational expansion through reduced preference for male children. Alternatively, bias could increase with education through more access to sex-selective medical technologies. Using National Vital Statistics data on the population of live births in the United States for 1969–2018, we examine trends in infant sex ratios by parental race/ethnicity, education, and birth parity over five decades. We find son-biased infant sex ratios among Chinese and Asian Indian births that have persisted in recent years, and regressions suggest son-biased ratios among births to Filipino and Japanese mothers with less than a high school education. Infant sex ratios are more balanced at higher levels of maternal education, particularly when both parents are college educated. Results suggest greater equality of gender status with higher education in the United States.
The Link between Democratic Institutions and Population Health in the American States
Authors: Pacheco Julianna , LaCombe Scott
Published: May 2022

Context: This project investigates the role of state-level institutions in explaining variation in population health in the American states. Although cross-national research has established the positive effects of democracy on population health, little attention has been given to subnational units. The authors leverage a new data set to understand how political accountability and a system of checks and balances are associated with state population health.

Methods: The authors estimate error correction models and two-way fixed effects models to estimate how the strength of state-level democratic institutions is associated with infant mortality rates, life expectancy, and midlife mortality.

Findings: The authors find institutions that promote political accountability are associated with lower infant mortality across the states, while those that promote checks and balances are associated with longer life expectancy. They also find that policy liberalism is associated with better health outcomes.

Conclusions: Subnational institutions play an important role in population health outcomes, and more research is needed to understand the link between democracy and health. The authors are the first to explore the link between democratic institutions and population health within the United States, contributing to both the social science literature on the positive effects of democracy and the epidemiological literature on subnational health outcomes.
Challenges with Defining Pharmaceutical Markets and Potential Remedies to Screen for Industry Consolidation
Authors: Feldman Robin , Fulton Brent D. , Godwin Jamie R. , Scheffler Richard M.
Published: May 2022

Context: Dramatic increases in pharmaceutical merger and acquisition (M&A) activity since 2010 suggest we are in the midst of a third wave of industry consolidation.

Methods: The authors reviewed 168 economic, legal, medical, industry, and government sources to examine the effects of consolidation on competition and innovation and to explore how industry attributes complicate M&A regulation in a pharmaceutical context.

Findings: The authors find that, in spite of certain metrics that might argue otherwise, consolidation consistently reduces innovation and harms the public good. They also find that several factors within the pharmaceutical industry impede proper evaluation of proposed mergers. Because consumer choice across substitutes is limited, pharmaceutical markets frustrate conventional methods of defining markets. Volume bargaining in the pharmaceutical supply chain and asset managers’ common ownership of pharmaceutical firms further complicate the definitional process. Hence, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), one measure used by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to screen for concerning M&A activity, sometimes depends on faulty market definitions and fails to capture the implications of consolidation for future market share.

Conclusions: The authors describe ways to improve how pharmaceutical markets are defined, highlight quantitative alterations to HHI to account for common ownership, and propose areas requiring further research.
Embracing the “Workshop of Filthy Creation”
Authors: Effinger Elizabeth
Published: May 2022

This article describes a creative public humanities project undertaken to mark the two hundredth anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein that transformed the entire novel into an erasure poem made by incarcerated and nonincarcerated participants. The article traces its genesis, outlines the pedagogies that informed it, and closely reads one image from the erasure poem as a touchstone for reflecting on the lessons learned from the project. It also addresses the absence of critical discussions of failure in the discourse of the public humanities.
Arabidopsis root responses to salinity depend on pectin modification and cell wall sensing
Authors: Gigli-Bisceglia Nora , van Zelm Eva , Huo Wenying , Lamers Jasper , Testerink Christa
Published: May 2022

Owing to its detrimental effect on plant growth, salinity is an increasing worldwide problem for agriculture. To understand the molecular mechanisms activated in response to salt in Arabidopsis thaliana, we investigated the Catharanthus roseus receptor-like kinase 1-like family, which contains sensors that were previously shown to be involved in sensing the structural integrity of the cell walls. We found that herk1 the1-4 double mutants, lacking the function of HERKULES1 (HERK1) and combined with a gain-of-function allele of THESEUS1 (THE1), strongly respond to salt application, resulting in an intense activation of stress responses, similarly to plants lacking FERONIA (FER) function. We report that salt triggers pectin methyl esterase (PME) activation and show its requirement for the activation of several salt-dependent responses. Because chemical inhibition of PMEs alleviates these salt-induced responses, we hypothesize a model in which salt directly leads to cell wall modifications through the activation of PMEs. Responses to salt partly require the functionality of FER alone or HERK1/THE1 to attenuate salt effects, highlighting the complexity of the salt-sensing mechanisms that rely on cell wall integrity.
CHIQUITA1 maintains the temporal transition between proliferation and differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Bossi Flavia , Jin Benjamin , Lazarus Elena , Cartwright Heather , Dorone Yanniv , Rhee Seung Y.
Published: May 2022

Body size varies widely among species, populations and individuals, depending on the environment. Transitioning between proliferation and differentiation is a crucial determinant of final organ size, but how the timing of this transition is established and maintained remains unknown. Using cell proliferation markers and genetic analysis, we show that CHIQUITA1 (CHIQ1) is required to maintain the timing of the transition from proliferation to differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Combining kinematic and cell lineage-tracking studies, we found that the number of actively dividing cells in chiquita1-1 plants decreases prematurely compared with wild-type plants, suggesting CHIQ1 maintains the proliferative capacity in dividing cells and ensures that cells divide a specific number of times. CHIQ1 belongs to a plant-specific gene family of unknown molecular function and genetically interacts with three close members of its family to control the timing of proliferation exit. Our work reveals the interdependency between cellular and organ-level processes underlying final organ size determination.
Complementary and alternative system of medicine for type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications: A scoping review
Authors: Parsekar Shradha S , Gudi Nachiket , Walke Sujata Chodankar , Shaw Prabhu Dutta , Hombali Aditi , Nayak Anupama V , Hadapad Basavaraj S
Published: May 2022

Background: This review aims to map the evidence on the effectiveness of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications and identify research gaps in key outcomes and CAMs.

Methods: We followed the Johanna Briggs Institute guidelines to undertake this scoping review. We carried out a comprehensive search from inception to March 2020 in electronic databases and registers. Forward and backward citations of included studies were also searched. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies with intervention and control arm were mapped based on the effectiveness of various CAM (Yoga, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Naturopathy, Unani, and Sowa-rigpa) on outcomes among individuals with prediabetes or metabolic syndrome, T2DM with and without any comorbidities.

Results: A total of 249 studies were included after screening 3798 citations. Most of the included studies were conducted in India and Iran. Most frequently studied CAM interventions include Yoga, Ayurveda, and herbal products as compared to other CAM therapies.

Conclusion: Although we identified a lot of literature on the effectiveness of CAMs for T2DM, there is a lack of standardization of preparation of these medicines and the interventional modalities. To validate the potential benefits of CAM, robust research with high-quality RCTs and systematic reviews are needed to bridge the gap of evidence in CAM therapies. Future investments for research in CAM may focus on assessing the quality of existing trials and finding out an optimal dose, frequency, and duration of CAM, both as an alternative and complementary approach.
Open energy system modelling to support the European Green Deal
Authors: Süsser Diana , Pickering Bryn , Hülk Ludwig , Pfenninger Stefan
Published: May 2022

Energy models are used to explore decarbonisation pathways and potential future energy systems. In this editorial, we comment on the importance of energy system modelling and open tools to inform policymaking in the context of the European Green Deal. We also summarise the seven contributions to the special collection on Energy Systems Modelling, among which are papers that have been presented at the Energy Modelling Platform for Europe (EMP-E) 2021 conference. The presented research advances current modelling approaches and supports energy modelling with open tools and datasets.
A Review of Wound Healing Mechanisms of Natural Products in Keratinocyte Cells
Authors: Fristiohady Adryan , Asasutjarit Rathapon , Julian Purnama La Ode Muh. , Al-Ramadan Wirhamsah
Published: May 2022

Background: The skin is the largest organ of the human body, around 15% of the body weight consisting of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous. The skin's primary function is to protect our body from external factors that can harm the body by forming a protective barrier that covers the body. This review aims to provide insights related to wound-healing mechanisms of several plants in HaCat cells.

Methods: The literature study method used, both from primary and secondary libraries. The library search was conducted using online-based library search instruments from 2009 to 2021, such as NCBI-PubMed and Google Scholar.

Results: The wound-healing mechanism includes processes that restore skin integrity through four stages: hemostasis, inflammation, multiplication, and remodeling. Many plants have been studied to have activity in wound-healing by various mechanisms.

Conclusions: Therefore, it is essential to research wound-healing mechanisms to find treatments sourced from natural compounds.
Testosterone level correlates significantly with luteinizing hormone to follicle-stimulating hormone ratio among women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A cross sectional study
Authors: Alhassan Samia Mohammed , Elmugadam Abdelgadir , Abubaker Nuha Eljaili , Elfadil Ghada A.
Published: May 2022

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an endocrinological problem among women in the reproductive age, is characterized by chronic ovulatory dysfunction, hyperandrogenism, and elevated luteinizing hormone: follicle stimulating hormone (LH-FSH) ratio. The goal of this study was to examine if the blood LH-FSH ratio and total testosterone (TT) levels in Sudanese women with PCOS were linked.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 300 women with confirmed PCOS based on Rotterdam criteria.  PCOS women mean (standard deviation): age 29.1(5.8) years; body mass index (BMI) 27.9±4.6 kg/m2. Each participant underwent a clinical history, physical examination, and ovaries ultrasonogram.  ASYS Expert Plus Microplate was used to quantify serum LH, FSH, and TT levels in fasting blood specimen drawn during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle of women with PCOS.

Results: More than two-thirds of the participants (71.0%) had an aberrant LH-FSH ratio (cut-off>1.0), and 58.3% had hyperandrogenemia (TT>109.5 ng/dL). Hyperandrogenemic women had significantly increased LH-FSH ratio (P= 0.000). The LH-FSH ratio and serum TT were significantly positive correlated (r= 0.329, P= 0.000). Overall, 52.0% of women with PCOS exhibited menstrual cycle irregularity, and 59.0 % had a positive family history of PCOS. On logistic regression analysis, the LH-FSH ratio (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 2.308 (1.698- 3.139, P= 0.000) was found to be positively related to hyperandrogenemia independently. Furthermore, when the LH-FSH ratio is greater than one, hyperandrogenemia can be distinguished from normoandrogenemia, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.726, P= 0.000, 95% CI: (0.668-0.785) with a serum TT threshold of 109.5 ng/dL (sensitivity 70.0%, specificity 77.1%).

Conclusions: In Sudanese women with PCOS, the serum LH-FSH ratio and TT have a strong relationship. Furthermore, LH-FSH ratio of greater than one can be used to distinguish between hyperandrogenic and non-hyperandrogenic PCOS women.
Linking family planning market census data with consumer experiences in three countries: the Consumer’s Market for Family Planning study protocol and data
Authors: Conlon Mark , Buyungo Peter , Njogu Julius , Nwala Anthony , Gibbs Susannah , Wheatley Nkemdiri ,   CM4FP Group
Published: May 2022

Background: The Consumer’s Market for Family Planning (CM4FP) project was designed to address limitations of existing family planning (FP) data sources that prevent a full understanding of the total FP market. CM4FP data provide a picture of the complete supply environment and how consumers experience it.

Study objectives were to 1) test a ring-fenced census approach consisting of an outlet census in a defined geographical area and a household survey in a smaller inner ring, to comprehensively map the total FP market in a local geography; 2) explore FP supply market dynamism through longitudinal data collection from contraceptive outlets; and 3) test a methodology for directly linking household and outlet data to measure the relationship between contraceptive demand and supply.

Methods: Data were collected from study sites in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda from 2019 to 2020. Longitudinal outlet census data and repeated cross-sectional household survey data from women ages 18-49 were collected at three quarterly time points. Outlets were located in an outer ring geography to encompass locations likely visited by women sampled from a smaller inner ring. Data from women who received a contraceptive method in the past 12 months were linked to data for the outlet from which they received the method.

Results: Datasets include product audits for 22,380 individual FP products, collected from a total of 1,836 outlets across 12 study sites. The datasets also contain data from 11,536 female respondents, of whom 1,975 were successfully matched to the outlet where they most recently obtained their method.

Conclusions: CM4FP data are available at www.cm4fp.org. This unique dataset enables in-depth exploration of the family planning supply market in addition to interactions between the market and consumer perspectives and behaviors within each study site. The data can also be used to explore novel methodologies to inform future study designs.
Laparoscopic excision and repair of a cesarean scar pregnancy in a woman with uterine didelphys: a case report
Authors: Park Seong-Eon , Ryu Ji-Eun , Jang Tae-Kyu
Published: May 2022

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare complication that occurs in less than 1% of ectopic pregnancies, and uterine didelphys is one of the rarest uterine forms. We report a successful laparoscopic excision and repair of CSP in a woman with uterine didelphys and a double vagina. A 34-year-old gravida one, para one woman with a history of low transverse cesarean section presented to our hospital with a suspected CSP. She was confirmed to have uterine didelphys with a double vagina during an infertility examination 7 years earlier. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 2.5-cm gestational sac-like cystic lesion in the lower segment of the right uterus at the cesarean scar. We decided to perform a laparoscopic approach after informing the patient of the surgical procedure. The lower segment of the previous cesarean site was excised with monopolar diathermy to minimize bleeding. We identified the gestational sac in the lower segment of the right uterus, which was evacuated using spoon forceps. The myometrium and serosa of the uterus were sutured layer-by-layer using synthetic absorbable sutures. No remnant gestational tissue was visible on follow-up ultrasonography one month after the surgery. This laparoscopic approach to CSP in a woman with uterine didelphys is an effective and safe method of treatment. In women with uterine anomalies, it is important to confirm the exact location of the gestational sac by preoperative imaging for successful surgery.
Asymptotic Optimality of Base-Stock Policies for Perishable Inventory Systems
Authors: Bu Jinzhi , Gong Xiting , Chao Xiuli
Published: May 2022

We consider periodic review perishable inventory systems with a fixed product lifetime. Unsatisfied demand can be either lost or backlogged. The objective is to minimize the long-run average holding, penalty, and outdating cost. The optimal policy for these systems is notoriously complex and computationally intractable because of the curse of dimensionality. Hence, various heuristic replenishment policies are proposed in the literature, including the base-stock policy, which raises the total inventory level to a constant in each review period. Whereas various studies show near-optimal numerical performances of base-stock policies in the classic system with zero replenishment lead time and a first-in-first-out issuance policy, the results on their theoretical performances are very limited. In this paper, we first focus on this classic system and show that a simple base-stock policy is asymptotically optimal when any one of the product lifetime, demand population size, unit penalty cost, and unit outdating cost becomes large; moreover, its optimality gap converges to zero exponentially fast in the first two parameters. We then study two important extensions. For a system under a last-in-first-out or even an arbitrary issuance policy, we prove that a simple base-stock policy is asymptotically optimal with large product lifetime, large unit penalty costs, and large unit outdating costs, and for a backlogging system with positive lead times, we prove that our results continue to hold with large product lifetime, large demand population sizes, and large unit outdating costs. Finally, we provide a numerical study to demonstrate the performances of base-stock policies in these systems.

This paper was accepted by Victor Martinez de Albéniz, operations management.

Funding: J. Bu was partially supported by a Hong Kong Polytechnic University Start-up Fund for New Recruits [Grant P0039585]. X. Gong was partially supported by a Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Direct Grant [Grant 4057147] and the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund [Grant CUHK14500120].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4400 .
Phosphorus Removal in Vertical Flow Reed Beds using Baked Clay Balls as an Alternative Media
Authors: Prashant Prashant , Jyoti Ankita , Kumar Shubham , Siddiqu Faiz Ahmad , Singh Rachana , Kumar Subodh
Published: May 2022

Phosphorous (P) entering into the water bodies through point and non-point sources is a causal agent for eutrophication. Nature Based Solutions (NBS) like Constructed Wetlands (CW) are cost effective methods for treating the grey waters in order to protect the water bodies form risk of eutrophication. The P removal efficiency of Constructed Wetlands (CW) can be improved by adding new substrate having potential P removal efficiency.The study was conducted to determine the phosphorus removal from wastewater using Baked Clay Ball (BCB) media in Vertical Flow Reed Beds (VFRB). The BCB was prepared with a mixture of river clay and saw dust. The field and lab-scale experimentation were set and operated in batch feeding mode using institutional wastewater for four months. The VFRBs were filled with BCB and planted with locally available reed grass (Phragmites karka). The hydraulic retention period in VFRB was 48 hours. Prime goal of the experiment was to investigate the Phosphorus (P) removal efficiency of the VRFBs apart from other conventional wastewater quality parameters. The concentration of phosphorus of the institutional wastewater was in the range of 27.3 mg/l to 16.3 mg/l. The average phosphorus removal efficiency of the VFRB 1 and 2 filled with BCB was 93.47%, while the average P removal efficiency of gravel filled VFRB 2 and 3 was 68.20%. Thus the experiment reflected that the BCB is a better media than the gravel for P removal. Therefore, the BCB may be used at a field scale to remove P from wastewater in constructed wetlands.Further, there is scope to develop new substrate materials focusing on its P retention capacity, long lasting performance and cost of the substrate to be applied in real treatment situations.
A Review of Defluoridation Techniques of Global and Indian Prominence
Authors: Jamwal Karan Dev , Slathia Deepika
Published: May 2022

Fluoride(F-) is the 13thmost abundant chemical element in the Earth's crust which has been widely recognised for its health benefits at low concentration but poses a serious threat to public health at very high doses. The world health organization has set the fluoride guideline limit of 1.5 mg/l in drinking water. Globally, over 260 million people drink water with high fluoride concentrations. Widespread distribution and high fluoride levels in the potablewater in most of the areas of the world has prompted substantial research and mitigation efforts to address the growing public health concerns related to fluoride contamination. With the recent advances in science, various defluoridation methods such as adsorption, ion exchange, precipitation-coagulation, membrane processes, biological defluoridation and even integrated approaches have been developed for the management of fluoride-contaminated aquatic environments. This review provides an up-to-date insight into thedefluoridation techniques developed and implemented throughout the world and highlightsthe advantages and disadvantages of each technique.The literature survey confirms that despite developing so many novel techniques for defluoridation over the years, there is still no effective fluoride removal technique that can achieve the desired results in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. Therefore, development of a commercially practical, economical, and sustainable technique is required to prevent people especially the most vulnerable from poor and developing nations (dependent on untreated water)from the hazards of fluoride contamination.
Evaluation of Altrazeal transforming powder dressing on stage 2–4 pressure ulcers: a clinical case series
Authors: Yu Shin Young , Ullrich Peter J , Weissman Joshua P , Joshi Chitang J , Taylor Reagan , Patel Anooj , El Hoseny Safwat , Galiano Robert D
Published: May 2022

Objective:

Pressure ulcers (PUs) are hard-to-heal, open wounds that affect millions of adults worldwide. Patients experience physical, mental, social and financial impairment. On average, <50% of stage 3 and 4 PUs heal by the sixth month. Treatment of PUs is highly variable due to a patient's comorbidities, demographics and wound characteristics. Because of this, there exists no standard dressing for PUs. Altrazeal transforming powder dressing (TPD, Uluru Inc., US) offers a promising new form of wound treatment; however, little evidence exists for TPD in the treatment of hard-to-heal PUs. This case series sought to examine the effect of TPD in hard-to-heal PUs that have previously undergone unsuccessful standard of care (SoC) wound therapy.

Methods:

This case series used retrospective data from patients with stage 2–4 PUs that failed to heal after SoC therapies. Factors examined were: number of dressing changes; time between dressing changes; time to wound closure; and pain level. While data were assessed for all patients, we focused on the six particular cases that most clearly illustrated the effect of TPD on wound healing.

Results:

Each of the 21 patients treated with TPD experienced successful and expedited wound closure. Stage 4 PUs took an average of 87 days with approximately six dressing changes to closure. Stage 3 PUs took an average of 41 days with approximately four dressing changes, and stage 2 PUs an average of 13 days to closure with approximately one dressing change. In the cases presented herein for which pain scores were reported, each showed a reduction in pain from an 8 or 9/10 to a 1 or 2/10 with the first dressing change.

Conclusion:

In this case series, TPD effectively reduced pain and healed PUs that had previously failed SoC interventions. We suggest future prospective studies in order to more effectively measure the wound healing capability and healthcare utilisation of TPD for treatment of PUs.
Atypical myopathy
Authors: Bates Nicola
Published: May 2022

Atypical myopathy is a seasonal condition of non-exertional rhabdomyolysis seen in pastured horses. It occurs in the autumn and spring from ingestion of seeds and seedlings of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) in Europe and box elder (Acer negundo) in North America. The toxins hypoglycin A and its homologue methylenecyclopropylglycine are metabolised to compounds that impair lipid metabolism, which primarily affect cardiac, respiratory and postural muscles. Initial signs are reluctance to move with muscle weakness and stiffness. Common signs are pigmenturia, hypothermia and pain of varying severity. Mortality is high and many animals succumb within 2–3 days. Treatment is intensive supportive care, including nutritional support to provide alternative energy substrates and vitamin and mineral supplementation. There is no specific antidote for atypical myopathy, so prevention is key.
Measurement of stress-induced birefringence in a thin-disk laser with
full-Stokes polarimetry
Authors: Dominik Johanna , Scharun Michael , Dannecker Benjamin , Bühner Veronika , Ertel Klaus , Bauer Dominik , Dekorsy Thomas
Published: May 2022

Stress-induced birefringence leads to losses in solid-state laser resonators and
amplifiers with polarized output beams. A model of stress-induced
birefringence in thin disks is presented, as well as measurements of
stress-induced birefringence in a thin disk in a multi-kilowatt
oscillator. A full-Stokes imaging polarimeter was developed to enable
fast and accurate polarimetric measurements. Experimental and
simulated results are in good agreement qualitatively and
quantitatively and show that the polarization loss due to
stress-induced birefringence is negligible for ytterbium-doped thin
disks with a thickness around 100 µm but becomes relevant in thicker
disks. It is concluded that stress-induced birefringence should be
taken into consideration when designing a thin-disk laser system.
Efficient mode exchanger-based silicon photonic switch enabled by inverse design
Authors: Zhang Guowu , Xu Dan-Xia , Grinberg Yuri , Liboiron-Ladouceur Odile
Published: May 2022

A novel and energy efficient mode insensitive switch building block is proposed and experimentally demonstrated on a silicon-on-insulator platform. Based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the switch uses a relatively compact mode insensitive phase shifter which includes a mode exchanger. The novel structure realizes the exact same phase shift for all modes by exchanging the modes midway within the phase shifter. The design approach leads to reduced power consumption otherwise not possible. Switching the first two quasi transverse electric (TE) modes simultaneously consumes 25.6 mW of power, an approximately 30% reduction from previous reported demonstrations. The measured insertion loss is 3.1 dB on average with a worst-case crosstalk of −14.9 dB over a 40 nm optical bandwidth from 1530 nm to 1570 nm. The design methodology enables scalability up to four optical modes.
Transition between noise-like pulses and Q-switching in few-mode mode-locked lasers
Authors: Xing Dengke , He Jiangyong , Wang Pan , Chang Kun , Liu Congcong , Liu Yange , Wang Zhi
Published: May 2022

Spatiotemporal mode-locked lasers have attracted extensive attention of researchers due to the complex nonlinear evolution process. Compared to single-mode mode-locked lasers, intermodal interactions greatly affect the pulses evolution in spatiotemporal mode-locked lasers. Here, we experimentally investigate the transition process between noise-like pulses and Q-switching pulses in few-mode mode-locked laser by rotating the plates, where a transition state is greatly broadened in the time domain. By means of spectral filtering, we verify that the process is the reconstruction of Q-switching between different modes to noise-like pulses. Furthermore, during the evolution of noise-like pulses, soliton collisions are detected using dispersive Fourier transform technology. Our research contributes to revealing the transient evolution process in few-mode mode-locked lasers, and enriches the study of nonlinear process.
Monolithic coherent LABS lidar based on an integrated transceiver array
Authors: Li Chao , Wu Kan , Cao Xianyi , Zhang Guangjin , Li Tianyi , Deng Zheng , Chang Mingchao , Wang Yanan , Li Xinwan , Chen Jianping
Published: May 2022

We demonstrate a monolithic frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) lidar chip with an integrated transceiver array based on lens-assisted beam steering (LABS) technology. It enables beam emitting, steering, receiving, and coherent detecting on a single chip with simultaneous distance and velocity detection. An integrated transceiver is designed with a composite structure of a Bragg grating in the middle and a U-shaped photodetector (PD) surrounding it. For a proof-of-concept demonstration, a chip with 2 × 2 switchable transceiver array is fabricated. A monolithic coherent LABS lidar system with a scanning angle of 2.86° and a scanning speed of 5.3 µs is implemented for 5 m ranging and 0.45 m/s velocity detection.
Enhancement of Smith–Purcell radiation from cylindrical gratings by quasi-bound states in the continuum
Authors: Chen Zhaofu , Jin Mengmeng , Mao Leilei , Shi Xin , Bai Ningfeng , Sun Xiaohan
Published: May 2022

Smith–Purcell radiation (SPR) is an important means of generating terahertz waves, and the enhancement of SPR is an attractive topic nowadays. Inspired by the phenomenon of special SPR, where the enhancement is achieved by using a high-duty-cycle grating, we describe a new, to the best of our knowledge, but more effective approach to this challenging problem. By deriving a simple analytical solution for the SPR from an annular electron beam passing through a cylindrical metallic grating, we show that the inverse structure, a low-duty-cycle grating can exhibit rather high SPR efficiencies in the presence of quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs). The analytical prediction is supported by particle-in-cell simulations, which show that the quasi-BICs can enhance the superradiant SPR generated by a train of electron bunches by orders of magnitude. These results present an interesting mechanism for enhancing the SPR from metallic gratings, and may find applications in terahertz free-electron lasers.
Low-cost micro-spectrometer based on a nano-imprint and spectral-feature reconstruction algorithm
Authors: Liu Qingquan , Xuan Zhiyi , Wang Zi , Zhao Xinchao , Yin Zhiqin , Li Chenlu , Chen Gang , Wang Shaowei , Lu Wei
Published: May 2022

Reconstructive micro-spectrometers have shown great potential in many fields such as medicine, agriculture, and astronomy. However, the performance of these spectrometers is seriously limited by the spectral varieties of response pixels and anti-noise ability of reconstruction algorithms. In this work, we propose a spectral reconstruction (SR) algorithm, whose anti-noise ability is at least four times better than the current algorithms. A micro-spectrometer is realized by fabricating a large number of Fabry–Perot (FP) micro-filters onto a cheap complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip for demonstration by using a very high-efficiency technology of nano-imprinting. Nano-imprint technology can complete hundreds of spectral pixels with rich spectral features at one time and with low cost. In cooperation with the SR algorithm, such a micro-spectrometer can have a spectral resolution as high as 3 nm with much lower angular sensitivity than a photonic crystal-based micro-spectrometer. It can obtain the target's spectrum from only a single shot, which has wide applications in spectral analysis etc.
C-band 67 GHz silicon photonic microring modulator for dispersion-uncompensated 100 Gbaud PAM-4
Authors: Chan David W. U , Wu Xiong , Zhang Zunyue , Lu Chao , Lau Alan Pak Tao , Tsang Hon Ki
Published: May 2022

A very-high-bandwidth integrated silicon microring modulator (MRM) designed on a commercial silicon photonics (SiP) platform for C-band operation is presented. The MRM has a 3 dB electro-optic (EO) bandwidth of over 67 GHz and features a small footprint of 24 µm × 70 µm. Using the MRM, we demonstrate intensity modulation–direct detection (IM-DD) transmission with 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4)  signaling of over 100 Gbaud. By utilizing the optical peaking effect and negative chirp in the MRM, we extend the transmission distance, which is limited by the fiber-dispersion-induced frequency fading. Using a standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) for transmission across distances of up to 2 km, we measured the data transmission of 100 Gbaud PAM-4 signals with a bit error rate (BER) under the general 7% hard-decision forward-error correction (HD-FEC) threshold. The MRM enables an extended transmission distance for 100 Gbaud signaling in the C-band without dispersion compensation.
Boundary configured chiral edge states in valley topological photonic crystal
Authors: Wei Guochao , Liu Zhenzhen , Wu Huizhou , Wang Licheng , Wang Shengxiang , Xiao Junjun
Published: May 2022

Chiral edge states (CESs) have been demonstrated at the external boundary of a valley photonic crystal (VPC), with flexibly tunable group velocity and frequency range by adjusting the boundary structure. In this work, we show parallel and antiparallel CESs located at two opposite VPC–air boundaries, which contain wave components belonging to opposite valleys or the same valley. In addition, we design a meta-structure with four types of air-contacted boundary that support CESs in different frequency ranges. The structure also has an internal interface channel supporting the valley edge state that bridges the top and bottom boundaries. We show that the CESs, while excited at a given port, can be exclusively guided to the other three ports, depending on the operating frequency. Our work provides an alternative way to design compact topological devices for optical waveguides and wave splitters.
Single-path single-shot phase-shifting quantitative phase microscopy with annular bright-field illumination
Authors: You Wu , Jiao Yuheng , Wang Jingyi , Chai Changchun , Lu Wenlong , Liu Xiaojun
Published: May 2022

We propose single-path single-shot phase-shifting quantitative phase microscopy (SSP-QPM) with annular illumination, oil top lens, and wide-field objectives. We analyze the difference between bright-field SSP-QPM, phase-contrast SSP-QPM, and the proposed microscopy by resolution, contrast, and noise. The proposed microscopy enhances the lateral resolution by promoting the numerical-aperture of illumination, improves the image contrast by suppressing multiple-scattering, and reduces dynamic noise by decreasing exposure time. Experiments validate the characters of the proposed microscopy by quantitative phase imaging of oocyte cells, intestinal tissues, and polystyrene microspheres. Besides, we demonstrate the simultaneous recording of fluorescence and quantitative phase images.
Appropriate relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions minimizes the risk of a resurgence in SARS-CoV-2 infections in spite of the Delta variant
Authors: Koslow Wadim , Kühn Martin J. , Binder Sebastian , Klitz Margrit , Abele Daniel , Basermann Achim , Meyer-Hermann Michael
Published: May 2022

We analyze the relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) under an increasing number of vaccinations in Germany. For the spread of SARS-CoV-2 we employ a SIR-type model that accounts for age-dependence and includes realistic contact patterns between age groups. The implementation of NPIs occurs on changed contact patterns, improved isolation, or reduced infectiousness when, e.g., wearing masks. We account for spatial heterogeneity and commuting activities in between regions in Germany, and the testing of commuters is considered as a further NPI. We include the ongoing vaccination process and analyze the effect of the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, which is considered to be 40%–60% more infectious then the currently dominant B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant. We explore different opening scenarios under the ongoing vaccination process by assuming that local restrictions are either lifted in early July or August with or without continued wearing of masks and testing. Our results indicate that we can counteract the resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 despite the Delta variant with appropriate timing for the relaxation of NPIs. In all cases, however, school children are hit the hardest.