bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From a grand hotel to an urban symbol: the Astor Hotel in old and new Tianjin
Authors: Yang Taoyu
Published: August 2024

This article examines the enduring iconicity, multifaceted functions, and changing meanings of the Astor Hotel in Tianjin—one of the first international hotels in modern China—from the mid-19th century to the 21st century. Originally built more than 150 years ago, the Astor Hotel still stands exactly where it did in the former British Concession in Tianjin. This hotel was not only a venue boasting Tianjin’s most expensive accommodations but also a crucial site where politics, technology, economics, social, and cultural changes intersected and developed in its treaty port incarnation. Moreover, the expansion of the Astor Hotel evolved along with the development of Tianjin from a hypercolonial city to a Chinese-run metropolis. Shortly after the Communist Revolution in China, its ownership was overtaken by the Tianjin Municipal Government. Following a sequence of major renovations and commercial relaunches in the 1990s, the Astor Hotel was restored and reconstructed as an emblem of Tianjin’s historical status as an international and cosmopolitan city in China. Both continuity and changes will be emphasised in the discussion of the Astor Hotel’s history, as well as its multiple functions and shifting symbolic significance.
Multi-resolution analysis enables fidelity-ensured deconvolution for fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Hou Yiwei , Wang Wenyi , Fu Yunzhe , Ge Xichuan , Li Meiqi , Xi Peng
Published: August 2024

Fluorescence microscopic imaging is essentially a convolution process distorted by random noise, limiting critical parameters such as imaging speed, duration, and resolution. Though algorithmic compensation has shown great potential to enhance these pivotal aspects, its fidelity remains questioned. Here we develop a physics-rooted computational resolution extension and denoising method with ensured fidelity. Our approach employs a multi-resolution analysis (MRA) framework to extract the two main characteristics of fluorescence images against noise: across-edge contrast, and along-edge continuity. By constraining the two features in a model-solution framework using framelet and curvelet, we develop MRA deconvolution algorithms, which improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) up to 10 dB higher than spatial derivative based penalties, and can provide up to two-fold fidelity-ensured resolution improvement rather than the artifact-prone Richardson-Lucy inference. We demonstrate our methods can improve the performance of various diffraction-limited and super-resolution microscopies with ensured fidelity, enabling accomplishments of more challenging imaging tasks.
Learnable dual attention fusion network for borehole distributed acoustic sensing systems data reconstruction
Authors: Ma Haitao , Ba Ruijie , Tian YN , Li Yue , Wu Ning
Published: August 2024

As the demand for nonrenewable oil and gas resources has increased, distributed acoustic sensing systems (DAS) have been widely used in the acquisition of vertical seismic profiles. Complicated subsurface conditions produce many types of noise with strong energy. The effective reflection and refraction signals are absorbed by the inelastic medium during the transmission process, resulting in significant energy loss and aliased frequency characteristics. However, satisfactory processing results and quality cannot be achieved through conventional denoising methods. In recent years, the rapid development of deep-learning methods with attention mechanisms has attracted significant attention. Noise reduction and signal reconstruction technologies with multiple attention mechanisms within the framework of joint-domain features have become important development directions in DAS data processing. An attention mechanism can help the network ignore useless information and pay attention to useful information in the same way that humans can. In this study, we discuss a novel learnable dual attention fusion network that combines local and patch-based nonlocal attention mechanisms based on ResBlock modules, making the extraction process of the network learnable and selective. In addition, the novel network can focus on local and global details. We also use a residual learning strategy to simplify the training process and gradually establish the best mapping based on the L2 loss function. All experimental results of the simulation and actual records show that our novel network has better denoising and effective signal restoration abilities. Moreover, it can recover the up-going and down-going wavefields and attenuate different types of noise with less effective energy loss.
Stable neural network-based traveltime tomography using hard-constrained measurements
Authors: Taufik Mohammad H. , Alkhalifah Tariq , Waheed Umair bin
Published: August 2024

Traveltime tomography, or traveltime inversion, has been one of the primary seismological tools for decades and has been used to understand the earth’s properties and dynamic processes. An accurate, preferably flexible, eikonal solver to compute the traveltime field is at the heart of the inversion process. However, most conventional eikonal solvers suffer from first-order convergence errors and difficulties dealing with irregular computational grids. Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) have been introduced to tackle these problems and have successfully addressed these challenges. Nevertheless, these approaches still suffer from slow convergence and unstable training dynamics due to the multiterm nature of the loss function. To improve this, we develop a new formulation for the isotropic eikonal equation, which imposes boundary conditions as hard constraints. We apply the theory of functional connections to the traveltime tomography problem, which allows for using a single loss term to train the PINN model. We also analyze the effect of different traveltime factorizations on the overall inversion performance. The additive factorization yields a better result than the previously used multiplicative factorization. Our framework’s efficiency, stability, and flexibility in tackling various cases, such as topography-dependent and 3D models, are tested through rigorous numerical tests, thus providing an efficient and stable PINN-based traveltime tomography. Compared with existing PINN-based inversion, our framework introduces more stability during the inversion and offers significant convergence speedups.
Induced polarization of clay-rich materials — Part 5: Influence of hyperalkalinity in bentonites
Authors: El Alam J. , Revil A. , Dick P.
Published: August 2024

A total of 54 new core samples are built by mixing smectite-rich MX80-bentonite and Fontainebleau (silica) sand to study the effect of a hyperalkaline pore solution (including the presence of potassium) on the induced polarization properties of these mixtures. Two types of experiments are performed. In the first set of experiments, we perform induced polarization measurements 10 min after the preparation of the core samples (static experiments) for a broad variety of water contents and saturations. The second set of experiments is performed for over 1000 h to study the potential effect of illitization upon the induced polarization properties (time-lapse experiments). Indeed, the presence of potassium in the hyperalkaline pore solution favors the transformation of smectite into illite. Furthermore, we expect cation replacement (sodium replaced by calcium and potassium) in the smectite interfoliar pore network. For the static experiments, the relationships developed in the previous papers of this series regarding the dependence of the in-phase and quadrature conductivities on the water content and saturation remain valid. For the time-lapse experiments, we observe a decrease in the in-phase and quadrature conductivities over time. These trends can be fitted by a decaying exponential function. This behavior is explained by the kinetics of the illitization process and its effect on the cation exchange capacity of the material. Induced polarization appears therefore as a promising technique to monitor the effect of hyperalkaline solutions associated with the leaching of concrete and permeating a bentonite seal in deep geologic disposal facilities that could be potentially used for high-level and long-lived radioactive wastes.
Novel small-size seismic metamaterial with ultra-low frequency bandgap for Lamb waves
Authors: Shi Nannan , Liu Han , Zhao Liutao
Published: August 2024

Seismic metamaterials (SMs) possess bandgap characteristics, enabling effective attenuation of seismic waves within a specific frequency range. However, small-sized SMs typically struggle to achieve a wide low-frequency bandgap. This paper proposes four types of SMs. The dispersion curves of these models were analyzed, and their vibration modes were studied to elucidate the bandgap mechanism. To investigate the influence of structural parameters on the bandgap, geometric variables are analyzed. Subsequently, the spectrum and acceleration time history curves of Lamb waves in a finite SM system are analyzed to verify the bandgap's authenticity. The designed structure exhibits a bandgap ranging from 1.24 Hz to 16.86 Hz, with a relative bandwidth as high as 172.6% and over 96% maximum vibration displacement attenuation of the El Centro seismic wave. The designed SMs effectively cover the 2 Hz seismic peak spectrum that leads to structural damage. They possess ideal relative bandwidth and excellent isolation performance, further advancing the engineering application of SMs.
Novel Use of Motor-Evoked Potential Monitoring During Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Soft-Tissue Cryoablation: A Case Report
Authors: de Forcrand Claire , Thompson Scott M. , Oishi Tatsuya , Woodrum David A. , Adamo Daniel A. , Lu Aiming , Favazza Chris P. , Hoffman Ernest M. , Pasternak Jeffrey J. , Powell Garret M. , Teixeira Miguel T.
Published: August 2024

Motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring is an electrophysiologic technique useful for testing peripheral motor nerve integrity during cryoablation cases with risk of nerve injury. Previously, neuromonitoring within the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite for cryoablation has not been performed as magnetic needles are used which could cause magnetic field interactions with neuromonitoring leads. We present the first report of a patient who underwent MEP monitoring during MRI-guided cryoablation of a vascular malformation adjacent to the brachial plexus. We demonstrate that MEPs may be safely and accurately performed by interleaving MRI and MEPs during treatment, reducing the risk of postprocedural complications.
The Market Life of Japanese Literature in Postwar America: Knopf, Translation, and the Archives of Cultural Commerce
Authors: Hurley Brian
Published: August 2024

This article examines the aesthetic and economic forms of judgment that guided the Japanese literature translation program at the American publisher Alfred A. Knopf Inc. in the 1950s—1970s. During these years, the editor Harold Strauss coordinated Knopf’s ambitious translation program that made dozens of recently written Japanese novels available in English to an American audience. This article provides a fresh perspective on Knopf’s well-known Japanese literature translation program by understanding it to be an illuminating case study that reveals how the practical business of cultural commerce mixes aesthetic and economic modes of valuation, producing provocative connections that link what might otherwise seem to be the antagonistic realms of art and the market. Guided by documents held in the Knopf corporate archive, the article shows how the aesthetics of modern Japanese literature and the economics of publishing each encountered the other in the transactional territory of translation.
Between History and Phantasmagoria: Critical Nostalgic Lyricism in Alai's Poetry and Short Fiction
Authors: Li Dian
Published: August 2024

In his poetry and fiction, Alai creates a historiography of Eastern Tibet replete with the grandeur and magnificence of the past occasionally interposed with some oppressive cultural practices. It is a historiography motivated and energized by nostalgic lyricism, which helps locate and construct a symbolic Tibetan ethnicity. This article proposes that Alai's nostalgic lyricism critically reflects on the inversion of loss and the compensation of lack, thus articulating alternatives against the discontent of the present. In so doing, Alai formulates a minority position against the forces of deterministic historicism and discourse of linear modernity that have constantly placed the minority subject in modern China under threat of erasure.
The Undocumented and Archipelagic Universal in Miko Revereza'sNo Data Plan
Authors: Suarez Harrod J.
Published: August 2024

This article argues that the archipelagic serves as a potent cultural geographic figure challenging resurgent nationalisms in two specific ways. First, it enables us to explore a simultaneous proximity and distance in cultural politics; second, it leads us astray from the conceptual binary that would insist that it is simply other to the nation. In doing so, it arrives at a universalism that is fundamentally differentiated. The essay pursues this framework through an analysis of Miko Revereza's recent documentary film, No Data Plan (2019), which explores Revereza's undocumented status in the United States, and its repertoire of aesthetic techniques, including its erratic and partial framing of his train journey across the country as well as its disjointed soundtrack. Above all, the essay draws attention to the film's use of captions, through which Revereza's mother's story is narrated, and which cannot be reconciled with the rest of the film. Her captions hover in proximity to the filmic diegesis without seeking presence, rejecting a dialectical engagement with a presence in the film that stands in for a documented presence in the nation. By choosing instead to “speak nearby,” she disturbs conventional cultural political logics and dwells within an archipelagic relation to the film, her son, and the world.
Gearing in a hydrostatic skeleton: the tube feet of juvenile sea stars (Leptasterias sp.)
Authors: Po Theodora , Carrillo Andres , McKee Amberle , Pernet Bruno , McHenry Matthew J.
Published: August 2024

Hydrostatic skeletons, such as an elephant trunk or a squid tentacle, permit the transmission of mechanical work through a soft body. Despite the ubiquity of these structures among animals, we generally do not understand how differences in their morphology affect their ability to transmit muscular work. Therefore, the present study used mathematical modeling, morphometrics, and kinematics to understand the transmission of force and displacement in the tube feet of the juvenile six-rayed star (Leptasterias sp.). An inverse-dynamic analysis revealed that the forces generated by the feet during crawling primarily serve to overcome the submerged weight of the body. These forces were disproportionately generated by the feet at more proximal positions along each ray, which were used more frequently for crawling. Owing to a combination of mechanical advantage and muscle mass, these proximal feet exhibited a greater capacity for force generation than the distal feet. However, the higher displacement advantage of the more elongated distal feet offer a superior ability to extend the feet into the environment. Therefore, the morphology of tube feet demonstrates a gradient in gearing along each ray that compliments their role in behavior.
Comparative Analysis of Psychological Well-Being and Emotional Education in Graduate Students
Authors: Moreira-Choez Jenniffer Sobeida , Lamus de Rodríguez Tibisay Milene , Espinoza-Solís Eduardo Javier , Castro-Castillo Graciela Josefina
Published: August 2024

Background The growing importance of emotional intelligence in academic and professional contexts has generated a need to explore its linkage with psychological well-being. Furthermore, understanding how various demographic and academic factors can influence students' emotional perception and management is crucial for optimizing educational and intervention strategies. In this context, the primary purpose of this study was to analyze the existing relationship between emotional education and psychological well-being in graduate students. Methods The objective was to conduct a comparative analysis of perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) in different study programs offered at a specific university. The methodology, framed within a positivist paradigm, was based on a quantitative approach and examines the responses of 1,522 university students using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24). Results This tool, which is divided into three dimensions (emotional attention, emotional clarity, and emotional repair), was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and ANOVA tests to determine demographic and academic influences on the scores. The findings indicate deficiencies in the areas of Emotional Attention and Emotional Repair, contrasting with a marked prevalence in Emotional Clarity. Variables such as sex, age, and field of study demonstrated an influence on the dimensions of PEI. Notably, significant differences in emotional perception were found between sex and academic fields. Conclusions Specifically, training directed towards empathy proved to be a prominent factor in the perception of emotional competencies. This study highlights the influence of demographic and academic variables on emotional competencies, underscoring the need to adapt strategies in education and therapy.
Disinformation as an obstructionist strategy in climate change mitigation: a review of the scientific literature for a systemic understanding of the phenomenon
Authors: Gertrudix Manuel , Carbonell-Alcocer Alejandro , Arcos Rubén , Arribas Cristina M. , Codesido-Linares Valeri , Benítez-Aranda Nerea
Published: August 2024

Background This study examines the scientific misinformation about climate change, in particular obstructionist strategies. The study aims to understand their impact on public perception and climate policy and emphasises the need for a systemic understanding that includes the financial, economic and political roots. Methods A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 model. The sample consisted of 75 articles published between 2019 and 2023, sourced from Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. Methodological triangulation was performed to improve the analysis. Results The results show that technological approaches to misinformation detection, such as immunisation and fact-checking, are widely used. However, few studies look in depth at the operational structures that support systematic disinformation. Conclusions The study emphasises the urgent need to expand and deepen research on climate disinformation and argues for more global, comparative and adequately funded studies. It emphasises the importance of addressing the systemic complexity of disinformation and integrating different theoretical and methodological approaches. This will help to develop effective measures against hidden networks of influence and mitigate their disruptive effects. The research findings are relevant for policymakers, scientists, academics, the media and the public and will help to improve strategies to combat climate misinformation and promote science-based climate action.
Gender diversity in the National Joint Registry
Authors: Abelleyra Lastoria Diego Agustín , Casey Laura , Beni Rebecca , Papanastasiou Alexa V. , Kamyab Arya A. , Devetzis Konstantinos , Scott Chloe E. H. , Hing Caroline B.
Published: August 2024

Aims

Our primary aim was to establish the proportion of female orthopaedic consultants who perform arthroplasty via cases submitted to the National Joint Registry (NJR), which covers England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Guernsey. Secondary aims included comparing time since specialist registration, private practice participation, and number of hospitals worked in between male and female surgeons.

Methods

Publicly available data from the NJR was extracted on the types of arthroplasty performed by each surgeon, and the number of procedures of each type undertaken. Each surgeon was cross-referenced with the General Medical Council (GMC) website, using GMC number to extract surgeon demographic data. These included sex, region of practice, and dates of full and specialist registration.

Results

Of 2,895 surgeons contributing to the NJR in 2023, 102 (4%) were female. The highest proportions of female surgeons were among those who performed elbow (n = 25; 5%), shoulder (n = 24; 4%), and ankle (n = 8; 4%) arthroplasty. Hip (n = 66; 3%) and knee arthroplasty (n = 39; 2%) had the lowest female representation. Female surgeons had been practising for a median of 10.4 years since specialist registration compared to 13.7 years for males (p < 0.001). Northern Ireland was the region with the highest proportion of female arthroplasty surgeons (8%). A greater proportion of male surgeons worked in private practice (63% vs 24%; p < 0.001) and in multiple hospitals (74% vs 40%; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Only 4% of surgeons currently contributing cases to the NJR are female, with the highest proportion performing elbow arthroplasty (5%). Female orthopaedic surgeons in the NJR are earlier in their careers than male surgeons, and are less involved in private practice. There is a wide geographical variation in the proportion of female arthroplasty surgeons.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(8):637–643.
Growing Old in Nineteenth-Century France: Texts, Fictions, and Representations
Authors: Emery Elizabeth , Fix Florence
Published: August 2024

Abstract: The introduction to this special issue about French fascination with the aging process provides an overview of cultural interest in this topic from the Second Empire to World War I. It sets the scene for other contributors' analysis of the ways in which nineteenth-century writers and scientists took up aging or aged figures to explore complex new social dynamics.
Clinical Ethics Consultations: What do Requestors Say?
Authors: Mishra Ruchika
Published: August 2024

Abstract: This symposium collection of twelve narratives from individuals who experienced clinical ethics consultations provides perspectives from a group that has not been adequately explored in the bioethics literature. The authors represent a variety of stakeholders who received ethics consultations: healthcare providers and family members. This commentary will focus on three themes addressed in the different narrative accounts: the reasons for requesting an ethics consultation; the expectations of the narrators from the consultation; and the conclusions the authors drew from their experience of the ethics consultation.
X-ray reflective coatings made of Pt, Al2O3/Pt, and Al2O3/Ni/Pt produced by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Windt David L. , Li Huazhi , Gorelikov Dmitry , Gullikson Eric M. , Gollwitzer Christian , Krumrey Michael , Laubis Christian
Published: August 2024

The X-ray reflectance of Pt-based coatings deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been measured in support of assessing the feasibility of using this deposition method for the production of X-ray mirror coatings that can achieve high X-ray reflectance without causing unacceptably large degradation of mirror figure as a result of coating stress-driven substrate deformation. Specifically, reflectance measurements of single-layer Pt, Al2O3/Pt bilayer, and Al2O3/Ni/Pt trilayer coatings grown by ALD on flat Si substrates were made using synchrotron radiation at X-ray energies in the range from 0.35 to 10 keV, revealing that the reflectance of the bilayers and trilayers is superior to that of single-layer sputtered Ir below 3.5 keV. Single-layer Pt and Al2O3/Pt bilayer coatings produced using thermal ALD were also deposited onto both the front and back surfaces of thin, figured, sub-arcsecond-quality X-ray telescope mirror segments made of polished, single-crystal Si, without discernible degradation of surface figure. These results, along with the successful implementation of batch-coating of two such mirrors simultaneously with high-reflectance coatings grown by thermal ALD, demonstrate the viability of employing stress-balanced, double-sided ALD coatings to mitigate substrate deformation resulting from film stress in high-reflectance coatings. This approach may thus enable the mass production of high-performance, sub-arcsecond X-ray telescope mirrors.
Compact, efficient ultra-wide tunable laser with reduced thermal crosstalk
Authors: Earnshaw Mark , Bolle Cris , Kopf Rose , Cappuzzo Mark , Tate Al , Hu Ting-Chen
Published: August 2024

Future optical communication systems will exploit increasingly wide optical wavelength bands to continue scaling capacity per installed fiber. Currently, optical components such as tunable lasers and modulators are designed to operate in a single wavelength band only and multiple designs are therefore needed for a single system. Improved tunable lasers operating seamlessly over these wider bands would both simplify system deployment and management. Increasing the laser tuning range requires improved wavelength selection mechanisms to simplify calibration and improve performance. We report a tunable laser with an 11THz tuning range and 14 mW output power. This laser is based on what we believe to be a novel silicon optical bench platform augmented with thermal membranes to enable both low tuning power consumption and low crosstalk laser tuning. Reduction of crosstalk simplifies both calibration and control of the laser frequency. The total power consumption of the tunable laser is only 700 mW.
Computing dimension for a reconfigurable photonic tensor processing core based on silicon photonics
Authors: Ouyang Hao , Tao Zilong , You Jie , Hao Hao , Zhang Jun , Tang Shengjie , Lv Haibin , Liu Xiaoping , Cheng Xiang’ai , Jiang Tian
Published: August 2024

In the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, integrated photonic computing has emerged as a promising solution to address the growing demand for high-performance computing with ultrafast speed and reduced power consumption. This study presents what we believe is a novel photonic tensor processing core (PTPC) on a chip utilizing wavelength division multiplexing technology to perform parallel multiple vector-matrix multiplications concurrently, allowing for reconfigurable computing dimensions without changing the hardware scale. Specifically, this architecture significantly enhances the number of operations in convolutional neural networks, making it superior to other photonic computing systems. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the high-speed performance of the PTPC, achieving an impressive total computing speed of 0.252 TOPS and a computing speed per unit as high as 0.06 TOPS /unit in a compact hardware scale. Additionally, proof-of-concept application experiments are conducted on benchmark datasets, including the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (MNIST), Google Quickdraw, and CIFAR-10, with high accuracies of 97.86%, 93.51%, and 70.22%, respectively, in image recognition and classification tasks. By enabling parallel operations in PTPC on a chip, this study opens new avenues for exploration and innovation at the intersection of silicon photonics, scalable computation, and artificial intelligence, shaping the future landscape of computing technologies.
A novel demodulation method of the channeled modulated polarization imaging pictures by hybrid feature modulated autoencoders
Authors: Zhang Ning , Zhao Mingfan , Zhang Zhinan , Liu Jie , Zhang Yunyao , Li Siyuan
Published: August 2024

Channeled modulated polarization imaging technology offers advantages owing to its simple structure and low cost. However, the loss of high-frequency information due to channel crosstalk and the filter demodulation method has consistently hindered the mature application of this technology. We analyzed the data structure of pictures detected using this technology and proposed a demodulation method using hybrid feature modulated autoencoders. Training the network with a substantial number of images, it effectively addresses the issue of high-frequency information loss and demonstrates proficient demodulation capabilities for both simulated and real detected pictures.
Highly efficient Airy beam generator with high polarization purity by a receiving-transmitting metasurface
Authors: Zhuang Yaqiang , Si Liming , Huang Hailin , Cai Tong
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a highly efficient Airy beam generator at microwave frequency using a transparent metasurface with a receiving-transmitting scheme. The amplitude and phase of the transmitted orthogonal polarization wave can be flexibly controlled by orientation angles of receiving and transmitting patches of the proposed meta-atom. Utilizing this property to reshape the field of transmitted waves following the desired phase and amplitude profile of the Airy wave packet, an Airy beam generator is designed and experimentally demonstrated. Simulation and measurement results both show a self-healing Airy beam with an efficiency of 23.5% and polarization purity above 20 dB, which approaches the theoretical limitation of the designed Airy beam. Due to the well-performed beam efficiency and polarization purity resulting from the receiving-transmitting metasurface, our design holds great promise for efficient wavefront shaping and facilitates the use of high-purity Airy beams for practical applications.
Wideband optically transparent absorber based on multilayer ITO films with high absorption rate
Authors: Ge Jiangcheng , Yan Wanbing , Zhang Haoyu , Li Liangyu , Wang Dongxu , Xu Kai-Da , Hong Tao
Published: August 2024

In this paper, a wideband optically transparent absorber based on multilayer indium tin oxide (ITO) films is designed, fabricated, and measured. The structure uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and ITO films to replace the dielectric substrate and metal pattern of the traditional absorber to achieve optical transparency characteristics. The absorption of the proposed absorber is above 90% from 4.92 to 24.55 GHz and exceeding 95% in the range of 5.74 ∼ 21.85 GHz, respectively, under normal transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarized incidences. Moreover, it shows outstanding stability with various incident angles over a wide range. A prototype of the proposed absorber is fabricated and experimentally verified, with good measurement results. The optical transparency and great absorption performance make the absorber a promising candidate for transparent electromagnetic compatibility.
Rapid, autonomous and ultra-large-area detection of latent fingerprints using object-driven optical coherence tomography
Authors: He Bin , Shi Yejiong , Sun Zhenwen , Li Xiaojun , Hu Xiyuan , Wang Lei , Xie Lanchi , Yan Yuwen , Li Zhihui , Li Zhigang , Wang Chengming , Xue Ping , Zhang Ning
Published: August 2024

The detection of latent fingerprints plays a crucial role in criminal investigations and biometrics. However, conventional techniques are limited by their lack of depth-resolved imaging, extensive area coverage, and autonomous fingerprint detection capabilities. This study introduces an object-driven optical coherence tomography (OD-OCT) to achieve rapid, autonomous and ultra-large-area detection of latent fingerprints. First, by utilizing sparse sampling with the robotic arm along the slow axis, we continuously acquire B-scans across large, variably shaped areas (∼400 cm2), achieving a scanning speed up to 100 times faster. In parallel, a deep learning model autonomously processes the real-time stream of B-scans, detecting fingerprints and their locations. The system then performs high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of these detected areas, exclusively visualizing the latent fingerprints. This approach significantly enhances the imaging efficiency while balancing the traditional OCT system's trade-offs between scanning range, speed, and lateral resolution, thus offering a breakthrough in rapid, large-area object detection.
Near-infrared photodetection and time-resolved photocurrents in cadmium arsenide heterojunctions
Authors: Brady Jacob , Rashidi Arman , Mikhailovsky Alexander , Stemmer Susanne
Published: August 2024

Dirac and Weyl semimetals, such as cadmium arsenide
(Cd3As2), have recently attracted attention for
use in high-speed photodetectors that operate at longer infrared
wavelengths, where conventional semiconductor-based photodetectors
have a limited performance. In this Letter, we explore near-infrared
(960 nm) photodetection in a Cd3As2/AlSb
heterojunction. We show that Cd3As2/AlSb
heterojunctions allow for an unbiased operation and demonstrate an
enhanced responsivity and quantum efficiency compared to AlSb and
Cd3As2 reference devices. To characterize their
high-speed response, the photocurrent dynamics of the heterojunctions
were also explored via time-resolved photocurrent (TRPC) measurements,
revealing a photocurrent process occurring over 200–500 ps in the
Cd3As2/AlSb heterojunctions that is not observed
in the AlSb and Cd3As2 reference devices. This
time is attributed to the recombination rate of carriers in the
heterojunction.
Mediators of monocyte chemotaxis and matrix remodeling are associated with mortality and pulmonary fibroproliferation in patients with severe COVID-19
Authors: Holton Sarah E. , Mitchem Mallorie , Chalian Hamid , Pipavath Sudhakar , Morrell Eric D. , Bhatraju Pavan K. , Hamerman Jessica A. , Speake Cate , Malhotra Uma , Wurfel Mark M. , Ziegler Steven E. , Mikacenic Carmen
Published: August 2024

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has a fibroproliferative phase that may be followed by pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis following COVID-19 pneumonia has been described at autopsy and following lung transplantation. We hypothesized that protein mediators of tissue remodeling and monocyte chemotaxis are elevated in the plasma and endotracheal aspirates of critically ill patients with COVID-19 who subsequently develop features of pulmonary fibroproliferation. We enrolled COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU with hypoxemic respiratory failure. (n = 195). Plasma was collected within 24h of ICU admission and at 7d. In mechanically ventilated patients, endotracheal aspirates (ETA) were collected. Protein concentrations were measured by immunoassay. We tested for associations between protein concentrations and respiratory outcomes using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, treatment with steroids, and APACHE III score. In a subset of patients who had CT scans during hospitalization (n = 75), we tested for associations between protein concentrations and radiographic features of fibroproliferation. Among the entire cohort, plasma IL-6, TNF-α, CCL2, and Amphiregulin levels were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. In addition, higher plasma concentrations of CCL2, IL-6, TNF-α, Amphiregulin, and CXCL12 were associated with fewer ventilator-free days. We identified 20/75 patients (26%) with features of fibroproliferation. Within 24h of ICU admission, no measured plasma proteins were associated with a fibroproliferative response. However, when measured 96h-128h after admission, Amphiregulin was elevated in those that developed fibroproliferation. ETAs were not correlated with plasma measurements and did not show any association with mortality, ventilator-free days (VFDs), or fibroproliferative response. This cohort study identifies proteins of tissue remodeling and monocyte recruitment are associated with in-hospital mortality, fewer VFDs, and radiographic fibroproliferative response. Measuring changes in these proteins over time may allow for early identification of patients with severe COVID-19 at risk for fibroproliferation.
Genetic diversity analysis of tropical and sub-tropical maize germplasm for Striga resistance and agronomic traits with SNP markers
Authors: Dossa Emeline N. , Shimelis Hussein , Shayanowako Admire I. T.
Published: August 2024

Striga hermonthica (Sh) and S. asiatica (Sa) are major parasitic weeds limiting cereal crop production and productivity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Under severe infestation, Striga causes yield losses of up to 100%. Breeding for Striga-resistant maize varieties is the most effective and economical approach to controlling the parasite. Well-characterized and genetically differentiated maize germplasm is vital to developing inbred lines, hybrids, and synthetic varieties with Striga resistance and desirable product profiles. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of 130 tropical and sub-tropical maize inbred lines, hybrids, and open-pollinated varieties germplasm using phenotypic traits and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to select Striga-resistant and complementary genotypes for breeding. The test genotypes were phenotyped with Sh and Sa infestations using a 13x10 alpha lattice design with two replications. Agro-morphological traits and Striga-resistance damage parameters were recorded under a controlled environment. Further, high-density Diversity Array Technology Sequencing-derived SNP markers were used to profile the test genotypes. Significant phenotypic differences (P<0.001) were detected among the assessed genotypes for the assessed traits. The SNP markers revealed mean gene diversity and polymorphic information content of 0.34 and 0.44, respectively, supporting the phenotypic variation of the test genotypes. Higher significant variation was recorded within populations (85%) than between populations using the analysis of molecular variance. The Structure analysis allocated the test genotypes into eight major clusters (K  =  8) in concordance with the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). The following genetically distant inbred lines were selected, displaying good agronomic performance and Sa and Sh resistance: CML540, TZISTR25, TZISTR1248, CLHP0303, TZISTR1174, TZSTRI113, TZDEEI50, TZSTRI115, CML539, TZISTR1015, CZL99017, CML451, CML566, CLHP0343 and CML440. Genetically diverse and complementary lines were selected among the tropical and sub-tropical maize populations that will facilitate the breeding of maize varieties with Striga resistance and market-preferred traits.
Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis to elucidate the effect of gossypol on Enterobacter sp. GD5
Authors: Wang CaiDie , Li XiaoBin , Pan Jun , Ma Chen , Zhang ShiQi , Zang Changjiang , Yang KaiLun
Published: August 2024

Gossypol, a yellow polyphenolic compound found in the Gossypium genus, is toxic to animals that ingest cotton-derived feed materials. However, ruminants display a notable tolerance to gossypol, attributed to the pivotal role of ruminal microorganisms in its degradation. The mechanisms of how rumen microorganisms degrade and tolerate gossypol remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, Enterobacter sp. GD5 was isolated from rumen fluid, and the effects of gossypol on its metabolism and gene expression were investigated using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and RNA analyses. The LC-MS results revealed that gossypol significantly altered the metabolic profiles of 15 metabolites (eight upregulated and seven downregulated). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis results showed that significantly different metabolites were associated with glutathione metabolism in both positive and negative ion modes, where gossypol significantly affected the biosynthesis of amino acids in the negative ion mode. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that gossypol significantly affected 132 genes (104 upregulated and 28 downregulated), with significant changes observed in the expression of catalase peroxidase, glutaredoxin-1, glutathione reductase, thioredoxin 2, thioredoxin reductase, and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit F, which are related to antioxidative stress. Furthermore, Gene Ontology analysis revealed significant changes in homeostatic processes following gossypol supplementation. Overall, these results indicate that gossypol induces oxidative stress, resulting in the increased expression of antioxidative stress-related genes in Enterobacter sp. GD5, which may partially explain its tolerance to gossypol.
Identification and expression profiles of olfactory-related genes in the antennal transcriptome of Graphosoma rubrolineatum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
Authors: Guo Shibao , Liu Panjing , Tang Yin , Chen Junhua , Zhang Tao , Liu Hongmin
Published: August 2024

Graphosoma rubrolineatum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an important pest of vegetables and herbs (e.g., Umbelliferae and Cruciferae) in China, Siberia, Korea, and Japan. Insects are highly dependent on their olfactory system to detect odorants. However, no molecular-mediated olfactory genes in G. rubrolineatum have yet been identified. In this study, we first established the antennal transcriptome of G. rubrolineatum and identified 189 candidate olfactory genes, including 31 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 15 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), four sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs),94 odorant receptors (ORs), 23 ionotropic receptors (IRs), and 22 gustatory receptors (GRs). Additionally, phylogenetic trees were constructed for olfactory genes between G. rubrolineatum and other hemipteran insects. We also detected the expression profiles of ten OBPs, five CSPs, two SNMPs, five ORs, four IRs, and four GRs by real-time quantitative PCR. The results revealed that most genes (GrubOBP1/11/31, GrubCSP3/8, GrubSNMP1a/1b, GrubOrco/OR9/11/13, GrubGR1/4/22, GrubIR25/75h/76b/GluR1) were highly expressed in the antennae, GrubOBP13/31 and GrubCSP4/11/12 were highly expressed in the legs, while GrubOBP20 and GrubGR19 were highly expressed in the wings. Our results will enrich the gene inventory of G. rubrolineatum and provide further insight into the molecular chemosensory mechanisms of G. rubrolineatum.
Common sleep data pipeline for combined data sets
Authors: Strøm Jesper , Engholm Andreas Larsen , Lorenzen Kristian Peter , Mikkelsen Kaare B.
Published: August 2024

Over the past few years, sleep research has shown impressive performance of deep neural networks in the area of automatic sleep-staging. Recent studies have demonstrated the necessity of combining multiple data sets to obtain sufficiently generalizing results. However, working with large amounts of sleep data can be challenging, both from a hardware perspective and because of the different preprocessing steps necessary for distinct data sources. Here we review the possible obstacles and present an open-source pipeline for automatic data loading. Our solution includes both a standardized data store as well as a ‘data serving’ portion which can be used to train neural networks on the standardized data, allowing for different configuration options for different studies and machine learning designs. The pipeline, including implementation, is made public to ensure better and more reproducible sleep research.
Ginkgo biloba extract inhibits hippocampal neuronal injury caused by mitochondrial oxidative stress in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Xia Chenyi , Zhou Mingmei , Dong Xianwen , Zhao Yan , Jiang Meifang , Zhu Guoqin , Zhang Zhixiong
Published: August 2024

Ginkgo biloba extracts (GBE) have been shown to effectively improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). One potential therapeutic strategy for AD is to prevent loss of adult hippocampal neurons. While recent studies have reported that GBE protects against oxidative stress in neurons, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, an AD-like rat model was established via bidirectional injection of amyloid beta 25–35 (Aβ25–35; 20 μg) in the hippocampal CA1 region. Learning and memory abilities of experimental rats were AD assessed in response to oral administration of 7.5 g/L or 15 g/L Ginkgo biloba extract 50 (GBE50) solution and the peroxidation phenomenon of hippocampal mitochondria determined via analysis of mitochondrial H2O2 and several related enzymes. Levels of the oxidative stress-related signaling factor cytochrome C (Cyto C), apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3) and caspase-activated DNase (CAD) were further detected via western blot. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), the major product of DNA oxidative stress, was evaluated to analyze DNA status. Our results showed elevated H2O2 levels and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, and conversely, a decrease in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the hippocampus of AD rats. Administration of GBE50 regulated the activities of these three enzymes and induced a decrease in H2O2. GBE50 exerted regulatory effects on abnormally expressed apoptotic proteins in the AD rat hippocampus, enhancing the expression of Bcl-2, inhibiting release of Cyto C from mitochondria, and suppressing the level of caspase-3 (excluding cleaved caspase-3). Furthermore, GBE50 inhibited DNA damage by lowering the generation of 8-OHdG rather than influencing expression of CAD. The collective findings support a protective role of GBE50 in hippocampal neurons of AD-like animals against mitochondrial oxidative stress.
Associations of upper respiratory mucosa microbiota with Rheumatoid arthritis, autoantibodies, and disease activity
Authors: Joo Young Bin , Lee Juho , Park Yune-Jung , Bang So-Young , Kim Kwangwoo , Lee Hye-Soon
Published: August 2024

The lung is recognized as a site for initiating the formation of self-antigen and autoimmune responses in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to investigate the association of upper respiratory microbiota with RA, autoantibody production, and disease activity. Forty-six patients with RA and 17 controls were examined. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were sequenced for microbiome profiling using the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbial diversity and relative abundance were compared between RA patients and controls. Correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between microbial abundance and clinical markers such as autoantibodies and disease activity. Microbial diversity analysis revealed no major differences between RA patients and healthy controls. However, beta diversity analysis indicated a subtle distinction in microbial composition (unweighted UniFrac distance) between the two groups (P = 0.03), hinting at a minor subset of microbiota associated with disease status. Differential abundance analysis uncovered specific taxa at various taxonomic levels, including Saccharibacteria (TM7) [O-1] (PFDR = 2.53 × 10−2), TM7 [F-1] (PFDR = 5.20 × 10−3), Microbacterium (PFDR = 3.37 × 10−4), and Stenotrophomonas (PFDR = 2.57 × 10−3). The relative abundance of ten genera correlated significantly with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody levels (PFDR < 0.05) and 11 genera were significantly associated with disease activity markers, including ESR, CRP, DAS28-ESR, and DAS-CRP (PFDR < 0.05). In particular, Saccharibacteria TM7 [G-3] and Peptostreptococcaceae [XI] [G-1] were correlated with all disease activity biomarkers. Dysbiosis in the upper respiratory mucosa is associated with RA, anti-CCP antibody levels, and disease activity.