bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnon-photon cross-correlations via optical nonlinearity in cavity magnonical system
Authors: Fang Yujie , Zhong Wenxue , Cheng Guangling , Chen Aixi
Published: July 2023

We propose an alternative scheme to achieve the cross-correlations between magnon and photon in a hybrid nonlinear system including two microwave cavities and one yttrium iron garnet (YIG) sphere, where two cavities nonlinearly interact and meanwhile one of cavities couples to magnon representing the collective excitation in YIG sphere via magnetic dipole interaction. Based on dispersive couplings between two cavities and between one cavity and magnon with the larger detunings, the nonlinear interaction occurs between the other cavity and magnon, which plays a crucial role in generating quantum correlations. By analyzing the second-order correlation functions via numerical simulations and analytical calculations, the remarkable nonclassical correlations are existent in such a system, where the magnon blockade and photon antibunching could be obtainable on demand. The scheme we present is focused on the magnon-photon cross-correlations in the weak coupling regime and relaxes the requirements of experimental conditions, which may have potential applications in quantum information processing in the hybrid system.
Free-space transmission of picosecond-level, high-speed optical pulse streams in the 3 µm band
Authors: Su Yulong , Tian Wenlong , Yu Yang , Meng Jiacheng , Zheng Yunqiang , Jia Shuaiwei , Xie Zhuang , Wang Yishan , Zhu Jiangfeng , Wang Wei
Published: July 2023

The utilization of mid-infrared (mid-IR) light spanning the 3-5 µm range presents notable merits over the 1.5 µm band when operating in adverse atmospheric conditions. Consequently, it emerges as a promising prospect for serving as optical carriers in free-space communication (FSO) through atmospheric channels. However, due to the insufficient performance level of devices in the mid-IR band, the capability of mid-IR communication is hindered in terms of transmission capacity and signal format. In this study, we conduct experimental investigations on the transmission of time-domain multiplexed ultra-short optical pulse streams, with a pulse width of 1.8 ps and a data rate of up to 40 Gbps at 3.6 µm, based on the difference frequency generation (DFG) effect. The mid-IR transmitter realizes an effective wavelength conversion of optical time division multiplexing (OTDM) signals from 1.5 µm to 3.6 µm, and the obtained power of the 40 Gbps mid-IR OTDM signal at the optimum temperature of 54.8 °C is 7.4 dBm. The mid-IR receiver successfully achieves the regeneration of the 40 Gbps 1.5 µm OTDM signal, and the corresponding regenerated power at the optimum temperature of 51.5 °C is -30.56 dBm. Detailed results pertaining to the demodulation of regeneration 1.5 µm OTDM signal have been acquired, encompassing parameters such as pulse waveform diagram, bit error rate (BER), and Q factor. The estimated power penalty of the 40 Gbps mid-IR OTDM transmission is 2.4 dB at a BER of 1E-6, compared with the back-to-back (BTB) transmission. Moreover, it is feasible by using chirped PPLN crystals with wider bandwidth to increase the data rate to the order of one hundred gigabits.
Compact magneto-optical isolator by µ-transfer printing of magneto-optical single-crystal film on silicon waveguides
Authors: Minemura Daiki , Kou Rai , Sutoh Yoshikatsu , Murai Toshiya , Yamada Koji , Shoji Yuya
Published: July 2023

Optical isolators provide one-way propagation and are necessary to protect laser diodes from damage and unstable operation caused by reflected light. Although magneto-optical (MO) devices can operate as isolators, achieving high-density integration using conventional direct bonding methods is difficult because a large and thick growth substrate remains on the circuits. We experimentally demonstrated a compact Mach–Zehnder interferometer-based MO isolator with Si waveguides by the µ-transfer printing of a Ce:YIG/SGGG coupon. The isolator has a footprint of 0.25 mm2 with a Ce:YIG/SGGG coupon of 50 × 800 µm2 and ∼ 1-µm thickness and achieved a maximum isolation ratio of 14 dB in telecom bands.
Remote sensing detection of seagrass distribution in a marine lagoon (Swan Lake), China
Authors: Liang Hanwei , Wang Lulu , Wang Shengqiang , Sun Deyong , Li Junsheng , Xu Yongjiu , Zhang Hailong
Published: July 2023

Seagrass, a submerged flowering plant, is widely distributed in coastal shallow waters and plays a significant role in maintaining marine biodiversity and carbon cycles. However, the seagrass ecosystem is currently facing degradation, necessitating effective monitoring. Satellite remote sensing observations offer distinct advantages in spatial coverage and temporal frequency. In this study, we focused on a marine lagoon (Swan Lake), located in the Shandong Peninsula of China which is characterized by a large and typical seagrass population. We conducted an analysis of remote sensing reflectance of seagrass and other objectives using a comprehensive Landsat satellite dataset spanning from 2002 to 2022. Subsequently, we constructed Seagrass Index I (SSI-I) and Seagrass Index II (SSI-II), and used them to develop a stepwise model for seagrass detection from Landsat images. Validation was performed using in situ acoustic survey data and visual interpretation, revealing the good performance of our model with an overall accuracy exceeding 0.90 and a kappa coefficient around 0.80. The long-term analysis (2002-2022) of the seagrass distribution area in Swan Lake, generated from Landsat data using our model, indicated that the central area of Swan Lake sustains seagrass for the longest duration. Seagrass in Swan Lake exhibits a regular seasonal variation, including seeding in early spring, growth in spring-summer, maturation in the middle of summer, and shrinkage in autumn. Furthermore, we observed an overall decreasing trend in the seagrass area over the past 20 years, while occasional periods of seagrass restoration were also observed. These findings provide crucial information for seagrass protection, marine blue carbon studies, and related endeavors in Swan Lake. Moreover, our study offers a valuable alternative approach that can be implemented for seagrass monitoring using satellite observations in other coastal regions.
Flexible stitching interferometry for gull-wing asphere using variable-sign curvature compensation
Authors: Zong Yi , Yu Caiyun , Liu Yixuan , Zhong Yongshen , Duan Mingliang , Li Jianxin
Published: July 2023

Aspheres have widespread applications in modern optical systems; however, the high-precision testing of the gull-wing asphere (GWA) is still challenging. In this Letter, flexible stitching interferometry (FSI) has been reported using variable-sign curvature compensation (VSCC) to realize accurate GWA testing. The method involves varying the sign and magnitude of the outgoing wavefront curvature by relative translation of VSCC to compensate for the curvatures of subapertures, and alternating optimization stitching is utilized to obtain the full-aperture absolute phase. The feasibility and performance of the proposed method are demonstrated experimentally. To our knowledge, such a stitching interferometry using VSCC is here proposed for the first time, and could contribute to general aspheric interferometry.
Enhanced second-harmonic generation in strained germanium-on-insulator microdisks for integrated quantum photonic technologies
Authors: Tan James , Shi Xuncheng , Lu Kunze , Joo Hyo-Jun , Kim Youngmin , Chen Melvina , Zhang Lin , Tan Chuan Seng , Lim Khee Yong , Quek Elgin , Nam Donguk
Published: July 2023

Quantum photonic circuits have recently attracted much attention owing to the potential to achieve exceptional performance improvements over conventional classical electronic circuits. Second-order χ(2) nonlinear processes play an important role in the realization of several key quantum photonic components. However, owing to their centrosymmetric nature, CMOS-compatible materials including silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) traditionally do not possess the χ(2) response. Recently, second-harmonic generation (SHG) that requires the χ(2) response was reported in Ge, but no attempts at enhancing the SHG signal have been conducted and proven experimentally. Herein, we demonstrate the effect of strain on SHG from Ge by depositing a silicon nitride (Si3N4) stressor layer on Ge-on-insulator (GOI) microdisks. This approach allows the deformation of the centrosymmetric unit cell structure of Ge, which can further enhance the χ(2) nonlinear susceptibility for SHG emission. The experimental observation of SHG under femtosecond optical pumping indicates a clear trend of enhancement in SHG signals with increasing strain. Such improvements boost conversion efficiencies by 300% when compared to the control counterpart. This technique paves the way toward realizing a CMOS-compatible material with nonlinear characteristics, presenting unforeseen opportunities for its integration in the semiconductor industry.
Efficient broadband polarization retarder via shortcuts to adiabaticity
Authors: Wang Wei , Ban Yue , Chen Xi
Published: July 2023

The use of two-level atomic systems in quantum optics allows for the design of highly efficient and broadband achromatic retarders through the application of adiabatic passage and composite pulse techniques. In this work, we propose shortcuts to adiabaticity to improve broadband polarization retarders with shorter lengths. We achieve this by inversely engineering the relative refractive indices and further optimizing them with respect to the perturbation of input wavelength. Our results are compared with adiabatic and composite protocols, demonstrating that our method provides the advantage of integrating efficiency and robustness.
Nanoimprinted patterned sapphire with silica array for efficient InGaN-based green mini-LEDs
Authors: Tao Guoyi , Cui Siyuan , Sun Yuechang , Sun Ke , Zhou Qianxi , Zhou Shengjun
Published: July 2023

Here, we propose nanoimprinted patterned sapphire with a silica array (PSSA) with the aim to promote the efficiency of InGaN-based green (∼520 nm) mini-LEDs. According to x-ray diffraction measurements, the threading dislocation density of GaN epitaxial layers grown on nanoimprinted PSSA demonstrates a pronounced reduction compared with the epilayers on the conventional patterned sapphire substrate (PSS). Consequently, a mini-LED on PSSA exhibits a significantly boosted light output power (LOP) in comparison to a mini-LED on PSS. At 10 mA, the LOP of the mini-LED on PSS is 6.0 mW, and this is further improved to 6.8 mW for the mini-LED on PSSA. Moreover, the peak external quantum efficiencies of the mini-LEDs on PSS and PSSA are 41% and 47%, respectively. A three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain simulation demonstrates that the PSSA contributes enhanced light extraction for photons emitted from the active region. It is also highly feasible to use this nanoimprinted PSSA technology in red and blue mini-LEDs for the realization of full-color displays.
Light-triggered 2D electron gas in a GaN-based HEMT with sandwiched p-GaN layers
Authors: Wang Yu , Liu Chuankai , Qian Hao , Liu Hangzan , Han Lixiang , Wang Xiaozhou , Gao Wei , Li Jingbo
Published: July 2023

In this work, a p-n junction-coupled metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) normally-off high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) UVPD is proposed. A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the AlN/U-GaN interface is entirely depleted with a dark current of 1.97 × 10−11 A because of the design of the sandwiched p-GaN layers. Under 365 nm illumination, the 2DEG is light triggered at Vds = 1 V with a high light on/off ratio of over 107 at a light power density of 286.39 mW·cm−2. Meanwhile, it exhibits fast rise and decay times of 248.39 and 584.79 µs, respectively. Moreover, a maximum responsivity (R) of 2.33 A/W, a maximum EQE of 793%, and a D* of 1.08 × 1013 Jones are obtained at Vds = 1 V. This can be attributed to the built-in electric fields in the configuration, which accelerate the flow of photogenerated carriers into the AlN/U-GaN channel. Additionally, the device showcases stable durability, repeatability, and a low driving voltage, making it highly suitable for applications in UV communication and space exploration.
Research on coaxiality measurement system of inner spline-bevel gear composite gears shaft
Authors: Lu Yong-hua , Fang Yuanyuan , Xu Jiajun , Liu Heng , Zhang Tianyi
Published: July 2023

Aiming at the inner spline-bevel gear composite gears shaft’s coaxiality error measurement, this paper presents a non-contact optical measurement method based on a laser displacement sensor (LDS) and spectral confocal sensor. According to the least square circle (LSC) to calculate the center coordinates of the section, and the space least square fitting to get the reference axis. A standard part is used to calibrate the sensors’ installation errors, and use CMM to verify the system’s accuracy. Ten sets of measurements are made for the same internal spline-bevel gear part, in conclusion, the measurement uncertainty is 0.028 mm, the repeated measurement error is not more than 0.015 mm, the accuracy of the measurement system is 0.055 mm, can meet the needs of industrial production which required accuracy is 0.1mm.
Atmospheric turbulence characterization with simultaneous measurement of phase, angle-of-arrival, and intensity in a retroreflected optical link
Authors: Dix-Matthews Benjamin , Karpathakis Skevos , Schediwy Sascha
Published: July 2023

Free-space optical transmission through Earth's atmosphere is applicable to high-speed data transmission and optical clock comparisons, among other uses.
Fluctuations in the refractive index of the atmosphere limit the performance of atmospheric optical transmission by inducing phase noise, angle-of-arrival variation, and scintillation.
The statistics of these deleterious effects are predicted by models for the spatial spectrum of the atmospheric refractive index structure.
We present measurements of phase fluctuations, angle-of-arrival variations, and scintillation, taken concurrently and compared with models for the atmospheric refractive index structure.
The measurements are also cross-compared by deriving independent estimates of the turbulence structure constant C_n^2.
We find agreement within an order of magnitude for derived C_n^2 values for all three metrics.
5hmC Immunohistochemistry: A Predictor of TERT Promoter Mutational Status in Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma?
Authors: Hysek Martin , Hellgren Samuel L. , Condello Vincenzo , Xu Yiyi , Larsson Catharina , Zedenius Jan , Juhlin C. Christofer
Published: July 2023

Telomerase reverse transcriptase ( TERT) gene aberrancies correlate to adverse prognosis in follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). As loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) has been associated with TERT promoter mutations in papillary thyroid carcinoma, this study sought to analyze the levels of 5hmC in a cohort of follicular thyroid tumors with available TERT data. A total of 29 tumors (26 FTCs, 2 follicular thyroid tumors of uncertain malignant potential, and 1 oncocytic thyroid carcinoma) with known TERT promoter mutational status and TERT gene expression were assessed for 5hmC immunoreactivity using two antibodies (clones RM236 and 4D9.) Slides were analyzed using a semiquantitative scoring system. Of the 10 tumor cases with aberrant TERT, only 1 scored negative with both antibodies (1/10; 10%), whereas the remaining 9 cases (9/10; 90%) exhibited some positivity for at least one antibody. Of the 19 TERT wild-type tumors, no case was scored negative using RM236, and 2 cases (2/19; 11%) using 4D9. The differences between TERT promoter mutated and wild-type groups were non-significant. The sensitivity and specificity for 5hmC immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect mutated cases were 10% and 100% (RM236) and 20% and 89% (4D9). Therefore, 5hmC IHC is not a sensitive marker for detecting TERT promoter mutations in follicular thyroid tumors.
The shadowing effect of initial expectation on learning asymmetry
Authors: Ni Yinmei , Sun Jingwei , Li Jian
Published: July 2023

Evidence for positivity and optimism bias abounds in high-level belief updates. However, no consensus has been reached regarding whether learning asymmetries exist in more elementary forms of updates such as reinforcement learning (RL). In RL, the learning asymmetry concerns the sensitivity difference in incorporating positive and negative prediction errors (PE) into value estimation, namely the asymmetry of learning rates associated with positive and negative PEs. Although RL has been established as a canonical framework in characterizing interactions between agent and environment, the direction of learning asymmetry remains controversial. Here, we propose that part of the controversy stems from the fact that people may have different value expectations before entering the learning environment. Such a default value expectation influences how PEs are calculated and consequently biases subjects’ choices. We test this hypothesis in two learning experiments with stable or varying reinforcement probabilities, across monetary gains, losses, and gain-loss mixed environments. Our results consistently support the model incorporating both asymmetric learning rates and the initial value expectation, highlighting the role of initial expectation in value updating and choice preference. Further simulation and model parameter recovery analyses confirm the unique contribution of initial value expectation in accessing learning rate asymmetry.
Models of Purkinje cell dendritic tree selection during early cerebellar development
Authors: Kato Mizuki , De Schutter Erik
Published: July 2023

We investigate the relationship between primary dendrite selection of Purkinje cells and migration of their presynaptic partner granule cells during early cerebellar development. During postnatal development, each Purkinje cell grows more than three dendritic trees, from which a primary tree is selected for development, whereas the others completely retract. Experimental studies suggest that this selection process is coordinated by physical and synaptic interactions with granule cells, which undergo a massive migration at the same time. However, technical limitations hinder continuous experimental observation of multiple cell populations. To explore possible mechanisms underlying this selection process, we constructed a computational model using a new computational framework, NeuroDevSim. The study presents the first computational model that simultaneously simulates Purkinje cell growth and the dynamics of granule cell migrations during the first two postnatal weeks, allowing exploration of the role of physical and synaptic interactions upon dendritic selection. The model suggests that interaction with parallel fibers is important to establish the distinct planar morphology of Purkinje cell dendrites. Specific rules to select which dendritic trees to keep or retract result in larger winner trees with more synaptic contacts than using random selection. A rule based on afferent synaptic activity was less effective than rules based on dendritic size or numbers of synapses.
Real-world evidence from the first online healthcare analytics platform—Livingstone. Validation of its descriptive epidemiology module
Authors: Heywood Benjamin R. , Morgan Christopher Ll. , Berni Thomas R. , Summers Darren R. , Jones Bethan I. , Jenkins-Jones Sara , Holden Sarah E. , Riddick Lauren D. , Fisher Harry , Bateman James D. , Bannister Christian A. , Threlfall John , Buxton Aron , Shepherd Christopher P. , Mathias Elgan R. , Thomason Rhiannon K. , Hubbuck Ellen , Currie Craig J.
Published: July 2023

Incidence and prevalence are key epidemiological determinants characterizing the quantum of a disease. We compared incidence and prevalence estimates derived automatically from the first ever online, essentially real-time, healthcare analytics platform—Livingstone—against findings from comparable peer-reviewed studies in order to validate the descriptive epidemiology module. The source of routine NHS data for Livingstone was the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). After applying a general search strategy looking for any disease or condition, 76 relevant studies were first retrieved, of which 10 met pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings reported in these studies were compared with estimates produced automatically by Livingstone. The published reports described elements of the epidemiology of 14 diseases or conditions. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was used to evaluate the concordance between findings from Livingstone and those detailed in the published studies. The concordance of incidence values in the final year reported by each study versus Livingstone was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.89–0.98), whilst for all annual incidence values the concordance was 0.93 (0.91–0.94). For prevalence, concordance for the final annual prevalence reported in each study versus Livingstone was 1.00 (0.99–1.00) and for all reported annual prevalence values, the concordance was 0.93 (0.90–0.95). The concordance between Livingstone and the latest published findings was near perfect for prevalence and substantial for incidence. For the first time, it is now possible to automatically generate reliable descriptive epidemiology from routine health records, and in near-real time. Livingstone provides the first mechanism to rapidly generate standardised, descriptive epidemiology for all clinical events from real world data.
Time series analyses based on the joint lagged effect analysis of pollution and meteorological factors of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and the construction of prediction model
Authors: Chen Ye , Hou Weiming , Dong Jing
Published: July 2023

Background

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-related zoonotic disease induced by hantavirus. Previous studies have identified the influence of meteorological factors on the onset of HFRS, but few studies have focused on the stratified analysis of the lagged effects and interactions of pollution and meteorological factors on HFRS.

Methods

We collected meteorological, contaminant and epidemiological data on cases of HFRS in Shenyang from 2005–2019. A seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model was used to predict the incidence of HFRS and compared with Holt-Winters three-parameter exponential smoothing model. A distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) with a maximum lag period of 16 days was applied to assess the lag, stratification and extreme effects of pollution and meteorological factors on HFRS cases, followed by a generalized additive model (GAM) to explore the interaction of SO2 and two other meteorological factors on HFRS cases.

Results

The SARIMA monthly model has better fit and forecasting power than its own quarterly model and the Holt-Winters model, with an optimal model of (1,1,0) (2,1,0)12. Overall, environmental factors including humidity, wind speed and SO2 were correlated with the onset of HFRS and there was a non-linear exposure-lag-response association. Extremely high SO2 increased the risk of HFRS incidence, with the maximum RR values: 2.583 (95%CI:1.145,5.827). Extremely low windy and low SO2 played a significant protective role on HFRS infection, with the minimum RR values: 0.487 (95%CI:0.260,0.912) and 0.577 (95%CI:0.370,0.898), respectively. Interaction indicated that the risk of HFRS infection reached its highest when increasing daily SO2 and decreasing humidity.

Conclusions

The SARIMA model may help to enhance the forecast of monthly HFRS incidence based on a long-range dataset. Our study had shown that environmental factors such as humidity and SO2 have a delayed effect on the occurrence of HFRS and that the effect of humidity can be influenced by SO2 and wind speed. Public health professionals should take greater care in controlling HFRS in low humidity, low windy conditions and 2–3 days after SO2 levels above 200 μg/m3.
Attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate nursing students towards the nursing profession
Authors: Neumbe Irene Mildred , Ssenyonga Lydia , Soita David Jonah , Iramiot Jacob Stanley , Nekaka Rebecca
Published: July 2023

Background

Nursing students either possess positive or negative attitudes and perceptions about the nursing profession. Their attitudes towards the profession depict the quality of care they will offer to patients upon qualification. This study aimed to determine the attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate nursing students towards their profession.

Methods

This equal-status mixed methods study involved a census sample of 165 nursing students from year one to year four in two public universities in Uganda. Attitude Scale for Nursing Profession was used to collect quantitative data in the period between 20/11/2021 and 22/01/2022. Focus group discussions were held to collect qualitative data about the perceptions.

Results

Majority of the students (81.8%) had positive attitudes towards the nursing profession. There was a significant difference in attitudes based on year of study and entry scheme (R2 = 0.12, F = 2.21, p = 0.01). Nursing was perceived as a poorly remunerated, unpopular profession with bias towards recruitment of lower cadres.

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards the nursing profession were positive but their perceptions about the nursing profession were negative. An interventional study is recommended to facilitate a more positive change among nursing students.
Comparative performance of agricultural productivity in 44 SSA countries for a period of 59 years (1961–2019): A Malmquist productivity index approach
Authors: Baion Yagbasuah Maada , Yunxia Wang , Foday Edward Hingha , Jianmin Cao , Chuanfu Liu , Agyeman Opoku
Published: July 2023

We investigate the extent and nature of productivity growth in Sub-Saharan African countries using non-parametric frontier techniques. In this work, we examine agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) change in 44 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), covering a period of fifty-nine (59) years (1961–2019). We make use of data drawn from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Due to the non-availability of reliable input price data, the study uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to derive Malmquist productivity indices. The results demonstrate a decline in agricultural TFP growth in the region from 1961 to 2019. This notwithstanding, a general average growth was seen in some of the conventional inputs measured (land, labour, capital, and fertilizer) which are the main drivers of growth in the region. This finding implies that the increase in agricultural output over the past five decades in SSA is mainly due to an increased use of conventional inputs over time, including land, and not due to an increase in the ratio of output over inputs. As a generally acceptable and preferred indicator of technical and efficiency changes, we use TFP to calculate the Malmquist productivity index (MPI).
Gene identification and RNAi-silencing of p62/SQSTM1 in the vector Rhodnius prolixus reveals a high degree of sequence conservation but no apparent deficiency-related phenotypes in vitellogenic females
Authors: Pereira Jéssica , Santos-Araujo Samara , Bomfim Larissa , Gondim Katia Calp , Majerowicz David , Pane Attilio , Ramos Isabela
Published: July 2023

Autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) are important cellular mechanisms that coordinate protein degradation essential for proteostasis. P62/SQSTM1 is a receptor cargo protein able to deliver ubiquitinated targets to the proteasome proteolytic complex and/or to the autophagosome. In the insect vector of Chagas disease, Rhodnius prolixus, previous works have shown that the knockdown of different autophagy-related genes (ATGs) and ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes resulted in abnormal oogenesis phenotypes and embryo lethality. Here, we investigate the role of the autophagy/UPS adaptor protein p62 during the oogenesis and reproduction of this vector. We found that R. prolixus presents one isoform of p62 encoded by a non-annotated gene. The predicted protein presents the domain architecture anticipated for p62: PB1 (N-term), ZZ-finger, and UBA (C-term) domains, and phylogenetic analysis showed that this pattern is highly conserved within insects. Using parental RNAi, we found that although p62 is expressed in the ovary, midgut, and fat body of adult females, systemic silencing of this gene did not result in any apparent phenotypes under in-house conditions. The insects’ overall levels of blood meal digestion, lifespan, yolk protein production, oviposition, and embryo viability were not altered when compared to controls. Because it is known that autophagy and UPS can undergo compensatory mechanisms, we asked whether the silencing of p62 was triggering adaptative changes in the expression of genes of the autophagy, UPS, and the unfolded protein response (UPR) and found that only ATG1 was slightly up regulated in the ovaries of silenced females. In addition, experiments to further investigate the role of p62 in insects previously silenced for the E1-conjugating enzyme (a condition known to trigger the upregulation of p62), also did not result in any apparent phenotypes in vitellogenic females.
Temporal trends in the disease burden of osteoarthritis from 1990 to 2019, and projections until 2030
Authors: Chen Xiaoqing , Tang Haifeng , Lin Jinding , Zeng Rongdong
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to report trends in the global burden of osteoarthritis (OA) from 1990 to 2019 and predict the trends in the following years based on Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019. The study included reporting on the prevalence and incidence rates, as well as disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Additionally, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) and Estimated Annual Percent Change (EAPC) were analyzed along with related factors, finally, Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) analysis were utilized to predict the trends in the upcoming years. In 2019, globally, there were about 414.7 million (95%UI: 368.8 to 464.4 million) OA incident cases, with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) about 492.21 (95% UI:438.66 to 551.5) per 100000. And there were about 527.8 million (95% UI: 478.7 to 584.8 million) OA prevalent cases in 2019. The DALYs for OA increased to about 189.49 million (95%UI: 95.71 to 376.60 million) from 1990 to 2019 (EAPC:0.14%; 95%CI: 0.12% to 0.16%). There was a positive association between ASR and Socio-demographic index (SDI) both at the regional and national level. BAPC results showed that ASR in females would decrease but increase in males in the following years. In conclusion, the global burden of OA has risen steadily between 1990 and 2019, placing a significant strain on society. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years. To alleviate this burden, it is necessary to implement measures that target risk factors such as high body mass index.
Mapping, intensities and future prediction of land use/land cover dynamics using google earth engine and CA- artificial neural network model
Authors: Osman Maysoon A. A. , Abdel-Rahman Elfatih M. , Onono Joshua Orungo , Olaka Lydia A. , Elhag Muna M. , Adan Marian , Tonnang Henri E. Z.
Published: July 2023

Mapping of land use/ land cover (LULC) dynamics has gained significant attention in the past decades. This is due to the role played by LULC change in assessing climate, various ecosystem functions, natural resource activities and livelihoods in general. In Gedaref landscape of Eastern Sudan, there is limited or no knowledge of LULC structure and size, degree of change, transition, intensity and future outlook. Therefore, the aims of the current study were to (1) evaluate LULC changes in the Gedaref state, Sudan for the past thirty years (1988–2018) using Landsat imageries and the random forest classifier, (2) determine the underlying dynamics that caused the changes in the landscape structure using intensity analysis, and (3) predict future LULC outlook for the years 2028 and 2048 using cellular automata-artificial neural network (CA-ANN). The results exhibited drastic LULC dynamics driven mainly by cropland and settlement expansions, which increased by 13.92% and 319.61%, respectively, between 1988 and 2018. In contrast, forest and grassland declined by 56.47% and 56.23%, respectively. Moreover, the study shows that the gains in cropland coverage in Gedaref state over the studied period were at the expense of grassland and forest acreage, whereas the gains in settlements partially targeted cropland. Future LULC predictions showed a slight increase in cropland area from 89.59% to 90.43% and a considerable decrease in forest area (0.47% to 0.41%) between 2018 and 2048. Our findings provide reliable information on LULC patterns in Gedaref region that could be used for designing land use and environmental conservation frameworks for monitoring crop produce and grassland condition. In addition, the result could help in managing other natural resources and mitigating landscape fragmentation and degradation.
Changes in context, typology and programme outcomes between early and recent periods of sex work among young female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Bhattacharjee Parinita , Isac Shajy , Musyoki Helgar , Gichangi Peter , Ma Huiting , Becker Marissa , Hontelez Jan , Mishra Sharmistha ,   on behalf of the Transitions team
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The sex work context and typology change continuously and influence HIV related risk and vulnerability for young female sex workers (YFSW). We sought to describe changes in the context and typology of sex work between the first (early) and past month (recent) of sex work among YFSW to inform HIV prevention programming for sex workers.

Methods

We used data from a cross-sectional survey (April-November 2015), administered using physical location-based sampling to 408 cis-women, aged 14–24 years, who self-identified as sex workers, in Mombasa, Kenya. We collected self-reported data on the early and recent month of sex work. The analysis focused on changes in a) sex work context and typology (defined by setting where sex workers practice sex work) where YFSW operated, b) primary typology of sex work, and c) HIV programme outcomes among YFSW who changed primary typology, within the early and recent month of sex work. We analysed the data using a) SPSS27.0 and excel; b) bivariate analysis and χ2 test; and c) bivariate logistic regression models.

Results

Overall, the median age of respondents was 20 years and median duration in sex work was 2 years. Higher proportion of respondents in the recent period managed their clients on their own (98.0% vs. 91.2%), had sex with >5 clients per week (39.3% vs.16.5%); were able to meet > 50% of living expenses through sex work income (46.8% vs. 18.8%); and experienced police violence in the past month (16.4% vs. 6.5%). YFSW reported multiple sex work typology in early and recent periods. Overall, 37.2% reported changing their primary typology. A higher proportion among those who used street/ bus stop typology, experienced police violence, or initiated sex work after 19 years of age in the early period reported a change. There was no difference in HIV programme outcomes among YFSW who changed typology vs. those who did not.

Conclusions

The sex work context changes even in a short duration of two years. Hence, understanding these changes in the early period of sex work can allow for development of tailored strategies that are responsive to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of YFSW.
The effect of political turnover on corporate ESG performance: Evidence from China
Authors: Yang Chao , Hao Wenhan , Song Di
Published: July 2023

This paper aims to investigate the effect of political turnover on corporate ESG performance in China. By analyzing data from Chinese A-share-listed companies between 2010 and 2020, we have discovered that changes in the municipal party committee secretary or the mayor of the prefecture-level city where a firm is located have a detrimental effect on corporate ESG performance. Compared with the change of the party committee, the change of mayor has a more pronounced negative impact on ESG performance. The reason behind this negative effect is primarily attributed to policy uncertainty, which leads to a decrease in governmental subsidies and an increase in ineffective under-investment by companies, consequently resulting in decreased corporate ESG performance. Furthermore, we have also observed that the adverse influence of political turnover on corporate ESG performance is relatively mitigated in SOEs, politically connected firms, and tertiary industries. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between political uncertainty and corporate behavior, particularly in emerging markets.
Caffeic acid phenethyl ester suppresses metastasis of breast cancer cells by inactivating FGFR1 via MD2
Authors: Fang Qilu , Xin Wenxiu , Chen Liangsheng , Fu Yuxuan , Qi Yajun , Ding Haiying , Fang Luo
Published: July 2023

Background

Tumor metastasis is the main cause of death for breast cancer patients. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has strong anti-tumor effects with very low toxicity and may be a potential candidate drug. However, the anti-metastatic effect and molecular mechanism of CAPE on breast cancer need more research.

Methods

MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were used here. Wound healing and Transwell assay were used for migration and invasion detection. Western blot and RT-qPCR were carried out for the epithelial-to-myofibroblast transformation (EMT) process investigation. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed for fibroblast growth factor receptor1 (FGFR1) phosphorylation and nuclear transfer detection. Co-immunoprecipitation was used for the FGFR1/myeloid differentiation protein2 (MD2) complex investigation.

Results

Our results suggested that CAPE blocks the migration, invasion, and EMT process of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, CAPE inhibits FGFR1 phosphorylation and nuclear transfer while overexpression of FGFR1 reduces the anti-metastasis effect of CAPE. Further, we found that FGFR1 is bound to MD2, and silencing MD2 inhibits FGFR1 phosphorylation and nuclear transfer as well as cell migration and invasion.

Conclusion

This study illustrated that CAPE restrained FGFR1 activation and nuclear transfer through MD2/FGFR1 complex inhibition and showed good inhibitory effects on the metastasis of breast cancer cells.
How has COVID-19 changed healthcare professionals’ attitudes to self-care? A mixed methods research study
Authors: Smith Peter Samuel , Alaa Aos , Riboli Sasco Eva , Bagkeris Emmanouil , El-Osta Austen
Published: July 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way services are delivered. Self-care, including good hygiene practices and avoidance of risk was emphasised as the key measure to tackle the pandemic in the early stages.

Objective

To understand how self-reported professional attitudes, perceptions and practices of self-care have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

Cross-sectional online survey and semi-structured qualitative interview.

Setting

Health care.

Participants

304 healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Methods

A wide range of HCPs, including pharmacists, nurses, doctors, social prescribers and other designations took part in a 27-item anonymous online survey. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with nine healthcare professionals explored attitudes to and practices of self-care before and during the pandemic. Views were sought on the permanence and implications of changes. Data were analysed using routine statistics and thematic analysis to identify major themes.

Results

A total of 304 HCPs responded to the survey fully. Nine participated in a semi-structured interview. There was agreement that the importance of self-care has increased markedly during the pandemic. The percentage of respondents who felt that self-care was ’very’ important to their clients increased from 54.3% to 86.6% since the pandemic. Personal empowerment and capacity of service users to self-care increased significantly during the pandemic. Willingness of patients to engage (74%) and poor understanding of self-care (71%) were cited as the two main barriers to self-care. A close third was digital exclusion (71%), though 86% of respondents recommended online resources and 77% the use of smartphone apps. Survey respondents believed the changes to be permanent and positive. Interviewees reported a major, and positive move to self-care with the pandemic seen as an opportunity to be grasped, but professional education would have to be aligned to make the most of it. They raised concerns as to whether the shift to self-care was perceived by users as ’abandonment’ rather than ’empowerment’ and whether problems had been stored rather than dealt with through self-care and therefore whether the positive changes would continue after the pandemic.

Conclusion

Reporting their views before the pandemic, barely more than half of the professionals surveyed saw self-care as fundamentally important to the individuals they served. This changed to 86% as a result of the pandemic. Patient/client engagement with and understanding of self-care were reported as major barriers, as was digital exclusion, though increased technological solutions were used by all respondents. Concerns were raised that the permanence of the changes depended upon continued encouragement and empowerment of individuals to self-care and on its inclusion in professional education as a substantive subject.
MPL36, a major plasminogen (PLG) receptor in pathogenic Leptospira, has an essential role during infection
Authors: Zhu Weinan , Passalia Felipe J. , Hamond Camila , Abe Cecília M. , Ko Albert I. , Barbosa Angela S. , Wunder Elsio A.
Published: July 2023

Leptospirosis, a zoonosis with worldwide distribution, is caused by pathogenic spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. Bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMPs), particularly those with surface-exposed regions, play crucial roles in pathogen dissemination and virulence mechanisms. Here we characterized the leptospiral Membrane Protein L36 (MPL36), a rare lipoprotein A (RlpA) homolog with a C-terminal Sporulation related (SPOR) domain, as an important virulence factor in pathogenic Leptospira. Our results confirmed that MPL36 is surface exposed and expressed during infection. Using recombinant MPL36 (rMPL36) we also confirmed previous findings of its high plasminogen (PLG)-binding ability determined by lysine residues of the C-terminal region of the protein, with ability to convert bound-PLG to active plasmin. Using Koch’s molecular postulates, we determined that a mutant of mpl36 has a reduced PLG-binding ability, leading to a decreased capacity to adhere and translocate MDCK cell monolayers. Using recombinant protein and mutant strains, we determined that the MPL36-bound plasmin (PLA) can degrade fibrinogen. Finally, our mpl36 mutant had a significant attenuated phenotype in the hamster model for acute leptospirosis. Our data indicates that MPL36 is the major PLG binding protein in pathogenic Leptospira, and crucial to the pathogen’s ability to attach and interact with host tissues during infection. The MPL36 characterization contributes to the expanding field of bacterial pathogens that explore PLG for their virulence, advancing the goal to close the knowledge gap regarding leptospiral pathogenesis while offering a novel potential candidate to improve diagnostic and prevention of this important zoonotic neglected disease.
Where Danger Lies…: The Communal Alternative in Venezuela
Authors: Gilbert Chris
Published: July 2023

Chris Gilbert examines the ecological aspects of Venezuela's project of communal socialism, as well as its relation to the country's inherited extractive economy. These democratically run communities present an alternative to the extractivist and productivist social relations driving the planet to ruin.
A meta-analysis of the moderating role of prior learning experience and mandatory participation on factors influencing MOOC learners’ continuance intention
Authors: Zhang Min , Li Sihong , Zhang Yan
Published: July 2023

Retaining learners has been an important issue for massive open online course (MOOC) platforms. Given the different, and even contradictory, conclusions in studies on the continuance intention of MOOC learners, this study selected 53 highly correlated empirical studies published from 2008 to 2022 and constructed a research model based on visual knowledge map analysis. Meta-analysis was applied to identify the key factors, and subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the moderating effect of mandatory participation and prior learning experience. The results show that attitude and satisfaction play the most significant role. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, confirmation, social influence, perceived enjoyment, outcome expectation, self-efficacy and task-technology fit all play essential functions, while the direct impact of social presence requires further research. Prior learning experience and mandatory participation have moderating effects on perceived usefulness. MOOC developers should make more efforts and improvements in content quality, social quality and service quality.
Implications for practice or policy:

Learners’ continuance intention can be enhanced by improving individual perceived positive feelings related to MOOCs and individual satisfaction with MOOC platforms.
Directors of mandatory courses in MOOCs should place greater emphasis on improving learners’ perceived ease of use of MOOC platforms.
Superintendents of MOOC platforms need to be aware of the role of perceived usefulness of learners with less prior learning experience in their continuance intention.
Refleksyjność w kontekście podmiotowości i sprawczości nauczyciela. Wnioski dla kształcenia nauczycieli
Authors: Dróżka Wanda
Published: July 2023

The article’s aim is to describe and analyse reflectivity as a desirable dimension of the professionalism of a contemporary teacher and the space of his becoming and development. It’s described on basis of author’s own research works and analyses, in reference to the so-called “reflective cognitive approach” in the social sciences, presented by Giddens, Sztompka, Bourdieu and studies and analyses on the basis of pedeutology (Czerepaniak-Walczak, Kwiatkowska, Mizerek, Klus-Stańska, Gołębniak). In this text, in addition to referring to the aforementioned trends and concepts, the approach of Margaret S. Archer is introduced, in which the three components of subjectivity, reflexivity and agency are closely related and determine the essence of man as a person. In this way, author exposes the issue of the teacher as a person. This perspective, along with the social approach, in the current conditions (due to their technological complications and global tensions), is particularly desirable. Meanwhile, these are neglected issues in Polish education policy; the teacher’s (technical) competence model (limited professionalism) does not seem to be enough while facing constant changes in the socio-political arena and in the media. They affect the axiological condition of teachers, cause their identity confusion, uncertainty, low sense of subjectivity, lack of strong legitimacy and trust in society. The article also addresses the issue of education to reflectivity as the basic subjective competence of the teacher, the quality of his person, education as a task of modern education and the education and professional development of teachers.