bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alcohol use disorder among prisoners in Debre Berhan prison, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Haile Yohannes Gebreegziabhere , Kebede Kaleab Berhanu , Limenhe Asnake , Habatmu Kassahun , Alem Atalay
Published: April 2020

Background

Several studies reported that history of alcohol use among prisoners is higher than the prevalence in the general population. Criminality is found to be associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD) in previous studies. In Ethiopia, there is limited information on the prevalence and associated factors of AUD among prisoners. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of AUD among prisoners of Debre Berhan Prison.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess history of AUD among prisoners at Debre Berhan Prison, before imprisonment. We selected 347 prisoners with a systematic sampling technique and interviewed using Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) to screen for AUD in May 2017. Data entry was done using Epi-Data version 3.1 software, and bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using Stata version 13 software. Crude and adjusted odds ratios, with 95% confidence intervals andp-values are reported.

Results

About six out of ten prisoners (59.1%) had AUD before imprisonment. Factors associated with increased odds of AUD were perception that the current offence is related to using substances (AOR = 4.2; 95% CI = 2.3, 7.8), and family history of substance use (AOR = 8.7; 95% CI = 1.7, 44.9). Being married had lower odds of AUD compared to the unmarried (AOR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.2, 0.9).

Conclusion

We found that the prevalence of AUD 1 year before imprisonment in this population is high. AUD is found to be associated with a family history of substance use and perception that the current offence is related to using a substance. We recommend community-based study with different kind of study designs to see the relationship between AUD and crime for planning interventions.
Using digital tools in the recruitment and retention in randomised controlled trials: survey of UK Clinical Trial Units and a qualitative study
Authors: Blatch-Jones Amanda , Nuttall Jacqueline , Bull Abby , Worswick Louise , Mullee Mark , Peveler Robert , Falk Stephen , Tape Neil , Hinks Jeremy , Lane Athene J. , Wyatt Jeremy C. , Griffiths Gareth
Published: April 2020

Background

Recruitment and retention of participants in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is a key determinant of success but is challenging. Trialists and UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) are increasingly exploring the use of digital tools to identify, recruit and retain participants. The aim of this UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) study was to identify what digital tools are currently used by CTUs and understand the performance characteristics required to be judged useful.

Methods

A scoping of searches (and a survey with NIHR funding staff), a survey with all 52 UKCRC CTUs and 16 qualitative interviews were conducted with five stakeholder groups including trialists within CTUs, funders and research participants. A purposive sampling approach was used to conduct the qualitative interviews during March–June 2018. Qualitative data were analysed using a content analysis and inductive approach.

Results

Responses from 24 (46%) CTUs identified that database-screening tools were the most widely used digital tool for recruitment, with the majority being considered effective. The reason (and to whom) these tools were considered effective was in identifying potential participants (for both Site staff and CTU staff) and reaching recruitment target (for CTU staff/CI). Fewer retention tools were used, with short message service (SMS) or email reminders to participants being the most reported. The qualitative interviews revealed five themes across all groups: ‘security and transparency’; ‘inclusivity and engagement’; ‘human interaction’; ‘obstacles and risks’; and ‘potential benefits’. There was a high level of stakeholder acceptance of the use of digital tools to support trials, despite the lack of evidence to support them over more traditional techniques. Certain differences and similarities between stakeholder groups demonstrated the complexity and challenges of using digital tools for recruiting and retaining research participants.

Conclusions

Our studies identified a range of digital tools in use in recruitment and retention of RCTs, despite the lack of high-quality evidence to support their use. Understanding the type of digital tools in use to support recruitment and retention will help to inform funders and the wider research community about their value and relevance for future RCTs. Consideration of further focused digital tool reviews and primary research will help to reduce gaps in the evidence base.
Short-term prognostic value of TAPSE, RVFAC and Tricuspid S’ wave peak systolic velocity after first acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Awad Engy Magdy Lewis , Mahmoud Adel Hamdy , Maghrby Khaled Sayed , Taha Nasser Mohamad , Ibrahim Alaa Mohamed
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Right ventricular dysfunction impacts the prognosis of various heart diseases. We set-out to examine which right ventricular functional parameters after STEMI and NSTEMI have prognostic value. Of 297 eligible participants, 266 (149 STEMI and 117 NSTEMI) completed follow-up. All patients underwent Grace score and 2D-echocardiography within 24 h. Outcome was defined as occurrence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular events (MACE), such as death, recurrent ischaemia, arrhythmia, reinfarction, stroke or heart failure, within 30 days. Patients were categorized into patients with MACE and patients without MACE.

Results

In STEMI-patients, compared to those without MACE, patients with MACE experienced higher grace score, left ventricle (LV) end-systolic volume, LV end-systolic dimension and wall motion score index values, but lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, right ventricle (RV) fractional area change, Tricuspid S’ wave peak systolic velocity and LV ejection fraction. Nevertheless, in NSTEMI-patients, those with MACE exhibited higher left atrial volume index values, but lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, RV fractional area change, S’ wave peak systolic velocity and LVEF. Right ventricular fractional area change < 37.5%, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion < 15.8 mm and Tricuspid S’ peak systolic velocity < 9.67 cm/s are independent predictors of MACE within first 30 days after STEMI and NSTEMI.
Consensus about image quality assessment criteria of breast implants mammography using Delphi method with radiographers and radiologists
Authors: Sá dos Reis Cláudia , Gremion Isabelle , Richli Meystre Nicole
Published: April 2020

Aims

To identify image quality criteria that can be applied to assess breast implant (BI) mammograms according to radiologists and radiographers’ perspectives and to explore the level of agreement about criteria priority.

Methods

A two-round Delphi method using a questionnaire was applied to identify the level of agreement between experts, asking them to rank each image criteria available for mammography according to 4 possible answers (1 = need to have, 2 = nice to have, 3 = not pertinent/appropriate, 4 = do not know). Criteria for craniocaudal (CC), mediolateral-oblique (MLO) and lateral (ML), with and without Eklund manoeuvre, were included. This process was repeated after removing the less relevant criteria.

Results

Between first and second rounds, different results were obtained regarding the criteria to assess CC and MLO images. Details for anatomic areas were considered the most relevant by radiographers during the first round, while general criteria were prioritised during the second round. Radiologists focused more on analysis of the spread of the breast tissue, if the breast was aligned with detector’s centre and level of contrast. The analysis of implant flow, the BI anterior edge and the maximum retropulsion of BI when Eklund manoeuvre is performed were the specific aspects of BI imaging considered as relevant for assessment.

Conclusions

The importance of each criterion used to assess BI mammograms was not the same between radiographers and radiologists, suggesting the two groups of experts are looking for different requirements from the image. Further education and training is necessary to align strategies for assessing BI mammograms, and some criteria need to be adapted to reduce subjectivity.
Comprehensive analysis of skeletal muscle- and bone-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in patients with osteoarthritis and femoral neck fracture
Authors: Čamernik Klemen , Mihelič Anže , Mihalič Rene , Haring Gregor , Herman Simon , Marolt Presen Darja , Janež Andrej , Trebše Rihard , Marc Janja , Zupan Janja
Published: April 2020

Background

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) can replenish the aged cells of the musculoskeletal system in adult life. Stem cell exhaustion and decrease in their regenerative potential have been suggested to be hallmarks of aging. Here, we investigated whether muscle- and bone-derived MSCs of patients with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are affected by this exhaustion, compared to healthy donors.

Methods

Patients with primary osteoarthritis, femoral neck fractures due to osteoporosis, and healthy donors (controls) were included. MSCs were isolated from the skeletal muscle and subchondral bone from each patient and compared using ex vivo and in vitro analyses, including immunophenotyping, colony-forming unit fibroblast assays, growth kinetics, cell senescence, multilineage potential, and MSC marker gene expression profiling.

Results

Freshly isolated cells from muscle from patients with osteoarthritis showed a lower proportion of CD45/CD19/CD14/CD34-negative cells compared to patients with osteoporosis and healthy donors. Freshly isolated muscle cells from patients with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis also showed higher clonogenicity compared to healthy donors. MSCs from both tissues of osteoarthritis patients showed significantly reduced osteogenesis and MSCs from the bone also reduced adipogenesis. Chondrogenic pellet diameter was reduced in bone-derived MSCs from both patient groups compared to healthy donors. A significant positive correlation was observed between adipogenesis and CD271 expression in muscle-derived MSCs. CD73 was significantly lower in bone-derived MSCs from osteoarthritis patients, compared to osteoporosis patients. Gene expression profiling showed significantly lower expression of MSC marker gene leptin receptor, LEPR, previously identified as the major source of the bone and adipocytes in the adult bone marrow, in bone-derived MSCs from patients with osteoarthritis in comparison with osteoporotic patients and healthy donors.

Conclusions

Our results show deficient ex vivo and in vitro properties of both skeletal muscle- and bone-derived MSCs in osteoarthritis and osteoporosis patients, compared to healthy donors. In bone-derived MSCs from patients with osteoarthritis, we also identified a lower expression of the leptin receptor, a marker of MSCs that present a major source of MSCs in the adult bone marrow. This suggests that exhaustion of skeletal muscle- and bone-derived MSCs is a hallmark of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, which defines the need for further clinical trials of stem cell transplantation in these patients.
Remote Sensing approach to evaluate anthropogenic influences on Forest Cover of Palamau Tiger Reserve, Eastern India
Authors: Kumari Binita , Pandey Arvind Chandra , Kumar Amit
Published: April 2020

Background

Tropical forests have been experiencing remarkable rates of transformation over the past century as they are getting degraded or decimated to a great extent by anthropogenic activities. This study aims at investigating the long-term forest cover transformation in Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR), Jharkhand, India, using Landsat TM, ETM+, and OLI satellite images during 1975–2015. The forest cover was delineated utilizing various keys of visual interpretation techniques.

Results

The forest cover was primarily decreased in the north-eastern and north-western parts in PTR. In order to identify the anthropogenic disturbance in the forest reserve, human settlement density was mapped using high-resolution Google Earth imagery. The results showed a positive correlation between human population density and settlement density. Five major affected sites with an outer buffer of 2 km were demarcated in order to deduce the anthropogenic influences in major non-forested sites in PTR. It was observed that the forest change was maximum at site 3 (Ranidah, area 61.06 km2, − 6.47% change) followed by site 2 (Saidup, area 124.38 km2, − 7.65% change), where settlement units were also high (2638 and 2621 settlement units, respectively). At site 1 (Barkheta, area 81.59 km2), − 1.99% change was observed, and at site 4 (Samadh Tola, area 9.15 km2), 1.03% change was observed having moderate settlement units (2422 and 1892 settlement units, respectively). Areas with the low level of human settlements (1038 settlement units) observed the least change, i.e., at site 5 (Netarhat, area 48.52 km2), 0.58% change was observed mainly during the years.

Conclusions

The forest cover exhibited an overall decrease of 14.55 km2 (− 1.34% change) with episodic variation during 1975–2015 in PTR, Eastern India. A significant forest disturbance occurred primarily in the north-eastern and north-western parts of PTR along the forest fringe due to the high population and settlement density. The study highlighted the potential use of freely available multi-temporal satellite observations in forest management.
Emotion regulation group skills training: a pilot study of an add-on treatment for eating disorders in a clinical setting
Authors: Holmqvist Larsson Kristina , Lowén Anna , Hellerstedt Linda , Bergcrona Linn , Salerud Mimmi , Zetterqvist Maria
Published: April 2020

Background

Emotion regulation difficulties appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of several eating disorders. This pilot study aimed at examining whether a short add-on group skills training in emotion regulation for young adults with different eating disorders was feasible in a psychiatric clinical setting. We also investigated if the treatment increased knowledge of emotions, and decreased self-reported difficulties with emotion regulation, alexithymia, symptoms of eating disorder, anxiety and depression, as well as clinical impairment.

Methods

Six skills training groups were piloted with a total of 29 participants (M = 21.41 years,SD = 1.92). The treatment consisted of five sessions dealing with psychoeducation about emotions and emotion regulation skills training. Paired samplest-test was used to compare differences between before-and-after measures.

Results

The primary outcomes measures difficulties in emotion regulation (p <  0.001) and alexithymia (p <  0.001) showed significant improvement after treatment. The total eating disorder score (p = 0.009) was also significantly reduced, as was clinical impairment (p <  0.001). Acceptance/valued direction, identifying primary emotions and learning about secondary emotions was rated as especially helpful.

Conclusions

This preliminary pilot study showed that group training targeting emotion regulation skills was feasible and appreciated by participants, as well as being potentially promising as an adjunctive treatment for different eating disorders. Further controlled studies are needed.

Trial registration

The study was retrospectively registeredNCT04148014on October 30th 2019.
Targeted Disruption of Lats1 and Lats2 in Mice Impairs Adrenal Cortex Development and Alters Adrenocortical Cell Fate
Authors: Ménard Amélie , Abou Nader Nour , Levasseur Adrien , St-Jean Guillaume , Le Gad-Le Roy Marie , Boerboom Derek , Benoit-Biancamano Marie-Odile , Boyer Alexandre
Published: April 2020

It has recently been shown that the loss of the Hippo signaling effectors Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) in adrenocortical steroidogenic cells impairs the postnatal maintenance of the adrenal gland. To further explore the role of Hippo signaling in mouse adrenocortical cells, we conditionally deleted the key Hippo kinases large tumor suppressor homolog kinases 1 and -2 (Lats1 and Lats2, two kinases that antagonize YAP and TAZ transcriptional co-regulatory activity) in steroidogenic cells using an Nr5a1-cre strain (Lats1flox/flox;Lats2flox/flox;Nr5a1-cre). We report here that developing adrenocortical cells adopt characteristics of myofibroblasts in both male and female Lats1flox/flox;Lats2flox/flox;Nr5a1-cre mice, resulting in a loss of steroidogenic gene expression, adrenal failure and death by 2 to 3 weeks of age. A marked accumulation of YAP and TAZ in the nuclei of the myofibroblast-like cell population with an accompanying increase in the expression of their transcriptional target genes in the adrenal glands of Lats1flox/flox;Lats2flox/flox;Nr5a1-cre animals suggested that the myofibroblastic differentiation could be attributed in part to YAP and TAZ. Taken together, our results suggest that Hippo signaling is required to maintain proper adrenocortical cell differentiation and suppresses their differentiation into myofibroblast-like cells.
Qualitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of small, TR3–5 benign and malignant thyroid nodules measuring ≤1 cm
Authors: Li Xin , Gao Feng , Li Fan , Han Xiao-xia , Shao Si-hui , Yao Ming-hua , Li Chun-xiao , Zheng Jun , Wu Rong , Du Lian-fang
Published: April 2020

Objective:

To evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of small, solid, TR3–5 benign and malignant thyroid nodules (≤1 cm).

Methods:

From January 2016 to March 2018, 185 thyroid nodules from 154 patients who underwent contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and fine-needle aspiration or thyroidectomy in Shanghai General Hospital were included. The χ2 test was used to compare the CEUS characteristics of benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and the CEUS features of malignant nodules assigned scores. The total score of the CEUS features and the scores of the above nodules were evaluated according to the latest 2017 version of the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS). The diagnostic performance of the two were compared based on the receiver operating characteristic curves generated for benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Results:

The degree, enhancement patterns, boundary, shape, and homogeneity of enhancement in thyroid small solid nodules were significantly different (p＜0.05). No significant differences were seen between benign and malignant thyroid nodules regarding completeness of enhancement and size of enhanced lesions (p＞0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the TI-RADS classification TR5 in diagnosis of malignant nodules were 90.10%, 55.95%, 74.59%, 72.22%, and 82.46%, respectively (area under the curve [AUC]=0.738; 95% confidence interval[CI], 0.663–0.813). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the total score of CEUS qualitative analysis indicators were 86.13%, 89.29%, 87.57%, 90.63%, and 84.27% respectively (AUC = 0.916; 95% CI, 0.871–0.961).

Conclusion:

CEUS qualitative analysis is superior to TI-RADS in evaluating the diagnostic performance of small, solid thyroid nodules. Qualitative analysis of CEUS has a significantly higher specificity for diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules than TI-RADS.

Advances in knowledge:

The 2017 version of TI-RADS has recently suggested the malignant stratification of thyroid nodules by ultrasound. In this paper we applied this system and CEUS to evaluate 185 nodules and compare the results with pathological findings to access the diagnostic performance.
Bioecosystem complexes for the solution of environmental, industrial and social problems (on the example of Azerbaijan)
Authors: Ismailov Nariman , Nadzhafova Samira , Gasymova Aygyun
Published: April 2020

A key objective of the modern development of society is the observance of ecological and socio-economic unity in human life
and comprehensive improvement of environment and quality of life should be considered in close connection with the quality of the natural landscape. The formation of scientific understanding of the unity of society and nature is driven by the need for practical implementation of such unity. This defines the focus of this monograph. Given the overall assessment of the current state of the environment in Azerbaijan, considers the scenarios for the future development of the area. The prospects of the use of biotechnology in integrated environmental protection. In the framework of the above to address complex social, environmental and production problems in Azerbaijan developed scientific basis of integrated system of industrial farms — biclusters with a closed production cycle through effective utilization of regional biological resources,
whose interactions and relationships take on the character of vzaimodeistvie components for obtaining focused final result with high practical importance. Microbiological, biochemical
and technological processes are the basis of all development of biotechnology. Presents the development will help strengthen the ties between science and production, establishing mechanisms to conduct applied research in the field of innovation and creation of knowledge-based technologies in solving current and future environmental problems in Azerbaijan.
We offer innovative ideas distinguishes the potential need for their materialization into new products, technologies and services, including the widespread use of digital technologies to design dynamic digital environmental map in space and in time.
For students, scientific and engineering-technical workers, students and specializing in environmental technology, environmental protection.
The inflection of the Slovak literary language
Authors: Lifanov Konstantin
Published: April 2020

The monograph is devoted to a full description of inflection in the Slovak literary language in accordance with the latest changes in the codification, reflected in the "Rules of the Slovak orthography" 2013 Consistently discusses the declination of nouns, adjectives, numerals, pronouns, the formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs, and the conjugation of verbs in present, future, past and pluperfect tenses. Types of declension and conjugation are seen primarily in paradigms allocated in the Slovak linguistics, but also additionally provides word paradigms, with some deviations from the basic paradigms. Detail of a doublet form, and their status, including those identified on the basis of national corpus of the Slovak language. Written in accordance with the program on the grammar of the Slovak language, adopted at the philological faculty of Moscow state University named after M. V. Lomonosov.
Designed for students of Slovak as the main language or second foreign language, optional or yourself, for Slavists wide profile and also for owning Slovak language adjustments knowledge of Slovak grammar, in accordance as amended by the latest changes.
Vinculação aos pares e comportamentos de bullying na adolescência: o efeito mediador da autoestima
Authors: Pinheiro Mota Catarina , Días Denise , Rocha Magda
Published: April 2020

A qualidade dos vínculos estabelecidos com os pares na adolescência tem vindo a ser referenciada na literatura como fator protetor relativamente ao envolvimento em comportamentos de violência escolar. A presença de uma associação entre a vinculação aos pares e o desenvolvimento da autoestima poderá exercer um efeito significativo enquanto fator protetor face ao bullying na fase da adolescência. O presente estudo testou o efeito preditor da vinculação aos pares nos comportamentos de bullying, assim como, o papel mediador da autoestima na associação anterior. A amostra foi constituída por 351 indivíduos de ambos os sexos, com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e 17 anos de idade. O recurso a um modelo de equações estruturais permitiu obter resultados que apontam para a existência de um efeito preditivo da vinculação aos pares nos comportamentos de agressão e vitimização. Verificou-se a existência de uma mediação total negativa na associação entre vinculação aos pares e vitimização, nomeadamente na agressão física. Constatou-se ainda uma mediação parcial negativa da autoestima na associação entre vinculação aos pares e comportamentos de vitimização relativos à exclusão social e agressão verbal.
Marketing Agencies and Collusive Bidding in Online Ad Auctions
Authors: Decarolis Francesco , Goldmanis Maris , Penta Antonio
Published: April 2020

The transition of the advertising market from traditional media to the internet has induced a proliferation of marketing agencies specialized in bidding in the auctions that are used to sell ad space on the web. We analyze how collusive bidding can emerge from bid delegation to a common marketing agency and how this can undermine the revenues and allocative efficiency of both the generalized second-price auction (GSP, used by Google, Microsoft Bing, and Yahoo!) and the Vickrey–Clarke–Groves (VCG) mechanism (used by Facebook). We find that despite its well-known susceptibility to collusion, the VCG mechanism outperforms the GSP auction in terms of both revenues and efficiency.

This paper was accepted by Gabriel Weintraub, revenue management and market analytics.
Bilateral giant parathyroid adenoma in the absence of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
Authors: Liu P , Vakharia N , Zacharia A , Rogers M , Tanweer F
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Bilateral giant parathyroid adenoma in the absence of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1 is extremely rare and literature on this subject is limited.

Case history

A 79-year-old man presented with acute kidney injury secondary to hypercalcaemia. Blood test results indicated primary hyperparathyroidism. Ultrasonography revealed bilateral parathyroid adenomas measuring 19.4mm x 19.5mm x 18.8mm (left) and 15.2mm x 18.3mm x 19.6mm (left) whereas on computed tomography, the measurements were 31mm x 20mm (left) and 30mm x 14mm (right). Intraoperatively, giant adenomas measuring 50mm x 25mm x 12mm (left, weighing 8.101g) and 48mm x 22mm x 10mm (right, weighing 7.339g) were identified and excised. Parathyroid hormone level dropped from 44.6pmol/l preoperatively to 8.9pmol/l postoperatively (normal range 1.3–7.6pmol/l). The patient was discharged with no complications.

Conclusions

We report a rare phenomenon where bilateral giant parathyroid adenoma occurred in the absence of MEN type 1. It highlights the importance of cross-sectional imaging in delineating the anatomy of adenomas as their size can be grossly underestimated by ultrasonography alone.
The paradental cyst: an often misdiagnosed and underreported entity
Authors: Berezowski Brian , Cousin Gary
Published: April 2020

How accurate are previous reports of paradental cysts and what can be done to reduce the risk of paradental cyst formation?
Leaky foundations
Authors: Simmons Gerald
Published: April 2020

How to keep patients happy and cared for when the unexpected strikes.
Suspended gallium arsenide platform for building large scale photonic integrated circuits: passive devices
Authors: Jiang Pisu , Balram Krishna C.
Published: April 2020

The spectacular success of silicon-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in the past decade naturally begs the question of whether similar fabrication procedures can be applied to other material platforms with more desirable optical properties. In this work, we demonstrate the individual passive components (grating couplers, waveguides, multi-mode interferometers and ring resonators) necessary for building large scale integrated circuits in suspended gallium arsenide (GaAs). Implementing PICs in suspended GaAs is a viable route towards achieving optimal system performance in areas with stringent device constraints like energy efficient transceivers for exascale systems, integrated electro-optic comb lasers, integrated quantum photonics, cryogenic photonics and electromechanical guided wave acousto-optics.
Revealing the effect of atomic orbitals on the phase distribution of an ionizing electron wave packet with circularly polarized two-color laser fields
Authors: Liu Kun , Li Min , Xie Wenhai , Guo Keyu , Luo Siqiang , Yan Jiaqing , Zhou Yueming , Lu Peixiang
Published: April 2020

We theoretically study the interference of photoelectrons released from atomic p± orbitals in co-rotating and counter-rotating circularly polarized two-color laser pulses consisting of a strong 400-nm field and a weak 800-nm field. We find that in co-rotating fields the interference fringes in the photoelectron momentum distributions are nearly the same for p± orbitals, while in counter-rotating fields the interference fringes for p+ and p− orbitals oscillate out of phase with respect to the electron emission angle. The simulations based on the strong-field approximation show a good agreement with the numerical solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We find that different phase distributions of the electron wave packets emitted from p+ and p− orbitals can be easily revealed by the counter-rotating circularly polarized two-color laser fields. We further show that the photoelectron interference patterns in the circularly polarized two-color laser fields record the time differences of the electron wave packets released within an optical cycle.
Measurement of slow and fast polarization transients on a fiber-optic testbed
Authors: Barcik Peter , Munster Petr
Published: April 2020

Polarization changes inside a single-mode fiber due to birefringence are studied in this paper. We demonstrate a measurement system for the detection of fast and slow polarization transients in a single-mode optical fiber route. The output signals from a polarimeter based on tilted fiber gratings and a polarimeter based on a polarizing beam splitter and a balanced detector (PBS polarimeter) are processed. The processed data reveal that the detected signal depends on the vibration along the fiber route caused by trains and the temperature instability around the fiber. The proposed system is sufficient for detecting polarization transients and can be used for the detection of suspicious events that would lead to a disruption of the optical path.
Gigabit per second visible light communication based on AlGaInP red micro-LED micro-transfer printed onto diamond and glass
Authors: Carreira J. F. C. , Xie E. , Bian R. , Herrnsdorf J. , Haas H. , Gu E. , Strain M. J. , Dawson M. D.
Published: April 2020

Full-color smart displays, which act both as a display and as a high-speed visible light communication (VLC) transmitter, can be realized by the integration of red-green-blue micron-sized light emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) onto a common platform. In this work, we report on the integration of aluminum gallium indium phosphide red micro-LEDs onto diamond and glass substrates by micro-transfer printing and their application in VLC. The device on-diamond exhibits high current density and bandwidth operation, enabled by diamond’s superior thermal properties. Employing an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulation scheme, error-free data rates of 2.6 Gbps and 5 Gbps are demonstrated for a single micro-LED printed on-glass and on-diamond, respectively. In a parallel configuration, a 2x1 micro-LED array achieves error-free data rates of 3 Gbps and 6.6 Gbps, on-glass and on-diamond, respectively.
Achromatic metasurface doublet with a wide incident angle for light focusing
Authors: Tang Dongliang , Chen Long , Liu Jia , Zhang Xiaohu
Published: April 2020

Benefiting from the excellent capabilities of arbitrarily controlling the phase, amplitude and polarization of the electromagnetic wave, metasurfaces have attracted much attention and brought forward the revolution of fields ranging from device fabrications to optical applications. Cascaded metasurfaces have been demonstrated to correct the monochromatic aberration and enable a near-diffraction-limited focusing spot over a wide incident angle. However, they can only work under the design wavelength and suffer from the axial chromatic aberration at another wavelength. Here, an achromatic metasurface doublet is proposed to eliminate the axial achromatic aberration and enable high-quality focusing with a wide incident angle at distinct wavelengths. It consists of square nanopillar arrays with spatially varying width to simultaneously realize wavelength-dependent phase controls. The constructed metasurface doublet is further verified numerically and near-diffraction-limited foci are exactly formed at the same plane with an incident angle up to 20° for design wavelengths. We expect that our proposed approach can find optical applications in the fields of holograms, photograms, microscopy and machine vision.
Geometry constrained correlation adjustment for stereo reconstruction in 3D optical deformation measurements
Authors: Su Zhilong , Lu Lei , Yang Fujun , He Xiaoyuan , Zhang Dongsheng
Published: April 2020

Recovering the geometric shape of deformable objects from images is essential to optical three-dimensional (3D) deformation measurements and is also actively pursued by researchers. Most of the existing techniques retrieve the shape data with triangulation based on pre-estimated stereo correspondences. In this paper, we instead propose to recover depth information directly from images of a binocular vision system for 3D deformation estimation. Given a calibrated geometry of the system, the reprojection error is parameterized by the depth and then described with local intensity dissimilarity between a stereo pair in considering spatial deformation. Afterward, a correlation adjustment model is formulated to estimate the depth parameter by minimizing the error. As a solving strategy, we show the Gauss-Newton linearization of the proposed model and its initialization. 3D displacement estimation based on depth information is also presented. Experiments, including rigid translation and bending deformation measurements, are conducted to verify the performance of the proposed method. Results show that the proposed method is accurate yet precise in 3D deformation estimations. Other underlying developments are underway.
End-to-end topology for fiber comb based optical frequency transfer at the 10−21 level: erratum
Authors: Benkler Erik , Lipphardt Burghard , Puppe Thomas , Wilk Rafał , Rohde Felix , Sterr Uwe
Published: April 2020

In this erratum we correct errors in the scaling and caption of Fig. 4 in the original manuscript [1].
Detection technique effect on rotational Doppler measurements
Authors: Anderson Alexander Q. , Strong Elizabeth F. , Heffernan Brendan M. , Siemens Mark E. , Rieker Gregory B. , Gopinath Juliet T.
Published: April 2020

There are two established methods for measuring rotational Doppler shift: (1) heterodyne and (2) fringe. We identify a key distinction, that only the heterodyne method is sensitive to the rotating object’s phase, which results in significant differences in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) when measuring multiple rotating particles. When used to measure randomly distributed rotating particles, the fringe method produces its strongest SNR when a single particle is present and its SNR tends to zero as the number of particles increases, whereas the heterodyne method’s SNR increases proportionally to the number of particles in the beam.
All-fiber frequency comb at 2  µm providing 1.4-cycle pulses
Authors: Xing Sida , Kowligy Abijith S. , Lesko Daniel M. B. , Lind Alexander J. , Diddams Scott A.
Published: April 2020

We report an all-fiber approach to generating sub-2-cycle pulses at 2 µm and a corresponding octave-spanning optical frequency comb. Our configuration leverages mature erbium:fiber laser technology at 1.5 µm to provide a seed pulse for a thulium-doped fiber amplifier that outputs 330 mW average power at a 100 MHz repetition rate. Following amplification, nonlinear self-compression in fiber decreases the pulse duration to 9.5 fs, or 1.4 optical cycles. The spectrum of the ultrashort pulse spans from 1 to beyond 2.4 µm and enables direct measurement of the carrier-envelope offset frequency. Our approach employs only commercially available fiber components, resulting in a design that is easy to reproduce in the larger community. As such, this system should be useful as a robust frequency comb source in the near-infrared or as a pump source to generate mid-infrared frequency combs.
Towards on-chip photonic-assisted radio-frequency spectral measurement and monitoring
Authors: Romero Cortés Luis , Onori Daniel , Guillet de Chatellus Hugues , Burla Maurizio , Azaña José
Published: April 2020

Precise detection and monitoring of the frequency spectrum of microwave signals are essential to myriad scientific and technological disciplines, including both civil and defense areas, such as telecommunications, radar, biomedical instrumentation, radio astronomy, etc. Historically, microwave engineering has provided solutions for these tasks. However, current radio-frequency (RF) technologies suffer from inherent shortcomings that limit their capability to provide agile (e.g., real-time) measurements over a large operation bandwidth in energy-efficient and compact (e.g., integrated) formats. Overcoming these limitations is key to fulfilling pressing performance requirements in the above-mentioned application fields, as well as for compatibility with platforms that require chip-scale integration and/or low weight and dimensions, such as satellites and drones. Integrated microwave photonics is an emerging field that leverages the advantages of optical technologies for realization of microwave operations with high bandwidth, low power consumption, and increased agility and flexibility in on-chip platforms, offering an alternative path for integration of advanced RF processing and analysis methods in mature semiconductor technologies. This mini review surveys some of the latest advances in microwave spectral measurement and monitoring techniques realized through photonic approaches, with a special focus on methods suitable for on-chip integration.
Spin–orbit coupling in photonic graphene
Authors: Zhang Zhaoyang , Liang Shun , Li Feng , Ning Shaohuan , Li Yiming , Malpuech Guillaume , Zhang Yanpeng , Xiao Min , Solnyshkov Dmitry
Published: April 2020

Spin–orbit coupling of electromagnetic waves is one of the most important effects in topological photonics, but so far it has not been studied in photonic graphene implementations based on paraxial configuration, in particular, in atomic vapor cells. We generate experimentally a honeycomb refractive index pattern in such a cell using electromagnetically induced transparency. We demonstrate that an effective spin–orbit coupling appears as a correction to the paraxial beam equations because of the strong spatial gradients of the permittivity. It leads to the coupling of spin and angular momentum at the Dirac points of the graphene lattice. Our results suggest that the polarization degree of freedom plays an important role in many configurations where it has been previously neglected.
What’s it all mean? Examining metajournalistic discourse concerning big data
Authors: Ferrucci Patrick
Published: April 2020

Utilizing social construction as a foundation, this study examines discourse surrounding big data. By analysing metajournalism published from 2000 to 2017 by nineteen trade presses (N=379), it attempts to ascertain how the industry defines the term, the tone surrounding it and the practices associated with it. It finds that a non-lexical definition of big data does not exist within the industry; discourse is binary and wildly optimistic or pessimistic; and big data journalism will significantly affect journalistic practices.
Towards an artistic Account of Nature: Morphology, Hylology, Hylomorphism
Authors: Porceddu Cilione Pier Alberto
Published: April 2020

A long philosophical tradition has claimed the fact that the concepts of physis and techne should remain radically distinct. But an equally important tradition has instead considered the question in less abstract terms. What can encourage us to rethink the question of hylomorphism is the radical rethinking of the terms at stake. How should the relationship between matter and form (two fundamental Aristotelian concepts) be thought? How should the distinction between natural form and artificial form be considered? The attempt that is proposed here is to consider art as the conceptual mediator that holds together a morphological determination of nature and a technical determination of art. ‘Artificiality’ should not be understood as the opposite of ‘naturalness’: art here means the possibility of thinking of techne already at work in nature, justifying the sense of a coming hylomorphism.
Notes from the Editors, April 2020
Authors: The Editors -
Published: April 2020

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Today, at the bicentennial of Frederick Engels's birth, it is worth taking a brief look at Engels's theory of the labor aristocracy, its connection to V. I. Lenin's thinking, and the significance of these ideas in light of the current capitalist conjuncture.
How Long Can Neoliberalism Withstand Climate Crisis?
Authors: McGee Julius Alexander , Greiner Patrick Trent
Published: April 2020

The climate crisis is proving to be antithetical to the neoliberal machines that define current forms of social organization. Reducing fossil fuel consumption, the largest contributor to climate change, requires collaborative efforts. These efforts must take into consideration the foundational role of fossil fuels in modern economies. Yet, renewables lack many of the characteristics that have made fossil fuels so desirable in production processes, limiting their ability to expropriate human labor. At the same time, climate catastrophes, such as wildfires and hurricanes, disrupt the infrastructural momentum of fossil fuel economies, destabilizing the mechanisms of capital accumulation that derive from the production and consumption of these fuels. All of these problems have come to a head in the recent crises in Chile and California.
Lo primordial es la cultura, la economía está mediada
Authors: Bellido Aguilera Víctor Rolando , Díaz Fernández Adris
Published: April 2020

Desde la perspectiva del humanismo cultural se hace la crítica al economicismo y la tecnocracia. En tal sentido, se califican el culto a la producción, la eficiencia económica y el poder material como factores que han ayudado a la imposición extrema del materialismo sórdido, el consumismo y el deterioro social y medio ambiental que padece la sociedad contemporánea. Se reflexiona sobre la base de la obra original y dialécticamente contradictoria de Carlos Marx, José Martí y Enrique Dussel, entre otros, y se argumenta la esencia creadora y socio-cultural del ser humano, con énfasis en su íntegra subjetividad, a la cual se asigna el rol primordial. Los autores califican como “economística” a las concepciones y prácticas que convierten lo económico en el fin y se extravían al no comprender que tanto la producción, como toda actividad científica, técnica y social en general han de ser concebidos y realizados como medios para el mejoramiento humano.
Buch von Eichler & Eichler zur Lasertechnik
Authors: Redaktion TATuP
Published: April 2020

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HABITAT FRAGMENTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE - Internationale Konferenz in Maastricht
Authors: Redaktion TATuP
Published: April 2020

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Die Zumutung der Modernität: Über biotechnische Herausforderungen an die Politik
Authors: Martinsen R.
Published: April 2020

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Jak vedení výběrových základních škol přiděluje učitele do tříd?
Authors: Kadrnožková Monika
Published: April 2020

Abstrakt: Český vzdělávací systém umožňuje rozřazovat žáky do škol a tříd na základě jejich schopností a dosažených výsledků. V současnosti je zaznamenán trend narůstajícího počtu základních škol uplatňujících dlouhodobou selekci žáků uvnitř školy. S rozřazováním žáků do různých typů tříd úzce souvisí i téma přidělování učitelů. Tento text si klade za cíl ověřit, zda vedení tří výběrových škol záměrně přidělují učitele do tříd a jaká kritéria je ovlivňují. K naplnění tohoto cíle byla určena jako výzkumná strategie deskriptivní případová studie a zakotvené teorie. Metodami sběru dat byly zvoleny analýza přidělování učitelů do tříd v příslušných dokumentech (ŠVP, rozvrhy, výroční zprávy), hloubkové polostrukturované rozhovory s vedením a učiteli škol a analýza výsledků srovnávacích testů žáků uvnitř škol. Z výsledků je patrné, že se vedení ve své volbě řídí odlišnými kritérii, která odůvodňuje snahou co nejefektivněji vzdělávat žáky výběrové dráhy. Učitelé jsou přidělováni do tříd na základě volby vedení, které vychází z vlastních kritérií kvalitního učitele – do výběrových tříd jsou přidělování „kvalitnější“ učitelé, nebo je snahou vedení do své školy přijímat pouze takové učitele, aby si již nemuseli vybírat a mohli přidělovat do tříd učitele „střídavým“ nebo „náhodným“ způsobem. V každém z případů ale bylo snahou vedení dostát ve výběrové třídě prohlubujícímu kurikulu s náročnějším obsahem a promyšleným didaktickým metodám. Vybrané školy se tak staly zajímavým příkladem přidělování učitelů do tříd, což ovlivňuje nejen proces výuky, ale i samotné výsledky žáků.

Klíčová slova: přidělování učitelů, diferenciace žáků, volba ředitele, základní škola, případová studie.
Reforma kurikula pedagogicko-psychologického modulu na Pedagogické fakultě Masarykovy univerzity: Hledání kvality v éře masifikace
Authors: Kratochvílová Jana , Lojdová Kateřina
Published: April 2020

Abstrakt: Příspěvek mapuje reformu pedagogicko-psychologického modulu na Pedagogické fakultě Masarykovy univerzity, který je podstatnou součástí učitelských studijních programů. Představuje východiska, postupně se měnící strukturální podmínky a hlavní dilemata, která provázela jeho tvorbu. Na jejich základě se zaměřuje na principy kvality vysokoškolské výuky a jejich evaluaci. Proces reformy kriticky zasazuje do souvislostí vysokoškolského vzdělávání v éře masifikace. V neposlední řadě text přináší osobní reflexe autorek podílejících se na reformě kurikula pedagogicko-psychologického modulu.

Klíčová slova: kvalita výuky, pedagogická propedeutika, reforma kurikula, vysokoškolská výuka, vzdělávání učitelů, studenti učitelství.
Recovery of Globba wengeri (C.E.C. Fisch.) K.J. Williams, critically endangered plant species from Serchhip District in Mizoram, Northeast India
Authors: Mawia Lalnun , Ralte Vanlalhruaii , Lalruatsanga H. , Mawia Zothan , Vanlalhluna P.C. , Thapa H.S. , Vanlalpeka R.
Published: April 2020

Globba wengeri (C.E.C. Fisch.) K.J. Williams, former state flower of Mizoram, a rare and critically endangered plant species, commonly known as ‘dancing girl’, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, is reported in this communication for the first time from Serchhip District in Mizoram at an elevation of about 1187 m a.s.l. It was found on moist, watery and rocky slopes. The plant is under severe threat in the natural habitat and therefore, further studies are required to determine life history and particular survival threats of this species.