bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pierre Daru and the Professionalization of the French Bureaucracy during the French Revolution
Authors:   , Man Abraham Claudio
Published: December 2023

Far from the frontlines, the destiny of armies and generals has been considerably influenced by anonymous public servants working long hours behind a desk. On many occasions, these bureaucrats were the actual organizers of victory or the root cause of defeat. Count Pierre-Antoine Bruno Daru (1767-1829), Intendant Général de la Grande Armée, was one such man. The research concerns the critical nature of logistics and military administration in the performance of modern armies. It challenges the conventional view that the military commissariat was primarily responsible for the defeats of the armies of the First French Republic during the Revolutionary Wars. A professional bureaucracy was the response deployed by the French government to cope with the need to enlist, train, arm, equip, feed, shelter, pay, and control ever larger military forces. The solutions designed and applied by Pierre Daru and his colleagues, tested and improved by trial and error, became the foundation of modern military administration and, eventually, a model that was extended to contemporary, multinational corporations. Most accounts of the exploits of the late eighteenth-century French armies are devoted to describing their élan, maneuverability, and operational innovations. Yet, the fundamental distinction between the Revolutionary forces and their predecessors was scale. The gradual emergence of a professional bureaucracy was instrumental in making such an expansion possible.
Measurement of National Innovations Systems Performance Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multidimensional Study
Authors:   , Secka Edward G.
Published: December 2023

In the modern economy, national innovation systems (NIS) contribute to a substantial increase in economic development in numerous parts of the world. NIS has been instrumental in integrating most developing countries' economies into the global capitalist system; however, some developing countries lag the innovation capacities to develop their NIS. The inability of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to gauge their NIS is problematic and probably risky for the countries' future development. Without proper evaluation and monitoring, it is hard for governments to create policies to advance their NIS to attain their desired economic development objectives. Development experiences of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and their insignificant standings in the global exchange of goods and services warrant a comprehensive way to measure and evaluate their NIS. This study ascertained how predictor variables: government effectiveness index (GEI), percentage of public spending on education (PSE) and labor force (LF) influenced the criterion variables: gross domestic product (GDP), gross national income (GNI) and human development index (HDI). The results categorized the countries that are performing soundly or not, and the knowledge from the assessments can aid in improving national policies for future performance of NIS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Likewise, it can help to create an atmosphere of informed decision and evidence-based calculated policymaking through assessment of development models' effectiveness in achieving regional goals. The study of NIS is significant in defining the level of effectiveness, convergence, and progress of nations. The outcomes of the policy ingenuities assumed at the state level can be specified and current strategies can be reformulated.
Toward Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Support the Identification of Accessibility Challenges
Authors:   , Aljedaani Wajdi Mohammed R M.
Published: December 2023

The goal of this thesis is to support the automated identification of accessibility in user reviews or bug reports, to help technology professionals prioritize their handling, and, thus, to create more inclusive apps. Particularly, we propose a model that takes as input accessibility user reviews or bug reports and learns their keyword-based features to make a classification decision, for a given review, on whether it is about accessibility or not. Our empirically driven study follows a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods. We introduced models that can accurately identify accessibility reviews and bug reports and automate detecting them. Our models can automatically classify app reviews and bug reports as accessibility-related or not so developers can easily detect accessibility issues with their products and improve them to more accessible and inclusive apps utilizing the users' input. Our goal is to create a sustainable change by including a model in the developer's software maintenance pipeline and raising awareness of existing errors that hinder the accessibility of mobile apps, which is a pressing need. In light of our findings from the Blackboard case study, Blackboard and the course material are not easily accessible to deaf students and hard of hearing. Thus, deaf students find that learning is extremely stressful during the pandemic.
A Qualitative Study on the Role and Affordances of Learning Management Systems
Authors:   , DeMelo-Cevallos Alexa S.
Published: December 2023

This study showcases the perceived affordances of learning management systems (LMS)in the private sector and in the non-academic public sector. The qualitative study consisted of 9 interviews of industry professionals. The semi-structured interviews captured current practices of how LMS were utilized within their organization as well as the perceived benefits that their organization obtained by utilizing an LMS. The findings showcased that the affordance category with the highest overall frequency was Operations Management 3. The affordance type with the highest overall frequency was Operational Process OM3, and the code with the highest overall frequency was Professional Development OD1-OL.
Development and Utilization of Big Bridge Data for Predicting Deck Condition Rating Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors:   , Fard Fariba
Published: December 2023

Accurately predicting the deck condition rating of a bridge is crucial for effective maintenance and repair planning. Despite significant research efforts to develop deterioration models, a nationwide model has not been developed. This study aims to identify an appropriate machine learning (ML) algorithm that can accurately predict the deck condition ratings of the nation's bridges. To achieve this, the study collected big bridge data (BBD), which includes NBI, traffic, climate, and hazard data gathered using geospatial information science (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Two sets of data were collected: a BBD for a single year of 2020 and a historical BBD covering a five-year period from 2016 to 2020. Three ML algorithms, including random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), were trained using 319,404 and 1,246,261 bridge decks in the BBD and the historical BBD, respectively. Results showed that the use of historical BBD significantly improved the performance of the models compared to BBD. Additionally, random forest and XGBoost, trained using the historical BBD, demonstrated higher overall accuracies and average F1 scores than the ANN model. Specifically, the random forest and XGBoost models achieved overall accuracies of 83.4% and 79.4%, respectively, and average F1 scores of 79.7% and 77.5%, respectively, while the ANN model achieved an overall accuracy of 58.8% and an average F1 score of 46.1%. The permutation-based variable importance revealed that the hazard data related to earthquakes did not significantly contribute to model development. In conclusion, tree-based ensemble learning algorithms, such as random forest and XGBoost, trained using updated historical bridge data, including NBI, traffic, and climate data, provide a useful tool for accurately predicting the deck condition ratings of bridges in the United States, allowing infrastructure managers to efficiently schedule inspections and allocate maintenance resources.
What School Leaders Need to Know: The Impact of Teacher Turnover on Student Achievement in Middle School Mathematics
Authors:   , Grindle Colleen D.
Published: December 2023

This study looked at the relationship between teacher turnover and student achievement, in addition to the relationship between specific student demographic characteristics and teacher turnover. Within this study, student demographic, staff demographic, and student achievement data from several middle schools within the studied district, as well as data from each of the school's comparison groups, as designated by the Texas Education Agency, was analyzed. The data used was from the 2018-2019, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school years. First, this study looked at specific student demographic characteristics and their relationship with teacher turnover, including race, mobility, and socioeconomic status. This analysis determined if there were specific variables that impacted the rate of turnover. Results determined that the most consistent relationship revealed in the data involves the total number of students on a campus. As the number of students increased, the turnover rate decreased. Additionally, there was a slight negative correlation between the number of African American students and rates of teacher turnover for two of the three years studied. The second part of the study determined if the campus turnover rate had any relationship with the student achievement scores. The student achievement data that was used was the overall campus math score at the approaches level on the Mathematics State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The results of the analysis revealed that there was a relationship between teacher turnover and student achievement, although it was a very weak relationship for each of the 3 years studied. Additionally, the analysis determined that campuses with teachers who have more years' experience had higher overall campus math scores after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Culturally Proficient Leadership: A Study in the Correlation of School Leaders' Perceived Levels of Cultural Proficiency and Discipline Rates of Black Students in 5A and 6A High Schools in North Texas
Authors:   , Malcolm Cory Denard
Published: December 2023

The aim of this quantitative study was to explore the connection between self-perceived cultural proficiency among school leaders and the discipline gap for Black students in high schools in North Texas. The study sought to achieve this by (a) identifying the level of cultural proficiency perceived by school leaders, (b) examining the disciplinary rates of Black students in each participating high school, and (c) exploring how school administrators' beliefs regarding cultural proficiency impacted the disciplinary rates of Black students on their campuses. To assess their implementation of cultural proficiency practices, Hine's cultural proficiency leadership framework was utilized. The study found a significant positive correlation between the total cultural proficiency score and the number of out-of-school suspensions for Black students, while a negative correlation was observed for White students. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the total cultural proficiency score and the number of in-school suspensions for Black students, while no statistically significant correlation was found for White students. The participants in the study met three criteria: (a) working at a 5A or 6A UIL-identified campus in North Texas, (b) having at least 9% of the student population identified as Black and African American, and (c) serving as school leaders responsible for assigning exclusionary discipline.
Applying User-Centered Design to Build Trust and Enable Cross-Agency Data Sharing to Better Understand the Prevalence and Context of Human Trafficking in Alberta, Canada
Authors:   , Muyres Natalie Suzanne
Published: December 2023

This thesis describes a research study to understand the current state of human trafficking data collection practices and reporting in the province of Alberta, Canada, and gather end-user design considerations for cyberinfrastructure that will enable data sharing between multiple and diverse stakeholders. The research also examines the barriers to change and the needs of stakeholders to improve the collective understanding of human trafficking in the province. Virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nineteen organizations including law enforcement and community serving non-profit agencies. While the research resulted in design considerations for a cyberinfrastructure prototype, findings revealed the complexity of the human trafficking ecosystem in Alberta and suggestions for how the community of stakeholders can shift towards a sustained collaborative data sharing culture. This study responds to the need to collect actionable data from multiple sources to reflect the prevalence and context of human trafficking more accurately.
Information-Seeking Behaviors of Rural Community-Based Hospice Social Workers during a Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors:   , Alvarado Angela
Published: December 2023

When it comes to hospice care, patients and their families residing in rural counties need competent rural community-based hospice social workers on their team. The study of information seeking behaviors of rural community-based hospice social workers during the global COVID-19 pandemic is significant as there is a need to fill gaps regarding how this specific medical discipline performs their job responsibilities when duties become more complicated due to evolving infection control protocols, decreased direct access to patients, and poor internet services. Community-based rural hospice social workers rely on up-to-date information and resources when providing support services to patients and their families. This has become particularly important during the global pandemic COVID-19. Utilizing Chatman's small world theory, this research lends itself to community-based hospice social workers identifying solutions to the challenges of finding timely and accurate COVID-19 information and resources for hospice patients and their families. Purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, and qualitative social network analysis (SNA) with ATLAS.ti comprise the methodology for this research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the information seeking behaviors of community-based hospice rural social workers in order to understand how they select their COVID-19 information resources.
Healing Miracles in Ancient Jewish and Early Christian Literature
Authors:   , Tompkins Lora E.
Published: December 2023

Jesus was a healer, but what may not be as obvious is that he started a legacy of healing. He passed on his skills and abilities to his followers at least three times. Though not as frequently, they continued to heal through the Book of Acts. The legacy continued in the Apocryphal Acts and other apocryphal materials spanning the early centuries of the common era. Secondary literature looks at modern scholarship and leans heavily into Rabbinic literature. Up to this point, other English-language works in healing have sorely lacked luster in providing. The exploration of the healing legacy of Jesus shifted to meet the skills and needs of the healers, patients, and communities involved. Further, the healings had a substantive resultant impact on various levels of socioeconomics for the parties, which is explored by reexamining each group type of healings, from lameness and paralytics to possession and resurrection, and more. The hope is that taking a holistic approach to these healings as possible will allow readers a new way of experiencing the early common era and these events that permeated everyone's lives at one time or another.
O ICMS ECOLÓGICO PELA PERSPECTIVA DA TEORIA DA JUSTIÇA DISTRIBUTIVA DE ARISTÓTELES E JOHN RAWLS
Authors: VIÉGAS Fabian , RODRIGUES MARCO ANTONIO SIQUEIRA , Hupffer Haide Maria
Published: December 2023

Objetivo: O ICMS Ecológico é uma repartição tributária baseada nos princípios de legalidade, federalismo fiscal, ubiquidade, poluidor-pagador e protetor-recebedor. O artigo inicia apresentando a prerrogativa constitucional que possibilitou a criação de estratégias de repartição tributária da receita do ICMS objetivando examinar a teoria da justiça distributiva de Aristóteles e Rawls, para observar se esta teoria tem respaldo teórico para fundamentar que a criação de legislação estadual sobre ICMS Ecológico pode ser compreendida como justiça distributiva. Método: Utiliza-se o raciocínio analítico e argumentativo apoiado em pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. Resultados: Conclui-se que, o ICMS Ecológico exerce uma função de justiça distributiva ao conciliar os objetivos socioculturais e econômicos dos municípios com a preservação do meio ambiente. Os Estados, ao instituírem o ICMS Ecológico, de alguma forma compensam as restrições de uso econômico de áreas de preservação ambiental e de bens públicos ambientais dos municípios, bem como incentivam a inserção de indicadores ambientais como instrumento de política pública para a proteção do meio ambiente e a criação de novas áreas e projetos de preservação. Contribuições: A teoria da justiça distributiva de Aristóteles e John Rawls pode ser utilizada como fundamento para correção das injustiças distributivas do ICMS.
AS AÇÕES DE ADAPTAÇÃO CLIMÁTICA EM CIDADES COSTEIRAS: VIABILIDADE ECONÔMICA NA CIDADE DE SANTOS PARA REDUÇÃO DO RISCO DE ELEVAÇÃO DO NÍVEL DO MAR
Authors: Rei Fernando , Lomba Pinho Mariangela Mendes
Published: December 2023

Adaptação significa antecipar os efeitos adversos das mudanças climáticas e adotar medidas apropriadas para prevenir ou minimizar os danos que podem causar, ou aproveitar as oportunidades que possam surgir. Cidades em zonas costeiras de baixa altitude enfrentam a ameaça combinada de aumento do nível do mar e tempestades. Santos é suscetível a inundações. Este artigo tem como objetivo explanar como a cidade de Santos, no Estado de São Paulo, está enfrentando este problema, apresentando um projeto executado e indicando como se deu a sua viabilidade econômica. Os autores utilizaram o método bibliográfico e documental sobre o tema e na sequencia efetuou-se um estudo de caso. O trabalho analisa o papel de instrumentos econômicos na criação dos Fundos Ambientais e seus recursos pelos municípios e conclui pela sua relevância e oportunidade quando ativos e focados, sendo um instrumento valioso para a aplicação de projetos de adaptação climática
DA REFORMA URBANA AO DIREITO À CIDADE: A CRISE URBANA E SUAS RESPOSTAS
Authors: Fornasier Mateus de Oliveira , Knebel Norberto Milton Paiva
Published: December 2023

Objetiva-se promover uma perspectiva teórica radical em detrimento à genérica e jurídica. Nesse sentido, a identificação da crise urbana causada pela vida cotidiana sob o capitalismo e a violenta produção do espaço urbano em desenvolvimento desigual, mesmo que tenha motivado a criação de soluções jurídicas orientadas para o fim da desigualdade sócio-espacial; frente ao fracasso das leis e à mercantilização dos direitos, reivindica-se uma reorientação do direito à cidade em prol da politização das suas pautas, ligando-o à utopia da vida cotidiana transformada em algo novo, radical e criativamente construído para a promoção das diferenças. Metodologia: revisão bibliográfica de procedimento dialético e abordagem qualitativa. Um direito à cidade radicalmente considerado oferece ao pensamento acerca do urbanoa realização no nível da vida cotidiana e das práticas urbanísticas, sendo alternativa de transformação da sociedade pela crítica à economia política capitalista, apontando para a autogestão e a emancipação de coletivos, superando fetiches da lei urbanística — como a promessa inalcançável de uma gestão democrática em uma sociedade profundamente desigual e com interesses de classe contrários — reconhecendo o papel estrutural dos mecanismos jurídico-institucionais na manutenção da exclusão social e na imobilização das pautas políticas. Permite tal direito, também, que não se incorra no culto ao fetichismo constitucional, o qual faz-se esperar ingenuamente que os direitos fundamentais se materializam numa sociedade alienada do seu uso.
La expansión urbana sobre tierras vacantes inundables y el riesgo para los habitantes en el Partido de La Plata
Authors: Jensen Karina , Cremaschi Maria Elisa , Varela Leandro
Published: December 2023

Las manifestaciones y consecuencias del cambio climático se están empezando a evidenciar con mayor intensidad en las regiones asociadas a cursos de agua, en particular el Partido de La Plata localizado en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, República Argentina, se ve afectado regularmente por grandes precipitaciones que exponen a la población a la amenaza de inundación. A su vez, esto se ve agravado por el crecimiento urbano expansivo que en los últimos veinte años se ha dado de manera vertiginosa configurando una periferia fragmentada que deja en su interior, grandes vacíos intersticiales o tierras vacantes. En este contexto, el trabajo propone una metodología para determinar áreas de vulnerabilidad en zonas inundables. Teniendo en cuenta la cantidad de tierras vacantes disponibles y susceptibles de ser ocupadas por encontrarse inmersas en la mancha urbana y por la cercanía a las urbanizaciones informales se propone identificar cuáles son las tierras vacantes localizadas en zonas inundables. De esta manera, frente a la amenaza de inundación de estas tierras, si la población se asienta sobre las mismas se encuentra expuesta a condiciones de riesgo. En base al análisis realizado se identifican las tierras vacantes en área inundable y cuáles son las prioritarias para su intervención a fin de proponer una ocupación que responda a las características geomorfológicas y ambientales del territorio. En este sentido, la investigación pretende constituirse como un aporte para la planificación y gestión sustentable de este.
On the role of law in ensuring the sustainable development of cities
Authors: Anisimov Aleksey , Uzakova Guzal
Published: December 2023

Objective. Explore the features and problems of implementing the Sustainable Development Goal No. 11 on the example of the Russian Federation. Method. When writing the article, several methods of scientific knowledge were used: the method of system analysis; method of comparative law; analysis; synthesis. Results. The theory and practice of attaining SDG No. 11 in Russia, dedicated to ensuring the sustainable development of cities, are analyzed in the article, and existing regulatory and doctrinal indicators that make it possible to assess the degree of achievement of the tasks set are defined. The authors conduct a comparative analysis of sustainable development with other environmental strategies (eco-city, smart city) and consider trends and prospects for developing urban planning tools to balance ecological, economic, and social interests in cities. Contributions. Taking into account the peculiarities of the existing legal doctrine in Russia and other former countries of the USSR, it is proposed to further develop the design of the “guarantee mechanism” for ensuring sustainable development, including the conditions for the implementation of SDG No. 11. To fill the legal gap in assessing the degree of achievement of the SDGs it is proposed to develop the Concept of Russia’s transition to sustainable development, with the definition of precise tasks for each of its stages, financing, responsible bodies, etc.
Uma professora que conta histórias sobre infâncias: gêneros e sexualidades dissidentes na escola
Authors: Ávila Dina Maria Vital , Mesquita Marcos Ribeiro
Published: December 2023

O artigo propõe discutir os impactos do dispositivo curricular na constituição das infâncias dissidentes da norma de gêneros e sexualidades. Para tanto, lança mão dos registros feitos em um caderno, o qual nomeamos de Diário de Memórias do Cotidiano Escolar. Tais registros representam as cenas que tratam dos modos de resistência das infâncias em dissidência à norma, e estão relacionados às observações de uma professora a partir dos tempos e espaços de uma escola da etapa do ensino fundamental, ao longo de um ano letivo. Como objetivo visamos discutir o currículo a partir da presença das infâncias dissidentes da norma de gêneros e sexualidades. Trata-se de uma discussão pautada nas teorizações e metodologias pós-críticas em educação e currículo, as quais concebem a constituição dos corpos como efeito das práticas discursivas e das relações de poder. O estudo observou que frente às estratégias forjadas pelo poder, estas infâncias criam brechas de fuga em prol de paisagens curriculares de liberdade, agindo em defesa do direito à vida como modo de sobreviver às tramas que constituem este dispositivo. Além disso, observou também que apesar de nos últimos anos a escola ter sido alvo de ataques ultraconservadores, esta instituição tem se politizado, expandindo-se para novas experiências na perspectiva de gêneros e sexualidades.
All-fiber high-resolution incoherent broadband spectrometer
Authors: Capezzuto Marialuisa , D’Ambrosio Davide , Giorgini Antonio , Malara Pietro , Avino Saverio , Gagliardi Gianluca
Published: December 2023

Portable optical spectrometers are crucial devices for bio-chemical sensing and spectroscopic applications whereby robust, compact and cost-effective set-ups are desirable. However, existing miniaturized instruments typically struggle to achieve broad wavelength operation and high spectral resolution at the same time. Here, an all-fiber optical spectrometer based on two cascaded Bragg gratings is devised and demonstrated, showing a record resolution and a wavelength span-to-resolution ratio larger than that of most miniature broadband spectrometers reported to date. Thanks to a synchronous control of the grating lengths and to a unique combination of their reflection features, spectral analysis of incoherent light within 1 pm is achieved. On the other hand, fast and reproducible wavelength tuning over several nanometers on a millisecond-timescale is ensured by mechanical stretching of the internal fiber, limited only by the actuator’s dynamic range. A striking evidence of the spectrometer capabilities is provided with Doppler-limited spectroscopy of gas absorption bands performed with a near-infrared LED source. The observed spectra exhibit lineshapes comparable with those obtained by laser-based set-ups and the retrieved gas-line parameters are in agreement with existing spectroscopic databases. The spectrometer lends itself to applications in high-resolution interrogation of multiple fiber-optic sensors as well as broadband imaging with supercontinuum light.
Experimental study of modified Tavis-Cummings model with directly-coupled superconducting artificial atoms
Authors: Zhou Jian-Yong , Zhao Si-Lu , Yang Ya , Xiao Shi , He D. , Nie Wei , Hu Ying , Lu Jing , Kuang Le-Man , Liu Yu-xi , Deng Ming-tang , Zheng Dong-ning , Xiang Zhong-cheng , Zhou Lan , Peng Z. H.
Published: December 2023

The Tavis-Cummings model is intensively investigated in quantum optics and has important applications in generation of multi-atom entanglement. Here, we employ a superconducting circuit quantum electrodynamic system to study a modified Tavis-Cummings model with directly-coupled atoms. In our device, three superconducting artificial atoms are arranged in a chain with direct coupling through fixed capacitors and strongly coupled to a transmission line resonator. By performing transmission spectrum measurements, we observe different anticrossing structures when one or two qubits are resonantly coupled to the resonator. In the case of the two-qubit Tavis-Cummings model without qubit-qubit interaction, we observe two dips at the resonance point of the anticrossing. The splitting of these dips is determined by Δλ=2g12+g32, where g1 and g3 are the coupling strengths between Qubit 1 and the resonator, and Qubit 3 and the resonator, respectively. The direct coupling J12 between the two qubits results in three dressed states in the two-qubit Tavis-Cummings model at the frequency resonance point, leading to three dips in the transmission spectrum. In this case, the distance between the two farthest and asymmetrical dips, arising from the energy level splitting, is larger than in the previous case. The frequency interval between these two dips is determined by the difference in eigenvalues (Δλ=ε1+−ε1−), obtained through numerical calculations. What we believe as novel and intriguing experimental results may potentially advance quantum optics experiments, providing valuable insights for future research.
High bismuth-doped germanosilicate fiber for efficient E + S-band amplification
Authors: Liu Shaokun , Yin Xiaoke , Gu Zhimu , He Le , Li Wenzhen , Chen Yang , Xing Yingbin , Chu Yingbo , Dai Nengli , Li Jinyan
Published: December 2023

Bismuth-doped germanosilicate fiber (BGSF), the active media of fiber amplifiers, has attracted widespread attention. Here, we report a BGSF with a high bismuth concentration of 0.075 wt. % and achieve high-efficiency E + S-band amplification, which was prepared by the modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) process. The small signal absorption (SSA) and unsaturated loss (UL) of BGSF at 1310 nm are 1.32 and 0.11 dB/m, respectively. The results show a record with only 45 m BGSF was created, to the best of our knowledge, which provides a maximum gain of 39.24 dB with an NF of 6.2 dB at 1430 nm under −20 dBm input signal power.
A dual-modality optical system for single-pixel imaging and transmission through scattering media
Authors: Hao Yining , Chen Wen
Published: December 2023

It is well recognized that it is difficult to develop an optical system to retrieve effective information when dynamic and turbid water exists in an optical channel. It could be more challenging to incorporate dual or multiple modalities in one optical system. In this Letter, we report a dual-modality optical system for single-pixel imaging (SPI) and transmission through scattering media. A series of mutually-orthogonal random illumination patterns are designed and adopted to realize high-resolution image recovery in SPI. The data to be transmitted are also encoded into random illumination patterns in a differential way, and high-fidelity free-space optical data transmission can be simultaneously realized. Experimental results validate feasibility of the proposed optical system and its high robustness against scattering. The developed dual-modality optical system realizes high-resolution SPI and high-fidelity data transmission in scattering media using only one set of realizations, offering an efficient implementation with reduced power and equipment requirements. The proposed method is promising toward the development of an integrated system with multiple modalities for optical information retrieval, especially in dynamic scattering media.
Sub-50 fs, 0.5 W average power Nd-doped fiber amplifier at 920 nm
Authors: Li Ti-Jian , Sun He , Liu Meng , Luo Ai-Ping , Xu Wen-Cheng , Luo Zhi-Chao
Published: December 2023

We develop an all polarization-maintaining (PM) 920 nm Nd-doped fiber amplifier delivering a train of pulses with ∼0.53 W average power and sub-50 fs duration. The sub-50 fs pulse benefits from the pre-chirping management method that allows for over 60 nm broadening spectrum without pulse breaking in the amplification stage. By virtue of the short pulse duration, the pulse peak power can reach to ∼0.31 MW in spite of the moderate average power. These results represent a key step in developing high-peak-power pulse Nd-doped fiber laser systems at 920 nm, which will find important applications in fields such as biomedical imaging, ultrafast optical spectroscopy, and excitation of quantum-dot single photon sources.
RF-controlled mode-locking and optoelectronic pulse compressing with distributed selectable wavelengths
Authors: Huang Jia Shuo , Yang Fu Tong , Liu Zhen Chuan , Zheng Di , Zhang Wei Li
Published: December 2023

Mode-locking in laser cavities has attracted great interest due to its wide range of applications in generating optical frequency combs and ultra-short pulse trains. Here, a mode-locked fiber laser with a distributed selectable wavelength feedback is proposed based on radio frequency maneuverability. The laser is capable of generating transform-limited pulses with a selectable wavelength and repetition rates by interrogating different reflectors through active modulation. Intriguing laser pulses were realized, which can have >930 times width compression ratio compared with the modulation signal and can be selectively locked to reflectors separated in centimeter scale.
Controllable multi-polarization laser beam generation and manipulation in a cylindrical cavity
Authors: Zeng Wun-Shan , Das Bipul , Lu Ting-Hua
Published: December 2023

The manipulation of spatial and polarization attributes in vector laser beams can be intricately controlled through a variety of methodologies including spatial light modulators, q-plates, optical cavities, and mode-selective coupling. Among these techniques, optical cavities exhibit notable merits as they enable the targeted amplification of desired polarization elements with significant efficiency and stability. This research article introduces a direct methodology to generate multiple polarized laser beams, leveraging a cylindrical laser cavity housing a birefringent c-cut Nd:YVO4 gain crystal. This technique facilitates the creation of Hermite-Gaussian modes exhibiting distinct polarization states. By exploiting specific geometrical arrangements involving optical Z-mode and W-mode, the degenerate laser cavity facilitates the concurrent production of numerous distinguishable elliptically and linearly polarized beams, obviating the necessity for supplementary optical components. Notably, this approach provides advanced control over the polarization of resulting beams through precise adjustments of pumping offset and cavity length. The polarization states are subjected to quantitative scrutiny through phase retardation analysis. This investigation introduces an innovative avenue for the generation of coherent multi-beams, thereby propelling progress across a wide spectrum of scientific and technological domains.
Hybrid Heterogeneous Phantoms for Biomedical Applications: a demonstration to dosimetry validation
Authors: Ghauri Muhammad Daniyal , Susnjar Stefan , Guadagno Claudia , Bhattacharya Somdatta , Thomasson Björn , Swartling Jjohannes , Gautam Rekha , Engels Stefan Andersson , Sekar Sanathana Konugolu Venkata
Published: December 2023

Phantoms simultaneously mimicking anatomical and optical properties of real tissues can play a pivotal role for improving dosimetry algorithms. The aim of the paper is to design and develop a hybrid phantom model that builds up on the strengths of solid and liquid phantoms for mimicking various anatomical structures for prostate cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT) dosimetry validation. The model comprises of a photosensitizer-embedded gelatin lesion within a liquid intralipid prostate shape that is surrounded by a solid silicone outer shell. The hybrid phantom was well characterized for optical properties. The final assembled phantom was also evaluated for fluorescence tomographic reconstruction in conjunction with SpectraCure’s IDOSE® software. The developed model can lead to advancements in dosimetric evaluations. This would improve PDT outlook as a clinical treatment modality and boost phantom based standardization of biophotonic devices globally.
Four-dimensional direct detection receiver enabling Jones-space field recovery with phase and polarization diversity
Authors: Wu Qi , Zhu Yixiao , Li Xueyang , Jiang Hexun , Cheng Chen , Fu Mengfan , Zhang Yikun , Zhuge Qunbi , Li Zhaohui , Hu Weisheng
Published: December 2023

Data centers, the engines of the global Internet, rely on powerful high-speed optical interconnects. In optical fiber communication, classic direct detection captures only the intensity of the optical field, while the coherent detection counterpart utilizes both phase and polarization diversities at the expense of requiring a narrow-linewidth and high-stability local oscillator (LO). Herein, we propose and demonstrate a four-dimensional Jones-space optical field recovery (4-D JSFR) scheme without an LO. The polarization-diverse full-field receiver structure captures information encoded in the intensity and phase of both polarizations, which can be subsequently extracted digitally. To our knowledge, our proposed receiver achieves the highest electrical spectral efficiency among existing direct detection systems and potentially provides similar electrical spectral efficiency as standard intradyne coherent detection systems. The fully recovered optical field extends the transmission distance beyond the limitations imposed by fiber chromatic dispersion. Moreover, the LO-free advantage makes 4-D JSFR suitable for photonic integration, offering a spectrally efficient and cost-effective solution for massively parallel data center interconnects. Our results may contribute to the ongoing developments in the theory of optical field recovery and the potential design considerations for future high-speed optical transceivers.
Diffraction limit of light in curved space
Authors: Zhang Jingxuan , Xu Chenni , Sebbah Patrick , Wang Li-Gang
Published: December 2023

Overcoming the diffraction limit is crucial for obtaining high-resolution images and observing fine microstructures. With this conventional difficulty still puzzling us and the prosperous development of wave dynamics of light interacting with gravitational fields in recent years, how spatial curvature affects the diffraction limit is an attractive and important question. Here we investigate the issue of the diffraction limit and optical resolution on two-dimensional curved space—surfaces of revolution (SORs) with constant or variable spatial curvature. We show that the diffraction limit decreases and the resolution is improved on SORs with positive Gaussian curvature, opening a new avenue to super-resolution. The diffraction limit is also influenced by the propagation direction, as well as the propagation distance in curved space with variable spatial curvature. These results provide a possible method to control the optical resolution in curved space or equivalent waveguides with varying refractive index distribution and may allow one to detect the presence of the nonuniform strong gravitational effect by probing locally the optical resolution.
Mode-switchable dual-color infrared quantum cascade detector
Authors: Zhu Yixuan , Zhai Shenqiang , Li Kun , Guo Kai , Guo Qiangqiang , Zhang Jinchuan , Liu Shuman , Wang Lijun , Liu Fengqi , Liu Junqi
Published: December 2023

In this paper, a patch-antenna-array enhanced quantum cascade detector with freely switchable operating modes among mid-wave, long-wave, and dual-color was proposed and discussed. The dual-color absorption occurs in a single active region through an optimized coupled miniband diagonal-transition subbands arrangement, and a successful separation of the operation regimes was realized by two nested antenna arrays with different patch sizes up to room temperature. At 77 K, the 5.7-μm channel achieved a peak responsivity of 34.6 mA/W and exhibited a detectivity of 2.0×1010 Jones, while the 10.0-μm channel achieved a peak responsivity of 87.5 mA/W, giving a detectivity of 5.0×1010 Jones. Under a polarization modulation of the incident light, the minimum cross talk of the mid-wave and the long-wave operating modes was 1:22.5 and 1:7.6, respectively. This demonstration opens a new prospect for multicolor infrared imaging chip integration technology.
Neurons in the primary visual cortex of freely moving rats encode both sensory and non-sensory task variables
Authors: Zhang Anqi , Zador Anthony M.
Published: December 2023

Neurons in primary visual cortex (area V1) are strongly driven by both sensory stimuli and non-sensory events. However, although the representation of sensory stimuli has been well characterized, much less is known about the representation of non-sensory events. Here, we characterize the specificity and organization of non-sensory representations in rat V1 during a freely moving visual decision task. We find that single neurons encode diverse combinations of task features simultaneously and across task epochs. Despite heterogeneity at the level of single neuron response patterns, both visual and nonvisual task variables could be reliably decoded from small neural populations (5 to 40 units) throughout a trial. Interestingly, in animals trained to make an auditory decision following passive observation of a visual stimulus, some but not all task features could also be decoded from V1 activity. Our results support the view that even in V1—the earliest stage of the cortical hierarchy—bottom-up sensory information may be combined with top-down non-sensory information in a task-dependent manner.
Structural basis for ligand recognition and signaling of the lysophosphatidylserine receptors GPR34 and GPR174
Authors: Liu Guibing , Li Xiu , Wang Yujing , Zhang Xuan , Gong Weimin
Published: December 2023

Lysophosphatidylserine (LysoPS) is a naturally occurring lipid mediator involved in various physiological and pathological processes especially those related to the immune system. GPR34, GPR174, and P2Y10 have been identified as the receptors for LysoPS, and its analogues have been developed as agonists or antagonists for these receptors. However, the lack of structural information hinders the drug development with novel characteristics, such as nonlipid ligands and allosteric modulators. Here, we determined the structures of human GPR34 and GPR174 in complex with LysoPS and G protein by cryo-EM. Combined with structural analysis and functional studies, we elucidated the lipid-binding modes of these receptors. By structural comparison, we identified the structural features of GPR34 and GPR174 in active state. Taken together, our findings provide insights into ligand recognition and signaling of LysoPS receptors and will facilitate the development of novel therapeutics for related inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases.
Deletion of IFT20 exclusively in the RPE ablates primary cilia and leads to retinal degeneration
Authors: Kretschmer Viola , Schneider Sandra , Matthiessen Peter Andreas , Reichert Dominik , Hotaling Nathan , Glasßer Gunnar , Lieberwirth Ingo , Bharti Kapil , De Cegli Rossella , Conte Ivan , Nandrot Emeline F. , May-Simera Helen Louise
Published: December 2023

Vision impairment places a serious burden on the aging society, affecting the lives of millions of people. Many retinal diseases are of genetic origin, of which over 50% are due to mutations in cilia-associated genes. Most research on retinal degeneration has focused on the ciliated photoreceptor cells of the retina. However, the contribution of primary cilia in other ocular cell types has largely been ignored. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer epithelium at the back of the eye intricately associated with photoreceptors and essential for visual function. It is already known that primary cilia in the RPE are critical for its development and maturation; however, it remains unclear whether this affects RPE function and retinal tissue homeostasis. We generated a conditional knockout mouse model, in which IFT20 is exclusively deleted in the RPE, ablating primary cilia. This leads to defective RPE function, followed by photoreceptor degeneration and, ultimately, vision impairment. Transcriptomic analysis offers insights into mechanisms underlying pathogenic changes, which include transcripts related to epithelial homeostasis, the visual cycle, and phagocytosis. Due to the loss of cilia exclusively in the RPE, this mouse model enables us to tease out the functional role of RPE cilia and their contribution to retinal degeneration, providing a powerful tool for basic and translational research in syndromic and non-syndromic retinal degeneration. Non-ciliary mechanisms of IFT20 in the RPE may also contribute to pathogenesis and cannot be excluded, especially considering the increasing evidence of non-ciliary functions of ciliary proteins.
Teneurin-3 regulates the generation of non-image-forming visual circuitry and responsiveness to light in the suprachiasmatic nucleus
Authors: Hunyara John L. , Daly K. M. , Torres Katherine , Yurgel Maria E. , Komal Ruchi , Hattar Samer , Kolodkin Alex L.
Published: December 2023

Visual system function depends upon the elaboration of precise connections between retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons and their central targets in the brain. Though some progress has been made in defining the molecules that regulate RGC connectivity required for the assembly and function of image-forming circuitry, surprisingly little is known about factors required for intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (ipRGCs) to target a principal component of the non-image-forming circuitry: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Furthermore, the molecules required for forming circuits critical for circadian behaviors within the SCN are not known. We observe here that the adhesion molecule teneurin-3 (Tenm3) is highly expressed in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons located in the core region of the SCN. Since Tenm3 is required for other aspects of mammalian visual system development, we investigate roles for Tenm3 in regulating ipRGC-SCN connectivity and function. Our results show that Tenm3 negatively regulates association between VIP and arginine vasopressin (AVP) neurons within the SCN and is essential for M1 ipRGC axon innervation to the SCN. Specifically, in Tenm3-/- mice, we find a reduction in ventro-medial innervation to the SCN. Despite this reduction, Tenm3-/- mice have higher sensitivity to light and faster re-entrainment to phase advances, probably due to the increased association between VIP and AVP neurons. These data show that Tenm3 plays key roles in elaborating non-image-forming visual system circuitry and that it influences murine responses to phase-advancing light stimuli.
FMRP deficiency leads to multifactorial dysregulation of splicing and mislocalization of MBNL1 to the cytoplasm
Authors: Jung Suna , Shah Sneha , Han Geongoo , Richter Joel D.
Published: December 2023

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is often modeled in Fmr1 knockout mice where the RNA-binding protein FMRP is absent. Here, we show that in Fmr1-deficient mice, RNA mis-splicing occurs in several brain regions and peripheral tissues. To assess molecular mechanisms of splicing mis-regulation, we employed N2A cells depleted of Fmr1. In the absence of FMRP, RNA-specific exon skipping events are linked to the splicing factors hnRNPF, PTBP1, and MBNL1. FMRP regulates the translation of Mbnl1 mRNA as well as Mbnl1 RNA auto-splicing. Elevated Mbnl1 auto-splicing in FMRP-deficient cells results in the loss of a nuclear localization signal (NLS)-containing exon. This in turn alters the nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio of MBNL1. This redistribution of MBNL1 isoforms in Fmr1-deficient cells could result in downstream splicing changes in other RNAs. Indeed, further investigation revealed that splicing disruptions resulting from Fmr1 depletion could be rescued by overexpression of nuclear MBNL1. Altered Mbnl1 auto-splicing also occurs in human FXS postmortem brain. These data suggest that FMRP-controlled translation and RNA processing may cascade into a general dys-regulation of splicing in Fmr1-deficient cells.