bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alpha-synuclein aggregates are phosphatase resistant
Authors: Choi S. G. , Tittle T. , Garcia-Prada D. , Kordower J. H. , Melki R. , Killinger B. A.
Published: May 2024

Alpha-synuclein (αsyn) is an intrinsically disordered protein that aggregates in the brain in several neurodegenerative diseases collectively called synucleinopathies. Phosphorylation of αsyn at serine 129 (PSER129) was considered rare in the healthy human brain but is enriched in pathological αsyn aggregates and is used as a specific marker for disease inclusions. However, recent observations challenge this assumption by demonstrating that PSER129 results from neuronal activity and can be readily detected in the non-diseased mammalian brain. Here, we investigated experimental conditions under which two distinct PSER129 pools, namely endogenous-PSER129 and aggregated-PSER129, could be detected and differentiated in the mammalian brain. Results showed that in the wild-type (WT) mouse brain, perfusion fixation conditions greatly influenced the detection of endogenous-PSER129, with endogenous-PSER129 being nearly undetectable after delayed perfusion fixation (30-min and 1-h postmortem interval). Exposure to anesthetics (e.g., Ketamine or xylazine) before perfusion did not significantly influence endogenous-PSER129 detection or levels. In situ, non-specific phosphatase calf alkaline phosphatase (CIAP) selectively dephosphorylated endogenous-PSER129 while αsyn preformed fibril (PFF)-seeded aggregates and genuine disease aggregates (Lewy pathology and Papp–Lantos bodies in Parkinson’s disease and multiple systems atrophy brain, respectively) were resistant to CIAP-mediated dephosphorylation. The phosphatase resistance of aggregates was abolished by sample denaturation, and CIAP-resistant PSER129 was closely associated with proteinase K (PK)-resistant αsyn (i.e., a marker of aggregation). CIAP pretreatment allowed for highly specific detection of seeded αsyn aggregates in a mouse model that accumulates non-aggregated-PSER129. We conclude that αsyn aggregates are impervious to phosphatases, and CIAP pretreatment increases detection specificity for aggregated-PSER129, particularly in well-preserved biological samples (e.g., perfusion fixed or flash-frozen mammalian tissues) where there is a high probability of interference from endogenous-PSER129. Our findings have important implications for the mechanism of PSER129-accumulation in the synucleinopathy brain and provide a simple experimental method to differentiate endogenous-from aggregated PSER129.
Current knowledge about stackable guides: a scoping review
Authors: Lan Romain , Marteau Camille , Mense Chloë , Silvestri Frédéric
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The rise of stereolithographic surgical guides and digital workflow, combined with a better knowledge of materials and loading principle, has enabled the placement of the temporary prosthesis at the time of implant placement. This scoping review aimed to assess the current knowledge available on stackable guides.

Methods

The review focused on fully edentulous or requiring total edentulism patients. The procedure studied was the use of stackable guides for edentulous patients in order to place immediate temporary prostheses. The clinical endpoint was immediate placement of the provisional prosthesis after surgery combined with a prior bone reduction using a stackable guide.

Results

12 case reports or case series articles met inclusion criteria, which did not allow an analysis by a systematic review. The included studies were case reports or case series. Most of the articles showed a base stabilized by 3 or 4 bone-pins, anchored in buccal or lingual part. Regarding the accuracy of bone reduction (ranged from 0.0248 mm to 1.98 mm) and implant placement when compared to planned, only 4 articles reported quantitative data. 11 articles showed an immediate loading with the transitional prosthesis after implant placement.

Conclusions

There are as yet no prospective or comparative studies on the efficiency of this technique. In a reliable way, stackable guides seem to be able to guide the practitioner from the flap elevation to the placement of the temporary screw-retained implant supported prosthesis. Given the lack of studies in this specific field of guided surgery, further studies are needed to confirm the clinical relevance of this technique.

Graphical Abstract
Effect of melatonin on insomnia and daytime sleepiness, in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia (COMISA): A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Motlaq Tahereh Madani , Rahimi Besharat , Amini Shahideh
Published: May 2024

Background

COMISA is a common disorder that results in nighttime awakenings ,daytime sleepiness and PAP intolerance. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is used to improve PAP adherence and no medication has been evaluated in such population yet. Melatonin with its chronobiotic and antioxidant effects may have potential benefits on COMISA consequences at the appropriate dose and time. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of melatonin on sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and PAP Compliance in patients with COMISA.

Methods

This double-blind placebo trial randomly assigned eligible OSA patients who suffered from insomnia despite using PAP for over a month to receive either melatonin 10 mg or placebo. The primary outcomes were measured by changes in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ-10) over one month. Adherence to PAP was measured by the results of the PAP device reports on the average length of time and number of nights that the device was used.

Results

Thirty patients were enrolled in the study after randomization. The melatonin arm showed significant improvement in all four primary outcomes compared to the placebo arm. The PSQI score was 3.836±1.839 in the melatonin arm versus 10.522±3.626 in the placebo arm (Pvalue<0.001). The ISI score was 8.476±3.568 in the melatonin arm versus 14.47±4.50 in the placebo arm (Pvalue<0.001). The ESS score was 6.854±4.334 in the melatonin arm versus 13.298±5.119 in the placebo arm (Pvalue<0.001). The FOSQ-10 score was 24.93±5.02 in the melatonin arm versus 19.87±4.24 in the placebo arm (Pvalue= 0.006). Additionally, nighttime consequences such as sleep latency and awakenings showed significant improvement in the melatonin arm. PAP devices results revealed improvement in duration of PAP use overnight. 

Conclusions

Administering melatonin has been shown to improve self-reported sleep quality and PAP adherence in patients with COMISA.

Trial registration

Registration number IRCT20220105053635N1 was issued by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT).
Stage IV renal cell carcinoma achieves pathologic complete response after two ipilimumab plus nivolumab courses despite severe immune-related adverse events: a case report
Authors: Takada Ryo , Fujiwara Miki , Maki Masatoshi , Nomura Naoyuki , Kono Shintaro , Fujita Akira , Masumoto Hiroshi , Takahashi Yoko , Hasegawa Yasuhisa , Tamura Koji
Published: May 2024

Background

Ipilimumab (Ipi) plus nivolumab (Nivo) is the recommended first-line treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This report describes a case where pancreatic metastases disappeared after only two courses of Ipi + Nivo therapy. The primary tumor was cured by surgery, and a pathological Complete Response (pCR) was observed despite multiple serious immune-related Adverse Events (irAEs).

Case presentation

A 54-year-old woman with RCC and pancreatic metastasis at stage IV, diagnosed with intermediate risk according to the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium classification, underwent initiation of Ipi + Nivo therapy. On day 26, she developed hyperthyroidism accompanied by tachycardia, leading to the commencement of metoprolol tartrate treatment. Following the resolution of tachycardia, a second course of Ipi + Nivo therapy was administered on day 50. By day 70, the patient exhibited Grade 3 hepatic dysfunction, followed by the onset of hypothyroidism on day 75, necessitating treatment with steroids and levothyroxine. After positive treatment, a Grade 3 skin disorder emerged on day 87 while tapering steroids, prompting treatment with methylprednisolone (mPSL) pulse therapy. The skin disorder responded to steroids, allowing for tapering. However, on day 113, a recurrence of Grade 3 skin disorder occurred, necessitating another mPSL pulse. The patient responded well to treatment, exhibiting improvement in her condition. On day 131, she presented at the hospital with complaints of respiratory distress, prompting a Computed Tomography (CT) scan that revealed interstitial pneumonia. By day 272, subsequent CT imaging showed the disappearance of pancreatic metastasis and shrinkage of the primary tumor. On day 294, she underwent a laparoscopic left nephrectomy. Pathological analysis confirmed a pCR in the primary tumor, indicating successful eradication of RCC through surgical intervention.

Conclusions

This case report presents a scenario where multiple severe irAEs appeared in a patient, yet metastases disappeared after only two courses of Ipi + Nivo therapy. The patient was ultimately cured by surgery and achieved a pCR. This case highlights that despite the occurrence of severe irAEs during RCC treatment with Ipi + Nivo therapy, they can be managed appropriately to maximize the therapeutic effects of checkpoint inhibitors.
Patient interpretations of patient-reported outcome measures to assess bowel urgency: qualitative interviews in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Jairath Vipul , Gibble Theresa Hunter , Moses Richard , Klooster Brittany , Litcher-Kelly Leighann , Walker Marisa , Bernstein Madison C , Rupinski Kaelyn , McLafferty Megan , Travis Simon , Dubinsky Marla
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Bowel urgency is an impactful core symptom of ulcerative colitis (UC). Patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires have been developed and used to assess the patient experience of this important symptom. The objective of this paper is to present evidence from qualitative research conducted to support the use and interpretation of select PRO questionnaires to assess bowel urgency related to the UC patient experience.

Methods

Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten adults with a clinician-confirmed diagnosis of moderately to severely active UC. Interviews aimed to document patient interpretation of modified recall periods for the Urgency Numeric Rating Scale (Urgency NRS), two global assessments (i.e., the Patient Global Impression of Severity [PGIS] and Patient Global Impression of Change [PGIC]), and four items (Items 11, 16, 23, and 26) of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), and explore the patient perspective of meaningful change on these questionnaires.

Results

Both modified Urgency NRS versions (with 7-day or 3-day recall period) were interpreted as intended by most patients (≥ 88.9%), and slightly more than half of patients (60.0%) reported that the 7-day recall period was more relevant to their bowel urgency experience. Patients reported thinking of bowel urgency (≥ 80.0%) or bowel urgency-related accidents (70.0% of patients) when interpreting the global assessments and IBDQ items. Most patients reported a 1- to 3-point change as the smallest meaningful improvement that would be meaningful on the Urgency NRS (similar to findings on other questionnaires).

Conclusion

Adults with UC can understand and respond to the Urgency NRS with modified recall periods (i.e., 7-day or 3-day), interpret the conceptual content of the PGIS, PGIC, and select IBDQ items to be inclusive of bowel urgency and bowel urgency-related accidents, and select answers representing meaningful improvements on the Urgency NRS, PGIS, PGIC, and IBDQ item response scales. These results further contribute patient-centered data to existing UC and bowel urgency research.
The effect of cannabis edibles on driving and blood THC
Authors: Zhao S , Brands B , Kaduri P , Wickens C.M , Hasan O.S.M , Chen S , Le Foll B , Di Ciano P
Published: May 2024

Background

Cannabis has been shown to impact driving due to changes produced by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis. Current legal thresholds for blood THC while driving are based predominantly on evidence utilizing smoked cannabis. It is known that levels of THC in blood are lower after eating cannabis as compared to smoking yet the impact of edibles on driving and associated blood THC has never been studied.

Methods

Participants drove a driving simulator before and after ingesting their preferred legally purchased cannabis edible. In a counterbalanced control session, participants did not consume any THC or cannabidiol (CBD). Blood was collected for measurement of THC and metabolites as well as CBD. Subjective experience was also assessed.

Results

Participants consumed edibles with, on average, 7.3 mg of THC, which is less than the maximum amount available in a single retail package in Ontario, providing an ecologically valid test of cannabis edibles. Compared to control, cannabis edibles produced a decrease in mean speed 2 h after consumption but not at 4 and 6 h. Under dual task conditions in which participants completed a secondary task while driving, changes in speed were not significant after the correction for multiple comparison. No changes in standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP; ‘weaving’), maximum speed, standard deviation of speed or reaction time were found at any time point or under either standard or dual task conditions. Mean THC levels were significantly increased, relative to control, after consuming the edible but remained relatively low at approximately 2.8 ng/mL 2 h after consumption. Driving impairment was not correlated with blood THC. Subjective experience was altered for 7 h and participants were less willing/able to drive for up to 6 h, suggesting that the edible was intoxicating.

Interpretation

This is the first study of the impact of cannabis edibles on simulated driving. Edibles were intoxicating as revealed by the results of subjective assessments (VAS), and there was some impact on driving. Detection of driving impairment after the use of cannabis edibles may be difficult.
Clearing techniques for deeper imaging of plants and plant–microbe interactions
Authors: Kim Ki Woo
Published: May 2024

Plant cells are uniquely characterized by exhibiting cell walls, pigments, and phenolic compounds, which can impede microscopic observations by absorbing and scattering light. The concept of clearing was first proposed in the late nineteenth century to address this issue, aiming to render plant specimens transparent using chloral hydrate. Clearing techniques involve chemical procedures that render biological specimens transparent, enabling deep imaging without physical sectioning. Drawing inspiration from clearing techniques for animal specimens, various protocols have been adapted for plant research. These procedures include (i) hydrophobic methods (e.g., Visikol™), (ii) hydrophilic methods (ScaleP and ClearSee), and (iii) hydrogel-based methods (PEA-CLARITY). Initially, clearing techniques for plants were mainly utilized for deep imaging of seeds and leaves of herbaceous plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and rice. Utilizing cell wall-specific fluorescent dyes for plants and fungi, researchers have documented the post-penetration behavior of plant pathogenic fungi within hosts. State-of-the-art plant clearing techniques, coupled with microbe-specific labeling and high-throughput imaging methods, offer the potential to advance the in planta characterization of plant microbiomes.
Recurrent hyponatremia in neonate: a case of renal salt wasting syndrome
Authors: Maryam Innama , Mazahir Rufaida , Khanam Afreen , Firdaus Uzma , Ali Syed Manazir
Published: May 2024

Background

Renal salt wasting (RSW) is primarily seen with central nervous disorders and is characterized by hyponatremia, elevated urinary sodium excretion, increased urine output, and hypovolemia. Although there have been reports of RSW in children, it has not been reported in newborns.

Case presentation

A term (38 weeks 2 days) female weighing 2060 g, born via normal vaginal delivery, to a primi-gravida mother, was admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit. At birth, the baby was non-vigorous, had aspirated meconium, and required bag-and-mask ventilation following which the baby cried. The child was put on CPAP and inotropes for respiratory distress and shock, respectively, along with first-line antibiotics. Over the next few days, the child was weaned off CPAP, inotropes were stopped, and feeds were started. On postnatal day (PND) 8, the baby developed repeated episodes of seizures requiring two-antiepileptics followed by midazolam infusion, had shock requiring inotropes, and also had a tense anterior fontanelle with altered sensorium and tone changes, for which mannitol and 3% saline were given. Antibiotics were upgraded, and neuroimaging (MRI) revealed left basal-ganglia bleed with intraventricular extension and cerebral venous thrombosis. The baby showed gradual clinical improvement with the above measures and was restarted on feeds. However, from PND-19 onwards the baby had repeated episodes of hyponatremia requiring 3% saline infusions, progressive weight loss, and polyuria. Considering RSW, urine sodium was done which was high (110 mmol/L). For polyuria and weight loss, feed volume was increased, whereas, for hyponatremia, table salt was added to the expressed breast milk (1 gm × tds). Subsequently, all the serum sodium values remained within normal limits, and the baby started gaining weight and was discharged on similar advice (PND 38). On further follow-up, table salt was gradually decreased in the feeds and was stopped after 1 month of discharge with normal serum sodium values.

Conclusion

Management of recurrent hyponatremia in a neonate is challenging. Despite its rarity, RSW in newborns should be considered a differential.
Efficient magnetic forward modeling for strongly magnetized bodies: An iterative integral equation approach
Authors: Yin Xianzhe , Yao Changli , Zheng Yuanman , Xu Wenqiang
Published: May 2024

Magnetic surveying encounters challenges in high-precision detection and inversion on strongly magnetized bodies. Nonuniform magnetization caused by self-demagnetization and mutual magnetization makes magnetic field calculation using analytical formulas impractical. The previous discrete numerical methods have suffered from computational inefficiency or low accuracy. To resolve this issue, we develop an algorithm to solve the magnetic field integral equation for calculating the magnetization state of high-susceptibility bodies, combining the improved spatial convolution forward approach with the adaptive relaxation iteration method. To address the excessive computational burden in the magnetization field between 3D voxel arrays of the discrete model, we construct the circular convolution kernel matrix directly when the subsurface space is divided with an equidistant grid, significantly reducing redundant computations. Then, the fast Fourier transform is used to accelerate the forward discrete circular convolution operation. In addition, we derive an iterative computation scheme that adaptively adjusts the relaxation factor based on magnetic field changes to correct the effective magnetization for algorithm convergence. From a pragmatic perspective, equating the cuboid to equal-volume sphere subdivisions is developed to enhance computational efficiency further by approximately 50% despite sacrificing slight accuracy. The sphere and spherical shell models validate the algorithm accuracy, efficiency, and convergence. Furthermore, we analyze the characteristics of the mutual magnetization effect among magnetic bodies under different magnetization conditions. Finally, the applicability of the algorithm is demonstrated with a realistic example. Our algorithm shows promise for precisely exploring highly magnetized minerals, underground pipelines, and unexploded ordnance.
Erratum: Effect of continuously variable material parameters on dynamic stability of viscoelastic dielectric elastomers
Authors: Zhang Junshi , Liu Lei
Published: May 2024

Original article:
EPL, 141 (2023) 16003.
Tumor-Induced Osteomalacia due to Sarcomatoid Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Confounded by Drug-Induced Fanconi Syndrome
Authors: AlHamer Bassam , Singh Ajit , Patrascu Carmen , Al Mukaddam Mona
Published: May 2024

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is an exceedingly rare paraneoplastic condition characterized by hypophosphatemia, osteomalacia, fragility fractures, and fatigue. A 39-year-old man was assessed for hemoptysis, pathological rib fractures, and fatigue, and was found to have a chest mass with lung metastasis. Biopsy of the mass suggested high-grade epithelioid and spindle cell neoplasm. He was initially treated for soft tissue sarcoma with an ifosfamide-based regimen and developed Fanconi syndrome that resolved on cessation of ifosfamide. Serum phosphate remained low. A low tubular maximum reabsorption of phosphate to glomerular filtration rate ratio (TmP/GFR) indicated disproportionate phosphaturia, while a severely elevated fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) level enabled a diagnosis of TIO. He was started on phosphate and calcitriol supplementation. Subsequent next-generation sequencing demonstrated a RET-fusion mutation, leading to reclassification of his malignancy to a sarcomatoid non–small cell lung carcinoma. He was switched to selpercatinib, a targeted RET-kinase inhibitor approved for locally advanced or metastatic RET-fusion–positive solid tumors. This induced tumor remission with subsequent normalization of his FGF23 levels and hypophosphatemia. Despite the presence of a confounding etiology like drug-induced Fanconi syndrome, persistence of hypophosphatemia should prompt a workup of TIO, especially in the presence of a tumor.
Remembering the Commune: Celebrations in Britain and the United States
Authors: Landrigan Aloysius
Published: May 2024

The Paris Commune led to annual celebrations from the labor movement across the globe. This article focuses on those in Britain and the United States from 1871 to the end of the century, exploring how the event's interpretation and function within a community has fluctuated over this period. It discusses the internationalism present in demonstrations as people shed their national identity and joined an internationalist community in celebration each year. It analyzes how the labor movement in each country responded to perceived threats from outside their community in the wake of the Haymarket Affair. It also demonstrates that the Commune was a palimpsest, an event that could be reinterpreted each year to express whatever ideals the movement needed. It was a call to reform and revolution, to hope and despair, and to past and future. The article's analysis of British and American Commune celebrations reveals a rich and evolving community that emphasized internationalism and oppression during a turbulent period.
Male germ cell-associated kinase is required for axoneme formation during ciliogenesis in zebrafish photoreceptors
Authors: Chiang Hung-Ju , Nishiwaki Yuko , Chiang Wei-Chieh , Masai Ichiro
Published: May 2024

Vertebrate photoreceptors are highly specialized retinal neurons that have cilium-derived membrane organelles called outer segments, which function as platforms for phototransduction. Male germ cell-associated kinase (MAK) is a cilium-associated serine/threonine kinase, and its genetic mutation causes photoreceptor degeneration in mice and retinitis pigmentosa in humans. However, the role of MAK in photoreceptors is not fully understood. Here, we report that zebrafish mak mutants show rapid photoreceptor degeneration during embryonic development. In mak mutants, both cone and rod photoreceptors completely lacked outer segments and underwent apoptosis. Interestingly, zebrafish mak mutants failed to generate axonemes during photoreceptor ciliogenesis, whereas basal bodies were specified. These data suggest that Mak contributes to axoneme development in zebrafish, in contrast to mouse Mak mutants, which have elongated photoreceptor axonemes. Furthermore, the kinase activity of Mak was found to be critical in ciliary axoneme development and photoreceptor survival. Thus, Mak is required for ciliogenesis and outer segment formation in zebrafish photoreceptors to ensure intracellular protein transport and photoreceptor survival.
Analysis of serves of the Estonian national volleyball team in the final tournament of the European Championship 2021 and comparison with the final tournament of the European Championship 2019
Authors: Stamm Raini , Stamm Meelis , Pitk Mark Kristjan
Published: May 2024

The aim of this study was to compare the tactics and proficiency of the Estonian men team’s games in the finals of the European Championships in 2019 and 2021. A total of ten games were analysed (five games of the 2019 tournament and five games of the 2021 tournament). The data were collected by video analysis and were entered into the Excel program where further analysis was performed. Additional statistical data processing was performed using the chi-squared test. A difference was revealed between the tournaments in using serve types. While in the in the tournament of 2021, more jump power serves were used compared to the tournament of 2019, in 2019 more jump float serves were used compared to the tournament of 2021. In terms of jump power serves, the team was more proficient in the tournament of 2021 and in jump float serves in the tournament of 2019. Although the use of rapidly falling power serves was the lowest in both tournaments, the results of the study showed that the use of rapidly falling power serves proved successful in both tournaments in terms of aces.
In the tournament of 2019, the highest number of serves were delivered from zone 9 and in the tournament of 2021 from zone 6. In 2021, the use of different zones was more varied than in 2019 when most serves were played from zone 9. In the 2021 tournament, the percentage of both jump power serves and jump float serves towards the middle zones was higher than in the tournament of 2019. The percentage of positive jump float serves delivered towards both middle and back zones was higher in the tournament of 2019 than in the tournament of 2021. The jump power serves performed in 2021 were more proficient than in the tournament of 2019. The percentage of points gained after positive serves was higher in the tournament of 2021 than in the tournament of 2019. In both tournaments, most serves were directed towards the players. Although the percentage of serves directed between the players and towards the outlines was low in both years, the study found that the serves directed to these parts of the court were more difficult for the opponents to receive than the serves directed towards the players.
EFFECT OF VARIOUS STRAW/MANURE RATIOS IN SYSTEMS WITH EARTHWORMS Eisenia fetida ON LETTUCE GROWTH PARAMETERS AND SUBSTRATE QUALITY
Authors: Zyubanova Tatyana I. , Minaeva Oksana M. , Akimova Elena E. , Kirillova Marina E. , Akimova Elena E.
Published: May 2024

Background. At present, there is an increase in demand for natural agricultural products, which is contributing to the development of plant production in artificial ecosystems that function according to the principles of natural cenoses, with a certain flexibility to emerging stresses. Organic wastes can be incorporated into biosphere-like system compositions in the presence of decomposers, which include earthworms that increase the productivity, environmental sustainability, and self-regulating capacity of agroecosystems.
Purpose. The purpose of our research was to investigate the effect of wheat straw/ cattle manure ratios in model systems with peat substrate and earthworms on lettuce productivity and vegetative growth parameters, chemical composition of plants and substrates, as well as worm population.
Materials and methods. In laboratory experiments, we evaluated the effect of applying organic wastes (various wheat straw/cattle manure ratios) to peat substrate with introduced earthworms (Eisenia fetida) (10 individuals/800 g substrate) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa Credo cultivar lettuce plants). At the experiment’s end, each plant’s height, leaf area, aboveground biomass (fresh and dry), and photosynthetic pigment content were measured; chemical analysis of substrates and plant mass was carried out; worm adaptive capacity was evaluated according to morphofunctional characteristics; worm fecundity and coprolite output were calculated; the number of bacteria and micromycetes was counted, and Azotobacter activity was estimated. All experiments were performed in three independent biological replicates. Statistical analysis was performed using the application package Statistica 10.0 (StatSoft, USA).
Results. Incorporating of various straw/manure ratios into the substrate enhanced the productivity of lettuce plants: the edible surface area, plant weight and photosynthetic pigment content increased. This also contributed to a significant change in the content of mobile forms of major nutrients in the substrate, as well as to a significant reduction in total nitrogen in plant tissues, and the accumulation of phosphorus and potassium. The addition of wheat straw and manure increased worm reproductive performance and coprolite output.
Conclusions. The possibility of obtaining plant crop and earthworm biomass in an artificial ecosystem with various straw/ manure ratios in a peat substrate is shown.
Funding. The work was carried out within the State Assignment of the Siberian Federal Scientific Center of Agrobiotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences FNUU-2021-0005.
KETCH: A Knowledge-Enhanced Transformer-Based Approach to Suicidal Ideation Detection from Social Media Content
Authors: Zhang Dongsong , Zhou Lina , Tao Jie , Zhu Tingshao , Gao Guodong (Gordon)
Published: May 2024

Suicide is a major cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds globally, claiming more than 50,000 lives in the United States in 2023 alone. Despite governmental efforts to provide support, many individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts do not seek help but are increasingly turning to social media to express their feelings. This trend offers a critical opportunity for timely detection and intervention of suicidal ideation. We develop an innovative transformer-based model for suicidal ideation detection (SID) that combines domain knowledge with dynamic embedding and lexicon-based enhancements. Our model, which is tested on social media data in two languages from different platforms, outperforms existing state-of-the-art models for SID. We have also explored its applicability to detecting depression and its practical implementation in real-world scenarios. Our research contributes significantly to the field, offering new methods for timely and proactive intervention in suicidal ideation, with potential wide-reaching effects on public health, economics, and society. Methodologically, our approach advances the integration of human expertise into AI models to enhance their effectiveness.
Effective Adaptive Exploration of Prices and Promotions in Choice-Based Demand Models
Authors: Jain Lalit , Li Zhaoqi , Loghmani Erfan , Mason Blake , Yoganarasimhan Hema
Published: May 2024

We consider the problem of setting the optimal prices and promotions for a large number of products when the firm lacks demand information using adaptive experimentation.
In Dire Straits: The Baltic States between Mainland China and Taiwan
Authors: Lust Aleksander
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Since 2020, the Baltic states have distanced themselves from mainland China. However, one country—Lithuania—has also developed close ties with Taiwan, including the opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office, the first in the European Union (EU). In response, China has downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania and imposed unofficial but sweeping economic sanctions. Why would a small Baltic country challenge a great power in Asia, where it has no obvious interests? Drawing on theories of international relations and based on original research, I argue that there are three reasons for Lithuania's seemingly irrational behavior. First, the Baltic states depend on the United States for protection against Russia. However, Lithuania lacks a useful niche, such as cybersecurity for Estonia and logistics for Lat-via. As a substitute, it has sided with the United States in the conflict with China. Second, the Baltic region has benefited little from economic cooperation with China. Therefore, Lithuania leaped at Taiwan's promise of US$1.2 billion in investments and credits for high-tech industries. Third, Lithuania is the only Baltic country with a long history of independent statehood. As a result, it supports other peoples who seek to decide their own fate and—not always consistently—believes it should spread its values "from Belarus to Taiwan."
Polarization-controlled high-efficiency meta-couplers for coupling free-space light into subwavelength on-chip terahertz plasmonic devices
Authors: Wang Zehua , Li Yanfeng , Zhang Chunli , Ma Xinyu , Niu Li , Liu Chunyu , Xu Quan , Han Jiaguang
Published: May 2024

Efficiently converting incident free-space light into surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs)
and improving the integration of on-chip plasmonic devices in the
terahertz regime remain great challenges. Here, a single ultra-compact
device is proposed to efficiently couple propagating waves into
on-chip terahertz plasmonic waveguides. We first design a
high-efficiency meta-coupler composed of isotropic meta-atoms with an
absolute excitation efficiency of 82%. This scheme is further extended
using anisotropic meta-atoms to realize another meta-coupler that can
efficiently couple orthogonal linearly polarized light into SPPs
propagating in orthogonal directions. Next, we use the same
anisotropic meta-atoms to efficiently convert free-space light into an
SPP beam and then focus the beam to a spot (with a focusing efficiency
of approximately 59%), which is then fed into a subwavelength on-chip
plasmonic waveguide with an absolute working efficiency of 53%.
Finally, a meta-coupler is constructed that can achieve
polarization-controlled unidirectional SPP excitation with a focused
wavefront in different directions and squeeze the focused SPPs into a
dual-waveguide system. Our design scheme that can efficiently couple
propagating light into SPPs has potential applications in on-chip
devices in the terahertz regime.
Magnification of a multi-focus infinity corrected microscope
Authors: Dobek Krzysztof
Published: May 2024

The problem of image magnification in a bright field multi-focus imaging microscope is discussed. Such microscope allows simultaneous observation of two objects axially separated by a distance that exceeds the depth-of-field of the microscope, so-called multi-planar imaging. It is shown that the tunable lens required for operation of the microscope can be used in constant magnification imaging in the single focus regime, but not in multi-focus. Additionally, it is presented that the microscope allows for multi-planar imaging with satisfactory quality with a selected magnification of the image of one of the two objects. While the microscope uses a thermal lens as the tunable lens, the scheme of the optical setup needed to achieve the desired operation of the microscope is universal and applies to all kinds of tunable lenses used in microscopy.
Draw-tower-grating-based Fabry-Perot interferometers for simultaneous measurements of temperature and salinity
Authors: Pan Zhen , Liu Hanjie , Wang Lixiong , Li Yuan , Xu Biao , Fan Dian , Zhou Ciming
Published: May 2024

In this paper, a fiber optic sensor with draw-tower-grating (DTG)-based Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) are proposed to measure the temperature and salinity of seawater simultaneously. The sensing structure utilizes DTG as the reflector, and two adjacent gratings can be cascaded to compose an FPI. By employing moisture-sensitive materials to the surface of the optical fiber, the variation in salinity can be measured by the axial strain applied by the coating on the sensing optical fiber. The salinity altering causes swelling or shrinking actions of the coating through absorbing or releasing water. Two different moisture-sensitive materials are chosen to eliminate the cross-sensitivity of temperature and salinity. The experimental results show that the sensor exhibits linear response to temperature and salinity changes with good repeatability and stability, and the temperature and salinity sensitivities are 12308.65 rad/°C and 95.02 rad/‰, respectively. The optical path configuration of the DTG sensing array matching compensation interferometer provides the possibility for efficient distributed solutions, which has promising potential for application in marine engineering.
High-speed lateral scanning white-light phase shift interferometry
Authors: Im Jaeseung , Ahn Byoung-Woon , Jo Ah-Jin , Choi Soobong , Ahn Jae Sung
Published: May 2024

In this study, we present lateral scanning white light interferometry (LS-WLI), where phase-shifting algorithms are applied to inspect the topography of a large field of view (FOV) with high-speed measurements. At a point, the interference signal must be acquired with a specific condition to adapt the phase-shifting algorithm. This means that all points have two points, of which the phase difference is π/2, when the number of points acquired in a phase period is multiple of 4, despite increasing the data points in a period. Consequently, stretching the fringe spacing in LS-WLI facilitates the application of phase-shift techniques, thereby enhancing stage speed, even with a fixed camera speed. Using the proposed method, we can successfully obtain a laterally expended topographic image as 5.25 mm × 1.25 mm, where the step height of the microstructure is 140 nm.
First-order optical coherence of photonic-dimer coherent states
Authors: Liu Qihang , Shen Jung-Tsung
Published: May 2024

Photon–photon correlations assume a pivotal significance in optical coherence. Recently, a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of quantum photonic states, the coherent state of photonic dimers, has been introduced, wherein the fundamental building blocks are two-photon bound states, instead of individual photons as in conventional lasers. In this Letter, we investigate the first-order coherence properties of the photonic-dimer coherent states, as well as the interference patterns in a double-slit interferometer setup, and compare with the coherence properties of other optical light sources, e.g., the conventional laser and the thermal light.
Optimized equalization based on MAP detection for C-band bandwidth-limited IM/DD systems
Authors: Huang Xiaoqian , Xie Fei , Liu Shuangyue , Xu Hengying , Bai Chenglin , Qiao Yaojun
Published: May 2024

Entangled dynamic and deterministic inter-symbol interferences (ISIs) induced by complicated channel impairments, limit the transmission capacity of intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD) systems. This Letter proposes a colored noise-suppressed channel shortening filter (CNS-CSF)-enabled maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation (CNS-CSF-MAP) scheme to disentangle and mitigate deterministic and dynamic ISIs, where the CNS-CSF is deployed to perform the optimized dynamic ISI equalization with equalization-enhanced noise suppression, and the subsequent MAP algorithm is used to eliminate the residual deterministic ISI. The performance of the CNS-CSF-MAP scheme is evaluated and demonstrated in a C-band 61-Gb/s 100-km optical on–off keying (OOK) IM/DD system. The experimental results show that the proposed CNS-CSF-MAP scheme reaches the 20% and 7% forward error correction (FEC) thresholds at received optical powers (ROPs) of −6.6 dBm and −4 dBm, achieving 0.5- and 1.5-dB gains over a conventional post-filter-enabled MAP (PF-MAP) scheme.
Wide-mode-area slow light waveguides in valley photonic crystal heterostructures
Authors: Zhang Chengkun , Ota Yasutomo , Iwamoto Satoshi
Published: May 2024

We designed slow-light waveguides with a wide mode area based on slab-type valley photonic crystal (VPhC) heterostructures which are composed of a graphene-like PhC sandwiched by two topologically distinct VPhCs. The group velocity of the topological guided mode hosted in a VPhC heterostructure can be slowed down by shifting the VPhC lattice toward the graphene-like PhC at the domain interfaces. Simultaneously, the mode width of the slow-light topological guided mode can be widened by increasing the size of the graphene-like PhC domain. We found that employing the graphene-like structure at the center domain is crucial for realizing a topological single-guided mode in such heterostructures. Furthermore, the impact of random fluctuations in air-hole size in the graphene-like domain was numerically investigated. Our simulation results demonstrate that the transmittance for the slow-light states can be kept high as far as the size fluctuation is small although it drops faster than that for fast-light states when the disorder level increases. The designed wide-mode-area slow-light waveguides are based on hole-based PhCs, offering novel on-chip applications of topological waveguides.
Joint-detection learning for optical communication at the quantum limit
Authors: Rosati Matteo , Solana Albert
Published: May 2024

Optical communication technology can be enhanced by using quantum
signals to transfer classical bits. This requires the message-carrying
signals to interact coherently at the decoder via a joint-detection
receiver (JDR). To date, the realization of a JDR using optical
technologies has remained elusive: the only explicit design, called a
Green–Hadamard receiver (GHR), increases distinguishability at the
cost of reducing the code size. We introduce a supervised-learning
framework for the systematic discovery of optical JDR designs based on
parametrized photonic integrated circuits. We find JDR designs with
higher decoding success probability than any single-symbol receiver,
including homodyne, Kennedy, and Dolinar. Furthermore, our new
receiver families surpass the GHR receiver for mean photon number
>0.1, both in terms of code size and decoding probability, paving
the way for practical applications of JDR in optical fiber networks
and free-space.
Dynamic optical tweezers for metallic particle manipulation via tunable plasmonic fields
Authors: Wang Ying , Wei Shibiao , Ju Zhendong , Min Changjun , Somekh Michael , Yuan Xiaocong
Published: May 2024

Optical trapping has revolutionized various scientific disciplines with its non-invasive, high-resolution manipulation capabilities. However, conventional optical tweezers face limitations in effectively manipulating metallic particles due to their high reflectivity and associated scattering forces. Plasmonic tweezers, harnessing surface plasmons in metallic nanostructures, offer a promising solution by confining light to deep subwavelength scales and enhancing optical forces. However, dynamically manipulating metallic particles with plasmonic tweezers without mechanical adjustments remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we propose a novel approach utilizing dynamic optical tweezers with tunable plasmonic fields for metallic particle manipulation. By dynamically tailoring plasmonic fields with holograms, metallic particles can be manipulated without mechanical adjustments. Finite-difference time-domain simulations and Maxwell stress tensor calculations demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique, which offers simplicity, precision, and motionlessness in metallic particle manipulation. This advancement holds promise for applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering, biosensing, super-resolved detection, and nanoparticle assembly, opening new avenues in plasmonic tweezers technology.
Der Forschungsschwerpunkt Cloud-basierte Energienetze
Authors: Speith Leon Otis , Hericks Christoph , Mirsafian Seyed Saeed , Kiel Martin , Füg Torsten , Rajamani Vinod , Rosefort Yves , Thoben Markus
Published: May 2024

Eine der größten Herausforderungen der heutigen Zeit ist die nachhaltige und zugleich sichere Versorgung mit Energie. Die unter dem Stichwort Energiewende zusammengefassten Handlungsfelder sind dabei vielfältig und interdisziplinär. Häufig werden in diesem Kontext einzelne Technologien in den Fokus gerückt und deren Vorzüge als „Game-Changer“ angepriesen. Die Komplexität des Themas lässt dabei häufig die Sicht auf das gesamte System außer acht.

Aus dieser Motivation heraus wurde der Forschungsschwerpunkt Cloud-basierte Energienetze an der Fachhochschule Dortmund (2024) geschaffen.

Dieser Artikel beschreibt neben den beteiligten Laboren und Forschern die Beweggründe für das Projekt, die geplanten Projektziele sowie erste Ansätze für die notwendige Infrastruktur, die für diesen Forschungsschwerpunkt an der Fachhochschule Dortmund geschaffen wird.
Negation mitigates rather than inverts the neural representations of adjectives
Authors: Zuanazzi Arianna , Ripollés Pablo , Lin Wy Ming , Gwilliams Laura , King Jean-Rémi , Poeppel David
Published: May 2024

Combinatoric linguistic operations underpin human language processes, but how meaning is composed and refined in the mind of the reader is not well understood. We address this puzzle by exploiting the ubiquitous function of negation. We track the online effects of negation (“not”) and intensifiers (“really”) on the representation of scalar adjectives (e.g., “good”) in parametrically designed behavioral and neurophysiological (MEG) experiments. The behavioral data show that participants first interpret negated adjectives as affirmative and later modify their interpretation towards, but never exactly as, the opposite meaning. Decoding analyses of neural activity further reveal significant above chance decoding accuracy for negated adjectives within 600 ms from adjective onset, suggesting that negation does not invert the representation of adjectives (i.e., “not bad” represented as “good”); furthermore, decoding accuracy for negated adjectives is found to be significantly lower than that for affirmative adjectives. Overall, these results suggest that negation mitigates rather than inverts the neural representations of adjectives. This putative suppression mechanism of negation is supported by increased synchronization of beta-band neural activity in sensorimotor areas. The analysis of negation provides a steppingstone to understand how the human brain represents changes of meaning over time.