bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What do we know about body dysmorphic disorder - Review of current knowledge
Authors: Brożyna Aleksandra , Bydliński Arkadiusz , Kwiatkowska Anita , Emerla Sara , Małek Natalia , Karłowicz Konrad , Ciulkiewicz Łukasz , Pluta Patryk , Lubomirska Julia , Figurowska Patrycja , Hermanowska Maria
Published: May 2024

Introduction
Body dysmorphic disorder, also known as dysmorphophobia, is a severe psychiatric disorder characterized by DSM-V as preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance, that are not observable or appear slight to others. BDD can cause significant distress or impairment in social and occupational areas of life. It is often comorbid with other psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder. Current ways of treatment include a combination of pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. 
Aim of the study
To summarize current knowledge of body dysmorphic disorder, its pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, outline possible areas for further research, and raise the awareness of the disorder. 
Material and methods 
The review was based on the PubMed database and was carried out using keywords to determine the latest publications.
Summary
Body dysmorphic disorder is a relatively common and severe condition that greatly diminishes patients' quality of life. While helpful diagnostic tools exist, BDD diagnosis remains relatively uncommon, posing challenges for patients to receive adequate treatment and continuing their suffering. Despite identifying several factors contributing to the disorder, much remains unknown. Many patients do not respond to standard treatment options, highlighting the need for further studies into the disorder's neurobiology, causes, and alternate treatment approaches to achieve a deeper comprehension of BDD as the number of new cases increases every year.
Análisis del sector de las plataformas de video bajo demanda (vod) en España: reestructuración y estrategias
Authors: Pérez-Rufí José Patricio , Cruz-Elvira Andrea , Aragón-Manchado Alba
Published: May 2024

El objeto de estudio de esta investigación es la situación de las plataformas de video bajo demanda (vod) en el mercado español. El objetivo principal de la investigación es analizar la regulación y las estrategias de las plataformas de video bajo demanda con mayor número de clientes en España en 2023, tras los importantes cambios en el sector introducidos en 2022. La hipótesis principal es que la intervención de la regulación europea y española en el mercado de las plataformas de video bajo demanda no evita el desarrollo de las dinámicas propias de un mercado liberalizado y muy activo. Este trabajo se desarrolla en el marco de la economía política de la comunicación, a partir de un análisis estructural simple basado en la revisión documental desde tres categorías de agentes del mercado audiovisual: gobiernos, empresas y audiencias. Se concluye que el marco regulatorio en materia de televisión online en Europa y en España desde 2022 no condiciona en exceso la actividad de las grandes plataformas internacionales, que operan así en un contexto de liberalización de la oferta. Estas plataformas han implantado sus políticas globales sin atender especialmente a las particularidades del mercado español.
¿Es posible la empatía para la reconciliación? Verdad en medio de la justicia transicional
Authors: Vera Castellanos Ángela Esperanza , Espitia Bohórquez Valery
Published: May 2024

Este estudio tiene como objetivo abordar la importancia de la verdad en el posconflicto, así como realizar un análisis de los alcances que esta ha tenido en diferentes programas de desmovilización. Esto implica también el conocimiento de un proceso de transición que deje atrás la violencia y que, a su vez, conduzca a la correcta reconciliación entre las partes. Este no es un tema ajeno al derecho, sino todo lo contrario, pues el abogado se enfrenta a un contexto de posconflicto en medio de una justicia transicional y tendrá que verse implicado, todo el tiempo, en la búsqueda de una construcción de verdad.
¿Qué le hace falta a la memoria histórica para representar el terror?
Authors: Castro Montealegre María Camila , Garavito Rojas Juliana , Márquez Velásquez María Manuela
Published: May 2024

Para tratar el asunto en el presente texto, en primer lugar, se presenta una breve exposición de los elementos generales del tema, y luego se realiza una exhibición de los conceptos de memoria histórica más relevantes; en segundo lugar, se hace un análisis de las tres masacres objeto de discusión: El Salado, Trujillo y San Onofre; y, en tercer lugar, se plantea una breve discusión del tema fundamentada en posiciones críticas sobre la construcción del concepto de memoria. Finalmente, se exponen algunas críticas frente al debate historiográfico y conclusiones al respecto.
AntropoCon: plataforma online colaborativa de difusión antropológica
Authors: F. Hau Mark , Reig Canyelles Júlia
Published: May 2024

En este capítulo nos enfocamos en el uso del blog como medio de difusión de conocimiento antropológico entre estudiantes y profesionales de la disciplina. Para ello, utilizamos nuestro propio blog como ejemplo, AntropoCon.
Tecnologías clave para la transformación digital en las organizaciones
Authors: Sanabria Mauricio , Méndez-Romero Rafael Alberto
Published: May 2024

En función de lo anterior, este capítulo se ha estructurado en seis apartados básicos. Los cinco iniciales abordan la primera mitad de las tecnologías presentadas en la figura 2.1, al considerarlas como las más generales y de mayor difusión y aplicación. En cada uno de ellos, se da cuenta del concepto básico, el desarrollo general y las principales aplicaciones y potencialidades de la tecnología en cuestión. Por su parte, el sexto y último apartado presenta de manera sintética el conjunto de las cinco tecnologías restantes, las cuales se han reunido al considerarlas como de carácter más particular y concreto.
Markov Decision Processes with Observation Costs: Framework and Computation with a Penalty Scheme
Authors: Reisinger Christoph , Tam Jonathan
Published: May 2024

We consider Markov decision processes where the state of the chain is only given at chosen observation times and of a cost. Optimal strategies involve the optimization of observation times as well as the subsequent action values. We consider the finite horizon and discounted infinite horizon problems as well as an extension with parameter uncertainty. By including the time elapsed from observations as part of the augmented Markov system, the value function satisfies a system of quasivariational inequalities (QVIs). Such a class of QVIs can be seen as an extension to the interconnected obstacle problem. We prove a comparison principle for this class of QVIs, which implies the uniqueness of solutions to our proposed problem. Penalty methods are then utilized to obtain arbitrarily accurate solutions. Finally, we perform numerical experiments on three applications that illustrate our framework.

Funding: J. Tam is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [Grant 2269738].
Evaluation of Patients Complaining of Staring Spells: Single Center Experience
Authors: Ozbudak Pınar , Menderes Deniz , Üstün Canan , Öncel Elif Perihan , Yüksel Deniz
Published: May 2024

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the demographic characteristics, spell semiology, and electroencephalographic characteristics of children with a complaint of staring spells and determine the factors that differentiate epileptic and non-epileptic etiology.

Material and Methods: Fifty-six patients were included retrospectively between October 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023. The patients’ age, gender, co-morbidities, and other characteristics of the staring spells (duration, frequency, automatism, and presence of post-attack symptoms), access time to the pediatric neurologist, referring unit and access time to the final diagnosis were also recorded. Electroencephalography (EEG) was performed on all patients.

Results: Fifty-six patients were divided into two according to epileptic and non-epileptic etiology. Thirty-three patients (59%) were diagnosed with non-epileptic staring spells, 15 (26.7%) were diagnosed with generalized epilepsy, and 8 (14.3%) were diagnosed with focal epilepsy. The non-epileptic group had a longer spell time and spell frequency, the presence of verbal stimulation response, and no post-attack symptoms (p<0.001). The access time to the pediatric neurologist was detected as 5.5 days, and the access time to the final diagnosis was 6.6 days. EEG was diagnostic in 100% of the epileptic group. Most of the patients were referred by pediatricians and family physicians (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Identifying the cause of staring spells is crucial for further follow-up. In this study, we emphasized that history and routine EEG are important to determine the etiology. It has been observed that access time to pediatric neurologists and final diagnosis are shorter in our country compared to the literature. It can be concluded that pediatricians and family physicians have a high awareness of staring spells.
Implementing a closed system drug transfer device to enable nurses to prepare monoclonal antibody treatment
Authors: Boodhoo Asswade
Published: May 2024

Background:

Efforts to increase capacity for oncology treatment in the author's Chemotherapy Day Unit, while allowing staff to treat more patients and offer more flexibility to patients, increased strain on the Aseptic Pharmacy at the author's Trust. Therefore, the possibility of nurse-led drug preparation was explored.

Aims:

Nurse-led monoclonal antibody (MAb) preparation was piloted to investigate whether a reduction in reliance on Aseptic Pharmacy could co-exist with maintaining optimal treatment capacity. The effectiveness of a closed system transfer device (CSTD) to protect nurses against drug exposure was also explored.

Methods:

A risk assessment for MAbs considered for nurse-led preparation was created, alongside a procedure for the safe handling of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) with the use of a CSTD.

Findings:

The pilot resulted in an 89% reduction in the time patients had to wait for MAbs to be prepared. Seven oncology drugs were included in the new procedure without increasing the risk of exposure for nurses.

Conclusion:

The pilot successfully reduced demand on Aseptic Pharmacy while enabling efficient capacity use on the Chemotherapy Day Unit. The use of the CSTD minimised the risk of nurse exposure to SACT.
Making the case for re-investment in health visiting
Authors: Oldman Crystal
Published: May 2024

There is potentially an optimistic future for health visiting if more politicians in all parties recognise the value of health visiting, says Crystal Oldman
Gymnetis litigiosa Gory & Percheron, 1833 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini): first occurrence of this exotic species in Chile
Authors: MONDACA JOSÉ , ROMERO CAROLINA
Published: May 2024

The subfamily Cetoniinae, the genus Gymnetis MacLeay, and the species Gymnetis litigiosa Gory & Percheron are recorded for the first time in Chile, based on specimens collected in the cities of San Felipe de Aconcagua, Los Andes (Valparaíso Region) and Santiago (Metropolitan Region). This new record increases to four the number of exotic scarab beetles introduced and established in the country and extends the known distribution area of the species to the western slope of the Andes mountain range. A brief diagnosis for recognition of the species, adult photographs, distribution, and natural history data are provided. The possible route of entry of this cetoniid into Chile is discussed.
Cracking the Secret du Roi
Authors: Carter Katlyn Marie
Published: May 2024

This chapter addresses why state secrecy came to be considered despotic and how calls for publicity were linked to efforts to reform or implement representative government in France during the late eighteenth century. As the Bourbon monarchy was struggling to make ends meet in the wake of the American war, the crown confronted a cacophony of voices calling for representative institutions. The chapter traces how calls for reform under Louis XVI began to emphasize secrecy as a cancer on the monarchy and how publicity became central to calls for reform and the implementation of representative institutions.
Behind the Veil of Secrecy
Authors: Carter Katlyn Marie
Published: May 2024

This chapter is centered on the Federal Convention that met in Philadelphia over the summer of 1787 to craft the American Constitution. It explains the reasoning behind and effect of the deputies’ decision to meet in secret as they framed the Constitution. As the Constitution was ratified and the new government set up, the question of what would be done in the open versus what could legitimately be kept secret was far from resolved. While Federalists theorized a utility for secrecy in the new government during the ratification debates, their opponents pushed for more publicity to guarantee a more reflective form of representation.
The Disastrous Effects of Publicity
Authors: Carter Katlyn Marie
Published: May 2024

The chapter examines the way in which the French National Convention went about dismantling the apparatus of the Terror, with a focus on how blame was ultimately placed on an excess of publicity. Deputies began to openly theorize a use for secrecy in representative government and redoubled efforts to introduce it into administration. With the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and the establishment of the Constitution of the Year VIII in 1799, representative government became not only insulated but entirely symbolic and devoid of its democratic elements. On the eve of 1800, the new constitution proclaimed the Revolution over. A new form of publicity was central to the Napoleonic regime, but its focus shifted from legislative bodies to Napoleon’s person; it became entirely a performance. In reality, the regime operated nearly entirely behind closed doors.
An American Light unto the Jewish Nation
Authors: Levin Geoffrey
Published: May 2024

Chapter 3 focuses on Israel’s mistreatment of its Arab minority as the book returns to the story of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), arguably the most influential American Jewish organization during the Eisenhower years. The AJC’s 1956 Palestinian refugee relief initiative designed by Peretz came as part of a wider shift within the organization toward paying greater attention to Palestinian rights issues. Most notably, the AJC sent a delegation of its leaders to Israel in 1957 to investigate reports that Israel’s Palestinian Arab minority faced discrimination and unfair treatment, as most Arabs in Israel then lived in areas of the country subject to military rule. The AJC confronted Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion on this point, urging him to rethink Israel’s entire approach to the Arab minority. After the Israeli government ignored these requests, the AJC set up an office in Tel Aviv to advance liberal ideals in Israel, educate Israeli Jews about democracy, and push for greater Arab-Jewish cooperation. The episode reveals the AJC’s interest in shaping Israeli society to meet its own liberal self-image, but also emphasizes the limits and, ultimately, the failures of these efforts.
“Such Distinctions Cannot Be Maintained”
Authors: Levin Geoffrey
Published: May 2024

In the mid-1950s the AJC took a heightened interest in Palestinian affairs. Arab spokesman Fayez Sayegh becomes the focal point of this chapter, opening it up onto the broad pro-Arab public relations effort that he helped lead during the 1950s. Committed to Arab nationalism and Palestinian rights, Sayegh’s voice was amplified by American Protestant groups sympathetic to the Palestinian plight, especially the American Friends of the Middle East (AFME), a secretly CIA-sponsored organization. In 1956, Sayegh became acting director of the Arab Information Center in New York, a new Arab League public relations effort that, alongside AFME, led a major push to highlight Palestinian rights issues in America.
The AJC felt that this pro-Arab public relations push threatened American Jews, endangering Jewish-Christian ties. Meanwhile, far-right domestic antisemitic groups cited Israel’s mistreatment of the Palestinians in their material and attempted cooperation with the Arab Information Center, which Sayegh tried to prevent. The AJC acknowledged that Sayegh avoided antisemitism and even met with him. Yet by 1958, the AJC began to feel that any sort of Palestine advocacy could potentially increase antisemitism, meaning that distinctions between anti-Zionism and antisemitism would be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain.
Research in Field and Laboratory
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

Much research on birds is observational, but studies of physiology sometimes require a bird to be killed. The author reviews his own personal history as a biologist, which includes discussion of the way that love and respect for an animal is intermingled with the desire to know the animal’s biology better.
Sexual Selection and Mate Choice
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

Reproductive success can be influenced by the likelihood of being selected as a mating partner. A vast number of biological conditions and traits influence the process of mate choice, a highly debated field of scientific inquiry. In manakins, as in many other species, females appear to judge phenotypic traits of males and mate with those they prefer. Studies using high-speed video of wild male and female golden-collared manakins demonstrate that males differ from one another in the dynamics of their courtship display. Some elements, such as the speed and number of certain movements, predict mating success. These studies raise questions about what information females might glean about male quality when observing male courtship. Studies showing extremely rapid heartrates during courtship suggest physical skill may be a trait assessed by females.
Hormones Control Behavior in Manakins
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

Male and female golden-collared manakins differ profoundly in their reproductive behavior. Measurements of blood hormone levels in wild manakins show that testosterone is elevated in the blood of adult males during their season of courtship unlike the low levels of testosterone detected in juvenile males, females and non-courting adult males. Careful manipulation of hormone levels or receptor binding capabilities in captive and wild manakins confirms the prediction that testosterone activates several male-specific reproductive behaviors and does so by actions through androgen receptors. Studies using a large rainforest aviary show that some but not most of the male’s behavior can be activated in females suggesting that there are underlying sex differences in neural circuits, present in males but not females, on which testosterone acts to activate the suite of male reproductive behaviors.
A Force Not Bound to Be Kind to Man
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

The chapter describes the evolution of the post–Ice Age Acadian Forest (dominated by red spruce and northern hardwoods). The author visits the 5,000-acre Big Reed Pond, the largest remaining old growth remnant in northern New England. The chapter turns to a brief history of the Abenaki Culture, early European contact, and the impacts of the beaver fur trade on that culture and the ecological integrity of the Acadian Forest. It treats the deadly conflict in perceptions of property rights between Europeans and Indigenous peoples. It draws upon Thoreau’s mid-nineteenth-century account of the North Maine Woods just as the lumberjacks were beginning to cut them down. On Mt. Katahdin, Thoreau experienced “a force not bound to be kind to man.”
A Marriage of Morality and Capability
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

The chapter opens with reflections on the role of resourcism and racism in clearing away the forests of North America. It challenges Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis that democracy was the product of the advancing frontier. Rampant forest destruction inspired the early American Conservation Movement during the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era. Visitors to New Hampshire’s White Mountains launched a campaign to save them from further plunder by timber barons. In 1911 they secured passage of the Weeks Act, which established eastern national forests. Maine, controlled by newly established paper corporations, failed to protect any public lands. New York, enjoying much greater economic diversity than New Hampshire, adopted a constitutional amendment to preserve public lands in the Adirondacks in a “forever wild” condition. Throughout the twentieth century, the conservation movement was hobbled by an unresolved tension between preservationism and resourcism—a conflict epitomized by John Muir and Gifford Pinchot. The early conservation movement took the first steps toward Natural Democracy—our best hope for reconciling preservationist and resourcist viewpoints and discovering a frugal approach to meeting basic human needs in an age of anthropogenic climate change and the sixth extinction event.
The Budworm Made Me Do It
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

In the 1970s, the state of Maine and landowners responded to the largest spruce budworm outbreak with a massive, publicly subsidized spraying program. Mitch Lansky’s land was sprayed, transforming him into an influential forest activist. During the budworm era, paper companies began clear-cutting thousands of acres to “salvage” the economic value of their forests. Ecological impacts of industrial clear-cutting include: no big old trees, loss of vertical habitat diversity, and declines in amphibian populations. After 1979, there is a growing crisis in northern New England’s paper industry. Public outcry against industrial clear-cutting led to an effort to regulate (but not ban) clear-cutting in the late 1980s.
Ignoring the Problem Will Not Make It Go Away
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

The early optimism about Northern Forest Lands Study soon yielded to reality, as Maine asserted veto over the discussion of forest practices, the acquisition of federal lands, the establishment of wilderness or national parks, and the assessment of biological diversity. The Maine congressional delegation and the timber lobby demanded more tax breaks—representation without taxation. On the eve of the November 1989 public hearings on the draft Northern Forest Lands Study (NFLS), Georgia Pacific launched a hostile takeover of Great Northern, signaling the demise of Maine’s iconic paper company. During the NFLS hearings, the public, backed by aerial photos of massive industrial clear-cuts, demanded action to curb these practices and acquire public lands to preserve biodiversity. The final NFLS report paid attention to public testimony, resisted industry veto efforts, and declared: the status quo cannot be saved; development is not always the biggest threat; and public land acquisition is necessary for land protection. The NFLS also warned that climate change threatened the survival of the Acadian Forest in northern New England. A Governors’ Task Force (GTF) report, poisoned by the Maine delegation, endorsed the timber industry’s hostility to public land acquisition.
Nightmare of the North
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

ATV riders, supported by local politicians, overwhelmed the Nash Stream Forest Advisory Committee with demands to reverse the existing ban on ATVs in the Nash Stream Forest (NSF) management plan. In 2002, a study committee dominated by ATV interests recommended that Nash Stream be opened to ATVs. There had been no baseline data gathering along the route prior to the opening, and no monitoring of the impacts of ATVs on ecosystem integrity—including a nationally acclaimed $2-million brook trout restoration project. A second ATV trail, Kelsey Notch, opened in 2013, without any monitoring until a state oversight council required it in 2017. Monitoring has been shoddy, but it has detected significant problems with ATV traffic, including the introduction of nonnative invasive species into Nash Stream Forest via ATVs. In the fall of 2021, the author, recently appointed to represent Stratford on the NSF Citizens Committee, charged the state with violation of its own laws because New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game is prohibited from approving new ATV trails on public lands unless it can ensure that adequate enforcement is provided. The state continues to ignore the law and allows ATVs to overrun Nash Stream Forest.
EVALUATION OF CAST SPLITTING ON LOWER LEG COMPARTMENT PRESSURES: A PILOT STUDY IDENTIFYING THE MOST EFFECTIVE SPLITTING TECHNIQUE
Authors: Sambhwani S. , Dungey M. , Allen P. , Kirmani S.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Lower limb immobilisation with full casts is commonly used to manage fractures. There may be the need to split casts in an emergency, such as compartment syndrome, with no current consensus as to which technique is most effective in reducing pressure quickly. Our study aims to compare the reduction in pressure across lower leg compartments using three different cast splitting techniques.

Methods

This study was done on a volunteer doctor. Pressure sensors were positioned at the anterior, posterior and lateral compartments. A single plaster technician applied below knee full casts with sequential layering and were allowed to dry as per manufacture instructions. Cast were split utilising three splitting methods; bivalve, tramline and single split and measurements taken when each layer was split. We compared results of ten repetitions for each splitting technique.

Results

When the cast was initially cut there were significant reduction in pressure with the bivalve split (20.6 ± 0.76 N) when compared to both the single split (26.8 ± 1.13 N, P < 0.001) and tramline split (26.4 ± 0.90 N, P < 0.001). When the cast was spread there were significant reduction in pressure with the bivalve split (10.7 ± 0.83 units) when compared to both the single split (14.6 ± 0.85 N, P < 0.001) and tramline split (16.6 ± 0.77 N, P < 0.001). When the final layer of wool was released the pressure remained lower (statistically significant) in the bivalve split compared to both single split and tramline split.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that bivalve cast splitting provided a more rapid reduction in pressure compared to other techniques across all three compartments. Our data shows that once down to skin, bivalve splitting continues to provide the lowest pressure compared to the other techniques. We recommend utilising bivalve when splitting a cast in an emergency.
Families supporting people with mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic: learnings from a co-designed and co-delivered study
Authors: Walters Caroline , Solich Hayley , Lawn Sharon , McDonald Eileen , Petrakis Melissa
Published: May 2024

The significant demand for and reduction in mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in family carers providing higher levels and increased hours of support of increased complexity. Guided conversations within seven co-designed online focus groups with 73 family carers, representing diverse communities and ages, explored the experiences of and desired changes for mental health service provision. Six themes emerged: service users’ experiences; the effects of system failures and service provisions; the impact on carers’ health and well-being; unmet community needs; responsive innovations; and policy and practice recommendations. Co-producing research with families elevated family voices and supported carers in expressing their experiences, needs and rights.
Does fear of harassment reduce women’s online political participation? Evidence from the British Election Study across three UK general elections
Authors: Southern Rosalynd
Published: May 2024

Social media has become an important tool for political discussion and participation. Furthermore, recently, the question of gendered harassment in online political spaces has gained much scholarly attention. However, work here has largely focused on elected representatives, with little work on how this affects ordinary citizens. This article seeks to establish whether there is a gendered online participation gap, using data from the British Election Study across three elections. It further seeks to reveal why this gap may exist by assessing specific questions about being harassed or fearing negative responses online. The findings show a persistent gender gap in political participation online across all elections studied. Furthermore, although women were not necessarily more likely to have been harassed online, they were far more likely to have avoided posting about politics for fear of a negative response. This suggests that fear of harassment may contribute to lower political participation online for women.
Daoism and Landscape: Unruly Landmarks, Punitive Rituals, and Ecology
Authors: Meulenbeld Mark
Published: May 2024

Abstract: The Daoist role within traditional Chinese human/nature relationships has often been characterized as one that aims at achieving harmony with nature. This article challenges many of the basic assumptions regarding the harmony model, focusing instead on the rich trove of judicial rituals that Daoist adepts had at their disposition for disciplining, correcting, or punishing elements of the landscape. A substantial part of these rituals was underpinned by Daoist legal codes from the Celestial Heart (Tianxin) tradition that emerged during the eleventh century and spread more widely soon after. Of the subjects these codices target, the present article focuses on trees, rocks, mountains, dragons, and certain animals. A picture emerges of stringent approaches to achieve order in the natural world, based on Celestial Laws, enforced by ritual officials. Throughout all these rituals, however, runs the idea of a landscape that is brimming with purpose, agency, responsibility, and divinity.
Spiritual Poaching or Authentic Dao? A Transnational Yiguandao Community in Los Angeles Enters the Global Daoist Field
Authors: Broy Nikolas
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This paper explores how the Taiwanese-Chinese religious movement Yiguandao (“Way of Pervading Unity”) creates a community of non-Chinese followers by utilizing Daoism-related beliefs and practices. Drawing on ethnographic data from fieldwork conducted in California in early 2018, published Yiguandao materials, and internet resources, the paper argues that Yiguandao activists specifically invest their messages in Daoist symbols, beliefs, and practices to reach out to non-Chinese sympathizers of “Asian philosophies” and eventually to establish a global and cross-cultural community of Dao followers. By discussing a case study from Los Angeles, the paper seeks to understand the patterns of Yiguandao activists’ engagement with Daoism and how their efforts blend into establishing a global Daoist field. Finally, it thereby invites us to rethink the often haphazardly drawn boundaries—both by practitioners and scholars—between Daoism and other religious phenomena, including New Age, spirituality, and Chinese popular sects.
Image motion analysis and compensation for dynamic push-broom imaging with TDI detectors
Authors: He Yunsheng , Peng Jiantao , Yang Jingyi , Li Guanying , Ling Huixiang , Cheng Weiqiang
Published: May 2024

This paper studies the inherent image motion, solely introduced by the orbital motion and Earth’s rotation during along-track dynamic TDI imaging, based upon the assumption that the ideal attitude compensation is achieved, and the perfect satellite platform is employed. After being classified into the angle-rotation, size-scaling, and Earth-rotation image motions, the characteristics of the inherent image motion are systematically analyzed. To the best of our knowledge, the size-scaling image motion is discussed for the first time, which has never been noticed during traditional imaging but is significant during dynamic push-broom imaging. Through theoretical derivation and scene simulations, a recipe is provided and verified for image motion compensation by adjusting the row frequency of each splicing sensor and the center of imaging time. It is discovered that there exists a physical upper limit on the exposure time for any camera during dynamic TDI imaging, which is crucial to evaluating the maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the area of application of the camera. The image motion compensation method is applicable to approaching the theoretical upper limit for high image quality when along-track dynamic push-broom imaging is adopted.
Distributed temperature sensing on silicon-on-insulator chip by optical frequency domain reflectometry
Authors: Kong Degangao , Chen Cheng , Zhao Xianmeng , Tao Yifei , Wan Jiajun , Wen Yongqiang , Zhang Xiaolei , Yuan Sujun , Liu Xiaoping
Published: May 2024

This study introduces a novel distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technique on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chips by the optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) technology. In contrast to traditional on-chip silicon photonics temperature sensors which rely on transmission spectrum detection, this method is based on Rayleigh backscatter induced by the sidewall roughness of as-fabricated waveguides, eliminating the need for a specially designed structure. On-chip DTS results with a remarkable sensing spatial resolution of 200 μm and a high temperature sensitivity of 88 pm/K are demonstrated within the temperature range from 22.8 ∘C to 200 ∘C. Furthermore, the technology is employed to measure non-uniform temperature distributions along an SOI waveguide generated by integrated heaters. Importantly, this approach offers a straightforward sensing structure, opening new possibilities for investigating temperature profiles and thermal crosstalk across the chip.
Single-frame double-grating interferometry with two inherent-phase-shifted interferograms
Authors: Rasouli Saifollah , Khoshkhatti Samaneh
Published: May 2024

In this work, we introduce a novel self-referencing, common-path, double-grating interferometry method for studying slowly varying phase samples. Two plane wave diffraction orders of the gratings, namely (0,+1) and (+1,0), with a certain phase difference, interfere with each other in a single frame. When a phase sample is applied in the middle of the impinging beam, two simultaneous inherent phase-shifted interferograms are generated on either side of the interference pattern. In one interferogram, the sample phase is added to (0,+1), while in the second one, the sample phase is added to (+1,0). Consequently, the phase of the first interferogram increases by the amount of the sample phase, while in the second interferogram, it decreases by the same amount. Without a phase sample, both interferograms have uniform intensity and value since the two interfering beams have the same phase difference in both patterns. We observe that the intensity changes in the two interferograms due to the phase sample, depending on the initial phase difference between the two interfering beams, can be equal or unequal, and in certain circumstances, they can be even complementary. We introduce a specific phase difference between the interfering orders by precisely controlling the separation between two diffraction gratings. This allows us to extract the sample's phase information from the resulting pair of interferograms. This setup enables us to obtain the sample phase without applying an additional phase shift(s) between the interfering beams. The method was applied to a thermal lens induced in a nonlinear liquid sample containing absorbent nanoparticles. The proposed method is characterized by its simplicity, accuracy, and insensitivity to vibrations, making it well-suited for analyzing dynamic samples with millimeter scales, such as nearly transparent organisms. The theory, simulations, and experimental results presented in this paper are found to be consistent. Unlike conventional methods, our approach does not necessarily require a reference interferogram. Additionally, when the absolute value of phase changes over the sample area and time is less than π, the raw phase pattern precisely matches the reconstructed phase pattern of the sample, eliminating the need for a phase-reconstructing algorithm. The phase pattern can be accurately calculated from the interferograms using an arcsine function without needing a fast Fourier transform. Compared to Fourier-based methods, the phase extraction process for each frame in our approach is 60 times faster. As a result, this technique operates in real-time for |φ(x, y;t) | < π.
Development of hybrid photonic integrated wavelength-tunable laser at 2 µm and its application to FMCW LiDAR
Authors: Chin Sanghoon , Holzer Jannis , Groote Andreas De , Martens Daan , Naujokaite Greta , Vizbaras Augustinas , Vizbaras Kristijonas , Pache Christophe
Published: May 2024

This paper reports on the experimental demonstration of a fully integrated frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) LiDAR sensing system, operating at 2.0 µm. It makes use of a widely tunable hybrid external cavity laser based on the combination of GaSb gain chip and silicon waveguide circuits. The single-frequency laser operation over the full spectral bandwidth of the gain chip is secured using a frequency-selective filter, consisting of two sequential microring resonators in a Vernier configuration. To increase the mode-hop free wavelength tuning range while preserving the linewidth of the laser, the heater of the phase section placed along the bus waveguide is synchronously controlled with two independent heaters placed on each microring resonator. This laser is then implemented for the development of an FMCW LiDAR, consisting of all-optical fiber-based two independent unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers: k-space interferometer for the linearization of continuously swept laser frequency and main interferometer for the measurement of the distributed back-reflection over the distance. The optical frequency of the laser is continuously swept over a ∼100 GHz range (or Δλ=1.47 nm at the operating wavelength) at a modulation speed of 100 Hz. Using this wavelength tunable laser, a light detection and ranging system (LiDAR) is experimentally demonstrated, showing a very high axial resolution of 1.36 mm in air with an extremely high precision of ∼9 µm at a 100 Hz measurement rate.
Nonlinear metasurface engineering with disordered gold nanorods on ITO: a cost-effective approach to broadband response, polarization-independence, and weak nonlinear index dispersion
Authors: Hu Xinhui , Ning Kexin , Un Ieng Wai , Jiang Jiayi , Deng Junxian , Dong Jiannan , Jiang Xiaofang , Fan Haihua , Chen Yihang
Published: May 2024

The strong coupling of epsilon-near-zero materials with nanoantennas has demonstrated enhanced nonlinear optical responses, yet practical challenges persist. Here, we propose an alternative: an ultrathin metasurface featuring broadband response with a weakly dispersive nonlinear index, achieved through a simple implementation. Our metasurface, comprising a disordered gold nanorod array on indium tin oxide, exhibits polarization-independent behavior and a large average nonlinear refractive index of 5 cm2/GW across a broad wavelength range (1000–1300 nm). Enhanced performance is attributed to the weak coupling between gold nanorods and indium tin oxide, offering a cost-effective method for nonlinear optical metasurfaces and a flexible design in nanophotonic applications.
Mode-locked waveguide polariton laser
Authors: Souissi H. , Gromovyi M. , Septembre I. , Develay V. , Brimont C. , Doyennette L. , Cambril E. , Bouchoule S. , Alloing B. , Frayssinet E. , Zúñiga-Pérez J. , Ackemann T. , Malpuech G. , Solnyshkov D. D. , Guillet T.
Published: May 2024

So far, exciton-polariton (polariton) lasers were mostly single-mode lasers based on microcavities. Despite the large repulsive polariton-polariton interaction, a pulsed mode-locked polariton laser was never, to our knowledge, reported. Here, we use a 60-µm-long GaN-based waveguide surrounded by distributed Bragg reflectors forming a multi-mode horizontal cavity. We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically a polariton mode-locked micro-laser operating in the blue-UV, at room temperature, with a 300 GHz repetition rate and 100-fs-long pulses. The mode-locking is demonstrated by the compensation (linearization) of the mode dispersion by the self-phase modulation induced by the polariton-polariton interaction. It is also supported by the observation in experiment and theory of the typical envelope frequency profile of a bright soliton.
Transcription decouples estrogen-dependent changes in enhancer-promoter contact frequencies and spatial proximity
Authors: Gómez Acuña Luciana I. , Flyamer Ilya , Boyle Shelagh , Friman Elias T. , Bickmore Wendy A.
Published: May 2024

How enhancers regulate their target genes in the context of 3D chromatin organization is extensively studied and models which do not require direct enhancer-promoter contact have recently emerged. Here, we use the activation of estrogen receptor-dependent enhancers in a breast cancer cell line to study enhancer-promoter communication at two loci. This allows high temporal resolution tracking of molecular events from hormone stimulation to efficient gene activation. We examine how both enhancer-promoter spatial proximity assayed by DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, and contact frequencies resulting from chromatin in situ fragmentation and proximity ligation, change dynamically during enhancer-driven gene activation. These orthogonal methods produce seemingly paradoxical results: upon enhancer activation enhancer-promoter contact frequencies increase while spatial proximity decreases. We explore this apparent discrepancy using different estrogen receptor ligands and transcription inhibitors. Our data demonstrate that enhancer-promoter contact frequencies are transcription independent whereas altered enhancer-promoter proximity depends on transcription. Our results emphasize that the relationship between contact frequencies and physical distance in the nucleus, especially over short genomic distances, is not always a simple one.
Copywriters’ preference evaluation on online copywriting course attributes during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Roldan Cheselle Jan , Prasetyo Yogi Tri , Ong Ardvin Kester S. , Ayuwati Irene Dyah , Persada Satria Fadil , Nadlifatin Reny
Published: May 2024

Copywriting online course has become a famous online training over the past years and the reliance on online courses increased even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, online courses have become a popular training platform, especially for copywriting courses. The demand for online courses increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the need to optimize the learning experience of an online course’s target audience. This study aimed to determine the combination of online course attributes most preferred by Filipino copywriters such as course style, payment method, course delivery, module duration, and course type. 292 Filipino copywriters from a leading Philippine-based copywriting group voluntarily participated in this study and answered an online questionnaire quantitative survey which was distributed using the purposive sampling method. Conjoint Analysis with an orthogonal design revealed that copywriters consider the course style attribute as the most important (46.007%), followed by payment method (18.236%), and course delivery (15.435%). Module duration (10.489%) and while the course type (9.833%) were was the least considered attribute of an online course. The result shows that Filipino copywriters prefer an intermediate-level video course on a Facebook group that lasts 1 to 3 hours per module and is paid per course for a total utility score of 0.281, while the least preferred combination was a beginner-level audiobook course that lasts less than 30 minutes per module, delivered via email, and paid per module, for a total utility score of -0.281. This study is the first study that analyzed the copywriters’ preference for online copywriting course attributes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study are beneficial to online course creators who are targeting copywriters. Finally, the result of this study can be expanded further to other online courses worldwide.
Too Good to be Nice: The interplay between the Cause marketing and information acquisition
Authors: Li Xin , Yang Dongsheng
Published: May 2024

Cause marketing (CM) has become an important tool for firms to fulfill their social responsibility strategies. However, in reality, although some consumers have responded positively to the firm’s CM strategies, others have doubts due to their lack of trust in the effectiveness of the firm or business. Therefore, in this paper, we consider a case that the supplier is a dual-purpose corporation that engage in a CM campaign and the consumer social preference is uncertainty and is unknown initially but can be resolved by the retailer’s acquisition behaviour. By examining the two information acquisition strategies: committed acquisition and contingent acquisition. We find that, under either strategy, the retailer would like to acquire information only when the cost of information acquisition is small. Moreover, compared to contingent acquisition, the retailer is more willing to prefer committed acquisition. Additionally, we show that the supplier always prefers the committed acquisition strategy. However, the retailer’s preference toward these two information acquisition strategies is related to the acquire cost. Specifically, when acquisition cost is small or large, the retailer is indifferent between these two strategies, when acquisition cost is in an intermediate range, the retailer will shift her strategy from the contingent strategy to the committed strategy. We also use numerical studies to illustrate main results. These findings provide theoretical support and management insights for managers to integrate CM into business transactions.
Distribution of antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic residues in drinking water production facilities: Links to bacterial community
Authors: Tsholo Karabo , Molale-Tom Lesego Gertrude , Horn Suranie , Bezuidenhout Cornelius Carlos
Published: May 2024

There is a rapid spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment. However, the impact of antibiotic resistance in drinking water is relatively underexplored. Thus, this study aimed to quantify antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic residues in two drinking water production facilities (NW-E and NW-C) in North West Province, South Africa and link these parameters to bacterial communities. Physicochemical and ARG levels were determined using standard procedures. Residues (antibiotics and fluconazole) and ARGs were quantified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) chemical analysis and real-time PCR, respectively. Bacterial community compositions were determined by high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. Data were analysed using redundancy analysis and pairwise correlation. Although some physicochemical levels were higher in treated than in raw water, drinking water in NW-E and NW-C was safe for human consumption using the South African Water Quality Guideline (SAWQG). ARGs were detected in raw and treated water. In NW-E, the concentrations of ARGs (sul1, intl1, EBC, FOX, ACC and DHA) were higher in treated water than in raw water. Regarding antimicrobial agents, antibiotic and fluconazole concentrations were higher in raw than in treated water. However, in NW-C, trimethoprim concentrations were higher in raw than in treated water. Redundancy analysis showed that bacterial communities were not significantly correlated (Monte Carlo simulations, p-value >0.05) with environmental factors. However, pairwise correlation showed significant differences (p-value <0.05) for Armatimonas, CL500-29 marine group, Clade III, Dickeya and Zymomonas genera with environmental factors. The presence of ARGs and antibiotic residues in the current study indicated that antibiotic resistance is not only a clinical phenomenon but also in environmental settings, particularly in drinking water niches. Consumption of NW-E and NW-C treated water may facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance among consumers. Thus, regulating and monitoring ARGs and antibiotic residues in drinking water production facilities should be regarded as paramount.