bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Recovery Programs in an Ambulatory Surgical Oncology Center
Authors: Afonso Anoushka M. , McCormick Patrick J. , Assel Melissa J. , Rieth Elizabeth , Barnett Kara , Tokita Hanae K. , Masson Geema , Laudone Vincent , Simon Brett A. , Twersky Rebecca S.
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND:

We describe the implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs designed to minimize postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain and reduce opioid use in patients undergoing selected procedures at an ambulatory cancer surgery center. Key components of the ERAS included preoperative patient education regarding the postoperative course, liberal preoperative hydration, standardized PONV prophylaxis, appropriate intraoperative fluid management, and multimodal analgesia at all stages.

METHODS:

We retrospectively reviewed data on patients who underwent mastectomy with or without immediate reconstruction, minimally invasive hysterectomy, thyroidectomy, or minimally invasive prostatectomy from the opening of our institution on January 2016 to December 2018. Data collected included use of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), rate of PONV rescue, time to first oral opioid, and total intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption. Compliance with ERAS elements was determined for each service. Quality outcomes included time to first ambulation, postoperative length of stay (LOS), rate of reoperation, rate of transfer to acute care hospital, 30-day readmission, and urgent care visits ≤30 days.

RESULTS:

We analyzed 6781 ambulatory surgery cases (2965 mastectomies, 1099 hysterectomies, 680 thyroidectomies, and 1976 prostatectomies). PONV rescue decreased most appreciably for mastectomy (28% decrease; 95% confidence interval [CI], –36 to –22). TIVA use increased for both mastectomies (28%; 95% CI, 20-40) and hysterectomies (58%; 95% CI, 46-76). Total intraoperative opioid administration decreased over time across all procedures. Time to first oral opioid decreased for all surgeries; decreases ranged from 0.96 hours (95% CI, 2.1-1.4) for thyroidectomies to 3.3 hours (95% CI, 4.5 to –1.7) for hysterectomies. Total postoperative opioid consumption did not change by a clinically meaningful degree for any surgery. Compliance with ERAS measures was generally high but varied among surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS:

This quality improvement study demonstrates the feasibility of implementing ERAS at an ambulatory surgery center. However, the study did not include either a concurrent or preintervention control so that further studies are needed to assess whether there is an association between implementation of ERAS components and improvements in outcomes. Nevertheless, we provide benchmarking data on postoperative outcomes during the first 3 years of ERAS implementation. Our findings reflect progressive improvement achieved through continuous feedback and education of staff.
Preoperative Care for Cataract Surgery: The Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia Position Statement
Authors: Sweitzer BobbieJean , Rajan Niraja , Schell Dawn , Gayer Steven , Eckert Stan , Joshi Girish P.
Published: November 2021

Cataract surgeries are among the most common procedures requiring anesthesia care. Cataracts are a common cause of blindness. Surgery remains the only effective treatment of cataracts. Patients are often elderly with comorbidities. Most cataracts can be treated using topical or regional anesthesia with minimum or no sedation. There is minimal risk of adverse outcomes. There is general consensus that cataract surgery is extremely low risk, and the benefits of sight restoration and preservation are enormous. We present the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) position statement for preoperative care for cataract surgery.
Intraoperative Management of Adult Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: An Expert Consensus Statement From the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists—Part II, Intraoperative Management and Troubleshooting
Authors: Mazzeffi Michael A. , Rao Vidya K. , Dodd-o Jeffrey , Del Rio Jose Mauricio , Hernandez Antonio , Chung Mabel , Bardia Amit , Bauer Rebecca M. , Meltzer Joseph S. , Satyapriya Sree , Rector Raymond , Ramsay James G. , Gutsche Jacob
Published: November 2021

In the second part of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) working group expert consensus statement, venoarterial (VA) and venovenous (VV) ECMO management and troubleshooting in the operating room are discussed. Expert consensus statements are provided about intraoperative monitoring, anesthetic drug dosing, and management of intraoperative problems in VA and VV ECMO patients.
Effect of cogon grass root ethanol extract on fatty acid binding protein 4 and oxidative stress markers in a sepsis mouse model
Authors: Putri Mirasari , Rastiarsa Bening Mauliddina , Djajanagara Raden Aliya T. M. , Ramli Ghaliby Ardhia , Anggraeni Neni , Sutadipura Nugraha , Atik Nur , Syamsunarno Mas Rizky A. A.
Published: November 2021

Background: Sepsis causes several immunological and metabolic alterations that induce oxidative stress. The modulation of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) has been shown to worsen this condition. Extract of cogon grass root (ECGR) contains flavonoids and isoeugenol compounds that exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to assess the effects of ECGR on FABP4 and oxidative stress–related factors in a sepsis mouse model.

Methods: Twenty-nine male mice (Mus musculus) of the Deutsche Denken Yoken strain were divided into four groups: group 1, control; group 2, mice treated with 10 μL/kg body weight (BW) lipopolysaccharide (LPS); and groups 3 and 4, mice pre-treated with 90 and 115 mg/kg BW, respectively, and then treated with 10 μL/kg BW LPS for 14 d. Blood, liver, spleen, and cardiac tissue samples were collected and subjected to histological and complete blood examinations. Antioxidant activity, FABP4 levels, and immune system-associated biomarker levels were also measured.

Results: Significant increases in platelet levels (p = 0.03), cardiomyocyte counts (p =0.004), and hepatocyte counts (p = 0.0004) were observed in group 4 compared with those in group 2. Conversely, compared with those in group 2, there were significant decreases in TNF-α expression in group 3 (p = 0.004), white pulp length and width in group 4 (p = 0.001), FABP4 levels in groups 3 and 4 (p = 0.015 and p = 0.012, respectively), lymphocyte counts in group 4 (p = 0.009), monocyte counts (p = 0.000) and polymorphonuclear cell counts in the livers (p = 0.000) and hearts (p = 0.000) of groups 3 and 4. Gpx3 activity was significantly higher in group 3 than in group 1 (p = 0.04).

Conclusions: Cogon grass root may aid in the development of herbal medicines and specific treatments for sepsis.
El desarrollo regional y la sostenibilidad: revisión sistemática y análisis bibliométrico
Authors: Silva Rincon Julio Cesar , Pabón León Jhon Antuny , Barrientos Monsalve Ender José
Published: November 2021

El propósito de este trabajo es realizar una revisión sistemática y análisis bibliométrico de publicaciones sobre el desarrollo regional y la sostenibilidad, dos conceptos cada vez más importantes en los foros económicos, ambientales, sociales y académicos de todos los países del mundo. Se realiza bajo el concepto de cartografía científica, utilizando la bibliometría para observar las interrelaciones entre disciplinas, campos, profesiones o documentos. Para esto, se desarrollaron dos etapas: análisis bibliométrico y análisis de redes. Primero, se llevó a cabo una búsqueda WoS y se revisaron los indicadores bibliométricos. En el segundo paso, con la información y las referencias bibliográficas del primer paso, se construye la red a través del análisis de las cocitaciones, comparado con la similitud del árbol. Estos documentos se dividen en tres categorías: la raíz del documento fuente (denominados hegemónicos o clásicos); la columna vertebral del documento involucrado en el desarrollo del conocimiento actual de la materia (denominados tronco o estructurales); y la recopilación de las últimas novedades (denominadas hojas o perspectivas de trabajo del documento). Finalmente, se presentan tres perspectivas identificadas en los siguientes campos de la investigación: planeación y desarrollo territorial; evaluación y ecosistemas; China y el urbanismo.
O CONVENCIONALISMO METAMETODOLÓGICO DE POPPER: REGRAS CONSTITUTIVAS OU REGULATÓRIAS?
Authors: Oliva Alberto
Published: November 2021

O artigo busca identificar os traços distintivos do convencionalismo metametodológico perfilhado por Popper com o objetivo de aferir em que medida representa uma embasada alternativa às tradicionais concepções essencialistas de método. Será dada especial atenção à questão do estatuto normativo que Popper confere às regras metodológicas ao encará-las como convenções. Recorreremos à distinção estabelecida por Searle entre regras constitutivas e regulatórias com o fito de avaliar criticamente a proposta de Popper de pensar a ciência como um jogo. Será discutida a questão de se as regras do método caracterizadas como convenções têm a mesma natureza das regras constitutivas - sem as quais os jogos não vêm a existir - ou se cabe concebê-las como regulatórias a ponto de tornar problemática a tese de que a ciência se parece com um jogo. Apontaremos as dificuldades de se classificarem as regras do método de constitutivas com a finalidade de questionar a visão popperiana que atribui à ciência uma funcionalidade submetida a uma normatividade similar à que pode ser detectada na prática de jogos como o xadrez. A comprovação de que é mais adequado conferir o estatuto de regulatórias às regras do método mostrará ser questionável a comparação, tanto em termos funcionais quanto normativos, da ciência com jogo.
O papel dos valores na ciência: entrevista com Hugh Lacey
Authors: Lacey Hugh , Mendonça André Oliveira
Published: November 2021

O papel dos valores na ciência.
Experiências docentes de formação continuada sobre gênero e sexualidade no ensino fundamenta
Authors: Martins Aline Madalena , Cruz Tânia Mara
Published: November 2021

A presente pesquisa busca analisar de que modo uma determinada experiência de formação continuada de professores sobre relações de gênero e sexualidade pode contribuir para novas práticas docentes. Dentro de uma abordagem materialista histórica e dialética e a partir de um roteiro semiestruturado, foram entrevistados nove profissionais que participaram de uma formação continuada sobre a temática em uma escola de educação básica na cidade de Tubarão/SC no ano de 2014. Os resultados indicam a incorporação de práticas pedagógicas críticas em relação aos binarismos de gênero, mas com pouca repercussão em atividades relacionadas à sexualidade.
Pedagogia de projetos no ensino de história
Authors: Bitte Regina Celi Frechiani , Mouro Fabiana Moura Gonçalves
Published: November 2021

Apresenta uma experiência do ensino da História que proporcione aos alunos do ensino fundamental a compreensão do processo histórico a partir da alimentação. O relato do projeto “Seis mil anos de pão” analisa o trabalho realizado por bolsistas, em uma escola “A”, em parceria com o Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência (PIBID). Busca-se refletir sobre a pedagogia de projetos aplicada aos estudantes do sexto ao nono ano. Trata-se de uma concepção de ensino e aprendizagem focada no interesse do aluno sobre certas temáticas e estratégias para além do currículo proposto. O resultado foi uma intensa participação nas atividades organizadas, refletindo de forma positiva no aprendizado.
Neologisms of the English economic terminological system: linguopragmatic aspect
Authors:   Poltava University of Economics and Trade, Sukhachova N. S.
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the study of peculiarities of formation and translation of neologisms in modern English economic terminology, as well as to the problem of pragmatic adaptation as an integral part of translation process. Terminological systems of the modern English language are rapidly replenishing with neologisms which require adequate translation, taking into account pragmatic and socio-cultural adaptation. It has been revealed that a large number of innovations of the English economic terminological system are formed by means of new prepositive and postpositive elements functioning as affixes, the source of which is telescoping and shortening. The affixalization of lexical units is one of the productive ways of replenishing modern English economic terminology. Composition, as well as the processes of terminologization and transterminologization, contribute to the formation of neologisms functioning in English economic terminology. It has been determined that conversion is not a productive way of term-formation in modern English economic terminology. To translate English neologims of economic sphere into Ukrainian, translation by means of lexical equivalent, calque, transcription, transliteration, explication are used; descriptive translation usually dominates. As a result of the study, it has been established that translators of terminological texts should know not only productive methods of term-formation, but also have to apply lexical, lexical-semantic and lexical-grammatical translation transformations taking into account the context of the new units, the information background of the source and target audience in order to reproduce pragmatic potential of the original text and ensure the most accurate translation of terminological information.
The rationale for the formation of bilingual communication culture in the context of second language acquisition
Authors:   Poltava V. G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University, Vienievtseva Y. V. , Medvedska I. M. ,   Poltava V. G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University
Published: November 2021

The present article deals with bilingual communication culture as a multifaceted problem. Theoretical analysis of the content, peculiarities of bilingual communication culture and other key notions, makes it possible to reveal the essence of bilingual communication culture and define it as a constituent part of the general culture of communication necessary for cross-cultural interaction and information exchange between bilingual individuals by means of native and foreign languages. There are two main concepts considered in the paper, namely bilingual communication culture and second language acquisition (SLA). The former is used to denote special knowledge and communication skills requisite for gaining positive experience in productive bilingual communication within multicultural interaction and sharing this experience with the representatives of other nations. The latter is a complex process of a spontaneous mastering a foreign language under the influence of linguistic, psycholinguistic, contextual, developmental and individual factors that predetermine language transfer, language level and the duration of second language acquisition. The research emphasises the necessity to form bilingual communication culture within the framework of second language acquisition.
Disinfection of the root canal system: what should the protocol be?
Authors: Bonsor Stephen J
Published: November 2021

The presence of micro-organisms within the root canal system is the critical aetiological factor in peri-radicular periodontitis. During root canal treatment (RCT) it is imperative that this infection and other organic debris are removed from the root canal system. This is challenging because complex tooth anatomy, the presence of a biofilm and the smear layer complicate the process. There are a number of irrigant chemicals and adjunctive systems available in contemporary endodontic practice that are used to disinfect the root canal system during root canal preparation. This article reviews the available evidence concerning these disinfection methods and concludes by presenting a clinical protocol supported by the literature.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: A clinical protocol, supported by the literature, is presented for effective decontamination of the root canal system during root canal therapy.
Mouth preparation for complete dentures
Authors: Leyssen Wouter , Abdelaziz Noha , Walmsley AD
Published: November 2021

The success of complete dentures is highly dependent on the anatomy of the oral cavity. Several conditions can affect the final denture fit. Disorders of the soft tissues, such as denture hyperplasia, denture stomatitis and mucosal pathology may play a role. There are also difficulties related to the shape of the bone, including excessively large undercuts/bony exostoses, tori, enlarged tuberosities and flabby ridges and other factors, such as xerostomia to be considered. The aim of this article is to help diagnose these conditions and to suggest ways of overcoming the individual problems with which patients present before starting denture construction.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: The diagnosis of several oral conditions and their appropriate management may help achieve an optimal outcome when constructing complete dentures.
The opioid crisis: evaluating the safety and efficacy of opioid analgesia in the management of acute post-operative dental pain
Authors: Merrick Daniel , O'Sullivan Michael , Clarke Mary
Published: November 2021

The use and misuse of opioid analgesics have been highlighted in recent years. This review assesses dental opioid use, the effectiveness of opioid-containing analgesics versus non-opioid alternatives and the implications for post-operative pain management strategies in the dental practice. Guidelines for the management of acute post-operative dental pain differ from country to country. The UK has a low dental opioid use rate when compared to the US. The combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen has similar, if not better, analgesic properties compared to opioid-containing alternatives, with fewer adverse effects.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: Non-opioid analgesics are both a safe and effective alternative to opioid analgesics in the management of post-operative dental pain.
Current COVID-19 vaccine epidemiology and dentistry
Authors: Samaranayake Lakshman
Published: November 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine story is continuously unfolding. Since our previous COVID-19 commentaries, much new information has transpired on the subject, and here we revisit this topic, which has practical implications for all stakeholders in dentistry, as well as the public. This article, on current vaccine epidemiology, provides an account of why vaccines fail in general, and the particular concerns in relation to the new Delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and related ‘variants of concern’. Issues related to vaccine failure are fundamentally dichotomous in nature, appertaining either to the vaccine strain (type) per se, and/or the numerous endogenous factors of the vaccine recipient/vaccinee. Societal factors such as vaccine hesitancy and its impact on herd immunity appear to overarch the long-term goal of total or partial global suppression of SARS-CoV-2, and its eventual endemicity.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: To describe the reasons for the failure of currently administered COVID-19 vaccines, particularly in relation to the advent of the SARS-CoV-2 ‘variants of concern’, and discuss implications for clinical dental practice.
Emotional user experience of innovative humancomputer interactions: A multi-component approach
Authors: Dupré Damien , Sinclair Gary
Published: November 2021

Emotions are a relevant indicator of users' acceptance of technologies. Despite users' subjective feeling being traditionally examined with categorical labels, the Component Process Model suggests that the cognitive and motivational component can also be examined in User Experience
studies. This study focuses on emotions using innovative non-tactile Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) to perform different tasks. Results revealed that cognitive and motivational components of emotions are decisive to confirm or to infirm the self-reported subjective feeling. More precisely,
non-tactile controllers triggered significantly higher cognitive appraisals than the tactile controller. These nontactile controllers also trigger significantly higher readiness to approach and to avoid than the tactile controller, depending on the type of controller used, and on its application.
The innovativeness of the controller does not necessarily involve positive emotions and needs to be situated in a specific context of use. This analysis show how User Experience testing for product development could gain in investigating the additional components of users' emotional experience.
Model-based reconstruction for enhanced x-ray CT of dense
tri-structural isotropic particles
Authors: Venkatakrishnan Singanallur , Ziabari Amir Koushyar , Bingham Philip , Helmreich Grant
Published: November 2021

Tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles are a key component of
next generation nuclear fuels. Using x-ray computed tomography (CT) to
characterize TRISO particles is challenging because of the strong
attenuation of the x-ray beam by the uranium core, leading to severe
photon starvation in a substantial fraction of the measurements.
Furthermore, the overall acquisition time for a high-resolution CT
scan can be very long when using conventional laboratory-based x-ray
systems and reconstruction algorithms. Specifically, when analytic
methods such as the Feldkamp–Davis–Kress (FDK) algorithm are used for
reconstruction, it results in severe streak artifacts and noise in the
corresponding 3D volume, which makes subsequent analysis of the
particles challenging. In this paper, we develop and apply model-based
image reconstruction (MBIR) algorithms to improve the quality of CT
reconstructions for TRISO particles to facilitate better
characterization. We demonstrate that the proposed MBIR algorithms can
significantly suppress artifacts with minimal pre-processing compared
to conventional approaches. We also demonstrate that the proposed MBIR
approach can obtain high-quality reconstruction compared to the FDK
approach even when using a fraction of the typically acquired
measurements, thereby enabling dramatically faster measurement times
for TRISO particles.
Super-resolution scanning imaging based on metal–dielectric composite metamaterials
Authors: Zhang Wen-Mei , Yan Chang-Chun
Published: November 2021

We propose super-resolution scanning imaging by using a metamaterial composed of a silver–silicon dioxide composite covered by a layer of chromium containing one slit and a silicon dioxide substrate. By simulating a distribution of energy flow in the metamaterial for an

H

-polarized wave, we find that the output beam exhibits focusing accompanied with good directional radiation, which is able to be designed as a super-resolution scanning probe. We also demonstrate numerically super-resolution imaging by scanning our designed metamaterial over a sub-wavelength object.
Ocean mixed layer depth estimation using airborne Brillouin scattering
lidar: simulation and model
Authors: Yuan Dapeng , Chen Peng , Mao Zhihua , Zhang Xianliang , Zhang Zhenhua , Xie Congshuang , Zhong Chunyi , Qian Zheng
Published: November 2021

The potential of Brillouin scattering lidar for detecting the mixed layer depth (MLD) was studied. We simulated the Brillouin scattering lidar signal in various water environmental parameters and developed an MLD retrieval model for Brillouin scattering lidar data. We first analyzed the theoretical maximum detectable depth for Brillouin scattering lidar in low-latitude sea regions based on the multiple scattering lidar equations. Subsequently, a theoretical method for calculating the Brillouin scattering frequency shift and linewidth was derived based on the international thermodynamic equation of seawater-2010 and the coupled wave equations. Then we used the theoretical method and the temperature-salinity (T-S) profile of the global Argo data in low-latitude regions to simulate the vertical profile distribution of the Brillouin scattering frequency shift and linewidth. Furthermore, we used a maximum angle method to estimate the ocean MLD in low-latitude regions based on the vertical profile distribution of the Brillouin scattering frequency shift and density in seawater. They are well correlated, which indicates that the frequency-shift component of the Brillouin scattering lidar signal for estimating ocean MLD is feasible and reliable. It appears that airborne or spaceborne Brillouin scattering lidar technology provides great potential for high-efficiency, large-area, and long-term monitoring of the global ocean MLD and upper-ocean water bodies.
Optomechanical gyroscope simultaneously estimating the position of the rotation axis
Authors: Li Guolong , Lu Xiao-Ming , Wang Xiaoguang , Xin Jun , Li Xingmin
Published: November 2021

We realize that an optomechanical system is not only able to measure angular velocity, but also simultaneously estimate position of the corresponding rotation axis. To implement the simultaneous estimation, we first propose a multiparameter estimation scheme through a system that consists of two optomechanical subsystems. The angular velocity and rotation-axis position are jointly sensed by tested mass and then estimated by radiation exiting from the cavity due to optomechanical coupling. We adequately consider the nuisance angles, which arise from unexpected misalignment of the system, and cavity decay and provide the precision bound of the homodyne detection. The results that reveal a phase-sensitive effect indicate that selecting an appropriate phase can improve precision. Our scenario and the corresponding analysis provide a possibility to optimize rotation estimation.
Controllable four-wave mixing in an atom–optical cavity coupling system with a second-order nonlinear crystal
Authors: Yang Yu-Fan , Chen Bin , Xing Li-Li , Chen Jian-Bin , Xue Hai-Bin , Guo Kang-Xian
Published: November 2021

The four-wave mixing (FWM) effect has been systematically studied in an atom–optical cavity coupling system with a second-order nonlinear crystal (SOC), which is formed by coupling an optical cavity with a two-level atom and a SOC. In this research, it is found that the FWM effect largely depends on the SOC, because the SOC can promote a two-photon absorption process. Therefore, a tunable FWM signal can be obtained in this coupling system by controlling the SOC. Moreover, the results also show that the cavity decay rate plays an important role in controlling the FWM signal. By optimizing the cavity decay rate and the SOC, a strong FWM signal can be generated. In addition, by adjusting the cavity–pump detuning, conversion between a single-peak FWM signal and two-peak FWM signal can be easily realized.
Asymmetric carbon nanotube dimers embedded in a dielectric slab: new plasmonic resonance behavior
Authors: Dey Sumitra , Chatterjee Deb , Garboczi Edward J. , Hassan Ahmed M.
Published: November 2021

All prior work on modeling the full-wave electromagnetic response of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have focused on CNTs in free-space, whereas in most practical applications, CNTs are embedded in a dielectric substrate. In this work, we use full-wave simulations to study the plasmonic resonances of CNT dimers embedded in a lossy dielectric slab with a finite thickness. The numerical results show that the finite thickness dielectric slab leads to the emergence of new CNT resonance behavior that is not present in a homogeneous environment. As a single CNT approaches the dielectric slab interfaces, the resonance frequency of the CNT increases due to reduced dielectric loading. The resonance behavior changes completely when two CNTs in proximity form a dimer near the slab interface. The bonding and antibonding resonances of CNT dimers and the absorbed power vary significantly with the distance between the slab interface and the CNT dimer. Using this phenomenon, we show that symmetric CNT dimers can behave like asymmetric CNT dimers. Also, the antibonding resonance of an asymmetric CNT dimer can be suppressed by adjusting the length and depth of the CNT dimer inside the slab. This work can guide future sensing modalities based on CNT dimer as well as can provide an accurate assessment of the proximity of a CNT network to the interface of the embedding substrate.
Optical force induced by strong exciton-plasmon coupling
Authors: Li Wanjun , Yu Yang , Yan Haochen , Zeng Qingguang , Xiao Ting-Hui
Published: November 2021

Positioning a single quantum emitter in the vicinity of a plasmonic antenna is a fundamental step in constructing a coupling system for quantum information applications. In the strong-coupling regime, optical forces beyond perturbative Rayleigh gradient forces are dominant in positioning and trapping the quantum emitter but are rarely explored by including the electronic contribution of the quantum emitter. Here we study the optical forces induced by the strong exciton-plasmon coupling between a single quantum dot and a plasmonic nanoantenna. Interestingly, both attractive and repulsive optical forces can be generated, which are fully controllable and tunable by engineering both excitons and plasmons.
Impact of the carrier contribution factor in the self-coherent DC-value method
Authors: Patel Romil K. , Guiomar Fernando P. , Fernandes Marco A. , Alimi Isiaka A. , Monteiro Paulo P. , Muga Nelson J. , Pinto Armando N.
Published: November 2021

The carrier contribution factor (CCF) is used in the DC-value method to assure the minimum phase condition (MPC) at the transmitter. We analyze the impact of the CCF estimation accuracy at the receiver on the DC-value system performance. We found that the CCF estimation accuracy at the receiver should be within ±5% to exploit all advantages of the DC-value method. We propose an accurate method to estimate the CCF at the receiver that works effectively with both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) coupled photodetectors. We experimentally validate the proposed method employing a 24 GBaud 16QAM signal. The experimental results show that the minimum BER value can be approached within ±5% offset of the estimated CCF value almost independently of the carrier to signal power ratio (CSPR) value. The proposed method can also be used to reconstruct the DC component in other minimum phase signal self-coherent techniques, such as the Kramers-Kronig receiver.
Chirality-selective all-dielectric metasurface structural color display
Authors: Choi Seou , Son Hyunwoo , Lee Byoungho
Published: November 2021

The polarization dependent switchable structural coloration has shown a prominence for its unnecessity of changing the structure itself to achieve tunable color displays. Nevertheless, a chirality-selective structural color display has been rarely elucidated. Here, we suggest a chirality-selective reflective structural color display under perpendicularly incident light based on all-dielectric metasurfaces. We first investigate a chiral response of a subwavelength thickness two-dimensional (2D) amorphous silicon (Si) structure. The multipole decomposition followed by the electromagnetic field distribution analysis explained the chirality-selective response of the metasurface with the chirality-selective excitation of magnetic dipole (MD) and electric quadrupole (EQ). We then analyzed the structural dependence of MD and EQ, finding a group of metasurfaces which can span the entire visible spectrum under left circularly polarized (LCP) light and show dark, faded colors under right circularly polarized (RCP) light. Our result provides design criteria for chirality-selective all-dielectric structural color displays, applicable to energy and time efficient real-time color switching displays.
Dual-polarized bidirectional three-dimensional metamaterial absorber with transmission windows
Authors: Lin Hai , Wu Yanjie , Xiong Jie , Zhou Rui , Li Qiuyu , Tang Rongxin
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we proposed a dual-polarized bidirectional
three-dimensional metamaterial absorber (3D-MA) with transmission
windows. This 3D-MA can achieve a broadband absorption in the range of
3.45-4.82 GHz for the forward incident wave. Meanwhile, it possesses
another absorption band in the range of 1.89-3.84 GHz for backward
incident waves. Due to its hollow 3D lattice structure, it also has
two additional transmission windows at low frequency and high
frequency bands. The design is insensitive to polarization and
maintains good angular stability for oblique incidence up to
40°. In order to verify the performance of the design, a
prototype was manufactured and measured. The measurement results agree
well with the simulation. By studying normalized equivalent impedance
and surface current distribution of the 3D-MA, the physical mechanism
of the MA is clarified. The MA breaks the symmetrical transmission
through the delicate designed 3D unit cell. The asymmetric absorption
feature greatly expands the function of MA by providing an additional
absorption band for backward incident waves. It also provides a new
degree of freedom for the design of electromagnetic metamaterials. The
proposed design has important application prospects in the field of
radar asymmetric recognition, detection, and stealth.
Multiplication sampling moire method for full-field deformation measurement of composite materials
Authors: Wang Qinghua , Ri Shien , Mohammad Fikry M. J. , Ogihara Shinji
Published: November 2021

A multiplication sampling moire (MSM) method was proposed for robust deformation distribution measurement by performing phase analysis of the second harmonic (second-order frequency) of a single grating pattern. The MSM method has a very strong noise immunity because the second harmonic spectrum is far from the low-frequency region of the background noise in the frequency domain. Phase analysis of an experimental grid image on a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) specimen indicated that the MSM method effectively solved the problem of non-negligible phase measurement errors of conventional methods that extract the fundamental frequency of the grating, in the case of severe local noise. The displacement and strain distributions of CFRP in a tensile test were successfully measured. This method is suitable for deformation measurement of various composite materials.
Quantum dots assisted in vivo two-photon microscopy with NIR-II emission
Authors: Ni Huwei , Wang Yalun , Tang Tao , Yu Wenbin , Li Dongyu , He Mubin , Chen Runze , Zhang Mingxi , Qian Jun
Published: November 2021

With the advantages of high resolution and deep penetration depth, two-photon excited NIR-II (900–1880 nm) fluorescence (2PF) microscopic bioimaging is promising. However, due to the lack of imaging systems and suitable probes, few such works, to our best knowledge, were demonstrated utilizing NIR-II excitation and NIR-II fluorescence simultaneously. Herein, we used aqueously dispersible PbS/CdS quantum dots with bright NIR-II fluorescence as the contrast agents. Under the excitation of a 1550 nm femtosecond (fs) laser, they emitted bright 2PF in the NIR-II region. Moreover, a 2PF lifetime imaging microscopic (2PFLIM) system was implemented, and in vivo 2PFLIM images of mouse brain blood vessels were obtained for the first time to our best knowledge. To improve imaging speed, an in vivo two-photon fluorescence microscopy (2PFM) system based on an InGaAs camera was implemented, and in vivo 2PFM images of QDs-stained mouse brain blood vessels were obtained.
The economics of managing evolution
Authors: Day Troy , Kennedy David A. , Read Andrew F. , McAdams David
Published: November 2021

Humans are altering biological systems at unprecedented rates, and these alterations often have longer-term evolutionary impacts. Most obvious is the spread of resistance to pesticides and antibiotics. There are a wide variety of management strategies available to slow this evolution, and there are many reasons for using them. In this paper, we focus on the economic aspects of evolution management and ask: When is it economically beneficial for an individual decision-maker to invest in evolution management? We derive a simple dimensionless inequality showing that it is cost-effective to manage evolution when the percentage increase in the effective life span of the biological resource that management generates is larger than the percentage increase in annual profit that could be obtained by not managing evolution. We show how this inequality can be used to determine optimal investment choices for single decision-makers, to determine Nash equilibrium investment choices for multiple interacting decision-makers, and to examine how these equilibrium choices respond to regulatory interventions aimed at stimulating investment in evolution management. Our results are illustrated with examples involving Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops and antibiotic use in fish farming.
Salt responsive alternative splicing of a RING finger E3 ligase modulates the salt stress tolerance by fine-tuning the balance of COP9 signalosome subunit 5A
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Li Xiao-Hu , Guo Qian-Huan , Liu Peng , Li Ying , Wu Chang-Ai , Yang Guo-Dong , Huang Jin-Guang , Zhang Shi-Zhong , Zheng Cheng-Chao , Yan Kang
Published: November 2021

Increasing evidence points to the tight relationship between alternative splicing (AS) and the salt stress response in plants. However, the mechanisms linking these two phenomena remain unclear. In this study, we have found that Salt-Responsive Alternatively Spliced gene 1 (SRAS1), encoding a RING-Type E3 ligase, generates two splicing variants: SRAS1.1 and SRAS1.2, which exhibit opposing responses to salt stress. The salt stress-responsive AS event resulted in greater accumulation of SRAS1.1 and a lower level of SRAS1.2. Comprehensive phenotype analysis showed that overexpression of SRAS1.1 made the plants more tolerant to salt stress, whereas overexpression of SRAS1.2 made them more sensitive. In addition, we successfully identified the COP9 signalosome 5A (CSN5A) as the target of SRAS1. CSN5A is an essential player in the regulation of plant development and stress. The full-length SRAS1.1 promoted degradation of CSN5A by the 26S proteasome. By contrast, SRAS1.2 protected CSN5A by competing with SRAS1.1 on the same binding site. Thus, the salt stress-triggered AS controls the ratio of SRAS1.1/SRAS1.2 and switches on and off the degradation of CSN5A to balance the plant development and salt tolerance. Together, these results provide insights that salt-responsive AS acts as post-transcriptional regulation in mediating the function of E3 ligase.
Importance of natural land cover for plant species’ conservation: A nationwide study in The Netherlands
Authors: Pan Kaixuan , Moens Merijn , Marshall Leon , Cieraad Ellen , de Snoo Geert R. , Biesmeijer Koos
Published: November 2021

While shifts to high-intensity land cover have caused overwhelming biodiversity loss, it remains unclear how important natural land cover is to the occurrence, and thus the conservation, of different species groups. We used over 4 million plant species’ observations to evaluate the conservation importance of natural land cover by its association with the occurrence probability of 1 122 native and 403 exotic plant species at 1 km resolution by species distribution models. We found that 74.9% of native species, 83.9% of the threatened species and 77.1% rare species preferred landscapes with over 50% natural land cover, while these landscapes only accounted for 15.6% of all grids. Most species preferred natural areas with a mixture of forest and open areas rather than areas with completely open or forested nature. Compared to native species, exotic species preferred areas with lower natural land cover and the cover of natural open area, but they both preferred extremely high and low cover of natural forest area. Threatened and rare species preferred higher natural land cover, either cover of natural forest area or cover of natural open area than not threatened and common species, but rare species were also more likely to occur in landscapes with 0–25% cover of natural open area. Although more natural land cover in a landscape will not automatically result in more native species, because there is often a non-linear increase in species occurrence probability when going from 0% to 100% natural land cover, for conserving purposes, over 80% natural land cover should be kept in landscapes for conserving threatened and very rare species, and 60% natural land cover is the best for conserving common native species. Our results stress the importance of natural areas for plant species’ conservation. It also informs improvements to species conservation by increasing habitat diversity.
α-galactosylceramide-stimulated invariant natural killer T-cells play a protective role in murine vulvovaginal candidiasis by Candida albicans
Authors: Abe Masahiro , Kinjo Yuki , Sadamoto Sota , Shinozaki Minoru , Nagi Minoru , Shibuya Kazutoshi , Miyazaki Yoshitsugu
Published: November 2021

Background

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a common superficial candidiasis; however, a host’s immunological mechanism against vaginal Candida infection remains unknown.

Objectives

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of iNKT cell activation on vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Methods

Using a vulvovaginal candidiasis model with estrogenized mice, we evaluated the fungal burden and number of leukocyte infiltrations in the vaginal lavage of wild-type C57BL/6J mice after Candida albicans inoculation. One day before C. albicans inoculation, α-galactosylceramide (the α-GalCer group) or sterile phosphate-buffered saline (the sham group) was intraperitoneally injected into the mice. We also evaluated the level of antimicrobial peptide S100A8 in the vaginal lavage and analyzed the correlation between S100A8 concentration and the number of vaginal leukocyte infiltrations. Moreover, the number of uterine and vaginal immune cells were evaluated using flow cytometry.

Results

The number of vaginal leukocyte infiltrations was significantly higher in the α-GalCer group than in the sham group 3 days after C. albicans inoculation. In addition, the fungal burden was significantly lower in the α-GalCer group than the sham group at 7 days after inoculation. In the analysis of S100A8 concentration of vaginal lavage, there were no significant differences between these two groups, although S100A8 concentration and the number of vaginal leukocyte infiltrations were positively correlated in the α-GalCer group. Moreover, the number of vaginal iNKT cells, NK cells and CD8+ T-cells was significantly higher in the α-GalCer group 3 days after inoculation.

Conclusions

α-GalCer-stimulated iNKT cells likely play a protective role against vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Salmonella chitosan nanoparticle vaccine administration is protective against Salmonella Enteritidis in broiler birds
Authors: Acevedo-Villanueva Keila Y. , Renu Sankar , Shanmugasundaram Revathi , Akerele Gabriel O. , Gourapura Renukaradhy J. , Selvaraj Ramesh K.
Published: November 2021

Salmonella control strategies include vaccines that help reduce the spread of Salmonella in poultry flocks. In this study we evaluated the efficacy of administering a live Salmonella vaccine followed by a killed Salmonella chitosan nanoparticle (CNP) vaccine booster on the cellular and humoral immunity of broilers. The CNP vaccine was synthesized with Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) outer-membrane-proteins (OMPs) and flagellin-proteins. At d1-of-age, one-hundred-sixty-eight chicks were allocated into treatments: 1) No vaccine, 2) Live vaccine (Poulvac®ST), 3) CNP vaccine, 4) Live+CNP vaccine. At d1-of-age, birds were orally vaccinated with PBS, Live vaccine, or CNP. At d7-of-age, the No vaccine, Live vaccine and CNP vaccine groups were boosted with PBS and the Live+CNP vaccine group was boosted with CNP. At d14-of-age, birds were challenged with 1×109 CFU/bird S. Enteritidis. There were no significant differences in body-weight-gain (BWG) or feed-conversion-ratio (FCR). At 8h-post-challenge, CNP and Live+CNP-vaccinated birds had 17% and 24% greater levels (P<0.05) of anti-Salmonella OMPs IgA in bile, respectively, compared to control. At d28-of-age, CNP, Live, and Live+CNP-vaccinated birds had 33%, 18%, and 24% greater levels (P<0.05) of anti-Salmonella OMPs IgA in bile, respectively, compared to control. At d14-of-age, Live+CNP-vaccinated birds had 46% greater levels (P<0.05) of anti-Salmonella OMPs IgY in serum, compared to control. At d21-of-age, splenocytes from CNP and Live-vaccinated birds had increased (P<0.05) T-lymphocyte proliferation at 0.02 mg/mL OMPs stimulation compared to the control. At d28-of-age, CNP and Live+CNP-vaccinated birds had 0.9 Log10 CFU/g and 1 Log10 CFU/g decreased S. Enteritidis cecal loads (P<0.05), respectively, compared to control. The CNP vaccine does not have adverse effects on bird’s BWG and FCR or IL-1β, IL-10, IFN-γ, or iNOS mRNA expression levels. It can be concluded that the CNP vaccine, as a first dose or as a booster vaccination, is an alternative vaccine candidate against S. Enteritidis in broilers.
Blockade of beta adrenergic receptors protects the blood brain barrier and reduces systemic pathology caused by HIV-1 Nef protein
Authors: Rivera-Ortiz Jocelyn , Pla-Tenorio Jessalyn , Cruz Myrella L. , Colon Krystal , Perez-Morales Jaileene , Rodriguez Julio A. , Martinez-Sicari Jorge , Noel Richard J.
Published: November 2021

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) targets viral replication, but early viral protein production by astrocytes may still occur and contribute to the progression of HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders and secondary complications seen in patients receiving cART. In prior work with our model, astrocytic HIV-1 Nef expression exhibits neurotoxic effects leading to neurological damage, learning impairment, and immune upregulation that induces inflammation in the lungs and small intestine (SI). In this follow-up study, we focus on the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) as the important branch for peripheral inflammation resulting from astrocytic Nef expression. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were infused with transfected astrocytes to produce Nef. The rats were divided in four groups: Nef, Nef + propranolol, propranolol and naïve. The beta-adrenergic blocker, propranolol, was administered for 3 consecutive days, starting one day prior to surgery. Two days after the surgery, the rats were sacrificed, and then blood, brain, small intestine (SI), and lung tissues were collected. Levels of IL-1β were higher in both male and female rats, and treatment with propranolol restored IL-1β to basal levels. We observed that Nef expression decreased staining of the tight junction protein claudin-5 in brain tissue while animals co-treated with propranolol restored claudin-5 expression. Lungs and SI of rats in the Nef group showed histological signs of damage including larger Peyer’s Patches, increased tissue thickness, and infiltration of immune cells; these findings were abrogated by propranolol co-treatment. Results suggest that interruption of the beta adrenergic signaling reduces the peripheral organ inflammation caused after Nef expression in astrocytes of the brain.
#LetsUnlitterUK: A demonstration and evaluation of the Behavior Change Wheel methodology
Authors: Kolodko Julia , Schmidtke Kelly Ann , Read Daniel , Vlaev Ivo
Published: November 2021

The Behavior Change Wheel is the most comprehensive and practically useful methodology available for developing behavior change interventions. The current article demonstrates how it can be applied to optimize pro-environmental behaviors and, in so doing, give interventionists access to a rigorous set of theories and techniques for systematically developing pro-environmental interventions. Section 1 describes the development of an intervention to increase people’s intentions to post anti-littering messages on social media. Study 2 describes the development and evaluation of an intervention to increase people’s actual anti-littering posts. Both evaluations are randomized controlled trials that compare the effectiveness of the developed intervention with interventions less informed by the Wheel. We found interventions completely informed by the Wheel to be more effective than interventions less (or not at all) informed by the Wheel. The discussion explores how the Behavior Change Wheel methodology can be used to design future pro-environment interventions.