bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Szopka satyryczna „Kontrabanda” (1958) – próba rekonstrukcji treści
Authors: Smyczek Katarzyna
Published: December 2021

Artykuł dotyczy szopki satyrycznej Ryszarda Marka (Ryszarda Wierzbowskiego i Marka Grońskiego) pt. Kontrabanda. Stanowi próbę odtworzenia scenariusza adaptacji scenicznej utworu. Premiera spektaklu w reżyserii Bogdana Baera odbyła się 14 lutego 1958 roku w Teatrze Nowym w Łodzi. Fragmenty szopki ukazywały się na łamach łódzkiej prasy lokalnej („Dziennik Łódzki” 1958, R. 14, nr 28 (3483), s. 4) oraz w czasopismach  „Szpilki” (1958, nr 16 (868), s. 4–5 ) i „Odgłosy” (1959, nr 15 (59), s. 11). Materiał źródłowy stanowią także „Biuletyny Państwowego Teatru Nowego” zdeponowane w Archiwum Państwowym w Łodzi. Podstawę do rekonstrukcji przebiegu spektaklu stanowiły recenzje widowiska.

Teksty satyryczne to szczególnie ciekawy materiał badawczy. Powstawały z inspiracji i w odpowiedzi na sytuację społeczno-polityczną kraju. Istotnym aspektem artykułu jest zatem szeroki komentarz edytorski do omawianego utworu, który pozwoli objaśnić niezrozumiałe treści, wynikające z osadzenia tekstu w realiach socjalistycznego państwa.
Mary Astell on the Social Nature of the Cartesian Passions
Authors: Sipowicz Maks
Published: December 2021

Scholars have long recognised that Mary Astell builds her feminist critique of society on a foundation of Cartesian views about human nature and the passions. At the same time, the full extent of the influence of Descartes’ view of embodiment on the solution Astell proposes in her Serious Proposal to the Ladies is only beginning to come to light. In this paper, I contribute to this ongoing project by arguing that Astell builds on Descartes’ ideas by addressing a blind spot in his view, namely, that that the embodied self is socially situated, and that therefore, our social context plays a crucial formative role in the development of our passions. In doing so, I show Astell extends Cartesian philosophy beyond an egalitarian feminist critique of society, but also to a positive political theory offering a solution to the problems she identifies. Thusly, Astell shows the political potential of Cartesian philosophy as a framework for social critique and to seek solutions to the problems such a critique can bring out.
Skippable Ads: Interactive Advertising on Digital Media Platforms
Authors: Dukes Anthony , Liu Qihong , Shuai Jie
Published: December 2021

The growth of YouTube and other digital content platforms in the prior decade may have been aided by their utilization of the skippable ad format, but as that growth tapers, this format may become less valuable to their ad revenue.
The Effect of the Paycheck Protection Program and Financial Reporting Standards on Bank Risk-Taking
Authors: Ballew Hailey B. , Nicoletti Allison , Stuber Sarah B.
Published: December 2021

This paper examines the consequences of the paycheck protection program (PPP) for bank risk-taking and whether the shift to the current expected credit loss (CECL) model moderates this effect. We find that the extent of a bank’s PPP participation is associated with relatively greater changes in risk-taking outside of the PPP. We also show that this effect is concentrated in banks that have not early adopted the CECL model and banks with timelier pre-PPP loan loss provisions, suggesting that timelier loan loss recognition constrains risk-taking incentives. Overall, our findings provide insight into the indirect consequences of government stimulus programs administered through banks and the role of accounting in constraining bank risk-taking.

This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting.
Multivariate Monotone Inclusions in Saddle Form
Authors: Bùi Minh N. , Combettes Patrick L.
Published: December 2021

We propose a novel approach to monotone operator splitting based on the notion of a saddle operator. Under investigation is a highly structured multivariate monotone inclusion problem involving a mix of set-valued, cocoercive, and Lipschitzian monotone operators, as well as various monotonicity-preserving operations among them. This model encompasses most formulations found in the literature. A limitation of existing primal-dual algorithms is that they operate in a product space that is too small to achieve full splitting of our problem in the sense that each operator is used individually. To circumvent this difficulty, we recast the problem as that of finding a zero of a saddle operator that acts on a bigger space. This leads to an algorithm of unprecedented flexibility, which achieves full splitting, exploits the specific attributes of each operator, is asynchronous, and requires to activate only blocks of operators at each iteration, as opposed to activating all of them. The latter feature is of critical importance in large-scale problems. The weak convergence of the main algorithm is established, as well as the strong convergence of a variant. Various applications are discussed, and instantiations of the proposed framework in the context of variational inequalities and minimization problems are presented.
Unexpected Pulmonary Embolism Late After Recovery from Mild COVID-19?
Authors: De Pace Doranna , Ariotti Sara , Persampieri Simone , Patti Giuseppe , Alessandro Lupi
Published: December 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is common during active illness but unusual in milder cases and after healing. We describe a case of bilateral acute pulmonary embolism occurring 3 months after recovery from a paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. The only VTE risk factor demonstrable was a history of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, with laboratory signs of residual low-grade inflammation. Clinicians should be aware of VTE as a potential cause of sudden dyspnoea after COVID-19 resolution, especially in the presence of persistent systemic inflammation.
Factors Associated with Self-Efficacy Toward Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Kuwaiti Adolescent Girls
Authors: Al-Ghanim Latifa , Alkazemi Dalal
Published: December 2021

Factors that influence adolescents’ health-related behaviors in Kuwait are unclear. We hypothesized that self-efficacy would be negatively associated with a heavier weight status and positively associated with healthy eating-related behaviors. We aimed to measure healthy eating-related parameters in a sample of Kuwaiti girls and to assess the correlates of self-efficacy. The participants of this cross-sectional study were adolescent schoolgirls. The main outcome measures were self-efficacy, dietary habits, dietary beliefs, nutrition knowledge, physical activity, and weight status per body mass index (BMI) categories. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to determine the associations among the healthy behavior-related parameter scores. Independent samples t-test was used to examine the differences in scores between participants’ characteristics and self-efficacy score (SES). Only 19.9% of the participants had high self-efficacy toward healthy eating behaviors, 20.9% had “satisfactory eating habits,” 11.3% had a good comprehension of the meanings of healthy and unhealthy dietary habits and food, 16.3% had good nutrition knowledge, and 29.2% had an active lifestyle. SES is associated negatively with BMI, and positively with all the domains of healthy eating and with physical activity. However, SES was not associated with nutritional knowledge. Adolescent girls in Kuwait demonstrated a high level of self-efficacy toward healthy eating and behaviors with firm nutritional beliefs; however, they failed to practice them. Interventional school nutrition programs could help to improve healthy behaviors among adolescents.
Microencapsulation of Betacyanin Extract from Red Dragon Fruit Peel
Authors: Rukmi Putri Widya Dwi , Ramadhani Nurbaya Syarifa , Sofia Murtini Erni
Published: December 2021

The aim of this research was evaluated the effect of type and ratio of coating materials on characteristics of betacyanin extract microencapsulated by freeze drying. The combination was consisted of maltodextrin+gum arabic (MD+GA), maltodextrin+carboxymethyl cellulose (MD+CMC), maltodextrin+carrageenan (MD+C), and maltodextrin (MD) with ratio 3:1 and 4:1 (w/v) to the extract. Betacyanin microcapsules was analyzed for its characteristics, including encapsulation efficiency and microstructure. The result showed type and ratio of coating materials significantly influenced moisture content, color, and bulk density of the microcapsules (p<0,05). MD+GA coating material had the highest value of encapsulation efficiency (99.41 %). Microstructure analysis of the microcapsules showed it had amorphous shape. Betacyanin microcapsules from red dragon peel was potential to be natural food colorant.
Changes in Snacking Patterns during COVID-19 Lockdown in Adults from Mumbai City, India
Authors: Bhol Alifia , Sanwalka Neha , Abbas Kapasi Tasneem , Zuzar Piplodwala Sherebanu , Ali Ansari Laveeza Mohammed , Mudar Katawala Fatema , Abdulkadir Bhandary Tasneem
Published: December 2021

Mumbai was one of the 1st cities in India to go into total lockdown in March 2020. The lockdown was expected to have an influence on eating habits specially the snacking patterns. The main objective of this study was to access the change in snacking patterns of participants living in Mumbai city, India during lockdown. Data was collected in 256 Mumbai residents (60 males, 196 females) using Google forms. Information regarding number of meals consumed, meals at which snacks were consumed, change in snacking pattern, reasons for increase or decrease in snacking, and type of snacks consumed during lockdown as compared to before lock was collected. Around 20% reported a decrease, 31% reported no change and 49% reported an increase in snack consumption during lockdown. Participants consumed higher number of meals during lockdown (p<0.05). Significantly higher percentage of participants did not consume store brought snacks during lockdown (30.9% vs 13.7%) (p<0.05). Significantly higher percentage of participants consumed snacks at mid-evening (50.4% vs 33.6%), late evening (48% vs 32%) and late night (32% vs 16.8%) during lockdown as compared to before lockdown (p<0.05). Significantly change in lemon-water (57.8% vs 43.4%), coffee (47.3% vs 40.6%) and carbonated beverages (14.8% vs 23.4%) was observed during lockdown as compared to before lockdown (p<0.05). Significant increase in nuts (74.2% vs 65.6%), instant noodles (69.5% vs 60.9%) and biscuits (78.5% vs 68%) was observed during lockdown as compared to before lockdown (p<0.05). Significant decrease in South Indian (61.75 vs 69.1%), Frankie (32.8% vs 51.6%), bhel (50.4% vs 69.1%), Chinese bhel (21.5% vs 35.5%) and usal (32% vs 40.2%) was observed during lockdown as compared to before lockdown (p<0.05). To conclude, snacks were consumed at more number of meals during lockdown in comparison to before lockdown. A change in type of snacks consumed was observed during lockdown. Ready and easy to eat snacks such as nuts, instant noodles and biscuits showed an increase whereas snacks that require elaborate cooking procedure showed a decrease in consumption. With partial lockdown still persisting in many parts of the country and many still working from home it is imperative to circulate more accurate information on appropriate snacking habits.
Evaluation of Nutritional and Nutraceutical Content of Polished and Unpolished Barnyard Millet - An Analytical Study
Authors: N Rajeswari , Priyadharshini V. Premala
Published: December 2021

Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacaea) is an indigenous under utilized millet variety of south India with bounty of health benefits due to the abundance of dietary fiber antioxidant and minerals like iron. This gluten free wonder millet can be a healthy alternate dietary source for diabetic, obesity and CVD patients. Scientific evidence based studies on nutritional quality of this millet both in polished and unpolished form is less. The current study aims at “Evaluation of nutritional and nutraceutical content of polished and unpolished barnyard millet”. Both polished and unpolished barnyard millets were procured from local market, cleaned to remove dirt, dust and stone. The cleaned millets were dried powdered and sieved using 60 mesh sieves (250 Micron). The powdered millet flour was stored in airtight container. Nutritional content of Barnyard millet was analysed for macro, micro nutrients and nutraceutical properties of both polished and unpolished form using standard AOAC method - 20th edition (2016). The analysed nutrient content were compared statistically at 99% and 95 % confidence interval (t-test).The result shows that, the quantum of carbohydrate present in polished barnyard millet was 11.37 % lesser than the milled parboiled rice and 9 % lesser than the brown rice and 12.45 % lesser than the raw milled rice. The total dietary fibre content of unpolished barnyard millet was 14.2 gm and polished barnyard millet was 8.5 gm. Crude fibre content of unpolished barnyard millet was noted as 11.2 gm and the same in polished barnyard millet was 4.5gm. The protein content of unpolished barnyard millet (10.4gm) was found to be superior to polished barnyard millet (6.8gm).The presence of nutraceutical components were more nutritionally superior in unpolished barnyard millet compared to polished one.
Raw Milk in Noakhlai, Bangladesh: Quality Assessment and Antibiotic Resistance of Identified Microorganisms
Authors: Akter Tahmina , Mokbul Mansura , Ghosh Susmita , Dey Moumita
Published: December 2021

Milk is an ideal food for all age groups. The current study was carried out to identify the microorganisms to assess the raw milk quality and the antibiotic resistance of those identified micro-organisms. Five raw milk samples along with two high treatment (UHT) milk samples from different locations of Noakhali district of Bangladesh were analysed. Bacterial isolation was performed by Nutrient Agar (NA) and MacConkey (MCA), Eiosin Methylene Blue (EMB) and Genital menital salt agar (GMSA). The isolates were then identified by Kliger’s Iron Agar (KIA) test, Motility Indole Urease (MIU) test, Catalase and Oxidase tests. Antibiotics resistance tests were done for 13 different antibiotics. Among all these samples, Maijdee Bazar (S4) contained the highest load as 1.87×106 and the UHT samples contained no bacterial contamination. E. coli covered 47.05% whereas Listeria, Bacillus and Yersinia were in the same percentage as 5.88% among all isolates. Salmonella and Staphylococcus were 23.53% and 11.76%, respectively. Listeria and Salmonella were resistant to five different antibiotics by 46.15% and 38.46% of multiple antibiotic resistance index (MRI), correspondingly. However, E. coli and Yersinia were resistant to three antibiotics namely, Rifampcin (RIF), Cefotaxime (CTX), Amoxycillin (AMX) by about 23% as MRI percentage. Bacillus and Staphylococcus both were resistant to Cefepime (CPM) by 7.69% of MRI. Hence, it can be concluded that Rifampcin and Cefepime were most common antibiotics which were resisted by most of the isolates. Therefore, hygiene aspect of these milk sources needs to be taken into consideration with high priority. Also, the antibiotics which are resisted by different organisms will be detrimental for public health aspects.
Gendered Vocational Identities – Female Students' Strategies for Identity Formation During Workplace-Based Learning in Male-Dominated Work
Authors: Ferm Lisa , Gustavsson Maria
Published: December 2021

Purpose: This article investigates female vocational students' strategies for becoming part of a workplace community, what these strategies are and how they are tied to the formation of vocational identities within male-dominated industrial work. Of particular interest is how female students enrolled on Swedish upper secondary industrial programmes experience workplace-based learning at industrial workplaces as part of their vocational education. The theoretical framework derives from Wenger's concept of community of practice, but his theoretical concept does not explicitly include gender dimensions. Therefore, the concept of community of practice is also combined with Paechter's assumption of gender, whereby femininity and masculinity can be considered as different communities of practice. Methods: The article draws on evidence from a Swedish study based on interviews with 20 female students enrolled on the industrial programme at six upper secondary schools. In this vocational programme, there is a distinct gender distribution and only a small minority of the students on the programme are girls. In the analysis, the focus is on the female students' strategies used during workplace-based learning to become part of the work community which consists almost exclusively of male workers.Findings: The female students deliberately negotiated vocational identities as female industrial workers to become accepted in the male-dominated work community. The findings highlight three specific strategies that the female students used: Acting like gender does not matter, acting like boys (not like drama queens), and acting tough and joking around. The female students' strategies were part of – and tied to – a complex vocational identity formation process that featured contradictory requirements. By taking individual responsibility, they identified relevant information for becoming industrial workers and chose to act like boys. The female students saw no problem with being a girl, yet they struggled with implicit, diffuse and hidden gender structures and prejudices in the male-dominated industrial companies. Nevertheless, they strived for what they perceived to be an attractive vocational identity as industrial workers; it was an alternative, atypically feminine way of being that attracted the female students. Conclusions: The study concludes that female students mostly rely on their individual agency when interacting with others in the male-dominated workplace community. A "gendered vocational identity" is formed which shows that the identity formation of female students is a complex double process, in which vocational and gender identities are formed simultaneously and in parallel within the male-dominated workplace.
Three-dimensional attitude determination strategy for fused polarized
light and geomagnetism
Authors: Li Shan , Zhao Donghua , Yu Hua , Jin Tao , Wang Chenguang , Tang Jun , Shen Chong , Liu Jun , Wu Yicheng , Yang Hong
Published: December 2021

Using polarized light sensors to obtain only two-dimensional heading
information does meet actual needs in navigation. Instead, an
alternative method is proposed that uses the positional information of
the Sun and geomagnetic information to calculate the three-dimensional
attitude of a vehicle. First, the theoretical background of the
polarization mode of skylight is described, and the scheme in using
the atmospheric polarization pattern to calculate the solar position
is presented. Second, the traditional three-axis
attitude-determination (TRIAD) algorithm that exploits the solar
position vector and the geomagnetic vector to obtain the
three-dimensional attitude and the optimized TRIAD algorithm are
introduced. Static and turntable experiments are described that verify
the accuracy of the attitude calculation. Experimental results show
that when using the optimized TRIAD algorithm, the root mean square
errors for the roll angle, pitch angle, and heading angle are 0.1225°,
0.668°, and 1.0234°, respectively. This means that the optimized TRIAD
algorithm performs significantly better than the traditional TRIAD
algorithm and demonstrates that using the solar position and the
geomagnetic information to obtain the three-dimensional attitude of
the vehicle is very effective.
You don’t need a PhD to make an impact: editorial
Authors: Bennett Gisele
Published: December 2021

Editor-in-Chief Gisele Bennett encourages potential authors to publish.
Isolation method of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from red blood cells based on the optically induced dielectrophoresis technique for the rapid detection of fungal infections
Authors: Du Mingao , Liu Fei , Luan Xiaoli , Li Gongxin
Published: December 2021

Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has been classically used to treat diarrhea and diarrhea-related diseases. However, in the past two decades, fungal infections caused by S. cerevisiae have been increasing among immunocompromised patients, and it takes too long to isolate S. cerevisiae from blood to diagnose it in time. In this paper, a new method for the isolation and selection of S. cerevisiae from red blood cells (RBC) is proposed by designing a microfluidic chip with an optically-induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) system. It was verified by theory and experiments that the magnitude and direction of the dielectrophoresis force applied on RBCs and S. cerevisiae are different, which determine that the S. cerevisiae can be isolated from RBCs by the ODEP system. By designing the specific light images and the dynamic separation mode, the optimal operating conditions were experimentally achieved for acquiring higher purity of S. cerevisiae. The purity ranges were up to 95.9%–97.3%. This work demonstrates a promising tool for efficient and effective purification of S. cerevisiae from RBCs and provides a novel method of S. cerevisiae isolation for the timely diagnosis of fungal infections.
Highly sensitive gas sensor based on a parity-time-symmetric system
Authors: Zhao Chao , Lv Bo , Pan Zeyu , Zhu Zheng , Li Hanyang , Li Zenglin , Li Yicheng , Wang Ying , Mu Hongyang , Li Wenjia , Shi Jinhui
Published: December 2021

Achieving extremely high sensitivity is an important indicator in the development of novel and stable gas concentration sensors. In this paper, we present a gas concentration sensor with parity-time symmetry for high sensitivity at low concentrations. The proposed sensor can detect toxic gases, such as benzene, bromine, and acetone, by probing the faint changing of the permittivity. Furthermore, the level of the sensitivity can be adjusted by the resistance segment, which is realized by various metallic formations. Our proposed structure provides a novel idea for the development of future gas concentration sensors, showing an exciting prospect for gas sensing technologies.
GSURE criterion for unsupervised regularized reconstruction in tomographic diffractive microscopy
Authors: Denneulin L. , Momey F. , Brault D. , Debailleul M. , Taddese A. M. , Verrier N. , Haeberlé O.
Published: December 2021

We propose an unsupervised regularized inversion method for reconstruction of the 3D refractive index map of a sample in tomographic diffractive microscopy. It is based on the minimization of the generalized Stein’s unbiased risk estimator (GSURE) to automatically estimate optimal values for the hyperparameters of one or several regularization terms (sparsity, edge-preserving smoothness, total variation). We evaluate the performance of our approach on simulated and experimental limited-view data. Our results show that GSURE is an efficient criterion to find suitable regularization weights, which is a critical task, particularly in the context of reducing the amount of required data to allow faster yet efficient acquisitions and reconstructions.
Analyzing light-structuring features of droplet lenses on liquid-repelling surfaces
Authors: Bobkova Valeriia , Trinschek Sarah , Otte Eileen , Denz Cornelia
Published: December 2021

The complete understanding of the formation of seemingly levitating droplets on liquid-repelling surfaces provides the basis for further development of applications requiring friction-free liquid transport. For the investigation of these droplets and, thereby, the underlying surface properties, standard techniques typically only reveal a fraction of droplet or surface information. Here, we propose to exploit the light-shaping features of liquid droplets when interpreted as thick biconvex elliptical lenses. This approach has the potential to decode a plethora of droplet information from a passing laser beam, by transforming the information into a structured light field. Here, we explore this potential by analyzing the three-dimensional intensity structures sculpted by the droplet lenses, revealing the transfer of the characteristics of the underlying liquid-repelling effect onto the light field. As illustrative complementary examples, we study droplet lenses formed on a non-wetting Taro (Colocasia esculenta) leaf surface and by the Leidenfrost effect on a heated plate. Our approach may reveal even typically "invisible" droplet properties as the refractive index or internal flow dynamics and, hence, will be of interest to augment conventional tools for droplet and surface investigation.
106.25-Gbps PAM-4 bidirectional optical sub-assembly module with in-line arrangement of optical and electrical interfaces
Authors: Huh Joon Young , Kang Sae-Kyoung , Moon Sang-Rok , Lee Joon Ki
Published: December 2021

We successfully demonstrate a 106.25-Gbps PAM-4 bidirectional optical sub-assembly for optical access networks, including a driver amplifier and an electro-absorption modulated laser for a transmitter, a photodiode and transimpedance amplifier for a receiver, and an optical filter block. For its implementation, we propose design strategies providing an in-line arrangement of optical and electrical interfaces while ensuring optical alignment tolerance for easy assembly and reducing electrical crosstalk between the transmitter and receiver. Measured receiver sensitivity was <–11.4 dBm for the KP4 forward error correction limit during transmitter operation, and measured power penalty of 10-km single-mode fiber transmission was <0.9 dB.
Dynamic wavelength control of laser pulse profiles at picosecond to nanosecond timescales
Authors: Mittelberger D. E. , Muir R. D. , Heebner J. E.
Published: December 2021

We report on a novel combined laser pulse shaping and dynamic wavelength encoding capability based on a simple architecture implementing direct space to time mapping. There are several potential applications that can be enabled by the ability to control the instantaneous intensity or wavelength of an optical waveform on a picosecond-to-nanosecond timescale. To our knowledge, no known methods can access this temporal regime with a practical architecture. Here, we demonstrate an extension of the Space–Time Induced Linearly Encoded Transcription for Temporal Optimization (STILETTO) technique that can generate optical waveforms with a programmable instantaneous wavelength vs. time. We experimentally demonstrate the technique by generating self-gated spectrograms and show that it can encode dynamic wavelength vs time profiles at timescales not achievable by any other known method.
Total Variation Constrained Graph Manifold Learning Strategy for Cerenkov Luminescence Tomography
Authors: Guo Hongbo , Yu Jingjing , He Xuelei , Yi Huangjian , Hou Yuqing , He Xiaowei
Published: December 2021

Harnessing the power and flexibility of radiolabeled molecules, Cerenkov luminescence tomography (CLT) provides a novel technique for non-invasive visualisation and quantification of viable tumour cells in a living organism. However, owing to the photon scattering effect and the ill-posed inverse problem, CLT still suffers from insufficient spatial resolution and shape recovery in various preclinical applications. In this study, we proposed a total variation constrained graph manifold learning (TV-GML) strategy for achieving accurate spatial location, dual-source resolution, and tumour morphology. TV-GML integrates the isotropic total variation term and dynamic graph Laplacian constraint to make a trade-off between edge preservation and piecewise smooth region reconstruction. Meanwhile, the tetrahedral mesh-Cartesian grid pair method based on the k-nearest neighbour, and the adaptive and composite Barzilai–Borwein method, were proposed to ensure global super linear convergence of the solution of TV-GML. The comparison results of both simulation experiments and in vivo experiments further indicated that TV-GML achieved superior reconstruction performance in terms of location accuracy, dual-source resolution, shape recovery capability, robustness, and in vivo practicability. Significance: We believe that this novel method will be beneficial to the application of CLT for quantitative analysis and morphological observation of various preclinical applications and facilitate the development of the theory of solving inverse problem.
High-sensitivity dynamic distributed pressure sensing with frequency-scanning φ-OTDR
Authors: Qiu Liqiang , Ba Dexin , Zhou Dengwang , Chu Qi , Zhu Zongda , Dong Yongkang
Published: December 2021

We propose a high-sensitivity dynamic distributed pressure sensor using frequency-scanning phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (φ-OTDR) in a single-mode fiber (SMF), where an injection locking laser working as both filter and amplifier is used to generate the multi-frequency signals under a double-sideband modulation. The pressure sensitivity of the SMF is measured to be 702.5 MHz/MPa, which is approximately 1000 times larger than that of the Brillouin optical time-domain analysis technique. Subsequently, a dynamic pressure experiment is carried out in the case of rapid pressure relief from 2 to 0 MPa so that a maximum sampling rate of 33.3 kHz for a 25-m SMF is achieved, and the measurement uncertainty of 0.61 kPa for the proposed scheme is demonstrated.
Interaction-free bidirectional multi-channel all-optical switching in a multi-level coupling atom–cavity system
Authors: Wang Liyong , Zhu Yifu
Published: December 2021

We propose a scheme of interaction-free bidirectional multi-channel all-optical switching in a multi-level coupling system consisting of four-level atoms confined in a cavity and coupled by a free-space control laser. A signal laser field is coupled into the cavity and excites two separate transitions of atoms simultaneously under the collective strong coupling condition. The transmission and reflection of signal fields form bidirectional output channels. A free-space control laser induces destructive quantum interference in the multi-level excitation of an atom–cavity system, which can be used to switch on/off the output signal lights of transmission/reflection channels. There is no direct coupling of control light and signal light through the cavity-confined atoms because the output of signal light is nearly totally suppressed to the opposite direction when control light is present. The proposed all-optical switching scheme can be realized with high switching efficiency, broad bandwidth, and weak light intensity. It may be useful for future devices of optical routing, optical communications, and various quantum logic elements.
Schottky-type GaN-based UV photodetector with atomic-layer-deposited TiN thin film as electrodes
Authors: Su Longxing , Zhao Lianqi , Chen Sheng-Yu , Deng Yingdong , Pu Ruihua , Wang Ziyu , Xie Jin
Published: December 2021

In this work, a GaN-based UV photodetector with an asymmetric electrode structure was fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiN layers. The thickness of the TiN can be monitored in situ by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and precisely controlled through the modulation of deposition cycles. During the ALD process, periodic variation in the QCM frequency was observed and correlated to the physical adsorption, chemical bonding, and the excessive precursor exhaust, which included tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (TDMAT) and N sources. The asymmetric TiN/GaN/TiN photodetector showed excellent photosensing performance, with a UV-visible rejection ratio of 173, a responsivity of 4.25 A/W, a detectivity of 1.1×1013 Jones, and fast response speeds (a rise time of 69 μs and a decay time of 560 μs). Moreover, the device exhibits high stability, with an attenuation of only approximately 0.5% after 360 nm light irradiation for 157 min. This result indicates the potential of TiN as a transparent contact electrode for GaN-based optoelectronic devices.
High-power single-frequency single-mode all-solid photonic bandgap fiber laser with kHz linewidth
Authors: Matniyaz Turghun , Bingham Samuel P. , Kalichevsky-Dong Monica T. , Hawkins Thomas W. , Pulford Benjamin , Dong Liang
Published: December 2021

There have been several demonstrations of single-frequency single-mode ytterbium-doped fiber lasers operating at a few hundred watts of power. A narrow spectral linewidth of these lasers is critical for many applications but has never been properly measured before at high powers. In this work, we report the first spectral linewidth measurement at kHz resolution of high-power single-frequency fiber lasers using a heterodyne technique and can confirm that these lasers can indeed operate at a few kHz spectral linewidth. Furthermore, we have improved the power from single-frequency single-mode all-solid photonic bandgap fiber lasers to 500 W using an improved photonic bandgap fiber.
Exceptional points and enhanced nanoscale sensing with a plasmon-exciton hybrid system
Authors: Jiang Hong , Zhang Weidong , Lu Guowei , Ye Lulu , Lin Hai , Tang Jinglin , Xue Zhaohang , Li Zheng , Xu Haitan , Gong Qihuang
Published: December 2021

Singularities in the spectra of open systems, known as exceptional points (EPs), have been shown to exhibit nontrivial topological properties and enhanced sensitivities. Here, we propose a novel approach to realize the EPs in a plasmon-exciton hybrid system and explore their applications in enhanced nanoscale sensing technology. We consider a plasmon-exciton system composed of a gold nanorod and a monolayer

WSe

2

. By controlling the geometric parameters of the nano-hybrid system, we obtain simultaneous coalescence of the resonance frequencies and loss rates of the hybrid system, which is a unique feature of EPs. Numerical simulations show its application in enhanced nanoscale sensing for environmental refractive indices. Our work opens the way to a new class of sensors based on EP-enhanced sensing, with intrinsic nanoscale sensitivity due to the sub-diffraction-limit size of the plasmon-exciton nano-hybrid system.
Elevated temperature inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in respiratory epithelium independently of IFN-mediated innate immune defenses
Authors: Herder Vanessa , Dee Kieran , Wojtus Joanna K. , Epifano Ilaria , Goldfarb Daniel , Rozario Christoforos , Gu Quan , Da Silva Filipe Ana , Nomikou Kyriaki , Nichols Jenna , Jarrett Ruth F. , Stevenson Andrew , McFarlane Steven , Stewart Meredith E. , Szemiel Agnieszka M. , Pinto Rute M. , Masdefiol Garriga Andreu , Davis Chris , Allan Jay , Graham Sheila V. , Murcia Pablo R. , Boutell Chris
Published: December 2021

The pandemic spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), represents an ongoing international health crisis. A key symptom of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the onset of fever, with a hyperthermic temperature range of 38 to 41°C. Fever is an evolutionarily conserved host response to microbial infection that can influence the outcome of viral pathogenicity and regulation of host innate and adaptive immune responses. However, it remains to be determined what effect elevated temperature has on SARS-CoV-2 replication. Utilizing a three-dimensional (3D) air–liquid interface (ALI) model that closely mimics the natural tissue physiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the respiratory airway, we identify tissue temperature to play an important role in the regulation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Respiratory tissue incubated at 40°C remained permissive to SARS-CoV-2 entry but refractory to viral transcription, leading to significantly reduced levels of viral RNA replication and apical shedding of infectious virus. We identify tissue temperature to play an important role in the differential regulation of epithelial host responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection that impact upon multiple pathways, including intracellular immune regulation, without disruption to general transcription or epithelium integrity. We present the first evidence that febrile temperatures associated with COVID-19 inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in respiratory epithelia. Our data identify an important role for tissue temperature in the epithelial restriction of SARS-CoV-2 independently of canonical interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral immune defenses.
Development of a sensitive competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of Burkholderia mallei, a Tier 1 select agent
Authors: Wernery Ulrich , Chan Elaine , Raghavan Rekha , Teng Jade L. L. , Syriac Ginu , Siu Sing-Yung , Joseph Marina , Yeung Man-Lung , Jia Lilong , Cai Jian-Piao , Chiu Tsz-Ho , Lau Susanna K. P. , Woo Patrick C. Y.
Published: December 2021

Glanders is a highly contagious and potentially serious disease caused by Burkholderia mallei, a Tier 1 select agent. In this study, we raised a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of B. mallei and developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for B. mallei infection. Using the titrated optimal conditions of B. mallei-LPS (2 ng) for microtiter plate coating, sample serum dilution at 1:20 and 3.5 ng/μL anti-LPS mAb B5, the cutoff value of the cELISA was determined using serum samples from 136 glanders-free seronegative horses in Hong Kong. All calculated percentage inhibition (PI) values from these seronegative samples were below 39.6% inhibition (1.5 standard deviations above mean PI) and was used as the cutoff value. The diagnostic sensitivity of the developed LPS-based cELISA was first evaluated using sera from donkeys and mice inoculated with B. mallei. An increasing trend of PI values above the defined cELISA cutoff observed in the donkey and mouse sera suggested positive detection of anti-LPS antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of the LPS-based cELISA was further evaluated using 31 serologically positive horse sera from glanders outbreaks in Bahrain and Kuwait, of which 30 were tested positive by the cELISA; and 21 seronegative horse sera and 20 seronegative donkey sera from Dubai, of which all were tested negative by the cELISA. A cELISA with high sensitivity (97.2%) and specificity (100%) for the detection of B. mallei antibodies in different animals was developed.
Perceived safety and trust in SAE Level 2 partially automated cars: Results from an online questionnaire
Authors: Nordhoff Sina , Stapel Jork , He Xiaolin , Gentner Alexandre , Happee Riender
Published: December 2021

The present online study surveyed drivers of SAE Level 2 partially automated cars on automation use and attitudes towards automation. Respondents reported high levels of trust in their partially automated cars to maintain speed and distance to the car ahead (M = 4.41), and to feel safe most of the time (M = 4.22) on a scale from 1 to 5. Respondents indicated to always know when the car is in partially automated driving mode (M = 4.42), and to monitor the performance of their car most of the time (M = 4.34). A low rating was obtained for engaging in other activities while driving the partially automated car (M = 2.27). Partial automation did, however, increase reported engagement in secondary tasks that are already performed during manual driving (i.e., the proportion of respondents reporting to observe the landscape, use the phone for texting, navigation, music selection and calls, and eat during partially automated driving was higher in comparison to manual driving). Unsafe behaviour was rare with 1% of respondents indicating to rarely monitor the road, and another 1% to sleep during partially automated driving. Structural equation modeling revealed a strong, positive relationship between perceived safety and trust (β = 0.69, p = 0.001). Performance expectancy had the strongest effects on automation use, followed by driver engagement, trust, and non-driving related task engagement. Perceived safety interacted with automation use through trust. We recommend future research to evaluate the development of perceived safety and trust in time, and revisit the influence of driver engagement and non-driving related task engagement, which emerged as new constructs related to trust in partial automation.
Correlation of breast cancer microcirculation construction with tumor stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)
Authors: Leng Xiaoling , Huang Guofu , Li Siyi , Yao Miaomiao , Ding Jianbing , Ma Fucheng
Published: December 2021

Objective

This study is to explore the correlation between the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics of breast cancer and the epithelial-mesenchyme transformation (EMT).

Methods

Totally 119 patients of breast cancer underwent CEUS. Tissues in the active area were collected and subjected to the immunohistochemical detection, PT-PCR and Western blot. Correlation analysis was conducted between the clinical pathological parameters and the CEUS indicators.

Results

The expression levels of CD44, N-cadherin, and β-catenin in breast cancer tissues were higher than those in adjacent tissues (P<0.05). However, the expression levels of CD24 and E-cadherin in breast cancer tissues were lower than those in adjacent tissues (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in E-cadherin mRNA and Vimentin levels between cancer and adjacent tissues (P>0.05). The expressions were up-regulated in the CSCs, with higher histological grade, lymph node metastasis, and negative estrogen receptor (ER) expression. Smaller breast tumors, with no lymph node metastasis, lower clinical stage, and positive ER expression, tended to exhibit the up-regulated epithelial phenotype. Breast tumors, with high histological grade, lymph node metastasis, high clinical staging grade, and negative ER expression, tended to exhibit the up-regulated interstitial phenotype. The peak intensity of the time-intensity curve (TIC) for the CEUS was positively correlated with the CSC marker CD44 and the interstitial phenotype marker N-cadherin. The starting time of enhancement was negatively correlated with the N-cadherin. Area under the curve was positively correlated with the expression of CD44 and N-cadherin, while negatively correlated with the epithelial phenotype marker β-catenin. The time to peak was negatively correlated with the interstitial phenotypes Vimentin and N-cadherin, with no correlation with the E-cadherin or β-catenin.

Conclusion

Breast cancers show the enlarged lesions after enlargement and perfusion defect for the CEUS. The fast-in pattern, high enhancement, and high perfusion in the TIC are correlated with the CSCs and EMT expressions, suggesting poor disease prognosis.
Women’s perceptions and experiences of reproductive coercion and abuse: a qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Moulton Jessica E. , Corona Martha Isela Vazquez , Vaughan Cathy , Bohren Meghan A.
Published: December 2021

Background

Reproductive coercion and abuse is a major public health issue, with significant effects on the health and well-being of women. Reproductive coercion and abuse includes any form of behaviour that intentionally controls another person’s reproductive choices. The aim of this qualitative evidence synthesis is to explore women’s experiences of reproductive coercion and abuse globally, to broaden understanding of the different ways reproductive coercion and abuse is perpetrated, perceived and experienced across settings and socio-cultural contexts.

Method

We searched Medline, CINAHL and Embase for eligible studies from inception to 25th February 2021. Primary studies with a qualitative study design that focused on the experiences and perceptions of women who have encountered reproductive coercion and abuse were eligible for inclusion. Titles and abstracts, and full texts were screened by independent reviewers. We extracted data from included studies using a form designed for this synthesis and assessed methodological limitations using CASP. We used Thomas and Harden’s thematic analysis approach to analyse and synthesise the evidence, and the GRADE-CERQual approach to assess confidence in review findings.

Results

We included 33 studies from twelve countries in South Asia, the Asia Pacific, North America, South America, Africa and Europe. Most studies used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to discuss women’s experiences of reproductive coercion and abuse. Reproductive coercion and abuse manifested in a range of behaviours including control of pregnancy outcome, pregnancy pressure or contraceptive sabotage. There were a range of reasons cited for reproductive coercion and abuse, including control of women, rigid gender roles, social inequalities and family pressure. Women’s different responses to reproductive coercion and abuse included using covert contraception and feelings of distress, anger and trauma. Across contexts, perpetration and experiences of reproductive coercion and abuse were influenced by different factors including son preferences and social exclusion.

Conclusions

We reflect on the importance of socio-cultural factors in understanding the phenomenon of reproductive coercion and abuse and how it affects women, as well as how the mechanisms of power and control at both individual and societal levels work to perpetuate the incidence of reproductive coercion and abuse against women.
Consistent condom utilization and associated factors among HIV positive clients attending ART clinic at Pawi general hospital, North West Ethiopia
Authors: Yeshaneh Alex , Lencha Adugna , Aweke Amlaku Mulat , Dessalew Yaregal , Wale Tegegne , Mekuriya Esubalew , Abdulahi Temkin , Workineh Alemu , Yitayew Meseret , Dinku Hirut , Asfaw Genet
Published: December 2021

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects a highly significant number of people and is responsible for the deaths of many people in sub-Saharan African countries alone. The best prevention method for this virus is through consistent condom utilization which can help to prevent drug-resistant HIV infection and acquisition of new infection. Therefore, this study aimed to assess consistent condom utilization and associated factors among HIV-positive individuals attending an antiretroviral therapy clinic at Pawi general hospital, North West Ethiopia in 2020.

Methods

An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among 419 HIV-positive individuals who have follow-up in the Pawi general hospital antiretroviral therapy clinics, from January to February 2020. The study subjects were reached using a systematic sampling technique and data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were performed using epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS version 23 respectively. Binary and multivariable analyses with a 95% confidence level were performed. In the final model, variables with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 419 antiretroviral therapy study participants were participated in the study with a response rate of 100%. In this finding, the consistent condom utilization rate was 49.2% [95% CI: 42.2–56.5%]. After controlling for possible confounding factors, the results showed that place of residence [AOR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.05, 4.45], marital status [AOR = 0.19, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.67], number of partners [AOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.55] and level of education [AOR = 5.33, 95% CI: 1.57, 18.08] were associated factors of consistent condom utilization.

Conclusion

Consistent condom utilization among HIV-positive clients attending antiretroviral therapy clinics at Pawi general hospital was low. Residence, marital status, level of education and number of partners were significantly associated factors of consistent condom use. Health education program and counseling services should be started to increase knowledge about way of transmission and appropriate use of condoms, increase self-efficacy towards condom use and reduction in the number of sexual partners.