bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CK1δ/ε-mediated TDP-43 phosphorylation contributes to early motor neuron disease toxicity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Ko Vivian I. , Ong Kailee , Kwon Deborah Y. , Li Xueying , Pietrasiewicz Alicia , Harvey James S. , Lulla Mukesh , Bhat Guruharsha , Cleveland Don W. , Ravits John M.
Published: December 2024

Hyperphosphorylated TDP-43 aggregates in the cytoplasm of motor neurons is a neuropathological signature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These aggregates have been proposed to possess a toxic disease driving role in ALS pathogenesis and progression, however, the contribution of phosphorylation to TDP-43 aggregation and ALS disease mechanisms remains poorly understood. We’ve previously shown that CK1δ and CK1ε phosphorylate TDP-43 at disease relevant sites, and that genetic reduction and chemical inhibition could reduce phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) levels in cellular models. In this study, we advanced our findings into the hTDP-43-ΔNLS in vivo mouse model of ALS and TDP-43 proteinopathy. This mouse model possesses robust disease-relevant features of ALS, including TDP-43 nuclear depletion, cytoplasmic pTDP-43 accumulation, motor behavior deficits, and shortened survival. We tested the effect of homozygous genetic deletion of Csnk1e in the hTDP-43-ΔNLS mouse model and observed a delay in the formation of pTDP-43 without significant ultimate rescue of TDP-43 proteinopathy or disease progression. Homozygous genetic deletion of Csnk1d is lethal in mice, and we were unable to test the role of CK1δ alone. We then targeted both CK1δ and CK1ε kinases by way of CK1δ/ε-selective PF-05236216 inhibitor in the hTDP-43-ΔNLS mouse model, reasoning that inhibiting CK1ε alone would be insufficient as shown by our Csnk1e knockout mouse model study. Treated mice demonstrated reduced TDP-43 phosphorylation, lowered Nf-L levels, and improved survival in the intermediate stages. The soluble TDP-43 may have been more amenable to the inhibitor treatment than insoluble TDP-43. However, the treatments did not result in improved functional measurements or in overall survival. Our results demonstrate that phosphorylation contributes to neuronal toxicity and suggest CK1δ/ε inhibition in combination with other therapies targeting TDP-43 pathology could potentially provide therapeutic benefit in ALS.
Seismic clusters and fluids diffusion: a lesson from the 2018 Molise (Southern Italy) earthquake sequence
Authors: Gentili Stefania , Brondi Piero , Rossi Giuliana , Sugan Monica , Petrillo Giuseppe , Zhuang Jiancang , Campanella Stefano
Published: December 2024

The identification of seismic clusters is essential for many applications of statistical analysis and seismicity forecasting: uncertainties in cluster identification leads to uncertainties in results. However, there are several methods to identify clusters, and their results are not always compatible. We tested different approaches to analyze the clustering: a traditional window-based approach, a complex network-based technique (nearest neighbor—NN), and a novel approach based on fractal analysis. The case study is the increase in seismicity observed in Molise, Southern Italy, from April to November 2018. To analyze the seismicity in detail with the above-mentioned methods, an improved template-matching catalog was created. A stochastic declustering method based on the Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) model was also applied to add probabilistic information. We explored how the significant discrepancies in these methods’ results affect the result of NExt STrOng Related Earthquake (NESTORE) algorithm—a method to forecast strong aftershocks during an ongoing cluster—previously successfully applied to the whole Italian territory. We performed a further analysis of the spatio-temporal pattern of seismicity in Molise, using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the ETAS algorithm, as well as other analyses, aimed at detecting possible migration and diffusion signals. We found a relative quiescence of several months between the main events of April and August, the tendency of the events to propagate upwards, and a migration of the seismicity consistent with a fluid-driven mechanism. We hypothesize that these features indicate the presence of fluids, which are also responsible for the long duration of the sequence and the discrepancies in cluster identification methods’ results. Such results add to the other pieces of evidence of the importance of the fluid presence in controlling the seismicity in the Apennines. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of refined methods to identify clusters and encourages further detailed analyses when different methods supply very different results.

Graphical Abstract
Effect of bridgmanite-ferropericlase grain size evolution on Earth’s average mantle viscosity: implications for mantle convection in early and present-day Earth
Authors: Paul Jyotirmoy , Golabek Gregor J. , Rozel Antoine B. , Tackley Paul J. , Katsura Tomoo , Fei Hongzhan
Published: December 2024

Recent experimental investigations of grain size evolution in bridgmanite-ferropericlase assemblages have suggested very slow growth for these bimodal phases. Despite numerous speculations on grain size-dependent viscosity, a comprehensive test with realistic grain size evolution parameters compatible with the lower mantle has been lacking. In this study, we develop self-consistent 2-D spherical half-annulus geodynamic models of Earth’s evolution using the finite volume code StagYY to assess the role of grain size on lower mantle viscosity. We explore several models with and without grain size evolution to compare their effects on mantle viscosity. In models with grain size evolution, we consider three scenarios: (1) uniform grain growth throughout the entire mantle with a composite rheology, (2) different grain growth in the upper and lower mantle with a composite rheology, and (3) different grain growth in the upper and lower mantle with purely diffusion creep rheology. In the case of different grain size evolution, the upper mantle’s grain size evolution law is controlled by forsterite-enstatite grain growth, while the lower mantle’s grain size evolution law is controlled by bridgmanite-ferropericlase grain growth. Our results suggest that mantle viscosity is primarily controlled by temperature, whereas grain size has a minor effect compared to the effect of temperature. We attribute two primary reasons for this: First, the bridgmanite-ferropericlase growth is very slow in the lower mantle and the grain size variation is too small to significantly alter the mantle viscosity. Secondly, if grains grow too fast, thus the mantle deforms in the dislocation creep regime, making viscosity grain size-independent. To establish the robustness of this finding we vary several other model parameters, such as surface yield strength, phase transition grain size reset, different transitional stresses for creep mechanisms, pressure dependence on grain growth, and different grain damage parameters. For all our models, we consistently find that grain size has a very limited effect on controlling lower mantle viscosity in the present-day Earth. However, large grain size may have affected the lower mantle viscosity in the early Earth as larger grains of single phase bridgmanite could increase the viscosity of the early mantle delaying the onset of global convection.
Study of SERS activity of different gold nanostructures prepared by electron beam lithography
Authors: Li Hao , Liu Gen , Zhang Yi , Hao Luzhen , Zou Pinggen , Xu Yuchen , Ji Mei , Yu Xue , Li Jiangli , Ma Yanqing , Ma Lei
Published: December 2024

Plasmonic metal nanostructure prepared by photolithography technology can be used as a uniform and stable substrate with high SERS activity. However, there is only limited research on the precisely regulated metal nanostructures and the systematic studies on the relation between the structure and SERS response. Herein, different gold nanostructure arrays (including circles, equilateral triangles, squares, regular pentagons, regular hexagons, pentagrams, and hexagram) have been prepared using electron beam lithography (EBL). Rhodamine B were employed as the probe molecule. The effect of the shapes, sizes (s), spacing (d), and rotation angle (α) of different shapes gold on SERS activities were systematically investigated under the excitation of 532 nm laser. Further finite element method based electromagnetic field simulations unveiled the correlation between the local electromagnetic field strengths and the SERS activities, which also verified the proportional relation between the fourth power of the electromagnetic field intensity (LE) and enhancement factor (EF).
Vaccination and fertility: modelling the potential impact of Covid-19 vaccination on total fertility rate in Czechia
Authors: Slabá Jitka , Kocourková Jiřina , Šťastná Anna , Dzúrová Dagmar
Published: December 2024

As with Northern European countries, Czechia experienced unexpected fertility developments during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fertility in Czechia increased between 2020 and 2021 from 1.76 children per woman to 1.83. However, between 2021 and 2022, fertility fell significantly to just 1.62 children per woman. The main change that occurred between 2020 and 2021, which is thought to have affected fertility one year later, comprised vaccination against Covid-19. This vaccination of the adult population was very specific in terms of both its scope and the timing of vaccination for each age group as organised by the state. The mass scale of the vaccination campaign and its implementation within a very short period of time were unprecedented. However, along with the significant degree of uncertainty concerning the appropriateness of vaccination for pregnant women, vaccination was seen as a factor that potentially acted to significantly change women’s reproductive plans in the short term and, as a consequence, potentially exerted a significant short-term impact on both birth rates and fertility indicators. This study models the maximum potential impact of vaccination on fertility levels under the assumption that all the vaccinated women chose to avoid conception in the month in which they were vaccinated. Applying the indirect standardisation principle, we calculated the expected monthly live births after excluding women who were vaccinated nine months earlier. The comparison of hypothetical and observed fertility revealed that the perceived potential impact of vaccination was largely consistent with the observed fertility decline in Czechia between 2021 and 2022.
Variable effects of non-falciparum species infections on malaria disease severity in high transmission regions in Senegal
Authors: Diagne Aissatou , Sambe Babacar Souleymane , Gaba Folly Mawulolo , Sarr Ibrahima , Diatta Arona Sabène , Sadio Ousmane , Diaw Serigne Ousmane Mbacké , Diatta Hélène Ataume Mawounge , Diouf Babacar , Vigan-Womas Inès , Mbengue Babacar , Niang Makhtar
Published: December 2024

In malaria endemic countries, non-falciparum species are often mixed with Plasmodium falciparum in patients with uncomplicated malaria, and their contribution to malaria severity and death is poorly studied. This study assesses the contribution of non-falciparum species to malaria severity in three regions of Senegal with the highest malaria incidence.

We analysed 617 blood samples obtained between 2015 and 2021 from confirmed malaria patients at health facilities in Kedougou, Kolda and Tambacounda in Senegal. Plasmodium species composition was determined by PCR and their distribution were analysed according to age and disease severity, and the relative risk of developing severe malaria.

Overall, 94.8% of samples contained P. falciparum either as single or mixed with other species. Non-falciparum P. ovale, P. vivax and P. malariae species were detected in 60.12, 13.61 and 1.62% of samples, respectively. Severe malaria was primarily due to P. falciparum, but co-infection with P. vivax led to a 1.63-fold significant (p = 0.05) increased risk of developing severe malaria, contrasting with the non-significant reduced risk (OR = 0.78; CI 95: 0.55–1.11; p = 0.16) associated with P. ovale infections. Children aged < 15 years old significantly suffered of SM than adults patients, whereas no significant association was found in relation to patient’ sex.

This study reports the first association of non-falciparum species infections with clinical malaria phenotypes in patients from the three most malaria-affected regions in Senegal. Non-falciparum P. ovale and P. vivax species in combination with P. falciparum had a protective and worsening effect, respectively. The findings suggest that interventions targeting only P. falciparum might not be sufficient to eliminate the overall malaria burden, and should take into account the neglected non-falciparum species.
Utilization of dark septate endophytes (DSE) to control pathogens causing diseases in various cultivated plants: a review
Authors: Mariani Mariani , Surono Surono , Marhani Marhani , Mirsodi Muhammad , Rosdayanti Henti , Lestari Mirta Ardi , Sukmawati Dalia , Sriherwanto Catur
Published: December 2024

Background

Dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi characterized by sterile conidia, melanin pigment, and the formation of melanized structures such as intercellular hyphae and microsclerotia, enabling them to colonize plant roots. They exhibit a broad geographic distribution, spanning temperate forests, tropical to arctic regions, and mountainous ecosystems and are associated with approximately 600 plant species.

Results

DSE fungi have garnered attention for their potential as biocontrol agents against pathogens affecting numerous cultivated plants. Several DSE species, including Phialochepala fortini, Chadospora sp., Veronaeopsis simplex, Harpophora oryzae, Acrocalymma vagum, Pyrenochaetopsis terricola, Cladophialophora chaetospira, and Penicillium oxalicum, have been identified as effective biocontrol agents against diseases caused by Fusarium spp., Verticillium spp., Rigidoporus sp., Pyricularia sp., Ganoderma sp., and Colletotrichum sp. DSE fungi have ability to produce metabolite compounds. These compounds exhibit antimicrobial properties, inhibiting the growth of plant pathogens.

Conclusion

Therefore, DSE fungi holds significant potential as an agent for controlling plant pathogens in various cultivated plants. Future study directions include (1) exploring, isolating, and identifying DSE strains antagonistic to pathogens affecting different plants from various ecosystems because the use of DSE as a biocontrol agent for plant pathogens is still limited, (2) investigating the impact of DSE fungi diversity on the production of antimicrobial compounds, and (3) exploring the synergistic effects of DSE consortia with other biocontrol agents in effectively managing diseases in various cultivated plants.
Phase I Trial of MCARH109, a G Protein–Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D)–Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma: An Updated Analysis
Authors: Jurgens Eric M. , Firestone Ross S. , Chaudhari Jagrutiben , Hosszu Kinga , Devlin Sean M. , Shah Urvi A. , Landa Jonathan , McAvoy Devin P. , Lesokhin Alexander M. , Korde Neha , Hassoun Hani , Tan Carlyn R. , Hultcrantz Malin , Shah Gunjan L. , Landau Heather J. , Chung David J. , Scordo Michael , Eren Ozgur Can , Dogan Ahmet , Giralt Sergio A. , Park Jae H. , Rivière Isabelle , Brentjens Renier J. , Smith Eric L. , Wang Xiuyan , Usmani Saad Z. , Mailankody Sham
Published: December 2024

MCARH109 is a first-in-class G protein–coupled receptor, class C, group 5, member D (GPRC5D)-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. This phase I clinical trial included 17 patients and determined that MCARH109 is safe at a maximum tolerated dose of 150 × 10
6
CAR T cells. In this updated analysis, no new serious adverse events were reported at a median follow-up of 37 months. Overall, 12 (71%) of 17 patients responded, including seven (70%) of 10 patients previously treated with B-cell maturation antigen-targeted therapy. The median duration of response was 8.6 months (95% CI, 5.7 to not reached [NR]) with two patients sustaining a stringent complete response at the time of last follow-up, 32 months and 41 months, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) was NR and the 3-year OS estimate was 59% (95% CI, 40 to 88). Possible GPRC5D loss via immunohistochemistry was observed in 6 (60%) of 10 patients at relapse. High-dimensional spectral cytometry–based immune profiling associated an activated T-cell phenotype at apheresis with a response to MCARH109.
Trends in Osteoporosis Drug Therapy Receipt Among Commercial and Medicare Advantage Enrollees in the United States, 2011-2022
Authors: Everhart Alexander O , Brito Juan P , Clarke Bart L , Herrin Jeph , Karaca-Mandic Pinar , Kennel Kurt A , Parimi Nehu , Rosen Clifford J , Takagi Mark , McCoy Rozalina G
Published: December 2024

Context

A national assessment of osteoporosis drug therapy (ODT) use can inform the extent of underdiagnosis and undertreatment of osteoporosis.

Objective

The aim was to describe trends in ODT use by age, sex, fragility fracture, and documented osteoporosis.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of patient-quarter observations for adults aged ≥50 years with commercial or Medicare Advantage health insurance in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse between 2011 and 2022. The primary outcome was the proportion of patient-quarter observations with ODT use stratified by age, sex, fragility fracture, and documented osteoporosis. Cuzick tests were performed to assess trends ODT use.

Results

Analysis of 166 673 420 patient-quarter observations revealed that over 70% of patients with fragility fractures did not have documented osteoporosis. Among women aged ≥65 years with documented osteoporosis, ODT fill rates increased between 2011 and 2022 from 36.3% to 50.1% for women without fragility fractures (P < .001) and from 30.8% to 43.7% for women with fragility fractures (P < .001). However, ODT fill rates declined (9.2% to 7.4% between 2011 and 2022) for women with fragility fractures and no documented osteoporosis (P = .015). Similar trends were observed among women aged 50-64 years and men.

Conclusion

ODT use for patients with documented osteoporosis has increased but remains low. Low rates of ODT use for patients with fragility fractures in the absence of documented osteoporosis suggests that underdiagnosis of osteoporosis contributes to underuse of ODTs.
Policy-Induced Fertility Suppression and Marital Satisfaction: Evidence From a Natural Experiment in China
Authors: Tong Yuying , Zheng Bingdao
Published: December 2024

Having children is widely regarded as one of the most important benefits and purposes of marriage, particularly in societies that uphold traditional family values. Consequently, the suppression of fertility could have far-reaching implications for marital life that transcend childbearing itself. Previous studies have examined the impact of health-induced fertility suppression, but a gap remains in understanding how policy-induced fertility restrictions affect marital satisfaction. This study employs a nationally representative sample to examine whether Chinese couples’ marital satisfaction improves when the potential marital utility on fertility is enhanced following the transition from the one-child to the universal two-child policy in China. Using a difference-in-differences design, the study finds that men who desire multiple children experience increased marital satisfaction after the policy change. Conversely, the same is not observed for women. Our study provides compelling evidence that the increase in marital satisfaction for husbands is driven by the improved evaluation of the marital fertility value rather than other unintended policy effects. Further, the policy-induced satisfaction improvement is more pronounced among men with more severely constrained or deeply ingrained fertility desires. The article discusses the broad impact of fertility policy on family life, the gender-imbalanced perception of this policy shift, and its theoretical and policy implications.
Principles of Stereotactic Surgery
Authors: Jensen Michael A. , Neimat Joseph S. , Kerezoudis Panagiotis , Ali Rushna , Richardson R. Mark , Halpern Casey H. , Ojemann Steven G. , Ponce Francisco A. , Lee Kendall H. , Haugen Laura M. , Permezel Fiona E. , Klassen Bryan T. , Kondziolka Douglas , Miller Kai J.
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Stereotactic procedures are used to manage a diverse set of patients across a variety of clinical contexts. The stereotactic devices and software used in these procedures vary between surgeons, but the fundamental principles that constitute safe and accurate execution do not. The aim of this work is to describe these principles to equip readers with a generalizable knowledge base to execute and understand stereotactic procedures.

METHODS:

A combination of a review of the literature and empirical experience from several experienced surgeons led to the creation of this work. Thus, this work is descriptive and qualitative by nature, and the literature is used to support instead of generate the ideas of this framework.

RESULTS:

The principles detailed in this work are categorized based on 5 clinical domains: imaging, registration, mechanical accuracy, target planning and adjustment, and trajectory planning and adjustment. Illustrations and tables are used throughout to convey the concepts in an efficient manner.

CONCLUSION:

Stereotactic procedures are complex, requiring a thorough understanding of each step of the workflow. The concepts described in this work enable functional neurosurgeons with the fundamental knowledge necessary to provide optimal patient care.
The complete chloroplast genome of a centennial olive tree (Olea europaea, Oleaceae) from the southern Peruvian coast
Authors: Saldaña Carla L. , Chura-Llanos Luz S. , Estrada Richard , Fernandez Elizabeth , Zirena Vilca Franz , Guerrero-Abad Juan C. , Amasifuen-Guerra Carlos A. , Gutierrez-Reynoso Dina L. , Injante Pedro , Arbizu Carlos I
Published: December 2024

Olive (Olea europaea Linaeus 1753) is one of the valuable fruit trees and very important edible oil plant in the world. The chloroplast (cp) genome of an olive tree (Olea europaea) from the southern Peruvian arid coast was obtained for the first time. Genomic DNA of high quality was used to generate librarieswith Illumina Hiseq paired-end methods. The cp genome is 155,886 pb in length and contains a large single-copy region (LSC) of 86,610 pb and a small single copy region (SSC) of 17,790 pb separated by two inverted repeat (IR) regions (25,741bp). The cp genome of olive contains 124 genes that consists of 80 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA, eight rRNA. Phylogenetic analysis showed this olive tree is sister to O. europaea subsp. maroccana (Oleeae tribe). This study presents the first overview of the chloroplast genome organization and phylogenetics of O. europaea, offering valuable insights for genetic and evolutionary research in the genus Olea.
Optimizing Submillimeter 3D Modeling with Auxiliary Lighting and Artificial Textures: An SfM-Based Approach
Authors: Roza de Moraes Francisco , da Silva Irineu
Published: December 2024

Abstract* Background This study examines the influence of auxiliary lighting configurations and artificial surface textures on the quality of 3D models generated using Structure from Motion (SfM) in an indoor laboratory setting. Method Experiments were conducted by capturing images of concrete, metal, and wooden specimens at a one-meter distance. Various lighting setups, including vertical and adjacent auxiliary lighting models, were tested to determine their impact on model accuracy. In addition, complex artificial textures, such as checkerboard patterns, were applied to the specimens to assess their effect on 3D model precision. Results Our results demonstrate that optimal lighting and artificial textures significantly enhance the accuracy of 3D models, especially for materials with uniform textures, such as painted metal. For materials with more varied textures, such as concrete and wood, improvements were notable but less pronounced. The combination of auxiliary lighting and artificial textures improved model quality by approximately 40% for high-texture materials and up to 60% for uniform-texture materials. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of image file formats in the SfM process. While RAW images stored in TIFF format offered a slight advantage over lossless JPEG in terms of model accuracy, the difference may not be substantial enough to justify the larger file size in situations where submillimeter precision is not required. Conclusions Overall, our findings emphasize the importance of tailored lighting and texturing strategies for achieving high-precision 3D models in SfM applications. These results are particularly relevant for structural testing and other applications that demand high-fidelity 3D reconstructions, providing a foundation for more accurate and reliable models.
Case Report: A giant ruptured splenic hydatic cyst in a patient with a complete situs inversus: Diagnostic challenge and intra-operative difficulties
Authors: Chaka Amina , Boujelbène Wael , Chaabouni Amin , Bahloul Mohamed Ali , Kardoun Nizar , Boujelben Salah
Published: December 2024

The splenic localization of hydatid cysts is extremely rare. A 50-year-old obese female who consults with a painful and febrile syndrome of the right hypochondrium. Abdominal ultrasound and a CT scan computed tomography revealed a complete situs inversus, a mass of the right hypochondrium measuring 152 mm with membrane detachment, and infiltration of the surrounding fat, evoking a type II complicated splenic hydatic cyst. The patient was operated on in an emergency via midline laparotomy. Exploration revealed situs inversus, an angiant cyst of the spleen. Exposition of the splenic pedicle is difficult. The samples were then infected. Total splenectomy was performed. The postoperative period was unproblematic, and the patient was discharged with antibiotic and antiparasitic treatment and habitual vaccination.
PRA Melting-ICE Project: Svalbard 2022 Expeditions Report
Authors: Montemagno Francesco , Cascone Martina , Cardellini Carlo , Pasotti Jacopo , Manini Elena , Baldrighi Elisa , Maiero Enrico , Segato Delia , Cerrato Riccardo , Mazzola Mauro , Vardè Massimiliano , Cordone Angelina , Caliro Stefano , Rudnik Iain , Cramm Margaret , Bradley James , Giovannelli Donato
Published: December 2024

Arctic regions are among the fastest warming areas of the planet. Increasing average temperatures over the last five decades have deepened the thawing of the upper-most layer of permafrost across the Arctic, which contains significant amounts of organic carbon. The progressive deepening of seasonal thawing releases carbon that is used by active microorganisms which also produce greenhouse gases, potentially onsetting a positive feedback on global warming. Despite their importance in controlling organic matter degradation and greenhouse gas fluxes to the atmosphere, there is a lack of data on activity and dynamics of microbial communities in High Arctic soils in response to seasonal thaw. This report describes three specific expeditions performed on the Svalbard archipelago, carried out within the framework of the PRA (Italian Arctic Research Program) project Melting-ICE, performed between February and October 2022, reporting site characteristics and samples collected. The project aims to investigate the diversity and activity of active layer microbial communities across a full season thaw cycle, correlating microbial diversity with gas fluxes and composition. During these expeditions, a total of eight different sites were selected to investigate the microbiology and geochemistry of soils, as well as to estimate the gas fluxes from the soil to the atmosphere. The data collected in the field, combined with the results obtained in the laboratory, will provide a snapshot of the seasonal activity of the microbial communities present in the permafrost’s active layer. The three campaigns will provide data to estimate the impact of permafrost melting on the carbon cycle and the role of microorganisms in the release of greenhouse gases.
Urban transportation resilience in response to COVID-19: case of Polish cities
Authors: Kazak Jan , Diakowska Ewa , Pilawka Tomasz , Sadowski Artur , Wnętrzak Małgorzata , Kamińska Joanna
Published: December 2024

COVID-19 was a unique event that globally influenced socio-economic systems in many dimensions. One of them was transportation and mobility patterns, especially during lockdown introduced for the sake of public health. Although restrictions were rather universal within each country, cities were characterized by different mobility patterns. The aim of this study was to analyse changes in mobility patterns in response to COVID-19 and define similarities in urban transportation resilience. For this purpose COVID-19 – Community Mobility Reports were used. Results show that work-related mobility was the most influenced in the long term. Bigger cities needed more time to revert to pre-pandemic level. During the first month of lockdown mobility associated with workplaces as well as grocery and pharmacy presented similar decrease. The biggest decrease characterises mobility connected with retail and recreation. Although it met pre-pandemic patterns around the summer 2020, it required almost one more year to reduce fluctuations.
A relação entre estilos de gestão de conflito professor-aluno e autoeficácia do professor
Authors: Monteiro Ana Paula , Ribeiro Andreia , Correia Elisete
Published: December 2024

A revisão da literatura sugere que elevada perceção de autoeficácia está relacionada com o emprego dos estilos de gestão de conflitos que representam nível elevado ou intermédio de preocupação com os outros. Assim, o presente estudo pretende contribuir para o aumento do conhecimento sobre os estilos de gestão de conflito entre professor-aluno e sobre a autoeficácia do professor. Analisou-se ainda se as variáveis sociodemográficas e o tempo de serviço influenciam a autoeficácia do professor. A amostra é constituída por 278 professores portugueses do ensino básico e secundário com idades compreendidas entre os 20 e os 64 anos, aos quais foram aplicados um breve questionário sociodemográfico, a Escala Gestão de Conflito Professor-Aluno e a Escala de Autoeficácia. Os resultados sugerem que os professores com pontuações mais elevadas em autoeficácia utilizam mais os estilos “integração”, “dominação”, “submissão” e “compromisso”. Verificamos que as variáveis sociodemográficas e o tempo de serviço não influenciam significativamente a autoeficácia do professor. Esses resultados são objeto de reflexão, sendo apresentadas sugestões de investigação futura e implicações para a formação dos professores.
Safety net of last resort: the evolution, determinants and adequacy of Dutch minimum income support
Authors: Goderis Benedikt
Published: December 2024

Dutch minimum income support provides a generous social safety net compared to most other European Union (EU) member states but has not been able to structurally reduce poverty. This inadequacy did not come about overnight but is the result of six decades of policy decisions. In this article, we aim to explain the current income shortfalls of people on minimum income support by studying the historical evolution and determinants of the Dutch minimum income scheme. We demonstrate that it has on average maintained a constant level of purchasing power over the period 1980–2023. This fits well with the notion that poverty is of an absolute nature, and that a social minimum should guarantee a stable level of purchasing power. It fits less well with relative or contextual approaches to poverty, and the view that a social minimum should adapt to changing norms when a society grows richer. To uncover the reasons for the growing gap between general prosperity and the minimum income benefit, we decompose it into smaller gaps by illustrating the evolution of prosperity, labour productivity, gross wages, collectively agreed wages, the minimum wage and the minimum income benefit. We show that each of these gaps matters and argue that this provides valuable insights into the structural, institutional and political forces that have shaped Dutch minimum income support since its introduction in 1965. Based on these results, we argue against the current ad hoc measures of the government and in favour of a more structural approach to supporting low-income households.
Monte Carlo-based realistic simulation of optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Mao Jianing , Su Hang , Xue Ping , Ling Yuye
Published: December 2024

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) offers unparalleled capabilities for non-invasive detection of vessels. However, the lack of accurate models for light-tissue interaction in OCTA jeopardizes the development of the techniques to further extract quantitative information from the measurements. In this manuscript, we propose a Monte Carlo (MC)-based simulation method to precisely describe the signal formation of OCTA based on the fundamental theory of light-tissue interactions. A dynamic particle-fixed model is developed to depict the spatial-temporal behaviors of the tissue phantom: the particles are initialized and fixed in specific locations with wavelength-dependent scattering cross-sections and are allowed to travel over time. We then employ a full-spectrum MC engine to faithfully simulate the formation of OCT and OCTA images. A simulation on a vessel-mimicking phantom demonstrated that speckle characteristics in OCT as well as decorrelation maps in OCTA could be successfully reproduced. We further illustrate the usefulness of our method on the quantitative OCTA by extending it to simulate the gradual saturation of decorrelation in OCTA-based velocimetry. We believe our method will serve as a valuable tool for studying OCTA theory and inspire better solutions and metrics for non-invasive flow velocity measurement.
Compact high-bandwidth single-beam optically-pumped magnetometer for biomagnetic measurement
Authors: Wu Tianbo , Xiao Wei , Peng Xiang , Wu Teng , Guo Hong
Published: December 2024

Optically-pumped magnetometer (OPM) has been of increasing interest for biomagnetic measurements due to its low cost and portability compared with superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID). Miniaturized spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) OPMs typically have limited bandwidth (less than a few hundred Hertz), making it difficult to measure high-frequency biomagnetic signals such as the magnetocardiography (MCG) signal of the mouse. Existing experiments mainly use SQUID systems to measure the signal. In this paper, we introduce a prototype miniaturized single-beam SERF magnetometer with a bandwidth of ∼ 1 kHz. Instead of operating the OPM in a closed-loop mode to improve the bandwidth of the OPM, which usually has a poorer performance in high-frequency range, we use the power-broadening effects to shorten the spin relaxation time and thus a faster response to the magnetic fields to be measured. Combined with light power stabilizations to improve both the sensitivity and stability, our magnetometer has a low noise floor of 30 fT / Hz1/2, which has been successfully adopted to measure the MCG signal of the mouse.
Knowledge distillation aided by probability information enabled efficient joint monitoring of SNRL and SNRNL for WDM systems
Authors: Wang Zhiguo , Bai Chenglin , Bai Shunchang , Qin Peng , Yang Fan , Xu Hengying , Yang Lishan , Bi Wanxiang , Li Pengfei , Liu Ju
Published: December 2024

For wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems, excessive linear and nonlinear noise will seriously decrease the quality of optical signals, and the effective joint monitoring scheme can prevent the degradation of system performance due to noise accumulation. In this paper, we propose a probability information assisted knowledge distillation (PIAKD) scheme that achieves intelligent joint monitoring for linear signal-to-noise ratio (SNRL) and nonlinear signal-to-noise ratio (SNRNL) in WDM systems. Under the condition of multi-task regression, outputs are independent and continuous, PIAKD addresses the longstanding challenge that the student model fails to effectively learn knowledge from the teacher model by introducing probability information into the loss function. The effectiveness of the scheme is verified by WDM simulation and experiment system which has a symbol rate of 28 GBaud per channel. The simulation results demonstrate that the overall mean absolute error (MAE) for jointing SNRL and SNRNL monitoring of the student model after PIAKD is reduced by 0.08 dB and 0.09 dB, corresponding to 32% and 34% error reductions respectively. Furthermore, when compared with the KD scheme without probability information, our scheme also reduces the overall MAE of SNRL and SNRNL by 16% and 11%, respectively. The results of the experiment reveal that the estimated MAE could be reduced by 0.13 dB and 0.16 dB, respectively, corresponding to error reductions of 17% and 18%. Moreover, the floating-point operations (FLOPs) and parameters (Params) of the student model is only 3.30 M and 0.0015 M, respectively, which is both significantly lower than the complexity of existing joint monitoring schemes for SNRL and SNRNL.
COMBO: compressed block-wise out-of-core diffraction computation for tera-scale holography
Authors: Lee Jaehong , Kim Duksu
Published: December 2024

Generating large-scale holograms using computer-generated holography (CGH) requires vast memory resources, often exceeding available system memory. While out-of-core processing offers a solution, it introduces significant I/O bottlenecks during diffraction, a core operation in CGH. To address this challenge, we present the COMBO system, a novel out-of-core processing framework designed to accelerate large-scale diffraction computation. COMBO integrates block-wise data handling with GPU-accelerated compression to significantly enhance I/O efficiency, further optimized through the use of multiple SSDs. Experimental results show that COMBO achieves up to 4.16 times faster performance compared to prior out-of-core methods while maintaining high-quality holographic reconstructions. Additionally, we successfully generated a 256K hologram, requiring tera-scale computational space (e.g., 4TB), on a system with only 64GB of system memory.
Non-orthogonal multiple access scheme based on color-coded four-dimensional constellation pairing mapping
Authors: Xu Dongdong , Liu Bo , Ren Jianxin , Tang Xue , Mao Yaya , Song Xiumin , Wu Xiangyu , Chen Shuaidong , Zhang Juntao , Zhao Lilong , Sun Tingting
Published: December 2024

This paper proposes a short-range optical access method based on four-dimensional non-orthogonal multiple access (4D-NOMA), utilizing 4D constellation pairing mapping and two-dimensional inverse discrete Fresnel transform (2D-IDFnT) technology, achieving high compatibility with OFDM systems. An innovative color-coded 4D constellation pair mapping scheme was designed, introducing two types of four-dimensional spatial structures with 32 constellation points. By extending the three-dimensional constellation to four dimensions through color coding, the constellation figure of merit (CFM) increased by 22.2%. A 43.29 Gb/s 4D-NOMA transmission over a seven-core optical fiber was successfully demonstrated, verifying the feasibility and superiority of the proposed solution. Compared to conventional low-dimensional constellations, 4D-NOMA exhibits significant improvements in bit error rate and signal transmission sensitivity. Under the HD-FEC threshold, it provides approximately 0.9 dB and 1.3 dB sensitivity gains over traditional three-dimensional and two-dimensional constellations, respectively. This study indicates that the four-dimensional constellation structure and the 4D-NOMA scheme hold great potential for future short-range optical access systems.
OAM-basis underwater single-pixel imaging based on deep learning at a low sampling rate
Authors: Hu Jing , Chen Xudong , Cui Yujie , Liu Shuo , Lin Zhili
Published: December 2024

Our study introduces a pioneering underwater single-pixel imaging approach that employs an orbital angular momentum (OAM) basis as a sampling scheme and a dual-attention residual U-Net generative adversarial network (DARU-GAN) as reconstruction algorithm. This method is designed to address the challenges of low sampling rates and high turbidity typically encountered in underwater environments. The integration of the OAM-basis sampling scheme and the improved reconstruction network not only enhances reconstruction quality but also ensures robust generalization capabilities, effectively restoring underwater target images even under the stringent conditions of a 3.125% sampling rate and 128 NTU turbidity. The integration of OAM beams’ inherent turbulence resistance with DARU-GAN's advanced image reconstruction capabilities makes it an ideal solution for high-turbid underwater imaging applications.
High space-bandwidth product DMD holographic display using gradient descent optimization
Authors: Pei Jingyi , Chang Chenliang , Ding Xian , Dai Bo , Wang Qi , Zhuang Songlin , Zhang Dawei
Published: December 2024

Digital micromirror devices (DMDs), owing to their rapid refresh rates and ability to shape particular optical patterns, are key tools for holographic 3D near-eye displays. However, relying on a single-sideband (SSB) filter to eliminate crosstalk from zero-order and conjugate noise leads to an enormous decrease in the utilization of spatial bandwidth product (SBP). In this paper, we develop a new strategy for the binary hologram optimization framework to enable the full utilization of SBP of DMD holographic display by minimizing conjugate noise. Meanwhile, we design a binary operator to estimate the binarization process during the hologram optimization procedure. The experimental results demonstrate our approach can achieve higher SBP and competitive reconstruction quality compared with the conventional single-sideband filtering method.
Lattice Kerker effect enabled single-layer nonreciprocal perfect absorbers by hybrid magnetic meta-atoms
Authors: He Jiafei , Zhang Lin , Zhao Lingzhong , Mao Hongxuan , Ba Qingtao , Luo Qilin , Chen Yiyun , Wu Huabing , Liu Shiyang
Published: December 2024

The increasing demand for controlling electromagnetic waves has led to the construction of a variety of metasurface absorbers with different functionalities. In this Letter, we designed a kind of single-layer metasurfaces with delicately designed hybrid magnetic meta-atoms (HMMAs), which can be operated as perfect absorbers (PAs) for the electromagnetic wave incident at a specified direction, but at the mirror symmetric direction, the nearly total reflection is achieved. This remarkable nonreciprocal phenomenon arises from the time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking nature of magnetic surface plasmon as well as the lattice Kerker effect due to the interaction of HMMAs in the single-layer metasurfaces. In addition, the nonreciprocal effects are also associated with the nonreciprocal Fano resonances of HMMAs, and thus the performance of nonreciprocal PAs can be further modulated by engineering the HMMAs. The extraordinary functionalities of this nonreciprocal PA make it promising for the nonreciprocal optics and the microwave photonics.
Fourier synthetic-aperture-based time-resolved terahertz imaging
Authors: Kumar Vivek , Mukherjee Pitambar , Valzania Lorenzo , Badon Amaury , Mounaix Patrick , Gigan Sylvain
Published: December 2024

Terahertz (THz) microscopy has attracted attention owing to distinctive characteristics of the THz frequency region, particularly non-ionizing photon energy, spectral fingerprint, and transparency to most nonpolar materials. Nevertheless, the well-known Rayleigh diffraction limit imposed on THz waves commonly constrains the resultant imaging resolution to values beyond the millimeter scale, consequently limiting the applicability in numerous emerging applications for chemical sensing and complex media imaging. In this theoretical and numerical work, we address this challenge by introducing, to our knowledge, a new imaging approach based on acquiring high-spatial frequencies by adapting the Fourier synthetic aperture approach to the THz spectral range, thus surpassing the diffraction-limited resolution. Our methodology combines multi-angle THz pulsed illumination with time-resolved field measurements, as enabled by the state-of-the-art time-domain spectroscopy technique. We demonstrate the potential of the approach for hyperspectral THz imaging of semi-transparent samples and show that the technique can reconstruct spatial and temporal features of complex inhomogeneous samples with subwavelength resolution.
Measuring genetic diversity across populations
Authors: Abhari Niloufar , Colijn Caroline , Mooers Arne , Tupper Paul
Published: December 2024

Diversity plays an important role in various domains, including conservation, whether it describes diversity within a population or diversity over a set of species. While various strategies for measuring among-species diversity have emerged (e.g. Phylogenetic Diversity (PD), Split System Diversity (SSD) and entropy-based methods), extensions to populations are rare. An understudied problem is how to assess the diversity of a collection of populations where each has its own internal diversity. Relying solely on measures that treat each population as a monomorphic lineage (like a species) can be misleading. To address this problem, we present four population-level diversity assessment approaches: Pooling, Averaging, Pairwise Differencing, and Fixing. These approaches can be used to extend any diversity measure that is primarily defined for a group of individuals to a collection of populations. We then apply the approaches to two measures of diversity that have been used in conservation—Heterozygosity (Het) and Split System Diversity (SSD)—across a dataset comprising SNP data for 50 anadromous Atlantic salmon populations. We investigate agreement and disagreement between these measures of diversity when used to identify optimal sets of populations for conservation, on both the observed data, and randomized and simulated datasets. The similarity and differences of the maximum-diversity sets as well as the pairwise correlations among our proposed measures emphasize the need to clearly define what aspects of biodiversity we aim to both measure and optimize, to ensure meaningful and effective conservation decisions.