bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The benefits of mindfulness in mental healthcare professionals
Authors: Watson Tayler , Walker Owen , Cann Robin , Varghese Ashwin K
Published: January 2022

Background: Burnout is a widely reported syndrome consisting of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lowered sense of accomplishment. Mindfulness practices have been shown to be useful in lowering distress and burnout in clinical and non-clinical cohorts. Our aim was to explore the potential personal and occupational benefits of a structured mindfulness intervention on a cohort of mental health professionals. A mixed-methods approach was utilised in order to enhance the exploratory power of the study. Methods: We conducted a pilot study involving healthcare practitioners employed at a community outpatient mental health clinic. As a pilot, we relied on a single group and implemented a quasi-experimental, simultaneous mixed methods design by incorporating both quantitative pre- and post- testing alongside written qualitative post-test responses. Results: Analysis of the data demonstrated a significant difference between overall mindfulness when comparing post-test (mean=140.8, standard deviation=18.9) with pre-test data (mean=128.3, standard deviation=28.6). Participants also showed a statistically significant difference in three of the subscales: observation, describing, and non-reactivity. A moderate effect size was seen for each of the above differences.  Analysis of the qualitative data revealed a range of potential themes which may be used to explain the differences exhibited across participants’ personal and professional lives, which can be grouped into two thematic overarching groups: emotional reactivity and listening/communicating. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study indicate that a structured, six-week mindfulness program has the potential to benefit clinicians, personally by reducing emotional reactivity and professionally by promoting deep listening and communication.
The product science of electrically heated tobacco products: a narrative review of the scientific literature
Authors: Malt Layla , Thompson Keith , Mason Elizabeth , Walele Tanvir , Nahde Thomas , O'Connell Grant
Published: January 2022

Heated tobacco products represent a novel category of tobacco products in which a tobacco consumable is heated to a temperature that releases nicotine from the tobacco leaf but not to a temperature sufficient to cause combustion. Heated tobacco products may therefore have the potential to be a less harmful alternative for adult smokers that would otherwise continue to smoke conventional cigarettes. Given the rapid development of this product category, the aim of this review was to examine the available peer-reviewed scientific evidence related to heated tobacco products and highlight any research gaps.

In recent years, manufacturers of heated tobacco products have published a number of studies on their respective heated tobacco products. Whilst there is limited research that is independent of commercial interests, the available scientific evidence indicates that heated tobacco products produce a much simpler aerosol than conventional cigarette smoke, with fewer and substantially lower levels of harmful toxicants. Toxicology assessments indicate these reductions in aerosol toxicants translate to reduced biological effects. Biomarker and clinical data from studies in which product use is controlled within a clinical setting, indicate changes in biomarker levels and clinical end-points similar to observations in cessation studies, indicating the potential for reduced harm. The scientific evidence also indicates that exposure of non-users to emissions from heated tobacco products in indoor environments is significantly reduced compared to exposure resulting from smoking conventional cigarettes.

Overall, the available scientific evidence indicates that heated tobacco products hold promise as a less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes, but more independent data is required to validate industry findings. As a growing product category, epidemiological studies and independent population modelling studies are outstanding, and empirical data on how dual tobacco product category use by consumers affects their risk profile is lacking.
HALO: Study protocol for a single-case experimental design study evaluating the moderating impact of a befriending intervention on the association between loneliness and health in older adults
Authors: Hannigan Caoimhe , Hanly Paul , Kee Frank , Lawlor Brian , Holton Eimile , Walsh Cathal , Scharf Thomas , Coen Robert , Leatham Vicky , Moynihan Sean , Lane Keith , McHugh Power Joanna
Published: January 2022

Background: Loneliness in later life is often addressed with befriending interventions, yet evidence for their effectiveness is limited. Meanwhile it is known that loneliness has a deleterious impact on health. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether a befriending service for older adults mitigates the impact of loneliness on health outcomes, and to identify mechanisms through which befriending interventions might impact upon health.

Methods: A mixed methods design is used. The quantitative component utilises an AB single-case experimental design, to gather intensive longitudinal data. These data will be analysed using a generalised additive modelling approach. The qualitative component of the study uses semi-structured dyadic interviews, structured and analysed according to the principles of constructivist grounded theory. Findings will then be triangulated according to an existing mixed methods integration protocol.

Discussion: This mixed methods design has the potential to inform national and international policy in relation to befriending interventions for older adults. In addition, there is the potential for study results to inform our theoretical understanding of the nature of the relationship between loneliness and health.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04301167 (10th March 2020). Protocol version 1.1, 26th June 2020.
Environment and Energy? The Impact of Environmental Management Systems on Energy Efficiency
Authors: Jeong Seongkyoon , Lee Jaeseok
Published: January 2022

Problem definition: Despite the widespread adoption of environmental management systems (EMS), their relationship with energy efficiency remains unclear. This study investigates whether and how EMS adoption lowers energy efficiency and, if so, how to mitigate the impact. Academic/practical relevance: Understanding the relationship between EMS and energy efficiency is important because any decrease in energy efficiency may eventually lead to undesired environmental outputs (e.g., CO2), potentially contributing to climate change. This study sheds light on energy as a necessary input required for environmental management, thereby elucidating the issue of environmental trade-offs in sustainable operations. Methodology: Using novel panel data on energy efficiency and EMS standards obtained from 2,690 South Korean plants operating between 2001 and 2014, this study empirically investigates the impact of EMS on energy efficiency at the plant level. Results: We provide evidence of a trade-off relationship between environmental performance and energy efficiency in relation to EMS adoption. We find that the adoption of ISO 14001, the representative EMS standard, results in approximately 6%–12% lower energy efficiency compared with nonadoption although it effectively reduces air, water, and waste pollution. More importantly, our results show that the trade-off, an unintended consequence of EMS implementation, can be moderated through quality management capability. Managerial implications: We suggest that sustainability managers take balancing actions to reduce trade-offs between environmental performance and energy efficiency. Specifically, when implementing EMS, managers are advised to (1) actively incorporate energy management activities, (2) employ more comprehensive measurements for energy efficiency, and (3) redesign incentive schemes to facilitate improvements in energy efficiency.
The Value of Coordination in Multimarket Bidding of Grid Energy Storage
Authors: Löhndorf Nils , Wozabal David
Published: January 2022

Grid energy storage plays a key role in making carbon-free, renewable energy production a reality. Yet, when it comes to maximizing profit, owners of storage assets still struggle with coordinating their trading activities across time because of the complex nature of multisettlement electricity markets. In “Coordination of Multimarket Bidding of Grid-Energy Storage,” Nils Löhndorf and David Wozabal propose a multistage stochastic programming model for market-oriented optimization of energy storage. To calculate lower and upper bounds on optimal values, they develop novel methods for scenario-tree generation and information relaxation. They show that a coordinated policy that reserves capacity for the short-term markets is optimal and that the gap to a sequential policy increases with short-term price volatility and market liquidity. The authors find that coordination is beneficial for all considered asset types and that flexible storages with high price impact benefit most. Their findings inform storage owners which markets contribute most value, how to organize trading across time, and how to calculate optimal bidding strategies.
Microlevel Analysis of Institutional Intermediation in a Rudimentary Market-Based Economy: Entrepreneurship in Kathmandu’s Indrachok Market
Authors: Mitchell Will , Wu Zhiyan , Bruton Garry D. , Gautam Dhruba Kumar
Published: January 2022

Institutional theory research on institutional intermediation typically focuses on how institutional intermediaries address voids in market-based institutions that inhibit entrepreneurship. In doing so, the research rarely studies what types of institutional intermediaries entrepreneurs prefer to use. We address this gap with a microinstitutional inquiry of how entrepreneurs in a rudimentary market-based economy differ in the relevance they place on different types of institutional intermediaries. Using a sample from the Indrachok market in Kathmandu, Nepal, and using a three-stage qualitative and quantitative abductive investigation of a cascading set of increasingly refined research questions, we identify two key preferences for institutional intermediaries. First, we find a key institutional intermediation tripod consisting of three locally focused institutional intermediaries: family, suppliers, and peer entrepreneurs. The tripod is supplemented by institutional intermediaries with more moderate preference in this context: four other locally focused institutional intermediaries (local politicians, police, religious figures, and political gangs) and three broad-based institutional intermediaries (government, microlenders, and nongovernmental organizations). Second, the importance of suppliers and peers as institutional intermediaries reflects entrepreneurs’ registration status (registered versus unregistered) and microgeographic location (dispersed versus clustered businesses). The research reconceptualizes institutional intermediation in rudimentary market-based economies from the entrepreneurs’ perspective, identifying mechanisms that shape entrepreneurs’ preferences and providing proposition for future testing.

Funding: This research was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71620107001].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1531 .
Bridging Academic Entrepreneurship and the World of Work? Perspectives from Contemporary Educator
Authors: Choon Teo Dr Teck
Published: January 2022

This contribution of this study investigates how the use of the AE toolkit can take the lead to a greater appreciation of the university spin-off venture into the real world of work. Nevertheless, no conceptual framework can explain how the technology-market matching proceeds from one stage to another. A longitudinal survey design involving four focus groups was chosen to monitor the development process of group spin-off creation in context. Data collection is also derived from the literature review, in-depth interviews, and a series of workshops and focus group discussions on the Malaysian and Cambodian higher education sectors. Finding shows that the AE toolkit is organized around four mutually dependent themes: (1) the structure of an enterprising university and its culture, (2) university spin-offs (USOs) and applied research, (3) the attribute of academic entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ecosystem, and (4) spin-off development and community engagements. These theories may offer a more comprehensive insight into the AE process in conjunction with each other. The beliefs of each notion hint at significant consequences for further research on AE and the world of work as a general rule.
Postoperative immobilization using a short-arm cast in the semisupination position is appropriate after arthroscopic triangular fibrocartilage complex foveal repair
Authors: Jung Hyoung-Seok , Park Jung-Gwan , Park Hyeong-Jun , Lee Jae Sung
Published: January 2022

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess and compare active rotation of the forearm in normal subjects after the application of a short-arm cast (SAC) in the semisupination position and a long-arm cast (LAC) in the neutral position. A clinical study was also conducted to compare the functional outcomes of using a SAC in the semisupination position with those of using a LAC in the neutral position in patients who underwent arthroscopic triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) foveal repair.

Methods

A total of 40 healthy right-handed volunteers were recruited. Active pronation and supination of the forearm were measured in each subject using a goniometer. In the retrospective clinical study, 40 patients who underwent arthroscopic foveal repair were included. The wrist was immobilized postoperatively using a SAC in the semisupination position (approximately 45°) in 16 patients and a LAC in 24. Clinical outcomes were assessed using grip strength and patient-reported outcomes. The degree of disability caused by cast immobilization was also evaluated when the cast was removed.

Results

Supination was significantly more restricted with LACs than with SACs in the semisupination position in male and female patients (p < 0.001 for both). However, pronation was significantly more restricted with SACs in the semisupination position than with LACs in female patients (p = 0.003) and was not significantly different in male patients (p = 0.090). In the clinical study, both groups showed improvement in all parameters with significant differences in grip strength, visual analogue scale scores for pain, modified Mayo Wrist Score, the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score, and the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) score. No significant postoperative differences were noted between LACs and SACs in the semisupination position. However, the disability caused by immobilization in a cast was significantly higher in patients who had a LAC on the dominant hand (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We found that a SAC in the semisupination position is as effective as a LAC in restricting pronation of the forearm. In addition, postoperative immobilization with a SAC in the semisupination position resulted in comparable pain scores and functional outcomes to immobilization with a LAC after TFCC foveal repair, with less restriction of daily activities. Therefore, we recommend that surgeons consider using a SAC in the semisupination position for postoperative immobilization following TFCC foveal repair for dorsal instability of the distal radioulnar joint. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(2):249–256.
National objectives, local policymaking: public health efforts to translate national legislation into local policy in Scottish alcohol licensing
Authors: Fitzgerald Niamh , Cairney Paul
Published: January 2022

Background:

Policymaking environments are multi-centric by necessity and design. Alcohol premises licensing is governed by Scottish legislation, which also allows for local autonomy.

Aims and objectives:

To describe the obstacles faced by local public health actors in seeking to influence the alcohol premises licensing system in Scotland as an example of local advocacy efforts in multi-centric policymaking.

Methods:

Snowball sampling identified and recruited 12 public health actors who were actively seeking to influence alcohol premises licensing, along with a national key informant. In-depth interviews (n=13) discussed challenges experienced and perceptions of best strategies for success. Interviews (69m average) were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an inductive framework approach.

Findings:

Most interviewees operated in local premises licensing arenas, influencing national legislation only through intermediaries. Challenges to engagement included: unfamiliar conventions, stakeholders and decision-making cultures, resources, data gaps, and licensing boards’ prioritisation of economic growth. Their preferred solution was a strengthening of national legislation to constrain local autonomy, but they adapted their strategies to the challenges faced.

Discussion and conclusion:

The adoption of a particular objective in national government (a public health objective for alcohol licensing) may not remove the need for effective local advocacy in a multi-centric system. Local policymakers have their own conventions, processes and views on evidence, and successful advocacy may involve diverse strategies and relationship building over time. Practitioners advocating policy change may benefit from a better understanding of prior research on how to bring about such change; scholars of such processes could better engage with this audience.
Complexities of biomedicine, theology and politics in Islamic bioethical deliberation over female genital procedures: a reply to ‘The prosecution of Dawoodi Bohra women’ by Richard Shweder
Authors: Padela Aasim I.
Published: January 2022

Professor Richard Shweder’s target article, ‘The prosecution of Dawoodi Bohra women: some reasonable doubts’, lays bare the ways in which political motivations influence moral, ethical and legal deliberations over female genital cutting/circumcision in society. He argues that activist stakeholders deploy a provocative lexicon and biased clinical data in order to silence dissenting views about, and legally restrict the practice of, female genital cutting/circumcision. He suggests that a more balanced approach to discourse and more nuanced data analysis would open up avenues for tolerating religiously motivated female genital procedures carried out among Dawoodi Bohra communities residing in liberal democracies. Building upon his sociocultural analysis, this reply will explore the confluence of biomedical, theological and political considerations influencing contemporary Islamic bioethical discussion over the practice. I use my participation in the 2017–19 Fiqh Council of North America’s deliberations over female genital cutting to explore how (1) biomedical understandings and health outcomes data, (2) theological concerns over scriptural evidence and juridical best practices, and (3) political and social considerations influenced religious evaluation of the practice. I contend that Islamic juridical academies pursuing bioethical deliberation are not (and should not consider themselves to be) engaging in the routine application of scriptural reasoning in order to furnish guidance to a Muslim polity; rather, bioethics questions are necessarily layered with social and political considerations that require focused examination. This added dimensionality underscores the need for Islamic bioethics deliberation to move beyond the dyad of clinicians and jurists, and to include social scientists, public policy experts and other relevant scholars in order to properly conceive of and address the ethical problem space. Moreover, in the case of female genital cutting/circumcision, the bioethics veers towards biopolitics, making multidisciplinary deliberation all the more important in both religious and secular spaces.
Social and structural factors influencing women’s agency regarding female genital mutilation/cutting: an intersectional analysis – a reply to ‘The prosecution of Dawoodi Bohra women’ by Richard Shweder
Authors: Shell-Duncan Bettina
Published: January 2022

Countries around the world have passed laws specifically banning female genital mutilation/cutting. Legal restrictions vary as to whether they apply to both girls and adult women or to minors only, and few address a second set of genital cutting procedures known as ‘female genital cosmetic surgeries’. Different legal framings reflect variation in views regarding women’s autonomy and their ability to provide meaningful consent. Social norms theory has drawn attention to the fact that in societies where customary female genital mutilation/cutting is common, women can be under intense pressure to conform lest risking social inclusion, support and possibly marriage prospects. Hence, protectionist measures by the state have been invited. Much less attention has been directed towards the broader circumstances that can shape and constrain women’s autonomy, including economic instability, limited access to resources and services, political marginalisation and discrimination, and global factors such as climate change. In this article, I highlight the promise of intersectional analyses of factors influencing female genital mutilation/cutting and suggest that in moving beyond the problematic distinction of ‘modern’ and ‘traditional’ societies, it is more fruitful to understand the multiple and combined factors that influence women’s empowerment. Drawing on case studies from Senegal, Kenya and the US, I illustrate that the logic to perform female genital mutilation/cutting or to resist engaging in community outreach on female genital mutilation/cutting may not only emanate from community norms, but also include broader conditions that influence people’s ability to cope with precarious livelihoods. A more comprehensive understanding of spheres of influence on women’s choices can be gained by examining how structural, material, social and individual domains overlap in a woman’s life. Programmes that aim to address female genital mutilation/cutting may be enhanced by expanding beyond a focus on legal reform and social norms to also address the broader structural and global factors that influence women’s agency.
Parity between men and women? Reflections on the circumcision of men and the circumcision of women
Authors: Cohen Shaye J.D.
Published: January 2022

The article discusses the strong and enduring connection between male circumcision and the Jewishness of men. However, paradoxically, Jewish women are Jews in spite of the absence of circumcision or any other bodily marker. The article also discusses the parity between male and female circumcision, and its implications.
Family carers’ perceptions of behavioural and psychological symptoms in people living with dementia
Authors: Shirazi Seerat , Fry Gary , Parveen Sahdia
Published: January 2022

People living with dementia can experience a range of behaviours that can be described as distressed. As most research on distressed reactions has been carried out in care homes, this study explores how family carers of people living with dementia make sense of distressed reactions in home settings, as well as the strategies they have used to manage them. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine carers. The following themes were explored: understandings of distressed reactions; the perceived causes of distressed reactions; and the consequences and management of distressed reactions. Recommendations indicate the specific support that carers require to help them provide appropriate care.
‘Coronavirus has been the perfect excuse for him to just stop paying’: child maintenance and economic abuse in the UK during the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Royal Kathryn
Published: January 2022

In June 2020, Surviving Economic Abuse launched The Cost of COVID-19 research, comprising a survey and semi-structured interviews with victim-survivors of economic abuse. A self-selecting sample of 360 victim-survivors completed the survey, and a total of 62 interviews were held. The research explored a number of topics, including victim-survivors’ access to child maintenance payments during the pandemic. The research found that perpetrators of economic abuse have been able to use the pandemic and the measures introduced to control its spread to economically abused victim-survivors, including by interfering with child maintenance payments.

Of female victim-survivors eligible for child maintenance payments and who participated in the research, 84 per cent were worried about current access to their payments. Twenty-two per cent reported that the perpetrator had stopped paying child maintenance during the pandemic and 18 per cent reported that they had paid unreliably. This left women unable to rely on payments and struggling to afford essentials for themselves and their children, including food. Women described difficulty in contacting the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), while perpetrators stopped or reduced payments without providing evidence for a change in circumstances. Urgent changes to the CMS are required to ensure that victim-survivors of economic abuse can access child maintenance payments reliably.
What happens on the backstage? Emotion work and LGBTQ activism in a collectivist culture
Authors: Mai Yên
Published: January 2022

The tendency of scholars to conflate ‘social movement’ with ‘protest’ has resulted in a significant lack of studies addressing activists’ emotions in contexts other than public mobilisations. Filling this gap in research, this study moves the focus beyond the frontstage of social movements to investigate how activists, on the backstage, engage in emotion work to cope with the challenges of activism. The data come from in-depth interviews with 12 LGBTQ activists, from the author’s participant observation at an activist training programme organised by a Vietnamese NGO, and from the author’s field notes. The findings reveal a dissonance between the positivity portrayed by the activists on the frontstage and the vulnerability they experience on the backstage of activism, which translates into conscious efforts to manage emotions, whether through collective or individual techniques. Empirically, this article contributes to Southeast Asian LGBTQ activism scholarship, advancing the discussion on what the activist role entails beyond public mobilisations and how activists cope with this multifaceted nature of activism. Theoretically, this study contributes to the sociology of emotion, showing how the collectivist culture offers fertile ground to observe the relationality of emotions, thereby extending Hochschild’s theorisation of emotion work.
Phase-polarization ensemble modulation effect of a BaTiO3
crystal film waveguide on Mach–Zehnder interferometer electrooptic
intensity modulators
Authors: Sun Na , Sun DeGui
Published: January 2022

In this work, based on the nonlinear electrooptic (EO) modulation model, the relationship between the polarization states and the birefringence modulation caused optical phase of c-axis barium titanate (

B
a
T
i

O

3

) crystal film is investigated first. Then, under an ensemble effect of phase-polarization modulation (PPM), the photon polarization behavior of a lightwave in a

B
a
T
i

O

3

film waveguide and its dynamic conversion process is clearly presented. Further, the optical output and optical phase changes of a Mach–Zehnder interferometric (MZI) type EO intensity modulator based on a dynamic nonlinear optical birefringence modulation are theoretically modeled. As a result, the systematic simulations show that, for one-wave (

2

π

) optical phase modulation (OPM), the full width at half-maximum of the output signal is efficiently compressed 30% more than the current OPM. Finally, the improvements of the MZI output signal by the PPM scheme are in accord with the experimental results.
Origination of free-form micro-optical elements using one- and
two-photon grayscale laser lithography
Authors: Lamprecht Bernhard , Ulm Andreas , Lichtenegger Philip , Leiner Claude , Nemitz Wolfgang , Sommer Christian
Published: January 2022

We discuss and describe the development of an origination process for planar free-form micro-optical elements from a given optical design. The targeted masters serve as origination structures for a roll-to-roll mass fabrication process. Specifically targeted are complex, optically smooth, surface relief structures with variable structure heights in the range of 1–20 µm, with typical lateral sizes of more than 5 µm. The area of the targeted masters is in the range of

1

c
m

2

. The main part of the paper is devoted to the description of a self-developed grayscale laser direct-write platform enabling one- and two-photon absorption lithography, also in combination on one and the same sample. In the following, we describe both methods and show that both lead to excellent structural quality of surface micro-relief structures. As a showcase of what the system can do in principle, we designed and fabricated free-form micro-optical elements to project light from an LED as a defined light pattern onto a wall. The proper optical functionality of the fabricated element was shown within a demonstrator setup.
Design of a composite lighting system based on a freeform and a rod lens for machine vision
Authors: Peng Xing , Kong Lingbao , Sun Xiang
Published: January 2022

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely utilized in machine vision lighting systems such as the process monitoring system in the additive manufacturing field, owing to their long life, high illumination efficiency, and controllable dimming. The quality of the lighting system directly affects the efficiency and accuracy of the entire monitoring system. However, existing designs cannot meet the optical efficiency and uniformity requirements at short lighting distances and small inspection areas with mixed multi-spectrum channels. This paper thus proposes a novel, to the best of our knowledge, design method of integrating a freeform surface lens and a square-shaped rod lens. The optical characteristics under different working distances and targeting surface types have been optimized and evaluated. Meanwhile, tolerance analysis has been utilized to demonstrate the feasibility of installation. With the use of the software Tracepro, simulation results showed that the designed composite machine vision lighting system can obtain an optical efficiency of  81.704% and an illuminance uniformity of  95.804% within the inspection area at a distance of 250 mm. Furthermore, verification experiments with a prototype were performed, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed machine vision lighting system.
Denoising algorithm of OCT images via sparse representation based on noise estimation and global dictionary
Authors: Zhang Xi , Li Zhongliang , Nan Nan , Wang Xiangzhao
Published: January 2022

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution and non-invasive optical imaging technology, which is widely used in many fields. Nevertheless, OCT images are disturbed by speckle noise due to the low-coherent interference properties of light, resulting in significant degradation of OCT image quality. Therefore, a denoising algorithm of OCT images via sparse representation based on noise estimation and global dictionary is proposed in this paper. To remove noise and improve image quality, the algorithm first constructs a global dictionary from high-quality OCT images as training samples and then estimates the noise intensity for each input image. Finally, the OCT images are sparsely decomposed and reconstructed according to the global dictionary and noise intensity. Experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm efficiently removes speckle noise from OCT images and yield high-quality images. The denoising effect and execution efficiency are evaluated based on quantitative metrics and running time, respectively. Compared with the mainstream adaptive dictionary denoising algorithm in sparse representation and other denoising algorithms, the proposed algorithm exhibits satisfying results in terms of speckle-noise reduction as well as edge preservation, at a reduced computational cost. Moreover, the final denoising effect is significantly better for sets of images with significant variations in noise intensity.
Highly-anisotropic plasmons in two-dimensional hyperbolic copper borides
Authors: Geng Wenhui , Gao Han , Ding Chao , Sun Lei , Ma Xikui , Li Yangyang , Zhao Mingwen
Published: January 2022

Hyperbolic materials have wide application prospects, such as all-angle negative refraction, sub-diffraction imaging and nano-sensing, owning to the unusual electromagnetic response characteristics. Compared with artificial hyperbolic metamaterials, natural hyperbolic materials have many advantages. Anisotropic two-dimensional (2D) materials show great potential in the field of optoelectronics due to the intrinsic in-plane anisotropy. Here, the electronic and optical properties of two hyperbolic 2D materials, monolayer CuB6 and CuB3, are investigated using first-principles calculations. They are predicted to have multiple broadband hyperbolic windows with low loss and highly-anisotropic plasmon excitation from infrared to ultraviolet regions. Remarkably, plasmon propagation along the x-direction is almost forbidden in CuB3 monolayer. The hyperbolic windows and plasmonic properties of these 2D copper borides can be effectively regulated by electron (or hole) doping, which offers a promising strategy for tuning the optical properties of the materials.
Locking of microwave oscillators on the interharmonics of mode-locked laser signals
Authors: Bahmanian Meysam , Kress Christian , Scheytt J. Christoph
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the theory of phase-locking of a microwave oscillator on the interharmonics, i.e. non-integer harmonics, of the repetition rate of the optical pulse train of a mode-locked laser (MLL) is developed. A balanced optical microwave phase detector (BOMPD) is implemented using a balanced Mach-Zehnder modulator and is employed to discriminate the phase difference between the envelope of the optical pulses and the microwave oscillator. It is shown mathematically that the inherent nonlinear properties of BOMPD with respect to the microwave excitation amplitude can be used for interharmonic locking. The characteristic functions of the phase detector for interharmonic locking are derived analytically and are compared with the measurement results. An opto-electronic phase-locked loop (OEPLL) is demonstrated whose output frequency locks on interharmonics of the MLL repetition rate when an appropriate modulator bias and sufficient RF amplitude are applied. Thus, for the first time theory and experiment of reliable locking on interharmonics of the repetition rate of a MLL are presented.
Optical microstructures based on surface-selective growth of Ag nanoparticles on thermally poled soda-lime glass
Authors: Selvam TamilSelvi , Fabijanić Ivana , Sancho-Parramon Jordi , Pervan Petar , Janicki Vesna
Published: January 2022

Glass is important as a substrate for coatings in a wide range of applications or as a substrate for the fabrication of optical micro/nano structures. Coating by wet chemistry methods often demands modifications of the glass surface properties involving several steps. In addition, the micro/nano structuring is usually a several-step process. New methods that are simpler and more efficient are being proposed. One of them is glass poling that has been used to obtain surface relief on glass and, together with electric field assisted dissolution, for metal nanostructures in glass/metal systems. In this work, we demonstrate that poling increases the susceptibility of the glass surface for coating with Ag nanoparticles synthesized in situ by silver salt reduction. It is shown that a selectively poled glass surface can be used as a template to obtain optical microstructures consisting of Ag nanoparticles in only three simple steps. As a proof-of-concept, the method is used to fabricate diffraction gratings with an optical response that can be tuned by adjusting the Ag concentration. This approach is more versatile than the standard structuring by electric field assisted dissolution, as it does not require application of an elevated temperature once the coating is formed, which might change or destroy the properties of the thermally sensitive coating species or morphologies.
Perfect diffractive circular metagrating for Bessel beam transformation
Authors: Li Feng-Jun , Wang Shuai , Li Xiangping , Deng Zi-Lan
Published: January 2022

Bessel beams, with their non-diffractive property, have attracted great
interest in recent years. Optical needle shaping of Bessel beams is
highly desired in many applications, however, this typically requires
low numerical aperture (NA) bulky 4f confocal systems
incorporated with spatial light modulators or round filters. Here, we
employ a circular dielectric metagrating for perfect Bessel beam
transformation at a desired wavelength. The dielectric metagrating
exhibits a high transmissive diffraction efficiency (up to 75%)
for a broadband (460 nm to 560 nm), wide-angle range, and
dual-polarization response, which is capable of a high-performance
transformation of Bessel beams with arbitrary NAs. Our results show
potential for special-beam-required applications such as light
storage, imaging, and optical manipulation.
Interconversion between OAM and SAM in five-wave mixing process in medium with the fourth-order optical susceptibility
Authors: Diukov V. A. , Grigoriev K. S. , Makarov V. A.
Published: January 2022

We investigate the interconversion between spin components of the angular momentum (SAM) and orbital components of the angular momentum (OAM) of collinear elliptically polarized monochromatic fundamental beams with frequencies ω1 and ω2 in the five-wave mixing process in homogeneous isotropic nonracemic mixtures of chiral molecules with nonlinear fourth-order susceptibility. Fundamental beams have helicoidal wavefronts and arbitrary radial distributions of intensity. The discovered non-conservation of the total SAM and OAM projections on the direction of propagation of the interacting waves during the generation of radiation at the frequency 3ω1 − ω2 compensate each other, ensuring the conservation of the total angular momentum projection. A straightforward classical and quantum interpretation of the results is given.
High-speed fiber–wireless–fiber system in the 100-GHz band using a photonics-enabled receiver and optical phase modulator
Authors: Dat Pham Tien , Umezawa Toshimasa , Kanno Atsushi , Yamamoto Naokatsu , Kawanishi Tetsuya
Published: January 2022

This Letter describes a high-speed yet simple fiber–wireless–fiber system in the 100-GHz band using a photonics-enabled receiver and optical phase modulator. At the antenna site, a millimeter-wave signal is down-converted to the microwave band using an electronic mixer with a local oscillator signal generated remotely using photonic technology. The down-converted signal is converted to an optical signal using an optical phase modulator. At the receiver, a simple direct detection of the phase-modulated signal is performed using optical filtering technology. To demonstrate the proof-of-concept, we successfully transmitted a 64-quadrature amplitude modulation orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing signal with a record line rate of 80 Gb/s (net data rate of 55 Gb/s) over a system consisting of two radio-over-fiber links and a 5 m wireless link in the 100-GHz band. The proposed system with simple antenna sites and optical transceivers can facilitate the deployment of ultra-dense small cells in high-frequency bands in beyond-5G networks.
A high-dose inoculum size results in persistent viral infection and arthritis in mice infected with chikungunya virus
Authors: Zhang Yue , Yan Hu , Li Xian , Zhou Dihan , Zhong Maohua , Yang Jingyi , Zhao Bali , Fan Xuxu , Fan Jun , Shu Jiayi , Lu Mengji , Jin Xia , Zhang Ejuan , Yan Huimin
Published: January 2022

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that leads to acute fever and chronic debilitating polyarthralgia. To date, the mechanism underlying chronic recurrent arthralgia is unknown. In the present study, newborn wild-type C57BL/6 mice were infected with CHIKV, and the virological and pathological features of CHIKV infection were analyzed over a period of 50 days. Acute viral infection was readily established by footpad inoculation of CHIKV at doses ranging from 10 plaque forming unit (PFU) to 106 PFU, during which inoculation dose-dependent viral RNA and skeletal muscle damage were detected in the foot tissues. However, persistent CHIKV was observed only when the mice were infected with a high dose of 106 PFU of CHIKV, in which low copy numbers (103−104) of viral positive strand RNA were continuously detectable in the feet from 29 to 50 dpi, along with a low level and progressive reduction in virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses. In contrast, viral negative strand RNA was detected at 50 dpi but not at 29 dpi and was accompanied by significant local skeletal muscle damage at 50 dpi when mild synovial hyperplasia appeared in the foot joints, although the damage was briefly repaired at 29 dpi. These results demonstrated that a high viral inoculation dose leads to viral persistence and progression to chronic tissue damage after recovery from acute infection. Taken together, these results provide a useful tool for elucidating the pathogenesis of persistent CHIKV infection and viral relapse-associated chronic arthritis.
Efficacy of Wang Nam Yen herbal tea on human milk production: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Saejueng Koollachart , Nopsopon Tanawin , Wuttikonsammakit Piyawadee , Khumbun Wattanaporn , Pongpirul Krit
Published: January 2022

Background

Insufficient milk production is a common problem affecting breastfeeding women, in particular following Cesarean delivery. Wang Nam Yen herbal tea is a promising traditional Thai medicine used by postpartum women to stimulate milk production, as an alternative to pharmaceutical galactagogues. We aimed to compare the efficacy of Wang Nam Yen herbal tea, domperidone, and placebo, in increasing milk production in mothers who underwent Cesarean delivery.

Methods

Women who underwent uncomplicated cesarean delivery at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital were randomized into three groups. The participants received the treatments daily for three consecutive days. The primary outcome was breast milk volume at 72 hours after delivery. Secondary outcomes were pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, adverse events, and participant satisfaction.

Results

Of the 1,450 pregnant women that underwent cesarean delivery, 120 women were enrolled. Their mean age and gestational ages were 28.7 years and 38.4 weeks, respectively. Breast milk volume at 72 hours postpartum was significantly different among the three groups (p= 0.030). The post hoc Bonferroni correction indicated a significant difference in breast milk volume between Wang Nam Yen herbal tea group and placebo control group (p= 0.007) while there was no difference between Wang Nam Yen herbal tea group and domperidone group (p= 0.806) and between domperidone group and placebo control group (p= 0.018). There was no difference in pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, adverse events, and participant satisfaction among the three groups.

Conclusion

Wang Nam Yen herbal tea was effective in augmenting breast milk production at 72 hours postpartum in mothers following cesarean delivery, and there was no evidence that herbal tea and domperidone differed in terms of augmenting breast milk production.

Trial registration

The study was approved by the institutional review board of Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital (No.061/2559) and was registeredTCTR20170811003with the Thai Clinical Trial Registry.
The anthropometric and physical qualities of women’s rugby league Super League and international players; identifying differences in playing position and level
Authors: Scantlebury Sean , McCormack Sam , Sawczuk Thomas , Emmonds Stacey , Collins Neil , Beech Jake , Ramirez Carlos , Owen Cameron , Jones Ben
Published: January 2022

Participation in women’s rugby league has been growing since the foundation of the English women’s rugby league Super League in 2017. However, the evidence base to inform women’s rugby league remains sparse. This study provides the largest quantification of anthropometric and physical qualities of women’s rugby league players to date, identifying differences between positions (forwards & backs) and playing level (Women’s Super League [WSL] vs. International). The height, weight, body composition, lower body strength, jump height, speed and aerobic capacity of 207 players were quantified during the pre-season period. Linear mixed models and effects sizes were used to determine differences between positions and levels. Forwards were significantly (p < 0.05) heavier (forwards: 82.5 ± 14.8kg; backs: 67.7 ± 9.2kg) and have a greater body fat % (forwards: 37.7 ± 6.9%; backs: 30.4 ± 6.3%) than backs. Backs had significantly greater lower body power measured via jump height (forwards: 23.5 ± 4.4cm; backs: 27.6 ± 4.9cm), speed over 10m (forwards: 2.12 ± 0.14s; backs: 1.98 ± 0.11s), 20m (forwards: 3.71 ± 0.27s; backs: 3.46 ± 0.20s), 30m (forwards: 5.29 ± 0.41s; backs: 4.90 ± 0.33s), 40m (forwards: 6.91 ± 0.61s; backs: 6.33 ± 0.46s) and aerobic capacity (forwards: 453.4 ± 258.8m; backs: 665.0 ± 298.2m) than forwards. Additionally, international players were found to have greater anthropometric and physical qualities in comparison to their WSL counterparts. This study adds to the limited evidence base surrounding the anthropometric and physical qualities of elite women’s rugby league players. Comparative values for anthropometric and physical qualities are provided which practitioners may use to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of players, informing training programs to prepare players for the demands of women’s rugby league.