bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, characterization, and application of methylene blue functionalized reduced graphene oxide for photodynamic therapy in root canal treatment
Authors: Jouhar Rizwan , Halim Mohamad Syahrizal , Ahmed Muhammad Adeel , Shah Faheem , Quadri Sayed A
Published: January 2025

Background & Objective: Root canal infections are challenging to eradicate with conventional methods due to their complexity. Traditional chemical irrigants often fail to reach all bacterial colonies. Methylene blue (MB), used in photoactivated disinfection (PAD), generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon light activation, effectively killing bacteria. This study aimed to synthesize, characterize, and explore MB-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (MB/rGO) for enhanced photoactivated disinfection in root canal treatment.
Methods: This in-vitro study was conducted from April 2024 to September 2024 at Universiti Sains Malaysia and King Faisal University. Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced by dispersing GO in deionized water with sonication, followed by adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) under vigorous stirring. The suspension obtained was centrifuged, washed, and dried to yield reduced graphene oxide (rGO). For functionalization, rGO was dispersed in ethanol and mixed with methylene blue (MB) solution, followed by stirring and drying to obtain MB-functionalized rGO. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of MB alone and in combination with rGO, with or without laser exposure, were tested using the agar well diffusion method. The paired sample t-test was used to compare the inhibition zones for different treatment groups of E. faecalis and C. albicans.
Results: FTIR analysis confirmed successful functionalization by identifying specific functional groups of rGO and MB. Similarly, Raman spectroscopy indicated that GO-MB had an intermediate level of defects, and SEM analysis confirmed slight morphological changes with MB molecules attached to the rGO surface. Moreover, the antimicrobial test revealed that MB/rGO with laser performed significantly better (p=0.042) than MB/rGO without laser and MB with laser group (p=0.034) against E. faecalis.
Conclusions: The functionalization of MB with rGO and its application with laser treatment significantly enhanced antimicrobial and antifungal activity, suggesting potential benefits for endodontic treatments and other dental applications.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.2.11001
How to cite this: Jouhar R, Halim MS, Ahmed MA, Shah F, Quadri SA. Synthesis, characterization, and application of methylene blue functionalized reduced graphene oxide for photodynamic therapy in root canal treatment. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(2):519-524.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.2.11001
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Clinical efficacy of different maintenance doses of caffeine citrate in the treatment of apnea of prematurity
Authors: Ji Ping , Wan Yu , Yin Jiansong , Xue Mei , Wang Jing , Zhang Liwen
Published: January 2025

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and adverse reactions of caffeine citrate in the treatment of primary apnea of prematurity(AOP) and its effect on the long-term development of preterm infants.
Methods: This was a retrospective study. One hundred and forty six infants with AOP treated in the Neonatal Department of Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University between December 2019 and December 2023 were divided into the low-dose group (5mg/kg) and the high-dose group (10 mg/kg) according to the maintenance doses of caffeine, with 73 patients each group. Efficacy, complications, adverse reactions, total hospitalization cost and long-term development of the two groups of patients were retrospectively compared.
Results: Short-term efficacy: No statistically significant differences in the number of apnea events, assisted ventilation duration, oxygen inhalation duration, and weaning success rate were observed between the two groups (P<0.05). The incidences of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (P=0.012) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) (P=0.005) in the high-dose group were decreased compared with those in the low-dose group, with statistically significant differences. Long-term efficacy: the motor and mental development scores at 12 months of age in the high-dose group were increased compared with those in the low-dose group (P<0.05); and cost-effect analysis: there was no significant difference in the total hospitalization cost between the two group (P>0.05).
Conclusion: High maintenance dose of citrate caffeine in the treatment of AOP significantly reduces the number of apnea events, oxygen inhalation duration, the incidence of BPD and PVL, and positively affects the long-term neurological and motor development, without a significant increase in the hospitalization cost.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.2.9692
How to cite this: Ji P, Wan Y, Yin J, Xue M, Wang J, Zhang L. Clinical efficacy of different maintenance doses of caffeine citrate in the treatment of apnea of prematurity. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(2):478-483. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.2.9692
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Αυξητικοί παράγοντες και νεφρική ίνωση μετά από ουρολοίμωξη σε βρέφη
Authors: Μπιμπάκη Ειρήνη
Published: January 2025

Περίληψη Σκοπός: Σε αυτήν την μελέτη διερευνήθηκε η συσχέτιση ανάμεσα στον λειτουργικό γονιδιακό πολυμορφισμό του αγγειακού ενδοθηλιακού αυξητικού παράγοντα Α (VEGF-A)-460C/T και στις νεφρικές παρεγχυματικές βλάβες, στην κυστεοουρητηρική παλινδρόμηση και σε άλλες ανωμαλίες του ουροποιητικού συστήματος σε παιδιά με λοίμωξη του ουροποιητικού συστήματος. Μέθοδοι : Ο γονιδιακός πολυμορφισμός VEGF-A-460C/T μελετήθηκε με ανάλυση gene restriction length polymorphism (RFLPs) σε 76 παιδιά με το πρώτο τους επεισόδιο λοίμωξης ουροποιητικού και σε ομάδα ελέγχου που αποτελείται από 63 παιδιά χωρίς λοιμώξεις. Έγινε σύγκριση μεταξύ των γονοτύπων και της συχνότητας των αλληλίων ανάμεσα στα παιδιά με ουρολοίμωξη και στην ομάδα ελέγχου καθώς και σε διαφορετικές υποομάδες παιδιών με ουρολοίμωξη. Αποτελέσματα: Οι γονοτυπικές αλληλουχίες VEGF-A-460C/T διέφεραν σημαντικά μεταξύ των παιδιών με νεφρικές παρεγχυματικές βλάβες και αυτών χωρίς βλάβες στο παρέγχυμα στην ομάδα της ουρολοίμωξης. Η ομοζυγωτία του αλληλίου C ήταν πολύ πιο συχνή σε αυτά με νεφρικές παρεγχυματικές βλάβες (36.6% έναντι 8.7%, p=0.007). Μια ξεχωριστή ανάλυση έδειξε ότι το αλλήλιο C συσχετίσθηκε με βλάβες συμβατές με υποδυσπλασία, σε αντίθεση με εστιακές που συσχετίζονται με λοιμώξεις, με odds ratio 11.55 και 95% confidence interval of 3.03-43.9 (p=0.0001). Δεν ανευρέθηκαν στατιστικά σημαντικές διαφορές στους γονότυπους ή στην συχνότητα των αλληλίων ανάμεσα στα παιδιά με και χωρίς παλινδρόμηση ή άλλες ανωμαλίες του ουροποιητικού συστήματος. Συμπεράσματα: Στα παιδιά με λοιμώξεις του ουροποιητικού συστήματος, ο C πολυμορφισμός του γονιδίου VEGF-A gene συσχετίσθηκε με υποδυσπλαστικές νεφρικές παρεγχυματικές βλάβες, οι οποίες ήταν πιθανότατα συγγενείς και προϋπήρχαν της λοίμωξης του ουροποιητικού.Βασικές υποσημειώσεις: •Μελέτη του ρόλου του 460C/T λειτουργικού πολυμορφισμού του γονιδίου που κωδικοποιεί τον αγγειακό ενδοθηλιακό παράγοντα-Α (VEGF-A) σε νεφρικές βλάβες παιδιών με λοίμωξη ουροποιητικού. •Ο πολυμορφισμός του C αλληλίου του γονιδίου VEGF-A στα παιδιά με ουρολοίμωξη συσχετίσθηκε με υποδυσπλαστικές νεφρικές παρεγχυματικές βλάβες. •Είναι πιθανόν ότι αυτές ήταν συγγενείς και υπήρχαν πριν από την ουρολοίμωξη. Λέξεις κλειδιά: γονιδιακοί πολυμορφισμοί, νεφρική υποδυσλασία, νεφρική παρεγχυματική βλάβη, λοίμωξη ουροποιητικού, αγγειακός ενδοθηλιακός παράγοντας Α.
Πράσινη επιχειρηματικότητα στις μικρομεσαίες βιομηχανίες τροφίμων στην Ελλάδα
Authors: Σκλάβος Γεώργιος
Published: January 2025

Ο στόχος της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής (ΔΔ) είναι τριπλός: (i) να διερευνήσει τη σχέση μεταξύ της πράσινης επιχειρηματικότητας και του ψηφιακού μετασχηματισμού, (ii) να εφαρμόσει αυτές τις έννοιες σε μικρομεσαίες επιχειρήσεις (ΜΜΕ) στον τομέα των τροφίμων στην Ελλάδα, και iii) να διερευνήσει την ανάπτυξη νέων στρατηγικών που εκτείνονται πέρα από τις αρχές της πράσινης επιχειρηματικότητας και του ψηφιακού μετασχηματισμού, εστιάζοντας και στα νέα περιβαλλοντικά, κοινωνικά και εταιρικά πρότυπα διακυβέρνησης (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance – ESG) , τα οποία οι επιχειρήσεις καλούνται άμεσα να εφαρμόσουν, για τη διασφάλιση της βιώσιμης επιχειρηματικής συνέχειας και την ενίσχυση του ανταγωνιστικού τους πλεονεκτήματος. Για την προσέγγιση του ερευνητικού ερωτήματος εφαρμόσθηκε μικτή μεθοδολογία τριών επιπέδων, ενσωματώνοντας ποσοτικές και ποιοτικές πρακτικές ανάλυσης των δεδομένων που συλλέχθηκαν. Στα κύρια ευρήματα της ΔΔ συγκαταλέγονται η ανάγκη για άμεση υιοθέτηση ενός τριμερούς μοντέλου διαλειτουργικότητας των επιχειρήσεων του κλάδου, το οποίο βασίζεται στις αρχές της πράσινης οικονομίας, του ψηφιακού μετασχηματισμού και των στρατηγικών ESG. Τέλος, τα αποτελέσματα της ΔΔ καθιερώνουν μια ολοκληρωμένη και διατομεακή στρατηγική για την συμμόρφωση των επιχειρήσεων προς τις αρχές που διέπουν την πράσινη λογιστική, σε συνδυασμό με τους στρατηγικούς παράγοντες ESG.
The Narratives of Secularization and Their Implications for Religious Education
Authors: Jellesen Marlene Printz
Published: January 2025

In Religious Education (RE), it is not possible to talk about the role of religion today without addressing the concept of secularization. Using an explorative methodology, this article explores the potential of approaching key topics in RE, in this case secularization, with a narrative approach. The article presents four narratives of secularization and explores their possible implications based on research literature on RE.
The Carpal tunnel syndrome - CTS - primary and secondary prevention - review of literature
Authors: Broda Maciej , Flak Milena , Grzonkowska Magdalena
Published: January 2025

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common neuropathy affecting the median nerve in the upper limb. It is characterized by pain, numbness, paresthesia, muscle weakness, and difficulties in precise hand movements. CTS can be caused by trauma, excessive nerve stretching, or compression. The condition more frequently affects women, with risk factors including obesity, diabetes, and hypothyroidism. Diagnosis of CTS is based on clinical evaluation, Tinel's and Phalen's tests, and examinations such as EMG or MRI. Treatment includes surgical methods like nerve decompression and conservative approaches such as physiotherapy, kinesitherapy, and neuromobilization. Studies show that tendon and nerve gliding exercises can significantly reduce CTS symptoms. These exercises are less invasive and effective in mild to moderate cases of CTS, providing a good alternative or complement to surgical interventions. Regular stretching and strengthening exercises improve the clinical condition of CTS patients. Findings from the literature review suggest that regular exercise can significantly improve the condition of CTS patients, alleviating pain symptoms and enhancing hand function.
The Long Middle Ages in Philosophy: a justification.
Authors: Marenbon John
Published: January 2025

This paper aims to show that the wellknown date of Medieval Philosophy,
which stretches from 500 to 1500, hides
its richness and influences (from previous thought and to posterior thought)
and, at the same time, applies extremely rigid boundaries. Facing this theory
here is defended the idea of a Long Middle Ages in the Philosophy of the broad
Western tradition, which stretches from
200 to 1700. Along these pages, this thesis will be justified, and some objections
will be faced, such as that it homogenizes
different types of philosophy, that it underestimates the importance of modern
science, or that it overlooks Renaissance
Philosophy
Modernidades latinoamericanas: del humanismo renacentista al criollismo nacionalista.
Authors: Guijarro Galindo Pelayo , Sánchez Benavente José
Published: January 2025

El objetivo principal de este trabajo pasa
por mostrar la presencia de ciertos valores clásicos y estructuras del medievo
–sin por ello absolutizar su importancia– dentro del inconcluso proceso de
construcción de una modernidad específicamente latinoamericana. En primer lugar, analizaremos el contexto
intelectual de Nueva España durante el
siglo XVI, profundamente influenciado
en un sentido amplio por el humanismo
renacentista europeo. En segundo lugar,
atenderemos a la emergencia de una conciencia criolla en Perú a partir del siglo XVII y en Nueva España a lo largo del siglo XVIII como resultado de la hibridación cultural.
Ética y estética: sobre la particularidad del film-documental.
Authors: Ortiz de Urbina Arandigoien Xavier
Published: January 2025

El objetivo de este artículo es, en primer lugar, ofrecer algunas claves sobre
la hermenéutica de la imagen-documental en sus diferentes manifestaciones, para después pasar a defender una
imagen-documental contemporánea,
estéticamente autónoma y que nutre un
fenómeno que durante las últimas tres
décadas se viene denominando “cine
de no-ficción”, “documental creativo”
o “cine de lo real”, entre otras denominaciones. Todo ello nos servirá para
trazar un recorrido por la implicación de
la cuestión ética en este y otros paradigmas fenomenológicos de la imagen-documental.
Hiperconexión Digital, Imperativo de Seguridad y Pospolítica: un análisis con los pensamientos de Hannah Arendt, José Ortega y Gasset y Matthew Crawford.
Authors: Castleton Alexander
Published: January 2025

Hannah Arendt y José Ortega y Gasset
vieron con preocupación la emergencia
de nuevos sujetos históricos modernos:
el animal laborans y el hombre-masa,
respectivamente. En este artículo se intentará mostrar cómo sus críticas son
iluminadoras para entender la dirección
que las sociedades están tomando hacia
la hiperconexión digital, articulando sus
diagnósticos con los del filósofo contemporáneo Matthew Crawford. Se propondrá que, en sociedades mediatizadas
digitalmente, se busca reemplazar la
política por una administración tecnocrática y burocrática bajo un imperativo
de seguridad. Esto conduce a una situación pospolítica que trae aparejada una
pérdida de agencia y autodeterminación
reduciendo así la vida humana.
Telephone coaching supports exercise in people with prediabetes and diabetes: A mixed-methods study
Authors: Bomtempo Ana Paula Delgado , Ghisi Gabriela Lima de Melo , Seixas Mariana Balbi , Pereira Adriano Luiz , Oh Paul , Pereira Danielle Aparecida Gomes , Silva Lilian Pinto da
Published: January 2025

Objective: To evaluate whether a telephone coaching intervention can help people with prediabetes and diabetes to exercise as recommended by diabetes guidelines after a lifestyle intervention. Methods: The telefone coaching intervention included problem-solving strategies to address barriers to successfully implementing an action plan to achieve exercise goals. Data were collected from January to December 2020 in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Confidence, motivation, barriers to exercise, and weekly exercise duration were evaluated using both quantitative (questions with response options on a 0-10 Likert scale) and qualitative (open-ended questions) data, which were analyzed complementarily using mixed methods. Results: Thirty-one individuals (20 to 74 years old, 55% male, 71% type 2 diabetes) answered, on average, 4.0 ± 1.4 phone calls. The averages of confidence and motivation to exercise scores were between 8.0 to 8.7 and 7.0 to 8.9, respectively. The most frequently reported barriers to exercise were weather, pain or physical injuries, and lack of adequate space. The average self-reported time exercising was higher than 150 minutes/week in all phone calls. The main reasons for feeling confident and motivated to exercise were knowledge about exercise, joy in exercising, and benefits in physical health. Conclusion: The telephone coaching intervention can support people with prediabetes and diabetes in adhering to exercise recommendations outlined in diabetes guidelines, especially after participating in programs focused on promoting lifestyle changes.
Alternative format doctorate: an exploration of the role of PhD by publication in developing research skills to advance practice
Authors: de Souza Joanna , Gillett Karen
Published: January 2025

Healthcare professionals can achieve key benefits by engaging in research in clinical settings. Advanced practitioners, nurses and other allied healthcare professionals can be effective facilitators between researchers, patients and other clinical staff in healthcare research projects. Although advanced practice roles require engagement with research activities, it is difficult to do so in the current financial climate. One way of developing the research skills to lead research projects is to pursue a PhD. There are different PhD research training routes. Alternative format PhD by publication, as a form of research training for advanced practitioners, can produce tangible benefits for practice development. Challenges include a lack of definition and guidelines, and the time required to generate acceptable publications. Benefits include a higher rate of publishing, valuable new knowledge and career development. Alternative format thesis by publication maybe a useful tool for advanced practitioners to conduct PhD level research training.
Assessing the Impact of Pesticide use on India’s Agriculture and Environment
Authors: S. Sruthy  , Amodh Anil  , R. Arun  , P. Drupad Dev  , Pooja Dileep  , Geena Prasad  , Deepa Indira Nair
Published: January 2025

The Indian agricultural sector has become highly dependent on pesticides to protect the crops from pests and diseases. However, the extensive use of chemical pesticides poses a severe threat to the environment and its sustainability. This paper aims to review and analyze the trend across the country and explain the adverse consequences of pesticides on ecosystems. As pesticides can contaminate soil, water, and air resulting in serious environmental degradation, this research looks at how various pesticides affect these natural resources by causing long-term harm to ecosystems. Moreover, prolonged exposure to pesticides can also be harmful to human health. The paper examines the intricate relationship between exposure levels versus the inherent toxicity of such chemical compounds, also considering the possible health risks associated with their utilization in fields. Also, the chances of forming decomposition by-products that may be more harmful than the parent chemicals within the environmental matrix are highlighted. This paper also investigates alternative methods for the use of pesticides, paving the path for safe and organic agricultural practices that could be adopted. The study highlights the urgent need for a shift towards integrated pest management strategies, biopesticides, and precision agriculture technologies to mitigate the negative impacts of pesticides and ensure sustainable agricultural development in India.
Experimental investigation of Sea shells filler on the Vachellia Nilotica Blended Hybrid Epoxy Composites
Authors: D. Rama Devi  , B. Saritha
Published: January 2025

This research work presents the influence of Sea shells powder on the mechanical, dynamic, and dielectric properties of the hybrid epoxy composites containing Vachellia Nilotica (VN). Hand layup method was used to prepare the composite specimens at different volume fractions of the Sea shells used as a particle filler (3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 v/v%). The Vachellia Nilotica content was kept at 15 v/v %. The mechanical, viscoelastic, and dielectric properties of the developed hybrid composites were characterized. The findings show that the composite containing 6v/v% Sea shells possesses better mechanical and dielectric characteristics compared to other volume concentrations. The filler was also found to significantly affect the epoxy composite in which the material with the highest glass transition temperature and storage modulus value containing 6 v/v % filler. The addition of Sea shells in the Vachellia Nilotica incorporated hybrid exposed had enhanced the thermal stability of the composite as evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Additionally, the dielectric test also showed that the Sea shells filler enhanced the dielectric strength of the composite. SEM equipment was used to examine the structural morphology of the tensile fracture of the composite in order to study the interface between the epoxy matrix and the fillers of the hybrid composites.
Unlocking the Potential of Microbial Biomass for Carbon and Nitrogen Transformations in Forest and Desert Soils: Review
Authors: Ganesh Parmar  , Rajesh Chaudhari  , Ashish Modi  , Salehabanu Meman  , Shreyas Bhatt
Published: January 2025

Microbial biomass plays a prominent role in nutrient transformation and conserving forest and desert soils. The main aim of the present study is to summarize the effects of the dynamics of these transformations on soil quality. Microbial biomass and its activities are remarkably influenced by several variables: temperature, soil moisture, heavy metals, microbial community composition, predation and grazing, and soil texture. Microorganisms play a significant role in the elemental and energy movements, and they are frequently regarded as the catalyst or driving force behind the breakdown processes. Microbial biomass to organic carbon ratio specifically reflects the role of microorganisms in carbon availability. Soil microbial biomass carbon has been reported to be significantly greater in the top 0–30 cm depths compared to the lower depths. Several variables influencing the dynamics of soil microbial biomass are discussed in this review.
Poetic Playing Fields: The Israel Folktale Archives as a Social Arena
Authors: Stein Dina
Published: January 2025

Abstract: The literary biography of Yaakov Lasri, from his time as a frustrated transcriber of stories he heard from others until the publication of his last book, in which he molded stories with artistic freedom, is a voyage through the literary polysystem of Israel of his day and the literary and political fields available to him. His disappointment in the real and symbolic capital that the Israeli Folktale Archives (IFA) offered drove him to seek alternative literary fields at play within the political discourse that blossomed in the late 1960s. The Mizrachi discourse in which social-political marginality started to challenge the heart of the establishment also manifested itself as changes in the literary field, changes that allowed Lasri to receive generous financial support for the publication of his first two books from local institutions and organizations associated with Mizrachi Jews. These gave room to poetics and to genres that neither the scientific establishment (IFA) nor the literary establishment (written literature) could or would accept.
Evasion Ecology in the Contact Era: Fugitive Social Movements and the Atlantic Dimensions of Marronage, 1480s–1530s
Authors: de Avilez Rocha Gabriel
Published: January 2025

Abstract: On the Gulf of Guinea island of São Tomé and the Caribbean island of Ayiti/Hispaniola at the turn of the sixteenth century, African and Indigenous fugitives from enslavement and dispossession, known as maroons, confronted profound social turmoil and environmental volatility. In each setting, the proliferation of livestock introduced by Iberian settlers created novel possibilities of sustenance and coalition-building for people on the run. Rather than treating nonhuman newcomers as invasive species that primarily favored colonial designs, this article views contact-era Atlantic change in light of “evasion ecology”: a concept attentive to how people encountered, inhabited, facilitated, and capitalized on dispersive environmental processes. The evasive nonhuman species that multiplied in the forests and mountains of São Tomé and Ayiti/Hispaniola at times favored, but did not guarantee, maroon endeavors to establish breakaway communities. Settlers riven by internal conflicts over feral livestock and colonial provisions waged war throughout the 1520s to dispel fugitive strongholds. Though specific circumstances differed in each setting, maroon social movements persisted, bringing about transatlantic ramifications by the 1530s. Merchants, traffickers, and officials adjusted to the divergent outcomes of overlapping maroon wars, while enslaved people and fugitives understood and acted upon contemporaneous struggles across the early Atlantic.
High-responsiveness and -precision 3D NIR visual-assisted eye-pupil tracking robot for free-style ophthalmic OCT imaging
Authors: Zeng Xinhao , Qin Xiaoyang , Wu Renxiong , Cao Kaizhi , Hu Jiangting , Liu Yong , Ni Guangming
Published: January 2025

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has revolutionized noninvasive imaging in ophthalmology, enabling high-resolution, three-dimensional visualization of tissue microstructures. However, conventional ophthalmic OCT devices depend heavily on patient cooperation and operator expertise, hindering further applications, especially ophthalmic imaging for the disabled. Here we proposed a high-responsiveness and -precision three-dimensional (3D) near-infrared visual-assisted eye-pupil tracking robot for free-style ophthalmic OCT to address these limitations. This system incorporates 3D pupil tracking for automatic gaze alignment with a multi-functional and -wavelength scanning pod, enabling precise, real-time 3D tracking and alignment of the OCT scanning pod to the human eye pupil in customized orientations and positions. Our system achieves a response time of 21.26 ms for visual perception and 21.64 ms for robotic motion, with lateral accuracy of 14.15 μm, axial accuracy of 27.09 μm, and rotational accuracy of 0.26 degrees for free-style human ophthalmic OCT imaging. Our robotic system overcomes the scenario limitations of fixed devices, the high operator demands, and the imaging instability of handheld devices. It is expected to significantly expand the application scenarios and target groups for ophthalmic OCT imaging, improving the quality of ophthalmic healthcare services and enhancing patient experience.
Extension of high-harmonic generation cutoff in solids to 50 eV using MgO
Authors: Allegre Hortense , Broughton Joseph J. , Klee Tim , Li Yan , Kowalczyk Katarzyna M. , Thatte Nikolas , Lim Daniel , Marangos Jon P. , Matthews Mary M. , Tisch John W. G.
Published: January 2025

High-harmonic generation (HHG) in solids driven by femtosecond lasers is a promising method for the compact production of coherent extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation but so far has been limited to photon energies below 40 eV. Here, we report the highest ever recorded photon energy for a harmonic in a solid sample, reaching 50 eV (31st harmonic) in 100-µm-thick MgO, using a 780 nm, 30 fs driving pulse. This is achieved through optimization of the spectrometer and detection efficiency, as well as an increase in emission efficiency enabled by a larger excitation area and the use of a multi-cycle pulse. We observe that the harmonic cutoff exhibits nontrivial behavior as a function of laser field strength, suggesting that an extension to our existing understanding of the generation process may be needed. This work demonstrates further the potential for compact XUV sources beyond 50 eV based on solid-state media.
Low-loss and tight-bend waveguides via multiple scans of a femtosecond laser
Authors: Xiao Kai-Heng , Zan Yi-Hao , Ouyang Yang , Fei Si-Xue , Hu Zhi-Yong , Fang Li-Nan , Tian Zhen-Nan , Chen Qi-Dai
Published: January 2025

In this paper, in situ multiple scans of a femtosecond laser are employed to optimize the refractive index distribution in a glass optical waveguide. The emergence of second bright core boundary (SBCB) and the increasing density of three- and four-membered rings in silica were thoroughly investigated. They can lead to a higher refractive index in a waveguide core and enhance the light confinement capability, which can increase the spatial integration density of bent waveguide structures. A 90° tightly bent single-mode waveguide is prepared at 808 nm, achieving a minimum bending loss of 1.028 dB/cm at a bending radius of 10 mm. This study will facilitate the preparation of on-chip large-scale, highly integrated photonic chips.
Reflection of Light from a Moving Corner Cube: A Relativistic and Geometric Analysis
Authors: Maesumi Mohsen
Published: January 2025

The analysis of the reflection of light from a moving mirror, as derived by Einstein, also applies to a corner reflector. This paper presents a Taylor-Fourier series expansion of Einstein's formulas and identifies a discrepancy in Dashchuk's second-order analysis, as described in ``Transverse Doppler effect with laser light in a reflection system,'' Proc. IEEE, 57, (12), 2148--2149 (1969). A geometric derivation of the reflection law, avoiding Lorentz transformations, is provided. Finally, a coordinate-independent construction for graphing the reflected beam's direction, given the incident beam and corner reflector velocity, is introduced.
DECODE enables high-throughput mapping of antibody epitopes at single amino acid resolution
Authors: Matsumoto Katsuhiko , Harada Shoko Y. , Yoshida Shota Y. , Narumi Ryohei , Mitani Tomoki T. , Yada Saori , Sato Aya , Morii Eiichi , Shimizu Yoshihiro , Ueda Hiroki R.
Published: January 2025

Antibodies are extensively used in biomedical research, clinical fields, and disease treatment. However, to enhance the reproducibility and reliability of antibody-based experiments, it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of the antibody’s target specificity and epitope. In this study, we developed a high-throughput and precise epitope analysis method, DECODE (Decoding Epitope Composition by Optimized-mRNA-display, Data analysis, and Expression sequencing). This method allowed identifying patterns of epitopes recognized by monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies at single amino acid resolution and predicted cross-reactivity against the entire protein database. By applying the obtained epitope information, it has become possible to develop a new 3D immunostaining method that increases the penetration of antibodies deep into tissues. Furthermore, to demonstrate the applicability of DECODE to more complex blood antibodies, we performed epitope analysis using serum antibodies from mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). As a result, we were able to successfully identify an epitope that matched the sequence of the peptide inducing the disease model without relying on existing antigen information. These results demonstrate that DECODE can provide high-quality epitope information, improve the reproducibility of antibody-dependent experiments, diagnostics and therapeutics, and contribute to discover pathogenic epitopes from antibodies in the blood.
Basal ganglia components have distinct computational roles in decision-making dynamics under conflict and uncertainty
Authors: Ging-Jehli Nadja R. , Cavanagh James F. , Ahn Minkyu , Segar David J. , Asaad Wael F. , Frank Michael J.
Published: January 2025

The basal ganglia (BG) play a key role in decision-making, preventing impulsive actions in some contexts while facilitating fast adaptations in others. The specific contributions of different BG structures to this nuanced behavior remain unclear, particularly under varying situations of noisy and conflicting information that necessitate ongoing adjustments in the balance between speed and accuracy. Theoretical accounts suggest that dynamic regulation of the amount of evidence required to commit to a decision (a dynamic “decision boundary”) may be necessary to meet these competing demands. Through the application of novel computational modeling tools in tandem with direct neural recordings from human BG areas, we find that neural dynamics in the theta band manifest as variations in a collapsing decision boundary as a function of conflict and uncertainty. We collected intracranial recordings from patients diagnosed with either Parkinson’s disease (PD) (n = 14) or dystonia (n = 3) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN), globus pallidus internus (GPi), and globus pallidus externus (GPe) during their performance of a novel perceptual discrimination task in which we independently manipulated uncertainty and conflict. To formally characterize whether these task and neural components influenced decision dynamics, we leveraged modified diffusion decision models (DDMs). Behavioral choices and response time distributions were best characterized by a modified DDM in which the decision boundary collapsed over time, but where the onset and shape of this collapse varied with conflict. Moreover, theta dynamics in BG structures modulated the onset and shape of this collapse but differentially across task conditions. In STN, theta activity was related to a prolonged decision boundary (indexed by slower collapse and therefore more deliberate choices) during high conflict situations. Conversely, rapid declines in GPe theta during low conflict conditions were related to rapidly collapsing boundaries and expedited choices, with additional complementary decision bound adjustments during high uncertainty situations. Finally, GPi theta effects were uniform across conditions, with increases in theta associated with a prolongation of decision bound collapses. Together, these findings provide a nuanced understanding of how our brain thwarts impulsive actions while nonetheless enabling behavioral adaptation amidst noisy and conflicting information.
Advanced low-power filter architecture for biomedical signals with adaptive tuning
Authors: Srinivasagan Ramasamy
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a low-power, second-order composite source-follower-based filter architecture optimized for biomedical signal processing, particularly ECG and EEG applications. Source-follower-based filters are recommended in the literature for high-frequency applications due to their lower power consumption when compared to filters with alternative topologies. However, they are not suitable for biomedical applications requiring low cutoff frequencies as they are designed to operate in the saturation region. The major contribution in this work are the filter is made to operate in the weak inversion zone to reduce the area needed for the capacitor and the amount of power dissipated. Process variation is one of the major issues in the weak inversion regime. To overcome this, a unique method of compensating against fluctuations in process, voltage, and temperature is put forth based on magnitude comparison is another contribution. Key findings from post-layout simulations and experimental measurements demonstrate that the filter achieves a tunable cutoff frequency range of 0.5 Hz to 150 Hz, with a total power dissipation of only 6nW at 150 Hz. The design occupies a compact silicon area of 0.065 mm2 and offers a dynamic range of 75 dB. The measured results indicate that for a 300 mVpp signal swing, the top bound on THD is -40 dB. The filter’s robustness against process, voltage, and temperature variations is validated through on-chip tuning using a current steering DAC, ensuring stable performance across different operating conditions. These results make the proposed filter a promising candidate for low-power biomedical devices. The recommended filter is developed and implemented using UMC-0.18μm CMOS technology with a 1.0V supply, and the IC is tapped out using an MPW run of Euro practice IC services.
Environmental surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other enteric pathogens in settings without networked wastewater infrastructure
Authors: Siko Joël Edoux Eric , Dahmer Kendra Joy , Manoharan Zayina Zondervenni , Muthukumar Ajithkumar , Amato Heather K. , LeBoa Christopher , Harris Michael , Janagaraj Venkateshprabhu , Manuel Malathi , Varghese Tintu , Houngbegnon Parfait , Pilotte Nils , Bouko Bernadin , Saïdou Souad , Luty Adrian J. F. , Ramesh Rohan Michael , Ibikounlé Moudachirou , Ajjampur Sitara S. R. , Pickering Amy J.
Published: January 2025

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are one of the most prevalent enteric infections world-wide. To control STH-related morbidity, the World Health Organization recommends targeted deworming and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene. Current surveillance strategies for STH focus on identifying and quantifying eggs in stool samples via microscopy, which exhibits poor specificity and sensitivity, especially in settings with low-intensity infections. Wastewater-based epidemiology is a surveillance tool used to monitor pathogen circulation and could replace stool-based approaches for STH detection. However, sampling strategies for settings lacking networked sanitation outside large urban settlements are not well developed. Here, we report evaluation of sampling strategies for soil and wastewater STH surveillance in rural and peri-urban settings without networked sanitation. We used multi-parallel qPCR assays to detect STH DNA in soil collected from high foot-traffic locations and three types of wastewater samples (passive Moore swabs, grab samples, and sediment from drainage ditches) in Comé, Benin and Timiri and Jawadhu Hills in Tamil Nadu, India. We detected STH in soil (India = 32/95, Benin = 39/121) and wastewater (India = 24/60, Benin = 8/64) with a detection frequency across all sample types of 36% in India and 25% in Benin. We evaluated which sample locations and types allowed for more sensitive detection of STH DNA and determined that STH prevalence varied by sample site but did not vary significantly within a given sample site location (e.g., samples collected from multiple locations within one market). Further, we determined that wastewater sediment samples outperformed grab and Moore swab sample types for STH detection. Finally, we expanded our methods to include detection of other enteric pathogens using multiplexed qPCR for wastewater samples. Our results establish sampling strategies for environmental and wastewater surveillance of a wide range of enteric pathogens in settings without networked sanitation.
From limitation to innovation: Reimagining and rethinking academic dance
Authors: Collins Paul , Trommer-Beardslee Heather
Published: January 2025

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while many professional production organizations were forced to temporarily, or in some cases permanently, close, most academic institutions in higher education remained open in varying modalities in order to continue providing educational opportunities for their students. The following article details the process by which theatre and dance faculty members at Central Michigan University experimented with layering video and choreographic technologies that not only provided meaningful learning experiences for their students during a global pandemic but also, in turn, altered their production practices and inspired creative projects to be continued after the removal of COVID-19-related restrictions.
Devising the personal in post-pandemic Istanbul
Authors: Kristal Didem , Ersöz Ayrin
Published: January 2025

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Istanbul’s theatre landscape has been a site of resilience and reclamation, with artists devising theatre and performance to navigate the resultant societal stasis. This study probes the efficacy of autobiographical material in devised performances, investigating its dual role as a mirror to societal crises and a vehicle for artists to articulate individual and collective disorientation. Through an auto-ethnographic examination of three Istanbul-based artists – Melek Ceylan, Onur Karaoğlu and Didem Kris – this research captures the nuanced interplay between personal narrative and communal resonance. The methodology integrates performance analysis with artist interviews, utilizing a new materialist lens to emphasize the ethics of care within the creative process. The findings reveal how these solo performances, grounded in the personal, transcend individual experiences, connect with broader societal challenges and foster a sense of communal identity. In doing so, this study illuminates the transformative potential of devising post-pandemic theatre, suggesting its power to chronicle the era’s challenges and offer alternative narratives that confront Turkey’s mainstream performing arts paradigms.
Filtering Approaches and Mish Activation Function Applied on Handwritten Chinese Character Recognition
Authors: Yingna Zhong , Mohd Daud Kauthar , Moorthy Kohbalan , Mohamad Nor Ain Najiha
Published: January 2025

Handwritten Chinese Characters (HCC) have recently received much attention as a global means of exchanging information and knowledge. The start of the information age has increased the number of paper documents that must be electronically saved and shared. The recognition accuracy of online handwritten Chinese characters has reached its limit as online characters are more straightforward than offline characters. Furthermore, online character recognition enables stronger involvement and flexibility than offline characters. Deep learning techniques, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), have superseded conventional Handwritten Chinese Character Recognition (HCCR) solutions, as proven in image identification. Nonetheless, because of the large number of comparable characters and styles, there is still an opportunity to improve the present recognition accuracy by adopting different activation functions, including Mish, Sigmoid, Tanh, and ReLU. The main goal of this study is to apply a filter and activation function that has a better impact on the recognition system to improve the performance of the recognition CNN model. In this study, we implemented different filter techniques and activation functions in CNN to offline Chinese characters to understand the effects of the model's recognition outcome. Two CNN layers are proposed given that they achieve comparative performances using fewer-layer CNN. The results demonstrate that the Weiner filter has better recognition performance than the median and average filters. Furthermore, the Mish activation function performs better than the Sigmoid, Tanh, and ReLU functions.
The effect of corporate reputation on investors' decisions following a stock price shock
Authors: Blajer-Gołębiewska Anna
Published: January 2025

Corporate reputation is an important predictor of stock investors’ decisions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether corporate reputation remains a significant factor in investment decisions in the event of a price shock contrary to investors' expectations. A vignette study was designed to simulate a stock exchange. We also controlled for selected behavioural characteristics. The induced perception of collective corporate reputation was found to be important for investment decisions. However, the findings indicated that after a price shock, this factor became insignificant. Furthermore, most of the participants decreased their propensity to invest. Hence, the observation was split into two cases. In the case of a good corporate reputation and a decrease in stock prices, relatively fewer investors decided to decrease their propensity to invest. Nevertheless, male investors and those with a greater need for cognition were more likely to exhibit the same or higher propensity to invest after the shock price. In the case of a poor corporate reputation and an increase in stock prices, more investors decided to decrease their propensity to invest. However, the changes in propensity to invest were driven only by the initial amount of money invested.
Social capital and economic performance for South America: A panel data analysis
Authors: Hernández-Medina Patricia , Gurría-Gascón José , Cabrera-Becerra Juan , Morales-La Paz Luis
Published: January 2025

This research focused on determining the impact of social capital on economic growth in South American countries based on data associated with the prosperity index generated by the Legatum Institute from 2007 to 2023. The relationship was analysed by estimating both static and dynamic panel data models, considering aggregate social capital and its components. The results indicate that while the prosperity index at the aggregate level has a positive and significant effect on GDP per capita, this is not the case for all dimensions. In the static approach, all the components of the economic and people empowerment dimensions are significant, while in the institutional component, social capital was not statistically significant, which is corroborated by the dynamic results. While the disaggregation of social capital reveals some elements that have a positive effect on economic performance, such as personal and family relationships and personal trust, civic participation shows an inverse relationship with GDP per capita. These findings confirm the existence of strong bonding personal and family relationships that influence territorial performance yet require the strengthening of bridging and linking ties.
Changes in household income after Poland's accession to the European Union
Authors: Chmielewska Barbara , Chmielewski Łukasz , Remsei Sándor
Published: January 2025

Income is crucial to meeting life's needs. Changes in its size and structure are fundamental determinants of living standards in the countryside. The article presents an analysis of the economic situation of inhabitants of rural areas during the period of Poland's integration with the European Union (years 2002-2022 or 2004-2022). The main indicators are the level, structure and relations of income. Households of basic socio-economic groups and by place of residence (rural and urban) were compared. The study showed convergence of the standard of living of rural and urban inhabitants and of farmers and other groups of households. Convergence was primarily the result of a higher dynamics of income growth of rural in-habitants than of urban inhabitants and farmers compared to other groups of households. This was mainly the result of significant financial support directed to rural areas and farmers, among others, within the framework of the common agricultural policy. The 20th anniversary of Poland's accession to the European Union is an opportunity to sum up and assess how Poland's membership in the EU has affected the standard and quality of life of the Polish population, especially the inhabitants of rural areas.
Gender dynamics in knowledge hiding and occupational stress on employee performance
Authors: Urbański Mariusz , Haque Adnan ul , Kaur Harmandeep , Yamoah Fred. A. , Kot Michal
Published: January 2025

This study is novel to explore the concept of competing variables, considering knowledge hiding (KH), occupational stress (OS) and employee performance (EP) from the lens of gender, which has not been previously studied. It also offers a mathematical objectivity and establish numerical significance between variables of interest. This study aims to investigates the male and female employees' performance affected by occupational stress and knowledge hiding in the Service sector. Cross sectional research design was used because data was gathered in less than one year while comparing two contrasting genders. PLS-SEM was used for quantitative analysis to gain mathematical objectivity, and the data was gathered through semi-structured matrix-based questionnaire. Purposive, quota and networking sampling techniques were employed. Findings revealed that occupational stress and Knowledge hiding negatively affect the performance of the male and female employees, irrespective of the type of service sector. Funnel approach revealed that females showed higher knowledge hiding (KH) in comparison to male. Moreover, the comparison also revealed that in contrast to occupational stress, knowledge hiding is more affecting the employees’ performance. Lastly, an unfriendly environment is the result of knowledge hiding which leads to the development of higher depression and anxiety, those also affect performance negatively.