Browse Articles

Multimode ultrastrong coupling in three-dimensional photonic-crystal cavities

Abstract Recent theoretical studies have highlighted how spatially varying cavity electromagnetic fields enable novel cavity quantum electrodynamics phenomena, such as the Dicke superradiant phase transition. Three-dimensional photonic-crystal cavities, which exhibit discrete in-plane translational symmetry, overcome this limitation, but fabrication challenges have hindered the achievement of strong coupling. Here, we demonstrate multimode ultrastrong coupling between cavity modes of a three-dimensional photonic-crystal cavity at terahertz frequencies and the cyclotron resonance of a Landau-quantized two-dimensional electron gas in gallium arsenide. The multimode coupling depends on the spatial profiles of the cavity modes, resulting in distinct coupling scenarios based on probe polarization. Our results align with an extended multimode Hopfield model that accounts for spatial field variations. Guided by the model, we discuss possible strong ground-state correlations between cavity modes and introduce relevant figures of merit for multimode ultrastrong coupling. Our findings highlight the crucial role of spatial inhomogeneity in multimode ultrastrong coupling.

Interactive design modeling of 3D styling combining Bezier curve and Harris corner point detection algorithm

Enhancing the effectiveness and precision of 3D modeling design has become the main focus of current research due to the ongoing development of 3D modeling applications in numerous fields. In this study, an interactive 3D modeling design model based on Bezier curve and Harris corner detection algorithm is constructed. First, the output image is denoised, and then the improved Harris corner detection algorithm is used to obtain the feature points, which ensures the clarity of the image while extracting the key features. Second, a new sketch contour generation method is proposed by combining feature points with Bezier curves. Finally, a combination of Bezier surfaces and Delaunay triangulation is used for surface reconstruction and 3D modeling of the image is rendered. The results revealed that the improved Harris corner point detection algorithm could detect 120 3D image features of a kettle in 3.2s, and detect 50 3D image feature points of a vase in only 0.43s, which had very high detection speed and accuracy. The total time for surface reconstruction of a mechanical part model by combining Bezier surface and Delaunay triangulation was 0.524s, which met the basic user requirements. The teapot image modeling experiment proves the feasibility of the overall design method of the study. Moreover, through the 3D modeling interaction design model designed by the study, the designer can construct the accurate 3D modeling based on the real thing faster, which greatly saves time, improves efficiency, and pushes forward the development of 3D modeling design technology.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the needs assessment questionnaire for family caregivers of end-of-life older adults in home hospice care

A meta-learning approach for selectivity prediction in asymmetric catalysis

Abstract Transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric reactions are of high contemporary importance in organic synthesis. Recently, machine learning (ML) has shown promise in accelerating the development of newer catalytic protocols. However, the need for large amount of experimental data can present a bottleneck for implementing ML models. Here, we propose a meta-learning workflow that can harness the literature-derived data to extract shared reaction features and requires only a few examples to predict the outcome of new reactions. Prototypical networks are used as a meta-learning method to predict the enantioselectivity of asymmetric hydrogenation of olefins. This meta-learning model consistently provides significant performance improvement over other popular ML methods such as random forests and graph neural networks. The performance of our meta-model is analyzed with varying sizes of training examples to demonstrate its utility even with limited data. A good model performance on an out-of-sample test set further indicates the general applicability of our approach. We believe this work will provide a leap forward in identifying promising reactions in the early phases of reaction development when minimal data is available.

Trend of genital ulcers and discharge and associated factors among survey respondents in Tanzania, 2004–2022: Analysis of demographic health surveys

Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to pose a significant public health challenge worldwide, with over 1 million new cases reported daily. STI’s are known to negatively impact sexual and reproductive health, increases risk of HIV transmission and acquisitions, as well as impacting mental health, personal wellbeing, and relationships. Information on the trend of STIs using nationally representative data in Tanzania is lacking. We evaluated trends in the prevalence of genital ulcers and discharge using the 2004, 2010 and 2022 Tanzania Demographic Health Survey (TDHS) data. Materials and Methods The TDHS are nationally representative, cross-sectional household surveys that used a two-stage cluster-based sampling design, selecting enumeration areas followed by households. Participants aged 15–49 years who responded to questions on whether they have ever had genital ulcers and/or discharge in the last 12 months prior to the survey were included in this analysis. Survey collected sociodemographic characteristics, HIV testing, STIs symptoms, number of sex partners and recency of sexual activity. We quantified weighted prevalences, and hierarchical mixed effects multilevel logistic regression models that accounted for survey weights, stratification and clustering were used to compute adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for factors associated with genital ulcers/discharge. Results Among 46,481 participants with a median age of 27 (interquartile range: 20–36) years, the overall prevalence of genital ulcers/discharge was 6.7%; (4.3% in 2004, 5.0% in 2010 and 9.3% in 2022). Generally, there was an increased trend in genital ulcers/discharge with the increase being higher between 2010 and 2022 compared to 2004 and 2010. In the full adjusted model, females (aOR=1.68: 95%CI 1.48–1.90) had higher odds of genital ulcers/discharge. Divorced/separated/widowed, young individuals, being sexually active 4 weeks prior to the survey and higher number of lifetime sex partners were all associated with higher odds of genital ulcers/discharge. Conclusions There was an increase in the trend of prevalence of genital ulcers/discharge in Tanzania with women and divorced/separated or widowed individuals being disproportionally affected. Identifying reasons for the increase in these STI related symptoms is paramount to strategize and address challenges. Policymakers should prioritize funding for STI diagnostic tools and community education programs. Additionally, healthcare facilities should incorporate routine STI screenings, particularly for high-risk groups like women and those with multiple sexual partners, to curb the rising prevalence.

Histone methyltransferase SMYD2 regulates the activation of hepatic stellate cells by activating TLR4 signaling

Targeting PLK1-CBX8-GPX4 axis overcomes BRAF/EGFR inhibitor resistance in BRAFV600E colorectal cancer via ferroptosis

Assessment of treatment outcomes and associated factors among patients treated with clozapine at amanuel mental specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background Clozapine is a medication used in psychiatry. It is the first atypical antipsychotic drug and the most effective in treatment resistant cases of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Studies also show benefits of clozapine in patients with tardive dyskinesia. However, there is scarcity of studies which show the outcome of clozapine treatment and factors associated with it in the Ethiopian context. Objective The aim of the study was to assess treatment outcome and factors associated with it among patients treated with clozapine at Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method A hospital-based retrospective study, compounded by cross-sectional design was conducted from June 1–30, 2022. A total of 71 clozapine treated patients were taken through census method. An interviewer administered structured questionnaire, retrospective data from patient medical records, and clinical evaluation of severity and improvement (CGI) were used to collect data. The collected data were entered into Epidata version 4.6 Software then exported to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 for statistical analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with treatment outcomes. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant and strength of the associations were presented by adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results Fifty one (71.8%) of participants showed improvement by clozapine treatment. Literacy level of high school and above showed significant positive association with treatment outcome (AOR: 7.65, 95% CI: 1.26–46.36, p<0.05) while extreme severity of illness at onset of clozapine treatment showed significant negative association with treatment outcomes (AOR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.02–0.99, p<0.05). Conclusions Treatment with clozapine resulted in significant improvement in clinical and functional outcomes of treatment-resistant schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, as well as in tardive dyskinesia. Higher literacy level and severity of illness at onset of treatment showed significant associations with outcome. Clozapine is an atypical or second generation antipsychotic first used in the 1960s. It was withdrawn at first after its use was associated with a number of deaths due to agranulocytosis in Finland in 1975 [1,2]. In 1988 a landmark study demonstrated that the medicine was helpful to patients with schizophrenia who were unresponsive to other medications. Clozapine was then reintroduced into clinical use [3]. Since then, clozapine has been shown to be the only medicine which reduced suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia. Clozapine is now the medicine of choice for treatment-resistant schizophrenia [1]. The antipsychotic efficacy and the complete absence of extrapyramidal adverse effects of clozapine have been well documented. The benefit of clozapine for treating patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and those who are particularly prone to extrapyramidal adverse effects has been most remarkable [2].

Implant placement parameters are associated with post operative dynamic varus and valgus knee angle in robotic assisted TKA

Integrating physical units into high-performance AI-driven scientific computing

Spatiotemporal variation in the interactions between rural tourism and rural settlements in Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces, China

Rural revitalization requires the coordinated development of rural tourism (RT) and rural environments for human settlements. The Chinese provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi face significant interregional differences as they seek to improve their rural human settlements. This study constructed an index system to evaluate the relationship between RT and rural settlements using the entropy method. The level of coordination between RT and the development of rural settlements in the two provinces during the period 2013–2022 was then analyzed based on the extent of their interaction (i.e., their coupling coordination degree). Key drivers of this coordination were identified using the geographic detector method. The results indicated that the coordination between RT and rural settlements has generally improved in both provinces, but regional disparities remain significant. Central cities are the most developed, while resource-dependent cities and remote areas lag. Critical drivers of coordinated development included economic development, resource attractiveness, and service support. Policy recommendations to promote the balanced development of RT and rural settlements include strengthening the protection of the environment, improving infrastructure, fostering industrial integration, and cultivating human resources.

Predictive modeling of rapid glaucoma progression based on systemic data from electronic medical records

Molecular structure and enzymatic mechanism of the human collagen hydroxylysine galactosyltransferase GLT25D1/COLGALT1

Optimization of seebeck coefficients in polyaniline-doped manganese dioxide nanocomposites

Polyaniline (PANI) and PANI-MnO2 composites were synthesized via a chemical route with varying manganese dioxide (MnO2) content, specifically 5wt% and 15wt%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the structural formation of both PANI and PANI-MnO2 composites. The direct current conductivity was measured, showing an increase with temperature: at 393K, pure PANI had a conductivity of 2.25 × 10-4 S/cm, which increased significantly in the composites, reaching 9.03 × 10-4 S/cm for the 15wt% MnO2 composite. The Seebeck coefficient also increased with temperature and MnO2 concentration, achieving a maximum value of 52 mV K-1 at 373K for the 15wt% MnO2 composite. These results indicate that the synthesized PANI- MnO2 composites exhibit semiconducting behavior with improved thermoelectric properties, making them promising candidates for applications in thermoelectric devices such as generators and thermopiles. The study highlights the potential of these materials in enhancing the efficiency of thermoelectric energy conversion.

One classical bit perspective on the noisy teleportation of quantum coherence

An enzyme-proof glycan glue for extracellular matrix to ameliorate intervertebral disc degeneration

English version of the Computer Vision Symptom Scale (CVSS17): Translation and Rasch analysis-based cultural adaptation

Background Because the CVSS17 was originally developed in Spanish, the objective of this study was to adapt it linguistically and culturally into English while evaluating its psychometric properties. Methods After translating and adapting the CVSS17 to English, 441 participants (aged 18 to 65 years) from a general population, recruited from an on-line panel, completed the English version (CVSS17ENG). To determine the measurement properties of CVSS17ENG, we used the partial credit model. To assess convergent validity, coefficients of correlation between CVSS17ENG and the Ocular Comfort Index or Visual Discomfort Scale were calculated. A subset of 218 subjects was tested for test-retest reliability. In addition, differences between CVSS17ENG and CVSS17 were tested through Differential Item Functioning (a Rasch statistic used to check item bias). Results A total of 441 responses to CVSS17ENG (average age, 38.57; age range, 19–65; females, 50.24%) showed good fit to the Rasch model, good precision (person separation index = 2.73), and suboptimal targeting (-1.43). Residual principal component analysis suggested multidimensionality, but this was ruled out by a disattenuated correlation coefficient value of 0.82, and no DIF according to sex or age was found. Pearson correlation for CVSS17ENG-VDS was 0.54 (p < 0.01) and Spearman correlation for CVSS17ENG-Ocular Comfort Index was 0.66 (p < 0.001). For test– retest reliability, the limits of agreement were 9.39 and -8.61. Rasch analysis results were similar for CVSS17 and CVSS17ENG and there was no evidence of item bias based on gender or age. Conclusion The English version of CVSS17 demonstrates comparable performance to the original, indicating its suitability for clinicians and researchers to reliably assess Digital Eye Strain among English-speaking users of screen-based electronic devices.

The local environment influences salt tolerance differently in four Salicornia europaea L. inland populations

Abstract Salinity limits plant growth and crop production, impacting 8.7% of the earth’s surface. Plants growing in saline soils have adaptations that help them persist in these harsh environments. In this research, we studied the salt-stress response mechanism of four populations of Salicornia europaea by varying the salinity gradient between 0 and 1000 mM. Our results demonstrate that salinity changes the morphological traits, salinity stress biomarkers, and the activity of antioxidative enzymes in the shoots and roots of these plants differently. The present results suggest that plants from the Salzgraben Salzdahlum population in Germany were the most tolerant to salinity, followed by Inowrocław in Poland, which exhibited a higher content of CAT in roots at 1000 mM, which we attributed to its higher salt tolerance. The differential behavior in Salicornia populations confirms that the tolerance mechanism is population-specific. This study is essential for advancing saline agriculture, developing restoration strategies for saline areas, and exploring S. europaea as a potential functional food. The strong association between halophyte salinity tolerance, high biomass production, and enhanced cellular antioxidant defenses highlights its resilience and suitability for these applications.

Nanoimprint crystalithography for organic semiconductors

The ongoing antibiotic resistance and carbapenemase encoding genotypes surveillance. The first quarter report of the INVIFAR network for 2024.

Introduction Antimicrobial resistance surveillance plays an important role in generating information about the prevalence of resistant microorganisms. In this study, we summarize a surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and carbapenemase-encoding genes for selected pathogens in Mexican healthcare centers. Methods Databases of identification and susceptibility results collected from January 1 to March 31, 2024, from forty-one centers were gathered and analyzed using the WHONET software. Some relevant gram-negatives and gram-positives, which were isolated from relevant clinical specimens were included. Isolates were stratified by patient´s age, clinical specimens, and site of attention, and were classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). Clinical isolates were collected from January 1 to June 30 and were genotyped for carbapenemase-encoding genes by a polymerase chain reaction test. Results In total, 8 708 strains were included. Escherichia coli had a higher resistance to carbapenems (p < 0.05) in the 0–17 years group and Klebsiella pneumoniae (p = 0.017), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii (p < 0.05) in the 18–59 years group. P. aeruginosa had higher resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, cefepime, and imipenem (p < 0.05) in the 18–59 years group. K. pneumoniae had the highest resistance to carbapenems (p < 0.05) and cefepime (p < 0.001) in clinical isolates recovered from blood. For P. aeruginosa, the highest resistance to cefepime (p = 0.012) and ceftazidime (p < 0.018) was seen in isolates from urine. For Staphylococcus aureus, a higher resistance was observed for cefoxitin in lower respiratory tract specimens (p < 0.05). E. coli had the highest resistance to carbapenems (p < 0.01), and P. aeruginosa for ceftazidime (p = 0.005), cefepime (p = 0.003), piperacillin-tazobactam (p = <0.01), IPM (p = 0.006), and meropenem (p = <0.01) in clinical isolates recovered from patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). For K. pneumoniae, the highest resistance to ertapenem was observed in clinical isolates from the ICU area (p < 0.035). Finally, 67.9% of A. baumannii and 53.8% of E. coli strains were Multidrug-resistant. Candida albicans isolated from blood had susceptibility to caspofungin 100% and 90.2% for voriconazole. Regarding E. coli non-susceptible to meropenem, 16 (59.2%) were carriers of blaNDM, and the blaKPC gene was detected in 2 (40%) strains of K. pneumoniae. In conclusion, carbapenem resistance was higher for E. coli in the 0–17 years group and for K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii in the 18–59 years group. K. pneumoniae has the highest resistance to carbapenems in blood isolates and the ICU area. E. coli and P. aeruginosa had the highest carbapenem resistance in the intensive care unit. A high multidrug resistance was observed for A. baumannii and E. coli strains. A high susceptibility to caspofungin and voriconazole was observed for Candida albicans collected from blood.