Generation of pure transverse spin and nontrivial polarization structures of beams by dielectric metasurface.

Transverse spin, a spin component with unique characteristics, provides a new dimension for plenty of applications, such as optical trapping, imaging, and communication. Here, we analyze the pure transverse spin in the Bessel beam, which is solely present in the azimuthal direction. Based on a single layer dielectric metasurface, we efficiently generate Bessel beams with pure transverse spin in a compact optical system. As designed, the transverse spin is flexibly tunable by converting the polarization of the incident light. Furthermore, in the scattered Bessel beam, the local electromagnetic field oscillates around the transverse axis, which is perpendicular to the beam propagation. At certain positions, the local polarization ellipse degenerates into a perfect circle, resulting in a ring-periodic distribution of circularly polarized points (C points) in the beam. This suggests that the local polarization demonstrates a nontrivial periodic structure. This work deepens our understanding of spin-related physics and opens a new avenue for the study and application of transverse spins in ultracompact, flat, multifunctional nanophotonic platforms.

Versatile polarization-converted non-diffractive Bessel beams based on fully phase-modulated metasurfaces.

The Bessel beam has become significant in optical research due to its properties such as a long focal depth, self-healing, and non-diffraction. However, conventional methods for generating Bessel beams have drawbacks such as limited flexibility and tunability and the use of bulky optics. These factors lead to the complexity of the optical systems. This paper presents what we believe is a novel approach to generating Bessel beams by utilizing a fully phase-modulated all-dielectric metasurface. The proposed method enables the arbitrary and independent manipulation of cross-polarized and co-polarized components, allowing the creation of Bessel beams featuring multiple polarization conversions when subjected to left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) incidence. To demonstrate the versatility and effectiveness of the method, three metasurfaces with distinct characteristics are designed. The simulated generated Bessel beams exhibit qualities including long focal depth, non-diffraction behavior, self-healing capabilities, and polarization conversion, which align with the theoretical predictions. This work presents novel possibilities for effectively generating and multi-functional application of Bessel beams.

A real-world disproportionality analysis of the FDA adverse event reporting system events for ibuprofen.

INTRODUCTION: Ibuprofen is commonly used as an over-the-counter (OTC) antipyretic and analgesic. As the frequency of its use has increased, there has been a corresponding increase in reports of associated adverse events (AEs). However, these events have not been systematically reported in the literature. Meanwhile, the importance of effective pharmacovigilance in evaluating the benefits and risks of drugs is being recognized. METHODS: The data was obtained indirectly from FAERS using the OpenVigil 2 database, lexically mapped using software such as MySQL, Microsoft Excel, and the R language, and then subjected to four more rigorous algorithms to detect risk signals associated with ibuprofen AEs. RESULTS: By analyzing data from the past 18 years, 878 ibuprofen-related AEs were identified as primary AEs. Notably, unexpected reproductive system and breast diseases, etc., which were unexpected, were observed as important system organ classes (SOCs) associated with ibuprofen. Among the 651 preferred terms (PTs) that simultaneously satisfy the four arithmetic methods, renal tubular acidosis and lip oedema are proposed as new signals for ibuprofen AEs. CONCLUSION: This study explores the important and valuable potential AEs and ADRs of ibuprofen at the SOC and PT levels, respectively. To provide a reference on decision-making for ibuprofen to promote rational clinical dosing.

Optical cryptosystem based on computational ghost imaging and nonlinear authentication.

We propose an optical encryption system that combines computational ghost imaging (CGI) with image authentication to enhance security. In this scheme, Hadamard patterns are projected onto the secret images, while their reflected light intensities are captured using a bucket detector (BD). To further strengthen the security of the collected secret data, we encrypt it as a series of binary matrices serving as ciphertext. During the authentication key generation, these encoded binary matrices serve as illumination patterns in the CGI system for a non-secret image, which is used as a reference image for authentication. The data captured by the BD is then binarized to generate the authentication key. Upon successful authentication, the receiver obtains the decryption keys. This method achieves both data compression for secret images and enhanced security during information transmission. We validate the feasibility of this method through computer simulations and optical experiments.

Symmetrical dual-sideband oppositely chirped differential FMCW LiDAR.

A differential FMCW LiDAR for high-precision distance measurements of remote non-stationary targets is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. The required positive and negative symmetrically oppositely chirped laser beams are generated synchronously through a fixed-frequency laser by employing externally unified broadband optical phase modulation and symmetrical dual-sideband optical filtering. After coaxial transmission and reception, orthogonally polarized optical beat signals containing target distance and vector velocity data are de-chirped separately by optical in-phase and quadrature demodulations and then synchronously received by four-channel photoelectric balance detectors. After differential processing of the received beat signals and a fast Fourier transform, it is possible to implement real-time simultaneous range and vector velocity measurements. The inherent symmetrically oppositely chirped optical frequency make it possible to measure the target distance immune to the internal random phase noise introduced by the spectral linewidth of the frequency-swept laser and the external random phase noise introduced by atmospheric turbulence, speckle, and vibration. Meanwhile, the measurement of the target velocity is immune to the nonlinearity of the frequency-swept laser. These results encourage an approach to overcome the barriers of coherence length, nonlinearity, and external noise, and implement simultaneous real-time ranging and velocimetry of long-range, rapid-moving targets.

Speckle-based optical encryption with complex-amplitude coding and deep learning.

We propose a speckle-based optical encryption scheme by using complex-amplitude coding and deep learning, which enables the encryption and decryption of complex-amplitude plaintext containing both amplitude and phase images. During encryption, the amplitude and phase images are modulated using a superpixel-based coding technique and feded into a digital micromirror device. After passing through a 4f system, the information undergoes disturbance modulation by a scattering medium, resulting in a diffracted speckle pattern serving as the ciphertext. A Y-shaped convolutional network (Y-Net) model is constructed to establish the mapping relationship between the complex-amplitude plaintext and ciphertext through training. During decryption, the Y-Net model is utilized to quickly extract high-quality amplitude and phase images from the ciphertext. Experimental results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed method, demonstrating that the potential of integrating speckle encryption and deep learning for optical complex-amplitude encryption.

Successful Surgical Treatment of Mitral Valve Endocarditis Caused by Brucella: A Case Report.

Brucellosis endocarditis is a rare but life-threatening complication of brucellosis, involving congenital, prosthetic and even native valves. Its diagnosis and treatment is a great challenge for doctors. The patient's prognosis requires prompt diagnosis and continuous evaluation of treatment plans to assess the need for either surgical intervention of the infected valves or continuation of antibiotic therapy alone. We present a patient with brucellosis endocarditis, predominantly involving the mitral valve, presenting with vegetations and prolapse of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve with moderate to severe regurgitation. The patient was treated with triple antibiotic therapy before surgery. After the patient's blood culture results were negative, we removed the infected mitral valve vegetations and performed a mitral valve replacement. The patient was successfully extubated 4 hours after surgery and discharged 11 days after surgery. After discharge, the patient continued to receive triple antibiotic therapy for 2 months and was followed up at the cardiac surgery and infectious disease outpatient clinics.

Global Status and Future Trends of Fascia and Pain Research in 2013-2022: Bibliometric Analysis Based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer.

Background: Fascial pathological pain is the main type of chronic pain in older adults today, and studying the relationship between fascia and pain can help in the clinical search for effective treatments. However, in the face of the vast amount of research findings, there is no systematic assessment of the relationship between fascia and pain in a bibliometric analysis. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze studies on fascia and pain using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to identify research hotspots and future directions. Materials and Methods: A total of 744 papers related to fascia and pain from 2013 to 2022 were collected from the core collection database of Web of Science, and the authors, countries, institutions, keyword co-occurrence, keyword clustering, and keyword emergence were analyzed by CiteSpace and VOSviewer to construct a knowledge map. Results: Literature publication has shown an overall upward trend over the past decade, but there have been some fluctuations. Carmelo Pirri, Caterina Fede, and Raffaele De Caro are the top three authors with the most articles. The United States, China, and Spain are major contributors to fascial and pain research. The University of Padua, Universidad Complutense and Harvard Medical School are leading institutions in this field. However, it is noteworthy that the collaboration between authors, countries and institutions is not active. Keyword analysis showed that hot spots and trends in research on fascia and pain focused on hot diseases, major interventions, and mechanism exploration. Conclusion: This analysis identifies the most influential authors, institutions, and countries in the field of fascial and pain research and provides a reference for assessing their academic impact. The analysis of keywords and co-cited literature is useful for analyzing research hotspots and their evolution, as well as for predicting future trends.

Transapical transcatheter mitral valve implantation with J-valve in patients with degenerated mitral bioprostheses.

BACKGROUND: Due to the widespread application of bioprosthetic valve in the treatment of mitral valve disease in recent years, the incidence of valve failure has increased significantly, which is facing the need of reoperation. For high-risk patients, transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve placement is increasingly being used as an alternative to surgical reoperation. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report the successful transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantations of J-Valves in 3 patients with high risk of mitral bioprostheses failure. All patients were discharged successfully, and the follow-up results were good 30 days after operation without major complication. CONCLUSIONS: For high-risk patients, transcatheter implantation of the J-valve is a feasible solution for the treatment of degenerated mitral bioprostheses.

Revealing the Mechanisms of Byu dMar 25 in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease through Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vivo Experiment.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, severely reducing the cognitive level and life quality of patients. Byu dMar 25 (BM25) has been proved to have a therapeutic effect on AD. However, the pharmacological mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the potential mechanism of BM25 affecting AD from the perspective of network pharmacology and experimental validation. METHODS: The potential active ingredients of BM25 were obtained from the TCMSP database and literature. Possible targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction tools. AD-related genes were identified by using GeneCards, OMIM, DisGeNET, and Drugbank databases. The candidate genes were obtained by extraction of the intersection network. Additionally, the "drug-target-disease" network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.2 for visualization. The PPI network was constructed by the STRING database, and the core network modules were filtered by Cytoscape 3.7.2. Enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG was carried out in the Metascape platform. Ledock software was used to dock the critical components with the core target. Furthermore, protein levels were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In this study, 112 active components, 1112 disease candidate genes, 3084 GO functions, and 277 KEGG pathways were obtained. Molecular docking showed that the effective components of BM25 in treating AD were ß-asarone and hydroxysafflor yellow A. The most important targets were APP, PIK3R1, and PIK3CA. Enrichment analysis indicated that the Golgi genetic regulation, peroxidase activity regulation, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex IA, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor complexes, cancer pathways, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions played vital roles against AD. The rat experiment verified that BM25 affected PI3K-Akt pathway activation in AD. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the mechanism of BM25 in treating AD with network pharmacology, which provides a foundation for further study on the molecular mechanism of AD treatment.

Successful treatment of a gravida with acute type A aortic dissection in the third trimester: A case report.

RATIONALE: Acute type A aortic dissection is a rare and catastrophic complication of pregnancy with a very high mortality rate for both the mother and the fetus. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 40-year-old female who was 31 weeks pregnant was transferred to our hospital due to "chest and back pain for 7 hours." Enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the aorta revealed a Standford A dissection, involving 3 branches of the aortic arch and the opening of the right coronary artery. The aortic root and ascending aorta were significantly widened. DIAGNOSES: Acute type A aortic dissection. INTERVENTIONS: After multidisciplinary discussions, we decided to perform cesarean section first and then cardiac surgery. A live male infant was delivered successfully by Obstetrician and Gynecologist. And then, we performed the Betalls procedure with the use of a mechanical 23# aortic-valve vessel for the patient. The innominate artery openings were reinforced with felt pads. OUTCOMES: The procedure was successful. CT examination at 2 months after operation showed that the true lumen of the aorta was enlarged, and no dissection was found in the 3 branches of the aortic arch. LESSONS: Type A aortic dissection during pregnancy is a rare event that carries a high risk of death for both mother and fetus. An optimal outcome can be achieved through early and accurate diagnosis, safe imaging techniques, timely and effective multidisciplinary discussion, and precise and individualized treatment.

A high-performance terahertz absorber based on synthetic-patterned vanadium dioxide metamaterials.

In this work, we designed a terahertz absorber based on vanadium dioxide (VO2) with tunable and ultra-broadband characteristics. This absorber is composed of four identical synthetic VO2 patterns, a dielectric layer and a metal reflector layer from top to bottom. The designed absorber is found to achieve essentially total reflection when VO2 is in the insulated state. The designed absorber has an absorption bandwidth of over 90% absorptance up to 7.7 THz in the frequency range of 5.36-13.06 THz when VO2 is in the metallic state. By adjusting the conductivity of VO2, the absorber realizes near-perfect modulation of the amplitude with its absorbance dynamically tuned from 4.31% to 100%. The operating principle of the ultra-broadband absorber is interpreted by wave interference theory, impedance matching theory, and electric field analysis. Compared to previously reported terahertz absorbers, the designed absorber offers significant improvements in the absorption broadband, and it also has many advantages such as a simple structure, polarization insensitivity, and a flexible incident angle. These tunable ultra-broadband terahertz absorbers hold great promise in the fields of photochemical energy absorption, thermal emitters, and stealth devices.

Generation of non-diffractive Lommel beams based on all-dielectric metasurfaces.

Lommel beam is a non-diffractive vortex beam of high concern recently, widely used in communication and turbulence studies. However, conventional methods of generating Lommel beams, such as using spatial light modulators (SLMs), are limited by their low resolution, poor phase manipulation, and small numerical aperture (NA). Here, non-diffractive Lommel beams based on all-dielectric metasurfaces are proposed. Using the Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase arrangement, the focal depth of the main lobe of the generated beam can reach 75 µm (∼119λ). Additionally, the broadband characteristics of the designed metasurface between 550 and 710 nm are observed. The resulting beam is demonstrated to show excellent self-healing properties by placing up obstacles. We also combine the phase of the Dammann grating with that of the Lommel beam to create a metasurface capable of producing a 1 × 4 Lommel beam array; the generated beams are still characterized by uniformity and non-diffraction. This study provides a new idea for Lommel beam generation with promising applications in optical communication, optical tweezers, and laser fabrication.

Generation of 2D Airy beams with switchable metasurfaces.

Airy beams exhibit intriguing characteristics, such as diffraction-free propagation, self-acceleration, and self-healing, which have aroused great research interest. However, the spatial light modulator that generates Airy beams has problems such as narrow operational bandwidth, high cost, poor phase discretization, and single realization function. In the visible region (λ∼532 nm), we proposed a switchable all-dielectric metasurface for generating transmissive and reflective two-dimensional (2D) Airy beams. The metasurface was mainly composed of titanium dioxide nanopillars and vanadium dioxide substrate. Based on the Pancharatnam-Berry phase principle, a high-efficient Airy beam can be generated by controlling the phase transition of vanadium dioxide and changing the polarization state of the incident light. The optimized optical intensity conversion efficiencies of the transmissive and reflective metasurfaces were as high as 97% and 70%, respectively. In the field of biomedical and applied physics, our designed switchable metasurface is expected to offer the possibility of creating compact optical and photonic platforms for efficient generation and dynamic modulation of optical beams and open up a novel path for the application of high-resolution optical imaging systems.

Steganographic optical image encryption based on single-pixel imaging and an untrained neural network.

We propose a steganographic optical image encryption based on single-pixel imaging (SPI) and an untrained neural network. In this encryption scheme, random binary illumination patterns are projected onto a secret image and light intensities reflected from the image are then detected by a bucket detector (BD). To enhance the security of collected secret data, a steganographic approach is introduced in this method, which implements data hiding with a SPI system using encoded illumination patterns. A non-secret image is illuminated with a sequence of encoded patterns that were generated from the scrambled measurements of secret image, and sequential cyphertext data can be obtained by collecting the diffraction data with the BD. Different from traditional SPI-based encryption schemes, an untrained neural network is adopted as a SPI-encrypted image processor, which allows to reduce time spent on data preparation and reconstruct the secret images with high quality. Both computer simulations and optical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the method.

Experimental optical encryption based on random mask encoding and deep learning.

We present an experimental scheme for optical encryption using random mask encoding and deep learning technique. A phase image is encrypted into a speckle pattern by a random amplitude modulation in the optical transmission. Before decryption processing, a neural network model is used to learn the mapping relationship between the pure-phase object and the speckle image rather than characterizing the filter film used in the scheme explicitly or parametrically. The random binary mask is made by a polyethylene terephthalate film and 2500 object-speckle pairs are used for training. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme based on deep learning could be successfully used as a random binary mask encrypted image processor, which can quickly output the primary image with high quality from the cyphertext.

Holographic and speckle encryption using deep learning: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains a correction to Opt. Lett.46, 5794 (2021)10.1364/OL.443398.

Holographic and speckle encryption using deep learning.

Vulnerability analysis of optical encryption schemes using deep learning (DL) has recently become of interest to many researchers. However, very few works have paid attention to the design of optical encryption systems using DL. Here we report on the combination of the holographic method and DL technique for optical encryption, wherein a secret image is encrypted into a synthetic phase computer-generated hologram (CGH) by using a hybrid non-iterative procedure. In order to increase the level of security, the use of the steganographic technique is considered in our proposed method. A cover image can be directly diffracted by the synthetic CGH and be observed visually. The speckle pattern diffracted by the CGH, which is decrypted from the synthetic CGH, is the only input to a pre-trained network model. We experimentally build and test the encryption system. A dense convolutional neural network (DenseNet) was trained to estimate the relationship between the secret images and noise-like diffraction patterns that were recorded optically. The results demonstrate that the network can quickly output the primary secret images with high visual quality as expected, which is impossible to achieve with traditional decryption algorithms.

Modified Mini-Maze for Atrial Fibrillation with Interruption of Inferior Vena Cava.

A 57-year-old female with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and an interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC) was referred to our hospital for radiofrequency ablation. Transseptal puncture and left atrium ablation failed through a standard IVC approach via the femoral vein due to intrahepatic interruption of IVC. We performed a modified mini-maze procedure in this patient through the left thoracic cavity under video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We can successfully complete pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, left atrium box isolation, cardiac ganglia ablation, Marshall ligament ablation, and coronary sinus epicardium ablation using this technique.

Parvovirus B19-induced severe anemia in heart transplant recipient: A case report.

RATIONALE: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a non-enveloped single-stranded DNA virus associated with a variety of human diseases. Reports of B19V infection after cardiac transplantation are relatively rare. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a case of a 48-year-old women who underwent orthotopic heart transplant for dilated cardiomyopathy. She developed an anemia after cardiac transplantation. Anemia was most severe 2 months after surgery, with a decrease in reticulocyte count. Serological DNA test for parvovirus B19V was performed and the result was positive. DIAGNOSES: B19V infection. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: Intravenous immunoglobulin administration resulted in a resolution of the anemia. The patient's blood test results showed a normal hemoglobin and reticulocyte count 1 year after surgery. LESSONS: Patients with parvovirus B19V infection may develop severe anemia after heart transplantation. The diagnosis mainly relies on viral DNA detection. Intravenous immunoglobulin is an effective treatment for viral infection.