Parallel convolutional processing using an integrated photonic tensor core.

With the proliferation of ultrahigh-speed mobile networks and internet-connected devices, along with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)1, the world is generating exponentially increasing amounts of data that need to be processed in a fast and efficient way. Highly parallelized, fast and scalable hardware is therefore becoming progressively more important2. Here we demonstrate a computationally specific integrated photonic hardware accelerator (tensor core) that is capable of operating at speeds of trillions of multiply-accumulate operations per second (1012 MAC operations per second or tera-MACs per second). The tensor core can be considered as the optical analogue of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). It achieves parallelized photonic in-memory computing using phase-change-material memory arrays and photonic chip-based optical frequency combs (soliton microcombs3). The computation is reduced to measuring the optical transmission of reconfigurable and non-resonant passive components and can operate at a bandwidth exceeding 14 gigahertz, limited only by the speed of the modulators and photodetectors. Given recent advances in hybrid integration of soliton microcombs at microwave line rates3-5, ultralow-loss silicon nitride waveguides6,7, and high-speed on-chip detectors and modulators, our approach provides a path towards full complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer-scale integration of the photonic tensor core. Although we focus on convolutional processing, more generally our results indicate the potential of integrated photonics for parallel, fast, and efficient computational hardware in data-heavy AI applications such as autonomous driving, live video processing, and next-generation cloud computing services.

All-optical spiking neurosynaptic networks with self-learning capabilities.

Software implementations of brain-inspired computing underlie many important computational tasks, from image processing to speech recognition, artificial intelligence and deep learning applications. Yet, unlike real neural tissue, traditional computing architectures physically separate the core computing functions of memory and processing, making fast, efficient and low-energy computing difficult to achieve. To overcome such limitations, an attractive alternative is to design hardware that mimics neurons and synapses. Such hardware, when connected in networks or neuromorphic systems, processes information in a way more analogous to brains. Here we present an all-optical version of such a neurosynaptic system, capable of supervised and unsupervised learning. We exploit wavelength division multiplexing techniques to implement a scalable circuit architecture for photonic neural networks, successfully demonstrating pattern recognition directly in the optical domain. Such photonic neurosynaptic networks promise access to the high speed and high bandwidth inherent to optical systems, thus enabling the direct processing of optical telecommunication and visual data.

Examining the Role of Cultural and Family Factors in Substance Use Risk Among Indian American Youth.

INTRODUCTION: Although Indian Americans constitute the second-largest immigrant group in the United States, there is a paucity of information about Indian American youth, particularly with respect to substance use risk. We examined the relationship of social factors to permissive substance use beliefs (a proxy for substance use risk since they can lead to adulthood substance use and misuse) and family functioning. METHODS: The study used structural equation modeling to examine the prevalence of permissive substance use beliefs in a sample of Indian American youth ages 12-17 (N = 223) and examined the degree to which discrimination, bicultural identity integration, and endorsement of the model minority stereotype were associated with permissive substance use beliefs. RESULTS: Findings suggest that bicultural identity integration (B = 0.267 [SE = 0.112], p = 0.01) and discrimination (B = 0.294 [SE = 0.087], p = 0.001) are positively associated with permissive substance use beliefs. Bicultural identity integration (B = 0.415 [SE = 0.090], p = 0.0001) was positively associated with family support (B= -0.329 [SE = 0.108], p = 0.002) which, in turn, was associated with less permissive substance use beliefs. In contrast, endorsement of the model minority stereotype (B = 0.351 [SE = 0.090], p = 0.001) was positively associated with family closeness (B = 0.232 [SE = 0.927], p = 0.01) which, in turn, was associated with family support and then with less permissive substance use beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: Discrimination and bicultural identity integration emerged as key constructs related to substance use risk among Indian American youth. These youth could benefit from culturally appropriate prevention programming that addresses the negative impact of discrimination and its effect on permissive substance use beliefs and highlights protective factors.

Technology-based communication among Hurricane Maria survivors in the United States: a trans-territorial lens.

PURPOSE: Rooted in a trans-territorial framework, the present study was designed to provide new evidence regarding the patterns of communication among Hurricane Maria survivors who migrated to the U.S. in the aftermath of the storm. METHODS: A total of 319 Hurricane Maria survivor adults ages 18 and older were recruited into the Adelante Boricua study between August 2020 and October 2021. Most participants had relocated to the U.S. between 2017 and 2018. We used latent profile analysis and multinomial regression to examine the relationship of technology-based communication with depressive symptoms, well-being, cultural connection, and migration stress. RESULTS: We identified a five-class solution, consisting of (1) moderate communication (32%), (2) disengaged (24%), (3) no social media (18%), (4) daily with family in Puerto Rico (6%), and (5) daily trans-territorial (13%) typologies. Participants in the disengaged class were more likely to report elevated depressive symptoms and limited English proficiency, lower prosocial behaviors, lower levels of religiosity, lower attendance at religious services in the U.S., and less engagement in social activities, compared to participants in the Moderate Communication class. CONCLUSION: Roughly one in four individuals in our sample reported very limited technology-based communication with friends/family in their sending and new-receiving communities. As technology and smartphones continue to become integrated into 21st-century life, it is vital that researchers explore how the tremendous potential for connectedness relates to trans-territorial crisis migrants' well-being and adaptation.

Rigorous dynamic model of a silicon ring resonator with phase change material for a neuromorphic node.

The photonics platform has been considered increasingly promising for neuromorphic computing, due to its potential in providing low latency and energy efficient large-scale parallel connectivity. Phase change materials (PCMs) have been recently employed to introduce all-optical non-volatile memory in integrated photonic circuits, especially finding application as non-volatile weighting element in photonic artificial neural networks. Interestingly, these weighting elements can potentially be used as building blocks for large-scale networks that can autonomously adapt to their input, i.e. presenting the property of plasticity, similarly to the biological brain. In this work, we develop a computationally efficient dynamical model of a silicon ring resonator (RR) enhanced by a phase change material, namely Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST). We do so starting from two existing dynamical models (of a silicon RR and of a GST thin film on a straight silicon waveguide), but extending the optical equations to properly account for the high absorption and asymmetry in the ring due to the phase change material. Our model accounts for silicon nonlinear effects due to free carriers and temperature, as well as for the phase change of GST, whose energy efficiency and optical contrast can be enhanced by the RR resonant behaviour. We also restructure the optical equations so that the model can be efficiently employed in a modular way within a commercial software for system-level photonics simulations. Moreover, exploiting the developed model, we explore several design parameters and show that both speed and energy efficiency of memory operations can be enhanced by factors from six to ten. Also, we show that the achievable optical contrast due to GST phase change can be increased by more than a factor ten by leveraging the resonant properties of the RR, at the expense of higher optical loss. Finally, by exploiting the nonlinear dynamics arising in silicon RR networks, we show that a strong contrast is achievable while preserving energy efficiency.

Hormonal and metabolic responses of older adults to resistance training in normobaric hypoxia.

PURPOSE: In young adults, the hormonal responses to resistance exercise are amplified by normobaric hypoxia. Hormone concentrations and metabolism are typically dysregulated with age, yet the impact of hypoxia on these responses to resistance exercise are uncharacterised. Therefore, this study aimed to characterise the acute and chronic hormonal and metabolic responses of older adults to resistance training in normobaric hypoxia. METHODS: Adults aged 60-75 years completed 8 weeks of resistance training in either normoxia (20.9% O2; n = 10) or normobaric hypoxia (14.4% O2, n = 10) twice weekly at 70% of their predicted 1-repetition maximum. Growth hormone, glucose, lactate, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), cortisol, total testosterone, adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine were quantified at pre- and post-training, and in the 60 min following the first training session (untrained state) and the last training session (trained state). RESULTS: Eight weeks of training in hypoxia did not affect the resting levels of the hormones or physiological factors measured. However, hypoxia significantly blunted the acute growth hormone response in the 15 min following the last training session at week eight (43.87% lower in the hypoxic group; p = 0.017). This novel and unexpected finding requires further investigation. All other hormones were unaffected acutely by hypoxia in the 60 min following the first and the last training session. CONCLUSION: Chronic resistance training in normobaric hypoxia supresses the growth hormone response to exercise in older adults. All other hormones and metabolic markers were unaffected both acutely and chronically by hypoxia.

Systematic assessment of outcomes following a genetic diagnosis identified through a large-scale research study into developmental disorders.

PURPOSE: The clinical and psychosocial outcomes associated with receiving a genetic diagnosis for developmental disorders are wide-ranging but under-studied. We sought to investigate outcomes from a subset of families who received a diagnosis through the Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) study. METHODS: Individuals recruited through the Peninsula Clinical Genetics Service who received a confirmed genetic diagnosis through the DDD study before August 2019 (n = 112) were included in a clinical audit. Families with no identified clinical outcomes (n = 16) were invited to participate in semistructured telephone interviews. RESULTS: Disease-specific treatment was identified for 7 probands (6%), while 48 probands (43%) were referred for further investigations or screening and 60 probands (54%) were recruited to further research. Just 5 families (4%) opted for prenatal testing in a subsequent pregnancy, reflecting the relatively advanced maternal age in our cohort, and 42 families (38%) were given disease-specific information or signposting to patient-specific resources such as support groups. Six interviews were performed (response rate = 47%) and thematic analysis identified four major themes: reaching a diagnosis, emotional impact, family implications, and practical issues. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that receiving a genetic diagnosis has substantial positive medical and psychosocial outcomes for the majority of patients and their families.

Cost-effectiveness of radioguided occult lesion localization using 125I seeds versus hookwire localization before breast-conserving surgery for non-palpable breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to determine the cost-effectiveness of radioguided occult lesion localization using 125I-labelled seeds (125I seeds) versus hookwire localization in terms of incremental cost per reoperation avoided for women with non-palpable breast cancer undergoing breast-conserving surgery. METHODS: This study was based on a multicentre RCT with eight study sites comprising seven public hospitals and one private hospital. An Australian public health system perspective was taken. The primary effectiveness outcome for this study was reoperations avoided. Cost-effectiveness was expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to explore uncertainty. The willingness to pay (additional cost of localization using 125I seeds justified by reoperation cost avoided) was set at the weighted, top-down cost of reoperation. Costs were in 2019 Australian dollars ($1 was equivalent to €0.62). RESULTS: The reoperation rate was 13.9 (95 per cent confidence interval 10.7 to 18.0) per cent for the 125I seed group and 18.9 (14.8 to 23.8) per cent for the hookwire localization group. The ICER for 125I seed versus hookwire localization was $4474 per reoperation averted. The results were most sensitive to uncertainty around the probability of reoperation. Accounting for transition probability and cost uncertainty for 125I seed localization, there was a 77 per cent probability that using 125I seeds would be cost-effective, with a willingness to pay of $7693 per reoperation averted. CONCLUSION: Radioguided occult lesion localization using 125I seeds is likely to be cost-effective, because the marginal (additional) cost compared with hookwire localization is less than the cost of reoperations avoided.

Trends and gaps in climate change and health research in North America.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report (2014) assessed the state of climate change and health knowledge, globally through the Human Health: Impacts, Adaptation, and Co-Benefits Chapter and regionally through chapters, such as the North America Chapter. With IPCC's 6th Assessment Report scheduled to be released in 2021-22, we asked: how has climate change and health research in North America advanced since the IPCC's 5th Assessment Report in 2014? Specifically, we systematically identified and examined trends in the extent, range, and nature of climate-health research conducted in North America. We used a scoping review methodology to systematically identify literature and map publication trends. A search string was used to search five academic databases. Two independent reviewers first screened titles and abstracts, and then the full texts of articles for relevance. Research articles and reviews using systematic methods published since 2013 were eligible for inclusion, and no language restrictions were applied. To be included, articles had to measure and link climatic variables or hazards to health outcomes in North America. Relevant articles were analysed using descriptive statistics to explore publication trends. The number of climate-health articles has significantly increased since the last IPCC Assessment Report. Published research about climate change impacts, heat-related mortality and morbidity, and respiratory illness taking place in urban centres and in the USA continue to dominate the North American climate-health literature, reflected by the high proportion of articles published. Important research gaps on previously neglected climate-sensitive health outcomes, however, are beginning to be filled, including climate change impacts on mental health, nutrition, and foodborne disease. We also observed progress in research that included future projections of climate-health risks; however, projection research is still relatively nascent and under-studied for many climate-sensitive health outcomes in North America, and would benefit from considering social and demographic variables in models. Important research disparities in geographical coverage were noted, including research gaps in Canada and Mexico, and in rural and remote regions. Overall, these publication trends suggest an improved understanding of exposure-response relationships and future projections of climate-health risks for many climate-sensitive health outcomes in North America, which is promising and provides an evidence-base to inform the IPCC 6th Assessment Report. Despite these advancements and considering the urgent policy and practice implications, more research is needed to deepen our understanding of climate-sensitive health outcomes, as well as examine new arising issues that have limited evidence-bases. In particular, transdisciplinary and cross-sector research, that includes the social sciences, examining current and future climate-health adaptation, mitigation, and the adaptation-mitigation nexus should become a top priority for research, given the urgent need for this evidence to inform climate change policies, actions, and interventions.

On-chip sub-wavelength Bragg grating design based on novel low loss phase-change materials.

We propose a reconfigurable and non-volatile Bragg grating in the telecommunication C-band based on the combination of novel low-loss phase-change materials (specifically Ge2Sb2Se4Te1 and Sb2S3) with a silicon nitride platform. The Bragg grating is formed by arrayed cells of phase-change material, whose crystallisation fraction modifies the Bragg wavelength and extinction ratio. These devices could be used in integrated photonic circuits for optical communications applications in smart filters and Bragg mirrors and could also find use in tuneable ring resonators, Mach-Zehnder interferometers or frequency selectors for future laser on chip applications. In the case of Ge2Sb2Se4Te1, crystallisation produces a Bragg resonance shift up to ∼ 15 nm, accompanied with a large amplitude modulation (insertion loss of 22 dB). Using Sb2S3, low losses are presented in both states of the phase change material, obtaining a ∼ 7 nm red-shift in the Bragg wavelength. The gratings are evaluated for two period numbers, 100 and 200 periods. The number of periods determines the bandwidth and extinction ratio of the filters. Increasing the number of periods increases the extinction ratio and reflected power, also narrowing the bandwidth. This results in a trade-off between device size and performance. Finally, we combine both phase-change materials in a single Bragg grating to provide both frequency and amplitude modulation. A defect is introduced in the Sb2S3 Bragg grating, producing a high quality factor resonance (Q ∼ 104) which can be shifted by 7 nm via crystallisation. A GSST cell is then placed in the defect which can modulate the transmission amplitude from low loss to below -16 dB.

The association between liver fat and systemic calcified atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with systemic calcified atherosclerosis, other than the coronary arteries, has not been clearly elucidated. We investigated the association between NAFLD and calcification in eight different vascular beds. METHODS: In a community-based cohort with computed tomography scans for carotid artery, coronary artery, thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, iliac artery, renal artery, celiac trunk, and superior mesenteric artery, the association between NAFLD and arterial calcification was evaluated with adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, current smoking status, and family history of heart disease in the first-degree relatives. RESULTS: In age- and sex-adjusted models, NAFLD was significantly associated with calcification in the coronary artery, carotid artery, thoracic aorta, celiac trunk, and superior mesenteric artery vascular beds (P < .05). However, adjustment for the traditional chronic venous disease risk factors attenuated the associations, except in the case of the thoracic aorta (odds ratio [OR], 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.78) and celiac trunk (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.16-3.65). In addition, NAFLD was independently associated with multiarterial calcification (four or more [OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.01-1.74], five or more [OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.09-1.97], and six or more [OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.09-2.30] of eight evaluated arterial segments). CONCLUSIONS: The association between NAFLD and arterial calcification is mainly mediated by conventional risk factors. The independent association between NAFLD and calcification in the thoracic aorta and celiac trunk as well as in a larger number of vascular beds needs confirmation in future prospective studies in diverse populations.

An optoelectronic framework enabled by low-dimensional phase-change films.

The development of materials whose refractive index can be optically transformed as desired, such as chalcogenide-based phase-change materials, has revolutionized the media and data storage industries by providing inexpensive, high-speed, portable and reliable platforms able to store vast quantities of data. Phase-change materials switch between two solid states--amorphous and crystalline--in response to a stimulus, such as heat, with an associated change in the physical properties of the material, including optical absorption, electrical conductance and Young's modulus. The initial applications of these materials (particularly the germanium antimony tellurium alloy Ge2Sb2Te5) exploited the reversible change in their optical properties in rewritable optical data storage technologies. More recently, the change in their electrical conductivity has also been extensively studied in the development of non-volatile phase-change memories. Here we show that by combining the optical and electronic property modulation of such materials, display and data visualization applications that go beyond data storage can be created. Using extremely thin phase-change materials and transparent conductors, we demonstrate electrically induced stable colour changes in both reflective and semi-transparent modes. Further, we show how a pixelated approach can be used in displays on both rigid and flexible films. This optoelectronic framework using low-dimensional phase-change materials has many likely applications, such as ultrafast, entirely solid-state displays with nanometre-scale pixels, semi-transparent 'smart' glasses, 'smart' contact lenses and artificial retina devices.

When genomic medicine reveals misattributed genetic relationships-the debate about disclosure revisited.

PURPOSE: Accidental discovery of misattributed parentage is an age-old problem in clinical medicine, but the ability to detect it routinely has increased recently as a result of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies coupled with family sequencing studies. Problems arise at the clinical-research boundary, where policies and consent forms guaranteeing nondisclosure may conflict with standard clinical care. METHODS: To examine the challenges of managing misattributed parentage within hybrid translational research studies, we used a case study of a developmentally delayed child with a candidate variant found through a large-scale trio genome sequencing study in which data from unrelated samples were routinely excluded. RESULTS: We discuss whether genetic parentage should be explicitly confirmed during clinical validation, thus giving greater weight to the diagnosis according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics variant interpretation guidelines, and what tensions this approach would create. CONCLUSION: We recommend that the possibility of finding and disclosing misattributed parentage should be addressed during the consent or pretest counseling process, and that clinical relevance should determine whether or not to disclose results in the clinic. This proposition has implications for research governance, and implies that it may not always be possible to uphold nondisclosure commitments as investigations move from research to clinical care.

Plasmonically-enhanced all-optical integrated phase-change memory.

Integrated phase-change photonic memory devices offer a novel route to non-volatile storage and computing that can be carried out entirely in the optical domain, obviating the necessity for time and energy consuming opto-electrical conversions. Such memory devices generally consist of integrated waveguide structures onto which are fabricated small phase-change memory cells. Switching these cells between their amorphous and crystalline states modifies significantly the optical transmission through the waveguide, so providing memory, and computing, functionality. To carry out such switching, optical pulses are sent down the waveguide, coupling to the phase-change cell, heating it up, and so switching it between states. While great strides have been made in the development of integrated phase-change photonic devices in recent years, there is always a pressing need for faster switching times, lower energy consumption and a smaller device footprint. In this work, therefore, we propose the use of plasmonic enhancement of the light-matter interaction between the propagating waveguide mode and the phase-change cell as a means to faster, smaller and more energy-efficient devices. In particular, we propose a form of plasmonic dimer nanoantenna of significantly sub-micron size that, in simulations, offers significant improvements in switching speeds and energies. Write/erase speeds in the range 2 to 20 ns and write/erase energies in the range 2 to 15 pJ were predicted, representing improvements of one to two orders of magnitude when compared to conventional device architectures.

Tin-oxide nanoparticles deposited from a beam: what happens to the composition?

The debate around the oxidation states occurring in laboratory-prepared tin-oxide samples has been for a long time an obstacle for an unambiguous assignment of characterization studies performed on such samples. In particular the changes in the Sn core-level energies caused by oxidation - i.e. the chemical shifts - as measured by photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) have been under discussion. The assignment problem is especially pronounced for nanoscale structures, which are important for photovoltaics, electronics, catalysis, and gas sensing. The reasons for the difficulties lie both in the natural properties of tin oxides, which can have substantial deficiencies of oxygen and tin in the lattice, and in the shortcomings of the fabrication and PES-characterization procedures themselves. Our recent PES study on tin-oxide nanoparticles fabricated by vapour-aggregation gave a chemical shift two times larger than earlier reported for Sn(iv) oxide for the Sn 4d level. The implemented fabrication technique forms an in-vacuum beam of particles whose composition can be both controlled and characterized by PES. In the present work SnO and SnO2 nanoparticles fabricated this way were deposited from the beam and probed by PES directly, as well as after exposure to air. The deposited nanoparticle films were also imaged by TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy). The effects of the deposition process and exposure to air on the chemical composition were studied. The PES study of deposited SnO2 nanoparticles in the Sn 4d and Sn 3d core-level regions revealed the same core level shift as for unsupported nanoparticles, indicating that the chemical composition is preserved in the deposition process. The TEM study demonstrated a crystalline structure of separate SnO2 particles with lattice constants close to the macroscopic Sn(iv)-oxide. The PES study on the particles exposed to air showed changes in the composition. For the film of initially SnO particles a higher intermediate oxide was created. For the SnO2 nanoparticle film a lower, but strong, intermediate oxide was observed, likely at the surface.

Characterization of an aerosol generation system to assess inhalation risks of aerosolized nano-enabled consumer products.

Objective: The aerosolization of common nano-enabled consumer products such as cosmetics has significantly increased engineered nanoparticle inhalation risks. While several studies have investigated the impact of cosmetic dermal exposures, inhalation hazards of aerosolized cosmetics are much less known but could pose considerable harm to users due to potential co-exposure of nanoparticles and other product components.Materials and Methods: In this study, we developed a fully automated aerosol generation system to examine the aerosol properties of four aerosolized nano-enabled cosmetics using real-time monitoring and sampling instrumentation. Physicochemical characterization of aerosols was conducted using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Characterization and calibration of animal exposure pods coupled to the system were also performed by measuring and comparing particle concentrations between pods.Results and Discussion: Results show peak emissions are shade dependent and varied between 12,000-22,000 particles/cm3 with modal diameters ranging from 36 nm-1.3 µm. SEM-EDX analysis determined that the original products and collected aerosols have similar morphological features consisting of micron-sized particles decorated with nanoparticles and crystalline structures. Mean total particle concentration in pods at 5 and 10 mg/m3 target levels were 2.22E + 05 #/cm3 and 4.33E + 05 #/cm3, respectively, with <10% variability between pods.Conclusions: The fully automated exposure platform described herein provides reproducible aerosol generation, conforms to recommended guidelines on chemical testing, and therefore is suitable for future in vivo toxicological assessments to examine potential respiratory hazards of aerosolized nano-enabled consumer products.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Commercial Disinfectants Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 1 and Tropical Race 4 Propagules.

Panama disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense has devastated banana production worldwide. This work aimed to determine effective disinfectants against two races of F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense, race 1 and tropical race 4 (TR4), for implementation with on-farm biosecurity procedures against this disease following the outbreak of TR4 in North Queensland in 2015. A total of 32 commercial disinfectants were screened and their activity was assessed after ≤30 s, 5 min, 30 min, and 24 h of contact with an F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense suspension containing 105 chlamydospores/ml without and with soil added (0.05 g/ml). Of the disinfectants tested, the quaternary ammonium compounds containing ≥10% active ingredient were found to be the most effective against both F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense races. These products, when used at a 1:100 dilution, completely inhibited the survival of all F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense propagules across all the contact times regardless of the absence or presence of soil. The bioflavonoid product EvoTech 213 and bleach (10% sodium hypochlorite) used at a 1:10 dilution also eliminated all F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense propagules across all the contact times. None of the detergent-based or miscellaneous products tested were completely effective against both F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense races even used at a 1:10 dilution. Soil decreases the efficacy of disinfectants and therefore must be removed from contaminated items before treatments are applied.

Reconfigurable phase-change meta-absorbers with on-demand quality factor control.

Perfect absorber type devices are well-suited to many applications, such as solar cells, spatial light modulators, bio-sensors, and highly-sensitive photo-detectors. In such applications, a method for the design and fabrication of devices in a simple and efficient way, while at the same time maintaining design control over the key performance characteristics of resonant frequency, reflection coefficient at resonance and quality factor, would be particularly advantageous. In this work we develop such a method, based on eigenmode analysis and critical coupling theory, and apply it to the design of reconfigurable phase-change metasurface absorber devices. To validate the method, the design and fabrication of a family of absorbers was carried out with a range of 'on-demand' quality factors, all operating at the same resonant frequency and able to be fabricated simply and simultaneously on the same chip. Furthermore, by switching the phase-change layer between its amorphous and crystalline states, we show that our devices can provide an active or reconfigurable functionality.

Superior mesenteric artery calcification is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, systemic calcified atherosclerosis, and increased mortality.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality. However, epidemiologic data are sparse regarding risk factors for superior mesenteric artery calcification (SMAC), the association between SMAC and disease in other arterial beds, or the independent contribution of SMAC to risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that presence and extent of SMAC are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, calcification in other arterial beds, and both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, independent of classic risk factors and calcification in other arterial beds. METHODS: Arterial calcification in the superior mesenteric artery, celiac trunk, coronaries, thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, and iliac arteries was evaluated by computed tomography in adults with no known CVD. Multiple logistic regression models examined risk factor associations for SMAC and SMAC as a risk factor for calcification in other arterial beds. Cox models were used to examine the association between SMAC and mortality. RESULTS: The average age of subjects was 56 years; 43.7% (1877/4300) were women, and 6.7% (290) had SMAC. Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.11), male sex (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.08-3.03), dyslipidemia (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.01-1.88), and any smoking (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.20-2.14) were associated with SMAC presence. Notably, body mass index, body fat percentage, hypertension, diabetes, and family history of coronary heart disease were not significant risk factors for the presence of SMAC. SMAC presence was associated with calcification in all five other arterial beds (OR, 6.02; 95% CI, 3.76-9.66). During a median follow-up time of 9.4 years, there were 234 deaths, 76 of which were CVD related. SMAC extent (represented as per-unit increase in log [SMAC score + 1]; OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.01-1.71) was significantly associated with CVD mortality after full adjustment for risk factors and calcification in other arterial beds. SMAC presence (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.10-2.12) and extent (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06-1.48) were also both significantly associated with all-cause mortality after full adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: SMAC is associated with specific CVD risk factors as well as with calcification in all other arterial beds. SMAC extent was significantly associated with incident cardiovascular mortality, whereas both SMAC presence and extent were significantly associated with all-cause mortality, even after adjustment for risk factors and calcification in other arterial beds. Further studies are needed to determine whether SMAC is simply a marker for advanced and systemic disease or whether it confers increased mortality risk through an independent mechanism.