Single-end polarization mode dispersion measurement usingbackreflected spectra through a linear polarizer

Routine characterization of polarization mode dispersion of single-mode fibers in installed cables requires simple and fast techniques. All standardized techniques use both fiber ends, one connected to the optical source and the other one for signal detection. Clearly, this causes several drawbacks in field tests because the two fiber ends are usually far from each other. Among standardized techniques, the fixed-polarizer method (also called wavelength scanning method) is one of the simplest to implement. In this work we present a new single-end measurement scheme based on the fixed polarizer method applied to the signal backreflected by the fiber far-end. We report analytical equations and numerical solutions that permit to calculate the mean value of the differential group delay measuring the crossings and/or extreme densities of the spectrum transmitted through a linear polarizer. We also show that the mean value of the differential group delay can be calculated using the Fourier transform of the detected signal. Finally, experimental results on cascades of single-mode step-index fibers confirm the robustness and easiness of our proposal for polarization mode dispersion measurements     

Trajectories of resilience, resistance, and distress during ongoing terrorism: The case of Jews and Arabs in Israel.

This is the 1st longitudinal examination of trajectories of resilience and resistance (rather than ill-being) among a national sample under ongoing threat of mass casualty. The authors interviewed a nationally representative sample of Jews and Arabs in Israel (N = 709) at 2 times during a period of terrorist and rocket attacks (2004?2005). The resistance trajectory, exhibiting few or no symptoms of traumatic stress and depression at both time points, was substantially less common (22.1%) than has previously been documented in studies following single mass casualty events. The resilience trajectory, exhibiting initial symptoms and becoming relatively nonsymptomatic, was evidenced by 13.5% of interviewees. The chronic distress trajectory was documented among a majority of participants (54.0%), and a small proportion of persons were initially relatively symptom-free but became distressed (termed delayed distress trajectory; 10.3%). Less psychosocial resource loss and majority status (Jewish) were the most consistent predictors of resistance and resilience trajectories, followed by greater socioeconomic status, greater support from friends, and less report of posttraumatic growth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Polarized Backward Raman Amplification in Randomly Birefringent Fibers

In this paper, a model describing the vector interaction of an intense backward-propagating Raman pump and a weak forward-propagating Stokes signal in randomly birefringent fibers is proposed. The model accounts for the losses, the Raman interaction, and the linear and nonlinear birefringence. Realistic characteristics of the backward-propagation-birefringence vector have been originally accounted for. Numerical solutions show that polarized-backward-Raman amplifiers can have gain fluctuations larger than previously reported because of linear- and nonlinear-birefringence effects. Moreover, the gain mean depends on the signal and pump state of polarization imposed at the amplifier input or output. Simple formulas are derived for predicting the gain mean when nonlinear effects can be neglected     

Evaluation of the Molecular Landscape in PD-L1 Positive Metastatic NSCLC: Data from Campania,Italy

Background: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have increased and improved the treatment options for patients with non-oncogene-addicted advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the role of ICIs in oncogene-addicted advanced stage NSCLC patients is still debated. In this study, in an attempt to fill in the informational gap on the effect of ICIs on other driver mutations, we set out to provide a molecular landscape of clinically relevant oncogenic drivers in programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) positive NSCLC patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data on 167 advanced stage NSCLC PD-L1 positive patients (≥1%) who were referred to our clinic for molecular evaluation of five driver oncogenes, namely, EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, ALK and ROS1. Results: Interestingly, n = 93 (55.7%) patients showed at least one genomic alteration within the tested genes. Furthermore, analyzing a subset of patients with PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50% and concomitant gene alterations (n = 8), we found that n = 3 (37.5%) of these patients feature clinical benefit with ICIs administration, despite the presence of a concomitant KRAS gene alteration. Conclusions: In this study, we provide a molecular landscape of clinically relevant biomarkers in NSCLC PD-L1 positive patients, along with data evidencing the clinical benefit of ICIs in patient NSCLC PD-L1 positive alterations.     

Diffuse Axonal Injury: Clinical Prognostic Factors,Molecular Experimental Models and the Impact of the Trauma Related Oxidative Stress. An Extensive Review Concerning Milestones and Advances

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a condition burdened by an extremely high rate of morbidity and mortality and can result in an overall disability rate as high as 50% in affected individuals. Therefore, the importance of identifying clinical prognostic factors for diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in (TBI) is commonly recognized as critical. The aim of the present review paper is to evaluate the most recent contributions from the relevant literature in order to understand how each single prognostic factor determinates the severity of the clinical syndrome associated with DAI. The main clinical factors with an important impact on prognosis in case of DAI are glycemia, early GCS, the peripheral oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and time to recover consciousness. In addition, the severity of the lesion, classified on the ground of the cerebral anatomical structures involved after the trauma, has a strong correlation with survival after DAI. In conclusion, modern findings concerning the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in DAI suggest that biomarkers such as GFAP, pNF-H, NF-L, microtubule associated protein tau, Aβ42, S-100β, NSE, AQP4, Drp-1, and NCX represent a possible critical target for future pharmaceutical treatments to prevent the damages caused by DAI.     

Impact of Vitamin D in Prophylaxis and Treatment in Tuberculosis Patients

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in many infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB), that remains one of the world’s top infectious killers with 1.5 million deaths from TB in 2021. Vitamin D suppresses the replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro and showed a promising role in TB management as a result of its connection with oxidative balance. Our review encourages the possible in vivo benefit of a joint administration with other vitamins, such as vitamin A, which share a known antimycobacterial action with vitamin D. However, considering the low incidence of side effects even at high dosages and its low cost, it would be advisable to assess vitamin D level both in patients with active TB and high-risk groups and administer it, at least to reach sufficiency levels.     

Die Bedeutung der Agrarmarktregelungen für die Stärkeindustrie der Europäischen Gemeinschaft aus italienischer Sicht

The Significance of the Agricultural Market Regulations for the Starch Industries of the European Community from an Italian Point of View. The starch industry has a remarkable agrar-political importance which could be expanded substantially regarding increased considerations for production and yielding of renewable raw materials. Of course, the main condition to reach this target is to be competitive. The combined agrar-policy offers unsure conditions for an economic foresight strategy. Under the consisting political constellation far-sighted policy is complicated for the starch industry in the community, especially regarding the USA – EEC relationship for the agricultural products. To this complex belongs the isoglucose, too, which is one of the most important new products of the starch industry and starting point of a promising technology. Unfortunately, this product is regarded in the EC as menace of actual agricultural structures. Just differentiation of the agricultural offer is able together with new biotechnological processes to create the requirements for very extensive relations between energy and food policy and natural resources, respectively. The EC agricultural policy should face up with this circumstance to maintain the conditions of operation of the common agricultural market.     

Self-association and Hebbian learning in linear neural networks

Studies Hebbian learning in linear neural networks with emphasis on the self-association information principle. This criterion, in one-layer networks, leads to the space of the principal components and can be generalized to arbitrary architectures. The self-association paradigm appears to be very promising because it accounts for the fundamental features of Hebbian synaptic learning and generalizes the various techniques proposed for adaptive principal component networks. The authors also include a set of simulations that compare various neural architectures and algorithms.     

Experimental investigation on fire endurance of insulated concrete beams strengthened with near surface mounted FRP bar reinforcement

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are known to be susceptible to deterioration at elevated temperature. To evaluate the feasibility of achieving a fire-rated FRP system an investigation was undertaken to examine and document the performance of near surface mounted (NSM) FRP strengthened concrete beams under fire conditions. Twelve reinforced concrete beams were strengthened in flexure with NSM FRP bars and insulated with different insulation systems. The specimens were subsequently exposed to a standard fire while subjected to full service load. Tests results on fire indicated that insulated NSM FRP strengthened beams can achieve a fire endurance of at least 2 h. Moreover structural testing to failure at room temperature of the fire testes beams has shown that well insulated members are able to retain (part of) their original strengthened flexural capacity.     

A nonlinear,recurrence-based approach to traffic classification

The ability to accurately classify and identify the network traffic associated with different applications is a central issue for many network operation and research topics including Quality of Service enforcement, traffic engineering, security, monitoring and intrusion-detection. However, traditional classification approaches for traffic to higher-level application mapping, such as those based on port or payload analysis, are highly inaccurate for many emerging applications and hence useless in actual networks. This paper presents a recurrence plot-based traffic classification approach based on the analysis of non-stationary “hidden” transition patterns of IP traffic flows. Such nonlinear properties cannot be affected by payload encryption or dynamic port change and hence cannot be easily masqueraded. In performing a quantitative assessment of the above transition patterns, we used recurrence quantification analysis, a nonlinear technique widely used in many fields of science to discover the time correlations and the hidden dynamics of statistical time series. Our model proved to be effective for providing a deterministic interpretation of recurrence patterns derived by complex protocol dynamics in end-to-end traffic flows, and hence for developing qualitative and quantitative observations that can be reliably used in traffic classification.