RF crosstalk mitigation via floating shields in parallel silicon traveling-wave modulators.

High-density integration of electro-optic (E-O) elements in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offers compact, low-cost high-capacity transceiver modules. Tighter component spacing increases compactness, but leads to crosstalk that can degrade performance. We investigate and characterize the crosstalk between silicon traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulators (TW-MZMs) laid out in parallel in PICs.

120 GOPS Photonic tensor core in thin-film lithium niobate for inference and in situ training.

Photonics offers a transformative approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and neuromorphic computing by enabling low-latency, high-speed, and energy-efficient computations. However, conventional photonic tensor cores face significant challenges in constructing large-scale photonic neuromorphic networks. Here, we propose a fully integrated photonic tensor core, consisting of only two thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) modulators, a III-V laser, and a charge-integration photoreceiver.

Tailoring focal plane component intensities of polarization singular fields in a tight focusing system.

The scientific community studies tight focusing of radially and azimuthally-polarized vector beams as it is a versatile solution for many applications. We offer a new method to produce tight focusing that ensures a more uniform intensity profile in multiple dimensions, providing a more versatile and stable solution. We manipulate the polarization of the radially and azimuthally polarized vector beams to find an optimal operating point.

Modeling extended L-band fiber amplifiers using neural networks trained on experimental data.

Producing high performance amplifiers requires accurate numerical models. As the optimization space is large, computationally efficient models are of great value. Parameter-based models for L-band amplifiers have accuracy limited by difficulty in estimating the Giles-parameter.

CRISPR-Cas9-assisted genome editing in elevates the frequency of unintended mutations.

Cas-assisted lambda Red recombineering techniques have rapidly become a mainstay of bacterial genome editing. Such techniques have been used to construct both individual mutants and massive libraries to assess the effects of genomic changes. We have found that a commonly used Cas9-assisted editing method results in unintended mutations elsewhere in the genome in 26% of edited clones.

Synonymous edits in the genome have substantial and condition-dependent effects on fitness.

CRISPR-Cas-based genome editing is widely used in bacteria at scales ranging from construction of individual mutants to massively parallel libraries. This procedure relies on guide RNA-directed cleavage of the genome followed by repair with a template that introduces a desired mutation along with synonymous "immunizing" mutations to prevent re-cleavage of the genome after editing. Because the immunizing mutations do not change the protein sequence, they are often assumed to be neutral.

Performance vs. complexity in NN pre-distortion for a nonlinear channel.

Optical communications at high bandwidth and high spectral efficiency rely on the use of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). We propose the use of a neural network (NN) for digital pre-distortion (DPD) to mitigate the quantization and bandlimited impairments from a DAC in such systems. We experimentally validate our approach with a 64 Gbaud 8-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-8) signal.

Optimization criteria and design of few-mode Erbium-doped fibers for cladding-pumped amplifiers.

We propose a novel optimization method that combines two design criteria to reduce the differential modal gain (DMG) in few-mode cladding-pumped erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (FM-EDFAs). In addition to the standard criterion that considers the mode intensity and dopant profile overlap, we introduce a second criterion that ensures that all doped regions have the same saturation behavior. With these two criteria, we define a figure-of-merit (FOM) that allows the design of FM-EDFAs with low DMG without high computational cost.

Expansion microscopy of neutrophil nuclear structure and extracellular traps.

Neutrophils are key players of the immune system and possess an arsenal of effector functions, including the ability to form and expel neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in a process termed NETosis. During NETosis, the nuclear DNA/chromatin expands until it fills the whole cell and is released into the extracellular space. NETs are composed of DNA decorated with histones, proteins, or peptides, and NETosis is implicated in many diseases.

Immunothrombotic Mechanisms Induced by Ingenol Mebutate Lead to Rapid Necrosis and Clearance of Anogenital Warts.

Ingenol mebutate (IM) is highly effective in the treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced anogenital warts (AGW) leading to fast ablation within hours. However, the exact mode of action is still largely unknown. We performed dermoscopy, in vivo confocal microscopy (CLM), histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence to gain insights in mechanisms of IM treatment in AGW.

Integrated orbital angular momentum mode sorters on vortex fibers.

We design, fabricate, and characterize integrated mode sorters for multimode fibers that guide well-separated vortex modes. We use 3D direct laser printing to print a collimator and a Cartesian to a log-polar mode transformer on the tip of the fiber. This polarization insensitive device can send different modes into different exit angles and is therefore useful for space division multiplexed optical communication.

Fostering collaborative learning and leadership through near-peer mentorship among undergraduate nursing students.

Background: Innovative teaching strategies in nursing education are essential with increasing enrollment. Collaborative learning and leadership (CLL) activities encourage near-peer learning through mentorship between senior-level and novice students while supporting teaching ratios in lab and clinical. In this study, senior nursing students' perceptions and performance during CLL activities were explored.

Improving Health through Action on Economic Stability: Results of the Finances First Randomized Controlled Trial of Financial Education and Coaching in Single Mothers of Low-Income.

Objectives: Evaluate the health impact of a novel financial education and coaching program in single mothers of low-income in Omaha, Nebraska.

Methods: Employed, single mothers earning no more than 200% of the 2017 Federal Poverty Level (n = 345) enrolled in the study between April 2017 and August 2020 and were randomized to receive a novel financial education and coaching program, the Financial Success Program (FSP) or no intervention control. Demographics, biometrics, financial strain, health behaviors and healthcare utilization were assessed at baseline and the 12-month study visits.

Improved Bioavailability with Dry Powder Cannabidiol Inhalation: A Phase 1 Clinical Study.

Oral cannabidiol (CBD) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients with Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes and tuberous sclerosis complex. The therapeutic potential of oral CBD formulations is limited by extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism. Following oral administration, the inactive metabolite blood concentration is ∼40-fold higher than CBD.

Recurrent neural networks achieving MLSE performance for optical channel equalization.

We explore recurrent and feedforward neural networks to mitigate severe inter-symbol interference (ISI) caused by bandlimited channels, such as high speed optical communications systems pushing the frequency response of transmitter components. We propose a novel deep bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) architecture that strongly emphasizes dependencies in data sequences. For the first time, we demonstrate via simulation that for QPSK transmission the deep BiLSTM achieves the optimal bit error rate performance of a maximum likelihood sequence estimator (MLSE) with perfect channel knowledge.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity and General Health Mitigate Effects of Job Demands on Nonrestorative Sleep: CDC National Healthy Worksite Project.

Objective: We sought to determine if leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) modified the adverse relationship between high job demands and nonrestorative sleep (NRS).

Methods: We conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis among workers from the cross-sectional National Healthy Worksite Project (n = 4683) using self-report Likert-Scale data on psychological and physical demands of jobs, LTPA and general health in relation to NRS.

Results: Not engaging in LTPA was associated with NRS for workers with jobs at the lowest or highest levels of the physical demand scale (OR 1.

Overlaying 5G radio access networks on wavelength division multiplexed optical access networks with carrier distribution.

As 5G communication matures, the requirement for advanced radio access networks (RAN) drives the evolution of optical access networks to support these needs. Basic RAN functions, mobile front-haul to the backbone and interconnected front-end remote radio units, must support and enable data rate surges, low-latency applications, RF coordination, etc. Wavelength division multiplexed optical access networks (WDM-OANs) provide sufficient network capacity to support the addition of RAN services, especially in unused portions of WDM.

A Review of Indigenous Food Crops in Africa and the Implications for more Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems.

Indigenous and traditional foods crops (ITFCs) have multiple uses within society, and most notably have an important role to play in the attempt to diversify the food in order to enhance food and nutrition security. However, research suggests that the benefits and value of indigenous foods within the South African and the African context have not been fully understood and synthesized. Their potential value to the African food system could be enhanced if their benefits were explored more comprehensively.

Real-time gap-free dynamic waveform spectral analysis with nanosecond resolutions through analog signal processing.

Real-time tracking of a waveform frequency content is essential for detection and analysis of fast rare events in communications, radar, radio astronomy, spectroscopy, sensing etc. This requires a method that can provide real-time spectrum analysis (RT-SA) of high-speed waveforms in a continuous and gap-free fashion. Digital signal processing is inefficient to perform RT-SA over instantaneous frequency bandwidths above the sub-GHz range and/or to track spectral changes faster than a few microseconds.

Silicon photonic subsystem for broadband and RoF detection while enabling carrier reuse.

We experimentally validate a silicon photonic subsystem designed for passive optical networks with carrier reuse. The subsystem is intended for future wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) PONs. It enables radio-over-fiber signals to cohabit an assigned wavelength slot without perturbing the PON signal, while conserving carrier power for the uplink.

Reduced-size lookup tables enabling higher-order QAM with all-silicon IQ modulators.

We experimentally demonstrate 20 Gbaud 256QAM and 40 Gbaud 128QAM in an all-silicon IQ modulator. We combine a linear equalizer and a nonlinear predistortion implemented in a lookup table (LUT). We achieve bit error rate (BER) below the 20% forward error correction threshold; linear equalization alone cannot achieve this performance.

Analysis of modal coupling due to birefringence and ellipticity in strongly guiding ring-core OAM fibers.

After briefly recalling the issue of OAM mode purity in strongly-guiding ring-core fibers, this paper provides a methodology to calculate the coupling strength between OAM mode groups due to fiber perturbations. The cases of stress birefringence and core ellipticity are theoretically and numerically investigated. It is found that both perturbations produce the same coupling pattern among mode groups, although with different intensities.

Single-carrier 72 GBaud 32QAM and 84 GBaud 16QAM transmission using a SiP IQ modulator with joint digital-optical pre-compensation.

We establish experimentally the suitability of an all-silicon optical modulator to support future ultra-high-capacity coherent optical transmission links beyond 400 Gb/s. We present single-carrier data transmission from 400 Gb/s to 600 Gb/s using an all-silicon IQ modulator produced with a generic foundry process. The operating point of the silicon photonic transmitter is carefully optimized to find the best efficiency bandwidth trade-off.

Chip-scale, full-Stokes polarimeter.

The polarization of light conveys unique information that can be exploited by crucial applications. The bulky and costly discrete optical components used in conventional polarimeters limit their broad adoption. A compact, low-cost polarimeter would bring this functionality into a myriad of new scenarios and revolutionize its exploitation.