A Millennial-Scale Tephra Event-Stratigraphic Record of the South China Sea since the Penultimate Interglacial

AbstractLarge volcanic eruptions have significant impacts on climate and environmental changes. The deposition of tephra in marine sediments may serve as an eruption recorder, but it has not been extensively studied in the western Pacific. This study explored a millennial-scale tephra event-stratigraphy with multiple indicators in a sediment core collected from the eastern South China Sea (SCS) basin. The magnetic susceptibility (MS), Fe and Mn concentrations determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and identification of individual ash particles were used to identify tephra layers and reconstruct the history of volcanic activity. Nine visible volcaniclastic units (VVU) and two cryptotephra layers have been identified based on their distinct features, as manifested by high MS, Fe, and Mn concentrations and single-peak grain size distribution. The VVUs and cryptotephra layers reveal elevated volcanic activities. Using the radiocarbon age model and oxygen isotope stratigraphy, these episodes could roughly correspond to the following periods: 1-11 ka, 16-17 ka, 27-31 ka, 41-42 ka, 45-46 ka, 49-50 ka, 77-80 ka, 90-91 ka, 97-99 ka, 116-126 ka, and 132-140 ka. The alkenone-derived SST has significant glacial cycles and good synchronicity with other SCS SST records, which could partially help build the preliminary age model. Despite possible age errors larger than 1 kyr, the discovery and timing of tephra layers provide a preliminary framework to further investigate the impact of historical volcanic eruptions on climate changes

Fibre Bragg grating inscription into a seven core fibre and its application as a vector bending sensor

This paper demonstrates a highly effective method for fibre Bragg grating (FBG) inscription into a seven core fibre (7CF) and its application as an effective vector bending sensor. The development of multicore fibres (MCFs) and enabling the fabrication of FBGs into them result in a solution for multi-parameter measurements such as temperature/strain/bending/twist. The FBG in the central core of 7CF is on the neutral axis and therefore it is sensitive only to thermal and insensitive to deformational change, whereas the FBGs in the none-central cores that are evenly distributed over the 7CF cross-section can facilitate the measurement of structure deformation, such as bending, loading and twist. Furthermore, the FBGs in different cores respond to the physical perturbations differently in various orientations, offering vector sensing to measure both amplitude and direction of the structure change. The 7CF-FBG sensors are highly applicable for mechanical structures and flexible medical instruments

Selective fiber Bragg grating inscription in four-core fiber for two-dimension vector bending sensing

The paper presents selective fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscription in four-core fiber based on a phase mask scanning method. The inscription factors are systematically investigated, which involves fiber core position and focused laser beam size in fiber, etc. Several specific inscriptions (including individual, dual and all inscriptions) are demonstrated. Two orthogonally positioned cores are selectively inscribed and applied to two-dimension vector bending measurement. The measured bending sensitivities of two FBGs range from −54.3 pm/m−1 to 52.2 pm/m−1 and −53.7 pm/m−1 to 52.8 pm/m−1, respectively. More importantly, it has been revealed that their sensitivities versus bending direction follow regular cosinoidal and sinusoidal distribution. The direction and amplitude of the vector bending can be recovered using measured central wavelength shifts of those two FBGs

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Global, regional, and national burden of respiratory tract cancers and associated risk factors from 1990 to 2019 a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Prevention, control, and treatment of respiratory tract cancers are important steps towards achieving target 3.4 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-a one-third reduction in premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases by 2030. We aimed to provide global, regional, and national estimates of the burden of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer and larynx cancer and their attributable risks from 1990 to 2019. Methods Based on the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 methodology, we evaluated the incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of respiratory tract cancers (ie, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer and larynx cancer). Deaths from tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer and larynx cancer attributable to each risk factor were estimated on the basis of risk exposure, relative risks, and the theoretical minimum risk exposure level input from 204 countries and territories, stratified by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Trends were estimated from 1990 to 2019, with an emphasis on the 2010-19 period. Findings Globally, there were 2.26 million (95% uncertainty interval 2.07 to 2.45) new cases of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer, and 2.04 million (1.88 to 2.19) deaths and 45.9 million (42.3 to 49.3) DALYs due to tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer in 2019. There were 209 000 (194 000 to 225 000) new cases of larynx cancer, and 123 000 (115 000 to 133 000) deaths and 3.26 million (3.03 to 3.51) DALYs due to larynx cancer globally in 2019. From 2010 to 2019, the number of new tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer cases increased by 23.3% (12.9 to 33.6) globally and the number of larynx cancer cases increased by 24.7% (16.0 to 34.1) globally. Global age-standardised incidence rates of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer decreased by 7.4% (-16.8 to 1.6) and age-standardised incidence rates of larynx cancer decreased by 3.0% (-10.5 to 5.0) in males over the past decade; however, during the same period, age-standardised incidence rates in females increased by 0.9% (-8.2 to 10.2) for tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer and decreased by 0.5% (-8.4 to 8.1) for larynx cancer. Furthermore, although age-standardised incidence and death rates declined in both sexes combined from 2010 to 2019 at the global level for tracheal, bronchus, lung and larynx cancers, some locations had rising rates, particularly those on the lower end of the SDI range. Smoking contributed to an estimated 64.2% (61.9-66.4) of all deaths from tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer and 63.4% (56.3-69.3) of all deaths from larynx cancer in 2019. For males and for both sexes combined, smoking was the leading specific risk factor for age-standardised deaths from tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer per 100 000 in all SDI quintiles and GBD regions in 2019. However, among females, household air pollution from solid fuels was the leading specific risk factor in the low SDI quintile and in three GBD regions (central, eastern, and western sub-Saharan Africa) in 2019. Interpretation The numbers of incident cases and deaths from tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer and larynx cancer increased globally during the past decade. Even more concerning, age-standardised incidence and death rates due to tracheal, bronchus, lung cancer and larynx cancer increased in some populations-namely, in the lower SDI quintiles and among females. Preventive measures such as smoking control interventions, air quality management programmes focused on major air pollution sources, and widespread access to clean energy should be prioritised in these settings. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years for 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 to 2019: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) provided systematic estimates of incidence, morbidity, and mortality to inform local and international efforts toward reducing cancer burden. To estimate cancer burden and trends globally for 204 countries and territories and by Sociodemographic Index (SDI) quintiles from 2010 to 2019. The GBD 2019 estimation methods were used to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019 and over the past decade. Estimates are also provided by quintiles of the SDI, a composite measure of educational attainment, income per capita, and total fertility rate for those younger than 25 years. Estimates include 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). In 2019, there were an estimated 23.6 million (95% UI, 22.2-24.9 million) new cancer cases (17.2 million when excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer) and 10.0 million (95% UI, 9.36-10.6 million) cancer deaths globally, with an estimated 250 million (235-264 million) DALYs due to cancer. Since 2010, these represented a 26.3% (95% UI, 20.3%-32.3%) increase in new cases, a 20.9% (95% UI, 14.2%-27.6%) increase in deaths, and a 16.0% (95% UI, 9.3%-22.8%) increase in DALYs. Among 22 groups of diseases and injuries in the GBD 2019 study, cancer was second only to cardiovascular diseases for the number of deaths, years of life lost, and DALYs globally in 2019. Cancer burden differed across SDI quintiles. The proportion of years lived with disability that contributed to DALYs increased with SDI, ranging from 1.4% (1.1%-1.8%) in the low SDI quintile to 5.7% (4.2%-7.1%) in the high SDI quintile. While the high SDI quintile had the highest number of new cases in 2019, the middle SDI quintile had the highest number of cancer deaths and DALYs. From 2010 to 2019, the largest percentage increase in the numbers of cases and deaths occurred in the low and low-middle SDI quintiles. The results of this systematic analysis suggest that the global burden of cancer is substantial and growing, with burden differing by SDI. These results provide comprehensive and comparable estimates that can potentially inform efforts toward equitable cancer control around the world.Funding/Support: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities. Dr Aljunid acknowledges the Department of Health Policy and Management of Kuwait University and the International Centre for Casemix and Clinical Coding, National University of Malaysia for the approval and support to participate in this research project. Dr Bhaskar acknowledges institutional support from the NSW Ministry of Health and NSW Health Pathology. Dr Bärnighausen was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation through the Alexander von Humboldt Professor award, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Dr Braithwaite acknowledges funding from the National Institutes of Health/ National Cancer Institute. Dr Conde acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council ERC Starting Grant agreement No 848325. Dr Costa acknowledges her grant (SFRH/BHD/110001/2015), received by Portuguese national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, IP under the Norma Transitória grant DL57/2016/CP1334/CT0006. Dr Ghith acknowledges support from a grant from Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF16OC0021856). Dr Glasbey is supported by a National Institute of Health Research Doctoral Research Fellowship. Dr Vivek Kumar Gupta acknowledges funding support from National Health and Medical Research Council Australia. Dr Haque thanks Jazan University, Saudi Arabia for providing access to the Saudi Digital Library for this research study. Drs Herteliu, Pana, and Ausloos are partially supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, CNDS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-ID-PCCF-2016-0084. Dr Hugo received support from the Higher Education Improvement Coordination of the Brazilian Ministry of Education for a sabbatical period at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, between September 2019 and August 2020. Dr Sheikh Mohammed Shariful Islam acknowledges funding by a National Heart Foundation of Australia Fellowship and National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leadership Fellowship. Dr Jakovljevic acknowledges support through grant OI 175014 of the Ministry of Education Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. Dr Katikireddi acknowledges funding from a NHS Research Scotland Senior Clinical Fellowship (SCAF/15/02), the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/2), and the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU17). Dr Md Nuruzzaman Khan acknowledges the support of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Bangladesh. Dr Yun Jin Kim was supported by the Research Management Centre, Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUMRF/2020-C6/ITCM/0004). Dr Koulmane Laxminarayana acknowledges institutional support from Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Dr Landires is a member of the Sistema Nacional de Investigación, which is supported by Panama’s Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación. Dr Loureiro was supported by national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia under the Scientific Employment Stimulus–Institutional Call (CEECINST/00049/2018). Dr Molokhia is supported by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center at Guy’s and St Thomas’ National Health Service Foundation Trust and King’s College London. Dr Moosavi appreciates NIGEB's support. Dr Pati acknowledges support from the SIAN Institute, Association for Biodiversity Conservation & Research. Dr Rakovac acknowledges a grant from the government of the Russian Federation in the context of World Health Organization Noncommunicable Diseases Office. Dr Samy was supported by a fellowship from the Egyptian Fulbright Mission Program. Dr Sheikh acknowledges support from Health Data Research UK. Drs Adithi Shetty and Unnikrishnan acknowledge support given by Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Dr Pavanchand H. Shetty acknowledges Manipal Academy of Higher Education for their research support. Dr Diego Augusto Santos Silva was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil Finance Code 001 and is supported in part by CNPq (302028/2018-8). Dr Zhu acknowledges the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas grant RP210042

Fiber Bragg Grating with Enhanced Cladding Modes Inscribed by Femtosecond Laser and a Phase Mask

In this paper, we demonstrate a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a wide range and a comb with continuous cladding mode resonances inscribed in non-photosensitive single mode fibers using a femtosecond laser and a phase mask. The FBG is inscribed in the core and cladding, exciting a series of cladding modes in transmission. The birefringence induced by this FBG structure offers significant polarization-dependence for cladding modes, thus allowing the vector fiber twist to be perceived. By measuring the peak-to-peak differential intensity of orthogonally polarized cladding mode resonances, the proposed sensor presents totally opposite intensity response in the anticlockwise direction for the torsion angle ranging from −45° to 45°. The cladding mode comb approximately covers wavelengths over the O-, E-, S-, and C-bands in transmission. The cutoff cladding mode of air can be observed in the spectrum. Thus, the sensible refractive index range is estimated to be from 1.00 to 1.44. Temperature responsivity of the grating is also characterized. The proposed device potentially provides new solutions to the various challenges of physical vector and bio-chemical parameters sensing