Field canalization using anisotropic 2D plasmonics

Optical devices capable of suppressing diffraction nature of light are of great technological importance to many nanophotonic applications. One important technique to achieve diffractionless optics is to exploit field canalization effect. However, current technological platforms based on metamaterial structures typically suffer from strict loss-confinement trade-off, or lack dynamic reconfigurability over device operations. Here we report an integrated canalization platform that can alleviate this performance trade-off. It is found that by leveraging material absorption of anisotropic 2D materials, the dispersion of this class of materials can flatten without increasing propagation losses and compromising confinement. The realization of such plasmon canalization can be considered using black phosphorus (BP), where topological transition from elliptic to hyperbolic curves can be induced by dynamically leveraging material absorption of BP. At the transition point, BP film can support long range, deeply subwavelength, near-diffractionless field propagation, exhibiting diffraction angle of 5.5°, propagation distance of 10λspp, and λspp < λ0/300.

Degeneration and Entropy

Lakatos’s analysis of progress and degeneration in the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes is well-known. Less known, however, are his thoughts on degeneration in Proofs and Refutations. I propose and motivate two new criteria for degeneration based on the discussion in Proofs and Refutations – superfluity and authoritarianism. I show how these criteria augment the account in Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes, providing a generalized Lakatosian account of progress and degeneration. I then apply this generalized account to a key transition point in the history of entropy – the transition to an information-theoretic interpretation of entropy – by assessing Jaynes’s 1957 paper on information theory and statistical mechanics.

The Phase Transition of Calcium Sulfide Under High Pressure

We carried out the accurate in situ angle derisive x-ray diffraction experiments and the electrical resistivity in CaS under high pressure. The result shows the pressure-induced phase transition of CaS from Na Cl-type structure (the space group Fm3m, phase I ) to Cs Cl-type structure (the space group Pm3m, phase II ) is reversible and the transition point is around 40.0 GPa; in the meantime, the electrical resistivity and light permeability decrease as the pressure increases and occur obvious discontinuities at the corresponding phase transition point; the result of the first-principles calculations is in concordance with the measurement results.

Singularity Transition in Biosystem with Infinite Number of Conserved Links with Surroundings

Stages of natural evolution such as biogenesis and abiogenesis are the well-recognized terms to characterize the very different phases of life development. Traditionally, an abiogenesis is believed as the early stage of evolution that is mainly the chemistry phase dealing with intercoupling between the complex polymer chains when manifestations of life assumes substantial participation of cooperative effects. It its turn, a biogenesis as the subsequent stage of evolution is the period for prevalence of Darwin’s laws showing, in particular, in battle among separate species in the way of variability-heredity contest. In this article, we discuss possible nature of the transition between above stages as a normal result of progress in an evolutionary system simulated by mathematical model of open system with infinite number of conserved links with system surroundings. It is shown that the biosystem, in transition point experiences the deep reconstruction in existing pattern of energy exchange which leads to emergence of the more complicated and advanced stage of evolution. Our study showed that the found transition point can be considered as a singularity point in system evolution. In its turn, the evolution stages with the dissimilar meaning are the physical placeholders for stage of abiogenesis and biogenesis in natural evolution, correspondingly.

Transhumanism, Nietzsche and Politics: A Commentary on Their Relationship

The aim of this commentary is to highlight the relationship between Nietzsche and Transhumanism on the occasion of the publication of the Posthuman Studies Reader in 2021, which is edited by Evi D. Sampanikou and Jan Stasienko. More specifically, this commentary focuses on the fact that the Reader promotes Nietzsche as the official forerunner of Transhumanism, since it places humans at a transition point between animal and Overhuman.The analysis of the ten transhumanist texts in the Reader shows that, in essence, Transhumanism is not a transition but an overcoming of the human and, from this point of view, it is not in line with Nietzsche's conception. Moreover, this commentary focuses on the relationship between Transhumanism and politics and shows that the political dimension is entirely absent from most of the Transhumanist texts in the Reader. Thus, transhumanism should re-evaluate its epistemological foundations and its relation to politics.

Congenital Incomplete Rotation of the Colon With Adhesive Obstruction in an Adult

Intestinal obstruction is an entity commonly encountered by general and colorectal surgeons. Anatomic abnormalities account for only a small fraction of cases of complete or partial obstruction. This case report focuses on a 51-year-old female presenting with acute on chronic large bowel obstruction. Workup revealed an exceedingly rare anatomic abnormality: a medialized descending colon, traveling adjacent to the abdominal aorta, with a transition point and dense bands just distal to the splenic flexure. She underwent exploratory laparotomy with division of the constrictive bands and subsequently experienced near-complete resolution of her chronic obstructive symptoms.

Estimation of age of transition from children's to adult healthcare for young people with long term conditions using linked routinely collected healthcare data

IntroductionHealthcare transitions, including from paediatric to adult services, can be disruptive and cause a lack of continuity in care. Existing research on the paediatric-adult healthcare transition often uses a simple age cut-off to assign transition status. This risks misclassification bias, reducing observed changes at transition (adults are included in the paediatric group and vice versa) possibly to differing extents between groups that transition at different ages. ObjectiveTo develop and assess methods for estimating the transition point from paediatric to adult healthcare from routine healthcare records. MethodsA retrospective cohort of young people (12 to 23 years) with long term conditions was constructed from linked primary and secondary care data in England. Inpatient and outpatient records were classified as paediatric or adult based on treatment and clinician specialities. Transition point was estimated using three methods based on record classification (First Adult: the date of first adult record; Last Paediatric: date of last paediatric record; Fitted: a date determined by statistical fitting). Estimated transition age was compared between methods. A simulation explored impacts of estimation approaches compared to a simple age cut-off when assessing associations between transition status and healthcare events. ResultsSimulations showed using an age-based cut-off at 16 or 18 years as transition point, common in research on transition, may underestimate transition-associated changes. Many health records for those aged 14 years were classified as adult, limiting utility of the First Adult approach. The Last Paediatric approach is least sensitive to this possible misclassification and may best reflect experience of the transition. ConclusionsEstimating transition point from routine healthcare data is possible and offers advantages over a simple age cut-off. These methods, adapted as necessary for data from other countries, should be used to reduce risk of misclassification bias in studies of transition in nationally representative data.

Moving to opportunity: Student trajectories in the post-Bologna university system in Denmark

This paper examines whether the implementation of the Bologna bachelor’s + master’s structure has been followed by an increase of university students from under-represented groups, and whether the Bologna structure has been accompanied by new forms of student mobility between Danish university institutions. Looking at student movements from bachelor’s to master’s degrees from 1993 to 2011, I do not find that the implementation of the Bologna structure has been followed by changes in the inclusion of under-represented groups. The social gap in progression to master’s degrees remained small and constant across the period. However, the formal instalment of a new transition point in the Danish university system (from bachelor’s to master’s) has provided bachelor’s degree holders with the opportunity to flee less lucrative fields of study and less prestigious institutions, and they increasingly do so. I discuss the implications of these movements in the light of the aim to make higher education more inclusive.

Largest sized enterolith ileus due to a duodenal diverticulum in a virgin abdomen causing small bowel obstruction

We describe the case of a 73-year-old woman with a high body mass index and a virgin abdomen who presented with a 5-day history of abdominal pain, emesis and confusion on admission. Inflammatory markers and renal function were significantly deranged. CT of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a clear transition point and faecalisation of the small bowel proximal to the obstruction. It was suggested that the patient may have ingested a foreign object. A collateral history was obtained, making this less likely and confirmed an acute cognitive impairment. She was optimised following multidisciplinary discussion preoperatively. Thereafter, the patient underwent a laparotomy, where a hard, mobile mass was identified in the jejunum. This was diagnosed as an enterolith of dimensions 62×38×32 mm secondary to a duodenal diverticulum. She improved postoperatively with complete resolution of her confusion and renal function. She was discharged on day 14 of admission.