Chapman University

BackgroundMisalignment between actual and perceived balance ability provides relevant information to understand functional deficits and fall risk. However, few studies have provided a continuous quantification of misalignment in neurological populations such as people with Parkinson's disease (PD).ObjectiveDetermine whether a continuous quantification of misalignment between actual and perceived balance ability, discordance, relates to functional outcomes such as quality of life and cognition.MethodsActual (gait velocity), and perceived (Activities of Balance Confidence) balance, cognition (measured via a computer-based cognitive assessment), and mobility-related quality of life were captured in a clinical sample of 95 people with PD. Primary outcomes were quality of life and cognitive domains frequently altered in people with PD (global cognition & executive function). Secondary cognitive domains assessed were attention, memory, visuo-spatial, verbal function, and information processing. Linear and non-linear models assessed the relationship between discordance, quality of life, and cognition.ResultsDiscordance related to mobility-related quality of life, such that under-confidence was related to poorer quality of life. Non-linear (quadratic) models were shown to fit the discordance-Global cognition (p = 0.02) data better than linear models such that over- and under-confidence related to poorer cognition. Secondary cognitive domains were not robustly related to discordance.ConclusionsIn a clinical sample of people with PD, discordance was related to mobility-related quality of life and global cognition. Global cognition further exhibited a possible non-linear relationship to discordance indicating that over- or under-confidence may relate to poorer cognition. This work underscores the functional relevance of misalignment of actual and balance abilities.

ABSTRACT Sources of light characterized by a well‐defined number of photons are widely used in quantum experiments and technologies due to their peculiar properties, which include sub‐Poissonian statistics, spatial, temporal, and frequency correlations, as well as maximal and high‐dimensional entanglement. Searching for the best experimental approaches that allow us to visualize the quantum state of two (or more) photons has been a long‐standing fundamental question, which has been mainly addressed via mode projection techniques. The rapid development of single‐photon‐sensitive cameras, however, has opened the pathway to conceptually simple, yet faster and more efficient, measurement techniques. This review explores the latest advancements in measuring the spatial structure of the quantum state of light using 3D imaging techniques. An overview of the most used single‐photon camera technologies is given, highlighting their differences and respective advantages. Besides the fundamental interest in reconstructing experimentally one of the most mysterious concepts of microscopic physics, this review illustrates how the techniques developed in this direction can lead to new ideas in the fields of imaging and sensing, for instance, superresolution measurements and phase‐enhanced and sub‐shot noise imaging.

Gadolinium nanoparticles (GdNPs) have gained increasing attention as multifunctional metal-based nanoplatforms that extend far beyond their traditional use as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Their specific magnetic properties, tunable physicochemical features, and tunable biocompatibilities with biocompatible coatings give them great potential as drug delivery and theranostic applications. They offer greater stability, lower systemic toxicity, and more surface modification options compared to molecular gadolinium chelates. The functionalized GdNPs not only show excellent properties as drug carriers for their specific indications but also serve as agents in various imaging modalities with superior therapeutic efficacy by means of radio sensitization and magnetically assisted delivery. Note too that GdNP-based formulations have demonstrated synergistic activity when administered with chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin. GdNPs have demonstrated promising preclinical outcomes, and their clinical translation remains restricted due to a number of scale-up constraints, long-term safety challenges, pharmacokinetics, and regulatory problems. This review provides information on the use of GdNPs, their key physicochemical and magnetic properties, ligand engineering for targeted delivery, and biological mechanisms of their theranostic performance.

We demonstrate real-time displacement measurement using spectrally resolved Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) interference that saturates the quantum Cram´er-Rao bound. Unlike conventional HOM-based methods, our approach does not require the displacement to be confined within the HOM dip width, typically a few tens of microns. By analyzing the periodicity of spectral interference fringes, we can maintain sensitivity at the quantum limit over displacement ranges extending to hundreds of microns. In principle, the measurable range can be extended up to the coherence length of the pump laser, limited only by the spectral resolution of the detector. We further demonstrate that real-time displacement tracking is feasible with current technology, establishing this technique as a practical and powerful tool for quantum-enhanced sensing and metrology.

This article contributes to an emergent area of crisis and disaster scholarship that emphasizes the need to support researchers in coping with the emotional challenges of research. In this article, we use the term emotionally challenging research to describe the moments when researchers are confronted with particular situations or subject matter that causes discomfort, pain, anger, frustration, hopelessness, or other difficult emotions or embodied impacts. Throughout, we provide several illustrations of how such challenges may arise in the process of studying crises or disasters. We argue that the lack of discussion about emotions in disaster research, including attention to the potential for burnout, compassion fatigue, or vicarious trauma, creates undue burdens for researchers and can interfere with the research process. In contrast, inviting explicit discussion and engagement with the emotional and embodied challenges of research can support researchers’ well-being, enhance the ethical dimensions of research, and deepen understanding of the social consequences and dynamics of disasters. We conclude with actionable steps that can be taken to better support graduate students, early career researchers, and others new to the field at the individual, group, and institutional levels. This article ultimately advocates for a more compassionate and ethically responsible approach to academic inquiry into crises and disasters.

The present study investigated associations between Big Five personality traits, their facets, and the frequency and variety of sexual fantasies in a sample of 5,225 adults (M = 58.30 years old; 56.5% men). People high in conscientiousness and agreeableness report fewer sexual fantasies across exploratory, intimate, impersonal, and sadomasochistic domains; these effects were primarily driven by respectfulness and responsibility facets. Negative emotionality, particularly the depression facet, was associated with more frequent sexual fantasizing. Extraversion and open-mindedness showed minimal relationships with sexual fantasy frequency. These results underscore the importance of personality dimensions in understanding sexual thoughts, emphasizing the heterogeneity of sexual fantasies across individuals. Having a broader appreciation of the heterogeneity of sexual experiences can foster more inclusive approaches to sexual well-being in psychological research and clinical practice.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by synovial hyperplasia, persistent inflammation, and joint destruction. Targeted inhibition of intracellular signaling pathways, such as JAK-STAT, has improved RA treatment outcomes, though safety and selectivity remain as concerns. Brepocitinib, a dual TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor, has shown clinical efficacy in the management of autoimmune diseases, yet its mechanistic impact on synoviocytes remains underexplored. To investigate the molecular and functional effects of brepocitinib on MH7A and RA-FLS synoviocytes, a key effector cell type in RA pathogenesis. MH7A and RA-FLS cells were treated with brepocitinib (0.5 µM, 1 µM, and 5 µM) for 24 hours. Cell viability was assessed. Western blotting was used to examine phosphorylation of TYK2, JAK1, STAT1/3, and apoptotic markers (BAX, BCL-2, caspase-3). Quantitative PCR and ELISA were performed to evaluate mRNA and protein levels, respectively, of IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. Wound healing assays measured synoviocyte migration. Brepocitinib maintained ≥ 85% cell viability across all doses, compared with ~20% viability in doxorubicin-treated controls. At 5 µM, phosphorylation of JAK1 and STAT3 was suppressed by > 80%, while TYK2 and STAT1 inhibition reached ~70%. IL-6 and TNF-α transcripts were reduced by > 80% and IFN-γ by ~70%, with corresponding decreases in secreted cytokines (IL-6: 100 pg/mL to 20 pg/mL; TNF-α: 150 pg/mL to 15 pg/mL; IFN-γ: 41 pg/mL to 11 pg/mL). Brepocitinib shifted the BAX/BCL-2 ratio fourfold in favor of apoptosis and increased cleaved caspase-3 levels to ~80% of maximal response. Functionally, it reduced wound closure from ~75% in controls to ~20% at 5 µM, confirming potent inhibition of synoviocyte migration. Brepocitinib exerts multi-faceted effects on RA synoviocytes by simultaneously inhibiting inflammatory signaling, suppressing cytokine expression, restoring apoptotic sensitivity, and reducing migratory potential. These findings provide mechanistic support for brepocitinib as a targeted therapeutic agent in RA.