bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monte-Carlo simulation and tissue-phantom model for validation of ocular oximetry
Authors: Akitegetse Cléophace , Landry Patricia , Robidoux Jonathan , Lapointe Nicolas , Brouard Danny , Sauvageau Dominic
Published: April 2022

Ocular oximetry, in which blood oxygen saturation is evaluated in retinal tissues, is a promising technique for the prevention, diagnosis and management of many diseases and conditions. However, the development of new tools for evaluating oxygen saturation in the eye fundus has often been limited by the lack of reference tools or techniques for such measurements. In this study, we describe a two-step validation method. The impact of scattering, blood volume fraction and lens yellowing on the oximetry model is investigated using a tissue phantom, while a Monte Carlo model of the light propagation in the eye fundus is used to study the effect of the fundus layered-structure. With this method, we were able to assess the performance of an ocular oximetry technique in the presence of confounding factors and to quantify the impact of the choroidal circulation on the accuracy of the measurements. The presented strategy will be useful to anyone involved in studies based on the eye fundus diffuse reflectance.
Dust proof properties of spinodal porous surfaces
Authors: Zhang Zuyi
Published: April 2022

With an aim of dust proof in optical coating, contact force with spinodal porous surfaces was investigated by counting the number of particles after exposure to a practical circumstance and by directly measuring the contact forces with a probe of Au sphere using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The interaction between the oiled particles and the porous surface was also investigated on an antireflection coating using greases containing particles of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It was found that the porous structure played the role of adsorbing oil and lowering the contact force between the particles and the surface without deterioration of the antireflection. The contact force was treated based on the liquid bridges between the particles and the surface, and the contribution from the term of Laplace pressure is inferred to be lowered due to the reduced width of the silica skeletons.
Low bending loss few-mode hollow-core anti-resonant fiber with glass-sheet conjoined nested tubes
Authors: Liu Huabei , Wang Yu , Zhou Yan , Guan Zuguang , Yu Zhangwei , Ling Qiang , Luo Si , Shao Jie , Huang Dongmei , Chen Daru
Published: April 2022

A novel hollow-core anti-resonant fiber (HC-ARF) with glass-sheet conjoined nested tubes that supports five core modes of LP01-LP31 with low mode couplings, large differential group delays (DGDs), and low bending losses (BLs) is proposed. A novel cladding structure with glass-sheet conjoined nested tubes (CNT) is induced for the proposed HC-ARF which can suppress mode couplings between the LP01-LP31 modes and the cladding modes. The higher-order modes (HOMs) which are LP11-LP31 modes also have very low loss by optimizing the radius of the nested tube and the core radius. Moreover, the large effective refractive index differences Δneff between HOMs are all larger than 1 × 10−4 which contributes to a large DGD in the wavelength range from 1.3 to 1.7 µm. The bending loss of the HC-ARF is analyzed and optimized emphatically. Our calculation results show that bending losses of LP01-LP31 modes are all lower than 3.0 × 10−4 dB/m in the wavelength range from 1.4 to 1.61 µm even when the fiber bending radius of the HC-ARF is 6 cm.
Immediate and one-point roughness measurements using spectrally shaped light
Authors: Buet Xavier , Zerrad Myriam , Lequime Michel , Soriano Gabriel , Godeme Jean-Jacques , Fadili Jalal , Amra Claude
Published: April 2022

Capitalizing on a previous theoretical paper, we propose a novel approach, to our knowledge, that is different from the usual scattering measurements, one that is free of any mechanical movement or scanning. Scattering is measured along a single direction. Wide-band illumination with a properly chosen wavelength spectrum makes the signal proportional to the sample roughness, or to the higher-order roughness moments. Spectral shaping is carried out with gratings and a spatial light modulator. We validate the technique by cross-checking with a classical angle-resolved scattering set-up. Though the bandwidth is reduced, this white light technique may be of key interest for on-line measurements, large components that cannot be displaced, or other parts that do not allow mechanical movement around them.
Physical-layer impairment estimation for arbitrary spectral-shaped signals in optical networks
Authors: Xu Yuxin , Brandt-Pearce Maite
Published: April 2022

In long-haul fiber-optic networks, precise modeling of physical-layer impairments (PLIs) is crucial to optimizing network resource usage while ensuring adequate transmission quality. In order to accurately estimate PLIs, many mathematical models have been proposed. Among them, the so-called Gaussian noise (GN) model is one of the most accurate and simple enough to use on complex continental-size networks. However, the closed-form GN model assumes that the signals can be represented as having rectangular spectra, leading to a significant estimation error in typical cases when this assumption is violated. We propose the component-wise Gaussian noise (CWGN) PLI model that can account for arbitrary spectral-shaped demands. The CWGN model is computationally simple and suitable for most network management approaches. Results indicate that the CWGN model can prevent as much as a 136% overestimation of the PLIs resulting from the closed-form GN model applied to network lightpaths containing cascaded filters.
Ultra-thin 2-bit anisotropic Huygens coding metasurface for terahertz wave manipulation
Authors: Ren Bin , Feng Yuxin , Tang Shuai , Wu Jin-Lei , Liu Bingyi , Song Jie , Jiang Yongyuan
Published: April 2022

In this work, we design an ultrathin 2-bit anisotropic Huygens coding metasurface (AHCM) composed by bilayer metallic square-ring structures for flexible manipulation of the terahertz wave. Based on the polarized-dependent components of electric surface admittance and magnetic surface impedance, we confirm that both the electric and magnetic resonances on coding meta-atoms are excited, so as to provide a full phase coverage and significantly low reflection. By encoding the elements with distinct coding sequences, the x- and y-polarized incident waves are anomalously refracted into opposite directions. More uniquely, we also demonstrate that the designed AHCM can be utilized as a transmission-type quarter-wave plate. The proposed metasurface paves a new way toward multifunctional terahertz wavefront manipulation.
Multispectral higher-order Fano resonant metasurface based on periodic twisted DNA-like split ring arrays with three modulation methods
Authors: Lu Yuying , Yang Maosheng , Wang Tongling , Yao Haiyun , Liang Lanju , Yan Xin , Lv Kai Kai , Wang Meng , Yang Qili , Wei Chaoyang , Shao Jianda , Yao Jianquan
Published: April 2022

The active modulation of the Fano resonance is rare but desirable. However, recent studies mostly focused on a single modulation method and few reported the use of three photoelectric control methods. A tunable graphene DNA-like metamaterial modulator with multispectral Fano resonance is demonstrated. In experimentally fabricated metamaterials with six photoelectric joint modulation patterns, each joint shows different optoelectrical response characteristics. Ultrahigh modulation depth (MD) up to 982% was achieved at 1.5734 THz with a 1.040 A external laser pump by involving combined optoelectrical methods. These results show that the metasurface modulator is a promising platform for higher-order Fano resonance modulation and communication fields.
Adaptive hyperspectral imaging using structured illumination in a spatial light modulator-based interferometer
Authors: Chandra Amar Deo , Karmakar Mintu , Nandy Dibyendu , Banerjee Ayan
Published: April 2022

We develop a novel hyperspectral imaging system using structured illumination in an SLM-based Michelson interferometer. In our design, we use a reflective SLM as a mirror in one of the arms of a Michelson interferometer and scan the interferometer by varying the phase across the SLM display. For achieving the latter, we apply a checkerboard phase mask on the SLM display where the gray value varies between 0-255, thereby imparting a dynamic phase of up to 262° to the incident light beam. We couple a supercontinuum source into the interferometer in order to mimic an astronomical object such as the Sun and choose a central wavelength of 637.4 nm akin to the strong emission line of Fe X present in the solar spectrum. We use a bandwidth of 30 nm and extract fringes corresponding to a spectral resolution of 3.8 nm which is limited by the reflectivity of the SLM. We also demonstrate a maximum wavelength tunability of ∼8 nm by varying the phase over the phase mask with a spectral sampling of around 0.03 nm between intermediate fringes. The checkerboard phase mask can be adapted close to real time on time-scales of a few tens of milliseconds to obtain spectral information for other near-contiguous wavelengths. The compactness, potential low cost, low power requirements, real-time tunability and lack of moving mechanical parts in the setup implies that it can have very useful applications in settings that require near real-time, multi-wavelength spectroscopic applications and is especially relevant in space astronomy.
Super-resolution demodulation for fiber sensor arrays based on the MUSIC algorithm
Authors: Li Yuqi , Zhao Kehao , Zhao Jieru , Wang Jingyang , Wright Ruishu , Buric Michael , Chen Kevin P.
Published: April 2022

This paper studies the use of MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) as a super-resolution algorithm to improve demodulation results for intrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometer (IFPI) sensor arrays. Through distinction between noise and signal subspaces in an observation matrix, this paper shows that a 38-fold improvement in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) estimation of IFPI optical path differences (OPD) can be achieved using this algorithm. Based on this improved method, this paper demonstrates that a tunable laser with a 1.3-nm tuning range can achieve the same sensor demodulation performance as a tunable laser with a 50-nm tuning range if a conventional Fourier transform-based algorithm is used. This paper presents a new approach to analyzing optical signals produced by multiple multiplexed interferometers with similar OPDs with potential applications for both single-mode and multiple-mode devices.
Polarization-dependent group velocity of light pulses traveling in the optic ray axis directions of a biaxial crystal
Authors: Wang Pengqian
Published: April 2022

We theoretically prove that the group velocity of a light pulse traveling in an optic ray axis direction of a biaxial crystal depends on the polarization state of the light. Our calculation shows that the group index varies as a sinusoidal function of twice the polarization angle of the light pulse. For monoclinic and triclinic crystals, in general the four directions of the two optic ray axes need to be distinguished. Numerical examples show that in KNbO3 the group velocity varies by 2.7% at 400 nm wavelength, and in Sn2P2S6 it varies by 3.9% at 550 nm wavelength, when the polarization state of the light is changing.
10-J, 100-Hz conduction-cooled active-mirror laser
Authors: Ogino Jumpei , Tokita Shigeki , Kitajima Shotaro , Yoshida Hidetsugu , Li Zhaoyang , Motokoshi Shinji , Morio Noboru , Tsubakimoto Koji , Fujioka Kana , Kodama Ryosuke , Kawanaka Junji
Published: April 2022

High average power lasers with a high pulse energy are of considerable interest in various fields such as high-energy-density physics. Light-absorbing edge cladding is effective in suppressing parasitic oscillations in high-pulse-energy disk lasers; however, the large amount of heat generated from the cladding can affect the laser medium. We develop an improved conduction-cooled active-mirror laser with a double-sided cooled-edge cladding. A stable laser output with a pulse energy of 10 J at a repetition rate of 100 Hz was achieved using six liquid-nitrogen-cooled active-mirrors in the main amplifier. This study shows that aggressive cooling of the edge cladding is highly effective in decreasing the temperature rise and controlling the temperature distribution in the laser medium.
Dissecting recurrent waves of pertussis across the boroughs of London
Authors: Saeidpour Arash , Bansal Shweta , Rohani Pejman
Published: April 2022

Pertussis has resurfaced in the UK, with incidence levels not seen since the 1980s. While the fundamental causes of this resurgence remain the subject of much conjecture, the study of historical patterns of pathogen diffusion can be illuminating. Here, we examined time series of pertussis incidence in the boroughs of Greater London from 1982 to 2013 to document the spatial epidemiology of this bacterial infection and to identify the potential drivers of its percolation. The incidence of pertussis over this period is characterized by 3 distinct stages: a period exhibiting declining trends with 4-year inter-epidemic cycles from 1982 to 1994, followed by a deep trough until 2006 and the subsequent resurgence. We observed systematic temporal trends in the age distribution of cases and the fade-out profile of pertussis coincident with increasing national vaccine coverage from 1982 to 1990. To quantify the hierarchy of epidemic phases across the boroughs of London, we used the Hilbert transform. We report a consistent pattern of spatial organization from 1982 to the early 1990s, with some boroughs consistently leading epidemic waves and others routinely lagging. To determine the potential drivers of these geographic patterns, a comprehensive parallel database of borough-specific features was compiled, comprising of demographic, movement and socio-economic factors that were used in statistical analyses to predict epidemic phase relationships among boroughs. Specifically, we used a combination of a feed-forward neural network (FFNN), and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values to quantify the contribution of each covariate to model predictions. Our analyses identified a number of predictors of a borough’s historical epidemic phase, specifically the age composition of households, the number of agricultural and skilled manual workers, latitude, the population of public transport commuters and high-occupancy households. Univariate regression analysis of the 2012 epidemic identified the ratio of cumulative unvaccinated children to the total population and population of Pakistan-born population to have moderate positive and negative association, respectively, with the timing of epidemic. In addition to providing a comprehensive overview of contemporary pertussis transmission in a large metropolitan population, this study has identified the characteristics that determine the spatial spread of this bacterium across the boroughs of London.
Abnormal global alternative RNA splicing in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Wang Changli , Chen Lijun , Chen Yaobin , Jia Wenwen , Cai Xunhui , Liu Yufeng , Ji Fenghu , Xiong Peng , Liang Anyi , Liu Ren , Guan Yuanlin , Cheng Zhongyi , Weng Yejing , Wang Weixin , Duan Yaqi , Kuang Dong , Xu Sanpeng , Cai Hanghang , Xia Qin , Yang Dehua , Wang Ming-Wei , Yang Xiangping , Zhang Jianjun , Cheng Chao , Liu Liang , Liu Zhongmin , Liang Ren , Wang Guopin , Li Zhendong , Xia Han , Xia Tian
Published: April 2022

Viral infections can alter host transcriptomes by manipulating host splicing machinery. Despite intensive transcriptomic studies on SARS-CoV-2, a systematic analysis of alternative splicing (AS) in severe COVID-19 patients remains largely elusive. Here we integrated proteomic and transcriptomic sequencing data to study AS changes in COVID-19 patients. We discovered that RNA splicing is among the major down-regulated proteomic signatures in COVID-19 patients. The transcriptome analysis showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces widespread dysregulation of transcript usage and expression, affecting blood coagulation, neutrophil activation, and cytokine production. Notably,CD74andLRRFIP1had increased skipping of an exon in COVID-19 patients that disrupts a functional domain, which correlated with reduced antiviral immunity. Furthermore, the dysregulation of transcripts was strongly correlated with clinical severity of COVID-19, and splice-variants may contribute to unexpected therapeutic activity. In summary, our data highlight that a better understanding of the AS landscape may aid in COVID-19 diagnosis and therapy.
Ubiquitin ligase activity inhibits Cdk5 to control axon termination
Authors: Desbois Muriel , Opperman Karla J. , Amezquita Jonathan , Gaglio Gabriel , Crawley Oliver , Grill Brock
Published: April 2022

The Cdk5 kinase plays prominent roles in nervous system development, plasticity, behavior and disease. It also has important, non-neuronal functions in cancer, the immune system and insulin secretion. At present, we do not fully understand negative regulatory mechanisms that restrict Cdk5. Here, we useCaenorhabditis elegansto show that CDK-5 is inhibited by the RPM-1/FSN-1 ubiquitin ligase complex. This atypical RING ubiquitin ligase is conserved fromC.elegansthrough mammals. Our finding originated from unbiased,in vivoaffinity purification proteomics, which identified CDK-5 as a putative RPM-1 substrate. CRISPR-based, native biochemistry showed that CDK-5 interacts with the RPM-1/FSN-1 ubiquitin ligase complex. A CRISPR engineered RPM-1 substrate ‘trap’ enriched CDK-5 binding, which was mediated by the FSN-1 substrate recognition module. To test the functional genetic relationship between the RPM-1/FSN-1 ubiquitin ligase complex and CDK-5, we evaluated axon termination in mechanosensory neurons and motor neurons. Our results indicate that RPM-1/FSN-1 ubiquitin ligase activity restricts CDK-5 to control axon termination. Collectively, these proteomic, biochemical and genetic results increase our understanding of mechanisms that restrain Cdk5 in the nervous system.
Microbiological quality assessment of five common foods sold at different points of sale in Burkina-Faso
Authors: Compaore Muller Kiswendsida Abdou , Kpoda Stéphane Dissinviel , Bazie Raoul Bazoin Sylvain , Ouedraogo Marcelline , Valian Mahamady , Gampene Marie-Louise , Yakoro Alphonse , Nikiema Fulbert , Belemlougri Asseto , Meda Naamwin-So-Bawfu Romaric , Meda Naa-Imwine Stanislas Dimitri , Sanon Souleymane , Bande Moumouni , Hien Hervé , Barro Nicolas , Kabre Elie
Published: April 2022

The aim of the present study was to assess the microbial quality of five ready-to-eat food such as bread, pasta, rice with sauce, beans and milk sold in five localities of Burkina Faso namely, Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Dakola, Cinkansé and Niangoloko. One hundred and one samples were collected and microbial quality were assessed by evaluating the food hygiene indicators such as total aerobic mesophilic flora, total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, yeast and mould. Food safety indicators such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus were also tested for contamination. Samples were tested according to ISO guidelines for all parameters.

The results showed that 74 (73.27%) of samples were satisfactory while 15 (14.85%) were acceptable and 12 (11.88%) were not satisfactory according to international standards. Among the food safety indicators sought, Escherichia coli was detected in two samples and Bacillus cereus in four samples. Most of the analyzed food exhibited good hygiene behavior within the acceptable limits and the highest of not satisfactory rate was observed in milk powder and rice with sauce. Ouagadougou samples recorded the highest number of not satisfactory samples.

Despite the general quality was satisfactory, the presence of specific microorganisms such as coliforms is indicative of the poor hygiene surrounded these foods. It is therefore necessary to train and follow up the vendors in the handling of equipment, hand-washing practices and selling environment hygiene for better improvement of the quality of the street foods.
Adapting to altered auditory cues: Generalization from manual reaching to head pointing
Authors: Valzolgher Chiara , Todeschini Michela , Verdelet Gregoire , Gatel Julie , Salemme Romeo , Gaveau Valerie , Truy Eric , Farnè Alessandro , Pavani Francesco
Published: April 2022

Localising sounds means having the ability to process auditory cues deriving from the interplay among sound waves, the head and the ears. When auditory cues change because of temporary or permanent hearing loss, sound localization becomes difficult and uncertain. The brain can adapt to altered auditory cues throughout life and multisensory training can promote the relearning of spatial hearing skills. Here, we study the training potentials of sound-oriented motor behaviour to test if a training based on manual actions toward sounds can learning effects that generalize to different auditory spatial tasks. We assessed spatial hearing relearning in normal hearing adults with a plugged ear by using visual virtual reality and body motion tracking. Participants performed two auditory tasks that entail explicit and implicit processing of sound position (head-pointing sound localization and audio-visual attention cueing, respectively), before and after having received a spatial training session in which they identified sound position by reaching to auditory sources nearby. Using a crossover design, the effects of the above-mentioned spatial training were compared to a control condition involving the same physical stimuli, but different task demands (i.e., a non-spatial discrimination of amplitude modulations in the sound). According to our findings, spatial hearing in one-ear plugged participants improved more after reaching to sound trainings rather than in the control condition. Training by reaching also modified head-movement behaviour during listening. Crucially, the improvements observed during training generalize also to a different sound localization task, possibly as a consequence of acquired and novel head-movement strategies.
Dysregulation of the leukocyte signaling landscape during acute COVID-19
Authors: Turnbull Isaiah R. , Fuchs Anja , Remy Kenneth E. , Kelly Michael P. , Frazier Elfaridah P. , Ghosh Sarbani , Chang Shin-Wen , Mazer Monty B. , Hess Annie , Leonard Jennifer M. , Hoofnagle Mark H. , Colonna Marco , Hotchkiss Richard S.
Published: April 2022

The global COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 750,000 US citizens. Dysregulation of the immune system underlies the pathogenesis of COVID-19, with inflammation mediated tissue injury to the lung in the setting of suppressed systemic immune function. To define the molecular mechanisms of immune dysfunction in COVID-19 we utilized a systems immunology approach centered on the circulating leukocyte phosphoproteome measured by mass cytometry. We find that although COVID-19 is associated with wholesale activation of a broad set of signaling pathways across myeloid and lymphoid cell populations, STAT3 phosphorylation predominated in both monocytes and T cells. STAT3 phosphorylation was tightly correlated with circulating IL-6 levels and high levels of phospho-STAT3 was associated with decreased markers of myeloid cell maturation/activation and decreased ex-vivo T cell IFN-γ production, demonstrating that during COVID-19 dysregulated cellular activation is associated with suppression of immune effector cell function. Collectively, these data reconcile the systemic inflammatory response and functional immunosuppression induced by COVID-19 and suggest STAT3 signaling may be the central pathophysiologic mechanism driving immune dysfunction in COVID-19.
Getting the nod: Pediatric head motion in a transdiagnostic sample during movie- and resting-state fMRI
Authors: Frew Simon , Samara Ahmad , Shearer Hallee , Eilbott Jeffrey , Vanderwal Tamara
Published: April 2022

Head motion continues to be a major problem in fMRI research, particularly in developmental studies where an inverse relationship exists between head motion and age. Despite multifaceted and costly efforts to mitigate motion and motion-related signal artifact, few studies have characterized in-scanner head motion itself. This study leverages a large transdiagnostic public dataset (N = 1388, age 5-21y, The Healthy Brain Network Biobank) to characterize pediatric head motion in space, frequency, and time. We focus on practical aspects of head motion that could impact future study design, including comparing motion across groups (low, medium, and high movers), across conditions (movie-watching and rest), and between males and females. Analyses showed that in all conditions, high movers exhibited a different pattern of motion than low and medium movers that was dominated by x-rotation, and z- and y-translation. High motion spikes (>0.3mm) from all participants also showed this pitch-z-y pattern. Problematic head motion is thus composed of a single type of biomechanical motion, which we infer to be a nodding movement, providing a focused target for motion reduction strategies. A second type of motion was evident via spectral analysis of raw displacement data. This was observed in low and medium movers and was consistent with respiration rates. We consider this to be a baseline of motion best targeted in data preprocessing. Further, we found that males moved more than, but not differently from, females. Significant cross-condition differences in head motion were found. Movies had lower mean motion, and especially in high movers, movie-watching reduced within-run linear increases in head motion (i.e., temporal drift). Finally, we used intersubject correlations of framewise displacement (FD-ISCs) to assess for stimulus-correlated motion trends. Subject motion was more correlated in movie than rest, and 8 out of top 10 FD-ISC windows had FD below the mean. Possible reasons and future implications of these findings are discussed.
Cardiovascular risk factors, ethnicity and infection stone are independent factors associated with reduced renal function in renal stone formers
Authors: Choy Seow Huey , Nyanatay Selina Ann , Sothilingam Selvalingam , Malek Rohan , J. R. Sathiyananthan , Toh Charng Chee , Sundram Murali , Md Yusoff Noor Ashani , Nagappan Poongkodi , Kamaruzaman Shakirin , Yeoh Wei Sien , Ong Teng Aik , Lim Jasmine
Published: April 2022

Background

Recent evidence suggested the link between nephrolithiasis and renal function impairment. We aimed to determine the renal function profile and potential factors associated with reduced renal function amongst renal stone formers in multi-ethnic Asians.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy between May 2015 and December 2019. Reduced renal function was defined as having estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Renal stone samples were collected and quantified using infrared spectroscopy. Potential factors associated with reduced renal function including age, ethnicity, educational level, history of diabetes, hypertension, gout, hydronephrosis, serum uric acid level, and type of renal stone were evaluated using univariable and multivariable analyses.

Results

A total of 1162 patients from a multi-ethnic population (Malays 67%, Chinese 19%, Indians 13% and indigenous people 1%) with median age of 57 years (Interquartile range 48–64) were enrolled in the study. Almost a third of patients were found with reduced renal function. Multivariable analysis showed that the odds of having reduced renal function increased with age, ethnicity, lower educational level, history of diabetes, hypertension, gout, bilateral hydronephrosis, elevated serum uric acid level and infection stone.

Conclusions

Reduced renal function varies between ethnicities and all age groups of renal stone formers. In addition to age and ethnicity, cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes and hypertension may also need to be taken into account in managing stone patients with reduced renal function.
Appraisal of foliar spray of iron and salicylic acid under artificial magnetism on morpho-physiological attributes of pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants
Authors: Naseer Hassan , Shaukat Kanval , Zahra Noreen , Hafeez Muhammad Bilal , Raza Ali , Nizar Mereen , Qazi Muhammad Akram , Ali Qasim , A. Al-Huqail Asma , Siddiqui Manzar H. , Ali Hayssam M.
Published: April 2022

The appraisal of foliar treatment of iron (Fe) and salicylic acid (SA) on plant under artificial magnetism is very crucial in understanding its impact on growth and development of plants. The present study was designed to document the potential role of Fe and SA on pea (Pisum sativumL.) Matore variety exposed to different magnetism treatments (geomagnetism and artificial magnetism). Thus a pot experiment was conducted using Completely Randomized Design under factorial with three replicates. Various artificial magnetic treatment were applied in pots prior to sowing. Further, 15 days germinated pea seedlings were foliarly supplemented with 250 ppm Fe and 250μM SA, moreover after 20 days of foliar fertilization plants were harvested to analyze and record various morpho-physiological attributes. Data elucidate significant variations in pea plants among different treatments. Artificial magnetism treatments in combination with foliar application of Fe and SA significantly improved various growth attributes (root and shoot length, fresh and dry weights of root and shoot, leaf area), photosynthetic pigments (Chla,band carotenoids) and the contents of soluble sugars. However, oxidative stress (H2O2and MDA) enhanced under different magnetism treatment but foliar application of Fe and SA hampered the production of reactive oxygen species thereby limiting the concentration of H2O2and MDA in plant tissues. Furthermore the accumulation of nutrients (iron, potassium and nitrate) profoundly increased under artificial magnetism treatment specifically under Fe and SA foliar treatment excluding nitrate where Fe foliar treatment tend to limit nitrate in plant. Consequently, the present research interestingly highlights progressive role of Fe and SA foliar treatment on pea plants under artificial magnetism. Thus, foliar supplementation may be suggested for better growth and development of plants combined with magnetic treatments.
“We can’t do without it”: Parent and call-handler experiences of video triage of children at a medical helpline
Authors: Gren Caroline , Egerod Ingrid , Linderoth Gitte , Hasselager Asbjoern Boerch , Frederiksen Marianne Sjølin , Folke Fredrik , Ersbøll Annette Kjær , Cortes Dina , Gamst-Jensen Hejdi
Published: April 2022

Background

Pediatric out-of-hours calls are common, as parents worry and seek reassurance and shared responsibility. Nevertheless, most children assessed in this context are not seriously ill. Conventional telephone triage lacks visual cues and is further limited by third part communication in calls concerning children. We investigated implementation of video triage in two previous studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate 1) How video triage versus telephone triage in children was experienced by parents and call-handlers, and 2) call-handlers’ evaluation of the video triage projects.

Methods

We triangulated data from surveys and interviews in five sub-studies. Sub-study 1: Parents’ experience of video triage reported in closed-ended questionnaire items using quantitative analysis; Sub-study 2: Parents’ experience of video triage reported as questionnaire free-text using qualitative content analysis; Sub-study 3: Call-handlers’ experience of video triage reported in closed-ended questionnaire items using quantitative analysis; and Sub-studies 4 and 5: Individual interviews of call-handlers’ experience of 1) video triage using thematic analysis and 2) the video triage project using process evaluation.

Results

Most parents’ comments regarding video triage were positive (n = 164, 83%). Video triage was perceived as reassuring and reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings and unnecessary hospital visits. Call-handlers experienced that video triage improved patient assessment and caller reassurance. Some call-handlers complained that the time allocated for study participation was inadequate and requested a more accessible video set-up. Both parents and call-handlers were significantly more satisfied and reassured after video triage than after telephone triage and suggested video triage as a permanent option.

Conclusion

Video triage was appreciated by parents and call-handlers and was recommended as a permanent option. The call-handlers suggested that designated time for participation in the studies would have been desirable in this busy call-center. We recommend video triage as a contemporary solution in out-of-hours service.
Microbial induced calcite precipitation can consolidate martian and lunar regolith simulants
Authors: Dikshit Rashmi , Gupta Nitin , Dey Arjun , Viswanathan Koushik , Kumar Aloke
Published: April 2022

We demonstrate that Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) can be utilized for creation of consolidates of Martian Simulant Soil (MSS) and Lunar Simulant Soil (LSS) in the form of a ‘brick’. A urease producer bacterium,Sporosarcina pasteurii, was used to induce the MICP process for the both simulant soils. An admixture of guar gum as an organic polymer and NiCl2, as bio- catalyst to enhance urease activity, was introduced to increase the compressive strength of the biologically grown bricks. A casting method was utilized for a slurry consisting of the appropriate simulant soil and microbe; the slurry over a few days consolidated in the form of a ‘brick’ of the desired shape. In case of MSS, maximum strength of 3.3 MPa was obtained with 10mM NiCl2and 1% guar gum supplementation whereas in case of LSS maximum strength of 5.65 Mpa was obtained with 1% guar gum supplementation and 10mM NiCl2. MICP mediated consolidation of the simulant soil was confirmed with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetry (TG). Our work demonstrates a biological approach with an explicit casting method towards manufacturing of consolidated structures using extra-terrestrial regolith simulant; this is a promising route forin situdevelopment of structural elements on the extra-terrestrial habitats.
Social capital, identification and support: Scope for integration
Authors: Richardson Justin , Postmes Tom , Stroebe Katherine
Published: April 2022

Social relationships are important predictors of a range of individual outcomes, such as wellbeing and health. These social relationships are conceptualised in different ways, such as (inter-personal) forms of social support, identification with groups, or social capital. What is the overlap among these concepts and in what ways do they differ? The present work aims to clarify this with empirical evidence from two panel studies (N = 3934; N = 2912). The studies include central measures of social relationships (group identification, group membership, social support and social capital). Empirical differences and overlap were studied by evaluating the factor structure of the data with both confirmatory factor analyses and bi-factor analyses. Results showed that the different concepts had a large amount of empirical overlap (together accounting for over 60% of common variance). Surprisingly, results also revealed that subcomponents were identifiable based on who they target and not based on their conceptualisation. For example, items about identification with neighbourhood factored together with support items from the neighbourhood, and not with other identification items. Accordingly, we conclude that in addition to a general factor, it is possible to meaningfully distinguish components of social relations based on which group is targeted by the items (e.g. neighbourhood or family and friends). For future research on the relationship between social relations and health, the present measures are unlikely to be sufficiently precise to disentangle whether health effects are caused by identification, support or capital. Differences between targets appear to be more important than differences between these concepts for understanding the relationship between social relations and health and wellbeing.
Research on the mechanism of multilayer spiral fog screen dust removal at the comprehensive excavation face
Authors: Jing Deji , Li Zhen , Ge Shaocheng , Zhang Tian , Meng Xiangxi , Jia Xin
Published: April 2022

To solve the problem of the inability of traditional spray dust removal technology to efficiently restrain dust diffusion at the heading face, a multilayer spiral fog curtain dust control method based on spirally arranged pneumatic nozzles is proposed. In this paper, the k-ɛ turbulence model and K-H droplet breakage model are used. First, different airflow fields are analyzed by simulating the simultaneous injection of different numbers of nozzles, and the motion law of airflow interaction is obtained. Taking the two-layer fog curtain as an example, a multiphysical field coupling numerical simulation of the two-layer spiral fog curtain applied in the field is carried out, and the variation law of its velocity field distribution and particle motion characteristics is analyzed. A similar experimental platform is established to verify the effectiveness of the simulation results and the feasibility of the dust removal scheme. The simulation results show that the double helix arrangement will form a rotating airflow with the cutting arm as the axis to cover the whole roadway section and produce a double-layer spiral fog curtain. The water mist is fragmented into smaller fog droplets under the action of rotating airflow, which improves the dust catching effect of the fog curtain. Experiments show that the dust removal rate and efficiency of multilayer spiral fog curtains are obviously stronger than those of natural dust reduction and traditional spray. After 3 minutes, a dust concentration of approximately 470 mg/m3 can be reduced to less than 4 mg/m3. The average dust removal rates of total dust and exhaled dust were 2.600 mg/(m3.s) and 0.189 mg/(m3.s), respectively, and the dust removal efficiencies were 97.01% and 94.32%.
Effects of aging and exercise habits on blood flow profile of the ocular circulation
Authors: Liu Chihyun , Kobayashi Tatsuhiko , Shiba Tomoaki , Hayashi Naoyuki
Published: April 2022

Purpose

We examined the effects of aging and exercise habits on the ocular blood flow (OBF) and its profiles throughout the optic nerve head region and choroidal area. We hypothesized that exercise habits reduce the stiffness of vessels in the ocular circulation, which generally increases with aging.

Methods

Participants in a medical checkup program (698 males and 192 females aged 28 to 80 years) were categorized into 2 groups (with and without exercise habits) based on participant self-reporting and the definition of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (MHLW). OBF in the right eye was measured and analyzed using laser speckle flowgraphy. The blowout time (BOT), which is the time during which the blood flow is higher than half of the mean of the minimum and maximum signals during one heartbeat, was calculated as an index of the blood flow profile. BOT has been used as an indicator of the flexibility of blood vessels.

Results

BOT significantly decreased with aging. Neither the self-reported nor MHLW-based exercise habits significantly affected the ocular circulation.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the stiffness of the ocular vessels increases with aging, and this cannot be prevented by exercise habits.
Experimental study on engineering properties of fiber-stabilized carbide-slag-solidified soil
Authors: Hongzhou Zhang , Limei Tian , Shuang Wang , Yanhong Qiao
Published: April 2022

Carbide slag has been used to prepare solidified soil to effectively reduce the stacking and disposal of carbide slag and achieve efficient resource utilization. Because of the significant brittleness and low strength of carbide-slag-stabilized soil, fibers were added to carbide-slag-stabilized soil in this experimental study. The effects of fiber length and fiber content on the unconfined compressive and indirect tensile strengths of carbide-slag-stabilized soil were investigated. The concepts of the density of fibers in solidified soil and the number of fibers in a unit volume solidified soil were proposed, and the effects of fiber distribution density on the mechanical properties of the solidified soil were evaluated. The fibers increased the indirect tensile strength of the carbide-slag-solidified soil, which was significantly higher than the unconfined compressive strength of the solidified soil. The fibers had no significant effect on the unconfined compressive and indirect tensile strengths of the 7 d carbide-slag-solidified soil but increased those of the 28 d carbide-slag-solidified soil. The enhancement effect was the most significant when a 0.3% content of 19 mm long fibers was incorporated into the carbide-slag-solidified soil.
Integrated use of phosphorus, farmyard manure and biofertilizer improves the yield and phosphorus uptake of black gram in silt loam soil
Authors: Singh Jagdish , Bhatt Rajan , S. Dhaliwal S. , Dhillon B. S. , Al-Huqail Asma A. , Alfagham Alanoud , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Ali Hayssam M. , Khan Faheema , Kumar Ritesh
Published: April 2022

An experiment on the use of farmyard manure and biofertilizer along with application of chemical phosphorus was conducted to assess the impact of differential doses of phosphorus, farmyard manure and consortium biofertilizer application on the development, yield and phosphorus uptake during the year 2018 and 2019. The impact of different treatments was recorded on the plant height, dry matter partition, yield and yield attributes, phosphorus uptake and soil phosphorus availability using standard methods. The data revealed significant improvement in yield, yield attributes, phosphorus uptake and soil phosphorus availability. The integration of farmyard manure and biofertilizer with 60 kg ha-1 SSP (single superphosphate) has improved the black gram yield by 7.4% and 3.28% respectively over the use of 60 SSP alone. The phosphorus uptake in black gram with application of Farm yard manure and biofertilizer along with 60 kg ha-1 SSP has improved the uptake by 7.18% and 2.51% respectively over the use of 60 kg ha-1 SSP alone. The results highlight the need of integrated application of farm yard manure, biofertilizer for sustainable production of black gram in the region.
Understanding undergraduate students’ eHealth usage and views of the patient-provider relationship
Authors: Reyes Michelle Anne , Vance-Chalcraft Heather D.
Published: April 2022

eHealth has grown exponentially alongside technology and has become widely accessed by some populations, but little is documented about how undergraduate students use eHealth or perceive their eHealth literacy. As access to online information and non-traditional options for interacting with providers has increased, patient views of the provider-patient relationship may also be changing. This study evaluates how frequently undergraduates use eHealth, how they perceive their ability to use eHealth appropriately, and how they view their patient-provider relationships. A mixed methods approach was used to address the research questions, with quantitative data from a survey and qualitative data from follow-up interviews of twelve of the survey respondents. The survey was distributed to over 650 undergraduate students in introductory biology laboratory courses for students of all fields of interest at one university. Based on 527 survey responses and 12 interviews, students reported commonly using eHealth but being skeptical of telehealth appointments. Although students generally felt capable of finding and interpreting eHealth sources, they were not strongly confident in their ability to do so. Use of eHealth was not seen as altering the patient-provider relationship, but students expressed a desire for their physician to act more as a counselor or advisor than a guardian. Students from minority populations were more likely to use eHealth in comparison to their peers. In addition, student comfort with their provider differed by race and ethnicity, as well as whether they shared the same gender identity as their provider. This research highlights how undergraduate students, who are often making medical decisions for themselves for the first time as adults, access health information and view the patient-provider relationship differently than the traditional guardian or paternalistic model. In addition, having diverse, culturally competent medical providers are critical for students to develop the relationship with their provider that they desire.
A study on pick cutting properties with full-scale rotary cutting experiments and numerical simulations
Authors: Zhang Qianqian , Fan Qiuxia , Gao Hongbin , Wu Yulong , Xu Fujing
Published: April 2022

To investigate the cutting forces on road-header picks, a series of full-scale single-pick rotary cutting tests on sandstone samples were conducted at the National Engineering Laboratory of Coal Mining Machinery and Equipment, China. The primary objective of this study is to optimize the cut spacing and to verify the numerical simulation results. Cutting forces are investigated under different cutting depths and cut spacings. Cut spacing is optimized by analyzing the specific energy, coarseness index, and cutting force. The rock cutting process is simulated on a pick model using the PFC3D software. Rock samples are used as models, and particle assemblies and micro-properties are calibrated by uniaxial compressive strength tests and Brazilian disc tensile strength tests. The optimum ratio of cut spacing to cutting depth for the analyzed sandstone is determined to be in the range of 3 to 4. The experimental results show that a higher coarseness index corresponds to an increased block ratio, and specific energy decreases under optimum cutting conditions. Forces acting on the pick model are determined by simulation. A reasonable agreement exists between the experimental and numerical simulation results regarding the pick forces. The influence of the cut spacing on the rock-breaking effect observed in the experiments is confirmed by numerical simulations. Therefore, numerical simulations using the PFC3D software represent a reliable method for predicting the pick forces.