bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling The Pupil Displacement During Pharmacologically Induced Mydriasis
Authors: Simonet Pierre , Gagné Jocelyne
Published: February 2023

The pupil is an important componant of the optics of the human eye. Pupil centration and diameter contribute to retinal image quality1,2. It has been previously shown that the geometric center of the entrance pupil of the eye may shift during mydriasis, either pharmacologically induced or naturally induced by darkness3-6. However, the repeatability of the pupil displacement has not been studied and it does not seem to be known whether this shift occurs at random or not for a given subject. This information is important for photorefractive surgery7 because the relative centration of the ablated corneal zone with respect to the pupil is a critical issue for retinal image quality. Pupil displacement with respect to this corneal zone occurring during pupil dilation may introduce a comatic aberration and this could explain some complaints reported by patients at night.
Gaze Stability With Telescopic Spectacles: Challenges of Viewing Up Close and Personal
Authors: Demer Joseph L. , Crane Ben T.
Published: February 2023

Optimal visual function requires that images of interest be maintained on the fovea with sufficient stability, despite unintended but ubiquitous rotations and translations of the head. This gaze stabilization is necessary since retinal image velocities exceeding 2-3°/sec are associated with a log-linear decline in visual acuity(2). We show elsewhere in this volume that, during normal vision, gaze stability is achieved by a combination of angular and linear vestibulo-ocular reflex responses, as well as coordination of coupling between head rotation and translation. The head effectively moves in a broad arc about an axis of rotation anterior to the head. Gaze stabilization during natural activities such as standing and ambulation is most effective during viewing of remote targets, but is degraded with target proximity. Gaze stabilization must also be achieved when subjects wear head-mounted devices such as video or telescopic spectacle magnifiers. Such devices enlarge images on the retina and markedly alter the demands placed on gaze stabilization reflexes. Due to technical limitations, prior studies of the effects of telescopic spectacles emphasized visual enhancement of the gain (compensatory eye velocity divided by head velocity) of the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). These studies reported the seemingly paradoxical observation that while large and appropriate enhancements of VOR gain occurred when subjects wearing telescopic spectacles made repetitive, predictable movements(3), gain enhancements were considerably smaller during unpredictable head movements or those incidental to natural activities(4). We investigated this problem by directly measuring gaze stability in all degrees of rotational and translational freedom in naturally-moving subjects wearing telescopic spectacles.
Legibility of Outline Fonts
Authors: Arditi Aries , Liu Lei , Lynn William
Published: February 2023

Several studies in recent years have demonstrated strong effects of typography on text legibility (Arditi, 1996; Arditi, Cagenello, & Jacobs, 1995; Arditi, Knoblauch, & Grunwald, 1990; Loomis, 1990; Mansfield, Legge, & Bane, 1996; Tinker, 1963). The approach taken in this laboratory has been to assess the effects of typographic variables by comparing legibility of fonts that vary only in the dimension of interest (e.g. stroke width, spacing). While in the past we have used reading speed as a legibility criterion (Arditi et al., 1990; Knoblauch, Arditi, & Szlyk, 1991), our recent work has defined legibility as the smallest letter size that can be effectively read. In the present study we examine the legibility of outline fonts relative to their solid counterparts, under conditions of wide and close spacing.
Modeling Sensitivity to Perimetric Stimuli: What About the Cortex?
Authors: Swanson William H. , Felius Joost
Published: February 2023

Automated perimetry is a standard clinical tool for evaluating visual loss due to glaucoma, yet histological studies of donor eyes from patients with glaucoma have shown that 20% - 40% of retinal ganglion cells in a given retinal region may die before a relative scotoma appears1. This finding has lead to a number of proposals for alternative stimulus configurations, with the goal of tapping ganglion cell mosaics in a more efficient manner. Alternative stimuli used in a range of laboratories include short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP)2,3, flicker perimetry4,5, and red-on-white perimetry6.
Activity in the visual cortex of a hemianope measured using fMRI
Authors: Baseler H. A. , Wandell B. A. , Morland A. B. , Jones S. R. , Ruddock K. H.
Published: February 2023

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to identify and map visual areas in the cerebral cortex of visually normal humans (Engel et al., in press). Here, we use the methods that have been developed on normal observers to assess the neural responses in subject, G.Y., who has cortical damage that includes left area V1. This subject has reported limited sensation of select stimuli beyond 2.5 deg in his right peripheral visual field (Barbur et al. 1980). Here we report preliminary analyses of the organization of this subject’s visual areas, and we describe some of the cortical signals that occur when stimuli are presented to the subject’s “blind” visual field.
Can We Safely Measure Contrast Sensitivity Without Full Optical Correction ?
Authors: Woods Russell L , Strang Niall C , Atchison David A
Published: February 2023

Changes in the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) often have been used to demonstrate the effects of an experimental treatment or die process of some ophthalmic disease. For example, spatial frequency selective minima (notches) in the CSF have been reported in certain ophthalmic conditions.1,2 Similar notches in the CSF of otherwise normal eyes have been predicted from consideration of optical theory,3, 4 yet surprisingly notches have only recently been reliably demonstrated with astigmatic defocus5 and spherical defocus.6,7,8 One early study9 appears to show moderate notches with 2.0D myopic defocus. The authors did not comment on the notches. 9 Other workers have unfortunately often averaged CSFs between subjects or between hyperopic and myopic defocus which would tend to hide any notches.4, 10
Blood Glucose Effects on the Dark-Adapted ERG
Authors: Schneck Marilyn E. , Fortune Brad , Adams Anthony J.
Published: February 2023

Our lab has been investigating the effects of short-term fluemations in blood glucose levels on visual function in normal and diabetic subjects.
Detection of certain corneal pathologies using parameters derived from topographical measurements of the corneal surface
Authors: Campbell Charles E.
Published: February 2023

Many methods have been tried to detect pathological conditions of the cornea using corneal topography. In the approach communicated here certain global parameters derived from topographical information of the anterior corneal surface are shown to create a three dimensional parameter space which can be partitioned so as to divide the general population into sub populations, each of which is well correlated with certain pathological conditions of the cornea or with clinically normal corneas. In addition, these parameter groupings give insight in the structural mechanisms underlying the disorder they identify.
Preferential Loss of Lateral Interaction in Amblyopia
Authors: Candy T. Rowan , Norcia Anthony M. , Polat Uri
Published: February 2023

Amblyopia is an abnormality of form perception that is classically defined in terms of a reduction in letter acuity. Losses of letter acuity and vernier acuity are well correlated in amblyopia, and both these acuities are more severely affected than grating acuity (Levi and Klein, 1982). Tests of vernier acuity are thus likely to be sensitive indicators of form vision losses in the treatment of amblyopia.
Changes in Letter and Word Acuity with Simulated Cataract and Central Scotoma
Authors: Fine Elisabeth M. , Rubin Gary S.
Published: February 2023

Age-related maculopathy (ARM) is the leading cause of severe visual impairment among older persons. ARM accounts for 35% of severe visual impairment and 43% of legal blindness in persons 65 years of age or older (Muioz et al., 1997). ARM was the primary diagnosis of the majority of patients referred for low vision services in Cardiff, Wales (Leat & Millodot, 1990), Ontario, Canada (Elliott et al., 1992), and Baltimore, MD (A. Habel, personal communication). ARM causes macular scotomas and is frequently accompanied by other forms of ocular pathology, most notably cataracts. From population-based studies (Mufioz et al., 1997) it is estimated that approximately 35% of patients with ARM also have clinically significant cataract. Recent advances in cataract surgery have resulted in a procedure that is highly effective and involves low risk. Many of the cataracts encountered in eyes with ARM would be removed were there no macular disease. But frequently, cataract surgery is postponed in ARM patients because the surgeon feels that the post-operative improvement in visual acuity would be minimal and would be outweighed by the risk of complications. However, we know of no data that establish how cataracts and macular scotomas jointly affect acuity.
Curvature Detection at Different Orientations in the Upper and Lower Visual Hemifields
Authors: Faubert Jocelyn , Pinard Michel , Simonet Pierre , Gresset Jacques
Published: February 2023

The distortion produced by an ophthalmic lens can be quantified by the curvature it generates relative to a straight line (LeGrand, 1956; Fry, 1977; Simonet, Bourdoncle, & Mibge, 1995). These distortions will have a significant impact on functional vision only if their magnitude surpass the minimal change required to produce visual sensations. Therefore, the first point of interest in the present study relates to curvature detection (Tyler, 1973; Wilson, 1985).
Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) Estimates of Spatial Acuity in 4-Month-Old Infants: A New Swept-Parameter Technique
Authors: Hartmann E. Eugenie , Zemon Vance , Buckley Stephen W. , Fitzgerald Kathleen M. , Gordon James , Montalto Michael B.
Published: February 2023

Most studies of visual development in human infants rely on one of two measures of visual functioning; behavioral or electrophysiological testing. Each of these techniques has been successfully used to evaluate spatial vision in infants [for reviews see: Dobson (1994); Hartmann (1995); Zemon, Eisner, Gordon, Grose-Fifer, Shoup & Tenedios (1995)]. We recently described a new, objective visual evoked potential (VEP) technique for assessing the development of spatial vision (Zemon, Hartmann, Gordon & Prünte-Glowazki, 1997). Our initial report included data from a total of 20 participants: 10 infants and 10 older observers between the ages of 4 and 33 years, most of whom were 16 to 19 years of age. The purpose of this paper is to provide additional data from a larger group of infants at one age range. These data further document the application of our procedure with infants and provide an initial set of norms for one age group.
Refractive Status of Indigenous People Deep within the Amazon Rain Forest
Authors: Thorn Frank , Cruz Antonio A.V. , Machado André Juca , Chaves Ricardo
Published: February 2023

Cultural environment appears to affect the development of myopia. In a number of populations, the prevalence of myopia is associated with the level of education or amount of reading.1-3 However, genetic factors also appear to be associated with the prevalence and degree of myopia. For example, educated Chinese populations in Asia and in the United States have a very high prevalence of myopia, often exceeding 80%, while those with limited education (soldiers, farmers, and laborers) have a relatively low prevalence of myopia.4-6
Decreased Light Levels Affect the Emmetropization Process in Chickens
Authors: Moore S.E. , Irving E.L. , Sivak J.G. , Callender M.G.
Published: February 2023

Over the past three decades, refractive errors have been induced in a variety of vertebrate species by various methods. By manipulating the visual environment during early visual experience, hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism have been induced. When using defocus to induce refractive error, the error results from an adjustment in the emmetropization process in order to compensate for the induced blur. The rationale associated with lid suture, form deprivation, dark rearing, continuous light exposure, and dim light exposure is less clear.
Changes in Retinal Morphology following Experimentally Induced Myopia
Authors: Troilo David
Published: February 2023

The effects of increased eye size on retinal cell topography and morphology were examined using experimental animal models of myopia (chick and marmoset). Retinas from experimentally enlarged eyes have significantly larger areas than control eyes. Changes in the topography of cell density and the morphological structure of dendritic arbors of cells in the inner retina are consistent with the hypothesis that the retina stretches as the eye grows. In the marmoset, experimentally enlarged eyes had higher foveal cone densities than controls suggesting that stretch is an important factor in the increasing photoreceptor packing observed during normal foveal development. The increased axial length, retinal magnification, and foveal photoreceptor packing in experimental myopia suggest that the potential for higher acuity vision exists in human myopes. Any observed limitations in the acuity in myopes may result from other causes.
Unambiguous signatures: Entanglement, EPR and Bell
Authors: Drummond P. D. , Reid M. D. , Cavalcanti E. , Bachor H.
Published: February 2023

We address the important issue of how to unambiguously identify signatures of quantum entanglement in the presence of decoherence and loss. We analyse entanglement, EPR and Bell violation experiments, with both state impurity and detector inefficiency effects included. We also find a new class of Bell inequality, applicable to either discrete or continuous measurements. This new Bell inequality has the remarkable property that it is more immune to losses as the photon number and number of parties observing increases.
Multi-party quantum correlation and entanglement
Authors: You Li
Published: February 2023

A characterization of the complete correlation structure in an n-party system is proposed in terms of a series of (k, n) threshold classical secret sharing protocols (2 ≤ k ≤ n). The total correlation is shown to be the sum of independent correlations of 2-, 3-,…, n-parties. Our result unifies several earlier scattered works, and shines new light at the important topic of multi-party quantum entanglement. As an application, we explicitly construct the hierarchy of correlations in an n-qubit graph state.
Atomic Coherence and Matter-wave Goos-Hänchen-Like Shifts
Authors: Huang Jianhua , Duan Zhenglu , Ling Hongyuan , Zhang Weiping
Published: February 2023

In conventional optics for light waves, the pioneering work by Goos-Hänchen in 1947 on the lateral shift (or displacement) of a light beam along the surface of a dielectric boundary under the condition of total reflection has stimulated a large number of studies. The key physics behind the Goos-Hänchen shift is the nature of wave interference. From the perspective of wave optics, the incident beam of a finite transverse width can be viewed as composed of plane wave components, each of which has a slightly different transverse wavevector. Each wave component, after the total internal reflection, undergoes a different phase shift, and the superposition of all the reflected wave components gives rise to the lateral shift of the intensity peak in the reflected beam.
Ancilla Assisted Decoherence Suppression for Photonic Qubits
Authors: Özdemir Şahin Kaya , Yamamoto Takashi , Koashi Masato , Imoto Nobuyuki
Published: February 2023

By adding an ancilla photon in the fixed polarization state and making good use of quantum parity check, the polarization state of a photonic qubit, which may or may not be entangled to other systems, are successfully protected against collective decoherence.
Measures and dynamics of entanglement
Authors: Buchleitner Andreas
Published: February 2023

Quantum information technology largely relies on a precious and fragile resource, quantum entanglement, a highly nontrivial manifestation of the coherent superposition of states of composite quantum systems. However, our knowledge on the time evolution of this resource under realistic conditions, when corrupted by environment-induced decoherence, is hitherto rather limited, and general statements on entanglement dynamics in open systems are scarce. The lecture will start from a short recollection of the basic elements of entanglement theory for finite dimensional composite mixed quantum states, spell out the central difficulties for the formulation of a general theory, and then address various aspects of open system entanglement dynamics in variable dimensions. Also the issue of direct experimental probing of the entanglement inscribed into an unknown mixed quantum state will be briefly discussed.
What is decoherence and how to control it?
Authors: Kurizki G. , Gordon G. , Erez N.
Published: February 2023

A physical picture -is presented of decoherence and its dynamical control on non-Markovian time scales. The Nakajima-Zwanzig master-equation formalism , combined with optimal-control theory , is used to obtain universal recipes for driving fields capable of optimally suppressing decoherence or maximizing fidelity in multipartite quantum computing or storage .This approach also allows ultrafast control of thermodynamic properties.
Dynamics of dissipative electronic systems and quantum transport: Hierarchical equations of motion approach
Authors: Yan YiJing
Published: February 2023

A quantum dissipation theory is formulated in terms of hierarchically coupled equations of motion for an arbitrary fermionic system coupled with grand canonical fermionic bath ensembles.1 The theoretical construction starts with the second-quantization influence functional in path integral formalism, in which the fermionic creation and annihilation operators are represented by Grassmann variables. Temporal derivatives on influence functionals are then performed in a hierarchical manner, on the basis of calculus-on-path-integral algorithm. Both the multiple-frequency-dispersion and the non-Markovian reservoir parametrization schemes are considered for the desired hierarchy construction. The resulting formalism is in principle exact, applicable to interacting systems, with arbitrary time-dependent external fields. It renders an exact tool to evaluate various transient and stationary quantum transport properties of many-electron systems. At the second-tier truncation level the present theory recovers the real-time diagrammatic formalism developed by Schön and coworkers.2 For a single-particle system, the hierarchical formalism terminates at the second tier exactly, and the Landuer-Büttiker's transport current expression is readily recovered. Numerical studies will be presented to highlight the richness of transient current through both interacting and noninteracting model systems.
Quantum Memory, Quantum Phase Gate and Polarization Entangled Photon Pairs in a Coherent Atomic System
Authors: Gu Ying , Li Pengbo , Gong Qihuang , Guo Guangcan
Published: February 2023

It is known that photons are the ideal carriers of quantum information and ensemble of atoms can be acted as the long lived storage and processing units. In the coherently prepared atomic ensemble with the light resonantly interacting with the atoms, various schemes have been proposed to implement quantum state transfer and storage, quantum phase gate, generation of entangled photons, and the long-distance quantum communication [1].

We first proposed the dark-state polaritons in a five-level M-type atomic ensemble in the electro magnetically induced transparency (EIT) [2], Under conditions of the low excitation limit and adiabatic following, the quantum field can be mapped onto the atomic polarization states, forming the shape preserving quantum states of polaritons. Two channels for robust quantum memory are provided.

Then, we investigated the nonlinear optical response of a five-level tripod atomic system in the EIT, and proposed a three-qubit phase gate protocol based on the fifth-order nonlinearity [3]. The cross phase modulation among three weak fields induced by the fifth-order nonlinearity in EIT can produce the phase shift of order n, which can be used to realize the three-qubit polarization phase gate.

Finally, we proposed a cavity-QED scheme that can effectively generate EPR polarization-entangled photon pairs [4], A four-level tripod atom successively couples to two high-Q optical cavities possessing polarization degeneracy, assisted by a classical π-polarized pump field. The stimulated Raman adiabatic passage process in the atom-cavity system is used to produce the polarization-entangled photon pairs. The proposal is particularly robust against atomic spontaneous decay. The above protocols should have potential applications in quantum information processing.
Fabrication and Postprocessing of Ge-Doped Nanoweb Fibers
Authors: Torres-Peiró S. , Diez A. , Cruz J. L. , Andrés M.V.
Published: February 2023

The stack and draw technique provides an enormous flexibility and permits to obtain rather complex photonic crystal fibers and other nanoweb structures. It is possible to fabricate Ge-doped microstructured fibers combining silica capillaries and doped wires of silica glass. Here, we will present the fabrication and postprocessing of Ge-doped Y-shaped fibers. These structures may exhibit strong evanescent fields in the air holes, while the presence of a Ge-doped core increases the versatility when designing new fiber-optic components.
Optical Fiber Design And Fabrication: Discussion On Recent Developments
Authors: Roy Philippe , Devautour Mathieu , Lavoute Laure , Gaponov Dmitry , Brasse Gurvan , Hautreux Stéphanie , Février Sébastien , Restoin Christine , Auguste Jean-Louis , Gérôme Frédéric , Humbert Georges , Blondy Jean-Marc
Published: February 2023

Level of emitted power and beam quality of singlemode fiber lasers have been drastically increased at the expense of loss due to bend sensitivity, simplicity of manufacturing and packaging. Furthermore, the extension of the spectral coverage was primarily explored by exploiting non-linear effects, neglecting numerous possible transitions of rare earths. Through different research areas, we demonstrate the possibilities offered by new fiber designs and alternative methods of manufacturing. Photonic Band Gap fibers reconcile diffraction limited beam and large mode area with low bending loss. 80 % slope efficiency is demonstrated together with a robust propagation allowing the fiber to be tightly bent until wounding radii as small as 6 cm. Highly ytterbium doped multimode core surrounded by high refractive index rods fiber exhibits a transverse singlemode behavior under continuous wave laser regime. A robust lp01 mode is observed and filtering effect is clearly observed. A non CVD process based on silica sand vitrification allows the synthesis of large and highly doped core with high index homogeneity, opening the way to design of efficient large mode area fiber lasers. 74% slope efficiency is measured, demonstrating the good quality of the core material. Finally, the use of rare earth (Er3+) doped zirconia nanocrystals in silica matrix offers a large panel of ignored energy transitions for visible or off-usual band of emission.
Erbium-Doped Photonic Crystal Fibers: Fabrication and Characterization
Authors: Sánchez-Martín J. A. , Álvarez J. M. , Rebolledo M. A. , Torres-Peiró S. , Díez A. , Andrés M.V.
Published: February 2023

We give the details of the fabrication approach that we follow to prepare Erbium-doped photonic crystal fibers and the basic characterization of these fibers. The fibers were fabricated using the conventional stack-and-draw technique. The preforms were prepared combining pure silica capillaries to form a hexagonal lattice and an Erbium doped wire to define the core. Fibers with different pitch, air filling fraction and core diameter have been prepared. The preliminary experiments show fairly good results for the gain of the fibers, giving up to 75 dB internal gain for a fiber length of 21 m and 156 mW pump power. Ring lasers made with these fibers give up to 13 mW output power at 1550 nm, using a fiber length of 13 m and a pump power of 1555 mW, which corresponds to an optical power efficiency above 8%.
Generation of energetic wavelength tunable femtosecond pulses in higher-order-mode fiber
Authors: Xu Chris
Published: February 2023

We demonstrate soliton-self frequency shift and Cerenkov radiation in higher-order-mode solid, silica-based fibers below 1300 nm. A wavelength shift of 240 nm and pulse energy of 1 nJ were achieved for sub 100-fs pulses. In addition, a novel wavelength tuning method will be presented.
Contact networks have small metric backbones that maintain community structure and are primary transmission subgraphs
Authors: Brattig Correia Rion , Barrat Alain , Rocha Luis M.
Published: February 2023

The structure of social networks strongly affects how different phenomena spread in human society, from the transmission of information to the propagation of contagious diseases. It is well-known that heterogeneous connectivity strongly favors spread, but a precise characterization of the redundancy present in social networks and its effect on the robustness of transmission is still lacking. This gap is addressed by the metric backbone, a weight- and connectivity-preserving subgraph that is sufficient to compute all shortest paths of weighted graphs. This subgraph is obtained via algebraically-principled axioms and does not require statistical sampling based on null-models. We show that the metric backbones of nine contact networks obtained from proximity sensors in a variety of social contexts are generally very small, 49% of the original graph for one and ranging from about 6% to 20% for the others. This reflects a surprising amount of redundancy and reveals that shortest paths on these networks are very robust to random attacks and failures. We also show that the metric backbone preserves the full distribution of shortest paths of the original contact networks—which must include the shortest inter- and intra-community distances that define any community structure—and is a primary subgraph for epidemic transmission based on pure diffusion processes. This suggests that the organization of social contact networks is based on large amounts of shortest-path redundancy which shapes epidemic spread in human populations. Thus, the metric backbone is an important subgraph with regard to epidemic spread, the robustness of social networks, and any communication dynamics that depend on complex network shortest paths.
Fusome topology and inheritance during insect gametogenesis
Authors: Diegmiller Rocky , Imran Alsous Jasmin , Li Duojia , Yamashita Yukiko M. , Shvartsman Stanislav Y.
Published: February 2023

From insects to mammals, oocytes and sperm develop within germline cysts comprising cells connected by intercellular bridges (ICBs). In numerous insects, formation of the cyst is accompanied by growth of the fusome—a membranous organelle that permeates the cyst. Fusome composition and function are best understood in Drosophila melanogaster: during oogenesis, the fusome dictates cyst topology and size and facilitates oocyte selection, while during spermatogenesis, the fusome synchronizes the cyst’s response to DNA damage. Despite its distinct and sex-specific roles during insect gametogenesis, elucidating fusome growth and inheritance in females and its structure and connectivity in males has remained challenging. Here, we take advantage of advances in three-dimensional (3D) confocal microscopy and computational image processing tools to reconstruct the topology, growth, and distribution of the fusome in both sexes. In females, our experimental findings inform a theoretical model for fusome assembly and inheritance and suggest that oocyte selection proceeds through an ‘equivalency with a bias’ mechanism. In males, we find that cell divisions can deviate from the maximally branched pattern observed in females, leading to greater topological variability. Our work consolidates existing disjointed experimental observations and contributes a readily generalizable computational approach for quantitative studies of gametogenesis within and across species.
Increasing transparency in machine learning through bootstrap simulation and shapely additive explanations
Authors: Huang Alexander A. , Huang Samuel Y.
Published: February 2023

Machine learning methods are widely used within the medical field. However, the reliability and efficacy of these models is difficult to assess, making it difficult for researchers to identify which machine-learning model to apply to their dataset. We assessed whether variance calculations of model metrics (e.g., AUROC, Sensitivity, Specificity) through bootstrap simulation and SHapely Additive exPlanations (SHAP) could increase model transparency and improve model selection. Data from the England National Health Services Heart Disease Prediction Cohort was used. After comparison of model metrics for XGBoost, Random Forest, Artificial Neural Network, and Adaptive Boosting, XGBoost was used as the machine-learning model of choice in this study. Boost-strap simulation (N = 10,000) was used to empirically derive the distribution of model metrics and covariate Gain statistics. SHapely Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to provide explanations to machine-learning output and simulation to evaluate the variance of model accuracy metrics. For the XGBoost modeling method, we observed (through 10,000 completed simulations) that the AUROC ranged from 0.771 to 0.947, a difference of 0.176, the balanced accuracy ranged from 0.688 to 0.894, a 0.205 difference, the sensitivity ranged from 0.632 to 0.939, a 0.307 difference, and the specificity ranged from 0.595 to 0.944, a 0.394 difference. Among 10,000 simulations completed, we observed that the gain for Angina ranged from 0.225 to 0.456, a difference of 0.231, for Cholesterol ranged from 0.148 to 0.326, a difference of 0.178, for maximum heart rate (MaxHR) ranged from 0.081 to 0.200, a range of 0.119, and for Age ranged from 0.059 to 0.157, difference of 0.098. Use of simulations to empirically evaluate the variability of model metrics and explanatory algorithms to observe if covariates match the literature are necessary for increased transparency, reliability, and utility of machine learning methods. These variance statistics, combined with model accuracy statistics can help researchers identify the best model for a given dataset.
Network approaches and interventions in healthcare settings: A systematic scoping review
Authors: Saatchi Ameneh Ghazal , Pallotti Francesca , Sullivan Paul
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The growing interest in networks of interactions is sustained by the conviction that they can be leveraged to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery systems. Evidence in support of this conviction, however, is mostly based on descriptive studies. Systematic evaluation of the outcomes of network interventions in healthcare settings is still wanting. Despite the proliferation of studies based on Social Network Analysis (SNA) tools and techniques, we still know little about how intervention programs aimed at altering existing patterns of social interaction among healthcare providers affect the quality of service delivery. We update and extend prior reviews by providing a comprehensive assessment of available evidence.

Methods and findings

We searched eight databases to identify papers using SNA in healthcare settings published between 1st January 2010 and 1st May 2022. We followed Chambers et al.’s (2012) approach, using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. We distinguished between studies relying on SNA as part of an intervention program, and studies using SNA for descriptive purposes only. We further distinguished studies recommending a possible SNA-based intervention. We restricted our focus on SNA performed on networks among healthcare professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, etc.) in any healthcare setting (e.g., hospitals, primary care, etc.). Our final review included 102 papers. The majority of the papers used SNA for descriptive purposes only. Only four studies adopted SNA as an intervention tool, and measured outcome variables.

Conclusions

We found little evidence for SNA-based intervention programs in healthcare settings. We discuss the reasons and challenges, and identify the main component elements of a network intervention plan. Future research should seek to evaluate the long-term role of SNA in changing practices, policies and behaviors, and provide evidence of how these changes affect patients and the quality of service delivery.
Puss in Boots, ballerina in breeches
Authors: Langer Karin
Published: February 2023

Costume and its contribution to a stage production is still a less frequently researched field in theatre studies. Yet it plays an important role in the performance of a role in both theatre and stage dance. Using the fairy-tale character of Puss in Boots in the ballet Die goldene Märchenwelt (first performed in Vienna, 1893), which is very well-known not only in the German-speaking world, the extent to which the recognizability of the character is supported by the costume is examined in this article. Costume designer Franz Gaul (1837–1906) was inspired not only by the various fairy-tale versions, but also by a large number of illustrations and stage adaptations. The source for the costume analysis here is a series of photographs of the dancer Wilhelmine Rathner (1863–1913) playing Puss in Boots archived at the Theatermuseum in Vienna. Through this medium a second level of investigation arises, namely that of the photographic (self-)staging of the desirable woman through costume and pose in a complicated interplay of textures and distances. This staging gains another – potentially eroticizing – level through the conception of the role of Puss in Boots as a breeches role.
One of the thorny kind: The Red Queen’s organic armour in Alice through the Looking Glass (2016)
Authors: Davies Cath
Published: February 2023

Alice through the Looking Glass() the sequel toAlice in Wonderland() reconfigures Carroll’s tyrannical dictator the Queen of Hearts/Red Queen. The film offers insights into her formative years in the style ofMaleficent() andCruella(), explaining the circumstances that have shaped this formidable diva. Fictional character transformations are often signposted through style and this study addresses the role that costume design plays in the reimagining of this monarch. Clothing and adornment frequently highlight plot and character transitions in fairy-tale narratives and the significance of Colleen Atwood’s ‘organic armour’ garment in fabricating a more nuanced shading for Carroll’s gaudy caricature will be examined. The Red Queen’s affinity with abrasive textures in Carroll’s description of her as ‘thorny’ is a catalyst for fusions and juxtapositions of both smooth and textured materials in this dress, amplifying the interplay between organic and inorganic surfaces in this film.Alice through the Looking Glassand Atwood’s design specifically, not only serves as a conduit for the Red Queen’s transitioning identity, but also provides a platform to appraise ideologies inherent in material surfaces within fairy-tale narratives.
Red capes, dog gods and demon lords: Making historically plausible Inuyasha cosplay costumes
Authors: King Emerald L.
Published: February 2023

This article presents a close reading of two costume designs from Takahashi Rumiko’s Inuyasha series (manga 1996–2008), and details the methods used to create a pair of cosplay costumes. It will explore how character designs are imbued with identity and narrative foreshadowing. Throughout this article, reference will be made to fan scholarship in addition to more academic sources. As Matt Hills points out with his model of the ‘scholar-fan’, fans are often conducting research and work that academics have yet to address, and this is often the case with anime fandom. Further, my work on cosplay treats fan-constructed costumes as an act of fan translation akin to other activities such as ‘scanlations’, that is scanned translations of manga, comics or graphic novels.
The Routledge Pantomime Reader, 1800–1900, Jennifer Schacker and Daniel O’Quinn (eds) (2022)
Authors: Sladen Simon
Published: February 2023

Review of: The Routledge Pantomime Reader, 1800–1900, Jennifer Schacker and Daniel O’Quinn (eds) (2022)

Abingdon and New York: Routledge, 456 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-36744-437-2, h/bk, £152
The Poetry of Simplicity: Fashion and Design According to Monica Bolzoni/Bianca e Blu, Monica Bolzoni, Curated by Anna Di Cesare
Authors: Vacirca Silvia
Published: February 2023

Review of: The Poetry of Simplicity: Fashion and Design According to Monica Bolzoni/Bianca e Blu, Monica Bolzoni, Curated by Anna Di Cesare

La Galleria Nazionale, Rome, 14 December 2021–21 March 2022
Simulating Combined Cycle and Gas Turbine Power Plant under Design Condition using Open-Source Software DWSIM
Authors: Hassan Twana N. , Manji Saif T.
Published: February 2023

Nowadays, clean and high-power generation is essential matters worldwide. To be improved and optimized, power plants require accurate models that can be introduced to process simulators. There is various commercial software for industrial simulation which is not accessible to everyone. The open-source DWSIM process simulator is the first chemical engineering code that offers many tools for the better study of industrial plants. In this paper, we employ DWSIM software to simulate a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant under design conditions for three cases. The generic models are predicted for multistage compressors and compressor maps. In the first case, two models developed in ASPEN HYSYS and GateCycle will be considered. The achieved results by DWSIM are acceptably comparable for thermal efficiency and power generation. The DWSIM result is 3.5% lower than the ASPEN HYSYS for thermal efficiency, and the power generation is completely the same. In the second case, rigorous simulation was carried out using actual field data from the local CCGT power plant. The DWSIM outcomes are very close to the practical data. The power generation of GT and CC is very close; the variety is nearly 0.45%. In the third case, the simulation of CCGT with a cogeneration system is precisely accomplished, and the outcomes of DWSIM are shown in excellent agreement. The DWSIM prediction shows lower values by 0.26%, 4.79%, and 0.72% for the HP turbine, LP turbine, and plant net power, respectively.
The predictive effects of reading speed and positive affect on first and second language incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading an authentic novel
Authors: Reynolds Barry Lee , Ding Chen
Published: February 2023

This study investigated the effects of two learner-related factors on English as a first language (L1E) (n = 20) and English as a foreign language (EFL) (n = 20) learners’ incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading an authentic novel. Central to the study was the participants’ reading of the novel: A Clockwork Orange by British novelist Anthony Burgess. The novel contains slovos, which are words from nadsat, a foreignized argot used by the teenage gang members in the novel. Two unannounced tests followed the reading to measure the participants’ word meaning recall and recognition of target words. Regression analyses revealed that reading speed was a robust factor that affected both the L1E and the EFL learners’ acquisition of both word meaning recall and recognition; apparently, the faster the reading, the more words the readers acquired. However, positive affect, measured as reading enjoyment, did not turn out to be a factor in word acquisition. The findings indicate that the cognitive factor, i.e., reading speed, overrides the positive affect of reading enjoyment in determining L1E and EFL learners’ incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading. This research concludes with a discussion of the pedagogical implications of repeated and extensive reading, which promote the development of reading speed.
Effect of ketogenic diet on exercise tolerance and transcriptome of gastrocnemius in mice
Authors: Zhang Jie , Chen Bo , Zou Ke
Published: February 2023

Ketogenic diet (KD) has been proven to be an optional avenue in weight control. However, the impacts of KD on muscle strength and exercise endurance remain unclear. In this study, mice were randomly allocated to normal diet and KD groups to assess their exercise tolerance and transcriptomic changes of the gastrocnemius. KD suppressed body-weight and glucose levels and augmented blood ketone levels of mice. The total cholesterol, free fatty acids, and β-hydroxybutyric acid levels were higher and triglycerides and aspartate aminotransferase levels were lower in KD group. There was no notable difference in running distance/time and weight-bearing swimming time between the two groups. Furthermore, KD alleviated the protein levels of PGC-1α, p62, TnI FS, p-AMPKα, and p-Smad3, while advancing the LC3 II and TnI SS protein levels in the gastrocnemius tissues. RNA-sequencing found that 387 differentially expressed genes were filtered, and Cpt1b, Acadl, Eci2, Mlycd, Pdk4, Ptprc, C1qa, Emr1, Fcgr3, and Ctss were considered to be the hub genes. Our findings suggest that KD effectively reduced body weight but did not affect skeletal muscle strength and exercise endurance via AMPK/PGC-1α, Smad3, and p62/LC3 signaling pathways and these hub genes could be potential targets for muscle function in KD-treated mice.
Some classes of easily testable circuits in the Zhegalkin basis
Authors: Borodina Yulia V.
Published: February 2023

We identify the classes of Boolean functions that may be implemented by easily testable circuits in the Zhegalkin basis for constant type-1 faults on outputs of gates. An upper estimate for the length of a complete fault detection test for three-place functions is obtained.
On the concentration of the independence numbers of random hypergraphs
Authors: Denisov Ilya O. , Shabanov Dmitriy A.
Published: February 2023

The asymptotic behavior of general independence numbers of random hypergraphs for the binomial model is studied. We prove that for some types of parameter variations the distribution of independence numbers is concentrated on two neighboring values.
A new freely-downloadable hands-on density-functional theory workbook using a freely-downloadable version of deMon2k
Authors: Oozeer Nabila B. , Ponra Abraham , Etindele Anne Justine , Casida Mark E.
Published: February 2023

A hands-on workbook for density-functional theory (DFT) has been developed that can be used to provide practical teaching for students at the Masters or advanced undergraduate level that is free, can be used on a student’s own personal computer, and complements formal course work. The workbook is also very much intended to encourage students to explore program options, discover theory limitations, puzzle out what to do when the program does not work as expected, and to help students transition to thinking and using quantum chemistry programs as a researcher might do. After describing the structure of the workbook, we describe how the workbook has been used thus far as a teaching tool and as a useful step towards research-level problems.
Regulating Pt-based noble metal catalysts for the catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds: a mini review
Authors: Sui Chao , Ma Xiang Yu , Fu Wen Hui , Zeng Shi Ping , Xie Rui Rui , Zhang Zhi Ping
Published: February 2023

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important class of environmental pollutants, and there is much interest in China to eliminate such pollutants. Noble metal catalysts have long been a family of catalysts with high efficiency and good low-temperature catalytic activity. As a representative of the noble metals, Pt has been widely used. This paper reviews the research trend of Pt-based catalysts for the catalytic oxidation of VOCs, and it compares several important components of Pt-based catalysts. The size of Pt particles, supported carriers, and reaction mechanism are reviewed. Toluene in VOCs is the main research subject. The activity, stability, water resistance, and selectivity of a series of Pt-based catalysts are summarized.
“Talvez tenha havido injustiça, mas que tal serviu para demonstrar que felizmente em Jaguarão não existia expurgo a fazer”
Authors: Gonçalves de Gonçalves Darlise
Published: February 2023

Durante muito tempo, a história da ditadura brasileira foi narrada a partir das vivências e experiências ocorridas nos grandes centros urbanos, sobretudo no Sudeste do país. Entretanto, este é um panorama que vem aos poucos sendo revertido. Destacam-se nesses novos estudos, as vivências de outros atores sociais, esmiuçando outras formas de resistência, para além da armada, e levando em conta as especificidades dos diferentes setores da sociedade brasileira a partir de um recorte regional, por exemplo, afinal o país possui um vasto território e as formas de resistência e repressão possuem suas particularidades de acordo com o espaço em que se desenvolvem. Ao encontro dessa perspectiva caminha esse artigo que, sendo parte de uma pesquisa mais ampla, pretende discutir a Operação Limpeza e sua consequente repressão a setores trabalhistas após o Golpe de 1964 na interiorana e fronteiriça cidade de Jaguarão - RS.
De propriedade a proprietária, ou, Duas africanas senhoras de escravizadas (Recife, Século XVIII)
Authors: Matheus Marinho de Melo Filipe
Published: February 2023

O debate que este trabalho propõe é o de explorar os significados culturais, políticos e sociais da posse em escravizados de duas africanas libertas no Recife da segunda metade do século XVIII. A temática não é novidade para a historiografia, ainda que os estudos sobre o assunto sejam tímidos. Mas o que tentamos fazer aqui é extrapolar as considerações dadas pela historiografia sobre tais práticas serem assimilações da lógica escravista no Brasil colonial e dar uma dimensão Atlântica ao debate. Ou seja, colocar em evidência que a posse de cativos era algo que ocorria na África e que, na América portuguesa, existiram adaptações, pelos próprios africanos, tanto ao modelo de escravidão em África como ao modelo português em voga na colônia.
História indígena no Brasil
Authors: Eloá Mantovani Mulza Giovana
Published: February 2023

A política indigenista brasileira não constituiu em algo uniforme ao longo da história do país, variando à medida que se modificou o contexto histórico do Brasil. Sabe-se, todavia, que as disputas pelas terras indígenas consistiram em um fenômeno constante na realidade nacional, perpetuando-se até a contemporaneidade. Apesar das medidas teoricamente protetoras dos nativos e de suas propriedades, um balanço histórico nos permite averiguar que o conflito de terras esteve inerente à história indígena. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse texto consiste em adentrar na história indígena brasileira com o intuito de identificar as formas como o Estado procedeu na disputa pelas terras dos povos nativos. Também discutiremos o caso da Terra Indígena de Pinhalzinho, localizada na cidade de Tomazina (PR), a fim de demonstrar as expressões regionais dos conflitos analisados.