bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility and cost description of highly intensive rehabilitation involving new technologies in patients with post-acute stroke—a trial of the Swiss RehabTech Initiative
Authors: Schuster-Amft Corina , Kool Jan , Möller J. Carsten , Schweinfurther Raoul , Ernst Markus J. , Reicherzer Leah , Ziller Carina , Schwab Martin E. , Wieser Simon , Wirz Markus ,   for the SRTI study group, Menig Alexandra , Paredes Liliana P. , Rosemeier Heike
Published: July 2022

Background

There is a need to provide highly repetitive and intensive therapy programs for patients after stroke to improve sensorimotor impairment. The employment of technology-assisted training may facilitate access to individualized rehabilitation of high intensity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and acceptance of a high-intensity technology-assisted training for patients after stroke in the subacute or chronic phase and to establish its feasibility for a subsequent randomized controlled trial.

Methods

A longitudinal, multi-center, single-group study was conducted in four rehabilitation clinics. Patients participated in a high-intensity 4-week technology-assisted trainings consisting of 3 to 5 training days per week and at least 5 training sessions per day with a duration of 45 min each. Feasibility was evaluated by examining recruitment, intervention-related outcomes (adherence, subjectively perceived effort and effectiveness, adverse events), patient-related outcomes, and efficiency gains. Secondary outcomes focused on all three domains of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health. Data were analyzed and presented in a descriptive manner.

Results

In total, 14 patients after stroke were included. Participants exercised between 12 and 21 days and received between 28 and 82 (mean 46 ± 15) technology-assisted trainings during the study period, which corresponded to 2 to 7 daily interventions. Treatment was safe. No serious adverse events were reported. Minor adverse events were related to tiredness and exertion. From baseline to the end of the intervention, patients improved in several functional performance assessments of the upper and lower extremities. The efficiency gains of the trainings amounted to 10% to 58%, in particular for training of the whole body and for walking training in severely impaired patients.

Conclusions

Highly intensive technology-assisted training appears to be feasible for in- and outpatients in the subacute or chronic phase after stroke. Further clinical trials are warranted in order to define the most comprehensive approach to highly intensive technology-assisted training and to investigate its efficacy in patients with neurological disorders.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.govIdentifier: NCT03641651 at August 31st 2018
Spatial trends and projections of chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years of age in Ethiopia from 2011 to 2019: a geographically weighted regression analysis
Authors: Seboka Binyam Tariku , Hailegebreal Samuel , Mamo Tizalegn Tesfaye , Yehualashet Delelegn Emwodew , Gilano Girma , Kabthymer Robel Hussen , Ewune Helen Ali , Kassa Reta , Debisa Mary Abera , Yawo Mulugeta Namaro , Endashaw Habtamu , Demeke Abel Desalegn , Tesfa Getanew Aschalew
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Undernutrition is a serious global health issue, and stunting is a key indicator of children's nutritional status which results from long-term deprivation of basic needs. Ethiopia, the largest and most populous country in Sub-Saharan Africa, has the greatest rate of stunting among children under the age of five, yet the problem is unevenly distributed across the country. Thus, we investigate spatial heterogeneity and explore spatial projection of stunting among under-five children. Further, spatial predictors of stunting were assessed using geospatial regression models.

Methods

The Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS) data from 2011, 2016, and 2019 were examined using a geostatistical technique that took into account spatial autocorrelation. Ordinary kriging was used to interpolate stunting data, and Kulldorff spatial scan statistics were used to identify spatial clusters with high and low stunting prevalence. In spatial regression modeling, the ordinary least square (OLS) model was employed to investigate spatial predictors of stunting and to examine local spatial variations geographically weighted regression (GWR) and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) models were employed.

Results

Overall, stunting prevalence was decreased from 44.42% [95%, CI: 0.425–0.444] in 2011 to 36.77% [95%, CI: 0.349–0.375] in 2019. Across three waves of EDHS, clusters with a high prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years were consistently observed in northern Ethiopia stretching in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz. Another area of very high stunting incidence was observed in the Southern parts of Ethiopia and the Somali region of Ethiopia. Our spatial regression analysis revealed that the observed geographical variation of under-five stunting significantly correlated with poor sanitation, poor wealth index, inadequate diet, residency, and mothers' education.

Conclusions

In Ethiopia, substantial progress has been made in decreasing stunting among children under the age of 5 years; although disparities varied in some areas and districts between surveys, the pattern generally remained constant over time. These findings suggest a need for region and district-specific policies where priority should be given to children in areas where most likely to exhibit high-risk stunting.
Computational analysis uncovers the deleterious SNPs along with the mutational spectrum of p53 gene and its differential expression pattern in pan-cancer
Authors: Alam Saruar , Sayem Mohammad , Bello Martiniano , Mou Sadia Islam , Faruqui Nairita Ahsan , Hossain Faruk , Hasan Md. Kamrul
Published: July 2022

Background

A variety of accessible data, including those of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the human p53 gene, are made widely available on a global scale. Owing to this, our investigation aimed to deal with the detrimental SNPs in the p53 gene by executing various valid computational tools, including—Filter, SIFT, PredictSNP, Fathmm, UTRScan, ConSurf, SWISS-MODEL, Amber 16 package, Tm-Adjust, I-Mutant, Task Seek, GEPIA2 after practical and basic appraisal, dissolvable openness, atomic progression, analyzing the energy minimization and assessing the gene expression pattern.

Results

Out of the total 581 p53 SNPs, 420 SNPs were found to be missense or non-synonymous, 435 SNPs were in the three prime UTR, and 112 SNPs were in the five prime UTR from which 16 non-synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) were predicted to be non-tolerable while PredictSNP package predicted 14. Concentrating on six bioinformatics tools of various dimensions, a combined output was generated, where 14 nsSNPs could exert a deleterious effect. We found 5 missense SNPs in the DNA binding domain's three crucial amino acid positions, using diverse SNP analyzing tools. The underlying discoveries were fortified by microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, TM-align, I-Mutant, and Project HOPE. The ExPASy-PROSITE tools characterized whether the mutations were located in the functional part of the protein or not. This study provides a decisive outcome, concluding the accessible SNPs' information by recognizing the five unfavorable nsSNPs—rs28934573 (S241F), rs11540652 (R248Q), rs121913342 (R248W), rs121913343 (R273C), and rs28934576 (R273H). By utilizing Heatmapper and GEPIA2, several visualization plots, including heat maps, box plots, and survival plots, were produced.

Conclusions

These plots disclosed differential expression patterns of the p53 gene in humans. The investigation focused on recognizing the detrimental nsSNPs, which augmented the danger posed by various oncogenesis in patients of different populations, including within the genome-wide studies (GWS).
A scoping review on acute gastrointestinal surgical complications in immunocompromised pediatric patients
Authors: Dargham Tarek Bou , Moumneh Mohamad Bahij , Atallah Christine , Zaghal Ahmad
Published: July 2022

Background

Gastrointestinal complications are becoming increasingly more common and pose a significant risk on the health of children with compromised immunity caused by various etiologies such as chemotherapy and posttransplantation immunosuppression. We aim to review abdominal complications in immunocompromised children and their respective management.

Main body

This is a scoping review of the literature. PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Scopus libraries were searched for relevant articles. Extracted data included the etiologies of immunocompromised immunity, gastrointestinal and abdominal complications in immunocompromised children, diagnosis, and treatment of these pathologies. Examples of gastrointestinal complications in immunocompromised children include, but not limited to, neutropenic enterocolitis, acute appendicitis, bowel perforation, acalculous cholecystitis, and acute pancreatitis. Our literature review showed that bacterial and fungal infections are the major causes of exacerbation and mortality. The main cause of immunosuppression in children with neutropenic enterocolitis and acute pancreatitis is chemotherapy, and management of these pathologies using intravenous fluids, antibiotic therapy, and granulocyte-stimulating factors is the current standard of care. Surgical intervention is uncommon and reserved for complicated cases. That said, in acute appendicitis and bowel perforation, laparoscopy is the mainstay treatment. However, in systemic infections, nonsurgical interventions such as transfusion and bowel rest are the gold standard. As for acalculous cholecystitis, percutaneous cholecystectomy is superior to laparotomy and other surgical interventions.

Conclusion

Timely diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal complications in the immunocompromised children is key in reducing mortality and morbidity. Both surgical and nonsurgical interventions are needed and should be further studied in order to improve outcomes.
High-throughput Sequencing to Identify Monogenic Etiologies in a Preselected Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Cohort
Authors: Crespo Raiane P , Rocha Thais P , Montenegro Luciana R , Nishi Mirian Y , Jorge Alexander A L , Maciel Gustavo A R , Baracat Edmund , Latronico Ana Claudia , Mendonca Berenice B , Gomes Larissa G
Published: July 2022

Context

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) etiology remains to be elucidated, but familial clustering and twin studies have shown a strong heritable component.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to identify rare genetic variants that are associated with the etiology of PCOS in a preselected cohort.

Methods

This prospective study was conducted among a selected group of women with PCOS. The study’s inclusion criteria were patients with PCOS diagnosed by the Rotterdam criteria with the following phenotypes: severe insulin resistance (IR), normoandrogenic–normometabolic phenotype, adrenal hyperandrogenism, primary amenorrhea, and familial PCOS. Forty-five patients were studied by target sequencing, while 8 familial cases were studied by whole exome sequencing.

Results

Patients were grouped according to the inclusion criteria with the following distribution: 22 (41.5%) with severe IR, 13 (24.5%) with adrenal hyperandrogenism, 7 (13.2%) with normoandrogenic phenotype, 3 (5.7%) with primary amenorrhea, and 8 (15.1%) familial cases. DNA sequencing analysis identified 1 pathogenic variant in LMNA, 3 likely pathogenic variants in INSR, PIK3R1, and DLK1, and 6 variants of uncertain significance level with interesting biologic rationale in 5 genes (LMNA, GATA4, NR5A1, BMP15, and FSHR). LMNA was the most prevalent affected gene in this cohort (3 variants).

Conclusion

Several rare variants in genes related to IR were identified in women with PCOS. Although IR is a common feature of PCOS, patients with extreme or atypical phenotype should be carefully evaluated to rule out monogenic conditions.
Prediction of Metachronous Peritoneal Metastases After Radical Surgery for Colon Cancer: A Scoring System Obtained from an International Multicenter Cohort
Authors: Pedrazzani Corrado , Turri Giulia , Marrelli Daniele , Kim Hye Jin , Park Eun Jung , Spolverato Gaya , Foppa Caterina , Spinelli Antonino , Pucciarelli Salvatore , Baik Seung Hyuk , Choi Gyu Seog
Published: July 2022

Background

Since novel strategies for prevention and treatment of metachronous peritoneal metastases (mPM) are under study, it appears crucial to identify their risk factors. Our aim is to establish the incidence of mPM after surgery for colon cancer (CC) and to build a statistical model to predict the risk of recurrence.

Patients and Methods

Retrospective analysis of consecutive pT3–4 CC operated at five referral centers (2014–2018). Patients who developed mPM were compared with patients who were PM-free at follow-up. A scoring system was built on the basis of a logistic regression model.

Results

Of the 1423 included patients, 74 (5.2%) developed mPM. Patients in the PM group presented higher preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) [median (IQR): 4.5 (2.5–13.0) vs. 2.7 (1.5–5.9), P = 0.001] and CA 19-9 [median (IQR): 17.7 (12.0–37.0) vs. 10.8 (5.0–21.0), P = 0.001], advanced disease (pT4a 42.6% vs. 13.5%; pT4b 16.2% vs. 3.2%; P < 0.001), and negative pathological characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression identified CA 19-9, pT stage, pN stage, extent of lymphadenectomy, and lymphovascular invasion as significant predictors, and individual risk scores were calculated for each patient. The risk of recurrence increased remarkably with score values, and the model demonstrated a high negative predictive value (98.8%) and accuracy (83.9%) for scores below five.

Conclusions

Besides confirming incidence and risk factors for mPM, our study developed a useful clinical tool for prediction of mPM risk. After external validation, this scoring system may guide personalized decision-making for patients with locally advanced CC.
Smokers’ support for the ban on sale of slim cigarettes in six European countries: findings from the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Surveys
Authors: Mechili Enkeleint A. , Przewoźniak Krzysztof , Driezen Pete , Kyriakos Christina N , Girvalaki Charis , Mons Ute , Quah Anne CK , Fernández Esteve , Trofor Antigona C , Demjén Tibor , Katsaounou Paraskevi A , Zatoński Witold , Fong Geoffrey T , Vardavas Constantine I
Published: July 2022

Background: Efforts to regulate tobacco products and reduce consumption in the European Union (EU) include the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which went into force in May 2016. Despite the initial discussion to include a ban on sale of slim cigarettes, it was excluded in the final TPD. The main goal of this study was to examine support for a ban on slim cigarettes among smokers in six European Countries.

Methods: Data from the 2018 (Wave 2) International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project 6 European Country (ITC 6E) EUREST-PLUS project survey, a cross sectional study of adult smokers (n=5592) from Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Spain, was analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate support for a ban on slim cigarettes by sociodemographic characteristics and smoking behaviors. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with support for a ban on slim cigarettes and perceptions of harm.

Results: Support for a ban on slims varied across countries, with highest support in Romania (33.8%), and lowest in Greece (18.0%). Female smokers (OR=0.78; 95%CI=0.67-0.91, daily smokers (OR=0.68; 95%CI=0.47-0.97), menthol smokers (OR=0.55; 95%CI=0.36-0.86), and smokers who did not have plans to quit within next six months (OR=0.45; 95%CI=0.36-0.56) had significantly lower odds of supporting a ban on slim cigarettes. Overall, 21% of smokers perceived slim cigarettes as less harmful than regular cigarettes.

Conclusions: Support for a ban of slim cigarettes was relatively low among smokers, while misperceptions that slim cigarettes are less harmful is high, particularly among countries where slim cigarette use is more prevalent. Findings support a ban on slim cigarettes to reduce misperceptions around slim cigarettes being less harmful.
MEDICAL SUPPORT OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Authors: Bolshakova Valentina M. , Kholikov Ivan V. , Naumov Petr Y.
Published: July 2022

Background. The paper presents the results of an analysis of the organization and legal regulation of the medical support of the Russian judicial system. It is noted that at present, in the theoretical and applied medical/legal literature, there are no comprehensive and systematic ideas about the medical support of employees (personnel) of social institutions that traditionally relate to the functioning of the judiciary (judges of courts of various instances; other court employees; workers (employees) prosecutors, lawyers, employees of enforcement agencies). The authors are trying to resolve this contradiction based on the study of relevant scientific sources.

Materials and research methods. To obtain and generalize scientific data on the organization, essence, structure, content and features of the medical support of the judicial system, the principles of systematic, comparative legal and historical legal research were used as methodological approaches. The main methods were analysis and synthesis, systematization and conceptualization, comparison and analogy, deduction and induction, abstraction and generalization.

Results. A consistent study of medical and legal literature, as well as the requirements of legal acts, made it possible to formulate a definition of the concept of medical support for the judicial system, to establish its scope and content, as well as the subject composition and subject-functional structure. Until now, there have been no such developments in medical and interdisciplinary research.

Conclusion. Author’s developments allow you to know the system and structure, as well as the procedure for organizing medical support for employees of social institutions that are considered judicial. This leads to the systematization of scientific ideas about such a significant social phenomenon.
CONSTITUTIONAL FEATURES IN MEN WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEFT VENTRICULAR REMODELING AND HAVE CORONARY HEART DISEASE
Authors: Yaskevich Roman A. , Moskalenko Olga L.
Published: July 2022

Purpose. The study of constitutional features in men with various types of left ventricular remodeling, having a comorbid association of arterial hypertension with coronary heart disease.

Materials and methods. We examined 57 men with isolated arterial hypertension and 115 men with arterial hypertension combined with coronary artery disease. The standard method of anthropometric research used, followed by the determination of constitutional types, as well as the determination of types of geometric LV remodeling according to ultrasound examination of the heart.

Results. The constitutional features of the frequency of unfavorable types of remodeling in men of the examined groups revealed. The largest group among the examined men, both with isolated arterial hypertension and with arterial hypertension in combination with coronary artery disease, consisted of representatives of the muscular and abdominal type of constitution. The presence of left ventricular remodeling detected in 91.2% of the examined men with isolated hypertension and in 89.6% of men with hypertension in combination with coronary artery disease. At the same time, both among men with isolated hypertension and men with hypertension in combination with coronary heart disease, the most common type of geometry was concentric left ventricular hypertrophy. It found that in all constitutional types, patients with concentric left ventricular hypertrophy were more common.

Conclusion. Left ventricular hypertrophy was more common in all constitutional types in men of both groups. Normal geometry of the left ventricle more often observed in men with isolated arterial hypertension of the thoracic constitutional type, and among men with arterial hypertension in combination with coronary artery disease - of the muscular type.
Uses, preference, cultural importance and informant consensus factor of tree species in Uttarakhand: A case study from Bhilangana Watershed (Western Himalaya, India)
Authors: Singh Hardeep , Hussain Jaffer , Bagri Ajendra singh , Rawat Vinay , Rawat Dinesh Singh , Tiwari Jay Krishan
Published: July 2022

Residents in the hilly area of Indian Himalaya are largely dependent on tree resources for their livelihoods. The local knowledge and traditional practices are vanishing in rural areas due to drastic change in lifestyle and land use pattern. Diversity and tree species used by residents of Bhilangana watershed for their everyday needs have not yet been adequately recorded. Available information is mainly on ecology and geology of the region. Therefore, the aim of the study was to document tree diversity and extant local knowledge on tree species. Extensive surveys were conducted during 2018-19 to assess tree diversity, local knowledge on tree utilization through personal interview of 158 local residents. A total of 187 tree species belonging to 131 genera and 58 families were recorded and of these, 174 species were of ethno-botanical importance with at least one or multiples uses. Around 56.68% of tree species belonged to 15 dominant families. Ethno-botanical important species were classified into different use categories by local according to their use. Among use categories, 19.78% trees were used for medicine, 28.34% edible, 45.98% fodder, 59.89% fuel and 6.95% with no direct use in the area. The value of relative frequency of citation (RFC) for 28 tree species was calculated 1 which shows the relative high popularity/preference of these species and cultural importance (CI) value was found between 1 to 3.09 for 38 trees which signify the importance of tree species in the area. The highest informant consensus factor (0.99) was found for edible and religious followed by fibre (0.98), timber (0.98), fodder (0.974) and fuel (0.97). These findings highlight the importance of tree resources in mountainous regions.
Decide Now or Later: Making Sense of Incoherence Across Online Reviews
Authors: Yin Dezhi , de Vreede Triparna , Steele Logan M. , de Vreede Gert-Jan
Published: July 2022

Consumers read online reviews to decide whether to buy a product. Extensive research examines what makes a single review helpful or credible, yet there is very limited understanding of how a collection of reviews facilitates purchase decisions. Such understanding is critical because consumers rarely consult all reviews or a single review. They often start by reading the “top reviews” that a website highlights, then deciding whether to read additional reviews and how many. This paper investigates how inconsistency among top reviews affects a consumer’s purchase deferral—the likelihood to decide immediately or defer the decision until after obtaining more information. We found that, if different reviewers disagree on their opinions about the same feature of a product, consumers are more likely to defer the purchase decision and consult more reviews. Further, this effect is weaker when reviewers provide specific details about their needs or use of the product along with their opinions. This work provides guidance to review platforms on how to select and present a set of top reviews. Our findings also inform retailers and product manufacturers on how to focus their attention in dealing with reviews and when a focus only on the top reviews is not sufficient.
Algorithmic Transparency with Strategic Users
Authors: Wang Qiaochu , Huang Yan , Jasin Stefanus , Singh Param Vir
Published: July 2022

Should firms that apply machine learning algorithms in their decision making make their algorithms transparent to the users they affect? Despite the growing calls for algorithmic transparency, most firms keep their algorithms opaque, citing potential gaming by users that may negatively affect the algorithm’s predictive power. In this paper, we develop an analytical model to compare firm and user surplus with and without algorithmic transparency in the presence of strategic users and present novel insights. We identify a broad set of conditions under which making the algorithm transparent actually benefits the firm. We show that, in some cases, even the predictive power of the algorithm can increase if the firm makes the algorithm transparent. By contrast, users may not always be better off under algorithmic transparency. These results hold even when the predictive power of the opaque algorithm comes largely from correlational features and the cost for users to improve them is minimal. We show that these insights are robust under several extensions of the main model. Overall, our results show that firms should not always view manipulation by users as bad. Rather, they should use algorithmic transparency as a lever to motivate users to invest in more desirable features.

This paper was accepted by D. J. Wu, information systems.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4475 .
Metastatic Lung Cancer with Multiorgan Thrombosis and Budd–Chiari Syndrome: A Rare Case
Authors: Barbosa-Martins João , Costa Ana , Costa Magda , Formigo Mariana , Cotter Jorge
Published: July 2022

Arterial thrombosis and Budd–Chiari syndrome are rare conditions in lung cancer patients. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman who presented with respiratory symptoms, lumbar pain, weight and appetite loss, and an x-ray showing a lung nodule and diffuse micro-opacities. She was diagnosed with lung neoplasia with extensive lung, liver, lymph node and bone metastases. After discharge she was readmitted with a respiratory infection, and as her condition deteriorated, computed tomography was performed and revealed ischaemic areas in the spleen and kidney, and venous thrombosis, related to Budd–Chiari syndrome, with hepatic ischaemia. Despite hypocoagulation, her clinical condition deteriorated and she died soon afterwards.
Establishing the availability of the recently erected binomen Phyllotis pehuenche (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae)
Authors: Jayat J. Pablo , Teta Pablo , Ojeda Agustina A. , Steppan Scott J. , Osland Jared M. , Ortiz Pablo E. , Novillo Agustina , Lanzone Cecilia , Ojeda Ricardo A.
Published: July 2022

En 2021, Jayat et al. propusimos una nueva especie de roedor sigmodontino, nombrada Phyllotis pehuenche, para las poblaciones del complejo de especies de Phyllotis xanthopygus del sudoeste de la provincia de Mendoza y el oeste de la provincia de Neuquén, Argentina.  La descripción formal de la especie, publicada en un material suplementario electrónico modificable, no cumple con los requerimientos establecidos en la enmienda sobre publicaciones electrónicas (ICZN 2012) de la Cuarta Edición del Código Internacional de Nomenclatura Zoológica (ICZN 1999), haciendo que el nombre no esté disponible.  El objetivo de esta nota es cumplir con los requerimientos del código y hacer el nombre disponible.  Aquí ofrecemos una versión resumida de la descripción original de esta especie.  En esta nota, ofrecemos un tratamiento taxonómico para P. pehuenche, incluyendo su sinonimia, localidad tipo, holotipo y paratipos, proveyendo la etimología del epíteto específico, y ofreciendo una diagnosis para la especie y comentarios acerca de su distribución geográfica.  Con toda la información provista, cumplimos con los lineamientos del Código Internacional de Nomenclatura Zoológica (ICZN 1999, 2012) haciendo el nombre disponible.
Agent-based distributed protocol for resource discovery and allocation of virtual networks over elastic optical networks
Authors: Bórquez-Paredes Danilo , Beghelli Alejandra , Leiva Ariel , Jara Nicolás , Lozada Astrid , Morales Patricia , Saavedra Gabriel , Olivares Ricardo
Published: July 2022

Network virtualization is a key enabling technology for “Infrastructure as a Service” provisioning, increasing the flexibility and cost savings offered to customers. By extending the concept of server virtualization to the network infrastructure, the allocation of different, independent virtual networks over a single physical network is carried out on demand. A fundamental challenge in network virtualization systems is to choose which physical nodes and links to use for hosting virtual networks in the physical infrastructure, known as the “virtual network allocation” problem. All virtual network allocation proposals on elastic optical networks assume a centralized operation, deploying a single node with access to the network state global information and assigning resources accordingly. However, such configuration might exhibit the inherent problems of centralized systems: survivability and scalability. In this paper, we present a distributed protocol for resource discovery, mapping, and allocation of network virtualization systems. The distributed protocol is generic enough as to be used with different substrate networks. However, in this paper, it has been adapted to work over an elastic optical network infrastructure, where further considerations regarding the spectrum continuity and contiguity constraints must also be taken into account. The distributed protocol is based on the concept of alliances: upon the arrival of a virtual network request, agents located in the physical network nodes compete to form the first alliance able to host the virtual network. Because the first alliances to be formed are also the ones composed by nearby nodes, a good network resource usage is achieved. The feasibility of the distributed protocol was studied by evaluating its ability to successfully establish virtual networks within acceptable time and with low bandwidth consumption from the coordination messages.
Laser induced electron drift in the magnetized quantum plasma: electron spin effects
Authors: Mohammadi Hamidreza , Dashtestani Sepideh
Published: July 2022

The spin effect on accumulation of the electron density profile in the presence of an external magnetic field is investigated. In this regard, the two-fluid quantum hydrodynamic model is used to derive the interaction of intense laser light with magnetized quantum plasma. The results emphasize that the initial laser intensity and external magnetic field play significant roles in the accumulation of electron density. Moreover, the behavior of spin-up and spin-down electrons in the same spatial position is completely different. In a way, where spin-up electrons accumulate, spin-down electron density is rarefied. This fact provides a useful recipe for spintronics applications.
Optical second-harmonic response of axially symmetric media under tightly focused excitation: linear versus radial polarization
Authors: Scherbak S. A. , Lipovskii A. A.
Published: July 2022

We compared the optical second-harmonic (SH) response of axially symmetric media excited by tightly focused radially and linearly polarized beams. The simulation performed showed a significant redistribution of energy between the lobes/cones of the SH radiation pattern, depending on the focusing accuracy in the case of a purely surface/interface nonlinearity. This phenomenon is due to the change in the contributions of second-order susceptibility tensor components to SH generation as we demonstrated via a comparison of SH patterns related to different components of the tensor. Replacement of the interface with a nonlinear layer leads to noticeable broadening of SH radiation patterns, which can allow one to distinguish surface nonlinearity from bulk. The model developed is applicable for SH generation by interfaces, films, and poled glasses.
Quasi-real-time dual-comb spectroscopy with 750-MHz Yb:fiber combs
Authors: Tian Haochen , Li Runmin , Sterczewski Lukasz A. , Kato Takashi , Asahara Akifumi , Minoshima Kaoru
Published: July 2022

We present quasi-real-time dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) using two Yb:fiber combs with ∼750 MHz repetition rates. A computational coherent averaging technique is employed to correct timing and phase fluctuations of the measured dual-comb interferogram (IGM). Quasi-real-time phase correction of 1-ms long acquisitions occurs every 1.5 seconds and is assisted by coarse radio frequency (RF) phase-locking of an isolated RF comb mode. After resampling and global offset phase correction, the RF comb linewidth is reduced from 200 kHz to ∼1 kHz, while the line-to-floor ratio increases 13 dB in power in 1 ms. Using simultaneous offset frequency correction in opposite phases, we correct the aliased RF spectrum spanning three Nyquist zones, which yields an optical coverage of ∼180 GHz around 1.035 µm probed on a sub-microsecond timescale. The absorption profile of gaseous acetylene is observed to validate the presented technique.
Atmospheric turbulence resistant heterodyne coherent receiver of few-mode fiber
Authors: Qiu Cong , Ma Wenqi , Wang Feng , Wang Haiyan , Hu Guijun
Published: July 2022

We propose and implement a free-space optical (FSO) communication system based on few-mode heterodyne detection that can effectively suppress atmospheric turbulence effects. The experimental results show that the received power gain of the FSO communication system using six-mode fibres is about 6 dB over that using SMF under moderate to strong turbulence conditions.In addition, we have built a coherent detection system for space laser communications with few-mode heterodyne detection and reception, and verified the compensation of atmospheric turbulence effects by the few-mode heterodyne detection and reception technique. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme improves the power budget by 4∼5dB over the single-mode heterodyne coherent reception scheme at BER = 3.8×10−3 under moderate to strong turbulence conditions.
Spin polarization characteristics of hybrid optically pumped comagnetometers with different density ratios
Authors: Zhao Tian , Zhai Yueyang , Liu Chang , Xie Hongtai , Cao Qian , Fang Xiujie
Published: July 2022

We investigate the effects of the density ratio of K-Rb hybrid cells on the alkali metal-noble gas comagnetometers. Bloch equations simplified with the density ratio and average-pumping-rate model are presented for numerical simulation, which simplifies equations of complete hybrid spin ensemble and problem of polarization gradient. The spin polarizations of electron and nucleon, total electronic relaxation rates, and the spin-exchange efficiencies are measured with cells of different density ratios. The results are in good agreement with our equivalent model. Based on our theoretical analysis, the K-Rb-21Ne comagnetometer achieves maximum output signal by optimizing the combination of density ratio and optical power density. The density ratio is critical to the homogeneity of spin polarization and efficiency of hyperpolarization. The method in this work finds a way to optimize the sensitivity of comagnetometers, which is significant for angular-rotation sensors and new physics research.
Photon path distributions in optically thin slabs
Authors: Libois Quentin , Davis Anthony B.
Published: July 2022

The probability distribution function of photon path length in a scattering medium contains valuable information on that medium. While strongly scattering optically thick media have been extensively studied, in particular, with resort to the diffusion approximation, optically thin media have received much less attention. Here, we derive the probability distribution functions for the lengths of singly- and twice-scattered photon paths in an isotropically scattering slab of optical thickness τ, for both reflected and transmitted photons. We show that, in the case of an optically thin slab, these photons dominate the overall response of the medium. We confirm that the second moment of the distribution deviates from the ballistic limit in the case of collimated illumination. Interestingly, we show that under diffuse illumination, the second moment of the distribution is dominated by unscattered transmitted photons, hence is proportional to lnτ, and independent of the phase function. Higher moments of order n (≥3) scale as H
n
τn−2. When only reflected or transmitted photons are considered, the second moment scales as H2τ−1, whatever the illumination and viewing conditions. This provides direct access to τ. These theoretical results are extensively supported by Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations. Extension to anisotropic scattering using these same simulations shows that the results hold, given a scaling factor for collimated illumination, and without any dependence on the phase function for diffuse illumination. These results overall demonstrate that the optical thickness of an optically thin slab can be estimated from the second moment of the distribution. Along with the fact that under diffuse illumination the geometrical thickness can be derived from the first moment of the distribution, this proves that the extinction coefficient of the medium can be estimated from the combination of both moments. This study thus opens new perspectives for non-invasive characterization of optically thin media either in the laboratory or by remote sensing.
Efficient near-infrared broadband garnet phosphor for pc-LED and its application to vascular visualization and night vision
Authors: Wang Ye , Wang Zhijun , Wei Guohui , Yang Yuanbo , He Shaoxuan , Li Jiehong , Shi Yawei , Li Rui , Suo Hao , Li Panlai
Published: July 2022

Ultra-broadband near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has unparalleled application prospects in intelligent detection and phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LED), which are most likely to become the next generation of NIR light sources, has become a hot spot for research nowadays. To cope with the demand for more NIR spectroscopy applications, more efficient NIR phosphors need to be developed. Here, by screening the subject with a smaller band gap and by screening the suitable ion electronegativity of the lattice position where the Cr3+ is located, and then through the energy transfer, a series of Gd3Zn2GaGe2O12:xCr3+, yYb3+ (GZGG:Cr3+/Yb3+) NIR broadband garnet phosphors were found for the first time. By controlling the energy transfer process, the internal quantum yield (IQY) (54.9%), external quantum yield (EQY) (24.65%), bandwidth (260 nm), and thermal stability (60% at 150 °C) of NIR emission were substantially improved. The obtained phosphors are packaged with blue light chips into pc-LED, which can be applied in different fields such as vascular visualization and night vision.
Single-mode lasing in an AlGaInAs/InP dual-port square microresonator
Authors: Yang Ke , Chen You-Ling , Wang Ting , Liu Jia-Chen , Fan Ying-Run , Yang Yue-de , Xiao Jin-Long , Huang Yong-Zhen
Published: July 2022

Mode selection is crucial to achieving stable single-mode lasing in microlasers. Here, we demonstrate experimentally a dual-port square microresonator for single-mode lasing with a side-mode-suppression ratio (SMSR) exceeding 40 dB. By connecting waveguides at two opposite vertices, the quality factor for the antisymmetric mode (ASM) is much higher than that of the symmetric mode (SM), enabling single-mode lasing. Furthermore, far-field interference patterns similar to Young’s two-slit interference are observed. This microlaser is capable of providing two optical sources simultaneously for optical signal processing in high-density integrated photonic circuits.
Efficient and stretchable organic light-emitting devices based on spontaneously formed disordered wrinkles
Authors: Chen Zhi-Yu , Zhang Ru-Jian , Wang Yu-Ping , Yin Da , Liu Yue-Feng , Bi Yan-Gang , Feng Jing
Published: July 2022

We propose a facile, scalable strategy to introduce spontaneously formed disordered wrinkles into organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) to enhance light extraction and realize stretchability of the devices. The luminance and current efficiency of the wrinkled OLEDs are improved by 37% and 18%, respectively, compared to the planar device. Meanwhile, broadband light scattering induced by the disordered wrinkles results in angle-stable electroluminescent spectra at wide viewing angles for the wrinkled OLEDs. The disordered wrinkles enable the OLEDs to be stretchable and withstand hundreds of stretching–releasing cycles at strain between 0% and 5%. This study provides a simple method to realize stretchable OLEDs with high efficiency.
Mitigating end-to-end nonlinearity in LED-based VLC transceivers via an optical intensity feedback
Authors: Song Peng-Cheng , Wu Zi-Yang , Wang Jiao
Published: July 2022

This Letter proposes a novel, to the best of our knowledge, intensity-modulation transmitter equipped with an optical intensity feedback (OIF) loop, which mitigates the holistic nonlinearity on both sides of intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD) transceivers from solely the transmitter side. In contrast to the recent effort on pre-distortion, we construct a negative feedback loop bridging the optical intensity of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) toward a sensor for nonlinearity perception to suppress the nonlinearity among all physical devices. In the meantime, we propose an analytical model for the feedback loop and an implementation scheme. The experimental results demonstrate a significant linearity improvement in the total harmonic distortion (THD) and the power gain flatness. More specifically, the average THD of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT)-based OIF transceiver is −49.4 dB (0.37%) and the minimum power gain variance is 0.0005, 0.0025% of the control group. As for the transceiver using a metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), its average THD is −52.42 dB (0.25%) and the minimum power gain variance can reach 0.0026. Not only that, since the method only takes advantage of the negative feedback feature and dose not rely on any particular module, it has lower complexity and better applicability.
Toward compact high-efficiency grating couplers for visible wavelength photonics
Authors: Smith Joe A. , Monroy-Ruz Jorge , Jiang Pisu , Rarity John G. , Balram Krishna C.
Published: July 2022

Although grating couplers have become the de-facto standard for optical access to integrated silicon photonics platforms, their performance at visible wavelengths, in moderate index contrast platforms such as silicon nitride, leaves significant room for improvement. In particular, the index contrast governs the diffraction efficiency per grating tooth and the resulting overall coupler length. In this work, we develop two approaches to address this problem: a dielectric grating that sums multiple optical modes to increase the overall output intensity; and an embedded metal grating that enhances the attainable refractive index contrast, and therefore reduces the on-chip footprint. We present experimental results that can be developed to realize compact efficient visible wavelength photonic interconnects, with a view toward cryogenic deployment for quantum photonics, where space is constrained and efficiency is critical.
ATRPred: A machine learning based tool for clinical decision making of anti-TNF treatment in rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Prasad Bodhayan , McGeough Cathy , Eakin Amanda , Ahmed Tan , Small Dawn , Gardiner Philip , Pendleton Adrian , Wright Gary , Bjourson Anthony J. , Gibson David S. , Shukla Priyank
Published: July 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition, characterised by joint pain, damage and disability, which can be addressed in a high proportion of patients by timely use of targeted biologic treatments. However, the patients, non-responsive to the treatments often suffer from refractoriness of the disease, leading to poor quality of life. Additionally, the biologic treatments are expensive. We obtained plasma samples from N = 144 participants with RA, who were about to commence anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy. These samples were sent to Olink Proteomics, Uppsala, Sweden, where proximity extension assays of 4 panels, containing 92 proteins each, were performed. A total of n = 89 samples of patients passed the quality control of anti-TNF treatment response data. The preliminary analysis of plasma protein expression values suggested that the RA population could be divided into two distinct molecular sub-groups (endotypes). However, these broad groups did not predict response to anti-TNF treatment, but were significantly different in terms of gender and their disease activity. We then labelled these patients as responders (n = 60) and non-responders (n = 29) based on the change in disease activity score (DAS) after 6 months of anti-TNF treatment and applied machine learning (ML) with a rigorous 5-fold nested cross-validation scheme to filter 17 proteins that were significantly associated with the treatment response. We have developed a ML based classifier ATRPred (anti-TNF treatment response predictor), which can predict anti-TNF treatment response in RA patients with 81% accuracy, 75% sensitivity and 86% specificity. ATRPred may aid clinicians to direct anti-TNF therapy to patients most likely to receive benefit, thus save cost as well as prevent non-responsive patients from refractory consequences. ATRPred is implemented in R.
“The ubiquitin ligase SIAH2 is a female-specific regulator of circadian rhythms and metabolism”
Authors: Mekbib Tsedey , Suen Ting-Chung , Rollins-Hairston Aisha , Smith Kiandra , Armstrong Ariel , Gray Cloe , Owino Sharon , Baba Kenkichi , Baggs Julie E. , Ehlen J. Christopher , Tosini Gianluca , DeBruyne Jason P.
Published: July 2022

Circadian clocks enable organisms to predict and align their behaviors and physiologies to constant daily day-night environmental cycle. Because the ubiquitin ligase Siah2 has been identified as a potential regulator of circadian clock function in cultured cells, we have used SIAH2-deficient mice to examine its function in vivo. Our experiments demonstrate a striking and unexpected sexually dimorphic effect of SIAH2-deficiency on the regulation of rhythmically expressed genes in the liver. The absence of SIAH2 in females, but not in males, altered the expression of core circadian clock genes and drastically remodeled the rhythmic transcriptome in the liver by increasing the number of day-time expressed genes, and flipping the rhythmic expression from nighttime expressed genes to the daytime. These effects are not readily explained by effects on known sexually dimorphic pathways in females. Moreover, loss of SIAH2 in females, not males, preferentially altered the expression of transcription factors and genes involved in regulating lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Consequently, SIAH2-deficient females, but not males, displayed disrupted daily lipid and lipoprotein patterns, increased adiposity and impaired metabolic homeostasis. Overall, these data suggest that SIAH2 may be a key component of a female-specific circadian transcriptional output circuit that directs the circadian timing of gene expression to regulate physiological rhythms, at least in the liver. In turn, our findings imply that sex-specific transcriptional mechanisms may closely interact with the circadian clock to tailor overt rhythms for sex-specific needs.