bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study protocol: The clinical features, epidemiology, and causes of paediatric encephalitis in southern Vietnam
Authors: Huong Nguyen Hoang Thien , Toan Nguyen Duc , Quy Du Tuan , Khanh Truong Huu , Thinh Le Quoc , Nhan Le Nguyen Thanh , Minh Ngo Ngoc Quang , Turner Hugo , Thwaites Louise , Irani Sarosh , Hung Nguyen Thanh , Tan Le Van
Published: May 2021

Encephalitis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The clinical syndrome of encephalitis consists of altered mental status, seizures, neurologic signs, and is often accompanied by fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. The encephalitis in children has been known that more common than in adult, with the incidence rate of infants was 3.9 times higher than that of people 20-44 years of age. The reported incidence of hospitalization attributed to paediatric encephalitis ranged from 3 to 13 admissions per 100,000 children per year with the overall mortality ranging from 0 to 7%. There are however more than 100 pathogens that can cause encephalitis and accurate diagnosis is challenging. Over 50% of patients with encephalitis are left undiagnosed despite extensive laboratory investigations. Furthermore, recent studies in high-income settings have suggested autoimmune encephalitis has now surpassed infectious aetiologies, mainly due to increased awareness and diagnostic capacity, which further challenges routine diagnosis and clinical management, especially in developing countries.

There are limited contemporary data on the causes of encephalitis in children in Vietnam. Improving our knowledge of the causative agents of encephalitis in this resource-constrained setting remains critical to informing case management, resource distribution and vaccination strategy. Therefore, we conduct a prospective observational study to characterise the clinical, microbiological, and epidemiological features of encephalitis in a major children’s hospital in southern Vietnam. Admission clinical samples will be collected alongside meta clinical data and from each study participants. A combination of classical assays (serology and PCR) and metagenomic next-generation sequencing will used to identify the causative agents. Undiagnosed patients with clinical presentations compatible with autoimmune encephalitis will then be tested for common forms of the disease. Finally, using direct- and indirect costs, we will estimate the economic burden of hospitalization and seven days post hospital discharge of paediatric encephalitis in our setting.
Accuracy of the Mologic COVID-19 rapid antigen test: a prospective multi-centre analytical and clinical evaluation
Authors: Cubas-Atienzar Ana I , Bell Fiona , Byrne Rachel L. , Buist Kate , Clark David J. , Cocozza Michael , Collins Andrea M. , Cuevas Luis E. , Duvoix Annelyse , Easom Nicholas , Edwards Thomas , Ferreira Daniella M. , Fletcher Tom , Groppelli Elisabetta , Hyder-Wright Angela , Kadamus Ewelina , Kirwan Daniela E. , Kontogianni Konstantina , Krishna Sanjeev , Kluczna Diana , Mark Julian , Mensah-Kane Josephine , Miller Elisha , Mitsi Elena , Norton Donna , O'Connor Emma , Owen Sophie I. , Planche Tim , Shelley Samuel , Staines Henry M. , Tate David , Thompson Caitlin R. , Walker Gemma , Williams Christopher T. , Wooding Dominic , Fitchett Joseph R. A. , Adams Emily R.
Published: May 2021

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the reliance on antigen detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs). Their evaluation at point of use is a priority.

Methods: Here, we report a multi-centre evaluation of the analytical sensitivity, specificity, and clinical accuracy of the Mologic COVID-19 Ag-RDT by comparing to reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results from individuals with and without COVID-19 symptoms. Participants had attended hospitals in Merseyside, hospital and ambulance services in Yorkshire, and drive-through testing facilities in Northumberland, UK.

Results: The limit of detection of the Mologic COVID-19 Ag-RDT was 5.0 x 102 pfu/ml in swab matrix with no cross-reactivity and interference for any other pathogens tested. A total of 347 participants were enrolled from 26th of November 2020 to 15th of February 2021 with 39.2% (CI 34.0-44.6) testing RT-qPCR positive for SARS-CoV-2. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Mologic Ag-RDT compared to the reference SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR were 85.0% (95% CI 78.3-90.2) and 97.8% (95.0-99.3), respectively. Sensitivity was stratified by RT-qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) and 98.4% (91.3-100) of samples with a Ct less than 20 and 93.2% (86.5-97.2) of samples with a Ct less than 25 were detected using the Ag-RDT. Clinical accuracy was stratified by sampling strategy, swab type and clinical presentation. Mologic COVID-19 Ag-RDT demonstrated highest sensitivity with nose/throat swabs compared with throat or nose swabs alone; however, the differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Overall, the Mologic test had high diagnostic accuracy across multiple different settings, different demographics, and on self-collected swab specimens. These findings suggest the Mologic rapid antigen test may be deployed effectively across a range of use settings.
Theory of Mind
Authors: Borzyh Stanislav
Published: May 2021

This book deals with the problem of human reason and thinking from a somewhat unexpected angle. Its main idea is that both are the product of evolution, and therefore they bear the imprint of their history, and they are mostly reduced to them, although they are not entirely limited to them. This means that they are by no means universal, on the contrary, they are conditioned by their very formation and the circumstances within which they developed and which literally created them as we know them. In practical terms, this suggests that they are aimed at solving the problems and the type that faced our species during its rather long formation, and they are not able to answer any other questions, no matter how much effort we put into it. Even what seems to us an exceptional attribute of modernity or rationality, such as science or politics, fits within the framework of what is available to us, as well as what we are able to formulate and articulate in principle. That is, our intelligence is purely animal and contextual, it never goes beyond the limits set for it, despite the fact that we see it differently. In this regard, questions of their definition, origin, history and current state are considered, and among other things, alternative options that are potentially possible in the field of intelligence, both on Earth and in general, are studied.
The text consists of five chapters, a preface and an afterword, is provided with illustrative examples and is aimed at the widest possible adult readership, who likes to think and who is not afraid of debunking some of the ingrained myths that accompany our lives.
System Dynamics in the Predictive Analytics of Container Freight Rates
Authors: Jeon Jun-Woo , Duru Okan , Munim Ziaul Haque , Saeed Naima
Published: May 2021

This study proposes a two-tier cross-validation and backtesting procedure, including expanding and rolling-window test metrics in predictive analytics of container freight rates by utilizing the system dynamics approach. The study utilized system dynamics to represent the nonlinear complex structure of container freight rates for predictive analytics and performed univariate and multivariate time-series analysis as benchmarks of the conventional approach. In particular, the China containerized freight index (CCFI) has been investigated through various parametric methodologies (both conventional time-series and system dynamics approaches). This study follows a strict validation process consisting of expanding window and rolling-window test procedures for the out-of-sample forecasting accuracy of the proposed systemic model and benchmark models to ensure fair validation. In addition to the predictive features, major governing dynamics are presented in the analysis which may initiate further theoretical discussions on the economics and structure of the container shipping markets. Empirical results indicate that postsample accuracy can be affected by the sample size (training data size) in a given set of methodologies. Considering the economic challenges in the container shipping industry, the proposed methodology may help users to improve their cash-flow visibility and reduce the adverse effects of volatility in container shipping rates.
The association between physical activity and menopause-related quality of life
Authors: D'souza Cyanna Joseph , Haripriya Santhakumar , Krishna Harish Sreekantan
Published: May 2021

Background/aims

Menopause can cause drastic changes that trigger severe symptoms in women and, in turn, influence their quality of life. Many women no longer prefer hormone replacement therapy because of its potential adverse effects. Hence, it is crucial to establish alternate interventions to alleviate menopausal symptoms. The aim of this study was to estimate the relationship between quality of life and level of physical activity in menopausal women.

Methods

A total of 260 postmenopausal women were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The Menopause Rating Scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form were used to assess quality of life and physical activity respectively.

Results

Women with higher levels of physical activity had fewer total menopausal, somato-vegetative and psychological symptoms (P<0.001); no differences were found in vasomotor and urogenital symptoms.

Conclusions

Women with low physical activity levels presented with greater menopausal symptoms. Regular physical activity can be recommended to alleviate symptoms following menopause, thereby improving quality of life.
Real-time pixelwise phasor analysis for video-rate two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy
Authors: Sorrells Janet E. , Iyer Rishyashring R. , Yang Lingxiao , Bower Andrew J. , Spillman Darold R. , Chaney Eric J. , Tu Haohua , Boppart Stephen A.
Published: May 2021

Two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a widely used technique in biomedical optical imaging. Presently, many two-photon time-domain FLIM setups are limited by long acquisition and postprocessing times that decrease data throughput and inhibit the ability to image fast sub-second processes. Here, we present a versatile two-photon FLIM setup capable of video-rate (up to 25 fps) imaging with graphics processing unit (GPU)-accelerated pixelwise phasor analysis displayed and saved simultaneously with acquisition. The system uses an analog output photomultiplier tube in conjunction with 12-bit digitization at 3.2 GHz to overcome the limited maximum acceptable photon rate associated with the photon counting electronics in many FLIM systems. This allows for higher throughput FLIM acquisition and analysis, and additionally enables the user to assess sample fluorescence lifetime in real-time. We further explore the capabilities of the system to examine the kinetics of Rhodamine B uptake by human breast cancer cells and characterize the effect of pixel dwell time on the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H) autofluorescence lifetime estimation accuracy.
Organelle-specific phase contrast microscopy enables gentle monitoring and analysis of mitochondrial network dynamics
Authors: Guo Siyue , Ma Ying , Pan Yang , Smith Zachary J. , Chu Kaiqin
Published: May 2021

Mitochondria are delicate organelles that play a key role in cell fate. Current research methods rely on fluorescence labeling that introduces stress due to photobleaching and phototoxicity. Here we propose a new, gentle method to study mitochondrial dynamics, where organelle-specific three-dimensional information is obtained in a label-free manner at high resolution, high specificity, and without detrimental effects associated with staining. A mitochondria cleavage experiment demonstrates that not only do the label-free mitochondria-specific images have the required resolution and precision, but also fairly include all cells and mitochondria in downstream morphological analysis, while fluorescence images omit dim cells and mitochondria. The robustness of the method was tested on samples of different cell lines and on data collected from multiple systems. Thus, we have demonstrated that our method is an attractive alternative to study mitochondrial dynamics, connecting behavior and function in a simpler and more robust way than traditional fluorescence imaging.
Suppression of Kerr-effect induced error in resonant fiber optic gyro by a resonator with spun fiber
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Wang Guochen , Gao Wei , Cheng Yu
Published: May 2021

In order to suppress Kerr-effect induced error in resonant fiber optic gyro (RFOG), a resonator based on spun fiber (SF) is proposed for the first time. The theory of the Kerr-effect induced error in gyro is analyzed first and the suppression method for this issue is explained, highlighting the advantages of circular state of polarization (CSOP) light and SF. Then the structure design and optimization of the resonator are completed to guide resonator fabrication and meet the better noise suppression requirement. Finally, the gyro experiment indicates that the resonator based on SF can suppress the Kerr-effect induced error by at least 96.6 % without a power compensation structure, which is of great significance for simplifying the system. In addition, the method proposed in this article first confirms the potential of CSOP light in optical noise and error suppression of RFOG.
Analysing the impact of non-parallelism in Fabry-Perot etalons through optical modelling
Authors: Marques Dylan M. , Guggenheim James A. , Munro Peter R. T.
Published: May 2021

Fabry-Perot (FP) etalons, composed of two parallel mirrors, are used widely as
optical filters and sensors. In certain applications, however, such as when FP
etalons with polymer cavities are used to detect ultrasound, the mirrors may not
be perfectly parallel due to manufacturing limitations. As little is known about
how the mirrors being non-parallel impacts upon FP etalon performance, it is
challenging to optimize the design of such devices. To address this challenge,
we developed a model of light propagation in non-parallel FP etalons. The model
is valid for arbitrary monochromatic beams and calculates both the reflected and
transmitted beams, assuming full-wave description of light. Wavelength resolved
transmissivity simulations were computed to predict the effect that non-parallel
mirrors have on the sensitivity, spectral bandwidth and peak transmissivity of
FP etalons. Theoretical predictions show that the impact of the non-parallel
mirrors increases with both mirror reflectivity and incident Gaussian beam
waist. Guidelines regarding the maximum angle allowed between FP mirrors whilst
maintaining the sensitivity and peak transmissivity of a parallel mirror FP
etalon are provided as a function of mirror reflectivity, cavity thickness and
Gaussian beam waist. This information, and the model, could be useful for
guiding the design of FP etalons suffering a known degree of non-parallelism,
for example, to optimize the sensitivity of polymer based FP ultrasound
sensors.
Multispectral fluorescence lifetime imaging device with a silicon avalanche photodetector
Authors: Zhou Xiangnan , Bec Julien , Yankelevich Diego , Marcu Laura
Published: May 2021

We report the design, development, and characterization of a novel multi-spectral fluorescence lifetime measurement device incorporating solid-state detectors and automated gain control. For every excitation pulse (∼1 µJ, 600 ps), this device records complete fluorescence decay from multiple spectral channels simultaneously within microseconds, using a dedicated UV enhanced avalanche photodetector and analog to digital convert (2.5 GS/s) in each channel. Fast (<2 ms) channel-wise dynamic range adjustment maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio. Fluorophores with known lifetime ranging from 0.5–6.0 ns were used to demonstrate the device accuracy. Current results show the clear benefits of this device compared to existing devices employing microchannel-plate photomultiplier tubes. This is demonstrated by 5-fold reduction of lifetime measurement variability in identical conditions, independent gain adjustment in each spectral band, and 4-times faster imaging speed. The use of solid-state detectors will also facilitate future improved performance and miniaturization of the instrument.
In situ detection of electrochemical reaction by weak measurement
Authors: Li Zhangyan , Xu Yang , Ma Kaijie , Liu Le , Xi Jingyu , Guan Tian , Li Fuying , Zhou Chongqi , Zhong Suyi , He Yonghong
Published: May 2021

In the field of electrochemical energy storage systems, the use of in situ detection technology helps to study the mechanism of electrochemical reaction. Our group has previously in situ detected the electrochemical reaction in vanadium flow batteries by total internal reflection (TIR) imaging. In order to further improve the detection resolution, in this study, the weak measurement (WM) method was introduced to in situ detect the electrochemical reaction during the linear sweep voltammetry or the cyclic voltammetry tests with quantitative measurement of the absolute current density, which lays a foundation for replacing the TIR for two-dimensional imaging of electrochemical reactions in vanadium flow batteries, oxygen/hydrogen evolution reaction, surface treatments, electrochemical corrosion and so on.
Nonlinear reconstruction of coded spectral X-ray CT based on material decomposition
Authors: Zhang Tong , Zhao Shengjie , Ma Xu , Cuadros Angela P. , Zhao Qile , Arce Gonzalo R.
Published: May 2021

Coded spectral X-ray computed tomography (CT) based on K-edge filtered illumination is a cost-effective approach to acquire both 3-dimensional structure of objects and their material composition. This approach allows sets of incomplete rays from sparse views or sparse rays with both spatial and spectral encoding to effectively reduce the inspection duration or radiation dose, which is of significance in biological imaging and medical diagnostics. However, reconstruction of spectral CT images from compressed measurements is a nonlinear and ill-posed problem. This paper proposes a material-decomposition-based approach to directly solve the reconstruction problem, without estimating the energy-binned sinograms. This approach assumes that the linear attenuation coefficient map of objects can be decomposed into a few basis materials that are separable in the spectral and space domains. The nonlinear problem is then converted to the reconstruction of the mass density maps of the basis materials. The dimensionality of the optimization variables is thus effectively reduced to overcome the ill-posedness. An alternating minimization scheme is used to solve the reconstruction with regularizations of weighted nuclear norm and total variation. Compared to the state-of-the-art reconstruction method for coded spectral CT, the proposed method can significantly improve the reconstruction quality. It is also capable of reconstructing the spectral CT images at two additional energy bins from the same set of measurements, thus providing more spectral information of the object.
Frequency-doubled Nd:YAG MOPA laser system with programmable rectangular pulses up to 200 microseconds
Authors: Beyer Maximilian , Roth Jack C. , Edwards Eustace , DeMille David
Published: May 2021

A compact frequency-doubled diode-pumped Nd:YAG master-oscillator power-amplifier laser system with programmable microsecond pulse length has been developed. Analog pulse shaping of the output from a single-frequency continuous-wave Nd:YAG oscillator, and subsequent amplification, allowed the generation of rectangular pulses with pulse lengths on the order of the Nd:YAG fluorescence lifetime. Temporally flat-top pulses of 1064 nm light with 520 mJ pulse energy, 2.6 kW peak power, and 200 μs duration, with linewidth below 10 kHz, were obtained at a repetition rate of 2 Hz. Second harmonic generation in a LBO crystal yielded pulses of 262 mJ and 1.3 kW peak power at 532 nm. The peak power can be maintained within 2.9% over the duration of the laser pulse, and long-term intensity stability of 1.1% was observed. The spatially flat-top beam at 1064 nm used in the amplifier is converted to a Gaussian beam at 532 nm with beam quality factor M2 = 1.41(14) during the second harmonic generation. This system has potential as a pump source for Ti:sapphire, dye, or optical parametric amplifiers to generate tunable high-power single-frequency radiation for applications in precision measurements and laser slowing.
Spin Hall effect of Laguerre-Gaussian beams in PT symmetric metamaterials
Authors: Liu Rao , Wang GuangHui , Deng DongMei , Zhang TingTing
Published: May 2021

Spin Hall effect (SHE) of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams reflected and transmitted in parity-time (PT) symmetric metamaterials are investigated near the coherent-perfect-absorption (CPA)-laser point and exceptional points (EPs). The numerical results show that large transverse shifts occur at the CPA-laser point regardless of the incident direction. But at EPs, the SHE increases at one side and disappears at the other side, thus achieving the intense SHE of the reflected light beams at the specified side incidence. In addition, it is found that Bragg oscillation can be generated by increasing the period number of PT symmetric metamaterial layers, thus increasing the number of formants in transverse displacement. In particular, the transverse shift peaks of the transmitted beams merge into a positive peak when the incident angle is close to

90
∘

and does not change basically with the increasing of Im(ɛ), which can also be considered as a strong tolerance to the variation of Im(ɛ). This feature is expected to realize a new type of optoelectronic devices with anti-interference performance. These results provide a feasible path for the modulation of spin Hall effect of light (SHEL) and provide the possibility for the development of new nanophotonic devices.
Programmable 1.47 Tb/s (92 Gb/s x 16) optical wireless broadcasting system empowered by a single spatial light modulator and a modified RSS algorithm
Authors: You Quan , Li Chao , Xiao Xi , Yu Shaohua
Published: May 2021

We have proposed and experimentally demonstrated a programmable multi-access-point optical wireless broadcasting system with ±15° field-of-view by employing a single spatial light modulator (SLM) and a modified rotated-splitting-SLM algorithm. The 16 access points are generated and arbitrarily distributed by the proposed continuous tunable broadcasting algorithm. The optical beams for each point carry 92-Gb/s PAM-4 optical signal and transmitted over 1 km standard single mode fiber and 1.2 m indoor free space distance, offering a total wireless capacity beyond 1.47 Tb/s. The measured results show that the proposed multi-access-points transmission system with ultra-high transmission capacity and reconfigurability can be used for future indoor wireless mobile networks.
Terahertz absorber with dynamically switchable dual-broadband based on a hybrid metamaterial with vanadium dioxide and graphene
Authors: Liu Yan , Huang Rui , Ouyang Zhengbiao
Published: May 2021

An absorber based on hybrid metamaterial with vanadium dioxide and graphene has been proposed to achieve dynamically switchable dual-broadband absorption property in the terahertz regime. Due to the phase transition of vanadium dioxide and the electrical tunable property of graphene, the dynamically switchable dual-broadband absorption property is implemented. When the vanadium dioxide is in the metallic phase, the Fermi energy level of graphene is set as zero simultaneously, the high-frequency broadband from 2.05 THz to 4.30 THz can be achieved with the absorptance more than 90%. The tunable absorptance can be realized through thermal control on the conductivity of the vanadium dioxide. The proposed device acts as a low-frequency broadband absorber if the vanadium dioxide is in the insulating phase, for which the Fermi energy level of graphene varies from to 0.1 eV to 0.7 eV. The low-frequency broadband possesses high absorptance which is maintained above 90% from 1.10 THz to 2.30 THz. The absorption intensity can be continuously adjusted from 5.2% to 99.8% by electrically controlling the Fermi energy level of graphene. The absorption window can be further broadened by adjusting the geometrical parameters. Furthermore, the influence of incidence angle on the absorption spectra has been investigated. The proposed absorber has potential applications in the terahertz regime, such as filtering, sensing, cloaking objects, and switches.
Recovering the phase and amplitude of X-ray FEL pulses using neural networks and differentiable models
Authors: Ratner D. , Christie F. , Cryan J. P. , Edelen A. , Lutman A. , Zhang X.
Published: May 2021

Dynamics experiments are an important use-case for X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), but time-domain measurements of the X-ray pulses themselves remain a challenge. Shot-by-shot X-ray diagnostics could enable a new class of simpler and potentially higher-resolution pump-probe experiments. Here, we report training neural networks to combine low-resolution measurements in both the time and frequency domains to recover X-ray pulses at high-resolution. Critically, we also recover the phase, opening the door to coherent-control experiments with XFELs. The model-based generative neural-network architecture can be trained directly on unlabeled experimental data and is fast enough for real-time analysis on the new generation of MHz XFELs.
High-pulse-energy high-brightness Q-switched Tm3+:Ho3+-codoped triple-clad polarization- maintaining fiber laser
Authors: Forster Patrick , Romano Clément , Eichhorn Marc , Kieleck Christelle
Published: May 2021

A Q-switched polarization-maintaining (PM) Thulium (Tm3+):Holmium (Ho3+)-codoped triple-clad fiber (THTF) laser is under investigation with special focus on important optical parameters enabling efficient frequency conversion into mid-infrared (mid-IR). An active fiber of 5 m length is used in a single-oscillator free-space cavity arrangement and operated in continuous-wave and pulsed operation. In Q-switched regime at a repetition rate of 63 kHz, high pulse energies up to 760 μJ were obtained while reaching pulse widths as low as 45.6 ns, resulting in pulse peak powers of 15.7 kW with an average output power of 48 W. In addition, an

M

x,y

2

<
1.2

and a FWHM of 290 pm for the emission spectrum was measured.
Finding recurrent RNA structural networks with fast maximal common subgraphs of edge-colored graphs
Authors: Soulé Antoine , Reinharz Vladimir , Sarrazin-Gendron Roman , Denise Alain , Waldispühl Jérôme
Published: May 2021

RNA tertiary structure is crucial to its many non-coding molecular functions. RNA architecture is shaped by its secondary structure composed of stems, stacked canonical base pairs, enclosing loops. While stems are precisely captured by free-energy models, loops composed of non-canonical base pairs are not. Nor are distant interactions linking together those secondary structure elements (SSEs). Databases of conserved 3D geometries (a.k.a. modules) not captured by energetic models are leveraged for structure prediction and design, but the computational complexity has limited their study to local elements, loops. Representing the RNA structure as a graph has recently allowed to expend this work to pairs of SSEs, uncovering a hierarchical organization of these 3D modules, at great computational cost. Systematically capturing recurrent patterns on a large scale is a main challenge in the study of RNA structures. In this paper, we present an efficient algorithm to compute maximal isomorphisms in edge colored graphs. We extend this algorithm to a framework well suited to identify RNA modules, and fast enough to considerably generalize previous approaches. To exhibit the versatility of our framework, we first reproduce results identifying all common modules spanning more than 2 SSEs, in a few hours instead of weeks. The efficiency of our new algorithm is demonstrated by computing the maximal modules between any pair of entire RNA in the non-redundant corpus of known RNA 3D structures. We observe that the biggest modules our method uncovers compose large shared sub-structure spanning hundreds of nucleotides and base pairs between the ribosomes of Thermus thermophilus, Escherichia Coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
A deep learning algorithm for 3D cell detection in whole mouse brain image datasets
Authors: Tyson Adam L. , Rousseau Charly V. , Niedworok Christian J. , Keshavarzi Sepiedeh , Tsitoura Chryssanthi , Cossell Lee , Strom Molly , Margrie Troy W.
Published: May 2021

Understanding the function of the nervous system necessitates mapping the spatial distributions of its constituent cells defined by function, anatomy or gene expression. Recently, developments in tissue preparation and microscopy allow cellular populations to be imaged throughout the entire rodent brain. However, mapping these neurons manually is prone to bias and is often impractically time consuming. Here we present an open-source algorithm for fully automated 3D detection of neuronal somata in mouse whole-brain microscopy images using standard desktop computer hardware. We demonstrate the applicability and power of our approach by mapping the brain-wide locations of large populations of cells labeled with cytoplasmic fluorescent proteins expressed via retrograde trans-synaptic viral infection.
Risk factors associated with exposure to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in animal workers and cattle, and molecular detection in ticks, South Africa
Authors: Msimang Veerle , Weyer Jacqueline , le Roux Chantel , Kemp Alan , Burt Felicity J. , Tempia Stefano , Grobbelaar Antoinette , Moolla Naazneen , Rostal Melinda K. , Bagge Whitney , Cordel Claudia , Karesh William B. , Paweska Janusz T. , Thompson Peter N.
Published: May 2021

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe tick-borne viral zoonosis endemic to parts of Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Human cases are reported annually in South Africa, with a 25% case fatality rate since the first case was recognized in 1981. We investigated CCHF virus (CCHFV) seroprevalence and risk factors associated with infection in cattle and humans, and the presence of CCHFV in Hyalomma spp. ticks in central South Africa in 2017–18. CCHFV IgG seroprevalence was 74.2% (95%CI: 64.2–82.1%) in 700 cattle and 3.9% (95%CI: 2.6–5.8%) in 541 farm and wildlife workers. No veterinary personnel (117) or abattoir workers (382) were seropositive. The prevalence of CCHFV RNA was significantly higher in Hyalomma truncatum (1.6%) than in H. rufipes (0.2%) (P = 0.002). Seroprevalence in cattle increased with age and was greater in animals on which ticks were found. Seroprevalence in cattle also showed significant geographic variation. Seroprevalence in humans increased with age and was greater in workers who handled livestock for injection and collection of samples. Our findings support previous evidence of widespread high CCHFV seroprevalence in cattle and show significant occupational exposure amongst farm and wildlife workers. Our seroprevalence estimate suggests that CCHFV infections are five times more frequent than the 215 confirmed CCHF cases diagnosed in South Africa in the last four decades (1981–2019). With many cases undiagnosed, the potential seriousness of CCHF in people, and the lack of an effective vaccine or treatment, there is a need to improve public health awareness, prevention and disease control.
Miltefosine for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis—A pilot study from Ethiopia
Authors: van Henten Saskia , Tesfaye Annisa Befekadu , Abdela Seid Getahun , Tilahun Feleke , Fikre Helina , Buyze Jozefien , Kassa Mekibib , Cnops Lieselotte , Pareyn Myrthe , Mohammed Rezika , Vogt Florian , Diro Ermias , van Griensven Johan
Published: May 2021

Background

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Ethiopia, caused by Leishmania aethiopica, is often severe and hard to treat compared to CL caused by other species elsewhere. Miltefosine is the only oral anti-leishmanial drug, with a favorable side-effect profile compared to routinely available sodium stibogluconate (SSG), but evidence about its use for L. aethiopica is lacking.

Methodology and principal findings

In an observational cohort study, treatment outcomes, safety and adherence among CL patients who required systemic treatment and received miltefosine for 28 days in Boru Meda Hospital and University of Gondar Hospital were studied. Patient cure was defined as 100% flattening for non-ulcerated lesions and 100% flattening and 100% re-epithelization for ulcerated lesions. Outcomes were documented for day 28, 90 and 180, both per site, and pooled, adjusting for site as a fixed effect with effect coding. Among 94 included patients (32 in Gondar, 62 in Boru Meda), median lesion duration was 12 months, median size six cm, and mucosal involvement (46.8%) and diffuse (30.9%) lesions were common. Adherence to miltefosine was good, and side-effects were tolerable. Initial outcomes at day 28 were promising, with 68.8% and 94.0% of patients having good improvement or cure in Gondar and Boru Meda respectively. In Boru Meda, outcomes were good with 72.7% and 72.9% cure at day 90 and day 180 respectively. In Gondar, results were less promising, with only 12.5% and 26.7% cure at day 90 and day 180, although confidence intervals were wide. In pooled estimates, 48.7% of patients reached cure at day 180, and 32.3% relapsed. Outcomes were better in Boru Meda Hospital, for smaller lesions and for mucosal lesions.

Conclusions/Significance

Based on miltefosine’s good initial response, tolerable side-effects, tablet-form, we propose to include miltefosine for future clinical trials using extended treatment schedules, combination therapy, or targeting specific subgroups.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04004754.
Production, reproduction and some adaptation characteristics of Boran cattle breed under changing climate: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bayssa Merga , Yigrem Sintayehu , Betsha Simret , Tolera Adugna
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Climate change affects livestock production and productivity, which could threaten livestock-based food security in pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems of the tropics and sub-tropics. Boran cattle breed is one of the hardiest Zebu cattle reared by Borana Oromo pastoralists for milk and meat production. However, there is limited comprensive information on production, reproduction and adaption traits of the Boran cattle in Ethiopia. Thus, this paper aims to compile the main production, reproduction and some adaptation traits of Boran cattle based on systematic review and meta-analysis of peer reviewed published and unpublished literature.

Methodology

A combination of systematic review and meta-analysis based on PRISMA guideline was employed. Accordingly, out of 646 recorded articles identified through database searching, 64 were found to be eligible for production, reproduction and adaptation characteristics of the Boran cattle, 28 articles were included in qualitative systematic review while 36 articles were used for quantitative meta-analysis.

Result

The Boran cattle breed has the ability to survive, produce and reproduce under high ambient temperature, utilize low quality forage resources, and resist water shortage or long watering intervals and tick infestations. The review revealed that the breed employs various adaptation responses (morphological, physiological, biochemical, metabolic, cellular and molecular responses) to cope with harsh environmental conditions including climate change, rangeland degradation, seasonal feed and water shortages and high incidences of tick infestations. The meta-analysis using a random-effects model allowed provision of pooled estimates of heritability and genetic correlations for reproduction and production traits, which could be used to solve genetic prediction equations under a population level in purebred Boran cattle. In addition, heritability and genetic-correlation estimates found in the present study suggest that there is high genetic variability for most traits in Boran cattle, and that genetic progress is possible for all studied traits in this breed.

Conclusion

The Boran cattle breed has the ability to survive, produce and reproduce under high ambient temperature, utilize low quality forage resources, and resist water shortage or long watering intervals and tick infestations. However, currently there are several challenges such as recurrent droughts, pasture deterioration and lack of systematic selection and breeding programs that play to undermine the realization of the potential of the breed. Thus, we recommend systematic selection for enhancing the reproductive and production performances without compromising the adaptation traits of the breed coupled with improved management of rangelands.
Impact of influenza vaccination in the Netherlands, 2007–2016: Vaccinees consult their general practitioner for clinically diagnosed influenza, acute respiratory infections, and pneumonia more often than non-vaccinees
Authors: Caini Saverio , Paget John , Spreeuwenberg Peter , Korevaar Joke C. , Meijer Adam , Hooiveld Mariëtte
Published: May 2021

Introduction

We aimed to develop an innovative population-based method to estimate the health effect of influenza vaccination based on electronic medical records collected within a general practitioner (GP)-based influenza surveillance system in the Netherlands.

Methods

In each season between 2006/07 and 2015/16, we fitted multilevel Poisson regression models to compare GP consultation rates for clinically diagnosed influenza, acute respiratory infections (ARI), pneumonia, and lower back pain (as a control) between vaccinated vs. unvaccinated individuals. Season-specific relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled into summary risk ratio (SRR) through random-effects meta-analysis models. Analyses were stratified by patient age (<45, 45–59, 60–74, ≥75 years) and medical indication for the vaccine (any vs. none, subjects aged ≤60 years only).

Results

Overall, 12.6% and 21.4% of study subjects were vaccinated because of their age only or because of an underlying medical condition. Vaccine uptake declined over time, especially among subjects aged ≤74 years with medical indications for vaccination. Vaccinated individuals had significantly higher GP consultation rates for clinically diagnosed influenza (SRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12–1.38, p-value <0.001), ARI (SRR 1.33, 95% CI 1.27–1.39, p-value <0.001), pneumonia (SRR 1.27, 95% CI 1.19–1.36, p-value <0.001), and lower back pain (SRR 1.21, 95% CI 1.14–1.28, p-value <0.001) compared to unvaccinated individuals.

Discussion

Contrary to expectations, influenza vaccinees have GP consultation rates for clinically diagnosed influenza, ARI and pneumonia that are 24–33% higher compared to unvaccinated individuals. The lower back pain finding suggests that the increase in consultation rates is partially caused by confounding. Importantly, considering the data are not laboratory-confirmed, our results cannot be linked directly to influenza, but only to respiratory illnesses in general.
Prevalence and predictors of no-shows to physical therapy for musculoskeletal conditions
Authors: Bhavsar Nrupen A. , Doerfler Shannon M. , Giczewska Anna , Alhanti Brooke , Lutz Adam , Thigpen Charles A. , George Steven Z.
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Chronic pain affects 50 million Americans and is often treated with non-pharmacologic approaches like physical therapy. Developing a no-show prediction model for individuals seeking physical therapy care for musculoskeletal conditions has several benefits including enhancement of workforce efficiency without growing the existing provider pool, delivering guideline adherent care, and identifying those that may benefit from telehealth. The objective of this paper was to quantify the national prevalence of no-shows for patients seeking physical therapy care and to identify individual and organizational factors predicting whether a patient will be a no-show when seeking physical therapy care.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Commercial provider of physical therapy within the United States with 828 clinics across 26 states.

Participants

Adolescent and adult patients (age cutoffs: 14–117 years) seeking non-pharmacological treatment for musculoskeletal conditions from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017 (n = 542,685). Exclusion criteria were a primary complaint not considered an MSK condition or improbable values for height, weight, or body mass index values. The study included 444,995 individuals.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Prevalence of no-shows for musculoskeletal conditions and predictors of patient no-show.

Results

In our population, 73% missed at least 1 appointment for a given physical therapy care episode. Our model had moderate discrimination for no-shows (c-statistic:0.72, all appointments; 0.73, first 7 appointments) and was well calibrated, with predicted and observed no-shows in good agreement. Variables predicting higher no-show rates included insurance type; smoking-status; higher BMI; and more prior cancellations, time between visit and scheduling date, and between current and previous visit.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of no-shows when seeking care for musculoskeletal conditions from physical therapists highlights an inefficiency that, unaddressed, could limit delivery of guideline-adherent care that advocates for earlier use of non-pharmacological treatments for musculoskeletal conditions and result in missed opportunities for using telehealth to deliver physical therapy.
Signal-piloted processing and machine learning based efficient power quality disturbances recognition
Authors: Mian Qaisar Saeed
Published: May 2021

Significant losses can occur for various smart grid stake holders due to the Power Quality Disturbances (PQDs). Therefore, it is necessary to correctly recognize and timely mitigate the PQDs. In this context, an emerging trend is the development of machine learning assisted PQDs management. Based on the conventional processing theory, the existing PQDs identification is time-invariant. It can result in a huge amount of unnecessary information being collected, processed, and transmitted. Consequently, needless processing activities, power consumption and latency can occur. In this paper, a novel combination of signal-piloted acquisition, adaptive-rate segmentation and time-domain features extraction with machine learning tools is suggested. The signal-piloted acquisition and processing brings real-time compression. Therefore, a remarkable reduction can be secured in the data storage, processing and transmission requirement towards the post classifier. Additionally, a reduced computational cost and latency of classifier is promised. The classification is accomplished by using robust machine learning algorithms. A comparison is made among the k-Nearest Neighbor, Naïve Bayes, Artificial Neural Network and Support Vector Machine. Multiple metrics are used to test the success of classification. It permits to avoid any biasness of findings. The applicability of the suggested approach is studied for automated recognition of the power signal’s major voltage and transient disturbances. Results show that the system attains a 6.75-fold reduction in the collected information and the processing load and secures the 98.05% accuracy of classification.
Effectiveness of early versus delayed rehabilitation following rotator cuff repair: Systematic review and meta-analyses
Authors: Mazuquin Bruno , Moffatt Maria , Gill Peter , Selfe James , Rees Jonathan , Drew Steve , Littlewood Chris
Published: May 2021

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of early rehabilitation compared with delayed/standard rehabilitation after rotator cuff repair for pain, function, range of movement, strength, and repair integrity.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analyses.

Methods

We searched databases and included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing early with delayed/standard rehabilitation for patients undergoing rotator cuff repair surgery. We assessed risk of bias of the RCTs using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool.

Results

Twenty RCTs, with 1841 patients, were included. The majority of the RCTs were of high or unclear risk of overall bias. We found substantial variations in the rehabilitation programmes, time in the sling and timing of exercise progression. We found no statistically significant differences for pain and function at any follow-up except for the outcome measure Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation at six months (MD: 6.54; 95%CI: 2.24–10.84) in favour of early rehabilitation. We found statistically significant differences in favour of early rehabilitation for shoulder flexion at six weeks (MD: 7.36; 95%CI: 2.66–12.06), three (MD: 8.45; 95%CI: 3.43–13.47) and six months (MD: 3.57; 95%CI: 0.81–6.32) and one year (MD: 1.42; 95%CI: 0.21–2.64) and similar differences for other planes of movement. In terms of repair integrity, early mobilisation does not seem to increase the risk of re-tears (OR:1.05; 95%CI: 0.64–1.75).

Discussion

Current approaches to early mobilisation, based largely on early introduction of passive movement, did not demonstrate significant differences in most clinical outcomes, although we found statistically significant differences in favour of early rehabilitation for range of movement. Importantly, there were no differences in repair integrity between early and delayed/standard rehabilitation. Most rehabilitation programmes did not consider early active movement as soon as the patient feels able. With ongoing variation in rehabilitation protocols there remains a need for large high quality RCT to inform the optimal approach to rehabilitation after rotator cuff repair surgery.
Transient IL-33 upregulation in neonatal mouse lung promotes acute but not chronic type 2 immune responses induced by allergen later in life
Authors: Iijima Koji , Kobayashi Takao , Matsumoto Koji , Ohara Kenzo , Kita Hirohito , Drake Li Y.
Published: May 2021

Early life respiratory insults, such as viral infections or hyperoxia, often increase asthma susceptibility later in life. The mechanisms underlying this increased susceptibility are not fully understood. IL-33 has been shown to be critically involved in allergic airway diseases. IL-33 expression in the neonatal lung can be increased by various respiratory insults associated with asthma development. Therefore, we investigated whether and how early life increases in IL-33 impact allergic airway responses later in life. Using a novel IL-33 transgenic mouse model, in which full-length IL-33 was inducible overexpressed in lung epithelial cells, we transiently upregulated lung IL-33 expression in neonatal mice for one week. After resting for 4–6 weeks, mice were intranasally exposed to a single-dose of recombinant IL-33 or the airborne allergen Alternaria. Alternatively, mice were exposed to Alternaria and ovalbumin multiple times for one month. We found that a transient increase in IL-33 expression during the neonatal period promoted IL-5 and IL-13 production when mice were later exposed to a single-dose of IL-33 or Alternaria in adulthood. However, increased IL-33 expression during the neonatal period did not affect airway inflammation, type 2 cytokine production, lung mucus production, or antigen-specific antibody responses when adult mice were exposed to Alternaria and ovalbumin multiple times. These results suggest that transient increased IL-33 expression early in life may have differential effects on allergic airway responses in later life, preferentially affecting allergen-induced acute type 2 cytokine production.