bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiome species diversity and seasonal stability of two temperate marine sponges Hymeniacidon perlevis and Suberites massa
Authors: Lamb Claire E. , Watts Joy E. M.
Published: June 2023

Background

Marine sponges are diverse and functionally important members of marine benthic systems, well known to harbour complex and abundant symbiotic microorganisms as part of their species-specific microbiome. Changes in the sponge microbiome have previously been observed in relation to natural environmental changes, including nutrient availability, temperature and light. With global climate change altering seasonal temperatures, this study aims to better understand the potential effects of natural seasonal fluctuations on the composition and functions of the sponge microbiome.

Results

Metataxonomic sequencing of two marine sponge species native to the U.K. (Hymeniacidon perlevis and Suberites massa) was performed at two different seasonal temperatures from the same estuary. A host-specific microbiome was observed in each species between both seasons. Detected diversity withinS. massawas dominated by one family,Terasakiellaceae, with remaining dominant families also being detected in the associated seawater.H. perlevisdemonstrated sponge specific bacterial families including aforementionedTerasakiellaceaeas well asSphingomonadaceaeandLeptospiraceaewith further sponge enriched families present.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, these results describe for the first time the microbial diversity of the temperate marine sponge speciesH. perlevisandS. massausing next generation sequencing. This analysis detected the presence of core sponge taxa identified in each sponge species was not changed by seasonal temperature alterations, however, there were shifts observed in overall community composition due to fluctuations in less abundant taxa, demonstrating that microbiome stability across seasons is likely to be host species specific.
Fruit and vegetable consumption across population segments: evidence from a national household survey
Authors: Küçük Nihat , Urak Faruk , Bilgic Abdulbaki , Florkowski Wojciech J. , Kiani Adiqa K. , Özdemir Ferda Nur
Published: June 2023

Background

The 2002 World Health Report documented that low fruit and vegetable intake are among the top ten risk factors contributing to attributable mortality and up to three million lives could be saved each year by adequate consumption of F&V across the globe, leading an examination of behavioral preferences of the individual and family social, environmental, and behavioral factors that constitute perceived barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption.

Objective

The study examines factors affecting the choice of eating fruits and vegetables by household members and calculates eating frequency probabilities of different population-origin associated with personal attributes and behavior.

Method

Turkish Health Survey (THS) 2019 data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI) national representative household panel is applied. Estimating a random-effect bivariate probit model of fruit and vegetable choice, we calculated marginal probabilities of choosing fruits and vegetables, the joint probability of choosing both, and conditional probabilities between choosing to eat either, detecting consumption synergy.

Results

The role of uncontrolled variables in choosing to eat fruits and vegetable (F&V) differs between the decision of an average family and the decision of individual family members. The attitude is positive for an average family and contrasts with the negative attitude among some family members. Most individual and family attributes inversely affect fruit and vegetable choice across different groups, while a positive relationship exists between the likelihood of fruit and vegetable choice and attributes such as age, marital status, education, weight, having health insurance, income, and time and forms of physical activity.

Conclusion and recommendation

Instead of a general policy for the implementation of a healthy and balanced nutrition program to improve fruit and vegetable eating frequency, it appears more effective to adopt programs with distinct characteristics that segregate society into different cohorts. We suggest appropriate policies and offer suitable approaches to reach targeted groups.
Association between nutritional status and socio-economic status among school children aged 9–17 years in a semi-urban area of Nepal
Authors: Hamann Sophie Amalie , Thorup Lene , Patsche Cecilie Blenstrup , Hohwü Lena , Hjortdal Vibeke Elisabeth , Gyawali Bishal , Neupane Dinesh , Kallestrup Per
Published: June 2023

Background

In many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), childhood overweight is increasing, while underweight remains a problem. This study aimed to investigate the association between socio-economic status (SES) and nutritional status among Nepalese school children.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used a multistage random cluster sampling method and included 868 students aged 9–17 years from both public and private schools located in a semi-urban area of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal. SES was determined based on a self-reported questionnaire. Body weight and height were measured by health professionals and body mass index (BMI) was categorized based on the World Health Organization BMI-for-age cut-offs. The association between Lower and Upper SES and BMI was assessed using mixed-effects logistic regression model estimating the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) and compared to Middle SES.

Results

The proportion of obesity, overweight, underweight, and stunting among school children was 4%, 12%, 7%, and 17%, respectively. More girls were overweight/obese compared with boys (20% vs. 13%). The mixed-effects logistic regression model showed that both participants from Lower SES households and Upper SES households had a higher tendency to be overweight compared to participants from Middle SES; aOR = 1.4; 95% CI 0.7–3.1 and aOR = 1.1; 95% CI 0.6–2.1, respectively. Furthermore, stunting and overweight occurred simultaneously.

Conclusions

This study found that about one out of four children and adolescents in the study setting was malnourished. There was a tendency that both participants from Lower SES and Upper SES had higher odds of being overweight compared to participants from Middle SES. Furthermore, both stunting and overweight were present simultaneously in some individuals. This emphasizes the complexity and importance of awareness of childhood malnutrition in LMICs like Nepal.
Impact of federalization for health financing and workforce in Nepal
Authors: Chen Meifang , Thapa Dinesh , Ma Rongxiao , Weissglass Daniel , Li Hao , Karmachaya Biraj
Published: June 2023

The adoption of its 2015 constitution has converted Nepal to a federal government while simultaneously resulted in significant reforms of the health system in Nepal in terms of both structure and commitment. In this commentary, we review evidence ranging from health financing to health workforce development to show that the impact of federalization on Nepal’s health system and its efforts to achieve equitable and affordable universal health care have been mixed. On the one hand, careful efforts of the federal government to support subnational governments during the transition appears to have avoided serious disruption, subnational governments have successfully taken on the financial burden of the health system, and increase subnational control has allowed more flexible adaptation to changing needs than might have otherwise been possible. On the other hand, financing resource and ability disparities across subnational governments contributes to significant disparities in workforce development, and subnational authorities appear to have underestimated significant health issues (e.g. NCDs) in their budgets. We then provide three recommendations to improve the success of the Nepalese system: (1) to assess whether the services covered by health financing and insurance schemes like the National Health Insurance Program adequately address the needs of the rising burden of NCDs in Nepal, (2) to set clear minimum requirements on key metrics for subnational health systems, and (3) to extend grant programs to address resource disparities.
Post-acute COVID-19 in three doses vaccinated autoimmune rheumatic diseases patients: frequency and pattern of this condition
Authors: Silva Clovis Artur , de Vinci Kanda Kupa Leonard , Medeiros-Ribeiro Ana Cristina , Pasoto Sandra Gofinet , Saad Carla Gonçalves Schahin , Yuki Emily Figueiredo Neves , Landim Joaquim Ivo Vasques Dantas , Léda Victor Hugo Ferreira e , de Camargo Correia Luisa Sacchi , Sartori Artur Fonseca , Martins Carolina Campagnoli Machado Freire , Ribeiro Carolina Torres , Waridel Filipe , de Oliveira Martins Victor Adriano , Shinjo Samuel Katsuyuki , Andrade Danieli Castro Oliveira , Sampaio-Barros Percival Degrava , Neto Eduardo Ferreira Borba , Aikawa Nadia Emi , Bonfa Eloisa
Published: June 2023

Background

Data on post-acute COVID-19 in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) are scarce, focusing on a single disease, with variable definitions of this condition and time of vaccination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and pattern of post-acute COVID-19 in vaccinated patients with ARD using established diagnosis criteria.

Methods

Retrospective evaluation of a prospective cohort of 108 ARD patients and 32 non-ARD controls, diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection (RT-PCR/antigen test) after the third dose of the CoronaVac vaccine. Post-acute COVID-19 (≥ 4 weeks and > 12 weeks of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms) were registered according to the established international criteria.

Results

ARD patients and non-ARD controls, balanced for age and sex, had high and comparable frequencies of ≥ 4 weeks post-acute COVID-19 (58.3% vs. 53.1%, p = 0.6854) and > 12 weeks post-acute COVID-19 (39.8% vs. 46.9%, p = 0.5419). Regarding ≥ 4 weeks post-acute COVID-19, frequencies of ≥ 3 symptoms were similar in ARD and non-ARD controls (54% vs. 41.2%, p = 0.7886), and this was also similar in > 12 weeks post-acute COVID-19 (68.3% vs. 88.2%, p = 0.1322). Further analysis of the risk factors for ≥ 4 weeks post-acute COVID-19 in ARD patients revealed that age, sex, clinical severity of COVID-19, reinfection, and autoimmune diseases were not associated with this condition (p > 0.05). The clinical manifestations of post-acute COVID-19 were similar in both groups (p > 0.05), with fatigue and memory loss being the most frequent manifestations.

Conclusion

We provide novel data demonstrating that immune/inflammatory ARD disturbances after third dose vaccination do not seem to be a major determinant of post-acute COVID-19 since its pattern is very similar to that of the general population. Clinical Trials platform (NCT04754698).
Myofibrillar myopathy: a rare but important differential diagnosis of camptocormia in a patient with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Petry-Schmelzer Jan Niklas , Abicht Angela , Barbe Michael T. , Wunderlich Gilbert
Published: June 2023

Here we report on a patient with Parkinson's Disease and camptocormia due to Myofibrillar Myopathy Type 3. By leading the reader through the clinical reasoning process and highlighting the respective red flags we aim to increase the readers’ awareness for the differential diagnosis of camptocormia.
Serotonin syndrome: a rare undiagnosed cause of hyperpyrexia
Authors: Ibrahim Hamdy , Maksod Safwat Abdel , Khorshed Magdy , Rady Hanan , Alsisi Ahmed , Mohamed Adel , Alkassas Omar , Haron Marwa , Saied Suzan
Published: June 2023

Serotonin syndrome (SS) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, and it is caused by
increasing serotonergic activities. It is an underdiagnosed and under-reported
condition. Clinical manifestations can range from mild to moderate to severe
symptoms. The intensity of symptoms reflects the degree of serotonin toxicity, and
mild serotonin syndrome is easily overlooked by physicians.

Severe serotonin
toxicity typically occurs to a combination of serotonergic agents.

Herein, we describe a
case of severe serotonin toxicity in a 38-year-old Egyptian male with a history
of generalized anxiety disorder and depression. With increased depressive
symptoms, he received 20 mg of fluoxetine daily, and the symptoms
developed 1 month after starting fluoxetine, which is the uncommon onset
of presentation. The patient was already on tramadol for chronic low backache. The
aim is to increase awareness of the syndrome among physicians and
neuropsychiatrists.
Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Clinical Characteristics, Treatment Outcomes, and Prognostic Factors: 10 Years' Experience From a Low- and Middle-Income Country
Authors: Ahmad Ishfaq , Ghafoor Tariq , Ullah Anwar , Naz Shaista , Tahir Muhammad , Ahmed Shakeel , Arshad Awais , Ali Asghar , Khattack Tariq Azam , Batool Fatima
Published: June 2023

PURPOSE

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents around 70% of pediatric leukemia. In high-income countries, the 5-year survival is above 90%, but survival in low- and middle-income countries is inferior. This study documents the treatment outcome and prognostic factors of pediatric ALL in Pakistan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, all newly diagnosed patients with ALL/lymphoblastic lymphoma from age 1 to 16 years enrolled between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021, were included. The treatment was based on the standard arm of the UKALL2011 protocol.

RESULTS

Data from 945 patients with ALL, including 597 males (63.2%), were analyzed. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.73 ± 3.51 years. Pallor was the commonest presentation in 95.2% followed by fever in 84.2% of patients. The mean WBC count was 56.6 ± 103.4 × 109/L. Neutropenic fever followed by myopathy was the most common complication during induction. In univariate analysis, the high WBC count ( P ≤ 0.001), intensive chemotherapy ( P ≤ 0.001), malnutrition ( P = .007), poor response to induction chemotherapy ( P = .001), delayed presentation ( P = .004), and use of steroids before chemotherapy ( P = .023) significantly adversely affected overall survival (OS). The delayed presentation was the most significant prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis ( P ≤ .002). After a median follow-up of 54.64 ± 33.80 months, the 5-year OS and disease-free survival (DFS) were 69.9% and 67.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

In this largest cohort of childhood ALL from Pakistan, a high WBC count, malnutrition, delayed presentation, previous steroids use, intensive chemotherapy, and poor response to the induction chemotherapy were associated with decreased OS and DFS rates.
Screening and Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes: Where Are We?
Authors: Simmons Kimber M , Sims Emily K
Published: June 2023

A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the subsequent requirement for exogenous insulin treatment is associated with considerable acute and chronic morbidity and a substantial effect on patient quality of life. Importantly, a large body of work suggests that early identification of presymptomatic T1D can accurately predict clinical disease, and when paired with education and monitoring, can yield improved health outcomes. Furthermore, a growing cadre of effective disease-modifying therapies provides the potential to alter the natural history of early stages of T1D. In this mini review, we highlight prior work that has led to the current landscape of T1D screening and prevention, as well as challenges and next steps moving into the future of these rapidly evolving areas of patient care.
Hyperthyroidism Due to Graves Disease After Radiofrequency Ablation
Authors: McAninch Elizabeth A , Desai Kaniksha , McCowen Karen C , Orloff Lisa A
Published: June 2023

Management options for benign, autonomously functioning, and malignant thyroid nodules were limited to surgery or targeting by radioactive iodine before the availability of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Despite being a relatively new technique, RFA may be favored for patients of high surgical risk, and for those who wish to avoid hypothyroidism. Although insurance coverage for the procedure can be a significant barrier, several groups of investigators have shown improved quality of life for RFA compared to surgery, due to the less invasive nature and favorable risk profile. Hyperthyroidism due to transient thyroiditis is a known risk of RFA, secondary to direct trauma and subsequent thyroid hormone release. Here we present a case of an adult with large, symptomatic, multinodular goiter, with no prior history of thyroid autoimmunity, who underwent RFA with successful volume reduction of two nodules, but who developed acute hyperthyroidism due to Graves disease eight weeks after RFA. Larger studies evaluating the risks of RFA should evaluate for incident hyperthyroidism, specifically for Graves disease/thyroid autoimmunity, as this could represent an additional risk of the procedure.
Treatment of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia With ANGPTL3 Inhibitor, Evinacumab
Authors: Shamsudeen Isabel , McCrindle Brian W , Hegele Robert A
Published: June 2023

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is an ultra-rare, life-threatening, genetic condition characterized by markedly elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Standard lipid-lowering therapies minimally reduce LDL-C in these patients, and lifelong serial apheresis is the mainstay of treatment. Evinacumab is a monoclonal antibody against angiopoietin-like protein 3 that lowers LDL-C levels via a novel LDL receptor–independent mechanism, and is US Food and Drug Administration approved for HoFH in the United States. We present a pediatric HoFH patient from Ontario who has been receiving evinacumab through special access from Health Canada. A 17-year-old boy was diagnosed with severe HoFH due to compound heterozygous LDLR pathogenic variants. Treatment has included a statin, ezetimibe, and LDL apheresis every 2 weeks, with minimal overall effect on LDL-C levels. He remains asymptomatic from a cardiovascular perspective. At age 16, evinacumab infused intravenously every 4 weeks was added to his treatment. After 12 months, his time-averaged LDL-C decreased by 53.4% from 8.75 mmol/L (338.4 mg/dL) to 4.08 mmol/L (157.8 mg/dL), despite reduced frequency of LDL apheresis from biweekly to monthly. He has experienced no adverse events. Overall, treatment has increased quality of life for him and his family. Evinacumab shows great promise for patients with HoFH, a difficult-to-treat and potentially life-threatening condition.
Choice in Ablative Therapies for Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Hu Q Lina , Kuo Jennifer H
Published: June 2023

Ultrasound-guided ablation procedures have been growing in popularity and offer many advantages compared with traditional surgery for thyroid nodules. Many technologies are available, with thermal ablative techniques being the most popular currently though other nonthermal techniques, such as cryoablation and electroporation, are gaining interest. The objective of the present review is to provide an overview of each of the currently available ablative therapies and their applications in various clinical indications.
A Postcritical Approach to Literary Aging Studies: Older Women's Responses to Dimitri Verhulst's NovellaMadame Verona Comes Down the Hill
Authors: Swinnen Aagje
Published: June 2023

Scholars in literary aging studies typically engage in oppositional readings that reveal the often-hidden age ideologies of texts while addressing points of exit from these ideologies. This form of research is ethical and political in that it aims to clarify cultural meanings of aging and how to negotiate and subvert them in a world characterized by structural and everyday ageism. Inspired by Rita Felski's plea not to go too far in our suspicion toward the hidden meanings of a text and to value uses of literature other than the strictly ideological, this article focuses on the figure of the older lay reader and their reading practices. It presents field work involving a 2017 reading and writing club of women over sixty who responded to the novella Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill (2006) by the Flemish author Dimitri Verhulst. Analyzing the reading diaries, group discussion, and creative writing exercises of the participants will show how these readers draw on both form and ideology when making sense of and coming to terms with the life and death of the main character, an eighty-two-year-old widow who descends from the hill to die and to follow her beloved to the grave.
Kinetic Mass Transfer Behavior of Eu(III) in Nitrilotriacetamide-Impregnated Polymer-Coated Silica Particles
Authors: Miyagawa Akihisa , Hayashi Naoki , Kuzure Yoshiaki , Takahashi Takumi , Iwamoto Hibiki , Arai Tsuyoshi , Nagatomo Shigenori , Miyazaki Yasunori , Hasegawa Kenta , Sano Yuichi , Nakatani Kiyoharu
Published: June 2023

We investigated the distribution mechanism of Eu(III) in a single polymer-coated silica particle including nitrilotriacetamide (NTA) extractants known as HONTA and TOD2EHNTA. We studied the kinetic rate constants of the distribution process at various concentrations of NO3− (CNO3−) that were prepared using HNO3 and NaNO3 solutions. The rate-determining process during the distribution of Eu(III) was identified as the reaction process of Eu(III) for both extractants, that is, the reaction process of Eu(III) and two NTA molecules in the polymer layer of the silica particle. Furthermore, the reaction of Eu(III) with NO3− ions was found not to be involved in the rate-determining process. The forward (k1) and backward (k−1) reaction kinetic constants for the reaction between Eu(III) and two NTA molecules were determined to be k1 = (5.7 ± 2.2) × 102 M−2 s−1 and k−1 = (2.3 ± 4.4) × 10−4 s−1 for HONTA, and k1 = (6.5 ± 3.0) × 102 M−2 s−1 in the NaNO3 system and k−1 = (2.0 ± 1.5) × 10−4 s−1 in both solutions for TOD2EHNTA. The present study provides a valuable approach for the evaluation and enhancement of the functionality of ‘single extractant-impregnated polymer-coated silica particles’.
Exercise Mediates Myokine Release and Tumor Suppression in Prostate Cancer Independent of Androgen Signaling
Authors: Kim Jin-Soo , Taaffe Dennis R. , Galvão Daniel A. , Saad Fred , Newton Robert U.
Published: June 2023

A prominent toxicity of androgen suppression in prostate cancer patients is loss of skeletal muscle. Exercise may induce tumor-suppression through the endocrinal function of skeletal muscle, however, this is currently unknown. In this review we summarise our work demonstrating the acute and chronic myokine response to exercise and the tumor-suppressive effect of circulatory milieu alteration in prostate cancer patients.
Uniwersytet Trzeciego Wieku w obliczu potrzeb „patchworkowo-kolażowej” starości
Authors: Sulik Monika
Published: June 2023

W artykule została podjęła próba dookreślenia tzw. „nowej” starości, którą autorka nazywa metaforycznie „kolażowo-patchworkową” starością. W kontekście tych rozważań ukazana została rola i znaczenie uniwersytetu trzeciego wieku w realizacji potrzeb współczesnych seniorek i seniorów. Potrzeby te zostały ujęte w sposób wielowymiarowy, przez pryzmat trzech wyróżnionych przez Autorkę dyna- mik: poszukiwanie i poznanie, transformacja i transgresja oraz przemijanie i utrata. Ilustracją podjętych rozważań są zamieszczone w tekście refleksje słuchaczek i słuchaczy Uniwersytetu Trzeciego Wieku w Uniwersytecie Śląskim, w Katowicach.

 

uniwersytet trzeciego wieku, potrzeby, współczesna starość, nowa starość, kolażowa starość, patchworkowa starość, senior, seniorka.
Executive Compensation Limits and Executive Turnover
Authors: Nanda Vikram , Silveri Sabatino (Dino) , Wang Kun , Zhao Le
Published: June 2023

We explore the consequences of limiting executive pay on voluntary executive turnover by exploiting a Chinese government policy restricting executive pay at a subset of firms. Affected firms experience an increase in voluntary executive turnover, with executives increasingly moving to firms not bound by the pay policy. Executives that leave are of higher quality as suggested by their stronger stock and accounting performance in the year prior to the turnover. Affected firms suffer firm value losses, especially when talented executives leave. Our findings demonstrate the importance of compensation contracts in retaining executives and suggest a need for regulatory caution, since mandated constraints aimed at trying to “fix” executive pay can hurt firm value and ultimately, hurt shareholders.

This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting.

Funding: S. Silveri acknowledges research support in the form of a summer research grant from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis. This research support does not imply endorsement of the research results by either Fogelman College or the University of Memphis. K. Wang is grateful for the financial support provided by the Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program and the research project of the Institute for State-Owned Enterprises, Tsinghua University. L. Zhao is grateful for the financial support provided by the Asia Research Center in Nankai University [Project AS2206].

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4812 .
Are we doing the right surgical trials?
Authors: Makaram Navnit S. , Lamb Sallie E. , Simpson A. Hamish R. W.
Published: June 2023

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2023;12(6):372–374.
Fiber-optic frequency comb generation using low-seed power FWM and Brillouin-assisted power equalization
Authors: Paul Aritra , Mishra Tanooja , Krishnamurthy Pradeep Kumar
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate an all-fiber broadband
tunable optical frequency comb (OFC) operating in the C-band. The OFC
is generated by broadening a power-equalized stimulated Brillouin
scattering (SBS)-based seed comb (SBS-OFC) using four-wave mixing
(FWM) in a highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF). The seed SBS-OFC is obtained
from a pump and Stokes power recycling cavity, which yields ≈15 comb lines with 10.8 GHz line
spacing having 16 dBm average power. The seed SBS-OFC is
further power-equalized by a Brillouin-assisted power equalization
(BAPE) technique to minimize the high pump contribution at the
recycling cavity output. The power-equalized seed SBS-OFC, which has
low-power of −4.5dBm at the BAPE cavity output, is
propagated down a dual-pass 200 m dispersion flattened HNLF. At
the HNLF output, we obtain ≈140 comb lines within a 12 nm
bandwidth having 10.8 GHz line spacing. We demonstrate
wavelength tunability over a span of 35 nm by using a tunable
laser source as the Brillouin pump. We also observe and measure a
secondary OFC generated during the power-equalization process by
placing a 10% coupler inside the BAPE cavity. Our experimental results
closely match the trends obtained in the simulation.
Laser energy partitioning in nanosecond pulsed laser-induced air breakdown: effect of incident laser energy
Authors: Qayyum Hamza , Ali Wahaj Aatif , Noor Ayesha , Abdel-Aty Abdel-Haleem , Al-Harbi Nuha , Qayyum Abdul , Rehman Zia Ur
Published: June 2023

Air breakdown is generated by a 1064 nm nanosecond pulsed laser beam, and laser energy deposited in the breakdown (E
d
), transmitted through the plasma region (E
t
) and carried away by the shock wave (E
s
) is estimated for the incident laser energy (E
i
) range of 60–273 mJ. The E
d
is approximately 85% of E
i
at 60 mJ, rapidly increasing to 92% at 102 mJ. The shock wave front velocity and radius are measured as a function of E
i
and propagation distance. The shock wave velocity nicely follows the v∝E
i
0.3 trend predicted by the laser-supported detonation wave model. The Sedov–Taylor theory is used to estimate E
s
, which rapidly increases with E
i
, but E
i
to E
s
conversion linearly decreases from 83% to 48%. At lower values of E
i
, most of the laser energy is carried away by the shock wave, whereas the laser energy used in plasma heating or released in the form of electromagnetic and thermal radiation becomes important at higher laser energies. This implies that laser energy partitioning is highly dependent on the value of incident laser energy. These findings provide important insights into the fundamental physics of air breakdown and will be useful in a variety of applications such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, laser ignition, and laser propulsion.
Surface light propagating in a dielectric thin film generated via micro-spheres
Authors: Ogura Toshihiko
Published: June 2023

Light orbiting through total internal reflection within dielectric spheres or disks is called the whispering gallery mode (WGM). Recently, we have reported anomalously enhanced Raman spectra at the periphery of 3 µm diameter polystyrene (PS) microspheres on a silicon nitride (SiN) film using Raman microscopy. Here, we performed Raman measurements and optical simulation analysis of 3 µm PS spheres on a SiN film using a three-dimensional (3D) model and found that the circumferential light was generated up to 650 nm from the outer circumference of the sphere. Furthermore, a portion of the light circling the sphere travelled to the SiN film and became surface propagating light. These properties are expected to lead to development of new devices such as highly sensitive sensors, quantum optical qubits, and optical integrated circuits.
In-situ and fast classification of origins of Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) slices based on auto-focus laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Peng Jiyu , Ye Longfei , Xie Weiyue , Liu Yifan , Lin Ming , Kong Wenwen , Zhao Zhangfeng , Liu Fei , Huang Jing , Zhou Fei
Published: June 2023

In this Letter, a rapid origin classification device and method for Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) slices based on auto-focus laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is proposed. The enhancement of spectral signal intensity and stability through auto-focus was investigated, as were different preprocessing methods, with area normalization (AN) achieving the best results—increasing by 7.74%—but unable to replace the improved spectral signal quality provided by auto-focus. A residual neural network (ResNet) was used as both a classifier and feature extractor, achieving higher classification accuracy than traditional machine learning methods. The effectiveness of auto-focus was elucidated by extracting LIBS features from the last pooling layer output using uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP). Our approach demonstrated that auto-focus could efficiently optimize the LIBS signal, providing broad prospects for rapid origin classification of traditional Chinese medicines.
Stability and mutual coherence of Raman combs in high-Q silica microresonators
Authors: Sugawara Shuto , Fujii Shun , Kawanishi Satoki , Tanabe Takasumi
Published: June 2023

We investigated the stability and mutual coherence of a Raman microcomb in a silica microrod resonator by monitoring the output power and longitudinal mode spacings. The results indicate that we can obtain a stable Raman comb formation without the need for four-wave mixing processes. The use of a Raman comb will open the possibility of simplifying the setup because it will relax the phase matching condition usually required for microresonator frequency comb generation. Although there are some restrictions in regard to using a Raman comb for applications due to the coexistence of the comb components in different mode families, a proof-of-concept demonstration shows that it is sufficiently stable and robust for applications such as optical communications.
Accelerated deep self-supervised ptycho-laminography for three-dimensional nanoscale imaging of integrated circuits
Authors: Kang Iksung , Jiang Yi , Holler Mirko , Guizar-Sicairos Manuel , Levi A. F. J. , Klug Jeffrey , Vogt Stefan , Barbastathis George
Published: June 2023

Three-dimensional inspection of nanostructures such as integrated
circuits is important for security and reliability assurance. Two
scanning operations are required: ptychographic to recover the complex
transmissivity of the specimen, and rotation of the specimen to
acquire multiple projections covering the 3D spatial frequency domain.
Two types of rotational scanning are possible: tomographic and
laminographic. For flat, extended samples, for which the full
180° coverage is not possible, the latter is preferable because
it provides better coverage of the 3D spatial frequency domain
compared to limited-angle tomography. It is also because the amount of
attenuation through the sample is approximately the same for all
projections. However, both techniques are time consuming because of
extensive acquisition and computation time. Here, we demonstrate the
acceleration of ptycho-laminographic reconstruction of integrated
circuits with 16 times fewer angular samples and 4.67 times faster
computation by using a physics-regularized deep self-supervised
learning architecture. We check the fidelity of our reconstruction
against a densely sampled reconstruction that uses full scanning and
no learning. As already reported elsewhere [Opt. Express
28, 12872 (2020)OPEXFF1094-408710.1364/OE.379200], we
observe improvement of reconstruction quality even over the densely
sampled reconstruction, due to the ability of the self-supervised
learning kernel to fill the missing cone.
Spiking ruby revisited: self-induced periodic spiking oscillations leading to chaotic state in a Cr:Al2O3 laser with cw 532-nm pumping
Authors: Otsuka Kenju , Sudo Seiichi
Published: June 2023

This paper reexamines a 60-year-old mystery of spiking behavior in ruby lasers with a cw 532-nm pump, paying special attention to mode matching between the pump and lasing beam within a ruby crystal placed in a semi-confocal laser cavity. Periodic spiking oscillations were observed in a limited pump power regime, where spikes obeying the generic asymmetric hyperbolic function appeared at a repetition rate around 50 kHz and with a 130-150ns width and 0.1-0.6μJ energy depending on the pump power. The physics of the spiking behavior based on Kleinman’s mechanical approach and a plausible interpretation for the periodic spiking oscillation in terms of self-induced mode matching between the pump and laser beams through the self-induced Kerr-lens effect are addressed. The statistical nature inherent to spiking and the associated self-organized critical behavior in quasi-periodic spiking oscillations as well as chaotic states occurring outside the periodic spiking regime are also explored from a nonlinear dynamics point of view.
Statistical simulations show that scientists need not increase overall sample size by default when including both sexes in in vivo studies
Authors: Phillips Benjamin , Haschler Timo N. , Karp Natasha A.
Published: June 2023

In recent years, there has been a strong drive to improve the inclusion of animals of both sexes in the design of in vivo research studies, driven by a need to increase sex representation in fundamental biology and drug development. This has resulted in inclusion mandates by funding bodies and journals, alongside numerous published manuscripts highlighting the issue and providing guidance to scientists. However, progress is slow and barriers to the routine use of both sexes remain. A frequent, major concern is the perceived need for a higher overall sample size to achieve an equivalent level of statistical power, which would result in an increased ethical and resource burden. This perception arises from either the belief that sex inclusion will increase variability in the data (either through a baseline difference or a treatment effect that depends on sex), thus reducing the sensitivity of statistical tests, or from misapprehensions about the correct way to analyse the data, including disaggregation or pooling by sex. Here, we conduct an in-depth examination of the consequences of including both sexes on statistical power. We performed simulations by constructing artificial datasets that encompass a range of outcomes that may occur in studies studying a treatment effect in the context of both sexes. This includes both baseline sex differences and situations in which the size of the treatment effect depends on sex in both the same and opposite directions. The data were then analysed using either a factorial analysis approach, which is appropriate for the design, or a t test approach following pooling or disaggregation of the data, which are common but erroneous strategies. The results demonstrate that there is no loss of power to detect treatment effects when splitting the sample size across sexes in most scenarios, providing that the data are analysed using an appropriate factorial analysis method (e.g., two-way ANOVA). In the rare situations where power is lost, the benefit of understanding the role of sex outweighs the power considerations. Additionally, use of the inappropriate analysis pipelines results in a loss of statistical power. Therefore, we recommend analysing data collected from both sexes using factorial analysis and splitting the sample size across male and female mice as a standard strategy.
Sequential involvements of the perirhinal cortex and hippocampus in the recall of item-location associative memory in macaques
Authors: Yang Cen , Naya Yuji
Published: June 2023

The standard consolidation theory suggests that the hippocampus (HPC) is critically involved in acquiring new memory, while storage and recall gradually become independent of it. Converging studies have shown separate involvements of the perirhinal cortex (PRC) and parahippocampal cortex (PHC) in item and spatial processes, whereas HPC relates the item to a spatial context. These 2 strands of literature raise the following question; which brain region is involved in the recall process of item-location associative memory? To solve this question, this study applied an item-location associative (ILA) paradigm in a single-unit study of nonhuman primates. We trained 2 macaques to associate 4 visual item pairs with 4 locations on a background map in an allocentric manner before the recording sessions. In each trial, 1 visual item and the map image at a tilt (−90° to 90°) were sequentially presented as the item-cue and the context-cue, respectively. The macaques chose the item-cue location relative to the context-cue by positioning their gaze. Neurons in the PRC, PHC, and HPC, but not area TE, exhibited item-cue responses which signaled retrieval of item-location associative memory. This retrieval signal first appeared in the PRC, followed by the HPC and PHC. We examined whether neural representations of the retrieved locations were related to the external space that the macaques viewed. A positive representation similarity was found in the HPC and PHC, but not in the PRC, thus suggesting a contribution of the HPC to relate the retrieved location from the PRC with a first-person perspective of the subjects and provide the self-referenced retrieved location to the PHC. These results imply distinct but complementary contributions of the PRC and HPC to recall of item-location associative memory that can be used across multiple spatial contexts.
Environmental dynamics shape perceptual decision bias
Authors: Charlton Julie A. , Młynarski Wiktor F. , Bai Yoon H. , Hermundstad Ann M. , Goris Robbe L. T.
Published: June 2023

To interpret the sensory environment, the brain combines ambiguous sensory measurements with knowledge that reflects context-specific prior experience. But environmental contexts can change abruptly and unpredictably, resulting in uncertainty about the current context. Here we address two questions: how should context-specific prior knowledge optimally guide the interpretation of sensory stimuli in changing environments, and do human decision-making strategies resemble this optimum? We probe these questions with a task in which subjects report the orientation of ambiguous visual stimuli that were drawn from three dynamically switching distributions, representing different environmental contexts. We derive predictions for an ideal Bayesian observer that leverages knowledge about the statistical structure of the task to maximize decision accuracy, including knowledge about the dynamics of the environment. We show that its decisions are biased by the dynamically changing task context. The magnitude of this decision bias depends on the observer’s continually evolving belief about the current context. The model therefore not only predicts that decision bias will grow as the context is indicated more reliably, but also as the stability of the environment increases, and as the number of trials since the last context switch grows. Analysis of human choice data validates all three predictions, suggesting that the brain leverages knowledge of the statistical structure of environmental change when interpreting ambiguous sensory signals.
Computational simulations of tumor growth and treatment response: Benefits of high-frequency, low-dose drug regimens and concurrent vascular normalization
Authors: Nikmaneshi Mohammad R. , Jain Rakesh K. , Munn Lance L.
Published: June 2023

Implementation of effective cancer treatment strategies requires consideration of how the spatiotemporal heterogeneities within the tumor microenvironment (TME) influence tumor progression and treatment response. Here, we developed a multi-scale three-dimensional mathematical model of the TME to simulate tumor growth and angiogenesis and then employed the model to evaluate an array of single and combination therapy approaches. Treatments included maximum tolerated dose or metronomic (i.e., frequent low doses) scheduling of anti-cancer drugs combined with anti-angiogenic therapy. The results show that metronomic therapy normalizes the tumor vasculature to improve drug delivery, modulates cancer metabolism, decreases interstitial fluid pressure and decreases cancer cell invasion. Further, we find that combining an anti-cancer drug with anti-angiogenic treatment enhances tumor killing and reduces drug accumulation in normal tissues. We also show that combined anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer drugs can decrease cancer invasiveness and normalize the cancer metabolic microenvironment leading to reduced hypoxia and hypoglycemia. Our model simulations suggest that vessel normalization combined with metronomic cytotoxic therapy has beneficial effects by enhancing tumor killing and limiting normal tissue toxicity.
Mapping genetic effects on cell type-specific chromatin accessibility and annotating complex immune trait variants using single nucleus ATAC-seq in peripheral blood
Authors: Benaglio Paola , Newsome Jacklyn , Han Jee Yun , Chiou Joshua , Aylward Anthony , Corban Sierra , Miller Michael , Okino Mei-Lin , Kaur Jaspreet , Preissl Sebastian , Gorkin David U. , Gaulton Kyle J.
Published: June 2023

Gene regulation is highly cell type-specific and understanding the function of non-coding genetic variants associated with complex traits requires molecular phenotyping at cell type resolution. In this study we performed single nucleus ATAC-seq (snATAC-seq) and genotyping in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 13 individuals. Clustering chromatin accessibility profiles of 96,002 total nuclei identified 17 immune cell types and sub-types. We mapped chromatin accessibility QTLs (caQTLs) in each immune cell type and sub-type using individuals of European ancestry which identified 6,901 caQTLs at FDR < .10 and 4,220 caQTLs at FDR < .05, including those obscured from assays of bulk tissue such as with divergent effects on different cell types. For 3,941 caQTLs we further annotated putative target genes of variant activity using single cell co-accessibility, and caQTL variants were significantly correlated with the accessibility level of linked gene promoters. We fine-mapped loci associated with 16 complex immune traits and identified immune cell caQTLs at 622 candidate causal variants, including those with cell type-specific effects. At the 6q15 locus associated with type 1 diabetes, in line with previous reports, variant rs72928038 was a naïve CD4+ T cell caQTL linked to BACH2 and we validated the allelic effects of this variant on regulatory activity in Jurkat T cells. These results highlight the utility of snATAC-seq for mapping genetic effects on accessible chromatin in specific cell types.
Factors associated with willingness to take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among high-risk adolescent boys and young men in Masese fishing community, Uganda
Authors: Agwang Winnie , Nangendo Joanita , Nabikande Sherifah , Okello Tom , Tusabe Joan , Semitala Fred C. , Kasasa Simon , Matovu Joseph K. B.
Published: June 2023

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a known HIV prevention strategy for high-risk populations however, some high-risk communities have not yet fully embraced it. We sought to determine willingness to take PrEP and the associated factors among high-risk adolescent boys and young men (ABYM) in Masese fishing community, Jinja district, Eastern Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional study, between October and November 2020, using a semi-structured questionnaire among ABYM aged 10–24 years in Masese fishing community, Eastern Uganda. We surveyed 479 participants, who had two or more sexual partners with inconsistent or no condom use. We carried out modified Poisson regression analysis to determine factors associated with willingness to take PrEP.Of 479 high-risk ABYM, 86.4% (n = 414) were willing to take PrEP. Confidence in PrEP safety (adj.PR = 1.56; 95%CI: 1.55, 2.24), availability of PrEP in areas easily accessible by ABYM (adj.PR = 1.40; 95%CI: 1.25, 1.57), and perceiving oneself as being at a very high risk of HIV infection (adj.PR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.03, 1.20) were positively associated with willingness to take PrEP. On the other hand, being unmarried (adj.PR = 0.92; 95%CI: 0.87, 0.98) and earning more than USD 27 a month (adj.PR = 0.92; 95%CI: 0.87, 0.97) were negatively associated with willingness to take PrEP. There was high willingness to take PrEP among adolescent boys and young men in Masese fishing community. Confidence in PrEP safety, access to PrEP in their community and self-perception to be at high risk for HIV acquisition had a positive bearing on willingness to take PrEP while being unmarried and earning more than USD27 had a negative bearing on willingness to take PrEP. These findings suggest a need for target-specific interventions for unmarried men and those earning >USD27.