bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technical Note—Masking Anstreicher’s linx Bound for Improved Entropy Bounds
Authors: Chen Zhongzhu , Fampa Marcia , Lee Jon
Published: June 2022

A fundamental NP-hard combinatorial-optimization in the area of statistical designs is the maximum-entropy sampling problem (MESP), which seeks to maximize Shannon's “differential entropy” over all subsets of a prespecified cardinality from a set of n Gaussian random variables. This problem has applications in many areas, such as the redesign of environmental-monitoring networks. Most algorithms for exact solution of MESP are branch-and-bound based, and one of the best upper bounds is based on Anstrecher's recent concave “linx relaxation” of differential entropy. A key paradigm for improving bounds is by “masking” the covariance of the random variables with a correlation matrix. The main result establishes that in the best case, the linx bound can be improved by an amount that is at least linear in n by masking. These and other recent results on the hot topic of MESP are leading to practical algorithms for exact solution of meaningful design problems in applied areas such as environmental statistics.
Early Left Ventricular Thrombus Following Ventricular Fibrillation/Ventricular Tachycardia Electrical Storm
Authors: Alyacoub Ramez , ElKattawy Sherif , Jesani Shruti , Hernandez Carlos Perez , Fichadiya Hardik , Noori Muhammad Atif Masood , Elkattawy Omar , Williams Edward
Published: June 2022

Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) formation is a serious clinical complication of low-flow states that may be seen in an ischaemic, arrhythmic heart. While LVT formation has a poor prognosis, in the setting of myocardial infarction it is usually a result of post-infarct sequelae such as left ventricle aneurysms, and inflammatory changes from damaged tissue, with the LVT taking several days to form. Arrythmias such as ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) may also lead to thrombus formation, as they contribute to stasis due to decreased cardiac output. Large anterolateral myocardial infarctions can cause electrical or arrhythmic storm, characterized by more than three episodes of VT or VF in a 24-hour period. This prolonged state of dyskinesis further increases the risk of thrombosis, creating a compounding effect. Here, we report the case of a patient who had a VF cardiac arrest with electrical storm secondary to anterolateral myocardial infarction complicated with LVT formation found on echocardiogram after the cardiac arrest, which was absent on presentation. This thrombus formation occurred particularly early during the course of the patient’s arrest, possibly due to the compounding factors increasing the risk of thrombosis. Herein, we discuss in detail the risk factors for LVT formation, its mechanism and management options. A review of the literature also shows that LVT formation in the acute phase of arrest, as seen in our patient, is rare.
Changing the miscarriage story
Authors: Cox Sarah Elizabeth
Published: June 2022

Sarah Elizabeth Cox explores the work Tommy's does in research and policy creation to improve support for those who experience a miscarriage.
Clinical Observations: Using a cast to manage a pressure sore
Authors: Browning Deirdre
Published: June 2022

This report describes the treatment of a pressure sore on the foot of a young adult with spina bifida
Evaluation: A study to compare two film dressings used as secondary dressings
Authors: Thomas S. , Banks V. , Fear M. , Hagelstctn S. , Bale S. , Harding K.
Published: June 2022

Dressings manufactured from adhesive polymeric films have been used extensively in wound management for about 20 years. This report describes the results of a trial designed to compare the performance of two such dressings, used as secondary dressings, in a multi-centre randomised controlled community study involving 100 patients. Independent analysis of the study data revealed that, after adjusting for other effects, no genuine difference was demonstrated between the dressings in terms of their ability to resist wrinkling or prevent maceration (the primary outcome variable).
Quality of life in patients with chronic leg ulceration
Authors: Hayes M.
Published: June 2022

A discussion of the need to incorporate issues affecting patients' quality of life in the formulation of a consensus approach to the treatment of leg ulcers
Dysphagia in the older person: an update
Authors: Nazarko Linda
Published: June 2022

Dysphagia is a common condition in the older person. Linda Nazarko provides an update on its identification and management

Dysphagia is thought to affect around 4 million people in the UK. It becomes more common as people age and is associated with frailty and poor outcomes. This article aims to update practice nurses on the clinical features of dysphagia, how to identify it, when to refer and how it is managed.
A Study on the Perception of Concurrent Use of Western and Korean Medicine Care and Integrated Medical Service in Korea - Targeting tertiary hospital users –
Authors: Seo Sangwoo , Kim Hyungsuk , Lee Seung Hyeun , Kong Moonkyoo , Lee Beom-Joon , Heo Sung Hyuk , Kwon Seung-won , Park Bong Jin , Yun Dong Hwan , Lee Euiju , Oh Hyunjoo , Kim Sung-Bum , Choi Hye-Sook , Kim Kwan-Il , Chung Won-Seok
Published: June 2022

Objectives: Currently, Korea’s medical services are divided into Western medicine and Korean medicine, and people who are not satisfied with the existing treatments are looking for complementary and alternative medicine(CAM). Therefore, this study attempted to confirm patients' perception of the ongoing collaborative treatment and integrated medical service that added CAM to collaborative treatment based on tertiary hospital users. So that we can confirm the expected advantage and disadvantage of integrated medical service system and the necessity of supporting medical expenses for it.Methods: The survey was conducted on 100 people who experienced tertiary hospital treatment and other 100 people who experienced both tertiary hospital treatment and Korean medicine treatment at the same period. The survey was conducted until the number of respondents in both group reached 100. The survey was conducted through e-mail and was conducted from September 27, 2021 to October 8, 2021.Results: For the advantages of collaborative treatment ‘increased in psychological stability,’ and for disadvantages ‘longer time spent for treatment’ were the most common. If integrated medical services are implemented in the future, expected advantages include ‘consideration of various treatments.’ and expected disadvantages include ‘increased medical cost.’ The needs to expand support for health insurance for integrated medical services were 75.5% among responders.Conclusions: We were able to find out the (expected) advantages and disadvantages of the collaborative medical care and the integrated medical system that medical users experienced or expected, also confirmed positive answers to the expansion of health insurance support for the integrated medical system.
Two Cases of Korean Medicine Treatment for Patients Complaining of Long-lasting Discomfort after COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Lee Hye-Jin , Hwang Ye-Chae , Lee Kyeong-Hwa , Yim Tae-Bin , Jung Sang-Yeon , Park Seong-Uk , Park Jung-Mi , Ko Chang-Nam , Cho Seung-Yeon
Published: June 2022

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment for two patients complaining of discomfort after receiving Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.Methods: The patients were hospitalized for 50 days and 12 days, respectively. They were treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. We used the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) on numbness in extremities and headache, Manual Muscle Testing Grading System (MMT), Criteria for Sweating Categorization, and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to evaluate the clinical effects of the treatment.Results: In Case 1, headache improved from peak NRS 9 and average NRS 7 on admission day to both NRS 3 on discharge. The SF-36 score was also increased, suggesting that the quality of life was improved. In Case 2, numbness in the extremities improved from NRS 8 on the day before admission to NRS 2 on discharge, and general condition also improved.Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean medicine can be an effective treatment for patients who experience long-lasting discomfort after being vaccinated with COVID-19, but with no abnormal findings in the examination.
Dynamic input shaping and image motion compensation for a dual-mirror system
Authors: Dautt-Silva Alicia , de Callafon Raymond A.
Published: June 2022

This paper shows that the task of trajectory planning for a dual-mirror optical pointing system with mechanical vibrations greatly benefits from carefully designed dynamic input signals, especially when high bandwidth throughput is required. The optical pointing system consists of two fast steering mirrors (FSMs) for which dynamically coupled input signals are designed, while adhering to mechanical and input signal constraints. A linear programming problem is used to compute the dynamic input signal for each FSM, with one acting as an image motion compensation device. The result is a dynamically coupled set of planned input signals that improve the overall tracking of the dual-mirror optical pointing system.
Design and simulation of a hybrid coated LPG-TFBG-FBG three-parameter sensor for an ocean environment
Authors: Yan Yuxuan , Gu Zhengtian , Jiang Huiping , Li Zhengyuan , Wu Jinyi , Wang Ying
Published: June 2022

Based on the demand for monitoring conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) in the ocean, a hybrid coated long-period fiber grating, tilted fiber Bragg grating, and fiber Bragg grating (LPG-TFBG-FBG) structure is proposed, which could eliminate the mutual interference of CTD in measurements. First, according to coupled mode theory and phase matching conditions, the coupling equation of each segment of the grating is deduced. Next, through the difference iterative method, the total transfer matrix of coated LPG-TFBG-FBG is obtained. Then, to improve the sensitivity of the structure and make the demodulation more accurate and convenient, the structure of the grating is optimized. On this basis, the transmission spectrum of the structure is simulated, and three peaks formed by coupling the forward core mode with the forward cladding mode in LPG (

λ
L

c
l

), the backward high-order cladding mode in TFBG (

λ

TB

c
l

), and the backward cladding mode in FBG (

λ
B

c
l

) are investigated. Furthermore, the sensing characteristics of the surrounding refractive index (SRI), temperature, and water pressure of the peaks are analyzed, and the three peaks show different sensitivities to environmental parameters. Therefore, a three-parameter matrix equation is established, and the three parameters can be measured simultaneously without interference. The simulation results of the response of the three transmission peaks to the three parameters show good performance in both bandwidth (less than 5 nm) and linearity (all larger than 0.99). The maximum sensitivities of the three transmission peaks to SRI, temperature, and water pressure are

−

343

n
m

/

R
I
U

,

−

1318.7

p
m

/

∘

C

, and

−

9.5

n
m

/

M
p
a

, respectively. Finally, the condition number of the parametric demodulation matrix is 581.5822, indicating that the inversion of the resonant wavelength offset has high precision. To our knowledge, this is the first optical fiber CTD sensor based on fiber gratings that can compensate for each other regarding CDT. The proposed coated LPG-TFBG-FBG structure has good linearity and high sensitivity, which give this structure great application potential in the fields of multi-parameter sensing and segmented sensing.
Tunable narrow band add-drop filter design based on apodized long period waveguide grating assisted co-directional coupler
Authors: Saha Nabarun , Brunetti Giuseppe , Armenise Mario Nicola , Ciminelli Caterina
Published: June 2022

Tunable add/drop filter based optical interconnects are an integral part of data centers as well as optical communications. Although add/drop filters based on ring resonators and waveguide Bragg gratings are well developed, long period waveguide grating (LPWG) based add/drop filters have little been investigated so far. In this article, we propose an apodized LPWG assisted co-directional coupler for narrow band add/drop filtering by combining silicon (Si) waveguide with titanium dioxide (TiO2) waveguide geometry. The proposed structure has been analyzed by combining the finite element method (FEM) and transfer matrix method (TMM), showing a good side lobe suppression ratio (SLSR) equal to 25.7 dB and an insertion loss of 0.6 dB. Owing to the high group index difference of Si and TiO2 waveguides, a narrow band response of 1.4 nm has been achieved with 800µm long LPWG. The opposite thermo-optic coefficients of Si and TiO2 ensures a good thermal tunability of the central wavelength. Considering a thin metallic heater of titanium nitride (TiN) the thermal tuning efficiency is found to be 0.07 nm/mW. Further, two LPWGs have been cascaded to realize a tunable dual channel filter with a minimum channel spacing of 185 GHz and a channel crosstalk better than 20 dB, showing its potential application towards dense wavelength division multiplexing.
Investigation of partially coherent vector vortex beams with non-isotropic states of spatial correlation
Authors: Manisha  , Joshi Stuti , Khan Saba N , Kanseri Bhaskar , Senthilkumaran P
Published: June 2022

In this work, the far-field properties of non-isotropic partially coherent vector vortex beams (PCVVBs) are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The term non-isotropic signifies that the spatial correlations between the parallel and orthogonal electric field components are distinguishable. It is found that self-orientation and shaping of intensity profile, correlation-induced polarization and depolarization are highly dependent on both the non-isotropic correlation parameters and Poincaré-Hopf index (PHI) of the beam. The simultaneous depolarization and polarization effects are due to the difference in the input correlation parameters that alter the state of polarization (SOP) and degree of polarization (DOP) distributions. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The distinguishability of correlation parameters at the source plane leads to significant changes on its intensity profile, DOP, and SOP distributions on far-field propagation, which may found potential applications in beam shaping, detecting and imaging atmospheric lidar, optical imaging and directional transportation where the self-rotation characteristic of beam plays an important role.
Photonic time-frequency filter based on the software-defined time-frequency prism
Authors: Han Guanyu , Li Shangyuan , Xue Xiaoxiao , Zheng Xiaoping
Published: June 2022

We propose a microwave photonic 2D time-frequency filter based on a photonic time-frequency prism. A time-varying frequency response is realized by deviating the passband of a 1D ordinary frequency filter in the 2D time-frequency plane. The proposed time-frequency filter features highly reconfigurable frequency-sweeping speed and bandwidth, thanks to the software-defined photonic time-frequency prism. With the proposed technique, separation of multiple linear and nonlinear chirp signals with overlapped spectra is experimentally demonstrated.
Time shifting deviation method enhanced laser interferometry: ultrahigh precision localizing of traffic vibration using an urban fiber link: publisher’s note
Authors: Wang Guan , Pang Zhongwang , Zhang Bohan , Wang Fangmin , Chen Yufeng , Dai Hongfei , Wang Bo , Wang Lijun
Published: June 2022

This publisher’s note corrects the title in Photon. Res. 10, 433 (2022)10.1364/PRJ.443019.
A bistable prokaryotic differentiation system underlying development of conjugative transfer competence
Authors: Sulser Sandra , Vucicevic Andrea , Bellini Veronica , Moritz Roxane , Delavat François , Sentchilo Vladimir , Carraro Nicolas , van der Meer Jan Roelof
Published: June 2022

The mechanisms and impact of horizontal gene transfer processes to distribute gene functions with potential adaptive benefit among prokaryotes have been well documented. In contrast, little is known about the life-style of mobile elements mediating horizontal gene transfer, whereas this is the ultimate determinant for their transfer fitness. Here, we investigate the life-style of an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) within the genus Pseudomonas that is a model for a widespread family transmitting genes for xenobiotic compound metabolism and antibiotic resistances. Previous work showed bimodal ICE activation, but by using single cell time-lapse microscopy coupled to combinations of chromosomally integrated single copy ICE promoter-driven fluorescence reporters, RNA sequencing and mutant analysis, we now describe the complete regulon leading to the arisal of differentiated dedicated transfer competent cells. The regulon encompasses at least three regulatory nodes and five (possibly six) further conserved gene clusters on the ICE that all become expressed under stationary phase conditions. Time-lapse microscopy indicated expression of two regulatory nodes (i.e., bisR and alpA-bisDC) to precede that of the other clusters. Notably, expression of all clusters except of bisR was confined to the same cell subpopulation, and was dependent on the same key ICE regulatory factors. The ICE thus only transfers from a small fraction of cells in a population, with an estimated proportion of between 1.7–4%, which express various components of a dedicated transfer competence program imposed by the ICE, and form the centerpiece of ICE conjugation. The components mediating transfer competence are widely conserved, underscoring their selected fitness for efficient transfer of this class of mobile elements.
Sparsity-based method for ring artifact elimination in computed tomography
Authors: Selim Mona , Rashed Essam A. , Atiea Mohammed A. , Kudo Hiroyuki
Published: June 2022

Ring artifact elimination is one of the popular problems in computed tomography (CT). It appears in the reconstructed image in the form of bright or dark patterns of concentric circles. In this paper, based on the compressed sensing theory, we propose a method for eliminating the ring artifact during the image reconstruction. The proposed method is based on representing the projection data by a sum of two components. The first component contains ideal correct values, while the latter contains imperfect error values causing the ring artifact. We propose to minimize some sparsity-induced norms corresponding to the imperfect error components to effectively eliminate the ring artifact. In particular, we investigate the effect of using different sparse models, i.e. different sparsity-induced norms, on the accuracy of the ring artifact correction. The proposed cost function is optimized using an iterative algorithm derived from the alternative direction method of multipliers. Moreover, we propose improved versions of the proposed algorithms by incorporating a smoothing penalty function into the cost function. We also introduce angular constrained forms of the proposed algorithms by considering a special case as follows. The imperfect error values are constant over all the projection angles, as in the case where the source of ring artifact is the non-uniform sensitivity of the detector. Real data and simulation studies were performed to evaluate the proposed algorithms. Results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms with incorporating smoothing penalty and their angular constrained forms are effective in ring artifact elimination.
Genotype imputation and polygenic score estimation in northwestern Russian population
Authors: Kolosov Nikita , Rezapova Valeriia , Rotar Oxana , Loboda Alexander , Freylikhman Olga , Melnik Olesya , Sergushichev Alexey , Stevens Christine , Voortman Trudy , Kostareva Anna , Konradi Alexandra , Daly Mark J. , Artomov Mykyta
Published: June 2022

Numerous studies demonstrated the lack of transferability of polygenic score (PGS) models across populations and the problem arising from unequal presentation of ancestries across genetic studies. However, even within European ancestry there are ethnic groups that are rarely presented in genetic studies. For instance, Russians, being one of the largest, diverse, and yet understudied group in Europe. In this study, we evaluated the reliability of genotype imputation for the Russian cohort by testing several commonly used imputation reference panels (e.g. HRC, 1000G, HGDP). HRC, in comparison with two other panels, showed the most accurate results based on both imputation accuracy and allele frequency concordance between masked and imputed genotypes. We built polygenic score models based on GWAS results from the UK biobank, measured the explained phenotypic variance in the Russian cohort attributed to polygenic scores for 11 phenotypes, collected in the clinic for each participant, and finally explored the role of allele frequency discordance between the UK biobank and the study cohort in the resulting PGS performance.
Evaluating the use of hair as a non-invasive indicator of trace mineral status in woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou)
Authors: Jutha Naima , Jardine Claire , Schwantje Helen , Mosbacher Jesper , Kinniburgh David , Kutz Susan
Published: June 2022

Trace mineral imbalances can have significant effects on animal health, reproductive success, and survival. Monitoring their status in wildlife populations is, therefore, important for management and conservation. Typically, livers and kidneys are sampled to measure mineral status, but biopsies and lethal-sampling are not always possible, particularly for Species at Risk. We aimed to: 1) determine baseline mineral levels in Northern Mountain caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou; Gmelin, 1788) in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, and 2) determine if hair can be used as an effective indicator of caribou mineral status by evaluating associations between hair and organ mineral concentrations. Hair, liver, and kidney samples from adult male caribou (nHair = 31; nLiver, nKidney = 43) were collected by guide-outfitters in 2016–2018 hunting seasons. Trace minerals and heavy metals were quantified using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and organ and hair concentrations of same individuals were compared. Some organ mineral concentrations differed from other caribou populations, though no clinical deficiency or toxicity symptoms were reported in our population. Significant correlations were found between liver and hair selenium (rho = 0.66, p<0.05), kidney and hair cobalt (rho = 0.51, p<0.05), and liver and hair molybdenum (rho = 0.37, p<0.10). These findings suggest that hair trace mineral assessment may be used as a non-invasive and easily-accessible way to monitor caribou selenium, cobalt, and molybdenum status, and may be a valuable tool to help assess overall caribou health.
Analysis of Wilson disease mutations in copper binding domain of ATP7B gene
Authors: Gul Bushra , Firasat Sabika , Tehreem Raeesa , Shan Tayyaba , Afshan Kiran
Published: June 2022

Wilson’s disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder, resulting from variations in ATP7B gene. Clinical heterogeneity, including neuropsychiatric and hepatic manifestations over a large range of age groups make diagnosis difficult. Most of WD patients suffer severe disabilities and even die. So, overall goal of proposed study is the genetic and clinical characterization of Wilson’s disease cases from Pakistani population. Clinical data was collected, and patients were investigated for variations in selected ATP7B exons using PCR based Sanger sequencing. Pathogenic effect predictions for detected variants were carried out using PROVEAN, MutationTaster2, and HSF software’s. Clinical heterogeneity was observed in patients including reduced serum ceruloplasmin, signs of chronic liver damage and raised 24 h urinary copper excretion. Mean age of onset was 11.3 years. Kayser-Fleischer rings were present in 75% of cases. About 82.5% patients belonged to inbred families. Patients having neurological disorder were above 12 years of age. Total ten variants in analyzed region of ATP7B gene, including a reported variation (p. L227Yfs*35) were found in patients. The study also identified 4 putative novel synonymous variants (c.251A>C, c.15T>A, c.6T>C, c.238C>T) and 5 reported polymorphisms (c.83C>A, c.39_40insCGGCG, p.V456L, c.39_40insCGCCG and c.1544-53A>C). Reliable understanding of clinical presentations and genotype-phenotype correlation provide insight to function and structure of ATP7B and may assist in disease prognosis and family counseling. The study revealed clinical presentation of Pakistani WD cases and identification of sequence variants in screened region of ATP7B.
Measuring spatial accessibility to refuge green space after earthquakes: A case study of Nanjing, China
Authors: Liu Wei , Xu Hao , Wu Jing , Li Wei , Hu Huimin
Published: June 2022

The construction of refuge spaces in rapidly urbanizing historic cities is a challenging task owing to their complex urban form, unique urban fabric, and historic preservation requirements. Refuge green space (RGS) is a green space that can serve as an emergency shelter in cities, providing a flexible means to increase the emergency shelter capacity for rapidly urbanized historic cities. After major earthquakes, spatial accessibility to GRSs is a critical planning strategy for disaster prevention and emergency response in historic cities. To match the RGS planning with the emergency service demand, we must examine the spatial disparity in access to existing RGSs. In this study, the urban area of Nanjing was selected as the target region to analyze the spatial disparity in access to RGSs using the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method at four evacuation times (10, 20, 30, and 60 min). The results showed that the spatial accessibility exhibited clustering characteristics, where high-accessibility spaces were mainly distributed in the northern and southern regions of Nanjing. The increase in the evacuation time improved accessibility to RGSs, but the existing RGSs still could not sufficiently satisfy the emergency shelter needs of citizens. Based on the bivariate local Moran’s I analysis of the RGS accessibility and population density, the spatial mismatch regions were dominant in the center of the urban area. These findings not only are expected to assist emergency planners by improving their strategic plans for emergency shelter investment in Nanjing and their ability to respond to catastrophic earthquakes, but also provide a strong reference for the construction of a safe environment in other rapidly developing historic cities that face earthquake threats.
Defining and utilizing individualized learning objectives to achieve learning priorities for global health leaders
Authors: Schleiff Meike , Hahn Elizabeth , Dolive Caroline , James Lillian , Atwell Melanie , Hansoti Bhakti
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Learning objectives (LOs) are a common tool used to define learning goals and guide curricula. As the field of global health has expanded, more rigorous and tailored approaches to effectively teach the next generation of the workforce are needed. The STAR project developed and utilized individualized LOs as the basis for on-the-job learning plans for senior global health leaders from low- and middle-income countries and from the US.

Methods

We analyzed basic demographic information and LOs from 36 STAR fellows. Descriptive statistics provided an overview of the STAR fellows, competency areas and planned outputs of their LOs. We utilized qualitative thematic analysis to further explore the LOs themselves.

Results

STAR fellows were based in the US and in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The majority had over 10 years of experience and at least one advanced degree. Fellows commonly worked on LOs related to capacity strengthening, communications, and development practice. Capacity strengthening LOs focused on mentorship, decision-making, and technical skills such as data analysis. Communications LOs focused on language skills, dissemination of information, and writing. Development practice LOs included gaining understanding of key stakeholders in global health and building effective partnerships and teams.

Discussion

Our experience developing tailored LOs provided deeper understanding of diverse learning needs of global health leaders. While not representative of all global health learners, we captured priorities of senior US- and LMIC-based leaders and identified common themes for learning. Despite the labor required to tailor curricula in this way, more global health education programs can benefit by integrating similar processes.
Identification of high-risk contact areas between feral pigs and outdoor-raised pig operations in California: Implications for disease transmission in the wildlife-livestock interface
Authors: Patterson Laura , Belkhiria Jaber , Martínez-López Beatriz , Pires Alda F. A.
Published: June 2022

The US is currently experiencing a return to raising domestic pigs outdoors, due to consumer demand for sustainably-raised animal products. A challenge in raising pigs outdoors is the possibility of these animals interacting with feral pigs and an associated risk of pathogen transmission. California has one of the largest and widest geographic distributions of feral pigs. Locations at greatest risk for increased contact between both swine populations are those regions that contain feral pig suitable habitat located near outdoor-raised domestic pigs. The main aim of this study entailed identifying potential high-risk areas of disease transmission between these two swine populations. Aims were achieved by predicting suitable feral pig habitat using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt); mapping the spatial distribution of outdoor-raised pig operations (OPO); and identifying high-risk regions where there is overlap between feral pig suitable habitat and OPO. A MaxEnt prediction map with estimates of the relative probability of suitable feral pig habitat was built, using hunting tags as presence-only points. Predictor layers were included in variable selection steps for model building. Five variables were identified as important in predicting suitable feral pig habitat in the final model, including the annual maximum green vegetation fraction, elevation, the minimum temperature of the coldest month, precipitation of the wettest month and the coefficient of variation for seasonal precipitation. For the risk map, the final MaxEnt model was overlapped with the location of OPOs to categorize areas at greatest risk for contact between feral swine and domestic pigs raised outdoors and subsequent potential disease transmission. Since raising pigs outdoors is a remerging trend, feral pig numbers are increasing nationwide, and both groups are reservoirs for various pathogens, the contact between these two swine populations has important implications for disease transmission in the wildlife-livestock interface.
Interaction of background genetic risk, psychotropic medications, and primary angle closure glaucoma in the UK Biobank
Authors: Sekimitsu Sayuri , Wang Jiali , Elze Tobias , Segrè Ayellet V. , Wiggs Janey L. , Zebardast Nazlee
Published: June 2022

Background/Aims

Psychotropic medications have been reported as a risk factor for angle closure disease. However, the interaction between background genetic risk for primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and susceptibility to angle closure disease among psychotropic medication users has not been investigated. Here we demonstrate the utility of a genome-wide polygenic risk score (PRS) in identifying and risk-stratifying subjects with PACG and investigate the association between PACG genetic burden and exposure to psychotropic medications on prevalent angle closure.

Methods

This analysis used the UK Biobank dataset, a prospective cohort study of 502,506 UK residents. We constructed a PACG PRS for participants using genome-wide association study summary statistics from a multiethnic meta-analysis using the Lassosum method.

Results

Among the 441,054 participants, 959 (0.22%) were identified as PACG cases. Individuals with PACG had higher PRS compared to those without PACG (0.24±1.03 SD vs. 0.00±1.00 SD, p<0.001) and PACG prevalence increased with each decile of higher PRS. Among individuals using psychotropic medication, those with PACG had higher average PRS (0.31±1.00 SD vs. 0.00±1.00 SD, p<0.001) and were more likely to have a PRS in upper deciles of polygenic risk (p = 0.04). At each decile of PRS, psychotropic medication use was associated with increased risk of PACG. These effects were more pronounced and significant in higher deciles.

Conclusion

We demonstrate the utility of a PRS for identifying individuals at higher risk of PACG. Additionally, we demonstrate an important relationship where the association between psychotropic medications use and PACG diagnosis varies across the polygenic risk spectrum.
“If it weren’t for my traditional healer, I would be dead”: Engaging traditional healers to support people living with HIV in rural Mozambique
Authors: Audet Carolyn M. , Pettapiece-Phillips Mariah , Tian Yuqi , Shepherd Bryan E. , Vermund Sten H. , Salato Jose
Published: June 2022

Across rural sub-Saharan Africa, people living with HIV (PLHIV) commonly seek out treatment from traditional healers. We report on the clinical outcomes of a community health worker intervention adapted for traditional healers with insight into our results from qualitative interviews. We employed a pre-post intervention study design and used sequential mixed methods to assess the impact of a traditional healer support worker intervention in Zambézia province, Mozambique. After receiving a positive test result, 276 participants who were newly enrolled in HIV treatment and were interested in receiving home-based support from a traditional healer were recruited into the study. Those who enrolled from February 2016 to August 2016 received standard of care services, while those who enrolled from June 2017 to May 2018 received support from a traditional healer. We conducted interviews among healers and participants to gain insight into fidelity of study activities, barriers to support, and program improvement. Medication possession ratio at home (based on pharmacy pick-up dates) was not significantly different between pre- and post-intervention participants (0.80 in the pre-intervention group compared to 0.79 in the post-intervention group; p = 0.96). Participants reported receiving educational and psychosocial support from healers. Healers adapted their support protocol to initiate directly observed therapy among participants with poor adherence. Traditional healers can provide community-based psychosocial support, education, directly observed therapy, and disclosure assistance for PLHIV. Multiple factors may hinder patients’ desire and ability to remain adherent to treatment, including poverty, confusion about medication side effects, and frustration with wait times at the health facility.
Repeated information of benefits reduces COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy: Experimental evidence from Germany
Authors: Burger Maximilian Nicolaus , Mayer Matthias , Steimanis Ivo
Published: June 2022

Background

Many countries, such as Germany, struggle to vaccinate enough people against COVID-19 despite the availability of safe and efficient vaccines. With new variants emerging and the need for booster vaccinations, overcoming vaccination hesitancy gains importance. The research to date has revealed some promising, albeit contentious, interventions to increase vaccination intention. However, these have yet to be tested for their effectiveness in increasing vaccination rates.

Methods & results

We conducted a preregistered survey experiment with N = 1,324 participants in Germany in May/June 2021. This was followed by a series of emails reminding participants to get vaccinated in August and concluded with a follow-up survey in September. We experimentally assess whether debunking vaccination myths, highlighting the benefits of being vaccinated, or sending vaccination reminders decreases hesitancy. In the survey experiment, we find no increase in the intention to vaccinate regardless of the information provided. However, communicating vaccination benefits over several weeks reduced the likelihood of not being vaccinated by 9 percentage points, which translates into a 27% reduction compared to the control group. Debunking vaccination myths and reminders alone also decreased the likelihood, yet not significantly.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that if soft governmental interventions such as information campaigns are employed, highlighting benefits should be given preference over debunking vaccination myths. Furthermore, it seems that repeated messages affect vaccination action while one-time messages might be insufficient, even for increasing vaccination intentions. Our study highlights the importance of testing interventions outside of survey experiments that are limited to measuring vaccination intentions—not actions—and immediate changes in attitudes and intentions—not long-term changes.
The contribution of object identity and configuration to scene representation in convolutional neural networks
Authors: Tang Kevin , Chin Matthew , Chun Marvin , Xu Yaoda
Published: June 2022

Scene perception involves extracting the identities of the objects comprising a scene in conjunction with their configuration (the spatial layout of the objects in the scene). How object identity and configuration information is weighted during scene processing and how this weighting evolves over the course of scene processing however, is not fully understood. Recent developments in convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have demonstrated their aptitude at scene processing tasks and identified correlations between processing in CNNs and in the human brain. Here we examined four CNN architectures (Alexnet, Resnet18, Resnet50, Densenet161) and their sensitivity to changes in object and configuration information over the course of scene processing. Despite differences among the four CNN architectures, across all CNNs, we observed a common pattern in the CNN’s response to object identity and configuration changes. Each CNN demonstrated greater sensitivity to configuration changes in early stages of processing and stronger sensitivity to object identity changes in later stages. This pattern persists regardless of the spatial structure present in the image background, the accuracy of the CNN in classifying the scene, and even the task used to train the CNN. Importantly, CNNs’ sensitivity to a configuration change is not the same as their sensitivity to any type of position change, such as that induced by a uniform translation of the objects without a configuration change. These results provide one of the first documentations of how object identity and configuration information are weighted in CNNs during scene processing.
Temporal measures of oropharyngeal swallowing events identified using ultrasound imaging in healthy young adults
Authors: Kwong Elaine , Shek Phoebe Tsz-Ching , Leung Man-Tak , Zheng Yong-Ping , Lam Wilson Yiu Shun
Published: June 2022

Swallowing is a complex process that involves precise coordination among oral and pharyngeal structures, which is essential to smooth transition of bolus and adequate airway protection. Tongue base retraction and hyolaryngeal excursion are two significant swallowing movements, and their related events can be examined using ultrasound imaging, which is physically and radioactively non-invasive. The present study aimed to 1) establish the temporal sequences and timing of swallowing events identified using ultrasound imaging, and 2) investigate the variability of the above temporal sequences and 3) investigate the effect of bolus type on the variability of temporal sequences in non-dysphagic individuals. Forty-one non-dysphagic young adults of both genders (19 males and 22 females) participated in the study. Ultrasound images were acquired mid-saggitally at their submental region during swallowing of boluses with different volume (i.e. 5mL or 10mL) and consistencies (i.e. IDDSI Levels 0 and 4). Timing and sequence of six events 1) displacement onset (TBOn), 2) maximum displacement (TBMax) and 3) displacement offset of tongue base retraction (TBOff); and, 4) displacement onset (HBOn), 5) maximum displacement (HBMax) and 6) displacement offset of the hyoid bone excursion (HBOff) were extracted from the ultrasound images. Out of the 161 swallows, 85.7% follow a general sequence ofHBOn < TBOn < HBMax < TBMax < HBOff < TBOff. Percentage adherence to six anticipated paired-event sequences was studied. Results suggested the presence of individual variability as adherence ranged from 75.8% to 98.1% in four of the anticipated sequences, leaving only two sequences (HBOn<TBMaxandTBMax<HBOff) obligatory (i.e. 100% adherence). For non-obligatory sequences, it was found that bolus type may have an effect on the level of adherence. Findings of the present study lay the groundwork for future studies on swallowing using ultrasound imaging and also the clinical application of ultrasonography.
Ethnic minority identities and citizenship in a Chinese-dominant society: Theoretical and institutional frameworks
Authors: Bhowmik Miron Kumar , Kennedy Kerry J. , Hue Ming-Tak , Ng Hoi-Yu
Published: June 2022

This article attempts to locate Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities at the intersection of discourses between ethnic diversity, immigration, citizenship and identity. The literature informs categorizing and matching Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities, ascribing different characteristics attached to each category. This helps conceptualize the positionality of ethnic minorities in Asia’s ‘world city’, Hong Kong. The article is informed by in-depth interviews with twenty ethnic minority young people who provided perspectives on their constructions and negotiation of identity.
Exploring the phenomenon of Afrofuturism in film in decolonizing the university curriculum: A case study of a South African university
Authors: Waghid Zayd , Ontong Krystle
Published: June 2022

When the #RhodesMustFall movement called for the decolonization of the university curriculum in South Africa in 2015, academics were soon under pressure to begin to explore various ways to go about beginning such a complex process. One possible approach to this would be to explore whether Afrofuturism could practically liberate the mind towards addressing any forms of cognitive injustice that students may experience as a result of a colonized curriculum, and in what ways it might do so. A literature review has found a paucity of empirical research exploring ways in which a film that employs Afrofuturism could be used to advance the decolonization project in teaching and learning practices in South African higher education. This article aims to contribute to this discourse through a case study which attempted to uncover the attitudes and emotions of a group of students who, after viewing the film Black Panther, which employs Afrofuturism, were or were not, able to make sense of and/or re-imagine their identities and relationships with others in the context of Afrofuturism, and to what extent. The article thus reports on a case study at a university of technology (UoT) in South Africa in which the film was used to attempt to advance the idea of Afrofuturism in the university curriculum and to uncover the lived experiences, social realities and ideas of self/identity of particular students from marginalized communities.
Perceptions of identity, rights and duties: Insights from students at a public-sector university in Pakistan
Authors: Shaikh Ghazal
Published: June 2022

This study investigates university students’ perceptions of identity, rights and duties. The context of the study is an English department at a public-sector university in Sindh, Pakistan. The main research question that guides this study is ‘What perceptions of identity, rights and duties are held by a sample of undergraduate students in Pakistan?’ Semi-structured interviews were used as the research instruments. Cogan’s model of citizenship was used as theoretical frameworks guiding this study. Data were collected from twenty students of final-year undergraduate class. The key arguments based on findings of this study are that participants’ perceptions of identity, rights and duties included types and examples of citizenship themes discussed by Cogan as well as the themes particularly relevant to the participants’ context such as religion, morality and caste issues. Asian understanding of citizenship advocates importance of morality and religion or spirituality for Asian citizens. However, the literature reviewed did not exhibit any reference to the importance of caste in a citizen’s sense of identity. I make recommendations for further research to explore the role of context in learners’ citizenship interpretations along with other recommendations for research and professional practice.
Voluntary non-formal teacher professional learning for democratic peacebuilding citizenship education: A participatory approach
Authors: Awad Yomna R.
Published: June 2022

This article presents a six-session course the author developed as an integral part of a doctoral research to explore two small groups of teachers’ initial understandings of democratic peacebuilding citizenship through eliciting their narratives of practice and their emerging understandings after voluntarily participating in this non-formal professional learning initiative. Another aim of the study was to explore how their involvement in the course facilitated their own professional learning. Teacher participants were from different private schools in two relatively contrasting contexts, one in the Greater Cairo Area in Egypt and one in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada. This course sets an exemplary participatory approach to inform future research in teacher professional learning for democratic peacebuilding citizenship education in post-conflict zones, societies transitioning out of violent conflict and relatively democratic societies.
From skin to presence: Drawing and making as a process of creation in costume design
Authors: Malva Filipa
Published: June 2022

My research project, Drawing and Performance: Creating Scenography, looked at the way drawing is used during the creative process of scenography within the performance arts. It was my intention to analyse and reflect upon the artistic and pragmatic relationship scenographers have with drawing as a device for the creation of space and time of performance, and also as mediator between the bodies of actors or dancers onstage and our drawing pages. In this article I discuss examples from this research project and from my own practice where costume sculpted during the process of rehearsal came to generate a specific presence onstage and consequently moulded the performance. I argue that this working method expands the function of drawing in the creative process of the costume designer by applying it as part of a back and forth process of analysis and composition which includes the designer’s experience of movement and touch. With this in mind this article follows three examples of Portuguese costume designers who use drawing extensively in their practice: Clara Bento, Claudia Ribeiro and my own.
Performance Costume: New Perspectives and Methods, Sofia Pantouvaki and Peter McNeil (eds) (2021)
Authors: Sisson Elaine
Published: June 2022

Review of: Performance Costume: New Perspectives and Methods, Sofia Pantouvaki and Peter McNeil (eds) (2021)

London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 398 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35009-879-4, p\bk, €22.96 (£22.99/USD 30.95)