bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary evidence that lectins in infant soy formula apparently bind bovine milk exosomes and prevent their absorption in healthy adults
Authors: Mutai Ezra , Ngu Alice Kah Hui , Zempleni Janos
Published: January 2022

Background

Milk exosomes and their microRNA (miR) cargos are bioavailable. The content of exosomes and miRs is negligible in infant formulas compared to human milk, and dietary depletion of exosomes led to changes in bacterial communities and impaired gut health in juvenile mice. Adverse effects of formula feeding may be compounded by using soy formulas due to exosome binding by abundant lectins in that matrix. The purpose of this study was to assess the bioavailability of milk exosomes and their miR cargos added to soy formula in adults, as well as the potential role of soy lectins in exosome bioavailability.

Methods

Eleven healthy adults (6 men, 5 women) enrolled in this randomized crossover study. Participants consumed 1.0 l of soy formula without (SF) or with (SFE) bovine milk exosomes added. Concentration-time curves of six plasma miRs were analyzed using reverse transcription quantitative PCR. Lectin affinity chromatography was used to assess the binding of exosomes by soy lectins. Data were analyzed by using paired t test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Consumption of SF and SFE did not elicit postprandial increases in plasma miRs. Approximately 39% of bovine milk exosome particles were retained by lectin columns.

Conclusions

We conclude that fortification of soy formulas with milk exosomes, in the absence of removing lectins, is not a viable strategy for delivering bioavailable exosomes and their miR cargos. Lectins in soy formulas bind glycoprotein on the surfaces of milk exosomes, thereby preventing exosome absorption.

Trial registration

ISRCTN registry ID: 16329971. Retrospectively registered on February 7th, 2019.
Health Literacy and Clinical Outcomes Following Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation
Authors: Bezler Natalie S. , Ilowite Maya , London Wendy B. , Pei-Chi Kao , Joffe Steven , Mack Jennifer W.
Published: January 2022

PURPOSE:

To test associations between health literacy and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT).

METHODS:

English- and Spanish-speaking patients age ≥ 18 years were recruited while admitted for first allogeneic HSCT. Associations between low health literacy (Newest Vital Sign ≤ 3 or Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults ≤ 22) and HSCT outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS:

Twenty-eight percent of 177 participants had low health literacy by Newest Vital Sign. None had low health literacy by Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. There was no statistically significant difference between patients with low and adequate health literacy in hospital readmissions (60% v 54%, P = .4), 2-year overall survival (58% v 66%, P = .19), 2-year cumulative incidence of nonrelapse death (16% v 10%, P = .35), and acute graft-versus-host disease (53% v 44%, P = .3). In multivariable analyses, there were no significant associations between health literacy and clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION:

In this cohort of patients undergoing HSCT, we did not identify a relationship between health literacy and clinical outcomes. Although we did not find statistically significant associations between health literacy and HSCT outcomes, interventions to address health literacy should be considered, given complex outpatient care and evidence for adverse outcomes associated with health literacy in similar diseases.
Association of Organizational Context, Collaborative Practice Models, and Burnout Among Physician Assistants in Oncology
Authors: Tetzlaff Eric D. , Hylton Heather M. , Ruth Karen J. , Hasse Zachary , Hall Michael J.
Published: January 2022

PURPOSE:

Despite an increase in the number of physician assistants (PAs) in the oncology workforce, their potential to meet anticipated demand for oncology services may be hindered by high rates of burnout. The aim of this study was to examine the association between organizational context (OC) and burnout among oncology PAs to better understand factors associated with burnout.

METHODS:

A national survey of oncology PAs was conducted to explore relationships between burnout and the OC in which the PA practiced. The Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS) assessed OC by examining six key workplace qualities (workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values). Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

RESULTS:

PAs demonstrating burnout scored significantly lower across all domains of the AWS than those without burnout ( P < .001 for each AWS subscale). The median score for each domain of the AWS and burnout (No v Yes) were as follows: workload (3.33 v 2.67), control (3.67 v 3.00), reward (4.00 v 3.67), community (4.00 v 3.67), fairness (3.33 v 2.67), and values (4.00 v 3.33). Multivariable analysis found that mismatches between the PA and their work environment in workload (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.32 to 3.02; P = .001), reward (OR = 1.89, 95% CI, 1.18 to 3.02; P = .008), and values (OR = 2.25; 95% CI, 1.31 to 3.88; P = .003) were more likely to report burnout. Differences in burnout in the context of workload were not explained by patient volume, practice structure, or professional autonomy.

CONCLUSION:

Workload, reward, and values were associated with greater odds of burnout, with workload being the most common mismatch in job fit. Sustainable workloads and consistency in rewards (financial, institutional, and social) for oncology PAs should be an employer's focus to help mitigate their risk of burnout.
Selfsimilar stochastic differential equations
Authors: Eliazar Iddo
Published: January 2022

Diffusion in a logarithmic potential (DLP) attracted significant interest in physics recently. The dynamics of DLP are governed by a Langevin stochastic differential equation (SDE) whose underpinning potential is logarithmic, and that is driven by Brownian motion. The SDE that governs DLP is a particular case of a selfsimilar SDE: one that is driven by a selfsimilar motion, and that produces a selfsimilar motion. This paper establishes the pivotal role of selfsimilar SDEs via two novel universality results. I) Selfsimilar SDEs emerge universally, on the macro level, when applying scaling limits to micro-level SDEs. II) Selfsimilar SDEs emerge universally when applying the Lamperti transformation to stationary SDEs. Using the universality results, this paper further establishes: a novel statistical-analysis approach to selfsimilar Ito diffusions; and the focal importance of DLP.
Faculty readiness for online teaching at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University during the COVID-19 crisis: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Almahasheer Muneerah B. , Al Rubaish Abdullah , Alkadi Abdullah , Abdellatif Mahmoud A. , Ravinayagam Vijaya , Wael Fateh Assaf, , Marimuthu Palanivel Rubavathi , Alomair Nuhad A.
Published: January 2022

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education sector around the world. In order to control the spread of the virus, eLearning practice has been introduced in Saudi higher education. Such online communication has become an important tool to narrow the teaching practice gap. This study assessed the characteristics of eLearning and distance learning and the inclination of Imam Abdulrahman BinFaisal University (IAU) faculty members in terms of skills, and managing classes and tests using online learning tools.

Methods: A QuestionPro questionnaire with 22 questions on eLearning experience, training experience, and skills and knowledge in the educational process of IAU teaching faculty was conducted through the online university e-mail domain. The questionnaire was sent to the IAU’s teaching faculty.

The questionnaire’s reliability was studied using Cronbach’s a coefficient. The criterion value was statistically studied using the KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett’s test. The variables associated with the present survey model were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).

Results: The study showed positive responses and readiness (skills and abilities) and the effectiveness of IAU’s faculty members to perform e-learning activities during COVID-19. IAU faculty received a strong positive response, and the respondents were also impressed with and agreed on trainer knowledge, session management, communication and expertise on training topics.

Conclusions: The positive response indicates the readiness of IAU to provide the necessary support (tools, information and updates) required for a successful online educational process.
Familia, comercio y política: Miguel Riesco y Puente entre Chile y España a principios del siglo XIX.
Authors: Saldaña Fernández José , Lacueva Muñoz Jaime J.
Published: January 2022

Este artículo analiza las estrategias familiares y mercantiles como parte de redes sociales, económicas y políticas de amplio alcance a través de la correspondencia mantenida entre Manuel Riesco, cabeza de una casa comercial chilena, y su hijo Miguel, que llegaría a ejercer como diputado suplente en las Cortes de Cádiz durante su estancia en España a principios del siglo XIX. En este contexto, las trayectorias en el ámbito privado y las experiencias en el espacio público permiten redimensionar el proceso de cambio al que se asistía por entonces en el mundo hispánico desde claves familiares y privadas, tanto por sus efectos al interior de los grupos de parentesco, como por sus repercusiones en la posición y proyección social de los mismos.
Decision Forest: A Nonparametric Approach to Modeling Irrational Choice
Authors: Chen Yi-Chun , Mišić Velibor V.
Published: January 2022

Customer behavior is often assumed to follow weak rationality, which implies that adding a product to an assortment will not increase the choice probability of another product in that assortment. However, an increasing amount of research has revealed that customers are not necessarily rational when making decisions. In this paper, we propose a new nonparametric choice model that relaxes this assumption and can model a wider range of customer behavior, such as decoy effects between products. In this model, each customer type is associated with a binary decision tree, which represents a decision process for making a purchase based on checking for the existence of specific products in the assortment. Together with a probability distribution over customer types, we show that the resulting model—a decision forest—is able to represent any customer choice model, including models that are inconsistent with weak rationality. We theoretically characterize the depth of the forest needed to fit a data set of historical assortments and prove that with high probability, a forest whose depth scales logarithmically in the number of assortments is sufficient to fit most data sets. We also propose two practical algorithms—one based on column generation and one based on random sampling—for estimating such models from data. Using synthetic data and real transaction data exhibiting nonrational behavior, we show that the model outperforms both rational and nonrational benchmark models in out-of-sample predictive ability.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.
Managing Social Responsibility in Multitier Supply Chains
Authors: Huang Lu , Song Jing-Sheng , Swinney Robert
Published: January 2022

Problem definition: We study the management of social responsibility in a three-tier supply chain with a tier 2 supplier selling to a tier 1 supplier, in turn selling to a tier 0 buyer. The tier 2 supplier may violate social and environmental standards, resulting in harm to all firms in the supply chain; we analyze the equilibrium allocation of costly effort by each firm to improve responsibility in tier 2. We also examine how pressure from external stakeholders (consumers, nongovernmental organizations, and governments) influences the optimal level of responsibility. Academic/practical relevance: Recently, there have been numerous serious responsibility violations in tiers 2+ of multinational supply chains, leading to significant negative consequences for firms and society; understanding how best to manage such violations is of practical importance to multiple stakeholders. Methodology: We employ a game theoretic model wherein each firm in the supply chain optimizes its responsibility efforts to maximize its own profit and study the implications of this decentralized optimization for the overall supply chain. Results: Under the conditions of our model, the buyer’s optimal strategy is one of extremes, consisting of direct control (only tier 0 works with tier 2), delegation (only tier 1 works with tier 2), or no effort (neither firm works with tier 2); we determine when each is optimal and discuss key drivers of the optimality of these extreme strategies. We further find that increasing some types of external pressure can backfire, leading to a lower level of responsibility. Managerial implications: For firms using multitier supply chains, we show how to manage risk by choosing between different responsibility management strategies. For external stakeholders seeking to encourage responsibility, we provide insights on how to achieve this while avoiding “backfiring.” For researchers, we provide a modeling framework to study responsibility and risk management problems in multitier supply chains.

History: This paper has been accepted for the Manufacturing & Service Operations Management Special Section on Responsible Research in Operations Management.

Supplemental Material: The online supplement is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2021.1063 .
Twin Mix Inferior Alveolar Nerve Anaesthesia for Transalveolar Extraction of Mandibular Third Molar Surgery: Review of Current Evidence
Authors: Bhargava Dr. Darpan , Kumar Beena Dr. Siva , Kangloo Dr. Shubhanshi , Gupta Dr. Monica
Published: January 2022

Utmost recurrent surgical process executed in oral & maxillofacial surgery is transalveolar extraction (TAE) of mandibular impacted 3rd molar which consequences to surgical trauma to surrounding soft & hard tissues during the process of tooth removal. Post-operative sequalae like pain, facial swelling & sometimes trismus follow TAE. Dexamethasone is commonly used steroid post-operatively and studies have revealed clinical aids in refining patients’ quality of life (QoL). To improve the QoL after TAE of third molars, use of twin-mix anaesthesia is proposed, where a combination of local anaesthetic solution and steroid is administered as a single injection, thus, negating the requirement of additional route of administration for dexamethasone. The advantages for this technique are, solitary method for dual drug delivery, reduced sensation of sting while injecting owing to altered pH of solution, short latency period, prolonged duration of anaesthesia & amended QoL post operatively. Twin Mix inferior alveolar nerve anaesthesia is found beneficial by reducing patient discomfort and enhancing patient compliance for surgeries of the mandible.
Label-free photoacoustic computed tomography of mouse cortical responses to retinal photostimulation using a pair-wise correlation map
Authors: Chang Kai-Wei , Zhu Yunhao , Wang Xueding , Wong Kwoon Y. , Xu Guan
Published: January 2022

The lack of a non-invasive or minimally invasive imaging technique has long been a challenge to investigating brain activities in mice. Functional magnetic resonance imaging and the more recently developed diffuse optical imaging both suffer from limited spatial resolution. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging combines the sensitivity of optical excitation to hemodynamic changes and ultrasound detection's relatively high spatial resolution. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using a label-free, real-time PA computed tomography (PACT) system to measure visually evoked hemodynamic responses within the primary visual cortex (V1) in mice. Photostimulation of the retinas evoked significantly faster and stronger V1 responses in wild-type mice than in age-matched rod/cone-degenerate mice, consistent with known differences between rod/cone- vs. melanopsin-mediated photoreception. In conclusion, the PACT system in this study has sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to resolve visual cortical hemodynamics during retinal photostimulation, and PACT is a potential tool for investigating visually evoked brain activities in mouse models of retinal diseases.
Triple plasmon-induced transparency and dynamically tunable electro-optics switch based on a multilayer patterned graphene metamaterial
Authors: Qin Yipeng , Zhou Fengqi , Liu Zhimin , Zhang Xiao , Zhuo Shanshan , Luo Xin , Ji Cheng , Yang Guangxin , Zhou Zizhuo , Sun Liwen , Liu Ting
Published: January 2022

A terahertz-band metamaterial composed of multilayer patterned graphene is proposed and triple plasmon-induced transparency is excited by coupling three bright modes with one dark mode. The Lorentz curve calculated by the coupled-mode theory agrees well with the finite-difference time-domain results. Dynamic tuning is investigated by changing the Fermi level. Multimode electro-optics switching can be designed and achieved, and the amplitude modulations of four resonance frequencies are 94.3%, 92.8%, 90.7%, and 93%, respectively, which can realize the design of synchronous and asynchronous electro-optics switches. It is hoped that these results can provide theoretical support and guidance for the future design and application of photonic and optoelectronic devices.
Diffuseness of illumination suitable for reproducing a faithful and ideal appearance of an object
Authors: Mizushima Suzuki , Mizokami Yoko
Published: January 2022

We investigated the diffuseness of illumination to examine which diffuseness condition faithfully reproduces the surface appearance of an object as seen in a natural environment. We also examined the diffuseness condition which produces the ideal appearance of the object. Observers first memorized the appearance of various objects in daily environments, and then evaluated the appearance of the objects under different diffuseness conditions. The observers reported that the moderate diffuseness condition best reproduced a faithful and ideal appearance of the objects, compared with the low and high diffuseness conditions. This indicates that a very low or high diffuseness, which is unfamiliar, is not suitable for reproducing an object’s surface appearance faithfully and ideally. Our results suggest that it is possible to determine a suitable diffuseness condition for reproducing the appearance of objects.
Improved method for spectral reflectance estimation and application to mobile phone cameras
Authors: Tominaga Shoji , Nishi Shogo , Ohtera Ryo , Sakai Hideaki
Published: January 2022

We propose an improved method for estimating surface-spectral reflectance from the image data acquired by an RGB digital camera. We suppose a multispectral image acquisition system in the visible range, where a camera captures multiple images for the scene of an object under multiple light sources. First, the observed image data are described using the camera spectral sensitivities, the surface-spectral reflectance, the illuminant spectral power distributions, an additive noise term, and a gain parameter. Then, the optimal reflectance estimate is determined to minimize the mean-square error between the estimate and the original surface-spectral reflectance. We attempt to further improve the estimation accuracy and develop a novel linear estimator in a more general form than the Wiener estimator. Furthermore, we calibrate the imaging system using a reference standard sample. Finally, experiments are performed to validate the proposed method for estimating the surface-spectral reflectance using different mobile phone cameras.
Hollow rectangular multi-Gaussian Schell-model array source
Authors: Xiang Sufen , Lu Hongdi , Wang Hange , Ji Xiaoling , Wang Tao
Published: January 2022

A partially coherent light source called a hollow rectangular multi-Gaussian Schell-model array (HRMGSMA) is introduced. The relations between the spectral density of the far field and the characteristics of the source are discussed in detail. It is shown that the characteristics of the arrays, including the hollow size, shapes of the arrays and lobes, quantities of rings and lobes, and directions of lobes, can be adjusted flexibly by changing the related parameters of the HRMGSMA source.
Optimal input signal distribution for a nonlinear optical fiber channel with small Kerr nonlinearity
Authors: Reznichenko A. V. , Chernykh A. I. , Sedov E. V. , Terekhov I. S.
Published: January 2022

We consider the information channel described by the Schrödinger equation with additive Gaussian noise. We introduce the model of the input signal and the model of the output signal receiver. For this channel, using perturbation theory for the small nonlinearity parameter, we calculate the first three terms of the expansion of the conditional probability density function in the nonlinearity parameter. At a large signal-to-noise power ratio, we calculate the conditional entropy, output signal entropy, and mutual information in the leading and next-to-leading order in the nonlinearity parameter and in the leading order in the parameter 1/SNR. Using the mutual information, we find the optimal input signal distribution and channel capacity in the leading and next-to-leading order in the nonlinearity parameter. Finally, we present the method of the construction of the input signal with the optimal statistics for the given shape of the signal.
Benzene sensing by Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy at 14.85 µm
Authors: Ayache Diba , Trzpil Wioletta , Rousseau Roman , Kinjalk Kumar , Teissier Roland , Baranov Alexei N. , Bahriz Michael , Vicet Aurore
Published: January 2022

Benzene is a gas known to be highly pollutant for the environment, for the water and cancerogenic for humans. In this paper, we present a sensor based on Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy dedicated to benzene analysis. Exploiting the infrared emission of a 14.85 µm quantum cascade laser, the sensor is working in an off-beam configuration, allowing easy alignment and stable measurements. The technique provides a very good selectivity to the sensor and a limit of detection of 30 ppbv in 1 s, i.e. a normalized noise equivalent absorption of 1.95 × 10−8 W.cm−1.Hz−1/2. The achieved performances of the sensor have enabled measurements on several air samples of a gas station showing a non-neglectable risk in case of long exposure.
Nano-antenna array for high efficiency sunlight harvesting
Authors: Midrio Michele , Pierantoni Luca , Boscolo Stefano , Truccolo Davide , Mencarelli Davide
Published: January 2022

Solar rectennas are promising devices for energy harvesting. Capability of rectennas to convert incident light into useful energy depends on the antenna efficiency, that is the ratio between the power transferred to the load vs the incoming power. In this work, we first emphasize that for the efficiency to be calculated accurately, antennas need to be treated as receiving devices, not as transmitting ones. Then, we propose an arrangement of antennas that differs from those published so far in three respects: (1) the proposed arrangement is formed by an array of nano-antennas with sub-wavelength inter-element spacing, (2) it comprises a reflecting mirror, and (3) it allows for dual polarization operation. Through numerical simulations, we show that the small lattice pitch we use is responsible for frequency flattening of the lattice impedance over the whole solar spectrum, eventually allowing for excellent matching with the antennas’ loads. Also, the small pitch allows for a smooth dependence of the receiving efficiency on the angle of incidence of sunlight. Finally, we show numerically that the reflecting mirror also allows for an almost complete cancellation of light scattered by the receiving antennas. The final result is a polarization insensitive receiving theoretical efficiency larger than 70% over the whole 300-3000 nm spectral range, with a less than 10% energy wasting due to back-scattering of sunlight.
Propagation properties of finite Airy beams on curved surfaces
Authors: Tian Ke , Wang Zhaoying
Published: January 2022

Airy beams have provided exciting inspiration in the field of optical communication, particle manipulation, and imaging. We investigate the propagation properties of the exponential truncation Airy beams (ETABs) on constant Gaussian curvature surfaces (CGCSs) in this paper. The analytical expression of the electric field of ETABs propagating on the CGCSs is derived. It shows that the equivalent periodical accelerations of the trajectories of ETABs on the curved surface are always larger than the constant one on the flat surface because the CGCSs have a strong focusing ability. For the same reason, the non-diffraction propagation of ETABs is found when the focusing ability of the CGCSs is strong enough. Moreover, we investigate the self-healing length of ETABs on CGCSs and explore that the ability of self-healing is related to the geometry of CGCSs besides the width of the block and the size of the beam. The self-healing length gets larger with the increase of radius of CGCSs and finally consists with that on the flat surface. These propagation characteristics are different from those in the flat space and are useful for the future applications of ETABs in particle manipulation on waveguides, light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, curved nanophotonics, and so on.
Compact photoacoustic spectrophone for simultaneously monitoring the concentrations of dichloromethane and trichloromethane with a single acoustic resonator
Authors: Wang Gaoxuan , Zhang Tie , Jiang Yiming , He Sailing
Published: January 2022

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are frequently used as reagents and organic solvents in different industrial processes. Real-time detection of chlorinated hydrocarbons, as toxic air pollutants and carcinogenic species, is an important requirement for various environmental and industrial applications. In this study, a compact photoacoustic (PA) spectrophone based on a single acoustic resonator for simultaneous detection of trichloromethane (CHCl3) and dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) is first reported by employing a low-cost distributed feedback (DFB) laser emitting at 1684 nm. In consideration of the significant overlapping of absorption spectral from trichloromethane and dichloromethane, the multi-linear regression method was used to calculate the concentrations of CHCl3 and CH2Cl2 with special characterization of the absorption profile. The current modulation amplitude and detection phase in the developed PA spectrophone was optimized for high sensitivity of individual components. The measurement interference of CHCl3 and CH2Cl2 on each other was investigated for accurate detection, respectively. For field measurements, all optical elements were integrated into a 40 cm × 40 cm × 20 cm chassis. This paper provides an experimental verification which strongly recommends this sensor as a compact photoacoustic field sensor system for chlorinated hydrocarbon detection in different applications.
Fast and high-quality single-pixel imaging
Authors: Tang Zixin , Tang Tianhang , Shi Xuelei , Chen Jie , Liu Yiguang
Published: January 2022

The imaging quality of the conventional single-pixel-imaging (SPI) technique seriously degrades at a low sampling rate. To tackle this problem, we propose an efficient sampling method and a high-quality real-time image reconstruction strategy: first, different from the conventional simple circular path sampling strategy or variable density random sampling technique, the proposed method samples the Fourier spectrum using the spectrum distribution of the image, that is, sampling the significant spectrum coefficients first, which will help to improve the image quality at a relevantly low sampling rate; second, to handle the long image reconstruction time caused by the iterative algorithm, the sparsity of the image and the alternating direction optimization strategy are combined to ameliorate the reconstruction process in the image gradient space. Compared with the state-of-the-art techniques, the proposed method significantly improves the imaging quality and achieves real-time reconstruction on the time scale of milliseconds.
Series-connected solar array for high-speed underwater wireless optical links
Authors: Tong Zhijian , Yang Xingqi , Zhang Hao , Dai Yizhan , Chen Xiao , Xu Jing
Published: January 2022

Solar panels are being increasingly used as detectors in underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) systems, as the large detection area can significantly simplify the link alignment. However, the greatest problem in such a scheme is the limited bandwidth of the solar panel, which was originally optimized for energy harvesting rather than communication. In this Letter, we propose series-connected solar arrays for high-speed underwater detection, by taking a deep dive into the fundamentals of the solar array. As the size of the solar array increases from 1×1 to 3×3, the −20-dB bandwidth increases from 4.7 MHz to 24.2 MHz. To further improve the frequency response, a reverse bias is applied on the array. With a reverse bias voltage of 90 V, the −20-dB bandwidth of the proposed 3×3 solar array is extended to 63.4 MHz. To the best of our knowledge, it is the highest bandwidth achieved among the reported solar panel-based optical communication systems with a large detection area. Using the proposed series-connected solar array, a data rate of 150 Mbps is achieved over a 35-m underwater channel with a frequency domain equalizer. The proposed system shows that off-the-shelf solar cells have great potential in high data rate UWOC systems.
Tilted Poincaré sphere geodesics
Authors: Voitiv Andrew A. , Lusk Mark T. , Siemens Mark E.
Published: January 2022

We provide the first, to the best of our knowledge, experimental demonstration of a geometric phase generated in association with closed Poincaré sphere trajectories comprising geodesic arcs that do not start, end, or necessarily even include, the north and south poles that represent pure Laguerre–Gaussian modes. Arbitrarily tilted (elliptical) single vortex states are prepared with a spatial light modulator, and Poincaré sphere circuits are driven by beam transit through a series of π-converters and Dove prisms.
Photoluminescence-based sensing of ethanol gas with ultrafine WO3 nanorods
Authors: Du Baosheng , Zheng Yongzan , Ye Jifei , Wang Diankai , Mao Chentao , Sun Naikun
Published: January 2022

Ultrafine one-dimensional WO3 nanorods (NRs) with diameters of 10–200 nm have been fabricated using a hydrothermal synthesis method. The optical performance of the WO3 NRs strongly depends on their various defects as well as their crystal quality. Upon exposure to trace quantities of ethanol gas, the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of these nanorod samples under ultraviolet illumination showed a large variation in intensity. WO3-NR-based ethanol gas sensing via PL spectra variation demonstrated a 100 ppm sensitivity detection limit and a wide linear detection range of 200–2000 ppm at 100°C. This outstanding optical ethanol sensing performance can be ascribed to the very large surface area to volume ratio of this material, which increases the density of active sites for ethanol adsorption and reaction with adsorbed oxygen species.
Rab2A regulates the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease downstream of AMPK-TBC1D1 axis by stabilizing PPARγ
Authors: Chen Zi-Yue , Sun Ya-Ting , Wang Zi-Ming , Hong Jie , Xu Min , Zhang Fu-Ting , Zhou Xian-Qing , Rong Ping , Wang Qi , Wang Hong Yu , Wang Hua , Chen Shuai , Chen Liang
Published: January 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects approximately a quarter of the population worldwide, and persistent overnutrition is one of the major causes. However, the underlying molecular basis has not been fully elucidated, and no specific drug has been approved for this disease. Here, we identify a regulatory mechanism that reveals a novel function of Rab2A in the progression of NAFLD based on energy status and PPARγ. The mechanistic analysis shows that nutrition repletion suppresses the phosphorylation of AMPK-TBC1D1 signaling, augments the level of GTP-bound Rab2A, and then increases the protein stability of PPARγ, which ultimately promotes the hepatic accumulation of lipids in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we found that blocking the AMPK-TBC1D1 pathway in TBC1D1S231A-knock-in (KI) mice led to a markedly increased GTP-bound Rab2A and subsequent fatty liver in aged mice. Our studies also showed that inhibition of Rab2A expression alleviated hepatic lipid deposition in western diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice by reducing the protein level of PPARγ and the expression of PPARγ target genes. Our findings not only reveal a new molecular mechanism regulating the progression of NAFLD during persistent overnutrition but also have potential implications for drug discovery to combat this disease.
Constrained brain volume in an efficient coding model explains the fraction of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in sensory cortices
Authors: Alreja Arish , Nemenman Ilya , Rozell Christopher J.
Published: January 2022

The number of neurons in mammalian cortex varies by multiple orders of magnitude across different species. In contrast, the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons (E:I ratio) varies in a much smaller range, from 3:1 to 9:1 and remains roughly constant for different sensory areas within a species. Despite this structure being important for understanding the function of neural circuits, the reason for this consistency is not yet understood. While recent models of vision based on the efficient coding hypothesis show that increasing the number of both excitatory and inhibitory cells improves stimulus representation, the two cannot increase simultaneously due to constraints on brain volume. In this work, we implement an efficient coding model of vision under a constraint on the volume (using number of neurons as a surrogate) while varying the E:I ratio. We show that the performance of the model is optimal at biologically observed E:I ratios under several metrics. We argue that this happens due to trade-offs between the computational accuracy and the representation capacity for natural stimuli. Further, we make experimentally testable predictions that 1) the optimal E:I ratio should be higher for species with a higher sparsity in the neural activity and 2) the character of inhibitory synaptic distributions and firing rates should change depending on E:I ratio. Our findings, which are supported by our new preliminary analyses of publicly available data, provide the first quantitative and testable hypothesis based on optimal coding models for the distribution of excitatory and inhibitory neural types in the mammalian sensory cortices.
Riparian vegetation composition and diversity shows resilience following cessation of livestock grazing in northeastern Oregon, USA
Authors: Kauffman J. Boone , Coleman Greg , Otting Nick , Lytjen Danna , Nagy Dana , Beschta Robert L.
Published: January 2022

Riparian ecosystem restoration has been accomplished through exclusion of livestock using corridor fencing along hundreds of kilometers of streams in the western United States, for the benefit of riparian-obligate wildlife and endangered fishes. Yet, there are limited scientific studies that have evaluated more than short-term shifts in vegetation composition and diversity at a single location or handful of locations following grazing. We sampled riparian vegetation composition along 11-paired grazed and ungrazed (exclosed) stream reaches in northeastern Oregon. Exclosure ages ranged from 2 to >30 years and grazing treatments varied from light grazing every one out of three years to heavy season-long grazing. Species richness and diversity was higher in the ungrazed reaches (p = 0.002). The abundance of native sedges (Carexspp.) and broad-leaved forbs were also significantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater in ungrazed areas. In contrast, exotic species adapted to grazing such asPoa pratensisandTrifolium repenswere more abundant in grazed stream reaches. The prevalence of hydrophytic species significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01) in ungrazed reaches, (based on wetland species indicator scores), indicating that wetland-dominated communities within the ungrazed stream reaches were replacing ones adapted to drier environments. The increased abundance of facultative and wetland-obligate species in ungrazed reaches compared to grazed reaches suggests that livestock grazing exacerbates those climate change effects also leading to warmer and drier conditions. Further, riparian-obligate shrub cover along the streambank was higher in 7 of 8 exclosures that were older than 5 years (p = 0.05). As a restoration approach, the inherent resilience of riparian ecosystems exhibited in ungrazed riparian zones suggest positive feedbacks to other beneficial ecosystem processes such as increased species and habitat diversity, increased carbon sequestration, enhanced allochthonous inputs and greater sediment retention, that would affect the aquatic and terrestrial biota, water quality, and stream morphology.
Automatic variable selection in ecological niche modeling: A case study using Cassin’s Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii)
Authors: Schnase John L. , Carroll Mark L.
Published: January 2022

MERRA/Max provides a feature selection approach to dimensionality reduction that enables direct use of global climate model outputs in ecological niche modeling. The system accomplishes this reduction through a Monte Carlo optimization in which many independent MaxEnt runs, operating on a species occurrence file and a small set of randomly selected variables in a large collection of variables, converge on an estimate of the top contributing predictors in the larger collection. These top predictors can be viewed as potential candidates in the variable selection step of the ecological niche modeling process. MERRA/Max’s Monte Carlo algorithm operates on files stored in the underlying filesystem, making it scalable to large data sets. Its software components can run as parallel processes in a high-performance cloud computing environment to yield near real-time performance. In tests using Cassin’s Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) as the target species, MERRA/Max selected a set of predictors from Worldclim’s Bioclim collection of 19 environmental variables that have been shown to be important determinants of the species’ bioclimatic niche. It also selected biologically and ecologically plausible predictors from a more diverse set of 86 environmental variables derived from NASA’s Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications Version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis, an output product of the Goddard Earth Observing System Version 5 (GEOS-5) modeling system. We believe these results point to a technological approach that could expand the use global climate model outputs in ecological niche modeling, foster exploratory experimentation with otherwise difficult-to-use climate data sets, streamline the modeling process, and, eventually, enable automated bioclimatic modeling as a practical, readily accessible, low-cost, commercial cloud service.
Impact of productive safety net program on food security of beneficiary households in western Ethiopia: A matching estimator approach
Authors: Hailu Aregash Getachew , Amare Zerihun Yohannes
Published: January 2022

From various Ethiopian government food security strategies, the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) is one of the strategies to improve households’ consumption. As a result, the government needs to know the outcome of the program intervention for further decisions in similar poverty reduction strategies. This study examined the impact of Productive Safety Net Program intervention on food security of rural households in rural western Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey data were gathered from a total of randomly selected 188 beneficiary and non-beneficiary sample households. Key informants interviews and focus group discussions were employed to triangulate household survey results. A Chi-square test was employed to compare the households’ food security status. The propensity score matching method was used to evaluate the impact of a Productive safety net on beneficiary households’ food security status. In this study, the Productive Safety net program has significantly increased households’ calorie intake. The beneficiaries’ households were more food secure than non-beneficiary households by 68% and54% respectively. The mean energy available for the beneficiary and non-beneficiary households is 2488.500 and 2153.394 kcal, respectively. Estimates of the average treatment effect of the treated indicated that a Productive safety net program can impact households food security by 2519.29348 kilocalories, higher in the kernel matching method. This is an encouraging indicator for Programme implementers and funding agents. Therefore, channeling further efforts on this indicator is important for a more pronounced impact of the Programme. Given a certain level of variations of different program impact studies, this study recommends further research with greater scope and at different locations on the impact of PSNP and related Food Security Programs on households’ food security status.
MOP and NOP receptor interaction: Studies with a dual expression system and bivalent peptide ligands
Authors: Bird M. F. , McDonald J. , Horley B. , O’Doherty J. P. , Fraser B. , Gibson C. L. , Guerrini R. , Caló G. , Lambert D. G.
Published: January 2022

Opioids targeting mu;μ (MOP) receptors produce analgesia in the peri-operative period and palliative care. They also produce side effects including respiratory depression, tolerance/dependence and addiction. The N/OFQ opioid receptor (NOP) also produces analgesia but is devoid of the major MOP side effects. Evidence exists for MOP-NOP interaction and mixed MOP-NOP ligands produce analgesia with reduced side effects. We have generated a HEKMOP/NOP human expression system and used bivalent MOP-NOP and fluorescent ligands to (i) probe for receptor interaction and (ii) consequences of that interaction. We used HEKMOP/NOP cells and two bivalent ligands; Dermorphin-N/OFQ (MOP agonist-NOP agonist; DeNO) and Dermorphin-UFP101 (MOP agonist-NOP antagonist; De101). We have determined receptor binding profiles, GTPγ[35S] binding, cAMP formation and ERK1/2 activation. We have also probed MOP and NOP receptor interactions in HEK cells and hippocampal neurones using the novel MOP fluorescent ligand, DermorphinATTO488 and the NOP fluorescent ligand N/OFQATTO594. In HEKMOP/NOP MOP ligands displaced NOP binding and NOP ligands displaced MOP binding. Using fluorescent probes in HEKMOP/NOP cells we demonstrated MOP-NOP probe overlap and a FRET signal indicating co-localisation. MOP-NOP were also co-localised in hippocampal tissue. In GTPγ[35S] and cAMP assays NOP stimulation shifted the response to MOP rightwards. At ERK1/2 the response to bivalent ligands generally peaked later. We provide evidence for MOP-NOP interaction in recombinant and native tissue. NOP activation reduces responsiveness of MOP activation; this was shown with conventional and bivalent ligands.
Hospitalization costs for COVID-19 in Ethiopia: Empirical data and analysis from Addis Ababa’s largest dedicated treatment center
Authors: Memirie Solomon Tessema , Yigezu Amanuel , Zewdie Samuel Abera , Mirkuzie Alemnesh H. , Bolongaita Sarah , Verguet Stéphane
Published: January 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound health, economic, and social disruptions globally. We assessed the full costs of hospitalization for COVID-19 disease at Ekka Kotebe COVID-19 treatment center in Addis Ababa, the largest hospital dedicated to COVID-19 patient care in Ethiopia.

Methods and findings

We retrospectively collected and analysed clinical and cost data on patients admitted to Ekka Kotebe with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infections. Cost data included personnel time and salaries, drugs, medical supplies and equipment, facility utilities, and capital costs. Facility medical records were reviewed to assess the average duration of stay by disease severity (either moderate, severe, or critical). The data collected covered the time-period March-November 2020. We then estimated the cost per treated COVID-19 episode, stratified by disease severity, from the perspective of the provider. Over the study period there were 2,543 COVID-19 cases treated at Ekka Kotebe, of which, 235 were critical, 515 were severe, and 1,841 were moderate. The mean patient duration of stay varied from 9.2 days (95% CI: 7.6–10.9; for moderate cases) to 19.2 days (17.9–20.6; for critical cases). The mean cost per treated episode was USD 1,473 (95% CI: 1,197–1,750), but cost varied by disease severity: the mean cost for moderate, severe, and critical cases were USD 1,266 (998–1,534), USD 1,545 (1,413–1,677), and USD 2,637 (1,788–3,486), respectively.

Conclusions

Clinical management and treatment of COVID-19 patients poses an enormous economic burden to the Ethiopian health system. Such estimates of COVID-19 treatment costs inform financial implications for resource-constrained health systems and reinforce the urgency of implementing effective infection prevention and control policies, including the rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, in low-income countries like Ethiopia.
Views of medical residents on a research training program: A qualitative study
Authors: Abi Khalil Pamela , Honein-Abou Haidar Gladys , El Achi Dina , Al-Hakim Lara , Tamim Hani , Akl Elie A.
Published: January 2022

Introduction

The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) developed the Fellowship and Residency Research Program (FRRP) to provide residents and clinical fellows with a supervised and structured research experience. The objective of this study was to explore the views of FRRP participants about the training program and how to enhance it.

Methods

In 2018, we conducted a qualitative study targeting residents where we invited potential participants through email and via snowball sampling. We continued the data collection until we reached data saturation with 21 participants (N = 21) and used thematic analysis to identify emerging themes.

Results

Thematic analysis generated four emerging themes: one related to the expectations of residents, while the remaining three themes related to how the program is working to meet those expectations, specifically: coordination, mentorship, and capacity building. For these three latter themes, we discussed the strengths and challenges related to each. In terms of coordination, few residents complained that the deadlines to submit deliverables are not evenly distributed across the years. In terms of mentorship, participants appreciated the flexibility in choosing the mentor. In terms of capacity building activities, participants found the lecture series, both real time and virtual, to be helpful. Finally, participants pointed out that the FRRP program should be mandatory.

Discussion

To provide residents and clinical fellows with a supervised and structured research experience, we have built on our findings to introduce several changes to our program such as ensuring the availability and commitment of faculty mentors, and providing capacity building activities to the program participants.