bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tunable wave localization at the Dirac frequency in a metallic photonic crystal cavity
Authors: Hu Lei , Wang Erlei , Xia Jiangying , Du Wenyu , Qu Guangyin , Wang Yue , Li Siqi , Xu Feng , Liu Yu , Yu Benli , Xie Kang , Zhang Junxi , Hu Zhijia
Published: June 2024

In this study, the two-dimensional (2D) triangular lattice metallic photonic crystals (PCs) in visible and infrared bands have been utilized to achieve light confinement at the Dirac frequency. Distinct from the traditional bandgap or total internal reflection cavity modes, the unique photonic localization mechanism leads to an unusual algebraic decay of state and a unique frequency located beyond any bandgaps. This investigation delves into the band structure analysis of 2D metallic PCs, specifically focusing on their distinctive features, such as photonic bandgaps and Dirac cones. The plane wave expansion (PWE) method, enhanced with a linearization technique, is employed for band structure calculations, considering both the frequency-dependent dielectric properties and the intrinsic lossy nature of metallic materials described by the Drude model. The study provides a comprehensive derivation of the PWE equations for metallic PCs and investigates their band characteristics under both TM and TE polarizations. Focusing on TM modes in triangular lattice metallic PCs, it reveals zero density of states (DOS) at K points of the Brillouin corner and the existence of Dirac cones with linearly dispersion and linearly vanishing DOS. The study extends to exploring localized modes at Dirac frequencies, employing a relativistic quantum mechanics approach analogous to graphene's charge carriers. Theoretical predictions are corroborated by numerical simulations, and the potential for tunable Dirac localized modes is highlighted. This research not only deepens the understanding of Dirac properties in graphene-like systems but also lays the groundwork for further exploration of the practical quasi-2D devices, which will provide assistance in the integration of micro- and nano- devices, especially in applications requiring long-range coupling, given the critical importance of optical cavities in contemporary optical technologies.
Single-shot multi-sensitivity distributed acoustic sensing with hardware envelope retrieving acceleration
Authors: Wang Yixuan , Jiang Junfeng , Liu Kun , Zhang Mingjiang , Wang Shuang , Liu Yize , Ma Zhe , Xu Tianhua , Zhang Xuezhi , Ding Zhenyang , Liu Tiegen
Published: June 2024

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) can virtualize a fiber optic cable into an ultra-dense seismic network, offering long-term seismic wave observing capability and high-fidelity waveform recording performance. In practical applications, DAS systems still face two main challenges. Firstly, the large amount of raw data brings a burden on storage and demodulation speed. Secondly, the fixed strain sensitivity of DAS limits the dynamic measurement range of the actual seismic signal. In this work, we present a single-shot multi-sensitivity distributed acoustic sensing method with hardware assistance. A hardware filtering module is utilized to achieve equivalent sampling results at a lower sampling rate, thereby reducing the volume of raw data and accelerating the acquisition and demodulation process. The average processing time for a single-sideband pulse detection can be reduced from 214.79 s to 9.83 s, resulting in approximately a 20-time reduction. Meanwhile, multiple sidebands pulse with different bandwidths is generated to enable multi-sensitivity detection under hardware filtering. The different ranges of strain events can be recovered through a modulated pulse with 20 MHz, 40 MHz, and 80 MHz bandwidths. The hardware-assistance multi-sensitivity DAS method offers a potential solution to complex environments and real-time detection applications.
Neural network assisted high flexibility and high resolution Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing for astronomical observation in darker sky areas
Authors: Zheng Yamin , Zhang Yifan , Guo Liquan , Li Pei , Wang Zichao , Zhuang Yongchen , Lin Shibing , Tian Yuan , Cai Zheng , Huang Lei
Published: June 2024

Shack-Hartmann (SH) wavefront sensing is widely applied to astronomical observations with its fast and accurate measurement. However, due to the computational nature of SH that the input beam is segmented to provide local wavefront slopes, the sampling density of the sub-apertures and the calculation accuracy of each sub-focal spot’s centroid have great influence on the wavefront reconstruction accuracy. Therefore, it is usually difficult to achieve high resolution wavefront reconstruction for dark stars in the astronomical observations with insufficient light intensity. We present a neural-network assisted high resolution SH wavefront sensing method to overcome the shortages and obtain results with enhanced resolution from the separated information inside each sub-aperture. With this method, high resolution wavefront sensing in darker sky area could be realized.
InP-based GaAsSb/AlGaAsSb/T2SL barrier-type low-bias tunable dual-band NIR/eSWIR photodetectors
Authors: Liang Yan , Zhou Wenguang , Su Xiangbin , Li Nong , Chang Faran , Xie Ruoyu , Yu Hongguang , Shi Janmei , Li Chuanbo , Hao Hongyue , Yang Chengao , Wang Guowei , Jiang Dongwei , Wu Donghai , Niu Zhichuan , Zheng Youdou , Xu Yingqiang , Shi Yi
Published: June 2024

A bias-selectable near-infrared (NIR) and extended short wavelength infrared (eSWIR) dual-band bandgap engineered Ga0.51As0.49Sb/Al0.85Ga0.15AsSb/T2SL (In0.53Ga0.47 As/Ga0.51As0.49Sb) infrared photodetector, vertically stacked in a monolithic grown on InP substrate, is demonstrated. GaAsSb NIR sub-detector and T2SL eSWIR sub-detector are operated under small forward and reverse bias, respectively. The GaAsSb sub-detector functions within the NIR spectrum, with a 100% cutoff wavelength of 1.72 μm at 50 mV, achieving a peak responsivity of 0.560 A/W at 1.55 μm and a specific detectivity (D*) of 1.48 ×1011cm⋅Hz1/2/W. At -250 mV, the T2SL eSWIR sub-detector functions in the eSWIR band, exhibiting a 100% cutoff wavelength of 2.6 μm. The peak responsivity is 0.273 A/W at 2.0 μm, with a specific detectivity of 6.11 ×109cm⋅Hz1/2/W. The present work demonstrates the potential of the dual-band photodetector for multispectral SWIR applications.
Real-time intelligent 3D holographic photography for real-world scenarios
Authors: Song Xianlin , Dong Jiaqing , Liu Minghao , Sun Zehao , Zhang Zibang , Xiong Jianghao , Li Zilong , Liu Xuan , Liu Qiegen
Published: June 2024

Three-dimensional (3D) display can provide more information than two-dimensional display, and real-time 3D reconstruction of the real-world environment has broad application prospects as a key technology in the field of meta-universe and Internet of Things. 3D holographic display is considered to be an ideal 3D display scheme, thus enhancing the computational speed and reconstruction quality of 3D holograms can offer substantial support for real-time 3D reconstruction. Here, we proposed a real-time 3D holographic photography for real-world scenarios driven by both physical model and artificial intelligence. The 3D information of the real scene was acquired by a depth camera and then divided into 30 layers using the layer-based method. Convolutional neural networks (CNN) were used to build the mapping of intensity and depth maps to computer-generated holograms (CGH). The differentiability of the angular spectrum algorithm was used to realize the self-supervised training of the network, while the composite loss function was employed to optimize network parameters by calculating the loss between reconstructed and target images. The trained network can generate a CGH with a resolution of 1024×1024 in 14.5 ms. The proposed system operates at 22 frames per second and successfully reconstructs 3D video of dynamic scene. The system exhibits significant potential for application in intelligent manufacturing, remote office work, distance education and other fields.
Reducing beam tracking complexity using a phase ramp and Fresnel lens when steering beams using spatial light modulators
Authors: Spaander Joshua , Guo Jian , Saathof Rudolf , Gill Eberhard
Published: June 2024

Steering multiple laser beams using spatial light modulators (SLMs) creates unwanted diffraction and reflections that are not modulated by the SLM, which can make beam tracking difficult. A novel, to the best of our knowledge, and simple beam steering methodology is proposed, which aims at reducing the influence of this clutter while maintaining tracking performance. The beam(s) are deliberately defocused before steering with a superposition of a phase ramp and Fresnel lens (PRFL) phase screen on the SLM. As a result, the non-modulated reflections and diffracted light are decreased in relative intensity to the steered beam, in turn allowing simple and standard peak intensity and center of gravity (CG) algorithms for tracking. Hardware demonstration shows tracking performance using the PRFL remained on-par with more complex filtering approaches while adding no additional hardware. This method has potential to improve the communication performance of multi-beam laser communication terminals.
Fractionally spaced nonlinear Tomlinson–Harashima precoding with weight clustering for C-band 100 Gbaud/λ PAM-4 transmission
Authors: Tu Yucheng , Yang Hailin , Xiang Meng , Zhao Luming , Tang Ming , Qin Yuwen , Fu Songnian
Published: June 2024

A nonlinear Tomlinson–Harashima precoding (NTHP) scheme has been verified for its capability to effectively address both the linear and nonlinear inter-symbol interferences (ISIs) arising in the intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) fiber optics transmission. Nevertheless, the application of the NTHP scheme may significantly increase the number of levels for the intensity modulated signals, resulting in the reduction of both eye width and receiver sensitivity. Here, we propose a fractionally spaced NTHP with a weight clustering (FS-NTHP-WC) scheme. Consequently, an accurate ISI feedback can be obtained to enlarge the eye width; meanwhile a hardware-efficient implementation without the equalization penalty can be achieved by weight clustering and pruning. When the C-band 100 Gbaud/λ PAM-4 signals are transmitted, our proposed FS-NTHP-WC scheme not only can achieve 0.25 dB and 0.5 dB gains of receiver sensitivity under back-to-back (B2B) and 2-km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) transmission conditions, respectively, but can also cut down the computational complexity by 90% and 76% in terms of the number of multiplications and additions, respectively, in comparison with the NTHP scheme.
Helminthiasis and malaria co-infection among women of reproductive age in a rural setting of Kilifi County, coastal Kenya: A mixed method study
Authors: Masaku Janet , Mutuku Francis , Kihara Jimmy H. , Mwandawiro Charles , Okoyo Collins , Kanyi Henry , Kamau Joyce , Kaduka Lydia , Ng’ang’a Zipporah , Jeza Victor T.
Published: June 2024

Soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH), Schistosoma haematobium and malaria co-infection lead to increased susceptibility to other infections and poor pregnancy outcomes among women of reproductive age (WRA). This study sought to establish risk factors, burden of co-infection with STH, S. haematobium and Plasmodium sp. among WRA in Kilifi County, Kenya.A mixed method cross-sectional study was conducted on 474 WRA in 2021. Simple random sampling was used to select WRA from four villages in two purposively sampled sub-counties. Study participants were interviewed, and stool samples collected and analysed using Kato-Katz technique for STH. Urine samples were collected for examination of S. haematobium while malaria microscopic test was done using finger prick blood samples. Further, 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposively selected WRA and qualitative data analyzed thematically using Nvivo software. Quantitative and qualitative methods were triangulated to comprehensively strengthen the study findings. Prevalence of S. haematobium was 22.3% (95%CI: 13.5–36.9), any STH 5.2% (95%CI: 1.9–14.3) and malaria 8.3% (95%: 3.8–18.2). Co-infections between any STH and S. haematobium was 0.8% (95%CI: 0.2–3.2) and between S. haematobium and malaria 0.8% (95%CI: 0.2–3.1). Multivariable analysis showed increased odds of any STH infections among participants in Rabai Sub-County, (aOR = 9.74; p = 0.026), businesswomen (aOR = 5.25; p<0.001), housewives (aOR = 2.78; p = 0.003), and casual laborers (aOR = 27.03; p<0.001). Qualitative analysis showed that the three parasitic diseases were common and responsible for possible causes of low birth weight, susceptibility to other infections and complications such as infertility and cancer later in life.The study demonstrated that STH, S. haematobium and malaria are still a public health problem to WRA. Some of the associated risks of infection were geographical location, socio-economic and WASH factors. Hence the need to implement integrated control efforts of the three parasitic infection.
Hearing loss in Australian First Nations children at 6-monthly assessments from age 12 to 36 months: Secondary outcomes from randomised controlled trials of novel pneumococcal conjugate vaccine schedules
Authors: Leach Amanda Jane , Wilson Nicole , Arrowsmith Beth , Beissbarth Jemima , Mulholland Kim , Santosham Mathuram , Torzillo Paul John , McIntyre Peter , Smith-Vaughan Heidi , Skull Sue A. , Oguoma Victor M. , Chatfield Mark D. , Lehmann Deborah , Brennan-Jones Christopher G. , Binks Michael J. , Licciardi Paul V. , Andrews Ross M. , Snelling Tom , Krause Vicki , Carapetis Jonathan , Chang Anne B. , Morris Peter Stanley
Published: June 2024

Background

In Australian remote communities, First Nations children with otitis media (OM)-related hearing loss are disproportionately at risk of developmental delay and poor school performance, compared to those with normal hearing. Our objective was to compare OM-related hearing loss in children randomised to one of 2 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) formulations.

Methods and findings

In 2 sequential parallel, open-label, randomised controlled trials (the PREVIX trials), eligible infants were first allocated 1:1:1 at age 28 to 38 days to standard or mixed PCV schedules, then at age 12 months to PCV13 (13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, +P) or PHiD-CV10 (10-valent pneumococcal Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine, +S) (1:1). Here, we report prevalence and level of hearing loss outcomes in the +P and +S groups at 6-monthly scheduled assessments from age 12 to 36 months. From March 2013 to September 2018, 261 infants were enrolled and 461 hearing assessments were performed. Prevalence of hearing loss was 78% (25/32) in the +P group and 71% (20/28) in the +S group at baseline, declining to 52% (28/54) in the +P groups and 56% (33/59) in the +S group at age 36 months. At primary endpoint age 18 months, prevalence of moderate (disabling) hearing loss was 21% (9/42) in the +P group and 41% (20/49) in the +S group (difference −19%; (95% confidence interval (CI) [−38, −1], p = 0.07) and prevalence of no hearing loss was 36% (15/42) in the +P group and 16% (8/49) in the +S group (difference 19%; (95% CI [2, 37], p = 0.05). At subsequent time points, prevalence of moderate hearing loss remained lower in the +P group: differences −3%; (95% CI [−23, 18], p = 1.00 at age 24 months), −12%; (95% CI [−30, 6], p = 0.29 at age 30 months), and −9%; (95% CI [−23, 5], p = 0.25 at age 36 months). A major limitation was the small sample size, hence low power to reach statistical significance, thereby reducing confidence in the effect size.

Conclusions

In this study, we observed a high prevalence and persistence of moderate (disabling) hearing loss throughout early childhood. We found a lower prevalence of moderate hearing loss and correspondingly higher prevalence of no hearing loss in the +P group, which may have substantial benefits for high-risk children, their families, and society, but warrant further investigation.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01735084 and NCT01174849
Prognostic biomarkers of intracerebral hemorrhage identified using targeted proteomics and machine learning algorithms
Authors: Misra Shubham , Kawamura Yuki , Singh Praveen , Sengupta Shantanu , Nath Manabesh , Rahman Zuhaibur , Kumar Pradeep , Kumar Amit , Aggarwal Praveen , Srivastava Achal K. , Pandit Awadh K. , Mohania Dheeraj , Prasad Kameshwar , Mishra Nishant K. , Vibha Deepti
Published: June 2024

Early prognostication of patient outcomes in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is critical for patient care. We aim to investigate protein biomarkers’ role in prognosticating outcomes in ICH patients. We assessed 22 protein biomarkers using targeted proteomics in serum samples obtained from the ICH patient dataset (N = 150). We defined poor outcomes as modified Rankin scale score of 3–6. We incorporated clinical variables and protein biomarkers in regression models and random forest-based machine learning algorithms to predict poor outcomes and mortality. We report Odds Ratio (OR) or Hazard Ratio (HR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI). We used five-fold cross-validation and bootstrapping for internal validation of prediction models. We included 149 patients for 90-day and 144 patients with ICH for 180-day outcome analyses. In multivariable logistic regression, UCH-L1 (adjusted OR 9.23; 95%CI 2.41–35.33), alpha-2-macroglobulin (aOR 5.57; 95%CI 1.26–24.59), and Serpin-A11 (aOR 9.33; 95%CI 1.09–79.94) were independent predictors of 90-day poor outcome; MMP-2 (aOR 6.32; 95%CI 1.82–21.90) was independent predictor of 180-day poor outcome. In multivariable Cox regression models, IGFBP-3 (aHR 2.08; 95%CI 1.24–3.48) predicted 90-day and MMP-9 (aOR 1.98; 95%CI 1.19–3.32) predicted 180-day mortality. Machine learning identified additional predictors, including haptoglobin for poor outcomes and UCH-L1, APO-C1, and MMP-2 for mortality prediction. Overall, random forest models outperformed regression models for predicting 180-day poor outcomes (AUC 0.89), and 90-day (AUC 0.81) and 180-day mortality (AUC 0.81). Serum biomarkers independently predicted short-term poor outcomes and mortality after ICH. Further research utilizing a multi-omics platform and temporal profiling is needed to explore additional biomarkers and refine predictive models for ICH prognosis.
Why do nurses leave their jobs? Understanding person-related hostility in the healthcare sector of Pakistan
Authors: Noor Nadia , Rehman Saqib , Ahmed Yasmeen , Rizwan Sohail , Sarmad Muhammad
Published: June 2024

Nursing is considered indigent and oppressed because of uneven organizational hierarchies and unsatisfactory work environments. This study aimed to highlight the critical aspects of organizational culture in the nursing profession and, in general, those propagating hostile behaviours among female nursing staff that result in dissatisfaction and intention to leave the organization. A quantitative research approach was applied and a survey research strategy was used to collect the data. Convenience sampling was applied and data were collected from female nurses who were easily accessible and willing to participate in the research. A total of 707 questionnaires were collected from 14 hospitals and the data was analyzed using SmartPLS 4. Lack of administrative support and gender discrimination positively affected person-related hostility. In contrast, person-related hostility mediated the relationship between gender discrimination and lack of administrative support with the intention to leave. Direct or indirect person-related hostility factors can severely damage organizational reputation and quality and may cause the loss of employees with specific organizational knowledge and exposure. Losing an experienced employee to a newer one cannot replace the costs incurred on hiring, training, and providing knowledge to older employees. HR managers in organizations should devise strategies and policies that allow for the timely resolution of issues of nursing staff based on fair work performance.
ASG-YOLOv5: Improved YOLOv5 unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing aerial images scenario for small object detection based on attention and spatial gating
Authors: Shi Houwang , Yang Wenzhong , Chen Danni , Wang Min
Published: June 2024

With the accelerated development of the technological power of society, aerial images of drones gradually penetrated various industries. Due to the variable speed of drones, the captured images are shadowed, blurred, and obscured. Second, drones fly at varying altitudes, leading to changing target scales and making it difficult to detect and identify small targets. In order to solve the above problems, an improved ASG-YOLOv5 model is proposed in this paper. Firstly, this research proposes a dynamic contextual attention module, which uses feature scores to dynamically assign feature weights and output feature information through channel dimensions to improve the model’s attention to small target feature information and increase the network’s ability to extract contextual information; secondly, this research designs a spatial gating filtering multi-directional weighted fusion module, which uses spatial filtering and weighted bidirectional fusion in the multi-scale fusion stage to improve the characterization of weak targets, reduce the interference of redundant information, and better adapt to the detection of weak targets in images under unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing aerial photography; meanwhile, using Normalized Wasserstein Distance and CIoU regression loss function, the similarity metric value of the regression frame is obtained by modeling the Gaussian distribution of the regression frame, which increases the smoothing of the positional difference of the small targets and solves the problem that the positional deviation of the small targets is very sensitive, so that the model’s detection accuracy of the small targets is effectively improved. This paper trains and tests the model on the VisDrone2021 and AI-TOD datasets. This study used the NWPU-RESISC dataset for visual detection validation. The experimental results show that ASG-YOLOv5 has a better detection effect in unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing aerial images, and the frames per second (FPS) reaches 86, which meets the requirement of real-time small target detection, and it can be better adapted to the detection of the weak and small targets in the aerial image dataset, and ASG-YOLOv5 outperforms many existing target detection methods, and its detection accuracy reaches 21.1% mAP value. The mAP values are improved by 2.9% and 1.4%, respectively, compared with the YOLOv5 model. The project is available at https://github.com/woaini-shw/asg-yolov5.git.
Antegrade anterior column acetabulum fracture fixation with cannulated compression headless screws—A biomechanical study on standardized osteoporotic artificial bone
Authors: Berk Till , Zderic Ivan , Schwarzenberg Peter , Pastor Torsten , Drenchev Ludmil , Skulev Hristo Kostov , Richards Geoff , Hierholzer Christian , Halvachizadeh Sascha , Pape Hans-Christoph , Gueorguiev Boyko
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Due to the increase in life expectancy and high-energy traumas, anterior column acetabular fractures (ACFs) are also increasing. While open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is still the standard surgical procedure, minimally invasive, percutaneous fixation of osteoporotic acetabulum fractures (AF) are growing in popularity. The aim of this biomechanical study was to evaluate the biomechanical competence following antegrade fixation with a standard screw versus a cannulated compression headless screw.

Methods

Eight anatomical osteoporotic composite pelvises were given an anterior column fracture. Two groups of eight specimens each (n = 8) for fixation with either a 6.5 mm cannulated compression headless screw in group Anterior Acetabulum Canulated Compression Headless Screw (AACCH), or with a 6.5 mm partially threaded cannulated screw in group Anterior Acetabulum Standard Screw (AASS) where compared. Each specimen was biomechanically loaded cyclically at a rate of 2 Hz with monotonically increasing compressive load until failure. Motions were assessed by means of optical motion tracking.

Results

Initial construct stiffness trended higher in group AACCH at 152.4 ± 23.1 N/mm compared to group AASS at 118.5 ± 34.3 N/mm, p = 0.051. Numbers of cycles and corresponding peak load at failure, were significantly higher in group AACCH at 6734 ± 1669 cycles and 873.4 ± 166.9 N versus group AASS at 4440 ± 2063 cycles and 644.0 ± 206.3 N, p = 0.041. Failure modes were breakout of the screws around the proximal entry point.

Conclusion

From a biomechanical perspective, group AACCH was associated with superior biomechanical competence compared to standard partially threaded cannulated screws and could therefore be considered as valid alternative for fixation of anterior acetabulum fractures.
A study on the influence of academic passion on PhD students’ research engagement—The role of ambidextrous learning and academic climate
Authors: Chen Jianyue , Zhao Zhixing
Published: June 2024

The engagement in research, as the primary form of learning engagement for PhD students, is crucial for enhancing their competitive edge. Academic passion, a key determinant of learning engagement, plays a significant role in driving the research enthusiasm of PhD students. However, the "black box" concerning whether and how academic passion influences PhD students’ research engagement remains to be explored. Addressing this gap, the present study draws upon self-determination theory, adopts the "motivation-behavior-effect" analytical framework, and incorporates ambidextrous learning as a mediator to elucidate the specific pathway through which academic passion impacts PhD students’ engagement in research activities. Furthermore, it examines the facilitating role of the academic climate in this process. From December 2022 to March 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted, collecting 522 responses from PhD students across 25 universities in China. The survey primarily assessed the PhD students’ academic passion, ambidextrous learning behaviors (including tendencies towards exploratory and exploitative learning), and their perceived academic climate, investigating how these factors collectively influence their engagement in research activities. The questionnaire data were analyzed using a combination of SEM and bootstrapping with SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3 software. The findings reveal that academic passion significantly positively affects PhD students’ research engagement; ambidextrous learning (exploratory and exploitative learning) mediates the relationship between academic passion and PhD students’ research engagement; and the academic climate effectively facilitates the transformation of PhD students’ academic passion into ambidextrous learning (exploratory and exploitative learning). The study’s conclusions not only foster PhD students’ enthusiasm for research but also enhance learning effectiveness and innovation vitality, providing a theoretical basis for reforming the doctoral training system.
Accuracy and feasibility in building a personalized 3D printed femoral pseudoaneurysm model for endovascular training
Authors: Lee Suat Yee , Chew Shen Cheak Currina , Lee Pei Hua , Chen Hung Da , Huang Shao Min , Liu Chun Hung , Chew Fatt Yang
Published: June 2024

Background

The use of three-dimensional(3D) printing is broadly across many medical specialties. It is an innovative, and rapidly growing technology to produce custom anatomical models and medical conditions models for medical teaching, surgical planning, and patient education. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of 3D printing in creating a superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm model based on CT scans for endovascular training.

Methods

A case of a left superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm was selected, and the 3D model was created using DICOM files imported into Materialise Mimics 22.0 and Materialise 3-Matic software, then printed using vat polymerization technology. Two 3D-printed models were created, and a series of comparisons were conducted between the 3D segmented images from CT scans and these two 3D-printed models. Ten comparisons involving internal diameters and angles of the specific anatomical location were measured.

Results

The study found that the absolute mean difference in diameter between the 3D segmented images and the 3D printed models was 0.179±0.145 mm and 0.216±0.143mm, respectively, with no significant difference between the two sets of models. Additionally, the absolute mean difference in angle was 0.99±0.65° and 1.00±0.91°, respectively, and the absolute mean difference in angle between the two sets of data was not significant. Bland-Altman analysis confirmed a high correlation in dimension measurements between the 3D-printed models and segmented images. Furthermore, the accuracy of a 3D-printed femoral pseudoaneurysm model was further tested through the simulation of a superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm coiling procedure using the Philips Azurion7 in the angiography room.

Conclusions

3D printing is a reliable technique for producing a high accuracy 3D anatomical model that closely resemble a patient’s anatomy based on CT images. Additionally, 3D printing is a feasible and viable option for use in endovascular training and medical education. In general, 3D printing is an encouraging technology with diverse possibilities in medicine, including surgical planning, medical education, and medical device advancement.
Widespread prevalence of plasmid-mediated blaCTX-M type extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli in backyard broiler production systems in the United States
Authors: Parzygnat Jessica L. , Crespo Rocio , Koci Matthew D. , Dunn Robert R. , Harden Lyndy , Fosnaught Mary , Thakur Siddhartha
Published: June 2024

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an emerging pathogen of high concern given its resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Broiler chicken, which is the number one consumed meat in the United States and worldwide, can be a reservoir of ESBL E. coli. Backyard poultry ownership is on the rise in the United States, yet there is little research investigating prevalence of ESBL E. coli in this setting. This study aims to identify the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles (phenotypically and genotypically) of ESBL E. coli in some backyard and commercial broiler farms in the U.S. For this study ten backyard and ten commercial farms were visited at three time-points across flock production. Fecal (n = 10), litter/compost (n = 5), soil (n = 5), and swabs of feeders and waterers (n = 6) were collected at each visit and processed for E. coli. Assessment of ESBL phenotype was determined through using disk diffusion with 3rd generation cephalosporins, cefotaxime and ceftazidime, and that with clavulanic acid. Broth microdilution and whole genome sequencing were used to investigate both phenotypic and genotypic resistance profiles, respectively. ESBL E. coli was more prevalent in backyard farms with 12.95% of samples testing positive whereas 0.77% of commercial farm samples were positive. All isolates contained a blaCTX-M gene, the dominant variant being blaCTX-M-1, and its presence was entirely due to plasmids. Our study confirms concerns of growing resistance to fourth generation cephalosporin, cefepime, as roughly half (51.4%) of all isolates were found to be susceptible dose-dependent and few were resistant. Resistance to non-beta lactams, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, was also detected in our samples. Our study identifies prevalence of blaCTX-M type ESBL E. coli in U.S. backyard broiler farms, emphasizing the need for interventions for food and production safety.
Retirements of professional tennis players in second- and third-tier tournaments on the ATP and WTA tours
Authors: Palau Maria , Baiget Ernest , Cortés Jordi , Martínez Joan , Crespo Miguel , Casals Martí
Published: June 2024

The demands of professional tennis, including physical and psychological aspects, contribute to the frequency of retirements at elite levels of the sport. The aim of this study was to analyze epidemiological patterns and risk factors associated with retirements in previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. This study focused on previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments. The ATP database encompassed 584,806 matches, while the WTA database included 267,380 matches. To assess retirements, potential risk factors such as playing surface, tournament category, match round, and player age were analyzed. Incidence rates were calculated for the period between 1978–2019 for men and 1994–2018 for women. The overall incidence rate was 1.56 (95%CI: 1.54, 1.59) and 1.36 (95%CI: 1.33, 1.39) retirements per 1000 games played in male and female competitions, respectively. Retirements increased over the years. Higher incidence rates were observed on hard (1.59 [95%CI: 1.56, 1.63] and 1.39 [95%CI: 1.34, 1.44]) and clay (1.60 [95%CI: 1.57, 1.63] and 1.36 [95%CI: 1.32, 1.41]) compared to grass courts (0.79 [95%CI: 0.65, 0.94] and 1.06 [95%CI: 0.88, 1.27]). Risk factors differed by gender, with tournament category significant in males (IRR: 1.23 [95%CI: 1.19, 1.28] in ITF vs ATP) and match round in females (IRR: 0.92 [95%CI: 0.88, 0.98] in preliminary vs final). This study provides valuable insights for coaches, players, support teams, and epidemiologists regarding retirements and associated risk factors in previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments, contributing to injury prevention strategies.
Effects of conditioning on the left ventricular function of young purebred Arabian horses
Authors: Ramos Gabriel Vieira , Santos Maíra Moreira , Gava Fábio Nelson , de Lacerda-Neto José Corrêa
Published: June 2024

The effects of conditioning on cardiac function in young horses is still unknown. For this reason, this study evaluated the left ventricular (LV) function of young horses by echocardiography after six weeks of conditioning. Fourteen untrained young purebred Arabian horses were evaluated at rest and after a stress test (ST) before and after a six-week conditioning program. There was an increase in V4 (p < 0.001) after conditioning, as well as a reduction in both heart rate (HR) at rest and peak HR during the ST (p < 0.001). There was also a reduction in internal diameter, along with an increase in interventricular septal, free wall and mean thicknesses and LV mass (p < 0.05). After the ST, the conditioned animals showed higher values of velocity time integral, stroke volume, systolic and cardiac indices, ejection (ET) and deceleration times (DT), end-diastolic volume, time to onset of radial myocardial velocity during early diastole and time to peak of transmitral flow velocity, in addition to reduced pre-ejection period (PEP), PEP/ET ratio and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (p < 0.05). The conditioning protocol promoted physiological adaptations that indicate an improvement in the animals’ aerobic capacity associated with an enhanced left ventricular function.
A robust system of hybridogenesis that increases genetic variability and promotes evolutionary succession in greenlings (Teleostei: Hexagrammidae, genus Hexagrammos): Regeneration of a new hemiclonal lineage
Authors: Suzuki Shota , Yoshida Shunsuke , Aratani Misaki , Kimura-Kawaguchi Motoko R. , Munehara Hiroyuki
Published: June 2024

Unisexual hybrids that reproduce either clonally or hemiclonally are considered to be evolutionarily short-lived as they lack the ability to reduce deleterious mutations and increase genetic diversity. In the greenling (Teleostei: Hexagrammidae, genus Hexagrammos), unisexual hybrids that produce haploid eggs containing only the H. octogrammus (maternal species) genome generate hemiclonal offspring by fertilization with haploid sperm of H. agrammus (paternal species). When hemiclonal hybrids are backcrossed to a male of the maternal species, the offspring (BC-Hoc) are phenotypically similar to the maternal species and produce recombinant gametes through conventional meiosis. BC-Hoc (recombinant generation) individuals referred to as carriers harbor the genetic factor for hybridogenesis, thereby facilitating the production of new hemiclonal lineages through hybridization. Previous studies based on field research have suggested that the carriers produced by two-way backcrossing (mating pattern in which hemiclonal hybrids are backcrossed with both parental species) may overcome the evolutionary dead end imposed by the lack of recombination. The present study verified this hypothesis by regenerating a newly hemiclonal lineage through artificial hybridization. To clarify the genetic mode of hybrids produced by crosses between BC-Hoc and Hag, mature eggs were obtained from 16 individuals and fertilized with either Hag or Hoc sperm. Hybridogenesis was confirmed in one of the 16 individuals. Based on the low occurrence rate, these findings suggest that hemiclonal lineages can be regenerated, and that the hemiclonal factors are likely distributed across multiple genes on different chromosomes. The findings provide important evidence for the retention of a robust system for increasing genetic variability and maintaining evolutionary succession in unisexual hybrids that reproduce hemiclonally.
Enhancer-promoter communication in Drosophila developmental gene transcription
Authors: Hunt George , Mannervik Mattias
Published: June 2024

Enhancers play an essential role in gene regulation by receiving cues from transcription factors and relaying these signals to modulate transcription from target promoters. Enhancer-promoter communications occur across large linear distances of the genome and with high specificity. The molecular mechanisms that underlie enhancer-mediated control of transcription remain unresolved. In this review, we focus on research in Drosophila uncovering the molecular mechanisms governing enhancer-promoter communication and discuss the current understanding of developmental gene regulation. The functions of protein acetylation, pausing of RNA polymerase II, transcriptional bursting, and the formation of nuclear hubs in the induction of tissue-specific programs of transcription during zygotic genome activation are considered.
Educación a distancia durante la pandemia COVID-19: Experiencias de madres de estudiantes con Trastorno del Espectro Autista
Authors: Carrasco-Mella Sebastián , Paz-Maldonado Eddy , Cisternas-García Laura , Landa-Blanco Miguel
Published: June 2024

La crisis sanitaria acontecida en el año 2020 generó una multiplicidad de cambios a nivel educativo y familiar en los hogares de niños y niñas con autismo. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar las experiencias de madres de estudiantes con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) respecto a la educación a distancia durante la pandemia del COVID-19. Para ello, se utilizó una metodología cualitativa con un alcance exploratorio descriptivo fenomenológico, en la que participaron 17 madres chilenas que respondieron a una entrevista semiestructurada. Los resultados indican que la educación a distancia no fue aceptada, dado que las madres asumieron el rol directo de acompañar los procesos educativos. Esto se tradujo en un retroceso educativo, emocional y social, que redujo las expectativas académicas y laborales de sus hijos e hijas con TEA. En definitiva, la educación a distancia no es eficaz para escolarizar a dicho estudiantado, puesto que la limitación de recursos y la falta de habilidades pedagógicas de las madres imposibilitan la promoción del aprendizaje.
AR/VR technológiák vizsgálata a kiállítási kommunikációban
Authors:   , Kuttner Ádám
Published: June 2024

A doktori kutatásom első fázisa a különböző kiállítási helyszíneken zajló megfigyelésekre és az ott bemutatásra került virtuális technológiák értékelésére épült. Ezen tapasztalatok alapján került sor a második fázisban a vizuális keretezés módszertanára épülő értékelési rendszer kidolgozására, amely alkalmazhatóságát a kutatás harmadik fázisában iskolai vizsgálatok segítéségével bizonyítottam. Lazzeretti (2016) független, de részben egymást átfedő diskurzusokat azonosított a múzeumi kommunikációban: tudományos-művészeti, média és a promóciós diskurzus. Ezen felosztását egy oktatási-kulturális diskurzus egészítheti ki, beleértve az online vagy személyes jelenléten alapuló kommunikációt a múzeumok és a látogatók között. Hooper-Greenhill (2000), Lazzeretti (2016) és Nielsen (2017) múzeumi környezetben zajló vizsgálatai alapján feltárt kommunikációelméleti megközelítések gyakorlatban történő alkalmazhatóságát vizsgáltam a különféle diskurzusokban. A szakirodalmi vizsgálódás és azon gyakorlati tapasztalatok alapján, arra a következtetésre jutottam, hogy a kortárs múzeum kommunikációjának leírására leginkább annak rituális modellje alkalmas. Kezdeti feltételezésem szerint a kortárs multimédia-technológia a kiállítási kommunikáció valamennyi diskurzusában jól használható, és segítheti a kommunikációs folyamatokat illetve az intézményi kommunikációs célok elérését. Ezt a feltételezést 12 különböző ország, 17 kulturális intézményében zajló helyszíni vizsgálat során értékelt 32 kortárs multimédiás kiállítási alkalmazás elemzése is megerősítette, a vizsgálat korpuszának segítségével pedig gyakorlati példákkal is alátámasztható. A helyszíni vizsgálataim során hat területet azonosítottam, amelyben az AR/VR technológiák használata különösen hatékony lehet a kiállítási kommunikáció gyakorlatában: a kiállítási tárlatvezetés (1), komplex tudományos összefüggések bemutatása (2), művészeti oktatás (3), bevonódás fokozása (4), társadalmi kérdések iránti érzékenyítés (5) és pozitív érzelmek keltése a tudományok iránt (6). A feltárt hat alkalmazási terület közül a tárlatvezetés területén folytattam vizsgálatokat, összesen 141 fő bevonásával. A többi terület átfogó vizsgálata sajnálatos módon túlmutatott a doktori kutatás időbeli keretein, de a meglévő eredmények alapján feltételezem, hogy a vizsgálati módszer alkalmas lehet ezeken belül is a technológiát használó kiállítási kommunikációs eszközök, vagy akár az egész kiállítás kommunikáció-szempontú kvalitatív összehasonlítására és elemzésére egyaránt.
EQUILIBRIUM SORPTION STUDIES OF COBALT (II) IONS UPTAKE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION USING MODIFIED BIOCHAR
Authors: Lemeh Nelson , Ekabafe Lawrence , Linda Nnabuenyi
Published: June 2024

The assessment of the equilibrium sorption for the uptake of Cobalt (ii) ions from aqueous solution using the modified biochars was studied. The modified biochars were prepared from agricultural waste materials: palm shells (
Elaeis guineesis jeaq.) and sugarcane peels (
Saccharum officinarum). The unmodified and oxidativly modified biochars were characterized for their functional groups, morphology, elemental analysis and surface area using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscope (EDX) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) respectively. The batch equilibrium sorption procedure was assessed for the uptake of cobalt ions from aqueous solution. The findings demonstrated that the specific surface area of the Potassium permanganate and Nitric acid modified palm shells and sugarcane peels biochars exhibited high surface area of MBET 450.023m
2/g, and SBET 256.0m
2/g for AP1 and MBET of 392.508m
2/g, SBET of 241.9m
2/g for BS2 respectively, greater than the unmodified biochar with 356.76m
2/g for MBET, 244.2m
2/g for SBET and 418.333m
2/g for MBET and 227.2m
2/g for SBET. The equilibrium sorption data conform to the Freundlich model with coefficient of correlation (R
2) value of 0.9976 and 0.9426 for the modified palm shell (AP1) and sugarcane peel (BS2) respectively. The AP1 has the highest adsorption and good reusability for Co
2+, and has good practical application prospects.
Entendendo a Gestão de Estoque: Como ela é vital para o Sucesso Logístico das Empresas
Authors: Santhiago Flaviana Nascimento de Sousa , Silva Rogerio Sales
Published: June 2024

Estoque compreende os materiais, em diferentes estágios de processamento, que não estão atualmente em uso na empresa, mas são mantidos para atender demandas futuras. Representa o conjunto de recursos utilizados no processo produtivo da empresa. A empresa para manter-se no mercado, deve ter uma boa gestão de estoque e evitar estocagem em excesso ou a ausência de materiais para a venda direta ao cliente. O presente artigo tem como objetivo geral identificar a importância da atividade de gestão de estoques no contexto logístico corporativo. A obra em questão deu-se de maneira qualitativa, através de pesquisa bibliográfica, tendo como fundamentação teórica trabalhos de diversos autores renomados, dentre eles Chiavenato (2006); Ballou (2015); Fernandes (2012); Trigueiro (2016); Jardim (2014). Como resultados obtivemos que gestão de estoque é um elemento crucial para o sucesso de qualquer negócio, seja pequeno ou grande, independente do setor de atuação. Portanto, concluímos que a gestão de estoque como atividade logística é de suma importância no mundo corporativo, tendo em vista a sua complexidade e dinamismo mercadológica e contribuição para o alcance dos objetivos organizacionais.
Processos de Perdas e Luto na Esclerose Múltipla: Uma Revisão Narrativa da Literatura
Authors: Cardoso Jeice Sobrinho , Souza Airle Miranda de , Corrêa Victor Augusto Cavaleiro
Published: June 2024

Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar como a literatura aborda o processo de luto no contexto da Esclerose Múltipla por meio de uma revisão narrativa. Para essa pesquisa, foram consultadas as seguintes bases de dados: Periódicos Capes (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) e o Serviço da Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina dos Estados Unidos para acesso gratuito ao Medline (PubMed). A revisão aponta para uma redução de materiais sobre essa temática. Os resultados demonstraram que o enfrentamento do luto, pode agravar o quadro clínico da Esclerose Múltipla e, as repercussões da doença. Também podem resultar em perdas funcionais de momentos significativos, seja por internações prolongadas ou por sintomas de fadiga.
O Homem e os Novos Cenários Corporativos na Era Digital: Um Estudo Prático Aplicado a Área Contábil
Authors: Almeida Francisco José de , Saraiva Piedley Macedo
Published: June 2024

O presente trabalho trata em particular, sobre os impactos que a revolução tecnológica desempenhou na contabilidade papel vital na redefinição das práticas operacionais e estratégicas das empresas de contabilidade. A mudança para a automação na contabilidade oferece uma chance para os profissionais mergulharem mais fundo em análises complexas, afastando-se de tarefas tediosas. Uma exigência imediata e premente para que as empresas de contabilidade se mantenham competitivas e atualizadas a Transformação Digital. A transformação digital domina várias esferas de negócios, mostrando sua influência multifacetada. O domínio contábil, em particular, está sujeito a um escrutínio crítico em termos de seus processos e insights. A contabilidade e a gestão financeira são reforçadas pela aplicação de tecnologias inovadoras, automação e digitalização de processos que permitem prosperar num ambiente em mudança.
A Representação da Mulher Militante em O Corpo Interminável, de Claudia Lage
Authors: Rolim Abrantes Francisca Luana , De Amorim José Edilson
Published: June 2024

O presente artigo analisa a representação da mulher militante em O corpo interminável, de Claudia Lage. Os questionamentos que motivaram a nossa pesquisa foram: a) De que modo a mulher militante é configurada no romance de Claudia Lage? Que tipos de opressões os sujeitos femininos sofrem por adentrar num espaço relegado à figura masculina? Para embasar a nossa pesquisa, utilizamos as reflexões sobre Literatura, Ditadura e Militância Feminina de Colling (1997), Figueiredo (2022), Rosa (2013), entre outras. Como resultado, nota-se que as militantes além de serem consideradas putas comunistas, mulheres de condutas desviantes, também eram duplamente agredidas, sofriam torturas psicológicas, tinhas suas unhas arrancadas, levavam choques elétricos nas suas partes íntimas, eram afastadas de seus familiares, etc. No entanto, mesmo sofrendo tamanhas barbaridades, as militantes, na obra em estudo, resistem aos horrores praticados pelo regime.