bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lock Them Up: The Cold Conservatism of Ang Lee's The Ice Storm
Authors: Flanery Patrick
Published: June 2023

This article considers how The Ice Storm (dir. Ang Lee, US, 1997) reframes the politics of Rick Moody's novel of the same name and works via a network of symbols to align character Elena Hood (Joan Allen) with Hillary Clinton, suggesting an analogy between the scandals of the Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton presidencies. Simultaneously, the film mounts a sustained campaign to constrain female sexuality, chiefly through its sanitizing of male characters’ own sexuality and recasting of Wendy Hood (Christina Ricci) as a sexually predatory Riding Hood/witch figure. Through its constraining of social transgression more generally, punishing Mikey Carver (Elijah Wood) for the sins of his parents and wider community in a way that can be read fruitfully through Jacques Derrida's “Plato's Pharmacy,” the film produces a narrative of profound conservatism even as it courts progressive audiences. Notwithstanding its “independent” status, its distribution through Fox (then owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp), situates the film institutionally in ways that challenge our understanding of the category of “independent” as necessarily politically progressive. The film's double-dealing, this article argues, demands that we attend to the phenomenon of a film that invites identification with progressive or transgressive characters only to punish them with reintegration into regimes of the normal or, failing such a maneuver, death. The lingering question this article identifies is how we hold to account films that are misunderstood as belonging to canons of progressive aesthetics while functioning as stealth engines of retrograde normativity.
Archiving Feeling in Yvonne Rainer's Journeys from Berlin/1971
Authors: Shaskevich Helena
Published: June 2023

Yvonne Rainer's third and most explicitly political feature-length film, Journeys from Berlin/1971 (US/UK/West Germany, 1979) explores the relationship between personal and political trauma through the lens of the instability and violence that ravaged West Germany during the period commonly referred to as the German Autumn (1977). Through a close reading of the film's formal structure, this essay argues that Journeys from Berlin/1971 represents Rainer's attempt to imagine a feminist counterpublic in the form of a queer “archive of feelings.” This essay traces the film's narrative junctures, comprised of five distinct and incongruous tracks layered and juxtaposed in a collage-like form, arguing that Rainer creates points of connection between scenes of domestic intimacy and political violence. In doing so, Journeys bridges the typically privatized and historically negated realm of everyday traumas of women and queer subjects with the public space of political trauma and asserts the primacy of both within national histories. This essay further argues that the female revolutionaries who emerge within these charged touchpoints act as figures of queer possibility. Their explicit and often spectacular refusals and failures — of the liberatory promises of bourgeois motherhood on the one hand, and political activism on the other — deny any possibility of a reparative fantasy within the film. Made during a period of significant aesthetic and personal change in Rainer's life following her attempted suicide, the film's form as an alternative archive of feminist resistance ultimately acts as both catharsis and a means of bringing this alternative community into being.
Long-Term Outcomes of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Postoperative World Health Organization Grade I Skull Base Meningioma: Utility of Ki-67 Labeling Index as a Prognostic Indicator
Authors: Shinya Yuki , Hasegawa Hirotaka , Shin Masahiro , Kawashima Mariko , Umekawa Motoyuki , Katano Atsuto , Ikemura Masako , Ushiku Tetsuo , Ohara Kenta , Okano Atsushi , Teranishi Yu , Miyawaki Satoru , Saito Nobuhito
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND:

Gross total resection, without causing neurological deficits, is challenging in skull base meningioma (SBM). Therefore, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an important approach for SBMs; however, it is difficult to predict the long-term prognosis.

OBJECTIVE:

To identify the predictive factors for tumor progression after SRS for World Health Organization (WHO) grade I SBMs, focusing on the Ki-67 labeling index (LI).

METHODS:

In this single-center retrospective study, factors affecting progression-free survival rates (PFSs) and neurological outcomes in patients undergoing SRS for postoperative SBMs were evaluated. Based on the Ki-67 LI, patients were classified into 3 groups: low (<4%), intermediate (4%-6%), and high LI (>6%).

RESULTS:

In the 112 patients enrolled, the cumulative 5- and 10-year PFSs were 93% and 83%, respectively. The PFSs were significantly higher in the low LI group (95% at 10 years) compared with the other groups (intermediate LI, 60% at 10 years, P = .007; high LI, 20% at 10 years, P = .001). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis demonstrated that the Ki-67 LI was significantly associated with the PFSs (low vs intermediate LI; hazard ratio, 6.00; 95% CI, 1.41-25.54; P = .015; low vs high LI; hazard ratio, 31.90; 95% CI, 5.59-181.77; P = .001).

CONCLUSION:

Ki-67 LI may be a useful predictor of long-term prognosis in SRS for postoperative WHO grade I SBM. SRS provides excellent long- and mid-term PFSs in SBMs with Ki-67 LIs <4% or 4% to 6%, with a low risk of radiation-induced adverse events.
A monoclonal antibody raised against human EZH2 cross-reacts with the RNA-binding protein SAFB
Authors: Cherney Rachel E. , Mills Christine A. , Herring Laura E. , Braceros Aki K. , Calabrese J. Mauro
Published: June 2023

The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved enzyme that tri-methylates Lysine 27 on Histone 3 (H3K27me3) to promote gene silencing. PRC2 is remarkably responsive to the expression of certain long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In the most notable example, PRC2 is recruited to the X-chromosome shortly after expression of the lncRNA Xist begins during X-chromosome inactivation. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs recruit PRC2 to chromatin are not yet clear. We report that a broadly used rabbit monoclonal antibody raised against human EZH2, a catalytic subunit of PRC2, cross-reacts with an RNA-binding protein called Scaffold Attachment Factor B (SAFB) in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) under buffer conditions that are commonly used for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Knockout of EZH2 in ESCs demonstrated that the antibody is specific for EZH2 by western blot (no cross-reactivity). Likewise, comparison to previously published datasets confirmed that the antibody recovers PRC2-bound sites by ChIP-Seq. However, RNA-IP from formaldehyde-crosslinked ESCs using ChIP wash conditions recovers distinct peaks of RNA association that co-localize with peaks of SAFB and whose enrichment disappears upon knockout of SAFB but not EZH2. IP and mass spectrometry-based proteomics in wild-type and EZH2 knockout ESCs confirm that the EZH2 antibody recovers SAFB in an EZH2-independent manner. Our data highlight the importance of orthogonal assays when studying interactions between chromatin-modifying enzymes and RNA.
SCG10 is required for peripheral axon maintenance and regeneration in mice
Authors: Li Yuanjun , Tian Yonglu , Pei Xiayuhe , Zheng Pengli , Miao Linqing , Li Lingjun , Luo Chunxiong , Zhang Peixun , Jiang Baoguo , Teng Junlin , Huang Ning , Chen Jianguo
Published: June 2023

Proper microtubule dynamics are critical for neuronal morphogenesis and functions, and their dysregulation results in neurological disorders and regeneration failure. Superior cervical ganglion-10 (SCG10, also known as stathmin-2 or STMN2) is a well-known regulator of microtubule dynamics in neurons, but its functions in the peripheral nervous system remain largely unknown. Here, we show that Scg10 knockout mice exhibit severely progressive motor and sensory dysfunctions with significant sciatic nerve myelination deficits and neuromuscular degeneration. Additionally, increased microtubule stability, shown by a significant increase in tubulin acetylation and decrease in tubulin tyrosination, and decreased axonal transport were observed in Scg10 knockout dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Furthermore, SCG10 depletion impaired axon regeneration in both injured mouse sciatic nerve and cultured DRG neurons following replating, and the impaired axon regeneration was found to be induced by a lack of SCG10-mediated microtubule dynamics in the neurons. Thus, our results highlight the importance of SCG10 in peripheral axon maintenance and regeneration.
Η επίδραση της καχεξίας στην ποιότητα ζωής των ασθενών με καρκίνο παγκρέατος
Authors: Κωφίδου Όλγα
Published: June 2023

Το 80% των ασθενών με καρκίνο του γαστρεντερικού συστήματος σε προχωρημένη νόσο παρουσιάζει καχεξία η οποία έχει σημαντική επίδραση στην επιβίωση. Η δραματική απώλεια βάρους σε ασθενείς με καρκίνο του παγκρέατος είναι ένα σύμπτωμα που συχνά δεν αξιολογείται. Σκοπός: Στην παρούσα μελέτη διερευνήθηκαν οι επιπτώσεις της καχεξίας σε ασθενείς με καρκίνο του παγκρέατος, όσον αφορά τη ποσότητα λίπους και μυϊκού ιστού, και κατά πόσο αυτή επηρεάζει τη ποιότητα της ζωής των ασθενών.Μέθοδος: Το δείγμα της έρευνας αφορά 74 ασθενείς με καρκίνο του παγκρέατος, οι οποίοι παρακολουθούνταν στο Α.Ν.Θ. «Θεαγένειο». Τα δεδομένα αντλήθηκαν μέσω επί τόπου μετρήσεων στο χώρο παροχής φροντίδας υγείας με απλή τυχαία δειγματοληψία και καταγράφηκαν σε φόρμα ιατροδημογραφικών, ανθρωπομετρικών στοιχείων και στο EORTC QLQ-C30 .Αποτελέσματα: Oι μεταβολές του μέσου βάρους των ασθενών με καρκίνο του παγκρέατος, όπως αποδεικνύεται από τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, μειώνονται σταθερά, με τις διαφορές του βάρους να καθίστανται στατιστικά σημαντικές (F=42,569, p<0,001). Ενώ τα αποτελέσματα της λιπομέτρησης (F=10,081, p<0,001) και της περιμέτρου μυϊκής μάζας των ασθενών (F=3,294, p=0,018) είναι αντίστοιχες με αυτές των μεταβολών του μέσου βάρους. Τα αποτελέσματα που αφορούν τη ποιότητα της ζωής (EORTC QLQ-C30) δεν παρουσιάζουν σημαντικές αλλαγές κατά τις αρχικές μετρήσεις.Συμπέρασμα: Η παρουσία καχεξίας σε ασθενείς με καρκίνο παγκρέατος, ως απόρροια της νόσου είναι γεγονός. Όσον αφορά την ποιότητα ζωής καταγραφή της κλίμακας EORTC QLQ-C30 έγινε μόνο κατά την πρώτη συνάντηση, με αποτέλεσμά να μην υπάρχουν μετρήσεις για σύγκριση κατά την ολοκλήρωση της έρευνας.
Prevalence and determinants of obesity among individuals with diabetes in Indonesia
Authors: Azam Mahalul , Sakinah Luluk Fadhoh , Kartasurya Martha Irene , Fibriana Arulita Ika , Minuljo Tania Tedjo , Aljunid Syed Mohamed
Published: June 2023

Background: Obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM), both individually or simultaneously, increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of obesity among diabetic individuals in Indonesia.

Methods: Data were extracted based on 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Survey (Riset Kesehatan Dasar=RISKESDAS). This study involved all individuals with DM and categorized obesity based on body mass index. After data clearing, this study analyzed 3911 DM subjects of the 33,905 subjects acquired from the 2018 RISKESDAS. The study also observed demographic data, diabetes control parameters, history of hypertension, lipid profiles, and food consumption patterns. These variables were involved in a Chi-square test, and related variables were then involved in the Binary logistic regression to define the independent determinants of obesity among DM subjects.

Results: Of the 3911DM subjects included, the study found an obesity prevalence of 32.9%. This study found that female (prevalence odds ratio [POR]=2.15; 95% CI: 1.76-2.62), age 15-44 years (POR=2.46; 95% CI: 1.83-3.33), urban residence (POR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.25-1.77), history of hypertension (POR=1.25; 95% CI: 1.04-1.51), high diastolic blood pressure (POR=1.90; 95% CI: 1.58-2.29), high LDL (POR=1.44; 95% CI: 1.13-1.84), and high triglycerides (POR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.07-1.50) were the risk factor of obesity  among DM subjects; while high HDL (POR=0.60; 95% CI: 0.46-0.78 higher education (POR=0.64; 95% CI: 0.53-0.78) and unmarried (POR=0.73; 95% CI: 0.59-0.90) were protective factors of obesity among DM subjects.

Conclusions:. The study concluded that almost one-third of DM subjects in Indonesia were obese. Female, age, urban residence, education level, history of hypertension, diastolic blood pressure, and lipid profiles were all associated with obesity among DM subjects in Indonesia. These findings suggest that monitoring and controlling of related determinants is needed to prevent complications caused by the doubled burden of diabetes and obesity.
The genome sequence of the Tufted Button, Acleris cristana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Boyes Clare ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: June 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Acleris cristana (the Tufted Button; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tortricidae). The genome sequence is 562.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.1 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 12,598 protein coding genes.
Crowd-Judging on Two-Sided Platforms: An Analysis of In-Group Bias
Authors: Kwan Alan P. , Yang S. Alex , Zhang Angela Huyue
Published: June 2023

Disputes over transactions on two-sided platforms are common and usually arbitrated through platforms’ customer service departments or third-party service providers. This paper studies crowd-judging, a novel crowdsourcing mechanism whereby users (buyers and sellers) volunteer as jurors to decide disputes arising from the platform. Using a rich data set from the dispute resolution center at Taobao, a leading Chinese e-commerce platform, we aim to understand this innovation and propose and analyze potential operational improvements with a focus on in-group bias (buyer jurors favor the buyer, likewise for sellers). Platform users, especially sellers, share the perception that in-group bias is prevalent and systematically sways case outcomes as the majority of users on such platforms are buyers, undermining the legitimacy of crowd-judging. Our empirical findings suggest that such concern is not completely unfounded: on average, a seller juror is approximately 10% likelier (than a buyer juror) to vote for a seller. Such bias is aggravated among cases that are decided by a thin margin and when jurors perceive that their in-group’s interests are threatened. However, the bias diminishes as jurors gain experience: a user’s bias reduces by nearly 95% as experience grows from zero to the sample median level. Incorporating these findings and juror participation dynamics in a simulation study, the paper delivers three managerial insights. First, under the existing voting policy, in-group bias influences the outcomes of no more than 2% of cases. Second, simply increasing crowd size through either a larger case panel or aggressively recruiting new jurors may not be efficient in reducing the adverse effect of in-group bias. Finally, policies that allocate cases dynamically could simultaneously mitigate the impact of in-group bias and nurture a more sustainable juror pool.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.

Funding: S. A. Yang and A. Zhang acknowledge the support of the Hong Kong General Research Fund [Grant “Decentralizing Platform Governance: Innovations from China; Project 17614921].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4818 .
Play; The word that must not be named!
Authors: Denny Glenn
Published: June 2023

Do you have something to share, reflect on or provoke thinking around? Write to the editor.

Glenn Denny, outdoor nursery manager and presenter of the podcast Circle Time, discusses the importance of play and how practitioners shouldn't be hesitant to use this word when referencing what is happening in early years settings, ahead of Play Day in August.
Education Select Committee Inquiry
Authors: Cowley Sue
Published: June 2023

In the last session of the Education Select Committee's inquiry into support for childcare and the early years, the Committee quizzed the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Claire Coutinho MP. Sue Cowley summarises the fifth and final oral evidence session.
Celebrating a year of success: Ready Generations and the Nursery in Belong one year on
Authors: Egersdorff Sue
Published: June 2023

The Nursery in Belong, set within the Belong care village in Chester is the first fully integrated nursery within a care setting in the North West, operated by the national charity Ready Generations. Sue Egersdorff, founder of Ready Generations provides an update on the innovative setup as it celebrates its first birthday, sharing what has been learnt along the way, the impact the initiative has had on the children and adults involved, and how settings can incorporate intergenerational approaches into their practice.
Employees with grievances
Authors: Dosanjh Kash
Published: June 2023

Grievances are not always unavoidable in the workplace, yet not every business knows how to manage grievances properly. The legal processes involved—including how complaints should be investigated — are very demanding
A Symptom Differentiation based on Prospective pre-post intervention design and multiple regression analysis in Korean medicine - Focus on Yang Deficiency and Blood Heat Type Psoriasis -
Authors: Lee Sundong , Kim Hyundo , Jung Seyoung , Kwon Bo-in
Published: June 2023

Objectives: To study symptom differentiation for yang deficiency and blood heat based on 117 psoriasis patients.Methods: Obtained frequency analysis (%), mean (%), and OR, CL(P-value) with prospective pre-post intervention design and multiple regression analysis.Results: There were no statistically significant differences as to sex, BMI, smoking and marital status, but there were statistically significant differences in variables of average age, gene history, and alcohol consumption (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in psoriasis symptoms as to initial age of onset, morbidity span, area of the initial onset, and the progression of psoriasis during the last three months of each patient. However, the type of psoriasis showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.011). While there were no statistically significant differences as to common cold, condition of psoriasis after recovering from the cold, skin condition, exercise, and seasonality, irregular perspiration showed significant difference (p<0.00). When confounding factors have been controlled the blood heat patient group as the comparison group, multiple regression analysis showed OR, CI(95%) of 1.06(0.31-3.63) for men, 0.28(0.08-1.06) for aged 30 to 49,0 and 0.18(0.04-0.80) for aged 50 and older. it was 0.06(0.01-0.7) for gene history, 1.06(0.29-3.88) for drink alcohol, 19.90(2.53-156.7) for seasonality, and 10.28 (3.19-33.11) for perspiration problems. In these variables, Sex, age, smoking, and alcohol consumption showed no statistically significant results, but gene history(p=0.049), seasonality(p=0.005), and irregular perspiration (p=0.017) were statistically significant.Conclusion: Family history, seasonality and irregular perspiration are the determining factors for yang deficiency and blood heat in psoriasis.
Angular momentum of vector-twisted-vortex Gaussian Schell-model beams
Authors: Mays Joseph , Gbur Greg
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we generalize a recently introduced class of partially coherent vortex beams known as twisted-vortex Gaussian Schell-model beams. Through the addition of spatially varying polarization, we created a beam whose angular momentum comes from three different sources: the underlying vortex order of the beam, the twist given to the random ensemble of beams, and the circular polarization of the beam. The combination of these angular momentum types allows for unprecedented control over the total angular momentum of the field and its transverse distribution.
Entanglement enhancement from single-port and two-port feedback optical parametric amplifiers
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Han Yashuai , Qu Jun
Published: June 2023

Coherent feedback control has been proved to be an effective approach in entanglement enhancement of the entangled states produced by a nondegenerate optical parametric amplifier (NOPA). However, the present research mainly focuses on a two-port feedback NOPA (TFPA). In this study, a scheme of single-port feedback NOPA (SFPA) is proposed and investigated. For the ideal case, both SFPA and TFPA have the potential to realize an infinite degree of entanglement. For the practical case with feasible physical parameters of realistic systems, the features of entanglement enhancement for two schemes are compared. The effect of entanglement enhancement for SFPA is relatively weaker than that of TFPA, but has a loose phase-locking accuracy requirement. Our results may provide useful references on the control of nonclassical light fields.
Fabrication of azimuthally/radially symmetric liquid crystal plates using two-step photoalignments
Authors: Liu Cheng-Kai , Liao Shao-Hao , Huang Chi-Tang , Cheng Ko-Ting
Published: June 2023

Fabrication of azimuthally/radially symmetric liquid crystal plates (A/RSLCPs) using two-step photoalignments with the two dichroic dyes methyl red (MR) and brilliant yellow (BY) is demonstrated. BY molecules coated onto a substrate and MR molecules doped in LCs in a cell can azimuthally and radially align LCs by illuminating radially and azimuthally symmetric polarized light with specific wavelengths, respectively. In contrast to the previous fabrication methods, the fabrication method proposed here can prevent the contamination/damage of photoalignment films on substrates. A method to improve the proposed fabrication to avoid generating undesirable patterns is also elucidated.
Sensitivity-enhanced Fabry-Perot interferometric fiber-optic microphone using hollow cantilever
Authors: Tian Shen , Qiao Yingying , Liang Mu , Feng Mingyang , Gao Yang , Li Lei , Shan Chongxin
Published: June 2023

Transducer components are crucial in optimizing the sensitivity of microphones. Cantilever structure is commonly used as a structural optimization technique. Here, we present a novel Fabry-Perot (F-P) interferometric fiber-optic microphone (FOM) using a hollow cantilever structure. The proposed hollow cantilever aims to reduce the effective mass and spring constant of the cantilever, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of the FOM. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed structure outperforms the original cantilever design in terms of sensitivity. The sensitivity and minimum detectable acoustic pressure level (MDP) can reach 91.40 mV/Pa and 6.20 µPa/Hz at 1.7 kHz, respectively. Notably, the hollow cantilever provides an optimization framework for highly sensitive FOMs.
Fiber array to chip attach using laser fusion splicing for low loss
Authors: Nauriyal Juniyali , Song Meiting , Zhang Yi , Granados-Baez Marissa , Cardenas Jaime
Published: June 2023

With the ever-increasing need for higher data rates, datacom and telecom industries are now migrating to silicon photonics to achieve higher data rates with reduced manufacturing costs. However, the optical packaging of integrated photonic devices with multiple I/O ports remains a slow and expensive process. We introduce an optical packaging technique to attach fiber arrays to a photonic chip in a single shot using CO2 laser fusion splicing. We show a minimum coupling loss of 1.1 dB, 1.5 dB, and 1.4 dB per-facet for 2, 4, and 8-fiber arrays (respectively) fused to the oxide mode converters using a single shot from the CO2 laser.
Deep learning estimation of modified Zernike coefficients and recovery of point spread functions in turbulence
Authors: Siddik Abu Bucker , Sandoval Steven , Voelz David , Boucheron Laura E. , Varela Luis
Published: June 2023

Recovering the turbulence-degraded point spread function from a single intensity image is important for a variety of imaging applications. Here, a deep learning model based on a convolutional neural network is applied to intensity images to predict a modified set of Zernike polynomial coefficients corresponding to wavefront aberrations in the pupil due to turbulence. The modified set assigns an absolute value to coefficients of even radial orders due to a sign ambiguity associated with this problem and is shown to be sufficient for specifying the intensity point spread function. Simulated image data of a point object and simple extended objects over a range of turbulence and detection noise levels are created for the learning model. The MSE results for the learning model show that the best prediction is found when observing a point object, but it is possible to recover a useful set of modified Zernike coefficients from an extended object image that is subject to detection noise and turbulence.
Hanbury Brown–Twiss approach for imaging through a dynamic scattering medium
Authors: Chandra Sourav , Sarkar Tushar , Kumar Raj , Das Bhargab , Singh Rakesh Kumar
Published: June 2023

The Hanbury Brown–Twiss approach, associated with the correlation of intensity fluctuations at two different points in a wave field, unveils fundamental aspects of light. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate an imaging and phase recovery technique through a dynamic scattering medium using the Hanbury Brown–Twiss approach. A detailed theoretical basis is presented and verified by experimental demonstrations. To validate the application of the proposed technique, the randomness of the dynamically scattered light is exploited using temporal ergodicity for evaluating the correlation of intensity fluctuations and consequently applying it in the reconstruction of the object hidden behind the dynamic diffuser.
Single-shot resolution-enhancement quantitative phase imaging based on Kramers–Kronig relations
Authors: Chen Xiang , Yao Sihong , Yan Xuan , Ding Hao , Ma Jun , Yuan Caojin
Published: June 2023

A single-shot quantitative phase imaging (QPI) method with improved resolution based on Kramers–Kronig relations is proposed. Two pairs of in-line holograms containing the high-frequency information in the x and y directions are recorded by a polarization camera in a single exposure, which makes the recording setup compact. The deduced Kramers–Kronig relations based on multiplexing polarization can successfully separate recorded amplitude and phase information. The experimental results demonstrate that the resolution can be doubled by using the proposed method. This technique is expected to be used in the fields of biomedicine and surface inspection.
Particle manipulation with twisted circle Pearcey vortex beams
Authors: Yang Yongzheng , Wu You , Zheng Xinqing , Shi Jingyi , Luo Yingjun , Huang Jinghuan , Deng Dongmei
Published: June 2023

In this Letter, we present an approach for particle manipulation utilizing twisted circle Pearcey vortex beams. These beams are modulated by a noncanonical spiral phase, which allows for flexible adjustment of rotation characteristics and spiral patterns. Consequently, particles can be rotated around the beam’s axis and trapped with a protective barrier to avoid perturbation. Our proposed system can quickly de-gather and re-gather multiple particles, enabling a swift and thorough cleaning of small areas. This innovation opens up new possibilities in particle cleaning and creates a new platform for further study.
Quantifying ecosystem states and state transitions of the Upper Mississippi River System using topological data analysis
Authors: Larson Danelle Marie , Bungula Wako , McKean Casey , Stockdill Alaina , Lee Amber , Miller Frederick Forrest , Davis Killian
Published: June 2023

Aquatic systems worldwide can exist in multiple ecosystem states (i.e., a recurring collection of biological and chemical attributes), and effectively characterizing multidimensionality will aid protection of desirable states and guide rehabilitation. The Upper Mississippi River System is composed of a large floodplain river system spanning 2200 km and multiple federal, state, tribal and local governmental units. Multiple ecosystem states may occur within the system, and characterization of the variables that define these ecosystem states could guide river rehabilitation. We coupled a long-term (30-year) highly dimensional water quality monitoring dataset with multiple topological data analysis (TDA) techniques to classify ecosystem states, identify state variables, and detect state transitions over 30 years in the river to guide conservation. Across the entire system, TDA identified five ecosystem states. State 1 was characterized by exceptionally clear, clean, and cold-water conditions typical of winter (i.e., a clear-water state); State 2 had the greatest range of environmental conditions and contained most the data (i.e., a status-quo state); and States 3, 4, and 5 had extremely high concentrations of suspended solids (i.e., turbid states, with State 5 as the most turbid). The TDA mapped clear patterns of the ecosystem states across several riverine navigation reaches and seasons that furthered ecological understanding. State variables were identified as suspended solids, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus, which are also state variables of shallow lakes worldwide. The TDA change detection function showed short-term state transitions based on seasonality and episodic events, and provided evidence of gradual, long-term changes due to water quality improvements over three decades. These results can inform decision making and guide actions for regulatory and restoration agencies by assessing the status and trends of this important river and provide quantitative targets for state variables. The TDA change detection function may serve as a new tool for predicting the vulnerability to undesirable state transitions in this system and other ecosystems with sufficient data. Coupling ecosystem state concepts and TDA tools can be transferred to any ecosystem with large data to help classify states and understand their vulnerability to state transitions.
Using machine learning-based systems to help predict disengagement from the legal proceedings by women victims of intimate partner violence in Spain
Authors: Escobar-Linero Elena , García-Jiménez María , Trigo-Sánchez María Eva , Cala-Carrillo María Jesús , Sevillano José Luis , Domínguez-Morales Manuel
Published: June 2023

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVW) is a pressing social issue which poses a challenge in terms of prevention, legal action, and reporting the abuse once it has occurred. However, a significant number of female victims who file a complaint against their abuser and initiate legal proceedings, subsequently, withdraw charges for different reasons. Research in this field has been focusing on identifying the factors underlying women victims’ decision to disengage from the legal process to enable intervention before this occurs. Previous studies have applied statistical models to use input variables and make a prediction of withdrawal. However, none have used machine learning models to predict disengagement from legal proceedings in IPVW cases. This could represent a more accurate way of detecting these events. This study applied machine learning (ML) techniques to predict the decision of IPVW victims to withdraw from prosecution. Three different ML algorithms were optimized and tested with the original dataset to assess the performance of ML models against non-linear input data. Once the best models had been obtained, explainable artificial intelligence (xAI) techniques were applied to search for the most informative input features and reduce the original dataset to the most important variables. Finally, these results were compared to those obtained in the previous work that used statistical techniques, and the set of most informative parameters was combined with the variables of the previous study, showing that ML-based models had a better predictive accuracy in all cases and that by adding one new variable to the previous work’s predictive model, the accuracy to detect withdrawal improved by 7.5%.
A new DNA extraction method (HV-CTAB-PCI) for amplification of nuclear markers from open ocean-retrieved faeces of an herbivorous marine mammal, the dugong
Authors: Ooi Vicky , McMichael Lee , Hunter Margaret E. , Takoukam Kamla Aristide , Lanyon Janet M.
Published: June 2023

Non-invasively collected faecal samples are an alternative source of DNA to tissue samples, that may be used in genetic studies of wildlife when direct sampling of animals is difficult. Although several faecal DNA extraction methods exist, their efficacy varies between species. Previous attempts to amplify mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers from faeces of wild dugongs (Dugong dugon) have met with limited success and nuclear markers (microsatellites) have been unsuccessful. This study aimed to establish a tool for sampling both mtDNA and nuclear DNA (nDNA) from dugong faeces by modifying approaches used in studies of other large herbivores. First, a streamlined, cost-effective DNA extraction method that enabled the amplification of both mitochondrial and nuclear markers from large quantities of dugong faeces was developed. Faecal DNA extracted using a new ‘High Volume- Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide- Phenol-Chloroform-Isoamyl Alcohol’ (HV-CTAB-PCI) method was found to achieve comparable amplification results to extraction of DNA from dugong skin. As most prevailing practices advocate sampling from the outer surface of a stool to maximise capture of sloughed intestinal cells, this study compared amplification success of mtDNA between the outer and inner layers of faeces, but no difference in amplification was found. Assessment of the impacts of faecal age or degradation on extraction, however, demonstrated that fresher faeces with shorter duration of environmental (seawater) exposure amplified both markers better than eroded scats. Using the HV-CTAB-PCI method, nuclear markers were successfully amplified for the first time from dugong faeces. The successful amplification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers represents a proof-of-concept showing that DNA from dugong faeces can potentially be utilised in population genetic studies. This novel DNA extraction protocol offers a new tool that will facilitate genetic studies of dugongs and other large and cryptic marine herbivores in remote locations.
Understanding the functional form of the relationship between childhood cognitive ability and adult financial well-being
Authors: Gladstone Joe , Barrett Jenna Adriana Maeve
Published: June 2023

The increasing complexity of the modern financial landscape presents significant challenges for individuals’ financial well-being. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between cognitive ability and financial well-being by utilizing data from the British Cohort Study, which follows a sample of 13,000 individuals from birth in 1970 to the present day. Our objective is to examine the functional form of this relationship while controlling for factors such as childhood socio-economic status and adult income. Previous research has established a correlation between cognitive ability and financial well-being, but has implicitly assumed a linear relationship. Our analyses indicate that the majority of the relationships between cognitive ability and financial variables are monotonic. However, we also observe non-monotonic relationships, particularly for credit usage, suggesting a curvilinear relationship where both lower and higher levels of cognitive ability are associated with lower levels of debt. These findings have important implications for understanding the role of cognitive ability in financial well-being and for financial education and policy, as the complexity of the modern financial landscape poses significant challenges for individuals’ financial well-being. As financial complexity is increasing and cognitive ability is a key predictor of knowledge acquisition, misspecifying the true relationship between cognitive ability and financial outcomes leads to an undervaluation of the role of cognitive ability for financial well-being.
An early-diverging iguanodontian (Dinosauria: Rhabdodontomorpha) from the Late Cretaceous of North America
Authors: Zanno Lindsay E. , Gates Terry A. , Avrahami Haviv M. , Tucker Ryan T. , Makovicky Peter J.
Published: June 2023

Intensifying macrovertebrate reconnaissance together with refined age-dating of mid-Cretaceous assemblages in recent decades is producing a more nuanced understanding of the impact of the Cretaceous Thermal Maximum on terrestrial ecosystems. Here we report discovery of a new early-diverging ornithopod, Iani smithi gen. et sp. nov., from the Cenomanian-age lower Mussentuchit Member, Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah, USA. The single known specimen of this species (NCSM 29373) includes a well-preserved, disarticulated skull, partial axial column, and portions of the appendicular skeleton. Apomorphic traits are concentrated on the frontal, squamosal, braincase, and premaxilla, including the presence of three premaxillary teeth. Phylogenetic analyses using parsimony and Bayesian inference posit Iani as a North American rhabdodontomorph based on the presence of enlarged, spatulate teeth bearing up to 12 secondary ridges, maxillary teeth lacking a primary ridge, a laterally depressed maxillary process of the jugal, and a posttemporal foramen restricted to the squamosal, among other features. Prior to this discovery, neornithischian paleobiodiversity in the Mussentuchit Member was based primarily on isolated teeth, with only the hadrosauroid Eolambia caroljonesa named from macrovertebrate remains. Documentation of a possible rhabdodontomorph in this assemblage, along with published reports of an as-of-yet undescribed thescelosaurid, and fragmentary remains of ankylosaurians and ceratopsians confirms a minimum of five, cohabiting neornithischian clades in earliest Late Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems of North America. Due to poor preservation and exploration of Turonian–Santonian assemblages, the timing of rhabdodontomorph extirpation in the Western Interior Basin is, as of yet, unclear. However, Iani documents survival of all three major clades of Early Cretaceous neornithischians (Thescelosauridae, Rhabdodontomorpha, and Ankylopollexia) into the dawn of the Late Cretaceous of North America.
An analysis of Chinese nursing electronic medical records to predict violence in psychiatric inpatients using text mining and machine learning techniques
Authors: Hu Ya-Han , Hung Jeng-Hsiu , Hu Li-Yu , Huang Sheng-Yun , Shen Cheng-Che
Published: June 2023

Background

The prevalence of violence in acute psychiatric wards is a critical concern. According to a meta-analysis investigating violence in psychiatric inpatient units, researchers estimated that approximately 17% of inpatients commit one or more acts of violence during their stay. Inpatient violence negatively affects health-care providers and patients and may contribute to high staff turnover. Therefore, predicting which psychiatric inpatients will commit violence is of considerable clinical significance.

Objective

The present study aimed to estimate the violence rate for psychiatric inpatients and establish a predictive model for violence in psychiatric inpatients.

Methods

We collected the structured and unstructured data from Chinese nursing electronic medical records (EMRs) for the violence prediction. The data was obtained from the psychiatry department of a regional hospital in southern Taiwan, covering the period between January 2008 and December 2018. Several text mining and machine learning techniques were employed to analyze the data.

Results

The results demonstrated that the rate of violence in psychiatric inpatients is 19.7%. The patients with violence in psychiatric wards were generally younger, had a more violent history, and were more likely to be unmarried. Furthermore, our study supported the feasibility of predicting aggressive incidents in psychiatric wards by using nursing EMRs and the proposed method can be incorporated into routine clinical practice to enable early prediction of inpatient violence.

Conclusions

Our findings may provide clinicians with a new basis for judgment of the risk of violence in psychiatric wards.
Enteral nutrition management in critically ill adult patients and its relationship with intensive care unit-acquired muscle weakness: A national cohort study
Authors: Zaragoza-García Ignacio , Arias-Rivera Susana , Frade-Mera María Jesús , Martí Joan Daniel , Gallart Elisabet , San José-Arribas Alicia , Velasco-Sanz Tamara Raquel , Blazquez-Martínez Eva , Raurell-Torredà Marta
Published: June 2023

Objective

To assess the incidence and determinants of ICU-acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW) in adult patients with enteral nutrition (EN) during the first 7 days in the ICU and mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours.

Methods

A prospective, nationwide, multicentre cohort study in a national ICU network of 80 ICUs. ICU patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours and EN the first 7 days of their ICU stay were included. The primary outcome was incidence of ICUAW. The secondary outcome was analysed, during days 3–7 of ICU stay, the relationship between demographic and clinical data to contribute to the onset of ICUAW, identify whether energy and protein intake can contribute independently to the onset of ICUAW and degree of compliance guidelines for EN.

Results

319 patients were studied from 69 ICUs in our country. The incidence of ICUAW was 153/222 (68.9%; 95% CI [62.5%-74.7%]). Patients without ICUAW showed higher levels of active mobility (p = 0.018). The logistic regression analysis showed no effect on energy or protein intake on the onset of ICUAW. Overfeeding was observed on a significant proportion of patient-days, while more overfeeding (as per US guidelines) was found among patients with obesity than those without (42.9% vs 12.5%; p<0.001). Protein intake was deficient (as per US/European guidelines) during ICU days 3–7.

Conclusions

The incidence of ICUAW was high in this patient cohort. Early mobility was associated with a lower incidence of ICUAW. Significant overfeeding and deficient protein intake were observed. However, energy and protein intake alone were insufficient to explain ICUAW onset.

Relevance to clinical practice

Low mobility, high incidence of ICUAW and low protein intake suggest the need to train, update and involve ICU professionals in nutritional care and the need for early mobilization of ICU patients.
Relationships between the COVID-19 lockdown, socioeconomic factors and acute coronary syndrome hospitalisations in France
Authors: Plat Rodney , Vasile Maria , Roubille François , Mercier Grégoire
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with an overall drop in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) hospitalizations. Additionally, there is a well-known association between ACS and socioeconomic status. This study aims to assess the COVID-19 effect on ACS admissions in France during the first national lockdown and investigate the factors associated with its spatial heterogeneity.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective study, we used the French hospital discharge database (PMSI) to estimate ACS admission rates in all public and private hospitals in 2019 and 2020. A negative binomial regression explored the nationwide change in ACS admissions during lockdown compared with 2019. A multivariate analysis explored the factors associated with the ACS admission incidence rate ratio (IRR, 2020 incidence rate/2019 incidence rate) variation at the county level.

Results

We found a significant but geographically heterogeneous nationwide reduction in ACS admissions during lockdown (IRR 0·70 [0·64–0·76]). After adjustment for cumulative COVID-19 admissions and the ageing index, a higher share of people on short-term working arrangements during lockdown at the county level was associated with a lower IRR, while a higher share of individuals with a high school degree and a higher density of acute care beds were associated with a higher ratio.

Conclusions

During the first national lockdown, there was an overall decrease in ACS admissions. Local provision of inpatient care and socioeconomic determinants linked to occupation were independently associated with the variation in hospitalizations.
Exodontia skills acquisition: Focusing on clinical teaching and training
Authors: Behardien Nashreen , Brijlal Priscilla , Roman Nicolette Vanessa
Published: June 2023

Objectives

The aim of the research was to evaluate the traditional exodontia block course. The objectives were to explore the experiences and views of students, clinical teachers and dental practitioners of the various elements of the course curriculum.

Methods

The study was a qualitative, participatory action research study using descriptive analysis. The study was conducted at a Dental Faculty in South Africa. A purposive sample of students, clinical teachers and dental practitioners were invited to participate. Focus group discussions were used to collect data which was analysed by an external coder.

Results

The study population consisted of 15 undergraduate dentistry students, 10 clinical teachers and seven dental practitioners. Four broad themes with sub-themes emerged from the study. The main themes identified strengths and deficiencies of the traditional course and made recommendations for its improvement. The themes identified were i) Integration of knowledge and skills, ii) Block course structure, iii) Challenges associated, and iv) Recommendations for improvement. Overall, the participants were satisfied that the course met its objectives. The results pertaining to clinical skills acquisition identified that teaching the use of elevators and luxators in the course, and standardisation of terminology among all clinical teachers as areas requiring attention. Teaching and learning strategies such as community-based learning, peer learning, case reviews, feedback and visual technology were viewed by the student, as well as clinical teacher samples, as strategies most beneficial to clinical learning.

Conclusions

The review of the curriculum for exodontia skills acquisition and development, provided several benefits. Firstly, this research served as a quality assurance indicator. It further highlighted many teaching and learning strategies that would improve clinical skills development, reduce stress and anxiety, and support student learning. To a large extent, pertinent information was obtained that served to inform the subsequent redesigning of the course. The findings of the study augment the literature currently available on the best practice for exodontia skills acquisition and development and provide baseline information for the planning and redesign of related courses.