bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Student’s Critical Thinking Skills Through Discovery Learning Model Using E-Learning on Environmental Change Subject Matter
Authors: Chusni Muhammad Minan , Saputro Sulistyo , Rahardjo Sentot Budi , Suranto Suranto
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to analyze the critical thinking skills of students in learning of environmental change material using e-learning madrasah. This study used explanatory sequential design by mixed-methods experiment. The data were collected by interviewing, observing, and essay testing that have indicators modified from critical thinking skills by Watson-Glaser, Facione, and Ennis. There were 67 participants in this study as 7th grade student at a junior high school in Sleman district. Quantitative data analyzed by determining average score and standard deviations and, qualitative data analyzed from interviews and observation. Quantitative analysis showed that there were 3 levels of student’s critical thinking skills which were 14 students (20.90%) in the high category, 38 students (56.72%) in the middle category, and 15 students (22.38%) in the low category. Qualitative analysis indicated learning model made students to learn actively, independently, and enthusiastically looking for several sources. This study provided information about student critical thinking skills in junior high school, especially in the environmental change matter which are still low. Thus, the alternative learning strategies to improve students critical thinking skills are very needed. Besides, information on the application of the discovery learning model with e-learning Islamic school was obtained in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interpretation and Representation in Housing Policy Discourse as Exemplified by Council Tenants’ Participation in the Jazdów Estate (Warsaw)
Authors:   Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, Poland, Zubrzycka-Czarnecka Aleksandra
Published: June 2021

The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of the What’s the Problem Represented to Be approach (WPR), a tool of policy analysis developed by the Australian political scientist Carol Bacchi to examine the discursive representations of council tenants’ participation in connection with the inclusion of council housing tenants from the Jazdów Estate in the decision-making process relating to local housing policy in Warsaw. The article identifies two discursive representations of council tenants’ participation: (1) council tenants as an expected passive audience in top-down policymaking and (2) the limited acceptance of the agency of council tenants in policymaking. It was found that in Warsaw - or at least in the case of Jazdów - the political and discursive interpretation of tenants’ participation is primarily associated with the act of informing and less often with public consultation or the co-production of housing policy.
Polarimetric data-based model for tissue recognition
Authors: Rodríguez Carla , Van Eeckhout Albert , Ferrer Laia , Garcia-Caurel Enrique , González-Arnay Emilio , Campos Juan , Lizana Angel
Published: June 2021

We highlight the potential of a predictive optical model method for tissue recognition, based on the statistical analysis of different polarimetric indicators that retrieve complete polarimetric information (selective absorption, retardance and depolarization) of samples. The study is conducted on the experimental Mueller matrices of four biological tissues (bone, tendon, muscle and myotendinous junction) measured from a collection of 157 ex-vivo chicken samples. Moreover, we perform several non-parametric data distribution analyses to build a logistic regression-based algorithm capable to recognize, in a single and dynamic measurement, whether a sample corresponds (or not) to one of the four different tissue categories.
AI-assisted intent-based traffic grooming in a dynamically shared 5g optical fronthaul network
Authors: Guan Luyao , Zhang Min , Gui Yihan , Zhang Chunyu , Yang Hui , Boucouvalas Anthony C. , Wang Danshi
Published: June 2021

The extremely high number of services with large bandwidth requirements and the increasingly dynamic traffic patterns of cell sites pose major challenges to optical fronthaul networks, rendering them incapable of coping with the extensive, uneven, and real-time traffic that will be generated in the future. In this paper, we first present the design of an adaptive graph convolutional network with gated recurrent unit (AGCN-GRU) network to learn the temporal and spatial dependencies of traffic patterns of cell sites to provide accurate traffic predictions, in which the AGCN model can capture potential spatial relations according to the similarity of network traffic patterns in different areas. Then, we innovatively consider how to deal with the unpredicted burst traffic and propose an AI-assisted intent-based traffic grooming scheme to realise automatic and intelligent cell sites clustering and traffic grooming. Finally, a software-defined testbed for 5G optical fronthaul network was established, on which the proposed schemes were deployed and evaluated by considering traffic datasets of existing optical networks. The experimental results showed that the proposed scheme can optimize network resource allocation, increase the average efficient resource utilization and reduce the average delay and the rejection ratio.
Effective linewidth reduction in self-homodyne coherent reception by stimulated Brillouin scattering-based optical carrier recovery
Authors: Li Cai , Merklein Moritz , Liu Yang , Choudhary Amol , Eggleton Benjamin J. , Corcoran Bill
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we demonstrate a self-homodyne coherent system with a significantly narrowed effective linewidth using optical carrier recovery based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), employing only coarse path length matching. The effective linewidth of the SBS-based receiver system is reduced from 75 kHz to less than 2 kHz, which is estimated by Lorentzian fitting of power spectra, and confirmed by simulation results of the tolerance window length for phase noise compensation (PNC) with different linewidth. Both experimental and numerical studies on the tracking requirements on PNC algorithms confirm effective linewidth reduction to this level, and show a 32x relaxation of the phase recovery tracking window length. This highlights the potential to significantly reduce the computational complexity of PNC even in coarsely optimized SBS-based self-homodyne coherent systems, providing an alternative to using demanding ultra-low linewidth lasers.
Optimization of selective laser etching (SLE) for glass micromechanical structure fabrication
Authors: Butkutė Agnė , Baravykas Tomas , Stančikas Jokūbas , Tičkūnas Titas , Vargalis Rokas , Paipulas Domas , Sirutkaitis Valdas , Jonušauskas Linas
Published: June 2021

In this work, we show how femtosecond (fs) laser-based selective glass etching (SLE) can be used to expand capabilities in fabricating 3D structures out of a single piece of glass. First, an investigation of the etching process is performed, taking into account various laser parameters and scanning strategies. These results provide critical insights into the optimization of the process allowing to increase manufacturing throughput. Afterward, various complex 3D glass structures such as microfluidic elements embedded inside the volume of glass or channel systems with integrated functional elements are produced. A single helix spring of 1 mm diameter is also made, showing the possibility to compress it by 50%. Finally, 3D structuring capabilities are used to produce an assembly-free movable ball-joint-based chain and magnet-actuated Geneva mechanism. Due to minimized friction caused by low (down to 200 nm RMS) surface roughness of SLE-produced structures, the Geneva mechanism was shown to be capable of rotating up to 2000 RPM.
Photonic topology optimization with semiconductor-foundry design-rule constraints
Authors: Hammond Alec M. , Oskooi Ardavan , Johnson Steven G. , Ralph Stephen E.
Published: June 2021

We present a unified density-based topology-optimization framework that yields integrated photonic designs optimized for manufacturing constraints including all those of commercial semiconductor foundries. We introduce a new method to impose minimum-area and minimum-enclosed-area constraints, and simultaneously adapt previous techniques for minimum linewidth, linespacing, and curvature, all of which are implemented without any additional re-parameterizations. Furthermore, we show how differentiable morphological transforms can be used to produce devices that are robust to over/under-etching while also satisfying manufacturing constraints. We demonstrate our methodology by designing three broadband silicon-photonics devices for nine different foundry-constraint combinations.
Convolutional autoencoder for exposure effects equalization and noise mitigation in optical camera communication
Authors: Jurado-Verdu Cristo , Guerra Victor , Matus Vicente , Rabadan Jose , Perez-Jimenez Rafael
Published: June 2021

In rolling shutter-based optical camera communication (OCC), the camera’s exposure time limits the achievable reception bandwidth. In long-exposure settings, the image sensor pixels average the incident received power, producing inter-symbol interference (ISI), which is perceived in the images as a spatial mixture of the symbol bands. Hence, the shortest possible exposure configuration should be selected to alleviate ISI. However, in these conditions, the camera produces dark images with impracticable light conditions for human or machine-supervised applications. In this paper, a novel convolutional autoencoder-based equalizer is proposed to alleviate exposure-related ISI and noise. Furthermore, unlike other systems that use artificial neural networks for equalization and decoding, the training procedure is conducted offline using synthetic images for which no prior information about the deployment scenario is used. Hence the training can be performed for a wide range of cameras and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions, using a vast number of samples, improving the network fitting and the system decoding robustness. The results obtained in the experimental validation record the highest ISI mitigation potential for Manchester encoded on-off keying signals. The system can mitigate the ISI produced by exposure time windows that are up to seven times longer than the transmission symbol duration, with bit error rates (BER) lower than 10−5 under optimal SNR conditions. Consequently, the reception bandwidth improves up to 14 times compared to non-equalized systems. In addition, under harsh SNRs conditions, the system achieves BERs below the forward error correction limit for 1dB and 5 dB while operating with exposure times that are 2 and 4 times greater than the symbol time, respectively.
Catenary-based phase change metasurfaces for mid-infrared switchable wavefront control
Authors: Song Ruirui , Deng Qinling , Zhou Shaolin , Pu Mingbo
Published: June 2021

Active wave manipulation by ultracompact meta-devices is highly embraced in recent years, but a major concern still exists due to the lack of functional reconfigurability. Moreover, the phase or amplitude discontinuities introduced by collective response of discrete meta-atoms make current meta-devices far from practical applications. Here, we demonstrate actively tunable wavefront control with high-efficiency by combining catenary-based meta-atoms for intrinsic continuous phase regulation with the chalcogenide phase change material (PCM) of Ge2Sb2Te5. First, switchable beam deflection is demonstrated in a wide mid-IR range between 8 μm and 9.5 μm with ‘on’ and ‘off’ states for beam steering between anomalous and normal specular reflections. Second, a switchable meta-axicon for zero order Bessel beam generation is demonstrated with full width at half maximum (FWHM) as small as ∼0.41 λ (λ = 12 µm). As a result, our scheme for active and continuous phase control potentially paves an avenue to construct active photonic devices especially for applications where large contrast ratio is highly desirable, such as optoelectronic integration, wavefront engineering and so on.
Microcavity-enhanced Kerr nonlinearity in a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser: erratum
Authors: Kriso Christian , Kress Sascha , Munshi Tasnim , Grossmann Marius , Bek Roman , Jetter Michael , Michler Peter , Stolz Wolfgang , Koch Martin , Rahimi-Iman Arash
Published: June 2021

We correct a mistake in [Opt. Express 27, 11914 (2019)10.1364/OE.27.011914] when calculating the focal length of the Kerr lens with the measured values of the nonlinear refractive index n2 and parameters of a prototypical self-mode-locking VECSEL cavity. We therefore update Fig. 1 of the original publication. The new calculation yields a significantly larger value of the Kerr lens focal length leading to a smaller perturbation of the cavity beam profile.
Vortices-interaction-induced microstreaming for the pump-free separation of particles
Authors: Zhou Ruixue , Yang Jianxin , Zhang YanFeng , Luo Fangjing , Chen Yilin , Li Yao , Luan Tianyang , Shou Qian , Jiang Xiaofang , Hu Xiaowen , Wu Jiayin , Liu Cong , Zhong Huiqing , Li Zongbao , Ho Ho-Pui , Xing Xiaobo
Published: June 2021

Microfluidic techniques have emerged as promising strategies for a wide variety of synthetic or biological sorting. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of sorting with automatic and handy operation. In contrast to passively generated vortices, the thermocapillary vortices produced by temperature gradient have the advantages of flexible manipulation, stable strength, and simple integration. In this Letter, we present a device used for the pump-free separation of particles through vortices interaction without external fluidic control systems required for the majority of existing devices. Specifically, the device induces a different flow type upon the actuation of optical power, and the flow functions, such as simultaneous pumping and sorting, agree with stimulation results very well. More importantly, our developed sorting device can achieve separations by means of tunable cutoff diameter size. Therefore, this versatile device can be utilized to sort complex samples with the advantages of portability, user-friendly control, and automation.
Reconfigurable meta-radiator based on flexible mechanically controlled current distribution in three-dimensional space
Authors: Wu Nan-Shu , Xu Su , Ge Xiao-Liang , Liu Jian-Bin , Ren Hang , Xu Kuiwen , Wang Zuojia , Gao Fei , Chen Qi-Dai , Sun Hong-Bo
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we provide an experimental proof-of-concept of this
dynamic three-dimensional (3D) current manipulation through a
3D-printed reconfigurable meta-radiator with periodically slotted
current elements. By utilizing the working frequency and the
mechanical configuration comprehensively, the radiation pattern can be
switched among 12 states. Inspired by maximum likelihood method in
digital communications, a robustness-analysis method is proposed to
evaluate the potential error ratio between ideal cases and practice.
Our work provides a previously unidentified model for next-generation
information distribution and terahertz-infrared wireless
communications.
Erasable Cs4PbBr6 quantum dots glass with switchable photoluminescence
Authors: Duan Yongmin , Li Panpan , Lu Yang , Wang Xunsi , Xu Shiqing , Zhang Junjie
Published: June 2021

Encapsulating quantum dots (QDs) into a transparent glass matrix can not only increase their stability but also explore new luminescence properties. Herein, erasable

C

s

4

P
b
B

r

6

QDs with switchable photoluminescence are successfully obtained by a heat-treatment method in a borosilicate glass matrix. First, QDs can self-crystalize in borosilicate glass without the heat treatment. Second, it is found that when the QDs glass is heat treated below

T

g

, QDs can be destroyed. Further, when the QDs glass is reheat treated above

T

g

, atom rearrangement can occur and QDs can reprecipitate in the glass matrix. Consequently, the switchable photoluminescence of QDs can be achieved. The special erasable QDs glass and switchable photoluminescence in this work can resolve the technological challenge of recovering the luminescence performance of QDs after they have been destroyed.
Dynamic landscape of protein occupancy across the Escherichia coli chromosome
Authors: Freddolino Peter L. , Amemiya Haley M. , Goss Thomas J. , Tavazoie Saeed
Published: June 2021

Free-living bacteria adapt to environmental change by reprogramming gene expression through precise interactions of hundreds of DNA-binding proteins. A predictive understanding of bacterial physiology requires us to globally monitor all such protein–DNA interactions across a range of environmental and genetic perturbations. Here, we show that such global observations are possible using an optimized version of in vivo protein occupancy display technology (in vivo protein occupancy display—high resolution, IPOD-HR) and present a pilot application toEscherichia coli. We observe that theE.coliprotein–DNA interactome organizes into 2 distinct prototypic features: (1) highly dynamic condition-dependent transcription factor (TF) occupancy; and (2) robust kilobase scale occupancy by nucleoid factors, forming silencing domains analogous to eukaryotic heterochromatin. We show that occupancy dynamics across a range of conditions can rapidly reveal the global transcriptional regulatory organization of a bacterium. Beyond discovery of previously hidden regulatory logic, we show that these observations can be utilized to computationally determine sequence specificity models for the majority of active TFs. Our study demonstrates that global observations of protein occupancy combined with statistical inference can rapidly and systematically reveal the transcriptional regulatory and structural features of a bacterial genome. This capacity is particularly crucial for non-model bacteria that are not amenable to routine genetic manipulation.
A new phylodynamic model of Mycobacterium bovis transmission in a multi-host system uncovers the role of the unobserved reservoir
Authors: O’Hare Anthony , Balaz Daniel , Wright David M. , McCormick Carl , McDowell Stanley , Trewby Hannah , Skuce Robin A. , Kao Rowland R.
Published: June 2021

Multi-host pathogens are particularly difficult to control, especially when at least one of the hosts acts as a hidden reservoir. Deep sequencing of densely sampled pathogens has the potential to transform this understanding, but requires analytical approaches that jointly consider epidemiological and genetic data to best address this problem. While there has been considerable success in analyses of single species systems, the hidden reservoir problem is relatively under-studied. A well-known exemplar of this problem is bovine Tuberculosis, a disease found in British and Irish cattle caused by Mycobacterium bovis, where the Eurasian badger has long been believed to act as a reservoir but remains of poorly quantified importance except in very specific locations. As a result, the effort that should be directed at controlling disease in badgers is unclear. Here, we analyse densely collected epidemiological and genetic data from a cattle population but do not explicitly consider any data from badgers. We use a simulation modelling approach to show that, in our system, a model that exploits available cattle demographic and herd-to-herd movement data, but only considers the ability of a hidden reservoir to generate pathogen diversity, can be used to choose between different epidemiological scenarios. In our analysis, a model where the reservoir does not generate any diversity but contributes to new infections at a local farm scale are significantly preferred over models which generate diversity and/or spread disease at broader spatial scales. While we cannot directly attribute the role of the reservoir to badgers based on this analysis alone, the result supports the hypothesis that under current cattle control regimes, infected cattle alone cannot sustain M. bovis circulation. Given the observed close phylogenetic relationship for the bacteria taken from cattle and badgers sampled near to each other, the most parsimonious hypothesis is that the reservoir is the infected badger population. More broadly, our approach demonstrates that carefully constructed bespoke models can exploit the combination of genetic and epidemiological data to overcome issues of extreme data bias, and uncover important general characteristics of transmission in multi-host pathogen systems.
Effectiveness of a multifaceted prevention programme for melioidosis in diabetics (PREMEL): A stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial
Authors: Suntornsut Pornpan , Teparrukkul Prapit , Wongsuvan Gumphol , Chaowagul Wipada , Michie Susan , Day Nicholas P. J. , Limmathurotsakul Direk
Published: June 2021

Background

Melioidosis, an often-fatal infectious disease caused by the environmental Gram-negative bacillusBurkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic in tropical countries. Diabetes mellitus and environmental exposure are important risk factors for melioidosis acquisition. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted prevention programme for melioidosis in diabetics in northeast Thailand.

Methodology/Principal findings

From April 2014 to December 2018, we conducted a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized controlled behaviour change trial in 116 primary care units (PCUs) in Ubon Ratchathani province, northeast Thailand. The intervention was a behavioural support group session to help diabetic patients adopt recommended behaviours, including wearing rubber boots and drinking boiled water. We randomly allocated the PCUs to receive the intervention starting in March 2016, 2017 and 2018. All diabetic patients were contacted by phone yearly, and the final follow-up was December 2018. Two primary outcomes were hospital admissions involving infectious diseases and culture-confirmed melioidosis. Of 9,056 diabetics enrolled, 6,544 (72%) received a behavioural support group session. During 38,457 person-years of follow-up, we observed 2,195 (24%) patients having 3,335 hospital admissions involved infectious diseases, 80 (0.8%) melioidosis, and 485 (5%) deaths. In the intention-to-treat analysis, implementation of the intervention was not associated with primary outcomes. In the per-protocol analysis, patients who received a behavioural support group session had lower incidence rates of hospital admissions involving infectious diseases (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.89; 95%CI 0.80–0.99, p = 0.03) and of all-cause mortality (IRR 0.54; 95%CI 0.43–0.68, p<0.001). However, the incidence rate of culture-confirmed melioidosis was not significantly lower (IRR 0.96, 95%CI 0.46–1.99, p = 0.66).

Conclusions/Significance

Clear benefits of this multifaceted prevention programme for melioidosis were not observed. More compelling invitations for the intervention, modification of or addition to the behaviour change techniques used, and more frequent intervention may be needed.

Trial registration

This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, numberNCT02089152.
Frequency, timing and risk factors for primary maternal cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy in Quebec
Authors: Balegamire Safari Joseph , Renaud Christian , Mâsse Benoît , Zinszer Kate , Gantt Soren , Giguere Yves , Forest Jean-Claude , Boucoiran Isabelle
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Maternal Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the first trimester (T1) of pregnancy is a public health concern, as it increases the risk of severe neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with congenital infection compared to infections occurring later during pregnancy.

Objectives

To determine CMV seroprevalence in T1 of pregnancy, its trend, risk factors and the incidence rate of primary infection during pregnancy.

Methods

Using the biobank of the prospective cohort “Grossesse en Santé de Québec” collected between April 2005 and March 2010 at the Québec-Laval Hospital, Québec, Canada, maternal CMV serology was determined using Abbott Architect Chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassays for immunoglobulin G(IgG), immunoglobulin M(IgM) titration and IgG avidity testing. Changepoint detection analysis was used to assess temporal trends. Risk factors associated with seropositivity were determined by multivariable logistic regression.

Results

CMV seroprevalence in T1 of pregnancy was 23.4% (965/4111, 95% CI, 22.1–24.7%). The incidence rate for CMV primary infection during pregnancy was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.2–2.6) per 100 person-years. No changepoint was identified in the maternal CMV-seroprevalence trend. Multivariable analyses showed that T1 maternal CMV seropositivity was associated with having one child OR 1.3 (95% CI, 1.10–1.73) or two or more children OR 1.5 (95%CI, 1.1–2.1), ethnicity other than Caucasian OR 2.1 (95% CI, 1.1–3.8) and country of birth other than Canada and the USA OR 2.8 (95% CI, 1.5–4.9).

Conclusions

In this cohort, maternal seroprevalence in T1 of pregnancy and seroconversion rate were low. This information and identified risk factors could help guide the development and implementation of preventive actions and evidence-based health policies to prevent CMV infection during pregnancy.
Quantifying impacts of stony coral tissue loss disease on corals in Southeast Florida through surveys and 3D photogrammetry
Authors: Combs Ian R. , Studivan Michael S. , Eckert Ryan J. , Voss Joshua D.
Published: June 2021

Since 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has contributed to substantial declines of reef-building corals in Florida. The emergence of this disease, which impacts over 20 scleractinian coral species, has generated a need for widespread reef monitoring and the implementation of novel survey and disease mitigation strategies. This study paired SCTLD prevalence assessments with colony-level monitoring to help improve understanding of disease dynamics on both individual coral colonies and at reef-wide scales. Benthic surveys were conducted throughout the northern Florida Reef Tract to monitor the presence/absence of disease, disease prevalence, and coral species affected by SCTLD. Observed SCTLD prevalence was lower in Jupiter and Palm Beach than in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea or St. Lucie Reef, but there were no significant changes in prevalence over time. To assess colony-level impacts of the disease, we optimized a low-cost, rapid 3D photogrammetry technique to fate-track infected Montastraea cavernosa coral colonies over four time points spanning nearly four months. Total colony area and healthy tissue area on fate-tracked colonies decreased significantly over time. However disease lesion area did not decrease over time and was not correlated with total colony area. Taken together these results suggest that targeted intervention efforts on larger colonies may maximize preservation of coral cover. Traditional coral surveys combined with 3D photogrammetry can provide greater insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics and impacts of coral diseases on individual colonies and coral communities than surveys or visual estimates of disease progression alone.
DRUL for school: Opening Pre-K with safe, simple, sensitive saliva testing for SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Frank Mayu O. , Blachere Nathalie E. , Parveen Salina , Hacisuleyman Ezgi , Fak John , Luna Joseph M. , Michailidis Eleftherios , Wright Samara , Stark Pamela , Campbell Ann , Foo Ashley , Sakmar Thomas P. , Huffman Virginia , Bergh Marissa , Goldfarb Audrey , Mansisidor Andres , Patriotis Agata L. , Palmquist Karl H. , Poulton Nicolas , Leicher Rachel , Vargas César D. M. , Duba Irene , Hurley Arlene , Colagreco Joseph , Pagane Nicole , Orange Dana E. , Mora Kevin , Rakeman Jennifer L. , Fowler Randal C. , Fernandes Helen , Lamendola-Essel Michelle F. , Didkovsky Nicholas , Silvera Leopolda , Masci Joseph , Allen Machelle , Rice Charles M. , Darnell Robert B.
Published: June 2021

To address the need for simple, safe, sensitive, and scalable SARS-CoV-2 tests, we validated and implemented a PCR test that uses a saliva collection kit use at home. Individuals self-collected 300 μl saliva in vials containing Darnell Rockefeller University Laboratory (DRUL) buffer and extracted RNA was assayed by RT-PCR (the DRUL saliva assay). The limit of detection was confirmed to be 1 viral copy/μl in 20 of 20 replicate extractions. Viral RNA was stable in DRUL buffer at room temperature up to seven days after sample collection, and safety studies demonstrated that DRUL buffer immediately inactivated virus at concentrations up to 2.75x106 PFU/ml. Results from SARS-CoV-2 positive nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples collected in viral transport media and assayed with a standard FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) test were highly correlated with samples placed in DRUL buffer. Direct comparison of results from 162 individuals tested by FDA EUA oropharyngeal (OP) or NP swabs with co-collected saliva samples identified four otherwise unidentified positive cases in DRUL buffer. Over six months, we collected 3,724 samples from individuals ranging from 3 months to 92 years of age. This included collecting weekly samples over 10 weeks from teachers, children, and parents from a pre-school program, which allowed its safe reopening while at-risk pods were quarantined. In sum, we validated a simple, sensitive, stable, and safe PCR-based test using a self-collected saliva sample as a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis and screening at workplaces and schools.
Transcriptome-based identification and expression characterization of RgABCC transporters in Rehmannia glutinosa
Authors: Yang Yan Hui , Wang Chao Jie , Li Rui Fang , Yi Yan Jie , Zeng Lei , Yang Heng , Zhang Chang Fu , Song Kai Yi , Guo Si Jiao
Published: June 2021

ABCC multidrug resistance-associated proteins (ABCCs/MRPs), a subfamily of ABC transporters, are involved in multiple physiological processes. Although these proteins have been characterized in some plants, limited efforts have been made to address their possible roles in Rehmannia glutinosa, a medicinal plant. Here, we scanned R. glutinosa transcriptome sequences and identified 18 RgABCC genes by in silico analysis. Sequence alignment revealed that the RgABCCs were closely phylogenetically related and highly conserved with other plant ABCCs/MRPs. Subcellular localization revealed that most of the RgABCCs were deposited in vacuoles and a few in plasma membranes. Tissue-specific expression of the RgABCCs indicated significant specific accumulation patterns, implicating their roles in the respective tissues. Differential temporal expression patterns of the RgABCCs exhibited their potential roles during root development. Various abiotic stress and hormone treatment experiments indicated that some RgABCCs could be transcriptionally regulated in roots. Furthermore, the transcription of several RgABCCs in roots was strongly activated by cadmium (Cd), suggesting possible roles under heavy metal stresses. Functional analysis of RgABCC1 heterologous expression revealed that it may increase the tolerance to Cd in yeast, implying its Cd transport activity. Our study provides a detailed inventory and molecular characterization of the RgABCCs and valuable information for exploring their functions in R. glutinosa.
Multi-national perceptions on challenges, opportunities, and support structures for Dual Career migrations in European student-athletes
Authors: Fuchs Philip X. , Doupona Mojca , Varga Kinga , Bon Marta , Cortis Cristina , Fusco Andrea , Castellani Loriana , Niemisalo Niko , Hannola Heikki , Giron Patrice , Förster Jörg , Capranica Laura , Wagner Herbert
Published: June 2021

Despite Dual Careers (sports and education) and mobility of students being priorities in the funding policies of the European Commission, migrating student-athletes report severe challenges and decreased performance or dropouts at sport and academic levels. The objective of this study was to depict and assess the perceptions on challenges, support services, and their effectiveness in consideration of specific characteristics of participants and migrations. Based on a meta-synthesis and previous findings, a 50-items questionnaire was developed and completed by 245 student-athletes in 5 European countries. Participants with Dual Careers migration experience (n= 140) were considered for analyses of qualitative and quantitative (ordinal 5pt-Likert-scaled and metric) data on the Dual Career status, migration characteristics, received services, and outcomes. Chi-square-tests were conducted for differences between countries and genders at a significance level ofp< .05. Country-related differences were found for experiences and intentions to migrate (X2(12)= 50.52,p<0.001), duration of the migration (X2(16)= 38.20,p= 0.001), financial support (X2(8)= 29.87,p<0.001), and decreased performances in academics (X2(16)= 56.12,p<0.001) and sports (X2(16)= 31.79,p= 0.01). Gender-related difference emerged in financial support (X2(4)= 10.68,p= 0.03), duration of the migration (X2(4)= 14.56,p= 0.01), and decreased academic performance (X2(4)= 10.57,p= 0.03). Tutoring and counselling support was ranked as the most effective support, especially when received from the academic field (4.0±1.0 pt) and others (4.1±0.8 pt), followed by online services from sport and academic sectors (both: 3.9±0.9 pt). Considering the pervasive globalization of sport and education, Dual Career migration can contribute to the development of a European sport culture. The high ratio of migrating student-athletes underlines the relevance of migrations in the field of Dual Careers. This study contributes to the literature by adding insights on practices, challenges, supports, and outcomes perceived by student-athletes migrating in Europe. Moreover, country- and gender-related differences support the consideration of specific characteristics and reveal critical factors in specific target groups. The findings contribute to identifying requirements and effective support measures in Dual Career migrations and can be used to improve support services.
Design, development and optimization of sustained release floating, bioadhesive and swellable matrix tablet of ranitidine hydrochloride
Authors: Nigusse Birhanu , Gebre-Mariam Tsige , Belete Anteneh
Published: June 2021

Ranitidine HCl, a selective, competitive histamine H2-receptor antagonist with a short biological half-life, low bioavailability and narrow absorption window, is an ideal candidate for gastro-retentive drug delivery system (GRDDS). Controlled release with an optimum retentive formulation in the upper stomach would be an ideal formulation for this drug. The aim of the present study was therefore to develop, formulate and optimize floating, bioadhesive, and swellable matrix tablets of ranitidine HCl. The matrix tablets were prepared using a combination of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) as release retarding polymers, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) as gas generating agent and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as direct compression diluent. Central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the formulation and a total of thirteen formulations were prepared. Concentration of HPMC/NaCMC (3:1) (X1) and NaHCO3 (X2) were selected as independent variables; and floating lag time (Y1), bioadhesive strength (Y2), swelling index at 12 h (Y3), cumulative drug release at 1 h (Y4), time to 50% drug release (t50%) (Y5) and cumulative drug release at 12 h (Y6) were taken as the response variables. The optimized batch showed floating lag time of 5.09 sec, bioadhesive strength of 29.69 g, swelling index of 315.04% at 12 h, t50% of 3.86 h and drug release of 24.21% and 93.65% at 1h and 12 h, respectively, with anomalous release mechanism. The results indicate that sustained release matrix tablet of ranitidine HCl with combined floating, bioadhesive and swelling gastro-retentive properties can be considered as a strategy to overcome the low bioavailability and in vivo variation associated with the conventional ranitidine HCl tablet.
Could serum zonulin be an intestinal permeability marker in diabetes kidney disease?
Authors: Carpes Larissa Salomoni , Nicoletto Bruna Bellincanta , Canani Luis Henrique , Rheinhemer Jakeline , Crispim Daisy , Souza Gabriela Corrêa
Published: June 2021

Zonulin is a protein associated with the tight junction complex opening at the intestinal epithelium, previously linked to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, its role in CKD has not been totally elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate zonulin levels in subjects with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This case-control study included two cases groups: 1) Advanced DKD cases: T2DM patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60ml/min/1.73m2; 2) Albuminuric T2DM cases: diabetic patients with urinary albumin excretion (UAE) >30mg/g creatinine, but with eGFR>60ml/min/1.73m2. Two control groups were also included: 1) T2DM controls: patients with T2DM without impaired kidney function; 2) Non-T2DM controls: subjects without T2DM and normal renal function. Serum levels of zonulin were measured by ELISA. Eighty-six individuals were included. Zonulin levels was different among study groups (P = 0.003). T2DM controls presented higher zonulin levels than non-T2DM controls [(131.35 (83.0–170.5) vs. 87.25 (54.7–111.8), P = 0.018] and advanced DKD cases [63.72 (45.03–106.0); P = 0.007]. Zonulin showed a positive correlation with eGFR (r = 0.222; P = 0.040), total cholesterol (r = 0.299; P = 0.034), LDL (r = 0.258; P = 0.021), and negative with albuminuria (r = -0.243; P = 0.024) and body fat (r = -0.271; P = 0.014). In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, zonulin levels were independently associated to renal outcomes [OR 0.99 (0.98–0.99, P = 0.012)] after 5-year inclusion. In conclusion, increased zonulin levels in patients with TD2M without renal disease suggest an impaired intestinal permeability. Moreover, its association with renal outcomes could indicate its use as a disease monitoring marker. However, the mechanisms behind this association should be better understood.
Comparative accuracy of pleural fluid unstimulated interferon-gamma and adenosine deaminase for diagnosing pleural tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Aggarwal Ashutosh Nath , Agarwal Ritesh , Dhooria Sahajal , Prasad Kuruswamy Thurai , Sehgal Inderpaul Singh , Muthu Valliappan
Published: June 2021

Objective

We compared diagnostic accuracy of pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in diagnosing tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) through systematic review and comparative meta-analysis.

Methods

We queried PubMed and Embase databases to identify studies providing paired data for sensitivity and specificity of both pleural fluid ADA and IFN-γ for diagnosing TPE. We used hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) plots and HSROC meta-regression to model individual and comparative diagnostic performance of the two tests.

Results

We retrieved 376 citations and included 45 datasets from 44 publications (4974 patients) in our review. Summary estimates for sensitivity and specificity for ADA were 0.88 (95% CI 0.85–0.91) and 0.91 (95% CI 0.89–0.92), while for IFN-γ they were 0.91 (95% CI 0.89–0.94) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.94–0.97), respectively. HSROC plots showed consistently greater diagnostic accuracy for IFN-γ over ADA across the entire range of observations. HSROC meta-regression using test-type as covariate yielded a relative diagnostic odds ratio of 2.22 (95% CI 1.68–2.94) in favour of IFN-γ, along with better summary sensitivity and specificity figures. No prespecified subgroup variable significantly influenced the summary diagnostic accuracy estimates.

Conclusion

Pleural fluid IFN-γ estimation has better diagnostic accuracy than ADA estimation for diagnosis of TPE.
Malaria and dengue in Hodeidah city, Yemen: High proportion of febrile outpatients with dengue or malaria, but low proportion co-infected
Authors: Abdul-Ghani Rashad , Mahdy Mohammed A. K. , Alkubati Sameer , Al-Mikhlafy Abdullah A. , Alhariri Abdullah , Das Mrinalini , Dave Kapilkumar , Gil-Cuesta Julita
Published: June 2021

Background

The emergence of dengue in malaria-endemic countries with limited diagnostic resources, such as Yemen, can be problematic because presumptive treatment of febrile cases as being malaria is a common practice. Co-infections with dengue and malaria are often overlooked and misdiagnosed as being a mono-infection because of clinical similarities. In Hodeidah city, Yemen, the capacity to conduct the diagnosis can be aggravated by the war context. To assess the magnitude of the problem, we determined the proportions of malaria, dengue and co-infection in relation to clinical characteristics among febrile outpatients.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 355 febrile outpatients from Hodeidah city during the malaria transmission season (September 2018 –February 2019). Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected using a pre-designed, structured questionnaire. Malaria was confirmed using microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), while dengue was confirmed using RDTs.

Results

Mono-infection proportions of 32.4% for falciparum malaria and 35.2% for dengue were found, where about two-thirds of dengue patients had a recent probable infection. However, co-infection with falciparum malaria and dengue was detected among 4.8% of cases. There was no statistically significant difference between having co-infection and mono-infection with malaria or dengue in relation to the sociodemographic characteristics. On the other hand, the odds of co-infection were significantly lower than the odds of malaria among patients presenting with sweating (OR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.05–0.45;p<0.001), while the odds of co-infection were 3.5 times significantly higher than the odds of dengue among patients presenting with vomiting (OR = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.20–10.04;p<0.021). However, there were no statistically significant differences between having co-infection and mono-infection (malaria or dengue) in relation to other clinical characteristics.

Conclusions

Mono-infection with malaria or dengue can be detected among about one-third of febrile outpatients in Hodeidah, while almost 5.0% of cases can be co-infected. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics cannot easily distinguish malaria patients from dengue-infected or co-infected ones, reinforcing the necessity of laboratory confirmation and avoidance of treating febrile patients as being presumed malaria cases.
Black Americans demonstrate comparatively low levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Owens Victoria , Saw Htay-Wah
Published: June 2021

Introduction

During public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, populations can experience worsening mental health. Prior reports have suggested that Black Americans experienced lower rates of anxiety and depression than White Americans before the pandemic; however, during the pandemic, outcomes may be different as Black Americans have been disproportionately affected in terms of mortality, hospitalization, COVID-19 infection, and job loss. We documented the differential mental health impact of COVID-19 on Black and Non-Black Americans.

Methods

We analyzed nationally representative longitudinal data from the Understanding America Study COVID-19 Tracking Survey spanning March through November of 2020 to assess differences over time in prevalence of anxiety and depression between Black and non-Black Americans.

Results

We found that Black Americans were significantly less likely to report symptoms for anxiety, depression, or both during the pandemic. In a given month between March through November of 2020, the odds of Black Americans reporting such symptoms was on average about half that of Non-Black Americans. We also found that in September 2020, the gap in reporting symptoms for depression began to widen gradually. Specifically, since that time, prevalence of depression remained stable among non-Black Americans while it declined gradually among Black Americans. Our main results were robust to adjusting for demographics, risk perceptions, and baseline pre-pandemic mental health status.

Conclusions

Black Americans maintained significantly better mental health than Non-Black Americans despite their struggle against economic, health, and racial inequalities during the pandemic. We discuss the significance and implications of our results and identify opportunities for future research.
Acceleration of shooting and bouncing ray method based on OptiX and normal vectors correction
Authors: Xu Gaogui , Dong Chunzhu , Zhao Tao , Yin Hongcheng , Chen Xuan
Published: June 2021

The present paper deals with a new efficient shooting and bouncing ray (SBR) method based on OptiX and normal vectors correction. The basic idea is to make full use of the computing resources of the RTX series graphics cards. For ray tracing, the algorithm uses OptiX to invoke the built-in RT Cores of hardware. Thus, a fast intersection test can be implemented. To reduce the error of ray tracing caused by the facetted surface characterizing the curved surface, the direction of the reflected ray is corrected by normal vectors correction. Additionally, multiple GPU cores are invoked to accelerate the calculation of far-field integration of millions of ray tubes, which can improve the efficiency of the algorithm while reducing the data transmission time of heterogeneous devices. Simulation results show that the ray path after normal vectors correction is consistent with the theoretical results, and the algorithm can predict the RCS of arbitrary facetted geometries, which is 60 times faster than the SBR method based on kd-tree.
Collision risk of bats with small wind turbines: Worst-case scenarios near roosts, commuting and hunting structures
Authors: Hartmann Stefanie A. , Hochradel Klaus , Greule Sören , Günther Felix , Luedtke Bruntje , Schauer-Weisshahn Horst , Brinkmann Robert
Published: June 2021

Small wind turbines (SWTs) have become increasingly common within the last decade, but their impact on wildlife, especially bats, is largely unknown. We conducted an operational experiment by sequentially placing a mobile SWT with five different operational modes at six sites of high bat activity, including roosts, commuting structures, and highly frequented hunting areas. Bat flight trajectories around the SWT were documented at each site during five consecutive nights using a specifically designed high-spatial-resolution 3D camera. The recordings showed high bat activity levels close to the SWT (7,065 flight trajectories within a 10-m radius). The minimum distance to the rotor of each trajectory varied between 0 and 18 m, with a mean of 4.6 m across all sites. Linear mixed models created to account for site differences showed that, compared to a reference pole without a SWT, bats flew 0.4 m closer to the rotor (95% CI 0.3–0.6 m) if it was out of operation and 0.3 m closer (95% CI 0.1–0.4 m) if it was moving slowly. Exploratory behavior was frequently observed, with many bats deviating from their original flight trajectory to approach the rotor. Among 7,850 documented trajectories, 176 crossed the rotor, including 65 while it was in motion. The collision of one P. pygmaeus individual occurred during the experiment. These results demonstrate that, despite the generally strong ability of bats to evade moving rotor blades, bat casualties at SWTs placed at sites of high bat activity can reach or exceed the current threshold levels set for large wind turbines. As SWTs provide less energy than large turbines, their negative impact on bats should be minimized by avoidance measures such as a bat-friendly site selection or curtailment algorithms.