bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing a hybrid algorithm to detect brain tumors from MRI images
Authors: Saad Ghada , Suliman Ali , Bitar Luna , Bshara Shady
Published: January 2023

Background

Image processing technologies have been developed in the past two decades to help clinicians diagnose tumors using medical images. Computer-aided diagnosis systems (CADs) have proven their ability to increase clinicians' detection rate of positive cases by 10% and have become integrated with many medical imaging systems and technologies. The study aimed to develop a hybrid algorithm to help doctors detect brain tumors from magnetic resonance imaging images.

Results

We were able to reach a detection accuracy of 96.6% and design a computer application that allows the user to enter the image and identify the location of the tumor in it if it exists with many additional features.

Conclusions

This approach can be improved by using different segmentation techniques, extracting additional features, or using other classifiers.
Cognitive versus emotional modulation within a Stroop paradigm in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Romero-Ferreiro Verónica , García-Gutiérrez Ana , Torio Iosune , Marí-Beffa Paloma , Rodríguez-Gómez Pablo , Periáñez José A. , Moreno Eva M. , Romero Carmen , Alvarez-Mon Miguel Ángel , Rodriguez-Jimenez Roberto
Published: January 2023

Background

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder involving deficits in both cognitive and emotional processes. Specifically, a marked deficit in cognitive control has been found, which seems to increase when dealing with emotional information.

Aims

With the aim of exploring the possible common links behind cognitive and emotional deficits, two versions of the emotional Stroop task were administered.

Method

In the cognitive-emotional task, participants had to name the ink colour (while ignoring the meaning) of emotional words. In contrast, the emotional-emotional task consisted of emotional words superimposed on emotional faces, and the participants had to indicate the emotional valence of the faces. Fifty-eight participants (29 in-patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 29 controls) took part in the study.

Results

Patients and controls showed similar response times in the cognitive-emotional task; however, patients were significantly slower than controls in the emotional-emotional task. This result supports the idea that patients show a more pronounced impairment in conflict modulation with emotional content. Besides, no significant correlations between the tasks and positive or negative symptoms were found. This would indicate that deficits are relatively independent of the clinical status of patients. However, a significant correlation between the emotional-emotional task and cognitive symptoms was found.

Conclusions

These findings suggest a restricted capacity of patients with schizophrenia to deal with the attentional demands arising from emotional stimuli.
Lie group analysis and novel solutions for the generalized variable-coefficients Sawada-Kotera equation
Authors: El-Shiekh Rehab M. , Gaballah Mahmoud
Published: January 2023

In this paper, the generalized fifth-order variable-coefficients Sawada-Kotera equation arising in coastal seas, fjords, lakes, and the atmospheric boundary layer is studied by using the symmetry method. As a result, four-vector fields are obtained and a commutative Lie group of transformations. Then, by using suitable combinations of the Lie vector fields three distinct similarity reductions in the form of nonlinear ordinary differential equations are yielded. By solving the reduced equations using the known techniques and the Jacobi expansion method many novel periodic and solitary wave solutions are considered. From a physical point of view, the dynamic behavior of two distinct wave structures, periodic and kink soliton, was investigated for different choices of the variable coefficients and it was clear that the wave propagation shape is affected by the change of the variable function.
Neurosurgical Mission to Ukraine
Authors: Sheinberg Michael A. , Armonda Rocco A. , Ivanov Serhii , Lovha Mykhailo , Epstein Aaron J. , Dorlac Warren C.
Published: January 2023

Ukrainian health care before 2021 was like that in comparable middle-income countries. The conflict with Russia over the last 8 months has added significant burden to the already resource-constrained system. We describe the current neurosurgical situation in Ukraine as well as remote and in-person efforts to provide needed assistance to Ukrainian neurosurgical colleagues.
Chloroplast C-to-U RNA editing in vascular plants is adaptive due to its restorative effect: testing the restorative hypothesis
Authors: Duan Yuange , Cai Wanzhi , Li Hu
Published: January 2023

The adaptiveness of nonsynonymous RNA editing (recoding) could be conferred by the flexibility of the temporal-spatially controllable proteomic diversity, or by its restorative effect which fixes unfavorable genomic mutations at the RNA level. These two complementary hypotheses, namely, the diversifying hypothesis and the restorative hypothesis, have distinct predictions on the landscape of RNA editing sites. We collected the chloroplast C-to-U RNA editomes of 21 vascular plants (11 angiosperms, four gymnosperms, and six ferns) from a previous study, aiming to testify whether the plant editomes typically conform to the restorative hypothesis. All predictions made by the restorative hypothesis are verified: (i) nonsynonymous editing sites are more frequent and have higher editing levels than synonymous sites; (ii) nonsynonymous editing levels are extremely high and show weak tissue-specificity in plants; (iii) on the inferred genomic sites with recent T-to-C mutations, nonsynonymous sites but not synonymous sites are compensated by C-to-U RNA editing. In conclusion, nonsynonymous C-to-U RNA editing in plants is adaptive due to its restorative effects. The recoding levels are high and are constantly required across the whole plant so that the recoding events could perfectly mimic DNA mutations. The evolutionary significance of plant RNA editing is systematically demonstrated at the genome-wide level.
Ανάπτυξη διαπολιτισμικής συνείδησης μέσω κινηματογραφικών ταινιών κατά τη διδασκαλία και την εκμάθηση της γαλλικής ως ξένης γλώσσας-πολιτισμού
Authors: Ιωαννίδου Ευγενία
Published: January 2023

Η συνύπαρξη στις σύγχρονες κοινωνίες ανθρώπων με διαφορετικό πολιτισμικό υπόβαθρο καθιστά την ανάπτυξη της διαπολιτισμικής συνείδησης των μαθητών βασική διάσταση, σημαντική παράμετρο της διδασκαλίας της ξένης γλώσσας αποτελώντας συγχρόνως έναν από τους πρωταρχικούς διδακτικούς στόχους του μαθήματος της ξένης γλώσσας. Η επίτευξη του διδακτικού αυτού στόχου μέσω μίας αποτελεσματικής και ταυτόχρονα ευχάριστης διδακτικής μεθόδου αποτέλεσε το έναυσμα για τηνπαρούσα έρευνα που στόχο έχει να διερευνήσει εάν οι κινηματογραφικές ταινίες βοηθούν τους μαθητές να ανιχνεύουν στοιχεία που αφορούν στον «ξένο» πολιτισμό, ευνοώντας έτσι τις συνθήκες για την ανάπτυξη ενός γόνιμου διαπολιτισμικού διαλόγου στο πλαίσιο του μαθήματος της ξένης γλώσσας και εν προκειμένω της γαλλικής ως ξένης γλώσσας. Αποδείχτηκε ότι η διαμόρφωση της διαπολιτισμικής συνείδησης και η ανάπτυξη της διαπολιτισμικής δεξιότητας, που αποτελεί έναν από τους βασικότερους στόχους της διδασκαλίας της ξένης γλώσσας, μπορούν να επιτευχθούν με τη βοήθεια των ξενόγλωσσων ταινιών. Ως συνέπεια όλων των ανωτέρω, προκύπτει το συμπέρασμα ότι η ξενόγλωσση ταινία αποτελεί ένα χρήσιμο εργαλείο για τον εκπαιδευτικό της ξένης γλώσσας καθώς δύναται να ενισχύσει με τρόπο αποτελεσματικό και ευχάριστο τη διαδικασία εκμάθησης της ξένης γλώσσας και να συμβάλλει καθοριστικά στην προώθηση διαπολιτισμικού διαλόγου στα πλαίσια του ξενόγλωσσου μαθήματος.
Παράγοντες που επιδρούν στην πρόθεση των εργαζομένων να εργαστούν με τηλεργασία
Authors: Κούλα Ανθούλα Μ. , Ζαμπετάκης Λεωνίδας Α.
Published: January 2023

Στην παρούσα έρευνα χρησιμοποιήθηκε μία παραλλαγή της μεθόδου της βινιέτας προκειμένου να διερευνηθεί η πρόθεση των Ελλήνων εργαζομένων να εργαστούν με τηλεργασία σε δύο συνθήκες, με μερική (η εργασία πραγματοποιείται με διάσπαση της ανάμεσα στον φυσικό εργασιακό χώρο του εργαζομένου και εκτός αυτού και σε εργασιακούς χρόνους της επιλογής του) και πλήρη απασχόληση (καθολική πραγματοποίηση της εργασίας εκτός του φυσικού εργασιακού χώρου του εργαζομένου και καθ’ όλη την διάρκεια του εργασιακού του ωραρίου). Συγκεριμένα εξετάστηκε η αντιλαμβανόμενη επίδραση πέντε παραγόντων, που έχουν συζητηθεί στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία, αναφορικά με την πρόθεση των εργαζομένων να εργαστούν με τηλεργασία: α. πανδημία COVID-19, β. υποστηρικτικός προς την τηλεργασία προϊστάμενος/η, γ. υποστηρικτικός προς την τηλεργασία οργανισμός, δ. οικογενειακές υποχρεώσεις και ε. αλληλεξάρτηση των εργασιακών καθηκόντων με άλλες εργασίες του οργανισμού. Στη έρευνα συμμετείχαν 83 εργαζόμενοι του ελληνικού δημοσίου και ιδιωτικού τομέα (μέση ηλικία 36,7 έτη; 54,2% οι γυναίκες συμμετέχουσες). H συλλογή των δεδομένων πραγματοποιήθηκε κατά την έναρξη του δεύτερου κύματος της πανδημίας (Οκτώβριος-Δεκέμβριος 2020). Για την ανάλυση των δεδομένων, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν μοντέλα πολυεπίπεδης γραμμικής παλινδρόμησης. Τα αποτελέσματα των αναλύσεων ανέδειξαν την ύπαρξη της πανδημίας COVID-19 ως το σημαντικότερο προβλεπτικό παράγοντα για την πρόθεση τηλεργασίας και μερικής και πλήρους απασχόλησης, ενώ ακολούθησαν με φθίνουσα σειρά αντιλαμβανόμενης σημασίας, ο υποστηρικτικός προς την τηλεργασία προϊστάμενος/η, ο  υποστηρικτικός προς την τηλεργασία οργανισμός, οι οικογενειακές υποχρεώσεις και τέλος η αλληλεξάρτηση των εργασιακών καθηκόντων. Τα ευρύματα της έρευνας, συμβάλουν στη συζήτηση σχετικά με τη σημασία των ατομικών και οργανωσιακών παραγόντων που επιδρούν στην πρόθεση των εργαζομένων για τηλεργασία.
Patterns of adjustment during the Covid-19 pandemic in Greece: the Resilient, the Rebels and the Internalizers
Authors: Anagnostopoulou Tanya , Siannis Fotios , Kyriafinis Dimitrios , Sela Marjus
Published: January 2023

This study explored the patterns of adjustment to the quarantine restrictions imposed during the first Covid-19 wave in Greece. The sample comprised 1377 respondents from all geographical districts, mostly women (78.9%), with university degrees (80.7%) and an age range between 18-81. The Quarantine Adjustment Questionnaire was designed to assess the reactions of the general population to the lockdown restrictions and three diverse patterns. emerged from the analyses: positive adjustment (the Resilient), confinement stress (the Rebels) and introspection (the Internalizers), which served as the dependent variables in this study. Multiple linear regressions revealed that each profile consisted of characteristic childhood backgrounds, personal attributes, fears and concerns regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Economic distress and negative childhood experiences differentiated the psychological effects of quarantine restrictions and determined to a large extent the adjustment pattern employed by each group. Women presented the most resilient profile but also the most vulnerable one, depending on the social and personal resources at their disposal. Young people were the most reactive group to the quarantine restrictions, but also the most unprotected to current and future adversity. Implications regarding the impact of sociocultural factors on patterns of adjustment and the need for new policies to support the vulnerable population are discussed.
Factors associated with the use of rehabilitation services among people with disabilities in Chile: A population-based study
Authors: Paredes-Laguna Dania Silvia , Calderón-Curiñaupa William Romeo , Soto-Nuñez Sandra Liz , Espinoza-Hoempler Adriana Berenice , Alarco J. Jhonnel
Published: January 2023

Background: Rehabilitation services are necessary for people with disabilities to improve their quality of life and be included in society. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the use of rehabilitation services among people with disabilities in Chile in 2015.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis of secondary data from Chile’s 2015 Second National Disability Study (ENDISC II) included people with disabilities aged ≥18 years. The dependent variable was the use of rehabilitation services in the previous year, and the exposure variables were sociodemographic and confounders. Poisson regression was used to determine associated factors, and prevalence ratios (PR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. All results were weighted according to the ENDISC II complex sampling.

Results: A total of 2610 people with disabilities were included, and 19.1% used some rehabilitation services in the previous year. Educational level (PR 0.43; 95% CI 0.25–0.75), having a mental illness (PR 1.77; 95% CI 1.44–2.18), and caregiver assistance (PR 1.57; 95% CI 1.25–1.97) were factors associated with the use of rehabilitation services.

Conclusions: In 2015, one-fifth of people with disabilities in Chile used some rehabilitation services in the previous year. People with disabilities with lower educational levels were less likely to access these services. By contrast, people with mental illness and caregiver assistance were more likely to use rehabilitation services.
Unraveling the secrets of plant roots: Simplified method for large scale root exudate sampling and analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Subrahmaniam Harihar Jaishree , Lind Salomonsen Camilla , Radutoiu Simona , Ehlers Bodil K. , Glasius Marianne
Published: January 2023

Background: Plants exude a plethora of compounds to communicate with their environment. Although much is known about above-ground plant communication, we are only beginning to fathom the complexities of below ground chemical communication channels. Studying root-exuded compounds and their role in plant communication has been difficult due to a lack of standardized methodologies. Here, we develop an interdisciplinary workflow to explore the natural variation in root exudate chemical composition of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We highlight key challenges associated with sampling strategies and develop a framework for analyzing both narrow and broad scale patterns of root exudate composition in a large set of natural A. thaliana accessions.

Methods: Our method involves cultivating individual seedlings in vitro inside a plastic mesh, followed by a short hydroponic sampling period in small quantities of ultrapure water. The mesh makes it easy to handle plants of different sizes and allows for large-scale characterization of individual plant root exudates in axenic conditions. This setup can also be easily extended for prolonged temporal exudate collection experiments. Furthermore, the short sampling time minimizes the duration of the experiment while still providing sufficient signal even with a small volume of sampling solution. We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) for untargeted metabolic profiling, followed by tentative compound identification using MZMine3 and SIRIUS 5 software, to capture a broad overview of root exudate composition in A. thaliana accessions.

Results: Based on 28 replicates of Columbia genotype (Col-0) compared with 10 random biological controls, MZMine3 identified 354 metabolites to be present only in Col-0 by negative ionization. Of these, 313 compounds could be annotated by SIRIUS 5 software.

Conclusions: The methodology developed in this study can be used to broadly investigate the role of root exudates as chemical signals in plant belowground interactions.
Understanding the epidemiology of iNTS disease in Africa in preparation for future iNTS- vaccine studies in endemic countries: Seroepidemiology in Africa of iNTS (SAiNTS) Study Protocol [Version 9.0]
Authors: Dale Helen , Chirwa Esmeda , Patel Priyanka , Makuta Georgina , Mwakiseghile Felistas , Misiri Theresa , Kadwala Innocent , Mbewe Maurice , Banda Happy , Silungwe Niza , Chizani Kenneth , Kambiya Paul , Henrion Marc , French Neil , Nyirenda Tonny , Gordon Melita ,   Vacc-iNTS
Published: January 2023

Background: Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) are a major cause of bloodstream infections amongst children in sub-Saharan Africa. A clear understanding of the seroepidemiology and correlates of protection for invasive NTS (iNTS) in relation to key risk factors (malaria, anaemia, malnutrition) in children in Africa is needed to inform strategies for disease control including vaccine implementation.

Methodology: The SAiNTS study is a prospective community cohort study with paired serology samples from 2500 children 0-5 years at baseline and three months to measure age-stratified acquisition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen antibody (IgG) and serum bactericidal activity to the main serovars causing iNTS (Salmonella typhimurium and S. enteritidis). Children are selected from mapped and censused randomly selected households in Chikwawa, Malawi; an area with substantial malaria burden. The sampling framework is set within a malaria vaccination (RTS,S/ AS01) phase 4 cluster randomized trial (EPIMAL), allowing exploration of the impact of malaria vaccination on acquisition of immunity to NTS.

Data on risk factors for invasive disease: malaria, anaemia and malnutrition as well as indicators of socioeconomic status and water and sanitation, will be collected using rapid diagnostic tests, anthropometry and electronic CRF’s. Stool sample analysis includes NTS culture and pan-Salmonella polymerase chain reaction to assess enteric exposure and biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction. Cases with iNTS disease will be followed up for comparison with community controls.

Conclusions: The final cohort of 2500 children will allow investigation into the impact of risk factors for iNTS on the acquisition of immunity in children 0-5 years in an endemic setting, including comparisons to partner sero-epidemiology studies in three other sub-Saharan African sites. The data generated will be key to informing iNTS disease control measures including targeted risk factor interventions and vaccine implementation through investigation of correlates of protection and identifying windows of immune susceptibility in at-risk populations.
Classic Cystic Fibrosis Presentation in Two Middle Eastern Siblings with a rare CFTR mutation (c.80G>T)
Authors: Hafiz Sumaiya , Al Qassimi Sarah , Wahla Ali Saeed , El-Kaissi Mahmoud , Uzbek Mateen , Shafiq Irfan
Published: January 2023

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common autosomal recessive disorder which is mainly found in Caucasians but has also been reported in Asian populations. CF is primarily caused by mutations in the CFTR gene which regulates the transport of chloride ions across the cell membrane. We describe the cases of two siblings with CF diagnosed with the rare missense mutation c.80G>T, which has only been referenced once in the literature and shows a possible association with classical form of CF.
The state of health and social care in England
Authors: Halliwell Amanda
Published: January 2023

What were the key themes arising from the Care Quality Commission's annual analysis of the state of health care and adult social care in England? Amanda Halliwell reports
A Brave New World
Authors: Phipson Stephen
Published: January 2023

Given the right support, the UK’s manufacturing sector can lead the country’s recovery, and rebuild our global reputation
Giant Cell Tumor of Talus – A Case Report
Authors: Panda Siddharth , Rana Rajesh , Sekhar Siddharth , Behera Sudarsan
Published: January 2023

Introduction: A giant cell tumor (GCT) is a benign tumor of bones which commonly arises from epiphysis of long bones. The tumor is locally aggressive and rarely metastasizes to the lungs. GCT of small bones of the foot and ankle is very rare. The GCT of the talus is very rare, and only a few case reports and series are described in the literature. In general, the GCT is monostotic, and few incidences of multicentricity have been described in the foot and ankle bones literature. Here are the findings of our case GCT of talus and reviews of earlier literature. Case Report:We present a case of a GCT of the talus in a 22-year-old female. Patient presented with pain in ankle with mild swelling and tenderness at ankle. Radiograph and Computer tomography scan conformed an eccentric osteolytic lesion on anterolateral part of talus body. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no extra osseous extension or articular surface breach. Biopsy conformed the lesion to be giant cell tumor. The tumor was reated with curettage and bone cement filling. Conclusion: Giant cell tumor of talus is extremely rare and presentation of these tumor may change. Curettage and bone cementing are an effective method of treatment. It gives early weight bearing and rehabilitation. Keywords: Giant cell tumor, talus, osteolytic lesion, curettage, Giant cell tumor of small bones.
Dipole resonance conditions and field redistributions of charged nanoparticles
Authors: Zhang Shangyu , Dong Jian , Ma Lanxin , Zhang Wenjie , Liu Linhua
Published: January 2023

For charged nanoparticles, no relation of the near fields to the resonance conditions has yet been documented. Hence, the “singular” near fields induced by the excess charges have not yet been well explained. In this paper, using the charge-amended scattering theory, we study in detail the excess-charge-regulated resonance conditions and the blue shifts of resonances for a 2D charged cylinder made of polar materials. We show that the blue-shifted resonance of the charged nanoparticles may extend to wavelengths below the longitudinal optical (LO) wavelength, breaking the limit of a neutral nanoparticle. We give the theoretical threshold of the surface charge density, which shifts the resonance to the LO wavelength. Under the resonance shifts, the mechanism of the “singular” near-field redistribution due to the excess charges can be understood. Specifically, the on- and off-resonance distributions can swap with each other excited by the surface charges, which leads to the redistribution of the internal and near external intensities.
Numerical simulation and observed rotational relaxation in CW and pulsed HBr-filled hollow-core fiber lasers
Authors: Zhou Zhiyue , Huang Wei , Cui Yulong , Li Hao , Pei Wenxi , Wang Meng , Wang Zefeng
Published: January 2023

Gas-filled hollow-core fiber (HCF) lasers have emerged as a promising technology for generating mid-infrared lasers. A four-energy level system laser model is presented to predict the performance of optically pumped HBr-filled HCF lasers under continuous wave (CW) and pulsed excitations. The steady state condition is considered in CW pumping and the characteristics of simulated population density and power distribution along HCF are investigated. The finite-difference time-domain method is employed in pulsed pumping and the simulated evolutions of pump pulse and laser pulse at different positions along the HCF are studied. In addition, the phenomena of rotational relaxation in HBr-filled HCF lasers are investigated experimentally for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, showing that using the absorption lines away from the strongest absorption lines and tuning the pump wavelength deviating from the center of the absorption line makes the rotational relaxation occur easily. The demonstration is conductive to reveal the underlying mechanism of such gas-filled HCF lasers.
ICSI: an improved contrast source inversion method for electromagnetic inverse scattering problems
Authors: Li Yangyang , Zhao Huaici , Sun Haibo
Published: January 2023

An improved contrast source inversion method (ICSI) is proposed to solve the problem of electromagnetic inverse scattering. Specifically, we first resort Fourier bases to represent contrast source, so that we can solve contrast source in the frequency domain, which can accelerate the solution of contrast source. Then, a spatial-frequency domain constraint is designed to ensure that the spanned-domain calculation is synchronous optimal. Afterwards, a multi-round optimization combined with SVD (the singular value decomposition) is developed to alleviate the reliance on initial guesses. Finally, we utilize a frequency-domain filter to eliminate redundant inversion information and narrow the search scope of the solution. Extensive experiments on the synthetic and real data show that ICSI holds a faster computing speed, a better inversion ability of relative permittivities, and a stronger anti-noise ability.
Compact and high-reliability fiber-optic open-loop gyroscope enabled by an in-fiber polarizer
Authors: Chen Lin , Mao Yuzheng , He Peitong , Wang Hushan , Jiang Biqiang , Zhao Jianlin
Published: January 2023

The performance of an open-loop fiber-optic gyroscope is strongly dependent on the optical characteristics of its polarizer. Here we report the implementation of an in-house fabricated 45° tilted-fiber-grating-based polarizer, for the first time on an ultra-fine diameter polarization-maintaining fiber platform in an open-loop fiber-optic gyroscope. This special in-line polarizer is proven to have the merits of high extinction ratio, broad spectrum, bendability, stretchability, temperature insensitivity, and high reliability, all of which make it a perfect match for practical fiber optic gyros that need to be packaged compactly without affecting performance. Our prototype fiber optic gyroscope has a compact volume of only ϕ35 × 20 mm2, achieving a bias instability of less than 0.1 °/h, full temperature bias stability of less than 1 °/h, and scale factor linearity of better than 200 ppm. This compact and high-performance fiber gyro enabled by TFG polarizer may promise great potential in the field of automation and control.
Angular error measurement of workpiece repositioning using a full-scale rotation detection method
Authors: Zhu Zijian , Zhao Chenyang
Published: January 2023

Workpiece repositioning error has always been a key factor affecting manufacturing accuracy. The issues become more sensitive when machining microstructures with special morphologies, where the declination error caused by the repositioning may lead to microstructural defects. To solve this practical problem, in this paper, we report the design of a fixture that can detect the plane angular displacement error between the workpiece and the tool, namely the Rotation Correction Fixture (RCF). The fiducial marker referred to as polar microstructure is proposed and placed on the RCF edge. Angular displacement measurement is realized by observing the microstructural changes. Simultaneously, a Full-scale Rotation Detection (FRD) method is proposed to obtain the full-scale and high-precision angular displacement, including coarse extraction based on Fourier transform and fine extraction based on the Fast and Robust Feature-based Positioning method. Template matching is employed to eliminate the phase ambiguity in the Fourier transform. The results show that the proposed method can realize the calibration of the workpiece declination with a standard deviation error of 250.24 seconds, which meets the needs of workpiece precision positioning well.
Simultaneous and unambiguous identification of DFS and AOA without dependence on echo signal power
Authors: Li Guangyi , Meng Xinagyan , Wang Lu , Li Ming , Zhu Ninghua , Li Wei
Published: January 2023

We present a photonics-based method of estimating Doppler frequency shift (DFS) and angle of arrival (AOA). The proposed identification method for the DFS and AOA is simultaneous and unambiguous. A reference radio frequency signal is introduced to realize the frequency downconversion. By monitoring the frequency of the downconverted signals generated after the photodetection, the direction ambiguity of the DFS is canceled out. The AOA can be instantaneously calculated through two downconverted signals via a Hilbert transform. Experimental results verify that a −77.90° to 77.90° AOA measurement with errors of less than ±1° is implemented, and a DFS measurement with errors of no more than ±3.1 Hz is also realized. Our proposed method not only removes the direction ambiguities of both DFS and AOA, but also avoids the dependence on echo signal power in AOA measurement, which largely increases the feasibility in realistic applications.
Structural basis of ferroportin inhibition by minihepcidin PR73
Authors: Wilbon Azaan Saalim , Shen Jiemin , Ruchala Piotr , Zhou Ming , Pan Yaping
Published: January 2023

Ferroportin (Fpn) is the only known iron exporter in humans and is essential for maintaining iron homeostasis. Fpn activity is suppressed by hepcidin, an endogenous peptide hormone, which inhibits iron export and promotes endocytosis of Fpn. Hepcidin deficiency leads to hemochromatosis and iron-loading anemia. Previous studies have shown that small peptides that mimic the first few residues of hepcidin, i.e., minihepcidins, are more potent than hepcidin. However, the mechanism of enhanced inhibition by minihepcidins remains unclear. Here, we report the structure of human ferroportin in complex with a minihepcidin, PR73 that mimics the first 9 residues of hepcidin, at 2.7 Å overall resolution. The structure reveals novel interactions that were not present between Fpn and hepcidin. We validate PR73-Fpn interactions through binding and transport assays. These results provide insights into how minihepcidins increase inhibition potency and will guide future development of Fpn inhibitors.
Cell wall dynamics stabilize tip growth in a filamentous fungus
Authors: Chevalier Louis , Pinar Mario , Le Borgne Rémi , Durieu Catherine , Peñalva Miguel A. , Boudaoud Arezki , Minc Nicolas
Published: January 2023

Hyphal tip growth allows filamentous fungi to colonize space, reproduce, or infect. It features remarkable morphogenetic plasticity including unusually fast elongation rates, tip turning, branching, or bulging. These shape changes are all driven from the expansion of a protective cell wall (CW) secreted from apical pools of exocytic vesicles. How CW secretion, remodeling, and deformation are modulated in concert to support rapid tip growth and morphogenesis while ensuring surface integrity remains poorly understood. We implemented subresolution imaging to map the dynamics of CW thickness and secretory vesicles inAspergillus nidulans. We found that tip growth is associated with balanced rates of CW secretion and expansion, which limit temporal fluctuations in CW thickness, elongation speed, and vesicle amount, to less than 10% to 20%. Affecting this balance through modulations of growth or trafficking yield to near-immediate changes in CW thickness, mechanics, and shape. We developed a model with mechanical feedback that accounts for steady states of hyphal growth as well as rapid adaptation of CW mechanics and vesicle recruitment to different perturbations. These data provide unprecedented details on how CW dynamics emerges from material secretion and expansion, to stabilize fungal tip growth as well as promote its morphogenetic plasticity.
Differences in interference processing and frontal brain function with climate trauma from California’s deadliest wildfire
Authors: Grennan Gillian K. , Withers Mathew C. , Ramanathan Dhakshin S. , Mishra Jyoti
Published: January 2023

As climate change accelerates extreme weather disasters, the mental health of the impacted communities is a rising concern. In a recent study of 725 Californians we showed that individuals that were directly exposed to California’s deadliest wildfire, the Camp Fire of 2018, had significantly greater chronic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression than control individuals not exposed to the fires. Here, we study a subsample of these individuals: directly exposed (n = 27), indirectly exposed (who witnessed the fire but were not directly impacted, n = 21), versus age and gender-matched non-exposed controls (n = 27). All participants underwent cognitive testing with synchronized electroencephalography (EEG) brain recordings. In our sample, 67% of the individuals directly exposed to the fire reported having experienced recent trauma, while 14% of the indirectly exposed individuals and 0% of the non-exposed controls reported recent trauma exposure. Fire-exposed individuals showed significant cognitive deficits, particularly on the interference processing task and greater stimulus-evoked fronto-parietal activity as measured on this task. Across all subjects, we found that stimulus-evoked activity in left frontal cortex was associated with overall improved interference processing efficiency, suggesting the increased activity observed in fire exposed individuals may reflect a compensatory increase in cortical processes associated with cognitive control. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study to examine the cognitive and underlying neural impacts of recent climate trauma.
Mi PROTECT: A personalized smartphone platform to report back results to participants of a maternal-child and environmental health research cohort program in Puerto Rico
Authors: Cardona Cordero Nancy R. , Lafarga Previdi Irene , Torres Héctor R. , Ayala Ishwara , Boronow Katherine E. , Santos Rivera Amailie , Meeker John D. , Alshawabkeh Akram , Cordero José F. , Brody Julia Green , Brown Phil , Vélez Vega Carmen M.
Published: January 2023

Background

The PROTECT Center is a multi-project initiative that studies the relationship between exposure to environmental contaminants and preterm births during the prenatal and postnatal period among women living in Puerto Rico. PROTECT’s Community Engagement Core and Research Translation Coordinator (CEC/RTC) play a key role in building trust and capacity by approaching the cohort as an engaged community that provides feedback about processes, including how personalized results of their exposure to chemicals should be reported back. The goal of the Mi PROTECT platform was to create a mobile-based application of DERBI (Digital Exposure Report-Back Interface) for our cohort that provides tailored, culturally appropriate information about individual contaminant exposures as well as education on chemical substances and approaches to exposure reduction.

Methods

Participants (N = 61) were presented with commonly used terms in environmental health research related to collected samples and biomarkers, followed by a guided training on accessing and exploring the Mi PROTECT platform. Participants evaluated the guided training and Mi PROTECT platform answering a Likert scale in separated surveys that included 13 and 8 questions, respectively.

Results

Participants provided overwhelmingly positive feedback on the clarity and fluency of presenters in the report-back training. Most participants reported that the mobile phone platform was both accessible and easy to navigate (83% and 80%, respectively) and that images included in the platform facilitated comprehension of the information. Overall, most participants (83%) reported that language, images, and examples in Mi PROTECT strongly represented them as Puerto Ricans.

Conclusions

Findings from the Mi PROTECT pilot test informed investigators, community partners and stakeholders by demonstrating a new way to promote stakeholder participation and foster the “research right-to-know.”
Machine-learning-based Web system for the prediction of chronic kidney disease progression and mortality
Authors: Kanda Eiichiro , Epureanu Bogdan Iuliu , Adachi Taiji , Kashihara Naoki
Published: January 2023

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have high risks of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and pre-ESKD death. Therefore, accurately predicting these outcomes is useful among CKD patients, especially in those who are at high risk. Thus, we evaluated whether a machine-learning system can predict accurately these risks in CKD patients and attempted its application by developing a Web-based risk-prediction system. We developed 16 risk-prediction machine-learning models using Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting with 22 variables or selected variables for the prediction of the primary outcome (ESKD or death) on the basis of repeatedly measured data of CKD patients (n = 3,714; repeatedly measured data, n = 66,981) in their electronic-medical records. The performances of the models were evaluated using data from a cohort study of CKD patients carried out over 3 years (n = 26,906). One RF model with 22 variables and another RF model with 8 variables of time-series data showed high accuracies of the prediction of the outcomes and were selected for use in a risk-prediction system. In the validation, the 22- and 8-variable RF models showed high C-statistics for the prediction of the outcomes: 0.932 (95% CI 0.916, 0.948) and 0.93 (0.915, 0.945), respectively. Cox proportional hazards models using splines showed a highly significant relationship between the high probability and high risk of an outcome (p<0.0001). Moreover, the risks of patients with high probabilities were higher than those with low probabilities: 22-variable model, hazard ratio of 104.9 (95% CI 70.81, 155.3); 8-variable model, 90.9 (95% CI 62.29, 132.7). Then, a Web-based risk-prediction system was actually developed for the implementation of the models in clinical practice. This study showed that a machine-learning-based Web system is a useful tool for the risk prediction and treatment of CKD patients.
Essential childhood immunization in 43 low- and middle-income countries: Analysis of spatial trends and socioeconomic inequalities in vaccine coverage
Authors: Dimitrova Anna , Carrasco-Escobar Gabriel , Richardson Robin , Benmarhnia Tarik
Published: January 2023

Background

Globally, access to life-saving vaccines has improved considerably in the past 5 decades. However, progress has started to slow down and even reverse in recent years. Understanding subnational heterogeneities in essential child immunization will be critical for closing the global vaccination gap.

Methods and findings

We use vaccination information for over 220,000 children across 1,366 administrative regions in 43 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys. We estimate essential immunization coverage at the national and subnational levels and quantify socioeconomic inequalities in such coverage using adjusted concentration indices. Within- and between-country variations are summarized via the Theil index. We use local indicator of spatial association (LISA) statistics to identify clusters of administrative regions with high or low values. Finally, we estimate the number of missed vaccinations among children aged 15 to 35 months across all 43 countries and the types of vaccines most often missed. We show that national-level vaccination rates can conceal wide subnational heterogeneities. Large gaps in child immunization are found across West and Central Africa and in South Asia, particularly in regions of Angola, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, and Afghanistan, where less than 10% of children are fully immunized. Furthermore, children living in these countries consistently lack all 4 basic vaccines included in the WHO’s recommended schedule for young children. Across most countries, children from poorer households are less likely to be fully immunized. The main limitations include subnational estimates based on large administrative divisions for some countries and different periods of survey data collection.

Conclusions

The identified heterogeneities in essential childhood immunization, especially given that some regions consistently are underserved for all basic vaccines, can be used to inform the design and implementation of localized intervention programs aimed at eliminating child suffering and deaths from existing and novel vaccine-preventable diseases.
Calibrated simplex-mapping classification
Authors: Heese Raoul , Schmid Jochen , Walczak Michał , Bortz Michael
Published: January 2023

We propose a novel methodology for general multi-class classification in arbitrary feature spaces, which results in a potentially well-calibrated classifier. Calibrated classifiers are important in many applications because, in addition to the prediction of mere class labels, they also yield a confidence level for each of their predictions. In essence, the training of our classifier proceeds in two steps. In a first step, the training data is represented in a latent space whose geometry is induced by a regular (n − 1)-dimensional simplex, n being the number of classes. We design this representation in such a way that it well reflects the feature space distances of the datapoints to their own- and foreign-class neighbors. In a second step, the latent space representation of the training data is extended to the whole feature space by fitting a regression model to the transformed data. With this latent-space representation, our calibrated classifier is readily defined. We rigorously establish its core theoretical properties and benchmark its prediction and calibration properties by means of various synthetic and real-world data sets from different application domains.
Trends in the likelihood of receiving percutaneous coronary intervention in a low-volume hospital and disparities by sociodemographic communities
Authors: Wang Christina , Lindquist Karla , Krumholz Harlan , Hsia Renee Y.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Over the past two decades, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) capacity has increased while coronary artery disease has decreased, potentially lowering per-hospital PCI volumes, which is associated with less favorable patient outcomes. Trends in the likelihood of receiving PCI in a low-volume center have not been well-documented, and it is unknown whether certain socioeconomic factors are associated with a greater risk of PCI in a low-volume facility. Our study aims to determine the likelihood of being treated in a low-volume PCI center over time and if this likelihood differs by sociodemographic factors.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 374,066 hospitalized patients in California receiving PCI from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2018. Our primary outcome was the likelihood of PCI discharges at a low-volume hospital (<150 PCI/year), and secondary outcomes included whether this likelihood varied across different sociodemographic groups and across low-volume hospitals stratified by high or low ZIP code median income.

Results

The proportion of PCI discharges from low-volume hospitals increased from 5.4% to 11.0% over the study period. Patients of all sociodemographic groups considered were more likely to visit low-volume hospitals over time (P<0.001). Latinx patients were more likely to receive PCI at a low-volume hospital compared with non-Latinx White in 2010 with a 166% higher gap in 2018 (unadjusted proportions). The gaps in relative risk (RR) between Black, Latinx and Asian patients versus non-Latinx white increased over time, whereas the gap between private versus public/no insurance, and high versus low income decreased (interaction P<0.001). In low-income ZIP codes, patients with Medicaid were less likely to visit low-volume hospitals than patients with private insurance in 2010; however, this gap reversed and increased by 500% in 2018. Patients with low income were more likely to receive PCI at low-volume hospitals relative to patients with high income in all study years.

Conclusions

The likelihood of receiving PCI at low-volume hospitals has increased across all race/ethnicity, insurance, and income groups over time; however, this increase has not occurred evenly across all sociodemographic groups.
Fungi with history: Unveiling the mycobiota of historic documents of Costa Rica
Authors: Escudero-Leyva Efraín , Vieto Sofía , Avendaño Roberto , Rojas-Gätjens Diego , Agüero Paola , Pacheco Carlos , Montero Mavis L. , Chaverri Priscila , Chavarría Max
Published: January 2023

We studied the physicochemical characteristics and mycobiota associated to five key historic documents from Costa Rica, including the Independence Act of Costa Rica from 1821. We used nondestructive techniques (i.e., ATR-FTIR and XRF) to determine paper and ink composition. Results show that some documents are composed of cotton-based paper, whereas others were made of wood cellulose with an increased lignin content. We also determined that the ink employed in some of the documents is ferrogallic. Cultivation and molecular techniques were used to characterize the fungi inhabiting the documents. In total, 22 fungal isolates were obtained: 15 from the wood-cellulose-based documents and seven from the other three cotton-based. We also tested the cellulolytic activity of the recovered fungi; 95% of the fungi presented cellulolytic activity correlated to their ability to cause deterioration of the paper. Results suggest that cotton-based paper is the most resistant to fungal colonization and that most of the isolates have cellulolytic activity. This work increases the knowledge of the fungal diversity that inhabits historic documents and its relationship with paper composition and provides valuable information to develop strategies to conserve and restore these invaluable documents.
miR-23a-3p and miR-181a-5p modulate SNAP-25 expression
Authors: Agostini Simone , Bolognesi Elisabetta , Mancuso Roberta , Marventano Ivana , Citterio Lorenzo Agostino , Guerini Franca Rosa , Clerici Mario
Published: January 2023

SNAP-25 protein is a key protein of the SNARE complex that is involved in synaptic vesicles fusion with plasma membranes and neurotransmitter release, playing a fundamental role in neural plasticity. Recently the concentration of three specific miRNAs–miR-27b-3p, miR-181a-5p and miR-23a-3p –was found to be associated with a specific SNAP-25 polymorphism (rs363050). in silico analysis showed that all the three miRNAs target SNAP-25, but the effect of the interaction between these miRNAs and the 3’UTR of SNAP-25 mRNA is currently unknown. For this reason, we verified in vitro whether miR-27b-3p, miR-181a-5p and miR-23a-3p modulate SNAP-25 gene and protein expression. Initial experiments using miRNAs-co-transfected Vero cells and SNAP-25 3’UTR luciferase reporter plasmids showed that miR-181a-5p (p≤0.01) and miR-23a-3p (p<0.05), but not miR-27b-3p, modulate the luciferase signal, indicating that these two miRNAs bind the SNAP-25 3’UTR. Results obtained using human oligodendroglial cell line (MO3.13) transfected with miR-181a-5p or miR-27b-3p confirmed that miR-181a-5p and miR-23a-3p regulate SNAP-25 gene and protein expression. Interestingly, the two miRNAs modulate in an opposite way SNAP-25, as miR-181a-5p significantly increases (p<0.0005), whereas miR-23a-3p decreases (p<0.0005) its expression. These results for the first time describe the ability of miR-181a-5p and miR-23a-3p to modulate SNAP-25 expression, suggesting their possible use as biomarkers or as therapeutical targets for diseases in which SNAP-25 expression is altered.
Association between long-term air pollution exposure and COVID-19 mortality in Latin America
Authors: Bonilla Jorge A. , Lopez-Feldman Alejandro , Pereda Paula C. , Rivera Nathaly M. , Ruiz-Tagle J. Cristobal
Published: January 2023

Recent studies have shown a relationship between air pollution and increased vulnerability and mortality due to COVID-19. Most of these studies have looked at developed countries. This study examines the relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and COVID-19-related deaths in four countries of Latin America that have been highly affected by the pandemic: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Our results suggest that an increase in long-term exposure of 1 μg/m3 of fine particles is associated with a 2.7 percent increase in the COVID-19 mortality rate. This relationship is found primarily in municipalities of metropolitan areas, where urban air pollution sources dominate, and air quality guidelines are usually exceeded. By focusing the analysis on Latin America, we provide a first glimpse on the role of air pollution as a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality within a context characterized by weak environmental institutions, limited health care capacity and high levels of inequality.