bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Ego States and Coping Style in Homeless
Authors: Won Jeong Sook , Han Sang Sook
Published: September 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze in the view of Ego-gram and designed to scrutinize descriptive correlations between the type of ego states and stress coping style in homeless. Methods: The transactional analysis ego state is 50 items Ego-gram research paper devised by Dusay(1997). For studying coping style, Folkman & Lazarus's measurement 1984) was adopted, which is translated and modified by Han, and Oh,(1990). Results: 1) In the type of ego states on homeless indicated the arithmetic apex NP(maximum value), then the point A was high and the data made a down slope to point FC and the type of Ego-gram profile was gentle slope N type. 2) The average score of their coping type is 2.28 out 4. The coping type divided into six types ; positive interest is the highest scored, and search for social support is the category(2.18). 3) While verifying coping style in terms of ego states level in homeless, In type significant difference on stress coping style area made such sequences as the indifference, Incategory was lowest scored CP, indicated type NP, A, sequences such as indifference and relaxation of tension, In type FC, sequences such as indifference and positive interest, In type AC, sequences such as social support and positive interest were emerged with significant different(O< .05). 4) In the aspect of relation between ego states and coping style, type CP presented the solution for central problem, positive interest, type NP presented the solution for central problem, search for social support, type A showed the solution for central problem, positive interest, type FC showed search for social support, hopeful aspect, type AC showed the solution for central problem, hopeful aspect. All the sequence shown above had high-to-low procedure and represented static relations(p< .01) each other. Conclusion: Further studies need to be done to validate this information and formulate ways to assist these men with their psychological needs.
Using webinars to promote knowledge translation of evidence into practice
Authors: Magboo Rosalie , O'Keefe-McCarthy Sheila , Bowden Tracey , Bruneau Jill , Chen Yingyan , Hayes Maria , Pedrosa Rafaela , Then Karen , Van Valen Richard , Fredericks Suzanne
Published: September 2024

CONNECT is a network of nursing and allied professional researchers, focused on strengthening collaborative cardiac surgery research through shared initiatives. In the fourth instalment of this five-article series, the authors describe a webinar series delivered in collaboration with the Cardiothoracic Surgery Network.
Predicting Significant Reductions in Instructional Expenditures by School Districts
Authors: Trussel John M , Patrick Patricia A
Published: September 2024

This article uses survival analysis to investigate the symptoms of fiscal distress that can lead to significant reductions in instructional expenditures by independent public school districts in the United States. We hypothesize that the likelihood of significant reductions in instructional expenditures is positively correlated with revenue concentration and debt usage, and negatively correlated with organizational slack and entity resources. Parsimonious models are developed and tested to predict the likelihood of significant reductions in instructional expenditures. The model correctly classifies up to 92% of the sampled school districts. The results show that the most important indicator of significant reductions in instructional expenditures is revenue concentration. School districts with more diverse revenue sources are less susceptible to significant reductions in instructional expenditures. This information can be used to prevent, detect, and mitigate fiscal distress that could lead to significant reductions in instructional expenditures in U.S. school districts.
Where Does the Money Go?: Budget Expenditure Allocations in Charter Schools
Authors: Carpenter Dick M.
Published: September 2024

This study examines the expenditure allocation pattern of charter schools in Texas and compares those patterns to non-charter public schools to determine if the autonomy afforded to charter schools results in significant differences. Findings indicate the allocation patterns of charter schools do differ from those of non-charter public schools. After controlling for various student and school characteristics, charter schools allocate approximately two percentage points less than non-charters to instruction, 1.76 percentage points less to instructional services, and two percentage points less to support services. Conversely, charters dedicate 1.4 percentage points more to school leadership and 4.5 percentage points more to “other costs,” as compared to non-charters. That is, charters appear to allocate less to instruction-related activities and more to “overhead”—such as administration and “other costs”. All of these differences are statistically significant, and the differences in instructional services, support services, and “other costs” are practically significant, as measured by effect sizes.
Decentralized University Budgeting, United with a More Flexible Tuition Structure
Authors: Fethke Gary
Published: September 2024

With tuition revenues replacing state appropriations as the primary source of public university funding, it becomes difficult for universities to use historically based budget allocations and inflexible tuition structures to subsidize high-cost programs. It is argued here that combining targeted subsidies with a flexible tuition structure and decentralized budgeting can increase enrollment, reduce average tuition, increase welfare, and accommodate lower taxpayer support. Effective changes in the structure of tuition can be implemented with legislators required to know only average tuition. These results are illustrated using data from two major public universities: the University of Iowa and the University of Florida.
The Political Economy of Education Finance: The Case of Texas
Authors: Husted Thomas , Kenny Lawrence
Published: September 2024

Texas has one of the largest primary and secondary school systems in the United States. Funding equity has been a concern in the state courts, and significant legislative actions have been taken. We examine two votes taken in the Texas State Legislature in 1993 and 2006 that follow the directives from a series of education finance equity legal cases, collectively known as Edgeworth Independent School District, et al. v. Kirby, et al . The first Edgeworth cases directed the legislature to develop a more equitable education funding system and, as a result, the 1993 vote on Senate Bill 7 (SB7) created a system of “recapture” in which a few of the richest school districts were subject to redistribution of their property tax revenue to the poorest districts. This funding system, known as the “Robin Hood” law, increased significantly the level of redistribution across the Texas school districts. Over time, the list of school districts required to transfer funds to poor schools districts quadrupled. The property-rich school districts across the state reached the maximum property tax rates specified in the law, which these school districts argued effectively made the tax a “statewide” property tax rate, unconstitutional under Texas law. The Texas Supreme Court found the education finance system “adequate” but unconstitutional based on the effective statewide property tax. The court finding ultimately reopened the door for the unequalized funding that existed prior to Edgeworth and SB7, as the legislature responded through the passage of House Bill 1 (HB1) in 2006. HB1 reduced property taxes and allowed wealthy districts to supplement the minimum foundation program with higher taxes without state recapture, reducing the finance equity created by SB7.

We estimate a legislative voting model on the passage of HB1 and SB7 in both houses of the Texas state legislature. We include several measures of whether the legislator’s district benefitted from the drop in inequity in the 1993 law and the rise in inequity in the 2006 law. As predicted, the legislator was more likely to vote against a fall in inequity if the district had greater household income. A similar hypothesis involving college grads receives very little empirical support. Democratic legislators, who generally support a district’s poorer households, were much more likely than Republican legislators to support reductions in inequity. Similarly, legislators representing liberal districts were more likely to support proposals to reduce inequality in school spending.
Exploring the Impact of Inadequate Funding for English Language Learners in Colorado School Districts
Authors: Ramirez Al , Carpenter Dick M. , Breckenridge Maureen
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the relationship between the academic achievement of all students and inadequate funding for English language learners in Colorado school districts. Several stochastic frontier analysis models were used in lieu of traditional production functions in order to achieve clearer estimates. The analyses detected only a few effects. Results suggest limited funding eventually has a small impact over time (i.e., districts with greater shortfalls will see declining achievement over time). These results may add insight to “the achievement gap”—in the face of inadequate resources for ELL students, school districts may be shortchanging other various targeted populations by using federal dollars to supplant state obligations and state dollars.
Systemic Inequities in Special Education Financing
Authors: Conlin Michael , Jalilevand Meg
Published: September 2024

Since the implementation of IDEA in 1975, as spending on education has continued to grow, a large portion of that spending has been dedicated to students with special needs. This study uses a panel dataset of local and intermediate school districts to examine the complex special education funding and delivery scheme in the State of Michigan. Using taxable value per pupil as a proxy for a district’s wealth, we find large inequities in expenditures per special education student based on a district’s wealth and that these inequities are exacerbated by Michigan’s Intermediate School District system. We also find the composition of special education students varies significantly based on the district’s wealth and this composition is likely to change with changes in a district’s wealth.
The ‘Big Bang’ in Public and Private Faculty Salaries
Authors: Rippner Jennifer A. , Toutkoushian Robert K.
Published: September 2024

The gap between average faculty salaries at public and private institutions has been growing wider over the past 40 years, yet little is known about the nature and causes of the gap. This study uses data on more than 1,000 institutions to examine institutional average faculty salaries and how they have changed for public and private institutions. We found that the current average salary disadvantage for public institutions is primarily concentrated in research-intensive institutions and the average salary gaps between public and private research institutions have continued to increase between 2001 and 2011 even after controlling for selected factors including financial resources.
The Prediction of States’ PK-12 Funding Effort and Distribution Based on Their Ideological Makeups
Authors: Malin Joel R.
Published: September 2024

States differ markedly in their funding for public schools, both in terms of the fiscal effort their citizens demonstrate and the progressivity with which funds are distributed. Yet, less is known about why different states have enacted such different policies and financing systems. In this study, the relationships between a measure of states’ ideological makeups and two PK-12 funding outcome measures, effort and distribution, are examined. Citizen ideology was found to relate strongly and positively to school funding effort, such that more progressive states showed significantly more effort. In contrast, the relationship between citizen ideology and school funding distribution was non-significant. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.
Funding School Choice: Implications for American Education
Authors: Kaplan Leslie S. , Owings William A.
Published: September 2024

abstract: Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos wants to privatize American education using charter schools, vouchers, tax credit scholarships, education savings accounts, and portable federal funds. Court and legislative decisions are facilitating these ends. Understanding the school choice agenda and its fiscal, academic, and legal aspects can help education leadership professors, school leaders, and their communities make informed decisions that shape education in their states.
Per Pupil Spending and Poverty's Persistent Penalty: An Empirical Analysis of 2016 District-Level NCES Data
Authors: Heise Michael
Published: September 2024

abstract: It remains largely uncontested that students from low-income households—as well as the schools they attend—require additional resources to offset the challenges low-income students typically confront relating to access to equal educational opportunity. Federal elementary and secondary education programs, including Title I, supplement financial resources for students in poverty and schools that serve high concentrations of low-income students. Because federal programs operate within a complex, multi-level school finance system, however, tests of their ability to offset student poverty's "penalty" require empirical approaches that reflect the school finance system's multiple layers. Results from this study—which draw from 2016 school district-level data, focus on three common per pupil spending metrics, and exploit multilevel regression models—suggest that a student poverty penalty persists and is robust to multiple per pupil spending approaches. While these findings generally comport with prior and related empirical research, less clear, however, is what can be plausibly inferred from these findings. To some degree a persistent student poverty penalty is one, perhaps inevitable, artifact of the nation's traditional reliance on local property tax revenues for elementary and secondary public school funding. Alternative explanations include inconsistencies in how various states and school districts implement Title I. Whatever the cause (or causes), the persistence of a student poverty penalty—and the discomforting challenges it poses to the equal educational opportunity doctrine more generally—warrants similarly persistent careful study and policy attention.
State Financing for Public Community Colleges: A Comparative Study of Fiscal Capacity and Tax Effort
Authors: Koh Jonathan , Katsinas Stephen G. , Bray Nathaniel J.
Published: September 2024

abstract: This study examines patterns of state financing in public community colleges. The focus of the study is to not only show the disparities that exist across the 50 states in terms of fiscal capacity to provide funding for community colleges, but also in the effort that is exerted to fund community colleges. The study combines the Bureau of Economic Analysis' (BEA) data on personal income by state with the IPEDS variables on state and local revenues to community colleges to allow for a relative comparison of tax capacity and then tax effort by state. Results show that it is not enough to assume that just because a state has high per capita income level, and even a high level of perceived willingness to contribute to their state's community colleges, that they will do so.
Resident, Non-resident, and "The Other": Examining Institutional and State Policies for International Student Residency Classification for Tuition Purposes and the Associated Cost of Fees
Authors: Krsmanovic Masha , Sabina Lou L.
Published: September 2024

abstract: This study examined how public higher education institutions in the U.S. determine international student residency classification for tuition purposes and the cost of international student fees. Using a non-experimental research design, the data were collected from 229 public colleges and universities in the U.S. awarding bachelor's degree or higher (40.2% response rate). The results indicated that 84% of institutions used non-resident (i.e. out-of-state) classification for their international students at an undergraduate level, while 82.3% followed this practice on the graduate level. Four institutions or 2.0% reported classifying their international students as resident (i.e. in-state) students for tuition purposes. The remaining 14% respondents on the undergraduate level or 16.2% on the graduate level classified international students as neither residents nor non-residents and used a different criteria for establishing their tuition classification ("the other"). The tuition differentials between "the other" and non-resident classification ranged from $436 per academic year for an institution in Ohio to $5,046 per academic year for a university in Illinois. Results further showed that 50.2% of respondents charged additional fees to their international undergraduate students, while 50.7% implemented such payments for students pursuing a graduate degree. The cost of international student fees ranged from $3 at an institution in Florida to $500 at a university in Pennsylvania per one semester or from $75 in Indiana to $750 in Massachusetts per one year. One time fees ranged from $40 in Mississippi to $300 in South Carolina.
Gem State Inequalities: Examining the Recent History of Idaho Public School Funding
Authors: Carr-Chellman Ali , Raney Taylor , Campbell Dan
Published: September 2024

abstract: This article focuses on the application of S avage Inequalities- based analyses of data from the state of Idaho with a focus on equitable rural school funding. While Kozol's famous 1991 book-length work examining school inequalities was focused on urban centers and completed several decades ago, this article offers an updated examination of imbalances in funding and practice across the primarily rural state of Idaho. By examining state documents through a secondary data analysis, this paper extends an earlier exploration of the intricacies of school funding such as implications for casino income as well as the recent history of state level funding. Findings from the current examination indicate that while per-pupil funding by school district in the state of Idaho was equalized by state distributions through 2008, impacts of state cuts at that time increased inequities again when comparing school funding across the state. Because of this, rural, remote, and tribal schools are often dramatically underfunded relative to perceived need .
Public Schools, Private Money: The Persistence of Inequality
Authors: Hill Sarah A. , Kiewiet D. Roderick , Arsneault Shelly
Published: September 2024

abstract: In California, a half century after the landmark Serrano v. Priest decision overturning the state's public school finance system because of the inequality between the state's school districts, a significant amount of wealth-based inequality in per-pupil expenditures continues to exist. One of the sources of this inequality is the result of Californians having formed thousands of nonprofit organizations that raise additional money for their schools and school districts by collecting private contributions. This study makes use of a new dataset that is the most extensive census to date of nonprofits collecting private contributions for California public schools. The results of our analyses indicate high-income districts and those with large shares of Democratic registrants benefit from substantially larger amounts of private contributions. The wealthiest 10 percent of school districts receive an average of over $400 per pupil in private contributions, while the bottom 50 percent of school districts receive less than an average of $50 per student. These findings raise important questions about the effective distribution of private contributions, as well as the democratic principles of allowing education finance to be determined by private donors.
To Supplement or Supplant: The Relationship between Technology Funding and Higher Education Personnel
Authors: Ortagus Justin , Hughes Rodney , Voorhees Nicholas
Published: September 2024

abstract: Over the past few decades, technology has revolutionized the way colleges and universities operate. This study examines the extent to which investments in information technology (IT) are associated with the number and types of higher education personnel. After accounting for time lags between IT funding and personnel changes, we found that increases in IT funding were associated with increases in the number of higher education administrators and IT staff but decreases in the number of clerical workers. Our findings suggest that colleges and universities may be substituting expensive labor (higher education administrators and IT staff) for inexpensive labor (clerical workers).
The Return to Taxpayers from the New York State's Excelsior Scholarship: A Taxpayer Level Case Analysis
Authors: Sohn Kyongsei , Singh Sandeep , Gardner John T.
Published: September 2024

abstract: New York State (NYS) launched the Excelsior Scholarship in 2017. It is designed to make college tuition-free for students who attend publicly funded institutions and meet certain criteria. Is this scholarship a good investment for taxpayers of NYS? How long does it take taxpayers to recover their investment? This case analysis takes a perspective of a typical SUNY student who otherwise would not attend college, uses the Excelsior scholarship, graduates in four or five years and stays in NYS after graduation. Payback period for taxpayers is analyzed through a discounted cash flow methodology for such a case. Uncertainty is accommodated by testing sensitivity of the payback period to a range of values around each assumption. The focus of this study is limited to quantifiable economic benefits. Under common assumptions, it takes between five and nine years for taxpayers to recover the investment. It is shown that majority of the pecuniary benefits of Excelsior program accrue to the federal government, not New York State. This analysis re-emphasizes the benefit of in-time graduation for all parties concerned.
The Impact of Large Revenue Infusions on Teacher Salaries in High-Poverty Districts
Authors: Hawksworth-Lutzow Dylan , Rose Heather
Published: September 2024

abstract: This paper examines how school districts change teacher salaries in response to large changes in revenue. Using district-level salary schedule data for nearly all California school districts, we analyze two time periods: one with a decrease in funding (2007–08 to 2011–12 marked by the Great Recession) and one with a significant increase in funding (2011–12 to 2018–19 marked by full implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula – LCFF – finance reform). During the period of revenue growth, revenue increased in all districts, but the LCFF directed substantially more to high-poverty school districts. We use a difference-in-differences analysis to compare the changes in teacher salaries in these high-poverty districts net of changes in low-poverty districts to determine if high-poverty districts use the extra funding to increase salaries and become more competitive employers. We focus on three distinct points in the salary schedules representing typical early-, mid-, and late-career stages. For each career stage, we find little evidence that high-poverty districts used additional funding from the LCFF to increase teacher salaries more than low-poverty districts did. In both high- and low-poverty districts, real salaries decline significantly and by similar amounts between 2007–08 and 2011–12. Salaries rebound similarly between 2011–12 and 2018–19, such that salary growth is largely stagnant over the decade for both types of districts. These shifts are smallest for early-career teachers and largest for late-career teachers. Our results highlight that high-poverty districts are not prioritizing salaries with the extra funding from equity-oriented reforms.
Examining the Access to Higher Education in Chile from an Equity Perspective
Authors: Sushant Gaurav
Published: September 2024

abstract: This study’s primary objective is to examine how the Chilean post-secondary system has responded to the challenge of equity in access to higher education and the influence of some institutional measures on inclusion. Access to higher education institutions (HEIs) must be equitable for applicants and institutions. The relationship between access and equity is examined from different perspectives on the applicant’s characteristics, such as family income, secondary schooling, and gender. The other two views are the type of institution students select and get admission to based on the institutions’ ownership (public vs private). The study uses data from CASEN and SIES databases between 1990 and 2017. The data is analyzed after giving a brief theoretical foundation on equity and its importance in higher education. In the last section, based on the discussion in the previous sections, the paper analyzes the equity of access to higher education in Chile.
Subpixel three-dimensional imaging using two-dimensional optical encoding with a downscaled avalanche photodiode array
Authors: Qiang Shengzhi , Li Xueling , Li Xicai , Wang Yuanqing
Published: September 2024

Scannerless laser three-dimensional (3D) imaging relies on large-scale detector arrays to achieve high-resolution imaging and is one of the main technologies in light detection and ranging (LIDAR). However, the high production cost and complex manufacturing process is limiting the imaging resolution. In this paper, we demonstrate a subpixel 3D imaging method based on two-dimensional (2D) encoding and decoding. First, an LED array projects 2D spatio-temporal coded light beams onto the target space. Accordingly, an optical multiplexer separates and reconstructs the backscattered signals into a small-scale avalanche photodiode (APD) array. We designed a prototype with a 16×16 optical encoding and a 2×2 APD array. The scannerless imaging reconstructs 256 pixels per frame within the distance range of 39–68 cm.
Spatial resolution limit for a solid immersion lens
Authors: Zhelnov Vladislav A. , Ulitko Vladislav E. , Skorobogatiy Maksim , Zaytsev Kirill I. , Chernomyrdin Nikita V.
Published: September 2024

The solid immersion (SI) effect is widely used to increase the spatial resolution of optical focusing systems and even overcome the Abbe diffraction limit. Resolution enhancement offered by a SI lens is mostly a function of its geometry and refractive index nSI. While SI lenses are relatively well understood, the scaling of the resolution enhancement by such lenses is still a subject of debate, with some works reporting ≃nSI and ≃nSI2 dependencies for the hemispherical and hyperhemispherical SI lens configurations, respectively. In this paper, we offer a general argument for a resolution limit for SI optics and, then, verify it via the numerical analysis of the hemispherical and hyperhemispherical silicon SI lenses designed for the terahertz (THz) range. In fact, we find that there is no contradiction in the reported resolution enhancements ≃nSI and ≃nSI2; however, they happen in different operation regimes. We then demonstrate that the resolution values reported for the different SI lens arrangements in the visible (VIS), near-, and middle-infrared (NIR and MIR), as well as THz bands obey the derived limit. Our findings will be useful for the further design and applications of SI optics.
Off-axis freeform optical design for large curved field of view imaging
Authors: Jia Xingyue , Jia Hongbo
Published: September 2024

Recording neuron activities is pivotal for elucidating the functionality of the nervous system. However, the curved cortex surface of experimental mice presents a significant challenge for optical systems, particularly when a larger field of view (FOV) is required. To address this challenge, we have designed an off-axis three-mirror system that incorporates freeform surfaces on both the primary and secondary mirrors. This system achieves a large imaging FOV of 18°×9°, delivering near-diffraction-limit imaging quality across a curvature spectrum of −14.7 to −15.3mm. A manufacturability analysis indicates that the freeform surfaces are straightforward to produce, and the overall system demonstrates low sensitivity to tolerance and measurement errors. This study introduces a novel, to the best of our knowledge, solution to the field curvature constraints in optical imaging of cortical activity, providing substantial technical support for in vivo neuronal imaging endeavors.
Improving the scan throughput of polygon scanners
Authors: Hebert Eric , Xu Chris
Published: September 2024

Polygon scanners allow for some of the fastest available line rates for raster scanning imaging. Due to the optical invariant, however, there is a trade-off between the line rate and the number of resolvable points per line. Here, we describe a device that can increase the number of resolvable points per line of mirror-based scanners without sacrificing speed. We first theoretically model the effect of the device on the number of resolvable points per line of a polygon scanner, and then experimentally test this device with both a simplified facet system and a transmission microscope using a polygon scanner. We demonstrate an improvement in the field of view by 1.7 times without a reduction in spatial resolution.
Unsupervised data driven approaches to Raman imaging through a multimode optical fiber
Authors: Collard Liam , Kazemzadeh Mohammadrahim , De Vittorio Massimo , Pisanello Ferruccio
Published: September 2024

Raman spectroscopy is a label-free, chemically specific optical technique that provides detailed information about the chemical composition and structure of the excited analyte. Because of this, there is growing research interest in miniaturizing Raman probes to reach deep regions of the body. Typically, such probes utilize multiple optical fibers to act as separate excitation/collection channels with optical filters attached to the distal facet to separate the collected signal from the background optical signal from the probe itself. Although these probes have achieved impressive diagnostic performance, their use is limited by the overall size of the probe, which is typically several hundred micrometers to millimeters. Here, we show how a wavefront shaping technique can be used to measure Raman images through a single, hair-thin multimode fiber. The wavefront shaping technique transforms the tip of the fiber to a micrometer spatial resolution Raman microscope. The resultant Raman images were analyzed with a variety of state-of-the-art statistical techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA), t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP), and k-means clustering. Our data-driven approach enables us to create Raman images of microclusters of pharmaceuticals using fingerprint region Raman spectra through a standard silica multimode optical fiber.
Eigenmode and eigenpropagation of the electromagnetic waves in Möbius and Klein networks
Authors: Chen Runkai , Zhu Pengbo , Yang Xiangbo , Lian Huada , Fan Yanglong , Wang Zhen-Yu
Published: September 2024

To explore the distribution of characteristic frequencies and the propagation properties of eigenmodes in topological networks at the zero-energy level, we design optical waveguide networks with two typical topologies: Möbius network and Klein network, inspired by the Möbius strip and Klein bottle, respectively. We investigate the degeneracy at characteristic frequencies and the propagation properties of the eigenmodes of these networks, both theoretically and experimentally. We discovered an intriguing eigenpropagation in the Möbius network and multiple degenerate eigenmodes in the Klein network, analyzing the propagation characteristics and distribution patterns of electromagnetic waves within them. In our experiments, we utilize coaxial cables as one-dimensional waveguides to construct transmission line networks for the two networks. We observe the distinct transmission paths of the Möbius network’s eigenmode and the two degenerate eigenmodes of the Klein network. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation for new optical modal transmission devices and novel nanoarrays, with potential implications for theoretical and experimental research in other quantum systems and topological networks.
Ultra-Compact Optical Microscopes Made of Liquid Crystal Pancharatnam-Berry Optical Elements
Authors: hao chen , Yun Hai , Jiang Miao , Wei Qihuo
Published: September 2024

Ultra-compact optical systems are increasingly sought after for applications such as consumer electronics and medical imaging. Here, we present a design and manufacturing approach for ultra-compact bright field and dark field optical microscopes entirely made of flat liquid crystal optical elements. Both systems utilize a liquid crystal PB lens as the objective, achieving a numerical aperture of up to 0.25. The dark-field optical microscope also incorporates a Q-plate with a +1 topological defect to filter zero-order light, all within an overall thickness of just 5 mm. The system can achieve high imaging performance with a maximum resolution of 7 μm using the USAF 1951 resolution chart. In addition, we demonstrate an exemplary application in biological imaging, to effectively enhance edge contrast in imaging onion epidermal cells with integrated dark-field optical microscope. This work presents an example in exploiting the flatness and high quality of liquid crystal optical elements to achieve both compactness and high-quality promising for various other applications.
Reassessing the distribution of Burkholderia pseudomallei outside known endemic areas using animal serological screening combined with environmental surveys: The case of Les Saintes (Guadeloupe) and French Guiana
Authors: Gasqué Mégane , Guernier-Cambert Vanina , Manuel Gil , Aaziz Rachid , Terret Jules , Deshayes Thomas , Baudrimont Xavier , Breurec Sébastien , Rochelle-Newall Emma , Laroucau Karine
Published: September 2024

Background

Melioidosis, an emerging infectious disease that affects both humans and animals, is caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is endemic in South and Southeast Asia, and northern Australia, causing an estimated 165,000 human cases annually worldwide. Human cases have been reported in the French West Indies (Martinique and Guadeloupe) since the 1990s. Conversely, no human cases have been reported in French Guiana, a French territory in South America. Our study aimed to investigate whether B. pseudomallei is locally established in Guadeloupe and French Guiana using animals as a proxy.

Methodology/principal findings

Blood samples were collected from different animals from 56 farms in French Guiana (n = 670) and from two goat farms in Les Saintes (n = 31), part of the Guadeloupe archipelago and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In Les Saintes, a serological follow-up was performed, and soil, water and goat rectal swabs were collected and analyzed by culture and PCR. The highest seroprevalence rates (39%) were observed in goats in Les Saintes, followed by horses (24%) and cattle (16%) in French Guiana. In the two goat farms, supplementary analyses detected B. pseudomallei from one goat rectal swab, and a B. pseudomallei strain was isolated from the soil.

Conclusions/significance

Our animal serological data suggest the presence of B. pseudomallei in Les Saintes and French Guiana. In Les Saintes, environmental surveys confirmed the endemicity of the bacteria, which is consistent with documented human cases of melioidosis on the island. We did not conduct an environmental survey in French Guiana. Nevertheless, our serological results call for local environmental surveys and a retrospective reassessment of human infections with melioidosis-like symptoms.
Updated annotation and meta-analysis of Brugia malayi transcriptomics data reveals consistent transcriptional profiles across time and space with some study-specific differences in adult female worm transcriptional profiles
Authors: Holt Christopher I. , Dunning Hotopp Julie C.
Published: September 2024

Genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics have significantly advanced our understanding of obligately host-associated microbes, where interrogation of the biology is often limited by the complexity of the biological system and limited tools. This includes the causative agents of many neglected tropical diseases, including filarial nematodes. Therefore, numerous transcriptomics studies have been undertaken on filarial nematodes. Most of these transcriptomics studies focus on Brugia malayi, which causes lymphatic filariasis and is a laboratory model for human filarial disease. Here, we undertook a meta-analysis of the publicly available B. malayi transcriptomics data enabling the direct cross comparison of samples from almost a dozen studies. This reanalysis highlights the consistency of transcriptomics results across many different studies and experimental designs from across the globe for over a decade of research, across many different generations of a sequencing technology, library preparation protocols, and differential expression tools. Males and microfilariae across samples had similar expression profiles. However, female samples were clustered into two differential expression patterns that were significantly different from one another. Largely, we confirm previous results for all studies reanalyzed including tissue-specific gene expression and anti-Wolbachia doxycycline treatment of microfilaria. However, we did not detect previously reported differential expression upon in vitro or in vivo treatment with ivermectin, albendazole, and DEC, instead identifying a consistent lack of transcriptomic change upon exposure to these anthelminthic drugs. Updated annotation has been provided that denotes poorly supported genes including those overlapping rRNAs.
Infection patterns of scabies and tinea between inland and resettled indigenous Negrito communities in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Er Yi Xian , Than Leslie Thian Lung , Muslim Azdayanti , Yap Nan Jiun , Tee Mian Zi , Abdull-Majid Nurmanisha , Lee Soo Ching , Shahrizal Shezryna , Lim Yvonne Ai Lian
Published: September 2024

Skin infections cause significant health burden and affect underserved communities such as the indigenous Negrito communities disproportionately. There is only one study that has addressed skin infections among the Negrito communities, which is the smallest and most isolated indigenous tribe in Peninsular Malaysia, with approximately 6,500 individuals remaining in northern and central Peninsular Malaysia. This study, which aims to update the infection patterns of scabies and tinea among the Negrito communities, recruited 361 participants from eight villages representing all six Negrito subtribes. The results revealed an overall skin infection prevalence of 35.6%, with scabies (11.7%), tinea versicolor (11.3%), and tinea imbricata (7.5%) as major infections, with no co-infection. Notably, infection rates were significantly higher in resettled villages (55.2%) compared to inland villages (24.8%). Scabies and tinea versicolor were more prevalent in resettled villages (21.2% and 23.6%, respectively) than inland villages (6.4% and 4.7%, respectively), while tinea imbricata was more common in inland villages (9.4% vs 3.9%). Furthermore, there exist predisposition of scabies among Kensiu. High prevalence of tinea imbricata was observed among the inland Bateq while prevalence of tinea versicolor was high among the resettled Bateq. Risk analysis revealed specific associations: scabies with Kensiu subtribe (P = 0.002), high income (P = 0.001) and underweight individuals (P = 0.009); tinea versicolor with Bateq subtribe (P = 0.003), resettled villagers (P < 0.001), males (P = 0.040), and overweight/obese individuals (P = 0.015); and tinea imbricata with Bateq (P = 0.011) and smokers (P = 0.004). These findings highlight a complex interplay between environment and lifestyle in skin infection prevalence. Addressing these infections requires targeted interventions, including regular medical care in inland villages and socio-economic support for resettled communities, considering the distinct predispositions in different village types.
Predicting leaf nitrogen content in wolfberry trees by hyperspectral transformation and machine learning for precision agriculture
Authors: Li Yongmei , Wang Hao , Zhao Hongli , Zhang Ligen
Published: September 2024

Leaf nitrogen content (LNC) is an important indicator for scientific diagnosis of the nutrition status of crops. It plays an important role in the growth, yield and quality of wolfberry. This study aimed to develop new spectral indices (NSIs) and constructed machine learning regression (MLR) models for predicting wolfberry tree LNC. By utilizing four smoothing methods and five mathematic transformation methods, we obtained the original spectral dataset and five spectral transformation datasets for quantitative analysis and model establishment. Subsequently, published vegetation indices (PVIs) were acquired, sensitive wavelengths (SWs) were screened and NSIs were calculated based on SWs. Then MLR models were constructed by combining NSIs from six spectral datasets with three machine learning algorithms. Finally, a comparison was made among the MLR models. The study indicated that the application of mathematical transformation highlighted the differences in spectra, the square root, first-derivative and second-derivative transformation improved the prediction accuracy of MLR models constructed based on NSIs (MLR-NSIs models). However, these transformations had little impact on improving the prediction ability of MLR models constructed based on PVIs (MLR-PVIs models). Additionally, The optimal model for predicting the LNC of wolfberry tree was obtained by using the Random Forest (RF) algorithm combined with NSIs developed by first-derivative transformation spectra. The determination coefficient of validation (Rv2) and ratio of percentage deviation (RPD) was 0.71 and 1.90, respectively. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated that the combination of hyperspectral transformation and machine learning is useful for improving the accuracy of LNC estimation in wolfberry trees.
Enhancing grid reliability through advanced insulator defect identification
Authors: Wang Xiao , Yang Ting , Zou Yuntao
Published: September 2024

The article presents an innovative approach for detecting defects in insulators used in high-voltage power transmission lines, employing an enhanced Detection Transformer (DETR) model, termed IF-DETR. The study addresses the significant challenges in traditional insulator defect detection methods, such as the loss of small defect features and confusion with background features. Firstly, we propose a multi-scale backbone network to better extract features of small objects. Secondly, as the contextual information surrounding objects plays a critical role in detecting small objects, we introduce a fusion module composed of ECA-Net and SAU to replace the original attention module for improved contextual information extraction. Lastly, we introduce the insulator defect (IDIoU) loss to optimize the instability in the matching process caused by small defects. Extensive experiments demonstrate the model’s effectiveness, particularly in detecting small defects, marking a notable advancement in insulator defect detection technology. The IF-DETR achieved a 2.3% increase in AP compared to existing advanced methods. This method not only enhances the accuracy of defect detection, crucial for maintaining the reliability and safety of power transmission systems but also has broader implications for the maintenance and inspection of high-voltage power infrastructure.
Sustainable fishing harvest rates for fluctuating fish and invertebrate stocks
Authors: Poot-Salazar Alicia , Velázquez-Abunader Iván , Avendaño Otilio , Barajas-Girón Polo , Rojas-González Ramon Isaac , Pensamiento-Villarauz Saul , Soto-Vázquez Jesús M. , Chávez-Villegas José F. , Roa-Ureta Rubén H.
Published: September 2024

Ecological theory predicts fluctuations, such as oscillations and instabilities, in populations whose dynamics can be represented by discrete-time surplus production models, whenever the intrinsic rate of population growth (r) is too high. Many fished stocks may have sufficiently high r to undergo fluctuations under fishing. The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is the fishing harvest rate concept that underlies United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and much of national fisheries administration around the world and yet in fluctuating stocks the MSY does not exist. This is because MSY’s existence necessitates stable zero growth rates and in fluctuating stocks the growth rate switches from positive to negative over regular or irregular cycles, never staying put at zero. A more general surplus production concept is the total latent productivity (TLP). TLP averaged over years of negative and positive productivity has been proposed as a sustainable annual harvest rate for fluctuating stocks. We tested this theory assessing two harvested octopus populations inhabiting the Yucatan Peninsula with a 22-years time series of data, and a two-stages stock assessment methodology, with time-varying parameters at both stages. We find that parameters of the population dynamics changed in both species, dividing the time series in two periods, leading from single-point equilibrium to fluctuating dynamics in one species and increased amplitude and amplitude variability in the other species. These results mean that management based on the MSY would lead to overfishing and collapse of the two octopus stocks, as shown by stochastic projections. Conversely, the average TLP yielded much lower and realistic annual harvest rates, closer to actual landings over the 22-years period. We conclude that average TLP is the correct sustainable harvest rates for fluctuating stocks, which may include cephalopods, other invertebrates and small pelagic fish. This more general concept of surplus production needs to be incorporated in multilateral and national fisheries management policies to avoid overfishing stocks that have fluctuating population dynamics.