bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen Extrusion of Diazacorrphycenes to Azacorroles and Synthesis of Two Types of Copper 10-Azacorrole Complexes
Authors: Yagi Atsumi , Okada Naoya , Fukui Norihito , Tanaka Hisaaki , Hatakeyama Takuji , Shinokubo Hiroshi
Published: January 2022

The synthesis of Pd(II) and Cu(II) 10-azacorroles with a meso-NH group has been achieved through the thermal extrusion of one nitrogen atom from the corresponding diazacorrphycene metal complexes. We also found that oxidation of the Cu(II) 10-azacorrole complex afforded another type of copper 10-azacorrole with an imine moiety. The structural, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of these compounds were investigated to disclose the nature of two types of copper 10-azacorroles.
Bubbles in the belly: How well do radiology trainees recognize pneumatosis in pediatric patients on plain film?
Authors: Sharma Priya G. , Rajderkar Dhanashree A. , Sistrom Christopher L , Slater Roberta M. , Mancuso Anthony A.
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

Pneumatosis intestinalis is a radiographic finding that refers to the presence of gas within the walls of the small or large bowel. This sign is diagnostic in the setting of premature infants with suspected necrotizing enterocolitis. Earlier detection of NEC on X-ray is vital to improve the overall management in these infants. The identification of pneumatosis intestinalis concerning for necrotizing enterocolitis by the “on-call” trainee is critical in the care of the preterm infant. Our objective was to study trainees’ ability to identify pneumatosis on an emergent overnight film.

Methods:

The Emergent/Critical Care Imaging SIMulation (WIDI SIM) is a strategically designed computer-aided simulation of an emergency imaging experience that has been rigorously tested and proven to be a reliable means for assessing radiology trainee preparedness to competently and independently cover radiology call. One test case each year included requires the trainee to accurately identify pneumatosis on a plain radiograph of the abdomen in a neonate.

Results:

A total of 463 radiology trainees from 32 distinct training programs across the country were given a case of pneumatosis using the WIDI simulation web-based testing platform. On average only 28% of radiology trainees were able to correctly identify pneumatosis intestinalis on plain film. Although the sample sizes in the upper-level trainees were smaller, those with greater number years of training performed better.

Conclusions:

Further training must be given to radiology trainees to accurately recognize pneumatosis and report concerns for necrotizing enterocolitis.

Advances in knowledge:

This paper is the first to describe and assess the ability of the “on-call” radiology trainee to accurately recognize pneumatosis and report concerns for necrotizing enterocolitis. Our paper includes the largest cohort of radiology trainees evaluated to this date.
Innovative Digital and Experiential Blended Learning Non-Formal Programme for Community Animators: Lessons learned
Authors: Armaos Remos , Cullen Joe , Tsiboukli Anna
Published: January 2022

An innovative blended learning non-formal programme was launched in 2018-2019 for professionals and volunteers, who were encouraged to develop their own social competences in order to work directly as community animators with vulnerable groups and promote social inclusion in Greece. The intervention, which lay within an ongoing experimental European project, COMANITY, was built upon the challenges emerged from harsh economic restraints, rising demand, restricted supply and diminishing resources in our society. Within this context, youth services are urged to increase their efficiency and effectiveness, encourage civil society to fill the gaps in service provision left by ‘mainstream’ supply and try to support young people to ‘help their peers’ by getting more of them to volunteer. Community Animator’s non-formal blended learning training programme was carried out online programme delivered to 109 participants out of 947 who applied and through an experiential face to face workshop that was delivered to 14 unemployed women aiming to raise awareness and critical understanding of the concepts of democracy, equality, advocacy, human rights and social cohesion. Peer learning methods and an action research methodology were employed in order to enhance young participants to act as agents for change and develop a holding environment for those youth at risk to be marginalized. By working on their own capacities and motives, personal attitudes and possible dysfunctional assumptions, young participants actively shared and confronted critically their views and concerns, realized the impact of space and time on their civic engagement and organized themselves in social action. The present study discusses the profile and satisfaction level of participants in the online digital programme and the profile and satisfaction level of participants on the blended learning experiential programme. The data suggests that blended programmes are necessary for developing action research skills and enhancing the role of community animators, even though online programmes on their own can also assist in raising awareness about the role of community animators.
Social interconnection as a factor of the effectiveness of Second Chance Schools. A case study from a Detention Center in Greece
Authors: Stoumpou Amalia , Raikou Natassa
Published: January 2022

This paper refers to the importance of social interconnection between a Second Chance School (S.C.S.) in a detention center and the local community. The research was based on the qualitative approach and on the tool of the semi-structured interview for the collection of research data. Six trainers, eight trainees and the Director of the 2nd S.C.S. of Patras, were the sample of the research, while the technique of content analysis was chosen for the analysis of the data. The results of the survey show that there is a positive effect of the school's openness in achieving its educational objectives. In particular, social interconnection actions contribute to personal development, professional and educational vigilance, the acquisition of social skills, the change of attitudes and, to a lesser extent, to post-internment re-socialization. In addition, in order to improve the effectiveness of these actions, it is proposed that they are organized on a more stable and regular basis, as well as to focus mainly on vocational guidance.
Determinants of very low birth weight in India: The National Family Health Survey – 4
Authors: Scaria Liss , Soman Biju , George Babu , Ahamed Zulfikar , Hariharan Sankar , Jeemon Panniyammakal
Published: January 2022

Background

Low birth weight (LBW) is susceptible to neonatal complications, chronic medical conditions, and neurodevelopmental disabilities. We aim to describe the determinants of very low birth weight (VLBW) in India based on the National Family Health Survey – 4 (NHFS-4).

Methods

Data from the NFHS 4 on birthweight and other socio-demographic characteristics for the youngest child born in the family during the five years preceding the survey were used. Data of 147,762 infant–mother pairs were included. Multiple logistic regression models were employed to delineate the independent predictors of VLBW (birth weight<1500 g) or LBW (birth weight <2500 g).

Results

Of the 147,762 children included in the study, VLBW and LBW were observed in 1.2% and 15.8% of children, respectively. The odds of VLBW were higher in female children (aOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.15–1.60), among mothers aged 13–19 years (aOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.22–2.07), mothers with severe or moderate anaemia (aOR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.34–1.94), mothers without recommended antenatal care (aOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.31–1.90), maternal height less than 150 cm (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.29–1.85) and among mothers with multiple pregnancy (aOR: 21.34, 95% CI: 14.70–30.96) in comparison to their corresponding counterparts. In addition to the variables associated with VLBW, educational status of mothers (no education; aOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.15 and primary education; aOR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.08–1.25), caste of the children (scheduled tribe; aOR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03–1.24), and wealthiness of the family (poorest wealth quintiles; aOR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03–1.19) were associated with LBW.

Conclusions

Interventions targeting improvements in antenatal care access, maternal health, and nutritional status may reduce the number of VLBW infants. Social determinants of LBW require further detailed study to understand the high propensity of low birth-weight phenotypes in the disadvantaged communities in India.
Benders Subproblem Decomposition for Bilevel Problems with Convex Follower
Authors: Byeon Geunyeong , Van Hentenryck Pascal
Published: January 2022

Bilevel optimization formulates hierarchical decision-making processes that arise in many real-world applications, such as pricing, network design, and infrastructure defense planning. In this paper, we consider a class of bilevel optimization problems in which the upper level problem features some integer variables and the lower level problem enjoys strong duality. We propose a dedicated Benders decomposition method for solving this class of bilevel problems, which decomposes the Benders subproblem into two more tractable, sequentially solvable problems that can be interpreted as the upper and lower level problems. We show that the Benders subproblem decomposition carries over to an interesting extension of bilevel problems, which connects the upper level solution with the lower level dual solution, and discuss some special cases of bilevel problems that allow sequence-independent subproblem decomposition. Several novel schemes for generating numerically stable cuts, finding a good incumbent solution, and accelerating the search tree are discussed. A computational study demonstrates the computational benefits of the proposed method over a state-of-the-art, bilevel-tailored, branch-and-cut method; a commercial solver; and the standard Benders method on standard test cases and the motivating applications in sequential energy markets.
Collaboration Structures in Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems: An Exploratory Study of Accountable Care Organizations
Authors: Lan Yingchao , Chandrasekaran Aravind , Goradia Deepa , Walker Daniel
Published: January 2022

Problem definition: This study explores the performance implications of collaboration structures in an integrated healthcare delivery system, namely, an accountable care organization (ACO). ACOs consist of providers from various stages of the care continuum (preacute, acute, and postacute) that voluntarily assume collective responsibility for the quality and cost of care for a defined patient population. Academic/practical relevance: ACOs’ unsatisfied outcomes are largely due to a lack of provider collaboration. There is a dearth of empirical studies on how to develop collaboration structures. Studies in the healthcare operations management primarily have focused on collaboration within a single organization, shedding little light on this problem. We address this issue by exploring two distinct dimensions of collaboration: partnership scope and scale. Partnership scope measures the presence of providers from the preacute, acute, and/or postacute care-continuum stages, whereas partnership scale measures the presence of providers within a single care-continuum stage. Methodology: We assemble a unique data set of provider types, collaboration structures, and system-level performance for 528 Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACOs from 2013–2016. To investigate the impact of partnership scope and scale on ACO performance, we then use econometric estimation approaches that account for endogeneity in collaboration structure decisions. ACO performance is measured by experiential quality and 30-day readmission rates. As additional tests, we also investigate our research questions by assembling data sets at both the hospital level (20,975 hospital-year panel data spanning 2009 to 2015) and patient level (859,145 Medicare patients admitted to 39 California hospitals over a four-year period from 2012 to 2015). Results: We find that synergies exist between partnership scope and scale with respect to ACO performance. Specifically, an average-sized ACO can realize 3.2% more improvement in experiential quality and a 6.6% greater reduction in 30-day readmission rates through partnership scope and scale synergies in the preacute care stage. We also show that the benefits of increasing partnership scope are consistent across providers and patient-level analysis. Further, we find that these benefits come at some cost, suggesting an initial cost-quality trade-off when developing collaboration structures. Managerial implications: Our results offer important insights into the healthcare operations management literature on designing effective healthcare delivery systems extending beyond a single organization.
Dysphagia as a Rare Presentation of Cervical Cancer with Mediastinal Metastasis
Authors: Singh Vinit , Gor Dhairya , Azad Sarah , Ricca Anthony , Xu Yiqing , Meghal Trishala
Published: January 2022

Dysphagia has a broad aetiology and so it is essential to identify the precise cause. Cervical cancer metastasis is distinctive in that it usually involves local lymph node invasion; however, approximately 1% of cases have mediastinal involvement, which can cause severe compressive symptoms in rare situations. To highlight an uncommon severe manifestation of cervical cancer relapse, we describe a case of dysphagia in a woman with a history of cervical cancer. After a thorough investigation that included endoscopy, endoscopy with ultrasound, an oesophagogram and fine needle aspiration, we eventually reached the diagnosis of mediastinal metastatic cervical cancer. Following interventions, the patient's condition gradually improved, both clinically and radiographically.
Chemical Constituents from Leaves of Gardenia sootepensis and Pseudomussaenda flava Biological Activity and Antioxidant Activity
Authors:   Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Warinthip Nichthima , Liawruangrath Boonsom ,   Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Natakankitkul Surapol ,   Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Pojanakaroon Teeraboon ,   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Rannurags Narabhats ,   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Pyne Stephen G. ,   School of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia, Liawruangrath Saisunee ,   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Center of Excellent in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Published: January 2022

Abstract The chemical constituents of hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Gardenia sootepensis (G. sootepensis) and ethyl acetate extract of Pseudomussaenda flava (P. flava) were analyzed for the first time using GC and GC-MS. For the hexane extract of G. sootepensis: Nineteen compounds were identified constituting of 74.70% of the total chromatographical fraction components. The principle compounds were 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid (23.10%) and squalene (16.50%). For the ethyl acetate extract of G. sootepensis: Sixteen compounds were identified. The main compounds were octadecane (15.40%) and eicosane (14.50%). The ethyl acetate extract of P. flava: Nine compounds were identified. The founded compounds were squalene (21.20%) and 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid (17.40%). The in vitro antibacterial activity of the leave extracts in various solvents against four bacterial strains were investigated. The hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of G. sootepensis were found to possess antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S. pyogenes with the MIC value of 10 mg/mL respectively. The hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of G. sootepensis showed significant cytotoxicity against NCI-H187 cell lines with the IC50 values of 2.25 and 2.21 µg/mL respectively. But the extracts were non-cytotoxic to MCF-7 cell line. The results revealed that all the medicinal plant extracts possessed antioxidant activity. The ethyl acetate extract of G. sootepensis and P. flava exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with the IC50 value of 6.36 ± 0.02 mg/mL. and 9.74 ± 0.09 mg/mL. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, Biological activity, Chemical constituents, Gardenia sootepensis, Pseudomussaenda flava, Leaves extracts
Dental Setting Design Guideline Adaptation in the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Thailand
Authors:   Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Arkarapotiwong Piyadech , Chindapol Sumavalee ,   Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Published: January 2022

Abstract Criteria for dental clinic design in Thailand are recommended by the Design and Construction Division, Department of Health Service Support, Ministry of Public Health. During the Coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), there were several procedures regarding dental operations and infection prevention suggested by researchers and international health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO). However, some criteria still have discrepancies in practice, since they have no definite correct answers. This research describes the dental clinic redesign for COVID-19 control using dental setting design guidelines in both Thailand and foreign countries. The re-designed planning of the clinic was reviewed by dentists, engineers, and physicians. The issue of concern is the cost and the design’s value in the disinfection of facilities. Significant proven methods of disinfection are used in this paper, including functional re-consideration, negative air pressure rooms, filters, Ultra-Violet devices, and ozonators. This research contributes to the literature by providing a functional diagram for dental clinic adjustment in the COVID-19 situation. The 12 air changes per hour (ACH) ventilation combined with management protocol ensures that patients’ safety is a priority and provides a feasible option for adaptation in a developing country such as Thailand. Keywords: Architectural design, COVID-19, Dental clinic, Guideline, Planning
Evaluation of chemical constituents, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of n-hexane extract of Viscum album L. (Mistletoe) leaves
Authors:   Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of  Agriculture, Umudike, P. M. B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, Chukwu Charles Nnanna , Onyedikachi Uchechi Bliss ,   Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of  Agriculture, Umudike, P. M. B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, Ejiofor Emmanuel ,   Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Clifford University, Owerrinta, Abia State, Nigeria
Published: January 2022

Abstract Viscum album L. (Mistletoe) is used in ethnomedicine for the management of some ailments ranging from inflammation, pains and oxidative stress. The phytoconstituents, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of n-hexane extract of mistletoe leaves (nHEML) were evaluated in this study. nHEML was obtained from fresh leaves of Viscum album L. using a Soxhlet extractor. Total phenol and flavonoid compositions were assayed using standard colourimetric methods. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used to ascertain the presence of phytochemicals in the extract. The antioxidant property was determined using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, while the anti-inflammatory property was investigated using membrane stabilization (hypotonicity) and heat-induced hemolysis of human red blood cell (HRBC) assays. The results showed a high amount of total phenolic content (37.82 ± 0.22 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (128.85 ± 3.85 mgQE/100mg). GC-MS analysis showed the presence of essential phytoconstituents including phytosterols, vitamin C, fatty acids etc., with known potent biological activities. In vitro, the antioxidant assay showed that DPPH scavenging activity of nHEML was only detected at 400μg/ml with 13.46%, while there was a dose-dependent increase in FRAP activity of nHEML from 50 to 400μg/ml compared to the standard. For the in vitro anti-inflammatory assay, there was a dose-dependent increase in HRBC membrane stabilization and anti-hemolytic activities, which were higher than those of the standards at 200 and 400µg/mL. nHEML contains a significant amount of flavonoids which improved the anti-inflammatory activities against hypotonic and heat-induced inflammation, hence justifying its potential as a possible anti-inflammatory agent. Keywords: Anti-inflammatory activity; antioxidant; DPPH scavenging activity; GC-MS; hemolysis; oxidative stress
Determination of Proximate Composition, Phytochemical Contents, Amino Acid Profile, and Functional Characteristics of Landolphia togolana Root Bark as a Potential Functional Food
Authors:   Department of Home Economics and Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, Opaleke Deborah O. ,   Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria,   Department of Food Technology, Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko Campus, Durban, South Africa, Ekemini E. Uko-Aviomoh Lilian I. Salami ,   Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria, Ijabadeniyi Oluwatosin A. ,   Department of Food Technology, Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko Campus, Durban, South Africa, Arise Abimbola K. ,   Department of Home Economics and Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Published: January 2022

Abstract Overtime, consumers have become more concerned with eating a nutritious diet in order to improve their well-being. In this regard, plant bioactive chemicals with functional activity might play a crucial role in preventing acute and chronic health diseases in addition to their usual nutritional functions. As a result, researchers, health experts, and regulatory agencies are seeking known and yet to be identified plants for potential use as functional foods. Therefore, this study evaluated the nutritional composition of Landolphia togolana. L. togolona root procured from a commercial farm was extracted using methanolic extraction and subjected to laboratory analyses to check for its proximate composition, phytochemical screening, mineral composition, amino acid profiling, and functional characteristics. Results showed that L. togolona is a good source of carbohydrate (40.03). The highest and lowest minerals were iron (36.3 mg/100g) and calcium (0.86 mg/100g) respectively, and the higher contents of thiamine (39.28 µg/100g) and α-tocopherol (52.98 µg/100g). Secondary plant metabolites found were flavonoids (392.49 mg QE/g), steroids (126.00 g/100 mL), triterpenes (95.68 g/mL), alkaloids (0.41 g/100mL), saponins (0.821 g/100 mL), tannins (148.8 mgTA/g), and glycosides (0.04 g/100mL). Amino acid profiling revealed significant levels of essential amino acids such as glutamine (7.8 mg/100g), histidine (3.90 mg/100g), and proline (3.60 mg/100g). Further results showed a high swelling index (SI = 2.21) and water absorption capacity (WAC = 3.10). Analysis of color indicated values for L* a* b*. L. togolana is a rich source of phytochemicals, vitamins, and amino acids and could be well integrated in local diets. Keywords: Functional food, Landolphia togolana, Phytochemical, Proximate, Thickeners
Gejala Gastrointestinal sebagai Faktor Prognostik Keparahan dan Kematian pada Pasien COVID-19: Sebuah Meta-Analisis Global
Authors: Ridwan Hadi Kusuma Taufik , Sholihah Mentari Maratus , Hanif Muhammad Ifham
Published: January 2022

Pendahuluan: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) merupakan pandemi global yang menimbulkan manifestasi klinis yang luas termasuk gejala gastrointestinal. Beberapa studi telah meneliti tingkat keparahan dan mortalitas COVID-19 dengan manifestasi gastrointestinal, tetapi hanya di tingkat regional. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggabungkan beberapa literatur tentang keparahan dan mortalitas akibat COVID-19 dengan manifestasi gastrointestinal di beberapa pusat studi dari berbagai negara.

Metode: Studi ini merupakan studi meta-analisis. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan data sekunder yang diperoleh dari proses pencarian dan pemilihan data dari studi klinis di seluruh dunia. Pencarian artikel melalui database yang sistematik dan komprehensif dari PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, ProQuest, dan Springer Link. Artikel dikumpulkan dengan diagram PRISMA, dilakukan telaah kritis menggunakan PRISMA checklist dan analisis PICO kemudian data dianalisis dengan menggunakan perangkat Review Manager 5.4.1 dengan Random Effect Model (REM). Hasil analisis yang didapatkan berupa besarnya efek, heterogenitas dan model studi.

Hasil: Berdasarkan analisis data dari berbagai studi di beberapa negara, hasil menunjukkan bahwa gejala gastrointestinal tidak memiliki hubungan signifikan terhadap peningkatan keparahan (aOR 0.77; 95% CI 0.35-1.70; I2=0.73; p=0.52) dan mortalitas  (aOR 0.87; 95% CI 0.34-2.21; I2=0.63; p=0.77) COVID-19.

Kesimpulan: Pasien COVID-19 dengan gejala gastrointestinal lebih kecil kemungkinannya untuk mengalami penyakit yang parah serta mortalitas dibandingkan pasien tanpa gejala gastrointestinal.

Kata Kunci: Gejala Gastrointestinal, COVID-19, Faktor Prognosis, Keparahan, Kematian.
Feminist peace or state co-optation? The Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar
Authors: Olivius Elisabeth , Hedström Jenny , Mar Phyo Zin
Published: January 2022

This article engages with emerging debates about feminist peace and uses this concept to assess the ability of the Women, Peace and Security agenda to achieve gender-just change. We advance a conception of feminist peace as political conditions that allow women affected by conflict to articulate their visions of change and influence the construction of post-war order. Applying this to a case study of Women, Peace and Security practice in Myanmar, we demonstrate that features of how international aid is organised, combined with the Myanmar government’s interest in excluding critical voices, limit the ability of Women, Peace and Security practices to contribute to feminist peace. This highlights the potential for illiberal post-war states to obstruct and co-opt the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and shows how the women most directly affected by armed conflict are often the least able to participate in, benefit from and inform Women, Peace and Security practices.
Digital Holography and 3D Imaging: introduction to the joint feature issue in Applied Optics and Journal of the Optical Society of America A
Authors: Banerjee Partha P. , Stoykova Elena , Chu Daping , Park Jae-Hyeung , Ferraro Pietro , Sheridan John
Published: January 2022

This feature issue is a continuation of a tradition, since 2007, to follow the conclusion of the OSA Topical Meeting on Digital Holography and 3D Imaging (DH+3D). It addresses current research topics in digital holography (DH) and 3D imaging that are also in line with the topics of Applied Optics (AO) and the Journal of the Optical Society of America A (JOSA A).
Microbubble dynamics and jetting near tissue-phantom biointerfaces
Authors: Mur Jaka , Agrež Vid , Petelin Jaka , Petkovšek Rok
Published: January 2022

Precise excitation of cavitation is a promising mechanism for microsurgery procedures and targeted drug delivery enhancement. The underlying phenomenon of interest, jetting behaviour of oscillating cavitation bubbles, occurs due to near-surface interactions between the boundary, liquid, and bubble. Within this study we measured boundary effects on the cavitation bubble dynamics and morphology, with an emphasis on observation and measurement of jetting behaviour near tissue-phantom biointerfaces. An important mechanism of boundary poration has been observed using time-resolved optical microscopy and explained for different tissue-phantom surface densities and Young’s modulus. Below a critical distance to the boundary, around γ = 1.0, the resulting jets penetrated the tissue-phantom, resulting in highly localized few micrometer diameter jets.
Optical dichroism in ZnGeP2 crystals at deep levels
Authors: Medvedkin Gennady
Published: January 2022

Undoped single crystals

Z
n
G
e

P

2

have been studied by optical absorption spectroscopy in the range of 0.65–3.0 µm, where the unwanted absorption by intrinsic point defects plays a decisive role in highly efficient nonlinear optical devices. An increased optical dichroism up to 70% is achieved due to rearrangement of deep levels after low-temperature annealing (LTA). Zinc vacancies among other defects (phosphorus vacancies, cationic antisites) make the main contribution to the local structure transformation. A surprising fact is that the amplitude of optical dichroism at the deep acceptor

V

Z
n

exceeds the maximum photopleochroism

∼

55

%

for direct optical transitions in

Z
n
G
e

P

2

. Structural improvement based on the distorted tetrahedron model is discussed.
Quantum tunneling effect on the surface enhanced Raman process in molecular systems
Authors: Ma Weiqi , Dai Qiyuan , Wei Yong , Li Li
Published: January 2022

In this paper, we theoretically study the effect of quantum tunneling on the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of a generic molecule confined in sub-nanometer nanocavities formed by metallic dimers. The tunneling effect was described by the quantum corrected model in combination with finite element simulations. The SERS spectra were calculated by a density matrix method. Simulation results demonstrate that both the field enhancement and the molecular SERS spectra are very sensitive to the size of the cavity. By decreasing the gap size, the local field enhancement first increases then starts to be significantly suppressed as a result of the tunneling effect which neutralizes the positive and negative induced charges in the nanocavity. Consequently, the SERS intensity also experienced dramatic decrease in the short gap distance region. We also show that both the plasmonic enhancement to the local field and the enhanced molecular decay rates have to be taken into account to understand the SERS properties of the molecule in such sub-nanometer nanocavities. These results could be helpful for the understanding of the surface enhanced spectral properties of molecular systems at sub-nanometer nanocavities.
Spin–orbit coupling suppressed high-capacity dual-step-index ring-core OAM fiber
Authors: Lu Quanchao , Tu Jiajing , Wang Zhuo , Gao Shecheng , Zhou Ji , Xiao Qinghua , Shen Lei , Lan Xiaobo , Liu Weiping , Li Zhaohui
Published: January 2022

We design and fabricate a dual-step-index ring-core fiber (RCF) for orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode transmission. It has been proven that the proposed novel, to the best of our knowledge, dual-step-index ring-core structure can suppress the spin–orbit coupling and cut off the radial higher-order modes when the mode number becomes very large. In experiments, we demonstrate that the fabricated fiber can support OAM8,1 with the interferometric method, where four higher-order mode groups are weakly-coupled. We also measure the loss of each mode according to the cut-back method and the loss can achieve <0.3 dB/km for the OAM modes with an order from |l| = 1 to |l| = 5. The exploration of this novel optical fiber structure may provide ideas and knowledge for the improvement of the optical fiber communication capacity.
MEMS-tunable dielectric metasurface lens using thin-film PZT for large displacements at low voltages
Authors: Dirdal Christopher A. , Thrane Paul C. V. , Dullo Firehun T. , Gjessing Jo , Summanwar Anand , Tschudi Jon
Published: January 2022

Tunable focusing is a desired property in a wide range of optical
imaging and sensing technologies but has tended to require bulky
components that cannot be integrated on-chip and have slow actuation
speeds. Recently, integration of metasurfaces into electrostatic
micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) architectures has shown
potential to overcome these challenges but has offered limited
out-of-plane displacement range while requiring large voltages. We
demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a
movable metasurface lens actuated by integrated thin-film PZT MEMS,
which has the advantage of offering large displacements at low
voltages. An out-of-plane displacement of a metasurface in the range
of 7.2

μ

m is demonstrated under a voltage
application of 23 V. This is roughly twice the displacement at a
quarter of the voltage of state of the art electrostatic out-of-plane
actuation of metasurfaces. Using this tunability, we demonstrate a
varifocal lens doublet with a focal shift of the order of 250

μ

m at the wavelength 1.55 μm. The
thin-film PZT MEMS-metasurface is a promising platform for
miniaturized varifocal components.
Analytical design of optical color filter using bi-layered chiral liquid crystal
Authors: Wang Dahee , Nam Seungmin , Choi Su Seok
Published: January 2022

We introduce an optically controllable color filter model using bi-layered CLC structure. From mathematical parameter sweep analysis using 4×4 matrix method, wavelength controls of red, green, and blue optical color filters and tailored tuning of optical purity in terms of FWHM from 105 nm down to 21 nm at green colored position were confirmed. In addition, an improved color gamut of optical color filters up to 162% of sRGB space in CIE 1931 was first reported. Facile design of custom color filter with controlled wavelength and FWHM, along with enhanced color gamut, can be used for various optical applications.
Efficient ReML inference in variance component mixed models using a Min-Max algorithm
Authors: Laporte Fabien , Charcosset Alain , Mary-Huard Tristan
Published: January 2022

Since their introduction in the 50’s, variance component mixed models have been widely used in many application fields. In this context, ReML estimation is by far the most popular procedure to infer the variance components of the model. Although many implementations of the ReML procedure are readily available, there is still need for computational improvements due to the ever-increasing size of the datasets to be handled, and to the complexity of the models to be adjusted. In this paper, we present a Min-Max (MM) algorithm for ReML inference and combine it with several speed-up procedures. The ReML MM algorithm we present is compared to 5 state-of-the-art publicly available algorithms used in statistical genetics. The computational performance of the different algorithms are evaluated on several datasets representing different plant breeding experimental designs. The MM algorithm ranks among the top 2 methods in almost all settings and is more versatile than many of its competitors. The MM algorithm is a promising alternative to the classical AI-ReML algorithm in the context of variance component mixed models. It is available in the MM4LMM R-package.
McComedy: A user-friendly tool for next-generation individual-based modeling of microbial consumer-resource systems
Authors: Bogdanowski André , Banitz Thomas , Muhsal Linea Katharina , Kost Christian , Frank Karin
Published: January 2022

Individual-based modeling is widely applied to investigate the ecological mechanisms driving microbial community dynamics. In such models, the population or community dynamics emerge from the behavior and interplay of individual entities, which are simulated according to a predefined set of rules. If the rules that govern the behavior of individuals are based on generic and mechanistically sound principles, the models are referred to as next-generation individual-based models. These models perform particularly well in recapitulating actual ecological dynamics. However, implementation of such models is time-consuming and requires proficiency in programming or in using specific software, which likely hinders a broader application of this powerful method. Here we present McComedy, a modeling tool designed to facilitate the development of next-generation individual-based models of microbial consumer-resource systems. This tool allows flexibly combining pre-implemented building blocks that represent physical and biological processes. The ability of McComedy to capture the essential dynamics of microbial consumer-resource systems is demonstrated by reproducing and furthermore adding to the results of two distinct studies from the literature. With this article, we provide a versatile tool for developing next-generation individual-based models that can foster understanding of microbial ecology in both research and education.
AT-752, a double prodrug of a guanosine nucleotide analog, inhibits yellow fever virus in a hamster model
Authors: Lin Kai , Good Steven S. , Julander Justin G. , Weight Abbie E. , Moussa Adel , Sommadossi Jean-Pierre
Published: January 2022

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is a zoonotic pathogen re-emerging in parts of the world, causing a viral hemorrhagic fever associated with high mortality rates. While an effective vaccine is available, having an effective antiviral against YFV is critical against unexpected outbreaks, or when vaccination is not recommended. We have previously identified AT-281, the free base of AT-752, an orally available double prodrug of a guanosine nucleotide analog, as a potent inhibitor of YFV in vitro, with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 0.31 μM. In hamsters infected with YFV (Jimenez strain), viremia rose about 4 log10-fold and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 2-fold compared to sham-infected animals. Treatment with 1000 mg/kg AT-752 for 7 days, initiated 4 h prior to viral challenge, reduced viremia to below the limit of detection by day 4 post infection (pi) and returned ALT to normal levels by day 6 pi. When treatment with AT-752 was initiated 2 days pi, the virus titer and ALT dropped >2 log10 and 53% by day 4 and 6 pi, respectively. In addition, at 21 days pi, 70–100% of the infected animals in the treatment groups survived compared to 0% of the untreated group (p<0.001). Moreover, in vivo formation of the active triphosphate metabolite AT-9010 was measured in the animal tissues, with the highest concentrations in liver and kidney, organs that are vulnerable to the virus. The demonstrated in vivo activity of AT-752 suggests that it is a promising compound for clinical development in the treatment of YFV infection.
Predicting dengue incidence leveraging internet-based data sources. A case study in 20 cities in Brazil
Authors: Koplewitz Gal , Lu Fred , Clemente Leonardo , Buckee Caroline , Santillana Mauricio
Published: January 2022

The dengue virus affects millions of people every year worldwide, causing large epidemic outbreaks that disrupt people’s lives and severely strain healthcare systems. In the absence of a reliable vaccine against dengue or an effective treatment to manage the illness in humans, most efforts to combat dengue infections have focused on preventing its vectors, mainly the Aedes aegypti mosquito, from flourishing across the world. These mosquito-control strategies need reliable disease activity surveillance systems to be deployed. Despite significant efforts to estimate dengue incidence using a variety of data sources and methods, little work has been done to understand the relative contribution of the different data sources to improved prediction. Additionally, scholarship on the topic had initially focused on prediction systems at the national- and state-levels, and much remains to be done at the finer spatial resolutions at which health policy interventions often occur. We develop a methodological framework to assess and compare dengue incidence estimates at the city level, and evaluate the performance of a collection of models on 20 different cities in Brazil. The data sources we use towards this end are weekly incidence counts from prior years (seasonal autoregressive terms), weekly-aggregated weather variables, and real-time internet search data. We find that both random forest-based models and LASSO regression-based models effectively leverage these multiple data sources to produce accurate predictions, and that while the performance between them is comparable on average, the former method produces fewer extreme outliers, and can thus be considered more robust. For real-time predictions that assume long delays (6–8 weeks) in the availability of epidemiological data, we find that real-time internet search data are the strongest predictors of dengue incidence, whereas for predictions that assume short delays (1–3 weeks), in which the error rate is halved (as measured by relative RMSE), short-term and seasonal autocorrelation are the dominant predictors. Despite the difficulties inherent to city-level prediction, our framework achieves meaningful and actionable estimates across cities with different demographic, geographic and epidemic characteristics.
Characterisation of tetraspanins from Schistosoma haematobium and evaluation of their potential as novel diagnostic markers
Authors: Mekonnen Gebeyaw G. , Tedla Bemnet A. , Pearson Mark S. , Becker Luke , Field Matt , Amoah Abena S. , van Dam Govert , Corstjens Paul L. A. M. , Mduluza Takafira , Mutapi Francisca , Loukas Alex , Sotillo Javier
Published: January 2022

Schistosoma haematobium is the leading cause of urogenital schistosomiasis and it is recognised as a class 1 carcinogen due to the robust association of infection with bladder cancer. In schistosomes, tetraspanins (TSPs) are abundantly present in different parasite proteomes and could be potential diagnostic candidates due to their accessibility to the host immune system. The large extracellular loops of six TSPs from the secretome (including the soluble excretory/secretory products, tegument and extracellular vesicles) of S. haematobium (Sh-TSP-2, Sh-TSP-4, Sh-TSP-5, Sh-TSP-6, Sh-TSP-18 and Sh-TSP-23) were expressed in a bacterial expression system and polyclonal antibodies were raised to the recombinant proteins to confirm the anatomical sites of expression within the parasite. Sh-TSP-2, and Sh-TSP-18 were identified on the tegument, whereas Sh-TSP-4, Sh-TSP-5, Sh-TSP-6 and Sh-TSP-23 were identified both on the tegument and internal tissues of adult parasites. The mRNAs encoding these TSPs were differentially expressed throughout all schistosome developmental stages tested. The potential diagnostic value of three of these Sh-TSPs was assessed using the urine of individuals (stratified by infection intensity) from an endemic area of Zimbabwe. The three Sh-TSPs were the targets of urine IgG responses in all cohorts, including individuals with very low levels of infection (those positive for circulating anodic antigen but negative for eggs by microscopy). This study provides new antigen candidates to immunologically diagnose S. haematobium infection, and the work presented here provides compelling evidence for the use of a biomarker signature to enhance the diagnostic capability of these tetraspanins.
Efficacy, cost-minimization, and budget impact of a personalized discharge letter for basal cell carcinoma patients to reduce low-value follow-up care
Authors: van Egmond Sven , van Vliet Ella D. , Wakkee Marlies , Hollestein Loes M. , Pouwels Xavier G. L. V. , Koffijberg Hendrik , Misirli Yesim , Bakkum Rachel S. L. A. , Bastiaens Maarten T. , Kukutsch Nicole A. , Oosting Albert J. , Plasmeijer Elsemieke I. , van Rengen Annik , de Roos Kees-Peter , Nijsten Tamar E. C. , de Vries Esther , de Bekker-Grob Esther W.
Published: January 2022

Background

The incidence of keratinocyte carcinomas is high and rapidly growing. Approximately 80% of keratinocyte carcinomas consist of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) with 50% of these being considered as low-risk tumors. Nevertheless, 83% of the low-risk BCC patients were found to receive more follow-up care than recommended according to the Dutch BCC guideline, which is one visit post-treatment for this group. More efficient management could reduce unnecessary follow-up care and related costs.

Objectives

To study the efficacy, cost-utility, and budget impact of a personalized discharge letter for low-risk BCC patients compared with usual care (no personalized letter).

Methods

In a multi-center intervention study, a personalized discharge letter in addition to usual care was compared to usual care in first-time BCC patients. Model-based cost-utility and budget impact analyses were conducted, using individual patient data gathered via surveys. The outcome measures were number of follow-up visits, costs and quality adjusted life years (QALY) per patient.

Results

A total of 473 first-time BCC patients were recruited. The personalized discharge letter decreased the number of follow-up visits by 14.8% in the first year. The incremental costs after five years were -€24.45 per patient. The QALYs were 4.12 after five years and very similar in both groups. The national budget impact was -€2,7 million after five years.

Conclusions

The distribution of a personalized discharge letter decreases the number of unnecessary follow-up visits and implementing the intervention in a large eligible population would results in substantial cost savings, contributing to restraining the growing BCC costs.
Multilocus sequence based identification and adaptational strategies of Pseudomonas sp. from the supraglacial site of Sikkim Himalaya
Authors: Mukhia Srijana , Kumar Anil , Kumari Poonam , Kumar Rakshak , Kumar Sanjay
Published: January 2022

Microorganisms inhabiting the supraglacial ice are biotechnologically significant as they are equipped with unique adaptive features in response to extreme environmental conditions of high ultraviolet radiations and frequent freeze-thaw. In the current study, we obtained eleven strains of Pseudomonas from the East Rathong supraglacial site in Sikkim Himalaya that showed taxonomic ambiguity in terms of species affiliation. Being one of the most complex and diverse genera, deciphering the correct taxonomy of Pseudomonas species has always been challenging. So, we conducted multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using five housekeeping genes, which concluded the taxonomic assignment of these strains to Pseudomonas antarctica. This was further supported by the lesser mean genetic distances with P. antarctica (0.73%) compared to P. fluorescens (3.65%), and highest ANI value of ~99 and dDDH value of 91.2 of the representative strains with P. antarctica PAMC 27494. We examined the multi-tolerance abilities of these eleven Pseudomonas strains. Indeed the studied strains displayed significant tolerance to freezing for 96 hours compared to the mesophilic control strain, while except for four strains, seven strains exhibited noteworthy tolerance to UV-C radiations. The genome-based findings revealed many cold and radiation resistance-associated genes that supported the physiological findings. Further, the bacterial strains produced two or more cold-active enzymes in plate-based assays. Owing to the polyadaptational attributes, the strains ERGC3:01 and ERGC3:05 could be most promising for bioprospection.