bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mumps outbreak in university students: first detection of mumps virus genotype F in Borneo
Authors: Fong Siat Yee , Mori Daisuke , John Jecelyn Leaslie , Giloi Nelbon , Jeffree Mohammad Saffree , Ahmed Kamruddin
Published: March 2022

Background

In October 2016, a mumps outbreak occurred among the students living in the on-campus dormitory of a public university located in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. This study aimed to investigate the outbreak and identify the genotype of the mumps virus (MuV) strain that was involved in the outbreak.

Main body

During the outbreak, one 21-year-old and four 20-year-old males staying in the same dormitory building were reported to have developed symptoms of mumps. Of these, two students were available during the investigation for sample collection to detect MuV by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the 639-bp fragment encompassing the entire small hydrophobic (SH) gene. Nucleotide sequencing of the amplicon and phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining method was performed to determine the MuV genotype. Of the two buccal swab samples, one was positive for MuV. The MuV strain in this sample belonged to genotype F and it was clustered together with genotype F strains from China with 96.84–99.68% nucleotide identity.

Conclusions

Genotype F has limited circulation and is endemic in mainland China. Genotype F strains occasionally reported from other countries were epidemiologically linked to China. This study is the first to report a case of genotype F MuV in Malaysia and no epidemiological link could be established with mainland China. The results provide important information that can assist in strategic planning to improve the prevention and control of mumps infection in Malaysia.
The comparative interrupted time series design for assessment of diagnostic impact: methodological considerations and an example using point-of-care C-reactive protein testing
Authors: Fanshawe Thomas R. , Turner Philip J. , Gillespie Marjorie M. , Hayward Gail N.
Published: March 2022

Background

In diagnostic evaluation, it is necessary to assess the clinical impact of a new diagnostic as well as its diagnostic accuracy. The comparative interrupted time series design has been proposed as a quasi-experimental approach to evaluating interventions. We show how it can be used in the design of a study to evaluate a point-of-care diagnostic test for C-reactive protein in out-of-hours primary care services, to guide antibiotic prescribing among patients presenting with possible respiratory tract infection. This study consisted of a retrospective phase that used routinely collected monthly antibiotic prescribing data from different study sites, and a prospective phase in which antibiotic prescribing rates were monitored after the C-reactive protein diagnostic was introduced at some of the sites.

Methods

Of 8 study sites, 3 were assigned to receive the diagnostic and 5 were assigned as controls. We obtained retrospective monthly time series of respiratory tract targeted antibiotic prescriptions at each site. Separate ARIMA models at each site were used these to forecast monthly prescription counts that would be expected in the prospective phase, using simulation to obtain a set of 1-year predictions alongside their standard errors. We show how these forecasts can be combined to test for a change in prescription rates after introduction of the diagnostic and estimate power to detect this change.

Results

Fitted time series models at each site were stationary and showed second-order annual seasonality, with a clear December peak in prescriptions, although the timing and extent of the peak varied between sites and between years. Mean one-year predictions of antibiotic prescribing rates based on the retrospective time series analysis differed between sites assigned to receive the diagnostic and those assigned to control. Adjusting for the trend in the retrospective time series at each site removed these differences.

Conclusions

Quasi-experimental designs such as comparative interrupted time series can be used in diagnostic evaluation to estimate effect sizes before conducting a full randomised controlled trial or if a randomised trial is infeasible. In multi-site studies, existing retrospective data should be used to adjust for underlying differences between sites to make outcome data from different sites comparable, when possible.
Evaluation and validation of a patient-reported quality-of-life questionnaire for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Stathis Pantelis , Papadopoulos George
Published: March 2022

Background

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive illness with a profound impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Disease-specific patient-reported HRQoL measures, such as PDQ-39 and its short version PDQ-8, are increasingly used in clinical practice to address the consequences of PD on everyday life. Due to limitations in the content, especially in non-motor symptoms and sleep disturbances of PDQ-8, PDQoL7, a 7-item, short-term, self-reported, PD-specific HRQoL questionnaire was developed.

Methods

A representative sample of 60 adults with idiopathic PD completed the PDQoL7 questionnaire and the existing validated PDQ-8 and EQ-5D-5L questionnaires (all in Greek).

Results

PDQoL7 summary index strongly correlated with PDQ-8 (rs = 0.833,P < 0.001) and EQ-5D-5L (rs =  − 0.852,P < 0.001). The correlation between PDQoL7 and EQ-5D-5L was statistically significantly stronger compared to PDQ-8 and EQ-5D-5L (rs =  − 0.852 vs rs =  − 0.789 respectively,P < 0.001). The internal consistency of PDQoL7 was not affected by item deletion (positive item to total correlations: 0.29–0.63). No redundant items (with inter-item correlation coefficients greater than 0.80) were identified. Cronbach’s α for PDQoL7 was comparable to PDQ-8 (0.804 versus 0.799 respectively). As PDQoL7 had three-dimensional structure, omega coefficient analysis confirmed its reliability (omega total: 0.88; omega hierarchical: 0.58).

Conclusions

PDQoL7 is an acceptable, easy to use, valid and reliable tool for the determination of HRQoL in PD patients that is potentially more comprehensive than PDQ-8 based on the available evidence. PDQoL7 could allow for a more thorough evaluation of the impact of PD and contribute to guiding healthcare decisions. This will be confirmed in subsequent analysis on larger patient cohorts.
Implementation of an ED surge management platform: a study protocol
Authors: Anaraki Nahid Rahimipour , Jewer Jennifer , Hurley Oliver , Mariathas Hensley H. , Young Christina , Norman Paul , Patey Christopher , Wilson Brenda , Etchegary Holly , Senior Dorothy , Asghari Shabnam
Published: March 2022

Background

Emergency departments (EDs) around the world are struggling with long wait times and overcrowding. To address these issues, a quality improvement program called SurgeCon was created to improve ED efficiency and patient satisfaction. This paper presents a framework for managing and evaluating the implementation of an ED surge management platform. Our framework builds on the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to structure our approach and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to guide our choice of outcome variables and scalability.

Methods

Four hospital EDs will receive the SurgeCon quality improvement intervention. Using a stepped wedge cluster design, each ED will be randomized to one of four start dates. Data will be collected before, during, and after the implementation of the intervention. RE-AIM will be used to guide the assessment of SurgeCon, and guided by CFIR, we will measure ED key performance indicators (KPI), patient-reported outcomes, and implementation outcomes related to SurgeCon’s scalability, adaptability, sustainability, and overall costs. Participants in this study consist of patients who visit any of the four selected EDs during the study period, providers/staff, and health system managers. A mixed-methods approach will be utilized to evaluate implementation outcomes.

Discussion

This study will provide important insight into the implementation and evaluation techniques to enhance uptake and benefits associated with an ED surge-management platform. The proposed framework bridges research and practice by involving researchers, practitioners, and patients in the implementation and evaluation process, to produce an actionable framework that others can follow. We anticipate that the implementation approach would be generalizable to program implementations in other EDs.

Trial registration

• Name of the registry: ClinicalTrials.gov

• Trial registration number: NCT04789902

• Date of registration: 03/10/2021
Assessment of twist tape thermal performance in heat transfer passive augmentation technique
Authors: Dehankar Prashant B. , Joshi Keshava , Bhosale Vijay A. , Mulik Rishikesh N.
Published: March 2022

Processing processes such as petrochemical, refineries, pharmaceutical, thermal, chemical, and integrated chemical industries such as the food, dairy and sugar industries have been widely used for heat exchange. Additional techniques have been used in the formulation of various twist geometry gestures such as helical film, triangular/rectangular/trapezoidal tape, HiTrain wire matrix mould, a novel turbulator with a diameter (p/d), well placed/separated broken twisted tapes, conic splitting, and other geometric tapes are well researched with Reynolds number range 13–500,000 liquid processing solutions such as ethylene glycol and turbine oil respectively. This paper also highlighted the impact of circular holes, rectangular holes, angle of entry, wavy rate and tape size in the optimal temperature parameter such as thermal enhancement factor 1.04–3 varies with Reynolds' number from 100 to 20,000. By test/numerical reading the curved ratio was calculated from 0.25 short lengths to 20 trapezoidal cuts with tape geometry through various reviews. The Jacobean matrix associated to the linear equation is given by,$$\begin{aligned} J\left( X \right) & = \left[ { \begin{array}{*{20}c} {\frac{{\partial f_{1} }}{{\partial T_{2} }}} & {\frac{{\partial f_{1} }}{{\partial T_{4} }}} \\ {\frac{{\partial f_{2} }}{{\partial T_{2} }}} & {\frac{{\partial f_{2} }}{{\partial T_{4} }}} \\ \end{array} } \right] \\ \frac{{\partial f_{1} }}{{\partial T_{2} }} & = - Q_{h } Cp_{h} \\ \frac{{\partial f_{1} }}{{\partial T_{4} }} & = - Q_{c } Cp_{c} \\ \frac{{\partial f_{2} }}{{\partial T_{2} }} & = - Q_{h } Cp_{h} - \left\{ { \frac{{\left[ {U A \left\{ { \left( {T_{1} - T_{4} } \right) - \left( {T_{4} - T_{3} } \right) } \right\}} \right] \left[ { \frac{{\left( {T_{1} - T_{4} } \right)}}{{\left( {T_{2} - T_{3} } \right)}} } \right] ^{2 } }}{{\ln \left[ {\frac{{\left( {T_{1} - T_{4} } \right)}}{{\left( {T_{2} - T_{3} } \right)}}} \right] ^{2 } }}} \right\}. \\ \end{aligned}$$

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Compared to a blank tube, the heat transfer rate and the friction factor improved by 20% when using full-length tapes y = 2.5, and NNu increased 9 times to y = 3.125. There is a 30–40% increase using different twisted tapes. This in-depth study is common use in industrial systems to gain power.
Henna-induced acute hemolysis in an elderly woman: a rare case report from the Maldives
Authors: Dey Rajib Kumar , Latheef Ali Abdulla , Imad Hisham Ahmed , Murad Moosa
Published: March 2022

Background

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme deficiency is the most common enzymopathy in the world with a high prevalence in people of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Mediterranean region. Being an X-linked recessive disorder, majority of the patients are males, and women get affected only if they are homozygous or double heterozygous for G6PD mutants. These patients are usually asymptomatic and present with an acute episode of hemolytic anemia when exposed to certain medications, chemicals, infections, fava beans, or any oxidative stress.

Case presentation

Here, we report a rare case of acute hemolytic anemia in an elderly woman following exposure to henna. On evaluation, she was found to be G6PD-deficient. We postulate that with increasing age, there is an increase in the amount of skewing about 70–90% in women above 70 years old which may lead to hemolysis in G6PD-deficient patients.

Conclusion

We advise all healthcare workers to keep a close eye and screen for G6PD deficiency in all elderly women presenting with acute hemolytic anemia.
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibitor Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer Carrying Germline Pathogenic Variants in DNA Repair–Related Genes
Authors: Bruno Luisina , Ostinelli Alexis , Waisberg Federico , Enrico Diego , Ponce Carolina , Rivero Sergio , Blanco Albano , Zarba Martín , Loza Martín , Fabiano Verónica , Amat Mora , Pombo María Teresa , Noro Laura , Chacón Matías , Coló Federico , Chacón Reinaldo , Nadal Jorge , Nervo Adrián , Costanzo Victoria
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE

In recent years, unprecedented benefits have been observed with the development of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 and 6 inhibitors for the treatment of hormone receptor–positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative metastatic breast cancer. However, there is scarce evidence of their value in specific populations, such as patients carrying germline pathogenic variants in DNA repair–related genes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied the efficacy of CDK 4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy in patients with hormone receptor–positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative advanced breast cancer. Three cohorts were compared, including patients harboring germline pathogenic variants in DNA repair–related genes (g BRCA1/2- ATM- CHEK2 mutated), those tested without these mutations (wild type [WT]), and the nontested subgroup. Relevant prognostic factors including age, metastatic site (visceral v nonvisceral), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, and prior treatment with CDK 4/6 inhibitors were stratified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression models.

RESULTS

Among the total population (n = 217), 15 (6.9%) patients carried g BRCA1/2 (n = 10)- ATM (n = 4)- CHEK2 (n = 1) pathogenic variants, 45 (20.7%) were WT, and 157 (72.4%) were nontested. Gene pathogenic variant carriers were younger ( P < .001). Most patients (164, 75.6%) had not received prior endocrine therapy in the advanced setting. Median progression-free survival was shorter in patients with evaluated germline pathogenic variants (10.2 months [95% CI, 5.7 to 14.7]), compared with WT and nontested patients (15.6 months [95% CI, 7.8 to 23.4], and (17.6 months [95% CI, 12.9 to 22.2]; P = .002). Consistently, a worse median overall survival was observed in the subgroup with germline pathogenic variants than in the WT group ( P = .006). Multivariable analysis showed that mutation status was an independent prognostic factor of progression-free survival ( P = .020) and overall survival ( P = .012).

CONCLUSION

In this retrospective real-world study, g BRCA1/ 2- ATM-CHEK2 pathogenic variants were independently associated with poor outcomes in patients with advanced breast cancer treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors.
Influence of particle size on agglomeration and spatial distribution in unitary and binary dust systems
Authors: Tang H. Y. , Qi H. Y. , Liu Y. , Li B. X. , Tang X. J. , Shi G. N. , Huang F.
Published: March 2022

The effects of particle size on the agglomeration and spatial distribution of dust particles in unitary and binary dusty systems were experimentally studied. The agglomeration process of dust particles was characterized by direct micrograph image and the evolution of scattered light as time. The fractal dimension and average particle area in the steady state of the dust system changing as height were used to show the spatial distribution of dust particles. It shows that the binary system formed by dust particles with different sizes has more obvious agglomeration and the distribution range of particle size is wider.
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccination and Graves’ Disease: A Report of 12 Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Chee Ying Jie , Liew Huiling , Hoi Wai Han , Lee Yingshan , Lim Brenda , Chin Han Xin , Lai Ray Tian Rui , Koh Yunqing , Tham Michelle , Seow Cherng Jye , Quek Zhi Han , Chen Abel Weiliang , Quek Timothy Peng Lim , Tan Alvin Wai Kit , Dalan Rinkoo
Published: March 2022

Context and objective

Thyroid autoimmunity has been reported to be associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination recently. We report a series of patients who presented with new onset or relapse of Graves’ disease-related hyperthyroidism shortly after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine at a single tertiary institution in Singapore.

Methods and results

We describe 12 patients who developed hyperthyroidism within a relatively short interval (median onset, 17 [range, 5-63] days) after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. The majority were females (11/12) with median age of 35.5 (range, 22-74) years. Six patients had new-onset hyperthyroidism, whereas the other 6 had relapse of previously well-controlled Graves’ disease. TSH receptor antibody concentrations ranged from 2.4 to 32 IU/L. The majority of the patients were able to go for the second dose of the vaccine without any further exacerbations. Literature review revealed 21 other similar cases reported from across the world.

Conclusion

Our case series provides insight into the characteristics of individuals in whom Graves’ disease was triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Clinicians need to be vigilant of precipitation or exacerbation of autoimmune thyroid disorders in predisposed individuals after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Further epidemiological and mechanistic studies are required to elucidate the possible associations between the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the development of thyroid autoimmunity.
RAS pathway regulation in melanoma
Authors: Al Mahi Amira , Ablain Julien
Published: March 2022

Activating mutations in RAS genes are the most common genetic driver of human cancers. Yet, drugging this small GTPase has proven extremely challenging and therapeutic strategies targeting these recurrent alterations have long had limited success. To circumvent this difficulty, research has focused on the molecular dissection of the RAS pathway to gain a more-precise mechanistic understanding of its regulation, with the hope to identify new pharmacological approaches. Here, we review the current knowledge on the (dys)regulation of the RAS pathway, using melanoma as a paradigm. We first present a map of the main proteins involved in the RAS pathway, highlighting recent insights into their molecular roles and diverse mechanisms of regulation. We then overview genetic data pertaining to RAS pathway alterations in melanoma, along with insight into other cancers, that inform the biological function of members of the pathway. Finally, we describe the clinical implications of RAS pathway dysregulation in melanoma, discuss past and current approaches aimed at drugging the RAS pathway, and outline future opportunities for therapeutic development.
METASnake: a Snakemake workflow to facilitate automated processing of metagenomic data through the metaWRAP pipeline
Authors: Krapohl John , Pickett Brett E.
Published: March 2022

Generating high-quality genome assemblies of complex microbial populations from shotgun metagenomics data is often a manually intensive task involving many computational steps. METASnake is a novel tool, implemented in the Snakemake workflow language, to automate multiple metaWRAP modules. Specifically, it wraps the shell scripts provided within the original metaWRAP software, within Snakemake. This approach enables high-throughput simultaneous assembly and analysis of multiple shotgun metagenomic datasets using the robust modular metaWRAP software. We expect this advancement to be of import in institutions where high-performance computing infrastructure is available, especially in the context of big data. This software tool is publicly available at https://github.com/jkrapohl/METASnake.
Feasibility of an intervention for increasing moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in primary school physical education: a study protocol
Authors: WONG Lan Sum , Muirhead Fiona , Powell Emma , Woodfield Lorayne A , Stewart Cameron , Reilly John J
Published: March 2022

Background:  Most primary school Physical Education (PE) has relatively little health-enhancing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). - A promising theory and evidence-based intervention, the ‘SHARP Principles’ model, has been effective in making PE lessons more active in one area of England. This protocol paper explains the rationale for use of the SHARP intervention, and the methods used to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a version of SHARP translated for use in Scotland (SHARP Scotland).

Methods: The feasibility of SHARP Scotland will be evaluated by key areas of focus for feasibility studies: Acceptability, Implementation, Integration, Limited Efficacy Testing. A combination of process measures, including observations, session delivery records, accelerometry-data collection, questionnaires, and semi-structured qualitative focus groups with teachers and pupils will be used. The feasibility and suitability of the SHARP Scotland intervention for a future Randomised Control Trial (RCT) will be assessed. The study will involve children from 8-11 years old (Primary 4 to 6) in two schools, one large urban school, and one smaller school; four classes will be randomly assigned to the intervention group, and four classes randomly assigned to the usual-care (standard curriculum) control group. Within the 8-week intervention, MVPA in the intervention group will be targeted by encouraging class teachers to deliver their PE classes in more active ways, following SHARP Principles. A maximum of 64 PE lessons delivered in a SHARP way will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.

Discussion: The outcome of this study will be an assessment of whether applying the SHARP intervention is feasible in Scottish schools. Identification of any modifications to the intervention or evaluation which are required will provide insight for a fully powered effectiveness trial in the future, if appropriate.
The effect of bone graft substitute in healing fractures with bone defects through examination of alkaline phosphatase and radiology in the murine model (Rattus norvegicus) Wistar strain
Authors: Sananta Panji , Suryanto Dradjat Respati , Pradana Putra Domy , Sugiarto Muhammad Alwy
Published: March 2022

Background: A significant bone defect is a condition wherein the bone cannot repair spontaneously. Therefore, replacing bone defects with bone substitution remains a reconstructive concern for orthopaedic surgeons. Bone Graft Substitution (BGS) are classified broadly, such as bone grafts (autograft, allograft, and xenograft) synthetic ceramics (hydroxyapatite, calcium sulphate). This study aims to determine the effect of various Bone Graft Substitute on the healing process of bone defects assessed based on the area of callus formation and levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP).  

Methods: The study design was an in vivo laboratory experimental approach with a randomized post-test only control group design. The 20 experimental animals that matched the inclusion criteria were divided into five groups, in each one of control positive group, one of control negative group, and three of treatment group. The bone graft substitution used in this study is a synthetic ceramic, namely Synthetic HA-Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 - BONGROS®, Bone Graft Substitution Nanocrystalline HA-CaSO4-PEROSSAL®, and also hydroxyapatite Bovine. After selecting rats, we performed osteotomy on the femur to the made bone defect. After 30 days, murine models were harvested. Then, we measure callus formation using radiological examination and ALP level serum 

Results: From Callus formation, Nanocrystalline HA-CaSO4 is the highest (86.54 ± 4.24604) compared with other groups and significantly (p:0.021) increase in callus formation than the other experimental groups. Then, from the ALP level, Bovine is the highest (9.287 ± 0.58586) but did not significantly compare with K-neg, and the second one is Nanocrystalline HA-CaSO4 higher than KP-1, and it has a significantly higher levels serum ALP rather than K-Neg.  

Conclusion: Bone Graft Substituted using Nanocrystalline HA-CaSO4 is a good material that can repair and increase callus formation in fracture model rats with bone defects.
Honoring Black Hopes: How to respond when the family is hoping for a miracle
Authors: Stonestreet John
Published: March 2022

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in end-of-life healthcare can be reduced by showing physicians how to best respond to a documented underlying cause: African American families’ hopes for a miracle via divine intervention influence their end-of-life medical decisions, like, for example, making them not want to withdraw ventilatory support in cases of poor neurologic prognosis because they are still hoping for God to intervene. 

Methods: Autoethnographic research probing the author’s Spiritual Care experience in this context yields a nuanced, 90-second point-of-care spiritual intervention physicians can use to address the religious aspect of African American families who base end-of-life medical decisions on their hopes for a miracle via divine intervention. Autoethnographic analysis is framed by physician-author, Dr. Jessica Zitter’s documented journey of grappling with this context. The evolution of Dr. Zitter’s responses to miracle-hoping African American families provides a framework for applying autoethnographic analysis to a critical appropriation of the Johns Hopkins “AMEN” communication protocol for families hoping for a miracle. 

Results: The common instinct of white physicians to remain neutral, holding miracle-hoping African American families at arm’s length, rather than supportively engaging their hopes, is shown to be an intellectual ruse for emotional avoidance. A novel, counterintuitive spiritual intervention for the religious aspect of miracle-hoping African American families is integrated into an existing physician communication protocol for responding to families hoping for a miracle with recommendations for utilization of existing communication technology when necessary. 

Conclusion: Properly addressing the religious dimension of African American families hoping for a miracle may help physicians to increase their therapeutic connection with families, decrease their own stress/burnout levels, and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in end-of-life healthcare.
Analysis of the safety and immunogenicity profile of an azoximer bromide polymer-adjuvanted subunit influenza vaccine.
Authors: Kompier Ronald , Neels Pieter , Beyer Walter , Hardman Tim , Lioznov Dmitry , Kharit Susanna , Kostinov Michail
Published: March 2022

A systematic review of clinical trials conducted with a low-dose inactivated influenza vaccine adjuvanted by azoximer bromide (AZB, Polyoxidonium), was performed to compare vaccine reactogenicity against non-adjuvant vaccines. We also assessed whether lower amounts of antigen per viral strain in AZB-adjuvanted vaccines affected antibody responses. A robust search strategy identified scientific publications reporting 30 clinical trials, comprising data on 11,736 participants and 86 trial arms, for inclusion in the analysis. Local reaction rates (Rlr) appeared to be lower in AZB-adjuvanted vaccine treatment arms versus comparator vaccine treatment arms. Meta‑regression analysis revealed that AZB did not contribute to vaccine reactogenicity. Post-vaccination geometric mean titres in those exposed to AZB-adjuvanted vaccine and comparator vaccine treatment arms were similar in both children and adults aged 18–60 years, implying an antigen-sparing effect by AZB.
pTITAN2: Permutation of treatment labels and Threshold Indicator Taxa ANalysis
Authors: Figary Stephanie , DeWitt Peter , Detenbeck Naomi
Published: March 2022

Background: Taxa Indicator Threshold ANalysis (TITAN) was developed to identify thresholds along environmental gradients where rapid changes in taxa frequency and relative abundance are observed. TITAN determines separate change-points for increasing and decreasing taxa in aggregate, as well as change-points for individual taxa, with associated confidence intervals generated using bootstrapping. However, if TITAN is applied to different classes of observations, additional analyses besides using non-overlapping confidence intervals are needed to establish whether change-points differ between treatments or groups because non-overlapping confidence intervals can indicate significant differences but overlapping confidence intervals do not necessarily mean the null hypothesis cannot be rejected.

Methods: To address this, we present a new R package, pTITAN2, which is an extension to the existing TITAN2 package. The pTITAN2 package was developed to enable comparisons of TITAN output between treatments by permutating the observed data between treatments and rerunning TITAN on the permuted data.

Results: The pTITAN2 package includes two functions, occurrences and permute. The occurrences function selects the taxonomic codes to be used in a TITAN run while maintaining the most taxonomic details. The permute function is then used to create a list of permuted sets of taxa and environmental gradients. TITAN is then run again on the permuted data and p-value test can be calculated using the observed and permuted TITAN output to test for statistical differences between treatment effects.

Conclusions: The package pTITAN2 is an extension of the existing TITAN2 package and enables users to perform the appropriate statistical tests and determine statistical differences without using overlapping confidence intervals.
New accents in the U.S.-Iran relations. The perspective of Joe Biden’s administration
Authors: Czornik Katarzyna
Published: March 2022

The main aim of this article is to determine the leading interests and objectives, both articulated and unarticulated, in Joe Biden’s Iran policy, as well as to present the determining factors which could lead to a potential reorientation of American policy towards this state. The article also aims to identify elements of continuity and change in Biden’s Iran strategy as compared to the Trump administration. The main hypothesis of the article assumes that contrary to the Trump administration, Joe Biden has given priority to dialogue and diplomacy with Iran. However, the dialogue is not unconditional and does not constitute a sum of compromises on the part of the United States (U.S). The paper points that the objective of Joe Biden’s administration is to introduce new accents through partial departure from the strategy pursued by the Trump administration focused on sustaining purposefully and deliberately hostile relations with Iran, intentionally presented as a backlash state, which allowed the U.S. to favour and strengthen its allies and Iran’s adversaries in the Middle East – Israel and Saudi Arabia. The two leading goals in the new administration’s policy towards Tehran are to persuade Iran’s authorities to return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which would become a platform for negotiating a new nuclear agreement, and to stop Iran’s support for Shia militias in Iraq and Syria. The key factor to determine the success or failure of such strategy is the victory of an ultraconservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi in the presidential election in 2021.
El cambio climático como problema global: herramientas jurídicas para conciliar ambición y eficacia y el rol del Acuerdo de París
Authors: Aguayo Armijo Francisca
Published: March 2022

Uno de los principales desafíos en la lucha contra el cambio climático ha sido lograr un consenso internacional universal en torno a un régimen jurídico de reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero aplicable a todos los países. Ante la diversidad de intereses políticos en juego, reflejados en la pluralidad de grupos negociadores en la materia,la cuestión de cómo reflejar en los marcos normativos compromisos aceptables de manera universal ha constituido durante casi tres décadas uno de los principales obstáculos para alcanzar una eficacia real de la acción internacional ante un problema por naturaleza global, transfronterizo y multidimensional.
Agency or Wholesale? The Role of Retail Pass-Through
Authors: Hu Honggang , Zheng Quan , Pan Xiajun Amy
Published: March 2022

With the rapid growth of e-commerce, agency selling is currently gaining popularity among online retailers (e-tailers). Prior research implicitly abstracts away cross-brand pass-through under traditional wholesale selling (i.e., how the retail price of another brand adjusts to changes in a given brand’s wholesale price) and suggests that a shift to agency selling benefits e-tailers but harms suppliers. As an important counterweight to this result, we discover that an e-tailer’s choice regarding selling format is critically moderated by retail pass-through behavior. On the one hand, agency selling can improve channel efficiency compared with wholesale selling. On the other hand, the relative intensity of supplier competition between these two selling formats is ambiguous. We show that the existing result applies only for a nonnegative cross-brand pass-through rate (e.g., under linear demands); otherwise (e.g., under multiplicative or exponential demands), the opposite may hold. Interestingly, we find that the conflict over the preference of selling format may not arise, and that all channel members could be better off with wholesale selling. Compared with the case of Bertrand competition, the e-tailer is even more likely to adopt wholesale selling under Cournot competition. Finally, under agency selling with an endogenous commission fee, we advise caution regarding the seemingly innocuous normalization of suppliers’ marginal costs. Surprisingly, suppliers may benefit from higher marginal costs. Overall, our findings not only shed light on the theory of agency selling but also provide a plausible explanation for the observation that wholesale selling continues to prevail in online markets.

This paper was accepted by Eric Anderson, marketing.
Development of a laser heterodyne radiometer for regional methane leak
detection
Authors: Sappey Andrew D. , Masterson Bernard P. , Howell James
Published: March 2022

We have developed and tested a laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) for detecting methane
leaks from upstream oil and gas infrastructure and landfills that uses
the Sun as the signal light source, demonstrating here sensitivity
sufficient to detect “super-emitter” leaks (

>

50

k
g

/

h

, 1166 slm). Tracking optics follow
the Sun during its apparent daily transit across the sky, and the
system collects direct absorption data and optionally the 1f and

2
f

wavelength modulation spectroscopy
(WMS) signals. The direct absorption data are processed in real time
using a retrieval algorithm with a 5 s update rate to reveal the
methane concentration versus altitude for each measurement line of
sight. The

1
f

and

2
f

WMS signals are significantly
non-intuitive because of the dramatic change in the methane lineshape
as a function of pressure (altitude) but may ultimately provide useful
information for leak localization. We describe herein modifications to
the RF detection train and data collection system that allow faster
and higher signal-to-noise ratio measurements. Preliminary results
suggest that leaks giving rise to methane concentrations of the order
of 500 ppm-m can be effectively detected—sensitivity similar to
current satellites with more continuous temporal coverage and areal
coverage of the order of 100s of

k
m

2

for relatively low cost. We outline a
method of using an array of LHRs to localize the leak using lineshape
information and tomographic reconstruction techniques that will be
tested in future work.
Direct detection transmission of a PAM signal with power fading mitigation based on Alamouti coding and dual-drive MZM
Authors: Zhu Yixiao , Fang Xiansong , Zhang Fan , Hu Weisheng
Published: March 2022

Power-fading impairment induced by fiber dispersion and photodiode detection imposes a fundamental limitation on the intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) transmission systems. In this work, we propose a cost-effective pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) signal transmission scheme with power-fading mitigation enabled by Alamouti coding and dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator (DDMZM). By interleaving the symbol blocks in the time domain for upper- and lower-arm of the DDMZM, flat end-to-end frequency response can be obtained without spectral nulls after combining the photocurrents at odd and even time slots. For single channel demonstration, we experimentally transmit up to 160Gb/s PAM-4, 140Gb/s PAM-6, and 108Gb/s PAM-8 signals over 80 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) with bit-error rates (BERs) below the 20% soft-decision forward error correction (SD-FEC) threshold of 2.0×10−2. For wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission, 8λ×150Gb/s PAM-4 signals spacing at 100 GHz can also achieve 80 km reach. Moreover, we compare the optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) sensitivity with single sideband (SSB) scheme and evaluate the tolerance of bias deviation in numerical simulation. The proposed Alamouti coding-based scheme provides a hardware-efficient and dispersion-tolerant candidate for high-speed inter-data center interconnect (DCI) applications.
Optical and geometric parameter extraction for photonic integrated circuits
Authors: Stievater Todd H. , Tyndall Nathan F. , Pruessner Marcel W. , Kozak Dmitry A. , Rabinovich William S.
Published: March 2022

We describe an in-situ technique to characterize the material refractive indices and waveguide geometry for photonic integrated circuits over hundreds of nanometers of optical bandwidth. By combining white light spectroscopy with unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers, we can simultaneously and accurately extract the core thickness, core width, core refractive index, and cladding refractive index. This information is important for the technological maturation of photonic integrated circuit foundry fabrication. Capturing the inter-wafer and intra-wafer variation of these parameters is necessary to predict the yield of photonic components and for overall process quality control. Refractive indices are found with a 1-σ error of between 0.1% and 0.5%, and geometric parameters are found with an error of between 3 nm and 7 nm. Our analysis and validation are implemented and verified using the same waveguide layers as are used in the standard photonic wafer build, without any external techniques such as ellipsometry or microscopy.
Broadband optical parametric amplification using PPLN waveguide pumped by detuned second harmonic
Authors: Asobe Masaki , Yagi Daiki , Kawabata Yuki , Umeki Takeshi , Enbutsu Koji , Kazama Takushi , Kasahara Ryoichi
Published: March 2022

Optical parametric amplification in the range of 1.3–1.8 µm was demonstrated by using a periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) waveguide as a nonlinear medium by varying the detuning of the pump wavelength. A wide range of detuning was enabled by using a multiple-quasi-phase-matched (M-QPM) LiNbO3 waveguide for pump generation through second harmonic generation (SHG) and temperature control of the PPLN waveguide. Broadband optical amplification and wavelength conversion through difference frequency generation (DFG) are considered useful for widening the bandwidth of optical communication.
Trans-Pacific class transmission over a standard cladding ultralow-loss 4-core fiber
Authors: Soma Daiki , Beppu Shohei , Wakayama Yuta , Sumita Seiya , Takahashi Hidenori , Yoshikane Noboru , Morita Itsuro , Tsuritani Takehiro , Suzuki Masatoshi
Published: March 2022

The total capacity of optical submarine cable systems as a global communication infrastructure must be continuously enlarged. Multi-core fibers (MCFs) have been studied as methods to maximize the total cable capacity under electrical power and cable space limitations. In particular, standard cladding MCFs, which are expected to have high productivity and mechanical reliability, are attractive for early deployment in submarine cable systems. In this paper, we demonstrate high-capacity trans-Pacific class transmission using standard cladding uncoupled 4-core fibers, achieving a transmission capacity of 55.94 Tbit/s over 12,040 km. In addition, based on the results of this and our previous coupled MCF transmission experiments, we summarize the characteristics of coupled and uncoupled MCFs applied to optical submarine cable systems.
Orientation-selective sub-Rayleigh imaging with spatial coherence lattices
Authors: Jin Ying , Wang Haiyun , Liu Lin , Chen Yahong , Wang Fei , Cai Yangjian
Published: March 2022

The Rayleigh resolution criterion sets the minimum separation for two-point objects to be distinguishable in a classical optical imaging system. We demonstrate that the sub-Rayleigh resolution can be achieved in a telecentric imaging system with the help of a partially coherent illumination whose spatial coherence has lattice-like distribution. We show that the orientation-selective sub-Rayleigh imaging can be realized by controlling the spatial distribution of the coherence lattice into different symmetries. We carry out a proof-of-principle experiment to demonstrate the orientation-selective sub-Rayleigh imaging for a 1951 USAF resolution target. Our results indicate a flexible orientation-selective high-resolution imaging with spatial coherence engineering of the partially coherent light.
Der Einfluss von menschlichen Denkmustern auf künstliche Intelligenz – Eine strukturierte Untersuchung von kognitiven Verzerrungen
Authors: Herm Lukas-Valentin , Janiesch Christian , Fuchs Patrick
Published: March 2022

Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) dringt vermehrt in sensible Bereiche des alltäglichen menschlichen Lebens ein. Es werden nicht mehr nur noch einfache Entscheidungen durch intelligente Systeme getroffen, sondern zunehmend auch komplexe Entscheidungen. So entscheiden z. B. intelligente Systeme, ob Bewerber in ein Unternehmen eingestellt werden sollen oder nicht. Oftmals kann die zugrundeliegende Entscheidungsfindung nur schwer nachvollzogen werden und ungerechtfertigte Entscheidungen können dadurch unerkannt bleiben, weshalb die Implementierung einer solchen KI auch häufig als sogenannte Blackbox bezeichnet wird. Folglich steigt die Bedrohung, durch unfaire und diskriminierende Entscheidungen einer KI benachteiligt behandelt zu werden. Resultieren diese Verzerrungen aus menschlichen Handlungen und Denkmustern spricht man von einer kognitiven Verzerrung oder einem kognitiven Bias. Aufgrund der Neuigkeit dieser Thematik ist jedoch bisher nicht ersichtlich, welche verschiedenen kognitiven Bias innerhalb eines KI-Projektes auftreten können. Ziel dieses Beitrages ist es, anhand einer strukturierten Literaturanalyse, eine gesamtheitliche Darstellung zu ermöglichen. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse werden anhand des in der Praxis weit verbreiten Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) Modell aufgearbeitet und klassifiziert. Diese Betrachtung zeigt, dass der menschliche Einfluss auf eine KI in jeder Entwicklungsphase des Modells gegeben ist und es daher wichtig ist „mensch-ähnlichen“ Bias in einer KI explizit zu untersuchen.
Quo Vadis: Auf dem Weg zu Ethik-Guidelines für den Einsatz KI-basierter Lern-Companions in der Lehre?
Authors: Schlimbach Ricarda , Khosrawi-Rad Bijan , Robra-Bissantz Susanne
Published: March 2022

Begünstigt durch die wachsende Relevanz digitaler Unterstützungsangebote für das Lehren und Lernen, bspw. in Schulen und Universitäten, gewinnt der Forschungszweig der Conversational Agents im Bildungskontext an Bedeutung. Sogenannte Lern-Companions, also virtuelle Lern-Gefährten, bieten das Potenzial einer nutzeradaptiven sowie örtlich und zeitlich flexiblen Lernbegleitung. Da mit der Anwendung derart neuartiger Zukunftstechnologien ein hohes ethisches Verantwortungsbewusstsein einhergeht, diskutiert dieser Beitrag Chancen und Herausforderungen durch den Einsatz von Lern-Companions aus ethischer Perspektive. Basierend auf einer qualitativen Studie mit sechs Experten sowie der Diskussion der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse mit bestehender Literatur zeigt dieser Artikel sieben praktische Handlungsempfehlungen zur Gestaltung virtueller Lern-Companions aus einem ethischen Blickwinkel auf und adressiert dabei unter anderem den Umgang mit Ethik-Guidelines, aktive Nutzereinbindung und Bildungsgerechtigkeit.
Novel mutation in hexokinase 2 confers resistance to 2-deoxyglucose by altering protein dynamics
Authors: Hellemann Erich , Walker Jennifer L. , Lesko Mitchell A. , Chandrashekarappa Dakshayini G. , Schmidt Martin C. , O’Donnell Allyson F. , Durrant Jacob D.
Published: March 2022

Glucose is central to many biological processes, serving as an energy source and a building block for biosynthesis. After glucose enters the cell, hexokinases convert it to glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6P) for use in anaerobic fermentation, aerobic oxidative phosphorylation, and the pentose-phosphate pathway. We here describe a genetic screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that generated a novel spontaneous mutation in hexokinase-2, hxk2G238V, that confers resistance to the toxic glucose analog 2-deoxyglucose (2DG). Wild-type hexokinases convert 2DG to 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate (2DG-6P), but 2DG-6P cannot support downstream glycolysis, resulting in a cellular starvation-like response. Curiously, though the hxk2G238V mutation encodes a loss-of-function allele, the affected amino acid does not interact directly with bound glucose, 2DG, or ATP. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that Hxk2G238V impedes sugar binding by altering the protein dynamics of the glucose-binding cleft, as well as the large-scale domain-closure motions required for catalysis. These findings shed new light on Hxk2 dynamics and highlight how allosteric changes can influence catalysis, providing new structural insights into this critical regulator of carbohydrate metabolism. Given that hexokinases are upregulated in some cancers and that 2DG and its derivatives have been studied in anti-cancer trials, the present work also provides insights that may apply to cancer biology and drug resistance.