bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformer oil quality evaluation using quantitative phase microscopy
Authors: Xing Xinyi , Zhu Lin , Chen Chao , Sun Nan , Yang Chuankai , Yan Keding , Xue Liang , Wang Shouyu
Published: December 2021

Transformer oil used in oil-filled electrical power transformers aims at insulating,
stopping arcing and corona discharge, and dissipating transformer
heat. Transformer running inevitably induces molecule decomposition,
thus leading to gases released into transformer oil. The released
gases not only reduce the transformer oil’s performance but also
possibly induce transformer fault. To prevent catastrophic failure,
approaches using, e.g., chromatography and spectroscopy, precisely
measure dissolved gases to monitor transformer oil quality; however,
many of these approaches still suffer from complicated operations,
expensive costs, or slow speed. To solve these problems, we provide a
new transformer oil quality evaluation method based on quantitative
phase microscopy. Using our designed phase real-time microscopic
camera (PhaseRMiC), under- and over-focus images of gas bubbles in
transformer oil can be simultaneously captured during field of view
scanning. Further, oil-to-gas-volume ratio can be computed after phase
retrieval via solving the transport of intensity equation to evaluate
transformer oil quality. Compared with traditionally and widely used
approaches, this newly designed method can successfully distinguish
transformer oil quality by only relying on rapid operations and low
costs, thus delivering a new solution for transformer prognosis and
diagnosis.
Opaque pixel mask with a broadband absorbing metasurface: application to infrared detectors
Authors: Le Perchec Jérôme , Badano Giacomo
Published: December 2021

We present an imager architecture comprising dark and active pixels allowing the simultaneous measurement of photonic and dark current, which is of particular interest for low-photon-flux astronomical applications. The principle of operation relies on both the total opacity of a thin metallic screen of sufficient area and the anti-reflective properties of well-designed resonant metal–dielectric gratings made on the same screen. The concept is exemplified in the context of cooled HgCdTe hybrid detectors, at short- and long-wave infrared ranges.
Smoothed accumulated spectra based wDSWF method for real-time wind vector estimation of pulsed coherent Doppler lidar
Authors: Lin Ruiqi , Guo Pan , Chen He , Chen Siying , Zhang Yinchao
Published: December 2021

Wind vector estimation method with high accuracy in the low signal-to-noise ratio region improves the performance of pulsed coherent Doppler lidar. The key to improving accuracy is to process the incorrect radial wind estimates or the distorted power spectra better. The smoothed accumulated spectra based weighted sine wave fitting method proposed here minimizes the effects of bad radial wind estimates by considering both signal intensity and wind spatial continuity. Leveraging spatial continuity from smoothed accumulated spectra, the weight coefficients and real-time wind vector profiles can be quickly determined with non-looped operations. Simulations and field experiments showed that the proposed method provides comparable or even slightly better quality and more available wind vector estimates than the filtered sine wave fitting method.
Near-infrared, visible, and ultraviolet lidar echo emulator
Authors: Rodríguez-Cortina Mónica , Adamiec Pawel , Barbero Juan , Caño-García Manuel , Quintana Xabier , Geday Morten Andreas
Published: December 2021

A compact and cost effective NIR-VIS-UV lidar echo emulator (LEE) was designed and manufactured as a compact breadboard. The LEE is an application specific optical pulse shaper delivering a short lidar return (echo) in the ns range overlapped with a long lidar return in the µs range with a repetition rate from 100 Hz – 500 Hz. The short echo power levels are in the range from 0.2–200 nW, whereas the long echo powers from 0.1–25 pW. The coarse power tuning between the two kind of echoes is done using variable attenuators. LEE provides three operation modes: short echo, long echo, or both echoes overlapped. In the overlapping mode, the power difference between the echoes exceeds 60 dB.
Maskless Fourier transform holography
Authors: Keskinbora Kahraman , Levitan Abraham L. , Comin Riccardo
Published: December 2021

Fourier transform holography is a lensless imaging technique that retrieves an object's exit-wave function with high fidelity. It has been used to study nanoscale phenomena and spatio-temporal dynamics in solids, with sensitivity to the phase component of electronic and magnetic textures. However, the method requires an invasive and labor-intensive nanopatterning of a holography mask directly onto the sample, which can alter the sample properties, forces a fixed field-of-view, and leads to a low signal-to-noise ratio at high resolution. In this work, we propose using wavefront-shaping diffractive optics to create a structured probe with full control of its phase at the sample plane, circumventing the need for a mask. We demonstrate in silico that the method can image nanostructures and magnetic textures and validate our approach with a visible light-based experiment. The method enables investigation of a plethora of phenomena at the nanoscale including magnetic and electronic phase coexistence in solids, with further uses in soft and biological matter research.
Design of integrated searching and tracking optical systems based on freeform mirrors
Authors: Li Mengxun , Xiao Xisheng , Yu Qinghua , Sun Shengli
Published: December 2021

Target searching and tracking photoelectric systems are widely used in civil and military fields. Achieving both efficient search and fine-observation imaging while minimizing the volume and weight of the system is the most concerning problem. In this paper, a dual-mode integrated optical system is proposed, which shares large size components between large field of view (FOV) search module and high-resolution tracking module by using the Biconic Zernike freeform mirrors. Compared with the traditional searching and tracking system utilizing multi-camera matching, this scheme significantly reduces the volume and weight of the remote sensing payload. At the orbit altitude of 500 km, this proposed system has a swath of 87.5 km with a ground resolution of 10 m in search mode. In tracking mode, it can observe an area of 19 km2 with a ground resolution of 1 m. It can meet the requirements of wide-area search and focus tracking simultaneously, providing a feasible scheme for the lightweight design of space optical cameras.
Correction of non-uniform angular velocity and sub-pixel jitter in optical scanning
Authors: Kowalski Bartlomiej , Akondi Vyas , Dubra Alfredo
Published: December 2021

Optical scanners are widely used in high-resolution scientific, medical, and industrial devices. The accuracy and precision of these instruments are often limited by angular speed fluctuations due to rotational inertia and by poor synchronization between scanning and light detection, respectively. Here we demonstrate that both problems can be mitigated by recording scanner orientation in synchrony with light detection, followed by data resampling. This approach is illustrated with synthetic and experimental data from a point-scanning microscope with a resonant scanner and a non-resonant scanner. Fitting of the resonant scanner orientation data to a cosine model was used to correct image warping and sampling jitter, as well as to precisely interleave image lines collected during the clockwise and counterclockwise resonant scanner portions of the rotation cycle. Vertical scanner orientation data interpolation was used to correct image distortion due to angular speed fluctuations following abrupt control signal changes.
Spectral pedestal during the kilowatt-level amplification of a random fiber laser operating near the lasing threshold
Authors: Qi Tiancheng , Li Dan , Wang Zehui , Tian Jiading , Yu Weilong , Wu Yulun , Yan Ping , Gong Mali , Xiao Qirong
Published: December 2021

The amplification of random fiber lasers (RFLs) attracts much attention due to their unique characteristics such as wavelength flexibility and low coherence. We present that, in the kilowatt-level amplification of RFL operating near its lasing threshold, a broad and flat spectral pedestal can co-exist with the narrow spectral peak of RFL. This phenomenon is different from the case in the amplification of fixed-cavity laser seeds. Time-domain measurements show that the broad and flat spectral pedestal, which extends to long wavelengths, is composed of temporal pulses, while few temporal pulses exist in the narrow spectral peak. We attribute the spectral pedestal to intensity fluctuations from the random seed laser and modulation instability in the amplification stage. Control experiments reveal that the working status of the random seed laser and the effective length of the amplifier can influence the spectral bandwidth. By taking advantage of this phenomenon, we propose a novel approach to achieve a high-power broadband light source through the amplification of RFLs operating near the lasing threshold.
Edge effect correction formula for superspheroids using the Debye series
Authors: Okeudo Nancy , Ding Jiachen , Yang Ping , Saravanan R.
Published: December 2021

Accurate quantification of the effects of nonspherical particles (e.g., ice crystals in cirrus clouds and dust aerosol particles) on the radiation budget in the atmosphere-earth coupled system requires a robust characterization of their light scattering and absorption properties. Recent studies have shown that it is feasible to compute the single-scattering properties of all sizes of arbitrary nonspherical atmospheric particles by combining the numerically exact invariant imbedding T-matrix (IITM) method and the approximate physical geometric optics method (PGOM). IITM cannot be implemented for very large-sized particles due to its tremendous demand on computational resources. While either method is usable for moderate sized particles, PGOM does not include the edge effect contributions to the extinction and absorption efficiencies. Unfortunately, we can only rigorously calculate the edge effect contributions to the extinction and absorption efficiencies for spheres and spheroids. This study develops empirical formulas for the edge effect contributions to the extinction and absorption efficiencies in the case of a special superspheroid called a superegg by modifying the formulas for the extinction and absorption efficiencies of a spheroid to account for the changes in roundness. We use the superegg edge effect correction formulas to compare the optical properties of supereggs and simple, convex particles, as an initial approximation to more complex atmospheric aerosols. This study is the first step towards quantifying the edge effect contributions to the extinction and absorption efficiencies of a wide range of natural nonspherical particles.
Pulse Nd:YAG/Cr:YAG laser modulated by a TSAG magneto-optic crystal
Authors: Song Luming , Dong Zhipeng , Lin Hongyi , Wen Zhiwei , Ruan Jianjian , Sun Dong
Published: December 2021

A special pulse Nd:YAG/Cr:YAG laser is designed. A particular output mirror consists of a polarization coupled mirror and a terbium scandium aluminum garnet (TSAG) crystal. Using the Faraday magneto-optic effect in the TSAG crystal and a high reflectance mirror, the characteristic of the pulse laser can be actively modulated by adjusting the magnetic intensity. An optimal magnetic intensity (5090 Gs) is measured for output power, pulse energy, peak power, and pulse width. This provides a modern and special reference for the design and manufacture of pulse lasers.
Co-Creation in Virtual Reality: Immersion als Treiber des Kundenerlebnisses
Authors: Mütterlein Joschka , Berger Benedikt , Matt Christian , Stirner Anne , Hess Thomas
Published: December 2021

Zur Entwicklung neuer Produkte und Dienste binden Unternehmen immer häufiger Kundinnen und Kunden in ihre Innovationsprozesse ein. Virtual Reality verspricht für dieses als Co-Creation bezeichnetes Vorgehen viele Vorteile. So können Kundinnen und Kunden z. B. ein virtuelles Produktabbild untersuchen und anpassen, bevor das Produkt tatsächlich produziert wird. Es ist bislang jedoch unklar, wie sich der Einsatz von Virtual Reality auf das Co-Creation-Erlebnis der Kundinnen und Kunden auswirkt, welches entscheidend für das Ergebnis eines Co-Creation-Prozesses ist. Eine besondere Rolle fällt hierbei der Immersion als das Eintauchen in eine virtuelle Aufgabe und Schlüsseleigenschaft von VR zu. Dieser Artikel beschreibt die Ergebnisse einer Laborstudie, in der die Teilnehmenden ein neuartiges Hotelzimmerdesign in einer speziellen Virtual Reality-Anwendung entworfen haben. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Immersion starke und signifikant positive Effekte auf das Co-Creation-Erlebnis der Kundinnen und Kunden hat, was sich in ihrem Vergnügen, ihrer Handlungskompetenz und ihrer Autonomie ausdrückt. Zusätzlich zeigen unsere Ergebnisse, dass Vergnügen und Autonomie zur Zufriedenheit mit dem Co-Creation-Prozess beitragen, Handlungskompetenz jedoch nicht. Schließlich identifizierten wir Interaktivität und Telepräsenz als Haupttreiber der Immersion. Unsere Ergebnisse haben wichtige Implikationen für Unternehmen, die versuchen, Kundinnen und Kunden in Innovationsprozesse und speziell in die Entwicklung neuer Produkte und Dienste zu integrieren. Während Virtual Reality diese Prozesse grundsätzlich bereichern kann, sollten Unternehmen darauf achten, dass die Virtual Reality-Anwendung besonders interaktiv ist. Außerdem sollte das Co-Creation-Erlebnis so angenehm wie möglich sein und den Kundinnen und Kunden eine hohe Autonomie bei der Entwicklung und Gestaltung neuer Produkte und Dienste einräumen.
Zwischen Preisjägern, Datenschützern und Tech-Enthusiasten: Segmentierung des Virtual-Reality-Marktes am Beispiel Oculus
Authors: Schuir Julian , Pöhler Ludger , Teuteberg Frank
Published: December 2021

Virtual Reality (VR) hat in den vergangenen Jahren erhebliche technologische Fortschritte verzeichnet und begonnen, sich im Endverbrauchermarkt zu etablieren. Insbesondere Facebooks Tochterunternehmen Oculus erzielte mit der Quest 2 hohe Absatzzahlen, wodurch das Produkt zum bisher meistverkauften VR-Headset avancierte. Gleichzeitig entfachte sich aufgrund Oculus neuer Datenschutzbestimmung, welche die Gerätenutzung an ein Facebook-Konto bindet, jedoch ein kontroverser Diskurs unter Datenschutzexperten. Endverbraucher stehen seither vor einem Dilemma. Sie müssen sich zwischen der Preisgabe sensibler Daten an Facebook im Falle der Nutzung kostengünstiger Oculus-Geräte und höheren Preisen anderer VR-Headsets entscheiden. In Deutschland führte diese Entwicklung zu einer Vertriebspause der Quest 2, da das Bundeskartellamt ein Missbrauchsverfahren gegen Facebook eingeleitet hat. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird auf Basis einer Conjoint-Analyse untersucht, wie deutsche Endverbraucher dieses Dilemma wahrnehmen. Hierzu werden die relativen Wichtigkeiten von Datenschutzbestimmungen, Hardwareeigenschaften und Preisen für Kaufentscheidungen miteinander verglichen. Es ergeben sich drei verschiedene Marktsegmente mit unterschiedlichen Kaufentscheidungsheuristiken. Aus diesen Erkenntnissen resultieren sieben Handlungsempfehlungen, die VR-Herstellern, -Entwicklern, -Nutzern und Verbraucherschützern bei der verantwortungsvollen und weitreichenden Diffusion der VR-Technologie im Endverbrauchermarkt helfen sollen.
Virtual Reality als Trainingsmethode: Eine Laborstudie aus dem Industriebereich
Authors: Wolfartsberger Josef , Riedl René , Jodlbauer Herbert , Haslinger Niklas , Hlibchuk Andrii , Kirisits Alexander , Schuh Stefan
Published: December 2021

Virtual Reality (VR) gilt als vielversprechende Technologie, nicht zuletzt deshalb, weil damit komplexe Inhalte vermittelt werden können. Da VR ein hohes Potenzial für Interaktivität und Immersion aufweist, findet die Technologie auch in der Industrie Anwendung, beispielsweise für die realitätsnahe Simulation von Montage- und Instandhaltungsarbeiten. Wissenschaftliche Befunde zur Wirksamkeit des Lernens in industriellen VR-Umgebungen existieren bislang kaum. Es ist daher auch unklar, wie Lerneffekte in virtuellen Umgebungen verbessert werden können. Der vorliegende Artikel untersucht, ob VR-gestütztes Training im Vergleich zu klassischem training-on-the-job (begleitet von einem Tutor) zu einer Steigerung des Lernerfolgs führt. Basierend auf einem VR-Trainingstool zum Erlernen von Montageabläufen wurde eine Laborstudie mit 24 ProbandInnen durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass VR-gestütztes Training zwar als weniger anstrengend empfunden wurde, der Lernerfolg jedoch im traditionellen training-on-the-job signifikant besser ausfiel. Auf Basis dieser Erkenntnisse werden die Chancen und Risiken aktueller VR-Trainingssimulationen diskutiert und konkrete Handlungsempfehlungen zur Steigerung des Lerneffekts formuliert.
Entwicklung einer VR-Umgebung zur Exploration von Process-Mining
Authors: Wetzel Manuel , Koschmider Agnes
Published: December 2021

VR-Umgebungen werden bereits in zahlreichen Anwendungsszenarien erfolgreich zur Visualisierung von Daten mit dem Ziel beispielsweise der Lernprozessunterstützung eingesetzt. Dieser Beitrag stellt eine VR-basierte Umgebung für Process-Mining mit dem Ziel der Prozessanalyseunterstützung vor. Die VR-basierte Umgebung ermöglicht, Prozessdaten aus Quellsystemen dynamisch anzubinden und zu laden und diese als ein dreidimensionales Prozessmodell zu visualisieren und zu analysieren. Die VR-Umgebung wurde systematisch basierend auf einer Anforderungsanalyse konzipiert, die aus kommerziellen (2D) Process-Mining Werkzeugen und verwandten Arbeiten aus der Literatur abgeleitet wurde. Bei der Implementierung der Umgebung wurde Wert auf Erweiterbarkeit und Offenheit der Umgebung gelegt. Im Gegensatz zu einer zweidimensionalen Visualisierung ermöglicht die VR-Umgebung für Process-Mining eine verbesserte Exploration der Zusammenhänge zwischen Prozessen und Daten (z. B. Prozesskennzahlen wie Ressourcenauslastung, Durchlaufzeit, Prozessabweichungen).
Identifying proximal RNA interactions from cDNA-encoded crosslinks with ShapeJumper
Authors: Christy Thomas W. , Giannetti Catherine A. , Laederach Alain , Weeks Kevin M.
Published: December 2021

SHAPE-JuMP is a concise strategy for identifying close-in-space interactions in RNA molecules. Nucleotides in close three-dimensional proximity are crosslinked with a bi-reactive reagent that covalently links the 2’-hydroxyl groups of the ribose moieties. The identities of crosslinked nucleotides are determined using an engineered reverse transcriptase that jumps across crosslinked sites, resulting in a deletion in the cDNA that is detected using massively parallel sequencing. Here we introduce ShapeJumper, a bioinformatics pipeline to process SHAPE-JuMP sequencing data and to accurately identify through-space interactions, as observed in complex JuMP datasets. ShapeJumper identifies proximal interactions with near-nucleotide resolution using an alignment strategy that is optimized to tolerate the unique non-templated reverse-transcription profile of the engineered crosslink-traversing reverse-transcriptase. JuMP-inspired strategies are now poised to replace adapter-ligation for detecting RNA-RNA interactions in most crosslinking experiments.
How the value of the environment controls persistence in visual search
Authors: Traner Michael R. , Bromberg-Martin Ethan S. , Monosov Ilya E.
Published: December 2021

Classic foraging theory predicts that humans and animals aim to gain maximum reward per unit time. However, in standard instrumental conditioning tasks individuals adopt an apparently suboptimal strategy: they respond slowly when the expected value is low. This reward-related bias is often explained as reduced motivation in response to low rewards. Here we present evidence this behavior is associated with a complementary increased motivation to search the environment for alternatives. We trained monkeys to search for reward-related visual targets in environments with different values. We found that the reward-related bias scaled with environment value, was consistent with persistent searching after the target was already found, and was associated with increased exploratory gaze to objects in the environment. A novel computational model of foraging suggests that this search strategy could be adaptive in naturalistic settings where both environments and the objects within them provide partial information about hidden, uncertain rewards.
Laboratory diagnostic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics of human leptospirosis in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, 2003–2020
Authors: Kakita Tetsuya , Okano Sho , Kyan Hisako , Miyahira Masato , Taira Katsuya , Kitashoji Emi , Koizumi Nobuo
Published: December 2021

Background

Leptospirosis is considered an endemic disease among agricultural workers in Okinawa Prefecture, which is the southernmost part of Japan and has a subtropical climate, but data on the current status and trend of this disease are scarce.

Methodology/principal findings

We conducted a retrospective study of clinically suspected leptospirosis patients whose sample and information were sent to the Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment from November 2003 to December 2020. Laboratory diagnosis was established using culture, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and/or microscopic agglutination test (MAT) with blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and/or urine samples. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the epidemiological information, clinical features, and sensitivities of diagnostic methods among laboratory-confirmed cases. Serogroups and the species ofLeptospiraisolates were determined by MAT using 13 antisera andflaBsequencing.

A total of 531 clinically suspected patients were recruited, among whom 246 (46.3%) were laboratory confirmed to have leptospirosis. Among the confirmed cases, patients aged 20–29 years (22.4%) and male patients (85.7%) were the most common. The most common estimated sources of infection were recreation (44.5%) and labor (27.8%) in rivers. Approximately half of the isolates were of theL.interrogansserogroup Hebdomadis. The main clinical symptoms were fever (97.1%), myalgia (56.3%), and conjunctival hyperemia (52.2%). Headache occurred significantly more often in patients with Hebdomadis serogroup infections than those with other serogroup infections. The sensitivities of culture and PCR exceeded 65% during the first 6 days, while the sensitivity of MAT surpassed that of culture and PCR in the second week after onset. PCR using blood samples was a preferable method for the early diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Conclusions/significance

The results of this study will support clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated febrile patients in Okinawa Prefecture as well as patients returning from Okinawa Prefecture.
A cross-sectional study evaluating tick-borne encephalitis vaccine uptake and timeliness among adults in Switzerland
Authors: Zens Kyra D. , Baroutsou Vasiliki , Sinniger Philipp , Lang Phung
Published: December 2021

The goal of this study was to evaluate timeliness of Tick-borne Encephalitis vaccination uptake among adults in Switzerland. In this cross-sectional survey, we collected vaccination records from randomly selected adults 18–79 throughout Switzerland. Of 4,626 participants, data from individuals receiving at least 1 TBE vaccination (n = 1875) were evaluated. We determined year and age of first vaccination and vaccine compliance, evaluating dose timeliness. Participants were considered “on time” if they received doses according to the recommended schedule ± a 15% tolerance period. 45% of participants received their first TBE vaccination between 2006 and 2009, which corresponds to a 2006 change in the official recommendation for TBE vaccination in Switzerland. 25% were first vaccinated aged 50+ (mean age 37). More than 95% of individuals receiving the first dose also received the second; ~85% of those receiving the second dose received the third. For individuals completing the primary series, 30% received 3 doses of Encepur, 58% received 3 doses of FSME-Immun, and 12% received a combination. According to “conventional” schedules, 88% and 79% of individuals received their second and third doses “on time”, respectively. 20% of individuals receiving Encepur received their third dose “too early”. Of individuals completing primary vaccination, 19% were overdue for a booster. Among the 31% of subjects receiving a booster, mean time to first booster was 7.1 years. We estimate that a quarter of adults in Switzerland were first vaccinated for TBE aged 50+. Approximately 80% of participants receiving at least one vaccine dose completed the primary series. We further estimate that 66% of individuals completing the TBE vaccination primary series did so with a single vaccine type and adhered to the recommended schedule.
Deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nuclei alters postural alignment and adaptation in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Fransson Per-Anders , Nilsson Maria H. , Rehncrona Stig , Tjernström Fredrik , Magnusson Måns , Johansson Rolf , Patel Mitesh
Published: December 2021

Parkinson’s disease (PD) can produce postural abnormalities of the standing body position such as kyphosis. We investigated the effects of PD, deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN), vision and adaptation on body position in a well-defined group of patients with PD in quiet standing and during balance perturbations. Ten patients with PD and 25 young and 17 old control participants were recruited. Body position was measured with 3D motion tracking of the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and head. By taking the ankle as reference, we mapped the position of the joints during quiet standing and balance perturbations through repeated calf muscle vibration. We did this to explore the effect of PD, DBS in the STN, and vision on the motor learning process of adaptation in response to the repeated stimulus. We found that patients with PD adopt a different body position with DBS ON vs. DBS OFF, to young and old controls, and with eyes open vs. eyes closed. There was an altered body position in PD with greater flexion of the head, shoulder and knee (p≤0.042) and a posterior position of the hip with DBS OFF (p≤0.014). With DBS ON, body position was brought more in line with the position taken by control participants but there was still evidence of greater flexion at the head, shoulder and knee. The amplitude of movement during the vibration period decreased in controls at all measured sites with eyes open and closed (except at the head in old controls with eyes open) showing adaptation which contrasted the weaker adaptive responses in patients with PD. Our findings suggest that alterations of posture and greater forward leaning with repeated calf vibration, are independent from reduced movement amplitude changes. DBS in the STN can significantly improve body position in PD although the effects are not completely reversed. Patients with PD maintain adaptive capabilities by leaning further forward and reducing movement amplitude despite their kyphotic posture.
Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 in semen, seminal plasma, and spermatozoa pellet of COVID-19 patients in the acute stage of infection
Authors: Delaroche Lucie , Bertine Mélanie , Oger Pierre , Descamps Diane , Damond Florence , Genauzeau Emmanuel , Meicler Philippe , Le Hingrat Quentin , Lamazou Frédéric , Gschwind Rémi , Ruppé Etienne , Visseaux Benoit
Published: December 2021

To date, there is limited information about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen especially in the acute phase of the infection. While available data from cohort studies including a total of 342 patients in the acute or recovery phase of the infection are reassuring, one study mentioned detecting virus in the semen of 6/38 COVID-19 patients. Here we assessed SARS-CoV-2 presence in the semen of COVID-19 positive patients in the acute stage of infection, within 24 hours of the positive nasopharyngeal swabs. Semen, seminal plasma and spermatozoa pellet were screened for SARS-CoV-2 and manual or airborne contamination during semen sampling. Among the 32 COVID-19 volunteers, the median interval from the onset of symptoms to semen collection was 4 days [IQR: 0–8]. Only one presented positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR in semen and seminal plasma fractions, although the spermatozoa pellet was negative. Viral cultures were all negative. We observed slightly higher concentrations of bacterial DNA in the SARS-CoV-2 positive specimen than in all negative samples. The bacteria identified neither confirm nor rule out contamination by oropharyngeal secretions during collection. SARS-CoV-2 was rarely present in semen during the acute phase of the disease. This very rare situation could be connected to oral or manual contamination during semen collection. The possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen calls for nasopharyngeal viral testing and strict hygiene protocols during semen collection before assisted reproductive attempts.
The impact of cigarette prices on smoking participation and tobacco expenditure in Vietnam
Authors: Viet Nguyen Cuong , Le Thu Thi , Nguyen Nguyen Hanh
Published: December 2021

Vietnam is one of countries with the highest number of smokers in the world and the high smoking prevalence among men in the region. Although the real cigarette prices increased by around 4% during the 2010–2015 period, the prevalence of daily cigarette smoking among men decreased slightly from 31.3% to 30.7% during this period. This raises the question of whether cigarette consumption is sensitive to price. In this study, we estimated the effect of cigarette prices on smoking participation and tobacco expenditure in Vietnam. We found that a one-percent increase in the real cigarette price reduced the probability of cigarette smoking among males by 0.08 percentage points (95% CI from -0.06 to -0.10), equivalent to the price elasticity of the smoking prevalence at -0.26 (95% CI from -0.16% to -0.33%). Using this estimate, we predict that if the cigarette price is increased by 10%, the daily cigarette smoking prevalence among men would decrease from 30.7% to 29.9% and the number of male smokers would decline by around 270 thousand. Higher cigarette prices also reduced per capita tobacco expenditure of households. A one-percent increase in the cigarette price decreased per capita expenditure on tobacco consumption expenditure of households by 0.43 percent (the 95% CI from -0.029 to 0.822). This finding suggests that raising tobacco taxes and prices can be an effective measure to reduce tobacco use.
The social odor scale: Development and initial validation of a new scale for the assessment of social odor awareness
Authors: Dal Bò Elisa , Gentili Claudio , Spoto Andrea , Bruno Giovanni , Castellani Andrea , Tripodi Carmen , Fischmeister Florian Ph. S. , Cecchetto Cinzia
Published: December 2021

The degree of attention individuals pay to olfactory cues (called odor awareness) influences the role of odors in everyday life. Particularly, odors produced by the human body (i.e., social odors) are able to carry a wide variety of information and to elicit a broad spectrum of emotional reactions, making them essential in interpersonal relationships. Hence, despite the assessment of awareness toward social odors is crucial, a proper tool is still lacking. Here, we designed and initially validated the Social Odor Scale (SOS), a 12-item scale designed to measure the individual differences in awareness towards different social odors. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA; KMO test: MSA = 0.78; Bartlett’s test: χ2(78) = 631.34, p < 0.001; Chi-squared test: χ2(42) = 71.84, p = 0.003) suggests that the three factors structure was the model that best fit with the Italian version of the scale. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supports a second-order model with one higher-order factor representing social odor awareness in general and three lower-order factors representing familiar, romantic partner, and stranger social odors. The final version of the scale presented a good fit (RMSEA = 0.012, SRMR = 0.069, CFI = 0.998, TLI = 0.997). In Study 2, CFA was performed in the German version of the scale confirming the validity of scale structure. Study 3 and 4 revealed that SOS total score and its subscales were positively correlated with other validated olfactory scales, but not with olfactory abilities. Moreover, SOS was found to be related to the gender of the participants: women reported to be more aware to social odors and, specifically, to familiar social odors than men. Overall, the results indicated that SOS is a valid and reliable instrument to assess awareness toward social odors in everyday life.
Changes in audio-spatial working memory abilities during childhood: The role of spatial and phonological development
Authors: Setti Walter , Cuturi Luigi F. , Sandini Giulio , Gori Monica
Published: December 2021

Working memory is a cognitive system devoted to storage and retrieval processing of information. Numerous studies on the development of working memory have investigated the processing of visuo-spatial and verbal non-spatialized information; however, little is known regarding the refinement of acoustic spatial and memory abilities across development. Here, we hypothesize that audio-spatial memory skills improve over development, due to strengthening spatial and cognitive skills such as semantic elaboration. We asked children aged 6 to 11 years old (n = 55) to pair spatialized animal calls with the corresponding animal spoken name. Spatialized sounds were emitted from an audio-haptic device, haptically explored by children with the dominant hand’s index finger. Children younger than 8 anchored their exploration strategy on previously discovered sounds instead of holding this information in working memory and performed worse than older peers when asked to pair the spoken word with the corresponding animal call. In line with our hypothesis, these findings demonstrate that age-related improvements in spatial exploration and verbal coding memorization strategies affect how children learn and memorize items belonging to a complex acoustic spatial layout. Similar to vision, audio-spatial memory abilities strongly depend on cognitive development in early years of life.
Development of an efficient Sanger sequencing-based assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations
Authors: Lim Ho Jae , Park Min Young , Jung Hye Soo , Kwon Youngjin , Kim Inhee , Kim Dong Kwan , Yu Nae , Sung Nackmoon , Lee Sun-Hwa , Park Jung Eun , Yang Yong-Jin
Published: December 2021

Novel strains of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) harboring nucleotide changes (mutations) in the spike gene have emerged and are spreading rapidly. These mutations are associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility, virulence, or resistance to some neutralizing antibodies. Thus, the accurate detection of spike mutants is crucial for controlling SARS-CoV-2 transmission and identifying neutralizing antibody-resistance caused by amino acid changes in the receptor-binding domain. Here, we developed five SARS-CoV-2 spike gene primer pairs (5-SSG primer assay; 69S, 144S, 417S, 484S, and 570S) and verified their ability to detect nine key spike mutations (ΔH69/V70, T95I, G142D, ΔY144, K417T/N, L452R, E484K/Q, N501Y, and H655Y) using a Sanger sequencing-based assay. The 5-SSG primer assay showed 100% specificity and a conservative limit of detection with a median tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) values of 1.4 × 102 TCID50/mL. The accuracy of the 5-SSG primer assay was confirmed by next generation sequencing. The results of these two approaches showed 100% consistency. Taken together, the ability of the 5-SSG primer assay to accurately detect key SARS-CoV-2 spike mutants is reliable. Thus, it is a useful tool for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike gene mutants in a clinical setting, thereby helping to improve the management of patients with COVID-19.
A botanical demonstration of the potential of linking data using unique identifiers for people
Authors: Güntsch Anton , Groom Quentin , Ernst Marcus , Holetschek Jörg , Plank Andreas , Röpert Dominik , Fichtmüller David , Shorthouse David Peter , Hyam Roger , Dillen Mathias , Trekels Maarten , Haston Elspeth , Rainer Heimo
Published: December 2021

Natural history collection data available digitally on the web have so far only made limited use of the potential of semantic links among themselves and with cross-disciplinary resources. In a pilot study, botanical collections of the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF) have therefore begun to semantically annotate their collection data, starting with data on people, and to link them via a central index system. As a result, it is now possible to query data on collectors across different collections and automatically link them to a variety of external resources. The system is being continuously developed and is already in production use in an international collection portal.
Does treadmill workstation use affect user’s kinematic gait symmetry?
Authors: Arauz Paul Gonzalo , García María-Gabriela , Velez Mauricio , León Cesar , Velez Francisco , Martin Bernard
Published: December 2021

The effects of treadmill workstation use on kinematic gait symmetry and computer work performance remain unclear. The purpose of this pilot study was to analyze the effects of treadmill workstation use on lower body motion symmetry while performing a typing task when compared to overground and treadmill walking. The lower body motion of ten healthy adults (6 males and 4 females) was recorded by a motion capture system. Hip, knee, and ankle joint rotations were computed and compared for each condition. Despite comparable lower body kinematic gait asymmetries across conditions, asymmetric knee flexion motions at early gait cycle were only found in treadmill workstation users (left knee significantly more flexed than the right one). This demonstrates that the interaction between walking and another task is dependent on the task cognitive content. Our findings suggest that lower body kinematic gait symmetry may be influenced by the use of treadmill workstations.
Health workers’ disrespectful and abusive behaviour towards women during labour and delivery: A qualitative study in Durban, South Africa
Authors: Mapumulo Sphindile , Haskins Lyn , Luthuli Silondile , Horwood Christiane
Published: December 2021

Background

A high prevalence of disrespectful and abusive behaviour by health workers towards women during labour and delivery has been widely described in health facilities, particularly in Africa, and is a worldwide public health concern. Such behaviours are barriers to care-seeking, and are associated with adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns. This paper reports experiences of disrespectful care among informal working women in three public health facilities in Durban, South Africa.

Methods

A qualitative longitudinal study was conducted among a cohort of informal working women recruited during pregnancy in two clinics in Durban. The study comprised a series of in-depth interviews conducted at different time points from pregnancy until mothers had returned to work, followed by focus group discussions (FGDs) with cohort participants. We present data from participatory FGDs, known as ‘Journey with my Baby’, conducted at the end of the study, during which women’s experiences from pregnancy until returning to work were reviewed and explored. Thematic analysis was used with NVIVO v12.4.

Results

Three ‘Journey with my Baby’ FGDs were conducted with a total of 15 participants between March and October 2019. Many participants narrated experiences of disrespectful behavior from nurses during labour and childbirth, with several women becoming very distressed as a result. Women described experiencing rudeness and verbal abuse from nurses, lack of privacy and confidentiality, nurses refusing to provide care, being denied companionship and being left unattended for long periods during labour. Women described feeling anxious and unsafe while in the labour ward because of the behaviour they experienced directly and observed other patients experiencing. Such experiences created bad reputations for health facilities, so that women in the local community were reluctant to attend some facilities.

Conclusion

Disrespect and abuse continues to be a serious concern in public health facilities in South Africa. We challenge the health system to effectively address the underlying causes of disrespectful behavior among health workers, initiate robust monitoring to identify abusive behavior when it occurs, and take appropriate actions to ensure accountability so that women receive the high-quality maternity care they deserve.
Collaborative calculation and application of interreal and real interval relations to protect privacy
Authors: Lu Shaofeng , Lu Yuefeng , Sun Ying
Published: December 2021

The determination of the relation between a number and a numerical interval is one of the core problems in the scientific calculation of privacy protection. The calculation of the relationship between two numbers and a numerical interval to protect privacy is also the basic problem of collaborative computing. It is widely used in data queries, location search and other fields. At present, most of the solutions are still fundamentally limited to the integer level, and there are few solutions at the real number level. To solve these problems, this paper first uses Bernoulli inequality generalization and a monotonic function property to extend the solution to the real number level and designs two new protocols based on the homomorphic encryption scheme, which can not only protect the data privacy of both parties involved in the calculation, but also extend the number domain to real numbers. In addition, this paper designs a solution to the confidential cooperative determination problem between real numbers by using the sign function and homomorphism multiplication. Theoretical analysis shows that the proposed solution is safe and efficient. Finally, some extension applications based on this protocol are given.
Lifestyle patterns associated with common mental disorders in Brazilian adolescents: Results of the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA)
Authors: Silva Sara Araújo , do Carmo Ariene Silva , Carvalho Kênia Mara Baiocchi
Published: December 2021

The association between lifestyle factors and mental health has been evaluated in isolation; however, there has been a lack of information about lifestyle patterns and Common Mental Disorders (CMD) in adolescents. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the association between sets of lifestyle patterns and the occurrence of CMD in Brazilian adolescents evaluated in a national school-based cross-sectional survey. The outcome variable considered was presence of CMD. Lifestyle patterns were identified from the Principal Component Analysis. Consumption of foods, water and alcoholic beverages, sleep, physical activity, and smoking were used to identify patterns as explanatory variables. Sociodemographic characteristics, administrative dependence of the school and, nutritional status, were considered adjustment factors in the regression model. A total of 70,427 adolescents were evaluated. The principal component analysis identified three lifestyle patterns: high consumption of ultra-processed foods and low consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (pattern 1); high consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco in the last 30 days (pattern 2); and high consumption of water and high level of physical activity (pattern 3). In the adjusted model, in patterns 1 and 2, the third tertile presented greater chance of CMD (OR 1.68; CI 95% 1.51–1.87 and OR 1.38; CI 95% 1.19–1.60, respectively). In pattern 3, the second (OR 0.88; CI 95% 0.80–0.96) and the third (OR 0.80; CI 95% 0.72–0.88) tertiles presented lower chances of CMD among the adolescents evaluated. Therefore, we suggest that health-promoting practices aimed at adolescents include multiple behaviors, with the objective of ensuring physical, mental, and social well-being.
ECG pathology and its association with death in critically ill COVID-19 patients, a cohort study
Authors: Rosén Jacob , Noreland Maria , Stattin Karl , Lipcsey Miklós , Frithiof Robert , Malinovschi Andrei , Hultström Michael ,   on behalf of the Uppsala Intensive Care COVID-19 Research Group
Published: December 2021

Background

We investigated the prevalence of ECG abnormalities and their association with mortality, organ dysfunction and cardiac biomarkers in a cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

This cohort study included patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Sweden. ECG, clinical data and laboratory findings during ICU stay were extracted from medical records and ECGs obtained near ICU admission were reviewed by two independent physicians.

Results

Eighty patients had an acceptable ECG near ICU-admission. In the entire cohort 30-day mortality was 28%. Compared to patients with normal ECG, among whom 30-day mortality was 16%, patients with ECG fulfilling criteria for prior myocardial infarction had higher mortality, 63%, odds ratio (OR) 9.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.02–55.6) adjusted for Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 and patients with ST-T abnormalities had 50% mortality and OR 6.05 (95% CI 1.82–21.3) in univariable analysis. Both prior myocardial infarction pattern and ST-T pathology were associated with need for vasoactive treatment and higher peak plasma levels of troponin-I, NT-pro-BNP (N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide), and lactate during ICU stay compared to patients with normal ECG.

Conclusion

ECG with prior myocardial infarction pattern or acute ST-T pathology at ICU admission is associated with death, need for vasoactive treatment and higher levels of biomarkers of cardiac damage and strain in severely ill COVID-19 patients, and should alert clinicians to a poor prognosis.
Understanding the social drivers of antibiotic use during COVID-19 in Bangladesh: Implications for reduction of antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Kalam Abul , Shano Shahanaj , Khan Mohammad Asif , Islam Ariful , Warren Narelle , Hassan Mohammad Mahmudul , Davis Mark
Published: December 2021

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health crisis that is now impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known how COVID-19 risks influence people to consume antibiotics, particularly in contexts like Bangladesh where these pharmaceuticals can be purchased without a prescription. This paper identifies the social drivers of antibiotics use among home-based patients who have tested positive with SARS-CoV-2 or have COVID-19-like symptoms. Using qualitative telephone interviews, the research was conducted in two Bangladesh cities with 40 participants who reported that they had tested positive for coronavirus (n = 20) or had COVID-19-like symptoms (n = 20). Our analysis identified five themes in antibiotic use narratives: antibiotics as ‘big’ medicine; managing anxiety; dealing with social repercussions of COVID-19 infection; lack of access to COVID-19 testing and healthcare services; and informal sources of treatment advice. Antibiotics were seen to solve physical and social aspects of COVID-19 infection, with urgent ramifications for AMR in Bangladesh and more general implications for global efforts to mitigate AMR.