bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 IDD: Findings from a global survey exploring family members’ and paid staff’s perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their caregivers.
Authors: Linehan Christine , Birkbeck Gail , Araten-Bergman Tal , Baumbusch Jennifer , Beadle-Brown Julie , Bigby Christine , Bradley Valerie , Brown Michael , Bredewold Femmianne , Chirwa Masauso , Cui Jialiang , Godoy Gimenez Marta , Gomeiro Tiziano , Kanova Šárka , Kroll Thilo , Li Henan , MacLachlan Mac , Narayan Jayanthi , Nearchou Finiki , Nolan Adam , O'Donovan Mary-Ann , Santos Flavia H , Šiška Jan , Stainton Tim , Tideman Magnus , Tossebro Jan
Published: April 2022

Background: A growing body of evidence attests to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) during the pandemic. This study asked caregivers about their perceptions of how COVID-19 impacted them and the people they support.

Method: An online survey was conducted in 12 countries during August-September 2020 and sought information on demographics, support practices, information and training, experiences of COVID-19, social distancing, and wellbeing, as measured by the DASS12. This study reports on 3,754 family members, direct support professionals, and managers who participated in the survey.

Results: Caregivers observed increases in depression/anxiety, stereotyped behaviours, aggression towards others and weight gain in the person(s) they supported. They also reported difficulties supporting the person(s) to access healthcare.  Families reported reducing or ceasing employment and absorbed additional costs when supporting their family member. Direct support professionals experienced changes in staff shifts, staff absences, increased workload and hiring of casual staff. Caregivers’ wellbeing revealed high levels of stress, depression, and less so anxiety. The strongest predictor of wellbeing among families was observation of changes in mood in the person(s) they supported, while for direct support professionals, the strongest predictors of wellbeing were reorganisation of staff shifts and increases in new direct support staff. 

Discussion: Findings support the contention of this population experiencing a disproportionate burden during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting historical inequities in access to healthcare and other human rights violations which are now protected under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland: Epidemiology, public health restrictions and vaccination uptake
Authors: Kelly David M , Stamenic Danko , Mullane Paul , Ni Bhuachalla Cliodhna , Conway Robert , Carroll Ciara , O'Connor Lois , Doyle Sarah M , Buckley Claire M , Kearney Patricia M
Published: April 2022

Background: The first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland was managed by a prolonged national lockdown. The second and third waves were managed by continued non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and deployment of a national vaccination programme. This paper aims to describe the epidemiological trends, Public Health restrictions and vaccination uptake during the first three waves of the pandemic.  

Methods: Data on confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 1 March 2020 to 27 March 2021 were extracted from the national COVID-19 data hub, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and the National Contact Management Programme. Vaccine uptake and epidemiological data from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control were reported from four other EU states. 

Results: Ireland experienced three distinct waves of COVID-19; first wave occurred March to August 2020, second August to November 2020 and third from November 2020 onwards. The third wave was attributable to emergence of the Alpha variant of concern (B.1.1.7 strain) and relaxation of public health restrictions in December 2020, when weekly mean number of close contacts per case peaked at 5.2. A similar epidemiological trajectory was observed across four other EU states.  

Conclusions: Surges of COVID-19 continue to occur despite increasing vaccine coverage in the EU, due to the emergence of novel variants of concern and relaxation of Public Health restrictions. A “vaccine plus policy” is needed.
The genome sequence of Anoplius nigerrimus (Scopoli, 1763), a spider wasp
Authors: Falk Steven ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective, Broad Gavin ,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: April 2022

We present a genome assembly from an individual Anoplius nigerrimus (Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Pompilidae) of unknown sex. The genome sequence is 624 megabases in span. In total, 45.75% of the assembly is scaffolded into 15 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 17.5 kilobases in length.
The genome sequence of the northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: August Katherine , Davison Martin , Bortoluzzi Chiara ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: April 2022

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Accipiter gentilis (the northern goshawk; Chordata; Aves; Accipitriformes; Accipitridae). The genome sequence is 1,398 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (99.98%) is scaffolded into 40 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the W and Z chromosomes assembled. The complete mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 16.6 kilobases in length.
Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting: a narrative review
Authors: Song Dae-Kyu , Kim Yong-Woon
Published: April 2022

Caloric restriction is a popular approach to treat obesity and its associated chronic illnesses but is difficult to maintain for a long time. Intermittent fasting is an alternative and easily applicable dietary intervention for caloric restriction. Moreover, intermittent fasting has beneficial effects equivalent to those of caloric restriction in terms of body weight control, improvements in glucose homeostasis and lipid profiles, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, the beneficial effects of intermittent fasting are discussed.
Commentary on “Visualization in Operations Management Research”
Authors: Jin Ran
Published: April 2022

This commentary paper highlights the merits of appropriate use of visualization tools in the original paper and summarizes potential research topics of visualization for operations management problems.
Fuchs Syndrome with Isolated Oral Mucosa Lesions due to Severe Herpes Simplex Cheilitis in a Patient with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Authors: Eyer Gian-Carlo , Heidemeyer Kristine , Exadakltylos Aristomenis , Ziaka Mairi
Published: April 2022

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a severe dermatological disease classically characterized by erythematous target lesions and mucosal involvement. Fuchs syndrome is an incomplete presentation of SJS which has oral, conjunctival and genital manifestations but no skin lesions. To the best of our knowledge, our case of Fuchs syndrome in an 80-year-old man is the first such case related to herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 infection to be described. Our patient quickly recovered following IVIG therapy, although specific treatment is still a topic of discussion. Research is required on this poorly understood dermatological disease to determine optimum therapy.
ECG of the month
Authors: Bloe Charles
Published: April 2022

In this issue's ECG of the month, Charles Bloe presents the case of a 71-year-old man who began to experience severe chest pain while clearing his driveway of snow.
Mammalian sperm capacitation: In vivo and in vitro juxtaposition
Authors:   Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand, Setiawan Haris , Chuammitri Phongsakorn ,   Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand, Sringarm Korawan ,   Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Intanon Montira ,   Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand, Sathanawongs Anucha ,   Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Published: April 2022

The development of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in mammalian species such as in vitro embryo production (IVEP) has the potential to provide great benefits for significant population increase, improve genetic performance and advancement, and reduce transmission of venereal diseases. Correspondingly, in vitro capacitation of sperm is also paramount, related to the ability of sperm to fertilize oocytes, and was created to imitate in vivo conditions in the female reproductive tract. Amid in vitro capacitation developments, studies on how far in vitro capacitation has progressed in mimicking in vivo scenes have not been thoroughly reviewed as a comparative form. Therefore, the present study outlined the series of alterations in mammalian sperm capacitation during their journey in the female reproductive tract by exploring and juxtaposing processes under in vivo and in vitro conditions. Several essential aspects that become gaps between in vivo and in vitro were also identified and elaborated comprehensively in this systematic literature review. We noted that although in vitro capacitation procedures in certain mammalian species have made promising progress and improvements, it is still poorly successful in other species like horses. Our findings further postulated that the occurrence of cryocapacitation, the high ratio of capacitated sperm/oocyte required for successful fertilization, and the incidence of polyspermy cause capacitation under in vitro settings is less efficient and not yet fully comparable to in vivo. This work is therefore proposed several aspects that need to be bettered from in vitro milieu to make it analogous to in vivo environments in modulating sperm capacitation.
Incidence of short-term complications after sterilization between pre-operative antibiotic versus pre- and post-operative antibiotic administration in female cats
Authors:   Department of Companion Animal and Wildlife Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand, Chutipongvivate Pirun ,   Department of Public health and Environmental, Chiang Mai Municipality, Chiang Mai Thailand, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand, Na Lampang Kannika ,   Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Veterinary Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand, Punyapornwithaya Veerasak ,   Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Centre for Asia Pacific, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand, Thongkorn Kriangkrai ,   Department of Companion Animal and Wildlife Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand
Published: April 2022

A sterilization program is implied to control the cat population and set up as national rabies control activities. In Thailand, a few studies have been conducted on postoperative complications and undesired incidents after massive sterilization. This study determined the incidence of short-term sterilization complications in cats with or without postoperative antibiotic administration and the risk of short-term surgical complications. The investigators conducted a clinical trial study. Female cats (n=492) who participated in Chiang Mai municipal birth control activity were assessed and recorded those complications between with and without postoperative antibiotics. The risk factors were analyzed using risk ratios (RR) with a 95% confidence level. Twenty-five cats (5.08%) showed short-term complications in the study. The incidence of short-term complications was not significantly different between cats with postoperative antibiotics (4.92%) and without postoperative antibiotics (5.24%). Cats with external parasites had 2.35 times a short-term complication (RR=1.05-5.27;95%Cl). Duration in captive area, this factor showed that prolong of a cat kept in cage or indoor area play role as a protective factor which less than 2-day in a cage or indoor as the baseline, the risk ratios were 0.38 in 5-day and 0.18 in 7-day, respectively. In conclusion, cat sterilization without post-operative antibiotic administration could be performed under ordinary operation with an aseptic concept.
Lentinula Edodes (Edible Mushroom) as a Nutraceutical: A Review
Authors: Ponnusamy Chandrasekaran , Uddandrao V V Sathibabu , Pudhupalayam Sethumathi Ponnusamy , Singaravel Sengottuvelu , Periyasamy Tamilmani , Ponnusamy Ponmurugan , Prabhu Puniethaa , Sasikumar Vadivukkarasi , Ganapathy Saravanan
Published: April 2022

Lentinula edodes (L. edodes) is the globally second most widely consumed mushroom that is well-known for its therapeutic potential and is a commonly used experimental fungus model. This review was focused on the benefits, efficacy, and potential mechanism of action of the extracts from L. edodes as described in the previous studies. With limited information on the health-related benefits of L. edodes, several investigators have now diverted their attention towards this macrofungus. Several studies have now revealed its antitumor, immune-modulating, antitumor, antiviral, antimicrobial, cholesterol-regulating, anti-atherosclerotic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and homocysteinemia activities.
Fatty Acid Profiles of Oil Obtained from Corn Kernels (Zea Mays L.) Preserved by a Triple Bagging System and Aromatic Plants (Lippia multiflora and Hyptis suaveolens)
Authors: Akoun Ange Mesmer , Chatigre Kouamé Olivier , Ibrahim Fofana Ibrahim Fofana
Published: April 2022

Corn oil is considered one of the best edible vegetable oils. Unfortunately, the storage of corn kernels as practiced in rural areas affects the quality of the fat. However, the triple bagging system and aromatic plants remain alternatives to the poor storage practiced by certain players in the ivorian maize sector. However, their influence on the quality of the fat in the grains remains to be elucidated. This study aims to evaluate, during storage, the fatty acid (FA) profile of the oil obtained from corn kernels packaged in a triple bagging system with or without the leaves of Lippia multiflora and Hyptis suaveolens. Thus, 6 batches including one control in polypropylene bag, one batch in triple bagging without biopesticides and four batches in triple bagging with variable proportions and/or combination of Lippia multiflora and Hyptis suaveolens (2.5 % and 5 % and a combination 0 to 100 % Lippia) were made up to follow the evolution of the fatty acid (FA) composition of the extracted oils during six observation periods (0 ; 1 ; 4.5 ; 9.5 ; 14.5 and 18 months). The estimated intake and fatty acid contribution were also evaluated after 18 months of storage. The storage time and the type of packaging have a significant influence on the fatty acid profile of oils. During grain storage, the FA profile of the oils obtained from the grains stored in the triple bagging with the biopesticides varied very little. At the end of storage, their average composition was 13.40 % saturated fatty acids (SFA), 31.76 % monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and 50.45 % polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). On the other hand, at the end of grain storage, the grain oil from the triple bagged batch without biopesticides consists of 16 % SFA, 38.85 % MUFA, and 45.70 % PUFA. The contribution to meeting energy needs is ensured from the consumption of oil from grains stored for 18 months in triple bagging systems associated with biopesticides. Therefore the combination of these aromatic leaves with triple bagging is more advantageous to preserve the FA profile of the grains during storage.
Association Between Vitamin D Status and Body Composition: A Cross-Sectional Study among University Female Students
Authors: Alqahtani Nasser , Alzahrani Wala , Abosamrah Mona , Fatima Waseem , Garwal Ansh , Alanazi Amer
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACT: Background: Vitamin D deficiency is currently recognized as a global epidemic and has been linked to many diseases. According to recent studies in Saudi Arabia showed a high prevalence of Saudi population having vitamin D deficiency. Objectives: The objective of this project was to find out how common vitamin D grade is and to look at the relationship between body fat proportion and vitamin D status among female university students. Methods: University female students were the subject of a cross-sectional study. After obtaining their permission, sample of 300 students were selected to participate. Weight, height and waist circumference were taken. Body composition were analyzed by using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Bloodspot testing was used to determine 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) level. Results: this research found significant relationship between vitamin D deficiency and the body fat percentage. Overweight and obese people have lower vitamin D levels than slimmer people. The relationship between the two variables is medium strong and inverse meaning that students with high proportion of body fat have decreased levels of vitamin D and vice versa. This finding is supported by the linear regression model between the two variables that reveals that if all factors affecting vitamin D status are held constant, the percentage body fat explains 28.2% of the variability in the vitamin D status. Conclusion: In conclusion, there is a statistically significant connotation between body fat and vitamin D status amongst female students. Further investigation is in need to tackle this health issue.
Insight into the Potential Cyanobacterial Metabolites and their Screening Strategies
Authors: S. Pooja S. Pooja , Niveshika Niveshika
Published: April 2022

Cyanobacteria are the first oxygenic photosynthesis performing prokaryotes. They are considered to have fast growth, amenability to genetic modifications towards photo-autotrophy. Have the ability to grow under heterotrophic conditions with minimum available sunlight to obtain energy by utilizing organic carbon as its substrate. Cyanobacteria are diversely spread in marine, freshwater, terrestrial habitats which differ from each other concerning their structural and functional metabolism. It produces bioactive compounds which are toxic to animals as well as humans which are produced in freshwater habitats whereas marine species of cyanobacteria produce secondary metabolites which are involved in the production of new drugs and also show potential in various fields such as Biotechnological applications, pharmacology, agriculture sustainability, and environmental remediation. Cyanobacteria also produce non-toxic compounds which help in protecting plants by producing phytohormones, siderophores, and UV protective or absorbing compounds. Marine cyanobacterial bioactive compounds are involved in several bioactivities such as antiviral, antialgal, antiprotozoal, antifungal activities, etc. Freshwater species are involved in forming harmful cyanobacterial blooms which are highly toxic to animals as well as humans (Ex: cyanotoxins, hepatotoxins, etc). Different strategies are used to detect the cyanobacterial compounds under in-vivo and in-vitro cultures. To analyze the quality and safety of water, screening methods are necessary to detect possible toxic compounds present in the environmental habitats. Screening methods include microscopy assay, physiological methods, chemical methods, biochemical-based methods, and molecular-based methods. All these methods of screening help in characterizing, identifying the cyanobacterial toxins and also have a few limitations in their reliability, sensitivity, and limit in the detection of the compounds.
Biodiversity of Some Economically Significant Stored Grain Pests in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Jamwal Neha , Bhatia Sanjay , Sharma Arti
Published: April 2022

The stored grain pests infest grains and other pantry items to fulfill their food and shelter requirements leading to both qualitative and quantitative losses. Due to favorable climatic conditions of Jammu, these stored grain insects register their presence throughout the year. These insects destroy and contaminate kitchen commodities with their fecal matter and undesirable odors and make them unpalatable, thus, posing a grave health hazard. Due to this reason, the post-harvest loss in India accounts for about 10% of the total grains and 9.5% of total pulses. The insects were collected randomly from places like super markets, grocery shops, ration depots, godowns, warehouses, etc. and were preserved in fumigated collection boxes using standard entomological procedures. From the study area, 16 insects under two orders namely Coleoptera (81.25%) and Lepidoptera (18.75%) were recorded on Pantry commodities within human dwellings in Jammu from 2017-2018. Of these, 9 insects have been recorded for the first time in the district, all of which belong to order Coleoptera. This is the first ever documentation of insect pests associated with stored grains from the Jammu district. However, this pilot study, which represents miniscule fraction of insect diversity in homes, requires a detailed and full scale investigations from the Jammu district, which is intended to be taken in further studies among these group of insects.
Quality Characteristics of Strawberry Jam Added with Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone
Authors: Jeong Gyeong A , Kim Yang , Lee Chang Joo
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to prepare 50% sugar substitute strawberry jam with different neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) addition levels (0.0136%, 0.054%, 0.072%, and 0.090%) and investigate their quality characteristics. NHDC is an artificial sweetener 1,500-1,800 times sweeter than sugar. There was no significant difference in the moisture c ontent a nd s ugar c ontent o f strawberry j am w ith NHDC except for Sugar. T he t otal p olyphenol content and total anthocyanin content did not significantly differ between all samples. Therefore, NHDC does not appear to have any effect on antioxidant activity. The brightness, redness, and yellowness were generally increased as NHDC increased. This result seems to be due to the difference in the color of NHDC and the concentration and moisture content due to heating during the jam manufacturing process. The overall acceptability and sweetness were highest in Sugar, followed by NH3. It seems desirable to add 0.072% of NHDC to replace 50% of sugar content. However, it was found that NHDC could not wholly replace sugar because of its distinct sweetness from sugar. Therefore, it is necessary to study high-sweetener materials with sweetness similar to sugar by changing the chemical structure of NHDC.
Networked Intelligence
Authors: Stavdas Alexandros
Published: April 2022

The second part of this article focuses on the transformation of the production systems in manufacturing and agriculture as a result of the convergence in the I4.0 technologies detailed in Part I. The category of general-purpose production machines is presented in detail. The interconnection of these machines and our ability to operate them remotely turn the stand-alone machines into production systems. The characteristics of these systems are studied separately for the cases of manufacturing and agriculture, showing the interrelation of the transformations in the two sectors. The I4.0 production systems give a tremendous boost in productivity as they allow the user of these systems to switch between different activities dynamically, cutting down costs and inefficiencies. The widespread deployment of such production systems fosters the emergence of a new social entity, the “prosumer.” The subsequent rationalization in the production creates the conditions where overproduction gradually dies out while it shifts the balance from mass consumption to mass customization.
The Continuing Adventures of the Dialectic
Authors: Balasopoulos Antonis
Published: April 2022

This article begins by dwelling on the forms and causes of Western “historical nihilism” toward the Chinese socialist project. I then analyze issues attendant to Deng’s appeal to “liberating thought,” particularly as regards the importance of the development of the forces of production and the dilemmas this presents for socialists. This segues into a discussion of contradiction analysis, which is theoretically central in Boer’s book. Through the discussion of the difference of such analysis from forms of “either/or” logic dominant in the West, I arrive at the significance of the category of the “concrete universal” (Hegel) for the understanding of “socialism with Chinese characteristics.” After unpacking some of the central issues posed by the “reform and opening-up,” I dwell on the question of socialism in China. I emphasize some of the complications inherent in the combination of socialist planning and the market economy, including the issue of the conception of a future or prospective “communist” stage. The discussion concludes by dwelling on issues of law and political structure, with particular emphasis on the innovative importance of “rule of law” in the socialist context, as well as on the importance of contradiction analysis for understanding the dialectic of sovereignty and globalization.
Political Economy of Strong Power
Authors: Grimalyuk Andrey , Danylina Svetlana
Published: April 2022

The article is devoted to the methodological problems of the political economy of socialism. It provides a categorical distinction between the structural and dynamic dependencies of the political-economic system. On the one hand, structural dependence has an object–subject direction, ascending from productive forces to production relations and from them to state power. On the other hand, the direct opposite, subject–object direction is inherent in dynamic dependence, descending from state power to production relations and the conscious use of their objective laws for the development of productive forces. This subject–object dependence reaches its fullest embodiment under conditions of strong power, the standard of which is the political-economic system of contemporary China.
What Does the Labor Theory of Value Do?
Authors: Moseley Fred
Published: April 2022

This article is a response to two other articles in this symposium by Tiago Camarinha Lopes and David Laibman. The article focuses mainly on the important question that both Camarinha Lopes and Laibman address in their articles: what does the labor theory of value do that other theories cannot do? In other words, what important phenomena of capitalist economies can Marx’s theory based on the labor theory of value explain that other theories, especially Sraffian theory, cannot explain? Sections 1 and 2 discuss Camarinha Lopes’ article, Section 3 discusses Laibman’s article, and Section 4 presents my answer to this important question of what does the labor theory of value do.
Contrast discrimination in images of natural scenes
Authors: Jarvis John , Triantaphillidou Sophie , Gupta Gaurav
Published: April 2022

Contrast discrimination determines the threshold contrast required to distinguish between two suprathreshold visual stimuli. It is typically measured using sine-wave gratings. We first present a modification to Barten’s semi-mechanistic contrast discrimination model to account for spatial frequency effects and demonstrate how the model can successfully predict visual thresholds obtained from published classical contrast discrimination studies. Contrast discrimination functions are then measured from images of natural scenes, using a psychophysical paradigm based on that employed in our previous study of contrast detection sensitivity. The proposed discrimination model modification is shown to successfully predict discrimination thresholds for structurally very different types of natural image stimuli. A comparison of results shows that, for normal contrast levels in natural scene viewing, contextual contrast detection and discrimination are approximately the same and almost independent of spatial frequency within the range of 1–20 c/deg. At higher frequencies, both sensitivities decrease in magnitude due to optical limitations of the eye. The results are discussed in relation to current image quality models.
Single-shot imaging with multiple frames through delaying optical images
Authors: Song Yan , Duan Baojun , Song Guzhou , Sheng Liang , Zhang Pengfei , Ma Jiming , Han Changcai , Yan Weipeng , Li Peng , Zhu Zijian
Published: April 2022

A single-shot imaging system with multiple frames has been developed, which can record sequential multiple frames by delaying multiple optical images with fiber bundles and then capturing the images with a single intensified camera. The observed optical object is imaged through four lenses onto the end faces of four sets of fiber bundles. These fiber bundles with different lengths can provide different delays for delivering optical images, which determine the inter-frame separation times. The optical images exported from the fiber bundles are captured with a single intensified CMOS camera simultaneously. This imaging system has been applied for investigating the dynamic x-ray spot of the rod-pinch diode via a combination of scintillators, which are used to convert x-ray images to optical images. Four sequential x-ray images in a single shot have been obtained, which show the dynamic development of the rod-pinch x-ray spot. The results experimentally reveal the dynamics of the electrons flow bombarding the rod, which roughly agrees with the theoretical modeling of the rod-pinch diode.
Iterative space-variant sphere-model deflectometry enabling designation-model-free measurement of the freeform surface
Authors: Niu Zhenqi , Wu Zhen , Wan Songlin , Zhang Xiangchao , Wei Chaoyang , Shao Jianda
Published: April 2022

Freeform optics, offering high degrees of design freeform to control light propagation, have already been widely applied in various photoelectric equipment. The form quality of those optics is crucial to their opto-electronics functionalities, which requires to be measured accurately. The deflectometry is a promising technology to test the complex freeform surfaces. In general, there is a designed surface model for the monoscopic deflectometry to estimate the positions of whole measured points to solve the issue of height-slope ambiguity. However, the unknown or inaccurate surface model can induce errors into the measured normal, thereby decreasing the measurement precision. In this paper, without relying on the known surface model, the proposed method iteratively optimizes a sphere model to describe the measured surface by changing the spherical radius. In order to reduce the global error, the space-variant spheres are optimized, respectively, to estimate the whole-aperture surface coordinate. With the help of the iteration surface reconstruction process, the optimal number of the space-variant spheres is achieved to meantime obtain the final reconstructed surface. Compared to the measurements by using the plane model, the form accuracy can be improved by three times. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can successfully reconstruct the complex surfaces without the need of a known surface model, which can greatly improve the measuring flexibility and measurement accuracy.
Can a terahertz metamaterial sensor be improved by ultra-strong coupling with a high-Q photonic resonator?
Authors: Cao Lei , Jia Shanshan , Thomson Mark D. , Meng Fanqi , Roskos Hartmut G.
Published: April 2022

When a metamaterial (MM) is embedded in a one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) cavity, the ultra-strong coupling between the MM plasmons and the photons in the PC cavity gives rise to two new polariton modes with high quality factor. Here, we investigate by simulations whether such a strongly coupled system working in the terahertz (THz) frequency range has the potential to be a better sensor than a MM (or a PC cavity) alone. Somewhat surprisingly, one finds that the shift of the resonance frequency induced by an analyte applied to the MM is smaller in the case of the dual resonator (MM and cavity) than that obtained with the MM alone. However, the phase sensitivity of the dual resonator can be larger than that of the MM alone. With the dielectric perturbation theory – well established in the microwave community – one can show that the size of the mode volume plays a decisive role for the obtainable frequency shift. The larger frequency shift of the MM alone is explained by its smaller mode volume as compared with the MM-loaded cavity. Two main conclusions can be drawn from our investigations. First, that the dielectric perturbation theory can be used to guide and optimize the designs of MM-based sensors. And second, that the enhanced phase sensitivity of the dual resonator may open a new route for the realization of improved THz sensors.
Impact of working from home on European office rents and vacancy rates
Authors: Morawski Jaroslaw
Published: April 2022

The massive shift to working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic triggered discussions about its potential impact on the future demand for office space and the risk it poses to the performance of office markets. Against this background, the goal of this paper is to investigate the link between working from home and the evolution of key indicators of office occupier markets across Europe over the past three decades. Based on the data from Eurostat and CBRE, the paper uses panel regression to investigate the temporal as well as cross-sectional relationships between the share of the workforce working from home and office rents and vacancy rates in major cities. The results are interesting in several ways. Firstly, changes in the share of employees working from home did not appear to have any significant impact on the evolution of rents or vacancy rates over time. However, occasional homeworking was significant in explaining cross-sectional differences in office market indicators. Moreover, contrary to the initial expectations, higher share of employees occasionally working from home appeared to be associated with stronger performance of the respective office market. As explanation, the paper proposes a hypothesis that this was due to working from home being only one aspect of broader changes in the office work environment and related socio-economic trends that had a net beneficial effect on office occupier markets. Although the results refer to historical developments and may not be fully applicable to the current context of the pandemic, they highlight the need to consider working from home in a broader perspective of office occupier trends and ways of working.
Pooling sputum for Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra testing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Authors: Iem Vibol , Chittamany Phonenaly , Suthepmany Sakhone , Siphanthong Souvimone , Somphavong Silaphet , Kontogianni Konstantina , Dodd James , Khan Jahangir Akber Mahmud , Dominguez Jose , Wingfield Tom , Creswell Jacob , Cuevas Luis Eduardo
Published: April 2022

The global Covid-19 pandemic has limited access to molecular TB diagnostics and National Programmes are struggling to maintain essential services. The pooling method (testing several samples together) could reduce the number of cartridges and staff time needed for TB diagnosis but has not been tested within the pandemic. We conducted two independent cross-sectional surveys. Pools composed of four sputum samples were tested using either Xpert-MTB/RIF or Xpert-Ultra. Pooled and individual results were compared to determine the level of agreement. Each survey included 840 participants and 210 pools. In the Xpert MTB/RIF survey, 77/81 (sensitivity 95.1%, 95%CI 87.8%-98.6%) pools containing ≥1 positive sample tested MTB-positive and 4/81 (4.9%, 95%CI 1.4%-12.2%) tested MTB-negative. All 129/129 pools containing MTB-negative samples tested MTB-negative (specificity 100%, 95%CI 97.2%-100%), with 98.1% agreement (Kappa: 0.959). In the Xpert-Ultra survey, 70/70 (sensitivity 100%, 95%CI 94.9%-100%) pools containing ≥ 1 MTB-positive sample tested MTB-positive and 140/140 (specificity 100%, 95%CI 97.4%-100%) pools containing only MTB-negative samples tested MTB-negative, with 100% agreement (Kappa: 1). Pooled testing with Xpert-MTB/RIF and Xpert-Ultra saved 38.3% and 41.7% (322/840 and 350/840, respectively) in cartridge costs alone. The pooling method with Xpert-MTB/RIF and Xpert-Ultra has similar performance to individual testing and can reduce the number of cartridges needed. These efficiencies can facilitate maintenance of stocks and sustain essential services as countries face difficulties for laboratory procurement during the pandemic and will provide cost and time savings post-pandemic.
Predictors of annual membership renewal to increase the sustainability of the Nepal National Health Insurance program: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Gurung Gaj Bahadur , Panza Alessio
Published: April 2022

Expanding membership coverage and retention of the National Health Insurance (NHI) programs among informal sector workers (ISWs) continues to be a significant challenge in most low and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). The Nepal NHI program is also facing a similar problem, but to date, there are no studies that focus on identifying key predictors of annual membership renewal and retention in Nepal. This study therefore aimed to determine the predictors of intention to renew annual subscription to the NHI program among enrolled members. This cross-sectional quantitative study was part of a larger mixed-methods study conducted in three districts in Nepal. A random sample of 182 current NHI members and 61 dropped out NHI members who met the inclusion criteria were interviewed. The study’s dependent variable was the intention to renew annual membership and employed univariate regression to assess the bivariate associations with the independent variables. The multivariate logistic regression examined the net effect of the independent variables on the odds of intention to renew. Our results showed that the household (HH) with high monthly income had lower odds of renewing their annual NHI membership (adjusted OR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.03–0.58). Similarly, households (HHs) with overall health service satisfaction (adjusted OR:3.59, 95%CI: 1.23–10.43) and increased frequency of visits after NHI membership (adjusted OR: 10.09, 95% CI: 1.39–73.28) had high odds of renewing their membership. The top three dropout reasons were health services underutilization (43.3%), poor health services (26.9%), and the inadequacy of the benefits package (14.9%). Almost 64% of the respondents were willing to renew their membership upon improved services. The study found that the Nepal NHI annual membership renewal key predictors are HH income, health service quality, and health service utilization. Among these three key predictors, health service quality and service utilization were among the top three dropout reasons. The study, however, did not differentiate between moral hazards or actual service utilization, demanding further studies on the health service utilization of the insured members.
Lek habitat suitability for the sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus jamesi) on the Northern Great Plains
Authors: Burda Brandon , Somers Christopher M. , Conkin Katherine , Fisher Ryan J.
Published: April 2022

Grassland birds in North America face many problems as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation; understanding their habitat requirements is critical for their conservation and management. The sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) can be found throughout North American grasslands and is a species of economic and cultural importance, but it has experienced population declines over the last few decades. A large part of sharp-tailed grouse life history is focused on and around lekking grounds, which makes leks an essential feature for sharp-tailed grouse management. We used information from 596 leks and landcover predictors within 1-km and 5-km squares to perform Habitat Suitability Index modeling for sharp-tailed grouse on the Northern Great Plains in Saskatchewan, Canada. The proportion of grasslands at the 5-km scale and the 1-km scale were the two most important factors affecting lek occurrence (permutation importance = 34.8% and 26.9%, respectively). In every case, the 5-km scale predictors were ranked as having a more significant influence on lek occurrence than the 1-km scale. Other factors of importance included topographic roughness (9.7% permutation importance), and the proportion of human disturbance at the 5-km scale (5% permutation importance). Our study highlights the importance of large patches of grassland to support the occurrence of sharp-tailed grouse leks, and that a diverse set of habitat features are needed for sharp-tailed grouse management.
Effect of orange almond potato cookies supplementation on the nutritional status of underweight preschool-aged children during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Fatmah Fatmah , Asiah Nur , Rekawati Etty
Published: April 2022

Most undernourished preschool-aged children have low hemoglobin and albumin levels, which leads to a higher risk of infections, including COVID-19. This study was designed to determine whether potato almond orange cookies increase weight, hemoglobin, and albumin) in undernourished preschool-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pre-post intervention study was conducted with 30 subjects during 8 weeks in which hemoglobin and albumin levels were recorded at the beginning and end. Education on balanced nutrition was provided to mothers using leaflets, flipcharts, and videos. The results showed increases in weight (0.4 kg), height (1.98 cm), hemoglobin level (0.1 g/dL), and albumin level (0.1 g/dL) accompanied by a significant increase in weight, height, and the Z-score index for weight for age, whereas those for Hb and albumin levels were not. Energy, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin C, vitamin E, and iron intake increased significantly. Further, there was a significant difference in mothers’ knowledge of balanced nutrition and COVID-19 at the end of the study. Thus, high levels of cookie consumption increased the weight of underweight preschool-aged children. Future studies may wish to consider examining the issue using stunted, wasted, and anemic preschool-aged children as the research subjects.
Establishment of a no-notice drill mode evaluation system for public health emergencies
Authors: Huang Sicheng , Lin Zibo , Lin Xinqi , Li Lin , Ruan Feng , Mei Wenhua , Chen Sidong
Published: April 2022

Objective

At present, there are some no-notice drill mode evaluation systems for public health emergencies in Chinese hospitals, which are the subjects of assessment in this study. However, there is a lack of CDC. This study builds a set of no-notice drill mode evaluation systems for public health emergencies that involve the CDC.

Methods

The indexes for these systems were based on the performance of two no-notice drills for public health emergencies in Guangdong Province. Twenty experts were invited to screen the indicators during two rounds of the Delphi method to determine the weight of first- and second-level indexes through the analytic hierarchy process, and the weight of the third-level index was calculated using the percentage method.

Results

After two rounds of expert consultation, we obtained four first-level indicators, twenty-six second-level indicators and eighty-six third-level indicators. According to the weight calculated by analytic hierarchy process, the weights of the first-level indicators are emergency preparation (0.2775), verification and consultation regarding an epidemic situation (0.165), field investigation and control (0.3925) and summary report (0.165). Sensitivity analysis shows that the stability of the index is good.

Conclusion

The no-notice drill mode evaluation system for public health emergencies constructed in this study can be applied to public health departments such as the CDC. Through promotion, it can provide a scientific basis for epidemiological investigation assessment.
Guidance for pediatric use in prescription information for novel medicinal products in the EU and the US
Authors: Christiansen Helle , De Bruin Marie L. , Frokjaer Sven , Hallgreen Christine E.
Published: April 2022

Pediatric legislations in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) have increased medicines approved for use in the pediatric population. Despite many similarities between these frameworks, the EU Paediatric Regulation more often provides regulators with a mandate to require pediatric drug development for novel medicinal products compared to US regulators. If used, this could give rise to differences in the guidance for pediatric use provided for clinicians in the two regions. However, the level of discordance in the guidance for pediatric use between the two regions is unknown. This cross-sectional study compares guidance for pediatric use in the EU Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and the US Prescription Information (USPI) on the level of indications granted for novel medicinal products approved after the pediatric legislations came in to force in both regions. For all indications granted as of March 2020 for novel medicinal products approved in both regions between 2010 and 2018, we compared the guidance for pediatric use in the EU SmPC and the USPI. The guidance for pediatric use differed for 18% (61/348) of the listed indications covering 21% (45/217) of the products, but without the guidance being contradictory. Where guidance differed, an equal share was observed for indications with a higher level of information for pediatric use in one region over the other (49% (30/61) in the US; 51% (31/61) in the EU). The discrepancies in pediatric information could be explained by differences in regulations for 21% (13/61) of the indications. Only a few conditions and diseases (EU n = 4; US n = 1) were observed to cover potential pediatric use outside the approved adult indication. Although the EU Paediatric Regulation more often provides regulators a mandate for requiring pediatric drug development as compared to the US PREA, this was not reflected in the prescription information approved by the two regulatory authorities.
Transplantation of human iPSC-derived muscle stem cells in the diaphragm of Duchenne muscular dystrophy model mice
Authors: Miura Yasutomo , Sato Mase , Kuwahara Toshie , Ebata Tomoki , Tabata Yasuhiko , Sakurai Hidetoshi
Published: April 2022

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an intractable genetic muscular disorder characterized by the loss of DYSTROPHIN. The restoration of DYSTROPHIN is expected to be a curative therapy for DMD. Because muscle stem cells (MuSCs) can regenerate damaged myofibers with full-length DYSTROPHINin vivo, their transplantation is being explored as such a therapy. As for the transplanted cells, primary satellite cells have been considered, but donor shortage limits their clinical application. We previously developed a protocol that differentiates induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to MuSCs (iMuSCs). To ameliorate the respiratory function of DMD patients, cell transplantation to the diaphragm is necessary but difficult, because the diaphragm is thin and rapidly moves. In the present study, we explored the transplantation of iMuSCs into the diaphragm. First, we show direct cell injection into the diaphragm of mouse was feasible. Then, to enhance the engraftment of the transplanted cells in a rapidly moving diaphragm, we mixed polymer solutions of hyaluronic acid, alginate and gelatin to the cell suspension, finding a solution of 20% dissolved hyaluronic acid and 80% dissolved gelatin improved the engraftment. Thus, we established a method for cell transplantation into mouse diaphragm and show that an injectable hyaluronic acid-gelatin solution enables the engraftment of iMuSCs in the diaphragm.