bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Computer Monitoring on Employees’ Productivity in Telecommuting Arrangements
Authors: Ko Yea Hee , Baek In Gyun
Published: March 2024

When employees work from home, organizations have traditionally placed a stronger reliance on output-based controls because of the inability to physically observe its employees. Because of recent advances in technology, however, many organizations now use input-based controls. One such input-based control is computer monitoring, which records the number of hours spent working and leaves out any time in which an employee does not perform work activities. On the one hand, computer monitoring may provide productivity-enhancing benefits by reducing the likelihood of employees experiencing self-control problems, such as procrastination. On the other hand, computer monitoring may motivate reduced effort by decreasing employees’ autonomy, which a prior study finds is an important mediator of the relation between telecommuting and productivity. We take advantage of a field-research setting in which the organization adopts computer monitoring for its telecommuting employees. We find that computer monitoring leads to a 7.1% productivity increase for telecommuting employees. We also find that computer monitoring reduces employees’ procrastination tendencies. In addition, we find that low performers’ productivity increases more following the introduction of computer monitoring. Finally, we find evidence that telecommuters’ departure rates increase significantly following computer monitoring. Our results suggest that technology can play a significant role in expanding organizations’ management control choices when achieving controls in telecommuting arrangements.

This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.00588 .
Trust and electronic word of mouth on purchase intention: Rating as mediator
Authors: Kojongian Keren Sonia Petronela , Ariadi Gede
Published: March 2024

In an increasingly digital era, trust factors, electronic word of mouth, and ratings have an important role in influencing consumer purchase intention. This study examines the effect of trust and electronic word of mouth, with ratings acting as a mediator, on the purchasing intentions of health products. The research centers on Shopee users residing in Salatiga City during COVID-19. The study sample consisted of 103 inhabitants of Salatiga City who used the Shopee marketplace. The analysis was performed using the partial least-squares structural equation method. The results suggest that trust does not significantly impact purchase intent, but the trust variable has a positive and significant impact on ratings. Moreover, purchase intent was positively and significantly affected by the rating variable. Purchase intention and evaluations are positively and significantly affected by electronic word of mouth elements. It is clear that using ratings as  mediators to link trust andpurchase intention has a significant impact. In contrast, the link between electronic word of mouth and purchase intention, where rating serves as a mediator, does not indicate any significant impact.
Factors associated to mothers’ behaviors in dealing with diarrhea among toddlers in South Atambua
Authors: Nusantara Putri Intan Permata , Sirait Rina Wati , Sir Amelya B
Published: March 2024

Diarrhea can be treated properly to reduce its severity. Behavioral elements within society are risk factors that can lead to diarrheal disease. Poor sanitation practices, inadequate access to clean water, improper food handling, and insufficient hygiene habits can increase the risk of transmission of diarrheal illness. Additionally, socio-economic disparities, cultural beliefs, and educational levels can influence individuals' behaviors related to hygiene and sanitation, further exacerbating the risk of diarrheal diseases. Compared to other Puskesmas, the one in South Atambua had a very high number of diarrhea cases in 2021—up to 88 incidents among toddlers, according to Belu District Health Office statistics. This study aimed to identify variables associated with mothers' conduct when treating their toddler's diarrhea. This kind of cross-sectional, quantitative study was carried out in Atambua Selatan, employing a sample size of 72 participants and a simple random sampling technique. The Chi-Square statistical test was utilized in both univariate and bivariate data analysis. The findings indicated that while education level had no association with mothers' behavior in managing the incidence of diarrhea among newborns, knowledge and family support did (p-value = 0.000) have a relationship with maternal behavior in handling diarrhea in toddlers. Otherwise, mothers' behaviors regarding diarrhea among toddlers were not correlated with their level of education. In the future, health officers are expected to provide information on how to deal with diarrhea among toddlers regularly and involve other family members to support mothers. The collaborative efforts of health officers and family members are essential in safeguarding toddlers' health and well-being during diarrhea episodes.
Description of non-communicable diseases and risk factors related to lifestyle among POSBINDU (Integrated Guidance Posts) participants in Yogyakarta in 2022
Authors: Poniasih Ami , Sunarti Sunarti , Sulistyawati Sulistyawati , Rokhmayanti Rokhmayanti
Published: March 2024

Non-communicable diseases are a public health problem and are a significant cause of death both in Indonesia and worldwide. These diseases cause a complication if not appropriately managed. Indonesian basic health research (Riskesdas) 2018 found that there was an increase in cases of non-communicable diseases compared to the previous research. One of the strategies used to control non-communicable diseases is by early detection of risk factors for non-communicable diseases through Posbindu activities. This research aims to describe the health status of participants of one Posbindu in 2022. This descriptive research uses secondary data from the results of examinations in 2022. The number of participants was 1,090 people consisting of 42.11% men and 57.89% women. The age range of the participants was 26-35 years with as many as 33.67%. Participants' highest education was undergraduate with as many as 50.09% and those with married status were 73.58%. Based on the Posbindu examination results, 578 people (53.03%) had central obesity, with 332 cases among female participants (57.44%). Posbindu participants with hypertension were 182 people where 119 of them were male (65.38%). Posbindu participants with diabetes mellitus were 30 people (2.75%), with the most cases in men, 21 (70%). Non-communicable diseases can affect anyone; the older you are, the more at risk you will get. One way to prevent non-communicable diseases is to control the risk factors such as smoking, lack of physical activity, excessive consumption of sugar and salt, and less consumption of vegetables and fruit. In the coming years, it is anticipated that further exploration will be undertaken, utilizing firsthand data collection methods, presenting findings descriptively, and employing inferential analysis techniques to draw meaningful conclusions.
Model of health services for future parents: a scoping review
Authors: Wiyanti Zulvy , Astuti Andari Wuri , Kit Ayano , Fatimah Siti
Published: March 2024

The readiness of prospective parents plays a pivotal role in their journey toward parenthood, influencing their ability to navigate the transition smoothly. This readiness can be cultivated through comprehensive physical and mental health screenings, empowering them to embark on their parenthood journey with a well-prepared and healthier pregnancy plan. This scoping review aimed to identify previous research evidence regarding health service models for prospective parents. This research is a scoping review using Framework Arkshey & O’Malley and PRISMA-Scr Checklist, four journal databases: Pubmed, Wiley Online Library, EBSCO, and Proquest. Apart from that, this research also used Google Scholar and official sites that support it. The keywords used are models, health services, and future parents. Article quality assessment using MMAT (Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool). A total of 2,899 articles were checked for duplication and title screening, abstract screening. A total of 21 articles were screened for the whole article, and only 11 were deemed eligible. The results of this article is that health programs during the premarital and preconception periods are important in preparing a healthy generation. Each country has premarital and preconception health programs, including providing blood supplement tablets and folic acid, mental health screening, and genetic disease screening. It is expected that cross-sector collaboration could increase the use of health services during the premarital and preconception periods. These programs serve as crucial avenues for imparting essential knowledge and fostering positive behaviors that can significantly impact the health outcomes of both parents and their future offspring. By prioritizing proactive healthcare measures and education during these pivotal stages, society lays a robust foundation for promoting the well-being and vitality of future generations.
Human Rights and the Environment in India: Access through Public Interest Litigation
Authors: Gill Gitanjali Nain
Published: March 2024

India's green jurisprudence is an outcome of a proactive Supreme Court. The judiciary has expanded the constitutional meaning of ‘right to life’ to include environmental protection. The limited effectiveness of both the executive and administrators has promoted the judiciary into a de facto role as caretaker of the environment. The creation and usage of public interest litigation allows the rules of locus standi to be used by those claiming either ‘representative standing’ or ‘citizen standing’. However, public interest litigation is not a ‘magic bullet’ and two case studies illustrate its limitations. Finally, the paper examines the recent establishment of the ‘National Green Tribunal’ and its possible role in promoting environmental protection.
The Big Society and Community Development: Neighbourhood Planning under the Localism Act
Authors: Stanton John
Published: March 2024

Bringing into force crucial aspects of the Coalition's ‘Big Society’, the Localism Act 2011 introduces changes to neighbourhood planning through which it seeks to decentralise power to the lowest possible level and afford local communities the opportunities to take the initiative with regards to developing local areas in line with local needs and issues. This article examines the neighbourhood planning provisions of the Act and considers the extent to which they achieve their aims and realise the objectives of the Big Society. It argues that, whilst seeking to decentralise power and empower communities to lead forward local development, the Act leaves a great deal of autonomy in the hands of central government and local authorities, meaning that the communities themselves are constrained by higher authority; it fails also to tackle sufficiently, issues relating to citizen and community engagement.
A Commentary on "Racism Within the Deaf Community"
Authors: Anderson Glenn B. , Dunn Lindsay Moeletsi
Published: March 2024

Abstract: In 1972, Glenn Anderson collaborated with New York University colleague Frank Bowe to publish an American Annals of the Deaf article titled "Racism Within the Deaf Community" (Anderson & Bowe, 1972). It was written, in part, due to the influence of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, which affected both the Black Deaf and Black hearing communities, as well as in response to Anderson's experiences with a Deaf club in Detroit. Given that 52 years have passed since the article was published, this updated version, coauthored with Gallaudet University colleague Lindsay Dunn, addresses the following issues, among others: racial inequity in the educational and employment attainment of Black Deaf persons, their personal experiences with institutional and systemic racism, and their perspectives on what must be done to progress toward dismantling institutional and systemic racism in the Deaf community today and tomorrow.
Of Mothers and Monsters: Transformative Justice and the Politics of Intergenerational Healing
Authors: Rubio Elizabeth Hanna
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Blending personal narrative and ethnographic interviews with Asian American transformative justice practitioners, this piece of creative nonfiction brings an abolitionist perspective to bear onto recurrent debates concerning the a/political content of Asian American intergenerational conflict. Asian Americanists have rigorously outlined the political and historical foundations of intergenerational harm. Yet discussions about how we are to heal from that harm often remain at the level of the interpersonal, obscuring connections between our approaches to domestic conflict and broader political commitments. Building on erin Ninh’s (2011) argument that focusing on the Asian American familial drama is not an apolitical or ahistoric distraction from, but rather central to articulating an Asian American cultural materialist critique, I demonstrate how transformative justice approaches to intergenerational harm are central to efforts to move towards a horizon that is at once Asian American, feminist, and abolitionist. I do this by first interrogating the simultaneous irresistibility and insufficiency of dominant discourses about how children are to heal from parental abuse—discourses that prioritize clean breaks through mechanisms like reporting, leaving, changing, or inventing palatable narratives about abusers. I contrast these narratives with transformative justice approaches that delicately challenge structural forces motivating harm, while allowing survivors to claim anger and pursue diffuse, multiscalar, and imperfect forms of justice-seeking. While I ultimately argue that intergenerational healing must extend beyond the interpersonal, I demonstrate how experiments in healing within the familial realm are both reflective and generative of abolitionist efforts to bring into being worlds structured by transformation rather than disposability.
Weather/season expressions, existential commitment, and the genitive of negation
Authors: McGrady Christiana
Published: March 2024

abstract: This paper presents data from Russian exhibiting seemingly variable unaccusative and unergative behavior. Russian motion-verb-weather/season expressions pass several accepted diagnostics for unaccusativity yet fail the genitive of negation—the diagnostic most widely agreed to show unaccusativity in Russian. I argue this failure results from a presupposition of existential commitment, which can be canceled. Crucial to this analysis is the assumption that Neg0 is always a secondary—not obligatory—licenser and arguments communicating existential commitment exist within a small clause structure. This analysis accounts for seemingly exceptional unergative clauses and has implications for what the genitive of negation reveals about a predicate structure.
Indigeneity at the Limits of Transculturation: Decolonial Aesthetics in Claudia Llosa's The Milk of Sorrow
Authors: Roelofs Monique , Holland Norman S.
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Elaborating decolonial and intersectional methods, aesthetics has developed rich tools for tackling power differences. A philosophical question arises about the nature of gendered embodied experience and materiality: How to comprehend the cultural field if it is at once a site of heinous expropriation and violence and one of vital social and political possibility? This essay explores this question through a reading of Claudia Llosa's film The Milk of Sorrow ( La teta asustada ) (2009). The film, we show, reworks racial, gendered, and colonial logics and supplants a model of transculturation, magical realism, and syncretism and its attendant figuration of resistance by a cultural vision of a web of multivalent, pluri-directional aesthetic promises and threats. Thus it presents a young Indigenous woman as a contemporary decolonial actor who, in encounter with popular culture and the global marketplace, renders memory livable and opens up unforeseen futures for her young town and country. We signal the implications for the positioning of the decolonial feminist spectator or culture maker and for a decolonial aesthetics. Aesthetic existence at the intersection of oppression and liberation, although impure and troubled, functions as a bountiful font of feminist energy and sustenance and a site of communal caring and imagination.
We Need to Talk about the Penis
Authors: Xiang Zairong
Published: March 2024

Abstract: What does epistemic decolonization mean for contemporary rethinking of the body, gender/sexuality, and knowledge in feminist and queer scholarship? Through a close reading of Chinese medicine's classical text Huang Di Nei Jing ( Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon ), this essay proposes a "body-of-orifices" in which the penis like the vagina and the anus is but another orifice among other more visible bodily openings. In feminist and queer theorization, the penis has been almost only accounted for as something else, as the metaphoric pen, the psychoanalytic phallus, as anything other than the organ itself. Meanwhile, in pornographic, cinematic, and other visual representations, the Asian man's member(ship) is largely denied, nowhere to be seen. This invisibility mirrors the overrepresentation of white male philosophers in much of queer theory's theoretical foundation. Engaging closely with feminist and queer re-readings of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis while delving deeply into the philosophical and cosmological concepts of Chinese medicine, the essay also argues that the body-of-orifices entails a different heuristic model for a less hegemonic practice of knowing based on cultivation of passivity and receptiveness, which is very different from the colonial/modern model of knowledge-acquisition as mastery, penetration, and possession.
Nonlinear ray tracing in focused fields, part 3. Monochromatic wavefront aberration: tutorial
Authors: Yu Qin , Hennelly Bryan M.
Published: March 2024

Using the flux tracing algorithm developed in the previous two parts, we examine the nonlinear rays that pass through the focus of a lens containing monochromatic aberrations. Lens aberration is modeled differently in the numerical propagation algorithms relating to the thin lens and the ideal lens cases. For the former, an additive phase term is applied to the transmission function of the thin lens, which describes a distortion in the thickness function of the lens, and for the latter an additive phase term is added to the pupil function of the lens (the Fourier transform of the image plane). In both cases, the Zernike polynomials are applied to model various aberrations including spherical, defocus, comatic, astigmatism, trefoil, and quadrafoil. Despite the different methods of modeling aberration for the two types of lenses, remarkably similar results are obtained for both cases. A discussion is also provided on the relationship between classical wavefront aberration theory and nonlinear tracing. This paper demonstrates the extraordinary potential of nonlinear ray tracing to gain insights into complex optical phenomena.
Nonlinear ray tracing in focused fields, part 1. Calculation of 3D focused wavefields: tutorial
Authors: Yu Qin , Hennelly Bryan M.
Published: March 2024

In this three-part paper series, we develop a method to trace the lines of flux through a three-dimensional wavefield by following a direction that is governed by the derivative of the phase at each point, a process that is best described as flux tracing but which we interchangeably name “nonlinear ray tracing.” In this first part, we provide a tutorial on the high-speed calculation of three-dimensional complex wavefields, which is a necessary precursor to flux tracing. The basis of this calculation is the angular spectrum method, a well-known numerical algorithm that can be used to efficiently and accurately calculate diffracted fields for numerical apertures <0.7. It is known that this approach yields identical predictions to the first Rayleigh–Sommerfeld solution. We employ the angular spectrum method to develop two algorithms that generate the 3D complex wavefield in the region of focus of a lens. The first algorithm is based on the thin lens approximation, and the second is based on the concept of an ideal lens, which can be modeled using an optical Fourier transform. We review how these algorithms can be used to calculate focused laser beams with TEM00 and TEM01 laser profiles. The three-dimensional sampling requirements of the focused field are explained in detail, and expressions for the computational and memory efficiency of the two algorithms are developed. These two algorithms generate the 3D scaffold for the flux tracing method developed in the second paper, and in the third paper we highlight the application of the method to understanding monochromatic lens aberration. Disregarding the second and third papers, this first paper will serve as a practical tutorial for anyone seeking to compute focused fields in three dimensions.
Refractive index sensing using quasi-bound states in the continuum in silicon metasurfaces
Authors: van Loon Tom , Liang Minpeng , Delplace Thomas , Maes Bjorn , Murai Shunsuke , Zijlstra Peter , Gómez Rivas Jaime
Published: March 2024

This work presents a bulk refractive index sensor based on quasi-bound states in the continuum (BICs) induced by broken symmetries in metasurfaces. The symmetry is broken by detuning the size and position of silicon particles periodically arranged in an array, resulting in multiple quasi-BIC resonances. We investigate the sensing characteristics of each of the resonances by measuring the spectral shift in response to changes in the refractive index of the surrounding medium. In addition, we reveal the sensing range of the different resonances through simulations involving a layer of deviating refractive index of increasing thickness. Interestingly, the resonances show very different responses, which we describe via the analysis of the near-field. This work contributes to the development of highly sensitive and selective BIC-based sensors that can be used for a wide range of applications.
Dual-domain mean-reverting diffusion model-enhanced temporal compressive coherent diffraction imaging
Authors: Li Hao , Xu Jinwei , Wu Xinyi , Wan Cong , Xu Weisheng , Xiong Jianghao , Wan Wenbo , Liu Qiegen
Published: March 2024

Temporal compressive coherent diffraction imaging is a lensless imaging technique with the capability to capture fast-moving small objects. However, the accuracy of imaging reconstruction is often hindered by the loss of frequency domain information, a critical factor limiting the quality of the reconstructed images. To improve the quality of these reconstructed images, a method dual-domain mean-reverting diffusion model-enhanced temporal compressive coherent diffraction imaging (DMDTC) has been introduced. DMDTC leverages the mean-reverting diffusion model to acquire prior information in both frequency and spatial domain through sample learning. The frequency domain mean-reverting diffusion model is employed to recover missing information, while hybrid input-output algorithm is carried out to reconstruct the spatial domain image. The spatial domain mean-reverting diffusion model is utilized for denoising and image restoration. DMDTC has demonstrated a significant enhancement in the quality of the reconstructed images. The results indicate that the structural similarity and peak signal-to-noise ratio of images reconstructed by DMDTC surpass those obtained through conventional methods. DMDTC enables high temporal frame rates and high spatial resolution in coherent diffraction imaging.
TT-type resonator-based differential photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace gas detection
Authors: Wang Fupeng , Fu Liyan , Zhang Jianguo , Han Ze , Pang Shuo , Xue Qingsheng , Cao Diansheng , Li Qian , Wang Qiang
Published: March 2024

A novel TT-type resonator was proposed for the first time, to our knowledge, to realize differential photoacoustic (PA) detection for trace gas measurement. The special design of the TT-type resonator allows us to install the microphone at the resonant center of the acoustic field to maximize the use of the absorption-induced PA signal. To meet the requirement of low gas consumption and easy integration, the TT-type resonator-based PA cell was fabricated as a fiber-coupled module with an inner volume of only 1.1 ml. For validation, the TT-type PA cell was integrated to a photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) system for acetylene detection. As a result, a linearity of 0.99999 was achieved in a concentration range from 0 to 5000 ppm with a noise equivalent sensitivity of 101 ppb. The proposed TT-type resonator contributes a new style of PA cell structure to the field of PAS gas detection, combining the advantages of easy integration, low gas consumption, differential detection, and photoacoustic enhancement together.
Metasurface-enabled barcoding for compact flow cytometry
Authors: Hong Tao , Li Deyu , Valentine Jason G.
Published: March 2024

Flow cytometers are a vital tool for cellular phenotyping but are primarily limited to centralized laboratories due to their bulkiness and cost. Significant efforts have been made to construct on-chip flow cytometers for point-of-care applications, and a promising approach is filter-on-chip flow cytometers utilizing the conventional Bayer RGB filter on imaging cameras to miniaturize key optoelectronic components. However, conventional RGB filters fail to provide spectral channels of sufficient diversity and specificity for accurate identification of fast-moving fluorescence signals. Here, we present an optofluidic system with integrated metasurfaces that serve to increase the number and diversity of the spectral channels. Inverse design of spatially coded metasurfaces is used to maximize the classification accuracy of spectral barcodes generated along the particle trajectory obtained from single-shot imaging. The accuracy of this system is shown to be superior to generic RGB filter approaches while also realizing classification of up to 13 unique combinations of fluorophores, significantly enhancing the capability of portable flow cytometers.
Temporal Signal Processing with Nonlocal Optical Metasurfaces
Authors: Alu Andrea , Cotrufo Michele , Esfahani Sedigheh , Korobkin Dmitriy
Published: March 2024

Nonlocal metasurfaces have recently enabled an ultra-compact, low-power and high-speed platform to perform analog image processing. While several computational tasks have been demonstrated based on this platform, most of the previous studies have focused only on spatial operations, such as spatial differentiation and edge detection. Here, we demonstrate that metasurfaces with temporal nonlocalities – that is, with a tailored dispersive response – can be used to implement time-domain signal processing in deeply subwavelength footprints. In particular, we show a passive metasurface performing first-order differentiation of input signals with high-fidelity and high-efficiency. We also demonstrate that this approach is prone to scalability and cascaded computation. Our work paves the way to a new generation of ultra-compact, passive devices for all-optical computation, with applications in neural networks and neuromorphic computing.
Prevalence and concentration of pesticides in European waters: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Serrano Valera Manuel , Vela Nuria , Piuvezam Grasiela , Mateo-Ramírez Francisco , Santiago Fernandes Pimenta Isac Davidson , Martínez-Alcalá Isabel
Published: March 2024

There is currently a growing interest in the so-called emerging pollutants, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene care products, drugs, etc., whose presence in natural ecosystems is not necessarily recent, but the development in latest years of new and more sensitive methods of analysis has allowed their detection. They can be present in the natural environment, food, and many products of everyday origin, which suggests that human exposure to them is massive and universal. Therefore, the study of this type of substances is becoming one of the priority lines of research of the main agencies dedicated to the protection of public and environmental health, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or European Union (EU). In this sense, it is of vital importance to know the nature and quantity of this type of contaminants, to establish preventive mechanisms that minimize its presence in aquatic systems, with special requirements for human consumption. This study aimed to describe a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the status of pesticides in European waters. We will search for original studies in the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, ScienceDirect databases. Prevalence studies of emerging contaminants (pesticides) in water resources (watersheds, aquifers, rivers, marine and springs), wastewaters (influent and effluent), and drinking water should be included. Two reviewers will independently screen and assess the included studies, with any disagreements being resolved by a third reviewer. We will summarize the findings using a narrative approach and, if possible, conduct a quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). We will conduct the protocol following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. The review will summarize the current evidence on the presence of pesticides in European waters such as glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, pyrethroid pesticides, neonicotinoid pesticides, and/or fungicides, in samples of different water resources like wastewaters and drinking water. We expect that this systematic review will establish preventive mechanisms that minimize the presence of pesticides in water in the environment.
Corythauma ayyari (Insecta, Heteroptera, Tingidae) depends on its host plant to spread in Europe
Authors: Durand Manon , Guilbert Eric
Published: March 2024

Biological invasions increase with the intensity of globalization, human activities, and climate change. Insects represent a high potential of invasive species due to their adaptability to new environment. We analysed here the potential of an Asian phytophagous bug, Corythauma ayyari (Heteroptera, Tingidae) to become widespread, recently recorded in Europe, and that depends on Jasminum spp., an ornamental plant widespread in Europe. We modelled its current distribution, projected it into the future and tested its niche overlap between native and invaded areas. When considering the host plants as environmental variables, the analysis shows that C. ayyari shifted to a new ecological niche but its distribution is restricted by its host plant distribution. Including or excluding the host plants as environmental variables has an impact on C. ayyari distribution. We recommend to consider host plant interactions when dealing with niche modelling of phytophagous species.
Characterisation of the R2R3 Myb subgroup 9 family of transcription factors in tomato
Authors: Davis Gwendolyn V. , Glover Beverley J.
Published: March 2024

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has many epidermal cell outgrowths including conical petal cells and multiple types of trichomes. These include the anther-specific trichome mesh which holds the anthers connate. The R2R3 Myb Subgroup 9 family of transcription factors is involved in development of epidermal cell outgrowths throughout the angiosperms. No previous study has examined all members of this transcription factor family in a single species. All 7 R2R3 Myb Subgroup 9 genes were isolated from tomato. They were ectopically expressed in tobacco to assess their ability to induce epidermal cell outgrowth. Endogenous expression patterns were examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR at different stages of floral development relative to the development of anther trichomes. We report variation in the degree of epidermal cell outgrowth produced in transgenic tobacco by each ectopically expressed gene. Based on expression profile and ectopic activity, SlMIXTA-2 is likely involved in the production of leaf trichomes. SlMIXTA-2 is expressed most strongly in the leaves, and not expressed in the floral tissue. SlMYB17-2 is the best candidate for the regulation of the anther trichome mesh. SlMYB17-2 is expressed strongly in the floral tissue and produces a clear phenotype of epidermal cell outgrowths when ectopically expressed in tobacco. Analysis of the phenotypes of transgenic plants ectopically expressing all 7 genes has revealed the different extent to which members of the same transcription factor subfamily can induce cellular outgrowth.
Effects of injectable contraception with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate or norethisterone enanthate on estradiol levels and menstrual, psychological and behavioral measures relevant to HIV risk: The WHICH randomized trial
Authors: Singata-Madliki Mandisa , Smit Jenni , Beksinska Mags , Balakrishna Yusentha , Avenant Chanel , Beesham Ivana , Seocharan Ishen , Batting Joanne , Hapgood Janet P. , Hofmeyr G. Justus
Published: March 2024

Background

Observational data suggest lower HIV risk with norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) than with depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate intramuscular (DMPA-IM) injectable contraceptives. If confirmed, a switch between these similar injectable methods would be programmatically feasible and could impact the trajectory of the HIV epidemic. We aimed in this paper to investigate the effects of DMPA-IM and NET-EN on estradiol levels, measures of depression and sexual activity and menstrual effects, relevant to HIV risk; and to ascertain whether these measures are associated with estradiol levels.

Methods

This open-label trial conducted at two sites in South Africa from 5 November 2018 to 30 November 2019, randomized HIV-negative women aged 18–40 to DMPA-IM 150 mg intramuscular 12-weekly (n = 262) or NET-EN 200 mg intramuscular 8-weekly (n = 259). Data were collected on hormonal, behavioral and menstrual effects at baseline and at 25 weeks (25W).

Results

At 25W, median 17β estradiol levels were substantially lower than at baseline (p<0.001) for both methods: 76.5 pmol/L (interquartile range (IQR) 54.1 to 104.2) in the DMPA-IM group (n = 222), and 69.8 pmol/L (IQR: 55.1 to 89.3) in the NET-EN group (n = 225), with no statistical difference between the two methods (p = 0.450). Compared with DMPA-IM, NET-EN users reported significantly less amenorrhoea, fewer sexual acts, fewer users reporting at least one act of unprotected sex, more condom use with steady partner, more days with urge for sexual intercourse, more days feeling partner does not love her, and more days feeling sad for no reason. We did not find a clear association between estradiol levels and sexual behavior, depression and menstrual effects. Behavioral outcomes suggest less sexual exposure with NET-EN than DMPA-IM. The strength of this evidence is high due to the randomized study design and the consistency of results across the outcomes measured.

Conclusions

Estradiol levels were reduced to postmenopausal levels by both methods. Secondary outcomes suggesting less sexual exposure with NET-EN are consistent with reported observational evidence of less HIV risk with NET-EN. A randomized trial powered for HIV acquisition is feasible and needed to answer this important question.

Trial registration

PACTR 202009758229976.
Use of tobacco and other illicit drugs among adolescent boys and young men in Kampala, Uganda: A result of low parental attention?
Authors: Mulyowa Alex , Ssekamatte Tonny , Kabwama Steven N. , Ssenkusu John , Wanyenze Rhoda K. , Matovu Joseph K. B.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Although the use of illicit drugs is common among young people, limited data exists on the use of illicit drugs among adolescent boys and young men (ABYM). We assessed the use of tobacco, marijuana and khat among ABYM to inform the design of harm-reduction interventions.

Methods

This secondary analysis uses data from a formative study conducted among 2,500 ABYM across the five divisions of Kampala between July and August 2020. Survey questions were adopted from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey and Global School-based Student Health Survey. We computed proportions of ABYM that had ever used any form of tobacco or marijuana or khat in the past year and the proportion that had used any of these products in the past 30 days (i.e. ‘current users’). In a sub-group analysis, we assessed if any patterns existed between ABYM’s use of illicit drugs and selected parental attention attributes.

Results

Of 2,500 ABYM, 47.3% (n = 1,182) were aged 15–19 years. Overall, 16.4% (n = 410) reported past-year use of tobacco products while 11.6% (n = 289) and 10.5% (n = 263) reported past-year use of marijuana and khat, respectively. Current use of any illicit drugs was higher among past-year khat (46%, n = 133) and marijuana users (36.9%, n = 97) than past-year tobacco users (4%, n = 17). Current use of any illicit drugs was higher among out-of-school than in-school ABYM and increased with increasing age and education levels. However, parental attention was lower among out-of-school than in-school ABYM and decreased with increasing age and education levels.

Conclusion

Use of illicit drugs is common among ABYM and increased with age and education levels but parental attention among current illicit drug users decreased with increasing age and education levels. These findings suggest that interventions intended to improve parental attention among illicit drug users may help to reduce the prevalence of illicit drug use among ABYM.
A deeply supervised adaptable neural network for diagnosis and classification of Alzheimer’s severity using multitask feature extraction
Authors: Ahmadi Mohsen , Javaheri Danial , Khajavi Matin , Danesh Kasra , Hur Junbeom
Published: March 2024

Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia, which is a gradual condition that begins with mild memory loss and progresses to difficulties communicating and responding to the environment. Recent advancements in neuroimaging techniques have resulted in large-scale multimodal neuroimaging data, leading to an increased interest in using deep learning for the early diagnosis and automated classification of Alzheimer’s disease. This study uses machine learning (ML) methods to determine the severity level of Alzheimer’s disease using MRI images, where the dataset consists of four levels of severity. A hybrid of 12 feature extraction methods is used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease severity, and six traditional machine learning methods are applied, including decision tree, K-nearest neighbor, linear discrimination analysis, Naïve Bayes, support vector machine, and ensemble learning methods. During training, optimization is performed to obtain the best solution for each classifier. Additionally, a CNN model is trained using a machine learning system algorithm to identify specific patterns. The accuracy of the Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machines, K-nearest neighbor, Linear discrimination classifier, Decision tree, Ensembled learning, and presented CNN architecture are 67.5%, 72.3%, 74.5%, 65.6%, 62.4%, 73.8% and, 95.3%, respectively. Based on the results, the presented CNN approach outperforms other traditional machine learning methods to find Alzheimer severity.
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a collaborative deprescribing intervention of proton-pump-inhibitors on community-dwelling older adults: Protocol for the C-SENIoR, a pragmatic non-randomized controlled trial
Authors: Romano Sónia , Monteiro Luis , Guerreiro José Pedro , Simões João Braga , Teixeira Rodrigues António , Lunet Nuno , Perelman Julian
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Worldwide, demographic ageing is a major social, economic and health challenge. Despite the increase in life expectancy, elderly often live with multiple chronic conditions, exposing them to multiple medications. Concerns have been raised about the growing issue of inappropriate long-term usage of proton-pump inhibitors (PPI), which have been associated with adverse outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Deprescribing is a recommended intervention to reduce or withdraw medicines that might be causing harm or might no longer be of benefit. This protocol details a trial to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a collaborative deprescribing intervention of PPI among community-dwelling elderly, involving community pharmacists and general practitioners.

Methods and analysis

A pragmatic, multicentre, two-arm, non-randomised controlled trial of a structured PPI collaborative deprescribing intervention in the primary care setting with a 6-month follow-up will be conducted. Patients must be 65 years old or older, live in the community and have been using PPI for more than 8 weeks. We hypothesize that the intervention will reduce the PPI usage in the intervention group compared to the control group. The primary outcome is the successful discontinuation or dose decrease of any PPI, defined as a statistically significant absolute 20% reduction in medication use between the intervention and control groups at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. An economic evaluation will be conducted alongside the trial. This study was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of Nova Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon and by the Ethics Committee from the Local Health Unit Alto Minho, Portugal.

Discussion

This pragmatic trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a patient-centred collaborative deprescribing intervention in the community setting in Portugal. It will also inform improvements for the development of future multi-faceted interventions that aim to optimise medication for the community-dwelling elderly.

Clinical trial registration

ISRCTN 49637686.
Towards sensory substitution and augmentation: Mapping visual distance to audio and tactile frequency
Authors: Jiang Pingping , Kent Christopher , Rossiter Jonathan
Published: March 2024

Multimodal perception is the predominant means by which individuals experience and interact with the world. However, sensory dysfunction or loss can significantly impede this process. In such cases, cross-modality research offers valuable insight into how we can compensate for these sensory deficits through sensory substitution. Although sight and hearing are both used to estimate the distance to an object (e.g., by visual size and sound volume) and the perception of distance is an important element in navigation and guidance, it is not widely studied in cross-modal research. We investigate the relationship between audio and vibrotactile frequencies (in the ranges 47–2,764 Hz and 10–99 Hz, respectively) and distances uniformly distributed in the range 1–12 m. In our experiments participants mapped the distance (represented by an image of a model at that distance) to a frequency via adjusting a virtual tuning knob. The results revealed that the majority (more than 76%) of participants demonstrated a strong negative monotonic relationship between frequency and distance, across both vibrotactile (represented by a natural log function) and auditory domains (represented by an exponential function). However, a subgroup of participants showed the opposite positive linear relationship between frequency and distance. The strong cross-modal sensory correlation could contribute to the development of assistive robotic technologies and devices to augment human perception. This work provides the fundamental foundation for future assisted HRI applications where a mapping between distance and frequency is needed, for example for people with vision or hearing loss, drivers with loss of focus or response delay, doctors undertaking teleoperation surgery, and users in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) environments.
Spindle checkpoint activation by fungal orthologs of the S. cerevisiae Mps1 kinase
Authors: Fabritius Amy , Alonso Anabel , Wood Andrew , Sulthana Shaheen , Winey Mark
Published: March 2024

There is an ongoing need for antifungal agents to treat humans. Identification of new antifungal agents can be based on screening compounds using whole cell assays. Screening compounds that target a particular molecule is possible in budding yeast wherein sophisticated strain engineering allows for controlled expression of endogenous or heterologous genes. We have considered the yeast Mps1 protein kinase as a reasonable target for antifungal agents because mutant or druggable forms of the protein, upon inactivation, cause rapid loss of cell viability. Furthermore, extensive analysis of the Mps1 in budding yeast has offered potential tactics for identifying inhibitors of its enzymatic activity. One such tactic is based on the finding that overexpression of Mps1 leads to cell cycle arrest via activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint. We have endeavored to adapt this assay to be based on the overexpression of Mps1 orthologs from pathogenic yeast in hopes of having a whole-cell assay system to test the activity of these orthologs. Mps1 orthologous genes from seven pathogenic yeast or other pathogenic fungal species were isolated and expressed in budding yeast. Two orthologs clearly produced phenotypes similar to those produced by the overexpression of budding yeast Mps1, indicating that this system for heterologous Mps1 expression has potential as a platform for identifying prospective antifungal agents.
Local-scale phylodynamics reveal differential community impact of SARS-CoV-2 in a metropolitan US county
Authors: Paredes Miguel I. , Perofsky Amanda C. , Frisbie Lauren , Moncla Louise H. , Roychoudhury Pavitra , Xie Hong , Bakhash Shah A. Mohamed , Kong Kevin , Arnould Isabel , Nguyen Tien V. , Wendm Seffir T. , Hajian Pooneh , Ellis Sean , Mathias Patrick C. , Greninger Alexander L. , Starita Lea M. , Frazar Chris D. , Ryke Erica , Zhong Weizhi , Gamboa Luis , Threlkeld Machiko , Lee Jover , Stone Jeremy , McDermot Evan , Truong Melissa , Shendure Jay , Oltean Hanna N. , Viboud Cécile , Chu Helen , Müller Nicola F. , Bedford Trevor
Published: March 2024

SARS-CoV-2 transmission is largely driven by heterogeneous dynamics at a local scale, leaving local health departments to design interventions with limited information. We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomes sampled between February 2020 and March 2022 jointly with epidemiological and cell phone mobility data to investigate fine scale spatiotemporal SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in King County, Washington, a diverse, metropolitan US county. We applied an approximate structured coalescent approach to model transmission within and between North King County and South King County alongside the rate of outside introductions into the county. Our phylodynamic analyses reveal that following stay-at-home orders, the epidemic trajectories of North and South King County began to diverge. We find that South King County consistently had more reported and estimated cases, COVID-19 hospitalizations, and longer persistence of local viral transmission when compared to North King County, where viral importations from outside drove a larger proportion of new cases. Using mobility and demographic data, we also find that South King County experienced a more modest and less sustained reduction in mobility following stay-at-home orders than North King County, while also bearing more socioeconomic inequities that might contribute to a disproportionate burden of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Overall, our findings suggest a role for local-scale phylodynamics in understanding the heterogeneous transmission landscape.
The myth of meritocracy: An interview with Sam Friedman
Authors: Baldwin Jon
Published: March 2024

An interview with Sam Friedman on notions in the media (and wider) industries of the myth of meritocracy, privilege mistaken as talent, the class ceiling and class pay gap.