bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived social support and professional identity in nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic era: the mediating effects of self-efficacy and the moderating role of anxiety
Authors: Zhao Zhi-Hui , Guo Jin-Yi , Zhou Jie , Qiao Jia , Yue Shu-Wen , Ouyang Yan-Qiong , Redding Sharon R. , Wang Rong , Cai Zhong-Xiang
Published: February 2023

Background

Health professionals, including nurses, experienced heavy workloads and significant physical and mental health challenges during the coronavirus disease (COVID) 19 pandemic, which may affect career choices for those considering nursing and for nursing students. The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a period of risk, but also an occasion to redeploy the professional identity (PI) of nursing students. However, the relationship between perceived social support (PSS), self-efficacy (SE), PI and anxiety remains unclear under the background of COVID-19. This study aims to explore whether PSS has an indirect effect on PI through mediation of SE and whether the anxiety can moderate the relationship between PSS and SE in nursing students during their internship period.

Methods

An observational, national cross-sectional study was conducted following the STROBE guidelines. An online questionnaire was completed by 2,457 nursing students from 24 provinces in China during their internship during September to October 2021. Measures included Chinese translations of the Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety disorder scale.

Results

Both PSS (r = 0.46, p < 0.001) and SE (r = 0.51, p < 0.001) were positively correlated with PI. The indirect effect of PSS on PI through SE was positive (β = 0.348, p < 0.001), with an effect of 72.7%. The results of the moderating effect analysis showed that anxiety attenuated the effect of PSS on SE. Moderation models indicated that anxiety has a weak negative moderating effect on the effect of PSS on SE (β =—0.0308, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

A better PSS and higher scores in SE were associated with PI in nursing students, and a better PSS had an indirect effect on the PI of nursing students through SE. Anxiety played a negative moderating role in the relationship between PSS and SE.
Scoring consistency of standard patients and examiners in the developed dental objective structured clinical examination system
Authors: Zhu Feng , Wu Li , Shao Xiuxiu , Huang Lijuan , Meng Xiangfeng , Nie Rongrong
Published: February 2023

Objective

To investigate the role of standard patients (SPs) and examiners as assessors for scoring in the dental objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) system and to evaluate the scoring differences between them.

Methods

We developed the doctor-patient communication and clinical examination station in the OSCE system. The examination time of this station was 10 min, and the examination institution wrote the script and recruited SPs. A total of 146 examinees who received standardized resident training at the Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University between 2018 and 2021 were assessed. They were scored by SPs and examiners according to the same scoring rubrics. Subsequently, the SPSS software was used to analyze the examination results of different assessors and evaluate the consistency.

Results

The average score of all examinees provided by SPs and examiners was 90.45 ± 3.52 and 91.53 ± 4.13, respectively. The consistency analysis showed that the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.718, which was indicative of medium consistency.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that SPs could be used directly as assessors, as they could provide a simulated and realistic clinical setting and create favorable conditions for comprehensive competence training and improvement for medical students.
Challenges and opportunities for medical referrals at a mobile community health clinic serving sexual and gender minorities in rural South Carolina: a qualitative approach
Authors: Joudeh Layla , Heavner Smith F. , Johnstone Ethan , Propst Shantara K. , Harris Orlando O.
Published: February 2023

Background

Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) in the Southern United States face challenges in accessing sexual and gender affirming health care. Alternative care models, like inclusive mobile clinics, help mitigate barriers to care for SGM. There is limited data in the literature on the experience of medical referral processes for SGM individuals accessing services from mobile health clinics.

Aims and objectives

The purpose of this study is to describe the medical referral experiences of SGM clients and their providers at a mobile health clinic in the Southern United States.

Methods

We recruited English-speaking individuals who provided care or received care from the mobile health clinic in South Carolina between June 2019 and August 2020. Participants completed a brief demographic survey and a virtual in-depth, semi-structured individual interview. Data analysis was conducted using an iterative process to generate codes, categories, and themes. Data collection and analysis were terminated once thematic saturation was achieved.

Results

The findings from this study indicated that the mobile health clinic had an inconsistent referral process that was largely dependent on providers’ knowledge. Furthermore, clients and providers expressed individual barriers to the referral process, such as financial barriers, and opportunities to improve the referral process, such as an opt-in follow-up from the mobile clinic and increased mobile clinic resources.

Conclusion

The findings in this study underscore the importance of having mobile clinics create a structured referral process that all medical providers are familiar with, and the value of hiring patient navigators that can support and refer clients to care that goes beyond the mobile health clinic setting.
Identification of anti-citrullinated osteopontin antibodies and increased inflammatory response by enhancement of osteopontin binding to fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Umemoto Akio , Kuwada Takeshi , Murata Koichi , Shiokawa Masahiro , Ota Sakiko , Murotani Yoshiki , Itamoto Akihiro , Nishitani Kohei , Yoshitomi Hiroyuki , Fujii Takayuki , Onishi Akira , Onizawa Hideo , Murakami Kosaku , Tanaka Masao , Ito Hiromu , Seno Hiroshi , Morinobu Akio , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: February 2023

Background

Anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPAs) are present in patients at onset and have important pathogenic roles during the course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The characteristics of several molecules recognized by ACPA have been studied in RA, but the positivity rate of autoantibodies against each antigen is not high, and the pathogenic mechanism of each antibody is not fully understood. We investigated the role of anti-citrullinated osteopontin (anti-cit-OPN) antibodies in RA pathogenesis.

Methods

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays on RA patients’ sera were used to detect autoantibodies against OPN. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) isolated from RA patients were used to test the binding activity and inflammatory response of OPN mediated by anti-cit-OPN antibodies, and their effect was tested using an inflammatory arthritis mouse model immunized with cit-OPN. Anti-cit-OPN antibody positivity and clinical characteristics were investigated in the patients as well.

Results

Using sera from 224 RA patients, anti-cit-OPN antibodies were positive in approximately 44% of RA patients, while approximately 78% of patients were positive for the cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP2) assay. IgG from patients with anti-cit-OPN antibody increased the binding activity of OPN to FLSs, which further increased matrix metalloproteinase and interleukin-6 production in TNF-stimulated FLSs. Mice immunized with cit-OPN antibodies experienced severe arthritis. Anti-cit-OPN antibodies in RA patients decreased the drug survival rate of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, while it did not decrease that of CTLA4-Ig.

Conclusions

Anti-cit-OPN antibodies were detected in patients with RA. IgG from patients with anti-cit-OPN antibodies aggravated RA, and anti-cit-OPN antibody was a marker of reduced the survival rate of TNF inhibitors in RA patients.
Atherosclerosis indexes and incident T2DM in middle-aged and older adults: evidence from a cohort study
Authors: Wu Xin , Gao Yu , Wang Miyuan , Peng Hongye , Zhang Di , Qin Biyuan , Pan Liang , Zhu Guolong
Published: February 2023

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an expanding global health problem, requiring effective methods for predicting and diagnosing in its early stages of development. Previous studies reported the prognostic value of the atherosclerosis indexes in both cardiovascular diseases and T2DM. However, the predictive performance of Non-HDL-C, AI, AIP, TG/HDL-C and LCI indexes on the risk of T2DM remains unclear. This study aims to compare the five atherosclerosis indexes for predicting T2DM in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

Methods

Data are collected from wave 2011 and wave 2015 of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Multi-variate logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of incident T2DM with five atherosclerosis indexes, and the restricted cubic splines were used to visualize the dose–response relationships. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn and the areas under the curve (AUC) were used to compare the performance of the five atherosclerosis indexes in predicting T2DM.

Results

A total of 504 (10.97%) participants had T2DM. Multi-variate logistic regression analysis showed that five atherosclerosis indexes were associated with T2DM, with adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of 1.29 (1.15–1.45), 1.29 (1.18–1.42), 1.45 (1.29–1.62), 1.41 (1.25–1.59) and 1.34 (1.23–1.48) for each IQR increment in Non-HDL-C, TG/HDLC, AI, AIP and LCI, respectively. Restricted cubic spline regression showed a nonlinear correlation between five atherosclerosis indexes and the risk of T2DM (p for nonlinear < 0.001). According to the ROC curve analysis, LCI had the highest AUC (0.587 [0.574–0.600]).

Conclusion

We found that LCI, compared with other indexes, was a better predictor in the clinical setting for identifying individuals with T2DM in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. LCI monitoring might help in the early identification of individuals at high risk of T2DM.
A modified asynchronous sequential Kalman track fusion based on sound propagation time
Authors: Sheng Xueli , Wang Yan , Mu Mengfei , Song Lai , Wu Zeyi
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a sequential Kalman asynchronous track fusion algorithm based on the effective sound velocity method proposed to deal with the problem of random asynchrony of multi-node measurement information in the distributed underwater multi-target detection system due to the propagation effect of the sound channel. This algorithm updates the time stamp of target information reported by each sensor by using the effective sound velocity method, so as to obtain the actual time when the target state information appears in the underwater acoustic channel. Then, according to the actual asynchronous situation of the multi-sensor, it uses the sequential filter algorithm to fuse the asynchronous sensors. The simulation results show that the algorithm can improve the positioning accuracy of the original algorithm, has a strong adaptability to sensor target loss and accuracy loss, and has a certain application value.
Chelidonic acid ameliorates atopic dermatitis symptoms through suppression the inflammatory mediators in in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Kim Su-Jin , Kim Dae-Seung , Lee Soo-Hyun , Ahn Eun-Mi , Kee Ji-Ye , Hong Seung-Heon
Published: February 2023

Chelidonic acid (CA), a γ-pyrone compound, exerts various pharmacological functions, including anti-allergic and anti-colitis activities. However, the anti-atopic effect of CA and the mechanisms involved therein are not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether CA modulates atopic dermatitis (AD) in vitro and in vivo. We examined the pharmacological effects of CA on compound 48/80- or histamine-induced scratching behaviors and 2, 4-dinitrochlrobenzene-induced AD-like skin lesions in mice. Additionally, we evaluated the regulatory effects of CA on the expression of tumor necrosis factor -α, interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase -2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase and activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that CA inhibited the symptoms of AD such as itching, eczema, erythema and dryness, and decreased the serum levels of IgE and histamine in mice. The inhibition rates of IgE and histamine levels by CA (2 mg/kg) were approximately 36.21 ± 4.19% and 28.93 ± 6.16%, respectively. Moreover, CA significantly attenuated the expression of inflammatory-related genes and NF-κB activation in AD-like skin lesions and mouse peritoneal macrophages. The maximal inhibition rates of NF-κB activation by CA were approximately 42.05 ± 2.12% (in AD-like skin lesions) and 37.17 ± 6.12% (in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages), respectively. These results suggest that CA may be a useful therapeutic agent for skin inflammatory condition such as AD.
Assessing the content typicality and construct of Persian language proficiency test (PLPT) for non-Persian speakers: a corpus-informed study
Authors: BijanKhan Mahmood , ShayesteFar Parvaneh , Mohebbi Hassan
Published: February 2023

Drawing on a growing body of research on the interface between corpus linguistics and second/foreign language testing and assessment, we adopted Peykare, a large-scale, annotated, Persian written language resource to evaluate the content (i.e., coverage and typicality) and construct validity of a Persian language proficiency test developed for certification of proficiency in Persian as a foreign language (PFL) of non-native speakers. Designed at the Research Center for Intelligent Signal Processing (RCISP), Peykare contains 35,058 text files over five linguistic varieties and 24 different registers of contemporary Persian. This study addresses how corpora, as rich database resources, can practically be applied to test validation purposes and insightfully inform the test life cycle. The results of content validity phase revealed evidence supporting content representativeness, relevance, and typicality of the test. The linkage between the corpus-extracted criterial features or parameters and those covered by the test was not, however, strongly evidenced by items measuring ezafeh constructions, homographs/homophones, PRO (proposition), and POST (postposition). The analysis of content typicality indicated chunks that did not closely conform to the corpus typical output. The construct validity phase, assessing the test hypothesized factor structure (i.e., hierarchical, unitary, correlated, and uncorrelated models) in two randomly split samples of PFL learners from Asian and European countries (N=121), showed that the correlated model fit the data best in both samples. The results supported the presence of distinctive factors of receptive skills, providing empirical evidence for score interpretations of the corpus-based test.
Effect of chitooligosaccharide on the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease
Authors: Wang Qian , Song Yuanyuan , Kim Mungu , Hahn Sei Kwang , Jiang Ge
Published: February 2023

Background

The main protease (Mpro) is a crucial target for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Chitooligosaccharide (CS) has broad-spectrum antiviral activity and can effectively inhibit the activity of SARS-CoV. Here, based on the high homology between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, this study explores the effect and mechanism of CS with various molecular weights on the activity of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.

Methods

We used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), UV–Vis, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and computational simulation to investigate the molecular interaction and the interaction mechanism between CS and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.

Results

Four kinds of CS with different molecular weights significantly inhibited the activity of Mpro by combining the hydrogen bonding and the salt bridge interaction to form a stable complex. Glu166 appeared to be the key amino acid. Among them, chitosan showed the highest inhibition effect on Mpro enzyme activity and the greatest impact on the spatial structure of protein. Chitosan would be one of the most potential anti-viral compounds.

Conclusion

This study provides the theoretical basis to develop targeted Mpro inhibitors for the screening and application of anti-novel coronavirus drugs.
Basic amino acid-mediated cationic amphiphilic surfaces for antimicrobial pH monitoring sensor with wound healing effects
Authors: Lee Dong Uk , Kim Se-Chang , Choi Dong Yun , Jung Won-Kyo , Moon Myung Jun
Published: February 2023

Background

The wound healing process is a complex cascade of physiological events, which are vulnerable to both our body status and external factors and whose impairment could lead to chronic wounds or wound healing impediments. Conventional wound healing materials are widely used in clinical management, however, they do not usually prevent wounds from being infected by bacteria or viruses. Therefore, simultaneous wound status monitoring and prevention of microbial infection are required to promote healing in clinical wound management.

Methods

Basic amino acid-modified surfaces were fabricated in a water-based process via a peptide coupling reaction. Specimens were analyzed and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, atomic force microscopy, contact angle, and molecular electrostatic potential via Gaussian 09. Antimicrobial and biofilm inhibition tests were conducted on
Escherichia coli
and
Staphylococcus epidermidis
. Biocompatibility was determined through cytotoxicity tests on human epithelial keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts. Wound healing efficacy was confirmed by mouse wound healing and cell staining tests. Workability of the pH sensor on basic amino acid-modified surfaces was evaluated on normal human skin and
Staphylococcus epidermidis
suspension, and in vivo conditions.

Results

Basic amino acids (lysine and arginine) have pH-dependent zwitterionic functional groups. The basic amino acid-modified surfaces had antifouling and antimicrobial properties similar to those of cationic antimicrobial peptides because zwitterionic functional groups have intrinsic cationic amphiphilic characteristics. Compared with untreated polyimide and modified anionic acid (leucine), basic amino acid-modified polyimide surfaces displayed excellent bactericidal, antifouling (reduction ~ 99.6%) and biofilm inhibition performance. The basic amino acid-modified polyimide surfaces also exhibited wound healing efficacy and excellent biocompatibility, confirmed by cytotoxicity and ICR mouse wound healing tests. The basic amino acid-modified surface-based pH monitoring sensor was workable (sensitivity 20 mV pH
−1
) under various pH and bacterial contamination conditions.

Conclusion

Here, we developed a biocompatible and pH-monitorable wound healing dressing with antimicrobial activity via basic amino acid-mediated surface modification, creating cationic amphiphilic surfaces. Basic amino acid-modified polyimide is promising for monitoring wounds, protecting them from microbial infection, and promoting their healing. Our findings are expected to contribute to wound management and could be expanded to various wearable healthcare devices for clinical, biomedical, and healthcare applications.
Take patients seriously when they say financial incentives help with adherence
Authors: Hodson Nathan , Majid Madiha , Vlaev Ivo , Singh Swaran Preet
Published: February 2023

Small financial incentives have been proven effective at promoting healthy behaviours across medicine, including in psychiatry. There are a range of philosophical and practical objections to financial incentives. Drawing on the existing literature, specifically attempts to use financial incentives to promote antipsychotic adherence, we propose a ‘patient-centred’ view of evaluating financial incentive regimes. We argue that there is evidence that mental health patients like financial incentives, considering them fair and respectful. The enthusiasm of mental health patients for financial incentives lends support to their use, although it does not invalidate all objections against them.
First report of PhALLCON: A phase 3 study comparing ponatinib (pon) vs imatinib (im) in newly diagnosed patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ALL).
Authors: Jabbour Elias , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Aldoss Ibrahim , Montesinos Pau , Leonard Jessica Taft , Gomez-Almaguer David , Baer Maria R. , Gambacorti-Passerini Carlo , McCloskey James , Minami Yosuke , Papayannidis Cristina , Geraldo Rocha Vanderson , Rousselot Philippe , Vachhani Pankit , Wang Eunice S. , Wang Bingxia , Hennessy Meliessa , Vorog Alexander , Patel Niti , Ribera Josep-Maria
Published: February 2023

398868

Background: The standard of care in patients (pts) with newly diagnosed (dx) Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is BCR::ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in combination with chemotherapy (chemo) or steroids. Treated with 1st- or 2nd-generation TKIs, pts eventually progress due to emergence of resistance. Multiple studies have reported promising minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity (neg) rates and survival outcomes with pon in combination with chemo or chemo-free regimens. PhALLCON (NCT03589326), the first randomized study comparing TKIs in pts with Ph+ALL, evaluates pon vs im in combination with reduced-intensity chemo. Methods: This phase 3 open-label trial randomized adult newly dx Ph+ALL pts 2:1 to receive pon (30 mg once daily [QD]) or im (600 mg QD) with reduced-intensity chemo through end of induction (EOI; Cycles 1–3), consolidation (Cycles 4–9), and post-consolidation (Cycles 10–20). After Cycle 20, pts received single-agent pon or im until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The composite primary endpoint was MRD-neg ( BCR:: ABL1 ≤0.01% ) complete remission (CR) for 4 weeks at EOI. Event-free survival (EFS: any cause death, failure to achieve CR by EOI, relapse from CR) was a key secondary endpoint. Results: 245 pts were randomized to pon (n=164) or im (n=81); median age was 54 y (37% ≥60 y). At data cutoff (Aug 2022), 78 pts (pon vs im: 42% vs 12%) were on study treatment; the top 3 reasons for discontinuation were hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (31% vs 37%), adverse events (12% vs 12%), and lack of efficacy (7% vs 26%). Median follow-up was 20 mo vs 18 mo (pon vs im). The primary endpoint was met (Table) by significantly higher MRD-neg CR rate for pon vs im (34.4% vs 16.7%; p=0.0021). Survival data were not mature; however, the median EFS was reached in im and not in pon, with a trend toward improvement (HR=0.652, 95% CI 0.385–1.104). Time to treatment failure reported an improvement as well (HR=0.455). The treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) rates (any grade [Gr] and Gr3/4/5) were comparable between treatment arms. Arterial occlusive events (AOEs) were infrequent and similar between the arms (Table). Conclusions: Pon was superior to im in combination with reduced-intensity chemo in pts with newly dx Ph+ALL, with a significantly higher MRD-neg CR rate at the EOI. Pon was associated with deeper and more durable responses, with a trend toward improved EFS and comparable safety vs im. Clinical trial information: NCT03589326 . [Table: see text]
Incremental Health Care Costs of Anxiety and Depression Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Cancer
Authors: Birch Kelly , Chung Sukyung , Zion Sean R. , MacEwan Joanna P. , Malecki Michael J.
Published: February 2023

PURPOSE:

Mental health comorbidities are commonplace among patients with cancer and have been associated with adverse health outcomes and elevated health care costs. Given the rapidly evolving cancer care landscape, an updated understanding of the prevalence and costs of mental health conditions among patients with cancer is needed. This study assessed the incremental costs of anxiety and depression among Medicare beneficiaries with cancer.

METHODS:

This retrospective cohort study used the SEER-Medicare database. Patients diagnosed with melanoma, breast, lung, prostate, or colorectal cancer between July 2013 and December 2017 were followed for at least 12 months and up to 36 months after cancer diagnosis. Patients were categorized on the basis of anxiety/depression (AD) diagnosis: (1) predating cancer, (2) onset after cancer, or (3) no AD. Multivariable regression was used to estimate differences in all-cause incremental costs (before v after cancer) between the three groups.

RESULTS:

Of 230,626 patients, 10% had AD before their cancer diagnosis and 22% were diagnosed after cancer. In the first year after cancer diagnosis, average monthly health care costs were $5,750 in US dollars (USD) for patients with newly onset, $5,208 (USD) for patients with preexisting, and $3,919 (USD) for patients without a diagnosis of AD. The incremental cost of cancer was the greatest among patients with newly onset AD—$1,458 (USD) per month greater than those with no AD. Similar patterns were observed across cancer types and stages.

CONCLUSION:

One in three Medicare beneficiaries with cancer in this study had a diagnosis of anxiety or depression. Newly onset AD is associated with an increase in health care costs of $17,496 (USD) per year. Screening and management of mental health conditions for patients with cancer should be part of coordinated oncology care.
Mortality Not Increased in Patients With Nonfunctional Adrenal Adenomas: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Kjellbom Albin , Lindgren Ola , Danielsson Malin , Olsen Henrik , Löndahl Magnus
Published: February 2023

Context

Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) is associated with increased mortality in patients with adrenal incidentalomas, but little is known regarding the potential risk associated with nonfunctional adrenal adenomas (NFAA), which constitute the majority of adrenal incidentalomas.

Objective

Compare mortality risk in patients with NFAA, and different levels of MACS, to matched controls.

Method

This was a retrospective matched cohort study. All patients referred to 2 endocrine centers in southern Sweden because of an adrenal incidentaloma between 2005 and 2015 were enrolled. Controls (3:1) matched for sex, age, and residency were included. Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Outcome data were obtained from the Cause of Death Register. Patients were grouped according to cortisol level post 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (cortisolDST) (<50 (NFAA), 50-82, 83-137, and ≥138 nmol/L).

Results

1154 patients and 3462 matched controls were included. During a median follow-up of 6.6 years, 210 patients and 505 controls died. There were no statistically significant differences in mortality between patients with NFAA and their controls (HR 1.13 [0.87-1.46]) whereas mortality was increased compared to controls in patients with cortisolDST 83-137 (HR 1.99 [1.38-2.88]) and ≥138 nmol/L (HR 4.09 [2.41-6.93]). Likewise, the mortality risk was increased in patients younger than 65 years with cortisolDST 50-82 nmol/L compared with controls (HR 2.33 [1.30-4.17]).

Conclusion

NFAA does not seem to pose a clinically relevant risk for increased mortality in patients with adrenal incidentalomas while patients with MACS, and especially younger patients and those with cortisolDST ≥83 nmol/L, have significantly increased mortality risk compared with matched controls.
Spectrum of MRI findings of foetal alcohol syndrome disorders—what we know and what we need to know!
Authors: Sharif Saad , Lakshmanan Naeha , Sharif Farhana , Ryan Stephanie
Published: February 2023

The exposure to alcohol in utero has been known to damage the developing foetus. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders is an umbrella term that highlights a range of adverse effects linked to alcohol exposure in utero. Multiple studies have shown specific brain abnormalities, including a reduction in brain size, specifically in the deep nuclei and cerebellum, and parietal and temporal lobe white matter changes. While studies ascertained that other prenatal risk factors, such as maternal use of illicit drugs or lack of pre-natal care, and post-natal risk factors, such as physical or sexual abuse and low socioeconomic status, may be involved in the pathology of variances in foetal neurological abnormalities, prenatal alcohol exposure remained the strongest factor for effects on brain structure and function. Particularly, the number of days of alcohol consumption per week and drinking during all three trimesters of the pregnancy indicating the strongest relationship with brain abnormalities. Further studies are needed to explain pre-natal risk factors in isolation as well as in combination for neurodevelopmental outcomes. The diverse phenotypic presentations described indicate that the diagnostic criteria of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder must be refined to better represent the range of neurologic anomalies.
C-Reactive protein as a biomarker affecting neurorehabilitation outcomes in post-stroke patients: state of knowledge and global trends in research
Authors: Borowicz Wojciech , Szczepańska Marta , Rosińczuk Joanna
Published: February 2023

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a commonly determined biomarker of inflammation and may reflect the progression of a vascular disease. CRP values within 12 to 24 hours of stroke symptom onset are an independent predictor of adverse functional outcome in terms of the level of motor recovery in the first year of follow-up. Objective: This study aims to provide a complementary analysis of the scientific literature and critically review studies on the use of CRP as a potential biomarker associated with stroke and affecting the achievement of neurorehabilitation progress in post-stroke patients. Methods: This critical review of the literature was prepared based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) original research, (2) studies indexed in PubMed, Scopus and PEDro databases, (3) full-text articles in English, (4) papers published in 2012 – 2022, and (5) papers addressing the use of PCR assay as a biomarker of rehabilitation effectiveness. Results: Based on a review of PubMed, Scopus and PEDro databases, 47, 56 and 9 papers, respectively, were selected based on precisely selected keywords and included in full for further full text review. In this review, the most important scientific rationale was included in response to the aim of this paper. Summary: Recognition of the role of inflammatory and immunological factors in the development of atherosclerosis and the occurrence of ischaemic stroke provides scope for the search for new methods of stroke risk assessment and the development of new methods to prevent stroke. Further empirical validation and unequivocal demonstration of the levels of CRP as a potential marker that affects the health status of a post-stroke patient are needed to ensure the greatest possible level of motor recovery and ability to function independently in terms of all activities of daily living.
Behaviorism and the concepts of influencing the attitudes of patients towards health behaviors
Authors: Prusaczyk Artur , Oberska Joanna , Żuk Paweł , Guzek Marika , Bogdan Magdalena
Published: February 2023

Health professionals in primary care teams need to know how to effectively encourage patients to change health behaviors to achieve treatment goals. Understanding the behavioral patterns and psychological underpinnings of making changes can help healthcare professionals deliver interventions with a higher success rate.
The aim of the study was to assess the importance of behavior patterns in shaping patients' health attitudes and behaviors. There are three types of theoretical models that explain how health behaviors are initiated and changed: motivational, post-intentional, and multistage models. Motivation models describe the role of individual cognitive variables in the process of creating the intention to change behavior.
Changing habits in the context of health promotion takes place by influencing the perception of patients. This can be achieved using the TRA (Theory of Reasoned Action), TBP (Theory of Planned Behavior) and HBM (Health Belief Model) models by convincing the public about susceptibility to a given disease, disseminating knowledge about effective methods of prevention and generating persuasion, support, admiration or recognition in society after positive behaviors such as smoking cessation or regular physical activity. Post-intentional models indicate factors that increase the chance of translating motivation into action. They commit the individual to a certain action when certain environmental circumstances are met, thus helping to translate the intention of the goal into action. Multi-stage models describe health behaviors as involving several separate stages. These theories are based on the assumption that people at different stages will behave differently, so the types of interventions and information needed to change behavior will vary depending on the stage they are at. Helping patients set realistic goals, such as moving to the next stage, can facilitate the change process.
Effective behavioral interventions must be based on changing the approach of medical staff to the interpersonal process with the patient. This approach should be patient-centred and collaborative. Medical staff should assess the importance that the patient attaches to his health and the treatment process, and thus also the willingness and motivation to comply with the recommendations. Merely providing information will not guarantee a change in their behavior. Healthcare professionals should use active listening techniques (using open-ended questions, explanations, reflective and summarizing statements), should encourage patients to express concerns, and should be able to weigh the pros and cons of different treatment approaches.
Smart Predict-then-Optimize for Two-Stage Linear Programs with Side Information
Authors: Estes Alexander S. , Richard Jean-Philippe P.
Published: February 2023

We study two-stage linear programs with uncertainty in the right-hand side in which the uncertain parameters of the problem are correlated with a variable called the side information, which is observed before an action is made. We propose an approach in which a linear regression model is used to provide a point prediction for the uncertain parameters of the problem. We use an approach called smart predict-then-optimize. Rather than minimizing a typical loss function for regression, such as squared error, we approximately minimize the objective value of the resulting solutions to the optimization problem. We conduct computational tests that compare our method with other approaches for optimization problems with side information. The results indicate that our method can provide better objective values in situations where the true model is reasonably close to a linear model. Although the procedure we propose requires a longer time for fitting than existing methods, it requires less time to produce a decision for each given observation of the side information.

Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoo.2023.0088 .
Improving Convenience or Saving Face? An Empirical Analysis of the Use of Facial Recognition Payment Technology in Retail
Authors: Gao Jia , Rong Ying , Tian Xin , Yao Yuliang
Published: February 2023

Facial recognition payment technology (FR) has the potential to disrupt the offline retailing industry by automating the payment process. However, some firms that adopted FR payment technology have experienced only moderate success, and many customers have expressed frustration using FR payment technology. By utilizing data sets from three retail chains, we find that customers are less likely to use FR payment technology during self-checkouts when more customers are in line behind them, waiting and watching (the social presence effect), and when more preceding customers use the other payment technology (the herding effect).

These findings imply that (1) the design of FR technology can be improved to alleviate the social presence effect (such as adding a privacy screen filter or beautify the appearance of the consumer’s image), and (2) monetary incentives may be used to attract more users by leveraging the herding effect.
Testing to Scale
Authors: Sampson Ben
Published: February 2023

Researchers are trialing innovative approaches for the development and testing of control systems for electric aircraft
Highways in the Sky
Authors: Hughes David
Published: February 2023

More work devising and testing ways of operating eVTOL aircraft and drones is needed before they can be used in cities
Interference between photon echoes in an Er-doped fiber
Authors: da Silva V.L. , Silberberg Y. , Heritage J.P. , Chase E.W.
Published: February 2023

We report the observation of a new interference phenomenon in photon echo experiments which are performed in an optical fiber. This phenomenon is unique to the guided wave environment and is the result of propagation in an optically thick absorber. The use of optical fibers allows long interaction lengths where the propagation of the excitation pulses as well as the echoes is important.
Optically Nonlinear Materials via Sol-Gel Processing
Authors: Kim Jongsung , Plawsky Joel L.
Published: February 2023

The sol-gel process was used to fabricate optically nonlinear thin films. Organic nonlinear chromophores were incorporated directly into the crosslinked silica network by polymerization of a chromophore containing organosilane, N-[3-(Triethoxysilyl)propyl]-2,4-Dinitrophenylamine. The films were cast by spin coating and the chromophores were oriented by corona-onset poling at temperatures above the glass transition temperature of the polymer. Second harmonic generation coefficients were measured using quartz as a reference and orientational order was studied by spectroscopic absorption measurements. The glass transition temperature of the polymer was controlled by copolymerization of the trifunctional organosilane with the tetrafunctional monomers tetraethoxy silane (TEOS) or tetramethoxy silane (TMOS).
Signal to noise ratio optimization of photorefractive image amplifiers
Authors: Pauliat G. , Mathey P. , Roosen G. , Rajbenbach H. , Huignard J. P.
Published: February 2023

After describing the sources of noise in photorefractive image amplifiers, we present different solutions to built amplifiers with large signal to noise ratio.
Spatial Interferometry in the Mid Infrared
Authors: Townes Charles H.
Published: February 2023

A spatial interferometer for high angular resolution of astronomical objects has been constructed and installed on Mount Wilson. It involves two movable telescopes each of 65-incn aperture, heterodyne detection using CO2 lasers as local oscillators, laser monitoring of optical path lengths, and lobe rotation.
CW-Dye laser spectrometer for ultrahigh resolution spectroscopy: Design and performance
Authors: El-Kashef Hassan
Published: February 2023

Ultrahigh resolution cw dye laser spectrometer system using self frequency stabilised and temperature compensated piano-confocal reference cavity is described. The one way propagation is achieved by wavelength independent optical diode. The laser frequency selection and tuning is accomplished by a new development of Mach-Zehnder interferometer of free spectral range 42.5 GHz. In combination with computerised tunable radio frequency technique, the system capable of a resolution of about ± 1 KHz. Application on measureing high lying, weakly occupied metastable states of free atoms of Vanadium-51 is investigated, and high precision results is discussed.
The influence of Er3+ and Er3 + /Yb3+ doping on Second harmonic generation in Er3+ and Er3+/Yb3+ doped fibers
Authors: Hua Yi-Min , Li Qu , Chen Ying-Li , Chen Yi-Xin
Published: February 2023

The SHG experiments were performed using a CW mode-locked (82MHz) and Q-switched (3kHz) Nd:YAG laser. The 532nm seeding SH pulse, produced by a KTP crystal, was about. 5% of peak pump power. In order to make high conversion efficiency and save preparation time, a new method of two-stage preparation was used. At first stage the method of 532nm seeding was used. After 10 minutes seeding, only the 1064nm pump pulse was used at second stage. It took 10 + 30 minutes for the SHG efficiency to reach a saturated level. The efficiency was higher than that of 532nm seeding preparation, and the preparation time was less than that of 1064nm-only-preparation. Several Er3+ and Yb3+/Er3+ fibers with various dopants and core-cladding index differences were prepared by the two-stage method, and the the measured maximum efficiency of SHG was 8.8%.
Molecular Architectural Approaches to Nonlinear Optical Materials
Authors: Li DeQuan , Yang Xiaoguang , McBranch Duncan
Published: February 2023

The design and construction of artificial supramolecular architectures on surfaces is of great current interest and represents an important aspect of molecular self-assembly, because self-assembly offers highly ordered mesoscale structures with desired chemical functionalities and physical properties. The fabrication of polar molecular superstructures proves particularly challenging since polar molecular materials are essential to second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) technologies. Several approaches such as the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and liquid crystals have been reported to generate molecular-based materials with organized polar structures. However, the orientation in these materials is maintained by weak bonding or steric hindrance, which lose the polar alignment over time. Recent developments in self-assembly and host-guest chemistry offer a novel route to ordered materials through the design and synthesis of new molecular building blocks that can be organized into supramolecular assemblies. The synthetic approach here is to fix dipole orientation by structural interlocking of NLO chromophores into cone conformation, and then to utilize them to build polar self-assembled monolayers. In this report, we discuss the molecular design of calixarene-based, NLO molecular "pyramids", their monolayer self-assemblies on oxide surfaces, and their spectroscopic second order NLO properties.
Second Harmonic Spectroscopy of Buried Si(001)/SiO2 Interfaces and Si(001) Epitaxial Growth Surfaces
Authors: Downer Michael
Published: February 2023

Summary not available.
Organic Superlattices for Nonlinear Optics: Alternating Langmuir-Blodgett Multilayers of Azobenzene Dyes
Authors: Grubb Stephen G. , Kalina Davida W.
Published: February 2023

We report near-ideal quadratic enhancement of second harmonic generation (SHG) from alternating, non-centrosymmetric multilayers of two azobenzene dyes deposited on glass substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. In the first case we deposited layers of the azo dye 4-nitro-4'-N-(stearoyl) aminoazobenzene (NSAAB) diluted 2:1 with stearic acid alternating with layers of pure stearic acid. Dilution of the azo dye in stearic acid leads to an increase in the effective molecular hyperpolarizability β, due presumably to prevention of dye aggregation and/or tail ordering effects. By comparison to a quartz standard, we measure a β value of 2•4x10-28 esu for NSAAB in a 2:1 mixture with stearic acid. We have investigated multilayers containing up to 10 active layers of azo dye. The 10 active layer sample exhibits an SHG signal that is 82 times that of the single layer NSAAB film. On the other hand, a 13 layer Y-type (centrosymmetric) NSAAB/stearic acid film exhibits an SHG intensity of only 1•5 times the single layer value. A quadratic curve was fit to the data allowing variation of the initial NSAAB layer SHG intensity due to molecule-substrate perturbations. The data fits extremely well when the first layer intensity is taken to be 80% of its observed value. The absorption spectrum of a one layer LB film of 2:1 NSAAB/stearic acid exhibits a 40 nm blue shift of the absorption maximum of the azo chromophore. This extreme blue shift may indicate the presence of H-aggregates of the azobenzene dyes or strong chromophore-substrate interactions.
Waveguides and Fibers for Nonlinear Optics
Authors: Stegeman George I. , Stolen Roger H.
Published: February 2023

Optical waveguides are ideal for nonlinear interactions because they provide strong beam confinement over long propagation distances. They are characterized by regions of high refractive index bounded by regions of lower refractive index. Examples of such waveguides are shown in Figure 1. Two-dimensional confinement is provided by optical fibers in cylindrical geometries and by channel waveguides in quasi-rectangular waveguides. Although planar waveguides provide guiding in one dimension, the beam can focus, defocus, and diffract in the plane of the film. The propagation distances in fibers are usually limited by material attenuation, with kilometers being typical for silica-based fibers. Although material losses can also limit propagation distance for integrated-optics waveguides, fabrication techniques invariably limit propagation distances to at most 10 cm, and more typically a few centimeters. The guided-wave fields extend into all of the waveguiding media. For example, for a planar waveguide, the fields are maximum inside the high-index region (film) and decay exponentially from the boundary into the low-index media. Hence nonlinear interactions can occur in any of the media defining the waveguide. However, the high-index region carries most of the guided-wave power and hence, with the exception of a few cases that require strong nonlinearities in the bounding media, nonlinear interactions are optimized when the nonlinearity occurs inside the high-index medium.
Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Semiconductor Clusters
Authors: Wang Ying , Mahler W. , Herron N. , Suna A. , Hilinski E. F. , Lucas P. A.
Published: February 2023

Polymers and glasses doped with small semiconductor clusters represent a new class of materials. These materials are interesting for two reasons. First, the size of the semicondutor clusters can be controlled to vary from a few to hundreds of Å. This provides a vehicle to study the transition of a semiconductor from molecular to bulk. Secondly, by doping polymers or glasses with these small semiconductor clusters, utilizing their large resonant third order nonlinearity, new optically nonlinear composite materials can be prepared. In this paper we will discuss the linear and nonlinear optical properties of PbS and CdS clusters in polymer films.
Nonlinear Optical Properties of Periodic Composite Materials
Authors: Sipe J. E.
Published: February 2023

The propagation of light through linear materials characterized by a periodic dielectric function is well understood in terms of the optical band structure that results. Even if the underlying materials are nondispersive, wave packets suffer dispersion due to the effect of the periodicity, and there are band gaps where light cannot propagate through the material and the reflectivity rises to unity.
Exact Noise-Figure Formulas for Optical Amplifiers and Amplifier-Fiber Cascaded Chains
Authors: Okoshi T.
Published: February 2023

An erroneous noise-figure (NF) cascading formula has sometimes been used at optical frequencies. This paper presents for the first time exact NF formulas for optical amplifiers, and a correct cascading formula to be used in the analysis of amplifier-fiber cascaded chains.
Auger Analysis of Elemental Depth Profiles Correlated with Multi-Pulse Laser Damage of GaAs Surfaces
Authors: Sardar Dhiraj K. , Becker Michael F. , Walser Rodger M.
Published: February 2023

A great deal of effort has been made in recent years to understand the mechanisms of laser induced damage in solids. Semiconductors, in particular, are of interest both becuase of fundamental questions concerning their damage processes for which they are model systems, and because of their technological importance.