bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Routing Optimization with Vehicle–Customer Coordination
Authors: Zhang Wei , Jacquillat Alexandre , Wang Kai , Wang Shuaian
Published: March 2023

In several transportation systems, vehicles can choose where to meet customers rather than stopping in fixed locations. This added flexibility, however, requires coordination between vehicles and customers that adds complexity to routing operations. This paper develops scalable algorithms to optimize these operations. First, we solve the one-stop subproblem in the [Formula: see text] space and the [Formula: see text] space by leveraging the geometric structure of operations. Second, to solve a multistop problem, we embed the single-stop optimization into a tailored coordinate descent scheme, which we prove converges to a global optimum. Third, we develop a new algorithm for dial-a-ride problems based on a subpath-based time–space network optimization combining set partitioning and time–space principles. Finally, we propose an online routing algorithm to support real-world ride-sharing operations with vehicle–customer coordination. Computational results show that our algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art benchmarks, yielding far superior solutions in shorter computational times and can support real-time operations in very large-scale systems. From a practical standpoint, most of the benefits of vehicle–customer coordination stem from comprehensively reoptimizing “upstream” operations as opposed to merely adjusting “downstream” stopping locations. Ultimately, vehicle–customer coordination provides win–win–win outcomes: higher profits, better customer service, and smaller environmental footprint.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.

Funding: This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72288101, 52221005 and 52220105001].

Supplemental Material: The e-companion and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4739 .
Experimental and Semi-Phenomenological Investigation on Sound Absorption Performance of Natural Granular Sound Absorber: A Case Study on Rice Bran Composites
Authors:   Faculty of Science and Technology, Songkhla Rajabhat University, Songkhla 90000 Thailand, Chanlert Purintorn , Manoma Wiparat ,   Faculty of Science and Technology, Songkhla Rajabhat University, Songkhla 90000 Thailand, Jintara Aneeta ,   Faculty of Science and Technology, Songkhla Rajabhat University, Songkhla 90000 Thailand, Kerdkaew Thanate ,   Chemistry and Biology Unit, Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, Bangkok 10110, Thailand, Sutthibutpong Thana ,   Theoretical and Computational Physics Group, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Published: March 2023

The sound absorption performance of rice bran composites was quantitatively investigated through an improved semi-phenomenological approach. Rice bran (RB) was employed as the primary and structural component in the creation of granular-type sound absorbers with urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive. The sound absorption coefficient (SAC) was measured by the two-microphone impedance tube method. Samples with a rice bran per volume ratio lower than 253 kg/m3 show peak-valley characteristics in the saturation region of their SAC spectrum. Five non-acoustic parameters for each sample were obtained by direct measurement and fitting the experimental SACs to the semi-phenomenological Johnson-Champoux-Allard (JCA) equivalent fluid model using the least-squares fitting method. Samples with higher proportions of RB demonstrate lower porosity (ϕ), viscous characteristic length (Λ), and thermal characteristic length (Λ'). Flow resistivity (σ) was the only parameter that noticeably increases when RB increased while tortuosity (α_∞) did not show a strong correlation. For the uncertainty analysis of the experimental SAC, multivariate method was used in this study. A new model (NM) was predicated on the power-law relation introduced by Delany and Bazley, in which the SAC was a function of flow resistivity alone. The new model predicted the SAC of RB composites more precisely than the standard Delany-Bazley model (¯Δ_"abs(DBM)" ≈4.0¯Δ_"abs(NM)" ). The proposed model had the potential to be extended into a more unified empirical model of SAC for granular-typed sound absorbers in future investigations with a broader spectrum of granular materials.
Localization of Breast Tumor Using Four Elements UWB Wearable Antenna
Authors: Tayel Mazhar B. , Abouelnaga Tamer G. , Badran Nehad M.
Published: March 2023

In this paper, four wearable UWB antennas are designed to detect and locate tumor cells placed within a heterogeneous phantom at different positions. The proposed antenna is operated within the 4.90 GHz to 15.97 GHz bandwidth range. It is fabricated, measured, and nearly matched between measured and simulated results. A cavity is formulated to back each antenna within the proposed detection system for increasing penetration and gain of propagated electromagnetic waves of the antenna design. The S-parameter of the proposed system was used to detect and locate a small tumor. The SAR results show that the absorbed power by the breast phantom tissues satisfies the IEEE standards which confirms the appropriateness of the proposed antennas for breast cancer early detection and localization system.
Analysis of Super-Solar Integrated Patch Antenna for Sub-6 GHz and Beyond 6 GHz Millimeter Wave 5G Applications
Authors: Naganathan Suresh Babu T. , Dhandapani Sivakumar , Packirisamy Thirumaraiselvan
Published: March 2023

This article describes a new compact parasitic patch-loaded transparent patch antenna with a copper ground plane for wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) and 5thgeneration (5G) millimeter-wave (mm-wave) applications. The proposed antenna uses two rectangular parasitic patches with a rectangular main radiation patch. The L-shaped strips are also added to the main radiation patch and one of the rectangular parasitic patches to cover both the sub-6 GHz and beyond 6 GHz mm-wave 5G frequency spectrums. The same transparent patch antenna with a solar ground plane is built, and its effect is parametrically studied alongside the integration of a polycrystalline silicon solar cell. The proposed antennas with a dimension of 42x30x2 mm23 are fabricated and experimentally validated for impedance and radiation characteristics. In terms of impedance bandwidth, the proposed copper ground plane antenna offers 36.89% (5.04-7.32 GHz), 5.15% (14.35-15.11 GHz), 6.23% (27.08-28.79 GHz), and 21.34% (31.64-39.81 GHz). The solar cell serves as both a photovoltaic generator and the ground plane of the transparent antenna. The same radiating patch with a solar ground plane offers impedance bandwidth of 36.03% (4.47-6.56 GHz), 14.4% (9.6-11.12 GHz), 2.55% (22.14-22.71 GHz), and 27.9% (28.79-39.05 GHz) for 5G applications.
A Topological Charge Continuously Tunable Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) Electromagnetic Wave Generation Method Based on Fixed-length Delay Line Mixing Circuit
Authors: Zhou Yuliang , Li Xiaona , Yao Kaiyuan , Huang Yong Mao , Jin Haiyan
Published: March 2023

To overcome the drawback of complex structure and high cost attributed from the utilization of phase shifters to generate OAM in the conventional schemes, this paper proposes a new method for generating OAM based on a fixed delay line. By deriving the proposed system with fixed delay line theoretically, the relationship between the frequency of the input signal on the delay line and the topological charge of the OAM is obtained, and the topological charge of the generated OAM can be controlled by controlling the frequency. Furthermore, this paper proposes a vortex beam pointing control method based on phased array scanning, so as to realize the beam steering of OAM. It is then verified by using electromagnetic simulation, and the simulation results show that the proposed method is feasible. The proposed method not only has the advantages of simple structure and low cost, but also can generate OAM with continuously adjustable topological charge by controlling the frequency, which has the functions of topological charge reconstruction and dynamic adjustment.
Sparse Lissajous scanning reflectance confocal microscope with an adjustable field of view and fast iterative Fourier filtering reconstruction
Authors: Coleal Cameron N. , Hudson William A. , Wilson Jesse W.
Published: March 2023

Medical imaging devices are becoming increasingly compact, necessitating optimization research into different methods of actuation. Actuation influences important parameters of the imaging device such as size, weight, frame rate, field of view (FOV), and image reconstruction for imaging devices point scanning techniques. Current literature around piezoelectric fiber cantilever actuators focuses on device optimization with a fixed FOV but neglects adjustability. In this paper, we introduce an adjustable FOV piezoelectric fiber cantilever microscope and provide a characterization and optimization procedure. To overcome calibration challenges, we utilize a position sensitive detector (PSD) and address trade-offs between FOV and sparsity with a novel inpainting technique. Our work demonstrates the potential for scanner operation when sparsity and distortion dominate the FOV, extending the usable FOV for this form of actuation and others that currently only operate under ideal imaging conditions.
Integrated efficient radiative transfer model named Dayu for simulating the imager measurements in cloudy atmospheres
Authors: Li Wenwen , Zhang Feng , Lu Cancan , Jin Jiaqi , Shi Yi-Ning , Cai Yue , Hu Shuai , Han Wei
Published: March 2023

Rapid radiative transfer models are crucial to remote sensing and data assimilation. An integrated efficient radiative transfer model named Dayu, which is an updated version of the Efficient Radiative Transfer Model (ERTM) is developed to simulate the imager measurements in cloudy atmospheres. In Dayu model, the Optimized alternate Mapping Correlated K-Distribution model (OMCKD) which is predominant in dealing with the overlap of multiple gaseous lines is employed to efficiently calculate the gaseous absorption. The cloud and aerosol optical properties are pre-calculated and parameterized by the particle effective radius or length. Specifically, the ice crystal model is assumed as a solid hexagonal column, of which the parameters are determined based on massive aircraft observations. For the radiative transfer solver, the original 4-stream Discrete ordinate aDding Approximation (4-DDA) is extended to 2N-DDA (2N is the number of streams) which can calculate not only the azimuthally dependent radiance in the solar spectrum (including solar and infrared spectra overlap) but also the azimuthally averaged radiance in the thermal infrared spectrum through a unified adding method. Then the accuracy and efficiency of Dayu model are evaluated by comparing it with the benchmark model, i.e., Line-By-Line Radiative Transfer Model (LBLRTM) and DIScrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (DISORT). Under the standard atmospheric profile, the maximum relative biases between Dayu model with 8-DDA / 16-DDA and the benchmark model (OMCKD with 64-stream DISORT) are 7.63% / 2.62% at solar channels but decreased to 2.66% / 1.39% at spectra-overlapping channel (3.7 μm). The computational efficiency of Dayu model with 8-DDA / 16-DDA is approximately three / two orders of magnitude higher than that of the benchmark model. At thermal infrared channels, the brightness temperature (BT) differences between Dayu model with 4-DDA and the benchmark model (LBLRTM with 64-stream DISORT) are bounded by 0.65K. Compared to the benchmark model, Dayu model with 4-DDA improves the computational efficiency by five orders of magnitude. In the application to the practical Typhoon Lekima case, the simulated reflectances and BTs by Dayu model have a high consistency with the imager measurements, demonstrating the superior performance of Dayu model in satellite simulation.
Optical-density enhanced quantum entanglement via four-wave mixing process
Authors: Chuang You-Lin , Ullah Rahmat , Yu Ite A.
Published: March 2023

We theoretically propose a scheme to generate a strong continuous-variable quantum entangled light source in four-wave mixing (FWM) process by increasing the optical density of atomic medium. By properly choosing the input coupling field Rabi frequency and detuning, the optimized entanglement can be achieved to be better than −17 dB at an optical density of approximately 1, 000, which has been realized in atomic media. Besides, with the optimized one-photon detuning and coupling Rabi frequency, the optimum entanglement degree can be greatly enhanced with the increment of optical density. We also examine the effects of atomic decoherence rate and two-photon detuning on entanglement in a realistic setting, and evaluate the experimental feasibility. We find that the entanglement can be further improved by considering two-photon detuning. In addition, with optimum parameters the entanglement is robust against the decoherence. The strong entanglement provides a promising applications in continuous-variable quantum communications.
Design of wavelength division multiplexing devices based on tunable edge states of valley photonic crystals
Authors: Wang Xiaorong , Han Yuhui , Fei Hongming , Lin Han , Zhang Mingda , Liu Xin , Cao Binzhao , Yang Yibiao , Chen Zhihui , Xiao Liantuan
Published: March 2023

Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) devices are key photonic integrated circuit (PIC) elements. Conventional WDM devices based on silicon waveguides and photonic crystals have limited transmittance due to the high loss introduced by the strong backward scattering from defects. In addition, it is challenging to reduce the footprint of those devices. Here we theoretically demonstrate a WDM device in the telecommunication range based on all-dielectric silicon topological valley photonic crystal (VPC) structures. We tune its effective refractive index by tuning the physical parameters of the lattice in the silicon substrate, which can continuously tune the operating wavelength range of the topological edge states, which allows the designing of WDM devices with different channels. The WDM device has two channels (1475 nm-1530 nm and 1583 nm-1637 nm), with contrast ratios of 29.6 dB and 35.3 dB, respectively. We demonstrated highly efficient devices for multiplexing and demultiplexing in a WDM system. The principle of manipulating the working bandwidth of the topological edge states can be generally applied in designing different integratable photonic devices. Thus, it will find broad applications.
32-channel wide-bandwidth massive RF photonic combiner based on distributed groups of arrayed photodetectors
Authors: Tzu Ta-Ching , Fatema Tasneem , Sun Keye , Morton Paul A. , Beling Andreas
Published: March 2023

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a low-loss, radio frequency (RF) photonic signal combiner with flat response from 1 GHz to 15 GHz and low group delay variation of 9 ps. The distributed group array photodetector combiner (GAPC) is implemented in a scalable Si photonics platform and has applications in RF photonic systems that rely on combining massive numbers of photonic signals.
Annular and unidirectional transverse scattering with high directivity based on magnetoelectric coupling
Authors: Zheng Kaihao , Li Wenjia , Sun Botian , Wang Yehan , Guan Chunying , Liu Jianlong , Shi Jinhui
Published: March 2023

Transverse scattering is a special directional scattering perpendicular to the propagation direction, which has attracted great interest due to its potential applications from directional antennas, optical metrology to optical sensing. Here we reveal annular transverse scattering and unidirectional transverse scattering by magnetoelectric coupling of Omega particle. The annular transverse scattering can be achieved by the longitudinal dipole mode of the Omega particle. Furthermore, we demonstrate the highly asymmetric unidirectional transverse scattering by adjusting the transverse electric dipole (ED) and longitudinal magnetic dipole (MD) modes. Meanwhile, the forward scattering and backward scattering are suppressed by the interference of transverse ED and longitudinal MD modes. In particular, the lateral force exerted on the particle is accompanied by the transverse scattering. Our results provide a useful toolset for manipulating light scattered by the particle and broaden the application range of the particle with magnetoelectric coupling.
Fabrication of a tellurite-fiber-based side-pump coupler based on the tapered-fused method
Authors: Xia Yongteng , Yang Lingling , Yang Fan , Xu Lulu , Fu Yue , Dai Shixun , Kang Shiliang , Wang Xunsi , Zhang Peiqing , Liu Zijun , Ran Wei
Published: March 2023

In this study, (1 + 1) × 1 side-pump couplers made of tellurite fibers were fabricated and investigated. The whole optical design of the coupler was established on the basis of ray tracing models and validated by experimental results. By optimizing the preparation conditions and structural parameters, the tested component achieved a coupling efficiency of 67.52% and an insertion loss of 0.52 dB. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a tellurite-fiber-based side-pump coupler was developed. The fused coupler presented will simplify many mid-infrared fiber lasers or amplifier architectures.
Strong localization and suppression of Anderson modes in an asymmetrical optical waveguide
Authors: Gökbulut Belkıs
Published: March 2023

In this paper, transverse Anderson localization of light waves in a 3D random network is achieved inside an asymmetrical type optical waveguide, formed within a fused-silica fiber by capillary process. Scattering waveguide medium originates from naturally formed air inclusions and Ag nanoparticles in rhodamine dye doped-phenol solution. Multimode photon localization is controlled by changing the degree of the disorder in the optical waveguide to suppress unwanted extra modes and obtain only one targeted strongly localized single optical mode confinement at the desired emission wavelength of the dye molecules. Additionally, the fluorescence dynamics of the dye molecules coupled into the Anderson localized modes in the disordered optical media are analyzed through time resolved experiments based on a single photon counting technique. The radiative decay rate of the dye molecules is observed to be enhanced up to a factor of about 10.1 through coupling into the specific Anderson localized cavity within the optical waveguide, providing a milestone for investigation of transverse Anderson localization of light waves in 3D disordered media to manipulate light–matter interaction.
Broadband electrically controlled reflective metasurface for reconfigurable circularly polarized wavefront manipulation
Authors: Xin Hai , Yang Jianing , Tang Ming-Chun , Zhang Haochen , Zhang Zuojun , Qu Meijun
Published: March 2023

A broadband, electrically controlled, reconfigurable, circularly polarized reflective metasurface is presented. The chirality of the metasurface structure is changed by switching active elements, which benefits from the tunable current distributions generated by the elaborately designed structure under x-polarized and y-polarized waves. Notably, the proposed metasurface unit cell maintains a good circular-polarization efficiency in a broadband range of 6.82-9.96 GHz (fractional bandwidth of 37%) with a phase difference of π between the two states. As a demonstration, a reconfigurable circularly polarized metasurface containing 8 × 8 elements was simulated and measured. The results verify that the proposed metasurface can flexibly control circularly polarized waves in a broadband, realizing beam splitting, mirror reflection, and other beam manipulations from 7.4 GHz to 9.9 GHz (fractional bandwidth of 28.9%) by simply adjusting the loaded active elements. The proposed reconfigurable metasurface may offer a promising approach to electromagnetic wave manipulation or communication systems.
Two-step spin coating CsPbBr3 thin films and photodetectors in the atmosphere
Authors: Bao Chenyang , Peng Xiang , Ying Leiying , Mei Yang , Zhang Baoping , Long Hao
Published: March 2023

Recently, inorganic halide perovskites, especially CsPbBr3, have been attracting attention because of their high efficiency, wide color gamut, and narrow luminescent spectrum. To elevate the perovskite devices’ performance, optimizations of crystalline quality, device structures, and fabrication process are essential. Currently, the state-of-the-art fabrication approach of CsPbBr3 is spin-coating in an inert environment (nitrogen, argon, etc.), which requires temperature and humidity control. In this work, a CsPbBr3-based visible photodetector (PD) is realized in a humid atmosphere, whose performances were comparable to those reported in an inert glovebox. The dependencies of responsivity and transient time on CsBr coating layer numbers and electrode period were also investigated. The best device performance was obtained with 4 layers of CsBr coating with a responsivity of 107.2 mA/W, detectivity of 4.29 × 1010 Jones, and quantum efficiency of 25.4%. The rise time of the 3–4-layer CsBr-coated PD was reduced by the higher crystalline quality and carrier mobility, while the decay time of the 1-layer CsBr-coated PD was faster since the dense defect induced non-radiative recombination centers. With the period T increasing, the responsivity decreased, while the transient times increased. We believe that our results could benefit the future optimization of perovskite materials and PDs.
Seeded stimulated X-ray emission at 5.9  keV
Authors: Doyle Margaret D. , Halavanau Aliaksei , Zhang Yu , Michine Yurina , Everts Joshua , Fuller Franklin , Alonso-Mori Roberto , Yabashi Makina , Inoue Ichiro , Osaka Taito , Yamada Jumpei , Inubushi Yuichi , Hara Toru , Kern Jan , Yano Junko , Yachandra Vittal K. , Rohringer Nina , Yoneda Hitoki , Kroll Thomas , Pellegrini Claudio , Bergmann Uwe
Published: March 2023

X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) provide intense pulses that can generate stimulated X-ray emission, a phenomenon that has been observed and studied in materials ranging from neon to copper. Two schemes have been employed: amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and seeded stimulated emission (SSE), where a second color XFEL pulse provides the seed. Both phenomena are currently explored for coherent X-ray laser sources and spectroscopy. Here, we report measurements of ASE and SSE of the 5.9 keV Mn Kα1 fluorescence line from a 3.9 molar NaMnO4 solution, pumped with 7 femtosecond FWHM XFEL pulses at 6.6 keV. We observed ASE at a pump pulse intensity of 1.7×1019W/cm2, consistent with earlier findings. We observed SSE at dramatically reduced pump pulse intensities down to 1.1×1017W/cm2. These intensities are well within the range of many existing XFEL instruments, which supports the experimental feasibility of SSE as a tool to generate coherent X-ray pulses, spectroscopic studies of transition metal complexes, and other applications.
Single-shot blind deconvolution in coherent diffraction imaging with coded aperture
Authors: Muneta Hideyuki , Horisaki Ryoichi , Nishizaki Yohei , Naruse Makoto , Tanida Jun
Published: March 2023

We present a method for single-shot blind deconvolution in coherent diffraction imaging. In our method, a complex amplitude object is illuminated with coherent light, and light from the object is captured through a coded aperture located on the pupil plane to reduce estimated variables. The complex amplitude field of the object is recovered from the single captured intensity image by a phase retrieval algorithm in which the coded aperture is utilized as a support to estimate the sparse pupil function. We numerically and experimentally demonstrate the proposed method. In the experiment, we evaluate its performance with ptychography, which is a method for multi-shot coherent diffraction imaging.
Hundredfold increase of stimulated Brillouin-scattering bandwidth in whispering-gallery mode resonators
Authors: Lin Guoping , Tian Jingyi , Sun Tang , Song Qinghai , Chembo Yanne K.
Published: March 2023

Backward stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is widely exploited for various applications in optics and optoelectronics. It typically features a narrow gain bandwidth of a few tens of megahertz in fluoride crystals. Here we report a hundredfold increase of SBS bandwidth in whispering-gallery mode resonators. The crystalline orientation results in a large variation of the acoustic phase velocity upon propagation along the periphery, from which a broad Brillouin gain is formed. Over 2.5 GHz wide Brillouin gain profile is theoretically found and experimentally validated. SBS phenomena with Brillouin shift frequencies ranging from 11.73 to 14.47 GHz in ultrahigh Q Z-cut magnesium fluoride cavities pumped at the telecommunication wavelength are demonstrated. Furthermore, the Brillouin–Kerr comb in this device is demonstrated. Over 400 comb lines spanning across a spectral window of 120 nm are observed. Our finding paves a new way for tailoring and harnessing the Brillouin gain in crystals.
Mapping mitonuclear epistasis using a novel recombinant yeast population
Authors: Nguyen Tuc H. M. , Tinz-Burdick Austen , Lenhardt Meghan , Geertz Margaret , Ramirez Franchesca , Schwartz Mark , Toledano Michael , Bonney Brooke , Gaebler Benjamin , Liu Weiwei , Wolters John F. , Chiu Kenneth , Fiumera Anthony C. , Fiumera Heather L.
Published: March 2023

Genetic variation in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes can perturb mitonuclear interactions and lead to phenotypic differences between individuals and populations. Despite their importance to most complex traits, it has been difficult to identify the interacting mitonuclear loci. Here, we present a novel advanced intercrossed population ofSaccharomyces cerevisiaeyeasts, called the Mitonuclear Recombinant Collection (MNRC), designed explicitly for detecting mitonuclear loci contributing to complex traits. For validation, we focused on mapping genes that contribute to the spontaneous loss of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that leads to thepetitephenotype in yeast. We found that rates ofpetiteformation in natural populations are variable and influenced by genetic variation in nuclear DNA, mtDNA and mitonuclear interactions. We mapped nuclear and mitonuclear alleles contributing to mtDNA stability using the MNRC by integrating a term for mitonuclear epistasis into a genome-wide association model. We found that the associated mitonuclear loci play roles in mitotic growth most likely responding to retrograde signals from mitochondria, while the associated nuclear loci with main effects are involved in genome replication. We observed a positive correlation between growth rates andpetitefrequencies, suggesting a fitness tradeoff between mitotic growth and mtDNA stability. We also found that mtDNA stability was correlated with a mobile mitochondrial GC-cluster that is present in certain populations of yeast and that selection for nuclear alleles that stabilize mtDNA may be rapidly occurring. The MNRC provides a powerful tool for identifying mitonuclear interacting loci that will help us to better understand genotype-phenotype relationships and coevolutionary trajectories.
Cost comparison of a rapid results initiative against standard clinic-based model to scale-up voluntary medical male circumcision in Kenya
Authors: Jaradeh Katrin , Van Fleet Kingery Tyler , Cheruiyot Jackline , Odhiambo Francesca , Bukusi Elizabeth A. , Cohen Craig R. , Shade Starley B.
Published: March 2023

Voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) reduces HIV acquisition by up to 60%. Kenya has successfully scaled up VMMC to an estimated 91% of eligible men and boys in certain regions in combination due to VMMC and cultural circumcisions. VMMC as a program is implemented regionally in traditionally non-circumcising counties where the prevalence is still below 91%, ranging from 56.4% to 66.7%. Given that funding toward VMMC is expected to decline in the coming years, it is important to identify what models of service delivery are most appropriate and efficient to sustainably meet the VMMC needs of new cohorts’ eligible men. To this end, we compared the costs of facility-based VMMC and one within a rapid results initiative (RRI), a public health service scheduled during school holidays to perform many procedures over a short period. We employed activity-based micro-costing to estimate the costs, from the implementer perspective, of facility-based VMMC and RRI-based VMMC conducted between October 2017 and September 2018 at 41 sites in Kisumu County, Kenya supported by the Family AIDS care & Education Services (FACES). We conducted site visits and reviewed financial ledger and programmatic data to identify and quantify resources consumed and the number of VMMC procedures performed during routine care and RRIs. Ledger data were used to estimate fixed costs, recurring costs, and cost per circumcision (CPC) in United States dollar (USD). A sensitivity analysis was done to estimate CPC where we allocated 6 months of the ledger to facility-based and 6 months to RRI. Overall, FACES spent $3,092,891 toward VMMC services and performed 42,139 procedures during the funding year. This included $2,644,910 in stable programmatic costs, $139,786 procedure costs, and $308,195 for RRI-specific activities. Over the year, 49% (n = 20,625) of procedures were performed as part of routine care and 51% (n = 21,514) were performed during the RRIs. Procedures conducted during facility-based cost $99.35 per circumcision, those conducted during the RRIs cost $48.51 per circumcision, and according to our sensitivity analysis, CPC for facility-based ranges from $99.35 to $287.24 and for RRI costs ranged from $29.81 to $48.51. The cost of VMMC during the RRI was substantially lower than unit costs reported in previous costing studies. We conclude that circumcision campaigns, such as the RRI, offer an efficient and sustainable approach to VMMC.
Effect of prenatal care quality on the risk of low birth weight, preterm birth and vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis
Authors: Aguiar Debora Melo de , de Andrade Andréia Moreira , Ramalho Alanderson Alves , Martins Fernanda Andrade , Koifman Rosalina Jorge , Opitz Simone Perufo , da Silva Ilce Ferreira
Published: March 2023

Background

Averse birth-outcomes still affect newborns worldwide. Although high-quality prenatal care is the main strategy to prevent these outcomes, the effect of prenatal care based on Kotelchuck index combined with consultation contents is still unclear. Thus, this article to evaluate the effect of the quality of prenatal care (PC) process on birth indicators in a cohort of puerperaes who attended maternity hospitals in Brazilian western Amazon, city of Rio Branco, in the state of Acre, Brazil, in 2015.

Methods

This research was a hospital-based cohort study. The sample consisted of 1,030 women who gave birth in maternity hospitals in the city between April 6 and June 30, 2015. This research was a hospital-based cohort study. The sample consisted of 1,030 women who gave birth in maternity hospitals in Rio Branco between April 6th. and June 30th., 2015. Prenatal care was classified as fully adequate when started ≤4th month; ≥80.0–109% expected consultations for GA according to the Kotelchuck Index; ≥5 records of blood pressure, weight, GA, fundal height, ≥4 records of fetal heart rate, fetal movements or equivalent to 75% of the number of consultations; in addition to recording ABO/RH, hemoglobin, VDRL, urine, glucose, anti-HIV and anti-toxoplamosis during the 1st trimester. The evaluated outcomes were low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth and vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis/syphilis. Differences between proportions were assessed using the X² test, and the crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) (95% CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression.

Results

Overall cohort, the outcomes incidences were 8.8% for LBW, 9.2% for preterm birth, and 1.1% for vertical transmission (syphilis/HIV/hepatitis). Crude and adjusted OR showed that inadequate PC increased the risk statistically significant of LBW (ORcrude: 1.84; 95%CI: 0.99–3.44; ORadjusted: 1.87; 95%CI: 1.00–3.52), and preterm birth (ORcrude: 1.79; 95%CI: 1.00–3.29; ORadjusted: 3.98; 95%CI: 1.40–11.29).

Conclusion

The results draw attention to the importance of quality PC in reducing the risks of LBW, preterm birth, and vertical transmission of syphilis/HIV/hepatitis. Moreover, using this proposed quality prenatal care indicator based on Kotelchuck index combined with consultations contents adjusted by GA may accurately predict unfavorable outcomes.
Back to the basics: Clinical assessment yields robust mortality prediction and increased feasibility in low resource settings
Authors: Yost Mark T. , Carvalho Melissa M. , Mbuh Lidwine , Dissak-Delon Fanny N. , Oke Rasheedat , Guidam Debora , Nlong Rene M. , Zikirou Mbengawoh M. , Mekolo David , Banaken Louis H. , Juillard Catherine , Chichom-Mefire Alain , Christie S. Ariane
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Mortality prediction aids clinical decision-making and is necessary for trauma quality improvement initiatives. Conventional injury severity scores are often not feasible in low-resource settings. We hypothesize that clinician assessment will be more feasible and have comparable discrimination of mortality compared to conventional scores in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods

Between 2017 and 2019, injury data were collected from all injured patients as part of a prospective, four-hospital trauma registry in Cameroon. Clinicians used physical exam at presentation to assign a highest estimated abbreviated injury scale (HEAIS) for each patient. Discrimination of hospital mortality was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Discrimination of HEAIS was compared with conventional scores. Data missingness for each score was reported.

Results

Of 9,635 presenting with injuries, there were 206 in-hospital deaths (2.2%). Compared to 97.5% of patients with HEAIS scores, only 33.2% had sufficient data to calculate a Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and 24.8% had data to calculate a Kampala Trauma Score (KTS). Data from 2,328 patients with all scores was used to compare models. Although statistically inferior to the prediction generated by RTS (AUC 0.92–0.98) and KTS (AUC 0.93–0.99), HEAIS provided excellent overall discrimination of mortality (AUC 0.84–0.92). Among 9,269 patients with HEAIS scores was strongly predictive of mortality (AUC 0.93–0.96).

Conclusion

Clinical assessment of injury severity using HEAIS strongly predicts hospital mortality and far exceeds conventional scores in feasibility. In contexts where traditional scoring systems are not feasible, utilization of HEAIS could facilitate improved data quality and expand access to quality improvement programming.
Bacterial communities of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes differ between crop and midgut tissues
Authors: Villegas Luis E. Martinez , Radl James , Dimopoulos George , Short Sarah M.
Published: March 2023

Microbiota studies of Aedes aegypti and other mosquitoes generally focus on the bacterial communities found in adult female midguts. However, other compartments of the digestive tract maintain communities of bacteria which remain almost entirely unstudied. For example, the Dipteran crop is a food storage organ, but few studies have looked at the microbiome of crops in mosquitoes, and only a single previous study has investigated the crop in Ae. aegypti. In this study, we used both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods to compare the bacterial communities in midguts and crops of laboratory reared Ae. aegypti. Both methods revealed a trend towards higher abundance, but also higher variability, of bacteria in the midgut than the crop. When present, bacteria from the genus Elizabethkingia (family Weeksellaceae) dominated midgut bacterial communities. In crops, we found a higher diversity of bacteria, and these communities were generally dominated by acetic acid bacteria (family Acetobacteriaceae) from the genera Tanticharoenia and Asaia. These three taxa drove significant community structure differences between the tissues. We used FAPROTAX to predict the metabolic functions of these communities and found that crop bacterial communities were significantly more likely to contain bacteria capable of methanol oxidation and methylotrophy. Both the presence of acetic acid bacteria (which commonly catabolize sugar to produce acetic acid) and the functional profile that includes methanol oxidation (which is correlated with bacteria found with natural sources like nectar) may relate to the presence of sugar, which is stored in the mosquito crop. A better understanding of what bacteria are present in the digestive tract of mosquitoes and how these communities assemble will inform how the microbiota impacts mosquito physiology and the full spectrum of functions provided by the microbiota. It may also facilitate better methods of engineering the mosquito microbiome for vector control or prevention of disease transmission.
Work-family conflict among hotel housekeepers in the Balearic Islands (Spain)
Authors: Chela-Alvarez Xenia , Garcia-Buades M. Esther , Ferrer-Perez Victoria A. , Bulilete Oana , Llobera Joan
Published: March 2023

The massive incorporation of women to the labour market has increased academic and applied interest on work-life issues throughout the years. This article aims to describe the domestic burden and difficulties in work-life balance (WLB) and to understand the intersection of work and family spheres among hotel housekeepers (HHs). A cross-sectional study was conducted through Primary Health Care in the Balearic Islands (Spain); 1,043 HHs were enrolled. 56.7% reported difficulties in WLB. Risk factors for perceiving difficulties in WLB were: living with someone else (regardless of the number of co-habitants), having difficulties making ends meet, being the main person in charge of domestic tasks, having a dependant, having an external locus of control, presenting higher levels of stress at work, working more hours a week and being younger. Protective factors from experiencing work-family conflict (WFC) were job and wage satisfaction. WFC is strongly influenced by individual, economic, labour and domestic factors: these relationships show that labour and domestic spheres are non-separate worlds.
Resilience-based optimization model for emergency bus bridging and dispatching in response to metro operational disruptions
Authors: Zhang Jiefei , Ren Gang , Song Jianhua
Published: March 2023

Bus-bridging evacuation services can significantly enhance metro resilience during operational disruptions. A resilience-based optimization model was proposed to generate a bus bridging and dispatching plan. The objective of the model is to maximize the resilience index of evacuated passengers while meeting pre-established restrictions on operational indicators and resources. The proposed approach consists of three steps: representing an integrated network based on a hyper-network, generating candidate bus-bridging routes using the K-shortest paths algorithm, and solving the optimization model using a genetic algorithm to determine the optimal vehicle allocation among the candidate routes. The Nanjing metro network was used to demonstrate the proposed model. The results show that the average waiting time is the main reason for travel delays, especially in short-distance travel. Furthermore, the cycling strategy is beneficial for reducing the average travel delay and improving evacuation efficiency with limited vehicles. In particular, when resources are very limited, the vehicle cycling strategy may have significant advantages over fixed vehicles for servicing fixed lines. The proposed model could be widely used in emergency response to quickly and efficiently evacuate passengers.
Diversity of trematodes from the amphibian anomaly P hotspot: Role of planorbid snails
Authors: Svinin Anton O. , Chikhlyaev Igor V. , Bashinskiy Ivan W. , Osipov Vitaly V. , Neymark Leonid A. , Ivanov Alexander Yu. , Stoyko Tamara G. , Chernigova Polina I. , Ibrogimova Polina K. , Litvinchuk Spartak N. , Ermakov Oleg A.
Published: March 2023

Trematode infection of the second intermediate hosts can lead to changes in their fitness and, as a result, a change in the invasion rate of animal communities. It is especially pronounced during the invasion of parasite species that reduce activity due to the manipulation of hosts through the changes of their morphology and physiology. One of these cases is an anomaly P syndrome hotspot found in some populations of water frogs and toads in Europe caused by the trematodeStrigea robustametacercariae. The occurrence of pathogen and their participation in ecosystems are intrigues questions in the anomaly P phenomenon, as well as the role of planorbid snails that serve as the first intermediate hosts for many trematode species. Herein, we focused on trematodes spectra from planorbid snails and amphibians from the anomaly P hosts with the aim to undetected interactions between the pathways of parasites. Emerging cercariae of 6802 planorbid snails of dominant species (Planorbarius corneus,Planorbis planorbis, andAnisusspp.) were detected by both morphological and molecular methods in seven waterbodies in Privolzhskaya Lesostep Nature Reserve (Russia). A total of 95 sequences of 18 species were received, and 48 sequences were unique and did not present in any genetic databases. The 18 species of trematodes from snails and 14 species of trematodes from amphibian hosts (Pelophylax ridibundus; Ranidae; Anura) were detected. Three species (Echinostoma nasincovae,Tylodelphys circibuteonisandAustralapatemon burti) was new for the trematode fauna of the Middle Volga River region and Russia as a whole. Eleven species of parasitic flatworms have amphibians in their life cycles and nine species used amphibians as metacercariae hosts:Echinostoma nasincovae,E.miyagawai,Echinoparyphium recurvatum,Tylodelphys circibuteonis,Neodiplostomum spathula,Paralepoderma cloacicola,Macrodera longicollis,Strigea robusta, andStrigea strigis. The occurrence of trematode species from planorbid mollusks and frogs were compared.
AA-amyloidosis in cats (Felis catus) housed in shelters
Authors: Ferri Filippo , Ferro Silvia , Porporato Federico , Callegari Carolina , Guglielmetti Chiara , Mazza Maria , Ferrero Marta , Crinò Chiara , Gallo Enrico , Drigo Michele , Coppola Luigi Michele , Gerardi Gabriele , Schulte Tim Paul , Ricagno Stefano , Vogel Monique , Storni Federico , Bachmann Martin F. , Vogt Anne-Cathrine , Caminito Serena , Mazzini Giulia , Lavatelli Francesca , Palladini Giovanni , Merlini Giampaolo , Zini Eric
Published: March 2023

Systemic AA-amyloidosis is a protein-misfolding disease characterized by fibril deposition of serum amyloid-A protein (SAA) in several organs in humans and many animal species. Fibril deposits originate from abnormally high serum levels of SAA during chronic inflammation. A high prevalence of AA-amyloidosis has been reported in captive cheetahs and a horizontal transmission has been proposed. In domestic cats, AA-amyloidosis has been mainly described in predisposed breeds but only rarely reported in domestic short-hair cats. Aims of the study were to determine AA-amyloidosis prevalence in dead shelter cats. Liver, kidney, spleen and bile were collected at death in cats from 3 shelters. AA-amyloidosis was scored. Shedding of amyloid fibrils was investigated with western blot in bile and scored. Descriptive statistics were calculated. In the three shelters investigated, prevalence of AA-amyloidosis was 57.1% (16/28 cats), 73.0% (19/26) and 52.0% (13/25), respectively. In 72.9% of cats (35 in total) three organs were affected concurrently. Histopathology and immunofluorescence of post-mortem extracted deposits identified SAA as the major protein source. The duration of stay in the shelters was positively associated with a histological score of AA-amyloidosis (B = 0.026, CI95% = 0.007–0.046; p = 0.010). AA-amyloidosis was very frequent in shelter cats. Presence of SAA fragments in bile secretions raises the possibility of fecal-oral transmission of the disease. In conclusion, AA-amyloidosis was very frequent in shelter cats and those staying longer had more deposits. The cat may represent a natural model of AA-amyloidosis.
Exploring the relationships between heritage tourism, sustainable community development and host communities’ health and wellbeing: A systematic review
Authors: Brooks Cristy , Waterton Emma , Saul Hayley , Renzaho Andre
Published: March 2023

Previous studies examining the impact of heritage tourism have focused on specific ecological, economic, political, or cultural impacts. Research focused on the extent to which heritage tourism fosters host communities’ participation and enhances their capacity to flourish and support long-term health and wellbeing is lacking. This systematic review assessed the impact of heritage tourism on sustainable community development, as well as the health and wellbeing of local communities. Studies were included if they: (i) were conducted in English; (ii) were published between January 2000 and March 2021; (iii) used qualitative and/or quantitative methods; (iv) analysed the impact of heritage tourism on sustainable community development and/or the health and wellbeing of local host communities; and (v) had a full-text copy available. The search identified 5292 articles, of which 102 articles met the inclusion criteria. The included studies covering six WHO regions (Western Pacific, African, Americas, South-East Asia, European, Eastern Mediterranean, and multiple regions). These studies show that heritage tourism had positive and negative impacts on social determinants of health. Positive impacts included economic gains, rejuvenation of culture, infrastructure development, and improved social services. However, heritage tourism also had deleterious effects on health, such as restrictions placed on local community participation and access to land, loss of livelihood, relocation and/or fragmentation of communities, increased outmigration, increases in crime, and erosion of culture. Thus, while heritage tourism may be a poverty-reducing strategy, its success depends on the inclusion of host communities in heritage tourism governance, decision-making processes, and access to resources and programs. Future policymakers are encouraged to adopt a holistic view of benefits along with detriments to sustainable heritage tourism development. Additional research should consider the health and wellbeing of local community groups engaged in heritage tourism. Protocol PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018114681.
Evolutionary game theory and simulations based on doctor and patient medical malpractice
Authors: Song Lin , Yu Zhenlei , He Qiang
Published: March 2023

Doctors and patients are the two critical players in medical malpractice. The evolutionary game model of doctors and patients is constructed based on information asymmetry and bounded rationality. The strategy selection problem of the two players in the medical malpractice process was studied. With change in different parameters, the evolutionary equilibrium strategy of the model was demonstrated using Vensim simulation. The results show that the weight, penalty amount, benefits of standardized practices, and patient medical alarm cost of strategies of different doctors are the key factors affecting doctor–patient evolutionary game system. Medical malpractice can be reduced by adjusting the weight of different strategy choices, increasing the penalties for illegal practices, and standardizing medical malpractice costs based on doctors’ standardized practice income. Measures to effectively resolve medical malpractice are proposed by introducing a third-party normative system, establishing a doctor–patient information management system, and improving doctors’ reward and punishment mechanisms.