bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supergroup F Wolbachia with extremely reduced genome: transition to obligate insect symbionts
Authors: Mahmood Sazzad , Nováková Eva , Martinů Jana , Sychra Oldřich , Hypša Václav
Published: February 2023

Background

Wolbachia belong to highly abundant bacteria which are frequently found in invertebrate microbiomes and manifest by a broad spectrum of lifestyles from parasitism to mutualism. Wolbachia supergroup F is a particularly interesting clade as it gave rise to symbionts of both arthropods and nematodes, and some of its members are obligate mutualists. Investigations on evolutionary transitions among the different symbiotic stages have been hampered by a lack of the known diversity and genomic data for the supergroup F members.

Results

Based on amplicon screening, short- and long-read WGS approaches, and laser confocal microscopy, we characterize five new supergroup F Wolbachia strains from four chewing lice species. These strains reached different evolutionary stages and represent two remarkably different types of symbiont genomes. Three of the genomes resemble other known members of Wolbachia F supergroup, while the other two show typical signs of ongoing gene inactivation and removal (genome size, coding density, low number of pseudogenes). Particularly, wMeur1, a symbiont fixed in microbiomes of Menacanthus eurysternus across four continents, possesses a highly reduced genome of 733,850 bp. The horizontally acquired capacity for pantothenate synthesis and localization in specialized bacteriocytes suggest its obligate nutritional role.

Conclusions

The genome of wMeur1 strain, from the M. eurysternus microbiome, represents the smallest currently known Wolbachia genome and the first example of Wolbachia which has completed genomic streamlining as known from the typical obligate symbionts. This points out that despite the large amount and great diversity of the known Wolbachia strains, evolutionary potential of these bacteria still remains underexplored. The diversity of the four chewing lice microbiomes indicates that this vast parasitic group may provide suitable models for further investigations.
Recognizing and monitoring infectious sources of schistosomiasis by developing deep learning models with high-resolution remote sensing images
Authors: Xue Jing-Bo , Xia Shang , Wang Xin‑Yi , Huang Lu-Lu , Huang Liang-Yu , Hao Yu-Wan , Zhang Li-Juan , Li Shi-Zhu
Published: February 2023

Background

China is progressing towards the goal of schistosomiasis elimination, but there are still some problems, such as difficult management of infection source and snail control. This study aimed to develop deep learning models with high-resolution remote sensing images for recognizing and monitoring livestock bovine, which is an intermediate source of Schistosoma japonicum infection, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the models for real-world application.

Methods

The dataset of livestock bovine’s spatial distribution was collected from the Chinese National Platform for Common Geospatial Information Services. The high-resolution remote sensing images were further divided into training data, test data, and validation data for model development. Two recognition models based on deep learning methods (ENVINet5 and Mask R-CNN) were developed with reference to the training datasets. The performance of the developed models was evaluated by the performance metrics of precision, recall, and F1-score.

Results

A total of 50 typical image areas were selected, 1125 bovine objectives were labeled by the ENVINet5 model and 1277 bovine objectives were labeled by the Mask R-CNN model. For the ENVINet5 model, a total of 1598 records of bovine distribution were recognized. The model precision and recall were 81.9% and 80.2%, respectively. The F1 score was 0.81. For the Mask R-CNN mode, 1679 records of bovine objectives were identified. The model precision and recall were 87.3% and 85.2%, respectively. The F1 score was 0.87. When applying the developed models to real-world schistosomiasis-endemic regions, there were 63 bovine objectives in the original image, 53 records were extracted using the ENVINet5 model, and 57 records were extracted using the Mask R-CNN model. The successful recognition ratios were 84.1% and 90.5% for the respectively developed models.

Conclusion

The ENVINet5 model is very feasible when the bovine distribution is low in structure with few samples. The Mask R-CNN model has a good framework design and runs highly efficiently. The livestock recognition models developed using deep learning methods with high-resolution remote sensing images accurately recognize the spatial distribution of livestock, which could enable precise control of schistosomiasis.

Graphical Abstract
Behavioral, biochemical and histopathological toxic profiles induced by sub-chronic cannabimimetic WIN55, 212–2 administration in mice
Authors: Omran Ghada A. , Abd Allah Eman S. H. , Mohammed Sherine Ahmed , El Shehaby Doaa M.
Published: February 2023

WIN55, 212–2 mesylate is a synthetic cannabinoid (SC) agonist of CB1 and CB2 receptors with much higher affinity to CB1 receptor than tetrahydrocannabinol and many potential therapeutic effects. Few studies have evaluated SCs effects on more complex animal behavior and sex differences in cannabinoids toxicology. The current study was undertaken for determination of behavioral (Open Field test), biochemical (liver and kidney function test plus GABA & Glutamate levels), histopathological and CB1 immunohistochemistry risks of sub-chronic administration of SC WIN55, 212–2 mesylate in male and female mice. A total of 40 healthy adult mice were randomly divided into four groups (5 mice each): a negative control group, a vehicle group, a low dose (0.05 mg/kg) group and a high dose group (0.1 mg/kg) for each gender.

Open Field Testrevealed dose and gender-dependent anxiogenic effect with reduced locomotor activity in both sexes especially the higher doses with female mice being less compromised. GABA and glutamate levels increased significantly in both dose groups compared to controls alongside female mice versus males. No significant biochemical alterations were found in all groups with minimal histopathological changes. The CB1 receptors immunohistochemistry revealed a significant increase in the number of CB1 positive neurons in both low and high dose groups against controls with higher expression in female brains.

Conclusions

There were sexual dimorphism effects induced by sub-chronic exposure to WIN55, 212–2 with lesser female mice affection and dose-dependent influences.
Re-examining the effectiveness of processing instruction components for teaching the present subjunctive: Do learning styles make a difference?
Authors: Haghani Mastaneh , Rashtchi Mojgan
Published: February 2023

The present quasi-experimental study investigated which component of processing instruction (PI) is responsible for its beneficial effects and whether EFL learners with different learning styles similarly benefit from PI components. In doing so, a sample of 67 first-year students took part in a study with a non-equivalent control group pretest–posttest design. The participants were randomly divided into three groups: one receiving explicit information without further exercises (EI group), another receiving structured input activities comprising both referential and affective activities without explicit information (SI group), and the third group receiving processing instruction containing both explicit information and structured input activities (PI group). First, Ehrman and Leaver’s (E & L) Construct questionnaire was employed to categorize the participants into ectenic and synoptic learners in each group. Afterward, a General Language Proficiency Test (GLPT) and a Target Structure Test were administered. After the treatment, the learners took a posttest modeling the pretest. The independent samples t-tests run in each group revealed no significant differences between the ectenic and synoptic learners’ performance regarding the components of PI. However, the findings suggested that the ectenic learners benefited least from the SI activities, and the advantageous effect of PI was mainly related to EI. Pedagogical implications of the study for opposing learning styles are discussed, and suggestions are provided for further research.
A case of glossopharyngeal neuralgia successfully treated with levetiracetam
Authors: Nishie Hiroyuki , Sakuta Yuka , Nakatsuka Hideki
Published: February 2023

Background

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a condition that causes severe pain in the throat during swallowing. Although carbamazepine is a viable option for treating glossopharyngeal neuralgia, there are minimal data regarding the effect of alternative agents to treat it. We report on glossopharyngeal neuralgia, which is successfully controlled by levetiracetam.

Presentation

A woman in her 70s checked into our hospital with a chief complaint of neck pain lasting 5 years. She had a history of carbamazepine-induced interstitial pneumonia. As a result, we prescribed oral levetiracetam 1000 mg daily in addition to mirogabalin, which was previously prescribed. This effectively reduced the numerical rating scale from 9 to 1 with no adverse effects. Finally, she underwent microvascular decompression, and her symptoms were resolved.

Conclusion

Levetiracetam may be an option for patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia who cannot receive carbamazepine. However, levetiracetam is for off-label use according to the Japanese medical system.
In vivo imaging of inflammatory response in cancer research
Authors: Konishi Yoshinobu , Terai Kenta
Published: February 2023

Inflammation can contribute to the development and progression of cancer. The inflammatory responses in the tumor microenvironment are shaped by complex sequences of dynamic intercellular cross-talks among diverse types of cells, and recapitulation of these dynamic events in vitro has yet to be achieved. Today, intravital microscopy with two-photon excitation microscopes (2P-IVM) is the mainstay technique for observing intercellular cross-talks in situ, unraveling cellular and molecular mechanisms in the context of their spatiotemporal dynamics. In this review, we summarize the current state of 2P-IVM with fluorescent indicators of signal transduction to reveal the cross-talks between cancer cells and surrounding cells including both immune and non-immune cells. We also discuss the potential application of red-shifted indicators along with optogenetic tools to 2P-IVM. In an era of single-cell transcriptomics and data-driven research, 2P-IVM will remain a key advantage in delivering the missing spatiotemporal context in the field of cancer research.
Impact of drying on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of bignay [Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng.] pomace
Authors: Zubia Claire S. , Babaran Gilda Melanie O. , Duque Sheba Mae M. , Mopera Lotis E. , Flandez Lloyd Earl L. , Castillo-Israel Katherine Ann T. , Reginio Florencio C.
Published: February 2023

Bignay pomace is a processing byproduct that can be a source of bioactive compounds. However, a suitable dehydration method should be considered to efficiently valorize this waste material into high-value food ingredient and maximize its health-promoting properties. Bignay pomace was subjected to convection oven-drying and freeze-drying to investigate the effect of these pre-processing techniques on the physicochemical, bioactives, and antioxidant properties of the samples. Both drying methods significantly (p<0.05) changed the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents of bignay pomace while flavonoids and tannins were not significantly affected. Freeze-drying of samples resulted in higher phenolic content (1742 vs. 1273 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g DW) and anthocyanin content (496 vs. 223 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent/100 g DW) than convection oven-drying. Freeze-drying also resulted in higher antioxidant properties based on DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and FRAP assays. Bignay pomace extract was analyzed through HPLC (with photo-diode array detector) for its phenolic profile and nine compounds were identified, with catechin and epicatechin as the dominant components. HPLC analysis also showed that while the drying process does not influence the phenolic profile of the samples, it significantly affected the concentration of phenolic compounds present. The results of this study showed that freeze-drying is a more viable method to retain the majority of bignay pomace’s functional properties compared to convection oven-drying.

Graphical Abstract
Comparative study of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication versus Hill-Snow procedure for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gad Mostafa Ahmed , Qinawy Mohamad Mahmoud , Abdelazim Osama , Kaddah Sherif Nabhan , Elbarbary Mohamed Magdy , Elfiky Mahmoud Asem
Published: February 2023

Background

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition in children. Complete fundoplication provides better reflux control but it results in more dysphagia and gas-bloat symptoms. Antireflux surgery without wrap has fewer adverse effects but a higher failure rate in controlling reflux. Until now, there is little evidence as to whether complete or partial fundoplication is the optimal procedure in this age group.

Objective

This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication versus Hill-Snow procedure among children with GERD.

Methods

We conducted a randomized, single-blinded, comparative trial that included 40 children with a diagnosis of GERD, who were scheduled to undergo surgery. Children were randomly allocated to undergo laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication or Hill-Snow procedure.

Results

While the incidence of postoperative dysphagia was similar between both groups, the duration of dysphagia was significantly shorter in the Hill-Snow group. Likewise, the incidence of bloating was significantly lower in the Hill-Snow group than the Nissen group (0% versus 55%, respectively). We found three recurrent Hill-Snow cases versus two recurrent Nissen cases. The operative time was significantly longer in the Hill-Snow procedure (150 ± 52 min) than in the Nissen group (120 ± 48 min).

Conclusions

The Hill-Snow procedure is an effective alternative to Nissen fundoplication with no bloating and much less dysphagia, leading to faster recovery of ordinary eating patterns.
A computational package to compute the electrical resistivity tomography response for regular bodies immersed in a homogeneous half-space
Authors: Hernández Contreras Hector Octavio Augusto , Flores Márquez E. Leticia
Published: February 2023

A 3D forward algorithm is presented to model electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements with the capability to use different electrode array configurations. We have implemented the algorithm as an open-source package with the assumption that the medium can be modeled as a homogeneous half-space with immersed bodies of different resistivities with regular geometry. This algorithm incorporates a novel numerical approximation by using the volume integral method, with the hypothesis of weak scattering, where the secondary currents generated in the bodies due to the main field are not considered. The algorithm also includes a new method called cubature to calculate volume integrals and the ERT response. In addition, the code has a module to display the results as color resistivity profiles. This method avoids the limitation of the complex geometry of the medium or even of the immersed bodies. The method is useful for planning a field survey, exploring the use of a specific electrode array, or implementing new arrays. The package, called the volume integral model of the electric response, is computationally efficient and can be easily ported to any operating system that supports MATLAB.
Investigating the association between schizophrenia and distance visual acuity: Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Shoham Natalie , Dunca Diana , Cooper Claudia , Hayes Joseph F. , McQuillin Andrew , Bass Nick , Lewis Gemma , Kuchenbaecker Karoline
Published: February 2023

Background

Increased rates of visual impairment are observed in people with schizophrenia.

Aims

We assessed whether genetically predicted poor distance acuity is causally associated with schizophrenia, and whether genetically predicted schizophrenia is causally associated with poorer visual acuity.

Method

We used bidirectional, two-sample Mendelian randomisation to assess the effect of poor distance acuity on schizophrenia risk, poorer visual acuity on schizophrenia risk and schizophrenia on visual acuity, in European and East Asian ancestry samples ranging from approximately 14 000 to 500 000 participants. Genetic instrumental variables were obtained from the largest available summary statistics: for schizophrenia, from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium; for visual acuity, from the UK Biobank; and for poor distance acuity, from a meta-analysis of case–control samples. We used the inverse variance-weighted method and sensitivity analyses to test validity of results.

Results

We found little evidence that poor distance acuity was causally associated with schizophrenia (odds ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.91–1.10). Genetically predicted schizophrenia was associated with poorer visual acuity (mean difference in logMAR score: 0.024, 95% CI 0.014–0.033) in European ancestry samples, with a similar but less precise effect that in smaller East Asian ancestry samples (mean difference: 0.186, 95% CI –0.008 to 0.379).

Conclusions

Genetic evidence supports schizophrenia being a causal risk factor for poorer visual acuity, but not the converse. This highlights the importance of visual care for people with psychosis and refutes previous hypotheses that visual impairment is a potential target for prevention of schizophrenia.
The potential unintended consequences of Mental Health Act reforms in England and Wales on people with intellectual disability and/or autism
Authors: Tromans Samuel , Bhui Kamaldeep , Sawhney Indermeet , Odiyoor Mahesh , Courtenay Ken , Roy Ashok , Boer Harm , Alexander Regi , Biswas Asit , McCarthy Jane , Gulati Gautam , Laugharne Richard , Shankar Rohit
Published: February 2023

The draft Mental Health Bill, which amends the Mental Health Act 1983 for England and Wales, proposes protections for people with intellectual disability and/or autism (ID/A) to prevent detention in hospital in the absence of mental illness. This editorial critically appraises the positive impact and unintended consequences of the proposed reforms for people with ID/A.
Many-body localization in the random-field Heisenberg chain with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction
Authors: Cao Ye , Wu Ning
Published: February 2023

We study the one-dimensional spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in a random magnetic field using exact diagonalization. In order to obtain many-body mobility edge at infinite temperature, we employ a polynomial filtered Lanczos method that can avoid the fill-in problem when implementing the commonly used shift-and-invert transformation. In stark contrast to the original Heisenberg model, although the localized phase always conforms to Poisson statistics, the ergodic phase exhibits the Gaussian unitary ensemble rather than the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble statistics due to the lack of complex conjugation symmetry. The boundary between the ergodic and localized phases is determined by carefully performing finite-size scalings for the level statistics, entanglement entropy and its standard deviation, as well as fluctuations of the total spin of the system. The two phases are also well distinguished by the full delocalization or localization in the Hilbert space wherein the participation entropies present. To indicate the localized phase in experiment, we propose a scheme for realizing the out-of-time-order correlator on a modern nuclear magnetic resonance quantum simulator.
Puta Life
Authors: Rodríguez Juana María
Published: February 2023

In Puta Life, Juana María Rodríguez probes the ways that sexual labor and Latina sexuality become visual phenomena. Drawing on state archives, illustrated biographies, documentary films, photojournalistic essays, graphic novels, and digital spaces, she focuses on the figure of the puta—the whore, that phantasmatic figure of Latinized feminine excess. Rodríguez’s eclectic archive features the faces and stories of women whose lives have been mediated by sex work's stigmatization and criminalization—washerwomen and masked wrestlers, porn stars and sexiles. Rodríguez examines how visual tropes of racial and sexual deviance expose feminine subjects to misogyny and violence, attuning our gaze to how visual documentation shapes perceptions of sexual labor. Throughout this poignant and personal text, Rodríguez brings the language of affect and aesthetics to bear upon understandings of gender, age, race, sexuality, labor, disability, and migration. Highlighting the criminalization and stigmatization that surrounds sex work, she lingers on those traces of felt possibility that might inspire more ethical forms of relation and care.
The Briny South
Authors: Boer Nienke
Published: February 2023

In The Briny South Nienke Boer examines the legal and literary narratives of enslaved, indentured, and imprisoned individuals crossing the Indian Ocean to analyze the formation of racialized identities in the imperial world. Drawing on court records, ledgers, pamphlets, censors’ reports, newsletters, folk songs, memoirs, and South African and South Asian works of fiction and autobiography, Boer theorizes the role of sentiment and the depiction of emotions in the construction of identities of displaced peoples across the Indian Ocean. From Dutch East India Company rule in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to early apartheid South Africa, Boer shows how colonial powers and settler states mediated and manipulated subaltern expressions of emotion as a way to silence racialized subjects and portray them as inarticulately suffering. In this way, sentiment operated in favor of the powerful rather than as an oppositional weapon of the subaltern. By tracing the entwinement of displacement, race, and sentiment, Boer frames the Indian Ocean as a site of subjectification with a long history of transnational connection—and exploitation.
RELAÇÕES INTERGOVERNAMENTAIS APÓS A CONSTITUIÇÃO FEDERAL DE 1988: UMA RADIOGRAFIA DAS TRANSFERÊNCIAS VOLUNTÁRIAS FEDERAIS AOS MUNICÍPIOS
Authors: Palotti Pedro Lucas de Moura , D’Albuquerque Raquel Wanderley , Endo Iara Cremonesi
Published: February 2023

Objetivo: Argumenta-se que as transferências intergovernamentais constituem um elemento relevante para a compreensão da dinâmica federativa brasileira e, consequentemente, para as políticas públicas no Brasil. O artigo visa a responder a três conjuntos de questões: (1) Qual a dimensão das transferências em termos de valores de repasse? (2) Quais são os órgãos da administração pública federal que realizam essas transferências, quanto transferem e por meio de quais instrumentos? (3) Quais são os principais órgãos subnacionais ou instituições que recebem essas transferências, em quais regiões e unidades da federação estão situadas e quais montantes de recursos recebem?Metodologia: Propõe-se uma classificação das transferências voluntárias estabelecidas pelo Estado brasileiro no contexto do federalismo fiscal, dos normativos legais e das práticas administrativas consolidadas. A análise empírica é inédita e de cunho descritivo-exploratório.Resultados: Os resultados apontam que, de 2008 a 2017, a média de recursos repassados pelo governo federal sofreu grandes variações, com expressiva queda no ano de 2013 para 2014. Os valores mais expressivos são do Ministério da Saúde e das Cidades; Roraima, Acre e Amapá foram, proporcionalmente, os estados que mais receberam recursos do governo federal.Contribuições: Os entes federados são os principais atores chamados a colaborar para execução descentralizada dos recursos federais. O fortalecimento das capacidades administrativas do governo federal é essencial para melhorar a coordenação federativa, ao passo que a melhoria da implementação de políticas públicas depende do fortalecimento dos governos subnacionais.
O MAL-ESTAR DA JUDICIALIZAÇÃO DA POLÍTICA: O PRINCÍPIO DA SEPARAÇÃO DE PODERES SOB A HEGEMONIA DEMOCRÁTICA
Authors: Matos Nelson Juliano Cardoso , Dettmam Deborah
Published: February 2023

Contextualização: Este artigo trata da judicialização da política.Objetivo: A partir do contexto da discussão, explicitadas contradições e ambiguidades e a inquietação por elas provocada, pretende-se clarificar minimamente os elementos e pressupostos do debate, situando o leitor no genuíno sentido da controvérsia.Método: Análise da literatura clássica sobre o tema, para comparar e confrontar conceitos, classificações e distinções.Resultados: Primeiro, conceituar judicialização da política e, assim, distinguir os diversos conceitos correlatos. Segundo, entender a ideia de separação de poderes no século XX. Por fim, terceiro, identificar a hegemonia democrática como fator decisivo para a compreensão da controvérsia.Conclusões: Percebe-se, sobretudo, o equívoco de contrapor a judicialização da política à separação de poderes quando o mal-estar é, principalmente, da tensão entre a judicialização da política e a hegemonia democrática.
ChatGPT - Reshaping medical education and clinical management
Authors: Khan Rehan Ahmed , Jawaid Masood , Khan Aymen Rehan , Sajjad Madiha
Published: February 2023

Artificial Intelligence is no more the talk of the fiction read in novels or seen in movies. It has been making inroads slowly and gradually in medical education and clinical management of patients apart from all other walks of life. Recently, chatbots particularly ChatGPT, were developed and trained, using a huge amount of textual data from the internet. This has made a significant impact on our approach in medical science. Though there are benefits of this new technology, a lot of caution is required for its use.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.2.7653

How to cite this: Khan RA, Jawaid M, Khan AR, Sajjad M. ChatGPT - Reshaping medical education and clinical management. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(2):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.2.7653

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Effect of feed enriched by products formulated from coconut water, palm sap sugar, and mushroom on the chemical composition of feed and carcass, growth performance, body indices, and gut micromorphology of giant gourami, Osphronemus goramy (Lacepède, 1801), juveniles
Authors: Azrita Azrita , Syandri Hafrijal , Aryani Netti , Mardiah Ainul
Published: February 2023

Background: Giant gourami, Osphronemus goramy (Lacepède, 1801) is the most important freshwater fish species produced by aquaculture in Indonesia. This study seeks to determine the effects of various newly formulated products on the amino acid composition of the diet and whole-body carcass, and to analyse the growth coefficient, body indices, and gut micromorphology.

Methods: 100 g of palm sap sugar was cooked in 1.1 litre of fresh water for fifteen minutes, to create 1 litre of 11% palm sap sugar solution (after some of it had been boiled off). 2 litres of coconut water were then mixed with the litre of palm sugar solution. 1 litre of this product was added in turn to 2 g of Aspergillus niger (CP2), 2 g of Rhizopus oligosporus (CP3), and 2 g of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CP4), while freshwater was used as a control (labeled CP1). Aquafeed was added to CP1, CP2, CP3, and CP4, to make diets labeled KP1, KP2, KP3, and KP4. The dosage was 150 ml/kg of feed. Juvenile giant gourami (initial weight 50±0.25 g and length 13.2±0.07 cm) were reared in triplicate net frames (2×1×1 m; water volume 1.5 m3) in a freshwater concrete pond with a stocking density of 30 juveniles/net.

Results: The results supported our hypothesis that different product formulations have a significant effect (P < 0.05) on aquafeed nutrition and the whole-body carcass, growth coefficient, feed utilization, body indices, and gut micromorphology of giant gourami juveniles. The thermal growth coefficient strongly correlated with the daily growth coefficient (r2 = 91%). The KP3 diet contains a higher concentration of amino acids, which increased the growth coefficient, feed utilization, and carcass quality more than the other diets we tested.

Conclusions: Diet KP3 contains higher total amino acids in diets and carcasses and leads to better growth for giant gourami.
Water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus and sustainable development in the Horn of Africa
Authors: Kanda Edwin Kimutai , Awandu Willis , Lusweti Elizabeth , Mukolwe Micah M.
Published: February 2023

Water, energy and food (WEF) security are key indicators of sustainable development. Realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs) by countries is achieved through a water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus framework. Climate change is a threat to food, energy and water security in the Horn of Africa. The main aim of this review is to assess the status and prospects of WEF nexus as it relates to SDGs in the horn of Africa.  The countries considered were Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti. The review indicated that the four countries have a challenge in achieving SDGs 2, 6 and 7.  Djibouti had the highest (50.9) WEF index in the region followed by Ethiopia and Somalia at 47.5 and 36.8, respectively while Eritrea had the lowest WEF index of 35.8. The energy sub-index was the best performer in the region with an average index of 56 while water and food sub-indices were the worst at 36. Political instability, insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, weak institutional and legal framework are some of the challenges facing WEF and sustainable development in the region. Climate change adaptation measures should be incorporated into the water, energy, food and ecosystem (WEFE) nexus using an integrated approach. Modelling WEFE requires integration of models and should also focus on interactions among the sub-systems.
O desafio do manejo das dificuldades alimentares na infância: uma análise crítica do guia de orientações da Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria
Authors: Reis Lígia Cardoso dos , Vieira Viviane Laudelino , Neri Daniela
Published: February 2023

A Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria (SBP) publicou em abril de 2022 um guia de orientações para o manejo das dificuldades alimentares (DA) com a colaboração da DANONE Nutricia®. Este artigo analisa criticamente a publicação, explicitando suas fragilidades conceituais. Foram identificados: presença de conflito de interesses, imprecisões na definição e nas prevalências de DA, ausência de uma definição clara para alimentação adequada e saudável, abordagem nutriente-centrada e ausência de contextualização das DA com o panorama alimentar e nutricional das crianças brasileiras. A literatura na área de DA é escassa, com muitas publicações declarando conflito de interesses devido à prestação de serviços dos autores para a indústria de alimentos ou farmacêutica. Preferências alimentares são determinadas por uma complexa interação entre fatores intrínsecos e extrínsecos. Sendo assim, é de se esperar que uma publicação sobre alimentação na infância destaque a influência dos aspectos sociais, ambientais e do sistema alimentar vigente nos padrões alimentares da criança e da família. Apesar das evidências atualmente disponíveis, a publicação da SBP propõe enfoque nas consequências biológicas das DA, no manejo com objetivo restrito a garantir aporte energético/nutricional adequado, no monitoramento do crescimento / desenvolvimento da criança e na discussão de soluções para as DA que dependem de produtos alimentícios que podem ser classificados como ultraprocessados. Pode-se concluir que a falta de um referencial teórico robusto e livre de conflito de interesses sendo empregado como fio condutor na construção das recomendações propostas impede que um guia orientativo apoie a qualificação da atenção integral à saúde da criança.
The impact of health anxiety and distrust in the healthcare system on cyberchondria: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Soyler Sait , Cavmak Seyda , Cavmak Dogancan
Published: February 2023

Background/Aims

Cyberchondria is when excessive internet searches for health-related issues, a common phenomenon likely fuelled by health anxiety and distrust in healthcare systems, leads to unfounded concerns about physical health. This can prevent individuals from seeking appropriate medical advice when needed. This study explored the relationship between health anxiety, distrust in the healthcare system and cyberchondria.

Methods

This cross-sectional quantitative study used a questionnaire to collect data from adults living in cities in southern Turkey. A total of 484 questionnaires were sent using Google Forms and distributed via email and social media, with 386 returned. Respondents rated items on 4- and 5-point Likert scales. The data were summarised using descriptive statistics and analysed using inferential statistics and structural equation modeling.

Results

There were significant positive correlations between health anxiety and cyberchondria (β=0.514) and distrust in the healthcare system and cyberchondria (β=0.283). There were also weak but significant positive relationships between cyberchondria and female sex, having a chronic condition and time spent online.

Conclusions

Health anxiety and lack of trust for the healthcare system can lead to increased rates of cyberchondria. Effective public health communication strategies are needed to reduce these effects by building trust in the healthcare system and alleviating health anxiety.
Is medical leadership associated with better hospital management? Evidence from a structural analysis of hospitals in Germany
Authors: Zuchowski Matthias , Göller Aydan , Henzler Dennis
Published: February 2023

Background/Aims

Excellent hospital leadership is essential for the delivery of high-quality care and financial viability of healthcare services. In Germany, the role of chief executive officer of a hospital can be held by an individual with a medical or non-medical background. This study explored the potential differences between the structural and financial parameters of hospitals, depending on the background of their chairperson or chief executive.

Methods

Publicly available data on financial and structural parameters for 178 hospitals in Germany from the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 were collected and mean values were calculated for all variables. Nearest-neighbour matching was performed to allow comparisons to be made between hospitals with medical and non-medical leadership.

Results

While the results showed no significant differences between leadership types in terms of financial results, the values for structural characteristics, especially staffing levels, number of inpatient cases and case mix index values, were significantly higher for hospitals with medical leadership versus non-medical leadership.

Conclusions

Hospital leadership structure is a crucial factor in organisational performance. The presence of a person with a medical background at the top level of hospital management can have a beneficial impact on the delivery of healthcare.
Supporting people with multiple sclerosis: respecting their autonomy and managing risk
Authors: Isherwood Ruth
Published: February 2023

Patients with advanced multiple sclerosis may experience significant symptom burden and cognitive impairment. As they continue to live with their illness and adapt to their changing abilities and needs, opportunities to discuss their wishes for the future are not always obvious and there needs to be an emphasis on creating these opportunities. Without these discussions, those who provide care, both informal and formal, can be faced with the need to make decisions on behalf of the patient. When decisions are made that bring a degree of risk to ongoing care, there needs to be an emphasis on support for the family, friends and healthcare team, to ensure that all involved understand the decisions made and the importance of supporting and respecting patient autonomy.
Menopause in women with multiple sclerosis: clinical symptoms, therapeutic considerations and possible impact on the course of the disease
Authors: Gklinos Panagiotis , Dobson Ruth
Published: February 2023

Menopause signals a major shift in hormonal levels in women and causes a variety of symptoms that can overlap and/or interact with those related to multiple sclerosis (MS). These symptoms can have considerable impact on the quality of life for many women living with MS. Menopause remains a largely unexplored period for women with MS and there are only a few studies that have attempted to investigate the potential effect that menopause may have on the clinical course of MS, including inflammatory activity and disability progression. However, the limitations of these studies, including small sample size and lack of controlling for confounding factors, such as aging and disease duration, undermine the reliability of their results. Larger longitudinal cohort studies are required to draw robust conclusions on whether menopause impacts the course of MS. It is important that clinicians facilitate open discussions around both MS and menopausal symptoms, given the potential considerable overlap many women are likely to experience. Understanding how to recognise and appropriately manage menopausal symptoms can have a major impact on the quality of life of the individual.
Multi-depth phase-only hologram optimization using the L-BFGS algorithm with sequential slicing
Authors: Sha Jinze , Kadis Andrew , Yang Fan , Wang Youchao , Wilkinson Timothy D.
Published: February 2023

We implement a limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (L-BFGS) optimization of phase-only computer-generated hologram for a multi-depth three-dimensional (3D) target. Instead of computing the full 3D reconstruction of the hologram, we use a novel method using L-BFGS with sequential slicing (SS) for partial evaluation of the hologram during optimization that only computes loss for a single slice of the reconstruction at every iteration. We demonstrate that its ability to record curvature information enables L-BFGS to have good quality imbalance suppression under the SS technique.
Jones tomographic diffractive microscopy with a polarized array sensor
Authors: Taddese Asemare Mengistie , Lo Mohamed , Verrier Nicolas , Debailleul Matthieu , Haeberlé Olivier
Published: February 2023

Tomographic diffractive microscopy (TDM) based on scalar light-field approximation is widely implemented. Samples exhibiting anisotropic structures, however, necessitate accounting for the vectorial nature of light, leading to 3-D quantitative polarimetric imaging. In this work, we have developed a high-numerical aperture (at both illumination and detection) Jones TDM system, with detection multiplexing via a polarized array sensor (PAS), for imaging optically birefringent samples at high resolution. The method is first studied through image simulations. To validate our setup, an experiment using a sample containing both birefringent and non-birefringent objects is performed. Araneus diadematus spider silk fiber and Pinna nobilis oyster shell crystals are finally studied, allowing us to assess both birefringence and fast-axis orientation maps.
Controllable spin-resolved photon emission enhanced by a slow-light mode in photonic crystal waveguides on a chip
Authors: Shi Shushu , Xiao Shan , Yang Jingnan , Li Shulun , Xie Xin , Dang Jianchen , Yang Longlong , Dai Danjie , Fu Bowen , Yan Sai , Yuan Yu , Zhu Rui , Li Bei-Bei , Zuo Zhanchun , Wang Can , Ni Haiqiao , Niu Zhichuan , Jin Kuijuan , Gong Qihuang , Xu Xiulai
Published: February 2023

We report the slow-light enhanced spin-resolved in-plane emission from a single quantum dot (QD) in a photonic crystal waveguide (PCW). The slow light dispersions in PCWs are designed to match the emission wavelengths of single QDs. The resonance between two spin states emitted from a single QD and a slow light mode of a waveguide is investigated under a magnetic field with Faraday configuration. Two spin states of a single QD experience different degrees of enhancement as their emission wavelengths are shifted by combining diamagnetic and Zeeman effects with an optical excitation power control. A circular polarization degree up to 0.81 is achieved by changing the off-resonant excitation power. Strongly polarized photon emission enhanced by a slow light mode shows great potential to attain controllable spin-resolved photon sources for integrated optical quantum networks on chip.
Periodic transition between two evolving soliton pulsation states in an Yb-doped fiber laser
Authors: Qi Jun-Jie , Liu Meng , Li Ti-Jian , Xia Han-Ding , Luo Ai-Ping , Xu Wen-Cheng , Luo Zhi-Chao
Published: February 2023

Due to the fascinating features, pulsating solitons attract much attention in the field of nonlinear soliton dynamics and ultrafast lasers. So far, most of the investigations on pulsating soliton are conducted in Er-doped fiber lasers. In this work, we reported the periodic transition between two evolving pulsating soliton states in an Yb-doped fiber laser. By using the real-time measurement techniques, the spectral and temporal characteristics of this transition state were investigated. Two evolving soliton pulsation states have similar evolution process, i.e., from pulsating towards quasi-stable mode-locked states. However, the details of the two processes are different, such as the pulse energy levels, pulsating modulation depths, duration of quasi-stable mode-locked states. The transition between two evolving soliton pulsation states could be attributed to the interaction of the polarizer and the varying polarization states of the pulse inside the laser cavity. The experimental results will contribute to the further understanding of soliton pulsating dynamics in dissipative optical systems.
Enhancement and redshift of vortex harmonic radiation in epsilon-near-zero materials
Authors: Zhang Chaojin , Zhang Yi , Du Henglei , Liu Chengpu
Published: February 2023

The harmonic radiation from a vortex laser field interacting with an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) material is numerically investigated via solving the Maxwell-paradigmatic-Kerr equations. For a laser field of long duration, the harmonics up to the seventh-order can be generated with a low laser intensity (∼109 W/cm2). Moreover, the intensities of high order vortex harmonics at the ENZ frequency are higher than at other frequency points due to the ENZ field enhancement effects. Interestingly, for a laser field of short duration, the obvious frequency redshift occurs beyond enhancement in high order vortex harmonic radiation. The reason is that the strong change of the laser waveform propagating in the ENZ material and the non-constant field enhancement factor around the ENZ frequency. Because the topological number of harmonic radiation is linearly proportional to its harmonic order, the high order vortex harmonics with redshift still possess the exact harmonic orders indicated by the transverse electric field distribution of each harmonic.
FPGA-based 4 × 29.4912 Gbit/s PS-PAM4 signal transmission with a low-complexity probabilistic shaping scheme
Authors: Wang Kaihui , Zhang Long , Chen Yu , Wang Yikai , Wang Chen , Chen Yun , Yu Jianjun
Published: February 2023

In this experiment, we demonstrate a real-time intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD) system based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA). For high-speed parallel signal processing, we propose and implement the simplified parallel-constant modulus algorithm (CMA) and decision-directed least mean square (DDLMS) equalizers with low complexity and low latency. Moreover, the bit-class probabilistic shaping (PS) scheme is adopted with very few hardware resources. The digital signal processing (DSP) steps are implemented in the XCVU9P-FLGB2104-2-I Xilinx FPGA with a clock frequency of 230.4 MHz. Based on the experimental results, 4 × 29.4912 Gbit/s PS-pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) signals can be successfully transmitted over 25 km of standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) while satisfying the hard-decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold at 3.8 × 10−3. Compared with the uniformly distributed PAM4 signal, the low-complexity PS scheme can improve the receiver sensitivity by more than 1 dB.
High-power femtosecond regenerative amplifier based on Yb:CaYAlO4 dual-crystal configuration
Authors: Song Jiajun , Peng Yujie , Shen Liya , Sun Jianyu , Luo Guangxin , Xu Xiaodong , Xu Jun , Leng Yuxin
Published: February 2023

A thermal lens insensitive regenerative amplifier (RA) with a dual Yb:CaYAlO4 (Yb:CYA) crystal configuration for extending gain spectra is demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. By orthogonalizing the orientation of two a-cut Yb:CYA crystals in one RA, the Q switched spectrum with a full width at half maximum of 15.4 nm is generated, which is 1.5 and 1.6 times of the Q switched spectral bandwidth with π- and σ-polarization, respectively. With chirped pulses injection, this RA can deliver laser pulses with an average power exceeding 10 W at the repetition rate of 20–800 kHz and pulse energy of 1.5 mJ at 1 kHz. This is the highest average power from the Yb:CYA RA to the best of our knowledge. Finally, compressed pulses of 163 fs with 92% overall efficiency are realized. Thanks to the heat insensitive cavity design and excellent thermodynamic properties of the Yb:CYA crystal, the output laser beam is close to the diffraction limit with an M2 value of 1.07 × 1.07.
Snapshot High Dynamic Range Imaging Based on Adjustable Attenuation Microarray Mask
Authors: Cao Yu , Zhao Lishuang , yang shuwei , Ma Xinyu , Zhang Wenjing
Published: February 2023

High Dynamic Range Imaging Based on Attenuation Microarray Mask has broad application prospects due to its good real-time performance and small size. But at the current level of craftsmanship, it is hard to fabricate a micro-attenuation array mask whose attenuation rate is adjustable. This leads to the fact that the imaging dynamic range cannot adapt to changes in scene brightness in most cases. To this end, this paper proposes a novel imaging system where the dynamic range can be adaptively changed according to the brightness of the scene. The core components are the micro polarization array mask mounted on the CMOS surface and the on-sensor rotatable linear polarizer in front of the lens. By controlling the rotation angle of the polarizer placed before the lens, the CMOS pixel exposure can be precisely controlled. Therefore, the imaging system dynamic range can be adjusted adaptively according to the scene brightness. The experimental results show that the imaging performance remains consistently good even when the dynamic range of the scene is large. By rotating the polarizer in front of the lens to a specific angle, the high dynamic imaging of the scene can be significantly improved.