bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Parents’ Opinions About the Fear of Inhaler Corticosteroid Treatment in Child Patients Diagnosed with Asthma
Authors: Metbulut Azize Pınar
Published: December 2024

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine concerns and fears of parents of children with asthma towards the use of ICS, and its’ impact on asthma management.

Material and Methods: This prospective study was conducted between 01.04.2023 and 01.06.2024, at the Dr.Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital, The Pediatric Immunology and Allergy Clinic, and patients who had been followed up with asthma diagnosis, were included.

Results: There was 100 patients in our study. Out of 100 patients, 67 (67 %) were male. The median age of the children was 84.5 months (IQR,73.2-119.5). The median age of asthma diagnosis was 65.5 months (IQR, 24-76.75). All of the patients were using asthma maintenance therapy, and 87 (87%) patients were using it regularly. Out of 100 parents, 78 (78 %) had fear and concern of potential adverse effects of using inhaled corticosteroid treatment long time in their children. The most common fears and concerns were described as causing weight gain in 34 (34%) parents, dependance to drug in 33 (33%) parents, and causing growth retardation in 27 (27 %) parents. Patients having fear of corticosteroid tended to have difficulties in medicine use (p=0.001). Patients not knowing the treatment of asthma, and not knowing the role of corticosteroid in asthma tended not to have fear of corticosteroid treatment (p=0.046, and 0.001 respectively).

Conclusion: In our study, 78% of the parents had fear and concern of potential adverse effects of inhaled corticosteroid treatment. The most common fear and concerns were about weight gain, dependance to drug, and growth retardation.
UMA INVESTIGAÇÃO SOBRE A TENDÊNCIA TEMPORAL DE INCIDENTES CLASSIFICADOS COMO DE DANOS À SAÚDE HUMANA NA INDÚSTRIA DE PETRÓLEO DO BRASIL
Authors: Costa Fernanda da Serra , Accioly Ricardo de Melo e Silva
Published: December 2024

Nos últimos 10 anos observou-se um aumento de 56% na produção marítima de petróleo no Brasil atingindo 2,95 Mbpd em 2022 (ANP-1, 2023). Por outro lado, este aumento de produção está associado a um acréscimo de apenas 22% no número de horas trabalhadas em plataformas de produção. Isso indica uma maior eficiência nos processos de produção de petróleo nesse período. Apesar do aumento de eficiência ainda ocorreram 1509 incidentes offshore em 2022, destes 1044 foram em plataformas de produção e 200 em poços marítimos (ANP-1, 2023). O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a tendência temporal dos incidentes que levam a danos à saúde humana nas operações marítimas, utilizando técnicas não paramétrica e paramétricas (processo de Poisson não homogêneo - PPNH). Foram analisados os incidentes classificados como de danos à saúde humana no período de 2012 a 2021, disponíveis na base de dados abertos de incidentes da ANP (ANP-3, 2023). Os resultados indicaram que houve uma mudança de comportamento na taxa média de recorrência destes incidentes. Verificou-se que os sistemas de produção instalados antes de 2012 tem taxa média de incidente crescente, enquanto os instalados após 2012 a taxa média é decrescente.
Omadacycline in the Treatment of Chlamydia psittaci Pneumonia: A Retrospective Study on Efficacy and Safety
Authors: Li Hangyang , Mao Xiaochun , Wu Zhenping , Yu Wenqiao
Published: December 2024

Aims/Background Chlamydia psittaci is an obligate intracellular bacterium that primarily infects birds, but can cause respiratory infections in humans. Clinical evidence supporting the use of omadacycline for the treatment of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia remains limited; therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of omadacycline in treating Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia by analyzing the patients’ clinical outcomes and the drug safety profile.

Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 15 patients with Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia treated at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January and December 2023. Following diagnosis with the aid of metagenomic next-generation sequencing, the patients received omadacycline for treatment, and their clinical outcomes and laboratory marker profiles were monitored to assess the treatment efficacy and safety.

Results Significant improvements were observed in clinical symptoms and laboratory markers, including C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), procalcitonin (p = 0.001), neutrophil percentage (p < 0.001), and the SpO2/FiO2 ratio (p < 0.001), after treatment with omadacycline. A 100% cure rate was reported within 28 days of treatment initiation, with gastrointestinal disturbances being the most common side effect.

Conclusion Omadacycline shows promise in treating Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia and is well tolerated by the users. However, further controlled trials involving larger samples are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of the drug.
SGLT2 Inhibitors in Cardiovascular Medicine: Panacea or Pandora’s Box?
Authors: Ferreira Stella de Aguiar Trigueirinho , Oliveira Lucas Lentini Herling de , Assis Arthur Cicupira Rodrigues de , Soares Paulo Rogério , Scudeler Thiago Luis
Published: December 2024

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are antidiabetic agents that effectively lower blood glucose levels in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Beyond their glycemic control properties, SGLT2 inhibitors have demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefits, including reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events. However, the limitations of the pivotal trials investigating these outcomes have not been fully explored. This letter aims to critically assess the major randomized clinical trials that evaluated the cardiovascular effects of SGLT2 inhibitors, highlighting both their strengths and limitations.
Dorsal cortex line is more reliable than transepicondylar axis for rotation in revision total knee arthroplasty with severe bone loss
Authors: Salzmann Mikhail , Kropp Ellen , Prill Robert , Ramadanov Nikolai , Adriani Marco , Becker Roland
Published: December 2024

Aims

The transepicondylar axis is a well-established reference for the determination of femoral component rotation in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, when severe bone loss is present in the femoral condyles, rotational alignment can be more complicated. There is a lack of validated landmarks in the supracondylar region of the distal femur. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between the surgical transepicondylar axis (sTEA) and the suggested dorsal cortex line (DCL) in the coronal plane and the inter- and intraobserver reliability of its CT scan measurement.

Methods

A total of 75 randomly selected CT scans were measured by three experienced surgeons independently. The DCL was defined in the coronal plane as a tangent to the dorsal femoral cortex located 75 mm above the joint line in the frontal plane. The difference between sTEA and DCL was calculated. Descriptive statistics and angulation correlations were generated for the sTEA and DCL, as well as for the distribution of measurement error for intra- and inter-rater reliability.

Results

The external rotation of the DCL to the sTEA was a mean of 9.47° (SD 3.06°), and a median of 9.2° (IQR 7.45° to 11.60°), with a minimum value of 1.7° and maximum of 16.3°. The measurements of the DCL demonstrated very good to excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliability coefficients (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.80 to 0.99).

Conclusion

This study reveals a correlation between the sTEA and the DCL. Overall, 10° of external rotation of the dorsal femoral cortical bone to the sTEA may serve as a reliable landmark for initial position of the femoral component. Surgeons should be aware that there are outliers in this study in up to 17% of the measurements, which potentially could result in deviations of femoral component rotation.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(12):1067–1071.
Morpho-anatomical characteristics, phytochemical and antibacterial potential of Sargassum polycystum collected along the southern coast of Java, Indonesia
Authors: MEINITA MARIA DYAH NUR , YULIA RISKI , NURSID MUHAMMAD , NURULITA NUNUK ARIES , HARWANTO DICKY , RIVIANI RIVIANI , RIYANTI RIYANTI
Published: December 2024

Abstract. Meinita MDN, Yulia R, Nursid M, Nurulita NA, Harwanto D, Riviani, Riyanti. 2024. Morpho-anatomical characteristics, phytochemical and antibacterial potential of Sargassum polycystum collected along the south coast of Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2669-2681. The southern coast of Java is one of the coastal areas in Indonesia with a high abundance of seaweed. Sargassum polycystum, a brown marine macroalga that is abundant in southern coast of Java, contains high secondary metabolites and exhibits promising potential as an antibacterial agent. There is lack of comprehensive study on morpho-anatomical characteristic and bioactivity of S. polycystum. Hence, this study investigated the morpho-anatomical characteristics, phytochemical compound content, and antibacterial activity of S. polycystum collected from three different beaches along the southern coast of Java Island against pathogenic bacteria Bacillus megaterium, Micrococcus luteus, and Escherichia coli. Specimen collection was done using purposive random sampling along southern coast of Java Island, followed by descriptive exploratory of morpho-anatomical characteristic, extraction, phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity assay. Maceration with methanol solvent during 48 hours was used for extraction. The phytochemical analysis employed a qualitative descriptive method, while the antibacterial activity was assessed using the disc diffusion method (Kirby-Bauer). The morpho-anatomical characteristics observed of S. polycystum include the characteristic of a rough-textured stipe, round tapered serrated blade, small disc-shaped holdfast, alternate pinnate branching, cell wall, vacuole and cytoplasm. The morphology and anatomy of S. polycystum particularly the thallus and blade structure are strongly impacted by the environmental condition of southern coast of Java. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and steroids in S. polycystum extract. Antibacterial assay demonstrated a medium to strong antibacterial activity against B. megaterium with bacteriostatic properties, strong to very strong antibacterial activity against M. luteus, and weak antibacterial activity against E. coli. Future research is required to examine how environmental conditions affect the composition and concentration of phytochemical compounds in S. polycystum.
The growth performance of Kandelia candel hypocotyl cuttings seedlings for mangrove rehabilitation in Indonesia
Authors: NUGRAHA LEFDI AGUNG , KUSMANA CECEP , HARTOYO ADISTI PERMATASARI PUTRI
Published: December 2024

Abstract. Nugraha LA, Kusmana C, Hartoyo APP. 2024. The growth performance of Kandelia candel hypocotyl cuttings seedlings for mangrove rehabilitation in Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2683-2695. Kandelia candel (L.) Druce is one of the mangrove species threatened with extinction and continues to decline in number yearly in Indonesia. Effective and efficient propagation techniques are urgently needed to reduce the risk of extinction and accelerate the rehabilitation of this mangrove species. This study aimed to analyze the growth performance of K. candel hypocotyl cuttings and determine the best combination treatments. The type of this study was experimentally carried out in a greenhouse. The experimental design was a completely randomized three-factor factorial design with three factors and three replications for each factor: hypocotyl cuttings, planting media, and growth regulators. Based on the variance test resulted in the interaction between the hypocotyl cutting, planting media, and plant growth regulator had a significant effect on seedling height, number of leaves, total weight biomass, sturdiness quotient, and Dickson Quality Index at the 5% test level. The experiment was a success, with all combinations of treatments showing a survival rate of 100%. The best growth of hypocotyl cuttings was found by combining the bottom part of hypocotyl, mud + sand planting media, and a plant growth regulator of 15,000 ppm. The hypocotyl-cutting method can be an alternative method to provide quality seedlings for mangrove rehabilitation activities.
Probiotic candidates of lactic acid bacteria from fermented food cincalok and tempoyak from Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: MURWANI RETNO , ANGGRAENI REFA , AMBARIYANTO AMBARIYANTO
Published: December 2024

Abstract. Murwani R, Anggraeni R, Ambariyanto A. 2024. Probiotic candidates of lactic acid bacteria from fermented food cincalok and tempoyak from Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2705-2712. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) belong to beneficial bacteria with the potential as probiotics to prevent pathogenic bacterial infections, improving digestive enzyme activity and the immune system. The objective of this research was to determine the probiotic potential of five lactic acid bacterial species isolated from fermented foods and to evaluate their antibacterial activity against pathogenic Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus nepalensis. The gastric simulation test results showed a significant decrease in all five LAB isolates from 109 to 108 CFU/mL (P<0.05). Subsequent intestinal simulation decreased the number of Levilactobacillus brevis and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum numbers from 108 to 107 CFU/mL (P<0.05), which remains high. All five bacterial strains were found negative for the DNase test. In the hemolytic test, only Enterococcus faecalis and Pisciglobus halotolerans lysed red blood cells but not Tetragenococcus halophilus, L. brevis, and L. plantarum. In conclusion, T. halophilus, L. brevis, and L. plantarum were promising probiotic candidates. Further in vivo studies are necessary to test the probiotic effect of these three LAB strains.
Safety of pediatric cardiac catheterisation procedures performed in rural India in a catheterisation lab setup for adult work
Authors: Akhani Alisha , Ganjiwale Jaishree , Trivedi Bhadra , Nimbalkar Somashekhar
Published: December 2024

Introduction: The congenital heart disease (CHD) makes the largest group of congenital defects children are born with. The conservative estimate points towards 1% prevalence of CHD among the newborn. In India, each year approximately 2.4 lakh children are born with CHD, which is largest in the world. There are very centres offering paediatric cardiology services in India and they are unevenly distributed. Because of this, a lot of paediatric patients with CHD get treated at an adult cardiology facility, not always equipped with proper setup to handle complexities associated with paediatric cardiology work. The study aims to assess the safety and complications associated with paediatric cardiology catheterization-based procedures in a Cath lab is primarily used for adult cardiology work.Methods: The current study is a retrospective review of pediatric cardiac cath-lab-based procedures performed between April 2018 and March 2021.Results: During the study, 110 pediatric patients underwent 110 cath-lab-based procedures. A total of 20 procedures were performed as an emergency, and 90 were performed as planned procedures. Out of 110 procedures performed, 86.4% were completed without complications. Minor complications were observed in 9.1% of the procedure. Major complications were seen in 3 patients, and two patients died.Conclusion: The analysis shows that the complications associated with pediatric cardiac procedures performed on rural-based cath-lab oriented toward adult cardiology work are comparable to those of other large-volume pediatric cardiac centres.
Interference Sensing based on Wireless Sensors Synchronized with Optical Fiber Link
Authors: Shi Taichu , Garofolo James , Wu Ben
Published: December 2024

We proposed and demonstrated interference sensing method to accurately measure the location of interference source. The wireless sensors are synchronized with optical links for high resolution time difference of arrival measurement.
Faithful Polarization Entanglement Distribution in the SeQUeNCe Quantum Network Simulator
Authors: Singal Ansh , Zang Allen , Ramesh Anirudh , Kolar Alexander , Chung Joaquin , Kettimuthu Rajkumar , Kumar Prem
Published: December 2024

We simulate polarization entanglement distribution with the Fock state representation in the open-sourced quantum network simulator SeQUeNCe. Simulations are validated by comparing with experimental entanglement distribution results and unknown experimental parameters are estimated.
Intelligent Prediction and Discovery of Nonlinear Optics Using Fourier Domain Physics Informed Neural Networks
Authors: Musgrave Jonathan , Huang Shu-Wei
Published: December 2024

We present a novel physics informed machine learning method which incorporates temporal and frequency domain physics to discover and predict ultrafast nonlinear optical systems with sparse and noisy data.
Efficient Forward-Bias Microring Phase Shifters in 45nm Electronic-Photonic Foundry CMOS
Authors: Day-Friedland Elam , Kramnik Danielius , Stojanović Vladimir
Published: December 2024

O-band optical phase shifters based on carrier injection into adiabatic microring resonators are fabricated and characterized in 45nm CMOS. We present a design methodology for optimizing their insertion loss given tuning voltage or power constraints.
High-Speed Heterogenous Photodiodes on Silicon Nitride for Integrated Microwave Applications
Authors: Tabatabaei Fatemehsadat , Gao Junyi , Guo Xiangwen , Beling Andreas
Published: December 2024

We demonstrate InGaAs/InAlGaAs/InP waveguide photodiodes on Si3N4 with up to 81 GHz 3-dB bandwidth, 0.76 A/W responsivity, and -1.8 dBm and -9 dBm output RF power at 50 GHz and 100 GHz, respectively.
Non-Classical Quantum State Generation using Superconducting-Nanostrip Photon-Number Resolving Detector with Optical Sampling
Authors: Endo Mamoru , Takahashi Kazuma , Nomura Takefumi , Sonoyama Tatsuki , Miki Shigehito , Yabuno Masahiro , Terai Hirotaka , Kashiwazaki Takahiro , Inoue Asuka , Umeki Takeshi , Nehra Rajveer , Takase Kan , Asavanant Warit , Furusawa Akira
Published: December 2024

Superconducting-nanostrip photon detectors with optical sampling method now function as true photon-number resolving detectors in real-time without multiplexing. We applied this technique for quantum state generation vital for ultra-fast optical quantum computation.
Demonstration of continuous-variable quantum machine learning using optical circuits
Authors: Ikehara Shion , Anai Keitaro , Yano Yoshichika , Okuno Daichi , Takeda Shuntaro
Published: December 2024

We demonstrate the implementation of the classification task with the continuous-variable (CV) quantum kernel method on a programmable photonic quantum processor. We experimentally prove that the CV quantum kernel method successfully classifies several datasets robustly.
All-Optical Shifting of a Narrow Gaussian Beam by Third-Order Diffraction in Nonlocal Nonlinear Media
Authors: Yadav Divya , Singh B. , Jana Soumendu , Sharma Mohit , Mishra Manoj
Published: December 2024

The article presents the impact of third-order diffraction (TD) on beam dynamics in nonlocal nonlinear media. TD induces a shift in the beam center that could be promising in all-optical-device fabrication, particularly switching devices.
Dynamics of ultrafast pulse propagation in amorphous materials via variational approach
Authors: Ndebele Karabo K. , Tabi Conrad B. , Kofané Timoléon C.
Published: December 2024

We consider the impact of saturable nonlinearity and higher-order dispersions on self-induced transparency amorphous materials. Local linear analysis of the optical beam propagating in the system is made. We go on to investigate the propagation characteristics of ultrafast pulses inside the materials considering frequency chirp associated with each input pulse.
Alloy Percentage Considerations for Technical Characteristics Improvement in Double Quantum Well Vertical Cavity Transistor Laser
Authors: Mohaghegh Mahsa , Kaatuzian Hassan , Namvar Behzad
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we investigate the affection of Al content of AlζGa1-ζAs material of the base region on the characteristics of DQW-VCTL. By increasing the Al mole fraction, it obtained increasing in optical output power, decreasing in the current gain and not considerable change in the threshold current (about 3mA).
High-Power Laser Pulse Shape Optimization with Hybrid Stochastic Optimization Algorithms
Authors: Anjum Ishraq Md , Peceli Davorin , Capuano Francesco , Rus Bedrich
Published: December 2024

We evaluate five optimization algorithms for laser pulse temporal shape optimization, using a semi-physical model of a high-power laser. Hybrid algorithms combine Differential Evolution and Bayesian optimization algorithm exploration with Nelder-Mead exploitation, exhibiting superior performance.
Integration of Optical Sensing and Machine Learning for Enhanced Glucose Concentration Monitoring
Authors: Hany Nourhan , Elsayed Menatallah , Hamdy Omnia , Abo-Zahhad Mohammed
Published: December 2024

We propose an optical-based approach utilizing laser sources at different wavelengths (532nm&670nm) integrated with machine learning to enhance glucose detection in aqueous solutions to improve measurement precision and consistency
Demystifying Biomolecular Changes in Osteosarcoma- Fourier Transform Infrared Micro-Spectroscopy Based Study
Authors: Bharti Kartikeya , Mahendra Saumitra , Sharma Vertika , Talukdar Pranab , Lahiri Pooja , Lahiri Basudev
Published: December 2024

We have used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) micro-spectroscopy for exploring bio-molecular changes in human bone with osteoblastic type of high-grade osteosarcoma (OHOS). Our study gives an idea of ultrastructural changes during osteosarcoma.
Sensing the Electric Field Produced by an Electron Beam Using Rydberg Atoms
Authors: Behary Robert , DeStefano Nicolas , Averett Todd , Pegahan Saeed , Su Kevin , Camsonne Alexandre , Zhang Shukui , Fancher Charlie , Malvania Neel , Mikhailov Eugeniy , Aubin Seth , Novikova Irina
Published: December 2024

We study the optical response of Rydberg atoms in the presence of an electron beam to perform a non-invasive beam characterization using a two-photon EIT resonance.
Experimental Quantification of Supergrowth Properties in Speckle
Authors: Viteri-Pflucker Valeria , Ryan Christopher J. , Sethuraj K. R. , Jordan Andrew N. , Vamivakas A. Nick
Published: December 2024

Supergrowth, when a wave grows more rapidly than predicted by the bandlimit, has been proposed to achieve superresolved imaging. This work investigates supergrowth in speckle patterns, showing that supergrowth can naturally exist in optical fields.
Morphology and Chemical Composition study of Thin Films on Transparent Substrates, deposited with Laser-Induced Backward Transfer (LIBT)
Authors: Buzykin Andrei , Ramos-Velazquez Alejandro , Amiaga John
Published: December 2024

Film deposition on glass surface by laser induced backward transfer was investigated. Correlations between energy and characteristics of the film, such as thickness and structural properties, are carried out for the first time.
Demonstration of Quantum Gate Design Using Linear Photonic Components in Lumerical
Authors: Abdelrazek Farah A. , Swillam Mohamed , Mikhail Thomas J. G.
Published: December 2024

This paper presents the design and simulation of photonic components using Ansys Lumerical software. These components were integrated into circuits to apply quantum operations.
Non-reciprocal Light Propagation in Spinning Ring Resonators Coupled with Two-level Atoms
Authors: Allen Jaela , Ochsner Glenn , Mirza Imran
Published: December 2024

We study the impact of two-level atomic couplings on the non-reciprocal light propagation in spinning optomechanical ring resonators with possible applications in hybrid quantum technologies.
Optimization of Bent 3-dB Adiabatic Couplers by Adiabaticity Map
Authors: Lai Jiun-Zhu , Chang Li-Fu , Tseng Shuo-Yen
Published: December 2024

The optimal mode evolution path of bent 3-dB adiabatic couplers is identified on the adiabaticity map. The coupler has a short evolution length of 22.7µm, with splitting ratios within 48-52% over a bandwidth of 145nm.
Patients' awareness of their color vision deficiency
Authors: Jansone-Langina Zane
Published: December 2024

Color vision testing identifies deficiencies impacting safety and professional performance. Our study of 60 patients showed most first learn of their deficiency during mandatory driver's license exams. Many are unaware of their specific type of deficiency, highlighting diagnostic gaps.
Line Focus Generation via a Scattering Medium
Authors: Tran Viet , Wang Tianhong , Bassène Pascal , N’Gom Moussa
Published: December 2024

Using interference phenomena between different propagation planes, we experimentally generate a line-focus behind a biology sample. Compared to line-focus from a Bessel Gaussian beam, we demonstrate high control over the length and resolution limit of our beam profile.
Can Holographic Lenses Provide Vision Correction? Modelling the Limitations
Authors: Hellis Matthew , Lasarte Jorge , Martin Suzanne , Sheehan Matthew , Murphy Kevin
Published: December 2024

Focus/defocus Holographic Optical Lenses were modelled to determine their limitations for vision refractive error correction. The parameters of holographic thickness, spatial frequency, refractive index modulation and diffraction efficiency were modelled computationally for a +3.5-dioptre power.
Effect of Silver Metallic Particles on the Luminescence Characteristics of Samarium doped Barium borate Glasses
Authors: Johnson Aaron , Goodwin Ja’Heim , Reddy B. Rami
Published: December 2024

Barium borate glasses embedded with Sm3+ and/or Silver oxide were made by the melt quenching technique. Silver particles were induced by heat treatment. Imaging and spectroscopy measurements were performed to characterize the samples.
Advancing photonic design with topological latent diffusion generative model
Authors: Chen Yuheng , Bezick Michael , Wilson Blake , Yesilyurt Omer , Kildishev Alexander V. , Boltasseva Alexandra , Shalaev Vladimir M.
Published: December 2024

Conventional photonic design often relies on inefficient trial-and-error. The proposed Topological Latent Diffusion Model (TLDM) captures high-level features from topology dataset and outperforms state-of-the-art Generative Adversarial Networks and Variational Autoencoders methods in high-efficiency metasurface design.
Fluorescence-based Diffraction Tomography using Explicit Neural Fields
Authors: He Renzhi , Li Yucheng , Xue Yi
Published: December 2024

We developed a new deep-learning algorithm based on explicit neural radiance fields to quantitatively reconstruct the 3D refractive index of transparent biological samples from fluorescence microscopy images. Instead of synthesizing intensity views of 3D objects, we reconstruct the phase of light for transparent samples using a differentiable multi-slice model within the neural network framework.
Bright InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Single Photon Emitters Embedded in Tapered Nanobeam Cavity
Authors: Biswas Abhijit , Rahaman Mohammad Habibur , Bracker Allan S. , Waks Edo
Published: December 2024

We report a nanobeam photonic crystal cavity coupled to charge tunable quantum dot for efficient spin-photon interface. We achieved coupling efficiency of ~32% and deterministically tuned the cavity resonance over ~9 nm range using gas tuning.
Nonreciprocal reflection of mid-infrared light by highly doped InAs at low magnetic fields
Authors: Pajovic Simo , Tsurimaki Yoichiro , Qian Xin , Chen Gang , Boriskina Svetlana V.
Published: December 2024

We report an experimental observation of room-temperature nonreciprocal reflection of mid-infrared light from planar highly doped InAs surfaces at low magnetic fields ranging from 0.07 T to 0.16 T. Using ellipsometry, we demonstrate that the amplitude ratio and phase shift of reflected light are nonreciprocal in the Voigt configuration. We also demonstrate using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy that the nonreciprocal reflectance contrast (the difference in reflectance in opposite directions) increases with the magnitude of the magnetic field for p-polarized light. Our work is a step toward the practical implementation of nonreciprocal thermal emitters and absorbers and applications such as remote magnetic field sensing.
FABIO: TWAS fine-mapping to prioritize causal genes for binary traits
Authors: Zhang Haihan , He Kevin , Li Zheng , Tsoi Lam C. , Zhou Xiang
Published: December 2024

Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) have emerged as a powerful tool for identifying gene-trait associations by integrating gene expression mapping studies with genome-wide association studies (GWAS). While most existing TWAS approaches focus on marginal analyses through examining one gene at a time, recent developments in TWAS fine-mapping methods enable the joint modeling of multiple genes to refine the identification of potentially causal ones. However, these fine-mapping methods have primarily focused on modeling quantitative traits and examining local genomic regions, leading to potentially suboptimal performance. Here, we present FABIO, a TWAS fine-mapping method specifically designed for binary traits that is capable of modeling all genes jointly on an entire chromosome. FABIO employs a probit model to directly link the genetically regulated expression (GReX) of genes to binary outcomes while taking into account the GReX correlation among all genes residing on a chromosome. As a result, FABIO effectively controls false discoveries while offering substantial power gains over existing TWAS fine-mapping approaches. We performed extensive simulations to evaluate the performance of FABIO and applied it for in-depth analyses of six binary disease traits in the UK Biobank. In the real datasets, FABIO significantly reduced the size of the causal gene sets by 27.9%-36.9% over existing approaches across traits. Leveraging its improved power, FABIO successfully prioritized multiple potentially causal genes associated with the diseases, including GATA3 for asthma, ABCG2 for gout, and SH2B3 for hypertension. Overall, FABIO represents an effective tool for TWAS fine-mapping of disease traits.
Innovative strategies and implementation science approaches for health delivery among migrants in humanitarian settings: A scoping review
Authors: Reynolds Christopher W. , Rha Jennifer Y. , Lenselink Allison M. , Asokumar Dhanya , Zebib Laura , Rana Gurpreet K. , Giacona Francesca L. , Islam Nowshin N. , Kannikeswaran Sanjana , Manuel Kara , Cheung Allison W. , Marzoughi Maedeh , Heisler Michele
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Over 100 million displaced people rely on health services in humanitarian contexts, defined as unstable or transitory settings created in response to complex emergencies. While services are often described, there is a dearth of evidence on best practices for successful implementation to guide efforts to optimize health delivery. Implementation science is a promising but underutilized tool to address this gap. This scoping review evaluates implementation science in health services for forced migrants in humanitarian settings.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review according to JBI methodologies. A search of eight databases yielded 7,795 articles, after removal of duplicates, that were screened using PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Data extraction assessed study descriptors, implementation objects, barriers, facilitators, implementation strategies, and use of implementation frameworks in service delivery.

Results

Data from 116 studies represented 37 countries and 11 topic areas. Methods were mainly cross-sectional with low-medium evidence rigor. Mental health programs (25%) and vaccination services (16%) were the most common objects of implementation. Thirty-eight unique barriers were identified including resource limitations (30%), health worker shortages (24%), and security risks (24%). Among 29 facilitators, the most common were health worker availability (25%), pre-existing partnerships (25%), and positive perceptions towards the intervention (20%). More than 90% of studies collectively identified 35 implementation strategies, the most common being capacity building (44%), stakeholder engagement (35%), information dissemination (38%), and feedback mechanisms (25%). Only 10 studies used formal implementation models, with RE-AIM (n = 3) and Intervention mapping (n = 2) being most frequent.

Conclusions

In this scoping review, we found similar barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies across diverse humanitarian migrant settings and services. However, the use of rigorous methods and formal implementation models was rare. Frameworks included RE-AIM, CFIR, and Precede-Proceed. Increased use of implementation science frameworks and methods will help humanitarians more rigorously and systematically evaluate and develop best practices for implementation of health services for migrants in humanitarian settings.
Predictive model for converting optic neuritis to multiple sclerosis; decision tree in focus
Authors: Rasouli Saeid , Dakkali Mohammad Sedigh , Ghazvini Azim , Azarbad Reza , Asani Mahdi , Mirzaasgari Zahra , Arish Mohammed
Published: December 2024

Background

Optic neuritis (ON) can be an initial clinical presentation of multiple sclerosis This study aims to provide a practical predictive model for identifying at-risk ON patients in developing MS.

Method

We utilized data from the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial study, which enrolled 457 patients aged from 18 to 46 years, all diagnosed with acute ON. These patients underwent up to 15 years of neurological and ophthalmologic examinations and imaging. The selection of variables for the developing model was based on clinical importance and statistical significance, and any missing values were appropriately addressed. We developed a Decision Tree (DT) classifier as the primary model and manually tuned its hyperparameters for optimal performance. We employed SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) for feature importance evaluation. All analysis was performed using Python version 3.10.9 and its associated libraries.

Results

A total of 388 patients completed the study, of which 154 developed clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS). It was observed that 61% of patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions developed CDMS. The final variables selected for analysis were MRI lesions, neurologic history, ON type, gender, and visual field mean deviation. The DT model achieved an accuracy of 70.1% during cross-validation and 69.1% on the test set, with an area under the curve of 74.9% and 71.7%, respectively. Comparative analysis of DT with other models showed similar performance. SHAP analysis revealed that MRI lesions and ON type emerged as the two most significant features, with relative importance of 61% and 18%, respectively.

Conclusion

The decision tree model, with satisfactory performance, effectively stratifies patients, based on baseline findings and offers valuable insights for informed decision-making by physicians.
Designing and immunomolecular analysis of a new broad-spectrum multiepitope vaccine against divergent human papillomavirus types
Authors: Ehsasatvatan Maryam , Baghban Kohnehrouz Bahram
Published: December 2024

Human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual activity, is the primary cause of cervical cancer and the fourth most common type of cancer in women. In this study, an immunoinformatics approach was employed to predict immunodominant epitopes from a diverse array of antigens with the ultimate objective of designing a potent multiepitope vaccine against multiple HPV types. Immunodominant B cell, cytotoxic T cell (CTL), and helper T cell (HTL) epitopes were predicted using bioinformatics tools These epitopes were subsequently analyzed using various immunoinformatics tools, and those that exhibited high antigenicity, immunogenicity, non-allergenicity, non-toxicity, and excellent conservation were selected. The selected epitopes were linked with appropriate linkers and adjuvants to formulate a broad-spectrum multiepitope vaccine candidate against HPV. The stability of the multiepitope vaccine candidate was confirmed through structural analysis, and docking results indicated a high affinity for Toll-like receptors (TLR2 and TLR4). Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated a persistent interaction of TLR2 and TLR4 with the multiepitope vaccine candidate. In silico immunological simulations showed that three injections of the multiepitope vaccine candidate resulted in high levels of B- and T-cell immune responses. Moreover, the in silico cloning results indicated that the multiepitope vaccine candidate could be expressed in substantial amounts in E. coli. The results of this study imply that designing a broad-spectrum vaccine against various HPV types using computational methods is plausible; however, experimental validation and safety testing to confirm the findings is essential.
A study on the impact of household head’s employment modes on the living standards of rural migrant workers’ families
Authors: Zhang Qi , Yuan Yifei
Published: December 2024

China has placed "mass entrepreneurship, mass innovation" as an important strategic deployment, and in 2020, China proposed further promoting the high-quality development of migrant workers returning to their hometowns for entrepreneurship. For migrant workers, the employment modes advocated by the above-mentioned policies correspond to starting a business in their own household registration location and returning to their hometowns for entrepreneurship. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of different employment modes of migrant workers on their family living standards. How much do they earn? How much do they spend on consumption? How much is left after deducting expenses? What is their subjective perception of living standards? And so on. By comparing and studying these aspects, it can provide a basis for future policy making and family decisions. Based on the China Household Income Project (CHIP) data, this paper compared the different impacts of employment modes of migrant worker household heads on subjective and objective family living standards through descriptive analysis, baseline regression analysis, heterogeneity analysis, and robustness tests. The following conclusions are drawn: the employment mode of the household head has significantly different impacts on the family living standards of migrant workers. Specifically, entrepreneurship increases household income by 25.71%, raises per capita consumption expenditure by 19.05%, and enhances the subjective perception of household living standards by 41.27% compared to being employed. Compared with working away from hometown, the income effect and consumption expenditure per capita effect of starting a business out of hometown are the highest, subjective perception effect is highest for local entrepreneurship. The gender, age, and whether they are household heads of the household head have different impacts on family living standards. At last, this paper discusses the choice of employment mode, household living standards, and the research value of household heads among rural migrant workers.
Fatty acid binding protein 7 plays an important modulatory sex-dependent role on brain endocannabinoid levels and THC metabolism
Authors: Penman Samantha L. , Senetra Alexandria S. , Roeder Nicole M. , Richardson Brittany J. , Pareek Ojas , Owada Yuji , Kagawa Yoshiteru , Gold Mark S. , McCurdy Christopher R. , Sharma Abhisheak , Thanos Panayotis K.
Published: December 2024

Fatty acid binding protein 7 (FABP7) is present in the brain, but its interaction with the endocannabinoid system and phytocannabinoids is still not well understood. FABP7 has been proposed as a shuttle protein for trafficking endogenous cannabinoids, as well as an intracellular carrier of THC. In a mouse model of FABP7 global deletion, we used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to measure brain levels of Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as well as its primary metabolite, 11-hydroxy-THC (11-OH-THC), in male and female mice after acute inhalation of THC, compared to wild-type controls. We also measured brain levels of endogenous cannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) both at baseline and after acute THC inhalation. We found that in females, brain concentrations of 11-OH-THC were significantly reduced in FABP7-/- mice compared to FABP7+/+. Additionally, FABP7-/- females had significantly reduced AEA levels and significantly increased 2-AG levels in brain tissue compared to FABP7+/+. Vaporized THC administration had trending, but not significant, impacts on endocannabinoid concentrations in both males and females. Our findings suggest a sex-specific role of FABP7 in the metabolism of THC as well as the regulation of endocannabinoid levels in the brain.
Development and internal validation of time-to-event risk prediction models for major medical complications within 30 days after elective colectomy
Authors: Ke Janny X. C. , Jen Tim T. H. , Gao Sihaoyu , Ngo Long , Wu Lang , Flexman Alana M. , Schwarz Stephan K. W. , Brown Carl J. , Görges Matthias
Published: December 2024

Background

Patients undergoing colectomy are at risk of numerous major complications. However, existing binary risk stratification models do not predict when a patient may be at highest risks of each complication. Accurate prediction of the timing of complications facilitates targeted, resource-efficient monitoring. We sought to develop and internally validate Cox proportional hazards models to predict time-to-complication of major complications within 30 days after elective colectomy.

Methods

We studied a retrospective cohort from the multicentered American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program procedure-targeted colectomy dataset. Patients aged 18 years or above, who underwent elective colectomy between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019 were included. A priori candidate predictors were selected based on variable availability, literature review, and multidisciplinary team consensus. Outcomes were mortality, hospital readmission, myocardial infarction, cerebral vascular events, pneumonia, venous thromboembolism, acute renal failure, and sepsis or septic shock within 30 days after surgery.

Results

The cohort consisted of 132145 patients (mean ± SD age, 61 ± 15 years; 52% females). Complication rates ranged between 0.3% (n = 383) for cardiac arrest and acute renal failure to 5.3% (n = 6986) for bleeding requiring transfusion, with readmission rate of 8.6% (n = 11415). We observed distinct temporal patterns for each complication: the median [quartiles] postoperative day of complication diagnosis ranged from 1 [0, 2] days for bleeding requiring transfusion to 12 [6, 18] days for venous thromboembolism. Models for mortality, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, and renal failure showed good discrimination with a concordance > 0.8, while models for readmission, venous thromboembolism, and sepsis performed poorly with a concordance of 0.6 to 0.7. Models exhibited good calibration but ranges were limited to low probability areas.

Conclusions

We developed and internally validated time-to-event prediction models for complications after elective colectomy. Once further validated, the models can facilitate tailored monitoring of high risk patients during high risk periods.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05150548; Principal Investigator: Janny Xue Chen Ke, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.P.C.; initial posting: November 25, 2021)
Exploring commercial sex work among transgender women in Nepal: Contributors and stigma—A mixed-method study
Authors: Pokharel Himani Shree , Myia Salau Din , Chalise Anisha , Paudel Shishir
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Transgender women are considered as one of the most vulnerable populations for commercial sex work and sexually transmitted infections. This mixed-method study aimed to explore the factors associated with commercial sex work among transgender women of Nepal along with their experience and the stigma associated with it.

Methods

A concurrent mixed-methods approach was employed in this cross-sectional study conducted from July to December 2022 in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. A total of 152 transgender women participated in the quantitative survey, and 17 of them were selected for in-depth interviews (IDIs). The chi-square test was employed at a 5% level of significance to identify factors associated with commercial sex work. Qualitative data from the IDIs were thematically analyzed, with key themes emerging around reasons for engaging in sex work and the stigma associated with it including the Silence, Shame, and Dignity & Treatment domains under sex work stigma.

Results

Out of 152 transgender women, 104 (64%; 95% CI: 60.5–75.0%) were found to be currently working as a commercial sex worker. Factors such as education, household wealth, homelessness, history of sexual and verbal abuse, including rape and physical attacks, and socialization with others were found to have a statistically significant relation with commercial sex work at p<0.05. Despite engagement in commercial sex work, a higher proportion experienced sex work stigma under the Sex Work Stigma Scale.

Conclusion

The findings, derived from both quantitative and qualitative studies, emphasize the urgency of targeted interventions to alleviate the challenges faced by this marginalized population. The observed higher proportion of commercial sex work and sex work stigma underscores the pervasive social challenges of transgender women. A comprehensive and coordinated effort is essential, bringing together governmental, private sector, and public awareness initiatives to effectively manage stigma and address the underlying causes of commercial sex work.
More Fuel You
Authors: Aitken Kelley
Published: December 2024

“More Fuel You” is an ekphrastic poem in response to the essay by Gillian Moore,“Fire Weather Observations” in this issue.
An Archive of Suffering: Hunger Stones and the (N)Ec(r)opoetics of Climate Crisis
Authors: Jenkins Jacqueline , Hogan Mél
Published: December 2024

Even among recent debates about the start of the Anthropocene, and despite the still polarizing political positions on the urgency of climate change, the hunger stones of northern Europe emerge as powerful witnesses to our past and present crises. At once both explicit and enigmatic, hunger stones marry the factual declaration of receding water levels with the elusive voice of past suffering that speaks to present drought conditions, embodying perfectly Ursula K. Le Guin’s assertion that “science explicates; poetry implicates.” The discourse of climate crisis is typically solastalgic; these stones, however, imagine a range of affective and aesthetic registers, most notably in the poetic and artistic warnings to future readers. The elemental media through which the hunger stones speak to the present is the focus of this essay.
one of the animals
Authors: halifax nancy viva davis
Published: December 2024

This poem was created in response and in relation to reading and re-reading soft turns’s essay “Humans in a Bottle,” which also appears in this issue.
Indiscernible Thresholds, Escaped Veillances at Art Museum
Authors: Matheson Tyler
Published: December 2024

Curated by Dallas Fellini at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, Indiscernible thresholds, escaped veillances featured works by Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Lucas LaRochelle, Joshua Schwebel, Chelsea Thompto, and Lan “Florence” Yee that explore the slippery and shrouded frameworks of illegibility, opacity, and invisibility. Through sculpture, photography, video, sound and performance, these artists challenge simplistic trans representation and trouble trans hypervisibility, turning toward the productive potentiality of opacity and archival illegibility. Taken together, their works explore invisibility as an act of self-protection and form of political agency for queer and trans individuals and connect the social and environmental demands for visibility.