bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Cancer Using Machine Learning Approaches: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Franco-Moreno Anabel , Madroñal-Cerezo Elena , Muñoz-Rivas Nuria , Torres-Macho Juan , Ruiz-Giardín José Manuel , Ancos-Aracil Cristina L.
Published: August 2023

PURPOSE

Recent studies have suggested that machine learning (ML) could be used to predict venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients with high accuracy.

METHODS

We aimed to evaluate the performance of ML in predicting VTE events in patients with cancer. PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE to identify studies were searched.

RESULTS

Seven studies involving 12,249 patients with cancer were included. The combined results of the different ML models demonstrated good accuracy in the prediction of VTE. In the training set, the global pooled sensitivity was 0.87, the global pooled specificity was 0.87, and the AUC was 0.91, and in the test set 0.65, 0.84, and 0.80, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The prediction ML models showed good performance to predict VTE. External validation to determine the result’s reproducibility is necessary.
A 36-Year-Old Woman With an Unexpected Cause of Hypokalemia
Authors: Rao Mohan K , Swarup P Mirudhubashini
Published: August 2023

A 36-year-old woman complained of bilateral lower limb weakness for the last 3 days. She could move her upper limb, neck, and facial muscles and had no respiratory or swallowing difficulties. About 4 years ago, she complained of sudden weakness involving her lower limbs. Two years later, she had another episode involving only the right upper limb. In both cases, she was hypokalemic and received oral and intravenous potassium. She is a known diabetic and has polycystic ovary disease. Her blood pressure was 150/100 mm Hg, and body mass index was 29. Her serum potassium was 2 mEq/L, plasma renin 5 ng/dL, plasma aldosterone 0.63 µIU/mL, and aldosterone to plasma renin activity ratio 8. Cushing syndrome was considered a possibility. Subsequent analysis indicated a baseline cortisol level of 19.6 µg/dL at 8 Am. A screening overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) showed 17 µg/dL cortisol. The low-dose DST revealed a cortisol level of 10.8 µg/dL. Adrenocorticotropin level was 196 pg/mL, and 24-hour urinary cortisol level was 1284 mg/dL. A high dose of 8-mg DST at 11 Pm to find the source of hypercortisolism performed yielded 15.9 µg/dL. Magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary displayed a well-defined, heterogeneously enhanced mass lesion (15 × 13 × 11 mm) in the sella with mild suprasellar extension. Transsphenoidal resection and stereotactic radiosurgery were performed on the tumor with hormone replacement and glycemic control following surgery.
To Have and to Hoard: Xandra Ibarra's Object Lessons
Authors: Alvarado Leticia
Published: August 2023

Thinking with the work of Oakland-based artist Xandra Ibarra, this essay engages the object lessons accessed through analysis of the artist's oeuvre. Dwelling specifically with the objects Ibarra gathers and thinking askance to new materialist approaches when theorizing the social life of objects, Alvarado explores the racial vespers that suffuse objects, their presentation and exchange, as well as our interpretation of relations of exchange. Alongside Ibarra's theorization of “things” as published in her art lexicon guide, this essay additionally considers the elevation of proper feminist and ethnic/racialized objects and subjects in art markets and social justice spaces, their circulation as “things,” and Ibarra's exhaustion in the face of this process. Ultimately this essay takes up Ibarra's own engagement with the proper objects of Latinx art and women of color feminisms and her awareness of herself as a bad object for funding, presentation, and favored kinds of political work.
Feminism Is forBeginners: Learning from Straight Men Doing Queer Feminism
Authors: Fawaz Ramzi
Published: August 2023

This essay argues for the importance of cisgender straight male perspectives to contemporary feminist theory and practice. I identify four lessons to be learned from what I call male affirmative feminist theory written by people of all genders, defined as any feminist thought that considers cis men critical interlocutors to feminism and legitimate subjects of gender and sexual freedom projects. These lessons include the value of androgynous thinking; the necessity of anti-essentialist approaches to male gender; the importance of understanding nonviolent and anti-sexist male perspectives on gender dynamics; and the potential queer investment that cis straight men might have in feminist politics, namely the freedom from heteronormative policing. I offer an intellectual genealogy of cis male contributions to feminist thought, followed by a close reading of Mike Mills's Academy Award–winning film Beginners (2010). The movie presents a visual account of straight male masculinity as it is positively impacted and influenced by feminist and queer perspectives, without necessarily becoming them. The film makes a powerful male feminist argument for the value of “beginning,” asking what feminist and left social justice projects might gain by splitting their gaze between a focus on failed relations across gendered difference—grounded in the seemingly endless betrayal of women and queers by straight cis men—and a productive openness to the inauguration of unexpected relationships between all gendered subjects.
Antecedents and Evolution of the Green Supply Chain
Authors: Nelson David , Marsillac Erika , Rao Subba
Published: August 2023

Supply chains have been developing over time since the inception of commercial trade and barter. The purpose of this paper is to describe the emergence of the Green Supply Chain, the newest entry in supply chain evolution. As a foundation for this, historical perspectives of manufacturing chronology, along with supply chain modifications resulting from changing market conditions are discussed. Managerial implications are offered reflecting pathways towards sustainability.As production power shifted from manual operation to steam, technology became the main driver for supply chain development leading to a variety of types seen in industry today. Today's supply chain types emerged due to increasing market complexity and competitive pressure. More recently, an additional driver occurred catalyzing the Green Supply Chain - the Environmental Movement. This chain is positioned as the next step in today's supply chain evolution, balancing environmental, economic, and societal needs with customer growth.
Surfing Corona waves – instead of breaking them: Rethinking the role of natural immunity in COVID-19 policy
Authors: Kalk Andreas , Sturmberg Joachim , Van Damme Wim , Brown Garrett W. , Ridde Valéry , Zizi Martin , Paul Elisabeth
Published: August 2023

In the first two years of the pandemic, COVID-19 response policies have aimed to break Corona waves through non-pharmaceutical interventions and mass vaccination. However, for long-term strategies to be effective and efficient, and to avoid massive disruption and social harms, it is crucial to introduce the role of natural immunity in our thinking about COVID-19 (or future “Disease-X”) control and prevention. We argue that any Corona or similar virus control policy must appropriately balance five key elements simultaneously: balancing the various fundamental interests of the nation, as well as the various interventions within the health sector; tailoring the prevention measures and treatments to individual needs; limiting social interaction restrictions; and balancing the role of vaccinations against the role of naturally induced immunity. Given the high infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 and its differential impact on population segments, we examine this last element in more detail and argue that an important aspect of ‘living with the virus’ will be to better understand the role of naturally induced immunity in our overall COVID-19 policy response. In our eyes, a policy approach that factors natural immunity should be considered for persons without major comorbidities and those having ‘encountered’ the antigen in the past.
Multi-centric Phase III, single-arm, open-label clinical study to assess clinical safety, tolerability, and efficacy of intravenous lacosamide in focal onset seizures
Authors: Kakkad Ashutosh , Keshava B S , Ahmadi Bashir , Sarma GRK , Gupta Praveen , Agarwal Rajaram , Dugani Rajendra , Kumar Rajnish , Lodha Ravindra , Varade Sanjay , Raval Hitesh , Rathod Dhaval , Ghosh Shohini , Gupta Ram , K Krishnaprasad
Published: August 2023

Background: In hospitalized seizure patients and during clinical seizure emergencies, parenteral administration of antiepileptic therapy (AED) is primary treatment modality. Appropriate selection and administration of AED is essential for immediate seizure control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of lacosamide injection in adult patients with focal onset seizures (FOS) with or without secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures or focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures.

Methods: In this Phase 3 study, we enrolled 60 patients (≥18 years) with FOS and maintained on stable doses of oral lacosamide. Patients were switched to intravenous (i.v.) lacosamide (10 mg/ml); daily i.v. dosage and frequency were kept equivalent to oral lacosamide per patient. Lacosamide was infused intravenously over for 30 to 60 minutes at 12 hourly intervals for five consecutive days. Primary outcome was evaluating the safety and secondary outcome included measuring the seizure frequency during the treatment (day 1- 5) and at follow-up (day 12).

Results: All patients enrolled completed the study. No significant changes in vital signs, or laboratory parameters, were observed at the end of treatment or follow-up when compared to baseline. The frequency analysis for all the components of electrocardiogram (ECG) was within the normal limits at all times. There were no serious adverse events (AEs) reported in this study. Overall, 26.66% of patients had mild to moderate AE intensity that resolved spontaneously without any other intervention. Most common AEs (frequency=5%) were abdominal pain upper, injection site pruritus, and nausea. The anti-seizure activity for lacosamide was maintained despite oral to i.v. switch of lacosamide.

Conclusions: The study showed that i.v. lacosamide is a safe and effective strategy in patients with FOS and can be co-administered with other anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), especially in acute settings with primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

Registration: CTRI (CTRI/2011/07/001888; 14th July 2011).
Inclusive leadership for sustainable development in times of change
Authors: Anane-Simon Richmond , Olusegun Atiku Sulaiman
Published: August 2023

This article explores the concept of inclusive leadership as a key enabler for sustainable development, especially in times of change. A literature review approach was adopted drawing on relevant research and best practices. The article identifies the key competencies and behaviors that inclusive leaders should demonstrate and it explores the challenges and opportunities of leading inclusively in times of change. According to the findings of the study, inclusive leadership can promote sustainable development by encouraging creativity, enhancing organizational effectiveness and fostering social and environmental responsibility. The article concludes with a call to action for individuals and organizations to embrace inclusive leadership for a sustainable future.
Forgotten but not gone in rural South Africa: Urinary schistosomiasis and implications for chronic kidney disease screening in endemic countries
Authors: Craik Alison , Gondwe Mwawi , Mayindi Nokthula , Chipungu Shingirai , Khoza Bongekile , Gómez-Olivé Xavier , Tollman Stephen , Frean John , Tomlinson Laurie A. , Fabian June
Published: August 2023

Background: Urinary schistosomiasis caused by infection with Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium) remains endemic in Africa and is associated with haematuria and albuminuria/proteinuria. Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes clinical guidelines recommend evaluating proteinuria/albuminuria and glomerular filtration rate for chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis. The guidelines are informed by population data outside of Africa but have been adopted in many African countries with little validation. Our study aimed to characterise the burden of urinary schistosomiasis in rural South Africa (SA) and evaluate its relationship with markers of kidney dysfunction with implications for CKD screening.

Methods: In this population-based cohort study, we recruited 2021 adults aged 20 – 79 years in the Mpumalanga Province, SA. Sociodemographic data were recorded, urinalysis performed, and serum creatinine and urine albumin and creatinine measured. Kidney

dysfunction was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60ml/min/1.73m2 and/or urine albumin-creatinine ratio >3.0mg/mmol. S. haematobium infection was determined by urine microscopy. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine relationships between S. haematobium and markers of kidney dysfunction.

Results: Data were available for 1226 of 2021 participants. 717 (58.5%) were female and the median age was 35 years (IQR 27 – 47). Prevalence of kidney dysfunction and S. haematobium was 20.2% and 5.1% respectively. S. haematobium was strongly associated with kidney dysfunction (OR 8.66; 95% CI 4.10 – 18.3) and related to albuminuria alone (OR 8.69; 95% CI 4.11 – 18.8), with no evidence of an association with eGFR <90ml/min/1.73m2 (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.05 – 3.59).

Discussion: The strong association between urinary schistosomiasis and albuminuria requires careful consideration when screening for CKD. Screening for, and treatment of, schistosomiasis should be a routine part of initial work-up for CKD in S. haematobium endemic areas. Urinary schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease, remains a public health concern in the Mpumulanga province of SA.
Case Report: Cutaneous melanocytic schwannoma with concomitant melanocytoma in a canine
Authors: Monakali Olwam H. , O'Dell Nicolize , van der Weyden Louise
Published: August 2023

Schwannoma is a nerve sheath tumour arising from differentiated Schwann cells, and melanocytic schwannoma (MS) is a rare variant where the Schwan cells produce melanin pigment. MS is typically associated with spinal nerve roots and there have been only ~20 reports of cutaneous or subcutaneous MS to-date in humans. In canines, there have only been two reports of MS, both associated with spinal root nerves. In this report, we describe a 7-year-old Weimaraner cross breed dog that presented with two pigmented lesions on the eyelids. The lesions were surgically removed and histological analysis revealed well-circumscribed, non-encapsulated, expansile, neoplasms that were displacing most of the dermis and adnexa. The first lesion was composed of spindloid cells arranged in short interlacing streams with large amounts of pale eosinophilic cytoplasm that sometimes contained fine melanin granules. In areas there were spindle cells arranged in verocay bodies which led to a diagnosis of MS. In contrast, the second lesion was composed of polygonal cells arranged in thick sheets with large amounts of pale eosinophilic cytoplasm that sometimes contained fine melanin granules. The diagnosis was melanocytoma (which is one of the macroscopic differential diagnoses for MS). Whilst melanocytoma is a commonly occurring cutaneous lesion in canines and surgical removal is considered curative, due to little being known about MS in dogs, the outcome remained guarded, as MS in humans has an unpredictable nature, and recurrence and metastasis have been reported.
A Study on Optimal Release Schedule for Multiversion Software
Authors: Huang Yeu-Shiang , Fang Chih-Chiang , Chou Chun-Hsuan , Tseng Tzu-Liang (Bill)
Published: August 2023

Research on software reliability growth models (SRGMs) has been extensively conducted for decades, and the models were often developed based on two assumptions: (1) once the errors are detected, they can be completely removed instantly, and (2) errors can be removed eternally, and the debugging tasks will not produce any new errors. However, both assumptions are unrealistic. This study proposes an SRGM that ignores these restricted assumptions by introducing a detection process that may remove an error after a period of time once it has been detected and by considering imperfect debugging, which indicates that new errors may emerge through corresponding debugging tasks. In addition, because software can be upgraded to respond on a timely basis to constantly changing consumer expectations and thus extend product life in the market, the proposed SRGM also considers software upgrades for the multiversion software, and a dynamic programming approach is used to effectively obtain the optimal release schedule with consideration of the constraint of budget. Real data sets are used to examine the effectiveness of the proposed model, and the fitting results show that the proposed model outperforms other existing models. The results of numerical validation indicate that the proposed dynamic programming method with information updating outperforms the sequential solution method in determining the optimal release time for each version. Moreover, decision makers should carefully evaluate the parameters because overestimating the parameters of the mean value functions will cause serious software risk due to excessively shortening the testing time.

History: Accepted by Pascal Van Hentenryck, Area Editor for Computational Modeling: Methods & Analysis.

Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2021.0141 ) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2021.0141 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .
Weak Approachability of Convex Sets in Absorbing Games
Authors: Ragel Thomas
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we extend previous results on weak approachability in generalized quitting games with vector payoffs to the general case of absorbing games. Specifically, we show that a necessary condition and a different sufficient condition for weak approachability of a convex set, established by Flesch, Laraki, and Perchet, remain valid in the general case. To do so, we extend results on Blackwell approachability to a setup in which stage weights depend on past actions as well as the current action of player 1 (the approaching player). Additionally, we prove that the strategy used to approach the convex set can be defined in blocks of fixed length, and so it has bounded memory and can be implemented by a finite automata.
A REGIÃO CENTRAL É PRA QUEM? POLÍTICAS DE PATRIMÔNIO E PROJETOS DE REQUALIFICAÇÃO NO RIO DE JANEIRO.
Authors: Pinto Jorge Medeiros
Published: August 2023

As políticas de patrimônio, ainda que mobilizem as dimensões cultural e histórica na defesa e preservação de bens materiais e imateriais, também são legitimadoras de projetos renovadores publicizados como capazes de restituírem o desenvolvimento econômico, social e cultural de áreas consideradas degradadas. Como principal política pública urbana, ainda em curso para o Centro, o presente artigo analisa aspectos relacionados ao programa Reviver Centro, desde sua concepção, como plano de requalificação ou “revitalização”, até os desdobramentos e impactos mais recentes. Com objetivos ligados ao adensamento populacional, a produção de novas unidades habitacionais na região central do Rio de Janeiro tem sido orientada para a atração de um “novo morador”. Ao mesmo tempo em que é capaz de produzir mudanças entre os limites de bairros e, portanto, alterar a própria cartografia da cidade, há uma política de invisibilização daqueles que já habitam, trabalham e constroem diariamente a região central do Rio de Janeiro.
Release of virtual photon and phonon pairs from qubit-plasmon-phonon ultrastrong coupling system
Authors: Ma Ting-ting , Liu Yu-qiang , Yu Chang-shui
Published: August 2023

The most important difference between ultrastrong and non-ultrastrong coupling regimes is that the ground state contains excitations. We consider a qubit-plasmon-phonon ultrastrong coupling (USC) system with a three-level atom coupled to the photon and phonon via its upper two energy levels and show that spontaneous emission of the atom from its intermediate to its ground state produces photon and phonon pairs. It is shown that the current system can produce a strong photon/phonon stream and the atom-phonon coupling plays the active role, which ensures the experimental detection. The emission spectrum and various high-order correlation functions confirm the generation of the pairs of photons and phonons. Our study has important implications for future research on virtual photon and phonon pairs creation in the ground state of the USC regime.
Two-axis MEMS positioner for waveguide alignment in silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits
Authors: Rabih Almur A. S. , Sharma Suraj , Pita Julian , Ménard Michaël , Nabki Frederic
Published: August 2023

Alignment is critical for efficient integration of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators have shown potential to tackle this issue. In this work, we report MEMS positioning actuators designed with the ultimate goal of aligning silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides either to different outputs within a SiN chip or to active chips, such as lasers and semiconductor optical amplifiers. For the proof-of-concept, suspended SiN waveguides implemented on a silicon-on-insulator wafer were displaced horizontally in the direction of light propagation to close an initial gap of 6.92 µm and couple the light to fixed output waveguides located on a static section of the chip. With the gap closed, the suspended waveguides showed ∼ 345 nm out-of-plane misalignment with respect to the fixed waveguides. The suspended waveguides can be displaced laterally by more than ±2 µm. When the waveguides are aligned and the gap closed, an average loss of −1.6 ± 0.06 dB was achieved, whereas when the gap is closed with a ± 2 µm lateral displacement, a maximum average loss of ∼ −19.00 ± 0.62 dB was obtained. The performance of this positioner does not only pave the way for active chip alignment, but it could also be considered for optical switching applications.
Joint message passing decoding for LDPC codes with CCDMs
Authors: Luo Yanan , Huang Qin
Published: August 2023

In this Letter, message passing algorithms are introduced to jointly decode low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and constant composition distribution matchers (CCDMs) to achieve better performance. Then, based on the weight constraint of CCDMs, a weight decoding with linear complexity is proposed to efficiently decode the CCDM codewords. Simulations over a fiber channel show that short CCDMs with the proposed joint decoding provide up to 10.6% reach increase compared with long CCDMs with one-pass decoding.
Simultaneous chiral polarization and edge enhancement imaging enabled by a single geometric-phase-based element
Authors: Zhou Yingjie , Ye Xianglin , Liu Shang , Chen Shizhen , Tang Dongliang , Fan Fan
Published: August 2023

In this Letter, we propose a multifunctional imaging system enabled by a single geometric-phase-based liquid crystal (LC) element, which integrates chiral polarization and edge enhancement imaging. The element is located at the frequency domain plane in a 4F imaging system, and the phase profile of the element consists of a fork grating in the x direction and a grating in the y direction, which provide edge enhancement and chiral polarization imaging capabilities. Benefiting from the tunable property of the LC, the system can be switched from a polarization and edge imaging mode to the normal conventional imaging mode which is capable of conveniently acquiring the needed image information. Experiments demonstrate that the system can easily achieve multifunctional and switchable imaging, which agrees well with our design, and our LC element can work in the broadband spectrum because of the geometric phase modulation. The multifunctional strategy used here can effectively avoid the need to increase the size of the original microscopic system and the need for additional mechanical rotation of components. We believe that the proposed system with the additional advantages of electric control and tunability can find applications in biological imaging, medical detection, and optical computing.
Precision Doppler shift measurements with a frequency comb calibrated laser heterodyne radiometer
Authors: Cole Ryan K. , Fredrick Connor , Nguyen Newton H. , Diddams Scott A.
Published: August 2023

We report precision atmospheric spectroscopy of CO2 using a laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) calibrated with an optical frequency comb. Using the comb calibrated LHR, we record spectra of atmospheric CO2 near 1572.33 nm with a spectral resolution of 200 MHz, using sunlight as a light source. The measured CO2 spectra exhibit frequency shifts by approximately 11 MHz over the course of the 5-h measurement, and we show that these shifts are caused by Doppler effects due to wind along the spectrometer line of sight. The measured frequency shifts are in excellent agreement with an atmospheric model, and we show that our measurements track the wind-induced Doppler shifts with a relative frequency precision of 2 MHz (3 m·s−1) for a single 10 s measurement, improving to 100 kHz (15 cm·s−1) after averaging (equivalent to a fractional precision of a few parts in 1010). These results demonstrate that frequency comb calibrated LHR enables precision velocimetry that can be of use in applications ranging from climate science to astronomy.
Periodical properties of the ray transfer matrix and generation of sideband modes in a stable laser resonator
Authors: Kubarev Vitaly
Published: August 2023

The paper describes a subclass of stable laser cavities, periodic stable laser cavities, in which perturbations consisting of deviations of the mode axis from the ideal direction are of a strictly periodic oscillatory nature. In such resonators, in addition to unperturbed longitudinal–transverse spatial modes with an ideal direction of the optical axis, additional modes can appear at sideband frequencies, associated with the resonant buildup of perturbation oscillations. These modes have approximately the same spatial structure as those of the unperturbed fundamental modes, and their frequency detuning from the frequencies of the fundamental modes is governed by the resonator geometry and the periodicity parameter, i.e., the number of passes in the resonator in one period of perturbation oscillations. For many repetitively pulsed laser systems emitting comb spectrum structures, such as free electron lasers, modern frequency standards using femtosecond lasers, and various comb spectrometers, it is desirable to avoid such periodic stable cavities in order to preserve the purity of the comb spectrum used in them. This may also be important for CW lasers with extreme radiation monochromaticity. In some repetitively pulsed lasers, on the contrary, it may be desirable to use such periodic stable laser cavities for a more complete frequency filling and higher quasi-continuity of their emission spectra.
Broadband multi-wavelength Brillouin
Raman fiber laser with frequency switching
Authors: Mamdoohi Ghazaleh , Soltanian Mohammad Reza Khalifeh , Zhang Zuxing , Teymouri Atefeh , Yari Masoud
Published: August 2023

We purpose and demonstrate the switchable multi-wavelength Brillouin–Raman fiber laser (MBRFL) through a bi-directional Raman pumping scheme. The laser structure is arranged in a linear cavity by including a physical mirror at one side of the cavity. The switching operation for MBRFL with single- and double-wavelength spacing is implemented by optimizing the Raman power distribution through a variable optical coupler. This effect on feedback power of the physical mirror provides the difference between odd- and even-order Stoke lines’ maximum power on different sides of the cavity with 10 GHz and 20 GHz spacing. A 90/10 coupler is found to be the optimal. Up to 460 flat-amplitude lines within only a 0.5-dB flatness range, average -5 dBm Stokes peak power (SPP), 10 GHz frequency spacing, and an average optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of 26 dB are observed. All the counted laser lines are spread across a 37 nm bandwidth. Simultaneously, 170 Stoke lines with overall -2 dBm SPP, 28 dB OSNR and 20 GHz frequency spacing are attained on other side of the cavity. These are achieved when the Raman pump power is set only at 900 mW. To date, this is the simplest cavity design with the flattest spectrum and highest output power for both wavelength spacing and excellent OSNR achieved in multi-wavelength fiber lasers that incorporate a single low-power Raman pump unit.
Von Industrie 4.0 zu Industrie 5.0 – Idee, Konzept und Wahrnehmung
Authors: Vogel-Heuser Birgit , Bengler Klaus
Published: August 2023

In der sich rasant entwickelnden Landschaft der industriellen Automatisierung läutet das Aufkommen von Industrie 5.0 (I5.0) einen Paradigmenwechsel hin zu einem stärker kollaborativen und menschzentrierten Ansatz ein. In diesem Beitrag wird die Rolle der Mensch-Maschine-Kollaboration und menschzentrierter Werkzeuge bei der Förderung einer symbiotischen Beziehung zwischen fortschrittlichen Technologien und menschlichen Benutzern untersucht, um so das volle Potenzial von I5.0 zu erschließen. Als nächste Stufe in der Entwicklung des Produktionssektors zielt I5.0 darauf ab, ein Gleichgewicht zwischen Automatisierung und menschlichen Fähigkeiten herzustellen und die sich ergänzenden Stärken beider zu nutzen. Es werden Technologien vorgestellt, welche menschzentrierte Lösungen zur Steigerung von Produktivität, Flexibilität und Nachhaltigkeit in der Fabrik der Zukunft fokussieren.
Phytosterols reverse antiretroviral-induced hearing loss, with potential implications for cochlear aging
Authors: Sodero Alejandro O. , Castagna Valeria C. , Elorza Setiembre D. , Gonzalez-Rodulfo Sara M. , Paulazo María A. , Ballestero Jimena A. , Martin Mauricio G. , Gomez-Casati María Eugenia
Published: August 2023

Cholesterol contributes to neuronal membrane integrity, supports membrane protein clustering and function, and facilitates proper signal transduction. Extensive evidence has shown that cholesterol imbalances in the central nervous system occur in aging and in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, we characterize cholesterol homeostasis in the inner ear of young and aged mice as a new unexplored possibility for the prevention and treatment of hearing loss. Our results show that cholesterol levels in the inner ear are reduced during aging, an effect that is associated with an increased expression of the cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46A1), the main enzyme responsible for cholesterol turnover in the brain. In addition, we show that pharmacological activation of CYP46A1 with the antiretroviral drug efavirenz reduces the cholesterol content in outer hair cells (OHCs), leading to a decrease in prestin immunolabeling and resulting in an increase in the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) thresholds. Moreover, dietary supplementation with phytosterols, plant sterols with structure and function similar to cholesterol, was able to rescue the effect of efavirenz administration on the auditory function. Altogether, our findings point towards the importance of cholesterol homeostasis in the inner ear as an innovative therapeutic strategy in preventing and/or delaying hearing loss.
Neutrophil extracellular trap formation and gene programs distinguish TST/IGRA sensitization outcomes among Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposed persons living with HIV
Authors: Kroon Elouise E. , Correa-Macedo Wilian , Evans Rachel , Seeger Allison , Engelbrecht Lize , Kriel Jurgen A. , Loos Ben , Okugbeni Naomi , Orlova Marianna , Cassart Pauline , Kinnear Craig J. , Tromp Gerard C. , Möller Marlo , Wilkinson Robert J. , Coussens Anna K. , Schurr Erwin , Hoal Eileen G.
Published: August 2023

Persons living with HIV (PLWH) have an increased risk for tuberculosis (TB). After prolonged and repeated exposure, some PLWH never develop TB and show no evidence of immune sensitization to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) as defined by persistently negative tuberculin skin tests (TST) and interferon gamma release assays (IGRA). This group has been identified and defined as HIV+ persistently TB, tuberculin and IGRA negative (HITTIN). To investigate potential innate mechanisms unique to individuals with the HITTIN phenotype we compared their neutrophil Mtb infection response to that of PLWH, with no TB history, but who test persistently IGRA positive, and tuberculin positive (HIT). Neutrophil samples from 17 HITTIN (PMNHITTIN) and 11 HIT (PMNHIT) were isolated and infected with Mtb H37Rv for 1h and 6h. RNA was extracted and used for RNAseq analysis. Since there was no significant differential transcriptional response at 1h between infected PMNHITTIN and PMNHIT, we focused on the 6h timepoint. When compared to uninfected PMN, PMNHITTIN displayed 3106 significantly upregulated and 3548 significantly downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (absolute cutoff of a log2FC of 0.2, FDR < 0.05) whereas PMNHIT demonstrated 3816 significantly upregulated and 3794 significantly downregulated DEGs following 6h Mtb infection. Contrasting the log2FC 6h infection response to Mtb from PMNHITTIN against PMNHIT, 2285 genes showed significant differential response between the two groups. Overall PMNHITTIN had a lower fold change response to Mtb infection compared to PMNHIT. According to pathway enrichment, Apoptosis and NETosis were differentially regulated between HITTIN and HIT PMN responses after 6h Mtb infection. To corroborate the blunted NETosis transcriptional response measured among HITTIN, fluorescence microscopy revealed relatively lower neutrophil extracellular trap formation and cell loss in PMNHITTIN compared to PMNHIT, showing that PMNHITTIN have a distinct response to Mtb.
Pharmacokinetics of Moxidectin combined with Albendazole or Albendazole plus Diethylcarbamazine for Bancroftian Filariasis
Authors: Chhonker Yashpal S. , Bjerum Catherine , Bala Veenu , Ouattara Allassane F. , Koudou Benjamin G. , Gabo Toki P. , Alshehri Abdullah , Meïté Abdoulaye , Fischer Peter U. , Weil Gary J. , King Christopher L. , Budge Philip J. , Murry Daryl J.
Published: August 2023

Moxidectin (MOX) is a milbemycin endectocide recently approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of onchocerciasis in persons at least 12 years of age. MOX has been shown to have a good safety profile in recent clinical trials. The efficacy of MOX for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis (LF) and its potential use in mass drug administration protocols for the elimination of LF is currently under evaluation. In the context of a clinical trial, we investigated the pharmacokinetics and drug interactions of a combination of MOX plus albendazole (ALB) with or without diethylcarbamazine (DEC) compared to ivermectin (IVM) plus ALB with or without DEC in the following four different treatment arms: (I) IVM (0.2mg/kg) plus DEC (6 mg/kg) and ALB (400mg); (II) IVM plus ALB; (III) MOX (8 mg) plus DEC and ALB; and (IV) MOX plus ALB. Drug concentrations were determined using validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric methods. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using standard non-compartmental analysis methods. Statistical analysis was performed using JMP software. Fifty-eight of 164 study participants (53 men and five women) were included with ages ranging from 18 to 63 yrs (mean = 37). MOX apparent oral clearance (Cl/F) ranged from 0.7 to 10.8 L/hr with Cmax values ranging from 20.8 to 314.5 ng/mL. The mean (range) area under the curve (AUC)0-∞ for MOX, 3405 ng*hr/mL (742–11376), and IVM 1906 ng*hr/mL (692–5900), varied over a ~15.3 and ~8.5-fold range, respectively. The geometric mean ratio for Cmax, AUC0–t, and AUC0–∞ were within the no-drug interaction range of 80–125% for all drugs. This indicates that the addition of MOX to ALB alone or ALB plus DEC for LF therapy did not alter the drug exposure of co-administered drugs compared to IVM combinations.

Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04410406, https://clinicaltrials.gov/.
Admission NLPR predicts long-term mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke: A retrospective analysis of the MIMIC-III database
Authors: Su Xiao , Zhao Shigang , Zhang Nan
Published: August 2023

Background

The neutrophil to lymphocyte*platelet ratio (NLPR) is a new index based on platelets, neutrophils, and lymphocytes associated with the prognosis of patients with infectious diseases and cancer. However, its use in acute ischemic stroke has rarely been reported. This study examined the relationship between levels of systemic immunoinflammatory indices at admission and patient outcomes at different times after onset to assess stroke prognosis by NLPR.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study. The data from 1222 stroke patients were obtained from multi-parameter intelligent monitoring in the Intensive Care III database(MIMIC- III). Cox proportional risk model was conducted to evaluate the relation between NLPR, all-cause mortality, and ischemic. The results were further verified via a subgroup analysis.

Results

After adjusting for multiple covariates, it was found that NLPR was related with all-cause mortality in stroke patients. High NLPR was accompanied by an increase in mortality with longer follow-up (30 days: HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.14–2.02,90 days: HR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.29–2.16, 365 days: HR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.24–1.96 and 2 years: HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.22–1.89).

Conclusion

The neutrophil to lymphocyte*platelet ratio (NLPR) are related to long-term adverse outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Therefore, NLPR is a promising inflammatory index for predicting the long-term prognosis of stroke.
Segmenting white matter hyperintensities on isotropic three-dimensional Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery magnetic resonance images: Assessing deep learning tools on a Norwegian imaging database
Authors: Røvang Martin Soria , Selnes Per , MacIntosh Bradley J. , Rasmus Groote Inge , Pålhaugen Lene , Sudre Carole , Fladby Tormod , Bjørnerud Atle
Published: August 2023

An important step in the analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data for neuroimaging is the automated segmentation of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR-weighted) is an MRI contrast that is particularly useful to visualize and quantify WMHs, a hallmark of cerebral small vessel disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In order to achieve high spatial resolution in each of the three voxel dimensions, clinical MRI protocols are evolving to a three-dimensional (3D) FLAIR-weighted acquisition. The current study details the deployment of deep learning tools to enable automated WMH segmentation and characterization from 3D FLAIR-weighted images acquired as part of a national AD imaging initiative. Based on data from the ongoing Norwegian Disease Dementia Initiation (DDI) multicenter study, two 3D models—one off-the-shelf from the NVIDIA nnU-Net framework and the other internally developed—were trained, validated, and tested. A third cutting-edge Deep Bayesian network model (HyperMapp3r) was implemented without any de-novo tuning to serve as a comparison architecture. The 2.5D in-house developed and 3D nnU-Net models were trained and validated in-house across five national collection sites among 441 participants from the DDI study, of whom 194 were men and whose average age was (64.91 +/- 9.32) years. Both an external dataset with 29 cases from a global collaborator and a held-out subset of the internal data from the 441 participants were used to test all three models. These test sets were evaluated independently. The ground truth human-in-the-loop segmentation was compared against five established WMH performance metrics. The 3D nnU-Net had the highest performance out of the three tested networks, outperforming both the internally developed 2.5D model and the SOTA Deep Bayesian network with an average dice similarity coefficient score of 0.76 +/- 0.16. Our findings demonstrate that WMH segmentation models can achieve high performance when trained exclusively on FLAIR input volumes that are 3D volumetric acquisitions. Single image input models are desirable for ease of deployment, as reflected in the current embedded clinical research project. The 3D nnU-Net had the highest performance, which suggests a way forward for our need to automate WMH segmentation while also evaluating performance metrics during on-going data collection and model retraining.
Analysing potential data security losses in organisations based on subsequent users logins
Authors: Aziz Benjamin
Published: August 2023

Multi-user computer environments pose potential threats to users data in organisations, in that unauthorised subsequent users who log on to the same computer could leak, alter or delete data belonging to users who previously logged in to the same computer. Such a threat is inspired by Locard’s exchange principle, which states (in its digital form) that every interaction with a system must ultimately leave some trace, and as a result, such trace could carry with it sensitive information that subsequent interactions may obtain without authorisation. Therefore, we attempt in this paper to define a subsequent users analysis that calculates this potential loss in data security based on data visibility and sensitivity values. We outline how such analysis can be used in the real world to enhance decision making process when logging in to a shared computer. We adopt a data-driven approach in defining our analysis and we demonstrate the validity of the analysis over a large open Cybersecurity dataset, which associates users with computers.
Putting ICU triage guidelines into practice: A simulation study using observations and interviews
Authors: Abma Inger L. , Olthuis Gert J. , Maassen Irma T. H. M. , Knippenberg Marjan L. , Moviat Miriam , Hasker Annie J. , Buenen A. G. , Fikkers Bernard G. , Oerlemans Anke J. M.
Published: August 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many countries to formulate guidelines on how to deal with a worst-case scenario in which the number of patients needing intensive care unit (ICU) care exceeds the number of available beds. This study aims to explore the experiences of triage teams when triaging fictitious patients with the Dutch triage guidelines. It provides an overview of the factors that influence decision-making when performing ICU triage with triage guidelines.

Methods

Eight triage teams from four hospitals were given files of fictitious patients needing intensive care and instructed to triage these patients. Sessions were observed and audio-recorded. Four focus group interviews with triage team members were held to reflect on the sessions and the Dutch guidelines. The results were analyzed by inductive content analysis.

Results

The Dutch triage guidelines were the main basis for making triage decisions. However, some teams also allowed their own considerations (outside of the guidelines) to play a role when making triage decisions, for example to help avoid using non-medical criteria such as prioritization based on age group. Group processes also played a role in decision-making: triage choices can be influenced by the triagists’ opinion on the guidelines and the carefulness with which they are applied. Intensivists, being most experienced in prognostication of critical illness, often had the most decisive role during triage sessions.

Conclusions

Using the Dutch triage guidelines is feasible, but there were some inconsistencies in prioritization between teams that may be undesirable. ICU triage guideline writers should consider which aspects of their criteria might, when applied in practice, lead to inconsistencies or ethically questionable prioritization of patients. Practical training of triage team members in applying the guidelines, including explanation of the rationale underlying the triage criteria, might improve the willingness and ability of triage teams to follow the guidelines closely.
Transcriptomic analysis of Amaranthus retroflex resistant to PPO-inhibitory herbicides
Authors: Guo Yulian , Wang Yu , Zang Xiangyun , Luo Chan , Huang Chunyan , Cong Keqiang , Guo Xiaotong
Published: August 2023

Amaranthus retroflexus L. is one of the malignant weeds which can cause a reduction in the soybean yield. We found a population of A. retroflexus (R-Q) resistant to fomesafen through the initial screening of whole-plant dose response bioassay in the research. The resistance index of the population (R-Q) was 183 times of the sensitive population (S-N). The resistant and sensitive populations were used as experimental materials in the paper. Strand-specific RNA-Seq analyses of R‒Q and S‒N populations obtained from herbicide-treated and mock-treated leaf samples after treatment were conducted to generate a full-length transcriptome database. We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the R-Q and S‒N A. retroflexus populations treated with recommended dose and mock-treated on the 1st (24 h) and 3rd (72 h) days to identify genes involved in fomesafen resistance. All 82,287 unigenes were annotated by Blastx search with E-value < 0.00001 from 7 databases. A total of 94,815 DEGs among the three group comparisons were identified. Two nuclear genes encoding PPO (PPX1 and PPX2) and five unigenes belonging to the AP2-EREBP, GRAS, NAC, bHLH and bZIP families exhibited different expression patterns between individuals of S‒N and R-Q populations. The A. retroflexus transcriptome and specific transcription factor families which can respond to fomesafen in resistant and susceptible genotypes were reported in this paper. The PPX1 and PPX2 genes of the target enzyme were identified. The study establishes the foundation for future research and provides opportunities to manage resistant weeds better.