bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DISCOVERING THE EUROPEAN UNION'S ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE: A METAPHORICAL ANALYSIS OF ITS ORGANIZATIONAL CO - DECISION PROCEDURE
Authors: Καρίμαλης Γρηγόριος
Published: August 2021

Η ΚΑΤΑΝΟΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΡΓΑΝΩΤΙΚΗΣ ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΙΚΗΣ ΕΝΩΣΗΣ (Ε.Ε.) ΒΟΗΘΑ ΤΟΝ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ ΝΑ ΕΚΤΙΜΗΣΕΙ ΤΙΣ ΙΔΕΟΛΟΓΙΕΣ, ΡΟΛΟΥΣ, ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΕΣ, ΕΥΘΥΝΕΣ, ΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΕΣ ΣΥΝΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΙΚΕΣ ΠΑΡΑΜΕΤΡΟΥΣ ΤΙΣ ΟΠΟΙΕΣ ΛΑΜΒΑΝΟΥΝ ΥΠΟΨΗ ΤΟΥΣ ΤΑ ΘΕΣΜΙΚΑ ΤΗΣ ΟΡΓΑΝΑ (ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ, ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟ, ΚΟΙΝΟΒΟΥΛΙΟ). ΟΙ ΟΡΓΑΝΩΤΙΚΕΣ ΜΕΤΑΦΟΡΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΓΚΑΡΕΘ ΜΟΡΓΚΑΝ (Π.Χ. ΜΗΧΑΝΗ, ΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ, ΕΓΚΕΦΑΛΟΣ, ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΚΥΡΙΑΡΧΙΑ) ΟΠΩΣ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΧΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΤΟ ΒΙΒΛΙΟ ΤΟΥ "ΑΠΕΙΚΟΝΙΣΕΙΣ ΕΝΟΣ ΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΥ" ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΑΝ ΔΕΙΚΤΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΠΑΡΑΣΤΑΤΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΑΣ ΤΗΣ Ε.Ε. Η ΟΡΓΑΝΩΤΙΚΗ ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΑ ΤΗΣ Ε.Ε. ΜΠΟΡΕΙ ΝΑ ΘΕΩΡΗΘΕΙ ΣΑΝ ΜΙΑ ΥΠΕΡ - ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΑ ΠΟΥ ΔΙΑΙΡΕΙΤΑΙ ΣΕ ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΕΣ ΟΙ ΟΠΟΙΕΣ ΔΙΑΡΚΩΣ ΑΛΛΗΛΟΕΠΙΔΡΟΥΝ ΩΣΤΕ ΝΑ ΕΠΙΤΥΧΟΥΝ ΜΙΑ ΙΣΟΡΡΟΠΙΑ ΜΕ ΤΟ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝ. ΚΑΘΕ ΜΙΑ ΑΠ' ΑΥΤΕΣ ΤΙΣ ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΕΣ ΕΚΦΡΑΖΕΙ ΕΝΑ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΕΤΙΚΟ ΣΥΝΟΛΟ ΙΔΕΟΛΟΓΙΩΝ, ΕΝΔΙΑΦΕΡΟΝΤΩΝ, ΤΥΠΩΝ, ΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΚΩΝ ΔΙΑΥΛΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΩΝ ΣΥΓΧΡΟΝΙΣΜΟΥ. ΛΟΓΩ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΟΡΓΑΝΩΤΙΚΗΣ ΣΥΝΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΤΗΣ Ε.Ε. ΑΥΤΕΣ ΟΙ ΚΟΥΛΤΟΥΡΕΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΟΝΤΑΙ ΜΕΤΑΞΥ ΤΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΤΑ ΚΑΙΡΟΥΣ ΥΠΕΡΚΑΛΥΠΤΕΙ Η ΜΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΛΛΗ.
Study on the synergy of Theatre Pedagogy and Philosophy for Children: A multi-disciplinary approach
Authors: Mamali Evi , Papadopoulos Simos
Published: August 2021

This study explores the reasons why theatre pedagogy as practiced through drama inquiry is highly compatible with philosophical inquiry as practiced in a community of inquiry. After clarifying the way in which theatre and philosophy can be practiced in an educational context, common elements of drama and philosophical inquiry are examined in terms of epistemology and method. As it is suggested that a number of skills and attitudes can be traced in both drama and philosophical inquiry, there follows an elaborated presentation of such points of relevance. The study concludes that a synergy of drama and philosophical inquiry may not only be feasible but also highly productive as there are common aims and principles which provide a basis for applying effectively a model of philosophical inquiry assisted by drama inquiry.
Cost and pollution by the use of xylene in cervical cytology in four Peruvian hospitals
Authors: Moya-Salazar Jeel , Salazar-Hernández Richard , Rojas-Zumaran Victor , Cruz-Gonzales Gloria , Contreras-Pulache Hans
Published: August 2021

Background: Cytological samples are cleared with xylene in two or three baths during a Pap test, however, this solvent has a high degree of toxicity, and being a controlled reagent infers high costs for its purchase and implications for environmental pollution. We estimated the impact of xylene during the Pap test in terms of the number of liters and cost of two baths of xylene, and also estimated the impact with three baths 

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in four hospitals of EsSalud in Peru in two stages. First, the analysis of the impact due to the use of two baths of xylene was conducted during the period 2015–2019, and second, the estimates were calculated based on the assumption of three baths of xylene for the years 2020–2025. The assumption was based on the recommendations of the 2018 EsSalud cytology guideline. The monthly amount of xylene was ~10 liters per bath/month and the cost per liter was estimated at 8.13 USD (27 soles). 

Results: For the staining of 594,898 cytology tests, 7,848 liters of xylene were necessary, resulting in a cost of 60,861 USD (202,068 soles) during the period 2015–2019. The estimates showed a maximum assumption of 9,483 liters and 77,110 USD (256,040 soles) for the use of three baths of xylene in the four EsSalud hospitals (p = 0.0025) during the period 2020–2025.  

Conclusions: We determined that there was a high economic impact of using xylene with two baths from 2015 to 2019 and a dramatic increase in costs with the possible use of three baths of xylene in the Pap test for the following five years.
The ecomorphology of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus): a geometric morphometric study.
Authors: GALÁN LÓPEZ Ana Belén , Burke Ariane , Costamagno Sandrine
Published: August 2021

Paleolithic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) was a key species for human populations in western and central Europe during much of the Paleolithic period. In Southwestern France, and in particular during the Magdalenian, reindeer frequently figures among the privileged prey of hunter-gatherer groups. However, and despite numerous attempts to reconstruct the migratory behaviour of Paleolithic reindeer, there is no agreement on the degree of mobility of this prey. Modern ethological data indicate that reindeer herds adopt different mobility strategies depending on the type of habitat and the topography of the environment. Through metapodial bones and phalanges cross-sections, our project ‘Reconstructing habitat type and mobility patterns of Rangifer tarandus during the Late Pleistocene in Southwestern France: an ecomorphological study’ (Emorph) quantifies the link between habitat type, mobility, bone density and morphology using computer tomography (CT) and geometric morphometry (GMM). Based initially on the study of extant caribou populations with distinct migratory behaviours, the results obtained could be applied to several Magdalenian assemblages from southwestern France in the future, with the aim of reconstructing the mobility of these tardiglacial reindeer.
Analysing Transitions in Intimate Relationships with Panel Data
Authors: Feldhaus Michael , Preetz Richard
Published: August 2021

Panel data on intimate relationships are becoming increasingly available, enabling a closer examination and deeper understanding of why and how they develop over time. The aim of this review is to illustrate to what extent demographic research has made progress in understanding the dynamics of intimate relationships by examining panel data. We focus on hypotheses about key transitions throughout the progression of intimate relationships, ranging from union formation up to cohabitation, marriage, divorce and repartnering. For every hypothesis, we will present findings from cross-sectional data and illustrate whether the use of panel data and longitudinal methods modified the previous understandings of transitions in intimate relationships.

* This article belongs to a special issue on "Identification of causal mechanisms in demographic research: The contribution of panel data".
Currency Factors
Authors: Aloosh Arash , Bekaert Geert
Published: August 2021

We examine the ability of existing and new factor models to explain the comovements of G10 currency changes, measured using “currency baskets.” A clustering technique reveals a clear two-block structure in currency comovements, with the first block containing mostly the dollar currencies and the other the European currencies. A factor model incorporating this “clustering” factor and two additional factors, a commodity currency factor and a “world” factor based on trading volumes, fits currency basket correlations much better than extant factors, such as value and carry, do. In particular, it explains on average about 60% of currency variation and generates a root mean squared error relative to sample correlations of only 0.11. The model also fits comovements in emerging market currencies well. Economically, the correlations between currency baskets underlying the factor structure are inversely related to the physical distances between countries.

This paper was accepted by Kay Giesecke, finance.
Capacity Rationing in Primary Care: Provider Availability Shocks and Channel Diversion
Authors: Bavafa Hessam , Canamucio Anne , Marcus Steven C. , Terwiesch Christian , Werner Rachel M.
Published: August 2021

We study capacity rationing by servers facing differentiated customer classes using data from the Veterans Health Administration, which is the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S. Using more than 11 million health encounters over two years in which the system was capacity constrained, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of provider availability shocks on care channel diversion and delays. The outcomes studied include emergency room (ER) visits broken down by type, urgent care center visits, office and phone visits with one’s own versus another provider, post-ER follow-up visits, and ER readmissions. Availability shocks in our analysis are a residualized measure characterizing weeks in which the provider has fewer (or more) office appointments than expected based on typical patterns. The main finding is that moving from two standard deviations above to two standard deviations below in availability shocks increases ER visits by 2.4%, or about 20,000 yearly ER visits. Interestingly, the increase in ER visits is only present for the non-emergent category, indicating differentiated service to emergent and non-emergent care requests; capacity-constrained providers still tend to the patients in most need. Another finding is that provider availability shocks delay and divert post-ER follow-up care. Yet there is no effect on ER readmissions, a severe outcome of delayed or foregone follow-up, indicating that providers ration by priority these follow-up appointments.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.
Narrativas em meio à pandemia: tecendo resistências, pensando metodologias, renovando apostas
Authors: Siqueira Luziane De Assis Ruela , Mateus Luizane Guedes , Santos Delani Ferreira dos , Santos Karoline Mendes , Silva Ketle , Francisco Nayara Oliveira
Published: August 2021

O presente artigo busca compartilhar experiências inventivas nos caminhos metodológicos de pesquisa, a partir de narrativas. Tecendo percursos atravessados pela violência, pela cidade, pelo viver apesar da morte e pela pandemia, buscamos compor esta escrita com mulheres que se abriram ao encontro com outras mulheres – escrita, “escrevivências”, construção e destruição de lugares – mulheres, mães, pesquisadoras, narradoras. Diálogos, narrativas, cuidado; autoras e narradoras vivenciando o contexto de pandemia, isolamento e morte, apostamos nas narrativas como afirmação de pesquisas impregnadas de vida, tecidas na arte do encontro, da escuta e dos olhares sensíveis.
Experienciações de uma psicóloga em uma escola de educação profissional e tecnológica
Authors: Altoé Alini , Bonaldi Cristiana Mara
Published: August 2021

Apresenta conversas e experienciações de uma psicóloga do Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo, Campus São Mateus. Expõe os modos de trabalho da profissional de psicologia que emergem nessa escola. Traz pistas de como fortalecer os processos formativos que valorizem as problematizações e superem os modos hegemônicos de ser psicólogo(a), em prol de outros modos de pensar, criar, sentir, agir e viver. Discute a formação como processualidade, ou seja, as experienciações podem produzir no(a) profissional de psicologia uma abertura à sua própria transformação. Desse modo, abrem possibilidades para problematizações, desnaturalizações e produção de outros modos de trabalho do(a) psicólogo(a) na escola.
Sobre Caminhos, resistências e identidades: vivências e pesquisas que conectam Brasil e México.
Authors: Asth Filipe , Mostafa Maria
Published: August 2021

Resenha de SIMÕES, G. L. et al (Orgs). Caminhos, resistências e identidades: vivências e pesquisas que conectam Brasil e México. 1ª ed., Florianópolis: Papa-Livro, 2021.
Where is the party? Explaining positions on same-sex marriage in Europe among would-be members of parliament
Authors: Siegel Scott N. , Turnbull-Dugarte Stuart J. , Olinger Brian A.
Published: August 2021

The rapid adoption of marriage equality legislation for non-heterosexual individuals in Europe is attributed to many factors, including dramatic shifts in public opinion, the work of transnational activists and changing international norms. Usually, these factors must be filtered through the halls of parliaments where most policy change happens. Given the importance of parliamentarians’ attitudes, it is surprising that we know so little about how attitudes towards same-sex marriage are distributed across political candidates in Europe and what factors shape them. This article fills that gap by using an underutilised dataset on the political preferences of candidates for parliamentary office. We find that beyond attachment to party families, a candidate’s religiosity and practice has a greater effect on a would-be Member of Parliament’s attitudes towards same-sex marriage. The findings suggest that the success of parliamentary action on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights depends not on the partisan composition of the legislature, but rather on the representation of secular candidates.
Two-photon peak molecular brightness spectra reveal long-wavelength enhancements of multiplexed imaging depth and photostability
Authors: Lang Ryan T. , Spring Bryan Q.
Published: August 2021

The broad use of two-photon microscopy has been enabled in part by Ti:Sapphire femtosecond lasers, which offer a wavelength-tunable source of pulsed excitation. Action spectra have thus been primarily reported for the tunable range of Ti:Sapphire lasers (∼700–1000 nm). However, longer wavelengths offer deeper imaging in tissue via reduced scattering and spectral dips in water absorption, and new generations of pulsed lasers offer wider tunable ranges. We present the peak molecular brightness spectra for eight Alexa Fluor dyes between 700–1300 nm as a first-order surrogate for action spectra measured with an unmodified commercial microscope, which reveal overlapping long-wavelength excitation peaks with potential for multiplexed excitation. We demonstrate simultaneous single-wavelength excitation of six spectrally overlapping fluorophores using either short (∼790 nm) or long (∼1090 nm) wavelengths, and that the newly characterized excitation peaks measured past 1000 nm offer improved photostability and enhanced fidelity of linear spectral unmixing at depth compared to shorter wavelengths.
Most favorable stimulation duration in the sensorimotor cortex for fNIRS-based BCI
Authors: Afzal Khan M. N. , Hong Keum-Shik
Published: August 2021

One of the primary objectives of the brain-computer interface (BCI) is to obtain a command with higher classification accuracy within the shortest possible time duration. Therefore, this study evaluates several stimulation durations to propose a duration that can yield the highest classification accuracy. Furthermore, this study aims to address the inherent delay in the hemodynamic responses (HRs) for the command generation time. To this end, HRs in the sensorimotor cortex were evaluated for the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based BCI. To evoke brain activity, right-hand-index finger poking and tapping tasks were used. In this study, six different stimulation durations (i.e., 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 15 s) were tested on 10 healthy male subjects. Upon stimulation, different temporal features and multiple time windows were utilized to extract temporal features. The extracted features were then classified using linear discriminant analysis. The classification results using the main HR showed that a 5 s stimulation duration could yield the highest classification accuracy, i.e., 74%, with a combination of the mean and maximum value features. However, the results were not significantly different from the classification accuracy obtained using the 15 s stimulation. To further validate the results, a classification using the initial dip was performed. The results obtained endorsed the finding with an average classification accuracy of 73.5% using the features of minimum peak and skewness in the 5 s window. The results based on classification using the initial dip for 5 s were significantly different from all other tested stimulation durations (p < 0.05) for all feature combinations. Moreover, from the visual inspection of the HRs, it is observed that the initial dip occurred as soon as the task started, but the main HR had a delay of more than 2 s. Another interesting finding is that impulsive stimulation in the sensorimotor cortex can result in the generation of a clearer initial dip phenomenon. The results reveal that the command for the fNIRS-based BCI can be generated using the 5 s stimulation duration. In conclusion, the use of the initial dip can reduce the time taken for the generation of commands and can be used to achieve a higher classification accuracy for the fNIRS-BCI within a 5 s task duration rather than relying on longer durations.
Silicon-coated gold nanodiffraction grating structures as plasmonic absorbers for short-wavelength infrared light
Authors: Tsubota Tatsuya , Arai Naoyuki , Harada Atsuya , Uesugi Akio , Sugano Koji , Isono Yoshitada
Published: August 2021

As a plasmonic absorber for short-wavelength infrared hyperspectral imaging, a silicon-coated gold nanodiffraction grating structure is proposed. This plasmonic absorber leads to absorption peaks in short-wavelength infrared region by the high refractive index of silicon coating on gold grating. It is relatively easy to fabricate with smaller size than those of already known absorbers. By performing fabrication, simulation, and measurement, we demonstrate the sharp absorption peaks of short-wavelength infrared light using only 400–1000 nm grating interval. We believe this miniaturized absorber will be able to be applied to hyperspectral imaging without a spectroscope owing to its sharp absorption peak at a specific wavelength.
OAM mode-excited surface plasmon resonance for refractive index sensing based on a photonic quasi-crystal fiber
Authors: Liu Exian , Yan Bei , Zhou Huiying , Liu Yuanyuan , Liu Genhua , Liu Jianjun
Published: August 2021

In this paper, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) fiber biosensor is theoretically proposed to detect the surrounding refractive index based on a Stampfli-type photonic quasi-crystal fiber with one air hole coated gold thin film. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the metal/dielectric interface are excited by the orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode (other than Gaussian mode) that propagates very robustly along the fiber with helical phase, facilitating the energy transformation of OAM mode to SPP mode and then realization of the typical resonant loss peak. The proposed OAM-SPR fiber sensor exhibits a refractive index sensitivity of 4466.5 nm/RIU and a resolution of

2.3

×

1

0

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5

RIU in a broad refractive index range from 1.36 to 1.435. Numeric results show that both structure parameters of the fiber and thickness of the gold layer influence sensing performance as the phase matching condition varies. This work offers theoretical guidance for the design of an OAM-SPR fiber biosensor and has great potential applications in sensing bio-molecular and bio-chemical liquids.
Phase unwrapping using the extracted degree of coherence and phase from phase shifting interferometry systems
Authors: Aizen Amir , Abdulhalim Ibrahim
Published: August 2021

Current phase unwrapping methods for non-scanning interferometry systems with one wavelength are not robust in the presence of high steps while still having a limited step height and range using two wavelengths configurations. Here, a new phase unwrapping method is proposed, allowing imaging steps with a height up to 15 times the wavelength using one wavelength or up to 1500 times using two wavelengths. It is based on a one-time computational model fitting of calibration measurements that allows to extract the degree of coherence and phase from two phase-shifted images per wavelength, perform phase unwrapping and accurately reconstruct the 3D structure of the sample. The proposed method has a nanometric axial accuracy and can operate in real-time. The algorithms and methodology for one and two wavelengths are presented and confirmed experimentally.
Paraxial 3D shape measurement using parallel single-pixel imaging
Authors: Wang Yunfan , Zhao Huijie , Jiang Hongzhi , Li Xudong , Li Yuxi , Xu Yang
Published: August 2021

Three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement with fringe projection technique and vertical scanning setup can alleviate the problem of shadow and occlusion. However, the shape-from-defocus based method suffers from limited sensitivity and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), whereas the projection-triangulation based is sensitive to the zero-phase detection. In this paper, we propose paraxial 3D shape measurement using parallel single-pixel imaging (PSI). The depth is encoded in the radial distance to the projector optical center, which is determined by the projection of light transport coefficients (LTCs). The third-order polynomial fitting is used for depth mapping and calibration. Experiments on 5 objects with different materials and textures are conducted, and standards are measured to test the accuracy. The results verified that the proposed method can achieve robust, dense reconstruction with depth accuracy at 20 μm while the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of plane fitting up to 43 μm.
Tin reduction from fluorine doped tin oxide for silicon nanowire-based solar energy harvesting and storage
Authors: Lukas Halagacka , Zuzana Gelnarova , Mutaz Al-Ghzaiwat , Ileana Florea , Jiri Hornicek , Kamil Postava , Martin Foldyna
Published: August 2021

Hydrogen plasma reduction of fluorine doped tin oxide is a beneficial method to form tin nanodroplets on the sample surface directly in the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor. The formation of catalyst droplets is a crucial initial step for vapor-liquid-solid growth of silicon nanowires for radial junction solar cells and solar fuel cell technology. We present an original optical model which allows us to trace the formation process on fluorine doped tin oxide on soda-lime glass substrate from the in situ data and is in a good agreement with the spectroscopic ellipsometry data measured before and during the reduction process. The model reproduces well the phase shift introduced by a transition double layer in fluorine doped tin oxide which acts as a barrier against the sodium diffusion. Furthermore, we study the process of tin reduction from fluorine doped tin oxide in a real time and compare estimated amount of produced metallic tin with images from scanning electron microscopy.The proposed approach is very important for in situ real-time monitoring of the one-pump-down fabrication process used to grow nanowires and form radial junction devices.
Design of on-chip polarimetry with Stokes-determined silicon photonic circuits
Authors: Fang Liang , Zheng Shuang , Wang Jian
Published: August 2021

Measuring the states of optical polarization is crucial in many scientific and technological disciplines, and more recently towards the development of chip-scale or nanoscale polarimetry. Here we present a new design of on-chip Stokes polarimetric scheme based on polarization-dependent silicon photonic circuits. The structural elements including polarization rotator and splitter, directional coupler, and phase shifter are assembled to produce polarization-dependent silicon photonic circuits. The orthogonally linear, diagonal, and circular polarization components of the incident light, corresponding to the three Stokes parameters (S1,S2, andS3), can be simultaneously measured based on the Stokes-determined silicon photonic circuit output arrays so as to realize the full measurement of the incident polarization states. This on-chip polarimetry proposed here may enrich the family of micro-nano polarimetric devices, and pave the way to polarization-based integrated optoelectronics, nanophotonics, and metrology.
Flat distorting mirrors via metasurfaces
Authors: Chu Hongchen , Yu Wenjun , Lai Yun
Published: August 2021

Traditional distorting mirrors utilize curved surfaces to produce distorted virtual images, i.e., illusions. Here we propose the concept of flat distorting mirrors (FDMs) based on gradient metasurfaces and investigate the shape, orientation, and position of the virtual images generated by such FDMs through a ray optics approach. The virtual images can be controlled by varying the distribution of the additional wave vector of the metasurface, which manipulates the deflection of the reflected light. We find that the “effective curvature” of the FDM is related to the derivative of the additional wave vector. When the additional wave vector or its derivative is discontinuous at a certain point, the virtual images can be split. This Letter provides a guide for designing FDMs that create illusions without using curved surfaces.
Full image reconstruction in frequency-domain photoacoustic microscopy by means of a low-cost I/Q demodulator
Authors: Tserevelakis George J. , Mavrakis Kostas G. , Kakakios Nikitas , Zacharakis Giannis
Published: August 2021

We present a full image reconstruction methodology in frequency-domain photoacoustic (PA) microscopy using a low-cost I/Q demodulator for the recording of the amplitude and phase of the signals. By modulating the intensity of a continuous-wave diode laser at 10 MHz, we have been able to provide accurate optical absorption images and surface reconstructions of phantom samples, comparing also the extracted results with standard time-domain approaches. The findings of the study in this Letter could be utilized towards the development of inexpensive PA microscopes with multispectral capabilities for a wide range of biomedical studies, requiring the sensitive detection of endogenous or exogenous absorbers in tissues.
Single-shot imaging through scattering media under strong ambient light interference
Authors: Li Wei , Xi Teli , He Shunfu , Liu Lixian , Liu Jinpeng , Liu Fei , Wang Bingjian , Wei Shijie , Liang Wenhai , Fan Zengzeng , Sun Yangfan , Wang Yuzhi , Shao Xiaopeng
Published: August 2021

Speckle correlation imaging (SCI) has found tremendous versatility compared with other scattering imaging approaches due to its single-shot data acquisition strategy, relatively simple optical setup, and high-fidelity reconstruction performance. However, this simplicity requires SCI experiments to be performed strictly in a darkroom condition. As background noise increases, the speckle contrast rapidly decreases, making precise interpretation of the data extremely difficult. Here, we demonstrate a method by refining the speckle in the autocorrelation domain to achieve high-performance single-shot imaging. Experiment results prove that our method is adapted to estimate objects in a low signal-to-background ratio (SBR) circumstance even if the SBR is about

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d
B

. Laboratory and outdoor SCI experiments are performed.
Distribution of Holliday junctions and repair forks during Escherichia coli DNA double-strand break repair
Authors: Yasmin Tahirah , Azeroglu Benura , Cockram Charlotte A. , Leach David R. F.
Published: August 2021

Accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is crucial for cell survival and genome integrity. In Escherichia coli, DSBs are repaired by homologous recombination (HR), using an undamaged sister chromosome as template. The DNA intermediates of this pathway are expected to be branched molecules that may include 4-way structures termed Holliday junctions (HJs), and 3-way structures such as D-loops and repair forks. Using a tool creating a site-specific, repairable DSB on only one of a pair of replicating sister chromosomes, we have determined how these branched DNA intermediates are distributed across a DNA region that is undergoing DSB repair. In cells, where branch migration and cleavage of HJs are limited by inactivation of the RuvABC complex, HJs and repair forks are principally accumulated within a distance of 12 kb from sites of recombination initiation, known as Chi, on each side of the engineered DSB. These branched DNA structures can even be detected in the region of DNA between the Chi sites flanking the DSB, a DNA segment not expected to be engaged in recombination initiation, and potentially degraded by RecBCD nuclease action. This is observed even in the absence of the branch migration and helicase activities of RuvAB, RadA, RecG, RecQ and PriA. The detection of full-length DNA fragments containing HJs in this central region implies that DSB repair can restore the two intact chromosomes, into which HJs can relocate prior to their resolution. The distribution of recombination intermediates across the 12kb region beyond Chi is altered in xonA, recJ and recQ mutants suggesting that, in the RecBCD pathway of DSB repair, exonuclease I stimulates the formation of repair forks and that RecJQ promotes strand-invasion at a distance from the recombination initiation sites.
Temperature and work: Time allocated to work under varying climate and labor market conditions
Authors: Neidell Matthew , Graff Zivin Joshua , Sheahan Megan , Willwerth Jacqueline , Fant Charles , Sarofim Marcus , Martinich Jeremy
Published: August 2021

Workers in climate exposed industries such as agriculture, construction, and manufacturing face increased health risks of working on high temperature days and may make decisions to reduce work on high-heat days to mitigate this risk. Utilizing the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) for the period 2003 through 2018 and historical weather data, we model the relationship between daily temperature and time allocation, focusing on hours worked by high-risk laborers. The results indicate that labor allocation decisions are context specific and likely driven by supply-side factors. We do not find a significant relationship between temperature and hours worked during the Great Recession (2008–2014), perhaps due to high competition for employment, however during periods of economic growth (2003–2007, 2015–2018) we find a significant reduction in hours worked on high-heat days. During periods of economic growth, for every degree above 90 on a particular day, the average high-risk worker reduces their time devoted to work by about 2.6 minutes relative to a 90-degree day. This effect is expected to intensify in the future as temperatures rise. Applying the modeled relationships to climate projections through the end of century, we find that annual lost wages resulting from decreased time spent working on days over 90 degrees across the United States range from $36.7 to $80.0 billion in 2090 under intermediate and high emission futures, respectively.
Degradation of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile gene elements in dairy manure anerobic digestion
Authors: Wang Yi , Pandey Pramod K. , Kuppu Sundaram , Pereira Richard , Aly Sharif , Zhang Ruihong
Published: August 2021

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging contaminants causing serious global health concern. Interventions to address this concern include improving our understanding of methods for treating waste material of human and animal origin that are known to harbor ARGs. Anaerobic digestion is a commonly used process for treating dairy manure, and although effective in reducing ARGs, its mechanism of action is not clear. In this study, we used three ARGs to conducted a longitudinal bench scale anaerobic digestion experiment with various temperatures (28, 36, 44, and 52°C) in triplicate using fresh dairy manure for 30 days to evaluate the reduction of gene abundance. Three ARGs and two mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were studied: sulfonamide resistance gene (sulII), tetracycline resistance genes (tetW), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) superfamily resistance genes (ermF), class 1 integrase gene (intI1), and transposase gene (tnpA). Genes were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR. Results show that the thermophilic anaerobic digestion (52°C) significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the absolute abundance of sulII (95%), intI1 (95%), tnpA (77%) and 16S rRNA gene (76%) after 30 days of digestion. A modified Collins–Selleck model was used to fit the decay curve, and results suggest that the gene reduction during the startup phase of anaerobic digestion (first 5 days) was faster than the later stage, and reductions in the first five days were more than 50% for most genes.
The spreading of SARS-CoV-2: Interage contacts and networks degree distribution
Authors: Sage Lucas , Albertini Marco , Scherer Stefani
Published: August 2021

Notable cross-country differences exist in the diffusion of the Covid-19 and in its lethality. Contact patterns in populations, and in particular intergenerational contacts, have been argued to be responsible for the most vulnerable, the elderly, getting infected more often and thus driving up mortality in some context, like in the southern European one. This paper asks a simple question: is it between whom contacts occur that matters or is it simply how many contacts people have? Due to the high number of confounding factors, it is extremely difficult to empirically assess the impact of single network features separately. This is why we rely on a simulation exercise in which we counterfactually manipulate single aspects of countries’ age distribution and network structures. We disentangle the contributions of the kind and of the number of contacts while holding constant the age structure. More precisely, we isolate the respective effects of inter-age contact patterns, degree distribution and clustering on the virus propagation across age groups. We use survey data on face-to-face contacts for Great Britain, Italy, and Germany, to reconstruct networks that mirror empirical contact patterns in these three countries. It turns out that the number of social contacts (degree distribution) largely accounts for the higher infection rates of the elderly in the Italian context, while differences in inter-age contacts patterns are only responsible for minor differences. This suggests that policies specifically targeting inter-age contacts would be little effective.
Patients’ knowledge of diabetes foot complications and self-management practices in Ghana: A phenomenological study
Authors: Bossman Irene Fosuhemaa , Dare Shadrach , Oduro Bright Anyimah , Baffour Prince Kyei , Hinneh Thomas Kwadwo , Nally Jane Elizabeth
Published: August 2021

Background

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and over two-thirds of these are not diagnosed. Consequently, diabetes complications usually exist at the time of diagnosis. Foot ulcers is a leading cause of disability and mortality among diabetes patients.

Purpose

To assess the knowledge and experiences of adult patients with Diabetes on diabetes complications and self-management practices with emphasis on foot care.

Methodology

This applied phenomenological study design. Twenty patients attending Diabetes clinics were purposively sampled from two hospitals in Ghana. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted to evaluate patient’s understanding of diabetes and self-management practices. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and analysed to generate themes using the constant comparison method.

Results

Three-quarters of the participants in the study correctly defined diabetes as high blood glucose levels, but few knew the risk factors and complications of diabetes. Stroke and Hypertension were the most popular complications known, whiles diabetes foot complications were the least known. Almost all participants showed awareness of dietary self-management practices, but few had limited knowledge in foot care practices.

Conclusion

Diabetes education in LMICs should promote self-management practices, especially foot care and clear dietary guidelines. There is also opportunity to invest in specialist diabetes training for healthcare providers and increase community-based care for people living with diabetes in Ghana.
Evaluation of combination protocols of the chemotherapeutic agent FX-9 with azacitidine, dichloroacetic acid, doxorubicin or carboplatin on prostate carcinoma cell lines
Authors: Weiner Franziska , Schille Jan Torben , Hein Jens Ingo , Wu Xiao-Feng , Beller Matthias , Junghanß Christian , Murua Escobar Hugo , Nolte Ingo
Published: August 2021

The isoquinolinamine FX-9 is a novel potential chemotherapeutic agent showing antiproliferative effects against hematologic and prostate cancer cell lines such as B- and T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia and prostate cancer (PC) of different species. Interestingly, FX-9 shows no hemolytic activity and low toxicity in benign adherent cells. The detailed FX-9 molecular mode of action is currently not fully understood. But application on neoplastic cells induces pro-apoptotic and antimitotic effects. Canine prostate cancer (cPC) represents a unique spontaneous occurring animal model for human androgen-independent PC. Human androgen-independent PC as well as cPC are currently not satisfactorily treatable with chemotherapeutic protocols. Accordingly, the evaluation of novel agent combinations bears significant potential for identifying novel treatment strategies. In this study, we combined FX-9 with the currently approved therapeutic agents doxorubicin, carboplatin, the demethylating substance azacitidine as well as further potentially antitumorigenic agents such as dichloroacetic acid (DCA) in order to evaluate the respective synergistic potential. The combinations with 1–5 μM FX-9 were evaluated regarding the effect after 72 hours on cell viability, cell count and apoptotic/necrotic cells in two human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, PC-3) and a canine prostate cancer cell line (Adcarc1258) representing androgen-dependent and -independent PC/cPC forms. FX-9 in combination with azacitidine decreases cell viability and increases cell death with positive Bliss values. Furthermore, this decreases the cell count with neutral Bliss values on PC-3. Carboplatin in combination with FX-9 reduces cell viability with a neutral Bliss value and increases cell death on LNCaP with calculated positive Bliss values. DCA or doxorubicin in combination with FX-9 do not show synergistic or additive effects on the cell viability. Based on these results, azacitidine or carboplatin in combination with FX-9 offers synergistic/additive efficacy against prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines in vitro. The beneficial effects of both combinations are worth further investigation.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and ambient air pollution: A dose-effect relationship and an association with OHCA incidence
Authors: Gentile Francesca Romana , Primi Roberto , Baldi Enrico , Compagnoni Sara , Mare Claudio , Contri Enrico , Reali Francesca , Bussi Daniele , Facchin Fabio , Currao Alessia , Bendotti Sara , Savastano Simone ,   Lombardia CARe researchers
Published: August 2021

Background

Pollution has been suggested as a precipitating factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, data about the link between air pollution and the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are limited and controversial.

Methods

By collecting data both in the OHCA registry and in the database of the regional agency for environmental protection (ARPA) of the Lombardy region, all medical OHCAs and the mean daily concentration of pollutants including fine particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), benzene (C6H6), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3) were considered from January 1st to December 31st, 2019 in the southern part of the Lombardy region (provinces of Pavia, Lodi, Cremona and Mantua; 7863 km2; about 1550000 inhabitants). Days were divided into high or low incidence of OHCA according to the median value. A Probit dose-response analysis and both uni- and multivariable logistic regression models were provided for each pollutant.

Results

The concentrations of all the pollutants were significantly higher in days with high incidence of OHCA except for O3, which showed a significant countertrend. After correcting for temperature, a significant dose-response relationship was demonstrated for all the pollutants examined. All the pollutants were also strongly associated with high incidence of OHCA in multivariable analysis with correction for temperature, humidity, and day-to-day concentration changes.

Conclusions

Our results clarify the link between pollutants and the acute risk of cardiac arrest suggesting the need of both improving the air quality and integrating pollution data in future models for the organization of emergency medical services.
Mitral surgical redo versus transapical transcatheter mitral valve implantation
Authors: Zubarevich Alina , Szczechowicz Marcin , Arjomandi Rad Arian , Vardanyan Robert , Marx Philipp , Lind Alexander , Jánosi Rolf Alexander , Roosta-Azad Mehdy , Malik Rizwan , Kamler Markus , Thielmann Matthias , El Gabry Mohamed , Schmack Bastian , Ruhparwar Arjang , Weymann Alexander , Wendt Daniel
Published: August 2021

Background

Transcatheter methods have been rapidly evolving to provide an alternative less invasive therapeutic option, mainly because redo patients often present with multiple comorbidities and high operative risk. We sought to evaluate and compare our experience with transapical transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TA-TMVR) to conventional redo mitral valve replacement in patients presenting with degenerated biological mitral valve prostheses or failed valve annuloplasty.

Methods and material

Between March 2012 and November 2020, 74 consecutive high-risk patients underwent surgical redo mitral valve replacement (n = 33) or TA-TMVR (n = 41) at our institution. All patients presented with a history of a surgical mitral valve procedure. All transcatheter procedures were performed using the SAPIEN XT/3™ prostheses. Data collection was prospectively according to MVARC criteria.

Results

The mean logistic EuroSCORE-II of the whole cohort was 19.9±16.7%, and the median STS-score was 11.1±12.5%. The mean age in the SMVR group was 63.7±12.8 years and in the TMVR group 73.6±9.7 years. Patients undergoing TA-TMVR presented with significantly higher risk scores. Echocardiography at follow up showed no obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract, no paravalvular leakage and excellent transvalvular gradients in both groups (3.9±1.2 mmHg and 4.2±0.8 mmHg in the surgical and transcatheter arm respectively). There was no difference in postoperative major adverse events between the groups with no strokes in the whole cohort. Both methods showed similar survival rates at one year and a 30-day mortality of 15.2% and 9.8% in SAVR and TMVR group, respectively. Despite using contrast dye in the transcatheter group, the rate of postoperative acute kidney failure was similar between the groups.

Conclusion

Despite several contraindications for surgery, we showed the non-inferiority of TA-TMVR compared to conventional surgical redo procedures in high-risk patients. With its excellent hemodynamic and similar survival rate, TA-TMVR offers a feasible alternative to the conventional surgical redo procedure in selected patients.
Plant and algal lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferases increase docosahexaenoic acid accumulation at the sn-2 position of triacylglycerol in transgenic Arabidopsis seed oil
Authors: Wayne Laura L. , Gachotte Daniel J. , Graupner Paul R. , Adelfinskaya Yelena , McCaskill David G. , Metz James G. , Zirkle Ross , Walsh Terence A.
Published: August 2021

Although docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an important dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is at present primarily sourced from marine fish, bioengineered crops producing DHA may offer a more sustainable and cost-effective source. DHA has been produced in transgenic oilseed crops, however, DHA in seed oil primarily occupies the sn-1/3 positions of triacylglycerol (TAG) with relatively low amounts of DHA in the sn-2 position. To increase the amount of DHA in the sn-2 position of TAG and in seed oil, putative lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferases (LPAATs) were identified and characterized from the DHA-producing alga Schizochytrium sp. and from soybean (Glycine max). The affinity-purified proteins were confirmed to have LPAAT activity. Expression of the Schizochytrium or soybean LPAATs in DHA-producing Arabidopsis expressing the Schizochytrium PUFA synthase system significantly increased the total amount of DHA in seed oil. A novel sensitive band-selective heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) NMR method was developed to quantify DHA at the sn-2 position of glycerolipids. More than two-fold increases in sn-2 DHA were observed for Arabidopsis lines expressing Schizochytrium or soybean LPAATs, with one Schizochytrium LPAAT driving DHA accumulation in the sn-2 position to 61% of the total DHA. Furthermore, expression of a soybean LPAAT led to a redistribution of DHA-containing TAG species, with two new TAG species identified. Our results demonstrate that transgenic expression of Schizochytrium or soybean LPAATs can increase the proportion of DHA at the sn-2 position of TAG and the total amount of DHA in the seed oil of a DHA-accumulating oilseed plant. Additionally, the band-selective HSQC NMR method that we developed provides a sensitive and robust method for determining the regiochemistry of DHA in glycerolipids. These findings will benefit the advancement of sustainable sources of DHA via transgenic crops such as canola and soybean.
Changes in adiposity, physical activity, cardiometabolic risk factors, diet, physical capacity and well-being in inactive women and men aged 57-74 years with obesity and cardiovascular risk – A 6-month complex lifestyle intervention with 6-month follow-up
Authors: Hopstock Laila A. , Deraas Trygve S. , Henriksen Andre , Martiny-Huenger Torsten , Grimsgaard Sameline
Published: August 2021

A key challenge in lifestyle interventions is long-term maintenance of favorable lifestyle changes. Middle-aged and older adults are important target groups. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate changes in adiposity, physical activity, cardiometabolic risk factors, diet, physical capacity, and well-being, in inactive middle-aged and older women and men with obesity and elevated cardiovascular disease risk, participating in an interdisciplinary single-arm complex lifestyle intervention pilot study. Participants were recruited from the population-based Tromsø Study 2015–2016 with inclusion criteria age 55–74 years, body mass index (BMI) ≥30kg/m2, sedentary lifestyle, no prior myocardial infarction and elevated cardiovascular risk. Participants (11 men and 5 women aged 57–74 years) underwent a 6-month intervention of two 1-hour group-sessions per week with instructor-led gradually intensified exercise (endurance and strength), one individual and three 2-hour group counselling sessions with nutritionist (Nordic Nutrition Recommendations) and psychologist (Implementation intention strategies). We investigated changes in adiposity (weight, BMI, body composition, waist circumference), physical activity (self-reported and via physical activity trackers), cardiometabolic risk factors (blood pressure, HbA1c, blood lipids), diet (intake of energy, nutrients, foods), physical capacity (aerobic capacity, muscle strength), and psychological well-being, measured at baseline and end-of-intervention, using mean-comparison paired t-tests. Further, we investigated self-reported healthy lifestyle maintenance six months after end-of-intervention, and monthly changes in daily step count, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and total energy expenditure. From baseline to end-of-intervention, there was a mean decrease in weight, BMI, fat mass, waist circumference, intake of total- and saturated fat, and increase in lean mass, lateral pulldown and leg press. We detected no changes in mean levels of physical activity, cardiometabolic risk factors or well-being. Six months after end-of-intervention, 25% responded healthy lifestyle achievement and maintenance, while objectively measured physical activity remained unchanged. The results are useful for development of a protocol for a full-scale trial.

Trial registration: The study was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT03807323).