bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and factors associated with substance use among university students in South Africa: implications for prevention
Authors: Blows Stacey , Isaacs Serena
Published: December 2022

Background

Substance use is an important public health concern in many countries across the globe. Among the general public, institutions of higher learning have developed a reputation for inducing new substance use among students. In addition to socio-demographic factors, substance use and abuse among university students often appear to be related to psychological stressors typically related to the demand to adapt to the new environment and the pressures associated with academia. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of, and factors associated with substance use among university students.

Methods

This quantitative study employed convenience sampling to recruit university students who were 18 years and older from a university in the Western Cape. The study made use of self-administered online questionnaires, which participants completed via SurveyMonkey. The sample consisted of 2915 students. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and provide the prevalence and overview of the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Associations between variables were explored using Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests.

Results

The main findings revealed a substance use prevalence rate of 62.7%. The most prominent substances used by students were alcohol (80.6%), cannabis (46%), and ecstasy (5.3%). The study further  revealed clear associations between students’ substance use and mental health. Students who reported substance use at university reported higher depression and anxiety scores than those who did not. However, findings reveal no significant association (p = 0.233) between being a substance user and a nonsubstance user and students' respective self-perceived stress scores.

Conclusion

Results show the majority of sampled students had started using substances (both alcohol and other substances) only after entering university. The results call into question seminal findings relating to substance use and the university environment. The novel findings of this study could serve as a baseline input to inform policymakers, programme developers, service providers, parents, and other stakeholders who are involved in the design and implementation of more effective awareness, prevention and, needs-based intervention services.
Computer or human: a comparative study of automated evaluation scoring and instructors’ feedback on Chinese college students’ English writing
Authors: Chen Huimei , Pan Jie
Published: December 2022

The role of internet technology in higher education and particularly in teaching English as a Foreign language is increasingly prominent because of the interest in the ways in which technology can be applied to support students. The automated evaluation scoring system is a typical demonstration of the application of network technology in the teaching of English writing. Many writing scoring platforms have been developed and used in China, which can provide online instant and corrective feedback on students’ writing. However, the validity of Aim Writing, a product developed by Microsoft Research Asia, which claims to be the best tool to facilitate Chinese EFL learners, has not been tested in previous studies. In this mixed methods study, the feedback and effect of Aim Writing on college students’ writing will be investigated and compared to the instructor’s feedback. The results indicate that Aim Writing’s performance is insufficient to support all students’ needs for writing and that colleges should encourage a hybrid model that contains both AES and instructor’s feedback in writing.
Assessment of brain natriuretic peptide and copeptin as correlates of blood pressure in chronic hypertensive pregnant women
Authors: Okwor Chika J. , Adedapo Kayode S. , Bello Oluwasomidoyin O. , Meka Ijeoma A. , Okwor Chukwuemeka V. , Uche Chukwuemelie Z. , Nwajiobi Chiebonam E. , Nto-Ezimah Uloaku A. , Uchechukwu Chisom E. , Arum Ekene J.
Published: December 2022

Background

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy including preexisting (or chronic) hypertension are the most common complication encountered during pregnancy that contribute significantly to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and copeptin have been investigated as biomarkers in various hypertensive disorders, but studies of their clinical value in chronic hypertensive pregnant women are sparce. This study aimed to assess the levels of BNP and copeptin in chronic hypertensive pregnant women and investigate their correlation with blood pressure (BP) in chronic hypertensive pregnant women in South Western Nigeria.

Methods

One hundred and sixty consenting pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy, grouped into those with chronic hypertension (n = 80) and normotensive (n = 80), were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Age and clinical characteristics were obtained, and blood was aseptically drawn for BNP and copeptin measurement using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS ver. 20.0. Data was analyzed using Student t-test, chi-square, and Pearson correlation test as appropriate. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results

The mean systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were significantly higher in pregnant women with chronic hypertension (158.30 ± 3.51 and 105.08 ± 2.47 mmHg, respectively) compared with normotensive pregnant women (100.72 ± 3.02 and 70.29 ± 1.96 mmHg, respectively). The mean levels of BNP and copeptin were higher in pregnant women with chronic hypertension (57.26 ± 3.65 pg/mL and 12.44 ± 1.02 pmol/L, respectively) compared with normotensive pregnant women (49.85 ± 2.44 pg/mL and 10.25 ± 1.50 pmol/L, respectively) though not statistically significant. Correlations observed between SBP and DBP with levels of BNP (r = 0.204, P = 0.200; r = 0.142, P = 0.478) and copeptin (r = − 0.058, P = 0.288; r = 0.045, P = 0.907) were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

There was no association between BP and the levels of BNP and copeptin in pregnant women with chronic hypertension who were already on antihypertensive treatment, with the implication that antihypertensive treatment may modulate BNP and copeptin release despite significantly elevated BP levels.
Integration of EVs into the smart grid: a systematic literature review
Authors: Sultan Vivian , Aryal Arun , Chang Hao , Kral Jiri
Published: December 2022

Integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the smart grid has attracted considerable interest from researchers, governments, and private companies alike. Such integration may bring problems if not conducted well, but EVs can be also used by utilities and other industry stakeholders to enable the smart grid. This paper presents a systematic literature review of the topic and offer a research framework to guide future research and enrich the body of knowledge. The systematic literature review presented in this paper does not contain all the material available on this subject. It does, however, include most of the key publications readily available in a power-utility or technical-reference library together with some of the earlier papers in the field (the anchor papers). For this review, we selected appropriate digital sources (digital libraries and indexing systems; IEEE Xplore and Web of Science), determined the search terms, and conducted a broad automated search. This article also details the components of the research theme—EV integration into the smart grid—as well as its accompanying use cases. The analysis of the relevant papers indicated four types of key research concerns: power-grid, power-system, and smart-grid reliability and the impacts of changes on them. These results can help guide future research to further smart-grid development. Future research can also expand the reach of this research to address its limitations in scope and depth.
Erratum: Spin-half bosons with mass dimension three-half: Evading the spin-statistics theorem
Authors: Ahluwalia Dharam Vir , Lee Cheng-Yang
Published: December 2022

Original article:
EPL, 140 (2022) 24001.
Microsurgery versus Microsurgery With Preoperative Embolization for Brain Arteriovenous Malformation Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Sattari Shahab Aldin , Shahbandi Ataollah , Yang Wuyang , Feghali James , Xu Risheng , Huang Judy
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

Preoperative embolization has traditionally been regarded as a safe and effective adjunct to microsurgical treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM). However, there is currently no high-level evidence to ascertain this presumption.

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the outcomes of microsurgery (MS) vs microsurgery with preoperative embolization (E + MS) in patients with bAVM through systematic review.

METHODS:

We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase. The primary outcome was bAVM obliteration. Secondary outcomes were intraoperative bleeding (mL), complications, worsened modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and mortality. The pooled proportions of outcomes were calculated through the logit transformation method. The odds ratio (OR) of categorical data and mean difference of continuous data were estimated through the Mantel-Haenszel and the inverse variance methods, respectively.

RESULTS:

Thirty-two studies met the eligibility criteria. One thousand eight hundred twenty-eight patients were treated by microsurgery alone, and 1088 were treated by microsurgery with preoperative embolization, respectively. The meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in AVM obliteration (94.1% vs 95.6%, OR = 1.15 [0.63-2.11], P = .65), mortality (1.7% vs 2%, OR = 0.88 [0.30-2.58], P = .82), procedural complications (18.2% vs 27.2%, OR = 0.47 [0.19-1.17], P = .10), worsened mRS (21.2% vs 18.5%, OR = 1.08 [0.33-3.54], P = .9), and intraoperative blood loss (mean difference = 182.89 [−87.76, 453.55], P = .19).

CONCLUSION:

The meta-analysis showed no significant difference in AVM obliteration, mortality, complications, worse mRS, and intraoperative blood loss between MS and E + MS groups. For AVMs where MS alone has acceptable results, it is reasonable to bypass unnecessary preoperative embolization given higher postoperative complication risk.
In Single-Level, Open, Posterior Lumbar Fusion, Does Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion or Posterolateral Fusion Lead to Better Outcomes?
Authors: Chanbour Hani , Steinle Anthony M. , Tang Alan R. , Gardocki Raymond J. , Abtahi Amir M. , Stephens Byron F. , Zuckerman Scott L.
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

Two common approaches for open, one-level, posterior lumbar fusions include transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and posterolateral fusion (PLF) alone without an interbody.

OBJECTIVE:

To compare TLIF vs PLF alone in (1) discharge disposition, (2) return to work (RTW), and (3) patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

METHODS:

A single-center, retrospective cohort study was undertaken between October 2010 and May 2021, all with a 1-year follow-up and excluding patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis. Minimum clinically important difference for each PRO was used, which included Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Logistic/linear regression controlled for age, body mass index, disc height, flexion-extension movement, amount of movement on flexion-extension, and spondylolisthesis grade.

RESULTS:

Of 850 patients undergoing open, 1-level, posterior lumbar fusion, 591 (69.5%) underwent a TLIF and 259 (30.5%) underwent a PLF alone. Patients undergoing TLIF were younger (59.0 ± 11.3 vs 63.3 ± 12.6, P < .001), had higher body mass index (31.3 ± 6.6 vs 30.2 ± 12.6, P = .019), and more often had private insurance (50.3% vs 39.0%, P < .001). Regarding discharge disposition, no significance was found in multivariate regression (odds ratio = 2.07, 95% CI = 0.39-10.82, P = .385) with similar RTW between TLIF and PLF alone (80.8% vs 80.4%, P = .645) (odds ratio = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.19-6.81, P = .873). Regarding PROs, patients undergoing a TLIF had higher preoperative (6.7 ± 2.3 vs 6.4 ± 2.5, P = .046) and 3-month NRS-back pain (3.4 ± 2.6 vs 2.9 ± 2.5, P = .036), with similar 12-month NRS-back pain. Regarding NRS-leg pain, no differences were observed preoperatively (P = .532) and at 3 months (P = .808). No other significant differences were observed in ODI.

CONCLUSION:

TLIF patients had slightly higher NRS-back pain at baseline and 3 months, but similar NRS-leg pain, despite the added risk of placing an interbody. No differences were seen in discharge disposition, RTW, and 12-month pain scores and ODI.
Physiological Responses and Training Satisfaction During National Rollout of a Neurosurgical Intraoperative Catastrophe Simulator for Resident Training
Authors: Siler Dominic A. , Cleary Daniel R. , Tonsfeldt Karen J. , Wali Arvin R. , Hinson Holly E. , Khalessi Alexander A. , Selden Nathan R.
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

Systematic use of neurosurgical training simulators across institutions is significantly hindered by logistical and financial constraints.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate feasibility of large-scale implementation of an intraoperative catastrophe simulation, we introduced a highly portable and low-cost immersive neurosurgical simulator into a nationwide curriculum for neurosurgery residents, during years 2016 to 2019.

METHODS:

The simulator was deployed at 9 Society of Neurological Surgeons junior resident courses and a Congress of Neurological Surgeons education course for a cohort of 526 residents. Heart rate was tracked to monitor physiological responses to simulated stress. Experiential survey data were collected to evaluate simulator fidelity and resident attitudes toward simulation.

RESULTS:

Residents rated the simulator positively with a statistically significant increase in satisfaction over time accompanying refinements in the simulator model and clinical scenario. The simulated complications induced stress-related tachycardia in most participants (n = 249); however, a cohort of participants was identified that experienced significant bradycardia (n = 24) in response to simulated stress.

CONCLUSION:

Incorporation of immersive neurosurgical simulation into the US national curriculum is logistically feasible and cost-effective for neurosurgical learners. Participant surveys and physiological data suggest that the simulation model recreates the situational physiological stress experienced during practice in the live clinical environment. Simulation may provide an opportunity to identify trainees with maladaptive responses to operative stress who could benefit from additional simulated exposure to mitigate stress impacts on performance.
Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization for Primary Treatment of a Chronic Subdural Hematoma in a Pediatric Patient: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Case Report
Authors: Paro Mitch R. , Ollenschleger Martin D. , Fayad Mohamad F. , Bulsara Ketan R. , Stoltz Petronella , Martin Jonathan E. , Bookland Markus J. , Hersh David S.
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

Middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization is becoming increasingly studied as a safe, effective treatment for chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) in adults. Among pediatric patients, however, MMA embolization for cSDH has been rarely described, and the potential benefit of this approach for pediatric patients remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE:

To systematically review the literature and identify cases of pediatric MMA embolization for cSDH. We also report our experience with pediatric MMA embolization.

METHODS:

A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify cases of pediatric MMA embolization for cSDH. Inclusion criteria included English language availability and pediatric age defined as less than 18 years. A pediatric patient treated with MMA embolization was also identified at our institution.

RESULTS:

Five cases of pediatric MMA embolization for cSDH were identified in the literature. Two were associated with arachnoid cysts, 2 with antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy, and 1 with abusive head trauma. There were no adverse events, and all patients demonstrated clinical and radiological improvement on follow-up. At our institution, a previously healthy 8-year-old male was found to have a right-sided acute-on-chronic SDH during a headache evaluation. A diagnostic angiogram was performed to rule out a dural arteriovenous fistula, and right-sided MMA embolization was performed concurrently. Rapid clinical and radiological improvement was observed, with complete resolution by 6 months.

CONCLUSION:

MMA embolization may represent a treatment option for pediatric patients with cSDH.
Outcome of Nerve Grafting for Radiation-Induced Brachial Plexopathy
Authors: Yin Yaobin , Xue Yunhao , Yang Baokai , Ng Chye Yew , Yang Chen , Li Feng , Li Wenjun , Li Bin , Wang Shufeng
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

There is no consensus on the optimal treatment for radiation-induced brachial plexopathy (RIBP).

OBJECTIVE:

To present our experience of using nerve resection and autografting as a treatment strategy for this challenging condition.

METHODS:

From September 2014 to January 2020, 8 patients with RIBP were treated with segmental nerve resection and autografting, with or without other supplementary procedures. All patients underwent sural nerve grafting to the musculocutaneous nerve. All were female with a mean age of 53 (range 38-64) years. Seven were on the left, and 1 was on the right. The mean follow-up duration was 33 (range 17-72) months.

RESULTS:

By the final review, 7 of 8 patients regained at least antigravity elbow flexion. Four patients reached Medical Research Council (MRC) grade 4, 3 MRC grade 3, and MRC grade 2 recovery in the biceps. The mean Visual Analog Score for pain improved from 2.6 preoperatively to 0.6 postoperatively (P = .042).

CONCLUSION:

Nerve resection and autografting may restore satisfactory elbow flexion in patients with RIBP.
Agroecology research in Europe: current status and perspectives
Authors: Iocola Ileana , Ciaccia Corrado , Colombo Luca , Grard Baptiste , Maurino Stefania , Wezel Alexander , Canali Stefano
Published: December 2022

Background: Agroecology is increasingly seen as an important contribution for the development of more sustainable agriculture and food systems. Research can have a main role to support this path. Although it seems that there is a gradual increasing body of agroecology research, it clearly lacks good knowledge about this. The main objective of this study was therefore to map research projects related to agroecology in Europe with the aim to characterize European research in terms of implementation of agroecology elements, identify needs for the future cross collaboration between countries and networks, and support the setting up of appropriate research agendas fostering agroecology research in Europe.

Methods: A desktop research with different databases related to European and transnational funding programmes was carried out to identify funded research projects involved in agroecology. The obtained projects were used to perform a social network analysis. Furthermore, two surveys were conducted, one with coordinators of identified projects and a second one for researchers engaged in agroecology.

Results: Our study highlighted a predominant trajectory of agroecology research prone to the transformation of the agri-food system. France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and United Kingdom were the most active countries engaged in agroecology research. In all surveys, issues related to efficiency improvement, synergies strengthening, local economy development, and co-creation and sharing of knowledge were the most implemented to support agri-food transformation. Transdisciplinary approaches were mainly addressed by European projects. Surveys reported a limited participation of value chain actors, while researchers, farmers, and their associations were the most involved. Survey respondents suggested to increase project duration and to introduce flexibility methods to modulate research actions according to the dynamic of the contexts.

Conclusion: On the basis of the results, some policy recommendations were provided to fostering agroecology research in Europe and its contribution for transformation of agri-foods systems.
Comment on “Frontiers: Spilling the Beans on Political Consumerism: Do Social Media Boycotts and Buycotts Translate to Real Sales Impact?”
Authors: Bronnenberg Bart J. , Dubé Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2022

We discuss the findings and empirical strategy in “Spilling the Beans on Political Consumerism: Do Social Media Boycotts and Buycotts Translate to Real Sales Impact?”
Improving Access to Rare Disease Treatments: Subsidy, Pricing, and Payment Schemes
Authors: Olsder Wendy , Martagan Tugce , Tang Christopher S.
Published: December 2022

There are more than 7,000 known rare diseases, but pharmaceutical manufacturers developed treatments for only 500 of them. To improve the availability and accessibility of treatments for rare diseases, governments have introduced several programs including subsidies, exogenous pricing, and outcome-based payment schemes in recent years. What kind of subsidy programs and pricing mechanisms can improve patient access? Inspired by various pilot programs, we present a multistage game theoretic model to analyze different subsidy schemes proposed for rare diseases. In addition to the traditional setting in which the manufacturer sets the price, we consider an “exogenous pricing scheme” under which an independent consortium sets the price. We also examine an outcome-based payment scheme, which offers the drug for free if it is not efficacious. We formulate a four-stage Stackelberg game to determine whether it is optimal to subsidize the pharmaceutical manufacturer, the patients, or both. Our results offer several insights. First, we find that government subsidies are crucial to entice new drug development for rare diseases. Also, we find that the pricing scheme matters: The exogenous pricing scheme can improve patient welfare, but it reduces the manufacturer’s expected profit. We find that this result is robust even when an outcome-based payment scheme is used.

This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management.

Funding: This work was supported by the Dutch Science Foundation [Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek VENI Talent Scheme].

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4634 .
Ahmad Ibrahim dan Pengislaman Sistem Hukum di Malaysia
Authors: Amir Ahmad Nabil
Published: December 2022

Makalah ini bertujuan mengkaji sumbangan Ahmad Ibrahim (1916-1999) dalam usahanya merangka dan menjayakan gagasan Islamisasi undang-undang di Malaysia. Beliau telah membangunkan kerangka perundangan Islam yang bernafaskan prinsip hukum dan syariat yang dilakarkannya bagi menggantikan undang-undang sivil yang diwarisi dari penjajah. Kajian ini berasaskan metode kualitatif dari jenis analisis kandungan. Sumber data diperoleh dari bahan primer dan sekunder yang terkait dan dianalisis secara deskriptif, historis dan komparatif. Ia mengkaji secara terperinci kaedah yang diusulkan Ahmad Ibrahim bagi menerapkan dan meninggikan harkat undang-undang Islam dan sistem pentadbiran dan kehakimannya seperti yang dicerakinkan dan dibincangkan dalam karya-karyanya. Temuan ringkas menyimpulkan bahwa Ahmad Ibrahim telah membawa pembaharuan dalam pentadbiran undang-undang Islam dengan memperkenalkan kaedah perundangan Islam dan syariah dalam usahanya menegakkan prinsip syariat dan semangat perundangannya di Malaysia.
Penanggulangan Dampak Penggunaan Media Sosial Hoax Guna Mewujudkan Kesatuan Bangsa
Authors: Susanti Liana Endah , Nurmiati Nurmiati
Published: December 2022

Perkembangan teknologi yang tengah melaju sangat pesat menjadikan media sosial sebagai wadah utama dalam memberikan informasi disertai dengan mudahnya akses dalam berkomunikasi telah meningkatkan resistensi, mengubah perspektif masyarakat yang sebelumnya beraktivitas di dunia nyata bergeser ke dunia maya. Kondisi yang demikian memutarbalikkan konsep, pemikiran dan teori yang dimiliki sehingga dapat melahirkan perdebatan di tengah masyarakat. Interaksi tidak lagi dibatasi oleh ruang dan waktu dapat berdampak negatif pada merebaknya berita palsu atau hoax. Pemberitaan palsu atau hoax menjadi fokus perhatian banyak kalangan. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian hukum normatif dengan menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif untuk menggambarkan atau menganalisis suatu hasil penelitian berdasarkan peristiwa sosial yang terjadi di masyarakat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tingginya angka pengguna media sosial seperti facebook, instagram, twitter hingga whatsApp membuat proses validasi informasi semakin terabaikan apalagi sikap masyarakat yang cenderung gampang terpengaruh, penggunaan sosial media yang tidak diimbangi dengan literasi media dan produk informasi yang dinilai mengalami disorientasi etika menjadi penyebab utama pesatnya penyebaran hoax di Indonesia. Kontribusi penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan pemahaman kepada masyarakat modern untuk lebih barhati-hati bagaimana menggunakan media sosial yang beretika agar nilai-nilai kearifan yang terdapat di Indonesia tidak luntur serta budaya sosial dapat bersatu. Perlu adanya upaya dari segala sektor baik dari masyarakat, jurnalis sebagai transformasi informasi dapat berkontribusi dengan baik dalam menyajikan suatu informasi yang akurat dan terverifikasi sumber kebenarannya serta peran pemerintah dengan cara menyusun peraturan perundang-undangan terkait dengan sanksi bagi pengguna media sosial yang turut menyebarkan berita hoax dengan membentuk Badan Siber Nasional. Media sosial diharapkan dapat menjadi jembatan dalam mempersatukan bangsa dan mempererat nilai-nilai nasionalisme agar pengaruh budaya luar di era globalisasi yang mudah masuk ke Indonesia dapat disaring (literasi media) dengan baik, hal ini bertujuan guna mewujudkan tercapainya kesatuan bangsa.
Perspectivas Fundamentais de "As Vibrações do Ser"
Authors: Schnell Alexander
Published: December 2022

Tradução de Gabriel Lago de Sousa Barroso
Supporting a patient with learning disabilities through screening and treatment for primary breast cancer
Authors: Cooper Deborah
Published: December 2022

This article presents a case study evaluation of supporting a patient with learning disabilities through the NHS Breast Screening Programme diagnostic pathway and subsequent treatments for breast cancer. The process encompassed best interests meetings and treatment planning, surgeries, chemotherapy and anti-Her2 treatments, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy. Problems that occurred during this period included issues around completing surgery, managing chemotherapy treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic and the feasibility and tolerance of radiotherapy. The role of a breast care nurse in this patient's pathway was to facilitate treatment, support the patient and her family, and to liaise with the wider nursing and medical teams to coordinate care.
Hospice care delivery system requirements
Authors: Beiranvand Samira , Rassouli Maryam , Hazrati Maryam , Molavynejad Shahram , Hojjat Suzanne , Tuvesson Hanna , Zarea Kourosh
Published: December 2022

Background:

Hospice care is a perceived need in the Iranian health system.

Aim:

This qualitative study is explaining the stakeholders’ perception of what is required to develop a hospice care system for patients living with cancer in Iran.

Methods:

A total of 21 participants (specialists, policymakers, healthcare providers, cancer patients and family caregivers) were selected through purposeful sampling and interviewed in-depth in 2020. Interviews were analysed through directed content analysis.

Findings:

A total of 1054 codes, 7 categories and 21 subcategories were extracted. The requirements include the need to provide: multiple settings and diverse services; participatory decision making; integration into the health system; specialised human resources; an organised system of accountability; the preparation of the existing health system; and wider capacity-building in existing Iranian society.

Conclusion:

It is essential that Iranian services create a participatory comprehensive care plan, utilise expert manpower, integrate hospice care into the existing health system and organise a system of accountability. Policymakers should focus on the preparation of the health system and capacity building in society.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: all things inhaled and more
Authors: Scullion Jane
Published: December 2022

Jane Scullion looks at the latest evidence linked to prescribing for COPD patients
The sustainable pet food dilemma
Authors: Huitson Kelly
Published: December 2022

Every aspect of pet ownership has some environmental footprint, whether it is the food they eat, the toys they play with or the faeces they produce. Some of these environmental factors can be influenced by pet owners and healthcare providers, while others cannot. Studies considering the most eco-friendly pets ranked tortoises, rats and mice among the lowest impact pets to keep, with large breed dogs and horses the least eco friendly. These ratings were based on a variety of factors, including the pet's dietary requirements, water requirement, lifespan, transportation costs, grooming and accessories, waste production and likelihood to require veterinary medicines. This article concentrates on the impact of the food source provided to the most popular pets: cats and dogs.
Optical ptychography for biomedical imaging: recent progress and future directions [Invited]
Authors: Wang Tianbo , Jiang Shaowei , Song Pengming , Wang Ruihai , Yang Liming , Zhang Terrance , Zheng Guoan
Published: December 2022

Ptychography is an enabling microscopy technique for both fundamental
and applied sciences. In the past decade, it has become an
indispensable imaging tool in most X-ray synchrotrons and national
laboratories worldwide. However, ptychography’s limited
resolution and throughput in the visible light regime have prevented
its wide adoption in biomedical research. Recent developments in this
technique have resolved these issues and offer turnkey solutions for
high-throughput optical imaging with minimum hardware modifications.
The demonstrated imaging throughput is now greater than that of a
high-end whole slide scanner. In this review, we discuss the basic
principle of ptychography and summarize the main milestones of its
development. Different ptychographic implementations are categorized
into four groups based on their lensless/lens-based configurations and
coded-illumination/coded-detection operations. We also highlight the
related biomedical applications, including digital pathology, drug
screening, urinalysis, blood analysis, cytometric analysis, rare cell
screening, cell culture monitoring, cell and tissue imaging in 2D and
3D, polarimetric analysis, among others. Ptychography for
high-throughput optical imaging, currently in its early stages, will
continue to improve in performance and expand in its applications. We
conclude this review article by pointing out several directions for
its future development.
Impact of the input OSNR on data-driven optical fiber channel modeling
Authors: Ye Gao , Xiang Junjiang , Zhou Gai , Xiang Meng , Li Jianping , Qin Yuwen , Fu Songnian
Published: December 2022

The data-driven approach is promising for computationally efficient modeling of optical fiber channels. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we investigate the impact of the input optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) on the accuracy of data-driven modeling for optical fiber channels, based on a conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN). Initially, considering a single span of 80 km of standard single mode fiber (SSMF), we vary the launched optical power for the ease of emulating both linear and nonlinear transmission scenarios. When the input OSNR of a root raised cosine (RRC)-shaped 16 quadrature amplitude modulation signal with a roll-off factor of 0.1 varies, we identify that there occurs an OSNR threshold for accurately modeling a single span of 80 km of SSMF in order to reach the normalized mean square error of less than 0.02 in relevance to the traditional split-step Fourier method. The OSNR thresholds are 19 dB and 21 dB, respectively, under scenarios of linear and nonlinear transmissions. Moreover, we verify that the OSNR threshold of accurate modeling is insensitive to both the modulation format and the RRC shaping of the input signal. Furthermore, we find that the cascaded use of cGAN well-trained for the single SSMF span is capable of modeling the multiple-span SSMF transmission in the case that the input OSNR threshold of 22.6 dB is satisfied. We believe that the identification of the OSNR threshold for data-driven optical fiber channel modeling is useful for the accurate and efficient emulation of long-haul fiber optical transmission.
Solving digital image correlation with neural networks constrained by strain-displacement relations
Authors: Cheng Xiangnan , Zhou Shichao , Xing Tongzhen , Zhu Yicheng , Ma Shaopeng
Published: December 2022

The use of supervised neural networks is a new approach to solving digital image correlation (DIC) problems, but the existing methods solely adopt the black-box neural network, i.e., the mapping from speckle image pair (reference image and deformed image) to multiple deformation fields (displacement fields and strain fields) is directly established without considering the physical constraints between the fields, causing a low level of accuracy that is even inferior to that of Subset-DIC. In this work, we proposed a deep learning model by introducing strain-displacement relations into a neural network, in which the effect of errors both in displacement and strain are considered in the network training. The back-propagation process of the proposed model is derived, and the solution scheme is implemented by Python. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated by simulation and real DIC experiments, and the results show that adding physical constraints to the neural network can significantly improve prediction accuracy.
Effect of the incident polarization on in-plane and out-of-plane spin splitting near the critical angle
Authors: Qin Zirui , Zhang Lingtong , Zhang Runhao , Zhang Pei , Qi Rubin , Zhang Qingfang , Ren Linjiao , Jiang Liying
Published: December 2022

To reveal the effect of the incident polarization on the spin splitting of the photonic spin Hall effect (that is, the spatial and angular in-plane and out-of-plane spin splitting), we systematically study the phenomena and characteristics of these four spin splitting generated when the beam with arbitrary linear polarization is reflected from the non-absorbing medium interface and the absorbing medium interface. Several features of the relationship between the incident polarization and the four kinds of spin splitting are found. In addition, It is also found that the in-plane angular and spatial shifts are significantly enhanced near the critical angle, even reaching their theoretical upper limit. However, the out-of-plane shifts are not enhanced. The research in this paper will contribute to a deeper understanding of PSHE. These findings can also provide new ideas and methods for precision metrology, photonic manipulation, and photonic device fabrication.
Measurement of the three-dimensional distribution of uniaxial stress by terahertz time domain spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Lei , Kang Kai , Sun Xin , Wang Shibin , Li Linan , Li Chuanwei , Wang Zhiyong
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a method to measure the three-dimensional distribution of uniaxial stress based on Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The measurement principle was first established, which combines the computed tomography (CT) method and the photo-elastic effects. A classic filtered back-projection algorithm is adopted to calculate the three-dimensional stress fields from THz-TDS scanning images. Then, in verification experiment, the uniaxial stress distribution in the compressed cylinder and the stretched screw is obtained based on the measurement principle. Finally, the reliability of the proposed method has been verified by comparing the experiment results with the finite element simulation. A reasonable agreement is obtained.
Active noise reduction for a differential Helmholtz photoacoustic sensor excited by an intensity-modulated light source
Authors: Li Zhengang , Liu Jiaxiang , Si Ganshang , Ning Zhiqiang , Fang Yonghua
Published: December 2022

A highly sensitive differential Helmholtz photoacoustic sensor with active noise reduction was reported. Coupled to one cavity of the photoacoustic cell, an intensity-modulated excitation light would reflect multiple times to produce photoacoustic signal, and meanwhile cause the solid-state photoacoustic effect forming differential mode noise with the frequency same as the photoacoustic signal, which could not be suppressed by conventional differential technology. Wavelength modulation technology is a splendid method to restrain this effect, which is not suitable for light sources with not adjustable wavelength. To suppress this kind of noise, an intensity-modulated compensation light was coupled to another cavity, whose central wavelength was at the non-absorption line of the measured gas. The compensation light was of the same frequency, phase, and power as the excitation light, by which the solid-state photoacoustic effects were produced to form destructive interference called active noise reduction. The experiment results showed that the active noise reduction significantly improved the signal-to-noise ratio and signal-to-background ratio. Compared with the differential, the differential with active noise reduction improved signal-to- noise ratio by about 1.2 times and signal-to-background ratio by about 9.4 times. When low-power near-infrared lasers were employed as the two light sources, the minimum detection limits for acetylene and methane reached 21 and 200 ppb, respectively.
Resolution limit in opto-digital systems revisited
Authors: Galdón Laura , Garcia-Sucerquia Jorge , Saavedra Genaro , Martínez-Corral Manuel , Sánchez-Ortiga Emilio
Published: December 2022

The resolution limit achievable with an optical system is a fundamental piece of information when characterizing its performance, mainly in case of microscopy imaging. Usually this information is given in the form of a distance, often expressed in microns, or in the form of a cutoff spatial frequency, often expressed in line pairs per mm. In modern imaging systems, where the final image is collected by pixelated digital cameras, the resolution limit is determined by the performance of both, the optical systems and the digital sensor. Usually, one of these factors is considered to be prevalent over the other for estimating the spatial resolution, leading to the global performance of the imaging system ruled by either the classical Abbe resolution limit, based on physical diffraction, or by the Nyquist resolution limit, based on the digital sensor features. This estimation fails significantly to predict the global performance of opto-digital imaging systems, like 3D microscopes, where none of the factors is negligible. In that case, which indeed is the most common, neither the Abbe formula nor the Nyquist formula provide by themselves a reliable prediction for the resolution limit. This is a serious drawback since systems designers often use those formulae as design input parameters. Aiming to overcome this lack, a simple mathematical expression obtained by finely articulating the Abbe and Nyquist formulas, to easily predict the spatial resolution limit of opto-digital imaging systems, is proposed here. The derived expression is tested experimentally, and shows to be valid in a broad range of opto-digital combinations.
Greenhouse gases monitoring instrument on a GF-5 satellite-II: correction of spatial and frequency-dependent phase distortion
Authors: Wang Qiansheng , Luo Haiyan , Li Zhiwei , Shi Hailiang , Han Yunfei , Xiong Wei
Published: December 2022

Interference data obtained by a spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) is subject to various error factors and suffers from complex phase distortion. Traditional phase correction methods, such as the Amplitude, Merzt, and Forman methods, extract phase distortion in the spectral domain and correct it, which cannot effectively correct spatial phase distortion. Through theoretical derivation and numerical simulation, the spatial phase distortion is firstly determined and corrected in the interference domain. The frequency-dependent phase distortion is then extracted in the spectral domain and corrected. This novel phase distortion correction method named the phase decomposition method was applied to the in-orbit interference data of Greenhouse gases Monitoring Instrument-II (GMI-II). Compared with traditional phase correction methods, the root-mean-square error of the spectrum corrected using the phase decomposition method is reduced by 81.37%.
Single optical fiber based forward-viewing all-optical ultrasound self-transceiving probe
Authors: Chen Yujie , Wang Yan , Lv Tunan , Zhang Junning , Yu Hongbin
Published: December 2022

All-optical ultrasound probes with fully integrated ultrasound generation and detection functions demonstrate some unique advantages over traditional electroacoustic counterparts. However, due to the lack of an effective solution, the most commonly used method is to assemble two separate functional optical fibers together for ultrasound generation and detection, respectively. In this Letter, an innovative strategy, to the best of our knowledge, is developed to integrate the photoacoustic effect based ultrasound generation and the Fabry–Pérot (FP) interference based ultrasound detection structures together at the end of a single double clad optical fiber (DCF), so as to make a compact forward-viewing ultrasound self-transceiving probe (1-mm diameter). From the experiment results, the as-fabricated probe can generate an ultrasound signal with an amplitude of 2.36 MPa at 2.25 mm in the transmitting mode, and its peak frequency and −6-dB bandwidth are measured to be 10.64 MHz and 22.93 MHz, respectively. When being operated under the receiving mode, the probe has a detection sensitivity of 208.4 mV/MPa for ultrasound signals with the peak frequency of 8.24 MHz, and the noise equivalent pressure (NEP) is 76.8 kPa. In addition, the forward-viewing format ultrasound self-transceiving experiment is also performed and the pulse-echo signal varying with the transmission distance is successfully captured for the first time.
Sparse I/Q-joint DNN nonlinear equalization based on progressive pruning for a photonics-aided 256-QAM MMW communication system
Authors: Shi Junting , Sang Bohan , Zhou Wen , Zhao Li , Ding Junjie , Yu Jianjun
Published: December 2022

An efficient nonlinear equalizer based on the pruning I/Q-joint deep neural network (DNN) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated to mitigate the nonlinearity in a photonics-assisted millimeter-wave (MMW) system with a high-order 256 quadrature-amplitude-modulation (QAM) format. Experimental findings reveal that implementing pruning on the I/Q-joint DNN can compress the computational overhead by 32% while accommodating 256-QAM E-band MMW transmission for a net throughput of 66.67 Gbps with 20.21% less complexity than the traditional Volterra nonlinear equalizer. Compared with the I/Q dual DNN with the same complexity, a 16% pruning ratio improvement is enabled by a robust pruning I/Q-joint DNN that further deciphers the I/Q relationship.
Efficient continuous wave and broad tunable lasers with the Tm:GdScO3 crystal
Authors: Song Qingsong , Zhang Ning , Liu Jian , Qian Xinyu , Zhang Chaoyi , Xue Yanyan , Zhao Yongguang , Xu Xiaodong , Lebbou Kheirreddine , Xu Jun
Published: December 2022

The spectroscopic properties and tunable laser performances of the orthorhombic perovskite Tm:GdScO3 crystal grown by the Czochralski method are comparatively studied for polarization along different crystallographic axes. The polarized emission spectrum of Tm:GdScO3 along the b-axis exhibits, to the best of our knowledge, the broadest bandwidth among all the single Tm3+-doped bulk gain media, indicating the strong inhomogeneous line broadening of Tm3+ ions in GdScO3 and thus leads to a broad and smooth gain spectrum. Tunable laser operation with a tuning range as broad as 321 nm from 1824 nm to 2145 nm is achieved, which indicates its potential for few-optical-cycle pulse generation in the 2-µm spectral range.
Systematic comparison of modeling fidelity levels and parameter inference settings applied to negative feedback gene regulation
Authors: Coulier Adrien , Singh Prashant , Sturrock Marc , Hellander Andreas
Published: December 2022

Quantitative stochastic models of gene regulatory networks are important tools for studying cellular regulation. Such models can be formulated at many different levels of fidelity. A practical challenge is to determine what model fidelity to use in order to get accurate and representative results. The choice is important, because models of successively higher fidelity come at a rapidly increasing computational cost. In some situations, the level of detail is clearly motivated by the question under study. In many situations however, many model options could qualitatively agree with available data, depending on the amount of data and the nature of the observations. Here, an important distinction is whether we are interested in inferring the true (but unknown) physical parameters of the model or if it is sufficient to be able to capture and explain available data. The situation becomes complicated from a computational perspective because inference needs to be approximate. Most often it is based on likelihood-free Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) and here determining which summary statistics to use, as well as how much data is needed to reach the desired level of accuracy, are difficult tasks. Ultimately, all of these aspects—the model fidelity, the available data, and the numerical choices for inference—interplay in a complex manner. In this paper we develop a computational pipeline designed to systematically evaluate inference accuracy for a wide range of true known parameters. We then use it to explore inference settings for negative feedback gene regulation. In particular, we compare a detailed spatial stochastic model, a coarse-grained compartment-based multiscale model, and the standard well-mixed model, across several data-scenarios and for multiple numerical options for parameter inference. Practically speaking, this pipeline can be used as a preliminary step to guide modelers prior to gathering experimental data. By training Gaussian processes to approximate the distance function values, we are able to substantially reduce the computational cost of running the pipeline.