bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Practice of prescribing antipsychotics in schizophrenia during 2013-2018 based on data from the National Health Fund
Authors: Anczewska Marta , Balicki Marek , Droździkowska Amelia , Gorczyca Piotr , Janus Jolanta , Paciorek Sylwia , Plisko Robert , Zięba Mariusz
Published: July 2021

Cel

Analiza praktyki preskrypcyjnej leków przeciwpsychotycznych w schizofrenii w latach 2013 - 2018.

Metoda

Schizofrenia jest analizowana jako jedna z pięciu chorób o najwyższym wskaźniku utraconych lat życia w zdrowiu - Disability Adjusted Life Years - DALY. W pracy wykorzystano sprawozdawcze dane jednostkowe Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia (NFZ), które zostały wykazane płatnikowi w latach 2013 - 2018. Pacjenci byli identyfikowani poprzez kod w Powszechnym Elektronicznym Systemie Ewidencji Ludności (PESEL), leki poprzez Europejski Numer Artykułu (EAN). Do analizy włączono 209 334 osoby dorosłe z rozpoznaniem F20 do F20.9 wg ICD-10, które w ciągu roku miały przepisany co najmniej jeden lek przeciwpsychotyczny. Substancje czynne ordynowanych leków przeciwpsychotycznych zostały podzielone na typowe (I generacji), atypowe (II generacji) oraz leki przeciwpsychotyczne długodziałające I i II generacji. Analiza statystyczna zawiera statystyki opisowe dla wybranych przekrojów. W badaniu zastosowano regresję liniową, jednoczynnikową analizę wariancji oraz Test T. Wszystkie analizy statystyczne zostały przygotowane przy pomocy R w wersji 3.6.1 oraz programu Microsoft Excel.

Wyniki

W latach 2013 - 2018 liczba leczonych w sektorze publicznym pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii wzrosła o 4%. Największy przyrost liczby chorych odnotowano wśród osób z rozpoznaniem F20.8 (schizofrenia innego rodzaju). W analizowanych latach wzrosła liczba pacjentów, którym przepisano doustne leki przeciwpsychotyczne II generacji oraz znacząco liczba pacjentów, którym przepisano leki przeciwpsychotyczne długo działające, a zwłaszcza te II generacji (risperidon LAI, olanzapina LAI).

Wnioski

Rozszerzenie badania przez włączenie informacji o praktyce preskrypcyjnej w sektorze prywatnym zapewniłoby pełniejszy obraz badanego zjawiska.
Analysis of psychiatric services for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, reported to the National Health Fund in the years 2009–2018
Authors: Anczewska Marta , Balicki Marek , Droździkowska Amelia , Gorczyca Piotr , Janus Jolanta , Paciorek Sylwia , Plisko Robert , Zięba Mariusz
Published: July 2021

Cel

Analiza świadczeń psychiatrycznych dla pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii, sprawozdanych do Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia w latach 2009-2018.

Materiał i metody

Schizofrenia jest analizowana jako jedna z chorób o najwyższym wskaźniku utraconych lat życia w zdrowiu (Disability Adjusted Life Years - DALY). W badaniu wykorzystano sprawozdawcze dane jednostkowe Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia (NFZ), które zostały wykazane płatnikowi w latach 2009-2018. Pacjenci byli identyfikowani przy użyciu kodu w Powszechnym Elektronicznym Systemie Ewidencji Ludności (PESEL). Analizowano świadczenia udzielone osobom dorosłym, tj. osobom, które w roku zakończenia udzielania świadczenia miały co najmniej 18 lat, dla których główną chorobą była schizofrenia identyfikowana poprzez kody wg ICD-10: F20 do F20.9. Sprawozdane świadczenia przeanalizowano według warunków udzielania świadczeń oraz kodów produktów rozliczeniowych, określonych w zarządzeniu Prezesa Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia z dnia 28.06.2019 r.

Wyniki

W latach 2009-2018 wzrosła o 5% liczba pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii, leczonych w sektorze publicznym. W analizowanych latach liczba pacjentów leczonych stacjonarnie zmniejszyła się o 9%, przy wzroście o 6% liczby osób korzystających ze świadczeń ambulatoryjnych i leczenia środowiskowego. W oddziałach psychiatrii sądowej obserwowano bardzo wysoki wzrost (o 212%) liczby hospitalizowanych pacjentów. W 2018 roku średnia liczba dni hospitalizacji wynosiła 43 dni w oddziale psychiatrycznym ogólnym (podstawowym) oraz 279 dni w oddziale psychiatrii sądowej. Bardzo niski odsetek osób chorujących (poniżej 3%) korzystał z terapii dziennej. W leczeniu ambulatoryjnym zdecydowanie dominującą formą pomocy były porady lekarskie, natomiast mniej niż 10% pacjentów korzystało z innego rodzaju świadczeń. W 2018 roku sprawozdano średnio cztery wizyty / porady na pacjenta.

Wnioski

W latach 2009–2018, większość pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii była w sektorze publicznym leczona przy użyciu tradycyjnego modelu opieki: konsultacji medycznej i hospitalizacji psychiatrycznej. Zaleca się reorganizację systemu – wdrożenie i rozwój opieki całościowej skoordynowanej z modelem opieki środowiskowej. Rozszerzenie badania o informacje z sektora niepublicznego dałoby pełny obraz funkcjonowania systemu i ułatwiłoby ocenę potrzeb systemowych tej grupy pacjentów.
Eosinophilic Granuloma: A Rare and Often Benign Condition Presenting as a Lump on the Head, which was Easily Treated
Authors: Pires Tatiana , Duarte Santos Catarina , Gonzalez Santos Miguel , Luz Luís , Ferrão Ana , Banza Maria J.
Published: July 2021

Eosinophilic granuloma is a localized, non-invasive form of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. It usually develops in the long bones and is more frequent in children under the age of 10 years. It is very rare in adults.  We present the case of a young woman admitted to hospital for persistent refractory left parietal headache, later revealed to be caused by an eosinophilic granuloma.
Why do medication errors occur in veterinary practice?
Authors: Mosedale Pamela , Blackie Kathrine
Published: July 2021

Medication errors are common in veterinary practice. While many of these do not result in harm to a patient, those that do can have serious consequences for the patient and also affect the people involved. Patient safety event reporting provides insight into how and why medication errors occur in practice. Although human error plays a part, there are many contributing factors that make mistakes more likely to happen. This article discusses the types of errors that are reported, common error-producing conditions and specific high-risk situations where errors can have the most serious consequences.
Small animal Review
Authors: Gough Alex
Published: July 2021

The VetCompass™ programme has, over recent years, been a rich source of new publications on veterinary primary care. The brain child of Dan O'Neill, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College, VetCompass utilises the clinical records of large numbers of veterinary practices to discover new evidence regarding breed specific health data and information on the prevalence and management of specific diseases. Its conclusions can subsequently inform both individual veterinary practice and policy, at an organisational level. At the time of writing, the VetCompass database comprises data from over 20 million animals from over 1800 UK veterinary practices. This month's Small Animal Review looks at three recent examples to be published using data from the project.
Adopting medical technology: the case for a fast-tracked approach
Authors: Harpham Barbara
Published: July 2021

The NHS has always struggled to effectively adopt innovative medical technologies. A report by The Medical Technology Group argues that a new system for the widespread adoption of technology is needed. The report argues that, considering the growing backlog of procedures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, medical technology can increase efficiency and deliver better outcomes for patients, while helping the NHS to recover.
دراسة تقويمية للمعوّّوقات التي تواجه برامج التّّتربية العمليّّية
لمعلم المجال في كلية التربية في جامعة بيت لحم ومقترحات لتطويرها من وجهة نظر
الطلبة والمعلمين المرشدين
Authors: مصلح هدى , العبد سعاد
Published: July 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the obstacles facing the practicum program of
subject area teacher at the Faculty of Education, Bethlehem University and to
find ways for improvement from the perspective of student-teachers and school
mentors. The study sample consisted of 92 mentors, 124 students in 2017/2018. A
descriptive analytic approach was used based on two questionnaires. The results
showed that the most problematic area for the senior students is related to the
assessment tools and school visits and that second, third and fourth year
students agreed with mentors that the most problematic area was “awareness of
the importance and purpose of the practicum,” and the need for introducing
students to learning resources. The findings also revealed that the most common
obstacles relating to “initial school experience” was connected with the
recognition of the duties of the principal, teacher, supervisor, and various
school committees. Results also showed that students regarded the location of
practicum schools and the cost of transportation as most problematic, while
mentors considered overcrowding in classes, lack of cooperation, and the focus
on certain schools to be most problematic. However, both mentors and students
agreed about the need for varying mentors and schools and for considering the
students' residence (in the choice of training school). Results also showed that
there was a statistically significant difference only in the first hypothesis
related to the mentors due to gender in favor of females, and in the fourth
hypothesis related to the students in favor of the second year. There was no
statistical difference regarding the second and third hypotheses relating to
both mentors and students. Based on the findings, the study recommended
developing the structure and materials of the practicum courses, and taking
students' needs into consideration.
Family Role in the Development of Self-Determination for Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Scoping Review
Authors: Dean Evan E. , Kirby Anne V. , Hagiwara Mayumi , Shogren Karrie A. , Ersan Deniz Tekin , Brown Stephanie
Published: July 2021

The development of self-determination is promoted by supportive contexts during adolescence; families are a key part of this context. In adolescent populations, research suggests families can support self-determination in a number of ways, yet less is known about how self-determination is promoted within families of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a scoping review to examine the existing evidence pertaining to the role families of youth with IDD play in supporting the development of self-determination. A review of 24 publications revealed that existing research has focused on understanding family perspectives on self-determination, but there is a lack of studies investigating how families provide supports for self-determination in the home context for youth with IDD. Additionally, little intervention work has focused on supporting families to promote self-determination. Based on the findings, implications for future research and practice are provided.
The Participation of Secondary Students With Severe Disabilities in School Clubs
Authors: Pence Alicia R. , Dymond Stacy K.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine how secondary students with severe disabilities (i.e., severe intellectual disability or autism, multiple disabilities) participate in extracurricular school clubs. Using a qualitative multiple case design, the experiences of three high school students were examined. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and document reviews. A single-case inductive open-coding strategy was utilized across all data sources in which codes and categories emerged, and a final cross-case thematic evaluation was conducted. The cross-case thematic analysis resulted in the following four overarching themes: (a) going with the flow; (b) social obstacles: on the outside looking in; (c) supports provided: too much, too little, just right; and (d) safety in numbers.
Advance Care Planning for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A State-by-State Content Analysis of Person-Centered Service Plans
Authors: McGinley Jacqueline , Marsack-Topolewski Christina N. , Church Heather L. , Knoke Victoria
Published: July 2021

Older adults are a rapidly growing segment of the intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) population. Advance care planning (ACP) is recommended as a best practice for adults with IDD, yet, adoption remains low. For individuals receiving Medicaid services, regular meetings maintain the person-centered planning (PCP) process. Content analysis was used to examine data from public documents across the United States to identify the frequency of ACP in PCP and the ways it manifests. Results indicate most states had evidence of ACP within the PCP process with notable variation to the extent. Findings suggest many PCP documents lack content specific to late-life transitions. Included are examples of the ways states have integrated ACP into PCP that can serve as a guide.
CNN-based few-mode fiber modal decomposition method using digital holography
Authors: Zhu Z.-H. , Xiao Y.-Y. , Yao R.-M.
Published: July 2021

Modal decomposition (MD) has become an indispensable analysis approach for revealing the modal characteristics of optical fibers. A new MD approach based on the convolutional neural network (CNN) is presented to retrieve the exact superposition of eigenmodes of few-mode fibers. Using the near-field beam intensity and phase patterns obtained from digital holography, not only the amplitude of each eigenmode but also the exact phase difference between the higher-order modes and the fundamental mode can be predicted. Numerical simulations validate the reliability and feasibility of the approach. When ten modes in the few-mode fiber are considered, the similarities of the intensity and phase pattern between the reconstructed fields and the given fields can achieve to 97.0% and 85.6%, respectively.
Influence of hematoxylin and eosin staining on the quantitative analysis of second harmonic generation imaging of fixed tissue sections
Authors: Hristu Radu , Stanciu Stefan G. , Dumitru Adrian , Paun Bogdan , Floroiu Iustin , Costache Mariana , Stanciu George A.
Published: July 2021

Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy has emerged over the past two decades as a powerful tool for tissue characterization and diagnostics. Its main applications in medicine are related to mapping the collagen architecture of in-vivo, ex-vivo and fixed tissues based on endogenous contrast. In this work we present how H&E staining of excised and fixed tissues influences the extraction and use of image parameters specific to polarization-resolved SHG (PSHG) microscopy, which are known to provide quantitative information on the collagen structure and organization. We employ a theoretical collagen model for fitting the experimental PSHG datasets to obtain the second order susceptibility tensor elements ratios and the fitting efficiency. Furthermore, the second harmonic intensity acquired under circular polarization is investigated. The evolution of these parameters in both forward- and backward-collected SHG are computed for both H&E-stained and unstained tissue sections. Consistent modifications are observed between the two cases in terms of the fitting efficiency and the second harmonic intensity. This suggests that similar quantitative analysis workflows applied to PSHG images collected on stained and unstained tissues could yield different results, and hence affect the diagnostic accuracy.
Student becomes teacher: training faster deep learning lightweight networks for automated identification of optical coherence tomography B-scans of interest using a student-teacher framework
Authors: Owen Julia P. , Blazes Marian , Manivannan Niranchana , Lee Gary C. , Yu Sophia , Durbin Mary K. , Nair Aditya , Singh Rishi P. , Talcott Katherine E. , Melo Alline G. , Greenlee Tyler , Chen Eric R. , Conti Thais F. , Lee Cecilia S. , Lee Aaron Y.
Published: July 2021

This work explores a student-teacher framework that leverages unlabeled images to train lightweight deep learning models with fewer parameters to perform fast automated detection of optical coherence tomography B-scans of interest. Twenty-seven lightweight models (LWMs) from four families of models were trained on expert-labeled B-scans (∼70 K) as either “abnormal” or “normal”, which established a baseline performance for the models. Then the LWMs were trained from random initialization using a student-teacher framework to incorporate a large number of unlabeled B-scans (∼500 K). A pre-trained ResNet50 model served as the teacher network. The ResNet50 teacher model achieved 96.0% validation accuracy and the validation accuracy achieved by the LWMs ranged from 89.6% to 95.1%. The best performing LWMs were 2.53 to 4.13 times faster than ResNet50 (0.109s to 0.178s vs. 0.452s). All LWMs benefitted from increasing the training set by including unlabeled B-scans in the student-teacher framework, with several models achieving validation accuracy of 96.0% or higher. The three best-performing models achieved comparable sensitivity and specificity in two hold-out test sets to the teacher network. We demonstrated the effectiveness of a student-teacher framework for training fast LWMs for automated B-scan of interest detection leveraging unlabeled, routinely-available data.
Duty cycle variation methods for Bragg gratings: comparative study and optimal design
Authors: Lupu Anatole
Published: July 2021

An analysis of spectral response apodization by duty cycle methods for grating-assisted optical filters is presented. The study is performed for the case of codirectional couplers, Bragg reflectors, and mirrors. The modeling results show that the supersymmetric duty cycle (SDC) modulation method, initially considered for parity–time symmetric gratings in Lupu et al. [IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 22, 35 (2016)10.1109/JSTQE.2016.2542791IJSQEN1077-260X], performs better than the other methods. An analytical approach to the transfer matrix of the modulated grating explains the better performance of the SDC method.
Real-time monitoring of biomechanical activity in aphids by laser speckle contrast imaging
Authors: Yordanov Stoyan , Drucker Martin , Butt Hans-Jürgen , Koynov Kaloian
Published: July 2021

Studying in vivo feeding and other behaviors of small insects, such as aphids, is important for understanding their lifecycle and interaction with the environment. In this regard, the EPG (electrical penetration graph) technique is widely used to study the feeding activity in aphids. However, it is restricted to recording feeding of single insects and requires wiring insects to an electrode, impeding free movement. Hence, easy and straightforward collective observations, e.g. of groups of aphids on a plant, or probing other aphid activities in various body parts, is not possible. To circumvent these drawbacks, we developed a method based on an optical technique called laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI). It has the potential for direct, non-invasive and contactless monitoring of a broad range of internal and external activities such as feeding, hemolymph cycling and muscle contractions in aphids or other insects. The method uses a camera and coherent light illumination of the sample. The camera records the laser speckle dynamics due to the scattering and interference of light caused by moving scatters in a probed region of the insect. Analyzing the speckle contrast allowed us to monitor and extract the activity information during aphid feeding on leaves or on artificial medium containing tracer particles. We present evidence that the observed speckle dynamics might be caused by muscle contractions, movement of hemocytes in the circulatory system or food flows in the stylets. This is the first time such a remote sensing method has been applied for optical mapping of the biomechanical activities in aphids.
Micro-optics assembly for fast axis collimation by means of convolutional neural network
Authors: Khachikyan Alexander , Pippione Giulia , Sengünes Mehmet Inanc , Paoletti Roberto , Seyfried Moritz
Published: July 2021

The manufacture of high-power diode laser systems highly depends on the quality of the collimation of semiconductor laser diodes. The collimation process is conducted by precise alignment of micro-optics, where the first and the most critical step is the placement of the fast axis collimator (FAC) lens. The sub-micron positioning of the FAC lens is conventionally conducted with an active alignment strategy by monitoring changes in the laser beam profile with an external sensitive camera. The optimization of the beam profile characteristics is controlled by a specifically programmed motorized robotic aligner. However, active alignment, a very accurate method, often results in a higher cycle time than the passive approach, where the lens is placed in a pre-measured position. Here, we developed a new active approach, without closed loop control to position the micro-optics, that relies on the use of a pretrained convolutional network (CNN). We trained and evaluated three CNNs that can predict the optimal lens position using the single camera image of the laser beam. We predict that implementation of the best performing CNN-based model would lead to a decrease in alignment time from tens of seconds to hundreds of milliseconds and will be broadly applied in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
Exploring superlattice DBR effect on a micro-LED as an electron blocking layer
Authors: Yan Gewei , Hyun Byung-Ryool , Jiang Fulong , Kuo Hao-Chung , Liu Zhaojun
Published: July 2021

The role of a superlattice distributed Bragg reflector (SL DBR) as the p-type electron blocking layer (EBL) in a GaN micro-light-emitting diode (micro-LED) is numerically investigated to improve wall-plug efficiency (WPE). The DBR consists of AlGaN/GaN superlattice (high refractive index layer) and GaN (low refractive index layer). It is observed that the reflectivity of the p-region and light extraction efficiency (LEE) increase with the number of DBR pairs. The AlGaN/GaN superlattice EBL is well known to reduce the polarization effect and to promote hole injection. Thus, the superlattice DBR structure shows a balanced carrier injection and results in a higher internal quantum efficiency (IQE). In addition, due to the high refractive-index layer replaced by the superlattice, the conductive DBR results in a lower operation voltage. As a result, WPE is improved by 22.9% compared to the identical device with the incorporation of a conventional p-type EBL.
Mid-infrared laser performance of Ce3+-doped selenide glass
Authors: Fjodorow Peter , Frolov Mikhail P. , Leonov Stanislav O. , Denker B. I. , Galagan B. I. , Sverchkov S. E. , Koltashev V. V. , Plotnichenko V. G. , Sukhanov M. V. , Velmuzhov A. P.
Published: July 2021

An extensive study of a novel room-temperature mid-infrared Ce3+-doped Ge20Sb10Ga5Se65 glass laser is reported. An influence of output-coupler transmission on laser efficiency and emission spectra is investigated. Pumped by a pulsed Fe:ZnSe laser at 4.1 µm, a maximum output energy of 35 mJ is demonstrated at 5.2 µm, with a laser threshold of about 60 mJ and a slope efficiency of 21%. The tuning range of a mid-infrared Ce:glass laser is reported for the first time: with an intracavity prism, the laser is continuously tunable in the spectral range of 4.5–5.6 µm. The internal losses are determined to be below 9% per roundtrip.
Automatic underwater polarization imaging without background region or any prior
Authors: Wang Hongyuan , Hu Haofeng , Jiang Junfeng , Li Xiaobo , Zhang Weihong , Cheng Zhenzhou , Liu Tiegen
Published: July 2021

Previous polarization underwater imaging methods based on the physical scattering model usually require background region included in the image and the prior knowledge, which hinders its practical application. In this paper, we analyze and optimize the physically feasible region and propose an improved method by degenerating intermediate variables, which can realize automatic underwater image recovery without background region or any prior. The proposed method does not need to estimate the intermediate variables in the traditional underwater imaging model and is adaptable to the underwater image with non-uniform illumination, which avoids the poor and unstable image recovery performance caused by inaccurate estimation of intermediate parameters due to the improper identification of the background region. Meanwhile, our method is effective for both images without background region and images in which the background region is hard to be identified. In addition, our method solves the significant variation in recovery results caused by the different selection of background regions and the inconsistency of parameter adjustment. The experimental results of different underwater scenes show that the proposed method can enhance image contrast while preserving image details without introducing considerable noise, and the proposed method is effective for the dense turbid medium.
Facile fabrication of urchin-like carbon nanotube–modified Cu0.48Ni0.16Co2.36O4/CuO with high optical–infrared–microwave attenuation
Authors: Zhang Jingyan , Li Xiaoxia , Wang Xiaonong
Published: July 2021

Developing high-performance absorbers with a broad absorption band is a considerable challenge. Herein, carbon nanotube-modified Cu0.48Ni0.16Co2.36O4/CuO (C–CuNiCoO) composites were prepared using the one-pot hydrothermal method. The composites show good light scattering ability and longer light path due to their urchin-like structures, and lead to perfect absorption above 90% in optical ranges. Moreover, in the infrared ranges, the composites exhibited a high average mass extinction coefficient of 2.52 m2.g-1. The unique carbon modification favored the balance between impedance and strong loss capacity. Consequently, C–CuNiCoO achieved excellent absorption performance with a reflection loss up to −40.5 dB at 17.1 GHz. This study opens a new pathway for designing and synthesizing wideband absorption materials.
Ultrafast circularly polarized pulses tunable from the vacuum to deep ultraviolet
Authors: Lekosiotis Athanasios , Brahms Christian , Belli Federico , Grigorova Teodora F. , Travers John C.
Published: July 2021

We experimentally demonstrate the efficient generation of circularly polarized pulses tunable from the vacuum to deep ultraviolet (160–380 nm) through resonant dispersive wave emission from optical solitons in a gas-filled hollow capillary fiber. In the deep ultraviolet, we measure up to 13 µJ of pulse energy, and from numerical simulations, we estimate the shortest output pulse duration to be 8.5 fs. We also experimentally verify that simply scaling the pulse energy by 3/2 between linearly and circularly polarized pumping closely reproduces the soliton and dispersive wave dynamics. Based on previous results with linearly polarized self-compression and resonant dispersive wave emission, we expect our technique to be extended to produce circularly polarized few-fs pulses further into the vacuum ultraviolet, and few to sub-fs circularly polarized pulses in the near infrared.
Nonlabeled detection of specific intermolecular bondings by terahertz surface plasmon resonance of topological insulator
Authors: Sugimoto Hinano , Tabata Hitoshi
Published: July 2021

The terahertz (THz) band, which corresponds to intermolecular binding energy, is the key to achieving a nonlabeled biosensor. To realize high-sensitivity binding detection, we focused on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the THz range. Using THz-SPR enhanced a in topological insulator, we expect to observe the synergistic effects of two resonance phenomena, namely intermolecular vibrational resonance and SPR. In this Letter, we report the nonlabeled detection of biomolecular binding by the topological insulator THz-SPR.

B
i

2

S
e

3

was processed in a microribbon array to enhance the SPR in the THz range. The avidin–biotin specific binding, which is similar to the antigen–antibody reaction mechanism and has powerful interactions, was observed owing to enhancement by

B
i

2

S
e

3

THz-SPR. This work paves the way for a system to directly measure specific molecular bonds using topological insulators.
High-performance photonic spin Hall effect in anisotropic epsilon-near-zero metamaterials
Authors: Chen Huifeng , Guan Daozhao , Zhu Wenguo , Zheng Huadan , Yu Jianhui , Zhong Yongchun , Chen Zhe
Published: July 2021

A high-performance photonic spin Hall effect is demonstrated in an anisotropic epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) metamaterial based on the wave-vector-varying Pancharatnam–Berry phase. The giant out-of-plane anisotropy of ENZ metamaterial induces strong spin–orbit coupling. With a small incident angle, photons with opposite spins move along opposite transverse directions gradually. After transmitting through a submicrometer thick ENZ metamaterial, the spin photons are fully separated with a spin separation of 2.7 times beam waist and transmittance of 70.1%, allowing a figure of merit

F

up to 1.9. A practical ENZ metamaterial consisting of an Ag nanorod array is proposed, whose figure of merit is still up to 0.006. This high-performance photonic spin Hall effect provides an integrated and practical way for the development of spin-photonic devices.
Discrete light bullets in coupled optical resonators
Authors: Panajotov K. , Tlidi Mustapha , Song Yufeng , Zhang Han
Published: July 2021

We consider arrays of coupled nonlinear optical cavities subject to coherent optical injection. These devices are described by the discrete generalized Lugiato–Lefever equation. We predict that stable three-dimensional localized structures, often called discrete light bullets, and clusters of them may form in the output of the coupled optical resonators. We consider both anomalous and normal dispersion and show that it results in the generation of, respectively, bright and dark discrete light bullets.
Complex modes in optical fibers and silicon waveguides
Authors: Zhang Nan , Lu Ya Yan
Published: July 2021

In an open optical waveguide, complex modes that are confined around the waveguide core and have a complex propagation constant may exist, even though the waveguide consists of lossless isotropic dielectric materials. However, the existing studies on complex modes are very limited. In this Letter, we consider circular fibers and silicon waveguides, study the formation mechanism of complex modes, and calculate the dispersion relations for several complex modes in each waveguide. For circular fibers, we also determine the minimum refractive-index ratio for the existence of complex modes. Our study fills a gap in optical waveguide theory and provides a basis for realizing potential applications of complex modes.
Symmetrical double-groove structure as a broadband plasmonic polarization multiplexer
Authors: Zhao Zhenlong , Ji Boyu , Wang Guiqi , Qin Yulu , Song Xiaowei , Lin Jingquan
Published: July 2021

Plasmonic polarization multiplexers are becoming increasingly significant for the development of high-speed plasmonic interconnection with broad bandwidth. Here, we demonstrate that the symmetrical double-groove structure can act as a polarization multiplexer for broadband femtosecond surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) by investigating the mode distributions with photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM). Experimental results show that the mode distribution of the SPPs field from the excitation of the double-groove structure is symmetrical when irradiated with p-polarized light, whereas the mode shows an anti-symmetric field distribution as a staggered, herringbone shape with s-polarized light excitation. Furthermore, the SPPs field distribution shows an asymmetrical mode when the double-groove is excited with a left or right-handed circular femtosecond laser pulse. The resulting PEEM images are supported by FDTD simulations. The proposed multiplexer is a promising building block for highly integrated optoelectronic integrated circuits.
Enhanced broadband extraordinary terahertz transmission through plasmon coupling between metal hemisphere and hole arrays
Authors: Song Jinmei , Shi Yanpeng , Liu Xiaoyu , Li Meiping , Wang Xiaodong , Yang Fuhua
Published: July 2021

Enhanced extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) is generated by a gold hole array with a concentric hemisphere in the terahertz (THz) region. By introducing hemispherical particles and using the plasmon coupling effects of surface plasmon polaritons and localized surface plasmon resonances, it can be found that not only the transmission intensity is greatly enhanced to 0.97 and the bandwidth is nine times wider than that of a non-particle in a hole, but also the size of the structure can be significantly reduced. Additionally, optical characteristics of the hemisphere-in-hole structure are thoroughly analyzed by the schematic diagram, transmission spectra, and optical field distribution. In addition, with the diameter of the hemisphere increasing, the transmission peak maintains at a high value and the peak position redshifts correspondingly. Finally, we alter the shapes and sizes of the central particles to verify the influence on the enhanced THz EOT. Our results provide a reference for theoretical understanding and expand the application prospects for many THz plasmonic devices.
3D printed on-chip microtoroid resonators and nested spiral photonic devices
Authors: Gao Hongwei , Chen George F. R. , Xing Peng , Choi Ju Won , Tan Dawn T. H.
Published: July 2021

An integrated polymer microtoroid resonator system fabricated using single-step, two-photon polymerization laser lithography is reported. The integrated microtoroid-waveguide system includes an integrated coupling waveguide for ease of optical coupling and has a quality factor of 16,000. We further demonstrate a nested double-spiral waveguide that allows higher spatial density of data, akin to a macroscopic form of space-division multiplexing. Experimental characterization reveals good transmission properties in the double-spiral waveguide device. In addition, the waveguides are demonstrated to support 30 Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero and 28 Gb/s pulse amplitude modulation 4 high-speed data.
Ultrastable Gd3+ doped CsPbCl1.5Br1.5 nanocrystals blue glass for regulated and low thresholds amplified spontaneous emission
Authors: He Qingyun , Mei Enrou , Wang Ze , Liang Xiaojuan , Chen Suqin , Xiang Weidong
Published: July 2021

Here, Gd-doped

CsPbCl

1.5

Br

1.5

nanocrystals (NCs) in borosilicate glass matrix (

B

2

O

3

−

SiO

2

−
ZnO

) were prepared by melting quenching and in-situ crystallization. The optical performance of

CsPbCl

1.5

Br

1.5

NCs glasses under different heat-treatment temperatures and the content of

Gd

3
+

were analyzed in detail. After

CsPbCl

1.5

Br

1.5

NCs glass is doped with

Gd

3
+

ions, the photoluminescence intensity increases and the synthesized Gd-doped

CsPbCl

1.5

Br

1.5

NCs glasses have excellent water stability and thermal cycling performance. In addition, the influence of Gd-doped concentrations and heat-treatment temperatures on the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) thresholds of

CsPbCl

1.5

Br

1.5

NCs glasses was studied, and the Gd-doped

CsPbCl

1.5

Br

1.5

NCs glasses achieve controllable ASE thresholds at room temperature. The ASE threshold can be as low as

0.39
  

mJ
/
cm

2

. This work offers a neoteric reference for the research in the application of metal ion-doped perovskite NCs and a new idea for the realization of controllable and low ASE thresholds on perovskite NCs.
Generating heralded single photons with a switchable orbital angular momentum mode
Authors: Zhang Shan , Li Shikang , Feng Xue , Cui Kaiyu , Liu Fang , Zhang Wei , Huang Yidong
Published: July 2021

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) carried by photons defines an infinitely dimensional discrete Hilbert space. With OAM modes, high-dimensional quantum states can be achieved for quantum communication and cryptography. Here we demonstrate a heralded single-photon source with a switchable OAM mode, which consists of a heralded single-photon source and an integrated OAM emitter as the mode converter. As the first step, the heralded single-photon source is based on the dispersion-shifted fiber. In this work, the OAM mode (quantized by topological charge

l

) carried by the heralded single photon (at fixed wavelength of 1555.75 nm) can be switched within the range of

l
=
3
–
7

while the mode purity is more than 80%.
Heteroresistance to beta-lactam antibiotics may often be a stage in the progression to antibiotic resistance
Authors: Band Victor I. , Weiss David S.
Published: July 2021

Antibiotic resistance is a growing crisis that threatens many aspects of modern healthcare. Dogma is that resistance often develops due to acquisition of a resistance gene or mutation and that when this occurs, all the cells in the bacterial population are phenotypically resistant. In contrast, heteroresistance (HR) is a form of antibiotic resistance where only a subset of cells within a bacterial population are resistant to a given drug. These resistant cells can rapidly replicate in the presence of the antibiotic and cause treatment failures. If and how HR and resistance are related is unclear. Using carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), we provide evidence that HR to beta-lactams develops over years of antibiotic usage and that it is gradually supplanted by resistance. This suggests the possibility that HR may often develop before resistance and frequently be a stage in its progression, potentially representing a major shift in our understanding of the evolution of antibiotic resistance.
Spatially resolved simulations of the spread of COVID-19 in three European countries
Authors: Parisi Andrea , Brand Samuel P. C. , Hilton Joe , Aziza Rabia , Keeling Matt J. , Nokes D. James
Published: July 2021

We explore the spatial and temporal spread of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus under containment measures in three European countries based on fits to data of the early outbreak. Using data from Spain and Italy, we estimate an age dependent infection fatality ratio for SARS-CoV-2, as well as risks of hospitalization and intensive care admission. We use them in a model that simulates the dynamics of the virus using an age structured, spatially detailed agent based approach, that explicitly incorporates governmental interventions and changes in mobility and contact patterns occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak in each country. Our simulations reproduce several of the features of its spatio-temporal spread in the three countries studied. They show that containment measures combined with high density are responsible for the containment of cases within densely populated areas, and that spread to less densely populated areas occurred during the late stages of the first wave. The capability to reproduce observed features of the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 makes this model a potential candidate for forecasting the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in other settings, and we recommend its application in low and lower-middle income countries which remain understudied.
Rigid-body fitting to atomic force microscopy images for inferring probe shape and biomolecular structure
Authors: Niina Toru , Matsunaga Yasuhiro , Takada Shoji
Published: July 2021

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can visualize functional biomolecules near the physiological condition, but the observed data are limited to the surface height of specimens. Since the AFM images highly depend on the probe tip shape, for successful inference of molecular structures from the measurement, the knowledge of the probe shape is required, but is often missing. Here, we developed a method of the rigid-body fitting to AFM images, which simultaneously finds the shape of the probe tip and the placement of the molecular structure via an exhaustive search. First, we examined four similarity scores via twin-experiments for four test proteins, finding that the cosine similarity score generally worked best, whereas the pixel-RMSD and the correlation coefficient were also useful. We then applied the method to two experimental high-speed-AFM images inferring the probe shape and the molecular placement. The results suggest that the appropriate similarity score can differ between target systems. For an actin filament image, the cosine similarity apparently worked best. For an image of the flagellar protein FlhAC, we found the correlation coefficient gave better results. This difference may partly be attributed to the flexibility in the target molecule, ignored in the rigid-body fitting. The inferred tip shape and placement results can be further refined by other methods, such as the flexible fitting molecular dynamics simulations. The developed software is publicly available.
Determining soil particle-size distribution from infrared spectra using machine learning predictions: Methodology and modeling
Authors: Parent Elizabeth Jeanne , Parent Serge-Étienne , Parent Léon Etienne
Published: July 2021

Accuracy of infrared (IR) models to measure soil particle-size distribution (PSD) depends on soil preparation, methodology (sedimentation, laser), settling times and relevant soil features. Compositional soil data may require log ratio (ilr) transformation to avoid numerical biases. Machine learning can relate numerous independent variables that may impact on NIR spectra to assess particle-size distribution. Our objective was to reach high IRS prediction accuracy across a large range of PSD methods and soil properties. A total of 1298 soil samples from eastern Canada were IR-scanned. Spectra were processed by Stochastic Gradient Boosting (SGB) to predict sand, silt, clay and carbon. Slope and intercept of the log-log relationships between settling time and suspension density function (SDF) (R2= 0.84–0.92) performed similarly to NIR spectra using eitherilr-transformed (R2= 0.81–0.93) or raw percentages (R2= 0.76–0.94). Settling times of 0.67-min and 2-h were the most accurate for NIR predictions (R2= 0.49–0.79). The NIR prediction of sand sieving method (R2= 0.66) was more accurate than sedimentation method(R2= 0.53). The NIR 2X gain was less accurate (R2= 0.69–0.92) than 4X (R2= 0.87–0.95). The MIR (R2= 0.45–0.80) performed better than NIR (R2= 0.40–0.71) spectra. Adding soil carbon, reconstituted bulk density, pH, red-green-blue color, oxalate and Mehlich3 extracts returned R2value of 0.86–0.91 for texture prediction. In addition to slope and intercept of the SDF, 4X gain, method and pre-treatment classes, soil carbon and color appeared to be promising features for routine SGB-processed NIR particle-size analysis. Machine learning methods support cost-effective soil texture NIR analysis.
Management of residents in difficulty in a Swiss general internal medicine outpatient clinic: Change is necessary!
Authors: Lanier Cédric , Muller-Juge Virginie , Dominicé Dao Melissa , Gaspoz Jean-Michel , Junod Perron Noëlle , Audétat Marie-Claude
Published: July 2021

Aims of the study

Residents in difficulty are a major cause for concern in medical education, with a prevalence of 7–15%. They are often detected late in their training and cannot make use of remediation plans. Nowadays, most training hospitals in Switzerland do not have a specific program to identify and manage residents in difficulty. The aim of the study was to explore the challenges perceived by physicians regarding the process of identifying, diagnosing, and supporting residents in difficulty in a structured and programmatic way. We explored perceptions of physicians at different hierarchical levels (residents (R), Chief residents (CR), attending physicians (A), Chief Physician (CP)) in order to better understand these challenges.

Methods

We conducted an exploratory qualitative study between December 2015 and July 2016. We asked volunteers from the Primary Care Division of the Geneva University Hospitals to partake to three focus groups (with CR, A, R) and one interview with the division’s CP. We transcribed, coded, and qualitatively analyzed the three focus groups and the interview, using a content thematic approach and Fishbein’s conceptual framework.

Results

We identified similarities and differences in the challenges of the management of residents in difficulty on a programmatic way amongst physicians of different hierarchical levels.

Our main findings:

Supervisors (CR, A, CP) have good identification skills of residents in difficulty, but they did not put in place systematic remediation strategies.

Supervisors (CR, A) were concerned about managing residents in difficulty. They were aware of the possible adverse effects on patient care, but “feared to harm” resident’s career by documenting a poor institutional assessment.

Residents “feared to share” their own difficulties with their supervisors. They thought that it would impact their career negatively.

The four physician’s hierarchical level reported environmental constraints (lack of funding, time constraint, lack of time and resources…).

Conclusion

Our results add two perspectives to specialized recommendations regarding the implementation of remediation programs for residents in difficulty. The first revolves around the need to identify and fully understand not only the beliefs but also the implicit norms and the feeling of self-efficacy that are shared by teachers and that are likely to motivate them to engage in the management of residents in difficulty. The second emphasizes the importance of analyzing these elements that constitute the context for a change and of identifying, in close contact with the heads of the institutions, which factors may favor or hinder it. This research action process has fostered awareness and discussions at different levels. Since then, various actions and processes have been put in place at the Faculty of Medicine in Geneva.
Hydrodynamics and direction change of tumbling bacteria
Authors: Dvoriashyna Mariia , Lauga Eric
Published: July 2021

The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) swims in viscous fluids by rotating several helical flagellar filaments, which are gathered in a bundle behind the cell during ‘runs’ wherein the cell moves steadily forward. In between runs, the cell undergoes quick ‘tumble’ events, during which at least one flagellum reverses its rotation direction and separates from the bundle, resulting in erratic motion in place and a random reorientation of the cell. Alternating between runs and tumbles allows cells to sample space by stochastically changing their propulsion direction after each tumble. The change of direction during a tumble is not uniformly distributed but is skewed towards smaller angles with an average of about 62°–68°, as first measured by Berg and Brown (1972). Here we develop a theoretical approach to model the angular distribution of swimming E. coli cells during tumbles. We first use past experimental imaging results to construct a kinematic description of the dynamics of the flagellar filaments during a tumble. We then employ low-Reynolds number hydrodynamics to compute the consequences of the kinematic model on the force and torque balance of the cell and to deduce the overall change in orientation. The results of our model are in good agreement with experimental observations. We find that the main change of direction occurs during the ‘bundling’ part of the process wherein, at the end of a tumble, the dispersed flagellar filaments are brought back together in the helical bundle, which we confirm using a simplified forced-sphere model.