bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Comfort of Crime: The Appeal of Formulaic Fiction during the Pandemic
Authors: Krawczyk-Żywko Lucyna
Published: December 2021

2020 was taxing, and one of the comforting ways of dealing with the uncertainty the COVID-19 pandemic has brought was reading. It seems hardly surprising that the British turned to crime fiction, which they not only avidly consume but also successfully produce. Moreover, 2020 marked the centenary of the publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, a novel that introduced Agatha Christie and her first detective, Hercule Poirot. The anniversary partly accounts for the resurgence of interest in classic detective fiction. Over the last one hundred years the genre has undergone various developments and diversifications, but this article offers a look back at its past. Acknowledging Jesper Gulddal and Stewart King’s objections to defining crime fiction as formulaic (2020), it draws on John G. Cawelti’s classic work on the mystery and detective story formulas (1976) to addresses the popularity of crime fiction during the pandemic. It contends that while the immense appeal of the crime genre stems from its adaptability, it is the oft-criticised basic mystery formula that offers the greatest comfort during such challenging times.
AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF TRADE STATUS AND DETERMINANTS BETWEEN CHINA AND "ONE BELT- ONE ROAD" COUNTRIES-BASED ON TRADE GRAVITY MODEL
Authors: ZHANG QIAN-NAN , HE XIAO-NA , BHUIYAN MIRAJ AHMED
Published: December 2021

“One Road-One Belt”, (Belt and Road Initiative, BRI) reminiscent of the Silk Road, is a massive infrastructure and trade project, initiated by China; that would stretch from East Asia to Europe, somehow recognized by the international community. Despite of criticism of this project, it is considered as an effective tool for promoting regional and bilateral trade deals. In this paper we have pointed out the problems that hindered the bilateral trades among countries along the route. Based on Trade gravity Model; bilateral trade model between China and the countries along the “Belt and Road” was empirically tested in the article, followed by some suggestions.
THE IMPACT OF ONLINE PRE-SALES CUSTOMER SERVICE ON PURCHASE CONVERSION
Authors: HUANG SHAO-WEI , LI LI , QI WEN-MIN
Published: December 2021

In the context of the booming e-commerce industry, the competition among e-commerce enterprises is not simply about category or logistics, but about service quality, which is the key to the development of enterprises. In this paper, we established a model from two perspectives of online customer service usage and purchase conversion, then took into account the self-selection problem due to users' conscious non-use of customer service. By building a treatment effect model, we explored the impact of online pre-sales customer service on purchase conversion from the perspective of the actual business of enterprises. The study finds these factors, e.g. urgency, uncertainty, demand, are positively correlated with the possibility of using pre-sales customer service system, and knowledge factor is negatively correlated with the possibility using pre-sales customer service system. At the same time, the use of online pre-sales customer service has a positive effect on purchase conversion. These results are helpful for enterprises to improve the utilization rate of online customer service and purchase conversation.
A STUDY OF SATISFACTION WITH GOVERNMENTAL QUALITY EFFORTS BASED ON DIFFERENT INFLUENCING FACTORS—WITH THE MONITORING DATA OF LIAONING PROVINCE AS AN EXAMPLE
Authors: LIAO JING-XING , FENG LEI , XU XIAO-WEN
Published: December 2021

In order to intensify quality efforts, strengthen the responsibility for quality safety, raise the overall level of quality and comprehensively and systematically understand the effectiveness of quality improvement actions of government and the gap between quality perception and requirements f consumers, this paper set up 5 level-1 indicators and 13 corresponding level-2 indicators in five fields of product quality, engineering quality, service quality, environmental quality and quality awareness to monitor the public satisfaction with governmental quality efforts in Liaoning Province. The results show that the public satisfaction with services in the fields of engineering quality and product quality is rather low, calling for greater attention from Liaoning Provincial Government and further improvement.
THE INFLUENCE OF BIASED SIGNAL SET ON STOCK MARKET—BASED ON THE SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX
Authors: LIU ZE-LIN
Published: December 2021

Based on the two phenomena of over and underreaction, this paper introduces the characteristics of signal set into the model, which studies the price deviation of financial market caused by investors' signal set deviation. The text concludes that investors overreact to information of low weight and underreact to information of high weight, and uses cross-section analysis and time series analysis to verify the correctness of the results.
A STUDY OF GOVERNMENTAL QUALITY EFFORT SATISFACTION EVALUATION—WITH PUER CITY AS AN EXAMPLE
Authors: LU YU-WEI
Published: December 2021

Conducting quality effort satisfaction evaluation is an effective way to connect quality management departments with the general public and one of the important ways to propel local governments to improve quality efforts. This paper, with Puer City as an example, acquired the results of public satisfaction with the quality efforts in Puer City through questionnaire survey, analyzed the current status and deficiencies of quality efforts in Puer City using data and proposed resultant opinions and suggestions with a view to helping raise the quality level in Puer City and driving the implementation of the city’s strategy of getting stronger through quality.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and prostaglandin usage for shred injury of the fingers: a case report
Authors: Kim HyunWoo , Oh Jin Rok
Published: December 2021

A 53-year-old woman came to the emergency department because her right hand had been stuck in a potato-shredding machine for 30 minutes. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers were shredded into multiple slices deep into the phalangeal bone, which showed good circulation, and the wounds were cleaned with massive saline irrigation. The slices of each finger were put together to re-form the finger, which was sutured with nylon, and the circulation of the fingers remained good. Three weeks of gentamicin, cefazolin, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy were used for acute traumatic ischemia since color change of the fingers was observed. Six weeks of prostaglandin was used to promote recovery of circulation. The patient was able to grasp with minimal pain and to perform flexion and extension, and the wound completely healed. Radiography showed the bone union process, and digital infrared thermal imaging showed relatively good circulation.
SHEDR: An End-to-End Deep Neural Event Detection and Recommendation Framework for Hyperlocal News Using Social Media
Authors: Hu Yuheng , Hong Yili
Published: December 2021

Residents often rely on newspapers and television to gather hyperlocal news for community awareness and engagement. More recently, social media have emerged as an increasingly important source of hyperlocal news. Thus far, the literature on using social media to create desirable societal benefits, such as civic awareness and engagement, is still in its infancy. One key challenge in this research stream is to timely and accurately distill information from noisy social media data streams to community members. In this work, we develop SHEDR (social media–based hyperlocal event detection and recommendation), an end-to-end neural event detection and recommendation framework with a particular use case for Twitter to facilitate residents’ information seeking of hyperlocal events. The key model innovation in SHEDR lies in the design of the hyperlocal event detector and the event recommender. First, we harness the power of two popular deep neural network models, the convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM), in a novel joint CNN-LSTM model to characterize spatiotemporal dependencies for capturing unusualness in a region of interest, which is classified as a hyperlocal event. Next, we develop a neural pairwise ranking algorithm for recommending detected hyperlocal events to residents based on their interests. To alleviate the sparsity issue and improve personalization, our algorithm incorporates several types of contextual information covering topic, social, and geographical proximities. We perform comprehensive evaluations based on two large-scale data sets comprising geotagged tweets covering Seattle and Chicago. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework in comparison with several state-of-the-art approaches. We show that our hyperlocal event detection and recommendation models consistently and significantly outperform other approaches in terms of precision, recall, and F-1 scores.

Summary of Contribution: In this paper, we focus on a novel and important, yet largely underexplored application of computing—how to improve civic engagement in local neighborhoods via local news sharing and consumption based on social media feeds. To address this question, we propose two new computational and data-driven methods: (1) a deep learning–based hyperlocal event detection algorithm that scans spatially and temporally to detect hyperlocal events from geotagged Twitter feeds; and (2) A personalized deep learning–based hyperlocal event recommender system that systematically integrates several contextual cues such as topical, geographical, and social proximity to recommend the detected hyperlocal events to potential users. We conduct a series of experiments to examine our proposed models. The outcomes demonstrate that our algorithms are significantly better than the state-of-the-art models and can provide users with more relevant information about the local neighborhoods that they live in, which in turn may boost their community engagement.
Do Board Gender Quotas Matter? Selection, Performance, and Stock Market Effects
Authors: Ferrari Giulia , Ferraro Valeria , Profeta Paola , Pronzato Chiara
Published: December 2021

From business to politics and academia, the economic effects of gender quotas are under scrutiny. We provide new causal evidence based on the introduction of mandatory gender quotas for boards of directors of Italian listed companies. Exploiting staggered board elections, we find that quotas are associated with a new selection of board members, characterized by higher education and lower age, and no significant costs on firm performance or the stock market.

This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis.
Low Consciousness in a Patient with Venous Air Embolism Introduced via Peripheral Vascular Cannulation
Authors: Tariq Faris , Gondal Fazila Ijaz , Bagchi Gautam
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Venous air embolism is rarely seen, can be fatal and is associated mostly with large central venous catheters and mechanical ventilation. Some cases due to peripheral intravenous access have also been reported. Case Description: We present a case of intracranial venous air embolism most likely secondary to peripheral cannulation. On admission, the patient was drowsy with a suddenly deteriorating Glasgow coma scale score. This case emphasizes cautious cannula insertion and close monitoring of the patient in the event of complications. Conclusion: Intravenous cannulation is common but care should be taken to avoid catastrophic complications. Consider air embolism as the differential diagnosis if a patient has a low level of consciousness after an intravenous cannula is inserted.
Analytical synthesis of high-Q bilayer all-dielectric metasurfaces with coupled resonance modes
Authors: Danaeifar Mohammad , Granpayeh Nosrat
Published: December 2021

We propose a structure of bilayer dielectric metasurfaces consisting of silicon nano-cuboids with high-quality (Q) transmittance due to the coupling effect between Fabry–Perot and Mie resonances. The synthesis of the structure is done by using a novel straightforward analytical method, to the best of our knowledge, based on finding the equivalent parameters of the dielectric metasurfaces. Considering the dielectric metasurface as an array of meta-atoms with dipole moments addresses the theoretical calculation of the equivalent parameters of the metasurface. Because the main aspect of the analytic manner is precisely finding these equivalent parameters, providing effective polarizabilites of a limited array of meta-atoms instead of polarizabilities of one meta-atom is presented. The calculated equivalent parameters are used to synthesize bilayer dielectric metasurfaces with specific distance. The design activates Fabry–Perot resonances, and coupling these modes with Mie resonances of silicon nano-cuboids causes a band-pass filtering effect with high-Q transmittance. One can tune these transmittances by changing the properties of the structures and tailor them for usage in many optical applications, such as sensing, narrow-band filters, and detectors.
Mid-infrared microscopy via position correlations of undetected photons
Authors: Kviatkovsky Inna , Chrzanowski Helen M. , Ramelow Sven
Published: December 2021

Quantum imaging with undetected photons (QIUP) has recently emerged as a new powerful imaging tool. Exploiting the spatial entanglement of photon pairs, it allows decoupling of the sensing and detection wavelengths, facilitating imaging in otherwise challenging spectral regions by leveraging mature silicon-based detection technology. All existing implementations of QIUP have so far utilised the momentum correlations within the biphoton states produced by spontaneous parametric downconversion. Here, for the first time, we implement and examine theoretically and numerically the complementary scenario - utilising the tight position correlations formed within photon pairs at birth. This image plane arrangement facilitates high resolution imaging with comparative experimental ease, and we experimentally show resolutions below 10 μm at a sensing wavelength of 3.7 μm. Moreover, we present a quantitative numerical model predicting the imaging capabilities of QIUP for a wide range of parameters. Finally, by imaging mouse heart tissue at the mid-IR to reveal morphological features on the cellular level, we further demonstrate the viability of this technique for the life sciences. These results offer new perspectives on the capabilities of QIUP for label-free widefield mid-IR microscopy, enabling real-world biomedical as well as industrial imaging applications.
Ultra-thin multifocal integral LED-projector based on aspherical microlens arrays
Authors: Liu Yue , Cheng Dewen , Yang Tong , Chen Hailong , Gu Luo , Ni Dongwei , Wang Yongtian
Published: December 2021

Multifocal imaging has been a challenging and rewarding research focus in the field of imaging optics. In this paper, an ultra-thin multifocal integral LED-projector based on aspherical microlens array (MLA) is presented. A two-layer aspherical sub-lens with NA = 0.3 is proposed as a sub-channel projector and the optimization design ensures high optical integration precision and improves optical efficiency. To avoid the tailoring loss of the projected images between multi-plane projections, the central-projection constraints between size and projection distance for the multifocal projection are defined. The depth of focus (DOF) analysis for MLA and sub-lens is also introduced to proof the sufficiency of realizing multifocal projection. Combined with the radial basis function image warping method, multifocal sub-image arrays were acquired, and three types of multifocal integral projection were realized, breaking through the traditional limitations of the single-focal DOF. A prototype with thickness of less than 4 mm is developed. Substantial simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the method and the design.
Construction method for designing a spectrometer with variable spectral resolution and wide bandwidth using multiple off-axis convex gratings
Authors: Hu Yaoyao , Chang Jun , Ji Zhongye , Chen Weilin , Li Yiting , Li Dongmei
Published: December 2021

The classic Offner spectrometer has the advantages of having a simple structure, light weight, and high imaging quality. It is easily to achieve a fixed spectral resolution but cannot meet usage requirements. Therefore, we present a practical method for designing a spectrometer with variable spectral resolution. Multiple off-axis convex (OAC) gratings are used to replace the convex grating in the classic Offner spectrometer. We derive the principle through ray tracing and establish an optimization process for the basic parameters of multiple OAC gratings. To demonstrate this method, a corresponding system is designed. The results show that a variable spectral resolution, with a variation ratio close to 4, of 0.45–1.91 nm is achieved over a wide bandwidth of 460–900 nm. Additionally, the smile and keystone of the system are well corrected.
Resonance-order-dependent plasmon-induced transparency in orthogonally arranged nanocavities
Authors: Ichiji Naoki , Kubo Atsushi
Published: December 2021

We investigate plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) in a resonator
structure consisting of two orthogonally arranged
metal-insulator-metal nanocavities. Finite–difference time– domain
simulations reveal that when both cavities in this structure resonate
at the same frequency, the PIT effect can be used to induce spectral
modulation. This spectral modulation depends on the resonance order of
the cavity coupled directly to the external field, as it occurs when
first-order resonance is exhibited but not with second-order
resonance. We confirmed that this behavior is caused by the
discrepancies between odd-order and even-order resonances using
classical mechanical models analogous to nanocavities. By tuning the
resonance frequency and resonance order of the cavities, one can
modulate the spectrum of the resonator structure in an order-selective
manner. The resonant order-dependent PIT provides insight into the
development of metamaterials that function only at specific resonant
orders for incident waves of various bands.
Generation of 5.2 fs, energy scalable blue pulses
Authors: Hu Feilong , Zhang Qingbin , Cao Jinxing , Hong Zuofei , Cao Wei , Lu Peixiang
Published: December 2021

In this Letter, ultrashort blue pulses spanning 350–500 nm are generated by combining the broadband frequency doubling technology with the two-stage multiplate continuum (MPC) generation scheme. We prepare relatively broadband input pulses and use a two-stage configuration for MPC generation, allowing us to employ thinner and less solid plates for further spectral broadening. Therefore, the deteriorations of the spectral phase, energy conversion efficiency, and beam quality, which occur more easily for 400 nm pulses, are effectively suppressed. After fine dispersion management, we obtain clean 5.2 fs blue pulses with a root-mean-square energy stability of 0.69% over one hour and excellent beam quality. Furthermore, lower than 8% energy loss during the spectral broadening process at each stage is achieved. The overall optimized performances and energy scalability of this blue pulse, as well as the possibility of further compressing the pulse duration, are likely to motivate more strong-field research with sub-cycle time resolution in this extended wavelength range.
Optical signal denoising through temporal passive amplification
Authors: Crockett Benjamin , Romero Cortés Luis , Maram Reza , Azaña José
Published: December 2021

Mitigating the stochastic noise introduced during the generation, transmission, and detection of temporal optical waveforms remains a significant challenge across many applications, including radio-frequency photonics, light-based telecommunications, spectroscopy, etc. The problem is particularly difficult for the weak-intensity signals often found in practice. Active amplification worsens the signal-to-noise ratio, whereas noise mitigation based on optical bandpass filtering attenuates further the waveform of interest. Additionally, current optical filtering approaches are not optimal for signal bandwidths narrower than just a few GHz. We propose a versatile concept for simultaneous amplification and noise mitigation of temporal waveforms, here successfully demonstrated on optical signals with bandwidths spanning several orders of magnitude, from the kHz to GHz scale. The concept is based on lossless temporal sampling of the incoming coherent waveform through Talbot processing. By reaching high gain factors (>100), we show the recovery of ultra-weak optical signals, with power levels below the detector threshold, additionally buried under a much stronger noise background. The method is inherently self-tracking, a capability demonstrated by simultaneously denoising four data signals in a dense wavelength division multiplexing scheme.
Time shifting deviation method enhanced laser interferometry: ultrahigh precision localizing of traffic vibration using an urban fiber link
Authors: Wang Guan , Pang Zhongwang , Zhang Bohan , Wang Fangmin , Chen Yufeng , Dai Hongfei , Wang Bo , Wang Lijun
Published: December 2021

Using a fiber network as a huge sensing system will enrich monitoring methods of public infrastructures and geological disasters. With the traditional cross-correlation method, a laser interferometer has been used to detect and localize the vibration event. However, the random error induced by the cross-correlation method limits the localization accuracy and makes it not suitable for ultrahigh precision localizing applications. We propose a novel time shifting deviation (TSDEV) method, which has advantages over the cross-correlation method in practicability and localization accuracy. Three experiments are carried out to demonstrate the novelty of the TSDEV method. In a lab test, vibration localization accuracy of

∼
2.5
  
m

is realized. In field tests, TSDEV method enhanced interferometry is applied to monitor the urban fiber link. Traffic vibration events on the campus road and Beijing ring road have been precisely localized and analyzed, respectively. The proposed technique will extend the function of the existing urban fiber network, and better serve the future smart city.
Silicon nonlinear switch as a conditional circulator for monostatic LiDAR systems
Authors: Ding Mingfei , Xie Yiwei , Yan Hao , Ahmed Abu Naim R. , Safian Reza , Chakravarty Swapnajit , Zhuang Leimeng , Jiao Pengcheng , Li Huan , Liu Liu , Dai Daoxin
Published: December 2021

All-optical silicon-photonics-based LiDAR systems allow for desirable features in scanning resolution and speed, as well as leverage other advantages such as size, weight, and cost. Implementing optical circulators in silicon photonics enables bidirectional use of the light path for both transmitters and receivers, which simplifies the system configuration and thereby promises low system cost. In this work, to the best of our knowledge, we present the first experimental verification of all-passive silicon photonics conditional circulators for monostatic LiDAR systems using a nonlinear switch. The proposed silicon nonlinear interferometer is realized by controlling signal power distribution with power-splitting circuits, allowing the LiDAR transmitter and receiver to share the same optical path. Unlike the traditional concept requiring a permanent magnet, the present device is implemented by using common silicon photonic waveguides and a standard foundry-compatible fabrication process. With several additional phase shifters, the demonstrated device exhibits considerable flexibility using a single chip, which can be more attractive for integration with photodetector arrays in LiDAR systems.
All-fiber spatiotemporal mode-locking lasers with large modal dispersion
Authors: Zhang Huaiwei , Zhang Yunhong , Peng Jiying , Su Xinyang , Xiao Xiaosheng , Xu Dongjian , Chen Junhao , Sun Tianran , Zheng Kai , Yao Jianquan , Zheng Yi
Published: December 2021

It is a challenging problem to balance the modal walk-off (modal dispersion) between multiple transverse modes and chromatic dispersion in long step-index multimode fibers (MMFs). By properly designing the oscillator, we have overcome the difficulty and successfully obtained an all-fiber spatiotemporal mode-locked laser based on step-index MMFs with large modal dispersion for the first time, to our knowledge. Various proofs of spatiotemporal mode-locking (STML) such as spatial, spectral, and temporal properties, are measured and characterized. This laser works at a fundamental frequency of 28.7 MHz, and achieves a pulse laser with single pulse energy of 8 nJ, pulse width of 20.1 ps, and signal-to-noise ratio of

∼
70
  
dB

. In addition, we observe a dynamic evolution of the transverse mode energy during the STML establishment process that has never been reported before.
Ultra-power-efficient heterogeneous III–V/Si MOSCAP (de-)interleavers for DWDM optical links
Authors: Cheung Stanley , Kurczveil Geza , Hu Yingtao , Fu Mingye , Yuan Yuan , Liang Di , Beausoleil Raymond G.
Published: December 2021

We discuss the design and demonstration of various III–V/Si asymmetric Mach–Zehnder interferometer (AMZI) and ring-assisted AMZI (de-)interleavers operating at O-band wavelengths with 65 GHz channel spacing. The wafer-bonded III–V/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor (MOSCAP) structure facilitates ultra-low-power phase tuning on a heterogeneous platform that allows for complete monolithic transceiver photonic integration. The second- and third-order MOSCAP AMZI (de-)interleavers exhibit cross-talk (XT) levels down to

−
22

 dB and

−
32
  
dB

with tuning powers of 83.0 nW and 53.0 nW, respectively. The one-, two-, and three-ring-assisted MOSCAP AMZI (de-)interleavers have XT levels down to

−
27

 dB,

−
22

 dB, and

−
20
  
dB

for tuning powers of 10.0 nW, 7220.0 nW, and 33.6 nW, respectively. The leakage current density is measured to be in the range of

1.6
–
27
  
μA
/

cm

2

. To the best of our knowledge, we have demonstrated for the first time, athermal III–V/Si MOSCAP (de-)interleavers with the lowest XT and reconfiguration power consumption on a silicon platform.
Non-synaptic interactions between olfactory receptor neurons, a possible key feature of odor processing in flies
Authors: Pannunzi Mario , Nowotny Thomas
Published: December 2021

When flies explore their environment, they encounter odors in complex, highly intermittent plumes. To navigate a plume and, for example, find food, they must solve several challenges, including reliably identifying mixtures of odorants and their intensities, and discriminating odorant mixtures emanating from a single source from odorants emitted from separate sources and just mixing in the air. Lateral inhibition in the antennal lobe is commonly understood to help solving these challenges. With a computational model of the Drosophila olfactory system, we analyze the utility of an alternative mechanism for solving them: Non-synaptic (“ephaptic”) interactions (NSIs) between olfactory receptor neurons that are stereotypically co-housed in the same sensilla.

We find that NSIs improve mixture ratio detection and plume structure sensing and do so more efficiently than the traditionally considered mechanism of lateral inhibition in the antennal lobe. The best performance is achieved when both mechanisms work in synergy. However, we also found that NSIs decrease the dynamic range of co-housed ORNs, especially when they have similar sensitivity to an odorant. These results shed light, from a functional perspective, on the role of NSIs, which are normally avoided between neurons, for instance by myelination.
Viral surface geometry shapes influenza and coronavirus spike evolution through antibody pressure
Authors: Amitai Assaf
Published: December 2021

The evolution of circulating viruses is shaped by their need to evade antibody response, which mainly targets the viral spike. Because of the high density of spikes on the viral surface, not all antigenic sites are targeted equally by antibodies. We offer here a geometry-based approach to predict and rank the probability of surface residues of SARS spike (S protein) and influenza H1N1 spike (hemagglutinin) to acquire antibody-escaping mutations utilizing in-silico models of viral structure. We used coarse-grained MD simulations to estimate the on-rate (targeting) of an antibody model to surface residues of the spike protein. Analyzing publicly available sequences, we found that spike surface sequence diversity of the pre-pandemic seasonal influenza H1N1 and the sarbecovirus subgenus highly correlates with our model prediction of antibody targeting. In particular, we identified an antibody-targeting gradient, which matches a mutability gradient along the main axis of the spike. This identifies the role of viral surface geometry in shaping the evolution of circulating viruses. For the 2009 H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2 pandemics, a mutability gradient along the main axis of the spike was not observed. Our model further allowed us to identify key residues of the SARS-CoV-2 spike at which antibody escape mutations have now occurred. Therefore, it can inform of the likely functional role of observed mutations and predict at which residues antibody-escaping mutation might arise.
An age-stratified serosurvey against purified Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi antigens in the Lao People´s Democratic Republic
Authors: Hefele Lisa , Black Antony P. , Van Tan Trinh , Tri Minh Nguyen , Duc Hoang Nguyen , Virachith Siriphone , Muller Claude P. , Hübschen Judith M. , Russell Paula , Bartholdson Scott Josefin , Ngoc Minh Chau Nguyen , Thieu Nga Tran Vu , Baker Stephen
Published: December 2021

The epidemiology of typhoid fever in Lao People`s Democratic Republic is poorly defined. Estimating the burden of typhoid fever in endemic countries is complex due to the cost and limitations of population-based surveillance; serological approaches may be a more cost-effective alternative. ELISAs were performed on 937 serum samples (317 children and 620 adults) from across Lao PDR to measure IgG antibody titers against Vi polysaccharide and the experimental protein antigens, CdtB and HlyE. We measured the significance of the differences between antibody titers in adults and children and fitted models to assess the relationship between age and antibody titers. The median IgG titres of both anti-HylE and CdtB were significantly higher in children compared to adults (anti-HylE; 351.7 ELISA Units (EU) vs 198.1 EU, respectively;p<0.0001 and anti-CdtB; 52.6 vs 12.9 EU;p<0.0001). Conversely, the median anti-Vi IgG titer was significantly higher in adults than children (11.3 vs 3.0 U/ml;p<0.0001). A non-linear trend line fitted to the anti-CdtB and anti-HlyE IgG data identified a peak in antibody concentration in children <5 years of age. We identified elevated titers of anti-HlyE and anti-CdtB IgG in the serum of children residing in Lao PDR in comparison to adults. These antigens are associated with seroconversion after typhoid fever and may be a superior measure of disease burden than anti-Vi IgG. This approach is scalable and may be developed to assess the burden of typhoid fever in countries where the disease may be endemic, and evidence is required for the introduction of typhoid vaccines.
Analyses of blood donor samples from eight provinces in Lao PDR suggest considerable variation concerning HBV exposure and carriage
Authors: Nouanthong Phonethipsavanh , Hefele Lisa , Keokhamphue Jerapha , Sorrasin Vonhphet , Khounvisith Vilaysone , Souksakhone Chanthala , Jutavijittum Prapan , Muller Claude P. , Black Antony P. , Hübschen Judith M.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Hepatitis B is endemic in Lao PDR and about 9% of the adult population is chronically infected. In this study, we investigated regional, occupational, age and sex-related differences in hepatitis B epidemiology in Lao blood donors.

Methods

5017 voluntary blood donors from 8 different provinces were tested for hepatitis B markers by ELISA. Predictors for the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies against the core antigen (anti-HBc) were assessed by bivariate and multivariable analyses.

Results

In total, 41% of the participants were positive for anti-HBc; the HBsAg prevalence was estimated at 6.9% among all participants (9.2% among first-time donors and 3.9% among repeat donors). Among first-time donors, HBsAg positivity was associated independently with being male (p<0.001), being from the North (p<0.001) and being soldier (p<0.001). Participants were more likely to be anti-HBc positive when they were male (p<0.001), from the Northern provinces (p<0.001) and older than 20 years (p<0.01).

Conclusion

In conclusion, our study confirmed an overall high HBsAg and anti-HBc prevalence in Lao PDR, albeit with considerable regional variation. The identification of a sizeable number of HBsAg positives among repeat donors warrants a thorough investigation of current blood screening, record keeping, donor identification and counselling practises.
The association between Helicobacter pylori with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease assessed by controlled attenuation parameter and other metabolic factors
Authors: Han Yoo Min , Lee Jooyoung , Choi Ji Min , Kwak Min-Sun , Yang Jong In , Chung Su Jin , Yim Jeong Yoon , Chung Goh Eun
Published: December 2021

Aim

Existing studies have suggested an association between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the relationship between Hp infection and NAFLD using controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and other metabolic factors.

Method

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of apparently healthy individuals who underwent liver Fibroscan during health screening tests between January 2018 and December 2018. Diagnosis of Hp infection was based on a serum anti-Hp IgG antibody test and CAP values were used to diagnose NAFLD.

Results

Among the 1,784 subjects (mean age 55.3 years, 83.1% male), 708 (39.7%) subjects showed positive results of Hp serology. In the multivariate analysis, obesity (body mass index ≥25) (odds ratio [OR] 3.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.75–4.29), triglyceride (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.80–2.97), and the highest tertile of liver stiffness measurement (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.59–2.71) were found to be associated with NAFLD, defined by CAP ≥248 dB/m, while Hp-seropositivity showed no association with NAFLD. Serum levels of HDL cholesterol significantly decreased in subjects with Hp-seropositivity compared to HP-seronegativity in both groups with and without NAFLD (P<0.001).

Conclusion

While Hp seropositivity was not associated with CAP-defined NAFLD, serum HDL cholesterol level were negatively associated with Hp-seropositivity in both groups with and without NAFLD. Further clinical and experimental studies are necessary to determine the association between Hp infection and NAFLD.
Clarifying the relationship between alexithymia and subjective interoception
Authors: Gaggero Giulia , Bizzego Andrea , Dellantonio Sara , Pastore Luigi , Lim Mengyu , Esposito Gianluca
Published: December 2021

The long-standing hypothesis that emotions rely on bodily states is back in the spotlight. This has led some researchers to suggest that alexithymia, a personality construct characterized by altered emotional awareness, reflects a general deficit in interoception. However, tests of this hypothesis have relied on heterogeneous assessment methods, leading to inconsistent results. To shed some light on this issue, we administered a battery of self-report questionnaires of interoception and alexithymia to three samples from Italy, the U.S., and Singapore (N = 814). Correlation and machine learning analyses showed that alexithymia was associated with deficits in both subjective interoceptive accuracy and attention. Alexithymics’ interoceptive deficits were primarily related to difficulty identifying and describing feelings. Interoception showed a weaker association with externally-oriented thinking as operationalized by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and no association with the affective dimension of alexithymia later introduced by the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ). We discuss our results with reference to the theoretical and psychometric differences between these two measures of alexithymia and their shortcomings. Overall, our results support the view that interoceptive deficits are a core component of alexithymia, although the latter cannot be reduced to the former.
Knowledge and awareness of human papillomavirus infection and human papillomavirus vaccine among Kazakhstani women attending gynecological clinics
Authors: Issa Torgyn , Babi Aisha , Issanov Alpamys , Akilzhanova Ainur , Nurgaliyeva Kadisha , Abugalieva Zauresh , Azizan Azliyati , Khan Saleem A. , Chan Chee Kai , Alibekova Raushan , Aimagambetova Gulzhanat
Published: December 2021

Cervical cancer remains one of the top causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality all over the world. Currently, however, there are no published studies to assess the knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer in Kazakhstan. This study aimed to assess the awareness of HPV, the knowledge of HPV as a cause of cervical cancer, and the awareness of HPV vaccination among Kazakhstani women visiting gynecological clinics across the country. In addition, the study aimed to identify the factors associated with the awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine and knowledge of HPV as a major cause of cervical cancer. This was a cross-sectional survey-based study with 2,272 women aged between 18–70 years attending gynecological clinics, who were administered paper-based questionnaires. Data analysis included descriptive statistics consisting of mean values, standard deviations, and frequencies, where applicable. Differences in categorical variables between groups were analyzed using the Chi-square test with a significance value of <0.005. Crude odds ratio (OR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% corresponding confidence intervals were calculated in regression analysis using univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. The mean age of participants was 36.33±10.09 years. More than half (53%) of the participants had been screened for cervical cancer. Among those who were aware of HPV, 46% knew that HPV causes cervical cancer and 52% were aware of the HPV vaccine. The key factors related to outcome variables were age, ethnicity, education, family, number of deliveries, and menarche. From a subgroup analysis, results from the HPV test and Pap smear test were factors related to dependent variables such as awareness of HPV and awareness of HPV vaccination.
Do unions contribute to creative destruction?
Authors: Dale-Olsen Harald
Published: December 2021

We apply a shift-share approach and historical unionisation data from 1918 to study the impact of regional unionisation changes in Norway on regional wage and productivity growth, job-creation and -destruction and social security uptake during the period 2003–2012. As unionisation increases, wages grow. Lay-offs through plant closures and shrinking workplaces increase, causing higher retirement rates, while job creation, plant entry and other social security uptakes are unaffected. Productivity grows, partly by enhanced productivity among surviving and new firms and partly by less productive firms forced to close due to increased labour costs. Thus, unions promote creative destruction.
Quantile estimation of semiparametric model with time-varying coefficients for panel count data
Authors: Wang Yijun , Wang Weiwei
Published: December 2021

Panel count data frequently occurs in follow-up studies, such as medical research, social sciences, reliability studies, and tumorigenicity experiences. This type data has been extensively studied by various statistical models with time-invariant regression coefficients. However, the assumption of invariant coefficients may be violated in some reality, and the temporal covariate effects would be of great interest in research studies. This motivates us to consider a more flexible time-varying coefficient model. For statistical inference of the unknown functions, the quantile regression approach based on the B-spline approximation is developed. Asymptotic results on the convergence of the estimators are provided. Some simulation studies are presented to assess the finite-sample performance of the estimators. Finally, two applications of bladder cancer data and US flight delay data are analyzed by the proposed method.
A framework of artificial light management for optimal plant development for smart greenhouse application
Authors: Pereira João , Mouazen Abdul Mounem , Foo Mathias , Ahmed Hafiz
Published: December 2021

Smart greenhouse farming has emerged as one of the solutions to global food security, where farming productivity can be managed and improved in an automated manner. While it is known that plant development is highly dependent on the quantity and quality of light exposure, the specific impact of the different light properties is yet to be fully understood. In this study, using the model plant Arabidopsis, we systematically investigate how six different light properties (i.e., photoperiod, light offset, intensity, phase of dawn, duration of twilight and period) would affect plant development i.e., flowering time and hypocotyl (seedling stem) elongation using an established mathematical model of the plant circadian system relating light input to flowering time and hypocotyl elongation outputs for smart greenhouse application. We vary each of the light properties individually and then collectively to understand their effect on plant development. Our analyses show in comparison to the nominal value, the photoperiod of 18 hours, period of 24 hours, no light offset, phase of dawn of 0 hour, duration of twilight of 0.05 hour and a reduced light intensity of 1% are able to improve by at least 30% in days to flower (from 32.52 days to 20.61 days) and hypocotyl length (from 1.90 mm to 1.19mm) with the added benefit of reducing energy consumption by at least 15% (from 4.27 MWh/year to 3.62 MWh/year). These findings could provide beneficial solutions to the smart greenhouse farming industries in terms of achieving enhanced productivity while consuming less energy.
Historical Perception of Europe as “the Other” as the Basis of British Euroscepticism
Authors: Atapin E.A.
Published: December 2021

This paper proves that British Euroscepticism is not just a consequence of the peculiarities of the current political situation but the result of the centuries-old specific attitude of Great Britain to Europe as the other sociocultural space different in many senses from the United Kingdom. The roots of this attitude can be found in the English Reformation of the 16th century which rigidly opposed “British” Protestantism to “European” Catholicism. Several examples of historical events that have aggravated this religious and cultural rift are given. As a result, the British vision of Europeans shared by political elites as people with a different way of life, habits and traditions resulted in a sceptical attitude towards European integration and Britain's participation in it. The statements of famous British politicians regarding European integration and participation of Great Britain in it are cited to confirm the vision of Europe as “the Other” by the political elites of the United Kingdom. It is argued that British Euroscepticism is largely determined and inspired by cultural exceptionalism. Therefore, special attention is paid to the analysis of the British version of cultural Euroscepticism.
Regionalism and Regional Politics of African States (on the Example of the Countries of the East African Community)
Authors: Filippov V.R.
Published: December 2021

The subject of the study was the East African Commonwealth, an economic association that currently unites Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Southern Sudan. Particular attention is paid to the integration processes in Africa in the post-colonial period, the doctrine of federalism in the political discourse of African countries, the causes of the crisis and the dissolution of the EAC in the seventies of the last century, as well as the economic and political reasons for reintegration of YOU. Special attention is paid to the evolution of the EAC from an economic alliance to a political one and the prospect of forming a federative state on the basis of the SAC.

The author identifies the factors that led to the economic consolidation of the EAC, as well as those determinants of development of the commonwealth, which make it extremely difficult to form a unified federal state in East Africa.

It is concluded that the further regionalization of the African continent and the realization of the federal project in East Africa will be hindered by such factors as the high level of conflict in the EAC member countries, tribalism, cultural, confessional and linguistic heterogeneity, and the ambition of leaders and political elites.
Iron Arrowheads from Objects of the Xianbei Time of the Karban-I Complex (Northern Altai)
Authors: Seregin N.N. , Demin M.A. , Matrenin S.S.
Published: December 2021

The article presents the results of a study of iron arrowheads discovered during excavations of objects of the Xianbei time of the Karban-I funerary complex. This site is located on the left bank of the Katun river, 1.7 km north-west of the Kuyus village, in the Chemal region of the Altai Republic. During the excavation of the Great Migration period burials, a collection of 14 iron arrowheads was discovered at this necropolis. As a result of the classification of these items, one group, one category, one section, two departments, five types of products with several options are distinguished. The analysis of the available materials allows us to assert that the three-bladed tiered arrowheads of types 1a, 2a belong to the Xiongnu military tradition and date back to the 2nd — 5th centuries AD. A specimen with equalsized layers of type 3a can be an early «transitional» to the South Siberian tradition. Iron arrowheads with a geometric feather of asymmetric-rhombic (type 4a) and rhombic (type 5 a) forms without support existed during the Xianbei-Rouran period (2nd — 5th centuries AD).
CAN CONTINUOUS, INTER-GENERATIONAL COOPERATION POSITIVELY IMPACT? FINAL RESULT
Authors: Rokkaku R. , Homma A. , Kobayashi S. , Seki Y.
Published: December 2021

An aim of the present study is to examine the impact of inter-generational cooperation on the quality of life of elderly Alzheimer’s sufferers. The study is a continuing, two-year intervention report. The subject consist of an intervention and a control groups of six and five sufferers, respectively, who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Both groups attend day care services. The intervention group participates in the inter-generational program with children, while the control group does not. In the results, the score of Quality of Life – Alzheimer’s disease (QOL-AD ) of the subjects has been significantly higher in the intervention group comparing with that of the control group. been significantly higher in the intervention group comparing with that of the control group. Also the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Affect Rating Scale(PGC-ARS), have been significantly higher in the intervention group those in the control group., The magnitude of the change was not so remarkable as to influence QOL-AD at home. The present intergenerational cooperation may improve the quality of life of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s sufferers.