bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient Blood Management: Improving Outcomes for Millions While Saving Billions. What Is Holding It Up?
Authors: Hofmann Axel , Shander Aryeh , Blumberg Neil , Hamdorf Jeffrey M. , Isbister James P. , Gross Irwin
Published: August 2022

Patient blood management (PBM) offers significantly improved outcomes for almost all medical and surgical patient populations, pregnant women, and individuals with micronutrient deficiencies, anemia, or bleeding. It holds enormous financial benefits for hospitals and payers, improves performance of health care providers, and supports public authorities to improve population health. Despite this extraordinary combination of benefits, PBM has hardly been noticed in the world of health care. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for its 194 member states, in its recent Policy Brief, to act quickly and decidedly to adopt national PBM policies. To further support the WHO’s call to action, this article addresses 3 aspects in more detail. The first is the urgency from a health economic perspective. For many years, growth in health care spending has outpaced overall economic growth, particularly in aging societies. Due to competing economic needs, the continuation of disproportionate growth in health care spending is unsustainable. Therefore, the imperative for health care leaders and policy makers is not only to curb the current spending rate relative to the gross domestic product (GDP) but also to simultaneously improve productivity, quality, safety of patient care, and the health status of populations. Second, while PBM meets these requirements on an exceptional scale, uptake remains slow. Thus, it is vital to identify and understand the impediments to broad implementation. This includes systemic challenges such as the so-called “waste domains” of failure of care delivery caused by malfunctions of health care systems, failure of care coordination, overtreatment, and low-value care. Other impediments more specific to PBM are the misperception of PBM and deeply rooted cultural patterns. Third, understanding how the 3Es—evidence, economics, and ethics—can effectively be used to motivate relevant stakeholders to take on their respective roles and responsibilities and follow the urgent call to implement PBM as a standard of care.
Perioperative Quality Initiative and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery-Cardiac Society Consensus Statement on the Management of Preoperative Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Adult Cardiac Surgery Patients
Authors: Guinn Nicole R. , Schwartz Jonathon , Arora Rakesh C. , Morton-Bailey Vicki , Aronson Solomon , Brudney Charles Scott , Bennett-Guerrero Elliott ,   on behalf of the Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI-8) and the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery-Cardiac Society (ERAS-C) Investigators
Published: August 2022

Preoperative anemia is common in patients presenting for cardiac surgery, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 4, and has been associated with worse outcomes including increased risk of blood transfusion, kidney injury, stroke, infection, and death. Iron deficiency, a major cause of anemia, has also been shown to have an association with worse outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, even in the absence of anemia. Although recent guidelines have supported diagnosing and treating anemia and iron deficiency before elective surgery, details on when and how to screen and treat remain unclear. The Eighth Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI 8) consensus conference, in conjunction with the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery-Cardiac Surgery Society, brought together an international, multidisciplinary team of experts to review and evaluate the literature on screening, diagnosing, and managing preoperative anemia and iron deficiency in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and to provide evidence-based recommendations in accordance with Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria for evaluating biomedical literature.
Transfusion Strategies for Hemostatic Blood Products in Critically Ill Children: A Narrative Review and Update on Expert Consensus Guidelines
Authors: Valentine Stacey L. , Cholette Jill M. , Goobie Susan M.
Published: August 2022

Critically ill children commonly receive coagulant products (plasma and/or platelet transfusions) to prevent or treat hemorrhage or correct coagulopathy. Unique aspects of pediatric developmental physiology, and the complex pathophysiology of critical illness must be considered and balanced against known transfusion risks. Transfusion practices vary greatly within and across institutions, and high-quality evidence is needed to support transfusion decision-making. We present recent recommendations and expert consensus statements to direct clinicians in the decision to transfuse or not to transfuse hemostatic blood products, including plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate, and recombinant products to critically ill children.
We Are Having This Conversation Now
Authors: Juhasz Alexandra , Kerr Theodore
Published: August 2022

We Are Having This Conversation Now offers a history, present, and future of AIDS through thirteen short conversations between Alexandra Juhasz and Theodore Kerr, scholars deeply embedded in HIV responses. They establish multiple timelines of the epidemic, offering six foundational periodizations of AIDS culture, tracing how attention to the crisis has waxed and waned from the 1980s to the present. They begin the book with a 1990 educational video produced by a Black health collective, using it to consider organizing intersectionally, theories of videotape, empowerment movements, and memorialization. This video is one of many powerful yet overlooked objects that the pair focus on through conversation to understand HIV across time. Along the way, they share their own artwork, activism, and stories of the epidemic. Their conversations illuminate the vital role personal experience, community, cultural production, and connection play in the creation of AIDS-related knowledge, archives, and social change. Throughout, Juhasz and Kerr invite readers to reflect and find ways to engage in their own AIDS-related culture and conversation.
H3K9 tri-methylation at Nanog times differentiation commitment and enables the acquisition of primitive endoderm fate
Authors: Dubois Agnès , Vincenti Loris , Chervova Almira , Greenberg Maxim V. C. , Vandormael-Pournin Sandrine , Bourc'his Déborah , Cohen-Tannoudji Michel , Navarro Pablo
Published: August 2022

Mouse embryonic stem cells have an inherent propensity to explore gene regulatory states associated with either self-renewal or differentiation. This property depends on ERK, which downregulates pluripotency genes such as Nanog. Here, we aimed at identifying repressive histone modifications that would mark Nanog for inactivation in response to ERK activity. We found that the transcription factor ZFP57, which binds methylated DNA to nucleate heterochromatin, is recruited upstream of Nanog, within a region enriched for histone H3 lysine 9 tri-methylation (H3K9me3). Whereas before differentiation H3K9me3 at Nanog depends on ERK, in somatic cells it becomes independent of ERK. Moreover, the loss of H3K9me3 at Nanog, induced by deleting the region or by knocking out DNA methyltransferases or Zfp57, is associated with reduced heterogeneity of NANOG, delayed commitment into differentiation and impaired ability to acquire a primitive endoderm fate. Hence, a network axis centred on DNA methylation, ZFP57 and H3K9me3 links Nanog regulation to ERK activity for the timely establishment of new cell identities. We suggest that establishment of irreversible H3K9me3 at specific master regulators allows the acquisition of particular cell fates during differentiation.
Context matters – Daxx and Atrx are not robust tumor suppressors in the murine endocrine pancreas
Authors: Sun Chang , Estrella Jeannelyn S. , Whitley Elizabeth M. , Chau Gilda P. , Lozano Guillermina , Wasylishen Amanda R.
Published: August 2022

Genome sequencing has revealed the importance of epigenetic regulators in tumorigenesis. The genes encoding the chromatin remodeling complex DAXX:ATRX are frequently mutated in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors; however, the underlying mechanisms of how mutations contribute to tumorigenesis are only partially understood, in part because of the lack of relevant preclinical models. Here, we used genetically engineered mouse models combined with environmental stress to evaluate the tumor suppressor functions of Daxx and Atrx in the mouse pancreas. Daxx or Atrx loss, alone or in combination with Men1 loss, did not drive or accelerate pancreatic neuroendocrine tumorigenesis. Moreover, Daxx loss did not cooperate with environmental stresses (ionizing radiation or pancreatitis) or with the loss of other tumor suppressors (Pten or p53) to promote pancreatic neuroendocrine tumorigenesis. However, owing to promiscuity of the Cre promoter used, hepatocellular carcinomas and osteosarcomas were observed in some instances. Overall, our findings suggest that Daxx and Atrx are not robust tumor suppressors in the endocrine pancreas of mice and indicate that the context of a human genome is essential for tumorigenesis.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Η πολιτιστική εμπειρία στον τουρισμό
Authors: Παπαευθυμίου Ευφημία
Published: August 2022

Αντικείμενο της διατριβής υπήρξε η διερεύνηση της πολιτιστικής εμπειρίας στον Τουρισμό, εστιάζοντας στην περίπτωση του Μουσείου Ακρόπολης της Αθήνας. Η εμπειρία διερευνήθηκε με ποσοτική και ποιοτική έρευνα, ενώ επιχειρήθηκε και ερμηνευτική προσέγγιση της μουσειακής εμπειρίας στο Μουσείο Ακρόπολης, με την εφαρμογή της Φαινομενολογικής ερμηνευτικής.Η ποσοτική έρευνα απέδειξε με αδιάσειστα αριθμητικά στοιχεία τη σημασία που έχει ο πολιτισμός και ειδικότερα το Μουσείο Ακρόπολης στην επιλογή της Ελλάδας ως ταξιδιωτικού προορισμού και την ικανοποίηση βαθύτερων αναγκών του ανθρώπου στο επίπεδο των ενδογενών κινήτρων. Έδειξε, με τα υψηλά ποσοστά που καταμετρήθηκαν, ότι οι τουρίστες αποκομίζουν σημαντικά και ποικίλα οφέλη από την επίσκεψή τους και αντλούν ικανοποίηση από την πολιτιστική εμπειρία στο Μουσείο Ακρόπολης, γεγονός που της προσδίδει όλα τα χαρακτηριστικά της αξιομνημόνευτης εμπειρίας. Η ποιοτική έρευνα ωστόσο, αποκάλυψε όψεις της εμπειρίας που μόνο με την ποσοτική διερεύνηση θα παρέμεναν αθέατες. Έδειξε ότι οι προσδοκίες των επισκεπτών είναι πολύ αυξημένες και μια σειρά οργανωσιακών και πρακτικών κυρίως προβλημάτων, είναι δυνατόν να υποβαθμίσουν την εμπειρία που αποκομίζουν οι τουρίστες, ενώ αποκάλυψε το εύρος της ψυχικής, γνωσιακής και πνευματικής εμπλοκής τους στην εμπειρία. Τέλος, με τη φαινομενολογική ερμηνευτική επιχειρήθηκε η ανίχνευση των ουσιωδών δομών της μουσειακής εμπειρίας, των στοιχείων δηλαδή που αν εκλείψουν, δεν θα μπορεί να γίνεται λόγος για μια τέτοια εμπειρία. Η κίνηση στον χώρο και η γειτνίαση με τον βράχο της Ακρόπολης, η οπτική επαφή με τα αρχιτεκτονικά μνημεία του βράχου, με βοηθό την εκτεταμένη χρήση υαλοστασίων, η ύπαρξη ενεργούς ανασκαφής των αρχαϊκών στρωμάτων στα θεμέλια του κτηρίου, η συμβολική «κίνηση» στον χρόνο, το σύγχρονο αρχιτεκτόνημα του Μουσείου που «συνομιλεί» με τον βράχο, ο τελευταίος όροφος που έχει τις διαστάσεις και τον προσανατολισμό του Παρθενώνα, τα αυθεντικά μουσειακά αντικείμενα και η υπέρβαση των περιορισμών της ατομικότητας, μέσα από την επαφή με τις διαχρονικές αξίες και την αισθητική που αντιπροσωπεύουν τα μνημεία και τα έργα τέχνης, αποτελούν εν πολλοίς τα δομικά συστατικά της πολιτιστικής εμπειρίας για τους τουρίστες.Τα αποτελέσματα των διαφόρων μεθοδολογικών προσεγγίσεων εμφατικά τονίζουν την ανάγκη του σχεδιασμού αυθεντικών πολιτιστικών εμπειριών στον Τουρισμό και δίνουν τα εργαλεία και κάποιες κατευθύνσεις που ίσως φανούν χρήσιμες για τον σχεδιασμό τέτοιων εμπειριών στα Μουσεία που θα τους προσδώσουν τον ρόλο που μπορούν να παίξουν στον 21ο αιώνα. Επίσης, θέτουν κάποιους προβληματισμούς για την εφαρμογή των νέων τεχνολογιών επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας στον σχεδιασμό και την υλοποίηση εμπειριών στο μουσειακό περιβάλλον, χωρίς να πλήξουν τις ουσιώδεις δομές της εμπειρίας.
Geoeconomic and geostrategic tendencies in Southeast Europe and Middle East
Authors: Κουτσουράδη Μαρκέλλα
Published: August 2022

Η Θαλάσσια Πολιτική και το Διεθνές Δίκαιο της Θάλασσας έχουν ενεργήσει ως κινητήριος δύναμη του παγκόσμιου συστήματος δεδομένου ότι η επίτευξη τοπικής αλλά και παγκόσμιας ηγεμονίας είναι ο ακρογωνιαίος λίθος για τα κράτη και, ως εκ τούτου, το ίδιο και η επέκταση της κυριαρχίας, των κυριαρχικών δικαιωμάτων και της δικαιοδοσίας τους στη θάλασσα, καθώς αφενός συμβάλει στην ευελιξία τους και αφετέρου δύναται να λειτουργήσει ως μέσο προβολής ισχύος, επί παραδείγματι μέσω της μεταφοράς στόλου. Καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια της ιστορίας, τα κράτη αποτελούν τους βασικούς πρωταγωνιστές και εκπροσώπους της διεθνούς κοινωνίας και οι ενέργειές τους έχουν αποτελέσει το κλειδί για τη διαμόρφωση και την εξέλιξη της διεθνούςκοινότητας. Δεν είναι δυνατό να αμφισβητηθεί ότι, παρά το γεγονός ότι οι διεθνείς σχέσεις αποτελούν παίγνιο μηδενικού αθροίσματος, το οποίο σημαίνει πως οποιαδήποτε αλλαγή στο ισοζύγιο ισούται με μια αλλαγή παγκόσμιας κλίμακας, ακόμη και στις μέρες μας η διεθνής κοινωνία είναι πεδίο αντιπαραθέσεων ανάμεσα στα ισχυρότερα κράτη, των οποίων απώτερος στόχος είναι να εξασφαλίσουν τη δική τους ασφάλεια, να επεκταθούν περισσότερο, να αποκτήσουν πρόσβαση σε περισσότερους φυσικούς πόρους και να βελτιώσουν τη θέση τους στο διεθνές σύστημα.Η Μέση Ανατολή και οι χώρες που την αποτελούν έχουν λειτουργήσει από τις απαρχές τις ανθρωπότητας έως σήμερα ως πεδίο δράσης πολιτισμών, ως πεδίοανάπτυξης κι επιβολής σημαντικών φυλετικών και θρησκευτικών κινημάτων, και ως «μήλον της έριδος» για τις Μεγάλες Δυνάμεις. Τα συναφή ζητήματα που μαστίζουν τη Μέση Ανατολή έχουν βαθιές ιστορικές ρίζες. Η περιοχή αποτελεί τη μεγάλη πύλη προς το σταυροδρόμι που ενώνει την Ανατολή με τη Δύση και κρατάει το «κλειδί» του ενεργειακού πλούτου που τρέφει και κινεί πολιτισμό μας. Ωστόσο, ποιος είναι ο σκοπός της γλωσσολογίας και της Κριτικής Ανάλυσης Λόγου; Οι περισσότεροι από εμάς στην καθημερινότητα μας εστιάζουμε στο περιεχόμενο και στις πληροφορίες των όσων ακούμε. Παρ’ όλα αυτά, υπάρχουν και άλλες πτυχές της γλώσσας οι οποίες αναπτύσσονται παράλληλα με την μετάδοση του περιεχομένου. Για παράδειγμα, ο τρόπος με τον οποίο περιγράφεται ένα γεγονός ή οι δρώντες ή ακόμη και η χρήση μεταφορικών εκφράσεων μπορούν να εκφράσουν υποσυνείδητα μηνύματα ενώ αποκαλύπτουν στοιχεία της ταυτότητας του ομιλητή, με άλλα λόγια μπορούν να εξαχθούν συμπεράσματα μέσω του λόγου. Ειδικότερα, ο συγκεκριμένος κλάδος αποτελεί συνάρτηση της γλωσσολογίας, της ψυχολογίας, τηςνευροεπιστήμης και της ανθρωπολογίας.Η παρούσα εργασία στοχεύει να διερευνήσει τη σύνδεση μεταξύ των ειδικών χαρακτηριστικών της Μέσης Ανατολής (ιδιαίτερα του Ιράν) και της Νοτιοανατολικής Ευρώπης με κοινές γεωπολιτικές στρατηγικές και με την Κριτική Ανάλυση Λόγου. Εν συντομία, η παρούσα διατριβή αναπτύσσει μια διεπιστημονική προσέγγιση η οποία επιδιώκει να φέρει πιο κοντά παραδοσιακά «μη συσχετιζόμενα» επιστημονικά πεδία όπως είναι η θαλάσσια πολιτική και η γλωσσολογία.
Case Report: Clinical outcome of prolonged cord prolapse
Authors: Karki Muna , Neupane Bibhushan , Bata Lokendra , Bam Shiba , Ghimire Rama , Maharjan Sujila , Pathak Bishnu Deep
Published: August 2022

Abstract:

Umbilical cord prolapse is an uncommon obstetric emergency with high neonatal morbidity and mortality. It is a rare entity with incidence ranging from 0.1 to 0.6%. Timely recognition and immediate interventions are needed for better outcome.

Here, we present a case of 28-year-old multigravida of term pregnancy with cord prolapse of seven hours following rupture of membrane. She was experiencing vaginal leakage in the absence of abdominal pain, and was referred from the peripheral health center with the provisional diagnosis of cord prolapse. She finally underwent emergency caesarean section with good neonatal outcome at tertiary care center.
Knowledge and attitudes about obstructive sleep apnea among otorhinolaryngology trainee residents in Saudi Arabia: A survey-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Alsaif Abdulrahman , Aldilaijan Khalid , Almasoud Mai , Jebakumar Arulanantham Zechariah
Published: August 2022

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder frequently encountered in otorhinolaryngology practice. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward obstructive sleep apnea among otorhinolaryngology trainees in Saudi Arabia. 

Methods: This was a survey-based cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire was sent in July 2020 via email and WhatsApp instant messaging to all otorhinolaryngology trainee residents in Saudi Arabia. We utilized the previously validated obstructive sleep apnea knowledge and attitudes questionnaire (OSAKA). 

Results: 32.4% of all email recipients completed the questionnaire and met the inclusion criteria. 66.7% were males, thirty-two participants (53.3%) were at the junior level (R2–R3), and twenty-eight (46.7%) were at the senior level (R4–R5). The mean total knowledge score was 13.98/18. Senior residents had a higher mean total knowledge score than junior residents. Senior residents had a higher mean total attitude score than junior residents. Age, gender, residency program area, and years of previous otorhinolaryngology practice showed no significant differences in terms of knowledge levels and attitudes toward obstructive sleep apnea. Exposure to obstructive sleep apnea surgery and awareness of sleep disorders other than sleep apnea were found to be associated with an increased level of confidence in identifying patients at risk of obstructive sleep apnea and in the ability to manage them. 

Conclusions: This study describes the current condition of obstructive sleep apnea knowledge and attitudes among otorhinolaryngology residents in Saudi Arabia. Addressing studied elements may improve training outcomes.
Longitudinal assessment of blood-borne musculoskeletal disease biomarkers in the DE50-MD dog model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Riddell Dominique O. , Hildyard John C. W. , Harron Rachel C. M. , Wells Dominic J. , Piercy Richard J.
Published: August 2022

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal muscle wasting disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Due to their phenotypic similarity to human patients, large animal models are invaluable tools for pre-clinical trials. The DE50-MD dog is a relatively new model of DMD, and carries a therapeutically-tractable mutation lying within the hotspot for human patients, making it especially valuable. Prior to conducting therapeutic trials using this novel animal model, it is essential to establish a panel of viable biomarkers.

Methods: We evaluated a panel of blood-borne biomarkers of musculoskeletal disease in the DE50-MD dog. Venous blood samples were obtained monthly throughout an 18-month study period in DE50-MD (N=18) and wild-type (WT) control (N=14) dogs. A panel of potential plasma/serum biomarkers of DMD was measured and their theoretical utility in future clinical trials determined using sample size calculations.

Results: Compared to WT dogs, DE50-MD dogs had substantially higher circulating creatine kinase (CK) activities, myomesin-3 (MYOM3), and the dystromiRs miR-1, miR-133a and miR-206, but significantly lower serum myostatin concentrations. An age-associated pattern, similar to that observed in DMD patients, was seen for CK and MYOM3. Sample size calculations suggested that low cohort sizes (N≤3) could be used to detect up to a 50% improvement in DE50-MD results towards WT levels for each biomarker or a combination thereof (via principal component analysis); as few as N=3 animals should enable detection of a 25% improvement using a combined biomarker approach (alpha 0.05, power 0.8).

Conclusions: We have established a panel of blood-borne biomarkers that could be used to monitor musculoskeletal disease or response to a therapeutic intervention in the DE50-MD dog using low numbers of animals. The blood biomarker profile closely mimics that of DMD patients, supporting the hypothesis that this DMD model would be suitable for use in pre-clinical trials.
A Rational Approach to Drug Repositioning in β-thalassemia: Induction of Fetal Hemoglobin by Established Drugs
Authors: Prosdocimi Marco , Zuccato Cristina , Cosenza Lucia Carmela , Borgatti Monica , Lampronti Ilaria , Finotti Alessia , Gambari Roberto
Published: August 2022

Drug repositioning and the relevance of orphan drug designation for β-thalassemia is reviewed. Drug repositioning and similar terms ('drug repurposing', 'drug reprofiling', 'drug redirecting', ‘drug rescue’, ‘drug re-tasking’ and/or 'drug rediscovery') have gained great attention, especially in the field or rare diseases (RDs), and represent relevant novel drug development strategies to be considered together with the “off-label” use of pharmaceutical products under clinical trial regimen. The most significant advantage of drug repositioning over traditional drug development is that the repositioned drug has already passed a significant number of short- and long-term toxicity tests, as well as it has already undergone pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies. The established safety of repositioned drugs is known to significantly reduce the probability of project failure. Furthermore, development of repurposed drugs can shorten much of the time needed to bring a drug to market. Finally, patent filing of repurposed drugs is expected to catch the attention of pharmaceutical industries interested in the development of therapeutic protocols for RDs. Repurposed molecules that could be proposed as potential drugs for β-thalassemia, will be reported, with some of the most solid examples, including sirolimus (rapamycin) that recently has been tested in a pilot clinical trial.
Kliszczacka muzyka. O współczesnej sprawczości dawnych ludoznawczych etykiet
Authors: Gacek Gabriela
Published: August 2022

KLISZCZAK MUSIC: ON CURRENT AGENCY OF EARLY ETHNOGRAPHIC LABELS Kliszczak Gorals are among the least known and most understudied Polish Goral communities. Research into the musical traditions of the areas they inhabit is even more modest. In the article, an attempt is made to determine whether the distinctiveness of this ethnographic group – established by 19th-century ethnographers based on an artifact of material culture, namely a characteristic detail on the trousers of male folk costume – has also ever manifested itself in music. I rely on my own field research, conducted in the years 2010–2017, mainly among organizers of folk culture, singers, folk music bands and regional music bands in the Kliszczak area, which I in accordance with ethnographic literature, as well as the sense of regional identity of my informants. An important aim of the article is to answer the question of how to define Kliszczak music, the Kliszczak repertoire, the limits of the Kliszczak area, the very term “Kliszczak Gorals”, and how these definitions relate to historical sources, such as Oskar Kolberg’s observations in Góry i Podgórze [The Moutains and the Foothills] parts I and II, published as two volumes of his Dzieła Wszystkie [Complete Works], manuscripts and typescripts from the collection of the Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum in Kraków and recordings and minutes from the Nationwide Fieldwork Collection of Musical Folklore stored at the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.
Perspektywa rozwoju turystycznego regionu Małopolski na podstawie dziedzictwa kulturowego Kliszczaków
Authors: Rams Klaudia
Published: August 2022

PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN MAŁOPOLSKA BASED ON THE HERITAGE OF KLISZCZAK GORALS When analysing the possibilities of promoting the cultural heritage of Kliszczak Gorals in the area they inhabit, one may come to the conclusion that what is missing in this context is a tourist trail. What supports this statement is a growing number of tourist services offering organized themed walks. These are one of the primary forms of cultural tourism. The current article aims to discuss the role played by regional culture trails in the cultural tourism sector. A further intention is to introduce the concept of a regional Kliszczak Cultural Heritage Trail and the benefits that it could offer.
Technical Note—Approximation Schemes for Capacity-Constrained Assortment Optimization Under the Nested Logit Model
Authors: Segev Danny
Published: August 2022

This paper proposes a carefully crafted dynamic programming approach for capacitated assortment optimization under the nested logit model in its utmost generality, potentially including partially captured nests and possibly synergistic products. Specifically, we show that the optimal revenue can be efficiently approached within any degree of accuracy through synthesizing ideas related to continuous-state dynamic programming, state space discretization, and sensitivity analysis of modified revenue functions. These developments allow us to devise the first fully polynomial-time approximation scheme in this context, thus resolving fundamental open questions posed in earlier literature.
Design, fabrication, and validation of an aberration-free integral imaging system for 3D reconstruction
Authors: Lin Chih-Hao , Lin Po-Ming , Chen Chih-Wen , Chen Ming-Fu
Published: August 2022

Optical design for reducing aberrations of the micro-lens-array-based integral imaging system is challenging. A design process combining the sequential and non-sequential modes of optical design software is proposed. The process is verified by a system assembled on a coordinate measuring machine with errors of several micrometers. Differences in the modulation transfer function, measured by the slanted-edge method, are less than 0.02 between the paraxial and off-axial regions. Reconstructed images of a U.S. quarter-dollar coin with different refocusing depths show the synthesized defocusing. The estimated depth map and depth-based reconstructed image show the rough shape of the coin.
Ring focus reflector design for topological charge multiplexing based on a perfect vortex beam
Authors: Deng Jinxin , Yang Huajun , Jiang Ping , Qin Yan , Caiyang Weinan , Yang Jing , He Junyi , Hu Lizhong
Published: August 2022

A ring focus reflector is proposed for transmitting a perfect vortex (PV) beam, and the transmission characteristics of the PV beam with different topological charges in free space after passing through the reflector are studied. The reflector parameters can be determined by fitting the structural formula, and PV beams of different orders transmit with small spot sizes at the same time. The transmission trajectory calculated by the diffraction formula is consistent with the ray tracing results. The research results show that the reflector can achieve a high level of transmission efficiency of beams with different topological charges, which is conducive to the multiplexing of PV beams.
Temporal integration of rod signals in luminance and chromatic pathways
Authors: Cormenzana Méndez Iñaki , Martín Andrés , O’Donell Beatriz , Cao Dingcai , Barrionuevo Pablo A.
Published: August 2022

We assessed how rod excitation (R) affects luminance (L 

+

 M 

+

 S) and chromatic [L/(L 

+

 M)] reaction times (RTs). A four-primary display based on the overlapped images of two spectrally modified monitors, which allowed specific or combined [L 

+

 M 

+

 S 

+

 R, L/(L 

+

 M) + R] photoreceptor stimulation, was used to present a C-target stimulus differing from the background only by the selected stimulation. For the luminance pathway, rod input increased RTs, suggesting a suppressive rod–cone interaction. The responses of the chromatic pathway were faster when rods were involved, suggesting a major role of rods in mesopic color perception.
Infrared D-type photonic crystal fiber sensor for special drug detection and wide-range refractive index detection
Authors: Wang Shaofeng , Liu Chi , Liu Xin , Feng Yue , Zhang Zhiwen , Shen Tao , Han Wei
Published: August 2022

In the field of drug inspection, the refractive indices (RIs) of many halogenated ethers and drugs are in the lower range; for example, the RI of anesthetic sevoflurane is approximately 1.27. Infrared spectral detection technology has significant advantages in the field of drug detection; to realize the RI sensing of such drugs in the infrared region, a D-shaped photonic crystal fiber sensor based surface plasmon resonance was investigated in this study. The side polishing adopted here can significantly shorten the distance between the core and metal layer, making the energy of the core easier to detect, reducing the difficulty of coating the metal layer, and improving the performance of the sensor. The structure is provided with two large-sized air holes on both sides of the fiber core, so that the sensor is suitable for sensing in the low RI range and has high wavelength sensitivity in the low RI range. The sensor works mainly in the infrared band, with a detection range of 1.20–1.34, maximum wavelength sensitivity of 24,000 nm/RIU, and resolution of

4.1667

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10

−
6

R
I
U

. The sensor has excellent performance and is easy to manufacture due to the simple structure; it has broad application prospects in low RI range detection fields such as biomedicine, drug detection, environmental monitoring, and water quality monitoring.
Deriving vertical profiles of chlorophyll-a concentration in the upper layer of seawaters using ICESat-2 photon-counting lidar
Authors: Zheng Huiying , Ma Yue , Huang Jue , Yang Jian , Su Dianpeng , Yang Fanlin , Wang Xiao Hua
Published: August 2022

Chlorophyll-a concentration (chl-a) is a great indicator for estimating phytoplankton biomass and productivity levels and is also particularly useful for monitoring the water quality, biodiversity and species distribution, and harmful algal blooms. A great deal of studies investigated to estimate chl-a concentrations using ocean color remotely sensed data. With the development of photon-counting sensors, spaceborne photon-counting lidar can compensate for the shortcomings of passive optical remote sensing by enabling ocean vertical profiling in low-light conditions (e.g., at night). Using geolocated photons captured by the first spaceborne photon-counting lidar borne on ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2), this research reported methods for deriving vertical profiles of chl-a concentration in the upper layer of ocean waters. This study first calculates the average numbers of backscattered subaqueous photons of ICESat-2 at different water depths, and then estimates the optical parameters in water column based on a discrete theoretical model of the expected number of received signal photons. With the estimated optical parameters, vertical profiles of chl-a concentration are calculated by two different empirical algorithms. In two study areas (mostly with Type I open ocean waters and small part of Type II coastal ocean waters), the derived chl-a concentrations are generally consistent when validated by BGC-Argo (Biogeochemical Argo) data in the vertical direction (MAPEs<15%) and compared with MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data in the along-track direction (average R2>0.86). Using globally covered ICESat-2 data, this approach can be used to obtain vertical profiles of chl-a concentration and optical parameters at a larger scale, which will be helpful to analyze impact factors of climate change and human activities on subsurface phytoplankton species and their growth state.
ROCS microscopy with distinct zero-order blocking
Authors: Mahmud Md Salek , Ruh Dominic , Rohrbach Alexander
Published: August 2022

Research in modern light microscopy continuously seeks to improve spatial and temporal resolution in combination with user-friendly, cost-effective imaging systems. Among different label-free imaging approaches, Rotating Coherent Scattering (ROCS) microscopy in darkfield mode achieves superior resolution and contrast without image reconstructions, which is especially helpful in life cell experiments. Here we demonstrate how to achieve 145 nm resolution with an amplitude transmission mask for spatial filtering. This mask blocks the reflected 0-th order focus at 12 distinct positions, thereby increasing the effective aperture for the light back-scattered from the object. We further show how angular correlation analysis between coherent raw images helps to estimate the information content from different illumination directions.
Surface plasmon resonance sensor using a polarization-maintaining fiber on a hetero-core optical fiber structure with gold thin film
Authors: Hosoki Ai , Nishiyama Michiko , Watanabe Kazuhiro , Sakurai Nozomu
Published: August 2022

This study experimentally demonstrated the effects of two polarization-maintaining fibers (PMFs) as a sensing region instead of conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) using Au-coated hetero-core optical fiber surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. We experimentally observed that the SPR resonant wavelength is shifted toward longer wavelength with refractive index (RI) increasing from 1.332 to 1.396. A PMF sensor exhibits the broad SPR spectra, resulting in a higher sensitivity with a 1.5-fold change in the light intensity at 850 nm relative to RI, compared with the SMF case. Discussions most likely responsible for this effect are given by the lower angular distribution peak in the hetero-core region of PMFs.
Digital image correlation assisted absolute phase unwrapping
Authors: Liao Yi-Hong , Xu Manzhu , Zhang Song
Published: August 2022

This paper presents an absolute phase unwrapping method for high-speed three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement. This method uses three phase-shifted patterns and one binary random pattern on a single-camera, single-projector structured light system. We calculate the wrapped phase from phase-shifted images and determine the coarse correspondence through the digital image correlation (DIC) between the captured binary random pattern of the object and the pre-captured binary random pattern of a flat surface. We then developed a computational framework to determine fringe order number pixel by pixel using the coarse correspondence information. Since only one additional pattern is used, the proposed method can be used for high-speed 3D shape measurement. Experimental results successfully demonstrated that the proposed method can achieve high-speed and high-quality measurement of complex scenes.
Design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a concave lens array on an aspheric curved surface
Authors: Mo Jingyu , Chang Xuefeng , Renqing Duoji , Zhang Jinpeng , Liao Longxing , Luo Shanming
Published: August 2022

A microlens array (MLA) is a fundamental optical element, which has been widely applied in the fields of imaging sensing, 3D display, and lighting source. However, it is still a challenge to design the MLAs simultaneously satisfying small size, wide field of view, and high image quality. Herein, a novel type of concave lens array on an aspheric convex substrate (CLAACs) is presented, which is composed of an aspheric substrate and a spherical concave subeye array. The facilely designed method of the CLAACs is described and its geometric model is also established by a numerical example. Furthermore, a fabrication method, which is directly machining the CLAACs on PMMA material, is proposed. To realize the ultra-precision machining of the lens, tool path planning is carried out before fabricating. The profile, surface quality, and imaging performance of the fabricated lens are then characterized to reveal its optical capabilities. The results show that the proposed method can realize the rapid design and fabrication of lenses flexibly and efficiently. The fabricated CLAACs exhibit excellent morphology uniformity, high imaging quality, and focusing performance. The study provides a feasible solution for the design and fabrication of such lens arrays with complex discontinuous surfaces.
Potential of breadfruit cultivation to contribute to climate-resilient low latitude food systems
Authors: Yang Lucy , Zerega Nyree , Montgomery Anastasia , Horton Daniel E.
Published: August 2022

The number of people in food crisis around the world is increasing, exacerbated by COVID-19, conflict, and climate change. Major crop yields are projected to decrease in low-latitude regions, making tropical and sub-tropical food systems particularly vulnerable. Increased cultivation of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), a neglected and underutilized species (NUS), has the potential to enhance climate resilience and overall sustainability of low-latitude agricultural systems. To better understand breadfruit’s cultivation suitability and geographic range in current and future climates, we use breadfruit presence data collected from previous studies and a global citizen science database, and a selection of bioclimactic variables, to build an ensemble of 6 species distribution models that delineate the current climatically viable breadfruit range. We then assess the climatically viable future breadfruit range (2061–2080) under stabilization and high emission scenarios using an ensemble of 8 global circulation model (GCM) projections. The area of suitable breadfruit range within the global tropics and subtropics is projected to decrease ~4.4% in the stabilization scenario and ~4.5% in the high emission scenario. In Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, yield quality and consistency show minimal decreases under the high emission scenario, with increases in total suitable area under both. In contrast, in Latin America and the Caribbean, the current suitable breadfruit range is projected to contract ~10.1–11.5% (stabilization-high emission). Present and future model suitability outputs suggest opportunities to successfully expand breadfruit cultivation over the next decades in sub-Saharan Africa, where food insecurity is coincidentally high. However, in all regions, high emission scenario conditions reduce the overall consistency and quality of breadfruit yields compared to the stabilization scenario. Our results have the potential to inform global food security adaptation planning, highlighting breadfruit as an ideal NUS to incorporate in food security adaptation strategies.
HIV-serodifferent couples’ perspectives and practices regarding HIV prevention strategies: A mixed methods study
Authors: McMahon James M. , Simmons Janie , Braksmajer Amy , LeBlanc Natalie
Published: August 2022

A substantial proportion of heterosexually acquired HIV infections in the U.S. occur between partners in primary relationships characterized by mixed HIV status. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued guidelines prioritizing HIV-serodifferent couples for primary HIV prevention, including treatment-as-prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Yet, very little research has been conducted to understand the perspectives and practices of HIV-serodifferent couples regarding HIV prevention strategies in the U.S. To help fill this gap, we conducted a mixed methods study with 27 mostly Black/African American and Latinx HIV-serodifferent heterosexual couples residing in New York City to explore their knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perspectives regarding combination HIV prevention, including condoms, PrEP and viral control. All couples expressed the desire to maintain viral suppression in the HIV-positive partner, which was not always achieved. There was considerable heterogeneity in the use of HIV prevention methods by couples; and several patterns emerged that were largely driven by gender and relationship dynamics. Female partners, in particular, expressed high levels of anxiety around transmission of HIV and thus desired multiple methods of protection. Healthcare providers should consider couples’ psychosocial well-being, relationship quality, and other motivational factors when helping to tailor HIV preventative care for mixed-status couples.
Depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk in German veterinary medical students compared to the German general population
Authors: Schunter Nadine , Glaesmer Heide , Lucht Luise , Bahramsoltani Mahtab
Published: August 2022

Background

Various studies from different countries indicated that veterinarians have a significantly increased risk of depression, suicidal ideation and of death by suicide. For German veterinarians a recent study has demonstrated a three times higher rate for depression, two times higher rate for suicidal ideation and a five times higher suicide risk compared to the German general population. For veterinary students, recent studies in the US and UK indicated higher mental distress. To date, empirical studies on depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk among veterinary students in Germany were lacking so far. This study investigates depression, suicidal ideation and suicide risk of veterinary students in Germany.

Methods

913 German veterinary students (14.3% response rate, 90.7% women, mean age 23.6 years) between 18 and 46 years were included and compared with representative German general population samples from 2007 (N = 1097, 55.4% women, mean age 33.9) and 2015 (N = 1033, 56.1% women, mean age 32.8) of the same age range using the depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Suicide Behaviors questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). The general population samples were collected with the assistance of a demographic consulting company.

Results

The prevalence of depression among German veterinary students was 45.9% (compared to 3.2% in the general population), suicidal ideation was 19.9% (compared to 4.5% in the general population) and suicide risk was 24.0% (compared to 6.6% in the general population).

Conclusion

In this study, German veterinary students have a 22.1 times higher risk to be screened positive for depression, a 4 times higher risk for reporting current suicidal ideation and they are 4.2 times more likely to have an increased suicide risk compared with the general population in Germany of the same age range.
A new approach to constructing confidence intervals for population means based on small samples
Authors: Lu Hao-Chun , Xu Yan , Lu Tom , Huang Chun-Jung
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a new approach to constructing the confidence interval for the mean value of a population when the distribution isunknownand the sample size issmall, called the Percentile Data Construction Method (PDCM). A simulation was conducted to compare the performance of the PDCM confidence interval with those generated by the Percentile Bootstrap (PB) and Normal Theory (NT) methods. Both the convergence probability and average interval width criterion are considered when seeking to find the best interval. The results show that the PDCM outperforms both the PB and NT methods when the sample size is less than 30 or a large population variance exists.
Wolves and dogs fail to form reputations of humans after indirect and direct experience in a food-giving situation
Authors: Jim Hoi-Lam , Plohovich Marina , Marshall-Pescini Sarah , Range Friederike
Published: August 2022

Reputation is a key component in social interactions of group-living animals and appears to play a role in the establishment of cooperation. Animals can form reputations of individuals by directly interacting with them or by observing them interact with a third party, i.e., eavesdropping. Previous research has focused on whether dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) can eavesdrop on humans because of their ability to cooperate with humans, however the results are mixed and if they can eavesdrop, it is unknown whether this ability evolved during the domestication process or whether it was inherited from their ancestor, wolves (Canis lupus). Our study investigated whether equally hand-raised, pack-living dogs and wolves can form reputations of humans in a food-giving situation through indirect and/or direct experience. The experimental procedure comprised three parts: baseline (to test whether the subject preferred a person prior to the experiment), observation and testing. In the observation phase, the subject observed two humans interact with a dog demonstrator–one acted generously and fed the dog, and the other acted selfishly and refused to feed the dog. The subject could then choose which person to approach in the test phase. In the following experience phase, the animals interacted directly with the same two humans who behaved either in a generous or selfish manner. Then, they were again given a choice whom to approach. We found that dogs and wolves, at the group level, did not differentiate between a generous or selfish partner after indirect or direct experience, but wolves were more attentive towards the generous person during the observation phase and some dogs and wolves did prefer the generous partner, at least after indirect and direct experience was combined. Our study suggests that reputation formation may be more difficult than expected for animals and we emphasise the importance of context when studying reputation formation in animals.
Rural-urban outcome differences associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina
Authors: Denslow Sheri , Wingert Jason R. , Hanchate Amresh D. , Rote Aubri , Westreich Daniel , Sexton Laura , Cheng Kedai , Curtis Janis , Jones William Schuyler , Lanou Amy Joy , Halladay Jacqueline R.
Published: August 2022

People living in rural regions in the United States face more health challenges than their non-rural counterparts which could put them at additional risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few studies have examined if rurality is associated with additional mortality risk among those hospitalized for COVID-19. We studied a retrospective cohort of 3,991 people hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infections discharged between March 1 and September 30, 2020 in one of 17 hospitals in North Carolina that collaborate as a clinical data research network. Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory data were examined. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of rurality with a composite outcome of death/hospice discharge. Comorbidities were more common in the rural patient population as were the number of comorbidities per patient. Overall, 505 patients died prior to discharge and 63 patients were discharged to hospice. Among rural patients, 16.5% died or were discharged to hospice vs. 13.3% in the urban cohort resulting in greater odds of death/hospice discharge (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1, 1.6). This estimate decreased minimally when adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, payer, disease comorbidities, presenting oxygen levels and cytokine levels (adjusted model OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0, 1.5). This analysis demonstrated a higher COVID-19 mortality risk among rural residents of NC. Implementing policy changes may mitigate such disparities going forward.