bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wartownicy: Kadra dowódcza Polskich Kompanii Wartowniczych przy armii amerykańskiej w Europie w latach 1945-1947
Authors: Brzoza Czesław
Published: December 2023

Wartownicy zamykają zapoczątkowany przed 20 laty cykl publikacji Czesława Brzozy dotyczących Brygady Świętokrzyskiej NSZ. Nakładem CDCN ukazały się dotychczas dwa zbiory źródeł – Rozkazy dzienne Brygady Świętokrzyskiej Narodowych Sił Zbrojnych 1944-1945 (2003) oraz Rozkazy dzienne Brygady Świętokrzyskiej Narodowych Sił Zbrojnych – I Grupy Kompanii Wartowniczych (2008), a także tom not biograficznych Ludzie Brygady (2015) poświęcony osobom, które służbę w niej rozpoczęły przed 8 V 1945 roku, czyli przed zakończeniem wojny. Podobny charakter, choć z istotnym uzupełnieniem, ma prezentowana praca. Oprócz krótkich biogramów tych, którzy dołączyli do Brygady już po wojnie lub służyli w kompaniach wartowniczych formowanych w jej obozach szkoleniowych, zamieszczono w niej także informacje o ludziach ze środowiska oflagowego. Niezależnie od Brygady organizowali oni bowiem takie jednostki we Francji i amerykańskiej strefie okupacyjnej Niemiec, a dla większości z nich był to, po przerwie spowodowanej pobytem w obozach jenieckich i koncentracyjnych, dalszy ciąg służby wojskowej rozpoczętej w roku 1939 lub kontynuowanej później w konspiracji.
Rethinking Gamification Failure: A Model and Investigation of Gamified System Maladaptive Behaviors
Authors: Tseng Shih-Lun “Allen” , Sun Heshan , Santhanam Radhika , Lu Shuya , Thatcher Jason B.
Published: December 2023

Current studies show gamification, the integrating of game design elements into target systems, enhances user engagement and instrumental task outcomes. Despite its potential for improving behavioral outcomes, gamification can also lead to maladaptive behaviors, behaviors directed at misappropriating gamified systems. We conceptualized gamified system maladaptive behaviors (GSMB), which involve technology and gamified task maladaptations. We developed a model that depicts three drivers of GSMB from design elements, how they fulfill or frustrate psychological innate needs, which in turn drive GSMB, and how GSMB affect task performance. We tested how the three drivers of design elements affect GSMB in Study 1 by empirically examining users of a gamified system, Pocket Points. The results support our conceptualization of GSMB, and design issues as its antecedents. To further unpack this relationship, we then employed a within-subject experiment and a follow-up survey in Study 2. By manipulating the design issues, we found that GSMB adversely affect task performance, because these users may focus too intently on winning the game, at the expense of task performance. By assessing the fulfillment of psychological needs, our findings suggest that design in gamified systems may not uniformly fulfill the satisfaction of psychological needs and consequently triggers GSMB.
How Large are Predefault Costs of Financial Distress? Estimates from a Dynamic Model
Authors: Elkamhi Redouane , Kim Daniel , Salerno Marco
Published: December 2023

We estimate the costs of financial distress prior to default (predefault costs) separately from the loss incurred at default (the loss given default) using a dynamic tradeoff model of capital structure. We show that predefault costs account for a large fraction of total distress costs, approximately 64.1%. At the same time, they vary across industries ranging from 32.1% to 75%. We demonstrate that the expected predefault costs of financial distress vary significantly across industries with a range between 3.2% and 8.3% and are higher for small firms relative to larger ones.

This paper was accepted by Lukas Schmid, finance.

Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4974 .
Research roundup: Dec 2023/Jan 2024
Authors: Mendes Aysha
Published: December 2023

In this section, a range of brief synopses of recently published articles that may be of interest to health visitors is presented. The aim of this roundup is to provide an overview, rather than a detailed summary, of the research papers selected. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided.
Failure Mechanism Analysis of the Stochastic Galerkin Method in EMC Simulation Considering Geometric Randomness
Authors: Bai Jinjun , Hu Bing , Wan Yixuan
Published: December 2023

By virtue of its high calculational accuracy and efficiency, the stochastic Galerkin method (SGM) has been successfully applied many times in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) simulation in recent years. This paper proposes a calculating example taking geometric uncertainty factors into consideration. As is proved in the paper, there is a relatively large error when using the SGM to solve the example mentioned above. According to failure mechanism, the fundamental reason of the failure of the simulation lies in the additional error caused by using numerical integration to solve the inner product formula. Meanwhile, it is proved that no additional errors are introduced when using the stochastic collocation method (SCM), so the SCM is better than the SGM in stability. In the end, the paper revised the general selective strategy for uncertainty analysis methods, thus providing theoretical basis for their universal application in EMC field.
Modern Tendency to Practice-Oriented Learning
Authors: Liu ZuoYuan , Alimbekov Akmatali , Glushkov Sergey , Ramazanova Lyazzat
Published: December 2023

Today, technology is changing quickly and apparently affects all parts of life. Compared to a few years ago, many things have changed, including thoughts, habits, social activities, and ways of life. Thus, this study determined the impact of virtual reality technologies as practice-oriented learning stimuli on the development of information competence and academic performance of future primary school teachers. One hundred eighteen students from the Pedagogy Faculty of the M. Utemisov West Kazakhstan University and 105 students from the Kyrgyz National University majoring in the same field were divided into two groups for the research. Respondents in the experimental group took virtual reality courses, and their progress was evaluated by contrasting their grades before and after the programme. Based on the preliminary analysis of the student's academic performance, it should be noted that most of them performed mediocrely. However, observations by tutors and teachers revealed that when classes were taught using virtual reality platforms such as EyeJack and CoSpaces Edu, students in the experimental group were more willing to participate in tasks and seminars. Furthermore, according to the results of Content Module 2, students in the experimental group performed significantly better than students in the control group in terms of their overall academic performance (p=4.187). The article's practical significance comes from considering how virtual reality technologies might enhance Kazakhstan's and Kyrgyzstan's educational systems.
Optimized Fixed-Time Synergetic Controller via a modified Salp Swarm Algorithm for Acute and Chronic HBV Transmission System
Authors: Achour Saadi , Mokhtari Khalil , Rahmoune Abdelaziz , Yazid Fares
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we propose a Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) Optimized Fixed-Time Synergetic Control (FTSC) strategy for the spread of hepatitis B infection. The utilization of the SSA optimization algorithm for optimizing the Synergetic Control (SC) fraction parameters presents a non-trivial challenge due to the restriction that only odd numbers can be used for the fractional power. Therefore, an enhanced and adapted version of the SSA algorithm is proposed to effectively address this specific scenario. Our strategic approach centers on the reduction of susceptible, acutely infected, and chronically infected individuals by employing control parameters like isolation, treatment, and vaccination. The objective is to drive these target state variables to their smallest values in a fixed-time, thereby effectively controlling the epidemic. We support our proposal with numerical simulations to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the control strategy. A comparison is conducted between FTSC and SC in scenarios with and without optimization. The results indicated that FTSC holds a distinct advantage, consistently demonstrating significant progress, with up to 30\% reduction in the total convergence time to zero, outperforming SC in each case.
Existence Solution for Fractional Mean-Field Backward Stochastic Differential Equation with Stochastic Linear Growth Coefficients
Authors: Saouli Mostapha Abdelouahab
Published: December 2023

We deal with fractional mean field backwardWe deal with fractional mean field backward stochastic differential equations with hurst parameter $H\in (\frac{1}{2},1)$ when the coefficient $f$ satisfy a stochastic Lipschitz conditions, we prove the existence and uniqueness of solution and provide a comparison theorem. Via an approximation and comparison theorem, we show the existence of a minimal solution when the drift satisfies a stochastic growth condition.
Exploring Hybrid Models For Short-Term Local Weather Forecasting in IoT Environment
Authors: Tran Toai Kim , Senkerik Roman , Vo Hanh Thi Xuan , Vo Huan Minh , Ulrich Adam , Musil Marek , Zelinka Ivan
Published: December 2023

This paper explores using and hybridizing simple prediction models to maximize the accuracy of local weather prediction while maintaining low computational effort and the need to process and acquire large volumes of data. A hybrid RF-LSTM model is proposed and evaluated in this research paper for the task of short-term local weather forecasting. The local weather stations are built within an acceptable radius of the measured area and are designed to provide a short period of forecasting - usually within one hour. The lack of local weather data might be problematic for an accurate short-term valuable prediction in sustainable applications like agriculture, transportation, energy management, and daily life. Weather forecasting is not trivial because of the non-linear nature of time series. Thus, traditional forecasting methods cannot predict the weather accurately. The advantage of the ARIMA model lies in forecasting the linear part, while the SVR model indicates the non-linear characteristic of the weather data. Both non-linear and linear approaches can represent the combined model. The hybrid ARIMA-SVR model strengthens the matched points of the ARIMA model and the SVR model in weather forecasting. The LSTM and random forest are both popular algorithms used for regression problems. LSTM is more suitable for tasks involving sequential data with long-term dependencies. Random Forest leverages the wisdom of crowds by combining multiple decision trees, providing robust predictions, and reducing overfitting. Hybrid Random forest-LSTM potentially leverages the robustness and feature importance of Random Forest along with the ability of LSTM to capture sequential dependencies. The comparison results show that the hybrid RF-LSTM model reduces the forecasting errors in metrics of MAE, R-squared, and RMSE. The proposed hybrid model can also capture the actual temperature trend in its prediction performance, which makes it even more relevant for many other possible decision-making steps in sustainable applications. Furthermore, this paper also proposes the design of a weather station based on a real-time edge IoT system. The RF-LSTM leverages the parallelized characteristics of each decision tree in the forest to accelerate the training process and faster inferences. Thus, the hybrid RF-LSTM model offers advantages in terms of faster execution speed and computational efficiency in both PC and Raspberry Pi boards. However, the RF-LSTM consumes the highest peak memory usage due to being a combination of two different models.
Patients, Disability, Syphilis, and History
Authors: Golden Janet
Published: December 2023

summary: This paper explores the experiences of working-class patients treated for tertiary syphilis at the Neurology Dispensary of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Infirmary for Nervous Disease of the Philadelphia Orthopedic Hospital from 1878 to 1917. Using the twin lenses of medical history and disability history, it foregrounds the struggles of individuals whose physical condition cannot be reversed.
"An Excellent Hunter": Environmental Creolization and the Paths to Freedom in Nineteenth-Century Amazonia
Authors: de la Torre Oscar
Published: December 2023

Abstract: If slave societies in the Atlantic world were based on "creole ecologies," that is, on bringing enslaved African workers to the Americas to cultivate an Asian crop (sugar), then how would those workers' acquisition of environmental knowledge alter such a project? In this article I argue that a fruitful response to that question lies in the concept of environmental creolization: the process of familiarization with New World environments that enslaved people from Africa developed upon arriving in the Americas. After tracing its origins in the convergence between the historiographies of transatlantic slavery and environmental history, I discuss the trajectories of three Black individuals living in nineteenth-century Amazonia who used their knowledge of local environments to carve better working conditions inside the institution, and to slowly exit it. Their cases not only illustrate the centrality of environmental knowledge in the tropical and forested areas of the Americas, but also illuminate how a successful environmental creolization greatly impacted contests over autonomy and freedom throughout the Atlantic world.
Нацистская политика в отношении славян караимского вероисповедания в Крыму (1941–1944)
Authors: Радченко Юрий
Published: December 2023

SUMMARY: The article focuses on the plight of Karaite Subbotniks during the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Subbotniks are known as non-Jewish followers of rabbinical Judaism, but since the late eighteenth century, a smaller community of Slavic followers of Karaism also developed. Karaites are an ancient community of Turkic speakers, mostly in Crimea, who rejected the Talmud and rabbinical teachings. The Nazis had a hard time figuring out their policy toward the Karaites, who did not fit the binary understanding of Jewishness, and Karaite Subbotniks offered an even more mind-boggling example of hybridity. Their treatment by the Nazis, which was genocidal in some instances, underscores the archaic religious nature of the self-proclaimed "scientific" racial policy of the Nazis and the lack of centralization and control in its implementation.
"Отечественная война" за Карабах: предпосылки и последствия
Authors: Румянцев Сергей
Published: December 2023

SUMMARY: Focusing on the culmination of the Karabakh conflict in the so-called 44-day war of 2020 and the final liquidation of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh in September 2023, this article reconstructs the mechanisms of perpetual confrontation in 1988–1923. A product of the competing Armenian and Azerbaijani nationalisms during the late Soviet period, the territorial dispute over the predominantly Armenian-populated region of Azerbaijan formed a cultural mechanism that produced discourses of hatred and counterfactual historical claims. Both sides' fixation on the mythologized past made mutual understanding and compromise impossible, predetermining an equally antagonistic future. Cultural mythologies framed by tropes of Romantic nationalism became primary drivers of the territorial conflict in the late 1980s, when they proved their efficiency in nationalist mobilization. Today, political regimes in Armenia and Azerbaijan entirely rely on thus-produced national mobilization as the foundation of their legitimacy and authority, which makes the conflict insoluble. Today, it is not the contested territory that produces confrontation, but the need to sustain authority within the embraced format of national mobilization that necessitates constant disputes with the neighboring country.
Deterministic remote state preparation with weight graph states in quantum networks
Authors: Li Zongyi , Wei Yuzhen , Li Yongcheng , Jiang Min
Published: December 2023

The weight graph states (WGS) usually serve as the imperfect generation of the graph states due to the limitation in experiments. In this paper, we study the deterministic remote state preparation (RSP) protocol by leveraging multiple WGS. First, we introduce the quantum circuit of the entanglement concentration based on the theory of majorization, calculating the entanglement coefficients by applying the Schmidt decomposition onto the bipartite WGS. Then, we establish the positive operator-valued measurement (POVM) that helps to extract available entanglement for the RSP protocol. In three-particle 1D WGS, we demonstrate that the bipartite entanglement between the sender and the receiver depends on the measurement basis selected by the repeater node. Here we find a set of orthogonal bases that retains the entanglement unchanged, which guarantees the robustness of the RSP scheme. In the end, we discuss the performance of our protocol and extend the channel to the multi-particle 1D WGS, illustrating the relationship between the entanglements and the different weights of edges. Our scheme provides a viable method to reuse the imperfect graph states, hoping to contribute to the future study of graph states in quantum networks.
Topological phases in Kagome and triangular photonic crystals
Authors: Zhang Hongxiang , Gu Zhen , Ding Jun
Published: December 2023

Topological photonics facilitates the propagation of terahertz waves with extremely high transmission and without backscattering, even in the presence of sharp corners and defects. This study initiates by demonstrating the properties of protected topological states based on a Kagome lattice featuring air holes embedded within a silicon background. Additionally, an exploration of the crystalline symmetry establishes a correlation between Kagome and triangular lattices. These two lattice types, interconnected with the valley degrees of freedom, manifest distinct band gaps and operational modes. The robustness of topological edge states and corner states has been empirically verified. Furthermore, a hybridization of these lattices is employed to design a sandwich waveguide for encrypted transmission. Within this structure, the middle structure supports terahertz waves with different frequencies and modes and outputs the specific frequency and mode through the corresponding ports. Our work increases flexibility in manipulating terahertz waves and holds potential applications in the fields of topological photonics.
Generating Airy beams through multimode fibres
Authors: Michálková Ivana , Colombel Simon , Gomes André D. , Čižmár Tomáš
Published: December 2023

Focussing light through a multimode fibre (MMF) is the basis of holographic endoscopes, which currently enable detailed imaging of deep tissue. Achieving high fidelity and purity diffraction-limited foci has been shown to be possible, when fully controlling the amplitude, phase, and two orthogonal polarisation states of the input field. Yet, generating more complex field distributions with similar performance remains to be assessed. Here, we demonstrate the generation of Airy beams through an MMF containing in excess of 90 % of the optical power delivered by the fibre. We discuss two distinct methods for generating optical landscapes: the direct field and the Fourier domain synthesis. Moreover, we showcase the flexibility of the Fourier domain synthesis to modify the generated beam.
Relaxation of the electro-optic response in thin-film lithium niobate modulators
Authors: Holzgrafe Jeffrey , Puma Eric , Cheng Rebecca , Warner Hana , Shams-Ansari Amirhassan , Shankar Raji , Lončar Marko
Published: December 2023

Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) is a promising electro-optic (EO) photonics platform with high modulation bandwidth, low drive voltage, and low optical loss. However, EO modulation in TFLN is known to relax on long timescales. Instead, thermo-optic heaters are often used for stable biasing, but heaters incur challenges with cross-talk, high power, and low bandwidth. Here, we characterize the low-frequency (1 mHz to 1 MHz) EO response of TFLN modulators, investigate the root cause of EO relaxation and demonstrate methods to improve bias stability. We show that relaxation-related effects can enhance EO modulation across a frequency band spanning 1kHz to 20kHz in our devices – a counter-intuitive result that can confound measurement of half-wave voltage (V
π
) in TFLN modulators. We also show that EO relaxation can be slowed by more than 104-fold through control of the LN-metal interface and annealing, offering progress toward lifetime-stable EO biasing. Such robust EO biasing would enable applications for TFLN devices where cross-talk, power, and bias bandwidth are critical, such as quantum devices, high-density integrated photonics, and communications.
Ultrasensitive fiber sensor with enhanced Vernier effect for simultaneous measurements of transverse load and temperature
Authors: Li Yongjie , Lu Dunke , Li Jiewen , Huang Shihong , Fang Xiaohui
Published: December 2023

Based on enhanced Vernier effect, a compact fiber sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity is proposed for simultaneous transverse load (TL) and temperature measurements. A single mode fiber (SMF) is spliced with a segment of hollow-core fiber (HCF) coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), some PDMS is injected into the HCF, forming a Vernier sensor with an air cavity adjacent to a PDMS cavity. It is shown that TL and temperature changes give rise to opposite and remarkable different variations in lengths of the two cavities, thereby enhancing Vernier effect and in favor of simultaneous measurements of TL and temperature. Moreover, the limited sensitivity magnification due to the length mismatch between the two cavities is compensated for by reconstructing the Vernier envelope with a broadened free spectrum range (FSR) from output signal. As a result, the highest TL sensitivity reported so far of −2637.47 nm/N and a good condition number of 69.056 for the sensitivity coefficient matrix have been achieved.
Experimental investigation on the internal stress of bismuth-doped fiber and its effect on the noise figure of Bismuth-doped fiber amplifier
Authors: Wang Dingchen , Pei Li , Zheng Jingjing , Wang Jianshuai , Wang Chao , He Qian , Li Jing , Ning Tigang
Published: December 2023

The noise figure (NF) of a fiber amplifier is one of the key measures of amplification performance, which characterizes the quality of the amplified signal. Residual stresses are inevitably generated during the manufacturing process of optical fibers, and this can lead to changes in the refractive index (RI) distribution of the fiber. Further, the change in RI distribution causes the mode-field characteristics of the fiber to change as well, and this ultimately has an impact on the NF performance of the amplifier. However, until now, there have been fewer studies on the effect of residual stress on the NF of the fiber amplifiers. In this work, we took a commercial single-mode bismuth-doped fiber (BDF) as an example and used a self-developed stress test device to measure its residual stress and refractive index distribution and compare it with that of a passive fiber. We also comprehensively compared the distribution of residual stress and refractive index of the fiber at different pump powers and pump wavelengths. Finally, we performed numerical simulations of the bismuth-doped fiber amplifier (BDFA) based on the BDF under the theoretical mode field area and BDF after the expansion of the mode field area due to stresses to compare the NF performance. The results demonstrate that: the entire cross-section (core and cladding) of the BDF exhibits tensile stress (>0 MPa), where the residual stress at the core of the BDF is nearly 9.8 MPa higher than that of the passive fiber; The residual stress makes the mode-field area of the BDF expand by 26.7% compared with the theoretical values, which ultimately makes the NF of the BDFA rise from 4.6 dB to 4.7 dB; The stress at the BDF core is exacerbated by pump excitation, where it is elevated by about 26% and 5% compared to vacancy at 1240 nm and 1310 nm pumps, which is most likely attributed to thermal effects. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effect of residual stresses in the fabrication of optical fibers to better achieve the radius of the expected indicators. This work contributes to the better development of O-band BDFAs, especially for pre-simulation of the actual performance of BDFAs with a practical reference.
Underwater optical signal detection system using diffuser-based lensless imaging
Authors: Huang Yinuo , Krishnan Gokul , Goswami Saurabh , Javidi Bahram
Published: December 2023

We propose a diffuser-based lensless underwater optical signal detection system. The system consists of a lensless one-dimensional (1D) camera array equipped with random phase modulators for signal acquisition and one-dimensional integral imaging convolutional neural network (1DInImCNN) for signal classification. During the acquisition process, the encoded signal transmitted by a light-emitting diode passes through a turbid medium as well as partial occlusion. The 1D diffuser-based lensless camera array is used to capture the transmitted information. The captured pseudorandom patterns are then classified through the 1DInImCNN to output the desired signal. We compared our proposed underwater lensless optical signal detection system with an equivalent lens-based underwater optical signal detection system in terms of detection performance and computational cost. The results show that the former outperforms the latter. Moreover, we use dimensionality reduction on the lensless pattern and study their theoretical computational costs and detection performance. The results show that the detection performance of lensless systems does not suffer appreciably. This makes lensless systems a great candidate for low-cost compressive underwater optical imaging and signal detection.
Double aerial image sights-assisted arm-shooter device and its application
Authors: Ogata Yoichi
Published: December 2023

A novel arm-equipped material ejection device with functionality as optical aerial imaging sights
has been fabricated. To date, the technique for aerial imaging using a retroreflector plate has been
reported in various studies. However, limited literature is available on the interlocking between the
obtained aerial images and the motion mechanism device. If such a device function is established,
an innovative model in the field of human-machine interface (HMI) can be finalized. In this work, I
have created an ultimate system combining an aerial imaging device with a shooting device, as part of
HMI research. In particular, by recommending aerial images as sights, I have fabricated a new type
of arm-equipped material injection device with an interesting function that can change the sight shapes
during triggering.
Eavesdropper localization for quantum and classical channels via nonlinear scattering
Authors: Popp Alexandra , Sedlmeir Florian , Stiller Birgit , Marquardt Christoph
Published: December 2023

Optical fiber networks are part of the important critical infrastructure and known to be prone to eavesdropping attacks. Hence, cryptographic methods have to be used to protect communication. Quantum key distribution (QKD), at its core, offers information theoretical security based on the laws of physics. In deployments, one has to take into account practical security and resilience. The latter includes the localization of a possible eavesdropper after an anomaly has been detected by the QKD system to avoid denial-of-service. Here, we present an approach to eavesdropper location that can be employed in quantum as well as classical channels using stimulated Brillouin scattering. The tight localization of the acoustic wave inside the fiber channel using correlated pump and probe waves allows discovery of the coordinates of a potential threat within centimeters. We demonstrate that our approach outperforms conventional optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) in the task of localizing an evanescent outcoupling of 1% with centimeter precision inside standard optical fibers. The system is furthermore able to clearly distinguish commercially available standard SMF28 from different manufacturers, paving the way for fingerprinted fibers in high-security environments.
Experimental distillation of tripartite quantum steering with an optimal local filtering operation
Authors: Zhang Qian-Xi , Fang Xiao-Xu , Lu He
Published: December 2023

Multipartite Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering admits multipartite entanglement in the presence of uncharacterized verifiers, enabling practical applications in semi-device-independent protocols. Such applications generally require stronger steerability, while the unavoidable noise weakens steerability and consequently degrades the performance of quantum information processing. Here, we propose the local filtering operation that can maximally distill genuine tripartite EPR steering from N copies of three-qubit generalized Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states, in the context of two semi-device-independent scenarios. The optimal filtering operation is determined by the maximization of assemblage fidelity. Analytical and numerical results indicate the advantage of the proposed filtering operation when N is finite and the steerability of initial assemblages is weak. Experimentally, a proof-of-principle demonstration of two-copy distillation is realized with the optical system. The advantage of the optimal local filtering operation is confirmed by the distilled assemblage in terms of higher assemblage fidelity with perfectly genuine tripartite steerable assemblages, as well as the greater violation of the inequality to witness genuine tripartite steerable assemblages. Our results benefit the distillation of multipartite EPR steering in practice, where the number of copies of initial assemblages is generally finite.
Mathematical modeling of intratumoral immunotherapy yields strategies to improve the treatment outcomes
Authors: Harkos Constantinos , Stylianopoulos Triantafyllos , Jain Rakesh K.
Published: December 2023

Intratumoral injection of immunotherapy aims to maximize its activity within the tumor. However, cytokines are cleared via tumor vessels and escape from the tumor periphery into the host-tissue, reducing efficacy and causing toxicity. Thus, understanding the determinants of the tumor and immune response to intratumoral immunotherapy should lead to better treatment outcomes. In this study, we developed a mechanistic mathematical model to determine the efficacy of intratumorally-injected conjugated-cytokines, accounting for properties of the tumor microenvironment and the conjugated-cytokines. The model explicitly incorporates i) the tumor vascular density and permeability and the tumor hydraulic conductivity, ii) conjugated-cytokines size and binding affinity as well as their clearance via the blood vessels and the surrounding tissue, and iii) immune cells—cancer cells interactions. Model simulations show how the properties of the tumor and of the conjugated-cytokines determine treatment outcomes and how selection of proper parameters can optimize therapy. A high tumor tissue hydraulic permeability allows for the uniform distribution of the cytokines into the tumor, whereas uniform tumor perfusion is required for sufficient access and activation of immune cells. The permeability of the tumor vessels affects the blood clearance of the cytokines and optimal values depend on the size of the conjugates. A size >5 nm in radius was found to be optimal, whereas the binding of conjugates should be high enough to prevent clearance from the tumor into the surrounding tissue. In conclusion, development of strategies to improve vessel perfusion and tissue hydraulic conductivity by reprogramming the microenvironment along with optimal design of conjugated-cytokines can enhance intratumoral immunotherapy.
Public perceptions of Ebola vaccines and confidence in health services to treat Ebola, malaria, and tuberculosis: Findings from a cross-sectional household survey in Uganda, 2020
Authors: Koyuncu Aybüke , Carter Rosalind J. , Musaazi Joseph , Namageyo-Funa Apophia , Carter Victoria M. , Lamorde Mohammed , Prybylski Dimitri , Apondi Rose , Bakyaita Tabley , Boore Amy L. , Homsy Jaco , Brown Vance R. , Kigozi Joanita , Nabaggala Maria Sarah , Nakate Vivian , Nkurunziza Emmanuel , Stowell Daniel F. , Walwema Richard , Olowo Apollo , Jalloh Mohamed F.
Published: December 2023

Uganda used Ebola vaccines as part of its preparedness and response during the 2018–2020 10th Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We evaluated the public’s perceptions of Ebola vaccines and compared their confidence in health services to treat Ebola versus malaria and tuberculosis as part of a survey on Ebola knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) conducted in March 2020. A cross-sectional household survey was implemented in six districts in Uganda using multi-stage cluster sampling to randomly select participants. The districts were purposively selected from districts classified by the government as at high- or low-risk for an EVD outbreak. We describe perceptions of Ebola vaccines and confidence in health services to treat Ebola, tuberculosis, and malaria. Modified Poisson regression modeling was used to identify the demographic correlates of these outcomes. Among 3,485 respondents, 18% were aware of Ebola vaccines. Of those, 92% agreed that the vaccines were needed to prevent Ebola. Participants aged 15–24 years were 4% more likely to perceive such need compared to those 60 years and older (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–1.08). The perceived need was 5% lower among participants with at least some secondary education compared to uneducated participants (aPR 0.95; 0.92–0.99). Overall, 81% of those aware of the vaccines believed that everyone or most people in their community would get vaccinated if offered, and 94% said they would likely get vaccinated if offered. Confidence in health services to treat Ebola was lower compared to treating malaria or tuberculosis (55% versus 93% and 77%, respectively). However, participants from the EVD high-risk districts were 22% more likely to be confident in health services to treat Ebola compared to those in low-risk districts (aPR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.38). Our findings suggest that intent to take an Ebola vaccine during an outbreak was strong, but more work needs to be done to increase public awareness of these vaccines. The public’s high confidence in health services to treat other health threats, such as malaria and tuberculosis, offer building blocks for strengthening their confidence in health services to treat EVD in the event of an outbreak.
A twelve element dual-band MIMO antenna for 5G smartphones
Authors: Abbasi Durria , Aziz Abdul , Aljaloud Khaled , T. Aladadi Yosef , Chishti Abdul Rehman , I. Alhuwaimel Saad , Hussain Niamat , Hussain Rifaqat
Published: December 2023

In this paper, a 12x12 dual-band MIMO antenna for 5G smartphones is proposed. It operates in the sub 6 GHz (2.4GHz and 3.5GHz) frequency bands. The MIMO antenna elements are printed on an FR4 epoxy substrate that has a thickness of 0.8mm. The main substrate measures 150 × 75 × 0.8 mm3, while the side substrates have dimensions of 75 × 6 × 0.8mm3. The twelve dual-band antenna elements are compact in size. Each antenna element size is reduced significantly, which is 11.20 × 5.98 mm2(0.0896λ × 0.04784λ). These antenna elments are arranged in such a way that the MIMO antenna not only provides polarization diversity but also helps in achieving good performance in terms of isolation, which is more than 13.5 dB between two adjacent antenna elements. Another significance of the proposed antenna is that both the frequency bands can be tuned independently by varying the corresponding length of each arm. The performance parameters like efficiency is around 40-56% for the lower band and it is 48-62% for the upper band. The envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) is below 0.04 in both frequency bands for the proposed dual band MIMO antenna.
Inhibitory control and its modification in spider phobia – Study protocol for an antisaccade training trial
Authors: Hildebrand Anne Sophie , Breuer Fabian , Leehr Elisabeth Johanna , Finke Johannes B. , Bucher Leandra , Klucken Tim , Dannlowski Udo , Roesmann Kati
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Inhibitory control deficits are considered a key pathogenic factor in anxiety disorders. To assess inhibitory control, the antisaccade task is a well-established measure that assesses antisaccade performance via latencies and error rates. The present study follows three aims: (1) to investigate inhibitory control via antisaccade latencies and errors in an antisaccade task, and their associations with multiple measures of fear in patients with spider phobia (SP) versus healthy controls (HC), (2) to investigate the modifiability of antisaccade performance via a fear-specific antisaccade training in patients with SP and HC, and (3) to explore associations between putative training-induced changes in antisaccade performance in SPs and changes in diverse measures of fear.

Methods

Towards aim 1, we assess antisaccade latencies (primary outcome) and error rates (secondary outcome) in an emotional antisaccade task. Further, the baseline assessment includes assessments of psychophysiological, behavioral, and psychometric indices of fear in patients with SP and HCs. To address aim 2, we compare effects of a fear-specific antisaccade training with effects of a prosaccade training as a control condition. The primary and secondary outcomes are reassessed at a post-1-assessment in both SPs and HCs. Aim 3 employs a cross-over design and is piloted in patients with SP, only. Towards this aim, primary and secondary outcomes, as well as psychophysiological, behavioral, and psychometric measures of fear are reassessed at a post-2-assessment after the second training block.

Conclusion

This study aims to better understand inhibitory control processes and their modifiability in spider phobia. If successful, antisaccade training may assist in the treatment of specific phobia by directly targeting the putative underlying inhibitory control deficits. This study has been preregistered with ISRCTN (ID: ISRCTN12918583) on 28th February 2022.
U.S. nursing home leadership experiences with COVID-19 and its impact on residents and staff: A qualitative analysis
Authors: Dubé Catherine E. , Nielsen Natalia , McPhillips Emily , Lee Hargraves J. , Cosenza Carol , Jesdale Bill , Lapane Kate L.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To explore experiences of U.S. (United States) nursing home leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in their efforts to address resident loneliness and social isolation and to elicit stories about personal and professional impacts on themselves and staff.

Design

Qualitative inquiry via three optional open-ended questions appended to a national self-administered survey of American nursing home leaders was employed. Textual data was analyzed using an iterative reflexive thematic approach.

Setting and participants

A stratified sample frame defined by facility size (beds: 30–99, 100+) and quality ratings (1, 2–4, 5) was employed. Web survey links and paper surveys were sent to 1,676 nursing home directors of nursing between February and May 2022.

Results

Open text responses were collected from 271 nursing homes. Broad themes included: 1) Addressing needs of residents & families; 2) Challenges; and 3) Personal experiences of nursing home leadership/staff. Respondents described trauma to residents, staff, and leadership. Resident loneliness was addressed using existing and newer technologies and innovative indoor and outdoor activities. Residents experienced fear, illness, loss, and sometimes death. Isolation from family and lack of touch were particularly difficult. Regulations were seen as punitive while ignoring emotional needs of residents. Staffing challenges and pressures to do more with less created additional stress. Leadership and staff made significant sacrifices resulting in physical, social, and emotional consequences. Beneficial outcomes included staff bonding, professional growth, and permanent implementation of new interventions.

Conclusions and implications

New and creative interventions were successfully implemented to address social isolation and loneliness. Improved Wi-Fi and other nursing home infrastructure upgrades are needed to maintain them. Reimagining often conflicting overlapping federal, state, and local regulations, grounding them in good clinical judgement, and incentivizing performance improvement should be considered. Trauma experienced by staff needs to be addressed to deal with current and future workforce needs.
Effect of isokinetic eccentric training on the human shoulder strength, flexibility, and muscle architecture in physically active men: A preliminary study
Authors: Vetter Sebastian , Hepp Pierre , Schleichardt Axel , Schleifenbaum Stefan , Witt Maren , Roth Christian , Köhler Hans-Peter
Published: December 2023

Strengthening the rotator cuff muscles is important for injury prevention and rehabilitation. Since muscle fascicle length improves motor performance and is suggested to reduce the risk of injury for the hamstring, it may be an important variable to promote multidirectional changes in the function and macroscopic structure for the shoulder. Recent literature reviews overwhelmingly suggest that eccentric exercises improve fascicle length and functional measures for the lower limb. However, there is a research gap for the shoulder. Since ultrasound imaging is the most commonly used imaging technique to quantify muscle structure, but has yielded heterogeneous results in different studies, there is another issue and a research gap for the imaging method. Based on the research gaps, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of standardized eccentric strength training on the function and structure of the external rotator cuff muscles using an isokinetic dynamometer and MRI. Therefore, a preliminary pre-post intervention study was conducted and 16 physically active men were recruited in October 2021. For the right shoulder, an eccentric isokinetic training was performed twice a week for almost six weeks. The primary outcome measures (external rotators) were active and passive range of motion, eccentric and concentric torque at 30, 60, and 180°/s isokinetic speed, and fascicle length and fascicle volume for the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. The findings show a training effect for the absolute mean values of eccentric strength (+24%, p = .008). The torque-angle relationship increased, especially in the final phase of range of motion, although a 4% (p = .002) decrease in passive range of motion was found in the stretch test. Positive changes in muscle structure were shown for the supraspinatus muscle fascicle length (+16%, p = .003) and fascicle volume (+19%, p = .002). Based on the study results, we can conclude that eccentric isokinetic training has a significant positive effect on the shoulder. To our knowledge, this is the first eccentric training study using both isokinetic dynamometer and muscle diffusion tensor imaging to access functional and structural changes in the human shoulder rotator cuff muscles. The methods were shown to be applicable for interventional studies. Based on these results, populations such as high-performance handball players with highly trained shoulders should be included in future studies.
Associations between specialty care and improved outcomes among patients with diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Liu Yingzhou , Yu Menggang , LaMantia Jamie N. , Mason Lobo Jennifer , Boutilier Justin J. , Liu Yao , Brennan Meghan B.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Specialty care may improve diabetic foot ulcer outcomes. Medically underserved populations receive less specialty care. We aimed to determine the association between specialty care and ulcer progression, major amputation, or death. If a beneficial association is found, increasing access to specialty care might help advance health equity.

Research design and methods

We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of Wisconsin and Illinois Medicare patients with diabetic foot ulcers (n = 55,409), stratified by ulcer severity (i.e., early stage, osteomyelitis, or gangrene). Within each stratum, we constructed Kaplan-Meier curves for event-free survival, defining events as: ulcer progression, major amputation, or death. Patients were grouped based on whether they received specialty care from at least one of six disciplines: endocrinology, infectious disease, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, podiatry, and vascular surgery. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models estimated the association between specialty care and event-free survival, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities, and stratifying on ulcer severity.

Results

Patients who received specialty care had longer event-free survival compared to those who did not (log-rank p<0.001 for all ulcer severity strata). After adjusting, receipt of specialty care, compared to never, remained associated with improved outcomes for all ulcer severities (early stage adjusted hazard ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.33–0.35, p<0.001; osteomyelitis aHR 0.22, 95% CI 0.20–0.23, p<0.001; gangrene aHR 0.22, 95% CI 0.20–0.24, p<0.001).

Conclusions

Specialty care was associated with longer event-free survivals for patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Increased, equitable access to specialty care might improve diabetic foot ulcer outcomes and disparities.
Modified combined short and long axis method versus oblique axis method in adult patients undergoing right internal jugular vein cannulation: A randomized controlled non-inferiority study
Authors: Tang Jia-Xi , Wang Ling , Ouyang Ju , Tang Xixi , Liu Mengxiao , Liu Hongliang , Xu Fang
Published: December 2023

Background

Modified combined short and long axis method (MCSL) can replace oblique axis in-plane method (OA-IP) for internal jugular vein cannulation (IJVC). This randomized, non-inferiority study estimated the efficacy of MCSL compared with OA-IP in right IJVC.

Methods

Patients (18–75 yr. old) undergoing right IJVC under local anesthesia were randomly assigned to MCSL or OA-IP group. The primary outcome is the event of first needle pass without posterior vessel wall puncture (PVWP). Secondary outcomes included needle attempts, success rate, puncture and cannulation time, needle visualization, probe placement difficulty and complications.

Results

Among 190 randomized patients, 187 were involved in the analysis. The first needle pass without PVWP was 85(89.47%) in the MCSL and 81 (85.26%) in the OA-IP (p = 0.382), with a mean rate difference of 4.2% (95% confidence interval: -5.2–13.6), which confirmed the non-inferiority with the margin of -8%. MCSL group exhibited shorter procedure time and lower complications than OA-IP group. No significant differences were discovered between groups in needle attempts, success rate, incidence of probe placement difficulty and needle visualization.

Conclusions

MCSL is non-inferior to OA-IP in first needle pass without PVWP in adults who underwent elective right IJVC and associate with less complications and shorter operating time.

Clinical trial registration

ChiCTR,ChiCTR2100046899.