bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Qualitative and quantitative assessment of sperm miRNAs identifies hsa-miR-9-3p, hsa-miR-30b-5p and hsa-miR-122-5p as potential biomarkers of male infertility and sperm quality
Authors: Joshi Meghali , Andrabi Syed Waseem , Yadav Ranjeet Kumar , Sankhwar Satya Narayan , Gupta Gopal , Rajender Singh
Published: August 2022

Background

In contrast with the preceding stages of the germ cells, spermatozoa are unusually rich in small non-coding RNAs in comparison to the coding RNAs. These small RNAs may have had an essential role in the process of spermatogenesis or may have critical roles in the post-fertilization development. Sporadic efforts have identified a few differentially expressed miRNAs in infertile individuals, which do not replicate in other studies.

Methods

In order to identify miRNAs signatures of infertility or poor sperm quality, we compared miRNA differential expression data across nine datasets, followed by their analysis by real-time PCR in a case–control study. This was followed by the validation of potential biomarkers in yet another set of cases and controls. For this, total RNA was isolated from 161 sperm samples. miRNA expression levels in infertile cases and fertile controls were measured using TaqMan real-time PCR. Meta-analyses of two miRNAs (hsa-miR-9-3p and hsa-miR-122-5p) were performed using Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis Software (version 2). All statistical analyses were performed with the help of GraphPad Prism Software (version 8).

Results

Literature search identified seven miRNAs (hsa-let-7a-5p, hsa-miR-9-3p, hsa-miR-22-5p, has-miR-30b-5p, hsa-miR-103-3p, hsa-miR-122-5p and hsa-miR-335-5p) showing consistent dysregulation in infertility across a minimum of four studies. In the discovery phase, six miRNAs showed strong association with infertility with four (hsa-miR-9-3p, hsa-miR-30b-5p, hsa-miR-103-3p and hsa-miR-122-5p) showing consistent differential regulation across all sub-groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under curve of > 0.75 was achieved by three (hsa-mir-9-3p, hsa-miR-30b-5p and hsa-miR-122-5p) miRNAs. In the validation phase, these three miRNAs showed consistent association with infertility (hsa-mir-9-3p, hsa-miR-30b-5p, and hsa-miR-122-5p). Meta-analysis on hsa-miR-122-5p showed its significant quantitative association with infertility [Hedge’s g = -2.428, p = 0.001 (Random effects)].

Conclusions

Three miRNAs (hsa-miR-9-3p, hsa-miR-30b-5p and hsa-miR-122-5p) have strong linkage with infertility and a high potential as sperm quality biomarkers.
Hyperphosphorylated tau mediates neuronal death by inducing necroptosis and inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Dong Yue , Yu Hanqiao , Li Xueqi , Bian Kelong , Zheng Yayuan , Dai Mingrui , Feng Xuejian , Sun Yao , He Yu , Yu Bin , Zhang Haihong , Wu Jiaxin , Yu Xianghui , Wu Hui , Kong Wei
Published: August 2022

Background

Progressive neuronal death is the key pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuronal death in AD patients have not been fully elucidated. Necroptosis reportedly activates and induces neuronal death in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, the main mediators and mechanisms underlying necroptosis induction in AD remain elusive.

Methods

The function of hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) in inducing necroptosis in neuronal cell was examined using Western blotting, RT-PCR and flow cytometry. Tau-induced inflammation was identified via RNA sequencing and transwell assay. Pharmacological methods and CRISPR–Cas9 technology were used to verify the role of necrosome proteins in pTau-stimulated neuronal death and inflammation. TauP301S model mice were treated with Nec-1 s to evaluate the role of necroptosis in tau pathology.

Results

Hyperphosphorylated tau could induce necroptosis in neuronal cells by promoting the formation of the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL necrosome. In addition, pTau significantly stimulated cell-autonomous overexpression of cytokines and chemokines via the intracellular nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Importantly, the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL axis was essential for the pTau-mediated NF-κB activation and cytokine storm. Furthermore, necroptosis stimulation, NF-κB activation, and cytokine induction have been detected in TauP301S mice and blocking necroptosis markedly ameliorated behavioral defects and excessive neuroinflammation in AD mice.

Conclusions

Our study, for the first time, revealed that pTau contributes to neuronal death by inducing necroptosis and inflammation, mediated by activating the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL and NF-κB pathways, thereby delineating the hierarchical molecular network of neuronal necroptosis induction in AD.
Evaluation of anti-Müllerian hormone in pre-menopausal women stratified according to thyroid function, autoimmunity and age
Authors: Giusti Massimo , Mittica Miranda
Published: August 2022

Background

AMH is a reliable index of ovarian reserve. It is not clear whether, or how much, thyroid function and/or thyroid autoimmunity can impair ovarian function and AMH secretion in the long term.

Aim

This retrospective cross-sectional study compared AMH levels in pre-menopausal women with/without positive thyroid autoimmunity or hypofunction.

Methods

From January 2019 to May 2022, AMH was evaluated in 250 pre-menopausal women not undergoing assisted fertility procedures who were referred to a secondary endocrine centre. Thyroid function and autoimmunity, sonographically measured thyroid volume, FSH and E2 in the early follicular phase, and PRL and progesterone in the luteal phase were also evaluated. Exclusion criteria were: age < 18 years, genetic hypogonadism, pregnancy and previous treatments that have potentially damaging effects on gonads.

Results

We evaluated 171 women (mean age ± SD: 31.5 ± 9.0 years) off L-T4 treatment and 79 women on L-T4 treatment (39.7 ± 9.5 years; P < 0.001). AMH (median, IQR, CI) was 16.1 pmol/l (7.1 – 35.7 pmol/l, 21.4 – 29.9 pmol/l) and 7.6 pmol/l (1.4 – 17.8 pmol/l, 8.6 – 14.7 pmol/l; P < 0.001), respectively. When the women were stratified according to age (18-25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40, 41-45, > 46 years) no significant difference emerged between those on/off L-T4 treatment in groups of the same age-range. In women on- or off-L-T4 treatment, AMH was negatively related with age on univariate and multivariate analyses (P < 0.0001). In both groups, AMH was negatively related to FSH (P < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, AMH was positively related to the age of the mother on spontaneous menopause (P = 0.006) and negatively to thyroid volume (P = 0.02) in women on L-T4. AMH levels were significantly (P = 0.03) higher in TPOAb-negative than in TPOAb-positive women, but age was significantly (P = 0.001) lower in TPOAb-negative than in TPOAb-positive women.

Conclusions

In our cohort of women, age proved to be a better predictor of AMH levels than any of the other factors linked to thyroid function and autoimmunity. Our data do not support the hypothesis that subclinical hypothyroidism and/or autoimmunity are associated with decreased ovarian reserve. However, a larger number of cases is needed in order to obtain conclusive data.
Interviews with primary care physicians identify unmet transition needs after ICU
Authors: Hauschildt Katrina E. , Hechtman Rachel K. , Prescott Hallie C. , Cagino Leigh M. , Iwashyna Theodore J.
Published: August 2022

Aim

We sought to explore unmet needs in transitions of care for critical illness survivors that concern primary care physicians.

Findings

Semi-structured interviews with primary care physicians identified three categories of concerns about unmet transition needs after patients’ ICU stays: patients’ understanding of their ICU stay and potential complications, treatments or support needs not covered by insurance, and starting and maintaining needed rehabilitation and assistance across transitions of care.

Conclusion

Given current constraints of access to coordinated post-ICU care, efforts to identify and address the post-hospitalization needs of critical illness survivors may be improved through coordinated work across the health system.
Face Your Fears: Virtual reality-based cognitive behavioral therapy (VR-CBT) versus standard CBT for paranoid ideations in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Jeppesen U. N. , Due A. S. , Mariegaard L. , Pinkham A. , Vos M. , Veling W. , Nordentoft M. , Glenthøj L. B.
Published: August 2022

Background

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders cause suffering for patients, relatives, and the surrounding society. Paranoid ideations, encompassing ideas of social reference and manifest persecutory delusions, are among the most frequent symptoms in this population and a cause of significant distress. Recent meta-analyses of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for psychosis show small to moderate effect sizes in reducing paranoid ideations. Virtual reality-based CBT (VR-CBT) could improve therapy efficacy as exposure and behavioral experiments in VR can be optimized, individualized, and carried out in a safe environment. Few VR-CBT studies exist for paranoid ideations and there is a need for large-scale, methodologically rigorous trials.

Methods

This study is a randomized, assessor-blinded parallel-groups multi-center superiority clinical trial, fulfilling the CONSORT criteria for non-pharmacological treatment. A total of 256 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder, including schizotypal disorder (ICD-10 F20-29), will be allocated to either 10 sessions of symptom-specific CBT-VR plus treatment as usual—versus 10 sessions of standard symptom-specific CBT for paranoid ideations (CBT) plus treatment as usual. All participants will be assessed at baseline, treatment end (3 months post baseline), and then 9 months post baseline. A stratified block-randomization with concealed randomization sequence will be conducted. Independent assessors blinded to the treatment will evaluate the outcome. Analysis of outcome will be carried out with the intention to treat principles.

The primary outcome is ideas of social reference measured with Green Paranoid Thought Scale Part A (GPTS-A) at the cessation of treatment at 3 months post baseline. Secondary outcomes are ideas of persecution (GPTS-B), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP), Safety Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ), and CANTAB Emotion Recognition Task.

Discussion

The trial will elucidate whether VR-CBT can enhance therapy efficacy for paranoid ideations. Additionally, Trial findings will provide evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of VR-CBT for paranoid ideations that can guide the possible dissemination and implementation into clinical practice.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.govNCT04902066. Initial release April 9th, 2021.
Study protocol for a pragmatic cluster RCT on the effect and cost-effectiveness of Everyday Life Rehabilitation versus treatment as usual for persons with severe psychiatric disability living in sheltered or supported housing facilities
Authors: Lindström Maria , Lindholm Lars , Liv Per
Published: August 2022

Background

People with severe psychiatric disabilities and impaired autonomy, living in sheltered or supported housing facilities, often lead sedentary, solitary lives indoors and have significantly poorer health than others in the population. Meaningful everyday activities are important for the recovery towards an enrichening, agentic, social, and hopeful everyday life. The Everyday Life Rehabilitation (ELR) model—a person-centred activity- and recovery-oriented intervention—has shown positive outcomes in feasibility studies, and thus a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is required to establish the effectiveness of ELR, along with calculations of cost-effectiveness.

Methods

The ELR-RCT is a pragmatic, two-parallel-armed cluster RCT evaluating the effect and cost-effectiveness of using ELR from two measurement points over 6 months (pre-post intervention) and in three waves over 3 years. The primary outcome is recovering quality of life (ReQoL) at 6 months, and the secondary outcome is self-perceived recovery and daily functioning (RAS-DS) at 6 months. Additionally, Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) will be used for the intervention group. Power analysis has been conducted for primary outcome measure. The first wave will include an internal pilot, to be evaluated after 6 months, used as basis for decisions on updating the required sample size and any other need for adaptations before continuing with the full-scale RCT in the second and third wave. All municipalities within a geographic area in northern Sweden, with a minimum of one sheltered or supported housing facility for people with severe psychiatric or neuropsychiatric disability, including access to occupational therapy, will be enrolled. Participants will be block-randomised to receive ELR plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone for a control period. The control group will thereafter receive delayed ELR. Occupational therapists and housing staff will receive an educational package, manuals, and tools, as well as reflections with colleagues during the intervention period. Housing managers will receive questions for monthly follow-up and coaching with staff.

Discussion

This is a protocol for both an internal pilot and full trial of the first RCT study using the ELR intervention model in sheltered or supported housing facilities, evaluating the effects together with cost-effectiveness.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05056415. Registered on 24 September 2021.
Prolonged FOS activity disrupts a global myogenic transcriptional program by altering 3D chromatin architecture in primary muscle progenitor cells
Authors: Barutcu A. Rasim , Elizalde Gabriel , Gonzalez Alfredo E. , Soni Kartik , Rinn John L. , Wagers Amy J. , Almada Albert E.
Published: August 2022

Background

The AP-1 transcription factor, FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene (FOS), is induced in adult muscle satellite cells (SCs) within hours following muscle damage and is required for effective stem cell activation and muscle repair. However, why FOS is rapidly downregulated before SCs enter cell cycle as progenitor cells (i.e., transiently expressed) remains unclear. Further, whether boosting FOS levels in the proliferating progeny of SCs can enhance their myogenic properties needs further evaluation.

Methods

We established an inducible, FOS expression system to evaluate the impact of persistent FOS activity in muscle progenitor cells ex vivo. We performed various assays to measure cellular proliferation and differentiation, as well as uncover changes in RNA levels and three-dimensional (3D) chromatin interactions.

Results

Persistent FOS activity in primary muscle progenitor cells severely antagonizes their ability to differentiate and form myotubes within the first 2 weeks in culture. RNA-seq analysis revealed that ectopic FOS activity in muscle progenitor cells suppressed a global pro-myogenic transcriptional program, while activating a stress-induced, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) transcriptional signature. Additionally, we observed various FOS-dependent, chromosomal re-organization events in A/B compartments, topologically associated domains (TADs), and genomic loops near FOS-regulated genes.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that elevated FOS activity in recently activated muscle progenitor cells perturbs cellular differentiation by altering the 3D chromosome organization near critical pro-myogenic genes. This work highlights the crucial importance of tightly controlling FOS expression in the muscle lineage and suggests that in states of chronic stress or disease, persistent FOS activity in muscle precursor cells may disrupt the muscle-forming process.
Possible limits of calibrating reading charts with the Landolt ring: a microscopic study
Authors: Radner Wolfgang , Radner Michael , Daxer Barbara , Ettl Armin
Published: August 2022

Purpose

To evaluate microscopically whether the print quality and accuracy of sizing of Landolt ring near vision charts are adequate for the calibration of reading charts.

Methods

Near vision charts with Landolt rings from Oculus GmbH (C-Test; Wetzlar, Germany), Precision Vision (Woodstock, IL) and the RADNER Charts were examined, as well as custom-made Landolt rings optimized for print quality. Microscopic investigations and measurements were performed by using a Huvitz HSZ 600 stereomicroscope (Nikon NIS Elements software) to evaluate the height of the Landolt rings, the thickness of the lines, and the width of the openings. The deviations from the mathematically correct values, which were calculated as given in the EN/ISO 8596 and by the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), were analyzed (calculated for a test distance of 40 cm).

Results

All the near vision charts showed notable deficiencies in print quality and aberrations from the nominal values in the height, thickness of the lines, and width of the openings. The openings were too narrow, whereas the height and thickness of the lines were larger than the nominal values. Even the openings of Landolt rings optimized for print quality were not always within an acceptable 5% tolerance and need further improvement.

Conclusion

This study reports inaccuracies in the heights, thicknesses of the lines, and widths of the openings of Landolt rings in all the near vision charts investigated. The extent of these inaccuracies excludes such near vision charts as reference tests for the calibration of reading charts. The x-height in relation to the visual angle still seems to be the most reliable method for standardizing the print sizes for reading charts.
Prevalence and factors associated with stunting among children aged 6–59 months in Kabale district, Uganda
Authors: Kasajja Musa , Nabiwemba Elizabeth , Wamani Henry , Kamukama Saul
Published: August 2022

Background

Despite of the global efforts undertaken to improve nutrition, malnutrition still continues to be a serious public health concern. Malnutrition in its various forms has been closely associated to major causes of illness, disability and death. Malnutrition in the form of childhood stunting has therefore been identified as a significant hindrance to human development. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of children aged 6–59 months and determine factors associated with a high prevalence of stunting (48%) among children in Kabale district.

Methodology

A cross sectional study was conducted among 640 children, aged 6–59 months selected using both simple random and systematic random sampling techniques. Interview administered questionnaires were used to collect household data whereas anthropometric data was collected using height boards, digital weighing scales and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Tapes. Nutrition status data was analyzed using ENA for SMART, 2011 and then exported to STATA version 12.0 for further analysis.

Results

The overall prevalence of stunting among children 6–59 months was 41.1%. Factors independently associated with stunting included; age of the child (children in the age category of 36-47 months APOR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.18–0.79 and those in the age category of 24-35 months APOR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.19–0.88), major source of food for the household that is children from households in which mothers indicated market as the major source of food (APOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.48–0.94) and disposal of child stool that is children whose stool was put/ rinsed in a latrine (APOR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.23–0.74) as well as those that whose stool was thrown in garbage (APOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12–0.72).

Conclusion

The prevalence of stunting among children aged 6–59 months in Kabale district was high. Practices/ factors independently associated with stunting among children aged 6–59 months included; age of the child, major source of food for the household and disposal of child stool. Addressing these factors requires a proper mix of both community and health based interventions. There is also need to strengthen on strategies for reducing stunting like; sanitation and hygiene as well as food and nutrition security within rural households.
A case of COVID-19 vaccination during radiotherapy for breast cancer
Authors: Takahashi Noriyoshi , Takeda Kazuya , Suzuki Yu , Kishida Keita , Teramura Satoshi , Jingu Keiichi
Published: August 2022

Background

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccination has been progressing. The safety of vaccination during radiotherapy is not clear.

Case presentation

We experienced a patient who received a COVID-19 vaccine during radiotherapy. A 60-year-old woman with breast cancer underwent postoperative radiotherapy. She received two vaccine doses and she suffered from severe vertigo. Her radiotherapy was suspended for several days and the radiotherapy schedule needed to be changed.

Conclusions

The association between vertigo and vaccination during radiotherapy is not clear. However, if the general condition of patients worsens, suspension of treatment might be necessary. Therefore, attention should be given to COVID-19 vaccination during radiotherapy.
Recent advancements in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass technology for better outcomes of pediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Saleem Yasir , Darbari Anshuman , Sharma Rahul , Vashisth Amit , Gupta Anish
Published: August 2022

Background

Pediatric cardiac surgery is in itself very enigmatic and individualized. Presently, there has been a slew of new developments aimed primarily toward pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass for safer, patient-centered pediatric cardiac surgery. Still, lot of technological challenges need to be resolved, and their safer application in pediatric and neonate patients requires further refinement.

Main body of the abstract

Considering various significant yet unresolved issues of pediatric cardiac bypass, an exhaustive literature search was done on various internet databases with standard keywords. There are various new recent improvements; as the first oxygenator explicitly designed for neonatal patients; pediatric oxygenators with low prime volumes and surface areas that allow flows up to 2 L/min; pediatric oxygenators with integrated arterial filters; and miniature ultrafiltration devices that allow for high rates of ultrafiltrate removal. These advancements can significantly reduce cardiopulmonary bypass circuit surface areas and prime volumes. These advancements could reduce or eliminate the requirement for homologous red blood cells during or after surgery with reduction or eliminate bypass-related hemodilution, and inflammation. Because of the immaturity of the neonatal hemostatic system, conventional coagulation tests alone are insufficient to guide neonatal hemostatic therapy. Myocardial preservation techniques, safe temperature with duration are still debatable and yet to be fully explored.

Short conclusion

This review is based on Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence guidelines to provide a framework for reporting new knowledge to find better management strategy for pediatric cardiac cases.
Backgrounds and Trainings in Cannabis Therapeutics of Dispensary Personnel
Authors: Braun Ilana M. , Nayak Manan M. , Roberts Jane E. , Chai Peter R. , Tulsky James A. , Abrams Donald I. , Pirl William
Published: August 2022

PURPOSE:

A growing body of scientific research indicates that oncology teams tend to offer individuals with cancer little clinical advice regarding medicinal cannabis (MC) and that individuals with cancer instead turn to cannabis dispensaries for MC guidance. Our objective was to investigate dispensary personnel's backgrounds and trainings in MC advising.

METHODS:

The study design was semistructured interviews across 13 states with cannabis dispensary personnel in managerial or client-facing positions. Of 38 recruited, 26 (68%) completed interview. The primary outcome was training in MC advising. Researchers targeted thematic saturation and adhered to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.

RESULTS:

Of 26 participants, 54% were female, with an average age of 40 (range: 22-64) years. Half worked in client-facing roles; half worked in managerial ones. Study participants endorsed passionate commitment to their profession, often motivated by personal experience with MC therapeutics. Cannabis dispensaries often privileged sales skills over cannabis therapeutics knowledge when hiring, resulting in uneven baseline levels of cannabis therapeutics expertise among staff. Most participants reported workplace cannabis therapeutics training to be unstandardized and weak. They described dispensary personnel as resourceful in pursuing cannabis knowledge, self-financing learning in off-hours, sampling dispensary products, and exchanging knowledge. Nearly half the participants called for quality, standardized cannabis therapeutics training for dispensary personnel.

CONCLUSION:

The many oncology teams who defer to dispensary personnel regarding MC advising rely on a workforce who views themselves as unevenly trained. Further research should include a national survey of cannabis dispensary personnel to learn whether these findings hold true in a larger sample. If so, the oncology community must determine the best approach to clinically advising individuals with cancer about MC.
A Shifting Relationship Between Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin and Total Testosterone Across Puberty in Boys
Authors: Liao Zhijie , Vosberg Daniel E , Pausova Zdenka , Paus Tomas
Published: August 2022

Context

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is associated with levels of total testosterone (total-T), and both total-T and SHBG are associated with obesity.

Objective

We aimed to clarify the nature of the relationship between testosterone and SHBG and improve our understanding of their relationships with obesity. We hypothesize that the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis contributes to the homeostasis of testosterone by increasing the production of gonadal testosterone through a feedback mechanism that might operate differently at different pubertal stages.

Methods

We investigated the dynamics of the relationship between SHBG, total-T, and body mass index (BMI) throughout puberty (from age 9 to 17) using longitudinal data obtained in 507 males. The directionality of this relationship was explored using polygenic scores of SHBG and total-T, and a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) in male adults.

Results

Consistent with our hypothesis, we found positive relationships between SHBG and total-T at age 15 and 17 but either no relationship or a negative relationship during the earlier time points. Such shifting relationships explained age-related changes in the association between total-T and BMI. Polygenic scores of SHBG and total-T in mediation analyses and the two-sample MR in male adults suggested an effect of SHBG on total-T but also a somewhat weaker effect of total-T on SHBG. Two-sample MR also showed an effect of BMI on SHBG but no effect of SHBG on BMI.

Conclusion

These results clarify the nature of the relationship between testosterone and SHBG during puberty and adulthood and shed new light on their possible relationship with obesity.
Adrenal Near-Infrared Autofluorescence
Authors: Rajan Neel , Scoville Steven D , Zhang Tong , Dedhia Priya H , Miller Barbra S , Ringel Matthew D , Limbach Abberly Lott , Phay John E
Published: August 2022

Context

Parathyroid tissue is one of the few tissues to have strong near-infrared (NIR) autofluorescence, which has been exploited to improve intraoperative parathyroid identification. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved 2 devices for this purpose. Adrenal glands can be difficult to distinguish from surrounding fat, an issue during total adrenalectomy.

Objective

We hypothesized adrenal tissue may also possess considerable NIR autofluorescence.

Methods

Resected patient adrenal specimens were examined after robotic adrenalectomy with an NIR camera intraoperatively. Patients did not receive fluorescent dye. Images were taken of both gross and sectioned specimens. Post hoc image analysis was performed with ImageJ software. Confocal microscopy was performed on selected tissues using immunofluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin staining.

Results

Resected tissue was examined from 22 patients undergoing surgery for pheochromocytomas (6), primary aldosteronism (3), adrenocorticotropin-independent hypercortisolism (10), and a growing or suspicious mass (3). Normal adrenal tissue demonstrated strong NIR autofluorescence. The intensity ratio compared to background (set as 1) for gross images was 2.03 ± 0.51 (P < .0001) compared to adjacent adipose of 1.24 ± 0.18. Autofluorescence from adrenal tumors was also detected at variable levels of intensity. Cortisol-producing tumors had the highest fluorescence ratio of 3.01 ± 0.41. Confocal imaging localized autofluorescence to the cytosol, with the highest intensity in the zona reticularis followed by the zona fasciculata.

Conclusion

Normal and abnormal adrenal tissues possess natural NIR autofluorescence. Highest autofluorescence levels were associated with cortisol-producing tumors. Confocal imaging demonstrated the highest intensity in the zona reticularis. NIR cameras may have the potential to improve identification of adrenal tissue during surgery.
Development and Application of a Model of Personal Competences in Assessment Public Civil Employees
Authors: Bushueva I. , Doronina I. , Fedotova E.
Published: August 2022

The personnel policy of state bodies over the years of administrative reform has become an urgent agenda and a key task to improve the efficiency of public administration as a whole.

The development and improvement of the efficiency of the state civil service is inseparable from the improvement of assessment methods that will improve the quality of personnel work [3]. The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation “On the Approval of the Regulations on the Procedure for Organizing Experiments Aimed at the Development of the Federal State Civil Service” notes the importance of the need to implement in the practice of personnel management of state bodies measures to introduce a system of indicators and criteria for assessing the professional performance of civil servants [2]. In this connection, the relevance of developing a model of personal competencies is increasing, which can be used, among other things, to obtain high-quality information on the performance of public civil servants, assess employees in accordance with regulatory legal acts, as well as select methods for capacity development and placement of personnel that reflect employee strengths.
Formation of Emotional Competence of Customs Officials: Minimization of Personnel Risks
Authors: Kalmykova O. , Trubicyn K. , Konovalova Ol'ga
Published: August 2022

The article analyzes topical issues of increasing the level of emotional competence of officials and heads of customs authorities in order to minimize personnel risks. The purpose of this study is to form practical recommendations for improving the level of emotional competence of managers and officials of customs authorities. The authors of the article carried out an analysis of scien-tific research, the results of which are of practical importance for the process of forming the emotional competence of customs officials. The following methods were used in the study: stress monitoring; methodology for determining the mood of the staff; expert survey; methodology for diagnosing personnel risks; Data En-velopment Analysis (DEA) method; method of analysis of hierarchies. The study identified factors of the organizational environment of the customs authority that affect the efficiency and productivity of customs officials. Tasks of the diagnostic stage of the study: stress-monitoring of the organizational environment of the customs authority; expert survey of respondents on the effectiveness of the pro-posed practical recommendations for the formation of emotional competence of customs officials. The respondents were officials of the customs authority, stu-dents studying in the specialty "Customs", and university professors. The results of expert surveys made it possible to modernize the structure and content of edu-cational and methodological materials of several disciplines that ensure the pro-cess of training customs specialists at the Samara State Technical University. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method was used to confirm the influence of the factors of the organizational environment studied at the diagnostic stage on the efficiency of customs officials. The choice of the most effective method of forming the emotional competence of officials and minimizing personnel risks in the customs authority was carried out using the method of analyzing hierarchies.
Business requests: the readiness of HR systems to respond to the challenges of the time (based on the materials of the Omsk Personnel Forum, 2022)
Authors: Borisova A. , Ryazanceva I.
Published: August 2022

The result of the 17th Omsk Personnel Forum are presented. The main topic of the forum's discussions was the approaches of companies and HR departments to the adjustment of companies under regular changes in the parameters of the external environment. The key problems that HR specialists face while building recruitment and staffing policies are highlighted. The article marks differentiation of the regional labour markets by attractiveness for employment and speed of response to the challenges of economic regulation and policy. The results of monitoring the labor market, describing parameters of correlation of demand and supply of labor, cost of labor are presented. The article offers suggestions about key trends in development of theory and practice of personnel management. The set of trends is due to the change of the employee groups in the labor market and the business's request for preliminary analytical development of management decisions.
Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan. (Fabaceae) na arborização urbana de Monte Carmelo, MG: nova planta hospedeira para Merobruchus paquetae Kingsolver (Col.: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae)
Authors: Bispo Ana Tereza Hesse , Souza Jaqueline da Silva , Boscardin Jardel
Published: August 2022

A espécie Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan. (Fabaceae) é conhecida popularmente como angico-branco e está distribuída naturalmente em Minas Gerais. A espécie possui, entre outras utilidades, potencial para uso no paisagismo e na arborização urbana. Os insetos sitófagos, pertencentes a subfamília Bruchinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), ovipositam em vagens ou sementes de espécies, onde as larvas danificam as sementes ao se alimentarem, podendo interferir na sua germinação. Assim, o presente estudo objetivou identificar a espécie de inseto sitófago em A. colubrina, componente da arborização urbana do município de Monte Carmelo, Minas Gerais (18º44'09''S e 47º29'58''O). Para tanto, em abril de 2018 foram coletadas 100 vagens maduras de duas árvores de angico-branco. Os frutos coletados foram levados ao laboratório e acondicionados em recipientes vedados com tecido do tipo “voil”. Após o período de 30 dias, verificou-se a emergência de oito insetos adultos das vagens. Os insetos foram identificados como Merobruchus paquetae Kingsolver, 1980 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae). Observou-se o consumo de todo o endosperma das sementes pelos insetos e a presença de orifícios de emergência dos adultos nas vagens. Conclui-se que M. paquetae possui A. colubrina, utilizada na arborização urbana, como nova planta hospedeira.
Peak-Load Energy Management by Direct Load Control Contracts
Authors: Fattahi Ali , Dasu Sriram , Ahmadi Reza
Published: August 2022

We study direct load control contracts that utilities use to curtail customers’ electricity consumption during peak-load periods. These contracts place limits on the number of calls and total number of hours of power reduction per customer per year as well as the duration of each call. The stochastic dynamic program that determines how many customers to call and the timing and duration of each call for each day is an extremely difficult (NP-hard) optimization problem. We design a scenario-based approximation method to generate probabilistic allocation polices in a reasonable amount of time. Our approach consists of three approximations: deterministic approximation of demand, discretization of the expected demand, and aggregation/disaggregation of the resources. We show the relative information error resulting from the deterministic approximation is [Formula: see text], the discretization error is [Formula: see text], and the aggregation/disaggregation error is [Formula: see text], where n represents the length of the horizon. Finally, we show the total relative error is [Formula: see text]. Our error analysis establishes that our approximation method is near optimal. In addition, our extensive numerical experiments verify the high quality of our approximation approach. The error, conservatively measured, is quite small and has an average and standard deviation of 8.6% and 1.4%, respectively. We apply our solution approach to the data provided by three major utility companies in California. Overall, our study shows our procedure improves the savings in energy-generation cost by 37.7% relative to current practices.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.

Funding: The authors thank the UCLA Ziman Center’s Howard and Irene Levine Program in Housing and Social Responsibility and the Morrison Family Center for Marketing Studies and Data Analytics for generous funding.

Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4493 .
From ‘debt diplomacy’ to donorship? China’s changing role in global development
Authors: Carmody Pádraig , Zajontz Tim , Reboredo Ricardo
Published: August 2022

Since the mid-1990s the Chinese state and the country’s businesses have significantly increased their activity throughout the Global South. In International Development, China’s impacts on this varied meta-region have generated substantial interest in recent years due to their scale, scope and distinctive nature. Understandably, given the complexity of the subject, most analyses have focused on discrete aspects of Chinese engagement rather than attempting to undertake more comprehensive assessments around its nature and evolution. This article engages this lacuna by identifying the main vectors of China’s engagement in the Global South, and examining their adaptive nature. In particular it identifies the main channels of impact and intersection before focusing on China’s signature foreign economic policy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), to ground the analysis. The article then examines the ways in which China is reconfiguring its foreign economic diplomacy in response to the issue of infrastructure-linked debt – perhaps the most controversial aspect of China’s growing global presence. We demonstrate that the Chinese ‘development’ policy is currently undergoing a substantial reorganisation towards soft power initiatives in response to (geo)political backlashes arising from the previous implementation of the BRI and the risks such loans present to the Chinese economy. We characterise this as an attempt at ‘normalisation’ of China as a ‘donor’, suggesting the power of global public opinion despite the ‘omni-channel politics’ and other power resources the country can bring to bear.
Control of second-harmonic generation in all-dielectric intersubband metasurfaces by controlling the polarity of χ(2)
Authors: Sarma Raktim , Xu Jiaming , Ceglia Domenico de , Carletti Luca , Klem John , Belkin Mikhail A. , Brener Igal
Published: August 2022

All-dielectric metasurfaces have recently led to a paradigm shift in nonlinear optics as they allow for circumventing the phase matching constraints of bulk crystals and offer high nonlinear conversion efficiencies when normalized by the light-matter interaction volume. Unlike bulk crystals, in all-dielectric metasurfaces nonlinear conversion efficiencies primarily rely on the material nonlinearity, field enhancements, and the modal overlaps, therefore most efforts to date have only focused on utilizing these degrees of freedom. In this work, we demonstrate that for second-harmonic generation in all-dielectric metasurfaces, an additional degree of freedom is the control of the polarity of the nonlinear susceptibility. We demonstrate that semiconductor heterostructures that support resonant nonlinearities based on quantum-engineered intersubband transitions provide this new degree of freedom. We can flip and control the polarity of the nonlinear susceptibility of the dielectric medium along the growth direction and couple it to the Mie-type photonic modes. Here we demonstrate that engineering the χ(2) polarity in the meta-atom enables the control of the second-harmonic radiation pattern and conversion efficiency. Our results therefore open a new direction for engineering and optimizing second-harmonic generation using all-dielectric intersubband nonlinear metasurfaces.
Experimental analysis on CPA-free thin-disk multipass amplifiers operated in a helium-rich atmosphere
Authors: Bienert Florian , Loescher André , Röcker Christoph , Graf Thomas , Ahmed Marwan Abdou
Published: August 2022

We present an experimental investigation on the benefits of helium as an atmospheric gas in CPA-free thin-disk multipass amplifiers (TDMPAs) for the amplification to average powers exceeding 1 kW and pulse peak powers reaching 5 GW. Both the performance of the amplifier and the properties of the amplified sub-400 fs laser pulses centred at a wavelength of 1030 nm are compared for different helium concentrations in air, outlining and quantifying the benefits of a helium-rich atmosphere. The amplification of 100 µJ pulses in an atmosphere with 60% helium instead of air led to a maximum increase in efficiency from 24% to 29%. This translated into an increase of average output power and pulse energy of 34 W (i.e +19%) and 0.34 mJ (i.e. +19%) respectively. At the same time an improvement of the beam quality from M2 = 1.18 to M2 = 1.14 was achieved. For the amplification of 10 µJ pulses to over 1 kW of average power an atmosphere with 33% helium led to an improved beam pointing stability by a factor of 2. Moreover, the beam propagation factor M2 improved by 0.1, and the power stability improved by approximately 10%.
Single-frequency fiber laser at 880 nm
Authors: Fu Shijie , Zhu Xiushan , Zong Jie , Li Michael , Chavez-Pirson Arturo , Norwood Robert A. , Peyghambarian Nasser
Published: August 2022

Single-frequency fiber lasers with extremely low noise and narrow spectral linewidth have found many scientific and practical applications. There is great interest in developing single-frequency fiber lasers at new wavelengths. In this paper, we report a single-frequency Nd3+-doped phosphate fiber laser operating at 880 nm, which is the shortest demonstrated wavelength for a single-frequency fiber laser thus far, to the best of our knowledge. An output power of 44.5 mW and a slope efficiency of 20.4% with respect to the absorbed pump power were obtained with a 2.5-cm-long 1 wt.% Nd3+-doped phosphate fiber. Our simulation results show that higher single-frequency laser output can be achieved with 1.5 wt.% or 2 wt.% Nd3+-doped phosphate fiber with mitigated ion clustering.
Dynamic intelligent measurement of multiple chirped signals of different types based on the optical computing STFT and the YOLOv3 neural network
Authors: Huang Can , Xie Xiangzhi , Xu Kun , Dai Yitang
Published: August 2022

We propose a simultaneous measurement system for multiple signals of different types which combines the optical computing short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and You Only Look Once (YOLOv3) neural network. Through the system, the analytical expressions of multiple broadband signals of different types can be obtained in real time with high-frequency resolution. Experimentally, the accuracy of the signal type in the detection results can almost reach 100%. Additionally, the parameter measurement errors for the bandwidth (BW), pulse width (PW), center frequency (CF), and time of arrival (TOA) of each linear frequency-modulated (LFM) or quadratic frequency-modulated (QFM) signal are within ±30 MHz, ±20 ns, ±15 MHz, and ±20 ns, respectively. The frequency resolution can reach 60 MHz. Factors affecting the performance of the measurement system, such as the quantity of the signal and the number of the category, are discussed.
Consistent pattern of epidemic slowing across many geographies led to longer, flatter initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ben-Nun Michal , Riley Pete , Turtle James , Riley Steven
Published: August 2022

To define appropriate planning scenarios for future pandemics of respiratory pathogens, it is important to understand the initial transmission dynamics of COVID-19 during 2020. Here, we fit an age-stratified compartmental model with a flexible underlying transmission term to daily COVID-19 death data from states in the contiguous U.S. and to national and sub-national data from around the world. The daily death data of the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic was qualitatively categorized into one of four main profile types: “spring single-peak”, “summer single-peak”, “spring/summer two-peak” and “broad with shoulder”. We estimated a reproduction number R as a function of calendar time tc and as a function of time since the first death reported in that population (local pandemic time, tp). Contrary to the diversity of categories and range of magnitudes in death incidence profiles, the R(tp) profiles were much more homogeneous. We found that in both the contiguous U.S. and globally, the initial value of both R(tc) and R(tp) was substantial: at or above two. However, during the early months, pandemic time R(tp) decreased exponentially to a value that hovered around one. This decrease was accompanied by a reduction in the variance of R(tp). For calendar time R(tc), the decrease in magnitude was slower and non-exponential, with a smaller reduction in variance. Intriguingly, similar trends of exponential decrease and reduced variance were not observed in raw death data. Our findings suggest that the combination of specific government responses and spontaneous changes in behaviour ensured that transmissibility dropped, rather than remaining constant, during the initial phases of a pandemic. Future pandemic planning scenarios should include models that assume similar decreases in transmissibility, which lead to longer epidemics with lower peaks when compared with models based on constant transmissibility.
Characterizing the variation in chromosome structure ensembles in the context of the nuclear microenvironment
Authors: Das Priyojit , Shen Tongye , McCord Rachel Patton
Published: August 2022

Inside the nucleus, chromosomes are subjected to direct physical interaction between different components, active forces, and thermal noise, leading to the formation of an ensemble of three-dimensional structures. However, it is still not well understood to what extent and how the structural ensemble varies from one chromosome region or cell-type to another. We designed a statistical analysis technique and applied it to single-cell chromosome imaging data to reveal the heterogeneity of individual chromosome structures. By analyzing the resulting structural landscape, we find that the largest dynamic variation is the overall radius of gyration of the chromatin region, followed by domain reorganization within the region. By comparing different human cell-lines and experimental perturbation data using this statistical analysis technique and a network-based similarity quantification approach, we identify both cell-type and condition-specific features of the structural landscapes. We identify a relationship between epigenetic state and the properties of chromosome structure fluctuation and validate this relationship through polymer simulations. Overall, our study suggests that the types of variation in a chromosome structure ensemble are cell-type as well as region-specific and can be attributed to constraints placed on the structure by factors such as variation in epigenetic state.