bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A roadmap for the generation of benchmarking resources for antimicrobial resistance detection using next generation sequencing
Authors: Petrillo Mauro , Fabbri Marco , Kagkli Dafni Maria , Querci Maddalena , Van den Eede Guy , Alm Erik , Aytan-Aktug Derya , Capella-Gutierrez Salvador , Carrillo Catherine , Cestaro Alessandro , Chan Kok-Gan , Coque Teresa , Endrullat Christoph , Gut Ivo , Hammer Paul , Kay Gemma L. , Madec Jean-Yves , Mather Alison E. , McHardy Alice Carolyn , Naas Thierry , Paracchini Valentina , Peter Silke , Pightling Arthur , Raffael Barbara , Rossen John , Ruppé Etienne , Schlaberg Robert , Vanneste Kevin , Weber Lukas M. , Westh Henrik , Angers-Loustau Alexandre
Published: March 2022

Next Generation Sequencing technologies significantly impact the field of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) detection and monitoring, with immediate uses in diagnosis and risk assessment. For this application and in general, considerable challenges remain in demonstrating sufficient trust to act upon the meaningful information produced from raw data, partly because of the reliance on bioinformatics pipelines, which can produce different results and therefore lead to different interpretations. With the constant evolution of the field, it is difficult to identify, harmonise and recommend specific methods for large-scale implementations over time. In this article, we propose to address this challenge through establishing a transparent, performance-based, evaluation approach to provide flexibility in the bioinformatics tools of choice, while demonstrating proficiency in meeting common performance standards. The approach is two-fold: first, a community-driven effort to establish and maintain “live” (dynamic) benchmarking platforms to provide relevant performance metrics, based on different use-cases, that would evolve together with the AMR field; second, agreed and defined datasets to allow the pipelines’ implementation, validation, and quality-control over time. Following previous discussions on the main challenges linked to this approach, we provide concrete recommendations and future steps, related to different aspects of the design of benchmarks, such as the selection and the characteristics of the datasets (quality, choice of pathogens and resistances, etc.), the evaluation criteria of the pipelines, and the way these resources should be deployed in the community.
Targeted Amplicon deep sequencing of ama1 and mdr1 to track within-host P. falciparum diversity throughout treatment in a clinical drug trial
Authors: Wamae Kevin , Ndwiga Leonard , Kharabora Oksana , Kimenyi Kelvin , Osoti Victor , de Laurent Zaydah , Wambua Juliana , Musyoki Jennifer , Ngetsa Caroline , Kalume Peter , Mwambingu Gabriel , Hamaluba Mainga , van der Pluijm Rob , Dondorp Arjen M. , Bailey Jeffrey , Juliano Jonathan , Bejon Philip , Ochola-Oyier Lynette
Published: March 2022

Antimalarial therapeutic efficacy studies are routinely conducted in malaria-endemic countries to assess the effectiveness of antimalarial treatment strategies. Targeted amplicon deep sequencing (TADS) uniquely identifies and quantifies genetically distinct parasites within an infection. In this study, TADS Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (ama1), and multidrug resistance gene 1 (mdr1), were used to characterize the complexity of infection (COI) and drug-resistance genotypes, respectively.

P. falciparum positive samples were obtained from a triple artemisinin combination therapy clinical trial conducted in 30 children under 13 years of age between 2018 and 2019 in Kilifi, Kenya. Of the 30 participants, 9 presented with recurrent parasitemia from day 26 (624h) onwards. The ama1 and mdr1 genes were amplified and sequenced, while msp1, msp2 and glurp data were obtained from the original clinical study.

The COI was comparable between ama1 and msp1, msp2 and glurp, however, overall ama1 detected more haplotypes. Based on ama1, a stable number of haplotypes were detected throughout treatment up until day 3. Additionally, a recrudescent infection was identified with an ama1 haplotype initially observed at 30h and later in an unscheduled follow-up visit. Using the relative frequencies of ama1 haplotypes and parasitaemia, we identified a fast (<1h) and slow (>5h) clearing haplotype. As expected, only two mdr1 haplotypes (NF and NY) were identified based on the combination of amino acid polymorphisms at codons 86 and 184.

This study highlights TADS as a sensitive tool for tracking parasite haplotypes throughout treatment and can detect variation in haplotype clearance estimates. TADS can also identify slow clearing haplotypes, a potential early sign of selection during treatment. Consequently, TADS has the capability of improving the discriminatory power to accurately distinguish recrudescences from reinfections.
Polyfactorial approach in the correction of cognitive impairment in patients with post-Covid syndrome
Authors: Chukhraiev Nikolay , Zukow Walery , Vladimirov Alexander , Samosiuk Nataliia , Chukhraieva Olena
Published: March 2022

The article discusses a multi-level polyfactorial approach in the correction of cognitive impairment in patients with post-Covid syndrome based on the combined use of cognitive-motivational correction of the psychological state and physiotherapeutic methods of  treatment: multi-level magnetolaser therapy, advanced blood irradiation, transcranial neuroacoustic and light-pulse stimulation.

According to the results of the analysis of the results of testing patients based on the Montreal scale for assessing cognitive functions before the start, after 6 and 12 procedures, as well as 4 weeks after the completion of rehabilitation in the first group, the average indicators of the level of cognitive functions changed from 18.2 to 21.4 points, in the second group from 17 to 26 points.

Psychological testing using the psychometric tables of A. Beck and Spielberger-Hanin showed a decrease in the average level of depression after the procedures in the first group by 5.4±1.4 (from 27.5 to 22.1) points, the anxiety level by 4.9±0.3 (from 35.1 to 30.2), in the second group by 9.9±1.2 (from 27.3 to 17.4) and 8.2±0.4 (from 35.2 to 27.0), respectively. Additionally, it should be noted that the clients of the second group were more interested in conducting a second course.

A multi-level approach in the medical rehabilitation of patients with post-Covid syndrome based on the use of psychological correction, magnetolaser effect on the projection of the liver, supravenous irradiation of blood and combined transcranial neuroacoustic and light-pulse stimulation in combination with endonasal breathing of a singlet-oxygen mixture in a magnetic field turned out to be the most effective for restoring cognitive functions.
The pivotal factors of IT projects' success – Insights for the case of organizations from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Bezdrob Muamer , Brkić Sabina , Gram Manfred
Published: March 2022

This research aims to investigate the circumstances and possible reasons for a very high and rather unexpected success rate of Information Technology (IT) projects implemented in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (F BiH). For that purpose, the existing literature was reviewed thoroughly, and appropriate research design was formulated. In order to answer the research questions posed, a questionnaire was developed and sent to 400 companies in the F BiH that meet the defined business profile, yielding 62 valid responses. For the purpose of data analysis, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed. The obtained results show that keeping the project size small significantly increases the odds for achieving IT project success, regardless of the organizational maturity level in project management. In addition, the higher the organizational maturity level in project management, the higher IT projects success ratio. Results also revealed that the differences between IT projects’ success ratio of different groups of organizations are primarily induced by the time and costs project constraints, but not with the project scope.
Definitions, characteristics and measures of IT project complexity - a systematic literature review
Authors: Morcov Stefan , Pintelon Liliane , Kusters Rob
Published: March 2022

As the world of Information Technology (IT) engineering becomes more complex every day, the formal study of project complexity becomes more and more important for managing projects effectively, to avoid poor performance and failure. Complexity is not yet clearly understood nor sufficiently defined and the terminology itself is being overloaded and over-used. This paper is a systematic literature review that attempts to identify and classify proposed definitions and measures of IT project complexity. The results include a map of the identified approaches and definitions, a list of classifications of project complexity, a set of proposed measurement tools and complexity measures available to practitioners. The paper contributes to establishing a common language when discussing complexity, as well as to a better understanding of project complexity and its implications to practical IT engineering projects.
IT projects success factors: a literature review
Authors: Iriarte Carmen , Bayona Sussy
Published: March 2022

Information Technology (IT) projects are enablers of organizational transformation and business growth. Despite the contribution of methodologies and frameworks for project management, the ratio of failed IT projects remains high; then, studying critical success factors of IT projects persist as an essential issue for researches and practitioners. This paper presents a systematic literature review focused on compiling and synthesizing project success factors in IT projects. The literature search was conducted using primary journal articles until 2017. All studies agree on the relevance of studying the critical success factors in IT projects given their particular characteristics. The results indicate there is no clear definition of project success concept; our review consolidates the IT success criteria into time, budget, project management, system quality, user satisfaction, and economic value. Also, there a vast and overlapped list of factors; so, this research proposes a structure that synthesizes the most referenced critical factors that have in common soft attributes as involvement, support, communication, and commitment. Findings reinforce the relevance of soft skills in IT project teams.
Data mining approach to internal fraud in a project-based organization
Authors: Bach Mirjana Pejić , Dumičić Ksenija , Žmuk Berislav , Ćurlin Tamara , Zoroja Jovana
Published: March 2022

Data mining is an efficient methodology for uncovering and extracting information from large databases, which is widely used in different areas, e.g., customer relation management, financial fraud detection, healthcare management, and manufacturing. Data mining has been successfully used in various fraud detection and prevention areas, such as credit card fraud, taxation fraud, and fund transfer fraud. However, there are insufficient researches about the usage of data mining for fraud related to internal control. In order to increase awareness of data mining usefulness in internal control, we developed a case study in a project-based organization. We analyze the dataset about working-hour claims for projects, using two data mining techniques: chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) decision tree and link analysis, in order to describe characteristics of fraudulent working-hour claims and to develop a model for automatic detection of potentially fraudulent ones. Results indicate that the following characteristics of the suspected working-hours claim were the most significant: sector of the customer, origin and level of expertise of the consultant, and cost of the consulting services. Our research contributes to the area of internal control supported by data mining, with the goal to prevent fraudulent working-hour claims in project-based organizations.
Project portfolio risk management: a structured literature review with future directions for research
Authors: Micán Camilo , Fernandes Gabriela , Araújo Madalena
Published: March 2022

Project Portfolio Risk Management (PPRM) has been identified as a relevant area regarding project portfolio success. This paper reports on a structured literature review of PPRM. A structured search and selection process was carried out and conventional content analysis was conducted in the literature analysis of 62 papers published in international journals. PPRM has its theoretical and practical bases in the modern theory of portfolios, decision theory and risk management (RM). The content analysis reveals four main recurrent topics in PPRM: (1) The influence of RM on project portfolio success, based on project portfolio impact level, moderators or contingency factors between RM and project portfolio success, and PPRM dimensions; (2) risk and project interdependencies, highlighting resources, technology, outcome, value, and accomplishment project interdependencies; (3) project portfolio risk (PPR) identification, where four main risk source categories are identified; and (4) PPR assessment, composed of risk measures and the main methods used for risk assessment. Therefore, this study provides an overview of PPRM as a research field, while it also promotes four future research directions: (1) PPRM as part of organizational RM; (2) RM,success dimensions and strategic impact; (3) mechanisms for PPR assessment, and (4) PPRM as a complex and dynamic system.
Expecting the unexpected during ERP implementations: a complexity view
Authors: Janssens Guy , Kusters Rob , Martin Harry
Published: March 2022

Implementing an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is a complex, risky, time-consuming, and very expensive affair. Unfortunately, ERP implementations are often still over budget and time, and below expectations. Ticking off critical success factors (CSFs) and risks is supposed to take care of all intricacies during an implementation. However, complexity theory suggests no perfect foresighted knowledge can exist and one should always be prepared for new and unexpected events happening (“unknown unknowns”). Currently, ERP research does not explicitly address this unexpected behavioral aspect of complexity. Therefore, it seems relevant to explore whether this unexpected complexity aspect of ERP implementations can be observed in actual ERP implementations. We demonstrate through an in-depth and structured case analysis that a normal, well-planned, and managed ERP project shows indeed unexpected behavior. That is to say, totally unforeseen major problems appear. From our observations, it is evident that ERP implementations can show significant unexpected behavior despite the best of knowledge, proper preparation, and project management practice. It seems relevant to perform more research into the relevance of appropriate control mechanisms based on acceptance of the inherent complex, i.e. unpredictable nature of ERP implementations. This awareness should complement existing mechanisms as CSFs and risks.
A framework for paradoxical tensions of project management
Authors: Iivari Juhani
Published: March 2022

Research into organizations has concluded that organizational effectiveness is paradoxical, i.e., effective organizations have attributes that are simultaneously contradictory, even mutually exclusive. Although projects are temporary organizations, the paradox lens has largely been omitted in their context. This paper is an attempt to rectify the situation. It introduces a framework of eleven paradoxical tensions, concerning priority, structure, and execution of projects, wishing that it would encourage future research on paradoxical tensions of project management.
An analysis of violations and sanctions following the GDPR
Authors: Presthus Wanda , Sønslien Kaja Felix
Published: March 2022

This paper investigates the violations and sanctions that have occurred following the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR came into effect in May 2018 with the aim of strengthening the information privacy of European Union/European Economic Area citizens. Based on existing taxonomies of (i) potential consequences of violating the GDPR (including surveillance, discrimination), (ii) an analysis of 277 sanctions, and (iii) interviews with experts, we offer a mapping of the violations and sanctions almost two years after the regulation was implemented. The most typical complaints were, in descending order: unlawful processing and disclosure of personal information, failure to act on and secure subject rights and personal information, and insufficient cooperation with supervising authorities. Our analysis also indicates an increasing number of fines over time. Regarding size, the fines range from 50,000,000 euros to (symbolic?) 90 euros. While research on GDPR violations and sanctions is somewhat scarce, our study mainly confirms existing findings: that the GDPR is complex and challenging. However, our study provides insight on some of the challenges. Our contribution is mainly practical and aimed at managers in any organization whose goal is to protect information privacy and to learn from the mistakes made by other companies. We also welcome more research on the topic.
Be the Match: Optimizing Capacity Allocation for Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Panchanatham Sundara Natarajan , Freeman Michael , Groenevelt Harry , Hasija Sameer
Published: March 2022

Problem definition: Treating many blood-related diseases requires transplantation of genetically compatible hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) extracted from the bone marrow (BM) of live donors or the umbilical cord blood (CB) of babies. To facilitate the search for HSCs, institutions known as BM registries collect the details of potential donors and CB banks store units of CB. This paper focuses on the problem of joint optimization of the capacity of these two institutions. Academic/practical relevance: With more than 10 million genetic variants, limited inventory relative to this variety, and random replenishment, BM registry and CB bank compositions are random, interdependent, and change nondeterministically over time. Furthermore, BM and CB differ in their supply, costs, genetic matching criteria, and influences on medical outcomes, giving rise to important tradeoffs such that neither is preferred exclusively to the other. Jointly determining the optimal capacity of both sources is therefore both technically challenging and has immediate policy implications. Methodology: We develop a simulation-based approach to estimate the temporal variation in matching probabilities before incorporating the associated regression parameters into a mathematical model closely matching the research context. Results are contrasted against a simplified mathematical model, highlighting the importance of the dynamic setup. Results: Inventories of 17.5 million registered BM donors and 335,000 CB units are estimated as optimal for the U.S. population under reasonable assumptions. Expanding capacity to these levels would satisfy 33% of the currently unmet demand, increasing the transplantation rate to 98.7% and delivering $770 million of extra social surplus annually. Managerial implications: Rigorous policy analyses are imperative for designing evidence-based, cost-effective policies that deliver societal benefits. To this end, we provide quantitative evidence in support of calls for further expansion of the national BM registry and CB banks in the United States. We also propose annual recruitment targets for BM donors and CB units to maintain the two institutions at their suggested levels.

History: This paper has been accepted for the Manufacturing & Service Operations Management Special Section on Responsible Research in Operations Management.

Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.1093 .
Acute Compartment Syndrome in the Setting of Weight Loss Supplements and Exercise-Induced Rhabdomyolysis
Authors: Rath Payal , Fichadiya Hardik , Elkattawy Sherif , Jesani Shruti , Messalti Melissa , Fichadiya Harshil , Sherer Clark
Published: March 2022

The growing prevalence of obesity in the USA has resulted in increased consumption of weight loss products that promote fat metabolism. Dietary supplements used for weight loss contain a wide variety of ingredients but the amount of scientific information available on these ingredients varies considerably. Such supplements have documented and undocumented adverse effects. Although the FDA frequently issues health advisories, the health consequences of consuming supplements are often overlooked by the general public. A common supplement used for weight loss is Hydroxycut. The ingredients used in the different forms of Hydroxycut products vary but generally include caffeine and green tea extract, which are responsible for a wide range of adverse effects. We present the case of 41-year-old man with a medical history of polysubstance abuse who developed acute compartment syndrome in the setting of rhabdomyolysis from prolonged immobilisation and the use of Hydroxycut. This case demonstrates the possible adverse effects of consuming weight loss herbal supplements like Hydroxycut. Healthcare professionals and consumers are encouraged to report serious adverse events or product quality problems with the use of these supplements to the FDA's MedWatch adverse event reporting program.
Constipation in older people: a clinical review for advanced nurse practitioners
Authors: Burton Louise , Mortimore Gerri
Published: March 2022

Advanced nurse practitioners (ANP) are autonomous practitioners who are required to manage clinical care in partnership with patients, families and carers. This requires analysis and synthesis using evidence to undertake complex decision-making. This clinical review will examine the issue of constipation, with particular emphasis on the older patient group. The aetiology and epidemiology of constipation will be examined, the pathophysiological manifestation considered and the diagnosis and management within this population analysed. In doing so the evidence base will be critiqued to ensure autonomous, safe management of this condition.
Managing malnutrition in older adults: a guide for nurses
Authors: Patience Sara
Published: March 2022

Sara Patience outlines treatment and management of this common but preventable ailment
Eff ects of Endophytes on Dysphania ambrosioides Heavy Metal Tolerance and Accumulation under Multi-heavy Metal Stress
Authors:   Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China, Tang Wenting , Gao Yonghan ,   Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China, Li Qiaohong ,   The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650032, China, Mao Wenqin ,   Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China, Jiang Yuejuan ,   Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China, Li Haiyan ,   Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China
Published: March 2022

H igh concentration of h eavy metal (HM) is toxic to the plant and endophytes can improve host plants HM tolerance. In the present study, the role of endophytes FT2G7 (Phomopsis columnaris) and FT2G24 (Setophoma terrestris) on host plant Dysphania ambrosioides HM tolerance was evaluated under m ulti-HMs stress through pot experiments. The results showed that regardless at lower or higher multi-HMs stress, inoculation of isolate(s) improved host plants growth and HM tolerance through regulating their antioxidant capacities etc., and inoculation of multi-isolates (ME+) had better effects on host plants than inoculation of single isolate (SE+). Particularly, the malondialdehyde (MDA) of ME+ decreased 50% under the lower multi-HMs stress and the glutathione (GSH) increased 169.55% under the higher multi-HMs stress when compared with ME-. Both inoculation of single isolate and multi-isolates increased host plants HM accumulation when compared with non-inoculation. However, different isolates had different effects: under the lower multi-HMs stress, the accumulation of multi-HMs in ME+ plants was higher than that of FT2G7-inoculated plants but lower than that of F T2G24-inoculated plants, w ith a few e xceptions, such as Zn in underground parts of ME+ was higher than that of FT2G24-inoculated plants. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of ME+ was higher than that of SE+, but the translocation factor (TF) was lower than that of SE+, e xcept Pb of FT2G24 inoculated plants. Under the higher multi-HMs stress, Zn and Cd in ME+ plants were lower but Pb was higher than that of SE+, with a few exceptions, such as Pb in underground parts of ME+ plants was lower than that of FT2G24-inoculated plants. The BAF and TF of ME+ were lower than that of SE+, except that of Pb.
Accurate and fast reconstruction for bioluminescence tomography based on adaptive Newton hard thresholding pursuit algorithm
Authors: Wang Yuejie , Zhang Heng , Guo Hongbo , Wang Beilei , Liu Yanqiu , He Xuelei , Yu Jingjing , Yi Huangjian , He Xiaowei
Published: March 2022

As a promising noninvasive medical imaging technique, bioluminescence tomography (BLT) dynamically offers three-dimensional visualization of tumor distribution in living animals. However, due to the high ill-posedness caused by the strong scattering property of biological tissues and the limited boundary measurements with noise, BLT reconstruction still cannot meet actual preliminary clinical application requirements. In our research, to recover 3D tumor distribution quickly and precisely, an adaptive Newton hard thresholding pursuit (ANHTP) algorithm is proposed to improve the performance of BLT. The ANHTP algorithm fully combines the advantages of sparsity constrained optimization and convex optimization to guarantee global convergence. More precisely, an adaptive sparsity adjustment strategy was developed to obtain the support set of the inverse system matrix. Based on the strong Wolfe line search criterion, a modified damped Newton algorithm was constructed to obtain optimal source distribution information. A series of numerical simulations and phantom and in vivo experiments show that ANHTP has high reconstruction accuracy, fast reconstruction speed, and good robustness. Our proposed algorithm can further increase the practicality of BLT in biomedical applications.
Nonlinear propagation effect in x-ray parametric amplification during high harmonic generation
Authors: Seres J. , Seres E. , Serrat C. , Dinh T. H. , Hasegawa N. , Ishino M. , Nishikino M. , Nakano K. , Namba S.
Published: March 2022

We report the realization and characterization of parametric amplification in high harmonic generation around 100 eV using He gas in a double gas jet arrangement. The delay of the seed extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse with respect to the amplifier gas jet was scanned by changing the distance between the gas jets. Experiments and numerical calculations show that parametric amplification occurs within a temporal window of several optical cycles. Strong correlation between the seed and amplifier was observed in a shorter, few optical cycles delay range, which appeared as a modulation of the XUV intensity with an unexpected one optical cycle periodicity instead of half optical cycle. Simulations revealed that the strong correlation and also the unusual periodicity was the consequence of the nonlinear effect produced by plasma dispersion on the parametric amplification process during propagation in the amplifier jet.
Spatial resolution improved fluorescence lifetime imaging via deep learning
Authors: Xiao Dong , Zang Zhenya , Xie Wujun , Sapermsap Natakorn , Chen Yu , Uei Li David Day
Published: March 2022

We present a deep learning approach to obtain high-resolution (HR) fluorescence lifetime images from low-resolution (LR) images acquired from fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) systems. We first proposed a theoretical method for training neural networks to generate massive semi-synthetic FLIM data with various cellular morphologies, a sizeable dynamic lifetime range, and complex decay components. We then developed a degrading model to obtain LR-HR pairs and created a hybrid neural network, the spatial resolution improved FLIM net (SRI-FLIMnet) to simultaneously estimate fluorescence lifetimes and realize the nonlinear transformation from LR to HR images. The evaluative results demonstrate SRI-FLIMnet’s superior performance in reconstructing spatial information from limited pixel resolution. We also verified SRI-FLIMnet using experimental images of bacterial infected mouse raw macrophage cells. Results show that the proposed data generation method and SRI-FLIMnet efficiently achieve superior spatial resolution for FLIM applications. Our study provides a solution for fast obtaining HR FLIM images.
Compressive hyperspectral imaging in the molecular fingerprint band
Authors: Charsley Jake M. , Rutkauskas Marius , Altmann Yoann , Risdonne Valentina , Botticelli Michela , Smith Margaret J. , Young Christina R. T. , Reid Derryck T.
Published: March 2022

Spectrally-resolved imaging provides a spectrum for each pixel of an image that, in the mid-infrared, can enable its chemical composition to be mapped by exploiting the correlation between spectroscopic features and specific molecular groups. The compatibility of Fourier-transform interferometry with full-field imaging makes it the spectroscopic method of choice, but Nyquist-limited fringe sampling restricts the increments of the interferometer arm length to no more than a few microns, making the acquisition time-consuming. Here, we demonstrate a compressive hyperspectral imaging strategy that combines non-uniform sampling and a smoothness-promoting prior to acquire data at 15% of the Nyquist rate, providing a significant acquisition-rate improvement over state-of-the-art techniques. By illuminating test objects with a sequence of suitably designed light spectra, we demonstrate compressive hyperspectral imaging across the 700–1400 cm-1 region in transmission mode. A post-processing analysis of the resulting hyperspectral images shows the potential of the method for efficient non-destructive classification of different materials on painted cultural heritage.
Nanostructured multilayer hyperbolic metamaterials for high efficiency and selective solar absorption
Authors: Jiang Xiaoyun , Zhou Leiming , Hu Jigang , Wang Tao
Published: March 2022

Highly efficient solar-to-thermal conversion is desired for the renewable energy technologies, such as solar thermo-photovoltaics and solar thermo-electric systems. In order to maximize the energy conversion efficiency, solar-selective absorbers are essential with its absorption characteristics specially tailored for solar applications. Here, we propose a wideband spectral-selective absorber based on three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM), which can realize near-unity absorption across the UV and NIR spectral ranges. Moreover, the optical topological transition (OTT) of iso-frequency surface (IFS) is manipulated to selectively enhance light absorption in the entire solar spectrum, crucial for improved energy utilization. Impressive solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency of 95.5% has been achieved. Particularly, such superior properties can be retained well even over a wide range of incident angles. These findings open new avenues for designing high-performance solar thermal devices, especially in the fields related to solar energy harvesting.
Multi-variable compensated quantum yield measurements of upconverting nanoparticles with high dynamic range: a systematic approach
Authors: Konugolu Venkata Sekar Sanathana , Matias Jean S. , Dumlupinar Gokhan , Niemitz Lorenzo , Mousavi Monirehalsadat , Komolibus Katarzyna , Andersson-Engels Stefan
Published: March 2022

Non-linear materials such as upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) are emerging technology with fast-growing applications in various fields. The power density dependence of the emission quantum yield (QY) of these non-linear materials makes them challenging to characterize using currently available commercial QY systems. We propose a multimodal system to measure QY over a wide dynamic range (1:104), which takes into account and compensates for various distorting parameters (scattering, beam profile, inner filter effect and bandwidth of emission lines). For this, a beam shaping approach enabling speckle free beam profiles of two different sizes (530 µm or 106 µm) was employed. This provides low noise high-resolution QY curves. In particular, at low power densities, a signal-to-noise ratio of >50 was found. A Tm-based core-shell UCNP with excitation at 976 nm and emission at 804 nm was investigated with the system.
Noise-tolerant Bessel-beam single-photon imaging in fog
Authors: Shi Haotian , Shen Guangyue , Qi Huiyu , Zhan Qi , Pan Haifeng , Li Zhaohui , Wu Guang
Published: March 2022

Reliable laser imaging is crucial to the autonomous driving. In unfavorable weather condition, however, it always suffers from the acute background noise and signal attenuation due to the harmful strong scattering. We demonstrate a noise-tolerant LiDAR with the help of Bessel beam illumination and single-photon detection. After a 31.5-m propagation in thick fog, the Bessel beam employed by our noise-tolerant LiDAR still owns a central spot with the diameter of 1.86 mm, which supports a receiving field of view as small as 60 µrad and a great suppression of the background noise. This noise-tolerant LiDAR simultaneously performs well both in depth and intensity imaging in unfavorable weather, which can be functioned as a reliable imaging sensor in automatic driving.
Random coding method for SNR enhancement of BOTDR
Authors: Wang Qinglin , Bai Qing , Liang Changshuo , Wang Yu , Liu Yuting , Jin Baoquan
Published: March 2022

A random coding method for a Brillouin optical time domain reflectometer (BOTDR) fiber sensor is proposed. In this method, a series of pulses modulated by random code are injected into the optical fiber to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and further improve the measurement accuracy. Random coding method allows the sensing range to be extended to several tens of kilometers while maintaining meter-scale spatial resolution and lower detection peak power, without modifying the conventional configuration of BOTDR. The decoding principle and the coding gain of random coding method are analyzed and simulated. We experimentally implement the method and evaluate its influence on the performance optimization of BOTDR. Compared with the single pulse with peak power of 10 mW, the measured BFS uncertainty over 4.93 km sensing fiber is reduced from 5.34 MHz to 0.38 MHz when 512-bit random coding pulses with the same peak power are utilized. The experimental results show that the coding gain of 11.93 dB is obtained by 512-bit random coding. Benefitting from the SNR enhancement, the sensing range is extended from 4.93 km to 64.76 km within a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 3 MHz, when the pulse peak power is only 10 mW and the spatial resolution is 2 m.
Multi-layer co-extruded quantum-dot diffuser plate for ultra-large TV backlights
Authors: Ji Honglei , Ye Daochun , Xu Huaishu , Chen Enguo , Ge Ziyi
Published: March 2022

This paper reports an ultra-large laminated quantum dot diffuser plate (QD-DP) prepared by a multi-layer co-extrusion method for television (TV) backlights. The QD-DP has a sandwich-like structure that contains a middle QD functional layer for color conversion and top/bottom polymer layers for both encapsulation and protection. Reliability tests show that the QD-DP exhibits outstanding long-term stability under harsh conditions with continuous blue light excitation, high temperature, and high humidity. A 75-inch TV prototype is assembled by employing an ultra-large QD-DP based backlight module, which can achieve the color gamut of 118.3% NTSC1931, the brightness of 372 nits, and the uniformity of 84%. Compared with conventional QD-film based TV, the proposed TV prototype provides comparable performance with a simpler structure and lower cost. As a promising QD backlight device, this new QD device has a bright application prospect in large-sized displays.
Investigating key cell types and molecules dynamics in PyMT mice model of breast cancer through a mathematical model
Authors: Mohammad Mirzaei Navid , Changizi Navid , Asadpoure Alireza , Su Sumeyye , Sofia Dilruba , Tatarova Zuzana , Zervantonakis Ioannis K. , Chang Young Hwan , Shahriyari Leili
Published: March 2022

The most common kind of cancer among women is breast cancer. Understanding the tumor microenvironment and the interactions between individual cells and cytokines assists us in arriving at more effective treatments. Here, we develop a data-driven mathematical model to investigate the dynamics of key cell types and cytokines involved in breast cancer development. We use time-course gene expression profiles of a mouse model to estimate the relative abundance of cells and cytokines. We then employ a least-squares optimization method to evaluate the model’s parameters based on the mice data. The resulting dynamics of the cells and cytokines obtained from the optimal set of parameters exhibit a decent agreement between the data and predictions. We perform a sensitivity analysis to identify the crucial parameters of the model and then perform a local bifurcation on them. The results reveal a strong connection between adipocytes, IL6, and the cancer population, suggesting them as potential targets for therapies.
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: Vaccination intention and attitudes of community health volunteers in Kenya
Authors: Osur Joachim , Muinga Evelyne , Carter Jane , Kuria Shiphrah , Hussein Salim , Ireri Edward Mugambi
Published: March 2022

In Kenya, community health volunteers link the formal healthcare system to urban and rural communities and advocate for and deliver healthcare interventions to community members. Therefore, understanding their views towards COVID-19 vaccination is critical to the country’s successful rollout of mass vaccination. The study aimed to determine vaccination intention and attitudes of community health volunteers and their potential effects on national COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Kenya. This cross-sectional study involved community health volunteers in four counties: Mombasa, Nairobi, Kajiado, and Trans-Nzoia, representing two urban and two rural counties, respectively. COVID-19 vaccination intention among community health volunteers was 81% (95% CI: 0.76–0.85). On individual binary logistic regression level, contextual influence: trust in vaccine manufacturers (adjOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.06–4.59; p = 0.030); individual and group influences: trust in the MoH (adjOR = 2.12, 90% CI: 0.92–4.78; p = 0.073); belief in COVID-19 vaccine safety (adjOR = 3.20, 99% CI: 1.56–6.49; p = 0.002), and vaccine safety and issues: risk management by the government (adjOR = 2.46, 99% CI: 1.32–4.56; p = 0.005) and vaccine concerns (adjOR = 0.81, 90% CI: 0.64–1.01; p = 0.064), were significantly associated with vaccination intention. Overall, belief in COVID-19 vaccine safety (adjOR = 2.04, 90% CI: 0.92–4.47 p = 0.076) and risk management by the government (adjOR = 1.86, 90% CI: 0.94–3.65; p = 0.072) were significantly associated with vaccination intention. Overall vaccine hesitancy among community health volunteers in four counties in Kenya was 19% (95% CI: 0.15–0.24), ranging from 10.2−44.6% across the counties. These pockets of higher hesitancy are likely to negatively impact national vaccine rollout and future COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The determinants of hesitancy arise from contextual, individual and group, and vaccine or vaccination specific concerns, and vary from county to county.
Oil palm expansion increases the vectorial capacity of dengue vectors in Malaysian Borneo
Authors: Gregory Nichar , Ewers Robert M. , Chung Arthur Y. C. , Cator Lauren J.
Published: March 2022

Changes in land-use and the associated shifts in environmental conditions can have large effects on the transmission and emergence of mosquito-borne disease. Mosquito-borne disease are particularly sensitive to these changes because mosquito growth, reproduction, survival and susceptibility to infection are all thermally sensitive traits, and land use change dramatically alters local microclimate. Predicting disease transmission under environmental change is increasingly critical for targeting mosquito-borne disease control and for identifying hotspots of disease emergence. Mechanistic models offer a powerful tool for improving these predictions. However, these approaches are limited by the quality and scale of temperature data and the thermal response curves that underlie predictions. Here, we used fine-scale temperature monitoring and a combination of empirical, laboratory and temperature-dependent estimates to estimate the vectorial capacity of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes across a tropical forest–oil palm plantation conversion gradient in Malaysian Borneo. We found that fine-scale differences in temperature between logged forest and oil palm plantation sites were not sufficient to produce differences in temperature-dependent demographic trait estimates using published thermal performance curves. However, when measured under field conditions a key parameter, adult abundance, differed significantly between land-use types, resulting in estimates of vectorial capacity that were 1.5 times higher in plantations than in forests. The prediction that oil palm plantations would support mosquito populations with higher vectorial capacity was robust to uncertainties in our adult survival estimates. These results provide a mechanistic basis for understanding the effects of forest conversion to agriculture on mosquito-borne disease risk, and a framework for interpreting emergent relationships between land-use and disease transmission. As the burden of Ae. albopictus-vectored diseases, such as dengue virus, increases globally and rising demand for palm oil products drives continued expansion of plantations, these findings have important implications for conservation, land management and public health policy at the global scale.
A novel series of putative Brugia malayi histone demethylase inhibitors as potential anti-filarial drugs
Authors: Kreiss Tamara , Eck Tyler , Hart Brittany , Tummalapalli Sreedhar , Rotella David , Siekierka John
Published: March 2022

Filariasis, caused by a family of parasitic nematodes, affects millions of individuals throughout the tropics and is a major cause of acute and chronic morbidity. Current drugs are largely used in mass drug administration programs aimed at controlling the spread of disease by killing microfilariae, larval forms of the parasite responsible for transmission from humans to humans through insect vectors with limited efficacy against adult parasites. Although these drugs are effective, in some cases there are toxic liabilities. In case of loiasis which is caused by the parasitic eyeworm Loa loa, mass drug administration is contraindicative due to severe side effects of microfilariae killing, which can be life threatening. Our screening program and medicinal chemistry efforts have led to the identification of a novel series of compounds with potent killing activity against adult filarial parasites and minimal activity against microfilariae. A structural comparison search of our compounds demonstrated a close structural similarity to a recently described histone demethylase inhibitor, GSKJ1/4 which also exhibits selective adult parasite killing. We demonstrated a modification of histone methylation in Brugia malayi parasites treated with our compounds which might indicate that the mode of drug action is at the level of histone methylation. Our results indicate that targeting B. malayi and other filarial parasite demethylases may offer a novel approach for the development of a new class of macrofilaricidal therapeutics.
Methylation pattern of polymorphically imprinted nc886 is not conserved across mammalia
Authors: Kostiniuk Daria , Tamminen Hely , Mishra Pashupati P. , Marttila Saara , Raitoharju Emma
Published: March 2022

Background

In humans, the nc886 locus is a polymorphically imprinted metastable epiallele. Periconceptional conditions have an effect on the methylation status of nc886, and further, this methylation status is associated with health outcomes in later life, in line with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. Animal models would offer opportunities to study the associations between periconceptional conditions, nc886 methylation status and metabolic phenotypes further. Thus, we set out to investigate the methylation pattern of the nc886 locus in non-human mammals.

Data

We obtained DNA methylation data from the data repository GEO for mammals, whose nc886 gene included all three major parts of nc886 and had sequency similarity of over 80% with the human nc886. Our final sample set consisted of DNA methylation data from humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutangs, baboons, macaques, vervets, marmosets and guinea pigs.

Results

In human data sets the methylation pattern of nc886 locus followed the expected bimodal distribution, indicative of polymorphic imprinting. In great apes, we identified a unimodal DNA methylation pattern with 50% methylation level in all individuals and in all subspecies. In Old World monkeys, the between individual variation was greater and methylation on average was close to 60%. In guinea pigs the region around the nc886 homologue was non-methylated. Results obtained from the sequence comparison of the CTCF binding sites flanking the nc886 gene support the results on the DNA methylation data.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that unlike in humans, nc886 is not a polymorphically imprinted metastable epiallele in non-human primates or in guinea pigs, thus implying that animal models are not applicable for nc886 research. The obtained data suggests that the nc886 region may be classically imprinted in great apes, and potentially also in Old World monkeys, but not in guinea pigs.
Hibiscus sabdariffa: Genetic variability, seasonality and their impact on nutritional and antioxidant properties
Authors: Sanou Abdoudramane , Konate Kiessoun , Dakuyo Roger , Kabore Kaboré , Sama Hemayoro , Dicko Mamoudou Hama
Published: March 2022

This study consisted of the physicochemical, phytochemical and antioxidant characterisation of two varieties of Hibiscus sabdariffa, to evaluate the influence of genetic and environmental factors on these parameters leading to an objective and rigorous classification of our extracts. To this end, calyxes and seeds of the red and white phenotypes were collected in Bobo-Dioulasso, Dano and Nouna respectively in December 2019 and 2020. Principal component analysis showed that physico-chemical and biochemical parameters could potentially be used to discriminate varieties. The calyxes of the sabdariffa variety showed the best physicochemical profile (total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid), pigments (anthocyanins, chlorophyll) and antioxidant activity (free radical scavenging and SOD activity) while the seeds showed the best carbohydrate, lipid and peroxidation inhibition content. In view of these results, the red phenotype has an interesting nutritional and therapeutic potential. It could therefore be interesting candidate in the pharmaceutical and food industries.