bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigación y arte y educación: diálogos cruzados con las incertidumbres
Authors: de Barros Guimarães Leda Maria
Published: June 2022

La relación entre investigación y educación es objeto de muchas discusiones y conflictos, especialmente cuando ponemos el arte en tensión en el juego de las relaciones investigativas. Para desarrollar una reflexión sobre la complejidad de esta relación, seleccioné dos aspectos para guiar la discusión: el primero, pasa por la institucionalización y expansión del campo de la investigación en arte y educación en Brasil y, el segundo, por la base conceptual que ha sustentado la investigación en educación artística, sus conflictos epistemológicos y operativos y, en tercer lugar, presento cuestiones sobre la investigación en el campo de las artes y la educación. Me detengo con más detalle en la investigación basada en las artes como una episteme propia que genera conflictos en la comprensión de la investigación en este mismo ámbito. Todas estas cuestiones surgen de una trayectoria como profesora universitaria y de posgrado en el campo de las artes visuales, en el contexto de la educación pública brasileña.
Lagrangian Inference for Ranking Problems
Authors: Liu Yue , Fang Ethan X. , Lu Junwei
Published: June 2022

Understanding ranking orders of different items is of great importance in many applications such as sports, online game, and recommendation, among many others. This paper provides a novel approach to inferring the ranking systems. In particular, the paper aims to answer questions like, is item A better than item B? Is item A among the top 10 items? Such inference problems are challenging as they involve combinatorial structures. The key technical innovation is a new Lagrangian inference framework with new bootstrap tools. Strong theoretical guarantees are provided showing the optimality of the proposed method. A novel application of inferring movies’ ranking using a large-scale data set is provided to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.
Pemanfaatan E-commerce dan Media Sosial Guna Meningkatkan Ekonomi dan Proses Bisnis UMKM Koppontren NURILA Bangkalan
Authors: Navastara Dini Adni , Suciati Nanik , Fatichah Chastine , Tjandrasa Handayani , Arifin Agus Zainal , Cahyaningtyas Zakiya Azizah , Niza Yulia , Sierra Evelyn , Sugianto Daniel , Hadinata Kevin Christian , Usman Salim Bin , Sunandar Muhammad Fikri , Eka Sari Fiqey Indriati
Published: June 2022

Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah (UMKM) memiliki peran yang besar dalam bidang industri dan ekonomi suatu negara. Di era digital ini, pemanfaatan teknologi untuk meningkatkan produktifitas UMKM sudah marak dilakukan. Sayangnya pemanfaatan tekonologi ini belum diterapkan pada UMKM dari Koperasi Pondok Pesantren Addimyathy Nurul Iman Labang (Koppontren NURILA). Tim pengabdi berinisiatif melaksanakan pelatihan untuk meningkatkan produktifitas UMKM Koppontren NURILA. Kegiatan terbagi menjadi empat tahap yaitu persiapan, pelatihan, pendampingan, dan evaluasi. Kegiatan ini mengangkat topik tentang pemanfaatan e-commerce dan media sosial untuk peningkatan ekonomi dan proses bisnis UMKM. Pelaksanaan pelatihan dan pendampingan dilakukan secara hybrid, yaitu daring dan luring di lokasi UMKM Koppontren NURILA. Berdasarkan hasil evaluasi, peserta kegiatan merasa puas terhadap kualitas materi dengan nilai 4.35 dari skala 5.
Perancangan Sistem Peringatan Area berbahaya untuk Penyandang Tunanetra
Authors: Kusuma Hendra , Mujiono Totok , Pirngadi Harris , Tasripan Tasripan , Dikairono Rudy , Rivai Muhammad
Published: June 2022

Penyandang tunanetra dalam kesehariannya memiliki kesulitan untuk mengetahui area berbahaya di tempat yang asing bagi mereka. Kesulitan ini terutama dalam hal spasial, yaitu memperkirakan medan di sekitarnya, seperti ketinggian tempat dia berada, daerah berbahaya yang berpotensi menyebabkan celaka, maupun daerah industri yang bertegangan listrik tinggi. Disamping itu penyandang tunanetra juga tidak bisa mengetahui dengan mudah apakah suatu suatu lokasi boleh di akses atau tidak, dikarenakan tidak adanya atau tidak memungkinkan tersedianya petunjuk dalam bentuk tulisan Braille. Agar penyandang tunanetra dapat ber navigasi mandiri, maka mereka membutuhkan alat bantu untuk mengetahui area berbahaya, dan area terlarang. Alat bantu ini merupakan sistem peringatan tentang adanya bahaya atau resiko fatal yang dipasang di area-area berbahaya, yang berupa sensor PIR, dan alarm, serta peringatan bahaya berupa suara manusia. Sistem yang telah berhasil diimplementasikan ini, yaitu sebagai hasil pelaksanaan Abdimas ini dapat membantu memberi rasa nyaman pada penyandang tunanetra, dan mengurangi resiko bahaya kecelakaan.
Usaha Peningkatan Kualitas BUMDes Berdikari Pucang Melalui Pelatihan Business Plan
Authors: Athirah Salwa Islami , Kristianto Fesa Putra , Purnomo Dian Eko Hari , Ma’rifah Julia Dewi
Published: June 2022

Business Plan atau perencanaan bisnis adalah prosedur awal yang penting dalam memulai sebuah usaha bisnis karena dapat digunakan sebagai pedoman dasar untuk memahami arah dan tujuan dari dimulainya sebuah bisnis. BUMDes Berdikari adalah Badan Usaha Milik Desa yang berfokus pada pembuatan souvenir dari tanduk kayu. BUMDes Berdikari Pucang yang baru berdiri belum bisa menerapkan perencanaan bisnis nya dengan baik sehingga Tim Pengabdian dari Prodi Manajemen Bisnis Industri Furnitur (MBIF) dari Politeknik Industri Furnitur dan Pengolahan Kayu memberikan pelatihan penyusunan perencanaan bisnis yang terdiri dari materi tentang motivasi berbisnis, analisis pasar dan SDM, analisis keuangan, pembuatan business model canvas, dan analisis perkembangan usaha dan resikonya dengan harapan pelaku usaha bisnis dibawah BUMDes Berdikari Pucang dapat mengimplementasikan ilmu yang telah diberikan saat pendampingan, sehingga pengelolaan unit usaha bisnis di dalamnya terstruktur rapi dan runtut. Tim pengabdi akan ikut memantau dan terus mengevaluasi hingga business plan tersebut selesai dibuat tahun depan dan akan disebarkan kepada investor-investor swasta untuk mencari pendanaan demi pengembangan BUMDES Pucang.
Inverse lithography source and mask optimization via Bayesian compressive sensing
Authors: Sun Yiyu , Li Yanqiu , Liu Lihui
Published: June 2022

Source and mask optimization (SMO) is a key technique to guarantee the lithographic fidelity for 14-5 nm technology nodes. The balance between lithography fidelity and computational efficiency is a big issue for SMO. Our earlier works of compressive sensing SMO (CS-SMO) effectively accelerated the SMO procedure by sampling monitoring pixels. However, the imaging fidelity of the results of these methods can be further improved. This paper proposes a novel Bayesian compressive sensing source and mask optimization (BCS-SMO) method, to the best of our knowledge, to achieve the goals of fast SMO and high fidelity patterns simultaneously. The SMO procedure can be achieved by solving as a series of re-weighted

l
1

-norm reconstruction problems, and the weights can be updated in every iteration. The results demonstrate that, with similar computational efficiency, the BCS-SMO method can significantly improve lithographic fidelity over the current CS-SMO method.
Passive blind quantum computation with heralded single-photon sources
Authors: Piao Gen-Le , Yuan Hua-Wei , Zhang Chun-Hui , Ma Xiao , Ding Hua-Jian , Zhou Xing-Yu , Li Jian , Wang Qin
Published: June 2022

Blind quantum computation (BQC) is one of the most promising alternatives to solve the shortage of quantum resources in the implementation of quantum computations. However, in most reported studies on decoy-state BQCs, the source intensities are actively modulated, which, unfortunately, results in side-channel leakage and undermines system security. In this paper, we present a passive decoy-state BQC scheme with a heralded single-photon source that circumvents this problem skillfully, improving system security. Moreover, simulation results show that our passive scheme can even outperform other active schemes in the generation efficiency of blind states when using state-of-the-art equipment.
Photonic topological semimetals in bigyrotropic metamaterials
Authors: Chern Ruey-Lin , Yu You-Zhong
Published: June 2022

We investigate the photonic topological phases in bigyrotropic metamaterials characterized by the gyroelectric and gyromagnetic parameters. The underlying medium is considered a photonic analogue of the topological semimetal featured with a pair of Weyl cones separated by a distance in the frequency-wave vector space. As the ’spin’-degenerate condition is satisfied, the photonic system consists of two hybrid modes that are completely decoupled. By introducing the pseudospin states as the basis for the hybrid modes, the photonic system is described by two subsystems in terms of the spin-orbit Hamiltonians with spin 1, which result in nonzero spin Chern numbers that determine the topological properties. Surface modes at the interface between two bigyrotropic metamaterials with opposite sign of the gyrotropic parameters exist in their common gap in the wave vector space, which are analytically formulated by algebraic equations. In particular, two types of surface modes are tangent to or wrapping around the Weyl cones, which form a bent and two twisted surface sheets. At the Weyl frequency, the surface modes contain a typical and two open Fermi arc-like states that concatenate to yield an infinite straight line. Topological features of the bigyrotropic metamaterials are further illustrated with the robust transport of surface modes at an irregular boundary.
High-resolution 3D display using time-division light ray quadruplexing technology
Authors: Omura Takuya , Watanabe Hayato , Kawakita Masahiro , Arai Jun
Published: June 2022

We propose a flicker-reduced time-division light ray quadruplexing technology to improve both the spatial and angular resolutions of three-dimensional (3D) images. The proposed method uses an image-shift optical device with polarization gratings. By optimizing the design of the image-shift optical device and incorporating it into the display system, we confirmed that the resolution characteristics of 3D images displayed at a depth of 30 mm or more can be improved by up to 1.58 times. Furthermore, by developing the display system using a 120 Hz 8K projector with wobbling device and a wavelength-selective λ/2 plate for reducing flicker, we achieved high-resolution 3D image display with deeper depth.
Single-wavelength, single-shot pulse oximetry using an LED-generated vector beam
Authors: Jakachira Rutendo , Diouf Mbaye , Lin Zixi , Burrow Joshua A. , Howes Andrew , Oguntolu Teniola , Carter III Robert , Dunsiger Shira I. , Toussaint Kimani C.
Published: June 2022

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is an optical technique that monitors blood oxygen saturation levels, typically with the use of pulse oximeters. Conventional pulse oximetry estimates the ratio of light absorbed at two wavelengths. Attempts have been made to improve the precision of these measurements by using polarized light, with the tradeoff of requiring multiple sequential measurements. We demonstrate a novel PPG technique that uses radially polarized light generated by a light-emitting diode (LED) to obtain single-shot, blood oxygen-saturation measurements using a single wavelength at a rate of 50 fps. Our work, to the best of our knowledge, presents both a novel use of a vector beam and a first demonstration of vector-beam generation using LEDs.
Dual-channel temperature-compensated vector magnetic field sensor based on lab-on-a-fiber-tip
Authors: Hao Zijian , Pu Shengli , Wang Jia , Liu Weinan , Zhang Chencheng , Fan Yuanyuan , Lahoubi Mahieddine
Published: June 2022

Fiber-optic magnetic field sensors based on magnetic fluid (MF) is encountering with thermal effects and demand for vectorization for several years. A common solution is to use axially processed fiber cascaded with fiber Bragg grating (FBG). However, the length of such sensors is usually in centimeter-level, which restricts the sensing applications in narrow space and gradient field cases. In this work, we present an ultracompact reflection-type dual-channel sensor for vector magnetic field (Channel 1, referred as CH1) and temperature (Channel 2, referred as CH2) monitoring, which is composed of a pair of gold-plated wedge-shaped multimode fiber (MMF) tip and gold-plated multimode-no-core fiber (MNF) tip. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect was adopted. The two sensor probes are coated with magnetic-field-sensitive MF and temperature-sensitive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), respectively. The issue of vector magnetic field and temperature cross-sensitivity is tactfully resolved. Importantly, the proposed sensing probes are ultracompact and the spatial resolution is extremely small (615 µm for CH1 based on wedge-shaped fiber tip and 2 mm for CH2 based on MNF), which is very helpful for narrow space and gradient magnetic field detection. The obtained magnetic field intensity sensitivities are 1.10 nm/mT (90° direction) and –0.26 nm/mT (0° direction), and temperature sensitivity is –3.12 nm/°C.
Compact multispectral photodetectors based on nanodisk arrays atop optical cavity substrates
Authors: Wu Zhipeng , Zhai Yusheng , Zhang Canran , Zhang Guangshu , Wang Qilong
Published: June 2022

It is challenging for the multi-spectral photodetector to have a compact structure, high spectral resolution, and high detection efficiency. This paper reports on a new approach for compact multi-spectral visible light detecting based on the hexagonal lattice silver nanodisk arrays atop optical cavity substrates. Through numerical calculations and optimizations of experiments, we verified that the narrow band responsivity of the photodetector was caused by coupling the surface plasmonic resonances and cavity mode. The multi-spectral photodetector exhibited that the minimum FWHM and the maximum responsivity of was achieved to be 80 nm and 91.5 mA·W-1, respectively. Besides, we also analyzed the influence of the proposed structure on the energy wastage by numerical comparison. The proposed way for multi-spectral photodetector is promising to be an excellent design for the narrow band spectral detection. The design can also be easily integrated with CMOS devices and applied to other spectral regimes for different applications.
Passively phase-locked Er:fiber source of single-cycle pulses in the near infrared with electro-optic timing modulation for field-resolved electron control
Authors: Schoenfeld Christoph , Sulzer Philipp , Brida Daniele , Leitenstorfer Alfred , Kurihara Takayuki
Published: June 2022

A single-cycle light source in the near infrared is demonstrated enabling sensitive applications of ultrafast optical field control of electronic transport. The compact Er:fiber system generates passively phase-locked pulses with broadband spectra covering 150 THz to 350 THz at a duration of 4.2 fs and 40 MHz repetition rate. A second output arm is equipped with an electro-optic modulator (EOM) that switches the arrival time of the pulses by 700 ps at arbitrary frequencies up to 20 MHz, enabling timing modulation of the pump pulse without changing the average intensity. As a benchmark demonstration, we investigate the carrier relaxation dynamics in low-temperature-grown InGaAs (LT-InGaAs) using quantum interference currents (QuICs).
Generic saturation-induced phase error correction for structured light 3D shape measurement
Authors: Tan Ji , Su Wenqing , He Zhaoshui , Bai Yulei , Dong Bo , Xie Shengli
Published: June 2022

Intensity saturation is a challenging problem in structured light 3D shape measurement. Most of the existing methods achieve high dynamic range (HDR) measurement by sacrificing measurement speed, making them limited in high-speed dynamic applications. This Letter proposes a generic efficient saturation-induced phase error correction method for HDR measurement without increasing any fringe patterns. We first theoretically analyze the saturated signal model and deduce the periodic characteristic of saturation-induced phase error. Based on this, we specially design a saturation-induced phase error correction method by joint Fourier analysis and Hilbert transform. Furthermore, the relationship among phase error, saturation degree, and number of phase-shifting steps is established by numerical simulation. Since the proposed method requires no extra captured images or complicated intensity calibration, it is extremely convenient in implementation and is applicable to performing high-speed 3D shape measurements. Simulations and experiments verify the feasibility of the proposed method.
Semi-analytic Fresnel diffraction calculation with polynomial decomposition
Authors: Zhao Lei , Fei Wenhui , Li Yuejia , Wang Kaiwei , Bai Jian
Published: June 2022

The numerical method based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is generally applied to calculate the Fresnel diffraction field, which would suffer from sampling constraints. To break this limit, in this Letter, the semi-analytic Fresnel diffraction calculation method is proposed based on polynomial decomposition. The diffraction field is computed by using properly analytic Fresnel diffraction basis functions (FDBFs) according to the application requirements. Analytic FDBF is calculated based on Legendre or Chebyshev polynomials by using the object-domain frequency division multiplexing method. The proposed method offers arbitrary sampling, high-flexibility, and high-accuracy diffraction calculation in the full Fresnel region. The computational efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method are compared with FFT-based methods. It has potential application in light field analysis, wavefront sensing, and image processing.
Interleave-sampled photoacoustic imaging: a doubled and equivalent sampling rate for high-frequency imaging
Authors: Fu Lei , Jokerst Jesse
Published: June 2022

High-frequency photoacoustic (PA) imaging (>20 MHz) requires data acquisition (DAQ) with a commensurately high sampling rate, which leads to hardware challenges and increased costs. We report here a new, to the best of our knowledge, method—interleave-sampled PA imaging—that enables high-frequency imaging with a relatively low sampling rate, e.g., a 41.67-MHz sampling rate with a 30-MHz transducer. This method harnesses two acquisitions at a low sampling rate to effectively double the sampling rate which consequently reduces the frame rate by a factor of two. It modulates the delay of the light pulses and can thus be applied to any PA DAQ system. We perform both phantom and in vivo studies with a 30-MHz transducer. The results demonstrate that interleaved sampling at 41.67 MHz can capture high frequency information above 30 MHz but a conventional 41.67-MHz sampling rate cannot. The axial and lateral resolution are as high as 63 µm and 91 µm via interleaved sampling which are much higher than those of conventional 41.67-MHz sampling (130 µm and 136 µm).
Cavity design with single-mirror THz frequency tuning for polariton lasers
Authors: Kitzler Ondrej , Jose Ameera , Lee Andrew , Spence David J. , Pask Helen M.
Published: June 2022

We demonstrate a new, to the best of our knlowledge, cavity design for terahertz (THz) lasers based on stimulated polariton scattering (SPS). The design simplifies the angle tuning of these lasers, which require non-collinear cavity fields at fundamental and Stokes wavelengths to cross in an SPS crystal with adjustable crossing angle. A mirror shared by both the fundamental and Stokes cavities ensures stationary overlap of the fields within the crystal, with the angle between the fields tunable by adjustment of one axis of a single mirror. We demonstrate the design for an intracavity SPS laser using a rubidium titanyle phosphate (RTP) crystal, and achieve single-mirror tuning of the THz output in bands between 3 and 5.8 THz, with a maximum output of 78

μ

W at 4.08 THz.
Demonstration of the hierarchical arrangement of persistent luminescent microparticles in direct doping-prepared photonic glasses using second-harmonic generation microscopy
Authors: Annurakshita Shambhavee , Lahti Vilma , Petit Laeticia , Bautista Godofredo
Published: June 2022

Using three-dimensional (3D) second-harmonic generation (SHG) scanning microscopy, we unravel the formation and distribution of distinct and highly localized persistent luminescent (PeL) microparticles of varied hierarchical levels in glasses prepared using the direct doping method. The PeL microparticles were added in the glasses at different doping temperatures and the glasses were quenched after different dwell time. The SHG maps of the PeL microparticles in the glass, prepared with a doping temperature of 975°C and a dwell time of 3 min, reveal grating-like microscopic domains. This suggests that a large arrangement of PeL crystals spanning several micrometers in three dimensions is manifested by the imbued PeL microparticle. In contrast, the SHG maps of the PeL microparticles inside the glass prepared at doping temperature of 1025°C and dwell time of 10 min, show the existence of single, highly localized and most importantly, submicrometer-sized PeL crystals. These findings substantiate well with the expected behavior of the PeL microparticles in glasses and their physical disintegration in the form of nanoparticles at high doping temperatures and dwell times. The SHG microscopy technique is shown to circumvent the fundamental challenges of traditional and usually destructive imaging methods to detect and visualize PeL nanoparticles in a glass matrix and expected to open a new avenue to evidence the presence of crystals in glasses.
Socioeconomic disparities associated with symptomatic Zika virus infections in pregnancy and congenital microcephaly: A spatiotemporal analysis from Goiânia, Brazil (2016 to 2020)
Authors: Rosado Luiza Emylce Pela , Aquino Erika Carvalho de , Brickley Elizabeth Bailey , França Divania Dias da Silva , Silva Fluvia Pereira Amorim , Silva Vinicius Lemes da , Lopes Angela Ferreira , Turchi Marilia Dalva
Published: June 2022

The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic, which was followed by an unprecedented outbreak of congenital microcephaly, emerged in Brazil unevenly, with apparent pockets of susceptibility. The present study aimed to detect high-risk areas for ZIKV infection and microcephaly in Goiania, a large city of 1.5 million inhabitants in Central-West Brazil. Using geocoded surveillance data from the Brazilian Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) and from the Public Health Event Registry (RESP-microcefalia), we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution and socioeconomic indicators of laboratory confirmed (RT-PCR and/or anti-ZIKV IgM ELISA) symptomatic ZIKV infections among pregnant women and clinically confirmed microcephaly in neonates, from 2016 to 2020. We investigated temporal patterns by estimating the risk of symptomatic maternal ZIKV infections and microcephaly per 1000 live births per month. We examined the spatial distribution of maternal ZIKV infections and microcephaly cases across the 63 subdistricts of Goiania by manually plotting the geographical coordinates. We used spatial scan statistics estimated by discrete Poisson models to detect high clusters of maternal ZIKV infection and microcephaly and compared the distributions by socioeconomic indicators measured at the subdistrict level. In total, 382 lab-confirmed cases of maternal ZIKV infections, and 31 cases of microcephaly were registered in the city of Goiania. More than 90% of maternal cases were reported between 2016 and 2017. The highest incidence of ZIKV cases among pregnant women occurred between February and April 2016. A similar pattern was observed in the following year, although with a lower number of cases, indicating seasonality for ZIKV infection, during the local rainy season. Most congenital microcephaly cases occurred with a time-lag of 6 to 7 months after the peak of maternal ZIKV infection. The highest estimated incidence of maternal ZIKV infections and microcephaly were 39.3 and 2.5 cases per 1000 livebirths, respectively. Districts with better socioeconomic indicators and with higher proportions of self-identified white inhabitants were associated with lower risks of maternal ZIKV infection. Overall, the findings indicate heterogeneity in the spatiotemporal patterns of maternal ZIKV infections and microcephaly, which were correlated with seasonality and included a high-risk geographic cluster. Our findings identified geographically and socio-economically underprivileged groups that would benefit from targeted interventions to reduce exposure to vector-borne infections.
Effect of methylprednisolone treatment on COVID-19: An inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis
Authors: Porta Lorenzo , Huang Sih-Shiang , Wei Chen , Su Chin-Hua , Hsu Wan-Ting , Sheng Wang-Huei , Lee Chien-Chang
Published: June 2022

Objectives

While corticosteroids have been hypothesized to exert protective benefits in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, data remain mixed. This study sought to investigate the outcomes of methylprednisone administration in an Italian cohort of hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

Patients with confirmatory testing for SARS-CoV-2 were retrospectively enrolled from a tertiary university hospital in Milan, Italy from March 1st to April 30th, 2020 and divided into two groups by administration of corticosteroids. Methylprednisolone was administered to patients not responding to pharmacological therapy and ventilatory support at 0.5-1mg/kg/day for 4 to 7 days. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to adjust for baseline differences between the steroid and non-steroid cohorts via inverse probability of treatment weight. Primary outcomes included acute respiratory failure (ARF), shock, and 30-day mortality among surviving patients.

Results

Among 311 patients enrolled, 71 patients received steroids and 240 did not receive steroids. The mean age was 63.1 years, 35.4% were female, and hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic pulmonary disease were present in 3.5%, 1.3%, 14.8% and 12.2% respectively. Crude analysis revealed no statistically significant reduction in the incidence of 30-day mortality (36,6% vs 21,7%; OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.18–3.70; p = 0.011), shock (2.8% vs 4.6%; OR, 0.60; 95% CI = 0.13–2.79; p = 0.514) or ARF (12.7% vs 15%; OR, 0.82; 95% CI = 0.38–1.80; p = 0.625) between the steroid and non-steroid groups. After IPTW analysis, the steroid-group had lower incidence of shock (0.9% vs 4.1%; OR, 0.21; 95% CI,0.06–0.77; p = 0.010), ARF (6.6% vs 16.0%; OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.22–0.64; p<0.001) and 30-day mortality (20.3% vs 22.8%; OR 0.86; 95% CI, 0.59–1.26 p = 0.436); even though, for the latter no statistical significance was reached. Steroid use was also associated with increased length of hospital stay both in crude and IPTW analyses. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with cardiovascular comorbidities or chronic lung diseases were more likely to be steroid responsive. No significant survival benefit was seen after steroid treatment.

Conclusions

Physicians should avoid routine methylprednisolone use in SARS-CoV-2 patients, since it does not reduce 30-day mortality. However, they must consider its use for severe patients with cardiovascular or respiratory comorbidities in order to reduce the incidence of either shock or acute respiratory failure.
Metabolic changes in vitamin D receptor knockout mice
Authors: Lau Sue Lynn , Stokes Rebecca A. , Ng Beverly , Cheng Kim , Clifton-Bligh Roderick , Gunton Jenny E.
Published: June 2022

VDR expression has been found in many cell types involved in metabolism, including the beta-cells of the pancreatic islets. Activated vitamin D and its interactions with the vitamin D receptor (VDR) are implicated in glucose homeostasis. We investigated the metabolic phenotype of the VDR-null (VDRKO) mouse at early and middle age. All offspring of heterozygote VDRKO breeding-pairs were fed ‘rescue diet’ from weaning to normalize calcium and phosphate levels in VDRKO and to avoid confounding by different diets. Glucose tolerance testing was performed at 7 and 24 weeks of age. Insulin tolerance testing, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, body-composition studies and islet isolation were performed at 25–27 weeks. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was tested in isolated islets. VDRKO mice had reduced bone density, subcutaneous fat mass and muscle weights compared to WT mice. Despite reduced fat mass, glucose tolerance did not differ significantly. Male but not female VDRKO had improved insulin sensitivity. Global loss of VDR has significant effects on organs involved in energy metabolism and glucose homeostasis. In the setting of decreased fat mass, a clear effect on glucose tolerance was not present.
Sexual health behavior, health status, and knowledge among queer womxn and trans men in Kenya: An online cross-sectional study
Authors: Haase Stephanie , Müller Alex , Zweigenthal Virginia
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Little research has been conducted on the sexual health needs and risk behaviors of queer womxn and trans men, making it difficult to identify specific health needs and disparities. This is especially the case in the Global South, where their needs are poorly understood. This study presents findings on demographics, sources of information, sexual (risk) behaviors, and substance use in Kenyan queer womxn and trans men.

Methods

An online survey among 335 Kenyan queer womxn and trans men was used to collect data on sexual health, risk behavior, health information sources, and substance use. The participants needed to have had at least one self-identified female sexual partner.

Results

The sample presented young, highly-educated queer womxn and trans men. A high incidence of childhood sexual trauma found was found. Risk behaviors included sexual activities with partners of multiple genders, violence, and low use of barrier methods. One in three participants had been treated for an STD in the previous year. The incidences of smoking and drinking were high, and a quarter of participants indicated having taken drugs at least once a month or more. The internet was either the first or second most important source of sexual health information for 44.1% of the participants, followed by schools (30.9%).

Discussion and conclusion

Our findings indicate that queer womxn and trans men are at risk of negative sexual health outcomes due to a lack of appropriate information, risk behavior, substance use, and low uptake of sexual health services. Kenya’s Penal Code still criminalizes consensual same-sex activities and may play a role in perpetuating barriers that prohibit them from making healthier choices. Developing tailored programming and policies require local, national, and global stakeholders to engage with the inclusion of queer womxn and trans men’s sexual health needs within strategic planning and healthcare delivery.
COVID-19 cases among medical laboratory services staff in South Africa, 2020–2021: A cohort study
Authors: Wilson Kerry Sidwell , Ntlebi Vusi , Made Felix , Sanabria Natasha , Vetten Melissa , Joseph Jitcy , Chin Graham , Jones David , Tlotleng Nonhlanhla
Published: June 2022

Medical laboratory workers may have an increased risk of COVID-19 due to their interaction with biological samples received for testing and contamination of documents. Records of COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed positive cases within the medical laboratory service were routinely collected in the company’s Occupational Health and Safety Information System (OHASIS). Surveillance data from the OHASIS system were extracted from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. An epidemic curve was plotted and compared to that for the country, along with prevalence proportions and incidence rates. The odds of COVID-19 infection were categorised by job and compared to the US Occupational Risk Scores. A logistic regression model assessed the risk of COVID-19 infection per occupational group. A total of 2091 (26% of staff) COVID-19 positive cases were reported. The number of COVID-19 cases was higher in the first wave at 46% (967/2091) of cases, than in the second wave 40% (846/2091) of cases. There was no significant difference in COVID-19 prevalence between male and female employees. The job categories with the most increased risk were laboratory managers [AOR 3.2 (95%CI 1.9–5.1)] and laboratory support clerks [AOR 3.2 (95%CI 1.9–5.2)]. Our study confirms that some categories of medical laboratory staff are at increased risk for COVID-19; this is a complex interaction between workplace risk factors, community interaction, socioeconomic status, personal habits, and behaviour. Targeted interventions are recommended for high-risk groups. OHASIS has the potential to generate data for surveillance of health care workers and contribute towards a South African risk profile.
Music listening and stress recovery in healthy individuals: A systematic review with meta-analysis of experimental studies
Authors: Adiasto Krisna , Beckers Debby G. J. , van Hooff Madelon L. M. , Roelofs Karin , Geurts Sabine A. E.
Published: June 2022

Effective stress recovery is crucial to prevent the long-term consequences of stress exposure. Studies have suggested that listening to music may be beneficial for stress reduction. Thus, music listening stands to be a promising method to promote effective recovery from exposure to daily stressors. Despite this, empirical support for this opinion has been largely equivocal. As such, to clarify the current literature, we conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized, controlled experimental studies investigating the effects of music listening on stress recovery in healthy individuals. In fourteen experimental studies, participants (N = 706) were first exposed to an acute laboratory stressor, following which they were either exposed to music or a control condition. A random-effects meta-regression with robust variance estimation demonstrated a non-significant cumulative effect of music listening on stress recovery g = 0.15, 95% CI [-0.21, 0.52], t(13) = 0.92, p = 0.374. In healthy individuals, the effects of music listening on stress recovery seemed to vary depending on musical genre, who selects the music, musical tempo, and type of stress recovery outcome. However, considering the significant heterogeneity between the modest number of included studies, no definite conclusions may currently be drawn about the effects of music listening on the short-term stress recovery process of healthy individuals. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Nintedanib induces gene expression changes in the lung of induced-rheumatoid arthritis–associated interstitial lung disease mice
Authors: Mikami Shintaro , Miura Yoko , Kondo Shinji , Sakai Kosuke , Nishimura Hiroaki , Kyoyama Hiroyuki , Moriyama Gaku , Koyama Nobuyuki , Noguchi Hideki , Ohkubo Hirotsugu , Kanazawa Satoshi , Uematsu Kazutsugu
Published: June 2022

Nintedanib is a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor widely used to treat progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases because it slows the reduction in forced vital capacity. However, the prognosis for patients treated with nintedanib remains poor. To improve nintedanib treatment, we examined the effects of nintedanib on gene expression in the lungs of induced-rheumatoid arthritis–associated interstitial lung disease model mice, which develop rheumatoid arthritis and subsequent pulmonary fibrosis. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified 27 upregulated and 130 downregulated genes in the lungs of these mice after treatment with nintedanib. The differentially expressed genes included mucin 5B and heat shock protein 70 family genes, which are related to interstitial lung diseases, as well as genes associated with extracellular components, particularly the myocardial architecture, suggesting unanticipated effects of nintedanib. Of the genes upregulated in the nintedanib-treated lung, expression of regulatory factor X2, which is suspected to be involved in cilia movement, and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2, which is involved in the pathology of pulmonary hypertension, was detected by immunohistochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization in peripheral airway epithelium and alveolar cells. Thus, the present findings indicate a set of genes whose expression alteration potentially underlies the effects of nintedanib on pulmonary fibrosis. It is expected that these findings will contribute to the development of improved nintedanib strategies for the treatment of progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases.
Fusion with heat-resistant obscure (Hero) proteins have the potential to improve the molecular property of recombinant proteins
Authors: Morimoto Eri , Tsuboyama Kotaro , Tomari Yukihide
Published: June 2022

Although recombinant proteins are widely used in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, improving their solubility and stability is often a challenging issue. We recently discovered a class of highly unstructured heat-resistant obscure (Hero) proteins, which function to protect other “client” proteins in trans from various stresses in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that fusion of Hero proteins in cis can enhance the molecular property of recombinant proteins. Fusion with Hero11 improved the otherwise challenging production of TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) in Escherichia coli. Moreover, fusing with Hero9 strongly protected the activity of firefly luciferase bearing destabilizing mutations against heat and other stress conditions. These data suggest that Hero proteins have the potential to be used as versatile stabilization tags for recombinant protein production.
Practicable performance-based outcome measures of trunk muscle strength and their measurement properties: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
Authors: Althobaiti Shouq , Rushton Alison , Aldahas Ahmad , Falla Deborah , Heneghan Nicola R.
Published: June 2022

Introduction

The evaluation of muscle strength is frequently used as part of the physical examination process, with decreased trunk muscle strength reported in individuals with spinal disorders (e.g., low back pain). Access to practicable performance-based outcome measures (PBOM) to monitor patients’ progress in spinal rehabilitation is essential. Knowledge of the psychometric properties of the available practicable PBOM for trunk strength evaluation is therefore needed to inform practitioners and further research.

Objective

To synthesise evidence on the measurement properties of practicable measures of trunk muscle strength in adults with and without musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

Following a published and registered protocol [PROSPERO CRD42020167464], databases were searched from the database inception date up to 30th of June 2021. Citations and grey literature were also searched. Eligibility criteria comprised: 1) studies which examined the psychometric properties of the trunk strength outcome measures, 2) included adults ≥ 18 years, either asymptomatic or with spinal musculoskeletal pain. Non-English language studies were excluded. Two independent reviewers evaluated the quality and synthesized the data from included studies according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist. The overall quality of evidence was evaluated using a modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE).

Results

From 34 included studies, 15 different PBOMs were identified that have been investigated for reliability and validity, none evaluated responsiveness. In asymptomatic individuals, high quality evidence supports intra-rater reliability of digital-loading cells and moderate quality evidence supports the criterion validity of the hand-held dynamometer. Very low quality evidence exists for the reliability and validity estimates of testing tools among individuals with spinal pain.

Conclusions

Findings underpin a cautious recommendation for the use of practicable PROMs to evaluate muscle strength in individuals with spinal pain in clinical practice due to the level of evidence and the heterogeneity of the protocols used. Further high quality research to explore the psychometric properties of the practicable PBOMs with detailed methodology is now needed.
Astrocyte depletion alters extracellular matrix composition in the demyelinating phase of Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis
Authors: Allnoch Lisa , Leitzen Eva , Zdora Isabel , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Hansmann Florian
Published: June 2022

Astrocytes produce extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins contributing to the blood-brain barrier and regulating the immune response in the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of astrocyte depletion upon the clinical outcome and the composition of ECM glycoproteins in a virus-induced animal model of demyelination. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-thymidine-kinase transgenic SJL (GFAP-knockout) and wildtype mice were infected with Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). Astrocyte depletion was induced during the progressive, demyelinating disease phase by ganciclovir administration once daily between 56 and 77 days post infection (dpi). At 77 dpi GFAP-knockout mice showed a significant deterioration of clinical signs associated with a reduction of azan and picrosirius red stained ECM-molecules in the thoracic spinal cord. Basement-membrane-associated ECM-molecules including laminin, entactin/nidogen-1 and Kir4.1 as well as non-basement membrane-associated ECM-molecules like collagen I, decorin, tenascin-R and CD44 were significantly reduced in the spinal cord of GFAP-knockout mice. The reduction of the investigated ECM-molecules demonstrates that astrocytes play a key role in the production of ECM-molecules. The present findings indicate that the detected loss of Kir4.1 and CD44 as well as the disruption of the integrity of perineuronal nets led to the deterioration of clinical signs in GFAP-knockout mice.
Trends in proton pump inhibitor use, reflux esophagitis, and various upper gastrointestinal symptoms from 2010 to 2019 in Japan
Authors: Yamamichi Nobutake , Shimamoto Takeshi , Takahashi Yu , Takahashi Mami , Takeuchi Chihiro , Wada Ryoichi , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro
Published: June 2022

The increasing usage of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has been reported worldwide, but information on PPI use in East Asia is inadequate. This study aimed to examine the trends in PPI use in Japan, along with the changes in histamine H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) use, disease rate of reflux esophagitis, and the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. We analyzed 217,712 healthy subjects (127,607 men and 90,105 women; 51.4 ± 9.7 years old) participating in the health check program from 2010 to 2019. Various upper gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using the frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (FSSG) questionnaire. Reflux esophagitis was diagnosed by esophageal erosion using the Los Angeles classification grades A, B, C, and D. From 2010 to 2019, the percentage of PPI users increased markedly from approximately 1.8% to 5.3%, whereas that of H2RA users decreased gradually from approximately 2.5% to 1.9%. The use of all classical types of PPIs (omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, and esomerazole) and a new type of PPI, a potassium-competitive acid blocker (vonoprazan), greatly increased during the 10 years. An upward trend in the prevalence of reflux esophagitis was observed from 2010 to 2015, but not from 2016 to 2019, indicating that the monotonic rising prevalence of reflux disease stopped in the middle of the 2010s in Japan. In contrast, various upper gastrointestinal symptoms significantly improved between 2010 and 2019. All 12 FSSG symptoms of PPI users were significantly worse than those of non-PPI users, suggesting that PPIs still cannot completely control upper gastrointestinal symptoms. In conclusion, this study revealed a significant increase in PPI use and a slight decrease in H2RA use from 2010 to 2019. Despite a plateau in the prevalence of reflux esophagitis and considerable improvement in various upper gastrointestinal symptoms, PPI use has continued to increase in Japan.
A cellular trafficking signal in the SIV envelope protein cytoplasmic domain is strongly selected for in pathogenic infection
Authors: Lawrence Scott P. , Elser Samra E. , Torben Workineh , Blair Robert V. , Pahar Bapi , Aye Pyone P. , Schiro Faith , Szeltner Dawn , Doyle-Meyers Lara A. , Haggarty Beth S. , Jordan Andrea P. O. , Romano Josephine , Leslie George J. , Alvarez Xavier , O’Connor David H. , Wiseman Roger W. , Fennessey Christine M. , Li Yuan , Piatak Michael , Lifson Jeffrey D. , LaBranche Celia C. , Lackner Andrew A. , Keele Brandon F. , Maness Nicholas J. , Marsh Mark , Hoxie James A.
Published: June 2022

The HIV/SIV envelope glycoprotein (Env) cytoplasmic domain contains a highly conserved Tyr-based trafficking signal that mediates both clathrin-dependent endocytosis and polarized sorting. Despite extensive analysis, the role of these functions in viral infection and pathogenesis is unclear. An SIV molecular clone (SIVmac239) in which this signal is inactivated by deletion of Gly-720 and Tyr-721 (SIVmac239ΔGY), replicates acutely to high levels in pigtail macaques (PTM) but is rapidly controlled. However, we previously reported that rhesus macaques and PTM can progress to AIDS following SIVmac239ΔGY infection in association with novel amino acid changes in the Env cytoplasmic domain. These included an R722G flanking the ΔGY deletion and a nine nucleotide deletion encoding amino acids 734–736 (ΔQTH) that overlaps therevandtatopen reading frames. We show that molecular clones containing these mutations reconstitute signals for both endocytosis and polarized sorting. In one PTM, a novel genotype was selected that generated a new signal for polarized sorting but not endocytosis. This genotype, together with the ΔGY mutation, was conserved in association with high viral loads for several months when introduced into naïve PTMs. For the first time, our findings reveal strong selection pressure for Env endocytosis and particularly for polarized sorting during pathogenic SIV infectionin vivo.
ACCOUNTING RESTATEMENTS, QUALITY OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION, COST OF DEBT AND STOCK RETURNS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN BRAZIL AND THE USA
Authors: Nardi Paula Carolina Ciampaglia , Luiz Menezes da Silva Ricardo
Published: June 2022

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between financial restatements and the qualitative characteristics of the information disclosed, namely conservatism, persistence, relevance and timeliness, together with the relationship between the cost of raising funds with banks and investors, by observing the cost of debt and stock returns.
Methods: The study considered quarterly data from 2010 to 2018, comparing Brazilian and US companies, using regression analysis of panel data.
Results: The study results showed that the companies that need to issue financial restatements present accounting information of low quality. This scenario is evident for both Brazil and the US, whose results indicated non-conservative, non-persistent, non-relevant. As for timeliness, this quality has not worsened in Brazil in the context of restatements because it is not present in financial statements even without the context of restatements. About the USA, banks and investors do not seem to react to restatements, but, in Brazil, companies in need of bank financing should consider that a restatement is related to an increase in the cost of debt. A greater number of restatements was also observed for Brazilian companies, which may be related to a lack of enforcement.
Contribution: The study contributes to the literature on the impact of financial restatements, and signals to investors, banks, and analysts the existence of a decrease in the quality of information, a factor that can be considered in their business valuation models.