bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pressure sensor based on multiple Fano resonance in metal–insulator–metal waveguide coupled resonator structure
Authors: Chen F. , Yang W. X.
Published: May 2022

This paper presents a plasmonic pressure sensor via an optical metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide structure. The proposed pressure sensor is composed of a ring resonator, a stub, and a U-shaped resonator coupled to the bus waveguide. The finite-difference time-domain method (FDTD) is used to study the Fano resonance (FR) characteristics and magnetic field distributions. Results show that the Fano line shapes can be independently tuned by the geometrical parameters. When pressure is exerted on the U-shaped resonator layer, the deformation leads to the shift of the resonant wavelength. The calculated maximum pressure sensitivities are 10.96 and

10

.5

n
m

/

M
P
a

for FR 2, and FR 3, respectively (

M
P
a

=

10
6

P
a

). The good linear relationship between the pressure and resonance wavelength indicates that the proposed nano-scale structure can find potential applications in the fields of nano-biosensing and biomedical sensing.
High-quality compressed sensing imaging with limited detector bits using sparse measurements and multiple dithers
Authors: Liu Fan , Liu Xue-Feng , Yao Xu-Ri , Dou Shen-Cheng , Li Hu , Zhai Guang-Jie
Published: May 2022

High-flux measurement characteristics of compressed sensing (CS) imaging causes the imaging system prone to be disturbed by quantization. To realize high-quality CS imaging with limited detector bits, an improved imaging method combining sparse measurements and multiple dithers is proposed to reduce the dynamic range of the measured signals and increase that of effective detection. Simulations and experiments show that compared with traditional CS imaging, the proposed system decreases reconstruction errors caused by quantization distortions and may reduce the required number of detector bits to 1. The effects of detector noise and system parameters are discussed to validate the feasibility and performance of this method.
Visible and short-wavelength infrared light collimation through carbon nanotube, parallel-hole collimators
Authors: Westover Tyler , Olsen Scott , Westhoff Zach , Morrill Nick , Davis Robert , Vanfleet Richard
Published: May 2022

Traditional collimators typically require large optics and/or long pathlengths which makes miniaturization difficult. Carbon nanotube templated microfabrication offers a solution to pattern small 3D structures, such as parallel hole collimators. Here we present the characterization of a carbon nanotube parallel hole collimator design and its efficacy in visible and short wavelength infrared light. Comparison to geometric and far field diffraction models are shown to give a close fit, making this a promising technology for miniaturized diffuse light collimation.
Chirality of optical vortex beams reflected from an air-chiral medium interface
Authors: Wu Fuping , Cui Zhiwei , Guo Shenyan , Ma Wanqi , Wang Ju
Published: May 2022

Chirality plays an important role in understanding of the chiral light-matter interaction. In this work, we study theoretically and numerically the chirality of optical vortex beams reflected from an air-chiral medium interface. A theoretical model that takes into full account the vectorial nature of electromagnetic fields is developed to describe the reflection of optical vortex beams at an interface between air and a chiral medium. Some numerical simulations are performed and discussed. The results show that the chirality of the reflected vortex beams can be well controlled by the relative chiral parameter of the medium and is significantly affected by the incidence angle, topological charge, and polarization state of the incident beam. Our results provide new, to the best of our knowledge, insights into the interactions between optical vortex beams with chiral matter, and may have potential application in optical chirality manipulation.
Waveguide structure based electron acceleration using terahertz pulses
Authors: Turnár Szabolcs , Krizsán Gergő , Hebling János , Tibai Zoltán
Published: May 2022

We have developed a waveguide structure for electron acceleration using a few µJ energy THz pulse. The metallic device focuses the incoming linearly polarized nearly single-cycle THz pulse, hence increasing the peak electric field strength. We experimentally verified the gain and the temporal profile of the electric field in the structure using electro-optic sampling technique. The acceleration of the electron bunch from rest up to 8 keV was predicted using single-cycle THz pulses with µJ-energy level.
Tunable single photon nonreciprocal scattering based on giant atom-waveguide chiral couplings
Authors: Liu Ning , Wang Xin , Wang Xia , Ma Xiao-San , Cheng Mu-Tian
Published: May 2022

We theoretically investigate the single photon scattering properties in a waveguide chirally coupling to a giant atom. The single photon transmission spectrum depends on the direction of the single photon incident when the energy loss of the giant atom can not be neglected. The difference between the transmission probabilities corresponding to opposite transport direction ΔT is calculated. It shows that both of the position and width of the ΔT are dependent on the size of the giant atom. Furthermore, the position of the maximum ΔT and the frequency width of ΔT can be modulated by a classical laser beam. Our results will be beneficial to control single photons in quantum devices design involving giant atoms.
Thermal-mechanical-photo-activation effect on silica micro/nanofiber surfaces: origination, reparation and utilization
Authors: Linghu Shuangyi , Ma Yanna , Gu Zhaoqi , Zhu Runlin , Liu Yifei , Liu Hongjiang , Gu Fuxing
Published: May 2022

The exploration relevant to the surface changes on optical micro- and nanofibers (MNFs) is still in infancy, and the reported original mechanisms remain long-standing puzzles. Here, by recognizing the combined interactions between fiber heating, mechanically tapering, and high-power pulsed laser guiding processes in MNFs, we establish a general thermal-mechanical-photo-activation mechanism that can explain the surface changes on MNFs. Our proposed activation mechanism can be well supported by the systematical experimental results using high-intensity nanosecond/femtosecond pulsed lasers. Especially we find large bump-like nanoscale cavities on the fracture ends of thin MNFs. Theoretically, on the basis of greatly increased bond energy activated by the fiber heating and mechanically tapering processes, the energy needed to break the silicon-oxygen bond into dangling bonds is significantly reduced from its intrinsic bandgap of ∼9 eV to as low as ∼4.0 eV, thus high-power pulsed lasers with much smaller photon energy can induce obvious surface changes on MNFs via multi-photon absorption. Finally, we demonstrate that using surfactants can repair the MNF surfaces and exploit them in promising applications ranging from sensing and optoelectronics to nonlinear optics. Our results pave the way for future preventing the performances from degradation and enabling the practical MNF-based device applications.
Efficient sub-pixel convolutional neural network for terahertz image super-resolution
Authors: Ruan Haihang , Tan Zhiyong , Chen Liangtao , Wan Wenjain , Cao Juncheng
Published: May 2022

Terahertz waves are electromagnetic waves located at 0.1–10 THz, and terahertz imaging technology can be applied to security inspection, biomedicine, non-destructive testing of materials, and other fields. At present, terahertz images have unclear data and rough edges. Therefore, improving the resolution of terahertz images is one of the current hot research topics. This paper proposes an efficient terahertz image super-resolution model, which is used to extract low-resolution (LR) image features and learn the mapping of LR images to high-resolution (HR) images, and then introduce an attention mechanism to let the network pay attention to more information features. Finally, we use sub-pixel convolution to learn a set of scaling filters to upgrade the final LR feature map to an HR output, which not only reduces the model complexity, but also improves the quality of the terahertz image. The resolution reaches 31.67 db on the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) index and 0.86 on the structural similarity (SSIM) index. Experiments show that the efficient sub-pixel convolutional neural network used in this article achieves better accuracy and visual improvement compared with other terahertz image super-resolution algorithms.
Polarization-insensitive 1D grating coupler based on a zero-birefringence subwavelength corelet waveguide
Authors: Zhang Bohan , Schiller Mark , Al Qubaisi Kenaish , Onural Deniz , Khilo Anatol , Naughton Michael J. , Popović Miloš A.
Published: May 2022

Grating coupler devices provide efficient, foundry-compatible vertical fiber-to-chip coupling solutions in integrated photonic platforms. However, standard grating coupler designs are highly polarization sensitive, which hinders their adoption. We present a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of 1D polarization-insensitive grating coupler (PIGC) that is based on a zero-birefringence subwavelength “corelet” waveguide. We demonstrate a PIGC for coupling in the telecommunications O-band in a 45-nm-node monolithic silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS electronic-photonic platform, with measured insertion losses of 6.7 and 6.1 dB to transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarizations, respectively, and a ±1-dB polarization dependent loss bandwidth of 73 nm.
Ultrafast Tm-doped fiber laser system delivering 1.65-mJ, sub-100-fs pulses at a 100-kHz repetition rate
Authors: Heuermann Tobias , Wang Ziyao , Lenski Mathias , Gebhardt Martin , Gaida Christian , Abdelaal Mahmoud , Buldt Joachim , Müller Michael , Klenke Arno , Limpert Jens
Published: May 2022

High-energy, ultrafast, short-wavelength infrared laser sources with high average power are important tools for industrial and scientific applications. Through the coherent combination of four ultrafast thulium-doped rod-type fiber amplifiers, we demonstrate a Tm-doped chirped pulse amplification system with a compressed pulse energy of 1.65 mJ and 167 W of average output power at a repetition rate of 101 kHz. The system delivers 85 fs pulses with a peak power of 15 GW. Additionally, the system presents a high long- and short-term stability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average output power short wavelength IR, mJ-class source to date. This result shows the potential of coherent beam combining techniques in the short wavelength infrared spectral region for the power scalability of these systems.
Voltage-tunable surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on electroactive polymeric membranes containing plasmonic nanoparticles
Authors: Sharma Yashna , Cakmak Enes , Yuan Hsiang-kuo , Garcia Roberto , Batchelor Dale , Vo-Dinh Tuan , Ghosh Tushar , Dhawan Anuj
Published: May 2022

We describe voltage-controlled surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates in which the SERS-signals can be actively modulated by applying voltage. These SERS-substrates employ a dielectric electroactive polymer (D-EAP) membrane with a pair of electrically-actuated active regions. When these regions are simultaneously activated, they produce an in-plane contractile strain in the regions of the D-EAP where SERS dye-coated nanoparticles are placed. We demonstrate that SERS-signals from dye-coated silver nanoparticles, deposited on the D-EAP membrane, increases by ∼100% upon application of an actuating voltage. Upon removal of the voltage, actuated active-areas move towards their original positions, leading to a decrease in the SERS-signals.
Monadic Pavlovian associative learning in a backpropagation-free photonic network
Authors: Tan James Y. S. , Cheng Zengguang , Feldmann Johannes , Li Xuan , Youngblood Nathan , Ali Utku E. , Wright C. David , Pernice Wolfram H. P. , Bhaskaran Harish
Published: May 2022

Over a century ago, Ivan P. Pavlov, in a classic experiment, demonstrated how dogs can learn to associate a ringing bell with food, thereby causing a ring to result in salivation. Today, it is rare to find the use of Pavlovian type associative learning for artificial intelligence applications even though other learning concepts, in particular, backpropagation on artificial neural networks (ANNs), have flourished. However, training using the backpropagation method on “conventional” ANNs, especially in the form of modern deep neural networks, is computationally and energy intensive. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a form of backpropagation-free learning using a single (or monadic) associative hardware element. We realize this on an integrated photonic platform using phase-change materials combined with on-chip cascaded directional couplers. We then develop a scaled-up circuit network using our monadic Pavlovian photonic hardware that delivers a distinct machine learning framework based on single-element associations and, importantly, using backpropagation-free architectures to address general learning tasks. Our approach reduces the computational burden imposed by learning in conventional neural network approaches, thereby increasing speed while also offering a higher bandwidth inherent to our photonic implementation.
Automated assessment reveals that the extinction risk of reptiles is widely underestimated across space and phylogeny
Authors: Caetano Gabriel Henrique de Oliveira , Chapple David G. , Grenyer Richard , Raz Tal , Rosenblatt Jonathan , Tingley Reid , Böhm Monika , Meiri Shai , Roll Uri
Published: May 2022

The Red List of Threatened Species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is a crucial tool for conservation decision-making. However, despite substantial effort, numerous species remain unassessed or have insufficient data available to be assigned a Red List extinction risk category. Moreover, the Red Listing process is subject to various sources of uncertainty and bias. The development of robust automated assessment methods could serve as an efficient and highly useful tool to accelerate the assessment process and offer provisional assessments. Here, we aimed to (1) present a machine learning–based automated extinction risk assessment method that can be used on less known species; (2) offer provisional assessments for all reptiles—the only major tetrapod group without a comprehensive Red List assessment; and(3) evaluate potential effects of human decision biases on the outcome of assessments. We use the method presented here to assess 4,369 reptile species that are currently unassessed or classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN. The models used in our predictions were 90% accurate in classifying species as threatened/nonthreatened, and 84% accurate in predicting specific extinction risk categories. Unassessed and Data Deficient reptiles were considerably more likely to be threatened than assessed species, adding to mounting evidence that these species warrant more conservation attention. The overall proportion of threatened species greatly increased when we included our provisional assessments. Assessor identities strongly affected prediction outcomes, suggesting that assessor effects need to be carefully considered in extinction risk assessments. Regions and taxa we identified as likely to be more threatened should be given increased attention in new assessments and conservation planning. Lastly, the method we present here can be easily implemented to help bridge the assessment gap for other less known taxa.
A distributed approach to the regulation of clinical AI
Authors: Panch Trishan , Duralde Erin , Mattie Heather , Kotecha Gopal , Celi Leo Anthony , Wright Melanie , Greaves Felix
Published: May 2022

Regulation is necessary to ensure the safety, efficacy and equitable impact of clinical artificial intelligence (AI). The number of applications of clinical AI is increasing, which, amplified by the need for adaptations to account for the heterogeneity of local health systems and inevitable data drift, creates a fundamental challenge for regulators. Our opinion is that, at scale, the incumbent model of centralized regulation of clinical AI will not ensure the safety, efficacy, and equity of implemented systems. We propose a hybrid model of regulation, where centralized regulation would only be required for applications of clinical AI where the inference is entirely automated without clinician review, have a high potential to negatively impact the health of patients and for algorithms that are to be applied at national scale by design. This amalgam of centralized and decentralized regulation we refer to as a distributed approach to the regulation of clinical AI and highlight the benefits as well as the pre-requisites and challenges involved.
Feature engineering and machine learning for computer-assisted screening of children with speech disorders
Authors: Suthar Kerul , Yousefi Zowj Farnaz , Speights Atkins Marisha , He Q. Peter
Published: May 2022

Auditory perceptual analysis (APA) is the main method for clinical assessment of speech-language deficits, which are one of the most prevalent childhood disabilities. However, results from APA are susceptible to intra- and inter-rater variabilities. There are also other limitations of manual or hand transcription-based speech disorder diagnostic methods. There is increased interest in developing automated methods that quantify speech patterns for diagnosing speech disorders in children to address these limitations. Landmark (LM) analysis is an approach that characterizes acoustic events occurring due to sufficiently precise articulatory movements. This work investigates the utilization of LMs for automatic speech disorder detection in children. Besides the LM-based features that have been proposed in existing research, we propose a set of novel knowledge-based features that have not been proposed before. A systematic study and comparison of different linear and nonlinear machine learning classification techniques based on the raw features and the proposed features is conducted to assess the effectiveness of the novel features in classifying speech disorder patients from normal speakers.
Bartonella quintana endocarditis in a child from Northern Manitoba, Canada
Authors: Boodman Carl , MacDougall William , Hawkes Michael , Tyrrell Gregory , Fanella Sergio
Published: May 2022

We describe a case of Bartonella quintana endocarditis in an 11-year-old child from Northern Manitoba, Canada. This case demonstrates the neglected endemicity of B. quintana in Northern Canada and highlights the need for improved case finding and elucidation of specific risk factors for B. quintana infection in the Canadian North. Considering B. quintana’s predominant transmission via body lice ectoparasitosis, we hypothesize that B. quintana’s endemicity in Northern Canada is linked to inadequate access to suitable housing and running water among remote communities in the Canadian North.
Evolution in caesarean section practices in North Kivu: Impact of caregiver training
Authors: Dikete Ekanga Michel , Mitangala Prudence , Coppieters Yves , Kirkpatrick Christine , Kabuyanga Kabuseba Richard , Simon Philippe , Englert Yvon , Racape Judith , Zang Wei-Hong
Published: May 2022

Introduction

A caesarean section is a major obstetric procedure that can save the life of mother and child. Its purpose is to protect the mother’s health from the complications of childbirth and to protect the baby’s health. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there are major inequalities in access to caesarean sections and significant variations in practices to determine the indications for the procedure. Periodic analyses of maternal deaths have shown that more than half of maternal and new born deaths are due to suboptimal care and are therefore potentially preventable. The objective of our study is to assess the impact of health staff training under the PADISS project (to support the health system’s integrated development) on the quality of CS procedures in North Kivu, by comparing two periods.

Material and methods

The populations compared were recruited from the referral hospitals in North Kivu, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). The first (group 1) was made up of patient files studied retrospectively for the period from 01/11/2013 to 01/01/2016. The second group (group 2), studied prospectively, comprised patient files from June 2019 to January 2020. Obstetric, maternal and foetal data were compared. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA/IC 15.0 for Windows. Univariate and multiple logistic regression was performed to determine which characteristics are associated with maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

CS frequency was approximately 17% in both study periods. We observed a CS frequency of about 34% at North Kivu provincial hospital for the two populations studied. The main indications for CS were dystocia, foetal distress and scarred uterus for both populations. In the population studied prospectively, after the implementation of health staff training, there were fewer incidence rate of dystocia, foetal distress and neonatal death, a more complete patient record, shorter hospital stay, and fewer blood transfusions but more incidence rate of scarred uterus, post-operative complications and low birth weight. Intervention had no statistically significant impact on low birth weight (OR = 1.9, p = 0.13), on neonatal mortality (OR = 0.69, p = 0.21).

Conclusion

Our study shows a decrease in neonatal deaths, dystocia and foetal distress, but an increase in post-operative complications, maternal deaths and cases of scarred uterus and low birth weight. However, multiple logistic regression did no support the conclusion.
Application of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology to prioritize research to enable the implementation of Ending Cholera: A global roadmap to 2030
Authors: Ko Melissa , Cherian Thomas , Groves Helen T. , Klemm Elizabeth J. , Qazi Shamim
Published: May 2022

Background

The “Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030” (Roadmap) was launched in October 2017. Following its launch, it became clear that additional evidence is needed to assist countries in controlling cholera and that a prioritized list of research questions is required to focus the limited resources to address the issues most relevant to the implementation of the Roadmap.

Methods

A comprehensive list of research questions was developed based on inputs from the Working Groups of the Global Taskforce for Cholera Control and other experts. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology was adapted to identify the relevant assessment criteria and assign weights to each criterion. The assessment criteria were applied to each research question by cholera experts to derive a score based on which they were prioritized.

Findings

The consultation process involved 177 experts and stakeholders representing different constituencies and geographies with research priority scores ranging from 88·8 to 65·7% and resulted in the prioritization of the top 20 research questions across all Roadmap pillars, the top five research questions for each Roadmap pillar, and three discovery research questions. This resulted in 32 non-duplicative research questions that considers both immediate and long-term Roadmap goals.

Interpretation

The transparent, inclusive, and rigorous process to develop a Research Agenda is aimed to secure broad buy-in and serve as a guide for funding agencies and researchers to focus their efforts to fill the evidence gaps plaguing cholera-endemic countries.
Sachet water in Ghana: A spatiotemporal analysis of the recent upward trend in consumption and its relationship with changing household characteristics, 2010–2017
Authors: Moulds Simon , Chan Anson C. H. , Tetteh Jacob D. , Bixby Honor , Owusu George , Agyei-Mensah Samuel , Ezzati Majid , Buytaert Wouter , Templeton Michael R.
Published: May 2022

The consumption of packaged water in Ghana has grown significantly in recent years. By 2017, “sachet water”—machine-sealed 500ml plastic bags of drinking water—was consumed by 33% of Ghanaian households. Reliance on sachet water has previously been associated with the urban poor, yet recent evidence suggests a customer base which crosses socioeconomic lines. Here, we conduct a repeated cross-sectional analysis of three nationally representative datasets to examine the changing demography of sachet water consumers between 2010 and 2017. Our results show that over the course of the study period sachet water has become a ubiquitous source of drinking water in Ghana, with relatively wealthy households notably increasing their consumption. In 2017, the majority of sachet water drinking households had access to another improved water source. The current rate and form of urbanisation, inadequate water governance, and an emphasis on cost recovery pose significant challenges for the expansion of the piped water supply network, leading us to conclude that sachet water will likely continue to be a prominent source of drinking water in Ghana for the foreseeable future. The main challenge for policymakers is to ensure that the growing sachet water market enhances rather than undermines Ghana’s efforts towards achieving universal and equitable access to clean drinking water and sanitation.
Use of CRISPR/Cas9 with homology-directed repair to silence the human topoisomerase IIα intron-19 5’ splice site: Generation of etoposide resistance in human leukemia K562 cells
Authors: Hernandez Victor A. , Carvajal-Moreno Jessika , Wang Xinyi , Pietrzak Maciej , Yalowich Jack C. , Elton Terry S.
Published: May 2022

DNA Topoisomerase IIα (TOP2α/170) is an enzyme essential for proliferating cells. For rapidly multiplying malignancies, this has made TOP2α/170 an important target for etoposide and other clinically active anticancer drugs. Efficacy of these agents is often limited by chemoresistance related to alterations in TOP2α/170 expression levels. Our laboratory recently demonstrated reduced levels of TOP2α/170 and overexpression of a C-terminal truncated 90-kDa isoform, TOP2α/90, due to intronic polyadenylation (IPA; within intron 19) in an acquired etoposide-resistant K562 clonal cell line, K/VP.5. We previously reported that this isoform heterodimerized with TOP2α/170 and was a determinant of acquired resistance to etoposide. Optimization of the weak TOP2α exon 19/intron 19 5′ splice site in drug-resistant K/VP.5 cells by gene-editing restored TOP2α/170 levels, diminished TOP2α/90 expression, and circumvented drug resistance. Conversely, in the present study, silencing of the exon 19/intron 19 5′ splice site in parental K562 cells by CRISPR/Cas9 with homology-directed repair (HDR), and thereby forcing intron 19 retention, was used to induce resistance by disrupting normal RNA processing (i.e., gene knockout), and to further evaluate the role of TOP2α/170 and TOP2α/90 isoforms as resistance determinants. Gene-edited clones were identified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and verified by Sanger sequencing. TOP2α/170 mRNA/protein expression levels were attenuated in the TOP2α gene-edited clones which resulted in resistance to etoposide as assessed by reduced etoposide-induced DNA damage (γH2AX, Comet assays) and growth inhibition. RNA-seq and qPCR studies suggested that intron 19 retention leads to decreased TOP2α/170 expression by degradation of the TOP2α edited mRNA transcripts. Forced expression of TOP2α/90 in the gene-edited K562 cells further decreased etoposide-induced DNA damage in support of a dominant negative role for this truncated isoform. Together results support the important role of both TOP2α/170 and TOP2α/90 as determinants of sensitivity/resistance to TOP2α-targeting agents.
Economic uncertainty of pandemic and international airlines behaviour
Authors: Fasanya Ismail O. , Adekoya Oluwasegun B. , Oliyide Johnson A
Published: May 2022

This paper examines the role of uncertainty due to infectious diseases in predicting twenty International airline stocks within a nonparametric causality-in-quantiles framework. We observe that: First, the BDS test shows that nonlinearity is very important when examining the causal relationship between EMV-ID and airline stock returns and its volatility. Second, the nonparametric quantiles-based causality test shows that airline stocks predictability driven by pandemic-based uncertainty is stronger mostly around the lower quantiles, with weak evidences in middle and higher quantiles. Relevant policy implications can be drawn from these findings.
Non-equilibrium time-dependent solution to discrete choice with social interactions
Authors: Holehouse James , Pollitt Hector
Published: May 2022

We solve the binary decision model of Brock and Durlauf (2001)in timeusing a method reliant on the resolvent of the master operator of the stochastic process. Our solution is valid when not at equilibrium and can be used to exemplify path-dependent behaviours of the binary decision model. The solution is computationally fast and is indistinguishable from Monte Carlo simulation. Well-known metastable effects are observed in regions of the model’s parameter space where agent rationality is above a critical value, and we calculate the time scale at which equilibrium is reached using a highly accurate method based on first passage time theory. In addition to considering selfish agents, who only care to maximise their own utility, we consider altruistic agents who make decisions on the basis of maximising global utility. Curiously, we find that although altruistic agents coalesce more strongly on a particular decision, thereby increasing their utility in the short-term, they are also more prone to being subject to non-optimal metastable regimes as compared to selfish agents. The method used for this solution can be easily extended to other binary decision models, including Kirman’s model of ant recruitment Kirman (1993), and under reinterpretation also provides a time-dependent solution to the mean-field Ising model. Finally, we use our time-dependent solution to construct a likelihood function that can be used on non-equilibrium data for model calibration. This is a rare finding, since often calibration in economic agent based models must be done without an explicit likelihood function. From simulated data, we show that even with a well-defined likelihood function, model calibration is difficult unless one has access to data representative of the underlying model.
Protective effect of remote liver ischemic postconditioning on pulmonary ischemia and reperfusion injury in diabetic and non-diabetic rats
Authors: Huang Dou , Chen Changwei , Zuo Yunxia , Du Lei , Liu Ting , Abbott Geoffrey W. , Hu Zhaoyang
Published: May 2022

Pulmonary ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs in many clinical conditions and causes severe damage to the lungs. Diabetes mellitus (DM) predisposes to pulmonary I/R injury. We previously found that remote liver ischemia preconditioning protected lungs against pulmonary I/R injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether remote liver ischemic postconditioning (RLIPost) attenuates pulmonary damage induced by I/R injury in non-diabetic or diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into non-diabetic and diabetic groups. All rats except for the sham were exposed to 45 min of left hilum occlusion followed by 2 h of reperfusion. RLIPost was conducted at the onset of pulmonary reperfusion by four cycles of 5 min of liver ischemia and reperfusion. Lung injury was assessed by the wet/dry weight ratio, pulmonary oxygenation, histopathological changes, apoptosis and the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Reperfusion-associated protein phosphorylation states were determined. RLIPost offered strong pulmonary-protection in both non-diabetic and diabetic rats, as reflected in reduced water content and pulmonary structural damage, recovery of lung function, inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation after ischemia-reperfusion. RLIPost induced the activation of pulmonary STAT-3, a key component in the SAFE pathway, but not activation of the proteins in the RISK pathway, in non-diabetic rats. In contrast, RLIPost-induced pulmonary protection in diabetic lungs was independent of SAFE or RISK pathway activation. These results demonstrate that RLIPost exerts pulmonary protection against I/R-induced lung injury in non-diabetic and diabetic rats. The underlying mechanism for protection may be different in non-diabetic (STAT-3 dependent) versus diabetic (STAT-3 independent) rats.
Effects of different exercise training programs on the functional performance in fibrosing interstitial lung diseases: A randomized trial
Authors: Essam Hatem , Abdel Wahab Nashwa Hassan , Younis Gihan , El-sayed Enas , Shafiek Hanaa
Published: May 2022

Objectives

We aimed to compare the effects of different aerobic exercise training (ET) programs on respiratory performance, exercise capacity, and quality of life in fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (f-ILD).

Methods

A case-control study where 31 patients with f-ILD diagnosis based on chest high-resolution computed tomography were recruited from Main Alexandria University hospital-Egypt. Ten patients were randomly assigned for only lower limbs (LL) endurance training program, and 10 patients for upper limbs, lower limbs, and breathing exercises (ULB) program for consecutive 18 sessions (3 sessions/week for 6 consecutive weeks). Eleven patients who refused to participate in the ET program were considered as control. All patients were subjected for St George’s respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ), 6-minute walk test (6-MWT), forced spirometry and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) before and after ET programs.

Results

Fibrosing non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and collagenic associated-ILD were the commonest pathologies among the ET groups (30% each) with mean age of 44.4±12.25 and 41.90±7.58 years for LL and ULB groups respectively and moderate-to-severe lung restriction. 6-MWT and SGRQ significantly improved after both ET programs (p<0.001). Peak oxygen consumption (VO2) improved significantly after both LL training (median of 22 (interquartile range (IQR) = 17.0–24.0) vs. 17.5 (IQR = 13.0–23.0) ml/kg/min, p = 0.032) and ULB training (median of 13.5 (IQR = 11.0–21.0) vs. 10.5 (IQR = 5.0–16.0) ml/kg/min, p = 0.018). Further, maximal work load and minute ventilation (VE) significantly improved after both types of ET training (p<0.05); however, neither ventilation equivalent (VE/VCO2) nor FVC% improved after ET (p = 0.052 and 0.259 respectively). There were no statistically significant important differences between LL and ULB training programs regarding 6-MWT, SGRQ or CPET parameters (p>0.05).

Conclusions

ET was associated with improvements in exercise capacity and quality of life in f-ILD patients irrespective of the type of ET program provided.
Neonatal mortality and associated factors among neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit at public hospitals of Somali Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia: A multicenter retrospective analysis
Authors: Mohamed Hamda Ahmed , Shiferaw Zemenu , Roble Abdurahman Kedir , Kure Mohammed Abdurke
Published: May 2022

Background

Neonatal mortality remains a public health problem in the developing world. Globally, around 2.5 million neonatal deaths are reported annually with the highest mortality concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In comparison with countries demonstrating the lowest neonatal mortality, the risk of mortality is over 30 times higher in sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is among the countries with a high neonatal mortality rate, and the burden of this mortality remains unreported in many pastoralist areas such as Somali Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia. We aimed to investigate factors associated with neonatal mortality in public Hospitals of the Somali Regional State in Eastern Ethiopia.

Methods

A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1st to 30th, 2020 in three public Hospitals of Somali Regional State in Eastern Ethiopia. A total of 510 neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units from January 2018 to December 2019 were enrolled in the study. The charts of neonates were randomly selected and retrieved. Data were collected using a pretested and validated structured questionnaire. The collected were entered into Epidata version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 22 (IBM SPSS Statistics, 2013) for further analysis. Descriptive statistics were carried out using frequency tables, proportions, and summary measures. Predictors were assessed using a multivariable logistic regression analysis model and reported using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Statistical significance was considered at a p-value <0.05.

Results

Overall, the neonatal mortality was 18.6% [95%CI (15.31, 22.30)], equating to a rate of 186 per 1000 live births. The most common causes of mortality were prematurity (44.6%), low birth weight (33.5%), and birth asphyxia (27.6%). In the final model of multivariable analysis, predictors such as: lack of antenatal care follow-up[AOR = 3.71, 95%CI (2.13, 6.44)], neonatal sepsis [AOR = 1.84, 95%CI (1.07, 3.19], preterm birth [AOR = 2.20, 95%CI (1.02, 4.29], and birth asphyxia [AOR = 2.40, 95%CI(1.26,4.43)], and birth weight of less than 2500gms[AOR = 3.40, 95%CI(1.92, 6.01)] were statistically associated with neonatal mortality.

Conclusion

In this study, the neonatal mortality rate was high compared to national and global targets because one in five neonates dies due to preventable causes. Modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors were identified as predictors. This result calls for all stakeholders to provide due attention to low birth weight and premature babies. Early identification and management of birth asphyxia and neonatal sepsis are also very crucial to reduce the risks of neonatal deaths.
Spatial evaluation of the accessibility of public service facilities in Shanghai: A community differentiation perspective
Authors: Wang Juan , Zhou Jun
Published: May 2022

Following the ‘people-oriented’ concept, increased attention should be paid to the heterogeneity of community residents when configuring public service facilities. Taking Shanghai as an example, this study analyzed the spatial pattern of urban and rural community differentiation and evaluated spatial differences in the level of accessibility to four types of public service facilities based on the shortest travel distance. There were significant differences between community types in Shanghai, with a clear circular structure in the urban and rural spaces. Here, facility accessibility decreased from the core to the periphery. Population density, income level, and the shortest walking distance to facilities revealed a significant negative correlation. Age level, household registration, and the shortest walking distance to facilities were partially weakly correlated or uncorrelated. The spatial matching of population density and facility accessibility simultaneously presented a circular pattern and heterogeneity, while planned new towns in suburbs and mid-suburbs presented a double-medium-sized match of the same community type. From the perspective of community differentiation, mechanisms behind the formation of the spatial pattern of facility accessibility included urban-rural pattern continuity and differences in allocation specifications, the continuity of population agglomeration and the accumulation of facility construction, and urban planning guidance and population agglomeration.
Involvement of a putative ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) Involved in manganese transport in virulence of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Liu Yanhong , Yoo Brian ByongKwon , Hwang Cheng-An , Martinez Mira Rakic , Datta Atin R. , Fratamico Pina M.
Published: May 2022

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and the causative agent of listeriosis, a disease associated with high fatality (20–30%) and hospitalization rates (>95%). ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters have been demonstrated to be involved in the general stress response. In previous studies, in-frame deletion mutants of the ABC transporter genes, LMOf2365_1875 and LMOf2365_1877, were constructed and analyzed; however, additional work is needed to investigate the virulence potential of these deletion mutants. In this study, two in vitro methods and one in vivo model were used to investigate the virulence potential of in-frame deletion mutants of ABC transporter genes. First, the invasion efficiency in host cells was measured using the HT-29 human cell line. Second, cell-to-cell spread activity was measured using a plaque forming assay. Lastly, virulence potential of the mutants was tested in the Galleria mellonella wax moth model. Our results demonstrated that the deletion mutant, ⊿LMOf2365_1875, displayed decreased invasion and cell-to-cell spread efficiency in comparison to the wild-type, LMOf2365, indicating that LMOf2365_1875 may be required for virulence. Furthermore, the reduced virulence of these mutants was confirmed using the Galleria mellonella wax moth model. In addition, the expression levels of 15 virulence and stress-related genes were analyzed by RT-PCR assays using stationary phase cells. Our results showed that virulence-related gene expression levels from the deletion mutants were elevated (15/15 genes from ⊿LMOf2365_1877 and 7/15 genes from ⊿LMOf2365_1875) compared to the wild type LMOf2365, suggesting that ABC transporters may negatively regulate virulence gene expression under specific conditions. The expression level of the stress-related gene, clpE, also was increased in both deletion mutants, indicating the involvement of ABC transporters in the stress response. Taken together, our findings suggest that ABC transporters may be used as potential targets to develop new therapeutic strategies to control L. monocytogenes.
Predicting the number of days in court cases using artificial intelligence
Authors: de Oliveira Raphael Souza , Reis Amilton Sales , Sperandio Nascimento Erick Giovani
Published: May 2022

Brazilian legal system prescribes means of ensuring the prompt processing of court cases, such as the principle of reasonable process duration, the principle of celerity, procedural economy, and due legal process, with a view to optimizing procedural progress. In this context, one of the great challenges of the Brazilian judiciary is to predict the duration of legal cases based on information such as the judge, lawyers, parties involved, subject, monetary values of the case, starting date of the case, etc. Recently, there has been great interest in estimating the duration of various types of events using artificial intelligence algorithms to predict future behaviors based on time series. Thus, this study presents a proof-of-concept for creating and demonstrating a mechanism for predicting the amount of time, after the case is argued in court (time when a case is made available for the magistrate to make the decision), for the magistrate to issue a ruling. Cases from a Regional Labor Court were used as the database, with preparation data in two ways (original and discretization), to test seven machine learning techniques (i) Multilayer Perceptron (MLP); (ii) Gradient Boosting; (iii) Adaboost; (iv) Regressive Stacking; (v) Stacking Regressor with MLP; (vi) Regressive Stacking with Gradient Boosting; and (vii) Support Vector Regression (SVR), and determine which gives the best results. After executing the runs, it was identified that the adaboost technique excelled in the task of estimating the duration for issuing a ruling, as it had the best performance among the tested techniques. Thus, this study shows that it is possible to use machine learning techniques to perform this type of prediction, for the test data set, with an R2of 0.819 and when transformed into levels, an accuracy of 84%.
The Colombian scientific elite—Science mapping and a comparison with Nobel Prize laureates using a composite citation indicator
Authors: Cortés Julián D. , Andrade Daniel A.
Published: May 2022

A well-established agenda on the research output, impact, and structure of global scientific elites such as Nobel Prize laureates has generated interest in the scientific elites from developing countries. However, this topic has not been investigated in detail. This study, first, deploys science mapping techniques to provide a comprehensive analysis of the output, impact, and structure of the Colombian scientific elite, i.e., researchers awarded with the Alejandro Ángel Escobar Foundation National Prize 1990–2020, known locally as the Colombian Nobel. Second, we conducted a productivity and impact comparison between the Colombian scientific elite and Nobel Prize laureates in science and economics by means of a stratified random sample 1990–2020 via the composite citation indicator proposed by Ioannidis et al. Findings showed that the Colombian scientific elite has a broader agenda than indexing titles in internationally renowned bibliographic databases. The Colombian scientific elite also showed positive growth, which is an inverse trend compared with the sample of Nobel laureate productivity. There were no noticeable changes in productivity/impact before and after receiving the Alejandro Ángel Escobar Foundation National Prize. Institutional collaboration within the Colombian scientific elite displayed the highest betweenness (brokerage) role of world/local top-tier universities. However, only two Colombian scientific elite members published an article with two Nobel Prize laureates. Most of the research profiles reflected the national output priorities, but were found to diverge from the national focus in respect of strategic research capacities. The interleaving of the Colombian scientific elite and Nobel Prize laureates—particularly between the 3rd and 2nd quartiles—enabled a more nuanced analysis of the local impact in the global scientific landscape. Our findings also contrast with previous findings on the lower research impact of authors from Latin America, despite their involvement as contributors to reputable journals, and also shed light on the research performance-impact standards and agenda between the global North and South and provide an in-context assessment of outstanding local research.
Perception and expectations of personal sound amplification products in Korea: A hospital-based, multi-center, cross-sectional survey
Authors: Han Jae Sang , Kim Yeonji , Park Moo Kyun , Song Jae-Jun , Moon Il Joon , Lee Woojoo , Cho Young Sang , Seo Jae-Hyun , Park Yong-Ho
Published: May 2022

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate current perception and expected price of personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) and to analyze influencing factors through multi-center hospital-based surveys of outpatients, caregivers, and hearing experts.

Methods

A multi-center exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted in two groups of respondents with two separate surveys: 1) a perception survey of patients and caregivers who visited an otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic in 5 general hospitals and 2) an opinion survey of hearing specialists about the expected price of PSAPs. A total of 197 outpatient visitors responded to the perception survey, and 42 hearing specialists responded to the opinion survey.

Results

Overall perception score (18 questions) was 3.04 (95% CI, 3.00–3.09). When 5 categories of perception (knowledge, needs, cost, expectation, and information categories) were analyzed, cost and expectation showed the highest scores of 3.33 (95% CI, 3.21–3.44) and 3.33 (95% CI, 3.27–3.40), respectively, and needs showed the lowest score of 2.23 (95% CI, 1.97–2.49). The ≥ 60-year-old group showed significantly higher perception of PSAPs (P = 0.002), and the individuals with greater severity of subjective hearing loss showed significantly higher perception of PSAPs (P = 0.002). The expected price of PSAPs of the outpatient visitors was 933.9 USD (95% CI, 811.9–1056.0) per ear. Mean expected price of PSAPs of hearing specialists was 291.3 USD (95% CI, 238.2–344.3) per ear.

Conclusion

The perception rate of PSAPs was very low, and there was a discrepancy in the expected price of PSAPs between patients/caregivers and hearing experts. Hearing specialists should make effort to improve perception of PSAPs.