bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acoustomotive diffuse correlation spectroscopy for sensing mechanical stiffness in tissue-mimicking phantoms
Authors: Di Wenqi , Zhang Ruizhi , Gui Zhiguo , Shang Yu
Published: August 2024

Many diseases, such as inflammation, dropsy, or tumors, often cause alterations in the mechanical stiffness of human tissues. Ultrasound-based techniques are commonly adopted in clinics for stiffness assessment, whereas optical methodologies hold promise for sensing strain changes and providing optical information pertaining to the microcirculatory network, thereby facilitating comprehensive measurements of tissue physiopathology. Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), an emerging dynamic light scattering technique, has been used to capture the enhanced motion of light scatterers induced by acoustic radiation force (ARF). Theoretically, the amplitude of this enhanced scatterers motion is related to the medium stiffness. Based on this relationship, we report a light coherent technique that combines ARF and DCS to qualitatively evaluate changes in the stiffness of medium. We experimentally demonstrate the accuracy and feasibility of this technique for probing stiffness in homogeneous phantom by comparing it with independent ultrasound methods. Additionally, we explore a potential application of this technique in distinguishing between fluid filled lesion and homogeneous tissue through heterogeneous phantom experiments. This unique combination of ARF and DCS, namely, acoustomotive DCS (AM-DCS), would provide an alternative way to measure particle-motion related stiffness, thereby assisting in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Investigation of rotation rate sensitivity in a quantum optomechanical gyroscope with two coupled cavities
Authors: Mahdavi Vahid , Saghafifar Hossein , Davoudi-Darareh Mahdi
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we have demonstrated the design of a quantum optomechanical gyroscope consisting of a combination of a Michelson interferometer with a quantum optomechanical cavity coupled to a simple Fabry–Perot cavity, all on a rotating table. The optomechanical cavity contains one moving mirror with the freedom of movement in the directions of the cavity axis (x direction) and perpendicular to it (y direction). The movement of the mirror in the y direction is sinusoidal with the frequency of natural vibrations of the mirror in the x direction, which is created by a micro-piezoelectric. Despite the movement of the mirror in the y direction and the rotation of the entire gyroscope around the z axis, the virtual Coriolis force is applied to the mirror in the x direction. This leads to a new sinusoidal force in addition to thermal fluctuations and radiation pressure force on the mirror along the cavity length. Also, the presence of a simple Fabry–Perot cavity and its coupling with the optomechanical cavity helps us to control the amount of energy entering the optomechanical cavity and consequently the radiation pressure inside it. By controlling radiation pressure and optimizing parameters, we increase the gyroscope’s sensitivity by over 57% at T=0K and nearly 50% at T=300K. At the end of this article, we determine the values of two key gyroscope parameters—angular random walk (ARW) and bias stability (BS)—by analyzing Allan deviation diagrams at four temperatures: T=0K,1mK,10K,and300K. Remarkably, at the low accessible temperature of T=1mK, cooling the optomechanical cavity results in substantial enhancements: ARW increases by up to two orders of magnitude, and the BS by up to one order of magnitude, when compared to existing optical gyroscopes.
Generation of multi-photon Fock states at telecommunication wavelength using picosecond pulsed light
Authors: Sonoyama Tatsuki , Takahashi Kazuma , Sano Tomoki , Suzuki Takumi , Nomura Takefumi , Yabuno Masahiro , Miki Shigehito , Terai Hirotaka , Takase Kan , Asavanant Warit , Endo Mamoru , Furusawa Akira
Published: August 2024

Multi-photon Fock states have diverse applications such as optical quantum information processing. For the implementation of quantum information processing, Fock states should be generated within the telecommunication wavelength band, particularly in the C-band (1530-1565 nm). This is because mature optical communication technologies can be leveraged for transmission, manipulation, and detection. Additionally, to achieve high-speed quantum information processing, Fock states should be generated in optical pulses with as short a duration as possible, as this allows embedding lots of information in the time domain. In this paper, we successfully generate picosecond pulsed multi-photon Fock states (single-photon and two-photon states) in the C-band with Wigner negativities for the first time, which are verified by pulsed homodyne tomography. In our experimental setup, we utilize a single-pixel superconducting nanostrip photon-number-resolving detector (SNSPD), which is expected to facilitate the high-rate generation of various quantum states. This capability stems from the high temporal resolution of SNSPDs (several tens of picoseconds in our case and also in general) allowing us to increase the repetition frequency of pulsed light from the conventional MHz range to the GHz range, although in this experiment the repetition frequency is limited to 10 MHz due to the bandwidth of the homodyne detector. Consequently, our experimental setup is anticipated to serve as a prototype of a high-speed optical quantum state generator for ultrafast quantum information processing at telecommunication wavelength.
Highly sensitive Ga2O3 MSM solar-blind UV photodetector with impact ionization gain
Authors: Wan Qiyi , Zhang Anzhen , Cao Weiwei , Bai Yonglin , Wang Bo , Cheng Hang , Wang Gang
Published: August 2024

In this study, a (400) crystal-oriented β-Ga2O3 thin film with a thickness of approximately 400 nm was grown on a c-plane sapphire substrate using atomic layer deposition. Schottky contact-type metal-semiconductor-metal solar-blind ultraviolet detectors with an Au/Ni/Ga2O3/Ni/Au structure were fabricated on the epitaxial thin films. The Schottky barrier height is about 1.1 eV. The device exhibited a high responsivity of up to 800 A/W, and a detectivity of 6 × 1014 Jones while maintaining a relatively fast response speed with a rise time of 4 ms and a fall time of 12 ms. The photo-to-dark current ratio was greater than 103, and the external quantum efficiency exceeded 103, indicating a significant gain in the device. Through the analysis of TCAD simulation and experimental results, it is determined that the impact ionization at the edge of the MSM electrode and channel contact is the main source of gain. Barrier tunneling effects and the photoconductive effect due to different carrier mobilities were not the primary reasons for the gain.
Optimizing biphoton generation via reconfigurable nonlinear waveguide arrays based on scattering tensor
Authors: He Yu , Xia Shiqi , Leykam Daniel , Chen Zhigang
Published: August 2024

Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) plays a pivotal role in the field of quantum optics, especially in generating quantum entangled states. This study delves into utilizing the scattering tensor of nonlinear waveguide arrays to characterize the SPDC process and optimize its efficiency. By computing the pseudo-inverse of the third-order scattering tensor describing the nonlinear arrays for biphoton generation, we determine the optimal pump profile and array conditions that best approximate a desired output biphoton distribution. Counterintuitively, due to the diffraction of the pump beam, we find that the optimal biphoton correlation does not occur at positions corresponding to the maximum pumping in real space within the coupled nonlinear arrays. Our finding demonstrates that the scattering tensor method combined with universal beam-splitter meshes provides a promising route toward reconfigurable integrated quantum light sources.
Enhanced sensitivity and response speed in surface-normal InGaAs photodetectors with Au grating through waveguide-plasmon coupling
Authors: Masuzawa Toshiki , Ono Atsushi
Published: August 2024

We proposed the improvement of near-infrared (NIR) sensitivity and response speed for surface-normal photodetector by coupling the surface plasmon (SP) mode excited at the plasmonic grating to the waveguide (WG) mode in the absorption layer. The thinner absorption layer accelerated response speed. The absorption efficiency in the InGaAs thickness of 300 nm was significantly improved to 51.4% at the wavelength of 1550 nm under the wave vectors matching between SP mode and WG mode. Moreover, the one-dimensional line and space plasmonic grating exhibited high polarization selectivity. Polarized light discrimination is applied to a multi-valued modulation scheme for multiplexing signal channels. The enhancement of NIR sensitivity and response speed by the proposed mode coupling is useful for the two-dimensional (2D) integration of surface-normal photodetectors by increasing the spatial signal channels and can contribute to the data capacity expansion in next-generation optical communication systems.
Etendue index of light in uniaxial crystals
Authors: Wang Pengqian
Published: August 2024

An etendue index is introduced to calculate the etendue of a ray in an anisotropic medium based on Hamiltonian optics. As an example, the etendue index of an extraordinary ray in a uniaxial crystal is given. In addition, the general formula for the etendue index of a ray refracted from a vacuum into an extraordinary ray in a uniaxial crystal is given as a function of the angle of incidence and the orientation of the optic axis. As an application of the etendue index, the solid angle magnification of the refracted extraordinary ray in LiNbO3 crystal is discussed.
Accurate 3D single-molecule localization via vectorial in situ point spread function retrieval and aberration assessment
Authors: Yang Xinxun , Zhu Hongfei , Sun Yile , Wu Hanmeng , Han Yubing , Hao Xiang , Kuang Cuifang , Liu Xu
Published: August 2024

Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) gradually plays an important role in deep tissue imaging. However, current SMLM methods primarily rely on fiducial marks, neglecting aberrations introduced by thick samples, thereby resulting in decreased image quality in deep tissues. Here, we introduce vectorial in situ point spread function (PSF) retrieval (VISPR), a method that retrieves a precise PSF model considering both system- and sample-induced aberrations under SMLM conditions. By employing the theory of vectorial PSF model and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) phase retrieval, VISPR is capable of reconstructing an accurate in situ 3D PSF model achieving the theoretically minimum uncertainty and accurately reflecting three-dimensional information of single molecules. This capability enables accurate 3D super-resolution reconstruction in deep regions away from the coverslips. Additionally, VISPR demonstrates applicability in low signal-to-noise ratio scenarios and compatibility with various SMLM microscope modalities. From both simulations and experiments, we verified the superiority and effectiveness of VISPR. We anticipate that VISPR will become a pivotal tool for advancing deep tissue SMLM imaging.
Retourenverhinderung durch gezielte Rabatte: Entwicklung eines KI-basierten Prototyps mit Low-Code-Technologie für den Kundendienst
Authors: Stevenson Anthony Boyd , Rieck Julia
Published: August 2024

In dieser Fallstudie wurde ein Prototyp entwickelt, der den Mitarbeitenden des Kundendienstes Rabatte für die Kundschaft vorschlägt, um Retouren zu verhindern. Durch die gewährten Rabatte sollen die kaufenden Personen angehalten werden, die Produkte zu behalten. Zudem soll die Zufriedenheit der Kundschaft trotz der Qualitätsdefizite oder Leistungseinschränkungen gewährleistet werden. Die Hauptkomponente des Prototyps ist ein KI-basiertes Modell, das auf dem Fallbasierten Schließen beruht und zur verbesserten Nutzbarkeit in eine Webapplikation integriert wurde. Mit Hilfe der Low-Code-Technologie myCBR konnten der Entwicklungsprozess beschleunigt und die Entwicklungskosten gering gehalten werden. Die Evaluierung erfolgte unter realen Bedingungen bei einem kooperierenden Versandhändler für Möbel und Wohnaccessoires und zielte darauf ab, sowohl die Praktikabilität als auch die Ökonomie des Prototyps zu ermitteln. Die Studie belegt, dass der Prototyp in der Lage ist, die Datengrundlage des Kundendienstes systematisch zu nutzen, um effiziente und kostenreduzierte Rabattvorschläge zu generieren. Indem die Rabatte datenbasiert vergeben werden, können Anliegen der kaufenden Personen effektiver gelöst und unnötige Retouren verhindert werden. Durch die Verhinderung von Retouren trägt der Prototyp somit zur Nachhaltigkeit, Kostenreduktion und Ressourceneffizienz bei.
A conceptualization and psychometric evaluation of positive psychological outcome measures used in adolescents and young adults living with HIV: A mixed scoping and systematic review
Authors: Dambi Jermaine M. , Cowan Frances M. , Martin Faith , Sibanda Sharon , Simms Victoria , Willis Nicola , Bernays Sarah , Mavhu Webster
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of HIV, with comorbid mental conditions highly prevalent in people living with HIV. It is important to evaluate the mental health of adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AYALHIV) comprehensively by measuring both negative and positive psychological constructs. There has been a proliferation of interest in positive psychological outcome measures, but the evidence of their psychometric robustness is fragmented. This review sought to: 1) Identify positive psychological outcomes and corresponding outcome measures used in AYALHIV in sub-Saharan Africa. 2) Critically appraise the psychometrics of the identified outcome measures.

Methods and analysis

Two reviewers independently searched articles in PubMed, Scopus, Africa-Wide Information, CINAHL, Psych INFO and Google Scholar. Searches were conducted from November 2022 to February 2023. Two separate reviewers independently reviewed retrieved articles. We applied a narrative synthesis to map the key constructs. The risk of bias across studies was evaluated using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. The quality of the psychometric properties was rated using the COSMIN checklist and qualitatively synthesized using the modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation checklist.

Results

We identified 15 positive psychological constructs: body appreciation, confidence, coping, flourishing, meaningfulness, personal control, positive outlook, resilience, self-management, self-compassion, self-concept, self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-worth and transcendence, that had been used to assess ALHIV. The most measured constructs were resilience, self-concept, self-esteem, coping and self-efficacy. Construct validity and internal consistency were the properties most frequently considered, while content validity and structural validity were assessed less often.

Conclusions

Few studies performed complete validations; thus, evidence for psychometric robustness was fragmented. However, this review shows the initial evidence of the feasibility of using positive psychological outcomes in low-resource settings. Instead of creating new outcome measures, researchers are recommended to leverage the existing measures, adapt them for use and, if appropriate, strive to maintain the factorial structure to facilitate comparisons.

Registration

PROSPERO-CRD42022325172.
Association between Epstein-Barr virus reactivation and severe malaria in pregnant women living in a malaria-endemic region of Cameroon
Authors: Djuidje Chatue Ide Armelle , Nyegue Maximilienne Ascension , Kamdem Severin Donald , Maloba Franklin , Taliy Junaid Iqbal , Malhotra Pawan , Masumbe Netongo Palmer
Published: August 2024

Malaria kills nearly 619,000 people each year. Despite the natural immunity acquired to malaria, pregnant women and children under five die from severe forms of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Co-infection with acute Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection has been shown to suppress the anti-malarial humoral responses, but little is known about the impact of EBV reactivation on malaria-associated morbidity. This study investigated the association between EBV reactivation and malaria severity in pregnant women living in a malaria-endemic region in Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 220 pregnant women attending antenatal consultations in three health facilities in the West region of Cameroon. Malaria was diagnosed by microscopy, and Plasmodium species were identified by Nested PCR. Plasma samples were analyzed by ELISA for the presence of EBV nuclear antigen, EBV viral capsid antigen, and EBV early antigen to determine EBV reactivation. All statistics were performed using GraphPad Prism and SPSS software. The prevalence of malaria among pregnant women was 23.2%, of which 18.6% were P. falciparum mono-infections and 4.5% mixed infections (3.6% P. falciparum and P. malariae; 0.9% P. falciparum and P. ovale). 99.5% of the women were EBV seropositive, and 13.2% had EBV reactivation. Pregnant women with reactivated EBV were more likely to develop severe malaria than pregnant women with latent EBV (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.08–17.25, p = 0.03). The median parasitemia in pregnant women with latent EBV was lower than in those with EBV reactivation (2816 vs. 19002 parasites/μL, p = 0.02). Our study revealed that lytic reactivation of EBV may be associated with the severity of malaria in pregnant women. Suggesting that, like acute infection, EBV reactivation should be considered a risk factor for severe malaria in pregnant women in malaria-endemic regions or could serve as a hallmark of malaria severity during pregnancy. Further detailed studies are needed.
Resveratrol attenuates non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced intestinal injury in rats in a high-altitude hypoxic environment by modulating the TLR4/NFκB/IκB pathway and gut microbiota composition
Authors: Xue Shenglong , Shi Wenhui , Shi Tian , Tuerxuntayi Ailifeire , Abulaiti Paziliya , Liu Zhuoshuyi , Remutula Najimangu , Nuermaimaiti Kailibinuer , Xing Yingying , Abdukelimu Kudelaiti , Liu Weidong , Gao Feng
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are currently the most widely used anti-inflammatory medications, but their long-term use can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract(GIT). One of the risk factors for GIT injury is exposure to a high-altitude hypoxic environment, which can lead to damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier. Taking NSAIDs in a high-altitude hypoxic environment can exacerbate GIT injury and impact gut microbiota. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms by which resveratrol (RSV) intervention alleviates NSAID-induced intestinal injury in a high-altitude hypoxic environment, as well as its role in regulating gut microbiota.

Methods

Aspirin was administered orally to rats to construct a rat model of intestinal injury induced by NSAIDs. Following the induction of intestinal injury, rats were administered RSV by gavage, and the expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB,IκB as well as Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin proteins in the different treatment groups were assessed via Western blot. Furthermore, the expression of the inflammatory factors IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α was evaluated using Elisa.16sRNA sequencing was employed to investigate alterations in the gut microbiota.

Results

The HCk group showed elevated expression of TLR4/NF-κB/IκB pathway proteins, increased expression of pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α, decreased expression of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10, and expression of intestinal mucosal barrier proteins ZO-1 and Occludin. The administration of NSAIDs drugs in the plateau hypoxic environment exacerbates intestinal inflammation and damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier. After treatment with RSV intervention, the expression of TLR4/NF-κB/IκB signaling pathway proteins would be reduced, thereby lowering the expression of inflammatory factors in the HAsp group. The results of HE staining directly show the damage to the intestines and the repair of intestinal mucosa after RSV intervention. 16sRNA sequencing results show significant differences (P<0.05) in Ruminococcus, Facklamia, Parasutterella, Jeotgalicoccus, Coprococcus, and Psychrobacter between the HCk group and the Ck group. Compared to the HCk group, the HAsp group shows significant differences (P<0.05) in Facklamia, Jeotgalicoccus, Roseburia, Psychrobacter, and Alloprevotella. After RSV intervention, Clostridium_sensu_stricto bacteria significantly increase compared to the HAsp group.

Conclusion

Resveratrol can attenuate intestinal damage caused by the administration of NSAIDs at high altitude in hypoxic environments by modulating the TLR4/NF-κB/IκB signaling pathway and gut microbiota composition.
Detection and position evaluation of chest percutaneous drainage catheter on chest radiographs using deep learning
Authors: Kim Duk Ju , Nam In Chul , Kim Doo Ri , Kim Jeong Jae , Hwang Im-kyung , Lee Jeong Sub , Park Sung Eun , Kim Hyeonwoo
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to develop an algorithm for the automatic detecting chest percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) and evaluating catheter positions on chest radiographs using deep learning.

Methods

This retrospective study included 1,217 chest radiographs (proper positioned: 937; malpositioned: 280) from a total of 960 patients underwent chest PCD from October 2017 to February 2023. The tip location of the chest PCD was annotated using bounding boxes and classified as proper positioned and malpositioned. The radiographs were randomly allocated into the training, validation sets (total: 1,094 radiographs; proper positioned: 853 radiographs; malpositioned: 241 radiographs), and test datasets (total: 123 radiographs; proper positioned: 84 radiographs; malpositioned: 39 radiographs). The selected AI model was used to detect the catheter tip of chest PCD and evaluate the catheter’s position using the test dataset to distinguish between properly positioned and malpositioned cases. Its performance in detecting the catheter and assessing its position on chest radiographs was evaluated by per radiographs and per instances. The association between the position and function of the catheter during chest PCD was evaluated.

Results

In per chest radiographs, the selected model’s accuracy was 0.88. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.86 and 0.92, respectively. In per instance, the selected model’s the mean Average Precision 50 (mAP50) was 0.86. The precision and recall were 0.90 and 0.79 respectively. Regarding the association between the position and function of the catheter during chest PCD, its sensitivity and specificity were 0.93 and 0.95, respectively.

Conclusion

The artificial intelligence model for the automatic detection and evaluation of catheter position during chest PCD on chest radiographs demonstrated acceptable diagnostic performance and could assist radiologists and clinicians in the early detection of catheter malposition and malfunction during chest percutaneous catheter drainage.
A protocol for the co-creation and usability/acceptability testing of an evidence-based, patient-centred intervention for self-management of urinary incontinence in older men
Authors: Olagundoye Olawunmi , Gibson William , Wagg Adrian
Published: August 2024

Male urinary incontinence (UI) is most prevalent in older men, with one in three men aged 65 and above having problems maintaining continence. Addressing health inequalities, male-female disparities in continence services, and low health-seeking among men emphasizes the necessity for co-creating an intervention that empowers them to self-manage their UI. We aim to co-create a self-management intervention with an older men and Health care provider (HCP) group and assess its usability and/or acceptability among older men with UI. The intervention mapping (IM) framework, a co-creation strategy, will be used to co-create a self-management tool, followed by usability and/or acceptability testing. The study will be guided by the first four IM steps: the logic model of the problem, the logic model of change, program/intervention design, and program/intervention production, followed by preliminary testing. A participatory group of older men with UI recruited from an existing group of patient partners, and continence care experts will be involved in all steps of the IM process. Usability and/or acceptability testing will be conducted on a sample of 20 users recruited through seniors’ associations and retirement living facilities. After accessing the self-management tool for a week, participants will complete a product usability testing scale (aka System Usability Scale-SUS) and/or an acceptability test, depending on the preferred mode(s) of intervention delivery. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics. A benchmark overall mean usability score of 70 represents a good/usable product, based on the large database of SUS scores.
Trajectories of school absences across compulsory schooling and their impact on children’s academic achievement: An analysis based on linked longitudinal survey and school administrative data
Authors: Dräger Jascha , Klein Markus , Sosu Edward M.
Published: August 2024

Prior research has identified that school absences harm children’s academic achievement. However, this literature is focused on brief periods or single school years and does not consistently account for the dynamic nature of absences across multiple school years. This study examined dynamic trajectories of children’s authorised and unauthorised absences throughout their compulsory school career in England. It investigated the consequences of these absence trajectories for children’s achievement at the end of compulsory schooling. We analyse linked administrative data on children’s absences and achievement from the National Pupil Database and survey data from the Millennium Cohort Study for a representative sample of children born in 2000/2001 in England (N = 7218). We used k-means clustering for longitudinal data to identify joint authorised-unauthorised absence trajectories throughout compulsory schooling and a regression-with-residuals approach to examine the link between absence trajectories and achievement. We identified five distinct absence trajectories: (1) ‘Consistently Low Absences’, (2) ‘Consistently Moderate Authorised Absences’, (3) ‘Moderately Increasing Unauthorised Absences’, (4) ‘Strongly Increasing Unauthorised Absences’, and (5) ‘Strongly Increasing Authorised Absences’. We found substantial differences between trajectory groups in GCSE achievement, even when accounting for significant risk factors of school absences. Compared to ‘Consistently Low Absences’, ‘Strongly Increasing Unauthorised Absences’ reduced achievement by -1.23 to -1.48 standard deviations, while ‘Strongly Increasing Authorised Absences’ reduced achievement by -0.72 to -1.00 SD for our continuous outcomes. ‘Moderately Increasing Unauthorised Absences’ (-0.61 to -0.70 SD) and ‘Consistently Moderate Authorised Absences’ (-0.13 to -0.21 SD) also negatively affected achievement compared to ‘Consistently Low Absences’. Our research underscores the critical importance of examining entire trajectories of absenteeism and differentiating between types of absences to fully grasp their associations with academic outcomes and design targeted interventions accordingly.
Efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcome of immune checkpoint inhibitor in gynecologic cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Kusuma Fitriyadi , Glenardi Glenardi , Mangkuliguna Ghea , Winarto Hariyono , Purwoto Gatot , Utami Tofan Widya , Anggraeni Tricia Dewi
Published: August 2024

Over the past decades, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown dramatic efficacy in improving survival rates in multiple malignancies. Recently, gynecological cancer patients also showed to respond favorably to ICI treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes of ICI therapy in gynecological cancers. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by retrieving literature from multiple electronic databases, such as MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, EBSCO, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. The protocol used in this study has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022369529). We included a total of 12 trials involving 8 therapies and 8,034 patients. ICI group demonstrated a longer OS (HR: 0.807; 95% CI: 0.719, 0.907; p = 0.000) and greater PFS improvement (HR: 0.809; 95% CI: 0.673, 0.973; p = 0.024) compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of treatment-related adverse events [RR: 0.968; 95%CI: 0.936, 1.001; p = 0.061], but a higher incidence of immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) was observed in the ICI group (RR: 3.093; 95%CI: 1.933, 4.798; p = 0.000). Although the mean changes of QOL score from baseline was not significantly different between both groups (SMD: 0.048; 95% CI: -0.106, 0.202; p = 0.542), the time to definitive QOL deterioration was longer in the ICI group (HR: 0.508; 95% CI: 0.461, 0.560; p = 0.000). Despite having a higher incidence of IRAE, ICI was shown to improve survival rates and QOL of patients. Thus, it should be considered as a new standard of care for gynecologic cancers, especially in advanced stages.
Study on ring-road incident duration based on latent class accelerated hazard model
Authors: Shen Qiangru , Xie Xun , Li Gen , Wu Lan , Zhao Le , Yang Zhen
Published: August 2024

Accurately estimating the duration of freeway incidents can enhance emergency management practices and reduce the likelihood of secondary incidents. To investigate the mechanisms through which key factors influence incident duration, this study sorted out the characteristics and variables of the incident duration on a special freeway in Zhejiang Province, that is, the ring road, and developed a latent class accelerated hazard model. Heterogeneity was incorporated into the model. Three distributions (Weibull, Log-normal, and Log-logistic) were compared, and the Log-logistic distribution exhibited superior performance. The analysis revealed two distinct latent classes: Latent Class 1 and Class 2, had class membership probability of 0.53 and 0.47, respectively, with a total of 11 variables being statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. It is worth noting that, some neglected explanatory variables are discussed in depth in this study. For example, the mechanism of which specific lane is closed has an impact on the incident duration, rather than a general discussion of the number of lane closures. Furthermore, the way in which the driver involved in the incident reports to the police has a significant impact on the duration of incidents. Notably, potential heterogeneity and its influencing mechanism are captured in the model. Additionally, by predicting class membership using posterior probabilities, it was determined that most data points were more likely to belong to Class 1, and the incident duration primarily ranged between 0 and 60 minutes. These findings are helpful to reduce the duration of incidents on ring-roads and freeways in China, and provide theoretical support for the formulation of freeway incident management and treatment policies.
Evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction by a new automatic tool on a pocket ultrasound device: Concordance study with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Berger Lucie , Coisy Fabien , Sammoud Skander , de Oliveira Fabien , Grandpierre Romain Genre , Grau-Mercier Laura , Bobbia Xavier , Markarian Thibaut
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is one of the primary objectives of echocardiography. The gold standard assessment technique in emergency medicine is eyeballing. A new tool is now available on pocket ultrasound devices (PUD): automatic LVEF. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the concordance between LVEF values estimated by automatic LVEF with PUD and by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials

This was a prospective, monocentric, and observational study. All adult patients with an indication for cardiac MRI underwent a point-of-care ultrasound. Blinded to the MRI results, the emergency physician assessed LVEF using the automatic PUD tool and by visual evaluation.

Results

Sixty patients were included and analyzed. Visual estimation of LVEF was feasible for all patients and automatic evaluation for 52 (87%) patients. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient between automatic ejection fraction with PUD and by cardiac MRI was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.03–0.40).

Conclusion

Concordance between LVEF estimated by the automatic ejection fraction with PUD and LVEF estimated by MRI was non-existent.
Evaluation of growth, antioxidant status, hepatic enzymes and immunity of Nanoselenium-Fed Cirrhinus mrigala
Authors: Nisa Sobia , Fatima Mahroze , Shah Syed Zakir Hussain , Khan Noor , Aftab Beenish , Ali Wazir , Maryam  , Sana Saba , Fatima Amber
Published: August 2024

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of selenium nanoparticle (Se-NP) supplementation on the growth performance, carcass composition, antioxidant status, hepatic enzyme activities, and immunity of Cirrhinus mrigala. For this purpose, fish with an average initial weight of 7.44 ± 0.04 g were fed five experimental diets containing 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg kg-1 Se-NPs diets for 90 days. The analysed selenium (Se) contents of the diets were 0.35, 0.64, 0.92, 1.43, and 2.39 mg kg-1. Twenty five fish were randomly distributed in each of 5 aquarium (36 × 23.7 × 24.3 inches) in triplicate. The results showed that supplementation with Se up to 0.92 mg/kg significantly increased (p<0.05) weight gain, weight gain% (WG%), and specific growth rate (SGR) by 34%, 33%, and 16%, respectively, compared to the control diet. Dietary Se concentrations up to 0.92 mg/kg significantly increased the crude protein and crude fat and reduced (p<0.05) the moisture content as compared to the control group. Fish fed 0.92 mg kg-1 Se had significantly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and higher activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase in liver and serum as compared to other experimental diets. Moreover, a significant increase (p<0.05) in the level of serum immunoglobulin and lysozyme (LYZ) activity was recorded in fish fed 0.92 mg/kg Se diet. Moreover, the highest (p<0.05) values of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were recorded in fish fed 2.39 mg/kg Se level. However, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity remained unaffected by dietary treatment. Broken-line regression analysis indicated that 0.83 mg/kg Se is required for the optimum growth performance of C. mrigala.
Source and variation of the amazing live Sea-Monkey microbiome
Authors: Holt Corey C. , del Campo Javier , Keeling Patrick J.
Published: August 2024

An embryonic diapause in unfavourable conditions has allowed brine shrimp to thrive in hypersaline environments and, unexpectedly, mail-order sachets and small, novelty tanks. Marketed as Sea-Monkeys®, each kit involves a 3-step process to generate adult Artemia within a matter of weeks. Whether these kits also allow for the maintenance of a host-associated microbiome is unclear. Therefore, comparing five replicate tanks under the same culture conditions, we sequenced the 16S ribosomal small subunit (SSU) gene to analyse bacterial community compositions in adults, their surrounding tank water, and their feed. Adult Sea-Monkeys® harboured a bacterial microbiome that was clearly distinguishable from the tank water and food. Furthermore, individual tanks had a notable effect on fine-scale microbiome variation. Several Sea-Monkey bacterial variants appeared absent in environmental samples and included genera (Leucobacter and Microbacterium) known to confer desiccation resistance in other hosts. Although Sea-Monkeys® taxonomy is unclear, phylogenetic inference of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COXI) gene from the host animal suggests Sea-Monkeys® belong to the Artemia franciscana ‘superspecies’. Overall, Sea-Monkeys® kits appear to be a convenient and scalable mesocosm for the study of host-microbiome interactions and could serve as a useful tool for future invertebrate microbiome research, outreach, and education.
NK cells modulate in vivo control of SARS-CoV-2 replication and suppression of lung damage
Authors: Balachandran Harikrishnan , Kroll Kyle , Terry Karen , Manickam Cordelia , Jones Rhianna , Woolley Griffin , Hayes Tammy , Martinot Amanda J. , Sharma Ankur , Lewis Mark , Jost Stephanie , Reeves R. Keith
Published: August 2024

Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in virus control. However, it has remained largely unclear whether NK cell mobilization in SARS-CoV-2 infections is beneficial or pathologic. To address this deficit, we employed a validated experimental NK cell depletion non-human primate (NHP) model with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant B.1.617.2 challenge. Viral loads (VL), NK cell numbers, activation, proliferation, and functional measures were evaluated in blood and tissues. In non-depleted (control) animals, infection rapidly induced NK cell expansion, activation, and increased tissue trafficking associated with VL. Strikingly, we report that experimental NK cell depletion leads to higher VL, longer duration of viral shedding, significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the lungs, and overt lung damage. Overall, we find the first significant and conclusive evidence for NK cell-mediated control of SARS-CoV-2 virus replication and disease pathology. These data indicate that adjunct therapies for infection could largely benefit from NK cell-targeted approaches.
Origin and Development of Interstitial Cells of Cajal
Authors: Sweet Tara , Abraham Christeen M. , Rich Adam
Published: August 2024

The digestive tract is a series of organs with specific functions and specialized anatomy. Each organ is organized similarly with concentric layers of epithelial, connective, smooth muscle, and neural tissues. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are distributed in smooth muscle layers and contribute to the organization of repetitive and rhythmic smooth muscle contractions. Understanding ICC development is critical to understanding gastrointestinal motility patterns. Experiments determining ICC origin and development in mice, chicken, and humans are described, as well as what is known in the zebrafish. At least six types of ICC in the digestive tract have been described and ICC heterogeneity in adult tissues is reviewed. Factors required for ICC development and for maintenance of ICC subclasses are described. This review is suitable for those new to ICC development and physiology, especially those focused on using zebrafish and other model systems.
APROXIMAÇÕES E TENSÕES DO CURRÍCULO ESCOLAR
Authors: Loro Alexandre Paulo , Guimarães Jonny Alex , De Conto Júlia Carolina Vizzotto
Published: August 2024

O presente estudo tem como objetivo principal compreender a temática dos currículos escolares por meio de uma análise teórica, focalizando nas influências epistemológicas que consolidaram as Ciências da Educação. A metodologia adotada abrange uma abordagem teórica, uma análise comparativa das correntes de pensamento e suas implicações nos trabalhos dos autores, além de uma discussão crítica sobre tais influências. Adicionalmente, o estudo busca investigar e analisar como a construção dessas teorias influenciou diretamente a elaboração prática dos currículos escolares, desde suas raízes epistemológicas até sua manifestação na teoria educacional. Os resultados e discussões revelaram transformações significativas nas percepções entre a Teoria Tradicional de currículo e as Teorias Críticas e Pós-críticas. A Teoria Crítica emerge como uma contestação ideológica à Teoria Tradicional no que diz respeito ao currículo, enquanto a Teoria Pós-crítica concentra-se na questão do motivo de ensinar, destacando os sujeitos como protagonistas do currículo e ampliando a discussão sobre a teoria crítica. Conclui-se que não há uma definição absoluta de currículo, exigindo uma abordagem histórica devido à natureza temporal das teorias, que refletem a realidade e a cultura de cada época e proporcionam diversas definições de currículo em momentos históricos distintos.
Factors Associated With Mailed Fecal Immunochemical Test Completion in an Integrated Academic-Community Healthcare System
Authors: Simpson Samuel , Yu Kaiyue , Bell-Brown Ari , Kimura Amanda , Meisner Allison , Issaka Rachel B.
Published: August 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach is an effective strategy to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The aim of this study was to determine the patient-level, clinic-level, and geographic-level factors associated with CRC screening completion in a mailed FIT outreach program.

METHODS:

This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the integrated healthcare system of University of Washington Medicine and included patients aged 50–75 years, who were due for CRC screening, and had a primary care encounter in the past 3 years. Eligible patients received mailed outreach that included a letter with information about CRC screening, FIT kit, and a prepaid return envelope. CRC screening and factors associated with completion were obtained from electronic health records and the CRC screening program database.

RESULTS:

Of the 9,719 patients who received mailed outreach, 29.6% completed FIT mailed outreach. The median FIT return time was 27 days (interquartile range 14–54). On multivariate analysis, patients with a higher area deprivation index, insured through Medicaid, living without a partner, and whose last primary care visit was >12 months ago were less likely to complete a FIT compared with their counterparts. Over a 12-month period, overall CRC screening across the health system increased by 2 percentage points (68%–70%).

DISCUSSION:

Mailed FIT outreach in an integrated academic-community practice was feasible, with 32% of invited patients completing CRC screening by FIT or colonoscopy, on par with published literature. Patient and geographic-level factors were associated with CRC screening completion. These data will inform additional interventions aimed to increase CRC screening participation in this population.
Application of evolutionary and swarm methods to optimize the multiparametric control of the electroplating process
Authors:   MIREA – Russian Technological University, Moscow, Russia, Lyutov A.G. , Ishkulova A.R. ,   Ufa University of Science and Technology, Ufa, Russia
Published: August 2024

One of the key parameters of the quality of ceramic coatings is its thickness, which must meet technical requirements and provide the necessary degree of corrosion protection, wear resistance and appearance of the coating. Ensuring the uniformity of the galvanic coating is one of the most important and complex tasks of high-tech machine-building production, for which a number of methods have been proposed, such as controlling current modes, the location of electrodes in the bath, and the electrolyte flow rate. However, in most cases, these methods require solving the problem of optimal multiparametric control. Prompt and accurate optimization when changing the conditions of electrolysis (electrode potentials, composition and properties of the electrolyte), as well as, if necessary, taking into account the multi-extreme nature of the dependence of the uniformity coefficient on the process parameters (current density, interelectrode distance, electrolyte flow rate) is a rather complex and ambiguous multifactorial task that limits the use of classical methods for- the claim of a global extreme. The article explores the possibility and expediency of using intelligent heuristic methods, such as evolutionary and swarm methods, to solve this problem. Objective. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of using genetic algorithms and the particle swarm method to solve the problem of optimizing the multiparametric control of the electroplating process. Materials and methods. Methods of mathematical modeling, methods and software environment of numerical modeling and optimization were used to conduct the study. Results. The article investigates the effectiveness of the application of evolutionary and swarm optimization methods in relation to the process of applying chrome plating in a galvanic bath with many anodes with multiparametric control of current density, interelectrode distance and electrolyte flow rate. The best approximation to the extreme of the uniformity coefficient can be achieved by genetic algorithms using the mutation operation and the particle swarm method, while achieving the extreme using the particle swarm method is achieved in fewer iterations. Conclusion. The results of the study substantiate the expediency of using evolutionary and swarm methods to solve the problem of optimizing the multiparametric control of the electroplating process, while it is possible to increase the efficiency of these methods due to additional tuning.
Intelligent technology for assessing the remai¬ning useful life of complex technical systems
Authors:   Ufa University of Science and Technology, Ufa, Russia, Efanov V.N. , Ivanova N.S. ,   Ufa University of Science and Technology, Ufa, Russia, Razumov V.G. ,   LLC SINTER, Chelyabinsk, Russia
Published: August 2024

The task of estimating the residual life of complex technical systems has recently become increasingly important. For the pre-trustworthy estimation of this indicator it is required to process large arrays of data on the current state of the system under study. At the same time the task of reconstruction of the model of degradation processes development leading to the occurrence of failures requires solving a number of problems. In this regard, there is a need to use intelligent methods of data processing, which include methods of time series anomaly analysis. Purpose of the study: development of a method for detecting contextual anomalies of time series, allowing to determine the degree of development of degradation processes that lead to the occurrence of failures. Methods. An analogy was established between machine learning methods in supervised, semi-supervised and unsupervised modes and groups of anomaly detection methods differing depending on the degree of availability of labels that characterize the properties and attributes of the corresponding time series, which made it possible to evaluate the features of simple and complex anomalies from unified positions. Results. A spectral method for the analysis of contextual anomalies of time series has been developed, which, in contrast to the known spectral methods involving frequency analysis of time series, uses a special basis of exponential functions; the methodology for calculating the spectral coefficients of the investigated time series, on the basis of which a generalized attribute is calculated, allowing to attribute the investigated case to a normal or anomalous group, is outlined. Conclusion. The proposed method of estimating the residual life of complex technical systems based on the analysis of time series anomalies allows timely detection of the occurrence and development of degradation processes leading to the occurrence of failures, which increases the reliability and safety of technical systems, as well as reduces costs and time for their maintenance.