bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lower serum BDNF as a predictor of post-stroke cognitive impairment in acute ischemic stroke patients
Authors: Setyopranoto Ismail , Prodjohardjono Astuti , Sutarni Sri , Susianti Noor Alia , Hardhantyo Muhammad , Vidyanti Amelia Nur
Published: March 2024

Background Reduced level of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in acute stroke patients is associated with poor outcomes. We aimed to identify the role of serum BDNF level as a predictor for post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Methods This was a prospective study. We recruited acute ischemic stroke patients in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital Yogyakarta, Indonesia followed them up for 90 days (3 months). Serum BDNF was collected at day 5 and day 30 of stroke onset and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to measure the cognitive function at 90 days of follow up. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to measure the cut-off point of the BDNF level. Factors independently associated with PSCI were analyzed by using stepwise regression. Results Among 89 patients recruited, 60 patients (67.41%) developed PSCI. The mean age of PSCI and non-PSCI patients was 62.7 ± 9.5 and 57.5 ± 8.7, respectively (p = 0.01). Patients with dyslipidemia were less likely to develop PSCI (OR 0.10, 95%CI 0.02-0.51, p < 0.05). In addition, patients with day 5-serum BDNF level < 23.29 ng/mL were five times more likely to develop PSCI compared with their counterparts (OR 5.15, 95%CI 1.26-21.09, p < 0.05). Conclusions Among acute ischemic stroke patients, those with serum BDNF <23.29 ng/mL had a higher risk of developing PSCI. This study suggests that BDNF could be a predictor of PSCI, allowing for earlier detection and better preventive strategies.
Respiratory tract lining fluid copper content contributes to pulmonary oxidative stress in patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Frølich Andreas , Dove Rosamund E. , Friberg Maria , Behndig Annelie F. , Sandström Thomas , Blomberg Anders , Mudway Ian S.
Published: March 2024

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, mostly affecting young and middle-aged women. Significant questions remain as to its pathogenesis, especially the triggers for the associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). We examined the extent to which SSc and SSc-ILD were related to oxidative stress and altered metal homeostasis at the air-lung interface. Methods In this case-control study, we recruited 20 SSc patients, of which 11 had SSc-ILD. Eighteen healthy individuals were recruited as age-matched healthy controls, for a total of 38 study participants. Low molecular weight antioxidants (ascorbate, urate and glutathione), metal transport and chelation proteins (transferrin and ferritin) and metals (Fe and Cu) concentrations, including a measure of the catalytically active metal pool, were determined in respiratory tract lining fluid (RTLF) collected by bronchoalveolar lavage from the SSc group and compared with healthy controls. Results In the SSc group, 14 individuals were of female sex (70%) and the median age was 57 years (range 35-75). We observed evidence of oxidative stress in the RTLFs of SSc patients, characterised by increased concentrations of glutathione disulphide (GSSG, P<0.01), dehydroascorbate (DHA, P<0.05) and urate (P<0.01). This was associated with elevated RTLF Fe (P=0.07) and Cu (P<0.001), and evidence of a catalytic metal pool, demonstrated by an enhanced rate of ascorbate oxidation in the recovered lavage fluid (p<0.01). Cu concentrations were significantly associated with the ascorbate depletion rate (r=0.76, P<0.001), and GSSG (r=0.38, P<0.05) and protein carbonyl (r=0.44, P<0.01) concentrations. Whilst these markers were all increased in SSc patients, we found no evidence for an association with SSc-ILD. Conclusions These data confirm the presence of oxidative stress in the airways of SSc patients and, for the first time, suggest that an underlying defect in metal homeostasis at the air-lung interface may play a role in disease progression.
The genome sequence of the Water Veneer, Acentria ephemerella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Mulhair Peter O. ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Acentria ephemerella (the Water Veneer; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Crambidae). The genome sequence is 340.8 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.35 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 17,748 protein coding genes.
The genome sequence of the Golden-brown Fern moth, Musotima nitidalis (Walker, [1866])
Authors: Sterling Mark J. , Barclay Maxwell V. L , Lees David C. ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Musotima nitidalis (the Golden-brown Fern moth; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Crambidae). The genome sequence is 555.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z and W sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.42 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 16,885 protein coding genes.
Differentially Expressed Genes in Atopic Dermatitis: Bioinformatics analysis of pooled microarray gene expression datasets in Gene Expression Omnibus
Authors: Jia Danna , Chen Wenqiang , Li Bin
Published: March 2024

Introduction:

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and refractory inflammatory skin disease characterized by relapsing eczematous and pruritic skin lesions. Understanding the specific gene expression patterns associated with AD is crucial for advancing diagnosis and targeted treatment development. Using bioinformatics methods, candidate genes and biological pathways involved in AD pathogenesis were identified based on gene expression profiles in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.

Materials and Methods:

A comprehensive analysis of four pooled transcriptomic datasets obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were conducted. Differential gene expression analysis was performed using the GEO2R. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between lesion skin of AD patients and normal skin of individuals were analyzed using the Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to explore the functional roles of these genes.

Results:

Among the patient-level gene expression datasets, we identified 133 shared DEGs, consisting of 48 upregulated genes and 85 downregulated genes. GO analyses revealed these DEGs to be significantly enriched in biological processes including inflammatory responses, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway. These DEGs were also enriched in the KEGG pathway, including viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor, C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, and Adipocytokine signaling pathway.

Conclusion:

By comparing with other studies using the same method, we found that in addition to the already confirmed pathways such as inflammatory response, different studies have found changes in different hub genes and metabolic pathways, which prompts us to develop individualized treatments for AD.
Szkice pigoniowskie
Authors: Dopart Bogusław
Published: March 2024

ESSAYS ON PIGOŃ The monograph Essays on Pigoń [Szkice pigoniowskie] is divided into two parts. The first part is titled A Man of Knowledge and University [Człowiek nauki i uniwersytetu] and focuses on texts related to the academic biography of Stanisław Pigoń and his research endeavors, primarily in the field of Mickiewiczian studies. The article Student, Scholar, Spreader of Knowledge. Stanisław Pigoń at the Jagiellonian University [Żak, uczony, siewca wiedzy. Stanisław Pigoń na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim] explores Pigoń’s philological studies and research work at the Jagiellonian University, particularly through his autobiographical records (Z Komborni w świat [From Kombornia into the Wide World], Z przędziwa pamięci [From the Spindle of Memory]). The article The Writer Stanisław Pigoń [Stanisław Pigoń pisarz] is part of a series of works addressing the style and composition of the scholar’s academic, documentary, and essayistic writings. It deals with Pigoń’s literary art and important themes and sources of his writing.
Pamięć miejsca. W poszukiwaniu współczesnej łemkowskiej/rusińskiej architektury komemoratywnej
Authors: Federyga Kamil , Cieplak Dominika
Published: March 2024

Памят місця. Глядаючы сучасной лемківской/русиньской комеморатывной архітектурыВ статі пiднята остала проба однесіня ся до сути понятя місце і його реляциі з памятю. Здефініюваный остал термін комеморатывна архітектура і запропонувана тыполоґiя штырьох родів діянь, што мают за ціль упамятнити выселены лемківскы/русиньскы села. В части студия припадку представлена єст коротка істория Білой Воды на Шляхтівскiй Руси і запрезентуваны результаты проєкту «Біла Вода – Непамят, што болит» довершеного в рамах маґістерской працы на Выділі Архітектуры Краківской Політехнікы. Приближена остала тыпологія некомплетных слідів і ступени іх заниканя, а тіж описаны результаты тереновых дослiджынь, што в іх ефекті возникла малярска реконструкция укладу села сперед выселiня. На закінчыня омовлены сут елементы концепциі Культурно-Історичной Стежкы – шіст едукацийных павільонів і інсталяция Одвіря Памяти.
Before Warhol: Anthony Kubek and the Problem of Carpatho-Rusyn American Art
Authors: Kupensky Nick
Published: March 2024

PRZED WARHOLEM. ANTONI KUBEK I ZAGADNIENIE AMERYKAŃSKIEJ SZTUKI KARPACKORUSIŃSKIEJ

Chociaż Andy Warhol jest najbardziej znanym amerykańskim artystą o karpackorusińskim pochodzeniu, to nie był on pierwszy. Niniejszy artykuł dowodzi, że pierwszym wybitnym amerykańskim karpackorusińskim artystą był nieznany dotąd malarz – ksiądz Antoni Kubek (1885–1971), najstarszy syn pisarza Emila Kubeka. Szkolony przez mistrzów szkoły monachijskiej i węgierskiego impresjonizmu, a także w technice plenerowej kolonii artystycznej Nagybánya, Kubek ugruntował swoją estetykę w głównych ośrodkach środkowoeuropejskiego modernizmu i zyskał sławę dzięki obrazom olejnym przedstawiającym miejskie i naturalne pejzaże oraz świeckie i sakralne martwe natury. Po wyemigrowaniu do Ameryki stał się znany dzięki swojemu malarstwu ściennemu o tematyce religijnej, często wykonywanemu anonimowo, które zdobi dziesiątki cerkwi greckokatolickich w Nowym Jorku, New Jersey i Pensylwanii. Wielu karpackorusińskich Amerykanów posiada kopię jego grafiki Ojcze nasz (1911), która przedstawia Modlitwę Pańską. Swoje dziedzictwo w nowym świecie ugruntował także poprzez zilustrowanie wierszy, opowiadań swojego ojca oraz pierwszej powieści napisanej w języku rusińskim Marko Šoltys (1923). Po przejściu na emeryturę w Kalifornii, Kubek kontynuował rozwijanie swoich artystycznych zainteresowań, pomagając szerzyć „ruską wiarę” na wybrzeżu Pacyfiku oraz rozwijając swoje talenty w zakresie ikonografii i portretu. Po śmierci Kubeka jego dorobek artystyczny w dużej mierze został zapomniany, jednak w świetle odkrycia blisko 100 obrazów w czterech prywatnych kolekcjach obecnie możliwe jest napisanie zarówno interpretacyjnej historii jego twórczości, jak i biografii artystycznej pierwszego amerykańskiego karpackorusińskiego artysty.
Михал Чабала – очами сучасників
Authors: Truščinská-Sivá Jana , Simkova Anna
Published: March 2024

MYCHAL CZABALA – OCZAMI WSPÓŁCZESNYCHW artykule została podjęta próba analizy twórczości Mychala Czabali, rusińskiego malarza pochodzącego z Czabyn, który przez całe swoje życie zawodowe mieszkał w Preszowie i który swoją bogatą i znaczącą sztuką wyrażał podziw i miłość do narodu rusińskiego, jego przyrody i regionu. Inspirował go nie tylko sam region. To, co istotne w malarstwie Czabali, to wrażliwe postrzeganie tradycyjnej kultury ludowej Rusinów i jej twórczej siły wyrazu oraz inspiracja motywami pejzażowymi i figuratywnymi. Sztukę Mychala Czabali można określić jako apoteozę rusińskiego regionu i ludu. Już za życia artysty jego twórczość miała znaczący wpływ na tożsamość Rusinów zamieszkujących Słowację, ale także na całą Słowację, której był skłonny poświęcić swoje życie i karierę artystyczną. To, co wyróżnia Mychala Czabalę, to jego wielki wkład w słowacką sztukę, jak i również w malarstwo europejskie jako takie.
Demographics, Purpose, and Dreams: Predicting Entering College as an Undecided Major Student
Authors: Harper Casandra E. , Orr Rachael , Stolzenberg Ellen Bara
Published: March 2024

Undecided students who self-identify as uncertain of their academic path represent a unique population to support from an academic advising perspective. In a sample of 257,813 students who entered 243 four-year institutions nationally, this study examined the relationship between students who selected undecided as their intended college major and individual student characteristics. Results indicate a primary predictor of undecidedness is student acknowledgment of indecisiveness about their choice of major or career; however, undecidedness also is related to interpersonal and contextual characteristics previously unexamined. Advisors should assess students’ level of major and career certainty, concerns about financing college, and aspects of students’ identities that were predictive of undecidedness.
Academic Advising in Ontario: A Multiple Case Study
Authors: Gallo Melissa , McGill Craig M.
Published: March 2024

Although the practice of academic advising in North America has existed since the colonial era, it is only within the past century that an organized movement to shape the field has taken root. Most of the literature seeking to clarify the role, purpose, and function of academic advising is restricted to the United States. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore academic advising practices at four Ontario higher education institutions in terms of types of advising, institutional advising model, and roles and responsibilities of advisors. Through document analysis and interviews with advising personnel at four Ontario institutions, our analysis illuminates the state of academic advising in Ontario and offers recommendations for practice.
Comparison of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with polyester mesh with standard suture and staples in total knee and hip arthroplasty
Authors: Koyama Suguru , Tensho Keiji , Takashimizu Ikkei , Aoki Tetsuhiro , Shimodaira Hiroki , Iwaasa Tomoya , Horiuchi Hiroshi , Saito Naoto , Yuzuriha Shunsuke , Takahashi Jun
Published: March 2024

Objective:

The use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with polyester mesh (OCA-M) has become common in total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA). We aimed to compare the safety and cosmetic outcomes between OCA-M and standard suture techniques and staples, and determine whether OCA-M can safely be used for TKA.

Method:

Inclusion criteria were patients who underwent THA or TKA from January 2010 to October 2011 (Suture group), November 2011 to August 2013 (Staple group), March 2017 to September 2018 (OCA-M group). Exclusion criteria was loss of imaging data. Complications during hospitalisation (early complication) and after discharge (late complication) were compared in groups. Plastic and orthopaedic surgeons performed cosmetic evaluations with the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and Likert scale at three and six months postoperatively and compared in groups.

Results:

A total of 249 arthroplasties (suture group=88 patients; staple group=94 patients; OCA-M group=67 patients) were included in the study. The OCA-M group had a significantly lower early complication rate than the suture group (p=0.015). For THA, the OCA-M group had a significantly lower total complication rate than the suture group (p=0.048). For TKA, there was no significant difference among the three groups. The complication rate in the OCA-M group showed no significant difference between THA/TKA. With regards to the VSS, the OCA-M group was significantly better for cosmetic qualities than the suture group (p=<0.001, p=0.021 at three and six months, respectively). For the Likert scale, the OCA-M group was also significantly better for cosmetic qualities than the suture group and staple group (suture–OCA-M, p=0.003 (three months), p=<0.001 (six months); staple–OCA-M, p=0.027 (three months)).

Conclusion:

In this study, the OCA-M complication rate was low compared to suturing and similar to stapling. Moreover, better cosmetic outcomes were achieved compared to suturing and stapling.
Laparoscopic treatment of a patient with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome induced by necrotising fasciitis
Authors: Li Guangyao , Zhang Yingyi , Sun Tao , Zhou Lin , Fan Zhe
Published: March 2024

Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is an uncommon surgical emergency that threatens the life and health of patients. We report the treatment of a 76-year-old female patient with NF. The patient developed NF due to chronic poor glycaemic control, which further progressed to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome due to the severity of the hyperglycaemia. After resuscitation at the intensive care unit, surgical treatment was recommended and the patient underwent laparoscopic surgery. She had an uneventful post-operative recovery with aggressive anti-inflammatory therapy, glycaemic control and systemic nutritional support. There were no recurrences during the next 6 months of follow-up. NF should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible to gain valuable treatment time for the patient. Laparoscopic surgery is a treatment option.
The Oriental Turn of American Wilderness Literature in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Hu Ying , Liu Liyan
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Early-American wilderness literature mainly praised the vast, magical, beautiful, and pleasant natural wilderness, expressed ideas of returning to nature, and raised environmental protection awareness through the writers' personal experiences. In the late-twentieth century, American ecological literary eco-critics turned to Eastern philosophy, and then developed a post-modern ecological holism. Wilderness literature of this period also reflected a significant shift to the East mainly in three aspects: (1) In a manner recalling the observations of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, the range of wilderness literature extended to include wilderness in urban environments. (2) Corresponding to the East "Chaos" philosophy, literary speculation appeared in wilderness writing, trying to make the readers aware of limitations of a pure rational thinking from the level of ideology. (3) With the concept of "Dao," American wilderness literature reflected a consciousness returning to social issues and played a more engaged role in social responsibilities.
Georgetown and Slavery, from Plantation to Campus
Authors: Bernier Julia W.
Published: March 2024

Abstract: In 1838, the Maryland Province Jesuits sold the nearly three hundred people they enslaved on their plantations to Louisiana. Part of the proceeds of that sale went to pay down the debts amassed by Georgetown University. This is how most people understand the historical ties between Georgetown and slavery. This article situates Georgetown’s relationship to the institution in a more sustained context. It emphasizes slavery’s role in the daily life of campus, examines the lives of the enslaved there, and illuminates the university’s deeper relationship to both the Maryland plantations and regional Catholic slaveholding networks. Further, it considers how these connections influenced intellectual thought on campus. The article extends scholarship on slavery and higher education to not only focus on the institution’s foundational complicities, but also emphasizes the demands of the enslaved and their descendants in our contemporary moment.
Longing for Annabel: Queer Love and the Melancholic Critic
Authors: Bascom Ben
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This essay advances a queer reading of Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee" through reframing his relationship with the editor Rufus Griswold, who posthumously printed the poem to accompany his infamous obituary of the poet. I argue that the complicated personal and sexual lives of Griswold offer queer resonances to understand his attachments to the action and feeling of "Annabel Lee." Indeed, the history of Griswold's marriages provides insight into how desire and disavowal create screens for refused melancholic attachments. Narrating his ill-fated second marriage to Charlotte Myers, I show how Griswold's desire to present himself as a normative and proper subject belie an anxiety over what he ends up considering wrong object choice, arguing in his divorce affidavit that she "had been bound, in honor and law, not to receive any man's offer of marriage." What this saga of Griswold's fraught attachments illuminates is how a critic's own entanglements with their objects of study can become rich contexts to understand both their own disavowed attachments and the objects that call forth their interest. As such, I consider how the literary critic's orientation toward objects of critique may be compellingly plumbed and analyzed for ways to engage more directly with the concerns of affect studies, queer studies, and author studies.
Bloody Edification: The Violence of Education in Sutton Griggs's Imperium in Imperio
Authors: Sy Lloyd Alimboyao
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This article contends that scenes and themes of education in Sutton Griggs's Imperium in Imperio deploy the threat of corporal punishment as a means of reincarnating antebellum plantation systems of surveillance and punishment in the postbellum school space. By copiously tracing the logic and references in a commentary on education by a parson early in the novel, the article shows that Griggs's book makes learning, violence, and space inextricable in Black Reconstruction life. Drawing on theorists like Hortense Spillers and Karen Sanchez-Eppler, who argue that violence on the body renders Black bodies legible, I suggest that Black education manifests itself through the same bodily terror that dictated life for enslaved persons. Griggs, I propose, depicts knowledge accumulation and dissemination as harmful to the Black populace not only physically but politically as well. With an eye towards the book's eponymous Black insurrectionary state, this article argues that the plantation's regime of intimidation, which continues to impose itself through the illusion of academic installation, might be overturned through a motivated manipulation of space.
Assimilation as Abjection in Franz Kafka’s “Ein Bericht für eine Akademie”
Authors: Schuetz Christian
Published: March 2024

Abstract: In detailing the cultural techniques required for his behavioral transition from ape to human following capture, Franz Kafka’s Rotpeter addresses not just physical but also cultural differences between apes and humans. The report can be interpreted as a satirical allegory of Jewish assimilation, a commentary that echoes Jay Geller’s notion of the “hierarchical differentiations that characterize antisemitism” (26). Although clothed, Rotpeter retains an ape’s body while exhibiting human behavior and thought patterns. The narrative implies that Rotpeter’s evolution entails cultural techniques of both domestication and hominization, rendering him neither wholly ape nor entirely human. This liminality leads Rotpeter to retroactively fetishize himself as a difference-embodying object while concurrently turning himself into a difference-encountering subject. The blurring of lines between the subject and object positions in Rotpeter’s subjectivity encapsulates the inherent ambiguity at the core of both abjection and Jewish assimilation.
The Academic Oratory Tax Paid by Undergraduates as Persons Who Stutter
Authors: Sasso Pietro A. , Altstadt Amelia-Marie , Bullington Kim E.
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This study highlights the nuanced ways ten undergraduate students who stutter can experience ableism. A critical framework of stuttering ableism at the community and public policy levels are used to interrogate how ableism oppresses persons who stutter. Inclusive language humanizes the experiences of participants who experienced an academic oratory tax and invisibility. Participants paid an academic oratory tax through co-curricular participation and felt invisible, being cast into material participation and passive involvement. Implications for practice include new ways of thinking about belonging for persons who stutter in college.
High precision polishing of aluminum alloy mirrors through a combination of magnetorheological finishing and chemical mechanical polishing
Authors: Bai Yang , Zhang Zhiyu , Li Longxiang , Luo Xiao , Li Fukun , Zhang Xuejun
Published: March 2024

After the aluminum alloy mirror machined by single point diamond turning (SPDT), the residual tool marks and surface accuracy of the aluminum alloy mirror cannot meet the requirements of visible or ultraviolet light system. In this study, a processing method combining magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is proposed to realize the polishing of aluminum alloy mirrors with high efficiency, high precision and high-quality. Firstly, the properties and composition of passivation layer after MRF were analyzed and the polishing performance of acidic, neutral and alkaline alumina polishing fluid on passivation layer were investigated based on the computer numerical control (CNC) polishing equipment. Based on the experimental results, a new acidic nano-silica polishing fluid which is suitable for the efficient and high-quality removal of passivation layers on aluminum alloy surfaces was developed. Finally, a combined approach of MRF-CMP was used to the directly polishing of a rapidly solidified aluminum mirror (RSA-6061) with a diameter of 100 mm after SPDT. With two iterative of MRF-CMP polishing in 220 minutes, the surface accuracy of the aluminum alloy mirror was improved from 0.1λ (λ=632.8 nm) to 0.024λ, and the surface roughness (Ra) decreased from 3.6 nm to 1.38 nm. The experiment results manifest that high precision, and high-quality aluminum alloy mirror can be achieved by MRF-CMP method with the new developed acid nano-silica polishing fluid and suitable MR polishing fluid. The research results will provide a new strategy for ultra-precision direct polishing of aluminum alloy mirrors and will also give the important technical support for the extensive use of aluminum alloy mirror in visible light and ultraviolet optical systems.
Machine learning-enhanced surface plasmon resonance based photonic crystal fiber sensor
Authors: Ehyaee Arefe , Rahmati Alireza , Bosaghzadeh Alireza , Olyaee Saeed
Published: March 2024

This study introduces what we believe to be a novel photonic crystal fiber sensor utilizing surface plasmon resonance (SPR), incorporating four gold nanowires to enhance sensing capabilities. The research employs machine learning, specifically artificial neural networks (ANN), to predict confinement loss and sensitivity, achieving high accuracy without needing the imaginary part of the effective refractive index. The machine learning technique is applied in three different scenarios, resulting in mean squared errors of 0.084, 0.002, and 0.003, highlighting the reliability of the ANN models in predicting sensor outputs. Additionally, the sensor demonstrates impressive wavelength sensitivities of 2000-18000 nm/RIU (nanometers per refractive index unit) for refractive indices of 1.31-1.4 within the 720-1280 nm wavelength range, and a notable maximum amplitude sensitivity of 889.89 RIU-1. This integration of SPR, photonic crystal fiber, and machine learning not only optimizes sensor performance but also offers an efficient methodology for prediction, showcasing the potential of machine learning in advancing optical sensor design.
Integrated photon pair source based on a silicon nitride micro-ring resonator for quantum memories
Authors: Durán Gómez J. S. S. , Ramírez Alarcón R. , Gómez Robles M. , Tavares Ramírez P. M. C. , Rodríguez Becerra G. J. , Ortíz-Ricardo E. , Salas-Montiel R.
Published: March 2024

We report the design of an integrated photon pair source based on spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM), implemented in an integrated micro-ring resonator in the silicon nitride platform (Si3N4). The signal photon is generated with emission at 606 nm and bandwidth of 3.98 MHz, matching the spectral properties of praseodymium ions (Pr), while the idler photon is generated at 1430.5 nm matching the wavelength of a CWDM channel in the E-band. This novel, to the best of our knowledge, device is designed to interact with a quantum memory based on a Y2SiO5 crystal doped with Pr3+ ions, in which we used cavity-enhanced SFWM along with dispersion engineering to reach the required wavelength and the few megahertz signal photon spectral bandwidth.
Thermal-tagging photoacoustic remote sensing flowmetry
Authors: Lu Yun , Sun Yunxu , Shen Zhousheng , Xu Xiaochuan , Ma Ting , Peng Chang , Li Fenfang , Ning Chengqing , Wang Jiawei , Liu Shutian , Liu Zhengjun , Xu Lingji , Liu Wei
Published: March 2024

Ultrasound coupling is one of the critical challenges for traditional photoacoustic (or optoacoustic) microscopy (PAM) techniques transferred to the clinical examination of chronic wounds and open tissues. A promising alternative potential solution for breaking the limitation of ultrasound coupling in PAM is photoacoustic remote sensing (PARS), which implements all-optical non-interferometric photoacoustic measurements. Functional imaging of PARS microscopy was demonstrated from the aspects of histopathology and oxygen metabolism, while its performance in hemodynamic quantification remains unexplored. In this Letter, we present an all-optical thermal-tagging flowmetry approach for PARS microscopy and demonstrate it with comprehensive mathematical modeling and ex vivo and in vivo experimental validations. Experimental results demonstrated that the detectable range of the blood flow rate was from 0 to 12 mm/s with a high accuracy (measurement error:±1.2%) at 10-kHz laser pulse repetition rate. The proposed all-optical thermal-tagging flowmetry offers an effective alternative approach for PARS microscopy realizing non-contact dye-free hemodynamic imaging.
Temperature measurement and morphological/crystalline differences in the laser-induced carbonization of polydimethylsiloxane
Authors: Kai Masato , Hayashi Shuichiro , Kashikawa Ken , Terakawa Mitsuhiro
Published: March 2024

Laser-induced carbonization, which allows for the facile generation of graphitic carbon, is considered a promising technique for fabricating arbitrary conductive microstructures. The morphology and crystallinity of the resulting product are acknowledged to be significantly influenced by laser irradiation conditions. However, unlike discussions pertaining to furnaces where detailed considerations of applied temperature and resulting products are common, discussions on the process of laser-induced carbonization are limited. In recent years, reports have shown that using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a precursor material not only produces graphitic carbon but also results in the formation of silicon carbide. In this study, we utilized a thermographic camera to measure temperature changes during laser-induced carbonization, aiming to elucidate the correlation between PDMS temperature fluctuations and the morphology and crystallinity of the resulting graphitic carbon. The results demonstrate that the morphology and crystallinity of the graphitic carbon formed through laser-induced carbonization are not solely determined by the maximum temperature in the laser-irradiated area. The temperature changes during laser irradiation play a crucial role in the selective generation of these materials.
Wide field-of-view light-field head-mounted display for virtual reality applications
Authors: Maeda Yasutaka , Watanabe Hayato , Koide Daiichi , Sasaki Hisayuki , Handa Takuya , Hisatomi Kensuke , Arai Jun
Published: March 2024

Light-field head-mounted displays (HMDs) can resolve vergence-accommodation conflicts but suffer from limited display pixels, causing a narrow field-of-view (FOV). This study proposes a wide-FOV light-field HMD with a 5.5-inch-diagonal 4 K display for virtual reality applications. By adjusting the pitch of elemental images to control the eye relief and creating a virtual intermediate image, horizontal and vertical FOVs of 68.8° and 43.1°, respectively, can be achieved using a monocular optical bench prototype.
Impact of vaccination education in cardiac rehabilitation on attitudes and knowledge
Authors: Solera Andrea Rivera , Supervia Marta , Medina Inojosa Jose R. , Senon David Bedos , Lopez-Jimenez Francisco , Grace Sherry L.
Published: March 2024

Clinical guidelines recommend influenza vaccination for cardiac patients, and COVID-19 vaccination is also beneficial given their increased risk. Patient education regarding vaccination was developed for cardiac rehabilitation (CR); impact on knowledge and attitudes were evaluated. A single-group pre-post design was applied at a Spanish CR program in early 2022. After baseline assessment, a nurse delivered the 40-minute group education. Knowledge and attitudes were re-assessed. Sixty-one (72%) of the 85 participants were vaccinated for influenza, and 40 (47%) for pneumococcus. Most participants perceived vaccines were important, and that the COVID-19 vaccine specifically was important, with three-quarters not influenced by vaccine myths/misinformation. The education intervention resulted in significant improvements in perceptions of the importance of vaccines (Hake’s index 69%), understanding of myths (48%), knowledge of the different types of COVID vaccines (92%), and when they should be vaccinated. Vaccination rates are low despite their importance; while further research is needed, education in the CR setting could promote greater uptake.
Five-year clinical outcomes of scanning carbon-ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Takakusagi Yosuke , Koge Hiroaki , Kano Kio , Shima Satoshi , Tsuchida Keisuke , Mizoguchi Nobutaka , Yoshida Daisaku , Kamada Tadashi , Katoh Hiroyuki
Published: March 2024

Background

Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) has been associated with favorable clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer. At our facility, all patients are treated using scanning CIRT (sCIRT). We retrospectively analyzed five-year clinical outcomes of prostate cancer treated with sCIRT to investigate treatment efficacy and toxicity.

Methods

In this study, we included 253 consecutive prostate cancer patients treated with sCIRT at the Kanagawa Cancer Center from December 2015 to December 2017. The total dose of sCIRT was set at 51.6 Gy (relative biological effect) in 12 fractions over three weeks. We employed the Phoenix definition for biochemical relapse. The overall survival (OS), biochemical relapse-free (bRF) rate, and cumulative incidence of late toxicity were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Toxicity was assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

Results

The median age of the patients was 70 years (range: 47–86 years). The median follow-up duration was 61.1 months (range: 4.1–80.3 months). Eight (3.2%), 88 (34.8%), and 157 (62.1%) patients were in the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively, according to the D’Amico classification system. The five-year OS and bRF were 97.5% and 93.3%, respectively. The five-year bRF rates for the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 87.5%, 93.7%, and 93.4%, respectively (p = 0.7215). The five-year cumulative incidence of Grade 2 or more late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity was 7.4% and 1.2%, respectively.

Conclusion

The results of this study show that sCIRT has a favorable therapeutic effect and low toxicity in the treatment of prostate cancer.
Variations in grain yield and nutrient status of different maize cultivars by application of zinc sulfate
Authors: Xin Juan , Ren Ning , Hu Xueling , Yang Jin
Published: March 2024

Although maize is sensitive to zinc (Zn) deficiencies, the responses of maize cultivars to the foliar application of Zn sulfate (ZnSO4) may vary significantly. Here, we quantified the responses of grain yields and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) absorption to ZnSO4 using 22 modern maize cultivars. The results revealed that 40.9% of the cultivars were not affected by foliar ZnSO4, whereas only 45.5% of the cultivars responded positively to ZnSO4, which was evidenced by increased grain numbers and shortened bald tip lengths. The impact of Zn fertilizer might be manifested in the dry biomass, from the 8-leaf stage (BBCH 18). For Zn-deficiency resistant cultivars, the foliar application of ZnSO4 enhanced N accumulation by 44.1%, while it reduced P and K absorption by 13.6% and 23.7%, respectively. For Zn-deficiency sensitive maize cultivars, foliar applied ZnSO4 improved the accumulation of N and K by 27.3% and 25.0%, respectively; however, it lowered their utilization efficiency. Hence, determining the optimized application of Zn fertilizer, while avoiding Zn toxicity, should not be based solely on the level of Zn deficiency in the soil, but also, take into consideration the sensitivity of some cultivars to Zn, Furthermore, the supplementation of Zn-deficiency sensitive maize cultivars with N and K is key to maximizing the benefits of Zn fertilization.
Word-of-mouth generated influences of different prepared dishes via online consumer purchases: Preliminary text-based research findings from "Jingdong Mall" flagship shops
Authors: Xu Xiaotian
Published: March 2024

With the rapid development of China’s prepared vegetable product market, consumer demand for prepared vegetable products is increasing. The study adopts a qualitative research method to construct a model of factors influencing the generation of consumer word-of-mouth (IWOM) in the online consumption context, taking the real consumer word-of-mouth of Jingdong’s own flagship shop of prepared dishes as the object of the study. The model states that the objective factors that promote the generation of word of mouth include specific consumption context (emotionality, initiality, scarcity, convenience and process) and specific product attributes (richness, safety, accessibility and emotionality). Meanwhile subjective factors design consumer satisfaction with the product (satisfaction with a single attribute and satisfaction with the brand as a whole) and emotions (positive self-conscious emotions, high arousal positive emotions and medium arousal positive emotions). Objective factors may contribute directly to the generation of word-of-mouth, or they may further contribute to word-of-mouth generation through subjective consumer factors. In addition, IWOM is often generated not by a single factor, but by a combination of factors.
Getting the message across; a realist study of the role of communication and information exchange processes in delivering stroke Early Supported Discharge services in England
Authors: Chouliara Niki , Cameron Trudi , Byrne Adrian , Fisher Rebecca
Published: March 2024

Background

Stroke early supported discharge (ESD) involves the co-ordinated transfer of care from hospital to home. The quality of communication processes between professionals delivering ESD and external stakeholders may have a role to play in streamlining this process. We explored how communication and information exchange were achieved and influenced the hospital-to-home transition and the delivery quality of ESD, from healthcare professionals’ perspectives.

Methods

Six ESD case study sites in England were purposively selected. Under a realist approach, we conducted interviews and focus groups with 117 staff members, including a cross-section of the multidisciplinary team, service managers and commissioners.

Results

Great variation was observed between services in the type of communication processes they employed and how organised these efforts were. Effective communication between ESD team members and external stakeholders was identified as a key mechanism driving the development of collaborative and trusting relationships and promoting coordinated care transitions. Cross-boundary working arrangements with inpatient services helped clarify the role and remit of ESD, contributing to timely hospital discharge and response from ESD teams. Staff perceived honest and individualised information provision as key to effectively prepare stroke survivors and families for care transitions and promote rehabilitation engagement. In designing and implementing ESD, early stakeholder involvement ensured the services’ fit in the local pathway and laid the foundations for communication and partnership working going forward.

Conclusions

Findings highlighted the interdependency between services delivering ESD and local stroke care pathways. Maintaining good communication and engagement with key stakeholders may help achieve a streamlined hospital discharge process and timely delivery of ESD. ESD services should actively manage communication processes with external partners. A shared cross-service communication strategy to guide the provision of information along to continuum of stroke care is required. Findings may inform efforts towards the delivery of better coordinated stroke care pathways.
A systematic scoping review of health-promoting interventions for contact centre employees examined through a behaviour change wheel lens
Authors: Bell Zoe , Porcellato Lorna , Holland Paula , Morris Abigail , Smith Chloe , Haines Charlotte , Graves Lee
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Social determinants of health and poor working conditions contribute to excessive sickness absence and attrition in contact centre advisors. With no recent review conducted, the current scoping review is needed to investigate the volume, effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of health-promoting interventions for contact centre advisors. This will inform the adoption and implementation of evidence-based practice, and future research.

Methods

Searches conducted across four databases (MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science) and reference checking in February 2023 identified health-promoting interventions for contact centre advisors. Extracted and coded data from eligible interventions were systematically synthesised using the nine intervention functions of the Behaviour Change Wheel and behaviour change technique taxonomy.

Results

This scoping review identified a low number of high quality and peer-reviewed health-promoting intervention studies for contact centre advisors (28 studies since 2002). Most interventions were conducted in high-income countries with office-based advisors, predominantly using environmental restructuring and training strategies to improve health. Most interventions reported positive effectiveness results for the primary intended outcomes, which were broadly organised into: i) health behaviours (sedentary behaviour, physical activity, smoking); ii) physical health outcomes (musculoskeletal health, visual health, vocal health, sick building syndrome); iii) mental health outcomes (stress, job control, job satisfaction, wellbeing). Few interventions evaluated acceptability and feasibility.

Conclusion

There is little evidence on the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of health-promoting interventions for contact centre advisors. Evidence is especially needed in low-to-middle income countries, and for remote/hybrid, nightshift, older and disabled advisors.
A meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of mineralized collagen-polymethylmethacrylate and polymethylmethacrylate bone cements in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures
Authors: Li Song-feng , Li Xi-yong , Bai Xiao-hui , Wang Yun-lu , Han Peng-fei , Li Hong-zhuo
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Vertebral compression fractures are often treated with vertebroplasty, and filling the injured vertebrae with bone cement is a key part of vertebroplasty. This meta-analysis was performed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of mineralized collagen—polymethylmethacrylate (MC-PMMA) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures by vertebroplasty.

Methods

A computerized search of the published literature on mineralized collagen-polymethylmethacrylate and polymethylmethacrylate bone cement in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures was conducted in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The search was carried out from the time the database was created to March 2023 and 2 researchers independently conducted literature searches to retrieve a total of 884 studies, of which 12 were included in this meta-analysis. Cochrane systematic review methods were used to assess the quality of the literature and a meta-analysis was performed using ReviewManager 5.4 software.

Results

The results of the present meta-analysis showed that in postoperative adjacent vertebral fractures [OR = 0.25; 95% CI (0.15, 0.41)], postoperative cement leakage [OR = 0.45; 95% CI (0.30, 0.68)], Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in the first 3 days after surgery [OR = -0.22; 95% CI (-0.42, -0.03)], ODI score at 6–12 months postoperatively [OR = -0.65; 95% CI (-0.97, -0.32)], visual analog scale (VAS) score at 6–12 months postoperatively [OR = -0.21; 95% CI (-0.46, 0.04)], and 1-year postoperative CT values [OR = 5.56; 95% CI (3.06, 8.06)], the MC-PMMA bone cement group was superior to the PMMA bone cement group. However, the differences between the two groups were not statistically different in terms of cement filling time, cement filling volume, operation time, intraoperative bleeding, hospitalization time, postoperative (<1 week, 3–6 months) vertebral body posterior convexity Cobb’s angle, postoperative (<1 week, 6–12 months) vertebral body anterior margin relative height, postoperative (≤3 days, 1–3 months) pain VAS score and postoperative (1–3 months) ODI score.

Conclusions

Compared with PMMA bone cement, the application of MC-PMMA bone cement is advantageous in reducing postoperative complications (adjacent vertebral fracture rate, cement leakage rate), pain relief, and functional recovery in the long-term postoperative period (>6 months), but there is still a need for more high-quality randomized controlled studies to provide more adequate evidence.