bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determining the molecular landscape and impact on prognosis in HPV-associated head and neck cancer
Authors: Khanna Suchin , Palackdharry Sarah , Roof Logan , Wicker Christina A. , Mark Jonathan , Zhu Zheng , Jandorav Roman , Molinolo Alfredo , Takiar Vinita , Wise-Draper Trisha M.
Published: September 2020

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a better prognosis than HNSCC due to other risk factors. However, there is significant heterogeneity within HPV-associated HNSCC and 25% of these patients still do poorly despite receiving aggressive therapy. We currently have no good molecular tools to differentiate and exclude this “high-risk” sub-population and focus on “low-risk” patients for clinical trials. This has been a potential barrier to identifying successful de-escalation treatment strategies in HPV-associated HNSCC. We conducted an analysis of molecular markers with a well-known role in the pathogenesis of HPV-associated HNSCC and hypothesized that these markers could help independently predict recurrence and prognosis in these patients and therefore help identify at the molecular level “low-risk” patients suitable for de-escalation trials.

Methods

We analyzed 24 tumor specimens of patients with p16+ HNSCC who underwent definitive resection as primary treatment. Tissue microarray (TMA) was generated from the 24 pathology blocks and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed using highly specific antibodies for our chosen biomarkers (PI3K-PTEN, AKT pathway, mTOR, 4EBP1, S6, and pAMPK, ERCC-1). Transcriptome data was also obtained for 7 p16+ HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Data from the TMA and TCGA were analyzed for association of relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) with protein and gene expression of the chosen biomarkers.

Results

Increased pAMPK protein activity by IHC and AMPK gene expression by TCGA gene expression data was correlated with improved RFS with a trend towards statistical significance.

Conclusions

This data suggests that increased pAMPK activity and expression may portend a better prognosis in HPV-associated HNSCC undergoing primary definitive resection. However, these findings require validation in larger studies.
Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) for local staging of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Woo Sungmin , Ghafoor Soleen , Becker Anton S. , Han Sangwon , Wibmer Andreas G. , Hricak Hedvig , Burger Irene A. , Schöder Heiko , Vargas Hebert Alberto
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) has shown promise for detecting nodal and distant prostate cancer (PCa) metastases. However, its performance for local tumor staging is not as well established. The purpose of this study was to review the diagnostic performance of PSMA-PET for determining seminal vesical invasion (SVI) and extraprostatic extension (EPE).

Methods

Pubmed and Embase databases were searched until January 12, 2020. Studies assessing accuracy of PSMA-PET in determining SVI and EPE were included. Study quality was evaluated with the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated using hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristics modeling. Heterogeneity was explored using meta-regression analyses for anatomical imaging component (MRI vs CT) and by testing for a threshold effect.

Results

Twelve studies (615 patients) were included. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.68 (95% CI 0.53-0.81) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.90-0.96) for SVI and 0.72 (95% CI 0.56-0.84) and 0.87 (95% CI 0.72-0.94) for EPE. Meta-regression analyses showed that for SVI, PET/MRI demonstrated greater sensitivity than PET/CT (0.87 [95% CI 0.75-0.98] vs 0.60 [95% CI 0.47-0.74]; p = 0.02 for joint model) while specificity was comparable (0.91 [95% CI 0.84-0.97] vs. 0.96 [95% CI 0.93-0.99]) but not for EPE (p = 0.08). A threshold effect was present for studies assessing EPE (correlation coefficient = 0.563 [95% CI, −0.234-0.908] between sensitivity and false-positive rate).

Conclusion

PSMA-PET has moderate sensitivity and excellent specificity for assessing local tumor extent in patients with PCa. PET/MRI showed potential for greater sensitivity than PET/CT in assessing SVI.
The effects of oak (Quercus) restoration on forest trajectory and small mammal use in the southern Cumberland Plateau, USA
Authors: Smith C. Ken , Turner Amy J. , Hiers J. Kevin , Garai Julie , Wilson W. Nate , Nunley A. Nicole
Published: September 2020

Background

Thinning and prescribed fire are increasingly used to promote oak (QuercusL. spp.) regeneration in forest restoration projects across the eastern United States. In addition to monitoring the response of vegetation to these reductions in basal area, the research and land management community has become focused on the response of wildlife to these treatments. In a landscape in which forest ownership is fragmented and dominated by non-industrial private landowners, predicting the range of wildlife and vegetation response to treatments will be necessary to facilitate adoption of a landscape-scale approach to oak restoration. The goal of this study was to examine the efficacy of restoring privately owned, mixed forest stands that were partially planted in loblolly pine (Pinus taedaL.) and eastern white pine (Pinus strobusL.) to oak-dominated communities through the use of thinning and prescribed fire. Additionally, the study documented implications of these treatments on small mammal activity in the southern Cumberland Plateau.

Results

Following basal area reductions ranging from 30 to 60% and three prescribed fires across three sites, mean oak seedling densities rose from 10 200 ha−1to 17 900 ha−1. Post-treatment oak seedling densities were related to pre-treatment densities (R2= 0.55,P< 0.0001) and the number of oak trees >20 cm diameter within 10 m of plot center (R2= 0.15,P= 0.01). Three years after the last prescribed fire, bat activity (mean passes per night) was significantly higher in the treated stands compared to adjacent undisturbed forest. We did not detect any significant differences in rodent activity between our treated stands and forest controls for two of the three years studied.

Conclusions

The results of this study highlighted the within-stand variation that drives post-harvest vegetation trajectories. Three years after the last prescribed fire, bats exhibited higher foraging activity in the treated sites that had lower basal area and very little midstory clutter. Our three-year summer monitoring of rodent activity following the last of the three prescribed fires revealed differences in rodent activity between our treated sites and adjacent forest controls only during 2018 (P= 0.001). These results will assist private landowners in the region as they consider the costs and benefits of oak forest restoration.
Clinical outcomes after pulmonary vein isolation using an automated tagging module in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Authors: Cho Min Soo , Kim Jun , Do Ungjeong , Kim Minsoo , Nam Gi-Byoung , Choi Kee-Joon , Kim You-Ho
Published: September 2020

Background

An automated tagging module (VISITAG™; Biosense Webster, Irvine, CA) allows objective demonstration of energy delivery. However, the effect of VISITAG™ on clinical outcomes remains unclear. This study evaluated (1) clinical outcome after AF ablation using VISITAG™ and (2) the prevalence of gaps in the ablation line.

Methods

This retrospective analysis included 157 consecutive patients (mean age, 56.7 years; 73.2% men) with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent successful PVI between 2013 and 2016. Outcomes after the index procedure were compared between those using the VISITAG™ module (VISITAG group, n = 62) and those not using it (control group, n = 95). The primary outcome was recurrence of AF or atrial tachycardia after a blanking period of 3 months.

Results

The VISITAG group showed significantly shorter overall procedure time (172.2 ± 37.6 min vs. 286.9 ± 66.7 min, P < 0.001), ablation time (49.8 ± 9.7 min vs. 82.8 ± 28.2 min, P < 0.001), and fluoroscopy time (11.8 ± 5.3 min vs. 34.2 ± 30.1 min, P < 0.001) compared with controls. The 1-year recurrence-free survival rate was not statistically different between the groups (70.8% in the VISITAG group vs. 79.2% in the control group, P = 0.189). Gaps in the VISITAG line were common in the both carina and left side pulmonary veins. Patients without gaps (≥ 5 mm) by the criteria emphasizing catheter stability (> 15 s, < 4 mm range, > 60% force over time, > 6 g contact force) showed higher recurrence-free survival rate compared with those with gaps (borderline statistical significance, 91.7% vs. 66.0%, P = 0.094).

Conclusion

Use of the VISITAG™ module significantly reduced procedure, ablation, and fluoroscopic times with a similar AF/AT recurrence rate compared with the conventional ablation. Clinical implications of minimizing gaps along the ablation line should be evaluated further in the future prospective studies.
A content analysis of pre-college lesson plans on human evolution
Authors: Hite Rebecca L.
Published: September 2020

One of the most fundamental understandings within biology is evolution, yet often ascribed as one of the most misunderstood scientific concepts by the American public. Despite not being explicitly mentioned in most American science standards, human evolution is nevertheless taught as an engaging context for understanding complex evolutionary processes among pre-college science students. Therefore, pre-college science teachers seek out human evolution content experts (e.g., Smithsonian Institution, NOVA, ENSI) to procure curricula (lesson plans) to teach these concepts in their classrooms. For students to accurately understand human evolution, research recommends lesson plans employ a diversity of direct and indirect evolutionary evidence, infused with social science perspectives related to the nature of science (NOS) and/or socioscientific issues (SSI) to foster necessary conceptual change. Given such empirical affordances of using multiple sources of evidence and integrated social science perspectives to foster conceptual change in teaching human evolution, it is unknown to what extent these attributes are present in lesson plans created by these entities and targeted to pre-college science teachers. To ascertain to what extent pre-college lesson plans on human evolution employ these research-based best practices, this paper analyzed 86 lesson plans created by 18 entities with content expertise in human evolution concepts that had developed online pre-college lesson plans. Among the sampled lesson plans, less than one third (29%) presented a combination of direct and indirect evidence. Further, a mere 17% incorporated elements of NOS, where SSI (like historical (n = 3) and racial (n = 1)) perspectives were fewer. In sum, findings suggest available resources are deficient in fostering the conceptual change necessary for pre-college students to fully understand human evolution concepts. This study evidences a continued need to ensure best practices are incorporated into human evolution lesson plans created for pre-college teachers.
Burnout and work stress among medical oncologists: Egyptian multi-centric study
Authors: Soltan M. R. , Soliman S. S. , Al-Hassanin S. A. , ElSherief W. A. , Elnaggar M. S. , Gohar S. F.
Published: September 2020

Background

Cancer-care health professionals are at great risk of workplace stress and high burnout levels. Only a few studies were studying the prevalence of workplace stress and burnout in medical oncologists in Egypt. The aim of the work is to study the prevalence of burnout levels and work stress among medical oncologists working at multi-centers in Egypt (Cairo, Menoufia, Fayoum, and Assiut university hospitals). A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 100 medical oncologists at four medical oncology centers in Egypt. Self-administered Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) questionnaire and Workplace Stress Scale (WSS) were used to assess the burnout and stress levels respectively among the participants.

Results

Out of 100 participants, 32% were overall burnout positive as they met the criteria for all the burnout subscales. The percentages of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal capacity were 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively. About 60% were having job stress. The present study showed that younger age (≤ 40 years), female gender, being single, with no children, junior physicians (residents or physicians < 10 years in practice), with work time directed to both patient care and research, and those with more than 6 shifts per month were associated with higher burnout and workplace stress.

Conclusion

Medical oncologists experienced high burnout levels and workplace stress. More studies are needed to assess these problems in large scales to try to mitigate them.
Incidental whole-body MRI evidence of COVID-19 in an asymptomatic patient in a high prevalence region
Authors: Angelini Valentina , Villanacci Alberta , Belotti Angelo , Castagnoli Francesca , Frittoli Barbara , Corvino Antonio , Brunetti Arturo , Grazioli Luigi
Published: September 2020

Background

The purpose of this case report is to emphasize the importance of curing any clinical radiological elements in this historical period, especially in the area of endemic to coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) such as Lombardy and to stress the importance of the management of the asymptomatic patient, their crucial role in the spread of contagion.

Case presentation

We reported the case of incidental diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia by first finding on whole-body MR (WB-MR) in the patient affected by multiple myeloma (MM), with a negative respiratory symptoms at the time and with previous (1 month before) negative chest X-ray. The patient was promptly subjected to chest CT, which confirmed the suspicion of interstitial COVID-19 pneumonia and, in hospitalization, performed nasopharyngeal swabs for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR), with a doubtful outcome. Once the bacterial nature of the alterations was serologically and radiologically excluded, the patient was definitively diagnosed with COVID-19 and appropriately treated in hospitalization.

Conclusion

The clinical choices must, therefore, to make use of all the diagnostic tools available and full knowledge of the limitation of each of them.
Lugano classification: response evaluation criteria for positron emission tomography/computed tomography in lymphoma follow-up
Authors: Ragheb Samar R. , Louka Amir L. , Sharara Sherine M.
Published: September 2020

Background

The purpose of this study is to assess the role of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG PET-CT) in the follow-up of patients with lymphoma after finishing therapy.

Results

This study included 42 lymphomas (25 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 17 Hodgkin’s lymphoma); patients ranging in age from 18 to 70 years were examined by 18FDG PET-CT after therapy and analyzed retrospectively. Confirmatory biopsy was mandatory in cases of suspected disease recurrence and follow-up in cases of complete metabolic response. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in assessment of lymphoma treatment response reveals significant statistical significance (P < 0.05). It shows 100% sensitivity, 92.8% specificity, and 95.2% accuracy in the prediction of response.

Conclusion

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography plays an important role in detection of response to treatment of lymphoma after finishing therapy.
Firm culture and management accounting practices among manufacturing firms in Nigeria
Authors: Ogungbade Oluyinka Isaiah , Oyerogba Ezekiel Oluwagbemiga
Published: September 2020

This study sought to find out the effects of firm culture on management accounting practices (MAPs). The study used a structured questionnaire to collect data from 220 randomly selected manufacturing firms out of 514 firms and used logistic regression for analysis. This study examined seven dimensions of firm cultures, including innovation/risk orientation culture, people orientation culture, outcome orientation culture, aggressive culture, stability culture, team-based culture, and attention to details culture. The study established that team-based, attention to details, and stability cultures have a significant influence on the choice of management accounting practices. In contrast, the considerable influence of other cultural dimensions lacks statistical support. The study concludes that attention to details culture and team-based culture are barriers to modern management accounting practices, and cautions should be exercised by managers in using these cultures. Therefore, this study recommends that manufacturing firms in Nigeria should be cautious of their culture and its implication on MAPs. In a more specific term, they should practice cultures that will allow them to choose modern MAPs and take advantage of the benefits attached.
Correlation between COVID-19 case fatality rate and percentage of BCG vaccination: is it true the vaccine is protective?
Authors: Mohamed Hussein Aliae A. R. , Salem Marwa Rashad , Salman Samar , Abdulrahim A F , Al Massry Nasrallah A. , Saad Mahmoud , Dahman Nesrine Ben Hadj , Negida Ahmed
Published: September 2020

Background

The observations of some recent epidemiological studies offer hope for a reduced impact of COVID-19 for countries which practice universal BCG vaccination policy.

Main body

This report provides a correlation between the case fatality rates of COVID-19 and the percentage of BCG vaccination coverage in 183 most affected countries. The main objective of this observational ecologic report is to evaluate possible effects of the previous BCG vaccination in different populations and the epidemic outcomes specially the rates of severe/critical cases and case fatalities. The analysis is preliminary since it is based on constantly rolling data while the COVID-19 pandemic is still unfolding.

Conclusion

Our findings seem to support the fact that an older BCG vaccine may have a protective role in avoiding severe/critical SARS-CoV2 pneumonia and relatively decrease its fatalities.
Bone Development in Transgender Adolescents Treated With GnRH Analogues and Subsequent Gender-Affirming Hormones
Authors: Schagen Sebastian E E , Wouters Femke M , Cohen-Kettenis Peggy T , Gooren Louis J , Hannema Sabine E
Published: September 2020

Context

Hormonal interventions in adolescents with gender dysphoria may have adverse effects, such as reduced bone mineral accrual.

Objective

To describe bone mass development in adolescents with gender dysphoria treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa), subsequently combined with gender-affirming hormones.

Design

Observational prospective study.

Subjects

51 transgirls and 70 transboys receiving GnRHa and 36 transgirls and 42 transboys receiving GnRHa and gender-affirming hormones, subdivided into early- and late-pubertal groups.

Main Outcome Measures

Bone mineral apparent density (BMAD), age- and sex-specific BMAD z-scores, and serum bone markers.

Results

At the start of GnRHa treatment, mean areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and BMAD values were within the normal range in all groups. In transgirls, the mean z-scores were well below the population mean. During 2 years of GnRHa treatment, BMAD stabilized or showed a small decrease, whereas z-scores decreased in all groups. During 3 years of combined administration of GnRHa and gender-affirming hormones, a significant increase of BMAD was found. Z-scores normalized in transboys but remained below zero in transgirls. In transgirls and early pubertal transboys, all bone markers decreased during GnRHa treatment.

Conclusions

BMAD z-scores decreased during GnRHa treatment and increased during gender-affirming hormone treatment. Transboys had normal z-scores at baseline and at the end of the study. However, transgirls had relatively low z-scores, both at baseline and after 3 years of estrogen treatment. It is currently unclear whether this results in adverse outcomes, such as increased fracture risk, in transgirls as they grow older.
Supervisedt-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding for Data Visualization and Classification
Authors: Cheng Yichen , Wang Xinlei , Xia Yusen
Published: September 2020

We propose a novel supervised dimension-reduction method called supervised t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (St-SNE) that achieves dimension reduction by preserving the similarities of data points in both feature and outcome spaces. The proposed method can be used for both prediction and visualization tasks with the ability to handle high-dimensional data. We show through a variety of data sets that when compared with a comprehensive list of existing methods, St-SNE has superior prediction performance in the ultrahigh-dimensional setting in which the number of features p exceeds the sample size n and has competitive performance in the p ≤ n setting. We also show that St-SNE is a competitive visualization tool that is capable of capturing within-cluster variations. In addition, we propose a penalized Kullback–Leibler divergence criterion to automatically select the reduced-dimension size k for St-SNE.

Summary of Contribution: With the fast development of data collection and data processing technologies, high-dimensional data have now become ubiquitous. Examples of such data include those collected from environmental sensors, personal mobile devices, and wearable electronics. High-dimensionality poses great challenges for data analytics routines, both methodologically and computationally. Many machine learning algorithms may fail to work for ultrahigh-dimensional data, where the number of the features p is (much) larger than the sample size n. We propose a novel method for dimension reduction that can (i) aid the understanding of high-dimensional data through visualization and (ii) create a small set of good predictors, which is especially useful for prediction using ultrahigh-dimensional data.
Long-term Trend in Prostate Cancer Mortality in Turkey
Authors: Toprak Dilek , Dogan Nurhan
Published: September 2020

The main objective of this study was to analyze the mortality trends of prostate cancer in Turkey between the years 1987-2008. The age-standardized mortality rates (per 100,000) were calculated using the direct method, according to the World standard population. Temporal trends were assessed using the joinpoint regression. Average annual percent change (AAPC), anual percent change (APC), and a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. During the period, the average annual age-standardized mortality rate (ASR) being 3.86 per 100,000 male. In the last five years, while significant decreases observed under the age of 65, there were also significant increases in the 65 and over age group. In this period, the biggest significant increase was in the over the age of 75 (AAPC=10.6, 95%CI=1.3 to 20.9). Increasing survival and an aging population have led more men to die from prostate cancer especially in older ages.
Comparison extraction methods for evaluating antioxidant and antibacterial properties of Vernonia amygdalina leaves extract
Authors: Muharni Muharni , Elfita Elfita , Yohandini Heni , Valenta Chika
Published: September 2020

In this study, we were interested in comparing the influence of different extraction methods on antioxidant and antibacterial activities of V.amygdalina leaves extracts. The extracts were also analyzed for their total phenolic and flavonoid content.  The extraction methods used maceration, soxhlet, and fractionation, the evaluation of antioxidant activity using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) method and antibacterial activity by agar diffusion method. The total phenolic and flavonoids are determined by the spectrophotometric method.  Ethanol extract by fractionating on this method showed the highest antioxidant properties compared to other extracts with IC50 170 μg/mL in category potent antioxidant with total phenolic content 28.83 ± 2.62 mg GAE/g, and the total flavonoid content 18.78 ± 0.15 mg QE/g. Evaluation of antibacterial properties the extracts of V. amyigdalina showed moderate antibacterial activity against all bacteria tests with inhibition zone  6.1 ± 0.1 to  9.4 ± 0.9 mm at variation concentration 62.5 – 1000 μg/mL. The fractionation method using ethanol solvent is the best for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from V. amygdalina.
Numerical study of sum frequency ultrashort pulse compression in borate crystals
Authors: Duda Martin , Novák Ondřej , Smrž Martin , Lucianetti Antonio , Kubeček Václav , Mocek Tomáš
Published: September 2020

Second harmonic generation (SHG) of picosecond pulses in type II phase-matched nonlinear optical crystals is not widely employed because of the lower efficiencies compared to the type I phase-matching scheme. The limited efficiencies come from the difference between group velocities (GV difference) of the ordinary and extraordinary polarized input pulses. However, if the input pulses are delayed before the nonlinear crystal, a short second harmonic pulse can be generated with a slowly widening temporal overlap. Furthermore, this GV difference can be controlled by the tilting of the pulse fronts, and optimal GV difference can be obtained to achieve powerful output pulses with durations an order of magnitude lower than those of the input pulses. In this work, we present numerical results of SHG pulse compression in a beta barium borate (BBO) nonlinear crystal, which is ideal for SHG of high-power 1030 nm thin-disk lasers. The pulse compression is controlled by predelay and tilting of the pulse fronts. We find optimal parameters to achieve five-fold increase in output power and 20-fold pulse compression of 1.7 ps input pulses. Finally, we consider the experimental aspects of the group velocity control.
Symmetric spin splitting of elliptically polarized vortex beams reflected at air-gold interface via pseudo-Brewster angle
Authors: Chen Ze , Zhang Hu , Zhang Xiaoguang , Li Hui , Yang Jingxuan , Zhang Wenbo , Xi Lixia , Tang Xianfeng
Published: September 2020

A simple expression of the transverse spatial spin splitting of light-carrying intrinsic orbital angular momentum (IOAM) is theoretically derived for reflections at strong absorbing media surfaces. By introducing an asymmetric spin splitting (ASS) factor, the transverse spatial symmetric spin splitting (SSS) and ASS of an arbitrary polarized vortex beam can be distinguished. Here, the transverse spatial SSS of an elliptically polarized vortex beam with a phase difference of 90° is predicted when the incident angle is close to the pseudo-Brewster angle. Remarkably, the larger transverse spatial SSS reaches 1100 nm for the incident circularly polarized LG beam with l=3. It is noteworthy that the transverse spatial SSS can be flexibly manipulated by changing the polarized angle, meaning it is theoretically possible to realize fully polarization-controllable transverse spatial SSS for elliptically polarized incident vortex beams. These results could potentially be applied to precision polarization metrology and edge-enhanced imaging.
Grating lobe suppression in optical phased arrays by loading near-wavelength grating
Authors: Zhou Guangzhu , Qu Shi-Wei , Wu Jieyun
Published: September 2020

Optical phased arrays based on optical waveguides are compelling components enabling efficient and accurate beam steering. However, to avoid crosstalk between the waveguides, the element pitch is typically larger than one wavelength, which gives rise to grating lobes in real space. In this Letter, we report that near-wavelength gratings can be employed to suppress the grating lobes by utilizing the angular low-pass-filter characteristics. The properly designed near-wavelength grating acts as an angle-sensitive transmission structure. Nearly 100% transmissivity can be realized at small incident angles. However, it quickly declines to a low level when the incident angle is over the critical one. Then, a simple line current array is utilized to demonstrate the grating lobe suppression effect with the grating designed for TE-polarized incidence. Finally, we demonstrate that by loading the proposed grating designed for TM-polarized incidence upon a waveguide grating array with a 2.4 µm pitch, a grating lobe suppression of 10 dB can be achieved when scanning up to

±

14

∘

.
Spin-independent metalens for helicity–multiplexing of converged vortices and cylindrical vector beams
Authors: Zhou Tao , Liu Qian , Liu Yongsheng , Zang Xiaofei
Published: September 2020

The converged vortex beam with a well-defined focal plane is an essential ingredient for trapping and rotating microparticles. Metasurfaces, two-dimensional metamaterials, provide an ultra-compact and flexible platform for designing a converged vortex by integrating the functions of a lens and vortex plate. A spin-defocused metasurface can further boost information capacity such as the multiplexing of helicity-dependent functionalities. Here we propose an approach to realize spin-defocused metalenses that can simultaneously focus terahertz (THz) waves with orthogonal spin states into helicity-dependent vortices based on pure geometric phases. Under the illumination of linearly polarized terahertz waves, all of the helicity-dependent vortices are observed, leading to helicity–multiplexing of converged vortices. Furthermore, the longitudinal multiplexing of converged cylindrical vector beams is demonstrated by superposition of helicity-dependent vortices. This unique approach for multiplexing converged vortices and cylindrical vector beams may open a window for designing future ultra-compact and multifunctional devices with potential applications in communications, optical trapping, and focusing.
Deep-learning-based hyperspectral recovery from a single RGB image
Authors: Zhang Junchao , Sun Yuanyuan , Chen Jianlai , Yang Degui , Liang Rongguang
Published: September 2020

Commercial hyperspectral imaging devices are expensive and tend to suffer from the degradation of spatial, spectral, or temporal resolution. To address these problems, we propose a deep-learning-based method to recover hyperspectral images from a single RGB image. The proposed method learns an end-to-end mapping between an RGB image and corresponding hyperspectral images. Moreover, a customized loss function is proposed to boost the performance. Experimental results on a variety of hyperspectral datasets demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms several state-of-the-art methods in terms of both quantitative measurements and perceptual quality.
Efficient reversible entanglement transfer between light and quantum memories
Authors: Cao Mingtao , Hoffet Félix , Qiu Shuwei , Sheremet Alexandra S. , Laurat Julien
Published: September 2020

Reversible entanglement transfer between light and matter is a crucial requisite for the ongoing developments of quantum information technologies. Quantum networks and their envisioned applications, e.g., secure communications beyond direct transmission, distributed quantum computing, or enhanced sensing, rely on entanglement distribution between nodes. Although entanglement transfer has been demonstrated, a current roadblock is the limited efficiency of this process that can compromise the scalability of multi-step architectures. Here we demonstrate the efficient transfer of heralded single-photon entanglement into and out of two quantum memories based on large ensembles of cold cesium atoms. We achieve an overall storage-and-retrieval efficiency of 85% together with a preserved suppression of the two-photon component of about 10% of the value for a coherent state. Our work constitutes an important capability that is needed toward large scale networks and increased functionality.
Do narcotráfico às narcomilícias: configurações territoriais sobrepostas na periferia de Belém
Authors: Couto Aiala Colares de Oliveira
Published: September 2020

Os conflitos territoriais urbanos em Belém vêm, nos últimos anos, reproduzindo uma conjuntura político-territorial, em que a metrópole se encontra sob os efeitos perversos das ações de grupos armados que impõem a lógica da violência urbana. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar as configurações territoriais sobrepostas que envolvem grupos do narcotráfico e milicianos na periferia de Belém, pois elas refletem a existência de outros poderes não exclusivos do Estado. A metodologia fundamentou-se na revisão da literatura, análise de documentos e pesquisas de campo com observações sistemáticas e entrevistas. O narcotráfico e as milícias fundamentam um cálculo racional que influencia nas ações e no pensamento dos sujeitos que compõem os territórios.
Responsabilidad social corporativa en la minería de Latinoamérica: un modelo multiactor
Authors: García-Ortega Beatriz , De-Miguel-Molina Blanca , Chirivella-González Vicente
Published: September 2020

Este artículo analiza las percepciones de empresas mineras y sus stakeholders en cinco países de Latinoamérica. Mediante entrevistas, aborda las dimensiones del análisis relacionadas con el papel de las empresas en las comunidades, las relaciones entre actores y la participación de la comunidad en la toma de decisiones. Los resultados arrojan diferentes visiones y conclusiones, entre ellas la necesidad de una implementación efectiva del modelo multiactor para mejorar la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa y reducir conflictos.
Identifikasi Sektor Industri Pengolahan Unggulan Propinsi Jawa Timur (Analisis Input Output)
Authors: Junari Totok , Rustiadi Ernan , Mulatsih Sri
Published: September 2020

Sektor industri pengolahan menjadi penggerak utama perekonomian nasional, dan memiliki struktur keterkaitan yang kuat. Pemerintah Propinsi Jawa Timur memprioritaskan pengembangan industri yang mendukung pertumbuhan ekonomi. Jawa Timur diharapkan akan menjadi pusat industri pengolahan sumber daya alam dan pertanian. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi sektor unggulan industri pengolahan untuk dikembangkan di Propinsi Jawa Timur dan mengidentifikasi keterkaitannya dengan sektor pertanian. Data penelitian ini menggunakan Tabel Input Output Propinsi Jawa Timur Tahun 2015. Metode yang digunakan adalah analisis keterkaitan dengan menggunakan indek daya penyebaran (IDP) dan indek daya kepekaan (IDK) serta kontribusi sektor-sektor industri pengolahan dalam struktur ekonomi wilayah Jawa Timur. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan sektor industri makanan dan industri pengolahan tembakau adalah sektor industri unggulan Jawa Timur. Secara relatif permintaan akhir keduanya merangsang pertumbuhan produksi lebih besar dari rata-rata, dan dapat memenuhi permintaan akhir diatas kemampuan rata-rata. Kedua sektor tersebut juga berkontribusi besar dalam pembentukan output, nilai tambah dan penyerapan tenaga kerja. Sektor industri pengolahan Jawa Timur mempunyai keterkaitan ke belakang yang tinggi dengan sektor pertanian melalui pemanfaatan produk pertanian sebagai bahan baku industri. Total transaksi output sektor pertanian perikanan dan kelautan yang digunakan sektor industri pengolahan adalah Rp 180.01 Triliun, 72.79% diantaranya digunakan sektor industri makanan. Disisi lain kebutuhan industri makanan akan bahan baku impor juga masih tinggi (21.66% dari total kebutuhan bahan baku), untuk itu pemanfaatan sumberdaya lokal sebagai substitusi bahan impor harus ditingkatkan. Pengembangan keterkaitan antar sektor dan pemanfaatan komoditas lokal terus didorong untuk mengurangi ketergantungan bahan baku impor.
Melt Methods and Their Effects on Cleanliness for Bearing Performance
Authors: Tomasello Colleen , Shannon George
Published: September 2020

Cleanliness in bearing alloys is critical for bearing performance, especially in aerospace applications. As the demand on engine performance increases, the need for improved cleanliness becomes even more important. Double vacuum-melted bearing steels were introduced to the industry in the early 1970s and demonstrated that double vacuum melting improved fatigue life. Vacuum induction melting–vacuum arc remelting (VIM-VAR) products were eventually adopted by the industry for the more critical bearing applications. The cleanliness of VIM-VAR products will be reviewed, including data from automated inclusion analysis. The possibility of enhancing cleanliness by adding additional remelting to the double vacuum melt process will also be presented.
VIM-VAR Steelmaking for Bearing Steel Grades
Authors: Carey Stephen
Published: September 2020

Vacuum induction melting (VIM) of the feedstock ingot for vacuum arc refining (VAR) was introduced in the 1970s to improve the reliability of steels for aerospace rolling bearings. VIM-VAR bearing steel manufacturers must meet the constraints imposed by Aerospace Materials Specifications (AMS) and customer specifications with respect to nonmetallic inclusions and segregation, particularly of carbide-forming elements in the highly alloyed secondary hardening grades. Product analytical consistency and the absence of deleterious gasses and residual elements must also be achieved. With reference to its application at Liberty Speciality Steels (LSS), the paper will review the intrinsic benefits of the VIM process and the measures required to address its inherent risks and limitations. For example, normal slag-based desulfurization is not possible in the VIM process. The improvements in product performance and consistency attributable to the VAR process will be described, along with the key parameters that must be controlled to avoid its pitfalls, such as “freckle” (channel segregation within the solidifying pool in the VAR process) and other segregation features. VIM and VAR furnace and refractory design features that contribute to product quality will be described along with the crucial importance of nondestructive testing in ensuring the quality of the delivered product. LSS is a long-established producer of bearing steels and of remelted aerospace steels but a relatively new entrant to the VIM-VAR bearings steel supply chain. Initial product data will be presented for bearing steels and steels for other highly stressed applications.
Teaching Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Expression Is Critical in 21st-Century Science Education: Key Concepts & Teaching Strategies
Authors: Venkatesh Ishwariya , Makky Khadijah
Published: September 2020

The field of epigenetics is progressing rapidly and becoming indispensable to the study of fundamental gene regulation. Recent advances are redefining our understanding of core components that regulate gene expression during development and in human diseases. Scientific knowledge on the importance of epigenetic regulation is now well known and accepted, and it is not surprising to see epigenetics being introduced into many biology curricula at the high school and college levels. Yet the core concepts of epigenetic regulation are differently perceived by the academic communities. Therefore, it is critical that fundamental concepts of epigenetic regulation are taught to the next generation in a simple yet precise manner to avoid any misconceptions. To that end, this article starts by distilling the extensive scientific literature on epigenetic control of gene regulation into a simple primer on the core fundamental concepts. Next and more importantly, it provides suggestions for student-friendly classroom practices and activities that are centered on these core concepts to ensure that students both recognize and retain knowledge on the importance of epigenetic control in eukaryotic gene regulation.
An Improved Physical Lung Model for Teaching Lung Ventilation
Authors: Lau Kwok-chi
Published: September 2020

This article describes an easily made physical lung model for teaching about lung ventilation. It has rectified some major shortcomings of the bell-jar balloon model by having a fluid-filled “pleural cavity,” a dome-shaped “diaphragm,” and an inflated “lung” at rest. The model can be used to tackle some misconceptions about ventilation as well as to learn some difficult concepts such as the negative pleural pressure and pneumothorax.
Genetic Analysis of Stem Diameter and Water Contents To Improve Sorghum Bioenergy Efficiency
Authors: Kong Wenqian , Jin Huizhe , Goff Valorie H , Auckland Susan A , Rainville Lisa K , Paterson Andrew H
Published: September 2020

Biofuel made from agricultural products has the potential in contribute to a stable supply of fuel for growing energy demands. Some salient plant traits, such as stem diameter and water content, and their relationship to other important biomass-related traits are so far poorly understood. Here, we performed QTL mapping for three stem diameter and two water content traits in a S. bicolor BTx623 x IS3620c recombinant inbred line population of 399 genotypes, and validated the genomic regions identified using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in a diversity panel of 354 accessions. The discovery of both co-localized and non-overlapping loci affecting stem diameter traits suggests that stem widths at different heights share some common genetic control, but also have some distinct genetic influences. Co-localizations of stem diameter and water content traits with other biomass traits including plant height, flowering time and the ‘dry’ trait, suggest that their inheritance may be linked functionally (pleiotropy) or physically (linkage disequilibrium). Water content QTL in homeologous regions resulting from an ancient duplication event may have been retained and continue to have related functions for an estimated 96 million years. Integration of QTL and GWAS data advanced knowledge of the genetic basis of stem diameter and water content components in sorghum, which may lead to tools and strategies for either enhancing or suppressing these traits, supporting advances toward improved quality of plant-based biomass for biofuel production.
Desigualdades Educativas Derivadas del Covid-19 desde una Perspectiva Feminista. Análisis de los Discursos de Profesionales de la Educación Madrileña
Authors: Penna Tosso Melani , Sánchez Sáinz Mercedes , Mateos Casado Cristina
Published: September 2020

Se exponen y analizan los discursos de cinco profesionales de la educación, con formación en género y feminismo, en relación con las desigualdades educativas percibidas en el contexto urbano madrileño, ante la situación social y educativa generada por la Covid-19. Se realizó una investigación cualitativa a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas en base a bloques de contenidos desde un análisis naturalista de los discursos, empleando la triangulación. Las entrevistas fueron transcritas y analizadas buscando ideas compartidas desde una perspectiva feminista. Los resultados obtenidos permiten constatar la soledad de la labor docente durante estos meses de confinamiento, el abandono de la administración educativa, el aumento de un 30% en la dedicación horaria del trabajo, los problemas de salud física y salud mental entre las profesionales de la educación, la imposibilidad de continuar atendiendo las necesidades sociales y emocionales del alumnado ante la cantidad de contenidos curriculares a impartir y el olvido de la educación para la prevención de las violencias machistas. Las conclusiones principales vienen a constatar que el tiempo de trabajo ha tomado las casas, los espacios familiares y el tiempo libre y que se hace precisa una mayor coordinación y relaciones horizontales entre los equipos docentes aplicando políticas de cuidados. Será necesario poder atender emocionalmente al alumnado, así como realizar un cambio en el currículo para poder hacerlo compatible con los tiempos reales de la vida.
Percepción del Impacto de la Covid-19 en los Profesionales de la Educación Social que Trabajan con Menores
Authors: Martínez-Pérez Alejandro , Lezcano-Barbero Fernando
Published: September 2020

La Covid-19 ha producido un impacto en todo el mundo y el sector educativo no se ha visto exento del mismo. La acción socioeducativa en España tiene como referente a los profesionales de la educación social que desarrollan su actividad profesional en diferentes ámbitos y el sector de la infancia y la juventud es uno de los predominante. Con este artículo pretendemos conocer la percepción del impacto que la crisis ha tenido entre los profesionales de la educación social que trabajan con menores. El enfoque metodológico es mixto, mediante un cuestionario creado ad hoc, auto-administrado por internet. La muestra es de ámbito estatal (España), 462 profesionales. Los resultados reflejan como la actividad laboral ha sido declarada esencial y no ha supuesto modificaciones contractuales, pero sí laborales. Asimismo, la carga de trabajo se ve aumentada y la posibilidad de cumplir con los objetivos planteados no es demasiado elevada. Abordamos también la satisfacción laboral y sobre las herramientas y competencias digitales de los menores con los que trabajan estos profesionales. Comparamos los datos con resultados anteriores y concluimos la necesaria dotación de mayores recursos personales y materiales para los profesionales y servicios y la necesidad de proveer de herramientas y competencias digitales entre los menores usuarios.
Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis: a Single-Centre Experience
Authors: Luigetti Marco , Tortora Annalisa , Romano Angela , Di Paolantonio Andrea , Guglielmino Valeria , Bisogni Giulia , Gasbarrini Antonio , Calabresi Paolo , Sabatelli Mario
Published: September 2020

Background and Aims: Hereditary transthyretin (ATTRv) amyloidosis represents a diagnostic challenge considering the great variability in clinical presentation and multiorgan involvement. In this study we report the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) involvement of patients with hereditary ATTRv amyloidosis from one single center of Italy, a non-endemic area.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 39 patients with hereditary ATTRv amyloidosis followed at the Neurology Unit of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, Italy. All patients had a documented mutation in the gene encoding the thansthyretin. Neurological, cardiological and gastrointestinal manifestations were systematically collected at every monitoring visit.

Results: 82% reported at least one GI symptom. Unintentional weight loss was the most frequently reported. Lower GI symptoms were more frequent than upper GI symptoms (66.7% vs. 35.9%, p=0.0122). The first GI symptom was always reported within 5 years since disease onset. Gastrointestinal symptoms were almost always present in patients with Val30Met mutation (93.8%, 15/16), and in more than half of the cases with Phe64Leu mutation (66.7%, 8/12). All cases with a non-Val30Met mutation disclosed almost all GI symptoms within 5 years since disease onset; conversely, patients with Val30Met mutation continued to develop further GI manifestations during the disease course.

Conclusions: Prevalence of GI symptoms in our cohort was 82%, resulting in a higher prevalence than reported in the THAOS registry. Gastroenterologists, therefore, play an important role for the management of the disease, and their expertise should be valued for an effective multidisciplinary approach to this condition.
Bothrops taeniatus Wagler, 1824 (Serpentes, Viperidae): additional country record and list of voucher specimens for Bolivia
Authors: Powell Randy L. , Eversole Cord B. , Lizarro Dennis , Crocker Ashton V. , Calderón Vaca Gonzalo , Surovic Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2020

We present a new country record and range extension for the snake species Bothrops taeniatus Wagler, 1824 (Serpentes, Viperidae). The specimen represents the northeastmost record in Bolivia and fills the distributional gap between the known Brazilian and Bolivian populations. There is a paucity of published information on locality data and information on this species and this account contributes to the knowledge of its distributional status.