bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rev-erbα exacerbates hepatic steatosis in alcoholic liver diseases through regulating autophagy
Authors: Liu Qingxue , Xu Lei , Wu Meifei , Zhou Yiwen , Yang Junfa , Huang Cheng , Xu Tao , Li Jun , Zhang Lei
Published: July 2021

Background and aims

Alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) is a liver disease caused by long-term excessive drinking and is characterized by hepatic steatosis. Understanding the regulatory mechanism of steatosis is essential for the treatment of AFL. Rev-erbα is a member of the Rev-erbs family of nuclear receptors, playing an important role in regulating lipid metabolism. However, its functional role in AFL and its underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Results

Rev-erbα was upregulated in the liver of EtOH-fed mice and EtOH-treated L-02 cells. Further, Rev-erbα activation exacerbates steatosis in L-02 cells. Inhibition/downexpression of Rev-erbα improved steatosis. Mechanistically, autophagy activity was inhibited in vivo and vitro. Interestingly, inhibition/downexpression of Rev-erbα enhanced autophagy. Furthermore, silencing of Rev-erbα up-regulated the nuclear expression of Bmal1. Autophagy activity was inhibited and steatosis was deteriorated after EtOH-treated L-02 cells were cotransfected with Rev-erbα shRNA and Bmal1 siRNA.

Conclusions

Rev-erbα induces liver steatosis, which promotes the progression of AFL. Our study reveals a novel steatosis regulatory mechanism in AFL and suggest that Rev-erbα might be a potential therapeutic target for AFL.
Mental health outcomes of ICU and non-ICU healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wozniak Hannah , Benzakour Lamyae , Moullec Grégory , Buetti Niccolò , Nguyen Alice , Corbaz Sandrine , Roos Pauline , Vieux Laure , Suard Jean-Claude , Weissbrodt Rafaël , Pugin Jérôme , Pralong Jacques A. , Cereghetti Sara
Published: July 2021

Background

Intensive care workers are known for their stressful work environment and for a high prevalence of mental health outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mental health, well-being and changes in lifestyle among intensive care unit (ICU) healthcare workers (HCW) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare these results with those of HCW in other hospital units. Another objective was to understand which associated factors aggravate their mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey collected socio-demographic data, lifestyle changes and mental health evaluations as assessed by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 items (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 items (PHQ-9), the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) and the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) from the 28th May to 7th July 2020. The study was carried out at Geneva University Hospitals, a group of eight public hospitals in Switzerland. ICU HCW were analyzed for mental health outcomes and lifestyles changes and then compared to non-ICU HCW. A series of linear regression analyses were performed to assess factors associated with mental health scores.

Results

A total of 3461 HCW were included in the study, with 352 ICU HCW. Among ICU HCW, 145 (41%) showed low well-being, 162 (46%) symptoms of anxiety, 163 (46%) symptoms of depression and 76 (22%) had peritraumatic distress. The mean scores of GAD-7, PHQ-9 and WHO-5 were worse in ICU HCW than in non-ICU HCW (p < 0.01). Working in the ICU rather than in other departments resulted in a change of eating habits, sleeping patterns and alcohol consumption (p < 0.01). Being a woman, the fear of catching and transmitting COVID-19, anxiety of working with COVID-19 patients, work overload, eating and sleeping disorders as well as increased alcohol consumption were associated with worse mental health outcomes.

Conclusion

This study confirms the suspicion of a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, peritraumatic distress and low well-being during the first COVID-19 wave among HCW, especially among ICU HCW. This allows for the identification of associated risk factors. Long-term psychological follow-up should be considered for HCW.
Analysis of fractional differential equations with fractional derivative of generalized Mittag-Leffler kernel
Authors: Al-Refai Mohammed , Aljarrah Abdalla , Abdeljawad Thabet
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we study classes of linear and nonlinear multi-term fractional differential equations involving a fractional derivative with generalized Mittag-Leffler kernel. Estimates of fractional derivatives at extreme points are first obtained and then implemented to derive new comparison principles for related linear equations. These comparison principles are used to analyze the solutions of the linear multi-term equations, where norm estimates of solutions, uniqueness and several comparison results are established. For the nonlinear problem, we apply the Banach fixed point theorem to establish the existence of a unique solution.
Analytical solution of non-linear fractional diffusion equation
Authors: Alqahtani Obaid
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we obtain an approximate/analytical solution of nonlinear fractional diffusion equation using the q-homotopy analysis transform method. The existence and uniqueness of the solution for this problem are also derived. Further, the applicability of the model is discussed based on graphical results and numerical examples.
Energy-aware adaptive offloading of soft real-time jobs in mobile edge clouds
Authors: Silva Joaquim , Marques Eduardo R. B. , Lopes Luís M.B. , Silva Fernando
Published: July 2021

We present a model for measuring the impact of offloading soft real-time jobs over multi-tier cloud infrastructures. The jobs originate in mobile devices and offloading strategies may choose to execute them locally, in neighbouring devices, in cloudlets or in infrastructure cloud servers. Within this specification, we put forward several such offloading strategies characterised by their differential use of the cloud tiers with the goal of optimizing execution time and/or energy consumption. We implement an instance of the model using Jay, a software framework for adaptive computation offloading in hybrid edge clouds. The framework is modular and allows the model and the offloading strategies to be seamlessly implemented while providing the tools to make informed runtime offloading decisions based on system feedback, namely through a built-in system profiler that gathers runtime information such as workload, energy consumption and available bandwidth for every participating device or server. The results show that offloading strategies sensitive to runtime conditions can effectively and dynamically adjust their offloading decisions to produce significant gains in terms of their target optimization functions, namely, execution time, energy consumption and fulfilment of job deadlines.
Occurrence of Aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in feeds in China during 2018–2020
Authors: Zhao Ling , Zhang Lei , Xu Zijian , Liu Xingda , Chen Liyuan , Dai Jiefan , Karrow Niel Alexander , Sun Lvhui
Published: July 2021

Background

The current study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) in feeds from various Provinces of China during 2018 to 2020. A total of 3,507 feed samples, including 2,090 feed ingredients and 1,417 complete feed samples, were collected from different areas of China for mycotoxins analysis.

Results

The individual contamination of AFB1, DON and ZEN were present in more than 81.9%, 96.4% and 96.9% of feed samples, respectively, with average concentration ranges of AFB1 between 1.2–27.4 μg/kg, DON between 458.0–1,925.4 μg/kg and ZEN between 48.1–326.8 μg/kg. Notably, 0.9%, 0.5% and 0.1% of feed ingredients, and 1.2–12.8%, 0.9–2.9% and 0–8.9% of complete feeds for pigs, poultry and ruminants with AFB1, ZEN and DON that exceeded China’s safety standards, respectively. Moreover, more than 81.5% of feed ingredients and 95.7% of complete feeds were co-contaminated with various combinations of these mycotoxins.

Conclusion

This study indicates that the feeds in China were universally contaminated with AFB1, DON and ZEN during the past 3 years. These findings highlight the significance of monitoring mycotoxin contaminant levels in the domestic animal feed, and the importance of carrying out feed administration and remediation strategies for mycotoxin control.
Leukemia stem cell-bone marrow microenvironment interplay in acute myeloid leukemia development
Authors: Yao Yiyi , Li Fenglin , Huang Jiansong , Jin Jie , Wang Huafeng
Published: July 2021

Despite the advances in intensive chemotherapy regimens and targeted therapies, overall survival (OS) of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unfavorable due to inevitable chemotherapy resistance and high relapse rate, which mainly caused by the persistence existence of leukemia stem cells (LSCs). Bone marrow microenvironment (BMM), the home of hematopoiesis, has been considered to play a crucial role in both hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. When interrupted by the AML cells, a malignant BMM formed and thus provided a refuge for LSCs and protecting them from the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. In this review, we summarized the alterations in the bidirectional interplay between hematopoietic cells and BMM in the normal/AML hematopoietic environment, and pointed out the key role of these alterations in pathogenesis and chemotherapy resistance of AML. Finally, we focused on the current potential BMM-targeted strategies together with future prospects and challenges. Accordingly, while further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind LSC–BMM interaction, targeting the interaction is perceived as a potential therapeutic strategy to eradicate LSCs and ultimately improve the outcome of AML.
Inclement weather forces stopovers and prevents migratory progress for obligate soaring migrants
Authors: Mallon Julie M. , Bildstein Keith L. , Fagan William F.
Published: July 2021

Background

Migrating birds experience weather conditions that change with time, which affect their decision to stop or resume migration. Soaring migrants are especially sensitive to changing weather conditions because they rely on the availability of environmental updrafts to subsidize flight. The timescale that local weather conditions change over is on the order of hours, while stopovers are studied at the daily scale, creating a temporal mismatch.

Methods

We used GPS satellite tracking data from four migratory Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) populations, paired with local weather data, to determine if the decision to stopover by migrating Turkey Vultures was in response to changing local weather conditions. We analyzed 174 migrations of 34 individuals from 2006 to 2019 and identified 589 stopovers based on variance of first passage times. We also investigated if the extent of movement activity correlated with average weather conditions experienced during a stopover, and report general patterns of stopover use by Turkey Vultures between seasons and across populations.

Results

Stopover duration ranged from 2 h to more than 11 days, with 51 % of stopovers lasting < 24 h. Turkey Vultures began stopovers immediately in response to changes in weather variables that did not favor thermal soaring (e.g., increasing precipitation fraction and decreasing thermal updraft velocity) and their departure from stopovers was associated with improvements in weather that favored thermal development. During stopovers, proportion of activity was negatively associated with precipitation but was positively associated with temperature and thermal updraft velocity.

Conclusions

The rapid response of migrating Turkey Vultures to changing weather conditions indicates weather-avoidance is one of the major functions of their stopover use. During stopovers, however, the positive relationship between proportion of movement activity and conditions that promote thermal development suggests not all stopovers are used for weather-avoidance. Our results show that birds are capable of responding rapidly to their environment; therefore, for studies interested in external drivers of weather-related stopovers, it is essential that stopovers be identified at fine temporal scales.
An empirical study on the evaluation of the RDF storage systems
Authors: Ben Mahria Bilal , Chaker Ilham , Zahi Azeddine
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we introduce three new implementations of non-native methods for storing RDF data. These methods named RDFSPO, RDFPC and RDFVP, are based respectively on the statement table, property table and vertical partitioning approaches. As important, we consider the issue of how to select the most relevant strategy for storing the RDF data depending on the dataset characteristics. For this, we investigate the balancing between two performance metrics, including load time and query response time. In this context, we provide an empirical comparative study between on one hand the three proposed methods, and on the other hand the proposed methods versus the existing ones by using various publicly available datasets. Finally, in order to further assess where the statistically significant differences appear between studied methods, we have performed a statistical analysis, based on the non-parametric Friedman test followed by a Nemenyi post-hoc test. The obtained results clearly show that the proposed RDFVP method achieves highly competitive computational performance against other state-of-the-art methods in terms of load time and query response time.
Automated radiosynthesis of two 18F-labeled tracers containing 3-fluoro-2-hydroxypropyl moiety, [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3, via [18F]epifluorohydrin
Authors: Ohkubo Takayuki , Kurihara Yusuke , Ogawa Masanao , Nengaki Nobuki , Fujinaga Masayuki , Mori Wakana , Kumata Katsushi , Hanyu Masayuki , Furutsuka Kenji , Hashimoto Hiroki , Kawamura Kazunori , Zhang Ming-Rong
Published: July 2021

Background

[18F]Fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) and 1-[18F]fluoro-3-((2-((1E,3E)-4-(6-(methylamino)pyridine-3-yl)buta-1,3-dien-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)oxy)propan-2-ol ([18F]PM-PBB3 or [18F]APN-1607) are clinically used radiotracers for imaging hypoxia and tau pathology, respectively. Both radiotracers were produced by direct 18F-fluorination using the corresponding tosylate precursors 1 or 2 and [18F]F−, followed by the removal of protecting groups. In this study, we synthesized [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3 by 18F-fluoroalkylation using [18F]epifluorohydrin ([18F]5) for clinical applications.

Results

First, [18F]5 was synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-epoxypropyl tosylate (8) with [18F]F− and was purified by distillation. Subsequently, [18F]5 was reacted with 2-nitroimidazole (6) or PBB3 (7) as a precursor for 18F-labeling, and each reaction mixture was purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and formulated to obtain the [18F]FMISO or [18F]PM-PBB3 injection. All synthetic sequences were performed using an automated 18F-labeling synthesizer. The obtained [18F]FMISO showed sufficient radioactivity (0.83 ± 0.20 GBq at the end of synthesis (EOS); n = 8) with appropriate radiochemical yield based on [18F]F− (26 ± 7.5 % at EOS, decay-corrected; n = 8). The obtained [18F]PM-PBB3 also showed sufficient radioactivity (0.79 ± 0.10 GBq at EOS; n = 11) with appropriate radiochemical yield based on [18F]F− (16 ± 3.2 % at EOS, decay-corrected; n = 11).

Conclusions

Both [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3 injections were successfully synthesized with sufficient radioactivity by 18F-fluoroalkylation using [18F]5.
From statistics to clinics: the visual feedback of PROMIS® CATs
Authors: van Muilekom Maud M. , Luijten Michiel A. J. , van Oers Hedy A. , Terwee Caroline B. , van Litsenburg Raphaële R. L. , Roorda Leo D. , Grootenhuis Martha A. , Haverman Lotte
Published: July 2021

Background

To reduce the burden of completing Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), PROMIS® Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs) are being implemented in pediatric clinical practice. We aimed to develop recommendations for visual feedback options for PROMIS CATs on individual item and domain score level as an evidence-based feedback recommendation for PROMIS CATs is lacking.

Methods

Focus groups were held with clinicians who use the KLIK PROM portal. Literature-based feedback options were provided to initiate group discussion. Data was analyzed using thematic coding method. Additionally, a questionnaire was sent out to assess patients’ (12-18y) and parents’ (child 0-18y) preference for individual item feedback. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Six focus groups were held (N = 28 clinicians). Regarding individual item feedback, showing the complete item bank, with only responses to administered items in traffic light colors was preferred. For domain scores, line graphs were preferred, including numerical (T-)scores, reference and cut-off lines, and traffic light colors. Separate graphs per domain, ranked in order of importance and harmonization of directionality (‘higher = better’) were considered important. Questionnaire results (N = 31 patients/N = 131 parents) showed that viewing their own item responses was preferred above receiving no item feedback by 58.1% of the patients and 77.1% of the parents.

Conclusions

Based on the outcomes and after discussion with the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS National Center, recommendations for PROMIS CAT feedback options were developed. PROMIS CATs can now be used in clinical practice to help clinicians monitor patient outcomes, while reducing the burden of completing PROMs for patients significantly.
Development of a short form of the Singapore Caregiver Quality of Life Scale – Dementia: SCQOLS-D-15
Authors: Lee Chun Fan , Seow Dennis C. C. , Teo Irene , Neo Shirlyn H. S. , Yang Grace M. , Lee Geok Ling , Lim Wee Shiong , Hum Allyn , Cheung Yin Bun
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The Singapore Caregiver Quality of Life Scale – Dementia (SCQOLS-D), developed based on the Singapore Caregiver Quality of Life Scale (SCQOLS), comprises 5 domains and 63 items. It has been shown to be a valid and reliable measurement scale. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a short form of the SCQOLS-D.

Methods

Data were collected from 102 family caregivers of person with dementia in Singapore. Candidate items were shortlisted by factor analysis, correlation and best subset regression. Shortlisted items with the best measurement properties including correlations with the long form and other established measures, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were identified. Their properties were compared with the corresponding domain scores in the long form of SCQOLS-D and a short form of the SCQOLS. A total score based on the average of the domain scores was also evaluated.

Results

A total of fifteen items, two to four items per domain, were selected. The total and domain scores generated from these items strongly correlated with the corresponding score of the long form (correlation coefficients: 0.83–0.97). The short and long forms had comparable correlation coefficients with Negative Personal Impact and Positive Personal Impact measures. The short form showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.84–0.92) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient: 0.72–0.93). These 15 items form the SCQOLS-D-15, an abbreviated version of the SCQOLS-D.

Conclusion

The SCQOLS-D-15 showed acceptable measurement properties. This serves as an alternative to the SCQOLS-D to provide rapid assessment of the overall and domain-specific quality of life of caregivers of persons with dementia.
Direct puncture of an occluded common femoral artery as a new approach for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair
Authors: Ichihashi Shigeo , Yamamoto Tsunehisa , Bolstad Francesco , Koshi Keitarou
Published: July 2021

Background

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) which present with a hostile access are not uncommon. When an arterial occlusion continuously involves from the iliac to the femoropopliteal artery, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) can become complex, necessitating an adjunctive surgical procedure. The present report outlines a successful EVAR which was conducted without any adjunctive surgical procedure for an AAA complicated by extensive access vessel occlusion.

Case presentation

The patient, an 82-year-old male, had a fusiform 50 mm infrarenal AAA. He had a history of above knee amputation of the right leg due to a gangrene from Buerger’s Disease. Despite the continuous occlusions of the right external iliac artery (EIA), common femoral artery (CFA), and superficial femoral and profunda femoris artery, limb ischemia was not observed in his right leg. Since revascularization of the occluded right iliac and femoral arteries was deemed to be too complex technically and no ischemic symptoms were observed, EVAR was performed using the occluded access only for the delivery of the stent graft without restoring the flow. Firstly, the occluded right CFA was punctured under ultrasound guidance. Next, a 0.014 in. guidewire and a microcatheter were successfully navigated to the subintimal space of the right common iliac artery (CIA), these were then exchanged with a reentry device. The reentry device allowed the advancement of a guidewire into the true lumen of the right CIA. Then, a 12Fr sheath for delivery of a contralateral limb was advanced via the occluded right access to aorta, and a 16 Fr sheath for delivery of a main body graft was advanced via a patent left iliac artery. A standard EVAR procedure was subsequently performed.

Conclusions

EVAR was successfully performed for an AAA complicated with an arterial occlusion from the EIA to the SFA using direct puncture of the occluded CFA. This technique could be an effective measure for cases with a hostile access involving the CFA.
Achieving the HbA1c Target Requires Longer Time in Range in Pregnant Women With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Ling Ping , Yang Daizhi , Gu Nan , Xiao Xinhua , Lu Jing , Liu Fang , Zhou Zhiguang , Huang Qin , Zhao Jiajun , Zhang Mei , Hu Ji , Luo Sihui , Weng Jianping , Yan Jinhua , Zheng Xueying
Published: July 2021

Context

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) overcomes the limitations of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CGM metrics and laboratory HbA1c in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes.

Methods

An observational study enrolled pregnant women with type 1 diabetes who wore CGM devices during pregnancy and postpartum from 11 hospitals in China from January 2015 to June 2019. CGM data were collected to calculate time in range (TIR), time above range (TAR), time below range (TBR), and glycemic variability parameters. Relationships between the CGM metrics and HbA1c were explored. Linear and curvilinear regressions were conducted to investigate the best-fitting model to clarify the influence of HbA1c on the TIR-HbA1c relationship during pregnancy.

Results

A total of 272 CGM data and corresponding HbA1c from 98 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes and their clinical characteristics were analyzed in this study. Mean HbA1c and TIR were 6.49 ± 1.29% and 76.16 ± 17.97% during pregnancy, respectively. HbA1c was moderately correlated with TIR3.5-7.8(R = –0.429, P = .001), mean glucose (R = 0.405, P = .001) and TAR7.8 (R = 0.435, P = .001), but was weakly correlated with TBR3.5 (R = 0.034, P = .001) during pregnancy. On average, a 1% (11 mmol/mol) decrease in HbA1c corresponded to an 8.5% increase in TIR3.5–7.8. During pregnancy, HbA1c of 6.0%, 6.5%, and 7.0% were equivalent to a TIR3.5–7.8 of 78%, 74%, and 69%, respectively.

Conclusion

We found there was a moderate correlation between HbA1c and TIR3.5–7.8 during pregnancy. To achieve the HbA1c target of less than 6.0%, pregnant women with type 1 diabetes should strive for a TIR3.5–7.8 of greater than 78% (18 hours 43 minutes) during pregnancy.
Early years sector transitions
Authors: Allingham Sue
Published: July 2021

The aim of this month's update is to encourage reflective thinking at this time of transition. Not just transition into new groups or settings, but there are changes for us all.
Preparing for change
Authors: Cobb Katheryne
Published: July 2021

Do you have something to share, reflect on or provoke thinking around? Write to the editor: angelica.celinska@markallengroup.com
Reflecting on the summer term
Authors: Francis Emily
Published: July 2021

Early years teacher, Emily Francis, reflects on the summer term. This hasn't been easy with continued uncertainties and the delay in lockdown easing in June. However, there has been plenty to plan in and look forward to for September!
Risky Play: as safe as possible or as safe as necessary?
Authors: Goldenberg Gemma
Published: July 2021

The concept of risky play has risen in popularity over the last decade, yet remains a new research area. Gemma Goldenberg from the Baby Development Lab discusses decision making around risky play and its place in early years education.
Keeping the early years unique
Authors: Meechan David
Published: July 2021

Many PVI settings find themselves in an increasingly schoolified and top-down pressured system. In this piece David Meechan addresses the schoolification of the early years through the new Development Matters guidance.
It's Elemental – Fire
Authors: Clarke Jenni
Published: July 2021

Fire is mesmerising, exciting, and dynamic. Learning about the nature of fire and the safety precautions can take place through pretend play, whilst incorporating new vocabulary and taking part in discussions.
Lack of sleep
Authors: Rawstrone Annette
Published: July 2021

Difficulties around sleeping is something many mothers go through, particularly with newborns. Pick up some reassurance and insight in this article, including tips on a bedtime routine and when to reach out for further support.
Message in a bottle
Authors: Clarke Jenni
Published: July 2021

Water play is such an exciting and broad sensory activity, with countless rich learning opportunities. Here Jenni Clarke offers active literacy ideas all involving wonderful water play.
Light output enhancement of scintillators by using mixed-scale microstructures
Authors: Yuan Di , Liu Bo , Guo Yaozhen , Zhu Zhichao , Liu Mingjie , Cheng Chuanwei , Gu Mu , Zhou Shuai , Xu Qiang , Chen Liang , Liu Jinliang , Ouyang Xiaoping
Published: July 2021

Scintillators play an important role in the field of nuclear radiation detection. However, the light output of the scintillators is often limited by total internal reflection due to the high refractive indices of the scintillators. Furthermore, the light emission from scintillators typically has an approximately Lambertian profile, which is detrimental to the collection of the light. In this paper, we demonstrate a promising method to achieve enhancement of the light output from scintillators through use of mixed-scale microstructures that are composed of a photonic crystal slab and a microlens array. Simulations and experimental results both show significant improvements in the scintillator light output. The X-ray imaging characteristics of scintillators are improved by the application of the mixed-scale microstructures. The results presented here suggest that the application of the proposed mixed-scale microstructures to scintillators will be beneficial in the nuclear radiation detection field.
Rotational Doppler effect by space-time-coding metasurfaces for nonreciprocal electromagnetic isolation
Authors: Liu Baiyang , Wong Sai-Wai , Li Yin
Published: July 2021

Metasurfaces are artificial structures that can arbitrarily manipulate electromagnetic (EM) wavefronts. We propose a nonreciprocal EM isolating surface based on space-time-coding metasurfaces that generates orbital angular momentum (OAM)-carrying beams with electronic rotational Doppler effect. The region between two parallel 1-bit programmable space-time-coding OAM metasurfaces, one each for frequency and OAM order up-conversion and down-conversion, induce rotational Doppler shifts from opposing incident directions. An intermediate frequency-selective surface with highpass characteristics transmits the up-conversion signals and blocks the down-conversion signals. Hence, the EM waves are sensitive to illumination direction, exhibiting EM isolation responses, and the incident waves are only transmitted unidirectionally.
Adaptive incremental method for strain estimation in phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography
Authors: Bai Yulei , Cai Shuyin , Xie Shengli , Dong Bo
Published: July 2021

We proposed an adaptive incremental method for the cumulative strain estimation in phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography. The method firstly counts the amount of phase noise points by mapping a binary noise map. After the noise threshold value is preset, the interframe interval is adaptively adjusted in terms of the phase noise ratio. Finally, the efficient estimation of cumulative strain is implemented by reducing the cumulative number. Since the level of phase noise is related to the different strain rates in accordance with the speckle decorrelation, the proposed method can estimate the large strains with high computation efficiency as well as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) enhancement in nonlinear change of sample deformations. Real experiments of visualizing polymerization shrinkage with nonlinear change of deformations were performed to prove the superiority of adaptive incremental method in estimating the large strains. The proposed method expands the practicability of the incremental method in more complex scenes.
Design of a high-resolution holographic waveguide eye-tracking system operating in near-infrared with conventional optical elements
Authors: Zhao Jianbo , Chrysler Benjamin , Kostuk Raymond K.
Published: July 2021

The eye-tracking system plays an essential role in the augmented reality (AR) eyewear. Waveguide volume holographic optical elements (HOE) that can be made with high efficiency, thin form, and lightweight are well-suited for this application. Traditional holographic lenses formed with spherical wavefronts at visible wavelengths and used for near-infrared (NIR) eye-tracking systems suffer from significant image aberrations, image tilt, and ghost images. This work describes a complete holographic lens design methodology that systematically addresses these issues and details the specifications of conventional optical elements that provide the optimized wavefronts for the hologram construction beams. The resulting waveguide HOE NIR eye-tracking system has an image resolution of ∼10 lp/mm when the designed holographic lens is deposited on a waveguide with a refractive index of 1.8 and thickness of 0.5 mm.
Ultrafast laser selective phase removal for surface modification of nanocomposite materials
Authors: Han Jide , Malek Olivier , Vleugels Jozef , Braem Annabel , Castagne Sylvie
Published: July 2021

Ultrafast laser processing of zirconia/alumina nanocomposite ceramics, the current gold standard material for ceramic bearing components in orthopedics, was investigated. Instead of considering the substrate as a homogeneous material, as commonly assumed in laser micromachining, the damage behavior of different phases around the laser ablation threshold upon ultrafast laser irradiation was investigated. Under appropriate experimental conditions, the zirconia phase was selectively ablated while the alumina phase remained intact. The origin of this selective ablation behavior and its relationship with the material band gaps were discussed. Due to the nonlinear absorption mechanisms under ultrafast laser irradiation, the zirconia phase, with its band gap of 5.8 eV, can absorb more laser energy than the alumina phase which has a larger band gap of 8.8 eV. The negligible heat diffusion length ensures that the absorbed laser energy remains confined in the individual phases, leading to the selective ablation of zirconia phase under the given laser fluence. Based on this observation, an ultrafast laser selective phase removal method which can be used to modify the surface composition of nanocomposite materials consisting of phases with different band gaps was proposed.
Security strategy of parallel bit interleaved FBMC/OQAM based on four-dimensional chaos
Authors: Tang Rong , Ren Jianxin , Fang Juncheng , Mao Yaya , Han Yang , Shen Jiajia , Zhong Qing , Wu Xiangyu , Tian Feng , Liu Bo
Published: July 2021

A parallel bit-interleaved filter-bank multicarrier/offset quadrature amplitude modulation (FBMC/OQAM) security strategy based on four-dimensional chaos is proposed in this paper. After the QAM constellation point distribution is disturbed, the modulated FBMC bits and symbols are interleaved and encrypted to realize the improvement of the FBMC/OQAM system physical layer security performance. The chaotic sequence generated by the four-dimensional hyperchaotic system is optimized and calculated to control the disturbance process, which enhances the performance of the system against illegal malicious attacks. The parallel encryption scheme proposed in this scheme increases the encryption efficiency by 1.43 times; can provide a keyspace of 1090 size, which effectively resists brute force attacks; and improves the physical layer security of the system. The proposed FBMC/OQAM parallel bit interleaved encryption scheme using a 5 km weakly coupled four-mode fiber achieves a 3×10 Gb/s multiple-input multiple-output-free transmission. The experimental results show that this scheme can effectively improve the security performance of the system, and combines the few-mode multiplexing technology with advanced modulation. It is a candidate for the future large-capacity and high-security optical transmission system.
Deep learning wavefront sensing for fine phasing of segmented mirrors
Authors: Wang Yirui , Jiang Fengyi , Ju Guohao , Xu Boqian , An Qichang , Zhang Chunyue , Wang Shuaihui , Xu Shuyan
Published: July 2021

Segmented primary mirror provides many crucial important advantages for the construction of extra-large space telescopes. The imaging quality of this class of telescope is susceptible to phasing error between primary mirror segments. Deep learning has been widely applied in the field of optical imaging and wavefront sensing, including phasing segmented mirrors. Compared to other image-based phasing techniques, such as phase retrieval and phase diversity, deep learning has the advantage of high efficiency and free of stagnation problem. However, at present deep learning methods are mainly applied to coarse phasing and used to estimate piston error between segments. In this paper, deep Bi-GRU neural work is introduced to fine phasing of segmented mirrors, which not only has a much simpler structure than CNN or LSTM network, but also can effectively solve the gradient vanishing problem in training due to long term dependencies. By incorporating phasing errors (piston and tip-tilt errors), some low-order aberrations as well as other practical considerations, Bi-GRU neural work can effectively be used for fine phasing of segmented mirrors. Simulations and real experiments are used to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Ba2+-driven site-selective substitution of Mn2+ ions and persistent luminescence of Sr1-xBaxGa2Si2O8:Mn2+ phosphors
Authors: Li Hongliang , Zhang Yi , Huang Rui , Lin Zhenxu , Song Jie , Zhang Wenxing , Song Chao , Lin Zewen , Yang Qing , Yao Jing , Zhang Shan , Guo Yanqing
Published: July 2021

A series of novel yellow persistent luminescence Sr1-xBaxGa2Si2O8:Mn2+ phosphors were synthesized by the solid state method. To investigate the site-selective occupation of Mn2+ in Sr1-xBaxGa2Si2O8, the XRD, emission, and persistent luminescence (PersL) spectra were performed in detail for samples with different Ba2+ concentrations. With increasing Ba2+ concentrations, the Mn2+ showed an occupation preference on the decahedral sites. Furthermore, thermo-luminescence (TL) indicated a broad trap distribution ranging from 0.61 eV to 1.01 eV which endowed SrGa2Si2O8:Mn2+ a bright persistent luminescence at room temperature.
Between surrealism and politics: An exploration of subversive body arts in 1980s East German underground cinema
Authors: Schulz Cynthia
Published: July 2021

This article discusses the underground cinema of the German Democratic Republic during the 1980s in regard to its contributions to the arts and the avant-garde. While scholars including Claus Löser and Katrin Frietzsche have contributed greatly to the remembrance of the East German underground cinema, its influences have been disregarded by film studies, not least within the anglophone field. As a result, little to no research has been conducted regarding its contributions to the avant-garde or through the scope of other art movements as the political aspect continues to be emphasized. This article draws upon multiple art developments such as dada, surrealism, performance and body art as well as Eastern European-specific movements. Therefore, it evaluates how the East German underground interprets those influences and further contributes to them. Significant works by Cornelia Schleime, Gabriele Stötzer, Thomas Frydetzki and Tohm di Roes are subject to analyses to reveal anarchist feminist tendencies and surrealism with anarchist aspects. It concludes that the East German underground must be seen as a contribution to the less-researched necrorealism as an art movement paralleling the constitutional socialist realism. As such, political implications cannot be subtracted altogether but shall rather be viewed alongside the emergence of anarchist surrealism during the Cold War.
Effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor 1 expression, granulosa cell apoptosis, and folliculogenesis repair in endometriosis mouse models
Authors: Dwiningsih Sri Ratna , Darmosoekarto Soehartono , Hendarto Hendy , Dachlan Erry Gumilar , Rantam Fedik Abdul , Sunarjo Sunarjo , Wiyasa I. W. Arsana , Widjiati Widjiati
Published: July 2021

Background and Aim: Endometriosis affects the ovaries and causes a decrease in the oocyte quality during endometrial receptivity. During the development of ovarian follicles, paracrine communication occurs between granulosa cells and oocytes. This study was conducted to determine the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) receptor 1 (TNFR1) expression, granulosa cell apoptosis, and folliculogenesis in endometriosis mouse models.

Materials and Methods: This study involved 42 female mice, which were divided into three groups: Healthy mice (T0), endometriosis mice without transplantation (T1), and endometriosis mice with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation (T2). The mice were injected intraperitoneally with endometrial fragments (200 μL) to become endometriosis models. On day 15, the endometriosis models received mesenchymal stem cells. Sample collection was performed on day 29. Granulosa cell apoptosis and TNFR1 expression were examined using immunohistochemical staining, and folliculogenesis was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining of ovary samples. The data obtained from both examinations were statistically analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Results: The results showed that TNFR1 expression is significantly decreased in T2 (p<0.004). The apoptosis of granulosa cells was lower in T2 (p<0.000). The primary, secondary, and graafian follicle counts in T2 were significantly increased.

Conclusion: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in endometriosis mouse models can reduce TNFR1 expression and granulosa cell apoptosis and improve folliculogenesis.
Modification of Surface Roughness and Area of FeCrAl Substrate for Catalytic Converter using Ultrasonic Treatment
Authors: Putrasari Yanuandri , Untoro P , Hasan Sulaiman , Huda Naili , Sebayang Darwin
Published: July 2021

Surface roughness and area play important role especially in deposition and reaction of the catalyst in the catalytic converter substrate. The aim of this paper is to show the modification of surface roughness and area of FeCrAl substrate for catalytic converter using ultrasonic method. The method was conducted by agitating the FeCrAl in 10 minutes 35 kHz ultrasonic cleaning bath. The  surface roughness, morphology, and chemical components of FeCrAl catalytic converter substrate after ultrasonic treatment were analyzed using atomic force microscope (AFM) and examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM) in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The ultrasonic treatment assisted with Al2O3 powders successfully increased the roughness and surface area of FeCrAl better than SiC powders.
Comparative Evaluation of Lateral Condylar Guidance Angle Measured Using Hanau’s Formula & Lateral Interocclusal Records
Authors: Shetty Rajesh , Shetty Sanath , Shetty Naresh , Pinge Siddharth Shrirang , Zahid Mohammed , Suhaim Karkala Sayed
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND The goal of registering condylar guidance is to program the articulator for simulating the patient’s condylar movements as accurately as possible to save chairside time involved in adjusting the occlusal interferences at the time of fit in. The use of Hanau’s formula (L = H / 8 +12) was advocated by Sir Rudolph Hanau in 1930 which he used to calculate lateral condylar guidance (LCG) for adjusting his articulators. But due to the ease of application, the formula is widely used by dentists till date. Jack Stern, Hanau's longterm partner, confided in 1960 that the 'Formula' was never considered to be precise, after 10 years of study (1920 - 1930). Rather it was a point of approximation. There is a lack of uniformity in the literature regarding average condylar inclinations and its comparison to the Hanau formula, therefore a study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the 2 methods used to determine the lateral condylar guidance. METHODS 24 completely dentulous participants were included in the study. Two methods were used to obtain the lateral condylar guidance, the first method was obtaining the calculated lateral condylar guidance using the hanau’s formula and the second was obtaining the measured lateral condylar guidance using the interocclusal records. Impressions of each participant were made. Protrusive and lateral records were made using interocclusal recording medium (MAARC® Perfect Bite Registration). After completion of facebow transfer, programming of the articulator was done using protrusive record and the horizontal condylar guidance was recorded. The calculated lateral condylar guidance was recorded using the Hanau’s formula & the measured condylar guidance was recorded using right and left lateral records. Both the values obtained were evaluated and compared. RESULTS Mean LCG values obtained using Hanau’s formula was 16 degrees for the left side (SD - 1.404) and for the right side it was 16.17 degrees. (SD - 1.694). Mean LCG values obtained using lateral interocclusal records were 20 degrees for the left side (SD - 6.691) and 20.08 degrees (SD - 4.926) for the right side.There was a statistically significant difference between lateral condylar guidance records obtained using Hanau’s formula and lateral interocclusal records. CONCLUSIONS Application of Hanau formula is helpful to estimate Bennett angle. No doubt the formula is easy to apply and less cumbersome, but when we are working on high precision demanding cases we should try and find better options to record LCG. Making a lateral interocclusal record and then programming the articulator is a more reliable method. KEY WORDS Hanau’s Formula, Bennet Angle, Condylar Guidance, Articulators, Interocclusal Records, Lateral Condylar Guidance
Proportion and Clinical Outcome of Bleeding Manifestations in Confirmed Dengue Fever Cases – A Descriptive Longitudinal Study from Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Authors: Thazhath Amrish Thannickal , Sajith John , Jacob Jacob K. , Jilse George , Suma Samuel , Bhagyanath Thalappally
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND Dengue fever is expanding in newer areas globally, with greater morbidity and mortality. We wanted to determine the proportion of bleeding manifestations among the confirmed dengue fever patients and evaluate the clinical outcomes in those with bleeding manifestations. METHODS 230 Dengue confirmed patients admitted in Government Medical College, Ernakulam from January 2018 to December 2018 were enrolled for the study. Data was recorded and entered in Microsoft Excel, and analysed using SPSS. RESULTS In the current study out of 230 subjects, bleeding manifestations were more common in 21 - 30 & 41 - 50 age groups. Out of 230 subjects, 102 had bleeding manifestations (44.3 %) like petechiae (34 %), purpura (24 %), echymosis (19.1 %), gum bleeding (17.8 %), menorrhagia (10.9 %), melena (10.4 %), conjunctival haemorrhage (9.1 %), haematuria (4.8 %), epistaxis (3.5 %), haemoptysis (2.2 %) and hematemesis (0.9 %). 86 subjects (37.4 %) received platelet transfusion on an average of 4 units. Age group, fever, previous history of dengue, IgG positivity, NS1 positivity were significantly (P < 0.0001) associated with bleeding. Most of the bleeding manifestations were significant in patients who had lower platelet counts on the first day of admission when it was less than ten thousand. CONCLUSIONS 44.3 % had bleeding manifestations with significant association between age, fever and IgG positivity. A low platelet count on admission especially less than 10,000 was significantly associated with these bleeding manifestations. These significant observations are important for both the primary care and tertiary care physicians in meticulous management and referral of dengue patients. KEY WORDS Dengue Fever, Bleeding Manifestations, Ns1 Antigen, Platelet Count.
Outcome of Pancreaticoduodenectomy at Low-Volume Centre (Canakkale State Hospital, Turkey)
Authors: Goret Nuri Emrah
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND Currently, pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is considered a commonly performed surgery for periampullary tumours; but, it is still a high-risk surgical procedure with potential morbidity and mortality rates. Previous studies have identified a significant volume–outcome relationship for hospitals performing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). We intended to present the results of patients who underwent pancreatic resection with the diagnosis of malignancy in a low-volume centre. METHODS Patients who underwent pancreatic resection with the diagnosis of malignancy at the 2nd stage state hospital between 2014 and 2018 were included in the study. Patients who underwent pancreatic surgery due to trauma and benign reasons were excluded from the study. Clinical data of the patients have been analysed retrospectively. RESULTS 12 patients participated in our study. 8 patients were male. The average age was 65.75 and the oldest patient was 85 years old. The mean values of preoperative laboratory parameters were HGB gr / dl: 12.3; Albumin gr / dl 3.8 Cea ng / ml 4.08 Ca19.9 U / ml 194 Whipple procedure and the other half was applied distal pancretectomy, the mean tumor diameter was 3.67, the mean number of lymph nodes dissected was 18.1. Postoperative morbidity rate was 33.3. Pancreatic fistula, biliary fistula, wound infection and pulmonary embolism were seen in one patient each. Average hospital stay was 10.66 days. Mortality occurred in patient who had developed pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSIONS Pancreatic resections can be performed safely in low-volume centres, with morbidity and mortality rates comparable to high-volume centers. Patients who have difficulty in accessing high-volume academic centers can be operated in low volume centers. KEY WORDS Pancreatic Cancer, Low Volume Center, Morbidity