bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the Optics and the Brain 2023 feature issue
Authors: Bauer Adam Q. , Gibson Emily A. , Wang Hui , Srinivasan Vivek J.
Published: January 2024

A feature issue is being presented by a team of guest editors containing papers based on contributed submissions including studies presented at Optics and the Brain, held April 24-27, 2023 as part of Optica Biophotonics Congress: Optics in the Life Sciences, in Vancouver, Canada
Reflectivity of semi-infinite Weyl semimetal with arbitrary orientation of momentum-separation
Authors: Wu Jize , Wu Biyuan , Liu Haotuo , Wu Xiaohu , Fu Ceji
Published: January 2024

Nonreciprocal thermal radiation can control radiative heat transfer at the nanoscale, which has led to studies on breaking Kirchhoff’s law. It can be found that polarization conversion significantly affects the realization of nonreciprocal thermal radiation. In this work, the symmetries and interrelationships between the reflectivities of a semi-infinite Weyl semimetal plate are studied. Notably, we investigate the copolarized and cross-polarized reflectivities for incidence of an s- or p-polarized plane wave when the momentum-separation of Weyl nodes is selected along the y and z axes of the coordinate system or any direction. The results reveal the equal and unequal quantities of the copolarized and cross-polarized reflectivities varying with the azimuthal angle when the momentum-separation of Weyl semimetal is along the coordinate axes. However, the equal quantities between the reflectivities of Weyl semimetal break down after the momentum-separation is rotated successively around the x and z axes. The copolarized and cross-polarized reflectivities of a bulk α-MoO3, which is a reciprocal and anisotropic medium, are also calculated for comparison. Some equal quantities of the reflectivities can still be obtained for reciprocal materials after the rotations. We believe this work will provide new solutions and theoretical guidance for the study and realization of nonreciprocal thermal radiation.
Transmission-mode geometric-phase signatures of circular Bragg phenomenon
Authors: Lakhtakia Akhlesh
Published: January 2024

A dielectric structurally chiral medium (DSCM) exhibits the circular Bragg phenomenon, whereby circular-polarization-state selective reflection occurs in a specific spectral regime that depends on the direction of propagation of the incident plane wave. Theoretical analysis shows that the geometric-phase spectrum of the plane wave transmitted through a DSCM slab contains a signature of the circular Bragg phenomenon, provided that the incident plane wave is not right-circularly polarized, regardless of the structural handedness of the DSCM. As the number of structural periods in the DSCM slab increases with the structural period fixed, the spectrum of the transmission-mode geometric phase evolves but without an easily discernible pattern. A reversal of structural handedness affects but does not lead to a simple change in the transmission-mode geometric phase.
Spectral reflectance reconstruction based on wideband multi-illuminant imaging and a modified particle swarm optimization algorithm
Authors: Zhang Xinmeng , Cui Guihua , Ruan Xiukai , Cui Di , Gao Xiaohong , Chen Qifan , Yao Yuan , Megosa Manuel , Sueeprasan Suchitra
Published: January 2024

A method for spectral reflectance factor reconstruction based on wideband multi-illuminant imaging was proposed, using a programmable LED lighting system and modified Bare Bones Particle Swarm Optimization algorithms. From a set of 16 LEDs with different spectral power distributions, nine light sources with correlated color temperatures in the range of 1924 K - 15746 K, most of them daylight simulators, were generated. Samples from three color charts (X-Rite ColorChecker Digital SG, SCOCIE ScoColor paint chart, and SCOCIE ScoColor textile chart), were captured by a color industrial camera under the nine light sources, and used in sequence as training and/or testing colors. The spectral reconstruction models achieved under multi-illuminant imaging were trained and tested using the canonical Bare Bones Particle Swarm Optimization and its proposed modifications, along with six additional and commonly used algorithms. The impacts of different illuminants, illuminant combinations, algorithms, and training colors on reconstruction accuracy were studied comprehensively. The results indicated that training colors covering larger regions of color space give more accurate reconstructions of spectral reflectance factors, and combinations of two illuminants with a large difference of correlated color temperature achieve more than twice the accuracy of that under a single illuminant. Specifically, the average reconstruction error by the method proposed in this paper for patches from two color charts under A + D90 light sources was 0.94 and 1.08 CIEDE2000 color difference units. The results of the experiment also confirmed that some reconstruction algorithms are unsuitable for predicting spectral reflectance factors from multi-illuminant images due to the complexity of optimization problems and insufficient accuracy. The proposed reconstruction method has many advantages, such as being simple in operation, with no requirement of prior knowledge, and easy to implement in non-contact color measurement and color reproduction devices.
Performance of LWIR to VLWIR barrier photodetectors based on M-structure superlattices
Authors: Cheng Yifan , Li Mingming , Song Zhigang , Li Chuanbo
Published: January 2024

Antimonide superlattice materials with tunable energy bands, high electron mobility, and easy attainment of good uniformity in large-area materials, are considered to be the material of choice for third-generation infrared photodetectors. Based on energy band engineering, this paper designs a series of long-wave infrared(LWIR) to very-long-wave infrared(VLWIR) photodetectors by employing M-structure superlattice(M-SL) as both absorber layer and barrier layer. The photodetectors’ performances at different temperatures are simulated in this manuscript. At 77K, while minimizing the lattice mismatch, effectively suppresses the dark current of the device which can be as low as 1× 10−8A/cm2, with a quantum efficiency reaching 20.85% and normalized detectivity achieves 4.78×1011 cm·Hz1/2/W for LWIR photodetector with a cutoff wavelength of 11.1 μm. For the VLWIR photodetector with a cutoff wavelength of 16.7 μm, the corresponding figures are 1×10−6A/cm2, 16.77% and 3.09×1010 cm·Hz1/2/W, respectively.
Ultra-small mode area V-groove waveguide design for on-chip single-photon emission
Authors: Zhou Yueguang , Wang Yujing , Yvind Kresten , Gregersen Niels , Pu Minhao
Published: January 2024

We numerically investigate the figures of merit for single-photon emission in a planar GaAs-on-insulator waveguide featuring a V-groove geometry. Thanks to a field enhancement effect arising due to boundary conditions of this waveguide, the structure features an ultra-small mode area enabling a factor of a maximum 2.8 times enhancement of the Purcell factor for quantum dot and a more significant 7 times enhancement for the atomic-size solid-state emitters with the aligned dipole orientation. In addition, the coupling efficiency to the fundamental quasi-TE mode is also improved. To take into account potential on-chip integration, we further show that the V-groove mode profile can be converted using a tapering section to the mode profile of a standard ridge waveguide while maintaining both the high Purcell factor and the good fundamental mode coupling efficiency.
Use of spatiotemporal couplings and an axiparabola to control the velocity of peak intensity
Authors: Liberman Aaron , Lahaye Ronan , Smartsev Slava , Tata Sheroy , Benracassa Salome , Golovanov Anton , Levine Eitan , Thaury Cedric , Malka Victor
Published: January 2024

This paper presents the first experimental realization of a scheme that allows for the tuning of the velocity of peak intensity of a focal spot with relativistic intensity. By combining a tunable pulse-front curvature with the axial intensity deposition characteristics of an axiparabola, an aspheric optical element, this system provides control over the dynamics of laser-wakefield accelerators. We demonstrate the ability to modify the velocity of peak intensity of ultrashort laser pulses to be superluminal or subluminal. The experimental results are supported by theoretical calculations and simulations, strengthening the case for the axiparabola as a pertinent strategy to achieve more efficient acceleration.
The Information Capacity of the Fiber-Optic Channel: Bounds and prospects
Authors: Shtaif Mark , Antonelli Cristian , Mecozzi Antonio , Chen Vivian Xi
Published: January 2024

We present a survey of the throughout values reported in current state-of-the-art transmission experiments as a function of distance. This is an updated version of the original figure presented in Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 110, no. 11, pp. 1655-1678, Nov. 2022 and is also presented at OFC 2024.
Numerical investigation of asymmetric nanophotonic structure for accelerating sub-relativistic electron beams
Authors: Maimaiti Xiriai , Aimidula Aimierding , BAKE Mamat Ali , Zhang Ping
Published: January 2024

We proposed an asymmetrically placed nanophotonic dual-pillar structure, the dielectric part and the vacuum part of the structure are evenly distributed in the direction of electron propagation. This structure is
optimized for sub-relativistic electron acceleration. We discuss numerical simulation results, which show that the previously proposed dielectric grating structure is accompanied by a deceleration region that is not
conducive to achieving high gradients during the entire acceleration process. By our scheme, the deceleration ﬁeld is completely eliminated, and a uniform distribution of acceleration ﬁeld is produced in the
acceleration channel of the asymmetric grating structure. Our structure requires two laser pulses with a speciﬁc phase diﬀerence injected from both sides of the structure to achieve the optimization of the acceleration
ﬁeld. The structure has great potential in the acceleration of sub-relativistic electron beams. To show the comparative advantages of this asymmetric design, we also numerically investigated the symmetric structure. The acceleration gradient provided by the symmetric structure for sub-relativistic electrons is about 70 MeV/m, however, the maximum acceleration gradient provided by asymmetric structure for sub-relativistic
electrons is up to ∼430 MeV/m.
Local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs
Authors: Di Giusto Bruno , Bain Anthony
Published: January 2024

Recent studies have challenged assumptions about the classic fig-fig wasp pollination mutualism model, suggesting that further investigation into the receptive phase of fig development is needed. This study assessed the pollination mechanisms of Ficus septica in southern Taiwan and identified two species of wasps as the primary pollinators. Machine learning was used to identify and rank the factors that explain the relative abundance of these wasps. The two wasp species showed the highest level of cohabitation ever reported in the literature, with three-quarters of the figs containing multiple foundresses. The study also reported re-emerged foundresses and a 10% ratio of pollinated figs without foundresses. Local factors, such as the sampling period and tree identity, were the best predictors of the presence and number of each foundress species, with fig size also affecting the number of foundresses. The study highlights the variability in pollinator abundance between figs, crops, and trees. It also shows that the local environment of the trees and the availability of figs are crucial factors in determining which figs the pollinator wasps choose. These findings challenge assumptions about the classic mutualism model and suggest that long-term surveys are needed to estimate the relative contributions of each partner and provide data for evolutionary and ecological models. This study also provides valuable insights into the factors that affect the abundance and interactions of pollinator wasps during the receptive phase of fig development, with implications for understanding the behaviour of pollinating wasps and advancing our knowledge of population dynamics in Ficus species.
The prevalence and associated characteristics of Bipolar Disorder diagnosis among admitted patients at three tertiary psychiatric hospitals in Zimbabwe: A cross sectional study
Authors: Mwamuka Rukudzo , Kaiyo-Utete Malinda , Mawoyo Chido , Mangezi Walter
Published: January 2024

Background

Bipolar Affective Disorder (BD) is a serious condition that affects more than 1% of the world’s population. If not treated can cause disability, yet its prevalence in Zimbabwe is not known. This study explores the burden of Bipolar Disorder and its associated factors in Zimbabwe.

Methods

A cross sectional study with a sample of 272 participants was carried out at three tertiary hospitals in Zimbabwe. Data was collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I). The study shows the prevalence and factors associated with Bipolar Disorder at tertiary psychiatric hospitals. Data analysis was done using STATA S/E 13.0 for data management.

Results

The prevalence of BD in the sample was 39.3%. Factors associated with BD were, being formally employed (AOR = 3.69, 95%CI: 1.55–8.79), a history of defaulting medications (AOR = 1.90, 95%CI: 1.02–3.57) and a reported previous diagnosis of BD (AOR = 5.66, 95%CI: 2.72–11.8).

Conclusions

The prevalence of BD among admitted participants in tertiary psychiatric hospitals in Zimbabwe is high. It is comparable to that from African studies done in clinical settings. There is need for in-service training for clinicians to be more vigilant in diagnosing BD.
Heterogeneous correlate and potential diagnostic biomarker of tinnitus based on nonlinear dynamics of resting-state EEG recordings
Authors: Naghdabadi Zahra , Jahed Mehran
Published: January 2024

Tinnitus is a heterogeneous condition of hearing a rattling sound when there is no auditory stimulus. This rattling sound is associated with abnormal synchronous oscillations in auditory and non-auditory cortical areas. Since tinnitus is a highly heterogeneous condition with no objective detection criteria, it is necessary to search for indicators that can be compared between and within participants for diagnostic purposes. This study introduces heterogeneous though comparable indicators of tinnitus through investigation of spontaneous fluctuations in resting-state brain dynamics. The proposed approach uses nonlinear measures of chaos theory, to detect tinnitus and cross correlation patterns to reflect many of the previously reported neural correlates of tinnitus. These indicators may serve as effective measures of tinnitus risk even at early ages before any symptom is reported. The approach quantifies differences in oscillatory brain dynamics of tinnitus and normal subjects. It demonstrates that the left temporal areas of subjects with tinnitus exhibit larger lyapunov exponent indicating irregularity of brain dynamics in these regions. More complex dynamics is further recognized in tinnitus cases through entropy. We use this evidence to distinguish tinnitus patients from normal participants. Besides, we illustrate that certain anticorrelation patterns appear in these nonlinear measures across temporal and frontal areas in the brain perhaps corresponding to increased/decreased connectivity in certain brain networks and a shift in the balance of excitation and inhibition in tinnitus. Additionally, the main correlations are lost in tinnitus participants compared to control group suggesting involvement of distinct neural mechanisms in generation and persistence of tinnitus.
From the local disparities to national realities: Mapping and multilevel modeling of catastrophic health expenditure in Bangladesh using HIES 2016
Authors: Alam Md. Muhitul , Rayhan Md. Israt , Mansur Mohaimen
Published: January 2024

In developing nations, catastrophic health expenditures have become an all-too-common occurrence, threatening to push households into impoverishment and poverty. By analyzing the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016, which features a sample of 46,080 households, this study provides a comprehensive district-by-district analysis of the variation in household catastrophic health expenditures and related factors. The study utilizes a multilevel logistic regression model, which considers both fixed and random effects to identify factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure. The findings of the study indicate that districts located in the eastern and southern regions are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing catastrophic health expenditures. A potential explanation for this trend may be attributed to the high prevalence of chronic diseases in these districts, as well as their economic conditions. The presence of chronic diseases (AOR 5.45 with 95% CI: 5.14, 5.77), presence of old age person (AOR 1.50 with 95% CI: 1.39, 1.61), place of residence (AOR 1.40 with 95% CI: 1.14, 1.73) are found to be highly associated factors. Additionally, the study reveals that the thresholds used to define catastrophic health expenditures exhibit substantial variation across different regions, and differ remarkably from the threshold established by the WHO. On average, the thresholds are 23.12% of nonfood expenditure and 12.14% of total expenditure. In light of these findings, this study offers important insights for policymakers and stakeholders working towards achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals in Bangladesh.
The effect of fertility on female labour force participation in Tanzania
Authors: Sunday Aidan Laurent , Lihawa Robert Michael , Mkuna Eliaza
Published: January 2024

Country’s economic growth depends among other factors on the extent to which labour particularly female labour force participates on economic growth enhancing activities. Being the largest contributor in economic activities particularly agriculture in developing countries (over 50%), their participation enables economies to grow in response to higher labour inputs injected. As an outcome, as countries develop; women’s capabilities typically improve as well, whereas social constraints weaken, which enables females to participate on work outside the home. However, the existing literature on this topic is scant and has mixed results. This study sought to analyse female fertility rate and its influence on provision of labour in Tanzania using females aged 15–49 years from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey 2015–2016. The study used instrumental variable-probit and a two-stage residual inclusion as methods of analysis. Results showed that, an increase in female’s fertility rate reduces participation of females in provision of market labour by about 1.1–13%. Similarly, household size, education, contraceptive use, self-employment of their husbands and residing in rural areas was associated with increased participation while female’s age exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with female participation. The results imply that, to foster a more sustainable female participation in labour force, family planning, educating females as well as fostering self-employment and improving rural infrastructures is inevitable.
Validation of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry for longitudinal quantification of tumor burden in a murine model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sechrist Zachary R. , Lee Grace , Schwarz Edward M. , Cole Calvin L.
Published: January 2024

Noninvasive imaging is central to preclinical, in vivo models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). While bioluminescent imaging (BLI) is a gold standard, its signal is dependent on the metabolic activity of tumor cells. In contrast, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a direct measure of body composition. Thus, we aimed to assess its potential for longitudinal quantification of tumor burden versus BLI. We utilized the KCKO murine model of PDAC and subjected tumor-bearing (n = 20) and non-tumor control (NTC) (n = 10) animals to weekly BLI and DEXA measurements for up to 10 weeks. While BLI detected tumors at 1-week, it failed to detect tumor growth, displayed a decreasing trend overtime (slope = -9.0x108; p = 0.0028), and terminal signal did not correlate with ex vivo tumor mass (r = 0.01853; p = 0.6286). In contrast, DEXA did not detect elevated changes in abdominal cavity lean mass until week 2 post inoculation and tumors were not visible until week 3, but successfully quantified a tumor growth trend (slope = 0.7322; p<0.0001), and strongly correlated with final tumor mass (r = 0.9351; p<0.0001). These findings support the use of BLI for initial tumor engraftment and persistence but demonstrate the superiority of DEXA for longitudinal tumor burden studies. As tumor detection by DEXA is not restricted to luciferase expressing models, future studies to assess its value in various cancer models and as an in vivo outcome measure of treatment efficacy are warranted.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of fatty acids in healthy and Aspergillus niger MH078571.1-infected Arabica coffee beans
Authors: Alabdalall Amira H.
Published: January 2024

The organic composition of Arabica coffee beans, particularly fatty acids, significantly influences their overall quality. After measuring its composition of fatty acids, it contained a high percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA), including caprylic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, margaric, fat, and orchid. Moreover, the sample contained unsaturated fatty acids (USFA), namely palmitoleic acid (C16:1), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and alpha-linoleic acid (C18:3). Coffee beans are susceptible to infection by fungi during storage, the development of which has adverse effects on the beans. The present study aimed to examine the impact of Aspergillus niger MH078571.1 infection on the diversity and abundance of fatty acids in green Arabica coffee beans. The impact of Aspergillus niger on the consumption of fatty acids in Arabica coffee beans was assessed. The findings of the study indicate that the duration of storage had a significant impact on the levels of fatty acids, specifically miristic (C14:0), margaric (C17:0), and stearic (C18:0), which increased as the storage period and temperature increased. Conversely, the percentage of oleic acid decreased under these conditions. This trend was observed across different storage temperatures (0, 8, and 25°C) in untreated coffee beans affected by fungal activity.
Registry-derived stage (RD-Stage) for capturing stage at diagnosis for pancreatic carcinoma in Australia
Authors: Evans Sue M. , Ivanova Kris , Cossio Danca , Pilgrim Charles H. C. , Croagh Daniel , Zalcberg John , Giffard Dalisay , Golobic Nikkitia , Di Muzio Bruno , McLean C Catriona , McLean Kate , Miller Gregory C. , Nicosia Susanna , O’Rourke Nick , Parikh Sumit , Standish Richard , te Marvelde Luc
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Stage of pancreatic carcinoma at diagnosis is a strong prognostic indicator of morbidity and mortality, yet is poorly notified to population-based cancer registries (”cancer registries”). Registry-derived stage (RD-Stage) provides a method for cancer registries to use available data sources to compile and record stage in a consistent way. This project describes the development and validation of rules to capture RD-Stage (pancreatic carcinoma) and applies the rules to data currently captured in each Australian cancer registry.

Materials and methods

Rules for deriving RD-stage (pancreatic carcinoma) were developed using the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual 8th edition and endorsed by an Expert Working Group comprising specialists responsible for delivering care to patients diagnosed with pancreatic carcinoma, cancer registry epidemiologists and medical coders. Completeness of data fields required to calculate RD-Stage (pancreatic carcinoma) and an overall proportion of cases for whom RD stage could be assigned was assessed using data collected by each Australian cancer registry, for period 2018–2019. A validation study compared RD-Stage (pancreatic carcinoma) calculated by the Victorian Cancer Registry with clinical stage captured by the Upper Gastro-intestinal Cancer Registry (UGICR).

Results

RD-Stage (pancreatic carcinoma) could not be calculated in 4/8 (50%) of cancer registries; one did not collect the required data elements while three used a staging system not compatible with RD-Stage requirements. Of the four cancer registries able to calculate RD-Stage, baseline completeness ranged from 9% to 76%. Validation of RD-Stage (pancreatic carcinoma) with UGICR data indicated that there was insufficient data available in VCR to stage 174/457 (38%) cases and that stage was unknown in 189/457 (41%) cases in the UGICR. Yet, where it could be derived, there was very good concordance at stage level (I, II, III, IV) between the two datasets. (95.2% concordance], Kendall’s coefficient = 0.92).

Conclusion

There is a lack of standardisation of data elements and data sources available to cancer registries at a national level, resulting in poor capacity to currently capture RD-Stage (pancreatic carcinoma). RD-Stage provides an excellent tool to cancer registries to capture stage when data elements required to calculate it are available to cancer registries.
On analysis of iron (II) chloride via graph entropy measures and statistical models
Authors: Zhou Hao , Hanif Muhammad Farhan , Mahmood Hasan , Siddiqui Muhammad Kamran , Hussain Mazhar , Fufa Samuel Asefa
Published: January 2024

The crystalline material that is greenish-white and dissolves in water is iron chloride. It is utilized in sewage treatment, dyeing, and medicine. Graph entropy plays a significant role in measuring the complexity of atoms, molecules, and structures in nature. It has specific chemical applications in biology, neuroscience, and chemistry. A compound’s molecular structure consists of many atoms. Particularly, hydrocarbons are a chemical combination of hydrogen and carbon atoms. In this article, we discuss the entropy of the chemical structure Iron (II) Chloride. Additionally, we discuss the idea of degree-based indices and compute the Shannon entropy(ENT) using these indices. The linear regression(LR) of various indices and entropies for iron chloride, FeCl2, is also discussed. Also, we link the degree-based indices and entropies via line fit.
Prevalence and incidence of decreased glomerular filtration rate and its variation over 6 years: Cohort study SABE 2010–2016
Authors: de Souza dos Santos Camila , Aparecida de Oliveira Duarte Yeda , Maria Trevisan Zanetta Dirce
Published: January 2024

The aging process and the rising prevalence of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) contribute to the decline in kidney function among elderly individuals. The aim of this research was to assess prevalence and incidence of decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (GFR <60mL/min/1.73m2) over six-year period in elderly residents of São Paulo. This study relied on data from 2010 and 2016 waves of the cohort SABE Study ‐ Health, Wellbeing, and Aging, with a probabilistic and representative sample of elderly individuals residing in São Paulo. GFR was calculated using the 2021 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine (CKD-EPI) equation. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square test with Rao-Scott correction, and weighted means and standard errors were calculated for continuous variables. Logistic and linear regression models were constructed to analyse the data. Statistical analyses accounted for sample weights to ensure population representativeness. The prevalence of decreased GFR in 2010 was 17.3%, with mean GFR of 75.6 mL/min/1.73m2 (SE = 0.5). The incidence of decreased GFR between 2010 and 2016 was 14.9%, equivalent to an annual incidence of 2.5%. This incidence was associated with older age, hypertension, self-perceived fair/poor/very poor health, and greater number of comorbidities associated. Over the study period, 68.1% of the elderly participants experienced deterioration in GFR, with an average decline of 1 mL/min/1.73m2 each year. Renal function decline often occurs without noticeable symptoms, and the high prevalence of comorbidities contributes to the worsening of GFR. Therefore, monitoring renal function in the elderly is crucial for effectively managing the health of this population.
A novel method for linguistic steganography by English translation using attention mechanism and probability distribution theory
Authors: Lin YiQing , Wang ZhongHua
Published: January 2024

To enhance our ability to model long-range semantical dependencies, we introduce a novel approach for linguistic steganography through English translation. This method leverages attention mechanisms and probability distribution theory, known as NMT-stega (Neural Machine Translation-steganography). Specifically, to optimize translation accuracy and make full use of valuable source text information, we employ an attention-based NMT model as our translation technique. To address potential issues related to the degradation of text quality due to secret information embedding, we have devised a dynamic word pick policy based on probability variance. This policy adaptively constructs an alternative set and dynamically adjusts embedding capacity at each time step, guided by variance thresholds. Additionally, we have incorporated prior knowledge into the model by introducing a hyper-parameter that balances the contributions of the source and target text when predicting the embedded words. Extensive ablation experiments and comparative analyses, conducted on a large-scale Chinese-English corpus, validate the effectiveness of the proposed method across several critical aspects, including embedding rate, text quality, anti-steganography, and semantical distance. Notably, our numerical results demonstrate that the NMT-stega method outperforms alternative approaches in anti-steganography tasks, achieving the highest scores in two steganalysis models, NFZ-WDA (with score of 53) and LS-CNN (with score of 56.4). This underscores the superiority of NMT-stega in the anti-steganography attack task. Furthermore, even when generating longer sentences, with average lengths reaching 47 words, our method maintains strong semantical relationships, as evidenced by a semantic distance of 87.916. Moreover, we evaluate the proposed method using two metrics, Bilingual Evaluation Understudy and Perplexity, and achieve impressive scores of 42.103 and 23.592, respectively, highlighting its exceptional performance in the machine translation task.
A prospective observational study of estimating drug related problems and clinical outcomes in subtypes of stroke patients
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Shoaib Muhammad Harris , Nesar Shagufta , Jamal Muhammad , Gul Sabiha , Shahnaz Saira , Nawaz Shoaib , Khan Quratulain , Imran Javaria
Published: January 2024

Background

Stroke is a neurological disease and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Strokes mainly consist of two types: hemorrhage and ischemia. Stroke patients are being administered multiple drug therapy and are at risk of drug-related problems.

Aim

To estimate drug-related problems (DRPs) and clinical end outcomes in hospitalized stroke patients.

Methods

Current study was a multicenter, cross-sectional prospective observational study including 250 stroke patients admitted to tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. The study included all clinical subtypes of stroke patients i.e. Stroke, Ischemic stroke, Hemorrhagic stroke, CVA, and TIA. Associations among patient-clinical end outcomes and drug therapy-related variables like DRPs, mortality, and morbidity rates were estimated using Pearson’s chi-squared test. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS software, version 25.

Results

A total of 250 patients participated in this study suffering from different clinical subtypes of stroke i.e. Ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, TIA, and CVA, including 46% male and 54% female patients. The majority of patients’ stay at the hospital was between 1–10 days. The overall mortality rate in stroke patients was 51%. HAIs were observed in 70% of patients, HAIs faced by patients were SAP, CAP, UTI, sepsis, and VAP. Drugs were assessed according to NEML i.e. access group antibiotics, watch group antibiotics, reserve group antibiotics, statins, antiepileptics, and proton pump inhibitors. Majorly ceftriaxone was administered to 79% of patients, piperacillin-tazobactam to 52%, and cefixime to 48%, whereas meropenem was administered to 42% of patients along with vancomycin to 39% of total patients. A high mortality rate was observed in the case of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus i.e. 78% and in the case of streptococcus pneumoniae 61% mortality rate was observed. Due to the presence of DRPs and various other clinical factors like comorbidities, DDIs, HAIs, administration of potentially nephrotoxic drugs, and administration of antibiotics without having CST, hospitalized stroke patients faced many problems.

Conclusion

This study helped determine DRPs along with various clinical factors affecting the clinical end outcomes of patients suffering from any clinical subtype of stroke. Due to the enhancement in the evidence of the incidence of DRPs in tertiary care hospitals, pharmacist-led drug therapy review by interfering with doctors and other medical professionals at the patient bed site is needed and should be done to avoid any negative end outcomes and serious issues related to DRPs.
The role of inversion and face masks on simultaneous and delayed face matching tasks
Authors: Estudillo Alejandro J. , Wong Hoo Keat
Published: January 2024

Although it is generally accepted that face recognition relies on holistic processing, it has been suggested that the simultaneous face matching task may depend on a more analytical or featural processing approach. However, empirical evidence supporting this claim is limited. In two experiments, we further explored the role of holistic and featural processing on simultaneous face matching by manipulating holistic processing through inversion and presenting faces with or without face masks. The results from Experiment 1 revealed that both inversion and face masks impaired matching performance. However, while the inversion effect was evident in both full-view and masked faces, the mask effect was only found in upright, but not inverted, faces. These results were replicated in Experiment 2 but, the inversion and mask effects were stronger in delayed face matching than in simultaneous face matching. Our findings suggest that simultaneous face matching relies on holistic processing, but to a smaller extent compared to higher memory-demanding identification tasks.
Neuroprotective effect of the RNS60 in a mouse model of transient focal cerebral ischemia
Authors: Baena-Caldas Gloria Patricia , Li Jie , Pedraza Lina , Ghosh Supurna , Kalmes Andreas , Barone Frank C. , Moreno Herman , Hernández A. Iván
Published: January 2024

Background

Stroke is a major cause of death, disability, and public health problems. Its intervention is limited to early treatment with thrombolytics and/or endovascular clot removal with mechanical thrombectomy without any available subacute or chronic neuroprotective treatments. RNS60 has reduced neuroinflammation and increased neuronal survival in several animal models of neurodegeneration and trauma. The aim here was to evaluate whether RNS60 protects the brain and cognitive function in a mouse stroke model.

Methods

Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to sham or ischemic stroke surgery using 60-minute transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAo). In each group, mice received blinded daily administrations of RNS60 or control fluids (PNS60 or normal saline [NS]), beginning 2 hours after surgery over 13 days. Multiple neurobehavioral tests were conducted (Neurological Severity Score [mNSS], Novel Object Recognition [NOR], Active Place Avoidance [APA], and the Conflict Variant of APA [APAc]). On day 14, cortical microvascular perfusion (MVP) was measured, then brains were removed and infarct volume, immunofluorescence of amyloid beta (Aβ), neuronal density, microglial activation, and white matter damage/myelination were measured. SPSS was used for analysis (e.g., ANOVA for parametric data; Kruskal Wallis for non-parametric data; with post-hoc analysis).

Results

Thirteen days of treatment with RNS60 reduced brain infarction, amyloid pathology, neuronal death, microglial activation, white matter damage, and increased MVP. RNS60 reduced brain pathology and resulted in behavioral improvements in stroke compared to sham surgery mice (increased memory-learning in NOR and APA, improved cognitive flexibility in APAc).

Conclusion

RNS60-treated mice exhibit significant protection of brain tissue and improved neurobehavioral functioning after tMCAo-stroke. Additional work is required to determine mechanisms, time-window of dosing, and multiple dosing volumes durations to support clinical stroke research.
Impact of the gene polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system on cardiomyopathy risk: A meta-analysis
Authors: Jia Xiaoxiao , Meng Liping , Tang Weiliang , Sun Liping , Peng Fang , Zhang Peng
Published: January 2024

Due to the inconsistent findings from various studies, the role of gene polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system in influencing the development of cardiomyopathy remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the findings regarding the impact of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) I/D, angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T, and angiotensin II Type 1 receptor (AGTR1) A1166C gene polymorphisms in patients with cardiomyopathy. We performed a comprehensive search of several electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, covering articles published from the time of database creation to April 17, 2023. Studies on the assessment of genetic polymorphisms in genes related to the renin-angiotensin system in relation to cardiomyopathy were included. The primary outcome was cardiomyopathy. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale scale. The meta-analysis includes 19 studies with 4,052 cases and 5,592 controls. The ACE I/D polymorphisms were found to be associated with cardiomyopathy (allelic model D vs I: OR = 1.29, 95CI% = 1.08–1.52; dominant model DD+ID vs II: OR = 1.43, 95CI% = 1.01–2.02; recessive model DD vs ID+II: OR = 0.79, 95CI% = 0.64–0.98). AGT M235T polymorphism and cardiomyopathy were not significantly correlated (allelic model T vs M: OR = 1.26, 95CI% = 0.96–1.66; dominant model TT+MT vs MM: OR = 1.30, 95CI% = 0.98–1.73; recessive model TT vs MT+MM: OR = 0.63, 95CI% = 0.37–1.07). AGTR1 polymorphism and cardiomyopathy were not significantly associated under allelic model A vs C (OR = 0.69, 95CI% = 0.46–1.03) and recessive model AA vs CA+CC (OR = 0.89, 95CI% = 0.34–2.30), but under the dominant model AA+CA vs CC (OR = 0.51, 95CI% = 0.38–0.68). The current meta-analysis reveals that polymorphisms in ACE I/D may be a genetic risk factor for cardiomyopathy. There is an association between AGTR1 gene polymorphisms and risk of cardiomyopathy under the specific model.
Albumin change predicts failure in ulcerative colitis treated with adalimumab
Authors: Ishida Natsuki , Takahashi Kenichi , Asai Yusuke , Miyazu Takahiro , Tamura Satoshi , Tani Shinya , Yamade Mihoko , Iwaizumi Moriya , Hamaya Yasushi , Osawa Satoshi , Sugimoto Ken
Published: January 2024

Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α antibodies, including infliximab (IFX), adalimumab (ADA), and golimumab, which were the first biologic therapeutic agents, have a crucial position in advanced therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to investigate serum albumin (Alb) change as a prognostic factor for the therapeutic effect of ADA in UC. Thirty-four patients with UC treated with ADA were enrolled in this study and were divided into failure and non-failure groups. Biological data, such as Alb were compared between the two groups. Thirteen patients showed failure within six months. Examination of the biological data showed a significant difference between the two groups only in the week 2/week 0 Alb ratio. In receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to predict failure, the cut-off value of week 2/week 0 Alb ratio was 1.00, and the area under the curve was 0.868 (95% confidence interval: 0.738–0.999). In addition, in the sub-group analysis of only clinically active patients, the week 2/week 0 Alb ratio of the non-failure group was significantly higher than that of the failure group, and the cut-off-value in ROC analysis was 1.00. Week 2/week 0 Alb ratio ≤ 1 predicts failure within six months of ADA for UC.
Participants’ understanding of informed consent in clinical trials: A systematic review and updated meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Chengai , Wang Na , Wang Qianqian , Wang Chao , Wei Zhenjie , Wu Zhimin , Yu Shunan , Jiang Xieyuan
Published: January 2024

Obtaining written informed consent from participants before enrolment in a study is essential. A previous study showed that only 50% of the participants in clinical trials understood the components of informed consent, and the methods of participants’ understanding of informed consent were controversial. This updated meta-analysis aimed to estimate the proportion of participants in clinical trials who understand the different informed consent components. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched till April 2023. Therapeutic misconception, ability to name one risk, knowing that treatments were being compared, and understanding the nature of the study, the purpose of the study, the risks and side-effects, the direct benefits, placebo, randomization, voluntariness, freedom to withdraw, the availability of alternative treatment if withdrawn from the trial, confidentiality, compensation, or comprehension were evaluated. This meta-analysis included 117 studies (155 datasets; 22,118 participants). The understanding of the risks and side-effects was investigated in the largest number of studies (n = 100), whereas comparehension was investigated in the smallest number (n = 11). The highest proportions were 97.5%(95% confidence interval (CI): 97.1–97.9) for confidentiality, 95.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 95.4–96.4) for compensation, 91.4% (95% CI: 90.7–92.1) for the nature of study, 68.1% (95% CI: 51.6–84.6) for knowing that treatments were being compared, and 67.3% (95% CI: 56.6–78) for voluntary nature of participants. The smallest proportions were the concept of placebo (4.8%, 95%CI: 4.4–5.2) and randomization(39.4%, 95%CI: 38.3–40.4). Our findings suggested that most participants understood the fundamental components of informed consent (study confidentiality, nature, compensation, voluntariness, and freedom to withdraw). The understanding of other components, such as placebo and randomization was less satisfactory.
Intention to quit and its correlates among dieticians residing in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Naja Farah , Hassan Haydar , Radwan Hadia , Kellany Fares , Ismail Leila Cheikh , Hashim Mona , Rida Wafa Helmi , Abu Qiyas Salma , Alameddine Mohamad
Published: January 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated increased workload, stress, and burnout on healthcare providers on the frontlines of the pandemic, dieticians were no exception. Such unprecedented occupational risks and stressors contributed to a higher intention to quit, potentially leading to workforce shortages, and hindering the delivery of quality care, especially for patients with chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence factors associated with the intention to quit among dieticians in the United Arab Emirates during a public health emergency.

Methods

The study utilized a cross-sectional design with an online survey sent to dieticians between January and May 2021. The final version of the questionnaire included four sections: A sociodemographic section, intention to quit, work-related practices and challenges, as well as the resilience scale using the 25 items- Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale© (CD-RISC). Descriptive statistics as well as simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to explore factors associated with the intention to quit among dieticians.

Results

Study results revealed that a quarter of dieticians intend to quit their jobs. Higher odds of intention to quit among dieticians were significantly associated with male gender, younger age, having a chronic condition, being non-resilient, feeling unappreciated, using online platforms for dietary counseling, reporting increased workload, and working from home or in a blended format during the pandemic.

Conclusion

This study revealed a high intention to quit among dieticians during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified a few correlates for the intention to quit that could support the development of evidence-based interventions. Such interventions should address through targeted programs the challenges faced by male dieticians, younger dieticians, as well as dieticians with Chronic health conditions. Furthermore, the findings of this study showed that promoting resilience among dieticians is crucial in reducing their intention to quit.
Genetic variants rs2910164, rs4636297 and rs895819 may contribute to the onset of acute myocardial infarction in Pakistani population
Authors: Ali Sajjad , Haq Taqweem Ul , Hussain Manzar , Uzair Muhammad , Ali Yasir , Chen Yangchao , Jalil Fazal , Shah Aftab Ali
Published: January 2024

The most serious type of coronary artery disease (CAD), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is a major global cause of death. The development of AMI is accompanied by several risk factors. AMI may be caused by variations in the microRNA (miRNA) genes, which have a negative impact on miRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. The target mRNAs are dysregulated because of these genetic changes in the miRNA genes, which interfere with the vital biological processes that result in AMI. Using allele-specific PCR, the aim of the study is to examine the association of the variants (rs2910164, rs4636297, and rs895819) in MIR146A, MIR126, and MIR27A with AMI susceptibility. A difference in genotype distribution among the patients and control for variation rs2910164 was identified by co-dominant [χ2 = 68.34,2; P value<0.0001], dominant (G/G vs G/C + C/C) [OR = 4.167 (2.860–6.049); P value<0.0001], recessive (C/C vs G/C + G/G) [OR = 0.2584 (0.1798–0.3731); P value<0.0001], and additive models [OR = 3.847 (2.985–4.959); P value<0.0001]. Whereas the association of rs4636297 was investigated by co-dominant [χ2 = 6.882,2; P value = 0.0320], dominant (G/G vs G/A + A/A) [OR = 0.6914 (0.4849–0.9948); P value = 0.0489], recessive (A/A vs A/G + G/G) [OR = 2.434 (0.9849–5.616830); P value = 0.0595], and additive models [OR = 0.7716 (0.6000–0.9918); P value = 0.0433]. Similarly, association of rs895819 was determined by co-dominant [χ2 = 5.277, 2; P value = 0.0715], dominant (G/G vs G/A + A/A) [OR = 1.654(0.9819–2.801); P value = 0.06440], recessive (A/A vs A/G + G/G) [OR = 0.7227 (0.5132–1.022); P value = 0.0748], and additive models [OR = 1.3337 (1.041–1.719); P value = 0.0233]. The results of this study found a significant association of rs2910164 and rs4636297 with AMI and are considered as the risk factor for AMI in the Pakistani population. We observed no significant association of the variant MIR27A (rs895819) with AMI incidence.