bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wavefront shaping through a free-form scattering object
Authors: Rates Alfredo , Lagendijk Ad , Adam Aurèle J. L. , IJzerman Wilbert L. , Vos Willem L.
Published: November 2023

Wavefront shaping is a technique to study and control light transport inside scattering media. Wavefront shaping is considered to be applicable to any complex material, yet in most previous studies, the only sample geometries that are studied are slabs or wave-guides. In this paper, we study how macroscopic changes in the sample shape affect light scattering using the wavefront shaping technique. Using a flexible scattering material, we optimize the intensity of light in a focusing spot using wavefront shaping and record the optimized pattern, comparing the enhancement for different curvatures and beam radii. We validate our hypothesis that wavefront shaping has a similar enhancement regardless of the free-form shape of the sample and thus offers relevant potential for industrial applications. We propose a new figure of merit to evaluate the performance of wavefront shaping for different shapes. Surprisingly, based on this figure of merit, we observe that for this particular sample, wavefront shaping has a slightly better performance for a free-form shape than for a slab shape.
All-optical encryption/decryption of DmPSK signals with key steganography for photonic layer security
Authors: Zhang Qihan , Gong Xiaoxue , Guo Lei
Published: November 2023

In the 5th Generation Fixed networks (F5G) era, full-fiber-connected optical networks support emerging bandwidth-hungry services. However, optical networks are vulnerable to attack by tapping or other methods, which has been paid more and more attention in modern optical infrastructure. Therefore, optical Exclusive OR (XOR) encryption/decryption for advanced modulation formats used for F5G appears as one of the promising technologies to guarantee security. Some current solutions either leave potential security hazards because of the degenerate four-wave mixing and keys without special treatment or are cost-consuming due to employing multiple wavelengths and coherent receivers. In this paper, a novel all-optical encryption/decryption system for Differential m-Phase Shift Keying (DmPSK) signals occupying only a single wavelength with key steganography is proposed and simulated. The proposed system mainly consists of a generalized XOR (GXOR) part and a steganography part. We implement the GXOR part by the cascaded IQ Mach-Zehnder Modulators and the steganography part by the Equvilent-Phase-Shifted Super-Structured Fiber Bragg Grating (EPS-SSFBG). The numerical simulation results demonstrate that the GXOR implementation can achieve reconfigurable encryption/decryption of DQPSK (m = 4) or D8PSK (m = 8) signals merely with a single wavelength and a differential direct-detection receiver. And the EPS-SSFBG can enhance key security in a cost-efficient method as well. The system can work at the recorded bit rate of 260Gbps, which can be applied to enhance the photonic layer security in F5G and beyond.
Enhanced XUV harmonics generated in mixed noble gases using three-color laser fields
Authors: Boltaev Ganjaboy S. , Ganeev Rashid A. , Alnaser Ali S.
Published: November 2023

High repetition coherent extreme ultraviolet (XUV) harmonics offer a powerful tool for investigating electron dynamics and understanding the underlying physics in a wide range of systems. We demonstrate the utilization of combined three-color (ω+2ω+3ω) laser fields in the generation of coherent extreme ultraviolet radiation in mixed noble gases. The three-color field results from the combination of fundamental, second-, and third-order harmonics of the near-infrared laser pulses in the nonlinear crystals. Different noble gases were selected as gas targets based on their ionization potentials, which are important parameters for generating higher cut-offs and intensities for the XUV harmonics. Enhanced XUV harmonic intensities were observed in the mixture of He + Kr gases when using three-color laser fields, compared to harmonics generated in the He + Kr mixture under a single-color pump. On the other hand, suppression of XUV harmonic intensity was observed in the mixture of He + Xe under the three-color pump due to the highest ionization level for these two mixed gases at similar laser conditions. Strong harmonic yields in the range of 25 to 80 eV of photon energy were observed.
Correction method for temperature measurements inside clouds using rotational Raman lidar
Authors: Li Qimeng , Di Huige , Chen Ning , Cheng Xiao , Yang Jiaying , Guo Yan , Hua Dengxin
Published: November 2023

Rotational Raman lidar is an important technique for detecting atmospheric temperature. However, in cloud regions with strong elastic scattering conditions, elastic scattering crosstalk (ESC) is prevalent due to insufficient out-of-band suppression of the optical filter, resulting significant deviations in temperature retrieval. To address this challenge, a temperature correction technique for optically-thin clouds based on the backscatter ratio is proposed. Using the least-squares method, a temperature correction function is formulated based on the relationship between the ESC and backscatter ratio of clouds. Subsequently, the backscatter ratio is used to correct the rotational Raman ratio of clouds, thereby obtaining the vertical distribution of atmospheric temperature within the cloud layer. The feasibility of this method was assessed through numerical simulations and experimentally validated using a temperature and aerosol detection lidar at the Xi'an University of Technology (XUT). The results indicate that the difference between the retrieved temperature profile under high signal-to-noise ratio conditions and radiosonde data is less than 1.5 K. This correction technique enables atmospheric temperature measurements under elastic scattering conditions with a backscatter ratio less than 115, advancing research on atmospheric structure and cloud microphysics.
Distinct linear polarization of core-shell particles at near-backscattering directions
Authors: Li Meng , Bi Lei , Lin Wushao
Published: November 2023

The degree of linear polarization (–P12/P11) of scattered light by particles with a core-shell structure may display a distinct negative minimum at near-backscattering directions. However, the specific range of microphysical parameters within which this phenomenon occurs and the underlying physical mechanism are still unclear. Therefore, this study systematically investigated the impacts of particle size, shell-core ratio and refractive index on the negative minimum of –P12/P11 at near-backscattering angles for both coated spheres and coated super-spheroids. The findings reveal that the pronounced negative minimum at near-backscattering angles mostly appeared when the size parameter defined in terms of the mean radius was smaller than approximately 14.5 (e.g., the mean radius is smaller than approximately 2 μm at 0.865 µm wavelength) and the shell-core ratio was in a range of 1.4–1.9. The presence of weakly- and moderately-absorptive shells would lead to pronounced negative polarization at near backscattering directions. However, as the core absorption increased, the amplitude of negative minimum decreased and then stabilized. As for coated super-spheroids, the non-sphericity of the shell tended to suppress the negative polarization at near-backscattering directions. As a result, the pronounced negative minimum (<–0.4) mostly appeared when the aspect ratio and roundness of the shell were close to unity (the overall shape of the particle was nearly-spherical). However, the negative minimum of –P12/P11 showed little dependence on the shape of the core. Furthermore, the Debye series approach was employed to investigate the underlying mechanism of the negative minimum of –P12/P11 for coated spheres. The results demonstrated that the interference among the partial waves underwent one internal reflection on the shell-medium interface and, without internal reflection on the core-shell interface, led to the pronounced negative polarization at near-backscattering angles. When the core absorption was significant, the interference became negligible and the amplitude of the negative minimum was suppressed. This study enhances our understanding the scattering characteristic of coated particles and has implications in aerosol classification and polarized remote sensing.
Design and calibration of the 6-DOF motion tracking system integrated on the Stewart parallel manipulator
Authors: Zhao Kai , Liu Zhihua , Cai Chenguang , Bao Fubing , Tu Chengxu , Qi Yuxi
Published: November 2023

Accurate pose measurement is crucial for parallel manipulators (PM). This study designs a novel integrated 6-DOF motion tracking system to achieve precise online pose measurement. However, the presence of geometric errors introduces imperfections in the accuracy of the measured pose. Based on the displacement information of six grating rulers, measurement pose is obtained through forward kinematics. By comparing the measurement results with the actual pose information captured by stereo vision, measurement errors can be obtained. A closed-loop vector-based kinematic model and an error model are established, and then the geometric errors are identified with the least-squares method. Finally, the geometric calibration experiments are conducted, and the results show that the measurement accuracy has significantly improved, with the average position error decreasing from 3.148 mm to 0.036 mm, and the average orientation error is decreased from 0.225° to 0.022°.
Assessing Spectral Effectiveness in Color Fundus Photography for Deep Learning Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Authors: Ebrahimi Behrouz , Le David , Abtahi Mansour , DADZIE ALBERT , ROSSI ALFA , Rahimi Mojtaba , Son Taeyoon , Ostmo Susan , Campbell J. , Chan R.V. , Yao Xincheng
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate spectral effectiveness, i.e., the effects of color channels, in fundus photography on deep learning classification of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). A convolutional neural network (CNN) end-to-end classifier was utilized for deep learning classification of normal, stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 ROP fundus images. The classification performances with individual-color-channel inputs, i.e., red, green, and blue, and multi-color-channel fusion architectures, including early-fusion, intermediate-fusion, and late-fusion, were quantitatively compared. For individual-color-channel inputs, similar performance was observed for green channel (88.00% accuracy, 76.00% sensitivity, and 92.00% specificity) and red channel (87.25% accuracy, 74.50% sensitivity, and 91.50% specificity), which is substantially outperforming the blue channel (78.25% accuracy, 56.50% sensitivity, and 85.50% specificity). For multi-color-channel fusion options, the early-fusion and intermediate-fusion architecture showed almost the same performance when compared to the green/red channel input, and they outperformed the late-fusion architecture. To interpret the deep learning performance, the Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) was utilized to identify spatial characteristics for ROP classification. Comparative analysis indicates that the green or red channel can provide sufficient information for ROP stage classification, without the involvement of blue images.
Modeling the diverse effects of divisive normalization on noise correlations
Authors: Weiss Oren , Bounds Hayley A. , Adesnik Hillel , Coen-Cagli Ruben
Published: November 2023

Divisive normalization, a prominent descriptive model of neural activity, is employed by theories of neural coding across many different brain areas. Yet, the relationship between normalization and the statistics of neural responses beyond single neurons remains largely unexplored. Here we focus on noise correlations, a widely studied pairwise statistic, because its stimulus and state dependence plays a central role in neural coding. Existing models of covariability typically ignore normalization despite empirical evidence suggesting it affects correlation structure in neural populations. We therefore propose a pairwise stochastic divisive normalization model that accounts for the effects of normalization and other factors on covariability. We first show that normalization modulates noise correlations in qualitatively different ways depending on whether normalization is shared between neurons, and we discuss how to infer when normalization signals are shared. We then apply our model to calcium imaging data from mouse primary visual cortex (V1), and find that it accurately fits the data, often outperforming a popular alternative model of correlations. Our analysis indicates that normalization signals are often shared between V1 neurons in this dataset. Our model will enable quantifying the relation between normalization and covariability in a broad range of neural systems, which could provide new constraints on circuit mechanisms of normalization and their role in information transmission and representation.
Imbalanced class distribution and performance evaluation metrics: A systematic review of prediction accuracy for determining model performance in healthcare systems
Authors: Owusu-Adjei Michael , Ben Hayfron-Acquah James , Frimpong Twum , Abdul-Salaam Gaddafi
Published: November 2023

Focus on predictive algorithm and its performance evaluation is extensively covered in most research studies to determine best or appropriate predictive model with Optimum prediction solution indicated by prediction accuracy score, precision, recall, f1score etc. Prediction accuracy score from performance evaluation has been used extensively as the main determining metric for performance recommendation. It is one of the most widely used metric for identifying optimal prediction solution irrespective of dataset class distribution context or nature of dataset and output class distribution between the minority and majority variables. The key research question however is the impact of class inequality on prediction accuracy score in such datasets with output class distribution imbalance as compared to balanced accuracy score in the determination of model performance in healthcare and other real-world application systems. Answering this question requires an appraisal of current state of knowledge in both prediction accuracy score and balanced accuracy score use in real-world applications where there is unequal class distribution. Review of related works that highlight the use of imbalanced class distribution datasets with evaluation metrics will assist in contextualizing this systematic review.
Mutational impact of APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B in a human cell line and comparisons to breast cancer
Authors: Carpenter Michael A. , Temiz Nuri A. , Ibrahim Mahmoud A. , Jarvis Matthew C. , Brown Margaret R. , Argyris Prokopios P. , Brown William L. , Starrett Gabriel J. , Yee Douglas , Harris Reuben S.
Published: November 2023

A prominent source of mutation in cancer is single-stranded DNA cytosine deamination by cellular APOBEC3 enzymes, which results in signature C-to-T and C-to-G mutations in TCA and TCT motifs. Although multiple enzymes have been implicated, reports conflict and it is unclear which protein(s) are responsible. Here we report the development of a selectable system to quantify genome mutation and demonstrate its utility by comparing the mutagenic activities of three leading candidates—APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3H. The human cell line, HAP1, is engineered to express thethymidine kinase(TK) gene of HSV-1, which confers sensitivity to ganciclovir. Expression of APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B, but not catalytic mutant controls or APOBEC3H, triggers increased frequencies ofTKmutation and similar TC-biased cytosine mutation profiles in the selectableTKreporter gene. Whole genome sequences from independent clones enabled an analysis of thousands of single base substitution mutations and extraction of local sequence preferences with APOBEC3A preferring YTCW motifs 70% of the time and APOBEC3B 50% of the time (Y = C/T; W = A/T). Signature comparisons with breast tumor whole genome sequences indicate that most malignancies manifest intermediate percentages of APOBEC3 signature mutations in YTCW motifs, mostly between 50 and 70%, suggesting that both enzymes contribute in a combinatorial manner to the overall mutation landscape. Although the vast majority of APOBEC3A- and APOBEC3B-induced single base substitution mutations occur outside of predicted chromosomal DNA hairpin structures, whole genome sequence analyses and supporting biochemical studies also indicate that both enzymes are capable of deaminating the single-stranded loop regions of DNA hairpins at elevated rates. These studies combine to help resolve a long-standing etiologic debate on the source of APOBEC3 signature mutations in cancer and indicate that future diagnostic and therapeutic efforts should focus on both APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B.
Risk of cancer in acromegaly patients: An updated meta-analysis and systematic review
Authors: Xiao Zhehao , Xiao Pingping , Wang Yong , Fang Chen , Li Yong
Published: November 2023

The incidence of cancer in acromegaly patients may be higher than that in the general population, although this has not been fully elucidated yet. This study analyzed the risk of various important types of cancer in acromegaly patients. The study was registered in INPLASY (registration number: INPLASY202340037). The PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched for studies based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, from the time of database inception up to June 30, 2022. All observational studies of acromegaly patients with cancer were included, without language restrictions. We used the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS) checklist to assess the quality of evidence. A meta-analysis revealed the relationship between acromegaly and cancer using the standardized incidence rates (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) retrieved from the included studies. Nineteen studies were included and analyzed. The overall incidence of cancer (SIR = 1.45, 95%CI = 1.20–1.75), as well as that of thyroid (SIR = 6.96, 95%CI = 2.51–19.33), colorectal and anal (SIR = 1.95, 95%CI = 1.32–2.87), brain and central nervous system (SIR = 6.14, 95%CI = 2.73–13.84), gastric (SIR = 3.09, 95%CI = 1.47–6.50), urinary (SIR = 2.66, 95%CI = 1.88–3.76), hematological (SIR = 1.89, 95%CI = 1.17–3.06), pancreatic and small intestine (SIR = 2.59, 95%CI = 1.58–4.24), and connective tissue (SIR = 3.15, 95%CI = 1.18–8.36) cancers, was higher among patients with acromegaly than among the general population. No association between acromegaly and hepatobiliary, respiratory, reproductive, skin, breast, or prostate cancer was observed. This study demonstrated that acromegaly patients have a modestly increased chance of cancer as compared to the general population. Risk factors for cancer need to be further explored to monitor patients with acromegaly at a high risk for cancer more carefully.
Identification and classification of factors affecting the non-use of safety harness at height among construction workers in Tehran
Authors: Sepehr Parvin , eshaghi Mahboobeh , Jabbari Mousa , Sadeghi Naeini Hassan , Ziaei Mansour , Salehi sahl abadi Ali
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The accident of falling from a height is high among construction workers. Construction workers do not use harnesses. Thus, the present study was conducted to identify the factors affecting the non-use of harnesses among construction workers in Tehran, Iran.

Materials and methods

In this study was conducted by interviewing professors and construction workers in order to identify factors affecting the non-use of harness. Factors influencing the non-use of safety harnesses were identified from the workers’ point of view. The obtained data were classified and coded using MAXQDA 10 software. After that, the most essential, effective and powerful factors were identified using the degree and intersectionality of social network analysis.

Results

According to the interview results, 27 factors were determined as factors affecting the non-use of harnesses by construction workers and divided into four main groups. The four groups were harness design, management factors, harness comfort, and attitudinal factors. Based on the results of the degree centrality, the non-ergonomic design and attitude of the harness inefficiency were identified as the most influential and powerful factors. The betweenness indicator also showed that the non-ergonomic design could mediate other factors in the non-use of the harness.

Conclusion

The findings showed that by considering various factors such as considering more comfort in the design of the ergonomic harness, it produced a better product. Also, the use of safety harnesses by workers increases.
Gender-based violence among healthcare students: Prevalence, description and associated factors
Authors: Tavolacci Marie-Pierre , Karmaly Alice , El Gharbi-Hamza Najla , Veber Benoit , Ladner Joel
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The aims of the current study were 1) to provide the prevalence of five types of gender-based violence (GBV) among male and female healthcare students; 2) to describe perpetrators’ status, where the GBV occurred, and psychological and behavioural impacts of the GBV; and 3) to identify factors associated with GBV.

Design

A cross-sectional study was conducted among voluntary healthcare students in France.

Setting

Health Campus at Rouen and nursing schools in Normandy, France.

Participants

Volunteer healthcare students of 18 years and over.

Data collected

Five types of GBV were recorded: GBV1: damage to a person’s image due to a sexual connotation on social networks, GBV2: sexist remarks and behaviour, GBV3: comments with sexual connotations, GBV4: sexual assaults and GBV5: rape or attempted rape. Perpetrators’ status, where the GBV occurred, psychological and behavioural impacts of GBV were also recorded.

Results

One thousand one hundred and fifty-two students were included. The mean age was 20.8 years (SD = 2.26), 82.6% of students were women (0.4% non-binary). Since the beginning of their healthcare study, 41.2% of students CI 95% [39.7–42.6] were victim of at least one type of GBV: 15.8% among men CI 95% [13.2–18.4] and 46.0% CI 95% [44.4–47.6] among women (p < 0.001). The perpetrators were student peers, regardless of the type of GBV, healthcare workers for the GB2 and GBV3, and patients except for GBV5. The main consequences of GBV on health was psychological and eating related. After multivariate analysis, being a woman, LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer and other), a nurse, a physiotherapist student, having a job, living with roommates and year of study were risk factors for GBV.

Conclusion

GBV is so common at healthcare universities and could have such severe consequences for students that more work is needed to generate a culture change and ensure safe learning environments.
Characteristics of ciliary muscle profile in high myopes measured by swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography
Authors: Kwok Hiu Yin , Kwok Hoi Yee , Ng Tsz Nok , Leung Tsz-wing , Kang Byung Soo , Kee Chea-su
Published: November 2023

Objective

To characterize and compare the ciliary muscle thickness (CMT) between low and high myopes using swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT).

Methods

Forty visually healthy young Chinese adults aged 18–25 years were divided into two groups based on refractive errors: low myopia (n = 20, spherical-equivalent refractive error (SER) between −0.50 D to −3.00 D) and high myopia (n = 20, SER ≤ -6.00 D). Cycloplegic refractions were performed before axial length (AL) and CMT were measured using a partial coherence laser interferometer and an AS-OCT respectively. CMT was measured perpendicularly to the sclera-ciliary muscle interface at 1 mm (CMT_1), 2 mm (CMT_2), and 3 mm (CMT_3) posterior to the scleral spur, and at the location with maximal thickness (CMT_MAX).

Results

High myopes demonstrated thicker CMT at 2 mm (CMT_2, p = 0.035) and 3 mm (CMT_3, p = 0.003) posterior to the scleral spur, but thinner maximal CMT (CMT_MAX, p = 0.005) than low myopes. The apical CMT_1 and CMT_MAX were also thinner in high myopes than in low myopes (both p< 0.001). CMT_MAX, apical CMT_1, and apical CMT_MAX correlated directly with SER and inversely with AL; in contrast, CMT_2 and CMT_3 showed inverse correlations with SER but direct correlations with AL.

Conclusion

Our findings revealed significant differences in CMT between low and high myopes, with high myopes showing thicker CMT at 2 mm and 3 mm posterior to the scleral spur, but thinner maximal CMT. These results provide new evidence of the potential structural differences in ciliary muscles during myopia development and progression.
What is it like to be a sport school student-athlete? A mixed method evaluation of holistic impacts and experiences
Authors: Thompson Ffion , Rongen Fieke , Cowburn Ian , Till Kevin
Published: November 2023

Assessing the holistic impact of student-athletes within sport schools is important due to the increasing popularity of sport school programmes, the likelihood that most youth athletes do not ultimately succeed in their sport and the multiple and wide ranging positive and negative impacts associated with intensified youth sport. Therefore, this study, using a mixed method design, aimed to evaluate the ‘in-time’ holistic impacts and experiences of being a sport school student-athlete. Five data collection methods (i.e., online questionnaire, physical fitness testing battery, academic assessments grades, injury data and log diaries) were used to assess athletic, academic, psychological and psychosocial holistic impacts and experiences of 83 student-athletes from one sport school in the United Kingdom (UK). Due to the mixed method approach, a triangulation design was used whereby quantitative and qualitative data were firstly analysed separately and then integrated and presented together. Overall, the findings demonstrated there were a multitude of positive impacts and experiences associated with being a sport school student-athlete. These included: high average academic attainment, satisfaction with academic support, sport competence, all-round sport development, higher general and sport specific recovery than stress, inter- and intra-personal development, social support, positive peer and parent relationships and dual career motivation. However, impacts and experiences of concern were also apparent including: participation in sport external to the school context, difficulty balancing education and sport, academic lessons missed, injury, fatigue, lack of free time, extra-curricular and social sacrifice, social intensity and body image concerns. Large inter-individual variability was demonstrated across all data analyses highlighting the variable nature of the impacts and experiences of being a sports school student-athlete. Overall, sport schools have the potential to promote many positive holistic impacts, however stakeholders need to be aware, monitor and mitigate the potential negative impacts. Flexible development programmes, individualised support and student-athlete monitoring are essential features required of sport schools to ensure healthy and holistic development for all sport school student-athletes.
Direct development in Atlantic Forest anurans: What can environmental and biotic influences explain about its evolution and occurrence?
Authors: Barbosa Fontana Rodrigo , Both Camila , Hartz Sandra Maria
Published: November 2023

Different environmental and biological factors can originate and support different alternative life histories in different taxonomic groups. Likewise, these factors are important for the processes that assemble and structure communities. Amphibians, besides being highly susceptible to environmental conditions, have various reproductive strategies, such as the direct development of individuals. Several hypotheses have been raised about possible selective pressures related to the emergence of direct development in anurans, as well as the relationship between environmental characteristics and the occurrence of these species. Such investigations, however, have mainly focused on specific clades and/or regions. Here, we use structural equation modelling to investigate the relationships between different abiotic (temperature, precipitation, humidity, and terrain slope) and biotic (phylogenetic composition and functional diversity) factors and the proportion of species with direct development in 766 anuran communities of the Atlantic Forest, a biome with a vast diversity of anuran species and high environmental complexity. Anuran communities with higher proportions of direct developing species were found to be mainly influenced by low potential evapotranspiration, low temperature seasonality, and high functional diversity. Phylogenetic composition and terrain slope were also found to be important in determining the occurrence of these species in Atlantic Forest communities. These results show the importance of these factors in the structuring of these communities and provide important contributions to the knowledge of direct development in anurans.
Imbalanced machine learning classification models for removal biosimilar drugs and increased activity in patients with rheumatic diseases
Authors: Castro Corredor David , Calvo Pascual Luis Ángel
Published: November 2023

Objective

Predict long-term disease worsening and the removal of biosimilar medication in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Methodology

Observational, retrospective descriptive study. Review of a database of patients with immune-mediated inflammatory rheumatic diseases who switched from a biological drug (biosimilar or non-biosimilar) to a biosimilar drug for at least 6 months. We selected the most important variables, from 18 variables, using mutual information tests. As patients with disease worsening are a minority, it is very difficult to make models with conventional machine learning techniques, where the best models would always be trivial. For this reason, we computed different types of imbalanced machine learning models, choosing those with better f1-score and mean ROC AUC.

Results

We computed the best-imbalanced machine learning models to predict disease worsening and the removal of the biosimilar, with f1-scores of 0.52 and 0.63, respectively. Both models are decision trees. In the first one, two important factors are switching of biosimilar and age, and in the second, the relevant variables are optimization and the value of the initial PCR.

Conclusions

Biosimilar drugs do not always work well for rheumatic diseases. We obtain two imbalanced machine learning models to detect those cases, where the drug should be removed or where the activity of the disease increases from low to high. In our decision trees appear not previously studied variables, such as age, switching, or optimization.
Reduced representation approaches produce similar results to whole genome sequencing for some common phylogeographic analyses
Authors: Duckett Drew J. , Calder Kailee , Sullivan Jack , Tank David C. , Carstens Bryan C.
Published: November 2023

When designing phylogeographic investigations researchers can choose to collect many different types of molecular markers, including mitochondrial genes or genomes, SNPs from reduced representation protocols, large sequence capture data sets, and even whole genomes. Given that the statistical power and accuracy of various analyses are expected to differ depending on both the type of marker and the amount of data collected, an exploration of the variance across methodological results as a function of marker type should provide valuable information to researchers. Here we collect mitochondrial Cytochrome b sequences, whole mitochondrial genomes, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)s isolated using a genotype by sequencing (GBS) protocol, sequences from ultraconserved elements, and low-coverage nuclear genomes from the North American water vole (Microtus richardsoni). We estimate genetic distances, population genetic structure, and historical demography using data from each of these datasets and compare the results across markers. As anticipated, the results exhibit differences across marker types, particularly in terms of the resolution offered by different analyses. A cost-benefit analysis indicates that SNPs collected using a GBS protocol are the most cost-effective molecular marker, with inferences that mirror those collected from the whole genome data at a fraction of the cost per sample.
Interactive effect of oral anti-hyperglycaemic or anti–hypertensive drugs on the inhibitory and bactericidal activity of first line anti-TB drugs against M. tuberculosis
Authors: Trivedi Priyanka , Chaturvedi Vinita
Published: November 2023

Co-existence of life style disorders, like, Diabetes or Hypertension, increases risk of, treatment failure, deaths and developing drug-resistant TB. Concomitant administration of drugs to treat dual/multi-morbidities may alter their effectiveness, in additive/synergistic or adverse/antagonistic manner. We evaluated interactive effect of 7 anti-hyperglycaemic (HG) and 6 anti-hypertensive (HT) drugs on the inhibitory (MICs) and bactericidal (% killing of intracellular bacilli) activities of anti-TB drugs, Isoniazid (INH), Rifampicin (RFM), Ethambutol (EMB) and Streptomycin (STR) againstM.tuberculosis. Five anti-HG drugs, namely, Acarbose, Acetohexamide, Glyburide, Repaglinide and Sitagliptin imparted either ‘additive’ or ‘no effect’ on the activities (inhibition or % killing) of all the four anti-TB drugs, as evident by their lower FICs (Fractional Inhibitory concentrations) and higher bacterial killing in combination. Metformin and Rosiglitazone, however, exerted adverse effect on the Ethambutol (FICs >2.0). All the six anti-HT drugs, namely, Atenolol, Hydrochlorothiazide, Ramipril, Valsartan, Nifedipine and Verapamil exerted either ‘additive’/’synergistic’ or ‘no effect’ on the activities of anti-TB drugs. These findings may help clinicians to select safe and helpful anti-HG or anti-HT drugs for TB patients, if, suffering with diabetes or hypertension like co-morbidities and receiving DOTs (a set regimen for the treatment of TB based on the WHO guidelines).
Feasibility and acceptability of the Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire in clinical and community settings
Authors: Antony Nitin , Roy Aratrika , Chakraborty Satabdi , Balsavar Aparajita , Sahay Amrita , Brar Jaspreet S. , Iyengar Satish , Bhatia Triptish , Nimgaonkar Vishwajit L. , Deshpande Smita Neelkanth
Published: November 2023

We developed and tested the Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ), which was reported to be reliable and valid as compared to the Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale -2 (CARS2). The present study describes the feasibility, acceptability, sociodemographic and developmental details of IASQ study participants in 5 settings- a psychiatry outpatients’ clinic (n = 145), a specialised paediatric clinic (n = 24), a speciality disability centre (n = 174), a primary school (n = 41) and a government housing colony (n = 255). The IASQ could be easily administered and understood. Consistent with prior reports, the male-female ratio of participants with autism was 3.8:1. Developmental complications were reported more frequently in clinical settings, while delivery by Caesarean section was commoner among community-dwelling higher socioeconomic status mothers (53% of the officers’ sample). Mothers of participants with autism more frequently reported Caesarean section birth for the proband (χ2 = 41.61, p < .0001) and prenatal and postnatal complications. Binary logistic regression confirmed that perinatal complications in the mother and father’s (older) age at birth of the participant were associated with autism. The IASQ is a reliable, practical tool for screening for autism in clinical and non-clinical settings in India.
Attending to cross-border sociocultural competence in bilingual programs in the Polish-Czech border region: An exploratory study
Authors: Hopkins Megan , Kurowska-Pysz Joanna , Nowak-Żółty Edyta , Szyszka Michał
Published: November 2023

The aim of this research was to explore whether and how various components of cross-border sociocultural competence were attended to in bilingual schools serving Polish minorities in the Zaolzie border region. Zaolzie is on the Czech side of the Polish-Czech border region, where the Polish minority play an important role in cross-border relations. Based on a review of the extant literature on the development of sociocultural competence among students enrolled in bilingual programs, researchers developed a 19-item survey capturing three distinct components of cross-border sociocultural competence: cognitive, social, and political. The survey was sent to teachers in the 14 Zaolzie region schools, with 123 teachers (44%) participating and asked participants to indicate the extent to which different facets of cross-border sociocultural competence were part of their school’s instructional program. Most participants were female-identifying and had over 10 years of teaching experience, and most were born on the Czech side of the border but identified as Polish nationals. Results from an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed two unique factors representing different components of sociocultural competence included in bilingual programs in the Zaolzie region: (1) the development of students’ intrapersonal skills, motivation, and cross-linguistic understanding, and (2) the development of students’ capacity to engage interpersonally with and to understand others in the region. These findings suggest that schools in the Zaolzie region attend to cross-border sociocultural competence through both an intra- and interpersonal lens, emphasizing individual students’ linguistic and cultural development as well as their ability to interact in their highly politicized cross-border context. Educators in the region can thus consider assessing students’ progress in these two areas over time as measures of program effectiveness. Given that the researchers found that cognitive, social, and political aspects of sociocultural competence were integrated across intra- and interpersonal dimensions, more research is needed to understand if this integration is unique to the teaching of cross-border sociocultural competence in the Zaolzie region or is taught similarly in other contexts.
Estimation of regional meteorological aridity and drought characteristics in Baluchistan province, Pakistan
Authors: Rafiq Muhammad , Cong Li Yue , Cheng Yanpei , Rahman Ghani , Zhao Yuanjie , Khan Hammed Ullah
Published: November 2023

Droughts and prevailing arid conditions have a significant impacts on the natural environment, agriculture, and human life. To analyze the regional characteristics of drought in Baluchistan province, the aridity index (AI) and standardized potential evapotranspiration index (SPEI) were used in. The study analyzed the rainfall, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration (PET) data and the same were used for the calculation of AI as well as SPEI to find out the drought spells during the study period. The linear regression and Mann-Kendall test were applied to calculate the trend in AI as well as in SPEI results. The AI results revealed that most of the meteorological stations are arid and semi-arid, where the highest increasing aridity is noted at Kalat (0.0065/year). The results of the SPEI at 1 and 6-months identified the extreme to severe drought spell during 1998–2002 in all meteorological stations of Baluchistan province. The distinct drought spells identified from the SPEI results were in the years 1998–2003, 2006–2010, 2015–2016 and 2019. The drought frequency results showed highest frequency percentage at Lasbella (46%) of extreme to severe drought. The Mann-Kendall trend results showed negative trend in monthly AI and 1-month SPEI results and most significant trend was observed in April and October months, this shows that aridity and drought in the region are decreasing to some extent except Dalbandin and Lasbella observed increasing trend in winter season (November to January months) and Kalat met-station observed increasing trend in June. Prior investigation and planning of drought situations can help in controlling the far-reaching consequences on environment and human society.
Balancing fiscal expenditure competition and long-term innovation investment: Exploring trade-offs and policy implications for local governments
Authors: Wenjuan Song , Zhao Kai
Published: November 2023

The mobility of economic factors across jurisdictions has led to increased fiscal competition among decentralized subnational governments. This study examines the relationship between fiscal competition and long-term investment in innovation at the local government level. Panel data analysis, encompassing expenditures, taxes, and innovation inputs from 18 municipalities over a 10-year period, is employed using fixed effects regression. The results reveal a negative correlation between fiscal competition and expenditure on innovation, indicating that intensified competition for mobile capital diverts resources away from essential long-term investments crucial for knowledge-driven growth. Even after controlling for economic and institutional factors, a one standard deviation increase in competition corresponds to an average decline of 25% in per capita innovation investment. These findings highlight the unintended trade-off resulting from heightened competition and underscore the need for policy frameworks that promote localized flexibility while curbing uncoordinated competition that undermines innovation capacity. While fiscal decentralization aims to foster competitive governance, this study provides empirical evidence that short-term expenditure incentives often displace long-term innovation objectives without sufficient coordination. The insights contribute significant empirical evidence on the concealed costs of fiscal competition for regional development. Consequently, a re-evaluation of conventional perspectives on decentralization and competition is warranted, emphasizing the importance of developing cooperative policy solutions that strike a delicate balance between decentralized decision autonomy and strategic coordination. Adopting such an approach is essential to fully leverage the advantages of competitive governance while simultaneously nurturing innovation ecosystems.
Ageing society and the challenge for social robotics: A systematic review of Socially Assistive Robotics for MCI patients
Authors: Figliano Giusi , Manzi Federico , Tacci Andrea Luna , Marchetti Antonella , Massaro Davide
Published: November 2023

The aging population in Western countries has led to a rise in predementia conditions like Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Social Assistive Robotics (SAR) interventions, among novel technological tools, offer a promising interdisciplinary approach to mitigate cognitive and social symptoms’ progression in this clinical group. This systematic review aims to identify existing clinical protocols employing social robots for treating cognitive and social cognition skills in individuals with MCI. The review protocol adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. From six databases, we retrieved and analyzed 193 articles, of which 19 met the inclusion criteria, featuring samples diagnosed with MCI and subjected to cognitive and/or social interventions through SAR. The review encompasses both qualitative and quantitative studies, with a focus on assessing bias risk. Articles were categorized into four primary areas: study participants’ samples, types of robots and programming used, assessment of cognitive abilities, and the nature of interventions (i.e., cognitive and and social cognition skills). While the findings highlight the potential benefits of using SAR for MCI interventions in both cognitive and social cognition domains, the studies primarily emphasized robot acceptability rather than intervention outcomes. Methodological limitations such as clinical heterogeneity, absence of control groups, and non-standardized assessments restrict the generalizability of these findings. This review underscores the promising role of Social Assistive Robotics in MCI interventions, emphasizing the importance of social cognition skills interventions and advocating for increased collaboration between clinicians and robotic researchers to overcome current limitations and enhance future outcomes.
Psychosis Recovery Orientation in Malawi by Improving Services and Engagement (PROMISE) protocol
Authors: Lawrie Stephen , Hanlon Charlotte , Manda-Taylor Lucinda , Knapp Martin , Pickersgill Martyn , Stewart Robert C. , Ahrens Jen , Allardyce Judith , Amos Action , Bauer Annette , Breuer Erica , Chasweka Dennis , Chidzalo Kate , Gondwe Saulos , Jain Sumeet , Kokota Demoubly , Kulisewa Kazione , Liwimbi Olive , MacBeth Angus , Mkandawire Thandiwe , Sefasi Anthony , Sibande Wakumanya , Udedi Michael , Umar Eric
Published: November 2023

Malawi has a population of around 20 million people and is one of the world’s most economically deprived nations. Severe mental illness (largely comprising psychoses and severe mood disorders) is managed by a very small number of staff in four tertiary facilities, aided by clinical officers and nurses in general hospitals and clinics. Given these constraints, psychosis is largely undetected and untreated, with a median duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) of around six years. Our aim is to work with people with lived experience (PWLE), caregivers, local communities and health leaders to develop acceptable and sustainable psychosis detection and management systems to increase psychosis awareness, reduce DUP, and to improve the health and lives of people with psychosis in Malawi. We will use the UK Medical Research Council guidance for developing and evaluating complex interventions, including qualitative work to explore diverse perspectives around psychosis detection, management, and outcomes, augmented by co-design with PWLE, and underpinned by a Theory of Change. Planned deliverables include a readily usable management blueprint encompassing education and community supports, with an integrated care pathway that includes Primary Health Centre clinics and District Mental Health Teams. PWLE and caregivers will be closely involved throughout to ensure that the interventions are shaped by the communities concerned. The effect of the interventions will be assessed with a quasi-experimental sequential implementation in three regions, in terms of DUP reduction, symptom remission, functional recovery and PWLE / caregiver impact, with quality of life as the primary outcome. As the study team is focused on long-term impact, we recognise the importance of having embedded, robust evaluation of the programme as a whole. We will therefore evaluate implementation processes and outcomes, and cost-effectiveness, to demonstrate the value of this approach to the Ministry of Health, and to encourage longer-term adoption across Malawi.