bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silybum marianum ethanolic extract: in vitro effects on protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus G1 strain with emphasis on other Iranian medicinal plants
Authors: Taghipour Ali , Ghaffarifar Fatemeh , Horton John , Dalimi Abdolhossein , Sharifi Zohreh
Published: September 2021

Background

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) larvae in liver and lungs of both humans and animals. Surgical intervention is the mainstay for CE treatment, using scolicidal agents that inactivate live protoscolices. This study evaluated the scolicidal effects of Silybum marianum ethanolic extract and its combination with albendazole in vitro for the first time. Moreover, in a literature review, we investigated the effects of a wide range of Iranian medicinal plants on protoscolices of E. granulosus.

Methods

S. marianum ethanolic extract was prepared and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to establish the proportions of its component compounds in the extract. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in mouse macrophage cells (J774A.1 cell line) using MTT method. Next, the scolicidal activity of the extract alone and combined with albendazole was tested as triplicate at various concentrations incubated for 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 min. Finally, protoscolex viability was determined using 0.1% eosin as a vital stain. PCR–RFLP and DNA sequencing techniques were used to characterize the genotype of E. granulosus.

Results

HPLC analysis showed that S. marianum ethanolic extract contained mostly silydianin (14.41%), isosilybin A (10.50%), and silychristin (10.46%). The greatest scolicidal effects were obtained with the combination of S. marianum with albendazole (79%), S. marianum ethanolic extract alone (77%) and albendazole (69%), at a concentration of 500 μg/ml for 60 min, respectively (P < 0.05). Molecular analysis showed that all the cysts used were G1 genotype.

Conclusion

The data suggest that S. marianum ethanolic extract is a potential scolicide in vitro; however, further investigations are required to determine its efficacy in vivo.
Cognitive impairment and depression in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis depending on age and neuroimaging findings
Authors: Kopchak Oksana O. , Odintsova Tetiana A.
Published: September 2021

Background

Multiple sclerosis is an insidious, disabling, both physically and mentally, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. This work aims to evaluate relationships between cognitive impairment in separate domains, depression and their correspondence with MRI-findings, as well as the influence on each other’s manifestations, in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis.

Results

Visual–spatial/executive functions and memory domains suffered more frequently than others in the study subjects under 40 years; in patients over 40 years old memory, visual–spatial/executive functions and abstract thinking impairment prevailed the most. Such cognitive domains as memory, language, abstract thinking, visual–spatial and executive functions were impacted in both groups of patients even without the apparent cognitive decline according to MoCA scale. Presence of depression impacted language and attention more prominently than the rest of the domains only in participants younger 40 years. According to the MRI, frontal lobe, corpus callosum and periventricular area were affected more often compared to other brain regions in case of cognitive impairment; meanwhile, combined lesions of frontal lobe and corpus callosum, fronto-temporal region were associated with depression.

Conclusion

Cognitive impairment and depression are one of the common, yet disabling and socially disrupting manifestations of MS. Quite frequently such complaints are neglected or considered as parts of comorbidities. At the same time cognitive impairment can be amplified by depression, especially in patients under 40 years.
Addition of phenolic compounds to bread: antioxidant benefits and impact on food structure and sensory characteristics
Authors: Czajkowska–González Yesica A. , Alvarez–Parrilla Emilio , del Rocío Martínez–Ruiz Nina , Vázquez–Flores Alma A. , Gaytán–Martínez Marcela , de la Rosa Laura A.
Published: September 2021

The use of flours or phenolic extracts obtained from non-traditional sources or agri-food industry by-products has been a strategy used to formulate new bakery products with characteristics of a functional food. However, phenolic compounds present great structural diversity, as well as the ability to interact in a complex way with the macromolecules that constitute the bread matrix. Therefore, the addition of these flours, extracts or pure compounds produces various effects on the microstructure of bread, and several of its sensory properties. This is mainly due to interactions between phenolic compounds and gluten proteins. The objective of this review is to analyze some of the most recent published works on the addition of phenolic compounds in wheat bread to identify the type of positive and negative effects that have been observed and how they can be related to the physicochemical interactions between phenolic compounds and the macromolecules that constitute the food matrix, mainly gluten. The effect of monomeric and polymeric phenolic compounds on the strength of these interactions and on the properties of dough and bread are discussed.

Graphical Abstract
Simulation Model for Hashimoto Autoimmune Thyroiditis Disease
Authors: Salazar-Viedma Marcela , Vergaño-Salazar Juan Gabriel , Pastenes Luis , D’Afonseca Vivian
Published: September 2021

Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is a pathology that often causes a gradual thyroid insufficiency in affected patients due to the autoimmune destruction of this gland. The cellular immune response mediated by T helper lymphocytes TH1 and TH17 can induce the HT disease. In this pathologic condition, there is an imbalance between the TH17 and Treg lymphocytes as well as a gut microbiota dysfunction. The objective of this work was to describe the interactions of the cell subpopulations that participate in HT. To achieve this goal, we generated a mathematical model that allowed the simulation of different scenarios for the dynamic interaction between thyroid cells, the immune system, and the gut microbiota. We used a hypothetical-deductive design of mathematical modeling based on a system of ordinary differential equations, where the state variables are the TH1, TH17, and Treg lymphocytes, the thyrocytes, and the bacteria from gut microbiota. This work generated a compartmental model of the cellular immune response occurring in the thyroid gland. It was observed that TH1 and TH17 lymphocytes could increase the immune cells’ activity, as well as activate effector cells directly and trigger the apoptosis and inflammation processes of healthy thyrocytes indirectly. Likewise, the model showed that a reduction in Treg lymphocytes could increase the activity of TH17 lymphocytes when an imbalance of the gut microbiota composition occurred. The numerical results highlight the TH1, TH17, and bacterial balance of the gut microbiota activities as important factors for the development of HT disease.
Making Inferences from Index Numbers (1860–1914)
Authors: Velkar Aashish
Published: September 2021

Index numbers are indirect measurements as well as composite quantities that present particular inferential challenges to the measurer and their intended audiences. The early history of the use of index numbers in British economics (ca. 1860–1914) shows that making inferences using this measuring instrument was rife with problems. Economists grappled with multiple “inferential gaps” in order to make inferences from index numbers. The extent to which these gaps could be bridged depended on the theoretical frameworks and measurement strategies used. However, it is also evident that some inferential issues confronting economists were ideological or political in nature. Two case studies are examined, Stanley Jevons’s price index and the Board of Trade’s cost-of-living index, that sharpen the focus on the accuracy of index numbers. What did index numbers really capture about the deterioration of the monetary standard or standard of living of the working classes? By situating the index numbers within the broader ecology in which they were constructed, the article shows that making inferences was not just a heuristic process (one that eliminated gaps by getting the estimations right) but a cognitive one as well (one that people could accept as being “fit for purpose”).
Enlightened “Museums of Images” or Decorative Displays? Elizabeth Seymour Percy and the Eighteenth-Century Print Room
Authors: Box Louise Voll
Published: September 2021

In the second half of the eighteenth century, “print rooms”—created by pasting prints and paper ornaments directly onto walls—were a short-lived mode of fashionable English interior decoration. Concurrently, collections of prints continued to be bound into albums or stored in portfolios in private libraries. Although they took different forms, print rooms and print albums shared characteristics that marked them as “enlightened” cultural practices: both featured prints arranged in preconceived aesthetic or intellectual schemes that presented elite, pan-European cultural subjects, imagery, and ideas. Prints in albums or prints on walls could therefore operate as “museums of images”—each format ostensibly encouraged viewers to respond emotionally or intellectually to prints. Yet there is strong evidence to suggest that prints in print rooms and in print collections were perceived differently. This essay draws on the predominantly unpublished journals and correspondence of English collector Elizabeth Seymour Percy, first Duchess of Northumberland (1716–76), to reveal the very different ways in which she described prints in each setting. For her, albums or portfolios of prints were edifying “spaces of enlightenment,” while prints in print rooms performed merely a decorative function.
RH17 restricts reproductive fate and represses autonomous seed coat development in sexual Arabidopsis
Authors: Stein Ron Eric , Nauerth Berit Helge , Binmöller Laura , Zühl Luise , Loreth Anna , Reinert Maximilian , Ibberson David , Schmidt Anja
Published: September 2021

Plant sexual and asexual reproduction through seeds (apomixis) is tightly controlled by complex gene regulatory programs, which are not yet fully understood. Recent findings suggest that RNA helicases are required for plant germline development. This resembles their crucial roles in animals, where they are involved in controlling gene activity and the maintenance of genome integrity. Here, we identified previously unknown roles of Arabidopsis RH17 during reproductive development. Interestingly, RH17 is involved in repression of reproductive fate and of elements of seed development in the absence of fertilization. In lines carrying a mutant rh17 allele, development of supernumerary reproductive cell lineages in the female flower tissues (ovules) was observed, occasionally leading to formation of two embryos per seed. Furthermore, seed coat, and putatively also endosperm development, frequently initiated autonomously. Such induction of several features phenocopying distinct elements of apomixis by a single mutation is unusual and suggests that RH17 acts in regulatory control of plant reproductive development. Furthermore, an in-depth understanding of its action might be of use for agricultural applications.
The Drosophila ribosome protein S5 paralog RpS5b promotes germ cell and follicle cell differentiation during oogenesis
Authors: Jang Seoyeon , Lee Jeon , Mathews Jeremy , Ruess Holly , Williford Anna O. , Rangan Prashanth , Betrán Esther , Buszczak Michael
Published: September 2021

Emerging evidence suggests that ribosome heterogeneity may have important functional consequences in the translation of specific mRNAs within different cell types and under various conditions. Ribosome heterogeneity comes in many forms, including post-translational modification of ribosome proteins (RPs), absence of specific RPs and inclusion of different RP paralogs. The Drosophila genome encodes two RpS5 paralogs: RpS5a and RpS5b. While RpS5a is ubiquitously expressed, RpS5b exhibits enriched expression in the reproductive system. Deletion of RpS5b results in female sterility marked by developmental arrest of egg chambers at stages 7-8, disruption of vitellogenesis and posterior follicle cell (PFC) hyperplasia. While transgenic rescue experiments suggest functional redundancy between RpS5a and RpS5b, molecular, biochemical and ribo-seq experiments indicate that RpS5b mutants display increased rRNA transcription and RP production, accompanied by increased protein synthesis. Loss of RpS5b results in microtubule-based defects and in mislocalization of Delta and Mindbomb1, leading to failure of Notch pathway activation in PFCs. Together, our results indicate that germ cell-specific expression of RpS5b promotes proper egg chamber development by ensuring the homeostasis of functional ribosomes.
Elevated murine HB-EGF confers sensitivity to diphtheria toxin in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Robles-Oteiza Camila , Ayeni Deborah , Levy Stellar , Homer Robert J. , Kaech Susan M. , Politi Katerina
Published: September 2021

Conditional ablation of defined cell populations in vivo can be achieved using genetically engineered mice in which the human diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor (DTR) is placed under control of a murine tissue-specific promotor, such that delivery of DT selectively ablates cells expressing this high-affinity human DTR; cells expressing only the endogenous low-affinity mouse DTR are assumed to be unaffected. Surprisingly, we found that systemic administration of DT induced rapid regression of murine lung adenocarcinomas that express human mutant EGFR in the absence of a transgenic allele containing human DTR. DT enzymatic activity was required for tumor regression, and mutant EGFR-expressing tumor cells were the primary target of DT toxicity. In FVB mice, EGFR-mutant tumors upregulated expression of HBEGF, which is the DTR in mice and humans. HBEGF blockade with the enzymatically inactive DT mutant CRM197 partially abrogated tumor regression induced by DT. These results suggest that elevated expression of murine HBEGF, i.e. the low-affinity DTR, confers sensitivity to DT in EGFR-mutant tumors, demonstrating a biological effect of DT in mice lacking transgenic DTR alleles and highlighting a unique vulnerability of EGFR-mutant lung cancers.
AAGAB is an assembly chaperone regulating AP1 and AP2 clathrin adaptors
Authors: Wan Chun , Crisman Lauren , Wang Bing , Tian Yuan , Wang Shifeng , Yang Rui , Datta Ishara , Nomura Toshifumi , Li Suzhao , Yu Haijia , Yin Qian , Shen Jingshi
Published: September 2021

Multimeric cargo adaptors such as AP2 play central roles in intracellular membrane trafficking. We recently discovered that the assembly of the AP2 adaptor complex, a key player in clathrin-mediated endocytosis, is a highly organized process controlled by alpha- and gamma-adaptin-binding protein (AAGAB, also known as p34). In this study, we demonstrate that besides AP2, AAGAB also regulates the assembly of AP1, a cargo adaptor involved in clathrin-mediated transport between the trans-Golgi network and the endosome. However, AAGAB is not involved in the formation of other adaptor complexes, including AP3. AAGAB promotes AP1 assembly by binding and stabilizing the γ and σ subunits of AP1, and its mutation abolishes AP1 assembly and disrupts AP1-mediated cargo trafficking. Comparative proteomic analyses indicate that AAGAB mutation massively alters surface protein homeostasis, and its loss-of-function phenotypes reflect the synergistic effects of AP1 and AP2 deficiency. Taken together, these findings establish AAGAB as an assembly chaperone for both AP1 and AP2 adaptors and pave the way for understanding the pathogenesis of AAGAB-linked diseases.
Social instability influences rank-specific patterns of oxidative stress in a cichlid fish
Authors: Border Shana E. , Piefke Taylor J. , Funnell Tyler R. , Fialkowski Robert F. , Sawecki Jacob , Dijkstra Peter D.
Published: September 2021

In many animal societies, dominant individuals have priority access to resources. However, defending high rank can be costly, especially in unstable social hierarchies where there is more intense competition. Oxidative stress has been proposed as a potential cost of social dominance, but few studies have examined this cost in relation to social stability. We studied the cost of social dominance in the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni by manipulating social stability among males in replicate naturalistic communities for 22 weeks. We found that our social stability treatment influenced status-specific patterns in 3 out of 6 measurements of oxidative stress. Specifically, dominant males experienced increased plasma oxidative damage (measured as reactive oxygen metabolites, ROMs) compared with subordinate males in stable hierarchies only. Subordinate males in unstable hierarchies had higher ROMs than their stable community counterparts, but we found no effect of social stability treatment for dominant males. However, dominant males tended to have reduced total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the liver when compared with subordinate males in unstable hierarchies, suggesting that the cost of social dominance is higher in unstable hierarchies. There were no effects of status and treatment on gonad TAC, muscle TAC or oxidative DNA damage. We conclude that the stability of the social environment influences the relative cost of social dominance in a tissue- and marker-specific manner.
Activation of cardiac Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2 pathways mediates endurance exercise resistance to lipotoxic cardiomyopathy in aging Drosophila
Authors: Wen Deng-tai , Zheng Lan , Lu Kai , Hou Wen-qi
Published: September 2021

Endurance exercise is an important way to resist and treat high-fat diet (HFD)-induced lipotoxic cardiomyopathy, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we used Drosophila to identify whether cardiac Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2 pathway activation mediates endurance exercise-induced resistance to lipotoxic cardiomyopathy. The results showed that endurance exercise activated the cardiac Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2/FOXO pathway and the Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2/PGC-1α pathway, including up-regulating cardiac Nmnat, SIR2, FOXO and PGC-1α expression, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and NAD+ levels, and it prevented HFD-induced or cardiac Nmnat knockdown-induced cardiac lipid accumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and fibrillation increase, and fractional shortening decrease. Cardiac Nmnat overexpression also activated heart Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2 pathways and resisted HFD-induced cardiac malfunction, but it could not protect against HFD-induced lifespan reduction and locomotor impairment. Exercise improved lifespan and mobility in cardiac Nmnat knockdown flies. Therefore, the current results confirm that cardiac Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2 pathways are important antagonists of HFD-induced lipotoxic cardiomyopathy. Cardiac Nmnat/NAD+/SIR2 pathway activation is an important underlying molecular mechanism by which endurance exercise and cardiac Nmnat overexpression give protection against lipotoxic cardiomyopathy in Drosophila.
Disentangling environmental drivers of circadian metabolism in desert-adapted mice
Authors: Colella Jocelyn P. , Blumstein Danielle M. , MacManes Matthew D.
Published: September 2021

Metabolism is a complex phenotype shaped by natural environmental rhythms, as well as behavioral, morphological and physiological adaptations. Metabolism has been historically studied under constant environmental conditions, but new methods of continuous metabolic phenotyping now offer a window into organismal responses to dynamic environments, and enable identification of abiotic controls and the timing of physiological responses relative to environmental change. We used indirect calorimetry to characterize metabolic phenotypes of the desert-adapted cactus mouse (Peromyscus eremicus) in response to variable environmental conditions that mimic their native environment versus those recorded under constant warm and constant cool conditions, with a constant photoperiod and full access to resources. We found significant sexual dimorphism, with males being more prone to dehydration than females. Under circadian environmental variation, most metabolic shifts occurred prior to physical environmental change and the timing was disrupted under both constant treatments. The ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed (the respiratory quotient) reached greater than 1.0 only during the light phase under diurnally variable conditions, a pattern that strongly suggests that lipogenesis contributes to the production of energy and endogenous water. Our results are consistent with historical descriptions of circadian torpor in this species (torpid by day, active by night), but reject the hypothesis that torpor is initiated by food restriction or negative water balance.
Heating rates are more strongly influenced by near-infrared than visible reflectance in beetles
Authors: Wang Lu-Yi , Franklin Amanda M. , Black Jay R. , Stuart-Fox Devi
Published: September 2021

Adaptations to control heat transfer through the integument are a key component of temperature regulation in animals. However, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of how different optical and morphological properties of the integument affect heating rates. To address these gaps, we examined the effect of reflectivity in both ultraviolet–visible and near-infrared wavelengths, surface rugosity (roughness), effective area (area subjected to illumination) and cuticle thickness on radiative heat gain in jewel beetles (Buprestidae). We measured heating rate using a solar simulator to mimic natural sunlight, a thermal chamber to control the effects of conduction and convection, and optical filters to isolate different wavelengths. We found that effective area and reflectivity predicted heating rate. The thermal effect of reflectivity was driven by variation in near-infrared rather than ultraviolet–visible reflectivity. By contrast, cuticle thickness and surface rugosity had no detectable effect. Our results provide empirical evidence that near-infrared reflectivity has an important effect on radiative heat gain. Modulating reflectance of near-infrared wavelengths of light may be a more widespread adaptation to control heat gain than previously appreciated.
Under pressure: the relationship between cranial shape and burrowing force in caecilians (Gymnophiona)
Authors: Lowie Aurélien , De Kegel Barbara , Wilkinson Mark , Measey John , O'Reilly James C. , Kley Nathan J. , Gaucher Philippe , Brecko Jonathan , Kleinteich Thomas , Van Hoorebeke Luc , Herrel Anthony , Adriaens Dominique
Published: September 2021

Caecilians are elongate, limbless and annulated amphibians that, with the exception of one aquatic family, all have an at least partly fossorial lifestyle. It has been suggested that caecilian evolution resulted in sturdy and compact skulls with fused bones and tight sutures, as an adaptation to their head-first burrowing habits. However, although their cranial osteology is well described, relationships between form and function remain poorly understood. In the present study, we explored the relationship between cranial shape and in vivo burrowing forces. Using micro-computed tomography (µCT) data, we performed 3D geometric morphometrics to explore whether cranial and mandibular shapes reflected patterns that might be associated with maximal push forces. The results highlight important differences in maximal push forces, with the aquatic Typhlonectes producing a lower force for a given size compared with other species. Despite substantial differences in head morphology across species, no relationship between overall skull shape and push force could be detected. Although a strong phylogenetic signal may partly obscure the results, our conclusions confirm previous studies using biomechanical models and suggest that differences in the degree of fossoriality do not appear to be driving the evolution of head shape.
Comparison of 1480 nm and 980 nm-pumped Gallium-Erbium fiber amplifier
Authors: Ibrahim Siti Azlida , Mansoor Amilia , Tuan Mohd Marzuki Tuan Ainin Sofea , Omar Nasr Y. M. , Abdul Rashid Hairul Azhar
Published: September 2021

Background: One way to reduce the length of the gain medium in Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) is by doping the fiber core with a high concentration of Erbium. However, this method caused ion clustering effects, which limits the EDFA’s efficiency.  In this research, the use of Gallium as a new co-dopant in erbium-doped silica fiber is explored.

Methods: The new fiber, namely Gallium co-doped Erbium fiber (Ga-EDF), is used as a gain medium in an optical fiber amplifier setup. A 2-meter length of the Ga-EDF fiber was used in a single pass configuration with a forward pumping scheme at 150 mW pump power. The Ga-EDF amplifier's gain and noise figure while pumping at 980 nm and 1480 nm were compared. The amplifier's performance was evaluated as the input signal power varied between -30 dBm to 3 dBm, over the wavelength range of 1520 nm to 1580 nm.

Results: The 980 nm-pumped Ga-EDF amplifier achieved the maximum small-signal gain of 22.45 dB and the corresponding noise figure of 5.71 dB at the input signal wavelength of 1535 nm. Meanwhile, the 1480 nm-pumped Ga-EDF amplifier attained the maximum small-signal gain of 20.83 dB and the corresponding noise figure of 5.09 dB at the input signal wavelength of 1550 nm. At the input signal power below -20 dBm and the wavelength range 1520 nm to 1547 nm, the Ga-EDF performs better when pumped at 980 nm. Their performance is comparable at the input signal wavelength range between 1547 nm to 1580 nm. At the input signal power above -20 dBm, the 1480 nm-pumped Ga-EDF outperformed the 980 nm-pumped amplifier.

Conclusions: The overall performance indicates that the gain saturation point of the 1480 nm-pumped amplifier is higher than the 980 nm-pumped.
Orchestration of autonomous trusted third-party banking
Authors: Muthaiyah Saravanan , Anbananthen Kalaiarasi Sonai Muthu , Phuong Lan Nguyen Thi
Published: September 2021

Background

Digital transformation is changing the structure and landscape of future banking needs with much emphasis on value creation. Autonomous banking solutions must incorporate on-the-fly processing for risky transactions to create this value. In an autonomous environment, access control with role and trust delegation has been said to be highly relevant. The aim of this research is to provide an end to end working solution that will enable autonomous transaction and task processing for banking.

Method

We illustrate the use case for task delegation with the aid of risk graphs, risk bands and finite state machines. This paper also highlights a step by step task delegation process using a risk ordering relation methodology that can be embedded into smart contracts.

Results

Task delegation with risk ordering relation is illustrated with six process owners that share immutable ledgers. Task delegation properties using Multi Agent Systems (MAS) is used to eliminate barriers for autonomous transaction processing. Secondly, the application of risk graph and risk ordering relation with reference to delegation of tasks is a novel approach that is nonexistent in RBAC.

Conclusion

The novelty of this study is the logic for task delegation and task policies for autonomous execution on autonomous banking platforms akin to the idea of federated ID (Liberty Alliance).
The Next Step
Authors: Otte José
Published: September 2021

In this article, the author argues that you never do action research on your own: you need all stakeholders to be there with you. The exchange of ideas through sharing stories is more about an exchange of gifts. Through these gifts, we spread knowledge and become aware of the values through questioning what is important to us: who are we, what do we want and what do we need to do to achieve our dreams.
Biodanza in the Development of High- Performance Teams: Embodying the Appreciative Paradigm
Authors: Losada Carrasco Felipe , Sánchez Padilla Gittith
Published: September 2021

Cada día sentimos en nuestro cuerpo sensaciones agradables o desagradables, agitación o calma, influenciando la conexión con las demás personas que forman parte del equipo. La práctica del sistema de integración humana “Biodanza” aumenta la conexión del equipo, lo que se refleja en el aumento de positividad y la reducción de la negatividad de los afectos medidos a través del test PANAS, indicadores que caracterizan a los equipos de alto desempeño según el modelo Meta Learning. El cuerpo y las experiencias integradoras son los protagonistas de este proceso. Every day in our bodies we feel pleasant or unpleasant sensations, agitation, or calm, which influence the connections we have with other people who form part of a team. Practising the ‘Biodanza’ human integration system increases the connections within a team, which is reflected in increased positivity and reduced negativity of affect as measured with the PANAS test, indicators that characterise high-performance teams according to the Meta Learning model. The body and the integrative experiences are the protagonists in this process.
Team Relationships and Performance: Evidence from Healthcare Referral Networks
Authors: Agha Leila , Ericson Keith Marzilli , Geissler Kimberley H. , Rebitzer James B.
Published: September 2021

We examine the teams that emerge when a primary care physician (PCP) refers patients to specialists. When PCPs concentrate their specialist referrals—for instance, by sending their cardiology patients to fewer distinct cardiologists—repeat interactions between PCPs and specialists are encouraged. Repeated interactions provide more opportunities and incentives to develop productive team relationships. Using data from the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database, we construct a new measure of PCP team referral concentration and document that it varies widely across PCPs, even among PCPs in the same organization. Chronically ill patients treated by PCPs with a one standard deviation higher team referral concentration have 4% lower healthcare utilization on average, with no discernible reduction in quality. We corroborate this finding using a national sample of Medicare claims and show that it holds under various identification strategies that account for observed and unobserved patient and physician characteristics. The results suggest that repeated PCP-specialist interactions improve team performance.

This paper was accepted by Carri Chan, healthcare management.
Dynamic Set Values for Nonzero-Sum Games with Multiple Equilibriums
Authors: Feinstein Zachary , Rudloff Birgit , Zhang Jianfeng
Published: September 2021

Nonzero sum games typically have multiple Nash equilibriums (or no equilibrium), and unlike the zero-sum case, they may have different values at different equilibriums. Instead of focusing on the existence of individual equilibriums, we study the set of values over all equilibriums, which we call the set value of the game. The set value is unique by nature and always exists (with possible value [Formula: see text]). Similar to the standard value function in control literature, it enjoys many nice properties, such as regularity, stability, and more importantly, the dynamic programming principle. There are two main features in order to obtain the dynamic programming principle: (i) we must use closed-loop controls (instead of open-loop controls); and (ii) we must allow for path dependent controls, even if the problem is in a state-dependent (Markovian) setting. We shall consider both discrete and continuous time models with finite time horizon. For the latter, we will also provide a duality approach through certain standard PDE (or path-dependent PDE), which is quite efficient for numerically computing the set value of the game.
Infinite Horizon Stochastic Impulse Control with Delay and Random Coefficients
Authors: Djehiche Boualem , Hamadène Said , Hdhiri Ibtissem , Zaatra Helmi
Published: September 2021

We study a class of infinite horizon impulse control problems with execution delay when the dynamics of the system is described by a general stochastic process adapted to the Brownian filtration. The problem is solved by means of probabilistic tools relying on the notion of Snell envelope and infinite horizon reflected backward stochastic differential equations. This allows us to establish the existence of an optimal strategy over all admissible strategies.
Roadmap on digital holography [Invited]
Authors: Javidi Bahram , Carnicer Artur , Anand Arun , Barbastathis George , Chen Wen , Ferraro Pietro , Goodman J. W. , Horisaki Ryoichi , Khare Kedar , Kujawinska Malgorzata , Leitgeb Rainer A. , Marquet Pierre , Nomura Takanori , Ozcan Aydogan , Park YongKeun , Pedrini Giancarlo , Picart Pascal , Rosen Joseph , Saavedra Genaro , Shaked Natan T. , Stern Adrian , Tajahuerce Enrique , Tian Lei , Wetzstein Gordon , Yamaguchi Masahiro
Published: September 2021

This Roadmap article on digital holography provides an overview of a vast array of research activities in the field of digital holography. The paper consists of a series of 25 sections from the prominent experts in digital holography presenting various aspects of the field on sensing, 3D imaging and displays, virtual and augmented reality, microscopy, cell identification, tomography, label-free live cell imaging, and other applications. Each section represents the vision of its author to describe the significant progress, potential impact, important developments, and challenging issues in the field of digital holography.
Simultaneous detection of the distance and direction for a noncooperative target based on the microwave photonic radar
Authors: Wang Yunxin , Hou Xueyuan , Li Tao , He Ziang , Wang Dayong , Yang Feng , Zhou Tao , Rong Lu
Published: September 2021

For a noncooperative target, multiple-dimension detection is required to determine its spatial location. A microwave photonic radar is proposed for simultaneous detection of the distance and direction of targets. At the transmitter, a linear frequency modulation (LFM) signal with a large instantaneous bandwidth was obtained by frequency doubling. Meanwhile, the optical reference signal was supplied. At the receiver, two antennas with a certain baseline length were used to receive the echo signal. The dechirp process and fixed-length cable are combined to decouple the distance and direction and distinguish between the positive and negative directions of a target. Theoretical derivation has already verified that the distance and direction can be resolved simultaneously by dechirping of the echo modulation signal and reference signal. In experiments, an LFM signal with an instantaneous bandwidth of 2 GHz (2-4 GHz) was generated and launched as the detection signal. Targets at different distances with positive and negative angles were detected. The results show that the directional measurement ranges from -72.5° to 72.5°, and the error is less than 1.6°. The measured distance was found to be quite similar to the actual distance. The proposed approach can confirm the spatial location of a noncooperative target by combining the detection of both distance and direction. Furthermore, the baseline length need not be less than half the wavelength of the echo signal, and large antennas can be chosen to improve the detection distance and range accuracy.
Broadband laser chaos generation using a quantum cascade laser with optical feedback
Authors: Chen Chaojie , Jia Zhiwei , Lv Yuxiang , Li Pu , Xu Bingjie , Wang Yuncai
Published: September 2021

We propose a method to generate broadband laser chaos using a quantum cascade laser (QCL). Through numerical simulation, we give the evidence that the QCL with optical feedback can route to chaos through the quasi-periodic path. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of the feedback intensity and the bias current on the chaos bandwidth. Final results demonstrate that the chaos bandwidth can headily reach 43.1 GHz due to the lack of relaxation oscillation phenomena in QCLs.
Demonstration of an external cavity semiconductor mode-locked laser
Authors: Yuan Meiyan , Wang Weiqiang , Wang Xinyu , Wang Yang , Yang Qinghua , Cheng Dong , Liu Yang , Huang Long , Zhang Mingran , Liang Bo , Zhao Wei , Zhang Wenfu
Published: September 2021

Electrically pumped semiconductor mode-locked lasers (SMLs) are promising in a wide range of applications due to compact size, high energy efficiency, and low cost. However, the long gain interaction length increases the spontaneous emission noise. In this Letter, an external cavity structure is adopted to improve the SML noise performance, as well as the flexibility to adjust the repetition rate. Two external cavity SMLs with repetition rates of 255 MHz and 10 GHz are demonstrated. For the 10 GHz SML, the signal-noise-ratio and radio frequency linewidth of the fundamental frequency reach 81.1 dB and 40 Hz, respectively. The high performance makes the laser a promising light source for microwave and communication applications.
Wide angle holographic video projection display
Authors: Chlipała Maksymilian , Kozacki Tomasz , Yeom Han-Ju , Martinez-Carranza Juan , Kukołowicz Rafał , Kim Jinwoong , Yang Jong-Heon , Choi Ji Hun , Pi Jae-Eun , Hwang Chi-Sun
Published: September 2021

Holographic projection displays provide high diffraction efficiency. However, they have a limited projection angle. This work proposes a holographic projection display with a wide angle, which gives an image of size

306

m
m

×

161

m
m

at 700 mm and reduced speckle noise. The solution uses single Fourier lens imaging with a frequency filter and hologram generation utilizing complex coding and nonparaxial diffraction. The experiment was performed with a 4K phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM) to prove the high efficiency of the developed numerical tools. Optical reconstruction shows high resolution and high image quality achieved from a single frame. Hence, displaying video at a full frame rate of the SLM is possible.
Hybrid-integrated diode laser in the visible spectral range
Authors: Franken C. A. A. , van Rees A. , Winkler L. V. , Fan Y. , Geskus D. , Dekker R. , Geuzebroek D. H. , Fallnich C. , van der Slot P. J. M. , Boller K.-J.
Published: September 2021

Generating visible light with wide tunability and high coherence based
on photonic integrated circuits is of high interest for applications
in biophotonics, precision metrology, and quantum technology. Here we
present, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of a
hybrid-integrated diode laser in the visible spectral range. Using an
AlGaInP optical amplifier coupled to a low-loss

S

i

3

N

4

feedback circuit based on microring
resonators, we obtain a spectral coverage of 10.8 nm around 684.4 nm
wavelength with up to 4.8 mW output power. The measured intrinsic
linewidth is

2.3

±

0.2

k
H
z

.
Miniature 120-beam coherent combiner with 3D-printed optics for multicore fiber-based endoscopy
Authors: Sivankutty Siddharth , Bertoncini Andrea , Tsvirkun Victor , Gajendra Kumar Naveen , Brévalle Gaelle , Bouwmans Géraud , Andresen Esben Ravn , Liberale Carlo , Rigneault Hervé
Published: September 2021

In this Letter, we report a high-efficiency, miniaturized, ultra-fast coherent beam, combined with 3D-printed micro-optics directly on the tip of a multicore fiber bundle. The highly compact device footprint (180 µm in diameter) facilitates its incorporation into a minimally invasive ultra-thin nonlinear endoscope to perform two-photon imaging.
Tiny velocity measurement using rotating petal-like mode of orbital angular momentum
Authors: Zhang Zijing , Cen Longzhu , Wang Feng , Zhao Yuan
Published: September 2021

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, tiny velocity measurement system is proposed and demonstrated. This proposed system employs an interference structure in which the reference and measurement paths are filled by two light beams carrying opposite-sign orbital angular momentum (OAM), respectively. The tiny velocity to be measured in the measurement path causes the change of the light path and results in a time-varying phase shift between the reference and measurement paths. This time-varying phase shift leads to the rotation of the petal-like light spot obtained by the interference between two paths. The rotating angular velocity of the petal-like light spot is proportional to the time-varying phase shift caused by the tiny velocity, and it is measured by a chopper and a single-point detector instead of array detectors. This proposed system has a simple structure and achieves a high-accuracy tiny velocity measurement with a measurement error rate that is less than 10 nm/s.
High-throughput hardware deployment of pruned neural network based nonlinear equalization for 100-Gbps short-reach optical interconnect
Authors: Li Mingyuan , Zhang Wenjia , Chen Qiao , He Zuyuan
Published: September 2021

Hardware implementation of neural network based nonlinear equalizers will encounter tremendous challenges due to a high-throughput data stream and high computational complexity for 100-Gbps short-reach optical interconnects. In this Letter, we propose a parallel pruned neural network equalizer for high-throughput signal processing and minimized hardware resources. The structure of a time-interleaved neural network equalizer with a delay module is deployed in a field programmable gate array with advanced pruned algorithms, demonstrating significant bit error rate reduction for 100-Gbps real-time throughput with 200 parallel channels. Moreover, the dependence of processing throughput, hardware resources, and equalization performance is investigated, showing that over 50% resource reduction without performance degradation can be achieved with the pruning strategy.
UV laser pulse trains for Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Swanson Dustin , Sprangle Phillip
Published: September 2021

The theoretical framework for a novel, to the best of our knowledge, stimulated Raman spectroscopy process using a UV probe laser pulse train is formulated and simulated. The laser pulse train consists of multi-femtosecond micro-pulses separated by a varying time duration, having a fixed carrier frequency. The comb-like probe spectrum undergoes self-beating. By appropriately varying the separation time between the micro-pulses, the full Raman spectrum can be excited. We also show that a Raman wakefield, containing the entire Raman signatures of complex molecules, is induced behind the probe pulse train and can be used for additional classification. Kerr and non-resonant effects are included in our model. As an illustration, simulations of the Raman spectrum of a particular pathogen are presented and discussed.
The induction of preterm labor in rhesus macaques is determined by the strength of immune response to intrauterine infection
Authors: Cappelletti Monica , Presicce Pietro , Feiyang Ma , Senthamaraikannan Paranthaman , Miller Lisa A. , Pellegrini Matteo , Sim Myung S. , Jobe Alan H. , Divanovic Senad , Way Sing Sing , Chougnet Claire A. , Kallapur Suhas G.
Published: September 2021

Intrauterine infection/inflammation (IUI) is a major contributor to preterm labor (PTL). However, IUI does not invariably cause PTL. We hypothesized that quantitative and qualitative differences in immune response exist in subjects with or without PTL. To define the triggers for PTL, we developed rhesus macaque models of IUI driven by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or liveEscherichia coli. PTL did not occur in LPS challenged rhesus macaques, whileE.coli–infected animals frequently delivered preterm. Although LPS and liveE.coliboth caused immune cell infiltration,E.coli–infected animals showed higher levels of inflammatory mediators, particularly interleukin 6 (IL-6) and prostaglandins, in the chorioamnion-decidua and amniotic fluid (AF). Neutrophil infiltration in the chorio-decidua was a common feature to both LPS andE.coli. However, neutrophilic infiltration andIL6andPTGS2expression in the amnion was specifically induced by liveE.coli. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of fetal membranes revealed that specific pathways involved in augmentation of inflammation including type I interferon (IFN) response, chemotaxis, sumoylation, and iron homeostasis were up-regulated in theE.coligroup compared to the LPS group. Our data suggest that the intensity of the host immune response to IUI may determine susceptibility to PTL.
An integrated framework for building trustworthy data-driven epidemiological models: Application to the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Ponce Joan , Zhang Zhen , Lin Guang , Karniadakis George
Published: September 2021

Epidemiological models can provide the dynamic evolution of a pandemic but they are based on many assumptions and parameters that have to be adjusted over the time the pandemic lasts. However, often the available data are not sufficient to identify the model parameters and hence infer the unobserved dynamics. Here, we develop a general framework for building a trustworthy data-driven epidemiological model, consisting of a workflow that integrates data acquisition and event timeline, model development, identifiability analysis, sensitivity analysis, model calibration, model robustness analysis, and projection with uncertainties in different scenarios. In particular, we apply this framework to propose a modified susceptible–exposed–infectious–recovered (SEIR) model, including new compartments and model vaccination in order to project the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 in New York City (NYC). We find that we can uniquely estimate the model parameters and accurately project the daily new infection cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, in agreement with the available data from NYC’s government’s website. In addition, we employ the calibrated data-driven model to study the effects of vaccination and timing of reopening indoor dining in NYC.
BEEM-Static: Accurate inference of ecological interactions from cross-sectional microbiome data
Authors: Li Chenhao , Av-Shalom Tamar V. , Tan Jun Wei Gerald , Kwah Junmei Samantha , Chng Kern Rei , Nagarajan Niranjan
Published: September 2021

The structure and function of diverse microbial communities is underpinned by ecological interactions that remain uncharacterized. With rapid adoption of next-generation sequencing for studying microbiomes, data-driven inference of microbial interactions based on abundance correlations is widely used, but with the drawback that ecological interpretations may not be possible. Leveraging cross-sectional microbiome datasets for unravelling ecological structure in a scalable manner thus remains an open problem. We present an expectation-maximization algorithm (BEEM-Static) that can be applied to cross-sectional datasets to infer interaction networks based on an ecological model (generalized Lotka-Volterra). The method exhibits robustness to violations in model assumptions by using statistical filters to identify and remove corresponding samples. Benchmarking against 10 state-of-the-art correlation based methods showed that BEEM-Static can infer presence and directionality of ecological interactions even with relative abundance data (AUC-ROC>0.85), a task that other methods struggle with (AUC-ROC<0.63). In addition, BEEM-Static can tolerate a high fraction of samples (up to 40%) being not at steady state or coming from an alternate model. Applying BEEM-Static to a large public dataset of human gut microbiomes (n = 4,617) identified multiple stable equilibria that better reflect ecological enterotypes with distinct carrying capacities and interactions for key species.

Conclusion

BEEM-Static provides new opportunities for mining ecologically interpretable interactions and systems insights from the growing corpus of microbiome data.