bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Body in Pain and Pleasure
Authors: Bakhtvar Narges Montakhabi , Niknezhad-Ferdos Hoda
Published: October 2023

Women’s bodily experiences, radically stigmatized in Persian culture, have barely been approached in the literature of Iran. However, Rosa Jamali, an eminent postmodern poet in contemporary Iran, mobilizes her poetic palette with a phenomenological perception of pain and pleasure in the female body as a means of self-expression. For her, the female body can be portrayed via indirection and insinuation through which bodily dys-appearance (pain) and eu-appearance (pleasure) are invoked. Resonating with Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of “body-subject” alongside Farzaneh Milani’s “neotraditional feminism,” Jamali’s oeuvre conceptualizes the body of a Persian woman in proximity to deeply entrenched values in Persian culture so as to transgress them. By displaying a poetic performance of intercorporeality, Jamali encounters the inscrutable female body and draws it within the contours of manifold intersomatic connections with the surrounding world, cultural memories, and archetypal images.
The Political in Iraq’s Thawra Teshreen
Authors: Ali Zahra
Published: October 2023

This article explores the meaning and significance of the political in the October 2019 uprising in Iraq, commonly called Thawra Teshreen, through the lens of gender, space, and emancipation. It looks at the spatiality of the protests, considering both discursive and material dimensions and centering the experience of the gendered body. At the same time, it breaks with binary lenses of agency and resistance and with preconceived and universalist notions of rights and claims to representation. It proposes instead a situational understanding of power and subjectivation. The article analyzes the gendered and sexual dimensions of Thawra Teshreen and explores its discursive, material, and imaginary space production through the massive corporeal presence of protesters in the streets and their cybermobilization. It shows that protesters have put forward their own politics of life and death in mobilizing against the political, structural, and infrastructural forces of death that shape their experiences. It argues that women’s participation constitutes an emancipated subjectivation that goes beyond the identitarian.
Axons of cortical basket cells originating from dendrites develop higher local complexity than axons emerging from basket cell somata
Authors: Gonda Steffen , Riedel Christian , Reiner Andreas , Köhler Ina , Wahle Petra
Published: October 2023

Neuronal differentiation is regulated by neuronal activity. Here, we analyzed dendritic and axonal growth of Basket cells (BCs) and non-Basket cells (non-BCs) using sparse transfection of channelrhodopsin-YFP and repetitive optogenetic stimulation in slice cultures of rat visual cortex. Neocortical interneurons often display axon-carrying dendrites (AcDs). We found that the AcDs of BCs and non-BCs were, on average, the most complex dendrites. Further, the AcD configuration had an influence on BC axonal development. Axons originating from an AcD formed denser arborizations with more terminal endings within the dendritic field of the parent cell. Intriguingly, this occurred already in unstimulated BCs, and complexity was not increased further by optogenetic stimulation. However, optogenetic stimulation exerted a growth-promoting effect on axons emerging from BC somata. The axons of non-BCs neither responded to the AcD configuration nor to the optogenetic stimulation. The results suggest that the formation of locally dense BC plexuses is regulated by spontaneous activity. Moreover, in the AcD configuration, the AcD and the axon it carries mutually support each other's growth.
Structure and dynamics of the contractile vacuole complex in Tetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Cheng Chao-Yin , Romero Daniel P. , Zoltner Martin , Yao Meng-Chao , Turkewitz Aaron P.
Published: October 2023

The contractile vacuole complex (CVC) is a dynamic and morphologically complex membrane organelle, comprising a large vesicle (bladder) linked with a tubular reticulum (spongiome). CVCs provide key osmoregulatory roles across diverse eukaryotic lineages, but probing the mechanisms underlying their structure and function is hampered by the limited tools available for in vivo analysis. In the experimentally tractable ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, we describe four proteins that, as endogenously tagged constructs, localize specifically to distinct CVC zones. The DOPEY homolog Dop1p and the CORVET subunit Vps8Dp localize both to the bladder and spongiome but with different local distributions that are sensitive to osmotic perturbation, whereas the lipid scramblase Scr7p colocalizes with Vps8Dp. The H+-ATPase subunit Vma4 is spongiome specific. The live imaging permitted by these probes revealed dynamics at multiple scales including rapid exchange of CVC-localized and soluble protein pools versus lateral diffusion in the spongiome, spongiome extension and branching, and CVC formation during mitosis. Although the association with DOP1 and VPS8D implicate the CVC in endosomal trafficking, both the bladder and spongiome might be isolated from bulk endocytic input.
Cholesterol is required for activity-dependent synaptic growth
Authors: Shaheen Amber , Richter Gorey Claire L. , Sghaier Adam , Dason Jeffrey S.
Published: October 2023

Changes in cholesterol content of neuronal membranes occur during development and brain aging. Little is known about whether synaptic activity regulates cholesterol levels in neuronal membranes and whether these changes affect neuronal development and function. We generated transgenic flies that express the cholesterol-binding D4H domain of perfringolysin O toxin and found increased levels of cholesterol in presynaptic terminals of Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions following increased synaptic activity. Reduced cholesterol impaired synaptic growth and largely prevented activity-dependent synaptic growth. Presynaptic knockdown of adenylyl cyclase phenocopied the impaired synaptic growth caused by reducing cholesterol. Furthermore, the effects of knocking down adenylyl cyclase and reducing cholesterol were not additive, suggesting that they function in the same pathway. Increasing cAMP levels using a dunce mutant with reduced phosphodiesterase activity failed to rescue this impaired synaptic growth, suggesting that cholesterol functions downstream of cAMP. We used a protein kinase A (PKA) sensor to show that reducing cholesterol levels reduced presynaptic PKA activity. Collectively, our results demonstrate that enhanced synaptic activity increased cholesterol levels in presynaptic terminals and that these changes likely activate the cAMP-PKA pathway during activity-dependent growth.
Multi-omics reveals largely distinct transcript- and protein-level responses to the environment in an intertidal mussel
Authors: Gleason Lani U. , Fekete Florian J. , Tanner Richelle L. , Dowd W. Wesley
Published: October 2023

Organismal responses to stressful environments are influenced by numerous transcript- and protein-level mechanisms, and the relationships between expression changes at these levels are not always straightforward. Here, we used paired transcriptomic and proteomic datasets from two previous studies from gill of the California mussel, Mytilus californianus, to explore how simultaneous transcript and protein abundance patterns may diverge under different environmental scenarios. Field-acclimatized mussels were sampled from two disparate intertidal sites; individuals from one site were subjected to three further treatments (common garden, low-intertidal or high-intertidal outplant) that vary in temperature and feeding time. Assessing 1519 genes shared between the two datasets revealed that both transcript and protein expression patterns differentiated the treatments at a global level, despite numerous underlying discrepancies. There were far more instances of differential expression between treatments in transcript only (1451) or protein only (226) than of the two levels shifting expression concordantly (68 instances). Upregulated expression of cilium-associated transcripts (likely related to feeding) was associated with relatively benign field treatments. In the most stressful treatment, transcripts, but not proteins, for several molecular chaperones (including heat shock proteins and endoplasmic reticulum chaperones) were more abundant, consistent with a threshold model for induction of translation of constitutively available mRNAs. Overall, these results suggest that the relative importance of transcript- and protein-level regulation (translation and/or turnover) differs among cellular functions and across specific microhabitats or environmental contexts. Furthermore, the degree of concordance between transcript and protein expression can vary across benign versus acutely stressful environmental conditions.
Speed-specific optimal contractile conditions of the human soleus muscle from slow to maximum running speed
Authors: Bohm Sebastian , Mersmann Falk , Schroll Arno , Arampatzis Adamantios
Published: October 2023

The soleus is the main muscle for propulsion during human running but its operating behavior across the spectrum of physiological running speeds is currently unknown. This study experimentally investigated the soleus muscle activation patterns and contractile conditions for force generation, power production and efficient work production (i.e. force–length potential, force–velocity potential, power–velocity potential and enthalpy efficiency) at seven running speeds (3.0 m s−1 to individual maximum). During submaximal running (3.0–6.0 m s−1), the soleus fascicles shortened close to optimal length and at a velocity close to the efficiency maximum, two contractile conditions for economical work production. At higher running speeds (7.0 m s−1 to maximum), the soleus muscle fascicles still operated near optimum length, yet the fascicle shortening velocity increased and shifted towards the optimum for mechanical power production with a simultaneous increase in muscle activation, providing evidence for three cumulative mechanisms to enhance mechanical power production. Using the experimentally determined force–length–velocity potentials and muscle activation as inputs in a Hill-type muscle model, a reduction in maximum soleus muscle force at speeds ≥7.0 m s−1 and a continuous increase in maximum mechanical power with speed were predicted. The reduction in soleus maximum force was associated with a reduced force–velocity potential. The increase in maximum power was explained by an enhancement of muscle activation and contractile conditions until 7.0 m s−1, but mainly by increased muscle activation at high to maximal running speed.
Impact of Imaging-Guided Localization on Performance of Tailored Axillary Surgery in Patients with Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer: Prospective Cohort Study Within TAXIS (OPBC-03, SAKK 23/16, IBCSG 57-18, ABCSG-53, GBG 101)
Authors: Weber Walter P. , Heidinger Martin , Hayoz Stefanie , Matrai Zoltan , Tausch Christoph , Henke Guido , Zwahlen Daniel R. , Gruber Günther , Zimmermann Frank , Montagna Giacomo , Andreozzi Mariacarla , Goldschmidt Maite , Schulz Alexandra , Mueller Andreas , Ackerknecht Markus , Tampaki Ekaterini Christina , Bjelic-Radisic Vesna , Kurzeder Christian , Sávolt Ákos , Smanykó Viktor , Hagen Daniela , Müller Dieter J. , Gnant Michael , Loibl Sibylle , Fitzal Florian , Markellou Pagona , Bekes Inga , Egle Daniel , Heil Jörg , Knauer Michael
Published: October 2023

Background

Tailored axillary surgery (TAS) is a novel surgical concept for clinical node-positive breast cancer. It consists of the removal of the sentinel lymph nodes (LNs), as well as palpably suspicious nodes. The TAS technique can be utilized in both the upfront and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) setting. This study assessed whether/how imaging-guided localization (IGL) influenced TAS.

Patients and Methods

This was a prospective observational cohort study preplanned in the randomized phase-III OPBC-03/TAXIS trial. IGL was performed at the surgeon’s discretion for targeted removal of LNs during TAS. Immediate back-up axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) followed TAS according to TAXIS randomization.

Results

Five-hundred patients were included from 44 breast centers in six countries, 151 (30.2%) of whom underwent NACT. IGL was performed in 84.4% of all patients, with significant variation by country (77.6–100%, p < 0.001). No difference in the median number of removed (5 vs. 4, p = 0.3) and positive (2 vs. 2, p = 0.6) LNs by use of IGL was noted. The number of LNs removed during TAS with IGL remained stable over time (p = 0.8), but decreased significantly without IGL, from six (IQR 4–6) in 2019 to four (IQR 3–4) in 2022 (p = 0.015). An ALND was performed in 249 patients, removing another 12 (IQR 9–17) LNs, in which a median number of 1 (IQR 0–4) was positive. There was no significant difference in residual nodal disease after TAS with or without IGL (68.0% vs. 57.6%, p = 0.2).

Conclusions

IGL did not significantly change either the performance of TAS or the volume of residual nodal tumor burden.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03513614.
Beyond Teachers: Estimating Individual School Counselors’ Effects on Educational Attainment
Authors: Mulhern Christine
Published: October 2023

Counselors are a common school resource for students navigating complicated and consequential education choices. I estimate counselors’ causal effects using quasi-random assignment policies in Massachusetts. Counselors vary substantially in their effectiveness at increasing high school graduation and college attendance, selectivity, and persistence. Counselor effects on educational attainment are similar in magnitude to teacher effects, but they flow through improved information and assistance more than cognitive or noncognitive skill development. Counselor effectiveness is most important for low-income and low-achieving students, so improving access to effective counseling may be a promising way to increase educational attainment and close socioeconomic gaps in education. (JEL H75, I21, I24, I28)
Selection on Welfare Gains: Experimental Evidence from Electricity Plan Choice
Authors: Ito Koichiro , Ida Takanori , Tanaka Makoto
Published: October 2023

We study a problem in which policymakers need to screen self-selected individuals by unobserved heterogeneity in social welfare gains from a policy intervention. In our framework, the marginal treatment effects and marginal treatment responses arise as key statistics to characterize social welfare. We apply this framework to a randomized field experiment on electricity plan choice. Consumers were offered welfare-improving dynamic pricing with randomly assigned take-up incentives. We find that price-elastic consumers—who generate larger welfare gains—are more likely to self-select. Our counterfactual simulations quantify the optimal take-up incentives that exploit observed and unobserved heterogeneity in selection and welfare gains. (JEL C93, D12, L11, L94, L98)
Digital twin and its applications in the construction industry: A state-of-art systematic review
Authors: Su Shuaiming , Zhong Ray Y. , Jiang Yishuo
Published: October 2023

The construction industry has a great impact on social and economic development because of its wide coverage and a large number of stakeholders involved. It is precisely owing to its large volume that technological innovation of the construction industry is relatively slow. The birth and rapid development of digital twins brings more hope to the construction industry. This paper summarizes the current development of digital twin and its applications in construction industry. First, the concepts and applications of digital twin are analyzed. Then, the research on digital twins in the construction industry in the past five years is reviewed. The main research directions and key technologies are pointed out in the end. This paper could guide related practitioners to clearly grasp the research application status of digital twin in the construction industry. It could also help to find suitable research directions.
Identification of prognostic biomarkers of invasive ductal carcinoma by an integrated bioinformatics approach
Authors: Marrugo-Padilla Albeiro , Márquez-Lázaro Johana , Álviz-Amador Antistio
Published: October 2023

Background: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer (BC) worldwide. Nowadays, due to its heterogeneity and high capacity for metastasis, it is necessary to discover novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Therefore, this study aimed to identify novel candidate prognostic genes for IDC using an integrated bioinformatics approach. Methods: Three expression profile data sets were obtained from GEO (GSE29044, GSE3229, and GSE21422), from which differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were extracted for comparative transcriptome analysis of experimental groups (IDC versus control). Next, STRING was utilized to construct a protein interaction network with the shared DEGs, and MCODE and cytoHubba were used to identify the hub genes, which were then characterized using functional enrichment analysis in DAVID and KEGG. Finally, using the Kaplan-Meier tracer database, we determined the correlation between the expression of hub genes and overall survival in BC. Results: We identified seven hub genes (Kinesin-like protein KIF23 [KIF23], abnormal spindle-like microcephaly [ASPM]-associated protein [ASPMAP], Aurora kinase A [AURKA], Rac GTPase-activating protein 1 [RACGAP1], centromere protein F [CENPF], hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor [HMMR], and protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 [PRC1]), which were abundant in microtubule binding and tubulin binding, pathways linked to fundamental cellular structures including the mitotic spindle, spindle, microtubule, and spindle pole. The role of these genes in the pathophysiology of IDC is not yet well characterized; however, they have been associated with other common types of BC, modulating pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, chromosomal instability (CIN), PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and BRCA1 and BRCA2, playing an important role in its progression and being associated with a poor prognosis, thus representing a way to improve our understanding of the process of tumorigenesis and the underlying molecular events of IDC. Conclusions: Genes identified may lead to the discovery of new prognostic targets for IDC.
Dignity in the care of older adults living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities
Authors: Wachholz Patrick , Giacomin Karla
Published: October 2023

Depending on the fields and actors involved, dignity may involve, signify, and encompass different meanings. This fundamental right can be subjectively experienced and rooted in a person’s perception of being treated and cared for. Care refers to a set of specific activities combined in a complex life-sustaining network, including long-term Care, which involves various services designed to meet a person’s health or personal care needs. However, older residents’ human rights have been disrespected and widened the gaps between theory and practice regarding the precarious protection of their rights and dignity inside long-term facilities and nursing homes. This paper aims to discuss threats to dignity and elucidate some strategies to promote and conserve dignity in care, including the person-centered practice in long-term care. Some barriers to the dignity of older residents involve the organizational culture, restraints of time, heavy workload, burnout, and lack of partnership between the residents, their families, and the long-term care homes’ staff. Person-centered integrated care quality frameworks are core components of a good quality of care in these spaces in high-income countries. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how weak long-term care policies were and demonstrated that much progress in the dignity of care in long-term care facilities and nursing homes is needed. In low- and middle-income countries, long-term care policies do not accompany the accelerated and intense aging process, and there are other threats, like their invisibility to the public sector and the prejudices about this service model. It’s urgent to create strategies for designing and implementing sustainable and equitable long- term care systems based on a person-centered service with dignity to everyone who needs it.
Protocol for a scoping review of work system design in health care
Authors: Okunade Oladunni Sarah , Oladokun Victor O. , Iwu-Jaja Chinwe Juliana , Jaca Anelisa , Wiysonge Charles Shey
Published: October 2023

Background: Delivery of safe and reliable healthcare to patients and the healthcare workforce shortage amidst growing demand has been major challenge to the healthcare system. Addressing this challenge calls for designing or redesigning of healthcare work system. Work system design which is usually associated with productivity in manufacturing offers a wide spectrum of applicability in addressing this challenge of healthcare system. Despite the availability of primary studies on work system design in healthcare, there are sparse published reviews in specific contexts. This scoping review explores the existing evidence to understand the state of the art of work system design in healthcare. Methods: The scoping review adopts the methodology of Joanna Briggs Institute for scoping review which is based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley. The search will be done on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for the identification of eligible studies. A grey literature search will also be performed. A two-phase screening and extraction of data will be done by two independent reviewers. Data extraction will be done on a pre-piloted data extraction form. The findings will be presented in tables, figures, and a narrative summary. The scoping review will highlight the state of the art, gaps in knowledge and provide directions for future research. Ethics and dissemination: This is a scoping review of primary studies and therefore ethical approval is not required. The report of the findings will be presented in line with the PRISMA reporting guidelines for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal for publication and presented at relevant conferences.
Comparative evaluation of pH and Ca+ ion release from MTA on interaction with platelet-rich fibrin and blood clot: an in vitro study
Authors: Khatri Sonia , Mathew Sylvia , Nagaraja Shruthi , Hegde Swaroop , Ghosh Soumyadeep , Ravichandran Kavimalar
Published: October 2023

Background: ‘Regenerative endodontics’ using host-derived scaffolds and biomaterials (MTA) is popular in the management of teeth with open apex. Alkaline pH and bioactivity contribute to tissue healing and remineralization. We assessed the influence of PRF and Blood Clot on the pH and Ca+ ion release from MTA. Methods: A total of 15 single-rooted human extracted teeth were sectioned at the level of the cementoenamel junction. Based on the type of scaffolds used, samples were divided into three groups. Group 1 (MTA+ PRF), Group 2 (MTA + Blood Clot), Group 3 (control MTA). The prepared specimens were transferred to a fresh falcon tube containing 10mL of distilled water and the collected solutions were analysed for pH and Ca+ ion release at 3h, seventh day and 14th day. Results: It was observed that the mean pH and Ca+ ion release were significantly lower in the experimental groups as compared to the control group. Though there was an increase in the pH recorded in Group 1 and 2 at all time periods, the difference was not significant. Ca+ ion release peaked at Day 7 (Group3 > Group2 > Group1) and reduced significantly on the 14th day for all groups. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, it can be concluded that PRF and blood clot influence the pH and Ca+ ion release from MTA.
Case Report: A prenatal diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta in a patient with a novel pathogenic variant in COL1A2
Authors: Peláez Chomba Melissa Sindy , Vásquez Gómez Guillermo Raúl , Sullcahuaman Allende Yasser Ciro , Mendoza Fernández Julio Cesar , Purizaca Rosillo Nelson David , Zevallos Alejandra , Cruzate Cabrejos Vicente Leandro
Published: October 2023

Osteogenesis imperfecta is considered a rare genetic condition which is characterized by bone fragility. In 85% of cases, it is caused by mutations in COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes which are essential to produce type I collagen. We report the case of a female neonate delivered to a 27-year-old women at San Bartolomé Teaching Hospital with a family history of clavicle fracture. A prenatal control with ultrasound was performed to the mother at 29 weeks. A fetus with altered morphology and multiple fractures was found. Therefore, a prenatal diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta was performed. The neonate was born with a respiratory distress syndrome and an acyanotic congenital heart disease. Therefore, she remained in NICU until her death. We highlight the importance of prenatal diagnosis, genetic counseling and a multidisciplinary evaluation in this type of pathologies and report a new probably pathogenic variant in the COL1A2 gene detected by exomic sequencing in amniotic fluid.
Implementing patient-centred outcome measures in palliative care clinical practice for adults (IMPCOM): Protocol for an update systematic review of facilitators and barriers
Authors: Antunes Bárbara , Barclay Stephen , Kuhn Isla , Eagar Kathy , Bausewein Claudia , Murtagh Fliss , Etkind Simon , Bowers Ben , Dixon Sarah , Lovick Roberta , Harding Richard , Higginson Irene , Shokraneh Dr Farhad
Published: October 2023

Background: Despite the development of patient-centred or patient-reported outcome measures (PCOMs or PROMs) in palliative and end-of-life care over recent years, their routine use in practice faces continuing challenges. Objective: To update a highly cited literature review, identify and synthesise new evidence on facilitators, barriers, lessons learned, PCOMs used, models of implementation, implementation outcomes, costs, and consequences of implementing PCOMs in palliative care clinical practice. Methods: We will search MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, Emcare, SCI-Expanded, SSCI, ESCI, and BNI. The database search will be supplemented by a list of studies from the expert advisory committee, hand-searching of reference lists for included articles, and citations of the original review. We will include primary studies using a PCOM during clinical care of adult patients with advanced disease in palliative care settings and extract data on reported models of implementation, PCOMs, facilitators, barriers, lessons learned, costs, and implementation outcomes. Gough’s Weight of Evidence Framework will be used to assess the robustness and relevance of the studies. We will narratively synthesise and tabulate the findings. This review will follow PRISMA, PRISMA-Abstract, PRISMA-P, and PRISMA-Search as the reporting guidelines. Source of funding: Marie Curie. The funder is not involved in designing or conducting this study. Protocol registration: CRD42023398653 (13/02/2023)
Isolation, morphological characterization, and screening a virulence of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium robertsii as bioagents
Authors: Geremew Dereje , Shiberu Tadale , Leta Ararsa
Published: October 2023

Background: Entomopathogenic fungi exists naturally in plants as an asymptote and has the potential to reduce the population of insect pests through indirect interactions. This study was conducted to detect and characterize the endophytic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium robertsii from the rhizosphere soil of tomato plants and their virulence effect on Galleria melonella. Methods: From the rhizosphere soil of 40 tomato fields, three Beauveria bassiana and seven Metarhizium robertsii isolates were identified using the galleria bait method. All fungi isolates were morphologically characterized by their colony color, shape, and surface texture. Isolates with the highest percentages of germination, conidial yield, and radial growth were selected, and their pathogenicity was evaluated on second instar larvae of Galleria melonella under laboratory conditions. Results: In this study, Beauveria bassiana showed white colony color and aseptate hyphae, whereas Metarhizium robertsii showed dark green to light green colony color and septate hyphal structures. Maximum spore production and conidial length were obtained by Beauveria bassiana isolate APPRC-27 with 2.67x107 spores ml-1 and 3.24 µm, respectively. Colony radial growth rates ranged from 1.73 to 3.24 mm day-1. The results revealed that the highest mortality rate of Galleria melonella (100%) was obtained by Metarhizium robertsii isolates K-61 and K-102 at a concentration of 1x108 conidial ml-1 at 7 days post-inoculation. The lowest mortality rate was registered by Metarhizium robertsii isolate RST-11. Conclusions: In the present study, isolates that produced the most spores and had the highest germination rates were the most virulent to Galleria mellonella second instar larvae. Therefore, virulent entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium robertsii, are promising bioagents for the control of pests.
Association between the risk perception of contracting COVID-19 and sociodemographic characteristics in a Peruvian population
Authors: Zeladita-Huaman Jhon Alex , Esteban-Espinoza David , Lozada-Urbano Michelle , Franco Chalco Eduardo , Costa Marcelo Fernandes , Castillo-Parra Henry
Published: October 2023

Background: The perception of risk regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been widely researched due to its association with the adoption of preventive measures. In addition, since the onset of vaccination, it has been reported that the population perceives a lower risk of getting infected. However, few studies have analyzed the factors associated with risk perception in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the risk perception of contracting COVID-19 and sociodemographic characteristics in Peruvian population. Methods: An analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in four cities in Peru from October to December, 2021. The sample consisted of 821 individuals aged 18 years and older. A virtual questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and assess the risk perception of contracting coronavirus based on the Health Belief Model. The process of back-translation, expert judgment, and reliability analysis using split-half correlation was conducted. Student’s t-tests, analysis of variance with post hoc Tukey’s test, and Spearman’s correlation were employed. Results: Of the participants, 53.71% were women and 73.3% had a higher education level, 45.55% are self-employed, and 40.44% did not have a family member infected with COVID-19. The risk perception of COVID-19 infection was associated with participants’ family antecedent of COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Regarding the factors analyzed, perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 was associated with age (p=0.002), occupation (p<0.05), and a history of COVID-19 (p<0.05), while the perceived benefits of adopting preventive measures against this disease were associated with educational level (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The risk perception of contracting COVID-19 was higher among whose had multiple infected relatives.. Furthermore, the perception of susceptibility and the perceived benefits of using preventive measures were associated with sociodemographic characteristics.
Relationship between benzene concentration, MDA levels and kidney function in car painting workshops in Surabaya: A cross-sectional observational study
Authors: Tualeka Abdul Rohim , Aziz Mohd Yusmaidie , Perumal Velu , Thamaraikani Tamilanban , Rosnon Roslan , Novianti Salsabila , Rahmawati Pudji , Ahsan Ahsan
Published: October 2023

Background Car painting workers are at risk because of the use of solvents containing benzene as the main ingredient in the car painting process. One of the clinical effects of systemic benzene is kidney disorders. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between benzene and Risk Quotient (RQ) benzene concentrations with Malondialdehyde (MDA), Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels in workers exposed to benzene in car painting workshops in Surabaya. Methods This is an observational, cross-sectional study conducted at two car painting workshops in Surabaya that use benzene as a solvent in their production process, namely in industries in Kalijudan and Jemursari. The research sample was taken using the accidental sampling method and as many as 30 respondents were involved in this study. The variables studied included benzene concentration, RQ benzene, MDA levels, and kidney function (BUN and creatinine levels). Analysis of the data used is a descriptive and bivariate analysis using the Pearson correlation test. Results There was no significant relationship between concentrations, RQ benzene, and MDA levels in workers in painting in Surabaya (p> 0.05). There was no significant relationship between benzene concentration, BUN levels, and creatinine levels in paint workers in Surabaya (p> 0.05). There was no significant relationship between benzene RQ and BUN and creatinine levels in paint workers in Surabaya (p> 0.05). Conclusions The results of this study indicate that the effects of benzene do not lead to impaired kidney function. The benzene RQ variable in this study did not become a determining factor in BUN and creatinine levels in workers.
Out-of-plane performance of structurally and energy retrofitted masonry walls: geopolymer versus cement-based textile-reinforced mortar combined with thermal insulation
Authors: Cholostiakow Szymon , Skyrianou Ioanna , Koutas Lampros , Papakonstantinou Christos
Published: October 2023

This paper examines the out-of-plane performance of masonry walls (representative of infills in reinforced concrete frames) which have been upgraded with an outer skin of integrated structural and an energy retrofitting system. The benefits of such an integrated system are mainly cost-related. Nevertheless, before moving to full-scale applications, additional benefits to the structural performance need to be investigated. In this study, the examined configurations of this composite system comprised either thermal insulation boards bonded directly to the wall followed by layers of textile-reinforced mortar (TRM), or thermal insulation boards bonded in-between two TRM layers. Other than the retrofitting layers configuration, the following parameters were also investigated: a) the binder type (cement-based versus geopolymer-based mortars), and b) the textile type (open mesh glass fibre textile versus basalt fibre textile). The results of this experimental study are discussed in terms of failure modes, post-cracking stiffness and ultimate capacities. Overall, this study highlights the mechanical benefits of the TRM plus thermal insulation system while providing insights on the bond performance between the different materials selected. An important finding is that the integrated system is even more effective than a standard TRM application. Finally, the geopolymer mortar seems to be equivalent in terms of performance to the commercially available cement-based mortars.
Influencia del liderazgo ético sobre la cultura organizacional ética. Estudio de caso en una organización colombiana
Authors: Correa Meneses Juan Sebastián , Rodríguez Córdoba María del Pilar , Pantoja Ospina Martín Alonso
Published: October 2023

Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación que buscó explicar la forma en que los líderes éticos pueden influir en el desarrollo y sostenimiento de la cultura organizacional ética. Los resultados mostraron que esta influencia puede ser explicada asociando el comportamiento característico de los líderes éticos con la implementación de los mecanismos primarios de incorporación, con un enfoque ético, siendo este un enfoque poco explorado y con una aplicación limitada en el contexto de la ética organizacional. Dichos resultados se obtuvieron mediante el diseño de un modelo que representa cómo los mecanismos primarios apoyan la existencia de un conjunto de características que posibilitan la existencia de una cultura organizacional ética. Dicho modelo fue contrastado con la realidad mediante un estudio de caso en el Instituto para Niños Ciegos y Sordos del Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Se concluye que existe una variedad de comportamientos, decisiones, intereses, actitudes y formas de pensar y reaccionar, características de un líder ético, a través de las cuales estos pueden transmitir mensajes hacia la cultura organizacional, capaces de influir sobre el comportamiento ético de sus colaboradores.
Successful management of severe bupropion toxicity with lipid emulsion therapy: a complex case report and literature review
Authors: Eid Fahad , Takla Andrew , Eid Mohamed Magdi , Najim Mostafa , Mostafa Mostafa Reda
Published: October 2023

This case report presents the management of a 53-year-old female with a complex psychiatric history who ingested multiple medications, resulting in severe cardiovascular compromise and subsequent respiratory failure. The patient’s ingestion included clonidine, fluoxetine, gabapentin, quetiapine and bupropion. Initial treatment involved supportive measures, including fluid resuscitation, bicarbonate infusion and correction of electrolyte imbalances. Despite these interventions, the patient remained haemodynamically unstable, requiring multiple vasopressors. Lipid emulsion therapy was initiated and led to a remarkable improvement in the patient’s cardiovascular status. However, she developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and required prolonged mechanical ventilation. Steroid therapy was initiated to manage the ARDS, and the patient was successfully extubated on day 6. The case highlights the potential effectiveness of lipid emulsion therapy in managing bupropion toxicity, but emphasises the need for further research to establish clear guidelines on dosing, timing and safety protocols. Adverse effects associated with lipid emulsion therapy must be carefully considered. Individualised decision-making and patient-centred care is crucial in optimising outcomes in cases of bupropion toxicity.
EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF A NOVEL MAGNETIC POLE REPULSIVE PASSIVE DAMPER FOR VIBRATION CONTROL
Authors:   Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Department of Civil Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Sathish Kumar Saran , Vijayakumar Amudhan ,   Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Department of Civil Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Cruze Daniel ,   Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Department of Civil Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Kasaram Hemnath ,   Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Department of Civil Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Published: October 2023

This article presents a novel magnetic pole repulsive damper (MPRD) incorporating neodymium magnetic repulsive blocks and springs. The study explores the mechanical properties of the springs and magnetic blocks through numerical simulations using ANSYS and experimental evaluation. To gain deeper insights into the behaviour of the MPRD, an accurate and high-fidelity finite element model was developed. The evaluation process involved a comprehensive comparison between the numerical simulations and experimental tests, explicitly focusing on cyclic compression–tension forces. The study encompassed the functioning, design implications, fabrication technique, mechanical performance, and numerical simulation for the cyclic compression–tension forces of the MPRD. The cyclic compression–tension tests revealed a gradual increase in force, with the MPRD achieving an ultimate force of 2,877 kN. The MPRD exhibited robust hysteresis behaviour in cyclic loading, showing its capacity to undergo and uphold the stability of the combination of its materials. The cyclic compression–tension results indicated the maximum force carrying capability of the damper. This resilience implies its full reusability in such scenarios. The comparison between cyclic compression–tension tests confirmed the alignment between the numerical simulation and experimental investigation.
Single photon compressive imaging with enhanced quality using an untrained neural network
Authors: Wang Yuhan , Kong Lingbao
Published: October 2023

Traditional single photon compressive imaging has poor imaging quality. Although the method of deep learning can alleviate the problem, the harsh training sets have become a problem. In this paper, an untrained neural network is used to address this problem. A whole imaging system was established, and simulation studies based on the Monte Carlo method have been undertaken. The results show that the proposed method has improved the image quality and solved the troublesome training sets problem while ensuring imaging speed. At the same time, the discussion of input pictures, imaging type, and anti-noise capability provide a way to prove CNN’s tendency to natural images. It is also found that the network changes the sensitivity of the system to the photon numbers. The research work will provide some basis for subsequent study on single compressive photon imaging and untrained neural networks.
Diffraction efficiency analysis of dual-layer diffractive elements with oblique incident angles
Authors: Yang Hongfang
Published: October 2023

This paper proposes a method that combines the effective area method and the oblique factors to analyze and design dual-layer diffractive optical elements at large incident angles. The method considers the effects of shadow and shield on the diffraction efficiency, as well as the correction of phase delay due to oblique incidence. The relationships among the diffraction efficiency, incident wavelengths, incident angles and period widths were analyzed with our method. A detailed comparison of the proposed method with the scalar diffraction theory is presented. The method was validated by numerical simulations of vector diffraction theory and showed similar diffraction efficiency distributions at different wavelengths and incident angles. The method provides a simple and efficient way to design and apply DLDOEs.
Time-delay signature suppression of the chaotic signal in a semiconductor laser based on optoelectronic hybrid feedback
Authors: Xu Ziwei , Tian Huan , Zeng Zhen , Zhang Lingjie , Zhang Yali , Zou Xinhai , Zhang Zhiyao , Zhang Shangjian , Li Heping , Liu Yong
Published: October 2023

An approach to generating chaotic signals with low time-delay signatures (TDSs) from a semiconductor laser (SCL) is proposed and demonstrated based on optoelectronic hybrid feedback. Through using a chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) to provide distributed feedback, a chaotic signal with a low TDS is generated from the SCL. With the assistance of the nonlinear optoelectronic feedback provided by a microwave photonic link, the relaxation oscillation effect in the SCL is effectively suppressed, and the periodicity of the oscillation is greatly weakened. Hence, the TDS of the generated chaotic signal from the SCL is further suppressed, and the effective bandwidth is enlarged. Both simulation and experiment are carried out to verify the feasibility of the proposed scheme to suppress the TDS. In the experiment, a chaotic signal with a large effective bandwidth of 12.93 GHz, an extremely high permutation entropy (PE) of 0.9983, and a low TDS of 0.04, is generated by using a CFBG with a dispersion coefficient of 22.33 ps/nm. This TDS value is at the same level as that obtained by using the SCL-based scheme relying solely on distributed feedback in a CFBG with a dispersion coefficient of 2000 ps/nm.
Parameter optimization method for light field 3D display
Authors: Ma Haowen , Yao Junhui , Gao Yuqing , Liu Juan
Published: October 2023

A parameter optimization method for light field three-dimensional (3D) display is proposed to improve the performance of integral imaging (InI) and super multi-view (SMV) display. The parameters of light field display are divided into system parameters and display parameters. The multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to optimize the system parameters so that the display parameters can reach the target values. The influence of all display parameters on the imaging quality of light field 3D display are comprehensively considered. When the weight of the depth of field (DOF) and field of view (FOV) are set to the maximum, the DOF and FOV are respectively improved compared with the original display parameters. By setting the weight of resolution to the maximum, the image quality of InI and SMV is improved by 32% and 21%, respectively.
Single-shot observation of nonlinear pulse splitting in a Kerr medium
Authors: Chang Yen-Yu , Gulley Jeremy R. , Li Zhengyan , Welch James , Zgadzaj Rafal , Bernstein Aaron , Downer M. C.
Published: October 2023

We report single-shot, time-resolved observation of self-steepening and temporal splitting of near-infrared, 50 fs, micro-joule pulses propagating nonlinearly in flint (SF11) glass. A coherent, smooth-profiled, 60-nm-bandwidth probe pulse that propagated obliquely to the main pulse through the Kerr medium recorded a time sequence of longitudinal projections of the main pulse’s induced refractive index profile in the form of a phase-shift “streak,” in which frequency–domain interferometry recovered with ∼10 fs temporal resolution. A three-dimensional simulation based on a unidirectional pulse propagation equation reproduced observed pulse profiles.
Near-infrared radiation induced attenuation in nested anti-resonant nodeless fibers
Authors: Medaer Sacha E. R. , Bradley Thomas D. , Di Francesca Diego , Fu Qiang , Jasion Gregory , Kuhnhenn Jochen , Meroli Stefano , Poletti Francesco , Schmauss Bernhard , Taranta Austin , Vidiajev Konstantin , Weinand Udo , Wheeler Natalie V. , Wolf Raphael , Ricci Daniel
Published: October 2023

This Letter reports the first, to the best of our knowledge, spectral radiation induced attenuation (RIA) measurements of nested anti-resonant nodeless hollow-core fibers (NANFs). A 5-tube NANF, alongside a solid-core single-mode radiation resistant fiber (SM-RRF), was irradiated under γ-ray up to 101 kGy (
Si

O
2) and under x-ray up to 241 kGy (
Si

O
2). No RIA was observed in the NANF in the second half of the O-band, the S-band, the C-band, and the L-band. The NANF showed a reduction of absorption bands associated with water and
HCl
under irradiation. Three new attenuation peaks were radiolytically induced and are attributed to the creation of
HN

O
3. These peaks are centered respectively at 1441 nm, 1532 nm, and 1628 nm, with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of, respectively, 10 nm, 12 nm, and 12 nm. These results demonstrate that the wide bandwidth range of NANFs is essentially unaffected by radiation, but the internal gas contents of the NANF must be managed to avoid producing undesirable spectral features through radiolytic reactions. Wide spectral regions almost unaffected by the ionizing radiation could open new possibilities for the use of NANF in harsh radiation environments.
589 nm yellow laser pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked Alexandrite laser producing sub-50 fs pulses
Authors: Wang Chunhua , Khurgin Jacob B. , Yu Huakang
Published: October 2023

We report a femtosecond Kerr-lens mode-locked (KLM) Alexandrite laser resonantly pumped by a 589 nm yellow laser. The 4 nJ pulses as short as 42 fs were obtained corresponding to a peak power of 100 kW. With the repetition rate of 104 MHz, the average power of 420 mW was attained. The time-bandwidth product of generated laser pulse was measured to be 0.324 with a beam quality factor of M2 ≤ 1.13. The exceptional performance of visible femtosecond laser may find potential applications in various fields.