bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in North Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Farhane Hamid , Motrane Majida , Anaibar Fatima-Ezzahra , Motrane Aïcha , Abeid Said Nassor , Harich Nourdin
Published: January 2024

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial disorder characterized by the aggregation of various metabolic disorders, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypoHDLemia and hypertension. In addition to environmental influences, genetic factors can play a major role in the development of MetS. Objective: The present bibliographic review aims to examine the contribution of candidate gene polymorphisms to MetS susceptibility in North African populations. Methods: A systematic review search was conducted to identify pertinent articles published on Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science from their inception to August 2, 2023 to obtain all reported genetic data related to MetS in North African populations. Results: According to the literature search strategy, 785 articles were initially obtained from the cited databases, and 15 more papers were found utilizing other sources. Following the filtering procedure, 25 papers totalising 3925 cases and 4431 controls were included, from which only 13 were eligible for meta-analysis. The meta-analysis results suggest that the genetic cumulative risk of developing MetS was substantially influenced by four polymorphisms, including APOA5 (rs3135506 and rs662799), APOC3 (rs5128), and FTO (rs9939609), while the vaspin polymorphism (rs2236242) was reported to play a protective role from MetS. Furthermore, no significant association was observed between rs1169288, rs2464196, and rs735396 polymorphisms at HNF1A gene and MetS development. A narrative synthesis of association studies revealed that a multitude of candidate genes is associated with MetS components. In all included studies, 14 polymorphisms were linked to obesity, and 13 polymorphisms were associated with hyperglycemia. The association of hypertension with polymorphisms represents the lowest number, with only seven polymorphisms associated with this MetS component. In the other hand, studies about MetS in North Africa considering the genetic association of candidate genes with dyslipidemia component represents the highest number with 20 polymorphisms in approximately 14 genes. Conclusion: The present meta-analysis suggests that four polymorphisms, namely rs3135506 and rs662799 at APOA5 gene, rs5128 at APOC3 and rs9939609 at FTO, contributed significantly to the MetS risk susceptibility, via their association with some MetS components as dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, obesity, and hypertension. Nevertheless, we can state that genetic association and genetic susceptibility studies to MetS in North African populations are still lacking, requiring additional well-designed epidemiogenetic studies.
A Comprehensive Review on Strategies to Detect, Diagnose and Classify Brain Tumors
Authors: Lather Mansi , Singh Parvinder
Published: January 2024

Brain tumor is one of the most prevalent and life-threatening illness these days. A tumor is an aberrant mass of tissue caused by unrestrained cell proliferation and multiplication. It is important to detect and diagnose brain tumors at the early stages. For disease diagnosis at an initial stage, there is a high demand for accurate analysis of healthcare data. But tumors vary greatly in size, shape, and existence, making it extremely difficult to collect precise measurements in order to properly diagnose them. Digital image processing enacts a crucial role in the analysis of medical images for timely and efficient planning of treatment. This paper provides an insight into brain tumors, the mechanism involved in their detection along with the different image processing steps that can be applied to medical images for automating the brain tumor detection process. This paper reviews a significant number of recently proposed brain tumor detection techniques related to the current study along with their tabulated comparison. This work can help in designing a solution that provides different applications such as detection, localization, or identifying the type of tumor under a single model.
Antibacterial Activity of Crude Aqueous Extracts of Tithonia Diversifolia from Chichiri Area in Blantyre District, Malawi.
Authors: Dzinjalamala* Fraction K. , Lwanda Daniellah , Pelusi Getrude , Mphanga Maisha , Mbalule Felix , Makocho Paul , Mandala Wilson , Madanitsa Mwaiwawo , Chigwechokha Petros , Bandawe Gama
Published: January 2024

Background: The global challenge of antimicrobial resistance has spurred scientific research efforts to find alternative sources of new antibiotics. The ethnopharmacological importance of Tithonia diversifolia is well-known. Objective: The present study’s aim was to evaluate the in vitro activity of crude aqueous leaf, stem and root extracts of locally growing Tithonia diversifolia against the clinical bacterial isolates: E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. mirabilis. Methods: To obtain antibacterial activity data, the Broth macrodilution testing and Zone of inhibition Kirby-Bauer approaches were used. Results: Estimated diameters of zone of inhibition showed leaf extracts of Tithonia diversifolia had significantly greater antibacterial activity (19.5 ± 3.9 mm, 95% CI: 15.4 - 23.6 mm) than stem (15.2 ± 2.0 mm, 95% CI: 13.0 - 17.3 mm, p = 0.021) or root extracts (15.0 ± 2.1 mm, 95% CI: 12.8 - 17.2 mm, p=0.019). K. pneumoniae was the most susceptible isolate to growth inhibition by extracts from all plant parts. In broth macrodilution testing, leaf extracts exhibited greater potency on all study isolates compared to stem and root extracts. Conclusion: These findings support the traditional use of Tithonia diversifolia decoctions and infusions in infectious processes that are due to these pathogens and further strengthens recommendations for additional work to isolate and characterize the bioactive chemical compounds responsible for the observed antibacterial properties of the plant.
Safety Evaluation of Amaranth Extract by Acute, Sub-Chronic and Chronic Exposure in Rats
Authors: Krishnamurthy Praveen Thaggikuppe , Benny Merina , Antony Benny , Kuruvilla Binu T , Gupta Nishant Kumar
Published: January 2024

Amaranth is one of the popularly grown leafy vegetables in tropical regions globally and contains a large amount of nitrate. The present study's objective was evaluation of acute and repeated dose toxicity of amaranth extract as per the OECD guidelines. The acute oral toxicity was conducted in 6 female rats (150-170 g; 8-10 Weeks old) as per OECD 423 guidelines. The amaranth extract had no adverse/toxic effects and no mortality was noted at the dose of 2000mg/kg. The oral LD50, therefore, was considered greater than 2000mg/kg. The sub-chronic (28-day repeated dose) toxicity was studied in 40 rats (150-170 g; 8-10 Weeks old) as per OECD 407 guidelines whereas chronic (365-days repeated dose) toxicity study was conducted in 200 rats (150-170 g; 8-10 Weeks old) as per OECD 452 guidelines. Sub-chronic study confirmed the safety of amaranth extract at the highest dose of 1000 mg/kg/day. The 1000 mg/kg in rats was considered as NOEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level). The chronic toxicity study established a NOEL of 180 mg/kg in rats. In the repeated dose toxicity studies, body weight, food consumption, blood profile, biochemistry parameters and histopathology of major organs were similar in test and control groups. The current study results indicated that amaranth extract was safe upon acute, sub-chronic and chronic administration in rats, under testing conditions and at dose levels employed.
Impact of Counseling based Edu Vaccine on the Control and Prevention of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Kumari Girija , Singh Vikram , Chakraborty Sayantan , Gujral Tanya , Gupta Aparna , Dalal Koustuv
Published: January 2024

Background: Millions of people throughout the world are affected by the coronavirus outbreak brought on by the pandemic Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), which is the first significant human catastrophe in history. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of counseling based Edu Vaccine on prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This pre and post designed, prospective, study was conducted in different states of India using an online survey. A 30-items questionnaire as an instrument was sent to 1597 potential responders. The responded participants were enrolled as study participants and divided into counseling and non-counseling groups. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi-square test was used to assess the level of association among variables and independent t-test was used to compare participants’ demographic and socioeconomic measurements. Results: Out of 1597 only 829 participants responded and completed the survey questionnaire. At baseline, half of the population found that the symptoms of COVID include fever, cough and trouble breathing, but after the counseling a significant change was observed (p<0.001) in the counseling group. 91.7% population were agreed that social distancing, maintain hygiene and public awareness can help to control the community spread or 3rd stage of COVID-19. Around 96 % of the population in the counseling group was aware of the preventive measures recommended by WHO to avoid COVID-19 infection after the counseling. Conclusion: A significant improvement was observed in general population’s the knowledge levels regarding COVID-19 and its preventive measures. We observed that people were aware of COVID-19 and preventive masseurs but they do not adhere so there is an urgent need to continuous educational campaigns with follow-ups that target less-educated, lower-income population and further studies are warranted.
CD56 Expression on Natural Killer Cells and its Correlation with Clinical Outcomes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Irawan Hendry
Published: January 2024

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity can grow quickly and the response to therapy in each patient is different. The immune system plays a major role in the development of cancer cells, especially in SCC of the oral cavity. Natural killer cells (NK cells) play a major role in both innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Objective: To evaluation CD56 expression on NK cells and the correlation with clinical outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: We collect the literature from Journal, Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, Crossref, and Google Scholar. CD56 expression was examined by immunohistochemical staining in cancer tissue. On each slide, the number of positive stained cells was read on 5 high power fields (HPF) 400x, then the number of cells stained on each HPF was added up and section 5. Cells with positive CD56 showed brown staining in the intracytoplasm regardless of the intensity of the staining. Results: High CD56 expression was associated with good overall survival (OS) (HR 0.27; 95%CI 0.12-0.60; p=0.001), good progression-free survival (PFS). (HR 0.35; 95%CI 0.17-0.74; p=0.005), and good distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (HR 0.27; 95%CI 0.13-0.55; p=0.0004) in head and neck SCC. Other study in oropharyngeal SCC, that high CD56 expression had good OS (HR 0.32; 95%CI 0.10-0.96; p=0.04). The meta-analysis study showed that the CD56 marker on NK cell was a good prognostic marker for OS in head and neck SCC (HR 0.19, 95%CI 0.11-0.35, p<0.00001). Conclusion: NK cells with CD56 expression will increase cytotoxic function. The presence of CD56 can increase infiltration into tumor tissue. Based on these data, CD56 on NK cells can be used as an indicator of cancer prognosis in patients with SCC of the oral cavity. Apart from that, it can be used as an immunotherapy target which functions to restore the immune response against cancer cells.
Whole Genome Sequence for Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate from Burn Skin
Authors: Al-Saadi Namariq , A. Radhi Ohood , Hashim Ali Adnan
Published: January 2024

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a type of gram-negative bacterium that was initially discovered and isolated by Carl Friedlander in the year 1882. Klebsiella pneumoniae is responsible for a range of nosocomial and community-acquired illnesses, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, surgical site infections, and bloodstream infections. According to a number of studies, gram-negative sepsis ranks as the second most prevalent cause. A comprehensive analysis of the entire genome of Klebsiella pneumoniae was conducted using Illumina sequencing by synthesis (SBS) technology, specifically the Illumina HiSeq platform. The genetic material of the organism was comprised of a single circular chromosome of three thousand base pairs in length, exhibiting a GC content of 55.90%. In total, the genome exhibited a collective count of 164 genes associated with transfer RNA, 9 genes associated with ribosomal RNA, and 11,132 protein-coding sequences. Moreover, the analysis of genetic diversity entailed the application of sequence data, which was then compared to the reference genome that shared the highest degree of similarity. The genome annotation service offered by PATRIC and the RAST annotation system have successfully detected many antimicrobial resistance elements, clusters of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, as well as efflux pumps. This study represents the first known case of conducting a comprehensive genome sequencing of Klebsiella pneumoniae within the geographic area of Iraq, based on our current knowledge. The current investigation holds potential for advancing our comprehension of the antibiotic resistance traits demonstrated by Klebsiella pneumoniae, therefore enabling the healthcare facility to efficiently handle and alleviate outbreaks.
Study of Serum Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients
Authors: Sajeed Shaik , R Shetkar Nagaraj
Published: January 2024

Introduction: A myocardial infarction happens when blood flow stops or decreases to the coronary arteries of the myocardial muscle, resulting in damage to the heart muscle. Magnesium is important electrolyte plays vital role in suppressing arrhythmias during myocardial ischemia and during reperfusion. Potassium is the most abundant cation of intracellular fluid. A significant correlation between hypokalemia and ventricular fibrillation is recorded. Calcium plays a vital role in myocardial muscle contraction. Aim: To study serum levels of magnesium, potassium and calcium in acute myocardial infarction patients. Material and methods: This was a prospective case control study conducted in Prathima Institute of medical sciences Nagunur, Karimnagar, Telangana state, India between January 2015 to December 2015. A total 50 acute myocardial infarction patients and 50 normal age and sex matched healthy controls selected for study. Serum magnesium estimated by colorimetric xylidyl blue complex method, serum potassium estimated by ion selective electrode method and serum calcium by OCPC method. Statistical analysis carried out using statistical software SPSS version 16 and p-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Serum levels of magnesium, potassium and calcium were significantly decreased in acute myocardial infarction patients when compared healthy controls and is statistically significant (<0.05) Conclusion: The above study suggested decreased serum level of key elements such as magnesium, potassium and calcium in acute myocardial infarction patients when compared to healthy controls. Estimation and correction of these elements may play a pivotal role in management of patients with acute myocardial infarction
BIOPHYSIT: A Novel Biophysical Profile Database for Fetal Stress Measurement in High-Risk Pregnancies
Authors: Maraikkayar S M Seeni Mohamed Aliar , Tamilselvi R , Beham M Parisa
Published: January 2024

Pregnancy is a time of change. Stress during pregnancy can increase the chances of having a premature baby or a low birth weight baby. Any unusual changes in the heart rate of the baby in the uterus can be examined using Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM). Over the past decades, enormous devices and methods have been developed for EFM. Few devices are invasive and few are non-invasive in nature, larger in size, and high in cost. The main parameter needed to be analyzed during pregnancy is the stress in the fetus as well as the mother. For fetal stress monitoring, two main tests have been used such as CTG (Cardiotocography) and BPP (Biophysical Profile). The BPP test is very important in determining whether the fetus is in a suspicious or normal condition based on a specific BPP score. However, BPP is still used as a visualization method to assess the condition of the fetus. As a result, a quantitative analysis of the BPP parameters is required. But still, now there is no specific BPP database for evaluating the condition of the fetus. So, a novel database for Biophysical profile is proposed named “BIOPHYSIT”, which is used to analyze the health condition of the fetus using various BPP parameters.
Anticoagulant Evaluation of Momordica charantia Fruit Flesh Extract on Prothrombin Time and Activated Partial Prothrombin Time Test
Authors: Azmi Norhaida Che , Suhimi Anis Athiqah , Tuan Yahya Tuan Syaripah Atiqah Najwa
Published: January 2024

Thrombotic diseases such as strokes, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism are serious consequences of the thrombus formed in blood vessels. The coagulation cascade is a complicated system that involves clotting factor of extrinsic, intrinsic, and common pathways. Imbalance between the process can cause excessive clotting that led to thrombosis. Although several anticoagulants drugs have been developed over the decades, most are accompanied by undesirable side effects such as mild or severe bleeding. Therefore, this study has made use of the natural resources in the search for complementary and alternative therapies. The methanolic extract of Momordica charantia (MC) (bitter gourd) fruit flesh is utilized to identify their effects through in vitro anticoagulant and thrombolytic activity. The anticoagulant activity is tested using prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial prothrombin time (APTT) test with 10, 20 and 30 mg/ml of MC extraction, while the thrombolytic activity is carried out by using clot lysis assay. Momordica charantia fruit flesh methanolic extract was proven to have significant anticoagulant properties at concentration 20 and 30 mg/ml compared to normal and negative control. The extract however was not significant at 10 mg/ml but still demonstrated some anticoagulation effect. It also revealed a substantial thrombolytic activity at 100 mg/ml, when compared to negative and positive control indicating ability to lyse blood clot. It was discovered by our analysis that Momordica charantia fruit flesh possesses significant anticoagulant and thrombolytic activity which can be further exploited in the treatment of blood coagulation disorder.
Effect of Gel from Erythrina Subumbrans and Plectranthus Amboinicus Leaf Extracts as Anti-Inflammatory Agent in Male Balb/c Mice
Authors: Budiapsari Putu Indah , Dwinanta Kartha Ida Bagus Bramantya , Switi Putu Ayu Jaya , Riadi Komang Trinia Amanda , Natania Evellyne , Nindyaswari Anak Agung Raka Dyah
Published: January 2024

Background: Various types of nutritious plants owned by Indonesia can be used as traditional medicine by the community because they are considered more economical and cause fewer side effects than chemical drugs. For example, the dadap plant (Erythrina subumbrans) and the cumin plant (Plectranthus amboinicus) which have potential as anti-inflammatory drugs. Dadap leaves contain active ingredients, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins. Meanwhile, cumin leaves contain saponins, flavonoids, polyvenols, and essential oils. Flavonoids work by inhibiting the action of COX-2 which causes inflammation. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the extract gel of dadap leaves and cumin leaves as anti-inflammatory in male Balb/c mice. Methods: The research was carried out through the stages of making extracts, making gel formulas, and induction of inflammation in male mice by use caragens. The data analysis method used was the ANOVA test which was obtained by observing the tumor, calor, rubor, and dolor of male mice. Conclusion: Dadap leaves and cumin leaves can be used as anti-inflammatory gels on the extremities. The three gel formulations of dadap leaves and cumin leaves can relieve inflammation. Results: From the test on mice, the most effective gel formulation was the formulation of 7.5% dadap leaf extract and 17.5% cumin leaf extract.
Early Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Versus Antibiotics Alone for Orbital Cellulitis from Acute Rhinosinusitis – A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Pluksa Panuchporn , Piromchai Patorn
Published: January 2024

Background: Orbital cellulitis is a common complication of sinusitis that can cause blindness, intracranial infection, or even death. The standard treatment of orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis is to administer antibiotics and closely monitor the visual acuity. In this study, we explored the benefit of early endoscopic sinus surgery to improve the clinical outcome of the patients. Objective: To study the clinical outcomes of orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis patients who were treated with early endoscopic sinus surgery (within 48 hours after admission) versus antibiotics alone. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients who were admitted to the Otolaryngology Department, Khon Kaen Hospital, Thailand with orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis from January 2013 to May 2023. The demographic data, treatment received, and clinical outcomes were collected. Results: This study included 77 patients. All patients were treated with empirical intravenous antibiotics. The mean age for all patients was 43.7 years. The most common underlying diseases were diabetes and hypertension. The most common symptoms and signs were periorbital swelling and chemosis. The early endoscopic sinus surgery was performed in 44 patients while 33 patients received antibiotics only. At 48 hours after admission, one patient in the early endoscopic sinus surgery group (2.27%) and 12 patients in the antibiotics-only group (36.36%) had no clinical improvement. The odds ratio of improvement after early endoscopic sinus surgery was 24.57 (95% CI 2.99 to 201.80, p = 0.003). The intravenous antibiotics duration and length of stay were also shorter in the early endoscopic sinus surgery group (p = 0.020 and 0.065, respectively) Conclusions: Early endoscopic sinus surgery in orbital cellulitis from acute rhinosinusitis patients may improve clinical outcomes, shorter intravenous antibiotics duration, and hospital stay.
Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Studies on Celtis Timorensis Leaf Extract
Authors: Mallika G. , Shailaja K.
Published: January 2024

Objective: The objective of the present investigation is to study the phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol, methanol and water extracts of the leaf part of Celtis timorensis Spr. The preliminary phytochemical studies were conducted according to standard procedures. Total phenolic content was estimated using the FCA reagent method. The antioxidant efficiency of extracts was evaluated by using molybdate and DPPH methods. The antibacterial potency of leaf extracts was studied using the disc diffusion method against eight human pathogenic bacterial strains. Results: The results of preliminary phytochemical study revealed the presence of alkaloids, phytosterols, phenolic components, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides and saponins. The total phenolic content of the tested extracts exhibited a range between 8.82 to 68.32 mg GAE/g dwt. The highest total phenolic content was observed in the methanol extract (68.32±1.03 mg GAE/g dwt.) and the highest total antioxidant capacity was observed in the methanol extract of leaf part (700.0±0.71 mg ASE/g dwt.).Regarding DPPH scavenging activity the highest DPPH-reducing activity (>90%) was observed by methanol, ethanol and water extracts of the leaf part. Ethanol and water extracts of leaf samples strongly inhibited the gram-negative bacterial species Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enterica (13 mm for each species) respectively. While gram-positive species i.e. Bacillus megatherium Artherobacter protophormiae and P. aeruginosa were moderately inhibited by chloroform, ethanol and water extracts (12 mm for each) respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, the selected medicinal plant C. timorensis extracts exhibited good antioxidant activity, strong antibacterial activity and rich bioactive components. It required further studies on the isolation, and characterization of active principle to evaluate its pharmacological properties.
How do governments learn from ad hoc groups during crises? From SARS to COVID-19
Authors: Nair Sreeja , Garg Akshat
Published: January 2024

Ad hoc bodies such as committees, task forces and working groups are often deployed by governments on a temporary and short-term basis to respond to conditions of crisis. These groups differ from long-term advisory bodies and can help bypass typical challenges encountered in bureaucracies for governments to act quickly under crisis. Being transient in nature, formal mechanisms to track the institutional roles played by ad hoc groups under crisis are often lacking and can lead to missed opportunities for policy learning leveraging on their strengths when these are deployed again.

This exploratory article applies a policy learning lens to examine experiences of five Asian economies in creating ad hoc groups during SARS and COVID-19. Recognising that learning is a complex construct, this article attempts to observe the diverse institutional roles assumed by ad hoc groups for crisis management. We position our contribution as a first step towards a better understanding of the structure and function of short-term ad hoc groups, and argue this can aid a more fruitful deployment and utilisation of similar groups for improved crisis management in the future.
Selling God: Using Big Data to Target Vulnerable Individuals
Authors: Geiszler Matthew C. , Hajjat Fatima M. , McKinley John
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Over five decades ago, professors of marketing Philip Kotler and Sidney Levy advocated for expanding the use of marketing tools to benefit the nonprofit world. Today, nonprofits are extending this strategy by using big data analytics. Typically controversial in corporate America, nonprofits are using powerful technology to target vulnerable individuals and offer them services. This paper seeks to encourage conversation around this strategy and calls for research that investigates three main areas: the question of ethicality, the question of consequences, and the question of regulation. Without question big data and predictive analytics can be very helpful tools. Similarly, nonprofit organizations can do wonderful things for their communities. However, the intersection of these two elements may have major adverse effects on consumer well-being. The risks at this intersection provide the motivation for this paper.
Author Meets Critics: The Authenticity Industries: Keeping It "Real" in Media, Culture, and Politics
Authors: Serazio Michael , Caruth Roger , Dones Cecilia , Marwick Alice E. , Timke Edward
Published: January 2024

Abstract: A group of scholars from diverse backgrounds meet with Michael Serazio to discuss his book The Authenticity Industries: Keeping It "Real" in Media, Culture, and Politics (Stanford University Press, 2023). Combining philosophy, history, sociology, political economy, cultural criticism, and popular culture, the book unpacks the concept of authenticity as it manifests in various mediated contexts, including reality television, social media, pop music, corporate communication, influencer marketing, electoral campaigns, and politics. In addition to sharing how he researched his book, Serazio discusses the following topics with the panelists: what is meant by authenticity and being "real"; how various sectors use media to produce and manufacture authenticity; the link between authenticity and trust; the production of personalities and its impact on identities and inequalities, especially those based on race, gender, and class; the responsibility of social media companies in shaping how individuals in society and culture view realness; the influence of social media algorithms; and the potential ways in which instructors could use the book in classrooms.
Clark Atlanta University Talent Conference: AI Principles in Practice at Google
Authors: Soles Gia Paige
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Gia Soles, senior strategist on Google's Responsible Innovation team presented a lecture on artificial intelligence and its ethical principles in practice for an audience of marketing and advertising professors at Clark Atlanta University on September 22, 2023. Gia details AI principles that serve as an ethical charter for responsible AI development at Google. According to the seven principles, all AI programs should be socially beneficial, avoid unfair bias, ensure safety, be accountable to people, incorporate privacy design, uphold scientific excellence, and be made for use in accordance with these principles. Gia discusses the need to operationalize these principles within the organization, emphasizing the importance of continuous questioning and assessment throughout a product's lifecycle, ethics training, and the role of a central team in leading AI ethics reviews. She concludes with insights on AI governance and regulation, advocating for a proportionate, risk-based framework, flexibility in application, process-focused legislation, and transparency to build user trust and accountability. Sole's presentation not only details Google's readiness for emerging AI regulations but also underscores its commitment to leading the way in responsible AI development.
Looking Together: Desiring Relations in James Baldwin
Authors: Tuhkanen Mikko
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This essay argues that Baldwin’s Another Country evinces his search for a connective principle (of the self to self and others) beyond what the representatives of Western tradition, from the Oracle of Delphos to twentieth-century theorists of ideology, have called “knowledge” ( gnosis ). Baldwin’s novel seemingly promotes the redemptive role of knowledge in inter- and intrapersonal relations, both by having such privileged characters as Ida Scott announce its importance as an ethical principle and by structuring the narrative so that it concludes in a moment where the barriers to the novel’s heterosexual, interracial couple are swept aside in an epiphanic moment of mutual “understanding.” To highlight the problems with knowledge, the essay turns to passages in Proust, Conrad, and Wright that are echoing in Another Country ; and points to a moment in the novel and in one of Baldwin’s interviews where an alternative connective principle—one of “looking together”—is elaborated.
The Afropessimist Never Drinks the Kool-Aid of Black Enlightened Progress: An Interview with Frank B. Wilderson III
Authors: Gomez Herrero Fernando , Wilderson Frank B.
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Frank Wilderson: I introduce a semiotic configuration. The point is, at important levels of abstraction, people who are positioned as Black—which is very different from saying people who think of themselves as Black. One of the basic premises of Afropessimism , which makes it resonate with psychoanalysis or Marxism, is that where one is positioned in a paradigm might not be where one thinks one is or where one desires to be. When I teach undergraduates, I say: “Look, I used to study neorealism. In these neorealist films, we have these people who are bona fide fascists, and then you have those people in the Communist Party, so they could not agree on much. They don’t see themselves as having much of a connection. But in a Gramscian sense, they are both positioned as the host of capitalist parasites. Both groups rely on the wage. So, they are both workers.” One of the big points with respect to the narratological question is that I, as a Black person, trained at Columbia University in creative writing, trained at UC Berkeley in critical theory, love narrative, but narrative does not love me. In other words, it is impossible for me to be “emplotted” as a speaking subject. I can only be “emplotted” as an object of narrative. But I am always struggling to attain that love of humanity; and if I were to attain it, the Human would not have a foil against which to know itself. So, what I am saying is that in a book like Red, White & Black , I am just being very categorically clear about the divisions. In Afropessimism , I am actually talking about the desire of a sentient being who cannot be allowed into an arena where people are recognized and incorporated, in Lacanian terms, as “contemporaries” of human beings. So, there is all this back and forth. I don’t think this speaking subject in Afropessimism ever achieves anything in particular. It is always struggling toward being a subject that can actually travel on a narrative arc and yet ultimately is an object that can never travel from dispossession to redemptive recovery.
Resurrecting My Mother's Childhood: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Fuller Ren Cedar
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: Soon after Alzheimer's began to change my mother, I realized she was happy. When we walked arm in arm, she sometimes took a little hop. If you look up at the blue, you can hear the moon with me , Mom said while we strolled through the garden one day at her assisted living center. I began scribbling her words in a spiral-bound notebook, typing them when I got home, and emailing the transcript to my research team—by which I mean my sisters. At first, we mourned our mom's decline, but in our weekly Zooms over the last three years, Thora, Sigrid, Greta, and I have reveled in our mother's newfound sense of wonder. Mom won a golden ticket in the Alzheimer's temperament lottery, yet it is more than that: since we were young, my sisters and I have rarely seen our mother's joy. When we were children, our mother laughed while telling us stories about growing up in the rainforest in Ecuador, where her Scandinavian parents were missionaries. She called her childhood home "the jungle." Mom remembered running barefoot outdoors as soon as morning prayers were over, playing among the trees, listening to the birds, and catching crabs in the river. She said llamas smelled musty and mangos smelled sweet, but she did not like the mangos that fell from the trees because they were stringy. It was better to climb up and choose the fruit she wanted to eat. "Do you remember how she sounded?" I asked my sisters, and we wandered through our memories. Sigrid said our mother's voice sounded light because the jungle was where she was "innocent and unbroken." A research question grew within me: can Alzheimer's restore the felt sense of a person's early childhood?
Watsuji Tetsurō’s “Climate” and its Kyoto School Critics
Authors: Peters Kyle
Published: January 2024

This paper situates Watsuji Tetsurō’s philosophical conception of “climate” within the context of both its historical development and its critical reception by Watsuji’s Kyoto School peers. Part one moves across lecture notes, articles, and book editions to historicize and contextualize climate within its four aspects of development: cultural history, hermeneutic phenomenology, “relational in-betweenness,” and socio-historical development. Part two develops critical responses to each of these four aspects by Watsuji’s Kyoto School peers: Nishida Kitarō, Miki Kiyoshi, Hayashi Tatsuo, Tosaka Jun, and Nakai Masakazu. It ends by briefly considering how these historical and critical considerations might serve as guideposts for contemporary philosophical reconstructions of climate.
Fazang’s mereology as a model for holism
Authors: Restrepo Felipe Cuervo
Published: January 2024

Recently, much attention has been given to Buddhism as a precursor to contemporary holistic theories, and more specifically to the Huayan school’s radical holistic metaphysics (often given the metaphorical name of The Net of Indra), as well as to Huayan’s most elaborate theoretician, Fazang. Nevertheless, contemporary interpretations of Fazang have been weighted by either too strict an adherence to atomistic logic or by unfortunate translations. In this paper, I present new translations of the key passages of Fazang’s The Rafter Dialogue, as well as a philosophical commentary that his departure from atomism. I then proceed to argue that the six characteristics Fazang attributes to a whole that cannot be reduced to its parts are both sufficient and necessary for holism.
Alignment, calibration, and validation of an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope for high-resolution human foveal imaging
Authors: Moon Benjamin , Poletti Martina , Roorda Austin , Tiruveedhula Pavan , Liu Soh Hang , Linebach Glory , Rucci Michele , Rolland Jannick P.
Published: January 2024

In prior art, advances in adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope
(AOSLO) technology have enabled cones in the human fovea to be
resolved in healthy eyes with normal vision and low to moderate
refractive errors, providing new insight into human foveal anatomy,
visual perception, and retinal degenerative diseases. These
high-resolution ophthalmoscopes require careful alignment of each
optical subsystem to ensure diffraction-limited imaging performance,
which is necessary for resolving the smallest foveal cones. This paper
presents a systematic and rigorous methodology for building, aligning,
calibrating, and testing an AOSLO designed for imaging the cone mosaic
of the central fovea in humans with cellular resolution. This
methodology uses a two-stage alignment procedure and thorough system
testing to achieve diffraction-limited performance. Results from
retinal imaging of healthy human subjects under 30 years of age with
refractive errors of less than 3.5 diopters using either 680 nm or
840 nm light show that the system can resolve cones at the very center
of the fovea, the region where the cones are smallest and most densely
packed.
Microfluidic analysis of 3T3 cellular transport in a photonic crystal fiber: part I
Authors: Fu Jiahaw , Wynne Rosalind
Published: January 2024

This microfluidic-optical fiber sensor is an experimental system designed to transport and monitor 3D cell cultures, facilitating medical research and technology. This system includes a photonic crystal fiber with a hollow core diameter of 22 µm, which functions as a bridge between two microfluidic devices. The purpose of this system was to transport 3T3 cells (of diameters from 15 µm to 23 µm) between the two devices. At low Reynold’s and capillary numbers, spectroscopic analysis confirmed the presence of cellular aggregation at the interface of the fiber and microfluidic device. The transcapillary conductance, T
C
, is a separate analysis that models the behavior of a cellular aggregate through the hollow channel of a photonic crystal fiber. For the experimental system, conventional fluid mechanics theory is limited and requires special treatment of conditions at the microscale, such that transcapillary conductance treatment was employed. The transcapillary conductance, T
C
, was empirically derived to model cellular transport at the microfluidic scale and is useful for comparing transport events. For example, for a pressure differential of Δp=1.5⋅103cmH2O, the transcapillary conductance values were determined to be 10−12<T
C
<10−9, which were then compared to other literature values, such as the transport of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at 33<Δp<80cmH2O, with corresponding transcapillary conductance values at 10−7<T
C
<10−5. These transcapillary conductance values for both the literature and the experimental system are consistent, indicating that an increase in pressure differential does not promote microfluidic transport.
Single-wavelength bidirectional 4-core MCF self-homodyne coherent link
Authors: Sidhique Aboobackkar , Saxena Shekhar , Mishra Pramod , Karmakar Surya , Mishra Arvind , Gupta Shalabh
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a single-wavelength bidirectional self-homodyne coherent (SHC) link over a 125 µm cladding diameter based multicore fiber (MCF). The 4-core MCF based link efficiently uses two cores for each direction of propagation. In either direction, one of the cores carries a dual-polarized 40 Gbaud 16-QAM signal, and the second core carries a 40 Gbaud 16-QAM signal in one of the polarizations with the carrier multiplexed in its orthogonal polarization. Thus, a 480 Gbps data transmission rate is achieved in either direction of propagation over the 12.8 km long 4-core MCF. The SHC link operates at the same wavelength for each of the directions and eliminates the need for reconfigurable transceivers. A low-cost DFB laser (linewidth = 1 MHz) is used to demonstrate the bidirectional link, and the bit error rates (BERs) of the received signals are <5.5×10−4. With higher baud rates, this approach can meet the capacity requirements of future short-reach data center interconnects (DCIs).
Adaptive phase retrieval algorithm for local highlight area based on a piecewise sine function
Authors: Zou Lang , Zhou Jianghao , Luo Chen
Published: January 2024

Phase measuring profilometry (PMP) has been widely used in industries for three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement. However, phase information is often lost due to image saturation results from high-reflection object surfaces, leading to subsequent 3D reconstruction errors. To address the problem, we propose an adaptive phase retrieval algorithm that can accurately fit the sinusoidal fringes damaged by high reflection in the saturated regions to retrieve the lost phase information. Under the proposal, saturated regions are first identified through a minimum error thresholding technique to narrow down regions of interest and so that computation costs are reduced. Then, images with differing exposures are fused to locate peak-valley coordinates of the fitting sinusoidal fringes. And the corresponding values of peak-valley pixels are obtained based on a least squares method. Finally, an adaptive piecewise sine function is constructed to recover the sinusoidal fringe pattern by fitting the pattern intensity distribution. And the existing PMP technology is used to obtain phase information from the retrieved sinusoidal fringes. To apply the developed method, only one (or two) image with different exposure times is needed. Compared with existing methods for measuring reflective objects, the proposed method has the advantages of short operation time, reduced system complexity, and low demand on hardware equipment. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through two experiments. The developed methodology provides industry an alternative way to measure high-reflection objects in a wide range of applications.
Head stabilization apparatus for high-resolution ophthalmic imaging
Authors: Vienola Kari V. , Holmes John A. , Glasso Zolten , Rossi Ethan A.
Published: January 2024

Head movement must be stabilized to enable high-quality data collection
from optical instrumentation such as eye trackers and ophthalmic
imaging devices. Though critically important for imaging, head
stabilization is often an afterthought in the design of advanced
ophthalmic imaging systems, and experimental devices often adapt used
and/or discarded equipment from clinical devices for this purpose.
Alternatively, those seeking the most stable solution possible,
including many users of adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy systems,
utilize bite bars. Bite bars can provide excellent stability but are
time consuming to fabricate, decreasing imaging efficiency, and
uncomfortable for many patients, especially the elderly and/or those
with prosthodontics such as dentures who may refuse participation in a
study that requires one. No commercial vendors specifically offer head
mount solutions for experimental ophthalmic imaging devices, resulting
in nearly every custom device having a different solution for this
commonly encountered problem. Parallelizing the head stabilization
apparatus across different custom devices may improve standardization
of experimental imaging systems for clinical trials and other
multicenter investigations. Here we introduce a head mount design for
ophthalmic imaging that is modular, adjustable, and customizable to
the constraints of different experimental imaging configurations. The
three points of head contact in our solution provide excellent
stabilization across a range of head sizes and shapes from small
children to adults, and the ease of adjustment afforded by our design
minimizes the time to get participants stabilized and comfortable.
Fast, intelligent and high-precision adaptive null interferometry for optical freeform surfaces by backpropagation
Authors: Lu Qi , Gong Weichao , Sun Ying , Wang Weiwei , Zhang Xu , Wang Peili , Ding Yifan , Wang Wei , Liu Shijie , Zhang Xiangchao , Xu Min , Shao Jianda
Published: January 2024

In the past 10 years, adaptive wavefront interferometry (AWI) has been employed for measuring freeform surface profiles. However, existing AWI techniques relying on stepwise and model-free stochastic optimizations have resulted in inefficient tests. To address these issues, deterministic adaptive wavefront interferometry (DAWI) is firstly introduced in this paper based on backpropagation (BP), which employs a loss function to simultaneously reconstruct and sparsify initial incomplete interferometric fringes until they are nulled. Each iteration of BP requires two phase shifts. Through simulations, we have verified that freeform wavefront error with a peak-to-valley (PV) of up to 168 λ can be fully compensated in tens of iterations using a 1024 × 1024 pixel area of a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. In experiments, we accomplished a null test of a freeform surface with 80% missing interference fringes in 39 iterations, resulting in a surface profile error PV of 66.22 λ and measurement error better than λ/4. The DAWI has at least 20 times fewer iterations in fringe reconstruction than the 3-step AWI methods, and nearly an order of magnitude fewer iterations in the whole process, paving the way for significantly enhanced efficiency, generality and precision in freeform surface adaptive interferometry.
Large transmittance contrast via 90-degree sharp bends in square lattice glide-symmetric photonic crystal waveguides
Authors: Dai Wei , Yoda Taiki , Moritake Yuto , Notomi Masaya
Published: January 2024

We demonstrate an intriguing transmittance contrast in a glide-symmetric square-lattice photonic crystal waveguide with a 90-degree sharp bend. The glide-symmetry gives rise to a degeneracy point in the band structure and separates a high-frequency and a low-frequency band. Previously, a similar large transmittance contrast between these two bands has been observed in glide-symmetric triangular- or honeycomb-lattice photonic crystals without inversion symmetry, and this phenomenon has been attributed to the valley-photonic effect. In this study, we demonstrate the first example of this phenomenon in square-lattice photonic crystals, which do not possess the valley effect. Our result sheds new light onto unexplored properties of glide-symmetric waveguides. We show that this phenomenon is related to the spatial distribution of circular polarization singularities in glide-symmetric waveguides. This work expands the possible designs of low-loss photonic circuits and provides a new understanding of light transmission via sharp bends in photonic crystal waveguides.