bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mode-coupling effects in an optically-injected dual-wavelength laser
Authors: Abdollahi Shahab , Marin-Palomo Pablo , Virte Martin
Published: July 2022

Lasers designed to emit at multiple and controllable modes, or multi-wavelength lasers, have the potential to become key building blocks for future microwave photonic technologies. While many interesting schemes relying on optical injection have been proposed, the nonlinear mode coupling between different modes of a multi-wavelength laser and their dynamical behavior under optical injection remains vastly unexplored. Here, we experimentally and numerically study the effect of optical injection around the suppressed mode of a dual-wavelength laser and the resulting interactions with the dominant mode. We highlight a wavelength shift of the dominant mode triggered by injection locking of the suppressed mode and report a strong impact of the mode suppression ratio on the locking range. Finally, we show numerically that the cross-coupling parameter between the two modes might have a key role in this effect.
Experimental display of generalized wave-particle duality
Authors: Jara M. , Marrou J. P. , Uria M. , Montenegro La Torre C. , De Zela F.
Published: July 2022

The quantification of wave-particle duality (WPD) by means of measurable features associated to it, such as fringe visibility () and path distinguishability (), led to the establishment of the constraint . The two involved quantities refer to so-called “quantons”, physical objects that are capable of generating an interferometric pattern, while being at least partially localizable. Any quanton’s internal degree of freedom (DOF) can in principle be used as a path-marker. When the quanton and its internal DOF are simultaneously engaged, new constraints can be derived and experimentally tested. Generalized constraints show how and relate to other quantifiers and bring to light coherences that might remain otherwise hidden in both quantum and classical light. We submitted two-qubit constraints to experimental tests, using optical light beams. This shows that, despite the rather contrived nature of the constraints, linear optics setups are appropriate to test them. Our experimental results are in very good agreement with theoretical predictions related to the tested constraints. Our results also show that quantifiers such as and help not only to quantify, but also to generalize the concept of WPD.
Complex source point theory of paraxial and nonparaxial elliptical Gaussian beams
Authors: Zhu Jie , Wang Taofen , Zhu Kaicheng
Published: July 2022

Using the operator transformation technology, we extend the circular Gaussian beam based virtual (complex) sources method to investigate the paraxial and nonparaxial propagation properties of the elliptical Gaussian beams (EGBs) with planar or cylindrical wavefronts travelling in free space. The paraxial approximation analysis reveals the self-reappearance and self-focusing propagation features for the EGBs with cylindrical wavefront under proper parameter conditions. We further introduce the nonparaxial theory to derive the analytical expressions for the field distribution of an EGB in free space, and confirm that these intriguing propagation features can still be observed with added nonparaxial correction. Comparing with the paraxial approximation results, it is worth noting that there is a clear deviation of the on-axial intensity and phase distributions near the self-focusing position on the basis of nonparaxial correction solution. Our results reveal that the anisotropic diffraction of light propagating through homogeneous medium or free space is possible. The approach in this work can easily be generalized to other beam models with elliptical geometry, which allows us to correctly predict some important information about their near field propagation characteristics for various applications.
Phase-unwrapping-free 3D reconstruction in structured light field system based on varied auxiliary point
Authors: Zhou Ping , Wang Yanzheng , Xu Yuda , Cai Zewei , Zuo Chao
Published: July 2022

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction is an essential task in structured light field (SLF) related techniques and applications. This paper presents a new method to reconstruct a 3D object point by using many auxiliary points adjacent to it. The relationship between two points in a SLF system is derived. Different from conventional “direct” methods that reconstruct 3D coordinates of the object point by using phase, slope, disparity etc., the proposed method is an “indirect” method as the 3D coordinates of auxiliary points are not needed. Based on the auxiliary point theory, the wrapped phase obtained by 4-step phase-shifting method is sufficient for 3D reconstruction, without the need for phase unwrapping. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first strategy that combines the intrinsic characteristics of structured light and light field for phase-unwrapping-free 3D reconstruction. This paper also analyzes the constraints between system architecture parameters and phase rectification, phase to depth ratio, and presents a relatively simple criterion to guide the system design. Experimental results show that, with an appropriate system architecture, the proposed method can realize accurate, unambiguous, and reliable 3D reconstruction without phase unwrapping.
Study on laser-induced damage of TbBiIG crystal at 1064 nm
Authors: Yu Jingyan , Yang Qinghui , Zhang Ding , Jiang Yong , Zhang Yuanjing , Li Han , Syvorotka Ihor I. , Zhang Huaiwu
Published: July 2022

With the development of miniaturization of high-energy laser systems, a new Faraday rotator material must be studied to realize the miniaturization and integration of optical isolators. In this paper, high-quality (TbBi)3Fe5O12 (TbBiIG) and Ca-doped (TbBi)3Fe5O12 (Ca: TbBiIG) single crystal films with hundreds of microns thickness were grown by liquid phase epitaxy method on (111) oriented garnet substrate. The crystal structure, magneto-optical (MO), optical and laser induced damage properties were investigated in detail. We found that the (TbBi)3Fe5O12 film has outstanding magneto-optical and laser-induced damage properties. Optical and MO properties indicate that TbBiIG films have a high specific faraday rotation angle of 1452 deg/cm at 1310 nm, and 2812 deg/cm at 1064 nm, absorption coefficient (α) is 5.63 cm-1 and 15.7 cm-1 at 1310 nm and 1064 nm, respectively. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of TbBiIG irradiated by a multi-frequency laser is 8.91 J/cm2. The light absorption has a significant impact on LIDT value. Rare-earth ion doped iron garnet (RIG) material is a very potential MO material, which can greatly reduce the size and weight of optical isolators in the 1064 nm band.
Security Enhancement of One-Dimensional Chaotic Encryption in the Physical Layer of OFDM-PON
Authors: Zhu Huaqing , Gao Mingyi , Sha Yanping , Li Zhaoyun , Luo Qingsong , Shen Gangxiang
Published: July 2022

We experimentally demonstrated a scheme to improve the security of one-dimensional chaotic encryption based on quantum noise stream cipher. The experimental results verified its feasibility in the OFDM-PON over 30-km single mode fiber transmission.
Deep Reinforcement Learning Enabled Energy-Efficient Task Pre-Migration in Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Zhan Zhendong , Zhang Min , Guan Luyao , Xiao Ziyang , Zhang Zhiguo , Li Luming , Wang Danshi
Published: July 2022

We propose a task pre-migration scheme based on reinforcement learning for IoV in cloud-fog hybrid optical network. Simulation results show that delay and power consumption are reduced by 40.5% and 12.6% respectively.
Smartphone-Screen-Based, Low-Luminance Uplink Optical Camera Communication by Blue-Color Adaptive Thresholding
Authors: Kawade Alisa , Chujo Wataru , Kobayashi Kentaro
Published: July 2022

To increase data rate and security of smartphone-screen-based uplink optical camera communication, blue-color adaptive thresholding is employed for space division multiplexing. Error-free transmission is achieved up to 75 kilo symbols/s with luminance value of 111.
Higher order exceptional points in infinite lattices
Authors: Kaltsas D. , Komis I. , Makris K. G.
Published: July 2022

One of the hallmarks of non-Hermitian photonics is the existence of unique degeneracies, the so-called higher order exceptional points (HEPs). So far, HEPs have been examined mostly in finite coupled systems. In this paper, we present a systematic way to construct infinite optical waveguide lattices that exhibit exceptional points of higher order. The spectral properties and the sensitivity of these lattices around such points are investigated by employing the method of pseudospectra.
Augmented space signal detection method for IM/DD optical communication systems
Authors: Gao Yunfeng , Yang Chuanchuan , Zhang Xiaoyu , Zhang Cheng , Li Hongbin
Published: July 2022

The demand for high-speed data transmission has increased rapidly in data centers, leading to advanced optical communication technology innovation. At high modulation speed, severe linear and nonlinear signal distortions degrade the link performance. In order to increase the transmission capacity, a robust signal detection method based on quadratic discrimination in augmented space (QDAS) is proposed for high-speed intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD) optical communication systems. By projecting along the feature vector initially obtained by the objective function following the generalized Rayleigh quotient, signals with different features can be separated in augmented space. Subsequently, decision optimization is achieved through a quadratic discriminant model. Experimental verification is performed based on the 120 Gbps PAM8-modulated vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) multimode fiber (MMF) optical link (100 m). The results show that, compared with the traditional Volterra nonlinear equalizer (VNLE), the proposed QDAS detection method shows improved and robust bit error ratio (BER) performance with the same complexity.
Pulse amplitude modulation wireless communication in the 300 GHz-band employing an integrated-optic interferometer-based signal emulator
Authors: Takiguchi Koichi , Nishio Nozomu
Published: July 2022

Wireless communication using a pulse amplitude modulation signal was carried out in the 300 GHz-band. In this investigation, the used THz-wave signal was generated with a silica waveguide-type optical signal emulator and high-speed photo-mixing. The optical signal emulator consisting of a tunable asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer produces an optical pulse amplitude modulation signal from an optical on-off keying signal by partly adopting lightwave interference. 25 Gsymbol/s three and four-level pulse amplitude modulation signals in the 300 GHz-band were generated and used for the wireless communication. Bit error rates of received signals were evaluated with off-line processing, and the bit error rates were estimated to be 1.9 × 10−4 and 8.0 × 10−3 in the communications using the three and four-level signals, respectively.
A model for the intrinsic limit of cancer therapy: Duality of treatment-induced cell death and treatment-induced stemness
Authors: Angelini Erin , Wang Yue , Zhou Joseph Xu , Qian Hong , Huang Sui
Published: July 2022

Intratumor cellular heterogeneity and non-genetic cell plasticity in tumors pose a recently recognized challenge to cancer treatment. Because of the dispersion of initial cell states within a clonal tumor cell population, a perturbation imparted by a cytocidal drug only kills a fraction of cells. Due to dynamic instability of cellular states the cells not killed are pushed by the treatment into a variety of functional states, including a “stem-like state” that confers resistance to treatment and regenerative capacity. This immanent stress-induced stemness competes against cell death in response to the same perturbation and may explain the near-inevitable recurrence after any treatment. This double-edged-sword mechanism of treatment complements the selection of preexisting resistant cells in explaining post-treatment progression. Unlike selection, the induction of a resistant state has not been systematically analyzed as an immanent cause of relapse. Here, we present a generic elementary model and analytical examination of this intrinsic limitation to therapy. We show how the relative proclivity towards cell death versus transition into a stem-like state, as a function of drug dose, establishes either a window of opportunity for containing tumors or the inevitability of progression following therapy. The model considers measurable cell behaviors independent of specific molecular pathways and provides a new theoretical framework for optimizing therapy dosing and scheduling as cancer treatment paradigms move from “maximal tolerated dose,” which may promote therapy induced-stemness, to repeated “minimally effective doses” (as in adaptive therapies), which contain the tumor and avoid therapy-induced progression.
Chemophoresis engine: A general mechanism of ATPase-driven cargo transport
Authors: Sugawara Takeshi , Kaneko Kunihiko
Published: July 2022

Cell polarity regulates the orientation of the cytoskeleton members that directs intracellular transport for cargo-like organelles, using chemical gradients sustained by ATP or GTP hydrolysis. However, how cargo transports are directly mediated by chemical gradients remains unknown. We previously proposed a physical mechanism that enables directed movement of cargos, referred to as chemophoresis. According to the mechanism, a cargo with reaction sites is subjected to a chemophoresis force in the direction of the increased concentration. Based on this, we introduce an extended model, thechemophoresis engine, as a general mechanism of cargo motion, which transforms chemical free energy into directed motion through the catalytic ATP hydrolysis. We applied the engine to plasmid motion in a ParABS system to demonstrate the self-organization system for directed plasmid movement and pattern dynamics of ParA-ATP concentration, thereby explaining plasmid equi-positioning and pole-to-pole oscillation observed in bacterial cells andin vitroexperiments. We mathematically show the existence and stability of the plasmid-surfing pattern, which allows the cargo-directed motion through the symmetry-breaking transition of the ParA-ATP spatiotemporal pattern. We also quantitatively demonstrate that the chemophoresis engine can work even underin vivoconditions. Finally, we discuss the chemophoresis engine as one of the general mechanisms of hydrolysis-driven intracellular transport.
The dopamine circuit as a reward-taxis navigation system
Authors: Karin Omer , Alon Uri
Published: July 2022

Studying the brain circuits that control behavior is challenging, since in addition to their structural complexity there are continuous feedback interactions between actions and sensed inputs from the environment. It is therefore important to identify mathematical principles that can be used to develop testable hypotheses. In this study, we use ideas and concepts from systems biology to study the dopamine system, which controls learning, motivation, and movement. Using data from neuronal recordings in behavioral experiments, we developed a mathematical model for dopamine responses and the effect of dopamine on movement. We show that the dopamine system shares core functional analogies with bacterial chemotaxis. Just as chemotaxis robustly climbs chemical attractant gradients, the dopamine circuit performs ‘reward-taxis’ where the attractant is the expected value of reward. The reward-taxis mechanism provides a simple explanation for scale-invariant dopaminergic responses and for matching in free operant settings, and makes testable quantitative predictions. We propose that reward-taxis is a simple and robust navigation strategy that complements other, more goal-directed navigation mechanisms.
Examining the impact of ICU population interaction structure on modeled colonization dynamics of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Mietchen Matthew S. , Short Christopher T. , Samore Matthew , Lofgren Eric T. ,   CDC Modeling Infectious Diseases in Healthcare Program (MInD-Healthcare)
Published: July 2022

Background

Complex transmission models of healthcare-associated infections provide insight for hospital epidemiology and infection control efforts, but they are difficult to implement and come at high computational costs. Structuring more simplified models to incorporate the heterogeneity of the intensive care unit (ICU) patient-provider interactions, we explore how methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) dynamics and acquisitions may be better represented and approximated.

Methods

Using a stochastic compartmental model of an 18-bed ICU, we compared the rates of MRSA acquisition across three ICU population interaction structures: a model with nurses and physicians as a single staff type (SST), a model with separate staff types for nurses and physicians (Nurse-MD model), and a Metapopulation model where each nurse was assigned a group of patients. The proportion of time spent with the assigned patient group (γ) within the Metapopulation model was also varied.

Results

The SST, Nurse-MD, and Metapopulation models had a mean of 40.6, 32.2 and 19.6 annual MRSA acquisitions respectively. All models were sensitive to the same parameters in the same direction, although the Metapopulation model was less sensitive. The number of acquisitions varied non-linearly by values of γ, with values below 0.40 resembling the Nurse-MD model, while values above that converged toward the Metapopulation structure.

Discussion

Inclusion of complex population interactions within a modeled hospital ICU has considerable impact on model results, with the SST model having more than double the acquisition rate of the more structured metapopulation model. While the direction of parameter sensitivity remained the same, the magnitude of these differences varied, producing different colonization rates across relatively similar populations. The non-linearity of the model’s response to differing values of a parameter gamma (γ) suggests simple model approximations are appropriate in only a narrow space of relatively dispersed nursing assignments.

Conclusion

Simplifying assumptions around how a hospital population is modeled, especially assuming random mixing, may overestimate infection rates and the impact of interventions. In many, if not most, cases more complex models that represent population mixing with higher granularity are justified.
Motor defects in a Drosophila model for spinal muscular atrophy result from SMN depletion during early neurogenesis
Authors: Grice Stuart J. , Liu Ji-Long
Published: July 2022

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most common autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease, and is characterised by spinal motor neuron loss, impaired motor function and, often, premature death. Mutations and deletions in the widely expressedsurvival motor neuron 1(SMN1) gene cause SMA; however, the mechanisms underlying the selectivity of motor neuron degeneration are not well understood. Although SMA is degenerative in nature, SMN function during embryonic and early postnatal development appears to be essential for motor neuron survival in animal models and humans. Notwithstanding, how developmental defects contribute to the subversion of postnatal and adult motor function remains elusive. Here, in aDrosophilaSMA model, we show that neurodevelopmental defects precede gross locomotor dysfunction in larvae. Furthermore, to specifically address the relevance of SMN during neurogenesis and in neurogenic cell types, we show that SMN knockdown using neuroblast-specific and pan-neuronal drivers, but not differentiated neuron or glial cell drivers, impairs adult motor function. Using targeted knockdown, we further restricted SMN manipulation in neuroblasts to a defined time window. Our aim was to express specifically in the neuronal progenitor cell types that have not formed synapses, and thus a time that precedes neuromuscular junction formation and maturation. By restoring SMN levels in these distinct neuronal population, we partially rescue the larval locomotor defects ofSmnmutants. Finally, combinatorial SMN knockdown in immature and mature neurons synergistically enhances the locomotor and survival phenotypes. Our in-vivo study is the first to directly rescue the motor defects of an SMA model by expressingSmnin an identifiable population ofDrosophilaneuroblasts and developing neurons, highlighting that neuronal sensitivity to SMN loss may arise before synapse establishment and nerve cell maturation.
Implementing a comprehensive newborn monitoring chart: Barriers, enablers, and opportunities
Authors: Muinga Naomi , Abejirinde Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade , Benova Lenka , Paton Chris , English Mike , Zweekhorst Marjolein
Published: July 2022

Documenting inpatient care is largely paper-based and it facilitates team communication and future care planning. However, studies show that nursing documentation remains suboptimal especially for newborns, necessitating introduction of standardised paper-based charts. We report on a process of implementing a comprehensive newborn monitoring chart and the perceptions of health workers in a network of hospitals in Kenya. The chart was launched virtually in July 2020 followed by learning meetings with nurses and the research team. This is a qualitative study involving document review, individual in-depth interviews with nurses and paediatricians and a focus group discussion with data clerks. The chart was co-designed by the research team and hospital staff then implemented using a trainer of trainers’ model where the nurses-in-charge were trained on how to use the chart and they in turn trained their staff. Training at the hospital was delivered by the nurse-in-charge and/or paediatrician through a combined training with all staff or one-on-one training. The chart was well received with health workers reporting reduced writing, consolidated information, and improved communication as benefits. Implementation was facilitated by individual and team factors, complementary projects, and the removal of old charts. However, challenges arose related to the staff and work environment, inadequate supply of charts, alternative places to document, and inadequate equipment. The participants suggested that future implementation should be accompanied by mentorship or close follow-up, peer experience sharing, training at the hospital and in pre-service institutions and wider stakeholder engagement. Findings show that there are opportunities to improve the implementation process by clarifying roles relating to the filing system, improving the chart supply process, staff induction and specifying a newborn patient file. The chart did not meet the need for supporting documentation of long stay patients presenting an opportunity to explore digital solutions that might provide more flexibility and features.
Health workers’ social networks and their influence in the adoption of strategies to address the stillbirth burden at a subnational level health system in Uganda
Authors: Ssegujja Eric , Ddumba Isaac , Andipatin Michelle
Published: July 2022

Health workers’ peer networks are known to influence members’ behaviours and practices while translating policies into service delivery. However, little remains known about the extent to which this remains true within interventions aimed at addressing the stillbirth burden in low-resource settings like Uganda. The objective of this study was to examine the health workers’ social networks and their influence on the adoption of strategies to address the stillbirth burden at a subnational level health system in Uganda. A qualitative exploratory design was adopted on a purposively selected sample of 16 key informants. The study was conducted in Mukono district among sub-national health systems, managers, health facility in-charges, and frontline health workers. Data was collected using semi-structured interview guides in a face-to-face interview with respondents. The analysis adopted a thematic approach utilising Atlas. ti software for data management. Participants acknowledged that workplace social networks were influential during the implementation of policies to address stillbirth. The influence exerted was in form of linkage with other services, caution, and advice regarding strict adherence to policy recommendations perhaps reflective of the level of trust in providers’ ability to adhere to policy provisions. At the district health management level and among non-state actors, support in perceived areas of weak performance in policy implementation was observed. In addition, timely initiation of contact and subsequent referral was another aspect where health workers exerted influence while translating policies to address the stillbirth burden. While the level of support from among network peers was observed to influence health workers’ adoption and implementation of strategies to address the stillbirth burden, different mechanisms triggered subsequent response and level of adherence to recommended policy aspects. Drawing from the elicited responses, we infer that health workers’ social networks influence the direction and extent of success in policy implementation to address the stillbirth burden at the subnational level.
Autism-spectrum traits in neurotypicals predict the embodiment of manipulation knowledge about object concepts: Evidence from eyetracking
Authors: Davis Charles P. , Eigsti Inge-Marie , Healy Roisin , Joergensen Gitte H. , Yee Eiling
Published: July 2022

Sensorimotor-based theories of cognition predict that even subtle developmental motor differences, such as those characterizing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), impact how we represent the meaning of manipulable objects (e.g., faucet). Here, we test 85 neurotypical participants, who varied widely on the Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a measure intended to capture variability in ASD characteristics in the general adult population (participant scores were all below the clinical threshold for autism). Participants completed a visual world eyetracking task designed to assess the activation of conceptual representations of manipulable objects. Participants heard words referring to manually manipulable objects (e.g., faucet) while we recorded their eye movements to arrays of four objects: the named object, a related object typically manipulated similarly (e.g., jar), and two unrelated objects. Consistent with prior work, we observed more looks to the related object than to the unrelated ones (i.e., a manipulation-relatedness effect). This effect likely reflects the overlapping conceptual representations of objects sharing manipulation characteristics (e.g., faucet and jar), due to embodied sensorimotor properties being part of their representations. Critically, we observed—among typically developed young adults—that as AQ scores increased, manipulation-relatedness effects decreased. In contrast, in a visual control condition, in which a target object was paired with related objects of a similar shape (e.g., snake and rope), relatedness effects increased with AQ scores. The results show that AQ scores can predict variation in how object-concept representations are activated for typically developed individuals. More speculatively, they are consistent with the hypothesis that in individuals with ASD, differences in object-concept representations emerge at least in part via differences in sensorimotor experience.
Assessing the added value of linking electronic health records to improve the prediction of self-reported COVID-19 testing and diagnosis
Authors: Clark-Boucher Dylan , Boss Jonathan , Salvatore Maxwell , Smith Jennifer A. , Fritsche Lars G. , Mukherjee Bhramar
Published: July 2022

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a focus of research has been to identify risk factors associated with COVID-19-related outcomes, such as testing and diagnosis, and use them to build prediction models. Existing studies have used data from digital surveys or electronic health records (EHRs), but very few have linked the two sources to build joint predictive models. In this study, we used survey data on 7,054 patients from the Michigan Genomics Initiative biorepository to evaluate how well self-reported data could be integrated with electronic records for the purpose of modeling COVID-19-related outcomes. We observed that among survey respondents, self-reported COVID-19 diagnosis captured a larger number of cases than the corresponding EHRs, suggesting that self-reported outcomes may be better than EHRs for distinguishing COVID-19 cases from controls. In the modeling context, we compared the utility of survey- and EHR-derived predictor variables in models of survey-reported COVID-19 testing and diagnosis. We found that survey-derived predictors produced uniformly stronger models than EHR-derived predictors—likely due to their specificity, temporal proximity, and breadth—and that combining predictors from both sources offered no consistent improvement compared to using survey-based predictors alone. Our results suggest that, even though general EHRs are useful in predictive models of COVID-19 outcomes, they may not be essential in those models when rich survey data are already available. The two data sources together may offer better prediction for COVID severity, but we did not have enough severe cases in the survey respondents to assess that hypothesis in in our study.
Assessing model adequacy for Bayesian Skyline plots using posterior predictive simulation
Authors: Fonseca Emanuel M. , Duckett Drew J. , Almeida Filipe G. , Smith Megan L. , Thomé Maria Tereza C. , Carstens Bryan C.
Published: July 2022

Bayesian skyline plots (BSPs) are a useful tool for making inferences about demographic history. For example, researchers typically apply BSPs to test hypotheses regarding how climate changes have influenced intraspecific genetic diversity over time. Like any method, BSP has assumptions that may be violated in some empirical systems (e.g., the absence of population genetic structure), and the naïve analysis of data collected from these systems may lead to spurious results. To address these issues, we introduce P2C2M.Skyline, an R package designed to assess model adequacy for BSPs using posterior predictive simulation. P2C2M.Skyline uses a phylogenetic tree and the log file output from Bayesian Skyline analyses to simulate posterior predictive datasets and then compares this null distribution to statistics calculated from the empirical data to check for model violations. P2C2M.Skyline was able to correctly identify model violations when simulated datasets were generated assuming genetic structure, which is a clear violation of BSP model assumptions. Conversely, P2C2M.Skyline showed low rates of false positives when models were simulated under the BSP model. We also evaluate the P2C2M.Skyline performance in empirical systems, where we detected model violations when DNA sequences from multiple populations were lumped together. P2C2M.Skyline represents a user-friendly and computationally efficient resource for researchers aiming to make inferences from BSP.
Horses’ attentional characteristics differ according to the type of work
Authors: Rochais Céline , Stomp Mathilde , Sébilleau Mélissa , Houdebine Mathilde , Henry Séverine , Hausberger Martine
Published: July 2022

Attention is a central process of cognition and influences the execution of daily tasks. In humans, different types of work require different attentional skills and sport performance is associated with the ability to attention shift. Attention towards humans varies in dogs used for different types of work. Whether this variation is due to the recruitment of individuals suitable for specific types of work, or to the characteristics of the work, remains unclear. In the present study, we hypothesized that domestic horses (Equus caballus) trained for different types of work would also demonstrate different attentional characteristics but we also explored other possible factors of influence such as age, sex and breed. We exposed more than sixty horses, working in 4 different disciplines, and living in two types of housing conditions, to a visual attention test (VAT) performed in the home environment. Individual attentional characteristics in the test were not significantly influenced by age, sex, breed or conditions of life but were strongly related to the type of work. Riding school horses showed longer sequences and less fragmented attention than all other horses, including sport horses living in the same conditions. Interestingly, sport performance was correlated with attention fragmentation during the test in eventing horses, which may need more attention shifting during the competitions. Working conditions may influence attention characteristics indirectly through welfare, or directly through selection and training. Our study opens new lines of thought on the determinants of animal cognition and its plasticity and constitutes a further step towards understanding the interrelationship between working conditions and cognition.
How does risk information dissemination affect risk contagion in the interbank market?
Authors: Li Zhinan , Liu Xiaoyuan
Published: July 2022

This paper distinguishes between local and global risk information and disaggregates risk information dissemination in the interbank market based on specified behavioural mechanisms: information disclosure and transmission, information acquisition and decision-making. It then explores the mechanisms whereby such dissemination affects risk contagion in the interbank market and verifies through computational simulations how risk information dissemination, banks’ information acquisition capability, and information disclosure strategies affect risk contagion in the interbank market. The study shows that risk information dissemination markedly increases—and greater bank information acquisition capability reduces—the scope of contagion in the interbank market. Moreover, the greater the tendency of banks is to disclose positive information, the greater the mitigating effect of this information on contagion in the interbank market. In addition, market noise has a positive effect on contagion, while the risk information transmission rate has a U-shaped influence on contagion.
Diversity impact on organizational performance: Moderating and mediating role of diversity beliefs and leadership expertise
Authors: Turi Jamshid Ali , Khastoori Sudhaishna , Sorooshian Shahryar , Campbell Nadine
Published: July 2022

The current research examines the impact of four independent diversity variables, gender, age, educational background, and ethnicity, on the moderating role of diversity beliefs and the mediating role of leadership expertise to measure organisational performance in Pakistan. A self-administered questionnaire using a 6-point Likert scale approach was adopted to collect the responses from 176 employees. Quantitative analysis was done using SPSS, and SMART-PLS3 were used for was used to comprehend the objectives of the research. The findings indicate that age diversity, diversity beliefs, and leadership expertise have a statistically significant impact on organisational performance. Moreover, moderating variable diversity belief did not affect organisational performance, but leadership expertise plays a significant mediating role in organisational performance. Our study provides critical theoretical contributions to research diversity and organisational performance in Pakistan and examines the impact of workforce diversity on organisational performance with leadership expertise as mediator and diversity beliefs as a moderator.
Investigation on Pollution Control Device (PCD) in iron foundry industry to reduce environmental chemicals
Authors: Ramaswamy Krishnaraj , Jule Leta Tesfaye , N. Nagaprasad , Subramanian Kumaran , R. Shanmugam. , L. Priyanka Dwarampudi. , Seenivasan Venkatesh
Published: July 2022

Right from the olden days, many products have been made according to foundry practices in order to generate prosperity in the societies in which they operate while reaping these types of benefits through the operation of foundries. It is alarming that the emissions released by foundries affect human health. Therefore, foundries installed Pollution Control devices (PCDs), in accordance with this development; researchers examined the effectiveness of these PCDs in controlling emissions from foundries in different parts of the world. The emission control obtained by installing these PCDs is explained in this article based on the data gathered from the survey. The cartridge filter equipped with an induction furnace reduced the concentration of SPM to less than 20 mg/Nm3. This result of the investigation indicates that the cartridge filter built into the induction furnace achieves the best efficiency in controlling contaminants from iron foundries. Interestingly, the operation of the cartridge filter has yet to be documented. Therefore, the construction operation, the performance of the cartridge filter, and its efficiency in achieving contaminations control in foundries are described. This will provide useful information on the use of cartridge filters in an induction furnace to reduce Iron foundry emissions.
Delayed ART initiation in “Test and Treat era” and its associated factors among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy at public health institutions in Northwest Ethiopia: A multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors: Bantie Berihun , Kassaw Yirga Gebrie , Abate Moges Wubneh , Amare Abreham Tsedalu , Nigat Adane Birhanu , Tigabu Agmasie , Kerebeh Gashaw , Emiru Tigabu Desie , Tibebu Nigusie Selomon , Tiruneh Chalie Marew , Misganaw Natnael Moges , Temesgen Dessie , Bizuayehu Molla Azmeraw , Nuru Ahmed , Hiruy Endalk Getasew , Kassaw Amare
Published: July 2022

Background

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has shown promising effects on the reduction of new HIV infection as well as HIV-related morbidity and mortality. In order to boost the effect of ART on ending HIV epidemics by 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO) indeed introduced a universal test and treat strategy in 2015 that recommends rapid (within seven days) initiation of ART for all HIV-positive patients. However, in low-income countries, a substantial number of HIV-positive patients were not enrolled in time, and information on delayed ART initiation status in Ethiopia is limited.

Method

A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 HIV-positive adults receiving ART at public health institutions in Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia. A structured checklist was used to extract data from the patient’s medical record. Data was entered into Epi-data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 26 for further analysis. Both simple and multivariable binary logistic regressions were executed, and variables with a p-value < 0.05 in the final model were considered significant predictors of delayed ART initiation.

Results

The magnitude of delayed ART initiation was 39% (95% CI: 34%–44%). Being male [Adjusted odds ratio(AOR) = 1.99, 95%CI:1.3–3.2], having opportunistic infections (OIs) [AOR = 2.50, 95%CI:1.4–4.6], having other chronic diseases [AOR = 3.70,95%CI:1.7–8.3], substance abuse [AOR = 3.79, 95%CI: 1.9–7.4], having ambulatory functional status [AOR = 5.38, 95%CI: 1.4–9.6] and didn’t have other HIV-positive family member [AOR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.2–2.9] increases the odds of delayed ART initiation.

Conclusion and recommendation

The burden of delayed ART initiation is found to be high. The presence of OIs and other chronic problems, substance abuse, ambulatory functional status, being male, and not having other HIV-positive family members were identified as significant predictors of delayed ART initiation. Special emphasis needs to be considered for those individuals with the identified risk factors.
Synergies of integrated pest and pollinator management in avocado farming in East Africa: An ex-ante economic analysis
Authors: Wangithi Charity , Muriithi Beatrice W. , Diiro Gracious , Dubois Thomas , Mohamed Samira , Lattorff Michael G. , Ngowi Benignus V. , Abdel-Rahman Elfatih M. , Adan Mariam , Kassie Menale
Published: July 2022

Using synthetic pesticides to manage pests can threaten pollination services, affecting the productivity of pollination-dependent crops such as avocado. The need to mitigate this negative externality has led to the emergence of the concept of integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM) to achieve both pest and pollinator management, leading to complementary or synergistic benefits for yield and quality of the harvest. This paper aims to evaluate the potential economic and welfare impact of IPPM in avocado production systems in Kenya and Tanzania. We utilize both primary and secondary data and employed the economic surplus model. On average the potential economic gain from the adoption of IPPM is US$ 66 million annually in Kenya, with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 13:1, while in Tanzania US$ 1.4 million per year, with a BCR of 34:1. The potential benefits from IPPM intervention gains are expected to reduce the number of poor people in Kenya and Tanzania by 10,464 and 1,255 people per year respectively. The findings conclude that policies that enhance the adoption of IPPM can fast-track economic development and therefore improve the livelihoods of various actors across the avocado value chain.
A scalable screening of E. coli strains for recombinant protein expression
Authors: Morão Luana G. , Manzine Lívia R. , Clementino Lívia Oliveira D. , Wrenger Carsten , Nascimento Alessandro S.
Published: July 2022

Structural biology projects are highly dependent on the large-scale expression of soluble protein and, for this purpose, heterologous expression using bacteria or yeast as host systems is usually employed. In this scenario, some of the parameters to be optimized include (i) those related to the protein construct, such as the use of a fusion protein, the choice of an N-terminus fusion/tag or a C-terminus fusion/tag; (ii) those related to the expression stage, such as the concentration and selection of inducer agent and temperature expression and (iii) the choice of the host system, which includes the selection of a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell and the adoption of a strain. The optimization of some of the parameters related to protein expression, stage (ii), is straightforward. On the other hand, the determination of the most suitable parameters related to protein construction requires a new cycle of gene cloning, while the optimization of the host cell is less straightforward. Here, we evaluated a scalable approach for the screening of host cells for protein expression in a structural biology pipeline. We evaluated four Escherichia coli strains looking for the best yield of soluble heterologous protein expression using the same strategy for protein construction and gene cloning and comparing it to our standard strain, Rosetta 2 (DE3). Using a liquid handling device (robot), E. coli pT-GroE, Lemo21(DE3), Arctic Express (DE3), and Rosetta Gami 2 (DE3) strains were screened for the maximal yield of soluble heterologous protein recovery. For the genes used in this experiment, the Arctic Express (DE3) strain resulted in better yields of soluble heterologous proteins. We propose that screening of host cell/strain is feasible, even for smaller laboratories and the experiment as proposed can easily be scalable to a high-throughput approach.
Astragalus polysaccharides and astragaloside IV alleviate inflammation in bovine mammary epithelial cells by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Fan Jiaqi , Jia Fang , Liu Yang , Zhou Xuezhang
Published: July 2022

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates cell renewal and repair and is closely associated with inflammation. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and astragaloside IV (AS-IV), which are the main active substances extracted fromRadix Astragali, protect cells by regulating Wnt signaling in cells, exerting antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antistress effects. However, the mechanisms by which APS and AS-IV interact with Wnt signaling to achieve their therapeutic effects in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) are not understood. In this study, we used lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BMECs as an in vitro model of inflammation to investigate the effects of APS and AS-IV on Wnt signaling in inflamed BMECs. Drug concentrations were screened using the CCK-8 method, the effect on protein expression was analyzed using immunoblotting, the effect on inflammatory factors using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the effect on oxidative factors using enzyme labeling and flow cytometry. LPS activated the expression of inflammatory and oxidative factors in cells and inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling. APS and AS-IV antagonized the inhibitory effect of LPS, protecting BMECs. They inhibited the expression of the IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α inflammatory factors, and that of the MDA oxidative factor, and activated Wnt signaling in LPS-stimulated BMECs. Silencing of β-catenin abolished the protective effect of APS and AS-IV against LPS-stimulated BMECs. Thus, APS and AS-IV mediate protective effects in inflammatory BMECs model through activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Wnt signaling pathway is one of the targets of the inhibitory effects of APS and AS-IV on inflammation.
A comparison of echocardiographic and circulating cardiac biomarkers for predicting incident cardiovascular disease
Authors: Lind Lars , Loader Jordan , Lindahl Bertil , Eggers Kai M. , Sundström Johan
Published: July 2022

Background

Echocardiographic measures are known predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population. This study compared the predictive value of such measures to that of circulating cardiac biomarkers for a composite cardiovascular disease outcome in an aging population.

Methods

In this prospective population-based cohort study, echocardiography was performed at baseline together with assessments of traditional CVD risk factors and circulating cardiac biomarkers, NT-proBNP and troponin I, in 1016 individuals all aged 70 years. Assessments were repeated at ages 75 and 80. A composite CVD outcome (myocardial infarction, heart failure or ischemic stroke) was charted over 15 years. All echocardiography variables, except for the E/A ratio, were analyzed on a continuous scale.

Results

Over 10 years, left atrial (LA) diameter, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and high E/A ratio (>1.5) increased, while left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) remained unchanged. Using Cox proportional hazard analyses with time-updated variables for echocardiographic measures and traditional risk factors, an enlarged LA diameter and a low LVEF were independently related to incident CVD in 222 participants. The addition of LA diameter and LVEF to traditional risk factors increased the C-statistic by 1.5% (p = 0.008). However, the addition of troponin I and NT-proBNP to traditional risk factors increased the C-statistic by 3.0% (p<0.001).

Conclusion

An enlarged LA diameter and a low LVEF improved the prediction of incident CVD compared to traditional risk factors. However, given that troponin I and NT-proBNP improved prediction to a similar extent, the use of simple blood tests to improve clinical cardiovascular disease risk prediction is only further supported by this study.