bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Image restoration for blurry optical images caused by photon diffusion with deep learning
Authors: Zhang Xuanxuan , Cui Jiapei , Jia Yunfei , Zhang Peng , Song Fan , Cao Xu , Zhang Jiulou , Zhang Lin , Zhang Guanglei
Published: November 2022

Optical macroscopic imaging techniques have shown great significance in the investigations of biomedical issues by revealing structural or functional information of living bodies through the detection of visible or near-infrared light derived from different mechanisms. However, optical macroscopic imaging techniques suffer from poor spatial resolution due to photon diffusion in biological tissues. This dramatically restricts the application of optical imaging techniques in numerous situations. In this paper, an image restoration method based on deep learning is proposed to eliminate the blur caused by photon diffusion in optical macroscopic imaging. Two blurry images captured at orthogonal angles are used as the additional information to ensure the uniqueness of the solution and restore the small targets at deep locations. Then a fully convolutional neural network is proposed to accomplish the image restoration, which consists of three sectors: V-shaped network for central view, V-shaped network for side views, and synthetical path. The two V-shaped networks are concatenated to the synthetical path with skip connections to generate the output image. Simulations as well as phantom and mouse experiments are implemented. Results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Fisher information and the Cramér–Rao lower bound in single-pixel localization microscopy with spatiotemporally modulated illumination
Authors: Xiu Maxine , Field Jeff , Bartels Randy , Pezeshki Ali
Published: November 2022

Single-pixel imaging, the concept that an image can be captured via a single-pixel detector, is a cost-effective yet powerful technique to reduce data acquisition duration without sacrificing image resolution when properly structured illumination patterns are introduced. Normally, the image reconstruction process is subject to the diffraction limit. Here, we study the possibility of exploiting the information contained in the illumination patterns to enable a form of single-pixel localization microscopy (SPLM) for super-resolution. This concept is inspired by coherent holographic image reconstruction by phase transfer (CHIRPT) microscopy. CHIRPT microscopy is a single-pixel imaging technique that uses structured illumination that is spatiotemporally modulated (STM) so that a unique temporal modulation pattern is imparted to each point within a large illumination volume. The fluorescent light emitted by molecules contains the same temporal modulations as the illumination patterns at the locations of the molecules. By recording a portion of the total emitted fluorescent power, the signal may be numerically processed to form an image. Unique temporal modulation patterns that excite fluorescent probes at each point can also be used to localize individual molecules by matching their particular temporal light emission patterns to the measured temporal signal. This paper evaluates the feasibility of SPLM with STM illuminations used in and inspired by CHIRPT microscopy via the information content its data carry about the emitter location(s). More specifically, we provide the mathematical formalism of Fisher information (FI) and the Cramér–Rao lower bound (CRLB) associated with the location parameters of the emitter(s). The FI and CRLB are then numerically evaluated under different experimental assumptions to assess the effects of experimental parameters on localization precision. Last, we compare the single-pixel CRLB to that from camera-based single-molecule localization microscopy in the localization of a single emitter. We show that SPLM has several distinguishing characteristics that provide certain advantages, such as relatively constant CRLB over a very large illumination volume and improved CRLB for 3D localization due to the information coupling introduced by simultaneous modulations of the transverse axes.
Spatial and spectral characterization of photon pairs at telecommunication wavelengths from type-0 spontaneous parametric downconversion
Authors: Ortega Evelyn A. , Fuenzalida Jorge , Selimovic Mirela , Dovzhik Krishna , Achatz Lukas , Wengerowsky Sören , Shiozaki Rodrigo F. , Neumann Sebastian Philipp , Bohmann Martin , Ursin Rupert
Published: November 2022

The thorough characterization of entangled-photon sources is vital for their optimal use in quantum communication. However, this task is not trivial at telecommunication wavelengths. While cameras and spectrometers are well developed for visible and near-infrared spectra, this does not apply in the mid-infrared range. Here, we present a spatial and spectral characterization of photon pairs emitted in a type-0 phase-matched spontaneous parametric downconverted source. We experimentally show how these photon properties are modified by the crystal temperature. This parameter allows easy modification of photon-pair properties to fit multiplexing schemes based on only one entanglement photon source. Our results pave the way for the optimal design and use of spatial and spectral properties of quantum-correlated photon pairs at telecommunication wavelengths.
Active non-uniform illumination-based underwater polarization imaging method for objects with complex polarization properties
Authors: Wang Jiajie , Wan Minjie , Cao Xiqing , Zhang Xiaojie , Gu Guohua , Chen Qian
Published: November 2022

Active polarization imaging is one of the most effective underwater optical imaging methods that can eliminate the degradation of image contrast and clarity caused by macro-molecule scattering. However, the non-uniformity of active illumination and the diversity of object polarization properties may decrease the quality of underwater imaging. This paper proposes a non-uniform illumination-based active polarization imaging method for underwater objects with complex optical properties. Firstly, illumination homogenization in the frequency domain is proposed to extract and homogenize the natural incident light from the total receiving light. Then, the weight values of the polarized and non-polarized images are computed according to each pixel’s degree of linear polarization (DoLP) in the original underwater image. By this means, the two images can be fused to overcome the problem of reflected light loss generated by the complex polarization properties of underwater objects. Finally, the fusion image is normalized as the final result of the proposed underwater polarization imaging method. Both qualitative and quantitative experimental results show that the presented method can effectively eliminate the uneven brightness of the whole image and obtain the underwater fusion image with significantly improved contrast and clarity. In addition, the ablation experiment of different operation combinations shows that each component of the proposed method has noticeable enhancement effects on underwater polarization imaging. Our codes are available in Code 1.
Speckle-free compact holographic near-eye display using camera-in-the-loop optimization with phase constraint
Authors: Chen Lizhi , Zhu Runze , Zhang Hao
Published: November 2022

We present a compact holographic near-eye display system with high-quality speckle-free optical reconstructions using camera-in-the-loop (CITL) optimization with phase constraint strategy. The CITL optimization with phase constraint is used to iteratively synthesize the computer-generated holograms (CGHs) based on the in-system optical feedback. The phase constraint embedded into the whole CGH optimization process can effectively smooth the phase profile of reconstructed wave field, which helps to suppress the speckle noise caused by the phase singularities in CGH reconstruction. Numerical and optical experiments have been performed to demonstrate that the proposed method can provide speckle-free optical reconstructions with excellent image fidelity for holographic near-eye display in a compact setup.
Effects of optical aberrations on localization of MINFLUX super-resolution microscopy
Authors: He Chenying , Zhan Zhengyi , Li Chuankang , Sun Xiaofan , Liu Yong , Kuang Cuifang , Liu Xu
Published: November 2022

A novel super-resolution imaging technique based on the minimum photon flux (MINFLUX), can achieve nanometer-scale localization precision and sub-5-nm imaging. However, aberrations can affect the localization performance and degrade the quality of reconstructed images. In this study, we analyze the effects of different low-order aberrations on the MINFLUX system through both theoretical limits and Monte Carlo methods. We report that 1) defocus and spherical aberration have little effect on 2D localization performance, whereas astigmatism and coma have significant negative effects; 2) system aberrations that can be measured in advance cause changes primarily in the magnitude and angular uniformity of localization precision, whereas sample-induced aberrations that cannot be a priori introduce large biases and reduce localization accuracy.
Ultra-wideband flexible radar-infrared bi-stealth absorber based on a patterned graphene
Authors: Zhang Ding , Wu Bian , Ning Jing , Chen Biao , Fan Yi-Feng , Su Tao
Published: November 2022

In this work, an ultra-wideband flexible radar absorber with low infrared emissivity for a radar-infrared bi-stealth application utilizing multilayer patterned graphene is proposed. The proposed absorber consists of three layers of graphene films with different patterns, flexible substrates, lightweight foam, and a ground layer. The flexible graphene films, rather than the conventional lumped resistors, are adopted as omnidirectional resistors to achieve dual polarization and flexibility. On the top of the absorber, an infrared shielding layer (IRSL) consists of patterned Indium tin oxide (ITO) separated by a thin foam layer. Due to the low-pass characteristics and the high filling ratio of the top ITO layer, the infrared emissivity of the whole structure is reduced effectively while the radar absorption property is slightly affected. As a result, the 90% absorption band is from 1.96 GHz to 20.72 GHz (fractional bandwidth 165.4%), with a low infrared emissivity of about 0.35. Besides, a miniaturized unit is achieved with the period of 0.079 λl at the lowest absorption frequency, and the oblique angle incidence response is up to 45° for TE mode and 60° for TM mode. A plane and a bending prototype are fabricated and measured, respectively. The screen-printing technology is adopted to print the graphene resistive films, and the measurement results agree well with the simulation.
Nonreciprocal transmission in a nonlinear coupled heterostructure
Authors: Mai Jianming , Cheah Kok Wai
Published: November 2022

A nonlinear coupled heterostructure, metal-nonlinear-metal-insulator-metal, is proposed. The heterostructure is a non-Hermitian system that possesses reciprocal and nonreciprocal optical transmission characteristics. With low incident power, linear optical characteristic is observed whereas at high incident power, nonlinear optical characteristics is observed. Under the low incident power there is no nonlinear effect, the forward and backward transmission are reciprocal. With appropriate geometric parameters, for forward propagation two exceptional points where the reflection coefficients equal zero can be obtained simultaneously. With high power incident nonlinear effect becomes significant, leading to reciprocity broken and optical bistability observed. We investigated the behaviours of forward and backward transmission as well as the optical bistability under different incident powers using nonlinear coupled mode theory. There is excellent agreement between the simulation results and theoretical modelling. The theoretical study of proposed heterostructure shows it has several novel optical responses under different incident conditions. The proposed heterostructure is relatively simple to fabricate and therefore can be experimentally verified with ease. These unique optical characteristics allow more possibilities for the design of multifunctional devices.
Cascade and yoked superfluorescence detected by sum frequency generation spectroscopy
Authors: Kitano K. , Maeda H.
Published: November 2022

We investigated the superfluorescent decay process of dense rubidium atomic vapor in a cell. Using a femtosecond laser pulse, the atoms were excited from the 5S ground state to the 6P state. The

2.73

μ

m and

1.37

μ

m fields were generated on the cascaded decay, 6P → 6S → 5P, which further stimulated the 780 nm forward emission on the 5P → 5S transition. Using sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, we observed all emission fields and the time delay between them, with sufficient temporal resolution. The experimental results were successfully reproduced using semiclassical simulations.
Wide-field three-dimensional photoacoustic/ultrasound scanner using a two-dimensional matrix transducer array
Authors: Kim Wangyu , Choi Wonseok , Ahn Joongho , Lee Changyeop , Kim Chulhong
Published: November 2022

Two-dimensional matrix transducer arrays are the most appropriate imaging probes for acquiring dual-modal 3D photoacoustic (PA)/ultrasound (US) images. However, they have small footprints which limit the field-of-view (FOV) to less than 10 mm × 10 mm and degrade the spatial resolution. In this study, we demonstrate a dual-modal PA and US imaging system (using a 2D matrix transducer array and a motorized 2D scanning system) to enlarge the FOV of volumetric images. Multiple PA volumes were merged to form a wide-field image of approximately 45 mm × 45 mm. In vivo imaging was demonstrated using rat sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and bladders stained with methylene blue. We believe that this volumetric PA/US imaging technique with a 2D matrix transducer array can be a useful tool for narrow-field real-time monitoring and wide-field imaging of various preclinical and clinical studies.
Three-dimensional imaging performance of photoelectrochemical cells
Authors: Kang Ji-Hoon , Choi Sungwon , Hwang Yun Jeong , Hwang Do Kyung , Park Min-Chul
Published: November 2022

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell produces hydrogen energy using solar energy and an electrochemical reaction. In the hydrogen production process with water decomposition, electrons move from the anode to the cathode, and by measuring the current value at this time, the PEC cell can generate hydrogen and function as an image sensor at the same time. Due to the characteristics of the PEC cell that can perform both functions simultaneously, it can be applied as a device that can detect and respond to the surrounding environment without the need for an observation system such as a camera. We present the imaging performance of PEC cells. The effectiveness of the experiment was confirmed by applying the PEC cells to integral imaging, one of the three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques.
1645-nm single-frequency vortex laser from an Er:YAG nonplanar ring oscillator
Authors: Wang Kaixin , Zhang Xu , Fu Shiyao , Gao Chunqing
Published: November 2022

A 1645-nm single-frequency vortex beam with narrow linewidth from an Er:YAG nonplanar ring oscillator (NPRO) using an annular pump beam is demonstrated. The pump beam from a 1532-nm fiber laser is shaped to an annular beam by an axicon. The Er:YAG NPRO generates a 1.96-W single-frequency vortex beam under a pump power of 13 W. The linewidth of the 1645-nm vortex laser is measured as 6 kHz. This work provides a convenient way of single-frequency vortex beam generation.
Efficient and compact source of tuneable ultrafast deep ultraviolet laser pulses at 50 kHz repetition rate
Authors: Brahms Christian , Travers John C.
Published: November 2022

Deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser pulses with tuneable wavelength and very short duration are a key enabling technology for next-generation technology and ultrafast science. Their generation has been the subject of extensive experimental effort, but no technique demonstrated thus far has been able to meet all requirements in one light source. Here we demonstrate a bright, efficient, and compact source of tuneable DUV ultrafast laser pulses based on resonant dispersive wave emission in hollow capillary fiber. In a total footprint of only

120

cm

×

75

cm

, including the ytterbium-based drive laser, we generate pulses between

208

nm

and

363

nm

at

50

kHz

repetition rate with a total efficiency of up to

3.6

%

. Down-scaling of the DUV generation reduces the required energy sufficiently to enable the generation of two-color few-femtosecond DUV pulses.
Whole-genome scanning reveals environmental selection mechanisms that shape diversity in populations of the epipelagic diatom Chaetoceros
Authors: Nef Charlotte , Madoui Mohammed-Amin , Pelletier Éric , Bowler Chris
Published: November 2022

Diatoms form a diverse and abundant group of photosynthetic protists that are essential players in marine ecosystems. However, the microevolutionary structure of their populations remains poorly understood, particularly in polar regions. Exploring how closely related diatoms adapt to different environments is essential given their short generation times, which may allow rapid adaptations, and their prevalence in marine regions dramatically impacted by climate change, such as the Arctic and Southern Oceans. Here, we address genetic diversity patterns inChaetoceros, the most abundant diatom genus and one of the most diverse, using 11 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) reconstructed fromTaraOceans metagenomes. Genome-resolved metagenomics on these MAGs confirmed a prevalent distribution ofChaetocerosin the Arctic Ocean with lower dispersal in the Pacific and Southern Oceans as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. Single-nucleotide variants identified within the different MAG populations allowed us to draw a landscape ofChaetocerosgenetic diversity and revealed an elevated genetic structure in some Arctic Ocean populations. Gene flow patterns of closely relatedChaetocerospopulations seemed to correlate with distinct abiotic factors rather than with geographic distance. We found clear positive selection of genes involved in nutrient availability responses, in particular for iron (e.g., ISIP2a, flavodoxin), silicate, and phosphate (e.g., polyamine synthase), that were further supported by analysis ofChaetocerostranscriptomes. Altogether, these results highlight the importance of environmental selection in shaping diatom diversity patterns and provide new insights into their metapopulation genomics through the integration of metagenomic and environmental data.
Real world external validation of metabolic gestational age assessment in Kenya
Authors: Hawken Steven , Ward Victoria , Bota A. Brianne , Lamoureux Monica , Ducharme Robin , Wilson Lindsay A. , Otieno Nancy , Munga Stephen , Nyawanda Bryan O. , Atito Raphael , Stevenson David K. , Chakraborty Pranesh , Darmstadt Gary L. , Wilson Kumanan
Published: November 2022

Using data from Ontario Canada, we previously developed machine learning-based algorithms incorporating newborn screening metabolites to estimate gestational age (GA). The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of these algorithms in a population of infants born in Siaya county, Kenya. Cord and heel prick samples were collected from newborns in Kenya and metabolic analysis was carried out by Newborn Screening Ontario in Ottawa, Canada. Postnatal GA estimation models were developed with data from Ontario with multivariable linear regression using ELASTIC NET regularization. Model performance was evaluated by applying the models to the data collected from Kenya and comparing model-derived estimates of GA to reference estimates from early pregnancy ultrasound. Heel prick samples were collected from 1,039 newborns from Kenya. Of these, 8.9% were born preterm and 8.5% were small for GA. Cord blood samples were also collected from 1,012 newborns. In data from heel prick samples, our best-performing model estimated GA within 9.5 days overall of reference GA [mean absolute error (MAE) 1.35 (95% CI 1.27, 1.43)]. In preterm infants and those small for GA, MAE was 2.62 (2.28, 2.99) and 1.81 (1.57, 2.07) weeks, respectively. In data from cord blood, model accuracy slightly decreased overall (MAE 1.44 (95% CI 1.36, 1.53)). Accuracy was not impacted by maternal HIV status and improved when the dating ultrasound occurred between 9 and 13 weeks of gestation, in both heel prick and cord blood data (overall MAE 1.04 (95% CI 0.87, 1.22) and 1.08 (95% CI 0.90, 1.27), respectively). The accuracy of metabolic model based GA estimates in the Kenya cohort was lower compared to our previously published validation studies, however inconsistency in the timing of reference dating ultrasounds appears to have been a contributing factor to diminished model performance.
The public health sector supply chain costs in Tanzania
Authors: Ruhago George M. , Ngalesoni Frida N. , Msasi Daudi , Kengia James T. , Mganga Mathew , Kapologwe Ntuli A. , Mtoroki Majiliwa , Tukai Mavere A.
Published: November 2022

Tanzania’s supply chain system is a complicated web of integrated and vertical systems, covering essential and vertical programs health commodities, laboratory and diagnostics, equipment, and supplies. Despite significant improvement in the supply chain over the decades, the availability of medicines has remained uneven. Therefore, identifying the cost of operating the supply chain is vital to facilitate allocation of adequate finances to run the supply chain. We adopted a three-step approach to costing, which included i) identification, ii) measurement, and (iii) valuation of the resource use. Two levels of the Tanzanian supply chain system were examined to determine the cost of running the supply chain by function. These included first the Medical Stores Department (MSD) central and zonal level, secondly the health service delivery level that include National, Zonal and regional hospitals and the Primary Health Care (District Hospital, health center and Dispensary). The review adopted the health system perspective, whereby all resources consumed in delivering health commodities were considered, resource use was then classified as financial and economic costs. The costing period was an average of two financial years, 2015/16 and 2016/17. The cost data were exchanged from Tanzania Shillings to 2017 US$ and then adjusted for inflation to 2020 US$. The study used the total sales reported in audited financial accounts for throughput value. The average annual costs of running the supply chain at the central MSD was estimated at USD$ 15.5 million and US$ 4.1 million at the four sampled MSD Zonal branches. There is a wide variation in annual running costs among MSD zonal branches; the supply chain’s unit cost was highest in the Dodoma zone and lowest in the Mwanza zone at 26% and 8%, respectively. When examined on a cost-per-unit basis, supply chain systems operate at sub-optimal levels at health facilities at a unit cost of 37% per unit of commodity throughput value. There are inefficiencies in supply chain financing in Tanzania. Storage costs are higher than distribution costs, this may imply some efficiency gains. MSD should employ a "just in time" inventory model, reducing the inventory holding costs, including the high-expired commodities holding charge, this could be improved by increasing the order fill rate.
Epidemiological, clinical and radiological characteristics of people with neurocysticercosis in Tanzania–A cross-sectional study
Authors: Stelzle Dominik , Makasi Charles , Schmidt Veronika , Trevisan Chiara , van Damme Inge , Welte Tamara M. , Ruether Charlotte , Fleury Agnes , Dorny Pierre , Magnussen Pascal , Zulu Gideon , Mwape Kabemba E. , Bottieau Emmanuel , Gabriël Sarah , Ngowi Bernard J. , Winkler Andrea S. ,   on behalf of the SOLID collaborators
Published: November 2022

Background

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is common among people with epilepsy in low-resource settings. Prevalence of NCC and radiological characteristics of patients with NCC vary considerably even within small areas but differences have been poorly characterized so far.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study between August 2018 and April 2020 in three district hospitals in southern Tanzania (Ifisi, Tukuyu and Vwawa). Patients with and without epileptic seizures were included in this study. All patients were tested with a novel antibody-detecting point-of-care test for the diagnosis of Taenia solium cysticercosis. All test positives and a subset of test negatives had a further clinical work-up including medical examination and computed tomography of the brain. NCC was defined according to the Del Brutto criteria. We assessed epidemiological, clinical and radiological characteristics of patients with NCC by presence of epileptic seizures and by serology status.

Results

In all three district hospitals, more than 30% of all people with epileptic seizures (PWE) had NCC lesions in their brain (38% in Vwawa, 32% in Tukuyu and 31% in Ifisi). Most PWE with NCC had multiple lesions and mostly parenchymal lesions (at least 85%). If patients were serologically positive, they had in the median more lesions than serologically negative patients (15 [interquartile range 8–29] versus 5 [1.8–11]), and only serologically positive patients had active stage lesions. Furthermore, serologically positive PWE had more lesions than serologically positive people without epileptic seizures (10.5 [7–23]), and more often had active lesions. PWE diagnosed with NCC (n = 53) were older, and more commonly had focal onset seizures (68% versus 44%, p = 0.03) and headache episodes (34% versus 14%, p = 0.06), which were also stronger than in PWE without NCC (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

NCC is common among PWE. A combination of clinical and serological factors could help to establish an algorithm to identify patients potentially suffering from active NCC, who benefit from further clinical investigation including neuroimaging.
Identification of potent anti-Cryptosporidium new drug leads by screening traditional Chinese medicines
Authors: Kabir Mohammad Hazzaz Bin , Recuenco Frances Cagayat , Mohd Zin Nur Khatijah , Watanabe Nina , Fukuda Yasuhiro , Bando Hironori , Watanabe Kenichi , Bochimoto Hiroki , Xuan Xuenan , Kato Kentaro
Published: November 2022

Cryptosporidium spp. are gastrointestinal opportunistic protozoan parasites that infect humans, domestic animals, and wild animals all over the world. Cryptosporidiosis is the second leading infectious diarrheal disease in infants less than 5 years old. Cryptosporidiosis is a common zoonotic disease associated with diarrhea in infants and immunocompromised individuals. Consequently, cryptosporidiosis is considered a serious economic, veterinary, and medical concern. The treatment options for cryptosporidiosis are limited. To address this problem, we screened a natural product library containing 87 compounds of Traditional Chinese Medicines for anti-Cryptosporidium compounds that could serve as novel drug leads and therapeutic targets against C. parvum. To examine the anti-Cryptosporidium activity and half-maximal inhibitory doses (EC50) of these compounds, we performed in vitro assays (Cryptosporidium growth inhibition assay and host cell viability assay) and in vivo experiments in mice. In these assays, the C. parvum HNJ-1 strain was used. Four of the 87 compounds (alisol-A, alisol-B, atropine sulfate, and bufotalin) showed strong anti-Cryptosporidium activity in vitro (EC50 values = 122.9±6.7, 79.58±13.8, 253.5±30.3, and 63.43±18.7 nM, respectively), and minimum host cell cytotoxicity (cell survival > 95%). Furthermore, atropine sulfate (200 mg/kg) and bufotalin (0.1 mg/kg) also showed in vivo inhibitory effects. Our findings demonstrate that atropine sulfate and bufotalin are effective against C. parvum infection both in vitro and in vivo. These compounds may, therefore, represent promising novel anti-Cryptosporidium drug leads for future medications against cryptosporidiosis.
Is image-to-image translation the panacea for multimodal image registration? A comparative study
Authors: Lu Jiahao , Öfverstedt Johan , Lindblad Joakim , Sladoje Nataša
Published: November 2022

Despite current advancement in the field of biomedical image processing, propelled by the deep learning revolution, multimodal image registration, due to its several challenges, is still often performed manually by specialists. The recent success of image-to-image (I2I) translation in computer vision applications and its growing use in biomedical areas provide a tempting possibility of transforming the multimodal registration problem into a, potentially easier, monomodal one. We conduct an empirical study of the applicability of modern I2I translation methods for the task of rigid registration of multimodal biomedical and medical 2D and 3D images. We compare the performance of four Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based I2I translation methods and one contrastive representation learning method, subsequently combined with two representative monomodal registration methods, to judge the effectiveness of modality translation for multimodal image registration. We evaluate these method combinations on four publicly available multimodal (2D and 3D) datasets and compare with the performance of registration achieved by several well-known approaches acting directly on multimodal image data. Our results suggest that, although I2I translation may be helpful when the modalities to register are clearly correlated, registration of modalities which express distinctly different properties of the sample are not well handled by the I2I translation approach. The evaluated representation learning method, which aims to find abstract image-like representations of the information shared between the modalities, manages better, and so does the Mutual Information maximisation approach, acting directly on the original multimodal images. We share our complete experimental setup as open-source (https://github.com/MIDA-group/MultiRegEval), including method implementations, evaluation code, and all datasets, for further reproducing and benchmarking.
The effect of body image dissatisfaction on goal-directed decision making in a population marked by negative appearance beliefs and disordered eating
Authors: Onysk Jakub , Seriès Peggy
Published: November 2022

Eating disorders are associated with one of the highest mortality rates among all mental disorders, yet there is very little research about them within the newly emerging and promising field of computational psychiatry. As such, we focus on investigating a previously unexplored, yet core aspect of eating disorders–body image dissatisfaction. We continue a freshly opened debate about model-based learning and its trade-off against model-free learning–a proxy for goal-directed and habitual behaviour. We perform a behavioural study that utilises a two-step decision-making task and a reinforcement learning model to understand the effect of body image dissatisfaction on model-based learning in a population characterised by high scores of disordered eating and negative appearance beliefs, as recruited using Prolific. We find a significantly reduced model-based contribution in the body image dissatisfaction task condition in the population of interest as compared to a healthy control. This finding suggests general deficits in deliberate control in this population, leading to habitual, compulsive-like behaviours (body checking) dominating the experience. Importantly, the results may inform treatment approaches, which could focus on enhancing the reliance on goal-directed decision making to help cope with unwanted behaviours.
Use of a 3D-printed body surface percutaneous puncture guide plate in vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Authors: Chen Jianquan , Lin Xinyuan , Lv Zhouming , Chen Maoshui , Huang Taosheng
Published: November 2022

Background

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) has been used widely to treat osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). However, it has many disadvantages, such as excessive radiation exposure, long operation times, and high cement leakage rates. This study was conducted to explore the clinical effects and safety of the use of a three-dimensional (3D)-printed body-surface guide plate to aid PVP for the treatment of OVCFs.

Methods

This prospective cohort study was conducted with patients with OVCFs presenting between October 2020 and June 2021. Fifty patients underwent traditional PVP (group T) and 47 patients underwent PVP aided by 3D-printed body-surface guide plates (3D group). The following clinical and adverse events were compared between groups: the puncture positioning, puncture, fluoroscopy exposure and total operation times; changes in vertebral height and the Cobb angle after surgery relative to baseline; preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores; and perioperative complications (bone cement leakage, neurological impairment, vertebral infection, and cardiopulmonary complications.

Results

The puncture, adjustment, fluoroscopy, and total operation times were shorter in the 3D group than in group T. Visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores improved significantly after surgery, with significant differences between groups (both p < 0.05). At the last follow-up examination, the vertebral midline height and Cobb angle did not differ between groups. The incidence of complications was significantly lower in the 3D group than in group T (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The use of 3D-printed body-surface guide plates can simplify and optimize PVP, shortening the operative time, improving the success rate, reducing surgical complications, and overall improving the safety of PVP.
Adaptation and validation of the Johnson-Lecci scale to assess anti-white bias among black UK minority group members
Authors: Dierckx Kim , Van Hiel Alain , Johnson James D. , Lecci Len , Valcke Barbara , Sekwena Eva Kefilwe
Published: November 2022

The present study (totalN= 901) set out to construct and validate a culturally sensitive instrument to examine anti-White bias among Black UK minority group members. Our novel measure of anti-White bias–which we called the AWB scale–was based upon the Johnson-Lecci scale (JLS; 2003) a questionnaire designed to measure anti-White attitudes among Black Americans. Studies 1 and 2 provided converging evidence for the AWB’s four-factor dimensionality, its structural characteristics, its temporal stability and its external validity in Black UK samples, attesting to the consistency of minorities’ experience of anti-majority bias in two very different societal contexts. Moreover, Study 3 evidenced our measure’s utility for understanding reactions to various relevant contemporary societal events. Theoretical contributions to the literature on intergroup bias are delineated and compared with majority-to-minority prejudice.
Cisnormativity as a structural barrier to STI testing for trans masculine, two-spirit, and non-binary people who are gay, bisexual, or have sex with men
Authors: Stewart Mackenzie , Ryu Heeho , Blaque Ezra , Hassan Abdi , Anand Praney , Gómez-Ramirez Oralia , MacKinnon Kinnon R. , Worthington Catherine , Gilbert Mark , Grace Daniel
Published: November 2022

Trans masculine, two-spirit, and non-binary people who are gay, bisexual or otherwise have sex with men (TGBM) are under-tested for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and may face complex, intersectional barriers that prevent them from accessing STI testing. As part of a study on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men’s (GBM) experiences of current STI testing systems in Ontario, Canada, this paper reports on the findings from TGBM participants’ experiences with in-person STI testing in a range of venues (i.e. Family doctors, walk-in clinics, and community-based organizations) to explore testing barriers specific to TGBM. Using a community-based research approach, between June 2020 and December 2021 peer researchers who identified as GBM conducted focus groups and interviews with 38 cis and trans GBM, 13 of whom identified as TGBM. Data were analyzed following grounded theory. When questioned about past experiences with testing, TGBM participants reported several barriers to STI testing within current testing models in Ontario due to cisnormativity and heteronormativity. Cisnormativity is the assumption that everyone identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth, and those who do not are considered “abnormal”, while heteronormativity is when it is assumed that everyone is heterosexual. From our research we identified three overarching themes concerning testing barriers among TGBM participants: (1) non-inclusive clinic environments, (2) lack of provider knowledge and competency, and (3) legal documentation. Inherent cis and heteronormativity in healthcare institutions appear to be factors shaping the historical under-testing for STI in the TGBM population. These findings suggest the relevance of implementing trans-specific clinical practices that reduce the stigma and barriers faced by TGBM in STI testing contexts, including: hosting all-gender testing hours, opening more LGBTQ+ clinics, offering training in transgender health to testing providers, and conducting a review of how gender markers on health documents can be more inclusive of trans, two-spirit, and non-binary communities.
Linking neuroanatomical abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder with gene expression of candidate ASD genes: A meta-analytic and network-oriented approach
Authors: Camasio Alessia , Panzeri Elisa , Mancuso Lorenzo , Costa Tommaso , Manuello Jordi , Ferraro Mario , Duca Sergio , Cauda Franco , Liloia Donato
Published: November 2022

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of developmental conditions with widespread neuroanatomical abnormalities and a strong genetic basis. Although neuroimaging studies have indicated anatomical changes in grey matter (GM) morphometry, their associations with gene expression remain elusive.

Methods

Here, we aim to understand how gene expression correlates with neuroanatomical atypicalities in ASD. To do so, we performed a coordinate-based meta-analysis to determine the common GM variation pattern in the autistic brain. From the Allen Human Brain Atlas, we selected eight genes from the SHANK, NRXN, NLGN family and MECP2, which have been implicated with ASD, particularly in regards to altered synaptic transmission and plasticity. The gene expression maps for each gene were built. We then assessed the correlation between the gene expression maps and the GM alteration maps. Lastly, we projected the obtained clusters of GM alteration-gene correlations on top of the canonical resting state networks, in order to provide a functional characterization of the structural evidence.

Results

We found that gene expression of most genes correlated with GM alteration (both increase and decrease) in regions located in the default mode network. Decreased GM was also correlated with gene expression of some ASD genes in areas associated with the dorsal attention and cerebellar network. Lastly, single genes were found to be significantly correlated with increased GM in areas located in the somatomotor, limbic and ganglia/thalamus networks.

Conclusions

This approach allowed us to combine the well beaten path of genetic and brain imaging in a novel way, to specifically investigate the relation between gene expression and brain with structural damage, and individuate genes of potential interest for further investigation in the functional domain.
Characterization and prediction of gambling behavior in adolescents using the COM-B model
Authors: Botella-Guijarro Álvaro , Lloret-Irles Daniel , Segura-Heras José Vicente , Moriano-León Juan A.
Published: November 2022

Gambling is an international phenomenon, posing a serious threat to adolescents who begin gambling at a young age. This study aims, to explore gambling behavior in adolescents and interpret its risk factors. We conducted a three-waves cohort longitudinal study assessing gambling and associated risk factors in south-eastern Spain. Data were analyzed using the Capabilities, Opportunities, Motivations, Behavior (COM-B) model and the partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM) technique. Gambling was measured by frequency and money spent; associated factors were knowledge about gambling, parental attitude towards gambling, risk perception, normative perception, and intention to gamble. These items were assigned as indicators of each construct of the COM-B model—capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior—using the theoretical domains framework. Once the behavior was performed, feedback on future capability, opportunity, and motivation was observed. Results show that capability, determined by past experience, and opportunity, determined by parental attitudes, motivates adolescents to seek gambling experiences in the future. Identifying such factors that affect gambling behavior in adolescents and establishing relationships between them through a robust theoretical model is essential for designing effective interventions.
Using big data to understand bilingual performance in semantic fluency: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Authors: Taler Vanessa , Johns Brendan
Published: November 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to characterize verbal fluency performance in monolinguals and bilinguals using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Methods

A large sample of adults aged 45–85 (n = 12,875) completed a one-minute animal fluency task in English. Participants were English-speaking monolinguals (n = 9,759), bilinguals who spoke English as their first language (L1 bilinguals, n = 1,836), and bilinguals who spoke English as their second language (L2 bilinguals, n = 1,280). Using a distributional modeling approach to quantify the semantic similarity of words, we examined the impact of word frequency and pairwise semantic similarity on performance on this task.

Results

Overall, L1 bilinguals outperformed monolinguals on the verbal fluency task: they produced more items, and these items were of lower average frequency and semantic similarity. Monolinguals in turn outperformed L2 bilinguals on these measures. The results held across different age groups, educational, and income levels.

Discussion

These results demonstrate an advantage for bilinguals compared to monolinguals on a category fluency task, when performed in the first language, indicating that, at least in the CLSA sample, bilinguals have superior semantic search capabilities in their first language compared to monolingual speakers of that language.
Low-level factors increase gaze-guidance under cognitive load: A comparison of image-salience and semantic-salience models
Authors: Walter Kerri , Bex Peter
Published: November 2022

Growing evidence links eye movements and cognitive functioning, however there is debate concerning what image content is fixated in natural scenes. Competing approaches have argued that low-level/feedforward and high-level/feedback factors contribute to gaze-guidance. We used one low-level model (Graph Based Visual Salience, GBVS) and a novel language-based high-level model (Global Vectors for Word Representation, GloVe) to predict gaze locations in a natural image search task, and we examined how fixated locations during this task vary under increasing levels of cognitive load. Participants (N = 30) freely viewed a series of 100 natural scenes for 10 seconds each. Between scenes, subjects identified a target object from the scene a specified number of trials (N) back among three distracter objects of the same type but from alternate scenes. The N-back was adaptive: N-back increased following two correct trials and decreased following one incorrect trial. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of gaze locations showed that as cognitive load increased, there was a significant increase in prediction power for GBVS, but not for GloVe. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the area under the ROC between the minimum and maximum N-back achieved across subjects for GloVe (t(29) = -1.062, p = 0.297), while there was a cohesive upwards trend for GBVS (t(29) = -1.975, p = .058), although not significant. A permutation analysis showed that gaze locations were correlated with GBVS indicating that salient features were more likely to be fixated. However, gaze locations were anti-correlated with GloVe, indicating that objects with low semantic consistency with the scene were more likely to be fixated. These results suggest that fixations are drawn towards salient low-level image features and this bias increases with cognitive load. Additionally, there is a bias towards fixating improbable objects that does not vary under increasing levels of cognitive load.
Nurse home visiting to improve child and maternal outcomes: 5-year follow-up of an Australian randomised controlled trial
Authors: Goldfeld Sharon , Bryson Hannah , Mensah Fiona , Price Anna , Gold Lisa , Orsini Francesca , Kenny Bridget , Perlen Susan , Bohingamu Mudiyanselage Shalika , Dakin Penelope , Bruce Tracey , Harris Diana , Kemp Lynn
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Nurse home visiting (NHV) is widely implemented to address inequities in child and maternal health. However, few studies have examined longer-term effectiveness or delivery within universal healthcare systems. We evaluated the benefits of an Australian NHV program (“right@home”) in promoting children’s language and learning, general and mental health, maternal mental health and wellbeing, parenting and family relationships, at child ages 4 and 5 years.

Setting and participants

Randomised controlled trial of NHV delivered via universal, child and family health services (the comparator). Pregnant women experiencing adversity (≥2 of 10 risk factors) were recruited from 10 antenatal clinics across 2 states (Victoria, Tasmania) in Australia.

Intervention

Mothers in the intervention arm were offered 25 nurse home visits (mean 23·2 home visits [SD 7·4, range 1–43] received) of 60–90 minutes, commencing antenatally and continuing until children’s second birthdays.

Primary and secondary outcomes measured

At 4 and 5 years, outcomes were assessed via parent interview and direct assessment of children’s language and learning (receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, attention, and executive function). Outcomes were compared between intervention and usual care arms (intention to treat) using adjusted regression with robust estimation to account for nurse/site. Missing data were addressed using multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting.

Results

Of 722 women enrolled in the trial, 225 of 363 (62%) intervention and 201 of 359 (56%) usual care women provided data at 5 years. Estimated group differences showed an overall pattern favouring the intervention. Statistical evidence of benefits was found across child and maternal mental health and wellbeing, parenting and family relationships with effect sizes ranging 0·01–0·27.

Conclusion

An Australian NHV program promoted longer-term family functioning and wellbeing for women experiencing adversity. NHV can offer an important component of a proportionate universal system that delivers support and intervention relative to need.

Trial registration

2013–2016, registration ISRCTN89962120