bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The W transform with a chirp-modulated window
Authors: Zhao Zhencong , Rao Ying , Wang Yanghua
Published: December 2022

A high-resolution time–frequency spectrum is desirable for processing and interpreting seismic data. The W transform is a method that effectively preserves the resolution in the low-frequency region of the time–frequency spectrum of nonstationary seismic signals. To further increase the energy concentration of the time–frequency spectrum estimated with the W transform, we propose to combine the W transform with a chirp-modulated window. The chirp rate in the chirp-modulated window can control the rotation of the window in the time–frequency plane to achieve a better match with the time–frequency spectrum. The chirp rate in the modified W transform can be directly determined with the estimated instantaneous frequency. It has been shown that the W transform with a chirp-modulated window maintains the resolution of the time–frequency spectrum and improves the energy concentration around the dominant frequency against noise. To speed up the computational process of the W transform with a chirp-modulated window, we formulate the transform as a matrix-vector multiplication, which can be accelerated by using graphics processing unit computations. The application of the modified algorithm to synthetic and field data indicates that the frequency anomalies can be easily identified with the modified W transform.
Ground-penetrating radar wavefield simulation via physics-informed neural network solver
Authors: Zheng Yikang , Wang Yibo
Published: December 2022

The traditional methods for ground-penetrating radar (GPR) wavefield simulation suffer from numerical dispersion phenomena and difficulties for models with complex geometry. We propose to use the physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to solve the GPR wave equation and model the wavefield propagation. Deep fully connected networks are used to approximate the solution to the equations. Automatic differentiation with back propagation is taken to calculate the partial derivatives. The loss function combining the wave equation, boundary condition, and temporal constraints is constructed and minimized to train the PINNs. As the solver is mesh-free, this simulation method avoids numerical dispersion artifacts and is very flexible in implementation for inversion. The numerical examples indicate that the PINNs solver for GPR wavefield simulation has high accuracy and efficiency. We also explore the possibility of inverting the electrical parameters from the observed wavefields. The results demonstrate the promising potential of the proposed approach in GPR forward modeling.
Measurement of speech in individuals with selective mutism: A systematic review
Authors: Toma Yuria , Matsuda Soichiro
Published: December 2022

Background: The main characteristic of selective mutism (SM) is the failure to speak in specific social situations. Thus, assessing speech across social contexts is important for confirming a diagnosis of SM and for differentiating it from other disorders. The purpose of this review was to organize how the core symptom of SM, a lack of speech in specific social situations, has been assessed in previous studies.

Methods: A systematic search of articles was conducted in three databases, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed and reviews of surveys or experimental studies that reported empirical data on individuals with SM were performed. We excluded review, qualitative, epidemiological, and intervention studies. The study summarized the diagnostic criteria, methods of confirming SM diagnosis, distinction of SM from other disorders, and methods of speech assessment.

Results: A total of 447 articles were screened, where 60 articles were considered eligible. The results demonstrate that different interviews and questionnaires were used to establish the diagnosis of SM. However, the majority of interviews and questionnaires lacked validation. Only two (2/60) articles used validated methods of speech assessment to confirm SM diagnosis. Moreover, a consensus was lacking on the assessment method for differentiating SM from other disorders across studies. Specifically, 17 studies measured speech and are not intended for diagnosis. The majority of studies (16/17) used the questionnaire to assess the severity of the SM condition, and only one study conducted behavioral observation. Assessment methods based on the measurement of speech in real-life situations for individuals with SM were not established.

Conclusion: We have the limitation that we did not review intervention studies. However, this systematic review revealed the problem that speech assessment methods for surveys or experimental studies of SM were not established. Future studies should establish methods of speech assessment across social situations to assess SM symptoms.
A cross-sectional survey among parents to report challenges and barriers in the administration of drugs to children
Authors: AlKaddour Nour Aliyan , Shah Rawa Banoori , Gillani Syed Wasif , Sharafi Niloofar Hadi , Khan Aiman Fatima , Elshafie Riham Mohamed , Rathore Hassaan Anwer
Published: December 2022

Background: Lack of knowledge among parents can result in inappropriate administration practices.  After analyzing different studies among children, there was no data on challenges and barriers in the administration of drugs among children in this region because of the diverse environmental issues and challenges in the UAE. The objective of this study was to determine the reported administration practices of parents and challenges and barriers in the administration of drugs among children in UAE.

Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted. A convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data. An online Raosoft® sample size calculator was applied (n = 248). The inclusion criteria were parents who had a child under 10 years of age and gave consent to participate in this study. Children with vision problems, cognitive/physical disabilities, and caregivers other than parents were excluded from this study.

Results: The study reported response rate of 73.2%. The mean ± S.D age of the parents in years was 35.5 ± 7.8, and the mean ± S.D of children aged years was 2.60 ± 1.54. The majority of parents (83.9%) completing the survey were mothers and resided in the city (97.2%). When the children did not like taking tablet drugs 41.9% used multiple practices and 26.2% of parents reported treatment failure due to oral drug administration. Around 47.6% of those who were interviewed reported that their children had swallowing problems during the administration of oral medication. A total of 22.2% of parents reported that they gave drugs in doses higher than prescribed by the doctor to treat their children more quickly. Similarly, a total of 64.5% of the parents reported self-medication without consultation from a healthcare provider.

Conclusions: The study concluded that there were inappropriate drug administration practices among parents. Parents reported administration of higher doses to treat their children quickly.
Mutation patterns of resistance genes for macrolides, aminoglycosides, and rifampicin in nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates from Kenya
Authors: Mwangi Zakayo , Naeku Grace , Mureithi Marianne , Onyambu Frank , Bulimo Wallace
Published: December 2022

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) treatment constitutes a macrolide-based antibiotic regimen in combination with aminoglycosides for Rapid-Growing mycobacteria (RGM), and rifampicin for Slow-Growing mycobacteria (SGM). Mutations in the anti-NTM drug target regions promote NTM evolution to mutant strains that are insusceptible to NTM drugs leading to treatment failure. We, therefore, described the mutation patterns of anti-NTM drug target genes including rrl, rrs, and rpoB in NTM isolates from Kenya. 

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study that included 122 NTM obtained from the sputum of symptomatic tuberculosis-negative patients in Kenya. All the 122 NTM underwent targeted sequencing of the rrl gene. The 54 RGM were also sequenced for rrs, and the 68 SGM were sequenced for rpoB genes using ABI 3730XL analyzer. The obtained sequences were aligned to their wild-type reference sequences for each gene using Geneious then mutations were identified. Pearson chi-square at 95% confidence interval tested the association of NTM to mutation patterns for each gene.

Results: Twenty-eight (23%) of the NTM harbored mutations associated with resistance to at least one of the macrolide-based therapy antibiotics. Twelve (10.4%)  NTM comprising 7(58.3%) of RGM and 5(41.7%) of SGM had mutations in the rrl gene.

For ten (83.3%) NTM, mutations were found at position 2058, while for two (16.6%) NTM, mutations were found at position 2059. Six (11.1%) of the 54 RGM exhibited mutations in the aminoglycoside target gene rrs at location 1408. Ten (14.7%) of the 68 SGM harbored mutations in the rpoB gene with 40 percent having mutations at codon 531.

Conclusion: We demonstrated a significant level of mutations associated with drug resistance for macrolides, aminoglycosides, and rifampicin in NTM isolated from symptomatic TB negative patients in Kenya.
Enhancement of surface properties of polyetheretherketone implant material by fractional laser texturing
Authors: Tukmachi Mustafa S. , Abdul-Baqi Hikmat J. , Hussein Falah H.
Published: December 2022

Background: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a promising implant material due to its superior biomechanical strength. However, due to its hydrophobic nature and lack of cellular adhesion properties, it has poor integration with bone tissue.

Methods: A fractional CO2 laser was used with various parameters for surface texturing of PEEK substrate to enhance its surface properties. An optical microscope and field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to examine the surface morphology of untextured and laser-textured samples. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was performed to determine the effect of the laser on the microstructure of PEEK. Surface microroughness, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and wettability were investigated.

Results: There were significant increases in microroughness, nanoroughness, surface area ratio, and wettability after laser texturing with no change in the elemental composition. The best results were obtained by using 400 µs laser pulse duration with a dot separation distance of 0.2 mm and a 60° staggered dots pattern.

Conclusions: Laser surface texturing of PEEK implant material by fractional CO2 laser is an easy and fast method of introducing patterned topographical features with no need for additional devices. With further investigations, this method of PEEK modification might have the potential to be used in the implant field.
Case Report: The effect of intravenous and oral antibiotics on the gut microbiome and breath volatile organic compounds over one year
Authors: Shahi Farah , Forrester Sarah , Redeker Kelly , Chong James P.J. , Barlow Gavin
Published: December 2022

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern and better understanding of the gut microbiome, a known ‘amplifier’ of AMR, may allow future clinicians to tailor therapy to minimise this risk and offer a personalised medicine approach. To examine the gut microbiome, patients are required to provide faecal samples; more convenient and cheaper solutions need to be found.

Methods: As part of a pilot study looking at how routes of administration affect the gut microbiome in NHS patients undergoing routine clinical management for infections, we hypothesised that effects on the gut microbiome varied with the route and metabolism of antibiotic used, and these changes may be reflected in breath metabolites. We present a case report of a patient with an unusual clinical history, alongside breath metabolite and gut microbiome data taken before, during and after antibiotic therapy over a period of one year.

Results: We noted a shift in the dominantBacteroidesstrain in the patient’s gut microbiome between pre- and post-therapy samples, along with an alteration in the composition of breath metabolites.

Conclusions: This study provides a framework for similar future work and highlights the need for further research on the relationships between changes in microbial gut communities and antimicrobial exposure, patient clinical status, and the metabolites of human breath.
Application of ‘Readiness for Change’ concept within implementation of evidence-based mental health interventions globally: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Dev Saloni , Shidhaye Rahul
Published: December 2022

Background: Concerning the growing burden of mental illnesses globally, there has been an increased investment into the implementation of evidence-based mental health interventions (EBmhIs) in routine care settings. However, the uptake and implementation of these EBmhIs has faced challenges in the real-world context. Among the many barriers and facilitators of implementation of EBmhIs identified by implementation science frameworks, evidence on the role of readiness for change (RFC) remains sparse. RFC constitutes the willingness and perceived capacity of stakeholders across an organization to implement a new practice. Theoretically, RFC has been defined at organizational, group, and individual levels, however, its conceptualization and operationalization across all these levels have differed in studies on the implementation of EBmhIs. By conducting a scoping review, we aim to examine the literature on RFC within the implementation of EBmhIs.

Methods: This scoping review will be conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Iterative review stages will include a systematic and comprehensive search through four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and PsycINFO), selecting studies, charting data, and synthesizing the results. English-language studies meeting the inclusion criteria will be screened independently by two reviewers.

Results: This review will synthesize knowledge on the conceptualization of RFC across organizational, group, and individual levels within the implementation of EBmhIs. In addition, it will identify how RFC has been measured in these studies and summarize the reported evidence on its impact on the implementation of EBmhIs.

Conclusions: This review will assist mental health researchers, implementation scientists, and mental health care providers to gain a better understanding of the state of research on RFC within the implementation of EBmhIs.

Registration: The final protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework on October 21, 2022 (https://osf.io/rs5n7).
Liberation of the signified from a rigid connection with the signifier as one of the conditions of the arbitrary nature of the sign
Authors: Mochalov Konstantin
Published: December 2022

How do arbitrary signs occur? The article suggests that the basis of arbitrariness is the liberation of the signified from a rigid connection with the signifier. An important role is played by the psychological present. The psychological present is not one-dimensional but is represented by dimensions of sequence, simultaneity, and duration. Non-arbitrary signs are as if one-dimensional: the signifier and the signified are in undifferentiated unity – in one dimension of the present time. When forming arbitrary signs, the signified and the signifier are separated from each other and are embodied in different dimensions – the levels of the psychological present tense, invariant and variable. At the same time, the signified occupies an invariant level, and the signifier is variable so that the signified remains constant with any change in the signifier. Therefore, different signifiers can be applied to the same object at will, and the content of the designated object does not change. The signified thus becomes relatively independent and free from the signifier.
Architecture, Protocols, and Applications of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
Authors:   Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Karabuk University, Karabuk, Turkey, Askar Naeem Ali , Habbal Adib , Mohammed Alaa Hamid , Sajat Mohd Samsu , Ziyodulla Yusupov Ziyodulla Yusupov , Kodirov Dilshod
Published: December 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the interconnected framework of web-connected objects that can collect and transfer information over a remote network without requiring any human intervention. The rapid progression in the development of IoT-based devices and their expansion towards making the medical care facility financially more savvy, proactive, and customized, has given rise to the development of the "Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)" that are assumed to function proactively in all domains of the healthcare industry. Within this framework, the IoMT-based healthcare system delivers various advantages, such as quick and unfailing treatment, enhanced communication, cost minimization, etc., through the exploitation of several new technologies. For instance, machine learning has significantly helped with the exploitation of various healthcare systems; fog computing not only minimises the cost of communication but also provides low latency; blockchain delivers its users a much better way of protecting sensitive and confidential information and data they possess. In this survey, a comprehensive elaboration of the IoMT-based healthcare systems based on modern technologies was conducted. This article describes various techniques and solutions of IoMT healthcare systems in the context of emerging technologies, and the related future trends and applications for a better understanding of how IoMT can enhance the healthcare industry now and in future.
EYE CONTACT AND LEVEL OF INTERPERSONAL TRUST
Authors: Коrnilova Veronika S.
Published: December 2022

Relevance. Self-directed gaze detection is often the starting point for social interaction, and eye contact plays a crucial role in regulating face-to-face interaction. The question of the impact of eye contact on the establishment of trust remains open.

Purpose. To research eye contact as a factor in the emergence and formation of interpersonal trust.

Research methods. In the process of work, the following methods were used: registration of eye movements using the SMI 1250 Eye Tracker equipment; survey; analysis of collected data using comparison, synthesis; statistical data processing was carried out by the IBM SPSS Statistics 27.

Results. The research showed that in the presence of eye contact, trust in a person is rated higher.

Field of the results application. The results of the study can be applied to the formation of interpersonal trust in professional activity and daily life.
The effects of mindfulness-based training in virtual reality on psychotic symptoms, mood and cognitive functioning – a pilot study
Authors: Plencler Iga , Kruk Dawid , Daren Artur , Stankiewicz Przemysław , Nowak Agnieszka , Radoń Stanisław , Chrobak Adrian , Cechnicki Andrzej , Siwek Marcin
Published: December 2022

Cel pracy

Wirtualna Rzeczywistość (VR) zyskuje na popularności w leczeniu różnych zaburzeń psychicznych, w tym psychotycznych. Jednak do tej pory nie opublikowano żadnych badań dotyczących interwencji uważności wspomaganych przez rzeczywistość wirtualną u pacjentów psychotycznych.

Metoda

Dwudziestu pięciu pacjentów ze schizofrenią lub zaburzeniem schizoafektywnym oceniano w trzech punktach czasowych w 4-tygodniowych odstępach za pomocą sześciopunktowej Skali Zespołów Pozytywnych i Negatywnych (PANSS-6), Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). ), Inwentarz Lęku Becka (BAI), Inwentarz Stanu i Cechy Lęku (STAI) Skala Postrzeganego Stresu (PSS-10) oraz Badanie Poznawcze III Addenbrooke'a (ACE-III). Dodatkowo intensywność siedmiu emocji oceniano za pomocą wizualnej skali analogowej (VAS) przed i po każdej sesji treningowej.

Wyniki

Badani osiągnęli znaczne zmniejszenie nasilenia objawów po ukończeniu treningu uważności. Znalazło to odzwierciedlenie w wyniku całkowitym PANSS-6, a także w podskalach dla objawów negatywnych i pozytywnych. Stwierdzono również znaczny wzrost funkcjonowania poznawczego (wyniki ACE-III). Nie zaobserwowano istotnych zmian w tych miarach, gdy zastosowano jedynie interwencję standardową.

Wnioski

Nasze badanie wskazuje na dobrą wykonalność interwencji mindfulness w VR u pacjentów ze schizofrenią. Wyniki wskazują na potencjalne korzyści w zakresie złagodzenia objawów i poprawy funkcji poznawczych.
Windows overlooking life and death. Reflections on the changing practice of psychotherapy
Authors: Gawęda Dominik
Published: December 2022

Celem tego artykułu jest zwrócenie uwagi terapeutów na ogromny wzrost ekspozycji nas samych i naszych pacjentów na śmierć, spowodowany pandemią Covid-19 i wojną na Ukrainie. Ilość sytuacji przypominających nam o naszej śmiertelności, które w ostatnich dwóch latach przyszło nam przeżyć, znacząco wyróżnia je spośród wielu poprzednich, co nie może pozostać bez wpływu na naszą praktykę psychoterapeutyczną. Moje doświadczenia minionych dwóch lat wskazują na większą obecność szeroko pojętego tematu śmierci w trakcie procesów terapeutycznych. Pacjenci doświadczają lęków przed nią i różnie przed tymi lękami się bronią. W tym samym czasie ich psychoterapeuci doświadczają podobnych obaw i szukają swoich obron przed własnym przerażeniem. O tym jest ten artykuł. Spróbuję w nim, odwołując się do literatury przedmiotu, kina i własnej praktyki, ukazać ten proces, zagrożenia i szanse, jakie niesie dla procesu psychoterapii i superwizji.
Anselm of Canterbury and the many senses of “being”
Authors: Guerrero-Troncoso Hernán
Published: December 2022

This article presents the so-called “ontological argument” from a comparison with the “regula” Anselms establishes in his Monologion, c. 15. This rule would allow, under a certain respect, to consider existence as a perfection attributable to God, even though it does not possess the same ontological status of any other attribute, i.e. cannot be considered a real predicate. Consequently, it is possible to outline the different senses in which Anselm understands the notion of “being” and the conditions under which existence and real perfection can transcend the sphere of creatures and help conceiving God. This distinction of the senses of being would later allow for existence to be considered a perfection, just as real predicates are, but according to a completely different meaning.
To normalize the solitude – the task to be done
Authors: Idasiak Michał
Published: December 2022

The pandemic situation showed us, that the separation from other people is an important part of our lives and makes even more impact than we thought. Yet, the dominant picture of this separation is hugely negative and was so for a long time. Solitude, being nor positive nor negative on its own, just as being with others, is not something that people as a whole acknowledge in their lives – it is perceived as a state to endure, something that can be useful, but not something we should just live with, at least partially. This paper shows how important it is to create a new picture of solitude – as something normal, not exceptional. It indicates the task to create a new vocabulary around the phenomena of solitude, free of its negative connotations, which will enable us to incorporate the solitude back to our lives. I argue, that such change in vocabulary may enable us normalization of solitude and that such normalization should be our goal.
Timing of cord clamping: An observational study of cord clamping practice in a maternity hospital in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Hewitt Tina , Baddock Sally , Patterson Jean
Published: December 2022

Background: When the umbilical cord is left unclamped after birth, a significant proportion of the blood from the placenta flows into the newborn, increasing the baby's blood volume by approximately 30%. Routine intervention of immediate cord clamping is harmful as it deprives the newborn access to their own blood, resulting in impaired physiological transition at birth and lower iron stores in early infancy. Iron deficiency in early life, even without anaemia, is linked with impaired neurodevelopment. Aim: The aim of this study was to accurately record birth to cord clamping interval at term vaginal births in a tertiary hospital in Aotearoa New Zealand and concurrently to examine some of the circumstances that may influence the timing of when the cord is cut. Method: This observational study was undertaken from August 2017 to April 2018. Participants were pregnant women having a vaginal birth at ≥37 weeks gestation. Data collected included birth to cord clamping interval, mode of birth (spontaneous or instrumental), maternal position for birth and practitioners involved in the birth. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Results: Participants were 55 women with term vaginal births. The median interval between birth and cord clamping was 3.5 minutes (IQR 2.18 - 5.68 mins). There was a longer median cord clamping time in the group who had a spontaneous birth (median 3.71; IQR 2.67 - 6.23) vs instrumental birth (2.08; IQR 0.55 - 2.30); with maternal side-lying position (6.37; IQR 4.15 - 9.48) vs lithotomy position (2.24; IQR 1.87 - 3.50); with midwife-facilitated birth (4.06; IQR 2.68 - 6.65) vs obstetric-facilitated birth (2.13; IQR 1.48 - 3.28); and when the neonatal team was not called to attend (4.73; IQR3.32 - 8.26) vs when they were called to attend (2.13; IQR 1.28 - 3.27). Discussion: The median cord clamping time of 3.5 minutes aligns with current local, national and international guidelines, although clamping times as short as 0.23 minutes were observed. The study provides a snapshot of practice at one tertiary hospital, examining data on a range of vaginal births, from uncomplicated midwifery-led births to complicated obstetric-led births requiring neonatal team attendance. By identifying some of the circumstances where cords are clamped early, we may be able to modify the associated factors for these births, thereby improving newborn health outcomes in the future.
Designing Core-Selecting Payment Rules: A Computational Search Approach
Authors: Bünz Benedikt , Lubin Benjamin , Seuken Sven
Published: December 2022

Combinatorial auctions are regularly used to allocate resources worth billions of dollars. However, finding optimal payment rules for such auctions is still an open problem. To this end, we develop a new computational search framework for finding payment rules with desirable properties. We show that the rule most commonly used in practice, the quadratic rule, can be improved upon in terms of efficiency, incentives and revenue. Our best-performing rules are so-called large-style rules—that is, they provide better incentives to bidders with larger values. Ultimately, we identify two particularly well-performing rules and suggest that they be considered for practical implementation in place of the currently used rule.
Implementing the intensity of care model in a surgical department: an evaluation
Authors: Mulloni Giovanna , Fabbro Elisa , Quattrin Rosanna , Mesaglio Maura , Orsettigh Linda , Petri Roberto
Published: December 2022

Background/Aims

The authors' hospital implemented an intensity of care model in the surgical department, grouping patients by the level of care they required (low, high or intensive) and creating a short-stay unit for patients requiring a low level of care. This study evaluated care quality, along with staff and patient perceptions, in the department 3 years after this model was implemented.

Methods

Data were collected from mandatory national databanks regarding organisation, economic, staff and patient factors relating to care quality and efficiency. The department's performance according to National Outcome Programme indicators was also assessed. Data from staff and patient satisfaction questionnaires used for routine audit were analysed retrospectively. Both questionnaires asked respondents to rate their satisfaction to items on a 5-point Likert scale so their scores could be analysed. Satisfaction scores for staff in the short-stay unit were compared with those working in general surgery using a t-test, with P<0.05 indicating a significant difference.

Results

Some improvements were found 3 years after the model was implemented, including increased elective activity and reduced length of stay. Patient satisfaction with the short-stay unit was generally high. However, staff satisfaction was generally low and turnover rates were high.

Conclusions

The intensity of care model and the use of a short-stay unit can lead to benefits for surgical care, but further research is needed to determine its effects on all aspects of care quality and, especially, staff satisfaction.
Can digital noise display devices reduce noise levels in hospital wards? A qualitative literature review
Authors: Aparício Carlos , Panin Francesca
Published: December 2022

Hospital wards are noisy environments, and this has been recognised as a global healthcare challenge. Excessive noise can reduce staff performance and disrupt patients' sleep, delaying their recovery and leading to a prolonged stay. Research has suggested that digital noise display devices can alert ward staff and prompt them to reduce noise levels, but the literature on this topic varies. This systematic review summarises the evidence regarding the use of digital noise display devices as the primary intervention to reduce noise levels in hospital wards. The authors searched CINAHL, MEDLINE and PubMed databases, as well as manually harvesting through the references. A total of 1110 articles were identified, of which eight were eligible for inclusion. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise the findings. The evidence demonstrated that digital noise display interventions could reduce noise levels in wards by 2–3 decibels and raise staff awareness of noise. However, there was a lack of evidence that this intervention changed staff behaviour regarding noise levels. Further research is required to explore the experiences of patients and staff to understand if and how these devices changed behaviour towards noise.
The use of leadership metaphors in the NHS
Authors: Edmonstone John
Published: December 2022

This article examines the use of leadership metaphors in the NHS. It explores the ways in which metaphors are used, then identifies the most commonly-used metaphors relating to healthcare leadership. Metaphors relating to machines appear to be the most dominant, so the article will consider the implications of this. The potential of the ‘living system’ metaphor as an alternative to this will also be discussed in relation to the development of integrated care systems.
Training on cultural competency for perinatal mental health peer supporters
Authors: Marvin-Dowle Katie , Oshaghi Ghazaleh , Fair Frankie , Ratcliffe Josanne , Soltani Hora
Published: December 2022

Background

Women from migrant or minority ethnic backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to perinatal mental ill health. Peer support can be beneficial for those with perinatal mental ill health. This study's aim was to evaluate a training package combining perinatal mental health and the impact of migration to enable better support for women from ethnic minorities with perinatal mental ill health.

Methods

Peer supporters who undertook training completed a survey immediately afterwards and interviews were conducted 3 months later. A total of 10 peer supporters were trained.

Results

The participants all rated the training as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ and reported increased awareness of perinatal mental ill health, cultural issues and women's vulnerability. More complex scenarios were requested, given the multi-factorial nature of many women's needs.

Conclusions

The combined training provided participants from different backgrounds with opportunities to learn from one another. Further evaluation among participants new to peer supporting is required.
Direct Support Professional and Frontline Supervisor Perspectives on Work-Life in a Pandemic
Authors: Hall Sarah A. , Anderson Lynda Lahti , Pettingell Sandra L. , Zhang Alicia , Bershadsky Julie , Hewitt Amy , Smith Jerry
Published: December 2022

Direct support professionals (DSPs) and frontline supervisors (FLSs) play an invaluable role in delivering home and community-based services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). DSPs provide support with employment, community living, developing social connections, health and well-being, and many other areas. FLSs' primary responsibility is to provide direction and guidance to DSPs in their work; however, they also frequently provide direct support to people with IDD. This workforce has been in crisis with high turnover and vacancy which threaten the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in their communities. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already fraught situation.
Collimating illumination of a refractive lens using an annularly stitched surface for extended LED sources
Authors: Gong Chen , Xu Haiping , Liang Jinhua , Yuan Zengquan , Xu Chen
Published: December 2022

We report a design method based on an annularly stitched aspherical
surface for highly collimated optical systems with extended light
sources. The annularly stitched aspherical surface is constructed as a
circular central zone and one or more annular zones, which are
rotationally symmetric and provide flexibility to satisfy the
requirements of a practical design. An extended LED light source can
be considered, and a backward ray-tracing process is used to construct
the initial lens model. The specific optimization has been added step
by step to modify the stitched surface to redistribute the light rays
emitted from the extended source. The smoothness of the stitched
surface is considered in the design and optimization process to
guarantee the processability of the system. A prototype has been
fabricated and tested, which demonstrates the validity of this
method.
Broadband antireflection coatings with low polarization splitting
Authors: Schulz Ulrike , Rickelt Friedrich , Gärtner Anne , Bingel Astrid
Published: December 2022

A major problem for optical systems is the polarization splitting occurring at any interface in the event of oblique light. Low-index nanostructured silica layers were produced by overcoating an initial organic structure with silica and subsequent removal of the organic constituents. The nanostructured layers can be tailored to achieve defined low effective refractive indices down to 1.05. They can also be stacked together with homogeneous layers to produce broadband antireflective coatings with very low polarization splitting. Especially thin interlayers that separate the low-index structured layers turned out to be useful to optimize the polarization properties.
In vivo three- and four-photon fluorescence microscopy using a 1.8 µm femtosecond fiber laser system
Authors: Murakoshi Hideji , Ueda Hiromi H. , Goto Ryuichiro , Hamada Kosuke , Nagasawa Yutaro , Fuji Takao
Published: December 2022

Multiphoton microscopy has enabled us to image cellular dynamics in vivo. However, the excitation wavelength for imaging with commercially available lasers is mostly limited between 0.65–1.04 µm. Here we develop a femtosecond fiber laser system that produces ∼150 fs pulses at 1.8 µm. Our system starts from an erbium-doped silica fiber laser, and its wavelength is converted to 1.8 µm using a Raman shift fiber. The 1.8 µm pulses are amplified with a two-stage Tm:ZBLAN fiber amplifier. The final pulse energy is ∼1 µJ, sufficient for in vivo imaging. We successfully observe TurboFP635-expressing cortical neurons at a depth of 0.7 mm from the brain surface by three-photon excitation and Clover-expressing astrocytes at a depth of 0.15 mm by four-photon excitation.
Measurement of tissue optical properties in a wide spectral range: a review [Invited]
Authors: Martins Inês S. , Silva Hugo F. , Lazareva Ekaterina N. , Chernomyrdin Nikita V. , Zaytsev Kirill I. , Oliveira Luís M. , Tuchin Valery V.
Published: December 2022

A distinctive feature of this review is a critical analysis of methods and results of measurements of the optical properties of tissues in a wide spectral range from deep UV to terahertz waves. Much attention is paid to measurements of the refractive index of biological tissues and liquids, the knowledge of which is necessary for the effective application of many methods of optical imaging and diagnostics. The optical parameters of healthy and pathological tissues are presented, and the reasons for their differences are discussed, which is important for the discrimination of pathologies and the demarcation of their boundaries. When considering the interaction of terahertz radiation with tissues, the concept of an effective medium is discussed, and relaxation models of the effective optical properties of tissues are presented. Attention is drawn to the manifestation of the scattering properties of tissues in the THz range and the problems of measuring the optical properties of tissues in this range are discussed. In conclusion, a method for the dynamic analysis of the optical properties of tissues under optical clearing using an application of immersion agents is presented. The main mechanisms and technologies of optical clearing, as well as examples of the successful application for differentiation of healthy and pathological tissues, are analyzed.
Non-invasive spectroscopy of variously shaped turbid media like human tissue based on the microscopic Beer-Lambert law
Authors: Tsuchiya Yutaka , Urakami Tsuneyuki
Published: December 2022

Tissue spectroscopy is a diagnostic tool that has severa1 potentials in the medica1 field. So far a variety of methods have been developed to measure the concentration of absorptive constituents such as hemoglobin in the living tissue [ 1-3]. These methods; continuous wave [4], time resolved [5-61 and frequency domain [7-8] techniques, are based on a model in which the diffusion approximation is applied on photon transport in homogeneous media.
Spatially and Spectrally Resolved Steady-State Diffuse Reflectance Measurements of the Optical Properties of Tissue-Simulating Phantoms
Authors: Nichols M. G. , Hull E. L. , Foster T. H.
Published: December 2022

We have constructed a steady-state radially-resolved dif€use reflectance spectrometer capable of simultaneously measuring the absorption (μa) and transport scattering (μa′) spectra of tissue-simulating phantoms within an adjustable 160 nm wavelength interval. We present absorption and transport scattering spectra of various tissue-simulating phantoms reconstructed from diffuse reflectance measurements. When compared with the known optical properties of the phantoms, the returned optical coefficients are generally found to be accurate to within 10% for media in which the diffusion model of photon transport is relevant. In addition, Monte Carlo simulations are presented which illustrate the dependence of the errors in the returned optical properties on the source-detector separation distances used in the measurement. Finally, we discuss determinations of hemoglobin oxygen saturation derived from diffuse reflectance measurements of tissue-simulating phantoms.
Spectrophotometry for the Assessment of Pigmented Skin Lesions.
Authors: Wallace V. P. , Bamber J. C. , Crawford D. C. , Mortimer P. S.
Published: December 2022

Optical reflectance spectra (320- 1 100nm) have been obtained from 121 skin lesions. Features correlated with histology correctly classified 73% benign naevi and 100% malignant melanoma.
How LED Wavelength Effects Accuracy in Pulse Oximetry
Authors: McGraw Daniel J.
Published: December 2022

Selection of the LED pair which minimizes the pulse oximetry SaO2 measurement sensitivity to variations in emission wavelength is described.
Absolute SO2 measurements in layered media.
Authors: Matcher S J , Nahid K , Cope M , Delpy D T
Published: December 2022

Until recently, tissue near infrared spectroscopy has been largely restricted to measuring quantified changes in tissue oxygenation. This limitation arises because the multiple light scattering properties of most biological tissues renders the usual Beer-Lambert law inapplicable and hence prevents a straightforward conversion between measured light attenuation and the intrinsic absorption coefficient of the medium μ
a
. Techniques are now being proposed which overcome this limitation and allow an absolute determination of blood oxygenation to be made. Broadly these methods can be categorised as:-
The Frequency-Domain Multi-Distance Method in the Presence of Curved Boundaries
Authors: Cerussi Albert , Maier John , Fantini Sergio , Franceschini Maria Angela , Gratton Enrico
Published: December 2022

We present experiments designed to test the applicability of the frequency-domain semi-infinite multi-distance method to cylindrical boundaries. Material with absorption and reduced scattering coefficients similar to those of tissue exposed to near-infrared light was cast into five cylindrical phantoms ranging in diameter from 4.2 to 10.2 cm, and also into a semi-infinite control. Measurements performed along the long axis of symmetry on the larger diameter cylinders reliably recovered both the absorption and the reduced scattering coefficients within 10% of the control values. Measurements performed along the circumference yielded values for these optical coefficients that differed significantly from the control values. These findings are explained by observing the measured frequency-domain parameters as functions of source-detector separation.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy of B. subtilis (globigi) and E. coli in Solution
Authors: Seaver Mark , Pinto J. F. , Eversole J. D.
Published: December 2022

We use tunable excitation from a Cr:LiSAF laser at 225 nm and 270-300 nm to excite emission from B. subtilis (globigii) spores (BG) and E. coli vegetative cells suspended in water. We report the dispersed fluorescence between 250 and 660 nm for both species. The 3400 cm−1 Raman shift from water provides intrinsic calibration which allows the determination of absolute fluorescence yields. Photobleaching of BG spores at 225, 275 and 300 nm shows an increase at shorter wavelengths. Reproducible spectra can only be obtained at laser powers below 5 mJ cm−2pulse−1.
Detection of Changes in Blood Glucose Concentration in vivo with Spatially Resolved Diffuse Reflectance
Authors: Bruulsema J. T. , Essenpreis M. , Heinemann L. , Hayward J. E. , Berger M. , Gries F. A. , Koschinsky T. , Sandahl-Christiansen J. , Orskov H. , Farrell T. J. , Patterson M. S. , Böcker D.
Published: December 2022

Diabetics would benefit from a device capable of providing continuous non-invasive monitoring of their blood glucose levels. A feasibility study was performed to determine whether a technique applying spatially resolved diffuse reflectance measurements could be used to detect changes in the blood glucose levels of diabetic volunteers by monitoring the tissue reduced scattering coefficient. A correlation was observed between step changes in blood glucose concentration and tissue reduced scattering coefficient in 17 out of 22 subjects. A study on non-diabetic volunteers was used to estimate the physiological baseline noise level.
Photonic Monitoring of Infectious Disease and Gene Regulation
Authors: Contag Christopher H. , Contag Pamela R. , Spilman Stanley D. , Stevenson David K. , Benaron David A.
Published: December 2022

Optical analyses of biological processes in living animals are limited by a lack of unique optical properties among key molecules. To overcome this limitation we directly labeled biological events with bioluminescent proteins as reporter molecules. In these studies the expression of luciferase was linked to either a bacteria] pathogen or to an inducible viral promoter. Infection of mice and expression from the viral promoter were monitored noninvasively using the photons transmitted through tissues of living mice as an assay of enzymatic activity indicative of expression. The effects of an antibiotic on bacterial infection was assessed in real-time. The inducible nature of the viral promoter was demonstrated in the skin of transgenic mice containing the promoter-reporter construct. The use of bioluminescent reporters may permit spatial and temporal analyses of a wide variety of biological processes in living mammals.
Upconverting Reporters for Biomedical Diagnostics: Applications in Antibody and DNA Detection
Authors: Faris Gregory W. , Wright William H. , Pati Sushma , Schneider Luke V. , Zarling David A.
Published: December 2022

We describe the properties of near-infrared-excited upconverting phosphor particles for ultrasensitive detection and their application to antibody and DNA diagnostics. Other potential applications include photodynamic therapy, food analysis, and surgical imaging.
Luminescence Diffusion Tomography
Authors: Chang Jenghwa , Graber Harry L. , Barbour Randall L.
Published: December 2022

Image operators are derived for luminescence diffusion tomography with time-harmonic sources, from a set of coupled radiation transport equations. Simulations and experiments were performed and reconstructed images are presented.
Quantitative Raman spectroscopic study of acetonitrile in a scattering medium
Authors: Reynolds Jeffery S. , LaPlant Fred P. , Thompson Charles A. , Webb Kevin J. , Ben-Amotz Dor
Published: December 2022

In this paper we demonstrate the use of Raman spectroscopy to determine the concentration of acetonitrile (CH3CN) dispersed in a water/Intralipid scattering medium. We compare techniques for extracting quantitative information from Raman spectra taken in highly scattering media. This technique has potential for use in noninvasive, in vivo biomedical sensing.
Invited: Elastic scattering spectroscopy for diagnosis of tissue pathologies
Authors: Bigio Irving J. , Mourant Judith R. , Boyer James , Johnson Tamara M.
Published: December 2022

Spectral analysis of sub-surface elasticscattered light, over a broad range of wavelengths, can be used as a method of noninvasive optical, real-time diagnosis for a variety of tissue pathologies.
Nearfield polarization effects on light propagation in random media
Authors: Ostermeyer M. R. , Stephens D. V. , Wang L. , Jacques S. L.
Published: December 2022

Video measurements of the polarized component of back scattered light show a characteristic pattern around an incident linearly polarized laser beam. This pattern can be attributed to early photons which probe only a thin superficial layer of the medium. Mie theory is used to explain the angular polarization pattern. Measurements at two wavelengths on phantoms with different particle sizes and on human skin are reported.
Influence of Particle Size and Concentration on the Diffuse Backscattering of Polarized Light
Authors: Hielscher Andreas H. , Mourant Judith R. , Bigio Irving J.
Published: December 2022

In this study it is demonstrated that diffuse-backseattered polarized light from a turbid medium yields information about particle size, concentration, and the anisotropy factor g of the scatterer.
Deblur or denoise: the role of an aperture in lens and neural network co-design
Authors: Dufraisse M. , Trouvé-Peloux P. , Volatier J.-B. , Champagnat F.
Published: December 2022

Co-design methods have been introduced to jointly optimize various optical systems along with neural network processing. In the literature, the aperture is generally a fixed parameter although it controls an important trade-off between the depth of focus, the dynamic range, and the noise level in an image. In contrast, we include aperture in co-design by using a differentiable image formation pipeline that models the effect of the aperture on the image noise, dynamic, and blur. We validate this pipeline on examples of image restoration and extension of the depth of focus. These simple examples illustrate the importance of optimizing the aperture in the co-design framework.