bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-speed reach-extended IM-DD system with low-complexity DSP for 6G fronthaul [Invited]
Authors: Zhu Paikun , Yoshida Yuki , Akahane Kouichi , Kitayama Ken-ichi
Published: August 2023

With the rising traffic demand from the metaverse, holographic communications, and so on, in beyond-5G (B5G)/6G cloud radio access networks (C-RANs), fronthaul (FH) networks that transport radio information between antennas and distributed/central units will become increasingly demanding. Optical technologies are indispensable in supporting 6G FH deployment, which needs to be high-speed and power/cost-effective simultaneously; low latency is also crucial. This work is extended from our invited paper at OFC2023. While the conference version focused on the wired-wireless conversion/converging side [e.g., using digital signal processing (DSP)-enhanced radio-over-fiber (RoF) techniques] of FH, this work contributes to the complementary side, i.e., optical transmission techniques. Considering 6G capacity and cost requirements, beyond-200-Gb/s/λ optics based on intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) PAM4 and low-complexity DSP are targeted, which transparently support digital RoF techniques like analog-to-digital-compression (ADX)-RoF (split Option 8) or Delta-sigma RoF, and other functional split options. On the other hand, while the reach of 5G FH may be around 10 km, in 6G FH routing and/or rural connectivity cases, distance can be extended to 20 km or even 40 km. In these scenarios, fiber dispersion in the C-band and even edge wavelengths of the O-band pose a significant challenge for the reach extension of 200G IM-DD systems. We validate through extensive experiments the efficient FH reach extension and dispersion mitigation based on a low-complexity optoelectronic feedforward equalization (OE-FFE) technique. We experimentally verify 224 Gb/s single-wavelength and dense WDM transmissions over up to 41 km distances in the challenging C-band with lean digital equalizers and hard-decision forward error correction (HD-FEC), which are among the first demonstrations to our knowledge. Even with split Option 8 and extended reach, the FH systems support up to a 10 Tb/s Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI)-equivalent rate and >300Gb/s peak wireless data rate. The presented systems can be useful for high-capacity, reach-extended FH scenarios toward 6G.
Efficient algorithm to calculate the optical properties of breast tumors by high-order perturbation theory
Authors: Wassermann Bernhard , Jishi Radi A. , Grosenick Dirk
Published: August 2023

An efficient algorithm to obtain the solutions for n-th order terms of perturbation expansions in absorption, scattering, and cross-coupling for light propagating in human tissue is presented. The proposed solution is free of any approximations and makes possible fast and efficient estimates of mammographic, optical tomographic, and fluorescent images, applying a perturbation order of 30 and more. The presented analysis sets the general limits for the applicability of the perturbation approach as a function of tumor size and optical properties of the human tissue. The convergence tests of the efficient calculations for large absorbing objects show excellent agreement with the reference data from finite element method calculations. The applicability of the theory is demonstrated in experiments on breast-like phantoms with high absorbing and low-scattering lesions.
Focusing characteristics of chirped phase-modulated Lorentz–Gaussian vortex beams
Authors: Li Shuo , Li Jinsong , Feng Guojin , Lu Chenxu
Published: August 2023

This work presents a thorough investigation of the focusing characteristic of chirped phase modulated Lorentz–Gaussian (LG) vortex beams based on the vector diffraction theory. The results show that changing the first-order chirp parameter c1 can effectively adjust the size of the focusing spot, and the distance between focusing spots can also be controlled. The second-order chirp parameter c2 can control the up-and-down movement of the optical chain in the focusing region. Simultaneously, the length of the focusing spots can be accurately changed by modulating the waist width ω. In addition, the influence of integer topological charge number m on controlling the size of an optical dark trap is discussed in detail. And fractional topological charge number m can control the rotation of focus peak and the number of optical dark traps. Potential applications of these findings include optical shape and capture, optical particle transmission, and contemporary medical care.
Dual-band complementary metamaterial perfect absorber for multispectral molecular sensing
Authors: Zhang Lijian , Lu Weikang , Zhu Liping , Xu Hongtao , Wang Hengliang , Pan Hong , An Zhenghua
Published: August 2023

Metamaterial perfect absorbers (MPAs) show great potential in achieving exceptional sensing performance, particularly in the realm of surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy. To this aim, it is highly desirable for the localized hotspots to be readily exposed and accessible to analyte with strong mode confinement to enhance absorption. Here, we propose a quasi-three-dimensional MPA based on cross-shaped coupled complementary plasmonic arrays for highly sensitive refractive index sensing and molecular vibrational sensing. Dual-band perfect absorption can be approached with the two plasmonic resonances corresponding to the electric dipole-like mode of cross antenna array and the magnetic dipole-like mode of cross hole array, respectively. Large portions of the electric field of the hotspots are exposed and concentrated in the gap between the elevated cross antenna and its complementary structure on the substrate, leading to improved sensing sensitivities. An ultrathin polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film induces a significant redshift of the magnetic dipole-like mode with an 11.8 nm resonance shift per each nanometer polymer thickness. The value is comparable to the reported sensitivity of single molecule layer sensors. Additionally, the simultaneous detection of the C = O and C-H vibrations of PMMA molecules is enabled with the two plasmonic resonances adjusted by changing the lengths of the two cross branches. Remarkably, the observed mode splitting and anti-crossing behavior imply the strong interaction between plasmonic resonance and molecular vibration. Our dual-band MPA based on coupled complementary plasmonic arrays opens a new avenue for developing highly sensitive sensors for the detection of refractive index and multispectral molecular vibrations.
Simulation of the expanding universe in hyperbolic metamaterials
Authors: She Jiao-zhen , Tao Sicen , Liu Tong , Chen Huanyang
Published: August 2023

The particle horizon represents the boundary between observable and unobservable regions of the universe, which changes as the universe expands. Based on transformation optics, hyperbolic electromagnetic metamaterials can be utilized to simulate metrics with different signs due to their unique anisotropic properties. In this paper, we use hyperbolic metamaterials to visually depict the variation of the particle horizon under three models of an expanding universe (open, flat, and closed) by substituting one-dimensional time with one-dimensional space. The good agreement between theory and simulation confirms that hyperbolic metamaterials are excellent for simulating space-times, suggesting their potential as a new platform for cosmological analogies.
Er-doped silica fiber laser made by powder-based additive manufacturing
Authors: Maniewski Pawel , Brunzell Martin , Barrett Laura , Harvey Clarissa M. , Pasiskevicius Valdas , Laurell Fredrik
Published: August 2023

The pursuit of advanced fiber laser technologies has driven research
toward unconventional manufacturing techniques. In this work, we
present an erbium-doped fiber laser made using powder-based additive
manufacturing. An Er3+/Al3+ co-doped silica glass rod was printed
using laser powder deposition and then used as the core material in a
fiber preform. The fiber drawn from the preform exhibited the
complete, desired functionality linked to Er3+ doping. To demonstrate this, a
standing wave laser cavity was formed with the feedback attained from
the cleaved ends of the manufactured fiber. The high quality of the
fiber is showcased through a low background loss, single-mode
operation, a 9.4% laser slope efficiency, and an output of
4.5 mW, limited by the available pump power. This
proof-of-concept opens up promising areas for rapid fabrication and
development of high-performance fibers and fiber lasers.
Biophotonic rogue waves in red blood cell suspensions
Authors: Ren Yu-Xuan , Lamstein Joshua , Zhang Chensong , Conti Claudio , Christodoulides Demetrios N. , Chen Zhigang
Published: August 2023

Rogue waves are ubiquitous in nature, appearing in a variety of physical systems ranging from acoustics, microwave cavities, optical fibers, and resonators to plasmas, superfluids, and Bose–Einstein condensates. Unlike nonlinear solitary waves, rogue waves are extreme events that can occur even without nonlinearity by, for example, spontaneous synchronization of waves with different spatial frequencies in a linear system. Here, we report the observation of rogue-wave-like events in human red blood cell (RBC) suspensions under weak light illumination, characterized by an abnormal L-shaped probability distribution. Such biophotonic extreme events arise mostly due to the constructive interference of Mie-scattered waves from the suspended RBCs, whose biconcave shape and mutable orientation give rise to a time-dependent random phase modulation to an incident laser beam. We numerically simulate the beam propagation through the colloidal suspensions with added disorder in both spatial and temporal domains to mimic random scattering due to Brownian motion. In addition, at high power levels, nonlinear beam self-focusing is also observed, leading to a dual-exponential probability distribution associated with the formation of multiple soliton-like spots. Such rogue wave events should also exist in environments with cells of other species such as swimming bacteria, and understanding of their underlying physics may lead to unexpected biophotonic applications.
Neural network models for influenza forecasting with associated uncertainty using Web search activity trends
Authors: Morris Michael , Hayes Peter , Cox Ingemar J. , Lampos Vasileios
Published: August 2023

Influenza affects millions of people every year. It causes a considerable amount of medical visits and hospitalisations as well as hundreds of thousands of deaths. Forecasting influenza prevalence with good accuracy can significantly help public health agencies to timely react to seasonal or novel strain epidemics. Although significant progress has been made, influenza forecasting remains a challenging modelling task. In this paper, we propose a methodological framework that improves over the state-of-the-art forecasting accuracy of influenza-like illness (ILI) rates in the United States. We achieve this by using Web search activity time series in conjunction with historical ILI rates as observations for training neural network (NN) architectures. The proposed models incorporate Bayesian layers to produce associated uncertainty intervals to their forecast estimates, positioning themselves as legitimate complementary solutions to more conventional approaches. The best performing NN, referred to as the iterative recurrent neural network (IRNN) architecture, reduces mean absolute error by 10.3% and improves skill by 17.1% on average in nowcasting and forecasting tasks across 4 consecutive flu seasons.
VIRify: An integrated detection, annotation and taxonomic classification pipeline using virus-specific protein profile hidden Markov models
Authors: Rangel-Pineros Guillermo , Almeida Alexandre , Beracochea Martin , Sakharova Ekaterina , Marz Manja , Reyes Muñoz Alejandro , Hölzer Martin , Finn Robert D.
Published: August 2023

The study of viral communities has revealed the enormous diversity and impact these biological entities have on various ecosystems. These observations have sparked widespread interest in developing computational strategies that support the comprehensive characterisation of viral communities based on sequencing data. Here we introduce VIRify, a new computational pipeline designed to provide a user-friendly and accurate functional and taxonomic characterisation of viral communities. VIRify identifies viral contigs and prophages from metagenomic assemblies and annotates them using a collection of viral profile hidden Markov models (HMMs). These include our manually-curated profile HMMs, which serve as specific taxonomic markers for a wide range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic viral taxa and are thus used to reliably classify viral contigs. We tested VIRify on assemblies from two microbial mock communities, a large metagenomics study, and a collection of publicly available viral genomic sequences from the human gut. The results showed that VIRify could identify sequences from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic viruses, and provided taxonomic classifications from the genus to the family rank with an average accuracy of 86.6%. In addition, VIRify allowed the detection and taxonomic classification of a range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic viruses present in 243 marine metagenomic assemblies. Finally, the use of VIRify led to a large expansion in the number of taxonomically classified human gut viral sequences and the improvement of outdated and shallow taxonomic classifications. Overall, we demonstrate that VIRify is a novel and powerful resource that offers an enhanced capability to detect a broad range of viral contigs and taxonomically classify them.
Estimating the epidemic reproduction number from temporally aggregated incidence data: A statistical modelling approach and software tool
Authors: Nash Rebecca K. , Bhatt Samir , Cori Anne , Nouvellet Pierre
Published: August 2023

The time-varying reproduction number (Rt) is an important measure of epidemic transmissibility that directly informs policy decisions and the optimisation of control measures. EpiEstim is a widely used opensource software tool that uses case incidence and the serial interval (SI, time between symptoms in a case and their infector) to estimate Rt in real-time. The incidence and the SI distribution must be provided at the same temporal resolution, which can limit the applicability of EpiEstim and other similar methods, e.g. for contexts where the time window of incidence reporting is longer than the mean SI. In the EpiEstim R package, we implement an expectation-maximisation algorithm to reconstruct daily incidence from temporally aggregated data, from which Rt can then be estimated. We assess the validity of our method using an extensive simulation study and apply it to COVID-19 and influenza data. For all datasets, the influence of intra-weekly variability in reported data was mitigated by using aggregated weekly data. Rt estimated on weekly sliding windows using incidence reconstructed from weekly data was strongly correlated with estimates from the original daily data. The simulation study revealed that Rt was well estimated in all scenarios and regardless of the temporal aggregation of the data. In the presence of weekend effects, Rt estimates from reconstructed data were more successful at recovering the true value of Rt than those obtained from reported daily data. These results show that this novel method allows Rt to be successfully recovered from aggregated data using a simple approach with very few data requirements. Additionally, by removing administrative noise when daily incidence data are reconstructed, the accuracy of Rt estimates can be improved.
Genetic enhancers of partial PLK1 inhibition reveal hypersensitivity to kinetochore perturbations
Authors: Normandin Karine , Coulombe-Huntington Jasmin , St-Denis Corinne , Bernard Alexandre , Bourouh Mohammed , Bertomeu Thierry , Tyers Mike , Archambault Vincent
Published: August 2023

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a serine/threonine kinase required for mitosis and cytokinesis. As cancer cells are often hypersensitive to partial PLK1 inactivation, chemical inhibitors of PLK1 have been developed and tested in clinical trials. However, these small molecule inhibitors alone are not completely effective. PLK1 promotes numerous molecular and cellular events in the cell division cycle and it is unclear which of these events most crucially depend on PLK1 activity. We used a CRISPR-based genome-wide screening strategy to identify genes whose inactivation enhances cell proliferation defects upon partial chemical inhibition of PLK1. Genes identified encode proteins that are functionally linked to PLK1 in multiple ways, most notably factors that promote centromere and kinetochore function. Loss of the kinesin KIF18A or the outer kinetochore protein SKA1 in PLK1-compromised cells resulted in mitotic defects, activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint and nuclear reassembly defects. We also show that PLK1-dependent CENP-A loading at centromeres is extremely sensitive to partial PLK1 inhibition. Our results suggest that partial inhibition of PLK1 compromises the integrity and function of the centromere/kinetochore complex, rendering cells hypersensitive to different kinetochore perturbations. We propose that KIF18A is a promising target for combinatorial therapies with PLK1 inhibitors.
MYC disrupts transcriptional and metabolic circadian oscillations in cancer and promotes enhanced biosynthesis
Authors: Cazarin Juliana , DeRollo Rachel E. , Shahidan Siti Noor Ain Binti Ahmad , Burchett Jamison B. , Mwangi Daniel , Krishnaiah Saikumari , Hsieh Annie L. , Walton Zandra E. , Brooks Rebekah , Mello Stephano S. , Weljie Aalim M. , Dang Chi V. , Altman Brian J.
Published: August 2023

The molecular circadian clock, which controls rhythmic 24-hour oscillation of genes, proteins, and metabolites in healthy tissues, is disrupted across many human cancers. Deregulated expression of the MYC oncoprotein has been shown to alter expression of molecular clock genes, leading to a disruption of molecular clock oscillation across cancer types. It remains unclear what benefit cancer cells gain from suppressing clock oscillation, and how this loss of molecular clock oscillation impacts global gene expression and metabolism in cancer. We hypothesized that MYC or its paralog N-MYC (collectively termed MYC herein) suppress oscillation of gene expression and metabolism to upregulate pathways involved in biosynthesis in a static, non-oscillatory fashion. To test this, cells from distinct cancer types with inducible MYC were examined, using time-series RNA-sequencing and metabolomics, to determine the extent to which MYC activation disrupts global oscillation of genes, gene expression pathways, and metabolites. We focused our analyses on genes, pathways, and metabolites that changed in common across multiple cancer cell line models. We report here that MYC disrupted over 85% of oscillating genes, while instead promoting enhanced ribosomal and mitochondrial biogenesis and suppressed cell attachment pathways. Notably, when MYC is activated, biosynthetic programs that were formerly circadian flipped to being upregulated in an oscillation-free manner. Further, activation of MYC ablates the oscillation of nutrient transporter proteins while greatly upregulating transporter expression, cell surface localization, and intracellular amino acid pools. Finally, we report that MYC disrupts metabolite oscillations and the temporal segregation of amino acid metabolism from nucleotide metabolism. Our results demonstrate that MYC disruption of the molecular circadian clock releases metabolic and biosynthetic processes from circadian control, which may provide a distinct advantage to cancer cells.
β-Catenin transcriptional activity is required for establishment of inner pillar cell identity during cochlear development
Authors: Ebeid Michael , Kishimoto Ippei , Roy Pooja , Zaidi Mohd Ali Abbas , Cheng Alan G. , Huh Sung-Ho
Published: August 2023

The mammalian cochlea is composed of sensory hair cells as well as multiple different types of non-sensory supporting cells. Pillar cells are one type of supporting cell that form the tunnel of Corti and include two morphologically and functionally distinct subtypes: inner pillar cells (IPCs) and outer pillar cells (OPCs). The processes of specification and differentiation of inner versus outer pillar cells are still unclear. Here, we show that β-Catenin is required for establishing IPC identity in the mammalian cochlea. To differentiate the transcriptional and adhesion roles of β-Catenin in establishing IPC identity, we examined two different models ofβ-Catenindeletion; one that deletes both transcriptional and structural functions and one which retains cell adhesion function but lacks transcriptional function. Here, we show that cochleae lacking β-Catenin transcriptional function lost IPCs and displayed extranumerary OPCs, indicating its requirement for establishing IPC identity. Overexpression of β-Catenin induced proliferation within IPCs but not ectopic IPCs. Single-cell transcriptomes of supporting cells lacking β-Catenin transcriptional function show a loss of the IPC and gain of OPC signatures. Finally, targeted deletion of β-Catenin in IPCs also led to the loss of IPC identity, indicating a cell autonomous role of β-Catenin in establishing IPC identity. As IPCs have the capacity to regenerate sensory hair cells in the postnatal cochlea, our results will aid in future IPC-based hair cell regeneration strategies.
De novo assembled mitogenome analysis of Trichuris trichiura from Korean individuals using nanopore-based long-read sequencing technology
Authors: Delaluna James Owen , Kang Heekyoung , Chang Yuan Yi , Kim MinJi , Choi Min-Ho , Kim Jun , Song Hyun Beom
Published: August 2023

Knowledge about mitogenomes has been proven to be essential in human parasite diagnostics and understanding of their diversity. However, the lack of substantial data for comparative analysis is still a challenge in Trichuris trichiura research. To provide high quality mitogenomes, we utilized long-read sequencing technology of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to better resolve repetitive regions and to construct de novo mitogenome assembly minimizing reference biases. In this study, we got three de novo assembled mitogenomes of T. trichiura isolated from Korean individuals. These circular complete mitogenomes of T. trichiura are 14,508 bp, 14,441 bp, and 14,440 bp in length. A total of 37 predicted genes were identified consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNAs) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes (rrnS and rrnL), and two non-coding regions. Interestingly, the assembled mitogenome has up to six times longer AT-rich regions than previous reference sequences, thus proving the advantage of long-read sequencing in resolving unreported non-coding regions. Furthermore, variant detection and phylogenetic analysis using concatenated protein coding genes, cox1, rrnL, and nd1 genes confirmed the distinct molecular identity of this newly assembled mitogenome while at the same time showing high genetic relationship with sequences from China or Tanzania. Our study provided a new set of reference mitogenome with better contiguity and resolved repetitive regions that could be used for meaningful phylogenetic analysis to further understand disease transmission and parasite biology.
Bioinformatic and fine-scale chromosomal mapping reveal the nature and evolution of eliminated chromosomes in the Japanese hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri, through analysis of repetitive DNA families
Authors: Nagao Kohei , Tanaka Yoshiki , Kajitani Rei , Toyoda Atsushi , Itoh Takehiko , Kubota Souichirou , Goto Yuji
Published: August 2023

In the Japanese hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri, approximately 21% of the genomic DNA in germ cells (2n = 52) consists of 16 chromosomes (eliminated [E]-chromosomes) that are eliminated from presumptive somatic cells (2n = 36). To uncover the eliminated genome (E-genome), we have identified 16 eliminated repetitive DNA families from eight hagfish species, with 11 of these repeats being selectively amplified in the germline genome of E. burgeri. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that six of these sequences, namely EEEb1–6, are exclusively localized on all 16 E-chromosomes. This has led to the hypothesis that the eight pairs of E-chromosomes are derived from one pair of ancestral chromosomes via multiple duplication events over a prolonged evolutionary period. NGS analysis has recently facilitated the re-assembly of two distinct draft genomes of E. burgeri, derived from the testis and liver. This advancement allows for the prediction of not only nonrepetitive eliminated sequences but also over 100 repetitive and eliminated sequences, accomplished through K-mer-based analysis. In this study, we report four novel eliminated repetitive DNA sequences (designated as EEEb7–10) and confirm the relative chromosomal localization of all eliminated repeats (EEEb1–10) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). With the exception of EEEb10, all sequences were exclusively detected on EEEb1-positive chromosomes. Surprisingly, EEEb10 was detected as an intense signal on EEEb1-positive chromosomes and as a scattered signal on other chromosomes in germ cells. The study further divided the eight pairs of E-chromosomes into six groups based on the signal distribution of each DNA family, and fiber-FISH experiments showed that the EEEb2–10 family was dispersed in the EEEb1-positive extended chromatin fiber. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying chromosome elimination and the evolution of E-chromosomes, supporting our previous hypothesis.
FPLV: Enhancing recommender systems with fuzzy preference, vector similarity, and user community for rating prediction
Authors: Su Zhan , Yang Haochuan , Ai Jun
Published: August 2023

Rating prediction is crucial in recommender systems as it enables personalized recommendations based on different models and techniques, making it of significant theoretical importance and practical value. However, presenting these recommendations in the form of lists raises the challenge of improving the list’s quality, making it a prominent research topic. This study focuses on enhancing the ranking quality of recommended items in user lists while ensuring interpretability. It introduces fuzzy membership functions to measure user attributes on a multi-dimensional item label vector and calculates user similarity based on these features for prediction and recommendation. Additionally, the user similarity network is modeled to extract community information, leading to the design of a set of corresponding recommendation algorithms. Experimental results on two commonly used datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in enhancing list ranking quality, reducing prediction errors, and maintaining recommendation diversity and accurate user preference classification. This research highlights the potential of integrating heuristic methods with complex network theory and fuzzy techniques to enhance recommendation system performance with interpretability in mind.
Direct costs of blood drawings with pre-analytical errors in tertiary paediatric hospital care
Authors: Hjelmgren Henrik , Heintz Emelie , Ygge Britt-Marie , Andersson Nina , Nordlund Björn
Published: August 2023

Background

Blood drawings is a common hospital procedure involving laboratory and clinical disciplines that is important for the diagnosis and management of illnesses in children. Blood drawings with pre-analytical error (PAE) can lead to increased costs for hospitals and healthcare organisations. The direct cost of blood drawings after a PAE is not fully understood in paediatric hospital care.

Aim

The aim of this study was to estimate the average direct cost of PAE per year and per 10,000 blood drawings in tertiary paediatric care.

Methods

A cost analysis using a bottom-up approach was conducted on the basis of combined information from the hospital’s laboratory register for the period 2013–2014 and clinical in-ward observations at a tertiary children’s referral hospital in Sweden, the Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital. For the analysis, we hypothesised the re-collection of all blood drawings with PAE and included the average costs of the sampling materials, the time of the healthcare personnel, the laboratory analyses, and in-ward premises based on the time spent on the blood sampling procedure.

Results

The annual cost of PAE was estimated to be 74,267 euros per 54,040 blood drawings, which corresponds to 13,756 euros per 10,000 blood drawings or 1.5 euros per draw. The personnel cost represented 60.1% (45,261 euros per year) of the cost due to PAE, followed by costs for hospitalisation (25.2%), laboratory analyses (8.1%), and materials (5.7%).

Conclusion

PAEs lead to substantial increases in the costs in tertiary paediatric hospital care. If these PAEs can be avoided, costs related to the re-collection of blood drawings with PAE may be re-allocated to other health-promoting activities for children visiting hospital institutions.
DENV-specific IgA contributes protective and non-pathologic function during antibody-dependent enhancement of DENV infection
Authors: Wegman Adam D. , Waldran Mitchell J. , Bahr Lauren E. , Lu Joseph Q. , Baxter Kristen E. , Thomas Stephen J. , Waickman Adam T.
Published: August 2023

Dengue represents a growing public health burden worldwide, accounting for approximately 100 million symptomatic cases and tens of thousands of fatalities yearly. Prior infection with one serotype of dengue virus (DENV) is the greatest known risk factor for severe disease upon secondary infection with a heterologous serotype, a risk which increases as serotypes co-circulate in endemic regions. This disease risk is thought to be mediated by IgG-isotype antibodies raised during a primary infection, which poorly neutralize heterologous DENV serotypes and instead opsonize virions for uptake by FcγR-bearing cells. This antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection leads to a larger proportion of susceptible cells infected, higher viremia and greater immunopathology. We have previously characterized the induction of a serum IgA response, along with the typical IgM and IgG responses, during dengue infection, and have shown that DENV-reactive IgA can neutralize DENV and competitively antagonize IgG-mediated ADE. Here, we evaluate the potential for IgA itself to cause ADE. We show that IgG, but not IgA, mediated ADE of infection in cells expressing both FcαR and FcγRs. IgG-mediated ADE stimulated significantly higher pro-inflammatory cytokine production by primary human macrophages, while IgA did not affect, or slightly suppressed, this production. Mechanistically, we show that DENV/IgG immune complexes bind susceptible cells significantly more efficiently than DENV/IgA complexes or virus alone. Finally, we show that over the course of primary dengue infection, the expression of FcγRI (CD64) increases during the period of acute viremia, while FcγRIIa (CD32) and FcαR (CD89) expression decreases, thereby further limiting the ability of IgA to facilitate ADE in the presence of DENV. Overall, these data illustrate the distinct protective role of IgA during ADE of dengue infection and highlight the potential therapeutic and prognostic value of DENV-specific IgA.
Reflective Approach in Teaching Note-Taking
Authors: Trlifajová Michaela
Published: August 2023

Interpreter training represents a crucial period for discussing one’s strengths and weaknesses, introducing new skills, and applying those successfully. Assessment of students has already shifted from being the sole privilege of teachers to emphasising the role of peer assessment and also self-assessment, all kinds being crucial not only for the overall performance but also in learning individual skills. This paper focuses on the role of self-assessment and reflective approach in teaching note-taking. The empirical research was carried out over the course of four semesters with four different groups of students, each comprising approximately twenty students with various backgrounds in note-taking (theoretical knowledge, self-taught, or no experience at all). Students started with taking notes using their own style, then followed a short course introducing the theoretical framework and explaining the principles, which were gradually introduced and practised. After each session, the notes were archived and, with active participation of students, analysed in class. After five sessions, students were asked to analyse their own notes and set their goals. This strategy positively affected their motivation and led to better results. After another five sessions, the students once again carried out self-assessment, this time reflecting on their improvement, contrasting their first and last/best notes. This strategy resulted in a boost in motivation and confidence, and overall improvement.
Screening and quantification of antibiotic residues in poultry products and feed in selected areas of Bangladesh
Authors: Sani Aminatu Abubakar , Rafiq Kazi , Hossain Md. Tarek , Suherman Fatema Akter , Haque Azizul , Hasan Mohammad Izmal , Sachi Sabbya , Mustari Afrina , Islam Md. Zahorul , Alam Md. Mahbub
Published: August 2023

Background and Aim: Antibiotic residues in livestock farming have been identified as a potential cause of antimicrobial resistance in humans and animals. This study aimed to determine whether antibiotic residues were present in the chicken meat, eggs, feces, and feed collected from all four districts in the Mymensingh division of Bangladesh.

Materials and Methods: To detect antibiotic residues in the collected samples, qualitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used. A total of 230 samples were analyzed for commonly used 11 antibiotics residue. Out of these, 40 meats and 40 feces samples were collected from broilers and layers, 30 egg samples from duck and layer, and 120 feed samples from both broilers and layers from the study area. Thin-layer chromatography was used for screening the presence of antibiotic residues; TLC-positive samples were then subjected to further HPLC analysis to determine the residue concentrations.

Results: Thin-layer chromatography analysis revealed that 23.5% of the tested samples contained residues from six different antibiotic classes (tetracyclines, quinolones, beta-lactams, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, and macrolides). Thin-layer chromatography analysis showed that 35% and 25% of the meat samples were positive for residues from the broiler and layer, respectively. About 15% and 30% of layer and duck egg samples had positive residues, respectively. Out of 120 feed samples analyzed, about 15.8% had various antibiotic residues. In addition, feces samples from broilers and layers had 50% and 35% antibiotic residues, respectively. A total of 2.5% meat and 3.3% egg samples had antibiotic residues above the maximum residue limit (MRL). Based on the findings of this study, the highest percentage of oxytetracycline, followed by doxycycline and ciprofloxacin, were detected in feed samples, and oxytetracycline was detected in meat and egg samples.

Conclusion: This study clearly showed the misuse of antibiotics in the poultry sector in Bangladesh. Although antibiotic residues below the MRL level are suitable for human consumption, they may result in antimicrobial drug resistance to pathogens.

Keywords: antibiotic residues, broiler, high-performance liquid chromatography, layer, maximum residue limit, thin-layer chromatography.
A Z generáció internethasználati szokásai és az internetfüggőség
Authors: Gyivicsán Anett
Published: August 2023

Tanulmányomban a Z generáció internethasználati szokásait, illetve az internetfüggőséget mutatom be. Azért választottam ezt a két egymáshoz közel álló témakört, mert úgy gondolom, hogy a 18–26 év közötti fiatalok az a korosztály, amelynek életében folyamatosan jelen van az internet világa. Állandóan megköveteli az emberi jelenlétet, ezáltal a felhasználó könnyen válhat problémás internethasználóvá. Foglalkoztatott a kérdés, hogy napjainkban melyik az a digitális készülék, amelyiket a legtöbb fiatal használja, valamint, hogy a világhálót milyen célból alkalmazzák, továbbá hogy ez a nemzedék mennyire függ tőle.
Tanulási énhatékonyság mint a szándékos önszabályozást támogató pozitív stratégia
Authors: Roszik Dóra
Published: August 2023

Egy univerzális megközelítés szerint az önhatékonyság fogalomrendszerét úgy definiálhatjuk, mint azon személyes, érzelmi és szociális készségek összessége, amelyek hatással vannak azokra a megküzdési képességeinkre, amelyek segítségével meg tudunk birkózni a társadalmi környezet követelményrendszerével, és ezáltal sikereket tudunk elérni a tanulmányi, valamint az általános életszíntereinken (Bandura, 2001). Napjainkban azonban a tanulóknak számos tanulmányi kihívással kell szembenézniük, köszönhető ez többek között azoknak az új tanulási igényeknek, amelyeket egyrészt a diáktársadalom, másrészt a szülők támasztanak az oktatási rendszerrel szemben, ezért a tanulók alacsony énhatékonysági szintje, valamint iskolai alulteljesítése fokozott aggodalomra adhat okot. Ahhoz, hogy ezekkel a tanulmányi kihívásokkal hatékonyan szembenézhessenek, a tanulóknak olyan magatartásformákat és attitűdöket kell kialakítaniuk, amelyek lehetővé teszik számukra, hogy az útjukba kerülő megpróbáltatásokat eredményesen teljesíteni tudják, és hogy a komplikált kihívásokkal szemben kitartást tanúsító szokásokat alakítsanak ki. Az önhatékonyságot a tanulmányi teljesítmény javításának és az életben jelentkező nehézségekkel való megbirkózás fontos egységének tekinthetjük (Yunus és Suraya, 2017).
Az apahiány vizsgálata a Z generáció körében
Authors: Gajda Nikolett , Gál Anikó , Hódi Ágnes
Published: August 2023

Tanulmányunk fókuszában az apahiány vizsgálata áll a Z generáció körében. Munkánk elméleti részében bemutatjuk a különböző családtípusokat és azok jellemzőit, majd a szülők együttes működésének hatásai, illetve a nevelési sajátosságok leírása után értekezünk a gyermek előtt álló férfiminta/apafigura meglétének és hiányának következményeiről, az apa gyermekéhez való viszonyulásáról és az apa hiányának okairól. Vizsgálatunk célja az apák hiányának a Z generáció életére és személyiségére gyakorolt hatásainak vizsgálata. Kiemelt célunk az apa nélkül felnövő fiatalok személyiségjegyeinek, valamint az apahiány hatásainak, következményeinek feltárása. Kutatásunkat egy saját fejlesztésű online kérdőív segítségével végeztük, amellyel − a demográfiai adatok mellett − az édesapa alapvető tulajdonságairól, a válaszadó fiatal személyiségéről gyűjtöttünk adatokat. Eredményeink megerősítik, hogy a családban mindkét szülő − köztük az apa − gondozásban, nevelésben betöltött szerepe is egyaránt meghatározó a gyermek személyiségfejlődése szempontjából, hiszen a gyermek a szülei által közvetített minta alapján sajátítja el azokat az ismereteket, benyomásokat, attitűdöket és szokásokat, melyek a későbbi társadalmi beilleszkedés alapját is képezik.
Erőszakmentes kommunikáció az iskolapszichológiai praxisban
Authors: Borbáth Katalin
Published: August 2023

Tanulmányunkban megkíséreljük feltárni az erőszakmentes kommunikáció módszertanának sokgyökerű alkotóelemeit, majd az iskola világába implementálható felhasználását bemutatni elméletben, illetve esetpéldákkal szemléltetve. A tanulmány a téma növekvő, iskolai mentálhigiénés fontosságát a lényegre szorítkozva és innen kiindulva − rövid módszertani áttekintés után − jut el az iskolapszichológiai praxisban sikeres intervenciós alkalmazási formaként megjelenő bemutatáshoz. Az írás végén található középiskolai mediációs esetpéldák, a mediációvázlatok, illetve a mellékletben teljes terjedelemben közölt mediáció-jegyzőkönyv remekül támasztják alá/ mutatják be, miként működik hatékonyan az erőszakmentes kommunikációs modell érzelmekre és a kapcsolódó belső igényekre fókuszáló technikai alkalmazása a mediáció hagyományosan szárazabb metódusával ötvözve.
Design of Linear Quadratic Regulator Based on Genetic Model Reference Adaptive Control
Authors: Abdullah Abdullah , Mahmood Ali , Thanoon Mohammad
Published: August 2023

As the conventional control system is a controller that controls or regulates the dynamics of any other process. From time to time, this control system may not behave appropriately online; this is because of many factors like some variation in the dynamics of the process itself or unexpected changes in the environment, or even undefined parameters of the system model. To overcome the problem above, an adaptive controller is designed and implemented. This paper discusses the design of a controller for a ball and beam system with Genetic Model Reference Adaptive Control (GMRAC) for adaptive mechanism with the MIT rule. Parameter adjustment (selection) should be done using optimization methods in order to obtain an optimal performance, so genetic algorithm. (GA) will be used as an optimization method to obtain the optimum values for these parameters. As the controller, a Linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller will be used as it is one of the most popular controllers, the performance of the proposed controller with the ball and beam system will be carried out with MATLAB Simulink in order to evaluate its effectiveness. The results show satisfactory performance where the position of the ball tracks the desired model reference.
Passos importantes e sólidos na construção de um Colégio cada dia melhor
Authors: Araújo Marcelo Marotta
Published: August 2023

Caros membros, É com grande satisfação que comunico a todos que, no dia 07 de março de 2022, foi aprovado, por unanimidade, em Assembleia Geral Extraordinária online, o documento com as normas de conduta e regras de compliance do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgia e Traumatologia Buco-Maxilo-Facial (CBCTBMF). Não posso deixar de agradecer aos membros da Comissão de Ética & Compliance, que trabalharam por meses no Código de Conduta: Sérgio Schiefferdecker, Pedro Berenguer, Cassio Sverzut, Marcio de Moraes e Mario Gabrielli.
O OSCE e a avaliação dos residentes de Cirurgia Buco-Maxilo-Facial: inferência de qualidade na formação do especialista
Authors: Moraes Sylvio Luiz Costa de
Published: August 2023

O aperfeiçoamento dos modelos que objetivam a formação do jovem cirurgião é um compromisso naturalmente assumido pelos Programas de Residência em todas as áreas. No campo da Cirurgia e Traumatologia Buco-Maxilo-Facial, muito tem sido implementado em termos de qualidade, de visão holística em saúde. De uma maneira geral, a meta é que, ao fim dos programas, os residentes tenham uma adequada introdução de performance na especialidade. Recentemente, alguns programas de Residência em Medicina já estão incorporando o chamado “exame físico estruturado” (em inglês, Objective, Structured, Clinical Examination, OSCE), como avaliação de performance dos futuros especialistas.
Mixoma odontogênico mandibular: relato de caso
Authors: Martini Marcelo Zillo , Coli Amanda Achkar , Andrade Eliezer Laranjeira , Oliveira André Almeida De
Published: August 2023

O mixoma odontogênico é um tumor de origem mesenquimal, benigno, que atinge os maxilares. Trata-se de um tumor raro, que compreende menos de 5% dos tumores odontogênicos, de características radiográficas semelhantes a outras lesões que podem acometer a maxila e a mandíbula. O presente estudo objetivou relatar um caso de mixoma odontogênico de grandes proporções, ressecado e reconstruído em um único tempo cirúrgico. A paciente apresentava aumento de volume assintomático na mandíbula, e a tomografia revelou lesão multilocular, de bordas bem definidas, diagnosticada como mixoma odontogênico. Foi realizada uma ressecção mandibular e reconstrução com enxerto livre de crista ilíaca. Após um ano de acompanhamento, apresentou excelente ganho de altura e espessura óssea, sem sinais de recidiva. Descrito como uma lesão de comportamento agressivo, o tratamento de escolha, muitas vezes, é a ressecção com margens de segurança. Grandes defeitos podem levar à incapacitação e deformação estética, sendo a enxertia uma excelente opção para a reabilitação dos pacientes, devendo- se considerar aspectos como o tipo de lesão e a extensão do fragmento a ser ressecado, para se determinar o tipo de enxerto a ser considerado. Dado o caso exposto, conclui-se que o diagnóstico precoce e tratamento por meio da ressecção mostra-se de extrema eficácia, se associado à enxertia mandibular, no restabelecimento da estética e função, em casos de mixomas odontogênicos, bem como demonstra-se que, mesmo em defeitos com mais de 6cm, a enxertia livre pode ser considerada. O relato também faz uma revisão envolvendo aspectos clínicos, radiográficos e terapêuticos dessa patologia.
The Climate Literacy Levels of Secondary School Students and Their Opinions on Climate Change
Authors: ÜNAL Mehmet
Published: August 2023

Turkey is among the countries which is highly sensitive to climate change on a global scale and under risk. It is predicted that the annual temperature across the country will have increased by 2100. In certain regions, the temperature increase may reach up to 60 °C. Against this risk there, however, are opportunities to improve climate literacy, particularly in schools, on climate change, its impacts and solutions. In this framework, this study intends to scrutinize the climate literacy levels of secondary school students in terms of certain variables and to disclose their opinions on climate change. As a result of the analysis of the data collected in the study in which the survey design was implemented, it was found that the climate literacy levels of the students were not at the desired level, particularly in the climate awareness dimension. This dimension includes items related to minimizing the effects of climate change and taking precautions. Nevertheless, another important result is that some students lead to environmentally unfriendly behaviours and actions to mitigate climate change on the back burner owing to economic concerns and financial problems lime unemployment. The most important solution for ecological sustainability and climate action is to legislate and create national educational solutions Via government incentives and support. Considering the result that school and family are insufficient in climate literacy education, it is of importance to carry out relevant studies.
Caenorhabditis elegans Perilipin Is Implicated in Cold-Induced Lipolysis and Inhibits Autophagy in Early Embryos
Authors: Kaššák Filip , Chughtai A. A. , Kaššák S. , Kostrouchová M.
Published: August 2023

Animals use neutral lipids, particularly triacylglycerols (TAGs), to store energy. TAGs are universally organized into dynamic cytoplasmic structures called lipid droplets (LDs). In mammals TAG breakdown is catalysed by lipases, such as hormonesensitive lipase (HSL). LD membrane-resident proteins called perilipins (PLINs) regulate some of these lipases. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has a single known PLIN homologue and orthologues of most lipases including HSL. HOSL-1 (the HSL orthologue in C. elegans) is responsible for production of cryoprotective glycerol in cold conditions, in addition to its role in fasting-induced lipolysis. We employed this model of cold exposure to study the role of PLIN-1 in the regulation of HOSL-1. Our results suggest that both HOSL-1 and PLIN-1 are required for cold tolerance and for lipid breakdown in cold. However, the loss of PLIN-1 partially rescued the phenotype of hosl-1 null mutants exposed to cold, suggesting the presence of an alternative pathway generating glycerol via lipolysis. In early embryos, PLIN-1 knock-out results in accumulation of lipids and formation of cytoplasmic clusters of autophagic marker LGG-1, supporting the role of autophagy as an alternative lipolytic pathway in C. elegans, as is the case in mammals.