bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological therapy for severe asthma
Authors: Dragonieri Silvano , Carpagnano Giovanna Elisiana
Published: August 2021

Around 5–10% of the total asthmatic population suffer from severe or uncontrolled asthma, which is associated with increased mortality and hospitalization, increased health care burden and worse quality of life. In the last few years, new drugs have been launched and several asthma phenotypes according to definite biomarkers have been identified. In particular, therapy with biologics has revolutionized the management and the treatment of severe asthma, showing high therapeutic efficacy associated with significant clinical benefits. To date, four types of biologics are licensed for severe asthma, i.e. omalizumab (anti-immunoglobulin E) antibody, mepolizumab and reslizumab (anti-interleukin [IL]-5antibody), benralizumab (anti-IL-5 receptor a antibody) and dupilumab (anti-IL-4 receptor alpha antibody). The aim of this article was to review the biologic therapies currently available for the treatment of severe asthma, in order to help physicians to choose the most suitable biologic agent for their asthmatic patients.
Dynamic changes of mitral valve annulus geometry at preprocedural CT: relationship with functional classes of regurgitation
Authors: Palmisano Anna , Nicoletti Valeria , Colantoni Caterina , Monti Caterina Beatrice , Pannone Luigi , Vignale Davide , Darvizeh Fatemeh , Agricola Eustachio , Schaffino Simone , De Cobelli Francesco , Esposito Antonio
Published: August 2021

Background

We investigated mitral valve annular geometry changes during the cardiac cycle in patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) who underwent cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) prior to percutaneous mitral valve replacement or annuloplasty.

Methods

Fifty-one patients with severe MR and high surgical risk (Carpentier classification: 3 type I, 16 type II, 16 type IIIa, 16 type IIIb) underwent multiphase electrocardiographically gated (0–90%) CCTA, using a second generation dual-source CT scanner, as pre-procedural planning. Twenty-one patients without MR served as controls. The mitral valve annulus was segmented every 10% step of the R-R interval, according to the D-shaped segmentation model, and differences among groups were analysed by t-test or ANOVA.

Results

Mitral annular area and diameters were larger in MR patients compared to controls, particularly in type II. Mitral annular area varied in MR patients throughout the cardiac cycle (mean ± standard deviation of maximum and minimum area 15.6 ± 3.9 cm2versus 13.0 ± 3.5 cm2, respectively; p = 0.001), with greater difference between annular areas versus controls (2.59 ± 1.61 cm2 and 1.98 ± 0.6 cm2, p < 0.001). The largest dimension was found in systolic phases (20–40%) in most of MR patients (n = 27, 53%), independent of Carpentier type (I: n = 1, 33%; II: n = 10, 63%; IIIa: n = 8, 50%; IIIb: n = 8, 50%), and in protodiastolic phases (n = 14, 67%) for the control group.

Conclusions

In severe MR, mitral annular area varied significantly throughout the cardiac cycle, with a tendency towards larger dimensions in systole.
Evaluation of two native entomopathogenic nematodes against Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) (Isoptera: Termitidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Bhairavi K. Sindhura , Bhattacharyya Badal , Devi Gitanjali , Bhagawati Sudhansu , Das Partha Pratim Gyanudoy , Devi Elangbam Bidyarani , Manpoong Nang Sena
Published: August 2021

Background

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are one of the widely studied biological control agents. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two EPNs species, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar) (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) and Steinernema aciari (Qui, Yan, Zhou, Nguyen and Pang) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), isolated locally from soils of Majuli river island, Assam, India against two important subterrenean pests; Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) (Isoptera: Termitidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions.

Results

In case of O. obesus, mortality percent was recorded by H. bacteriophora after 72 h. at 300 IJs/termite and by S. aciari at 250 and 300 IJs/termite after 96 h. The lowest LD50 and LT50 values obtained for H. bacteriophora were 13.054 IJs/termite and 26.639 h., respectively, while those of S. aciari were 42.040 IJs/termite and 31.761 h., respectively. With respect to A. ipsilon, H. bacteriophora registered a highest mortality rate at 300 IJs/larvae after 144 h. S. aciari showed 100 percent mortality at 300 IJs/larva after 168 h. The lowest values of LD50 and LT50 for H. bacteriophora were 35.711 IJs/larva and 83.050 h., respectively. The lowest values of LD50 and LT50 for S. aciari were 71.192 IJs/larvae and 97.921 h., respectively. Overall, H. bacteriophora displayed more virulence toward O. obesus and A. ipsilon than S. aciari.

Conclusion

Both native EPNs were found effective against O. obesus and A. ipsilon. However, H. bacteriophora was more virulent toward O. obesus and A. ipsilon than S. aciari under the laboratory conditions.
Biochemical and microbial profiling establish “Eu” (a traditional fermented beverage of Toto people) as a probiotic health drink
Authors: Bhattacharjee Soumita , Kar Pallab , Sarkar Indrani , Sen Arnab , Ghosh Chandra
Published: August 2021

“Eu,” is a traditional millet-based mild alcoholic beverage consumed by the Toto tribe of West Bengal. Eu is prepared through the fermentation of millet with locally groomed starter culture “Moaa.” The study highlighted the overview of the traditional process of Eu preparation along with its molecular and biochemical characterization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for collecting the ethnobotanical data and the samples. We have also included qualitative assays like acute toxicity, antioxidant, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), molecular docking, and physiochemical characteristics such as pH and alcohol content. Moreover, metagenomics of the starter culture has been reported. This type of study on Eu has not been done previously. Therefore, it seems to be a pioneer report especially on the metagenomic analysis of Eu. Results revealed that Eu has a very low alcohol content (approximately 1-3%) and a high antioxidant capacity. GC-MS analysis identified thirteen different bioactive compounds. Metagenomics analysis revealed that the Eu has a high source of various beneficial gut microflora. OverallLactobacillus,Lactococcus,Enterococcus,Leuconostoc, andPediococcusare dominant genera identified in the starter culture. The present study revealed that the consumption of Eu is safe and has the potential to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hence, the commercialization of Eu can be an alternative source of income for the poor endangered Toto tribe.
Plasmid profiling of multiple antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from soil of the industrial area in Chittagong, Bangladesh
Authors: Talukder Asma , Rahman Md. Mijanur , Chowdhury Mohammed Mehadi Hassan , Mobashshera Tanha Amina , Islam Nazneen Naher
Published: August 2021

Background

Multiple antibiotic-resistant (MAR)Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa) plays a significant role in triggering nosocomial infection in clinical settings. WhileP. aeruginosaisolated from the environment is often regarded as non-pathogenic, the progressive development of antibiotic resistance necessitates exploring the MAR patterns and transposable genetic elements like plasmid in the isolates.

Results

UsingecfXgene-based PCR, 32P. aeruginosaisolates among 48 soil samples collected from the industrial region have been confirmed. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of those isolates revealed that 5 (15.63%) of them were resistant to a range of antibiotics, and they were categorized as MAR isolates. Nevertheless, all MAR isolates were found resistant to piperacillin and gentamicin, but none of them to ceftazidime, aztreonam, and ciprofloxacin. Moreover, the isolates were also showed resistance to amikacin (60%), tobramycin (80%), netilmicin (80%), imipenem (60%), doripenem (40%), meropenem (60%), and cefixime (40%). Furthermore, 60% of MAR isolates possessed double plasmids of 1000–2000 bp sizes which indicates the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in MARP. aeruginosamight be correlated with the presence of those plasmids. The MAR index’s high threshold values (> 0.20) implied that the isolates were from high-risk environmental sites where the presence of numerous antibiotic residues happened.

Conclusions

These findings highlighted the presence of multiple antibiotic resistance inP. aeruginosaof the industrial soil and a considerable prospect of transferring antibiotic resistance genes in the microbial community by plasmids. We recommend taking immediate stringent measures to prohibit the unnecessary and overuse of antibiotics in agricultural, industrial, or other purposes.
A Detailed Characterization of the Expert Problem-Solving Process in Science and Engineering: Guidance for Teaching and Assessment
Authors: Price Argenta M. , Kim Candice J. , Burkholder Eric W. , Fritz Amy V. , Wieman Carl E.
Published: August 2021

A study of the problem-solving process used by skilled practitioners across science, engineering, and medicine revealed that their process can be characterized by a set of 29 specific decisions. They select and use frameworks of disciplinary knowledge to make those decisions. This work will enable better assessment and teaching of problem-solving skills.
Phase I Study of Venetoclax Plus Daratumumab and Dexamethasone, With or Without Bortezomib, in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma With and Without t(11;14)
Authors: Bahlis Nizar J. , Baz Rachid , Harrison Simon J. , Quach Hang , Ho Shir-Jing , Vangsted Annette Juul , Plesner Torben , Moreau Philippe , Gibbs Simon D. , Coppola Sheryl , Yang Xiaoqing , Al Masud Abdullah , Ross Jeremy A. , Bueno Orlando , Kaufman Jonathan L.
Published: August 2021

PURPOSE

Venetoclax is an oral BCL-2 inhibitor with single-agent activity in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) with t(11;14) translocation. Venetoclax efficacy in RRMM may be potentiated through combination with agents including bortezomib, dexamethasone, and daratumumab.

METHODS

This phase I study ( NCT03314181 ) evaluated venetoclax with daratumumab and dexamethasone (VenDd) in patients with t(11;14) RRMM and VenDd with bortezomib (VenDVd) in cytogenetically unselected patients with RRMM. Primary objectives included expansion-phase dosing, safety, and overall response rate. Secondary objectives included further safety analysis, progression-free survival, duration of response, time to progression, and minimal residual disease negativity.

RESULTS

Forty-eight patients were enrolled, 24 each in parts 1 (VenDd) and 2 (VenDVd). There was one dose-limiting toxicity in part 1 (grade 3 febrile neutropenia, 800 mg VenDd). Common adverse events with VenDd and VenDVd included diarrhea (63% and 54%) and nausea (50% and 50%); grade ≥ 3 adverse events were observed in 88% in the VenDd group and 71% in the VenDVd group. One treatment-emergent death occurred in part 2 (sepsis) in the context of progressive disease, with no other infection-related deaths on study with medians of 20.9 and 20.4 months of follow-up in parts 1 and 2, respectively. The overall response rate was 96% with VenDd (all very good partial response or better [≥ VGPR]) and 92% with VenDVd (79% ≥ VGPR). The 18-month progression-free survival rate was 90.5% (95% CI, 67.0 to 97.5) with VenDd and 66.7% (95% CI, 42.5 to 82.5) with VenDVd.

CONCLUSION

VenDd and VenDVd produced a high rate of deep and durable responses in patients with RRMM. These results support continued evaluation of venetoclax with daratumumab regimens to treat RRMM, particularly in those with t(11;14).
Effect of Early Palliative Care on End-of-Life Health Care Costs: A Population-Based, Propensity Score–Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Seow Hsien , Barbera Lisa C. , McGrail Kimberlyn , Burge Fred , Guthrie Dawn M. , Lawson Beverley , Chan Kelvin K. W. , Peacock Stuart J. , Sutradhar Rinku
Published: August 2021

PURPOSE:

This study aimed to investigate the impact of early versus not-early palliative care among cancer decedents on end-of-life health care costs.

METHODS:

Using linked administrative databases, we created a retrospective cohort of cancer decedents between 2004 and 2014 in Ontario, Canada. We identified those who received early palliative care (palliative care service used in the hospital or community 12 to 6 months before death [exposure]). We used propensity score matching to identify a control group of not-early palliative care, hard matched on age, sex, cancer type, and stage at diagnosis. We examined differences in average health system costs (including hospital, emergency department, physician, and home care costs) between groups in the last month of life.

RESULTS:

We identified 144,306 cancer decedents, of which 37% received early palliative care. After matching, we created 36,238 pairs of decedents who received early and not-early (control) palliative care; there were balanced distributions of age, sex, cancer type (24% lung cancer), and stage (25% stage III and IV). Overall, 56.3% of early group versus 66.7% of control group used inpatient care in the last month ( P < .001). Considering inpatient hospital costs in the last month of life, the early group used an average (±standard deviation) of $7,105 (±$10,710) versus the control group of $9,370 (±$13,685; P < .001). Overall average costs (±standard deviation) in the last month of life for patients in the early versus control group was $12,753 (±$10,868) versus $14,147 (±$14,288; P < .001).

CONCLUSION:

Receiving early palliative care reduced average health system costs in the last month of life, especially via avoided hospitalizations.
An in vitro model for the cultivation of polymicrobial biofilms under continuous-flow conditions
Authors: O'Brien Thomas James , Hassan Marwa Mohsen , Harrison Freya , Welch Martin
Published: August 2021

The airways of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) are often chronically colonised with a diverse array of bacterial and fungal species. However, little is known about the relative partitioning of species between the planktonic and biofilm modes of growth in the airways. Existing in vivo and in vitro models of CF airway infection are ill-suited for the long-term recapitulation of mixed microbial communities. Here we describe a simple, in vitro continuous-flow model for the cultivation of polymicrobial biofilms and planktonic cultures on different substrata. Our data provide evidence for inter-species antagonism and synergism in biofilm ecology. We further show that the type of substratum on which the biofilms grow has a profound influence on their species composition. This happens without any major alteration in the composition of the surrounding steady-state planktonic community. Our experimentally-tractable model enables the systematic study of planktonic and biofilm communities under conditions that are nutritionally reminiscent of the CF airway microenvironment, something not possible using any existing in vivo models of CF airway infection.
EYFS - A CURRICULUM?
Authors: Demetriadi Nicola
Published: August 2021

Do you have something to share, reflect on or provoke thinking around? Write to the editor: angelica.celinska@markallengroup.com
Life-long love of reading
Authors: Hart Karen
Published: August 2021

Learning to read is probably the single most important academic skill we acquire through formal education, affecting as it does, every other area of learning; from reading instructions in maths, to drawing upon inspiration from stories for art.
Creating a rich reading environment
Authors: Hart Karen
Published: August 2021

The days of starting a child's reading development, age five, with an ‘early reader’ are long gone. Children will always pick up a book when it feels interesting to do so, just like adults. With so many great books and resources available, it has never been easier to find the inspiration.
We need an ambitious early years strategy
Authors: Porter Rose
Published: August 2021

There is no doubt that the pandemic truly exposed the value of the early years, yet concurrently, exposing the fragility of the sector. This is why Rose Porter explains that the need for an ambitious early years strategy is never more urgent.
Mischievous wind
Authors: Clarke Jenni
Published: August 2021

Wind is a magical force that we can feel but not see. It is an inspiration for descriptive words, stories and poems, opening up rich literacy learning opportunities.
Intra-articular low-dose parathyroid hormone (1-34) improves mobility and articular cartilage quality in a preclinical age-related knee osteoarthritis model
Authors: Chen Chung-Hwan , Kang Lin , Chang Ling-Hua , Cheng Tsung-Lin , Lin Sung-Yen , Wu Shun-Cheng , Lin Yi-Shan , Chuang Shu-Chun , Lee Tien-Ching , Chang Je-Ken , Ho Mei-Ling
Published: August 2021

Aims

Osteoarthritis (OA) is prevalent among the elderly and incurable. Intra-articular parathyroid hormone (PTH) ameliorated OA in papain-induced and anterior cruciate ligament transection-induced OA models; therefore, we hypothesized that PTH improved OA in a preclinical age-related OA model.

Methods

Guinea pigs aged between six and seven months of age were randomized into control or treatment groups. Three- or four-month-old guinea pigs served as the young control group. The knees were administered 40 μl intra-articular injections of 10 nM PTH or vehicle once a week for three months. Their endurance as determined from time on the treadmill was evaluated before kill. Their tibial plateaus were analyzed using microcalculated tomography (μCT) and histological studies.

Results

PTH increased the endurance on the treadmill test, preserved glycosaminoglycans, and reduced Osteoarthritis Research Society International score and chondrocyte apoptosis rate. No difference was observed in the subchondral plate bone density or metaphyseal trabecular bone volume and bone morphogenetic 2 protein staining.

Conclusion

Subchondral bone is crucial in the initiation and progression of OA. Although previous studies have shown that subcutaneous PTH alleviates knee OA by improving subchondral and metaphyseal bone mass, we demonstrated that intra-articular PTH injections improved spontaneous OA by directly affecting the cartilage rather than the subchondral or metaphyseal bone in a preclinical age-related OA model. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(8):514–525.
The Economics of Hate and Love in South Africa: Postcolonial Queer Perspectives on Hate Crime Legislations
Authors: Schuhmann Antje
Published: August 2021

In early 2018 South Africa tabled the new The Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill before parliament. Less than a month later, the first White South African was sentenced to jail for racist slurs towards a Black policeman. One might interpret the coming into existence of this new bill as a result of the increased public awareness of racism as acted out by White people in today's post-apartheid South Africa every day in one form or another. An awareness that a younger generation of students in the context of the #FFM Fees Must Fall, #RMF Rhodes Must Fall, and other associated student protest movements, aiming since 2015 to decolonise the universities, generated and forced the public to take note of. A generation that pushed for the recognition of racialised differences and critiqued notions of colour-blind, non-racial rainbowism when arguing that racism and racist hate only become visible once the concepts underlying these practices of Othering are named: deeply ingrained notions of White superiority and Black inferiority on the side of the perpetrators. The new Hate Crimes Bill therefore does appear to be a direct result of these most recent developments; however it is more complex and the road map towards establishing such a bill, which next to race includes a whole set of other categories such as pregnancy, sexual orientation or albinism, started much earlier and was not really a straight one but actually received intense discussions within the LGTBI community about a decade ago.
Extended Risley scanning system with 30 × 360 coverage
Authors: Lyu Jiangbo , Chen Zhiyu , Wang Guangbiao , Tan Meng , Lu Rongguo , Cao Zizheng , Liu Yong
Published: August 2021

We propose a beam scanning system based on an extended Risley prism structure. This
system uses a rotating mirror structure and expands the original
construction of the balanced and stable Risley prism. There is much
research on extended Risley prism structures, but the scanned angle of
their extended systems is less than 180°. The proposed system in this
paper can expand scanned angle to 360°, showing practical significance
and application value in the field of beam scanning. This is achieved
by using reflectors and multiple transmitter and receiver structures
with optimized positions and transmission directions. Simulation
results show that the scanning range is 360° and

±

14

∘

in the horizontal and vertical
directions, respectively, at 110 m while the angular resolution is

0.2

∘

×

2

∘

.
Spectropolarimeter on board the Aditya-L1: polarization modulation and demodulation
Authors: Nagaraju K. , Prasad B. Raghavendra , Hegde Bhavana S. , Narra Suresh Venkata , Utkarsha D. , Kumar Amit , Singh Jagdev , Kumar Varun
Published: August 2021

One of the major science goals of the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload aboard the Aditya-L1 mission is to map the coronal magnetic field topology and quantitative estimation of longitudinal magnetic field on a routine basis. The infrared channel of VELC is equipped with a polarimeter to carry out full Stokes spectropolarimetric observations in the Fe xiii line at 1074.7 nm. The polarimeter is in a dual-beam setup with a continuously rotating wave plate as the polarization modulator. Detection of circular polarization due to the Zeeman effect and depolarization of linear polarization in the presence of a magnetic field due to the saturated Hanle effect in the Fe xiii line require a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Due to the limited number of photons, long integration times are expected to build the required SNR. In other words, signals from a large number of modulation cycles are to be averaged to achieve the required SNR. This poses several difficulties. One is the increase in data volume and the other is the change in the modulation matrix in successive modulation cycles. The latter effect arises due to a mismatch between the retarder’s rotation period and the length of the signal detection time in the case of the VELC spectropolarimeter. It is shown in this paper that by appropriately choosing the number of samples per half rotation, the data volume can be optimized. A potential solution is suggested to account for modulation matrix variation from one cycle to another.
Articular cartilage optical properties in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral range vary with depth and tissue integrity
Authors: Khan Bilour , Kafian-Attari Iman , Nippolainen Ervin , Shaikh Rubina , Semenov Dmitry , Hauta-Kasari Markku , Töyräs Juha , Afara Isaac O.
Published: August 2021

Optical properties of biological tissues in the NIR spectral range have demonstrated significant potential for in vivo diagnostic applications and are critical parameters for modelling light interaction in biological tissues. This study aims to investigate the optical properties of articular cartilage as a function of tissue depth and integrity. The results suggest consistent wavelength-dependent variation in optical properties between cartilage depth-wise zones, as well as between healthy and degenerated tissue. Also, statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in both optical properties were observed between the different cartilage depth-wise zones and as a result of tissue degeneration. When taken into account, the outcome of this study could enable accurate modelling of light interaction in cartilage matrix and could provide useful diagnostic information on cartilage integrity.
Enhancement of underwater optical images based on background light estimation and improved adaptive transmission fusion
Authors: Liu Ke , Liang Yongquan
Published: August 2021

Underwater optical imaging technology plays a vital role in humans’ underwater activities. However, the serious quality degradation of underwater optical images hinders further development of such technology. This phenomenon is mainly caused by the absorption and scattering of light in the underwater medium. The blurred image formation model is widely used in the field of optical images and depends on two optical parameters: background light (BL) and the transmission map (TM). Therefore, we propose an underwater optical image enhancement method in the context of underwater optical image restoration and color correction. First, BL estimation based on the gray close operation, which can avoid the influence of white objects while accurately calculating BL, is proposed. Then, an improved adaptive transmission fusion (IATF) method is proposed, and the adjusted reversed saturation map (ARSM) method is applied to compensate for and refine the estimated TMs to obtain the final TMs. This paper also proposes a new underwater light attenuation prior (NULAP) method. Finally, to enhance color saturation and edge details, a statistical colorless slant correction fusion smoothing filter method is proposed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art methods for dehazing, color and detail enhancement, and (uneven) light intensity.
Angular momentum of the vortex ultrashort pulsed beam with a smaller beam waist
Authors: Luo Mengdi , Wang Zhaoying
Published: August 2021

The angular momentum (AM) of light has important implications for many fields of optics research, such as optics communication, quantum information and laser-scan microscopy. Thus, in this paper, we intend to investigate the average AM of the vortex ultrashort pulsed beam (VUPB), which is generated and widely applied in the field of high-intensity and ultrafast regimes. According to the vector potential, we firstly derive the electromagnetic field of the VUPB, then analyze the spatial intensity, the phase profile and the polarization state of the beam. We explore that the total AM per photon of VUPB is not

n
ℏ

value when the beam waist w0 is of wavelength or sub-wavelength order, since the polarization of VUPB is changed from linear to circular polarization with the decrease of beam waist, which introduces the conversion of the orbital AM to the spin AM. Moreover, based on the conservation of the total AM, the minimum waist of VUPB can be obtained, which is dependent on the pulse duration time α and topological charge n. Finally, the average AM of the fractional VUPB expressed by the superposition of the integer VUPB with different weights, is analyzed, which is not equal to the AM of fractional CW beam μ − sin (2μπ)/2π (μ is the fractional topological charge), but is associated with the beam waist w0 and α. Therefore, we think that the AM of VUPB can be controlled by adjusting the α and w0.
Underwater ghost imaging based on generative adversarial networks with high imaging quality
Authors: Yang Xu , Yu Zhongyang , Xu Lu , Hu Jiemin , Wu Long , Yang Chenghua , Zhang Wei , Zhang Jianlong , Zhang Yong
Published: August 2021

Ghost imaging is widely used in underwater active optical imaging because of its simple structure, long distance, and non-local imaging. However, the complexity of the underwater environment will greatly reduce the imaging quality of ghost imaging. To solve this problem, an underwater ghost imaging method based on the generative adversarial networks is proposed in the study. The generator of the proposed network adopts U-Net with the double skip connections and the attention module to improve the reconstruction quality. In the network training process, the total loss function is the sum of the weighted adversarial loss, perceptual loss, and pixel loss. The experiment and simulation results show that the proposed method effectively improves the target reconstruction performance of underwater ghost imaging. The proposed method promotes the further development of active optical imaging of underwater targets based on ghost imaging technology.
Photothermal microfluidic-assisted self-cleaning effect for a highly reusable SERS sensor
Authors: Liu Shaojing , Zhong Huiqing , Li Zongbao , Xu Yu , Hu Xiaowen , Zheng Zhidong , Liu Liu , Chen Pengxin , Cai Xiang , Jiang Xiaofang , Luo Aiping , Huang Jianlin , Xing Xiaobo
Published: August 2021

The synergistic integration of optofluidic and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing is a new analytical technique that provides a number of unique characteristics for enhancing the sensing performance and simplifying the design of microsystems. Here, we propose a reusable optofluidic SERS sensor by integrating Au nanoisland substrate (AuNIS)-coated fiber into a microfluidic chip. Through both systematic experimental and theoretical analysis, the sensor enables efficient self-cleaning based on its optical-to-heat-hydrodynamic energy conversion property. Besides, the sensor exhibits the instrument detection limit down to

10

−
13

m
o
l

/

L

and enhancement factor of

10

6

for Rhodamine 6G. Our optofluidic SERS sensor with such a photothermal microfluidic-assisted self-cleaning method has the advantages of portability, simple operation, and high cleaning efficiency, which will provide a new, to the best of our knowledge, concept and approach for cost-effective and reusable sensors.
Full-color micro-LED display based on a single chip with two types of InGaN/GaN MQWs
Authors: Wang Zhou , Zhu Shijie , Shan Xinyi , Yuan Zexing , Cui Xugao , Tian Pengfei
Published: August 2021

In this Letter, we have successfully realized the full-color micro-LED display on a single-chip utilizing multi-wavelength multi-quantum wells (MQWs). The epitaxial wafer used for micro-LED array chips is designed with two types of MQWs including

I
n

0.1

G
a

0.9

N

/

G
a
N

and

I
n

0.55

G
a

0.45

N

/

G
a
N

grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). A single-chip broad-spectrum multi-wavelength emission from 620 to 450 nm can be realized by changing the injection current to realize the regulation of carrier injection in the MQWs with different emission wavelengths. And the full-color micro-LED display with uniform brightness can be achieved by adopting the pulse width modulation (PWM) to adjust the duty cycle of micro-LED pixels at different pulse voltages. We expect this study will provide a promising research direction for full-color micro-LED displays, thus effectively avoiding the problems caused during the massive transfer and color conversion.
Asymmetric dual-SSB modulation for photonic co-frequency mm-wave signals generation and DSP-free receiver
Authors: Song Haiping , Huang Chuanming , Li Hongyu , Dai Longquan , Liu Ziqi , Yang Yu , Cheng Mengfan , Yang Qi , Tang Ming , Liu Deming , Deng Lei
Published: August 2021

An asymmetric dual-single-sideband (SSB) modulation scheme for photonic co-frequency millimeter (mm)-wave signals generation and digital signal processing (DSP)-free receiver is experimentally demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. To effectively avoid the sideband crosstalk in the traditional symmetric dual-SSB modulation scheme, not only two vector-modulated signals but also two unmodulated sidebands are modulated on the two asymmetric sides of an optical carrier in this scheme. An optical delay line interferometer could easily separate these two asymmetric dual-SSB signals simultaneously in the receiver, and thus the photonic frequency up-conversion is realized. Besides, this scheme is free of dispersion-induced RF power fading thanks to the SSB modulation. By this means, no digital compensation algorithms such as carrier phase recovery, fiber dispersion compensation, and channel equalization are required, contributing to the DSP-free receiver. In our experiment, two 32 GHz 3.2 Gb/s 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation mm-wave signals are produced using two RF signals with the carrier frequencies of 12 GHz and 20 GHz. The error vector magnitude (EVM) performances of these two mm-wave signals after 25.5 km standard single-mode fiber transmission are better than 3rd Generation Partnership Project requirements without using any digital compensation algorithms.
Improving the signal-to-noise ratio of atomic transitions in LIBS using two-dimensional correlation analysis
Authors: Narlagiri Linga Murthy , Soma Venugopal Rao
Published: August 2021

In this study, two-dimensional (2D) correlation analysis was utilized for achieving a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data. Time-resolved LIBS spectra of metallic, bimetallic targets and the normal LIBS spectra of bimetallic targets with varying compositions were used for the detailed analysis. The diagonal of the matrix in the synchronous spectra was used to demonstrate the improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). An improvement in the peak intensities by few orders of magnitude accompanied by suppression in the noise was observed. The correlations between LIBS peaks were also visualized using the 2-D plots. The correlation strengths of atomic transitions were visualized in aluminium (Al), copper (Cu), and brass whereas correlation strengths of atomic and ionic transitions were visualized in Au-Ag bimetallic targets with different compositions (Au30Ag70, Au50Ag50, Au80Ag20). The improved spectra were subsequently used in the principal component analysis for classification studies of four compositions of bimetallic targets (Au20Ag80, Au30Ag70, Au50Ag50, and Au80Ag20). The variance of the first three principal components was found to be improved from the analysis. The accumulated percentage of explained variance of ∼95 was achieved with the first three components from improved spectra whereas only ∼80 was achieved with the regular LIBS spectra from PCA studies. Furthermore, using this correlation analysis we demonstrate a significant improvement in the SNR of CN and C2 peaks in the femtosecond LIBS spectra of two polymer samples obtained from a standoff distance of 6 m, which may prove substantial for improved classifications studies.
Collimated ultraviolet light generated by four-wave mixing process in Cs vapor
Authors: Gai Baodong , Hu Shu , Chu Junzhi , Wang Pengyuan , Cai Xianglong , Guo Jingwei
Published: August 2021

Collimated ultraviolet (UV) light is generated via four-wave mixing (FWM) in cesium vapor by continuously tuning the wavelength of the pump laser. Terahertz (THz) Stokes light is generated by the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) effect in the FWM process, and its frequency is adjustable. When exciting the cesium atom to a virtual level using different combinations of pump lasers (P1 and P2), the strength distribution of UV light is asymmetric, which can be explained through a phase-matching mechanism. Furthermore, the SRS effect and phase matching influence the FWM.
Identification and evolution of nuclear receptors in Platyhelminths
Authors: Wu Wenjie , LoVerde Philip T.
Published: August 2021

Since the first complete set of Platyhelminth nuclear receptors (NRs) from Schistosoma mansoni were identified a decade ago, more flatworm genome data is available to identify their NR complement and to analyze the evolutionary relationship of Platyhelminth NRs. NRs are important transcriptional modulators that regulate development, differentiation and reproduction of animals. In this study, NRs are identified in genome databases of thirty-three species including in all Platyhelminth classes (Rhabditophora, Monogenea, Cestoda and Trematoda). Phylogenetic analysis shows that NRs in Platyhelminths follow two different evolutionary lineages: 1) NRs in a free-living freshwater flatworm (Schmidtea mediterranea) and all parasitic flatworms share the same evolutionary lineage with extensive gene loss. 2) NRs in a free-living intertidal zone flatworm (Macrostomum lignano) follow a different evolutionary lineage with a feature of multiple gene duplication and gene divergence. The DNA binding domain (DBD) is the most conserved region in NRs which contains two C4-type zinc finger motifs. A novel zinc finger motif is identified in parasitic flatworm NRs: the second zinc finger of parasitic Platyhelminth HR96b possesses a CHC2 motif which is not found in NRs of all other animals studied to date. In this study, novel NRs (members of NR subfamily 3 and 6) are identified in flatworms, this result demonstrates that members of all six classical NR subfamilies are present in the Platyhelminth phylum. NR gene duplication, loss and divergence in Platyhelminths are analyzed along with the evolutionary relationship of Platyhelminth NRs.
A qualitative study to explore the experience of parents of newborns admitted to neonatal care unit in rural Rwanda
Authors: Byiringiro Samuel , Wong Rex , Logan Jenae , Kaneza Deogratias , Gitera Joseph , Umutesi Sharon , Kirk Catherine M.
Published: August 2021

Background

Neonatal Care Units (NCUs) provide special care to sick and small newborns and help reduce neonatal mortality. For parents, having a hospitalized newborn can be a traumatic experience. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is limited literature about the parents’ experience in NCUs.

Objective

Our study aimed to explore the experience of parents in the NCU of a rural district hospital in Rwanda.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted with parents whose newborns were hospitalized in the Ruli District Hospital NCU from September 2018 to January 2019. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured guide in the participants’ homes by trained data collectors. Data were transcribed, translated, and then coded using a structured code book. All data were organized using Dedoose software for analysis.

Results

Twenty-one interviews were conducted primarily with mothers (90.5%, n = 19) among newborns who were most often discharged home alive (90.5%, n = 19). Four themes emerged from the interviews. These were the parental adaptation to having a sick neonate in NCU, adaptation to the NCU environment, interaction with people (healthcare providers and fellow parents) in the NCU, and financial stressors.

Conclusion

The admission of a newborn to the NCU is a source of stress for parents and caregivers in rural Rwanda, however, there were several positive aspects which helped mothers adapt to the NCU. The experience in the NCU can be improved when healthcare providers communicate and explain the newborn’s status to the parents and actively involve them in the care of their newborn. Expanding the NCU access for families, encouraging peer support, and ensuring financial accessibility for neonatal care services could contribute to improved experiences for parents and families in general.
A Sinorhizobium meliloti and Agrobacterium tumefaciens ExoR ortholog is not crucial for Brucella abortus virulence
Authors: Castillo-Zeledón Amanda , Ruiz-Villalobos Nazareth , Altamirano-Silva Pamela , Chacón-Díaz Carlos , Barquero-Calvo Elías , Chaves-Olarte Esteban , Guzmán-Verri Caterina
Published: August 2021

Brucella is a facultative extracellular-intracellular pathogen that belongs to the Alphaproteobacteria class. Precise sensing of environmental changes and a proper response mediated by a gene expression regulatory network are essential for this pathogen to survive. The plant-related Alphaproteobacteria Sinorhizobium meliloti and Agrobacterium tumefaciens also alternate from a free to a host-associated life, where a regulatory invasion switch is needed for this transition. This switch is composed of a two-component regulatory system (TCS) and a global inhibitor, ExoR. In B. abortus, the BvrR/BvrS TCS is essential for intracellular survival. However, the presence of a TCS inhibitor, such as ExoR, in Brucella is still unknown. In this work, we identified a genomic sequence similar to S. meliloti exoR in the B. abortus 2308W genome, constructed an exoR mutant strain, and performed its characterization through ex vivo and in vivo assays. Our findings indicate that ExoR is related to the BvrR phosphorylation state, and is related to the expression of known BvrR/BrvS gene targets, such as virB8, vjbR, and omp25 when grown in rich medium or starving conditions. Despite this, the exoR mutant strain showed no significant differences as compared to the wild-type strain, related to resistance to polymyxin B or human non-immune serum, intracellular replication, or infectivity in a mice model. ExoR in B. abortus is related to BvrR/BvrS as observed in other Rhizobiales; however, its function seems different from that observed for its orthologs described in A. tumefaciens and S. meliloti.
Psychometric characteristics of DLQI-BRA and Skindex-16 to measure the impact of dermatological diseases on quality of life in Brazilian patients
Authors: Meneguin Silmara , de Souza Matos Ticiane Dionozio , Pollo Camila Fernandes , Garuzi Miriane , Miot Hélio Amante , de Oliveira César
Published: August 2021

Objective

To compare the psychometric performance of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI-BRA) and Skindex-16 to assess quality of life (QoL) in Brazilian patients with dermatological diseases.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study carried out in a dermatology outpatient clinic of the São Paulo State University, with 188 patients with dermatological diseases. QoL was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI-BRA) and Skindex-16. Cronbach’s alpha and Intraclass Correlation for Perfect Concordance (ICC) were used to analyse the reliability and temporal stability, respectively.

Results

A positive correlation was found between the total Skindex-16 score and DLQI-BRA (0.75). Both instruments showed a significant (p< 0.01) reduction in their scores at the second assessment, demonstrating that they were sensitive in detecting changes in responsiveness in cases where there was a clinical change. Cronbach alpha coefficients for the instruments showed satisfactory performance (>0,7), but Skindex-16 displayed the highest Cronbach alpha (0.94; CI = 0.93–0.95).

Conclusion

Both instruments tested showed a good psychometric performance assessing QoL in patients with skin dermatoses. The instruments displayed reliability and temporal stability as well as responsiveness.
Steps to build a DIY low-cost fixed-wing drone for biodiversity conservation
Authors: Mesquita Geison P. , Rodríguez-Teijeiro José Domingo , de Oliveira Rodrigo Rocha , Mulero-Pázmány Margarita
Published: August 2021

Despite the proved usefulness of drones in biodiversity studies, acquisition costs and difficulties in operating, maintaining and repairing these systems constrain their integration in conservation projects, particularly for low-income countries. Here we present the steps necessary to build a low-cost fixed-wing drone for environmental applications in large areas, along with instructions to increase the reliability of the system and testing its performance. Inspired by DIY (Do It Yourself) and open source models, this work prioritizes simplicity and accounts for cost-benefit for the researcher. The DIY fixed-wing drone developed has electric propulsion, can perform pre-programmed flight, can carry up to 500 g payload capacity with 65 minutes flight duration and flies at a maximum distance of 20 km. It is equipped with a RGB (Red, Green and Blue) sensor capable of obtaining 2.8 cm per pixel Ground Sample Distance (GSD) resolution at a constant altitude of 100 m above ground level (AGL). The total cost was $995 which is substantially less than the average value of similar commercial drones used in biodiversity studies. We performed 12 flight tests in auto mode using the developed model in protected areas in Brazil, obtaining RGB images that allowed us to identify deforestation spots smaller than 5 m2 and medium-sized animals. Building DIY drones requires some technical knowledge and demands more time than buying a commercial ready-to-fly system, but as proved here, it can be less expensive, which is often crucial in conservation projects.
Bandgap prediction of two-dimensional materials using machine learning
Authors: Zhang Yu , Xu Wenjing , Liu Guangjie , Zhang Zhiyong , Zhu Jinlong , Li Meng
Published: August 2021

The bandgap of two-dimensional (2D) materials plays an important role in their applications to various devices. For instance, the gapless nature of graphene limits the use of this material to semiconductor device applications, whereas the indirect bandgap of molybdenum disulfide is suitable for electrical and photo-device applications. Therefore, predicting the bandgap rapidly and accurately for a given 2D material structure has great scientific significance in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. Compared to the extremely high computation cost of conventional first-principles calculations, machine learning (ML) based on statistics may be a promising alternative to predicting bandgaps. Although ML algorithms have been used to predict the properties of materials, they have rarely been used to predict the properties of 2D materials. In this study, we apply four ML algorithms to predict the bandgaps of 2D materials based on the computational 2D materials database (C2DB). Gradient boosted decision trees and random forests are more effective in predicting bandgaps of 2D materials with an R2 >90% and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of ~0.24 eV and 0.27 eV, respectively. By contrast, support vector regression and multi-layer perceptron show that R2 is >70% with RMSE of ~0.41 eV and 0.43 eV, respectively. Finally, when the bandgap calculated without spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is used as a feature, the RMSEs of the four ML models decrease greatly to 0.09 eV, 0.10 eV, 0.17 eV, and 0.12 eV, respectively. The R2 of all the models is >94%. These results show that the properties of 2D materials can be rapidly obtained by ML prediction with high precision.
Optimization of dye solutions for detecting damaged pancreatic tissues during islet isolation procedures
Authors: Imura Takehiro , Inagaki Akiko , Igarashi Yasuhiro , Goto Masafumi
Published: August 2021

We previously reported that dye was effective to prevent the leakage of enzyme solutions from pancreatic glands during an islet isolation procedure. However, the dye used for islet isolation has not yet been optimized. In this study, we focused on pyoktanin blue (PB), diagnogreen (DG), and indigo carmine (IC) as potential candidates among clinically established dyes. A serial dilution assay was performed to determine minimal effective concentrations of each dye for detecting damaged pancreatic tissues. According to the outcome of serial dilution assays, double minimum effective concentrations of each dye were used for in vitro toxicity assays on islets and used in the isolation procedure to investigate whether they adversely affect islet isolation efficiency. The evaluations included islet yield, ADP/ATP, ATP/DNA, glucose stimulation test, and insulin/DNA assays. Islet viability cultured with PB contained medium was significantly lower than the other dyes. DG and IC appeared to be non-toxic to the islets. In isolation experiments, the islet yield in the DG group was considerably lower than that in the Control group, suggesting that DG might inhibit enzyme activity. The present study demonstrates that IC could be a promising candidate for an effective dye to detect damaged pancreatic tissues without affecting the enzyme activity and islet quality.