bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hybrid 3DMA for multi-user MIMO-VLC
Authors: Chen Chen , Zhang Ruochen , Wen Wanli , Liu Min , Du Pengfei , Yang Yanbing , Ruan Xiukai
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose and investigate a hybrid three-dimensional multiple access (3DMA) scheme for multi-user multiple-input multiple-output visible light communication (MU-MIMO-VLC) systems that can fully exploit the 3D resources of the system including frequency, space, and power. Particularly, all users in the MU-MIMO-VLC system applying hybrid 3DMA are first divided into multiple user groups (UGs) in the spatial domain, and users within each UG are further divided into multiple user pairs (UPs) in the frequency domain. In each UP, two users are multiplexed in the power domain via superposition coding. Due to the efficient 3D resource allocation in the MU-MIMO-VLC system applying hybrid 3DMA, the available bandwidth of each user can be substantially increased. Moreover, the impact of error propagation caused by imperfect successive interference cancellation (SIC) is considered, and the optimal power allocation (OPA) strategy is also derived to maximize the achievable sum rate of each UP. The feasibility and superiority of the proposed hybrid 3DMA with OPA have been successfully verified by the obtained analysis and simulation results. It is shown that the achievable average sum rate of an indoor

4
×
4

MU-MIMO-VLC system can be substantially improved by applying the proposed hybrid 3DMA with OPA, in comparison to benchmark schemes such as orthogonal frequency division multiple access and space division multiple access. Moreover, it is further revealed that hybrid 3DMA with OPA exhibits high tolerance against imperfect SIC induced error propagation, which also shows excellent robustness and performance consistency to support multiple randomly located users.
Multimode waveguide analyses and design based on the FC-LSTM hybrid network
Authors: Yao Tianhang , Huang Tianye , Zeng Xuming , Wu Zhichao , Zhang Jing , Luo Dapeng , Zhang Xiangli , Wang Yong , Cheng Zhuo , Li Xiang , Han Lei , Shum Perry Ping
Published: August 2022

The multimode waveguide is essential for future mode-division-multiplexing optical interconnection systems to further improve data capacity. However, the complex waveguide design process based on numerical methods is time consuming and requires a lot of computational effort. By using machine learning trained models, one can find the rules from the observed data (sample) and use the learned rules (model) to predict the unknown or unobservable data quickly. In this paper, to accelerate the multimode waveguide design, several regression models consisting of fully connected and long short-term memory layers are employed to predict the effective refractive indices from the fundamental mode to fourth-order TE mode with various waveguide geometries. For air cladding waveguides, the percentages of eligible data whose prediction errors are less than

10

−
3

of different modes are 89.95%, 88.10%, 82.29%, 75.83%, and 71.19%. For

S
i
O

2

cladding ones, they are 95.40%, 92.81%, 90.90%, 81.99%, and 86.39%. Based on these models, two kinds of mode multiplexers are designed, and coupling efficiency of higher than 85% is achieved.
Optimized few-mode EDFA of applicability for variable mode groups with an extended doping region and a PSO algorithm
Authors: Huang Xiheng , Zeng Yan , Fang Yihong , Zhang Xinyi , Wang Shan , Xu Ou , Fu Songnian , Li Jianping , Qin Yuwen
Published: August 2022

We employ particle swarm optimization to present a cladding-pumped few-mode erbium-doped fiber amplifier (FM-EDFA) with an extended erbium-doped distribution over the core. By enlarging the radius of the doping region to improve the gain of high-order modes, the differential modal gain (DMG) can be minimized. The proposed FM-EDFA can provide average gain of 21.7 dB and DMG of less than 0.61 dB across the C-band (1530–1565 nm) for seven-mode groups. In addition, the value of the optimal doping radius has been investigated for different numbers of mode groups, which will gradually increase with the number of mode groups. Finally, simulation results indicate acceptable applicability for four- to six-mode groups even using the proposed design.
Modeling and characterization of OASIS inflatable primary antenna by dual modality metrology
Authors: Sirsi Siddhartha , Quach Henry , Kang Hyukmo , Morken Pete , Palisoc Arthur , Takashima Yuzuru , d’Aubigny Christian , Chandra Aman , Esparza Marcos , Karrfalt Karlene , Derby Kevin Z. , Choi Heejoo , Kim Daewook , Walker Christopher
Published: August 2022

OASIS (Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems) is a space-based observatory with a 14 m diameter inflatable primary antenna that will perform high spectral resolution observations at terahertz frequencies. The large inflatable aperture, non-traditional surface configuration, and the double layered membrane structure afford unique challenges to the modeling and testing of the primary antenna. A 1-meter prototype of the primary antenna (A1) was built to validate our technical approach. A laser radar coordinate measuring system was adopted to measure the shape of A1. In addition, deflectometry was performed to monitor the stability of A1 during the radar measurement. Test cases pertaining to specific operational conditions expected for the 14 m OASIS primary were explored. The measured data were then compared to the Fichter model and Finite-element Analyzer for Inflatable Membranes (FAIM).
Fringe projection profilometry method with high efficiency, precision, and convenience: theoretical analysis and development
Authors: Lv Shenzhen , Tang Dawei , Zhang Xuejun , Yang Dongyu , Deng Weijie , Kemao Qian
Published: August 2022

Fringe projector profilometry (FPP) is an important three-dimensional (3D) measurement technique, especially when high precision and speed are required. Thus, theoretical interrogation is critical to provide deep understanding and possible improvement of FPP. By dividing an FPP measurement process into four steps (system calibration, phase measurement, pixel correspondence, and 3D reconstruction), we give theoretical analysis on the entire process except for the extensively studied calibration step. Our study indeed reveals a series of important system properties, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time: (i) in phase measurement, the optimal and worst fringe angles are proven perpendicular and parallel to epipolar line, respectively, and can be considered as system parameters and can be directly made available during traditional calibration, highlighting the significance of the epipolar line; (ii) in correspondence, when two sets of fringes with different fringe orientations are projected, the highest correspondence precision can be achieved with arbitrary orientations as long as these two orientations are perpendicular to each other; (iii) in reconstruction, a higher reconstruction precision is given by the 4-equation methods, while we notice that the 3-equation methods are almost dominatingly used in literature. Based on these theoretical results, we propose a novel FPP measurement method which (i) only projects one set of fringes with optimal fringe angle to explicitly work together with the epipolar line for precise pixel correspondence; (ii) for the first time, the optimal fringe angle is determined directly from the calibration parameters, instead of being measured; (iii) uses 4 equations for precise 3D reconstruction but we can remove one equation which is equivalent to an epipolar line, making it the first algorithm that can use 3-equation solution to achieve 4-equation precision. Our method is efficient (only one set of fringe patterns is required in projection and the speed is doubled in reconstruction), precise (in both pixel correspondence and 3D reconstruction), and convenient (the computable optimal fringe angle and a closed-form 3-equation solution). We also believe that our work is insightful in revealing fundamental FPP properties, provides a more reasonable measurement for practice, and thus is beneficial to further FPP studies.
Real scene acquisition and holographic near-eye display system based on a zoom industrial endoscope
Authors: Liu Chao , Zheng Yi , Li Nan-Nan , Hou Ye-Hao , Jiang Zhao , Wang Qiong-Hua
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose a real scene acquisition and holographic near-eye display system based on a zoom industrial endoscope. By controlling the driving current of the liquid lens, the working distance and focal length of the zoom industrial endoscope can be tuned accordingly. Thus, the object at different depths can be captured. Then, the sub-sampling algorithm is used to generate the hologram. By adjusting the hologram sampling rate of the objects with different depths, the holographic near-eye 3D display can be realized. Experimental results demonstrate that the working distance of the zoom industrial endoscope can be tuned from 20 mm to 200 mm with the driving current changing from 80 mA to 190 mA. With the proposed system, the human eye can intuitively see the depth relationships among the real objects. The proposed system is expected to be applied to 3D display and industrial inspection fields.
Asymmetric interface excited chirality and its applications in reconfiguration
Authors: Lin Yanni , Chen Kejian , Yi Xuran , Li Shihao , Shen Yang , Wang Fenjing , Zhuang Songlin
Published: August 2022

In this paper, a chiral excitation method based on the asymmetric interface condition is proposed. The chiral characteristics of the metamaterials are affected by the difference in the environmental parameters of the front and rear surfaces. Thus, the device can achieve functional reconfiguration and two applications based on this mechanism are presented, one for sensing and the other for chiral switching. At the same time, a self-calibration measurement method that greatly simplifies the sensing system is proposed. These results have potential applications in the fields of chirality excitation, bio-sensing, and reconfigurable device.
Silicon photonic flat-top WDM (de)multiplexer based on cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers for the 2 µm wavelength band: publisher’s note
Authors: Yi Qiyuan , Zheng Shuang , Yan Zhiwei , Cheng Guanglian , Xu Fanglu , Li Qiyuan , Shen Li
Published: August 2022

This publisher’s note contains a correction to [Opt. Express 30, 28232 (2022)10.1364/OE.467473].
Design of a high-Q dark hollow beam cavity based on a one-dimensional topological photonic crystal
Authors: Caiyang Weinan , Jiang Ping , Zhou Miaofang , Qin Yan , He Junyi , Yang Jing , Deng Jinxin , Hu Lizhong , Yang Huajun , Wen Guangjun
Published: August 2022

Dark hollow beams (DHBs) possess great potential for material processing, holography, and vortex beams, and thus designing a high-Q DHB cavity is significant for these applications. In this Letter, a method of designing and optimizing a high-Q DHB cavity based on a one-dimensional topological photonic crystal (TPhC) is proposed. Furthermore, how the structural parameters control the performance of the cavity is analyzed with the help of finite-element-method (FEM) simulation. According to the simulation results, the Q factor of the designed cavity can reach the order of 105 with only 19 periods of layers. It is critical to mention that, although increasing the layers can improve the average Q of the cavity, it will cause serious fluctuation of both the Q factor and the divergence angle of the output beam. The design method proposed in this Letter may not only help designers of future DHB lasers but also promote the applications of DHBs in various fields.
Photonic Fock state generation using superradiance
Authors: Liu Qihang , Shen Jung-Tsung
Published: August 2022

Photonic Fock states are the most basic quantum states of a radiation field, but arbitrary number states are still difficult to produce. Here we propose to use superradiant atoms in a chiral waveguide to generate multi-photon Fock states deterministically. We calculate the explicit forms of the output quantum photonic states and their correlation functions. We further establish the conditions for the output optical fields to approach the Fock states asymptotically.
Topological edge states of a long-range surface plasmon polariton at the telecommunication wavelength
Authors: Gladstein Gladstone Ran , Dev Sukrith , Allen Jeffery , Allen Monica , Shvets Gennady
Published: August 2022

Confining light by plasmonic waveguides is promising for miniaturizing optical components, while topological photonics has been explored for robust light localization. Here we propose combining the two approaches into a simple periodically perforated plasmonic waveguide (PPW) design exhibiting robust localization of long-range surface plasmon polaritons. We predict the existence of a topological edge state originating from a quantized topological invariant, and numerically demonstrate the viability of its excitation at telecommunication wavelength using near-field and waveguide-based approaches. Strong modification of the radiative lifetime of dipole emitters by the edge state, and its robustness to disorder, are demonstrated.
Plasmonic biosensor for early gastric cancer detection
Authors: Beheshti Asl M. , Karamdel J. , Khoshbaten M. , Rostami A.
Published: August 2022

Early detection of cancer, can greatly reduce mortality and thus increase the life expectancy of patients. In this study, we introduce a plasmonic biosensor platform to detect relevant microRNAs for gastric cancer diagnosis. The proposed sensor uses the LSPR to detect RNA in the human blood. Different geometries of nanostructures were examined, and the results of their resonance peak were analyzed. The proposed nano-flower structure with five petals was considered as the original shape and then was examined in terms of changes, including substrate changes, the type of structure, the presence or absence of holes on the structure, and different thicknesses of the desired biomarkers. It shows the optimal wavelength of LSPR at 652 nm, which is suitable for physiological environments such as blood and plasma. The creation of several holes caused a shift to the wavelength of 663.63 nm, which was about 12.12 nm, but due to the reduction of the peak intensity, the optimization steps were performed without holes. Target miRNAs such as miR-21, miR-221, and miR-153 are selectively trapped on nanostructured surfaces and change λ
LSPR
. The resonance peak of the LSPR found a 30 nm shift due to the presence of biomarkers.
Understanding the structure of cognitive noise
Authors: Zhu Jian-Qiao , León-Villagrá Pablo , Chater Nick , Sanborn Adam N.
Published: August 2022

Human cognition is fundamentally noisy. While routinely regarded as a nuisance in experimental investigation, the few studies investigating properties of cognitive noise have found surprising structure. A first line of research has shown that inter-response-time distributions are heavy-tailed. That is, response times between subsequent trials usually change only a small amount, but with occasional large changes. A second, separate, line of research has found that participants’ estimates and response times both exhibit long-range autocorrelations (i.e., 1/f noise). Thus, each judgment and response time not only depends on its immediate predecessor but also on many previous responses. These two lines of research use different tasks and have distinct theoretical explanations: models that account for heavy-tailed response times do not predict 1/f autocorrelations and vice versa. Here, we find that 1/f noise and heavy-tailed response distributions co-occur in both types of tasks. We also show that a statistical sampling algorithm, developed to deal with patchy environments, generates both heavy-tailed distributions and 1/f noise, suggesting that cognitive noise may be a functional adaptation to dealing with a complex world.
Positively charged mineral surfaces promoted the accumulation of organic intermediates at the origin of metabolism
Authors: Akbari Amir , Palsson Bernhard O.
Published: August 2022

Identifying plausible mechanisms for compartmentalization and accumulation of the organic intermediates of early metabolic cycles in primitive cells has been a major challenge in theories of life’s origins. Here, we propose a mechanism, where positive membrane potentials elevate the concentration of the organic intermediates. Positive membrane potentials are generated by positively charged surfaces of protocell membranes due to accumulation of transition metals. We find that (i) positive membrane potentials comparable in magnitude to those of modern cells can increase the concentration of the organic intermediates by several orders of magnitude; (ii) generation of large membrane potentials destabilize ion distributions; (iii) violation of electroneutrality is necessary to induce nonzero membrane potentials; and (iv) violation of electroneutrality enhances osmotic pressure and diminishes reaction efficiency, resulting in an evolutionary driving force for the formation of lipid membranes, specialized ion channels, and active transport systems.
The role of material deprivations in determining ART adherence: Evidence from a conjoint analysis among HIV-positive adults in Uganda
Authors: Saya Uzaib , Wagner Zachary , Mukasa Barbara , Wabukala Peter , Lunkuse Lillian , Linnemayr Sebastian
Published: August 2022

Despite sustained global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence to ART remains low. Less than half of those in HIV care in Uganda achieve 85% adherence to their ART medication required for clinically meaningful viral suppression, leaving them at higher risk of transmission. Key barriers to ART adherence include poverty-related structural barriers that are inter-connected and occur simultaneously, making it challenging to examine and disentangle them empirically and in turn design effective interventions. Many people living with HIV (PLWH) make tradeoffs between these various barriers (e.g., between expenses for food or transportation) and these can influence long-term health behavior such as adherence to ART. To be able to estimate the distinct influence of key structural barriers related to poverty, we administered a conjoint analysis (CA) to 320 HIV-positive adults currently taking ART at an urban clinic in Uganda between July 2019 and September 2020. We varied the levels of four poverty-related attributes (food security, sleep deprivation, monthly income, and physical pain) that occur simultaneously and asked respondents how they would adhere to their medication under different combinations of attribute levels. This allows us to disentangle the effect of each attribute from one another and to assess their relative importance. We used regression analysis to estimate the effects of each attribute level and found that food security impacts expected adherence the most (treatment effect = 1.3; 95% CI 1.11–1.49, p<0.001), followed by income (treatment effect = 0.99; 95% CI 0.88–1.10, p<0.001. Sleep and pain also impact adherence, although by a smaller magnitude. Sub-group analyses conducted via regression analysis examine heterogeneity in results and suggest that the effects of material deprivations on expected adherence are greater among those with high levels of existing food insecurity. Results from this CA indicate that external factors inherent in the lives of the poor and unrelated to direct ART access can be important barriers to ART adherence. This study applies a CA (typically administered in marketing applications) among PLWH to better understand individual-level perceptions relating to poverty that often occur simultaneously. Policy interventions should address food insecurity and income to improve adherence among HIV-positive adults.
Helminth species dependent effects on Th1 and Th17 cytokines in active tuberculosis patients and healthy community controls
Authors: Bewket Gezahegn , Kiflie Amare , Tajebe Fitsumbrhan , Abate Ebba , Schön Thomas , Blomgran Robert
Published: August 2022

Despite that the impact of different helminth species is not well explored, the current dogma states that helminths affect the Th1/Th2 balance which in turn affects the risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation and severity of disease. We investigated the influence of helminth species on cytokine profiles including IL-17A in TB patients and healthy community controls (CCs). In total, 104 newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients and 70 HIV negative and QuantiFERON negative CCs in Gondar, Ethiopia were included following helminth screening by stool microscopy. Plasma samples andex vivostimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with purified protein derivative (PPD) and Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) was used to determine cytokine profiles by cytometric bead array. In CCs,Ascaris lumbricoidesorSchistosoma mansoniinfections were associated with an impaired Th1-type response (IFN-gamma, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) in PBMCs mainly with SEB stimulations, whereas in TB patients only hookworm infection showed a similar pattern. Among CCs, the IL-17A response in PBMCs stimulated with SEB was higher only forS.mansoni, whereas in TB patients, the elevated systemic IL-17A plasma level was significantly suppressed in hookworm infected TB patients compared to patients without helminth coinfection. Following treatment of TB and helminth infection there was a general decrease inex vivioIL-10 and TNF-alpha production in unstimulated, PPD or SEB stimulated PBMCs that was the most pronounced and significant in TB patients infected withS.mansoni, whereas the follow-up levels of IFN-gamma and IL-17A was significantly increased only in TB patients without helminth coinfection from PBMCs stimulated mainly with SEB. In summary, in addition to confirming helminth specific effects on the Th1/Th2 response before and after TB treatment, our novel finding is that IL-17A was impaired in helminth infected TB patients especially for hookworm, indicating a helminth species-specific immunoregulatory effect on IL-17A which needs to be further investigated.
Development of a mouse salivary gland-derived mesenchymal cell line for immunological studies of murine cytomegalovirus
Authors: White Timothy M. , Stanfield Brent A. , Bonavita Cassandra M. , Rudd Jared S. , Cardin Rhonda D.
Published: August 2022

The salivary glands are a crucial site of replication for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and its murine counterpart, murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). Studies of MCMV often involve the use of BALB/c strain mice, but most in vitro assays are carried out in the NIH 3T3 cell line, which is derived from Swiss Albino mice. This report describes a BALB/c-derived mouse salivary gland cell line immortalized using the SV40 large T antigen. Cells stained positive for PDGFR1 and negative for E-cadherin and PECAM-1, indicating mesenchymal origin. This cell line, which has been named murine salivary gland mesenchymal (mSGM), shows promise as a tool for ex vivo immunological assays due to its MHC haplotype match with the BALB/c mouse strain. In addition, plaque assays using mSGM rather than NIH 3T3 cells are significantly more sensitive for detecting low concentrations of MCMV particles. Finally, it is demonstrated that mSGM cells express all 3 BALB/c MHC class I isotypes and are susceptible to T cell-mediated ex vivo cytotoxicity assays, leading to many possible uses in immunological studies of MCMV.
What is the mission of innovation?—Lexical structure, sentiment analysis, and cosine similarity of mission statements of research-knowledge intensive institutions
Authors: Cortés Julián D.
Published: August 2022

Mission statements (henceforth: missions) are strategic planning communication tools used by all types of organizations worldwide. Missions communicate an organization’s purpose, values, standards, and strategy. Research on missions has been prolific over the past 30 years, nevertheless several empirical gaps remain, such as single sector or country studies and restricted mission samples. In this article, we identify similarities and differences in the content of missions from government, private, higher education, and health research-knowledge intensive institutions in a sample of 1,900+ institutions from 89 countries through the deployment of sentiment analysis, readability, and lexical diversity; semantic networks; and a similarity computation between document corpus. We found that missions of research-knowledge intensive institutions are challenging to read texts with lower lexical diversity that favors positive rather than negative words. In stark contrast to this, the non-profit sector is consonant in multiple dimensions in its use of Corporate Social Responsibility jargon. The lexical appearance of ‘research’ in the missions varies according to mission sectorial context, and each sector has a cluster-specific focus. Utilizing the mission as a strategic planning tool in higher-income regions might serve to explain corpora similarities shared by sectors and continents. Furthermore, our open-access dataset on missions worldwide can be used as a source for further replication, triangulation, or crowdsourcing-data studies. Also, practitioners could use our open-access dataset and insights to facilitate strategic planning activities in organizations from multiple sectors.
Establishment of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for mouse pancreatic polypeptide clarifies the regulatory mechanism of its secretion from pancreatic γ cells
Authors: Saito Daisuke , Nakagawa Yuko , Sato Takashi , Fukunaka Ayako , Pereye Ofejiro Blessing , Maruyama Nobuhiro , Watada Hirotaka , Fujitani Yoshio
Published: August 2022

Pancreatic polypeptide (PP), secreted from γ cells of the islets of Langerhans, is a 36 amino-acid peptide encoded by the Ppy gene. Although previous studies have reported that PP causes a decrease in appetite, the molecular mechanism that regulates PP secretion has not been fully elucidated. Lack of understanding of the regulatory mechanism of PP secretion may be partially owing to the lack of assay systems that can specifically detect PP. We recently developed the mouse monoclonal antibody 23-2D3 that specifically recognizes PP. In the present study, we developed a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the measurement of mouse PP, and directly monitored intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in Ppy-expressing cells from a newly developed reporter mouse. Using these systems, we identified agonists, such as carbachol and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate PP secretion. We further demonstrated that, unlike the case of GIP-induced insulin secretion from β cells, there is a unique mechanism by which PP secretion is triggered by an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations via voltage-dependent calcium channels even in low-glucose conditions.
Comparative analysis of the caecal tonsil transcriptome in two chicken lines experimentally infected with Salmonella Enteritidis
Authors: Cazals Anaïs , Rau Andrea , Estellé Jordi , Bruneau Nicolas , Coville Jean-Luc , Menanteau Pierrette , Rossignol Marie-Noëlle , Jardet Deborah , Bevilacqua Claudia , Bed’Hom Bertrand , Velge Philippe , Calenge Fanny
Published: August 2022

Managing Salmonella enterica Enteritidis (SE) carriage in chicken is necessary to ensure human food safety and enhance the economic, social and environmental sustainability of chicken breeding. Salmonella can contaminate poultry products, causing human foodborne disease and economic losses for farmers. Both genetic selection for a decreased carriage and gut microbiota modulation strategies could reduce Salmonella propagation in farms. Two-hundred and twenty animals from the White Leghorn inbred lines N and 61 were raised together on floor, infected by SE at 7 days of age, transferred into isolators to prevent oro-fecal recontamination and euthanized at 12 days post-infection. Caecal content DNA was used to measure individual Salmonella counts (ISC) by droplet digital PCR. A RNA sequencing approach was used to measure gene expression levels in caecal tonsils after infection of 48 chicks with low or high ISC. The analysis between lines identified 7516 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) corresponding to 62 enriched Gene Ontology (GO) Biological Processes (BP) terms. A comparison between low and high carriers allowed us to identify 97 DEGs and 23 enriched GO BP terms within line 61, and 1034 DEGs and 288 enriched GO BP terms within line N. Among these genes, we identified several candidate genes based on their putative functions, including FUT2 or MUC4, which could be involved in the control of SE infection, maybe through interactions with commensal bacteria. Altogether, we were able to identify several genes and pathways associated with differences in SE carriage level. These results are discussed in relation to individual caecal microbiota compositions, obtained for the same animals in a previous study, which may interact with host gene expression levels for the control of the caecal SE load.
The impact of COVID-19 on individuals with ASD in the US: Parent perspectives on social and support concerns
Authors: Furar Emily , Wang Florence , Durocher Jennifer S. , Ahn Yeojin A. , Memis Idil , Cavalcante Leylane , Klahr Lorena , Samson Andrea C. , Van Herwegen Jo , Dukes Daniel , Alessandri Michael , Mittal Rahul , Eshraghi Adrien A.
Published: August 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic’s disruptions to daily routines and services have proven especially challenging for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The current retrospective study aimed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic’s social environmental changes on parental ratings of personal and child concerns about family conflict, opportunities for social interaction, and loss of institutional support (school and therapy services). Analyses of responses from families with ASD in the US determined differences in concerns across three time points which were measured simultaneously: prior to COVID-19, at the start of COVID-19, and at the time of survey completion. From our sample of 246 school-aged children, parents retrospectively reported significantly increasing levels of concern for both themselves and their children over time, with parents’ personal concern levels rated consistently higher than their ratings of their child’s level of concern. Concerns about loss of institutional support were higher for parents of children reported as having co-occurring intellectual disability. Further, parents of younger children also reported more concerns about loss of services, as well as more social concerns. For parent ratings of child concerns, children who were reportedly aware of COVID-19 were determined to have higher levels of social concerns and concerns about loss of institutional support. Meanwhile, the child’s age and gender did not impact their parent ratings of child concerns. The increased level of parental and child-perceived concerns over the course of the pandemic suggests a need for improved service delivery and support for these families. The high levels of concerns observed in the current study provide support for the need to assess families’ priorities and tailor services to best meet families’ needs. This will potentially increase the quality of life of family members, and improve ASD services across the lifespan, and improve outcomes.
New evidence of Neandertal butchery traditions through the marrow extraction in southwestern Europe (MIS 5–3)
Authors: Vettese Delphine , Borel Antony , Blasco Ruth , Chevillard Louis , Stavrova Trajanka , Thun Hohenstein Ursula , Arzarello Marta , Moncel Marie-Hélène , Daujeard Camille
Published: August 2022

Long bone breakage for bone marrow recovery is a commonly observed practice in Middle Palaeolithic contexts, regardless of the climatic conditions. While lithic technology is largely used to define cultural patterns in human groups, despite dedicating research by zooarchaeologists, for now butchering techniques rarely allowed the identification of clear traditions, notably for ancient Palaeolithic periods. In this paper, we test the hypothesis of butchery traditions among Neandertal groupsusing the bone assemblages from three sites in southwestern Europe. These sites are located in southeastern France and northern Italy and are dated to the Late Middle Palaeolithic: Abri du Maras (Marine Isotopic Stages (MIS) 4–3, Ardèche), Saint-Marcel (MIS 3, Ardèche), and Riparo Tagliente (MIS 4–3, Verona). The detection of culturally-induced patterns of bone breakage involves differentiating them from intuitively generated patterns. To tackle this issue, we used a zooarchaeological approach focusing on the percussion marks produced during the bone breakage process. Statistical analyses as the chi-square test of independence were employed to verify if percussion mark locations were randomly distributed, and if these distributions were different from the intuitive ones. For femurs and humeri, our results demonstrate that Neandertal groups occupying the Abri du Maras (levels 4.1 and 4.2) and the Saint-Marcel Cave (levels g and h) sites in France applied butchery traditions to recover yellow marrow. However, the traditions developed at each site were different. On the contrary, in Riparo Tagliente, in Italy, several groups or individuals of a same group did not share the same butchery traditions over time. Regarding the Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel Cave assemblages, our research demonstrates that Neandertal groups applied intense standardized bone breakage, far from the intuitive practice observed experimentally and related to bone density and/or skeletal morphology. These standardized patterns, which are systematic and counter-intuitive, can be interpreted as culturally induced for the Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel Cave. The diversity of Neandertal traditions should be considered by taking into account the butchery, in particular the practice of bone marrow extraction, and not only technological behaviours and types of tool kits.
COVID-19 vaccination uptake in 441 socially and ethnically diverse pregnant women
Authors: Husain Fatima , Powys Veronica R. , White Eleanor , Jones Roxanne , Goldsmith Lucy P. , Heath Paul T. , Oakeshott Pippa , Razai Mohammad Sharif
Published: August 2022

Objective

To explore COVID-19 vaccination uptake, facilitators and barriers in ethnically-diverse pregnant women.

Design and setting

An anonymous quality improvement questionnaire survey exploring COVID-19 vaccination uptake, causes of vaccine hesitancy and trusted sources of information among pregnant women in two acute district general hospitals in England (Berkshire and Surrey) between 1.9.21 and 28.2.22.

Population

441 pregnant women attending routine antenatal clinic appointments.

Methods

Consented pregnant women completed the survey either electronically using a QR code or on paper. Descriptive data were summarised and free text responses were thematically analysed.

Results

441 pregnant women, mean age 32 years (range 17–44), completed the survey. Twenty-six percent were from ethnic minority groups, and 31% had a co-morbid health condition. Most respondents (66.2%) had been vaccinated against COVID-19 with at least one dose (White British 71.9%, Asian 67.9%, White-other 63.6%, Black 33%). The most common reasons for not being vaccinated were concerns about effects on the unborn baby and future pregnancies, anxiety about possible adverse impact on the mother, not enough known about the vaccine, and lack of trust in vaccines. Comments included: “I’d rather not risk injecting the unknown into my body”, and “I don’t trust it.” Although 23% used social media for information on COVID-19 vaccination, the most trusted sources were the patient’s GP and midwife (43%) and official health-related websites such as NHS (39%).

Conclusions

A third of these pregnant women had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Trusted health professionals like midwives and GPs could have a crucial role in increasing vaccination uptake.
Human Y chromosome sequences from Q Haplogroup reveal a South American settlement pre-18,000 years ago and a profound genomic impact during the Younger Dryas
Authors: Paz Sepúlveda Paula B. , Mayordomo Andrea Constanza , Sala Camila , Sosa Ezequiel Jorge , Zaiat Jonathan Javier , Cuello Mariela , Schwab Marisol , Rodríguez Golpe Daniela , Aquilano Eliana , Santos María Rita , Dipierri José Edgardo , Alfaro Gómez Emma L. , Bravi Claudio M. , Muzzio Marina , Bailliet Graciela
Published: August 2022

The settlement of the Americas has been the focus of incessant debate for more than 100 years, and open questions regarding the timing and spatial patterns of colonization still remain today. Phylogenetic studies with complete human Y chromosome sequences are used as a highly informative tool to investigate the history of human populations in a given time frame. To study the phylogenetic relationships of Native American lineages and infer the settlement history of the Americas, we analyzed Y chromosome Q Haplogroup, which is a Pan-American haplogroup and represents practically all Native American lineages in Mesoamerica and South America. We built a phylogenetic tree for Q Haplogroup based on 102 whole Y chromosome sequences, of which 13 new Argentine sequences were provided by our group. Moreover, 1,072 new single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that contribute to its resolution and diversity were identified. Q-M848 is known to be the most frequent autochthonous sub-haplogroup of the Americas. The present is the first genomic study of Q Haplogroup in which current knowledge on Q-M848 sub-lineages is contrasted with the historical, archaeological and linguistic data available. The divergence times, spatial structure and the SNPs found here as novel for Q-Z780, a less frequent sub-haplogroup autochthonous of the Americas, provide genetic support for a South American settlement before 18,000 years ago. We analyzed how environmental events that occurred during the Younger Dryas period may have affected Native American lineages, and found that this event may have caused a substantial loss of lineages. This could explain the current low frequency of Q-Z780 (also perhaps of Q-F4674, a third possible sub-haplogroup autochthonous of the Americas). These environmental events could have acted as a driving force for expansion and diversification of the Q-M848 sub-lineages, which show a spatial structure that developed during the Younger Dryas period.
Multi-season transmission model of Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Authors: Petrucciani Alexa , Yu Geonsik , Ventresca Mario
Published: August 2022

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is an arbovirus that, while it has been known to exist since the 1930’s, recently had a spike in cases. This increased prevalence is particularly concerning due to the severity of the disease with 1 in 3 symptomatic patients dying. The cause of this peak is currently unknown but could be due to changes in climate, the virus itself, or host behavior. In this paper we propose a novel multi-season deterministic model of EEE spread and its stochastic counterpart. Models were parameterized using a dataset from the Florida Department of Health with sixteen years of sentinel chicken seroconversion rates. The different roles of the enzootic and bridge mosquito vectors were explored. As expected, enzootic mosquitoes like Culiseta melanura were more important for EEE persistence, while bridge vectors were implicated in the disease burden in humans. These models were used to explore hypothetical viral mutations and host behavior changes, including increased infectivity, vertical transmission, and host feeding preferences. Results showed that changes in the enzootic vector transmission increased cases among birds more drastically than equivalent changes in the bridge vector. Additionally, a 5% difference in the bridge vector’s bird feeding preference can increase cumulative dead-end host infections more than 20-fold. Taken together, this suggests changes in many parts of the transmission cycle can augment cases in birds, but the bridge vectors feeding preference acts as a valve limiting the enzootic circulation from its impact on dead-end hosts, such as humans. Our what-if scenario analysis reveals and measures possible threats regarding EEE and relevant environmental changes and hypothetically suggests how to prevent potential damage to public health and the equine economy.
Farming on Mars: Treatment of basaltic regolith soil and briny water simulants sustains plant growth
Authors: Kasiviswanathan Pooja , Swanner Elizabeth D. , Halverson Larry J. , Vijayapalani Paramasivan
Published: August 2022

A fundamental challenge in human missions to Mars is producing consumable foods efficiently with the in situ resources such as soil, water, nutrients and solar radiation available on Mars. The low nutrient content of martian soil and high salinity of water render them unfit for direct use for propagating food crops on Mars. It is therefore essential to develop strategies to enhance nutrient content in Mars soil and to desalinate briny water for long-term missions on Mars. We report simple and efficient strategies for treating basaltic regolith simulant soil and briny water simulant for suitable resources for growing plants. We show that alfalfa plants grow well in a nutrient-limited basaltic regolith simulant soil and that the alfalfa biomass can be used as a biofertilizer to sustain growth and production of turnip, radish and lettuce in the basaltic regolith simulant soil. Moreover, we show that marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 effectively desalinates the briny water simulant, and that desalination can be further enhanced by filtration through basalt-type volcanic rocks. Our findings indicate that it is possible to grow food crops with alfalfa treated basaltic regolith martian soil as a substratum watered with biodesalinated water.
A hybrid model integrating long short-term memory with adaptive genetic algorithm based on individual ranking for stock index prediction
Authors: Zeng Xiaohua , Cai Jieping , Liang Changzhou , Yuan Chiping
Published: August 2022

Modeling and forecasting stock prices have been important financial research topics in academia. This study seeks to determine whether improvements can be achieved by forecasting a stock index using a hybrid model and incorporating financial variables. We extend the literature on stock market forecasting by applying a hybrid model that combines wavelet transform (WT), long short-term memory (LSTM), and an adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) based on individual ranking to predict stock indices for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index of the New York Stock Exchange, Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) index, Nikkei 225 index of Tokyo, Hang Seng Index of Hong Kong market, CSI300 index of Chinese mainland stock market, and NIFTY50 index of India. The results indicate an overall improvement in forecasting of the stock index using the AGA-LSTM model compared to the benchmark models. The evaluation indicators prove that this model has a higher prediction accuracy when forecasting six stock indices.
Prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence among women with HIV in serodifferent relationships in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Kaggiah Anne , Wilson Katherine , Richardson Barbra A. , Kinuthia John , Farquhar Carey , McClelland R. Scott
Published: August 2022

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem and is the most common form of violence against women. Women with HIV in serodifferent relationships may be at an increased risk of IPV compared to women without HIV, hindering their ability to adhere to antiretroviral therapy, clinic appointments, and condom use during sex. This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of IPV in the past year among women with HIV in serodifferent relationships in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included women with HIV in serodifferent relationships who were at least 18 years old and provided written informed consent. Their experience of physical, sexual, or emotional violence in the past year by the current partner was assessed using 13 questions adapted from the World Health Organization survey on violence against women. Standardized instruments were used to assess sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Associations between intimate partner violence and other variables were evaluated using log binomial regression models.

Results

Of the 159 women enrolled, 47 (29.6%, 95% CI 22.9–37.2%) reported IPV in the past year. Of these, 32 (68.1%) reported emotional, 27 (57.4%) physical, and 27 (57.4%) sexual violence. In the multivariate model, pregnancy (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 2.14, 95% CI 1.09–4.20), alcohol use (minimal drinking aPR 1.91, 95% CI 1.10–3.33; moderate/severe drinking aPR 1.17, 95% CI 0.53–2.59), male partner controlling behavior (aPR 2.09, 95% CI 1.24–3.51), and past physical violence (aPR 1.93, 95% CI 1.22–3.05) remained significantly associated with a higher prevalence of IPV in the past year.

Conclusion

This study identified a high prevalence of IPV in the past year among women with HIV in serodifferent relationships. Pregnant women and women who had experienced prior violence had a higher prevalence of IPV. These data highlight the need to screen for IPV during clinic visits, and to offer evidence based interventions to support women in serodifferent relationships who have experienced IPV.
Deep learning can predict survival directly from histology in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Wessels Frederik , Schmitt Max , Krieghoff-Henning Eva , Kather Jakob N. , Nientiedt Malin , Kriegmair Maximilian C. , Worst Thomas S. , Neuberger Manuel , Steeg Matthias , Popovic Zoran V. , Gaiser Timo , von Kalle Christof , Utikal Jochen S. , Fröhling Stefan , Michel Maurice S. , Nuhn Philipp , Brinker Titus J.
Published: August 2022

For clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) risk-dependent diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms are routinely implemented in clinical practice. Artificial intelligence-based image analysis has the potential to improve outcome prediction and thereby risk stratification. Thus, we investigated whether a convolutional neural network (CNN) can extract relevant image features from a representative hematoxylin and eosin-stained slide to predict 5-year overall survival (5y-OS) in ccRCC. The CNN was trained to predict 5y-OS in a binary manner using slides from TCGA and validated using an independent in-house cohort. Multivariable logistic regression was used to combine of the CNNs prediction and clinicopathological parameters. A mean balanced accuracy of 72.0% (standard deviation [SD] = 7.9%), sensitivity of 72.4% (SD = 10.6%), specificity of 71.7% (SD = 11.9%) and area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) of 0.75 (SD = 0.07) was achieved on the TCGA training set (n = 254 patients / WSIs) using 10-fold cross-validation. On the external validation cohort (n = 99 patients / WSIs), mean accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and AUROC were 65.5% (95%-confidence interval [CI]: 62.9–68.1%), 86.2% (95%-CI: 81.8–90.5%), 44.9% (95%-CI: 40.2–49.6%), and 0.70 (95%-CI: 0.69–0.71). A multivariable model including age, tumor stage and metastasis yielded an AUROC of 0.75 on the TCGA cohort. The inclusion of the CNN-based classification (Odds ratio = 4.86, 95%-CI: 2.70–8.75, p < 0.01) raised the AUROC to 0.81. On the validation cohort, both models showed an AUROC of 0.88. In univariable Cox regression, the CNN showed a hazard ratio of 3.69 (95%-CI: 2.60–5.23, p < 0.01) on TCGA and 2.13 (95%-CI: 0.92–4.94, p = 0.08) on external validation. The results demonstrate that the CNN’s image-based prediction of survival is promising and thus this widely applicable technique should be further investigated with the aim of improving existing risk stratification in ccRCC.