bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modified square timing error detector with large chromatic dispersion tolerance for optical coherent receivers
Authors: Wang Dawei , Su Zikang , Jiang Hao , Liang Guowei , Zhan Qianxin , Li Zhaohui
Published: June 2021

Clock recovery plays an important role in the digital signal processing (DSP) chain of modern coherent optical receivers. It references the local sampling clock with the signal baudrate and finds the optimal sampling instances by performing endless timing error corrections. At the core of clock recovery, a timing error detector (TED) is used to provide instantaneous error tracking. However, usual TEDs suffer from effects such as chromatic dispersion (CD) and polarization rotation, thus requiring additional efforts to remove those effects before TED. Here we propose a modified square TED based on the signal’s cyclic autocorrelation function (CAF), which generalizes its classical counterpart and exhibits a much larger CD tolerance. It provides a time-domain solution of the CD-tolerant TED. The previously analyzed equivalence among the time-domain and the frequency-domain TEDs is reestablished in the framework of spectral correlation. The modified square TED demands a minimum extra complexity. Both numerical simulation and experiments are performed to study the performance of the proposed TED.
Seven air-core fibers with germanium-doped high-index rings supporting hundreds of OAM modes
Authors: Wang Yingning , Zhu Kunbi , Zhao Wenqian , Geng Wenpu , Fang Yuxi , Bao Changjing , Ren Yongxiong , Zhang Hao , Zhang Weigang , Pan Zhongqi , Yue Yang
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we propose and design a multi-orbital-angular-momentum multi-ring air-core fiber, which has seven high-index rings with each ring supporting 62 radially fundamental OAM modes across C and L bands (from 1530 nm to 1625 nm), i.e. 434 OAM modes in total. The designed fiber features >4×10−4 intra-ring modal indices difference for OAM modes with the same topological charge l in a ring across the C and L bands. Moreover, it can keep <−52 dB crosstalk between the OAM modes in the adjacent rings at 1550 nm, and <−24 dB crosstalk across C and L bands after 100-km fiber propagation. This kind of seven-air-core-ring fiber would be a robust candidate for transmitting efficient OAM modes and boosting the capacity of optical fiber communications systems.
Continuous optical zoom microscopy imaging system based on liquid lenses
Authors: Jiang Zhao , Wang Di , Zheng Yi , Liu Chao , Wang Qiong-Hua
Published: June 2021

In this paper, a continuous optical zoom microscopy imaging system based on liquid lenses is proposed. Compared with traditional microscopes, which have discrete magnification, requiring manual conversion of the objective lens to change the magnification, the proposed microscope can continuously change the magnification of the targets in real-time. An adaptive zoom microscope, a liquid lens driving board, a microscope bracket, an adjustable three-dimensional stage and a light source are stacked to form the main framework of the continuous optical zoom microscopy imaging system. The adaptive zoom microscope which is composed of four electrowetting liquid lenses and six glass lenses form the main imaging element of the microscope. By changing the driving voltage which is applied to the four liquid lenses, the focal length of the liquid lenses can be modulated to achieve continuous zooming. By contrast, in traditional microscopes, the zooming process can only be achieved by rotating the eyepieces at different magnifications. At a fixed working distance, the magnification of the proposed microscope can change continuously from ∼9.6× to ∼22.2× with a response time of ∼50ms. Moreover, an axial depth scanning of ∼1000µm can be achieved without any mechanical movement. Our experiments proved that the microscope has stable performance and high consistency during zooming. Therefore, the proposed microscope has obvious advantages over the traditional microscopes in observing dynamic samples with different magnifications and can be commercialized for further expanding the applications in biochemical and pathological analysis.
Scaling theory of absorption in the frozen mode regime
Authors: Tuxbury W. , Fernandez-Alcazar L. J. , Vitebskiy I. , Kottos T.
Published: June 2021

A stationary inflection point (SIP) of the Bloch dispersion relation of a periodic system is a prominent example of an exceptional point degeneracy (EPD) where three Bloch eigenmodes coalesce. The scattering problem for a bounded photonic structure supporting a SIP features the frozen mode regime (FMR), where the incident wave is converted into the “frozen mode” with vanishing group velocity and diverging amplitude. We analyze the effect of losses and disorder on the FMR and develop a scaling formalism for the absorbance in the FMR that takes into consideration losses, disorder, and system size. The signatures of the EPD appear as an abrupt growth of absorbance for system sizes greater than a characteristic length that follows a parallel resistance law involving the absorption length and the Anderson localization length.
Quantum-accelerated imaging of N stars
Authors: Bao Fanglin , Choi Hyunsoo , Aggarwal Vaneet , Jacob Zubin
Published: June 2021

Imaging point sources with low angular separation near or below the Rayleigh criterion are important in astronomy, e.g., in the search for habitable exoplanets near stars. However, the measurement time required to resolve stars in the sub-Rayleigh region via traditional direct imaging is usually prohibitive. Here we propose quantum-accelerated imaging (QAI) to significantly reduce the measurement time using an information-theoretic approach. QAI achieves quantum acceleration by adaptively learning optimal measurements from data to maximize Fisher information per detected photon. Our approach can be implemented experimentally by linear-projection instruments followed by single-photon detectors. We estimate the position, brightness, and the number of unknown stars

10
∼
100

times faster than direct imaging with the same aperture. QAI is scalable to a large number of incoherent point sources and can find widespread applicability beyond astronomy to high-speed imaging, fluorescence microscopy, and efficient optical read-out of qubits.
Analogue of electromagnetically-induced transparency with ultra-narrow bandwidth in a silicon terahertz metasurface
Authors: Wang Zihao , Chen Lingling , Li Xiangjun , Lang Tingting , Jing Xufeng , Hong Zhi
Published: June 2021

Achieving an ultra-narrow bandwidth analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in bright–bright mode coupling metasurface requires a large contrast of the Q factor and small wavelength detuning between the two coupled modes. Here, by coupling a toroidal dipole (TD) high-Q Fano resonance and a low-Q magnetic dipole (MD) mode, we numerically demonstrated a high Q factor analogue of EIT on an all-silicon metasurface in the terahertz regime. The Q factor of Fano resonance and consequent EIT can be easily adjusted by the spacing between the air holes. By adjusting the radii of the air holes, the thickness of the silicon wafer, or the lattice constant of the metasurface, EIT-like response exhibiting a very high group refractive index and a large group delay was achieved. The proposed EIT metasurface is easy to fabricate and has potential applications in the fields of narrowband filtering and slow-light based devices.
DAS: A Seismic Shift in Sensing
Authors: Cartlidge Edwin
Published: June 2021

From earthquakes to smart cities, fiber can monitor systems in
unprecedented detail.
Epsilon-near-zero photonics: infinite potentials
Authors: Wu Jiaye , Xie Ze Tao , Sha Yanhua , Fu H. Y. , Li Qian
Published: June 2021

With its unique and exclusive linear and nonlinear optical characteristics, epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) photonics has drawn a tremendous amount of attention in the recent decade in the fields of nanophotonics, nonlinear optics, plasmonics, light-matter interactions, material science, applied optical science, etc. The extraordinary optical properties, relatively high tuning flexibility, and CMOS compatibility of ENZ materials make them popular and competitive candidates for nanophotonic devices and on-chip integration in all-optical and electro-optical platforms. With exclusive features and high performance, ENZ photonics can play a big role in optical communications and optical data processing. In this review, we give a focused discussion on recent advances of the theoretical and experimental studies on ENZ photonics, especially in the regime of nonlinear ENZ nanophotonics and its applications. First, we overview the basics of the ENZ concepts, mechanisms, and nonlinear ENZ nanophotonics. Then the new advancements in theoretical and experimental optical physics are reviewed. For nanophotonic applications, the recent decades saw rapid developments in various kinds of different ENZ-based devices and systems, which are discussed and analyzed in detail. Finally, we give our perspectives on where future endeavors can be made.
Embedding optimization reveals long-lasting history dependence in neural spiking activity
Authors: Rudelt Lucas , González Marx Daniel , Wibral Michael , Priesemann Viola
Published: June 2021

Information processing can leave distinct footprints on the statistics of neural spiking. For example, efficient coding minimizes the statistical dependencies on the spiking history, while temporal integration of information may require the maintenance of information over different timescales. To investigate these footprints, we developed a novel approach to quantify history dependence within the spiking of a single neuron, using the mutual information between the entire past and current spiking. This measure captures how much past information is necessary to predict current spiking. In contrast, classical time-lagged measures of temporal dependence like the autocorrelation capture how long—potentially redundant—past information can still be read out. Strikingly, we find for model neurons that our method disentangles the strength and timescale of history dependence, whereas the two are mixed in classical approaches. When applying the method to experimental data, which are necessarily of limited size, a reliable estimation of mutual information is only possible for a coarse temporal binning of past spiking, a so-called past embedding. To still account for the vastly different spiking statistics and potentially long history dependence of living neurons, we developed an embedding-optimization approach that does not only vary the number and size, but also an exponential stretching of past bins. For extra-cellular spike recordings, we found that the strength and timescale of history dependence indeed can vary independently across experimental preparations. While hippocampus indicated strong and long history dependence, in visual cortex it was weak and short, while in vitro the history dependence was strong but short. This work enables an information-theoretic characterization of history dependence in recorded spike trains, which captures a footprint of information processing that is beyond time-lagged measures of temporal dependence. To facilitate the application of the method, we provide practical guidelines and a toolbox.
Galaxy-ML: An accessible, reproducible, and scalable machine learning toolkit for biomedicine
Authors: Gu Qiang , Kumar Anup , Bray Simon , Creason Allison , Khanteymoori Alireza , Jalili Vahid , Grüning Björn , Goecks Jeremy
Published: June 2021

Supervised machine learning is an essential but difficult to use approach in biomedical data analysis. The Galaxy-ML toolkit (https://galaxyproject.org/community/machine-learning/) makes supervised machine learning more accessible to biomedical scientists by enabling them to perform end-to-end reproducible machine learning analyses at large scale using only a web browser. Galaxy-ML extends Galaxy (https://galaxyproject.org), a biomedical computational workbench used by tens of thousands of scientists across the world, with a suite of tools for all aspects of supervised machine learning.
Towards the characterization of the hidden world of small proteins in Staphylococcus aureus, a proteogenomics approach
Authors: Fuchs Stephan , Kucklick Martin , Lehmann Erik , Beckmann Alexander , Wilkens Maya , Kolte Baban , Mustafayeva Ayten , Ludwig Tobias , Diwo Maurice , Wissing Josef , Jänsch Lothar , Ahrens Christian H. , Ignatova Zoya , Engelmann Susanne
Published: June 2021

Small proteins play essential roles in bacterial physiology and virulence, however, automated algorithms for genome annotation are often not yet able to accurately predict the corresponding genes. The accuracy and reliability of genome annotations, particularly for small open reading frames (sORFs), can be significantly improved by integrating protein evidence from experimental approaches. Here we present a highly optimized and flexible bioinformatics workflow for bacterial proteogenomics covering all steps from (i) generation of protein databases, (ii) database searches and (iii) peptide-to-genome mapping to (iv) visualization of results. We used the workflow to identify high quality peptide spectrum matches (PSMs) for small proteins (≤ 100 aa, SP100) in Staphylococcus aureus Newman. Protein extracts from S. aureus were subjected to different experimental workflows for protein digestion and prefractionation and measured with highly sensitive mass spectrometers. In total, 175 proteins with up to 100 aa (SP100) were identified. Out of these 24 (ranging from 9 to 99 aa) were novel and not contained in the used genome annotation.144 SP100 are highly conserved and were found in at least 50% of the publicly available S. aureus genomes, while 127 are additionally conserved in other staphylococci. Almost half of the identified SP100 were basic, suggesting a role in binding to more acidic molecules such as nucleic acids or phospholipids.
High-throughput framework for genetic analyses of adverse drug reactions using electronic health records
Authors: Zheng Neil S. , Stone Cosby A. , Jiang Lan , Shaffer Christian M. , Kerchberger V. Eric , Chung Cecilia P. , Feng QiPing , Cox Nancy J. , Stein C. Michael , Roden Dan M. , Denny Joshua C. , Phillips Elizabeth J. , Wei Wei-Qi
Published: June 2021

Understanding the contribution of genetic variation to drug response can improve the delivery of precision medicine. However, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for drug response are uncommon and are often hindered by small sample sizes. We present a high-throughput framework to efficiently identify eligible patients for genetic studies of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) using “drug allergy” labels from electronic health records (EHRs). As a proof-of-concept, we conducted GWAS for ADRs to 14 common drug/drug groups with 81,739 individuals from Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s BioVU DNA Biobank. We identified 7 genetic loci associated with ADRs at P < 5 × 10−8, including known genetic associations such as CYP2D6 and OPRM1 for CYP2D6-metabolized opioid ADR. Additional expression quantitative trait loci and phenome-wide association analyses added evidence to the observed associations. Our high-throughput framework is both scalable and portable, enabling impactful pharmacogenomic research to improve precision medicine.
A facility and community-based assessment of scabies in rural Malawi
Authors: Galván-Casas Cristina , Mitjá Oriol , Esteban Sara , Kafulafula Jacob , Phiri Texon , Navarro-Fernández Íñigo , Román-Curto Concepción , Mtenje Hassani , Thauzeni Gerald , Harawa Elizabeth , Kaluzi Stephano , Diere Mphatso , Mkandawire Mary , Malizani Shaibu , Chifundo Alex , Utrera-Busquets Marta , Mónica Roncero-Riesco  , López Martín-Prieto Sara , Vilanova-Urdániz Iosune , Petiti Gisela H. , de Gálvez Aranda María Victoria , No Pérez Nuria , Rueda Gómez-Calcerrada María , Iranzo Pilar , Escalonilla García-Patos Pilar , de Troya-Martín Magdalena , Romero Gomez Javier , Cardeñoso-Alvarez Esther , Lucas Truyols Sofia , Aspe Unanue Libe , Bajo del Pozo Cristina , Comunión Artieda Alicia , Martínez González Maria Isabel , López-López Omar F. , Moreno-Artero Esther , Cubiró Xavier , Meilán-Sánchez Iago , Tomás-Velázquez Alejandra , López-Sánchez Cristina , Sánchez-Martínez Eva M. , Edwards Harrison A. , Herrera Morueco Maria , Zehe Rubiera Julia , Salguero Caldera Laura , Blanes-Moreno Urbano , Uribarren-Movilla Maria , Marks Michael
Published: June 2021

Background

Scabies is a neglected tropical disease of the skin, causing severe itching, stigmatizing skin lesions and systemic complications. Since 2015, the DerMalawi project provide an integrated skin diseases clinics and Tele-dermatology care in Malawi. Clinic based data suggested a progressive increase in scabies cases observed. To better identify and treat individuals with scabies in the region, we shifted from a clinic-based model to a community based outreach programme.

Methodology/Principal findings

From May 2015, DerMalawi project provide integrated skin diseases and Tele-dermatological care in the Nkhotakota and Salima health districts in Malawi. Demographic and clinical data of all patients personally attended are recorded. Due to a progressive increase in the number of cases of scabies the project shifted to a community-based outreach programme. For the community outreach activities, we conducted three visits between 2018 to 2019 and undertook screening in schools and villages of Alinafe Hospital catchment area. Treatment was offered for all the cases and school or household contacts. Scabies increased from 2.9% to 39.2% of all cases seen by the DerMalawi project at clinics between 2015 to 2018. During the community-based activities approximately 50% of the population was assessed in each of three visits. The prevalence of scabies was similar in the first two rounds, 15.4% (2392) at the first visit and 17.2% at the second visit. The prevalence of scabies appeared to be lower (2.4%) at the third visit. The prevalence of impetigo appeared unchanged and was 6.7% at the first visit and 5.2% at the final visit.

Conclusions/Significance

Prevalence of scabies in our setting was very high suggesting that scabies is a major public health problem in parts of Malawi. Further work is required to more accurately assess the burden of disease and develop appropriate public health strategies for its control.
Serologic and molecular evidence for circulation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in ticks and cattle in Zambia
Authors: Kajihara Masahiro , Simuunza Martin , Saasa Ngonda , Dautu George , Mori-Kajihara Akina , Qiu Yongjin , Nakao Ryo , Eto Yoshiki , Furumoto Hayato , Hang’ombe Bernard M. , Orba Yasuko , Sawa Hirofumi , Simulundu Edgar , Fukushi Shuetsu , Morikawa Shigeru , Saijo Masayuki , Arikawa Jiro , Kabilika Swithine , Monze Mwaka , Mukonka Victor , Mweene Aaron , Takada Ayato , Yoshimatsu Kumiko
Published: June 2021

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne zoonosis with a high case fatality rate in humans. Although the disease is widely found in Africa, Europe, and Asia, the distribution and genetic diversity of CCHF virus (CCHFV) are poorly understood in African countries. To assess the risks of CCHF in Zambia, where CCHF has never been reported, epidemiologic studies in cattle and ticks were conducted. Through an indirect immunofluorescence assay, CCHFV nucleoprotein-specific serum IgG was detected in 8.4% (88/1,047) of cattle. Among 290 Hyalomma ticks, the principal vector of CCHFV, the viral genome was detected in 11 ticks. Phylogenetic analyses of the CCHFV S and M genome segments revealed that one of the detected viruses was a genetic reassortant between African and Asian strains. This study provides compelling evidence for the presence of CCHFV in Zambia and its transmission to vertebrate hosts.
Exploratory investigation of the outcomes of wheelchair provision through two service models in Indonesia
Authors: D’Innocenzo Megan E. , Pearlman Jonathan L. , Garcia-Mendez Yasmin , Vasquez-Gabela Stephanie , Zigler Christina , Rosen Perth , Dewi Eviana Hapsari , Praptoraharjo Ignatius , Mhatre Anand
Published: June 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that only 17–37% of the approximately 77 million people who need a wheelchair have access to one. Many organizations are trying to address this need through varying service delivery approaches. For instance, some adhere to WHO’s recommended 8-steps service approach while others provide wheelchairs with little to no service. There is limited and sometimes conflicting evidence of the impact of the WHO’s recommendations on the outcomes of wheelchair provision. To help build this evidence, we \explored outcomes of two groups of users who received their wheelchairs through two service models over time. The 8-Steps group (n = 118) received a wheelchair selected from a range of models from service providers trained using the WHO process, and the standard of care (SOC) group (n = 24) received hospital-style wheelchairs and without clinical service. Interviews were conducted at baseline and at follow-up 3 to 6 months after provision, to collect data about wheelchair usage, satisfaction, skills, maintenance and repairs, and life satisfaction. Across-group statistical comparisons were not appropriate due to significant differences between groups. In general, participants used their wheelchairs every day but reported very low mobility levels (<500 meters for the 8-steps group, and <100 meters for the SOC group.) The 8-steps group used their wheelchair for either between 1–3 hours per day, or more than 8 hours per day. The SOC used it between 1 and 3 hours per day. Overall, wheelchair usage and wheelchair skills decreased over the 3- to 6-month data collection timeline. Wheelchair breakdowns were common in both groups emphasizing the need for maintenance, occurring more frequently in the 8-Steps (28.8%) compared to the SOC group (8%), and emphasizing the need for maintenance services. No significant differences were found when comparing device satisfaction across wheelchairs types. Our results emphasize the need for routine maintenance to address frequent wheelchair breakdowns. Our results also demonstrate a large disparity in several outcome variables across groups which motivates future studies where across-group comparisons are possible.
The roles of experienced and internalized weight stigma in healthcare experiences: Perspectives of adults engaged in weight management across six countries
Authors: Puhl Rebecca M. , Lessard Leah M. , Himmelstein Mary S. , Foster Gary D.
Published: June 2021

Background/Objectives

Considerable evidence from U.S. studies suggests that weight stigma is consequential for patient-provider interactions and healthcare for people with high body weight. Despite international calls for efforts to reduce weight stigma in the medical community, cross-country research is lacking in this field. This study provides the first multinational investigation of associations between weight stigma and healthcare experiences across six Western countries.

Methods

Participants were 13,996 adults residing in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and the US who were actively enrolled in an internationally available behavioral weight management program. Participants completed identical online surveys in the dominant language for their country that assessed experienced weight stigma, internalized weight bias, and healthcare behaviors and experiences including perceived quality of care, avoidance or delay of seeking care, experiences with providers, and perceived weight stigma from doctors.

Results

Among participants who reported a history of weight stigma (56–61%), two-thirds of participants in each country reported experiencing weight stigma from doctors. Across all six countries, after accounting for demographics, BMI, and experienced stigma, participants with higher internalized weight bias reported greater healthcare avoidance, increased perceived judgment from doctors due to body weight, lower frequency of obtaining routine checkups, less frequent listening and respect from providers, and lower quality of healthcare. Additionally, experienced weight stigma (from any source) was indirectly associated with poorer healthcare experiences through weight bias internalization, consistently across the six countries.

Conclusions

Weight stigma in healthcare is prevalent among adults actively engaged in weight management across different Western countries, and internalized weight bias has negative implications for healthcare even after controlling for BMI. The similar findings across all six countries underscore the negative consequences of weight stigma on healthcare behaviors and experiences, and emphasize the need for collective international efforts to address this problem.
Identification and functional analysis of a galactosyltransferase capable of cholesterol glycolipid formation in the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi
Authors: Hove Petronella R. , Magunda Forgivemore , de Mello Marques Maria Angela , Islam M. Nurul , Harton Marisa R. , Jackson Mary , Belisle John T.
Published: June 2021

Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the etiological agent of Lyme disease, produces a series of simple glycolipids where diacylglycerol and cholesterol serve as the precursor. The cholesterol-based glycolipids, cholesteryl 6-O-acyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (ACGal) and cholesteryl-β-D-galactopyranoside (CGal) are immunogenic and proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of Lyme disease. Detailed studies of CGal and ACGal in Bb have been hampered by a lack of knowledge of their underlying biosynthetic processes. The genome of Bb encodes four putative glycosyltransferases, and only one of these, BB0572, was predicted to be an inverting family 2 glycosyltransferase (GT2 enzyme) capable of using UDP-galactose as a substrate and forming a β-glycosidic bond. Comparison of the 42 kDa BB0572 amino acid sequence from Bb with other Borrelia spp demonstrates that this protein is highly conserved. To establish BB0572 as the galactosyltransferase capable of cholesterol glycolipid formation in Bb, the protein was produced as a recombinant product in Escherichia coli and tested in a cell-free assay with 14C-cholesterol and UDP-galactose as the substrates. This experiment resulted in a radiolabeled lipid that migrated with the cholesterol glycolipid standard of CGal when evaluated by thin layer chromatography. Additionally, mutation in the predicted active site of BB0572 resulted in a recombinant protein that was unable to catalyze the formation of the cholesterol glycolipid. These data characterize BB0572 as a putative cholesterol galactosyltransferase. This provides the first step in understanding how Bb cholesterol glycolipids are formed and will allow investigations into their involvement in pathogen transmission and disease development.
Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among health workers in Afghanistan: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Qader Ghulam Qader , Seddiq Mohammad Khaled , Rashidi Khakerah Mohammad , Manzoor Lutfullah , Hamim Azizullah , Akhgar Mir Habibullah , Rahman Laiqullrahman , Dryer Sean , Boyd-Boffa Mariah , Somji Aleefia , Melese Muluken , Suarez Pedro Guillermo
Published: June 2021

Background

About 26% of the world’s population may have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Health care workers are a high-risk category because of their professional exposure.

Methods

This cross-sectional study assessed the LTBI burden among health care workers in Afghanistan, a high-TB-burden country. We selected health facilities using a systematic sampling technique and invited all workers at the targeted health facilities to participate. Participants were interviewed about sociodemographic and exposure variables and received tuberculin skin tests for LTBI.

Results

Of the 4,648 health care workers invited to participate, 3,686 had tuberculin skin tests. The prevalence of LTBI was found to be 47.2% (1,738 workers). Multivariate analysis showed that a body mass index of ≥ 30 and marriage were associated with an increased risk of LTBI. Underweight (body mass index of ≤ 18 and below) and normal body mass index had no association with increased risk of LTBI.

Conclusion

LTBI is high among health care workers in Afghanistan. We recommend instituting infection control measures in health facilities and screening workers for timely TB diagnosis.
Increased risk for developing gambling disorder under the treatment with pramipexole, ropinirole, and aripiprazole: A nationwide register study in Sweden
Authors: Wolfschlag Mirjam , Håkansson Anders
Published: June 2021

Gambling Disorder (GD) has recently been reclassified from an impulse-control disorder to a behavioural addiction and, as in other addictive disorders, the dopaminergic reward system is involved. According to neuroimaging studies, alterations within the striatal dopaminergic signalling can occur in GD. However, the findings to date are controversial and there has been no agreement yet on how the reward system is affected on a molecular basis. Within the last 20 years, there has been growing evidence for a higher risk to develop GD in response to certain dopaminergic medication. Especially the dopamine agonists pramipexole and ropinirole, and the dopamine modulator aripiprazole seem to increase the likelihood for GD. The goal of this study was to examine the association between a prescription for either of the three pharmaceuticals and a GD diagnosis in a large cross-sectional study of the Swedish population. Compared to patients with any other dopaminergic drug prescription (38.7% with GD), the diagnosis was more common in patients with a dopamine agonist prescription (69.8% with GD), resulting in an odds ratio of 3.2. A similar association was found between aripiprazole prescriptions and GD diagnoses, which were analysed within the subgroup of all patients with schizophrenia or a schizotypal, delusional, or another non-mood psychotic disorder. An aripiprazole prescription increased the likelihood of GD (88.8%) in comparison to patients without an aripiprazole prescription (71.2%) with an odds ratio of 3.4. This study contributes to the increasingly reliable evidence for an association between several dopaminergic drugs and a higher risk for developing GD. Therefore, one future research goal should be a better understanding of the neurobiology in GD to be able to design more selective dopaminergic medication with less severe side effects. Additionally, this knowledge could enable the development of pharmacotherapy in GD and other addictive disorders.
El algoritmo como imaginario social
Authors: Cabrera Altieri Daniel Horacio
Published: June 2021

El artículo trata de superar la definición intuitiva y pragmática de “algoritmo” analizando su papel social, cultural y político desde la desde la teoría del imaginario social. Se proponen las principales dimensiones del algoritmo en relación con la escritura, el imaginario matemática, la interfaz computacional/cultural, la fantasmagoría mercantil, los vínculos de la tecnología con la magia medieval, y la experiencia “mágica” del usuario.
La representación documental de una realidad material desaparecida: la construcción de monasterios en la ciudad de León (c. 1000-1050)
Authors: Mancebo González Gema
Published: June 2021

Entre 1050 y 1300 se produjo una transformación en el occidente medieval caracterizada por la proliferación de construcciones representativas en piedra. El caso de León es particular porque conserva pocos restos materiales de esta cronología, pero numerosas menciones documentales a edificios. A través de los testimonios de fundación de varios monasterios de comienzos del siglo XI se pretende reconocer si el fenómeno de la petrificación de la riqueza tuvo un inicio temprano en la ciudad. Para esto se ha hecho una revisión de quiénes fueron los fundadores, con qué recursos contaron, cuál fue la materialidad de los edificios y a qué motivaciones respondieron.
25 anos da lei de Planejamento Familiar: Quais razões ainda limitam o amplo acesso a suas atribuições na Atenção Primária à Saúde? /
Authors: Chaves Eclésio José Vascurado , Sousa Milena Nunes Alves de
Published: May 2021

Resumo: Analisar na literatura disponível, o desenrolar de 25 anos de implementação da   Política Nacional de Planejamento Familiar/Reprodutivo e suas consequências foi o objetivo do presente estudo. O que foi devidamente implementado, o que pode ser modificado, quais os desafios da política frente às novas construções relacionais do século 21. Métodos: Trata-se de uma Revisão Integrativa da Literatura, realizada durante os meses dezembro de 2020 e fevereiro de 2021, com análise de publicações indexadas em bases de dados, identificadas por meio de Descritores Controlados em Ciências da Saúde (DeCS), em língua portuguesa, artigos disponíveis gratuitamente sem limitação e publicados entre os anos de 2015 e 2020. Resultados: Os estudos foram divididos em 5 tópicos-tema, enumerados em acordo com sua abordagem inserida na temática analisada: Educação em Saúde, Estruturação do Planejamento Familiar, Métodos Contraceptivos, Paradigmas e Capacitação/Conhecimento da equipe sobre a temática. Conclusão: O Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), mais uma vez destaca-se como dos principais agentes promotores em saúde pública do planeta. A política reprodutiva é acometida de diversas falhas, sobretudo no sentido de não promover Educação em Saúde em seu sentido mais amplo. É visualizado também a importância da Estratégia de Saúde da Família, como porta de entrada do usuário a política e a necessidade de melhoria das estratégias em vista de o empoderar em direção a um melhor aproveitamento de seus direitos sexuais e reprodutivos.
Logística Reversa: Conceitos, Relevância e Comportamento Sustentável / Reverse Logistics: Concepts, Relevance and Sustainable Behavior
Authors: Araújo Raquel Chave de , Macêdo Maria Erilúcia Cruz
Published: May 2021

Resumo: Atualmente, a Logística Reversa tornou-se um segmento importante dentro da cadeia de suprimentos da Logística, colaborando para vantagem competitiva sustentável.  É um método que tem como finalidade parâmetros de pré-produção, encerramento do produto, ciclo de vida e destinação dos resíduos desse produto, de forma a fundamentar o uso da matéria-prima natural utilizada no processo produtivo, cooperando para a preservação ambiental. Desse modo, a pesquisa buscou na literatura uma análise exploratória, a partir das considerações de alguns autores que abordam essa temática. A pesquisa trata-se dos conceitos da Logística e sua procedente, a Logística Reversa e sua vinculação com as organizações, e a importância sob a ótica econômica, legislativa e ecológica. Diante da pesquisa desempenhada, verificou-se a presença de ganhos em empresas favorecidas no tocante a referida relação, no propósito de percorrer no sentido ao desenvolvimento sustentável.
Real-World Data on the Impact of COVID-19 on Endoscopic Procedural Delays
Authors: Issaka Rachel B. , Feld Lauren D. , Kao Jason , Hegarty Erin , Snailer Brandon , Kalra Gorav , Tomizawa Yutaka , Strate Lisa
Published: June 2021

INTRODUCTION:

The initial surge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted national recommendations to delay nonurgent endoscopic procedures. The objective of this study was to provide real-world data on the impact of COVID-19 on endoscopic procedures in a safety-net healthcare system and cancer center affiliated with a tertiary academic center.

METHODS:

This retrospective cohort study used a combination of electronic health record data and a prospective data tool created to track endoscopy procedures throughout COVID-19 to describe patient and procedural characteristics of endoscopic procedures delayed during the initial COVID-19 surge.

RESULTS:

Of the 480 patients identified, the median age was 57 years (interquartile range 46–66), 55% (n = 262) were male, and 59% self-identified as white. Colonoscopy was the most common type of delayed procedure (49%), followed by combined esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy (22%), and EGD alone (20%). Colorectal cancer screening was the most common indication for delayed colonoscopy (35%), and evaluation of suspected bleeding (30%) was the most common indication for delayed combined EGD and colonoscopy. To date, 46% (223/480) of delayed cases have been completed with 12 colorectal, pancreatic, and stomach cancers diagnosed. Sociodemographic factors, procedure type, and sedation type were not significantly associated with endoscopy completion. The median time to endoscopy after delayed procedure was 88 days (interquartile range 63–119) with no differences by procedure type.

DISCUSSION:

To minimize potential losses to follow-up, delayed, or missed diagnoses and to reduce progression of gastrointestinal diseases, all efforts should be used to ensure follow-up in those whose endoscopic procedures were delayed because of COVID-19.
Women in Chile 50 years after the UP: ‘The revolution will be feminist or nothing at all …’
Authors: Alfaro Monsalve Karen
Published: June 2021

This article addresses the position of women during the Popular Unity years from the perspective of Chile’s Mayo Feminista (‘Feminist May’) and the
estallido social. The article maintains that there was a process of building a political consciousness of women during the Popular Unity that was expressed in various forms of political and social militancy. This was deployed in the participation of women on various fronts of the Chilean path to socialism, in which work, care, health, education and other aspects were seen as fundamental to the project. In this text we address the articulation of women and politics in the processes of construction of social change in the recent history of Chile.
The permanent rebellion: An interpretation of Mapuche uprisings under Chilean colonialism
Authors: Pairican Fernando , Urrutia Marie Juliette
Published: June 2021

This article approaches the rebellions of the Mapuche people from a longue-durée perspective, from the Occupation of the Araucanía in 1861 to the recent events of 2020. Among other things, the article explores the Popular Unity (UP) period, and the ‘Cautinazo’ in particular, considered here as an uprising that synthesised the discourses and aspirations of the Mapuche people dating back to the Occupation, while also repoliticising them by foregrounding demands for land restitution. This experience created the conditions for a new cycle of mobilisation that began in the twenty-first century. In other words, the Agrarian Reform of the UP era set the stage for more recent rebellions that are once again challenging colonial problems related to private property rights, the usurpation of land and agricultural aggression. In seeking responses to these problems, the Mapuche movement of the early twenty-first century is being revitalised.
Children’s perception of YouTube videos with product endorsements: An exploratory study
Authors:   Hong Kong Baptist University, Chan Kara
Published: June 2021

Research on children’s advertising literacy needs to keep pace with the emergence of different forms of marketing communication in the digital era. This paper reports on a qualitative study conducted among 30 children aged 10 to 12 to explore how children perceive and respond to YouTube videos that carry product and brand messages. Interviewees were asked to watch an unboxing YouTube video. Afterwards, they were asked about the purposes of this kind of video, similar videos they watched on YouTube, and the perceived influences of these messages on purchase decisions. Results show that interviewees varied tremendously in their understanding of the selling and persuasive intents of these messages. Some interviewees did not consider these videos to be advertisements because of their narrow way of defining advertising. Interviewees learned about brands for children as well as for adults from YouTube videos with product endorsements. They were aware of the persuasive effects of these videos on their brand knowledge and purchase behaviors. Theoretical and marketing implications of these results are discussed.
Supply chain contract selection in the healthcare industry: a hybrid mcdm method in uncertainty environment
Authors: Meidute-Kavaliauskiene Ieva , Ghorbani Shahryar
Published: June 2021

The aim of this research study is to address a critique of how and when a supply chain contract is selected based on critical success factors (CSFs) utilizing stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and Evaluation by an Area-based Method of ranking (EAMR). This research study ranked supply chain contracts by the EAMR in uncertainty environments, such as when breaking down the health care industry. This is done by providing a theoretical framework for sustainable entrepreneurship in telecommunications industry, focusing on managerial and operational practices that should be modified, in accordance to a set of CSFs identified from experts in fertility hospital. As a novel strategy, in this research, the initial factors of selecting customized Supply Chain Management (SCM) were extracted via a Delphi method along with the EAMR to symbolize a decision matrix that needs primary weights acquired through the SWARA method by hesitant fuzzy number. CSFs for achieving SCM contract selection in fertility hospitals were found to rely on a tripod based on effectiveness, transparency, and accountability that are embedded within the ambit of managerial and operational practices, such as focusing and reducing cost and based on these factors the best SCM contract must be selected. Besides, the EAMR method has more reliability than other similar MCDM methods such as TOPSIS, MOORA, VIKOR, and so on main contribution of this paper is the combination of SWARA, EAMR, and using hesitant fuzzy set in the EAMR method. Finally, the result indicates that hospitals based on these CSFs must be selected contracts.
Digital transformation in the manufacturing industry under the optics of digital platforms and ecosystems
Authors: Okano Marcelo T. , Antunes Samira N. , Fernandes Marcelo Eloy
Published: June 2021

The new processes for using digital technologies, are requiring manufacturing companies to adapt to these new scenarios, causing a digital transformation. Although the theme Digital transformation is new and current in manufacturing, the way it is being implemented by manufacturing companies is in design and study. Each company adopts or plans its strategy in relation to the digital platform and digital ecosystem. Two digital technologies are widely cited when discussing digital transformation, they are the digital platform and the digital ecosystem. The purpose of this article is to analyze the digital transformation in manufacturing companies from the perspective of digital platforms and ecosystems. In order to answer the research questions, the strategy of this research project was the study of multiple cases with a longitudinal perspective and an exploratory approach. The interview was the main source of data collection. The five platforms studied presented different views of how digital transformation can occur in manufacturing companies, from the simple transaction of matching supplier and consumer to collaborative work with the different stakeholders of the companies.
A strict inequality for the minimization of the Willmore functional under isoperimetric constraint
Authors: Mondino Andrea , Scharrer Christian
Published: June 2021

Inspired by previous work of Kusner and Bauer–Kuwert, we prove a strict inequality between the Willmore energies of two surfaces and their connected sum in the context of isoperimetric constraints. Building on previous work by Keller, Mondino and Rivière, our strict inequality leads to existence of minimizers for the isoperimetric constrained Willmore problem in every genus, provided the minimal energy lies strictly below

8
⁢
π

{8\pi}

. Besides the geometric interest, such a minimization problem has been studied in the literature as a simplified model in the theory of lipid bilayer cell membranes.
An Unfitted dG Scheme for Coupled Bulk-Surface PDEs on Complex Geometries
Authors: Engwer Christian , Westerheide Sebastian
Published: June 2021

The unfitted discontinuous Galerkin (UDG) method allows for
conservative dG discretizations of partial differential equations
(PDEs) based on cut cell meshes. It is hence particularly suitable
for solving continuity equations on complex-shaped bulk domains.

In this paper
based on and extending the PhD thesis of the second author,
we show how the method can be transferred to PDEs on
curved surfaces.
Motivated by a class of biological model problems
comprising continuity equations on a static bulk domain and its
surface, we propose a new UDG scheme for bulk-surface models.

The method
combines ideas of extending surface PDEs to
higher-dimensional bulk domains with concepts of trace finite
element methods.
A particular focus is given to the necessary steps to retain
discrete analogues to conservation laws of the discretized PDEs.
A high degree
of geometric flexibility is achieved by using a level set
representation of the geometry. We present theoretical
results to prove stability of the method and to investigate its
conservation properties. Convergence is shown in an
energy norm and numerical results show optimal convergence order in
bulk/surface

H
1

{H^{1}}

- and

L
2

{L^{2}}

-norms.
Spontaneous resolution of fetal ascites secondary to gastrointestinal abnormality
Authors: Wiles Alison , Yannetti Melissa , Dinglas Cheryl
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Isolated fetal ascites carries an uncertain prognosis and broad differential diagnosis. When detected on prenatal sonography, a thorough evaluation is warranted to exclude development of hydrops and search for an underlying condition. While gastrointestinal abnormalities account for approximately 20% of cases of fetal ascites, surgical correction is commonly required postnatally. While there have been reports of isolated fetal ascites resolving in utero, spontaneous resolution of the causative gastrointestinal abnormality is unusual.

Case presentation

We report a case of a multiparous 33-year-old found to have moderate fetal ascites and a complex fetal abdominal mass near the small bowel detected by ultrasound at 32 weeks with spontaneous resolution of both ascites and mass by 37 weeks. Following the delivery of a normal neonate, we suspect the mass and ascites to have been produced by a small bowel rupture resulting in meconium peritonitis.

Conclusions

When fetal ascites with late gestational onset has spontaneous resolution in utero and hydrops never develops, there is generally a favorable prognosis and normal neonatal outcome.
Conflict Dynamics and Emotional Dissonance during the Family Business Succession Process: Evidence from the Tunisian Context
Authors: Yezza Hedi , Chabaud Didier , Calabrò Andrea
Published: June 2021

This article aims to understand how emerging conflicts evolve and generate negative emotions during family firms’ succession process. Relying on previous research on emotional dissonance and conflict, we conduct a single longitudinal case study by interviewing the successor, the predecessor, and other family members in a family firm in the Tunisian context. The results show that emotional dissonance plays a critical role in conflict escalation between successors and predecessors. Family systems and cultural factors explain challenges in managing emotions; however, emotions associated with family events can facilitate the evolution of the succession process by resolving conflict. This study thus revealshowandwhyemotions and conflicts arise during the succession process.
Öffentliche Sicherheit und Diskriminierung
Authors: Dufner Annette
Published: June 2021

Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit der Befürchtung, dass eine Erweiterung der DNA-Analyse von Tatortspuren für Zwecke der Polizeiarbeit zu Diskriminierungen führen wird. Diese Erwartung bezieht sich insbesondere auf die Ermittlung der sogenannten biogeografischen Abstammung und der Hautschattierung. In dieser Untersuchung werden einige Stellen im Ermittlungsprozess, an denen auf Grundlage solcher Analysen Diskriminierungspotential auftreten könnte, zunächst gesammelt und dargelegt. Im zweiten Teil wird dann der Diskriminierungsbegriff genauer beleuchtet. Dabei wird sich zeigen, dass verschiedene Positionen zu der Frage, was genau eine Diskriminierung moralisch problematisch macht, zu unterschiedlichen Einschätzungen der DNAPhänotypisierung in der Polizeiarbeit führen.