bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lasing condition for trapped modes in subwavelength-wired PT-symmetric resonators
Authors: Cuevas Mauro , Karimi Habil Mojtaba , Zapata-Rodríguez Carlos J.
Published: March 2021

The ability to control the laser modes within a subwavelength resonator is of key relevance in modern optoelectronics. This work deals with the theoretical research on optical properties of a PT-symmetric nano-scaled dimer formed by two dielectric wires, one is with loss and the other with gain, wrapped with graphene sheets. We show the existence of two non-radiating trapped modes which transform into radiating modes by increasing the gain–loss parameter. Moreover, these modes reach the lasing condition for suitable values of this parameter, a fact that makes these modes achieve an ultra high quality factor that is manifested on the response of the structure when it is excited by a plane wave. Unlike other mechanisms that transform trapped modes into radiating modes, we show that the variation of gain–loss parameter in the balanced loss–gain structure here studied leads to a variation in the phase difference between induced dipole moments on each wires, without appreciable variation in the modulus of these dipole moments. We provide an approximated method that reproduces the main results provided by the rigorous calculation. Our theoretical findings reveal the possibility to develop unconventional optical devices and structures with enhanced functionality.
Hybrid dual-gain tunable integrated InP-Si3N4 external cavity laser
Authors: Zhao Ruiling , Guo Yuyao , Lu Liangjun , Nisar Muhammad Shemyal , Chen Jianping , Zhou Linjie
Published: March 2021

We present a hybrid dual-gain integrated external cavity laser with full C-band wavelength tunability. Two parallel reflective semiconductor optical amplifier gain channels are combined by a Y-branch in the Si3N4 photonic circuit to increase the optical gain. A Vernier ring filter is integrated in the Si3N4 photonic circuit to select a single longitudinal mode and meanwhile reduce the laser linewidth. The side-mode suppression ratio is ∼67 dB with a pump current of 75 mA. The linewidth of the unpackaged laser is 6.6 kHz under on-chip output power of 23.5 mW. The dual-gain operation of the laser gives higher output power and narrower linewidth compared to the single gain operation. It is promising for applications in optical communications and light detection and ranging systems.
Light field Mirage using multiple flat-panel light field displays
Authors: Momonoi Yoshiharu , Yamamoto Koya , Yokote Yoshihiro , Sato Atsushi , Takaki Yasuhiro
Published: March 2021

This study proposes a digital implementation of the conventional Mirage, which uses two parabolic mirrors to produce 360-degree three-dimensional (3D) images of real objects placed inside of it. The two mirrors are replaced with multiple light field displays to generate rays emitted from 3D objects in 360 degrees. We propose two techniques for eliminating repeated 3D images produced by the multiple displays, that is, non-tracking and tracking techniques. The former supports multiple viewers, although the 3D image size is limited. The latter can produce large 3D images, although the number of viewers is limited. The display system of the lower half of the light field Mirage was constructed by using four light field displays to verify the proposed techniques.
Spatially dependent hyper-Raman scattering in five-level cold atoms
Authors: Chen Junqiang , Wang Zhiping , Yu Benli
Published: March 2021

We demonstrate a scheme to control the spatially dependent hyper-Raman scattering based on electromagnetically induced transparency in a cold atomic system. By adjusting the different system parameters, one can effectively modulate the phase and intensity of the generated Raman field. Specifically, we show that electromagnetically induced transparency creates quantum interference, which results in greatly enhanced efficiency for the generated Raman field. Such improvement in Raman efficiency makes our scheme suitable for generation of short-wavelength coherent radiation, conversion of frequency, and nonlinear spectroscopy based on orbital angular momentum light.
Deep-learning-enabled inverse engineering of multi-wavelength invisibility-to-superscattering switching with phase-change materials
Authors: Luo Jie , Li Xun , Zhang Xinyuan , Guo Jiajie , Liu Wei , Lai Yun , Zhan Yaohui , Huang Min
Published: March 2021

Inverse design of nanoparticles for desired scattering spectra and dynamic switching between the two opposite scattering anomalies, i.e. superscattering and invisibility, is important in realizing cloaking, sensing and functional devices. However, traditionally the design process is quite complicated, which involves complex structures with many choices of synthetic constituents and dispersions. Here, we demonstrate that a well-trained deep-learning neural network can handle these issues efficiently, which can not only forwardly predict scattering spectra of multilayer nanoparticles with high precision, but also inversely design the required structural and material parameters efficiently. Moreover, we show that the neural network is capable of finding out multi-wavelength invisibility-to-superscattering switching points at the desired wavelengths in multilayer nanoparticles composed of metals and phase-change materials. Our work provides a useful solution of deep learning for inverse design of nanoparticles with dynamic scattering spectra by using phase-change materials.
Health inequities in influenza transmission and surveillance
Authors: Zipfel Casey M. , Colizza Vittoria , Bansal Shweta
Published: March 2021

The lower an individual’s socioeconomic position, the higher their risk of poor health in low-, middle-, and high-income settings alike. As health inequities grow, it is imperative that we develop an empirically-driven mechanistic understanding of the determinants of health disparities, and capture disease burden in at-risk populations to prevent exacerbation of disparities. Past work has been limited in data or scope and has thus fallen short of generalizable insights. Here, we integrate empirical data from observational studies and large-scale healthcare data with models to characterize the dynamics and spatial heterogeneity of health disparities in an infectious disease case study: influenza. We find that variation in social and healthcare-based determinants exacerbates influenza epidemics, and that low socioeconomic status (SES) individuals disproportionately bear the burden of infection. We also identify geographical hotspots of influenza burden in low SES populations, much of which is overlooked in traditional influenza surveillance, and find that these differences are most predicted by variation in susceptibility and access to sickness absenteeism. Our results highlight that the effect of overlapping factors is synergistic and that reducing this intersectionality can significantly reduce inequities. Additionally, health disparities are expressed geographically, and targeting public health efforts spatially may be an efficient use of resources to abate inequities. The association between health and socioeconomic prosperity has a long history in the epidemiological literature; addressing health inequities in respiratory-transmitted infectious disease burden is an important step towards social justice in public health, and ignoring them promises to pose a serious threat.
Louse-borne relapsing fever—A systematic review and analysis of the literature: Part 1—Epidemiology and diagnostic aspects
Authors: Kahlig Pascal , Paris Daniel H. , Neumayr Andreas
Published: March 2021

Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) is a classical epidemic disease, which in the past was associated with war, famine, poverty, forced migration, and crowding under poor hygienic conditions around the world. The disease’s causative pathogen, the spirochete bacterium Borrelia recurrentis, is confined to humans and transmitted by a single vector, the human body louse Pediculus humanus. Since the disease has had its heyday before the days of modern medicine, many of its aspects have never been formally studied and to date, remain incompletely understood. In order to shed light on some of these aspects, we have systematically reviewed the accessible literature on LBRF, since the recognition of its mode of transmission in 1907, and summarized the existing data on epidemiology and diagnostic aspects of the disease. Publications were identified by using a predefined search strategy on electronic databases and a subsequent review of the reference lists of the obtained publications. All publications reporting patients with a confirmed diagnosis of LBRF published in English, French, German, and Spanish since 1907 were included. Data extraction followed a predefined protocol and included a grading system to judge the certainty of the diagnosis of reported cases. Historically, Ethiopia is considered a stronghold of LBRF. The recognition of LBRF among East African migrants (originating from Somalia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia) arriving to Europe in the course of the recent migration flow from this region suggests that this epidemiological focus ostensibly persists. Currently, there is neither evidence to support or refute active transmission foci of LBRF elsewhere on the African continent, in Latin America, or in Asia. Microscopy remains the most commonly used method to diagnose LBRF. Data are lacking on sensitivity and specificity of most diagnostic methods.
‘None of my ancestors ever discussed this disease before!’ How disease information shapes adaptive capacity of marginalised rural populations in India
Authors: Asaaga Festus A. , Rahman Mujeeb , Kalegowda Suresh D. , Mathapati Jagadeesh , Savanur Irfanahemad , Srinivas Prashanth N. , Seshadri Tanya , Narayanswamy Darshan , Kiran Shivani K. , Oommen Meera A. , Young Juliette C. , Purse Bethan V.
Published: March 2021

Smallholder farmer and tribal communities are often characterised as marginalised and highly vulnerable to emerging zoonotic diseases due to their relatively poor access to healthcare, worse-off health outcomes, proximity to sources of disease risks, and their social and livelihood organisation. Yet, access to relevant and timely disease information that could strengthen their adaptive capacity remain challenging and poorly characterised in the empirical literature. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the role of disease information in shaping the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmer and tribal groups to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic fever. We carried out household surveys (n = 229) and in-depth interviews (n = 25) in two affected districts–Shimoga and Wayanad–in the Western Ghats region.

Our findings suggest that, despite the generally limited awareness about KFD, access to disease information improved households’ propensity to implement adaptation strategies relative to households that had no access to it. Of the variety of adaptation strategies implemented, vaccination, avoiding forest visits, wearing of protective clothing and footwear, application of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) oil and income diversification were identified by respondents as important adaptive measures during the outbreak seasons. Even so, we identified significant differences between individuals in exposure to disease information and its contribution to substantive adaptive action. Households reported several barriers to implement adaptation strategies including, lack of disease information, low efficacy of existing vaccine, distrust, religio-cultural sentiments, and livelihood concerns. We also found that informal information sharing presented a promising avenue from a health extension perspective albeit with trade-offs with potential distortion of the messages through misinformation and/or reporting bias. Altogether, our findings stress the importance of contextualising disease information and implementing interventions in a participatory way that sufficiently addresses the social determinants of health in order to bolster households’ adaptive capacity to KFD and other neglected endemic zoonoses.
Validation of suitable genes for normalization of diurnal gene expression studies in Chenopodium quinoa
Authors: Maldonado-Taipe Nathaly , Patirange Dilan S. R. , Schmöckel Sandra M. , Jung Christian , Emrani Nazgol
Published: March 2021

Quinoa depicts high nutritional quality and abiotic stress resistance, attracting strong interest in the last years. To unravel the function of candidate genes for agronomically relevant traits, studying their transcriptional activities by RT-qPCR is an important experimental approach. The accuracy of such experiments strongly depends on precise data normalization. To date, validation of potential candidate genes for normalization of diurnal expression studies has not been performed in C. quinoa. We selected eight candidate genes based on transcriptome data and literature survey, including conventionally used reference genes. We used three statistical algorithms (BestKeeper, geNorm and NormFinder) to test their stability and added further validation by a simulation-based strategy. We demonstrated that using different reference genes, including those top ranked by stability, causes significant differences among the resulting diurnal expression patterns. Our results show that isocitrate dehydrogenase enzyme (IDH-A) and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) are suitable genes to normalize diurnal expression data of two different quinoa accessions. Moreover, we validated our reference genes by normalizing two known diurnally regulated genes, BTC1 and BBX19. The validated reference genes obtained in this study will improve the accuracy of RT-qPCR data normalization and facilitate gene expression studies in quinoa.
A comprehensive examination of the lysine acetylation targets in paper mulberry based on proteomics analyses
Authors: Li Ping , Chen Chao , Li Ping , Dong Yibo
Published: March 2021

Rocky desertification is a bottleneck that reduces ecological and environmental security in karst areas. Paper mulberry, a unique deciduous tree, shows good performance in rocky desertification areas. Its resistance mechanisms are therefore of high interest. In this study, a lysine acetylation proteomics analysis of paper mulberry seedling leaves was conducted in combination with the purification of acetylated protein by high-precision nano LC-MS/MS. We identified a total of 7130 acetylation sites in 3179 proteins. Analysis of the modified sites showed a predominance of nine motifs. Six positively charged residues: lysine (K), arginine (R), and histidine (H), serine (S), threonine (T), and tyrosine (Y) occurred most frequently at the +1 position, phenylalanine (F) was both detected both upstream and downstream of the acetylated lysines; and the sequence logos showed a strong preference for lysine and arginine around acetylated lysines. Functional annotation revealed that the identified enzymes were mainly involved in translation, transcription, ribosomal structure and biological processes, showing that lysine acetylation can regulate various aspects of primary carbon and nitrogen metabolism and secondary metabolism. Acetylated proteins were enriched in the chloroplast, cytoplasm, and nucleus, and many stress response-related proteins were also discovered to be acetylated, including PAL, HSP70, and ERF. HSP70, an important protein involved in plant abiotic and disease stress responses, was identified in paper mulberry, although it is rarely found in woody plants. This may be further examined in research in other plants and could explain the good adaptation of paper mulberry to the karst environment. However, these hypotheses require further verification. Our data can provide a new starting point for the further analysis of the acetylation function in paper mulberry and other plants.
Association between continuity of care and subsequent diagnosis of multimorbidity in Ontario, Canada from 2001–2015: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Chau Edward , Rosella Laura C. , Mondor Luke , Wodchis Walter P.
Published: March 2021

Background

Continuity of care is a well-recognized principle of the primary care discipline owing to its medical, interpersonal, and cost-saving benefits. Relationship continuity or the ongoing therapeutic relationship between a patient and their physician is a particularly desirable goal, but its role in preventing the accumulation of chronic conditions diagnoses in individuals is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of continuity of care with physicians on the rate of incident multimorbidity diagnoses in patients with existing conditions.

Methods

This was a population-based, retrospective cohort study from 2001 to 2015 that focused on patients aged 18 to 105 years with at least one chronic condition (n = 166,665). Our primary exposure was relationship continuity of care with general practitioners and specialists measured using the Bice-Boxerman Continuity of Care Index (COCI). COCI was specified as a time-dependent exposure prior to the observation period. Our outcomes of interest were the time to diagnosis of a second, third, and fourth chronic condition estimated using cause-specific hazard regressions accounting for death as a competing risk.

Findings

We observed that patients with a single chronic condition and high continuity of care (>0.50) were diagnosed with a second chronic condition or multimorbidity at an 8% lower rate compared to individuals with low continuity (cause-specific hazard ratio (HR) 0.92 (95% Confidence Interval 0.90–0.93; p<0.0001) after adjusting for age, sex, income, place of residence, primary care enrolment, and the annual number of physician visits. Continuity remained protective as the degree of multimorbidity increased. Among patients with two conditions, the risk of diagnosis of a third chronic condition was also 8% lower for individuals with high continuity (HR 0.92; CI 0.90–0.94; p<0.0001). Patients with three conditions and high continuity had a 9% lower risk of diagnosis with a fourth condition (HR 0.91; CI 0.89–0.93; p<0.0001).

Conclusions

Continuity of care is a potentially modifiable health system factor that reduces the rate at which diagnoses of chronic conditions are made over time in patients with multimorbidity. Additional research is needed to explain the underlying mechanisms through which continuity is related to a protective effect and the clinical sequalae.
Influencing factor modeled examination on internet rural logistics talent innovation mechanism based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method
Authors: Zhan Hui , Zhang Xin , Wang Haiwen
Published: March 2021

In recent years, China’s economic development has advanced by leaps and bounds, but the development of China’s rural logistics system is still at its primary stage. Some remote areas with inconvenient transportation are still in a state of serious lack or even blank, and due to the high cost of rural logistics delivery services, the rural logistics business of the enterprise also has a profit problem, which limits the development of rural logistics talent innovation to some extent. The purpose of this paper is to study a new influencing factor model of the Internet rural logistics talent innovation mechanism. This paper innovatively proposes countermeasures to improve the innovation of e-commerce practitioners in rural areas. Through research, the author finds that the innovation of rural e-commerce application talents in China is generally low. The key point of the solution lies in how to improve the level of innovation in rural e-commerce application talents. According to the status quo, identify the factors that hinder the innovation and improvement of rural e-commerce application talents. Combined with the great environment of the development of rural e-commerce industry in China, the paper proposes to improve the countermeasures for improving the innovation of rural e-commerce application talents. Improve the current situation of rural e-commerce application talents mediocrity and promote the innovation of rural e-commerce application talents. Fundamentally promote agricultural development and the building of a new socialist countryside. This paper adopts the literature research method based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, system analysis method and the combination of questionnaire survey and interview. Through big data and information science methods for data processing, using a company’s Internet rural talent data set to simulate, the results It shows that with the method of this paper, the recognition rate reaches 98%, the speed increases obviously, and it is 20% faster than others.
The role of clustering algorithm-based big data processing in information economy development
Authors: Ma Hongyan
Published: March 2021

The purposes are to evaluate the Distributed Clustering Algorithm (DCA) applicability in the power system’s big data processing and find the information economic dispatch strategy suitable for new energy consumption in power systems. A two-layer DCA algorithm is proposed based on K-Means Clustering (KMC) and Affinity Propagation (AP) clustering algorithms. Then the incentive Demand Response (DR) is introduced, and the DR flexibility of the user side is analyzed. Finally, the day-ahead dispatch and real-time dispatch schemes are combined, and a multi-period information economic dispatch model is constructed. The algorithm performance is analyzed according to case analyses of new energy consumption. Results demonstrate that the two-layer DCA’s calculation time is 5.23s only, the number of iterations is small, and the classification accuracy rate reaches 0.991. Case 2 corresponding to the proposed model can consume the new energy, and the income of the aggregator can be maximized. In short, the multi-period information economic dispatch model can consume the new energy and meet the DR of the user side.
A joint model of household time use and task assignment for elderly couples with multiple constraints
Authors: Zheng Kangning , Yao Enjian , Zhang Yongsheng
Published: March 2021

Household time-use patterns are expected to reflect each household member’s daily activity participation and duration with intra-household interactions constrained by multiple budgets. Among various activities, the allocated activity derived from undertaking a household task is studied relatively less in the literature. Who will take an allocated activity is a discrete choice problem of household task assignment, and once a household member is assigned with one household task, other members will have more time to do other activities. To better understand household time-use patterns affected by household task assignment, this paper proposed a joint household-level multiple discrete-continuous extreme value-multinomial logit (MDCEV-MNL) model with multiple constraints. The Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) method combined with the simulation-based maximum likelihood estimation method is proposed to estimate the proposed model. Based on the household activity-travel data from Beijing of China, the proposed model is customized to explore elderly couples’ time-use patterns with intra-household interactions affected by household task assignment. Following the findings, policy implications are suggested to build an age-friendly society.
Tinnitus treatment by vagus nerve stimulation: A systematic review
Authors: Stegeman I. , Velde H. M. , Robe P. A. J. T. , Stokroos R. J. , Smit A. L.
Published: March 2021

Background

Tinnitus is a phantom sensation of sound, which can have a negative impact on quality of life of those affected. No curative treatments are currently known. Neuromodulation by vagus nerve stimulation has emerged as a new treatment option for tinnitus, though till date the effectiveness remains unclear. Therefore, we aim to review the effect of vagus nerve stimulation on tinnitus distress and tinnitus symptom severity in patients with chronic tinnitus.

Methods

We searched Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Library systematically for RCTs, observational studies and case studies on the effect of VNS treatment for tinnitus on October 29, 2019. Studies including adult patients with subjective tinnitus, comparing transcutaneous or implantable VNS to placebo or no treatment or before and after application of VNS treatment on tinnitus distress and tinnitus symptom severity measured with a validated questionnaire were eligible. The risk of bias was assessed with the appropriate tool for each type of study.

Results

Our search identified 9 primary studies of which 2 RCTs, 5 cohort studies and 2 case series or reports. 5 studies used transcutaneous VNS treatment and 4 used implanted VNS treatment. 6 studies combined VNS treatment with sound therapy. There was a serious risk of bias in all studies, especially on confounding. Most studies reported a small decrease in tinnitus distress or tinnitus symptom severity.

Conclusion

Due to methodological limitations and low reporting quality of the included studies, the effect of VNS on tinnitus remains unclear. To draw conclusions for which patient population and to what extent (t)VNS is beneficial in the treatment of tinnitus, a randomised controlled trial should be considered.
Clustering approach for the analysis of the fluorescent bioaerosol collected by an automatic detector
Authors: Daunys Gintautas , Šukienė Laura , Vaitkevičius Lukas , Valiulis Gediminas , Sofiev Mikhail , Šaulienė Ingrida
Published: March 2021

Automatically operating particle detection devices generate valuable data, but their use in routine aerobiology needs to be harmonized. The growing network of researchers using automatic pollen detectors has the challenge to develop new data processing systems, best suited for identification of pollen or spore from bioaerosol data obtained near-real-time. It is challenging to recognise all the particles in the atmospheric bioaerosol due to their diversity. In this study, we aimed to find the natural groupings of pollen data by using cluster analysis, with the intent to use these groupings for further interpretation of real-time bioaerosol measurements. The scattering and fluorescence data belonging to 29 types of pollen and spores were first acquired in the laboratory using Rapid-E automatic particle detector. Neural networks were used for primary data processing, and the resulting feature vectors were clustered for scattering and fluorescence modality. Scattering clusters results showed that pollen of the same plant taxa associates with the different clusters corresponding to particle shape and size properties. According to fluorescence clusters, pollen grouping highlighted the possibility to differentiate Dactylis and Secale genera in the Poaceae family. Fluorescent clusters played a more important role than scattering for separating unidentified fluorescent particles from tested pollen. The proposed clustering method aids in reducing the number of false-positive errors.
Barriers and facilitators to use of a mobile HIV care model to re-engage and retain out-of-care people living with HIV in Atlanta, Georgia
Authors: Henkhaus Michelle E. , Hussen Sophia A. , Brown Devon N. , del Rio Carlos , Fletcher Michelle R. , Jones Marxavian D. , Marellapudi Amulya , Kalokhe Ameeta S.
Published: March 2021

Novel strategies to re-engage and retain people living with HIV (PLWH) who are out of care are greatly needed. While mobile clinics have been used effectively for HIV testing and linkage, evidence guiding their use in providing HIV care domestically has been limited. To guide the development of a mobile HIV clinic (MHC) model as a strategy to re-engage and retain PLWH who are out of care, we aimed to explore stakeholder perceptions of barriers and facilitators to MHC implementation and use. From June 2019-July 2020, we conducted 41 in-depth interviews with HIV clinic providers, administrators, staff, legal authorities, and community advisory board members, PLWH, AIDS service organizations and city officials in Atlanta, Georgia, and domestic and international mobile health clinics to explore barriers and facilitators to use of MHCs. Interviews were transcribed, coded and thematically analysed. Barriers raised include potential for: breach of confidentiality with resulting heightened stigmatization, fractured continuity of care, safety concerns, staffing challenges, and low community acceptance of MHC presence in their locality. Participants provided suggestions regarding appropriate exterior design, location, timing, and co-delivery of non-HIV services that could facilitate MHC acceptance and address the concerns. In identifying key barriers and facilitators to MHC use, this study informs design and implementation of an MHC as a novel strategy for re-engaging and retaining PLWH who are out of care.
An epidemic model for non-first-order transmission kinetics
Authors: Mun Eun-Young , Geng Feng
Published: March 2021

Compartmental models in epidemiology characterize the spread of an infectious disease by formulating ordinary differential equations to quantify the rate of disease progression through subpopulations defined by the Susceptible-Infectious-Removed (SIR) scheme. The classic rate law central to the SIR compartmental models assumes that the rate of transmission is first order regarding the infectious agent. The current study demonstrates that this assumption does not always hold and provides a theoretical rationale for a more general rate law, inspired by mixed-order chemical reaction kinetics, leading to a modified mathematical model for non-first-order kinetics. Using observed data from 127 countries during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we demonstrated that the modified epidemic model is more realistic than the classic, first-order-kinetics based model. We discuss two coefficients associated with the modified epidemic model: transmission rate constant k and transmission reaction order n. While k finds utility in evaluating the effectiveness of control measures due to its responsiveness to external factors, n is more closely related to the intrinsic properties of the epidemic agent, including reproductive ability. The rate law for the modified compartmental SIR model is generally applicable to mixed-kinetics disease transmission with heterogeneous transmission mechanisms. By analyzing early-stage epidemic data, this modified epidemic model may be instrumental in providing timely insight into a new epidemic and developing control measures at the beginning of an outbreak.
Are political-opinion pollsters missing ambivalence: “I love Trump”… “I hate Trump”
Authors: Camparo James C. , Camparo Lorinda B.
Published: March 2021

Given the increasing attention ambivalence is receiving from the psychological community, it must be asked if pollsters’ (routinely) dichotomous political opinion surveys are missing something crucial. To determine if there is any legitimacy to this question, undergraduates attending a Liberal Arts college in Southern California were asked to rate their level of agreement/disagreement to 28 statements regarding President Trump in two studies, with the items drawn from actual Quinnipiac (Q) and Brookings Institute (BI) surveys. To quantify ambivalence participants were told they could mark one or two responses per item, with double-responses serving as a measure of ambivalence. In Study 1, mean Trump approval ratings divided along party lines, and were consistent with the Q and BI findings. Nonetheless, approximately 40% of participants registered some level of ambivalence across all political-party affiliations, with those defining themselves as Neither Democrats (DEMs) nor Republicans (REPs) showing the greatest degree of ambivalence. In Study 2, ambivalence towards President Trump was examined looking at both party affiliation and political ideology (Conservative, Moderate, and Liberal). Again, roughly 40% of participants displayed some level of ambivalence, with greater degrees of ambivalence for Independents relative to DEMs and REPs, and Moderates relative to Liberals. Given research indicating that ambivalence is associated with delayed decision making and decisions based on “in the moment” contextual information, our findings our suggestive: if political opinion pollsters do not assess ambivalence, they may be missing information on a fair-sized demographic that could influence an election based on negative information (real or fictitious) surfacing only days before an election… as it did in 2016.
Clinical efficacy on glycemic control and safety of mesenchymal stem cells in patients with diabetes mellitus: Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCT data
Authors: He Jingjing , Kong Desheng , Yang Zhifen , Guo Ruiyun , Amponsah Asiamah Ernest , Feng Baofeng , Zhang Xiaolin , Zhang Wei , Liu Aijing , Ma Jun , O’Brien Timothy , Cui Huixian
Published: March 2021

Background

Diabetes mellitus as a chronic metabolic disease is threatening human health seriously. Although numerous clinical trials have been registered for the treatment of diabetes with stem cells, no articles have been published to summarize the efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods and findings

The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence from RCTs and, where possible, conduct meta-analyses to provide a reliable numerical summary and the most comprehensive assessment of therapeutic efficacy and safety with MSCs in diabetes. PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, the Cochrane Library and CNKI were searched. The retrieval time was from establishment of these databases to January 4, 2020. Seven RCTs were eligible for analysis, including 413 participants. Meta-analysis results showed that there were no significant differences in the reduction of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) compared to the baseline [mean difference (MD) = -1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-2.26,0.16), P<0.01, I2 = 94%] and the control group [MD = -0.62, 95%CI (-1.46,0.23), P<0.01, I2 = 87%]. The MSCs treatment group showed a significant decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) A1c [random-effects, MD = -1.32, 95%CI (-2.06, -0.57), P<0.01, I2 = 90%] after treatment. Additionally, HbA1c reduced more significantly in MSC treatment group than in control group [random-effects, MD = -0.87, 95%CI (-1.53, -0.22), P<0.01, I2 = 82%] at the end of follow-up. However, as for fasting C-peptide levels, the estimated pooled MD showed that there was no significant increase [MD = -0.07, 95%CI (-0.30, 0.16), P<0.01, I2 = 94%] in MSCs treatment group compared with that in control group. Notably, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between MSCs treatment group and control group [relative risk (RR) = 0.98, 95%CI (0.72, 1.32), P = 0.02, I2 = 70%]. The most commonly observed adverse reaction in the MSC treatment group was hypoglycemia (29.95%).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis revealed MSCs therapy may be an effective and safe intervention in subjects with diabetes. However, due to the limited studies, a number of high-quality as well as large-scale RCTs should be performed to confirm these conclusions.
A comparison of fragmenting lead-based and lead-free bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs
Authors: Hampton Jordan O. , Eccles Grant , Hunt Rob , Bengsen Andrew J. , Perry Andrew L. , Parker Steve , Miller Corissa J. , Joslyn Steve K. , Stokke Sigbjørn , Arnemo Jon M. , Hart Quentin
Published: March 2021

In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans, scavenging wildlife and the environment, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free bullets for shooting of wild animals. We compared efficiency metrics and terminal ballistic performance for lead-based and lead-free (non-lead) bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in eastern Australia. Ballistic testing revealed that lead-based and lead-free bullets achieved similar performance in precision and muzzle kinetic energy (E0) levels (3337.2 J and 3345.7 J, respectively). An aerial shooting trial was conducted with wild pigs shot with one type of lead-based and one type of lead-free bullets under identical conditions. Observations were made from 859 shooting events (n = 430 and 429 respectively), with a sub-set of pigs examined via gross post-mortem (n = 100 and 108 respectively), and a further sub-set examined via radiography (n = 94 and 101 respectively). The mean number of bullets fired per pig killed did not differ greatly between lead-based and lead-free bullets respectively (4.09 vs 3.91), nor did the mean number of bullet wound tracts in each animal via post-mortem inspection (3.29 vs 2.98). However, radiography revealed a higher average number of fragments per animal (median >300 vs median = 55) and a broader distribution of fragments with lead-based bullets. Our results suggest that lead-based and lead-free bullets are similarly effective for aerial shooting of wild pigs, but that the bullet types behave differently, with lead-based bullets displaying a higher degree of fragmentation. These results suggest that aerial shooting may be a particularly important contributor to scavenging wildlife being exposed to lead and that investigation of lead-free bullets for this use should continue.
N uptake, assimilation and isotopic fractioning control δ 15N dynamics in plant DNA: A heavy labelling experiment on Brassica napus L.
Authors: Foscari Alessandro , Leonarduzzi Giulia , Incerti Guido
Published: March 2021

In last decades, a large body of evidence clarified nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) patterns in plant leaves, roots and metabolites, showing isotopic fractionation along N uptake and assimilation pathways, in relation to N source and use efficiency, also suggesting15N depletion in plant DNA. Here we present a manipulative experiment onBrassica napusvar.oleracea, where we monitored δ15N of purified, lyophilized DNA and source leaf and root materials, over a 60-days growth period starting at d 60 after germination, in plants initially supplied with a heavy labelled (δ15NAir-N2= 2100 mUr) ammonium nitrate solution covering nutrient requirements for the whole observation period (470 mg N per plant) and controlling for the labelled N species (ṄH4, ṄO3and both). Dynamics of Isotopic Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) data for the three treatments showed that: (1) leaf and root δ15N dynamics strictly depend on the labelled chemical species, with ṄH4, ṄO3and ṄH4ṄO3plants initially showing higher, lower and intermediate values, respectively, then converging due to the progressive NH4+depletion from the nutrient solution; (2) in ṄH4ṄO3, where δ15N was not affected by the labelled chemical species, we did not observe isotopic fractionation associated to inorganic N uptake; (3) δ15N values in roots compared to leaves did not fully support patterns predicted by differences in assimilation rates of NH4+and NO3-; (4) DNA is depleted in15N compared to the total N pools of roots and leaves, likely due to enzymatic discrimination during purine biosynthesis. In conclusion, while our experimental setup did not allow to assess the fractionation coefficient (ε) associated to DNA bases biosynthesis, this is the first study specifically reporting on dynamics of specific plant molecular pools such as nucleic acids over a long observation period with a heavy labelling technique.
Predicting fear and perceived health during the COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning: A cross-national longitudinal study
Authors: Eder Stephanie Josephine , Steyrl David , Stefanczyk Michal Mikolaj , Pieniak Michał , Martínez Molina Judit , Pešout Ondra , Binter Jakub , Smela Patrick , Scharnowski Frank , Nicholson Andrew A.
Published: March 2021

During medical pandemics, protective behaviors need to be motivated by effective communication, where finding predictors of fear and perceived health is of critical importance. The varying trajectories of the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries afford the opportunity to assess the unique influence of ‘macro-level’ environmental factors and ‘micro-level’ psychological variables on both fear and perceived health. Here, we investigate predictors of fear and perceived health using machine learning as lockdown restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were introduced in Austria, Spain, Poland and Czech Republic. Over a seven-week period, 533 participants completed weekly self-report surveys which measured the target variables subjective fear of the virus and perceived health, in addition to potential predictive variables related to psychological factors, social factors, perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD), and economic circumstances. Viral spread, mortality and governmental responses were further included in the analysis as potential environmental predictors. Results revealed that our models could accurately predict fear of the virus (accounting for approximately 23% of the variance) using predictive factors such as worrying about shortages in food supplies and perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD), where interestingly, environmental factors such as spread of the virus and governmental restrictions did not contribute to this prediction. Furthermore, our results revealed that perceived health could be predicted using PVD, physical exercise, attachment anxiety and age as input features, albeit with smaller effect sizes. Taken together, our results emphasize the importance of ‘micro-level’ psychological factors, as opposed to ‘macro-level’ environmental factors, when predicting fear and perceived health, and offer a starting point for more extensive research on the influences of pathogen threat and governmental restrictions on the psychology of fear and health.
Comparing substance use and mental health among sexual and gender minority and heterosexual cisgender youth experiencing homelessness
Authors: Hao Jennifer , Beld Matthew , Khoddam-Khorasani Ladan , Flentje Annesa , Kersey Eva , Mousseau Haley , Frank Julie , Leonard Adam , Kevany Sebastian , Dawson-Rose Carol
Published: March 2021

Youth homelessness has been demonstrated to disproportionately affect sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth compared to heterosexual cisgender peers. In this context, we aimed to compare health risks between service-seeking SGM and heterosexual cisgender youth experiencing homelessness, including harmful risks stemming from substance use and severity of symptoms of mental health disorders. We recruited 100 racially diverse, unstably housed participants aged 18–24 who access services at an urban non-profit organization in San Francisco, CA. Data analysis included 56 SGM participants who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, unsure, transgender, and nongender, and 44 heterosexual cisgender participants. In contrast to previous studies reporting significantly higher frequency of substance use and more severe symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder among SGM youth compared to heterosexual cisgender peers, many of these health disparities were not observed in our diverse study population of service-seeking youth. Furthermore, with the exception of methamphetamine, SGM participants did not exhibit greater harmful risks resulting from substance use, such as health, social, financial, and legal complications. We discuss the reduced burden of health disparities between SGM and heterosexual cisgender youth in our service-seeking study population within the context of gender- and sexuality-affirming programming offered at the partnering community organization. We conclude that longitudinal data on these tailored community-level interventions are needed to further explore the reduced burden of health disparities observed among service-seeking SGM youth experiencing homelessness in San Francisco in order to continue supporting pathways out of homelessness for youth of all sexual and gender identities nationwide.
Cohort profile: MAVIE a web-based prospective cohort study of home, leisure, and sports injuries in France
Authors: Castro Madelyn Yiseth Rojas , Orriols Ludivine , Contrand Benjamin , Dupuy Marion , Sztal-Kutas Catherine , Avalos Marta , Lagarde Emmanuel
Published: March 2021

MAVIE is a web-based prospective cohort study of Home, Leisure, and Sports Injuries with a longitudinal follow-up of French general population volunteers. MAVIE participants are voluntary members of French households, including overseas territories. Participation in the cohort involves answering individual and household questionnaires and relevant exposures and prospectively reporting injury events during the follow-up. Recruitment and data collection have been in progress since 2014. The number of participants as of the end of the year 2019 was 12,419 from 9,483 households. A total of 8,640 participants provided data during follow-up. Respondents to follow-up were composed of 763 children aged 0–14, 655 teenagers and young adults aged 15–29, 6,845 adults, and 377 people aged 75 or more. At the end of the year 2019, 1,698 participants had reported 2,483 injury events. Children, people aged 50 and more, people with poor self-perceived physical and mental health, people who engage in sports activities, and people with a history of injury during the year before recruitment were more likely to report new injuries. An interactive mobile/web application (MAVIE-Lab) was developed to help volunteers decide on personalized measures to prevent their risks of HLIs. The available data provides an opportunity to analyse multiple exposures at both the individual and household levels that may be associated with an increased risk of trauma. The ongoing analysis includes HLI incidence estimates, the determination of health-related risk factors, a specific study on the risk of home injury, another on sports injuries, and an analysis of the role of cognitive skills and mind wandering. Volunteers form a community that constitutes a population laboratory for preventative initiatives.
Current practice patterns of osteoporosis treatment in cancer patients and effects of therapeutic interventions in a tertiary center
Authors: Fujihara Nasa , Fujihara Yuki , Hamada Shunsuke , Yoshida Masahiro , Tsukushi Satoshi
Published: March 2021

Cancer and osteoporosis have high incidence rates in older populations. However, the treatment of osteoporosis among cancer patients has not been adequately described. Our purpose was to clarify the current practice patterns of osteoporosis treatment among cancer patients in an academic cancer center, and to analyze the efficacy of treatment interventions. Patient records from April 2009 to March 2018 were retrospectively reviewed, and the study included a total of 316 cancer patients with osteoporosis. After patients’ data extraction, the patients were divided into two groups, with (n = 144) or without treatment (n = 172), and compared the outcomes of these groups to evaluate the medication effect. The primary outcome was new radiographic fragility fractures during the study period. The related factors associated with fracture injuries and the rate of adverse events, such as osteonecrosis in the jaw and atypical femoral fractures, were analyzed. The rate of treatment intervention was 45.6% among the patient groups. Among patients in the study group, breast cancer patients (n = 107) were mostly treated (n = 79, 73.8%) with oral bisphosphonate. A significant difference in new fracture rate was observed between the two groups (treatment group, 30.6%; non-treatment group, 54.7%), and the risk of fracture was 42% lower in the treatment group (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.39–0.86; p<0.05). Previous chemotherapy, steroid use, and older age were significantly associated with increased rate of new fragility fractures. The adverse event rate was 3.5% (presented in five cases). Older cancer patients who receive chemotherapy or steroids are strongly recommended undergo bone quality assessment and appropriate osteoporosis treatment to improve their prognosis.