bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The future of data communication in Aviation 4.0 environment
Authors: SEKERA Jakub , NOVÁK Andrej
Published: September 2021

Currently experienced the dawn of the Aviation 4.0 era is transforming the contemporary technological environment, throughout the whole aeronautical industry, by creating cyber-physical systems. Following the evolutionary path, incorporating advanced automated and first autonomy systems, the applications involved are becoming increasingly data- oriented. The need for progressive data analytics, massive adoption and operation of IoT devices, delivering advanced monitoring and machine learning opportunities, building the core structure for artificial intelligence, will put a significant pressure on data communication and connectivity itself. In the near future, the problems may especially arise in datalink used in civil aviation. This research paper briefly studies the contemporary systems used for datalink, determines dominant aspects of Aviation 4.0 and their overall impact on the performance requirements of the data communications network, and proposes the possible solution to the problematics, with newly emerging LEO satellite mega-constellations providing Internet connectivity. The conclusion of this paper highlights the requirements for future data communication systems and determines whether the existing and proposed datalink subnetwork technologies are capable of meeting the demands established by Aviation 4.0.
Validation of Aero-Load Estimator for Convair 880 Aircraft Flight Simulator Benchmark with Electro-Hydrostatic Actuators
Authors: BOUGHARI Yamina , BOTEZ Ruxandra Mihaela , BANIAMERIAN Amir , SOBHANI TEHRANI Ehsan , GARABEDIAN Armineh
Published: September 2021

Simulating an aircraft model using of high fidelity models of subsystems for its primary and secondary flight control actuators requires measuring or estimating aero-load data acting on flight control surfaces. One solution would be to incorporate the data recorded from flight tests, which is a time-consuming and costly process. This paper proposes another solution based on the validation of an aero-loads estimator or on the hinge moments predictor for fully electrical aircraft simulator benchmark. This estimator is based on an aerodynamic coefficient calculation methodology, inspired by Roskam’s method that uses the geometrical data of the wing and control surfaces airfoils. The hinge moment values are found from two-dimensional lookup tables where the deflections of the control surfaces, aircraft altitude, and aircraft angles of attack are the input vectors of the tables; and the resulting hinge moment coefficients are the output vectors. The resulting hinge moment coefficients of the Convair 880 primary flight control surfaces are compared to those of its recorded flight test data; the results from the new software solution were found to be very accurate. Hinge moment lookup tables are integrated in the Convair 880 high fidelity flight simulation benchmark using mathematical models of energy-efficient Electro-Hydrostatic Actuators (EHA). Autopilot controls are designed for the roll, pitch, attitude and yaw damper motions using Proportional Integral (PI) controller scheduled for different flight conditions. Several different aircraft simulation scenarios are evaluated to demonstrate the efficacy and accuracy of the predicted hinge moment results.
Enhancement of unidirectional forward scattering and suppression of backward scattering in hollow silicon nanoblocks
Authors: Sun Yudan , Mu Haiwei , Liu Chao , Qiao Jiale , Sun Tao , Chu Paul K.
Published: September 2021

Manipulating the light scattering direction and enhancing directivity are important research areas in integrated nanophotonic devices. Herein, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, nanoantenna composed of hollow silicon nanoblocks is designed to allow directional emission manipulation. In this device, forward scattering is enhanced and backward scattering is restrained substantially in the visible region. Owing to electric dipole resonance and magnetic dipole resonance in this nanoantenna, Kerker’s type conditions are satisfied, and the directionality of forward scattering

G

F
B

reaches 44.6 dB, indicating good characteristics in manipulating the light scattering direction.
Connectivity-based deep learning approach for segmentation of the epithelium in in vivo human esophageal OCT images
Authors: Yang Ziyun , Soltanian-Zadeh Somayyeh , Chu Kengyeh K. , Zhang Haoran , Moussa Lama , Watts Ariel E. , Shaheen Nicholas J. , Wax Adam , Farsiu Sina
Published: September 2021

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used for diagnosis of esophageal diseases such as Barrett’s esophagus. Given the large volume of OCT data acquired, automated analysis is needed. Here we propose a bilateral connectivity-based neural network for in vivo human esophageal OCT layer segmentation. Our method, connectivity-based CE-Net (Bicon-CE), defines layer segmentation as a combination of pixel connectivity modeling and pixel-wise tissue classification. Bicon-CE outperformed other widely used neural networks and reduced common topological prediction issues in tissues from healthy patients and from patients with Barrett’s esophagus. This is the first end-to-end learning method developed for automatic segmentation of the epithelium in in vivo human esophageal OCT images.
Design of mid-infrared cascade micro-ring sensing devices using a machine learning algorithm
Authors: Yang Jinghao , Caruso Austin , Lin Zhihai , Li Junyan , Lin Pao Tai
Published: September 2021

An intelligent mid-infrared (mid-IR) integrated photonic device was demonstrated applying a machine learning (ML) algorithm. The design model and the estimation model of mid-IR micro-rings were trained by the artificial neural network (ANN) to create the performance-structure relationships. The sensing devices were then designed to align the micro-ring resonance with the characteristic mid-IR absorption wavelengths according to the gases of interest. Further applying the cascade micro-ring structures enables the device to monitor several gas analytes simultaneously. The ML-based mid-IR device provides a miniaturized sensing platform for remote and precise environmental monitoring.
Multiplexed sensing interrogation technique based on a flexibly switchable multi-passband RF filter by using a Solc-Sagnac loop
Authors: Rao Weiying , Dai Weiyu , Cai Xun , Yang Shangwu , Xiao Dongrui , Fu Hongyan , Shao LiYang
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we have proposed and experimentally demonstrated a multiplexed sensing interrogation technique based on a flexibly switchable multi-passband RF filter with a polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) Solc-Sagnac loop. A high-order Solc-Sagnac loop can be used as a spectrum slicer as well as sensing heads, and a multi-passband microwave photonic filter (MPF) can be achieved together with a dispersive medium. Environmental parameter variations will cause a frequency shift of the corresponding passband of the MPF, so by employing only one Sagnac loop, it is possible to monitor several environmental parameters simultaneously. In this article, we have demonstrated and analyzed the performance of the flexibly switchable multi-passband MPF by using a second-order Solc-Sagnac loop. To demonstrate the temperature sensing capabilities of our interrogation system, we have applied temperature changes individually to Sensor Head 1 (

L

P
M

F
1

≈
0.97
m

) only, Sensor Head 2 (

L

P
M

F
2

≈
2.97
m

) only, and both Sensor Head 1 and 2 in the experiment. By monitoring frequency shift of the MPF’s passbands, the sensitivities for Sensor Head 1 and Sensor Head 2 have been estimated to be -0.275 ± 0.011 MHz/℃ and -0.811 ± 0.013 MHz/℃ respectively, which show a good sensing linearity and stability. By utilizing the longer length of the sensing PMF, higher sensitivity can be achieved. By using Solc-Sagnac loop with higher order, more sensors can be multiplexed.
Ultra-thin and near-unity selective emitter for efficient cooling
Authors: Kim Do Hyeon , Lee Gil Ju , Heo Se-Yeon , Son Soomin , Kang Kyeong Muk , Lee Heon , Song Young Min
Published: September 2021

For the efficient radiative cooling of objects, coolers should emit heat within atmospheric transparent window and block heat absorption from the surrounding environments. Thus, selective emitters enable highly efficient cooling via engineered photonic structures such as metamaterials and multi-stacking structures. However, these structures require sophisticated fabrication processes and large quantities of materials, which can restrict mass-production. This study introduces an ultra-thin (∼1 μm) and near-unity selective emitter (UNSE) within the atmospheric window, which can be fabricated using simple and affordable process. The combination of infrared (IR) lossy layers and high index lossless layer enhances the resonance in the structure thus, the emissivity in long wavelength IR region increases to near-unity within a thickness of ∼1 μm.
Droplet microfluidic generation of a million optical microparticle barcodes
Authors: Dannenberg Paul H. , Wang Jie , Zhuo Yue , Cho Sangyeon , Kim Kwon-Hyeon , Yun Seok-Hyun
Published: September 2021

Micron-scale barcode particles enable labelling of small objects. Here, we demonstrate high-throughput barcode fabrication inside a microfluidic chip that can embed multiple, dye-doped high quality-factor whispering gallery mode cavities inside aqueous droplets at kilohertz rates. These droplets are then cured to form polyacrylamide hydrogel beads as small as 30 μm in diameter. Optical resonance spectra of the embedded cavities provide the hydrogels with unique barcodes with their diversity combinatorically scaled with the number of embedded cavities. Using 3 cavities per hydrogel, we obtain approximately one million uniquely identifiable, optically readable barcode microparticles.
Mueller matrix imaging with a polarization camera: application to microscopy
Authors: Gottlieb Dale , Arteaga Oriol
Published: September 2021

In this work, we describe the design and implementation of a Mueller matrix imaging polarimeter that uses a polarization camera as a detector. This camera simultaneously measures the first three Stokes components, allowing for the top three rows of the Mueller matrix to be determined after only N = 4 measurements using a single rotating compensator, which is sufficient to fully characterize nondepolarizing samples. This setup provides the polarimetric analysis with micrometric resolution in about 3 seconds and can also perform live birefringence imaging at the camera frame rate by fixing the compensator at a static 45° angle. To further improve the conditioning of the setup, we also give the first experimental demonstration of an optimal elliptical retarder design.
Towards small target recognition with photonics-based high resolution radar range profiles
Authors: Li Jinhu , Zhang Fangzheng , Xiang Yu , Pan Shilong
Published: September 2021

Photonics-based radar expands the bandwidth of traditional radars and enhances the radar range resolution. This makes it possible to recognize small-size targets using the high resolution range profiles (HRRPs) acquired by a photonics-based broadband radar. In this paper, we investigate the performance of small target recognition using HRRPs of a photonics-based radar with a bandwidth of 8 GHz (28-36 GHz), which is built based on photonic frequency multiplication and frequency mixing. A convolutional neural network (CNN) is used to extract features of the HRRPs and classify the targets. In the experiment, recognition of four types of small-size targets is demonstrated with an accuracy of 97.16%, which is higher than target recognition using a 77-GHz electronic radar by 31.57% (2-GHz bandwidth) and 8.37% (4 GHz-bandwidth), respectively. Besides the accuracy, target recognition with photonics-based radar HRRPs is proved to have good generalization capability and stable performance. Therefore, photonics-based radar provides an efficient solution to small target recognition with one-dimension HRRPs, which is expected to find import applications in air defense, security check, and intelligent transportation.
Parasitic erbium photoluminescence in commercial telecom fiber optical components
Authors: Wolfowicz Gary , Heremans F. Joseph , Awschalom David D.
Published: September 2021

Noiseless optical components are critical for applications ranging from metrology to quantum communication. Here, we characterize several commercial telecom C-band fiber components for parasitic noise using a tunable laser. We observe the spectral signature of trace concentrations of erbium in all devices from the underlying optical crystals including

Y
V
O

4

,

L
i
N
b
O

3

,

T
e
O

2

, and amorphous material transmitting infrared radiation glass. Due to the long erbium lifetime, these signals are challenging to mitigate at the single photon level in the telecom range and suggests the need for higher purity optical crystals.
Broadband tunable perfect absorber with high absorptivity based on double layer graphene
Authors: Xu Jie , Qin Zujun , Chen Ming , Cheng Yu , Liu Houquan , Xu Ronghui , Teng Chuanxin , Deng Shijie , Deng Hongchang , Yang Hongyan , Qu Shiliang , Yuan Libo
Published: September 2021

Due to the problems of low absorptivity and the narrow bandwidth of existing broadband absorbers, a perfect broadband tunable absorber with high absorptivity based on double-layer graphene is proposed in this study with 99% high absorptivity as the reference standard, and its theoretical analysis is performed. The designed absorber consists of complete graphene, upper dielectric material, patterned graphene, lower dielectric material and the gold substrate. Through numerical calculation, the designed absorbing structure can achieve high absorption rate of more than 99% in the range of 2.54–3.70 THz, and has a continuous bandwidth of 1.16 THz. In addition, the absorption range is 52%–100% by changing the Fermi level of the graphene layer. The perfect absorber is symmetrical in rotation center and insensitive to incident angle and polarization. It can be widely used in terahertz switch, modulator design, power acquisition and other related fields.
High-throughput characterization of photocrosslinker-bearing ion channel variants to map residues critical for function and pharmacology
Authors: Braun Nina , Friis Søren , Ihling Christian , Sinz Andrea , Andersen Jacob , Pless Stephan A.
Published: September 2021

Incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) can endow proteins with novel functionalities, such as crosslinking or fluorescence. In ion channels, the function of these variants can be studied with great precision using standard electrophysiology, but this approach is typically labor intensive and low throughput. Here, we establish a high-throughput protocol to conduct functional and pharmacological investigations of ncAA-containing human acid-sensing ion channel 1a (hASIC1a) variants in transiently transfected mammalian cells. We introduce 3 different photocrosslinking ncAAs into 103 positions and assess the function of the resulting 309 variants with automated patch clamp (APC). We demonstrate that the approach is efficient and versatile, as it is amenable to assessing even complex pharmacological modulation by peptides. The data show that the acidic pocket is a major determinant for current decay, and live-cell crosslinking provides insight into the hASIC1a–psalmotoxin 1 (PcTx1) interaction. Further, we provide evidence that the protocol can be applied to other ion channels, such as P2X2 and GluA2 receptors. We therefore anticipate the approach to enable future APC-based studies of ncAA-containing ion channels in mammalian cells.
A systemic cell cycle block impacts stage-specific histone modification profiles during Xenopus embryogenesis
Authors: Pokrovsky Daniil , Forné Ignasi , Straub Tobias , Imhof Axel , Rupp Ralph A. W.
Published: September 2021

Forming an embryo from a zygote poses an apparent conflict for epigenetic regulation. On the one hand, the de novo induction of cell fate identities requires the establishment and subsequent maintenance of epigenetic information to harness developmental gene expression. On the other hand, the embryo depends on cell proliferation, and every round of DNA replication dilutes preexisting histone modifications by incorporation of new unmodified histones into chromatin. Here, we investigated the possible relationship between the propagation of epigenetic information and the developmental cell proliferation during Xenopus embryogenesis. We systemically inhibited cell proliferation during the G1/S transition in gastrula embryos and followed their development until the tadpole stage. Comparing wild-type and cell cycle–arrested embryos, we show that the inhibition of cell proliferation is principally compatible with embryo survival and cellular differentiation. In parallel, we quantified by mass spectrometry the abundance of a large set of histone modification states, which reflects the developmental maturation of the embryonic epigenome. The arrested embryos developed abnormal stage-specific histone modification profiles (HMPs), in which transcriptionally repressive histone marks were overrepresented. Embryos released from the cell cycle block during neurulation reverted toward normality on morphological, molecular, and epigenetic levels. These results suggest that the cell cycle block by HUA alters stage-specific HMPs. We propose that this influence is strong enough to control developmental decisions, specifically in cell populations that switch between resting and proliferating states such as stem cells.
Genes in human obesity loci are causal obesity genes in C. elegans
Authors: Ke Wenfan , Reed Jordan N. , Yang Chenyu , Higgason Noel , Rayyan Leila , Wählby Carolina , Carpenter Anne E. , Civelek Mete , O’Rourke Eyleen J.
Published: September 2021

Obesity and its associated metabolic syndrome are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Given the disease’s heavy burden on patients and the healthcare system, there has been increased interest in identifying pharmacological targets for the treatment and prevention of obesity. Towards this end, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of human genetic variants associated with obesity. The next challenge is to experimentally define which of these variants are causally linked to obesity, and could therefore become targets for the treatment or prevention of obesity. Here we employ high-throughputin vivoRNAi screening to test for causality 293C.elegansorthologs of human obesity-candidate genes reported in GWAS. We RNAi screened these 293 genes inC.eleganssubject to two different feeding regimens: (1) regular diet, and (2) high-fructose diet, which we developed and present here as an invertebrate model of diet-induced obesity (DIO). We report 14 genes that promote obesity and 3 genes that prevent DIO when silenced inC.elegans. Further, we show that knock-down of the 3 DIO genes not only prevents excessive fat accumulation in primary and ectopic fat depots but also improves the health and extends the lifespan ofC.elegansoverconsuming fructose. Importantly, the direction of the association between expression variants in these loci and obesity in mice and humans matches the phenotypic outcome of the loss-of-function of theC.elegansortholog genes, supporting the notion that some of these genes would be causally linked to obesity across phylogeny. Therefore, in addition to defining causality for several genes so far merely correlated with obesity, this study demonstrates the value of model systems compatible within vivohigh-throughput genetic screening to causally link GWAS gene candidates to human diseases.
CSYseq: The first Y-chromosome sequencing tool typing a large number of Y-SNPs and Y-STRs to unravel worldwide human population genetics
Authors: Claerhout Sofie , Verstraete Paulien , Warnez Liesbeth , Vanpaemel Simon , Larmuseau Maarten , Decorte Ronny
Published: September 2021

Male-specific Y-chromosome (chrY) polymorphisms are interesting components of the DNA for population genetics. While single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) indicate distant evolutionary ancestry, short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are able to identify close familial kinships. Detailed chrY analysis provides thus both biogeographical background information as paternal lineage identification. The rapid advancement of high-throughput massive parallel sequencing (MPS) technology in the past decade has revolutionized genetic research. Using MPS, single-base information of both Y-SNPs as Y-STRs can be analyzed in a single assay typing multiple samples at once. In this study, we present the first extensive chrY-specific targeted resequencing panel, the ‘CSYseq’, which simultaneously identifies slow mutating Y-SNPs as evolution markers and rapid mutating Y-STRs as patrilineage markers. The panel was validated by paired-end sequencing of 130 males, distributed over 65 deep-rooted pedigrees covering 1,279 generations. The CSYseq successfully targets 15,611 Y-SNPs including 9,014 phylogenetic informative Y-SNPs to identify 1,443 human evolutionary Y-subhaplogroup lineages worldwide. In addition, the CSYseq properly targets 202 Y-STRs, including 81 slow, 68 moderate, 27 fast and 26 rapid mutating Y-STRs to individualize close paternal relatives. The targeted chrY markers cover a high average number of reads (Y-SNP = 717, Y-STR = 150), easy interpretation, powerful discrimination capacity and chrY specificity. The CSYseq is interesting for research on different time scales: to identify evolutionary ancestry, to find distant family and to discriminate closely related males. Therefore, this panel serves as a unique tool valuable for a wide range of genetic-genealogical applications in interdisciplinary research within evolutionary, population, molecular, medical and forensic genetics.
Genomic anatomy of male-specific microchromosomes in a gynogenetic fish
Authors: Ding Miao , Li Xi-Yin , Zhu Zhi-Xuan , Chen Jun-Hui , Lu Meng , Shi Qian , Wang Yang , Li Zhi , Zhao Xin , Wang Tao , Du Wen-Xuan , Miao Chun , Yao Tian-Zi , Wang Ming-Tao , Zhang Xiao-Juan , Wang Zhong-Wei , Zhou Li , Gui Jian-Fang
Published: September 2021

Unisexual taxa are commonly considered short-lived as the absence of meiotic recombination is supposed to accumulate deleterious mutations and hinder the creation of genetic diversity. However, the gynogenetic gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) with high genetic diversity and wide ecological distribution has outlived its predicted extinction time of a strict unisexual reproduction population. Unlike other unisexual vertebrates, males associated with supernumerary microchromosomes have been observed in gibel carp, which provides a unique system to explore the rationales underlying male occurrence in unisexual lineage and evolution of unisexual reproduction. Here, we identified a massively expanded satellite DNA cluster on microchromosomes of hexaploid gibel carp via comparing with the ancestral tetraploid crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Based on the satellite cluster, we developed a method for single chromosomal fluorescence microdissection and isolated three male-specific microchromosomes in a male metaphase cell. Genomic anatomy revealed that these male-specific microchromosomes contained homologous sequences of autosomes and abundant repetitive elements. Significantly, several potential male-specific genes with transcriptional activity were identified, among which four and five genes displayed male-specific and male-biased expression in gonads, respectively, during the developmental period of sex determination. Therefore, the male-specific microchromosomes resembling common features of sex chromosomes may be the main driving force for male occurrence in gynogenetic gibel carp, which sheds new light on the evolution of unisexual reproduction.
The CovR regulatory network drives the evolution of Group B Streptococcus virulence
Authors: Mazzuoli Maria-Vittoria , Daunesse Maëlle , Varet Hugo , Rosinski-Chupin Isabelle , Legendre Rachel , Sismeiro Odile , Gominet Myriam , Kaminski Pierre Alexandre , Glaser Philippe , Chica Claudia , Trieu-Cuot Patrick , Firon Arnaud
Published: September 2021

Virulence of the neonatal pathogen Group B Streptococcus is under the control of the master regulator CovR. Inactivation of CovR is associated with large-scale transcriptome remodeling and impairs almost every step of the interaction between the pathogen and the host. However, transcriptome analyses suggested a plasticity of the CovR signaling pathway in clinical isolates leading to phenotypic heterogeneity in the bacterial population. In this study, we characterized the CovR regulatory network in a strain representative of the CC-17 hypervirulent lineage responsible of the majority of neonatal meningitis. Transcriptome and genome-wide binding analysis reveal the architecture of the CovR network characterized by the direct repression of a large array of virulence-associated genes and the extent of co-regulation at specific loci. Comparative functional analysis of the signaling network links strain-specificities to the regulation of the pan-genome, including the two specific hypervirulent adhesins and horizontally acquired genes, to mutations in CovR-regulated promoters, and to variability in CovR activation by phosphorylation. This regulatory adaptation occurs at the level of genes, promoters, and of CovR itself, and allows to globally reshape the expression of virulence genes. Overall, our results reveal the direct, coordinated, and strain-specific regulation of virulence genes by the master regulator CovR and suggest that the intra-species evolution of the signaling network is as important as the expression of specific virulence factors in the emergence of clone associated with specific diseases.
Mobile microscopy and telemedicine platform assisted by deep learning for the quantification of Trichuris trichiura infection
Authors: Dacal Elena , Bermejo-Peláez David , Lin Lin , Álamo Elisa , Cuadrado Daniel , Martínez Álvaro , Mousa Adriana , Postigo María , Soto Alicia , Sukosd Endre , Vladimirov Alexander , Mwandawiro Charles , Gichuki Paul , Williams Nana Aba , Muñoz José , Kepha Stella , Luengo-Oroz Miguel
Published: September 2021

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are the most prevalent pathogens among the group of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The Kato-Katz technique is the diagnosis method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) although it often presents a decreased sensitivity in low transmission settings and it is labour intensive. Visual reading of Kato-Katz preparations requires the samples to be analyzed in a short period of time since its preparation. Digitizing the samples could provide a solution which allows to store the samples in a digital database and perform remote analysis. Artificial intelligence (AI) methods based on digitized samples can support diagnosis by performing an objective and automatic quantification of disease infection. In this work, we propose an end-to-end pipeline for microscopy image digitization and automatic analysis of digitized images of STH. Our solution includes (a) a digitization system based on a mobile app that digitizes microscope samples using a 3D printed microscope adapter, (b) a telemedicine platform for remote analysis and labelling, and (c) novel deep learning algorithms for automatic assessment and quantification of parasitological infections by STH. The deep learning algorithm has been trained and tested on 51 slides of stool samples containing 949 Trichuris spp. eggs from 6 different subjects. The algorithm evaluation was performed using a cross-validation strategy, obtaining a mean precision of 98.44% and a mean recall of 80.94%. The results also proved the potential of generalization capability of the method at identifying different types of helminth eggs. Additionally, the AI-assisted quantification of STH based on digitized samples has been compared to the one performed using conventional microscopy, showing a good agreement between measurements. In conclusion, this work has presented a comprehensive pipeline using smartphone-assisted microscopy. It is integrated with a telemedicine platform for automatic image analysis and quantification of STH infection using AI models.
Epidemiology of clinically relevant Entamoeba spp. (E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii/bangladeshi): A cross sectional study from North India
Authors: Singh Aradhana , Banerjee Tuhina , Khan Uzma , Shukla Sunit Kumar
Published: September 2021

Background

Entamoeba infections have major impact on millions of the people worldwide. Entamoeba histolytica has long been accepted as the only pathogenic species. However, recent reports of other Entamoeba spp. in symptomatic cases have raised questions on their pathogenicity.

Methodology/Principal findings

Total 474 stool samples and 125 liver aspirates from patients with intestinal and extra intestinal manifestations and from community were included. Sewage samples from the hospital and the city were also included. Microscopic examination and molecular detection were performed to detect presence of E. histolytica/ dispar/ moshkovskii/ bangladeshi. The associated demographic and socioeconomic factors were statistically analyzed with the presence of Entamoeba. Microscopy detected Entamoeba spp. in 5.4% stool and 6.4% liver aspirate samples. Through nested multiplex PCR, prevalence of Entamoeba spp. in intestinal and extra-intestinal cases was 6.6% (20/301) and 86.4% (108/125) respectively and in asymptomatic population was 10.5% (13/123). Sewage samples did not show presence of any Entamoeba spp. Uneducated subjects, low economic conditions, untreated drinking water, consumption of raw vegetables and habit of not washing hands before meals were significantly associated with presence of Entamoeba spp.

Conclusions

E. histolytica still remains the only Entamoeba spp. in invasive extra intestinal infections. E. dispar was detected in both asymptomatic and symptomatic intestinal infections. Routine identification of Entamoeba spp. should incorporate PCR based detection methods.
Comparison of antigen- and RT-PCR-based testing strategies for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in two high-exposure settings
Authors: Love Jay , Wimmer Megan T. , Toth Damon J. A. , Chandran Arthi , Makhija Dilip , Cooper Charles K. , Samore Matthew H. , Keegan Lindsay T.
Published: September 2021

Surveillance testing for infectious disease is an important tool to combat disease transmission at the population level. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, RT-PCR tests have been considered the gold standard due to their high sensitivity and specificity. However, RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to return positive results when performed to individuals who are past the infectious stage of the disease. Meanwhile, antigen-based tests are often treated as a less accurate substitute for RT-PCR, however, new evidence suggests they may better reflect infectiousness. Consequently, the two test types may each be most optimally deployed in different settings. Here, we present an epidemiological model with surveillance testing and coordinated isolation in two congregate living settings (a nursing home and a university dormitory system) that considers test metrics with respect to viral culture, a proxy for infectiousness. Simulations show that antigen-based surveillance testing coupled with isolation greatly reduces disease burden and carries a lower economic cost than RT-PCR-based strategies. Antigen and RT-PCR tests perform different functions toward the goal of reducing infectious disease burden and should be used accordingly.
Survival analysis in lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease
Authors: Alomaish Hassan , Ung Yee , Wang Stella , Tyrrell Pascal N. , Zahra Saly Abo , Oikonomou Anastasia
Published: September 2021

Objective

Lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) are prone for higher morbidity and mortality and their treatment is challenging. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the survival of lung cancer patients is affected by the presence of ILD documented on CT.

Materials and methods

146 patients with ILD at initial chest CT were retrospectively included in the study. 146 lung cancer controls without ILD were selected. Chest CTs were evaluated for the presence of pulmonary fibrosis which was classified in 4 categories. Presence and type of emphysema, extent of ILD and emphysema, location and histologic type of cancer, clinical staging and treatment were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression models were used to assess survival probability and hazard of death of different groups. P value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

5-year survival for the study group was 41% versus 48% for the control group (log-rank test p = 0.0092). No significant difference in survival rate was found between the four different categories of ILD (log-rank test, p = 0.195) and the different histologic types (log-rank test, p = 0.4005). A cox proportional hazard model was used including presence of ILD, clinical stage and age. The hazard of death among patients with ILD was 1.522 times that among patients without ILD (95%CI, p = 0.029).

Conclusion

Patients with lung cancer and CT evidence of ILD have a significantly shorter survival compared to patients with lung cancer only. Documenting the type and grading the severity of ILD in lung cancer patients will significantly contribute to their challenging management.
Bilinguals are better than monolinguals in detecting manipulative discourse
Authors: Leivada Evelina , Mitrofanova Natalia , Westergaard Marit
Published: September 2021

One of the most contentious topics in cognitive science concerns the impact of bilingualism on cognitive functions and neural resources. Research on executive functions has shown that bilinguals often perform better than monolinguals in tasks that require monitoring and inhibiting automatic responses. The robustness of this effect is a matter of an ongoing debate, with both sides approaching bilingual cognition mainly through measuring abilities that fall outside the core domain of language processing. However, the mental juggling that bilinguals perform daily involves language. This study takes a novel path to bilingual cognition by comparing the performance of monolinguals and bilinguals in a timed task that features a special category of stimulus, which has the peculiar ability to manipulate the cognitive parser into treating it as well-formed while it is not: grammatical illusions. The results reveal that bilinguals outperform monolinguals in detecting illusions, but they are also slower across the board in judging the stimuli, illusory or not. We capture this trade-off by proposing the Plurilingual Adaptive Trade-off Hypothesis (PATH), according to which the adaptation of bilinguals’ cognitive abilities may (i) decrease fallibility to illusions by means of recruiting sharpened top-down control processes, but (ii) this is part of a larger bundle of effects, not all of which are necessarily advantageous.
Serological investigation and genotyping of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in sheep and goats in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Zhao Li , Wang Yu , Wang Jin-Ling , Zhao Wei-Hong , Cheng Hui-Xin , Ma Yi-Min , Chai Hai-Liang , Zhang Zhan-Sheng , Wang Li-Feng , Miao Zeng-Qiang , Ding Yu-Lin , Sulijid Jirintai , Dang Guang-Hui , Liu Shu-Ying , Wang Feng-Long , Liu Si-Guo , Liu Yong-Hong
Published: September 2021

Paratuberculosis a contagious and chronic disease in domestic and wild ruminants, is caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Typical clinical signs include intractable diarrhea, progressive emaciation, proliferative enteropathy, and mesenteric lymphadenitis. Paratuberculosis is endemic to many parts of the world and responsible for considerable economic losses. In this study, different types of paratuberculosis and MAP in sheep and goats were investigated in Inner Mongolia, a northern province in China contiguous with two countries and eight other provinces. A total of 4434 serum samples were collected from six cities in the western, central, and eastern regions of Inner Mongolia and analyzed using the ELISA test. In addition, tissue samples were collected from seven animals that were suspected to be infected with MAP. Finally, these tissues samples were analyzed by histopathological examination followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), IS1311 PCR-restriction enzyme analysis (PCR-REA), and a sequence analysis of five genes. Among all 4434 ruminant serum samples collected from the six cities in the western, central, and eastern regions of Inner Mongolia, 7.60% (337/4434) measured positive for the MAP antibody. The proportions of positive MAP antibody results for serum samples collected in the western, central, and eastern regions were 5.10% (105/2058), 6.63% (85/1282), and 13.44% (147/1094), respectively. For the seven suspected infected animals selected from the herd with the highest rate of positivity, the gross pathology and histopathology of the necropsied animals were found to be consistent with the pathological features of paratuberculosis. The PCR analysis further confirmed the diagnosis of paratuberculosis. The rest of the results demonstrated that herds of sheep and goats in Inner Mongolia were infected with both MAP type II and type III. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of the two subtypes of MAP strains in sheep and goats in Inner Mongolia.
The role of self-esteem, optimism, deliberative thinking and self-control in shaping the financial behavior and financial well-being of young adults
Authors: Hashmi Fatima , Aftab Hira , Martins José Moleiro , Nuno Mata Mário , Qureshi Hamza Ahmad , Abreu António , Mata Pedro Neves
Published: September 2021

The sustainable financial behavior and financial well-being have been a key concern among the developing societies; thereby encompassing the various psychological factors which play a role in influencing individual’s positive financial behavior and financial well-being, this study is conducted. Research focusing on the psychological aspect of human financial behavior and well-being is scarce, focusing more on the cognitive side such as financial literacy and numeracy. The aim of this research study is to find the role played by the non-cognitive factors such as self-esteem, self-control, optimism and deliberative thinking, in forming the financial behavior and financial well-being of the young adults. A sample of 429 university students from public and private sector was collected via an online and field survey using purposive sampling technique. The survey contained measures for demographics, self-esteem, optimism, deliberative thinking, self-control, general financial behavior and financial well-being. SPSS and PLS-SEM tools were used for the exploration of the relationships among dependent and independent variables. The results of PLS path analysis demonstrate that among the non-cognitive factors, self-control and deliberative thinking show a significant association with both financial behavior, and financial security. Self-esteem plays no significant role in forming the financial behavior of the young adults when all the variables are taken together but it exhibits a significant association with financial well-being (financial security and financial anxiety). Optimism on the other hand exhibits no significant association with both financial behavior and financial well-being (financial security and financial anxiety). The results of this study complement the previous studies and also put forth new outcomes. This research is unique as it is the first of its kind conducted in a consumption-oriented economy like Pakistan. In addition to the previous studies which have often established the link of self-esteem with general well-being, this study goes further by analyzing the association between self-esteem and financial well-being and by the identification of the role played by non-cognitive factors like self-esteem, optimism, deliberative thinking and self-control together on the financial behavior and financial well-being of the individuals using PLS-SEM approach.
Healthy volunteers in US phase I clinical trials: Sociodemographic characteristics and participation over time
Authors: Kalbaugh Corey A. , Kalbaugh Julianne M. , McManus Lisa , Fisher Jill A.
Published: September 2021

Background

Increasing the diversity of research participants is an important focus of clinical trials. However, little is known regarding who enrolls as healthy volunteers in Phase I clinical trials, which test the safety and tolerability of investigational new drugs. Despite the risk, healthy volunteers can derive no medical benefit from their participation, and they are financially compensated for enrolling.

Objective

This study’s purpose is to describe sociodemographic characteristics and clinical trial participation histories of healthy people who enroll in US Phase I trials.

Methods

The HealthyVOICES Project (HVP) is a longitudinal study of healthy individuals who have enrolled in Phase I trials. We describe self-reported sociodemographic information and Phase I trial history from HVP recruitment (May-December 2013) through the project’s end three years later (December 2016). Trial experiences are presented as medians and quartiles.

Results

The HVP included 178 participants. Nearly three-fourths of participants were male, and two-thirds were classified as racial and ethnic minorities. We found that some groups of participants were more likely to have completed a greater number of clinical trials over a longer timeframe than others. Those groups included participants who were male, Black, Hispanic, 30-39-years-old, unemployed, had received vocational training in a trade, or had annual household incomes of less than $25,000. Additionally, the greater the number of clinical trials participants had completed, the more likely they were to continue screening for new trials over the course of three years. Participants who pursued clinical trials as a full-time job participated in the greatest number of trials and were the most likely to continuing screening over time.

Implications

Participation as a healthy volunteer in US Phase I trials is driven by social inequalities. Disadvantaged groups tend to participate in a greater number of clinical trials and participate longer than more privileged groups.
Can we trust the standardized mortality ratio? A formal analysis and evaluation based on axiomatic requirements
Authors: Roessler Martin , Schmitt Jochen , Schoffer Olaf
Published: September 2021

Background

The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) is often used to assess and compare hospital performance. While it has been recognized that hospitals may differ in their SMRs due to differences in patient composition, there is a lack of rigorous analysis of this and other—largely unrecognized—properties of the SMR.

Methods

This paper proposes five axiomatic requirements for adequate standardized mortality measures: strict monotonicity (monotone relation to actual mortality rates), case-mix insensitivity (independence of patient composition), scale insensitivity (independence of hospital size), equivalence principle (equal rating of hospitals with equal actual mortality rates in all patient groups), and dominance principle (better rating of unambiguously better performing hospitals). Given these axiomatic requirements, effects of variations in patient composition, hospital size, and actual and expected mortality rates on the SMR were examined using basic algebra and calculus. In this regard, we distinguished between standardization using expected mortality rates derived from a different dataset (external standardization) and standardization based on a dataset including the considered hospitals (internal standardization). The results were illustrated by hypothetical examples.

Results

Under external standardization, the SMR fulfills the axiomatic requirements of strict monotonicity and scale insensitivity but violates the requirement of case-mix insensitivity, the equivalence principle, and the dominance principle. All axiomatic requirements not fulfilled under external standardization are also not fulfilled under internal standardization. In addition, the SMR under internal standardization is scale sensitive and violates the axiomatic requirement of strict monotonicity.

Conclusions

The SMR fulfills only two (none) out of the five proposed axiomatic requirements under external (internal) standardization. Generally, the SMRs of hospitals are differently affected by variations in case mix and actual and expected mortality rates unless the hospitals are identical in these characteristics. These properties hamper valid assessment and comparison of hospital performance based on the SMR.
Safety and image quality at 7T MRI for deep brain stimulation systems: Ex vivo study with lead-only and full-systems
Authors: Bhusal Bhumi , Stockmann Jason , Guerin Bastien , Mareyam Azma , Kirsch John , Wald Lawrence L. , Nolt Mark J. , Rosenow Joshua , Lopez-Rosado Roberto , Elahi Behzad , Golestanirad Laleh
Published: September 2021

Ultra-high field MRI at 7 T can produce much better visualization of sub-cortical structures compared to lower field, which can greatly help target verification as well as overall treatment monitoring for patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) implants. However, use of 7 T MRI for such patients is currently contra-indicated by guidelines from the device manufacturers due to the safety issues. The aim of this study was to provide an assessment of safety and image quality of ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging at 7 T in patients with deep brain stimulation implants. We performed experiments with both lead-only and complete DBS systems implanted in anthropomorphic phantoms. RF heating was measured for 43 unique patient-derived device configurations. Magnetic force measurements were performed according to ASTM F2052 test method, and device integrity was assessed before and after experiments. Finally, we assessed electrode artifact in a cadaveric brain implanted with an isolated DBS lead. RF heating remained below 2°C, similar to a fever, with the 95% confidence interval between 0.38°C-0.52°C. Magnetic forces were well below forces imposed by gravity, and thus not a source of concern. No device malfunctioning was observed due to interference from MRI fields. Electrode artifact was most noticeable on MPRAGE and T2*GRE sequences, while it was minimized on T2-TSE images. Our work provides the safety assessment of ultra-high field MRI at 7 T in patients with DBS implants. Our results suggest that 7 T MRI may be performed safely in patients with DBS implants for specific implant models and MRI hardware.
‘I have my everything in here’: Welcome, unwelcome and rewelcome in asylum seeker’s deportability
Authors: Lyytinen Eveliina
Published: September 2021

In this article, I analyse the intertwined concepts of hospitality and welcome and their negatives in the context of seeking asylum and deportation. I focus on the scales of individual and community welcome, but also reflect on welcome at the state level. The analysis considers the case of Zaki, a young Afghan man who migrated to Finland in 2015. Zaki experienced welcome, unwelcome and rewelcome in four different stages of migration: his arrival in Finland as an unaccompanied minor, going through the asylum process as an adult man, being deported to Afghanistan and re-entering Finland with an employment-related immigration status. These analytical stages provide a unique opportunity to both consider the politics of welcoming people at different scales and to repopulate the abstract discussions about welcome and hospitality. My analysis is focused on Zaki’s and his Finnish friends’ narration of hospitality and welcome during these four stages. The data used in the article includes interviews with Zaki and four local Finns with reference to deportation statistics, asylum policies and media coverage. This article answers the recent call to examine the lived experiences and perspectives of deportees and their communities and also to recentre the individual within the analysis of welcome.