bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Iterative algorithms of common solutions for a hierarchical fixed point problem, a system of variational inequalities, and a split equilibrium problem in Hilbert spaces
Authors: Zhao Yali , Liu Xin , Sun Ruonan
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we suggest and analyze an iterative algorithm to approximate a common solution of a hierarchical fixed point problem for nonexpansive mappings, a system of variational inequalities, and a split equilibrium problem in Hilbert spaces. Under some suitable conditions imposed on the sequences of parameters, we prove that the sequence generated by the proposed iterative method converges strongly to a common element of the solution set of these three kinds of problems. The results obtained here extend and improve the corresponding results of the relevant literature.
Positive solutions of a second-order nonlinear Robin problem involving the first-order derivative
Authors: Yang Zhilin
Published: June 2021

This paper is concerned with the second-order nonlinear Robin problem involving the first-order derivative:
$$ \textstyle\begin{cases} u''+f(t,u,u^{\prime })=0, \\ u(0)=u'(1)-\alpha u(1)=0,\end{cases} $$

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. Based on a priori estimates, we use fixed point index theory to establish some results on existence, multiplicity and uniqueness of positive solutions thereof, with the unique positive solution being the limit of of an iterative sequence. The results presented here generalize and extend the corresponding ones for nonlinearities independent of the first-order derivative.
Blood lead and cadmium levels are negatively associated with bone mineral density in young female adults
Authors: Lu Jianfeng , Lan Ji , Li Xiao’e , Zhu Zhongxin
Published: June 2021

Background

The organ toxicities of lead and cadmium have been extensively studied; however, studies of their toxic effects on bone remain limited, especially in young adults. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of blood lead levels (BLL) and blood cadmium levels (BCL) with bone mineral density (BMD) among young adults.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2018 database. Because of the skewed distribution, BLL and BCL were Ln-transformed for analysis. Weighted multivariate regressions were performed to evaluate the associations between LnBLL and LnBCL and lumbar BMD. Subgroup analyses were further performed.

Results

A total of 3234 participants aged 20–35 years were included in this study. No significant association between LnBLL and lumbar BMD was found (β = − 5.6, 95%CI: − 13.5–2.3). However, in the subgroup analysis stratified by sex, this association became negative in women (β = − 18.2, 95%CI: − 29.9– − 6.4). Moreover, this negative association was more prominent in female blacks (β = − 35.5, 95%CI: − 63.4– − 7.6). On the other hand, a negative association between LnBCL and lumbar BMD was found (β = − 7.4, 95%CI: − 14.0– − 0.8). In the subgroup analysis stratified by sex, this negative association only existed in women (β = − 18.7, 95%CI: − 28.0– − 9.5). Moreover, this negative association was more prominent in female whites (β = − 31.1, 95%CI: − 46.2– − 16.1).

Conclusions

Our finding showed that both BLL and BCL were independently and negatively associated with lumbar BMD among young females, but not among young males.
Advancing clinical genomics and precision medicine with GVViZ: FAIR bioinformatics platform for variable gene-disease annotation, visualization, and expression analysis
Authors: Ahmed Zeeshan , Renart Eduard Gibert , Zeeshan Saman , Dong XinQi
Published: June 2021

Background

Genetic disposition is considered critical for identifying subjects at high risk for disease development. Investigating disease-causing and high and low expressed genes can support finding the root causes of uncertainties in patient care. However, independent and timely high-throughput next-generation sequencing data analysis is still a challenge for non-computational biologists and geneticists.

Results

In this manuscript, we present a findable, accessible, interactive, and reusable (FAIR) bioinformatics platform, i.e., GVViZ (visualizing genes with disease-causing variants). GVViZ is a user-friendly, cross-platform, and database application for RNA-seq-driven variable and complex gene-disease data annotation and expression analysis with a dynamic heat map visualization. GVViZ has the potential to find patterns across millions of features and extract actionable information, which can support the early detection of complex disorders and the development of new therapies for personalized patient care. The execution of GVViZ is based on a set of simple instructions that users without a computational background can follow to design and perform customized data analysis. It can assimilate patients’ transcriptomics data with the public, proprietary, and our in-house developed gene-disease databases to query, easily explore, and access information on gene annotation and classified disease phenotypes with greater visibility and customization. To test its performance and understand the clinical and scientific impact of GVViZ, we present GVViZ analysis for different chronic diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, hypertension, obesity, osteoporosis, and multiple cancer disorders. The results are visualized using GVViZ and can be exported as image (PNF/TIFF) and text (CSV) files that include gene names, Ensembl (ENSG) IDs, quantified abundances, expressed transcript lengths, and annotated oncology and non-oncology diseases.

Conclusions

We emphasize that automated and interactive visualization should be an indispensable component of modern RNA-seq analysis, which is currently not the case. However, experts in clinics and researchers in life sciences can use GVViZ to visualize and interpret the transcriptomics data, making it a powerful tool to study the dynamics of gene expression and regulation. Furthermore, with successful deployment in clinical settings, GVViZ has the potential to enable high-throughput correlations between patient diagnoses based on clinical and transcriptomics data.
Effectiveness of web-based feedback interventions for people with overweight and obesity: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Varela Carmen , Oda-Montecinos Camila , Andrés Ana , Saldaña Carmina
Published: June 2021

Background

Web-based delivered interventions have become an innovative option to treat health problems, like obesity. The aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis was to analyze the effectiveness of web-based behavioral treatments for adults with overweight and obesity. Web-based interventions and comparison interventions (traditional weight control programs) were classified according to the following feedback characteristics: frequency, personalization, and provider (human versus machine).

Method

From the initial 1789 studies, 15 were included in this review. A network meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the efficacy of web-based programs with traditional interventions, considering direct and indirect comparisons. The main outcome was the weight loss mean difference (kg) between baseline and post-treatment. Heterogeneity and consistency assumptions were validated to conduct the network meta-analysis.

Results

Network meta-analysis showed comparisons between different treatment options. The main results were that Intensive Contact Web-based programs were more effective than wait-list (Mean Difference − 1.86 kg; 95% Confidence Interval: − 3.61, − 0.12). Moreover, Intensive Contact Web-based programs were more effective than the other web-based options and self-help traditional interventions. However, the only significant comparison was Intensive Contact Web-based programs versus Guided Self-Help Web-based programs (Mean Difference − 4.31 kg; 95% Confidence Interval: − 5,22, − 3,41). Intensive Contact Web-based programs were the most effective treatment option according the obtained results, achieving the first place in the ranking provided by the network meta-analysis with 98.5% of probabilities.

Conclusions

Intensive Contact Web-based interventions have obtained the first position in the ranking, proving the relevance of frequent, personalized, and professional feedback and their association with a better prognosis for people with overweight and obesity. These results provide relevant information to design more effective treatments for people with overweight and obesity, in a new format especially appropriate for the current situation.
The mediating effect of cognitive appraisal on the relationship between sleep habits and the stress response among Japanese female college students
Authors: Aizawa Noriko , Omori Mika
Published: June 2021

Background

Undergraduate students tend to develop “evening-type” sleep patterns. Recent research has reported that evening-type and irregular sleep habits are related to physical and mental stress responses, particularly in female students. Although the connection between sleep habits and the stress response has been well documented, the mechanism behind this relationship is currently unknown. Using the transactional model as a framework and female students as our target population, we examined whether sleep habits predict the stress response through the mediation of cognitive appraisals of one’s own sleep habits.

Methods

Three hundred twenty-one Japanese female college students participated in this study. Participants completed measures of their sleep habits (sleep patterns and sleep irregularity), cognitive appraisals of their sleep habits (including four subscales: commitment, appraisal of influence, appraisal of threat, and controllability), stress responses (depression and anxiety), and control factors. The reliability and validity of the scales used in this study, except for sleep pattern and sleep irregularity, were confirmed in previous studies.

Results

Multiple-mediation-model analysis indicated that commitment mediates the relationship between sleep pattern and anxiety. Meanwhile, cognitive appraisals, as a whole, were found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between sleep irregularity and depression.

Conclusions

Our study revealed that cognitive appraisals mediated the relationship between sleep habits and the stress response. The findings also suggest that maintaining a low level of commitment might be effective for reducing anxiety, especially considering the difficulty associated with changing lifestyles. The findings of the present study should be useful for health education related to lifestyle.
Injury Patterns in Collegiate Club Quidditch
Authors: Fox Christopher M. , Wu Jonathan G. , Chen Lucia , Florczyk Dena L.
Published: June 2021

Background

The purpose of this study is to assess injury patterns in collegiate club quidditch athletes at a single university over three seasons. Injury data were gathered from athletic trainers that provided sideline medical coverage during competitions, the on-site athletic training center where athletes had daily access for evaluation and treatment for acute and chronic injuries, and a sports medicine physician at the on-campus student health center. Athlete exposures were estimated using available previous rosters, practice, and game schedules for the 2014–2017 quidditch seasons. Injuries were evaluated regarding the sex of the athlete, mechanism, body part injuries, and injury type. This is a retrospective descriptive epidemiology study.

Results

The overall injury incidence rate (IR) for collegiate club quidditch injuries was 4.55 per 1000 athlete exposures (AEs). Male athletes had an IR = 5.22 (95% CI 3.77, 7.23). Females had an IR = 3.77 (95% CI 2.49, 5.72). The most common mechanism of injury in males was collision with another athlete (36%; IR = 1.88; 95% CI 1.09, 3.24). The most common injuries were lower extremity injuries (foot, ankle, lower leg, knee, thigh, hip/groin) at 57%. The most common injury type in males was sprains at 39% (IR = 2.03; 95% CI 1.20, 3.42). The overall incidence rate for all quidditch athletes for concussions was 1.18 per 1000 AEs.

Conclusions

Quidditch is an increasingly popular mixed-gender collegiate club sport. This study helps identify areas for improvement in education, injury prevention, and care of athletes at the local and national levels. Concussion rates in quidditch are comparable to other contact sports and should encourage discussion to make rule changes to improve the safety of the sport.
“We are not hard to reach, but we may find it hard to trust” …. Involving and engaging ‘seldom listened to’ community voices in clinical translational health research: a social innovation approach
Authors: Islam Safina , Joseph Olivia , Chaudry Atiha , Forde Davine , Keane Annie , Wilson Cassie , Begum Nasima , Parsons Suzanne , Grey Tracy , Holmes Leah , Starling Bella
Published: June 2021

Background

Public involvement in clinical translational research is increasingly recognised as essential for relevant and reliable research. Public involvement must be diverse and inclusive to enable research that has the potential to reach those that stand to benefit from it the most, and thus address issues of health equity. Several recent reports, however, indicate that public involvement is exclusive, including in its interactions with ethnic groups. This paper outlines a novel community-led methodology – a community sandpit – to address the inclusion of ethnic groups in public involvement in research, reports on its evaluation, findings, legacy and impact.

Methods

Through detailed planning – thinking through and taking into account all stakeholders perspectives in the planning and design of the sandpit, relationship-building, co-design and co-delivery between the Public Programmes team based at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and the Greater Manchester Black and Minority Ethnic Network - the community sandpit was held in July 2018.

Results

Fifteen community organisations took part in the two-day event, as well as six researchers, and six creative practitioners. Six community-based partnership projects were seed-funded; four of these received additional funding from other sources also.

Conclusions

Evaluation of the sandpit showed the format to be well-received by all: it levelled power relationships between community organisations, health researchers and research infrastructure; it developed capacity amongst researchers about the accessibility, role and potential of community organisations. Described as “not another community seed fund” by community partners, the sandpit offered community partners, equitable avenues for collaboration within Greater Manchester translational research and led to the formation of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Research Advisory Group (BRAG Vocal Website information, - https://www.wearevocal.org/opportunities/black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-research-advisory-group-brag/, 2021). The method has the potential to be replicated elsewhere to support inclusive public involvement in research and inclusive research.
Macintosh laryngoscope and i-view™ and C-MAC® video laryngoscopes for tracheal intubation with an aerosol box: a randomized crossover manikin study
Authors: Nakanishi Toshiyuki , Sento Yoshiki , Kamimura Yuji , Sobue Kazuya
Published: June 2021

Background

We tested the hypothesis that the C-MAC® video laryngoscope (C-MAC) with an external display is more useful than the disposable i-view™ video laryngoscope (i-view) with an integrated display or a Macintosh direct laryngoscope (Macintosh) for tracheal intubation with an aerosol box.

Methods

In this randomized, crossover manikin study, we recruited 37 medical personnel with > 2 years of dedicated anesthesia experience from five hospitals. After the three successful intubations within 60 s using each laryngoscope without a box, the participants performed tracheal intubation thrice with each laryngoscope with at least 2-h intervals in a determined order. The primary outcome was the intubation time. The secondary outcomes were success rate, Cormack-Lehane grade, and subjective difficulty scale score.

Results

Thirty-seven personnel (11 women and 26 men) with 12 [5–19] (median [interquartile range]) years of anesthesia and intensive care experience were enrolled. There was no significant difference in the intubation time: 30 [26–32] s for Macintosh, 29 [26–32] s for i-view, and 29 [25–31] s for C-MAC (P = 0.247). The success rate was 95–100%, without a significant difference (P = 0.135). The i-view and C-MAC exhibited superior Cormack-Lehane grades and lower subjective difficulty scale scores than the Macintosh; however, there were no differences between the i-view and C-MAC.

Conclusions

Rapid and highly successful tracheal intubation was possible with both Macintosh, i-view, and C-MAC on a normal airway manikin in an aerosol box. Improved Cormack-Lehane grade and the ease of performing the procedure may support the use of video laryngoscopes.

Trial registration

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000040269. Registered 30 April 2020.
The scent of attraction and the smell of success: crossmodal influences on person perception
Authors: Spence Charles
Published: June 2021

In recent decades, there has been an explosion of research into the crossmodal influence of olfactory cues on multisensory person perception. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have documented that a variety of olfactory stimuli, from ambient malodours through to fine fragrances, and even a range of chemosensory body odours can influence everything from a perceiver’s judgments of another person’s attractiveness, age, affect, health/disease status, and even elements of their personality. The crossmodal and multisensory contributions to such effects are reviewed and the limitations/peculiarities of the research that have been published to date are highlighted. At the same time, however, it is important to note that the presence of scent (and/or the absence of malodour) can also influence people’s (i.e., a perceiver’s) self-confidence which may, in turn, affect how attractive they appear to others. Several potential cognitive mechanisms have been put forward to try and explain such crossmodal/multisensory influences, and some of the neural substrates underpinning these effects have now been characterized. At the end of this narrative review, a number of the potential (and actual) applications for, and implications of, such crossmodal/multisensory phenomena involving olfaction are outlined briefly.
A qualitative study to explore symptoms and impacts of pediatric and adolescent Crohn’s disease from patient and caregiver perspective
Authors: Newton Louise , Delbecque Laure , Coşkun Ufuk , Symonds Tara , Clegg Jennifer , Hunter Theresa
Published: June 2021

Background

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract that affects people across the age spectrum but often starts in childhood or early adulthood. Despite this, almost all published research examining the symptomatic and health-related quality of life (HRQL) experiences of CD has been conducted in an adult population. Studies providing a comprehensive overview of the lived experience of pediatric and adolescent CD are virtually non-existent. The experiences of younger children aged 2–7 years are especially unknown.

Results

A total of 49 participants (31 children and 18 parents) were interviewed. This included 11 dyads (i.e., parents and children from the same family). Analyses were conducted based on reporter-type (patient self-report vs parent observer-report) and age subgroups (ages 2–4 vs 5–7 vs 8–11 vs 12–17). Key symptoms were identified across the age subgroups and reporter types. Abdominal/stomach pain, passing gas/feeling gassy, diarrhea/liquid stools, fatigue/tiredness, bowel urgency, blood in stools, stomach cramping, constipation, and incomplete evacuation were discussed most frequently. The most common HRQL impacts included impact on physical activity, school, social life, and mood (i.e., feeling sad/low), and were mostly consistent between reporter type and across age spectrum. Concept agreement between parents and children in the dyad analysis was > 60% for most symptoms and impacts.

Conclusions

Qualitative interviews revealed the substantial symptom and HRQL burden of pediatric CD from the child and parent perspectives and that disease experiences were largely consistent across the age range and based on both reporter perspectives. This is an important first step towards implementing a robust measurement strategy for the assessment of symptoms and HRQL impacts in pediatric CD.
Distorted assessment of left atrial size by echocardiography in patients with increased aortic root diameter
Authors: Kaplan Abdullah , Altara Raffaele , Manca Marco , Gunes Hacı Murat , Cataliotti Alessandro , Booz George W. , Zouein Fouad A.
Published: June 2021

Background

Left atrial (LA) size is frequently assessed by posterior-anterior linear measurement of LA (LAD P-A) in the parasternal long axis to expedite examination. Aging, changes in body surface area, and several cardiovascular pathologies can affect aortic root (AoR) size, thereby affecting LA anatomical shape. We hypothesized that AoR dilatation influences LAD P-A and consequently correct assessment of LA size.

Results

We tested our hypothesis in a study of 70 patients with AoR diameter ranging from 2.7 to 4.8 cm. LA size assessed in parasternal long axis view as LAD P-A was compared to that with LA width and length acquired in the apical two and four chamber view. Simpson’s method of discs was used as standard measurement to assess LA volume.

We observed that LAD P-A in the parasternal long axis decreases when AoR diameter increases. Thus, the increase in LA size assessed in parasternal long axis did not correlate with the increase of LA volume. Further analysis revealed that a significant positive correlation was observed when LAV was plotted as a function of LAD P-A only for those with a normal size AoR. In contrast, LA volume increase correlated with LA diameters assessed in the apical two and four chamber view regardless of AoR size.

Conclusions

Our study documents that increases in AoR impact on the linear measurement of LA, resulting in an underestimated LAD P-A. LA size ought to be calculated from the apical two and four chambers view parameters, especially in patients with AoR dilatation.
Valvular heart diseases in women
Authors: Youssef Ghada
Published: June 2021

Background

Valvular heart disease is a common health problem affecting both sexes and all age groups. Almost all guidelines are based on studies that mainly involved male patients.

Main body

The features of valvular heart diseases in women were essentially derived from small observational studies. These studies have shown that women differ from men in terms of the type of valve disease, pathology affecting the valve, perception of symptoms, parameters measured in echocardiography, response to drugs, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes. This review was conducted to demonstrate the uniqueness of valvular heart diseases in women and raise awareness about the need for sex-based randomized study designs to provide a piece of proper evidence to support suitable sex-based guidelines and recommendations. Moreover, it briefly describes the effects of pregnancy on women with valvular heart diseases and the impact of the latter on the course of pregnancy and the well-being of the mother and fetus.

Conclusion

Valvular heart diseases in women are different from those in men. Sex-based guidelines for managing valvular heart diseases are needed.
Drug delivery applications of poly-γ-glutamic acid
Authors: Balogun-Agbaje Olalekan A. , Odeniyi Olubusola A. , Odeniyi Michael A.
Published: June 2021

Background

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a biopolymer of microbial origin, consisting of repeating units of l-glutamic acid and/or D-glutamic acid. The biopolymer has found use in the fields of agriculture, food, wastewater, and medicine, owing to its non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible properties. Due to its biodegradability, γ-PGA is being tipped to dislodge synthetic plastics in drug delivery application. High cost of production, relative to plastics, is however a clog in the wheel of achieving this.

Main body of abstract

This review looked at the production, nanoparticles fabrication, and drug delivery application of γ-PGA. γ-PGA production optimization by modifying the fermentation medium to tailor towards the production of desirable polymer at reduced cost and techniques for the formulation of γ-PGA nanoparticle as well as its characterization were discussed. This review also evaluated the application of γ-PGA and its nanoparticles in the delivery of drugs to action site. Characterization of γ-PGA and its nanoparticles is a crucial step towards determining the applicability of the biopolymer. γ-PGA has been used in the delivery of active agents to action sites.

Conclusion

This review highlights some of the efforts that have been made in the appraisal of γ-PGA and its nanoparticles for drug delivery. γ-PGA is a candidate for future extensive use in drug delivery.
“Nanomaterials of curcumin-hyaluronic acid”: their various methods of formulations, clinical and therapeutic applications, present gap, and future directions
Authors: Charan Tanzeel Rehman , Bhutto Muhammad Aqeel , Bhutto Mihr Ali , Tunio Azhar Ali , Khuhro Ghulam Murtaza , Khaskheli Sheeraz Ahmed , Mughal Ayaz Ali
Published: June 2021

Background

Nanomaterials of curcumin with hyaluronic acid have gained a lot of attention for potential therapeutic applications of curcumin and hyaluronic acid with or without other additional drugs. Overall studies of curcumin and hyaluronic acid show that nanomaterials of curcumin with hyaluronic acid accelerate the efficacy of curcumin in the treatment of various disorders like arthritis, cancer, hepatic fibrosis, neural disorders, wound healing, and skin regeneration, it is largely due to the combined effect of hyaluronic acid and curcumin. However, due to limited clinical trials and experiments on humans and animals, there is a substantial gap in research for the safety and efficacy of nanomaterials of curcumin-hyaluronic acid in the treatment of curcumin and hyaluronic acid targeted diseases and disorders.

Main body of the abstract

In this current review, we have first described various reported synthetic nanomaterials of curcumin-hyaluronic acid, then in the next section, we have described various fields, disorders, and diseases where these are being applied and in the final section of this review, we discussed the research gap, and future research directions needed to propose the fabricated nanocurcumin-hyaluronic acid biomaterials.

Short conclusion

There are substantial gaps in research for the safety and efficacy of nanomaterials of curcumin with hyaluronic acid due to limited available data of clinical trials and experiments of nanocurcumin-hyaluronic acid biomaterials on humans and animals. So, it entirely requires serious and committed efforts through the well-organized system of practical and clinical trials which provide results, data, and detections that lead to the formulation of the best drug from curcumin with hyaluronic acid for the treatment of curcumin and hyaluronic acid targeted diseases and disorders.
Determinants of adoption and intensity of improved faba bean cultivars in the central highlands of Ethiopia: a double-hurdle approach
Authors: Kassa Yehuala , Giziew Almaz , Ayalew Dereje
Published: June 2021

Background

Faba bean (Vicia faba. L) is the most important pulse crop both in area coverage and volume of annual production in Ethiopia. However, productivity in terms of yield in Ethiopia is still far below its potential. One important reason is that farmers are largely dependent on their local landraces. Despite the release of about 34 improved faba bean cultivars, farmers’ use of certified improved seeds is very low. This study, therefore, aimed to generate useful information on farmers’ adoption of improved faba bean cultivars by identifying factors that determine a farmer’s decision to use improved cultivars.

Methods

A multi-stage sampling technique was followed to select sample households. A cross-sectional household survey was used to collect data from 168 households that were randomly selected. Moreover, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted. For data analysis, the Double-hurdle econometric model was employed.

Results

The results revealed that the majority, i.e., 77% of rural households depended on their local landraces. The adoption rate of improved faba bean seed at the household level was 23% which is very low. This low adoption rate was mainly due to a lack of access to improved seed and a lack of awareness about the improved cultivars. The results suggest that the decisions to adopt the improved cultivars and how much land to be covered appear to be explained by different processes. The double-hurdle econometric model result further revealed that while a farmer’s adoption decision is influenced by family size, farmers’ awareness about the existing improved cultivars, and extension contact, the intensity of adoption is determined by livestock holding and access to market information.

Conclusion

The result showed that most of the rural households were largely dependent on their local faba bean landraces which result in low yields at harvest. Therefore, it is suggested that the promotion of improved faba bean cultivars and improve farmers’ access to extension service and timely market information are the most decisive factors to be emphasized to improve the adoption of improved cultivars.
Staphylococcus aureus secreted lipases do not inhibit innate immune killing mechanisms
Authors: Sargison Fiona , Goncheva Mariya I , Alves Joana , Pickering Amy , Fitzgerald J Ross
Published: June 2021

Background: Staphylococcus aureus causes an array of diseases in both humans and livestock. Pathogenesis is mediated by a plethora of proteins secreted by S. aureus, many of which remain incompletely characterised. For example, S. aureus abundantly secretes two isoforms of the enzyme lipase into the extracellular milieu, where they scavenge upon polymeric triglycerides. It has previously been suggested that lipases may interfere with the function of innate immune cells, such as macrophages and neutrophils, but the impact of lipases on phagocytic killing mechanisms remains unknown.

Methods: We employed the epidemic S. aureus clone USA300 strain LAC and its lipase deficient isogenic mutant, along with recombinant lipase proteins, in in vitro experimental infection assays. To determine if lipases can inhibit innate immune killing mechanisms, the bactericidal activity of whole blood, human neutrophils, and macrophages was analysed. In addition, gentamycin protection assays were carried out to examine the influence of lipases on S. aureus innate immune cell escape.

Results: There were no differences in the survival of S. aureus USA300 LAC wild type and its lipase-deficient isogenic mutant after incubation with human whole blood or neutrophils. Furthermore, there was no detectable lipase-dependent effect on phagocytosis, intracellular survival, or escape from both human primary and immortalised cell line macrophages, even upon supplementation with exogenous recombinant lipases.

Conclusions: S. aureus lipases do not inhibit bacterial killing mechanisms of human macrophages, neutrophils, or whole blood. These findings broaden our understanding of the interaction of S. aureus with the innate immune system.
Weakly supervised anomaly segmentation in retinal OCT images using an adversarial learning approach
Authors: Wang Jing , Li Wanyue , Chen Yiwei , Fang Wangyi , Kong Wen , He Yi , Shi Guohua
Published: June 2021

Lesion detection is a critical component of disease diagnosis, but the manual segmentation of lesions in medical images is time-consuming and experience-demanding. These issues have recently been addressed through deep learning models. However, most of the existing algorithms were developed using supervised training, which requires time-intensive manual labeling and prevents the model from detecting unaware lesions. As such, this study proposes a weakly supervised learning network based on CycleGAN for lesions segmentation in full-width optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. The model was trained to reconstruct underlying normal anatomic structures from abnormal input images, then the lesions can be detected by calculating the difference between the input and output images. A customized network architecture and a multi-scale similarity perceptual reconstruction loss were used to extend the CycleGAN model to transfer between objects exhibiting shape deformations. The proposed technique was validated using an open-source retinal OCT image dataset. Image-level anomaly detection and pixel-level lesion detection results were assessed using area-under-curve (AUC) and the Dice similarity coefficient, producing results of 96.94% and 0.8239, respectively, higher than all comparative methods. The average test time required to generate a single full-width image was 0.039 s, which is shorter than that reported in recent studies. These results indicate that our model can accurately detect and segment retinopathy lesions in real-time, without the need for supervised labeling. And we hope this method will be helpful to accelerate the clinical diagnosis process and reduce the misdiagnosis rate.
Analysis of correlations between local geographic atrophy growth rates and local OCT angiography-measured choriocapillaris flow deficits
Authors: Moult Eric M. , Shi Yingying , Zhang Qinqin , Wang Liang , Mazumder Rahul , Chen Siyu , Chu Zhongdi , Feuer William , Waheed Nadia K. , Gregori Giovanni , Wang Ruikang K. , Rosenfeld Philip J. , Fujimoto James G.
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study is to quantitatively assess correlations
between local geographic atrophy (GA) growth rates and local optical
coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)-measured choriocapillaris (CC)
flow deficits. Thirty-eight eyes from 27 patients with GA secondary to
age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were imaged with a commercial
1050 nm swept-source OCTA instrument at 3 visits, each separated by
∼6 months. Pearson correlations were computed between local GA
growth rates, estimated using a biophysical GA growth model, and local
OCTA CC flow deficit percentages measured along the GA margins of the
baseline visits. The p-values associated with the null hypothesis of
no Pearson correlation were estimated using a Monte Carlo permutation
scheme that incorporates the effects of spatial autocorrelation. The
null hypothesis (Pearson’s ρ = 0) was
rejected at a Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate of 0.2 in 15 of
the 114 visit pairs, 11 of which exhibited positive correlations; even
amongst these 11 visit pairs, correlations were modest
(r in [0.30, 0.53]). The presented framework appears
well suited to evaluating other potential imaging biomarkers of local
GA growth rates.
Trace copper detection using in-line optical fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer combined with an optoelectronic oscillator
Authors: Ming Deng , Liu Xiangyu , Feng Danqi , Tang Yangxu , Zhu Tao
Published: June 2021

We experimentally demonstrate a novel optical fiber chemosensor for trace Cu2+ ions detection that is implemented by using an in-line optical fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) in conjunction with an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO). The MZI is fabricated by lateral offset splicing a section of D-shaped fiber between two single-mode fibers. It splices the broadband optical source into a sinusoidal-shaped light, which can form a single passband microwave photonic filter (MPF) by combining the Mach–Zehnder modulator, a segment of fiber and a photodetector. The center frequency of the MPF, determined by the free spectra range of MZI, is affected by the solution concentration. Incorporating the MPF in the OEO sensor, the oscillation frequency is determined by the solution concentration. Therefore, we can estimate the solution concentration by measuring the microwave frequency change. We carry out a proof to concept experiment. High sensitivity Cu2+ ions concentration sensing with sensitivity of 13 Hz/(μM/L) is achieved. The maximum measurement error of concentration obtained is within 1.38 μM/L. The proposed sensor has merits of high interrogation speed, simple operation, high sensitivity and accuracy, offering the potentials in a wide range of biological application scenarios.
Multicolor image classification using the multimodal information bottleneck network (MMIB-Net) for detecting diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Song Jingqi , Zheng Yuanjie , Wang Jing , Zakir Ullah Muhammad , Jiao Wanzhen
Published: June 2021

Multicolor (MC) imaging is an imaging modality that records confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) fundus images, which can be used for the diabetic retinopathy (DR) detection. By utilizing this imaging technique, multiple modal images can be obtained in a single case. Additional symptomatic features can be obtained if these images are considered during the diagnosis of DR. However, few studies have been carried out to classify MC Images using deep learning methods, let alone using multi modal features for analysis. In this work, we propose a novel model which uses the multimodal information bottleneck network (MMIB-Net) to classify the MC Images for the detection of DR. Our model can extract the features of multiple modalities simultaneously while finding concise feature representations of each modality using the information bottleneck theory. MC Images classification can be achieved by picking up the combined representations and features of all modalities. In our experiments, it is shown that the proposed method can achieve an accurate classification of MC Images. Comparative experiments also demonstrate that the use of multimodality and information bottleneck improves the performance of MC Images classification. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of DR identification utilizing the multimodal information bottleneck convolutional neural network in MC Images.
Real-time display camera communication system based on LED displays and smartphones
Authors: Bao Xingyu , Pan Junxing , Cai Zetao , Li Jingwen , Huang Xia , Chen Renzhang , Fang Junbin
Published: June 2021

Visible light communication based on display and camera can simultaneously provide the functionalities of display and invisible information transmission. There are widely potential applications in information broadcasting, stealth advertising, etc. In this paper, a real-time display camera communication system based on LED displays and smartphones is proposed. To solve the rate mismatch problem and the symbol unsynchronization problem between the LED display panel with a relatively high frame rate and the smartphones’ camera with a relatively low frame rate, we propose an Alternate Bit-flipping Repeat Coding scheme for adjustable frame rate matching and symbol synchronization with the advantage of eliminating flickers perceivable to human eyes. Fast image processing algorithms are also designed to decrease the computational complexity of extracting information from the captured video frames in real-time. An experimental system was implemented on a 16×16 points LED display panel with a refresh rate of 150 fps and a commercial Android smartphone with an 8 megapixels camera working at 30 fps and a self-developed Android APP. The experimental results show that the real-time LED display camera communication system can achieve a data transmission rate of 30 bps for one LED display point and a maximum distance of 80 cm, and the computational time on the Android smartphone for data receiving is only 11.827 ms.
Effect of Bi2O3 on the physical, structural and NIR emission properties of BGG glasses prepared using different melting atmospheres
Authors: Dubuis Simon , Messaddeq Sandra H. , Ledemi Yannick , Côté Arnaud , Messaddeq Younès
Published: June 2021

BGG -Bi2O3 glasses with composition 40GeO2–20Ga2O3–40BaO: x Bi2O3 (x = 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 - 1.0 mol %) were analyzed in terms of optical, thermal properties and structure. The dependence of Bi2O3 content on thermal, structural, and optical properties was investigated by thermal analysis (DSC), Raman spectroscopy, UV–visible and near-infrared absorption, and the M-Line technique to access refractive index values. The results show that with the increase of Bi2O3, the density, the glass transition temperature (Tg), the refractive index, and the optical band gap energy decrease. Different melting atmospheres were added during the syntheses to measure their impact on the photoluminescence of bismuth around 1300 nm. From XPS analysis, photoluminescence measurements indicate that the Bi3+ oxidation state is the main one responsible for the broad near-infrared band from 1000 nm to 1600 nm in these glasses.
Integrated fabrication of a high strain InGaAs/GaAs quantum well structure under variable temperature and improvement of properties using MOCVD technology
Authors: Wang Quhui , Wang Haizhu , Zhang Bin , Wang Xu , Liu Weichao , Wang Jiabin , Wang Jiao , Fan Jie , Zou Yonggang , Ma Xiaohui
Published: June 2021

An InGaAs/GaAs quantum well (QW) structure was prepared by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) via a new growth method, where the InGaAs well layer and the GaAs barrier layer were grown under a variable temperature. A GaAs protection layer was employed to avoid indium atom evaporation on the InGaAs surface during the temperature change. Room and low-temperature photoluminescence (RT/LT-PL), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) were carried out to investigate the effect of the variable temperature growth method. The theoretical and experimental results indicated that it could erase the 2D islands and rebuild the surface morphology to a step-flow mode surface. The quality of the InGaAs crystal layer was also improved because of the annealing-like treatment. In addition, the study found that when the thickness of the GaAs protection layer was 2 nm and the growth temperature of the InGaAs layer was 560°C, the maximal properties of the InGaAs/GaAs QW were achieved. Moreover, high-quality multiple QWs with five periods were grown with the tailored structure. The growth method will improve the properties of strained InGaAs/GaAs QW materials and provide technical support for a semiconductor laser's performance optimization.
Spatial pattern and determinants of sufficient knowledge of mother to child transmission of HIV and its prevention among Nigerian women
Authors: Olopha Paul Omoh , Fasoranbaku Akin Olusoga , Gayawan Ezra
Published: June 2021

The lack of sufficient knowledge of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among pregnant women is considered a major contributor to new pediatric HIV infections globally, and increasing HIV related infant mortality especially in developing countries. Nigeria has the highest number of new HIV infections among children in the world. This study was designed to examine the spatial pattern and determinants of acquisition of sufficient knowledge of MTCT and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) in Nigeria. The data used in the study were extracted from the 2018 Nigeria Democratic Health Survey. The spatial modeling was through a Bayesian approach with appropriate prior distributions assigned to the different parameters of the model and inference was through the integrated nested Laplace approximation technique (INLA). Results show considerable spatial variability in the acquisition of sufficient knowledge of MTCT and its prevention with women in the southwestern and southeastern part of the country having higher likelihood. The nonlinear effects findings show that acquisition of sufficient knowledge of MTCT and PMTCT increased with age of women and peaked at around age 35yearswhere it thereafter dropped drastically among the older women. Furthermore, sufficient knowledge of MTCT and PMTCT was found to be driven by ethnicity, respondents’ education and wealth status.
Predicting aptamer sequences that interact with target proteins using an aptamer-protein interaction classifier and a Monte Carlo tree search approach
Authors: Lee Gwangho , Jang Gun Hyuk , Kang Ho Young , Song Giltae
Published: June 2021

Oligonucleotide-based aptamers, which have a three-dimensional structure with a single-stranded fragment, feature various characteristics with respect to size, toxicity, and permeability. Accordingly, aptamers are advantageous in terms of diagnosis and treatment and are materials that can be produced through relatively simple experiments. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is one of the most widely used experimental methods for generating aptamers; however, it is highly expensive and time-consuming. To reduce the related costs, recent studies have used in silico approaches, such as aptamer-protein interaction (API) classifiers that use sequence patterns to determine the binding affinity between RNA aptamers and proteins. Some of these methods generate candidate RNA aptamer sequences that bind to a target protein, but they are limited to producing candidates of a specific size. In this study, we present a machine learning approach for selecting candidate sequences of various sizes that have a high binding affinity for a specific sequence of a target protein. We applied the Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS) algorithm for generating the candidate sequences using a score function based on an API classifier. The tree structure that we designed with MCTS enables nucleotide sequence sampling, and the obtained sequences are potential aptamer candidates. We performed a quality assessment using the scores of docking simulations. Our validation datasets revealed that our model showed similar or better docking scores in ZDOCK docking simulations than the known aptamers. We expect that our method, which is size-independent and easy to use, can provide insights into searching for an appropriate aptamer sequence for a target protein during the simulation step of SELEX.
Ecology of site-specific painting and drawing: Embodied and empathic mark-making in urban cites
Authors: Sarkar Asmita
Published: June 2021

The idea of ecology has changed drastically during the last few decades. The trend in scholarship has changed from exclusively studying nature and natural objects, to include human’s relationship to it. In this context the present article aims to look at the ecological implication of site-specific practice: concentrating on contemporary drawing and paintings realized in the context of urban India. To this aim some aspects of site-specific mark-making would be analysed seeking support from philosopher Merleau-Ponty’s (, ) idea of phenomenological embodiment and the theory of ecological perception proposed by psychologist ). Works of contemporary drawing/painting practitioners from India, practitioners such as Gagan Singh, artist collectives such as Networks and Neighborhood, St+art, Geechugalu, along with author’s own practice will illustrate how site-specific pattern-making can be a way of interacting with the environment, establishing new connections between art-materials, the environment, the viewers and the makers. These analyses will bring insights into how art practice can contribute to new ways of conceptualizing urban ecology.
Synthesis, Characterization, Biological and Molecular Docking
Studies of 1,3-Diphenyl-1H-pyrazole Terminated Imino Derivatives
Authors: Sandhya P.V. , Muhammad Niyas K.V. , Haridas K.R.
Published: June 2021

Herein, the novel pyrazole derivatives with imino moiety were synthsized, characterized using IR,
NMR, mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis and screened their biological activities. Molecular docking
studies were also carried out by the software Arguslab 4.0.1. The synthesized compounds showed
moderate to good biological activities both experimentally and theoretically.