bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of lithium in psychiatric, viral and neurological disorders - a review
Authors: Denys Barbara , Góra Karolina , Zdziennicki Wojciech , Zimnicki Patryk , Lato Marta , Iberszer Konrad , Litwiniuk Maria , Zaniuk Marcin , Hurkała Kamil , Antonik Dominika
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Lithium is one of the longest used drugs in psychiatry and is currently a mainstay in the long-term prophylaxis of bipolar disorder, preventing recurrent manic and depressive episodes. It also remains an important drug in the treatment of acute episodes of mania and depression. Out of the normothymic drugs, lithium has the greatest effect in preventing suicidal behavior. It also exhibits antiviral activity and in recent years evidence has also accumulated of the drug's neuroprotective properties. 

Aim of the study: The aim was to collect and analyze publications on the use of lithium in affective disorders, dementia and viral diseases, as well as its effect on reducing suicidal tendencies.

Materials and Methods: The literature available in the PubMed database was reviewed, using the key words: "lithium"; "bipolar disorder"; "mania", "depression"; "suicidal risk", "side effects".

Results: Chronic use of lithium in patients with bipolar disorder has an effect on preventing recurrence of manic and depressive episodes and can successfully last for 40 years or longer. Studies support the theory that long-term lithium pharmacotherapy has a significant impact on preventing suicidal tendencies among patients with affective disorders. In recent years, the antiviral and neuroprotective properties of the drug have also become known. Despite the rather high risk of overdose, as well as the occurrence of numerous side effects, lithium is still very often used in the treatment of affective disorders due to its high efficacy.

Conclusions: Lithium has been one of the mainstays of psychopharmacology for several decades and is a precursor to mood-stabilizing drugs. In recent years evidence has also been collected for its potential use in non-psychiatric conditions. Conducting further research on lithium will certainly allow for wider use of the drug and a more thorough understanding of its mechanism of action.
Cochlear implants – An Overview. Are CIs world’s most successful sensory prostheses?
Authors: Dendys Konrad , Bieniasz Jan , Bigos Paula , Kuźnicki Wojciech , Matkowski Igor , Potyrała Piotr
Published: July 2023

Cochlear implants (CIs) have greatly improved over the last 2 decades and now are the world’s most successful sensory prostheses, that restored hearing to more than 800,000 deaf people. CIs are small electronic devices that consists of an external portion that is located behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically fixed under the skin, they replace the function of the inner hair cells in the cochlea by direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. Although cochlear implantation has been used for almost 50 years, the indications for this procedure are subject to constant modifications but the main indication is the inability to achieve sufficient speech understanding. Properly implanted, fitted, and rehabilitated hearing prostheses allow to achieve open speech understanding in 70-80% of post-lingual deafness patients and very good speech development results in children. These days cochlear implantation has become the treatment of choice for people with significant hearing loss and are constantly being developed intensively.
use of retinoids in the treatment of skin lesions and prevention of signs of skin aging - a systematic review
Authors: Zapała Magdalena , Hunek Adrian , Kaziród Karolina , Chmielarz Karolina , Wiśniewska-Skomra Joanna , Tylutka Kinga , Hapon Anna , Dadziak Mikołaj
Published: July 2023

Retinoids are a group of substances that include vitamin A and its natural and synthetic derivatives. They are used in the treatment of various skin diseases, such as: rosacea, acne vulgaris, psoriasis. In addition, recently there is a lot of information about the action of preventing photoaging. Oral retinoids have been proven to be the most effective treatment  for acne of various severity available today. Through their comprehensive action, affecting the four main factors associated with the pathogenesis of acne, they significantly reduce skin changes. Externally applied retinoids regulate the renewal of epidermal cells, stimulate the production of collagen fibers, increase the production of elastin, and lead to an increase in the number and activity of fibroblasts. Therefore, more and more people are using preparations containing retinoids to prevent skin aging. It has been proven that this procedure leads to shallower wrinkles and slows down the appearance of new ones, and evens out the skin tone. Retinoids are effective substances, but their use is associated with the risk of various side effects, the most common of which are: skin irritation, photosensitisation, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and teratogenicity.
Management of the European Games 2023 by public administration - organizational and legal aspects
Authors: Mierzwa Piotr , Bugajska Małgorzata , Raniszewski Szymon , Borek Dominik , Dróżdż Mateusz , Tomanek Mateusz
Published: July 2023

The article deals with the management of the 2023 European Games by the public administration in organizational terms. In the main, the formal and legal regulations constituting the framework for the management of a major sports event were analyzed. The paper uses the dogmatic-egalitarian research method, which required an analysis of the detailed legal regulations of this area. The research aspects contained within the article form a functional whole developed by the four co-authors. They can be summarized as a kind of commentary on selected aspects most relevant to the management of the 2023 European Games. It is important that in their creation, research methods familiar to management and quality sciences and legal sciences were used. In the main, the predominant method was dogmatic and exegetical, which required an in-depth analysis of organizational aspects in the context of the use of literature and views of doctrine, as well as analysis of the legal text.
Portfolio Selection, Periodic Evaluations and Risk Taking
Authors: Tse Alex S. L. , Zheng Harry
Published: July 2023

Portfolio risk taking when periodic performance matters

Incentives of portfolio managers in real life are typically tied to their periodic performance—a criterion that has received very little attention to date. How does the repeated nature of the rewards influence the portfolio managers’ trading strategies? Tse and Zheng address this question via a dynamic model of investment in “Portfolio selection, periodic evaluations, and risk taking.” The return benchmark of the periodic evaluations plays a crucial role. A reasonable benchmark in conjunction with periodic payouts can mitigate excessive risk taking during market downturns. However, an overly aggressive benchmark could result in limited portfolio growth as well as ruin risk over the long run. The theoretical findings yield policy implications over incentives management and remuneration structure design to better align the short-term periodic interest of the portfolio managers and the long-term performance goal of the stakeholders.
Floating Data Centres for Ships are Making Waves
Authors: Knight Helen
Published: July 2023

New technology aims to improve sea safety and heighten awareness
Tech Helps Food Sector Shape Up
Authors: Stirling Will
Published: July 2023

Food manufacturing and engineering is a big and essential industry but it suffers from systemic weaknesses of low productivity, a falling labour supply and high amounts of waste. Technology is helping get it in trim
Measurement Invariance and Latent Profile Analysis of the Test Anxiety Inventory
Authors: Nwosu Kingsley Chinaza , Wahl W. P. , Hickman Gregory P. , Ede Moses Onyemaechi , Nwikpo Mary Nneka
Published: July 2023

Researchers have recognized the need for updates of test anxiety scales for more measurement accuracy. However, studies that investigated the measurement invariance of the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), and identified the latent profiles remain scare not withstanding its wide usage in Nigeria. This might have an impact on how generalizability and reliance on outcomes from such an instrument are handled. We investigated the measurement invariance of TAI and the latent profiles among Nigerian adolescents. Gender constituted our focus in the measurement invariance given its significance in test anxiety research. Adolescent students (n=539) formed the sample of our study. We employed the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the latent profile analysis (LPA) to measure the invariance and identify the class profiles. We found evidence of a measurement invariance across gender in both competing models given that we obtained strict measurement invariance. We also identified a four-class profile model for both male and female students: low (17.50%; 19.00%), moderate (17.50%; 34.40%), high (36.80 %; 32.80%), and very high (12.60%; 13.80%) test anxiety profiles respectively. We concluded that while the composed factors are equivalently scaled across gender that test anxious students were not monolithic given the identified profiles.
Transforming Students’ Pseudo-Thinking Into Real Thinking in Mathematical Problem Solving
Authors: Nizaruddin Nizaruddin , Kusmaryono Imam
Published: July 2023

This exploratory and descriptive study aims to theoretically promote the schema of pseudo-thinking processes in mathematical problem-solving by students. The participants in this study were 36 eighth graders and one math teacher. The researchers collected the data using tests and interviews. The results showed that the structure of pseudo-thinking based on the processes of assimilation and accommodation is theoretically composed of five hierarchical components, namely (a) the structure of the problem, (b) the structure of the subject's thinking, (c) the analytic process, (d) the integration of structures or substructures, and (e) the complete integration of structures. When the subject integrates incomplete substructures into existing thinking schemes, assimilation or accommodation becomes imperfect, resulting in cognitive disequilibrium. The results of such a thought process are called pseudo-thinking. Pseudo-thinking processes can be refined and improved into actual thinking processes through reflection and scaffolding. Assimilation and accommodation occur through defragmentation or organization to rearrange the internal schema so that full structural integration occurs. In the end, the subject experiences cognitive equilibrium so that it becomes an actual student thought process.
Type I Mirizzi syndrome treated by electrohydraulic lithotripsy under the direct view of SpyGlass: A case report
Authors: Liang Sheng-Nan , Jia Guo-Fa , Wu Li-Ying , Wang Jin-Zhi , Fang Zhen , Wang Shu-Hai
Published: July 2023

The modern medical education system has gradually evolved starting from 1910 incorporating the suggestions by Abraham Flexner, his public disclosure of the poor conditions at many medical schools provided a means to galvanize all the constituencies needed for reform to occur. He could say what other reformers could not, due to their links to the medical education community. But now we are again going back to a pre-Flexnerian state due to multiple reasons such as gradually diminishing importance of basic science subjects for the students, the decline in the number and quality of investigator initiated research among clinical researchers, lesser emphasis to bedside training by means of detailed clinical examination and making appropriate observation of signs to reach to a diagnosis rather than over reliance on the laboratory tests and radiological modalities for the diagnosis, poor exposure to basic clinical skills starting from college throughout residency and the trend of disrespect and absenteeism from both theoretical and clinical/practical classes. The attitude of students is just to complete their required attendance so that they are not barred from appearing in examinations. This de-Flexnerization trend and regression to pre-Flexnerian era standards, ideologies, structures, processes, and attitudes, are bound to beget pre-Flexnerian outcomes, for you get what you designed for.
Els beneficis de la música en l’aprenentatge fonològic d’una llengua estrangera
Authors: Baills Florence , Prieto Pilar
Published: July 2023

En els últims anys, l’ús de la música a les aules de llengua estrangera s’ha normalitzat i els docents empren sovint activitats lúdiques com ara l’audició de cançons per aprendre nou vocabulari o noves estructures gramaticals. Tanmateix, l’ús de la música sol ser percebut per part dels docents com un recurs merament motivador i lúdic, que s’insereix a l’aula per alternar-lo amb activitats més exigents. I ben poques vegades es valora la possibilitat d’emprar entrenaments purament musicals per millorar l’aprenentatge de la fonologia. L’objectiu principal d’aquest article és remarcar el valor de l’educació musical en el marc de l’aprenentatge de les habilitats fonològiques d’una llengua estrangera. Amb aquest objectiu, farem una breu revisió dels resultats dels treballs de recerca que han investigat l’estret vincle que hi ha entre música i llenguatge, la relació positiva entre les habilitats musicals, cognitives i lingüístiques, així com els efectes de transferència dels entrenaments musicals en l’aprenentatge de llengües, centrant-nos sobretot en l’àmbit de l’adquisició de la fonologia. En el marc de l’aprenentatge de llengües estrangeres, diversos estudis han demostrat un efecte positiu de transferència entre l’adquisició fonològica de la llengua estrangera i diversos tipus d’activitats musicals, tant les que integren el llenguatge (com ara les cançons) com els entrenaments purament musicals basats en la pràctica del ritme i la melodia (sobretot quan aquests s’associen amb el moviment del cos per part dels aprenents). Aquests resultats ens indiquen que, més enllà dels efectes lúdics de l’ús de la música a l’aula de llengua estrangera, la música potencia l’aprenentatge fonològic de la llengua i, per tant, cal valorar-la com una eina d’un gran valor educatiu.
Referències musicals en els programes de llengua catalana a França: cap a acords lingüístics i culturals
Authors: Rollin Marc
Published: July 2023

Centrant-se en el lloc i les referències que es fan a la música en els programes de llengua catalana de secundària i batxillerat a França, aquest article estudia les vies proposades a les instruccions oficials per tal de determinar quins vincles s’estableixen entre música, societat i educació. Per fer-ho, s’analitzen cinc programes, en relació amb el MECR (Marc europeu comú de referència per a les llengües), per tal de donar compte dels discursos o representacions vinculats a aquest possible recurs a la música dins de l’aula de llengua. En aquesta anàlisi, és la relació de la música amb la llengua i la cultura la que s’observa principalment.
The idea of an indigenous Chinese grammar
Authors: Hsieh Hsin-I
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACT: As Chinese linguistics encounters a more developed general linguistics, two opposite reactions emerged. One is to learn and imitate, while the other is to learn and innovate. As a visionary, William S-Y. Wang (1999) innovates. He rejected purely formal theories such as the Generative Grammar and envisioned an Indigenous Chinese Grammar (ICG) that takes culture into consideration. Echoing Wang's seminal vision, we offer a possible ICG. We focus on the perplexing pair of cai2 才 ('necessary') and jiu4 就 ('sufficient'). Both cai2 and jiu4 have divergent meanings that may be closely related, well related, remotely related, or even dubiously related. (See for example, you3qian2 cai2 jia4 ta1 'Marry him only if he is rich', ta1 cai2 lai2 'He has just come', wo3 cai2 you3qian2 'I am the one that has money', wo3 cai2 bu2 pao4 ne0 'I contrary to anybody's expectation am not afraid'.) Traditional formal theories seem unable to explain this wide range of divergence. But an Emergent Grammar (EG) can. Given a composition, EG enables its two elements to 'interact' into a largely unpredictable result. Free interactions in a specific context produce flexible results, making the derived meanings often unpredictable, as one would expect from a Complex system as opposed to a Complicated system. Realized as a complex-systematic approach to Chinese grammar, Wang's brilliant insight of ICG could well inspire and help launch a fresh advancement path in Chinese linguistics. 摘要: 当中国语言学面临比较先进的一般语言学挑战时，两个对立的反应出 现了。一个是学习与模仿，而另一个是学习与创新。作为一个有远见 的学者，王士元决定要创新。他拒绝了纯粹形式理论，例如生成语法， 而想象一个本土中文语法，能忠实展现底层中国文化特色。响应王的 创新视野，我们提出涌现语法理论，勾画一个可能的本土中文语法。 我们聚焦于令人困惑的"才"与"就"一对词。"才"与"就"都有 广泛的不同的意义。这些意义可能具有密切的，相当的，远程的，甚 或可疑的相互关联。例如，"有钱才嫁他啊""他才来""我才有钱" "我才不怕呢"。传统的形式理论看来无法解释这种广泛的分歧。但 是涌现语法能做到。针对一个复杂表达式，涌现语法使其中的两个成 分进行"互动"，来产生一个基本上不可预测的结果。具体语境中的 自由互动产生灵活的结果，导致派生的词义经常无法预测。 这就如新 的 复 合 系 统 (Complex System) 有 别 于 旧 的 复 杂 系 统 (Complicated System)所期望的一样。一旦实现为一个复合系统路径之后，王有关 本土中文语的真知灼见，很可能激发而促成一个前所未有的中国语言 学前进的新方向。
Chinese finiteness: Changeability, actuality, durationality and telicity
Authors: Sun Chaofen
Published: July 2023

ABSTRACT: This paper focuses on declarative sentences to demonstrate how four major concepts: changeability, actuality, durationality and telicity, work together in shaping Chinese finite clauses. In the Chinese lexicon there are changeable and unchangeable verbs distinguished by the latter's inability to co-occur with aspect particles in a finite clause. The changeable declaratives are further divided into two kinds: durational and nondurational, as the latter cannot occur alone without either the perfective le 1 in realis, or a modal auxiliary. Moreover, the durational declaratives can occur in either irrealis modality negated by bù or realis modality negated by měi(yǒu) . The declarative sentences for durational events are linguistically distinct in terms of telicity: the progressive zài and imperfective zhe are atelic, and the perfective le 1 and experiential guo are telic. Just like other world languages as was noted by Givón (1995, 2001), Chinese finiteness is also characteristically gradient, with the least finite forms functioning like a noun and the most finite forms functioning as a declarative sentence with an obligatory aspect particle. 摘要: 汉语定式句为陈述句，有四个特征：可变、实现、持续和终结。作为 陈述句，可变类受词汇限制，不可变动词可直接完句，但不可带体 词。可变类分持续和不可持续两类。不可持续的动词无情态助词或完 成体标记时不能单独完句。持续类又可分为现实和非现实两类，非现 实类否定用"不"，现实类否定用"没(有)"。现实类的标志为四个 体标记：非终结性的进行体"在"和非完成体"着"以及终结性的经 验体"过"和完成体"了1"。根据Givón (1995, 2001)的理论，具有上 述特征的汉语定式系统是一个连续统，一端为作名词用的不定式通用 动词，中间为非现实定式陈述句，另一端为动词带有体标记的定式 陈述句。
3D shape recovery algorithm from image orientations of textured surfaces
Authors: Shimokawa Takeaki
Published: July 2023

Previous psychophysical studies have demonstrated that the image orientation of textured surfaces guides human 3D shape perception. However, the accuracy of computational 3D shape reconstruction solely from image orientation requires further study. This paper proposes a 3D shape recovery algorithm from the image orientation of a single textured surface image. The evaluation of the proposed algorithm uses computer-generated textured complex 3D surfaces. The depth correlations between the recovered and true surface shapes achieved or exceeded 0.8, which is similar to the accuracy of human shape perception, as shown in a previous psychophysical study, indicating that the image orientations contain adequate information for 3D shape recovery from textured surface images.
100 W, tunable in-band thulium fiber amplifier pumped by incoherently combined 1.9 µm fiber lasers
Authors: Cook Justin , Sincore Alex , Vail Nicholas , Krämer Ria G. , Goebel Thorsten A. , Roumayah Patrick , Bryan Joshua , Bodnar Nathan , Nolte Stefan , Richardson Martin
Published: July 2023

We detail the design and performance of a high efficiency in-band pumped thulium fiber amplifier operating at the 100 W level. Using a novel pumping architecture based on three incoherently combined thulium fiber oscillators at 1904 nm and a seed laser tunable from 1970–1990 nm, efficient amplification is demonstrated in a high dopant concentration 25/65/250 µm thulium fiber. Here we use the 65 µm pedestal surrounding the core as a pump cladding to increase the cladding to core overlap and improve the overall pump absorption. Up to 89% slope efficiency is obtained with ∼100 W output power at 1990 nm. These results indicate that in-band pumping is a viable route to circumvent the thermal limitations associated with 793 nm diode pumping and provide a pathway for development of multi-kW laser sources in the 2 µm spectral window.
Full characterization of vector eigenstates in symmetrically confined systems with photonic spin-orbit coupling
Authors: Luo Xiaoxuan , Cai Yin , Yue Xin , Zhang Yanpeng , Yun Feng , Li Feng
Published: July 2023

The photonic spin-orbit (SO) coupling is a widely investigated effect in optical microcavities leading to various interesting physical phenomena and potential applications. We report the full sets of eigenenergies and eigenstates in a symmetrically confined potential under the effect of SO coupling induced by the transverse-electric transverse-magnetic (TE-TM) splitting, which are derived analytically via the degenerate perturbation theory. We obtained the eigenenergies and the eigenstates from the 1st to the 6th orders of excited manifold, and demonstrate unambiguously that universal rules governing the mode formation exist in such complicated photonic systems, making the modes exhibiting the features of solid and hollow skyrmions as well as spin vortices. We show that these eigenstates can be described by the SO coupled hyperspheres that can be decomposed into a series of higher-order Poincare spheres. Our results significantly extend the area of microcavity spin-optronics to the general theory of eigenvalues in confined systems, and provide an efficient theoretical frame for the information processing using microcavity-based high-dimensional vector states.
All-polarization-maintaining, efficiently wavelength-tunable, Er-doped mode-locked fiber laser with a compact reflective Lyot filter
Authors: Dai Maolin , Liu Bowen , Shirahata Takuma , Sun Xiangnan , Set Sze Yun , Yamashita Shinji
Published: July 2023

Wavelength tunable mode-locked fiber lasers have highly potential applications in precision spectroscopy, nonlinear microscopy and photonic sensing. Here, we present a compact and thermal-sensitive reflective Lyot filter and utilize it for all-polarization-maintaining efficiently wavelength-tunable Er-doped carbon-nanotube-mode-locked laser for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The output wavelength of the laser can be tuned from 1544.46 nm to 1572.71 nm, with a wide tuning range of 28.25 nm, and a remarkable tuning efficiency of 0.589 nm/°C, when the angle-spliced fiber is only 8.2 cm and the free spectral range of the filter is 31.32 nm. Dual-wavelength mode-locking is also achieved at boundary temperatures when increasing the pump power. Due to its compact size and reflection configuration, the proposed reflective Lyot filter is promising for realizing highly efficient wavelength tuning and multiwavelength generation in all-polarization-maintaining fiber lasers where reflective filters are needed.
Optimized performance of 905 nm semiconductor lasers by using the high strain quantum well
Authors: Wang Juwen , Qi Aiyi , Xu Chuanwang , Zhang Weiqiao , Fu Ting , Zhou Xuyan , Zheng Wanhua
Published: July 2023

We propose and experimentally demonstrate that the lasing power and characteristic temperature (T0) of 905 nm semiconductor lasers can be optimized by use of the high strain quantum well (HSQW). To fix the lasing wavelength around 905 nm, HSQW with a higher ndium (In) content of the InGaAs gain material than that of the commonly used low strain quantum well (LSQW) requires a thickness-reduced quantum well. Thus, the HSQW has the following two advantages: stronger quantum size effects caused by the deep and thin quantum well, and higher compressive strain caused by a high In content of the InGaAs gain material. With the similar epitaxial structure, laser diodes with HSQW have a characteristic temperature T0 of 207 K and can deliver a higher lasing power with less power saturations. The high strain quantum well optimization method can be extended to other laser diodes with a wavelength near 900 nm with low In content InGaAs quantum wells and other similar low-strain gain material systems.
Intracavity filtering in SESAM mode-locked fiber lasers: soliton effects and noise performance
Authors: Bogusławski Jakub , Sterczewski Łukasz , Stachowiak Dorota , Soboń Grzegorz
Published: July 2023

We characterized and analyzed the effect of intracavity spectral filtering in the Er:fiber laser mode-locked with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). We studied the dispersive properties of bandpass filters and their influence on the characteristics of generated soliton pulses. Our analysis showed that various sideband structures were induced by the filter dispersion profiles and shaped through the interaction of the soliton with the dispersive wave. In addition, intracavity filtering improved the intensity and phase noise of the laser significantly, and we showed optimal filtering conditions for both types of noise. By adding a 10 nm bandpass filter to the laser resonator, the intensity and phase noise were improved 2- and 2.6 times, respectively.
Two-step diffraction method for an optical 360° cylindrical holographic display
Authors: Liu Xinhao , Wang Jun , Wang Mohan , Zhou Jie , Zhang Yuqi , Wu Yang
Published: July 2023

We present a two-step diffraction method for an optical 360∘ cylindrical holographic display with a planar spatial light modulator (SLM) and a 45∘ conical mirror. The first step involves layered diffraction of the cylindrical object surface to obtain the complex amplitude distribution on the conical mirror, and the second step is the coordinate transformation, followed by plane-to-plane diffraction to finally obtain the hologram. Numerical simulations and optical experiments show that our proposed method offers improved accuracy in the propagation process compared with the previous method; furthermore, it enables better quality of reconstruction, particularly at large radius of object surface. We believe it is a solid step toward practicality for a cylindrical holographic display.
Super-resolution imaging system developed from vector superoscillatory field illumination
Authors: Qi Rui , Gbur Greg
Published: July 2023

Superoscillations are oscillations of a band limited waveform with a local frequency higher than the bandlimit. Spatial superoscillations show great potential for performing super-resolution imaging. However, these superoscillatory waveforms are inevitably surrounded by high intensity sidelobes which severely limit the usable super-resolved area of an image. In this study, we demonstrate how polarization engineering can be used in some circumstances to suppress superoscillation sidelobes, taking advantage of the transverse wave nature of light. We illustrate the principle by a model super-resolution imaging system that can image Rayleigh scatterers with separations smaller than the classic Rayleigh criterion.
Secure semantic optical communication scheme based on the multi-head attention mechanism
Authors: Ma Yilan , Ren Jianxin , Liu Bo , Mao Yaya , Wu Xiangyu , Chen Shuaidong , Ma Yiming , Jiang Lei , Wu Mengjie , Zhao Nan , Zhang Juntao , Wu Yongfeng , Ullah Rahat
Published: July 2023

In this paper, an artificial-intelligence-based secure semantic optical communication scheme is proposed. The semantic features of the original text information are extracted using Transformer. Compared with other networks, Transformer reduces the complexity of the structure and the associated training cost by using the multi-head attention mechanism. To solve the security problem, the encryption scheme is applied to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed passive optical network (OFDM-PON). The proposed scheme applies chaotic sequences to produce masking vectors. We encrypt the constellation and frequency, achieving a large key space of 1 × 10270. To prove that Transformer can effectively extract the semantic features of text, we have computed the values of ROUGE-1, ROUGE-2, and ROUGE-L, which are 40.9, 18.02, and 37.17, respectively. An encrypted 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM) OFDM signal transmission over a 2 km seven-core fiber with a data rate of 78.5 Gbits/s was experimentally demonstrated. During the experiments, the bit error rate (BER) was analyzed and the results show that the proposed system improves efficiency and security in an OFDM-PON system.
Evaluating the utility of brightfield image data for mechanism of action prediction
Authors: Harrison Philip John , Gupta Ankit , Rietdijk Jonne , Wieslander Håkan , Carreras-Puigvert Jordi , Georgiev Polina , Wählby Carolina , Spjuth Ola , Sintorn Ida-Maria
Published: July 2023

Fluorescence staining techniques, such as Cell Painting, together with fluorescence microscopy have proven invaluable for visualizing and quantifying the effects that drugs and other perturbations have on cultured cells. However, fluorescence microscopy is expensive, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and the stains applied can be cytotoxic, interfering with the activity under study. The simplest form of microscopy, brightfield microscopy, lacks these downsides, but the images produced have low contrast and the cellular compartments are difficult to discern. Nevertheless, by harnessing deep learning, these brightfield images may still be sufficient for various predictive purposes. In this study, we compared the predictive performance of models trained on fluorescence images to those trained on brightfield images for predicting the mechanism of action (MoA) of different drugs. We also extracted CellProfiler features from the fluorescence images and used them to benchmark the performance. Overall, we found comparable and largely correlated predictive performance for the two imaging modalities. This is promising for future studies of MoAs in time-lapse experiments for which using fluorescence images is problematic. Explorations based on explainable AI techniques also provided valuable insights regarding compounds that were better predicted by one modality over the other.
A retrospective cohort analysis leveraging augmented intelligence to characterize long COVID in the electronic health record: A precision medicine framework
Authors: Strasser Zachary H. , Dagliati Arianna , Shakeri Hossein Abad Zahra , Klann Jeffrey G. , Wagholikar Kavishwar B. , Mesa Rebecca , Visweswaran Shyam , Morris Michele , Luo Yuan , Henderson Darren W. , Samayamuthu Malarkodi Jebathilagam ,   The Consortium for Clinical Characterization of COVID-19 by EHR (4CE), Omenn Gilbert S. , Xia Zongqi , Holmes John H. , Estiri Hossein , Murphy Shawn N.
Published: July 2023

Physical and psychological symptoms lasting months following an acute COVID-19 infection are now recognized as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Accurate tools for identifying such patients could enhance screening capabilities for the recruitment for clinical trials, improve the reliability of disease estimates, and allow for more accurate downstream cohort analysis. In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the EHR of hospitalized COVID-19 patients across three healthcare systems to develop a pipeline for better identifying patients with persistent PASC symptoms (dyspnea, fatigue, or joint pain) after their SARS-CoV-2 infection. We implemented distributed representation learning powered by the Machine Learning for modeling Health Outcomes (MLHO) to identify novel EHR features that could suggest PASC symptoms outside of typical diagnosis codes. MLHO applies an entropy-based feature selection and boosting algorithms for representation mining. These improved definitions were then used for estimating PASC among hospitalized patients. 30,422 hospitalized patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 across three healthcare systems between March 13, 2020 and February 28, 2021. The mean age of the population was 62.3 years (SD, 21.0 years) and 15,124 (49.7%) were female. We implemented the distributed representation learning technique to augment PASC definitions. These definitions were found to have positive predictive values of 0.73, 0.74, and 0.91 for dyspnea, fatigue, and joint pain, respectively. We estimated that 25 percent (CI 95%: 6–48), 11 percent (CI 95%: 6–15), and 13 percent (CI 95%: 8–17) of hospitalized COVID-19 patients will have dyspnea, fatigue, and joint pain, respectively, 3 months or longer after a COVID-19 diagnosis. We present a validated framework for screening and identifying patients with PASC in the EHR and then use the tool to estimate its prevalence among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Analysis of bacterial vaginosis, the vaginal microbiome, and sexually transmitted infections following the provision of menstrual cups in Kenyan schools: Results of a nested study within a cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mehta Supriya D. , Zulaika Garazi , Agingu Walter , Nyothach Elizabeth , Bhaumik Runa , Green Stefan J. , van Eijk Anna Maria , Kwaro Daniel , Otieno Fredrick , Phillips-Howard Penelope
Published: July 2023

Background

Nonhygienic products for managing menstruation are reported to cause reproductive tract infections. Menstrual cups are a potential solution. We assessed whether menstrual cups would reduce bacterial vaginosis (BV), vaginal microbiome (VMB), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as studies have not evaluated this.

Methods and findings

A cluster randomized controlled trial was performed in 96 Kenyan secondary schools, randomized (1:1:1:1) to control, menstrual cup, cash transfer, or menstrual cup plus cash transfer. This substudy assessing the impact of menstrual cups on BV, VMB, and STIs, included 6 schools from the control (3) and menstrual cup only (3) groups, both receiving BV and STI testing and treatment at each visit. Self-collected vaginal swabs were used to measure VMB (16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing), BV (Nugent score), and STIs. STIs were a composite of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (nucleic acid amplification test) and Trichomonas vaginalis (rapid immunochromatographic assay). Participants were not masked and were followed for 30 months. The primary outcome was diagnosis of BV; secondary outcomes were VMB and STIs. Intention-to-treat blinded analyses used mixed effects generalized linear regressions, with random effects term for school. The study was conducted between May 2, 2018, and February 7, 2021. A total of 436 participants were included: 213 cup, 223 control. There were 289 BV diagnoses: 162 among control participants and 127 among intervention participants (odds ratio 0.76 [95% CI 0.59 to 0.98]; p = 0.038). The occurrence of Lactobacillus crispatus–dominated VMB was higher among cup group participants (odds ratio 1.37 [95% CI 1.06 to 1.75]), as was the mean relative abundance of L. crispatus (3.95% [95% CI 1.92 to 5.99]). There was no effect of intervention on STIs (relative risk 0.82 [95% CI 0.50 to 1.35]). The primary limitations of this study were insufficient power for subgroup analyses, and generalizability of findings to nonschool and other global settings.

Conclusions

Menstrual cups with BV and STI testing and treatment benefitted adolescent schoolgirls through lower occurrence of BV and higher L. crispatus compared with only BV and STI testing and treatment during the 30 months of a cluster randomized menstrual cup intervention.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03051789.
Patterns of testing in the extensive Danish national SARS-CoV-2 test set-up
Authors: Gram Mie Agermose , Steenhard Nina , Cohen Arieh Sierra , Vangsted Anne-Marie , Mølbak Kåre , Jensen Thøger Gorm , Hansen Christian Holm , Ethelberg Steen
Published: July 2023

Background

The Danish national SARS-CoV-2 mass test system was among the most ambitious worldwide. We describe its set-up and analyse differences in patterns of testing per demography and time period in relation to the three waves of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Denmark.

Methods

We included all reported PCR- and rapid antigen-tests performed between 27 February 2020 and 10 March 2022 among all residents aged 2 years or above. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression models were used to analyse characteristics of individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2 using a national cohort study design.

Results

A total of 63.7 million PCR-tests and 60.0 million rapid antigen-tests were performed in the study period, testing 90.9% and 78.8% of the Danish population at least once by PCR or antigen, respectively. Female sex, younger age, Danish heritage and living in the capital area were all factors positively associated with the frequency of PCR-testing. The association between COVID-19 vaccination and PCR-testing changed from negative to positive over time.

Conclusion

We provide details of the widely available, free-of-charge, national SARS-CoV-2 test system, which served to identify infected individuals, assist isolation of infectious individuals and contact tracing, and thereby mitigating the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Danish population. The test system was utilized by nearly the entire population at least once, and widely accepted across different demographic groups. However, demographic differences in the test uptake did exist and should be considered in order not to cause biases in studies related to SARS-CoV-2, e.g., studies of transmission and vaccine effectiveness.
Interlayer charge transfer in supported and suspended MoS2/Graphene/MoS2 vertical heterostructures
Authors: Rocha Robledo Ana K. , Flores Salazar Mario , Muñiz Martínez Bárbara A. , Torres-Rosales Ángel A. , Lara-Alfaro Héctor F. , Del Pozo-Zamudio Osvaldo , Cerda-Méndez Edgar A. , Jiménez-Sandoval Sergio , De Luna Bugallo Andres
Published: July 2023

In this letter, we report on the optical and structural properties of supported and suspended MoS2/Graphene/MoS2 vertical heterostructures using Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. Vertical heterostructures (VH) are formed by multiple wet transfers on micro-sized holes in SiO2/Si substrates, resulting in VH with different configurations. The strong interlayer coupling is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, we observe an enhancement of the PL emission in the three-layer VH (either support or suspended) compared with bare MoS2 or MoS2/Graphene. This suggests the formation of a spatial type-II band alignment assisted by the graphene layer and thus, the operation of the VH as a n++/metal/n junction.
Spatial distribution, and predictors of late initiation of first antenatal care visit in Ethiopia: Spatial and multilevel analysis
Authors: Abebe Gossa Fetene , Birhanu Anteneh Messele , Alemayehu Dereje , Girma Desalegn , Berchedi Ashenafi Assefa , Negesse Yilkal
Published: July 2023

Background

Despite the proven benefit of early initiation of first antenatal care visits as a means to achieve good maternal and neonatal health outcomes through early detection and prevention of risks during pregnancy, shreds of evidence showed that most of the women in Ethiopia start their ANC visits lately.

Objective

To determine the spatial distribution and predictors of late initiation of first antenatal care visits among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia.

Method

The 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS) data were used. A total weighted sample of 2,935 reproductive-age women who gave birth in the five years preceding the survey and who had antenatal care visits for their last child was included. To check the nature of the distribution of late initiation of ANC visits, the global Moran’s I statistics were applied. Gettis-OrdGi statistics and spatial interpolation using the Ordinary Kriging method were done to identify the spatial locations and to predict unknown locations of late initiation of first ANC visits, respectively. For the predictors, a multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model was applied. Finally, statistical significance was declared at a p-value < 0.05.

Results

The prevalence of late initiation of first ANC visits in Ethiopia was 62.6%. The spatial analysis showed that the late initiation of first ANC visits significantly varied across regions of Ethiopia. The spatial interpolation predicted the highest rates of late initiation of first ANC visits in the eastern SNNPRs, southern and western Oromia, and some parts of the Somalia region. Being rural residents, attending higher education, having medium wealth status, richer wealth status, richest wealth status, having ≥ 5 family size, a household headed by male, living in SNNPRs, and Oromia regions were significant predictors of late initiation of first ANC visits.

Conclusion

A clustered pattern of areas with high rates of late initiation of the first ANC visit was detected in Ethiopia. Public health intervention targeting the identified hotspot areas, and women’s empowerment would decrease the late start of the first ANC visit. Furthermore, the identified predictors should be underscored when designing new policies and strategies.
Association of mental health conditions and functional gastrointestinal disorders among Vietnamese new-entry medical students
Authors: Tran Tam Thao Tuyet , Luu Mai Ngoc , Tran Linh Le , Nguyen Duy , Quach Duc Trong , Hiyama Toru
Published: July 2023

Background

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), also known as disorders of gut-brain interaction, occur not only in the elderly but also in young adults. This study aimed to evaluate the association between mental health conditions and FGIDs among Vietnamese new-entry medical students.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2022 among new-entry medical students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A printed questionnaire was distributed to all students on the day of freshmen health screening. Their urine samples were collected to screen for Helicobacter pylori infection using rapid urinary test. FGIDs were diagnosed using ROME IV criteria. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was defined as the presence of typical reflux symptoms at least twice a week. Mental health conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), were identified using Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales, respectively.

Results

Among 400 new-entry medical students who participated in the study, the overall prevalence of FGIDs was 10.3% (functional dyspepsia 6.5%, irritable bowel disease 5.5%). The overlap syndrome (OS) of GERD-FGIDs or different FGIDs was present in 3.0% of participants. The prevalences of GAD and MDD were 6.8% and 10.2%, respectively. The urinary test was positive in 180 (45.0%) participants. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, MDD was significantly associated with not only the risk of FGIDs (OR = 5.599, 95%CI: 2.173–14.430, p<0.001) but also the risk of OS (OR = 10.076, 95CI%: 2.243–45.266, p = 0.003).

Conclusions

MDD is associated with FGIDs and OS among new-entry medical students.
Synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using methanol propolis extract (Pro-ZnO NPs) as antidiabetic and antioxidant
Authors: P. D. Dwi Ajeng , Plashintania Dyna Ratnasari , Putri Rindia M. , Wibowo Indra , Ramli Yusrin , Herdianto Sabrina , Indarto Antonius
Published: July 2023

In recent times, the overall health of individuals has been declining due to unhealthy lifestyles, leading to various diseases, including diabetes. To address this issue, antidiabetic and antioxidant agents are required to back-up human well-being. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one such substance known for its antidiabetic and antioxidant effects. To enhance its capability and effectiveness, propolis was utilized to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (Pro-ZnO NPs). The objective of this study was to synthesize Pro-ZnO NPs and assess their performance by conducting inhibition assays against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, as well as a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The results showed that Pro-ZnO NPs were formed in a hexagonal wurtzite structure, with particle sizes ranging from 30 to 50 nm and an absorption band observed at 341 nm. The stability, chemical properties, and crystallography of Pro-ZnO NPs were also thoroughly examined using appropriate methods. The Pro-ZnO NPs demonstrated significant inhibitory effects against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, with inhibition rates reaching 69.52% and 73.78%, respectively, whereas the antioxidant activity was as high as 70.76%. Consequently, with their high inhibition rates, the Pro-ZnO NPs demonstrate the potential to be employed as a natural agent for combating diabetes and promoting antioxidant effects.
Knowledge exchange sessions on primary health care research findings in public libraries: A qualitative study with citizens in Quebec
Authors: Laberge Maude , Brundisini Francesca Katherine , Zomahoun Hervé Tchala Vignon , Sawadogo Jasmine , Massougbodji José , Gogovor Amédé , David Geneviève , Légaré France
Published: July 2023

Little is known about knowledge transfer with the public. We explored how citizens, physicians, and communication specialists understand knowledge transfer in public spaces such as libraries. The initial study aimed at evaluating the scaling up of a program on disseminating research findings on potentially inappropriate medication. Twenty-two citizen workshops were offered by 16 physicians and facilitated by 6 communication specialists to 322 citizens in libraries during spring 2019. We did secondary analysis using the recorded workshop discussions to explore the type of knowledge participants used. Participants described four kinds of knowledge: biomedical, sociocultural beliefs, value-based reasoning, and institutional knowledge. Biomedical knowledge included scientific evidence, research methods, clinical guidelines, and access to research outcomes. Participants discussed beliefs in scientific progress, innovative clinical practices, and doctors’ behaviours. Participants discussed values related to reliability, transparency, respect for patient autonomy and participation in decision-making. All categories of participants used these four kinds of knowledge. However, their descriptions varied particularly for biomedical knowledge which was described by physician-speakers and communication specialists-facilitators as scientific evidence, epidemiological and clinical practice guidelines, and pathophysiological theories. Communication specialists-facilitators also described scientific journalistic sources and scientific journalistic reports as proxies of scientific evidence. Citizens described biomedical knowledge in terms of knowledge to make informed decisions. These findings offer insights for future scientific knowledge exchange interventions with the public.