bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Follicular Hyperstimulation Dysgenesis: New Explanation for Adverse Effects of Excessive FSH in Ovarian Stimulation
Authors: Clark Zaramasina L , Ruebel Meghan L , Schall Peter Z , Karl Kaitlin R , Ireland James J , Latham Keith E
Published: July 2022

High follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) doses during ovarian stimulation protocols for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are detrimental to ovulatory follicle function and oocyte quality. However, the mechanisms are unclear. In a small ovarian reserve heifer model, excessive FSH doses lead to phenotypic heterogeneity of ovulatory size follicles, with most follicles displaying signs of premature luteinization and a range in severity of abnormalities. By performing whole transcriptome analyses of granulosa cells, cumulus cells, and oocytes from individual follicles of animals given standard or excessive FSH doses, we identified progressive changes in the transcriptomes of the 3 cell types, with increasing severity of follicular abnormality with the excessive doses. The granulosa and cumulus cells each diverged progressively from their normal phenotypes and became highly similar to each other in the more severely affected follicles. Pathway analysis indicates a possible dysregulation of the final stages of folliculogenesis, with processes characteristic of ovulation and luteinization occurring concurrently rather than sequentially in the most severely affected follicles. These changes were associated with disruptions in key pathways in granulosa and cumulus cells, which may account for previously reported reduced estradiol production, enhanced progesterone and oxytocin production and diminished ovulation rates. Predicted deficiencies in oocyte survival, stress response, and fertilization suggest likely reductions in oocyte health, which could further compromise oocyte quality and ART outcomes.
How to Read the Rock Face? Getting Old in the Archive of Postcolonial Mexico
Authors: O'Hara Matt
Published: July 2022

Could the horrors of Spanish colonialism be resolved when Mexico became a postcolonial republic? What did liberty mean for Indigenous peoples in the aftermath of independence from Spain? In the 1830s, Manuel Espinosa de los Monteros tried to answer these questions by reading ancient symbols high on the rock face of Tianguistepetl. Espinosa's reading of the rock face led to the most aggressive prediction of Indigenous political liberation in early Mexico. He produced a work of history and prophecy that probed the limits of the new nation to address the legacies of colonialism. Immersed in the wreckage of the past, an old man surveyed the ruins and imagined a future that looked nothing like the world outside his doors. This article analyzes Espinosa's prophecy and explores the methodological challenges of studying historical subjects who are at odds with their earlier selves.
Toward a Holistic Demographic Profile of Sexual and Gender Minority Well-being
Authors: Stacey Lawrence , Reczek Rin , Spiker R
Published: July 2022

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations experience disadvantages in physical health, mental health, and socioeconomic status relative to cisgender heterosexual populations. However, extant population research has tended to use objective measures and ignore subjective measures, examined well-being outcomes in isolation, and lacked information on less well studied but possibly more disadvantaged SGM subgroups. In this study, we use Gallup's National Health and Well-Being Index, which permits identification of gay/lesbian, bisexual, queer, same-gender-loving, those who identify as more than one sexual identity, transgender men, transgender women, and nonbinary/genderqueer populations. We estimate bivariate associations and ordinary least-squares regression models to examine differences along five dimensions of well-being: life purpose, residential community belonging, physical and mental health, financial well-being, and social connectedness. The results reveal that most SGM groups experience stark disadvantages relative to heterosexuals and cisgender men, which are most pronounced among bisexual, queer, and nonbinary/genderqueer populations. Intergroup and intragroup variations illuminate even greater disparities in well-being than prior research has uncovered, bringing us closer to a holistic profile of SGM well-being at the population level.
Understanding the development of oral epithelial organs through single cell transcriptomic analysis
Authors: Ye Qianlin , Bhojwani Arshia , Hu Jimmy K.
Published: July 2022

During craniofacial development, the oral epithelium begins as a morphologically homogeneous tissue that gives rise to locally complex structures, including the teeth, salivary glands and taste buds. How the epithelium is initially patterned and specified to generate diverse cell types remains largely unknown. To elucidate the genetic programs that direct the formation of distinct oral epithelial populations, we mapped the transcriptional landscape of embryonic day 12 mouse mandibular epithelia at single cell resolution. Our analysis identified key transcription factors and gene regulatory networks that define different epithelial cell types. By examining the spatiotemporal patterning process along the oral-aboral axis, our results propose a model in which the dental field is progressively confined to its position by the formation of the aboral epithelium anteriorly and the non-dental oral epithelium posteriorly. Using our data, we also identified Ntrk2 as a proliferation driver in the forming incisor, contributing to its invagination. Together, our results provide a detailed transcriptional atlas of the embryonic mandibular epithelium, and unveil new genetic markers and regulators that are present during the specification of various oral epithelial structures.
SmcHD1 underlies the formation of H3K9me3 blocks on the inactive X chromosome in mice
Authors: Ichihara Saya , Nagao Koji , Sakaguchi Takehisa , Obuse Chikashi , Sado Takashi
Published: July 2022

Stable silencing of the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in female mammals is crucial for the development of embryos and their postnatal health. SmcHD1 is essential for stable silencing of the Xi, and its functional deficiency results in derepression of many X-inactivated genes. Although SmcHD1 has been suggested to play an important role in the formation of higher-order chromatin structure of the Xi, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we explore the epigenetic state of the Xi in SmcHD1-deficient epiblast stem cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts in comparison with their wild-type counterparts. The results suggest that SmcHD1 underlies the formation of H3K9me3-enriched blocks on the Xi, which, although the importance of H3K9me3 has been largely overlooked in mice, play a crucial role in the establishment of the stably silenced state. We propose that the H3K9me3 blocks formed on the Xi facilitate robust heterochromatin formation in combination with H3K27me3, and that the substantial loss of H3K9me3 caused by SmcHD1 deficiency leads to aberrant distribution of H3K27me3 on the Xi and derepression of X-inactivated genes.
Growth conditions inducing G1 cell cycle arrest enhance lipid production in the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi
Authors: Morimoto Yasutaka , Saitoh Shigeaki , Takayama Yuko
Published: July 2022

Lipid droplets are cytoplasmic organelles that store lipids for energy and membrane synthesis. The oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi is one of the most promising lipid producers and has attracted attention as a biofuel source. It is known that the expansion of lipid droplets is enhanced under nutrient-poor conditions. Therefore, we prepared a novel nitrogen-depleted medium (N medium) in which to culture L. starkeyi cells. Lipid accumulation was rapidly induced, and this was reversed by the addition of ammonium. In this condition, cell proliferation stopped, and cells with giant lipid droplets were arrested in G1 phase. We investigated whether cell cycle arrest at a specific phase is required for lipid accumulation. Lipid accumulation was repressed in hydroxyurea-synchronized S phase cells and was increased in nocodazole-arrested G2/M phase cells. Moreover, the enrichment of G1 phase cells seen upon rapamycin treatment induced massive lipid accumulation. From these results, we conclude that L. starkeyi cells store lipids from G2/M phase and then arrest cell proliferation in the subsequent G1 phase, where lipid accumulation is enhanced. Cell cycle control is an attractive approach for biofuel production.
Ανασυγκρότηση αστικών περιοχών μετά τον Β’ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο
Authors: Αλεξιάδου Σωτηρία
Published: July 2022

Το μεγαλύτερο ποσοστό του κτισμένου περιβάλλοντος της Θεσσαλονίκης σήμερα, είναι αποτέλεσμα της ανοικοδόμησης μετά τον Β’ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο. Η στρατηγική της ανασυγκρότησης, σε πολεοδομικό και σε κτιριακό επίπεδο, διέπεται από κοινές χειρονομίες στις μεγάλες πόλεις της χώρας, αλλά η Θεσσαλονίκη εμφανίζει ιδιαιτερότητες και ως προς την εκκίνηση της και ως προς τους όρους οικοδομικής ανάπτυξης της. Το πρόγραμμα ανοικοδόμησης της πόλης μετά την πυρκαγιά του 1917 διακόπηκε από τον B’ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο και τον εμφύλιο. Η Θεσσαλονίκη εισήλθε στη μεταπολεμική της φάση έχοντας ως κατεύθυνση ανάπτυξής τα προπολεμικά διατάγματα, όμως οι αλλαγές του πολιτικού- κοινωνικού - οικονομικού τοπίου, επέβαλαν τροποποιήσεις στα έως τότε ισχύοντα. Βασικός στόχος του πονήματος είναι η κατανόηση του «παιχνιδιού» της ανασυγκρότησης της Θεσσαλονίκης κατά την μεταπολεμική περίοδο, μέσω των συνθηκών και των κανόνων που συνεισέφεραν τόσο στη διαμόρφωση του αστικού πεδίου, όσο στην αρχιτεκτονική και την εικόνα της πόλης, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τις διαφορετικές ομάδες πρωταγωνιστών που επηρέασαν το αποτέλεσμα. Η μεθοδολογία περιλαμβάνει έρευνα σε πρωτογενείς και δευτερογενείς πηγές, συνεντεύξεις που πραγματοποιήθηκαν στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας έρευνας και επιτόπια παρατήρηση. Τα παραπάνω συνέδραμαν στην τεκμηρίωση της διαδικασίας της πολεοδομικής ανασυγκρότησης της Θεσσαλονίκης, της εμπλοκής των μηχανικών και εργολάβων στην ανοικοδόμηση της πόλης και της αρχιτεκτονικής εξέλιξης κτιρίων δημόσιας χρήσης, κοινωνικής κατοικίας και κυρίως των ιδιωτικών κτιρίων του «Κοινού Καθημερινού Μοντερνισμού» της Θεσσαλονίκης κατά την περίοδο 1947-1974.
Kategorie analityczne konfliktu politycznego w interdyscyplinarnej perspektywie
Authors: Sobkowiak Leszek
Published: July 2022

ANALYTICAL CATEGORIES OF POLITICAL CONFLICT IN AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE

The article takes up selected issues present in research on social conflicts: 1. The impact of theoretical and methodological pluralism of social sciences on the evolution and current state of the theory of social conflict; 2. The importance of the interdisciplinary approach in explaining research problems and constructing the theory of conflict; 3. Sociological, psychological and political aspects of conflict research, including social inequalities, the influence of cognitive and emotional processes on the perception of reality and conflict activities, the origin and regulation of political conflicts related to the processes of exercising power and the diversification of the political structure of society; 4. The complexity of the basic categories of the political conflict analysis scheme: causes, phases, strategies, and methods of operation of entities, types, and effects.
Teoria krytyczna jako narzędzie kreowania działania politycznego na przykładzie partii Podemos
Authors: Górnicka Weronika
Published: July 2022

CRITICAL THEORY AS A TOOL FOR CREATING POLITICAL ACTION ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE PODEMOS PARTY
The main objective of the article is to analyze the theoretical basis of the creation of political activity based on the case of the Spanish party Podemos, which can be treated as a theoretical construct transferred to political reality by means of tools derived from the research experience of its creators, especially Pablo Iglesias Turrión and Íñigo Errejón Galván. By interpreting reality on the basis of theories derived from the post-Marxist paradigm, an entity has been created with nationwide influence that affected the nature and direction of political activity taken by both politicians and citizens. The study aims to demonstrate the validity, feasibility, and conditions of applying solutions based on theoretical aspects.
The Orchard of Neoclassical Realism – Weathered Tree, Graft or Seedling?
Authors: Kozub-Karkut Magdalena , Filary-Szczepanik Mateusz
Published: July 2022

The aim of this article is to assess the progressiveness of neoclassical realism (NCR) in the context of neorealism’s development. By appealing to the idea of Lakatos research programs, it shows possible ways of NCR’s development and projects its possible futures. The article proceeds in three parts. The first one juxtaposes literature concerning Lakatos’s notion of scientific progress in IR with the philosopher himself and consequently shows how trying to operationalize his methodology in social science is not the way to go. The paper refers to both Elmans’ (2002, 2003) and Schweller’s (2003) proposals, pointing out that the first attempt at a detailed operationalization of Lakatos’s idea is not possible in social sciences, and that the second, relying on a commonsense approach, also proved insufficient to apply Lakatos’s criteria in practice. The second part of the article identifies the theoretical contents of NCR: hard core as well as its positive and negative heuristic, whereas the third one presents how Lakatos’s philosophy inspired the authors to develop three metaphors – weathered tree, graft, and seedling – that help to convey something about the present version of NCR and its possible futures. Conclusions draw the readers’ attention to the question whether and which of the presented metaphors shows the progressive promise of NCR’s progress as understood in Lakatos’ terms.
Populismo y democracia en América Latina. Los casos de Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador y Venezuela (1994-2020)
Authors: Colalongo Rodolfo , Rivas Otero José Manuel
Published: July 2022

El populismo mantiene una relación ambivalente con la democracia liberal. Los lí­deres populistas suelen reclamar el poder para el pueblo y se consideran a sí mismos verdaderos demócratas, mientras sus detractores los acusan de demagogos o autorita­rios. En la literatura académica coexisten estas dos formas de entender el populismo: como amenaza a la democracia liberal o como una oportunidad de cambio político que contribuye a ampliar los espacios democráticos. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar cómo evolucionaron los principales índices de calidad de la democracia se­gún V-Dem en los países latinoamericanos que han tenido gobiernos adscritos a la izquierda populista, con el fin de comprobar si el populismo es una amenaza, un correctivo o, simplemente, una cuestión teórica sin mayores implicaciones prácticas para la democracia.
When Autoimmunity ‘DRESSes up’: A Case after Certolizumab Therapy
Authors: Marigliano Benedetta , Rosa Federico , Internullo Mattia , Scuro Luigi , Tavanti Andrea , Del Vecchio Lucia Rita , Romagno Francesco Paolo , Schito Maria Barbara , Pace Federica , Colombo Giovanni Maria , Guglielmelli Emanuele
Published: July 2022

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) is characterised by skin rash together with visceral organ involvement, lymphadenopathy, eosinophilia and atypical lymphocytosis. The syndrome is clinically heterogeneous, making diagnosis challenging. It has an annual incidence of 2 per 100,000 population and a mortality rate of 2–10%. We describe the first case of DRESS induced by certolizumab, a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bioDMARD).
Experimental demonstration of single-span 100-km O-band 4×50-Gb/s CWDM direct-detection transmission
Authors: Hong Yang , Taengnoi Natsupa , Bottrill Kyle R. H. , Thipparapu Naresh K. , Wang Yu , Sahu Jayanta K. , Richardson David J. , Petropoulos Periklis
Published: July 2022

We report on what is to the best of our knowledge the longest 50-Gb/s/λ O-band wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) transmission. A pair of in-house built bismuth-doped fiber amplifiers (BDFAs) and the use of Kramers-Kronig detection-assisted single-sideband transmission are adopted to overcome the fiber loss and chromatic dispersion, respectively, in a reach-extended O-band coarse WDM (CWDM) system with a channel spacing of ∼10 nm. Through experiments on an amplified 4×50-Gb/s/λ direct-detection system based on booster and pre-amp BDFAs, we show the superior performance of single-sideband transmission in terms of both optical signal-to-noise ratio sensitivity and uniformity in performance amongst CWDM channels relative to double-sideband transmission after both 75-km and 100-km lengths of single-mode fiber. As a result, up to 100-km reach with comparable performance at all 50-Gb/s channels was achieved without the need for in-line optical amplification.
Temporal and spectral multiplexing for EUV multibeam ptychography with a high harmonic light source
Authors: Brooks Nathan J. , Wang Bin , Binnie Iona , Tanksalvala Michael , Esashi Yuka , Knobloch Joshua L. , Nguyen Quynh L. D. , McBennett Brendan , Jenkins Nicholas W. , Gui Guan , Zhang Zhe , Kapteyn Henry C. , Murnane Margaret M. , Bevis Charles S.
Published: July 2022

We demonstrate temporally multiplexed multibeam ptychography implemented for the first time in the EUV, by using a high harmonic based light source. This allows for simultaneous imaging of different sample areas, or of the same area at different times or incidence angles. Furthermore, we show that this technique is compatible with wavelength multiplexing for multibeam spectroscopic imaging, taking full advantage of the temporal and spectral characteristics of high harmonic light sources. This technique enables increased data throughput using a simple experimental implementation and with high photon efficiency.
Extreme events in two laterally-coupled semiconductor lasers
Authors: Mu Penghua , Huang Yu , Zhou Pei , Zeng Yao , Fang Qi , Lan Ruijun , He Pengfei , Liu Xia , Guo Gang , Liu Xintian , Li Nianqiang
Published: July 2022

Rogue waves (RWs) are extreme and rare waves that emerge unexpectedly in many natural systems and their formation mechanism and prediction have been extensively studied. Here, we numerically demonstrate the appearance of extreme events (EEs) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, in the chaotic regimes of a two-element coupled semiconductor laser array. Based on coupled-mode theory, we characterize the occurrence of EEs by calculating the probability distribution, which confirms the RW-type feature of the intensity pulses, i.e., non-Gaussian distribution. Combining with the results of the 0-1 test for chaos, we confirm that EEs originate from deterministic nonlinearities in coupled semiconductor laser systems. We show that EEs can be predicted with a long anticipation time. Furthermore, simulation results manifest that the occurrence probability of EEs can be flexibly tuned by tailoring the coupling parameter space. With the help of two-dimension maps, the effects of key parameters, i.e., the waveguide structure and the pump level, on the formation of EEs are discussed systematically. This work provides a new platform for the research of EEs in a highly integrated structure and opens up a novel investigation field for coupled semiconductor laser arrays.
Random adaptive tool path for zonal optics fabrication
Authors: Negi Vipender Singh , Wang Tianyi , Garg Harry , Pullen Weslin C. , Ke Xiaolong , Kumar RR Shravan , Choi Heejoo , Tiwari Umesh Kumar , Karar Vinod , Kim Daewook
Published: July 2022

Deterministic optics fabrication using sub-aperture tools has been vital for manufacturing precision optical surfaces. The fabrication process requires the tool influence function and the tool path to calculate the dwell time that guides the tool to bring surface quality within tight design tolerances. Widely used spiral and raster paths may leave excess waviness from the tool path, and the unavoidable constant removal layer is added to obtain positive dwell time. This waviness can be removed by either using smaller tools sequentially or randomizing the tool path. However, the existing tool-path solutions can hardly adapt to different surface aperture shapes and localized surface errors. Process efficiency and accuracy are also not well considered in tool-path planning. We propose an innovative zonal Random Adaptive Path (RAP) to solve these problems in this study. Firstly, RAP can be flexibly adapted to different surface aperture shapes by introducing part boundary. Secondly, an average threshold strategy is used in the RAP planning to improve efficiency, enabling the surface errors to be selectively corrected. Finally, the threshold is performed in several passes within one processing cycle, each with its RAP, until the desired residual is achieved. The performance of the proposed RAP is studied by comparing it with the conventional tool paths. The results demonstrated that RAP takes the least processing time and achieves the best surface quality, which verifies the effectiveness of RAP in deterministic optics fabrication.
Wide-angle broadband antireflection coatings with nano-taper hydrated alumina film
Authors: Wang Hailan , Yang Chenying , Wang Yusi , Yuan Wenjia , Zheng Tingting , Chen Xiao , Liu Yujie , Zhang Yueguang , Shen Weidong
Published: July 2022

Wide-angle and broadband antireflection (AR) coating is of the essence in modern optical systems in many fields, which has a great influence on the stray light and imaging quality. A simple and convenient manufacturing method is proposed to address this issue based on a composite coating combining the nano-tapered Al2O3•xH2O (AH) structure and high-low index thin film stack. The optical properties of nano-tapered AH structure at various thickness are first studied and modeled in optics by several homogeneous sub-layers with the graded equivalent index. The designed composite AR coatings are manufactured by vacuum deposition and wet etching subsequently in the hot deionized water. Compared to the common dielectric multilayer antireflection stack, the composite coating presents excellent AR performance. The measured average reflectance values of the double-side coated BK7 glass are as low as 0.40%, 0.41%, 0.56% and 3.13% in 400-1100nm band at angles of incidence (AOI) of 6°, 20°, 40°, and 60°, respectively, while the measured average transmittance at normal incidence increases up to 99.3%. Finally, the process reproductivity, environmental reliability test including long term storage, high temperature annealing and 85°C-85% relative humidity storage of the composite coatings are evaluated. The proposed AR scheme provides a low-cost, efficient, wide-angle and broadband AR coating for kinds of large-curvature components and complex surfaces in fields of consumer electronics, automotive, security, etc.
Infrared metasurface absorber based on silicon-based CMOS process
Authors: Zhang Yichen , Wu Zhihai , Xia Jun , Wu Jun , Yang Keyang , Dong Chengkun , Tong Guodong , Zhang Hao , Yang Rui , Luo Yong
Published: July 2022

Metasurface with metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure has absorption properties for incident light at specific wavelengths. In this paper, we propose an infrared metasurface absorber based on silicon-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. By adding the prepared infrared metasurface absorber to the liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) chip, it is used as the absorbing layer of LCoS configured between the pixel unit and the CMOS driver circuit. The effect of zero-order light caused by the gap between pixels in LCoS spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM) on the light modulation function of the device is effectively reduced. Experiments show that the LCoS-SLM with infrared metasurface absorption structure can eliminate the zero-order light interference between the pixel gaps to a great extent and improve the modulation efficiency of the device. The proposed LCoS-SLM integrating infrared metasurface absorber structure based on silicon-based CMOS process has the advantages of low-cost and high modulation efficiency, which has high application value in the fields of holographic display, optical computing and optical communication.
Ultra-sensitive refractive index sensing enabled by a dramatic ellipsometric phase change at the band edge in a one-dimensional photonic crystal
Authors: Wu Feng , Liu Dejun , Li Yan , Li Hongju
Published: July 2022

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and Bloch surface waves (BSWs) have been widely utilized to design sensitive refractive index sensors. However, SPP- and BSW-based refractive index sensors require additional coupling component (prism) or coupling structure (grating or fiber), which increases the difficulty to observe ultra-sensitive refractive index sensing in experiments. Herein, we realize dramatic ellipsometric phase change at the band edges in an all-dielectric one-dimensional photonic crystal for oblique incidence. By virtue of the dramatic ellipsometric phase change at the long-wavelength band edge, we design an ultra-sensitive refractive index sensor at near-infrared wavelengths. The minimal resolution of the designed sensor reaches 9.28×10−8 RIU. Compared with SPP- and BSW-based refractive index sensors, the designed ultra-sensitive refractive index sensor does not require any additional coupling component or coupling structure. Such ultra-sensitive refractive index sensor would possess applications in monitoring temperature, humidity, pressure, and concentration of biological analytes.
Simultaneous telemetry of temperature and vibration by laser dispersion spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Rende , Xu Lijun , Huang Ang , Cao Zhang
Published: July 2022

In many industrial applications, temperature and mechanical vibration are closely coupled but measured separately. A novel, to the best of our knowledge, method for simultaneous telemetry of temperature and vibration parameters was proposed in this work from laser dispersion spectroscopy profiles at two different central wavelengths. The temperature was extracted from the peak-to-peak ratio of these two absorption spectra. The vibration amplitude as well as its frequency were derived from the time-varying baselines of the two spectra. A telemetry sensor was designed and evaluated on a thermal vibration coupled experiment platform. The extracted temperatures agree well with the readings of a reference thermocouple, and the signal-to-noise ratio is at least 18 dB higher than those by classical direct laser absorption spectroscopy (DLAS). The extracted vibration frequencies are the same as the outputs of a commercial laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV), and the sensitivity of the extracted vibration amplitudes is 3.64 micrometers, in terms of the Allan variance.
Silicon–organic hybrid thermo-optic switch based on a slot waveguide directional coupler
Authors: Chiang Li-Yuan , Wang Chun-Ta , Pappert Steve , Yu Paul K. L.
Published: July 2022

We propose and demonstrate a passively biased 2 × 2 thermo-optic switch with high power efficiency and fast response time. The device benefits from the highly concentrated optical field of a slot waveguide mode and the strong thermo-optic effect of a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) cladding. The NLC fills the nano-slot region and is aligned by the subwavelength grating inside. The measured power consumption and thermal time constant are 0.58 mW and 11.8 µs, respectively, corresponding to a figure-of-merit of 6.8 mW µs. The proposed silicon-organic hybrid device provides a new solution to design thermo-optic actuators having low power consumption and fast operation speed.
Reliability and validity of the Hungarian version of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5)
Authors: S. Nagy Zita , Salgó Ella , Bajzát Bettina , Hajduska-Dér Bálint , Unoka Zsolt Szabolcs
Published: July 2022

Objectives and methods

In order to assess the internal consistency, fit indexes, test-retest reliability, and validity of the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) and its associations with age, gender, and education, 471 non-clinical (69,6% female; mean age: 37,63) and 314 clinical participants (69,7% female, mean age: 37,41) were administered the Hungarian translation of the PID-5, as well as the SCL-90-R and the SCID-II Personality Questionnaire.

Results

We found that; (a) temporal consistency of the Hungarian PID-5 was confirmed by one-month test-retest reliability analysis, (b) validity of the PID-5 instrument is acceptable in the clinical and the non-clinical sample as well, based on significant correlations with SCID-II and SCL-90-R, (c) PID-5 facets’ and domains’ associations with gender, age, and level of education are in accordance with previous findings.

Conclusion

These findings support that the Hungarian PID-5 is a reliable and valid instrument for both clinical and non-clinical populations.
Feature-level ensemble approach for COVID-19 detection using chest X-ray images
Authors: Ho Thi Kieu Khanh , Gwak Jeonghwan
Published: July 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2), also known as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has threatened many human beings around the world and capsized economies at unprecedented magnitudes. Therefore, the detection of this disease using chest X-ray modalities has played a pivotal role in producing fast and accurate medical diagnoses, especially in countries that are unable to afford laboratory testing kits. However, identifying and distinguishing COVID-19 from virtually similar thoracic abnormalities utilizing medical images is challenging because it is time-consuming, demanding, and susceptible to human-based errors. Therefore, artificial-intelligence-driven automated diagnoses, which excludes direct human intervention, may potentially be used to achieve consistently accurate performances. In this study, we aimed to (i) obtain a customized dataset composed of a relatively small number of images collected from publicly available datasets; (ii) present the efficient integration of the shallow handcrafted features obtained from local descriptors, radiomics features specialized for medical images, and deep features aggregated from pre-trained deep learning architectures; and (iii) distinguish COVID-19 patients from healthy controls and pneumonia patients using a collection of conventional machine learning classifiers. By conducting extensive experiments, we demonstrated that the feature-based ensemble approach provided the best classification metrics, and this approach explicitly outperformed schemes that used only either local, radiomic, or deep features. In addition, our proposed method achieved state-of-the-art multi-class classification results compared to the baseline reference for the currently available COVID-19 datasets.
Risk factors for graft loss and death among kidney transplant recipients: A competing risk analysis
Authors: Pinto-Ramirez Jessica , Garcia-Lopez Andrea , Salcedo-Herrera Sergio , Patino-Jaramillo Nasly , Garcia-Lopez Juan , Barbosa-Salinas Jefferson , Riveros-Enriquez Sergio , Hernandez-Herrera Gilma , Giron-Luque Fernando
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Kidney transplantation is the best therapeutical option for CKD patients. Graft loss risk factors are usually estimated with the cox method. Competing risk analysis could be useful to determine the impact of different events affecting graft survival, the occurrence of an outcome of interest can be precluded by another. We aimed to determine the risk factors for graft loss in the presence of mortality as a competing event.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of 1454 kidney transplant recipients who were transplanted between July 1, 2008, to May 31, 2019, in Colombiana de Trasplantes, were analyzed to determine risk factors of graft loss and mortality at 5 years post-transplantation. Kidney and patient survival probabilities were estimated by the competing risk analysis. The Fine and Gray method was used to fit a multivariable model for each outcome. Three variable selection methods were compared, and the bootstrapping technique was used for internal validation as split method for resample. The performance of the final model was assessed calculating the prediction error, brier score, c-index and calibration plot.

Results

Graft loss occurred in 169 patients (11.6%) and death in 137 (9.4%). Cumulative incidence for graft loss and death was 15.8% and 13.8% respectively. In a multivariable analysis, we found that BKV nephropathy, serum creatinine and increased number of renal biopsies were significant risk factors for graft loss. On the other hand, recipient age, acute cellular rejection, CMV disease were risk factors for death, and recipients with living donor had better survival compared to deceased-donor transplant and coronary stent. The c-index were 0.6 and 0.72 for graft loss and death model respectively.

Conclusion

We developed two prediction models for graft loss and death 5 years post-transplantation by a unique transplant program in Colombia. Using a competing risk multivariable analysis, we were able to identify 3 significant risk factors for graft loss and 5 significant risk factors for death. This contributes to have a better understanding of risk factors for graft loss in a Latin-American population. The predictive performance of the models was mild.
Association between urinary biomarkers MMP-7/TIMP-2 and reduced renal function in children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction
Authors: Wang Hsin-Hsiao S. , Cho Patricia S. , Zhi Hui , Kostel Stephen A. , DiMartino Shannon , Dagher Adelle M. , Davis Kylie H. , Cabour Lily D. , Shimmel Ashley , Lee James , Froehlich John W. , Zurakowski David , Moses Marsha A. , Lee Richard S.
Published: July 2022

Importance

Extracellular matrix proteins and enzymes involved in degradation have been found to be associated with tissue fibrosis and ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). In this study we developed a promising urinary biomarker model which can identify reduced renal function in UPJ obstruction patients. This can potentially serve as a non-invasive way to enhance surgical decision making for patients and urologists.

Objective

We sought to develop a predictive model to identify UPJO patients at risk for reduced renal function.

Design

Prospective cohort study

Setting

Pre-operative urine samples were collected in a prospectively enrolled UPJO biomarker registry at our institution. Urinary MMP-2, MMP-7, TIMP-2, and NGAL were measured as well as clinical characteristics including hydronephrosis grade, differential renal function, t1/2, and UPJO etiology.

Participants

Children who underwent pyeloplasty for UPJO

Main outcome measurement

Primary outcome was reduced renal function defined as MAG3 function <40%. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to identify the independent predictive biomarkers in the original Training cohort. Model validation and generalizability were evaluated in a new UPJO Testing cohort.

Results

We included 71 patients with UPJO in the original training cohort and 39 in the validation cohort. Median age was 3.3 years (70% male). By univariate analysis, reduced renal function was associated with higher MMP-2 (p = 0.064), MMP-7 (p = 0.047), NGAL (p = 0.001), and lower TIMP-2 (p = 0.033). Combining MMP-7 with TIMP-2, the multivariable logistic regression model predicted reduced renal function with good performance (AUC = 0.830; 95% CI: 0.722–0.938). The independent testing dataset validated the results with good predictive performance (AUC = 0.738).

Conclusions and relevance

Combination of urinary MMP-7 and TIMP-2 can identify reduced renal function in UPJO patients. With the high sensitivity cutoffs, patients can be categorized into high risk (aggressive management) versus lower risk (observation).
Testing the Hayek hypothesis: Recent theoretical and experimental evidence
Authors: Al-Ubaydli Omar , Boettke Peter , Albrecht Brian C.
Published: July 2022

Economists well understand that the work of Friedrich Hayek contains important theoretical insights. It is less often acknowledged that his work contains testable predictions about the nature of market processes. Vernon Smith termed the most important one the ‘Hayek hypothesis’: that gains from trade can be realized in the presence of diffuse, decentralized information, and in the absence of price-taking behavior and centralized market direction. Vernon Smith tested this prediction by surveying data on laboratory experimental markets and found strong support. We extend Smith’s work first by showing how subsequent theoretical advances provide a theoretical foundation for the Hayek Hypothesis. We then test the hypothesis using recent field experimental market data. Using field experiments allows us to test several other predictions from Hayek, such as that market experience increases the realized gains from trade. Generally speaking, we find support for Hayek’s theories.
Impact of frailty in elderly patients with moderate to severe asthma
Authors: Figueiredo Ricardo G. , Pinheiro Gabriela P. , Arata Vanessa , Leal Maisa F. M. , Santana Cinthia V. N. , Tiraboschi Taciana L. , Bessa Junior José , Cruz Álvaro A.
Published: July 2022

Frailty assessment has been identified as critical approach in chronic respiratory diseases with substantial impact in the health status and functionality in later life. Aging modifies the immune response leading to a chronic pro-inflammatory state and increased susceptibility to airway infections. Since epigenetic changes, airway epithelium dysfunction and inflammatory cytokine activity seem to be more pronounced in the immunosenescence, elderly asthmatics are at higher risk of poor clinical outcomes. Therefore, we hypothesize that frailty would be associated with the degree of asthma control in elderly patients with moderate to severe asthma. The aims of this study are to investigate association between frailty and asthma control in patients over 60 years old to estimate the prevalence of frailty in this study population. We plan to conduct a cross-sectional study with at least 120 patients above 60 years old with diagnostic of moderate to severe asthma according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, treated at a referral outpatient clinic. We defined asthma control by the six-domain Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-6) and frailty phenotype in accordance with Fried scale and visual scale of frailty (VS-Frailty). We hope to analyze the multidimensional relationships between frailty and asthma and contribute to innovative therapeutic plans in geriatric asthma.
The future health and economic burden of obesity-attributable type 2 diabetes and liver disease among the working-age population in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Coker Timothy , Saxton Jennifer , Retat Lise , Alswat Khalid , Alghnam Suliman , Al-Raddadi Rajaa Mohammad , Abdul Razack Habeeb Ibrahim , Webber Laura , Alqahtani Saleh A.
Published: July 2022

Background

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are increasing in Saudi Arabia (SA). Among other conditions, these risk factors increase the likelihood of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which in turn increases risks for advanced liver diseases, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and cancer. The goal of this study was to quantify the health and economic burden of obesity-attributable T2DM and liver disease in SA.

Methods

We developed a microsimulation of the SA population to quantify the future incidence and direct health care costs of obesity-attributable T2DM and liver disease, including liver cancer. Model inputs included population demographics, body mass index, incidence, mortality and direct health care costs of T2DM and liver disease and relative risks of each condition as a function of BMI category. Model outputs included age- and sex-disaggregated incidence of obesity-attributable T2DM and liver disease and their direct health care costs for SA’s working-age population (20–59 years) between 2020 and 2040.

Results

Between 2020 and 2040, the available data predicts 1,976,593 [± 1834] new cases of T2DM, 285,346 [±874] new cases of chronic liver diseases, and 2,101 [± 150] new cases of liver cancer attributable to obesity, amongst working-age people. By 2040, the direct health care costs of these obesity-attributable diseases are predicted to be 127,956,508,540 [± 51,882,446] USD.

Conclusions

The increase in obesity-associated T2DM and liver disease emphasises the urgent need for obesity interventions and strategies to meaningfully reduce the future health and economic burden of T2DM, chronic liver diseases and liver cancer in SA.
A taxonomically representative strain collection to explore xenobiotic and secondary metabolism in bacteria
Authors: Kontomina Evanthia , Garefalaki Vasiliki , Fylaktakidou Konstantina C. , Evmorfidou Dorothea , Eleftheraki Athina , Avramidou Marina , Udoh Karen , Panopoulou Maria , Felföldi Tamás , Márialigeti Károly , Fakis Giannoulis , Boukouvala Sotiria
Published: July 2022

Bacteria employ secondary metabolism to combat competitors, and xenobiotic metabolism to survive their chemical environment. This project has aimed to introduce a bacterial collection enabling comprehensive comparative investigations of those functions. The collection comprises 120 strains (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes), and was compiled on the basis of the broad taxonomic range of isolates and their postulated biosynthetic and/or xenobiotic detoxification capabilities. The utility of the collection was demonstrated in two ways: first, by performing 5144 co-cultures, recording inhibition between isolates and employing bioinformatics to predict biosynthetic gene clusters in sequenced genomes of species; second, by screening for xenobiotic sensitivity of isolates against 2-benzoxazolinone and 2-aminophenol. The co-culture medium of Bacillus siamensis D9 and Lysinibacillus sphaericus DSM 28T was further analysed for possible antimicrobial compounds, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and guided by computational predictions and the literature. Finally, LC-MS analysis demonstrated N-acetylation of 3,4-dichloroaniline (a toxic pesticide residue of concern) by the actinobacterium Tsukamurella paurometabola DSM 20162T which is highly tolerant of the xenobiotic. Microbial collections enable "pipeline" comparative screening of strains: on the one hand, bacterial co-culture is a promising approach for antibiotic discovery; on the other hand, bioremediation is effective in combating pollution, but requires knowledge of microbial xenobiotic metabolism. The presented outcomes are anticipated to pave the way for studies that may identify bacterial strains and/or metabolites of merit in biotechnological applications.
Smaller CO2 injection volume and lower gastric pressure induce bothersome symptoms in drug-resistant functional dyspepsia patients with less frequent belching
Authors: Momma Eri , Kanai Saori , Hoshikawa Yoshimasa , Koeda Mai , Tanabe Tomohide , Hoshino Shintaro , Kawami Noriyuki , Kaise Mitsuru , Iwakiri Katsuhiko
Published: July 2022

Background

The relationship between bothersome symptoms and gastric pressure or CO2 injection volumes in drug-resistant functional dyspepsia (FD) patients remains unknown; therefore, this relationship was examined in drug-resistant FD and non-FD patients.

Methods

Thirty drug-resistant FD patients and 30 non-FD patients were recruited. Gastric pressure was assessed using an external pressure transducer, and the CO2 injection volume was measured using an endoscopic CO2-supplied device and flow meter. The following variables were examined: gastric pressure at baseline and gastric pressure and the CO2 injection volume when patients initially felt abdominal tension and bothersome symptoms following the CO2 injection. The relationship between belching and bothersome symptoms was also investigated.

Results

No significant differences were observed in basal gastric pressure between the groups. Initial and bothersome symptoms in the upper abdomen in drug-resistant FD patients developed at a significantly lower gastric pressure and significantly smaller CO2 injection volume than in non-FD patients. The frequency of belching was significantly lower in the drug-resistant FD group than in the non-FD group.

Conclusion

Bothersome symptoms in drug-resistant FD patients develop at a lower gastric pressure and smaller CO2 injection volume than in non-FD patients. These patients also had difficulties with belching.
Fungal consortium of two Beauveria bassiana strains increases their virulence, growth, and resistance to stress: A metabolomic approach
Authors: Stuart Andressa Katiski da Costa , Furuie Jason Lee , Cataldi Thais Regiani , Stuart Rodrigo Makowiecky , Zawadneak Maria Aparecida Cassilha , Labate Carlos Alberto , Pimentel Ida Chapaval
Published: July 2022

The use of two or more microorganisms in a microbial consortium has been increasingly applied in the biological control of diseases and pests.Beauveria bassianais one of the most widely studied fungal species in biological control, yet little is known about its role in fungal consortiums. In a previous study, our group found that a consortium formed by two strains ofB.bassianahad significantly greater biocontrol potential against the polyphagous caterpillarsDuponchelia fovealis(Lepidoptera: Crambidae) than either strain on its own. In this study, we use GC-MS and LC-MS/MS to evaluate and discuss the metabolomics of the consortium. A total of 21 consortium biomarkers were identified, corresponding to 14 detected by LC-MS/MS and seven by GC-MS. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms are the main properties of the metabolites produced by the consortium. These metabolites can depress the insect’s immune system, increasing its vulnerability and, hence, the fungal virulence of the consortium. In light of these results, we propose an action model of insect mortality due to the metabolites secreted by the consortium. The model includes the inhibition of defense mechanisms such as pro-inflammatory interleukin secretion, cell migration, cell aggregation, Dif, Dorsal and Relish gene transcription, and JAK/STAT and JNK signaling pathways. It also promotes the cleaning of oxidative molecules, like ROS, NOS, and H2O2, and the induction of virulence factors.
Personal Style Blogs: Appearances that Fascinate, Rosie Findlay (2017)
Authors: Hart Rachel
Published: July 2022

Review of: Personal Style Blogs: Appearances that Fascinate, Rosie Findlay (2017)

Bristol: Intellect Ltd., 185 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-78320-834-0, p/bk, $33.00
Dressed for Freedom: The Fashionable Politics of American Feminism, Einav Rabinovitch-Fox (2021)
Authors: Sperling Joy
Published: July 2022

Review of: Dressed for Freedom: The Fashionable Politics of American Feminism, Einav Rabinovitch-Fox (2021)

Urbana, IL, Chicago, IL and Springfield, IL: University of Illinois Press, 248 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-25204-401-4, h/bk, $110.00

ISBN 978-0-25208-606-9, p/bk, $24.95

ISBN 978-0-25205-294-1, e-book, $14.95
Para além da violência epistêmica
Authors: Carle Cláudio Baptista , Santana Ingrid Adrielle de Souza Freitas
Published: July 2022

O artigo trata de articulações e possibilidades para a realização de uma Arqueologia mais socialmente simétrica. Para tanto, o autor aborda a Teoria do Imaginário, tentando encontrar fusão com teorias como as da Virada Ontológica e da Arqueologia do Presente, numa incessante busca de uma pós-colonialidade. As materialidades de agentes humanos e não humanos e seus sentimentos engendram uma perspectiva arqueológica simétrica, colaborativa e equitativa. Iniciamos nosso incômodo pelas práticas ortodoxas da Ciência Arqueológica e, debatendo entre nós, passamos a considerar diferentes perspectivas para possibilitar uma Arqueologia com o mínimo de violência epistêmica possível.