bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gender, digital financial services and vulnerability in the era of pandemics: A cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Amidu Mohammed , Akakpo Agnes Akpene , Mensah James Kwame , Asiedu Edward 
Published: February 2023

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly spread across the world, infecting millions, and causing economic disruption on an unprecedented scale. While everyone is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable communities are at the greatest risk. This study aims to examine the relationship between digital financial services (DFS), gender, and the vulnerability of informal settlement dwellers to COVID-19. Methods: We sampled a total of 2,697 households from 101 informal settlements across eleven out of sixteen administrative regions of Ghana. The regions were selected based on the relative severity of the pandemic, and the associated national lockdown regulations. Results: Adopting the ordinary least square analytical technique, the results reveal three main findings: First, we observe that males in informal settlements are more exposed to infected people or a person who died from COVID-19 than females. However, women are more vulnerable to the pandemic than men as vulnerable populations have a higher susceptibility to pandemics due to less capacity to implement preparedness and response strategies due to disparities in their societal status. Finally, we find that the vulnerability of informal dwellers is moderated using digital financial services. Conclusions: We conclude that there exist gender disparities regarding COVID-19 exposure and vulnerability. Also, by making use of digital financial services vulnerable groups can reduce their exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results provide policy implications for authorities designing policies to educate men more on the need to take preventive measures seriously as well as educate vulnerable populations to adopt digital financial services
The experiences of nurses who were involved in the COVID-19 contact tracing and tracking activities in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Authors: Moyo Idah , Tshivhase Livhuwani , Mavhandu-Mudzusi Azwihangwisi Helen 
Published: February 2023

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the healthcare systems worldwide. For countries to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to mitigate its impact, contact tracing was adopted as one of the COVID-19 response strategies. The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of nurses who were involved in the COVID-19 contact tracing and tracking activities in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological design was utilised in this study. Data was collected telephonically using in-depth individual interviews between the 28th of December 2020 and 25th February 2021. Twelve participants comprising of two males and ten females with experience in contact tracing were purposively sampled and interviewed telephonically to get lived experiences. The number of females and males who were purposefully sampled depended on the proportion of this participants in the setting. Analysis followed the seven steps by Colaizzi strategies. Results: The study findings demonstrated that the participants experienced challenges as they implemented contact tracing activities. Four themes on contact tracing emerged: follow-up and contact-tracing activities; support systems; psychosocial implications; and witnessed patients’ experiences. Fourteen sub-themes were identified: negative perceptions of the re-assigned roles; unintended outcomes; delayed COVID-19 test results; increased workload; provision of personal protective equipment; training and orientation on COVID-19; meals for providers involved in contact tracing; we want to be heard and listened to; anxiety and fear; stress; emotionally challenging moments; unable to provide a service; witnessed discomfort; and stigma and discrimination. Conclusions: Contact tracing is key in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy has proven to be complex, with increased workload, which is emotionally draining – hence the need for an effective support system for staff conducting contact-tracing activities.
COVID-19 vaccines knowledge and acceptance among Indonesian adults in Java Island
Authors: d'Arqom Annette , Asa Peter , Andriani Amalia Putri , Nasution Mhd Zamal , Fatimah Nurmawati , Mustika Arifa , Djuari Lilik , Yusof Junaidah 
Published: February 2023

Background: To increase vaccination coverage, it is important to understand COVID-19 vaccination programs and respondents’ acceptance. Therefore, this study aimed to measure respondents’ knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine and its acceptance among Indonesian adults in Java. Methods: A web-based survey was distributed through social media on self-claimed knowledge, risk and benefits of the vaccine, as well as respondents’ acceptance and experiences of the vaccination. The survey period was from March to July 2021, and 910 responses were included for further analysis. The frequency of each categorical factor, including self-claimed knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine, their descriptive benefit and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, and their experiences receiving or not receiving the vaccine were explored. Predictor factors on vaccine knowledge and acceptance are investigated using multivariate ordinal regression analysis. Results: This study showed that almost all the respondents in both groups have knowledge about COVID-19 vaccination, or at least ever heard about it. The main source of information is social media. More than two third of respondents from each group had already received a COVID-19 vaccine or were at least on the waiting list. Moreover, a quarter of the respondents still hesitate to receive the vaccination. Only less than 10% of respondents reject the vaccination, with the strongest reason being scared of the side effect. Moreover, it found that respondents’ knowledge of the vaccination was influenced by age, medical background, a history of relatives who tested positive for COVID-19, source of information, economic status, and education levels. Moreover, the acceptance was influenced by age, knowledge about vaccines, and having medical background. Conclusions: This study showed high levels of knowledge and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among adults in Java. Increasing understanding or knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine risks and benefits is necessary to reduce vaccination hesitancy.
Characteristics of bibliometric analyses of the complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine literature: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Ng Jeremy Y. , Liu Henry , Shah Aimun Qadeer , Wieland L. Susan , Moher David 
Published: February 2023

Background: There is a growing body of literature on complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM), which offers a holistic approach to health and the maintenance of social and cultural values. Bibliometric analyses are an increasingly commonly used method employing quantitative statistical techniques to understand trends in a particular scientific field. The objective of this scoping review is to investigate the quantity and characteristics of evidence in relation to bibliometric analyses of CAIM literature. Methods: The following bibliographic databases will be searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science. Studies published in English, conducting any type of bibliometric analysis involving any CAIM therapies, as detailed by an operational definition of CAIM adopted by Cochrane Complementary Medicine, will be included. Conference abstracts and study protocols will be excluded. The following variables will be extracted from included studies: title, author, year, country, study objective, type of CAIM, health condition targeted, databases searched in the bibliometric analysis, the type of bibliometric variables assessed, how bibliometric information was reported, main findings, conclusions, and limitations. Findings will be summarized narratively, as well as in tabular and graphical format. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this scoping review will be the first to investigate the characteristics of evidence in relation to bibliometric analyses on CAIM literature. The findings of this review may be useful to identify variations in the objectives, methods, and results of bibliometric analyses of CAIM research literature.
Global sensitivity analysis to enhance the transparency and rigour of energy system optimisation modelling
Authors: Usher William , Barnes Trevor , Moksnes Nandi , Niet Taco 
Published: February 2023

Background: Energy system optimisation models (ESOMs) are commonly used to support long-term planning at national, regional, or continental scales. The importance of recognising uncertainty in energy system modelling is regularly commented on but there is little practical guidance on how to best incorporate existing techniques, such as global sensitivity analysis, despite some good applications in the literature. Methods: In this paper, we provide comprehensive guidelines for conducting a global sensitivity analysis of an ESOM, aiming to remove barriers to adopting this approach. With a pedagogical intent, we begin by exploring why you should conduct a global sensitivity analysis. We then describe how to implement a global sensitivity analysis using the Morris method in an ESOM using a sequence of simple illustrative models built using the Open Source energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS) framework, followed by a realistic example. Results: Results show that the global sensitivity analysis identifies influential parameters that drive results in the simple and realistic models, and identifies uninfluential parameters which can be ignored or fixed. We show that global sensitivity analysis can be applied to ESOMs with relative ease using freely available open-source tools. The results replicate the findings of best-practice studies from the field demonstrating the importance of including all parameters in the analysis and avoiding a narrow focus on particular parameters such as technology costs. Conclusions: The results highlight the benefits of performing a global sensitivity analysis for the design of energy system optimisation scenarios. We discuss how the results can be interpreted and used to enhance the transparency and rigour of energy system modelling studies.
Effect of Sawing Variation on Hardwood Lumber Recovery—Part I: Volume
Authors: Thomas Edward , Buehlmann Urs 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Sawing variation (SV), the degree of deviation from a specified target lumber size, is an unavoidable component of the sawing process. SV is influenced by several factors such as machine, material, set works, feed works, and cutting parameters. To account for these factors resulting in deviations from the desired target size, the target thickness of the lumber cut must be increased such that only a minimal number of boards is less than target thickness. Thus, the greater the amount of SV, the larger the target thickness must be such that a minimal quantity of undersized lumber is produced. Hence, with larger amounts of SV come greater waste and decreased opportunities for optimizing lumber recovery. However, the decrease in material loss due to a reduction in SV may not necessarily translate into a statistically significant increase in lumber product recovery by volume. This study explored the effect of varying degrees of SV on lumber recovery by volume for a range of hardwood log diameters using the US Forest Service's LOg ReCovery Analysis Tool sawmill simulation software. A minimal average recovery improvement of 3 percent due to reduced SV was observed across all kerf thicknesses, equating to a production value improvement of $336,000 for an 8 million board feet mill. Results indicate that the recovery gains realized by volume depend upon the log diameters sawn, the lumber target thickness, and the change (reduction) in SV.
Modal wavefront correlations in laser guide star adaptive optics
Authors: Rousset Gérard , Molodij Guillaume , Laurent Sylvain 
Published: February 2023

Because the sky is insufficiently populated with bright natural guide stars to cover all high angular resolution programs using adaptive optics, the concept of artificial guide star was proposed to overcome this difficulty1,2: A laser guide star (LGS) is created by the atmospherically scattered light of a laser beam directed towards the object of interest. Successful results have been recently reported by Fugate et al.3 and Primmerman et al.4. Two types of backscattering effect are considered:
1) Rayleigh and Mie scattering from molecules and dust generating LGS at altitude between 5 and 18 km.
2) Resonance scattering from the sodium atoms around 90 km altitude.
Focal anisoplanatism and conjugation of the correcting surface to turbulence
Authors: Wells Martyn , Klückers Vince , Adcock Miles 
Published: February 2023

When using a laser guide star (LGS) as the reference object in an adaptive optics system the accuracy of the correction is limited by the so-called 'cone-effect' or focal anisoplanatisism (FA). There are two effects
a) the footprint of the LGS wavefront at the turbulent layer is smaller than that for the wavefront from the science object and
b) the LGS wavefront expands by a factor of (1+hturb/hNa) when it reaches the telescope pupil. For example - with the height of turbulence hturb =6.5 km and the height of laser guide star hNa=90km at the edge of an 8m pupil there is a displacement of ≈30cm between the actual and measured wavefront from a science object
Properties of Resonant Two-Photon Processes in Photorefractive Media
Authors: Paraschis L. , Bashaw M. C. , Liu A. , Hesselink L. 
Published: February 2023

Summary
Holographic data storage systems [1] require sensitive
optical materials that provide some means of nondestrective readout
[2]. Among the number of techniques for nonvolatile
readout available [2]. the sensitazation of a
photorefractive medium by illumination at one wavelength, called
gating, for writing at a second using a resonant two-photon process,
constitutes the most versatile all-optical nondestructive method.
Typically, this process consists of absorption of a photon at
frequency ω1 to generate an
intermediate excited state, followed by absorption of a second at
ω2 to generate a free carrier
[3, 4, 5]. Gating occurs for absorption of two photons
at two different wavelengths. In the present work, we identify the
critical physical characteristics of the processes that provide the
simultaneous realization of true gating and writing sensitivity at a
variety of frequencies, evaluate the refractive index perturbation and
the response rate, and investigate the significance of the the
intermediate state occupancy and the arisining nonlinear
photorefractive behavior at its saturation regime.
Regrowth-free AlGaInAs MQW polarization controller integrated with a sidewall grating DFB laser
Authors: Sun Xiao , Liang Song , Cheng Weiqing , Ye Shengwei , Sun Yiming , Huang Yongguang , Zhang Ruikang , Xiong Jichuan , Liu Xuefeng , Marsh John H. , Hou Lianping 
Published: February 2023

Polarization control is at the heart of high-capacity data optical communication systems, such as polarization-division multiplexers and Stokes vector modulation transmitters. Despite passive polarization control being mature, the realization of monolithically integrated polarization controllers and single longitudinal mode light sources, such as distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers, is of importance. In this research, we report an AlGaInAs multiple-quantum-well photonic integrated circuit device which can control the state of polarization of the output light source, consisting of a polarization mode converter (PMC), a differential phase shifter (DPS), and a sidewall grating DFB laser. We demonstrate an asymmetrical stepped-height ridge waveguide PMC to realize TE to TM polarization conversion and a symmetrical straight waveguide DPS to enable polarization rotation from approximately counterclockwise circular polarization to linear polarization. Based on the identical epitaxial layer scheme, all the PMC, DPS, and DFB lasers can be integrated monolithically using only a single step of metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy and two steps of III-V material dry etching. For the DFB-PMC device, a high TE to TM polarization conversion efficiency (98.4%) over a wide range of DFB injection currents is reported at 1555 nm wavelength. For the DFB-PMC-DPS device, a nearly 60° rotation of the Stokes vector on the Poincaré sphere was obtained with a range of bias voltage from 0 to −3.0  V at a laser drive current of 170 mA.
Low temperature sensitivity on-chip Fourier-transform spectrometer based on dual-layer Si3N4 spiral waveguides
Authors: Lu Liangjun , Zhang Hongyi , Li Xin , Chen Jianping , Zhou Linjie 
Published: February 2023

On-chip Fourier-transform spectrometers (FTSs) based on Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) arrays suffer from severe central wavelength and fringe contrast variation due to fabrication errors. Even though a calibration matrix can be employed to correctly retrieve the input spectra, environmental temperature variation greatly degrades the retrieving performance. In this paper, we devise a dual-layer Si3N4 waveguide interferometer to reduce the temperature sensitivity. The beating of the even and odd supermodes in the dual-layer waveguide generates periodic intensity fluctuations in the spectrum. Since these two modes have similar modal profiles, their thermal sensitivity and propagation loss are relatively balanced, leading to a low temperature sensitivity and a high interference extinction ratio. We designed and fabricated a passive FTS based on a 32-channel dual-layer Si3N4 waveguide array. Experimental results show that the temperature sensitivity is reduced to 10 pm/°C, which is almost half that of single-layer Si3N4 MZI-based FTSs. With this chip, we accurately reconstructed various types of optical spectra, including single and two sparse laser lines, and broadband optical spectra. Our method can fit a wide wavelength range, which is a promising technology to improve the practical applications of on-chip FTSs.
Strengthening health system’s capacity for linkage to HIV care for adolescent girls and young women and adolescent boys and young men in South Africa (SheS’Cap-Linkage): Protocol for a mixed methods study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Nicol Edward , Basera Wisdom , Lombard Carl , Jonas Kim , Ramraj Trisha , Govindasamy Darshini , Hlongwa Mbuzeleni , McClinton-Appollis Tracy , Mehlomakulu Vuyelwa , Naqvi Nuha , Bedford Jason , Drummond Jennifer , Cheyip Mireille , Dladla Sibongile , Pass Desiree , Funani Noluntu , Mathews Cathy 
Published: February 2023

Introduction
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15–24 years and adolescent boys and young men (ABYM) aged 15–34 years represent one of the populations at highest risk for HIV-infection in South Africa. The National Department of Health adopted the universal test and treat (UTT) strategy in 2016, resulting in increases in same-day antiretroviral therapy initiations and linkage to care. Monitoring progress towards attainment of South Africa’s 95-95-95 targets amongst AGYW and ABYM relies on high quality data to identify and address gaps in linkage to care. The aim of this study is to describe the current approaches for engaging AGYW and ABYM in the treatment continuum to generate knowledge that can guide efforts to improve linkage to, and retention in, HIV care among these populations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Methods and analysis
This is a mixed methods study, which will be conducted in uMgungundlovu district of KwaZulu-Natal, over a 24-month period, in 22 purposively selected HIV testing and treatment service delivery points (SDPs). For the quantitative component, a sample of 1100 AGYW aged 15–24 years and ABYM aged 15–35 years old will be recruited into the study, in addition to 231 healthcare providers (HCPs) involved in the implementation of the UTT program. The qualitative component will include 30 participating patients who were successfully linked to care, 30 who were not, and 30 who have never tested for HIV. Key informant interviews will also be conducted with 24 HCPs. Logistic regression will be used to model the primary outcomes on SDP types, while a time to event analysis will be conducted using a Cox regression model and adjusting the standard errors of the hazard ratio for the clustering of participants within SDPs. For qualitative data, a general inductive approach of analysis will be used.

Dissemination
Findings from the study will be communicated to the study population and results will be presented to stakeholders and at appropriate local and international conferences. Outputs will also include a policy brief, peer reviewed journal articles and research capacity building through research degrees.
From little girls to adult women: Changes in age at marriage in Scheduled Castes from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Liczbińska Grażyna , Brabec Marek , Gautam Rajesh K. , Jhariya Jyoti , Kumar Arun 
Published: February 2023

Background
Research confirms the negative relationship between early marriage and mothers’ and children’s health outcomes. This is why studies of the changes in age at marriage are an important task from the point of view of the health status and well-being of a mother and her offspring, especially in groups represented by extremely disadvantaged social strata in India. The results of such studies may influence the future family planning policy in the country.

Objectives
This study aims to investigate the trend of age at marriage among the Scheduled Castes (SCs) women from two Indian states: Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh relative to the level of education and also to socioeconomic changes in the states. These states manifest the highest proportion of girls getting married below the age of 18 years–far above the proportion observed in entire India.

Methods
Women from Scheduled Caste, N = 1,612, aged 25–65, born in 1950–1990 were investigated. A modern semiparametric regression approach was used. To capture the relationship between age at marriage and year of birth, categories of women’s level of education (illiterate; primary: 1st–5th standards; middle school: 6th–8th standards; high school: 9th–10th standards; higher secondary: 11th–12th standards), and categories of the profession (women working in the agricultural sector or the non-agricultural sector), flexible framework of the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was applied.

Results
A significant impact of the cohort defined by the year of birth (<0.001), and women’s education (<0.001) on age at marriage was noted, while the influence of women’s occupation was not significant (p = 0.642). Mean age at marriage differed significantly with different education level. Women who graduated from primary school married 0.631 years later on average than illiterate ones, while those who graduated from middle schools, high schools (9th–10th standards) and higher secondary schools married significantly later than illiterate ones by 1.454 years and 2.463 years, respectively. Age at marriage increased over time: from slightly above 15 years in the cohort of illiterate women born in 1950 to almost 19 years in quite well-educated women born in 1990. The average age at marriage estimated for four education levels in 1990 ranged between 16.39 years (95%CI: 15.29–17.50) in the group of illiterate women and 18.86 years (95%CI: 17.76–19.95) in women graduated from high and higher secondary schools.

Conclusion
The rise of age at marriage can be partly explained by the increase of females enrolled in schools, the alleviation of poverty, and the implementation of social programs for women.