Why adverse outcome pathways need to be FAIR

Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) provide evidence for demonstrating and assessing causality between measurable toxicological mechanisms and human or environmental adverse effects. AOPs have gained increasing attention over the past decade and are believed to provide the necessary steppingstone for more effective risk assessment of chemicals and materials and moving beyond the need for animal testing. However, as with all types of data and knowledge today, AOPs need to be reusable by machines, i.e., machine-actionable, in order to reach their full impact potential. Machine-actionability is supported by the FAIR principles, which guide findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of data and knowledge. Here, we describe why AOPs need to be FAIR and touch on aspects such as the improved visibility and the increased trust that FAIRification of AOPs provides.

[Visibility of patients and respect for their privacy: reconciling apparently contrary imperatives in the intensive care unit]

Rigorous monitoring of vital functions in intensive care requires optimal visibility of patients and their environment. Conversely, respect for privacy is an ethical imperative to respect. Liquid crystal electrical film is a device that can be applied to windows and can take opaque or transparent form on demand. Its use could satisfy the visibility of patients and respect for their privacy.

How Visibility May Reduce Security Issues in Community Hospitals' Emergency Departments

This research explored the relationship between visibility and the level of security risks as perceived by nurses and physicians in emergency departments (EDs). Security in EDs has been reported as a major global concern, and visibility has been identified as a design factor impacting behavior. However, few previous studies have rigorously investigated the role of visibility in reduction of ED security risks with evidence-based design approach. There is a lot of significant questions about how visibility impacts the reduction of security issues in EDs.

METHODS

How visibility may influence ED security was explored via qualitative methods in five EDs using semi-structured one-on-one interviews with 17 clinical staff and 48 hr of field observations. The coding process for both interviews and observational notes followed the principles of naturalistic inquiry.

RESULTS

The findings suggest security risks can be decreased by improving visibility. Medical staff (registered nurses and physicians) felt more secure in the EDs with higher visibility.

DISCUSSION

This study provides a framework to identify preferable levels of visibility in EDs and proposes design strategies to minimize security issues. Registered nurses and physicians can improve their team's sense of security by considering visibility throughout their daily practices.

The stabilization of visibility for sequentially presented, low-contrast objects: Experiments and neural field model

In any environment, events transpire in temporal sequences. The general principle governing such sequences is that each instance of the event is influenced by its predecessors. It is shown here that this principle is true for a fundamental aspect of visual perception: visibility. A series of nine psychophysical experiments and associated neural dynamic simulations provide evidence that two non-stimulus factors, self-excitation and short-term memory, stabilize the visibility of a simple low-contrast object (a line segment) as it moves over a sequence of unpredictable locations. Stabilization was indicated by the very low probability of visible-to-invisible switches, and dependence on preceding visibility states was indicated by hysteresis as the contrast of the object was gradually decreased or increased. The contribution of self-excitation to stabilization was indicated by increased visible-to-invisible switching (decreased hysteresis) following adaptation of the visibility state, and the contribution of memory to stabilization was indicated by visibility "bridging" long blank intervals separating each relocation of the object. Because of the unpredictability of the relocations of the object, its visibility at one location pre-shapes visibility at its next location via persisting subthreshold activation of detectors surrounding the low-contrast object. All effects were modeled, including contributions from adaptation and recurrent inhibition, with a single set of parameter values.

Electron stream effect in 0.35 Tesla magnetic resonance image guided radiotherapy for breast cancer

Purpose

This research aimed to analyze electron stream effect (ESE) during magnetic resonance image guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) for breast cancer patients on a MR-Linac (0.35 Tesla, 6MV), with a focus on the prevention of redundant radiation exposure.

Materials and methods

RANDO phantom was used with and without the breast attachment in order to represent the patients after breast conserving surgery (BCS) and those received modified radical mastectomy (MRM). The prescription dose is 40.05 Gy in fifteen fractions for whole breast irradiation (WBI) or 20 Gy single shot for partial breast irradiation (PBI). Thirteen different portals of intensity-modulated radiation therapy were created. And then we evaluated dose distribution in five areas (on the skin of the tip of the nose, the chin, the neck, the abdomen and the thyroid.) outside of the irradiated field with and without 0.35 Tesla. In addition, we added a piece of bolus with the thickness of 1cm on the skin in order to compare the ESE difference with and without a bolus. Lastly, we loaded two patients' images for PBI comparison.

Results

We found that 0.35 Tesla caused redundant doses to the skin of the chin and the neck as high as 9.79% and 5.59% of the prescription dose in the BCS RANDO model, respectively. For RANDO phantom without the breast accessory (simulating MRM), the maximal dose increase were 8.71% and 4.67% of the prescription dose to the skin of the chin and the neck, respectively. Furthermore, the bolus we added efficiently decrease the unnecessary dose caused by ESE up to 59.8%.

Conclusion

We report the first physical investigation on successful avoidance of superfluous doses on a 0.35T MR-Linac for breast cancer patients. Future studies of MRgRT on the individual body shape and its association with ESE influence is warranted.

Space Compositional Aspects Regarding the Importance of Trees in the Urban Landscape

Individual trees and tree compositions provide a wide range of cultural ecosystem services, including playing a key role in defining urban character. In Hungary, urban landscape protection tools have recently been expanded, bringing the topic into the spotlight. However, the significance of natural elements (and particularly trees) in relation to the urban landscape is still under-researched. In this paper, using a novel methodology, the character-forming significance of trees and tree-compositional elements of historic gardens in Hungary that define the urban character is analysed and evaluated. The urban landscape protection tools that establish the current recognition of green elements within the urban landscape are also analysed. In addition, the spatial situations and characteristics making certain trees in historic gardens defining character elements within Hungarian settlements are studied. Reasons behind the lack of significant tree features in certain historic gardens, as well as the external and internal characteristics of tree elements that determine their visual impact have been categorised. The results reveal that visually important trees, while diverse, show distinct trends in terms of visibility and are subject to constant change. The results imply that a paradigm shift is necessary to maintain, design and regulate green infrastructure in relation to visually important trees.

A Dietary Strategy for Optimizing the Visual Range of Athletes

Visual range is quantified by assessing how far one can see clearly (an ability crucial to many athletes). This ability tends to vary significantly across individuals despite similar personal characteristics. We hypothesize that the primary driver of these differences is the individual response to scattered short-wave light in the environment moderated by the dietarily derived retinal pigments lutein and zeaxanthin.

Comparison of Visibility and Risk of Neurovascular Tissue Injury Between Portals in Needle Arthroscopy of the Anterior Ankle Joint: A Cadaveric Study

Background

For needle arthroscopy with 0° viewing, the visible range of intra-articular structures and the difference between portals remain unknown, as do the risks for neurovascular tissue at each portal.

Purpose

To clarify the visibility and safety of needle arthroscopy.

Study Design

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods

Ten cadaveric ankle specimens were used. A needle arthroscope with a 1.9-mm diameter was inserted from 4 portals (anteromedial [AM], anterolateral [AL], medial midline [MM], and anterocentral [AC]). Visibility was assessed using a 15-point ankle arthroscopy checklist. In addition, the ankles were dissected to measure the distance between each portal and neurovascular tissues. The visibility of the ankle joint was compared between portals.

Results

The success rate of visibility in the deltoid ligament and the tip of the medial malleolus was 100% from the AM, MM, and AC portals and 10% from the AL portal, with significant differences between the portals (P < .01). The visibility success rates in the origin of the anterior talofibular ligament and the tip of the lateral malleolus were 20% for the AM portal, 90% for the MM and AC portals, and 100% for the AL portal, with significant differences between the portals (P < .01). All other points of the ankle joint were visualized from all the portals with a 100% success rate. The AC portal was in contact with the anterior neurovascular bundle in 4 of the 10 specimens.

Conclusion

When needle arthroscopy was performed from the AM or AL portal, the site opposite to the portal in the ankle joint was difficult to visualize. Conversely, most points of the ankle joint could be visualized from the MM and AC portals. Care should be taken when creating an AC portal because of its proximity to the anterior neurovascular bundle.

Clinical Relevance

The present study provides information regarding which portal should be selected to perform needle arthroscopy in the ankle joint, which will be beneficial for management of ankle injuries.

Tips and Complications of Two-step Open Procedure for Ethanol Sclerosis Therapy for a Venous Hemangioma of the Thoracic Spine: A Case Report

Introduction

Venous hemangiomas of the thoracic spine are rare tumors that are diagnose based on radiological findings. Ethanol sclerosis therapy through the percutaneous or open approaches has been reported to be useful treatment options. Therefore, radiological examination and the treatment procedure can be performed together. As pathological diagnosis of the tumor is important, a strategy that comprises biopsy followed by definitive treatment is ideal. The tips and complications of the two-step open procedure for ethanol sclerosis therapy have not been discussed in detail. This is the first report of this kind in the literature, especially about the tips and complications.

Case Report

A 51-year-old woman presented with pain in the upper part of her back. Radiological examination revealed a hypervascular tumor at the second thoracic vertebra. We first performed an open biopsy along with decompression and fixation surgery, because the patient developed a walking disability with motor weakness in her right leg. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as a venous hemangioma. Therefore, we performed ethanol sclerosis therapy using the open approach as a curative technique for the tumor 17 days after the initial surgery. A total of 10 mL of a mixture of 100% ethanol and a lipid-soluble contrast medium - which improve visibility - was injected intermittently and slowly. This was followed by the injection of 3 mL of a water-soluble contrast medium to confirm sclerosis. Immediately after the last procedure, the amplitudes of motor-evoked potentials in all bilateral lower extremity muscles disappeared simultaneously. The patient incomplete paralysis of the lower extremity and transient dysuria postoperatively; however, she could walk without assistance after 5 months.

Conclusion

This case highlights the following: First, the two-step procedure of open biopsy followed by ethanol injection using the open approach allowed accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Second, additional injection of a water-soluble contrast medium to confirm sclerosis after ethanol injection can cause paralysis. Third, a mixture of ethanol and a lipid-soluble contrast medium effective improves visibility to identify expansions. These experiences will be useful for following ethanol sclerosis therapy for a venous hemangioma of the thoracic spine.

Active

Using the visibility graph algorithm (VGA), a complex network can be associated with a time series, such that the properties of the time series can be obtained by studying those of the network. Any value of the time series becomes a node of the network, and the number of other nodes that it is connected to can be quantified. The degree of connectivity of a node is positively correlated with its magnitude. The slope of the regression line is denoted by k-M, and, in this work, this parameter was calculated for the cardiac interbeat time series of different contrasting groups, namely: young vs. elderly; healthy subjects vs. patients with congestive heart failure (CHF); young subjects and adults at rest vs. exercising young subjects and adults; and, finally, sedentary young subjects and adults vs. active young subjects and adults. In addition, other network parameters, including the average degree and the average path length, of these time series networks were also analyzed. Significant differences were observed in the k-M parameter, average degree, and average path length for all analyzed groups. This methodology based on the analysis of the three mentioned parameters of complex networks has the advantage that such parameters are very easy to calculate, and it is useful to classify heartbeat time series of subjects with CHF vs. healthy subjects, and also for young vs. elderly subjects and sedentary vs. active subjects.

Impact of green antioxidants on decreasing the aflatoxins percentage in peanut oil seed (Arachis hypogaea L.) during storage

The present study conducted an experimental investigation to impede the degradation of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seeds and enhance their quality while being stored. The efficacy of eco-friendly chemicals such as ascorbic acid, salicylic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid in seed preservation was evaluated over a period of six months. After a period of six months of storage in a greenhouse, an examination was conducted on peanut seeds that had undergone treatment. Rhizoctonia was observed after Cephalothorax, whereas Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium were the prevailing fungi throughout the storage period. The optimal outcomes were obtained from the conversion of acetic acid to propionic acid. The study observed a decline in seed oil, protein, carbohydrates, germination percentage, energy, index, length, vigour index, dead and rotten seeds, rotted seedlings, and surviving healthy seedlings, with an increase in storage duration ranging from zero to six months. The application of 100% propionic acid to peanut seeds throughout the storage duration resulted in decreased occurrences of deceased seeds, decaying seeds, and deteriorated seedlings. Peanut seeds that underwent treatment with green chemical agents of moderate and high intensity were found to be free of aflatoxin B1. The highest levels of chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids, and total phenols were observed in seeds stored in greenhouses and treated with 100% propionic acid and acetic acid extract. The application of propionic acid 100%, acetic acid 100%, salicylic acid 4 g/l and ascorbic acid 4 g/l proved to be the most effective treatments for peanut seeds, exhibiting the lowest total aflatoxin level of 0.40. The correlation coefficient between shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight was found to be 0.99, whereas the correlation coefficient between root dry weight and shoot length was 0.67. The seed chemical analysis, seedling characteristics, and germination characteristics were subjected to clustering analysis, resulting in the formation of two distinct groups. The first group consisted of germination percentage and energy levels across all time points (0-6 months), while the second group consisted of the remaining characteristics. The findings of this research propose the utilisation of 100% propionic acid as a viable method for preserving peanut seeds and preventing their deterioration during storage. The application of 100% acetic acid has been found to be effective in enhancing the quality of seeds and minimising losses.

Visibility as a Key Dimension to Better Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Health: Results of the European Union Funded "ME-WE" Online Survey Study on Adolescent Young Carers in Switzerland

This paper examines the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mental health of adolescent young carers (AYCs) aged 15-17 in Switzerland, based on data collected within the Horizon 2020 project 'Psychosocial support for promoting mental health and well-being among AYCs in Europe' (ME-WE). It addresses the following questions: (1) Which characteristics of AYCs are associated with lower HRQL and with higher level of mental health problems? (2) Do AYCs who are less visible and less supported report a lower HRQL and more mental health issues than other AYCs? A total of 2343 young people in Switzerland, amongst them 240 AYCs, completed an online survey. The results show that female AYCs and AYCs with Swiss nationality more often reported having mental health issues than their male and non-Swiss counterparts. Furthermore, the findings show a significant association between receiving support for themselves and visibility from their school or employer and the HRQL. Moreover, AYCs who reported that their school or employer knew about the situation also reported fewer mental health issues. These findings can inform recommendations for policy and practice to develop measures aimed at raising the visibility of AYCs, which is the first step for planning AYC tailored support.

Consistency and Discrepancy between Visibility and PM2.5 Measurements: Potential Application of Visibility Observation to Air Quality Study

High-quality measurements of air quality are the highest priority for understanding widespread air pollution. Visibility has been widely suggested to be a good alternative to PM2.5 concentration as a measure. In this study, the similarities and differences between visibility and PM2.5 measurements in China are checked and the results reveal the potential application of visibility observation to the study of air quality. Based on the quality-controlled PM2.5 and visibility data from 2016 to 2018, the nonparametric Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) values between stations for PM2.5 and visibility-derived surface extinction coefficient (bext) decrease as the station distance (R) increases. Some relatively low ρ values (<0.4) occur in regions characterized by the lowest (background) levels of PM2.5 and bext values, for example, the Tibetan and Yungui Plateau. The relatively lower ρ for bext compared to PM2.5 is probably caused by the predefined maximum threshold of visibility measurements (generally 30 km). A significant correlation between PM2.5 and bext is derived in most stations and relatively larger ρ values are evident in eastern China (Northeast China excluded) and in winter (the national median ρ is 0.67). The abrupt changes in specific mass extinction efficiency (αext) imply a potentially large influence of alternation of visibility sensors or recalibrations on visibility measurements. The bext data are thereafter corrected by comparison to the reference measurements at the adjacent stations, which leads to a three-year quality assured of visibility and bext datasets.

Magnifying the first points of life: Harvey and Descartes on generation and scale

In this essay, I study the contested role of magnification as an observational strategy in the generation theories of William Harvey and René Descartes. During the seventeenth century, the grounds under the discipline of anatomy were shifting as knowledge was increasingly based on autopsia and observation. Likewise, new theories of generation were established through observations of living beings in their smallest state. But the question formed: was it possible to extend vision all the way down to the first points of life? Arguing that the potential of magnification hinged on the metaphysics of living matter, I show that Harvey did not consider observational focus on the material composition of blood and embryos to be conducive to knowledge of living bodies. To Harvey, generation was caused by immaterial, and thus in principle invisible, forces that could not be magnified. Descartes, on the other hand, believed that access to the subvisible scale of natural bodies was crucial to knowledge about their nature. This access could be granted through rational introspection, but possibly also through powerful microscopes. The essay thus ends with a reflection on the importance of Cartesian corpuscularianism for the emergence of microscopical anatomy in seventeenth-century England.

Effects of Image Processing Using Honeycomb-Removal and Image-Sharpening Algorithms on Visibility of 27-Gauge Endoscopic Vitrectomy

Endoscopic vitrectomy with small gauge probes has clinical potentials, but intraocular visibility is inherently limited by low resolution and dim illumination due to the reduced number of optic fibers. We investigated whether honeycomb-removal and image-sharpening algorithms, which enable real-time processing of live images with a delay of 0.004 s, can improve the visibility of 27-gauge endoscopic vitrectomy. A total of 33 images during endoscopic vitrectomy were prepared, consisting of 11 original images, 11 images after the honeycomb-removal process, and 11 images after both honeycomb-removal and image-sharpening procedures. They were randomly presented to 18 vitreous surgeons, who rated each image on a 10-point scale. The honeycomb-removal algorithm almost completely suppressed honeycomb artifacts without degrading the background image quality. The implementation of image-sharpening algorithms further improved endoscopic visibility by optimizing contrast and augmenting image clarity. The visibility score was significantly improved from 4.27 ± 1.78 for the original images to 4.72 ± 2.00 for the images after the honeycomb-removal process (p < 0.001, linear mixed effects model), and to 5.40 ± 2.10 for the images after both the honeycomb-removal and image-sharpening procedures (p < 0.001). When the visibility scores were analyzed separately for 10 surgeons who were familiar with endoscopic vitrectomy and 8 surgeons who were not, similar results were obtained. Image processing with honeycomb-removal and image-sharpening algorithms significantly improved the visibility of 27-gauge endoscopic vitrectomy.

Queer Monuments: Visibility, (Counter)actions, Legacy

This article synthesizes original comparative perspectives of visibility, (counter)actions, and legacy regarding queer monuments: public artworks dedicated to, and questioning or queering normativities around, the lives of LGBT+ people. It pursues a dialogic, interdisciplinary, and multisite and intercultural argument, drawing from approaches and preliminary insights from a scholarly project (Queer Memorials) and artist's project (Strange Inheritance) with topical case studies covering North America and Europe. After abductive ethnography, the analysis oscillates between theory/literature and scholarly and creative practice. It attends to the critical roles queer monuments have played in engaging with how sexual "others" have fallen in and out of place through social struggles, radical politics, and collective memory. The peer exchange provides a cross-case taxonomy of queer monuments' roles, navigating between sorrowful, celebratory, provocative, and informative types and values. It advocates both arts-based enquiry and practice as grounded pathways for narrating queer monuments' activist potential to memorialize, and visibilize, sexual and gender minorities and their overlapping rights in/to space.

A Corpus-Based Investigation of Extra-Textual, Connective, and Emphasizing Additions in English-Chinese Conference Interpreting

Findings from conference interpreting research in the Chinese context have suggested that interpreters barely produce extra-textual additions in rigidly structured press conferences, and that adding connectives and intensifiers is only required to help the English-speaking audience capture the logic embedded in implicit Chinese interclausal relations. Previous research in the Chinese context has tended to draw data almost exclusively from the Chinese Premier's Press Conference interpreting, which features interpreting from Chinese into English. In order to enrich conference interpreting corpora in Asia and to examine additions in the opposite interpreting direction for the same language pair, this study drew on authentic materials of six interpreted press conferences held at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Contrary to previous research, our results showed that conference interpreters exhibited a certain degree of “visibility” through producing extra-textual additions, which is typical of interpreting in various community-based settings. Moreover, the addition of extra connectives and intensifiers that are common in Chinese-to-English interpreting was also identified. It is proposed that the interpreters' production of extra-textual additions is connected with the specific context of the AIT, whereas the connective and emphasizing additions are to a large extent caused by the grammaticalization process wherein particular linguistic devices change into discourse markers to fulfill the communicative needs in both English and Chinese.

Business Intelligence Dashboards for Patient Safety and Quality: A Narrative Literature Review

Business Intelligence (BI) dashboards are interactive data visualization displays identifying key patient quality and safety trends and metrics. Yet, it remains unclear whether dashboards are impacting clinical care for desired organizational outcomes. In this paper we summarize the positive and negative impacts of dashboards on safety and quality from the literature and those insights are used to develop a dashboard checklist tool. The research involved 3 phases. In Phase 1 a narrative literature review used "Dashboards AND ("Patient Safety" OR "Quality")" as primary search terms. In Phase 2, A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis was conducted based on the findings from the previous phase. Strengths and opportunities included focusing on metrics, clear goals, routine data review processes, transparency, quality improvement interventions and centralized monitoring. Weaknesses and threats included usability issues, cultural barriers, wrong metrics, tunnel vision and siloed development. Phase 3 involves translating the SWOT analysis to a checklist for evidence informed dashboard development and deployment.

Bisexual+ visibility attempts: Associations with minority stress, affect, and substance use in a daily diary study

The efforts of bisexual+ people to make their sexual orientation visible are associated with positive and negative outcomes, but little is known about the temporality or directionality of these associations. Using data from a 28-day diary study with 208 bi+ individuals, we found that bi+ visibility attempts were concurrently associated with more positive affect, higher identity affirmation, less depressed/anxious affect, as well as more anti-bisexual experiences and rejection sensitivity. Prospectively, the likelihood of consuming alcohol (but not marijuana) was higher the day after making a visibility attempt, and positive affect was higher the day before making an attempt. Making visibility attempts in contexts that may have been more supportive (e.g., with friends, partners, and lesbian/gay individuals) was associated with more positive outcomes (e.g., more positive affect), while making attempts in contexts that may have been less supportive (e.g., with family, strangers, people who are unaccepting of bi+ identities, and heterosexual people) was associated with more negative outcomes (e.g., higher rejection sensitivity and more discrimination). These findings suggest that the contexts in which visibility attempts are made may play an important role in the impact that bi+ visibility attempts have on stigma-related stress and wellbeing.

Celebrating Diverse Voices in Neuroscience: Introducing Project DiViNe

Institutions of higher education are meant to provide opportunities for the growth and development of their students. As student bodies have become more diverse it would seem to follow that institutional efforts to satisfy this obligation would likewise need to change. Despite increases in the numbers of historically underrepresented students entering higher education, the proportion of these students who graduate continues to lag behind that of students who are not historically underrepresented. As others have suggested, we believe the disparity between rates of matriculation and graduation parallels a disconnect between diversity and inclusion. Whereas the former is a relatively simple matter of access and demographic accounting, the latter concerns the lived experiences of students within our programs. Evidence suggests that the degree to which students feel valued within their programs can predict students' success, persistence, and graduation from these programs. Here, in an effort to promote greater inclusion, we propose a new pedagogical resource designed to share the personal stories and scientific contributions of neuroscientists from historically underrepresented or marginalized groups. After providing some context for why these interventions are so important, we describe the general expectations of these profiles and, in an accompanying article in this same issue, provide a number of examples. By incorporating these stories into our curricula we would hope to increase the sense of belonging of historically underrepresented or marginalized students and to increase awareness of disciplinary diversity among their peers. Ultimately, by challenging a colorblind approach to science in general and to neuroscience in particular, we hope to change our collective assumptions about who neuroscientists are and can be.

Speak truth to power and consolidate the nursing visibility gained during COVID-19

Aim

To provide a perspective on the visibility of nursing gained during the COVID‐19 pandemic and propose strategic options for nurses to consolidate their expanded roles and influence.

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has exposed long‐standing inequities across the world. Factors preserving discrimination weakened during the emergency are now being re‐established by neo‐liberalist influences that dismiss the true scale of the disaster and shape the narrative in ways that increase public risk and render nurses invisible.

Sources of Evidence

All evidence drawn from publicly available sources is presented through the lens of the authors' nursing, management, education, policy and research experience.

Discussion

Nurse advocacy will be needed during future decades of pandemic control and recovery and be in a position to deliver appropriate care and services.

Conclusion

For nurses at all levels to remain visible, important, valued and respected, they need to be informed, engaged and willing to make a stand to preserve the hard‐won reputational gains of the last 30 months of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Implications for Nursing Practice

Nurse advocacy and engagement are needed to maintain public awareness of the ongoing risks and safety options associated with the pandemic.

Implications for Health and Social Policy

Nurses and other health practitioners need to reveal the true level of devastation that continues to occur and guide the focus of political and administrative strategies in response to COVID‐19 impacts on services and public health orders.

Emerging texture and color enhancement imaging in early gastric cancer

Screening endoscopy improves detection and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. However, even expert endoscopists can miss early gastric cancer under standard white light imaging. Texture and color enhancement imaging (TXI) is an image-enhanced endoscopy that enhances brightness, surface irregularities such elevation or depression, and subtle color changes. A few image-oriented studies have compared the gastric color differences between neoplastic and peripheral areas under both white light imaging and TXI. The results not only suggested that the overall color differences to be more pronounced in TXI, but also that TXI mode 1 was superior to white light imaging in the visibility of early gastric cancer. Despite the promising results in these initial studies, it is unclear whether the superiority of the image-enhanced endoscopy will translate into an improvement in early gastric cancer detection in real practice. Therefore, large-scale prospective studies are necessary to investigate the efficacy of this new technology in the evaluation of patients undergoing screening endoscopy.

Linking Public Opinion Perception, Minority, and Stigma - An Integrated Model of Hiding Male Same-Sex Affection in Public

Inspired by the question of why some gay and bisexual men hide same-sex affection when in public, this study integrates the concept of minority stress into Noelle-Neumann's spiral of silence theory and Goffman's interaction order to build an integrated model explaining why some people avoid nonverbal stigma expression in public. It is hypothesized that perceived stigma, prejudice events, and internalized stigma will result in a greater tendency to hide male same-sex affection. An empirical study involving n = 25,884 gay and bisexual men in Germany showed that higher levels of perceived stigma and internalized stigma were associated with a greater tendency to hide male same-sex affection when in public. However, being a victim of prejudice events did not substantially predict whether individuals hide their male same-sex affection. Findings are discussed in terms of their generalizability and implications for the underlying theory.

Sensory environment affects Icelandic threespine stickleback's anti-predator escape behaviour

Human-induced changes in climate and habitats push populations to adapt to novel environments, including new sensory conditions, such as reduced visibility. We studied how colonizing newly formed glacial lakes with turbidity-induced low-visibility affects anti-predator behaviour in Icelandic threespine sticklebacks. We tested nearly 400 fish from 15 populations and four habitat types varying in visibility and colonization history in their reaction to two predator cues (mechano-visual versus olfactory) in high versus low-visibility light treatments. Fish reacted differently to the cues and were affected by lighting environment, confirming that cue modality and light levels are important for predator detection and evasion. Fish from spring-fed lakes, especially from the highlands (likely more diverged from marine fish than lowland fish), reacted fastest to mechano-visual cues and were generally most active. Highland glacial fish showed strong responses to olfactory cues and, counter to predictions from the flexible stem hypothesis, the greatest plasticity in response to light levels. This study, leveraging natural, repeated invasions of novel sensory habitats, (i) illustrates rapid changes in anti-predator behaviour that follow due to adaptation, early life experience, or both, and (ii) suggests an additional role for behavioural plasticity enabling population persistence in the face of frequent changes in environmental conditions.

Dissociating the Neural Correlates of Subjective Visibility from Those of Decision Confidence

A key goal of consciousness science is identifying neural signatures of being aware versus unaware of simple stimuli. This is often investigated in the context of near-threshold detection, with reports of stimulus awareness being linked to heightened activation in a frontoparietal network. However, because of reports of stimulus presence typically being associated with higher confidence than reports of stimulus absence, these results could be explained by frontoparietal regions encoding stimulus visibility, decision confidence, or both. In an exploratory analysis, we leverage fMRI data from 35 human participants (20 females) to disentangle these possibilities. We first show that, whereas stimulus identity was best decoded from the visual cortex, stimulus visibility (presence vs absence) was best decoded from prefrontal regions. To control for effects of confidence, we then selectively sampled trials before decoding to equalize confidence distributions between absence and presence responses. This analysis revealed striking differences in the neural correlates of subjective visibility in PFC ROIs, depending on whether or not differences in confidence were controlled for. We interpret our findings as highlighting the importance of controlling for metacognitive aspects of the decision process in the search for neural correlates of visual awareness.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT While much has been learned over the past two decades about the neural basis of visual awareness, the role of the PFC remains a topic of debate. By applying decoding analyses to functional brain imaging data, we show that prefrontal representations of subjective visibility are contaminated by neural correlates of decision confidence. We propose a new analysis method to control for these metacognitive aspects of awareness reports, and use it to reveal confidence-independent correlates of perceptual judgments in a subset of prefrontal areas.

Data justice and data solidarity

Datafication shapes and gradually transforms societies. Given this impact, issues of justice around data-driven practices have received more and more attention in recent years as shown, for example, by various reports and guidelines on artificial intelligence and data ethics. In this article, we elaborate on and defend two claims. First, these discourses on justice tend to center primarily around conceptions of fairness. We argue that justice in connection with datafication relates to, but ultimately encompasses more than, solely fairness. Second, although it is an important project to clarify what justice in connection with datafication encompasses, we argue that attention toward attitudes and practices of data solidarity have so far been largely overlooked. They are, however, indispensable as a catalytic element to advance toward data justice in practice.

New technologies such as big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are rapidly generating new opportunities and challenges for various social practices. At the same time, they raise important ethical questions. For example, for whom will these opportunities and advantages result in benefits, and who bears the burdens? A fundamental issue is which individuals and groups with their respective claims and particularities are involved and affected by the use of ever-increasing amounts of data and the inferences drawn from them. To navigate this terrain, reference is often made to the notion of justice. Such reference can be helpful to the extent that we are clear about what justice entails and what it takes to get there. In this article, we argue that justice requires us to make visible the claims of those left out, excluded, or disadvantaged in and around the use of data. To this end, we put forward the concept of data solidarity and examine its interplay with data justice.

[Private nurses in associations: an enrichment for practice]

After a year of informal meetings between private nurses in the town of Bron (69), the Bronidels association was created. Projects have been developed and completed within this framework, and this structuring has enabled the Idels to be even more reactive in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. Although private practice is above all an isolated practice, the association has highlighted the desire of nursing professionals to come together and the benefits they withdraw from it.

Impact of Road Marking Retroreflectivity on Machine Vision in Dry Conditions: On-Road Test

(1) Background: Due to its high safety potential, one of the most common ADAS technologies is the lane support system (LSS). The main purpose of LSS is to prevent road accidents caused by road departure or entrance in the lane of other vehicles. Such accidents are especially common on rural roads during nighttime. In order for LSS to function properly, road markings should be properly maintained and have an adequate level of visibility. During nighttime, the visibility of road markings is determined by their retroreflectivity. The aim of this study is to investigate how road markings' retroreflectivity influences the detection quality and the view range of LSS. (2) Methods: An on-road investigation comprising measurements using Mobileye and a dynamic retroreflectometer was conducted on four rural roads in Croatia. (3) Results: The results show that, with the increase of markings' retroreflection, the detection quality and the range of view of Mobileye increase. Additionally, it was determined that in "ideal" conditions, the minimal value of retroreflection for a minimum level 2 detection should be above 55 mcd/lx/m² and 88 mcd/lx/m² for the best detection quality (level 3). The results of this study are valuable to researchers, road authorities and policymakers.

Echogenic Surface Enhancements for Improving Needle Visualization in Ultrasound: A PRISMA Systematic Review

Optimal visualization of needles in clinical ultrasound imaging is important and challenging, especially at steep angles. Improvement of visualization has been attempted with various techniques, for example, coatings and dimples. This systematic review summarizes enhancement techniques and identifies superior echogenic surface enhancements. Twenty-four papers were identified providing visibility measures for 33 different echogenic needles. These were grouped according to surface characteristics and ranked. Echogenic needles ranked higher than standard needles especially at steeper angles. Among the echogenic needles, coated needles were seemingly better visualized "in vivo" than noncoated needles, despite heterogeneity in study conditions. No unambiguous comparison revealed which needle was best visualized.

"The Light at the End of the Tunnel": Experiences of LGBTQ+ Adults in Portuguese Healthcare

This work analyses experiences of LGBTQ+ people accessing healthcare in Portugal. A total of 32 semi-structured interviews were conducted with queer adults (18-59 years old). The thematic analysis and thematic networks brought to light how structural cis-heteronorms are compliant with the maintenance of invisibility regarding sexual and gender diversity. As a consequence, experiences of direct and indirect discrimination show us how crucial it is to have well prepared healthcare providers, capable of embracing diversity and creating safe spaces that allow us to shorten the path between Portugal's progressive legal frame and the people lived experiences.

In search of relevance: European political scientists and the public sphere in critical times

Social relevance has become a key element to assess the social legitimacy of an academic discipline. This contrasts with a widespread sentiment among political scientists about the existence of a relevance gap. The context of multiple crises Europe has experienced since the late 2000s has provided political scientists with a multitude of opportunities to demonstrate the social relevance of their work and the usefulness of the discipline. This introductory article to the special issue aims to offer an explorative framework and a preliminary discussion of empirical examples to assess the phenomenon of political scientists’ relevance in the public sphere during recent turbulent times. The framework (which emphasises three basic dimensions of social relevance – partisanship, visibility, and impact) is used to interpret the main results of the five case studies included in the special issue. Results show that contextual factors (salience of the issue, political and media contexts) influence political scientists’ engagement in the public sphere, the role they adopt and their visibility. The article ends emphasising the importance of collective action within the discipline as an instrument to enhance its social relevance.

Scattering of a Laser Beam on an Ensemble of Asymmetrical Erythrocytes

The study describes an analytical model of laser beam scattering on an inhomogeneous ensemble of erythrocytes. The model takes into account erythrocyte variation in size, shape, and spatial orientation. A relationship is established between an experimentally determined parameter: visibility of the diffraction pattern, and a characteristic serving as a measure of inhomogeneity of erythrocyte size and shape in a blood specimen. This relationship is shown to be monotonous, which means that erythrocyte variation in size and shape can be assessed based on measurements of the diffraction pattern visibility.

Subtle alterations of the physical environment can nudge young children to cheat less

Cheating is a common human behavior but few studies have examined its emergence during early childhood. In three preregistered studies, a challenging math test was administered to 5- to 6-year-old children (total N = 500; 255 girls). An answer key was present as children completed the test, but they were instructed to not peek at it. In Study 1, many children cheated, but manipulations that reduced the answer key's accessibility in terms of proximity and visibility led to less cheating. Two follow-up studies showed that the answer key's visibility played a more significant role than its proximity. These findings suggest that subtle and seemingly insignificant alterations of the physical environment can effectively nudge young children away from acting dishonestly.

[Impact of Air Humidity on PM2.5 Mass Concentration and Visibility During Winter in Tianjin]

Air humidity is a key meteorological factor in regulating visibility changes and haze episodes. Based on multi-year historical data of PM_2.5 mass concentration, visibility, relative humidity(RH), and specific humidity(q) during winter in Tianjin, the impact of air humidity on PM_2.5 mass concentration and visibility was investigated. Between 2015 and 2020, the PM_2.5 mass concentration showed an overall decline of 28.0%. The frequency of visibility above 10 km significantly increased between 2015 and 2018, indicating an improvement in visibility during this period. However, the visibility deteriorated again in the winter of 2019 and 2020, with a decreased frequency of visibility above 10 km. Specifically, the mean RH in January and February in 2020 of Tianjin reached 63% and 67%, respectively, which were higher than the historical 30-year average for the same period. The frequency of extremely low visibility(lower than 2 km) rebounded to a level equivalent to that during the winter of 2016. The enhanced air humidity visually obscured the reduction effect of PM_2.5. For Tianjin, the external sources of water vapor are southwestern and eastern transport. Particularly, water vapor transported from eastern Bohai Bay(59%) is significantly greater than that from southwestern direction(25%). However, the eastern air mass is generally clean, hence, although the condensed water may increase the PM_2.5 mass concentration in the humid air, the eastern air mass affects visibility to a greater extent. On the other hand, the haze episodes during winter frequently occurred when the southwestern wind dominated and specific humidity was greater than 2.0 g·kg^-1, with a frequency of 83.6%. In a short period of time, the variation of specific humidity is less significant than RH, therefore, the relationship between specific humidity and PM_2.5 mass concentration or air quality can be utilized to predict the occurrence of haze episodes and pollution during winter. When the average RH is higher than 80% or the mean specific humidity is greater than 3.0 g·kg^-1, the frequency of PM_2.5 mass concentration greater than 75 μg·m^-3 is 78% and 80%, respectively. For the air quality forecast during winter, weather conditions with specific humidity greater than 3.0 g·kg^-1 should be carefully monitored.

Electric Bicyclist Injury Severity during Peak Traffic Periods: A Random-Parameters Approach with Heterogeneity in Means and Variances

Accidents involving electric bicycles, a popular means of transportation in China during peak traffic periods, have increased. However, studies have seldom attempted to detect the unique crash consequences during this period. This study aims to explore the factors influencing injury severity in electric bicyclists during peak traffic periods and provide recommendations to help devise specific management strategies. The random-parameters logit or mixed logit model is used to identify the relationship between different factors and injury severity. The injury severity is divided into four categories. The analysis uses automobile and electric bicycle crash data of Xi’an, China, between 2014 and 2019. During the peak traffic periods, the impact of low visibility significantly varies with factors such as areas with traffic control or without streetlights. Furthermore, compared with traveling in a straight line, three different turnings before the crash reduce the likelihood of severe injuries. Roadside protection trees are the most crucial measure guaranteeing riders’ safety during peak traffic periods. This study reveals the direction, magnitude, and randomness of factors that contribute to electric bicycle crashes. The results can help safety authorities devise targeted transportation safety management and planning strategies for peak traffic periods.

The Relationship of the Information Quantity of Urban Roadside Traffic Signs and Drivers' Visibility Based on Information Transmission

For the lack of quantitative basis of traffic sign combination information, this paper established a model of information quantity of urban road traffic signs by analyzing the driver’s information processing and the visual recognition of traffic signs combined with theories of informatics. It used various analytical methods to build a model of the relationship between the traffic sign information quantity (TSIQ) and the driver’s visual recognition. Based on factors, the relationship between the TSIQ and the driver’s visual recognition was studied and analyzed to provide a reference for the design of urban traffic sign layout information. The results show that the TSIQ can explain 61% of the driver’s recognition time (DRT). The more information the road traffic sign conveys, the longer DRT will be. The TSIQ’s threshold is 642 bits, and exceeding this value will cause information overload. Different influence factors have a certain impact on drivers’ visual recognition distance (VRD). The male VRD is shorter than the female. The VRD of the young driver is larger than the old driver. The VRD of a novice driver is longer than an experienced driver, while the visual recognition sign of an experienced driver is shorter.

Block-matching-based registration to evaluate ultrasound visibility of percutaneous needles in liver-mimicking phantoms

Purpose

To present a novel methodical approach to compare visibility of percutaneous needles in ultrasound images.

Methods

A motor‐driven rotation platform was used to gradually change the needle angle while capturing image data. Data analysis was automated using block‐matching‐based registration, with a tracking and refinement step. Every 25 frames, a Hough transform was used to improve needle alignments after large rotations. The method was demonstrated by comparing three commercial needles (14G radiofrequency ablation, RFA; 18G Trocar; 22G Chiba) and six prototype needles with different sizes, materials, and surface conditions (polished, sand‐blasted, and kerfed), within polyvinyl alcohol phantom tissue and ex vivo bovine liver models. For each needle and angle, a contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) was determined to quantify visibility. CNR values are presented as a function of needle type and insertion angle. In addition, the normalized area under the (CNR‐angle) curve was used as a summary metric to compare needles.

Results

In phantom tissue, the first kerfed needle design had the largest normalized area of visibility and the polished 1 mm diameter stainless steel needle the smallest (0.704 ± 0.199 vs. 0.154 ± 0.027, p < 0.01). In the ex vivo model, the second kerfed needle design had the largest normalized area of visibility, and the sand‐blasted stainless steel needle the smallest (0.470 ± 0.190 vs. 0.127 ± 0.047, p < 0.001). As expected, the analysis showed needle visibility peaks at orthogonal insertion angles. For acute or obtuse angles, needle visibility was similar or reduced. Overall, the variability in needle visibility was considerably higher in livers.

Conclusion

The best overall visibility was found with kerfed needles and the commercial RFA needle. The presented methodical approach to quantify ultrasound visibility allows comparisons of (echogenic) needles, as well as other technological innovations aiming to improve ultrasound visibility of percutaneous needles, such as coatings, material treatments, and beam steering approaches.

Impact of Inpatient Unit Design Features on Overall Patient Experience and Perceived Room-Level Call Button Response

This study explores the relationship between inpatient unit design and patient experience and how spatial features and visibility impact patients' perception of staff responsiveness. The first part of this study is a retrospective pre-post and cross-sectional study evaluating the impacts of unit design on patient experience at the unit level. This study compares patient experiences based on Press Ganey and HCAHPS surveys in two orthopedic units (existing unit in Atrium building and new unit in Tower) with differing design features at Rush University Medical Center. The chi-square test results show that when moving from the old orthopedic unit to the new unit, almost all patient survey items related to patient experience showed statistically significant improvements. The second part of this study is a room level on the new unit. The ANOVA and Pearson correlation tests revealed that the visibility measure of metric step depth had significant impacts on patients' perception of staff's "promptness in responding to call button" and "help with toileting". This study confirms that inpatient unit design plays a direct role in improvement for patient experience and should be considered as an important area of focus for future development.

Development and Pilot Analysis of the Bruise Visibility Scale

The accuracy of assessing and documenting injuries is crucial to facilitate ongoing clinical care and forensic referrals for victims of violence. The purpose of this cross-sectional, pilot study was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability and criterion validity of a newly developed Bruise Visibility Scale (BVS). Methods: The instrument was administered to a diverse sample (n = 30) with existing bruises. Bruises were assessed under fluorescent lighting typical of an examination room by three raters who were randomly selected from a pool of eight experienced clinical nurses. Colorimetry values of the bruise and surrounding tissue were obtained using a spectrophotometer. Results: The BVS demonstrated good single (ICC = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.54 – 0.84) and average agreement (ICC = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.78 – 0.94) between raters. A significant, positive moderate correlation was found between mean BVS scores and overall color difference between the bruise and surrounding skin (Pearson’s r = 0.614, p < 0.001). Conclusion: With further research, the BVS has the potential to be a reliable and valid tool for documenting the degree of clarity in bruise appearance.

A New Ground-Based Pseudolite System Deployment Algorithm Based on MOPSO

Pseudolite deployment is the premise of ground-based pseudolite system networking, which affects the coverage and positioning accuracy of ground-based pseudolite systems. Optimal deployment algorithms can help to achieve a higher signal coverage and lower mean horizontal precision factor (HDOP) with a limited number of pseudolites. In this paper, we proposed a multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm for the deployment of a ground-based pseudolite system. The new algorithm combines Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data and uses the mean HDOP of the DEM grid to measure the geometry of the pseudolite system. The signal coverage of the pseudolite system was calculated based on the visual area analysis with respect to reference planes, which effectively avoids the repeated calculation of the intersection and improves the calculation efficiency. A selected area covering 10 km×10 km in the Jiuzhaigou area of China was used to verify the new algorithm. The results showed that both the coverage and HDOP achieved were optimal using the new algorithm, where the coverage area can be up to approximately 50% and 30% more than using the existing particle swarm optimization (PSO) and convex polyhedron volume optimization (CPVO) algorithms, respectively.

Appraising screening, making risk in/visible. The medical debate over Non-Rare Thrombophilia (NRT) testing before prescribing the pill

Non-rare thrombophilia (NRT) are hereditary predispositions to thromboembolism, the most severe side effect of combined hormonal contraception. In the mid-1990s, the identification of NRT stirred up a controversy over the possibility of investigating these genetic variants in women wishing to use contraception. Through a review of literature, this article reconstructs the debate over whether and how this genetic test should be prescribed as a way to reconfigure the risk visibility on pharmacological contraception. The main arguments identified concern the epidemiological, social, economic and clinical aspects of the test. In a context where the overall thrombotic risk for hormonal contraception is largely invisible, the genetic tests turn to embody the thrombotic risk itself. Those who opt for selective screening argue that a better estimation of risk implies a test prescription embed in a global medical assessment of women's individual risk. To advocates of universal or 'extended' screening, the tests are valuable tools to inform women on the thrombotic risk and, as such, appraised as a moral/legal obligation, whatever their predictive power. Risk visibility thus appears as an insightful concept to analyse a complex setting associating clinical, political, social and cultural considerations that touches upon medical power, women's responsibility and drug safety.

Telemedicine Implementation in COVID-19 ICU: Balancing Physical and Virtual Forms of Visibility

Objective:

This case study examines the implementation of inpatient telemedicine in COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs) and explores the impact of shifting forms of visibility on the management of the unit, staff collaboration, and patient care.

Background:

The COVID-19 crisis drove healthcare institutions to rapidly develop new models of care based on integrating digital technologies for remote care with transformations in the hospital-built environment. The Sheba Medical Center in Israel created COVID-19 ICUs in an underground structure with an open-ward layout and telemedicine control rooms to remotely supervise, communicate, and support the operations in the contaminated zones. One unit had a physical visual connection between the control room and the contaminated zone through a window, while the other had only a virtual connection with digital technologies.

Methods:

The findings are based on semistructured interviews with Sheba medical staff, telemedicine companies, and the architectural design team and observations at the COVID-19 units during March–August 2020.

Results:

The case study illustrates the implications of virtual and physical visibility on the management of the unit, staff collaboration, and patient care. It demonstrates the correlations between patterns of visibility and the users’ sense of control, orientation in space, teamwork, safety, quality of care, and well-being.

Conclusions:

The case study demonstrates the limitations of current telemedicine technologies that were not designed for inpatient care to account for the spatial perception of the unit and the dynamic use of the space. It presents the potential of a hybrid model that balances virtual and physical forms of visibility and suggests directions for future research and development of inpatient telemedicine.

Cycles of invisibility: The limits of transparency in dealing with scientific misconduct

Sanctions for plagiarism, falsification and fabrication in research are primarily symbolic. This paper investigates sanctions for scientific misconduct and their preceding investigation processes as visible and legitimate symbols. Using three different data sources (retraction notices, expert interviews, and a survey of scientists), we show that sanctions for scientific misconduct operate within a cycle of visibility, in which sanctions are highly visible, while investigation and decision-making procedures remain mostly invisible. This corresponds to high levels of acceptance of sanctions in the scientific community, but a low acceptance of the respective authorities. Such a punitiveness in turn exacerbates confidentiality concerns, so that authorities become even more secretive. We argue that punitiveness towards scientific misconduct is driven by such a cycle of invisibility.

The staff of madness: the visualization of insanity and the othering of the insane

In this article I trace a history of the most ubiquitous visual symbol of madness: the staff. First, I argue that the staff, in its variants (such as the pinwheel) and with its attachments (such as an inflated bladder), represents madness as air. It thus represents madness as an invisible entity that must be made visible. Secondly, I claim that the staff - being iconic of other 'unwanted' categories such as vagabonds - represents the insane as outsiders. Also in this case, the staff serves the purpose of making madness visible. Through this interpretation I show that the urge to make madness visible outlives icons of insanity such as the staff, making it a constant presence in popular culture and medical practice.

Using High-Frequency Information and RH to Estimate AQI Based on SVR

The Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan’s Executive Yuan has set up many air quality monitoring stations to monitor air pollution in the environment. The current weather forecast also includes information used to predict air pollution. Since air quality indicators have a considerable impact on people, the development of a simple, fast, and low-cost method to measure the AQI value is a worthy topic of research. In this study, a method was proposed to estimate AQI. Visibility had a clear positive relationship with AQI. When images and AQI were compared, it was easy to see that visibility decreased with the AQI value increase. Distance is the main factor affecting visibility, so measuring visibility with images has also become a research topic. Images with high and low PM_2.5 concentrations were used to obtain regions of interest (RoI). The pixels in the RoI were calculated to obtain high-frequency information. The high-frequency information of RoI, RH, and true AQI was used for training via SVR, which was used to generate the model for AQI estimation. One year of experimental samples was collected for the experiment. Two indices were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The results showed that the proposed method could be used to estimate AQI with acceptable performance in a simple, fast, and low-cost way.

Fabrication of X-ray Gratings for Interferometric Imaging by Conformal Seedless Gold Electroplating

We present a method to produce small pitch gratings for X-ray interferometric imaging applications, allowing the phase sensitivity to be increased and/or the length of the laboratory setup to be minimized. The method is based on fabrication of high aspect ratio silicon microstructures using deep reactive ion etching (Bosch technique) of dense grating arrays and followed by conformal electroplating of Au. We demonstrated that low resistivity Si substrates (<0.01 Ohm·cm) enable the metal seeding layer deposition step to be avoided, which is normally required to initiate the electroplating process. Etching conditions were optimized to realize Si recess structures with a slight bottom tapering, which ensured the void-free Au filling of the trenches. Vapor HF was used to remove the native oxide layer from the Si grating surface prior to electroplating in the cyanide-based Au electrolyte. Fabrication of Au gratings with pitch in the range 1.2-3.0 µm was successfully realized. A substantial improved aspect ratio of 45:1 for a pitch size of 1.2 µm was achieved with respect to the prior art on 4-inch wafer-based technology. The fabricated Au gratings were tested with X-ray interferometers in Talbot-Laue configuration with measured visibility of 13% at an X-ray design energy of 26 keV.

Use of different strategies to make one's bisexual+ identity visible: Associations with dimensions of identity, minority stress, and health

Bisexual+ people (i.e., those who are attracted to more than one gender or regardless of gender) use a variety of strategies to make their identity visible to others, but little is known about the extent to which using different strategies is related to other dimensions of identity, minority stress, and health. To address this, we surveyed 715 bi+ people about their use of five different types of visibility strategies (direct communication, indirect communication, community engagement, gender-based visual displays, and public behavioral displays). Results indicated that people who used visibility strategies more often (aggregated across types) reported higher identity centrality and affirmation, and lower internalized bi-illegitimacy and internalized binegativity. However, they also reported more discrimination from heterosexual and gay/lesbian individuals and higher depression and anxiety. When we examined the unique associations between each of the five types of visibility strategies and our other variables, we found different patterns of associations for different strategies. For example, direct communication was uniquely associated with more discrimination from gay/lesbian individuals, while indirect communication, gender-based visual displays, and public behavioral displays were uniquely associated with more discrimination from heterosexual individuals. Only indirect communication was uniquely associated with higher depression and anxiety, while community engagement was uniquely associated with lower anxiety. Finally, public behavioral displays were uniquely associated with more alcohol use problems and a higher likelihood of cigarette use. These findings highlight the importance of examining the specific strategies that people use to make their bi+ identity visible in order to understand their experiences and health.

Laboratory medicine in the COVID-19 era: six lessons for the future

The lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a major healthcare challenge, is a worldwide threat to public health, social stability, and economic development. The pandemic has affected all aspects of society, dramatically changing our day-to-day lives and habits. It has also changed clinical practice, including practices of clinical laboratories. After one year, it is time to rethink what has happened, and is still happening, in order to learn lessons for the future of laboratory medicine and its professionals. While examining this issue, I was inspired by Italo Calvino's famous work, "Six memos for the next millennium".But I rearranged the Author's six memos into "Visibility, quickness, exactitude, multiplicity, lightness, consistency".

Effect of calibration of a medical review monitor on the visibility of mandibular canal at dental implant sites: A cone beam CT study

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the visibility of mandibular canal (MC) on cone beam CT (CBCT) images using a medical review monitor under two different calibration modes. The effect of age, gender, and location of the dental implant site was also assessed.

Materials and Methods

CBCT images of 428 dental implant sites were selected for the study. Images were displayed twice on a medical review monitor using two different calibration modes: standard and DICOM, and two observers evaluated the visibility of the MC using four-point scoring scale (1-4, poor to excellent). Cohen Kappa was used to assess intra and inter-rater reliability. Chi-square test was used to compare proportions of MC visibility by gender and location and one-way ANOVA was used to compare mean age and MC visibility.

Results

Each observer classified the visibility of MC with a total agreement of 100% between DICOM mode and standard mode (Kappa = 1, P < 0.001 for each observer). In each mode, a strong agreement (inter-rater reliability) was detected between the observers (Cohen's kappa = 0.88 for both modes, P < 0.001) with a percent agreement of 95.3% for each mode. Gender and location were not statistically associated with MC visibility (P > 0.05). Age, however, was a significant predictor of MC visibility (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

DICOM calibration had no added value over standard calibration for assessing the visibility of MC at dental implant sites on a medical review monitor. Only the age had significant effect on the visibility.