Magnetization by laser pulse

Research team identifies new details of a promising phenomenon

Peer-Reviewed Publication

HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF

 

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IF A STRONG LASER PULSE HITS AN IRON ALLOY, THE MATERIAL MELTS BRIEFLY AT THE IRRADIATED POINT AND A TINY MAGNETIC AREA FORMS.

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CREDIT: HZDR / SANDER MÜNSTER

To magnetize an iron nail, one simply has to stroke its surface several times with a bar magnet. Yet, there is a much more unusual method: A team led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) discovered some time ago that a certain iron alloy can be magnetized with ultrashort laser pulses. The researchers have now teamed up with the Laserinstitut Hochschule Mittweida (LHM) to investigate this process further. They discovered that the phenomenon also occurs with a different class of materials – which significantly broadens potential application prospects. The working group presents its findings in the scientific journal Advanced Functional Materials (DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202311951).

The unexpected discovery was made back in 2018. When the HZDR team irradiated a thin layer of an iron-aluminum alloy with ultrashort laser pulses, the non-magnetic material suddenly became magnetic. The explanation: The laser pulses rearrange the atoms in the crystal in such a way that the iron atoms move closer together, and thus forming a magnet. The researchers were then able to demagnetize the layer again with a series of weaker laser pulses. This enabled them to discover a way of creating and erasing tiny "magnetic spots" on a surface.

However, the pilot experiment still left some questions unanswered. "It was unclear whether the effect only occurs in the iron-aluminum alloy or also in other materials," explains HZDR physicist Dr. Rantej Bali. "We also wanted to try tracking the time progression of the process." For further investigation, he teamed up with Dr. Theo Pflug from the LHM and colleagues from the University of Zaragoza in Spain.

Flip book with laser pulses

The experts focused specifically on an iron-vanadium alloy. Unlike the iron-aluminum alloy with its regular crystal lattice, the atoms in the iron-vanadium alloy are arranged more chaotically, forming an amorphous, glass-like structure. In order to observe what happens upon laser irradiation, the physicists used a special method: The pump-probe method.

"First, we irradiate the alloy with a strong laser pulse, which magnetizes the material," explains Theo Pflug. "Simultaneously, we use a second, weaker pulse that is reflected on the material surface."

The analysis of the reflected laser pulse provides an indication of the material's physical properties. This process is repeated several times, whereby the time interval between the first "pump" pulse and the subsequent "probe" pulse is continually extended.

As a result, a time series of reflection data is obtained, which allows to characterize the processes being triggered by the laser excitation. "The whole procedure is similar to generating a flip book," says Pflug. "Likewise, a series of individual images that animate when viewed in quick succession."

Rapid melting

The result: Although it has a different atomic structure than the iron-aluminum compound, the iron-vanadium alloy can also be magnetized via laser. "In both cases, the material melts briefly at the irradiation point", explains Rantej Bali. "This causes the laser to erase the previous structure so that a small magnetic area is generated in both alloys."

An encouraging result: Apparently, the phenomenon is not limited to a specific material structure but can be observed in diverse atomic arrangements.

The team is also keeping track of the temporal dynamics of the process: "At least we now know in which time scales something happens," explains Theo Pflug. "Within femtoseconds, the laser pulse excites the electrons in the material. Several picoseconds later, the excited electrons transfer their energy to the atomic nuclei."

Consequently, this energy transfer causes the rearrangement into a magnetic structure, which is stabilized by the subsequent rapid cooling. In follow-up experiments, the researchers aim to observe exactly how the atoms rearrange themselves by examining the magnetization process with intense X-rays.

Sights set on applications

Although still in the early stages, this work already provides initial ideas for possible applications: For example, placing tiny magnets on a chip surface via laser is conceivable. "This could be useful for the production of sensitive magnetic sensors, such as those used in vehicles," speculates Rantej Bali. "It could also find possible applications in magnetic data storage."

Additionally, the phenomenon appears relevant for a new type of electronics, namely spintronics. Here, magnetic signals should be used for digital computing processes instead of electrons passing through transistors as usual – offering a possible approach to computer technology of the future.

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JOURNAL

Advanced Functional Materials

DOI

10.1002/adfm.202311951 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Laser-Induced Positional and Chemical Lattice Reordering Generating Ferromagnetism

 

Growing biofilms actively alter host environment, new study reveals

The findings may offer insight into disease growth and the mechanics of antibiotic resistance

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PENN STATE

 

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THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF A BIOFILM GROWN UNDER A 0.5% AGAROSE GEL. THE SCALE BAR IS 10 ΜM.  

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CREDIT: PROVIDED BY JING YAN

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Dental plaque, gut bacteria and the slippery sheen on river rocks are all examples of biofilms, organized communities of microorganisms that colonize our bodies and the world around us. A new study led by Penn State researchers reveals exactly how growing biofilms shape their environments and fine-tune their internal architecture to fit their surroundings. The findings may have implications for a wide variety of applications, from fighting disease to engineering new types of living active materials.

“In the case of bacteria, they grow, divide, and apply forces to each other and their surroundings,” said Sulin Zhang, professor of engineering science and mechanics and of biomedical engineering at Penn State and corresponding author on a paper about the discovery, recently published in the journal Nature Physics. “As such, growing bacteria have the potential to shape the environment, changing the environment they live in, so we were interested in understanding the reciprocal interactions between the growing biofilm and environment where it grows.”

Zhang collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale to study that interaction on all fronts: theoretically, experimentally and computationally. The researchers used biofilms made by Vibrio cholerae, which can cause cholera, as a model system to demonstrate the self-shaping and self-organizing capability of a 3D growing system.

In nature, biofilms tend to grow in tight, confined spaces, Zhang explained, so the team grew the biofilm between a soft hydrogel and a stiff glass substrate. They analyzed the growing biofilm using single-cell imaging, agent-based simulations and continuum mechanics theory. The researchers found that the biofilms shape both themselves and their boundary into an efficient formation known as “active nematics,” the arrangement of self-propelled molecules in parallel lines instead of layers.

“We found that biofilms take advantage of growth-induced stresses to shape their environment and create a nematic structure,” said Jing Yan, assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at Yale University and co-corresponding author on the paper. “This takes us a lot closer to being able to control the morphology, the packing and ordering of the biofilm.”

Zhang explained that understanding the feedback loop between biofilm growth, growth generated stress, and its environment could pave the way for controlled growth of beneficial biofilms, the elimination of harmful ones and even the potential development of new classes of active growing materials that can respond to — and actively alter — their environment.”

Yan added that this is especially valuable information in the field of health care. Biofilms play a substantial role in disease growth in humans and animals, as they can evade the immune response. The coordinated nature of bacterial biofilms makes them highly resistant to conventional antibiotics, so they are extremely difficult to treat. In fact, the majority of chronic antibiotic resistant-infections are caused by biofilms, according to the American Society for Microbiology.  

“When a bacteria enter into the body, they grow into an infection as biofilms — and they’re in a confined environment: your gut,” Yan said.

A better understanding of how biofilm-driven disease can grow in such an environment will allow researchers to develop new ways to disrupt such growth, he added.

“What we’ve learned will aid in developing strategies to tackle these infections,” said Changhao Li, a doctoral candidate in computational mechanics at Penn State and co-author on the paper. “The phenomena discovered here could lead to new strategies to suppress the growth of harmful biofilms and give us the ability to design and program beneficial ones.”

The other authors on the paper are Japinder Nijjer, Qiuting Zhang and Jung-Shen B. Tai of Yale University; Mrityunjay Kothari, Thomas Henzel and Tal Cohen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Shuang Zhou of the University of New Hampshire. The National Institutes of Health and the Charles H. Revson Foundation funded this work.

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JOURNAL

Nature Physics

DOI

10.1038/s41567-023-02221-1 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Cells

ARTICLE TITLE

Biofilms as self-shaping growing nematics

 

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Robert Newton Jr. to study African American fathers as proponents of children’s health

Dr. Newton secures a $214,000 grant from the NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities division for this study

Grant and Award Announcement

PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER

 

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​DR. ROBERT NEWTON JR. IS PROFESSOR OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & ETHNIC MINORITY HEALTH AT THE LSU PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER IN BATON ROUGE, LA.

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CREDIT: MADISON PAGE, PBRC

Dr. Robert Newton Jr., Professor of Physical Activity & Ethnic Minority Health for Pennington Biomedical Research Center, was recently awarded a $214,000 grant to study the health of African American families, particularly exploring if fathers can serve as catalysts for their children’s health. The grant, which was awarded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities division of the National Institutes of Health, will be used for Dr. Newton’s proof of concept study Fathers and Children Exercising Together, or FACEiT. 

The study will analyze the degree to which fathers can influence their children’s health by incorporating exercise into family activities. In the first phase of development of the study, a focus group of African American fathers will be gathered to gauge interest in intervention to increase physical activity in their kids, what activities they feel would be most effective, and what time of day would work best with their families’ schedules. In particular, the study will target those fathers with children in the age range of 6 to 10 years old. In the second phase, the feedback gathered from the focus group will be incorporated into and inform a pre-developed intervention plan. 

“Fathers play a unique role in their children’s physical activity,” Dr. Newton said. “FACEiT will help us learn more about what these specific roles are, especially as they relate to African American fathers and the barriers they face to engaging in activity with their children. The study will also allow us to assess how social determinants of health factors influence African American father’s ability to engage in this type of intervention. I’m honored that the NIMHHD felt this study was worth their investment.” 

The third phase will be the intervention stage, which will compare three different groups. The first group will be a control, the second will include fathers who are given exercise instructions and then engage with their children and lead exercise regimens. The third group will mirror the second, with the inclusion of a community component. Dr. Newton has recruited the community group Fathers on a Mission, which will lead events where fathers and their children can participate in physical activities, such as bowling events or kayaking.  

“With the FACEiT study, Dr. Newton’s laboratory is the broader community, and his research is the health and wellbeing of our Baton Rouge neighbors,” said Dr. John Kirwan, Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical. “This study will ideally address the health disparities that exist among African Americans and will encourage health behaviors simultaneously across two generations. Pennington Biomedical is proud to have Dr. Newton on our team, as he helps us fulfill our mission of putting science to work for a healthier Louisiana and a healthier world.” 

Statistics show that African American adolescents do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. By understanding the barriers that prevent children from reaching optimal physical activities, fathers can help remove those barriers and engage in movement and exercise as well.  

"Fathers on a Mission is excited about the partnership with Pennington Biomedical Research Center as we strive to bring awareness to the importance of physical activity,” said Levar Robison, Founder and CEO of Fathers on a Mission. “Through the FACEiT study, we will offer and deliver physical activity interventions that will reduce the risk of health disparities around heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and obesity in ourselves and most of all in our children. This is a process that is needed, and this is a process that Fathers need to lead." 

FACEiT is structured to test health and exercise interventions in children because physical activity levels in African American children begin to drop off between the ages of 6 and 10. Establishing physical activity habits at an early age can ultimately reduce the risk of chronic diseases later in life.  

About the Pennington Biomedical Research Center
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is at the forefront of medical discovery as it relates to understanding the triggers of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia. Pennington Biomedical has the vision to lead the world in promoting metabolic health and eliminating metabolic disease through scientific discoveries that create solutions from cells to society.  The Center conducts basic, clinical, and population research, and is affiliated with LSU.

The research enterprise at Pennington Biomedical includes over 480 employees within a network of 40 clinics and research laboratories, and 13 highly specialized core service facilities. Its scientists and physician/scientists are supported by research trainees, lab technicians, nurses, dietitians, and other support personnel. Pennington Biomedical a state-of-the-art research facility on a 222-acre campus in Baton Rouge.

For more information, see www.pbrc.edu.

 

X-ray method enables micron-resolution imaging of living organisms over long time periods

By lowering the X-ray dose needed for imaging, new approach extends possibilities for biological and biomedical research

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OPTICA

 

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A NEW X-RAY IMAGING TECHNIQUE CAN PRODUCE DETAILED IMAGES OF LIVING ORGANISMS WITH A MUCH LOWER X-RAY DOSE THAN PREVIOUSLY POSSIBLE. THE RESEARCHERS USED THE NEW TECHNIQUE TO IMAGE TINY PARASITOID WASPS EMERGING FROM THEIR HOST EGGS FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES.

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CREDIT: REBECCA SPIECKER, KARLSRUHE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed an X-ray imaging technique that can produce detailed images of living organisms with a much lower X-ray dose than previously possible. The advance enables small organisms or other sensitive samples to be studied at high resolution over much longer periods, which could reveal new insights into a variety of dynamic processes.

The approach is based on phase contrast imaging, which relies not only on the absorption of X-rays in a sample, but also on the wave properties of X-rays. More precisely, it creates images from phase changes that occur as X-rays go through a specimen. “Previously, micrometer resolution X-ray phase contrast imaging of living organisms was only possible for a few seconds up to minutes because severe radiation damage would occur,” explained researcher team member Rebecca Spiecker from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. “We reduced the necessary X-ray dose by overcoming the current limitations of high-resolution imaging for dose-sensitive applications.”

In Optica, Optica Publishing Group’s journal for high-impact research, the researchers describe how they developed a new X-ray imaging system that uses dedicated highly-efficient X-ray optics and single-photon-counting detectors to boost the dose efficiency for full-field imaging at micrometer resolution. They demonstrated the benefit of the new technique by imaging tiny parasitoid wasps emerging from their host eggs for more than 30 minutes.

“We show that our method exhibits superior imaging performance compared to a conventional high-resolution detector,” said Spiecker. “This could be useful, for example, for capturing details of the development and behavior of small model organisms, such as Xenopus frog embryos, over a longer time scale than is currently possible.”

Better images with less radiation

X-ray imaging can reveal hidden structures and processes in living organisms.  However, it also exposes organisms to radiation that is harmful at high doses, limiting how long observations can last before damage occurs. This is aggravated by the fact that the detection efficiency of commonly used high-resolution detectors decreases with increasing resolution, which means that even higher X-ray doses are necessary to obtain a high-resolution image.

To overcome this challenge, the researchers developed a phase contrast imaging approach that directly magnifies the X-ray image rather than converting the X-ray image into a visible light image and then magnifying it, which is the typical method. This allowed them to use highly efficient large-area detectors while maintaining micrometer spatial resolution.

In the new imaging system, the researchers used a single-photon-counting imaging detector with a pixel size of 55 microns. The X-ray image is magnified behind the sample using crystal optics, known as a Bragg magnifier. The latter consists of two perfect silicon crystals to perform magnification.

“To achieve the highest possible dose efficiency for full-field X-ray imaging at micrometer resolution, we combine X-ray phase contrast, a Bragg magnifier and a single-photon-counting detector, all optimized for an optimal X-ray energy of 30 keV,” said Spiecker. “The concept of Bragg magnifiers dates back to the late 1970s, and although their potential for increasing dose efficiency has been noted, it has not been explored until now.”

After showing that their new system could attain a dose efficiency of more than 90% while providing a resolution of up to 1.3 microns, the researchers compared its performance to a conventional high-resolution detector system using the same sample, X-ray fluence and 30 keV X-ray energy. “At this energy, we showed that the detective quantum efficiency of our system exceeds the conventional system by over two orders of magnitude for the relevant high-resolution components of the image,” said Spiecker. “This results in better images and allows a drastic reduction in the X-ray dose in the sample.”

Imaging tiny insects

The researchers then used the system to perform a pilot behavioral study on living parasitoid wasps, which are widely used for biological pest control. Thanks to the minimal radiation exposure, they were able to capture images of the tiny wasps inside their host eggs for 30 minutes before the wasps finally emerged.

The researchers say that the method might also be useful for biomedical applications, such as gentle tomographic examination of biopsy samples. However, using a Bragg magnifier requires a monochromatic, coherent and collimated beam, which is available at X-ray synchrotron facilities. They are also continuing to improve the system to achieve a larger field of view and increased long-term mechanical stability for even longer measurement times.

Paper: R. Spiecker, P. Pfeiffer, A. Biswal, M. Shcherbinin, M. Spiecker, H. Hessdorfer, M. Hurst, Y. Zharov, V. Bellucci, T. Farago, M. Zuber, A. Herz, A. Cecilia, M. Czyzycki, C. S. Baraldi Dias, D. Novikov, L. Krogmann, E. Hamann, T. van de Kamp, T. Baumbach, “Dose-efficient in vivo X-ray phase contrast imaging at micrometer resolution by Bragg magnifiers,” 10, 12 (2023).

DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.500978

About Optica

Optica is an open-access journal dedicated to the rapid dissemination of high-impact peer-reviewed research across the entire spectrum of optics and photonics. Published monthly by Optica Publishing Group, the Journal provides a forum for pioneering research to be swiftly accessed by the international community, whether that research is theoretical or experimental, fundamental or applied. Optica maintains a distinguished editorial board of more than 60 associate editors from around the world and is overseen by Editor-in-Chief Prem Kumar, Northwestern University, USA. For more information, visit Optica.

About Optica Publishing Group (formerly OSA)

Optica Publishing Group is a division of Optica, the society advancing optics and photonics worldwide. It publishes the largest collection of peer-reviewed content in optics and photonics, including 18 prestigious journals, the society’s flagship member magazine, and papers from more than 835 conferences, including 6,500+ associated videos. With over 400,000 journal articles, conference papers and videos to search, discover and access, Optica Publishing Group represents the full range of research in the field from around the globe.

The new X-ray imaging technique uses a much lower X-ray dose thanks to two Bragg magnifier crystals (center) and a single-photon-counting detector (on the left). The sample is shown on the right.

CREDIT

Rebecca Spiecker, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Parasitoid wasps movie [VIDEO] | 

The researchers used the new technique to image tiny parasitoid wasps emerging from their host eggs. Even after 30 minutes of imaging, the wasps did not show any abnormalities in their behavior thanks to the minimal radiation exposure.

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JOURNAL

Optica

DOI

10.1364/OPTICA.500978 

ARTICLE TITLE

Dose-efficient in vivo X-ray phase contrast imaging at micrometer resolution by Bragg magnifiers

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

7-Dec-2023

Disclaimer: AAAS 

 

US Mental health crisis highlights access challenges

Poll finds many psychologists face capacity strains as patients present with increasingly severe symptoms

Reports and Proceedings

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

The ongoing mental health crisis is causing significant challenges for many psychologists as they grapple with demand fueled by patients presenting with increasingly severe symptoms year after year, according to APA’s 2023 Practitioner Pulse Survey.

The survey, which was completed by 561 licensed practicing psychologists between Aug. 30 and Sept. 29, 2023, found that not only did more than half of psychologists (52%) say that they were seeing an increase in severity of symptoms among their patients, but 41% said that they were seeing an increase in the number of sessions spent treating each patient, which may reduce their capacity to accept new patients.

Similarly, more than half (56%) said that they had no openings for new patients. And more than two-thirds (69%) of psychologists who maintained a waitlist said that the average wait was up to three months for a first appointment, while 31% said average wait times were longer than three months. Psychologists reported increasing demand for treatment of certain mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders (68%) and trauma- and stressor-related disorders (50%), among those who treat those disorders.

"As the mental health crisis continues, psychologists are under pressure,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. "These findings underscore the sustained demand for care, led by increased severity of symptoms and extended treatment courses, compounded by increases year after year. This paints a clear picture of psychologists operating at the brink of their capacity. To better meet demand, it is essential that we develop comprehensive public health strategies that reach people throughout their lifespan and robustly address behavioral health alongside physical health.”

The survey found that the psychologist workforce is already adapting to meet the changing needs of the population -- for example, as part of integrated care teams or in medical settings. More than 4 in 5 psychologists (86%) said they have worked alongside other health care providers, with 59% saying they do so frequently or very frequently. Collaborating providers included psychiatrists (76% of psychologists said they worked with them, with 38% doing so frequently); other physicians (45%, with 17% doing so frequently); occupational therapists (30%, with 6% doing so frequently); physician assistants (41%, with 11% doing so frequently); community health workers (30%, with 4% doing so frequently); and speech language pathologists (28%, with 5% frequent collaborators). Alongside mental health concerns, psychologists reported treating patients with physical conditions, including 50% treating patients with chronic pain, 42% treating obesity or weight conditions, 27% some symptoms of cancer, and 25% high blood pressure.

“Integrated care, where psychologists work on health care teams with other providers, is one way that we can expand access to care, prioritize preventive care and find ways to better meet the biological, psychological and social needs of the patients,” said Evans. “We must also support and expand the mental health workforce, foster innovation and technology, and support psychologists in extending their reach in the communities in which they live and work.”

Psychologists have shown themselves to be adaptable, changing their work habits during the pandemic to include fully remote or hybrid practices. Only 21% are now offering fully remote practices (down from a peak of 64% in 2020), according to the poll, yet more than two-thirds (67%) are now working in hybrid practices seeing some patients in person and others remotely.

More than one-third (36%) of psychologists reported experiencing burnout and 1 in 5 psychologists (21%) said that they were planning to reduce their practice hours in the next 12 months. Yet nearly three-quarters (73%) said that they were able to practice self-care and nearly two-thirds (63%) said that they were able to maintain a positive work-life balance.

METHODOLOGY

APA’s 2023 Practitioner Pulse Survey is one in a series of surveys conducted annually since 2020. This year’s survey was distributed via email to a random sample of 16,557 licensed psychologists in the United States from Aug. 30 to Sept. 29, 2023. A total of 561 responded to the survey.

A full methodology is available.

 

Wearable ultrasound monitor can aid rehabilitation from injury #Acoustics23

A new approach to ultrasound imaging can provide real-time insights into muscle dynamics

Reports and Proceedings

ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

 

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A WEARABLE ULTRASOUND MONITOR CAN PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO DYNAMIC MUSCLE MOVEMENT DURING ACTIVITIES LIKE JUMPING.

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CREDIT: PARAG CHITNIS

SYDNEY, Dec. 5, 2023 – Millions suffer from musculoskeletal injuries every year, and the recovery process can often be long and difficult. Patients typically undergo rehabilitation, slowly rebuilding muscle strength as their injuries heal. Medical professionals routinely evaluate a patient’s progress via a series of tasks and exercises. However, because of the dynamic nature of these exercises, obtaining a clear picture of real-time muscle function is extremely challenging.

Parag Chitnis of George Mason University led a team that developed a wearable ultrasound system that can produce clinically relevant information about muscle function during dynamic physical activity. He will present his work Dec. 5 at 5:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time, as part of Acoustics 2023 running Dec. 4-8 at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

Many medical technologies can give doctors a window into the inner workings of a patient’s body, but few can be used while that patient is moving. A wearable ultrasound monitor can move with the patient and provide an unprecedented level of insight into body dynamics.

“For instance, when an individual is performing a specific exercise for rehabilitation, our devices can be used to ensure that the target muscle is actually being activated and used correctly,” said Chitnis. “Other applications include providing athletes with insights into their physical fitness and performance, assessing and guiding recovery of motor function in stroke patients, and assessing balance and stability in elderly populations during routine everyday tasks.”

Designing a wearable ultrasound device took much more than simply strapping an existing ultrasound monitor to a patient. Chitnis and his team reinvented ultrasound technology nearly from scratch to produce the results they needed.

“We had to completely change the paradigm of ultrasound imaging,” said Chitnis. “Traditionally, ultrasound systems transmit short-duration pulses, and the echo signals are used to make clinically usefully images. Our systems use a patented approach that relies on transmission of long-duration chirps, which allows us to perform ultrasound sensing using the same components one might find in their car radio.”

This modified approach allowed the team to design a simpler, cheaper system that could be miniaturized and powered by batteries. This let them design an ultrasound monitor with a small, portable form factor that could be attached to a patient.

Soon, Chitnis hopes to further improve his device and develop software tools to more quickly interpret and analyze the ultrasound signals.

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----------------------- MORE MEETING INFORMATION -----------------------

 

The Acoustical Society of America is joining the Australian Acoustical Society to co-host Acoustics 2023 in Sydney. This collaborative event will incorporate the Western Pacific Acoustics Conference and the Pacific Rim Underwater Acoustics Conference.

Main meeting website: https://acoustics23sydney.org/  
Technical program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL23     

ASA PRESS ROOM

In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/. 

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS

ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION

ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY

The Australian Acoustical Society (AAS) is the peak technical society for individuals working in acoustics in Australia. The AAS aims to promote and advance the science and practice of acoustics in all its branches to the wider community and provide support to acousticians. Its diverse membership is made up from academia, consultancies, industry, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and all levels of Government. The Society supports research and provides regular forums for those who practice or study acoustics across a wide range of fields The principal activities of the Society are technical meetings held by each State Division, annual conferences which are held by the State Divisions and the ASNZ in rotation, and publication of the journal Acoustics Australia. https://www.acoustics.org.au/ 

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Post-Brexit nurse shortage costs the NHS £61 million per year and increased readmission rates by 2%, according to new study

Reports and Proceedings

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

A reduction in nurses coming in from the European Union as a result of Brexit may have cost the NHS an estimated £61.9 million per year, according to a study from the University of Surrey.

Researchers found that a reduction of 100 EU nurses per 1,000 staff increased emergency readmission rates for elective patients by 2.2 percent yearly in the three years following the Brexit referendum. This amounts to just under 30,000 readmissions per year, costing the NHS £61.9 million annually. 

Despite the findings on staff costs and readmissions, the study also found that Brexit did not have a significant effect on hospital-related mortality. 

Dr Giuseppe Moscelli, principal investigator and co-author of the study from the University of Surrey, said: 

"Our study has highlighted that NHS hospitals saw a significant decrease in new EU nurses, and as a result, the quality of care for planned treatments deteriorated. 

"This change not only affects patient care but also poses financial challenges for the NHS, as unplanned readmissions bring extra costs, estimated at around £61.9 million per year. This amount could have funded around 2,000 more senior nurses or 2,500 entry-level registered nurses, helping to alleviate the NHS's current staffing crisis." 

The study, funded under a research award from the Health Foundation, investigated 144 acute care hospital Trusts in the NHS – from July 2015 to June 2019. It found that, before the 2016 Brexit referendum, about 22 EU nurses per 1,000 staff joined the NHS annually. This rate fell by 66% after the 2016 referendum.  

The number of non-EU nurses joining the NHS increased by 50% post-referendum, and the average total number of nurses in each hospital Trust fell by 19 workers in the three years post-Brexit. 

Dr Giuseppe Moscelli continued:  

"Our research sends a clear message: political decisions impacting immigration and workers' expectations about the future, like Brexit, can have far-reaching effects on sectors dependent on skilled foreign labour, such as the NHS and the wider healthcare sector. 

"In particular, skilled workers tend to have attractive employment opportunities elsewhere and are often the first to refrain from migrating once the uncertainty about their life prospects in a new country increases." 

Dr Henrique Castro-Pires, co-author of the study, added: 

"Even in a context where policymakers and the voters are welcoming to skilled foreign workers, targeting low-skilled workers in the UK's immigration policy makes it a less attractive destination. Understanding both the short and long-term effects of immigration policies remains a crucial topic for future research." 

The study has been published as an Institute of Labor Economics discussion paper.  

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ARTICLE TITLE

Foreign Nurses and Hospital Quality: Evidence from Brexit

 

A USC-developed AI could increase the number of people exiting homelessness, reduce racial bias in services

The University of Southern California's Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society worked closely with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Agency on recommendations to address racial bias in homeless services using artificial intelligence

Reports and Proceedings

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

USC researchers have developed an artificial intelligence tool they recommend as one of several measures that would help homeless service agencies control for potential biases and ensure that applicants have a fair chance at getting housing.

The USC Center for AI in Society (CAIS) on Wednesday released a new report that details the three-year collaborative research project conducted with the California Policy Lab at UCLA and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The L.A. agency had sought an analysis and recommendations to improve its triage system amid concerns that implicit racial bias was driving inequity in housing placements and other homeless services.

Black people account for 7.6% of Los Angeles County’s overall population, but they represent 31.7% of the estimated 75,000 people in the county experiencing homelessness, based on the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. (Data analysis for the annual count is led by USC researchers.)

In the new report, “Coordinated Entry System Triage Tool Research and Refinement,” the scientists recommend that LAHSA combine social science expertise with AI to ensure fair and equitable practices in risk assessments and housing placements.

“We’ve made an important step forward for Los Angeles in addressing the really challenging social problems of racial bias and homelessness, and we’ve done it in a way that is both technologically innovative and driven by the values of the community,” said Eric Rice, a professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, co-director of CAIS and the project leader.

“The partnership between social work and engineering allows us to go beyond the data, to understand the human side behind it, and to create AI solutions tailored to the specific needs of the population,” said Phebe Vayanos, a USC Viterbi School of Engineering associate professor, co-director of CAIS and lead for the USC Data Science and Computerized System Design Team for the project. “Our proposed system is also more transparent, which helps build trust and improve participation.”

The CAIS team includes more than a dozen researchers from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and USC Viterbi. Support for the project came from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Home for Good Funders Collaborative and the Homeless Policy Research Institute.

CAIS is part of the USC Frontiers of Computing “moonshot” launched by USC President Carol Folt with these key objectives: enhance the university’s computing curriculum for students, bolster research that accounts for ethics, and boost recruitment of top scientists and students in such areas as AI and quantum computing. The university aims to advance computer science-driven research and development with a human-centered approach.

Addressing bias through AI development

For feedback, the researchers relied on a community advisory board. The members include people who were once homeless, frontline case managers, and resource “matchers” who allocate housing.

“What we’ve been trying to do with this process is to help create less bias in the model, but also help create less bias in the way that we collect the data,” said Rice, explaining the CAIS team’s approach.

The triage tool includes an assessment to gauge the severity of clients’ needs and vulnerability. The researchers identified 19 questions that would most accurately predict future adverse events for a client and their likelihood of exiting homelessness. The community advisory board worked with the researchers to reword these items to be sensitive to the experiences of trauma and racism common to people experiencing homelessness.

The scientists also recommended guidelines for administering the tool in ways that could reduce client stress during the intake process and increase the probability that housing representatives could capture accurate information about their vulnerability and needs.

The researchers clearly understand the crisis of homelessness, said Marina Genchev, director of systems and planning at LAHSA.

“We may be talking about huge quantities of data and where AI or prediction can come into play, but it is never a pure science exercise. It is always a human exercise using data,” she said.

Two models to inform housing decisions

The researchers developed two data systems models that can be adjusted to fulfill different needs. The California Policy Lab team developed a data prediction model linking existing administrative data from touchpoints throughout the County of Los Angeles to predict future adverse outcomes and escalate those clients’ priority for available housing resources.

For their model, the CAIS researchers aimed to address overall homelessness by improving equity across all groups to successfully exit homelessness. In testing, this model improved the fairness, efficiency and transparency of the system all at the same time.

It gave stakeholders a way to implement their preferences in terms of what the system should be doing. At the same time, it increased the number of individuals able to successfully exit homelessness by 3%, reducing overall homelessness over time, Vayanos said.

Rice and Vayanos are developing similar models for homeless services in Missouri and Washington. Vayanos also made a Python software package for social service agencies, and she is finalizing another that allows local communities to adapt the researchers’ models to their needs.

“We have a long way to go to solve homelessness,” Rice said. “But we’re doing something to make for a more equitable, fair and community-driven process that will help to serve people experiencing homelessness — no matter who they are — in a more thoughtful and meaningful way.”

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling