bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC®) Applied to Microbiology: A National Laboratory Mapping Experience in Taiwan
Authors: Yeh Chih-Yang , Peng Syu-Jyun , Yang Hsuan Chia , Islam Mohaimenul , Poly Tahmina Nasrin , Hsu Chien-Yeh , Huff Stanley M. , Chen Huan-Chieh , Lin Ming-Chin
Published: August 2021

Background and Objective: Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) is a universal standard for identifying laboratory tests and clinical observations. It facilitates a smooth information exchange between hospitals, locally and internationally. Although it offers immense benefits for patient care, LOINC coding is complex, resource-intensive, and requires substantial domain expertise. Our objective was to provide training and evaluate the performance of LOINC mapping of 20 pathogens from 53 hospitals participating in the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS). Methods: Complete mapping codes for 20 pathogens (nine bacteria and 11 viruses) were requested from all participating hospitals to review between January 2014 and December 2016. Participating hospitals mapped those pathogens to LOINC terminology, utilizing the Regenstrief LOINC mapping assistant (RELMA) and reported to the NNDSS, beginning in January 2014. The mapping problems were identified by expert panels that classified frequently asked questionnaires (FAQs) into seven LOINC categories. Finally, proper and meaningful suggestions were provided based on the error pattern in the FAQs. A general meeting was organized if the error pattern proved to be difficult to resolve. If the experts did not conclude the local issue’s error pattern, a request was sent to the LOINC committee for resolution. Results: A total of 53 hospitals participated in our study. Of these, 26 (49.05%) used homegrown and 27 (50.95%) used outsourced LOINC mapping. Hospitals who participated in 2015 had a greater improvement in LOINC mapping than those of 2016 (26.5% vs. 3.9%). Most FAQs were related to notification principles (47%), LOINC system (42%), and LOINC property (26%) in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. Conclusions: The findings of our study show that multiple stage approaches improved LOINC mapping by up to 26.5%.
A Diagnostic Model to Predict SARS-CoV-2 Positivity in Emergency Department Using Routine Admission Hematological Parameters
Authors: Soloperto Rossana , Guiotto Giovanna , Tozzi Giuseppe , Fumi Maurizio , Tozzi Angelo
Published: August 2021

Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the emergency department (ED) is a crucial necessity, especially in settings of overcrowding: establishing a pre-diagnostic test probability of infection would help to triage patients and reduce diagnostic errors, and it could be useful in resource-limited countries. Here, we established and validated a clinical predictor of infection based on routine admission hematological parameters. The diagnostic model was developed by comparing 85 consecutive patients with symptomatic COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR with 85 symptomatic, SARS-CoV-2-negative controls. Abnormal hematological parameters significantly (p < 0.05) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were used to derive a “cumulative score” between 0 and 16. The model was validated in an independent cohort of 170 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Several routine hematology parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A “cumulative score” score ≥7 discriminated COVID-19-postive patients from controls with a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 100% (p < 0.001). The high sensitivity of the predictive model was confirmed in the prospective validation set, and the cumulative score (i) predicted SARS-CoV-2 positivity even when the first oro-nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR result was reported as a false negative in both cohorts and (ii) resulted to be independent from disease severity. The cumulative score based on routine blood parameters can be used to predict an early and accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in symptomatic patients, thereby facilitating triage and optimizing early management and isolation from the COVID-19 free population, particularly useful in overcrowding situations and in resource-poor settings.
Stability and Reproducibility of Radiomic Features Based Various Segmentation Technique on MR Images of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
Authors: Haniff Nurin Syazwina Mohd , Abdul Karim Muhammad Khalis , Osman Nurul Huda , Saripan M Iqbal , Che Isa Iza Nurzawani , Ibahim Mohammad Johari
Published: August 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered as a complex liver disease and ranked as the eighth-highest mortality rate with a prevalence of 2.4% in Malaysia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been acknowledged for its advantages, a gold technique for diagnosing HCC, and yet the false-negative diagnosis from the examinations is inevitable. In this study, 30 MR images from patients diagnosed with HCC is used to evaluate the robustness of semi-automatic segmentation using the flood fill algorithm for quantitative features extraction. The relevant features were extracted from the segmented MR images of HCC. Four types of features extraction were used for this study, which are tumour intensity, shape feature, textural feature and wavelet feature. A total of 662 radiomic features were extracted from manual and semi-automatic segmentation and compared using intra-class relation coefficient (ICC). Radiomic features extracted using semi-automatic segmentation utilized flood filling algorithm from 3D-slicer had significantly higher reproducibility (average ICC = 0.952 ± 0.009, p < 0.05) compared with features extracted from manual segmentation (average ICC = 0.897 ± 0.011, p > 0.05). Moreover, features extracted from semi-automatic segmentation were more robust compared to manual segmentation. This study shows that semi-automatic segmentation from 3D-Slicer is a better alternative to the manual segmentation, as they can produce more robust and reproducible radiomic features.
A Study on Consumers’ Visual Image Evaluation of Wrist Wearables
Authors: Jia Liang-Ming , Tung Fang-Wu
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to investigate consumers’ visual image evaluation of wrist wearables based on Kansei engineering. A total of 8 representative samples were screened from 99 samples using the multidimensional scaling (MDS) method. Five groups of adjectives were identified to allow participants to express their visual impressions of wrist wearable devices through a questionnaire survey and factor analysis. The evaluation of eight samples using the five groups of adjectives was analyzed utilizing the triangle fuzzy theory. The results showed a relatively different evaluation of the eight samples in the groups of “fashionable and individual” and “rational and decent”, but little distinction in the groups of “practical and durable”, “modern and smart” and “convenient and multiple”. Furthermore, wrist wearables with a shape close to a traditional watch dial (round), with a bezel and mechanical buttons (moderate complexity) and asymmetric forms received a higher evaluation. The acceptance of square- and elliptical-shaped wrist wearables was relatively low. Among the square- and rectangular-shaped wrist wearables, the greater the curvature of the chamfer, the higher the acceptance. Apparent contrast between the color of the screen and the casing had good acceptance. The influence of display size on consumer evaluations was relatively small. Similar results were obtained in the evaluation of preferences and willingness to purchase. The results of this study objectively and effectively reflect consumers’ evaluation and potential demand for the visual images of wrist wearables and provide a reference for designers and industry professionals.
Inquiry through Industrial Chemistry in Compulsory Secondary Education for the Achievement of the Development of the 21st Century Skills
Authors: Diez-Ojeda María , Queiruga-Dios Miguel Ángel , Velasco-Pérez Noelia , López-Iñesta Emilia , Vázquez-Dorrío José Benito
Published: August 2021

At a key moment when education systems are moving towards the development of 21st-century skills at school, we propose to develop them with a series of enquiry activities connected to the real world on the subject of Chemistry in Compulsory Secondary Education. The four selected topics have practical aspects, as they are related to industrial chemistry, and are proposed in educational practice using the 5E model. The results obtained in a pilot test with 22 students show that the context created facilitates the development of 21st century competences. It is understood that this novel proposal can be successfully employed in other contexts.
The Contested Terrain of Critical Pedagogy and Teaching Informal Education in Higher Education
Authors: Smith Alan , Seal Mike
Published: August 2021

This review explores how critical pedagogy, often cited by educators of informal educators as a key influence, actually informs teaching of informal educators in higher education and assesses its potential to do so. It explores the background to critical pedagogy, its principles, aims and approaches and examines its worldwide influence on the teaching of informal educators. The authors argue that critical pedagogy is crucial for the teaching of informal educators, enabling lecturer and practitioners to interrupt the hegemony of neo-liberal and neo-managerial thinking in their practice and in higher education, and re-orientate themselves and examine their positionality within their institutions. It will focus on practical examples of enabling critical pedagogy in the teaching of informal education in higher education institutions.
University Students’ Experiences of the Use of Mlearning as a Training Resource for the Acquisition of Biomechanical Knowledge
Authors: López-Moranchel Ignacio , Franco Evelia , Urosa Belén , Maurelos-Castell Patricia , Martín-Íñigo Esther , Montes Victoria
Published: August 2021

Mobile learning (mLearning) is now being increasingly used in university education, with positive impacts on the motivation and predisposition of students when learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the use of mobile applications as a learning resource in applied biomechanics, with regard to attitudinal variables (interest, motivation, applicability and learning experience) and its efficacy in the learning of general physics contents. A quasi-experimental design was proposed, with the random assignment of participants to experimental and control groups, with the post-trial measurement of a sample of 76 university students studying Applied Biomechanics, who were given an ad-hoc questionnaire in order to evaluate attitudinal aspects, as well as a test of knowledge. With regard to attitudinal aspects, higher scores were observed among the group which used the applications as learning instruments (the experimental group) when evaluating their interest in biomechanics (t = 2.79; p < 0.05; d = −0.641), the applicability of the applications in real life (t = 7.34; p < 0.001; d = −1.687) and the general evaluation of the practical sessions (t = 6.45; p < 0.001; d = −1.481). At the conceptual level, significant differences were observed in the contents worked on with the KinematicLab Jump© application. Our results show the positive effect of the use of applications on important attitudinal aspects in the learning of university students, without any relevant effect on the acquisition of conceptual learning.
An Efficient On-Demand Hardware Replacement Platform for Metamorphic Functional Processing in Edge-Centric IoT Applications
Authors: Moon Hyeongyun , Park Daejin
Published: August 2021

The paradigm of Internet-of-things (IoT) systems is changing from a cloud-based system to an edge-based system. These changes were able to solve the delay caused by the rapid concentration of data in the communication network, the delay caused by the lack of server computing capacity, and the security issues that occur in the data communication process. However, edge-based IoT systems performance was insufficient to process large numbers of data due to limited power supply, fixed hardware functions, and limited hardware resources. To improve their performance, application-specific hardware can be installed in edge devices, but performance cannot be improved except for specific applications due to a fixed function of an application-specific hardware. This paper introduces an edge-centric metamorphic IoT (mIoT) platform that can use various hardware modules through on-demand partial reconfiguration, despite the limited hardware resources of edge devices. In addition, this paper introduces an RISC-V based metamorphic IoT processor (mIoTP) with reconfigurable peripheral modules. We experimented to prove that the proposed structure can reduce the server access of edges and can be applied to a large-scale IoT system. Experiments were conducted in a single-edge environment and a large-scale environment combining one physical edge and 99 virtual edges. According to the experimental results, the edge-centric mIoT platform that executes the reconfiguration prediction algorithm at the edge was able to reduce the number of server accesses by up to 82.2% compared to our previous study in which the prediction process was executed at the server. Furthermore, we confirmed that there is no additional reconfiguration time overhead even for the large IoT systems.
Species Identity of Large Trees Affects the Composition and the Spatial Structure of Adjacent Trees
Authors: Cholewińska Olga , Keczyński Andrzej , Kusińska Barbara , Jaroszewicz Bogdan
Published: August 2021

Large trees are keystone structures for the functioning and maintenance of the biological diversity of wooded landscapes. Thus, we need a better understanding of large-tree–other-tree interactions and their effects on the diversity and spatial structure of the surrounding trees. We studied these interactions in the core of the Białowieża Primeval Forest—Europe’s best-preserved temperate forest ecosystem, characterized by high abundance of ancient trees. We measured diameter and bark thickness of the monumental trees of Acer platanoides L., Carpinus betulus L., Picea abies L. H. Karst, Quercus robur L., and Tilia cordata Mill., as well as the diameter and distance to the monumental tree of five nearest neighbor trees. The effects of the monumental tree on arrangements of the surrounding trees were studied with the help of linear models. We revealed that the species identity of a large tree had, in the case of C. betulus and T. cordata, a significant impact on the diversity of adjacent tree groupings, their distance to the central tree, and frequency of the neighboring trees. The distance between the neighbor and the large trees increased with the increasing diameter of the central tree. Our findings reinforce the call for the protection of large old trees, regardless of their species and where they grow from the geographical or ecosystem point of view.
Correlation of Studies between Colour, Structure and Mechanical Properties of Commercially Produced ThermoWood® Treated Norway Spruce and Scots Pine
Authors: Torniainen Petteri , Popescu Carmen-Mihaela , Jones Dennis , Scharf Alexander , Sandberg Dick
Published: August 2021

The thermal modification of wood has become the most-commonly commercialised wood modification process globally, with the ThermoWood® process currently being the most dominant. As with all commercial processes, there is a need to have a robust quality control system, with several small–scale studies undertaken to date investigating quality control using a range of analytical methods, culminating in a multi-year assessment of colour as a means of quality control. This study, as an extension to this multi-year assessment, further explores the colour of Norway spruce and Scots pine commercially modified by the ThermoWood® S and D processes, respectively, along with the mechanical properties and structural characterisation by Fourier transform infrared (FT–IR) spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA) to ascertain further correlations between colour and other measurable properties. Infrared spectroscopy indicated modifications in the amorphous carbohydrates and lignin, whereas the use of PCA allowed for the differentiation between untreated and modified wood. Colour measurements indicated reduced brightness, and shifting toward red and yellow colours after thermal modification, hardness values decreased, whereas MOE and MOR values were similar for modified wood compared to unmodified ones. However, by combining the colour measurements and PC scores, it was possible to differentiate between the two modification processes (Thermo–S and Thermo–D). By combining the mechanical properties and PC scores, it was possible to differentiate the untreated wood from the modified ones, whereas by combining the mechanical properties and colour parameters, it was possible to differentiate between the three groups of studied samples. This demonstrates there is a degree of correlation between the test methods, adding further confidence to the postulation of using colour to ensure quality control of ThermoWood®.
Natural and Human-Transformed Vegetation and Landscape Reflected by Modern Pollen Data in the Boreonemoral Zone of Northeastern Europe
Authors: Stivrins Normunds , Briede Agrita , Steinberga Dace , Jasiunas Nauris , Jeskins Jurijs , Kalnina Laimdota , Maksims Alekss , Rendenieks Zigmars , Trasune Liva
Published: August 2021

Modern pollen composition obtained from waterbody surface sediment represents surrounding vegetation and landscape features. A lack of detailed information on modern pollen from Latvia potentially limits the strength of various pollen-based reconstructions (vegetation composition, climate, landscape, human impact) for this territory. The aim of this study is to compare how modern pollen from natural and human-made waterbodies reflects the actual vegetation composition and landscape characteristics. Modern pollen analyses from surface sediment samples of 36 waterbodies from Latvia alongside oceanic-continental, lowland-upland, urban-rural and forested-agricultural gradients have been studied. In addition, we considered the dominant Quaternary sediment, soil type and land use around the studied waterbodies in buffer zones with widths of one and four km. The information on climate for the last 30 years from the closest meteorological station for each study site was obtained. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and principal component analysis. Results show that relative pollen values from surface sediment of waterbodies reflect dominant vegetation type and land use. Modern forest biomass had a positive correlation with pollen accumulation rate, indicating the potential use of pollen-based forest biomass reconstructions for the boreonemoral zone after additional research and calibration.
Electroantennographic Responses of Cerambyx welensii Küster to Host-Related Volatiles
Authors: Sánchez-Osorio Israel , Tapias Raúl , Domínguez Luis , López-Pantoja Gloria , González María del Mar
Published: August 2021

Wood-boring insects, such as Cerambyx welensii Küster, are involved in oak decline in Mediterranean areas. To advance our understanding of the olfactory perception of C. welensii, we recorded electroantennographic (EAG) responses from male and female antennae to 32 tree volatile organic compounds typical of emissions from its main Quercus L. hosts, and also analysed the dose-dependent response. Cerambyx welensii antennae responded to 24 chemicals. Eight odorants elicited the highest EAG responses (normalized values of over 98%): 1,8-cineole, limonene-type blend, β-pinene, pinene-type blend, sabinene, α-pinene, turpentine and (E)-2-hexenal. Cerambyx welensii exhibits a broad sensitivity to common tree volatiles. The high EAG responses to both limonene- and pinene-type blends suggest the detection of specific blends of the main foliar monoterpenes emitted by Q. suber L. and Q. ilex L. (limonene, α- and β-pinene, sabinene and myrcene), which could influence the intraspecific host choice by C. welensii, and in particular, females may be able to detect oak trees with a limonene-type chemotype. In addition, C. welensii showed high antennal activity to some odorants that characterize emissions from non-host tree species (1,8-cineole, β-pinene, α-pinene, turpentine, δ3-carene and camphene). The results obtained may be applicable to optimize monitoring and mass-trapping programmes in an integrated pest management context.
Truffle Market Evolution: An Application of the Delphi Method
Authors: Oliach Daniel , Vidale Enrico , Brenko Anton , Marois Olivia , Andrighetto Nicola , Stara Kalliopi , Martínez de Aragón Juan , Colinas Carlos , Bonet José Antonio
Published: August 2021

Background: The objective of this study was to analyze the current situation of the truffle sector in the main producing countries of the Mediterranean area. Additionally, we identified the challenges for the future and the priority actions to develop the truffle sector in the region. Methods: We used a Delphi process approach, and we selected a total of 17 expert panelists in different positions within the supply chain of the target countries (Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece). Results: The results obtained allowed us to have a complete description of the current truffle supply chain. We confirmed an evolution of the sector due to the cultivation success of several Tuber species. The maturity of the sector has produced shifts in the roles that form the traditional truffle supply chain operators. We confirmed the trend of a decrease of collectors that hunt truffles in the wild and sell to small travelling buyers, whilst truffle hunters that collect for farmers and specialty wholesalers are emerging. However, a trend of truffle price decrease in the last few years has alerted the sector. Conclusions: As production increases due to truffle cultivation, it will be necessary to promote truffle consumption. We identified actions to develop the truffle sector: (a) strengthen the link between truffles, tourism, and gastronomy; (b) increase the effort at European level for the recognition of truffle production, helping to develop truffle culture and marketing; (c) increase the awareness and consumption of truffles among consumers; and (d) develop tourism workshops for truffle farmers.
The Dry and the Wet Case: Tree Growth Response in Climatologically Contrasting Years on the Island of Corsica
Authors: Häusser Martin , Szymczak Sonja , Knerr Isabel , Bendix Jörg , Garel Emilie , Huneau Frédéric , Trachte Katja , Santoni Sébastien , Bräuning Achim
Published: August 2021

Stem radial variations of Corsican Black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold subsp. laricio Maire) and Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) were monitored to quantify the impact of two meteorologically contrasting consecutive years. On the French island of Corsica, in the western Mediterranean basin, the year 2017 was extremely dry, while 2018 was exceptionally wet. We attached electric band dendrometers to 36 pines along an east–west transect, spanning the central mountain range, and set up automated weather stations at all five sites, ranging from 10 m asl to 1600 m asl. Stem radial variations (SRV) were separated into irreversible growth (GRO) and tree water deficit (TWD) periods. During the drought of 2017, the most severe tree water deficits occurred in the western part of the island, whereas trees at higher elevations were more affected than at lower elevations. A prolonged decrease of SRV, even close to the tree line, suggests bimodal growth and reveals high plasticity of growth patterns in both Corsican pines. Stem radial variations correlated significantly with precipitation and temperature. The positive correlations of GRO with precipitation and the negative correlations of TWD with temperature imply that high evapotranspiration led to the intense period of TWD in 2017. A novel approach was used to further investigate the growth/climate relationship by including synoptic-scale pressure situations. This revealed that an elevation gradient in GRO per weather pattern was only present in the wet year and that even rarely occurring weather patterns can have a substantial impact on tree growth. This novel approach provides a more comprehensive insight into meteorological drivers of tree growth patterns by incorporating different scales of the climatic system.
YouTube Videos in the Virtual Flipped Classroom Model Using Brain Signals and Facial Expressions
Authors: Sangermán Jiménez María Artemisa , Ponce Pedro , Vázquez-Cano Esteban
Published: August 2021

As a result of the confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, various educational institutions migrated their face-to-face teaching modality to a virtual modality. This article presents the implementation of the Flipped Classroom model in a completely virtual format to develop grammatical competency in Spanish. The model used videos from YouTube, one of the leading global social network platforms, and the videoconferencing system Zoom, the tool selected by the studied educational institution to continue academic operations during the health confinement. The model was enriched with the Index for Learning Style test to provide more differentiated teaching. This study showed considerable improvement in the academic performance of high school students taking a Spanish course at the Mexico City campus of Tecnologico de Monterrey. Of the total sample, 98% increased their score by between 2 and 46 points, from a total of 100, in their grammatical competency in Spanish. Additionally, the student satisfaction survey showed that more than 90% considered the course methodology beneficial for developing their grammatical competency in Spanish. This study demonstrates the potential of the Flipped Classroom model in a virtual format. This teaching structure using the Flipped Classroom model could be replicated in various educational settings and for different areas of knowledge.
Improving RE-SWOT Analysis with Sentiment Classification: A Case Study of Travel Agencies
Authors: Tu Shu-Fen , Hsu Ching-Sheng , Lu Yu-Tzu
Published: August 2021

Nowadays, many companies collect online user reviews to determine how users evaluate their products. Dalpiaz and Parente proposed the RE-SWOT method to automatically generate a SWOT matrix based on online user reviews. The SWOT matrix is an important basis for a company to perform competitive analysis; therefore, RE-SWOT is a very helpful tool for organizations. Dalpiaz and Parente calculated feature performance scores based on user reviews and ratings to generate the SWOT matrix. However, the authors did not propose a solution for situations when user ratings are not available. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for forums to only have user reviews but no user ratings. In this paper, sentiment analysis is used to deal with the situation where user ratings are not available. We also use KKday, a start-up online travel agency in Taiwan as an example to demonstrate how to use the proposed method to build a SWOT matrix.
Characterization and Determination of Nanoparticles in Commercial Processed Foods
Authors: Yu Jin , Jeon Ye-Rin , Kim Ye-Hyun , Jung Eun-Been , Choi Soo-Jin
Published: August 2021

A wide variety of foods manufactured by nanotechnology are commercially available on the market and labeled as nanoproducts. However, it is challenging to determine the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) in complex food matrices and processed foods. In this study, top-down-approach-produced (TD)-NP products and nanobubble waters (NBWs) were chosen as representative powdered and liquid nanoproducts, respectively. The characterization and determination of NPs in TD-NP products and NBWs were carried out by measuring constituent particle sizes, hydrodynamic diameters, zeta potentials, and surface chemistry. The results show that most NBWs had different characteristics compared with those of conventional sparkling waters, but nanobubbles were unstable during storage. On the other hand, powdered TD-NP products were found to be highly aggregated, and the constituent particle sizes less than 100 nm were remarkably observed after dispersion compared with counterpart conventional bulk-sized products by scanning electron microscopy at low acceleration voltage and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The differences in chemical composition and chemical state between TD-NPs and their counterpart conventional bulk products were also found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These findings will provide basic information about the presence of NPs in nano-labeled products and be useful to understand and predict the potential toxicity of NPs applied to the food industry.
Screening of Regulated and Emerging Mycotoxins in Bulk Milk Samples by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Rocchetti Gabriele , Ghilardelli Francesca , Masoero Francesco , Gallo Antonio
Published: August 2021

In this work, a retrospective screening based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) based on Orbitrap-Q-Exactive Focus™ was used to check the occurrence of regulated and emerging mycotoxins in bulk milk samples. Milk samples were collected from dairy farms in which corn silage was the main ingredient of the feeding system. The 45 bulk milk samples were previously analyzed for a detailed untargeted metabolomic profiling and classified into five clusters according to the corn silage contamination profile, namely: (1) low levels of Aspergillus- and Penicillium-mycotoxins; (2) low levels of fumonisins and other Fusarium-mycotoxins; (3) high levels of Aspergillus-mycotoxins; (4) high levels of non-regulated Fusarium-mycotoxins; (5) high levels of fumonisins and their metabolites. Multivariate statistics based on both unsupervised and supervised analyses were used to evaluate the significant fold-change variations of the main groups of mycotoxins detected when comparing milk samples from clusters 3, 4, and 5 (high contamination levels of the corn silages) with cluster 1 and 2 (low contamination levels of the corn silages). Overall, 14 compounds showed a significant prediction ability, with antibiotic Y (VIP score = 2.579), bikaverin (VIP score = 1.975) and fumonisin B2 (VIP score = 1.846) being the best markers. The k-means clustering combined with supervised statistics showed two discriminant groups of milk samples, thus revealing a hierarchically higher impact of the whole feeding system (rather than the only corn silages) together with other factors of variability on the final mycotoxin contamination profile. Among the discriminant metabolites we found some Fusarium mycotoxins, together with the tetrapeptide tentoxin (an Alternaria toxin), the α-zearalenol (a catabolite of zearalenone), mycophenolic acid and apicidin. These preliminary findings provide new insights into the potential role of UHPLC-HRMS to evaluate the contamination profile and the safety of raw milk to produce hard cheese.
Physiochemical Responses of the Kernel Quality, Total Phenols and Antioxidant Enzymes of Walnut in Different Forms to the Low-Temperature Storage
Authors: Ma Yanping , Wang Chaoye , Liu Chaobin , Tan Jiawei , Ma Huiling , Wang Jin
Published: August 2021

Fresh walnut is obtaining high attention due to its pleasant taste and health benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of storage temperatures (0 °C and −20 °C) on the kernel quality, total phenols, and antioxidant enzyme activities of walnuts in three forms (fresh kernels, walnuts with green husk, and walnuts with shell). For a short storage within 3 months at 0 °C, the results revealed that walnuts with green husk provided a better walnut kernel quality resulting from its lower acid value and peroxide value, together with a higher total phenol content and total antioxidant activity, compared with other forms of walnuts. In comparison, frozen storage at −20 °C for a long duration (up to 10 months), found that walnuts with shell showed advantages in improving the kernel quality (fatty acid content, total phenols, and total antioxidant activity) and antioxidant enzyme (peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) activities in the kernels, leading to an acceptable range of acid value and peroxide value, compared with other forms of walnuts. Thus, frozen storage at −20 °C showed a potential application in maintaining the walnut kernel quality, especially the walnuts with shell.
Innovative Non-Thermal Technologies for Recovery and Valorization of Value-Added Products from Crustacean Processing By-Products—An Opportunity for a Circular Economy Approach
Authors: De Aguiar Saldanha Pinheiro Ana Cristina , Martí-Quijal Francisco J. , Barba Francisco J. , Tappi Silvia , Rocculi Pietro
Published: August 2021

The crustacean processing industry has experienced significant growth over recent decades resulting in the production of a great number of by-products. Crustacean by-products contain several valuable components such as proteins, lipids, and carotenoids, especially astaxanthin and chitin. When isolated, these valuable compounds are characterized by bioactivities such as anti-microbial, antioxidant, and anti-cancer ones, and that could be used as nutraceutical ingredients or additives in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Different innovative non-thermal technologies have appeared as promising, safe, and efficient tools to recover these valuable compounds. This review aims at providing a summary of the main compounds that can be extracted from crustacean by-products, and of the results obtained by applying the main innovative non-thermal processes for recovering such high-value products. Moreover, from the perspective of the circular economy approach, specific case studies on some current applications of the recovered compounds in the seafood industry are presented. The extraction of valuable components from crustacean by-products, combined with the development of novel technological strategies aimed at their recovery and purification, will allow for important results related to the long-term sustainability of the seafood industry to be obtained. Furthermore, the reuse of extracted components in seafood products is an interesting strategy to increase the value of the seafood sector overall. However, to date, there are limited industrial applications for this promising approach.
Effective Connectivity in the Human Brain for Sour Taste, Retronasal Smell, and Combined Flavour
Authors: Suen Justin Long Kiu , Yeung Andy Wai Kan , Wu Ed X. , Leung Wai Keung , Tanabe Hiroki C. , Goto Tazuko K.
Published: August 2021

The anterior insula and rolandic operculum are key regions for flavour perception in the human brain; however, it is unclear how taste and congruent retronasal smell are perceived as flavours. The multisensory integration required for sour flavour perception has rarely been studied; therefore, we investigated the brain responses to taste and smell in the sour flavour-processing network in 35 young healthy adults. We aimed to characterise the brain response to three stimulations applied in the oral cavity—sour taste, retronasal smell of mango, and combined flavour of both—using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Effective connectivity of the flavour-processing network and modulatory effect from taste and smell were analysed. Flavour stimulation activated middle insula and olfactory tubercle (primary taste and olfactory cortices, respectively); anterior insula and rolandic operculum, which are associated with multisensory integration; and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a secondary cortex for flavour perception. Dynamic causal modelling demonstrated that neural taste and smell signals were integrated at anterior insula and rolandic operculum. These findings elucidated how neural signals triggered by sour taste and smell presented in liquid form interact in the brain, which may underpin the neurobiology of food appreciation. Our study thus demonstrated the integration and synergy of taste and smell.
Instrumentation for Routine Analysis of Acrylamide in French Fries: Assessing Limitations for Adoption
Authors: Skinner Mark M. , Seale Jared T. , Cantrell Maranda S. , Collins Joseph M. , Turner Matthew W. , McDougal Owen M.
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this experimental review was to detect acrylamide in French fries using methods most adaptable to the food process industry for quality control assessment of products. French fries were prepared at different cook times using the same fryer oil over a five-day period to assess the influence of oil degradation and monitor trends in acrylamide formation. Acrylamide detection was performed using LC-MS, GC-MS and FT-NIR. The low levels of acrylamide produced during frying, low molecular weight of the analyte, and complexity of the potato matrix make routine acrylamide measurement challenging in a well-outfitted analytical lab with trained personnel. The findings of this study are presented from the perspective of pros and cons of each acrylamide measurement method in enough detail for food processors to appraise the method that may work best for them based on their available instrumentation and extent of personnel training.
Impact of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives on the Gut Microbiota of Consumers: A Real-World Study
Authors: Toribio-Mateas Miguel A. , Bester Adri , Klimenko Natalia
Published: August 2021

Eating less meat is increasingly seen as a healthier, more ethical option. This is leading to growing numbers of flexitarian consumers looking for plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) to replace at least some of the animal meat they consume. Popular PBMA products amongst flexitarians, including plant-based mince, burgers, sausages and meatballs, are often perceived as low-quality, ultra-processed foods. However, we argue that the mere industrial processing of ingredients of plant origin does not make a PBMA product ultra-processed by default. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a randomised controlled trial to assess the changes to the gut microbiota of a group of 20 participants who replaced several meat-containing meals per week with meals cooked with PBMA products and compared these changes to those experienced by a size-matched control. Stool samples were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing. The resulting raw data was analysed in a compositionality-aware manner, using a range of innovative bioinformatic methods. Noteworthy changes included an increase in butyrate metabolising potential—chiefly in the 4-aminobutyrate/succinate and glutarate pathways—and in the joint abundance of butyrate-producing taxa in the intervention group compared to control. We also observed a decrease in the Tenericutes phylum in the intervention group and an increase in the control group. Based on our findings, we concluded that the occasional replacement of animal meat with PBMA products seen in flexitarian dietary patterns can promote positive changes in the gut microbiome of consumers.
Validation and Selection of New Reference Genes for RT-qPCR Analysis in Pediatric Glioma of Different Grades
Authors: Hernández-Ochoa Beatriz , Fernández-Rosario Fabiola , Castillo-Rodríguez Rosa Angelica , Marhx-Bracho Alfonso , Cárdenas-Rodríguez Noemí , Martínez-Rosas Víctor , Morales-Luna Laura , González-Valdez Abigail , Calderón-Jaimes Ernesto , Pérez de la Cruz Verónica , Rivera-Gutiérrez Sandra , Meza-Toledo Sergio , Wong-Baeza Carlos , Baeza-Ramírez Isabel , Gómez-Manzo Saúl
Published: August 2021

Gliomas are heterogeneous, solid, and intracranial tumors that originate from glial cells. Malignant cells from the tumor undergo metabolic alterations to obtain the energy required for proliferation and the invasion of the cerebral parenchyma. The alterations in the expression of the genes related to the metabolic pathways can be detected in biopsies of gliomas of different CNS WHO grades. In this study, we evaluated the expression of 16 candidate reference genes in the HMC3 microglia cell line. Then, statistical algorithms such as BestKeeper, the comparative ΔCT method, geNorm, NormFinder, and RefFinder were applied to obtain the genes most suitable to be considered as references for measuring the levels of expression in glioma samples. The results show that PKM and TPI1 are two novel genes suitable for genic expression studies on gliomas. Finally, we analyzed the expression of genes involved in metabolic pathways in clinical samples of brain gliomas of different CNS WHO grades. RT-qPCR analysis showed that in CNS WHO grade 3 and 4 gliomas, the expression levels of HK1, PFKM, GAPDH, G6PD, PGD1, IDH1, FASN, ACACA, and ELOVL2 were higher than those of CNS WHO grade 1 and 2 glioma biopsies. Hence, our results suggest that reference genes from metabolic pathways have different expression profiles depending on the stratification of gliomas and constitute a potential model for studying the development of this type of tumor and the search for molecular targets to treat gliomas.
Chromosome-Level Genome Assemblies Expand Capabilities of Genomics for Conservation Biology
Authors: Totikov Azamat , Tomarovsky Andrey , Prokopov Dmitry , Yakupova Aliya , Bulyonkova Tatiana , Derezanin Lorena , Rasskazov Dmitry , Wolfsberger Walter W. , Koepfli Klaus-Peter , Oleksyk Taras K. , Kliver Sergei
Published: August 2021

Genome assemblies are in the process of becoming an increasingly important tool for understanding genetic diversity in threatened species. Unfortunately, due to limited budgets typical for the area of conservation biology, genome assemblies of threatened species, when available, tend to be highly fragmented, represented by tens of thousands of scaffolds not assigned to chromosomal locations. The recent advent of high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) enables more contiguous assemblies containing scaffolds spanning the length of entire chromosomes for little additional cost. These inexpensive contiguous assemblies can be generated using Hi-C scaffolding of existing short-read draft assemblies, where N50 of the draft contigs is larger than 0.1% of the estimated genome size and can greatly improve analyses and facilitate visualization of genome-wide features including distribution of genetic diversity in markers along chromosomes or chromosome-length scaffolds. We compared distribution of genetic diversity along chromosomes of eight mammalian species, including six listed as threatened by IUCN, where both draft genome assemblies and newer chromosome-level assemblies were available. The chromosome-level assemblies showed marked improvement in localization and visualization of genetic diversity, especially where the distribution of low heterozygosity across the genomes of threatened species was not uniform.
The Tomato ddm1b Mutant Shows Decreased Sensitivity to Heat Stress Accompanied by Transcriptional Alterations
Authors: Singh Prashant Kumar , Miller Golan , Faigenboim Adi , Lieberman-Lazarovich Michal
Published: August 2021

Heat stress is a major environmental factor limiting crop productivity, thus presenting a food security challenge. Various approaches are taken in an effort to develop crop species with enhanced tolerance to heat stress conditions. Since epigenetic mechanisms were shown to play a regulatory role in mediating plants’ responses to their environment, we investigated the role of DNA methylation in response to heat stress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), an important vegetable crop. To meet this aim, we tested a DNA methylation-deficient tomato mutant, Slddm1b. In this short communication paper, we report phenotypic and transcriptomic preliminary findings, implying that the tomato ddm1b mutant is significantly less sensitive to heat stress compared with the background tomato line, M82. Under conditions of heat stress, this mutant line presented higher fruit set and seed set rates, as well as a higher survival rate at the seedling stage. On the transcriptional level, we observed differences in the expression of heat stress-related genes, suggesting an altered response of the ddm1b mutant to this stress. Following these preliminary results, further research would shed light on the specific genes that may contribute to the observed thermotolerance of ddm1b and their possibly altered DNA methylation status.
Association Analysis of Polymorphic Variants of the BDNF Gene in Athletes
Authors: Niewczas Marta , Król Paweł , Czarny Wojciech , Bajorek Wojciech , Rzepko Marian , Drozd Sławomir , Płonka Artur , Drozd Monika , Czaja Robert , Błach Wiesław , Ruzbarsky Pavel , Chmielowiec Krzysztof , Michałowska-Sawczyn Monika , Grzywacz Anna
Published: August 2021

As BDNF is one of the group of neurotrophins highly influencing the processes happening in the brain, such as the processes of learning and personality creation, we decided to look closer at its genetic variations in association with the personality of a group of athletes and their controls. The study group consisted of 305 volunteers: martial arts athletes (n = 153; mean age = 24.06) and healthy non-athletes as controls (n = 152; mean age = 22.23). Thirty-eight percent of the martial arts group achieved the championship level. Both the martial arts and control subjects were examined using the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scales. The results of the NEO-FFI and STAI inventories were given as sten scores. The conversion of the raw score to the sten scale was performed according to Polish norms for adults. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood leukocytes and then genotyped using a PCR method for the following polymorphisms: BDNF rs10767664 and BDNF rs2030323. We observed statistical significance for both polymorphisms when comparing martial arts athletes with the control group in relation to the conscientiousness and extraversion scales. However, since few extant articles consider this association, our results still require further analysis, probably by considering a larger group.
Three ParA Dimers Cooperatively Assemble on Type Ia Partition Promoters
Authors: Boudsocq François , Salhi Maya , Barbe Sophie , Bouet Jean-Yves
Published: August 2021

Accurate DNA segregation is essential for faithful inheritance of genetic material. In bacteria, this process is mainly ensured by partition systems composed of two proteins, ParA and ParB, and a centromere site. Auto-regulation of Par operon expression is important for efficient partitioning and is primarily mediated by ParA for type Ia plasmid partition systems. For the F-plasmid, four ParAF monomers were proposed to bind to four repeated sequences in the promoter region. By contrast, using quantitative surface-plasmon-resonance, we showed that three ParAF dimers bind to this region. We uncovered that one perfect inverted repeat (IR) motif, consisting of two hexamer sequences spaced by 28-bp, constitutes the primary ParAF DNA binding site. A similar but degenerated motif overlaps the former. ParAF binding to these motifs is well supported by biochemical and modeling analyses. Molecular dynamics simulations predict that the winged-HTH domain displays high flexibility, which may favor the cooperative ParA binding to the promoter. We propose that three ParAF dimers bind cooperatively to overlapping motifs, thus covering the promoter region. A similar organization is found on closely related and distant plasmid partition systems, suggesting that such promoter organization for auto-regulated Par operons is widespread and may have evolved from a common ancestor.