bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Staging and Multimodal Therapy of Esophageal and Gastric Tumors
Authors: Cummings Donelle , Wong Joyce , Palm Russell , Hoffe Sarah , Almhanna Khaldoun , Vignesh Shivakumar
Published: February 2021

Gastric and esophageal tumors are diverse neoplasms that involve mucosal and submucosal tissue layers and include squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, spindle cell neoplasms, neuroendocrine tumors, marginal B cell lymphomas, along with less common tumors. The worldwide burden of esophageal and gastric malignancies is significant, with esophageal and gastric cancer representing the ninth and fifth most common cancers, respectively. The approach to diagnosis and staging of these lesions is multimodal and includes a combination of gastrointestinal endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, and cross-sectional imaging. Likewise, therapy is multidisciplinary and combines therapeutic endoscopy, surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapeutic tools. Future directions for diagnosis of esophageal and gastric malignancies are evolving rapidly and will involve advances in endoscopic and endosonographic techniques including tethered capsules, optical coherence tomography, along with targeted cytologic and serological analyses.
Characteristics of High Surface Area Molybdenum Nitride and Its Activity for the Catalytic Decomposition of Ammonia
Authors: Baek Seo-Hyeon , Yun Kyunghee , Kang Dong-Chang , An Hyejin , Park Min Bum , Shin Chae-Ho , Min Hyung-Ki
Published: February 2021

High surface area (>170 m2 g−1) molybdenum nitride was prepared by the temperature-programmed nitridation of α-MoO3 with pure ammonia. The process was optimized by adjusting the experimental variables: the reaction temperature, heating rate, and molar flow rate of ammonia. The physicochemical properties of the as-formed molybdenum nitride were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 sorption, transmission electron microscopy, temperature-programmed oxidation/reduction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Of the experimental variables, the nitridation temperature was found to be the most critical parameter determining the surface area of the molybdenum nitride. When the prepared molybdenum nitride was exposed to air, the specific surface area rapidly decreased because of the partial oxidation of molybdenum nitride to molybdenum oxynitride. However, the surface area recovered to 90% the initial value after H2 treatment. The catalyst with the highest degree of nitridation showed the best catalytic activity, superior to that of unmodified α-MoO3, for the decomposition of ammonia because of its high surface area.
Mesoporous Methyl-Functionalized Titanosilicate Produced by Aerosol Process for the Catalytic Epoxidation of Olefins
Authors: Manangon-Perugachi Lucia E. , Smeets Valentin , Vivian Alvise , Kainthla Itika , Eloy Pierre , Aprile Carmela , Debecker Damien P. , Gaigneaux Eric M.
Published: February 2021

Titanosilicates (Ti-SiO2) are well-known catalysts for the epoxidation of olefins. Isolated Ti inserted in the silica framework in tetrahedral coordination are the active species. Recently, adjusting the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of such catalysts’ surfaces has appeared as a promising tool to further boost their performance. However, adjusting the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance via a one-pot classical sol-gel generally leads to a decrease in the Ti dispersion and/or collapse of the pore network. To overcome this limitation, hydrophobic mesoporous Ti-SiO2 were here synthesized by aerosol-assisted one-pot sol–gel, which allowed the simultaneous control of their Ti loading, degree of methyl-functionalization, and textural properties. Methyl-functionalization was achieved by a partial substitution of tetraethoxy silane (TEOS) by methyltriethoxy silane (MTES) in different ratios. Solid-state 29Si-NMR, FTIR, TGA, and vapor-phase water adsorption showed that methyl moieties were effectively incorporated, conferring a hydrophobic property to the Ti-SiO2 catalysts. ICP-AES, DRUV, XPS, and N2 physisorption demonstrated that Ti dispersion and textural properties were both successfully preserved upon the incorporation of the methyl moieties. In the epoxidation of cyclooctene with tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant, the hydrophobic Ti-SiO2 showed higher catalytic performance than pristine Ti-SiO2 prepared without MTES. In addition to disentangling the positive effect of adjusting the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of epoxidation catalysts on their performance, this contribution highlights the advantages of the aerosol procedure to synthesize mesoporous functionalized catalysts with very high dispersion of active sites.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Adaptive Functioning, Behavioral Problems, and Repetitive Behaviors of Italian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Study
Authors: Siracusano Martina , Segatori Eugenia , Riccioni Assia , Emberti Gialloreti Leonardo , Curatolo Paolo , Mazzone Luigi
Published: February 2021

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families have represented a fragile population on which the extreme circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak may have doubly impaired. Interruption of therapeutical interventions delivered in-person and routine disruption constituted some of the main challenges they had to face. This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on adaptive functioning, behavioral problems, and repetitive behaviors of children with ASD. In a sample of 85 Italian ASD children (mean age 7 years old; 68 males, 17 females), through a comparison with a baseline evaluation performed during the months preceding COVID-19, we evaluated whether after the compulsory home confinement any improvement or worsening was reported by parents of ASD individuals using standardized instruments (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (Second Edition), Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised). No significant worsening in the adaptive functioning, problematic, and repetitive behaviors emerged after the compulsory home confinement. Within the schooler children, clinical stability was found in reference to both adaptive skills and behavioral aspects, whereas within preschoolers, a significant improvement in adaptive skills emerged and was related to the subsistence of web-delivered intervention, parental work continuance, and online support during the lockdown.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Interrelation of Physical Activity, Screen Time and Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents in Germany: Results of the Motorik-Modul Study
Authors: Wunsch Kathrin , Nigg Carina , Niessner Claudia , Schmidt Steffen C. E. , Oriwol Doris , Hanssen-Doose Anke , Burchartz Alexander , Eichsteller Ana , Kolb Simon , Worth Annette , Woll Alexander
Published: February 2021

Reduced physical activity (PA) and prolonged screen time (ST) negatively influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL), a protective factor against illness and mortality. Studies addressing the relationship between PA, ST, and mental health in youth are scarce, especially in times with high mental health burdens like the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this examination was to investigate whether PA, ST, and HRQoL before COVID-19 predict PA, ST, and HRQoL during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants from the Motorik-Modul Study (MoMo; N = 1711; Mage = 10.36 (SD = 4.04) years, female = 49.8%; healthy weight = 76.8%) self-reported their PA and ST as well as HRQoL both before and during COVID-19. Relationships of all variables, from before to during COVID-19, were investigated through a path prediction model. Results showed all variables during COVID-19 were predicted by the respective levels before COVID-19, independent of gender and age. Cross-lags revealed a negative influence of before COVID-19 ST on during COVID-19 PA. HRQoL before COVID-19 was positively associated with during COVID-19 PA in children younger than 10 years and females, but not in adolescents and boys. As age- and gender-independent negative influence of before COVID-19 ST on during COVID-19 PA has been detected, health policy may be advised to focus on a general reduction in ST instead of PA enhancement to ensure high PA levels.
Investigation of the Effects of Component Ratios on the Properties of Superhydrophobic Polyurethane/Fluorinated Acrylic Co-Polymer/SiO2 Nanocomposite Coatings
Authors: Ke Chong , Li Zhongfa , Zhang Chenhua , Wu Xinguo , Zhu Zhiping , Jiang Yongdong
Published: February 2021

In this work, polyurethane/fluorinated acrylic co-polymer/silicon dioxide (PU/FAP/SiO2) hybrid superhydrophobic coatings were fabricated on glass substrates via a simple one-step coating process. The effects of each coating component on the coating properties were systematically investigated. The optimized coating exhibits a water contact angle (WCA) of 159° and a rolling angle of 3°. Meanwhile, the coating has an optical light transmittance of 88%, indicating the good transparency of the coating. Besides, the coating demonstrates an adequate level of abrasion resistance. After a total abrasion distance of 300 cm against a piece of 800 mesh sand paper, the sample still kept a water contact angle of about 110°, showing its high abrasion resistance. Therefore, the optimized coating has a great potential for practical application.
Magnetotransport Properties of Semi-Metallic Bismuth Thin Films for Flexible Sensor Applications
Authors: Zabila Yevhen , Marszalek Marta , Krupinski Michal , Zarzycki Arkadiusz , Perzanowski Marcin
Published: February 2021

In this paper we describe characterization of semi-metallic bismuth thin films. We prepared bismuth thin films by a deposition of bismuth through thermal evaporation onto flexible Kapton substrates and annealing at temperatures close to the melting point of Bi. We studied the morphology and transport properties of these films. Immediately after the deposition we observed competition between vanishing of the grain boundaries and elastic strain energy, which stabilized at larger thicknesses leading to the grain size of 140 nm. This effect was accompanied by a continuous decrease of resistivity which, however, was larger than for the bulk bismuth. The film annealing at temperatures close to the melting point of Bi led to a 300% increase of magnetoresistance at room temperature and in the magnetic field of 7 T. The in situ resistance measurements allowed us to determine the permissible temperature at which the annealing does not cause the loss of film continuity.
Plausible Physical Mechanisms for Unusual Volatile/Non- Volatile Resistive Switching in HfO2-Based Stacks
Authors: Quinteros Cynthia P. , Antoja-Lleonart Jordi , Noheda Beatriz
Published: February 2021

Memristive devices made of silicon compatible simple oxides are of great interest for storage and logic devices in future adaptable electronics and non-digital computing applications. A series of highly desirable properties observed in an atomic-layer-deposited hafnia-based stack, triggered our interest to investigate their suitability for technological implementations. In this paper, we report our attempts to reproduce the observed behaviour within the framework of a proposed underlying mechanism. The inability of achieving the electrical response of the original batch indicates that a key aspect in those devices has remained undetected. By comparing newly made devices with the original ones, we gather some clues on the plausible alternative mechanisms that could give rise to comparable electrical behaviours.
Calculation for High Pressure Behaviour of Potential Solar Cell Materials Cu2FeSnS4 and Cu2MnSnS4
Authors: Küllmey Tim , González Miguel , Heppke Eva M. , Paulus Beate
Published: February 2021

Exploring alternatives to the Cu2ZnSnS4 kesterite solar cell absorber, we have calculated first principle enthalpies of different plausible structural models (kesterite, stannite, P4¯ and GeSb type) for Cu2FeSnS4 and Cu2MnSnS4 to identify low and high pressure phases. Due to the magnetic nature of Fe and Mn atoms we included a ferromagnetic (FM) and anti-ferromagnetic (AM) phase for each structural model. For Cu2FeSnS4 we predict the following transitions: P4¯ (AM) →16.3GPa GeSb type (AM) →23.0GPa GeSb type (FM). At the first transition the electronic structure changes from semi-conducting to metallic and remains metallic throughout the second transition. For Cu2MnSnS4, we predict a direct AM (kesterite) to FM (GeSb-type) transitions at somewhat lower pressure (12.1 GPa). The GeSb-type structure also shows metallic behaviour.
Unexpected Absence of Population Structure and High Genetic Diversity of the Western Atlantic Hermit Crab Clibanarius antillensis Stimpson, 1859 (Decapoda: Diogenidae) Based on Mitochondrial Markers and Morphological Data
Authors: Nishikawa Keity S. , Negri Mariana , Mantelatto Fernando L.
Published: February 2021

Recent studies on genetic variability have revealed different patterns of genetic structure among populations of marine decapod species with wide geographical distribution. The hermit crab Clibanarius antillensis has a broad distribution along the western Atlantic Ocean, from south Florida (United States) to Santa Catarina (Brazil). This factor, in addition to differences in larval morphology and in adult coloration, makes this species a good model for studies on intraspecific variations. Therefore, we evaluated the molecular and morphological variability of C. antillensis along its distribution in order to check the levels of population structure. The results were based on the morphological analyses of 187 individuals and 38 partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene 16S rRNA and 46 of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from specimens whose locations covered the whole species distribution. The molecular analyses did not show any apparent population structure of C. antillensis. This result was corroborated by the morphological analyses since the characters analyzed did not show any pattern of variation. Our results may be explained by a set of factors, such as the dispersive potential of the species and the absence of barriers that could prevent gene flow. In addition, high genetic diversity was observed, mainly for COI, which may be explained by the historical processes of the species, which seem to be in almost constant expansion in the last 700,000 years and experienced no genetic bottleneck. Apparently, this species was little affected by the climate fluctuations of Pleistocene. Additionally, our morphological analyses allowed us to present herein a redescription of the studied species since we noted differences from the characters in the diagnosis.
The Emerging Role of Small Extracellular Vesicles in Inflammatory Airway Diseases
Authors: Piszczatowska Katarzyna , Czerwaty Katarzyna , Cyran Anna M. , Fiedler Mathias , Ludwig Nils , Brzost Jacek , Szczepański Mirosław J.
Published: February 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are produced and released by all cells and are present in all body fluids. They exist in a variety of sizes, however, small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), the EV subset with a size range from 30 to 150 nm, are of current interest. By transporting a complex cargo that includes genetic material, proteins, lipids, and signaling molecules, sEVs can alter the state of recipient cells. The role of sEVs in mediating inflammatory processes and responses of the immune system is well-documented, and adds another layer of complexity to our understanding of frequent diseases, including chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and upper airway infections. In these diseases, two aspects of sEV biology are of particular interest: (1) sEVs might be involved in the etiopathogenesis of inflammatory airway diseases, and might emerge as attractive therapeutic targets, and (2) sEVs might be of diagnostic or prognostic relevance. The purpose of this review is to outline the biological functions of sEVs and their capacity to both augment and attenuate inflammation and immune response in the context of pathogen invasion, CRS, asthma, and COPD.
Prenatal Exome Sequencing: Background, Current Practice and Future Perspectives—A Systematic Review
Authors: Guadagnolo Daniele , Mastromoro Gioia , Di Palma Francesca , Pizzuti Antonio , Marchionni Enrica
Published: February 2021

The introduction of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies has exerted a significant impact on prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal Exome Sequencing (pES) is performed with increasing frequency in fetuses with structural anomalies and negative chromosomal analysis. The actual diagnostic value varies extensively, and the role of incidental/secondary or inconclusive findings and negative results has not been fully ascertained. We performed a systematic literature review to evaluate the diagnostic yield, as well as inconclusive and negative-result rates of pES. Papers were divided in two groups. The former includes fetuses presenting structural anomalies, regardless the involved organ; the latter focuses on specific class anomalies. Available findings on non-informative or negative results were gathered as well. In the first group, the weighted average diagnostic yield resulted 19%, and inconclusive finding rate 12%. In the second group, the percentages were extremely variable due to differences in sample sizes and inclusion criteria, which constitute major determinants of pES efficiency. Diagnostic pES availability and its application have a pivotal role in prenatal diagnosis, though more homogeneity in access criteria and a consensus on clinical management of controversial information management is envisageable to reach widespread use in the near future.
A Simple but Efficient Concept of Blended Teaching of Mathematics for Engineering Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Busto Saray , Dumbser Michael , Gaburro Elena
Published: February 2021

In this article we present a case study concerning a simple but efficient technical and logistic concept for the realization of blended teaching of mathematics and its applications in theoretical mechanics that was conceived, tested and implemented at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM) of the University of Trento, Italy, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept foresees traditional blackboard lectures with a reduced number of students physically present in the lecture hall, while the same lectures are simultaneously made available to the remaining students, who cannot be present, via high-quality low-bandwidth online streaming. The case study presented in this paper was implemented in a single University Department and was carried out with a total of n=1011 students and n=68 professors participating in the study. Based on our first key assumption that traditional blackboard lectures, including the gestures and the facial expressions of the professor, are even nowadays still a very efficient and highly appreciated means of teaching mathematics at the university, this paper deliberately does not want to propose a novel pedagogical concept of how to teach mathematics at the undergraduate level, but rather presents a technical concept of how to preserve the quality of traditional blackboard lectures even during the COVID-19 pandemic and how to make them available to the students at home via online streaming with adequate audio and video quality even at low internet bandwidth. The second key assumption of this paper is that the teaching of mathematics is a dynamic creative process that requires the physical presence of students in the lecture hall as audience so that the professor can instantaneously fine-tune the evolution of the lecture according to his/her perception of the level of attention and the facial expressions of the students. The third key assumption of this paper is that students need to have the possibility to interact with each other personally, especially in the first years at the university. We report on the necessary hardware, software and logistics, as well as on the perception of the proposed blended lectures by undergraduate students from civil and environmental engineering at the University of Trento, Italy, compared to traditional lectures and also compared to the pure online lectures that were needed as emergency measure at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation of the concept was carried out with the aid of quantitative internet bandwidth measurements, direct comparison of transmitted video signals and a careful analysis of ex ante and ex post online questionnaires sent to students and professors.
Detecting Nuisance Calls over Internet Telephony Using Caller Reputation
Authors: Javed Ibrahim Tariq , Toumi Khalifa , Alharbi Fares , Margaria Tiziana , Crespi Noel
Published: February 2021

Internet telephony permit callers to manage self-asserted profiles without any subscription contract nor identification proof. These cost-free services have attracted many telemarketers and spammers who generate unsolicited nuisance calls. Upon detection, they simply rejoin the network with a new identity to continue their malicious activities. Nuisance calls are highly disruptive when compared to email and social spam. They not only include annoying telemarketing calls but also contain scam and voice phishing which involves security risk for subscribers. Therefore, it remains a major challenge for Internet telephony providers to detect and avoid nuisance calls efficiently. In this paper, we present a new approach that uses caller reputation to detect different kinds of nuisance calls generated in the network. The reputation is computed in a hybrid manner by extracting information from call data records and using recommendations from reliable communicating participants. The behavior of the caller is assessed by extracting call features such as call-rate, call duration, and call density. Long term and short term reputations are computed to quickly detect the changing behavior of callers. Furthermore, our approach involves an efficient mechanism to combat whitewashing attacks performed by malicious callers to continue generating nuisance calls in the network. We conduct simulations to compute the performance of our proposed model. The experiments conclude that the proposed reputation model is an effective method to detect different types of nuisance calls while avoiding false detection of legitimate calls.
Competitive Game Theoretic Clustering-Based Multiple UAV-Assisted NB-IoT Systems
Authors: Lee Chunghyun , Jang Gunhee , Dao Nhu-Ngoc , Lakew Demeke Shumeye , Lee Cheol , Cho Sungrae
Published: February 2021

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication is regarded as a promising technology for lightweight Internet of Things (IoT) communications in narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) systems deployed in rugged terrain. In such UAV-assisted NB-IoT systems, the optimal UAV placement and resource allocation play a critical role. Consequently, the joint optimization of the UAV placement and resource allocation is considered in this study to improve the system capacity. Because the considered optimization problem is an NP-hard problem and owing to its non-convex property, it is difficult to optimize both the UAV placement and resource allocation simultaneously. Therefore, a competitive clustering algorithm has been developed by exchanging strategies between the UAV and the adjacent IoT devices to optimize the UAV placement. With multiple iterations, the UAV and the IoT devices within the coverage area of the UAV, converge their clustering strategies, which are suboptimal, to satisfy both sides. The bordering IoT devices of the adjacent clusters are then migrated heuristically toward each other to obtain the optimal system capacity maximization. Finally, the transmission throughput is optimized using the Nash equilibrium. The simulation results demonstrate that the algorithms proposed in this study exhibit rapid convergence, within 10 iterations, even in a large environment. The performance evaluation demonstrates that the proposed scheme improves the system capacity of the existing schemes by approximately 28%.
The Impact of State-of-the-Art Techniques for Lossless Still Image Compression
Authors: Rahman Md. Atiqur , Hamada Mohamed , Shin Jungpil
Published: February 2021

A great deal of information is produced daily, due to advances in telecommunication, and the issue of storing it on digital devices or transmitting it over the Internet is challenging. Data compression is essential in managing this information well. Therefore, research on data compression has become a topic of great interest to researchers, and the number of applications in this area is increasing. Over the last few decades, international organisations have developed many strategies for data compression, and there is no specific algorithm that works well on all types of data. The compression ratio, as well as encoding and decoding times, are mainly used to evaluate an algorithm for lossless image compression. However, although the compression ratio is more significant for some applications, others may require higher encoding or decoding speeds or both; alternatively, all three parameters may be equally important. The main aim of this article is to analyse the most advanced lossless image compression algorithms from each point of view, and evaluate the strength of each algorithm for each kind of image. We develop a technique regarding how to evaluate an image compression algorithm that is based on more than one parameter. The findings that are presented in this paper may be helpful to new researchers and to users in this area.
Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Accumulation 19 Years Post-Windthrow and Salvage Logging
Authors: Oldfield Callie , Peterson Chris
Published: February 2021

Natural disturbances shape forest ecosystem characteristics, including carbon storage and structure. Often, natural disturbances are compounded with anthropogenic disturbances, which may alter the trajectory of forest carbon stock recovery. Heterogeneous levels of disturbance severity in compound disturbance events add an additional layer of complexity. This paper examines the effect of a moderate-severity wind disturbance and subsequent salvage logging on forest biomass and carbon stock recovery over 19 years. We investigate the recovery of aboveground tree biomass following a wind disturbance and salvage logging and examine the role of wind disturbance severity on biomass accumulation rates. We use pre-disturbance, 3 years post-wind disturbance and 19 years post-wind disturbance measurements of tree biomass across two adjacent sites at Natchez Trace State Forest for Site A and Site B in east central Tennessee. We found no significant difference in the carbon storage at Site A (pre = 92 MgC/ha; 19 years post-disturbance = 83 MgC/ha) or Site B (pre = 66 MgC/ha; 19 years post-disturbance = 67) when comparing the pre-disturbance level of aboveground tree carbon storage with the 19-years post-disturbance levels. Furthermore, we found no evidence that salvage logging reduced the rate of live tree carbon accumulation. The corresponding rates of mean annual carbon accumulation (MgC/ha) are as follows: Site A Unsalvaged (1.07), Site A Salvaged (1.25) and Site B Salvaged (2.02). Contrary to our prediction, greater wind damage severity was weakly associated with higher rates of biomass accumulation (R2 = 0.17). While we found no negative effect of salvage logging on the aboveground tree carbon accumulation rate, salvage logging alters other carbon pools, including coarse woody debris. Salvage logging did not reduce the rate of carbon stock recovery, and a higher wind disturbance severity was associated with a greater rate of carbon stock recovery.
An Automatic Generation Approach of the Cyber Threat Intelligence Records Based on Multi-Source Information Fusion
Authors: Sun Tianfang , Yang Pin , Li Mengming , Liao Shan
Published: February 2021

With the progressive deterioration of cyber threats, collecting cyber threat intelligence (CTI) from open-source threat intelligence publishing platforms (OSTIPs) can help information security personnel grasp public opinions with specific pertinence, handle emergency events, and even confront the advanced persistent threats. However, due to the explosive growth of information shared on multi-type OSTIPs, manually collecting the CTI has had low efficiency. Articles published on the OSTIPs are unstructured, leading to an imperative challenge to automatically gather CTI records only through natural language processing (NLP) methods. To remedy these limitations, this paper proposes an automatic approach to generate the CTI records based on multi-type OSTIPs (GCO), combing the NLP method, machine learning method, and cybersecurity threat intelligence knowledge. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed GCO outperformed some state-of-the-art approaches on article classification and cybersecurity intelligence details (CSIs) extraction, with accuracy, precision, and recall all over 93%; finally, the generated records in the Neo4j-based CTI database can help reveal malicious threat groups.
An Investigation of Aerodynamic Effects of Body Morphing for Passenger Cars in Close-Proximity
Authors: Le Good Geoffrey , Resnick Max , Boardman Peter , Clough Brian
Published: February 2021

The potential energy-saving benefit for vehicles when travelling in a ‘platoon’ formation results from the reduction in total aerodynamic drag which may result from the interaction of bluff bodies in close-proximity. Early investigations of platooning, prompted by problems of congestion, had shown the potential for drag reduction but was not pursued. More recently, technologies developed for connected-autonomous vehicle control have provided a renewed interest in platooning particularly within the commercial vehicle industry. To date, most aerodynamics-based considerations of platooning have been conducted to assess the sensitivity of drag-saving to vehicle spacing and were based on formations of identically shaped constituents. In this study, the interest was the sensitivity of drag-saving to the shape of the individual platoon constituents. A new reference car, the Resnick model, was specially designed to include front and rear-end add-on sections to make distinct changes in profile form and simulate large-scale body morphing. The results of wind tunnel tests on small-scale models suggested that current trends in low-drag styling may not provide the ideal shape for platoon constituent members and that optimised forms are likely to be dependent upon position in the platoon.
Suitability Assessment of PLA Bottles for High-Pressure Processing of Apple Juice
Authors: Cubeddu Arianna , Fava Patrizia , Pulvirenti Andrea , Haghighi Hossein , Licciardello Fabio
Published: February 2021

The aim of the present study is to assess the use of polylactic acid (PLA) bottles as an alternative to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ones for high-pressure processing (HPP) of apple juice. The treatment of PLA bottles at 600 MPa for 3 min did not cause alterations in the packaging shape and content, confirming the suitability of PLA bottles to withstand HPP conditions as well as PET bottles. Quantification of total mesophilic bacterial and fungal load suggested HPP treatment can be effectively applied as an alternative to pasteurization for apple juice packed in PLA bottles since it guarantees microbial stability during at least 28 days of refrigerated storage. The headspace gas level did not change significantly during 28 days of refrigerated storage, irrespective of the bottle material. Color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) of the HPP-treated juice were similar to those of the fresh juice. Irrespective of the packaging type, the total color variation significantly changed during storage, showing an exponential increase in the first 14 days, followed by a steady state until the end of observations. Overall, PLA bottles proved to offer comparable performances to PET both in terms of mechanical resistance and quality maintenance.
Effects of β-Cryptoxanthin on Improvement in Osteoporosis Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Kim Sun Jo , Anh Nguyen Hoang , Diem Nguyen Co , Park Seongoh , Cho Young Hyun , Long Nguyen Phuoc , Hwang In Guk , Lim Johan , Kwon Sung Won
Published: February 2021

Many studies have analyzed the effects of β-cryptoxanthin (BCX) on osteoporosis and bone health. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at providing quantitative evidence for the effects of BCX on osteoporosis. Publications were selected and retrieved from three databases and carefully screened to evaluate their eligibility. Data from the final 15 eligible studies were extracted and uniformly summarized. Among the 15 studies, seven including 100,496 individuals provided information for the meta-analysis. A random effects model was applied to integrate the odds ratio (OR) to compare the risk of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related complications between the groups with high and low intake of BCX. A high intake of BCX was significantly correlated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis (OR = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70–0.90, p = 0.0002). The results remained significant when patients were stratified into male and female subgroups as well as Western and Asian cohorts. A high intake of BCX was also negatively associated with the incidence of hip fracture (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.54–0.94, p = 0.02). The results indicate that BCX intake potentially reduces the risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture. Further longitudinal studies are needed to validate the causality of current findings.
Technological Quality, Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profile of Broiler Meat Enhanced by Dietary Inclusion of Black Soldier Fly Larvae
Authors: de Souza Vilela Jessica , Alvarenga Tharcilla I. R. C. , Andrew Nigel R. , McPhee Malcolm , Kolakshyapati Manisha , Hopkins David L. , Ruhnke Isabelle
Published: February 2021

We evaluated the effects of full-fat black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) on broiler carcass composition, cut yield, and breast meat quality. Broilers were fed for 42 days with up to 20% dietary inclusion of BSFL (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%). On day 42, 120 broilers were slaughtered, and images were taken using computed tomography. Breasts, drumsticks, and thighs were collected for cut yield determination. The pH, color, lipid oxidation, cooking loss, shear force, amino acid profile, and fatty acid profile of the breast meat were assessed. There was no dietary effect on carcass composition or meat quality parameters except for fatty and amino acids compositions. When 20% BSFL was included in the diet, individual fatty and amino acids, such as lauric and myristic acids, aspartic acid, glutamine, and lysine, increased by 22.0-, 5.50-, 1.08-, 1.06-, and 1.06-fold, respectively (p < 0.05). Although total polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased, eicosapentaenoic fatty acids (EPA) increased by 78% in the 20% BSFL inclusion group. In conclusion, up to 20%, dietary full-fat BSFL did not affect key meat characteristics but positively increased the levels of the health-claimable omega-3 fatty acid EPA.
Metabolic Profiling of the Oil of Sesame of the Egyptian Cultivar ‘Giza 32’ Employing LC-MS and Tandem MS-Based Untargeted Method
Authors: Mekky Reham Hassan , Abdel-Sattar Essam , Segura-Carretero Antonio , Contreras María del Mar
Published: February 2021

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a global oil crop. Sesame oil has been regarded as functional oil with antioxidant properties in several in vivo studies but little is known about its minor fraction. In this line, this study figures out the profile of the polar fraction of Egyptian cultivar Giza 32 sesame oil (SG32 oil) employing reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry and tandem MS. The characterization of the sesame oil metabolites depended on the observation of their retention time values, accurate MS, and MS/MS data, with UV spectra, and compared with relevant literature and available standards. Remarkably, 86 metabolites were characterized and sub-grouped into phenolic acids, lignans, flavonoids, nitrogenous compounds, and organic acids. From the characterized metabolites, 72 compounds were previously characterized in SG32 cake, which presented antioxidant properties, and hence it could contribute to SG32 oil antioxidant properties. Further studies are required to state the presence of such phenolics in commercial sesame oils and what of these compounds resist oil refining.
Polyphenols as Prebiotics in the Management of High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity: A Systematic Review of Animal Studies
Authors: Moorthy Mohanambal , Sundralingam Usha , Palanisamy Uma D.
Published: February 2021

Obesity is a disease growing at an alarming rate and numerous preclinical studies have proven the role of polyphenols in managing this disease. This systematic review explores the prebiotic effect of polyphenols in the management of obesity among animals fed on a high-fat diet. A literature search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Embase databases following the PRISMA guidelines. Forty-four studies reported a significant reduction in obesity-related parameters. Most notably, 83% of the studies showed a decrease in either body weight/visceral adiposity/plasma triacylglyceride. Furthermore, 42 studies reported a significant improvement in gut microbiota (GM), significantly affecting the genera Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Blautia, Roseburia, Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, Alistipes, and Desulfovibrio. Polyphenols’ anti-obesity, anti-hyperglycaemic, and anti-inflammatory properties were associated with their ability to modulate GM. This review supports the notion of polyphenols as effective prebiotics in ameliorating HFD-induced metabolic derangements in animal models.
Applications of Natural Products in Food
Authors: González-Manzano Susana , Dueñas Montserrat
Published: February 2021

The term natural products includes any substance produced by living organisms [...]
Characterization of Olive Oils Obtained from Minor Accessions in Calabria (Southern Italy)
Authors: Piscopo Amalia , Mafrica Rocco , De Bruno Alessandra , Romeo Rosa , Santacaterina Simone , Poiana Marco
Published: February 2021

The valorization of minor accessions of olive is potentially a good way to improve the qualitative production of a specific territory. Olive oils of four minor accessions (Ciciarello, Tonda di Filogaso, and Ottobratica Calipa and Ottobratica Cannavà clones) produced in the same area of the Calabria region were characterized for the principal qualitative analyses at two drupe harvesting periods (October and November). Good quality in terms of free acidity, peroxides, spectrophotometric indexes, and fatty acid composition was observed in olive oils produced at both drupe harvesting times, with the exception of those of Tonda di Filogaso, which showed a free acidity level over the legal limit for extra virgin olive oil in the second harvesting time. All of the olive oils possessed at both production periods averagely abundant total polyphenols (460–778 mg/kg) and tocopherols (224–595 mg/kg), and the amounts changed in the experimental years for expected different environmental variations. Ottobratica Cannavà and Ottobratica Calipa clones showed some peculiar qualitative characteristics (free acidity, peroxides, fatty acid composition, and total polyphenols), distancing themselves from the principal variety of reference, Ottobratica.
COVID-19 Lockdown and Self-Perceived Changes of Food Choice, Waste, Impulse Buying and Their Determinants in Italy: QuarantEat, a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Scacchi Alessandro , Catozzi Dario , Boietti Edoardo , Bert Fabrizio , Siliquini Roberta
Published: February 2021

Data about self-perceived food choice (FC) changes and their determinants during COVID-19 lockdowns are limited. This study investigated how the Italian lockdown affected self-perceived food purchases (FP), occurrence of impulse buying (IB), household food waste production (HFWP) and their determinants. A web-based cross-sectional survey was distributed in May 2020, collecting an opportunistic sample of the Italian population. A total of 1865 (70% females) people were enrolled, the median age was 29 (IQR 16.0). Most of the sample increased overall FP (53.4%), food consumption (43.4%), reduced HFWP (53.7%) and halved the prevalence of IB (20.9%) compared to the period before the lockdown (42.5%). Baking ingredients, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and chocolate had the largest sales increase by individuals, while bakery products, fresh fish and salted snacks purchases highly decreased. Increased FP was associated with the occurrence of IB (adjOR 2.48, p < 0.001) and inversely associated with not having worked during lockdown (adjOR 0.71, p = 0.003). Multivariable logistic regressions revealed occurrence of IB was associated with low perceived dietary quality (adjOR 2.22, p < 0.001), resulting at risk, according to the Emotional Overeating Questionnaire (EOQ, adjOR 1.68, p < 0.001), and inversely associated with decreased HFWP (adjOR 0.73, p < 0.012). Reduced HFWP was associated with higher perceived dietary quality (adjOR 2.27, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with low score at WHO-5 Well-Being Index (adjOR 0.72, p = 0.002). The Italian lockdown highly affected FC behaviours, leading to positive and sustainable habits towards food purchase and consumption. Public health interventions are needed to keep these new positive effects and avoid negative consequences in case of future lockdowns.
Pesticide Residues and Their Metabolites in Grapes and Wines from Conventional and Organic Farming System
Authors: Schusterova Dana , Hajslova Jana , Kocourek Vladimir , Pulkrabova Jana
Published: February 2021

In this study, the occurrence of pesticide residues and their metabolites in grapes and wines was investigated. A targeted analysis of 406 pesticide residues in 49 wine and grape samples from organic and conventional production were performed using the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) extraction method, followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple residues (>4 residues/sample) were detected in 22 tested samples. The most commonly detected residues were fungicides (e.g., boscalid) and insecticides (e.g., methoxyfenozide). An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry method (UHPLC–(HR)MS) was used for screening of pesticide metabolites. We also provide a method and database for detecting pesticide metabolites (extending our previously published database to 49 metabolites originating from 25 pesticides). An introduced strategy of targeted screening of pesticide metabolites was applied for authentication of 27 organic grapes and wines. In total, 23 samples were free of quantifiable residues/detected metabolites or contained residues approved for organic production.
Talks with My Ancestors
Authors: Péan Rachelle
Published: February 2021

In this paper, I will present a reflection on my journey of decolonizing my relationship to holding space for healing trauma, and co-creating communities around wellness. I start with the specific way that I was trained in U.S.-based social work mental health practices and end with the insight I gained through the co-creation of a wellness studio for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). My story will begin with what I began to unlearn and the ancestral wisdom and technologies that I tapped into to transform my approach to healing-in-community. As a healer of mixed race (Black-Caribbean; Haitian and white), I explore the depth and breadth of my healing work as I connect to ancestral knowledge through my relationship to my lineage. This occurred after unlearning much of what was taught to me in my master of social work program, so that I could remember ways of co-creating safety, connection, and community that do not reinforce patterns of colonization. I will use my experience co-creating a safe and sacred physical space: a wellness studio in the South End of Albany centered around BIPOC, as a case study illuminating how centering BIPOC in the creation of spaces for BIPOC creates safety, connection, and community.
A Multidisciplinary Review of the Inka Imperial Resettlement Policy and Implications for Future Investigations
Authors: Davidson Roberta , Fehren-Schmitz Lars , Llamas Bastien
Published: February 2021

The rulers of the Inka empire conquered approximately 2 million km2 of the South American Andes in just under 100 years from 1438–1533 CE. Inside the empire, the elite conducted a systematic resettlement of the many Indigenous peoples in the Andes that had been rapidly colonised. The nature of this resettlement phenomenon is recorded within the Spanish colonial ethnohistorical record. Here we have broadly characterised the resettlement policy, despite the often incomplete and conflicting details in the descriptions. We then review research from multiple disciplines that investigate the empirical reality of the Inka resettlement policy, including stable isotope analysis, intentional cranial deformation morphology, ceramic artefact chemical analyses and genetics. Further, we discuss the benefits and limitations of each discipline for investigating the resettlement policy and emphasise their collective value in an interdisciplinary characterisation of the resettlement policy.
Age-Related Changes in the Response of Finger Skin Blood Flow during a Braille Character Discrimination Task
Authors: Murata Jun , Murata Shin , Kodama Takayuki , Nakano Hideki , Soma Masayuki , Nakae Hideyuki , Satoh Yousuke , Kogo Haruki , Umeki Naho
Published: February 2021

We hypothesized that age-related changes in sensory function might be reflected by a modulation of the blood flow response associated with tactile sensation. The aim of the present study was to clarify how the blood flow response of the fingers during concentrated finger perception is affected by aging. We measured the tactile-pressure threshold of the distal palmar pad of the index finger and skin blood flow in the finger (SBF) during Braille reading performed under blind conditions in young (n = 27) and older (n = 37) subjects. As a result, the tactile-pressure threshold was higher in older subjects (2.99 ± 0.37 log10 0.1 mg) than in young subjects (2.76 ± 0.24 log10 0.1 mg) (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the SBF response was markedly smaller in older subjects (−4.9 ± 7.0%) than in young subjects (−25.8 ± 15.4%) (p < 0.01). Moreover, the peak response arrival times to Braille reading in older and young subjects were 12.5 ± 3.1 s and 8.8 ± 3.6 s, respectively (p < 0.01). A decline in tactile sensitivity occurs with aging. Blood flow responses associated with tactile sensation are also affected by aging, as represented by a decrease in blood flow and a delay in the reaction time.
Application of the Weathering Framework: Intersection of Racism, Stigma, and COVID-19 as a Stressful Life Event among African Americans
Authors: Wakeel Fathima , Njoku Anuli
Published: February 2021

The disproportionate impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on African American communities necessitates an increased focus on the intersectional roles of racism, stigma, and other social determinants of health in influencing disease and mortality risk. The Weathering Framework is applied to demonstrate the dynamic interrelationships between these factors and to conceptualize COVID-19 as a stressful life event that will have profound health implications over the life course for African Americans. Recommendations for population health research, interventions and policies aimed at reducing COVID-19 incidence and mortality, and mitigation of the long-term impacts of the pandemic on communities of color are discussed.