bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Community hospitals of the future—challenges and opportunities
Authors: Phang Sean Kia Ann , Lin Ming , Kho Yong Xiang , Toh Rui Jie Rachel , Kuah Ting Ting , Lai Yi Feng , Xie JiaJing Kim
Published: August 2023

Background

Medical training through specialization and even subspecialization has contributed significantly to clinical excellence in treating single acute conditions. However, the needs of complex patients go beyond single diseases, and there is a need to identify a group of generalists who are able to deliver cost-effective, holistic care to patients with multiple comorbidities and multi-faceted needs. Community hospitals (CHs) are a critical part of Singapore's shift toward a community-centric care model as the population ages. Community Hospitals of the Future (“CHoF”) represent a series of emerging conversations around approaches to reimagine and redesign care delivery in a CH setting in response to changing care needs.

Methods

An environmental scan in the CH landscape using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 26 senior management, management, and working-level staff from seven community hospitals in Singapore. This environmental scan aims to understand the current barriers and future opportunities for CHs; to guide how CHs would have to shift in terms of (i) care delivery and resourcing, (ii) information flow, and (iii) financing; and to conceptualize CHoF to meet the changing care needs in Singapore.

Findings

The analysis of all transcripts revealed four broad sections of themes: (i) current care delivery in CHs, (ii) current challenges of CHs, (iii) future opportunities, and (iv) challenges in reimagining CHs. An emerging theme regarding the current key performance indicators used also surfaced. Resource limitations and financing structure of CH surfaced as limitations to expanding its capability. However, room for expansion of CH roles tapping on the current expertise were acknowledged and shared.

Conclusion

With the current issues of (i) rapidly aging population, (ii) specialist-centric healthcare system, and (iii) fragmentation of care ecosystem, there is a need to further understand how CHoF can be modeled to better tackle them. Therefore, several important questions have been devised to land us in a microscopic view on how to develop CHoF in the right constructs. Demographic changes, patient segmentation, service and regulatory parameters, patient's perspective, care delivery, and financial levers (or lack of) are some of the categories that the interview questions looked into. Therefore, the data gathered would be used to guide and refine the concept of CHoF.
Differences in help-seeking tendency in intimate partner violence between Jewish and Arab women in Israel
Authors: Ne'eman-Haviv Vered , Shafran Yoel
Published: August 2023

Objective

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has many consequences for the physical and mental health of the victims. One strategy for coping with IPV is to turn to formal and informal sources for help. The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in help seeking tendency in cases of IPV between Jewish and Arab women in Israel and the connection to their mental health.

Method

We administered a structured quantitative questionnaire to a sample of 357 Jewish (44.8%) and 439 Arab (55.2%) women.

Results

The findings indicate that Jewish women tend to seek help more often than do Arab women, and that there are differences in the targets they approach. Jewish women turn more frequently to unofficial sources, such as friends, relatives, and associations, whereas Arab women approach more often official sources such as social workers and clergy.

Conclusions

We propose an explanation for the differences based on socio-cultural factors. This study illustrates that it is necessary to act with cultural sensitivity and adapt the help options offered to the culture to which the women belong. This adjustment may encourage more women to apply for support to escape the world of violence.
Signature of Y-forking in ionogram traces observed at low-mid latitude Indian station, New Delhi, during the earthquake events of 2020: ionosonde observations
Authors: Bhardwaj Arti , Gupta Ankit , Ahmed Qadeer , Singh Anshul , Gupta Sumedha , Sarkhel S. , Sunil Krishna M. V. , Pallamraju Duggirala , Pant Tarun , Upadhayaya A. K.
Published: August 2023

We have examined ionospheric response to eleven earthquake events measuring less than four on the Richter scale during the year 2020 that occurred in the vicinity of New Delhi (28.6°N, 77.2°E, 42.4°N dip). We have used ionogram traces, manually scaled critical ionospheric layer parameters using SAO explorer obtained from Digisonde along with the O(1D) airglow observations from a multi-wavelength all-sky airglow imager installed at Hanle, Ladakh, India (32.7°N, 78.9°E, 24.1°N dip). Perceptible ionospheric perturbations 2–9 days prior to these earthquake events resulting in more than 250% variation in electron density are observed. We found distortion of ionogram trace in the form of Y forking majorly at New Delhi on the precursor day and after the earthquake event. Traces of Y forked ionograms were also observed at Ahmedabad (23°N, 72°E, 15°N dip) and Trivandrum (8.5°N, 76.9°E, 0.5°N dip). These Y-forked ionograms are one of the first observations during any earthquake events and are looked at as a signature of Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs).
Reduced tillage and subsurface fertigation improve productivity and economic benefits in the cotton-wheat cropping system
Authors: Singh Kulvir , Singh Manpreet , Mishra Sudhir Kumar , Soufan Walid , Habib-ur-Rahman Muhammad , El Sabagh Ayman
Published: August 2023

Soil compaction under repetitive tillage and surface flood method of irrigation (SFMI) are significant hurdles for sustaining crop production in India, necessitating the adoption of efficient soil and water management strategies. Hence, a 3-year field study was conducted at two diverse agro-climatic locations (Abohar and Faridkot) to investigate the impact of subsurface drip (SUSD) fertigation on crop and water productivity of cotton-wheat cropping system (CWCS), over traditional practice (TP) (conventional tillage with SFMI and manual application of nutrients). The experiment was conducted in a factorial randomized complete block design with three levels of subsurface drip irrigation (SUSDI) [100, 80, and 60% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)] and two fertigation levels [75% recommended dose of nutrients (RDN) and 100% RDN], where TP and surface drip (SD) fertigation at 80% ETc coupled with 100% RDN (Control 2), served as two control treatments. Cotton was raised through reduced tillage, while zero till drill was used for sowing wheat. The results revealed that, barring SUSDI at 60% ETc, both crops exhibited improved yield under all drip combinations of reduced or zero tillage over TP. Better mass and higher length of cotton roots in drip fertigation were evident due to improved steady-state infiltration rates (SSIR) and reduced bulk density (BD) under conservation tillage. When 100% RDN was applied, the 100% and 80% ETc SUSDI resulted in 26.7% and 24.7% higher seed cotton yield (SCY) than TP. Similarly, wheat yield with 100% RDN was improved by 10.5% and 14.4% under SUSDI of 80% and 100% ETc, respectively, over the TP. The results indicated that SUSD can be clubbed with reduced tillage for better soil health, improved crop yield, and higher apparent water productivity. The improved benefit to cost (B:C) owing to enhanced monetary returns over TP also substantiated that reduced tillage with SUSD is a viable and remunerative practice for CWCS. The study elucidated that reduced tillage exercised a beneficial effect on physical soil properties by lowering BD and improving SSIR. At the same time, SUSD could save huge amounts of irrigation water besides enhanced input use efficiency leading to higher crop productivity.
Who has the time? A qualitative assessment of gendered intrahousehold labor allocation, time use and time poverty in rural Senegal
Authors: Marter-Kenyon Jessica Susan , Blakeley S. Lucille , Banks Jacqueline Lea , Ndiaye Codou , Diop Maimouna
Published: August 2023

Achieving gender equality in agricultural development is fundamental to reductions in global poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. African women make important contributions to farming and food systems; however, their efforts are often hindered by inefficient and inequitable allocations of intrahousehold labor and time that render women time poor. Time poverty is a root cause of women’s marginalization in rural Africa and an important area of inquiry for feminist scholarship. While gendered time use and time poverty have been researched in many different contexts and countries in Africa, significant knowledge gaps remain. Most studies consider women’s time use divorced from gendered relations, and overlook children’s contributions. Other factors which may combine to influence women’s time burden but are often overlooked include seasonality, work intensity, household structure and composition, cultural norms, familial relationships and intrahousehold power dynamics. Further, the majority of research on gendered time use and time poverty in Africa uses quantitative methods applied to secondary data, which presents challenges for critically identifying and characterizing the confluence of various intrahousehold dynamics which impact women’s multiple roles, responsibilities, and consequently their work and time. This study adds important nuance to the existing body of research by offering an in-depth, qualitative assessment of intrahousehold labor allocation, time use, and time poverty amongst women, men, and children living in multi-generational, largely polygamous households reliant on peanut-farming in the Kaolack region of Senegal. Data collection took place in February 2020, with 111 individuals in three villages. We find that individual workload correlates with gender and age, but is further determined by the demographic composition of the household, the roles assumed by the individual and other family members, and the individual’s place within the social hierarchy. Women and girls in Kaolack are clearly at more risk of time poverty due to their dual responsibility for reproductive and productive work, especially during the rainy season. Furthermore, women’s workload in particular changes over the life course as they assume different roles in different life stages. As a result, women with older daughters and, especially, daughters-in-law are significantly less time poor than other women.
Retained stone retrieval basket causing chronic pancreatitis: a case report
Authors: Lee James Wai Kit , Tan Ming Yuan , Koh Calvin , Iyer Shridhar Ganpathi , Gao Yujia
Published: August 2023

Background

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a common procedure performed for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis. Although a relatively low risk procedure, it is not without its complications. Cases of impacted Dormia baskets during stone retrieval have been reported, but these are usually retrieved surgically during the same setting.

Case summary

A 40-year-old man presented to our hospital with an episode of epigastric pain and discomfort. He has a prior background of recurrent episodes of pancreatitis of which he underwent prior endoscopic therapy in his home country. Initial investigations revealed a metallic object seen on abdominal x-ray, computer tomographic scan of the abdomen and pelvis, and magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas. Further evaluation was done with endoscopy, which revealed a retained stone extraction basket from a previous endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, resulting in recurrent episodes of acute chronic pancreatitis. Although the retained foreign body was removed, he subsequently developed further complications of portal vein thrombosis as a result of recurrent acute chronic pancreatitis, which required anticoagulation.

Conclusion

This case highlights the importance of retrieving any foreign body from the pancreas, especially on the head, to prevent the development of further complications.
The Right to Leave: Dissolution of Child, Early, and Forced Marriages and Unions
Authors: Ricker Chelsea L. , Earn Seth , Das Madhumita , Greene Margaret E.
Published: August 2023

Global interest in child, early, and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) is reflected in a large and growing body of research and interventions. Those interventions have focused on raising the minimum age of marriage, establishing laws and penalties for those who ignore these minimums, investing more heavily in girls’ education, addressing structural inequalities, and bringing about gender and social norm change. Missing has been any discussion of the right to leave marriage. As we learn more about the forces that drive child marriages and unions and what works to prevent them, rare is any mention of how these marriages sometimes end and what happens when they do. Human rights standards focus on the ability to choose “if, when, and whom to marry”. We posit that without the ability to decide if and when to leave marriage, marriage cannot be considered a choice. This paper explores why the right to leave marriage matters so deeply, describes the obstacles to girls’ access to divorce and to protections after divorce or separation, and links these to the factors that drive child, early, and forced marriages and unions.
Study on Aerodynamic Design of the Front Auxiliary Inlet
Authors: Zhang Junyao , Zhan Hao , Mi Baigang
Published: August 2023

Submerged inlets have been widely used in advanced aircraft due to their excellent stealth characteristics, but they also suffer from poor aerodynamic performance. To improve the aerodynamic efficiency while maintaining stealth capabilities, this paper proposes a design scheme for a front auxiliary inlet with an inlet grille. The front auxiliary inlet is connected to the main inlet to form a composite inlet system. The low-energy upstream airflow that accumulates at the inlet is guided by the front auxiliary inlet to flow into the mainstream, resulting in a stable and high-quality airflow. A certain type of cruise missile was used as the research subject, and intake systems with and without front auxiliary inlets were constructed to compare the inlet performance of the two configurations using the CFD method. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis of the main design parameters of the front auxiliary inlet was carried out. The study reveals that a reasonable design of the front auxiliary inlet can prevent low-energy airflow, which accumulates on the missile body surface, from directly entering the inlet. Moreover, the front auxiliary inlet can inject additional mechanical energy into the low-energy airflow, inhibit airflow separation, and improve the uniformity of the flow field. Under cruise conditions, the total pressure recovery coefficient of the front auxiliary inlet configuration increased by 12.39% compared to the model without a front auxiliary inlet configuration. Furthermore, the total pressure distortion index was reduced by 47.24%.
AMPK-Mediated Phosphorylation of Nrf2 at S374/S408/S433 Favors Its βTrCP2-Mediated Degradation in KEAP1-Deficient Cells
Authors: Petsouki Eleni , Ender Sylvia , Sosa Cabrera Shara Natalia , Heiss Elke H.
Published: August 2023

Nrf2 is a transcription factor facilitating cells’ resilience against redox and various other forms of stress. In the absence of stressors, KEAP1 and/or βTrCP mediate the ubiquitination of Nrf2 and prevent Nrf2-dependent gene expression and detoxification. AMPK regulates cellular energy homeostasis and redox balance. Previous studies indicated a potential Nrf2-AMPK cooperativity. In line with this, our lab had previously identified three AMPK-dependent phosphorylation sites (S374/408/433) in Nrf2. Given their localization in or near the Neh6 domain, known to regulate βTrCP-mediated degradation, we examined whether they may influence the βTrCP-driven degradation of Nrf2. By employing expression plasmids for WT and triple mutant (TM)-Nrf2 (Nrf2S374/408/433→A), (co)immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation, protein half-life, knockdown, ubiquitination experiments, and qPCR in Keap1-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we show that TM-Nrf2S→A374/408/433 had enhanced stability due to impeded interaction with βTrCP2 and reduced ubiquitination in comparison to WT-Nrf2. In addition, TM-Nrf2 elicited higher expression of the Nrf2 target gene Gclc, potentiated in the presence of a pharmacological AMPK activator. Overall, we propose that AMPK-dependent phospho-sites of Nrf2 can favor its βTrCP2-mediated degradation and dampen the extent of Nrf2 target gene expression. Therefore, targeting AMPK might be able to diminish Nrf2-mediated responses in cells with overactive Nrf2 due to KEAP1 deficiency.
Myeloperoxidase Alters Lung Cancer Cell Function to Benefit Their Survival
Authors: Cosic-Mujkanovic Nejra , Valadez-Cosmes Paulina , Maitz Kathrin , Lueger Anna , Mihalic Zala N. , Runtsch Marah C. , Kienzl Melanie , Davies Michael J. , Chuang Christine Y. , Heinemann Akos , Schicho Rudolf , Marsche Gunther , Kargl Julia
Published: August 2023

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a neutrophil-derived enzyme that has been recently associated with tumour development. However, the mechanisms by which this enzyme exerts its functions remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether myeloperoxidase can alter the function of A549 human lung cancer cells. We observed that MPO promoted the proliferation of cancer cells and inhibited their apoptosis. Additionally, it increased the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. MPO was rapidly bound to and internalized by A549 cells, retaining its enzymatic activity. Furthermore, MPO partially translocated into the nucleus and was detected in the chromatin-enriched fraction. Effects of MPO on cancer cell function could be reduced when MPO uptake was blocked with heparin or upon inhibition of the enzymatic activity with the MPO inhibitor 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide (4-ABAH). Lastly, we have shown that tumour-bearing mice treated with 4-ABAH had reduced tumour burden when compared to control mice. Our results highlight the role of MPO as a neutrophil-derived enzyme that can alter the function of lung cancer cells.
Stability and Hopf Bifurcation Analysis for a Phage Therapy Model with and without Time Delay
Authors: Kyaw Ei Ei , Zheng Hongchan , Wang Jingjing
Published: August 2023

This study proposes a mathematical model that accounts for the interaction of bacteria, phages, and the innate immune response with a discrete time delay. First, for the non-delayed model we determine the local and global stability of various equilibria and the existence of Hopf bifurcation at the positive equilibrium. Second, for the delayed model we provide sufficient conditions for the local stability of the positive equilibrium by selecting the discrete time delay as a bifurcation parameter; Hopf bifurcation happens when the time delay crosses a critical threshold. Third, based on the normal form method and center manifold theory, we derive precise expressions for determining the direction of Hopf bifurcation and the stability of bifurcating periodic solutions. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to verify our theoretical analysis.
Clinical Interpretability of Deep Learning for Predicting Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Using Attention Mechanism
Authors: You Huayu , Wang Jifei , Ma Ruixia , Chen Yuying , Li Lujie , Song Chenyu , Dong Zhi , Feng Shiting , Zhou Xiaoqi
Published: August 2023

Preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) is essential for management decision in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Deep learning-based prediction models of MVI are numerous but lack clinical interpretation due to their “black-box” nature. Consequently, we aimed to use an attention-guided feature fusion network, including intra- and inter-attention modules, to solve this problem. This retrospective study recruited 210 HCC patients who underwent gadoxetate-enhanced MRI examination before surgery. The MRIs on pre-contrast, arterial, portal, and hepatobiliary phases (hepatobiliary phase: HBP) were used to develop single-phase and multi-phase models. Attention weights provided by attention modules were used to obtain visual explanations of predictive decisions. The four-phase fusion model achieved the highest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.84–1.00), and the other models proposed AUCs of 0.75–0.91. Attention heatmaps of collaborative-attention layers revealed that tumor margins in all phases and peritumoral areas in the arterial phase and HBP were salient regions for MVI prediction. Heatmaps of weights in fully connected layers showed that the HBP contributed the most to MVI prediction. Our study firstly implemented self-attention and collaborative-attention to reveal the relationship between deep features and MVI, improving the clinical interpretation of prediction models. The clinical interpretability offers radiologists and clinicians more confidence to apply deep learning models in clinical practice, helping HCC patients formulate personalized therapies.
Trends in Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Use for Neurointerventional Procedures for the Management of Intracranial Aneurysms
Authors: Meyer Benjamen M. , Campos Jessica K. , Collard de Beaufort Jonathan C. , Chen Ivette , Khan Muhammad Waqas , Amin Gizal , Zarrin David A. , Lien Brian V. , Coon Alexander L.
Published: August 2023

The use of periprocedural dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) has significantly evolved along with innovations in the endovascular management of intracranial aneurysms. Historically, aspirin and clopidogrel have been the most commonly employed regimen due to its safety and efficacy. However, recent studies highlight the importance of tailoring DAPT regimens to individual patient characteristics which may affect clopidogrel metabolism, such as genetic polymorphisms. In the present report, a systematic review of the literature was performed to determine optimal antiplatelet use with flow diverting stents, intracranial stents, intrasaccular devices, and stent-assisted coiling. Studies were analyzed for the number of aneurysms treated, DAPT regimen, and any thromboembolic complications. Based on inclusion criteria, 368 studies were selected, which revealed the increasing popularity of alternative DAPT regimens with the aforementioned devices. Thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications associated with antiplatelet medications were similar across all medications. DAPT with ticagrelor, tirofiban, or prasugrel are effective and safe alternatives to clopidogrel and do not require enzymatic activation. Further clinical trials are needed to evaluate different antiplatelet regimens with various devices to establish highest-level evidence-based guidelines and recommendations.
Bioactive Steroids Bearing Oxirane Ring
Authors: Dembitsky Valery M.
Published: August 2023

This review explores the biological activity and structural diversity of steroids and related isoprenoid lipids, with a particular focus on compounds containing an oxirane ring. These natural compounds are derived from fungi, fungal endophytes, as well as extracts of plants, algae, and marine invertebrates. To evaluate their biological activity, an extensive examination of refereed literature sources was conducted, including in vivo and in vitro studies and the utilization of the QSAR method. Notable properties observed among these compounds include strong anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antiproliferative, anti-hypercholesterolemic, antiparkinsonian, diuretic, anti-eczematic, anti-psoriatic, and various other activities. Throughout this review, 3D graphs illustrating the activity of individual steroids are presented, accompanied by images of selected terrestrial or marine organisms. Furthermore, this review provides explanations for specific types of biological activity associated with these compounds. The data presented in this review are of scientific interest to the academic community and carry practical implications in the fields of pharmacology and medicine. By analyzing the biological activity and structural diversity of steroids and related isoprenoid lipids, this review offers valuable insights that contribute to both theoretical understanding and applied research. This review draws upon data from various authors to compile information on the biological activity of natural steroids containing an oxirane ring.
Role of Endothelium in Cardiovascular Sequelae of Long COVID
Authors: Santoro Luca , Zaccone Vincenzo , Falsetti Lorenzo , Ruggieri Vittorio , Danese Martina , Miro Chiara , Di Giorgio Angela , Nesci Antonio , D’Alessandro Alessia , Moroncini Gianluca , Santoliquido Angelo
Published: August 2023

The global action against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, shed light on endothelial dysfunction. Although SARS-CoV-2 primarily affects the pulmonary system, multiple studies have documented pan-vascular involvement in COVID-19. The virus is able to penetrate the endothelial barrier, damaging it directly or indirectly and causing endotheliitis and multi-organ injury. Several mechanisms cooperate to development of endothelial dysfunction, including endothelial cell injury and pyroptosis, hyperinflammation and cytokine storm syndrome, oxidative stress and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability, glycocalyx disruption, hypercoagulability, and thrombosis. After acute-phase infection, some patients reported signs and symptoms of a systemic disorder known as long COVID, in which a broad range of cardiovascular (CV) disorders emerged. To date, the exact pathophysiology of long COVID remains unclear: in addition to the persistence of acute-phase infection mechanisms, specific pathways of CV damage have been postulated, such as persistent viral reservoirs in the heart or an autoimmune response to cardiac antigens through molecular mimicry. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the main molecular patterns of enduring endothelial activation following SARS-CoV-2 infection and to offer the latest summary of CV complications in long COVID.
A Dimensional Approach to Discrepancy in Parenting Styles in Russian Families
Authors: Zhukova Marina A. , Li Nan , Zhukov Vitalii , Grigorenko Elena L.
Published: August 2023

We investigated the magnitude and direction of differences in parenting styles as they relate to children’s mental health problems, as assessed using the CBCL. The sample consisted of 306 families residing in a large industrial city in Russia. We aimed to expand the cross-cultural literature on parenting styles by assessing a sample of Russian families and analyzing how agreement versus disagreement between self-reported and partner-reported parenting styles related to children’s mental health problems. The findings suggested that both congruence and incongruence between parenting styles could be associated with children’s mental health problems. When parents agreed about high warmth and matched on lower levels of demandingness, in line with the permissive parenting style, children tended to exhibit maladaptive behavior and externalizing problems. We also registered that children were likely to show low levels of mental health problems when fathers had higher self-reported warmth compared with mothers’ reports. In contrast, children whose fathers had higher self-reported demandingness compared with the mothers’ reports, exhibited moderate levels of mental health problems. This study expands the existing literature by providing a dimensional approach to children’s mental health difficulties in the context of (dis)agreements in the parenting styles within a family.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) and Metabolic Control in a Cohort of Patients with Type 1 Diabetes and Coeliac Disease
Authors: Amaro Flavia , Saltarelli Maria Alessandra , Primavera Marina , Cerruto Marina , Tumini Stefano
Published: August 2023

The association between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and coeliac disease (CD) is well known. Metabolic control of thirty-seven patients aged between 1 and 18 years, with coexisting T1D and CD were evaluated. The control group includes 37 patients affected only by diabetes. All data relating to the metabolic control of all patients were acquired through examination of medical records and CMG reports available on dedicated online platforms. Glucose variability was expressed as Coefficient of Variation (CV) and Standard Deviation of blood glucose values (SD). The formula used for CV computation is: CV (%) = 100 × SD (daily glycemia)/Mean (daily glycemia). Patients with T1D and CD showed a significant reduction in rapid pre-prandial insulin. The same reduction was present if we consider only patients using CGM. In patients without CGM, there was no difference in the doses of basal, pre-prandial and total insulin. Indicators of metabolic control were overlapping between the two groups in patients who used CGM. On the contrary, diabetic and coeliac patients without CGM had increased levels of glycaemic variability indicators and HbA1c. Finally, the percentage of target glycaemic values and >250 mg/dL glycaemic values were significantly decreased and increased, respectively in T1D and CD patients without CGM. With this study we wanted to demonstrate if CGM could improve metabolic control of patients with coexisting T1D and CD. Our data show a worse metabolic control in patients with T1D and CD who did not use CGM. Instead, patients who use CGM, regardless of the concomitant CD, manage to achieve the same glycaemic targets through an adjustment of titration of pre-prandial insulin doses.
Two-Step Upcycling Process of Lignocellulose into Edible Bacterial Nanocellulose with Black Raspberry Extract as an Active Ingredient
Authors: Ponjavic Marijana , Filipovic Vuk , Topakas Evangelos , Karnaouri Anthi , Zivkovic Jelena , Krgovic Nemanja , Mudric Jelena , Savikin Katarina , Nikodinovic-Runic Jasmina
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) has gained in popularity over the years due to its outstanding properties such as renewability, biocompatibility, and bioavailability, and its use as an eco-friendly material of the future for replacing petrochemical products. (2) Methods: This research refers to the utilization of lignocellulose coming from wood waste via enzymatic hydrolysis to produce biopolymer BNC with an accumulation rate of 0.09 mg/mL/day. Besides its significant contribution to the sustainability, circularity, and valorization of biomass products, the obtained BNC was functionalized through the adsorption of black raspberry extract (BR) by simple soaking. (3) Results: BR contained 77.25 ± 0.23 mg GAE/g of total phenolics and 27.42 ± 0.32 mg CGE/g of total anthocyanins. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of BR was evaluated by DPPH (60.51 ± 0.18 µg/mL) and FRAP (1.66 ± 0.03 mmol Fe2+/g) and using a standard disc diffusion assay, respectively. The successful synthesis and interactions between BNC and BR were confirmed by FTIR analysis, while the morphology of the new nutrient-enriched material was investigated by SEM analysis. Moreover, the in vitro release kinetics of a main active compound (cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside) was tested in different release media. (4) Conclusions: The upcycling process of lignocellulose into enriched BNC has been demonstrated. All findings emphasize the potential of BNC–BR as a sustainable food industry material.
Detection and Quantification of Botanical Impurities in Commercial Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Using Metabarcoding and Digital PCR
Authors: Lievens Antoon , Paracchini Valentina , Garlant Linda , Pietretti Danilo , Maquet Alain , Ulberth Franz
Published: August 2023

DNA technology for food authentication is already well established, and with the advent of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and, more specifically, metabarcoding, compositional analysis of food at the molecular level has rapidly gained popularity. This has led to several reports in the media about the presence of foreign, non-declared species in several food commodities. As herbs and spices are attractive targets for fraudulent manipulation, a combination of digital PCR and metabarcoding by NGS was employed to check the purity of 285 oregano samples taken from the European market. By using novel primers and analytical approaches, it was possible to detect and quantify both adulterants and contaminants in these samples. The results highlight the high potential of NGS for compositional analysis, although its quantitative information (read count percentages) is unreliable, and other techniques are therefore needed to complement the sequencing information for assessing authenticity (‘true to the name’) of food ingredients.
The Optimization of Hybrid (Microwave–Conventional) Drying of Sweet Potato Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)
Authors: Tüfekçi Senem , Özkal Sami Gökhan
Published: August 2023

Hybrid microwave–hot air (MW–HA) drying of sweet potatoes was optimized using a face-centered central composite design (FCCCD) with response surface methodology through the desirability function. The independent variables were drying temperature (50–70 °C) and microwave power (0–180 W), while the investigated responses were the drying time (Dt), the rehydration ratio (RR), the water-holding capacity (WHC), the antioxidant activity change (AA-PC), the total phenolic content change (TPC-PC), and the beta-carotene content change (BC-PC). The main criteria for the optimization of hybrid drying of sweet potatoes was to produce dried potatoes in the shortest drying time with a maximum RR and WHC and with minimum bioactive content (AA, TPC, and BC) loss. The optimum conditions were found to be a drying temperature of 54.36 °C with a microwave power of 101.97 W. At this optimum point, the Dt, RR, WHC, AA-PC, TPC-PC, and BC-PC were 61.76 min, 3.29, 36.56, 31.03%, −30.50%, and −79.64%, respectively. The results of this study provide new information about the effect of the hybrid drying method (MW–HA) on the rehydration ability and bioactive compounds of sweet potatoes, as well as the optimum values of the process.
Bacterial Changes in Boiled Crayfish between Different Storage Periods and Characterizations of the Specific Spoilage Bacteria
Authors: Xia Jiangyue , Jiang Ning , Zhang Bin , Sun Rongxue , Zhu Yongzhi , Xu Weicheng , Wang Cheng , Liu Qianyuan , Ma Yanhong
Published: August 2023

This study investigated changes in the microbial compositions of crayfish tails during storage at 4 °C (for 0–12 days) as measured using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). The specific spoilage organisms (SSOs) in the crayfish tails were isolated using culture-dependent cultivation methods, and they were identified by 16S rRNA and characterized for their enzymatic spoilage potentials (e.g., protease, lipase, phospholipase, and amylase). The spoilage abilities of the selected strains in the crayfish tails were assessed by inoculating them into real food. Moreover, the microbial growth and the volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) changes were monitored during the storage period. The results from the HTS showed that the dominant genus of shrimp tails evolved from Streptococcus (D0) to Pseudomonas (D4) and, finally, to Paenisporosarcina (D12) during storage. Seven bacterial species (Acinetobacter lwoffii, Aeromonas veronii, Kurthia gibsonii, Pseudomonas sp., Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, Lelliottia amnigena, and Citrobacter freundii) were screened from the spoiled shrimp tails by the culture-dependent method, among which Aeromonas veronii had the strongest spoilage ability.
Collagen-Based Hydrogels for the Eye: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Rana Dhwani , Desai Nimeet , Salave Sagar , Karunakaran Bharathi , Giri Jyotsnendu , Benival Derajram , Gorantla Srividya , Kommineni Nagavendra
Published: August 2023

Collagen-based hydrogels have emerged as a highly promising platform for diverse applications in ophthalmology, spanning from drug delivery systems to biomedical interventions. This review explores the diverse sources of collagen, which give rise to different types of collagen protein. The critical isolation and purification steps are discussed, emphasizing their pivotal role in preparing collagen for biomedical use. To ensure collagen quality and purity, and the suitability of collagen for targeted applications, a comprehensive characterization and quality control are essential, encompassing assessments of its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Also, various cross-linking collagen methods have been examined for providing insight into this crucial process. This comprehensive review delves into every facet of collagen and explores the wide-ranging applications of collagen-based hydrogels, with a particular emphasis on their use in drug delivery systems and their potential in diverse biomedical interventions. By consolidating current knowledge and advancements in the field, this review aims to provide a detailed overview of the utilization of engineered collagen-based hydrogels in ocular therapeutics.
A Multicentric Pilot Study of Student Nurse Attitudes and Beliefs toward Sexual Healthcare
Authors: Aaberg Vicki , Moncunill-Martínez Eva , Frías Ana , Carreira Teresa , Cezar Raquel Fernández , Martín-Forero Santacruz Alba , Frade Fátima , Mecugni Daniela , Gómez-Cantarino Sagrario
Published: August 2023

Nurse educators are tasked with the education of students to become providers of holistic care, and part of that care includes sexuality. Students carry attitudes and beliefs that influence their behavior; therefore, students who carry negative attitudes about sexual healthcare are less likely to provide that care. This is an international, multicenter study of nursing students’ attitudes and beliefs about the provision of sexual healthcare. The Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey, which measures attitudes toward the provision of sexual healthcare and has a range of scores from 12 to 72, was given to 129 students across Spain, Portugal, Italy and the United States and revealed negative attitudes about sexuality, with a mean SABS score of 39.95. Higher scores on the SABS reveal more negative attitudes and reduced likelihood of provision of sexual healthcare. Statistically significant differences were found when comparing queer and heterosexual students (41.69 vs. 38.06), and students in their final year of school held more negative attitudes toward the provision of sexual healthcare (41.4 vs. 39.5 and 39.2). This study shows that nurse educators continue to need to focus on the attitudes student nurses carry about sexuality. There is a critical shortage of education strategies to meet the needs of student nurses so that they will be comfortable and confident in providing sexual healthcare.
Adaptive Power-Controlled Depth-Based Routing Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Biao , Zhang Haobo , Zhu Yunan , Cai Banggui , Guo Xiaopeng
Published: August 2023

Low energy consumption has always been one of the core issues in the routing design of underwater sensor networks. Due to the high cost and difficulty of deployment and replacement of current underwater nodes, many underwater applications require the routing protocol design to consider the network lifetime extension problem. Based on this, we designed a new routing protocol that takes into account both low energy consumption and balanced energy consumption, and achieves effective extension of the network lifetime, called adaptive power-controlled depth-based routing protocol for underwater wireless sensor networks (APCDBRP). The protocol consists of two phases: (1) the route establishment phase and (2) the data transmission phase. In the route establishment phase, the initial path is established by the sink node broadcasting beacon packets at the maximum transmission power. The receiving nodes update their routing tables based on the beacon information and forward the beacon packets. In the data transmission phase, APCDBRP introduces a novel forwarding factor that considers both energy efficiency and energy balance. It selects the optimal next hop based on high energy efficiency and relatively abundant energy, thus extending the network’s lifetime. Additionally, APCDBRP proposes a new data protection and route reconstruction mechanism to address issues such as network topology changes due to node mobility and data transmission failures. Our simulation is based on AquaSim–Next Generation, which is a specialized tool built on the NS3 platform for researching underwater networks. Simulation results demonstrate that, compared to other typical routing protocols, APCDBRP exhibits superior performance in reducing network energy consumption and extending the network’s lifetime. It also achieves a high packet delivery rate with lower energy consumption.
The Cold Waters in the Port of Genoa (NW Mediterranean Sea) during the Marine Heatwave in Summer 2022
Authors: Cutroneo Laura , Capello Marco
Published: August 2023

Extreme weather phenomena have become more frequent and intense in recent decades in the context of climate change, and these include heat waves that affect both the atmosphere and seawater masses. In 2022, a summer marine heatwave (MHW) affected the entire Mediterranean Sea, and temperatures up to 5 °C above seasonal mean were reached in the Ligurian Sea in the NW part of the Mediterranean basin. In this scenario, the waters of the Port of Genoa (at the northern apex of the Ligurian Sea) distinguished themselves by maintaining lower temperatures than those of the open sea (a maximum gradient of −6.1 °C on 9 August 2022) after the passage of a fast-moving storm. In this study, the weather and sea parameters of the period (June–December 2022) are analysed to determine the phenomenon that caused the drop in temperatures in the water masses of the Port of Genoa. The sudden cooling of the water masses inside the port was caused by a heavy rainfall event in early August. Moreover, the isolation of the port water masses due to the weak dynamics of the period kept them stationary and locked inside the port. Seawater temperatures inside the port slowly rose again after the event, remaining cooler than outside temperatures throughout August (−0.3 °C on 31 August), reaching and exceeding outside temperatures on 3 September (26.4 °C), and remaining warmer until 3 November 2022 (21.5 °C).
Does the Elemental Composition of Rock Surfaces Affect Marine Benthic Communities of Diatoms and Cyanobacteria?
Authors: Blaginina Anastasiia , Balycheva Daria , Miroshnichenko Ekaterina , Ryabushko Larisa , Kapranov Sergey , Barinova Sophia , Lishaev Denis
Published: August 2023

Rocky seabeds, as an integral part of ecotopes in marine ecosystems, are actively inhabited by diatoms and cyanobacteria. It is currently unknown whether the element contents in the surface layer of seabed rocks affect the epilithon species composition and abundance in microphytobenthos communities in the sea. The results of this study on the rock surface element composition and correlation analysis of the element contents with the abundance of epilithon diatoms and cyanobacteria in three bays in Sevastopol (Black Sea) are presented. Ca, Fe, and Si were the major elements with the largest weight fraction in the rock surface layer. Using cluster analysis, the differentiation of samples in the content and distribution of these three elements was shown. In total, 63 taxa of diatoms and 20 species of cyanobacteria were found, with their abundance ranging from 14,000 to 17,6000 cells/cm2 and from 12,000 to 1,198,000 cells/cm2, respectively. In general, it was found that the elemental composition of the rock surface is not a decisive factor affecting the total abundance of the benthic diatom and cyanobacterial communities as no strong correlations with any element contents were observed. However, when analyzing the abundance of populations of certain largely non-dominant species, the majority of diatoms showed noticeable (r = 0.5–0.7) to very high (r = 0.9–0.99) correlations with Fe. The highest positive correlations were noted for the diatoms Bacillaria paxillifer and Navicula directa with Fe. For the cyanobacteria Chroococcus minutus, Pseudanabaena minima, and Spirulina subsalsa, strong positive correlations with Ca and negative correlations with Si were observed. The correlations with Fe were very strong and negative for Lyngbya confervoides and strong and positive for Kamptonema laetevirens and Phormidium holdenii.
Clinical Insights into the Treatment of Patellofemoral Instability with Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction: Pearls and Pitfalls—Lessons Learned from 20 Years
Authors: Papp Kata , Speth Bernhard M. , Camathias Carlo
Published: August 2023

Patellofemoral instability is a prevalent cause of pain and disability in young individuals engaged in athletic activities. Adolescents face a particularly notable risk of patellar dislocation, which can be attributed to rapid skeletal growth, changes in q-angle, ligamentous laxity, higher activity levels, and increased exposure to risk. Specific sports activities carry an elevated risk of patellar dislocation. Younger age and trochlear dysplasia present the highest risk factors for recurrent patellar dislocations. International guidelines recommend conservative therapy following a single patellar dislocation without osteochondral lesions but suggest surgical intervention in recurrent cases. In this study, we have compiled current scientific data on therapy recommendations, focusing on MPFL (medial patellofemoral ligament) reconstruction. We discuss patient selection, surgical indications, graft selection, location and choice of fixation, graft tensioning, and postoperative care.
Special Issue: Advanced Science and Technology of Polymer Matrix Nanomaterials
Authors: Liu Peijiang , Xu Liguo , Li Jinlei , Peng Jianping , Huang Zhenkai , Zhou Jintang
Published: August 2023

Polymer matrix nanomaterials have revolutionized materials science due to their unique properties resulting from the incorporation of nanoscale fillers into polymer matrices [...]
Unsupervised Attribute Reduction Algorithm for Mixed Data Based on Fuzzy Optimal Approximation Set
Authors: Wen Haotong , Zhao Shixin , Liang Meishe
Published: August 2023

Fuzzy rough set theory has been successfully applied to many attribute reduction methods, in which the lower approximation set plays a pivotal role. However, the definition of lower approximation used has ignored the information conveyed by the upper approximation and the boundary region. This oversight has resulted in an unreasonable relation representation of the target set. Despite the fact that scholars have proposed numerous enhancements to rough set models, such as the variable precision model, none have successfully resolved the issues inherent in the classical models. To address this limitation, this paper proposes an unsupervised attribute reduction algorithm for mixed data based on an improved optimal approximation set. Firstly, the theory of an improved optimal approximation set and its associated algorithm are proposed. Subsequently, we extend the classical theory of optimal approximation sets to fuzzy rough set theory, leading to the development of a fuzzy improved approximation set method. Finally, building on the proposed theory, we introduce a novel, fuzzy optimal approximation-set-based unsupervised attribute reduction algorithm (FOUAR). Comparative experiments conducted with all the proposed algorithms indicate the efficacy of FOUAR in selecting fewer attributes while maintaining and improving the performance of the machine learning algorithm. Furthermore, they highlight the advantage of the improved optimal approximation set algorithm, which offers higher similarity to the target set and provides a more concise expression.