bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Analysis of Anti-Diabetic Activity in Catharanthus roseus Root Extract with Piperine as a Bio-Enhancer
Authors: Shiny N. Bliss , Ragini B.  , Bhavya K.  , E.C. Sowmiya
Published: January 2023

Catharunthus roseus is a traditional plant which is more common in subtropical gardens through the year. The present study evaluated the anti-diabetic activity of the extract of Catharanthus roseus roots with Piperine as a bio-enhancer. Alarming rise in the incidence of Diabetes mellitus has become a major concern around the globe. Various studies have been conducted by the researchers in the past on the anti-diabetic activity of Catharanthus roseus. But the obtained result was not up to par. So we opted for a bio-enhancer. In vitro test analysis has been carried out in this study. The phytochemical analysis was performed to check the presence of major alkaloids in the methanolic crude extract of Catharanthus roseus and Chloroformic crude extract of Piper nigrum. α- amylase inhibition assay was conducted to reveal the anti-diabetic activity of the crude extracts of Catharanthus roseus, Piper nigrum and the combined extract. α –amylase inhibition assay was conducted to analyse the anti-diabetic activity. In the combined crude extract, DPPH assay and Fe3+ reducing power assay were performed to analyse the anti-oxidant property. Anti-bacterial assay was also performed in the combination crude extract using Agar well diffusion method. The combination crude extract is a potential source of anti-inflammatory agents. Thin Layer Chromatography is a separation technique which confirmed the presence of the required phytochemicals in the crude extract. Thus, we concluded that the anti-diabetic activity of Catharanthus roseus could be enhanced with Piperine to a greater extent.
Biomedical Waste: Sources, Composition, Categories and Global Scenario with Reference to India- A Review
Authors: Ratnamala S. Jawale
Published: January 2023

In reducing health problems and eliminating potential risks to people’s health, health-care services inevitably create waste that may itself be hazardous to health. Waste produced in healthcare activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury. Therefore, safe and reliable methods for handling of medical waste are essential. Inadequate and inappropriate handling of health-care waste may have serious public health consequences and a significant impact on the environment. Effective confinement of Biomedical waste (BMW) and safe handling measures provide significant health protection. This review focuses on BMW with respect to: (1) definition; (2) sources; (3) classification; (4) sub-types of hazardous waste; (5) categories; (6) composition and (7) global scenario and status in India.
Medicinal Plants with Antidiabetic Potential: A Brief Review
Authors: Ramachandran Vasukidevi , Babu M.  , Ashok K.  , Devi V. Janaki
Published: January 2023

Diabetes mellitus is a set of metabolic diseases that share hyperglycemia's similar basic characteristics. In addition to hyperglycemia, micro- and macro-vascular problems are linked with diabetes which are the main causes of morbidity and mortality. Sulphonylurea, biguanides etc. are frequently used to treat hyperglycemia and are commercially accessible antidiabetic medicines. The course of diabetic complications is not altered appreciably by these medications. Different medicinal plants utilised for antidiabetic activities have been examined in this study. Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. It is even significant that it is in an epidemic in many developing countries or new industrialized nations, the fourth top cause of mortality in the more developed countries. This study identified the plants with anti-diabetic and associated therapeutic properties from various regions of the world. History demonstrated that traditional medicinal herbs across the globe are for a long time used to treat diabetes, as described in scientific publications, since these herbal plants contain hypoglycemic characteristics and other therapeutic features.
Screening and Characterization of Vitexin from Vitex negundo by LCMS, pHPLC and 13CNMR Analysis
Authors: Gayathridevi R.  , Shivapriya G.  , Bhagavathy S.
Published: January 2023

Complementary herbal medicines are currently required to overcome the drastic side effects of chemical based Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS) and Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Herbal based drugs may include herbal preparations, purified compounds, vitamins and their products. Vitex negundo commonly called ‘Nochi’ in Tamil is an annual edible medicinal plant predominantly used as mosquito repellent. Traditionally leaves and root of V. negundo are used to treat cough, asthma, colitis, dysentery, diarrhoea, flatulence, fever, vomiting, and rheumatism. V. negundo is also found to possess analgesic, anti-oxidant, antiinflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-hyper pigmentation, immuno-stimulant, hepato-protective, anti-androgenic, pesticidal, anti-cancerous and anti-metastatic activity. V. negundo contains ample bioactive leads that might be pharmacologically beneficial. Therefore, the scientific validation of this folkloric herbal practice is needed. The present study aimed to assess the free radical scavenging role of methanolic extract of leaf and root of Vitex negundo. The study also focused on screening, isolation and characterization of bioactive compound Vitexin. Vitexin is a pharmacologically beneficial flavonoid found to be in the root extract of V. negundo. The roots of V. negundo were subjected to in vitro qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening and the results showed that both the leaf and root extract may possess effective free radical scavenging role. Studies on root extract revealed the presence of abundant flavonoids in comparison with leaf extract of V. negundo. The root extract was further subjected to preparative Thin Layer Chromatography (pTLC), Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometry (LCMS), and preparative High performance Liquid Chromatography (pHPLC) for the screening and isolation of flavonoids. The structure of Vitexin was confirmed by 13C NMR characterization analysis on comparison with the literaure. The present work may develop simple and reliable method for the purification of bioactive flavonoids from the methanolic root extract of the medicinal plant V. negundo which may possesses abundant biomedical importance against inflammatory diseases.
The Basic Laws of Trade: Reconstructing the Theory of International Trade
Authors: Rahman Abdurrahman Arum
Published: January 2023

We develop hypothetical basic laws of trade that could reconstruct the theory of international trade and optimize gains of trade for all nations. According to the theory of comparative advantage of David Ricardo and Ohlin-Heckscher, countries with different resources and technology will benefit from trading, regardless of competitiveness. However, in the real world, this theory does not always work well. Some countries may gain a lot from trading, some only a little, and some may even lose. The total gain for all parties is also not optimal. The basic laws of trade can fix this problem substantially. They restore the trade balance at the very heart of international trade. In that way, they make all countries benefit from trading, regardless of competitiveness and cost. Gains from trade are also optimal for all parties. To demonstrate the workability of this hypothesis, we make trade simulations 2x2 and 5x20.
Effects of Heat and Massage Applications to the Lumbosacral Area on Duration of Delivery and Perception of Labor Pain: A Randomized Controlled Experimental Trial
Authors: DURMUŞ Ayşenur , ERYILMAZ Gülşen
Published: January 2023

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the effects of massage and hot-pack applications in the first stage of labor on perceptions of labor pain and duration of delivery.
Methods: This randomized controlled experimental trial was conducted in an obstetrics and pediatrics hospital. The research sample comprised 120 pregnant women, 40 of whom were in the massage group, 40 of whom were in the hot-pack application group, and 40 of whom were in the control group. Patient identification forms, labor process monitoring forms, and a visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to collect data.
Results: It was determined that the massage and hot-pack applications shortened the durations of the active and transition phases of labor. The massage and hot-pack applications also reduced perceptions of pain in the active and transition phases. Mean VAS scores of the massage and
hot-pack application groups were lower than those of the control group (p
Electron microscopic GABA evaluation in hippocampal mossy terminals of genetic absence epilepsy rats receiving kindling stimulations
Authors: İMDAT Nuray Nükhet , ÇİLİNGİR-KAYA Özlem Tuğçe , TURGAN ÂŞIK Zehra Nur , KARAMAHMUTOĞLU Tuğba , GÜLÇEBİ İDRİZ OĞLU Medine , AKAKIN Dilek , ONAT Filiz , ŞİRVANCI Serap
Published: January 2023

Objective: The hypotheses related to the fact of epileptic mechanisms are mainly based on excitation-inhibition imbalance in central nervous system. GAERS (Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg) is a well-known animal model of absence epilepsy, and frequently used in experimental studies. In the present study, we aimed to examine possible morphological and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) density changes in GAERS hippocampus after electrical kindling stimulations.

Methods: All control and test group rats received 6 kindling stimulations. Rats were decapitated 1 h after the last stimulation. Ultrastructural GABA immunocytochemistry was used to evaluate GABA density quantitatively in mossy terminals of hippocampal CA3 region.

Results: GABA levels were less in kindling groups compared to their controls, and in GAERS groups compared to Wistar groups; mitochondrial and dendritic spine area ratios were greater in GAERS groups compared to Wistar groups, although all these evaluations were statistically nonsignificant. Depletion of synaptic vesicles was evident in the mossy terminals of kindling groups.

Conclusion: The reason of decreased levels of GABA found in the present study might be that GABA has been released from the synaptic pool rapidly at an early time period after the last stimulation, for compansation mechanisms. Depletion of synaptic vesicles observed in kindling groups shows that even 6 kindling stimulations have an impact of changing hippocampal morphology in trisynaptic cycle. The increased mitochondrial area in GAERS might be related to the increased mitochondrial activity. The increased dendritic spine area might be related to the increased performance of learning in GAERS. Our findings indicating that absence epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy have different mechanisms of epileptogenesis might be a basis for further experimental studies
NF-қB and COX-2 Relation Between Endometrial Cancer and the Clinicopathological Parameters
Authors: İYİBOZKURT Ahmet , ÇAKMAKOĞLU Bedia , ERTUGRUL Baris , İPLİK Elif Sinem
Published: January 2023

Objective: Our study examines nuclear factor kappa B (NF-қB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) polymorphisms in the most common gynecological cancer type, endometrial cancer, and the relationship between disease parameters and these polymorphisms.

Methods: In our patient group; while 109 endometrial cancer patients were examined and treated in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Istanbul Medical Faculty, and 106 healthy women without the disease were included in the control group. DNA of blood samples taken from all groups were isolated; COX-2 765C> G and COX-2 1195A> G polymorphisms were studied with NF-қB-94 ins / delATTG. Genotypes analyzed using the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) method were investigated in terms of the relationship between endometrial cancer susceptibility and endometrial cancer disease parameters. Results in SPSS 17 program; Student’s t-tests were analyzed

using Anova, Fisher’s exact, and Chi-square tests.

Results: NF-қB D + and DD genotype, COX-2 765 G + and GG genotype, and COX-2 1195 AA genotype were found to be significantly more common in the endometrial cancer group compared to the control group (p
Case report: Incomplete penetrance of autosomal dominant myotonia congenita caused by a rare CLCN1 variant c.1667T>A (p.I556N) in a Malaysian family
Authors: Musa Nurul Huda , Thilakavathy Karuppiah , Mohamad Nur Afiqah , Kennerson Marina L. , Inche Mat Liyana Najwa , Loh Wei Chao , Abdul Rashid Anna Misyail , Baharin Janudin , Ibrahim Azliza , Wan Sulaiman Wan Aliaa , Hoo Fan Kee , Basri Hamidon , Yusof Khan Abdul Hanif Khan
Published: January 2023

Myotonia congenita (MC) is a rare neuromuscular disease caused by mutations within the CLCN1 gene encoding skeletal muscle chloride channels. MC is characterized by delayed muscle relaxation during contraction, resulting in muscle stiffness. There is a lack of MC case reports and data on the prevalence among Malaysians. We report a clinical case of a 50-year-old woman presents with muscle stiffness and cramp episodes that started in early childhood. She had difficulty initiating muscle movement and presented with transient muscle weakness after rest, which usually improved after repeated contraction (warm-up phenomenon). She was diagnosed with MC after myotonic discharge on electromyography (EMG). Her brother had similar symptoms; however, no additional family members showed MC symptoms. Serum creatine kinase levels were elevated in both the proband and her brother with 447 U/L and 228 U/L recorded, respectively. Genetic analysis by whole-exome sequencing (WES) revealed a previously reported pathogenic CLCN1 gene variant c.1667T>A (p.I556N). Genetic screening of all family members revealed that the same variant was observed in the children of both the proband and her brother; however, the children did not present with either clinical or electrophysiological MC symptoms. The multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis conducted identified neither exon deletion nor duplication in CLCN1. In conclusion, this report describes the first case of MC in Malaysia in which incomplete penetrance observed in this family is caused by a known pathogenic CLCN1 variant.
Comparisons of serum non-transferrin-bound iron levels and fetal cardiac function between fetuses affected with hemoglobin Bart’s disease and normal fetuses
Authors: Jatavan Phudit , Sekararithi Rattanaporn , Jaiwongkam Thidarat , Kumfu Sirinart , Chattipakorn Nipon , Tongsong Theera
Published: January 2023

Objective

To compare the levels of Non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) in fetuses with anemia, using Hb Bart’s disease as a study model, and those in unaffected fetuses and to determine the association between fetal cardiac function and the levels of NTBI.

Patients and methods

A prospective study was conducted on pregnancies at risk of fetal Hb Bart’s disease. All fetuses underwent standard ultrasound examination at 18–22 weeks of gestation for fetal biometry, anomaly screening and fetal cardiac function. After that, 2 ml of fetal blood was taken by cordocentesis to measure NTBI by Labile Plasma Iron (LPI), serum iron, hemoglobin and hematocrit. The NTBI levels of both groups were compared and the correlation between NTBI and fetal cardiac function was determined.

Results

A total of 50 fetuses, including 20 fetuses with Hb Bart’s disease and 30 unaffected fetuses were recruited. There was a significant increase in the level of serum iron in the affected group (median: 22.7 vs. 9.7; p-value: 0.013) and also a significant increase in NTBI when compared with those of the unaffected fetuses (median 0.11 vs. 0.07; p-value: 0.046). In comparisons of fetal cardiac function, myocardial performance (Tei) index of both sides was significantly increased in the affected group (left Tei: p = 0.001, Right Tei: p = 0.008). Also, isovolumetric contraction time (ICT) was also significantly prolonged (left ICT: p = 0.00, right ICT: p = 0.000). Fetal LPI levels were significantly correlated inversely with fetal hemoglobin levels (p = 0.030) but not significantly correlated with the fetal serum iron levels (p = 0.138). Fetal LPI levels were also significantly correlated positively with myocardial performance index (Tei) of both sides (right Tei: R = 0.000, left Tei: R = 0.000) and right ICT (R = 0.013), but not significantly correlated with left ICT (R = 0.554).

Conclusion

Anemia caused by fetal Hb Bart’s disease in pre-hydropic stage is significantly associated with fetal cardiac dysfunction and increased fetal serum NTBI levels which are significantly correlated with worsening cardiac dysfunction. Nevertheless, based on the limitations of the present study, further studies including long-term data are required to support a role of fetal anemia as well as increased fetal serum NTBI levels in development of subsequent heart failure or cardiac compromise among the survivors, possibly predisposing to cardiovascular disease in adult life.
Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation in mild neurocognitive disorder due to possible Alzheimer’s disease. A randomised, single-blind, controlled-placebo study
Authors: Satorres Encarnacion , Escudero Torrella Joaquin , Real Elena , Pitarque Alfonso , Delhom Iraida , Melendez Juan C.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Mild neurocognitive disorder (mNCD), a pre-dementia stage close to Mild Cognitive Impairment, shows a progressive and constant decline in the memory domain. Of the non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions that may help to decelerate the neurodegenerative progress, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows beneficial effects on the learning curve, immediate recall, immediate verbal memory and executive functions. The purpose of this research was to study the effect of tDCS on general cognition, immediate and delayed memory and executive functions by comparing an active group with a placebo group of mNCD patients.

Methods

Participants were 33 mNCD due to possible AD, randomly assigned to two groups: 17 active tDCS and 16 placebo tDCS. Ten sessions of tDCS were conducted over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Several neuropsychological scales were administered to assess the primary outcome measures of general cognitive function, immediate and delayed memory and learning ability, whereas the secondary outcome measures included executive function tests. All participants were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Mixed ANOVAs were performed.

Results

Significant effects were obtained on general cognitive function, immediate and delayed memory and learning ability, with increases in scores in the active tDCS group. However, there were no significant effects on executive function performance.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of tDCS in an active tDCS group, compared to a placebo group, in improving general cognition and immediate and delayed memory, as previous studies found. Taken together, our data suggest that tDCS is a simple, painless, reproducible and easy technique that is useful for treating cognitive alterations found in neurodegenerative diseases.
Factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention for agriculture products omni-channel
Authors: Liu Yan , Zheng Shuyin
Published: January 2023

Agricultural retailers face serious challenge of losing consumers due to channel integration, it has become essential to provide an expected consistent and seamless omni-channel shopping experience in an omni-channel environment. Although previous literature has begun to focus on the consumer perspective of the omni-channel experience, little attention has been paid to the process of change from a single retail environment to omni-channel. By combining the research frameworks of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and the value-based adoption model (VAM), this study aims to identify the drivers of omni-channel consumer purchase intention in agriculture products retail. This article conducts a questionnaire survey on 620 samples in China. The results show that single-channel shopping cost, reference groups, positive online reviews, and single-channel perceived risk have a significant positive impact on the omni-channel purchase intention of agricultural products, and perceived value plays a mediating role. Moreover, contextual factors partially have a negative moderating effect. When consumers purchase agricultural products, the more suitable the online shopping environment is, the weaker the influence of single-channel shopping costs, reference groups and positive online reviews on consumers’ omni-channel purchase intention. These findings build on the existing literature on the omni-channel retail consumer experience and provide insights for fresh produce retailers to implement and evaluate an omni-channel integration strategy for agriculture products. The findings may shed lights on how to promote the healthy development of the omni-channel sales model of agricultural products.
Corporate social responsibility, internal control, and firm financial performance
Authors: Zhang Li , Su Wunhong
Published: January 2023

As the global challenges facing sustainability issues continue to expand, the issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical governance have become the focus of continued academic attention. CSR is important for firms to enhance their reputation and promote sustainable development. Using A-share listed firms from 2012 to 2019, this study empirically investigates the effect of CSR fulfillment on internal control and firm financial performance by constructing a regression model. The results show that there is a positive relationship between CSR and firm financial performance. Therefore, CSR fulfillment effectively improves the firm financial performance. Furthermore, this study finds that there is a partial mediating effect of internal control between CSR fulfillment and firm financial performance. Therefore, good internal control leads the firm to implement CSR, strengthen management, and improve financial performance. Further results show that the nature of ownership plays a moderating role in the mediating effect of internal control. This study enriches the mechanism of CSR on firm financial performance. Furthermore, it provides a theoretical basis for Chinese listed firms to fulfill CSR, improve ownership, and strengthen internal control.
Generalized Proportional Integral Observer and Kalman-Filter-Based Composite Control for DC-DC Buck Converters
Authors: Qiao Pengyu , Sun Hao
Published: January 2023

There are uncertainties and disturbances in the DC-DC buck converters system; in terms of actual working conditions, they are often very complex, exhibiting a polynomial form of time series. Therefore, a single controller and an observer that can only estimate slowly varying disturbances will lose their effectiveness. The generalized proportional integral observer can generally be used to estimate the disturbances in the polynomial form of time series, but it is usually necessary to select a high gain to achieve the fast convergence of the observer, which makes it sensitive to measurement noise. Therefore, before designing the controller that needs to estimate information, it is necessary to design a new structure that combines an observer and a Kalman filter. The filter is used for noise filtering, and the observer is used for the online reconstruction of disturbances. This can solve the above problems. Then, the whole control strategy is designed based on backstepping control. Theoretical analysis and experimental verification can effectively illustrate the feasibility and superiority of this strategy.
PIC-DSMC Simulation of a Hall Thruster Plume with Charge Exchange Effects Using pdFOAM
Authors: Kang Sang Hun
Published: January 2023

To develop technologies for the stable operation of electric propulsion systems, the effects of charge exchange (CEX) on the exhaust plume of a Hall thruster were studied using the particle-in-cell direct simulation Monte Carlo (PIC-DSMC) method. For the numerical analysis, an OpenFOAM-based code, pdFOAM, with a simple electron fluid model was employed. In an example problem using the D55 Hall thruster exhaust plume, the results showed good agreement with experimental measurements of the plasma potential. In the results, CEX effects enhanced Xe+ particle scattering near the thruster exit. However, due to the increase in the plasma potential with CEX effects, fewer Xe2+ particles were near the thruster exit with CEX effects than without CEX effects.
Compilation and Extrapolation of Load Spectrum of Tractor Ground Vibration Load Based on CEEMDAN-POT Model
Authors: Dai Dong , Chen Du , Wang Shumao , Li Song , Mao Xu , Zhang Bin , Wang Zhenyu , Ma Zheng
Published: January 2023

Effective indoor testing on a four-poster rig of agricultural machinery should mimic the real-world environment while the machinery is in farming and transportation. The emerging load spectrum extrapolation and compilation are capable of speeding up the use of the indoor vibration testing of tractors. However, most ground load spectrum studies consider a particular type of ground rather than all the rough farmland conditions that tractors experience daily. Such a problem inevitably raises doubts about validating the load spectrum-based fatigue durability and reliability testing of tractors. For a remedy, this article proposes a CEEMDAN-POT (Peak Over Threshold) model to comprehensively build a full life-cycle ground load spectrum of tractor vibration with six ground conditions and different field operations. The study acquires the real four vertical acceleration signals from the front and rear axles of the tractor to collect representative vibration load data. Furthermore, the study refines the measured load data by proposing a CEEMDAN-Wavelet threshold method, which is proved to be effective for the load signal decomposition and denoising. Lastly, the study presents a time domain extrapolation method, integrating the sample principle of the POT model, the proper parameter estimation with the Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD) function, and the POT super-threshold model. The statistical analysis implies that the produced load spectrum fully preserves the statistical features observed in the original one. After extrapolation, the overall distribution of the rainflow matrix becomes more consistent while the mean and amplitude of the spectrum data increase. This study unifies a load spectrum of tractors operating and transporting on various farm ground conditions, providing the real load data of the indoor four-poster rig test.
Meat Quality in Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas)—A Nutritional and Technological Perspective
Authors: Frunză Gabriela , Murariu Otilia Cristina , Ciobanu Marius-Mihai , Radu-Rusu Răzvan-Mihail , Simeanu Daniel , Boișteanu Paul-Corneliu
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to nutritionally and technologically characterize the meat produced by rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, Flemish Giant breed, 50 farmed individuals) and hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 50 hunted individuals). Muscles were sampled from several carcass regions: dorsal torso—Longissimus dorsi (LD), thigh—Semimembranosus (SM), and upper arm—Triceps brachii (TB). To better depict the meat’s nutritional quality, the proximate composition and fatty acid profile were assessed, and then gross energy content and lipid sanogenic indices (Polyunsaturation—PI, atherogenic—AI, thrombogenic—TI, hypocholersyerolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio—h/H, Nutritional Value Index—NVI) were calculated. pH values at 24 and 48 h post-slaughter, cooking loss (CL), and water-holding capacity (WHC) were the investigated technological quality traits. Gross energy was higher in rabbit TB samples, compared with hare, due to more accumulated lipids (p < 0.001). pH value was higher for TB muscles in both species; the WHC was higher for hare (p < 0.001), and CL was higher for rabbit (p < 0.001). The PI values were 6.72 in hare and 4.59 in rabbit, AI reached 0.78 in hare and 0.73 in rabbit, TI was calculated at 0.66 in hare and 0.39 in rabbit, and the h/H ratio reached 3.57 in hare and 1.97 in rabbit, while the NVI was 1.48 in hare and 1.34 in rabbit samples. Meat from both species is nutritionally valuable for human consumers, meeting nutritional values better than the meat of farmed or other wild species of fowl and mammals. Hare meat was found to be healthier than rabbit in terms of lower fat content, lighter energy, and better lipid health indices.
Dissecting Rice Pearl Character, an Important Added Value in High-Quality Temperate Mediterranean Japonica Cultivars
Authors: Serrat Xavier , Moysset Luisa , Ferreres Irene , Nogués Salvador
Published: January 2023

Rice holds an important sociocultural meaning in Europe, and especially in the gastronomy of its Mediterranean regions, as it is used for world-famous recipes such as Risotto in Italy and Paella in Spain. Paella is prepared with highly appreciated pearled (white-core) rice cultivars such as Bomba or Montsianell, while Risotto is prepared with white-belly Carnaroli cultivar among others. Pearled rice grains have a limited and enclosed translucent zone which is physicochemically different from stress-induced chalky grains present in any rice cultivar at a low rate, and whose opaque area covers at least three quarters of the grain surface. We have studied for the first time the physicochemical aspects of grains from pearled white-belly, white-core and crystalline rice grains of Mediterranean japonica rice cultivars in comparison with their defective stress-induced chalky grains in order to shed some light on their differences. Spanish Bomba and Montsianell white-core (pearled) cultivars have similar physicochemical behaviours but are clearly different from white-belly Carnaroli cultivar. Furthermore, their pearled fractions differ in some traits from stress-induced chalkiness, especially in terms of amyloplastic integrity, relative amylose content and relative storage protein content. This study establishes some physicochemical differences between white-belly, white-core and stress-induced defective chalky grains and will guide future studies to unravel this much-appreciated pearl character in the Mediterranean gastronomy.
Molecular and Antioxidant Characterization of Opuntia robusta Fruit Extract and Its Protective Effect against Diclofenac-Induced Acute Liver Injury in an In Vivo Rat Model
Authors: Villa-Jaimes Gloria Stephanie , Moshage Han , Avelar-González Francisco Javier , González-Ponce Herson Antonio , Buist-Homan Manon , Guevara-Lara Fidel , Sánchez-Alemán Esperanza , Martínez-Hernández Sandra Luz , Ventura-Juárez Javier , Muñoz-Ortega Martín Humberto , Martínez-Saldaña Ma. Consolación
Published: January 2023

A molecular characterization of the main phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of Opuntia robusta (OR) fruit extract was carried out, as well as an evaluation of its hepatoprotective effect against diclofenac (DF)-induced acute liver injury was evaluated. Phenols, flavonoids and betalains were quantified, and antioxidant characterization was performed by means of the ABTS•+, DPPH and FRAP assays. UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS was used to identify the main biocompounds present in OR fruit extract was carried out via. In the in vivo model, groups of rats were treated prophylactically with the OR fruit extract, betanin and N-acteylcysteine followed by a single dose of DF. Biochemical markers of oxidative stress (MDA and GSH) and relative gene expression of the inducible antioxidant response (Nrf2, Sod2, Hmox1, Nqo1 and Gclc), cell death (Casp3) and DNA repair (Gadd45a) were analyzed. Western blot analysis was performed to measure protein levels of Nrf2 and immunohistochemical analysis was used to assess caspase-3 activity in the experimental groups. In our study, the OR fruit extract showed strong antioxidant and cytoprotective capacity due to the presence of bioactive compounds, such as betalain and phenols. We conclude that OR fruit extract or selected components can be used clinically to support patients with acute liver injury.
Special Issue on Antioxidants in Natural Products II
Authors: Calokerinos Antony C. , Bener Mustafa , Proestos Charalampos , Tarantilis Petros
Published: January 2023

The importance of consuming natural antioxidant sources has increased significantly in recent years [...]
Electro-Optic Properties of High-Efficiency Organic Electronics with the Addition of An Interlayer
Authors: Lee Soon-Gyu , Batdelger Ankhnybayar , Yun Sang-Seok , Park Sang-Geon
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the electro-optic properties of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices with the addition of an interlayer. A device with the perfluorododecyl-1H,1H,2H,2H-triethoxysilane–perfluorotetradecyl 1H,1H,2H,2H-triethoxysilane mixture (hybrid solution) membrane applied to the hole injection layer (HIL) using a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), along with N,N’-Bis (naphtha-len-1-yl)-N,N’-bis(phenyl)-2,2’-dimethylbenzidine (α-NPD) applied to the hole transport layer (HTL), was fabricated and subsequently assessed. Compared to the device without an HIL, the device with HIL using SAM showed a luminance of 1630.16 (Cd/m2) at the maximum cut-off voltage of 11 V, and the efficiency was increased to ≥200% from the initial turn-on voltage of 3 V to the maximum cut-off voltage. These results suggest that adding an interlayer and the consequent carrier ladder effect led to more efficient injection and transport, possibly lowering the hole injection barrier and allowing excellent power efficiency.
Simulation Study of Microwave Ablation of Porous Lung Tissue
Authors: Mai Xin , Wu Ning , Nan Qun , Bi Sixin
Published: January 2023

Microwave ablation, as an emerging method for treating lung cancer, has been widely used because of its advantages, such as being less invasive and having fewer side effects compared with other therapies, such as surgery and chemotherapy. The key to microwave ablation is to destroy the tumor tissue while minimizing the damage caused to the surrounding healthy tissues. Based on the heat transfer model of porous media, a two-dimensional simulation model of a spherical tumor surrounded by healthy tissue is established in this paper. The effects of tumor diameter, tumor porosity, and microwave ablation power on the highest temperature, ablation area, and volume of the tumor tissue were studied by using the software COMOSL Multiphysics. The results show that the porous heat transfer model is more practical than the Pennes biological heat transfer model. The tumor diameter and the tumor porosity have a great influence on the maximum temperature, the ablation area and volume. In this study, a more realistic model of microwave ablation of lung tumors was established, and the ablation results were predicted accurately, which provided the basic reference data for the selection of clinical therapeutic parameters of microwave ablation of lung tumors. To a certain extent, it can ensure that the ablation area completely covers the tumor and reduces the risk of tumor recurrence, which is of great significance in the accurate treatment of pulmonary tumors by microwave ablation.
Meta Learning Based Deception Detection from Speech
Authors: Mansbach Noa , Azaria Amos
Published: January 2023

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of detecting human deception, specifically by using speech cues. Indeed, several works attempt to detect deception from speech. Unfortunately, most works use the same people and environments in training and in testing. That is, they do not separate training samples from test samples according to the people who said each statement or by the environments in which each sample was recorded. This may result in less reliable detection results. In this paper, we take a meta-learning approach in which a model is trained on a variety of learning tasks to enable it to solve new learning tasks using only a few samples. In our approach, we split the data according to the persons (and recording environment), i.e., some people are used for training, and others are used for testing only, but we do assume a few labeled samples for each person in the data set. We introduce CHAML, a novel deep learning architecture that receives as input the sample in question along with two more truthful samples and non-truthful samples from the same person. We show that our method outperforms other state-of-the-art methods of deception detection based on speech and other approaches for meta-learning on our data-set. Namely, CHAML reaches an accuracy of 61.34% and an F1-Score of 0.3857, compared to an accuracy of only 55.82% and an F1-score of only 0.3444, achieved by a previous, most recent approach.
Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Chlorogenic Acid on Macrophages: A Simplified Simulation of Pharmacokinetics Following Ingestion Using a Windup Syringe Pump
Authors: Cao Lei , Han Won , Lee Sang Gil , Shin Joong Ho
Published: January 2023

Cell-culture-based drug tests are usually performed in an instantaneous delivery manner. However, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies have shown a steady increase in the concentration of bioactive compounds in the plasma following oral administration, with the maximum concentration observed after several hours. Here, a novel palm-sized syringe pump powered by the manual winding of a spring was utilized for sustained delivery of chlorogenic acid (CHA) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged RAW 264.7 macrophages over 2 h. When delivered in a sustained manner and simulating the in vivo pharmacokinetics following oral administration, CHA showed a stronger inhibitory effect on LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and the transcription and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α. It also enhanced the mRNA expression of the gene encoding heme oxygenase 1. The suppression of phosphorylation of p38 but not the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB was affected by the sustained delivery of CHA. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis indicated that the sustained delivery model showed a higher concentration of CHA in the conditioned medium two hours after starting the delivery. A stronger anti-inflammatory effect of CHA was observed upon sustained delivery to the cell medium, simulating an in vivo pharmacokinetic release profile following oral administration.
Preliminary Analysis of Skin Temperature Asymmetries in Elite Young Tennis Players
Authors: Marzano-Felisatti Joaquín Martín , Martinez-Amaya Anna , Priego-Quesada José Ignacio
Published: January 2023

This preliminary study aimed to assess skin temperature (Tsk) asymmetries before and after on-court training in elite young tennis players and to find the correlation between these asymmetries and demographic data, racquet characteristics, and pain and fatigue variation. Thermal images of nine tennis players were taken before and after two and a half hours of standardised training. Thermal asymmetries were correlated to age, years of experience, racquet weight, string tension, body mass index (BMI), and variation in fatigue and pain. In contralateral comparison, Tsk was higher on the dominant side in areas such as the anterior (1.1 ± 0.5 °C, p < 0.001, ES = 0.5) and posterior forearm (1.1 ± 1 °C, p < 0.01, ES = 0.5). Concerning pre- and post-comparisons, post-training Tsk values were lower in all regions except in the posterior forearm, posterior shoulder, and posterior leg. Finally, significant correlations were found between thermal asymmetry and weight of the racquet, body mass index, fatigue and pain variation. Monitoring tennis players’ Tsk with infrared thermography (IRT) gives coaches vital information to evaluate contralateral asymmetries and technical pattern activations during training sessions.
In-Vivo Quantification of Knee Deep-Flexion in Physiological Loading Condition trough Dynamic MRI
Authors: Conconi Michele , De Carli Filippo , Berni Matteo , Sancisi Nicola , Parenti-Castelli Vincenzo , Monetti Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

The in-vivo quantification of knee motion in physiological loading conditions is paramount for the understanding of the joint’s natural behavior and the comprehension of articular disorders. Dynamic MRI (DMRI) represents an emerging technology that makes it possible to investigate the functional interaction among all the joint tissues without risks for the patient. However, traditional MRI scanners normally offer a reduced space of motion, and complex apparatus are needed to load the articulation, due to the horizontal orientation of the scanning bed. In this study, we present an experimental and computational procedure that combines an open, weight-bearing MRI scanner with an original registration algorithm to reconstruct the three-dimensional kinematics of the knee from DMRI, thus allowing the investigation of knee deep-flexion under physiological loads in space. To improve the accuracy of the procedure, an MR-compatible rig has been developed to guide the knee flexion of the patient. We tested the procedure on three volunteers. The overall rotational and positional accuracy achieved are 1.8° ± 1.4 and 1.2 mm ± 0.8, respectively, and they are sufficient for the characterization of the joint behavior under load.
Developing Stable Freeze-Dried Functional Ingredients Containing Wild-Type Presumptive Probiotic Strains for Food Systems
Authors: Prapa Ioanna , Nikolaou Anastasios , Panas Panayiotis , Tassou Chrysoula , Kourkoutas Yiannis
Published: January 2023

Designing stable dried functional food ingredients and foods containing live probiotic cultures maintaining high viable cell loads at the time of consumption is a challenge for the industry. The aim of the present study was the development of stable freeze-dried functional food ingredients with enhanced shelf-life during long storage. Zea flakes, pistachios, and raisins were used as immobilization supports for the wild-type presumptive probiotic strains Pediococcus acidilactici SK and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum F4, while L. plantarum B282 was used as a reference strain. Cell survival was monitored during storage at room and refrigerated temperatures for up to 6 months. Levels of freeze-dried cultures were maintained up to 7.2 logcfu/g after 6 months storage at room temperature and up to 8.5 logcfu/g at refrigerator temperature, in contrast to free cell levels that ranged <7 logcfu/mL, suggesting the positive effects of immobilization and freeze-drying on cell viability. Of note, levels of freeze-dried immobilized P. acidilactici SK cells on zea flakes and pistachios remained stable after 6 months of storage at 4 °C, ranging 8.1–8.5 logcfu/g (survival rates 98.2 and 99.7%, respectively). The technology developed presents important advantages for the maintenance of cell viability during storage, assuring stability of ready-to-use functional food ingredients that could be directly incorporated in food systems.
Characterization of Ultra-High-Dose Rate Electron Beams with ElectronFlash Linac
Authors: Giuliano Lucia , Franciosini Gaia , Palumbo Luigi , Aggar Lilia , Dutreix Marie , Faillace Luigi , Favaudon Vincent , Felici Giuseppe , Galante Federica , Mostacci Andrea , Migliorati Mauro , Pacitti Matteo , Patriarca Annalisa , Heinrich Sophie
Published: January 2023

Purpose: The electron linac ElectronFlash installed at Institut Curie (Orsay, France) is entirely dedicated to FLASH irradiation for radiobiological and pre-clinical studies. The system was designed to deliver an ultra-high-dose rate per pulse (UHDR) (above 106 Gy/s) and a very high average dose rate at different energies and pulse durations. A campaign of tests and measurements was performed to obtain a full reliable characterizations of the electron beam and of the delivered dose, which are necessary to the radiobiological experiments. Methods: A Faraday cup was used to measure the electron charges in a single RF pulse. The percentage depth dose (PDD) and the transverse dose profiles, at the energies of 5 MeV and 7 MeV, were evaluated employing Gafchromic films EBT-XD for two Poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) applicators with irradiation sizes of 30 mm and 120 mm, normally used for in vivo and in vitro experiments, respectively. The results were compared with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Results: The measurements were performed during a period of a few months in which the experimental set up was adapted and tuned in order to characterize the electron beam parameters and the values of delivered doses before the radiobiological experiments. The measurements showed that the dose parameters, obtained at the energy of 5 MeV and 7 MeV with different applicators, fulfill the FLASH regime, with a maximum value of an average dose rate of 4750 Gy/s, a maximum dose per pulse of 19 Gy and an instantaneous dose rate up to 4.75 ×106 Gy/s. By means of the PMMA applicators, a very good flatness of the dose profiles was obtained at the cost of a reduced total current. The flatness of the large field is reliable and reproducible in radiobiological experiments. The measured PDD and dose profiles are in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations with more than 95% of the gamma-index under the thresholds of 3 mm/3%. Conclusions: The results show that the system can provide UHDR pulses totally satisfying the FLASH requirements with very good performances in terms of beam profile flatness for any size of the fields. The monitoring of electron beams and the measurement of the dose parameters played an important role in the in vivo and in vitro irradiation experiments performed at the Institut Curie laboratory.
Empirical Analysis of Automated Stock Trading Using Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Kong Minseok , So Jungmin
Published: January 2023

There are several automated stock trading programs using reinforcement learning, one of which is an ensemble strategy. The main idea of the ensemble strategy is to train DRL agents and make an ensemble with three different actor–critic algorithms: Advantage Actor–Critic (A2C), Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO). This novel idea was the concept mainly used in this paper. However, we did not stop there, but we refined the automated stock trading in two areas. First, we made another DRL-based ensemble and employed it as a new trading agent. We named it Remake Ensemble, and it combines not only A2C, DDPG, and PPO but also Actor–Critic using Kronecker-Factored Trust Region (ACKTR), Soft Actor–Critic (SAC), Twin Delayed DDPG (TD3), and Trust Region Policy Optimization (TRPO). Furthermore, we expanded the application domain of automated stock trading. Although the existing stock trading method treats only 30 Dow Jones stocks, ours handles KOSPI stocks, JPX stocks, and Dow Jones stocks. We conducted experiments with our modified automated stock trading system to validate its robustness in terms of cumulative return. Finally, we suggested some methods to gain relatively stable profits following the experiments.
A Wavefront Integration Algorithm Based on Radial Basis Function for Off-Axis PMD
Authors: Wang Heyan , Li Dahai , Zhang Xinwei , Ge Renhao , Zheng Wanxing
Published: January 2023

Sampled points on a measured surface are not evenly spaced on rectangular grids but, rather, have a more general quadrilateral geometry due to the perspective effect of the off-axis configuration, which is extensively utilized in phase measuring deflectometry (PMD). The current procedures for slope-to-wavefront integration results in reconstruction errors, which impact PMD to achieve a higher measurement accuracy. Due to the advantageous properties of the radial basis function (RBF) for irregular sampling and incomplete data, the quadrilateral geometry acquired by a CCD is first realized in this paper using the ray tracing method, which is used to obtain the actual measurement area and sampling interval in off-axis PMD instead of the area defined by the mathematical formula in the past when RBF was used. The RBF integration method is researched in this paper. The simulation and experiment show that RBF is a robust and higher accuracy algorithm for off-axis PMD. We further implement the RBF integration method to measure a crystal transparent element where an off-axis configuration is required.