bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Nap or to Rest? The Influence of a Sixty-Minute Intervention on Verbal and Figural Convergent and Divergent Thinking
Authors: Müri René M. , Camenzind Magdalena , Chiffi Kathrin , Stuber Isabel , Eberhard-Moscicka Aleksandra K.
Published: August 2023

Background: The relationship between sleep and creativity is a topic of much controversy. General benefits of napping have been described not only in sleep-deprived individuals and in shift workers, but also in people with sufficient night sleep. However, only few studies have investigated the relationship between nap and creativity. Methods: Forty-two native German speakers (29 females, mean age = 24 years, SD = 3.3 years) took part in two experimental sessions (i.e., baseline and intervention). In both sessions, divergent and convergent verbal and figural creativity tasks were administered at the same time of the day. While the baseline session was identical for all the participants, in the second session participants were randomized into either a sixty-minute nap or a sixty-minute rest group. Results: No significant group differences were found for neither divergent nor convergent creativity thinking tasks, suggesting that the interventions had similar effects in both groups. Interestingly, the analysis of the pooled data (i.e., pooled nap and rest groups) indicated differential effects of figural versus verbal creativity tasks, such that significant post-intervention improvements were found for the figural, but not for the verbal divergent and convergent thinking tasks. Conclusions: While further studies are needed to confirm these findings, to the best of our knowledge, such a dissociation between performance of verbal and figural creativity tasks after nap/rest interventions has not been described to date.
Occupancy and Activity Patterns of Nine-Banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in a Suburban Environment
Authors: DeGregorio Brett A. , McElroy Matthew R. , Johansson Emily P.
Published: August 2023

The geographic range of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has rapidly been expanding within the United States for the last 150 years. One of the factors contributing to this astounding range expansion is the species’ ability to survive in and colonize human-dominated areas. Despite the fact that armadillos live alongside humans in numerous towns and cities across the Southeastern, Southcentral, and now Midwestern United States, we know relatively little about the behavior and ecology of armadillos in human-developed areas. Here, we used motion-triggered game cameras in over 115 residential yards in the rapidly developing Northwest corner of Arkansas to survey armadillos in a largely suburban environment. Our objectives were to explore trends in armadillo occupancy and daily activity patterns in a suburban setting. We documented armadillos in approximately 84% of the yards surveyed indicating that the species was widespread throughout the environment. We found that the species was more likely to occupy yards surrounded by a high proportion of forest cover. We found no relationship between armadillo occupancy and other land cover or development covariates. Only 2% of nearly 2000 armadillo detections occurred during the day indicating that the species is almost exclusively nocturnal during the summer months when living near humans in the suburban environment, which we suggest is likely an adaptation to avoid contact with humans and their dogs. As the armadillo continues to expand its geographic range to areas where it has not previously occurred, understanding how human development supports and facilitates the spread of this species can elucidate areas where conflict between humans and armadillos might occur allowing for preemptive management or education to mitigate conflict.
Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: The Role of Cardiovascular and Lung Ultrasound beyond Ejection Fraction
Authors: Shahnazaryan Syuzanna , Pepoyan Sergey , Sisakian Hamayak
Published: August 2023

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is considered a major health care problem with frequent decompensations, high hospitalization and mortality rates. In severe heart failure (HF), the symptoms are refractory to medical treatment and require advanced therapeutic strategies. Early recognition of HF sub- and decompensation is the cornerstone of the timely treatment intensification and, therefore, improvement in the prognosis. Echocardiography is the gold standard for the assessment of systolic and diastolic functions. It allows one to obtain accurate and non-invasive measurements of the ventricular function in HF. In severely compromised HF patients, advanced cardiovascular ultrasound modalities may provide a better assessment of intracardiac hemodynamic changes and subclinical congestion. Particularly, cardiovascular and lung ultrasound allow us to make a more accurate diagnosis of subclinical congestion in HFrEF. The aim of this review was to summarize the advantages and limitations of the currently available ultrasound modalities in the ambulatory monitoring of patients with HFrEF.
How South Africa Used National Cycle Threshold (Ct) Values to Continuously Monitor SARS-CoV-2 Laboratory Test Quality
Authors: Scott Lesley Erica , Hsiao Nei-yuan , Dor Graeme , Hans Lucia , Marokane Puleng , da Silva Manuel Pedro , Preiser Wolfgang , Vreede Helena , Tsoka Jonathan , Mlisana Koleka , Stevens Wendy Susan
Published: August 2023

The high demand for SARS-CoV-2 tests but limited supply to South African laboratories early in the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a heterogenous diagnostic footprint of open and closed molecular testing platforms being implemented. Ongoing monitoring of the performance of these multiple and varied systems required novel approaches, especially during the circulation of variants. The National Health Laboratory Service centrally collected cycle threshold (Ct) values from 1,497,669 test results reported from 6 commonly used PCR assays in 36 months, and visually monitored changes in their median Ct within a 28-day centered moving average for each assays’ gene targets. This continuous quality monitoring rapidly identified delayed hybridization of RdRp in the Allplex™ SARS-CoV-2 assay due to the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant; S-gene target failure in the TaqPath™ COVID-19 assay due to B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and the B.1.1.529 (Omicron); and recently E-gene delayed hybridization in the Xpert® Xpress SARS-CoV-2 due to XBB.1.5. This near “real-time” monitoring helped inform the need for sequencing and the importance of multiplex molecular nucleic acid amplification technology designs used in diagnostics for patient care. This continuous quality monitoring approach at the granularity of Ct values should be included in ongoing surveillance and with application to other disease use cases that rely on molecular diagnostics.
Predicting Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Survival after Curative Surgery via Deep Learning of Diffusion MRI
Authors: Moon Jung Won , Yang Ehwa , Kim Jae-Hun , Kwon O Jung , Park Minsu , Yi Chin A
Published: August 2023

Background: the objective of this study is to evaluate the predictive power of the survival model using deep learning of diffusion-weighted images (DWI) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: DWI at b-values of 0, 100, and 700 sec/mm2 (DWI0, DWI100, DWI700) were preoperatively obtained for 100 NSCLC patients who underwent curative surgery (57 men, 43 women; mean age, 62 years). The ADC0-100 (perfusion-sensitive ADC), ADC100-700 (perfusion-insensitive ADC), ADC0-100-700, and demographic features were collected as input data and 5-year survival was collected as output data. Our survival model adopted transfer learning from a pre-trained VGG-16 network, whereby the softmax layer was replaced with the binary classification layer for the prediction of 5-year survival. Three channels of input data were selected in combination out of DWIs and ADC images and their accuracies and AUCs were compared for the best performance during 10-fold cross validation. Results: 66 patients survived, and 34 patients died. The predictive performance was the best in the following combination: DWI0-ADC0-100-ADC0-100-700 (accuracy: 92%; AUC: 0.904). This was followed by DWI0-DWI700-ADC0-100-700, DWI0-DWI100-DWI700, and DWI0-DWI0-DWI0 (accuracy: 91%, 81%, 76%; AUC: 0.889, 0.763, 0.711, respectively). Survival prediction models trained with ADC performed significantly better than the one trained with DWI only (p-values < 0.05). The survival prediction was improved when demographic features were added to the model with only DWIs, but the benefit of clinical information was not prominent when added to the best performing model using both DWI and ADC. Conclusions: Deep learning may play a role in the survival prediction of lung cancer. The performance of learning can be enhanced by inputting precedented, proven functional parameters of the ADC instead of the original data of DWIs only.
A Scoring Method to Prioritize Fecal Occult Blood Testing as a First Step in Colorectal Cancer Screening in Resource-Limited Settings
Authors: Bărbulescu Linda-Nicoleta , Rădulescu Virginia-Maria , Mogoantă Stelian-Ștefăniță , Bărbulescu Lucian-Florentin , Kamal Constantin , Radu Mirela , Cismaru Liana
Published: August 2023

This study aims to develop a scoring method that can be used by primary care physicians from remote areas or resource-limited settings to estimate the need for fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) as a first step in colorectal cancer screening. This method relies on several modifiable risk factors that can influence a positive FOBT, an indication of the presence of colorectal polyps, or even colorectal cancer. The scoring method considers, besides the age and gender of the patient, the body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and the diagnoses of diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes), dyslipidemia, and hypertension. It does not need any paraclinical exams, which is an advantage when access or material resources are limited. The retrospective study was spread over forty-three months, respectively, from October 2019 to April 2023, and included 112 patients. The score that we designed is a numerical value between 0 and 7. The values between 0 and 3 represent a smaller risk of a positive FOBT (9.68%), values 4 and 5 represent a medium risk (14.75%), while values 6 and 7 represent a greater risk (40%). Using this score, a physician can determine if a patient has a greater risk and recommend it to prioritize taking a FOB test.
Diagnostic Performance of Toluidine Blue Stain for Direct Wet Mount Detection of Cryptosporidium Oocysts: Qualitative and Quantitative Comparison to the Modified Ziehl–Neelsen Stain
Authors: Ahmed Shahira Abdelaziz Ali , Quattrocchi Annalisa , Elzagawy Sherine M. , Karanis Panagiotis , Gad Samer Eid Mohamed
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: The wet mount staining technique is a simple, economical, and rapid method for detecting parasitic stages. The objective of the current study was to evaluate wet mount diagnostic stains for Cryptosporidium infection in human faecal samples and to compare the sensitivity and qualitative performance of toluidine blue (TolB) and modified Ziehl–Neelsen (mZN) stain. (2) Methods: The collection, purification, and molecular amplification of Cryptosporidium oocysts were performed. TolB, malachite green, trypan blue, and crystal violet were evaluated qualitatively to diagnose Cryptosporidium oocysts. The outperforming stain was compared to mZN using a quantitative evaluation and qualitative scoring system. (3) Results: The oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum were effectively purified and utilized for spiking. TolB was the most effective diagnostic stain among wet mount stains for detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts. TolB outperformed mZN in terms of sensitivity, with 100% versus 79% at a concentration of 104 and 49% versus 23% at a concentration of 102. TolB had the most favourable qualitative stain characteristics against mZN; however, sample freshness and being a temporary stain were crucial considerations. (4) Conclusions: This study emphasizes that TolB, as a routine wet mount technique for screening Cryptosporidium infection, will provide a more sensitive and faster method than mZN staining.
Observational Study of the Natural Growth History of Peripheral Small-Cell Lung Cancer on CT Imaging
Authors: Jiang Xu , Liu Meng-Wen , Zhang Xue , Dong Ji-Yan , Miao Lei , Sun Zi-Han , Dong Shu-Shan , Zhang Li , Yang Lin , Li Meng
Published: August 2023

Background: This study aimed to investigate the natural growth history of peripheral small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) using CT imaging. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 27 patients with peripheral SCLC who underwent at least two CT scans. Two methods were used: Method 1 involved direct measurement of nodule dimensions using a calliper, while Method 2 involved tumour lesion segmentation and voxel volume calculation using the “py-radiomics” package in Python. Agreement between the two methods was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Volume doubling time (VDT) and growth rate (GR) were used as evaluation indices for SCLC growth, and growth distribution based on GR and volume measurements were depicted. We collected potential factors related to imaging VDT and performed a differential analysis. Patients were classified into slow-growing and fast-growing groups based on a VDT cut-off point of 60 days, and univariate analysis was used to identify factors influencing VDT. Results: Median VDT calculated by the two methods were 61 days and 71 days, respectively, with strong agreement. All patients had continuously growing tumours, and none had tumours that decreased in size or remained unchanged. Eight patients showed possible growth patterns, with six possibly exhibiting exponential growth and two possibly showing Gompertzian growth. Tumours deeper in the lung grew faster than those adjacent to the pleura. Conclusions: Peripheral SCLC tumours grow rapidly and continuously without periods of nongrowth or regression. Tumours located deeper in the lung tend to grow faster, but further research is needed to confirm this finding.
A Q-Learning-Based Two-Layer Cooperative Intrusion Detection for Internet of Drones System
Authors: Wu Moran , Zhu Zhiliang , Xia Yunzhi , Yan Zhengbing , Zhu Xiangou , Ye Nan
Published: August 2023

The integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the Internet of Things (IoT) has opened up new possibilities in various industries. However, with the increasing number of Internet of Drones (IoD) networks, the risk of network attacks is also rising, making it increasingly difficult to identify malicious attacks on IoD systems. To improve the accuracy of intrusion detection for IoD and reduce the probability of false positives and false negatives, this paper proposes a Q-learning-based two-layer cooperative intrusion detection algorithm (Q-TCID). Specifically, Q-TCID employs an intelligent dynamic voting algorithm that optimizes multi-node collaborative intrusion detection strategies at the host level, effectively reducing the probability of false positives and false negatives in intrusion detection. Additionally, to further reduce energy consumption, an intelligent auditing algorithm is proposed to carry out system-level auditing of the host-level detections. Both algorithms employ Q-learning optimization strategies and interact with the external environment in their respective Markov decision processes, leading to close-to-optimal intrusion detection strategies. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed Q-TCID algorithm optimizes the defense strategies of the IoD system, effectively prolongs the mean time to failure (MTTF) of the system, and significantly reduces the energy consumption of intrusion detection.
GGTr: An Innovative Framework for Accurate and Realistic Human Motion Prediction
Authors: Huang Biaozhang , Li Xinde
Published: August 2023

Human motion prediction involves forecasting future movements based on past observations, which is a complex task due to the inherent spatial-temporal dynamics of human motion. In this paper, we introduced a novel framework, GGTr, which adeptly encapsulates these patterns by integrating positional graph convolutional network (GCN) layers, gated recurrent unit (GRU) network layers, and transformer layers. The proposed model utilizes an enhanced GCN layer equipped with a positional representation to aggregate information from body joints more effectively. To address temporal dependencies, we strategically combined GRU and transformer layers, enabling the model to capture both local and global temporal dependencies across body joints. Through extensive experiments conducted on Human3.6M and CMU-MoCap datasets, we demonstrated the superior performance of our proposed model. Notably, our framework shows significant improvements in predicting long-term movements, outperforming state-of-the-art methods substantially.
Optimization of Quality of AI Service in 6G Native AI Wireless Networks
Authors: Chen Tianjiao , Deng Juan , Tang Qinqin , Liu Guangyi
Published: August 2023

To comply with the trend of ubiquitous intelligence in 6G, native AI wireless networks are proposed to orchestrate and control communication, computing, data, and AI model resources according to network status, and efficiently provide users with quality-guaranteed AI services. In addition to the quality of communication services, the quality of AI services (QoAISs) includes multiple dimensions, such as AI model accuracy, overhead, and data privacy. This paper proposes a QoAIS optimization method for AI training services in 6G native AI wireless networks. To improve the accuracy and reduce the delay of AI services, we formulate an integer programming problem to obtain proper task scheduling and resource allocation decisions. To quickly obtain decisions that meet the requirements of each dimension of QoAIS, we further transform the single-objective optimization problem into a multi-objective format to facilitate the QoAIS configuration of network protocols. Considering the computational complexity, we propose G-TSRA and NSG-TSRA heuristic algorithms to solve the proposed problems. Finally, the feasibility and performance of QoAIS optimization are verified by simulation.
Valorization of Acid Mine Drainage into an Iron Catalyst to Initiate the Solar Photo-Fenton Treatment of Municipal Wastewater
Authors: Aslam Tooba , Masindi Vhahangwele , Ahmad Abdulbari A. , Chatzisymeon Efthalia
Published: August 2023

Acid mine drainage was utilized to catalyze the solar photo-Fenton treatment of wastewater coming from a sludge dewatering system. Acid mine drainage in the form of iron-rich liquid or synthesized minerals (namely magnetite, hematite, and goethite) was added in the wastewater, which was treated by means of the solar photo-Fenton process. The effects of operational parameters such as the amount of acid mine drainage, the wastewater matrix (i.e., synthetic and real wastewater), and the initial H2O2 concentration municipal wastewater’s organic content were explored. The results showed that using acid mine drainage (liquid phase) for wastewater treatment was more efficient than using the acid-mine-drainage-recovered minerals. Moreover, it was observed that the addition of acid mine drainage above 10.7 mL/L wastewater, which is equivalent to 50 mg/L iron, could substantially reduce the removal percentage of the chemical oxygen demand (COD). At the best conditions assayed, COD removal reached 99% after 90 min of photo-Fenton treatment under simulated solar light, in the presence of 30 mg/L Fe (i.e., 6.4 mL drainage/L of real wastewater) and 1000 mg/L H2O2 at a pH of 2.8. Therefore, the solar photo-Fenton treatment of municipal wastewater catalyzed by acid mine drainage may appear to be a promising method to effectively improve wastewater management, especially in areas with high solar energy potential.
Functional Role of Intestinal Symbiotic Microorganisms in Improving the Adaptability of Anoplophora glabripennis to Resistant Host Plants
Authors: Gu Qi , Jia Ruofeng , Guo Shuai , Li Han , Hao Enhua , Yang Xi , Lu Pengfei , Qiao Haili
Published: August 2023

To investigate the adaptation mechanism of Anoplophora glabripennis to traditional resistant Fraxinus, we used metabolomics, enzyme activity detection, and 16SrRNA sequencing technology to analyze the correlation among plants, insects, and symbiotic microorganisms. The results show that a total of 19 classes and 108 different resistant metabolites were screened from xylem of Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Fraxinus chinensis. Except iridoids, lignin, alkaloids, and derivatives; amines, cinnamic acids, and derivatives; and amino acids and derivatives, the rest of them were abundant in F. chinensis. The activity of digestive enzymes and detoxifying enzymes in the intestinal of F. pennsylvanica feeder was significantly higher than that of F. chinensis feeder. After feeding on two hosts, there were significant differences in the intestinal bacterial community of A. glabripennis. At the phylum level, the dominant phyla of intestinal bacteria after feeding on F. pennsylvanica and F. chinensis were Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, respectively. At the genus level, Raoultella (55.79%) and Lactococcus (57.52%) were the most dominant bacteria, respectively. The correlation analysis shows that β-glucosidase, exo-β-1,4-glucanase, lipase, carboxylesterase, and cytochrome P450 had a significant negative correlation with sesquiterpenoids, amino acids, and derivatives, and a significant positive correlation with lignin and amines. Raoultella, unclassified Enterobactriaceae, and Enterobacter in the gut community were negatively correlated with sesquiterpenes and amino acid derivatives and significantly positively correlated with lignin and amines. The correlations with defensive substances for Lactococcus, Enterococcus, and Gibbsiella were the exact opposite of those for these gut communities. This can provide a new idea for the prevention and control of A. glabripennis by studying the interaction among plants, insects and intestinal symbiotic microorganisms.
The Influence of Seismic Lines on Wildfire Potential in the Boreal Region of Northern Alberta, Canada
Authors: Weiland Lelia , Green-Harrison Tori , Ketcheson Scott
Published: August 2023

Seismic lines are cleared corridors for the location mapping of subsurface bitumen. After use, the lines can be left to regenerate naturally with varying success. Wildfires, another prominent disturbance in the Boreal region, are propagated by continuous fuel distribution (coarse/fine), meteorological variables (e.g., wind speed, temperature, and precipitation), and the moisture content of the fuel and soil. However, little is known about seismic lines and the potential risk and severity of wildfires. This work presents a case study of wildfire variables on two paired (seismic line and adjacent natural area) sites near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Wind speed was increased on seismic lines, and the dominant wind direction changed. Higher precipitation, air temperature, and soil moisture and reduced water table depths were observed on seismic lines. Coarse fuel distribution was not continuous on seismic lines; however, fine fuels were. Although the Fire Weather Index (FWI) indicated an enhanced wildfire potential on one line (NS orientation), peat smouldering and ignition models (Hcomb/Hign) showed increased smouldering potential on both seismic lines compared to adjacent natural areas. Future work should focus on expanding the diversity of seismic line characterization, working towards the landscape-scale modelling of these variables.
Effects of Oligosaccharide Fermentation on Canine Gut Microbiota and Fermentation Metabolites in an In Vitro Fecal Fermentation Model
Authors: Zhang Yu , Ding Zhuang , Chen Xiaoyu , Wen Min , Wang Qingpeng , Wang Zhengping
Published: August 2023

Owing to the well-established application of prebiotics in human food products, there is a growing interest in their potential as dietary supplements for gut microbiota composition and improvement of the digestive health of dogs. However, targeted studies with dogs as research subjects are still limited. In the present study, an in vitro simulated gut microbiota fermentation system using canine feces from a healthy Border Collie breed was used to investigate the prebiotic effects of five different oligosaccharides and compare their regulatory effects on the gut microbiota structure and the resultant metabolites. Due to the addition of oligosaccharides, the fermented samples had lower pH and higher bacterial proliferation. The oligosaccharide-fermentation selectively boosted Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Bacteroides spp., and hindered Escherichia-Shigella spp., Paeniclostridium, spp., and Bacteroides spp. Each oligosaccharide showed distinct characteristics and preferences for regulating gut microbiota structure and abundance. Furthermore, the addition of oligosaccharides increased the production of short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyric acid. This study provides a preliminary basis for the rapid and rational selection of prebiotic oligosaccharides as canine dietary supplements and further explores the function of oligosaccharides and their combinations in canine health.
Effects of Filtration Processes on the Quality of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil—Literature Update
Authors: Frangipane Maria Teresa , Cecchini Massimo , Monarca Danilo , Massantini Riccardo
Published: August 2023

Filtration is a process that eliminates solid sediments and moisture in olive oil to maintain its shelf life during storage. The influence of filtration on the oil characteristics is linked to many parameters such as chemical and sensory traits, cultivars and filtration systems. After assessing the literature on filtration research, we observed that there are contrasting findings and it is complicated to answer the question of whether to filter or not. An analysis of the influence of different filtration technologies used in extra-virgin olive oil production on the phenolic compounds, volatile fractions, antioxidant activity and sensory characteristics is given in this review. The information compiled could help olive oil producers to enhance extra-virgin olive oil quality and maintain it during storage.
Genomic and Antimicrobial Surveillance of Campylobacter Population in Italian Poultry
Authors: Marotta Francesca , Janowicz Anna , Romantini Romina , Di Marcantonio Lisa , Di Timoteo Federica , Romualdi Teresa , Zilli Katiuscia , Barco Lisa , D’Incau Mario , Mangone Iolanda , Cito Francesca , Di Domenico Marco , Pomilio Francesco , Ricci Lucilla , Garofolo Giuliano
Published: August 2023

Campylobacter is one of the most common foodborne diseases worldwide with increasing rates of antibiotic resistance. Most cases of campylobacteriosis can be traced back to the consumption of poultry meat. Despite many efforts to reduce contamination in farms and in slaughterhouses, the persistence of this pathogen in poultry products remains a problem. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity and antibiotic resistance of 542 C. jejuni and C. coli in Italian poultry, in the framework of two National Monitoring Programs. Genomes were screened for antibiotic resistance, virulence determinants and contextualized within a global collection of C. jejuni. ST2116, ST2863 and ST 832 were the most prevalent and significantly associated with Italian poultry. A worrying increase in resistance to quinolones, fluoroquinolones and tetracycline was observed in C. jejuni, while an increased occurrence of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains and strains resistant to macrolides was detected in C. coli. Low resistance rates were found for aminoglycosides. Molecular resistance determinants were consistent with the phenotypic resistance for tetracycline and quinolones. In silico analysis revealed 119 genes associated with virulence factors, with a notably higher prevalence of some genes in ST2863 genomes. This study highlights the increased resistance to macrolides and the emergence of MDR strains for C. coli, the genetic basis of AMR and the predominance of two genotypes among Campylobacter strains isolated from the Italian poultry farms.
Extended Storage of Beef Steaks Using Thermoforming Vacuum Packaging
Authors: Bernardez-Morales Gabriela M. , Nichols Brooks W. , Douglas Savannah L. , Belk Aeriel D. , Brandebourg Terry D. , Reyes Tristan M. , Sawyer Jason T.
Published: August 2023

Extended storage duration often results in negative quality attributes of fresh or frozen beef steaks. This study focused on evaluating the fresh and cooked meat quality of beef steaks stored using vacuum packaging for 63 days. Steaks 2.54 cm thick were packaged into one of three thermoforming films VPA (250 µ nylon/EVOH/enhanced polyethylene coextrusion), VPB (250 µ nylon/EVOH/enhanced polyethylene coextrusion), or VPC (125 µ nylon/EVOH/enhanced/polyethylene coextrusion). Steaks placed in VPA were lighter (L*) and redder (a*) in surface color (p < 0.05) as the display period increased, whereas steaks packaged in VPB and VPC became darker. Yellowness, hue angle (Hue°), and chroma (C*) values were greater (p < 0.05) in steaks using VPC film as the storage period increased. Calculated spectral values of red to brown were greater (p < 0.05) for steaks in VPA and VPB than in VPC. However, steaks placed in VPC films contained greater (p < 0.05) forms of metmyoglobin and oxymyoglobin and lower calculated relative values of deoxymyoglobin. In addition, packaging treatment altered (p > 0.05) lipid oxidation, but storage time had a greater (p < 0.05) influence on purge loss, cook loss, and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF). Current results suggest that the use of vacuum packaging for extended storage of beef steaks (>60) days is plausible.
L-Index in Joint Variables: Sum and Composition of an Entire Function with a Function With a Vanished Gradient
Authors: Bandura Andriy , Salo Tetyana , Skaskiv Oleh
Published: August 2023

The composition H(z)=f(Φ(z)) is studied, where f is an entire function of a single complex variable and Φ is an entire function of n complex variables with a vanished gradient. Conditions are presented by the function Φ providing boundedness of the L-index in joint variables for the function H, if the function f has bounded l-index for some positive continuous function l and L(z)=l(Φ(z))(max{1,|Φz1′(z)|},…,max{1,|Φzn′(z)|}),z∈Cn. Such a constrained function L allows us to consider a function Φ with a nonempty zero set. The obtained results complement earlier published results with Φ(z)≠0. Also, we study a more general composition H(w)=G(Φ(w)), where G:Cn→C is an entire function of the bounded L-index in joint variables, Φ:Cm→Cn is a vector-valued entire function, and L:Cn→R+n is a continuous function. If the L-index of the function G equals zero, then we construct a function L˜:Cm→R+m such that the function H has bounded L˜-index in the joint variables z1,…,zn. The other group of our results concern a sum of entire functions in several variables. As a general case, a sum of functions with bounded index is not of bounded index. The same is also valid for the multidimensional case. We found simple conditions proving that f1(z1)+f2(z2) belongs to the class of functions having bounded index in joint variables z1,z2. We formulate some open problems based on the deduced results and on the usage of fractional differentiation operators in the theory of functions with bounded index.
An Overview of Mathematical Modelling in Cancer Research: Fractional Calculus as Modelling Tool
Authors: Vieira Lourenço Côrte , Costa Rafael S. , Valério Duarte
Published: August 2023

Cancer is a complex disease, responsible for a significant portion of global deaths. The increasing prioritisation of know-why over know-how approaches in biological research has favoured the rising use of both white- and black-box mathematical techniques for cancer modelling, seeking to better grasp the multi-scale mechanistic workings of its complex phenomena (such as tumour-immune interactions, drug resistance, tumour growth and diffusion, etc.). In light of this wide-ranging use of mathematics in cancer modelling, the unique memory and non-local properties of Fractional Calculus (FC) have been sought after in the last decade to replace ordinary differentiation in the hypothesising of FC’s superior modelling of complex oncological phenomena, which has been shown to possess an accumulated knowledge of its past states. As such, this review aims to present a thorough and structured survey about the main guiding trends and modelling categories in cancer research, emphasising in the field of oncology FC’s increasing employment in mathematical modelling as a whole. The most pivotal research questions, challenges and future perspectives are also outlined.
Alginate Gel-Based Carriers for Encapsulation of Carotenoids: On Challenges and Applications
Authors: Milivojević Milan , Popović Aleksandra , Pajić-Lijaković Ivana , Šoštarić Ivan , Kolašinac Stefan , Stevanović Zora Dajić
Published: August 2023

Sodium alginate is one of the most interesting and the most investigated and applied biopolymers due to its advantageous properties. Among them, easy, simple, mild, rapid, non-toxic gelation by divalent cations is the most important. In addition, it is abundant, low-cost, eco-friendly, bio-compatible, bio-adhesive, biodegradable, stable, etc. All those properties were systematically considered within this review. Carotenoids are functional components in the human diet with plenty of health benefits. However, their sensitivity to environmental and process stresses, chemical instability, easy oxidation, low water solubility, and bioavailability limit their food and pharmaceutical applications. Encapsulation may help in overcoming these limitations and within this review, the role of alginate-based encapsulation systems in improving the stability and bioavailability of carotenoids is explored. It may be concluded that all alginate-based systems increase carotenoid stability, but only those of micro- and nano-size, as well as emulsion-based, may improve their low bioaccessibility. In addition, the incorporation of other biopolymers may further improve encapsulation system properties. Furthermore, the main techniques for evaluating the encapsulation are briefly considered. This review critically and profoundly explains the role of alginates in improving the encapsulation process of carotenoids, suggesting the best alternatives for those systems. Moreover, it provides a comprehensive cover of recent advances in this field.
Correction: Li et al. m6A mRNA Methylation Regulates LKB1 to Promote Autophagy of Hepatoblastoma Cells through Upregulated Phosphorylation of AMPK. Genes 2021, 12, 1747
Authors: Li Guohui , Deng Liang , Huang Nan , Cui Zhongqi , Wu Qi , Ma Ji , Pan Qiuhui , Sun Fenyong
Published: August 2023

In the original publication [...]
Nocturnal Pain Is Not an Alarm Symptom for Upper Gastrointestinal Inflammation but May Be an Indicator of Sleep Disturbance or Psychological Dysfunction
Authors: Cindrich Jacob , Friesen Chance , Schurman Jennifer , Colombo Jennifer , Friesen Craig A.
Published: August 2023

Alarm symptoms are widely used in pediatric gastroenterology to discern when abdominal pain needs further workup. Despite wide use, the data supporting the validity of these symptoms are not well established. This study explored one alarm symptom—nighttime waking with pain—and its associations with histologic inflammation of the upper gastrointestinal tract, psychological dysfunction, and disordered sleep. This retrospective study evaluated 240 patients with abdominal pain-related disorders of the gut–brain axis (AP-DGBI). Patients underwent questionnaires related to sleep disturbance, behavioral assessment, and gastrointestinal symptoms, including Rome IV criteria for AP-DGBI. Routine upper endoscopy with standardized biopsies was performed in 205 patients. Endoscopy results showed no association between esophageal, gastric, or duodenal histologic inflammation and nighttime waking with pain. Nocturnal pain was associated with increased scores for both psychological and sleep disorders, including social stress, depression, disorders of initiation and maintenance of sleep (DIMS), disorders of daytime somnolence (DOES), and sleep hyperhidrosis (SHY). This study concluded that nocturnal pain is not a reliable predictor of upper gastrointestinal inflammation but may be a prognosticator for psychological distress and sleep disturbances.
Metoclopramide in Gastroparesis: Its Mechanism of Action and Safety Profile
Authors: Kalas M Ammar , Trivedi Bhavi , Kalas Mutaz , Chavez Luis O. , McCallum Richard W.
Published: August 2023

Metoclopramide has been the cornerstone of gastroparesis management for the past 40 years as it is the only FDA-approved medication for gastroparesis. Other medications such as erythromycin and domperidone have been used off-label with variable efficacy. Historically, metoclopramide has been used in oral, intravenous, and subcutaneous formulations. It is an antiemetic and prokinetic medication that acts through the inhibition of central (chemoreceptor trigger zone) and peripheral dopaminergic and serotogenic receptors. Due to its antidopaminergic effects, extrapyramidal symptoms have been reported, with the most feared adverse event being tardive dyskinesia. Subsequently, the FDA issued a metoclopramide black box warning label in February 2009 due to its risk of causing tardive dyskinesia, which can be irreversible. The incidence and prevalence of tardive dyskinesia among metoclopramide users have been variable in different studies. However, upon review of the current literature, the true prevalence of tardive dyskinesia seems to be lower than previously thought. This review will focus on metoclopramide and the extrapyramidal symptoms associated with its use.
Gout and Cardiovascular Disease: Mechanisms, Risk Estimations, and the Impact of Therapies
Authors: Andrés Mariano
Published: August 2023

Gout is intimately associated with cardiovascular disease—especially in cases of an atherosclerosis origin, but also with others such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation, or aortic valve stenosis. Besides the common presence of vascular comorbidities in gout sufferers, the disease is—in itself—an independent cardiovascular risk factor, with disease events and mortality attributable to having this condition. This review aims to update the current knowledge regarding several grey areas of the gout–cardiovascular disease spectrum—particularly in terms of risk variations across sex or ancestries, potential monosodium urate crystal deposition in the artery tree as a pathogenic pathway, the efforts undertaken to assess risk estimations in the gout population, and recent controversies surrounding the effects of gout therapies on cardiovascular disease.
Comparative Efficacy of Vibration foam Rolling and Cold Water Immersion in Amateur Basketball Players after a Simulated Load of Basketball Game
Authors: Li Fengping , Song Yang , Cen Xuanzhen , Sun Dong , Lu Zhenghui , Bíró István , Gu Yaodong
Published: August 2023

To compare the efficacy of different recovery strategies (sitting; cold water immersion, CWI; vibration foam rolling, VFR) on the lower extremities of amateur basketball players after the simulated load of a basketball game, we assessed the power, agility, and dynamic balance before and after interventions. Ten amateur basketball players alternately underwent 12 min of sitting, 12 min of CWI at 5 °C, and 12 min of VFR. The power, agility, and dynamic balance were measured immediately post-warm-up, immediately post-game, immediately post-intervention, 1 h after interventions, and 24 h after interventions. To simulate the load of a basketball game, specific movements were designed and implemented. Jump height was measured using a Kistler force plate. Reaction time and dynamic balance score were assessed using the Pavigym agility response system and the Y balance test, respectively. The data were analyzed with a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the vertical jump height significantly decreased after the CWI intervention compared to the CON and VFR groups (p < 0.001). At 1 h after the intervention, the vertical jump height in the CON group showed delayed recovery compared to the CWI and VFR groups (p = 0.007; p < 0.001). At 24 h after the intervention, the vertical jump height in the CWI group further increased and was significantly different from the CON and VFR groups (p < 0.001; p = 0.005). Additionally, reaction times significantly increased immediately after the CWI intervention (p = 0.004) but showed further recovery at 24 h compared to the CON group (p < 0.001). The dynamic balance score significantly rebounded after the CWI intervention compared to the CON group (p = 0.021), with further improvement at 24 h (p < 0.001). CWI initially showed negative effects, but over time, its recovery effect was superior and more long-lasting. VFR had the best immediate effect on lower limb recovery after the game.
Effects of Psychotherapy on the Problem Behaviors of Humidifier Disinfectant Survivors: The Role of Individual Characteristics and Adaptive Functioning
Authors: Lee Min Joo , Chung Yubin , Hong Soeun , Lee Hun-Ju , Park Gippeum , Lee Sang Min
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to examine group differences in the survivors of humidifier damage and the effect of individual psychotherapy on the psychological symptoms of the survivor groups, using the single group pre–post study design. A series of Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests were conducted to investigate the level of psychological problems before and after psychotherapy, as well as the main and interaction effects of demographic characteristics and adaptive functioning on the treatment effects in 69 humidifier disinfectant survivors. The results demonstrated significant differences in problems with socioeconomic status (SES), life functioning, friendships, family relationships, and job adjustment in the survivor groups. Groups with high SES, low life functioning, and poor friend relationships had more problem behaviors than other groups. Problem behaviors related to friendship levels were different before and after psychotherapy. After psychotherapy, individuals with limited social connections exhibited a greater decrease in problem behaviors compared to those with strong friendships. This paper extends the international literature on the long-term consequences of environmental health hazards and the importance of tailored mental health interventions.
Influence of Nutrition on Mental Health: Scoping Review
Authors: Suárez-López Lara María , Bru-Luna Lluna Maria , Martí-Vilar Manuel
Published: August 2023

The aim of this article was to carry out a scoping review of existing research on the influence of food on mental health: (1) Background: nutrition, nutrient levels or an adequate body weight seem to influence the mental health status of individuals. The consumption of psychotropic drugs also seems to contribute to overweight; (2) Methods: fifteen previous research articles were used in the review, which were read in their entirety, following PRISMA methodology and using SPIDER and GRADE tools; (3) Results: there is a relationship between diet and mental health status. Low levels of magnesium, together with high levels of calcium, provoke anxious states, and supplementation with Melissa Officinalis attenuates them. Healthy nutritional habits generally reduce depressive symptoms; while vitamin D supplementation improves mental health status; (4) Conclusion: in general, healthy and appropriate nutrition, such as the Mediterranean diet, improves mental health status. Levels of magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin B6 also seem to have an influence. As limitations of the present review, “food” was considered any form of nutrient administered as an independent variable, and it may include linguistic and publication bias.
Determination of the Permanent Wilting Point of Physalis peruviana L.
Authors: de Freitas Elis Marina , Vital Thayne Nárgyle Botelho , Guimarães Gabriel Fernandes Costa , da Silveira Fernando Augusto , Gomes Carlos Nick , da Cunha Fernando França
Published: August 2023

The soil–water potential limit, or permanent wilting point (PWP), of Physalis peruviana L. is not known. Thus, determining the PWP of P. peruviana in different soils is essential to plan crops and manage irrigation in order to optimize the use of water and electricity. The objective of this study was to determine the PWP for P. peruviana in sandy and sandy clay loam soils. In a greenhouse, P. peruviana plants were grown in pots with different types of soil and maintained at 80% of field capacity. At intervals of 10 days, the irrigation of three pots was stopped, and when the plants wilted, they were transferred to a dark chamber without a vapor pressure deficit to verify if they would return to turgidity. When turgidity was not recovered, the PWP was considered, and the soil matric potential was determined by the water retention curve method. In sandy soil, P. peruviana wilted, on average, 1.7 days faster than in sandy clay loam soil. Regardless of the soil, matric potential equivalent to PWP decreased throughout the P. peruviana crop cycle. For sandy soil, the matric potential equivalent to PWP of P. peruviana ranges from −180 kPa (equivalent to 12% of the estimated value with a moisture release curve) to −2266 kPa (151% of the estimated value). In sandy clay loam soil, this matric potential ranges from −665 kPa (44% of the estimated value) to −1611 kPa (107% of the estimated value). The results contribute to water management and calculation of available water for P. peruviana; however, different soil textures do not have a single matric potential equivalent to PWP.
The Isolation, Identification, and Insecticidal Activities of Indigenous Entomopathogenic Nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae) and Their Symbiotic Bacteria (Xenorhabdus nematophila) against the Larvae of Pieris brassicae
Authors: Tomar Preety , Thakur Neelam , Sidhu Avtar Kaur , Laskar Boni Amin , Hashem Abeer , Avila-Quezada Graciela Dolores , Abd_Allah Elsayed Fathi
Published: August 2023

The cabbage butterfly, Pieris brassicae Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), is an oligophagous and invasive insect pest of various economically important cole crops. Recently, there have been reports about an increase in the incidence and damaging activities of cabbage butterflies, signifying that the existing control methods fail to meet the grower’s expectations. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and their endosymbiotic bacteria have immense potential for the control of a wide range of insect pests. In this investigation, the EPN species Steinernema carpocapsae and its associated bacterial species, Xenorhabdus nematophila, were isolated and identified through morphological and molecular techniques. The laboratory bioassay experiment was performed using S. carpocapsae and X. nematophila against the 3rd instar larvae of P. brassicae (25 ± 1 °C; RH = 60%). The efficacy of EPN suspension (30, 60, 90, 120, 150 IJs/mL) and bacterial suspension (1 × 104, 2 × 104, 3 × 104, 4 × 104, and 5 × 104 CFU/mL) via contact and oral routes showed significant mortality among the larvae. Surprisingly, 100% insect mortality within 48 h was recorded in the bacterial inoculum 5 × 104 CFU/mL. However, in the case of EPNs (S. carpocapsae), 150 IJs/mL caused the highest, 92%, larval mortality rate after 96 h. The results signify that both indigenous EPNs and their associated bacteria can provide efficient control against P. brassicae larvae and could effectively contribute to IPM programs. However, further analyses are required to authenticate their effectiveness in field conditions.