bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-Crystal X-ray Structure Determination of Tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane Triphenylphosphine Copper(I) Tetrafluoroborate, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis and DFT Calculations
Authors: Castro Jesús , Ferraro Valentina , Bortoluzzi Marco
Published: February 2024

The tetrafluoroborate salt of the cationic Cu(I) complex [Cu(CHpz3)(PPh3)]+, where CHpz3 is the tridentate N-donor ligand tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane and PPh3 is triphenylphosphine, was synthesized through a displacement reaction on the acetonitrile complex [Cu(NCCH3)4][BF4]. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic P21/c space group. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the copper(I) centre is tetracoordinated, with a disposition of the donor atoms surrounding the metal centre quite far from the ideal tetrahedral geometry, as confirmed by continuous shape measures and by the τ4 parameter. The intermolecular interactions at the solid state were investigated through the Hirshfeld surface analysis, which highlighted the presence of several non-classical hydrogen bonds involving the tetrafluoroborate anion. The electronic structure of the crystal was modelled using plane-wave DFT methods. The computed band gap is around 2.8 eV and separates a metal-centred valence band from a ligand-centred conduction band. NMR spectroscopy indicated the fluxional behaviour of the complex in CDCl3 solution. The geometry of the compound in the presence of chloroform as implicit solvent was simulated by means of DFT calculations, together with possible mechanisms related to the fluxionality. The reversible dissociation of one of the pyrazole rings from the Cu(I) coordination sphere resulted in an accessible process.
Scales of Diversity Affecting Ecosystem Function across Agricultural and Forest Landscapes in Louisiana
Authors: Pitman William D.
Published: February 2024

Current land use and extensive modifications of natural ecosystems across the state of Louisiana are generally similar to those across the southeastern USA where rainfall supports forest ecosystems. Both intentional and unintentional consequences of ecosystem modifications from the scales of water and sediment movement across a field edge to state-wide loss of functional grasslands are legacies from previous development across the state. While major investments and large-scale, long-term plans are aspects of some continuing ecological issues across the state, small-scale, volunteer-led restoration of native grassland plant communities in the Louisiana Coastal Prairie illustrates the value associated with the restoration of natural ecosystem function in drastically disturbed environments. As is now becoming increasingly recognized, Louisiana grasslands represent less obvious components of forest, woodland, and wetland landscapes across the state, where they have contributed essential wildlife habitat, and ecosystem functions. These are now largely missing from many landscapes across the state and region. The strategic restoration of grassland functions combining novel native grass pastures and fully functional native grassland plant communities as landscape components could provide both economic and ecosystem benefits. Specific native grassland seed resources are needed for various restoration activities to enhance ecosystem function at a range of scales across the state and region.
CoSev: Data-Driven Optimizations for COVID-19 Severity Assessment in Low-Sample Regimes
Authors: Garg Aksh , Alag Shray , Duncan Dominique
Published: February 2024

Given the pronounced impact COVID-19 continues to have on society—infecting 700 million reported individuals and causing 6.96 million deaths—many deep learning works have recently focused on the virus’s diagnosis. However, assessing severity has remained an open and challenging problem due to a lack of large datasets, the large dimensionality of images for which to find weights, and the compute limitations of modern graphics processing units (GPUs). In this paper, a new, iterative application of transfer learning is demonstrated on the understudied field of 3D CT scans for COVID-19 severity analysis. This methodology allows for enhanced performance on the MosMed Dataset, which is a small and challenging dataset containing 1130 images of patients for five levels of COVID-19 severity (Zero, Mild, Moderate, Severe, and Critical). Specifically, given the large dimensionality of the input images, we create several custom shallow convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures and iteratively refine and optimize them, paying attention to learning rates, layer types, normalization types, filter sizes, dropout values, and more. After a preliminary architecture design, the models are systematically trained on a simplified version of the dataset-building models for two-class, then three-class, then four-class, and finally five-class classification. The simplified problem structure allows the model to start learning preliminary features, which can then be further modified for more difficult classification tasks. Our final model CoSev boosts classification accuracies from below 60% at first to 81.57% with the optimizations, reaching similar performance to the state-of-the-art on the dataset, with much simpler setup procedures. In addition to COVID-19 severity diagnosis, the explored methodology can be applied to general image-based disease detection. Overall, this work highlights innovative methodologies that advance current computer vision practices for high-dimension, low-sample data as well as the practicality of data-driven machine learning and the importance of feature design for training, which can then be implemented for improvements in clinical practices.
Fibrosis Progression in Patients with Budd–Chiari Syndrome and Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS): A Long-Term Study Using Transient Elastography
Authors: Rössle Martin , Bettinger Dominik , Sturm Lukas , Reincke Marlene , Thimme Robert , Schultheiss Michael
Published: February 2024

Hepatic vein outflow obstruction causes congestion of the liver, leading to necrosis, fibrosis, and portal hypertension (PH). A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) reduces congestion and PH by providing artificial outflow. The aim of the study was to investigate fibrosis progression in patients with Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) and TIPS using transient elastography (TE). From 2010 to 2022, 25 patients received 80 TEs using FibroScan®, Echosens, Paris, France (3.2 ± 2.1 per patient). TIPS function was assessed via Doppler ultrasound or radiological intervention. At the time of TE examination, 21 patients had patent shunts. Four patients had occluded shunts but normal pressure gradients during the intervention. The first TE measurement performed 9.8 ± 6.8 years after the BCS diagnosis showed stiffness values of 24.6 ± 11.5 kPa. A second or last measurement performed 7.0 ± 2.9 years after the first measurement showed similar stiffness values of 24.1 ± 15.7 kPa (p = 0.943). Except for three patients, the liver stiffness was always >12 kPa, indicating advanced fibrosis. Stiffness values obtained <5 years (n = 8, 23.8 ± 9.2 kPa) or >5 years after the BCS diagnosis (24.9 ± 12.7 kPa) did not differ (p = 0.907). In addition, stiffness was not related to the interval between BCS and TIPS implantation (p = 0.999). One patient received liver transplantation, and two patients died from non-hepatic causes. Most patients developed mild to moderate cirrhosis, possibly during the early phase of the disease. Timing of TIPS did not influence fibrosis progression. This and the release of portal hypertension may argue in favor of a generous TIPS implantation practice in patients with BCS.
An Explainable AI Paradigm for Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Using Deep Transfer Learning
Authors: Mahmud Tanjim , Barua Koushick , Habiba Sultana Umme , Sharmen Nahed , Hossain Mohammad Shahadat , Andersson Karl
Published: February 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of individuals worldwide, causing severe cognitive decline and memory impairment. The early and accurate diagnosis of AD is crucial for effective intervention and disease management. In recent years, deep learning techniques have shown promising results in medical image analysis, including AD diagnosis from neuroimaging data. However, the lack of interpretability in deep learning models hinders their adoption in clinical settings, where explainability is essential for gaining trust and acceptance from healthcare professionals. In this study, we propose an explainable AI (XAI)-based approach for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, leveraging the power of deep transfer learning and ensemble modeling. The proposed framework aims to enhance the interpretability of deep learning models by incorporating XAI techniques, allowing clinicians to understand the decision-making process and providing valuable insights into disease diagnosis. By leveraging popular pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) such as VGG16, VGG19, DenseNet169, and DenseNet201, we conducted extensive experiments to evaluate their individual performances on a comprehensive dataset. The proposed ensembles, Ensemble-1 (VGG16 and VGG19) and Ensemble-2 (DenseNet169 and DenseNet201), demonstrated superior accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 scores compared to individual models, reaching up to 95%. In order to enhance interpretability and transparency in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, we introduced a novel model achieving an impressive accuracy of 96%. This model incorporates explainable AI techniques, including saliency maps and grad-CAM (gradient-weighted class activation mapping). The integration of these techniques not only contributes to the model’s exceptional accuracy but also provides clinicians and researchers with visual insights into the neural regions influencing the diagnosis. Our findings showcase the potential of combining deep transfer learning with explainable AI in the realm of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, paving the way for more interpretable and clinically relevant AI models in healthcare.
Maxillary Sinus Augmentation with Xenogenic Collagen-Retained Heterologous Cortico-Cancellous Bone: A 3-Year Follow-Up Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Correia Francisco , Gouveia Sónia , Felino António Campos , Faria-Almeida Ricardo , Pozza Daniel H.
Published: February 2024

Sinus augmentation procedures have become a valuable solution for patients with posterior maxillary edentulism. The objective of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of porcine xenograft with collagen supplementation as a potential alternative to autologous bone grafts in lateral sinus augmentation over a three-year follow-up period. Twelve patients, each with bilateral posterior maxillary edentulism, were enrolled and randomly allocated to receive either a porcine xenograft or an autologous graft. Comprehensive assessments, including clinical and radiographic evaluations, were conducted at specific intervals, including implant stability, marginal bone loss, prosthetic and biological complications, and patient preferences. The results demonstrated no significant differences between the two graft materials in terms of implant survival, marginal bone loss, and patient preferences after three years of follow-up. Only one implant was affected by peri-implantitis, and prosthesis-related complications were present in one patient possibly due to bruxism. In conclusion, these findings suggest that a porcine xenograft with collagen supplementation may be a viable alternative to an autograft in lateral sinus augmentation procedures. The high implant survival rate, minimal complications, and patient satisfaction indicate the potential clinical relevance of this graft material and should be further investigated to confirm these promising results.
Classifying Maxillary Sinuses of Polish Patients for Sinus Lift: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jadach Radosław , Asa’ad Farah , Rasperini Giulio , Osypko Karolina
Published: February 2024

To date, there is no systematic anatomical classification available that could help clinicians in choosing between the lateral and palatal approach in sinus lift procedures. The aim was to provide a simple-to-use and memorable classification of the maxillary sinus concerning the thickness of lateral and palatal walls to facilitate the most adequate choice for the window location during direct sinus floor elevation. Cone beam computed tomography scans were consecutively obtained for 200 maxillary sinuses of patients needing dental implant placement with potential maxillary sinus augmentation. The thickness and height of the alveolar bone of the lateral and palatal walls of the maxillary sinuses were assessed. Four variants were distinguished. Class 0: an adequate sub-sinus residual bone height; without the need for sinus floor augmentation. Classes 1–3 had a reduced sub-sinus residual bone height. Class 1: a thinner lateral than palatal sinus wall. Class 2 (the most frequent; 49%): the comparable thickness of both walls in which either lateral, palatal, or crestal window osteotomies can be applied. Class 3 (the least frequent; 3%): a thinner palatal sinus wall in comparison to the lateral wall. The presented anatomical classification simplifies the decision-making process of choosing the most adequate window location and osteotomy technique.
Cognitive Control among Primary- and Middle-School Students and Their Associations with Math Achievement
Authors: Farhi Moran , Gliksman Yarden , Shalev Lilach
Published: February 2024

Background: Math achievement is an important predictor of academic success. While many studies have examined math achievement in young children, studies with older children are scarce. This study focused on primary- and middle-school students, examining math achievements and cognitive control. Cognitive control was assessed referring to both domain-specific and domain-general cognitive control mechanisms and eliciting both simple and complex levels of conflict, and their association with math achievements. Methods: One-hundred-and-twenty-two participants performed two versions of a cognitive control task: a numerical Stroop task (NST; manipulating the numerical and physical size of Arabic numerals) and a perceptual Stroop task (PST; manipulating the location and direction of an arrow). For math achievements, participants performed math fluency and math curriculum tests. Results: Overall, the congruency effect was smaller in older students than in younger ones. Moreover, all participants demonstrated a similar congruency effect in the simple conflict task, whereas younger students showed a larger congruency effect in the complex conflict task. In addition, performance on the basic math fluency task was predicted by both Stroop tasks. However, performance on the comprehensive math achievement test was predicted only by the PST. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated enhanced cognitive control abilities of middle-school students and suggest that they can contribute to math achievements. We call for considering the implementation of both domain-specific and domain-general cognitive control activities as a potential approach to support math achievements.
Compensation of Current Sensor Faults in Vector-Controlled Induction Motor Drive Using Extended Kalman Filters
Authors: Orlowska-Kowalska Teresa , Miniach Magdalena , Adamczyk Michal
Published: February 2024

In electric drive systems, one of the most common faults is related to measurement equipment, including current sensors (CSs). As information about the stator current is crucial to ensure precise control of AC drives, such a fault significantly affects the quality and security of the entire system. For this reason, a modified extended Kalman filter (EKF) has been presented in this paper as an algorithmic solution to restore stator current in the event of CS failure. In order to minimize the impact of rotor and stator resistance variations on the quality of the estimation, the proposed model includes an estimation of the general coefficient of their changes. In contrast to solutions known in the literature, the presented model considers changes in both resistances in the form of a single coefficient. This approach allows us to maintain a low order of the estimator (fifth) and thus minimize the tendency to system instability and decrease computation burden. Extensive simulation tests have shown a significant improvement in the accuracy of stator current estimation under both motor and regenerating modes, a wide speed range (1–100%), and changes in motor parameters.
Analysis of Distance and Environmental Impact on UAV Acoustic Detection
Authors: Tejera-Berengue Diana , Zhu-Zhou Fangfang , Utrilla-Manso Manuel , Gil-Pita Roberto , Rosa-Zurera Manuel
Published: February 2024

This article explores the challenge of acoustic drone detection in real-world scenarios, with an emphasis on the impact of distance, to see how sound propagation affects drone detection. Learning machines of varying complexity are used for detection, ranging from simpler methods such as linear discriminant, multilayer perceptron, support vector machines, and random forest to more complex approaches based on deep neural networks like YAMNet. Our evaluation meticulously assesses the performance of these methods using a carefully curated database of a wide variety of drones and interference sounds. This database, processed through array signal processing and influenced by ambient noise, provides a realistic basis for our analyses. For this purpose, two different training strategies are explored. In the first approach, the learning machines are trained with unattenuated signals, aiming to preserve the inherent information of the sound sources. Subsequently, testing is then carried out under attenuated conditions at various distances, with interfering sounds. In this scenario, effective detection is achieved up to 200 m, which is particularly notable with the linear discriminant method. The second strategy involves training and testing with attenuated signals to consider different distances from the source. This strategy significantly extends the effective detection ranges, reaching up to 300 m for most methods and up to 500 m for the YAMNet-based detector. Additionally, this approach raises the possibility of having specialized detectors for specific distance ranges, significantly expanding the range of effective drone detection. Our study highlights the potential of drone acoustic detection at different distances and encourages further exploration in this research area. Unique contributions include the discovery that training with attenuated signals with a worse signal-to-noise ratio allows the improvement of the general performance of learning machine-based detectors, increasing the effective detection range achieved, and the feasibility of real-time detection, even with very complex learning machines, opening avenues for practical applications in real-world surveillance scenarios.
Can the Impact of Gravel Roads on Organic Layer Thickness Explain the Distribution of Populus tremuloides along Road Networks in the Boreal Forest of Eastern Canada?
Authors: Marchais Mathilde , Arseneault Dominique , Bergeron Yves
Published: February 2024

Roads are known to alter environmental conditions and the composition of road edge plant communities, particularly when exogenous materials are used as road surfacing. In this study, we evaluate the impact of gravel roads on the organic layer thickness (OLT) and aspen distribution in a boreal forest landscape of Eastern Canada. The OLT and aspen distribution were compared at different distances from the roads (0 m, 10 m, and >10 m) to determine whether a reduction in the OLT along the roads could explain the distribution of aspen along the road network, and in particular the role of the roads as habitat corridors. In addition, germination tests were carried out to determine whether mineral soil from the roads could promote aspen establishment, by comparing the germination rate of substrates consisting only of mineral soil or mosses, and substrates consisting of mosses covered with 0.5 cm or 2 cm of mineral soil. The presence of aspen in the study landscape is limited by thick organic deposits (≥50 cm). However, the thickness of these deposits is reduced to approximately 10 cm at the edges of gravel roads, in part by the transport of mineral soil from the roads. This reduction in the OLT facilitates the establishment of aspen and helps explain its distribution along the road network.
Fermented Mare Milk and Its Microorganisms for Human Consumption and Health
Authors: Martuzzi Francesca , Franceschi Piero , Formaggioni Paolo
Published: February 2024

Mare milk is consumed by approximatively 30 million people in the world. In countries in Asia and East Europe, mare milk is mainly consumed as source of fermented products, called koumiss, airag or chigee, alcoholic beverages obtained by means of a culture of bacteria and lactose-fermenting yeasts. Recent research concerning mare milk and its derivatives deals mainly with their potential employment for human health. Studies about the isolation and characterization of Lactobacillus spp. and yeasts from koumiss have been aimed at assessing the potential functional properties of these micro-organisms and to find their employment for the industrial processing of mare milk. The aim of this literature review is to summarize recent research about microorganisms in fermented mare milk products and their potential functional properties.
Effect of Pleurotus eryngii on the Characteristics of Pork Patties during Freezing and Thawing Cycles
Authors: Zhang Miaojing , Chai Yangyang , Li Fangfei , Bao Yihong
Published: February 2024

Temperature fluctuations severely damage the quality, oxidation stability, and structure of pork patties. This study investigated the potential reasons for Pleurotus eryngii (Pe) to protect frozen pork patties from quality degradation caused by temperature fluctuations and promoted the application of a natural ingredient. In this experiment, the pH, the water holding capacity (WHC), the properties of color and texture, the appearance, the degree of protein and lipid oxidation, and the microstructure of patties with different additions of Pe (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 1.00%, and 2.00%) were intensified during freezing and thawing (F–T) cycles. The results showed that patties with 0.50% Pe exhibited a distinguishable improvement in the changes of pH, WHC, color, and texture during F–T cycles (p < 0.05). With the times of F–T cycles increasing, 0.50% Pe was able to inhibit lipid oxidation of patties by decreasing the peroxide value (POV) and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value to 0.87 and 0.66-fold, respectively, compared to those in the control group. It was also able to suppress the protein oxidation of the patties with a protein sulfhydryl content increasing to 1.13-fold and a carbonyl content decreasing to 0.49-fold compared to the patties in the control group (p < 0.05) after 5 F–T cycles. In addition, the figures of appearance and microstructure of samples indicated that 0.50% Pe effectively restrained the deterioration of structure features from patties after 5 F–T cycles. Thus, the addition of Pe effectively maintained the characteristics of pork patties under F–T cycles.
Immunogenetic Aspects of Sarcopenic Obesity
Authors: Mazurkiewicz Łukasz , Czernikiewicz Krystian , Grygiel-Górniak Bogna
Published: February 2024

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a combination of obesity and sarcopenia, with diagnostic criteria defined as impaired skeletal muscle function and altered body composition (e.g., increased fat mass and reduced muscle mass). The mechanism of SO is not yet perfectly understood; however, the pathogenesis includes aging and its complications, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance (IR), and hormonal changes. Genetic background is apparent in the pathogenesis of isolated obesity, which is most often polygenic and is characterized by the additive effect of various genetic factors. The genetic etiology has not been strictly established in SO. Still, many data confirm the existence of pathogenic gene variants, e.g., Fat Mass and Obesity Associated Gene (FTO), beta-2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) gene, melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) and others with obesity. The literature on the role of these genes is scarce, and their role has not yet been thoroughly established. On the other hand, the involvement of systemic inflammation due to increased adipose tissue in SO plays a significant role in its pathophysiology through the synthesis of various cytokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-1Ra, IL-15, adiponectin or CRP. The lack of anti-inflammatory cytokine (e.g., IL-15) can increase SO risk, but further studies are needed to evaluate the exact mechanisms of implications of various cytokines in SO individuals. This manuscript analyses various immunogenetic and non-genetic factors and summarizes the recent findings on immunogenetics potentially impacting SO development.
Development and Validation of the Therapeutic Communication Scale in Nursing Students
Authors: Han Soolgi , Yoo Jinhee , Kang Kyonghwa
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to develop and validate a scale for measuring the therapeutic communication of nursing students. The scale development and evaluation study was conducted based on the scale development guidelines of DeVellis. A 47-item instrument was developed based on a review of the literature and interviews with 16 experts. Content validity was evaluated by ten nursing scholars, and the number of items was reduced to 35. The scale was administered to 352 nursing students from three regions in South Korea in 2022. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed on the scale items. Convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency reliability of the scale were evaluated. The factor analysis resulted in 15 items and two factors: relationship building and problem solving. Confirmatory factor analysis and evaluation of convergent and discriminant validity provided support for the validity of the two-factor Therapeutic Communication Scale in nursing students. The total scale demonstrated good internal consistency, with a McDonald’s omega (ω) of 0.89. The Therapeutic Communication Scale is a reliable and valid measure that can be used to assess nursing students’ therapeutic communication competence related to patient-centered nursing and provide foundational data to improve such skills.
A Study on Decision-Making for Improving Service Efficiency in Hospitals
Authors: Huang Su-Wen , Weng Shao-Jen , Chiou Shyue-Yow , Nguyen Thi-Duong , Chen Chih-Hao , Liu Shih-Chia , Tsai Yao-Te
Published: February 2024

The provision of efficient healthcare services is essential, driven by the increasing demand for healthcare resources and the need to optimize hospital operations. In this context, the motivation to innovate and improve services while addressing urgent concerns is critical. Hospitals face challenges in managing internal dispatch services efficiently. Outsourcing such services can alleviate the burden on hospital staff, reduce costs, and introduce professional expertise. However, the pressing motivation lies in enhancing service quality, minimizing costs, and exploring innovative approaches. With the rising demand for healthcare services, there is an immediate need to streamline hospital operations. Delays in internal transportation services can have far-reaching implications for patient care, necessitating a prompt and effective solution. Drawing upon dispatch data from a healthcare center in Taiwan, this study constructed a decision-making model to optimize the allocation of hospital service resources. Employing simulation techniques, we closely examine how hospital services are currently organized and how they work. In our research, we utilized dispatch data gathered from a healthcare center in Taichung, Taiwan, spanning from January 2020 to December 2020. Our findings underscore the potential of an intelligent dispatch strategy combined with deployment restricted to the nearest available workers. Our study demonstrates that for cases requiring urgent attention, delay rates that previously ranged from 5% to 34% can be notably reduced to a much-improved 3% to 18%. However, it is important to recognize that the realm of worker dispatch remains subject to a multifaceted array of influencing factors. It becomes evident that a comprehensive dispatching mechanism must be established as part of a broader drive to enhance the efficiency of hospital service operations.
A Comparative Study of Three Dementia Screening Instruments (CSI-D, CMMSE, and ECAQ) in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population
Authors: Venketasubramanian Narayanaswamy
Published: February 2024

Background—There is no validated dementia screening tool for multi-ethnic Asian populations comprising Chinese, Malays, and Indians. This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of the Community Screening Instrument for Dementia (CSI-D), Chinese Mini Mental State Examination (CMMSE), and Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ) in multi-ethnic Singapore. Methods—Participants were randomly drawn from a community-based neurological diseases study of older adults conducted in Singapore, with oversampling to allow similar subject numbers from the three major ethnicities: Chinese, Malay, and Indian. The CSI-D, CMMSE, and ECAQ were administered by trained research nurses using a standardised translated questionnaire in a language the participant was most conversant in. Participants were independently diagnosed as a case/non-case of dementia using the DSM-IV. Results—There were 259 participants (85 Chinese, 85 Malays, and 89 Indians, mean age 70.15 years, 65.4% female, 58.8% had no/minimal formal education); 22.8% (n = 59) had dementia. Correlations between the measures were substantial. All the measures had acceptable overall discriminative abilities. Diagnostic accuracies of the instruments did not differ across the ethnic groups. Effects of education were present in the cognitive screening measures. Conclusions—The CSI-D, CMMSE, and ECAQ are valid dementia instruments in this multi-ethnic Asian setting.
Exploring Psychiatric Home-Visit Nursing Practices for Patients with Schizophrenia and Hikikomori with a Thematic Analysis
Authors: Miou Maki , Fujimoto Hirokazu , Yotsumoto Kayano , Hirota Misato , Nishigaki Satoshi , Hashimoto Takeshi
Published: February 2024

The phenomenon of some patients with schizophrenia withdrawing and becoming hikikomori needs to be resolved. In some countries, outreach methods are being employed. In Japan, psychiatric home-visit nursing for patients with schizophrenia and hikikomori is being implemented. However, it is not based on sufficient evidence and relies on the experience and intuition of individual nurses. This study explored the underlying themes in the nursing practices of psychiatric home-visit nurses via semi-structured interviews with 10 nurses and a thematic analysis. Nine key themes emerged. Four themes—(i) understanding the patient’s world, (ii) supporting the patients as they are, (iii) providing a sense of relief, and (iv) having equal relationships—highlighted the nurses’ commitment to respecting patients’ individuality while building and sustaining relationships. Two themes—(v) exploring the right timing and (vi) waiting for the appropriate timing—illustrated the nurses’ anticipation of proactive patient engagement. Finally, three themes—(vii) working together on things, (viii) continuing care for expanding the patient’s world, and (ix) nursing care for the patient’s future—underscored the nurses’ gradual and methodical approach to working alongside patients. Nursing practices based on these nine themes cultivated meaningful relationships and secured a sense of relief for the patients. Additionally, they awaited patients’ proactive engagement and delivered timely support to facilitate positive daily life changes. These findings contribute to the establishment of evidence-based nursing practices for patients with schizophrenia and hikikomori.
Molecular and Structural Alterations of Skeletal Muscle Tissue Nuclei during Aging
Authors: Cisterna Barbara , Malatesta Manuela
Published: February 2024

Aging is accompanied by a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are certainly multifactorial and still remain to be fully elucidated. Changes in the cell nucleus structure and function have been considered among the possible contributing causes. This review offers an overview of the current knowledge on skeletal muscle nuclei in aging, focusing on the impairment of nuclear pathways potentially involved in age-related muscle decline. In skeletal muscle two types of cells are present: fiber cells, constituting the contractile muscle mass and containing hundreds of myonuclei, and the satellite cells, i.e., the myogenic mononuclear stem cells occurring at the periphery of the fibers and responsible for muscle growth and repair. Research conducted on different experimental models and with different methodological approaches demonstrated that both the myonuclei and satellite cell nuclei of aged skeletal muscles undergo several structural and molecular alterations, affecting chromatin organization, gene expression, and transcriptional and post-transcriptional activities. These alterations play a key role in the impairment of muscle fiber homeostasis and regeneration, thus contributing to the age-related decrease in skeletal muscle mass and function.
The Effect of 4-(Dimethylamino)phenyl-5-oxopyrrolidines on Breast and Pancreatic Cancer Cell Colony Formation, Migration, and Growth of Tumor Spheroids
Authors: Kairytė Karolina , Vaickelionienė Rita , Grybaitė Birutė , Anusevičius Kazimieras , Mickevičius Vytautas , Petrikaitė Vilma
Published: February 2024

A series of hydrazones, azoles, and azines bearing a 4-dimethylaminophenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine scaffold was synthesized. Their cytotoxic effect against human pancreatic carcinoma Panc-1 and triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell lines was established by MTT assay. Pyrrolidinone derivatives 3c and 3d, with incorporated 5-chloro and 5-methylbenzimidazole fragments; hydrazone 5k bearing a 5-nitrothien-2-yl substitution; and hydrazone 5l with a naphth-1-yl fragment in the structure significantly decreased the viability of both cancer cell lines. Compounds 3c and 5k showed the highest selectivity, especially against the MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line. The EC50 values of the most active compound 5k against the MDA-MB231 cell line was 7.3 ± 0.4 μM, which were slightly higher against the Panc-1 cell line (10.2 ± 2.6 μM). Four selected pyrrolidone derivatives showed relatively high activity in a clonogenic assay. Compound 5k was the most active in both cell cultures, and it completely disturbed MDA-MB-231 cell colony growth at 1 and 2 μM and showed a strong effect on Panc-1 cell colony formation, especially at 2 μM. The compounds did not show an inhibitory effect on cell line migration by the ‘wound-healing’ assay. Compound 3d most efficiently inhibited the growth of Panc-1 spheroids and reduced cell viability in MDA-MB-231 spheroids. Considering these different activities in biological assays, the selected pyrrolidinone derivatives could be further tested to better understand the structure–activity relationship and their mechanism of action.
Prostaglandin F2α Affects the Cycle of Clock Gene Expression and Mouse Behavior
Authors: Tsurudome Yuya , Yoshida Yuya , Hamamura Kengo , Ogino Takashi , Yasukochi Sai , Yasuo Shinobu , Iwamoto Ayaka , Yoshihara Tatsuya , Inazumi Tomoaki , Tsuchiya Soken , Takeo Toru , Nakagata Naomi , Higuchi Shigekazu , Sugimoto Yukihiko , Tsuruta Akito , Koyanagi Satoru , Matsunaga Naoya , Ohdo Shigehiro
Published: February 2024

Prostaglandins are bioactive compounds, and the activation of their receptors affects the expression of clock genes. However, the prostaglandin F receptor (Ptgfr) has no known relationship with biological rhythms. Here, we first measured the locomotor period lengths of Ptgfr-KO (B6.129-Ptgfrtm1Sna) mice and found that they were longer under constant dark conditions (DD) than those of wild-type (C57BL/6J) mice. We then investigated the clock gene patterns within the suprachiasmatic nucleus in Ptgfr-KO mice under DD and observed a decrease in the expression of the clock gene cryptochrome 1 (Cry1), which is related to the circadian cycle. Moreover, the expression of Cry1, Cry2, and Period2 (Per2) mRNA were significantly altered in the mouse liver in Ptgfr-KO mice under DD. In the wild-type mouse, the plasma prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) levels showed a circadian rhythm under a 12 h cycle of light–dark conditions. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that the addition of PTGFR agonists altered the amplitude of Per2::luc activity, and this alteration differed with the timing of the agonist addition. These results lead us to hypothesize that the plasma rhythm of PGF2α is important for driving clock genes, thus suggesting the involvement of PGF2α- and Ptgfr-targeting drugs in the biological clock cycle.
Separation of Lipoproteins for Quantitative Analysis of 14C-Labeled Lipid-Soluble Compounds by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Chuang Jennifer C. , Clifford Andrew J. , Kim Seung-Hyun , Novotny Janet A. , Kelly Peter B. , Holstege Dirk M. , Walzem Rosemary L.
Published: February 2024

To date, 14C tracer studies using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) have not yet resolved lipid-soluble analytes into individual lipoprotein density subclasses. The objective of this work was to develop a reliable method for lipoprotein separation and quantitative recovery for biokinetic modeling purposes. The novel method developed provides the means for use of small volumes (10–200 µL) of frozen plasma as a starting material for continuous isopycnic lipoprotein separation within a carbon- and pH-stable analyte matrix, which, following post-separation fraction clean up, created samples suitable for highly accurate 14C/12C isotope ratio determinations by AMS. Manual aspiration achieved 99.2 ± 0.41% recovery of [5-14CH3]-(2R, 4′R, 8′R)-α-tocopherol contained within 25 µL plasma recovered in triacylglycerol rich lipoproteins (TRL = Chylomicrons + VLDL), LDL, HDL, and infranatant (INF) from each of 10 different sampling times for one male and one female subject, n = 20 total samples. Small sample volumes of previously frozen plasma and high analyte recoveries make this an attractive method for AMS studies using newer, smaller footprint AMS equipment to develop genuine tracer analyses of lipophilic nutrients or compounds in all human age ranges.
Multidimensional Criteria for Virtual Screening of PqsR Inhibitors Based on Pharmacophore, Docking, and Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Xiao Haichuan , Li Jiahao , Yang Dongdong , Du Jiarui , Li Jie , Lin Shuqi , Zhou Haibo , Sun Pinghua , Xu Jun
Published: February 2024

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a clinically challenging pathogen due to its high resistance to antibiotics. Quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) have been proposed as a promising strategy to overcome this resistance by interfering with the bacterial communication system. Among the potential targets of QSIs, PqsR is a key regulator of quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the current research on PqsR inhibitors is limited by the lack of diversity in the chemical structures and the screening methods. Therefore, this study aims to develop a multidimensional screening model for PqsR inhibitors based on both ligand- and receptor-based approaches. First, a pharmacophore model was constructed from a training set of PqsR inhibitors to identify the essential features and spatial arrangement for the activity. Then, molecular docking and dynamics simulations were performed to explore the core interactions between PqsR inhibitors and their receptor. The results indicate that an effective PqsR inhibitor should possess two aromatic rings, one hydrogen bond acceptor, and two hydrophobic groups and should form strong interactions with the following four amino acid residues: TYR_258, ILE_236, LEU_208, and GLN_194. Moreover, the docking score and the binding free energy should be lower than −8 kcal/mol and −40 kcal/mol, respectively. Finally, the validity of the multidimensional screening model was confirmed by a test set of PqsR inhibitors, which showed a higher accuracy than the existing screening methods based on single characteristics. This multidimensional screening model would be a useful tool for the discovery and optimization of PqsR inhibitors in the future.
Editorial for the Special Issue “Antibacterial Activity of Drug-Resistant Strains”
Authors: Di Pietro Marisa , Filardo Simone , Sessa Rosa
Published: February 2024

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global public health threat, as approximately 700,000 deaths annually can be attributed to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, and this figure is expected to reach 10 million deaths/year by 2050, a number that greatly exceeds the number of deaths resulting from cancer [...]
Hesperidin from Orange Peel as a Promising Skincare Bioactive: An Overview
Authors: Rodrigues Cristina V. , Pintado Manuela
Published: February 2024

The pursuit for better skin health, driven by collective and individual perceptions, has led to the demand for sustainable skincare products. Environmental factors and lifestyle choices can accelerate skin aging, causing issues like inflammation, wrinkles, elasticity loss, hyperpigmentation, and dryness. The skincare industry is innovating to meet consumers’ requests for cleaner and natural options. Simultaneously, environmental issues concerning waste generation have been leading to sustainable strategies based on the circular economy. A noteworthy solution consists of citrus by-product valorization, as such by-products can be used as a source of bioactive molecules. Citrus processing, particularly, generates substantial waste amounts (around 50% of the whole fruit), causing unprecedented environmental burdens. Hesperidin, a flavonoid abundant in orange peels, is considered to hold immense potential for clean skin health product applications due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. This review explores hesperidin extraction and purification methodologies as well as key skincare application areas: (i) antiaging and skin barrier enhancement, (ii) UV radiation-induced damage, (iii) hyperpigmentation and depigmentation conditions, (iv) wound healing, and (v) skin cancer and other cutaneous diseases. This work’s novelty lies in the comprehensive coverage of hesperidin’s promising skincare applications while also demonstrating its potential as a sustainable ingredient from a circular economy approach.
DNA Barcoding and Fertilization Strategies in Sideritis syriaca subsp. syriaca, a Local Endemic Plant of Crete with High Medicinal Value
Authors: Paschalidis Konstantinos , Fanourakis Dimitrios , Tsaniklidis Georgios , Tsichlas Ioannis , Tzanakakis Vasileios A. , Bilias Fotis , Samara Eftihia , Ipsilantis Ioannis , Grigoriadou Katerina , Samartza Ioulietta , Matsi Theodora , Tsoktouridis Georgios , Krigas Nikos
Published: February 2024

Herein, we applied DNA barcoding for the genetic characterization of Sideritis syriaca subsp. syriaca (Lamiaceae; threatened local Cretan endemic plant) using seven molecular markers of cpDNA. Five fertilization schemes were evaluated comparatively in a pilot cultivation in Crete. Conventional inorganic fertilizers (ChFs), integrated nutrient management (INM) fertilizers, and two biostimulants were utilized (foliar and soil application). Plant growth, leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, and color were assessed and leaf content of chlorophyll, key antioxidants (carotenoids, flavonoids, phenols), and nutrients were evaluated. Fertilization schemes induced distinct differences in leaf shape, altering quality characteristics. INM-foliar and ChF-soil application promoted yield, without affecting tissue water content or biomass partitioning to inflorescences. ChF-foliar application was the most stimulatory treatment when the primary target was enhanced antioxidant contents while INM-biostimulant was the least effective one. However, when the primary target is yield, INM, especially by foliar application, and ChF, by soil application, ought to be employed. New DNA sequence datasets for the plastid regions of petB/petD, rpoC1, psbK-psbI, and atpF/atpH were deposited in the GenBank for S. syriaca subsp. syriaca while the molecular markers rbcL, trnL/trnF, and psbA/trnH were compared to those of another 15 Sideritis species retrieved from the GenBank, constructing a phylogenetic tree to show their genetic relatedness.
BestCRM: An Exhaustive Search for Optimal Cis-Regulatory Modules in Promoters Accelerated by the Multidimensional Hash Function
Authors: Deyneko Igor V.
Published: February 2024

The concept of cis-regulatory modules located in gene promoters represents today’s vision of the organization of gene transcriptional regulation. Such modules are a combination of two or more single, short DNA motifs. The bioinformatic identification of such modules belongs to so-called NP-hard problems with extreme computational complexity, and therefore, simplifications, assumptions, and heuristics are usually deployed to tackle the problem. In practice, this requires, first, many parameters to be set before the search, and second, it leads to the identification of locally optimal results. Here, a novel method is presented, aimed at identifying the cis-regulatory elements in gene promoters based on an exhaustive search of all the feasible modules’ configurations. All required parameters are automatically estimated using positive and negative datasets. To be computationally efficient, the search is accelerated using a multidimensional hash function, allowing the search to complete in a few hours on a regular laptop (for example, a CPU Intel i7, 3.2 GH, 32 Gb RAM). Tests on an established benchmark and real data show better performance of BestCRM compared to the available methods according to several metrics like specificity, sensitivity, AUC, etc. A great practical advantage of the method is its minimum number of input parameters—apart from positive and negative promoters, only a desired level of module presence in promoters is required.
Prognostic Value of Gut Microbiome for Conversion from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia within 4 Years: Results from the AlzBiom Study
Authors: Laske Christoph , Müller Stephan , Munk Matthias H. J. , Honold Iris , Willmann Matthias , Peter Silke , Schoppmeier Ulrich
Published: February 2024

Alterations in the gut microbiome are associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and can be used as a diagnostic measure. However, longitudinal data of the gut microbiome and knowledge about its prognostic significance for the development and progression of AD are limited. The aim of the present study was to develop a reliable predictive model based on gut microbiome data for AD development. In this longitudinal study, we investigated the intestinal microbiome in 49 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients over a mean (SD) follow-up of 3.7 (0.6) years, using shotgun metagenomics. At the end of the 4-year follow-up (4yFU), 27 MCI patients converted to AD dementia and 22 MCI patients remained stable. The best taxonomic model for the discrimination of AD dementia converters from stable MCI patients included 24 genera, yielding an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.87 at BL, 0.92 at 1yFU and 0.95 at 4yFU. The best models with functional data were obtained via analyzing 25 GO (Gene Ontology) features with an AUROC of 0.87 at BL, 0.85 at 1yFU and 0.81 at 4yFU and 33 KO [Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) ortholog] features with an AUROC of 0.79 at BL, 0.88 at 1yFU and 0.82 at 4yFU. Using ensemble learning for these three models, including a clinical model with the four parameters of age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype, yielded an AUROC of 0.96 at BL, 0.96 at 1yFU and 0.97 at 4yFU. In conclusion, we identified novel and timely stable gut microbiome algorithms that accurately predict progression to AD dementia in individuals with MCI over a 4yFU period.