bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-Toxicity Solvents for the Extraction of Valuable Lipid Compounds from Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) Waste
Authors: Méndez Lucía , Rodríguez Alicia , Aubourg Santiago P. , Medina Isabel
Published: October 2023

This study focused on the recovery of valuable lipid compounds from octopus (Octopus vulgaris) by-products. Extraction conditions of total lipids (TLs), phospholipids (PLs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were optimized by employing a Simplex-Lattice design; for it, different relative concentrations of three low-toxicity solvents (ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate) were considered. The optimization process was also addressed in reference to fatty acid (FA) ratios (total polyunsaturated FAs/total saturated FAs and total ω3 FAs/total ω6 FAs). The variance analysis of multiple regression data demonstrated that the quadratic model was significant (p < 0.05) for TL, PL, and DHA values and the ω3/ω6 ratio. As a result, the following optimized values were obtained: 113.8 g·kg−1 dry by-products (TLs), 217.3 g·kg−1 lipids (PLs), 22.55 g·100 g−1 total FAs (DHA), and 3.70 (ω3/ω6 ratio). According to the model developed, optimized values were shown to correspond to the following relative solvent concentrations (ethanol/acetone/ethyl acetate): 0.46/0.00/0.54, 0.93/0.07/0.00, 0.83/0.17/0.00, and 0.64/0.00/0.36, respectively. Comparison to yields obtained by the conventional chloroform/methanol method was carried out. A novel strategy based on the employment of low-toxicity solvents is proposed for the extraction of valuable lipid constituents from octopus waste. A different solvent ratio would be necessary according to the lipid compound concerned.
UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS-Based Untargeted Lipidomic Analysis of Lipid Molecular Species in Spinal Cords from Different Domesticated Animals
Authors: Li Na , Xu Long , Li Hongbo , Liu Zhenbin , Mo Haizhen , Wu Yue
Published: October 2023

Lipids are crucial components for the maintenance oof normal structure and function in the nervous system. Elucidating the diversity of lipids in spinal cords may contribute to our understanding of neurodevelopment. This study comprehensively analyzed the fatty acid (FA) compositions and lipidomes of the spinal cords of eight domesticated animal species: pig, cattle, yak, goat, horse, donkey, camel, and sika deer. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were the primary FAs in the spinal cords of these domesticated animals, accounting for 72.54–94.23% of total FAs. Notably, oleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid emerged as the most abundant FA species. Moreover, untargeted lipidomics by UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS demonstrated that five lipid classes, including glycerophospholipids (GPs), sphingolipids (SPs), glycerolipids (GLs), FAs and saccharolipids (SLs), were identified in the investigated spinal cords, with phosphatidylcholine (PC) being the most abundant among all identified lipid classes. Furthermore, canonical correlation analysis showed that PC, PE, TAG, HexCer-NS and SM were significantly associated with genome sequence data. These informative data provide insight into the structure and function of mammalian nervous tissues and represent a novel contribution to lipidomics.
The Efficiency of Selected Green Solvents and Parameters for Polyphenol Extraction from Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx)) Pomace
Authors: Kavela Efaishe Tweuhanga Angaleni , Szalóki-Dorkó Lilla , Máté Mónika
Published: October 2023

Chokeberry pomace is a potential source of natural colourants, antimicrobial agents, and anti-senescence compounds due to its high polyphenols content. Therefore, this study assessed the efficiency of green solvents (50% ethanol, 50% glycerol, and 100% distilled water, all acidified with 1% citric acid or 1% formic acid) for anthocyanin and total phenolic content (TPC) extraction from lyophilised chokeberry pomace. Extraction was performed in a water bath at 40, 50, and 60 °C for 60 and 120 min, followed by ultrasonic treatment for 15 and 30 min. Based on the results, 50% ethanol + 1% citric acid yielded significantly higher total anthocyanin content in the case of both spectrometric and HPLC measurements (1783 ± 153 mg CGE/100 g DW and 879.5 mg/100 g DW) at 50 °C for 60 min. Citric acids seem more effective compared to formic acid. The highest values of TPC were obtained with 50% glycerol + 1% formic acid at 50 °C for 60 min (12,309 ± 759 mg GAE/100 g DW). This study provides evidence that a substantial quantity of polyphenols, which can potentially be used as a natural food additive, can be efficiently extracted with 50% ethanol + 1% citric acid or 50% glycerol at 50 °C for 60 min from chokeberry pomace.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms of Lipophilic Fractions from Polyscias fruticosa Leaves Based on Network Pharmacology, In Silico, and In Vitro Approaches
Authors: Rarison Razanamanana H. G. , Truong Van-Long , Yoon Byoung-Hoon , Park Ji-Won , Jeong Woo-Sik
Published: October 2023

Polyscias fruticosa leaf (PFL) has been used in food and traditional medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, ischemia, and neuralgia. However, the lipophilic components of PFL and their biological properties remain unknown. This study, integrating network pharmacology analysis with in silico and in vitro approaches, aimed to elucidate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of lipophilic extracts from PFL. A total of 71 lipophilic compounds were identified in PFL using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses showed that key active compounds, mainly phytosterols and sesquiterpenes, were responsible for regulating core target genes, such as PTGS2, TLR4, NFE2L2, PRKCD, KEAP1, NFKB1, NR1l2, PTGS1, AR, and CYP3A4, which were mostly enriched in oxidative stress and inflammation-related pathways. Furthermore, lipophilic extracts from PFL offered powerful antioxidant capacities, as evident in our cell-free antioxidant assays. These extracts also provided a protection against oxidative stress by inducing the expression of catalase and heme oxygenase-1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, lipophilic fractions from PFL showed anti-inflammatory potential in downregulating the level of pro-inflammatory factors in LPS-treated macrophages. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of lipophilic extracts from PFL, which can be used as a fundamental basis for developing nutraceuticals and functional foods.
Effect of Soy Wax/Rice Bran Oil Oleogel Replacement on the Properties of Whole Wheat Cookie Dough and Cookies
Authors: Pradhan Aditi , Anis Arfat , Alam Mohammad Asif , Al-Zahrani Saeed M. , Jarzebski Maciej , Pal Kunal
Published: October 2023

This study investigated the replacement of butter with soy wax (SW)/rice bran oil (RBO) oleogel in varied proportions in cookie dough and the resulting cookies. The study mainly evaluates the physical, textural, and chemical properties of the butter cookie dough and cookies by replacing butter with SW/RBO oleogel. The dough was assessed using moisture analysis, microscopy, FTIR Spectroscopy (Fourier Transform Infrared) and impedance spectroscopies, and texture analysis. Micrographs of the dough showed that D-50 (50% butter + 50% oleogel) had an optimal distribution of water and protein. D-0 (control sample containing 100% butter) showed the lowest impedance values. Moisture content ranged between 23% and 25%. FTIR spectroscopy suggested that D-50 exhibited a consistent distribution of water and protein, which CLSM and brightfield microscopy supported. Texture analysis revealed that the dough samples exhibited predominantly fluidic behavior. As the amount of oleogel was raised, the dough became firmer. The prepared cookies showed a brown periphery and light-colored center. Further, a corresponding increase in surface cracks was observed as the oleogel content was increased. Cookies moisture analysis revealed a range between 11 and 15%. Minute changes were observed in the texture and dimensions of the cookies. In summary, it can be concluded that replacing butter with oleogel by up to 50% seems to be feasible without significantly compromising the physicochemical properties of cookie dough and cookies.
Existence of Mild Solution of the Hilfer Fractional Differential Equations with Infinite Delay on an Infinite Interval
Authors: Varun Bose Chandrabose Sindhu , Udhayakumar Ramalingam , Savatović Milica , Deiveegan Arumugam , Todorčević Vesna , Radenović Stojan
Published: October 2023

In this study, we present a mild solution to the Hilfer fractional differential equations with infinite delay. Firstly, we establish the results on an infinite interval; to achieve this, we use the generalized Ascoli–Arzelà theorem and Mönch’s fixed point theorem via a measure of noncompactness. Secondly, we consider the existence of a mild solution when the semigroup is compact, and the Schauder fixed-point theorem is used. The outcome is demonstrated using an infinitesimal operator, fractional calculus, semigroup theory, and abstract space. Finally, we present an example to support the results.
Lyapunov Functions and Stability Properties of Fractional Cohen–Grossberg Neural Networks Models with Delays
Authors: Agarwal Ravi P. , Hristova Snezhana , O’Regan Donal
Published: October 2023

Some inequalities for generalized proportional Riemann–Liouville fractional derivatives (RLGFDs) of convex functions are proven. As a special case, inequalities for the RLGFDs of the most-applicable Lyapunov functions such as the ones defined as a quadratic function or the ones defined by absolute values were obtained. These Lyapunov functions were combined with a modification of the Razumikhin method to study the stability properties of the Cohen–Grossberg model of neural networks with both time-variable and continuously distributed delays, time-varying coefficients, and RLGFDs. The initial-value problem was set and studied. Upper bounds by exponential functions of the solutions were obtained on intervals excluding the initial time. The asymptotic behavior of the solutions of the model was studied. Some of the obtained theoretical results were applied to a particular example.
Exploring the Antimicrobial Potential and Stability of Black Soldier Fly (Hermentia illucens) Larvae Fat for Enhanced Food Shelf-Life
Authors: Zabulionė Aelita , Šalaševičienė Alvija , Makštutienė Natalja , Šarkinas Antanas
Published: October 2023

The larvae of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) have been introduced as one of the tools to create a circular economy model, which will be used in areas such as waste management and the treatment of industrial by-products to produce high-added-value food grade ingredients. The main aim of this research was to investigate the fat composition and antimicrobial activity against food pathogens and spoilers of Black Soldier Fly larvae. The research revealed that the Black Soldier Fly larvae fats are predominantly lauric fatty (40.93%), which are followed by palmitic, oleic, myristic, linolenic and palmitoleic fatty acids, accounting for 19.11, 17.34, 6.49, 8.79 and 3.89% of the fatty acid content, respectively. The investigation of the fats showed stability through a one-year monitoring period with no indication of chemical or microbiological spoilage. Different fat fractions were tested for antimicrobial activity, which showed efficiency against Candida albicans (the inhibition zone varied from 10.5 to 12.5 mm), Bacillus subtilis (from 12.5 to 16.5 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (12.5 mm) and Escherichia coli (10.0 mm). The inhibitory effect on Candida albicans was confirmed by shelf-life studies using larvae fat-based oleogel in a model food matrix. GraphPad Prism (ver. 8.0.1) was used for the statistical data processing. This research revealed the potential of Black Soldier Fly larvae fat as a very stable ingredient with promising antibacterial properties that can extend the product shelf-life in food matrixes even when used in relatively small amounts.
Burnout and Intention to Change Profession among Romanian Dentists during COVID-19: A Cross Sectional Study Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory
Authors: Silistraru Ioana , Ciubară Anamaria , Olariu Oana , Ciureanu Ioan-Adrian , Checheriță Laura-Elisabeta , Drugus Daniela , Dănilă Radu , Roșca Ștefan
Published: October 2023

This study aims to examine the relationship between burnout and dentists’ intentions to change careers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MBI-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel—MBI-HSS (MP) was used to measure burnout levels and investigate how they relate to dentists’ intentions to change their profession. The sample included 69 Romanian dentists, 56 of whom were women and 13 of whom were men. Self-reported questionnaires provided to the participants were used to collect the data. Female participants reported higher levels of emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalisation than males. However, there were no substantial differences in Personal Accomplishment levels between genders. As for the intentions to change careers, 41 expressed a clear intention to change their profession, 15 were still determining if they would choose the same speciality, and 28 indicated they would not choose the medical field. The study’s findings provide insight into how dentists’ thoughts about perceived burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced their attitudes regarding their career paths. The results suggest concerns regarding burnout in the dental field and emphasise the necessity for burnout interventions and support services, particularly during healthcare crises. Further research and interventions to mitigate burnout and promote well-being among dentists are needed to ensure the sustainability and quality of dental healthcare services in Romania.
The Effect of Exercise on Cardiovascular Autonomic Nervous Function in Patients with Diabetes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hamasaki Hidetaka
Published: October 2023

Background: Diabetic neuropathy, including autonomic neuropathy, is a severe complication in patients with poorly controlled diabetes. Specifically, cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) plays a significant prognostic role in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exercise, an essential component of diabetes treatment, may have a therapeutic effect on patients with diabetes complicated by CAN. However, it remains unclear whether exercise has a therapeutic or protective effect in diabetes patients with CAN. Methods: The author conducted a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library, resulting in the identification of eight eligible randomized controlled trials for this review. Results: Exercise, including aerobic exercise combined with resistance training (RT), high-intensity interval training, and progressive RT, has shown a beneficial effect on cardiac autonomic function (CAF) in patients with type 2 diabetes, as measured by heart rate variability, heart rate recovery, and baroreflex sensitivity. However, most studies had low quality. Moreover, there were no relevant studies examining the effect of exercise on CAF in older patients, patients with poorly controlled diabetes, and patients with type 1 diabetes. Conclusions: Exercise has the potential to manage patients with CAN by balancing sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system functions; however, further studies are warranted in the future.
The Association of Technology-Based Ageism with Using Digital Technology in Physical Therapy for Older Persons
Authors: Neiertz Cynthia , Wouters Eveline J. M. , Mannheim Ittay
Published: October 2023

Integrating digital technologies in healthcare for older adults can enhance their independence and quality of life. Nevertheless, ageism among healthcare professionals impacts treatment decisions and may deprive older patients of technology-based treatment. This study explores whether technology-specific ageism influenced physiotherapists’ use of technology-based healthcare with older patients. Seventy-eight physiotherapists in Luxembourg filled out an online survey. Participants filled out the Attitudes Towards Older Adults Using Technology (ATOAUT-11) scale, Expectations Regarding Aging, attitudes towards technology use in the work environment, and whether they had not offered technology-based treatment in the past because of a patient’s age. Using logistic regression, negative ATOAUT was found to predict not offering technology-based treatment, such that participants with more negative attitudes (1 standard deviation) were two times more likely not to offer treatment. Positive attitudes towards using technology in the work environment were also found to be a significant predictor. All other characteristics (gender, age, experience and percentage of patients over 50) were not predictive of not offering treatment. This study demonstrates that technology-specific ageism may lead to discrimination and deprive older persons of optimal treatment. More research is needed to identify the magnitude of ageism in using technology-based treatment and develop interventions to overcome it.
Emotion Regulation Strategies in Educational, Work and Sport Contexts: An Approach in Five Countries
Authors: Da Costa Dutra Silvia Cristina , Oriol Granado Xavier , Paéz-Rovira Darío , Díaz Virginia , Carrasco-Dajer Claudia , Izquierdo Alicia
Published: October 2023

One of the greatest challenges in the domain of emotional regulation is comprehending the functionality of strategies and their utilization in various social contexts. In this sense, this study analyzes differences in the use and efficacy of regulation strategies, particularly of interpersonal strategies like altruism, social support, negotiation, mediation, regulation, and rituals, in samples of workers (N = 687) and students (N = 959) from Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Spain, and Uruguay, and athletes (N =144) from Spain. Participants answered questions pertaining to measures of affect or emotional regulation (MARS and ERQ self-regulation scales and EROS heteroregulation), as well as questions of a wellbeing scale (PHI) and questions related to emotional creativity (ECI), humor styles (HSQ), and adjustment to stress. Athletes reported less emotional discharge, use of humor, and affection, and greater confrontation and use of rituals than students and workers. A congruent relationship was found between the use of functional strategies (like direct coping, distraction, reevaluation, and active physiological regulation) and adjustment to stress, well-being, and creativity. Seeking social support, negotiation, and, to an extent, altruism, confirmed their predicted adaptive character. Mediation and delegation did not confirm their predicted adaptive character. Rumination, social comparison, rituals, confrontation, and suppression were maladaptive for workers and students, but the first four strategies were functional for athletes, who display a higher self-control and a more team-oriented and competitive emotional culture. Finally, the results show that adaptive regulation strategies mediate the relationship between well-being and adjustment to stress.
Dramatic Reductions in Cigarette Smoking Prevalence among High School Youth from 1991 to 2022 Unlikely to Have Been Undermined by E-Cigarettes
Authors: Delnevo Cristine D. , Villanti Andrea C.
Published: October 2023

There is concern that youth e-cigarette use could lead youth to initiate cigarette smoking. This study identifies epochs of cigarette smoking among U.S. high school students in three commonly utilized national school-based surveys over three decades without a priori assumptions. We examined trends in ever and current cigarette smoking among high school youth from 1991 to 2022 in three datasets: Monitoring the Future (MTF), the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (NYRBS) and the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) via Joinpoint regression. High stable rates of ever smoking were noted from 1991 to 1999 (NYRBS and MTF) and then significantly declined from 1999 to 2013; declines accelerated through to 2022. In the NYTS, ever cigarette smoking significantly declined from 1999 to 2018 and then declines accelerated to 2022. Current cigarette smoking reached its peak in 1997, and then significantly declined from 1997 to 2013 in the NYRBS and MTF and similarly in the NYTS from 1999 to 2018. Declines in current smoking then accelerated in all surveys through to 2022. These findings suggest dramatic successes in reducing youth smoking since the late 1990s, with more rapid declines in prevalence in the past decade.
Evaluation of the Effect of Perfluorohexane Sulfonate on the Proliferation of Human Liver Cells
Authors: Sim Kyeong Hwa , Oh Hyeon Seo , Lee Chuhee , Eun Heesoo , Lee Youn Ju
Published: October 2023

Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) is a widely detected replacement for legacy long-chain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment and human blood samples. Its potential toxicity led to its recent classification as a globally regulated persistent organic pollutant. Although animal studies have shown a positive association between PFHxS levels and hepatic steatosis and hepatocellular hypertrophy, the link with liver toxicity, including end-stage liver cancer, remains inconclusive. In this study, we examined the effects of PFHxS on the proliferation of Hep3B (human hepatocellular carcinoma) and SK-Hep1 (human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells). Cells were exposed to different PFHxS concentrations for 24–48 h to assess viability and 12–14 days to measure colony formation. The viability of both cell lines increased at PFHxS concentrations <200 μM, decreased at >400 μM, and was highest at 50 μM. Colony formation increased at <300 μM and decreased at 500 μM PFHxS. Consistent with the effect on cell proliferation, PFHxS increased the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cell-cycle molecules (CDK2, CDK4, cyclin E, and cyclin D1). In summary, PFHxS exhibited a biphasic effect on liver cell proliferation, promoting survival and proliferation at lower concentrations and being cytotoxic at higher concentrations. This suggests that PFHxS, especially at lower concentrations, might be associated with HCC development and progression.
Validation of a Harmonised, Three-Item Cognitive Screening Instrument for the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE-Cog)
Authors: O’Donovan Mark R. , Cornally Nicola , O’Caoimh Rónán
Published: October 2023

More accurate and standardised screening and assessment instruments are needed for studies to better understand the epidemiology of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in Europe. The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) does not have a harmonised multi-domain cognitive test available. The current study proposes and validates a new instrument, the SHARE cognitive instrument (SHARE-Cog), for this large European longitudinal cohort. Three cognitive domains/sub-tests were available across all main waves of the SHARE and incorporated into SHARE-Cog; these included 10-word registration, verbal fluency (animal naming) and 10-word recall. Subtests were weighted using regression analysis. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed from the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curves. Diagnostic categories included normal cognition (NC), subjective memory complaints (SMC), MCI and dementia. A total of 20,752 participants were included from wave 8, with a mean age of 75 years; 55% were female. A 45-point SHARE-Cog was developed and validated and had excellent diagnostic accuracy for identifying dementia (AUC = 0.91); very good diagnostic accuracy for cognitive impairment (MCI + dementia), (AUC = 0.81); and good diagnostic accuracy for distinguishing MCI from dementia (AUC = 0.76) and MCI from SMC + NC (AUC = 0.77). SHARE-Cog is a new, short cognitive screening instrument developed and validated to assess cognition in the SHARE. In this cross-sectional analysis, it has good–excellent diagnostic accuracy for identifying cognitive impairment in this wave of SHARE, but further study is required to confirm this in previous waves and over time.
Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening Utilization after Hurricane María and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico
Authors: Colón-López Vivian , Contreras-Mora Héctor M. , Pérez Cynthia M. , Berríos-Ortiz Hérmilis , Sánchez-Díaz Carola T. , Disdier Orville M. , Ríos-Morales Nilda , Suárez-Pérez Erick L.
Published: October 2023

Puerto Rico (PR) has faced environmental and public health challenges that could have significantly affected cancer screening access. Using administrative claims data from PR’s Medicaid population, this study assessed trends in colorectal and breast cancer screening from 2016 to 2021, the impact of disasters in screening, and the absolute deficit in screening due to the pandemic. The monthly rates of claims were analyzed using Poisson regression. Significant reductions in breast and colorectal cancer screening utilization were observed. The colorectal cancer screening rate in 2017 was 77% lower a month after Hurricanes Irma and María [RRadj: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.25] compared to the same time period in 2016. Breast cancer screening dropped 50% in November 2017 compared to November 2016 [RRadj: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.54]. Prospectively, a recovery in utilization has been observed only for breast cancer screening. The results revealed that cancer screening utilization substantially declined after environmental disasters and the pandemic. These findings have potentially severe long-term implications for cancer health disparities and mortality in PR.
Factors Influencing Progressive Utilization of Palliative Care Services among Cancer Patients in Kenya: The Case of Nairobi Hospice
Authors: Kimani Caroline Wambui , Kioko Urbanus Mutuku , Ndinda Catherine , Adebayo Pauline Wambui
Published: October 2023

The rising cases of non-communicable diseases, specifically cancer, have led to the integration of palliative care in their management. However, only 10% of cancer patients have access to palliative care. Healthcare utilization is an important step in disease management as it aids individuals in accessing opportunities for the prevention and treatment of diseases. The study applied the binary probit model to estimate the progressive utilization of palliative care services by cancer patients. The aim of the study was to determine factors influencing the progressive utilization of palliative care by cancer patients. A cross-sectional data survey was conducted for 169 cancer patients seeking palliative care at the Nairobi Hospice in 2013. For each patient, the predisposing, enabling, and need (PEN) factors were analyzed as key criteria for applying progressive utilization of palliative care at the Nairobi Hospice as compared to those residing in other counties in the study. Descriptive statistics showed that 27% of patients studied resided in Nairobi County, where 61% were female, 62% were married, 35% had primary education, 44% were self-employed, and 59% had medical insurance. Probit regression and marginal effects showed that employment and religion were significant in determining the progressive utilization of palliative care. Employment status and religion are consequently the main factors that both governments and health-focused non-governmental organizations need to consider increasing the probability of progressively utilizing palliative care to improve the quality of life of cancer patients.
Integrating Social Care into Healthcare: A Review on Applying the Social Determinants of Health in Clinical Settings
Authors: Novilla M. Lelinneth B. , Goates Michael C. , Leffler Tyler , Novilla Nathan Kenneth B. , Wu Chung-Yuan , Dall Alexa , Hansen Cole
Published: October 2023

Despite the substantial health and economic burdens posed by the social determinants of health (SDH), these have yet to be efficiently, sufficiently, and sustainably addressed in clinical settings—medical offices, hospitals, and healthcare systems. Our study contextualized SDH application strategies in U.S. clinical settings by exploring the reasons for integration and identifying target patients/conditions, barriers, and recommendations for clinical translation. The foremost reason for integrating SDH in clinical settings was to identify unmet social needs and link patients to community resources, particularly for vulnerable and complex care populations. This was mainly carried out through SDH screening during patient intake to collect individual-level SDH data within the context of chronic medical, mental health, or behavioral conditions. Challenges and opportunities for integration occurred at the educational, practice, and administrative/institutional levels. Gaps remain in incorporating SDH in patient workflows and EHRs for making clinical decisions and predicting health outcomes. Current strategies are largely directed at moderating individual-level social needs versus addressing community-level root causes of health inequities. Obtaining policy, funding, administrative and staff support for integration, applying a systems approach through interprofessional/intersectoral partnerships, and delivering SDH-centered medical school curricula and training are vital in helping individuals and communities achieve their best possible health.
Depressed Mood as a Significant Risk Factor for Gynecological Cancer Aggravation
Authors: Lee Seon-Mi , Song Jae-Yun , Seol Aeran , Lee Sanghoon , Cho Hyun-Woong , Min Kyung-Jin , Hong Jin-Hwa , Lee Jae-Kwan , Lee Nak-Woo
Published: October 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between depressed mood and gynecological cancer outcomes, identifying risk factors for cancer aggravation. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of gynecological cancer patients (January 2020–August 2022) at Korea University Anam Hospital using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Patients were classified into non-depressed mood (NDM)- and depressed mood (DM)-based scores. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test, chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and Cox regression analyzing using SPSS. Results: Of the 217 participants, the NDM group comprised 129 patients, and the DM group comprised 88. The two-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates showed significant differences (NDM, 93.6%; DM 86.4%; p = 0.006), but overall survival (OS) did not (p = 0.128). Patients with stage 3 or higher cancer, undergoing five or more chemotherapies, experiencing post-chemotherapy side effects, and depressed mood had an increased risk of cancer aggravation. Conclusions: Appropriate treatment of depressed mood, as well as adequate treatment for advanced gynecological cancer patients, those with numerous CTx., and those with post-CTx. side effects, may contribute to reducing the risk of cancer aggravation.
Editorial to the Special Issue: “Recent Advances in the Management of Chronic Pain”
Authors: Cascella Marco
Published: October 2023

Chronic pain is a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon with far-reaching implications, not only in terms of clinical care but also in the realms of social and economic impact [...]
Target Search for Joint Local and High-Level Semantic Information Based on Image Preprocessing Enhancement in Indoor Low-Light Environments
Authors: Tang Huapeng , Qin Danyang , Yang Jiaqiang , Bie Haoze , Li Yue , Zhu Yong , Ma Lin
Published: October 2023

In indoor low-light environments, the lack of light makes the captured images often suffer from quality degradation problems, including missing features in dark areas, noise interference, low brightness, and low contrast. Therefore, the feature extraction algorithms are unable to extract the feature information contained in the images accurately, thereby hindering the subsequent target search task in this environment and making it difficult to determine the location information of the target. Aiming at this problem, a joint local and high-level semantic information (JLHS) target search method is proposed based on joint bilateral filtering and camera response model (JBCRM) image preprocessing enhancement. The JBCRM method improves the image quality by highlighting the dark region features and removing the noise interference in order to solve the problem of the difficult extraction of feature points in low-light images, thus providing better visual data for subsequent target search tasks. The JLHS method increases the feature matching accuracy between the target image and the offline database image by combining local and high-level semantic information to characterize the image content, thereby boosting the accuracy of the target search. Experiments show that, compared with the existing image-enhancement methods, the PSNR of the JBCRM method is increased by 34.24% at the highest and 2.61% at the lowest. The SSIM increased by 63.64% at most and increased by 12.50% at least. The Laplacian operator increased by 54.47% at most and 3.49% at least. When the mainstream feature extraction techniques, SIFT, ORB, AKAZE, and BRISK, are utilized, the number of feature points in the JBCRM-enhanced images are improved by a minimum of 20.51% and a maximum of 303.44% over the original low-light images. Compared with other target search methods, the average search error of the JLHS method is only 9.8 cm, which is 91.90% lower than the histogram-based search method. Meanwhile, the average search error is reduced by 18.33% compared to the VGG16-based target search method. As a result, the method proposed in this paper significantly improves the accuracy of the target search in low-light environments, thus broadening the application scenarios of target search in indoor environments, and providing an effective solution for accurately determining the location of the target in geospatial space.
Assessing the Influence of Land Cover and Climate Change Impacts on Runoff Patterns Using CA-ANN Model and CMIP6 Data
Authors: Rahman Mahfuzur , Islam Md. Monirul , Kim Hyeong-Joo , Sadiq Shamsher , Alam Mehtab , Siddiqua Taslima , Mamun Md. Al , Gazi Md. Ashiq Hossen , Raju Matiur Rahman , Chen Ningsheng , Hossain Md. Alamgir , Dewan Ashraf
Published: October 2023

Dhaka city is experiencing rapid land cover changes, and the effects of climate change are highly visible. Investigating their combined influence on runoff patterns is vital for sustainable urban planning and water resources management. In this work, multi-date land cover classification was performed using a random forest (RF) algorithm. To validate accuracy of land cover classification, an assessment was conducted by employing kappa coefficient, which ranged from 85 to 96%, indicating a high agreement between classified images and the reference dataset. Future land cover changes were forecasted with cellular automata-artificial neural network (CA-ANN) model. Further, soil conservation service -curve number (SCS-CN) rainfall-runoff model combined with CMIP6 climate data was employed to assess how changes in land cover impact runoff within Dhaka metropolitan development plan (DMDP) area. Over the study period (2020–2100), substantial transformations of land cover were observed, i.e., built-up areas expanded to 1146.47 km2 at the end of 2100, while agricultural areas and bare land diminished considerably. Consequently, monsoon runoff increased from 350.14 to 368.24 mm, indicating elevated hydrological responses. These findings emphasized an intricate interplay between urban dynamics and climatic shifts in shaping runoff patterns, underscoring urgency of incorporating these factors into urban planning strategies for sustainable water resources management in a rapidly growing city such as Dhaka.
Parkin-Mediated Mitophagy by TGF-β Is Connected with Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
Authors: Lee Ji Hyun , Kim Kyu Min , Jung Eun Hee , Lee Hye Rim , Yang Ji Hye , Cho Sam Seok , Ki Sung Hwan
Published: October 2023

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the main contributors to the development and progression of liver fibrosis. Parkin is an E3 ligase involved in mitophagy mediated by lysosomes that maintains mitochondrial homeostasis. Unfortunately, there is little information regarding the regulation of parkin by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and its association with HSC trans-differentiation. This study showed that parkin is upregulated in fibrotic conditions and elucidated the underlying mechanism. Parkin was observed in the cirrhotic region of the patient liver tissues and visualized using immunostaining and immunoblotting of mouse fibrotic liver samples and primary HSCs. The role of parkin-mediated mitophagy in hepatic fibrogenesis was examined using TGF-β-treated LX-2 cells with mitophagy inhibitor, mitochondrial division inhibitor 1. Parkin overexpression and its colocalization with desmin in human tissues were found. Increased parkin in fibrotic liver homogenates of mice was observed. Parkin was expressed more abundantly in HSCs than in hepatocytes and was upregulated under TGF-β. TGF-β-induced parkin was due to Smad3. TGF-β facilitated mitochondrial translocation, leading to mitophagy activation, reversed by mitophagy inhibitor. However, TGF-β did not change mitochondrial function. Mitophagy inhibitor suppressed profibrotic genes and HSC migration mediated by TGF-β. Collectively, parkin-involved mitophagy by TGF-β facilitates HSC activation, suggesting mitophagy may utilize targets for liver fibrosis.
Elevated E200K Somatic Mutation of the Prion Protein Gene (PRNP) in the Brain Tissues of Patients with Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease (CJD)
Authors: Won Sae-Young , Kim Yong-Chan , Jeong Byung-Hoon
Published: October 2023

Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) is a major human prion disease worldwide. CJD is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by an abnormal prion protein (PrPSc). To date, the exact etiology of sporadic CJD has not been fully elucidated. We investigated the E200K and V203I somatic mutations of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in sporadic CJD patients and matched healthy controls using pyrosequencing. In addition, we estimated the impact of somatic mutations on the human prion protein (PrP) using PolyPhen-2, PANTHER and PROVEAN. Furthermore, we evaluated the 3D structure and electrostatic potential of the human PrP according to somatic mutations using DeepView. The rates of PRNP K200 somatic mutation were significantly increased in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of sporadic CJD patients compared to the matched controls. In addition, the electrostatic potential of the human PrP was significantly changed by the K200 somatic mutation of the PRNP gene. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on an association of the PRNP K200 somatic mutation with sporadic CJD.
High and Low Levels of ABCB1 Expression Are Associated with Two Distinct Gene Signatures in Lung Tissue of Pulmonary TB Patients with High Inflammation Activity
Authors: Pavlova Ekaterina N. , Lepekha Larisa N. , Rybalkina Ekaterina Yu. , Tarasov Ruslan V. , Sychevskaya Ksenia A. , Voronezhskaya Elena E. , Masyutin Alexander G. , Ergeshov Atadzhan E. , Erokhina Maria V.
Published: October 2023

P-glycoprotein (encoded by the ABCB1 gene) has a dual role in regulating inflammation and reducing chemotherapy efficacy in various diseases, but there are few studies focused on pulmonary TB patients. In this study, our objective was to identify a list of genes that correlate with high and low levels of ABCB1 gene expression in the lungs of pulmonary TB patients with different activity of chronic granulomatous inflammation. We compared gene expression in two groups of samples (with moderate and high activity of tuberculomas) to identify their characteristic gene signatures. Gene expression levels were determined using quantitative PCR in samples of perifocal area of granulomas, which were obtained from 65 patients after surgical intervention. Subsequently, two distinct gene signatures associated with high inflammation activity were identified. The first signature demonstrated increased expression of HIF1a, TGM2, IL6, SOCS3, and STAT3, which correlated with high ABCB1 expression. The second signature was characterized by high expression of TNFa and CD163 and low expression of ABCB1. These results provide insight into various inflammatory mechanisms and association with P-gp gene expression in lung tissue of pulmonary TB patients and will be useful in the development of a host-directed therapy approach to improving the effectiveness of anti-TB treatment.
Apolipoprotein-CIII O-Glycosylation, a Link between GALNT2 and Plasma Lipids
Authors: Naber Annemieke , Demus Daniel , Slieker Roderick , Nicolardi Simone , Beulens Joline W. J. , Elders Petra J. M. , Lieverse Aloysius G. , Sijbrands Eric J. G. , ’t Hart Leen M. , Wuhrer Manfred , van Hoek Mandy
Published: October 2023

Apolipoprotein-CIII (apo-CIII) is involved in triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism and linked to beta-cell damage, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease. Apo-CIII exists in four main proteoforms: non-glycosylated (apo-CIII0a), and glycosylated apo-CIII with zero, one, or two sialic acids (apo-CIII0c, apo-CIII1 and apo-CIII2). Our objective is to determine how apo-CIII glycosylation affects lipid traits and type 2 diabetes prevalence, and to investigate the genetic basis of these relations with a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on apo-CIII glycosylation. We conducted GWAS on the four apo-CIII proteoforms in the DiaGene study in people with and without type 2 diabetes (n = 2318). We investigated the relations of the identified genetic loci and apo-CIII glycosylation with lipids and type 2 diabetes. The associations of the genetic variants with lipids were replicated in the Diabetes Care System (n = 5409). Rs4846913-A, in the GALNT2-gene, was associated with decreased apo-CIII0a. This variant was associated with increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreased triglycerides, while high apo-CIII0a was associated with raised high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglycerides. Rs67086575-G, located in the IFT172-gene, was associated with decreased apo-CIII2 and with hypertriglyceridemia. In line, apo-CIII2 was associated with low triglycerides. On a genome-wide scale, we confirmed that the GALNT2-gene plays a major role i O-glycosylation of apolipoprotein-CIII, with subsequent associations with lipid parameters. We newly identified the IFT172/NRBP1 region, in the literature previously associated with hypertriglyceridemia, as involved in apolipoprotein-CIII sialylation and hypertriglyceridemia. These results link genomics, glycosylation, and lipid metabolism, and represent a key step towards unravelling the importance of O-glycosylation in health and disease.
ECG-Based Driving Fatigue Detection Using Heart Rate Variability Analysis with Mutual Information
Authors: Halomoan Junartho , Ramli Kalamullah , Sudiana Dodi , Gunawan Teddy Surya , Salman Muhammad
Published: October 2023

One of the WHO’s strategies to reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities is to enhance vehicle safety. Driving fatigue detection can be used to increase vehicle safety. Our previous study developed an ECG-based driving fatigue detection framework with AdaBoost, producing a high cross-validated accuracy of 98.82% and a testing accuracy of 81.82%; however, the study did not consider the driver’s cognitive state related to fatigue and redundant features in the classification model. In this paper, we propose developments in the feature extraction and feature selection phases in the driving fatigue detection framework. For feature extraction, we employ heart rate fragmentation to extract non-linear features to analyze the driver’s cognitive status. These features are combined with features obtained from heart rate variability analysis in the time, frequency, and non-linear domains. In feature selection, we employ mutual information to filter redundant features. To find the number of selected features with the best model performance, we carried out 28 combination experiments consisting of 7 possible selected features out of 58 features and 4 ensemble learnings. The results of the experiments show that the random forest algorithm with 44 selected features produced the best model performance testing accuracy of 95.45%, with cross-validated accuracy of 98.65%.
Statins and Cardiomyocyte Metabolism, Friend or Foe?
Authors: Somers Tim , Siddiqi Sailay , Morshuis Wim J. , Russel Frans G. M. , Schirris Tom J. J.
Published: October 2023

Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis, and are the cornerstone of lipid-lowering treatment. They significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, musculoskeletal symptoms are observed in 7 to 29 percent of all users. The mechanism underlying these complaints has become increasingly clear, but less is known about the effect on cardiac muscle function. Here we discuss both adverse and beneficial effects of statins on the heart. Statins exert pleiotropic protective effects in the diseased heart that are independent of their cholesterol-lowering activity, including reduction in hypertrophy, fibrosis and infarct size. Adverse effects of statins seem to be associated with altered cardiomyocyte metabolism. In this review we explore the differences in the mechanism of action and potential side effects of statins in cardiac and skeletal muscle and how they present clinically. These insights may contribute to a more personalized treatment strategy.
Current and Emerging Markers and Tools Used in the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease–Mineral and Bone Disorder in Non-Dialysis Adult Patients
Authors: Fusaro Maria , Pereira Luciano , Bover Jordi
Published: October 2023

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health concern associated with significant morbidity and has become one of the foremost global causes of death in recent years. A frequent comorbidity of CKD is secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), exemplified by high serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. The mineral metabolism disturbances resulting from CKD and progression to SHPT are currently considered part of the definition of chronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). However, CKD-MBD does not only include abnormalities in laboratory-measured parameters; it is a complex condition characterized by dysregulation of bone turnover, mineralization, growth and strength, accompanied by vascular or another soft-tissue calcification. Together, this increases the risk of bone fractures, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality in CKD-MBD patients. Monitoring serum markers is essential in diagnosing SHPT and CKD-MBD, and there are several recognized indicators for prognosis, optimal clinical management and treatment response in late-stage kidney disease patients receiving dialysis. However, far fewer markers have been established for patients with non-dialysis CKD. This review provides an overview of current and emerging markers and tools used in the diagnosis and management of CKD-MBD in non-dialysis adult patients.