bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Photo-Assisted Fenton Degradation of Antibiotics over Iron-Doped Bi-Rich Bismuth Oxybromide Photocatalyst
Authors: Zhang Fengjiao , Peng Yanhua , Yang Xiaolong , Li Zhuo , Zhang Yan
Published: January 2023

Herein, combining photocatalysis and Fenton oxidation, a photo-assisted Fenton system was conducted using Fe-doped Bi4O5Br2 as a highly efficient photocatalyst to realize the complete degradation of Tetracycline antibiotics under visible light. It has been observed that the optimized photocatalyst 5%Fe-doped Bi4O5Br2 exhibits a degradation efficiency of 100% for Tetracycline with H2O2 after 3 h visible-light irradiation, while a degradation percentage of 59.8% over the same photocatalyst and 46.6% over pure Bi4O5Br2 were obtained without the addition of H2O2 (non-Fenton process). It is unambiguous that a boost photo-assisted Fenton system for the degradation of Tetracycline has been established. Based on structural analysis, it demonstrated that the Fe atoms in place of the Bi sites may result in the distortion of the local structure, which induced the occurrence of the spontaneous polarization and thus enhanced the built-in electric field. The charge separation efficiency is enhanced, and the recombination of electrons and holes is inhabited so that more charges are generated to reach the surface of the photocatalyst and therefore improve the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. Moreover, more Fe (II) sites formed on the 5%Fe-Bi4O5Br2 photocatalyst and facilitated the activation of H2O2 to form oxidative species, which greatly enhanced the degradation efficiency of Tetracycline.
In Situ Study of Twin Boundary Stability in Nanotwinned Copper Pillars under Different Strain Rates
Authors: Chang Shou-Yi , Huang Yi-Chung , Lin Shao-Yi , Lu Chia-Ling , Chen Chih , Dao Ming
Published: January 2023

The nanoscopic deformation of ⟨111⟩ nanotwinned copper nanopillars under strain rates between 10−5/s and 5 × 10−4/s was studied by using in situ transmission electron microscopy. The correlation among dislocation activity, twin boundary instability due to incoherent twin boundary migration and corresponding mechanical responses was investigated. Dislocations piled up in the nanotwinned copper, giving rise to significant hardening at relatively high strain rates of 3–5 × 10−4/s. Lower strain rates resulted in detwinning and reduced hardening, while corresponding deformation mechanisms are proposed based on experimental results. At low/ultralow strain rates below 6 × 10−5/s, dislocation activity almost ceased operating, but the migration of twin boundaries via the 1/4 ⟨101¯ ⟩ kink-like motion of atoms is suggested as the detwinning mechanism. At medium strain rates of 1–2 × 10−4/s, detwinning was decelerated likely due to the interfered kink-like motion of atoms by activated partial dislocations, while dislocation climb may alternatively dominate detwinning. These results indicate that, even for the same nanoscale twin boundary spacing, different nanomechanical deformation mechanisms can operate at different strain rates.
Improved Electrical Properties of EHD Jet-Patterned MoS2 Thin-Film Transistors with Printed Ag Electrodes on a High-k Dielectric
Authors: Can Thi Thu Thuy , Choi Woon-Seop
Published: January 2023

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing is known as a versatile method to print a wide viscosity range of materials that are impossible to print by conventional inkjet printing. Hence, with the understanding of the benefits of EHD jet printing, solution-based MoS2 and a high-viscosity Ag paste were EHD jet-printed for electronic applications in this work. In particular, printed MoS2 TFTs with a patterned Ag source and drain were successfully fabricated with low-k silica (SiO2) and high-k alumina (Al2O3) gate dielectrics, respectively. Eventually, the devices based on Al2O3 exhibited much better electrical properties compared to the ones based on SiO2. Interestingly, an improvement of around one order of magnitude in hysteresis was achieved for devices after changing the gate insulator from SiO2 to Al2O3. In effect, the results of this work for the printed MoS2 and the printed Ag source and drains for TFTs demonstrate a new approach for jet printing in the fabrication of electronic devices.
Preparation of 2D ZIF-L and Its Antibacterial and Antifouling Properties
Authors: Li Jingyu , Zhang Yang , Zhao Haichao , Sui Guoxin
Published: January 2023

The excessively leached metal ions from traditional metallic antimicrobial nanoparticles are harmful to biological and human tissues. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) coordinating bioactive metal ions to organic bridging ligands can potentially address this issue, avoiding the excessive leaching of metal ions and simultaneously exhibiting high effective antibacterial activities. Here, we report the preparation of a 2-dimensional leaves-like zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-L) for potential antibacterial and anti-algae applications. The ZIF-L nanosheet exhibits complete inactivation of Escherichia coli (phosphate buffer saline: 4 h) and Bacillus subtilis (seawater: 0.5 h). The ZIF-L/epoxy composite has excellent antibacterial effect, poisoning effect and anti-adhesion effect on a variety of marine algae. It is worth noting that the removal rate (Escherichia coli) for ZIF/epoxy composite can be reached to 90.20% by only adding ZIF-L (0.25 wt%). This work will inspire researchers to develop more metal-organic frameworks materials for applications in the antibacterial and anti-algae fields.
Electrospinning Inorganic Nanomaterials to Fabricate Bionanocomposites for Soft and Hard Tissue Repair
Authors: Cui Jie , Yu Xiao , Shen Yihong , Sun Binbin , Guo Wanxin , Liu Mingyue , Chen Yujie , Wang Li , Zhou Xingping , Shafiq Muhammad , Mo Xiumei
Published: January 2023

Tissue engineering (TE) has attracted the widespread attention of the research community as a method of producing patient-specific tissue constructs for the repair and replacement of injured tissues. To date, different types of scaffold materials have been developed for various tissues and organs. The choice of scaffold material should take into consideration whether the mechanical properties, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and bioresorbability meet the physiological properties of the tissues. Owing to their broad range of physico-chemical properties, inorganic materials can induce a series of biological responses as scaffold fillers, which render them a good alternative to scaffold materials for tissue engineering (TE). While it is of worth to further explore mechanistic insight into the use of inorganic nanomaterials for tissue repair, in this review, we mainly focused on the utilization forms and strategies for fabricating electrospun membranes containing inorganic components based on electrospinning technology. A particular emphasis has been placed on the biological advantages of incorporating inorganic materials along with organic materials as scaffold constituents for tissue repair. As well as widely exploited natural and synthetic polymers, inorganic nanomaterials offer an enticing platform to further modulate the properties of composite scaffolds, which may help further broaden the application prospect of scaffolds for TE.
Probing Contact Electrification between Gas and Solid Surface
Authors: Sun Linlin , Wang Ziming , Li Chengyu , Tang Wei , Wang Zhonglin
Published: January 2023

Contact electrification exists everywhere and between every phase of matter. However, its mechanism still remains to be studied. The recent triboelectric nanogenerator serves as a probe and provides some new clues about the mechanism present in solid–solid, solid–liquid, and liquid–liquid contact electrification. The gas–solid model still remains to be exploited. Here, we investigated the contact electrification between gases and solids based on the single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator. Our work shows that the amount of transferred charges between gas and solid particles increases with surface area, movement distance, and initial charges of particle increase. Furthermore, we find that the initial charges on the particle surface can attract more polar molecules and enhance gas collisions. Since ions in gas–solid contact are rare, we speculate that gas–solid contact electrification is mainly based on electron transfer. Further, we propose a theoretical model of gas–solid contact electrification involving the gas collision model and initial charges of the particle. Our study may have great significance to the gas–solid interface chemistry.
On Attacking Future 5G Networks with Adversarial Examples: Survey
Authors: Zolotukhin Mikhail , Zhang Di , Hämäläinen Timo , Miraghaei Parsa
Published: January 2023

The introduction of 5G technology along with the exponential growth in connected devices is expected to cause a challenge for the efficient and reliable network resource allocation. Network providers are now required to dynamically create and deploy multiple services which function under various requirements in different vertical sectors while operating on top of the same physical infrastructure. The recent progress in artificial intelligence and machine learning is theorized to be a potential answer to the arising resource allocation challenges. It is therefore expected that future generation mobile networks will heavily depend on its artificial intelligence components which may result in those components becoming a high-value attack target. In particular, a smart adversary may exploit vulnerabilities of the state-of-the-art machine learning models deployed in a 5G system to initiate an attack. This study focuses on the analysis of adversarial example generation attacks against machine learning based frameworks that may be present in the next generation networks. First, various AI/ML algorithms and the data used for their training and evaluation in mobile networks is discussed. Next, multiple AI/ML applications found in recent scientific papers devoted to 5G are overviewed. After that, existing adversarial example generation based attack algorithms are reviewed and frameworks which employ these algorithms for fuzzing stat-of-art AI/ML models are summarised. Finally, adversarial example generation attacks against several of the AI/ML frameworks described are presented.
A Deep Learning Model for Preoperative Differentiation of Glioblastoma, Brain Metastasis, and Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: An External Validation Study
Authors: Tariciotti Leonardo , Ferlito Davide , Caccavella Valerio M. , Di Cristofori Andrea , Fiore Giorgio , Remore Luigi G. , Giordano Martina , Remoli Giulia , Bertani Giulio , Borsa Stefano , Pluderi Mauro , Remida Paolo , Basso Gianpaolo , Giussani Carlo , Locatelli Marco , Carrabba Giorgio
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Neuroimaging differentiation of glioblastoma, primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and solitary brain metastasis (BM) represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in neurosurgical practice, expanding the burden of care and exposing patients to additional risks related to further invasive procedures and treatment delays. In addition, atypical cases and overlapping features have not been entirely addressed by modern diagnostic research. The aim of this study was to validate a previously designed and internally validated ResNet101 deep learning model to differentiate glioblastomas, PCNSLs and BMs. (2) Methods: We enrolled 126 patients (glioblastoma: n = 64; PCNSL: n = 27; BM: n = 35) with preoperative T1Gd-MRI scans and histopathological confirmation. Each lesion was segmented, and all regions of interest were exported in a DICOM dataset. A pre-trained ResNet101 deep neural network model implemented in a previous work on 121 patients was externally validated on the current cohort to differentiate glioblastomas, PCNSLs and BMs on T1Gd-MRI scans. (3) Results: The model achieved optimal classification performance in distinguishing PCNSLs (AUC: 0.73; 95%CI: 0.62–0.85), glioblastomas (AUC: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.71–0.87) and moderate to low ability in differentiating BMs (AUC: 0.63; 95%CI: 0.52–0.76). The performance of expert neuro-radiologists on conventional plus advanced MR imaging, assessed by retrospectively reviewing the diagnostic reports of the selected cohort of patients, was found superior in accuracy for BMs (89.69%) and not inferior for PCNSL (82.90%) and glioblastomas (84.09%). (4) Conclusions: We investigated whether the previously published deep learning model was generalizable to an external population recruited at a different institution—this validation confirmed the consistency of the model and laid the groundwork for future clinical applications in brain tumour classification. This artificial intelligence-based model might represent a valuable educational resource and, if largely replicated on prospective data, help physicians differentiate glioblastomas, PCNSL and solitary BMs, especially in settings with limited resources.
Phenolic Extract from Extra Virgin Olive Oil Induces Different Anti-Proliferative Pathways in Human Bladder Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Spagnuolo Carmela , Moccia Stefania , Tedesco Idolo , Crescente Giuseppina , Volpe Maria Grazia , Russo Maria , Russo Gian Luigi
Published: January 2023

Regular consumption of olive oil is associated with protection against chronic-degenerative diseases, such as cancer. Epidemiological evidence indicates an inverse association between olive oil intake and bladder cancer risk. Bladder cancer is among the most common forms of cancer; in particular, the transitional cell carcinoma histotype shows aggressive behavior. We investigated the anti-proliferative effects of a phenolic extract prepared from an extra virgin olive oil (EVOOE) on two human bladder cancer cell lines, namely RT112 and J82, representing the progression from low-grade to high-grade tumors, respectively. In RT112, the EVOOE reduced cell viability (IC50 = 240 μg/mL at 24 h), triggering a non-protective form of autophagy, evidenced by the autophagosome formation and the increase in LC-3 lipidation. In J82, EVOOE induced a strong decrease in cell viability after 24 h of treatment (IC50 = 65.8 μg/mL) through rapid and massive apoptosis, assessed by Annexin V positivity and caspase-3 and -9 activation. Moreover, in both bladder cancer cell lines, EVOOE reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species, but this antioxidant effect was not correlated with its anti-proliferative outcomes. Data obtained suggest that the mixture of phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil activates different anti-proliferative pathways.
Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Structural Atherosclerosis, and Functional Atherosclerosis in Older Japanese
Authors: Shimizu Yuji , Yamanashi Hirotomo , Honda Yukiko , Nonaka Fumiaki , Miyata Jun , Kawashiri Shin-Ya , Noguchi Yuko , Nakamichi Seiko , Nagata Yasuhiro , Maeda Takahiro
Published: January 2023

Aggressive endothelial repair results in the progression of both structural and functional atherosclerosis, while insufficient endothelial repair worsens functional but not structural atherosclerosis. Aging increases the risk of inadequate endothelial repair. Since low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) activates endothelial repair, LDLc may be positively associated with structural atherosclerosis but inversely associated with functional atherosclerosis in older individuals. This cross-sectional study analyzed 1458 participants aged 60 to 79 years. We defined structural atherosclerosis as a carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) of at least 1.1 mm and functional atherosclerosis as a cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) of at least 9.0. LDLc was significantly positively associated with structural atherosclerosis and significantly inversely associated with functional atherosclerosis, independently of known cardiovascular risk factors. For 1 standard increment of LDLc (28 mg/dL for men and 29 mg/dL for women), the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals after adjustment for known cardiovascular risk factors were 1.28 (1.10, 1.50) for structural atherosclerosis and 0.85 (0.75, 0.96) for functional atherosclerosis. LDLc activates endothelial repair, which results in the development of structural atherosclerosis but maintains endothelial function in older individuals. To evaluate atherosclerosis in clinical practice, the combination of structural and functional assessment of atherosclerosis could be informative.
Metabolic Homeostasis of Amino Acids and Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Liu Luokun , Xu Jingge , Zhang Zhiyu , Ren Dongwen , Wu Yuzheng , Wang Dan , Zhang Yi , Zhao Shuwu , Chen Qian , Wang Tao
Published: January 2023

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) occurs in 25–40% of patients with diabetes. Individuals with DKD are at a significant risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease morbidity and mortality. At present, although renal function-decline can be retarded by intensive glucose lowering and strict blood pressure control, these current treatments have shown no beneficial impact on preventing progression to kidney failure. Recently, in addition to control of blood sugar and pressure, a dietary approach has been recommended for management of DKD. Amino acids (AAs) are both biomarkers and causal factors of DKD progression. AA homeostasis contributes to renal hemodynamic response and glomerular hyperfiltration alteration in diabetic patients. This review discusses the links between progressive kidney dysfunction and the metabolic homeostasis of histidine, tryptophan, methionine, glutamine, tyrosine, and branched-chain AAs. In addition, we emphasize the regulation effects of special metabolites on DKD progression, with a focus on causality and potential mechanisms. This paper may offer an optimized protein diet strategy with concomitant management of AA homeostasis to reduce the risks of DKD in a setting of hyperglycemia.
Long-Term Complications of Radioligand Therapy with Lutetium-177 and Yttrium-90 in Patients with Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: Saracyn Marek , Durma Adam Daniel , Bober Barbara , Kołodziej Maciej , Lubas Arkadiusz , Kapusta Waldemar , Niemczyk Stanisław , Kamiński Grzegorz
Published: January 2023

Background: Neuroendocrine neoplasms are a group of tumors deriving from neural crest. They can be located in every tissue, but most commonly in gastrointestinal tract. Targeted therapy with use of radionuclides is an available and acceptable way of treatment, but its long-term safety is still to be determined, especially with sensitive methods. Methods: Study was performed on a group of 42 patients. They underwent full cycle (4 courses; 8–12 weekly intervals) of radioligand therapy with [177Lu]Lu-DOTATATE alone or tandem therapy with [177Lu]Lu-DOTATATE+[90Y]Y-DOTATATE. Late and long-term marrow and renal complications were assessed. Analysis focused on comparing data before first, fourth, and one year after the last course of RLT. Results: Study showed decreasing of all blood parameters in long-term observation, especially in lymphocytes line. Type of radioisotope, other diseases, primary tumor location, BMI, gender or age did not affect results. The only factor that had influence on hemoglobin and erythrocytes was decreased renal filtration. In long-term observation almost 10% decrease of renal filtration was observed. Type of isotope, gender, age, BMI did not affect these results. Moreover, reduction of urine IL-18, KIM-1, and albumin concentration has been observed. Conclusions: Though low-grade complications of radioligand therapy are possible, it stay a safe method of NEN treatment where benefits outweigh the risk.
The Interaction between Message Sensation Value and Food Neophobia in Communication about Insect-Based Foods: An Experiment with Italian Consumers
Authors: Riverso Roberta , Amato Mario , Verneau Fabio , La Barbera Francesco
Published: January 2023

Currently, insects are considered as a promising alternative protein source due to their nutritional content and their environmental sustainability. Notwithstanding this, generally consumers show reluctance towards the introduction of edible insects into their diet, mostly influenced by food neophobia. Persuasive communication strategies (e.g., informational vs. emotional appeals) have been a major topic in consumer behavior research. Scholars often refer to the construct of message sensation value (MSV), which is defined as the intensity of audio, visual, and content features of a message that elicit sensory, affective, and arousal responses. In this work, a computer-based experiment (N = 148) was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of messages based on different levels of MSV in promoting the intention to eat insect-based foods, and interactions between MSV and food neophobia. Results indicate that, MSV, food neophobia, and their interaction significantly affect the willingness to consume insect-based food products with or without visible insects, highlighting novel pathways for segmenting consumers, in order to strengthen the communication effects.
Relationship between the Dietary Inflammatory Index Score and Cytokine Levels in Chinese Pregnant Women during the Second and Third Trimesters
Authors: Cui Tingkai , Zhang Jingchao , Liu Liyuan , Xiong Wenjuan , Su Yuanyuan , Han Yu , Gao Lei , Qu Zhiyi , Zhang Xin
Published: January 2023

The impact of dietary inflammatory potential on serum cytokine concentrations in second and third trimesters of Chinese pregnant women is not clear. A total of 175 pregnant women from the Tianjin Maternal and Child Health Education and Service Cohort (TMCHESC) were included. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was calculated based on 24-h food records. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in the second and third trimesters were measured. The mean DII scores (mean ± SD) were −0.07 ± 1.65 and 0.06 ± 1.65 in the second and third trimesters, respectively. In the third trimester, IL-1β (p = 0.039) and MCP-1 (p = 0.035) levels decreased and then increased with increasing DII scores. IL-10 concentrations decreased in pregnant women whose DII scores increased between the second and third trimesters (p = 0.011). Thiamin and vitamin C were negatively correlated with MCP-1 (β = −0.879, and β = −0.003) and IL-6 (β = −0.602, and β = −0.002) levels in the third trimester. In conclusion, the DII score had a U-shaped association with cytokine levels during the third trimester. Changes in DII scores between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were correlated with cytokine levels during the third trimester.
The Application of Clustering on Principal Components for Nutritional Epidemiology: A Workflow to Derive Dietary Patterns
Authors: Maugeri Andrea , Barchitta Martina , Favara Giuliana , La Mastra Claudia , La Rosa Maria Clara , Magnano San Lio Roberta , Agodi Antonella
Published: January 2023

In the last decades, different multivariate techniques have been applied to multidimensional dietary datasets to identify meaningful patterns reflecting the dietary habits of populations. Among them, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis represent the two most used techniques, either applied separately or in parallel. Here, we propose a workflow to combine PCA, hierarchical clustering, and a K-means algorithm in a novel approach for dietary pattern derivation. Since the workflow presents certain subjective decisions that might affect the final clustering solution, we also provide some alternatives in relation to different dietary data used. For example, we used the dietary data of 855 women from Catania, Italy. Our approach—defined as clustering on principal components—could be useful to leverage the strengths of each method and to obtain a better cluster solution. In fact, it seemed to disentangle dietary data better than simple clustering algorithms. However, before choosing between the alternatives proposed, it is suggested to consider the nature of dietary data and the main questions raised by the research.
What’s to Eat and Drink on Campus? Public and Planetary Health, Public Higher Education, and the Public Good
Authors: Cleveland David Arthur
Published: January 2023

Public higher education institutions (PHEIs) have a unique and important role in responding to the public and planetary health crisis—they are centers of research on public and planetary health and of learning for young people, and have a public good mission. Yet, PHEI campus food environments are predominantly unhealthy and environmentally unsustainable, and associated with unhealthy food choices and unhealthy students. PHEIs are addressing high levels of student food insecurity (FI) that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable groups. Yet, because student FI is measured as individual access to adequate quantities of food, campus responses to FI often overlook unhealthy food environments. These environments result from neoliberal PHEI business policies that prioritize short-term revenue and encourage superfluous consumption, and unhealthy, environmentally harmful diets. PHEIs need to move beyond neoliberalism to honor their public good mission, including prioritizing health, the environment, and equity, in decisions about food on campus. My goal in this perspective is to encourage inclusive campus discussion about why this change is required to adequately respond to the crisis of student, public, and planetary health, and about how to begin.
The Comparison of the Influence of Bisphenol A (BPA) and Its Analogue Bisphenol S (BPS) on the Enteric Nervous System of the Distal Colon in Mice
Authors: Makowska Krystyna , Lepiarczyk Ewa , Gonkowski Slawomir
Published: January 2023

Bisphenol A (BPA), commonly used as a plasticizer in various branches of industry has a strong negative effect on living organisms. Therefore, more and more often it is replaced in production of plastics by other substances. One of them is bisphenol S (BPS). This study for the first time compares the impact of BPA and BPS on the enteric neurons using double immunofluorescence technique. It has been shown that both BPA and BPS affect the number of enteric neurons containing substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS—a marker of nitrergic neurons) and/or vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT- a marker of cholinergic neurons). The changes noted under the impact of both bisphenols are similar and consisted of an increase in the number of enteric neurons immunoreactive to all neuronal factors studied. The impact of BPS on some populations of neurons was stronger than that noted under the influence of BPA. The obtained results clearly show that BPS (similarly to BPA) administered for long time is not neutral for the enteric neurons even in relatively low doses and may be more potent than BPA for certain neuronal populations.
Is There a Link between Obesity Indices and Skin Autofluorescence? A Response from the ILERVAS Project
Authors: Sánchez Enric , Sánchez Marta , López-Cano Carolina , Bermúdez-López Marcelino , Valdivielso José Manuel , Farràs-Sallés Cristina , Pamplona Reinald , Torres Gerard , Mauricio Dídac , Castro Eva , Fernández Elvira , Lecube Albert
Published: January 2023

There is controversial information about the accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in obesity. We assessed the impact of total and abdominal adiposity on AGE levels via a cross-sectional investigation with 4254 middle-aged subjects from the ILERVAS project. Skin autofluorescence (SAF), a non-invasive assessment of subcutaneous AGEs, was measured. Total adiposity indices (BMI and Clínica Universidad de Navarra-Body Adiposity Estimator (CUN-BAE)) and abdominal adiposity (waist circumference and body roundness index (BRI)) were assessed. Lean mass was estimated using the Hume index. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was evaluated for each index. Different cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, prediabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia) were evaluated. In the study population, 26.2% showed elevated SAF values. No differences in total body fat, visceral adiposity and lean body mass were detected between patients with normal and high SAF values. SAF levels showed a very slight but positive correlation with total body fat percentage (estimated by the CUN-BAE formula) and abdominal adiposity (estimated by the BRI). However, none of them had sufficient power to identify patients with high SAF levels (area under the ROC curve <0.52 in all cases). Finally, a progressive increase in SAF levels was observed in parallel with cardiovascular risk factors in the entire population and when patients with normal weight, overweight and obesity were evaluated separately. In conclusion, total obesity and visceral adiposity are not associated with a greater deposit of AGE. The elevation of AGE in obesity is related to the presence of cardiometabolic risk.
The Acute Effect of Multi-Ingredient Antioxidant Supplementation following Ionizing Radiation
Authors: Xhuti Donald , Rebalka Irena A. , Minhas Mahek , May Linda , Murphy Kieran , Nederveen Joshua P. , Tarnopolsky Mark A.
Published: January 2023

Radiation exposure is an undeniable health threat encountered in various occupations and procedures. High energy waves in ionizing radiation cause DNA damage and induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which further exacerbate DNA, protein, and lipid damage, increasing risk of mutations. Although endogenous antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase have evolved to upregulate and neutralize ROS, exogenous dietary antioxidants also have the potential to combat ionizing radiation (IR)-induced ROS production. We evaluated a cocktail of ingredients (AOX) purported to have antioxidant and mitochondrial protective properties on the acute effects of IR. We show that IR stimulates DNA damage through phosphorylation of DNA repair proteins in the heart, brain, and liver of mice. AOX showed partial protection in brain and liver, through a lack of significant activation in given repair proteins. In addition, AOX attenuated the IR-induced increase in NF-kβ mRNA and protein expression in brain and liver. Lastly, cytochrome c oxidase complex transcripts were significantly higher in heart and brain following radiation, which was also diminished by prior ingestion of AOX. Together, our findings suggest that a multi-ingredient AOX supplement may attenuate the IR-induced cellular damage response and represents a feasible and cost-effective preventative supplement for at-risk populations of radiation exposure.
Sex Differences in Salt Appetite: Perspectives from Animal Models and Human Studies
Authors: Santollo Jessica , Daniels Derek , Leshem Micah , Schulkin Jay
Published: January 2023

Salt ingestion by animals and humans has been noted from prehistory. The search for salt is largely driven by a physiological need for sodium. There is a large body of literature on sodium intake in laboratory rats, but the vast majority of this work has used male rats. The limited work conducted in both male and female rats, however, reveals sex differences in sodium intake. Importantly, while humans ingest salt every day, with every meal and with many foods, we do not know how many of these findings from rodent studies can be generalized to men and women. This review provides a synthesis of the literature that examines sex differences in sodium intake and highlights open questions. Sodium serves many important physiological functions and is inextricably linked to the maintenance of body fluid homeostasis. Indeed, from a motivated behavior perspective, the drive to consume sodium has largely been studied in conjunction with the study of thirst. This review will describe the neuroendocrine controls of fluid balance, mechanisms underlying sex differences, sex differences in sodium intake, changes in sodium intake during pregnancy, and the possible neuronal mechanisms underlying these differences in behavior. Having reviewed the mechanisms that can only be studied in animal experiments, we address sex differences in human dietary sodium intake in reproduction, and with age.
The Relationship among Bowel [18]F-FDG PET Uptake, Pathological Complete Response, and Eating Habits in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Tiberio Paola , Antunovic Lidija , Gaudio Mariangela , Viganò Alessandro , Pastore Manuela , Miggiano Chiara , Jacobs Flavia , Benvenuti Chiara , Farina Elisabetta , Chiti Arturo , Santoro Armando , De Sanctis Rita
Published: January 2023

Recently, the impact of patients’ eating habits on both breast cancer (BC) management and inflammation have been proven. Here, we investigated whether inflammatory habits could correlate with baseline bowel [18]F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake and the latter, in turn, with pathological Complete Response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We included stage I–III BC undergoing standard NAC at IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Italy. Patients fulfilled a survey concerning eating/lifestyle behaviors and performed a staging [18]F-FDG positrone emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). In the absence of data on the effects of individual foods, we aggregated drink and food intake for their known inflammatory properties. Data were recorded for 82 women (median age, 48). We found positive correlations between colon mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) and pro-inflammatory drinks (alcohol and spirits; r = +0.33, p < 0.01) and foods (red and cured meats; r = +0.25, p = 0.04), and a significant negative correlation between rectum SUVmean and anti-inflammatory foods (fruits and vegetables; r = −0.23, p = 0.04). Furthermore, colon SUVmean was significantly lower in patients with pCR compared to non pCR (p = 0.02). Our study showed, for the first time, that patients’ eating habits affected bowel [18]F-FDG uptake and that colon SUVmean correlated with pCR, suggesting that PET scan could be an instrument for identifying patients presenting unhealthy behaviors.
The Impact of Heat Acclimation on Gastrointestinal Function following Endurance Exercise in a Hot Environment
Authors: Sumi Daichi , Nagatsuka Haruna , Matsuo Kaori , Okazaki Kazunobu , Goto Kazushige
Published: January 2023

To determine the effects of heat acclimation on gastrointestinal (GI) damage and the gastric emptying (GE) rate following endurance exercise in a hot environment. Fifteen healthy men were divided into two groups: endurance training in hot (HOT, 35 °C, n = 8) or cool (COOL, 18 °C, n = 7) environment. All subjects completed 10 days of endurance training (eight sessions of 60 min continuous exercise at 50% of the maximal oxygen uptake (V·O2max). Subjects completed a heat stress exercise tests (HST, 60 min exercise at 60% V·O2max) to evaluate the plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) level and the GE rate following endurance exercise in a hot environment (35 °C) before (pre-HST) and after (post-HST) the training period. We assessed the GE rate using the 13C-sodium acetate breath test. The core temperature during post-HST exercise decreased significantly in the HOT group compared to the pre-HST (p = 0.004) but not in the COOL group. Both the HOT and COOL groups showed exercise-induced plasma I-FABP elevations in the pre-HST (p = 0.002). Both groups had significantly attenuated exercise-induced I-FABP elevation in the post-HST. However, the reduction of exercise-induced I-FABP elevation was not different significantly between both groups. GE rate following HST did not change between pre- and post-HST in both groups, with no significant difference between two groups in the post-HST. Ten days of endurance training in a hot environment improved thermoregulation, whereas exercise-induced GI damage and delay of GE rate were not further attenuated compared with training in a cool environment.
Osteosarcopenic Adiposity and Nutritional Status in Older Nursing Home Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cvijetić Selma , Keser Irena , Boschiero Dario , Ilich Jasminka Z.
Published: January 2023

The aim was to evaluate body composition and prevalence of osteosarcopenic adiposity (OSA) in nursing home residents (NHR) and to assess their nutritional status. This research builds on our pilot study (conducted prior COVID-19 pandemic) that revealed high OSA prevalence and poor nutritional status in NHR. The current study included newly recruited n = 365 NHR; 296 women, 69 men, aged 84.3 ± 5.6 and 83.1 ± 7.3 years, respectively. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance BIA-ACC®, yielding total bone mass along with all components of lean and adipose tissues. The Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) was used to assess nutritional status. Participants reported about their present/past diseases, including COVID-19. Mean duration of stay in nursing homes was 46.3 ± 47.0 months. Approximately 30% of participants had COVID-19 prior (median 6.7 months) to entering the study. OSA was diagnosed in 70.8% women and 47.8% men (p < 0.001). Malnourishment was detected in 5.8% women and 6.2% men while the risk of malnourishment was found in 30.8% women and 30.0% men. No significant differences in age, body composition parameters, prevalence of OSA, malnutrition/risk for malnutrition were found in participants who had COVID-19 compared to those who did not. Regression analysis showed that intramuscular adipose tissue (%) was significantly positively, while bone mass was significantly negatively associated with OSA. In this population, the high prevalence of OSA coincided with the high prevalence of malnutrition/risk of malnutrition. Such unfavorable body composition status is more likely a consequence of potentially poor diet quality in nursing homes, rather than of health hazards caused by COVID-19.
Treatment of Dyslipidemia through Targeted Therapy of Gut Microbiota
Authors: Flaig Brandon , Garza Rachel , Singh Bhavdeep , Hamamah Sevag , Covasa Mihai
Published: January 2023

Dyslipidemia is a multifaceted condition with various genetic and environmental factors contributing to its pathogenesis. Further, this condition represents an important risk factor for its related sequalae including cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. Emerging evidence has shown that gut microbiota and their metabolites can worsen or protect against the development of dyslipidemia. Although there are currently numerous treatment modalities available including lifestyle modification and pharmacologic interventions, there has been promising research on dyslipidemia that involves the benefits of modulating gut microbiota in treating alterations in lipid metabolism. In this review, we examine the relationship between gut microbiota and dyslipidemia, the impact of gut microbiota metabolites on the development of dyslipidemia, and the current research on dietary interventions, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and microbiota transplant as therapeutic modalities in prevention of cardiovascular disease. Overall, understanding the mechanisms by which gut microbiota and their metabolites affect dyslipidemia progression will help develop more precise therapeutic targets to optimize lipid metabolism.
Association between Different Types of Plant-Based Diets and Dyslipidemia in Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese Participants
Authors: Wang Lu , Li Yuanyuan , Liu Yan , Zhang Huanwen , Qiao Tingting , Chu Lei , Luo Tao , Zhang Zewen , Dai Jianghong
Published: January 2023

Plant-based dietary patterns may reduce the risk of dyslipidemia. However, not all plant-based foods are beneficial, and limited data exist for the Chinese population. We investigated the association between different plant-based dietary indices and the risk of dyslipidemia in a Chinese middle-aged and elderly population. The study participants (n = 4096) consisted of adults between 35 and 74 years of age from Xinjiang, China. Dietary consumption of the study participants was evaluated using a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Three different plant-based dietary indices were calculated using data from dietary surveys, including overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI). Based on these indices, we created an adjusted plant-based diet index (aPDI) based on the Xinjiang population actual dietary behavior and health effects of food. We measured the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C, and HDL-C in the blood of the study participants. We used multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic spline to analyze the relationship between plant-based diets and dyslipidemia. The findings showed that 36.6% of the participants had dyslipidemia. Higher PDI adherence was related to lower odds of dyslipidemia (Q3 vs. Q1, OR: 0.780, 95% CI: 0.641–0.949; Q4 vs. Q1, OR: 0.799, 95% CI: 0.659–0.970). High aPDI was related to lower odds of dyslipidemia (Q4 vs. Q1, OR: 0.770, 95% CI: 0.628–0.945; Q5 vs. Q1, OR: 0.748, 95% CI: 0.607–0.921). High scores for PDI, hPDI, and aPDI were all related to a reduced risk of low HDL-C (OR: 0.638, 95% CI: 0.491–0.823; OR: 0.661, 95% CI: 0.502–0.870; OR: 0.580, 95% CI: 0.443–0.758). Conversely, a high uPDI score was associated with an increased risk of low HDL-C (OR: 1.349, 95% CI: 1.046–1.740). There was no non-linear relationship between PDI, hPDI, uPDI, and aPDI and the risk of different types of dyslipidemia. Plant-based dietary indices are related to specific types of dyslipidemia risk. Appropriately increasing the consumption of plant-based foods while improving the quality of plant-based dietary patterns is critical for the prevention of dyslipidemia, especially low HDL-C, in the population.
Formal Quality and Compliance of Informed Consent Forms in Critical Care and Surgical Areas in Spain: An Observational Study
Authors: García-Álvarez José Manuel , Díaz-Agea José Luis , Suárez-Cortés María , Molina-Rodríguez Alonso , Jiménez-Ruiz Ismael , García-Sánchez Alfonso
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: The informed consent form must contain all the relevant information about the procedure to be performed to guarantee the patient’s freedom to choose. (2) Objective: To analyze the formal quality of, and compliance with informed consent forms in critical care and surgical areas in a county hospital in Spain. (3) Methods: The formal quality of informed consent forms in critical care and surgical areas from the hospital were analyzed, following the established formal quality criteria for informed consent forms. The compliance with specific criteria for each of the operated patients during the period of study was also evaluated. (4) Results: The formal quality of 224 informed consent forms was analyzed from 8 disciplines observing a median of non-compliances of 4 with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5, with the most breaches being in verifying the delivery of a copy to the patient and showing contraindications. The compliance of 376 documents from 188 operated patients were assessed, highlighting that the non-complied items were: the personalized risks and complete identification of the patient and the physician. A significant association was found between disciplines analyzed and the identification of the physician and personalized risks, with anesthesia and critical care showing the best compliance. (4) Conclusions: The informed consent forms in critical care and surgical areas were shown to have a deficient formal quality and an inadequate compliance. These deficiencies should be corrected to improve the information received by the patients and to guarantee their freedom to choose. As nurses have a responsibility to ensure that patients are adequately informed about both nursing interventions and care, as well as the surgical treatments they receive, consideration should be given to the possibility of nursing professionals taking the lead in obtaining informed consent.
Coral-Focused Climate Change Adaptation and Restoration Based on Accelerating Natural Processes: Launching the “Reefs of Hope” Paradigm
Authors: Bowden-Kerby Austin
Published: January 2023

The widespread demise of coral reefs due to climate change is now a certainty, and investing in restoration without facing this stark reality risks failure. The 50 Reefs Initiative, the dominant adaptation model for coral reefs is examined, and a new coral-focused paradigm is proposed, based on helping coral reefs adapt to rising temperature, to ensure that as many coral species as possible survive locally over time. With pilot sites established in six Pacific Island nations, genebank nurseries of bleaching resistant corals are secured in cooler waters, to help prevent their demise as heat stress increases. Unbleached corals selected during bleaching events are included. From these nurseries corals are harvested to create nucleation patches of genetically diverse pre-adapted corals, which become reproductively, ecologically and biologically viable at reef scale, spreading out over time. This “Reefs of Hope” paradigm, modelled on tropical forest restoration, creates dense coral patches, using larger transplants or multiple small fragments elevated on structures, forming fish habitat immediately. The fish help increase coral and substratum health, which presumably will enhance natural larval-based recovery processes. We also hypothesize that incoming coral recruits, attracted to the patch, are inoculated by heat adapted algal symbionts, facilitating adaptation of the wider reef. With global emissions out of control, the most we can hope for is to buy precious time for coral reefs by saving coral species and coral diversity that will not likely survive unassisted.
Exploring the Limits of Reactivity of N-Methyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (MeTAD) with Disubstituted Bicycloalkadienes in the Homo-Diels–Alder Reaction
Authors: Breton Gary W. , Martin Kenneth L.
Published: January 2023

The [2+2+2] cycloaddition (homo-Diels–Alder reaction) of N-substituted 1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-diones (TADs) with bicycloalkadienes produces strained heterocyclic compounds. A reaction with the unsubstituted dienes occurs readily to produce only the expected homo-Diels–Alder adducts. However, previous work in the literature showed that the attachment of a single electron-withdrawing group to the diene system results in the formation of not only the expected homo-Diels–Alder adducts, but also interesting “insertion” products. To probe the limits of reactivity of these diene systems, we investigated the reaction of N-methyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (MeTAD) with bicycloalkadienes substituted with two electron-withdrawing groups, i.e., two carbomethoxy or two cyano groups. We hoped to learn whether the reaction still proceeded, and if so, whether the homo-Diels–Alder adducts and/or other types of products were formed. We found that a reaction between MeTAD and the dienes takes place upon substitution with two carbomethoxy groups, albeit at a considerably slower rate than other reactions. The only products observed were the homo-Diels–Alder adducts. However, attachment of two CN groups completely inhibited reactivity.