bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Comparison of Methods to Evaluate Heat Generated by Magnetic Nanofluids Exposed to Alternating Magnetic Fields
Authors: Sieni Elisabetta , Geninatti Crich Simonetta , Ruggiero Maria Rosaria , Del Bianco Lucia , Spizzo Federico , Bertani Roberta , Mozzon Mirto , Barozzi Marco , Forzan Michele , Sgarbossa Paolo
Published: February 2023

The paper aims to compare different methods able to estimate the specific loss power (SLP) generated by three different types of magnetic nanoparticles, MNPs, dispersed in a suspension fluid, e.g., octane or water. The nanoparticles were characterized morphologically in terms of shape and size, chemically for composition and their physical properties like magnetization and SLP were studied. We evidenced the differences in SLP evaluation due to the applied method, particularly in the presence of thermally induced phenomena such as aggregation or precipitation of MNPs that can affect the heating curve of the samples. Then, the SLP determination methods less sensible to this phenomenon appear to be the ones that use the initial slope when the sample is in quasi-adiabatic condition. Finally, we propose a comparison of those methods based on the pros and cons of their use for the SLP determination of magnetic nanofluids. In particular, the analysis of the behavior of the heating curve is useful to evaluate the useful amplitude of the interval analysis for the initial slope methods.
Inactivation of Human Norovirus GII.4 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Sea Squirt (Halocynthia roretzi) by Floating Electrode-Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma
Authors: Song Min Gyu , Kim So Hee , Jeon Eun Bi , Ha Kwang Soo , Cho Sung Rae , Jung Yeoun Joong , Choi Eun Ha , Lim Jun Sup , Choi Jinsung , Park Shin Young
Published: February 2023

Human norovirus (HNoV) GII.4 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus may be found in sea squirts. Antimicrobial effects of floating electrode-dielectric barrier discharge (FE-DBD) plasma (5–75 min, N2 1.5 m/s, 1.1 kV, 43 kHz) treatment were examined. HNoV GII.4 decreased by 0.11–1.29 log copy/μL with increasing duration of treatment time, and further by 0.34 log copy/μL when propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment was added to distinguish infectious viruses. The decimal reduction time (D1) of non-PMA and PMA-treated HNoV GII.4 by first-order kinetics were 61.7 (R2 = 0.97) and 58.8 (R2 = 0.92) min, respectively. V. parahaemolyticus decreased by 0.16–1.5 log CFU/g as treatment duration increased. The D1 for V. parahaemolyticus by first-order kinetics was 65.36 (R2 = 0.90) min. Volatile basic nitrogen showed no significant difference from the control until 15 min of FE-DBD plasma treatment, increasing after 30 min. The pH did not differ significantly from the control by 45–60 min, and Hunter color in “L” (lightness), “a” (redness), and “b” (yellowness) values reduced significantly as treatment duration increased. Textures appeared to be individual differences but were not changed by treatment. Therefore, this study suggests that FE-DBD plasma has the potential to serve as a new antimicrobial to foster safer consumption of raw sea squirts.
Antioxidant Activities and Cytotoxicity of the Regulated Calcium Oxalate Crystals on HK-2 Cells of Polysaccharides from Gracilaria lemaneiformis with Different Molecular Weights
Authors: Liu Jing-Hong , Zheng Yu-Yun , Ouyang Jian-Ming
Published: February 2023

The antioxidant activities of seven degraded products (GLPs) with different molecular weights (Mw) of polysaccharides from Gracilaria lemaneiformis were compared. The Mw of GLP1–GLP7 were 106, 49.6, 10.5, 6.14, 5.06, 3.71 and 2.42 kDa, respectively. The results show that GLP2 with Mw = 49.6 kDa had the strongest scavenging capacity for hydroxyl radical, DPPH radical, ABTS radical and reducing power. When Mw < 49.6 kDa, the antioxidant activity of GLPs increased with the increase in Mw, but when Mw increased to 106 kDa, their antioxidant activity decreased. However, the ability of GLPs to chelate Fe2+ ions increased with the decrease in polysaccharide Mw, which was attributed to the fact that the polysaccharide active groups (–OSO3– and –COOH) were easier to expose, and the steric hindrance was smaller when GLPs chelated with Fe2+. The effects of GLP1, GLP3, GLP5 and GLP7 on the crystal growth of calcium oxalate (CaOx) were studied using XRD, FT-IR, Zeta potential and thermogravimetric analysis. Four kinds of GLPs could inhibit the growth of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and induce the formation of calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) in varying degrees. With the decrease in Mw of GLPs, the percentage of COD increased. GLPs increased the absolute value of the Zeta potential on the crystal surface and reduced the aggregation between crystals. Cell experiments showed that the toxicity of CaOx crystal regulated by GLPs to HK-2 cells was reduced, and the cytotoxicity of CaOx crystal regulated by GLP7 with the smallest Mw was the smallest, which was consistent with the highest SOD activity, the lowest ROS and MDA levels, the lowest OPN expression level and the lowest cell necrosis rate. These results suggest that GLPs, especially GLP7, may be a potential drug for the prevention and treatment of kidney stones.
Exploring Key Factors Driving Urban Foraging Behavior in Garden and Non-Garden Locations
Authors: Rombach Meike , Dean David L.
Published: February 2023

Since the occurrence of COVID-19 and food price inflation, alternative forms of food procurement increased in popularity. The present study is dedicated to urban foraging and aims to explore key factors driving food foraging behavior in the U.S. Two specific foraging behaviors, namely “leaving food behind” or “taking it all”, have been investigated in a gardening and non-gardening location. Leaving food behind is crucial to sustainable foraging practices, as it allows plants and ecosystems to recover and promotes fairness in foraging communities. Data was procured from an online consumer survey and analyzed using SmartPLS 4, which allowed the use of partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). PLS-SEM is particularly suitable for complex exploratory studies as it does not require distributional assumptions. Results indicate that nature and food attitudes predict attitudes toward urban foraging. Foraging attitudes, such as food foraging is challenging and food foraging benefits people and the planet, which are the most important drivers for taking or leaving behaviors in both types of locations. These findings are of relevance to managers in municipalities, landscape designers, horticultural businesses, and other stakeholders who create, shape, and govern landscapes used for food foraging.
Toward A U.S. AsianLatinx Intervention in Critical Mixed Race Studies and Interethnic Relations
Authors: Kandamby Kevin Ronny
Published: February 2023

Diasporic intimacies between Asian and Latinx groups have converged across the world for centuries; the mixing of these cultures and, as a result, mixed individuals are the effect of centuries of interactions with each other. In this article, I review the literature across Critical Mixed Race Studies (CMRS) and Asian and Latinx interethnic relations to situate an AsianLatinx intervention to understand how AsianLatinxs have continually been relegated to the subaltern despite their strong presence in the U.S. I argue that it is necessary to center the AsianLatinx lived experience to understand the interconnectedness of global Asian and Latinx communities. An AsianLatinx intervention disrupts monoracial frameworks of diaspora, mixed identity and interethnic relations to (re)imagine a reality that situates the complexities of mixedness tangential to racialization processes, identity formation and transnationalism.
Cretan Aging Cohort-Phase III: Methodology and Descriptive Characteristics of a Long-Term Longitudinal Study on Predictors of Cognitive Decline in Non-Demented Elderly from Crete, Greece
Authors: Basta Maria , Skourti Eleni , Alexopoulou Christina , Zampetakis Alexandros , Ganiaris Andronikos , Aligizaki Marina , Simos Panagiotis , Vgontzas Alexandros N.
Published: February 2023

Identifying modifiable factors that may predict long-term cognitive decline in the elderly with adequate daily functionality is critical. Such factors may include poor sleep quality and quantity, sleep-related breathing disorders, inflammatory cytokines and stress hormones, as well as mental health problems. This work reports the methodology and descriptive characteristics of a long-term, multidisciplinary study on modifiable risk factors for cognitive status progression, focusing on the 7-year follow-up. Participants were recruited from a large community-dwelling cohort residing in Crete, Greece (CAC; Cretan Aging Cohort). Baseline assessments were conducted in 2013–2014 (Phase I and II, circa 6-month time interval) and follow-up in 2020–2022 (Phase III). In total, 151 individuals completed the Phase III evaluation. Of those, 71 were cognitively non-impaired (CNI group) in Phase II and 80 had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In addition to sociodemographic, lifestyle, medical, neuropsychological, and neuropsychiatric data, objective sleep was assessed based on actigraphy (Phase II and III) and home polysomnography (Phase III), while inflammation markers and stress hormones were measured in both phases. Despite the homogeneity of the sample in most sociodemographic indices, MCI persons were significantly older (mean age = 75.03 years, SD = 6.34) and genetically predisposed for cognitive deterioration (APOE ε4 allele carriership). Also, at follow-up, we detected a significant increase in self-reported anxiety symptoms along with a substantial rise in psychotropic medication use and incidence of major medical morbidities. The longitudinal design of the CAC study may provide significant data on possible modifiable factors in the course of cognitive progression in the community-dwelling elderly.
Initial Development of a Patient-Reported Experience Measure for Older Adults Attending the Emergency Department: Part II—Focus Groups with Professional Caregivers
Authors: Graham Blair , Smith Jason E. , Nelmes Pam , Squire Rosalyn , Latour Jos M.
Published: February 2023

A wide range of healthcare professionals provide care for patients in the emergency department (ED). This study forms part of a wider exploration of the determinants of patient experience for older adults in the ED, to assist the development of a new patient-reported experience measure (PREM). Inter-professional focus groups aimed to build on findings from earlier interviews with patients conducted in the ED, by exploring professional perspectives on caring for older people in this setting. A total of thirty-seven clinicians, comprising nurses, physicians and support staff, participated in seven focus groups across three EDs in the United Kingdom (UK). The findings reinforced that meeting patients’ communication, care, waiting, physical, and environmental needs are all central to the delivery of an optimal experience. Meeting older patients’ basic needs, such as access to hydration and toileting, is a priority often shared by all ED team members, irrespective of their professional role or seniority. However, due to issues including ED crowding, a gap exists between the desirable and actual standards of care delivered to older adults. This may contrast with the experience of other vulnerable ED user groups such as children, where the provision of separate facilities and bespoke services is commonplace. Therefore, in addition to providing original insights into professional perspectives of delivering care to older adults in the ED, this study demonstrates that the delivery of suboptimal care to older adults may be a significant source of moral distress for ED staff. Findings from this study, earlier interviews, and the literature will be triangulated to formulate a comprehensive list of candidate items for inclusion in a newly developed PREM, for patients aged 65 years and older.
Sugar and Organic Acid Content Is Dependent on Tomato (Solanum Lycoperiscum L.) Peel Color
Authors: Anđelini Magdalena , Major Nikola , Išić Nina , Kovačević Tvrtko Karlo , Ban Dean , Palčić Igor , Radunić Mira , Goreta Ban Smiljana
Published: February 2023

The sensory properties of fruit and vegetables are a result of taste and aroma caused by many volatile and nonvolatile compounds. The sum of organic acids (malic and citric acids) and soluble sugars (fructose and glucose), as well as their balanced combination and interaction, contributes to the characterization of the tomato flavour. The ratio of sugars and organic acids is the key to the sweetness and sourness of tomatoes. This study aimed to determine the sugar and organic acid content, as well as several physicochemical parameters, of eight tomato landraces from Croatia. All the parameters investigated differed between the tomato landraces. The PLS-DA analysis showed that the most important parameters in tomato landrace discriminatory character are malic acid, fructooligosaccharide content, citric acid, dry matter. The results obtained show a significant positive correlation between tomato dry matter and sugar content. At the same time, fructose and sucrose content is negatively correlated with the green to red hue of tomato peel, as well as positively with the blue to yellow hue, indicating that the sugar content increases with yellow color intensity. The blue to yellow hue of the peel color also positively correlates with citric acid content.
Motivational Interviewing and Childhood Caries: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Arrow Peter , Raheb Joseph , McInnes Rowena
Published: February 2023

Background: This study tested the occurrence of early childhood caries (ECC) and changes in potential mediators of ECC after an early childhood oral health promotion intervention. Methods: Consenting parent/child dyads in Western Australia were randomised into test [motivational interviewing (MI) + anticipatory guidance (AG)] or control (lift the lip assessments by child health nurses). A questionnaire at baseline and follow-ups (at 18, 36 and 60 months) evaluated the parental factors and the children clinically examined. Data were analysed using parametric and non-parametric tests for two groups and paired comparisons. Multivariable analysis used negative binomial regression with robust standard errors for over-dispersed count data and effect estimates presented as incidence rate ratios. Results: Nine hundred and seventeen parent/child dyads were randomised (test n = 456; control n = 461). The parental attitude toward a child’s oral hygiene needs improved among the test group at the first follow-up (n = 377; baseline 1.8, SD 2.2, follow-up 1.5, SD 1.9, p = 0.005). Living in a non-fluoridated area and parents holding a fatalistic belief increased the risk of caries (IRR = 4.2, 95% CI 1.8–10.2 and IRR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.7–7.3), respectively, but MI/AG did not reduce the incidence of dental caries. Conclusion: The brief MI/AG oral health promotion intervention improved parental attitude but did not reduce ECC.
Meet the Medicines—A Crowdsourced Approach to Collecting and Communicating Information about Essential Medicines Online
Authors: Golumbic Yaela N. , Scroggie Kymberley R. , Kenneally Ciara R. , Lin Jiarun , Blyth Mitchell T. , Firmer Genevieve , Rutledge Peter J. , Motion Alice
Published: February 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains a list of medicines and medical devices, essential medicines, that should be available to everyone, to form a functioning healthcare system. Yet, many of these medicines remain out of reach for people around the world. One significant barrier to improving the accessibility of essential medicines is a paucity of information about both the extent and causes of this problem. E$$ENTIAL MEDICINE$ (E$$) is a citizen science project designed to investigate this deficit of information by recruiting members of the public to find, validate, compile and share information on essential medicines through an open, online database. Herein, we report an approach to crowdsourcing both the collection of information on the accessibility of essential medicines and the subsequent communication of these findings to diverse audiences. The Meet the Medicines initiative encourages members of the public to share information from the E$$ database, in a short video format appropriate for social media. This communication details the design and implementation of our crowdsourced approach and strategies for recruiting and supporting participants. We discuss data on participant engagement, consider the benefits and challenges of this approach and suggest ways to promote crowdsourcing practices for social and scientific good.
Meta-Analysis of Exploring the Effect of Curcumin Supplementation with or without Other Advice on Biochemical and Anthropometric Parameters in Patients with Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)
Authors: Różański Gracjan , Tabisz Hanna , Zalewska Marta , Niemiro Wojciech , Kujawski Sławomir , Newton Julia , Zalewski Paweł , Słomko Joanna
Published: February 2023

Metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is the most common chronic liver disease. MAFLD is characterized by the excessive presence of lipids in liver cells and metabolic diseases/dysfunctions, e.g., obesity, diabetes, pre-diabetes, or hypertension. Due to the current lack of effective drug therapy, the potential for non-pharmacological treatments such as diet, supplementation, physical activity, or lifestyle changes is being explored. For the mentioned reason, we reviewed databases to identify studies that used curcumin supplementation or curcumin supplementation together with the use of the aforementioned non-pharmacological therapies. Fourteen papers were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicate that the use of curcumin supplementation or curcumin supplementation together with changes in diet, lifestyle, and/or physical activity led to statistically significant positive changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), fasting blood insulin (FBI), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and waist circumference (WC). It appears that these therapeutic approaches may be effective in alleviating MAFLD, but more thorough, better designed studies are needed to confirm this.
Integrated-Based Curriculum of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms (ICPDF): What Factors Affect the Learning Outcome Attainment?
Authors: Chaerunisaa Anis Yohana , Habibi Akhmad , Muhaimin Muhaimin , Mailizar Mailizar , Wijaya Tommy Tanu , Al-Adwan Ahmad Samed
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to evaluate pharmacy students’ perceptions regarding the correlations among the quality of faculty members, institutional resources, an integrated-based curriculum of pharmaceutical dosage forms (ICPDF), and learning outcome attainment. The current study participants have attended courses (semesters 2 to 6) through the ICPDF in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. We distributed survey instruments to 212 pharmacy undergraduate students after one year of the curriculum implementation. We asked the students to fill in the instrument in which the indicators consist of a 7-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS, which included measurement and structural models through PLS-SEM. The findings informed that the quality of faculty members and institutional resources significantly predict ICPDF. Similarly, ICPDF plays a significant role in affecting learning outcome attainment. The quality of faculty members and institutional resources were not related to learning outcome attainment. Significances of differences were informed among students’ years in university regarding learning outcome attainment and ICPDF. However, insignificant differences emerged based on gender. The findings demonstrate the benefits of using the PLS-SEM approach to create a valid and reliable model, assessing the correlations between independent variables with the ICPDF and learning outcome attainment as two dependent variables.
Calculation and Allocation of Atmospheric Environment Governance Cost in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China
Authors: Song Jiekun , Liu Zhicheng , Chen Rui , Leng Xueli
Published: February 2023

Atmospheric environment governance requires necessary cost input. Only by accurately calculating regional atmospheric environment governance cost and scientifically allocating it within a region can the operability and realization of the coordinated governance of the regional environment be ensured. Firstly, based on the consideration of avoiding the technological regression of decision-making units, this paper constructs a sequential SBM-DEA efficiency measurement model and solves the shadow prices of various atmospheric environmental factors, that is, their unit governance costs. Secondly, combined with the emission reduction potential, the total regional atmospheric environment governance cost can be calculated. Thirdly, the Shapley value method is modified to calculate the contribution rate of each province to the whole region, and the equitable allocation scheme of the atmospheric environment governance cost is obtained. Finally, with the goal that the allocation scheme based on the fixed cost allocation DEA (FCA-DEA) model converges with the fair allocation scheme based on the modified Shapley value, a modified FCA-DEA model is constructed to achieve the efficiency and fairness of the allocation of atmospheric environment governance cost. The calculation and allocation of the atmospheric environmental governance cost in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in 2025 verify the feasibility and advantages of the models proposed in this paper.
The Role of Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis for Understanding COVID-19 Population Severity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dahu Butros M. , Alaboud Khuder , Nowbuth Avis Anya , Puckett Hunter M. , Scott Grant J. , Sheets Lincoln R.
Published: February 2023

Remote sensing (RS), satellite imaging (SI), and geospatial analysis have established themselves as extremely useful and very diverse domains for research associated with space, spatio-temporal components, and geography. We evaluated in this review the existing evidence on the application of those geospatial techniques, tools, and methods in the coronavirus pandemic. We reviewed and retrieved nine research studies that directly used geospatial techniques, remote sensing, or satellite imaging as part of their research analysis. Articles included studies from Europe, Somalia, the USA, Indonesia, Iran, Ecuador, China, and India. Two papers used only satellite imaging data, three papers used remote sensing, three papers used a combination of both satellite imaging and remote sensing. One paper mentioned the use of spatiotemporal data. Many studies used reports from healthcare facilities and geospatial agencies to collect the type of data. The aim of this review was to show the use of remote sensing, satellite imaging, and geospatial data in defining features and relationships that are related to the spread and mortality rate of COVID-19 around the world. This review should ensure that these innovations and technologies are instantly available to assist decision-making and robust scientific research that will improve the population health diseases outcomes around the globe.
The Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Public Health Problem—Interactions with Sleep Efficacy and Mental Health
Authors: Maierean Anca Diana , Vulturar Damiana Maria , Chetan Ioana Maria , Crivii Carmen-Bianca , Bala Cornelia , Vesa Stefan Cristian , Todea Doina Adina
Published: February 2023

With the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, it was stipulated that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may have a greater risk of morbidity and mortality and may even experience changes in their mental health. The aim of the current study is to evaluate how patients managed their disease (sleep apnea) during the COVID-19 pandemic, to determine if continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) usage changed after the beginning of the pandemic, to compare the stress level with the baseline, and to observe if any modifications are related to their individual characteristics. The present studies highlight the level of anxiety, which was high among patients with OSA during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.05), with its influence on weight control (62.5% of patients with high levels of stress gained weight) and sleep schedule (82.6% reported a change in sleep schedule). Patients with severe OSA and high levels of stress increased their CPAP usage (354.5 min/night vs. 399.5 min/night during the pandemic, p < 0.05). To conclude, in OSA patients, the presence of the pandemic led to a greater level of anxiety, changes in sleep schedule and weight gain because of job loss, isolation, and emotional changes, influencing mental health. A possible solution, telemedicine, could become a cornerstone in the management of these patients.
Burnout and Suicidal Behaviours in Health Professionals in Portugal: The Moderating Effect of Self-Esteem
Authors: Jesus Alexandra de , Pitacho Liliana , Moreira Ana
Published: February 2023

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of burnout on suicidal behaviours and the mediating effect of self-esteem in this relationship. A total of 1172 healthcare professionals working in Portugal’s private and public sector organisations participated in this study. The results indicate a high level of burnout among these professionals and that exhaustion (β = 0.16; p < 0.001) and disengagement (β = 0.24; p < 0.001) positively and significantly affect suicidal behaviours. In turn, self-esteem has a significant and negative effect (β = −0.51; p < 0.001) on suicidal behaviours. Self-esteem moderates the relationship between disengagement and suicidal behaviours (B = −0.12; p < 0.001) and the relationship between exhaustion and suicidal behaviours (B = −0.11; p < 0.001), representing an essential variable for future lines of research, namely on the role of self-esteem in preventing burnout and suicidal behaviours in professionals from other professional areas.
Barriers and Facilitators of Health and Well-Being in Informal Caregivers of Dementia Patients: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Duplantier Sally C. , Williamson Francesca A.
Published: February 2023

Background: Given the dramatic projected increase in Alzheimer’s disease globally and the increased risk of morbidity and mortality for family caregivers of these patients, there is an urgent need to provide more targeted, timely resources to support the health and well-being of these informal caregivers. Few studies have investigated the barriers to health and well-being and potential strategies to facilitate better self-care from the unique perspective of the caregivers themselves. Purpose: This qualitative study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to health and well-being for informal caregivers of family members with Alzheimer’s. Method: We conducted semi-structured interviews with eight informal caregivers, including daughters, wives, and one husband, ages 32 to 83. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, we identified three main themes and subthemes across caregivers’ experiences. Findings: We found that caregivers (1) prioritized mental and social well-being over physical health or health behaviors; (2) characterized the subjective burden of caregiving as a “mantle of responsibility” that could not easily be shed due to the complex subjective burden of loss, grief, guilt, resentment, isolation, loneliness, and lack of agency; (3) sought to be recognized as “additional patients”, instead of being viewed as invisible patients, with support services tailored to their life stage and challenges. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the subjective burden of strain experienced by family caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients has a profound impact on their health and well-being, even more so than the objective burden of strain that is the result of their day-to-day caregiving activities.
Deep Learning Algorithms with LIME and Similarity Distance Analysis on COVID-19 Chest X-ray Dataset
Authors: Chen Kuan-Yung , Lee Hsi-Chieh , Lin Tsung-Chieh , Lee Chih-Ying , Ho Zih-Ping
Published: February 2023

In the last few years, many types of research have been conducted on the most harmful pandemic, COVID-19. Machine learning approaches have been applied to investigate chest X-rays of COVID-19 patients in many respects. This study focuses on the deep learning algorithm from the standpoint of feature space and similarity analysis. Firstly, we utilized Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) to justify the necessity of the region of interest (ROI) process and further prepared ROI via U-Net segmentation that masked out non-lung areas of images to prevent the classifier from being distracted by irrelevant features. The experimental results were promising, with detection performance reaching an overall accuracy of 95.5%, a sensitivity of 98.4%, a precision of 94.7%, and an F1 score of 96.5% on the COVID-19 category. Secondly, we applied similarity analysis to identify outliers and further provided an objective confidence reference specific to the similarity distance to centers or boundaries of clusters while inferring. Finally, the experimental results suggested putting more effort into enhancing the low-accuracy subspace locally, which is identified by the similarity distance to the centers. The experimental results were promising, and based on those perspectives, our approach could be more flexible to deploy dedicated classifiers specific to different subspaces instead of one rigid end-to-end black box model for all feature space.
LPS Triggers Acute Neuroinflammation and Parkinsonism Involving NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway and Mitochondrial CI Dysfunction in the Rat
Authors: Valenzuela-Arzeta Irais E. , Soto-Rojas Luis O. , Flores-Martinez Yazmin M. , Delgado-Minjares Karen M. , Gatica-Garcia Bismark , Mascotte-Cruz Juan U. , Nava Porfirio , Aparicio-Trejo Omar Emiliano , Reyes-Corona David , Martínez-Dávila Irma A. , Gutierrez-Castillo M. E. , Espadas-Alvarez Armando J. , Orozco-Barrios Carlos E. , Martinez-Fong Daniel
Published: February 2023

Whether neuroinflammation leads to dopaminergic nigrostriatal system neurodegeneration is controversial. We addressed this issue by inducing acute neuroinflammation in the substantia nigra (SN) with a single local administration (5 µg/2 µL saline solution) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Neuroinflammatory variables were assessed from 48 h to 30 days after the injury by immunostaining for activated microglia (Iba-1 +), neurotoxic A1 astrocytes (C3 + and GFAP +), and active caspase-1. We also evaluated NLRP3 activation and Il-1β levels by western blot and mitochondrial complex I (CI) activity. Fever and sickness behavior was assessed for 24 h, and motor behavior deficits were followed up until day 30. On this day, we evaluated the cellular senescence marker β-galactosidase (β-Gal) in the SN and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the SN and striatum. After LPS injection, Iba-1 (+), C3 (+), and S100A10 (+) cells were maximally present at 48 h and reached basal levels on day 30. NLRP3 activation occurred at 24 h and was followed by a rise of active caspase-1 (+), Il-1β, and decreased mitochondrial CI activity until 48 h. A significant loss of nigral TH (+) cells and striatal terminals was associated with motor deficits on day 30. The remaining TH (+) cells were β-Gal (+), suggesting senescent dopaminergic neurons. All the histopathological changes also appeared on the contralateral side. Our results show that unilaterally LPS-induced neuroinflammation can cause bilateral neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system and are relevant for understanding Parkinson’s disease (PD) neuropathology.
A Novel Ambroxol-Derived Tetrahydroquinazoline with a Potency against SARS-CoV-2 Proteins
Authors: Krysantieva Alena I. , Voronina Julia K. , Safin Damir A.
Published: February 2023

We report synthesis of a novel 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazoline derivative, named 2-(6,8-dibromo-3-(4-hydroxycyclohexyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazolin-2-yl)phenol (1), which was obtained from the hydrochloride of 4-((2-amino-3,5-dibromobenzyl)amino)cyclohexan-1-ol (ambroxol hydrochloride) and salicylaldehyde in EtOH. The resulting compound was produced in the form of colorless crystals of the composition 1∙0.5EtOH. The formation of the single product was confirmed by the IR and 1H spectroscopy, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, and elemental analysis. The molecule of 1 contains a chiral tertiary carbon of the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine fragment and the crystal structure of 1∙0.5EtOH is a racemate. Optical properties of 1∙0.5EtOH were revealed by UV-vis spectroscopy in MeOH and it was established that the compound absorbs exclusively in the UV region up to about 350 nm. 1∙0.5EtOH in MeOH exhibits dual emission and the emission spectra contains bands at about 340 and 446 nm upon excitation at 300 and 360 nm, respectively. The DFT calculations were performed to verify the structure as well as electronic and optical properties of 1. ADMET properties of the R-isomer of 1 were evaluated using the SwissADME, BOILED-Egg, and ProTox-II tools. As evidenced from the blue dot position in the BOILED-Egg plot, both human blood–brain barrier penetration and gastrointestinal absorption properties are positive with the positive PGP effect on the molecule. Molecular docking was applied to examine the influence of the structures of both R-isomer and S-isomer of 1 on a series of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins. According to the docking analysis results, both isomers of 1 were found to be active against all the applied SARS-CoV-2 proteins with the best binding affinities with Papain-like protease (PLpro) and nonstructural protein 3 (Nsp3_range 207–379-AMP). Ligand efficiency scores for both isomers of 1 inside the binding sites of the applied proteins were also revealed and compared with the initial ligands. Molecular dynamics simulations were also applied to evaluate the stability of complexes of both isomers with Papain-like protease (PLpro) and nonstructural protein 3 (Nsp3_range 207–379-AMP). The complex of the S-isomer with Papain-like protease (PLpro) was found to be highly unstable, while the other complexes are stable.
Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Emerging Therapies—From Pathway to Target
Authors: Ivanov Anca Viorica , Alecsa Mirabela Smaranda , Popescu Roxana , Starcea Magdalena Iuliana , Mocanu Adriana Maria , Rusu Cristina , Miron Ingrith Crenguta
Published: February 2023

Over the past 40 years, the 5-years-overall survival rate of pediatric cancer reached 75–80%, and for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), exceeded 90%. Leukemia continues to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity for specific patient populations, including infants, adolescents, and patients with high-risk genetic abnormalities. The future of leukemia treatment needs to count better on molecular therapies as well as immune and cellular therapy. Advances in the scientific interface have led naturally to advances in the treatment of childhood cancer. These discoveries have involved the recognition of the importance of chromosomal abnormalities, the amplification of the oncogenes, the aberration of tumor suppressor genes, as well as the dysregulation of cellular signaling and cell cycle control. Lately, novel therapies that have already proven efficient on relapsed/refractory ALL in adults are being evaluated in clinical trials for young patients. Tirosine kinase inhibitors are, by now, part of the standardized treatment of Ph+ALL pediatric patients, and Blinatumomab, with promising results in clinical trials, received both FDA and EMA approval for use in children. Moreover, other targeted therapies such as aurora-kinase inhibitors, MEK-inhibitors, and proteasome-inhibitors are involved in clinical trials that include pediatric patients. This is an overview of the novel leukemia therapies that have been developed starting from the molecular discoveries and those that have been applied in pediatric populations.
Spinal Cord Injury and Complications Related to Neuraxial Anaesthesia Procedures: A Systematic Review
Authors: Pozza Daniel H. , Tavares Isaura , Cruz Célia Duarte , Fonseca Sara
Published: February 2023

The use of neuraxial procedures, such as spinal and epidural anaesthesia, has been linked to some possible complications. In addition, spinal cord injuries due to anaesthetic practice (Anaes-SCI) are rare events but remain a significant concern for many patients undergoing surgery. This systematic review aimed to identify high-risk patients summarise the causes, consequences, and management/recommendations of SCI due to neuraxial techniques in anaesthesia. A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted in accordance with Cochrane recommendations, and inclusion criteria were applied to identify relevant studies. From the 384 studies initially screened, 31 were critically appraised, and the data were extracted and analysed. The results of this review suggest that the main risk factors reported were extremes of age, obesity, and diabetes. Anaes-SCI was reported as a consequence of hematoma, trauma, abscess, ischemia, and infarction, among others. As a result, mainly motor deficits, sensory loss, and pain were reported. Many authors reported delayed treatments to resolve Anaes-SCI. Despite the potential complications, neuraxial techniques are still one of the best options for opioid-sparing pain prevention and management, reducing patients’ morbidity, improving outcomes, reducing the length of hospital stay, and pain chronification, with a consequent economic benefit. The main findings of this review highlight the importance of careful patient management and close monitoring during neuraxial anaesthesia procedures to minimise the risk of spinal cord injury and complications.
Exploiting Vitamin D Receptor and Its Ligands to Target Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck
Authors: Koll Laura , Gül Désirée , Elnouaem Manal I. , Raslan Hanaa , Ramadan Omneya R. , Knauer Shirley K. , Strieth Sebastian , Hagemann Jan , Stauber Roland H. , Khamis Aya
Published: February 2023

Vitamin D (VitD) and its receptor (VDR) have been intensively investigated in many cancers. As knowledge for head and neck cancer (HNC) is limited, we investigated the (pre)clinical and therapeutic relevance of the VDR/VitD-axis. We found that VDR was differentially expressed in HNC tumors, correlating to the patients’ clinical parameters. Poorly differentiated tumors showed high VDR and Ki67 expression, whereas the VDR and Ki67 levels decreased from moderate to well-differentiated tumors. The VitD serum levels were lowest in patients with poorly differentiated cancers (4.1 ± 0.5 ng/mL), increasing from moderate (7.3 ± 4.3 ng/mL) to well-differentiated (13.2 ± 3.4 ng/mL) tumors. Notably, females showed higher VitD insufficiency compared to males, correlating with poor differentiation of the tumor. To mechanistically uncover VDR/VitD’s pathophysiological relevance, we demonstrated that VitD induced VDR nuclear-translocation (VitD < 100 nM) in HNC cells. RNA sequencing and heat map analysis showed that various nuclear receptors were differentially expressed in cisplatin-resistant versus sensitive HNC cells including VDR and the VDR interaction partner retinoic acid receptor (RXR). However, RXR expression was not significantly correlated with the clinical parameters, and cotreatment with its ligand, retinoic acid, did not enhance the killing by cisplatin. Moreover, the Chou–Talalay algorithm uncovered that VitD/cisplatin combinations synergistically killed tumor cells (VitD < 100 nM) and also inhibited the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Importantly, these findings were confirmed in 3D-tumor-spheroid models mimicking the patients’ tumor microarchitecture. Here, VitD already affected the 3D-tumor-spheroid formation, which was not seen in the 2D-cultures. We conclude that novel VDR/VitD-targeted drug combinations and nuclear receptors should also be intensely explored for HNC. Gender-specific VDR/VitD-effects may be correlated to socioeconomic differences and need to be considered during VitD (supplementation)-therapies.
Latest Knowledge on the Role of Vitamin D in Hypertension
Authors: Jensen Niklas S. , Wehland Markus , Wise Petra M. , Grimm Daniela
Published: February 2023

Hypertension is the third leading cause of the global disease burden, and while populations live longer, adopt more sedentary lifestyles, and become less economically concerned, the prevalence of hypertension is expected to increase. Pathologically elevated blood pressure (BP) is the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related disability, thus making it imperative to treat this disease. Effective standard pharmacological treatments, i.e., diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blocker (ARBs), beta-adrenergic receptor blockers (BARBs), and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), are available. Vitamin D (vitD) is known best for its role in bone and mineral homeostasis. Studies with vitamin D receptor (VDR) knockout mice show an increased renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) activity and increased hypertension, suggesting a key role for vitD as a potential antihypertensive agent. Similar studies in humans displayed ambiguous and mixed results. No direct antihypertensive effect was shown, nor a significant impact on the human RAAS. Interestingly, human studies supplementing vitD with other antihypertensive agents reported more promising results. VitD is considered a safe supplement, proposing its great potential as antihypertensive supplement. The aim of this review is to examine the current knowledge about vitD and its role in the treatment of hypertension.
New Genetic Markers Differentiating IPEC and ExPEC Pathotypes—A New Approach to Genome-Wide Analysis Using a New Bioinformatics Tool
Authors: Majchrzak Marta , Sakowski Sebastian , Waldmajer Jacek , Parniewski Pawel
Published: February 2023

The increasingly expanding genomic databases generate the need for new tools for their processing and further use. In the paper, a bioinformatics tool, which is a search engine of microsatellite elements—trinucleotide repeat sequences (TRS) in files of FASTA type—is presented. An innovative approach was applied in the tool, which consists of connecting—within one search engine—both mapping of TRS motifs and extracting sequences that are found between the mapped TRS motifs. Accordingly, we present hereby the tool called TRS-omix, which comprises a new engine for searching information on genomes and enables generation of sets of sequences and their number, providing the basis for making comparisons between genomes. In our paper, we showed one of the possibilities of using the software. Using TRS-omix and other IT tools, we showed that we were able to extract sets of DNA sequences that can be assigned only to the genomes of the extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli strains or to the genomes of the intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, as well as providing the basis for differentiation of the genomes/strains belonging to each of these clinically essential pathotypes.
Recent Advances in the Preparation of Delivery Systems for the Controlled Release of Scents
Authors: Saura-Sanmartin Adrian , Andreu-Ardil Laura
Published: February 2023

Scents are volatile compounds highly employed in a wide range of manufactured items, such as fine perfumery, household products, and functional foods. One of the main directions of the research in this area aims to enhance the longevity of scents by designing efficient delivery systems to control the release rate of these volatile molecules and also increase their stability. Several approaches to release scents in a controlled manner have been developed in recent years. Thus, different controlled release systems have been prepared, including polymers, metal–organic frameworks and mechanically interlocked systems, among others. This review is focused on the preparation of different scaffolds to accomplish a slow release of scents, by pointing out examples reported in the last five years. In addition to discuss selected examples, a critical perspective on the state of the art of this research field is provided, comparing the different types of scent delivery systems.
Implications of Genomic Newborn Screening for Infant Mortality
Authors: Wojcik Monica H. , Gold Nina B.
Published: February 2023

Technological advances and decreasing costs of genomic sequencing have paved the way for the increased incorporation of genomics into newborn screening (NBS). Genomic sequencing may complement current NBS laboratory analyses or may be used as a first-tier screening tool to identify disorders not detected by current approaches. As a large proportion of infant deaths occur in children with an underlying genetic disorder, earlier diagnosis of these disorders may improve neonatal and infant mortality rates. This lends an additional layer of ethical consideration regarding genomic newborn screening. We review the current understanding of genomic contributions to infant mortality and explore the potential implications of expanded access to genomic screening for infant mortality rates.
Quality of Automatic Traffic Volume Counting by Cameras and Impact on the Qualitative Indicators of Traffic
Authors: Hoxha Gëzim , Fandaj Arjanit , Bajrami Xhevahir
Published: February 2023

This paper presents research on the collection, analysis, and evaluation of the fundamental data needed for road traffic systems. The basis for the research, analysis, planning and projections for traffic systems are traffic counts and data collection related to traffic volume and type. The quality and accuracy of this data are very important for traffic planning or optimization. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to apply advanced methods of automatic counting of motorized traffic and to evaluate the impact of this data on the measurement of important traffic indicators. The accuracy of measurements arising from the traditional method of data collection through manual counting will be compared with the most advanced methods of automatic counting through cameras. For this purpose, an analytical algorithm for the recognition and processing of data related to road users as a function of the time of day was applied. The program was written in the programming language Python, and the accuracy of the data and its effect on the results of qualitative traffic indicators were analyzed using the Synchro software model. The developed program is capable of recognizing and classifying different types of vehicles in traffic, such as motorbikes, motorcycles, cars, pick-ups, trucks, vans and buses, as well as counting the traffic volume over time. The results obtained from these two models show the advantages of applying advanced methods of data collection and processing related to dynamic traffic processes, as well as the quality in terms of the impact on the measurement of qualitative traffic indicators. A comparison of the quality of results for the different time intervals and varying levels of visibility in traffic is presented using tables and graphs. At nighttime, when visibility was poor, the discrepancy between the manual and automatic counting methods was around 9.5%. However, when visibility was good, the difference between manual counting and the automated program was 4.87% for the period 19:00–19:15 and 3.64% for the period 05:00–05:15. This discrepancy was especially noticeable when distinguishing between vehicle categories, due to the limitations in the accuracy in recognizing and measuring the dimensions of these vehicles. The difference between the two calculation models has a minor effect on qualitative traffic indicators such as: approach LOS, progression factor, v/s, v/c, clearance time, lane group flow, adj. flow, satd, and flow approach delay.