bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining bedtime procrastination, study engagement, and studyholism in undergraduate students, and their association with insomnia
Authors: Alshammari Tahani K. , Rogowska Aleksandra M. , Basharahil Raghad F. , Alomar Sumayyah F. , Alseraye Sarah S. , Al Juffali Lobna A. , Alrasheed Nouf M. , Alshammari Musaad A.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Compulsive overstudying, known as studyholism, is an emerging behavioral addiction. In this study, we examine the prevalence of, and the relationships between, insomnia, study engagement, studyholism, bedtime procrastination among undergraduate students.

Methods

The Studyholism (SI-10), Athens Insomnia (AIS), and bedtime procrastination scales were administered to a convenience sample of 495 university students.

Results

Our findings indicate that the prevalence of insomnia was 75.31%, high studyholism was found in 15.31% of the sample, and increased study engagement was detected in 16.94%. Gender differences analysis revealed that females reported higher studyholism and bedtime procrastination than males. Fifth-year students had higher levels of studyholism than internship (p < 0.001), first-year (p < 0.01), and sixth-year students (p < 0.05). Insomnia was positively related to studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Furthermore, insomnia can be positively predicted by studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Participants with a medium level of studyholism were twice as likely to experience insomnia as those with a low level. Studyholics were six times more susceptible to insomnia than students with low studyholism levels. Compared to individuals with low bedtime procrastination levels, those with medium and high bedtime procrastination were twice as likely to report insomnia.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the interplay between insomnia, studyholism, and bedtime procrastination. Further, the findings indicate the need to increase awareness of insomnia.
Internal structure of intonational categories: The (dis)appearance of a perceptual magnet effect
Authors: Rodd Joe , Chen Aoju
Published: January 2023

The question of whether intonation events are speech categories like phonemes and lexical tones has long been a puzzle in prosodic research. In past work, researchers have studied categoricality of pitch accents and boundary tones by examining perceptual phenomena stemming from research on phoneme categories (i.e., intonation boundary effects—peaks in discrimination sensitivity at category boundaries, perceptual magnet effects—sensitivity minima near the best exemplar or prototype of a category). Both lines of research have yielded mixed results. However, boundary effects are not necessarily related to categoricality of speech. Using improved methodology, the present study examines whether pitch accents have domain-general internal structure of categories by testing the perceptual magnet effect. Perceived goodness and discriminability of re-synthesized productions of Dutch rising pitch accent (L*H) were evaluated by native speakers of Dutch in three experiments. The variation between these stimuli was quantified using a polynomial-parametric modeling approach. A perceptual magnet effect was detected: (1) rated “goodness” decreased as acoustic-perceptual distance relative to the prototype increased (Experiment 1), and (2) equally spaced items far from the prototype were more frequently discriminated than equally spaced items in the neighborhood of the prototype (Experiment 2). These results provide first evidence for internal structure of pitch accents, similar to that found in color and phoneme categories. However, the discrimination accuracy gathered here was lower than that reported for phonemes. The discrimination advantage in the neighborhood far from the prototype disappeared when participants were tested on a very large number of stimuli (Experiment 3), similar to findings on phonemes and different from findings for lexical tones in neutral network simulations of distributional learning. These results suggest a more transient nature of the perceptual magnet effect in the perception of pitch accents and arguably weaker categoricality of pitch accents, compared to that of phonemes and in particular of lexical tones.
People with epilepsy have poor life satisfaction and self-rated health: Findings from the United Kingdom
Authors: Kang Weixi
Published: January 2023

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by brief, recurrent disturbances in the normal electrical functions of the brain that result in seizures. Although epilepsy is closely related to wellbeing, much less is known about how life satisfaction and SRH are affected by epilepsy in a nationally representative sample from the United Kingdom. The current research aims to investigate the difference in life satisfaction and SRH between people with epilepsy and people without epilepsy by using an innovative train-and-test approach on data collected between 2009 and 2010 from 428 people with epilepsy and 39,024 healthy controls while taking demographics into account. The results showed that people with epilepsy have both poorer life satisfaction and SRH compared to the scores that would be predicted by their demographics. This study implies that both life satisfaction and SRH are valid measures of wellbeing in people with epilepsy. Health professionals may utilize findings from the current study to come up with ways that can benefit wellbeing of people with epilepsy.
Safety, effectiveness and hesitancy of COVID-19 vaccination in children: A cross-sectional study in Pakistan
Authors: Zaufishan Zaufishan , Usman Muhammad , Fishan Mumtaz Khandah , Bilal Rabiea , Arshad Alina , Khan Humaira Majeed
Published: January 2023

Background

The elevated risk of serious complications like myocarditis and pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, especially in adolescent has been reported in some instances that need to be tested in regional populations and different ethnicity groups. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the side effects, hesitancy, and effectiveness outcomes following COVID-19 vaccination among children in Pakistan.

Methods

The study was planned using a cross-sectional design and data from Children and Adolescents (CA) was collected through a convenient sampling method using a validated questionnaire between February to July 2022. A total of 1,108 CA between the age of 12–18 years who received one or two doses of vaccine were selected and data were collected through direct interviews with respondents.

Results

The results showed that among 99.8% of respondents who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, 72.3% of respondents were partially vaccinated (with one dose) while 27.7% were fully vaccinated (with two doses). COVID vaccination regime had a favorable safety profile in children as compared to adults. Vaccine hesitancy in children was reported to be 52.4% and the most common reasons for hesitance were the assumption that the vaccine is not safe (23.7%), the vaccine is not required (19.6%) and the vaccine is not effective (10.4%). The reported side effects were mainly mild (88.5%) followed by moderate (10.6%) and only 0.8% were of severe intensity. Post-vaccination local side effects of mild intensity were common with an onset of an average of 24 h (68%) and a duration of 2–3 days (60.6%). The reported side effects were significantly associated with gender (p = 0.00) while age had no significant effect on the occurrence of side effects. Overall, the vaccine was well tolerated by children and adolescents and was effective in preventing the reoccurrence of COVID-19 infection in 99.9% of participants.

Conclusion

COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer approved by the FDA for use in CA 12–18 years of age was well tolerated with a good safety profile and no serious adverse drug reactions were reported. The vaccine side effects were mild (88.5%) and lasted for an average of 2–3 days only (60.4%). The vaccine was effective in safeguarding Children against COVID-19 infection.
Esophageal foreign body removal under holmium laser-assisted gastroscope: A case report
Authors: Yang Zhe , Qin Shanyu , Li Xiaomin
Published: January 2023

As a common clinical emergence, esophageal foreign body can lead to esophageal perforation followed by severe complications including aortic injury, mediastinal abscess and airway obstruction, leading to a high rate of mortality. Therefore, fast and effective diagnosis and treatment are of great necessity. In this case, holmium laser-assisted gastroscopy was adopted to remove the foreign body incarcerated in the esophagus, allowing patients to avoid traumatic and costly surgeries. It is a supplement to traditional methods of foreign body removal. The new combination tried in this report can bring development and innovation inspiration to the development of endoscopic technology.
Reduction in Airfoil Trailing-Edge Noise Using a Pulsed Laser as an Actuator
Authors: Ogura Keita , Kojima Yoimi , Imai Masato , Konishi Kohei , Nakakita Kazuyuki , Kameda Masaharu
Published: January 2023

Trailing-edge noise (TE noise) is an aeroacoustic sound radiated from an isolated airfoil in the specific ranges of low-speed flow. We used a pulsed laser as an actuator to reduce the TE noise without modifying the airfoil’s surface. The wind tunnel test was conducted to verify the capability of an Nd:YAG laser as the actuator. The laser beam was focused into the air just outside the velocity boundary layer on the lower side of an NACA0012 airfoil. The experimental result shows that the TE noise is suppressed for a certain period after beam irradiations. We then analyzed the physical mechanism of the noise reduction with the laser actuation by the implicit large eddy simulation (ILES), a high-fidelity numerical method for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The numerical investigations indicate that the pulsed energy deposition changes the unstable velocity amplification mode of the boundary layer, the source of an acoustic feedback loop radiating the TE noise, to another mode that does not generate the TE noise. The sound wave attenuation is observed once the induced velocity fluctuations and consequently generated vortices sweep out the flow structure of the unstable mode. We also examined the effect of the laser irradiation zone’s shape by numerical simulations. The results show that the larger irradiation zone, which introduces the disturbances over a wider range in the span direction, is more effective in reducing the TE noise than the shorter focusing length with the same energies.
Does the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation and Subjective Financial Firm Performance Have an Inverted U-Shape? Evidence from Southeast European SMEs
Authors: Šlogar Helena , Morić Milovanović Bojan , Hrvatin Stella
Published: January 2023

Many academic studies have focused on exploring various interactions between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance, where, in general, the findings confirmed their existence to be of positive character. However, many authors indicated a need to further test the possibilities concerning the nonlinearity between EO and firm performance. Moreover, since many research studies on this topic have been conducted in developed countries, there is still a need for such studies in developing countries, especially in the region of southeast Europe. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence of nonlinearity between EO and subjective financial performance among SMEs in southeastern European countries. Data was collected from decisionmakers of the 963 SMEs operating in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Proposed hypotheses were tested using hierarchical linear regression analysis. Research results confirmed existence of the positive direct relationship EO has on financial performance, including the positive effects on sales growth and profit-to-sales ratio. On the other hand, results have not confirmed existence of nonlinearity effects that EO has on financial performance, sales growth, nor on the profit-to-sales ratio. In other words, the observed relationship does not exhibit inversed U-shape characteristics among southeast European SMEs.
Space-Time Finite Element Method for Fully Intrinsic Equations of Geometrically Exact Beam
Authors: Chen Lidao , Hu Xin , Liu Yong
Published: January 2023

In this paper, a space-time finite element method based on a Galerkin-weighted residual method is proposed to solve the nonlinear fully intrinsic equations of geometrically exact beam which are first-order partial differential equations about time and space. Therefore, it is natural to discretize it in time and space simultaneously. Considering the continuity and intrinsic boundary conditions in the spatial direction and the continuity and periodic boundary conditions in the time direction, the boundary value scheme of space-time finite element for solving the full intrinsic equations is derived. This method has been successfully applied to the static analysis and dynamic response solution of the fully intrinsic equations of nonlinear geometrically exact beam. The numerical results of several examples are compared with the analytical solution, existing algorithms, and literature to illustrate the applicability, accuracy and efficiency of this method.
Predefined-Time Control of a Spacecraft Attitude with Thrust Booms
Authors: Kong Xianglong , Sun Yue , Guo Yanning , Ma Guangfu , Gong Youmin
Published: January 2023

A predefined-time attitude controller for electric spacecraft and its thrust booms is investigated by combining a second-order sliding mode control with predefined-time disturbance observer. First, an Eulerian–Lagrangian attitude dynamics model of the electric spacecraft with thrust booms is constructed; meanwhile, the coupling between the spacecraft platform and thrust boom is treated as the disturbance when designing the controller. Next, a predefined-time convergent second-order sliding surface and reaching law are designed to ensure the predefined-time fast convergence. The second-order sliding surface can avoid the chattering problem of controller and improve the anti-disturbance capability of the spacecraft. Furthermore, a novel predefined-time disturbance observer is developed to handle the disturbances, ensuring that the tracking error of the system converges to the equilibrium. At last, the simulation is performed to verify the feasibility and advantages of the proposed algorithm.
Long-Term Trends of Global Wine Market
Authors: Ohana-Levi Noa , Netzer Yishai
Published: January 2023

The major factors of wine trade have been showing distinct patterns of temporal trends worldwide in past decades. Wine consumption, production, imports, and exports differ according to their location and classification to Old World and New World wine markets. Using datasets from various sources, this work focused on quantifying long-term trends (1995–2021) of these wine industry factors for each country, including long-term means and temporal trends, using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and resulting in Z-scores. The temporal relationships between these global factors were quantified by applying Pearson correlation to the original values, as well as by correlating the Z-scores. Our findings show that Old World wine consumers and producers (e.g., Spain, France, and Italy) have been experiencing gradual decreasing trends of wine consumption and production. In New World countries, some of the largest wine-consuming countries were found to have strong, significant increases in wine consumption and new wine production markets show rapid growth trends. About 80% of the countries demonstrated increasing trends of wine imports, signifying the impact of globalization on the wine market and the growing demand for foreign wine. Globally, consumption per capita was found to have significantly decreased. Wine production showed a strong, significant, and lagged dependence on wine consumption, which was also related to the temporal trends of wine imports and exports. The major forces driving the wine market are possibly economic growth and wider competition, with climate change acting as a disruptive force.
Crop Yield Prediction Using Machine Learning Models: Case of Irish Potato and Maize
Authors: Kuradusenge Martin , Hitimana Eric , Hanyurwimfura Damien , Rukundo Placide , Mtonga Kambombo , Mukasine Angelique , Uwitonze Claudette , Ngabonziza Jackson , Uwamahoro Angelique
Published: January 2023

Although agriculture remains the dominant economic activity in many countries around the world, in recent years this sector has continued to be negatively impacted by climate change leading to food insecurities. This is so because extreme weather conditions induced by climate change are detrimental to most crops and affect the expected quantity of agricultural production. Although there is no way to fully mitigate these natural phenomena, it could be much better if there is information known earlier about the future so that farmers can plan accordingly. Early information sharing about expected crop production may support food insecurity risk reduction. In this regard, this work employs data mining techniques to predict future crop (i.e., Irish potatoes and Maize) harvests using weather and yields historical data for Musanze, a district in Rwanda. The study applies machine learning techniques to predict crop harvests based on weather data and communicate the information about production trends. Weather data and crop yields for Irish potatoes and maize were gathered from various sources. The collected data were analyzed through Random Forest, Polynomial Regression, and Support Vector Regressor. Rainfall and temperature were used as predictors. The models were trained and tested. The results indicate that Random Forest is the best model with root mean square error of 510.8 and 129.9 for potato and maize, respectively, whereas R2 was 0.875 and 0.817 for the same crops datasets. The optimum weather conditions for the optimal crop yield were identified for each crop. The results suggests that Random Forest is recommended model for early crop yield prediction. The findings of this study will go a long way to enhance reliance on data for agriculture and climate change related decisions, especially in low-to-middle income countries such as Rwanda.
Potential and Improvement of Maintenance Efficiency of Agricultural PTO Shafts by a New Digital Maintenance Assistant
Authors: Regler Fredrik , Hausmann Franz , Krüger Max , Bernhardt Heinz
Published: January 2023

Power take-off (PTO) shafts are widely used in agricultural machinery to directly power implements with the tractor’s engine. While the operating conditions such as dirt, weather, peak loads and utilization greatly influence a PTO shaft’s lifetime, proper maintenance, especially lubrication, is necessary for an appropriate operation and maximum lifetime. Hence, this paper evaluates the potential for saving resources during maintenance by using a digital maintenance assistant. To simulate and study the cost of PTO shafts for agricultural implements, an investigation of the lubrication process of PTO shafts was carried out on several test farms. In practice, two extremes are common: Either far too much grease is used for best possible lubrication, or the PTO shaft is not lubricated at all. To simulate the annual cost of maintenance, three scenarios were calculated and compared: “Maintenance before usage” and “no maintenance” as extreme scenarios and “maintenance according to the manufacturer’s specifications” by a digital maintenance assistant as an optimum scenario. The simulation of different maintenance scenarios shows a reduction in maintenance costs of up to 93.8%, an average reduction of lubricants by 86.3% and an average labor time reduction by 81.8% for the case of “maintenance according to the manufacturer’s specifications”. The results of this work show that there is potential for major savings using a digital maintenance assistant. This development could be the first step towards the digitalization of maintenance activities on agricultural farms.
Seed Phenotyping and Genetic Diversity Assessment of Cowpea (V. unguiculata) Germplasm Collection
Authors: Zafeiriou Ioannis , Sakellariou Michalia , Mylona Photini V.
Published: January 2023

Cowpea is a nutrient-rich staple legume and climate-resilient crop for vulnerable agroecosystems. However, the crop still remains underutilized, mainly due to its narrow genetic base, and the production is often ravaged by aphid infestation outbreaks. Thus, genetic diversity assessment and the detection of defense-related alleles are fundamental to germplasm management and utilization in breeding strategies to support food safety in climate change times. A germplasm collection of 87 cowpea landraces sourced from Greece was subjected to seed phenotyping, SSR genotyping and to screening for the presence of aphid-resistance-conferring alleles. Significant diversity in the species’ local germplasm was revealed. The landraces were grouped in metapopulations based on their broader geographical origin. High amounts of variation and statistically significant differences were detected among the landraces regarding the seed morphological traits, the seed color and eye color according to MANOVA (Wilk’s λ = 0.2, p < 0.01) and significant correlations were revealed among these features according to Pearson’s test (p < 0.05). High levels of genetic polymorphism were detected for the metapopulations, ranging from 59% (VuPop3) to 82% (VuPop4). The AMOVA revealed that 93% of the molecular diversity was distributed among the landraces of each metapopulation. Further population structure analysis presumed the existence of two inferred populations, where in population A, 79% of the landraces have a cream/cream-brown seed coat, whereas in population B, 94% of the landraces are brown-ochre to black-seeded. Molecular screening for alleles conferring aphid resistance revealed the correspondence of 12 landraces to the resistant genotype of TVu-2876. The study highlights the importance of cowpea germplasm collection genetic diversity, as a source of important agronomic traits, to support breeding efforts and expand cowpea cultivation to foster food security and agriculture sustainability and diversification in climate change.
Assessment of Drought Stress Tolerance of Mangifera indica L. Autotetraploids
Authors: Perera-Castro Alicia V. , Hernández Beatriz , Grajal-Martín Maria José , González-Rodríguez Águeda M.
Published: January 2023

Mango can be grown in subtropical and semi-arid regions, where using commercial cultivars and rootstocks with improved resistance to drought is crucial. Induction of polyploidy has been widely applied in breeding programs for increasing crop drought resistance. In this study, drought resistance of several mango cultivars and their respective autotetraploids was evaluated. Leaf morphology and physiology were monitored in two-year-old plants during a period of water withholding and subsequent rewatering. Even though all tetraploid cultivars presented morphological differences in leaf traits, the effect of ploidy in delaying leaf water loss and its detrimental effects of photosynthesis was only observed in ‘Gomera-1’. As a result of this, this cultivar sustained maximum levels of quantum efficiency and gas exchange for a longer period than the rest of cultivars. Therefore, the isohydric strategy of this tetraploid was not associated with earlier stomatal closure. Proline did not increase in the isohydric cultivar probably due to the maintenance of high leaf relative water content. In contrast, in some anisohydric mangos, proline increased when leaf water content decreased below 80%. Some diploids exhibited higher levels of proline than tetraploids, but recovery of plant functionality after rewatering did not differ from the rest of cultivars. We conclude that drought resistance in mango can be improved by using polyploids with water-saving physiological traits.
In Vitro Micropropagation of Endangered Achillea fragrantissima Forssk. Combined with Enhancement of Its Antihyperglycemic Activity
Authors: Goda Marwa S. , Ahmed Safwat A. , Sherif Fadia El , Khattab Salah , Hassanean Hashem A. , Alnefaie Rasha , Althumairy Duaa , Abo-elmatty Dina M. , Ibrahim Amany K.
Published: January 2023

Achillea fragrantissima Forssk. (Family: Asteraceae) has been used as a natural remedy in the Arabian region for its antihyperglycemic activity. As a result of the intensive demand for this plant in folk medicinal uses, its scarcity has become problematic. This study has explored methods that produce an efficient in vitro culture protocol for the conservation of this plant as well as the enhancement of its hypoglycemic activity. A. fragrantissima cultures on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3.6 µM/L of 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP) for a two month period resulted in maximum in vitro shoot proliferation (12.33 shoots/explant) while MS medium supplemented with 2.4 µM/L 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) provided maximum in vitro adventitious root formation (2.46 roots/shoot tip explant). Callus induction was favored by leaf explants cultured on MS medium and supplemented with 3 µM/L BAP and 3 µM/L IAA media in dark conditions. Further in vivo study of some selected feedings determined that the best hypoglycemic activity was obtained in either indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)-fed plants (24%) or NAA-fed plants (22%). Both treatments enhanced insulin-like activity in STZ-treated diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats when compared with the wild plant (10%). Moreover, the IBA-fed plants showed significant antioxidant activity while the NAA-fed plants inhibited salivary alpha amylase. The framework of this study provides in vitro culture methods that can sustain the cultivation of this over-exploited A. fragrantissima plant as well as increase its antioxidant and insulin-like activities.
Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) in Natural and Agroforestry Systems under an Altitudinal Gradient in the Peruvian Andes: Responses to Soil and Climate Variation
Authors: Murga-Orrillo Hipolito , Abanto-Rodriguez Carlos , Fernandes Silva Dionisio Luiz , Chu-Koo Fred William , Schwartz Gustavo , Nuñez Bustamante Ever , Stewart Paul Michael , Santos Silva Amorim Ricardo , Vourlitis George Louis , De Almeida Lobo Francisco , Bardales-Lozano Ricardo Manuel
Published: January 2023

This research examined how edaphoclimatic variations are related to dendrometric variables of the Tara tree in natural and agroforestry systems in Cajamarca, Peru. Evaluations followed three approaches: (a) principal components analysis (PCA) with environmental factors and altitude classes with 1 °C of temperature variation for edaphic and dendrometric variables; (b) evaluation of possible differences by the bootstrap method for the different variables in the PCAs; and (c) correlation analysis between plant density, plant and crown height, stem and crown diameter, and the number of stem branches with the physical and chemical attributes of the soil and with air temperature. In the altitudinal gradient from 2021 to 3007 ± 7 m, the temperature ranged from 19.8 to 13.4 ± 0.4 °C; the soils possessed alkaline pH, high organic matter (OM), K and CEC, lower contents of CaCO3, N, P, K, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. The soil properties with the most significant contribution to PCAs were OM, CEC, N content, and sand, with no variation among environments but among altitudes. None of the dendrometric variables varied as a function of altitude and temperature in PCAs run in the natural environment. However, in the agroforestry environment, there was a greater crown diameter, and tree and crown height in the 2185 m altitude class associated with Medicago sativa. In contrast, the opposite behavior was found in these variables and in the altitude class 2798 m associated with low Fe content, and already in the altitude class at 3007 m, a larger stem diameter is associated with higher levels of CaCO3. The anthropic effect on the agroforestry environment did not significantly alter the soil’s CEC, OM, N, and sand. Tara’s crown diameter and tree height appeared higher in agroforestry environments. The variations of Fe and CaCO3 in the soil might have influence on the development of Tara individuals in natural and agroforestry environments. It is important to carry out further studies for a better understanding of the relationship between the production of Tara pods and soil fertility in altitudinal variation, aiming to improve the income and employment of family farmers who exploit Tara in the Peruvian Andes.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Analytica in 2022
Authors:   Analytica Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Anatomia in 2022
Authors:   Anatomia Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Analysis of Promoter Methylation of the Bovine FOXO1 Gene and Its Effect on Proliferation and Differentiation of Myoblasts
Authors: Shi Pengfei , Ruan Yong , Liu Wenjiao , Sun Jinkui , Xu Jiali , Xu Houqiang
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to explore the regulatory role of FOXO1 promoter methylation on its transcriptional level and unravel the effect of FOXO1 on the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts. Bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (BSP) and real-time quantitative PCR were performed to determine the methylation status and transcript levels of the FOXO1 promoter region at different growth stages. BSP results showed that the methylation level in the calf bovine (CB) group was significantly higher than that in the adult bovine (AB) group (p < 0.05). On the other hand, qRT-PCR results indicated that the mRNA expression level in the AB group was significantly higher than that in the CB group (p < 0.05), suggesting a significant decrease in gene expression at high levels of DNA methylation. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were applied to determine the effect of silencing the FOXO1 gene on the proliferation of bovine myoblasts. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and Western blot were conducted to analyze the expression of genes associated with the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts. Results from CCK-8 revealed that the short hairpin FOXO1 (shFOXO1) group significantly promoted the proliferation of myoblasts compared to the short-hairpin negative control (shNC) group (p < 0.05). Flow cytometry results showed a significant decrease in the number of the G1 phase cells (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in the number of the S phase cells (p < 0.05) in the shFOXO1 group compared to the shNC group. In addition, the expression of key genes for myoblast proliferation (CDK2, PCNA, and CCND1) and differentiation (MYOG, MYOD, and MYHC) was significantly increased at both mRNA and protein levels (p < 0.05). In summary, this study has demonstrated that FOXO1 transcription is regulated by methylation in the promoter region and that silencing FOXO1 promotes the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts. Overall, our findings lay the foundation for further studies on the regulatory role of epigenetics in the development of bovine myoblasts.
Natural Multi-Enriched Eggs with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Selenium, Vitamin E, and Lutein
Authors: Kralik Zlata , Kralik Gordana , Košević Manuela , Galović Olivera , Samardžić Mirela
Published: January 2023

The research investigates the possibilities of enriching eggs with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, selenium, vitamin E, and lutein. The research was carried out on 100 TETRA SL laying hens divided into two groups (C and E). Hens in treatment C (control group) were fed a standard feeding mixture that contained 5% soybean oil, 0.32 mg/kg organic selenium, 25.20 mg/kg vitamin E, and 20.5 mg/kg lutein (Marigold flower extract). Hens in treatment E (experimental group) were fed a mixture in which soybean oil was replaced by 1.5% fish oil + 1.5% rapeseed oil + 2.0% linseed oil. The content of other nutricines amounted to 0.47 mg/kg organic selenium, 125.2 mg/kg vitamin E, and 120.5 mg/kg lutein. Portions of total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in enriched eggs were significantly increased when compared to conventional eggs (480.65:204.58 mg/100 g; p < 0.001). The content of selenium, vitamin E, and lutein was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in enriched eggs than in conventional eggs. The content of selenium in egg albumen was increased by 1.81 times, and in the yolk, it was increased by 1.18 times. At the same time, the content of vitamin E was 2.74 times higher, and lutein was 8.94 times higher in enriched eggs than in conventional eggs.
Do Consumers Value Welfare and Environmental Attributes in Egg Production Similarly in Fresh Eggs and Prepared Meals?
Authors: Doyon Maurice , Bergeron Stéphane , Saulais Laure , Labonté Marie-Ève , Provencher Véronique
Published: January 2023

Food items are increasingly chosen based on sustainability attributes as the public is becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and animal welfare impacts of production systems, in addition to the traditional consideration for nutrition. Although surveys have been used to investigate the demand for these attributes in unprocessed products, little information exists on how these attributes impact consumer preferences in the case of processed products or prepared meals. This study uses a stated preference survey to examine Quebec (Canada) consumers’ preferences for eggs from four production systems with different impacts on animal welfare and on the environment. We compare the respondents’ choices of fresh eggs and two prepared meals that contain eggs. Furthermore, we examine the shift in choices following information treatments on animal welfare, nutrition, or environmental impact attributes. Results indicate that respondents choose eggs from more sustainable production systems more frequently when included in prepared meals than in their unprocessed form. The provision of information led participants to update prior beliefs and revise their initial choices, especially for animal welfare attributes.
Antimicrobial Peptides against Bacterial Pathogens: Innovative Delivery Nanosystems for Pharmaceutical Applications
Authors: Imperlini Esther , Massaro Federica , Buonocore Francesco
Published: January 2023

The introduction of antibiotics has revolutionized the treatment and prevention of microbial infections. However, the global spread of pathogens resistant to available antibiotics is a major concern. Recently, the WHO has updated the priority list of multidrug-resistant (MDR) species for which the discovery of new therapeutics is urgently needed. In this scenario, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a new potential alternative to conventional antibiotics, as they show a low risk of developing antimicrobial resistance, thus preventing MDR bacterial infections. However, there are limitations and challenges related to the clinical impact of AMPs, as well as great scientific efforts to find solutions aimed at improving their biological activity, in vivo stability, and bioavailability by reducing the eventual toxicity. To overcome some of these issues, different types of nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed for AMP delivery over the last decades. In this review, we provide an update on recent nanosystems applied to AMPs, with special attention on their potential pharmaceutical applications for the treatment of bacterial infections. Among lipid nanomaterials, solid lipid NPs and lipid nanocapsules have been employed to enhance AMP solubility and protect peptides from proteolytic degradation. In addition, polymeric NPs, particularly nanogels, are able to help in reducing AMP toxicity and also increasing AMP loading. To boost AMP activity instead, mesoporous silica or gold NPs can be selected due to their easy surface functionalization. They have been also used as nanocarriers for different AMP combinations, thus synergistically potentiating their action against pathogens.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Antibiotics in 2022
Authors:   Antibiotics Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
High-Throughput Screening for Epigenetic Compounds That Induce Human β-Defensin 1 Synthesis
Authors: Lyu Wentao , Deng Zhuo , Zhang Guolong
Published: January 2023

Antimicrobial host defense peptides (HDPs) are critically important for innate immunity. Small-molecule compounds with the ability to induce HDP synthesis are being actively explored for antimicrobial therapy. To facilitate the discovery of the compounds that specifically activate human β-defensin 1 (DEFB1) gene transcription, we established a cell-based high-throughput screening assay that employs HT-29/DEFB1-luc, a stable reporter cell line expressing the luciferase gene driven by a 3-Kb DEFB1 gene promoter. A screening of a library of 148 small-molecule epigenetic compounds led to the identification of 28 hits, with a minimum strictly standardized mean difference of 3.0. Fourteen compounds were further selected and confirmed to be capable of inducing DEFB1 mRNA expression in human HT-29 colonic epithelial cells. Desirably, the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene was also induced by these epigenetic compounds. Benzamide-containing histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) were among the most potent HDP inducers identified in this study. Additionally, several major genes involved in intestinal barrier function, such as claudin-1, claudin-2, tight junction protein 1, and mucin 2, were differentially regulated by HDP inducers. These findings suggest the potential for the development of benzamide-based HDACi as host-directed antimicrobials for infectious disease control and prevention.
Evaluating the Use of Neonatal Colonization Screening for Empiric Antibiotic Therapy of Sepsis and Pneumonia
Authors: Bär Alisa , Schmitt-Grohé Sabina , Held Jürgen , Lubig Julia , Hanslik Gregor , Fahlbusch Fabian B. , Reutter Heiko , Woelfle Joachim , van der Donk Adriana , Schleier Maria , Hepp Tobias , Morhart Patrick
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Since 2013, weekly screening for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDRGN) bacteria has been performed in German neonatal intensive care units (NICU). National guidelines recommend considering these colonization analyses for antibiotic treatment regimens. Our retrospective single center study provides insight into the clinical dichotomy of bacterial colonization and infection rates in neonates. (2) Methods: We analyzed microbiological data of neonates admitted to our tertiary level NICU over nine years. Colonization with MDRGN/Serratia marcescens (SERMA) was compared to microbiological findings in sepsis and pneumonia. (3) Results: We analyzed 917 blood and 1799 tracheal aspirate samples. After applying criteria from the Nosocomial Infection Surveillance for Neonates (NEO-KISS), we included 52 and 55 cases of sepsis and pneumonia, respectively; 19.2% of sepsis patients and 34.5% of pneumonia patients had a prior colonization with MDRGN bacteria or SERMA. In these patients, sepsis was not attributable to MDRGN bacteria yet one SERMA, while in pneumonias, ten MDRGN bacteria and one SERMA were identified. We identified late-onset pneumonia and cesarean section as risk factors for MDRGN/SERMA acquisition. (4) Conclusions: Colonization screening is a useful tool for hygiene surveillance. However, our data suggest that consideration of colonization with MDRGN/SERMA might promote extensive use of last resort antibiotics in neonates.
Microbial Genomics: Innovative Targets and Mechanisms
Authors: Alkatheri Asma Hussain , Yap Polly Soo-Xi , Abushelaibi Aisha , Lai Kok-Song , Cheng Wan-Hee , Erin Lim Swee-Hua
Published: January 2023

Multidrug resistance (MDR) has become an increasing threat to global health because bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics over time. Scientists worldwide are searching for new approaches that go beyond traditional antibiotic discovery and development pipelines. Advances in genomics, however, opened up an unexplored therapeutic opportunity for the discovery of new antibacterial agents. Genomic approaches have been used to discover several novel antibiotics that target critical processes for bacterial growth and survival, including histidine kinases (HKs), LpxC, FabI, peptide deformylase (PDF), and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AaRS). In this review, we will discuss the use of microbial genomics in the search for innovative and promising drug targets as well as the mechanisms of action for novel antimicrobial agents. We will also discuss future directions on how the utilization of the microbial genomics approach could improve the odds of antibiotic development having a more successful outcome.
Postharvest Treatment with Abscisic Acid Alleviates Chilling Injury in Zucchini Fruit by Regulating Phenolic Metabolism and Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant System
Authors: Castro-Cegrí Alejandro , Sierra Sandra , Hidalgo-Santiago Laura , Esteban-Muñoz Adelaida , Jamilena Manuel , Garrido Dolores , Palma Francisco
Published: January 2023

Reports show that phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is involved in reducing zucchini postharvest chilling injury. During the storage of harvested fruit at low temperatures, chilling injury symptoms were associated with cell damage through the production of reactive oxygen species. In this work, we have studied the importance of different non-enzymatic antioxidants on tolerance to cold stress in zucchini fruit treated with ABA. The application of ABA increases the antioxidant capacity of zucchini fruit during storage through the accumulation of ascorbate, carotenoids and polyphenolic compounds. The quantification of specific phenols was performed by UPLC/MS-MS, observing that exogenous ABA mainly activated the production of flavonoids. The rise in all these non-enzymatic antioxidants due to ABA correlates with a reduction in oxidative stress in treated fruit during cold stress. The results showed that the ABA mainly induces antioxidant metabolism during the first day of exposure to low temperatures, and this response is key to avoiding the occurrence of chilling injury. This work suggests an important protective role of non-enzymatic antioxidants and polyphenolic metabolism in the prevention of chilling injury in zucchini fruit.
Modeling the Effect of Selected Microorganisms’ Exposure to Molasses’s High-Osmolality Environment
Authors: Filipović Vladimir , Lončar Biljana , Knežević Violeta , Nićetin Milica , Filipović Jelena , Petković Marko
Published: January 2023

In this research series, several sugar beet molasses of different osmolalities were inoculated with a mix of the following microorganisms, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, to develop mathematical models and correlations of the effect of different levels of osmolality and different exposure time to the viability of the selected microorganisms. The respective enumerations of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Enterobacteriaceae, and total plate count were conducted on inoculated molasses samples of different osmolalities (from 5500 to 7000 mmol/kg) and at different exposure times (from 0 to 5 h). The results showed that by increasing molasses osmolalities, all the selected microorganisms’ exposure time viability measures statistically decreased significantly. Salmonella spp. showed the highest viability of all the tested microorganisms in a high osmotic environment. In contrast, Listeria monocytogenes showed the least resilience to osmotic stress, with a reduction in the numbers below the detection limit. The developed mathematical models of microorganisms’ viability exposed to molasses’s high-osmolality environment were statistically significant, allowing for the good prediction of a number of microorganisms based on exposure time and osmolality levels. The obtained results describe molasses’s excellent microbial load-reducing capability and provide the potential for applications in the production of safe foods.
Finite Element Modeling of the Fingers and Wrist Flexion/Extension Effect on Median Nerve Compression
Authors: Peshin Saveliy , Karakulova Yulia , Kuchumov Alex G.
Published: January 2023

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common pathology among disorders of the peripheral nervous system related to median nerve compression. To our knowledge, there are limited data on the effect of tendon movement on median nerve compression. This study focuses on the understanding of the carpal syndrome by simulating the impact of tendons movement caused by fingers flexion by Finite Element Analysis. Therefore, such modeling is the step toward the development of a personalized technique for value determining median nerve compression. Open-source MRI of the human right hand was used to build patient-specific phalanges of the fingers. Carpal tunnel soft tissues were considered as hyper-elastic materials, while bone structures were considered as elastic ones. The final finite-element model had 40 solid bodies which contacted the joint. Results were obtained for four cases of wrist movements: finger flexion, hand flexion/extension, and wrist extension with subsequent by finger flexion. Compression of the median nerve ranged from 129 Pa to 227 Pa. The results show that compression of the median nerve occurs faster during wrist flexion than during wrist extension or finger flexion. A decrease in compression during finger flexion was noticed with wrist extension followed by finger flexion.
Parameter Optimization for an Accurate Swept-Sine Identification Procedure of Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Burrascano Pietro
Published: January 2023

Modeling the nonlinearity of a system is of primary importance both for optimizing its design and for controlling the behavior of physical systems operating with a wide dynamic range of input values, for which the linearity hypothesis may not be sufficient. To become of practical use, the identification of nonlinear models must be accurate and computationally efficient. For these reasons, in recent years, among the numerous models of nonlinear systems that have been proposed in the technical literature, the Hammerstein model has been widely applied as a consequence of the proposal of a new pattern identification technique based on pulse compression, which makes the identification of the model very accurate in numerous applications for which it has been adopted. Hammerstein model identification of a nonlinear system requires characterization of the linear filters present on the different branches of the model. These linear filters, which constitute the parameters of the model to be identified, must be considered with respect to their trends over time or, equivalently, in their frequency trends, as amplitude and phase responses. The identification can be considered accurate if the trends obtained for each filter adequately characterize it for the entire frequency range to which that specific filter is subjected in the normal operation of the system to be identified. This work focuses on this aspect, i.e., on the adequacy of the frequency range for which the filter is identified and on how to obtain correct identification in the entire frequency range of interest. The identification procedure based on exponential swept-sine signals defines these filters in the time domain by making use of intermediate functions that are related to the impulse responses of the model filters through a linear transformation. In this paper, we analyze, in detail, the roles of the bandwidths of both the excitation signal and the matched filter, which are the basis of the procedure, we verify the assumptions made about the amplitudes of their frequency bands, and we propose criteria for defining the bandwidths in order to maximize accuracy in model identification. The experiment performed makes it possible to verify that the proposed procedure avoids possible limitations and significantly improves the quality of the identification results, both if the description is made in the time domain and in the frequency domain.