bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age- and height-dependent bias of underweight and overweight assessment standards for children and adolescents
Authors: Isoyama Yosuke , Nose-Ogura Sayaka , Ijitsu Mariko Jana , Kruse João Gabriel Segato , Nagai Narumi , Kayaba Momoko , Ogata Hitomi , Mangalam Madhur , Kiyono Ken
Published: April 2024

Background

Precision in evaluating underweight and overweight status among children and adolescents is paramount for averting health and developmental issues. Existing standards for these assessments have faced scrutiny regarding their validity. This study investigates the age and height dependencies within the international standards set by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), relying on body mass index (BMI), and contrasts them with Japanese standards utilizing the percentage of overweight (POW).

Method

We scrutinized a comprehensive database comprising 7,863,520 children aged 5–17 years, sourced from the School Health Statistics Research initiative conducted by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Employing the quantile regression method, we dissected the structure of weight-for-height distributions across different ages and sexes, quantifying the potentially biased assessments of underweight and overweight status by conventional criteria.

Results

Applying IOFT criteria for underweight assessment revealed pronounced height dependence in males aged 11–13 and females aged 10–11. Notably, a discernible bias emerged, wherein children in the lower 25th percentile were classified as underweight five times more frequently than those in the upper 25th percentile. Similarly, the overweight assessment displayed robust height dependence in males aged 8–11 and females aged 7–10, with children in the lower 25th percentile for height deemed obese four or five times more frequently than their counterparts in the upper 25th percentile. Furthermore, using the Japanese POW criteria for assessment revealed significant age dependence in addition to considerably underestimating the percentage of underweight and overweight cases under the age of seven. However, the height dependence for the POW criterion was smaller than the BMI criterion, and the difference between height classes was less than 3-fold.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the intricacies of age-dependent changes in body composition during the growth process in children, emphasizing the absence of gold standards for assessing underweight and overweight. Careful judgment is crucial in cases of short or tall stature at the same age, surpassing sole reliance on conventional criteria results.
Hospitalization costs in Portugal among people with obesity: results from a nationwide population-based cohort 2011 to 2021
Authors: Destri Kelli , Henriques Ana Rita , Mendonça Nuno , Alves Joana , Barcelos Anabela , Dias Sara Simões , Gregório Maria João , Canhão Helena , Rodrigues Ana Maria
Published: April 2024

Background

Obesity has been extensively studied over the years, primarily focusing on the physiological aspects of the disease. However, the general burden of obesity mainly the financial implications and its influence on hospitalization and length of stay have only recently garnered attention in the literature, particularly in the case of Portugal.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the association between obesity and hospitalizations in the Portuguese adult population and compare the average costs of hospitalization among participants with and without obesity.

Methods

At baseline, the analytic sample consisted of 10,102 participants aged ≥18 years from the Portuguese population-based Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases Cohort (EpiDoC). Participants were then followed for up to 10 years from 2011 to 2021 in three more waves of data collection. Body mass index was derived from self-reported weight and height, and instances of hospitalization were self-reported by the participants. The associated costs for each hospitalization episode were categorized according to national legislation and valued according to the pricing for Diagnosis Related Groups.

Results

Obesity was associated with more hospitalizations (for example, Obesity class I vs. normal weight: OR = 1.33 [1.14–1.55]). However, when the presence of multimorbidity was considered, this association diminished. While longer hospital length of stay was observed in individuals with higher obesity categories, this difference did not reach statistical significance. On average, the total hospitalization costs per patient with obesity amounted to €200.4 per year.

Conclusion

Obesity is as a risk factor for hospitalizations and potentially with higher length of stay hospitalizations, with this effect being partially mediated by the concurrent presence of multimorbidity. Consequently, obesity constitutes an additional burden on healthcare systems. This underscores the imperative of implementing cost-effective prevention programs aimed at addressing and managing this significant public health concern.
Social isolation and mental well-being among Korean older adults: a focus on living arrangements
Authors: Lee Geon , Kim Chulwoo
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The aging population in South Korea, characterized by an increasing number of older adults living alone, has raised concerns about its implications on mental health, specifically social isolation and loneliness that accompanies solitary living arrangements. This study explores the impact of living arrangements on the mental well-being of Korean older adults by focusing on the prevalence of depression and the role of social isolation in the context of evolving family structures and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed the responses of older adults aged 65 years and above (mean: 73.1, SD: 5.1) by using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2018 and 2020. In total, responses from 3,365 older adults (1,653 in 2018 and 1,712 in 2020) were employed in this research. The participants’ mental health status was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, with living arrangements categorized by household size. A zero-inflated Poisson regression analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between living arrangements and depression severity, controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and psychological factors.

Results

The study found that older adults living with others exhibited a lower depression severity than those living alone. Notably, the severity of depression decreased as the number of household members increased up to a certain threshold. Socio-economic factors, such as income level, marital status, and psychological stress were also identified as significant predictors of depression severity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic did not have a statistically significant impact on depression rates among older adults during the study period.

Conclusion

Living arrangements play a critical role in the mental health of Korean older adults, with solitary living being associated with higher levels of depression. These findings underscore the importance of social support systems and suggest the need for policies and interventions that promote social connectivity and address the challenges of loneliness faced by them. Future research should explore longitudinal and qualitative studies to further understand causal relationships and develop targeted interventions to improve the mental well-being of the aging population.
Patient perspectives on BCMA-targeted therapies for multiple myeloma: a survey conducted in a patient advocacy group
Authors: Hydren Jay R. , Lin Dee , Sweeney Nathan W. , Wu Bingcao , Kim Nina , Patel Saurabh , Sborov Douglas W. , Berdeja Jesus G. , Anderson Larry D. , Huo Stephen , Hurtado Martínez Jorge Arturo , Ahlstrom Jennifer M.
Published: April 2024

Background

Advances in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment have shifted the therapeutic landscape. Understanding patients' perspectives can assist physicians in helping patients make informed decisions. This study aimed to understand the patient decision-making process and gain insights into patient perspectives on B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted therapies for MM.

Methods

An 18-question survey was completed by patients with MM enrolled in HealthTree® Cure Hub, an online portal helping patients with plasma cell dyscrasias navigate their disease.

Results

From October 28, 2022, to January 12, 2023, 325 patients with MM participated in the survey. The mean age (standard deviation) of the respondents was 66 (8) years; 54% were female and 90% were White. Among 218 patients with complete clinical records in the database, the median (min, max) lines of therapy (LOT) was 2 (1,16). Among 61 (28%) patients who had received ≥4 LOTs, 55 (90%) were triple-class exposed. Of the 290 patients who responded to the question about openness to new therapies, 76 (26%) were open to trying a new therapy immediately and 125 (43%) wanted more information on safety and efficacy. Most respondents reported likely or very likely to try a BCMA CAR T-cell therapy (60%) or a bispecific antibody (74%) and some needed more information to decide (16% for CAR T-cell therapy and 13% for bispecific antibody). The most requested information included efficacy, side effects (SEs), eligibility, and administration process for both CAR T-cell and bispecific therapies. When 2 therapies with the same efficacy and duration of response were offered, 69% of respondents would prefer the therapy with a lower risk of severe SEs but requires continuous dosing with no treatment-free interval, and 31% preferred a therapy given once followed by a treatment-free interval but with a potentially higher risk of severe SEs. To receive an effective therapy, the top acceptable trade-offs included frequent monitoring of SEs and initiating a new therapy in a hospital setting, and the least acceptable compromise was caregiver burden.

Conclusions

This study found a high level of openness in patients with MM to try BCMA-targeted therapies. Information on efficacy, safety, availability, and eligibility may assist patients on decision-making.
Recency-based spatio-temporal similarity exploration for POI recommendation in location-based social networks
Authors: Acharya Malika , Mohbey Krishna Kumar
Published: April 2024

Point-of-interest (POI) recommendation is one of the primary tasks of location-based social networks (LBSNs). With user data in bulk, extracting useful information and addressing issues such as data sparsity and cold-start problems looming large in collaborative filtering become difficult. One of the plausible solutions is to incorporate contextual information into the recommendation process. In this article, we propose a Recency-based Spatio-Temporal Similarity Exploration (RSTSE) for POI recommendation that utilizes the recency-based trust estimation among the prospective neighbors of the target user. The trust level is categorized into two heads: direct trust, which can be extracted from the peer group information of the user, and indirect trust, which is measured based on venue popularity, temporal recency, radial proximity, and transitivity. The approach consists of two phases. In the incipient phase, POIs are extracted based on the preferences of potential neighbors, including the users who are recognized peers, the users with similar visiting histories in the spatial and temporal context, and the users with friend-of-friend relations. The telic phase involves Neural Collaborative Filtering (NCF) to capture the linear and non-linear user–POI interactions better. RSTSE has been evaluated on three real-world datasets, namely, Gowalla, Foursquare, and Weeplaces, and the results suggest efficacy over other state-of-the-art approaches.
Differences in income, farm size and nutritional status between female and male farmers in a region of Haiti
Authors: Duvivier Predner , Tescar Robers Pierre , Halliday Cassandra , Murphy Madhuvanti M. , Guell Cornelia , Howitt Christina , Augustus Eden , Haynes Emily , Unwin Nigel
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas and has the highest levels of gender inequality. It has high burdens of malnutrition and food insecurity. Our aim in this study was to investigate differences between female and male heads of farms in their farm's size and income and in their nutritional status.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-method study with a quantitative survey with 28 female and 80 male farmers and qualitative semi-structured interviews with seven women and 11 men, in nine rural communities, Plateau de Rochelois, Nippes, Haïti.

Results

We found that significant inequalities existed between female and male heads of farms in this region of Haiti. Farm income was associated with farm size, with female farmers having on average smaller farms, and markedly lower farm incomes compared to male farmers, even after adjusting for the fact that their farms were smaller. Male farmers also had more access to seeds, financing and transportation to market. In addition, female farmers had markedly higher levels of overweight and obesity. In both male and female heads of farms around 1 in 20 were underweight.

Discussion

These findings complement those from other settings, showing that female farmers in low- and middle- income countries typically face severe challenges in accessing resources such as land, credit, and inputs, which can limit their productivity and income-generating potential. Gender sensitive interventions to promote farmer health, well-being and productivity are required.
Use of black soldier fly larvae and freshwater shrimp to partly substitute commercial diet for Nile tilapia cultured in smallholder fish farms – A case study in Busia County, Kenya
Authors: Kals Jeroen , Opiyo Mary A. , Rurangwa Eugene , Soma Katrine , Ndambi Asaah , Vernooij Adriaan
Published: April 2024

Fish-farming in Kenya is challenged by the availability and high cost of feed ingredients, especially protein sources. Using black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) (BSFL) directly or indirectly as a feed ingredient to feed fish is interesting as they efficiently convert organic wastes into high-quality proteins. In addition, the freshwater shrimp (Caridina nilotica) (CN), an important by-catch of the silver cyprinid (Rastrineobola argentea) fisheries in Lake Victoria, could be another alternative protein source. Therefore, this study determined whether dried BSFL or dried CN could partly substitute the commercial diet when growing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in a smallholder farm aggregated in an aquapark. The nutritional values and cost-effectiveness of the alternative feeding strategies were compared to commercial diet (CD) only. During an 84-day experimental period, Nile tilapia were fed one of the three feeding strategies, including the use of only the commercial diet, to be compared with diets replacing 20% of the commercial diet with BSFL or CN. The fish were fed to apparent satiation twice a day. At the end of the trial, biomass, the number of fish, growth, survival rate, total fish production, economic feed conversion rate and productivity per pond, were determined. As such, Body Weight (BW) was similar across feeding strategies (P > 0.05), measured 63.2 ± 3.9, 68.0 ± 7.4 and 68.0 ± 7.4 g for fish-fed diets with CD, BSFL and CN, respectively. Hence, nutritionally and from a production point of view, the three feeding strategies used in this study performed equally well. Notably, the use of BSFL led to a significantly higher economic return (P < 0.05) compared to the use of CN and commercial diet alone. The trials in this study demonstrate that BSFL and CN can be used to partly substitute commercial diet. In addition, the trial show that the use of BSFL to partly substitute the commercial diet can boost sustainable fish production in a smallholder farm set-up aggregated in an aquapark.
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma presenting with bilateral hydronephrosis and renal insufficiency: a case report and literature review
Authors: Luo Jisheng , Pan Jinhong , Zhong Chuanhua , Wang Lina , Zhang Heng
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is an extremely rare tumor with nonspecific clinical manifestations, making diagnosis challenging.

Case presentation

Herein, we report a case of MPM with occult onset presenting with bilateral hydronephrosis and renal insufficiency. A 30-year-old man was admitted to the Urology Department because of recurrent bilateral lower back pain. The etiology was unclear after a series of laboratory tests, imaging examinations, bone marrow aspiration, renal puncture biopsy, ascites examination, ureteroscopy, and so on. Finally, MPM was diagnosed by laparoscopic exploration and biopsy. Moreover, during the course of the disease, the patient's bilateral ureters were compressed, and the obstruction could not be relieved after the placement of ordinary ureteral stents. Percutaneous nephrostomy or metal ureteral stenosis was appropriate in managing malignant ureteral obstruction as it could improve renal function.

Conclusions

The onset of this case was insidious, and the diagnosis was difficult, with a poor prognosis. To date, only a handful of cases have been reported. We hope this case can provide some enlightenment for our clinical work.
Comparison of the analgesic effects of oxycodone vs. sufentanil on postoperative pain after laparoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy: a prospective randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wang Ye , Wu Meng , Zhao Lin , Yan Xiaojian , Zhao Lei
Published: April 2024

Background

We aimed to compare the anesthesia induction effects of oxycodone and sufentanil on postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy, as well as changes in serum levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10) in the perioperative period.

Methods

Sixty patients who underwent laparoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy were evenly divided into oxycodone (O) and sufentanil (S) groups. In groups O and S, oxycodone (0.3 mg/kg) and sufentanil (0.3 ug/kg) were administered, respectively, followed by propofol (2 mg/kg) and rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg). In both groups, the intraoperative electroencephalography double-frequency index was used to guide the use of sedative and analgesic drugs, assessing the follow-up analgesic effect (VAS), degree of sedation (Ramsey), and postoperative complications at seven different time points (0, 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h postoperatively).

Results

Compared with the S group, patients in the O group exhibited lower VAS scores within 24 h postoperatively (P < 0.001), but there was no statistical difference between wound and shoulder pain scores (P > 0.05). Regarding postoperative awakening and extubation duration, O group patients experienced shorter times and better remedial analgesia (P < 0.05). In terms of the degree of sedation, the Ramsay score decreased at 0 h postoperatively compared with the S group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Compared with sufentanil, oxycodone anesthesia induced better postoperative analgesia and less inflammatory responses in patients undergoing laparoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy.

Clinical Trial Registration

This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University Shougang Hospital, with ethical approval (No. IRBK-2020-009), and has completed registration in the Chinese Clinical Trials Register (http://www.chictr.org.cn/) (ChiCTR2000031230).
Establishment of an immortalized yak granulosa cell line: in vitro tool for understanding the molecular processes of ovarian follicle development
Authors: Wen Xiao , Zhou Jia , Yue Shuangming , Zhang Jun , Chen Yuanyuan , Wang Zhisheng , Wang Lizhi , Peng Quanhui , Xue Bai
Published: April 2024

The yak, a unique species of cattle found exclusively on the western plateau of China, is a valuable source of livelihood for local residents. However, their low fecundity restricts the expansion of yak farming, whereas regional factors limit studies on yak breeding. Granulosa cells (GCs), which provide essential steroid hormones and growth factors for oocytes, have been the focus of many studies on the mechanisms of follicular growth and atresia. This study aimed to establish an immortalized cell line model that could serve as a tool for future studies on the mechanisms of ovarian follicle development in yaks. First, we isolated primary yak granulosa cells (yGCs) and evaluated their replicative senescence after continuous in vitro subculturing. Subsequently, an immortalized culture method for primary yGC was explored, and a new cell line model was established to study the mechanism of follicular development in vitro. We used a mammalian gene expression lentivirus vector to transfer the simian virus 40 large T antigen (SV40T) into primary yGC to obtain an immortalized cell line. The immortalized yGCs were morphologically identical to the primary yGCs, and cell proliferation and growth were normal within a limited number of generations. Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), a specific marker for GCs, was positively expressed in immortalized yGCs. Furthermore, the immortalized yGCs retained the ability of GCs to synthesize estradiol and progesterone and expressed genes related to steroid synthesis. The establishment of immortalized yGC opens up a myriad of possibilities for advancing our understanding of yak reproductive biology and improving yak breeding strategies.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of cryopreserved bovine sperm assessment: harnessing imaging flow cytometry for multi-parametric analysis
Authors: Umirbaeva Anel , Kurenkov Andrey , Makhanbetova Aizhan , Seisenov Bolat , Vorobjev Ivan A. , Barteneva Natasha S.
Published: April 2024

Cryopreservation of sperm is an essential technique in assisted reproduction in cattle. The objective of the study was to systematically review and synthesize the literature on bull semen quality evaluation based on the comparison of morphological and metabolic parameters of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa such as DNA integrity, mitochondrial status, plasma membrane alterations, total motility, and morphology (% of abnormal cells). The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched up to December 2023. Studies and references were included if they reported the following parameters: DNA integrity, mitochondrial status, plasma membrane alterations, total motility, and morphological aberrations (% of abnormal cells) for conventional cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. After an electronic search, out of 1,526 original studies, only 40 were included in the meta-analysis. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the chosen studies, and a meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. The tau-squared (tau2) and inconsistency index (I2) quantified heterogeneity among different studies. The regression analysis for the evaluated parameters showed a positive correlation between mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), total motility, and abnormal morphology and a negative correlation between DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and total motility and MMP. Moreover, subgroup analysis demonstrated similar associations for dairy and non-dairy bull breeds, albeit with lower I2 values. The presence of publication bias was confirmed by Egger’s test, except for the MMP parameter. A multi-parametric analysis of morphological and metabolic parameters can address the existing limitations of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa quality assessment. Combining imaging flow cytometry (IFC) with standardization of sperm pre-processing and optimization of the experimental protocols may help to differentiate sperm from cellular debris and cytoplasmic droplets of similar size and alleviate limitations demonstrated by conventional sperm analysis.
Time Series Field Estimation of Rice Canopy Height Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based RGB/Multispectral Platform
Authors: Li Ziqiu , Feng Xiangqian , Li Juan , Wang Danying , Hong Weiyuan , Qin Jinhua , Wang Aidong , Ma Hengyu , Yao Qin , Chen Song
Published: April 2024

Crop plant height is a critical parameter for assessing crop physiological properties, such as above-ground biomass and grain yield and crop health. Current dominant plant height estimation methods are based on digital surface model (DSM) and vegetation indexes (VIs). However, DSM-based methods usually estimate plant height by growth stages, which would result in some discontinuity between growth stages due to different fitting curves. Additionally, there has been limited research on the application of VI-based plant height estimation for multiple crop species. Thus, this study investigated the validity and challenges associated with these methods for estimating canopy heights of multi-variety rice throughout the entire growing season. A total of 474 rice varieties were cultivated in a single season, and RGB images including red, green, and blue bands, DSMs, multispectral images including near infrared and red edge bands, and manually measured plant heights were collected in 2022. DSMs and 26 commonly used VIs were employed to estimate rice canopy heights during the growing season. The plant height estimation using DSMs was performed using different quantiles (50th, 75th, and 95th), while two-stage linear regression (TLR) models based on each VI were developed. The DSM-based method at the 95th quantile showed high accuracy, with an R2 value of 0.94 and an RMSE value of 0.06 m. However, the plant height estimation at the early growth stage showed lower effectiveness, with an R2 < 0. For the VIs, height estimation with MTCI yielded the best results, with an R2 of 0.704. The first stage of the TLR model (maximum R2 = 0.664) was significantly better than the second stage (maximum R2 = 0.133), which indicated that the VIs were more suitable for estimating canopy height at the early growth stage. By grouping the 474 varieties into 15 clusters, the R2 values of the VI-based TLR models exhibited inconsistencies across clusters (maximum R2 = 0.984; minimum R2 = 0.042), which meant that the VIs were suitable for estimating canopy height in the cultivation of similar or specific rice varieties. However, the DSM-based method showed little difference in performance among the varieties, which meant that the DSM-based method was suitable for multi-variety rice breeding. But for specific clusters, the VI-based methods were better than the DSM-based methods for plant height estimation. In conclusion, the DSM-based method at the 95th quantile was suitable for plant height estimation in the multi-variety rice breeding process, and we recommend using DSMs for plant height estimation after 26 DAT. Furthermore, the MTCI-based TLR model was suitable for plant height estimation in monoculture planting or as a correction for DSM-based plant height estimation in the pre-growth period of rice.
Developing an Effective Push–Pull System for Managing Outbreaks of the Invasive Pest Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Nephelium lappaceum Orchards
Authors: Wen Jian , Shan Zhe , Zou Yan , Lin Xianwu , Cui Zhifu , Yan Rihui , Cao Fengqin
Published: April 2024

Outbreaks of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), present significant challenges to global fruit production, necessitating effective control measures that minimize environmental risks and pesticide resistance. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of four distinct push–pull control strategies for managing B. dorsalis outbreaks in a Nephelium lappaceum orchard. These strategies involved the inclusion of low-concentration abamectin, spraying repellent with a drone or manually, using methyl eugenol (ME) or food bait and employing either two types of attractants and repellents or a single type. The findings indicated that incorporating the low-concentration abamectin into the push–pull system, utilizing ME as an attractant instead of food lures and manually applying abamectin and attractants were all effective in reducing the B. dorsalis population size and minimizing fruit damage. While increasing the diversity of repellents and attractants enhanced the long-term effectiveness of the system, it did not result in a significant decrease in B. dorsalis population size or fruit damage rate compared to using a single repellent or attractant. In conclusion, the push–pull strategy emerged as a viable method for managing B. dorsalis outbreaks, offering potential benefits in reducing environmental risks and pesticide resistance. However, the study underscored the importance of the context-specific construction of push–pull strategies to optimize their effectiveness in orchard settings.
Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Remains Susceptible to Metal Ions and Graphene-Based Compounds
Authors: Karaky Nathalie , Tang Shiying , Ramalingam Parameshwari , Kirby Andrew , McBain Andrew J. , Banks Craig E. , Whitehead Kathryn A.
Published: April 2024

Escherichia coli is listed as a priority 1 pathogen on the World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogen list. For this list of pathogens, new antibiotics are urgently needed to control the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant strains. This study assessed eighteen metal ions, graphene, and graphene oxide for their antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli in both planktonic and biofilm growth states and the potential synergy between metal ions and graphene-based compounds. Molybdenum and tin ions exhibited the greatest antimicrobial activity against the planktonic states of the isolates with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging between 13 mg/L and 15.6 mg/L. Graphene oxide had no antimicrobial effect against any of the isolates, while graphene showed a moderate effect against E. coli (MIC, 62.5 mg/L). Combinations of metal ions and graphene-based compounds including tin–graphene, tin–graphene oxide, gold–graphene, platinum–graphene, and platinum–graphene oxide exhibited a synergistic antimicrobial effect (FIC ≤ 0.5), inhibiting the planktonic and biofilm formation of the isolates regardless of their antibiotic-resistant profiles. The bactericidal effect of the metal ions and the synergistic effects when combined with graphene/graphene oxide against medically relevant pathogens demonstrated that the antimicrobial efficacy was increased. Hence, such agents may potentially be used in the production of novel antimicrobial/antiseptic agents.
Synergies and Potential of Industry 4.0 and Automated Vehicles in Smart City Infrastructure
Authors: Kaššaj Michal , Peráček Tomáš
Published: April 2024

The integration of Industry 4.0 and automated vehicles into the smart cities concept is a topical issue in the urbanization of cities and technological innovation within cities. As it is a relatively modern issue, many aspects of this field have not yet been explored; as a consequence, this paper is concerned with the search for synergies between Industry 4.0 and automated vehicles in smart city infrastructures. There is a lack of contributions in this field that summarize these synergies in a single article and address a wide range of aspects, including transport, energy, communication, and citizen participation. As the field lacks a complete and clear summary of what is already known, which would help multiple stakeholders, the authors decided to conduct this review. The article elucidates the above-stated aspects through a clear and in-depth literature review, which is complemented by specific examples from practice. Of course, the article also includes a description of the synergy potential and the impact on the inhabitants, the environment, and, last but not least, on the overall city life. The main hypothesis of this article is that the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and automated vehicles within smart city infrastructure will result in significant improvements in transportation efficiency, resource utilization, and overall urban sustainability. The article discusses the positives and negatives of such integration, highlighting, on the one hand, the benefits in terms of reducing environmental impact and improving citizens’ quality of life, but on the other hand, also highlighting the various ethical, legal, and social issues that such integrations may bring. Several methods have been used within the article, namely analysis, synthesis, comparison, and historical interpretation. The final discussion highlights the benefits, as well as the challenges, that such integration faces and must deal with if it is to be successful. It can be concluded that the synergistic potential of automated vehicles and Industry 4.0 in smart city infrastructure is enormous and that such integration offers promising solutions for enhancing transportation efficiency, energy management, and overall urban sustainability. It is also highlighted in the article that, in order to reap the benefits of such synergies, a wide-ranging collaboration of policymakers, industry stakeholders, and urban planners is needed.
The Distribution and Health Risk Assessment of Potential Toxic Elements in Atmospheric Deposition from Ion-Adsorption Rare Earth Mining Areas in the Ganzhou City of Southeast China
Authors: Wei Jixin , Liu Siwen , Chu Tianshu , Yuan Guoli , Xie Manman , Huang Yuanying , Sun Qing , Ma Chenge , Xue Qiang
Published: April 2024

Potential toxic elements (PTEs), including Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Cu, As, and Mo, are common pollutants in ion-adsorption rare earth mines (IAREEMs), and atmospheric deposition is an important method of PTE migration. However, the level of PTE atmospheric deposition in and around IAREEMs remains unknown. We established 25 stations at typical sites in the Ganzhou city of southeast China. An exposure assessment model was used to evaluate the health risks for adults and children. The results show that the concentration and fluxes of atmospheric deposition of PTEs follow the order of Pb > Cu > Cr > Ni > As > Mo > Cd, and most PTEs present no human health risk. However, due to the high toxicty of As, it poses both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to children as indicated by the analysis of an exposure assessment model of heavy rare earth minerals in Longnan county, Ganzhou city. The As concentration in atmospheric deposition ranged from 3.18 to 251.87 mg kg−1, and the As atmospheric fluxes in atmospheric deposition ranged from 0.11 to 39.4 mg m−2 y−1. This is because As-rich materials (e.g., arsenic-adsorbing clay zones and chernovite-(Y) (Y[AsO4])) are exposed in fully weathered layers, and the formed suspended particulate matter is transported into the atmosphere at Longnan county. Consequently, restoring vegetation to reduce particulate matter transport is an important method for controlling the spread of pollutants. These results provide significant insights into pollution characteristics and prevention in and around mining areas under the influence of atmospheric deposition.
Analysis of Adaptability and Application Potential of Supercritical Multi-Source Multi-Component Thermal Fluid Technology for Offshore Heavy Oil in China
Authors: Sun Yan , Zhang Lijun , Bai Yuting , Wang Taichao , Zhang Wenbo , Zhang Jipeng , Liu Pengcheng
Published: April 2024

Supercritical multi-source, multi-component thermal fluid is a heavy oil thermal recovery method independently developed by China National Offshore Oil Co., Ltd (Beijing, China). It uses waste liquid at the production end of the production well as the water source, the injection medium temperature exceeds 374 °C, 22.1 MPa, and all the produced flue gas is re-injected. Compared with steam huff and puff technology, supercritical technology has the advantages of high enthalpy value, high heat utilization rate, good oil displacement effect, and being green and pollution-free. In addition, its oil–water treatment cost is low, it can realize the reuse of organic matter, it has a good cost advantage of water treatment under the background of low carbon, and it is a thermal recovery method with great application potential for offshore heavy oil. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out research on the adaptability and application potential of supercritical multi-source, multi-heat flow thermal recovery technology in the sea. Based on the laboratory one-dimensional displacement experiment, this paper reveals the mechanism of heavy oil supercritical multi-source multi-component thermal fluid displacement and the contribution of supercritical components to the displacement effect, and establishes the supercritical multi-source, multi-component thermal fluid numerical simulation characterization method. Combined with the characteristics of offshore heavy oil reserves, the main control factors affecting supercritical multi-source, multi-component thermal fluid development were established by numerical simulation and orthogonal test methods, and the adaptive screening method of offshore supercritical technology was established. The application potential of 670 million tons of offshore heavy oil reserves was evaluated and sorted, and KL 10-2 oilfield was selected as the pilot test oilfield. The results show that supercritical technology has great advantages in oil displacement and water treatment cost reduction, and the results play an important guiding significance for the development of offshore heavy oil technology system and the iteration of new technology.
Synthesis and Electrical Properties of a New Bipolar Material Using Spacer Moiety
Authors: Jo Seunghyeon , Park Sangwook , Kwon Hyukmin , Lee Hayoon , Lee Kiho , Park Jongwook
Published: April 2024

To develop a deep-blue emitter, a molecule with bipolar characteristics was designed as a donor-spacer-acceptor type, in which 9-(4-(4,6-diphenyl-1),3,5-triazin-2-yl)-2,5-dimethylphenyl)-9H-carbazole (DTPCZ)—with carbazole as an electron donating group and a diphenyl triazine moiety as an electron accepting group—was successfully synthesized. The photoluminescence (PL) maxima of DTPCZ were 421 nm in the solution state and 425 nm in the film state, indicating emission in the deep-blue region. DTPCZ also exhibited high thermal stability, with a degradation temperature of 349 °C. To confirm the electroluminescence (EL) characteristics, DTPCZ was applied as a dopant at 10, 20, and 30 wt% in a blue-fluorescent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device. The highest efficiency was achieved using the 20 wt% doped device, with a current efficiency of 1.2 cd/A, an external quantum efficiency of 2.3%, and a Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage proceedings y-value of 0.06. Thus, deep-blue emission could be realized in the film state. These molecular design strategies can be applied to various fields, such as organic semiconductors.
Improving Agility and Reactive Agility in Basketball Players U14 and U16 by Implementing Fitlight Technology in the Sports Training Process
Authors: Steff Norbert , Badau Dana , Badau Adela
Published: April 2024

The main aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of the implementation of Fitlight technology in the process of sports training and motor assessment on the improvement in agility and reactive agility of junior basketball players. The age groups studied were under-14 (U14) and under-16 (U16). This study included 70 male basketball athletes, structured in two experimental groups: U14 (18 subjects) and U16 (17 subjects); two control groups: U14 (18 subjects) and U16 (17 subjects). Arithmetic averages of the anthropometric characteristics of the subject groups: experimental group U14: height 172.89 cm, weight 58.22 kg, BMI 19.56; control group U14: height 165.44 cm, weight 50.17 kg, BMI 18.53; experimental group U16: height 179.94 cm, weight 70.82 kg, BMI 20.35; control group U16: height 183.88 cm, weight 73.41 kg, BMI 20.83. An 18-week experimental program that integrates Fitlight technology in order to develop coordination and agility skills and corrective agility was implemented in the experimental groups. This study included six tests: T agility test, T agility test with ball, reactive T agility test, reactive T agility test with ball, Illinois agility test, and Illinois agility test with ball. The results of this study showed statistically significant progress between the initial and final testing for the experimental group, p < 0.05. The Cohen’s values of the experimental groups were above 0.8, which denotes a large effect size; for the control group, these sizes were small and medium. The comparative analysis of the experimental and control groups, U14 and U16, highlights significant statistical differences in favor of the experimental groups, for all the agility tests of this study. This study highlights the effectiveness of incorporating advanced training tools like Fitlight in sports training, particularly for young basketball players. This approach surpasses traditional methods in enhancing agility, suggesting a paradigm shift towards technology-integrated training in sports.
Effect of Plate Configuration in the Primary Stability of Osteotomies and Biological Reconstructions of Femoral Defects: Finite-Element Study
Authors: Neto M. A. , Paulino M. F. , Amaro A. M.
Published: April 2024

Background/objective: Osteosynthesis is an alternative treatment for stabilizing femur-bone traumas. The initial stability of the fixation systems is one of the biomechanical parameters affecting implant failure and bone union, especially in surgeries of intercalary reconstructions after the removal of bone tumors. This study aimed to investigate the initial biomechanical effect of using one or two osteosynthesis plate configurations for femoral fixation and the effect of fastening the allograft to the osteosynthesis plate in the case of femoral allograft reconstructions. Methods: Three finite-element models of a femur with three different fixation conditions for a transverse osteotomy in the middle of the diaphysis, i.e., using one and two osteosynthesis plates and an intercalary allograft, were constructed. An eight-hole compression plate and a six-hole second plate were used to simulate osteosynthesis plates. The plate screws were tightened previously to the loading, and the tightening sequences simulate the bolt-tightening procedure in a surgical environment. The models were imported into the ADINA System for nonlinear analysis, using compression loads applied over the femur head. Results: Models with the dual fixation systems had the most outstanding compression stiffness. The femur head movement in the dual plate system was 24.8% smaller than in the single plate system. A statistical analysis of a region of interest (VOI) placed in the femur diaphysis showed that the biomechanical effect of using the dual plate system is smaller in the osteotomy region than at the femur head, e.g., a displacement average decrease of only 5% between the two systems, while the maximum value decreases by 26.8%. The allograft fixation to the second osteosynthesis plate leads to an improvement in the system stability. Conclusions: The results presented in this work show that including the bolt analysis in the femoral diaphysis osteotomy fixation will allow for capturing the nonlinear behavior of the osteotomy region more realistically. The stability of the intercalary reconstruction of the femoral diaphysis was higher when the allograft was fastened to the second osteosynthesis plate.
Chemical Constituents and Their Bioactivities of Plants from the Genus Eupatorium (2015–Present)
Authors: Geng Hao
Published: April 2024

The genus Eupatorium belongs to the Asteraceae (Compositae) family and has multiple properties, such as invasiveness and toxicity, and is used in folk medicine. The last review on the chemical constituents of this genus and their biological activities was published in 2015. The present review provides an overview of 192 natural products discovered from 2015 to the present. These products include 63 sesquiterpenoids, 53 benzofuran derivatives, 39 thymol derivatives, 15 fatty acids, 7 diterpenoids, 5 monoterpenoids, 4 acetophenones, and 6 other compounds. We also characterized their respective chemical structures and cytotoxic, antifungal, insecticidal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive activities.
Ploidy’s Role in Daylily Plant Resilience to Drought Stress Challenges
Authors: Misiukevičius Edvinas , Mažeikienė Ingrida , Stanys Vidmantas
Published: April 2024

This study aimed to understand the differences in the performance of diploid and tetraploid daylily cultivars under water deficit conditions, which are essential indicators of drought tolerance. This research revealed that tetraploid daylilies performed better than diploid varieties in arid conditions due to their enhanced adaptability and resilience to water deficit conditions. The analysis of the results highlighted the need to clarify the specific physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the enhanced drought tolerance observed in tetraploid plants compared to diploids. This research offers valuable knowledge for improving crop resilience and sustainable floricultural practices in changing environmental conditions. The morphological and physiological parameters were analyzed in 19 diploid and 21 tetraploid daylily cultivars under controlled water deficit conditions, and three drought resistance groups were formed based on the clustering of these parameters. In a high drought resistance cluster, 93.3% tetraploid cultivars were exhibited. This study demonstrates the significance of ploidy in shaping plant responses to drought stress. It emphasizes the importance of studying plant responses to water deficit in landscape horticulture to develop drought-tolerant plants and ensure aspects of climate change.
Novel Insights into the Links between N6-Methyladenosine and Regulated Cell Death in Musculoskeletal Diseases
Authors: Han Juanjuan , Wang Cuijing , Yang Haolin , Luo Jiayi , Zhang Xiaoyi , Zhang Xin-An
Published: April 2024

Musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs), including osteoarthritis (OA), osteosarcoma (OS), multiple myeloma (MM), intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), osteoporosis (OP), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), present noteworthy obstacles associated with pain, disability, and impaired quality of life on a global scale. In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a key regulator in the expression of genes in a multitude of biological processes. m6A is composed of 0.1–0.4% adenylate residues, especially at the beginning of 3′-UTR near the translation stop codon. The m6A regulator can be classified into three types, namely the “writer”, “reader”, and “eraser”. Studies have shown that the epigenetic modulation of m6A influences mRNA processing, nuclear export, translation, and splicing. Regulated cell death (RCD) is the autonomous and orderly death of cells under genetic control to maintain the stability of the internal environment. Moreover, distorted RCDs are widely used to influence the course of various diseases and receiving increasing attention from researchers. In the past few years, increasing evidence has indicated that m6A can regulate gene expression and thus influence different RCD processes, which has a central role in the etiology and evolution of MSDs. The RCDs currently confirmed to be associated with m6A are autophagy-dependent cell death, apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, immunogenic cell death, NETotic cell death and oxeiptosis. The m6A–RCD axis can regulate the inflammatory response in chondrocytes and the invasive and migratory of MM cells to bone remodeling capacity, thereby influencing the development of MSDs. This review gives a complete overview of the regulatory functions on the m6A–RCD axis across muscle, bone, and cartilage. In addition, we also discuss recent advances in the control of RCD by m6A-targeted factors and explore the clinical application prospects of therapies targeting the m6A–RCD in MSD prevention and treatment. These may provide new ideas and directions for understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of MSDs and the clinical prevention and treatment of these diseases.