bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mungbean (Vigna radiata) Growth and Yield Response in Relation to Water Stress and Elevated Day/Night Temperature Conditions
Authors: Mahajan Gulshan , Wenham Kylie , Chauhan Bhagirath Singh
Published: October 2023

Information regarding the relative importance of elevated day/night-time temperatures combined with water stress on mungbean yield is limited. This study aimed to investigate the yield response of mungbean cultivars to different water stress and temperature regimes under controlled glasshouse conditions. Two mungbean cultivars, Celera II-AU and Jade-AU, were grown and evaluated under four temperature regimes with and without water stress, each replicated 10 times in a randomized complete block design. The four temperature regimes were as follows: (i) HTHT: Plants were consistently exposed to high day/high night temperatures (35/25 °C). (ii) LTHT: Plants experienced ambient day/ambient night temperatures (25/15 °C) for the first 35 days, followed by the HTHT environment. (iii) LTLT: Plants were maintained at ambient day/ambient night temperatures (25/15 °C) throughout the experiment. (iv) HTLT: Plants were subjected to high day/high night temperatures (35/25 °C) for the initial 35 days, followed by the LTLT environment. Under water stress conditions, mungbean yield declined significantly in the HTHT environment by 57% for Jade-AU and 76% for Celera II-AU compared to the LTLT environment. The highest seed yield (10.2 g plant−1 for Jade-AU and 11.4 g plant−1 for Celera II-AU) for both cultivars was observed when grown without water stress in the LTLT environment. However, yield decreased substantially when plants experienced combined heat and water stress during the reproductive stage (HTHT and LTHT environments). Without water stress, mungbean yield under the HTHT environment decreased by 30% for Jade-AU and 60% for Celera II-AU compared to the LTLT environment. Surprisingly, no significant difference in response to water stress was observed between the two cultivars. Furthermore, when grown under no-water stress and HTHT environments, the yield of Celera II-AU was reduced by 37% compared to Jade-AU. Similarly, a comparable response was seen between cultivars under no-water stress and LTHT environment. The results indicated that water and heat stress negatively affected mungbean seed yield. Moreover, it was observed that Jade-AU outperformed Celera II-AU regarding seed yield under heat-stress conditions. In conclusion, this study suggests that adjusting sowing time and selecting suitable heat-tolerant cultivars, such as Jade-AU, could enhance mungbean yield under heat and water stress conditions. The results demonstrate substantial impacts on mungbean productivity from changing climatic and water stress conditions and these findings can be utilized for improving mungbean productivity in dryland regions.
Effects of Substituting B with FR and UVA at Different Growth Stages on the Growth and Quality of Lettuce
Authors: Hu Youzhi , He Rui , Ju Jun , Zhang Shuchang , He Xinyang , Li Yamin , Liu Xiaojuan , Liu Houcheng
Published: October 2023

This study investigated the effects of substituting B with FR and UVA (50 μmol·m−2·s−1) at two growth stages on the growth and quality of loose-leaf lettuce (cv. Fangni). The basal light was red and blue LEDs at 250 μmol·m−2·s−1. At stage I (the first 10 days of 20-day pre-harvest), there were three treatments: B substituted by FR (FR); B substituted by UVA (UVA); and no substituting (CKI). At stage II (next ten days after stage I), there were 9 treatments: FF (FR + FR), UF (UVA + FR), BF (B + FR), FU (FR + UVA), UU (UVA + UVA), BU (B + UVA), FB (FR + B), UB (UVA + B), and B + B (CKII). At stage I, compare with UV-A and CKI, the shoot fresh weight, leaf area, leaf width, leaf length, and vitamin C content highly increased under far-red light (FR), whereas specific leaf weight and the chlorophyll contents significantly decreased by FR. In CKI, nitrate contents and the antioxidant capacity (FRAP, DPPH) were significantly higher than in FR and UVA. At stage II, higher leaf width, leaf length, leaf area, and shoot fresh and dry weight were observed in FF, UF, and BF. The lowest biomass was shown in CKII. Higher chlorophyll contents were found in FU and FB. The soluble sugar contents significantly increased by all treatments. In addition to UB and BU, soluble protein contents increased by other treatments. There were higher vitamin C contents in UU, UB, and CKII. Large amounts of nitrates accumulated under CKII. The higher antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP) was found in FB and CKII. The highest flavonoid content was found in UB, and higher polyphenols contents were found in UB and BU. In this study, substituting B with FR at 2 stages were the best way to increase lettuce biomass. The optimal measure to both increased lettuce nutrition quality and biomass was FB at stage II.
Human Disturbance Increases Health Risks to Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys and the Transfer Risk of Pathogenic Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria from Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys to Humans
Authors: Zou Shuzhen , Yuan Tingting , Lu Tan , Yan Jiayu , Kang Di , Li Dayong
Published: October 2023

From the perspective of interactions in the human–animal–ecosystem, the study and control of pathogenic bacteria that can cause disease in animals and humans is the core content of “One Health”. In order to test the effect of human disturbance (HD) on the health risk of pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARBs) to wild animals and transfer risk of the PARBs from wild animals to humans, golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) were used as sentinel animals. Metagenomic analysis was used to analyze the characteristics of PARBs in the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys. Then, the total contribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors (VFs) of the PARBs were used to assess the health risk of PARBs to golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the antimicrobial drug resistance and bacterial infectious disease of PARBs were determined to assess the transfer risk of PARBs from golden snub-nosed monkeys to humans. There were 18 and 5 kinds of PARBs in the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys under HD (HD group) and wild habitat environments (W group), respectively. The total health risks of PARBs to the W group and the HD group were −28.5 × 10−3 and 125.8 × 10−3, respectively. There were 12 and 16 kinds of KEGG pathways of human diseases in the PARBs of the W group and the HD group, respectively, and the gene numbers of KEGG pathways in the HD group were higher than those in the W group. HD increased the pathogenicity of PARBs to golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the PARBs in golden snub-nosed monkeys exhibited resistance to lincosamide, aminoglycoside, and streptogramin antibiotics. If these PARBs transfer from golden snub-nosed monkeys to humans, then humans may acquire symptoms of pathogens including Tubercle bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Yersinia, Pertussis, and Vibrio cholera.
Effects of Alternative Cassava and Taro Feed on the Carcass and Meat Quality of Fattening Pigs Reared under Ecuadorian Backyard Systems
Authors: Valverde Lucio Alfredo , Gonzalez-Martínez Ana , Ortega Julio Gabriel , Rodero Serrano Evangelina
Published: October 2023

Ecuadorian small producers use crossbred animals with a low level of genetic improvement, which are fed with alternative feeds to decrease production costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of geographical location and three diets according to the amount of cassava and taro incorporated into the feed (T1 conventional feed; T2 and T3 with 32% and 42% of cassava and taro, respectively) in pigs reared under the backyard system. The results did not show many differences between the treatments for morphological traits; however, between geographical locations, significant differences were evidenced. The fat content from the first rib was higher in the T1 group. The intramuscular fat percentage was higher in the T1 group, contrary to the protein levels, which were higher in the T3 group in Esmeraldas and the T2 group in Ro Chico. In the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its attached organs, differences were found in the empty stomach weight, full and empty small intestine weight, liver weight, and total GIT weight, with the T2 and T3 groups having the largest and heaviest. Cassava and taro did not affect the morphometric behavior and quality of the carcass but increased the amount of protein in the meat and the weight of the GIT. Geographical location was also observed to have a significant effect.
Development of Bedaquiline-Loaded SNEDDS Using Quality by Design (QbD) Approach to Improve Biopharmaceutical Attributes for the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
Authors: Jahan Rao Nargis , Khan Zafar , Akhtar Md. Sayeed , Ansari Mohd Danish , Solanki Pavitra , Ahmad Farhan J. , Aqil Mohd , Sultana Yasmin
Published: October 2023

Background: The ever-growing emergence of antibiotic resistance associated with tuberculosis (TB) has become a global challenge. In 2012, the USFDA gave expedited approval to bedaquiline (BDQ) as a new treatment for drug-resistant TB in adults when no other viable options are available. BDQ is a diarylquinoline derivative and exhibits targeted action on mycobacterium tuberculosis, but due to poor solubility, the desired therapeutic action is not achieved. Objective: To develop a QbD-based self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of bedaquiline using various oils, surfactants, and co-surfactants. Methods: The quality target product profile (QTPP) and critical quality attributes (CQAs) were identified with a patient-centric approach, which facilitated the selection of critical material attributes (CMAs) during pre-formulation studies and initial risk assessment. Caprylic acid as a lipid, propylene glycol as a surfactant, and Transcutol-P as a co-surfactant were selected as CMAs for the formulation of bedaquiline fumarate SNEDDS. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed to determine the optimal ratio of oil and Smix. To optimize the formulation, a Box–Benkhen design (BBD) was used. The optimized formulation (BDQ-F-SNEDSS) was further evaluated for parameters such as droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), percentage transmittance, dilution studies, stability studies, and cell toxicity through the A549 cell. Results: Optimized BDQ-F-SNEDDS showed well-formed droplets of 98.88 ± 2.1 nm with a zeta potential of 21.16 mV. In vitro studies showed enhanced drug release with a high degree of stability at 25 ± 2 °C, 60 ± 5% and 40 ± 2 °C, 75 ± 5%. Furthermore, BDQ-F-SNEDDS showed promising cell viability in A549 cells, indicating BDQ-F-SNEDDS as a safer formulation for oral delivery. Conclusion: Finally, it was concluded that the utilization of a QbD approach in the development of BDQ-F-loaded SNEDDS offers a promising strategy to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of the drug, resulting in potential cost and time savings.
Long-Term Effects of Perinatal Exposure to a Glyphosate-Based Herbicide on Melatonin Levels and Oxidative Brain Damage in Adult Male Rats
Authors: Cattani Daiane , Pierozan Paula , Zamoner Ariane , Brittebo Eva , Karlsson Oskar
Published: October 2023

Concerns have been raised regarding the potential adverse health effects of the ubiquitous herbicide glyphosate. Here, we investigated long-term effects of developmental exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) by analyzing serum melatonin levels and cellular changes in the striatum of adult male rats (90 days old). Pregnant and lactating rats were exposed to 3% GBH (0.36% glyphosate) through drinking water from gestational day 5 to postnatal day 15. The offspring showed reduced serum melatonin levels (43%) at the adult age compared with the control group. The perinatal exposure to GBH also induced long-term oxidative stress-related changes in the striatum demonstrated by increased lipid peroxidation (45%) and DNA/RNA oxidation (39%) together with increased protein levels of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD1, 24%), glutamate–cysteine ligase (GCLC, 58%), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1, 31%). Moreover, perinatal GBH exposure significantly increased the total number of neurons (20%) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons (38%) in the adult striatum. Mechanistic in vitro studies with primary rat pinealocytes exposed to 50 µM glyphosate demonstrated a decreased melatonin secretion partially through activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (mGluR3), while higher glyphosate levels (100 or 500 µM) also reduced the pinealocyte viability. Since decreased levels of the important antioxidant and neuroprotector melatonin have been associated with an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders, this demonstrates the need to consider the melatonin hormone system as a central endocrine-related target of glyphosate and other environmental contaminants.
The Magic Cocktail: Ampicillin and Biosynthesized Gold Nanoparticles Synergism against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Oliveira Marco , Soares Silvia , Sá Sara , Gestoso Álvaro , Correa-Duarte Miguel , Baylina Pilar , Fernandes Rúben , Pereira Carla F.
Published: October 2023

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have garnered attention as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics due to their innovative antibacterial properties. This study demonstrates the successful production of biosynthetic gold nanoparticles (bAuNPs) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) as spherical nanostructures at 58 °C for 24 h, under alkaline pH (9.0). The successful synthesis of bAuNPs was confirmed through UV-Vis spectroscopy, exhibiting a characteristic peak within the 500–600 nm wavelength range, and the evaluation of the main functional groups and morphology were stressed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), respectively. Subsequently, the synthesized bAuNPs were combined with low concentrations of ampicillin and evaluated against Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) through the classical serial dilution method. This innovative approach holds the potential to address the escalating issue of antibiotic resistance, providing a viable and sustainable solution.
Classifying Poor Postures of the Neck and Spine in Computer Work by Using Image and Skeleton Analysis
Authors: Lee Jaeeun , Choi Hongseok , Yum Kyeongmin , Kim Jongnam
Published: October 2023

When using a desktop computer, people tend to adopt postures that are detrimental to their bodies, such as text neck and the L-posture of leaning forward with their buttocks out and their shoulders against the backrest of the chair. These two postures cause chronic problems by bending the cervical and thoracic spines and can have detrimental effects on the body. While there have been many studies on text neck posture, there were limited studies on classifying these two postures together, and there are limitations to the accuracy of their classification. To address these limitations, we propose an algorithm for classifying good posture, text neck posture, and L-posture, the latter two of which may negatively affect the body when using a desktop computer. The proposed algorithm utilizes a skeleton algorithm to calculate angles from images of the user’s lateral posture, and then classifies the three postures based on the angle values. If there is sufficient space next to the computer, the method can be implemented anywhere, and classification can be performed at low cost. The experimental results showed a high accuracy rate of 97.06% and an F1-score of 95.23%; the L posture was classified with 100% accuracy.
Production Improvement Rate with Time Series Data on Standard Time at Manufacturing Sites
Authors: Ki Injong , Song Hasup , Ryu Jihyeok , Jeong Jongpil
Published: October 2023

Amid the changes brought about by the 4th Industrial Revolution, numerous studies have been undertaken to develop smart factories, with a strong emphasis on knowledge-based manufacturing through smart factory construction. Advances in manufacturing data collection, fusion, and mining technologies have significantly bolstered the utilization of knowledge-based manufacturing. Data mining technology is widely employed for facility maintenance and failure prediction. Smart factory operations are pursuing automation and autonomization. Automation of production planning is also essential to achieve automation and autonomy in factory operations, from planning to execution. With the advancement of data mining technology, it is possible to automate production planning for the production planning and prediction of future production through information based on current conditions based on the past. The baseline information generated based on the current situation is suitable for automating short-term operational planning. If we generate time series reference information based on data from the past to the present, we can also automate long-term operation planning. By measuring the results of productivity improvements in mass-produced products from the past to the present and extrapolating them to future products, time series baseline information on production time is generated. If the baseline information is used for long-term planning, it can be used to predict future production capacity and facility shortages. This study presents a methodology and utilization method for calculating the rate of change in production time, which can be applied to production plan prediction and equipment investment capacity forecasting in future factory operations, using historical time series production time data.
Progressive Gaussian Decomposition of Airborne Bathymetric LiDAR Waveform for Improving Seafloor Point Extraction
Authors: Kim Hyejin , Jung Minyoung , Lee Jaebin , Wie Gwangjae
Published: October 2023

Airborne bathymetric LiDAR (ABL) acquires waveform data with better accuracy and resolution and greater user control over data processing than discrete returns. The ABL waveform is a mixture of reflections from the water surface and bottom, water column backscattering, and noise, and it can be separated into individual components through waveform decomposition. Because the point density and positional accuracy of the point cloud are dependent on waveform decomposition, an effective decomposition technique is required to improve ABL measurement. In this study, a new progressive waveform decomposition technique based on Gaussian mixture models was proposed for universal applicability to various types of ABL waveforms and to maximize the observation of seafloor points. The proposed progressive Gaussian decomposition (PGD) estimates potential peaks that are not detected during the initial peak detection and progressively decomposes the waveform until the Gaussian mixture model sufficiently represents the individual waveforms. Its performance is improved by utilizing a termination criterion based on the time difference between the originally detected and estimated peaks of the approximated model. The PGD can be universally applied to various waveforms regardless of water depth or underwater environment. To evaluate the proposed approach, it was applied to the waveform data acquired from the Seahawk sensor developed in Korea. In validating the PGD through comparative evaluation with the conventional Gaussian decomposition method, the root mean square error was found to decrease by approximately 70%. In terms of point cloud extractability, the PGD extracted 14–18% more seafloor points than the Seahawk’s data processing software.
Effect of Adjunctive Use of Probiotics in the Treatment of Peri-Implant Mucositis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Villafuerte Kelly Rocio Vargas , Martinez Cristhiam de Jesus Hernandez , Santos Karina Oliveira
Published: October 2023

This review was performed to analyze evidence from the scientific literature of the adjunctive effect of probiotics in the treatment of peri-implant mucositis (PiM). Only randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of probiotics as an adjunct to mechanical debridement in PiM were included. A search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science to identify articles published in English up to January 2023. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the JADAD scale, and the risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration assessment tool. Of the 159 potentially relevant studies, only 9 studies were included. The most commonly used strain was Lactobacillus reuteri, and the meta-analysis was conducted on studies with a follow-up period of 3 to 6 months, observing an overall effect on the reduction of bleeding on probing (BOP) at 3 and 6 months (WMD = −1.13, 95% CI = −1.95 to −0.30, p = 0.007; and WMD = −1.32, 95% CI = −2.15 to −0.48, p = 0.002), plaque index (PI) at 3 months (WMD = −1.22, 95% CI = −2.25 to −0.19, p = 0.02), and probing pocket depth (PPD) at 3 and 6 months, which was statistically significant in favor of the probiotic group (WMD = −1.34, 95% CI = −2.42 to −0.25, p = 0.02 and WMD = −1.36, 95% CI = −2.61 to −0.11, p = 0.03). On the other hand, there were no significant changes in the subgingival microflora around the implants with the use of probiotics. Probiotic therapy, as an adjunct to mechanical debridement, promotes a greater reduction in BOP, PPD, and PI, in relation to the control group without probiotics.
Investigation of a Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) System
Authors: Whitestone Jennifer , Salih Anmar , Goswami Tarun
Published: October 2023

A deep brain stimulator (DBS) device is a surgically implanted system that delivers electrical impulses to specific targets in the brain to treat abnormal movement disorders. A DBS is like a cardiac pacemaker, but instead of sending electrical signals to the heart, it sends them to the brain instead. When DBS leads and extension wires are exposed in the biological environment, this can adversely affect impedance and battery life, resulting in poor clinical outcomes. A posthumously extracted DBS device was evaluated using visual inspection and optical microscopy as well as electrical and mechanical tests to quantify the damage leading to its impairment. The implantable pulse generator (IPG) leads, a component of the DBS, contained cracks, delamination, exfoliations, and breakage. Some aspects of in vivo damage were observed in localized areas discussed in this paper. The duration of the time in months that the DBS was in vivo was estimated based on multiple regression analyses of mechanical property testing from prior research of pacemaker extensions. The test results of three DBS extensions, when applied to the regressions, were used to estimate the in vivo duration in months. This estimation approach may provide insight into how long the leads can function effectively before experiencing mechanical failure. Measurements of the extension coils demonstrated distortion and stretching, demonstrating the changes that may occur in vivo. These changes can alter the impedance and potentially reduce the effectiveness of the clinical treatment provided by the DBS system. Ultimately, as both DBSs and pacemakers use the same insulation and lead materials, the focus of this paper is to develop a proof of concept demonstrating that the mechanical properties measured from pacemaker extensions and leads extracted posthumously of known duration, measured in months while in vivo, can be used to predict the duration of DBS leads of unknown lifespan. The goal is to explore the validity of the proposed model using multiple regression of mechanical properties.
Bone Morphogenic Proteins and Their Antagonists in the Lower Airways of Stable COPD Patients
Authors: Di Stefano Antonino , Rosani Umberto , Levra Stefano , Gnemmi Isabella , Brun Paola , Maniscalco Mauro , D’Anna Silvestro Ennio , Carriero Vitina , Bertolini Francesca , Ricciardolo Fabio L. M.
Published: October 2023

Background: Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) and their antagonists are involved in the tissue development and homeostasis of various organs. Objective: To determine transcriptomic and protein expression of BMPs and their antagonists in stable COPD. Methods: We measured the expression and localization of BMPs and some relevant antagonists in bronchial biopsies of stable mild/moderate COPD (MCOPD) (n = 18), severe/very severe COPD (SCOPD) (n = 16), control smokers (CS) (n = 13), and control non-smokers (CNS) (n = 11), and in lung parenchyma of MCOPD (n = 9), CS (n = 11), and CNS (n = 9) using immunohistochemistry and transcriptome analysis, in vitro after the stimulation of the 16HBE cells. Results: In bronchial biopsies, BMP4 antagonists CRIM1 and chordin were increased in the bronchial epithelium and lamina propria of COPD patients. BMP4 expression was decreased in the bronchial epithelium of SCOPD and MCOPD compared to CNS. Lung transcriptomic data showed non-significant changes between groups. CRIM1 and chordin were significantly decreased in the alveolar macrophages and alveolar septa in COPD patients. External 16HBE treatment with BMP4 protein reduced the bronchial epithelial cell proliferation. Conclusions: These data show an imbalance between BMP proteins and their antagonists in the lungs of stable COPD. This imbalance may play a role in the remodeling of the airways, altering the regenerative–reparative responses of the diseased bronchioles and lung parenchyma.
Comparison of the Accuracy of Epistasis and Haplotype Models for Genomic Prediction of Seven Human Phenotypes
Authors: Liang Zuoxiang , Prakapenka Dzianis , Da Yang
Published: October 2023

The accuracy of predicting seven human phenotypes of 3657–7564 individuals using global epistasis effects was evaluated and compared to the accuracy of haplotype genomic prediction using 380,705 SNPs and 10-fold cross-validation studies. The seven human phenotypes were the normality transformed high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), weight (WT), and the original phenotypic observations of height (HTo) and body mass index (BMIo). Fourth-order epistasis effects virtually had no contribution to the phenotypic variances, and third-order epistasis effects did not affect the prediction accuracy. Without haplotype effects in the prediction model, pairwise epistasis effects improved the prediction accuracy over the SNP models for six traits, with accuracy increases of 2.41%, 3.85%, 0.70%, 0.97%, 0.62% and 0.93% for HDL, LDL, TC, HTo, WT and BMIo respectively. However, none of the epistasis models had higher prediction accuracy than the haplotype models we previously reported. The epistasis model for TG decreased the prediction accuracy by 2.35% relative to the accuracy of the SNP model. The integrated models with epistasis and haplotype effects had slightly higher prediction accuracy than the haplotype models for two traits, HDL and BMIo. These two traits were the only traits where additive × dominance effects increased the prediction accuracy. These results indicated that haplotype effects containing local high-order epistasis effects had a tendency to be more important than global pairwise epistasis effects for the seven human phenotypes, and that the genetic mechanism of HDL and BMIo was more complex than that of the other traits.
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α in Lipoprotein Metabolism and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Fuior Elena Valeria , Zvintzou Evangelia , Filippatos Theodosios , Giannatou Katerina , Mparnia Victoria , Simionescu Maya , Gafencu Anca Violeta , Kypreos Kyriakos E.
Published: October 2023

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of ligand-binding transcription factors with pivotal action in regulating pleiotropic signaling pathways of energetic metabolism, immune responses and cell proliferation and differentiation. A significant body of evidence indicates that the PPARα receptor is an important modulator of plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, with pluripotent effects influencing the lipid and apolipoprotein cargo of both atherogenic and antiatherogenic lipoproteins and their functionality. Clinical evidence supports an important role of PPARα agonists (fibric acid derivatives) in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and/or low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, although the effects of clinical trials are contradictory and point to a reduction in the risk of nonfatal and fatal myocardial infarction events. In this manuscript, we provide an up-to-date critical review of the existing relevant literature.
Medical Cannabis Is Not Associated with a Decrease in Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults
Authors: Abuhasira Ran , Schwartz Lihi , Novack Victor
Published: October 2023

The proportion of older adults using medical cannabis is rising. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effects of herbal medical cannabis on the functional status of older adults. We conducted a prospective observational study of patients aged 65 years or older that initiated cannabis treatment for different indications, mostly chronic non-cancer pain, during 2018–2020 in a specialized geriatric clinic. The outcomes assessed were activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), pain intensity, geriatric depression scale, chronic medication use, and adverse events at six months. A cohort of 119 patients began cannabis treatment: the mean age was 79.3 ± 8.5 and 74 (62.2%) were female. Of the cohort, 43 (36.1%) experienced adverse effects due to cannabis use and 2 (1.7%) required medical attention. The mean ADL scores before and after treatment were 4.4 ± 1.8 and 4.5 ± 1.8, respectively (p = 0.27), and the mean IADL scores before and after treatment were 4.1 ± 2.6 and 4.7 ± 3, respectively (p = 0.02). We concluded that medical cannabis in older adults has a number of serious adverse events, but was not associated with a decrease in functional status, as illustrated by ADL and IADL scores after six months of continuous treatment.
Steroids Bearing Heteroatom as Potential Drugs for Medicine
Authors: Dembitsky Valery M.
Published: October 2023

Heteroatom steroids, a diverse class of organic compounds, have attracted significant attention in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. The biological profiles of heteroatom steroids are of considerable interest to chemists, biologists, pharmacologists, and the pharmaceutical industry. These compounds have shown promise as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of various diseases, such as cancer, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. Moreover, the incorporation of heteroatoms has led to the development of targeted drug delivery systems, prodrugs, and other innovative pharmaceutical approaches. Heteroatom steroids represent a fascinating area of research, bridging the fields of organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology. The exploration of their chemical diversity and biological activities holds promise for the discovery of novel drug candidates and the development of more effective and targeted treatments.
Experimental Assessment and Validation of the Hygrothermal Behaviour of an Innovative Light Steel Frame (LSF) Wall Incorporating a Monitoring System
Authors: Jerónimo Rui , Gonçalves Márcio , Furtado Cristina , Rodrigues Kevin , Ferreira César , Simões Nuno
Published: October 2023

Currently, the construction sector is witnessing a growing demand for lightweight solutions, which can be justified by the need to adopt high-performance solutions and the fact that the industry is struggling with a shortage of skilled labour. In this sense, this study focuses on a novel and flexible building wall system, constructed using an innovative extensible LSF profile. To enhance its functionality, a monitoring system comprising printed sensors was integrated into the wall. These sensors underwent a thorough verification process. To evaluate the hygrothermal performance of the complete LSF wall solution and validate the novel monitoring system, an extensive ageing test focused on heat/rain, freeze/thaw cycles was conducted on a large-scale wall prototype. Additionally, this research introduces a novel approach by simulating exceptional solar radiation conditions, surpassing the standard cycles outlined in EAD 040083-00-0404, for the first time in this kind of solution. The results cover the measurements taken inside the building system using the incorporated monitoring system. Additionally, supplementary external temperature and heat flow sensors were used to determine the thermal transmittance. Visual and thermography inspections were also carried out. The findings reveal no instances of failures or defects that could potentially impact the hygrothermal behaviour of the system. The hybrid LSF constructive solution leads to more stable temperatures on the inner surface. The presence of direct solar radiation can raise surface temperatures by up to 5 °C compared to surfaces not exposed to such radiation, even when a light-coloured surface is used. The monitoring system worked correctly. In conclusion, the innovative profile proved to be resistant to hygrothermal cycles and the monitoring system developed is efficient.
Working from Home during COVID-19: An Exploratory Study on Experiences and Challenges of Women in Construction
Authors: Oo Bee Lan , Lim Benson Teck Heng , Kim Byeol
Published: October 2023

Early studies on the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that the working from home (WFH) mandate and unusual caregiving arrangements have dramatically impacted the employment of women, especially those with young children. This study explores women’s perceptions of the WFH mandate arrangement. Data were collected from the female workforce in the Australian construction industry using an online questionnaire. The specific objectives were to (i) explore their WFH experiences; (ii) examine their perceived impacts of WFH challenges on work activities and performance; and (iii) explore the relationships among critical challenges, the respondents’ demographic characteristics and their overall satisfaction with WFH and preference for WFH after COVID. Although most respondents were new to the WFH arrangement, there is evidence suggesting that they were adapting well to the sudden shift to a WFH arrangement. Sixteen (out of twenty-two) challenges recorded positive perceived impacts on work activities and performance. The top three critical challenges were (i) mutual trust between you and your work supervisor; (ii) availability of suitable space at home; and (iii) information and communication exchanges via virtual meetings. The respondents also indicated positive satisfaction with a WFH arrangement along with perceived positive work performance while WFH. Most of them indicated high preference for WFH after COVID, which was positively correlated with the level of education attainment. The critical challenges identified together with a set of negative factors might be useful for employment organizations to re-optimize their WFH practices.
Healthy Social Network Use and Well-Being during Adolescence: A Biopsychosocial Approach
Authors: Gaspar Tania , Carvalho Marina , Noronha Catarina , Guedes Fábio Botelho , Cerqueira Ana , de Matos Margarida Gaspar
Published: October 2023

Screen time and the use of social networks is the most frequent form of leisure time occupation and socializing for adolescents. The present study is aimed at understanding and characterizing, from an ecological perspective, what distinguishes healthy and less healthy or even dependent use of social media in young people and the influence on adolescents’ well-being. This paper is based on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) from 2022, a survey carried out every 4 years, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), following an international protocol. A total of 7643 students from the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th school grades responded, of which 53.9% were female, with an average age of 15.05 (SD = 2.36). The sample is representative of the school grades under study. The results allow us to study and identify similarities and differences between three groups related to the level of healthiness in the use of social networks and its relations to well-being from an ecological perspective. What distinguishes adolescents with less healthy use of social networks is that they are more often female, older, have more self-injurious behaviour, higher alcohol consumption, and a worse relationship with teachers. The adolescents with the highest level of dependence on social networks are those who have a higher perception of lack of safety at school and in their area of residence, as well as a higher use of screen time as a leisure activity. The well-being of adolescents using social media in a healthy way is explained by fewer psychological symptoms, better stress management strategies, better body awareness, more physical activity, less time online with friends, and better relationships with family and teachers. Technologies and social networks are important for the well-being of adolescents; it is essential to promote a healthy, critical and balanced use with other “screen-free” activities and to promote socio-emotional skills, a lack of which seems to be one of the biggest risk factors associated with the healthy use of technologies.
High-Performance Polyimide Films Derived from Biomass-Based Furfural: Fabrication and Properties
Authors: Chen Lei , Luo Weiyu , He Yima , Huang Lizhen , Xu Jinjie , Li Kaixin , Min Yonggang
Published: October 2023

The development of renewable polymers as alternatives to the petroleum-based ones has received significant attention due to the increasing depletion of fossil oil and the associated environmental concerns. In this study, a semi-biomass-based polyimide (PI) film was successfully synthesized, using biomass-derived furfural (HMFA) as one of the raw materials. A two-step approach was first developed for this process: (1) conversion of HMFA to 3,3,4,4-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (BPDA) and (2) polymerization of BPDA with p-phenylenediamine (PPD) to form a PI film. The fabricated PI film demonstrated excellent properties, such as a high thermal decomposition temperature up to 600 °C, a satisfactory glass transition temperature (Tg) exceeding 365 °C, a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of ≈30 ppm/K, a tensile strength greater than 120 MPa, a dielectric constant value below 3.4, a dielectric loss value of less than 0.02, and a 24 h water absorption rate below 0.8%. These performances are comparable to the petrochemical-based PI. This work offers a promising strategy for utilizing biomass-derived materials in polyimide synthesis and would drive a new wave of advancements in polymer science.
On the Path to Sustainable Cosmetics: Development of a Value-Added Formulation of Solid Shampoo Incorporating Mango Peel Extract
Authors: Brito Inês , Ferreira Sara M. , Santos Lúcia
Published: October 2023

The excessive use of water and plastic packaging in the cosmetic industry imposes the need to develop sustainable alternatives. Moreover, agricultural by-products are reported in the literature to be rich in bioactive properties, namely high antioxidant capacity, suggesting their potential use in cosmetic formulations as substitutes for commercial additives. The aim of this work was the development of a sustainable formulation of solid shampoo, incorporating extracts from mango peel as antioxidants. The characterization of the extracts revealed the presence of several phenolic compounds and a strong antioxidant capacity. Six formulations of solid shampoo were produced by varying the quantity of the additives: tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene, used as positive controls, and mango peel (MP) extract. The antioxidant capacity assays demonstrated that the MP extract increased the antioxidant activity of the shampoos, in comparison to the positive controls and the stability tests revealed that the MP extract is a stable ingredient. Hence, it was concluded that the MP extract is a strong source of antioxidants with the potential to replace commercial antioxidants in cosmetics. Thus, it was possible to develop a value-added formulation of solid shampoo, eliminating the use of water and plastic for the packaging, and reusing waste from the food sector.
Preparing Data for Artificial Intelligence in Pathology with Clinical-Grade Performance
Authors: Yang Yuanqing , Sun Kai , Gao Yanhua , Wang Kuansong , Yu Gang
Published: October 2023

The pathology is decisive for disease diagnosis but relies heavily on experienced pathologists. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of artificial intelligence in pathology (AIP) to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. However, the impressive performance of deep learning-based AIP in laboratory settings often proves challenging to replicate in clinical practice. As the data preparation is important for AIP, the paper has reviewed AIP-related studies in the PubMed database published from January 2017 to February 2022, and 118 studies were included. An in-depth analysis of data preparation methods is conducted, encompassing the acquisition of pathological tissue slides, data cleaning, screening, and subsequent digitization. Expert review, image annotation, dataset division for model training and validation are also discussed. Furthermore, we delve into the reasons behind the challenges in reproducing the high performance of AIP in clinical settings and present effective strategies to enhance AIP’s clinical performance. The robustness of AIP depends on a randomized collection of representative disease slides, incorporating rigorous quality control and screening, correction of digital discrepancies, reasonable annotation, and sufficient data volume. Digital pathology is fundamental in clinical-grade AIP, and the techniques of data standardization and weakly supervised learning methods based on whole slide image (WSI) are effective ways to overcome obstacles of performance reproduction. The key to performance reproducibility lies in having representative data, an adequate amount of labeling, and ensuring consistency across multiple centers. Digital pathology for clinical diagnosis, data standardization and the technique of WSI-based weakly supervised learning will hopefully build clinical-grade AIP.
PHNN: A Prompt and Hybrid Neural Network-Based Model for Aspect-Based Sentiment Classification
Authors: Zhu Wenlong , Luo Jiahao , Miao Yu , Liu Peilun
Published: October 2023

Aspect-based sentiment classification (ABSC) is an important task in natural language processing (NLP) that aims to predict the sentiment polarity of different aspects in a sentence. The attention mechanism and pre-trained models are commonly used in ABSC tasks. However, a single pre-trained model typically does not perceive downstream tasks very well, and the attention mechanism usually neglects the syntactic information of sentences. In this paper, we propose a prompt and hybrid neural network (PHNN) model, which utilizes the prompt and a hybrid neural network structure to solve the ABSC task. More precisely, it first uses the prompt to convert an input sentence into cloze-type text and utilizes RoBERTa to deal with the input. Then, it applies the graph convolutional neural network (GCN) combined with the convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract the syntactic features of the sentence while using bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) to obtain the semantic features of the sentence. Further, it utilizes the multi-head attention (MHA) mechanism to learn attention in the sentence and aspect words. Finally, the sentiment polarity of the aspect words is obtained by using the softmax function. Experiments on three benchmark datasets show that PHNN has the best performance compared with other baselines, validating the efficiency of our model.
Gamification in Education
Authors: Christopoulos Athanasios , Mystakidis Stylianos
Published: October 2023

Gamification, or gameful design, refers to the strategic application of game design principles, mechanics, and elements into non-game environments. It is often facilitated using digital platforms, aiming to solve problems, increase engagement, and motivate individuals towards their goals. The technique fosters a gameful and interactive experience, enhancing perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness among users. With roots in fields like education, business, marketing, and services, gamification is a versatile tool that serves to enrich user experience and create value in a multitude of settings. The widespread impact of gamification across various sectors has transformed traditional methods of engagement, notably in education.
Special Issue: Novel Approaches for the Analytical Evaluation of Food Quality and Authenticity
Authors: Gallo Vito , Musio Biagia
Published: October 2023

Verifying the quality and authenticity of agri-food products is essential to guaranteeing adequate food safety for consumers [...]
Interpretive Qualitative Evaluation Informs Research Participation and Advocacy Training Program for Seniors: A Pilot Study
Authors: Bay Allison A. , Tian Tina , Hackney Madeleine E. , Silverstein Hayley A. , Hart Ariel R. , Lazris David , Perkins Molly M.
Published: October 2023

Background: An 8-week educational intervention co-taught by medical students and faculty was designed to foster communication between clinical researchers and populations of interest to ultimately increase participation in clinical research by older adults, including underrepresented groups. Weekly topics focused on age-related changes and health conditions, socio-contextual factors impacting aging populations, and wellness strategies. Objectives: To evaluate the successes and weaknesses of an educational intervention aimed at increasing the participation of older adults in clinical research. Design: A focus group was assembled after an 8-week educational intervention, titled DREAMS, to obtain participants’ feedback on the program, following a pre-formulated interview guide. Settings: Participants were interviewed in a health center office environment in the United States of America in April of 2016. Participants: A post-intervention focus group was conducted with a group of eight older adults (mean age = 75.8 ± 11.4 years) from 51 total participants who completed the intervention. Methods: The focus group was interviewed loosely following a pre-formed question guide. Participants were encouraged to give honest feedback. The conversation was recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analyses. Results: While participants viewed most aspects of the study as a success and stated that it was a productive learning experience, most participants had suggestions for improvements in the program content and implementation. Specifically, the composition of and direction to small breakout groups should be carefully considered and planned in this population, and attention should be paid to the delivery of sensitive topic such as death and dementia. A clear main benefit of this programmatic approach is the development of a rapport amongst participants and between participants and clinical researchers. Conclusions: The results provide useful insights regarding improving participation among hard-to-reach and historically underrepresented groups of older adults in clinical research. Future iterations of this program and similar educational interventions can use these findings to better achieve the programmatic objectives.