bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meditation: Evidence Map of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Schlechta Portella Caio Fábio , Ghelman Ricardo , Abdala Veronica , Schveitzer Mariana Cabral , Afonso Rui Ferreira
Published: December 2021

Study Basis: This evidence map presents a summary of studies that addressed the effects of meditation on various clinical and health conditions. Meditation is a contemplative practice that has been used for the promotion of health, and the treatment of different conditions.

Method: The study is based on the search of four electronic databases for the period 1994-November 2019 and includes systematic reviews, meta-analyses, meta-syntheses, and integrative reviews. 3iE evidence gap map was the methodology of choice, and AMSTAR 2 was used for the analyses. Tableau was used to graphically display the confidence level, number of reviews, health outcomes, and intervention effects.

Results: This map encompasses 191 studies, with Mindfulness being the key word that retrieved the highest number of results. Several meditation techniques were evaluated in different contexts, and the confidence levels of 22 studies were high, 84 were moderate, and 82 were low. Two 2 meta-syntheses and 1 integrative review were also included. Most of the studies reported positive effects and a beneficial potential of the practice of meditation. Health outcomes were divided into five groups out of which mental health and vitality, and well-being and quality of life stood out with the largest number of studies.

Conclusions: Meditation has been applied in different areas. This Evidence Map intends to be an easy visual tool to access valuable evidence-based information on this complementary therapy for patients, health professionals, and managers.
Virtual Coaching for Rehabilitation: The Participatory Design Experience of the vCare Project
Authors: Seregni Agnese , Tricomi Enrica , Tropea Peppino , Del Pino Rocio , Gómez-Esteban Juan Carlos , Gabilondo Inigo , Díez-Cirarda María , Schlieter Hannes , Gand Kai , Corbo Massimo
Published: December 2021

End-user involvement constitutes an essential goal during the development of innovative solution, not only for the evaluation, but also in codesign, following a user-centered strategy. Indeed, it is a great asset of research to base the work in a user-centered approach, because it allows to build a platform that will respond to the real needs of users. The aims of this work are to present the methodology adopted to involve end-users (i.e., neurological patients, healthy elderly, and health professionals) in the evaluation of a novel virtual coaching system based on the personalized clinical pathways and to present the results obtained from these preliminary activities. Specific activities involving end-users were planned along the development phases and are referred to as participatory design. The user experience of participatory design is constituted by the two different phases: the “end-user's perspective” phase where the user involvement in experiential activities is from an observational point of view, whereas the “field study” phase is the direct participation in these activities. Evaluation tools (i.e., scales, questionnaires, and interviews) were planned to assess different aspects of the system. Thirty patients [14 with poststroke condition and 16 with Parkinson's disease (PD)], 13 healthy elderly, and six health professionals were enrolled from two clinical centers during the two phases of participatory design. Results from “end-user's perspective” phase showed globally a positive preliminary perception of the service. Overall, a positive evaluation (i.e., UEQ median score > 1) was obtained for each domain of the scale in both groups of patients and healthy subjects. The evaluation of the vCare system during the “field study” phase was assessed as excellent (>80 points) from the point of view of both patients and health professionals. According to the majority of patients, the rehabilitation service through the solution was reported to be interesting, engaging, entertaining, challenging and useful for improving impaired motor functions, and making patients aware of their cognitive abilities. Once refined and fine-tuned in the aspects highlighted in the this work, the system will be clinically tested at user's home to measure the real impact of the rehabilitative coaching services.
A Comprehensive Review on the Optical Micro-Electromechanical Sensors for the Biomedical Application
Authors: Upadhyaya Anup M. , Hasan Mohammad Kamrul , Abdel-Khalek S. , Hassan Rosilah , Srivastava Maneesh C. , Sharan Preeta , Islam Shayla , Saad Asma Mohammed Elbashir , Vo Nguyen
Published: December 2021

This study presented an overview of current developments in optical micro-electromechanical systems in biomedical applications. Optical micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) is a particular class of MEMS technology. It combines micro-optics, mechanical elements, and electronics, called the micro-opto electromechanical system (MOEMS). Optical MEMS comprises sensing and influencing optical signals on micron-level by incorporating mechanical, electrical, and optical systems. Optical MEMS devices are widely used in inertial navigation, accelerometers, gyroscope application, and many industrial and biomedical applications. Due to its miniaturised size, insensitivity to electromagnetic interference, affordability, and lightweight characteristic, it can be easily integrated into the human body with a suitable design. This study presented a comprehensive review of 140 research articles published on photonic MEMS in biomedical applications that used the qualitative method to find the recent advancement, challenges, and issues. The paper also identified the critical success factors applied to design the optimum photonic MEMS devices in biomedical applications. With the systematic literature review approach, the results showed that the key design factors could significantly impact design, application, and future scope of work. The literature of this paper suggested that due to the flexibility, accuracy, design factors efficiency of the Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors, the demand has been increasing for various photonic devices. Except for FBG sensing devices, other sensing systems such as optical ring resonator, Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), and photonic crystals are used, which still show experimental stages in the application of biosensing. Due to the requirement of sophisticated fabrication facilities and integrated systems, it is a tough choice to consider the other photonic system. Miniaturisation of complete FBG device for biomedical applications is the future scope of work. Even though there is a lot of experimental work considered with an FBG sensing system, commercialisation of the final FBG device for a specific application has not been seen noticeable progress in the past.
Visual Features and Their Own Optical Flow
Authors: Betti Alessandro , Boccignone Giuseppe , Faggi Lapo , Gori Marco , Melacci Stefano
Published: December 2021

Symmetries, invariances and conservation equations have always been an invaluable guide in Science to model natural phenomena through simple yet effective relations. For instance, in computer vision, translation equivariance is typically a built-in property of neural architectures that are used to solve visual tasks; networks with computational layers implementing such a property are known as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). This kind of mathematical symmetry, as well as many others that have been recently studied, are typically generated by some underlying group of transformations (translations in the case of CNNs, rotations, etc.) and are particularly suitable to process highly structured data such as molecules or chemical compounds which are known to possess those specific symmetries. When dealing with video streams, common built-in equivariances are able to handle only a small fraction of the broad spectrum of transformations encoded in the visual stimulus and, therefore, the corresponding neural architectures have to resort to a huge amount of supervision in order to achieve good generalization capabilities. In the paper we formulate a theory on the development of visual features that is based on the idea that movement itself provides trajectories on which to impose consistency. We introduce the principle of Material Point Invariance which states that each visual feature is invariant with respect to the associated optical flow, so that features and corresponding velocities are an indissoluble pair. Then, we discuss the interaction of features and velocities and show that certain motion invariance traits could be regarded as a generalization of the classical concept of affordance. These analyses of feature-velocity interactions and their invariance properties leads to a visual field theory which expresses the dynamical constraints of motion coherence and might lead to discover the joint evolution of the visual features along with the associated optical flows.
Circular Business Models for Remanufacturing in the Electric Bicycle Industry
Authors: Koop Carina , Grosse Erdmann Julian , Koller Jan , Döpper Frank
Published: December 2021

The rising popularity and strong increase in the number of electric bicycles make it necessary to consider the built-in resources as well as possible treatments after the use phase. The time lag between the purchase and the occurrence of relevant defects suggests significant increases in defective components. Especially the great dynamics of the market due to regular innovations, product renewals, and the lack of spare parts availability for older models make the long-term use by customers much more difficult than for conventional bicycles. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze circular business models for the electric bicycle market. In this way, the required structures for a sustainable electric bicycle industry can be created so that valuable materials do not go into disposal but undergo a new use phase. Based on the results of “AddRE-Mo–Value Preservation Scenarios for Urban Electromobility of Persons and Loads through Additive Manufacturing and Remanufacturing,” a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, this paper addresses four circular business models, two sales models, and two service models. The guiding research interest of this paper is the combination of remanufacturing and additive manufacturing from a business model perspective, analyzing the extent to which additive remanufacturing can be considered a solution for electric bicycles' circularity. After describing the approach and methods used to develop these four circular business models the business models are described and analyzed using the Business Model Canvas. Based on this analysis, it is shown that the combination of remanufacturing and additive manufacturing can be applied to the electric bicycle market and be integrated into both sales and service models. The description of these business models will help managers design viable business models in the context of sustainable electric bicycles. It also shows that the individual partners within the value chain must collaborate more closely. In the electric bicycle industry, a single company will probably not be able to close the product cycle completely. Further research is needed to develop concepts of the business models and examine their practical feasibility in technical and organizational operations to achieve a circular economy.
How Important Are Those Fracture Zones? Scale Dependent Characteristics Revealed Through Field Studies and an Integrated Hydrological Model of a Mountain Headwater Catchment
Authors: Allen Diana M. , Nott Alexandre H.
Published: December 2021

Modeling groundwater flow in bedrock can be particularly challenging due to heterogeneities associated with fracture zones. However, fracture zones can be difficult to map, particularly in forested areas where tree cover obscures land surface features. This study presents the evidence of fracture zones in a small, snowmelt-dominated mountain headwater catchment and explores the significance of these fracture zones on groundwater flow in the catchment. A newly acquired bare earth image acquired using LiDAR identifies a previously undetected linear erosion zone that passes near a deep bedrock well at low elevation in the catchment. Borehole geophysical logs indicate more intense fracturing in this well compared to two wells at higher elevation. The well also exhibited a linear flow response during a pumping test, which is interpreted to reflect the influence of a nearby vertical fracture zone. The major ion chemistry and stable isotope composition reveal a slightly different chemical composition and a more depleted isotopic signature for this well compared to other groundwaters and surface waters sampled throughout the catchment. With this evidence of fracturing at the well scale, an integrated land surface – subsurface hydrologic model is used to explore four different model structures at the catchment scale. The model is refined in steps, beginning with a single homogeneous bedrock layer, and progressively adding 1) a network of large-scale fracture zones within the bedrock, 2) a weathered bedrock zone, and 3) an updated LiDAR-derived digital elevation model, to gain insight into how increasing subsurface geological complexity and land surface topography influence model fit to observed data and the various water balance components. Ultimately, all of the models are considered plausible, with similar overall fit to observed data (snow, streamflow, pressure heads in piezometers, and groundwater levels) and water balance results. However, the models with fracture zones and a weathered zone had better fits for the low elevation well. These models contributed slightly more baseflow (~14% of streamflow) compared to models without a weathered zone (~1%). Thus, in the watershed scale model, including a weathered bedrock zone appears to more strongly influence the hydrology than only including fracture zones.
Heterotopic Ossification of the Inferior Vena Cava Wall: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Tian Jihua , Zhang Li , Hu Min , Zeng Xing , Wang Yongjun , Yang Chunguang , Hu Zhiquan
Published: December 2021

Masses of the inferior vena cava (IVC) are very diverse, most of which are thrombus and tumor thrombus, whereas heterotopic ossification of IVC has never been reported. Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the formation of mature lamellar bone outside normal bones and in soft tissues. Some researchers believe that HO is a manifestation of vascular calcification. Here we present a case of HO of the inferior vena cava (IVC) wall. A 68 year old female patient complaining hypertension and palpitation and diagnosed with a retroperitoneal mass was found to have a primary mass of the inferior vena cava wall during surgery. Histopathological examination after surgical resection revealed that the mass was mainly composed of mature bone tissues and hematopoietic tissues of bone marrow, there was no recurrence and the patient was symptom-free 15 months after the surgery. HO of the inferior vena cava wall is very rare, with large volume it can affect the circulation, and this case remind us that it can be cured by surgical resection.
An Unsteady Model for Aircraft Icing Based on Tightly-Coupled Method and Phase-Field Method
Authors: Dai Hao , Zhu Chengxiang , Zhao Ning , Zhu Chunling , Cai Yufei
Published: December 2021

An unsteady tightly-coupled icing model is established in this paper to solve the numerical simulation problem of unsteady aircraft icing. The multi-media fluid of air and droplets is regarded as a single medium fluid with variable material properties. Taking the droplet concentration as the phase parameter and the droplet resistance coefficient as the interphase force, the mass concentration distribution of the droplet is obtained by solving the Cahn–Hilliard equation. Fick’s law is introduced to improve the Cahn–Hilliard equation to predict the droplet shadow zone. On this basis, the procedure of the unsteady numerical simulation method for aircraft icing is established, including grid generation, the dual-time-step method to realize the unsteady calculation of the air and droplet tightly-coupled mixed flow field, and the improved shallow water icing model. Finally, through the comparative analysis of numerical examples, the effectiveness of the new model in predicting the droplet impact characteristics and the droplet shadow zone are verified. Compared with other icing models, the ice shapes predicted by the unsteady tightly-coupled model were found to be the most consistent with the experiments. In the icing comparison conditions in this manuscript, the prediction accuracy of the ice thickness at the stagnation point of the leading edge was up to 35% higher than that of LEWICE.
Comparing Treatment Outcomes of Ampicillin-Sulbactam, Other β-Lactams, and Vancomycin in Blood Culture-Negative Infective Endocarditis
Authors: Lee Se Ju , Kim Jung Ho , Lee Hi Jae , Lee Ki Hyun , Lee Eun Hwa , Baek Yae Jee , Kim Jin Nam , Ahn Jin Young , Jeong Su Jin , Ku Nam Su , Lee Seung Hyun , Choi Jun Yong , Yeom Joon Sup , Song Young Goo
Published: December 2021

Selection of proper antibiotics for blood culture-negative infective endocarditis (BCNIE) is difficult due to limited data on antibiotic regimens for BCNIE in existing literature. The aim of this study was to compare ampicillin-sulbactam, other β-lactams antibiotics, and vancomycin among patients with BCNIE to determine the proper antibiotic regimens. This retrospective study included adult patients with BCNIE admitted to Severance Hospital from November 2005 to August 2017. Patients were classified into three groups as, treated with ampicillin-sulbactam, other β-lactams, and vancomycin. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality. A total of 74 cases with BCNIE were enrolled in this study. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical characteristics between the three groups. One-year mortality did not significantly differ between the study groups either. Further, in-hospital mortality, 28-day mortality and overall mortality showed no difference. However, Cox-regression analysis showed nosocomial infective endocarditis as an independent risk factor and a protective effect of surgery on 1-year mortality. This study showed no clear difference in the outcomes of BCNIE as per the antibiotic therapy but suggested the beneficial effect of surgical treatment. With increasing global concern of antimicrobial resistance, it might be reasonable to select ampicillin-sulbactam-based antibiotic therapy while actively considering surgical treatment in BCNIE.
Efficacy and Safety of Remdesivir over Two Waves of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Authors: Poliseno Mariacristina , Gallo Crescenzio , Cibelli Donatella Concetta , Minafra Graziano Antonio , Bottalico Irene Francesca , Bruno Serena Rita , D’Errico Maria Luca , Montemurro Laura , Rizzo Marianna , Barbera Lucia , Custodero Giacomo Emanuele , La Marca Antonella , Lo Muzio Donatella , Miucci Anna , Santantonio Teresa Antonia , Lo Caputo Sergio
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study is to describe the features, the outcomes, and the clinical issues related to Remdesivir administration of a cohort of 220 patients (pts) with COVID-19 hospitalized throughout the last two pandemic waves in Italy. One hundred and nine pts were enrolled from 1 September 2020, to 28 February 2021 (Group A) and 111 from 1 March to 30 September 2021 (Group B). Notably, no differences were reported between the two groups neither in the timing of hospitalization. nor in the timing of Remdesivir administration from symptoms onset. Remarkably, a higher proportion of pts with severe COVID-19 was observed in Group B (25% vs. 10%, p < 0.001). At univariate and multivariate analysis, rather than the timing of Remdesivir administration, age, presence of coexisting conditions, D-dimers, and O2 flow at admission correlated positively to progression to non-invasive ventilation, especially for patients in Group B. However, the rate of admission in the Intensive Care Unit and/or death was comparable in the two groups (7% vs. 4%). Negligible variations in serum GOT, GPT, GGT, and eGFR levels were detected. A mean reduction in heart rate was noticed within the first three days of antiviral treatment (p < 0.001). Low rate of ICU admission, high rate of clinical recovery, and good drug safety were observed in COVID-19 patients treated with Remdesivir during two diverse pandemic waves.
Determination of Detection Probability and Localization Accuracy for a Guided Wave-Based Structural Health Monitoring System on a Composite Structure
Authors: Bayoumi Ahmed , Minten Tobias , Mueller Inka
Published: December 2021

The capabilities of detection and localization of damage in a structure, using a guided wave-based structural health monitoring (GWSHM) system, depend on the damage location and the chosen sensor array setup. This paper presents a novel approach to assess the reliability of an SHM system enabling to quantify localization accuracy. A two-step technique is developed to combine multiple paths to generate one probability of detection (POD) curve that provides information regarding the detection capability of an SHM system at a defined damage position. Moreover, a new method is presented to analyze localization accuracy. Established probability-based diagnostic imaging using a signal correlation algorithm is used to determine the damage location. The resultant output of the localization accuracy analysis is the smallest damage size at which a defined accuracy level can be reached at a determined location. The proposed methods for determination of detection probability and localization accuracy are applied to a plate-like CFRP structure with an omega stringer with artificial damage of different sizes at different locations. The results show that the location of the damage influences the sensitivity of detection and localization accuracy for the used detection and localization methods. Localization accuracy is enhanced as it becomes closer to the array’s center, but its detection sensitivity deteriorates.
Somatostatin and Somatostatin Receptors: From Signaling to Clinical Applications in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: del Olmo-Garcia Maria Isabel , Prado-Wohlwend Stefan , Andres Alexia , Soriano Jose M. , Bello Pilar , Merino-Torres Juan Francisco
Published: December 2021

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are heterogeneous neoplasms which arise from neuroendocrine cells that are distributed widely throughout the body. Although heterogenous, many of them share their ability to overexpress somatostatin receptors (SSTR) on their cell surface. Due to this, SSTR and somatostatin have been a large subject of interest in the discovery of potential biomarkers and treatment options for the disease. The aim of this review is to describe the molecular characteristics of somatostatin and somatostatin receptors and its application in diagnosis and therapy on patients with NENs as well as the use in the near future of somatostatin antagonists.
tRNA Derivatives in Multiple Myeloma: Investigation of the Potential Value of a tRNA-Derived Molecular Signature
Authors: Karousi Paraskevi , Papanota Aristea-Maria , Artemaki Pinelopi I. , Liacos Christine-Ivy , Patseas Dimitrios , Mavrianou-Koutsoukou Nefeli , Liosi Aikaterini-Anna , Kalioraki Maria-Anna , Ntanasis-Stathopoulos Ioannis , Gavriatopoulou Maria , Kastritis Efstathios , Dimopoulos Meletios-Athanasios , Scorilas Andreas , Terpos Evangelos , Kontos Christos K.
Published: December 2021

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy arising from the clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells. tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) constitute a class of small non-coding RNAs, deriving from specific enzymatic cleavage of tRNAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of few studies to uncover the potential clinical significance of tRFs in MM. Total RNA was extracted from CD138+ plasma cells of MM and smoldering MM patients, and in vitro polyadenylated. First-strand cDNA synthesis was performed, priming from an oligo-dT-adaptor sequence. Next, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were developed for the quantification of six tRFs. Biostatistical analysis was performed to assess the results and in silico analysis was conducted to predict the function of one of the tRFs. Our results showed that elevated levels of five out of six tRFs are indicators of favorable prognosis in MM, predicting prolonged overall survival (OS), while two of them constitute potential molecular biomarkers of favorable prognosis in terms of disease progression. Moreover, three tRFs could be used as surrogate prognostic biomarkers along with the R-ISS staging system to predict OS. In conclusion, tRFs show molecular biomarker utility in MM, while their mechanisms of function merit further investigation.
An Enzymatic Multiplexed Impedimetric Sensor Based on α-MnO2/GQD Nano-Composite for the Detection of Diabetes and Diabetic Foot Ulcer Using Micro-Fluidic Platform
Authors: Mathur Ashish , Nayak Hari Chandra , Rajput Shailendra , Roy Souradeep , Nagabooshanam Shalini , Wadhwa Shikha , Kumar Ranjit
Published: December 2021

Diabetes is widely considered as a silent killer which affects the internal organs and ultimately has drastic impacts on our day-to-day activities. One of the fatal outcomes of diabetes is diabetic foot ulcer (DFU); which, when becomes chronic, may lead to amputation. The incorporation of nanotechnology in developing bio-sensors enables the detection of desired biomarkers, which in our study are glucose and L-tyrosine; which gets elevated in patients suffering from diabetes and DFUs, respectively. Herein, we report the development of an enzymatic impedimetric sensor for the multi-detection of these biomarkers using an electrochemical paper-based analytical device (µ-EPADs). The structure consists of two working electrodes and a counter electrode. One working electrode is modified with α-MnO2-GQD/tyrosinase hybrid to aid L-tyrosine detection, while the other electrode is coated with α-MnO2-GQD/glucose oxidase hybrid for glucose monitoring. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been employed for the quantification of glucose and L-tyrosine, within a concentration range of 50–800 mg/dL and 1–500 µmol/L, respectively, using a sample volume of approximately 200 µL. The impedance response exhibited a linear relationship over the analyte concentration range with detection limits of ~58 mg/dL and ~0.3 µmol/L for glucose and tyrosine respectively, with shelf life ~1 month. The sensing strategy was also translated to Arduino-based device applications by interfacing the µ-EPADs with miniaturized electronics.
Combining International Survey Datasets to Identify Indicators of Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Machine Learning Approach to Improve Generalization
Authors: Zhao Eric Yunan , Xia Daniel , Greenhalgh Mark , Colicino Elena , Monaro Merylin , Hitching Rita , Harris Odette A. , Adamson Maheen M.
Published: December 2021

The scale and duration of the worldwide SARS-COVID-2 virus-related quarantine measures presented the global scientific community with a unique opportunity to study the accompanying psychological stress. Since March 2020, numerous publications have reported similar findings from diverse international studies on psychological stress, depression, and anxiety, which have increased during this pandemic. However, there remains a gap in interpreting the results from one country to another despite the global rise in mental health problems. The objective of our study was to identify global indicators of pandemic-related stress that traverse geographic and cultural boundaries. We amalgamated data from two independent global surveys across twelve countries and spanning four continents collected during the first wave of the mandated public health measures aimed at mitigating COVID-19. We applied machine learning (ML) modelling to these data, and the results revealed a significant positive correlation between PSS-10 scores and gender, relationship status, and groups. Confinement, fear of contagion, social isolation, financial hardship, etc., may be some reasons reported being the cause of the drastic increase in mental health problems worldwide. The decline of the typical protective factors (e.g., sleep, exercise, meditation) may have amplified existing vulnerabilities/co-morbidities (e.g., psychiatric history, age, gender). Our results further show that ML is an apropos tool to elucidate the underlying predictive factors in large, complex, heterogeneous datasets without invalidating the model assumptions. We believe our model provides clinicians, researchers, and decision-makers with evidence to investigate the moderators and mediators of stress and introduce novel interventions to mitigate the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Potential Antidiabetic Effects of Extracts from Four Medicinal Plants Used in Burkina Faso by Inhibition of Alpha-Amylase
Authors: Semporé Judith N. , Diao Mamounata , Ouattara Lassina , Ouoba Paulin , Kagambega Windmi , Sama Hemayoro , Dibala Crépin I. , Konaté Kiessoun , Dicko Mamoudou H.
Published: December 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate α-amylase inhibitory effects of hydroethanolic extracts of bark from Daniella oliveri, Sclerocarya birrea, Maranthes polyandra, and Pteleopsis suberosa to fight type-II diabetes. Methods: Compound extractions were performed by hydroethanol maceration followed by liquid-liquid fractionation with solvents. TLC profiling was carried out with different fractions. The inhibitory effects of plant extracts on α-amylase activity were determined using rice starch as a substrate. Results: TLC profiling of different fractions showed different phytochemical compounds. The hydroethanolic plant extracts exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of α-amylase. D. oliveri displayed competitive inhibition, M. polyandra and S. birrea showed uncompetitive inhibition and Pteleopsis suberosa exerted mixed-inhibition. M. polyandra extract exerted the highest inhibitory effect (IC50 = 0.5 mg/mL). Conclusions: The barks of M. polyandra exhibit a remarkable α-amylase inhibitory effect which can be a novel source of antidiabetic molecules.
The Evolution and Takeoff of the Ecuadorian Economic Groups
Authors: Tulcanaza-Prieto Ana Belén , Morocho-Cayamcela Manuel Eugenio
Published: December 2021

An economic group is a collection of parent and subsidiary corporations that operates as a single economic organism under the same legislature of control. The decisions taken by the economic groups in any country are among the most influential factors that impact its market and the country’s economic political scenario. This work studies the impact of the Ecuadorian economic groups from 2015 to 2019, where a historical peak of 300 economic groups was reached. However, the taxes representativeness of the Ecuadorian economic groups remained stable during the same period of analysis. We analyzed the financial and fiscal variables of the Ecuadorian ranking of firms, and detected the following of its economic groups: (i) They are still concentrating wealth despite the implementation of hard government policies to transparent the financial and economic information; (ii) They tend to compete in oligopolistic markets, given that their economic and financial decisions are interconnected with their family firms or consortium groups; (iii) They operate in a behavioral nature that follows a linear association between the total income, total assets, total equity, and total tax collection. We hope this work will serve as a future reference for researchers focused on the economic groups of Ecuador and Latin American countries.
Production of Pigments by Filamentous Fungi Cultured on Agro-Industrial by-Products Using Submerged and Solid-State Fermentation Methods
Authors: Molelekoa Tumisi Beiri Jeremiah , Regnier Thierry , da Silva Laura Suzanne , Augustyn Wilma
Published: December 2021

The food and pharmaceutical industries are searching for natural colour alternatives as required by consumers. Over the last decades, fungi have emerged as producers of natural pigments. In this paper, five filamentous fungi; Penicillium multicolour, P. canescens, P. herquie, Talaromyces verruculosus and Fusarium solani isolated from soil and producing orange, green, yellow, red and brown pigments, respectively, when cultured on a mixture of green waste and whey were tested. The culture media with varying pH (4.0, 7.0 and 9.0) were incubated at 25 °C for 14 days under submerged and solid-state fermentation conditions. Optimal conditions for pigment production were recorded at pH 7.0 and 9.0 while lower biomass and pigment intensities were observed at pH 4.0. The mycelial biomass and pigment intensities were significantly higher for solid-state fermentation (0.06–2.50 g/L and 3.78–4.00 AU) compared to submerged fermentation (0.220–0.470 g/L and 0.295–3.466 AU). The pigment intensities were corroborated by lower L* values with increasing pH. The λmax values for the pigments were all in the UV region. Finally, this study demonstrated the feasibility of pigment production using green waste:whey cocktails (3:2). For higher biomass and intense pigment production, solid-state fermentation may be a possible strategy for scaling up in manufacturing industries.
The Regulatory Effects and the Signaling Pathways of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Ferroptosis
Authors: Zhang Shenshen , Hu Ruizhe , Geng Yaping , Chen Ke , Wang Ling , Imam Mustapha Umar
Published: December 2021

Natural bioactive compounds abundantly presented in foods and medicinal plants have recently received a remarkable attention because of their various biological activities and minimal toxicity. In recent years, many natural compounds appear to offer significant effects in the regulation of ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is the forefront of international scientific research which has been exponential growth since the term was coined. This type of regulated cell death is driven by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation. Recent studies have shown that numerous organ injuries and pathophysiological processes of many diseases are driven by ferroptosis, such as cancer, arteriosclerosis, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, ischemia-reperfusion injury and acute renal failure. It is reported that the initiation and inhibition of ferroptosis plays a pivotal role in lipid peroxidation, organ damage, neurodegeneration and cancer growth and progression. Recently, many natural phytochemicals extracted from edible plants have been demonstrated to be novel ferroptosis regulators and have the potential to treat ferroptosis-related diseases. This review provides an updated overview on the role of natural bioactive compounds and the potential signaling pathways in the regulation of ferroptosis.
Assessment of Potential Nitrite Safety Risk of Leafy Vegetables after Domestic Cooking
Authors: Wu Songheng , Liu Yuhuan , Cui Xian , Zhang Qi , Wang Yunpu , Cao Leipeng , Luo Xuan , Xiong Jianghua , Ruan Roger
Published: December 2021

Improper cultivation can easily cause excessive nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables, and the cooking processes used to prepare them can upset their nitrate/antioxidant balance, affecting their potential nitrite safety risk (PNSR). We investigated the impacts stir-frying, steaming, microwaving, and boiling on the nitrate, nitrite, and antioxidant capacity in water spinach and cabbage, and observed the impacts of storage duration on the PNSR. The antioxidant/in vivo nitrite ratio (A/N) was used to evaluate the nitrite risks in the cooked vegetables. Boiling achieved the highest A/N ratio (1.57) for water spinach, reducing the nitrate content by 25% without significantly affecting the antioxidant capacity. Stir-frying achieved the highest A/N ratio (6.55) for cabbage, increasing the antioxidant capacity by 140% without significantly affecting the nitrate content. Furthermore, it was found that the storage periods for boiled water spinach and stir-fried cabbage should not exceed 12 h and 24 h, respectively. Appropriate cooking methods and limited storage times are thus required for leafy vegetable to prevent adverse health effects.
Genomic and Metabolic Features of an Unexpectedly Predominant, Thermophilic, Assistant Starter Microorganism, Thermus thermophilus, in Chinese Inner Mongolian Cheese
Authors: Zhu Lin , Hou Zhaozhi , Hu Xinyu , Liu Xu , Dai Tian , Wang Xinyu , Zeng Chunlin , Wang Yuan , Wang Caizheng , Yang Shujing , Cui Henglin , Wei Wei
Published: December 2021

Inner Mongolian cheese is a traditional dairy product in China. It is produced without rennet, using naturally acidified milk that is simmered to achieve whey separation. In order to analyse the impact of simmering on the microbial community structure, high-throughput sequencing was performed to obtain bacterial 16S rRNA sequences from cheeses from the Ordos (ES), Ulanqab (WS), Horqin (KS) and Xilingol (XS) grasslands of Inner Mongolia. The relative abundance of an unexpected microorganism, Thermus thermophilus, ranged from 2% to 9%, which meant that its dominance was second only to that of lactic acid bacteria (LABs). Genome sequencing and fermentation validation were performed in T. thermophilus N-1 isolated from the Ordos, and it was determined that T. thermophilus N-1 could ingest and metabolise lactose in milk to produce lactate during the simmering process. T. thermophilus N-1 could also produce acetate, propionate, citrate and other organic acids through a unique acetate production pathway and a complete propionate production pathway and TCA cycle, which may affect texture and flavour development in Inner Mongolian cheese. Simultaneously, the large amount of citrate produced by T. thermophilus N-1 provides a necessary carbon source for continuous fermentation by LABs after the simmering step. Therefore, T. thermophilus N-1 contributes to cheese fermentation as a predominant, thermophilic, assistant starter microorganism unique to Chinese Inner Mongolian cheese.
UV-C Treatment Maintains the Sensory Quality, Antioxidant Activity and Flavor of Pepino Fruit during Postharvest Storage
Authors: Zhao Yaqi , Zuo Jinhua , Yuan Shuzhi , Shi Wenlin , Shi Junyan , Feng Bihong , Wang Qing
Published: December 2021

This study examines ultraviolet-C (UV-C) treatment supplementation as a means of inhibiting the senescence of pepino fruit after harvest. Pepino fruits were subjected to 1.5 kJ/m2 UV-C treatments and then packed and stored at 10 °C for 28 d. Results showed that 1.5 kJ/m2 UV-C treatment had the greatest ability to maintain firmness, and reduced the level of respiration and ethylene production. Further analysis indicated that the 1.5 kJ/m2 UV-C treatment maintained the content of total soluble solids (TSS), chlorophyll, vitamin C, flavonoids, and total phenolics. Lower levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activity were found in UV-C treated fruit during storage. An electronic nose (E-nose) and headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) was used to determine volatile compounds. Results revealed that the UV-C treatment may promote the synthesis of a large number of alcohols and esters by maintaining the overall level of acids, aldehydes, and esters in fruits. This may contribute to the maintenance of the flavor of harvested fruits. In conclusion, 1.5 kJ/m2 UV-C treatment was demonstrated to be an effective treatment for the maintenance of the sensory, nutritional, and flavor parameters of pepino fruit.
Efficacy and Safety of Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for Esophageal Achalasia and Achalasia-Related Diseases in Patients Aged 75 Years and Over
Authors: Nakamura Jun , Hikichi Takuto , Hashimoto Minami , Takasumi Mika , Kato Tsunetaka , Kobashi Ryoichiro , Yanagita Takumi , Suzuki Rei , Sugimoto Mitsuru , Sato Yuki , Irie Hiroki , Takagi Tadayuki , Kobayakawa Masao , Ohira Hiromasa
Published: December 2021

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has become a popular treatment for esophageal achalasia and other esophageal motility disorders. However, its efficacy and safety in elderly patients are unclear. To clarify that, we reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent POEM in our hospital. A total of 11 patients who underwent POEM for esophageal achalasia (n = 10) and jackhammer esophagus (n = 1) were included. Procedural success, defined as the completion of an esophageal and gastric myotomy, was 100%. Clinical success, defined as an Eckardt score of 3 or less, without the use of additional treatments at 2 months, was 100%. The median Eckardt score significantly decreased after the POEM (baseline vs. 2 months after POEM; 7 (2–8) vs. 0 (0–1), p < 0.01). In the second and third years, the cumulative treatment effect maintenance rate was 88.9%. All patients taking antithrombotic agents had safe operations with the temporary discontinuation of these agents. There were four adverse events (two pneumoperitoneum, one mucosal injury, and one pneumonia), all of which improved with fasting or antibiotics. In conclusion, POEM is an effective and safe treatment for esophageal achalasia and achalasia-related diseases in patients aged 75 years and over.
Does Curing Moisture Content Affect Black Garlic Physiochemical Quality?
Authors: Sunanta Piyachat , Pankasemsuk Tanachai , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak , Chaiyaso Thanongsak , Leksawasdi Noppol , Phimolsiripol Yuthana , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Seesuriyachan Phisit , Sommano Sarana Rose
Published: December 2021

This research examined the changes of black garlic (BG) quality attributes when raw materials of different initial moisture contents (iMC) were used. Fresh garlic bulbs (cv. Thai) were shade-dried for eight weeks at a controlled condition at 29 °C and relative humidity (RH) of 55% to the desired iMC (ranging from ca. 50–70%). BG processing was at 75 °C, RH = 80% for ten days. After processing, physiological characteristics and chemical properties of garlic were determined. Results illustrated that fresh garlic with higher moisture content (ca. 70%) resulted in BG of a dark brown colour, sloppy texture, and lesser acidity (pH = 4.44), while samples with lower iMCs (<50%) gave products that were completely black, elastic in texture, and with higher acidity (pH = 3.79). The analysed bioactive compounds, as well as their antioxidative potentials, suggested that the longer the curing time, the higher the functional properties of the finished products, possessing a total phenolic, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of 15.54 mg/kg dry matter sample, 1.53 mg/kg dry matter sample, and 95.39%, respectively. Principle component analysis (PCA) of active metabolites confirmed that sulfur, S-allyl-L-cysteine, and flavonoid were among the main phytochemicals found in the BG. In summary, higher quality BG can be achieved by using raw materials of lower iMC.
Targeted Secondary Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism in High-Risk Neonates: A 9 Year Review in a Large California Health Care System
Authors: Cortez Alan B. , Lin Bryan , May Joshua A.
Published: December 2021

Secondary screening for missed congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has been introduced sporadically, but its necessity and optimal strategy have not been recognized. We hypothesized that a simple clinical protocol (performed by a medical group without a governmental mandate) targeting infants at high risk for missed CH can identify cases. We performed a 9-year retrospective review of 338,478 neonates within a California health plan following the introduction of thyrotropin (TSH) secondary screening for neonates at high risk for missed CH due to very-low-birthweight (VLBW), hospitalized congenital heart disease (CHD), and same-sex multiples (SSM). Screening performance by day 60 of life was 95% successful for VLBW and >50% for CHD and SSM, leading to an additional 35% CH treated cases despite re-testing only 1.7% of the cohort. Infants with VLBW or CHD were 33 times more likely (190 times more likely for CHD with Down Syndrome) to receive treatment for CH than random infants diagnosed by primary screening (p < 0.001), and 92% of these infants were not found by primary newborn screening. Currently, permanent disease has been documented in 84% of CH by primary screening compared to 27% by secondary screening (p < 0.001). This targeted secondary screening program identifies and treats additional CH cases after TSH-only newborn screening.
A Hybrid Surrogate Model for the Prediction of Solitary Wave Forces on the Coastal Bridge Decks
Authors: Wang Jinsheng , Xue Shihao , Xu Guoji
Published: December 2021

To facilitate the establishment of the probabilistic model for quantifying the vulnerability of coastal bridges to natural hazards and support the associated risk assessment and mitigation activities, it is imperative to develop an accurate and efficient method for wave forces prediction. With the fast development of computer science, surrogate modeling techniques have been commonly used as an effective alternative to computational fluid dynamics for the establishment of a predictive model in coastal engineering. In this paper, a hybrid surrogate model is proposed for the efficient and accurate prediction of the solitary wave forces acting on coastal bridge decks. The underlying idea of the proposed method is to enhance the prediction capability of the constructed model by introducing an additional surrogate to correct the errors made by the main predictor. Specifically, the regression-type polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) is employed as the main predictor to capture the global feature of the computational model, whereas the interpolation-type Kriging is adopted to learn the local variations of the prediction error from the PCE. An engineering case is employed to validate the effectiveness of the hybrid model, and it is observed that the prediction performance (in terms of residual mean square error and correlation coefficient) of the hybrid model is superior to the optimal PCE and artificial neural network (ANN) for both horizontal and vertical wave forces, albeit the maximum PCE degrees used in the hybrid model are lower than the optimal degrees identified in the pure PCE model. Moreover, the proposed hybrid model also enables the extraction of explicit predictive equations for the parameters of interest. It is expected that the hybrid model could be extended to more complex wave conditions and structural shapes to facilitate the life-cycle structural design and analysis of coastal bridges.
Effect of Temperature Fluctuation and Nutritional Status on Starry Flounder, Platichthys stellatus, Survival and Adaptive Physiological Response
Authors: Kim So-Sun , Han Gyeong-Sik , Yoo Hae-Kyun , Kim Ki-Tae , Byun Soon-Gyu , Jung Min-Min , Kim Woo-Jin , Hwang Sung-Don
Published: December 2021

Starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) is a commercially important cold-water fish. Our aim was to investigate the effects of fluctuating water temperature on flounders after periods of starvation and feeding. Fish were divided into starvation and feeding groups. The water temperature was increased stepwise in experiment 1; more focused variations, based on the results of experiment 1, were studied in experiment 2. At temperatures ≤27 °C, there was no significant difference observed in survival. At 28 °C, mortality increased, survival was lower (21%) in the starvation group than in the feeding group (46%), and weight loss was the highest (15%) in the starvation group. In experiment 2, survival was ≥86%, and there was no significant difference between the starvation/feeding groups. However, when the water temperature was increased to 27 °C after being decreased to 12 °C, weight loss was the highest (11%). Glucose, cortisol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) levels increased with increasing water temperature, and then gradually decreased. Glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT)/glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) levels showed large variations among individuals. Triglyceride, cholesterol, and protein levels gradually decreased with long-term starvation. Survival was not affected by water temperature drop ≤27 °C after starvation/feeding. These results indicate that 27 °C is the upper limit of tolerable water temperature for the survival of starry flounders. Therefore, aquaculture farms should ensure maintaining water temperatures at ≤27 °C during high-temperature periods.