bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Editorial
Authors:   Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição, Borges Nuno
Published: April 2024

Vinte e quatro edições da Acta Portuguesa de Nutrição significam, numa aritmética simples, um total de seis anos completos de publicação. Um número que nos orgulha, mas que, ao mesmo tempo, aumenta a responsabilidade de quem, deste lado, procura assegurar que o progressivo aumento do número de submissões encontra resposta adequada e rigorosa. Serve assim esta pequena introdução para renovar os agradecimentos ao nosso corpo de revisores, a quem devemos a possibilidade de dar à estampa mais um número da Acta. Após mais de um ano de pandemia, começam a aparecer também nesta revista artigos dedicados ao estudo das complexas interações entre a alimentação e a infeção pelo vírus SARS CoV2. Assim, dois trabalhos mostram faces muito diferentes destas relações, nomeadamente o de Portela e Cebola, com uma revisão sobre o prognóstico de COVID 19 em doentes idosos institucionalizados com desnutrição, fragilidade e sarcopenia, e ainda o trabalho de Costa e colaboradores, que reporta interessantes dados originais sobre o impacte da pandemia nos hábitos alimentares e de atividade física na Região Autónoma da Madeira. Trabalhos muito distintos, na metodologia, no tipo de população estudada ou na repercussão dos achados, mas um ponto comum que merece certamente reflexão. O artigo de Costa et al. mostra-nos que, provavelmente mais do que as alterações alimentares, que até podem ter ido, em alguns casos, no sentido da melhoria dos hábitos, é a diminuição da atividade física o elemento de maior relevo e preocupação reportado. Acresce que esta redução afetou mais a população jovem e acompanhou-se, não surpreendentemente, de um marcado aumento do tempo sentado, um hábito hoje indiscutivelmente tido como prejudicial a vários aspetos da nossa saúde, independentemente do tempo despendido em atividade física. Por outro lado, a revisão de Portela e Cebola mostra-nos uma outra realidade, a dos idosos, e embora ainda carente de um conjunto de trabalhos suficientemente robusto para o afirmar categoricamente, volta a apontar para a necessidade de um acompanhamento nutricional muito mais eficaz nesta faixa etária. Mas ao apontar também a sarcopenia como um importante fator agravante da resposta à COVID 19, acaba também por nos dizer que a preservação de uma massa muscular adequada ao longo da vida, nomeadamente através de um bom estado nutricional e da manutenção de níveis de atividade física apropriados, é um garante da melhor capacidade de resposta aos desafios de saúde que a idade vai colocando. A aposta de todos no aumento da atividade física dos nossos cidadãos, jovens ou nem tanto, volta assim a emergir como um importante desígnio de saúde para os tempos atuais, desígnio este que não deve, em nossa opinião, ser nunca menorizado por todos aqueles que se dedicam à alimentação de indivíduos doentes ou saudáveis.
Alteração da alimentação e atividade física em contenção social: experiência da Região Autónoma da Madeira
Authors:   Unidade de Nutrição e Dietética do Serviço de Endocrinologia, Serviço de Saúde da Região  Autónoma da Madeira,  EPERAM,  Rua das Hortas, n.º 67,  9054-526 Funchal,  Portugal, Costa Liliane , Henriques Eva ,   Unidade de Investigação Dra. Maria Isabel Mendonça, Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, Serviço de Saúde da Região Autónoma da Madeira,  EPERAM,  Av. Luís de Camões, n.º 57,  9004-514, Funchal,  Portugal, Esmeraldo Teresa ,   Unidade de Nutrição e Dietética do Serviço de Endocrinologia, Serviço de Saúde da Região  Autónoma da Madeira,  EPERAM,  Rua das Hortas, n.º 67,  9054-526 Funchal,  Portugal
Published: April 2024

INTRODUÇÃO: As medidas de contenção social impostas durante a pandemia COVID-19 resultaram em restrições na vida diária e, consequentemente em alterações ao estilo de vida. Conhecer o efeito destas medidas nos hábitos alimentares e atividade física será importante para definir respostas de Saúde Pública ajustadas e em tempo útil. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o efeito do período de contenção social na perceção da alteração de fatores do estilo de vida relacionados com a alimentação e a atividade física. METODOLOGIA: Estudo observacional, transversal e descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa. A amostra foi de 407 participantes entre os 5-84 anos de idade. Um questionário foi aplicado por entrevista telefónica assistida por computador, entre os dias 22 e 29 de maio. Na comparação dos dados por grupo etário e concelho de residência foram usados os testes Qui-quadrado e Kruskal-Wallis. RESULTADOS: Em comparação com o período pré-contenção social, 52,1% dos respondentes considerou ter diminuído a atividade física, 51,8% aumentou o tempo sentado e 33,7% alterou a sua alimentação. O aumento do comportamento de snacking foi reportado por 63,6% dos participantes, dos 5-10 anos, e por 50,0% dos 10-17 anos. Entre os mais jovens destaca-se o aumento na ingestão de água e fruta, e a redução de refeições takeaway/entrega ao domicílio e pré-preparadas. CONCLUSÕES: As medidas de contenção social provocaram diminuição na atividade física e a alteração de hábitos e comportamentos alimentares, principalmente entre os mais jovens.
Análise da rotulagem de suplementos alimentares à base de plantas utilizados no sistema nervoso central
Authors:   Escola Superior de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino  de Almeida, n.º 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal, Ferreira Liliana , Cruz Agostinho ,   Centro de Investigação em Saúde e Ambiente, Escola Superior de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico  do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino  de Almeida, n.º 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal, Isabel Oliveira Ana ,   Centro de Investigação em Saúde e Ambiente, Escola Superior de Saúde  do Instituto Politécnico  do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino  de Almeida, n.º 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal, Ferraz Oliveira Rita ,   Centro de Investigação em Saúde e Ambiente, Escola Superior de Saúde  do Instituto Politécnico  do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino  de Almeida, n.º 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal,   Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal, Pinho Cláudia ,   Centro de Investigação em Saúde e Ambiente, Escola Superior de Saúde  do Instituto Politécnico  do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino  de Almeida, n.º 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Published: April 2024

INTRODUÇÃO: Os suplementos alimentares têm diversos benefícios demonstrados. No entanto, a crença errónea por parte dos consumidores de que estes são isentos de risco e as obrigações legais requeridas para a sua entrada no mercado têm servido de alerta para a necessidade de mais investigação. OBJETIVOS: Analisar, do ponto de vista legal e científico, a informação disponibilizada na rotulagem de suplementos alimentares à base de plantas utilizados para problemas associados ao Sistema Nervoso, comercializados em Portugal. METODOLOGIA: Estudo descritivo, observacional, transversal com a recolha de 44 rótulos de suplementos comercializados em Farmácias Comunitárias e em Ervanárias/Lojas Dietéticas da cidade de Vila Nova de Famalicão, entre julho e agosto de 2019, em formulário próprio. RESULTADOS: Do ponto de vista legal, a maioria dos SA analisados cumpriu as menções obrigatórias na rotulagem. Do ponto de vista científico, o nome científico das plantas foi a informação que mais frequentemente está presente na rotulagem, com 97,7%. A padronização dos extratos (29,5%), as interações (11,4%) e as reações adversas (11,4%) foram as informações menos mencionadas. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados obtidos realçam a necessidade de uma maior atenção quanto às informações existentes na rotulagem dos suplementos, no sentido de permitir aos consumidores um uso informado e seguro dos produtos.
Prognóstico da COVID-19 em idosos institucionalizados e com desnutrição, fragilidade e sarcopenia: revisão de escopo
Authors:   Instituto Formação Avançada da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade  de Lisboa,  Avenida Professor Egas  Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal, Portela Vânia ,   Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa do Instituto  Politécnico de Lisboa,  Av. D. João II, Lote  4.69.01,  1990-096 Lisboa, Portugal,   Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Torres Vedras, Rua Serpa Pinto 1,  2560-363 Torres Vedras,  Portugal, Cebola Marisa ,   Dietética e Nutrição, H&TRC - Health & Technology Research Centre, Escola Superior  de Tecnologia da Saúde  de Lisboa do Instituto  Politécnico de Lisboa,  Av. D. João II, Lote  4.69.01,  1990-096 Lisboa, Portugal
Published: April 2024

INTRODUÇÃO: Os idosos em estruturas residenciais apresentam elevada prevalência de desnutrição, fragilidade e sarcopenia, condições que podem ter implicações negativas na atual pandemia COVID-19. OBJETIVOS: Proceder a uma revisão de escopo de forma a mapear a evidência da desnutrição, fragilidade e sarcopenia como fator prognóstico da COVID-19 em idosos institucionalizados. METODOLOGIA: Análise da literatura publicada entre maio e setembro de 2020 na base de dados eletrónica Pubmed, utilizando os termos “covid 19”, “nursing homes”, “malnutrition”, “frailty” e “sarcopenia”, de acordo com as recomendações PRISMA-ScR. RESULTADOS: Dos 14 estudos selecionados, 3 analisaram o prognóstico da COVID-19 em estruturas residenciais para idosos, 2 investigaram a progressão da COVID-19 em idosos com desnutrição e 9 com fragilidade. A revisão da literatura sugere os funcionários como vetor importante na transmissão e propagação do coronavírus em idosos institucionalizados e a elevada mortalidade parece estar relacionada com complicações da própria doença. Os idosos em risco nutricional apresentam piores outcomes clínicos enquanto os frágeis são associados a outras causas de morte não relacionadas com complicações da COVID-19. Desconhecem-se as implicações da sarcopenia na evolução da COVID-19. CONCLUSÕES: A evidência atual é insuficiente para se estabelecer uma associação entre a desnutrição, fragilidade e sarcopenia e o prognóstico da infeção pelo novo coronavírus em idosos institucionalizados. No entanto, a recente pandemia veio reforçar a vulnerabilidade desta população e a necessidade da avaliação e intervenção nutricional nos cuidados geriátricos, sendo também necessária mais investigação que relacione a nutrição e a COVID-19 em estruturas residenciais para pessoas idosas.
Sucralose: amiga ou inimiga?
Authors:   Granted Projects, SonaeMC, Rua João Mendonça, n.º 529,  4464-501 Senhora da  Hora, Matosinhos, Portugal, Correia Daniela , Thaís Delgado Mayumi ,   Direção da Qualidade e Investigação, Sonae MC, Estrada da Outurela, n.º  118, Parque Holanda - Bloco D, 2790-114 Carnaxide, Portugal, Costa Dinis Sofia ,   Direção da Qualidade e Investigação, Sonae MC, Estrada da Outurela, n.º  118, Parque Holanda - Bloco D, 2790-114 Carnaxide, Portugal
Published: April 2024

O uso de edulcorantes é uma estratégia para a diminuição do consumo de açúcar. A sucralose é dos mais utilizados, sendo descrita como segura por diferentes entidades de referência, como a Autoridade Europeia para a Segurança Alimentar e a Food & Drug Administration. Mas sendo as publicações por tais entidades anteriores a 2017, torna-se importante atualizar o conhecimento científico. Foi feita uma pesquisa na base de dados Pubmed com o termo “sucralose AND health”, para os últimos 5 anos. Os principais temas abordados são a relação entre a ingestão de sucralose e a gestão da glicémia, ganho de peso, risco de desenvolvimento de síndrome metabólica e alteração da microbiota intestinal, com resultados, em geral, inconclusivos. Surgem estudos que levantam preocupações sobre exposição no útero e possível insegurança da sucralose, ainda pouco representativos. Contudo, perante a evidência atual, não é possível aferir que a sucralose leve a efeitos negativos na saúde, quando respeitado a ingestão diária aceitável (ADI, Acceptable Daily Intake).
Repeated γ Irradiation and Thermal Annealing via Built-In Thermo-Electric Coolers of Si Avalanche Photodiodes
Authors: Wu Shuin Jian , Chowdhury Arya , Soe Moe Thar , Ling Alexander
Published: April 2024

When operating in space, on-board Silicon Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiodes (GM-APDs) are exposed to radiation damage that result in an increase in dark count rates. Thermal annealing has been found to mitigate the damage, although prior studies have largely focused on annealing following a single session of proton irradiation. This work reports that thermal annealing can be performed simply with the built-in thermo-electric coolers of the GM-APDs. Annealing was also done in 10 min intervals for a clearer view of the recovery curve. Mitigation of damage from repeated γ radiation was observed from the: (1) halving of the increase in dark count rates on average and (2) outperformance of room temperature annealing (25°C) by 33%. Additionally, we show that heavy doses of γ radiation (21 krad) have a probability of causing Random Telegraph Signals in GM-APDs that can be suppressed by lowering the operating temperature.
Transmission Network of Hepatitis C Virus Subtype 2a in Huazhou County, Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Zhang Mengyan , Ning Shaoqi , Zhang Luqian , Liu Gang , Chen Sa , Zhang Yi
Published: April 2024

Background In Shaanxi Province, Huazhou County is one of the five highest rates of HCV infection incidence and prevalence. Understanding its characteristics of HCV transmission patterns could help guide targeted preventative strategies. This study employed phylogenetic analysis and the construction of a molecular transmission network of HCV-infected people in Huazhou County, to describe the predominant strains of HCV and identify factors associated with onward transmission.Methods The whole blood samples were obtained from HCV RNA positive individuals for NS5B sequencing. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed to determine HCV subgenotypes. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis was employed to estimate the evolutionary history. The transmission network based on maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree and pairwise distance was constructed. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with clustering in the transmission network.Results 61 HCV NS5B sequences were successfully amplified and sequenced. The 61 sequences were found to all belong to subtype 2a by maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis showed that the majority of the subtype 2a have descended from the northwest of China with estimated dates of 8 to 20 years before sampling. A transmission network was constructed with a clustering rate of 26.2%. Multivariate logistic regression showed individuals with a history of blood transfusion and living at Shi Village, Huazhou County were associated with clustered in the transmission network.Conclusion HCV transmission in Huazhou County was predominant by subtype 2a. High risk of transmission was associated with HCV infections in residential Shi Village, Huazhou County and people with a history of blood transfusions. Prioritizing targeted interventions for these groups may help to prevent infections.
Whole genome sequencing and analysis of the weed pathogen Trichoderma polysporum HZ-31
Authors: He yushan , Zhu haixia
Published: April 2024

In order to resolve the key genes for weed control by Trichoderma polysporum at the genomic level, we extracted the genomic DNA and sequenced the whole genome of T. polysporum strain HZ-31 on the Illumina Hiseq™ platform. The raw data were cleaned up using Trimmomatic and checked for quality using FastQC. The sequencing data were assembled using SPAdes, and GeneMark was used to perform gene prediction on the assembly results. The results showed that the genome size of T. polysporum HZ-31 was 39,325,746 bp, with 48% GC content, and the number of genes encoded was 11,998. A total of 148 tRNAs and 45 rRNAs were predicted. A total of 782 genes were annotated in the Carbohydrase Database, 757 genes were annotated to the Pathogen-Host Interaction Database, and 67 gene clusters were identified. In addition, 1023 genes were predicted to be signal peptide proteins. The annotation and functional analysis of the whole genome sequence of T. polymorpha HZ-31 provide a basis for the in-depth study of the molecular mechanism of its herbicidal action and more effective utilization for weed control.
Non-targeted isomer-sensitive N-glycome analysis reveals new layers of organ-specific diversity in mice.
Authors: Stadlmann Johannes , Helm Johannes , Mereiter Stefan , Oliveira Tiago , Gattinger Anna , Markovitz David , Penninger Josef , Altmann Friedrich
Published: April 2024

N-glycosylation is one of the most common protein modifications in eukaryotes, with immense importance at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Accurate and reliable N-glycan analysis is essential to obtain a systems-wide understanding of fundamental biological processes. Due to the structural complexity of glycans, their analysis is still highly challenging. Here we make publicly available a consistent N-glycome dataset of 20 different mouse tissues and demonstrate a multimodal data analysis workflow that allows for unprecedented depth and coverage of N-glycome features. This highly scalable, LC-MS/MS data-driven method integrates the automated identification of N-glycan spectra, the application of non-targeted N-glycome profiling strategies and the isomer-sensitive analysis of glycan structures. Our delineation of critical sub-structural determinants and glycan isomers across the mouse N-glycome uncovered tissue-specific glycosylation patterns, the expression of non-canonical N-glycan structures and highlights multiple layers of N-glycome complexity that derive from organ-specific regulations of glycobiological pathways.
Red blood cell metabolomics identify ergothioneine as a key metabolite in DMARD-naïve rheumatoid arthritis and response to methotrexate
Authors: Sigaux Johanna , Junot Christophe , Boissier Marie-Christophe , Petit Mylène , Breckler Magali , Castelli Florence , Fenaille François , Roméo Paul-Henri , Semerano Luca
Published: April 2024

Using a new red blood cell (RBC) metabolite extraction protocol, we performed a metabolomic analysis on RBCs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated or not with methotrexate (MTX), with the two following objectives: to compare the RBC metabolic profiles of MTX-naïve RA patients and healthy controls (HC), and to investigate whether RBC profiles before and after MTX treatment in RA differed between responders and non-responders. Plasma analysis was performed in parallel. Metabolites were extracted and identified in RBCs and plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We compared the metabolomic fingerprints of 31 DMARD-naïve RA patients and 39 HCs. We also compared the RBC and plasma metabolomes of 25 RA patients who responded or not to MTX therapy before (M0) and after a 3-month treatment period (M3). Significance was determined by Storey’s false discovery rate (FDR) q-values to correct for multiple testing. RA patients and HCs differed in the metabolomic signature of RBCs. The signature mainly contained amino acids (AA). Eleven metabolites, including 4 metabolites belonging to the carbohydrate subclass and 2 amino acids (creatine and valine) showed accumulation in RBCs from RA patients. Conversely, citrulline (fold change=0.83; q=0.025), histidine (fold change=0.86; q=0.014) and ergothioneine (EGT) (fold change=0.66; q=0.024), were lower in RA. Among RA patients undergoing MTX treatment pre-treatment (M0), EGT values were significantly lower in non-responders. In conclusion, low RBC levels of EGT, a food-derived AA barely detectable in plasma, characterize DMARD naïve RA patients and lack of response to MTX treatment.
Combining continuous data on soil properties and land use to explore soil carbon changes and soil structure indicators
Authors: Rehn Andreas , Berndes Göran , Cederberg Christel , Englund Oskar
Published: April 2024

Increasing crop rotational diversity, e.g., by including grass-clover ley crops, can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and support climate change mitigation and adaptation, with economic and environmental co-benefits. Here, we apply a method for using large and continuously updated geospatial datasets on (i) agricultural land use and (ii) soil properties, from the Swedish national soil inventory, to analyze how grass-clover (ley) cultivation in rotation with annual crops influences SOC content and soil structure quality (SOC/clay ratio). The results suggest a positive correlation between the occurrence of ley in crop rotations and SOC content. The method used in this study can build on and complement long-term field experiments and can enable the use of spatially explicit soil structure indicators for mapping and analyzing effects of land management, providing input to inform development and implementation of policies for land-based climate change mitigation.
GZMA Suppressed GPX4-mediated Ferroptosis to Improve Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Function in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Niu Rongwei , Lan Jiaoli , Xiang Li , Wu Jiaxin , Zhang Xiaoyan , Li Zhiling , Xu Wanfu , Gong Sitang , Yang Min
Published: April 2024

Background
Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) is a critical component in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Our previous study demonstrated a decreased population of colonic CD8+CD39+ T cells in pediatric-onset colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and further revealed an enrichment of granzyme A (GZMA) in CD8+CD39+ T cells. However, the function of GZMA in IECs remained to be identified.
Methods
ELISA was performed to detect GZMA expression. WB, q-PCR and IF were performed to detect the expression of CDX2, OCLN, ZO-1 and ferroptosis-related genes expression. In vitro permeability assay was performed to assess the impact of GZMA in intestinal permeability. Intestinal organoid assay was used to explore the effect of GZMA on intestinal organoid differentiation. Luciferase and a subcellular fractionation approach were applied to reveal the mechanism underlying GZMA mediated ferroptosis in vitro. In vivo experiment in mice was conducted to validate the role of GZMA in alleviating ferroptosis in IECs, thereby promoting cell differentiation.
Results
Herein, we, for the first time, demonstrated that GZMA contributed to IECs differentiation characterized by enhanced CDX2 expression, leading to induce Occludin(OCLN) and Zonula Occludens-1(ZO-1) expression, which was attributed to ferroptosis inhibition caused by GZMA. Mechanically, GZMA activated cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway in IECs, leading to CREB nuclear translocation and initiate GPX4 transactivity. Most importantly, treatment of GZMA could alleviate DSS-induced colitis in mice confirmed by immunofluorescence.
Conclusion
These findings suggested that GZMA contributed to intestinal epithelial cell differentiation through ferroptosis via the PDE4/PKA/CREB signaling pathway, targeting GZMA could be a promising strategy to patients with IBD.
Expression and role of CNIH2 in prostate cancer
Authors: Zhang Wei , li Zhenhua , Zhang Yunmeng , Wang Shen , Jiang Xin , Ma Yuepeng , Hu Caoyang , Ma Zhifang , Wang Xin
Published: April 2024

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and poses a significant threat to global male health. Traditional prostate cancer assessment methods have certain limitations, necessitating the identification of new prognostic factors and treatment targets. Our study revealed that low expression of the CNIH2 gene was associated with a better progression-free survival rate in prostate cancer patients. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) showed that the prognostic ability of the CNIH2 gene was high at 1, 3, and 5 years. The gene was an independent prognostic factor according to multivariate analysis. Functional verification experiments showed that knocking down the CNIH2 gene could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells and could also inhibit tumor growth in nude mice. Our study is the first to reveal the important role of the CNIH2 gene in prostate cancer. This discovery provides a new research direction for individualized treatment and prognostic evaluation of prostate cancer.
A Parallel Program for the Simulation of Flooding
Authors: Busaman Anurak , MCNEIL RHYSA , Chuai-Aree Somporn , Eso Mayuening
Published: April 2024

Flood simulation reduces computational time, which is essential for timely prevention. It needs numerical algorithms for reducing computation times without losing much accuracy in the results of flood simulation. This study presents a parallel algorithm by applying the automatic domain updating method for solving the shallow water equation with the well-balanced positivity-preserving first-order finite volume scheme. The developed parallel program was tested by simulating the water flow, compared with the results obtained in the literature, and applied to the Bang Lang dam break simulation to create information on flooding. The computational times obtained by the proposed parallel program were compared with those of the serial program, which used only the automatic domain updating method without the parallel technique. The results show that the parallel program outperforms the serial program by reducing the computational time.
Nasal Dominance Potentiates Intranasal Oxytocin’s Anxiolytic Effects
Authors: Julius Nikita Catalina , Nicholls Dasha , Nowell Joseph , Burmester Victoria
Published: April 2024

The nasal cycle is a phenomenon whereby alterations in airflow alternate between left and right nostrils. During a nostril’s decongested – or dominant – state, the contralateral nostril is congested, or non-dominant. Intranasal oxytocin may elicit anxiolytic effects. To date, no study has investigated whether there is an optimal nasal pathway for oxytocin’s effects. Forty-four female adolescents aged 16 to 17 years were included in this exploratory study investigating effects of nasal dominance on intranasal oxytocin delivery. We show that intranasal oxytocin significantly reduces stress relative to placebo (p = 0.019, ηp2 = 0.129) and greater stress reduction occurs when oxytocin is delivered to the dominant, rather than non-dominant, nostril (p = 0.045, ηp2 = 0.102). We postulate that oxytocin administration may reduce stress and be most effective in the context of anxiolysis when administered to the dominant nostril. Further research investigating whether other intranasal psychotropic drugs have nostril-specific effects might benefit clinical practice.
Nutrition and dietary inflammatory indices of the eight major cuisines of China
Authors: Zhao Wehzhi , Jia Zhongwei , Shi Hanping
Published: April 2024

Background
Chinese cuisines are famous for excellence in color, aroma, and taste. There are eight major styles, and each cuisine has its unique flavors. Dietary inflammatory index (DII) is a comprehensive parameter of diet-derived inflammatory capacity and designed to be universally applicable across all human studies for dietary assessment.
Methods
Food materials, food composition, and DII of dishes from the eight major cuisines of China were analyzed based on two cookbooks. The usage rate and dosage of food components were calculated for each cuisine. The energy and nutrient content of every dish was measured based on China Food Composition Tables. Then, DII was calculated. Continuous variables were presented as quartiles. Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal–Wallis H test for non-normally distributed data was applied.
Results
A total of 980 dishes belonging to the 8 cuisines were included. Condiments were the most popular food material in different cuisines. For standard serves (per 500g) of a dish, energy (calories) and fat contained in Sichuan cuisine was the highest. The carbohydrate contained in Zhejiang cuisine and Sichuan cuisine were the highest and lowest, respectively. For each energy equivalent serve (per 500kcal) of a dish, the total fat of dishes contained in Sichuan cuisine was the highest. The content of carbohydrate and protein of dishes contained in Fujian cuisine and Sichuan cuisine was the highest and lowest, respectively. There was a significant difference between cuisines in the distribution of DII. The percentage of pro-inflammatory dishes was the highest in Cantonese cuisine (47.4%) whereas the lowest in Hunan cuisine (11.6%), regardless measured by standard serve or energy equivalent serve.
Conclusions
Different Chinese cuisines exhibited different prior selections of food materials, which was partly explained by the taste of local cuisine. The energy and nutrient content of different cuisines significantly varied. The percentage of pro-inflammatory dishes was the highest in Cantonese cuisine whereas the lowest in Hunan cuisine, unanticipatedly.
Unraveling the phenomenon of supply-demand feedback in agricultural water interventions
Authors: Alam Mohammad Faiz , McClain Michael , Sikka Alok , Sena Dipaka , Pande Saket
Published: April 2024

The human-water feedbacks associated with agricultural water interventions may result in unintended and adverse externalities such as the phenomenon of supply-demand feedback, i.e. of increasing water demand in response to measures that enhance water supply. By integrating a spatially explicit hydrological model with a farmer’s behavioral module, simulated using Risks-Attitudes-Norms-Abilities-Self-regulation (RANAS) behavioral theory based on household surveys and rules derived from observed data, this paper emulates the phenomenon of supply-demand feedback. The Kamadhiya catchment in India is studied, where the decisions of 38,447 farmers in response to the intensive development of check dams (CDs) are simulated. The results show that the perceived increase in water supply from CDs has led nearby farmers to increase their cotton and wheat cultivation areas by 11.9% and 36.1%, respectively. This increase in demand has nullified the expected benefits from CD recharge with approximately 54.0% of the additional recharge being used for expanding irrigation for cotton and wheat, and lowering groundwater levels by 1.0 m. These findings underscore the need to critically understand human-water feedbacks that lead to unintended consequences and inform future investments in agricultural water interventions.
Utilising Dimensionality Reduction for Improved Data Analysis with Quantum Feature Learning
Authors: Sihare Shyam R.
Published: April 2024

This research explores the potential of quantum computing in data analysis, focusing on the efficient analysis of high-dimensional quantum datasets using dimensionality reduction techniques. The study aims to fill the knowledge gap by developing robust quantum dimensionality reduction techniques that can mitigate noise and errors. The research methodology involved a comprehensive review and analysis of existing quantum dimensionality reduction techniques, such as quantum principal component analysis, quantum linear discriminant analysis and quantum generative models. The study also explored the limitations imposed by NISQ devices and proposed strategies to adapt these techniques to work efficiently within these constraints. The key results demonstrate the potential of quantum dimensionality reduction techniques to effectively reduce the dimensionality of high-dimensional quantum datasets while preserving critical quantum information. The evaluation of quantum principal component analysis, quantum linear discriminant analysis and quantum generative models showed their effectiveness in improving quantum data analysis, particularly in improving simulation speed and predicting properties. Despite the challenges posed by noise and errors, robust quantum dimensionality reduction methods showed promise in mitigating these effects and preserving quantum information. Finally, this research contributes to the advancement of quantum data analysis by presenting a comprehensive analysis of quantum dimensionality reduction techniques and their applications. It highlights the importance of developing robust quantum feature learning methods that can operate efficiently in noisy quantum environments, especially in the NISQ era.
Effect of continuous cropping on bacterial and fungal communities in Glehnia littoralis soil
Authors: Rong Zhengpu , Zhao Jingqiao , Shang Xiaoying , Shi Weihong , Zheng Yuguang , Sun Huigai , Han Xiaowei
Published: April 2024

Rhizosphere soil microorganisms are critical in the plant's growth and soil health. Continuous crop cropping had significant effects on rhizosphere soil microbial community. To figure out the effects of continuous cropping of Glehnia littoralis on the composition, structure and diversity of rhizosphere soil microbial communities, this study brings to G. littoralis of 1 year (first cropping soil, FS), 2 years (continuous cropping soil, CS), and 0 years (Layland, control soil, CK) soil as the materials. The composition, structure, and diversity of soil fungi and bacteria in different planting years were analyzed by the Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology. The α-diversity of fungi in CS was significantly lower than that in other rotation systems. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the dominant bacteria, and Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota were dominant phylum fungi. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria in the bacterial community decreased with the increase of stubbles, which may significantly reduce the microbial diversity and remedy the negative effects of continuous cropping of G. littoralis. The pH value, urease activity, and total nitrogen content were higher in the continuous cropping soil. Redundancy analysis showed that soil nutrients, pH value, and urease activity had significant effects on soil fungal and bacterial communities. Significant correlations were detected between soil total nitrogen and urease, and between soil total phosphorus and total potassium. In conclusion, continuous cropping changes soil nutrients, pH value, and urease activity, which, in turn, shifts the soil microbial community. The interaction and mutual influence of these factors may be the main cause of continuous cropping obstacle of G. littoralis.
Synthetic Generation and Detection of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Instances retrival in Underwater Image
Authors: Sekar pavithra , mohan Jyothimurugan
Published: April 2024

Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), which eats coral is becoming increasingly common. Coral reefs, which are highly valued for their aesthetic appeal and ecological importance, are seriously threatened. This collection of carefully shot underwater photo sequences covering the whole Great Barrier Reef at different times and places is an invaluable resource for understanding and mitigating the negative effects of commercial overfishing (COTS) on these fragile ecosystems. Due to the predatory nature of the crown-of-thorns starfish coral reefs face significant threats necessitating urgent innovation in methods to control their population.
Impact of Gasoline and Renewable Energy Consumption on Manufacturing Sector Output in Nigeria: New Evidence From ARDL Model
Authors: EZE UCHECHUKWU , CHIDUMEBI MBA COLLINS
Published: April 2024

This research examined how gasoline and renewable energy use affects output in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector from 1990 to 2022, using data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Statistical Bulletin and the World Development Indicators. It employed the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model for its analysis. The Bounds co-integration test revealed the presence of a long-term relationship among the variables selected for the study. The findings reveal that in the short term, gasoline consumption marginally boosts manufacturing output, but it significantly hampers it over the long term. On the other hand, renewable energy’s influence on manufacturing output is negligible yet positive in both the short and long term. The study suggests that by shifting focus from gasoline to renewable energy sources, Nigeria can enhance the resilience, sustainability, and innovation of its manufacturing sector, thus aligning with international environmental objectives and boosting economic growth.
Comparative analysis of FWTPET welded austenitic alloy steel samples using transition fit approach: An investigation of mechanical, morphological, and microstructural properties
Authors: A Daniel Das , Manivannan S.
Published: April 2024

FWTPET (Friction Welding of Tube-to-tube plate using an External Tool) is the modified FSW process that has been enhanced and verified mechanical and metallurgical properties in all base metals. To assess the welding strength, samples with and without a hole on the perimeter were compared utilizing a backing block and same experimental is repeated and compared without utilizing a backing block. Maximum tensile strength is employed as the output parameter for determining the optimal combination of rotational tool speed, extrusion of tube (tube projection) and impression on tube plate (depth of cut) for achieving the desired joint strength. Under a Transition fit scenario, the experiment was conducted when heat from the tool pin was transferred to the Tube and tube plate. Taguchi's L9 Orthogonal Array technique and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) are used as optimization approaches for finding the best joint strength (tensile strength). A microstructural study was conducted to determine the grain size in the weld zone. At the study's end, welding strength was found to be exceptionally high, at 831.8 MPa for samples with a hole (WH) and 784.35 MPa for samples without a hole and utilizing backing block (WBB) respectively. The computed tensile strength values for samples with and without a hole (WoH) were 757.2 MPa and 700.8 MPa, for the value without utilizing backing block (WoBB) respectively. Later, special characterization technique is used to evaluate the joint strength at the weld interface (WI).
Machine Learning Insights into Regional Dynamics and Prevalence of COVID-19 Variants in US Health and Human Services Regions
Authors: Hu Lejia , Zhang Xuan , D’Souza Fabian
Published: April 2024

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic arising from the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 has led to global devastation with millions of lives lost by January 2024. Despite the WHO's declaration of the end of the global health emergency in May 2023, the virus persists, propelled by mutations. Variants continue to challenge vaccination efforts, underscoring the necessity for ongoing vigilance. This study aimed at contributing to a more data-driven approach to pandemic management by employing random forest regression to analyze regional variant prevalence.
Methods
This study utilized data from various sources including National COVID Cohort Collaborative database, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, World Weather Online, EPA, and US Census. Key variables include pollution, weather, travel patterns, and demographics. Preprocessing steps involved merging and normalization of datasets. Training data spanned from January 2021 to February 2023. The Random Forest Regressor was chosen for its accuracy in modeling. To prevent data leakage, time series splits were employed. Model performance was evaluated using metrics such as MSE and R-squared.
Results
The Alpha variant was predominant in the Southeast, with less than 80% share even at its peak. Delta surged initially in Kansas City and maintained dominance there for over 5 months. Omicron subvariant BA.5 spread nationwide, becoming predominant across all Health and Human Services regions simultaneously, with New York seeing the earliest and fastest decline in its share. Variant XBB.1.5 concentrated more in the Northeast, but limited data hindered full analysis. Using RF regressor, key features affecting spread patterns were identified, with high predictive accuracy. Each variant showed specific environmental correlations; for instance, Alpha with air quality index and temperature, Delta with ozone density, BA.5 with UV index, and XBB.1.5 with location, land area, and income. Correlation analysis further highlighted variant-specific associations.
Conclusions
This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the regional distribution of COVID-19 variants, offering critical insights for devising targeted public health strategies. By utilizing machine learning, the study uncovers the complex factors contributing to variant spread and reveals how specific factors contribute to variant prevalence, offering insights crucial for pandemic management.
A correlational study of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein on the prognosis of septic patients in the emergency department
Authors: Zhang Ying , Zhang Ye , Zhen Lei , Wang Jia , Hu Le , Dong Hongmeng , Wang Junyu , Wei Bing
Published: April 2024

Objective
To explore the predictive value of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) in assessing the risk of death in septic patients, to provide a reference for clinical work.
Methods
Data from 168 septic patients who were admitted to the emergency department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from September 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. SPSS25.0 software was used for data analysis and MedCalc 22.013 was applied to generate receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves.
Results
A total of 54 patients were included in the non-survival group and 114 were included in the survival group. Age, respiratory rate, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, LBP and lactate values were higher and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and albumin were lower in the non-survival group than in the surviving group (all P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the APACHE II score, SOFA score, LBP and albumin were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of septic patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values were 0.801, 0.874 and 0.82 for LBP, APACHE II score and SOFA score, respectively, which better predicted the prognosis of septic patients. The AUC value of LBP and APACHE II score was 0.936, which was better than that of APACHE II score, SOFA score and LBP alone (P < 0.001). APACHE II + LBP had a sensitivity of 0.963 and a specificity of 0.798.
Conclusion
LBP is an independent risk factor affecting the outcome of septic patients and has a moderate predictive power of mortality outcome. APACHE II + LBP score has better predictive performance.
Optimal Aircraft Aprons Assignment for Close Proximity Parking Demands
Authors: Chen Chun-Ying , Jiang Shu-Rong
Published: April 2024

Major events like COVID-19 can lead to a sudden decline in passenger demand for airlines globally, resulting in the grounding of aircraft by carriers worldwide. To ensure ample parking space, carriers have implemented a close proximity parking strategy for aircraft, ensuring efficient use of available space. When multiple aircraft can park in a single space, inadequate planning may lead to various blockages. This not only raises airline costs but also reduces the operational efficiency of the airport. At present, the problem of assigning airplanes to airplanes in such a close proximity parking situation is planned manually, which is inefficient and may not be the optimal solution for the system. In this study, we employed time-space network flow techniques and mathematical programming to develop an optimal apron assignment model from the perspective of an apron planner. Then, based on the real flight data of Taoyuan International Airport, we conducted a case study and different scenarios. The results show that the proposed model is an effective auxiliary tool to assist the planners in optimizing the aircraft apron assignments under a close proximity parking strategy.
More father leave, more babies? Father-exclusive parental leave periods and fertility
Authors: Regueiro-Ons Camila , Pinilla Jaime , López-Valcárcel Beatriz González
Published: April 2024

Using national birth records from Spain, we examine the effect of father-exclusive parental leave on fertility. To do so, we run a Bayesian structural time series analysis exploiting the 2-week leave introduction and extensions up to 8 weeks. This methodology allows us to construct a time counterfactual to track the policy effect over time. We find suggestive evidence that, overall, father-exclusive parental leave does not affect the fertility rate of women of childbearing age. But we identify a heterogeneous policy effect once we disentangle the effect by birth order. The birth count of first- and second-order births does not report a change over time with respect to any of the leave entitlements. In contrast, linked to the 4-week extension, higher-order births exhibit a positive effect consolidated over time. With the 4-week benefit implementation, third- and higher-order births increase, on average, by 0.8% and 1.1%. The analysis provides useful policy insights into how work-life reconciliation policies that call active fatherhood can promote fertility.
JEL classification— J08, J13, D13, I12, H31
Benign Tumors and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers in Patients with Fanconi Anemia
Authors: Enache A. , Sajjad B. , Altintas B. , Giri N. , McReynolds Lisa J.
Published: April 2024

Background
Fanconi anemia (FA) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS) characterized by pathogenic variants in the FA DNA repair pathway genes. Individuals with FA have an elevated risk of developing myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, and solid tumors. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the most effective treatment for FA related bone marrow failure but can increase the risk of cancer development. Information on benign tumors and NMSC is lacking in patients with FA. Our objective was to characterize patients with FA enrolled in the National Cancer Institute IBMFS Study who have experienced non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) and/or benign tumors (BT).
Procedure
: A total of 200 patients diagnosed with FA were enrolled in the Institutional Review Board approved study “Etiologic investigation of cancer susceptibility in IBMFS: A Natural History Study” (NCT00027274). Through medical records review, we identified 30 patients with at least one NMSC, either squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma, or benign tumor. The remaining 170 patients comprised the control group.
Results
Out of 200 patients, 12 had NMSC, 25 had benign tumors, with an age range of 11–64 and 0–56 years, respectively. The median age at HCT was 30.5 years for NMSC patients, 9 years for benign tumor patients, and 9.1 years for controls. The most common genotype observed was FANCA, followed by FANCC and FANCI. Benign tumors spanned diverse anatomical locations.
Conclusion
Early onset NMSC emphasizes the need for consistent monitoring in patients with FA, while the diverse anatomical locations of benign tumors underscore the importance of comprehensive surveillance for timely interventions in managing heightened cancer risk.
Weingarten Surfaces Associated to Laguerre Minimal Surfaces
Authors: Santos Laredo Rennan Pereira , Corro Armando Mauro Vasquez
Published: April 2024

In the work \cite{Laredo}, the author shows that every hypersurface in Euclidean space is locally associated to the unit sphere by a sphere congruence, whose radius function $R$ is a geometric invariant of hypersurface. In this paper, we define the spherical mean curvature $H_S$ for any surface $\Sigma$, which depends on the principal curvatures of $\Sigma$ and the radius function $R$. We then explore two classes of surfaces: those with $H_S = 0$, referred to as $H_1$-surfaces, and the surfaces with spherical mean curvature of harmonic type, denoted as $H_2$-surfaces.
We provide a Weierstrass-type representation for each of these classes depending on three holomorphic functions. We prove that the $H_1$-surfaces are associated to the minimal surfaces, whereas the $H_2$-surfaces are related to Laguerre minimal surfaces. As an application, we present a new Weierstrass-type representation for Laguerre minimal surfaces, and specifically for minimal surfaces. In this way, the same holomorphic data can be used to provide examples in $H_1$-surface/minimal surface classes or in $H_2$-surface/Laguerre minimal surface classes. We also characterize the rotational cases, allowing us to find a complete rotational Laguerre minimal surface.