bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Spatial Transcriptomics Browser for Discovering Gene Expression Landscapes across Microscopic Tissue Sections
Authors: Schmidt Maria , Avagyan Susanna , Reiche Kristin , Binder Hans , Loeffler-Wirth Henry
Published: May 2024

A crucial feature of life is its spatial organization and compartmentalization on the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Spatial transcriptomics (ST) technology has opened a new chapter of the sequencing revolution, emerging rapidly with transformative effects across biology. This technique produces extensive and complex sequencing data, raising the need for computational methods for their comprehensive analysis and interpretation. We developed the ST browser web tool for the interactive discovery of ST images, focusing on different functional aspects such as single gene expression, the expression of functional gene sets, as well as the inspection of the spatial patterns of cell–cell interactions. As a unique feature, our tool applies self-organizing map (SOM) machine learning to the ST data. Our SOM data portrayal method generates individual gene expression landscapes for each spot in the ST image, enabling its downstream analysis with high resolution. The performance of the spatial browser is demonstrated by disentangling the intra-tumoral heterogeneity of melanoma and the microarchitecture of the mouse brain. The integration of machine-learning-based SOM portrayal into an interactive ST analysis environment opens novel perspectives for the comprehensive knowledge mining of the organization and interactions of cellular ecosystems.
Development of MetaXplore: An Interactive Tool for Targeted Metagenomic Analysis
Authors: Bel Mokhtar Naima , Asimakis Elias , Galiatsatos Ioannis , Maurady Amal , Stathopoulou Panagiota , Tsiamis George
Published: May 2024

Over the last decades, the analysis of complex microbial communities by high-throughput sequencing of marker gene amplicons has become routine work for many research groups. However, the main challenges faced by scientists who want to make use of the generated sequencing datasets are the lack of expertise to select a suitable pipeline and the need for bioinformatics or programming skills to apply it. Here, we present MetaXplore, an interactive, user-friendly platform that enables the discovery and visualization of amplicon sequencing data. Currently, it provides a set of well-documented choices for downstream analysis, including alpha and beta diversity analysis, taxonomic composition, differential abundance analysis, identification of the core microbiome within a population, and biomarker analysis. These features are presented in a user-friendly format that facilitates easy customization and the generation of publication-quality graphics. MetaXplore is implemented entirely in the R language using the Shiny framework. It can be easily used locally on any system with R installed, including Windows, Mac OS, and most Linux distributions, or remotely via a web server without bioinformatic expertise. It can also be used as a framework for advanced users who can modify and expand the tool.
Challenging Molecular Diagnosis of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) Due to 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency: Case Series and Novel Variants of CYP21A2 Gene
Authors: Concolino Paola
Published: May 2024

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of autosomal recessive genetic defects in cortisol synthesis and shows elevated ACTH concentrations, which in turn has downstream effects. The most common variant of CAH, 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD), is the result of pathogenic variants in the CYP21A2 gene and is one of the most common monogenic disorders. However, the genetics of 21OHD is complex and challenging. The CYP21A2 gene is located in the RCCX copy number variation (CNV), a complex, multiallelic, and tandem CNV in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class III region on chromosome 6 (band 6p21.3). Here, CYP21A2 and its pseudogene CYP21A1P are located 30 kb apart and share a high nucleotide homology of approximately 98% and 96% in exons and introns, respectively. This high-sequence homology facilitates large structural rearrangements, copy number changes, and gene conversion through intergenic recombination. There is a good genotype–phenotype correlation in 21OHD, and genotyping can be performed to confirm the clinical diagnosis, predict long-term outcomes, and determine genetic counseling. Thus, genotyping in CAH is clinically relevant but the interpretations can be challenging for non-initiated clinicians. Here, there are some concrete examples of how molecular diagnosis can sometimes require the use of multiple molecular strategies.
Well-Dispersed CoNiO2 Nanosheet/CoNi Nanocrystal Arrays Anchored onto Monolayer MXene for Superior Electromagnetic Absorption at Low Frequencies
Authors: Du Leiyu , Xu Renxin , Si Yunfa , Zhao Wei , Luo Hongyi , Jin Wei , Liu Dan
Published: May 2024

Developing microwave absorbers with superior low-frequency electromagnetic wave absorption properties is one of the foremost important factors driving the boom in 5G technology development. In this study, via a simple hydrothermal and pyrolysis strategy, randomly interleaved CoNiO2 nanosheets and uniformly ultrafine CoNi nanocrystals are anchored onto both sides of a single-layered MXene. The absorption mechanism demonstrated that the hierarchical heterostructure prevents the aggregation of MXene nanoflakes and magnetic crystallites. In addition, the introduction of the double-magnetic phase of CoNiO2/CoNi arrays can not only enhance the magnetic loss capacity but also generate larger void spaces and abundant heterogeneous interfaces, collectively promoting impedance-matching and furthering microwave attenuation capabilities at a low frequency. Hence, the reflection loss of the optimal absorber (M–MCNO) is −45.33 dB at 3.24 GHz, which corresponds to a matching thickness of 5.0 mm. Moreover, its EAB can entirely cover the S-band and C-band by tailoring the matching thickness from 2 to 7 mm. Satellite radar cross-section (RCS) simulations demonstrated that the M–MCNO can reduce the RCS value to below −10 dB m2 over a multi-angle range. Thus, the proposed hybrid absorber is of great significance for the development of magnetized MXene composites with superior low-frequency microwave absorption properties.
First-Principles Calculations of P-B Co-Doped Cluster N-Type Diamond
Authors: Lan Huaqing , Yang Sheng , Yang Wen , Di Maoyun , Wang Hongxing , Tian Yuming , Wang Kaiyue
Published: May 2024

To achieve n-type doping in diamond, extensive investigations employing first principles have been conducted on various models of phosphorus doping and boron–phosphorus co-doping. The primary focus of this study is to comprehensively analyze the formation energy, band structure, density of states, and ionization energy of these structures. It is observed that within a diamond structure solely composed of phosphorus atoms, the formation energy of an individual carbon atom is excessively high. However, the P-V complex substitutes 2 of the 216 carbon atoms, leading to the transformation of diamond from an insulator to a p-type semiconductor. Upon examining the P-B co-doped structure, it is revealed that the doped impurities exhibit a tendency to form more stable cluster configurations. As the separation between the individually doped atoms and the cluster impurity structure increases, the overall stability of the structure diminishes, consequently resulting in an elevation of the ionization energy. Examination of the electronic density of states indicates that the contribution of B atoms to the impurity level is negligible in the case of P-B doping.
Real-World Evidence Study of Patients with KRAS-Mutated NSCLC in Finland
Authors: Anttalainen Anna , Pietarinen Paavo , Tuominen Samuli , Mattila Riikka , Mutka Aino , Knuuttila Aija
Published: May 2024

While KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), KRAS-mutant tumors have long been considered difficult to treat and thus, an unmet need still remains. Partly due to the lack of targeted treatments, comprehensive real-world description of NSCLC patients with KRAS mutation is still largely missing in Finland. In this study, all adult patients diagnosed with locally advanced and unresectable or metastatic NSCLC from 1 January 2018 to 31 August 2020 at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa were first identified in this retrospective registry-based real-world study. The final cohort included only patients tested with next generation sequencing (NGS) and was stratified by the KRAS mutation status. A total of 383 patients with locally advanced and unresectable or metastatic NSCLC and with NGS testing performed were identified. Patients with KRAS mutation (KRAS G12C n = 35, other KRAS n = 74) were younger than patients without KRAS mutations, were all previous or current smokers, and had more often metastatic disease at diagnosis. Also, these patients had poorer survival, with higher age, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) being 5 or above, and KRAS G12C being the most significant risk factors associated with poorer survival. This suggests that the patients with KRAS mutation have a more aggressive disease and/or tumors with KRAS mutation are more difficult to treat, at least without effective targeted therapies.
Parenteral Nutrition in Palliative Cancer Care: Detrimental, Futile, or Beneficial?
Authors: Løhre Erik Torbjørn , Solheim Tora Skeidsvoll , Jakobsen Gunnhild , Vagnildhaug Ola Magne , Schmidberger Karlsen Terese Louise , Habberstad Ragnhild Hansdatter , Balstad Trude Rakel , Thronæs Morten
Published: May 2024

Palliative cancer care patients may live for a long time, but malnutrition worsens the prognosis. Parenteral nutrition (PN) is suitable for replenishing a calorie deficit, but its advantages and tolerance late in the cancer trajectory are debated. We examined symptom development in hospitalized patients with and without PN. A total of 21 palliative cancer care patients receiving PN and 155 palliative cancer care patients not receiving PN during hospitalization in a specialized unit were retrospectively compared. We studied symptom intensity at admission, symptom relief during the hospital stay, and survival. The patients had locally advanced or metastatic cancer, a mean age of 70 years, and their median ECOG performance status was III. Symptom burden at admission was similar in the compared groups. Symptom relief during hospitalization was also similar. However, patients already on PN at admission reported more nausea and patients receiving PN during hospitalization reported better nausea relief compared to patients not receiving this intervention. Overall median survival was less than two months and similar in the compared groups. Based on a limited number of observations and a suboptimal study design, we were not able to demonstrate an increased symptom burden for palliative cancer care patients receiving PN late in the disease trajectory.
MISP Is Overexpressed in Intestinal Metaplasia and Gastric Cancer
Authors: Vilarinho Tomás , Pádua Diana , Pereira Bruno , Mesquita Patrícia , Almeida Raquel
Published: May 2024

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the fourth cause of global cancer mortality. The identification of new biomarkers and drug targets is crucial to allow the better prognosis and treatment of patients. The mitotic spindle positioning (MISP) protein has the function of correcting mitotic spindle positioning and centrosome clustering and has been implicated in the cytokinesis and migration of cancer cells. The goal of this work was to evaluate the expression and clinical relevance of MISP in gastric cancer. MISP expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a single hospital series (n = 286) of gastric adenocarcinomas and compared with normal gastric mucosa and intestinal metaplasia, a preneoplastic lesion. MISP was detected on the membrane in 83% of the cases, being overexpressed in gastric cancer compared to normal gastric mucosa (n = 10). Its expression was negatively associated with diffuse and poorly cohesive types. On the other hand, it was strongly expressed in intestinal metaplasia where it was associated with MUC2 and CDX2 expression. Furthermore, when we silenced MISP in vitro, a significant decrease in the viability of gastric carcinoma cells was observed. In conclusion, MISP is overexpressed in gastric cancer, being associated with an intestinal phenotype in gastric carcinogenesis and having a role in cellular proliferation.
A Two-Step Approach to the Surgical Treatment of Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Fulchignoni Camillo , Cianni Luigi , Matrangolo Maria Rosaria , Cerrone Mariagrazia , Cavola Francesco , Pataia Elisabetta , Vitiello Raffaele , Maccauro Giulio , Farsetti Pasquale , Rovere Giuseppe
Published: May 2024

Background: Nowadays, limb-sparing procedures are the gold standard in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas of the limbs. Wide tumor resection with appropriate oncological margins, reconstruction, and stabilization of the involved bone and joint and restoration of the soft tissue lost are essential in order to obtain good clinical and functional outcomes. Tumor excision and soft-tissue reconstruction performed in one-step surgery is chosen by many centers as the preferred approach; however, according to our experience in some selected patients, two-step surgery performed using a dermal regeneration template first and then a margin revision, taking into account the definitive results of the anatomopathological exam conducted over the surgical specimen from the previous surgery, associated with definitive reconstruction surgery over a healthy bed of granulated tissue, showed many potential benefits. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on thirteen patients who underwent a two-step reconstruction procedure using dermal substitution after soft-tissue sarcoma excision. Results: Clinically, the enrolled patients achieved excellent contour and cosmesis of their surgical wounds, with a mean VSS value of 3.07. During the follow-up period, no local recurrences were observed in any patient. Conclusions: Two-step surgery represents the most suitable solution to allow surgical radicality with minimal recurrency and adequate soft-tissue reconstruction, avoiding the possibility of wasting autologous tissue. Our patients generally embraced this approach and the management that followed.
Energy Efficiency Analysis of Waste-to-Energy Plants in Poland
Authors: Banaś Marian , Pająk Tadeusz , Bator Jakub , Wróbel Wojciech , Ciuła Józef
Published: May 2024

The issue of enhancing energy recovery efficiency is a key concern within the European Union’s climate protection efforts. In particular, it applies to all processes and plants for the harvesting, gathering, and conversion of energy. The abandonment of fossil fuels in favour of alternative energy sources, and the increasing of energy efficiency and its recovery, is now a widely accepted direction of energy development. This study focuses on facilities that recover and process energy from municipal waste left after recycling processes, known as waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. These plants’ energy recovery efficiency is governed by the R1 Formula in EU countries. This report is based on an analysis of four years of operational data from selected Polish municipal waste incinerators, supplemented by a discussion of various studies on energy recovery efficiency. The primary objective of this report is to evaluate the effectiveness of these plants in contributing to sustainable waste management and energy recovery. The main effect of the developed report is the set of results of the energy recovery efficiency factor values, determined based on the R1 formula valid in the EU legislation, tabulated and graphically illustrated, and calculated for five selected Polish waste-to-energy plants. The presented results, with their graphical interpretation, discussion, and conclusions, provide insights into several factors influencing the value of the R1 efficiency factor. They can be a valuable contribution to operators of waste-to-energy plants, especially those operating in countries outside the EU.
Short-to-Medium-Term Wind Power Forecasting through Enhanced Transformer and Improved EMD Integration
Authors: Huan Jiafei , Deng Li , Zhu Yue , Jiang Shangguang , Qi Fei
Published: May 2024

Accurate wind power forecasting (WPF) is critical in optimizing grid operations and efficiently managing wind energy resources. Challenges arise from the inherent volatility and non-stationarity of wind data, particularly in short-to-medium-term WPF, which extends to longer forecast horizons. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel model that integrates Improved Empirical Mode Decomposition (IEMD) with an enhanced Transformer called TransIEMD. TransIEMD begins by decomposing the wind speed into Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) using IEMD, transforming the scalar wind speed into a vector form that enriches the input data to reveal hidden temporal dynamics. Each IMF is then processed with channel attention, embedding, and positional encoding to prepare inputs for an enhanced Transformer. The Direct Embedding Module (DEM) provides an alternative viewpoint on the input data. The distinctive perspectives of IEMD and DEM offer interaction through cross-attention within the encoder, significantly enhancing the ability to capture dynamic wind patterns. By combining cross-attention and self-attention within the encoder–decoder structure, TransIEMD demonstrates enhanced proficiency in detecting and leveraging long-range dependencies and dynamic wind patterns, improving the forecasting precision. Extensive evaluations on a publicly available dataset from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) demonstrate that TransIEMD significantly improves the forecasting accuracy across multiple horizons of 4, 8, 16, and 24 h. Specifically, at the 24 h forecast horizon, TransIEMD achieves reductions in the normalized mean absolute error and root mean square error of 4.24% and 4.37%, respectively, compared to the traditional Transformer. These results confirm the efficacy of integrating IEMD with attention mechanisms to enhance the accuracy of WPF.
Phase Distribution of Gas–Liquid Slug–Annular Flow in Horizontal Parallel Micro-Channels
Authors: Liu Yanchu , Jiang Siqiang , Wang Shuangfeng
Published: May 2024

As a transitional flow pattern, slug–annular flow occurs over a wide range of operating conditions in micro-channels while its distribution in parallel micro-channels has not been well characterized. Herein, we conducted an experiment to study the phase distribution of slug–annular flow in parallel micro-channels. The test section consists of a header with a diameter of 0.48 mm and six branch channels with a diameter of 0.40 mm. Nitrogen and 0.03 wt% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution were used as the test fluids. It was found that the phase distribution of the slug–annular flow was unstable and the duration of the varying process showed regularity with different inlet conditions. Increasing the liquid superficial velocity facilitated the liquid phase to flow into channels at the fore part of the header, while the channels at the rear part of the header were more supplied with liquid as the gas superficial velocity, volume fraction of gas, and volume flow rate increased. Furthermore, the results indicated that the channels located at the rear part of the header experienced a pronounced enhancement in the supply of both the liquid and gas phases, with the spacing between the branches increasing. A predictive correlation was formulated to ascertain the distribution of the liquid phase within slug–annular flow across parallel micro-channels.
Supporting Doctoral Candidates through Completion and Final Examination
Authors: Riches-Suman Kirsten
Published: May 2024

Completion and final examination comprise the final stages of a doctoral program and represent the culmination of the doctoral candidates’ years of research. In this entry, completion is defined as the writing and submission of a doctoral thesis, and final examination is defined as the viva voce. Over the years, the format and scope of doctoral degrees has expanded and a variety of formats are now offered. In addition to the traditional research-only doctoral degree, professional, practice-based, and new route programs also contain a taught element alongside research. However, the creation of a substantive thesis or practice-based alternative addressing a novel research question is common to all. In contrast, processes and formats of viva voces vary across the globe. These range from private, closed-door defenses to assessed or ritualistic public defense presentations. For both completion and final examination, there are many practical and psychological hurdles that need to be navigated in order for the candidate to attain their doctoral degree. This entry will highlight these aspects as well as provide evidence-based guidance for supervisors in supporting their doctoral candidates through these daunting final stages.
Tea Quality of the Mysterious “Dahongpao Mother Tree” (Camellia sinensis)
Authors: Ye Jianghua , Zhang Qi , Li Mingzhe , Wang Yuhua , Jia Miao , Hong Lei , Chen Yiling , Pang Xiaomin , Jia Xiaoli , Wang Haibin
Published: May 2024

The quality of the Dahongpao mother tree (Camellia sinensis) remains a mystery to this day. In this study, for the first time, the differences between the Dahongpao mother tree (MD) and Dahongpao cuttings (PD), in terms of odor characteristics and taste characteristics were analyzed by metabomics. The results showed that MD had stronger floral, fruity, green, and woody odor characteristics than PD, and that the contributions were mainly from dihydromyrcenol, methyl salicylate, 2-isobutylpyrazine, 1,6-dihydrocarveol, gamma-terpineol, and linalyl acetate. Further, fresh and brisk taste and mellowness taste characteristics of MD were significantly higher than PD, with contributions mainly from amino acids and derivatives and organic acids. Secondly, bitterness taste characteristics of PD were significantly higher than MD, with contributions from phenolic acids, flavones, and flavonols. This study preliminarily unraveled the legend of the superior quality of the Dahongpao mother tree, and also provided an important reference for the breeding of tea-tree cuttings.
Study on the Correlations between Quality Indicators of Dry-Aged Beef and Microbial Succession during Fermentation
Authors: Cheng Yuliang , Meng Yiyun , Xu Lin , Yu Hang , Guo Yahui , Xie Yunfei , Yao Weirong , Qian He
Published: May 2024

Dry-aged beef has been long favored by people due to its unique flavor and taste. However, the inner relationship between its overall quality formation and microbial changes during dry aging has not yet received much attention and research. To deeply reveal the forming mechanism of the unique flavor and taste of dry-aged beef, correlations between its three main quality indicators, i.e., texture, free amino acids (FAAs), volatile flavor compounds (VFCs), and microbial succession were analyzed in this study. The results showed that Staphylococcus spp. and Macrococcus spp. were key strains that influenced the total quality of dry-aged beef and strongly correlated with chewiness, hardness, and sweet FAAs (Ala), providing beef with unique palatability and taste. Additionally, among VFCs, Staphylococcus spp. and Macrococcus spp. showed a strong correlation with octanal and heptanal, and meanwhile, those highly correlated with nonanal, pentanol, and oct-1-en-3-ol were Debaryomyces spp., Psychrobacter spp., and Brochothrix spp., respectively, providing beef with a unique flavor. Staphylococcus spp. was proposed to be the dominant genus for dry-aged beef. This study provides valuable reference for the understanding of the role of microorganisms involved in dry aging.
Identification of Sex-Associated Genetic Markers in Pistacia lentiscus var. chia for Early Male Detection
Authors: Stavridou Evangelia , Karamichali Ioanna , Siskas Evangelos , Bosmali Irini , Osanthanunkul Maslin , Madesis Panagiotis
Published: May 2024

Pistacia lentiscus var. chia is a valuable crop for its high-added-value mastic, a resin with proven pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical properties harvested from the male tree trunk. To achieve the maximum economic benefits from the cultivation of male mastic trees, it is important to develop early sex diagnosis molecular tools for distinguishing the sex type. Thus far, the work on sex identification has focused on Pistacia vera with promising results; however, the low transferability rates of these markers in P. lentiscus necessitates the development of species-specific sex-linked markers for P. lentiscus var. chia. To our knowledge, this is the first report regarding: (i) the development of species-specific novel transcriptome-based markers for P. lentiscus var. chia and their assessment on male, female and monoecious individuals using PCR-HRM analysis, thus, introducing a cost-effective method for sex identification with high accuracy that can be applied with minimum infrastructure, (ii) the effective sex identification in mastic tree using a combination of different sex-linked ISSR and SCAR markers with 100% accuracy, and (iii) the impact evaluation of sex type on the genetic diversity of different P. lentiscus var. chia cultivars. The results of this study are expected to provide species-specific markers for accurate sex identification that could contribute to the selection process of male mastic trees at an early stage for mass propagation systems and to facilitate future breeding efforts related to sex-linked productivity and quality of mastic resin.
Health-Related Lifestyles among University Students: Focusing on Eating Habits and Physical Activity
Authors: Lonati Elena , Cazzaniga Emanuela , Adorni Roberta , Zanatta Francesco , Belingheri Michael , Colleoni Matteo , Riva Michele Augusto , Steca Patrizia , Palestini Paola
Published: May 2024

The transition to higher education at University is a critical moment for young adults to acquire unhealthy habits regarding physical activity (PA) and adherence to a healthy diet. Negative behaviors might be maintained in the years to come with a major risk of suffering from a Non-Communicable Disease. This study aims to determine the relationship between diet and PA in the student community of University of Milano-Bicocca. Students between 18 and 30 years old completed an online survey (6949 students). Two analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), chi-square tests of independence, and a binomial logistic regression were performed to examine the relationship between adequacy of food consumption and PA, in association also with sociodemographic characteristics. Data show a strong correlation between behaviors analyzed, with a proportional positive association between PA and healthy diet. Nevertheless, a third of the sample students incur in incorrect habits for both diet and PA. Further, students performing intensive PA have the healthiest food consumption in general but the worst red meat and pork intake. Accordingly, men practice more PA but have a less adequate diet, exactly contrary to women. In conclusion, policies promoting consciousness of well-being would transform Universities into healthy hubs for virtuous habits.
Attitudes towards Technology: Insights on Rarely Discussed Influences on Older Adults’ Willingness to Adopt Active Assisted Living (AAL)
Authors: Bechtold Ulrike , Stauder Natalie , Fieder Martin
Published: May 2024

Background: European research policy promotes active assisted living (AAL) to alleviate costs and reach new markets. The main argument for massive investments in AAL is its potential to raise older adults’ Quality of Life and enhance their freedom, autonomy, mobility, social integration, and communication. However, AAL is less widely spread in older adults’ households than expected. Research Aim: We investigate how the variable “technology acceptance” is connected to socio-economic-, social, health, “personal attitude towards ageing”, and “Quality of life” variables. Method: We conducted a study in Vienna between 2018 and 2020, questioning 245 older adults (M = 74, SD = 6.654) living in private homes. We calculated multivariate models regressing technology acceptance on the various exploratory and confounding variables. Results: Experiencing an event that made the person perceive their age differently changed the attitude towards using an assistive technological system. Participants perceived technology that is directly associated with another human being (e.g., the use of technology to communicate with a physician) more positively. Conclusion: Older adults’ attitudes towards technology may change throughout their lives. Using major events in life as potential entry points for technology requires awareness to avoid reducing the lives of older adults to these events. Secondly, a certain human preference for “human technology” may facilitate abuse if technology is given a white coat, two eyes, a nose, and a mouth that may falsely be associated with a natural person. This aspect raises the ethical issue of accurate information as a significant precondition for informed consent.
Strengthening the European Semester to Achieve Economies of Wellbeing
Authors: Stegeman Ingrid , Putatti Vania , Godfrey Alba , Costongs Caroline
Published: May 2024

The environmental crisis, growing levels of social inequalities and rising levels of noncommunicable diseases are all symptoms of economic systems that are failing to generate wellbeing. There is increasing support for the notion that addressing these crises requires shifting the focus from economic growth to a broader range of measures that reflect wellbeing, through more comprehensive, consistent and integrated policy approaches to deliver this. In 2019, the EU Finnish Council Presidency Council Conclusions called amongst other things for the development of a new long-term, post-2020 strategy to provide the framework for horizontal assessment and cross-sectoral collaboration, in particular through the European Semester process. This article contextualises this call and explores its follow-up. It draws from key policy documents to explore what Economies of Wellbeing are, why and how the concept has emerged and how they can be put in place. It then explores to what extent this concept is being applied at the EU level, by tracking changes in some of the EU’s key policies and strategies over the past 10 years and in the Semester process, as a mechanism to implement them. It concludes that while progress towards more comprehensive, consistent and integrated policy approaches has been made in the context of the Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy, underpinning the Semester processes, it is limited by the continuing emphasis on economic, over other policy, areas. It also argues that the process needs to be broadened even further, to include other dimensions of wellbeing, which intersect with the economy and impact wellbeing. To strengthen the European Semester process to achieve Economies of Wellbeing, it should be put at the service of an even more consistent and comprehensive EU Strategy that enables policy sectors to deliver wellbeing objectives in a more integrated and coordinated manner. This paper ends with recommendations for action.
Fabrication and Characterization of Pectin Films Containing Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Buccal Delivery of Fluconazole
Authors: Hirun Namon , Mahadlek Jongjan , Limmatvapirat Sontaya , Sriamornsak Pornsak , Yonemochi Etsuo , Furuishi Takayuki , Kraisit Pakorn
Published: May 2024

Fluconazole (FZ) is a potential antifungal compound for treating superficial and systemic candidiasis. However, the use of conventional oral drug products has some limitations. The development of buccal film may be a potential alternative to oral formulations for FZ delivery. The present study involved the development of novel FZ-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (FZ-SLNs) in pectin solutions and the investigation of their particle characteristics. The particle sizes of the obtained FZ-SLNs were in the nanoscale range. To produce pectin films with FZ-SLNs, four formulations were selected based on the small particle size of FZ-SLNs and their suitable polydispersity index. The mean particle sizes of all chosen FZ-SLNs formulations did not exceed 131.7 nm, and the mean polydispersity index of each formulation was less than 0.5. The properties of films containing FZ-SLNs were then assessed. The preparation of all FZ-SLN-loaded pectin films provided the mucoadhesive matrices. The evaluation of mechanical properties unveiled the influence of particle size variation in FZ-SLNs on the integrity of the film. The Fourier-transform infrared spectra indicated that hydrogen bonds could potentially form between the pectin-based matrix and the constituents of FZ-SLNs. The differential scanning calorimetry thermogram of each pectin film with FZ-SLNs revealed that the formulation was thermally stable and behaved in a solid state at 37 °C. According to a drug release study, a sustained drug release pattern with a burst in the initial stage for all films may be advantageous for reducing the lag period of drug release. All prepared films with FZ-SLNs provided a sustained release of FZ over 6 h. The films containing FZ-SLNs with a small particle size provided good permeability across the porcine mucosa. All film samples demonstrated antifungal properties. These results suggest the potential utility of pectin films incorporating FZ-SLNs for buccal administration.
Pregestational Prediabetes Induces Maternal Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) Axis Dysregulation and Results in Adverse Foetal Outcomes
Authors: Ngema Mathuli , Xulu Nombuso D. , Ngubane Phikelelani S. , Khathi Andile
Published: May 2024

Maternal type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been shown to result in foetal programming of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to adverse foetal outcomes. T2DM is preceded by prediabetes and shares similar pathophysiological complications. However, no studies have investigated the effects of maternal prediabetes on foetal HPA axis function and postnatal offspring development. Hence, this study investigated the effects of pregestational prediabetes on maternal HPA axis function and postnatal offspring development. Pre-diabetic (PD) and non-pre-diabetic (NPD) female Sprague Dawley rats were mated with non-prediabetic males. After gestation, male pups born from the PD and NPD groups were collected. Markers of HPA axis function, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone, were measured in all dams and pups. Glucose tolerance, insulin and gene expressions of mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptors were further measured in all pups at birth and their developmental milestones. The results demonstrated increased basal concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone in the dams from the PD group by comparison to NPD. Furthermore, the results show an increase basal ACTH and corticosterone concentrations, disturbed MR and GR gene expression, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance assessed via the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) indices in the pups born from the PD group compared to NPD group at all developmental milestones. These observations reveal that pregestational prediabetes is associated with maternal dysregulation of the HPA axis, impacting offspring HPA axis development along with impaired glucose handling.
The Function of Termicin from Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) in the Defense against Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Beauveria bassiana (Bb) Infection
Authors: Li Xiaogang , Wang Mingyu , Feng Kai , Sun Hao , Tang Fang
Published: May 2024

Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) is a subterranean termite species known for causing severe damage to trees and structures such as dams. During the synergistic evolution of O. formosanus with pathogenic bacteria, the termite has developed a robust innate immunity. Termicin is a crucial antimicrobial peptide in termites, significantly contributing to the defense against external infections. Building upon the successful construction and expression of the dsRNA-HT115 engineering strains of dsOftermicin1 and dsOftermicin2 in our laboratory, this work employs the ultrasonic breaking method to establish an inactivated dsOftermicins-HT115 technological system capable of producing a substantial quantity of dsRNA. This approach also addresses the limitation of transgenic strains which cannot be directly applied. Treatment of O. formosanus with dsOftermicins produced by this method could enhance the virulence of both Bt and Bb to the termites. This study laid the theoretical groundwork for the development of novel termite immunosuppressants and for the advancement and application of termite biological control strategies.
Enhancing Honey Bee Health: Evaluating Pollen Substitute Diets in Field and Cage Experiments
Authors: Kim Hyunjee , Frunze Olga , Lee Jeong-Hyeon , Kwon Hyung-Wook
Published: May 2024

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) play vital roles as agricultural pollinators and honey producers. However, global colony losses are increasing due to multiple stressors, including malnutrition. Our study evaluated the effects of four pollen substitute diets (Diet 1, Diet 2, Diet 3, and Control) through field and cage experiments, analyzing 11 parameters and 21 amino acids. Notably, Diet 1 demonstrated significantly superior performance in the field experiment, including the number of honey bees, brood area, consumption, preference, colony weight, and honey production. In the cage experiment, Diet 1 also showed superior performance in dried head and thorax weight and vitellogenin (vg) gene expression levels. Canonical discriminant and principle component analyses highlighted Diet 1’s distinctiveness, with histidine, diet digestibility, consumption, vg gene expression levels, and isoleucine identified as key factors. Arginine showed significant correlations with a wide range of parameters, including the number of honey bees, brood area, and consumption, with Diet 1 exhibiting higher levels. Diet 1, containing apple juice, soytide, and Chlorella as additive components, outperformed the other diets, suggesting an enhanced formulation for pollen substitute diets. These findings hold promise for the development of more effective diets, potentially contributing to honey bee health.
Effect of Different Irrigating Solutions on Root Canal Dentin Microhardness—A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Authors: Agarwal Sunidhi , Mishra Lora , Singh Naomi Ranjan , Behera Rini , Kumar Manoj , Nagaraja Ravishankar , Sokolowski Krzysztof , Lapinska Barbara
Published: May 2024

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigating solutions as well as their combination and activation modes on root canal dentin microhardness. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO and PRISMA guidelines were followed. The structured question was as follows: “Which type of irrigating solution used in endodontic treatment causes more change in dentin microhardness?” The literature was screened via PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Science Direct. The last search was carried out in February 2023 with English language restriction. Two reviewers independently performed screening and evaluation of articles. A total of 470 articles were retrieved from all the databases, whereas only 114 articles were selected for full-text analysis. After applying eligibility criteria, 44 studies were evaluated and included in this review. The results showed that with increased contact time with irrigants, dentin microhardness decreases. Increased contact time with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) was associated with more reduction in dentin microhardness compared with other irrigants. Other irrigants, with the exception of distilled water, including EDTA, citric acid, herbal irrigants, glycolic acid, phytic acid, etc., in this study significantly decreased dentin microhardness. The maximum reduction in dentin microhardness was seen with 2.5% NaOCl after 15 min of contact time. The use of irrigating solutions alters the chemical composition of dentin, thereby decreasing its microhardness, which affects the clinical performance of endodontically treated teeth.
Eye Tracking as an Instrument in Consumer Research to Investigate Food from A Marketing Perspective: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis
Authors: Ruppenthal Tonia , Schweers Nils
Published: May 2024

Eye tracking plays a crucial role in consumer research. The aim of this work is to present the statuses of studies that used eye tracking as an instrument in consumer research to investigate food from a marketing perspective. For this purpose, a bibliometric review of 118 articles from the Business Source Premier and Web of Science Core Collection database was compiled. The bibliometric review provides information on publication trends, leading authors, collaborative networks, journals, institutions, countries, articles, keywords, and themes investigated. Publications in the research field have appeared since 2011, primarily in Europe, the United States, and Uruguay. Three areas of research streams were identified: (1) how consumers became aware of and chose food, (2) nutritional information and its impact, and (3) how food information and its visual attention led to certain consumer behavior. The bibliographic review summarized past research directions and, thus, identified possibilities for future research streams.
Evaluating Arabic Emotion Recognition Task Using ChatGPT Models: A Comparative Analysis between Emotional Stimuli Prompt, Fine-Tuning, and In-Context Learning
Authors: Nfaoui El Habib , Elfaik Hanane
Published: May 2024

Textual emotion recognition (TER) has significant commercial potential since it can be used as an excellent tool to monitor a brand/business reputation, understand customer satisfaction, and personalize recommendations. It is considered a natural language processing task that can be used to understand and classify emotions such as anger, happiness, and surprise being conveyed in a piece of text (product reviews, tweets, and comments). Despite the advanced development of deep learning and particularly transformer architectures, Arabic-focused models for emotion classification have not achieved satisfactory accuracy. This is mainly due to the morphological richness, agglutination, dialectal variation, and low-resource datasets of the Arabic language, as well as the unique features of user-generated text such as noisiness, shortness, and informal language. This study aims to illustrate the effectiveness of large language models on Arabic multi-label emotion classification. We evaluated GPT-3.5 Turbo and GPT-4 using three different settings: in-context learning, emotional stimuli prompt, and fine-tuning. The ultimate objective of this research paper is to determine if these LLMs, which have multilingual capabilities, could contribute to enhancing the aforementioned task and encourage its use within the context of an e-commerce environment for example. The experimental results indicated that the fine-tuned GPT-3.5 Turbo model achieved an accuracy of 62.03%, a micro-averaged F1-score of 73%, and a macro-averaged F1-score of 62%, establishing a new state-of-the-art benchmark for the task of Arabic multi-label emotion recognition.
Impacts of Rural–Urban Labour Transfer and Land Transfer on Land Efficiency in China: A Analysis of Mediating Effects
Authors: Pei Siyi , Zhao Sudan , Li Xuan , Li Jiahui
Published: May 2024

In the midst of China’s ongoing rural–urban integration and development, a pivotal transformation involving the realignment of labour dynamics and land utilisation is underway. This paradigm shift has substantial implications for rural land use and agricultural productivity. Drawing from the field survey conducted in Zhejiang Province in 2019, this study puts non-agricultural employment, land transfer, and land efficiency into one econometric model and establishes a comprehensive framework to explain the mechanisms. Unlike existing research, this paper delves into the impact of different land-transfer behaviours, namely inflow and outflow, on land efficiency. The findings indicate that non-agricultural employment has no significant impact on land efficiency. Rural households acquiring land significantly enhance land efficiency, whereas relinquishing land shows no significance, thus addressing the gap in existing literature regarding the study of different transfer behaviours. Furthermore, to explore the underlying mechanisms, we investigate the mediating effect of land inflows on land efficiency, finding that it operates through plot size. In light of this, we propose that, in guiding land inflows, more emphasis should be placed on the integration and reorganisation of fragmented land rather than simply expanding the total land area, aiming to create large, well-managed areas of arable land by achieving concentrated and contiguous transferable land parcels.
Automated Foreign Object Detection for Carbon Fiber Laminates Using High-Resolution Ultrasound Testing
Authors: Nargis Rifat Ara , Pulipati Daniel P. , Jack David A.
Published: May 2024

Carbon fiber laminates have become popular in the manufacturing industry for their many desirable properties, like good vibration damping, high strength-to-weight ratio, toughness, high dimensional stability, and low coefficient of thermal expansion. During the manufacturing process, undesirable foreign objects, such as peel-ply strips, gloving material, and Kapton film, can be introduced into the part which can lead to a localized weakness. These manufacturing defects can function as stress concentration points and oftentimes cause a premature catastrophic failure. In this study, a method using high-resolution pulse-echo ultrasound testing is employed for the detection and quantification of the dimensions of foreign object debris (FOD) embedded within carbon fiber laminates. This research presents a method to create high-resolution C-scans using an out of immersion tank portable housing ultrasound scanning system, with similar capabilities to that of a full immersion system. From the full-waveform dataset, we extract the FOD depth and planar dimensions with an automatic edge detection technique. Results from several carbon fiber laminates are investigated with embedded foreign objects that are often considered undetectable. Results are presented for FOD identification for two different shapes: circles with diameters ranging from 7.62 mm to 12.7 mm, and 3-4-5 triangles with hypotenuses ranging from 7.6 mm to 12.7 mm. CT imaging is used to confirm proper FOD placement and that the FOD was not damaged or altered during manufacturing. Of importance for the ultrasound inspection results, in every single case studied, the FOD is detected, the layer depth is properly identified, and the typical error is less than 1.5 mm for the primary dimension.
Optical, Electrical, Structural, and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Undoped and Tungsten-Doped Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films
Authors: Tien Chuen-Lin , Chiang Chun-Yu , Wang Ching-Chiun , Lin Shih-Chin
Published: May 2024

The undoped and tungsten (W)-doped vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation associated with ion-beam-assisted deposition (IAD). The influence of different W-doped contents (3–5%) on the electrical, optical, structural, and thermo-mechanical properties of VO2 thin films was investigated experimentally. Spectral transmittance results showed that with the increase in W-doped contents, the transmittance in the visible light range (400–750 nm) decreases from 60.2% to 53.9%, and the transmittance in the infrared wavelength range (2.5 μm to 5.5 μm) drops from 55.8% to 15.4%. As the W-doped content increases, the residual stress in the VO2 thin film decreases from −0.276 GPa to −0.238 GPa, but the surface roughness increases. For temperature-dependent spectroscopic measurements, heating the VO2 thin films from 30 °C to 100 °C showed the most significant change in transmittance for the 5% W-doped VO2 thin film. When the heating temperature exceeds 55 °C, the optical transmittance drops significantly, and the visible light transmittance drops by about 11%. Finally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to evaluate the microstructure characteristics of VO2 thin films.