bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studying the Emotional Response to Insects Food Products
Authors: Serpico Michelangelo , Rovai Dominic , Wilke Kristine , Lesniauskas Ruta , Garza Jeff , Lammert Amy
Published: October 2021

Insects have been proposed as a sustainable food solution due to their environmental, nutritional, and socioeconomic value; however, in the western world, insects are viewed as disgusting. This research aimed to understand the acceptance of insect-based products in the US market by studying the emotional response to such. A survey of 826 consumers was conducted using (1) a modified version of the EsSense Profile® questionnaire to capture the emotional response to pictures of different kinds of foods, (2) images to evaluate the influence of the presence or absence of non-visible insects in food products, (3) information about the environmental value of insects, and (4) socioeconomic demographics. Disgust was found as a barrier to product acceptance. Insect food products were positively correlated with the emotions of interest, understanding, daring, adventurous, and worried, and negatively correlated with the emotions satisfied, good, pleasant, happy, calm, warm, nostalgic, and secure. The influence of sustainability-related information on the emotional response to such products is complex and should be carefully considered.
Reproductive Health Services: Attitudes and Practice of Japanese Community Pharmacists
Authors: Yamamura Shigeo , Terajima Tomoko , Navarrete Javiera , Hughes Christine A. , Yuksel Nese , Schindel Theresa J. , Sriboonruang Tatta , Anantachoti Puree , Patikorn Chanthawat
Published: October 2021

The provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is an important part of a community pharmacist’s role in many countries. However, such services are not traditionally provided by pharmacists in Japan. We surveyed the practice and attitudes regarding the provision of SRH services among Japanese community pharmacists with a focus on reproductive health (RH) topics. The participants were asked about the provision of RH services, attitudes toward their role as SRH providers, and self-reported confidence in providing education to patients on RH topics. We obtained 534 effective responses. About half of the participants reported providing RH services, and only 21% were involved in dispensing emergency contraception pills. Although the proportion of pharmacists providing education on these topics was considerably lower, about 80% recognized the importance of their role as SRH advisors. Confidence in providing patient education about RH topics depended on their experience in providing such services. Most participants were interested in additional SRH training (80%). Our results suggest that training programs could help to expand Japanese community pharmacists’ roles as SRH providers and increase their confidence in the education of patients. This study provides useful insights to expand pharmacists’ roles in Japan as providers of comprehensive SRH services.
Prevalence of Patients Affected by Fibromyalgia in a Cohort of Women Underwent Mammography Screening
Authors: Gatta Gianluca , La Forgia Daniele , Fanizzi Annarita , Massafra Raffaella , Somma Francesco , Belfiore Maria , Pacella Daniela , Cappabianca Salvatore , Salvia Antonio
Published: October 2021

Fibromyalgia is a widespread condition which is currently underdiagnosed; therefore we conceived this study in order to assess whether a diagnostic suspicion may be assumed during widespread screening procedures, so that patients for which a reasonable diagnostic suspicion exist may be redirected towards rheumatologic evaluation. We analyzed a sample of 1060 patients, all of whom were female and undergoing standard breast cancer screening procedures, and proceeded to evaluate the level of pain they endured during mammographic exam. We also acquired a range of other information which we related to the level of pain endured; we suggested a rheumatologic examination for those patients who endured the highest level of pain and then we evaluated how many patients in this subgroup were actually diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Out of the 1060 patients who participated to our study, 139 presented level 4 pain intensity; One patient did not go for rheumatologic examination; the remaining 138 underwent rheumatologic evaluation, and 50 (36%, 28–44, 95% CI) were diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Our study shows that assessing the level of pain endured by patients during standard widespread screening procedures may be an effective asset in deciding whether or not to suggest specialist rheumatologic evaluation for fibromyalgia.
Serum Uric Acid Levels and Risk of Rapid Decline of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Findings from a 5-Year Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Le Hoa Tuyet , Le Tung Thanh , Tran Nguyet Minh Thi , Nguyen Thuy Thanh Thi , Minh Ni Chanh Su , Le Quyen Thi , Tram Tuyet Anh Thi , Tran Thang Duc , Doan Tung Xuan , Duong Mai Huynh Thi , Thai Truc Thanh
Published: October 2021

This study investigated the association between serum uric acid (SUA) levels with rapid decline of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in type 2 diabetes (T2 DM) patients. A prospective cohort study was conducted in a community-based hospital in Vietnam. We followed 405 T2DM patients with normal kidney function for five years. Rapid progression of kidney function was defined as an average annual decrease of eGFR of at least 4 mL/min/1.73 m2 and was found in 16.0% of patients. Patients in the SUA high tertile ( ≥6 mg/dL) had higher BMI (p = 0.004), lower HbA1c (p = 0.001), lower eGFR (p < 0.001) and higher rate of hypertension than low and middle tertile. After adjusting for age and sex, rapid progression of renal function was significantly associated with SUA level (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–1.45, p = 0.026). This association was marginally significant when more covariates were included in the model (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 0.99–1.46, p = 0.065). However, the association between tertiles of SUA and rapid decline of eGFR was not statistically significant. This study demonstrates neither a strong significant association between SUA and rapid decline of eGFR nor evidence to refuse the role of SUA levels in the increased risk of renal function decline in in T2DM patients.
Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Reduce Burnout in Primary Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Salvado Mafalda , Marques Diogo Luís , Pires Ivan Miguel , Silva Nádia Mendes
Published: October 2021

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are reported by experimental studies as practical approaches to reduce burnout in primary healthcare professionals (PHCP). However, to date, no research has synthesized the evidence to determine the overall effects of MBIs for reducing burnout in PHCP. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyze the effects of MBIs to reduce burnout in PHCP. We searched articles in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus databases from inception to September 2021 using MeSH terms: “mindfulness”, “burnout”, and “primary healthcare”. Two reviewers extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the standardized mean differences (SMD) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA) domains of burnout. Of 61 records, ten were included (n = 417). Overall, the studies were rated as having a high risk of bias and limited quality evidence. MBIs significantly reduced EE (SMD = −0.54, 95%CI: −0.72 to −0.36; MD = −5.89, 95%CI: −7.72 to −4.05), DP (SMD = −0.34, 95%CI: −0.52 to −0.17; MD = −1.96, 95%CI: −2.96 to −0.95), and significantly increased PA (SMD = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.17 to 0.52; MD = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.04 to 3.06). Although further high-quality research is needed, our findings support the implementation of MBIs for reducing burnout in PHCP.
Testing Multi-Theory Model (MTM) in Explaining Sunscreen Use among Florida Residents: An Integrative Approach for Sun Protection
Authors: Sharma Manoj , Asare Matthew , Largo-Wight Erin , Merten Julie , Binder Mike , Lakhan Ram , Batra Kavita
Published: October 2021

Florida residents have the second highest incidence of skin cancer in the nation. Sunscreen usage was found to be the one of the most effective integrative health approaches for reducing risk of skin cancer. Given the limited information on the likelihood of adopting and continuing sunscreen usage behavior, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine the correlates of initiating and sustaining sunscreen usage behavior among Florida dwellers, using the fourth-generation, multi-theory model (MTM) of behavior change. A web-based survey containing 51 questions was emailed to Florida residents aged 18 years or above, who were randomly selected from the state voter file. Psychometric validity of the survey instrument was established using structural equation modeling, and Cronbach’s alpha values were calculated for assessing the internal consistency. An independent-samples-t-test and hierarchical multiple regression tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that participants who engaged in sunscreen usage behavior, participatory dialogue (β = 0.062, p < 0.05), behavioral confidence (β = 0.636, p < 0.001), and changes in the physical environment (β = 0.210, p < 0.001) were statistically significant and accounted for 73.6% of the variance in initiating sunscreen usage behavior. In addition, the constructs of emotional transformation (β = 0.486, p < 0.001) and practice for change (β = 0.211, p < 0.001), as well as changes in the social environment (β = 0.148, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of maintaining sunscreen usage behavior and contributed to 59% of variance in sustenance. These findings offer a valuable insight regarding the applicability of MTM models to guiding public health interventions promoting sunscreen usage and preventing UV radiation risk and related skin cancer.
Evaluation of 130 Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Genotypes for Future Breeding Program Based on Qualitative and Quantitative Traits, and Various Genetic Parameters
Authors: Uddin Md. Shalim , Billah Masum , Afroz Rozina , Rahman Sajia , Jahan Nasrin , Hossain Md. Golam , Bagum Shamim Ara , Uddin Md. Sorof , Khaldun Abul Bashar Mohammad , Azam Md. Golam , Hossain Neelima , Akanda Mohammad Abdul Latif , Alhomrani Majid , Gaber Ahmed , Hossain Akbar
Published: October 2021

Eggplant is an essential widespread year-round fruit vegetable. This study was conducted using 130 local germplasm of brinjal to select diverse parents based on the multiple traits selection index for the future breeding program. This selection was performed focusing on 14 qualitative and 10 quantitative traits variation and genetic parameters namely, phenotypic and genotypic variance (PV and GV) and genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation (GCV and PCV), broad-sense heritability (hBS), genetic advance, traits association, genotype by trait biplot (G × T), heatmap analysis and multi-trait index based on factor analysis and genotype-ideotype distance (MGIDI). Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance revealed a wide range of variability for morpho-physiological traits. Estimated hBS for all the measured traits ranged from 10.6% to 93%, indicating that all the traits were highly inheritable. Genetic variances were low to high for most morpho-physiological traits, indicating complex genetic architecture. Yield per plant was significantly correlated with fruit diameter, fruits per plant, percent fruits infestation by brinjal shoot and fruit borer, and fruit weight traits indicating that direct selection based on fruit number and fruit weight might be sufficient for improvement of other traits. The first two principal components (PCs) explained about 81.27% of the total variation among lines for 38 brinjal morpho-physiological traits. Genotype by trait (G × T) biplot revealed superior genotypes with combinations of favorable traits. The average genetic distance was 3.53, ranging from 0.25 to 20.01, indicating high levels of variability among the germplasm. The heat map was also used to know the relationship matrix among all the brinjal genotypes. MGIDI is an appropriate method of selection based on multiple trait information. Based on the fourteen qualitative and ten quantitative traits and evaluation of various genetic parameters, the germplasm G80, G54, G66, and G120 might be considered as best parents for the future breeding program for eggplant improvement.
Variation in Cadmium Accumulation among Potato Cultivars Grown on Different Agricultural Sites: A Potential Tool for Reducing Cadmium in Tubers
Authors: Brengi Sary H. , El-Gindy Abdel-Ghany M. , El-Sharkawy Islam , Abouelsaad Ibrahim A.
Published: October 2021

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important crop in Egypt with great trade value for the export market. The addition of agrochemicals with possibly containing heavy metals, such as cadmium (Cd), decreases the quality of the final product. Generally, little is known about the factors that influence Cd content in this crop. The current study estimated the Cd levels in different organs of three potato cultivars grown in four commercial regions across Egypt. Further, we investigated the soil properties that affected Cd uptake during two growing seasons. With the exception of the Cd content of the soils, no relationships were detected between the tested soil properties (i.e., pH, conductivity, organic matter, and clay content) and Cd content in potato organs, because the soil from different regions showed comparable levels for these parameters. The average Cd content in the peeled tubers among different cultivars (0.145 mg Kg−1 DW) was below the maximum limit (0.5 mg Kg−1 DW). The patterns of Cd accumulation in potato organs were constant among cultivars, with the highest levels detected in leaves (~82%), followed by stems (~16.5%), and the lowest content observed in tubers (~1.5%). The study showed that the tested potato cultivars exhibited diversity in the accumulation levels of Cd in the tubers (~2.6-fold). The cultivar Suntana displayed the lowest Cd levels among different field sites for the two growing seasons, suggesting the potential involvement of genetic factors.
Ethephon-Induced Abscission of Oil Palm Fruits at Optimal Bunch Ripeness and Retting Period to Improve Commercial Seed Production
Authors: Low Jaime Yoke-Sum , Fong Po-Yee , Teh Chee-Keng , Ong Ai-Ling , Lim Chin-Ming , Appleton David Ross
Published: October 2021

Oil palm seed producers typically require 10 months of various processes from pollination to seed germination to produce commercial dura × pisifera hybrid seeds. Conventional forced fruit shedding from underripe fresh fruit bunches (FFB) usually causes seed damage and an extended retting period (incubation for natural fruit abscission from spikelets), eventually leading to bunch rot and disease infection. As a fruit ripening agent, ethephon has been explored to hasten fruit abscission in many fruit crops and oil palm. Nevertheless, the previous studies in oil palm only focused on fruit shedding from FFB to improve oil extraction rate in oil mills without considering the actual FFB ripeness and retting period, which are critical for oil palm seed production. In this study, the application of ethephon containing buffer (adjusted to pH 9.0) to underripe FFB at 145 days after pollination (DAP), 135 DAP and 125 DAP resulted in 50% more fruit abscission after a 72-h incubation. Considering the minimal seed loss upon FFB harvest (<1%) and 50% reduction in retting period, underripe FFB at around 145 DAP was found to be optimum for seed production using ethephon treatment. The treatment, however, made negligible improvement in fruit detachment for ripe FFB at 150 DAP and older. Importantly, seed germination and culling rate at nursery stages were not significantly affected by the ethephon treatment. Hence, ethephon application can improve commercial seed production practices for oil palm.
Screening of ‘King’ Mandarin Hybrids as Tolerant Citrus Rootstocks to Flooding Stress
Authors: Martínez-Cuenca Mary-Rus , Primo-Capella Amparo , Forner-Giner María Ángeles
Published: October 2021

This work compares the tolerance to long-term anoxia conditions (35 days) of five new citrus ‘King’ mandarin (Citrus nobilis L. Lour) × Poncirus trifoliata ((L.) Raf.) hybrids (named 0501XX) and Carrizo citrange (CC, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb. × Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.), the widely used citrus rootstock in Spain. Growth parameters, chlorophyll concentration, gas exchange and fluorescence parameters, water relations in leaves, abscisic acid (ABA) concentration, and PIP1 and PIP2 gene expressions were assessed. With a waterlogging treatment, the root system biomass of most hybrids went down, and the chlorophyll a and b concentrations substantially dropped. The net CO2 assimilation rates (An) and stomatal conductance (gs) lowered significantly due to flooding, and the transpiration rate (E) closely paralleled the changes in gs. The leaf water and osmotic potentials significantly increased in most 0501 hybrids. As a trend, flooding stress lowered the ABA concentration in roots from most hybrids, but increased in the leaves of CC, 05019 and 050110. Under the control treatment (Ct) conditions, most 0501 hybrids showed higher PIP1 and PIP2 expressions than the control rootstock CC, but were impaired due to the flooding conditions in 05019 and 050110. From this study, we conclude that 0501 genotypes develop some adaptive responses in plants against flooding stress such as (1) stomata closure to prevent water loss likely mediated by ABA levels, and (2) enhanced water and osmotic potentials and the downregulation of those genes regulating aquaporin channels to maintain water relations in plants. Although these traits seemed especially relevant in hybrids 050110 and 050125, further experiments must be done to determine their behavior under field conditions, particularly their influence on commercial varieties and their suitability as flooding-tolerant hybrids for replacing CC, one of the main genotypes that is widely used as a citrus rootstock in Spain, under these conditions.
Investigating the Urban Spatial Growth by Using Space Syntax and GIS—A Case Study of Famagusta City
Authors: Atakara Cemil , Allahmoradi Mitra
Published: October 2021

Urban morphology studies generally study how a city grows and transforms to embody its embedded history. This study examines the potentials of using space syntax and GIS methods to study the morphological evolution of traditional city centers throughout the historical periods. Using space syntax properties, human activities and movement patterns in the city can be investigated, typically by considering the degree to which urban spaces are integrated and connected. Through the syntactic analysis of street networks, urban planners can derive a better comprehending of the evolution of urban growth, and gain new insights to help with the new urban development. Space syntax theory and tools can extend the modeling capabilities of GIS, particularly in terms of the development of new advances and experimentation in the analysis of street network systems. Indeed, this study brings academic rigor and attention to details in the spatial growth and morphological evolution in the case of Famagusta city. The finding of this study will redound to the advantage of society considering that socio-economic processes and physical configuration play a significant role in the evolution of a city.
The Evolution of Interactivity, Immersion and Interoperability in HBIM: Digital Model Uses, VR and AR for Built Cultural Heritage
Authors: Banfi Fabrizio
Published: October 2021

Today, a building is not just a “body” or a “machine” as defined by modern architecture, but rather an immaterial entity immersed in a digital world where not only its components but also the information associated with it are accounted for. In recent decades, building information modelling (BIM) has made it possible to move from 2D CAD drawings to 3D models capable of supporting different processes and interacting with different disciplines in the AEC industry for storing, documenting and sharing heterogeneous content. It has thus become possible to direct these techniques towards built heritage to investigate new forms of communication and share heritage building information modelling (HBIM) models. This research investigates this evolution in both generative terms (scan-to-BIM process) and cultural and historical terms in order to orient BIM uses towards novel forms of interactivity and immersion between users and models. The author proposes the use of a digital process and the development of VR and AR environments based on a visual programming language (VPL) to improve access to a deeper knowledge of HBIM models and the artefacts and information contained therein.
Exercise Intervention Mitigates Pathological Liver Changes in NAFLD Zebrafish by Activating SIRT1/AMPK/NRF2 Signaling
Authors: Zou Yunyi , Chen Zhanglin , Sun Chenchen , Yang Dong , Zhou Zuoqiong , Peng Xiyang , Zheng Lan , Tang Changfa
Published: October 2021

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common disease that causes serious liver damage. Exercise is recognized as a non-pharmacological tool to improve the pathology of NAFLD. However, the antioxidative effects and mechanisms by which exercise ameliorates NAFLD remain unclear. The present study conducted exercise training on zebrafish during a 12-week high-fat feeding period to study the antioxidant effect of exercise on the liver. We found that swimming exercise decreased lipid accumulation and improved pathological changes in the liver of high-fat diet-fed zebrafish. Moreover, swimming alleviated NOX4-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and reduced methanedicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) levels. We also examined the anti-apoptotic effects of swimming and found that it increased the expression of antiapoptotic factor bcl2 and decreased the expression of genes associated with apoptosis (caspase3, bax). Mechanistically, swimming intervention activated SIRT1/AMPK signaling-mediated lipid metabolism and inflammation as well as enhanced AKT and NRF2 activation and upregulated downstream antioxidant genes. In summary, exercise attenuates pathological changes in the liver induced by high-fat diets. The underlying mechanisms might be related to NRF2 and mediated by SIRT1/AMPK signaling.
Arbitrarily Oriented Phase Randomization of Design Ground Motions by Continuous Wavelets
Authors: Xie Haoyu , Honda Riki
Published: October 2021

For dynamic analysis in seismic design, selection of input ground motions is of huge importance. In the presented scheme, complex Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) is utilized to simulate stochastic ground motions from historical records of earthquakes with phase disturbance arbitrarily localized in time-frequency domain. The complex arguments of wavelet coefficients are determined as phase spectrum and an innovative formulation is constructed to improve computational efficiency of inverse wavelet transform with a pair of random complex arguments introduced and make more candidate wavelets available in the article. The proposed methodology is evaluated by numerical simulations on a two-degree-of-freedom system including spectral analysis and dynamic analysis with Shannon wavelet basis and Gabor wavelet basis. The result shows that the presented scheme enables time-frequency range of disturbance in time-frequency domain arbitrarily oriented and complex Shannon wavelet basis is verified as the optimal candidate mother wavelet for the procedure in case of frequency information maintenance with phase perturbation.
Triglyceride and Small Dense LDL-Cholesterol in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Hori Masakazu , Imamura Teruhiko , Narang Nikhil , Onoda Hiroshi , Tanaka Shuhei , Ushijima Ryuichi , Sobajima Mitsuo , Fukuda Nobuyuki , Ueno Hiroshi , Kinugawa Koichiro
Published: October 2021

Background: Small dense LDL-cholesterol is an established risk factor for atherosclerosis but is not routinely measured in daily practice. The association between small dense LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride, which in turn is routinely measured, in patients with acute coronary syndrome remains unknown. Methods: Consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome who were admitted to our institute were prospectively included, and serum samples were obtained on admission. The association between small dense LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride was investigated. Results: Among 55 patients (median 71 years old, 64% men), median (interquartile range) small dense LDL-cholesterol was 23.6 (17.0, 36.0) and triglyceride was 101 (60, 134) mg/dL. Triglyceride level correlated with small dense LDL-cholesterol (r = 0.67, p < 0.001) and was an independent determinant of small dense LDL-cholesterol together with body mass index (p = 0.010 and p = 0.008, respectively). Those with high triglyceride and high body mass index had a 3-fold level of small dense LDL-cholesterol compared with those with low triglyceride and low body mass index (45.8 [35.0, 54.0] mg/dL versus 15.0 [11.6, 23.7] mg/dL, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Triglyceride level was a major determinant of small dense LDL-cholesterol in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Triglyceride level might be a useful and practical biomarker for risk stratification for patients with acute coronary syndrome together with body mass index.
Predictive Model for the Assessment of Preoperative Frailty Risk in the Elderly
Authors: Lee Sang-Wook , Nam Jae-Sik , Kim Ye-Jee , Kim Min-Ju , Choi Jeong-Hyun , Lee Eun-Ho , Joung Kyoung-Woon , Choi In-Cheol
Published: October 2021

Adequate preoperative evaluation of frailty can greatly assist in the efficient allocation of hospital resources and planning treatments. However, most of the previous frailty evaluation methods, which are complicated, time-consuming, and can have inter-evaluator error, are difficult to apply in urgent situations. Thus, the authors aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for pre-operative frailty risk of elderly patients by using diagnostic and operation codes, which can be obtained easily and quickly from electronic records. We extracted the development cohort of 1762 people who were hospitalized for emergency operations at a single institution between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016. The temporal validation cohort from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2018 in the same center was set. External validation was conducted on 6432 patients aged 75 years or older from 2012 to 2015 who had emergency surgery in the Korean national health insurance database. We developed the Operation Frailty Risk Score (OFRS) by assessing the association of Operation Group and Hospital Frailty Risk Score with the 90-day mortality through logistic regression analysis. We validated the OFRS in both the temporal validation cohort and two external validation cohorts. In the temporal validation cohort and the external validation cohort I and II, the c-statistics for OFRS to predict 90-day mortality were 0.728, 0.626, and 0.619, respectively. OFRS from these diagnostic codes and operation codes may help evaluate the peri-operative frailty risk before emergency surgery for elderly patients where history-taking and pre-operative testing cannot be performed.
Serum Levels of Chemerin in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease as an Indicator of Anti-TNF Treatment Efficacy
Authors: Sochal Marcin , Fichna Jakub , Gabryelska Agata , Talar-Wojnarowska Renata , Białasiewicz Piotr , Małecka-Wojciesko Ewa
Published: October 2021

Chemerin belongs to the adipokines—proteins secreted by white adipose tissue. It plays an important role in angiogenesis and metabolism and its levels correlate with inflammation severity in many clinical states. Circulating chemerin levels in IBD are only rarely evaluated, with inconsistent results. The possible impact of anti-TNF therapy treatment in IBD on chemerin levels has not been addressed. The study aim was to evaluate the serum levels of chemerin in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), depending on disease severity as well as anti-TNF treatment. Serum chemerin was measured with ELISA in 77 patients with IBD as well as in 42 healthy controls (HCs). Twenty-six participants who underwent anti-TNF therapy were re-examined after 14 weeks. Overall, IBD patients had significantly higher serum chemerin levels than HCs. In patients with IBD exacerbation, chemerin levels were significantly higher compared to the remission group. Serum chemerin levels were significantly higher in UC patients compared to CD. Chemerin correlated with the severity of CD, but not with UC. Serum levels of chemerin decreased significantly after 14 weeks of anti-TNF treatment. Chemerin correlated with the clinical severity of IBD, and its levels decreased after anti-TNF treatment, which suggests its relationship with disease activity. It may be assumed that chemerin levels may possibly be useful for anti-TNF clinical course and treatment monitoring.
Diabetes, Vascular Aging and Stroke: Old Dogs, New Tricks?
Authors: Penlioglou Theano , Stoian Anca Pantea , Papanas Nikolaos
Published: October 2021

Background: Stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability throughout the world. It is well established that Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a risk factor for stroke, while other risk factors include dyslipidaemia and hypertension. Given that the global prevalence of diabetes steadily increases, the need for adequate glycaemic control and prevention of DM-related cardiovascular events remains a challenge for the medical community. Therefore, a re-examination of the latest data related to this issue is of particular importance. Objective: This review aims to summarise the latest data on the relationship between DM and stroke, including epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, prevention and biomarkers. Methods: For this purpose, comprehensive research was performed on the platforms PubMed, Google Scholar and EMBASE with a combination of the following keywords: diabetes mellitus, stroke, macrovascular complications, diabetic stroke, cardiovascular disease. Conclusions: Much progress has been made in stroke in people with DM in terms of prevention and early diagnosis. In the field of prevention, the adaptation of the daily habits and the regulation of co-morbidity of individuals play a particularly important role. Simultaneously, the most significant revolution has been brought by the relatively new treatment options that offer protection to the cardiovascular system. Moreover, many prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers have been identified, paving the way for early and accurate diagnoses. However, to date, there are crucial points that remain controversial and need further clarification.
Clinical Significance of Carotid Intima-Media Complex and Carotid Plaque Assessment by Ultrasound for the Prediction of Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Primary and Secondary Care Patients
Authors: Kabłak-Ziembicka Anna , Przewłocki Tadeusz
Published: October 2021

Recently published recommendations from the American Society of Echocardiography on ‘Carotid Arterial Plaque Assessment by Ultrasound for the Characterization of Atherosclerosis and Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk’ provoked discussion once more on the potential clinical applications of carotid intima-media complex thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque assessment in the context of cardiovascular risk in both primary and secondary care patients. This review paper addresses key issues and milestones regarding indications, assessment, technical aspects, recommendations, and interpretations of CIMT and carotid plaque findings. We discuss lacks of evidence, limitations, and possible future directions.
The Auto-Brewery Syndrome: A Perfect Metabolic “Storm” with Clinical and Forensic Implications
Authors: Dinis-Oliveira Ricardo Jorge
Published: October 2021

Auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) is a rare, unstudied, unknown, and underreported phenomenon in modern medicine. Patients with this syndrome become inebriated and may suffer the medical and social implications of alcoholism, including arrest for inebriated driving. The pathophysiology of ABS is reportedly due to a fungal type dysbiosis of the gut that ferments some carbohydrates into ethanol and may mimic a food allergy or intolerance. This syndrome should be considered in patients with chronic obstruction or hypomotility presenting with elevated breath and blood alcohol concentrations, especially after a high carbohydrate intake. A glucose challenge test should be performed as the confirmatory test. Treatment typically includes antifungal drugs combined with changes in lifestyle and nutrition. Additional studies are particularly needed on the human microbiome to shed light on how imbalances of commensal bacteria in the gut allow yeast to colonize on a pathological level.
Perinatal Adverse Effects in Newborns with Estimated Loss of Weight Percentile between the Third Trimester Ultrasound and Delivery. The GROWIN Study
Authors: Galán Arévalo María Sonsoles , Mahillo-Fernández Ignacio , Esteban Luis Mariano , Andeyro-García Mercedes , Piñeiro Pérez Roi , Saénz de Pipaón Miguel , Savirón-Cornudella Ricardo
Published: October 2021

Fetal growth restriction has been associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes (APOs). We determined the importance of fetal growth detention (FGD) in late gestation for the occurrence of APOs in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) newborns. For this purpose, we analyzed a retrospective cohort study of 1067 singleton pregnancies. The newborns with higher APOs were SGA non-FGD and SGA FGD in 40.9% and 31.5% of cases, respectively, and we found an association between SGA non-FGD and any APO (OR 2.61; 95% CI: 1.35–4.99; p = 0.004). We did not find an increased APO risk in AGA FGD newborns (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.80, 1.59; p = 0.483), except for cesarean delivery for non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS) with a decrease in percentile cutoff greater than 40 (RR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.11–5.21) and 50 (RR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.14–7.54). Conclusions: Newborns with the highest probability of APOs are SGA non-FGDs. AGA FGD newborns do not have a higher incidence of APOs than AGA non-FGDs, although with falls in percentile cutoff over 40, they have an increased risk of cesarean section due to NRFS. Further studies are warranted to detect these newborns who would benefit from close surveillance in late gestation and at delivery.
Updates on Wound Infiltration Use for Postoperative Pain Management: A Narrative Review
Authors: Stamenkovic Dusica M. , Bezmarevic Mihailo , Bojic Suzana , Unic-Stojanovic Dragana , Stojkovic Dejan , Slavkovic Damjan Z. , Bancevic Vladimir , Maric Nebojsa , Karanikolas Menelaos
Published: October 2021

Local anesthetic wound infiltration (WI) provides anesthesia for minor surgical procedures and improves postoperative analgesia as part of multimodal analgesia after general or regional anesthesia. Although pre-incisional block is preferable, in practice WI is usually done at the end of surgery. WI performed as a continuous modality reduces analgesics, prolongs the duration of analgesia, and enhances the patient’s mobilization in some cases. WI benefits are documented in open abdominal surgeries (Caesarean section, colorectal surgery, abdominal hysterectomy, herniorrhaphy), laparoscopic cholecystectomy, oncological breast surgeries, laminectomy, hallux valgus surgery, and radical prostatectomy. Surgical site infiltration requires knowledge of anatomy and the pain origin for a procedure, systematic extensive infiltration of local anesthetic in various tissue planes under direct visualization before wound closure or subcutaneously along the incision. Because the incidence of local anesthetic systemic toxicity is 11% after subcutaneous WI, appropriate local anesthetic dosing is crucial. The risk of wound infection is related to the infection incidence after each particular surgery. For WI to fully meet patient and physician expectations, mastery of the technique, patient education, appropriate local anesthetic dosing and management of the surgical wound with “aseptic, non-touch” technique are needed.
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Marine Insulation Materials
Authors: Jang Hayoung , Jang Yoonwon , Jeong Byongug , Cho Nak-Kyun
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to reduce the holistic environmental impacts of insulation materials proposed for the accommodation of a marine cargo ship, and suggest the optimal option for cleaner ship production, using life cycle assessment. With a commercial bulk carrier as a case ship, three major insulations were assessed, which were wool-based material (mineral wool or glass wool), expanded polystyrene, and polyurethane foam. The analysis was scoped based on ‘from cradle to grave’, while focusing on the following five representative environmental indicators: global warming potential100years, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, ozone depletion potential, and human toxicity potential. The assessment was performed in the platform of the GaBi software. The results showed that polyurethane foam would have the greatest impacts, especially in regard to global warming, eutrophication, and human toxicity. On the other hand, expanded polystyrene and wool-based material showed better environmental performance than polyurethane foam. For example, wool-based insulation was found, in terms of GWP and HTP, to produce 2.1 × 104 kg CO2-eq and 760.1 kg DCB-eq, respectively, and expanded polystyrene had similar results with respect to GWP, AP, and EP as 2.1 × 104 kg CO2-eq, 23.3 kg SO2-eq, and 2.7 kg Phosphate-eq, respectively. In fact, the research findings point out the shortcomings of current design practices in selecting insulation materials for marine vessels, while providing meaningful insights into the importance of the selection of appropriate insulation materials for marine vessels for cleaner shipping. Therefore, it is believed that this paper will make a sound contribution to enhancing future design practice and regulatory frameworks in response to environmental issues in the marine industry.
Numerical Investigation of Scour Beneath Pipelines Subjected to an Oscillatory Flow Condition
Authors: Huang Jun , Yin Guang , Ong Muk Chen , Myrhaug Dag , Jia Xu
Published: October 2021

The present study carries out two-dimensional numerical simulations to investigate scour beneath a single pipeline and piggyback pipelines subjected to an oscillatory flow condition at a Keulegan–Carpenter (KC) number of 11 using SedFoam (an open-source, multi-dimensional Eulerian two-phase solver for sediment transport based on OpenFOAM). The turbulence flow is resolved using the two-phase modified k−ω 2006 model. The particle stresses due to the binary collisions and enduring contacts among the sediments are modeled using the rheology model of granular flow. The present numerical model is validated for the scour beneath a single pipeline, and the simulated sediment profiles are compared with published experimental data and numerical simulation results. The scour process beneath three different piggyback pipelines under the same flow condition are also considered, and the scour development and surrounding flow patterns are discussed in detail. Typical steady-streaming structures around the pipeline due to the oscillatory flow condition are captured. The scour depth during the initial development of the scour process for the piggyback pipeline with the small pipeline placed above the large one is the largest among all the investigated configurations. The phase-averaged flow fields show that the flow patterns are influenced by the additional small pipeline.
CPM-OFDM Performance over Underwater Acoustic Channels
Authors: Tasadduq Imran A. , Murad Mohsin , Otero Pablo
Published: October 2021

We propose and evaluate the performance of a continuous phase modulation based orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CPM-OFDM) transceiver for underwater acoustic communication (UAC). In the proposed technique, the mapper in traditional OFDM is replaced by CPM while a realistic model of underwater channel is employed. Bit error rate (BER) as well as peak to average power ratio (PAPR) performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated using Monte-Carlo simulations. The error performance observed clearly establishes the superiority of CPM-OFDM over traditional OFDM schemes. Specifically, a value of 7/16 or 9/16 for the modulation index gives the best error performance. Furthermore, the error performance of the proposed scheme is within acceptable values up to a transmitter–receiver distance of 1.5 km. Additionally, the PAPR performance of the proposed scheme suggests that like other OFDM schemes, a PAPR reduction scheme is mandatory for acceptable PAPR performance of CPM-OFDM.
A Snapshot Picture of the Fungal Composition of Bee Bread in Four Locations in Bulgaria, Differing in Anthropogenic Influence
Authors: Dimov Svetoslav G. , Zagorchev Lyuben , Iliev Mihail , Dekova Tereza , Ilieva Ralitza , Kitanova Meglena , Georgieva-Miteva Dimitrina , Dimitrov Martin , Peykov Slavil
Published: October 2021

Information about the fungal composition of bee bread, and the fermentation processes to which the fungi contribute significantly, is rather scarce or fragmentary. In this study, we performed an NGS-based metagenomics snapshot picture study of the fungal composition of bee bread in four locations in Bulgaria during the most active honeybee foraging period at the end of June 2020. The sampling locations were chosen to differ significantly in climatic conditions, landscape, and anthropogenic pressure, and the Illumina 2 × 250 paired-end reads platform was used for amplicon metagenomics study of the ITS2 region. We found that some of the already reported canonical beneficial core fungal species were present within the studied samples. However, some fungal genera such as Monilinia, Sclerotinia, Golovinomyces, Toxicocladosporium, Pseudopithomyces, Podosphaera and Septoriella were reported for the first time among the dominant genera for a honeybee related product. Anthropogenic pressure negatively influences the fungal composition of the bee bread in two different ways—urban/industrial pressure affects the presence of pathogenic species, while agricultural pressure is reflected in a decrease of the ratio of the beneficial fungi.
Changing Epidemiology of Invasive Fungal Disease in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Puerta-Alcalde Pedro , Garcia-Vidal Carolina
Published: October 2021

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies, especially among those undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The epidemiology of IFD in HSCT patients has been evolving over the last decades, mainly in relation to changes in HSCT therapies such as antifungal prophylaxis. A progressive decrease in Candida albicans infection has been documented, alongside a progressive increase in infections caused by non-albicans Candida species, filamentous fungi, and/or multidrug-resistant fungi. Currently, the most frequent IFD is invasive aspergillosis. In some parts of the world, especially in north Central Europe, a high percentage of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates are azole-resistant. New diagnostic techniques have documented the existence of cryptic Aspergillus species with specific characteristics. An increase in mucormycosis and fusariosis diagnoses, as well as diagnoses of other rare fungi, have also been described. IFD epidemiology is likely to continue changing further due to both an increased use of mold-active antifungals and a lengthened survival of patients with HSCT that may result in hosts with weaker immune systems. Improvements in microbiology laboratories and the widespread use of molecular diagnostic tools will facilitate more precise descriptions of current IFD epidemiology. Additionally, rising resistance to antifungal drugs poses a major threat. In this scenario, knowledge of current epidemiology and accurate IFD diagnoses are mandatory in order to establish correct prophylaxis guidelines and appropriate early treatments.
Predicting Bank Failures: A Synthesis of Literature and Directions for Future Research
Authors: Liu Li Xian , Liu Shuangzhe , Sathye Milind
Published: October 2021

Risk management has been a topic of great interest to Michael McAleer. Even as recent as 2020, his paper on risk management for COVID-19 was published. In his memory, this article is focused on bankruptcy risk in financial firms. For financial institutions in particular, banks are considered special, given that they perform risk management functions that are unique. Risks in banking arise from both internal and external factors. The GFC underlined the need for comprehensive risk management, and researchers since then have been working towards fulfilling that need. Similarly, the central banks across the world have begun periodic stress-testing of banks’ ability to withstand shocks. This paper investigates the machine-learning and statistical techniques used in the literature on bank failure prediction. The study finds that though considerable progress has been made using advanced statistical and computational techniques, given the complex nature of banking risk, the ability of statistical techniques to predict bank failures is limited. Machine-learning-based models are increasingly becoming popular due to their significant predictive ability. The paper also suggests the directions for future research.
Corporate Cash Holdings and National Culture: Evidence from the Middle East and North Africa Region
Authors: El-Halaby Sherif , Abdelrasheed Hosam , Hussainey Khaled
Published: October 2021

This paper investigates to what extent cultural dimensions, based on Hofstede’s model, can clarify differences in cash holding levels. The sample includes 395 banks across 19 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region over a period of 16 years (1999–2014). The findings indicate that when uncertainty avoidance and masculinity decrease, cash holdings increase, whereas when power distance, long-term orientation, and individualism increase, the cash holdings increase correspondingly. Based on robustness analysis, the results remain unaffected even after controlling corporate and macroeconomic characteristics related to inflation, corruption, and the exchange rate system. Further analysis shows insignificant differences between Islamic and non-Islamic banks regarding the influence of culture over cash holdings. This study contributes to the literature regarding the impact of culture on corporate cash holdings based on a unique and different context, through examining this relationship in financial institutions located in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The Preventive Role of Exercise on the Physiological, Psychological, and Psychophysiological Parameters of Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A Mini Review
Authors: Baker Julien S. , Cole Alistair , Tao Dan , Li Feifei , Liang Wei , Jiao Jojo , Gao Yang , Supriya Rashmi
Published: October 2021

The world has been severely challenged by the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak since the early 2020s. Worldwide, there have been more than 66 million cases of infection and over 3,880,450 deaths caused by this highly contagious disease. All sections of the population including those who are affected, those who are not affected and those who have recovered from this disease, are suffering physiologically, psychologically or psychophysiologically. In this paper we briefly discuss the consequences of COVID-19 on physiological, psychological and psychophysiological vulnerability. We also attempt to provide evidence in support of exercise management as a prevention strategy for improving and minimizing the physiological, psychological and psychophysiological effects of COVID-19. Moderate exercise including walking, yoga and tai-chi to name but a few exercise regimes are critical in preventing COVID-19 and its complications. Governments, public health authorities and the general population should maintain physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent additional physical and mental distress.