bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validating a Nutrition Ranking System for Food Pantries Using the Healthy Eating Index-2015
Authors: Gombi-Vaca Maria Fernanda , Xu Ran , Schwartz Marlene , Battista Hesse Michelle , Martin Katie , Caspi Caitlin E.
Published: September 2022

In 2020, charitable food organizations began adopting Healthy Eating Research (HER) nutrition guidelines, which rank individual foods in tiers (e.g., green, yellow, or red) based on each food’s nutrient profile. This study aimed to validate this HER tier-ranked system against the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) and develop a formula to summarize the percentages of tier-ranked foods in an overall nutritional quality index that correlated with HEI. Using secondary data of foods selected by clients in 16 Minnesota food pantries (n = 503 “client carts”), we generated an HEI score and percentages of green, yellow, and red foods for each cart. As validation, we tested the association between HEI scores and the percentages of tier-ranked foods and compared the means of the tier-ranked variables using quintiles of the HEI scores. HEI scores were positively associated with percentages of green foods and negatively associated with percentages of red foods. Next, we used statistical learning to generate weights to maximize the correlation of the tier-ranked variables and the HEI scores and used these weights to create an index. The index demonstrated a moderate-to-strong correlation with HEI and can be used as a single measure to summarize the overall nutritional quality for sets of tier-ranked foods.
Infant Feeding Choices during the First Post-Natal Months and Anthropometry at Age Seven Years: Follow-Up of a Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Demmelmair Hans , Fleddermann Manja , Koletzko Berthold
Published: September 2022

The Belgrade–Munich Infant Milk Trial (BeMIM) randomized healthy term infants into either a protein-reduced intervention infant formula (IF) group, with an α-lactalbumin-enriched whey and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, or a control infant formula (CF) group. A non-randomized breastfed group (BF) was studied for reference. We assessed the long-term effects of these infant feeding choices on growth measures until the age of seven years. Weight, standing height, head circumference, and percent body fat (using skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance) were determined with standardized methods. A total of 161 children out of the 256 completers of the initial study (63%) participated in the seven-year follow-up. Children in the three study groups did not differ in their anthropometric measures, including body mass index (IF 16.1 ± 2.6, CF: 15.6 ± 1.7, BF: 15.6 ± 2.5 kg/m2, mean ± SD). IGF-1 serum concentrations determined at the age of 4 months contributed to explaining the variances in weight (p = 0.001), height (p = 0.001) and BMI (p = 0.035) z-scores at the age of seven years, whereas insulin levels at four months did not. Different feeding choices during the first four months of life leading to higher energy efficiency and increased growth with IF did not affect later growth outcomes at an early school age. Diet-induced modulation of IGF-1 in the first months of life may have lasting programming effects on later growth.
Nutritional Composition and Estimated Iron and Zinc Bioavailability of Meat Substitutes Available on the Swedish Market
Authors: Mayer Labba Inger-Cecilia , Steinhausen Hannah , Almius Linnéa , Bach Knudsen Knud Erik , Sandberg Ann-Sofie
Published: September 2022

Transition towards plant-based diets is advocated to reduce the climate footprint. Health implications of a diet composed of meat substitutes are currently unknown, and there are knowledge gaps in their nutritional composition and quality. Samples of available meat substitutes were bought in two convenience stores in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, and were included in the study. Meat substitutes (n = 44) were analyzed for their contents of dietary fiber, fat, iron, zinc, phytate, salt, total phenolics and protein, as well as for their amino acid and fatty acid composition. Bioavailability of iron and zinc was estimated based on the phytate:mineral molar ratio. We found large variations in the nutritional composition of the analyzed meat substitutes. Amino acid profiles seemed to be affected by processing methods. Mycoprotein products were rich in zinc, with a median content of 6.7 mg/100 g, and had very low content of phytate, which suggests mycoprotein as a good source of zinc. Degradability of fungal cell walls might, however, pose as a potential aggravating factor. None of the products could be regarded as a good source of iron due to very high content of phytate (9 to 1151 mg/100 g) and/or low content of iron (0.4 to 4.7 mg/100 g). Phytate:iron molar ratios in products with iron contents >2.1 mg/100 g ranged from 2.5 to 45. Tempeh stood out as a protein source with large potential due to low phytate content (24 mg/100 g) and an iron content (2 mg/100 g) close to the level of a nutrition claim. Producers of the products analyzed in this study appear to use nutritional claims regarding iron that appear not in line with European regulations, since the iron is in a form not available by the body. Meat substitutes analyzed in this study do not contribute to absorbed iron in a relevant manner. Individuals following mainly plant-based diets have to meet their iron needs through other sources. Salt and saturated fat were high in certain products, while other products were more in line with nutritional recommendations. Further investigation of the nutritional and health effects of protein extraction and extrusion is needed. We conclude that nutritional knowledge needs to be implemented in product development of meat substitutes.
Increased Habit Frequency in the Daily Lives of Patients with Acute Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Seidel Maria , King Joseph A. , Fürtjes Sophia , Labitzke Natalie , Wronski Marie-Louis , Boehm Ilka , Hennig Julius , Gramatke Katrin , Roessner Veit , Ehrlich Stefan
Published: September 2022

Strict eating routines and frequent rigid behavior patterns are commonly observed in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). A recent theory proposes that while these behaviors may have been reinforced initially, they later become habitual. To date, however, research has been overly focused on eating-disorder (ED)-related habits. Over the course of seven days, we applied an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to investigate the habit frequency and strength of ED-specific (food intake) and ED-unspecific (hygiene) habits in the daily lives of a sample of n = 57 AN and n = 57 healthy controls (HC). The results of the hierarchical models revealed that habits were significantly more likely in patients compared with HC for both categories, independently. Furthermore, a lower body mass index (BMI) was associated with increased habit frequency in AN. Our study strengthens the habit theory of AN by showing the relevance of habits beyond ED-specific behavioral domains. This also supports the development of innovative therapeutic interventions targeting habitual behavior in EDs.
Joint Associations of Food Groups with All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in the Mr. OS and Ms. OS Study: A Prospective Cohort
Authors: Yang Jingli , Yang Aimin , Yeung Suey , Woo Jean , Lo Kenneth
Published: September 2022

Despite continuous growth in dietary pattern research, the relative importance of each dietary component in the overall pattern and their joint effects on mortality risk have not been examined adequately. We explored the individual and joint associations of multiple food groups with all-cause and cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer), by analyzing data from a cohort of 3995 Hong Kong Chinese older adults in the Mr. Osteoporosis (OS) and Ms. OS Study. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations of food groups with mortality risk. The individual and joint contribution of food groups to mortality risk has been quantified by a machine learning approach, i.e., the Quantile G-Computation. When comparing the highest with the lowest quartile of intake, dark green and leafy vegetables (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.70 to 0.96, Ptrend = 0.049), fruit (HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.68 to 0.93, Ptrend = 0.006), legumes (HR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.63 to 0.87, Ptrend = 0.052), mushroom and fungi (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.65 to 0.88, Ptrend = 0.023), soy and soy products (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.90, Ptrend = 0.143), and whole grains (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.65 to 0.89, Ptrend = 0.008) were inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Legume intake was associated with a lower risk of CVD mortality, while fruit, nuts, soy and soy products were associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality. From the Quantile G-Computation, whole grains, legumes, fruits, mushroom and fungi, soy and soy products had a higher relative weighting on mortality risk, and the joint effect of food groups was inversely associated with the mortality risk due to all-causes (HR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.55), CVD (HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.67 to 0.91), and cancer (HR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.65). From a sex-stratified analysis, most associations between food groups (whole grains, legumes, fruits, mushroom and fungi, soy and soy products) and mortality risk remained significant among men. In conclusion, whole grains, legumes, fruits, mushroom and fungi, soy and soy products were the main contributors to a reduction in mortality risk, and their joint effects were stronger than individual food groups. Moreover, the sex-specific association of sweets and desserts with cancer mortality may be worth further investigation.
A Case of Plasmodium malariae in Bangladesh: A Representation of the Suboptimal Performance of Rapid Diagnostic Approaches in Malaria Elimination Settings
Authors: Johora Fatema Tuj , Kibria Mohammad Golam , Fuehrer Hans-Peter , Alam Mohammad Shafiul
Published: September 2022

Plasmodium malariae is a neglected human malaria parasite with low parasitemia that often results in the misdiagnosis and underestimation of the actual disease burden of this pathogen. Microscopy is the best diagnostic tool, despite the fact that rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are the best surveillance tool for malaria diagnosis in many rural areas for their ease of use in elimination settings. For parasite antigen detection other than P. falciparum, RDTs depend on essential glycolytic Plasmodium proteins, i.e., Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) and Plasmodium aldolase (pAldo) antigens. There is a lack of species-specific test kits for P. malariae, and overall, its rapid antigenic test accuracy is questionable. False negative results can accelerate the burden of asymptomatic malaria infection and transmission. Here, we report a case of a malaria patient in Bangladesh infected with P. malariae who tested negative on pLDH and pAldo based RDTs. This case provides useful information for health providers to be aware of possible RDT failure and also for the future development of analytically sensitive test kits for P. malariae.
Genome-Wide Searching Single Nucleotide-Polymorphisms (SNPs) and SNPs-Targeting a Multiplex Primer for Identification of Common Salmonella Serotypes
Authors: Rahman Md-Mafizur , Lim Sang-Jin , Park Yung-Chul
Published: September 2022

A rapid and high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-based method was developed to improve detection and reduce salmonellosis burden. In this study, whole-genome sequence (WGS) was used to investigate SNPs, the most common genetic marker for identifying bacteria. SNP-sites encompassing 15 sets of primers (666–863 bp) were selected and used to amplify the target Salmonella serovar strains, and the amplified products were sequenced. The prevalent Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovars, including Typhimurium; Enteritidis, Agona, enterica, Typhi, and Abony, were amplified and sequenced. The amplified sequences of six Salmonella serovars with 15 sets of SNP-sites encompassing primers were aligned, explored SNPs, and SNPs-carrying primers (23 sets) were designed to develop a multiplex PCR marker (m-PCR). Each primer exists in at least two SNPs bases at the 3′ end of each primer, such as one was wild, and another was a mismatched base by transition or transversion mutation. Thus, twenty-three sets of SNP primers (242–670 bp), including 13 genes (SBG, dedA, yacG, mrcB, mesJ, metN, rihA/B, modA, hutG, yehX, ybiY, moeB, and sopA), were developed for PCR confirmation of target Salmonella serovar strains. Finally, the SNPs in four genes, including fliA gene (S. Enteritidis), modA (S. Agona and S. enterica), sopA (S. Abony), and mrcB (S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi), were used for detection markers of six target Salmonella serotypes. We developed an m-PCR primer set in which Salmonella serovars were detected in a single reaction. Nevertheless, m-PCR was validated with 21 Salmonella isolates (at least one isolate was taken from one positive animal fecal, and n = 6 reference Salmonella strains) and non-Salmonella bacteria isolates. The SNP-based m-PCR method would identify prevalent Salmonella serotypes, minimize the infection, and control outbreaks.
Beta-Lactam-Resistant Enterobacterales Isolated from Landfill Leachates
Authors: Mondragón-Quiguanas Alejandra , Villaquirán-Muriel Miguel Ángel , Rivera Sandra Patricia , Rosero-García Doris , Aranaga Carlos , Correa Adriana , Falco Aura
Published: September 2022

Antibiotic resistance is one of the main challenges worldwide due to the high morbidity and mortality caused by infections produced by resistant bacteria. In Colombia, this problem has been studied mainly from the clinical perspective; however, it is scarcely studied in the leachates produced in landfills. The objective of this study was to detect, identify and determine the antibiotic sensitivity profile of Enterobacterales isolated from a leachate treatment plant located in Cali, Colombia. Detection was performed using selective culture media, bacterial identification using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-Of-Flight (MALDI-TOF, bioMérieux) and by sequencing the gene coding for the 16S ribosomal RNA subunit when discrepancies were observed between phenotypic characteristics and MALDI-TOF. Antibiotic sensitivity profiling was determined using the automated VITEK®2 system (bioMérieux). Twenty-one isolates were obtained, of which Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequent (23.8%), and 34% of the isolates showed decreased sensitivity to beta-lactam antibiotics such as cefoxitin, ampicillin/sulbactam and piperacillin/tazobactam. These findings suggest that leachates from landfills could be a reservoir of pathogenic bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance determinants, so periodic microbiological characterization of these effluents should be performed, promoting the One Health approach.
Rotavirus Infection in Swine: Genotypic Diversity, Immune Responses, and Role of Gut Microbiome in Rotavirus Immunity
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Shepherd Frances K , Springer Nora L. , Mwangi Waithaka , Marthaler Douglas G.
Published: September 2022

Rotaviruses (RVs) are endemic in swine populations, and all swine herds certainly have a history of RV infection and circulation. Rotavirus A (RVA) and C (RVC) are the most common among all RV species reported in swine. RVA was considered most prevalent and pathogenic in swine; however, RVC has been emerging as a significant cause of enteritis in newborn piglets. RV eradication from swine herds is not practically achievable, hence producers’ mainly focus on minimizing the production impact of RV infections by reducing mortality and diarrhea. Since no intra-uterine passage of immunoglobulins occur in swine during gestation, newborn piglets are highly susceptible to RV infection at birth. Boosting lactogenic immunity in gilts by using vaccines and natural planned exposure (NPE) is currently the only way to prevent RV infections in piglets. RVs are highly diverse and multiple RV species have been reported from swine, which also contributes to the difficulties in preventing RV diarrhea in swine herds. Human RV-gut microbiome studies support a link between microbiome composition and oral RV immunogenicity. Such information is completely lacking for RVs in swine. It is not known how RV infection affects the functionality or structure of gut microbiome in swine. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of genotypic diversity of swine RVs, host-ranges, innate and adaptive immune responses to RVs, homotypic and heterotypic immunity to RVs, current methods used for RV management in swine herds, role of maternal immunity in piglet protection, and prospects of investigating swine gut microbiota in providing immunity against rotaviruses.
Epstein–Barr Virus Detection in the Central Nervous System of HIV-Infected Patients
Authors: Musukuma-Chifulo Kalo , Siddiqi Omar Khalik , Chilyabanyama Obvious Nchimunya , Bates Matthew , Chisenga Caroline Cleopatra , Simuyandi Michelo , Sinkala Edford , Dang Xin , Koralnik Igor Jerome , Chilengi Roma , Munsaka Sody
Published: September 2022

Simply detecting Epstein–Barr virus deoxyribonucleic acid (EBV-DNA) is insufficient to diagnose EBV-associated diseases. The current literature around EBV-DNA detection from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive non-lymphoma patients was systematically reviewed and a meta-analysis reporting the estimated pooled prevalence in this population when PCR methods are employed, targeting different sequence segments within the EBV genome, was conducted. Using a combination of three key concepts—Epstein–Barr virus detection, central nervous system disease, and human cerebrospinal fluid—and their MeSH terms, the PubMed database was searched. A total of 273 papers reporting the detection of EBV in CNS were screened, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed a pooled prevalence of EBV-DNA in CSF of 20% (CI: 12–31%). The highest pooled prevalence was from studies conducted on the African population at 39% (CI: 27–51%). The investigation of the presence of EBV-DNA in the CSF was also very varied, with several gene targets used. While most patients from the articles included in this review and meta-analysis were symptomatic of CNS disorders, the pathogenicity of EBV in non-lymphoma HIV patients when detected in CSF has still not been determined. The presence of EBV-DNA in the CNS remains a concern, and further research is warranted to understand its significance in causing CNS disorders.
Bioimaging Nucleic-Acid Aptamers with Different Specificities in Human Glioblastoma Tissues Highlights Tumoral Heterogeneity
Authors: Cruz Da Silva Elisabete , Foppolo Sophie , Lhermitte Benoît , Ingremeau Marina , Justiniano Hélène , Klein Lorraine , Chenard Marie-Pierre , Vauchelles Romain , Abdallah Basma , Lehmann Maxime , Etienne-Selloum Nelly , Dontenwill Monique , Choulier Laurence
Published: September 2022

Nucleic-acid aptamers are of strong interest for diagnosis and therapy. Compared with antibodies, they are smaller, stable upon variations in temperature, easy to modify, and have higher tissue-penetration abilities. However, they have been little described as detection probes in histology studies of human tissue sections. In this study, we performed fluorescence imaging with two aptamers targeting cell-surface receptors EGFR and integrin α5β1, both involved in the aggressiveness of glioblastoma. The aptamers’ cell-binding specificities were confirmed using confocal imaging. The affinities of aptamers for glioblastoma cells expressing these receptors were in the 100–300 nM range. The two aptamers were then used to detect EGFR and integrin α5β1 in human glioblastoma tissues and compared with antibody labeling. Our aptafluorescence assays proved to be able to very easily reveal, in a one-step process, not only inter-tumoral glioblastoma heterogeneity (differences observed at the population level) but also intra-tumoral heterogeneity (differences among cells within individual tumors) when aptamers with different specificities were used simultaneously in multiplexing labeling experiments. The discussion also addresses the strengths and limitations of nucleic-acid aptamers for biomarker detection in histology.
Allelopathic Potential of Mangroves from the Red River Estuary against the Rice Weed Echinochloa crus-galli and Variation in Their Leaf Metabolome
Authors: Dhaou Dounia , Baldy Virginie , Van Tan Dao , Malachin Jean-Rémi , Pouchard Nicolas , Roux Anaïs , Dupouyet Sylvie , Greff Stéphane , Culioli Gérald , Michel Thomas , Fernandez Catherine , Bousquet-Mélou Anne
Published: September 2022

Mangroves are the only forests located at the sea–land interface in tropical and subtropical regions. They are key elements of tropical coastal ecosystems, providing numerous ecosystem services. Among them is the production of specialized metabolites by mangroves and their potential use in agriculture to limit weed growth in cultures. We explored the in vitro allelopathic potential of eight mangrove species’ aqueous leaf extracts (Avicennia marina, Kandelia obovata, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Sonneratia apetala, Sonneratia caseolaris, Aegiceras corniculatum, Lumnitzera racemosa and Rhizophora stylosa) on the germination and growth of Echinochloa crus-galli, a weed species associated with rice, Oryza sativa. Leaf methanolic extracts of mangrove species were also studied via UHPLC-ESI/qToF to compare their metabolite fingerprints. Our results highlight that A. corniculatum and S. apetala negatively affected E. crus-galli development with a stimulating effect or no effect on O. sativa. Phytochemical investigations of A. corniculatum allowed us to putatively annotate three flavonoids and two saponins. For S. apetala, three flavonoids, a tannin and two unusual sulfated ellagic acid derivatives were found. Some of these compounds are described for the first time in these species. Overall, A. corniculatum and S. apetala leaves are proposed as promising natural alternatives against E. crus-galli and should be further assessed under field conditions.
Enhanced Enzymatic Saccharification of Tomato Stalk by Combination Pretreatment with NaOH and ChCl:Urea-Thioure in One-Pot Manner
Authors: Fan Bo , Ni Jiacheng , Li Qi , He Yucai , Ma Cuiluan
Published: September 2022

In this study, the mixture of NaOH and deep eutectic solvent (DES) ChCl:UA-TA was firstly used to pretreat waste tomato stalk (TS). The effects of pretreatment time, pretreatment temperature, NaOH dosage, and DES dose were investigated, and the synergistic effects of dilute NaOH and DES combination pretreatment were tested on the influence of enzymatic saccharification. It was found that the relationship between delignification and saccharification rate had a significant linear correction. When TS was pretreated with NaOH (7 wt%)–ChCl:UA-TA (8 wt%) in a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10 (wt:wt) at 75 °C for 60 min, the delignification reached 82.1%. The highest yield of reducing sugars from NaOH–ChCl:UA-TA-treated TS could reach 62.5% in an acetate buffer (50 mM, pH 4.8) system containing cellulase (10.0 FPU/g TS) and xylanase (30.0 CBU/g TS) at 50 °C. In summary, effective enzymatic saccharification of TS was developed by a combination pretreatment with dilute NaOH and ChCl:UA-TA, which has potential application in the future.
3D LoD2 and LoD3 Modeling of Buildings with Ornamental Towers and Turrets Based on LiDAR Data
Authors: Lewandowicz Elżbieta , Tarsha Kurdi Fayez , Gharineiat Zahra
Published: September 2022

This paper presents an innovative approach to the automatic modeling of buildings composed of rotational surfaces, based exclusively on airborne LiDAR point clouds. The proposed approach starts by detecting the gravity center of the building’s footprint. A thin point slice parallel to one coordinate axis around the gravity center was considered, and a vertical cross-section was rotated around a vertical axis passing through the gravity center, to generate the 3D building model. The constructed model was visualized with a matrix composed of three matrices, where the same dimensions represented the X, Y, and Z Euclidean coordinates. Five tower point clouds were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Then, to estimate the accuracy, the point cloud was superimposed onto the constructed model, and the deviation of points describing the building model was calculated, in addition to the standard deviation. The obtained standard deviation values, which express the accuracy, were determined in the range of 0.21 m to 1.41 m. These values indicate that the accuracy of the suggested method is consistent with approaches suggested previously in the literature. In the future, the obtained model could be enhanced with the use of points that have considerable deviations. The applied matrix not only facilitates the modeling of buildings with various levels of architectural complexity, but it also allows for local enhancement of the constructed models.
African Vulture Optimization-Based Optimal Control Strategy for Voltage Control of Islanded DC Microgrids
Authors: Salah Basma , Hasanien Hany M. , Ghali Fadia M. A. , Alsayed Yasser M. , Abdel Aleem Shady H. E. , El-Shahat Adel
Published: September 2022

DC microgrids have gained a lot of interest recently due to increasing dc loads such as electric vehicles and the penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs). However, DC microgrids face challenges concerning bus voltage fluctuations, which severely impact the system stability when subjected to uncertainties of load and RESs. This paper focuses on maintaining the stability of a DC-bus through voltage control for a dc islanded microgrid using the concept of cascade double-loop control. The rule in cascade double-loop control is based on a proportional-integral (PI) controller tuned through a new nature-inspired African vulture optimization algorithm (AVOA). The paper presents a comparison of the performance of the African vulture optimization algorithm against particle swarm optimization (PSO) under several operating conditions. The simulation considers actual data for the solar irradiance and temperature and sudden load changes. The system is implemented on MATLAB/Simulink. The results demonstrate that the AVOA-based PI controller performs better in voltage regulation than the PSO-based PI controller.
Historical Use of the Ashlar Limestone at Piatra Roșie Dacian Fortress; Interdisciplinary Approach in a World Heritage Site
Authors: Cetean Valentina , Pețan Aurora , Stancu Mihai
Published: September 2022

One of the main forms of expression of the power of the Dacian Kingdom, with its capital at Sarmizegetusa Regia, was represented by the monumental constructions built in ashlar stone, the result of a mixture between local traditions and Greek and Roman influences. The fortified acropolis at Piatra Roșie is one of the main components of this center of power and one of the most important archaeological sites from the Late Iron Age in Romania. In 1999 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the serial site “Dacian Fortresses in the Orăștie Mountains”. This paper presents the most recent data regarding the stones used in the construction of the Piatra Roșie fortress, the most important building material from the point of view of volume and durability. The historiographical and archaeological data, the field investigations and measurements, together with the mineralogical analysis of stone varieties have been corroborated with specific interpretations for construction engineering and 3D modeling applied in the evaluation of the dimension stone volume. The present approach constitutes an absolute novelty for the site of Piatra Roșie, and, also, a model that can be applied to the specific conditions of the other Dacian Fortresses.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Behaviours of Polish Consumers in the Organic Products Market
Authors: Buraczyńska Barbara Urszula , Żelazna Anna Elżbieta , Bojanowska Agnieszka Barbara
Published: September 2022

The main purpose of this article is to verify whether the COVID-19 pandemic affects customers’ behaviours. The examined behaviours are: buying Polish products, buying organic products, buying more at one time, paying attention to prices, asking others to go shopping, and shopping online. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted. The questionnaire was completed by 1000 Polish consumers. The collected data were analysed statistically, and it was shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has an influence on consumers’ behaviours. This is particularly visible in paying attention to prices more frequently, more frequent online shopping, and more frequent purchases of larger amounts of products. Consumers are more likely to buy Polish products and organic products. The largest changes in behaviour were observed among women, people aged under 35, people with higher education, and those with the highest incomes per family member. The research identified the group of consumers who more often do online shopping, purchase more products, and more often buy Polish and organic products; this information may be used by commercial enterprises to create sales strategies. It is advisable to develop online sales and to display information about the fact that products are made in Poland, and information about their ecological origin. The value of this article is to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behaviour in the organic market in Poland, to identify groups of consumers whose behaviour has changed, and to indicate the directions of those changes.
Investment Risk Analysis for Green and Sustainable Planning of Rural Family: A Case Study of Tibetan Region
Authors: Liu Yan , Wen Quaner , Chandio Abbas Ali , Chen Long , Gan Lu
Published: September 2022

In China, Tibetan areas have generally high altitudes and abnormal climates, and many areas have faced a variety of risks such as food security, land degradation disasters, and diseases. The Tibetan region’s economic development level is lower than that of the rest of China. Rural households and communities primarily rely on agricultural-related activities for a living, and their investment opportunities are limited due to unfavorable land and climate conditions. This study aims to investigate how to overcome such impacts by providing efficient strategies of green and sustainable planning through risk analysis and reasonable portfolio. By investigating the asset composition of 271 rural households in Tibetan area of Sichuan, the potential risks are analyzed by using the block diagram and investment portfolio to avoid risk is calculated and discussed by Markowitz model. The results show that the asset composition of rural households in ethnic area is unreasonable. Most of families highly prefer real assets, this may due to their risk attitudes and resistance capacities. From rural households’ perspective, in order to adapt to suboptimal environmental conditions, rural households should diversify their livelihood strategies and make appropriate investment portfolios. Moreover, the research findings also provide useful strategy suggestions for green and sustainable development of people’s livelihood planning in ethnic areas of China as the Tibetan region in Sichuan.
Circular Economy Initiatives: Strategic Implications, Resource Management, and Entrepreneurial Innovation in a Brazilian Craft Beer Ecosystem during the COVID Era
Authors: Gruba Marcia Cristiane , Denes Danielle , Lobo Rodrigo Cortopassi Goron , Isaak Andrew Jay
Published: September 2022

A new brewery is founded in Brazil every two days. Yet with climate change, drinking water is increasingly scarce. Previous studies have begun exploring the brewing industry, but an examination of circular economy initiatives in Latin America is lacking, particularly during the COVID era. This study analyzes strategic implications of circular economy initiatives, together with their role in the coevolution of the craft beer sociotechnical system in Brazil from a resource perspective during the COVID pandemic. Using a qualitative methodology based on analytic induction, 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with key actors from the craft beer sociotechnical system in Guarapuava. For the content analysis, we triangulated the interviews with an analysis of 74 related documents. We found evidence of circular economy practices and sociotechnical transitions with the simultaneous coevolution of the system actors. Increasing rejection of the linear take–make–waste economy was observed as subject organizations largely adopted a regenerative model reducing operational waste. Hence, entrepreneurial innovation was apparently crucial for resource allocation during the COVID era. This work contributes to further understanding resource configurations in the circular economy, with practical implications for integrating sustainability into strategy, business models, and production.
Improving Consumer-Based Green Brand Equity: The Role of Healthy Green Practices, Green Brand Attachment, and Green Skepticism
Authors: Khan Syed Abdul Rehman , Sheikh Adnan Ahmed , Ashraf Mubeen , Yu Zhang
Published: September 2022

This study examines the effect of green practices on green brand equity, and it looks at the impact of green brand attachment and green skepticism as mediating variables on these relationships. We employed a dataset of 454 consumers from international fast-food restaurants. Our empirical results indicate that green practices enhance consumer-based green brand equity. Green skepticism has a significant negative effect on green brand attachment, and green brand attachment has a significant positive effect on green brand equity. Green brand attachment mediates the relationship between green practices and green brand equity and between green skepticism and green brand equity. The study findings provide consumer insights into green products and managerial implications for international fast-food chains.
Social Innovation in Active Mobility Public Services in the Megacity of Sao Paulo
Authors: Stuchi Silvia , Paulino Sonia , Gallouj Faïz
Published: September 2022

This article aims to explore the relationship between social innovation and opportunities for innovation in public services, focusing on a range of initiatives intended to improve services and infrastructure for pedestrians in the city of São Paulo, the largest Brazilian megacity, namely: Reduced Speed Zone, Safe Routes to School, and Complete Street. We apply the multiagent framework for innovation in services, incorporating nine variables that characterize social innovation. As for the main results, in the local context, there is the role of third-sector organizations in creating and introducing solutions for active mobility services through co-creation. Co-creation was identified as a key process and is highlighted in actions to obtain community involvement, interviews to measure the acceptance of the project and detect potential points of improvement not foreseen in the pilot project, participatory workshops, installation of informative and interactive panels, preparation and approval of the temporary intervention project, and joint discussion and analysis with municipal agencies about the points that could receive the temporary intervention. The initiatives are recent and cover specific geographic–temporal boundaries. There is a need to deepen the dialogue between social innovation and service innovation with the co-design and co-construction approaches proposed in this paper, applied in different political, economic, urban, and social contexts. In addition, some barriers are highlighted relating to the lack of public funding, compliance with national regulations, political will, non-partisan actions, and long-term vision. There are potentials for the continuous introduction of innovations for the improvement of public services for pedestrians, promoting participatory restructuring as a form of (re)appropriation of urban public spaces.
Passive Environmental Control at Neighborhood and Block Scales for Conservation of Historic Settlements: The Case Study of Huatzai Village in Wang-An, Taiwan
Authors: Hsu Hao-Hsiang , Huang Jian-Sheng
Published: September 2022

Climate change has gradually become a great challenge for heritage conservation. This study demonstrated that a hierarchal strategy corresponding to the scale of climate or weather date can be an alternative approach to making heritage conservation more efficient and sustainable. Therefore, the passive environmental control strategies at neighborhood and block scales are developed to effectively connect climate actions, normally at global or city scales, and the traditional preservation methods at building scale. The research results reflect the same conclusion as previous studies in that wind is the key factor affecting degradation mechanisms on heritage assets. Moreover, the adoption of weather data is a critical factor that influences the accuracy of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results of the detailed regional wind performance, which is supportive for strategy development. According to the simulation results, the study site, Huatzai village, with neighborhood-scale strategy can gain an improvement in overall wind impact. The velocity reduction is more than 70% in the windward areas. The block-scale strategy with the reuse of existing structures can bring 90% velocity reduction for the wake areas and the high-risk zones with strong turbulence.
Special Issue: Symmetry in Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics and Dynamical Systems
Authors: Bianca Carlo
Published: September 2022

The recent developments in dynamical systems theory and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics have allowed the birth of new challenges and research perspectives. In particular, different frameworks have been proposed for the modeling of complex emerging phenomena occurring in nature and society. This editorial article introduces the topic and the contributions of this Special Issue. This Special Issue focuses, on the one hand, on the development of new methods, frameworks and models coming from dynamical system theory and the equilibrium/non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and, on the other hand, opens problems related to the existing frameworks. The Special Issue also includes applications to physical, biological and engineering systems.
Quantifying the Effect Size of Exposure-Outcome Association Using δ-Score: Application to Environmental Chemical Mixture Studies
Authors: Midya Vishal , Liao Jiangang , Gennings Chris , Colicino Elena , Teitelbaum Susan L. , Wright Robert O. , Valvi Damaskini
Published: September 2022

Epidemiologists often study the associations between a set of exposures and multiple biologically relevant outcomes. However, the frequently used scale-and-context-dependent regression coefficients may not offer meaningful comparisons and could further complicate the interpretation if these outcomes do not have similar units. Additionally, when scaling up a hypothesis-driven study based on preliminary data, knowing how large to make the sample size is a major uncertainty for epidemiologists. Conventional p-value-based sample size calculations emphasize precision and might lead to a large sample size for small- to moderate-effect sizes. This asymmetry between precision and utility is costly and might lead to the detection of irrelevant effects. Here, we introduce the “δ-score” concept, by modifying Cohen’s f2. δ-score is scale independent and circumvents the challenges of regression coefficients. Further, under a new hypothesis testing framework, it quantifies the maximum Cohen’s f2 with certain optimal properties. We also introduced “Sufficient sample size”, which is the minimum sample size required to attain a δ-score. Finally, we used data on adults from a 2017–2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to demonstrate how the δ-score and sufficient sample size reduced the asymmetry between precision and utility by finding associations between mixtures of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and metals with serum high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Indirect Approach to Identify Girder Bridge Element Stiffness Based on Blind Source Separation
Authors: Yang Yang , Tan Xiaokun , Lu Huicheng , Xue Shangling , Wang Ruiqiong , Zhang Yao
Published: September 2022

The indirect method of using a passing vehicle to identify modal properties of a girder bridge has become attractive recently. Compared to the direct method, which requires a lot of sensors installed directly on the bridge itself, the indirect method only requires a single sensor installed on the vehicle to indirectly measure the response of the bridge. However, it is difficult to eliminate the adverse effect of road surface roughness. An indirect approach based on blind source separation is proposed for the first time in this study to identify the bridge element stiffness where two movable vehicles are used. Two identical vehicles stay at rest at the designated measurement points and their vertical accelerations are collected. After one measurement, the two vehicles move to other designated measurement points and the accelerations are collected again. The same procedure is repeated until the two vehicles have moved over all the designated measurement points. Then the blind source separation technique is employed to extract the fundamental mode shape of the bridge and the improved direct stiffness method is adopted to estimate the bridge element stiffness based on the collected data, which are used to monitor the health of the bridge structure and to maintain structure safety and natural symmetry. The proposed method only requires the output response of the vehicle due to the involvement of the blind separation technique. In addition, the proposed method can overcome the adverse effect of road surface roughness because the vehicles only move between two measurements and they stay at rest during one measurement. Numerical simulation was conducted to validate the proposed method, and the effect of various factors such as bridge damping ratio and measurement noise was investigated. Field measurement on Min-Xie bridge in Chongqing city was also carried out to further investigate the feasibility of the proposed method and showed that it can perform well in extracting the fundamental mode shape and evaluating bridge element stiffness.
Visualizing Bioabsorbable Spacer Effectiveness by Confirming the Distal-Tail of Carbon-Ion Beams: First-In-Human Report
Authors: Shiba Shintaro , Okamoto Masahiko , Sakai Makoto , Ohno Tatsuya
Published: September 2022

In particle therapy, bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) spacer was developed to reduce the healthy organ irradiation dose, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. The PGA spacer is safe and effective; however, there are no reports that have confirmed whether the PGA spacer which inserted in the body actually stops the carbon-ion (C-ion) beams. Here, we visualized and confirmed that the PGA spacer stops the C-ion beams in the body based on the dose distribution using auto-activation positron emission tomography (AAPET). A 59-year-old dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma patient underwent C-ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) on referral. A month before C-ion RT initiation, the patient underwent PGA spacer placement. Postoperatively, the patient received 4.4 Gy (RBE) per fraction of C-ion RT, followed by AAPET. AAPET revealed lower positron emitter concentrations at the distal tissue ventral to the PGA spacer than in the planning target volume. In observing the efficacy of the PGA spacer, the AAPET images and the average count per second of the positron emitter suggested that the PGA spacer stopped the C-ion beams in the body in accordance with the dose distribution. Therefore, AAPET was useful in confirming the PGA spacer’s effectiveness in this study, and the PGA spacer stopped the C-ion beams.
Homeostasis in the Gut Microbiota in Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Bhargava Shruti , Merckelbach Erik , Noels Heidi , Vohra Ashima , Jankowski Joachim
Published: September 2022

The gut microbiota consists of trillions of microorganisms, fulfilling important roles in metabolism, nutritional intake, physiology and maturation of the immune system, but also aiding and abetting the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The human gut microbiome consists of bacterial species from five major bacterial phyla, namely Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia. Alterations in the members of these phyla alter the total gut microbiota, with a decline in the number of symbiotic flora and an increase in the pathogenic bacteria, causing or aggravating CKD. In addition, CKD-associated alteration of this intestinal microbiome results in metabolic changes and the accumulation of amines, indoles and phenols, among other uremic metabolites, which have a feedforward adverse effect on CKD patients, inhibiting renal functions and increasing comorbidities such as atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). A classification of uremic toxins according to the degree of known toxicity based on the experimental evidence of their toxicity (number of systems affected) and overall experimental and clinical evidence was selected to identify the representative uremic toxins from small water-soluble compounds, protein-bound compounds and middle molecules and their relation to the gut microbiota was summarized. Gut-derived uremic metabolites accumulating in CKD patients further exhibit cell-damaging properties, damage the intestinal epithelial cell wall, increase gut permeability and lead to the translocation of bacteria and endotoxins from the gut into the circulatory system. Elevated levels of endotoxins lead to endotoxemia and inflammation, further accelerating CKD progression. In recent years, the role of the gut microbiome in CKD pathophysiology has emerged as an important aspect of corrective treatment; however, the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota contributes to CKD progression are still not completely understood. Therefore, this review summarizes the current state of research regarding CKD and the gut microbiota, alterations in the microbiome, uremic toxin production, and gut epithelial barrier degradation.
Improved Analytical Approach for Determination of Tropane Alkaloids in Leafy Vegetables Based on µ-QuEChERS Combined with HPLC-MS/MS
Authors: González-Gómez Lorena , Morante-Zarcero Sonia , Pereira Jorge A. M. , Câmara José S. , Sierra Isabel
Published: September 2022

This work presents an optimized methodology based on the miniaturization of the original QuEChERS (μ-QuEChERS) followed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for the determination of tropane alkaloids (TAs), atropine, and scopolamine in leafy vegetable samples. The analytical methodology was successfully validated, demonstrating quantitation limits (MQL) ≤ 2.3 ng/g, good accuracy, and precision, with recoveries between 90–100% and RSD ≤ 13% for both analytes. The method was applied to the analysis of TA-producing plants (Brugmansia versicolor, Solandra maxima, and Convolvulus arvensis). High concentrations of scopolamine were found in flowers (1771 mg/kg) and leaves (297 mg/kg) of B. versicolor. The highest concentration of atropine was found in flowers of S. maxima (10.4 mg/kg). Commercial mixed leafy vegetables contaminated with B. versicolor and S. maxima were analysed to verify the efficacy of the method, showing recoveries between 82 and 110% for both analytes. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of eighteen samples of leafy vegetables, finding atropine in three samples of mixed leafy vegetables, with concentrations of 2.7, 3.2, and 3.4 ng/g, and in nine samples with concentrations ≤MQL. In turn, scopolamine was only found in a sample of chopped Swiss chard with a concentration ≤MQL.