bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Heat Inactivation on the Physicochemical Properties of Milk Protein Hydrolysates
Authors: Gruppi Alice , Dermiki Maria , Spigno Giorgia , FitzGerald Richard J.
Published: February 2022

This study determined the physicochemical properties (apparent viscosity (ηapp), turbidity (A550nm), particle size and molecular mass distribution) of hydrolysates generated from whey protein concentrate (WPC), milk protein concentrate (MPC) and sodium caseinate (NaCN), following incubation with Debitrase HYW20™ and Prolyve™ at 50 °C, pH 7.0 for 1 and 4 h, before and after heat inactivation (80 °C for 10 min). The degree of hydrolysis (DH) increased with incubation time, giving values of 6.56%, 8.17% and 9.48%, following 1 h hydrolysis of WPC, MPC and NaCN with Debitrase HYW20™, and 12.04%, 15.74% and 17.78%, respectively, following 4 h incubation. These DHs were significantly higher compared to those obtained following 4 h incubation with Prolyve™. Hydrolysis with Debitrase HYW20™ gave >40% of peptides with molecular masses < 1 kDa for all substrates, which was higher than the value obtained following hydrolysis with Prolyve™. The effect of hydrolysis on the physicochemical properties was substrate dependent, since ηapp decreased in WPC and NaCN hydrolysates, particle size decreased for all the substrates, with aggregate formation for MPC, and turbidity decreased in WPC and MPC hydrolysates, while it increased in NaCN hydrolysates. The physical properties of the hydrolysates were influenced by the enzyme thermal inactivation step in a DH-dependent manner, with no significant effect on turbidity and viscosity for hydrolysates at higher DHs.
Influence of Production Factors on Beef Primal Tissue Composition
Authors: Sood Vipasha , Rodas-González Argenis , Lam Stephanie , López-Campos Óscar , Segura Jose , Schwinghamer Timothy , Dugan Michael , Basarab John , Aalhus Jennifer , Juárez Manuel
Published: February 2022

This study used 1076 crossbred steers to evaluate the effects of calf-fed and yearling-fed beef production systems, implant strategies (with and without implants), and their interactions on the primal tissue composition (lean and fat components) of individual primal cuts using complete carcass dissection data. The results indicate that production system × implant interactions affected loin and rib primal weight percentages as well as marbling (p < 0.05) but did not affect the dissectible lean and fat contents of the individual primal cut (p > 0.05). Implants increased lean and decreased fat tissue contents of primal cut; however, the production system only affected lean content in the loin (p < 0.05) and fat content in the loin, round, and rib (p < 0.05). Redundancy analysis revealed a strong association between Angus breed percentage and marbling, as well as between Simmental breed percentage and multiple primal lean traits. Response surface regression models explained less variability in the tissue composition traits in calf-fed compared with yearling-fed animals, suggesting the need for further exploration using genomic studies.
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG Survival and Quality Parameters in Kefir Produced from Kefir Grains and Natural Kefir Starter Culture
Authors: Yousefvand Amin , Huang Xin , Zarei Mehdi , Saris Per Erik Joakim
Published: February 2022

The study aimed to determine the effect of starter cultures (kefir grains and natural kefir starter culture without grains) on Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) survival and on the quality characteristics of kefir. To this end, the viability of probiotic L. rhamnosus GG strain and the rheological properties and quality parameters of kefir beverages were tested during storage over 21 days at 4 °C. The final LGG counts were 7.71 and 7.55 log cfu/mL in natural kefir starter culture and kefir grain, respectively. When prepared with probiotic bacteria, the syneresis values of kefir prepared using natural kefir starter culture was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of kefir made using grains. However, the viscosity indices, hysteresis loop, and dynamic moduli were similar between kefir made with natural kefir starter culture and other kefir formulations (p > 0.05). Moreover, all samples showed shear-thinning behavior. The flavor scores for kefir prepared using natural kefir starter culture were significantly higher than for the other samples (p < 0.05), but overall acceptability was similar at the 10-day assessment across both starters (with and without grain) after the addition of probiotic bacteria (p > 0.05). Overall, the results indicate that natural kefir starter culture could be a potential probiotic carrier.
How Healthy Are Non-Traditional Dietary Proteins? The Effect of Diverse Protein Foods on Biomarkers of Human Health
Authors: Bull Caroline , Belobrajdic Damien , Hamzelou Sara , Jones Darren , Leifert Wayne , Ponce-Reyes Rocío , Terefe Netsanet Shiferaw , Williams Gemma , Colgrave Michelle
Published: February 2022

Future food security for healthy populations requires the development of safe, sustainably-produced protein foods to complement traditional dietary protein sources. To meet this need, a broad range of non-traditional protein foods are under active investigation. The aim of this review was to evaluate their potential effects on human health and to identify knowledge gaps, potential risks, and research opportunities. Non-traditional protein sources included are algae, cereals/grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, insects, mycoprotein, nuts, oil seeds, and legumes. Human, animal, and in vitro data suggest that non-traditional protein foods have compelling beneficial effects on human health, complementing traditional proteins (meat/poultry, soy, eggs, dairy). Improvements in cardiovascular health, lipid metabolism, muscle synthesis, and glycaemic control were the most frequently reported improvements in health-related endpoints. The mechanisms of benefit may arise from their diverse range of minerals, macro- and micronutrients, dietary fibre, and bioactive factors. Many were also reported to have anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activity. Across all protein sources examined, there is a strong need for quality human data from randomized controlled intervention studies. Opportunity lies in further understanding the potential effects of non-traditional proteins on the gut microbiome, immunity, inflammatory conditions, DNA damage, cognition, and cellular ageing. Safety, sustainability, and evidence-based health research will be vital to the development of high-quality complementary protein foods that enhance human health at all life stages.
Maillard Reaction Induced Changes in Allergenicity of Food
Authors: Gou Jingkun , Liang Rui , Huang Houjin , Ma Xiaojuan
Published: February 2022

Food allergy is increasing in prevalence, posing aheavier social and financial burden. At present, there is still no widely accepted treatment for it. Methods to reduce or eliminate the allergenicity of trigger foods are urgently needed. Technological processing contributes to producing some hypoallergenic foods. Among the processing methods, the Maillard reaction (MR) is popular because neither special chemical materials nor sophisticated equipment is needed. MR may affect the allergenicity of proteins by disrupting the conformational epitope, disclosing the hidden epitope, masking the linear epitope, and/or forming a new epitope. Changes in the allergenicity of foods after processing are affected by various factors, such as the characteristics of the allergen, the processing parameters, and the processing matrix, and they are therefore variable and difficult to predict. This paper reviews the effects of MR on the allergenicity of each allergen group from common allergenic foods.
The Effect of Respiration, pH, and Citrate Co-Metabolism on the Growth, Metabolite Production and Enzymatic Activities of Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris E30
Authors: Ricciardi Annamaria , Storti Livia Vanessa , Giavalisco Marilisa , Parente Eugenio , Zotta Teresa
Published: February 2022

Leuconostoc mesenteroides includes strains used as starter and/or adjunct cultures for the production of several fermented foods. In this study, the effect of anaerobic and respiratory cultivations, as well as of citrate supplementation and different pH values, was evaluated on growth, biomass, metabolite, and enzymatic activities (pyruvate oxidase, POX; NADH-dependent oxidase, NOX; NADH-dependent peroxidase, NPR) of Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris E30. We compared the respiration-increased growth rate and biomass production of Leuc. mesenteroides E30 to anaerobic cultivation. A supplementation of citrate impaired the growth rate of the respiratory cells. As expected, anaerobic cultures did not consume oxygen, and a similar trend in oxygen uptake was observed in respiratory cultures. The aerobic incubation caused changes in the metabolic pattern, reducing the production of ethanol in favour of acetic acid. Citrate was already exhausted in the exponential phase and did not affect the yields in acetic acid and ethanol. NOX activity increased in the presence of oxygen, while catalase was also detected in the absence of hemin. The absence of H2O2 suggested its degradation by NPR and catalase. Respiratory cultivation provided benefits (increase in growth rate, biomass, and activity in antioxidant enzymes) for Leuc. mesenteroides E30. Therefore, the exploitation of respiratory phenotypes may be useful for the formulation of competitive starter or adjunct cultures.
Explainable Ensemble Machine Learning for Breast Cancer Diagnosis Based on Ultrasound Image Texture Features
Authors: Rezazadeh Alireza , Jafarian Yasamin , Kord Ali
Published: February 2022

Image classification is widely used to build predictive models for breast cancer diagnosis. Most existing approaches overwhelmingly rely on deep convolutional networks to build such diagnosis pipelines. These model architectures, although remarkable in performance, are black-box systems that provide minimal insight into the inner logic behind their predictions. This is a major drawback as the explainability of prediction is vital for applications such as cancer diagnosis. In this paper, we address this issue by proposing an explainable machine learning pipeline for breast cancer diagnosis based on ultrasound images. We extract first- and second-order texture features of the ultrasound images and use them to build a probabilistic ensemble of decision tree classifiers. Each decision tree learns to classify the input ultrasound image by learning a set of robust decision thresholds for texture features of the image. The decision path of the model predictions can then be interpreted by decomposing the learned decision trees. Our results show that our proposed framework achieves high predictive performance while being explainable.
DEATHSTAR—CO Envelope Size and Asymmetry of Nearby AGB Stars
Authors: Andriantsaralaza Miora , Vlemmings Wouter , Ramstedt Sofia , De Beck Elvire
Published: February 2022

Low- and intermediate-mass stars evolve into asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars near the end of their lives, losing mass through slow and massive winds. The ejected material creates a chemically-rich expanding envelope around the star, namely the circumstellar envelope (CSE). Investigating the anisotropy of the mass-loss phenomenon on the AGB is crucial in gaining a better understanding of the shaping of the CSE during the transition from AGB star to planetary nebula (PN). We investigate possible signs of deviation from spherical symmetry in the CO-emitting CSEs of 70 AGB stars by analysing their emission maps in CO J=2−1 and 3−2 observed with the Atacama Compact Array, as part of the DEATHSTAR project. We find that about one third of the sources are likely aspherical, as they exhibit large-scale asymmetries that are unlikely to have been created by a smooth wind. Further high-resolution observations would be necessary to investigate the nature of, and the physical processes behind, these asymmetrical structures.
The Modified eCura System for Identifying High-Risk Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer Resected by Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection
Authors: Nagao Kazuhiro , Ebi Masahide , Shimura Takaya , Yamada Tomonori , Hirata Yoshikazu , Iwai Tomohiro , Ozeki Takanori , Ohashi Wataru , Sugiyama Tomoya , Yamaguchi Yoshiharu , Adachi Kazunori , Izawa Shinya , Funaki Yasushi , Ogasawara Naotaka , Sasaki Makoto , Kataoka Hiromi , Kasugai Kunio
Published: February 2022

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is widely used for early gastric cancer (EGC) in patients without lymph node metastasis (LNM). Prediction of LNM after ESD is important to determine prognosis in patients with EGC. In this regard, the eCura system was applied to predict LNM after noncurative ESD for EGC. This study aimed to identify risk factors for LNM and improve the accuracy of the eCura system for predicting the risk of LNM after ESD. Methods: A total of 150 patients who underwent noncurative resection of EGC by ESD were retrospectively enrolled at five institutions in Japan. All patients underwent additional surgery with lymph node resection after ESD. The risk factors for LNM among clinicopathological parameters were examined and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff point for predicting high LNM risk using the modified eCura system. Results: Of 150 patients, 19 (13%) had LNM. In the multivariate analysis, lymphatic invasion, and tumor size >30 mm were independent risk factors for LNM. Using a cutoff score of ≥4 for predicting high risk based on the eCura system, the rate of LNM was significantly higher in the high-risk group (4–7 points) than in the low-risk group (0–3 points) (odds ratio 12.0, 95% confidence interval 3.7–54.2, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: An eCura score ≥4 may improve the prediction of LNM risk after ESD in patients with EGC in the intermediate-risk group (2–4 points) of the eCura system, suggesting better treatment strategies for patients. Further prospective and long-term follow-up studies are needed to validate the efficacy of the modified system.
Preparation and Evaluation of Chitosan/PVA Based Hydrogel Films Loaded with Honey for Wound Healing Application
Authors: Chopra Hitesh , Bibi Shabana , Kumar Sandeep , Khan Muhammad Saad , Kumar Pradeep , Singh Inderbir
Published: February 2022

In the present study, chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based honey hydrogel films were developed for potential wound healing application. The hydrogel films were developed by a solvent-casting method and were evaluated in terms of thickness, weight variation, folding endurance, moisture content and moisture uptake. The water vapor transmission rate was found to range between 1650.50 ± 35.86 and 2698.65 ± 76.29 g/m2/day. The tensile strength and elongation at break were found to range between 4.74 ± 0.83 and 38.36 ± 5.39 N, and 30.58 ± 3.64 and 33.51 ± 2.47 mm, respectively, indicating significant mechanical properties of the films. SEM images indicated smooth surface morphology of the films. FTIR, DSC and in silico analysis were performed, which highlighted the docking energies of the protein–ligand complex and binding interactions such as hydrogen bonding, Pi–Pi bonding, and Pi–H bonding between the selected compounds and target proteins; hence, we concluded, with the three best molecules (lumichrome, galagin and chitosan), that there was wound healing potential. In vitro studies pointed toward a sustained release of honey from the films. The antimicrobial performance of the films was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, the results signaled the potential application of chitosan/PVA based hydrogel films as wound dressings. Furthermore, in vivo experiments may be required to evaluate the clinical efficacy of honey-loaded chitosan/PVA hydrogel films in wound healing.
Preparation of NLCs-Based Topical Erythromycin Gel: In Vitro Characterization and Antibacterial Assessment
Authors: Zafar Ameeduzzafar , Imam Syed Sarim , Yasir Mohd , Alruwaili Nabil K. , Alsaidan Omar Awad , Warsi Musarrat Husain , Mir Najib Ullah Shehla Nasar , Alshehri Sultan , Ghoneim Mohammed M.
Published: February 2022

In the present study, erythromycin (EM)-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were prepared by the emulsification and ultra-sonication method. EM-NLCs were optimized by central composite design using the lipid (A), pluronic F127 (B) and sonication time (C) as independent variables. Their effects were evaluated on particle size (Y1) and entrapment efficiency (Y2). The optimized formulation (EM-NLCs-opt) showed a particle size of 169.6 ± 4.8 nm and entrapment efficiency of 81.7 ± 1.4%. EM-NLCs-opt further transformed into an in-situ gel system by using the carbopol 940 and chitosan blend as a gelling agent. The optimized EM-NLCs in situ gel (EM-NLCs-opt-IG4) showed quick gelation and were found to be stable for more than 24 h. EM-NLCs-opt-IG4 showed prolonged drug release compared to EM in situ gel. It also revealed significant high permeation (56.72%) and flux (1.51-fold) than EM in situ gel. The irritation and hydration study results depicted no damage to the goat cornea. HET-CAM results also confirmed its non-irritant potential (zero score). EM-NLCs-opt-IG4 was found to be isotonic and also showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher antimicrobial activity than EM in situ gel. The findings of the study concluded that NLCs laden in situ gel is an alternative delivery of erythromycin for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.
FYCO1 Frameshift Deletion in Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Dogs with Juvenile Cataract
Authors: Rudd Garces Gabriela , Christen Matthias , Loechel Robert , Jagannathan Vidhya , Leeb Tosso
Published: February 2022

Different breed-specific inherited cataracts have been described in dogs. In this study, we investigated an inbred family of Wirehaired Pointing Griffon dogs in which three offspring were affected by juvenile cataract. The pedigree suggested monogenic autosomal recessive inheritance of the trait. Whole-genome sequencing of an affected dog revealed 12 protein-changing variants that were not present in 566 control genomes, of which two were located in functional candidate genes, FYCO1 and CRYGB. Targeted genotyping of both variants in the investigated family excluded CRYGB and revealed perfect co-segregation of the FYCO1 variant with the juvenile cataract phenotype. This variant, FYCO1:c.2024delG, represents a 1 bp frameshift deletion predicted to truncate ~50% of the open reading frame p.(Ser675Thrfs*5). FYCO1 encodes the FYVE and coiled-coil domain autophagy adaptor 1, a known regulator of lens autophagy, which is required for the normal homeostasis in the eye. In humans, at least 37 pathogenic variants in FYCO1 have been shown to cause autosomal recessive cataract. Fcyo1−/− knockout mice also develop cataracts. Together with the current knowledge on FYCO1 variants and their functional impact in humans and mice, our data strongly suggest FYCO1:c.2024delG as a candidate causative variant for the observed juvenile cataract in Wirehaired Pointing Griffon dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of a FYCO1-related cataract in domestic animals.
Characterization of Mediterranean Durum Wheat for Resistance to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis
Authors: Laribi Marwa , Yahyaoui Amor Hassine , Abdedayem Wided , Kouki Hajer , Sassi Khaled , Ben M’Barek Sarrah
Published: February 2022

Tan spot (TS), caused by the fugus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr), has gained significant importance in the last few years, thereby representing a threat to wheat production in all major wheat-growing regions, including Tunisia. In this context, we evaluated a Mediterranean collection of 549 durum wheat accessions under field conditions for resistance to Ptr over two cropping seasons in Jendouba (Tunisia), a hot spot for Ptr. The relative disease severities showed significant phenotypic variation from resistance to susceptibility. The correlation between disease scores over the two trials was significant, as 50% of the accessions maintained good levels of resistance (resistant–moderately resistant). Seedling and adult-stage reactions were significantly correlated. The ANOVA analysis revealed that the genotype term is highly significant at the adult stage, thus emphasizing the high genetic variability of the tested accessions. Reaction-type comparison among and between countries revealed a high diversity of TS resistance. Plant height (PH) was negatively correlated to disease scores, indicating that PH might either have a significant effect on TS severity or that it can be a potential disease escape trait. The evaluation of this collection allowed for the identification of potential diverse resistance sources to Ptr that can be incorporated in breeding programs.
A Concise Appraisal of Cameroon’s Hazard Risk Profile: Multi-Hazard Inventories, Causes, Consequences and Implications for Disaster Management
Authors: Bang Henry Ngenyam
Published: February 2022

The paucity of a comprehensive document on Cameroon’s hazard/disaster risk profile is a limitation to the country wide risk assessment and adequate disaster resilience. This article narrows this gap by retrospectively exploring Cameroon’s hazard/disaster profile. This has been achieved through an investigative approach that applies a set of qualitative methods to derive and articulate an inventory and analysis of hazards/disasters in Cameroon. The findings indicate that Cameroon has a wide array and high incidence/frequency of hazards that have had devastating consequences. The hazards have been structured along four profiles: a classification of all hazard types plaguing Cameroon into natural, potentially socio-natural, technological, and social and anthropogenic hazards; occurrence/origin of the hazards; their impacts/effects to the ‘at risk’ communities/populace and potential disaster management or mitigation measures. In-depth analysis indicate that natural hazards have the lowest frequency but the potential to cause the highest fatalities in a single incident; potentially socio-natural hazards affect the largest number of people and the widest geographical areas, technological hazards have the highest frequency of occurrence; while social/anthropogenic hazards are the newest in the country but have caused the highest population displacement. Arguably, the multi-hazard/disaster inventory presented in this article serves as a vital preliminary step to a more comprehensive profile of Cameroon’s disaster risk profile.
Defining the Boundary Conditions for Seismic Response Analysis—A Practical Review of Some Widely-Used Codes
Authors: Chiaradonna Anna
Published: February 2022

The first step for learning any calculation code for seismic response analysis is an adequate understanding of how to properly set the boundary conditions and the properties of the soil model at the initial stage, i.e., before the shaking event. To pursue this aim, nine different computer codes suitable for seismic response analyses of soil profiles have been reviewed. An ideal twenty-meter soil column with visco-elastic linear behavior, subjected to a pulse-like input motion, has been reproduced with the different codes with the scope to practically show the differences and peculiarities of each of them. In the definition of the soil properties in the small-strain range, special attention has been devoted to the definition of the damping ratio, usually defined in non-linear codes as viscous damping according to the Rayleigh formulation. This simple one-dimensional exercise has been considered as a useful benchmark for verifying the rightness of the application of the boundary conditions and setting the initial soil properties. The same analysis can be easily reproduced by beginner users and, therefore, constitutes a starting point in the learning phase of new and/or more sophisticated 2D and 3D calculation codes for seismic site response analysis.
Editorial of the Special Issue “Geomorphology, Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism in Volcanic Areas”
Authors: Dóniz-Páez Javier
Published: February 2022

Volcanic landscapes represent very attractive sites for the population, and offer many resources to the communities that live within them (soils, materials, energy, and tourism) (Figure 1) [...]
Assessing the Costs of Home Palliative Care in Italy: Results for a Demetra Multicentre Study
Authors: Scaccabarozzi Gianlorenzo , Crippa Matteo , Amodio Emanuele , Pellegrini Giacomo
Published: February 2022

Background: The sustainability of palliative care services is nowadays crucial inasmuch as resources for palliative care are internationally scarce, the funding environment is competitive, and the potential population is growing. Methods: The DEMETRA study is a multicentre prospective observational study, describing the intensity of care and the related costs of palliative home care pathways. Results: 475 patients were enrolled as recipients of specialized palliative home care. The majority of recipients were cancer patients (89.4%). The mean duration of palliative care pathways was 46.6 days and mean home care intensity coefficient equal to 0.6. The average daily cost of the model with the reference variables is 96.26 euros. Factors statistically significantly associated with an increase in mean daily costs were greater dependence and extreme frailty (p < 0.05). Otherwise, a longer duration of treatment course was associated with a significant decrease in mean daily costs (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In terms of clinical and organizational management, considering the close association with the intensity and cost of the path, frailty should be systematically assessed by all facilities that potentially refer patients to home palliative care teams, and it should be carefully recorded in a standardized payment rate perspective.
Five Qualitative Research Concepts Grounded in Anthropological Methods for Teaching Design in Healthcare
Authors: Miranda Constanza , Goñi Julián , Labruto Nicole
Published: February 2022

Biomedical engineering, engineering, and design in health programs around the world have involved human-centered design as part of their undergraduate curriculum. The disparities evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid developments of biotech startups have highlighted the importance of preparing professionals in the health areas for undertaking rigorous, empathetic, and ethical research. In addition to working with human-driven information, students in the health areas are challenged to deal with technical developments that involve legal and ethical concerns deeply rooted in sociopolitical issues and human rights. Concerned with how to achieve a better understanding of behavior in designing for healthcare, this article describes the rationale behind teaching qualitative research in healthcare for biomedical engineering and engineering design education. Through portraying different healthcare designs resulting from an engineering design course, it describes the instruction of qualitative-driven concepts taught to biomedical engineering, design, and premed undergraduate students. Using a design-based research approach, we look to increase the chances of adoption of the presented qualitative research concepts in educational design in health programs. We deliver five tested research tools that better prepare students to carry out more rigorous, respectful, and aware qualitative research in health areas for the development of novel solutions.
Association between Oral Contraceptive Use and the High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Level in Premenopausal Korean Women
Authors: Park Hyejin
Published: February 2022

Although oral contraceptives (OCs) are widely used, few national epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between OC use and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in Korean women. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with data from the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In the sample of 5332 premenopausal women aged ≥19 years, hs-CRP concentrations were 1.087 mg/L among OC users and 0.953 mg/L among OC non-users. After adjustment for confounders, OC users had an increased likelihood of having risky (>1.0 mg/L) hs-CRP levels (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25–1.98) compared with OC non-users. In addition, the aOR for high-risk (>3.0 mg/L) hs-CRP levels in OC users compared with non-users was 1.51 (95% CI, 1.06–2.16). These findings demonstrate that OC use alters the concentration of hs-CRP, a biomarker of chronic low-grade inflammation, and suggest that long-term OC use is a risk factor in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.
Shortening the Vegetative Growth Stage of Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ by Controlling Light with Calcium Ammonium Nitrate Levels under Enriched CO2
Authors: Cho Ah Ram , Chung Sun Woo , Kim Yoon Jin
Published: February 2022

The vegetative growth, photosynthetic, and stomatal characteristics were investigated in Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ to determine light’s influence with calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) levels under 800 μmol·mol−1 CO2. Two lights (150 ± 20 and 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1) and CAN levels were employed for 40 weeks: calcium, ammonium, and nitrate levels by 0.90, 0.55, and 2.97 mmol·L−1 (CAN1), 8.63, 1.11, and 6.05 mmol·L−1 (CAN2), 12.80, 1.72, and 9.13 mmol·L−1 (CAN3), and 18.80, 2.27, and 12.20 mmol·L−1 (CAN4), respectively. The number of leaves increased in the plants grown at 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 with CAN1 compared to control. Plants grown at 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 with CAN4 had the lowest number of leaves among all plants. The time to the mature leaf span decreased in the plants grown at 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 with CAN1. The net CO2 uptake was higher in the plants grown at 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 than those grown at 150 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 with CAN1–3 conditions. The water-use efficiency is higher in the plants grown with CAN1 than those with CAN2–4 at 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1. The maximum stomatal aperture was the largest in the plants grown at 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 with CAN1–2 among all plants. Consequently, light levels of 300 ± 20 μmol·m−2·s−1 in Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ must be accompanied by nutrient CAN1 to improve photosynthesis and stomatal activity and promote leaf growth under 800 μmol·mol−1 CO2 conditions.
Effects of Biogenic ZnO Nanoparticles on Growth, Physiological, Biochemical Traits and Antioxidants on Olive Tree In Vitro
Authors: Regni Luca , Del Buono Daniele , Micheli Maurizio , Facchin Simona Lucia , Tolisano Ciro , Proietti Primo
Published: February 2022

Currently, there is an increasing interest in nanotechnology, since some nanomaterials can enhance crop growth, yield, nutritional status, and antioxidant defences. This work aimed to investigate for the first time the influence of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the in vitro growth and biochemical parameters of the olive tree (cv. Moraiolo). With this goal, biogenic ZnO-NPs (spherical shape and dimensions in the range of 10–20 nm), deriving from a green synthesis carried out with a Lemna minor L. extract were used. Different concentrations (0, 2, 6 and 18 mg L−1) of ZnO-NPs were added to the olive growth medium (OM substrate), and three sub-cultures of 45 days each were carried out. ZnO-NPs at 6 and 18 mg L−1 enhanced some growth parameters in the olive tree explants, such as the number of shoots, green fresh and total dry weight. Moreover, the abovementioned concentrations raised the chlorophyll a and b content and soluble protein. Finally, concerning the dosage applied, the treatments stimulated the content of carotenoids, anthocyanins, total phenol content (TPC), and the radical scavenging activity towards DPPH (2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). In conclusion, this study highlighted that biogenic ZnO-NPs exerted beneficial effects on the olive tree explants in vitro, improving the effectiveness of the micropropagation technique.
Membrane Fatty Acids and Physiological Disorders in Cold-Stored ‘Golden Delicious’ Apples Treated with 1-MCP and Calcium Chloride
Authors: Antunes Maria Dulce , Guimarães Ana Clara , Gago Custódia , Guerreiro Adriana , Panagopoulos Jorge , Vilas Boas Eduardo , Miguel Maria Graça
Published: February 2022

The present research intents to study skin fatty acids and physiological disorders developed during cold storage in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples treated with 1-MCP and calcium. Harvested fruits were treated with calcium chloride (Ca), 1-MCP (MCP), Ca + MCP or no treatment (control) and then subjected to cold storage at 0.5 °C for 6 months. Fatty acids’ composition, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the physiological disorders bitter pit (BP), superficial scald and diffuse skin browning (DSB) were measured at harvest and after storage plus 7 days of shelf-life at room temperature ≈22 °C. Palmitic acid decreased and linoleic acid increased over time, while oleic and stearic acids had few changes. Generally, unsaturated/saturated fatty acids and MDA increased over the storage period. Treatment with Ca showed that, at the end of the experiment, the lowest MDA values and the highest unsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio were mainly due to higher linoleic and lower palmitic acids concentrations, which are coincident with less severe BP. There was no clear correlation between the measured fatty acids (palmitic, linoleic, oleic and stearic), unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acids ratio or MDA with chilling skin physiological disorders. Further research is needed to clarify the changes in membrane properties and the effect of some treatments in response to chilling injury during storage.
Newly Sedentary Lanoh and the Communal Challenge: A Critical Commentary on Anarchist Anthropology
Authors: Dallos Csilla
Published: February 2022

Discussions of anarchic solidarity in relation to rainforest foragers have resulted in important insights into the sociality of such groups. However, whether anarchic solidarity prevails under the circumstances of regroupment and resettlement resulting in unprecedented communal projects has not been adequately addressed. These communal projects present new challenges to the social and community organization of previously mobile foragers. This article examines the extent to which newly sedentary Lanoh forager-traders of northern Perak, Malaysia, continue to display “cooperative autonomy”, a construct capturing both anarchist aspirations and key aspects of the sociality of egalitarian hunter-gatherers. This study suggests that though foragers such as Lanoh may superficially share attributes associated with anarchic solidarity, they profoundly differ from anarchists in their attitudes toward authority and cooperation. While ideological anarchism is clearly counter-dominant, the same cannot always be said about egalitarian foragers. We may conclude from this research that “cooperative autonomy” is still insufficiently understood and does not grant an assumptive blanket application across contexts. To promote our understanding of the sociality of small-scale societies, this construct requires further scrutiny and development.
Registry Systems for COVID-19 Vaccines and Rate of Acceptability for Vaccination Before and After Availability of Vaccines in 12 Countries: A Narrative Review
Authors: Papagiannis Dimitrios , Malli Foteini , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I.
Published: February 2022

Registry systems play a key role in promoting vaccination campaigns in the general population. In the present narrative review, we provide data from 12 12 countries for vaccination acceptance before the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination coverage once it is available. We selected a randomized representative sample of 12 countries from WHO regions and 194 total members by the Open Epi Random Program. We observed the results with different levels of vaccine acceptability between the studies that were performed before the availability of a vaccine against COVID-19 and the vaccination coverage after the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. All the registry systems that were developed for the recent pandemic achieved the initial functional goals. Twelve months after the vaccination campaign has begun, varying results were reported for vaccination coverage against COVID-19 vaccines with rates as high as 98% (subjects with at least one dose of vaccine) in the United Arabic Emirates, and as low as 24% in South Africa. The United Arabic Emirates stood as the leader of the world with the highest number of vaccinations 88% fully vaccinated citizens followed by Canada with 80% fully vaccinated citizens. The available data suggest that vaccine registry systems could help increase vaccination coverage and aim in the control of future outbreaks.
Offspring Education and Parents’ Health Inequality in China: Evidence from Spillovers of Education Reform
Authors: Zhang Youlu , Zhang Li , Li Fulian , Deng Liqian , Cai Jiaoli , Yu Linyue
Published: February 2022

In the context of a rapidly aging population, improving the parents’ health outcomes, especially in parents with poorer health, is essential for narrowing elderly health inequality. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we took the university enrollment expansion policy as the instrumental variable and employed the two-stage least square (2SLS) and instrumental variable quantile regression (IVQR) approaches to explore the spillovers of offspring education on the elderly parents’ frailty index. The results show that one additional year of offspring educational attainment was associated with a 0.017 or 4.66% decline in the parents’ frailty index. These spillovers are stronger where parents are cohabiting with their children than when separating (more than 2 times higher). Moreover, there is substantial heterogeneity that is determined by the gender of parents. The spillover on mothers is greater than that on fathers. Further analysis of a cohort of parents with different frailty indexes reveals that the upward spillovers of offspring education on parents’ health are non-linear and non-averaged. The spillovers may diminish as parents own health improves. These spillovers suppress the “Matthew Effect”, which can lead to the further widening of health inequality.
Assessment of Zoonotic Risk following Diagnosis of Canine Tularemia in a Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
Authors: Johnson Lynelle R. , Epstein Steven E. , Dear Jonathan D. , Byrne Barbara A.
Published: February 2022

Tularemia is a rare zoonotic disease found worldwide. The agent responsible for disease, Francisella tularensis, is one of the most highly infectious pathogens known, one that is capable of causing life-threatening illness with inhalation of <50 organisms. High infectivity explains concerns of its use in bioterrorism. This case describes a 4-year-old male neutered Australian shepherd presented for evaluation of hyporexia and fever. Physical examination revealed marked enlargement of the right superficial cervical lymph node. Tularemia lymphadenitis was diagnosed by lymph node aspiration cytology and culture. Public health officials were advised of the isolation of this zoonotic pathogen, and contact tracing was instituted. Seven individuals associated with the aspiration event were screened for tularemia and treated with prophylactic ciprofloxacin. All were negative, and none became sick. The dog was treated with doxycycline for 3 weeks, and clinical signs and physical examination abnormalities were resolved fully. The owner, a solid organ transplant recipient, was also screened for disease and received prophylactic doxycycline due to a history of shared exposure. The owner remained well throughout the course of his dog’s disease and has heightened awareness of potential zoonoses. This case highlights the importance of animals as a sentinel for human health threats and for coordination of human and veterinary care.
An Efficient Deep Learning Model to Detect COVID-19 Using Chest X-ray Images
Authors: Chakraborty Somenath , Murali Beddhu , Mitra Amal K.
Published: February 2022

The tragic pandemic of COVID-19, due to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus-2 or SARS-CoV-2, has shaken the entire world, and has significantly disrupted healthcare systems in many countries. Because of the existing challenges and controversies to testing for COVID-19, improved and cost-effective methods are needed to detect the disease. For this purpose, machine learning (ML) has emerged as a strong forecasting method for detecting COVID-19 from chest X-ray images. In this paper, we used a Deep Learning Method (DLM) to detect COVID-19 using chest X-ray (CXR) images. Radiographic images are readily available and can be used effectively for COVID-19 detection compared to other expensive and time-consuming pathological tests. We used a dataset of 10,040 samples, of which 2143 had COVID-19, 3674 had pneumonia (but not COVID-19), and 4223 were normal (not COVID-19 or pneumonia). Our model had a detection accuracy of 96.43% and a sensitivity of 93.68%. The area under the ROC curve was 99% for COVID-19, 97% for pneumonia (but not COVID-19 positive), and 98% for normal cases. In conclusion, ML approaches may be used for rapid analysis of CXR images and thus enable radiologists to filter potential candidates in a time-effective manner to detect COVID-19.
A Scoping Review of Drug Epidemic Models
Authors: Wang Wei , Lu Sifen , Tang Haoxiang , Wang Biao , Sun Caiping , Zheng Pai , Bai Yi , Lu Zuhong , Kang Yulin
Published: February 2022

The phenomenon of drug epidemics has been a global issue in the past decades, causing enormous damages to the physical and mental health of drug users and social well-being. Despite great efforts to curb drug epidemics at the governmental or social level, the total number of drug users has still been on the rise in recent years, along with illicit production and trafficking around the world. Inspired by dynamical epidemic models of infectious disease, a flourishment of promising results has been observed in the exploration of drug epidemic models. In this review, we aim to provide a scoping review of all existing drug epidemic modeling studies, and it has been shown that most studies focused on analyses of theoretical behaviors of the model systems, lacking emphasis on practical applications in real settings. We found that the drug epidemic models were characterized by a longer time scale, no incubation period, no significant prevention vaccines interfered, and population specificity. This review could assist policymakers and public health workers in gaining deeper insights into modeling tools, and help modelers improve their works, thus narrowing gaps between mathematical epidemiology and public health studies.
Pilot Feasibility Study of a Hospital-Based Post-Natal Educational Intervention on New Mothers in a BFHI-Compliant Tertiary Referral Center for Neonatal Care
Authors: Consales Alessandra , Colombo Lorenzo , Zanotta Lidia , Morniroli Daniela , Sannino Patrizio , Rampini Serena , Piccoli Giulia , Donghi Michaela , Marchisio Paola , Mosca Fabio , Plevani Laura , Giannì Maria Lorella
Published: February 2022

The immediate post-partum period offers a valuable opportunity for parental education on various health topics. The aim of this study was to pilot test the feasibility in a tertiary referral center for neonatal care of a post-natal educational intervention (the Diary) designed to provide mothers with basic information concerning newborn care and breastfeeding. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate its effect on exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge and at 48 h post-discharge, and on maternal perceived support during hospital stay, compared to standard care. A single-center two-phase interventional study was carried out from 1 December 2018 to 2 June 2019. The Diary was given to mothers enrolled in Phase 2, together with the Nurse–Parent Support Tool (NPST). The Diary–NPST couples analyzed were 269. The Diaries filled out and returned were 62.2%. Overall, mothers rated the information received through the Diary as “clear and comprehensive”. Exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge resulted in being higher in Phase 1 than in Phase 2 (80.6% vs. 72.5%, p = 0.04), whereas no difference emerged in terms of exclusive breastfeeding rates at 48 h. In both phases, the median NPST total score (4.05) was high. In conclusion, we propose a new instrument of in-hospital post-natal maternal education and, in line with the current literature, we support well-designed written educational materials to promote mothers’ knowledge and satisfaction with post-partum hospital assistance. Further studies that are multicentric and with a longer follow-up period are needed to evaluate the potential impact of the Diary on exclusive breastfeeding duration.
Predictive Factors of HIV-1 Drug Resistance and Its Distribution among Female Sex Workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Authors: Musema Godefroid Mulakilwa Ali , Akilimali Pierre Zalagile , za Balega Takaisi Kikuni Ntonbo , Tshala-Katumbay Désiré , Lusamba Paul-Samson Dikasa
Published: February 2022

The predictive factors of HIV-1 drug resistance and its distribution are poorly documented in female sex workers (FSWs) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). However, the identification of predictive factors can lead to the development of improved and effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). The objective of the current study was to determine the predictive factors of HIV-1 drug resistance and its distribution based on FSWs in the studied regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). HIV-positive FSWs who were diagnosed as part of the DRC Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (IBBS) were included in this study. A total of 325 FSWs participated. The HIV-1 viral load (VL) was measured according to the Abbott m2000sp and m2000rt protocols. The homogeneity chi-square test was conducted to determine the homogeneity of HIV-1 drug resistance distribution. Using a significance level of 0.05, multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with HIV-1 drug resistance to ART. HIV drug resistance mutation (HIVDRM) distribution was homogeneous in the three study regions (p = 0.554) but differed based on the HIV-1 VLs of the FSWs. FSWs with high HIV-1 VLs harbored more HIVDRMs (p = 0.028) of predominantly pure HIV-1 strains compared with those that had low HIV-1 VLs. Sexually transmitted infection (STI) history (aOR [95%CI] = 8.51 [1.62, 44.74]), high HIV-1 VLs (aOR [95%CI] = 5.39 [1.09, 26.74]), and HIV-1–syphilis coinfection (aOR [95%CI] = 9.71 [1.84, 51.27]) were associated with HIV drug resistance among FSWs in the DRC. A history of STIs (e.g., abnormal fluid) in the 12 months prior to the survey, a high HIV-1 VL, and HIV-1–syphilis coinfection were associated with HIV-1 drug resistance among FSWs in the DRC. Efforts should be made to systematically test for other infections which increase the HIV-1 VL, in the case of HIV-1 coinfection, in order to maintain ART effectiveness across the DRC.