bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cerebral hemodynamics and optic nerve sheath diameter acquired via neurosonology in critical patients with severe coronavirus disease: experience of a national referral hospital in Peru
Authors: Heredia-Orbegoso Omar , Vences Miguel A. , Failoc-Rojas Virgilio E. , Fernández-Merjildo Diana , Lainez-Chacon Richard H. , Villamonte Renán
Published: May 2024

Aim

We aimed to describe the neurosonological findings related to cerebral hemodynamics acquired using transcranial Doppler and to determine the frequency of elevated ICP by optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement in patients with severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a national referral hospital in Peru.

Methods

We included a retrospective cohort of adult patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure within the first 7 days of mechanical ventilation under deep sedoanalgesia, with or without neuromuscular blockade who underwent ocular ultrasound and transcranial Doppler. We determine the frequency of elevated ICP by measuring the diameter of the optic nerve sheath, choosing as best cut-off value a diameter equal to or >5.8 mm. We also determine the frequency of sonographic patterns obtained by transcranial Doppler. Through insonation of the middle cerebral artery. Likewise, we evaluated the associations of clinical, mechanical ventilator, and arterial blood gas variables with ONSD ≥5.8 mm and pulsatility index (PI) ≥1.1. We also evaluated the associations of hemodynamic findings and ONSD with mortality the effect size was estimated using Poisson regression models with robust variance.

Results

This study included 142 patients. The mean age was 51.39 ± 13.3 years, and 78.9% of patients were male. Vasopressors were used in 45.1% of patients, and mean arterial pressure was 81.87 ± 10.64 mmHg. The mean partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was elevated (54.08 ± 16.01 mmHg). Elevated intracranial pressure was seen in 83.1% of patients, as estimated based on ONSD ≥5.8 mm. A mortality rate of 16.2% was reported. In the multivariate analysis, age was associated with elevated ONSD (risk ratio [RR] = 1.07). PaCO2 was a protective factor (RR = 0.64) in the cases of PI ≥ 1.1. In the mortality analysis, the mean velocity was a risk factor for mortality (RR = 1.15).

Conclusions

A high rate of intracranial hypertension was reported, with ONSD measurement being the most reliable method for estimation. The increase in ICP measured by ONSD in patients with severe COVID-19 on mechanical ventilation is not associated to hypercapnia or elevated intrathoracic pressures derived from protective mechanical ventilation.
Causal association of plasma circulating metabolites with nephritis: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Shao Fengling , Yao Yingling , Weng Dunchu , Wang Runzhi , Liu Ruiling , Zhang Yongjia , Li Erhan , Wang Mengdi , Tang Yuewu , Ding Yubin , Xie Yajun
Published: May 2024

Background

Nephritis is a pivotal catalyst in chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. Although epidemiological studies have explored the impact of plasma circulating metabolites and drugs on nephritis, few have harnessed genetic methodologies to establish causal relationships.

Methods

Through Mendelian randomization (MR) in two substantial cohorts, spanning large sample sizes, we evaluated over 100 plasma circulating metabolites and 263 drugs to discern their causal effects on nephritis risk. The primary analytical tool was the inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis. Our bioinformatic scrutiny of GSE115857 (IgA nephropathy, 86 samples) and GSE72326 (lupus nephritis, 238 samples) unveiled anomalies in lipid metabolism and immunological characteristics in nephritis. Thorough sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO, leave-one-out analysis) were undertaken to verify the instrumental variables’ (IVs) assumptions.

Results

Unique lipoprotein-related molecules established causal links with diverse nephritis subtypes. Notably, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) emerged as a protective factor for acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) (OR1 = 0.84, [95% CI 0.78–0.90], p1 = 0.013; OR2 = 0.89, [95% CI 0.82–0.97], p2 = 0.007). Conversely, multivitamin supplementation minus minerals notably increased the risk of ATIN (OR = 31.25, [95% CI 9.23–105.85], p = 0.004). Reduced α-linolenic acid (ALA) levels due to lipid-lowering drugs were linked to both ATIN (OR = 4.88, [95% CI 3.52–6.77], p < 0.001) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) (OR = 7.52, [95% CI 2.78–20.30], p = 0.042). While the non-renal drug indivina showed promise for TIN treatment, the use of digoxin, hydroxocobalamin, and liothyronine elevated the risk of chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis (CTIN). Transcriptome analysis affirmed that anomalous lipid metabolism and immune infiltration are characteristic of IgA nephropathy and lupus nephritis. The robustness of these causal links was reinforced by sensitivity analyses and leave-one-out tests, indicating no signs of pleiotropy.

Conclusion

Dyslipidemia significantly contributes to nephritis development. Strategies aimed at reducing plasma low-density lipoprotein levels or ALA supplementation may enhance the efficacy of existing lipid-lowering drug regimens for nephritis treatment. Renal functional status should also be judiciously considered with regard to the use of nonrenal medications.
Association between homocysteine and blood pressure in the NHANES 2003–2006: the mediating role of Vitamin C
Authors: Wu Peng , Ma Juan , Yang Shaobin , Wu Hailiang , Ma Xueping , Chen Dapeng , Jia Shaobin , Yan Ning
Published: May 2024

Background

The yearly escalation in hypertension prevalence signifies a noteworthy public health challenge. Adhering to a nutritious diet is crucial for enhancing the quality of life among individuals managing hypertension. However, the relationship between vitamin C and hypertension, as well as homocysteine, remains unclear.

Objective

The primary aim of this investigation was to scrutinize the potential mediating role of Vitamin C in the association between homocysteine levels and blood pressure, utilizing data extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database.

Methods

A total of 7,327 participants from the NHANES 2003–2006 were enrolled in this cross-sectional survey. The main information was obtained using homocysteine, Vitamin C, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between homocysteine, SBP, DBP and vitamin C. Linear regression analysis was utilized to determine the β value (β) along with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Mediation analysis was performed to investigate whether the relationship between homocysteine and blood pressure was mediated by Vitamin C, and to quantify the extent to which Vitamin C contributed to this association.

Results

The results manifested that the homocysteine was positively associated with SBP (r = 0.24, p < 0.001) and DBP (r = 0.03, p < 0.05), while negatively correlated with Vitamin C (r = −0.008, p < 0.001). Vitamin C was found to be negatively associated with SBP (r = −0.03, p < 0.05) and DBP (r = 0.11, p < 0.001). Mediation effect analysis revealed that a partial mediation (indirect effect: 0.0247[0.0108–0.0455], p < 0.001) role accounting for 11.5% of total effect, among homocysteine and SBP. However, the mediating effect of Vitamin C between homocysteine and DBP was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Hypertension patients should pay attention to homocysteine and Vitamin C level. What is more, hypertension patients ought to formulate interventions for Vitamin C supplementation as well as homocysteine reduce strategies to lower blood pressure.
Novel foods, food enzymes, and food additives derived from food by-products of plant or animal origin: principles and overview of the EFSA safety assessment
Authors: Precup Gabriela , Marini Eleonora , Zakidou Panagiota , Beneventi Elisa , Consuelo Civitella , Fernández-Fraguas Cristina , Garcia Ruiz Esther , Laganaro Marcello , Magani Maura , Mech Agnieszka , Noriega Fernandez Estefania , Nuin Garciarena Irene , Rodriguez Fernandez Pablo , Roldan Torres Ruth , Rossi Annamaria , Ruggeri Laura , Suriano Francesco , Ververis Ermolaos , Liu Yi , Smeraldi Camilla , Germini Andrea
Published: May 2024

The European Union (EU) is committed to transitioning toward a circular economy model, with food waste being one of the areas to be targeted. To close the loop of food waste generated during food processing and discarded at the retail or consumption phases, research and innovation parties proposed to valorize agro-food by-products to produce novel foods and food improvement agents (food additives, food enzymes, and food flavorings). In the EU, the authorization of such novel foods and food improvement agents is governed by different regulatory frameworks. A centralized safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the prerequisite for their authorization through the so-called Union Lists. Up to December 2023, EFSA published 45 scientific opinions on the safety of novel foods, food enzymes, and food additives derived from by-products of plant and animal origin. The current study illustrates examples of these by-products for the production of novel foods or food improvement agents and the data requirements behind their respective safety assessments conducted by EFSA. In this review, applications on novel foods, food enzymes, and food additives received by EFSA were screened and analyzed to find the common scientific requirements and differences in terms of the safety evaluation of such products. Various by-products (i.e., corncobs, coffee husks, spent grains of barley and rice, grape pomace, pumpkin peels, bovine whey, eggshells, shrimp heads, and animal organs or tissues) were described in the applications as being processed (extraction, physical treatments, and chemical and enzymatic reactions) to obtain novel foods and food improvement agents. The heterogeneity and complexity of these products emphasize the challenge of their safety assessment, depending on the characteristics of each product. However, as this study shows, the scientific requirements underpinning their safety do not differ substantially in the different regulated product areas considered, with similar information needed to assess their safety in terms of identity, production process, compositional characterization, proposed/intended uses and exposure assessment, toxicological information, and allergenicity data. Additional nutritional information and data on the history of use are required in the case of novel foods.
Case report: ‘Atypical Richter transformation from CLL-type monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis into Burkitt lymphoma in a treatment naïve patient’
Authors: Jauch Annaïse J. , Alborelli Ilaria , Reusser Andreas , Baschong Albert , Rütsche Cyrill , Bignucolo Olivier , Passweg Jakob , Dirnhofer Stefan , Krasniqi Fatime
Published: May 2024

Background

Richter transformation refers to the progression of an initially slow-growing small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SLL/CLL) into an aggressive lymphoma, typically diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or Hodgkin lymphoma.

Case presentation

The patient presented with a rapid onset of localized cervical swelling, accompanied by monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis displaying a CLL immunophenotype. The histopathological analysis identified a Burkitt lymphoma (BL) located in the submandibular gland and adjacent lymph node. The patient’s bone marrow displayed a minor infiltration of monoclonal B-cells with a CLL immunophenotype (< 10%). Molecular analysis demonstrated the presence of the same monoclonal rearrangement in the framework region (FR3 region) of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) locus. High-throughput sequencing of the immunoglobulin heavy and light chains also confirmed the presence of the same rearrangement in SLL/CLL and in the Burkitt lymphoma sample, but also highlighted the presence of a second rearrangement in the Burkitt lymphoma cells, not shared with the SLL/CLL cells in the bone marrow. The patient was treated with DA-EPOCH-R, which lead to a complete metabolic response.

Conclusion

This report provides an exceptionally rare description of a CLL-type monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis transforming into a very aggressive Burkitt lymphoma in a treatment naïve patient.
A biochemical feedback signal for hypothermia treatment for neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy: focusing on central nervous system proteins in biofluids
Authors: Lv Hongyan , Wang Qiuli , Liu Fang , Jin Linhong , Ren Pengshun , Li Lianxiang
Published: May 2024

Hypothermia has been widely used to treat moderate to severe neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), yet evaluating the effects of hypothermia relies on clinical neurology, neuroimaging, amplitude-integrated electroencephalography, and follow-up data on patient outcomes. Biomarkers of brain injury have been considered for estimating the effects of hypothermia. Proteins specific to the central nervous system (CNS) are components of nervous tissue, and once the CNS is damaged, these proteins are released into biofluids (cerebrospinal fluid, blood, urine, tears, saliva), and they can be used as markers of brain damage. Clinical reports have shown that CNS-specific marker proteins (CNSPs) were early expressed in biofluids after brain damage and formed unique biochemical profiles. As a result, these markers may serve as an indicator for screening brain injury in infants, monitoring disease progression, identifying damage region of brain, and assessing the efficacy of neuroprotective measures. In clinical work, we have found that there are few reports on using CNSPs as biological signals in hypothermia for neonatal HIE. The aim of this article is to review the classification, origin, biochemical composition, and physiological function of CNSPs with changes in their expression levels after hypothermia for neonatal HIE. Hopefully, this review will improve the awareness of CNSPs among pediatricians, and encourage future studies exploring the mechanisms behind the effects of hypothermia on these CNSPs, in order to reduce the adverse outcome of neonatal HIE.
Modality-specific impacts of distractors on visual and auditory categorical decision-making: an evidence accumulation perspective
Authors: Li Jianhua , Hua Lin , Deng Sophia W.
Published: May 2024

Our brain constantly processes multisensory inputs to make decisions and guide behaviors, but how goal-relevant processes are influenced by irrelevant information is unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of intermodal and intramodal task-irrelevant information on visual and auditory categorical decision-making. In both visual and auditory tasks, we manipulated the modality of irrelevant inputs (visual vs. auditory vs. none) and used linear discrimination analysis of EEG and hierarchical drift-diffusion modeling (HDDM) to identify when and how task-irrelevant information affected decision-relevant processing. The results revealed modality-specific impacts of irrelevant inputs on visual and auditory categorical decision-making. The distinct effects on the visual task were shown on the neural components, with auditory distractors amplifying the sensory processing whereas visual distractors amplifying the post-sensory process. Conversely, the distinct effects on the auditory task were shown in behavioral performance and underlying cognitive processes. Visual distractors facilitate behavioral performance and affect both stages, but auditory distractors interfere with behavioral performance and impact on the sensory processing rather than the post-sensory decision stage. Overall, these findings suggested that auditory distractors affect the sensory processing stage of both tasks while visual distractors affect the post-sensory decision stage of visual categorical decision-making and both stages of auditory categorical decision-making. This study provides insights into how humans process information from multiple sensory modalities during decision-making by leveraging modality-specific impacts.
Estimating winning percentage of the fourth quarter in close NBA games using Bayesian logistic modeling
Authors: Wang Feng , Zheng Guohua , Li Hua
Published: May 2024

This study examined the fourth quarters in the close games in the regular NBA games in the last decade, ranging from the 2013–14 season to the 2022–2023 season. A close game is categorically defined by a scenario where the point differential is confined within a 10-point margin at the onset of the fourth quarter and narrows further to a 5-point disparity by the end of the game. In total, 2,295 close games were identified in this study. Advanced game statistics, including offensive rate, defensive rate, assistance ratio, pace of game, and true shooting percentage, etc., are obtained from the NBA box scores using a python script. Understanding key factors that determine the outcome of the basketball games is critical, as such can be used to develop predictive models for coaches to design game strategies. This study developed a Bayesian Logistic Modeling approach to estimate the winning probability of a basketball team in the fourth quarter, using the pace of the last quarter and a team’s shooting percentage. The accuracy of the model is used to evaluate if the model can correctly classify game outcome based on the identified game statistics in the fourth quarter of a game. The binary outcome of the close game is modeled as a Bernoulli distribution. Results reveal that the True Positive Rate and False Positive Rate is 0.93 and 0.07, respectively. Insights from this study can be used to help design coaching strategies in basketball games, illuminating potential tactical pivots that could tilt the game in their favor.
Health service providers experience of psycho-emotional violence and associated factors among urban hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Tolera Abebe , Weldesenbet Adisu Birhanu , Regassa Lemma Demissie , Tusa Biruk Shalmeno , Merga Bedasa Taye , Tariku Mandaras , Cheru Abera , Enyew Daniel Birhanie , Gemeda Assefa Tola
Published: May 2024

Background

Psycho-emotional violence, a type of workplace violence targeting healthcare workers, varies across countries, occasions, and professions in the healthcare sector. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of comprehensive studies focusing on violence against healthcare workers in Ethiopia, which may also encompass psycho-gender-based emotional violence against healthcare workers. Therefore, there is a compelling need for in-depth research to address this gap and develop effective strategies to mitigate psycho-emotional violence in the healthcare sector in Ethiopia, especially in the eastern region. Hence, we aimed to identify the prevalence of and factors associated with workplace psycho-emotional violence against healthcare providers in eastern Ethiopia.

Methods

This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 744 health professionals working in urban public hospitals in eastern Ethiopia. Multistage stratified random sampling was used, and data were collected using a standardized structured tool adopted from the WHO workplace violence assessment tool. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with psycho-emotional workplace violence. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported, and a p-value of 0.05 was used as the cut-off point to declare significance.

Results

Workplace psycho-emotional violence was reported by 57.39% of the healthcare workers. The absence of guidelines for gender-based abuse [AOR = 35.62, 95% CI:17.47, 72.64], presence of measures that improve surroundings (class lighting and privacy) [AOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.98], training on workplace violence coping mechanism [AOR = 0.16, 95%CI: 0.26, 0.98], spending more than 50% of their time with HIV/AIDS patients [AOR = 1.96, 95%CI:1.05, 3.72], and spending more than 50% of their time with psychiatric patients [AOR = 1.92, 95%CI:1.08, 3.43] were factors significantly associated with workplace violence against health professionals.

Conclusion

The prevalence of workplace psycho-emotional violence against health professionals in eastern Ethiopia was relatively high. Improving the working environment decreases the chance of workplace violence; however, there is a lack of guidelines for gender-based violence, the absence of training on coping mechanisms, and spending more time with psychiatric and HIV/AIDS patients’ increases workplace violence. We recommend that health institutions develop gender abuse mitigation guidelines and provide training on coping mechanisms.
A cross-sectional mental-health survey of Chinese postgraduate students majoring in stomatology post COVID-19 restrictions
Authors: Zhang Yuwei , Jia Yue , MuLaTiHaJi MaErWa , Mi Yiying , Mei Yukun , Sun Tianxiang , Shi Haibo , Zhang Yifei , Zhang Yikun , Zou Rui , Niu Lin , Dong Shaojie
Published: May 2024

Background

The psychological status of Chinese postgraduate students majoring in stomatology after the COVID-19 restrictions still remains unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate the mental status through a cross-sectional survey and gather related theoretical evidence for psychological intervention on postgraduate students majoring in stomatology.

Methods

An online survey was administered, and subjective well-being, anxiety, stress and depression symptoms were assessed using the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively, wherein suicidal ideation and sleep-related problems were measured with PHQ-9 and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).

Results

A total of 208 participants who completed one questionnaire were considered as valid. It was found that female respondents generally exhibited significantly higher levels of PSS-10, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 scores and shorter physical activity hours than male students. Students from rural areas demonstrated significantly higher levels of PHQ-9, suicidal ideation, and less portion of good or fair family economic support. Additionally, individuals from only-child families reported increased levels of activity hours (1.78 ± 2.07, p = 0.045) and a higher portion (55.10%, p = 0.007) of having clear future plan as compared with multiple-child families. The risk factors for anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 score) were higher scores of PSS-10 (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09–1.22), PHQ-9 (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.22–1.49), and ISI-7 (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.06–1.23), while owning a clear graduation plan was the protective factor (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.31–0.98). Moreover, the risk factors for depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) included PSS-10 (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04–1.16), GAD-7 (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.25–1.52), suicidal ideation (OR = 5.66, 95% CI = 3.37–9.51), and ISI-7 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.09–1.25). Approximately 98.08% of Chinese postgraduates studying stomatology reported experiencing at least moderate stress after the COVID-19 restrictions.

Conclusion

Within the limitations of this study, senior students were more inclined to stress, while anxiety symptoms were related to severer levels of stress, depression, and insomnia. Depressive symptoms were associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, suicidal ideation, and lower levels of self-reported well-being. Thus, psychological interventions for postgraduates should be timely and appropriately implemented by strengthening well-being, reasonably planning for the future, and good physique, thereby mitigating the psychological issues after COVID-19 restrictions.
Accelerating implementation of adolescent digital health prevention programs: analysis of insights from Australian stakeholders
Authors: Raeside Rebecca , Todd Allyson , Sim Kyra A. , Kang Melissa , Mihrshahi Seema , Gardner Lauren A. , Champion Katrina E. , Skinner John , Laranjo Liliana , Steinbeck Katharine , Redfern Julie , Partridge Stephanie R.
Published: May 2024

Background

Chronic disease risk factors are increasing amongst adolescents, globally. Digital health prevention programs, which provide education and information to reduce chronic disease risk factors need to be equitable and accessible for all. For their success, multiple highly engaged stakeholders should be involved in development and implementation. This study aimed to evaluate stakeholders’ support for, and perspectives on potential public health impact of digital health prevention programs for adolescents and potential pathways for future implementation.

Methods

Qualitative semi-structured online interviews with stakeholders. Stakeholder mapping identified key individuals, groups and organizations across Australia that may influence the implementation of digital health prevention programs for adolescents. Recorded and transcribed interviews were analyzed within the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework, using deductive content analysis.

Findings

Nineteen interviews were conducted in 2023 with stakeholders from government, health, non-government organizations, youth services, education, community settings and others. Four overarching themes were identified: (i) existing digital health initiatives are not fit for purpose; (ii) the co-creation of digital health prevention programs is critical for successful implementation; (iii) digital health prevention programs must address equity and the unique challenges raised by technology and; (iv) system level factors must be addressed.

Interpretation

Stakeholders broadly supported digital health prevention programs, yet raised unique insights to ensure that future programs create public health impact by improving chronic disease risk factors among adolescents. These insights can be applied in future development of digital health prevention programs for adolescents to strengthen widespread implementation.
Moderator role of Type D personality traits between depressive symptoms and job satisfaction among teachers
Authors: Yetkin Tekin Ayşegül , Karadağ Hekim
Published: May 2024

Background

Type D personality is characterized by negative affect (NA) and social suppression (SI). It has been indicated Type D personality is associated with depression, anxiety, and burnout. Depressive complaints and social inhibition negatively affect job satisfaction. The aim of this study is to investigate the moderating role of Type D personality structure between the severity of depressive complaints and job satisfaction in teachers.

Methods

939 teachers, who constitute the sample of the study, completed the sociodemographic form, Type D personality scale (DS-14), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Minnesota Satisfaction Scale Short Form with an online survey.

Results

While a negative relationship was found between teachers’ NA scores and their intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction (r = −0.28 and r = −0.19, respectively), a negative relationship was detected between SI scores and intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction (r = −0.22 and r = −0.21, respectively). NA and SI had partial moderating roles in the relationship between BDI score and intrinsic job satisfaction. SI played a partial moderating role in the relationship between BDI and extrinsic job satisfaction.

Conclusion

It can be said Type D personality traits has a moderating role between the severity of teachers’ depressive complaints and job satisfaction.
PSO-XnB: a proposed model for predicting hospital stay of CAD patients
Authors: Miriyala Geetha Pratyusha , Sinha Arun Kumar
Published: May 2024

Coronary artery disease poses a significant challenge in decision-making when predicting the length of stay for a hospitalized patient. This study presents a predictive model—a Particle Swarm Optimized-Enhanced NeuroBoost—that combines the deep autoencoder with an eXtreme gradient boosting model optimized using particle swarm optimization. The model uses a fuzzy set of rules to categorize the length of stay into four distinct classes, followed by data preparation and preprocessing. In this study, the dimensionality of the data is reduced using deep neural autoencoders. The reconstructed data obtained from autoencoders is given as input to an eXtreme gradient boosting model. Finally, the model is tuned with particle swarm optimization to obtain optimal hyperparameters. With the proposed technique, the model achieved superior performance with an overall accuracy of 98.8% compared to traditional ensemble models and past research works. The model also scored highest in other metrics such as precision, recall, and particularly F1 scores for all categories of hospital stay. These scores validate the suitability of our proposed model in medical healthcare applications.
Cyber resilience methods for smart grids against false data injection attacks: categorization, review and future directions
Authors: Syrmakesis Andrew D. , Hatziargyriou Nikos D.
Published: May 2024

For a more efficient monitoring and control of electrical energy, the physical components of conventional power systems are continuously integrated with information and communication technologies, converting them into smart grids. However, energy digitalization exposes power systems into a wide range of digital risks. The term cyber resilience for electrical grids expands the conventional resilience of power systems, which mainly refers to extreme weather phenomena. Since this is a relatively new term, there is a need for the establishment of a solid conceptual framework. This paper analyzes and classifies the state-of-the-art research methodologies proposed for strengthening the cyber resilience of smart grids. To this end, the proposed work categorizes the cyberattacks against smart grids, identifies the vulnerable spots of power system automation and establishes a common ground about the cyber resilience. The paper concludes with a discussion about the limitations of the proposed methods in order to extract useful suggestions for future directions.
Effect of commercial fibrolytic enzymes application to normal- and slightly lower energy diets on lactational performance, digestibility and plasma nutrients in high-producing dairy cows
Authors: Yang Jiahua , Zhao Shengguo , Lin Bo
Published: May 2024

The inclusion of fibrolytic enzymes in the diet is believed to have positive effects on animal production. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the impact of supplementing diets with a commercial fibrolytic enzyme preparation (Vistamax; mixture of xylanase and cellulase) derived from Trichoderma reesei on lactational performance, digestibility, and plasma nutrient levels in high-producing dairy cows. Two dietary energy levels were considered: a normal energy diet (metabolizable energy = 2.68 Mcal/kg) and a slightly lower energy diet (metabolizable energy = 2.55 Mcal/kg). A total of 120 lactating Holstein cows (parity = 2; Days in Milk = 113 ± 23) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups using a 2 * 2 factorial arrangement. The dietary treatments consisted of: (1) normal energy diet without enzyme supplementation (NL); (2) normal energy diet with enzyme supplementation (NLE); (3) slightly lower energy diet without enzyme supplementation (SL); and (4) slightly lower energy diet with enzyme supplementation (SLE). The amount of enzyme added to the diets was determined based on previous in vitro studies and supplier recommendations. The enzyme and premix were mixed prior to the preparation of the total mixed ration, and the trial lasted for a duration of 42 days. The results indicated that the application of the fibrolytic enzyme did not have a significant effect on dry matter intake (DMI), but it did enhance the digestibility of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), potentially digestible NDF (pdNDF), organic matter (OM), milk production, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). On the other hand, the slightly lower energy diet resulted in a decrease in DMI, milk production, milk protein yield, plasma free amino acids (FAA), and an increase in plasma B-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA). In conclusion, the inclusion of the fibrolytic enzyme in the diets of dairy cows led to improvements in the digestibility of DM, NDF, pdNDF, OM, milk production, and feed efficiency. Furthermore, the application of the enzyme to the slightly lower energy diet resulted in milk production levels comparable to those observed in cows fed the untreated normal energy diet.
Film-Induced Tourism as a Key Factor for Promoting Tourism Destination Image: The James Bond Saga Case
Authors: Araújo-Vila Noelia , Cardoso Lucília , Almeida Giovana Goretti Feijó , Almeida Paulo
Published: May 2024

This research extensively discusses the connection between destination image and films influencing tourism. Despite the worldwide fame of the James Bond saga and extensive publications on the subject, research into the role of tourism promotion in the image of destinations is still scarce, and there is no specific focus on analysing promotional aspects in relation to film-induced tourism. This study focuses on the influence of cinematographic images on the destination image perception and promotion, specifically exploring the case of the James Bond saga as a practical case. With 25 films released since 1962, the James Bond saga provides a basis for evaluating cinematic presence in tourism promotion strategies. This research proposes the content analysis of the official tourist websites of 23 destinations where the James Bond saga was shot, which offer some tourist products linked to the saga. The key findings provide valuable insights into the promotion of James Bond saga tourism destinations, the role of films in promoting destinations, and the tourism products developed from the saga films. The results provide visual outputs about the target image of the film shooting locations, and the text analysis provides keywords linked to the theme. The study’s methodology contributes to the discourse on film tourism and destination image topics and brings practical and theoretical contributions to both academia and destination managers.
Variations in Soil Organic Carbon after Farmland Conversion to Apple Orchard
Authors: Wang Yaping , Li Ruifeng , Yan Weiming , Han Xiaoyang , Liu Wenzhao , Li Zhi
Published: May 2024

The Chinese Loess Plateau has undergone extensive revegetation to restore degraded land and enhance carbon sequestration. However, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestrated in the soil profiles of deep-rooted plants has not been fully studied. Here, we investigated the SOC within a 0–23 m profile in farmlands and apple orchards converted from farmlands with different ages (A5, <5 years; A10, ~10 years; A15, ~15 years; A20, >20 years) and the controlling factors on three loess tablelands (Changwu, Qingyang, and Luochuan). The results show that SOC stocks among farmlands and orchards showed no significant difference (p = 0.88); however, SOC stocks showed a trend with tree ages, i.e., a decrease for A5 and A10 but an increase for A15 and A20. For the vertical variability, the SOC stock was the highest within 0–1 m, regardless of the standing age; however, the SOC stock in this layer only accounted for 8.8% of the total SOC stock (97.93 ± 9.18 kg m−2). Climate accounted for 82% of the variations and controlled the changes in SOC in the 0–1 m range, while soil texture dominated the SOC in the soil below 1 m, accounting for 57% of the SOC variations. The variations in SOC in the thick, unsaturated zones provide implications for future land use management and the sustainability of apple orchards in arid regions.
The Use of Fast-Acting Insulin Topical Solution on Skin to Promote Surgical Wound Healing in Cats
Authors: Carreira L. Miguel , Silva Rúben , Alves João , Inácio Filipa , Pires Graça , Azevedo Pedro
Published: May 2024

Wound healing is a complex biological process involving a coordinated sequence of events aimed at restoring tissue integrity and function. Recent advancements in wound care have introduced novel therapies, with topical insulin application emerging as a promising strategy for promoting tissue healing. This study, involving 60 female cats (n = 60) undergoing elective spaying, aimed to evaluate the effects of topical fast-acting insulin on the healing process of surgical wounds. Each surgical suture was divided into two regions: the control zone (Zcr) without insulin application and the study zone (Zst), where insulin was applied topically for 10 min every 24 h over eight consecutive days. Assessment of suture healing was conducted using an adapted scale at two time points post-surgery: T1 (day 2) and T2 (day 8). Statistically significant differences were registered in the final healing scale scores between Zcr and Zst (p < 0.022), as well as for the parameter of regional fluid (p-value = 0.017). Additionally, at T2, all Zst regions exhibited wound closure, whereas Zcr did not, although not in a statistically significant manner. The observed discrepancy at T2 between the Zcr and Zst regions may suggest a potential benefit of utilizing insulin. No side effects resulting from the insulin topical application performed by the tutors were recorded in the Zst suture group. This study represents the first exploration of the benefits of topical insulin application for surgical wound healing in cats.
Effect of Composite Probiotics on Antioxidant Capacity, Gut Barrier Functions, and Fecal Microbiome of Weaned Piglets and Sows
Authors: Tang Jilang , Zhao Mingchao , Yang Wenyue , Chen Hong , Dong Yihan , He Qi , Miao Xue , Zhang Jiantao
Published: May 2024

This study investigated the efficacy of a composite probiotics composed of lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus reuteri, and bifidobacterium longum in alleviating oxidative stress in weaned piglets and pregnant sows. Evaluations of growth, oxidative stress, inflammation, intestinal barrier, and fecal microbiota were conducted. Results showed that the composite probiotic significantly promoted average daily gain in piglets (p < 0.05). It effectively attenuated inflammatory responses (p < 0.05) and oxidative stress (p < 0.05) while enhancing intestinal barrier function in piglets (p < 0.01). Fecal microbiota analysis revealed an increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as faecalibacterium, parabacteroides, clostridium, blautia, and phascolarctobacterium in piglet feces and lactobacillus, parabacteroides, fibrobacter, and phascolarctobacterium in sow feces, with a decrease in harmful bacteria such as bacteroides and desulfovibrio in sow feces upon probiotic supplementation. Correlation analysis indicated significant negative associations of blautia with inflammation and oxidative stress in piglet feces, while treponema and coprococcus showed significant positive associations. In sow feces, lactobacillus, prevotella, treponema, and CF231 exhibited significant negative associations, while turicibacter showed a significant positive association. Therefore, the composite probiotic alleviated oxidative stress in weaned piglets and pregnant sows by modulating fecal microbiota composition.
Stability, Digestion, and Cellular Transport of Soy Isoflavones Nanoparticles Stabilized by Polymerized Goat Milk Whey Protein
Authors: Tian Mu , Cheng Jianjun , Guo Mingruo
Published: May 2024

Soy isoflavones (SIF) are bioactive compounds with low bioavailability due to their poor water solubility. In this study, we utilized polymerized goat milk whey protein (PGWP) as a carrier to encapsulate SIF with encapsulation efficiency of 89%, particle size of 135.53 nm, and zeta potential of −35.16 mV. The PGWP-SIF nanoparticles were evaluated for their stability and in vitro digestion properties, and their ability to transport SIF was assessed using a Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The nanoparticles were resistant to aggregation when subjected to pH changes (pH 2.0 to 8.0), sodium chloride addition (0–200 mM), temperature fluctuations (4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C), and long-term storage (4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C for 30 days), which was mainly attributed to the repulsion generated by steric hindrance effects. During gastric digestion, only 5.93% of encapsulated SIF was released, highlighting the nanoparticles’ resistance to enzymatic digestion in the stomach. However, a significant increase in SIF release to 56.61% was observed during intestinal digestion, indicating the efficient transport of SIF into the small intestine for absorption. Cytotoxicity assessments via the MTT assay showed no adverse effects on Caco-2 cell lines after encapsulation. The PGWP-stabilized SIF nanoparticles improved the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of Caco-2 cells for SIF by 11.8-fold. The results indicated that using PGWP to encapsulate SIF was an effective approach for delivering SIF, while enhancing its bioavailability and transcellular transport.
Effects of Flaxseed Mucilage Admixture on Ordinary Portland Cement Fresh and Hardened States
Authors: Brevet Haris , Dheilly Rose-Marie , Montrelay Nicolas , Houessou Koffi Justin , Petit Emmanuel , Goullieux Adeline
Published: May 2024

France is Europe’s leading producer of flaxseed. This seed is rich in omega-3, energy, and protein for animals, but it also contains anti-nutritional factors such as mucilage. Thus, mucilage must be removed and could be used as a bio-admixture in cementitious materials development, reducing the environmental impact of cementitious materials. This study aims to valorize the usage of flaxseed mucilage (FM) in ordinary Portland cement. FM caused macroscopic and microscopic changes in the materials studied. The higher the concentration, the greater the changes were. The admixed samples showed an exponentially concentration-dependent delay in setting. FM degradation products induced by the cementitious conditions accentuated the delay. However, this delay in setting did not affect the hydrates’ growth in the material. In fact, FM showed a “delay accelerator” behavior, meaning that once hydration began, it was accelerated as compared to a reference. Macroscopically, FM induced significant flocculation, increasing material porosity and carbonation. Consequently, bulk density and thermal conductivity were reduced. At the highest amount of FM admixture (0.75% w/w), FM allowed bridge formation between Ca(OH)2 crystals, which can improve the mechanical properties of mortars. Because FM is highly hygroscopic, it has the capability to absorb water and subsequently release it gradually and under controlled conditions into the cement matrix. Therefore, regulation of water diffusion from the mucilage may induce the self-healing properties responsible for mechanical properties similar to that of the reference in the medium to long term.
Computer Vision System Based on the Analysis of Gait Features for Fall Risk Assessment in Elderly People
Authors: Cedeno-Moreno Rogelio , Malagon-Barillas Diana L. , Morales-Hernandez Luis A. , Gonzalez-Hernandez Mayra P. , Cruz-Albarran Irving A.
Published: May 2024

Up to 30% of people over the age of 60 are at high risk of falling, which can cause injury, aggravation of pre-existing conditions, or even death, with up to 684,000 fatal falls reported annually. This is due to the difficult task of establishing a preventive system for the care of the elderly, both in the hospital environment and at home. Therefore, this work proposes the development of an intelligent vision system that uses a novel methodology to infer fall risk from the analysis of kinetic and spatiotemporal gait parameters. In general, each patient is assessed using the Tinetti scale. Then, the computer vision system estimates the biomechanics of walking and obtains gait features, such as stride length, cadence, period, and range of motion. Subsequently, this information serves as input to an artificial neural network that diagnoses the risk of falling. Ninety-six participants took part in the study. The system’s performance was 99.1% accuracy, 94.4% precision, 96.9% recall, 99.4% specificity, and 95.5% F1-Score. Thus, the proposed system can evaluate the fall risk assessment, which could benefit clinics, hospitals, and even homes by allowing them to assess in real time whether a person is at high risk of falling to provide timely assistance.
Effects of Occupational Hazards, Musculoskeletal Pain, and Work on the Overall Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression of Female Nurses
Authors: Kim Woo Jin , Jeong Byung Yong
Published: May 2024

Nurses face not only musculoskeletal disorders but also psychological health issues. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors influencing overall fatigue, anxiety, and depression, respectively, by comprehensively considering work characteristics, exposure to hazards, and the presence of musculoskeletal pain. This study used binary logistic regression to analyze factors influencing fatigue, anxiety, and depression, respectively. The independent variables were occupation; age; work experience; healthcare organization; working hours per week; shift type; exposure time to physical, biochemical, and ergonomic hazards; and the presence of back, upper limb, or lower limb pain. The factors influencing overall fatigue were shift type (p = 0.007), exposure to vibration (p = 0.042), awkward posture (p = 0.001), repetitive motion (p = 0.017), and presence of back (p = 0.002) or upper (p < 0.001) limb pain. The factors influencing anxiety were age (p = 0.031), hours worked per week (p = 0.006), performing patient lifting/carrying (p = 0.041), and presence of upper (p = 0.022) or lower (p = 0.039) limb pain. In addition, the factors influencing depression were found to be hours worked per week (p = 0.042), exposure to infection (p = 0.005), and the presence of lower limb pain (p = 0.011). This study found that musculoskeletal pain has a significant impact on psychological health problems, suggesting that integrated management of musculoskeletal pain and psychological health problems may be effective in addressing health problems in the nursing profession.
A LeViT–EfficientNet-Based Feature Fusion Technique for Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Sait Abdul Rahaman Wahab
Published: May 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition. It causes cognitive impairment and memory loss in individuals. Healthcare professionals face challenges in detecting AD in its initial stages. In this study, the author proposed a novel integrated approach, combining LeViT, EfficientNet B7, and Dartbooster XGBoost (DXB) models to detect AD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The proposed model leverages the strength of improved LeViT and EfficientNet B7 models in extracting high-level features capturing complex patterns associated with AD. A feature fusion technique was employed to select crucial features. The author fine-tuned the DXB using the Bayesian optimization hyperband (BOHB) algorithm to predict AD using the extracted features. Two public datasets were used in this study. The proposed model was trained using the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS) Alzheimer’s dataset containing 86,390 MRI images. The Alzheimer’s dataset was used to evaluate the generalization capability of the proposed model. The proposed model obtained an average generalization accuracy of 99.8% with limited computational power. The findings highlighted the exceptional performance of the proposed model in predicting the multiple types of AD. The recommended integrated feature extraction approach has supported the proposed model to outperform the state-of-the-art AD detection models. The proposed model can assist healthcare professionals in offering customized treatment for individuals with AD. The effectiveness of the proposed model can be improved by generalizing it to diverse datasets.