bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of COVID-19 vaccination intention in Central and Eastern Europe: A cross-sectional study in Poland, Romania, and Slovenia
Authors: Slavec Ana , Iwanowska Magdalena , Bałandynowicz-Panfil Katarzyna , Olah Șerban , Zvonar Mojca Šoštarič , Štebe Janez , Łosiewicz Małgorzata
Published: April 2024

Background

Identifying predictors of vaccination intention is critical to developing appropriate programs and campaigns targeting groups reluctant to be vaccinated. This study aimed to identify the determinants of vaccination intention at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in three Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries: Poland, Romania, and Slovenia.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, a sample of unvaccinated 1723 Poles, Romanians, and Slovenians completed an online survey (April 2021). Questions included measures of vaccination intention, attitudes towards vaccines, conspiracy mindset, preference for a type of vaccine, and trust in information sources.

Results

The results showed that mistrust of vaccine benefits and concerns about commercial profiteering negatively predicted vaccination intention. Conversely, trust in information from medical professionals and scientists, official sources, and traditional media was positively related to vaccination intention, while trust in digital media was negatively related to vaccination intention. In addition, preference for mRNA vaccine type was a positive significant predictor of vaccination intention. The differences between countries are discussed.

Conclusions

The study results deliver suggestions for developing appropriate vaccine uptake programs and campaigns that should consider presenting the positive outcomes of vaccines via official sources and traditional media based on scientific evidence and medical professionals’ knowledge.
Application and value of anxiety and depression scale in patients with functional dyspepsia
Authors: Ruan Yejiao , Lin Hao , Lu Xinru , Lin Yiying , Sun Jian , Xu Cengqi , Zhou Lingjun , Cai Zhenzhai , Chen Xiaoyan
Published: April 2024

Background

Patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) cannot be assessed for their mental health using a suitable and practical measure. The purpose of the study is to investigate the usefulness of several anxiety and depression scales in patients with FD, offering recommendations for clinical identification and therapy.

Methods

From September 2021 to September 2022, patients were sought and selected. The psychological symptoms were assessed using ten depression or anxiety questionnaires. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, Spearman analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and single factor analysis were applied.

Results

Prospective analysis was performed on 142 healthy individuals and 113 patients with FD. In the case group, anxiety and depression symptoms were more common than in the control group, and the 10 scales showed strong validity and reliability. HAMD had the strongest connection with the PHQ-9 score on the depression scale (0.83). The score correlation between SAS and HAMA on the anxiety analysis scale was the greatest at 0.77. The PHQ-9, SAS, HAMD, and HAMA measures performed exceptionally well in detecting FD with anxiety or depression symptoms (AUC = 0.72, 0.70, 0.70, 0.77, and 0.77, respectively).

Conclusions

PHQ-9, SAS, HAMD, and HAMA scales have good application performance in FD patients. They can assist gastroenterologists in evaluating anxiety and depression symptoms, and provide reference and guidance for subsequent treatment.
Identification and Characterization of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Induced Toxicities From Electronic Health Records Using Natural Language Processing
Authors: Barman Hannah , Venkateswaran Sriram , Santo Antonio Del , Yoo Unice , Silvert Eli , Rao Krishna , Raghunathan Bharathwaj , Kottschade Lisa A. , Block Matthew S. , Chandler G. Scott , Zalis Joshua , Wagner Tyler E. , Mohindra Rajat
Published: April 2024

PURPOSE

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, yet their use is associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Estimating the prevalence and patient impact of these irAEs in the real-world data setting is critical for characterizing the benefit/risk profile of ICI therapies beyond the clinical trial population. Diagnosis codes, such as International Classification of Diseases codes, do not comprehensively illustrate a patient's care journey and offer no insight into drug-irAE causality. This study aims to capture the relationship between ICIs and irAEs more accurately by using augmented curation (AC), a natural language processing–based innovation, on unstructured data in electronic health records.

METHODS

In a cohort of 9,290 patients treated with ICIs at Mayo Clinic from 2005 to 2021, we compared the prevalence of irAEs using diagnosis codes and AC models, which classify drug-irAE pairs in clinical notes with implied textual causality. Four illustrative irAEs with high patient impact—myocarditis, encephalitis, pneumonitis, and severe cutaneous adverse reactions, abbreviated as MEPS—were analyzed using corticosteroid administration and ICI discontinuation as proxies of severity.

RESULTS

For MEPS, only 70% (n = 118) of patients found by AC were also identified by diagnosis codes. Using AC models, patients with MEPS received corticosteroids for their respective irAE 82% of the time and permanently discontinued the ICI because of the irAE 35.9% (n = 115) of the time.

CONCLUSION

Overall, AC models enabled more accurate identification and assessment of patient impact of ICI-induced irAEs not found using diagnosis codes, demonstrating a novel and more efficient strategy to assess real-world clinical outcomes in patients treated with ICIs.
Επίδραση παρεμβατικού προγράμματος ψυχοκινητικής αγωγής στην κοινωνική, σχολική, συναισθηματική επάρκεια και στα προβλήματα συμπεριφοράς αγοριών και κοριτσιών ηλικίας 4-5 ετών
Authors: Μόσχος Γεώργιος
Published: April 2024

Σκοπός της έρευνας ήταν να εξεταστεί η επίδραση ενός παρεμβατικού προγράμματος Ψυχοκινητικής Αγωγής (ΨΑ) με διάρκεια 8 μήνες στην κοινωνική επάρκεια, σχολική επάρκεια, συναισθηματική επάρκεια και στα προβλήματα συμπεριφοράς αγοριών και κοριτσιών ηλικίας 4-5 ετών. Στην έρευνα συμμετείχαν 58 παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας χωρίς να έχουν διαγνωσθεί με κάποιο νευρολογικό, αισθητηριακό ή κινητικό πρόβλημα, όπου προέρχονταν από δύο Νηπιαγωγεία του Δήμου Ιωαννίνων. Στην Πειραματική Ομάδα (ΠΟ) συμμετείχαν είκοσι εννιά (29) παιδιά από το πρώτο Νηπιαγωγείο και πήραν μέρος στο παρεμβατικό πρόγραμμα ΨΑ, ενώ η Ομάδα Ελέγχου (ΟΕ) αποτελούνταν από είκοσι εννιά (29) του δεύτερου Νηπιαγωγείου, τα οποία ακολούθησαν το τυπικό πρόγραμμα. Η κοινωνική επάρκεια, η σχολική επάρκεια, η συναισθηματική επάρκεια και τα προβλήματα συμπεριφοράς αξιολογήθηκαν πριν και μετά το παρεμβατικό πρόγραμμα ΨΑ, με τo ερωτηματολόγιο Τεστ Ψυχοκοινωνικής Προσαρμογής (Χατζηχρήστου, Πολυχρόνη, Μπεζεβέγκης, & Μυλωνάς, 2008) που περιλαμβάνει 113 ερωτήσεις, ενώ η κινητική επιδεξιότητα μετρήθηκε με το ΔΕΚΑ-ΠΡΟ (Καμπάς, Βενετσάνου, & Γαβριηλίδου, 2019) πριν την έναρξη του παρεμβατικού προγράμματος για να υποστηριχθεί ο σχεδιασμός των μαθημάτων ΨΑ. Οι νηπιαγωγοί του κάθε σχολείου συμπλήρωσαν τα ερωτηματολόγια. Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν αναλύσεις διακύμανσης για επαναλαμβανόμενες μετρήσεις (Anova repeated Measures) με ανεξάρτητες μεταβλητές «η μέτρηση» με δυο επίπεδα (πρώτη, δεύτερη) και «η ομάδα» με δυο επίπεδα (πειραματική, ελέγχου) και ορίστηκε το p< 0,05 ως επίπεδο σημαντικότητας. Τα αποτελέσματα από την ανάλυση των δεδομένων έδειξαν καλύτερη κοινωνική, σχολική και συναισθηματική επάρκεια στα παιδιά της ΠΟ μετά το πρόγραμμα ΨΑ, ενώ τα προβλήματα συμπεριφοράς στα παιδιά της ΠΟ μετά το πρόγραμμα ΨΑ μειώθηκαν σημαντικά. Παράλληλα, η μεταβολή της κοινωνικής, σχολικής, συναισθηματικής επάρκειας και των προβλημάτων συμπεριφοράς στην ΟΕ δεν ήταν σημαντική. Συμπερασματικά αποδεικνύεται ότι η ΨΑ έχει θετικό αντίκτυπο σε κοινωνικό, σχολικό και συναισθηματικό επίπεδο της προσωπικότητας των παιδιών.
In vitro assessment and comparison of quality of alcohol-based hand rubs, pre- and peri-COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Kenya
Authors: Omari Samuel , Ng'ong'a Florence , Kimotho James
Published: April 2024

Background In the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Health Organization recommended the use of alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) to curb transmission, leading to increased production and use. This has posed a danger of production and use of poor-quality ABHRs. Methods This study assessed and compared the quality of ABHRs in the Kenyan market that were produced before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Quality testing was carried out against European EN 1500:2013 and Kenyan EAS 789:2013 Standards. Results The study found that 27.8% of the peri-pandemic sanitizers had less than 90% bactericidal reduction activity as compared to 12.5% manufactured pre-pandemic. Only 25% peri-pandemic ABHRs met the EAS 789:2013 acceptable limit of over 60% alcohol content. Product adulteration with methanol was found in 20 % of the samples with only 5% complying with FDA approval limit of <0.063% v/v methanol. Study found no correlation between the total alcohol content and the efficacy of ABHRs. Conclusions The study found that more substandard products were produced during the pandemic. This raises a concern about possible emergence of alcohol resistant strains of microorganisms. The study therefore recommends an adequate quality monitoring system to curb against substandard products.
The Influence of the Factors of Production on Labor Income in the Pre-crisis Economy of Russia
Authors: Basovskaya Elena
Published: April 2024

This paper evaluates the correlations between wages and household income in the regions of Russia with indicators characterizing capital, human capital and new technologies in the regional economy according to Rosstat data for 2022 and partially for 2023, and constructs econometric models of the most important connections. The level of wages and incomes of the population of the regions can be positively influenced by the capital-labor ratio, the level of education of employed workers and new fixed assets. The capital-labor ratio is the most important factor in the level of wages and income in the regions. The use of labor by workers who have higher education and workers who have secondary vocational education in specialist training programs has a positive impact on the level of wages and incomes of the population of the regions. The use of labor of workers with secondary vocational education under training programs for workers, with secondary general education, basic general education and without education negatively affects the level of wages and income of the population. An increase in population income entails an increase in the level of inequality in income distribution.
Labor Resources Reproduction in the Housing and Communal Complex
Authors: Lomovcev D. , Steperenkova V. , Lomovcev P.
Published: April 2024

The article is dedicated to the present problems of the provision of the domestic housing and communal (HC) enterprises with the qualified labor resources in the deficit circumstances of the qualified professional personnel and the toughening competition with other sectors of the economy. The authors suggest the actual directions of the manpower policy improvement of the HC enterprises.
The Problem of Income Distribution Between Labor and Capital in the Modern World: XX and XXI Centuries
Authors: Basovskaya Elena , Basovskiy Leonid
Published: April 2024

This work is devoted to an attempt to quantify the trends in the distribution of income between labor and capital and assess their compliance with the development opportunities of the modern economy. Trends in the distribution of income between labor and capital were assessed by constructing econometric models of the share of labor compensation in national income and GDP. The resulting models with a high level of confidence showed that in the 20th century in the United States there was a tendency to redistribute income from capital to labor. The main trend in the distribution of income between labor and capital in the 21st century in most countries, including Russia, is the tendency to redistribute income from labor to capital. In countries with predominantly socially oriented economic policies, the main trend in the distribution of income between labor and capital is the tendency to redistribute income from capital to labor. The trend of redistribution of income from labor to capital indicates an undervaluation of human capital. This trend does not correspond to the development possibilities of a modern post-industrial economy and leads to a loss of competitiveness of countries in whose economies this trend is observed. The emerging trend of redistribution of income from labor to capital in modern Russia is the result of a liberal economic policy, does not correspond to the development opportunities of the modern economy and slows down economic growth, and under the conditions of sanctions from unfriendly countries, it threatens economic stagnation.
Między powieścią gotycką a podaniem ludowym – demitologizacja „Kwaidanu Opowieści i esejów o rzeczach niesamowitych” Lafcadia Hearna
Authors: Funek Angelika
Published: April 2024

The main objective of the book Between the Gothic Novel and the Folk Tales – Demythologisation of Lafcadio Hearn’s ’Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things’ is to examine the title collection of stories in the context of concretisation understood as a phenomenon interlinked with the relation between the cultural codes of the author and the recipient. The book reveals that the tales contained in the analysed collection are not original stories from Japanese folklore, but only a testimony of their perception by Lafcadio Hearn. The work includes the writer’s biography and his potential literary inspirations. Both of these elements are juxtaposed with an outline description of the historical period during which Hearn lived in Japan. This approach allows for presenting the contrast between Hearn’s ideas about Japan and the prevailing cultural and political climate of the country. The last part of the thesis focuses on the analysis of individual stories from the collection, divided into six categories based on the similarity of supernatural themes occurring in them. The stories are compared with records from traditional Japanese folklore, as well as the corresponding threads from Gothic and horror literature from the 18th and 19th centuries. In this way it is shown to what extent Hearn – dwelling in the creativespace between the two cultural traditions – concretised the Japanese folk stories he heard, and to what extent he retained their original meaning. The study confi rms the main research thesis that the stories from Kwaidan should be treated as the original creations of Lafcadio Hearn, partly inspired by Japanese folklore, corresponding to the cultural convention of enchantment and fascination with the Orient.
Contratación pública global
Authors: Duque Botero Juan David
Published: April 2024

Es por ello que en este capítulo trataremos, en primer lugar, la contratación pública en Colombia y sus pasos hacia una contratación pública electrónica y global; en segundo lugar, aspectos generales de la administración global y contratación pública; y, por último, los principios generales de la contratación pública que son aplicables a nivel mundial.
La mediación como un mecanismo alternativo de solución de conflictos durante los diálogos de paz del periodo presidencial de Andrés Pastrana (1998-2002): ¿es aplicable a un eventual diálogo con el eln y las disidencias de las FARC?
Authors: Padilla Muñoz Andrea Carolina
Published: April 2024

Este capítulo se construye sobre los resultados y el análisis de mi trabajo previo de investigación, desarrollado hace ya más de dos décadas en el marco de la Maestría en Mediación Europea del Instituto Universitario Kurt Bösch —iukb—, en Sion (Suiza). Allí, entre el 2001 y el 2002 cumplí las labores de estudio y trabajo, liderando la enseñanza de la mediación en Colombia a nivel de posgrado, actividad que planeamos junto con el exministro de educación del cantón del Valais, Bernard Comby
El papel de la investigación acción transformadora en la construcción de paz territorial
Authors: Rodríguez Fernández Iokiñe , Sala Valdés Cristina , Barros Navarro Nohora Isabel , Salamanca Santos María del Pilar , Padilla Quintero Santiago Andrés , Armijos Burneo María Teresa
Published: April 2024

Este capítulo ofrece esta perspectiva. Para ello nos basamos en la experiencia del proyecto “Escuela, territorio y posconflicto”, trabajando con organizaciones comunitarias del sur del Tolima en el estudio de sus experiencias de construcción de paz en medio del conflicto. Un recuento más detallado y reflexivo de la investigación, con atención también a las dudas y acomodos que fuimos experimentando los investigadores-coordinadores, al entrar en diálogo con las organizaciones, está disponible en un libro de sistematización del proceso (Rodríguez et al., 2021). El capítulo está dividido de la siguiente forma. En una primera sección, discutimos algunos elementos conceptuales que indican cómo entendemos la construcción de paz territorial y el papel que puede jugar la investigación acción transformadora en este proceso. En el segundo apartado, definimos en mayor detalle qué entendemos como investigación acción transformadora, con un foco en el proyecto “Escuela, territorio y posconflicto”. En la tercera parte, presentamos en detalle las metodologías que desarrollamos en el proyecto para investigar con las organizaciones sus procesos de construcción de paz. En la cuarta sección, analizamos los aportes que le ha significado a las organizaciones el proceso de investigación; y cerramos, en el quinto apartado, con unas reflexiones finales sobre los impactos a largo plazo del proyecto.
El Estado y la construcción de paz territorial en San Vicente del Caguán y Tumaco (Colombia)
Authors: Ardila Suárez Juan David , Rodríguez Fernández Iokiñe
Published: April 2024

Por ende, la pregunta central de este capítulo es: ¿hasta qué punto los PDET constituyen un instrumento en el que la construcción de la paz central interactúa satisfactoriamente con la paz de base y las organizaciones locales en dos municipios de Colombia?
Las guardias indígenas y cimarronas y sus aportes en la construcción de paz en el Cauca
Authors: Rojas Martínez Axel Alejandro , Useche Acevedo Leidy Vanessa
Published: April 2024

El propósito de este texto es mostrar algunas de las acciones de fortalecimiento de estas guardias, incluyendo procesos de formación, iniciativas de coordinación interétnica y actividades conjuntas de control territorial, centrándonos en la experiencia de dos procesos indígenas y un proceso afrodescendiente. Nos parece importante conocerlas para comprender mejor cómo se construyen proyectos alternativos de paz desde las comunidades locales, sus organizaciones sociales y autoridades étnicas, entre los cuales tienen un rol cada vez más importante y visible. Con este fin, mostraremos algunas de las dinámicas organizativas y de sus labores cotidianas, a partir del trabajo de campo realizado en el proceso de investigación apoyado por el Instituto Capaz y la Universidad del Cauca.
Formación entre caficultores tolimenses: una herramienta para la superación del conflicto armado
Authors: Vega Reina Vicente
Published: April 2024

Así, con este breve capítulo se invita al lector a reconocer que el territorio rural colombiano cuenta con sus propias particularidades, las cuales requieren de procesos formativos pensados desde y para los actores campesinos. Se espera que al reconocer los antecedentes que afectaron al departamento, en términos productivos, bélicos y formativos, se vea la urgencia de virar el volante y construir mejores proyectos de la mano de las comunidades. Después de todo, el ahondar en las pedagogías campesinas no es cosa distinta que un esfuerzo por visibilizar y promover una educación rural que responda a las necesidades contextuales y visiones a futuro de los actores locales. Como se demostrará, el sur del Tolima ha sufrido las implicaciones de ser un contexto de violencias e intereses político-comerciales, razones que han motivado a los productores a gestar procesos formativos para mejorar su calidad sin tantas injerencias externas. La pedagogía popular y campesina es la voz de este texto.
El memorial como archivo: una lectura crítica
Authors: Ortiz San Juan Yearim A , Gil Martínez del Río Francisco Robles
Published: April 2024

Este escrito nace en un momento en el que la experiencia del tiempo presente se ha hipertrofiado, es decir, en uno en que se han desvanecido los límites entre presente, pasado y futuro (Hartog, 2007). Uno de sus síntomas más visibles ha sido la entronización de la memoria y su expresión material en los memoriales o antimonumentos, lo que ha provocado cierto desplazamiento de la historiografía en el discurso público. Frente a este hecho ¿qué hace el historiador del tiempo presente? Es claro que no podemos abstraernos de esta experiencia temporal, pero sí estamos obligados a realizar una operación de segundo orden (Mendiola, 2000) que nos permita generar narrativas factibles desde las cuales podamos empezar a comprender un presente saturado de memoria.
Wasserstein Robust Classification with Fairness Constraints
Authors: Wang Yijie , Nguyen Viet Anh , Hanasusanto Grani A.
Published: April 2024

Problem definition: Data analytics models and machine learning algorithms are increasingly deployed to support consequential decision-making processes, from deciding which applicants will receive job offers and loans to university enrollments and medical interventions. However, recent studies show these models may unintentionally amplify human bias and yield significant unfavorable decisions to specific groups. Methodology/results: We propose a distributionally robust classification model with a fairness constraint that encourages the classifier to be fair in the equality of opportunity criterion. We use a type-[Formula: see text] Wasserstein ambiguity set centered at the empirical distribution to represent distributional uncertainty and derive a conservative reformulation for the worst-case equal opportunity unfairness measure. We show that the model is equivalent to a mixed binary conic optimization problem, which standard off-the-shelf solvers can solve. We propose a convex, hinge-loss-based model for large problem instances whose reformulation does not incur binary variables to improve scalability. Moreover, we also consider the distributionally robust learning problem with a generic ground transportation cost to hedge against the label and sensitive attribute uncertainties. We numerically examine the performance of our proposed models on five real-world data sets related to individual analysis. Compared with the state-of-the-art methods, our proposed approaches significantly improve fairness with negligible loss of predictive accuracy in the testing data set. Managerial implications: Our paper raises awareness that bias may arise when predictive models are used in service and operations. It generally comes from human bias, for example, imbalanced data collection or low sample sizes, and is further amplified by algorithms. Incorporating fairness constraints and the distributionally robust optimization (DRO) scheme is a powerful way to alleviate algorithmic biases.

Funding: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [Grants 2342505 and 2343869] and the Chinese University of Hong Kong [Grant 4055191].

Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0230 .
A Scoping Review on The Relationship between Pulse Protein Consumption and its Effect on Human Gastrointestinal Tract and its Microbiome
Authors: Carrasco Maryté Benavides- , Parra Marcela Jarpa-
Published: April 2024

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a very intricate set of organs of the human body due to the diversity of microorganisms that inhabit it. The relationship between food intake and GIT health is known to food science and nutrition. However, the effect on the human gastrointestinal tract and its microbiome of legume proteins is not yet clearly understood. The objective of this review was documenting the effects of the consumption of legume proteins and their derived peptides on the GIT, in order to elucidate, based on the available scientific evidence, the relationship of this consumption with the microbiota and the prevention of diseases. A scoping review was carried out based on a search of articles published in four databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Academic, published between 1992 and 2022, in English or Spanish, excluding research carried out on animals. From a collection of 715 initially-selected articles, 13 met the eligibility criteria. Research confirmed that legume proteins and peptides go beyond simply providing amino acids for the development and repair of body tissues. In fact, numerous proteins, including lectins and enzyme inhibitors considered antinutrients, together with peptides, such as lunasin, have exhibited anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulatory properties. Also, they might regulate the microbiota flora and the manufacture of metabolites. The need for further research in humans is highlighted to understand the specific effect that these proteins and peptides have on the GIT and its microbiota, as well as the mechanisms behind their positive properties in inflammatory processes and diseases such as cancer. A knowledge gap is identified in the mechanisms of action of these proteins in the GIT, which represents an opportunity to assess the nutraceutical potential of legume proteins and their derived peptides.
Glycemic Index Lowering Effects of Defatted Fenugreek Seed Flakes (Fenuflakestm) on Some Indian Food Preparations: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Study
Authors: Thakurdesai Prasad , Deshpande Pallavi , Karve Madhura , Vasudevan Sudha , Gayathri Rajagopal , Natrajan Kalpana , Kuzhandaivelu Abirami , Karthikeyan Parkavi , Jeevan Raman Ganesh , Anjana Ranjit Mohan , Mohan Viswanathan
Published: April 2024

The objective of the study was to investigate the glycemic index (GI) of various Indian breakfast preparations containing defatted fenugreek seed flakes (FenuflakesTM) using validated protocols in compliance with international standards. Fifteen subjects aged 18 to 45 years with a body mass index of 18.5 to 22.5 kg/m2 were recruited for the study. The study assessed six breakfast preparations based on rice (cooked raw rice and idly), wheat (Semolina upma and Potato paratha), potato (potato sandwich), or oat (oat porridge), each with 10 g Fenuflakes (Test) or without Fenuflakes (Control), standardized to 50 g (25 g for oat porridge) of available carbohydrates. After overnight fasting, blood samples for each participant were collected 5 minutes before, immediately after (0 minutes) consuming the food, and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after the consumption of the assigned food breakfast preparations. Each participant consumed the reference food (55 g of glucose in 250 ml of water) for 3 days and the Test or Control food preparation for 6 days in a random order, with a wash-out period of 2 days. The GI of each food preparation was calculated from the incremental area under the curve (IAUC) of glucose in the food with the IAUC of the reference food. The GI of Fenuflakes-incorporated food preparations (Test) shifted from high to low (cooked raw rice) or medium (rice idly, Semolina upma, and potato paratha), or remained unchanged (potato sandwich and oat porridge) as that of compounding controls. In conclusion, Fenuflakes may be a useful addition to Indian breakfast preparations to lower the GI of some rice- or wheat-based Indian breakfast food preparations and lowers postprandial glycemic spikes.
Omega 3 Fatty Acid as a Health Supplement: An Overview of its Manufacture and Regulatory Aspects
Authors: Bhat Ramesa Shafi , Alsuhaibani Anwar S. , Albugami Faisal S. , Aldawsari Fahad S.
Published: April 2024

Dietary supplements are used for potential health benefits and are mainly intended to provide those nutrients that may be insufficiently consumed through regular dietary intake. They are mostly made from natural sources and are readily available in the form of capsules, tablets, or liquid form. Nowadays, omega-3 fatty acids (n−3 FAs) supplements are in high demand and have gained noteworthy popularity as the human body cannot produce them, and need to be administrated externally. They are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) characterized by at least one cis double bond at the third and fourth omega-end carbons, with primary examples being ɑ- linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and are classified as functional foods. The natural sources of these supplements include aquatic organisms like freshwater and marine fish, microalgae, seaweeds; nuts and seeds plant oils, and fortified foods. n-3 FAs, being biologically active molecules, are highly susceptible to oxidation due to double bonds in their long chains, leading to degradation over time, during storage. Various encapsulation systems, such as gels, emulsions, and powders, have been developed to effectively encapsulate PUFAs to enhance their chemical stability, dispersibility, and bioavailability. These quality control measures are essential to guarantee the effectiveness and safety of products containing n-3 FAs. This paper explores various sources of omega-3 fatty acid supplements and summarizes the multiple manufacturing techniques used for the production of these products. Additionally, the article tried to correlate quality aspects with the regulations for such products in an attempt to prevent exposure of consumers to harmful ingredients contained within these products. Lastly, potential recommendations for harmonizing the regulation and control of omega-3 supplements are proposed.
Effect of Pretreatment Methods on Juice Extraction Yield and Nutritional Composition of Cashew Apple (Anacardium Occidentale L.) Harvested from Binh Phuoc (Vietnam)
Authors: Hanh Nguyen Thi , Trang Nguyen Thi , Anh Nguyen Thi Minh , Huong Nguyen Thi , Hung Nguyen Van , Trang Vu Thu , Long Nguyen Viet , Huda Nurul
Published: April 2024

Nowadays, cashew trees are mainly cultivated to collect cashew nuts,
leading to the large amounts of cashew apples (known as the by-product
of the cashew industry) being eliminated due to astringent taste caused
by tannin. This is the reason why although cashew apples contain many
nutritious compounds as vitamin C, polyphenols, sugars, antioxidants are
still underutilized in manufacturing beverages. Hence, aiming to evaluate
the potential of cashew in terms of effect of pretreatment methods on
extraction yield and nutritional values of extracted cashew apple juice, the
organic cashew apples collected in Binh Phuoc, Vietnam were examined.
The impact of 11 pretreatment methods including blanching cashew apple
in different media and incubating in pectinase on extraction yield, tannin and
other nutritional values were evaluated. Using enzyme Pectinex Ultra SP-L
0.01% in 2 hours gave extraction yield of 83.89±0.4% which was highest
compared to other examined pretreatment methods in the study. Enzymatic
pretreatment resulted in 36.5% reduction in tannin content and other nutritious
values changed slightly. The obtained results emphasis the potential of
cashew apples as a raw material for nutritional beverage production in hope
of reducing the quantity of discarded cashew apples. Consequently, this study
developed methods in order to add economic value to cashew apple and
decrease the negative impacts of the cashew industry to the environment.
Antioxidant Effects of Whey Protein as a Dietary Supplement to Alleviate Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress in Male Wistar Rats
Authors: Al-Zharani Mohammed , Almuqri Eman , Mubarak Mohammed , Aljarba Nada , Rudayni Hassan , Yassen Khadija , Alkahtani Saad , Nasr Fahd A. , Al-Doaiss Amin , S. Al-eissa Mohammed
Published: April 2024

The liquid whey is a byproduct produced during cheese making. Cadmium is a highly hazardous heavy metal with cumulative toxic effects. The present research work was done to clarify the possible role of whey proteins in alleviating cadmium-induced oxidative stress. The used rats were allotted equally and randomly into three experimental groups; untreated control, cadmium-exposed, and cadmium-exposed and whey protein-administered groups. The biochemical and haematological assays of rats exposed to cadmium (group 2) manifested significant alterations compared to those of untreated control animals. Concerning the biochemical serum profile, group 3 animals showed relatively increased levels of total proteins, significant increments of total thiols, glutathione, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and catalase, and significant decrements in the levels of blood cadmium, alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, urea, bilirubin, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) compared to the animals exposed to cadmium (group 2). Homogenates of liver and kidney tissues obtained from group 3 animals demonstrated similar results to that revealed by the serum assay. It was concluded that whey proteins as a dietary supplement can offer potential antioxidant properties that enable these supplementary proteins to alleviate cadmium-induced oxidative stress.
Assessment of Antiangiogenic and Cytotoxic Effects of Moringa oleifera Silver Nanoparticles Using Cell Lines
Authors: Shalabi Rolla Al- , samad Nozlena abdul , AlDeeb Ibrahim , Joseph Julia , Abualsoud Bassam M.
Published: April 2024

Angiogenesis is the physiological process through which new blood vessels are developed from pre-existing vessels. It includes steps like migration, differentiation, and growth of endothelial cells. Furthermore, it plays a critical role in cancer formation and metastasis. Recently, Moringa oleifera (MO) has gained interest due to its properties in various fields, particularly in nanoparticle (NP) technology. This study aims to demonstrate the cytotoxic and antiangiogenic effects of MO silver nanoparticles (MO-AgNPs). Briefly, the cytotoxic effects of MO-AgNPs on Ea. hy 926 and HT 29 cell lines were observed in the Colony Formation Assay. The antiproliferative effects of MO-AgNPs were then further confirmed using MTT assay, in addition to morphological characterization, migration and closure percent calculation. To evaluate the antiangiogenic effect of MO, the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was done. Fertilized chicken eggs were divided into three groups: MO-AgNPs, MO ethanol extract and negative control. The results showed antiangiogenic effects were observed at 6-12 µg/mL concentration of MO-AgNPs. Whereas the plate efficiency was 45.7 % ± 1%. The surviving fraction at 12, 6, 3, and 1.5 μg/mL was 27.3± 0.5%, 30.1 ± 0.5 %, 41.8 ± 1.5%, and 69.8 ± 2.5 %, respectively. MO-AgNPs showed higher cytotoxic activity than MO ethanol extract on the Ea. hy926 cell line, where the IC50 of MO-AgNPs were 74, 35, and 12 µg/mL for 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. On the other hand, the IC50 of MO ethanol extract was above 200, 135 and 11 µg/mL for 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. Additionally, significant morphological changes were observed in Ea. hy cells. Whereas the closure percent average of Ea. hy cells at 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 µg/mL were 91.603, 88.507, 84.599, and 63.144%, respectively. Based on the results showed in this study, MO extract shows potential to be an effective anti-angiogenic agent and is a promising therapeutic option in cancer treatment.
Effect of Partial Replacement of Wheat Flour with Whole Leaf and Chloroplast-Rich Fraction from Thai Jasmine Rice Grass on Nutritional and Physicochemical Properties of Cookies
Authors: Sarawong Chonthira , Norajit Krittika , Wongtom Rungtip , Yampuang Racharat , Wattanakul Jutarat
Published: April 2024

Nowadays, the nutritional value of cookies is relatively low. To reduce wheat flour usage in the cookies, the freeze-dried whole leaf (WL) and chloroplast-rich fraction (CRF) derived from Thai jasmine rice grass were used as a food ingredient to increase the nutrients of cookies. Chloroplast is a rich source of macro and micronutrients. Thus, the use of chloroplast might improve the nutrients in food products. This research aimed to study the physical and chemical characteristics of freeze-dried WL and CRF from Thai jasmine rice grass. The nutritional and physical properties of the butter cookies substituted wheat flour with WL or CRF (0%, 2%, and 4% (w/w)) were also investigated. The result showed that CRF derived from Thai jasmine rice grass contained a significantly larger amount of macro and micronutrients (protein, lipid, ash, -carotene, and total carotenoids) compared with WL (P≤0.05), except for carbohydrate, fiber, total chlorophyll, and total phenolic compound. Furthermore, the cookies replaced wheat flour with 4% WL from Thai jasmine rice grass, containing the highest fiber led to a decreased spread ratio and increased the hardness of cookies. Whilst the cookies substituted with 4% CRF (w/w) were similar in texture to the cookies containing only wheat flour (P>0.05). Moreover, the replacement of wheat flour with freeze-dried WL and CRF derived from Thai jasmine rice grass enhanced nutrients and antioxidant activity compared with cookies in the absence of WL and CRF. The butter cookies with 4% replacement of WL showed the highest level of chlorophyll and total phenolic; the cookies with 4% replacement of CRF contained the largest amount of -carotene (provitamin A) and total carotenoids. However, both cookies containing either WL or CRF were not significantly different in antioxidant activity (P>0.05).
Eating Disorders Among Saudi Dietitians: Prevalence and Analysis
Authors: H. Bakr El-Sayed , Tarawah Renad Ahmad
Published: April 2024

Eating disorders (EDs) involve persistently disturbed eating and related behaviors that result in altered consumption or absorption of food with potential physical or psychological function impairment. There are four major types of EDs: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified. This investigation aimed to study the prevalence of EDs by assessing the nutritional status of nutrition students and dietitians from multiple provinces in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study included 175 male and female nutrition students and dietitians. EDs were diagnosed using the Eating Attitudes Test – 26 item (EAT-26) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Dietary intake was estimated using repeated 24-hour recall records. Diets were analyzed using food processor nutrition and fitness software. The intakes were compared with the recommended dietary allowances (RDA). The mean participant age was 24.62 ± 4 years. According to EAT-26 diagnostic criteria, the prevalence of EDs was 15.4%. The ED participants had normal body mass index values of 23.6 ± 3.47kg/m2. The diet analysis showed that these subjects had a lower intake of energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients but higher intakes of other micronutrients than the RDA. Nine (33.3%) of the subjects were students and 18 (66.7%) were dietitians. l EDs were more prevalent among dietitians than students. The EDs included a high number of other specified feeding or eating disorders and unspecified eating disorder cases. Subjects with ED had an unbalanced diet and poor nutrition. Our investigation concluded that the prevalence of EDs in Saudi Arabia was 15.4% among nutrition students and dietitians. Moreover, EDs were more prevalent in some provinces of Saudi Arabia. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, and some micronutrients were low, while those of other micronutrients were higher than the RDA.
Digital Image Analysis to Evaluate Sensory Attributes of Protein-Enriched Whole-Wheat Bread
Authors: T Venkatesan , M Shivaani
Published: April 2024

New food products or reformulated food products require intensive sensory assessment using a group of panelists before launching in the market. Sometimes, the sensory results obtained by the panelists are inconclusive due to their subjective scores. An indirect and accurate method to evaluate the sensory attributes using images is highly beneficial to conduct preliminary screening during product development stages. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the potential of red-green-blue (RGB) color images to evaluate the sensory qualities of whole wheat bread reformulated with pea and soy protein isolates as model food. In this study, reformulated whole wheat (WW) bread was used as model food to determine the potential of digital color images in assessing the selected sensory attributes. Seven types of WW bread was evaluated by ten untrained panelists. Four features (edge detection, pore numbers, pore area and Hu-moment similarity) were extracted from the images of the bread slices and compared with measured sensory scores. In general, the polynomial regression models yielded higher R2 values than linear regression models. The R2 values in polynomial regression models ranged 0.82-0.97, 0.60-0.92, 0.55-0.96, 0.77-0.99, 0.67-0.97, and 0.50-0.87 for chewiness, graininess, moistness, taste, desired aroma and overall acceptability, respectively. Hu-moment similarity provided the highest R2 values for the sensory attributes in polynomial regression models. In conclusion, although image-based sensory assessment may not substitute the current human sensory, it can provide valuable information to supplement the decision making process.
Consumer Awareness, Utilization, and Acceptance of Orange-fleshed Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) Value-added Food Products in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya
Authors: Cheboi Juliana Jepkemoi , Abong George , Greathead Henry , Keyster Marshall , Nkukwana Thobela
Published: April 2024

Sweet potatoe is a crucial crop for food security. promoted in Kenya due to its reported health benefits and resilience to drought. The benefits and application of the sweet potato with orange flesh (OFSP) in Elgeyo Marakwet County have, however, not been established. The current research sought to establish knowledge, method of utilization, and acceptability of specialty products made from OFSP. Information on sweet potato knowledge and use was gathered from 201 smallholder farmers in Endo Ward, Elgeyo Marakwet County, using a multi-stage sampling technique. Promotion of recipes of OFSP value-added products was undertaken among 30 selected farmers through practical demonstration and a farmer participation approach. The evaluation was undertaken through semi-structured questionnaires and scoring sheets for the preferred products and reasons to support their preferences. The results indicated that 82.6% of farmers in Elgeyo Marakwet are aware Compared to other crops, sweet potatoes are easier to grow and more suited to difficult climates (80.1 %). They were also aware of the advantages OFSP has for health (61.7%) and as a household food security crop (79.1%). However, 89.1% of the farmers have inadequate knowledge and skills in value addition. The majority of the farmers (70%) boil the sweet potatoes while 30% make snacks out of the OFSP. Consumer knowledge, utilization, and acceptability are influenced by demographic factors such as gender, education levels, size of land, and occupation. Products made with OFSP puree are the most preferred over wheat justifying its uses to produce acceptable and nutritious chapati, mandazi, and yogurt as part of diversification from the current practice of simply eating the boiled roots. These results suggest that increased efforts are required to educate farmers about the nutritional advantages of cultivating and consuming OFSP. to boost agricultural value addition and boost the amount of vitamin A in households’ diet.
CINEMA E DIVERSIDADE:
Authors: Costa Pollyana Ladeia , Rocha Eduardo Henrique
Published: April 2024

O presente artigo tem por objetivo analisar o ensino da Arte emancipatória, mais especificamente o cinema, como possibilidade de promover um pensamento criativo e crítico, de acordo com o teatro épico de Bertolt Brecht e a montagem cinematográfica de Sergei Eisenstein. Além disso, a utilização do ensino colaborativo e suas possibilidades para a construção de um pensamento democrático e inclusivo, através da educação libertadora de Paulo Freire. Para tanto, fez-se uma análise documental das fichas de matrículas e relatórios da coordenação, assistente de coordenação e dois arte-educadores de uma ONG, que atende crianças e adolescentes em um município de Minas Gerais. Ademais, foi realizada a análise fílmica do curta-metragem “O Salto” apresentado ao final do ano de 2022 pelos participantes do projeto. O trabalho colaborativo desenvolvido entre os arte-educadores, através de uma proposta de espaço compartilhado de ensino (dança e artes plásticas) em um ambiente de educação não formal também foi verificado, bem como a possibilidade e importância de ampliar o processo para futuros projetos através de um Ensino Colaborativo bem definido, ao qual norteia-se pelo conceito de Educação Inclusiva e emancipatória. Os sujeitos de pesquisa foram: um professor especialista em dança; já o outro, especialista em Artes Plásticas (cinema). Conclui-se que o ensino da Arte emancipatória através do gênero épico cinematográfico foi atingido. No entanto, para futuros projetos há ressalvas quanto a inserção de ferramentas para a inclusão e a diversidade, como por exemplo, legenda, audiodescrição e janela de Libras.
KAJIAN DAMPAK EMISI UDARA PADA PRODUKSI MINYAK BUMI DI PERUSAHAAN “A” MENGGUNAKAN METODE LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA)
Authors: AM Annur Yudha , Assomadi Abdu Fadli
Published: April 2024

Emisi terbesar dari proses produksi minyak bumi ini didominasi oleh gas nitrogen oksida (NOx) yang menyumbang 60% dari total emisi. Dalam penelitian ini dilakukan kajian dampak yang terjadi dari kegiatan produksi minyak bumi dengan menggunakan metode Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Dalam penelitian ini identifikasi dampak lingkungan dilakukan menggunakan software aplikasi SimaPro 9 dan penilaian yang dilakukan berbasis midpoint. Dalam penilaian midpoint digunakan 1 metode yaitu metode CML-IA Baseline. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) atau penilaian dampak dengan menggunakan penilaian midpoint meliputi global warming, human toxicity, photochemichal oxidation, ozone layer depletion, acidification, eutrophication, abiotic depletion, dan abiotic depletion (fossil fuel). Emisi yang dianalisis antara lain CO2, CH4, NOx dan SOx.  Dalam penelitian ini lingkup analisis yang digunakan dari sistem proses adalah cradle to gate. Hasil dari analisis menghasilkan nilai dampak paling besar berasal dari unit A power generator. Kategori dampak paling besar dari metode CML-IA Baseline adalah acidification. Hasil dari analisis sensitivity check menghasilkan nilai dari kedua variasi diatas 10% yaitu 16% dari setiap variasi. Skenario program alternatif yang direkomendasikan adalah teknologi kogenerasi dan non selective catalytic reduction (NSCR) dikarenakan dapat menurunkan acidification sebesar 69,81 %, eutrophication 69,82% dan human toxicity 69,40%.