bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Food Insecurity and Dietary Quality in African American Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Dratsky Daaimah , McGillivray Erin , Mittal Juhi , Handorf Elizabeth A. , Berardi Giuliana , Astsaturov Igor , Hall Michael J. , Yeh Ming-Chin , Jain Rishi , Fang Carolyn Y.
Published: September 2024

African American (AA) individuals experience food insecurity at twice the rate of the general population. However, few patients are screened for these measures in the oncology setting. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate associations between food insecurity and dietary quality in AA patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. The secondary aim was to evaluate differences in dietary quality and the level of food insecurity between the participants at Temple University Hospital (TUH) vs. Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC). A single-arm, cross-sectional study was conducted, in which 40 AA patients with GI malignancies were recruited at FCCC and TUH between February 2021 and July 2021. Participants completed the US Adult Food Security Survey Module to assess the level of food security (food secure vs. food insecure). An electronic food frequency questionnaire (VioScreenTM) was administered to obtain usual dietary intake. Diet quality was calculated using the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015). Dietary quality and food insecurity were summarized using standard statistical measures. Overall, 6 of the 40 participants (15%) reported food insecurity, and the mean HEI-2015 score was 64.2. No association was observed between dietary quality and food insecurity (p = 0.29). However, we noted that dietary quality was significantly lower among patients presenting at TUH (mean HEI-2015 = 57.8) compared to patients at FCCC (mean HEI-2015 = 73.5) (p < 0.01). Food insecurity scores were also significantly higher in the TUH population vs. the FCCC population (p < 0.01).
Discovery of Benzopyrone-Based Candidates as Potential Antimicrobial and Photochemotherapeutic Agents through Inhibition of DNA Gyrase Enzyme B: Design, Synthesis, In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation
Authors: Abd El-Haleem Akram , Ammar Usama , Masci Domiziana , El-Ansary Sohair , Abdel Rahman Doaa , Abou-Elazm Fatma , El-Dydamony Nehad
Published: September 2024

Bacterial DNA gyrase is considered one of the validated targets for antibacterial drug discovery. Benzopyrones have been reported as promising derivatives that inhibit bacterial DNA gyrase B through competitive binding into the ATP binding site of the B subunit. In this study, we designed and synthesized twenty-two benzopyrone-based derivatives with different chemical features to assess their antimicrobial and photosensitizing activities. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. Compounds 6a and 6b (rigid tetracyclic-based derivatives), 7a-7f (flexible-linker containing benzopyrones), and 8a-8f (rigid tricyclic-based compounds) exhibited promising results against B. subtilis, S. aureus, and E. coli strains. Additionally, these compounds demonstrated photosensitizing activities against the B. subtilis strain. Both in silico molecular docking and in vitro DNA gyrase supercoiling inhibitory assays were performed to study their potential mechanisms of action. Compounds 8a-8f exhibited the most favorable binding interactions, engaging with key regions within the ATP binding site of the DNA gyrase B domain. Moreover, compound 8d displayed the most potent IC50 value (0.76 μM) compared to reference compounds (novobiocin = 0.41 μM and ciprofloxacin = 2.72 μM). These results establish a foundation for structure-based optimization targeting DNA gyrase inhibition with antibacterial activity.
Docosatrienoic Acid Inhibits Melanogenesis Partly through Suppressing the Intracellular MITF/Tyrosinase Axis
Authors: Moon Kyoung Mi , Lee Min-Kyeoun , Park Su-Yeon , Seo Jaeseong , Kim Ah-reum , Lee Bonggi
Published: September 2024

Melanogenesis, essential for skin photoprotection and pigmentation, can lead to disorders like melasma and hyperpigmentation, which are challenging to treat and affect quality of life. Docosatrienoic acid (DTA), a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, has been identified as a potential regulator of skin aging. This study investigates DTA’s effects on melanogenesis and its underlying molecular mechanisms using in silico and in vitro analyses. SwissSimilarity analysis revealed that DTA shares close structural similarities with known anti-melanogenic lipids, suggesting it may inhibit melanogenesis in similar manners. Our results demonstrated that DTA reduces melanin content and intracellular tyrosinase activity in B16F10 cells, significantly downregulating the mRNA expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 by inhibiting MITF translocation to the nucleus. While DTA exhibited mild inhibitory effects on mushroom tyrosinase activity and antioxidant properties at higher concentrations, direct inhibition of tyrosinase is likely not the primary mechanism, as the observed anti-melanogenic effects occurred at much lower concentrations compared to those required for direct tyrosinase inhibition. Together, DTA-mediated modulation of MITF and tyrosinase mRNA expression offers a novel approach to treating hyperpigmentation. DTA’s potential extends into the cosmetic industry, enhancing product stability, functionality, and aesthetics. Further research is needed to explore DTA’s broader applications in skincare and cosmetic formulations.
Acai Oil-Based Organogel Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Topical Cosmetic: In Vitro and Ex Vivo Assessment
Authors: Sanches Suellen Christtine da Costa , Ferreira Lindalva Maria de Meneses Costa , Pereira Rayanne Rocha , Lynch Desireé Gyles , Ramos Ingryd Nayara de Farias , Khayat André Salim , Carrera Silva-Júnior José Otávio , Rossi Alessandra , Ribeiro-Costa Roseane Maria
Published: September 2024

Organogels are semi-solid pharmaceutical forms whose dispersing phase is an organic liquid, for example, an oil, such as acai oil, immobilized by a three-dimensional network formed by the gelling agent. Organogels are being highlighted as innovative release systems for cosmetic active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid for topical applications. Acai oil was evaluated for its physicochemical parameters, fatty acid composition, lipid quality index, spectroscopic pattern (Attenuated total reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), thermal behavior, total phenolic, total flavonoids, and total carotenoids and β-carotene content. The effectiveness of the organogel incorporated with hyaluronic acid (OG + HA) was evaluated through ex vivo permeation and skin retention tests, in vitro tests by Attenuated total reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The physicochemical analyses highlighted that the acai oil exhibited quality standards in agreement with the regulatory bodies. Acai oil also showed high antioxidant capacity, which was correlated with the identified bioactive compounds. The cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that the formulation OG + HA does not release toxic substances into the biological environment that could impede cell growth, adhesion, and efficacy. In vitro and ex vivo analyses demonstrated that after 6 h of application, OG + HA presented a high level of hydration, thermal protection and release of HA. Thus, it can be concluded that the OG + HA formulation has the potential for physical–chemical applications, antioxidant quality, and potentially promising efficacy for application in the cosmetic areas.
Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production by Methanotrophs: Recent Updates and Perspectives
Authors: Patel Sanjay K. S. , Singh Deepshikha , Pant Diksha , Gupta Rahul K. , Busi Siddhardha , Singh Rahul V. , Lee Jung-Kul
Published: September 2024

Methanotrophs are bacteria that consume methane (CH4) as their sole carbon and energy source. These microorganisms play a crucial role in the carbon cycle by metabolizing CH4 (the greenhouse gas), into cellular biomass and carbon dioxide (CO2). Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biopolymers produced by various microorganisms, including methanotrophs. PHA production using methanotrophs is a promising strategy to address growing concerns regarding plastic pollution and the need for sustainable, biodegradable materials. Various factors, including nutrient availability, environmental conditions, and metabolic engineering strategies, influence methanotrophic production. Nutrient limitations, particularly those of nitrogen or phosphorus, enhance PHA production by methanotrophs. Metabolic engineering approaches, such as the overexpression of key enzymes involved in PHA biosynthesis or the disruption of competing pathways, can also enhance PHA yields by methanotrophs. Overall, PHA production by methanotrophs represents a sustainable and versatile approach for developing biomedical materials with numerous potential applications. Additionally, alternative feedstocks, such as industrial waste streams or byproducts can be explored to improve the economic feasibility of PHA production. This review briefly describes the potential of methanotrophs to produce PHAs, with recent updates and perspectives.
Self-Attention Progressive Network for Infrared and Visible Image Fusion
Authors: Li Shuying , Han Muyi , Qin Yuemei , Li Qiang
Published: September 2024

Visible and infrared image fusion is a strategy that effectively extracts and fuses information from different sources. However, most existing methods largely neglect the issue of lighting imbalance, which makes the same fusion models inapplicable to different scenes. Several methods obtain low-level features from visible and infrared images at an early stage of input or shallow feature extraction. However, these methods do not explore how low-level features provide a foundation for recognizing and utilizing the complementarity and common information between the two types of images. As a result, the complementarity and common information between the images is not fully analyzed and discussed. To address these issues, we propose a Self-Attention Progressive Network for the fusion of infrared and visible images in this paper. Firstly, we construct a Lighting-Aware Sub-Network to analyze lighting distribution, and introduce intensity loss to measure the probability of scene illumination. This approach enhances the model’s adaptability to lighting conditions. Secondly, we introduce self-attention learning to design a multi-state joint feature extraction module (MSJFEM) that fully utilizes the contextual information among input keys. It guides the learning of a dynamic attention matrix to strengthen the capacity for visual representation. Finally, we design a Difference-Aware Propagation Module (DAPM) to extract and integrate edge details from the source images while supplementing differential information. The experiments across three benchmark datasets reveal that the proposed approach exhibits satisfactory performance compared to existing methods.
Soil Moisture-Derived SWDI at 30 m Based on Multiple Satellite Datasets for Agricultural Drought Monitoring
Authors: Ning Jing , Yao Yunjun , Fisher Joshua B. , Li Yufu , Zhang Xiaotong , Jiang Bo , Xu Jia , Yu Ruiyang , Liu Lu , Zhang Xueyi , Xie Zijing , Fan Jiahui , Zhang Luna
Published: September 2024

As a major agricultural hazard, drought frequently occurs due to a reduction in precipitation resulting in a continuously propagating soil moisture (SM) deficit. Assessment of the high spatial-resolution SM-derived drought index is crucial for monitoring agricultural drought. In this study, we generated a downscaled random forest SM dataset (RF-SM) and calculated the soil water deficit index (RF-SM-SWDI) at 30 m for agricultural drought monitoring. The results showed that the RF-SM dataset exhibited better consistency with in situ SM observations in the detection of extremes than did the SM products, including SMAP, SMOS, NCA-LDAS, and ESA CCI, for different land cover types in the U.S. and yielded a satisfactory performance, with the lowest root mean square error (RMSE, below 0.055 m3/m3) and the highest coefficient of determination (R2, above 0.8) for most observation networks, based on the number of sites. A vegetation health index (VHI), derived from a Landsat 8 optical remote sensing dataset, was also generated for comparison. The results illustrated that the RF-SM-SWDI and VHI exhibited high correlations (R ≥ 0.5) at approximately 70% of the stations. Furthermore, we mapped spatiotemporal drought monitoring indices in California. The RF-SM-SWDI provided drought conditions with more detailed spatial information than did the short-term drought blend (STDB) released by the U.S. Drought Monitor, which demonstrated the expected response of seasonal drought trends, while differences from the VHI were observed mainly in forest areas. Therefore, downscaled SM and SWDI, with a spatial resolution of 30 m, are promising for monitoring agricultural field drought within different contexts, and additional reliable factors could be incorporated to better guide agricultural management practices.
Hazard Susceptibility Mapping with Machine and Deep Learning: A Literature Review
Authors: Pugliese Viloria Angelly de Jesus , Folini Andrea , Carrion Daniela , Brovelli Maria Antonia
Published: September 2024

With the increase in climate-change-related hazardous events alongside population concentration in urban centres, it is important to provide resilient cities with tools for understanding and eventually preparing for such events. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques have increasingly been employed to model susceptibility of hazardous events. This study consists of a systematic review of the ML/DL techniques applied to model the susceptibility of air pollution, urban heat islands, floods, and landslides, with the aim of providing a comprehensive source of reference both for techniques and modelling approaches. A total of 1454 articles published between 2020 and 2023 were systematically selected from the Scopus and Web of Science search engines based on search queries and selection criteria. ML/DL techniques were extracted from the selected articles and categorised using ad hoc classification. Consequently, a general approach for modelling the susceptibility of hazardous events was consolidated, covering the data preprocessing, feature selection, modelling, model interpretation, and susceptibility map validation, along with examples of related global/continental data. The most frequently employed techniques across various hazards include random forest, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines. This review also provides, per hazard, the definition, data requirements, and insights into the ML/DL techniques used, including examples of both state-of-the-art and novel modelling approaches.
Morphological Features of Severe Ionospheric Weather Associated with Typhoon Doksuri in 2023
Authors: Li Wang , Yang Fangsong , Yang Jiayi , Zhang Renzhong , Lin Juan , Zhao Dongsheng , Hancock Craig M.
Published: September 2024

The atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) generated by severe typhoons can facilitate the transfer of energy from the troposphere to the ionosphere, resulting in medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs). However, the complex three-dimensional nature of MSTIDs over oceanic regions presents challenges for detection using ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) networks. This study employs a hybrid approach combining space-based and ground-based techniques to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of ionospheric perturbations during Typhoon Doksuri. Plane maps depict significant plasma fluctuations extending outward from the typhoon’s gale wind zone on 24 July, reaching distances of up to 1800 km from the typhoon’s center, while space weather conditions remained relatively calm. These ionospheric perturbations propagated at velocities between 173 m/s and 337 m/s, consistent with AGW features and associated propagation speeds. Vertical mapping reveals that energy originating from Typhoon Doksuri propagated upward through a 500 km layer, resulting in substantial enhancements of plasma density and temperature in the topside ionosphere. Notably, the topside horizontal density gradient was 1.5 to 2 times greater than that observed in the bottom-side ionosphere. Both modeling and observational data convincingly demonstrate that the weak background winds favored the generation of AGWs associated with Typhoon Doksuri, influencing the development of distinct MSTIDs.
ICTH: Local-to-Global Spectral Reconstruction Network for Heterosource Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Zhou Haozhe , Liu Zhanhao , Huang Zhenpu , Wang Xuguang , Su Wen , Zhang Yanchao
Published: September 2024

To address the high cost associated with acquiring hyperspectral data, spectral reconstruction (SR) has emerged as a prominent research area. However, contemporary SR techniques are more focused on image processing tasks in computer vision than on practical applications. Furthermore, the prevalent approach of employing single-dimensional features to guide reconstruction, aimed at reducing computational overhead, invariably compromises reconstruction accuracy, particularly in complex environments with intricate ground features and severe spectral mixing. Effectively utilizing both local and global information in spatial and spectral dimensions for spectral reconstruction remains a significant challenge. To tackle these challenges, this study proposes an integrated network of 3D CNN and U-shaped Transformer for heterogeneous spectral reconstruction, ICTH, which comprises a shallow feature extraction module (CSSM) and a deep feature extraction module (TDEM), implementing a coarse-to-fine spectral reconstruction scheme. To minimize information loss, we designed a novel spatial–spectral attention module (S2AM) as the foundation for constructing a U-transformer, enhancing the capture of long-range information across all dimensions. On three hyperspectral datasets, ICTH has exhibited remarkable strengths across quantitative, qualitative, and single-band detail assessments, while also revealing significant potential for subsequent applications, such as generalizability and vegetation index calculations) in two real-world datasets.
Water Ecological Security Pattern Based on Hydrological Regulation Service: A Case Study of the Upper Hanjiang River
Authors: Ma Xinping , Li Jing , Yu Yuyang , Xu Xiaoting
Published: September 2024

Water ecological problems involve flood, drought, water pollution, destruction of water habitat and the tense relationship between humans and water. Water ecological problems are the main problems in the development of countries all over the world. In terms of ecological protection, China has put forward the ecological red line policy. Water ecology is an important component of the ecosystem, and the delineation of the water ecological red line is an important basis for ecological protection. Based on ecosystem services, this paper tries to determine the red line of the water ecology space and tries to solve various water problems comprehensively. Based on the ecosystem services accounting method, the SWAT (soil and water assessment tool) model was used to simulate the spatial–temporal dynamic quantities of water purification and rainwater infiltration services in the upper reaches of the Hanjiang River. The basin was divided into 106 sub-basins and 1790 HRUs (hydrological response units). Water quality data taken from 8 sites were used to verify the simulation results, and the verification results have high reliability. The grid scale spatialization of water quality and rainwater infiltration is realized based on HRU. The seasonal characteristics of hydrological regulation and control services were analyzed, the red line of hydrological regulation and control in the upper reaches of the Hanjiang River was defined, and the dynamic characteristics of water ecological red line were analyzed. According to the research results, the water ecological protection strategy of the basin is proposed. The prevention and control of water pollution should be emphasized in spring and summer, the prevention and control of rain flood infiltration in autumn and winter, and the normal monitoring and management should be adopted in the regulation and storage. The results of this study can provide scientific reference for water resources management and conservation policy making.
Correction: Khairy et al. Catalyzing Green Work Engagement in Hotel Businesses: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence. Sustainability 2024, 16, 7102
Authors: Khairy Hazem Ahmed , Ahmed Mohamed , Asiri Arwa , Gazzawe Foziah , Abdel Fatah Mohamed A. , Ahmad Naim , Qahmash Ayman , Agina Mohamed Fathy
Published: September 2024

The authors would like to make the following correction to the published paper [...]
Upscaling Natural Materials in Construction: Earthen, Fast-Growing, and Living Materials
Authors: Carcassi Olga Beatrice , Salierno Roberta , Falcinelli Pietro Augusto , Paoletti Ingrid Maria , Ben-Alon Lola
Published: September 2024

Despite the numerous advantages of using natural materials, such as fast-growing, living, and earthen materials, their widespread application in the construction industry remains limited. This research presents a perception survey, which investigates stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the market, regulatory barriers, and educational barriers, exploring experiences, motivations, and attitudes toward the adoption of natural materials in construction projects. The results capture variations in current practices and identify patterns for future directions, analyzed in a comparative manner to assess two geographical regions: Europe and North America. The results show that contractor availability, a lack of professional knowledge (mostly in Europe), and cost-to-value perceptions (mostly in the USA) are key barriers to adopting natural materials. The lack of awareness among construction professionals regarding technical aspects highlights the need for targeted training, while the lack of regulatory distinction between living and earth-based materials underscores the need for harmonized policies. By elucidating stakeholders’ perspectives and identifying key challenges, this research aims to inform policymaking, industry practices, and research initiatives aimed at promoting the use of a wider lexicon of construction materials. Ultimately, this study hopes to facilitate the development of strategies to overcome scalability challenges and accelerate the transition toward their implementation in mainstream projects.
Farmers’ Non-Agricultural Income, Agricultural Technological Progress, and Sustainable Food Supply Security: Insights from China
Authors: Dong Lijing , Li Yingjie , Sun Zhenya , Zhang Lingyu , Tang Haiyun
Published: September 2024

This study explores the intricate relationships among farmers’ non-agricultural income, agricultural technological progress, and sustainable food supply security using China’s provincial panel data from 2003 to 2021. Employing multidimensional fixed effects, moderated effects, and threshold regression models, the analysis yields several key findings. First, an inverted “U” shaped relationship exists between farmers’ non-agricultural income and sustainable food supply security, where food security is initially promoted but subsequently suppressed as income increases. Agricultural technological progress significantly enhances sustainable food supply security, and mechanism analysis confirms a moderating effect of technological progress on the relationship between non-agricultural income and food security. Second, regional heterogeneity analysis shows that the inverted “U” shaped inflection point for farmers’ non-agricultural income occurs earliest in the western region and main food-producing areas, with the strongest impact observed in the eastern region and main non-food-producing areas. Agricultural technological progress more significantly promotes sustainable development in the central and western regions and main food-producing areas. Third, threshold testing reveals a non-linear double threshold effect of agricultural technological progress on sustainable food supply security, with non-agricultural income thresholds at 6.759 and 9.427. Beyond these thresholds, the promotion effect of technological progress exhibits a “flat-steep-flat” S-shaped fluctuation. These findings suggest a need for a balanced approach to managing farmers’ non-agricultural income growth, maintaining incentives for sustainable food production and increasing financial and technological investments in central and western regions to secure China’s long-term food supply security.
Research on Express Crowdsourcing Task Allocation Considering Distribution Mode under Customer Classification
Authors: Xing Xiaohu , Sun Chang , Chen Xinqiang
Published: September 2024

In order to promote the sustainable development of crowdsourcing logistics and control the cost of crowdsourcing logistics while improving the quality of crowdsourcing services, this paper proposes a courier crowdsourcing task allocation model that considers delivery methods under customer classification, with the optimization objective of minimizing the total cost of the crowdsourcing platform. This model adopts two delivery modes: home delivery by crowdsource couriers and pickup by customers. Customers can freely choose the express delivery method according to their actual situation when placing orders, thus better meeting their needs. Based on the customer’s historical express-consumption data, the entropy weight RFM model is used to classify them, and different penalty functions are constructed for different categories of customers to reduce the total delivery cost and improve the on-time delivery of efficient and potential customers. And a Customer Classification Genetic Algorithm (CCGA) was designed for simulation experiments, which showed that the algorithm proposed in this study significantly improved the local search ability, thereby optimizing the delivery task path of express crowdsourcing. This improvement not only improves the delivery timeliness for efficient and potential customers, but also effectively reduces the total delivery cost. Therefore, the research on parcel crowdsourcing task allocation based on customer classification reduces the cost of crowdsourcing delivery platforms and improves customer satisfaction, which has certain theoretical research value and practical-application significance.
The Public Open Space Quality in a Rural Village and an Urban Neighborhood: A Re-Examination after Decades
Authors: Shach-Pinsly Dalit , Shadar Hadas
Published: September 2024

In this article, we examine two settlement types: a rural village and an urban neighborhood. Both settlements were built on state-owned lands, pre-planned, established over three generations ago, informed by the same planning theory, and inspired by the same national ideology. Given these similarities, we compare the values of their constructed environments. Through these values, we examine whether a village planned as a city retains its rural values, and whether an urban neighborhood can contain village construction values. The aim of this article is to examine whether the original planning has stood the test of time, in terms of rural and urban renewal. The research method involved the analysis of urban plans and observations of the built environment as a basis for evaluating the quality of the built environments. The findings and main contributions suggest that village and neighborhood planning based on optimal walking distances from the rural/urban centers and the high connectivity and visibility of both internal and external landscapes has provided both the village and neighborhood with a sound infrastructure for future changes, even decades later, and given a different set of needs. Nevertheless, whereas the village is based on a community, the neighborhood seeks to create one and, if it fails to do so, the open areas might become neglected, and the neighborhood might deteriorate. In such a case, only local activism or public intervention can improve the neighborhood’s situation. This research constitutes an additional layer to studies examining the quality of the built environment, both in general and in Israel in particular, in cities and rural settlements. The case studies are Neighborhood D in Beersheba and the moshav Nahalal, Israel.
CIEVaD: A Lightweight Workflow Collection for the Rapid and On-Demand Deployment of End-to-End Testing for Genomic Variant Detection
Authors: Krannich Thomas , Ternovoj Dimitri , Paraskevopoulou Sofia , Fuchs Stephan
Published: September 2024

The identification of genomic variants has become a routine task in the age of genome sequencing. In particular, small genomic variants of a single or few nucleotides are routinely investigated for their impact on an organism’s phenotype. Hence, the precise and robust detection of the variants’ exact genomic locations and changes in nucleotide composition is vital in many biological applications. Although a plethora of methods exist for the many key steps of variant detection, thoroughly testing the detection process and evaluating its results is still a cumbersome procedure. In this work, we present a collection of easy-to-apply and highly modifiable workflows to facilitate the generation of synthetic test data, as well as to evaluate the accordance of a user-provided set of variants with the test data. The workflows are implemented in Nextflow and are open-source and freely available on Github under the GPL-3.0 license.
N6-Methyladenosine Positively Regulates Coxsackievirus B3 Replication
Authors: Zhao Hainian , Gao Zhiyun , Sun Jiawen , Qiao Hongxiu , Zhao Yan , Cui Yan , Zhao Baoxin , Wang Weijie , Chiu Sandra , Chuai Xia
Published: September 2024

Enteroviruses such as coxsackievirus B3 are identified as a common cause of viral myocarditis, but the potential mechanism of its replication and pathogenesis are largely unknown. The genomes of a variety of viruses contain N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which plays important roles in virus replication. Here, by using the online bioinformatics tools SRAMP and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), we predict that the CVB3 genome contains m6A sites and found that CVB3 infection could alter the expression and cellular localization of m6A-related proteins. Moreover, we found that 3-deazaadenosine (3-DAA), an m6A modification inhibitor, significantly decreased CVB3 replication. We also observed that the m6A methyltransferases methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3) and METTL14 play positive roles in CVB3 replication, whereas m6A demethylases fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) or AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) have opposite effects. Knockdown of the m6A binding proteins YTH domain family protein 1 (YTHDF1), YTHDF2 and YTHDF3 strikingly decreased CVB3 replication. Finally, the m6A site mutation in the CVB3 genome decreased the replication of CVB3 compared with that in the CVB3 wild-type (WT) strain. Taken together, our results demonstrated that CVB3 could exploit m6A modification to promote viral replication, which provides new insights into the mechanism of the interaction between CVB3 and the host.
Mapping Transmission Dynamics and Drug Resistance Surveillance in the Cyprus HIV-1 Epidemic (2017–2021)
Authors: Topcu Cicek , Vrancken Bram , Rodosthenous Johana Hezka , van de Vijver David , Siakallis Georgios , Lemey Philippe , Kostrikis Leondios G.
Published: September 2024

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) epidemic has been a major public health threat on a global scale since the early 1980s. Despite the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the incidence of new HIV-1 infections continues to rise in some regions around the world. Thus, with the continuous transmission of HIV-1 and the lack of a cure, it is imperative for molecular epidemiological studies to be performed, to monitor the infection and ultimately be able to control the spread of this virus. This work provides a comprehensive molecular epidemiological analysis of the HIV-1 infection in Cyprus, through examining 305 HIV-1 sequences collected between 9 March 2017 and 14 October 2021. Employing advanced statistical and bioinformatic techniques, the research delved deeply into understanding the transmission dynamics of the HIV-1 epidemic in Cyprus, as well as the monitoring of HIV-1’s genetic diversity and the surveillance of transmitted drug resistance. The characterization of Cyprus’s HIV-1 epidemic revealed a diverse landscape, comprising 21 HIV-1 group M pure subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs), alongside numerous uncharacterized recombinant strains. Subtypes A1 and B emerged as the most prevalent strains, followed by CRF02_AG. The findings of this study also revealed high levels of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) patterns, raising concerns for the efficacy of cART. The demographic profiles of individuals involved in HIV-1 transmission underscored the disproportionate burden borne by young to middle-aged Cypriot males, particularly those in the MSM community, who reported contracting the virus in Cyprus. An assessment of the spatiotemporal evolutionary dynamics illustrated the global interconnectedness of HIV-1 transmission networks, implicating five continents in the dissemination of strains within Cyprus: Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and Oceania. Overall, this study advances the comprehension of the HIV-1 epidemic in Cyprus and highlights the importance of understanding HIV-1’s transmission dynamics through continuous surveillance efforts. Furthermore, this work emphasizes the critical role of state-of-the-art bioinformatics analyses in addressing the challenges posed by HIV-1 transmission globally, laying the groundwork for public health interventions aimed at curbing its spread and improving patient outcomes.
Navigating the Healthcare Metaverse: Immersive Technologies and Future Perspectives
Authors: Yap Kevin Yi-Lwern
Published: September 2024

The year is 2030. The internet has evolved into the metaverse. People navigate through advanced avatars, shop in digital marketplaces, and connect with others through extended reality social media platforms. Three-dimensional patient scans, multidisciplinary tele-collaborations, digital twins and metaverse health records are part of clinical practices. Younger generations regularly immerse themselves in virtual worlds, playing games and attending social events in the metaverse. This sounds like a sci-fi movie, but as the world embraces immersive technologies post-COVID-19, this future is not too far off. This article aims to provide a foundational background to immersive technologies and their applications and discuss their potential for transforming healthcare and education. Moreover, this article will introduce the metaverse ecosystem and characteristics, and its potential for health prevention, treatment, education, and research. Finally, this article will explore the synergy between generative artificial intelligence and the metaverse. As younger generations of healthcare professionals embrace this digital frontier, the metaverse’s potential in healthcare is definitely attractive. Mainstream adoption may take time, but it is imperative that healthcare professionals be equipped with interdisciplinary skills to navigate the plethora of immersive technologies in the future of healthcare.
Transformation of examination and commodity assessment into an overall passport of food products under sanctions pressure
Authors:   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Tokarev P. I. , Livinskaya S. A. ,   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow
Published: September 2024

Imported food raw materials are subject to a three-stage determination of physical and chemical indicators from crossing the border to entering the industrial enterprise: examination, commodity assessment, and incoming inspection. Indicators may be the same or diff erent at each of the three control stages. Regardless of the purposes of control, the quality indicators of raw materials and their values must comply with current government standards. As an eff ective strategy for concentrating state fi nancial resources, it seems necessary to create a state strategy for the transition from a three-stage establishment of physical and chemical indicators to the creation of one protocol for the quality indicators of food products. The protocol must be offi cially signifi cant for interested organizations at all stages of analysis, which will eliminate repetition of studies at each phase of the product life cycle. The analysis of scientifi c and technical data has shown that at the present stage of the development of commodity science, it is necessary to transform the examination and commodity assessment of food products into an overall passport of food products sold on the Russian market.
Comparative analysis of requirements when confi rming product compliance with halal standards
Authors:   Russian Economic University. G.V. Plekhanov, Gladkova S.E. , Polozhishnikov M.A. ,   Russian Economic University. G.V. Plekhanov
Published: September 2024

The work analyzes the requirements for Halal certifi cation of the Gulf countries, Malaysia, Turkey, Russia and the Council of Muftis of the Russian Federation. Certification systems of different countries are described. A comparative description of the established requirements for the production of meat products with the Halal mark of conformity has been compiled.
Sorrel — nutritional value and their use
Authors:   Academy of Aerospace Defense named after Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, Rodionova A.E.
Published: September 2024

The article discusses the use of plant species such as sorrel. Their nutritional value, active substances, and recipes for dishes made from this plant are given. This allows us to consider sorrel from the point of view of a functional additive in culinary recipes.
Predicting quality of bakery products based on the study of rheological properties of model mixtures
Authors:   FSBEI HE Voronezh State Agrarian University, Voronezh, Derkanosova N.M. , Stakhurlova A.A. ,   FSBEI HE Voronezh State Agrarian University, Voronezh, Vasilenko O.A. ,   FSBEI HE Voronezh State Agrarian University, Voronezh
Published: September 2024

The design of fortified bakery products is one of the most developed areas of research in the field of healthy nutrition. Notably, changes in the formulation must be harmoniously combined with the organoleptic characteristics of the new type of product. The analysis of the effect of the enriching ingredient on baking properties of the fl our mixture as a factor determining the rheological properties of the dough, shape, state of porosity, and other characteristics of bread, makes it possible to find the boundary conditions for the use of the ingredient from the standpoint of preserving the traditional idea of the quality of the finished product. The conducted studies established the feasibility of using flour from amaranth extrudate of the Universal variety in a dosage of up to 15% of the weight of the flour mixture in the technology of enriched bakery products.
Relevance of using glycemic index in commodity assessment of food products
Authors:   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, OOO “Semushka”, Moscow, OOO “Agentstvo KAPITAN”, Moscow, Goryacheva E.D. , Krasavin A.S. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, OOO “Semushka”, Moscow, OOO “Agentstvo KAPITAN”, Moscow, Lapin A.V. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, OOO “Semushka”, Moscow, OOO “Agentstvo KAPITAN”, Moscow, Pavlovskiy A.S. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, OOO “Semushka”, Moscow, OOO “Agentstvo KAPITAN”, Moscow, Livinskiy A.A. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, OOO “Semushka”, Moscow, OOO “Agentstvo KAPITAN”, Moscow, Portnov N.M. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, OOO “Semushka”, Moscow, OOO “Agentstvo KAPITAN”, Moscow
Published: September 2024

Regulatory documents oblige the labeling of food products to include information about the content of all carbohydrates, highlighting the amount of dietary fi ber from the total composition of carbohydrates. However, there are no requirements to provide information on added sugars, the amount of which is standardized. Meanwhile, there are no simple and accessible methods for determining the sugar content in the product. An analysis of scientifi c and technical information has shown that such an indicator may be the glycemic index (GI) of food products. GI depends on the processing technology of raw materials and is determined by it; therefore, it can be an identifi cation criterion for the composition and nutritional value of products during their commodity assessment.
Commodity evaluation of rye croutons with increased nutritional value based on vegetable raw material
Authors:   K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technology and Management, Moscow, Posnova G.V. , Artsimovich A.A. ,   K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technology and Management, Moscow
Published: September 2024

The article discusses the results of commodity experts' assessment of rye croutons with the addition of dried vegetables, which have increased nutritional value. The quality assessment of the products was carried out according to organoleptic and physicochemical indicators in accordance with GOST R 54645-2011. All samples of croutons made from rye vegetable raw materials with increased nutritional value showed good consumer characteristics and received high organoleptic evaluation scores.
Methods for detecting olive oil adulteration
Authors:   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Ezhova M.V. , Goncharenko O.A. ,   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow
Published: September 2024

Methods of olive oil adulteration are analyzed, and methods of its identification are described.
Studying the quality of vegetable oil blends
Authors:   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Orlovtseva O.A. , Tefikova S.N. ,   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Kleimenova N.L. ,   Voronezh State University of Engineering Technologies, Voronezh
Published: September 2024

The article presents the result of assessing the quality of blended vegetable oils using qualimetric and physicochemical methods. Based on the data obtained, conclusions about the prospects for using blends in diets were drawn.
On the issue of microplastics in the environment
Authors:   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University, FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Chalykh T.I. , Kirsh I.A. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University, Moscow, Gubanova M.I. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University, Moscow, Bannikova O.A. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University, Moscow, Beznaeva O.V. ,   FSBEI HE Russian Biotechnological University, Moscow
Published: September 2024

The article discusses the problem of the appearance of microplastics and its connection with environmental pollution. The authors believe that the appearance of microplastics cannot be associated only with the progress in the development of polymer chemistry and petrochemistry, and pollution with polymer particles is not directly related only to destruction processes occurring under the influence of physicochemical factors.
Prospects of using neural networks to optimize processes in social work: new approaches to digitalization of the social sphere
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Ufa University of Science and Technology», Sharipova E. R. , Bolshakova N. L. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Ufa University of Science and Technology»
Published: September 2024

This scientific article analyzes the use of neural networks in the practice of social work. In the modern world, artificial intelligence technologies are being implemented in various spheres of human life, including social services. The introduction of educational programs aimed at training social workers to effectively use neural networks is a priority task. Thus, the use of neural networks in social work opens wide prospects for optimizing and improving the quality of social services.
Seasonal Migrants in The Northern European Agricultural Sector as An Example of a Modern Pre-cariat: Exploitation, Stereotypes, Challenges
Authors:   Federal Research Center of Agrarian Economy and Social Development of Rural Areas — All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Moscow, Gusev A. S. , Novikov V. G. ,   Federal Research Center of Agrarian Economy and Social Development of Rural Areas — All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Moscow
Published: September 2024

In this article, using the example of an analysis of open analytical and literary sources of the countries of North Europe (Kingdom of Norway, Kingdom of Sweden), including official publications, the authors attempted to analyze the situation of foreign workers in the agricultural sector of this macroregion in fragments. It is shown that the agricultural sector in Northern Europe is still a very labor-intensive industry with few requirements for formal skills and qualifi -cations, so it is not very attractive (especially in terms of routine work) for local residents, therefore the share of foreign workers in mass professions is very high and tends to grow stead-ily. The phenomenon of the gig economy was separately analyzed. The most signifi cant forms and methods of discrimination against the rights of migrants in the agricultural sector of Northern Europe were identifi ed. It is concluded that seasonal workers of the green industry are often extremely infringed upon guaranteeing the respect of their labor rights, are forced to take on casual, unreliable work without stable earnings and benefits, thus they can be considered as a standard example of a modern European precariat. The article shows that neoliberal labor markets and highly restrictive immigration regimes create a form of hyper-precariat.
Sustainable Development of Transport Infrastructure in The Baltic Region Within the Framework of The Belt and Road Project
Authors:   Minsk branch of the Russian Economic University named after G.V. Plekhanov, Minsk (Republic of Belarus), Gorbachev N. N.
Published: September 2024

The article examines sustainable development and securitization of natural disaster risks for transport infrastructure in the Baltic region within the framework of the Belt and Road project. The innovative approach of using insurance-linked securities (ILS) to provide securitization of investments in transport infrastructure is considered. The Baltic region, with its strategic location and importance in international trade, is at the intersection of the Belt and Road Initiative, making the sustainable development of its transport infrastructure an important area of research. The article examines the challenges, opportunities and potential solutions for promoting the sustainable development of transport infrastructure. The role of insurance-linked securities in reducing the risks associated with transport infrastructure projects is considered. sustainability and attracting investment. It also takes into account the potential environmental and social impacts of infrastructure development in line with sustainable development goals. The article provides an overview of the opportunities for securitization of natural disaster risks for the transport infrastructure sector in the Baltic region, and assesses the potential of ILS as a mechanism for securitization and risk management. Examines the importance of sustainable development in the context of the Belt and Road project, contributing to the ongoing discourse on infrastructure financing, risk management and sustainable development of the region.