bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Survey on Energy Storage: Techniques and Challenges
Authors: Krichen Moez , Basheer Yasir , Qaisar Saeed Mian , Waqar Asad
Published: February 2023

Intermittent renewable energy is becoming increasingly popular, as storing stationary and mobile energy remains a critical focus of attention. Although electricity cannot be stored on any scale, it can be converted to other kinds of energies that can be stored and then reconverted to electricity on demand. Such energy storage systems can be based on batteries, supercapacitors, flywheels, thermal modules, compressed air, and hydro storage. This survey article explores several aspects of energy storage. First, we define the primary difficulties and goals associated with energy storage. Second, we discuss several strategies employed for energy storage and the criteria used to identify the most appropriate technology. In addition, we address the current issues and limitations of energy storage approaches. Third, we shed light on the battery technologies, which are most frequently used in a wide range of applications for energy storage. The usage and types of batteries are described alongside their market shares and social and environmental aspects. Moreover, the recent advances in battery state estimation and cell-balancing mechanisms are reviewed.
Smart Protection System for Microgrids with Grid-Connected and Islanded Capabilities Based on an Adaptive Algorithm
Authors: Sampaio Felipe Carvalho , Tofoli Fernando Lessa , Melo Lucas Silveira , Barroso Giovanni Cordeiro , Sampaio Raimundo Furtado , Leão Ruth Pastôra Saraiva
Published: February 2023

This work proposes a smart protection system for microgrids, which relies on an adaptive metaheuristic for the automatic calculation of optimal settings for directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs). The adaptive fuzzy directional bat algorithm (AFDBA) associated with a fuzzy inference system (FIS) is used for this purpose. A prominent advantage of this solution is that there is no need for an initial tuning of the parameters associated with the algorithm, unlike many traditional approaches reported in the literature. Such a metaheuristic is used in the conception of an adaptive protection system (APS) in the context of a microgrid while taking into account the connection status of distributed generation (DG) units under distinct scenarios. A performance comparison with a protection system with fixed optimal settings (PSFOS) is also presented. The results demonstrate that the proposed APS outperforms the PSFOS while providing faster response, higher reliability and less susceptibility to miscoordination. In other words, it presents a shorter trip time when compared with the PSFOS, with a reduction of 6.83% and 26.58% when considering the DG penetration and the islanded microgrid, respectively.
Novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae × Saccharomyces mikatae Hybrids for Non-alcoholic Beer Production
Authors: Vaštík Peter , Sulo Pavol , Rosenbergová Zuzana , Klempová Tatiana , Dostálek Pavel , Šmogrovičová Daniela
Published: February 2023

The popularity of non-alcoholic beers has been increasing over the past few years. Maltose-negative strains of different genera are frequently used to obtain beers of low alcohol content. S. cerevisiae hybrids with other Saccharomyces species offer interesting inherited flavour characteristics; however, their use in non-alcoholic beer production is rare. In this work, we constructed six hybrids of maltose-negative S. cerevisiae parental strains (modified to produce higher amounts of organic acids) and S. mikatae (wild-type). Growth behaviour, osmotolerance and fermentation features of the offspring were compared with parental strains. One hybrid with mitochondrial DNA inherited from both parents was used to produce non-alcoholic beer in which organic metabolites were evaluated by HPLC and HS-SPME-GC-MS. This hybrid produced non-alcoholic beer (≤0.05% (v/v)) with an increased organic acid content, just as its parent S. cerevisiae, but without producing increased amounts of acetic acid. The beer had a neutral aromatic profile with no negative off-flavours, similar to the beer produced by the parent S. mikatae, which was used for the first time to produce non-alcoholic beer. Overall, both parents and hybrid yeast produced non-alcoholic beers with increased amounts of higher alcohols compared with esters.
Extraction, Characterization, and Bioactivity of Phenolic Compounds—A Case on Hibiscus Genera
Authors: Duque-Soto Carmen , Expósito-Almellón Xavier , García Paula , Pando María Elsa , Borrás-Linares Isabel , Lozano-Sánchez Jesús
Published: February 2023

Phenolic compounds have recently gained interest, as they have been related to improvements in health and disease prevention, such as inflammatory intestinal pathologies and obesity. However, their bioactivity may be limited by their instability or low concentration in food matrices and along the gastrointestinal tract once consumed. This has led to the study of technological processing with the aim of optimizing phenolic compounds’ biological properties. In this sense, different extraction systems have been applied to vegetable sources for the purpose of obtaining enriched phenolic extracts such as PLE, MAE, SFE, and UAE. In addition, many in vitro and in vivo studies evaluating the potential mechanisms of these compounds have also been published. This review includes a case study of the Hibiscus genera as an interesting source of phenolic compounds. The main goal of this work is to describe: (a) phenolic compound extraction by designs of experiments (DoEs) applied to conventional and advanced systems; (b) the influence of the extraction system on the phenolic composition and, consequently, on the bioactive properties of these extracts; and (c) bioaccessibility and bioactivity evaluation of Hibiscus phenolic extracts. The results have pointed out that the most used DoEs were based on response surface methodologies (RSM), mainly the Box–Behnken design (BBD) and central composite design (CCD). The chemical composition of the optimized enriched extracts showed an abundance of flavonoids, as well as anthocyanins and phenolic acids. In vitro and in vivo studies have highlighted their potent bioactivity, with particular emphasis on obesity and related disorders. This scientific evidence establishes the Hibiscus genera as an interesting source of phytochemicals with demonstrated bioactive potential for the development of functional foods. Nevertheless, future investigations are needed to evaluate the recovery of the phenolic compounds of the Hibiscus genera with remarkable bioaccessibility and bioactivity.
Insights into Ultrasonication Treatment on the Characteristics of Cereal Proteins: Functionality, Conformational and Physicochemical Characteristics
Authors: Wang Yang , Liu Jiarui , Zhang Zhaoli , Meng Xiangren , Yang Tingxuan , Shi Wangbin , He Ronghai , Ma Haile
Published: February 2023

Background: It would be impossible to imagine a country where cereals and their byproducts were not at the peak of foodstuff systems as a source of food, fertilizer, or for fiber and fuel production. Moreover, the production of cereal proteins (CPs) has recently attracted the scientific community’s interest due to the increasing demands for physical wellbeing and animal health. However, the nutritional and technological enhancements of CPs are needed to ameliorate their functional and structural properties. Ultrasonic technology is an emerging nonthermal method to change the functionality and conformational characteristics of CPs. Scope and approach: This article briefly discusses the effects of ultrasonication on the characteristics of CPs. The effects of ultrasonication on the solubility, emulsibility, foamability, surface-hydrophobicity, particle-size, conformational-structure, microstructural, enzymatic-hydrolysis, and digestive properties are summarized. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that ultrasonication could be used to enhance the characteristics of CPs. Proper ultrasonic treatment could improve functionalities such as solubility, emulsibility, and foamability, and is a good method for altering protein structures (including surface hydrophobicity, sulfhydryl and disulfide bonds, particle size, secondary and tertiary structures, and microstructure). In addition, ultrasonic treatment could effectively promote the enzymolytic efficiency of CPs. Furthermore, the in vitro digestibility was enhanced after suitable sonication treatment. Therefore, ultrasonication technology is a useful method to modify cereal protein functionality and structure for the food industry.
Influence of the Physical State of Two Monofloral Honeys on Sensory Properties and Consumer Satisfaction
Authors: Piana Maria Lucia , Cianciabella Marta , Daniele Giulia Maria , Badiani Anna , Rocculi Pietro , Tappi Silvia , Gatti Edoardo , Marcazzan Gian Luigi , Magli Massimiliano , Medoro Chiara , Predieri Stefano
Published: February 2023

Honey is a worldwide known and appreciated food product. Its appreciation by consumers is due to both its nutritional properties and the extremely reduced processing. The floral origin, color, aroma and taste are key factors in determining the quality of honey. Nevertheless, rheological properties, as crystallization rate, play a fundamental role in the perceived overall quality. Indeed, crystallized honey is often considered of poor quality by consumers, but a fine-grained or creamy texture is becoming interesting from the producers’ side. The purpose of this study was to investigate textural and aromatic properties and consumers’ perception and acceptance of two monofloral honeys that were differently crystallized. Liquid and creamy samples were obtained from crystallized samples. Physico-chemical, descriptive and dynamic sensory analysis, as well as consumer and CATA tests, were conducted on the three honey textures. The physico-chemical analysis well-discriminated the crystallization levels and evidenced that, although the honey variety was different, the textural properties of the creamy samples are very similar. Crystallization was shown to affect the honey sensory perceptions: liquid samples were sweeter, but less aromatic. Consumer tests allowed the validation of panel data and confirmed consumers’ higher appreciation for liquid and creamy honey.
The Extract of Perilla frutescens Seed Residue Attenuated the Progression of Aberrant Crypt Foci in Rat Colon by Reducing Inflammatory Processes and Altered Gut Microbiota
Authors: Chantana Weerachai , Hu Rentong , Buddhasiri Songphon , Thiennimitr Parameth , Tantipaiboonwong Payungsak , Chewonarin Teera
Published: February 2023

Perilla frutescens (PF) seed residue is a waste from perilla oil production that still contains nutrients and phytochemicals. This study aimed to investigate the chemoprotective action of PF seed residue crude ethanolic extract (PCE) on the inflammatory-induced promotion stage of rat colon carcinogenesis and cell culture models. PCE 0.1 and 1 g/kg body weight were administered by oral gavage to rats after receiving dimethylhydrazine (DMH) with one week of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) supplementation. PCE at high dose exhibited a reduction in aberrant crypt foci (ACF) number (66.46%) and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to the DMH + DSS group (p < 0.01). Additionally, PCE could either modulate the inflammation induced in murine macrophage cells by bacterial toxins or suppress the proliferation of cancer cell lines, which was induced by the inflammatory process. These results demonstrate that the active components in PF seed residue showed a preventive effect on the aberrant colonic epithelial cell progression by modulating inflammatory microenvironments from the infiltrated macrophage or inflammatory response of aberrant cells. Moreover, consumption of PCE could alter rat microbiota, which might be related to health benefits. However, the mechanisms of PCE on the microbiota, which are related to inflammation and inflammatory-induced colon cancer progression, need to be further investigated.
The Bioaccessibility of Yak Bone Collagen Hydrolysates: Focus on Analyzing the Variation Regular of Peptides and Free Amino Acids
Authors: Guo Zitao , Yang Yuliang , Hu Bo , Zhu Lingyu , Liu Chunyu , Li Moying , Gu Zhenghua , Xin Yu , Guo Zhongpeng , Sun Haiyan , Guan Yanming , Zhang Liang
Published: February 2023

The lack of a bioaccessibility test for yak bone collagen hydrolysates (YBCH) limits their development as functional foods. In this study, simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SD) and absorption (SA) models were utilized to evaluate the bioaccessibility of YBCH for the first time. The variation in peptides and free amino acids was primarily characterized. There was no significant alteration in the concentration of peptides during the SD. The transport rate of peptides through the Caco-2 cell monolayers was 22.14 ± 1.58%. Finally, a total of 440 peptides were identified, more than 75% of them with lengths ranging from 7 to 15. The peptide identification indicated that about 77% of the peptides in the beginning sample still existed after the SD, and about 76% of the peptides in the digested YBCH could be observed after the SA. These results suggested that most peptides in the YBCH resist gastrointestinal digestion and absorption. After the in silico prediction, seven typical bioavailable bioactive peptides were screened out and they exhibited multi-type bioactivities in vitro. This is the first study to characterize the changes in peptides and amino acids in the YBCH during gastrointestinal digestion and absorption, and provides a foundation for analyzing the mechanism of YBCH’s bioactivities.
Contribution of Quercetin to the Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Monascus Exopolysaccharides
Authors: Yang Haiyun , Meng Hui , Xie Liuming , Huang Zhibing
Published: February 2023

Exopolysaccharides are important metabolites of Monascus with healthy activities. However, the low production level limits their applications. Hence, the aim of this work was to increase the yield of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and optimize liquid fermentation by adding flavonoids. The EPS yield was optimized via both medium composition and culture conditions. The optional fermentation conditions achieved for EPS production of 7.018 g/L were 50 g/L sucrose, 3.5 g/L yeast extract, 1.0 g/L MgSO4·7H2O, 0.9 g/L KH2PO4, 1.8 g/L K2HPO4·3H2O, 1 g/L quercetin, and 2 mL/L Tween-80, with pH 5.5, inoculum size 9%, seed age 52 h, shaking speed 180 rpm, and fermentation culture 100 h, respectively. Furthermore, the addition of quercetin increased EPS production by 11.66%. The results also showed little citrinin residue in the EPS. The exopolysaccharides’ composition and antioxidant capacity of quercetin-modified exopolysaccharides were then preliminarily investigated. The addition of quercetin changed the composition of the exopolysaccharides and the molecular weight (Mw). In addition, the antioxidant activity of Monascus exopolysaccharides was monitored using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS+), and -OH. Monascus exopolysaccharides have good scavenging ability of DPPH and -OH. Furthermore, quercetin increased the scavenging ABTS+ ability. Overall, these findings provide a potential rationale for the application of quercetin in improving the EPS yield.
Establishment of Food Allergy Model in Dextran Sulfate Sodium Induced Colitis Mice
Authors: Chen Bihua , Wu Yuhong , Wu Huan , Meng Xuanyi , Chen Hongbing
Published: February 2023

Food allergy (FA) has become a global food safety issue. Evidence suggests that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can increase the incidence of FA, but it is mostly based on epidemiological studies. An animal model is pivotal for unraveling the mechanisms involved. However, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced IBD models may cause substantial animal losses. To better investigate the effect of IBD on FA, this study aimed to establish a murine model to fit both IBD and FA symptoms. Firstly, we compared three DSS-induced colitis models by monitoring survival rate, disease activity index, colon length, and spleen index, and then eliminated the colitis model with a 7-day administration of 4% due to high mortality. Moreover, we evaluated the modeling effects on FA and intestinal histopathology of the two models selected and found the modeling effects were similar in both the colitis model with a 7-day administration of 3% DSS and the colitis model with long-term administration of DSS. However, for animal survival reasons, we recommend the colitis model with long-term administration of DSS.
Analytical Purity Determinations of Universal Food-Spice Curcuma longa through a QbD Validated HPLC Approach with Critical Parametric Predictors and Operable-Design’s Monte Carlo Simulations: Analysis of Extracts, Forced-Degradants, and Capsules and Tablets-Based Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
Authors: Mohammed Hamdoon A. , Alsahabi Dhafer S. , Hegazy Amira M. , Khan Riaz A. , Ahmed Adel M.
Published: February 2023

Applications of analytical quality by design (QbD) approach for developing HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) methods for food components assays, and separations of complex natural product mixtures, are still limited. The current study developed and validated, for the first time, a stability-indicating HPLC method for simultaneous determinations of curcuminoids in Curcuma longa extracts, tablets, capsules, and curcuminoids’ forced degradants under different experimental conditions. Towards separation strategy, critical method parameters (CMPs) were defined as the mobile phase solvents’ percent-ratio, the pH of the mobile phase, and the stationary-phase column temperature, while the peaks resolution, retention time, and the number of theoretical plates were recognized as the critical method attributes (CMAs). Factorial experimental designs were used for method development, validation, and robustness evaluation of the procedure. The Monte Carlo simulation evaluated the developing method’s operability, and that ensured the concurrent detections of curcuminoids in natural extracts, commercial-grade pharmaceutical dosage-forms, and the forced degradants of the curcuminoids in a single mixture. The optimum separations were accomplished using the mobile phase, consisting of an acetonitrile–phosphate buffer (54:46 v/v, 0.1 mM) with 1.0 mL/min flow rate, 33 °C column temperature, and 385 nm wavelength for UV (Ultra Violet) spectral detections. The method is specific, linear (R2 ≥ 0.999), precise (% RSD < 1.67%), and accurate (% recovery 98.76–99.89%), with LOD (Limit of Detection) and LOQ (Limit of Quantitation) at 0.024 and 0.075 µg/mL for the curcumin, 0.0105 µg/mL and 0.319 µg/mL for demethoxycurcumin, and 0.335 µg/mL and 1.015 µg/mL for the bisdemethoxycurcumin, respectively. The method is compatible, robust, precise, reproducible, and accurately quantifies the composition of the analyte mixture. It exemplifies the use of the QbD approach in acquiring design details for developing an improved analytical detection and quantification method.
Investigating the Potential of Full-Fat Soy as an Alternative Ingredient in the Manufacture of Low- and High-Moisture Meat Analogs
Authors: Jeon Yung-Hee , Gu Bon-Jae , Ryu Gi-Hyung
Published: February 2023

The increase in meat consumption could adversely affect the environment. Thus, there is growing interest in meat analogs. Soy protein isolate is the most common primary material to produce low- and high-moisture meat analogs (LMMA and HMMA), and full-fat soy (FFS) is another promising ingredient for LMMA and HMMA. Therefore, in this study, LMMA and HMMA with FFS were manufactured, and then their physicochemical properties were investigated. The water holding capacity, springiness, and cohesiveness of LMMA decreased with increasing FFS contents, whereas the integrity index, chewiness, cutting strength, degree of texturization, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, and total phenolic content of LMMA increased when FFS contents increased. While the physical properties of HMMA decreased with the increasing FFS content, its DPPH free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic contents increased. In conclusion, when full-fat soy content increased from 0% to 30%, there was a positive influence on the fibrous structure of LMMA. On the other hand, the HMMA process requires additional research to improve the fibrous structure with FFS.
A Rigorous Analysis of Integro-Differential Operators with Non-Singular Kernels
Authors: Fernandez Arran , Al-Refai Mohammed
Published: February 2023

Integro-differential operators with non-singular kernels have been much discussed among fractional calculus researchers. We present a mathematical study to clearly establish the rigorous foundations of this topic. By considering function spaces and mapping results, we show that operators with non-singular kernels can be defined on larger function spaces than operators with singular kernels, as differentiability conditions can be removed. We also discover an analogue of the Sonine invertibility condition, giving two-sided inversion relations between operators with non-singular kernels that are not possible for operators with singular kernels.
Fabrication of Silk Hydrogel Scaffolds with Aligned Porous Structures and Tunable Mechanical Properties
Authors: Jiang Zewu , Sun Qingqing , Li Qian , Li Xiaomeng
Published: February 2023

The effectiveness of cell culture and tissue regeneration largely depends on the structural and physiochemical characteristics of tissue-engineering scaffolds. Hydrogels are frequently employed in tissue engineering because of their high-water content and strong biocompatibility, making them the ideal scaffold materials for simulating tissue structures and properties. However, hydrogels created using traditional methods have low mechanical strength and a non-porous structure, which severely restrict their application. Herein, we successfully developed silk fibroin glycidyl methacrylate (SF-GMA) hydrogels with oriented porous structures and substantial toughness through directional freezing (DF) and in situ photo-crosslinking (DF-SF-GMA). The oriented porous structures in the DF-SF-GMA hydrogels were induced by directional ice templates and maintained after photo-crosslinking. The mechanical properties, particularly the toughness, of these scaffolds were enhanced compared to the traditional bulk hydrogels. Interestingly, the DF-SF-GMA hydrogels exhibit fast stress relaxation and variable viscoelasticity. The remarkable biocompatibility of the DF-SF-GMA hydrogels was further demonstrated in cell culture. Accordingly, this work reports a method to prepare tough SF hydrogels with aligned porous structures, which can be extensively applied to cell culture and tissue engineering.
Low-Cost Real-Time Water Level Monitoring Network for Falling Water River Watershed: A Case Study
Authors: Kalyanapu Alfred , Owusu Collins , Wright Tyler , Datta Tania
Published: February 2023

Streamflow monitoring for flood warning and watershed management applications in the United States is a cost-intensive venture, and usually performed by government agencies such as the US Geological Survey (USGS). With reduced resources across the federal agencies towards environmental monitoring, agencies and stakeholders are challenged to respond with cross-cutting, collaborative, and low-cost alternatives for streamflow monitoring. One such alternative is using low-cost environmental sensors and developing a real-time gage/sensor network using IoT (Internet of Things) devices. With this technology, smaller watersheds (e.g., HUC-8 and HUC-10 level) can be equipped with low-cost gages at many locations and a clear picture of the hydrological response can be obtained. This paper presents the development and implementation of a low-cost real-time water monitoring network for the Falling Water River (FWR) watershed in the middle Tennessee region in the US. To develop and implement this gage network, the following three tasks were performed: (i) assemble a low-cost, real-time internet enabled water level gage, (ii) field-test the sensor prototype and, (iii) deploy the sensors and build a network. A collaborative partnership was developed with stakeholders including the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Burgess Falls State Park, City of Cookeville, and Friends of Burgess Falls. The performance of the gages in water level estimation was compared with the water levels measured with a nearby USGS streamgage. The comparison was performed for the 2020–2022 time period and at two levels: event-based comparison and a long-term comparison. Nine storm events were selected for the comparison, which showed “Very Good” agreement in terms of Coefficient of Determination (R2), Nash–Suttcliffe Efficiency (NSE), and percent bias (PBIAS) (except for four events). The mean squared error (MSE) ranged between 0.07 and 1.06 while the root mean squared error (RMSE) ranged between 3 inches and 12 inches. A long-term comparison was performed using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and Loess Seasonal Decomposition analysis, which showed that the differences between the two datasets is not significant and that they trended well across the two year period. The gages are currently installed along the main channel and tributaries of the Falling Water River, which also include portions of the Window Cliffs State Natural Area. With continued support from the stakeholders, the number of sensors are projected to increase, resulting in a dense sensor network across the watershed. This will over time enable the stakeholders to have a spatially variable hydrological response of the Falling Water River Watershed.
The Mobile Patient Information Assistant (PIA) App during the Inpatient Surgical Hospital Stay: Evaluation of Usability and Patient Approval
Authors: Görtz Magdalena , Wendeborn Antonia , Müller Michael , Hohenfellner Markus
Published: February 2023

Mobile eHealth apps are becoming increasingly important tools in healthcare management, capable of providing education and support at any time. There is little knowledge about surgical patients’ appreciation and use of these apps. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a user-friendly medical app (PIA; Patient Information Assistant) for providing individual patient information before and after inpatient urological surgery. Twenty-two patients aged 35 to 75 years were provided with timely information, push notifications, and personalized agendas (e.g., date of presentation, time of surgery, time of doctor’s consultation, imaging appointment) via the PIA app. Of the 22 patients, 19 evaluated the PIA app in terms of usage and usability, benefits, and potential for improvement. Of the study participants, 95% did not need any assistance to use the app, 74% confirmed that the PIA app made them feel better informed and more satisfied with their hospital stay, and 89% stated that they would like to re-use the PIA app and support the general use of medical apps in healthcare. Thus, we created an innovative digital health information tool, allowing targeted support for doctor–nurse–patient communication and offering great potential for patient support before and after surgery. Our study revealed that use of an app during the surgical hospital stay is readily accepted and benefits patients by acting as an additional informative tool.
Validity and Reliability of a Non-Radiographic Postural Analysis Device Based on an RGB-Depth Camera Comparing EOS 3D Imaging: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Lee Hyo Jeong , Cho Han Eol , Kim Myungsang , Chung Seok Young , Park Jung Hyun
Published: February 2023

The posture-analyzing and virtual reconstructing device (PAViR) used a Red Green Blue-Depth camera as a sensor and skeleton reconstruction images were produced. This PAViR quickly analyzed the whole posture from multiple repetitive shots without radiation exposure in clothes and provided a virtual skeleton within seconds. This study aims to evaluate the reliability when shooting repeatedly and to assess the validity compared to parameters of full-body, low-dose X-rays (EOSs) when applied as diagnostic imaging. As a prospective and observational study, 100 patients with musculoskeletal pain underwent an EOS to obtain whole body coronal and sagittal images. The outcome measures were human posture parameters, which were divided by the standing plane in both EOSs and PAViRs as follows: (1) a coronal view (asymmetric clavicle height, pelvic oblique, bilateral Q angles of the knee, and center of seventh cervical vertebra-central sacral line (C7-CSL)) and (2) a sagittal view (forward head posture). A validation of the PAViR compared to the EOSs revealed that C7-CSL showed a moderate positive correlation with that of the EOS (r = 0.42, p < 0.01). The forward head posture (r = 0.39, p < 0.01), asymmetric clavicle height (r = 0.37, p < 0.01), and pelvic oblique (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) compared to those of the EOS had slightly positive correlations. The PAViR has excellent intra-rater reliability in people with somatic dysfunction. Except for both Q angles, the PAViR has fair-to-moderate validation when compared to EOS diagnostic imaging in the parameter representing coronal and sagittal imbalance. Although the PAViR system is not yet available in the medical field, it has the potential to become a radiation-free, accessible, and cost-effective postural analysis diagnostic tool after the EOS era.
COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Behavior among Hispanics/Latinxs in Nevada: A Theory-Based Analysis
Authors: Nerida Tara Marie , Sharma Manoj , Labus Brian , Marquez Erika , Dai Chia-Liang
Published: February 2023

Hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine has hindered its rapid uptake among the Hispanic and Latinx populations. The study aimed to use the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) for health behavior change to explain the intention of initiating and sustaining the behavior of COVID-19 vaccination among the Hispanic and Latinx populations that expressed and did not express hesitancy towards the vaccine in Nevada. Using a quantitative cross-sectional and survey-based research study design, data were collected using a 50-item questionnaire and analyzed using multiple linear regression modeling. Of 231 respondents, participatory dialogue (b = 0.113, p < 0.001; b = 0.072, p < 0.001) and behavioral confidence (b = 0.358, p < 0.001; b = 0.206, p < 0.001) displayed significant associations with the initiation of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant and non-vaccine-hesitant individuals. Emotional transformation (b = 0.087, p < 0.001; b = 0.177, p < 0.001) displayed a significant association with the sustenance of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant and non-vaccine-hesitant individuals. Results from this study provide evidence that the MTM is a useful tool in predicting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance behavior among Hispanics and Latinxs in Nevada, and it should be used in intervention designs and messaging to promote vaccine uptake.
The Arabic Nurse Professional Competence-Short Version Scale (NPC-SV-A): Transcultural Translation and Adaptation with a Cohort of Saudi Nursing Students
Authors: Abuadas Mohammad Hamdi
Published: February 2023

Background: There is broad consensus that assessing and improving the competence of nurses is a crucial element of nursing education and practice. Numerous national and international nursing research studies have used the 35-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC-SV) to measure the self-reported competence of nursing students and registered nurses. To increase its usage in Arabic-speaking nations, however, a culturally adapted Arabic version of the scale with the same level of quality was necessary. Objectives: The study aimed to develop a culturally adapted Arabic version of the NPC-SV and evaluate its reliability and validity (construct, convergent, and discriminant types). Methods: Methodological descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized. A convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit 518 undergraduate nursing students from three Saudi Arabian institutions. The translated items were appraised by a panel of experts, who considered the content validity indexes. The structure of the translated scale was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and the Analysis of Moment Structure method. Results: When utilized with nursing students in Saudi Arabia, the Arabic short version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC-SV-A) was shown to be reliable and valid in terms of its content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. Cronbach’s alpha for the entire NPC-SV-A scale was 0.89 and varied from 0.83 to 0.89 for each of the six subscales. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed six significant factors with 33 items that accounted for 67.52 percent of the variance. The scale was congruent with the suggested six-dimensional model, as confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Conclusion: The Arabic version of the NPC-SV, which was reduced to 33 items, showed good psychometric properties, with a six-factor structure accounting for 67.52% of the total variance. When used alone, this 33-item scale can allow for more in-depth evaluations of self-reported competence among nursing students and licensed nurses.
Tokophobia: Case Reports and Narratives of Ten Japanese Women
Authors: Takegata Mizuki , Usui Yuriko , Sohda Satoshi , Takeda Satoru , Takeda Jun , Saito Tomomi , Kasai Yasuyo , Watanabe Hideki , Haruna Megumi , Ohashi Yukiko , Kitamura Toshinori
Published: February 2023

Intense fear of childbirth by expectant women is called tokophobia. Because there are no qualitative studies targeting women with an intense fear of childbirth in Japan, it is unknown whether there is any link between the type of fear of objects/situations among tokophobic women and their psychological/demographic background. Furthermore, there is no available summary of the lived experience of Japanese women with tokophobia. This study aims to identify the intensity patterns of various types of fear among the participants and summarize the lived experience of having intense fear of childbirth. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using a semi-structured interview. Pregnant women with an intense fear of childbirth participated in individual interviews facilitated by a psychiatrist and a midwife. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a content analysis approach. The number of participants was ten. The types of feared objects varied individually and these were categorized as being related to either prospective or retrospective fear. The participants’ experiences were grouped into three categories: difficulty in daily life, preoccupied negative expectation towards childbirth, and psychological adaptation to the upcoming childbirth. The results imply that women with tokophobia continuously suffer from fear in their daily life; hence, a special approach is needed to detect and reduce their fear.
The Psychometric Properties of the DASS-21 and Its Association with Problematic Internet Use among Chinese College Freshmen
Authors: Cao Cui-Hong , Dang Chang-Yan , Zheng Xia , Chen Wang-Guang , Chen I-Hua , Gamble Jeffrey H.
Published: February 2023

During transitional periods, college freshmen may experience mental health issues. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale—21-item version (DASS-21) is commonly used for mental health assessment in China. However, evidence is lacking regarding its applicability with freshmen as a demographic. Debates also exist regarding its factor structure. This study aimed to evaluate the DASS-21′s psychometric properties with Chinese college freshmen and investigate its association with three kinds of problematic Internet use. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit two samples of freshmen—one of 364 (female 248; mean age 18.17 years) and the other of 956 (female 499; mean age 18.38 years) participants. McDonald’s ω and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to evaluate both the scale’s internal reliability and construct validity. The results indicated acceptable reliability, with a one-factor structure inferior to a three-factor structure in terms of model fit. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that problematic Internet use was significantly and positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among Chinese college freshmen. Based on the prerequisite of measurement equivalence across two samples, the study also found that freshmen’s problematic Internet use and psychological distress were likely to be affected by the strict measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Analysing River Systems with Time Series Data Using Path Queries in Graph Databases
Authors: Bollen Erik , Hendrix Rik , Kuijpers Bart , Soliani Valeria , Vaisman Alejandro
Published: February 2023

Transportation networks are used in many application areas, like traffic control or river monitoring. For this purpose, sensors are placed in strategic points in the network and they send their data to a central location for storage, viewing and analysis. Recent work proposed graph databases to represent transportation networks, since these networks can change over time, a temporal graph data model is required to keep track of these changes. In this model, time-series data are represented as properties of nodes in the network, and nodes and edges are timestamped with their validity intervals. In this paper, we show that transportation networks can be represented and queried using temporal graph databases and temporal graph query languages. Many interesting situations can be captured by the temporal paths supported by this model. To achieve the above, we extend a recently introduced temporal graph data model and its high-level query language T-GQL to support time series in the nodes of the graph, redefine temporal paths and study and implement new kinds of paths, namely Flow paths and Backwards Flow paths. Further, we analyze a real-world case, using a portion of the Yser river in the Flanders’ river system in Belgium, where some nodes are equipped with sensors while other ones are not. We model this river as a temporal graph, implement it using real data provided by the sensors, and discover interesting temporal paths based on the electric conductivity parameter, that can be used in a decision support environment, by experts for analyzing water quality across time.
Dual PTP1B/TC-PTP Inhibitors: Biological Evaluation of 3-(Hydroxymethyl)cinnoline-4(1H)-Ones
Authors: Derkach Kira V. , Gureev Maxim A. , Babushkina Anastasia A. , Mikhaylov Vladimir N. , Zakharova Irina O. , Bakhtyukov Andrey A. , Sorokoumov Viktor N. , Novikov Alexander S. , Krasavin Mikhail , Shpakov Alexander O. , Balova Irina A.
Published: February 2023

Dual inhibitors of protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B)/T-cell protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP) based on the 3-(hydroxymethyl)-4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnoline scaffold have been identified. Their dual affinity to both enzymes has been thoroughly corroborated by in silico modeling experiments. The compounds have been profiled in vivo for their effects on body weight and food intake in obese rats. Likewise, the effects of the compounds on glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, as well as insulin and leptin levels, have been evaluated. In addition, the effects on PTP1B, TC-PTP, and Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP1), as well as the insulin and leptin receptors gene expressions, have been assessed. In obese male Wistar rats, a five-day administration of all studied compounds led to a decrease in body weight and food intake, improved glucose tolerance, attenuated hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia and insulin resistance, and also compensatory increased expression of the PTP1B and TC-PTP genes in the liver. The highest activity was demonstrated by 6-Chloro-3-(hydroxymethyl)cinnolin-4(1H)-one (compound 3) and 6-Bromo-3-(hydroxymethyl)cinnolin-4(1H)-one (compound 4) with mixed PTP1B/TC-PTP inhibitory activity. Taken together, these data shed light on the pharmacological implications of PTP1B/TC-PTP dual inhibition, and on the promise of using mixed PTP1B/TC-PTP inhibitors to correct metabolic disorders.
Experimental Models to Study Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy
Authors: Datlibagi Azine , Zein-El-Din Anna , Frohly Maxime , Willermain François , Delporte Christine , Motulsky Elie
Published: February 2023

Proliferative vitreoretinal diseases (PVDs) encompass proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), epiretinal membranes, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. These vision-threatening diseases are characterized by the development of proliferative membranes above, within and/or below the retina following epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and/or endothelial-mesenchymal transition of endothelial cells. As surgical peeling of PVD membranes remains the sole therapeutic option for patients, development of in vitro and in vivo models has become essential to better understand PVD pathogenesis and identify potential therapeutic targets. The in vitro models range from immortalized cell lines to human pluripotent stem-cell-derived RPE and primary cells subjected to various treatments to induce EMT and mimic PVD. In vivo PVR animal models using rabbit, mouse, rat, and swine have mainly been obtained through surgical means to mimic ocular trauma and retinal detachment, and through intravitreal injection of cells or enzymes to induce EMT and investigate cell proliferation and invasion. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the usefulness, advantages, and limitations of the current models available to investigate EMT in PVD.
Key Stratification of Microbiota Taxa and Metabolites in the Host Metabolic Health–Disease Balance
Authors: Torres-Sánchez Alfonso , Ruiz-Rodríguez Alicia , Ortiz Pilar , Aguilera Margarita
Published: February 2023

Human gut microbiota seems to drive the interaction with host metabolism through microbial metabolites, enzymes, and bioactive compounds. These components determine the host health–disease balance. Recent metabolomics and combined metabolome–microbiome studies have helped to elucidate how these substances could differentially affect the individual host pathophysiology according to several factors and cumulative exposures, such as obesogenic xenobiotics. The present work aims to investigate and interpret newly compiled data from metabolomics and microbiota composition studies, comparing controls with patients suffering from metabolic-related diseases (diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, liver and cardiovascular diseases, etc.). The results showed, first, a differential composition of the most represented genera in healthy individuals compared to patients with metabolic diseases. Second, the analysis of the metabolite counts exhibited a differential composition of bacterial genera in disease compared to health status. Third, qualitative metabolite analysis revealed relevant information about the chemical nature of metabolites related to disease and/or health status. Key microbial genera were commonly considered overrepresented in healthy individuals together with specific metabolites, e.g., Faecalibacterium and phosphatidylethanolamine; and the opposite, Escherichia and Phosphatidic Acid, which is converted into the intermediate Cytidine Diphosphate Diacylglycerol-diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG), were overrepresented in metabolic-related disease patients. However, it was not possible to associate most specific microbiota taxa and metabolites according to their increased and decreased profiles analyzed with health or disease. Interestingly, positive association of essential amino acids with the genera Bacteroides were observed in a cluster related to health, and conversely, benzene derivatives and lipidic metabolites were related to the genera Clostridium, Roseburia, Blautia, and Oscillibacter in a disease cluster. More studies are needed to elucidate the microbiota species and their corresponding metabolites that are key in promoting health or disease status. Moreover, we propose that greater attention should be paid to biliary acids and to microbiota–liver cometabolites and its detoxification enzymes and pathways.
Comprehensive Analyses and Immunophenotyping of LIM Domain Family Genes in Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Li Sini , Liu Lihui , Qu Yan , Yuan Li , Zhang Xue , Ma Zixiao , Bai Hua , Wang Jie
Published: February 2023

The LIM domain family genes play a crucial role in various tumors, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immunotherapy is one of the most significant treatments for NSCLC, and its effectiveness largely depends on the tumor microenvironment (TME). Currently, the potential roles of LIM domain family genes in the TME of NSCLC remain elusive. We comprehensively evaluated the expression and mutation patterns of 47 LIM domain family genes in 1089 NSCLC samples. Using unsupervised clustering analysis, we classified patients with NSCLC into two distinct gene clusters, i.e., the LIM-high group and the LIM-low group. We further investigated the prognosis, TME cell infiltration characteristics, and immunotherapy in the two groups. The LIM-high and LIM-low groups had different biological processes and prognoses. Moreover, there were significant differences in TME characteristics between the LIM-high and LIM-low groups. Specifically, enhanced survival, immune cell activation, and high tumor purity were demonstrated in patients of the LIM-low group, implying an immune-inflamed phenotype. Moreover, the LIM-low group had higher immune cell proportion scores than the LIM-high group and was more responsive to immunotherapy than the LIM-low group. Additionally, we screened out LIM and senescent cell antigen-like domain 1 (LIMS1) as a hub gene of the LIM domain family via five different algorithms of plug-in cytoHubba and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Subsequently, proliferation, migration, and invasion assays demonstrated that LIMS1 acts as a pro-tumor gene that promotes the invasion and progression of NSCLC cell lines. This is the first study to reveal a novel LIM domain family gene-related molecular pattern associated with the TME phenotype, which would increase our understanding of the heterogeneity and plasticity of the TME in NSCLC. LIMS1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.