bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MERTK in the trigeminal system: a novel target for cluster headache and other headache disorders?
Authors: Edvinsson Jacob Carl Alexander , Edvinsson Lars , Ran Caroline , Olofsgård Felicia Jennysdotter , Steinberg Anna , Belin Andrea Carmine
Published: April 2024

The trigeminal system is key to the pathophysiology of migraine and cluster headache, two primary headache disorders that share many features. Recently, MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase (MERTK), a cell surface receptor, was strongly associated with cluster headache through genetic studies. Further, the MERTK ligand Galectin-3 has been found to be elevated in serum in migraine patients. In this study, MERTK and MERTK ligands were investigated in key tissue to better understand their potential implication in the pathophysiology of primary headache disorders.
Immunohistochemistry was used to map MERTK and Galectin-3 expression in rodent trigeminal ganglia (TG). RT-qPCR was used to assess MERTK gene expression in blood and ELISA immunoassays were used for MERTK ligand quantification in serum from study participants with and without cluster headache.
MERTK gene expression was elevated in blood samples from study participants with cluster headache patients as compared to controls. In addition, MERTK ligand Galectin-3 was found at increased concentration in the serum of study participants with cluster headache, while the ligands Growth Arrest Specific 6 and protein S levels were unaffected. MERTK and Galectin-3 were both expressed in rat TG. Galectin-3 was primarily located to smaller neurons and to a lesser extent in C-fibres, while MERTK was found in satellite glia cells (SGC) and in the outer membrane of Schwann cells. Interestingly, a strong MERTK signal was found specifically in the region proximal to the nodes of Ranvier.
The overexpression of MERTK and Galectin-3 in study participants with cluster headache, as well as the presence of MERTK in peripheral SGC and Schwann cells in the TG, further highlights MERTK signalling as an interesting therapeutic target in primary headache.
Impacts of health investments on agricultural productivity in Togo
Authors: ATAKE Esso-Hanam , GOUNTANTE Kassimou , AMEGADZE Abla , LITAABA Youmane , DANDONOUGBO Yevessé
Published: April 2024

Healthy workers are more productive, are absent less often and earn higher incomes than sick workers. In this paper, we examine the impacts of health investments on agricultural productivity in Togo. Using the instrumental variables method and data from the Harmonized Household Living Conditions Survey (2018–2019), we find that 96% of agricultural households are not covered by health insurance. Nearly 76% of agriculture households benefited from the free distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets. The results show that the opening of new health facilities within 5 km of residences, the availability of qualified and skilled health staff as well as campaigns for free distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets positively influence agricultural productivity. The availability of infrastructure and health staff play a key role in the healthcare-seeking behavior of rural households, offering farmers tangible benefits in terms of health and productivity. On the other hand, out-of-pocket payments reduce agricultural productivity. To increase agricultural productivity, it is necessary to boost investment in rural health infrastructure, promote investment in prevention policies and implement a universal health insurance strategy that responds to the needs of agriculture households.
JEL classification: I10, I13, Q13
The potential associations of antimicrobial resistance in clinical Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus across the human-animal interfaces in Chongming Island, Shanghai
Authors: Lv Chao , Leng Jun , Qian Minjian , Sun Bingqing , Ye HuiPing , Li Min , Zhou Nan , Cheng Zile , Guo Xiaokui , Shang Jun , Zhang Li , Zhu Yongzhang
Published: April 2024

Background： AMR is a significant concern within the One Health framework due to its ongoing spread across humans, animals, and the environment. Phenotypic data remains the primary form of surveillance data for AMR. Yet, there is a noticeable absence of thorough data analysis across various interfaces.
Methods: The AMR phenotypic data of clinical and food animal E. coli and S. aureusfrom Chongming Island over the past five years were analyzed to determine the key characteristics of AMR and its association at the human-animal interface.
Results: The clinical isolates of E. coli and S. aureus demonstrated a significant level of AMR rates, including penicillins (83.92%), cephems (63.05%), fluoroquinolones (62.21%), tetracyclines (57.77%) for E. coli and penicillinase-labile penicillins (90.89%), macrolides (51.51%), penicillinase-stable penicillins (43.96%), lincosamides (43.55%) for S. aureus.. ESBL-positive E. coli isolates account for 53.26% (1398/2526), with MRSA prevalence at 43.81% (435/993). Notably, there has been an increase in the number of E. coli isolates resistant to 8 to 12 antimicrobial classes, and that of S. aureus isolates resistant to 5 to 9 classes. Furthermore, certain MDR phenotypes were first identified in food animal isolates. No significant association was found in the identical AMR phenotype between food animals and clinical isolates. However, several MDR phenotypes shared by the two interfaces were identified, with 44 in E. coli and 12 in S. aureus. Through further co-occurrence analysis, 16 pairs of phenotypes were found in both clinical and food animal E. coli isolates. Moreover, two unique co-occurrence clusters of MDR were identified: Pen-βLac-Cep in clinical interface and Ami-Tet-Fpa in food animal interface. Meanwhile, three clusters were identified in clinical S. aureus, namely Ami-Mac-Lin, Ami-Mac-Flu-Lin, and PSPen-Ami-Flu-Lin and two clusters were identified in food animal isolates, namely PSPen-Mac and PSPen-Flu-Lin.
Conclusion: A heightened MDR prevalence in clinical E. coli and S. aureus have been discovered. Some MDR profiles manifest in food animal interface before clinical settings, highlighting the potential for AMR association and its transmission between humans and food animals. Within the One Health framework, integrating genomic data into AMR monitoring is an essential next step.
Unraveling the Mysteries Behind Resistance and Mortality in China's Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Zhao Yi-Chang , Sun Zhi-Hua , Li Jia-Kai , Liu Huai-yuan , Cai Hua-Lin , Cao Wei , Feng Yu , Zhang Bi-Kui , Yan Miao
Published: April 2024

Background: The current situation of bacterial resistance is severe. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between four Gram-negative bacteria and the environment, diet, and mortality.
Methods: Data for this study were sourced from the China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (CARSS). monitoring the prev-alence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii in 31provinces (city) over the period from 2014 to 2021. Subsequently, a comprehensive multivariate regression analysis was employed, culminating in the successful formulation of a logarithmic linear regression model.
Result: The drug resistance rate of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae was increasing year by year, and the mortality rate increases with the resistance level of Klebsiella pneumoniae. This study revealed that the most significant factors influencing the resistance of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are related to dietary habits, with egg consumption showing a positive correlation (Coefficient = 0.52, P<0.001) and beef consumption demonstrating a negative correlation (Coefficient = -0.558, P=0.036). In contrast, the resistance patterns of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii appear to be strongly associated with medical economy, as indicated by the number of hospitals (Coefficient for Klebsiella pneumoniae = 0.490, P<0.001; Coefficient for Acinetobacter baumannii = -0.735, P<0.001).
Pre-pandemic artificial MERS analog of pathogenic polyfunctional SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 furin cleavage site domain is unique among betacoronaviruses
Authors: Lisewski Andreas Martin
Published: April 2024

SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein furin cleavage site is a key determinant of SARS-CoV-2 virulence and COVID-19 pathogencity. Located at the S1/S2 junction, it is unique among sarbecoviruses but frequently found among betacoronaviruses. Recent evidence suggests that this site includes two additional functional motifs: a pat7 nuclear localization signal and two flanking O-glycosites. However, a systematic overview of spikes bearing this polyfunctional sequence domain has been missing. Here we report that among spike sequences of genus Betacoronavirus and outside of the SARS-CoV-2 clade an analogous domain was found in only one other virus: an artificial MERS infectious clone, described already in 2017, which was rationally selected from serial passage in genetically humanized mice. As the evolutionarily closest betacoronaviruses outside of the SARS-CoV-2 clade lack all its three functional motifs, this critical domain becomes an unlikely product of natural evolution alone, which extends the current view on SARS-CoV-2 origins, evolution and pathogenesis.
DMMNet: A Pedestrian Trajectory Prediction Method based on Decomposed Multimodal Modelling of Human Dynamics
Authors: Gao Yanfei , Miao Xiongwei , Guoye Zhang
Published: April 2024

Pedestrian trajectory prediction has wide applications in various engineering disciplines and in autonomous driving. It can effectively enhance traffic safety, improve traffic flow, optimize urban planning, and enhance the safety of autonomous driving. However, current methods can only perform unimodal predictions and cannot consider the diversity and uncertainty of pedestrian behavior. While some generative models can generate diverse prediction results, they cannot guarantee coverage of key modes and have limited control over the attributes of predicted trajectories. To address these issues, we propose a pedestrian trajectory prediction method based on Decomposed Multimodal Modeling of human dynamics, DMMNet, considering both the uncertainty of decision variables and the stochastic nature of random decision. Firstly, we adopt a decomposed modeling approach to effectively model the target uncertainty and the randomness of targets and paths in pedestrian trajectory prediction. This allows us to better capture the diversity and uncertainty of pedestrian behavior. Secondly, our method can generate explicit probability maps, providing better spatial constraints and control capabilities to improve the accuracy and interpretability of prediction results. This, in turn, offers better guidance and adaptability for other intelligent systems. Finally, our method extends the prediction range, capable of predicting pedestrian trajectories over a longer time period in the future. The proposed pedestrian trajectory prediction method in this paper has clear advantages in considering multimodality, providing spatial constraints, and expanding the application scope. It can offer more accurate, interpretable, and controllable pedestrian trajectory prediction capabilities for intelligent transportation systems and other related research and applications. The proposed method achieved an improvement of 47.7% in the ADE metric and 62.6% in the FDE metric on the ETH/UCY dataset. In the SDD dataset, there was an improvement of 18.4% in the ADE metric and 35.2% in the FDE metric.
Efficient biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) in mild temperature by cutinases derived from a marine fungus
Authors: Sun Chaomin , Fei Fan , Su Zhenjie , Liu Rui , Gao Rongrong
Published: April 2024

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is a polyester widely used in various fields and its waste gradually accumulates in the environment, posing ecological risks. Enzymatic hydrolysis holds great potential in the end-of-life management of PBAT, but reported enzymes need to be incubated at a high temperature (e.g. 70 °C), which is supposed to cost huge amount of energy and thereby limiting its wide industrial application. Here, we found that the marine fungus Alternaria alternata FB1 could efficiently degrade PBAT in the moderate temperature (e. g. 37 °C). Two fungal cutinases (named AaCut4 and AaCut10) were predicted to determine the degradation process by establishing a hidden Markov model of PBAT hydrolases, which were verified by an in vivo gene knockout method. The in vitro expressed AaCut10 could completely depolymerize the PBAT film in 48 h, whereas AaCut4 achieved a 63.59% breakdown in 96 h at 37 °C, and no product inhibition of either enzyme was detected. Targeting AaCut10, we accomplished to increase the yield of terephthalic acid monomer to 96.01% in 96 h at 37 °C through performing site-directed mutagenesis and supplementing Ca2+ or Mg2+ in the reaction buffer. We also found PBAT hydrolases broadly distributed in different species and environments, indicating their great potential in resolving plastics contamination. Overall, our study provides novel enzyme candidates for efficient decomposition of PBAT in mild temperature and paves a way to recover plastic wastes in a low energy consumption manner, which is important for sustainable use of PBAT waste.
Ranunculus integer DUNKEL spec. nov. – Neubeschreibung einer altbekannten Art
Authors: Dunkel Franz G.
Published: April 2024

Populationen aus dem Ranunculus-auricomus-Komplex mit ungeteilten Mittelsegmenten der Frühlingsblätter werden seit der Dissertation von Borchers-Kolb 1985 R. integerrimus (Julin) Borch.-Kolb zugeordnet. Dieses Taxon findet sich nur in drei benachbarten Provinzen Südschwedens. Eine echte Disjunktion ist im R.-auricomus-Komplex sehr unwahrscheinlich, die bayerischen Populationen weichen durch schmälere Stängelblattsegmente, meist unvollständige Blüten und etwas anders geschnittene Mittelsegmente ab. Sie werden als R. integer Dunkel beschrieben und abgebildet. Aufgrund der Verbreitung in Moor- und Feuchtwiesen ist die Art stark gefährdet und sollte als Endemit Bayerns besonderen Schutz genießen.
Schriftenschau
Authors: Gottschlich Günter , Kasperek Gerwin , Ehmke Wolfgang , Ristow Michael , Albert Katharina , Sauerwein Bernd , Kaufmann Rico , Blindow Irmgard , Gregor Thomas , Caspari Steffen
Published: April 2024

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Optimal Management in the Operation of Complex Technical Systems
Authors: Dyadyura Kostiantyn , Oborskyi Gennadiy , Prokopovych Ihor , Khamitov Vitalii , Holubiev Mykhailo
Published: April 2024

Developing a cost management system for a complex technical system (CTS) at the stages of its life cycle is a modern trend aimed at creating sustainable cooperation ties based on requirements, including those of manufacturers and consumers. The article explores the concept of a complex technical system. The principles and properties of a complex technical system were described. A model of a procedure for checking the operability of a complex technical system with an arbitrary distribution of the time of independent manifestation of a failure was proposed for the example of compressor station equipment. Models of operation of complex technical systems based on information about their state were considered. It was also shown how to optimize maintenance decisions for these systems in terms of the minimum average unit cost and how reliable this ensures. Additionally, proof of the existence of an optimal verification strategy was given. An algorithm for determining the moments of verification was developed to ensure the minimum cost. The methods of collecting, processing, and effectively using information for making decisions about the technical condition of complex products and the possibility of further exploitation were improved based on selecting informative diagnostic features and constructing models that comprehensively consider the maximum and current level of their parameters. This allowed for the quality of the final products to be ensured. The practical use of the proposed methods of diagnosis and forecasting made it possible to increase the actual CTS resource by 1.5–2.0 times. This also increased the productivity of the technological process by 1.6 times due to the reduction of the number of stops for maintenance for replacement, adjustments, and sub-adjustments. As a result, the value of the lack of basic production was reduced from 1.2 % to 0.8 %, and the cost of manufacturing products was decreased by 1.2–2.0 times.
The Possibility of Postcolonial Philippine Society’s Reform Seen Through Prostitution and Elite’s Suicide in F. Sionil Jose’s Ermita
Authors:   British And American Language And Literature Association Of Korea, Sohn Sukjoo
Published: April 2024

This paper examines F. Sionil Jose’s Ermita, a seminal text of Philippine English literature since its publication in 1988, to explore the possibility of social change through Ermita’s prostitution, as well as Roland Cruz’s complicity with neocolonialism and his ensuing suicide. To that end, the paper focuses on demonstrating that Ermita’s body is not a mere national allegory for the Third World, but it serves as a scope of specific Filipino experiences which interrogate the establishment in cahoots with imperial powers, thus raising the possibility of resistance and solidarity. It also analyzes Cruz’s suicide from the perspective of not only the postcolonial nation’s failure but predatory neocolonialism as well, implying that his decision ironically serves to empower Ermita and other women to form solidarity against dictatorship and corruption for social transformation in the Philippines.
Shelley’s Despairing Lyrics: Unfolding the Layers of Affliction and Resilient Forces
Authors:   British And American Language And Literature Association Of Korea, Yu Jie-Ae
Published: April 2024

This article investigates how Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) embodies the diverse aspects of his internal crisis in despairing lyrics based on severe physical illness and tragic family occasions of 1817-8. It argues that the interlinking poems and prose written over these periods reveal the author’s agonizing response to the inevitable facets of the world and his life, which involves the recurrent motifs of mortality, ruination, and despondency. The paper furthers how he confronts this transitory necessity with an awareness of hope and love. The writer intertwines these positive reactions with the speaker’s paradoxical experiences of irony and dilemma when facing the ongoing affliction imposed by uncertainly and instability regarding the anticipation for a liberation from such afflictive moments. Shelley’s poems to depict despondency, however, embed the dynamic progress of the speaker’s mind, which associates with his resilient quest for spiritual freedom unyielding to the physical and internal trapment. This adherence of liberty prefigures the works of his final year 1822, especially A Defence of Poetry where he epitomizes the nature of imagination as a substantial power to bring ultimate freedom and mutual love to the gloom of the present life.
A Neoplatonic Reading of W. B. Yeats’s “Sailing to Byzantium” and “A Dialogue of Self and Soul”
Authors:   British And American Language And Literature Association Of Korea, Shin Wonkyung
Published: April 2024

This paper explores W. B. Yeats's poems “Sailing to Byzantium” and “A Dialogue of Self and Soul” through the lens of Neoplatonism, aiming to uncover their philosophical depths. While scholars have examined the mystical elements in Yeats's works, a specific focus on Neoplatonic analysis is lacking. Employing Neoplatonic analysis, this study aims to reveal profound layers of meaning within both poems, emphasizing themes of soul’s ascent, the nature of reality, and the soul's relationship with the material world. The two poems share a common theme rooted in Neoplatonic belief, asserting the existence of a sublime and perfect world beyond the limitations of time and material. However, the goals pursued by the speakers present a contradiction. In “Sailing to Byzantium,” the old man seeks a timeless, sublime realm akin to “the One,” while “A Dialogue of Self and Soul” depicts the Self joyfully embracing life amidst infinite, cyclical suffering, reflecting a resolute engagement with the existence.
Reading Friel’s Give Me Your Answer, Do! from the Perspective of Trauma: Between the Death Drive and the Life Drive
Authors:   British And American Language And Literature Association Of Korea, Lee Mihyang
Published: April 2024

This paper examines Friel's Give Me Your Answer, Do! from the standpoint of trauma. In the play, Tom, a writer, has been traumatized since his daughter Bridget was committed to a mental institution ten years ago. Tom's response to the pain of Bridget's confinement and his inability to express the depth of his suffering is manifested in the act of writing hardcore pornographies. In this sense, Tom's pornographies are a form of self-expression, both as a physical writing of his pain and anger at the trauma he is suffering and as a creative act to preserve his life. Not only are Tom's self-destructive behaviors driven by the life drive, but his efforts to survive are constantly counteracted by the death drive. These aspects testify to the continuous struggle, compromise, and symbiosis between the dominant death drive and the opposing self-preservation and life drive of the traumatized individual. This study interprets David's role as a therapist treating traumatized patients in psychotherapy work and analyzes his hasty final assessment as premature termination of trauma treatment. However, since trauma cannot be cured once and for all, the treatment can be postponed indefinitely, and recovery is explored as an endless process.
Production and biochemical characterization of freeze-dried blueberry juice from enzymatically processed berries
Authors: Alekseenko E. A. , Karimova N. Yu. , Semenov G. V. , Krasnova I. S. , Bakumenko O. E.
Published: April 2024

Production of freeze-dried juice semi-finished products is a promising direction in the technology of processing blueberries. This direction allows complex problem solving regarding seasonality of berry processing with optimization of logistics costs, extension of the geography of sources of raw material supply while preserving high sensory properties of a freeze-dried product. The main advantages of such a product are characteristics determining properties of fresh berries, including taste, color, aroma, nutritional and biological value. The aim of the study was the development of technological solutions to produce freeze-dried blueberry juice from enzymatically processed blueberry pulp, as well as determination of its biochemical characteristics. Chemical (titrimetric and gravimetric) methods and modern physico-chemical methods (HPLC, atomic absorption spectrometry, potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods) were used in the work. As a result of the performed investigations, parameters have been determined for the process of freeze-drying of native blueberry juice: freeze-drying temperature of –23 ±2 °С and pressure of 70–80 Pa, secondary drying at a temperature of 38–40 °С. Duration of the freeze-drying process was 16 hours until reaching the final moisture of 4%. It is shown that freeze-dried juice preserves all quality attributes of the native juice: taste, color and aroma. The native and freeze-dried blueberry juice was characterized by the chemical composition. The profile of flavonoids, anthocyans, phenolic and organic acids, composition of sugars, vitamins and minerals were studied. It has been established that the chosen parameters of freeze-drying ensure preservation of biologically active and minor substances at a level of no less than 77% of the initial content in the native juice. High preservation was demonstrated for quercetin and resveratrol. Losses were 9.6% for epicatechin, 13.7–23.0% for phenolic acids, and 14–22% for vitamins. As a result of juice processing by freeze-drying, an increase was noticed for the content of delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside by 20–35%. The proportion of cyanidin-3-galactoside + delphinidin-3-arabinoside decreased by 65% and that of delphinidin-3-galactoside by 2.85 times. A decrease in the content of macro-elements (up to 6.0%) was established in the freeze-dried juice; more noticeable losses were recorded for micro-elements (up to 14.8%). The results obtained show prospects of using the technology and chosen regimes of freeze-drying in production of freezedried blueberry juice. This technology combines a possibility of producing a manufacturable berry ingredient with maximum preservation of natural biologically active and minor components of berries for using in products of healthy nutrition.
Impact of different drying treatments on the biochemical and antioxidant activity properties of Egyptian red beetroot
Authors: Shehatta E. A. , Abo-Raya S. H. , Baioumy A. A.
Published: April 2024

This paper aims to provide an overview of the main findings and conclusions of the research on freshly sliced Egyptian red beetroot (Beta vulgaris). Beetroot belongs to the botanical family of Chenopodiaceae and encompasses various variations with bulb hues that span the spectrum from yellow to crimson. It is known that the ethanolic extract from beet contains many health-beneficial and bioactive chemicals, such as alkaloids, carotenoids, phenols, tannins, and flavonoids; it also contains vitamins C, B3, B6, and B9. Hence, the beetroot extract exhibits both antioxidant and nutritional properties. The study was conducted to investigate the effects of two different drying processes, oven-drying (OD) and freeze-drying (FD), on the physicochemical qualities of betalain pigments and antioxidants. Overall, freeze-dried (FD) samples demonstrated superior retention of beetroots proximate composition when compared to those dried in the oven. This was observed in terms of minerals and antioxidants, with freeze-drying resulting in higher levels of these components compared to oven drying. On the other hand, reductions in some phenolic compounds were found in the samples treated with the freeze-drying method when compared with the oven-drying method. It was proven that red beets have a lot of phenolic compounds, including kaempferol, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, gallic acid, catechin acid, rutin, hesperidin, naringin, quercetin, and ferulic acid.
Studying the possibility of using butter produced by the method of converting high fat cream in the production of puff products
Authors: Pirogova E. N. , Topnikova E. V. , Danilova E. S.
Published: April 2024

The article presents comparative studies of the composition, physico-chemical and structural-mechanical characteristics of butter samples produced by the method of converting high-fat cream from domestic raw materials, and foreign-made but- ter by churning cream in continuous buttermakers, as well as their influence on the process of puff pastry formation and the organoleptic properties of finished products made from puff pastry. The purpose of the research is to assess the suitability of butter produced by the method of converting high-fat cream for the production of puff pastry and products made from it. New Zealand butter samples produced by the method of churning cream in continuous butter makers and often used in the manufacture of puff pastry products in cafes served as control samples. Typical samples of Russian-made butter produced by the method of converting high-fat cream were used as experimental samples. Based on the research results, differences in the fatty acid composition of the studied butter samples were established in terms of the content of lauric, myristic, palmitic and linoleic acids. It was revealed that in the range from 20 to 30 °, i. e., in conditions under which the dough rolling and proofing operations take place, the experimental butter samples were characterized by relatively higher levels of solid triglycerides and hardness. This caused a decrease in the plasticity of the butter and its ability to roll out. Based on comparative studies of the structural and mechanical properties of the butter, it was established that in order to improve its characteristics necessary for uniform rolling of the butter layer, it is advisable to lower the hardness value while simultaneously increasing the value of the butter structure recoverability. It has been concluded that such characteristics for butter produced by the method of convert- ing high-fat cream can be obtained by adjusting the composition of the butter and its production modes, and a decrease in the solid triglycerides can be achieved by active influence of the diet of animals in different periods of the year.
Food waste as a raw material for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates: State and prospects
Authors: Kuznetsova A. P. , Al-Shekhadat R. I.
Published: April 2024

The growing problem of environmental pollution by plastic leads to the search not only for the most promising biodegradable polymer, but also for optimal raw materials for its production. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) — biodegradable polymers with physical and mechanical properties close to traditional plastics — are considered a potential solution to this problem. The production of PHA can be organized according to the principles of circular bioeconomy through biotechnological processing of secondary raw materials to produce a product with added value. However, an important component of the expansion of PHA production is the need to find the most promising secondary raw materials for its production. The PHA market in Russia and the global market have been analyzed, highlighting the demand in the packaging and food industries, biomedicine and agro- industry as the fundamental factor for the growth of PHA production. Bibliographic analysis using the PRISMA scheme and VOSviewer program allowed identifying three main directions of PHA research: search for optimal secondary raw materials among food waste, analysis of challenges in PHA production, and the ecological and economic effects of its implementation. Promising types of secondary raw materials have been revealed: vegetable oil production waste, fruit and vegetable process- ing waste, dairy whey, sugar and starch industry waste, spent coffee grounds and coffee oils extracted from them. Advantages and disadvantages of using secondary raw materials, options for improving their use in the production of PHA, and the main strains-producers were determined. To optimize the cost and processes of PHA production, further studies of food waste are required, aimed at developing approaches to increase the polymer yield, including through the use of secondary raw material preparation processes, and the search for the most productive strains synthesizing PHA.
Use of omic heating technology in the process of processing fruits and vegetables. Overview of the subject field
Authors: Burak L. Ch. , Sapach A. N.
Published: April 2024

The modern consumer prefers natural products with minimal processing, which allows maximum preservation of the nutritional value of the product and fresh taste and aroma. The purpose of this article is to review the results of studies concerning the effect of ohmic heating on the product in comparison with heat treatment and considering the combined use of this method with non-thermal technologies in the production of canned fruit and vegetables. The material for this study was 105 scientific publications. A search for scientific literature in English and Russian on the use of the ohmic heating technology in the process of processing fruits and vegetables was carried out in the bibliographic databases Scopus, Web of Science, as well as in other sources. The period 2010–2023 was adopted as the time frame for the review of scientific publications. To review the subject field of the study, an algorithm was used in accordance with the PRISMA protocol. A scientific search and review of scientific publications on the research topic showed a limited number of studies assessing the ohmic heating (OH) technology in the processing of fruits and vegetables. In the process of using this technology, electric current is applied, ensuring uniform and rapid release of heat inside the food matrix. OH has a shorter processing time, which helps preserve the organoleptic quality of the product and its nutritional value. Compared to heat treatment, the OH technology not only inactivates microorganisms and food enzymes, but also prevents overheating, which reduces the negative impact of temperature on the chemical composition of the product. Evaporation/concentration, dehydration/drying of fruit juices or purees using OH resulted in higher energy efficiency and reduced processing time compared to traditional processing methods. Despite many advantages, there are limitations to large-scale industrial application of the OH method, including corrosion of the electrodes, which can have a negative impact on the product, as well as uneven heating of some types of fruit and vegetable raw materials during continuous processing. The results of this review can be used in the process of conducting further scientific research, which is advisable to continue in order to determine specific processing parameters and eliminate uneven heating of food raw materials.
Optimization of production and evaluation of Microbial kojic Acid obtained from Sugarcane Molasses (SCM) by Aspergillus sp.
Authors: Mohamed D. E. , Alian A. M. , Mohamed R. M.
Published: April 2024

Kojic acid (KA) is an organic acid that is generated by various fungi, particularly by Aspergillus species, as a secondary metabolite. The current study is aimed to determine the optimal conditions for the production of kojic acid from various fungal strains grown on agro-industrial wastes. After testing six fungal strains for their suitability for kojic acid production, Aspergillus oryzae (AUMC.64) and Aspergillus tamari (AUMC.43) were found to be the highest producers of KA. Three different agro-industrial wastes were screened as a fermentation media and sugar cane molasses showed the highest productivity for (KA). Aspergillus oryzae (AUMC.64), and Aspergillus tamari (AUMC.43) achieved the maximal production of kojic acid (25.91, 18.95 ± 0.001 g. L-1respectively) from sugarcane molasses (SCM) under optimum conditions of growth (10% solution of sugarcane molasses, pH 4.0 and fermentation period of 10 days). Also, the antimicrobial activities of KA produced by A. oryzae AUMC64 and A. tamari AUMC43 against the selected test strains of microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium were recorded. The maximum growth inhibition zone (20–13.2 mm) was observed on the cultures of Escherichia coli. Meanwhile the antioxidant activities of KA produced by A. oryzae AUMC64 and A. tamari AUMC43 was 79.1 and 62.42%, respectively.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scales for Children and Adolescents, 8-12 år (Brown ADD 8-12)
Authors: Hysing Mari , Bøe Tormod
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Brown ADD Scales (8-12) er et instrument som kartlegger et bredt spekter av ADHD-symptomer, samt funksjonsnedsettelse i eksekutive funksjoner som antas å være relatert til ADHD, hos barn i skolealder. Instrumentet er utviklet av Tomas E. Brown, og det foreligger en offisiell norsk oversettelse gjort av Tone M. Anderssen tilgjengelig fra Pearson Assement. Instrumentet kan benyttes som et intervju med foreldre/foresatte, men også brukes som et spørreskjema når det administreres til skolelærere. Instrumentet innehar 50 ledd og kan gjennomføres på mindre enn 30 minutter. Kompetansekrav for bruk av Brown ADD Scales (8-12) er generell opplæring i testbruk, samt yrkesstatus som psykolog.
Litteratursøk: Det systematiske litteratursøket identifiserte ingen publikasjoner som tilfredsstilte inklusjonskriteriene.
Psykometri: Ingen av de inkluderte publikasjonene inneholdt dokumentasjon om de psykometriske egenskapene ved den norske versjonen av Brown ADD Scales (8-12).
Konklusjon: De psykometriske egenskapene ved den norske versjonen av Brown ADD Scales (8-12) er ikke dokumentert.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS)
Authors: Kornør Hege , Skarphedinsson Gudmundur
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) er et semistrukturert intervju utviklet for å undersøke symptomer på tvangslidelse (OCD) hos barn og ungdom. Testene har en hovedskala for totalskårer og to underskalaer for henholdsvis tvangstanker og tvangshandlinger. En kliniker intervjuer barn og foreldre, og skårer svarene. Wayne K. Goodman og kolleger står bak utviklingen av CY-BOCS, som kom ut i 1997. Pål Zeiner og Robert Valderhaug står bak hver sin oversettelse av CY-BOCS. Det er ukjent hvem som har de formelle rettighetene til testen.
Litteratursøk: Vi inkluderte én studie med et norsk (n=28) og et svensk (n=40) utvalg, og én studie med to svenske utvalg (n=121+113). Samtlige deltakere var barn og ungdom henvist til eller i behandling for OCD. Studiene rapporterte gjennomsnittskårer og korrelsjoner mellom CY-BOCS-skårer og skårer fra henholdsvis Child OCD Impact Scale (COIS) og Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Ingen av studiene rapporterte data om reliabilitet eller kriterievaliditet.
Psykometri: Korrelasjonen var Spearmans rho 0,36 og 0,61 mellom CY-BOCS og henholdsvis COIS foreldre- og selvrapport i det norsk-svenske utvalget. CY-BOCS og CBCL totalskåre korrelerte med r=0,15 i det svenske utvalget.
Konklusjon: Begrepsvaliditeten ved norske CY-BOCS-skårer har liten empirisk støtte på grunn av lite konsistente korrelasjonskoeffisienter basert på data fra ett lite utvalg. Mangelen på øvrig dokumentasjon av måleegenskapene ved den norske versjonen av CY-BOCS tilsier at tolkning av skårer bør utøves med stor varsomhet i klinisk praksis. Psykometrisk forskning er nødvendig, med særlig fokus på interrater reliabilitet og kriterievaliditet.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av KIDSCREEN
Authors: Haraldstad Kristin , Richter Jörg
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: KIDSCREEN er et spørreskjema som måler helserelatert livskvalitet. Skjemaet ble utviklet gjennom et internasjonalt samarbeid koordinert og ledet fra Tyskland. Den norske versjonen er oversatt av Haraldstad, Eide og Helseth i 2006 og er tilgjengelig for bruk i Norge. Målgruppen for spørreskjemaet er barn og ungdom i alderen 8 til 18 år. Instrumentet finnes i tre ulike versjoner for barn og tre versjoner for foreldre, med henholdsvis 52, 27 og 10 spørsmål. En manual og syntaks fil for SPSS kan fås ved henvendelse til KIDSCREEN-gruppen. Instrumentet kan brukes kostnadsfritt, men KIDSCREEN-gruppen må kontaktes først. (http://www.KIDSCREEN.org/english/project/project-coordination/).
Litteratursøk: Vårt systematiske søk resulterte i fire publikasjoner hvor KIDSCREEN skjemaet var benyttet på norske utvalg. Når det gjelder svenske og danske studier, resulterte søket i fire inkluderte studier basert på svenske data, ingen danske studier ble funnet.
Psykometri: Reliabilitet i form av Cronbachs alfa for de ti skalaene av den norske KIDSCREEN52-versjonen og for KIDSCREEN 10 er god til utmerket. Begrepsvaliditeten er styrket gjennom tilfredsstillende til god kriterievaliditet.
Konklusjon: De psykometriske egenskapene til den norske KIDSCREEN versjonen for barn er tilstrekkelig undersøkt. Begrepsvaliditet er støttet gjennom litteraturanalyser og ekspertanalyser; konfirmerende faktoranalyser. Det finns ingen norske normer, men de psykometriske egenskapene til KIDSCREEN tilsier at instrumentet kan anbefales for å måle livskvaliteten hos barn og unge i normalbefolkningen, samt i kliniske utvalg.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB)
Authors: Braarud Hanne Cecilie , Richter Jörg
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) er utviklet for å observere og måle vedvarende sosial tilbaketrekking hos spedbarn i alderen 2-24 måneder. Skalaene består av åtte delområder, og det tar 10-15 minutter å gjennomføre en vurdering av spedbarnet. Målgruppen for bruk av ADBB skalaen er fagpersoner som jobber klinisk med sped- og småbarn, men den kan også benyttes i forskningssammenheng. Den norske oversettelsen av skalaen var ferdig i 2008 og er godkjent av Guedeney som utviklet skalaen sammen med Fermanian (Guedeney & Fermanian, 2001).
Litteratursøk: Systematiske litteratursøk etter dokumentasjon for skandinaviske versjoner av ADBB resulterte i 0 treff, men vi inkluderte en artikkel etter innspill fra førsteforfatter av denne artikkelen. Denne publikasjonen rapporterte data fra en norsk prospektiv kohortstudie med til sammen 302 spedbarn og deres mødre (to grupper: 64 premature spedbarn og deres mødre og 238 spedbarn født til termin og deres mødre).
Psykometri: Den inkluderte studien rapporterte gjennomsnittsskårer, median for ADBB total og forskjell i prevalens av forhøyet ADBB total skåre ved 3, 6, og 9 måneder for premature og spedbarn født til termin, samt gruppeforskjeller ved 3, 6, og 9 måneder.
Konklusjon: Datagrunnlaget for å vurdere måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av ADBB skalaen er mangelfull og utilstrekkelig. Fremtidig forskning hvor man benytter den norske ADBB skalaen bør legge vekt på psykometriske egenskaper.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ)
Authors: Askeland Kristin Gärtner , Reedtz Charlotte
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ) er et selvrapport spørreskjema for ungdom som måler resiliens; evnen til å håndtere stress og negative livshendelser. Skjemaet er utviklet av Hjelmedal, Friborg, Stiles, Martinussen og Rosenvinge i 2006 på bakgrunn av et resiliensmål for voksne. READ består av 28 utsagn som er positivt formulert og danner 5 delskalaer; personlig kompetanse, sosial kompetanse, sosial støtte, samhold i familien og personlig struktur. Det tar omtrent fem minutter å besvare spørreskjemaet. READ er kopibeskyttet og man kan ta kontakt med rettighetshaverne for å få tilgang til testen.
Litteratursøk: Søket etter dokumentasjon for måleegenskapene til READ resulterte i 55 originale referanser, hvorav 10 publikasjoner ble inkludert. Ni av de inkluderte studiene er tverrsnittstudier som har brukt READ i normalpopulasjon med ungdom mellom 13 og 21 år.
Psykometri: Åtte studier oppgir middelverdier i generelle populasjoner, noen for gutter og jenter hver for seg. To studier har undersøkt faktorstrukturen til READ. Fire studier rapporterer korrelasjoner mellom READ og mål på psykiske vansker, samt at tre studier undersøker de prediktive egenskapene ved READ. Det var mål på indre konsistens (Chronbach’s alfa) i syv av de inkluderte studiene.
Konklusjon: READ har gode psykometriske egenskaper og viser lovende begrepsvaliditet. Fire av fem skalaer har tilfredsstillende indre konsistens. READ egner seg godt til forskning, men det finnes ingen tilgjengelig dokumentasjon på bruk i kliniske populasjoner. Dokumentasjon på hvordan READ kan brukes som et verktøy i klinisk behandling er heller ikke tilgjengelig.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av European Adolescent Assessment Dialogue (EuroADAD)
Authors: Kornør Hege , Johansen Sissel
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: European Adolescent Assessment Dialogue (EuroADAD) er et strukturert intervju for å kartlegge problemer og hjelpebehov hos ungdom med rusproblemer (12-24 år). Intervjuet er oversatt til norsk av Astrid Brandsberg-Dahl, Grethe Lauritzen og Heid Nøkleby i samarbeid med en av originalforfatterne, David Öberg. Originalversjon ved Alfred S. Friedman, Arlene Terras og David Öberg kom ut i 2002; den norske i 2007. Svarene i hvert av de sju livsområdene Fysisk helse, Skole, Sosialt, Familie, Psykisk helse, Kriminalitet og Alkohol & narkotika danner grunnlag for respondentens egen vurdering av problemomfang og hjelpebehov, intervjuerens alvorlighetsvurdering og en sumskåre. Det tar ca. en time å gjennomføre intervjuet, og intervjueren må ha minimum treårig relevant høgskoleutdanning og et tre dagers kurs i bruk av EuroADAD.
Litteratursøk: Vårt systematiske litteratursøk identifiserte ingen dokumentasjon om den norske, svenske eller danske versjonen av EuroADAD.
Konklusjon: Måleegenskapene ved den norske versjonen av EuroADAD er ukjente. Inntil resultater av veldesignete psykometristudier av EuroADAD foreligger bør intervjuet brukes med varsomhet i klinisk praksis.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ)
Authors: Jozefiak Thomas , Tollefsen Thomas Kristian
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) er et sett med generiske livskvalitetsinstrumenter utviklet for å måle fysisk og psykososial velvære hos barn mellom 5 og 18 år. CHQ er ment å måle 14 ulike somatiske og psykososiale konsepter, som summeres i to sumskårer – psykososial og fysisk. Høyere skårer indikerer bedre helserelatert livskvalitet. CHQ finnes i flere versjoner, både for selvutfylling og foreldreutfylling. De opprinnelige utgavene av CHQ, CHQ-PF98 (foreldrerapport) og CHQ-CF87 (selvrapport), ble utviklet og testet i 1990, mens kortversjonene CHQ-PF50 (foreldrerapport) og CHQ-PF28 (foreldrerapport) ble utviklet i henholdsvis 1994, og 1995 (Landgraf, Abetz, & Ware, 1996). Avhengig av versjon er tidsbruk oppgitt å variere fra 5 til 25 minutter, og det er ingen kompetansekrav til administrering. CHQ er oversatt til norsk av Selvaag og kolleger i 2001 i henhold til internasjonale retningslinjer. Rettighetene til alle versjoner og oversettelser av CHQ eies av HealthActCHQ.
 
Litteratursøk: 14 norske og seks svenske og danske publikasjoner ble inkludert. Alle norske publikasjoner rapporterte psykometriske data. De norske publikasjonene varierer fra 31 til 229 deltagere, med et aldersspenn fra 4 til 24 år. Publikasjonene inkluderte utvalg fra både kliniske populasjoner, kliniske grupper og normale kontroller (kasus-kontrollstudier), samt kun normalpopulasjon.
 
Psykometri: Begrepsvaliditeten og faktorstruktur for CHQ er ikke entydig definert. Klinisk diskriminativ validitet bedømmes som tilfredsstillende. Det finnes per i dag ikke robuste nok normdata for CHQ som kan gjelde for en nasjonal norsk eller skandinavisk generell populasjon. Reliabiliteten (intern konsistens, test-retest og endringssensitivitet) kan karakteriseres som god.
 
Konklusjon: CHQ Selv- og foreldrerapport viser i skandinaviske studier en utilstrekkelig begrepsvaliditet og faktorstruktur, men god klinisk validitet og reliabilitet. Det eksisterer per i dag ikke tilfredsstillende normdata basert på norske/skandinaviske studier. CHQ har hittil bare blitt brukt hos barn med kroniske somatiske sykdommer. Selvrapporten er utformet for ti år gamle og eldre barn, og utelukker dermed livskvalitetsperspektivet til yngre barn. CHQ har derfor per i dag en begrenset anvendbarhet i Norge.
Investigation of Sterol structures and biological activities in Cochineal and Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts
Authors: Bahar Dilek , Kuşçulu Nilgün , Çadır Mehmet
Published: April 2024

In the future, it is necessary to discover natural resources with no or less toxicity and side effects instead of synthetic drugs. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize, isolate, measure, and reveal the biological activities of substances in the structure of natural resources. In this study, the two extracts prepared from the plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and the insect (Dactylopius coccus) were examined. Sampling of the released substances was performed using Gas-Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, viability, apoptosis, and oxidative stress of the derivatized samples were determined. Due to the biological differences between the samples, the chemical structures observed in the GC-MS analysis were not the same. It was observed that stigmasterol and its derivatives were found in the pomegranate sample, whereas naphthol and its derivatives were more abundant in the Cochineal insect sample. The cell viability increased with increasing concentrations of stigmasterol, which is present in large amounts in the structure of the pomegranate flower. However, the cell viability decreased with the Cochineal insect sample. Apoptosis and oxidative stress test results were also found to be different and contrasted for both samples. Therefore, the present study presents a new, natural, and different source that can be used as an antiviral and anticancer agent.