The 50 most-cited articles in F1000Research, 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies play a significant role and significantly impact various sectors, including healthcare, engineering, sciences, and smart cities. AI has the potential to improve the quality of patient care and treatment outcomes while minimizing the risk of human error. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the dental industry, just like it is revolutionizing other sectors. It is used in dentistry to diagnose dental diseases and provide treatment recommendations. Dental professionals are increasingly relying on AI technology to assist in diagnosis, clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and prognosis prediction across ten dental specialties. One of the most significant advantages of AI in dentistry is its ability to analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, providing dental professionals with valuable insights to enhance their decision-making processes. The purpose of this paper is to identify the advancement of artificial intelligence algorithms that have been frequently used in dentistry and assess how well they perform in terms of…

The World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed a public health emergency in July 2022 due to the emergence of Mpox (formerly monkeypox) while the globe was still dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic. The characteristics of mpox in immunocompetent individuals are well-characterized, despite difficulties in diagnostics, immunization, and access to treatment that persist in low-income countries. Patients with weakened immune systems are more likely to spread an illness and die from it than healthy people because they cannot mount a protective immune response against it, such as a neutralizing IgG and poxvirus-specific Th1 response. A health warning on severe mpox in people who are immunocompromised due to Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other illnesses was released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 29, 2022. The advice does not specifically include primary immunodeficiency, but it does define other immunocompromising disorders as "having autoimmune disease with immunodeficiency as a clinical component". Both those with healthy immune systems…

Background: Inorganic Perovskite materials have sparked the attention of the solar technology sector due to their remarkable structural, optical, and electrical capabilities. In the realm of efficient LEDs, inorganic perovskites have displayed considerable promise, showcasing various benefits such as exceptional color purity, the ability to adjust emission wavelengths, and cost-effective fabrication methods. Methods: The study extensively investigated the bandgap, density of states, electron charge density, structural properties, dielectric properties, loss function, and absorption coefficient of Sr 3 NI 3 under strain using first-principles density functional theory (DFT). Results: At the Gamma (Γ) point, the unstrained flat structure of Sr 3 NI 3 exhibits a direct band gap of 0.733 eV. Observing the spin-orbital coupling (SOC) effect reduces the bandgap to 0.711 eV in Sr 3 NI 3 perovskite. Compressive strain minimizes the prevalence of the structure's bandgap, whereas tensile strain causes a slight elevation. The optical properties of this material, including the dielectric…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used within plant science, yet it is far from being routinely and effectively implemented in this domain. Particularly relevant to the development of novel food and agricultural technologies is the development of validated, meaningful and usable ways to integrate, compare and visualise large, multi-dimensional datasets from different sources and scientific approaches. After a brief summary of the reasons for the interest in data science and AI within plant science, the paper identifies and discusses eight key challenges in data management that must be addressed to further unlock the potential of AI in crop and agronomic research, and particularly the application of Machine Learning (AI) which holds much promise for this domain.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused uncertainty in many economic sectors. An entrepreneurial leadership style can become an alternative method of leadership for facing uncertainty. Methods This study uses secondary data from the Scopus website as samples. The samples are papers from Indonesia, China, and the USA. Data were collected through the Scopus website, using keywords entrepreneurial and leadership, saved into a CSV file, and processed using VOSviewer. The findings were analyzed using a systematic search. Results Entrepreneurial leadership as a topic was more prevalent in China than Indonesia and the USA. There were 101 papers from Chinese authors, 28 from Indonesian authors, and 575 from USA authors. However, there was no topic of entrepreneurial leadership connected to the strings of the topic of COVID-19. This study also found that inclusive leadership was used in China and local government leadership was used by the USA government to anticipate the impact of COVID-19. Conclusions Entrepreneurial leadership was not used for COVID-19…

Background: The reliable and usable (semi)automation of data extraction can support the field of systematic review by reducing the workload required to gather information about the conduct and results of the included studies. This living systematic review examines published approaches for data extraction from reports of clinical studies. Methods: We systematically and continually search PubMed, ACL Anthology, arXiv, OpenAlex via EPPI-Reviewer, and the dblp computer science bibliography . Full text screening and data extraction are conducted within an open-source living systematic review application created for the purpose of this review. This living review update includes publications up to December 2022 and OpenAlex content up to March 2023. Results: 76 publications are included in this review. Of these, 64 (84%) of the publications addressed extraction of data from abstracts, while 19 (25%) used full texts. A total of 71 (93%) publications developed classifiers for randomised controlled trials. Over 30 entities were extracted, with PICOs (population, intervention, comparator,…

Satisfying the nutritional requirements of consumers has made food industries focus on the development of safe, innocuous, easy-to-prepare products with high nutritional quality through efficient processing technologies. Extrusion cooking has emerged as a prominent technology associated with the nutritional and functional attributes of food products. This review aims to establish a theoretical framework concerning the influence of extrusion parameters on the functional and nutritional properties of precooked or instant flours, both as end-products and ingredients. It highlights the pivotal role of process parameters within the extruder, including temperature, screw speed, and raw materials moisture content, among others, and elucidates their correlation with the modifications observed in the structural composition of these materials. Such modifications subsequently induce notable changes in the ultimate characteristics of the food product. Detailed insights into these transformations are provided within the subsequent sections, emphasizing their associations with critical phenomena…

Neuropsychology is an academic discipline that investigates the intricate interplay between the brain, mind, and behavior. It accomplishes this by examining the underlying structure and activities of the brain, with a particular focus on psychological phenomena such as language, motivation, memory, attention, thinking, consciousness, learning, and efficacy. The assessment of neuropsychological changes in individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder has received limited attention in comparison to other psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia, for instance. Nevertheless, there has been a growing interest in the etiological implications, therapies, preventions, and prognostic factors related to social competence and the quality of life of patients. The objective of this review is to compile and analyze the existing research conducted thus far on the association between cognitive abnormalities and bipolar disorder. This study has examined research conducted across many stages of the condition, including depression and mania. Additionally, it has explored comparative studies…

The decentralized approach of blockchain technology has resulted in innovations across various industries, including finance which is facing challenges due to the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) in the market. Decentralization improves business processes and spurs product innovation through increased transparency and removing intermediaries. A taxonomy created through a literature review outlines the four dimensions of these advancements: key drivers, products, benefits, and emerging threats. Proposed solutions are also included to tackle the threats.

BACKGROUND: Reports of questionable or detrimental research practices (QRPs) call into question the reliability of scientific evidence and the trustworthiness of research. A critical component of the research ecosystem is the organization within which research takes place. We conducted a survey to explore the attitudes and beliefs of European and American researchers about the organisations in which they work, their own research practices and their attitudes towards research integrity and research integrity policies. METHODS: We administered an online survey (International Research Integrity Survey (IRIS)) to 2,300 active researchers based in the US and 45,000 in Europe (including UK, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland). We employed a stratified probability sample of the authors of research articles published between 2016 and 2020 included in Clarivate's Web of Science citation database. Coverage includes researchers in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and medical sciences, who hold at least a master's level degree. RESULTS: In comparison to researchers in the US,…

Background: Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) denture-base resins have poor surface properties that facilitates microbial adhesion causing denture stomatitis. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effect of different sizes and percentages of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NP) on the antimicrobial property, surface roughness and surface hardness of PMMA denture base resin. Methods: A systematic search of English peer-reviewed articles, clinical trial registries, grey literature databases and other online sources was performed using the PRISMA-S Guidelines for In-Vivo and In-Vitro studies. Qualitative data synthesis was performed to analyse sample dimensions, acrylic used, treatments of nanoparticles, methods used for testing and effect of size and percentage of nanoparticle. Risk of bias assessment was done using modified Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: Out of 1376 articles, 15 were included. TiO 2 NP of size less than 30 nm was most frequently used. Both antimicrobial property and surface hardness improved irrespective of the size of the added TiO 2 NP. Three studies…

Background: The management of medical waste is a complex task that necessitates effective strategies to mitigate health risks, comply with regulations, and minimize environmental impact. In this study, a novel approach based on collaboration and technological advancements is proposed. Methods: By utilizing colored bags with identification tags, smart containers with sensors, object recognition sensors, air and soil control sensors, vehicles with Global Positioning System (GPS) and temperature humidity sensors, and outsourced waste treatment, the system optimizes waste sorting, storage, and treatment operations. Additionally, the incorporation of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) technology, leveraging scikit-learn, xgboost, catboost, lightgbm, and skorch, provides real-time insights and data analytics, facilitating informed decision-making and process optimization. Results: The integration of these cutting-edge technologies forms the foundation of an efficient and intelligent medical waste management system. Furthermore, the article highlights the use of genetic algorithms…

Background : Digital twins (DT) are the coupling of a real-world physical asset to a virtual representation to provide insight and actionable knowledge. The benefits of DT are considered to include improvements in reproducibility, reliability of interventions, increased productivity, as well as increased time for innovation. For instance, a DT could be used to boost agricultural productivity whilst also meeting various targets (e.g., biodiversity, sustainability). Or a DT could be used to monitor a cell culture, predict interactions, and make subtle adjustments to maintain the environment allowing researchers to conduct other work. Yet in developing DT two fundamental questions emerge: ‘What will the DT capabilities be?’ (i.e., the range of features and possible actions) and ‘What will the DT do?’ (i.e., which capabilities will it utilise). Methods : Here we discuss a theoretical framework for DTs developed during Wageningen University & Research’s Investment Programme on DTs that aims to answer these questions. Focusing on the Life and Environmental Sciences to help developers and…

Background: Glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are the leading causes of blindness due to an irreversible damage to the retina which results in vision loss. Early detection of these diseases through regular screening is especially important to prevent progression. The image of retinal fundus is the main evaluating strategy for the glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy detection. Then, automated eye disease detection is an important application of retinal image analysis. Compared with classical diagnostic techniques, image classification by convolutional neural networks (CNN) have the potential for better cost-effective performance. Methods: In this paper, we propose the use of MATLAB – retrained AlexNet CNN for computerized eye diseases identification, particularly glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, by employing retinal fundus images. The acquisition of the database was carried out through free access databases and access upon request. A transfer learning technique is used for retraining the AlexNet CNN. Specifically, the model divides the fundus image dataset into training and testing…

Background: For years now, cancer treatments have entailed tried-and-true methods. Yet, oncologists and clinicians recommend a series of surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Yet, even amidst these treatments, the number of deaths due to cancer increases at an alarming rate. The prognosis of cancer patients is influenced by mutations, age, and various cancer stages. However, the association between these variables is unclear. Methods: The present work adopts a machine learning technique—k-nearest neighbor; for both regression and classification tasks, regression for predicting the survival time of oral cancer patients, and classification for classifying the patients into one of the predefined oral cancer stages. Two cross-validation approaches—hold-out and k-fold methods—have been used to examine the prediction results. Results: The experimental results show that the k-fold method performs better than the hold-out method, providing the least mean absolute error score of 0.015. Additionally, the model classifies patients into a valid group. Of the 429 records, 97 (out of…

Background: Patients undergoing surgery have a fear of anesthesia and surgical procedures that results in anxiety. The global incidence of pre-operative anxiety is estimated at 60-92%. Age, gender, education, marital status, type of family, type of anesthesia and surgery, and history of surgery are the contributing factors. High levels of anxiety during the pre-operative period has negative impacts on surgical outcomes. The main objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of pre-operative anxiety and associated risk factors in a hospital setting of a developing country. Methods: This was a single center, analytical, cross-sectional study conducted among the admitted patients scheduled for elective surgeries in a tertiary care hospital. Non-probability convenience sampling was adopted and a total of 205 cases were included. The researchers themselves collected the data on the day before surgery using questionnaires comprised of two parts: semi-structured questionnaires prepared via literature review and Amsterdam Pre-operative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). Data…

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound vesicles produced into the extracellular space by cells. Apoptotic bodies (ApoBD), microvesicles (MVs), and exosomes are examples of EVs, which act as essential regulators in cell-cell communication in both normal and diseased conditions. Natural cargo molecules such as miRNA, messenger RNA, and proteins are carried by EVs and transferred to nearby cells or distant cells through the process of circulation. Different signalling cascades are then influenced by these functionally active molecules. The information to be delivered to the target cells depends on the substances within the EVs that also includes synthesis method. EVs have attracted interest as potential delivery vehicles for therapies due to their features such as improved circulation stability, biocompatibility, reduced immunogenicity, and toxicity. Therefore, EVs are being regarded as potent carriers of therapeutics that can be used as a therapeutic agent for diseases like cancer. This review focuses on the exosome-mediated drug delivery to cancer cells and the advantages and…

Enlarging brains have been held up as the classic (if not the only) example of a consistent long-term trend in human evolution. And hominin endocranial volumes certainly expanded four-fold over the subfamily’s seven-million-year history, while on a very coarse scale later hominids showed a strong tendency to have larger brains than earlier ones. However, closer scrutiny of this apparent trend reveals that it was extremely episodic and irregular, a fact that argues against the notion that it was driven by social interactions internal to the hominin clade. In addition, an overall tendency to brain volume increase was expressed independently and concurrently within at least three separate lineages of the genus Homo – suggesting that, whatever the exact influences were that promoted this global trend, they need to be sought among stimuli that acted comprehensively over the entire vast range of periods, geographies and environments that members of our subfamily occupied. Significantly, though, the dramatic recent shrinkage of the brain within the species Homo sapiens implies that the…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a learner-centered method in which complex real-world problems are used to stimulate students thinking and problem-solving abilities during the teaching and learning process. This systematic review aimed to reveal the role of the PBL approach in teaching and learning physics. Relevant articles for the review were sourced from Scopus and Web of Science using keywords such as "problem-based learning" and "PBL in physics" education" as search terms. This search yielded 376 results. Thirty-six articles were included in the analysis after passing a crucial condition of empirically investigating the effect of PBL in teaching and learning physics. Only three of these articles did not show a positive effect; others have shown a positive lead of PBL towards improving academic achievement, attitude to learn physics, problem-solving, critical and creative thinking abilities, cooperative learning enhancement, mental model development, and science process skills attainment. Therefore, the review offers important pointers to various classroom environments and…

Annotating the genomes of multiple species allows us to analyze the evolution of their genes. While many eukaryotic genome assemblies already include computational gene predictions, these predictions can benefit from review and refinement through manual gene annotation. The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP; https://thegep.org/ ) developed a structural annotation protocol for protein-coding genes that enables undergraduate student and faculty researchers to create high-quality gene annotations that can be utilized in subsequent scientific investigations. For example, this protocol has been utilized by the GEP faculty to engage undergraduate students in the comparative annotation of genes involved in the insulin signaling pathway in 27 Drosophila species, using D. melanogaster as the reference genome. Students construct gene models using multiple lines of computational and empirical evidence including expression data (e.g., RNA-Seq), sequence similarity (e.g., BLAST and multiple sequence alignment), and computational gene predictions. Quality control measures require each gene be…

Background: The study examines the gaps in the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) that could hinder the effective application of the Act in attaining its objectives. The repealed Petroleum Act of 1969 became obsolete and largely incapable of meeting the emerging global best practices in the industry due to inadequate sanctions, failure to address the aspirations of the people of the oil-bearing states, among others. Hence, the need for the PIA of 2021 to overhaul the industry to meet global standards though some controversial provisions that pose challenges to its proper implementation. Methods: The study examines the PIA to identify its prospects, challenges, and the way forward. The methodology the study utilises is doctrinal research with reports from existing literature and tertiary data sources such as newspapers, the Internet, and websites. Pertinent data collected from these sources were theoretically analysed and argued with current literature on the subject. Results: The finding is that the PIA does not make adequate provisions for the energy transition in line…

Background: De novo protein coding genes emerge from scratch in the non-coding regions of the genome and have, per definition, no homology to other genes. Therefore, their encoded de novo proteins belong to the so-called "dark protein space". So far, only four de novo protein structures have been experimentally approximated. Low homology, presumed high disorder and limited structures result in low confidence structural predictions for de novo proteins in most cases. Here, we look at the most widely used structure and disorder predictors and assess their applicability for de novo emerged proteins. Since AlphaFold2 is based on the generation of multiple sequence alignments and was trained on solved structures of largely conserved and globular proteins, its performance on de novo proteins remains unknown. More recently, natural language models of proteins have been used for alignment-free structure predictions, potentially making them more suitable for de novo proteins than AlphaFold2. Methods: We applied different disorder predictors (IUPred3 short/long, flDPnn) and structure…

Background : The rate of infertility is increasing day by day. According to studies conducted worldwide, 30 million men are diagnosed with infertility. Cases of infertility are often associated with a failure to become male in society. Procreation and gender roles are often closely linked so that infertile men are often considered the second sex. Sometimes, this condition makes men question their masculinity. Methods : We performed a systematic review and metasynthesis with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline procedure on qualitative studies on ten databases exploring the experience of infertile men and their association with masculinity. Results : Twenty-four studies matched our question, and there are two major themes with eight subthemes that were obtained from the results of the metasynthesis of these studies. The impact of this gender issue is huge on men’s health and their social interactions. As a result, gender issues provide a space for debate and a burden on men. Sometimes, men develop mental health problems. The topic of…

Background : Preeclampsia is a highly prevalent disease among pregnant women. In the event of hypertensive emergency, nifedipine, labetalol, and hydralazine are assigned as first-line therapies in preeclampsia. Further studies are needed to compare the effectiveness of these drugs to find the most cost-effective drug with minimal side effects. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of these drugs in lowering blood pressure during hypertensive emergencies in severe preeclampsia. Methods : 60 pregnant women with severe preeclampsia were recruited in this multiple centre double-blind randomized clinical trial from May 2021 to April 2022 in Indonesia. The patients were divided equally into three groups and treated with three doses of nifedipine, labetalol, and hydralazine, respectively within one hour with 20 minutes interval. The effectiveness was measured based on systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and mean arterial pressure (MAP). The observation was carried out until five hours post-third dose administration. Results : The blood pressure was reduced significantly after…

Background: The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication meloxicam (MLX) belongs to the oxicam family and is used to reduce inflammation and pain. The aim of this study was to improve MLX's dispersibility and stability by producing it as a liquid self-microemulsifying drug delivery system since it is practically insoluble in water. Methods: Five different formulations were made by adjusting the amounts of propylene glycol, Transcutol P, Tween 80, and oleic acid oil and establishing a pseudo-ternary diagram in ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 3:4, respectively. All of the prepared formulations were tested for a variety of properties, including thermodynamic stability, polydispersity index, particle size distributions, dilution resistance, drug contents, dispersibility, in vitro solubility of the drug, and emulsification time. Results: F5 was chosen as the optimal MLX liquid self-microemulsion due to its higher drug content (99.8%), greater in vitro release (100% at 40 min), smaller droplet size (63 nm), lower polydispersity index (PDI) value (0.3), and higher stability (a zeta…

Background: A significant area of clinical research is the development of natural wound healing products and the management of chronic wounds. Healing wounds with medicinal plants has been a practice of ancient civilizations for centuries. Nigella sativa L (N. sativa) is a medicinal plant that has several pharmacological properties. Methods: The present study evaluated the wound healing properties of Nigella sativa L. ( N. sativa ) seed extracts using normal cell lines such as normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were analyzed through western blot analysis. Furthermore, computational analyses were carried out to screen the potential bioactive compounds for wound healing applications. Results: The results of the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay revealed that, all the tested solvent extracts of N. sativa seeds (including ethanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform,…

ABSTRACT We employed our previously-described single-cell gene expression analysis CALISTA (Clustering And Lineage Inference in Single-Cell Transcriptional Analysis) to evaluate transcriptional uncertainty at the single-cell level using a stochastic mechanistic model of gene expression. We reconstructed a transcriptional uncertainty landscape during cell differentiation by visualizing single-cell transcriptional uncertainty surface over a two dimensional representation of the single-cell gene expression data. The reconstruction of transcriptional uncertainty landscapes for ten publicly available single-cell gene expression datasets from cell differentiation processes with linear, single or multi-branching cell lineage, reveals universal features in the cell differentiation trajectory that include: (i) a peak in single-cell uncertainty during transition states, and in systems with bifurcating differentiation trajectories, each branching point represents a state of high transcriptional uncertainty; (ii) a positive correlation of transcriptional uncertainty with transcriptional burst…

Background: Microplastic particles are used as ingredients in personal care products such as face washes, shower gels and toothpastes and form one of the main sources of microplastic pollution, especially in the marine environment. In addition to being a potential pollutant to the environment, the transfer of microplastics to humans can become a severe threat to public health. This systematic review was conceptualized to identify evidence for the presence of and characteristics of microplastics in toothpaste formulations. Methods: The PICOS Criteria was used for including studies for the review. Electronic databases of Scopus, Embase, Springer Link, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched, as well as hand and reference searching of the articles was carried out. The articles were screened using the software application, Covidence® and data was extracted. Results: This systematic review showed that toothpastes from China, Vietnam, Myanmar and the UAE, reported no evidence of microplastics and those from Malaysia, Turkey and India reported the presence of microplastics.…

This review was aimed at summarizing the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the various pharmacological actions of biochanin-A. Many studies have been reported claiming its application in cancers, metabolic disorders, airway hyperresponsiveness, cardiac disorders, neurological disorders, etc. With regard to hormone-dependent cancers like breast, prostate, and other malignancies like pancreatic, colon, lung, osteosarcoma, glioma that has limited treatment options, biochanin-A revealed agreeable results in arresting cancer development. Biochanin-A has also shown therapeutic benefits when administered for neurological disorders, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and other chronic diseases/disorders. Isoflavones are considered phenomenal due to their high efficiency in modifying the physiological functions of the human body. Biochanin-A is one among the prominent isoflavones found in soy (glycine max), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and alfalfa sprouts, etc., with proven potency in modulating vital cellular mechanisms in various diseases. It has been popular for ages among menopausal…

Background As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI (GenAI) have become more common in academic settings, it is necessary to examine how these tools interact with issues of authorship, academic integrity, and research methodologies. The current landscape lacks cohesive policies and guidelines for regulating AI’s role in academic research and prompting discussions among publishers, authors, and institutions. Methods This study employs inductive thematic analysis to explore publisher policies regarding AI-assisted authorship and academic work. Our methods involved a two-fold analysis using both AI-assisted and traditional unassisted techniques to examine the available policies from leading academic publishers and other publishing or academic entities. The framework was designed to offer multiple perspectives, harnessing the strengths of AI for pattern recognition while leveraging human expertise for nuanced interpretation. The results of these two analyses are combined to form the final themes. Results Our findings indicate six overall themes, three of which…

Background : Hermetia illucens L. have gained popularity in recent years as an environmentally friendly response to both the present and potential future food/feed crisis. The larvae of H. illucens L., or black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), is an alternative solution to tackle the issue of organic waste bioconversion. However, understanding the environmental loads associated with biowaste bioconversion using BSFL to produce dried BSFL is a pivotal point to keep the environment sustainable. This study reported a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the biowaste bioconversion process of BSFL and determined the environment impact analysis to make recommendations for modifications to lessen environmental consequences. Methods : The methodology used is life cycle assessment (LCA), which includes: (a) system boundary determination (gate-to-gate), starting from biowaste production, biowaste bioconversion, prepupae and BSFL frass production. The system boundary of the dried BSFL production is designed for both the processing and production of one cycle of BSFL; (b) life cycle inventory activities…

Background Pediatric dental treatment is challenging in patients with early childhood caries. For clinician its difficult to manage child and provide good work at the same time. Its necessity to have the best equipments as well as materials. Nowadays, aesthetics play an important role in managing decayed teeth. Zirconia crown is better option but requires excessive preparation. As Bioflx is newly developed crown and has combined stainless steel and zirconia properties. Aim To assess the clinical performance and child and parental satisfaction of Bioflex crowns compared to zirconia and stainless steel crowns. Methods In this comparative study of Bioflx crowns with zirconia and stainless steel crowns, children aged three to seven years old will be selected, and 72 primary teeth requiring crowns will be randomly distributed into three groups, n = 24: Group I: Preformed stainless steel crown, control; Group II: Preformed Bioflex crown; Group III: Preformed zirconia crown. Crowns will be evaluated for recurrent caries, plaque accumulation, restoration failure, gingival status opposing…

Background and aims Natural compounds extracted from medicinal plants have recently gained attention in therapeutics as they are considered to have lower Toxicity and higher tolerability relative to chemically synthesized compounds. Bakuchiol from Psoralea corylifolia L. is one such compound; it is a type of meroterpene derived from the leaves and seeds of Psoralea corylifolia plants. Natural sources of bakuchiol have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for centuries due to its preventive benefits against tumors and inflammation. It plays a strong potential role as an antioxidant with impressive abilities to remove Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). This review has focused on bakuchiol’s extraction, therapeutic applications, and pharmacological benefits. Methods A search strategy has been followed to retrieve the relevant newly published literature on the pharmacological benefits of bakuchiol. After an extensive study of the retrieved articles and maintaining the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 110 articles were finally selected for this review. Results Strong support…

Animal models have proven integral to broadening our understanding of complex cardiac diseases but have been hampered by significant species-dependent differences in cellular physiology. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have shown great promise in the modelling of cardiac diseases despite limitations in functional and structural maturity. 3D stem cell-derived cardiac models represent a step towards mimicking the intricate microenvironment present in the heart as an in vitro model. Incorporation of non-myocyte cell types, such as cardiac fibroblasts, into engineered heart tissue models (EHTs) can help better recapitulate the cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions present in the human myocardium. Integration of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac fibroblasts (hiPSC-CFs) and hiPSC-CM into EHT models enables the generation of a genetically homogeneous modelling system capable of exploring the abstruse structural and electrophysiological interplay present in cardiac pathophysiology. Furthermore, the construction of more…

Background: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies have rapidly developed in recent years. The droplet-based single cell platforms enable the profiling of gene expression in tens of thousands of cells per sample. The goal of a typical scRNA-seq analysis is to identify different cell subpopulations and their respective marker genes. Additionally, trajectory analysis can be used to infer the developmental or differentiation trajectories of cells. Methods: This article demonstrates a comprehensive workflow for performing trajectory inference and time course analysis on a multi-sample single-cell RNA-seq experiment of the mouse mammary gland. The workflow uses open-source R software packages and covers all steps of the analysis pipeline, including quality control, doublet prediction, normalization, integration, dimension reduction, cell clustering, trajectory inference, and pseudo-bulk time course analysis. Sample integration and cell clustering follows the Seurat pipeline while the trajectory inference is conducted using the monocle3 package. The pseudo-bulk time course…

Background: Obesity is a major public health issue globally which is intrinsically linked to reduced heart rate variability (HRV). Physical inactivity and reduced resting HRV are linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, while athletes have a greater HRV. However, the exact correlation between physical activity and HRV remains uncertain. This systematic review aims to collect, report, and critically assess the current scientific literature about the association between physical activity and HRV in individuals with higher weight and obesity. Methods: A systematic search was carried out in electronic databases (Medline/PubMed, SCOPUS and CINAHL Plus) to retrieve studies that evaluated the relationship between physical activity and HRV in individuals with higher weight and obesity. Case-control, longitudinal/cohort, cross-sectional and observational studies were included. Using a critical narrative approach, information about the HRV, and physical activity was extracted and synthesized. The study was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42020208018 on October 9 2020. Results: After…

Background: The purpose of this research is to examine at how the literature measures the relationship between PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments) well-being and innovative work behaviour (IWB). Methods: This systematic literature review examines peer-reviewed English research papers published in 2012 that investigate the relationship between PERMA well-being and IWB. A total of 37 publications were discovered in 32 journals. Results: A total of 220 articles were initially retrieved from the database. 37 studies out of 220 satisfied the inclusion criteria and were thoroughly examined. Our findings present a comprehensive overview of the types of PERMA well-being related to IWB in different countries and industries. Literature-based research approaches are also discussed. Research methods from the previous literature are also discussed. Conclusions: This study is one of the first to conduct a systematic literature review (PRISMA) method on the relationship between PERMA well-being and IWB. This review suggests constructive future research…

Research output provides an insight into the development of the scientific capability of a country. Budget allocation for research and development (R&D) is directly proportional to the research output of a country. Bibliometric analysis of South American countries has not been done in many studies. The purpose of this paper was to analyse research outputs from South American countries on various metrics. An analysis was done for a period of 11 years from 2010 to 2020. The analysis revealed that Brazil with highest percentage of research spend has lowest Field Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI). This contrasts with Uruguay, whose FWCI is high despite comparatively lower spend on R&D and lower publication output. Although Argentina has the highest percentage of researchers per million population (1202), it has the least papers per researchers (0.3 per year) among the countries studied. A huge disparity in terms of percentage of research spent, research output, papers per researcher, and output with national and international co-authorship was observed.

Biodesulfurization (BDS) of fossil fuels is a promising method for treating the high content of sulfur in crude oils and their derivatives in the future, attributed to its environmental-friendly nature and the technical efficient ability to desulfurize the organosulfur compounds recalcitrant on other techniques. It was found that the bioreaction rate depends on the treated fluid, targeting sulfur compounds, and the microorganism applied. Also, many studies investigated the operation conditions, specificity, and biocatalysts modification to develop BDS efficiency. Furthermore, mathematical kinetics models were formulated to represent the process. In this review, the previous studies are analyzed and discussed. This review article is characterized by a clear picture of all BDS's experimental, industrial, procedural, theoretical, and hypothetical points.

Background: Dropout in higher education is a socio-educational phenomenon that has the scope to limit the benefits of education as well as to widen social disparities. For this reason, governments have implemented various public policies for its prevention and mitigation. However, in rural populations, such policies have proven to be ineffective. The aim of this paper is to simulate public policy scenarios for the treatment of school dropout in rural higher education in Colombia from a Dynamic Performance Management approach. Methodology: To achieve the aim, a parameterised simulation model was designed with data from Colombian state entities in rural higher education. Five simulations were carried out. The analysis of the results was carried out using descriptive statistics and comparison of means using the Wilcoxon Sign Rank statistic. Results: The adoption of such an approach based on simulations suggests that policies to expand the coverage of educational credits and financial support, as well as the addition of a family income subsidy, allow for a reduction in the number of…

Background: Green purchasing is an important aspect of sustainable consumption, which decreases society’s environmental effect. Although numerous research has been conducted to investigate the determinants of green buying behaviour, there has been a lack of effort in comprehensively analysing these findings. The purpose of this study is to examine the available literature on the factors that influence green purchasing behaviour. Methods: The review focused on empirical research published in peer-reviewed English-language publications between 2017 and 2021 in Web of Science and Scopus. The research took place from May to June 2021. Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) is used to assess the risk of bias in systematic literature reviews. Results: 41 articles were included, with significant focus on the retailing sector. Most of these studies were centred in Asian countries, primarily China and India. The Theory of Planned Behaviour was the most prominent, appearing 15 times, followed by the Theory of Reasoned Action (seven times). Analysis identified five main themes and 15 sub-themes…

Background: This paper discusses halal awareness of MSE food producers in West Java Province, Indonesia. Halal awareness is the first step toward obtaining halal certificates, which confirm that the product is lawful according to Islamic Sharia. Unfortunately, despite Islam being the religion of most Indonesians, most food sold in the market lacks a halal certificate due to a lack of awareness among food producers about the importance of selling halal-certified foods. Methods: This study aims at measuring the level of halal awareness and the intention of MSE food producers to register halal certification. Halal awareness is assumed to be influenced by knowledge of halal and the food producers’ perception of the benefits of halal certificates. Furthermore, halal awareness, attitudes, and perception of the ease of procedures will encourage the intention to register halal certification. An electronic Google Form with a cover letter and a set of questionnaires was distributed to collect data. Partial Least Square - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was chosen to evaluate the…

Background: There is a growing body of literature on complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM), which offers a holistic approach to health and the maintenance of social and cultural values. Bibliometric analyses are an increasingly commonly used method employing quantitative statistical techniques to understand trends in a particular scientific field. The objective of this scoping review is to investigate the quantity and characteristics of evidence in relation to bibliometric analyses of CAIM literature. Methods: The following bibliographic databases will be searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science. Studies published in English, conducting any type of bibliometric analysis involving any CAIM therapies, as detailed by an operational definition of CAIM adopted by Cochrane Complementary Medicine, will be included. Conference abstracts and study protocols will be excluded. The following variables will be extracted from included studies: title, author, year, country, study objective, type of CAIM, health condition targeted, databases…

Background Novel coronavirus disease has been recently a concern for worldwide public health. To determine epidemic rate probability at any time in any region of interest, one needs efficient bio-system reliability approach, particularly suitable for multi-regional environmental and health systems, observed over a sufficient period of time, resulting in a reliable long-term forecast of novel coronavirus infection rate. Traditional statistical methods dealing with temporal observations of multi-regional processes do not have the multi-dimensionality advantage, that suggested methodology offers, namely dealing efficiently with multiple regions at the same time and accounting for cross-correlations between different regional observations. Methods Modern multi-dimensional novel statistical method was directly applied to raw clinical data, able to deal with territorial mapping. Novel reliability method based on statistical extreme value theory has been suggested to deal with challenging epidemic forecast. Authors used MATLAB optimization software. Results This paper described a novel…

Moesin is a cytoskeletal adaptor protein, involved in the modification of the actin cytoskeleton, with relevance to Alzheimer's Disease. Well characterized anti-Moesin antibodies would benefit the scientific community. In this study, we have characterized ten Moesin commercial antibodies in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. These studies are part of a larger, collaborative initiative seeking to address antibody reproducibility by characterizing commercially available antibodies for human proteins and publishing the results openly as a resource for the scientific community. While use of antibodies and protocols vary between laboratories, we encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibodies for their specific needs.

Background: Expression proteomics involves the global evaluation of protein abundances within a system. In turn, differential expression analysis can be used to investigate changes in protein abundance upon perturbation to such a system. Methods: Here, we provide a workflow for the processing, analysis and interpretation of quantitative mass spectrometry-based expression proteomics data. This workflow utilizes open-source R software packages from the Bioconductor project and guides users end-to-end and step-by-step through every stage of the analyses. As a use-case we generated expression proteomics data from HEK293 cells with and without a treatment. Of note, the experiment included cellular proteins labelled using tandem mass tag (TMT) technology and secreted proteins quantified using label-free quantitation (LFQ). Results: The workflow explains the software infrastructure before focusing on data import, pre-processing and quality control. This is done individually for TMT and LFQ datasets. The application of statistical differential expression analysis is demonstrated, followed…

Background : Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common disorder and although most of the cases are mild, the mortality risk is high when it comes to severe AP. It is therefore important to determine the severity of AP as early as possible. This review aimed to determine the prognostic value of C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CRP/alb ratio) in patients with AP. Methods : We performed a systematic search on the electronic databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library up to January 2023. Studies reporting CRP/alb ratio on admission and its association with severity or mortality in AP patients were included. We calculated pooled mean difference (MD) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. Quality assessment of the included studies was appraised using a Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Results : A total of six studies comprising 2244 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Severe AP had higher CRP/alb ratio on admission than mild-moderate AP (pooled MD: 3.59; 95% CI: 2.51-4.68; p<0.00001). CRP/alb ratio was also significantly higher on non-survivor AP…

Background: Every day we are faced with different treatment claims, in the news, in social media, and by our family and friends. Some of these claims are true, but many are unsubstantiated. Without being supported by reliable evidence such guidance can lead to waste and harmful health choices. The Informed Health Choices (IHC) Network facilitates development of interventions for teaching children and adults the ability to assess treatment claims (informedhealthchoices.org). Our objective was to develop and evaluate a new assessment tool developed from the item bank for use in an upcoming trial of lower secondary school resources in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. Methods: A cross-sectional study evaluating a questionnaire including two item-sets was used. The first evaluated ability using multiple-choice questions (scored dichotomously) and the other evaluated intended behaviour and self-efficacy (measured using Likert scales). This study was conducted in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda in 2021. We recruited children (over 12 years old) and adults through schools and our networks. We entered…

Background Learning to thinking critically about health information and choices can protect people from unnecessary suffering, harm, and resource waste. Earlier work revealed that children can learn these skills, but printing costs and curricula compatibility remain important barriers to school implementation. We aimed to develop a set of digital learning resources for students to think critically about health that were suitable for use in Kenyan, Rwandan, and Ugandan secondary schools. Methods We conducted work in two phases collaborating with teachers, students, schools, and national curriculum development offices using a human-centered design approach. First, we conducted context analyses and an overview of teaching strategies, prioritised content and collected examples. Next, we developed lessons and guidance iteratively, informed by data from user-testing, individual and group interviews, and school pilots. Results Final resources include online lesson plans, teachers’ guide, and extra resources, with lesson plans in two modes, for use in a classroom equipped with a…

Water, energy and food (WEF) security are key indicators of sustainable development. Realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs) by countries is achieved through a water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus framework. Climate change is a threat to food, energy and water security in the Horn of Africa. The main aim of this review is to assess the status and prospects of WEF nexus as it relates to SDGs in the horn of Africa. The countries considered were Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti. The review indicated that the four countries have a challenge in achieving SDGs 2, 6 and 7. Djibouti had the highest (50.9) WEF index in the region followed by Ethiopia and Somalia at 47.5 and 36.8, respectively while Eritrea had the lowest WEF index of 35.8. The energy sub-index was the best performer in the region with an average index of 56 while water and food sub-indices were the worst at 36. Political instability, insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, weak institutional and legal framework are some of the challenges facing WEF and sustainable development in the region. Climate change…