Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097048
Authors: Rafael Ecker Tina Mitteramskogler Andreas Fuchsluger Bernhard Jakoby
This research work focuses on the fabrication of ultrathin polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) foils using a spin coating process of in anisole dissolved PMMA on a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foil. Currently, layer thicknesses as low as 1 µm can be achieved and even thinner layers appear to be possible. Sensors and actuators can be applied to the foils and directly integrated into the center of the channel of a polymer-based microfluidic chip. Specifically, the foil acts as a supporting structure that helps to position the sensor in the center of the channel. Thermal sensors, in particular, benefit from the low heat capacity of the foil. This will improve the performance and the accuracy of these sensors of which the impact on the fluidic flow is minimized.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097045
Authors: Ilaria Sorrentino Claire Verplanck Yohann R. J. Thomas
The WAIT4 (Welfare: Artificial Intelligence and new Technologies for Tracking Key Indicator Traits in Animals Facing Challenges of the Agro-ecological Transition) project aims to increase research-based capacities to quantify and characterize animal welfare (AW) from the agro-ecological (AE) perspective and to revise farming practices by considering interactions between the animal and its environment. From this perspective, the development of new sensors for assessing the kinetics of physiological variables of interest (Na+, K+, pH) in animals’ interstitial fluid (ISF) by microneedle patches will be a valuable aid for farmers to monitoring AW states and various stressors.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097039
Authors: Rayhane Zribi Muhammad Hamid Raza Nicola Pinna Giovanni Neri
In this study, a novel electrochemical sensor was developed for the quantitative determination of riboflavin. The tungsten disulfide (WS2) layer was deposited on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by atomic layer deposition (ALD), forming a CNTs-WS2 core–shell heterostructure. This material was used to modify the commercial screen-printed carbon electrode in order to enhance its electrocatalytic activity toward the detection of vitamin B2. Cyclic voltammetry was performed as a preliminary test in the presence of riboflavin. In addition to this, an extensive electrochemical study was performed using differential pulse voltammetry, demonstrating that modified the CNTs-WS2/SPCE sensor display superior electrochemical performance compared with bare SPCE. The sensor exhibits a linear response in the concentration range from 0 µM to 45 µM, with remarkably enhanced sensitivity (9 μAμM−1cm−2) compared with the bare electrode, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.24 µM. This enhancement is attributed to the conformal growth of the WS2 flakes on the CNTs and the high surface area offered by these flakes.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091416
Authors: Vesselka Duleva Ekaterina Chikova-Iscener Lalka Rangelova Plamen Dimitrov
Background and objectives: Maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise is especially important for first graders. Poor nutrition compromises the quality of life, school attainment, and growth and sets suboptimal dietary habits later in life. The aim of the present study is to assess negative dietary practices among first graders in Bulgaria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of 3051 7-year-old students was conducted in 2019. The research was carried out in strict compliance with the protocol developed by the WHO (World Health Organization) as part of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). As part of the study, a questionnaire was presented to the families of the first graders to assess the frequency of food consumption by the children. Results: A quarter (25.3%) of the students did not consume breakfast on a daily basis. The majority did not eat fresh fruits (62.9%) and vegetables every day, excluding potatoes (66.3%). Furthermore, 18% of the children consumed dairy products less than once a week or never. Additionally, 14.8% had fruit juice every day. One-fifth (19.7%) of the students drank soft drinks most of the days or every day of the week (>4 days/week). Many children never consumed or consumed less than once a week protein-rich foods like meat (8.9%), fish (62.3%), eggs (26.4%), and legumes (25.9%). Most days or every day of the week (>4 days/week), a quarter (24.2%) of the children had salty snacks like chips, and half of them (49.7%) had sweet snacks like candies and cakes. Discussion: The results of the present study clearly demonstrate a suboptimal dietary model for first graders in Bulgaria. Only one-third of the children consumed fresh fruits and vegetables daily. The frequency of intake of soft drinks and salty and sweet snacks is too high. The frequency of consumption of protein-rich foods like fish, eggs, and legumes is suboptimal. First graders should become a special target group for policymakers in Bulgaria.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097043
Authors: Eva-Maria Korek Evanthia Chrysanthi Kounoupioti Ralf Brederlow
In this work, equivalent circuit models for conductivity, reference, and potassium ion sensors are introduced and validated. The models help to understand and verify the sensors’ functioning and to determine the selective element of the potassium sensor as a capacitance that occurs below 1 Hz. Measurements at 100 mHz suggest that the phase response of the sensor reveals advantages concerning response time and stability compared to the typically used magnitude.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097041
Authors: Andreas Fuchsluger Annalisa De Pastina Tina Mitteramskogler Rafael Ecker Thomas Voglhuber-Brunnmaier Nikolai Andrianov Alexander Shatalov Norbert Cselyuszka Mohssen Moridi Bernhard Jakoby
We present the concept and a proof-of-principle experiment for an acoustofluidic single- particle sorter. In a microfluidic channel, a flow profile with the following three parallel fluid domains is generated: buffer fluid in the center and buffer plus particles in the lateral domains. Due to the laminar flow regime present in microfluidics, the particles essentially follow the stream line(s) along the channel. In the spatially confined sorting and detection region, by switching on the standing acoustic wave, particles of interest (POIs) are pushed into the center fluid domain, thus leaving the chip at the center outlet. For particles of non-interest (PONIs), the acoustic region remains silent, so PONIs are not centered and follow their path to the side outlet.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097044
Authors: Sergio Sapienza Luca Belsito Matteo Ferri Ivan Elmi Marcin Zielinski Francesco La Via Alberto Roncaglia
In this work, the fabrication of wafer-level vacuum-packaged 3C-SiC on Si double- clamped beam resonators via glass–silicon anodic bonding using Ti-based vacuum gettering is reported. Open-loop resonance measurements are performed on the vacuum-packaged devices, showing Q-factor values up to 290,000, a process yield above 80%, and a maximum vacuum level around 10−2 mbar inside the Ti-gettered encapsulations.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024094062
Authors: Sofia Karampela Thanasis Kizos Alex Koutsouris
In this study, we aim to explore the possible relationships between innovation, social capital, and farm viability towards sustainability, using indicators from the literature and developing complex indexes for all examined concepts in the framework of an agriculture cooperative located on the Greek island of Samos. Data from the United Winemaking Agricultural Cooperative of Samos (UWC SAMOS) were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and further personal in-depth interviews. The findings revealed a highly complex relationship between these indexes that could not just be analyzed quantitatively. Instead, qualitative data explain the weak innovation and low level of social trust by identifying the “institutionalization of the members of the cooperative”, emphasizing the importance of mixed methods approaches.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097040
Authors: Armando Coccia Federica Amitrano Gaetano Pagano Arcangelo Biancardi Giuseppe Tombolini Giovanni D’Addio
This work describes the development of a leg sleeve with embedded e-textile electrodes for surface electromyography (sEMG). The novel device is a textile substrate with embedded circular electrodes made of conductive fabric, which can be connected to EMG acquisition systems. The performances of the novel prototypical device were validated in comparison with standard sEMG electrodes. The experimental study involved 11 healthy volunteers, and general features extracted from the signals were compared using statistical methods. The results underline the absence of significant differences between the two systems, suggesting that the e-textile novel device is a viable alternative to conventional electrodes for collecting sEMG data.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097038
Authors: Bruno Andò Danilo Greco Giacomo Navarra
In this paper, a low-cost solution for Structural Health Monitoring is proposed, exploiting a dedicated embedded sensing system. Signals provided by the sensor node have been processed by Continuous Wavelet Transform. The node behavior to seismic-like solicitations and has been assessed in the case of frequency sweeps. The results demonstrate the system’s suitability for use in Early Warning frameworks.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097042
Authors: Paolo Papa Emiliano Zampetti Corrado Di Natale Fabrizio De Cesare Giovanna Tranfo Antonella Macagnano
A nanofibrous layer of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was designed to house, both in the fiber core and onto its outer surface, nanoparticles of mesoporous graphene (MGC), which are able to selectively adsorb acetic acid vapors. When grown on interdigital fingers microelectrodes (IDEs), upon UV-light irradiation taking place in air, the layer proved conductive and stable. Electrical and sensing features were significatively modulated by decorating the fiber surface with MGC (a sandwich-like structure) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). MGC, used both as a conductive filler and to decorate the fiber surface, strengthened the PVP scaffold and acted as a nucleation center for entrapping molecules of acetic acid. PEI improved the adhesion of MGC onto the surface. A preliminary study reported fast responses, high sensitivity with good linearity, selectivity, reversibility, and repeatability towards the acetic acid in ranges of up to hundreds of ppm at room temperature.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097033
Authors: Marco Magoni Andrea Gaiardo Matteo Valt Pietro Tosato Barbara Fabbri Vincenzo Guidi
Ozone is a crucial component of the Earth’s atmosphere, playing a critical role in protecting the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation. However, its concentration can vary greatly across different regions with significant impacts on human health and environment equilibrium. The aim of this work was to calibrate a low-cost sensing platform, based on chemoresistive gas sensors, to monitor the environmental concentration of O3. The ongoing on-field calibration is performed with a deep neural network using the concentration of O3 collected by the local environmental protection agencies through certified tools as the gold standard.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097035
Authors: Alessandro Zompanti Paolo Romeo Anna Sabatini Luca Vollero Marco Santonico Giorgio Pennazza
In this work, a human–machine interface with energy harvesting capabilities was developed and a modular floor made of tiles equipped with piezoelectric elements was produced. The developed platform was tested as a position-tracking system for a human user, allowing the tracking of the lower body in a virtual reality environment. Moreover, the energy collected by the device was evaluated.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097037
Authors: Gina Zeh Maximilian Koehne Tilman Sauerwald
The correlation between a gas sensor pattern and its corresponding odor impression on human noses remains a scientific challenge for the development of technical odor detection systems. Small, inexpensive gas sensors, for example, those based on a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS), offer a versatile platform for the development of application-specific sensor systems for odor detection or monitoring. The training of MOS sensors for odor detection remains a challenging task that has been addressed by recent advances. We hereby present a comprehensive method and instrumentation for the characterization and validation of MOS sensors using a gas chromatograph with a mass spectrometer and odor detection port.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097034
Authors: Kiera Montgomery Kean Chin Aw
Electromagnetic shielding is an underutilized method for non-invasive proximity sensing that could be useful in automated production lines as a low-cost method to locate products. A strong relationship was shown between the position of a tag and individual sensors. The strength of the magnetic field generated by the coil was reduced by up to 25% when the tag was above the sensor and started to decay when the tag was within 15 mm of each sensor. These measurements can then be aggregated to provide a greater range of measurement.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097036
Authors: Andrea Gaiardo Matteo Valt Pietro Tosato Marco Magoni Vincenzo Guidi Claudia Dolci Pierluigi Bellutti
Nowadays, there is a growing demand for a well-distributed sensor network to monitor air quality which can aid policymakers in making decisions. This has led to an increase in the R&D of cost-effective and energy-efficient sensing solutions. In this study, sensing platforms composed of MEMS chemoresistive gas sensors were developed and deployed in two Italian cities for the detection of pollutants. Over three years of measurements, the sensors have proven to be reliable in detecting CO, NO2 and O3 with high accuracy compared to data collected by local environmental protection agencies, paving the way for their potential validation and future adoption.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097032
Authors: Andreas Schander Michael Skowrons Melanie Kirsch Björn Lüssem
This paper presents novel vertical organic electrochemical transistors (vOECTs) with thin transistor channels grown by the electropolymerization of the electrically conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS. This new fabrication method avoids the need for the further structuring of the sensitive polymer layers, which will enable the high-density integration of biosensors, e.g., on neural probes.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097031
Authors: Thomas Quirin Corentin Féry Céline Vergne Morgan Madec Luc Hébrard Joris Pascal
This article presents a magnetic tracking system using on-chip anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensors. The system consists of four air-core coils sequentially generating four dc magnetic fields. The implemented localization algorithm is quadrilateration, and the accuracy of the system is dependent on the accuracy of the sensors and the simulated field maps. The performance of the system was evaluated using an in-house magnetic field camera (MFC), and the results showed that the system exhibits mean Euclidean errors below 1 mm where the source produces strong gradients. Given the dimensions of the sensors (0.82 × 0.82 mm2), this system is suitable for tracking minimally invasive surgical tools.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097028
Authors: Khalid Alblalaihid Saad Aldoihi Abdulaziz Alharbi Meshal Abuobaid Sabri Alkhaibari Khalid Khormi Sami Alsaleh Khaled S. Almutairi Majid A. Albahkali
This paper discusses the use of Kevlar-carbon hybrid composites in the aerospace industry for structural and non-structural components. By combining the high tensile strength and impact resistance of Kevlar fibers with the high stiffness and dimensional stability of carbon fibers, a material with enhanced mechanical properties can be achieved. However, the combination of two materials with different properties can cause delamination between layers, making real-time monitoring of structural integrity important. This study investigates the feasibility of embedding sensors into Kevlar-carbon hybrid composites and presents the basic characterization using a mechanical tensile test. It been shown the embedded sensor has a linear response toward the axial stress and the damage can be detected at the turning point where the capacitance begins to decrease.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091415
Authors: Ángela Alcalá-Santiago Noelia M. Rodríguez-Martin Justo Pedroche Esther Molina-Montes
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin with multiple functions, including the modulation of the immune response, amongst others. Earlier studies have demonstrated that the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxivitamin D, inhibits LPS-induced IL-6 and TNF-α production by human monocytes in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, some in vitro studies support that this vitamin has immune modulatory effects on viral infections. However, it remains unclear whether vitamin D regulates the immune response in infectious diseases triggered by viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin D against the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For this purpose, vitamin D was used in two different doses of 10 and 25 nM on the THP-1 cell line, which was stimulated with low doses of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein. The THP-1 cell line, which is derived from human monocytic cells, was chosen since it contains the ACE2 transporter of the spike protein. Moreover, it is a widely used model to examine inflammatory processes due to its potential to stimulate inflammation and the release of inflammatory cytokines. The THP-1 cells were incubated for 1 h with the spike protein, subsequently treated with the two selected doses of vitamin D and incubated for 24 h. ELISA and RT-qPCR techniques were used to quantify the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Our results showed that vitamin D had no effect on the mRNA transcriptional levels of cytokine IL-6, but it was able to down-regulate the transcriptional levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α. There was no dose–response relationship between vitamin D and the expression of these genes. In conclusion, vitamin D inhibited inflammatory cytokine production on spike protein-stimulated inflammation in the THP1 cell line. The study is being completed by testing higher doses of vitamin D and of the spike protein. Additionally, other markers of inflammation are being measured through the use of transcriptomic analyses of the control vs. treated THP1 cells.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091414
Authors: Ángela Alcalá-Santiago Miguel Rodríguez-Barranco Celia Rodríguez-Pérez María José Sánchez Esther Molina-Montes
Vitamin D (VD) is an essential nutrient for which deficiency is highly prevalent and worthy of attention. In fact, VD deficiency may increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Recent studies have also reported a link between VD deficiency, comorbid conditions, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19, which is caused by the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The impact of VD deficiency on the metabolomic profiles of some of these diseases is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between VD and some metabolomics/biochemical markers. Metabolomics data (249 NMR-derived Nightingale Health markers) and some common biochemical markers related to VD and inflammation (VD, CRP, IGF-1, GGT, and steroid hormones, among others) were taken from the UK BIOBANK database. Two sets of markers were subjected to a hierarchical clustering analysis after data normalization: (i) the metabolomics-derived markers with VD (N = 10,000 randomly selected subjects) and (ii) the metabolomics-derived markers with all other biochemical markers (N = 674 subjects with complete data). Ward’s inter-cluster linkages and Euclidean and Manhattan distances were applied to group the markers and subjects based on their similarity. The silhouette method was considered to choose the optimal number of clusters. The results showed three distinctive clusters of subjects and three clusters of metabolites. The first cluster of HDL-related metabolites defined subjects with high, intermediate, and low levels of these metabolites. The second cluster of metabolites included VD, inflammatory markers (CRP and IGF-1), branched-chain amino acids (Valine, Isoleucine, and Leucine), polyunsaturated fatty acids, markers of the acetate metabolism, and LDL-related markers. VD showed a heterogeneous trend across the clusters of subjects. The third cluster comprised other cholesterol-related markers. Results were consistent in both sets of markers and distance matrixes. In conclusion, this exploratory study suggests that VD aggregates with key metabolic markers of energy metabolism and inflammation, pointing to synergistic mechanisms through which these markers could modulate metabolic disorders. These markers, however, do not seem to define subgroups of subjects with VD deficiency. Analyses are underway to explore the influence of other VD-related variables on these results.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091413
Authors: Silvia Conti Sara Bernini Elena Perdixi Nithiya Jesuthasan Alfredo Costa Matteo Cotta Ramusino Federica Prinelli
Background and objectives: Adhering to healthy dietary guidelines plays an essential role in maintaining population health, but data on older people exploring the gender dimension are scarce. We aimed to investigate the gender differences in adherence to dietary recommendations among an Italian population of older men and women. Methods: We included participants aged ≥ 65 years from the cross-sectional NutBrain study, recruited in 2019–2023 in northern Italy. Dietary habits were assessed using a 102- semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to recommendations was allocated for the intake of 23 food groups as described in the Italian Healthy Eating Guidelines-CREA. Variables were dichotomized as 0 = no adherence and 1 = adherence. The ‘Italian Dietary Recommendations Adherence Score (IDRAS)’ was calculated as an indicator of overall adherence to the dietary guidelines, by summing up each food group and then dividing them into tertiles. We compared the adherence to the recommendations and the IDRAS between men and women using the Chi-squared test. Results: A total of 802 participants were analysed (mean age 73.4 years ± 6.2 SD, 59.2% women, 60.3% at least high education). Consumption of legumes (67.5%), fish (51.4%), bread (66.7%), milk and yoghurt (71.8%), fruit and vegetables (63.0%), and water (56.7%) was significantly lower than recommended values in the total sample. In contrast, consumption of cheese (54.1%), animal fats (54.0%), sweets and snacks (90.9%), red (54.0%) and processed meat (84.2%), and bakery products (85.9%) exceeded the recommendations. Women were more likely than men to meet the recommendations for non-alcoholic (70.5% vs. 57.8%) and alcoholic beverages (81.1% vs. 51.4%), red (32.8% vs. 26.3%) and processed meat (18.3% vs. 12.2%), potatoes (65.3% vs. 57.8%), and sugars (70.5% vs. 62.7%) and less likely to meet the recommendations for bread (26.3% vs 42.8%) and pasta (60.2% vs 64.5%). Overall, only 19,3% had high adherence to IDRAS (highest tertile); women had higher adherence than men (22.1% vs 15.3%). Discussion: Overall adherence to recommendations was low in the total sample, with women more likely than men to adhere to recommended dietary guidelines. Identifying gender differences in dietary intake and adherence to dietary recommendations is crucial for tailoring interventions and improving population nutrition strategies.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097030
Authors: Niloufar Khomarloo Elham Mohsenzadeh Roohollah Bagherzadeh Masoud Latifi Driss Lahem Ari Hakgor Ly Ahmadou Hayriye Gidik
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have the potential to serve as biomarkers for respiratory diseases such as asthma. Non-invasive respiratory analysis can be used for early detection and disease monitoring. This paper presents the development of a ZnO metal oxide nanofibers sensor as a cost-effective method for detecting NO, which is an asthma biomarker, and NO2, that can cause asthma. Electrospun metal oxide nanofibers are considered for gas sensor applications due to their unique structural and electrical properties. The results indicate that the amount of zinc acetate and the morphology of the ZnO nanofibers as a sensing medium can affect the sensitivity of the gas sensor. The preparation of electrospinning solutions containing varying amounts of zinc acetate must be carefully considered due to its impact on morphology and thus sensitivity.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097029
Authors: Abdo-Rahmane Anas Laaraibi Gurvan Jodin Mario Costanza Damien Hoareau Samuel Margueron Nicolas Bideau Florence Razan
Energy-autonomous wireless sensors are a promising solution for developing wearable medical, lifestyle- and performance-monitoring systems. This paper presents a low-cost, low-power and self-powered wearable intelligent pressure monitoring system based on flexible piezoresistive sensors. The encapsulated insole with an 8 × 2 sensor matrix is powered by a flexible solar panel and connected to a rigid electronic board. Data acquisition occurs via Bluetooth low-energy transmission (BLE), and the average power consumption of the insole is 113 µW.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097026
Authors: Stefano Robbiani Aurora Pierantozzi Louwrina H. te Nijenhuis Patricia A. C. Specht Floor A. Harms Carmen Bax Willem van Weteringen Laura Capelli Raffaele L. Dellacà
Sepsis is a severe condition and the major cause of mortality in the ICU. Prompt intervention decreases mortality, and non-invasive systems for early diagnosis in ICU patients are necessary. This work presents a customized e-Nose system based on non-selective chemical sensors for exhaled breath analysis. The system comprises two units: a sampling device able to collect exhaled breath from mechanically ventilated patients and an e-Nose in which the gas is analyzed. Preliminary results from a porcine model support the possibility of discriminating between healthy and sepsis subjects.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091411
Authors: Alice Chaplin Mar Nafría Albert Sesé Elena Rayó Marga Morey Lara Prohens Dora Romaguera
There is a lack of rapid dietary assessment tools to screen for compliance with guidelines for cancer prevention, such as those issued by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research. Our aim was to develop and validate a short screener (Nutri S-Can) to evaluate adherence to these recommendations, with the potential to be used in cancer prevention strategies. Four stages were defined: development, pilot study, refinement and validation study. The Nutri S-Can captures several domains of the WCRF/AICR recommendations: body composition, physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption, and breastfeeding. A first version was piloted in n = 100 PREDIMED-Plus study participants, for which comprehensive dietary, physical activity, and anthropometric measurements were available (+/− 6 months). Nutri S-Can was retested 6 months later in a subsample of 60 participants. Its validity was evaluated by comparing total and individual domain scores of the screener to those obtained from validated methods (breastfeeding not validated), and its reproducibility was measured comparing the first to the second administration (Pearson correlation). The first version of the Nutri S-Can included 15 questions distributed across five domains. Each question had three possible answers to determine whether participants meet (1 point), partially meet (0.5) or do not meet (0) the recommendations (score range: 0–7). Participant’s average age was 71.4 ± 5.03 y (41 women, 59 men), taking an average of 6.9 min to complete the screener. The total average score was 4.9 ± 0.9 vs. 3.5 ± 0.9 using data from validated questionnaires (high correlation; r = 0.51). Individual domains presented a high and significant correlation (r = 0.25–0.85) when comparing Nutri S-Can to validated assessments, except for processed foods (r = 0.15). A high correlation (r > 0.3) was observed when comparing Nutri S-Can before and after 6 months for individual dimensions and overall score. The refinement study aimed to increase preciseness and accuracy: two additional questions were included (total: 17 questions) to reduce the under-estimation of processed foods and improve self-classification of physical activity, and the nº of answers available was increased to six. This final version is being validated in two different populations (university students (n = 100) and PREDIMED-Plus participants (n = 117)) with the aim of having a validated screener that can be used in clinical settings at the individual level.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097025
Authors: Yu-Wen Chen Cheng-Yao Lo
This research focuses on the rotational angle acquisition of a flexible sensor. A numerical analysis is conducted during design to discuss the sensor’s capacitance changes under rotation. A working range from −4° to 4° is investigated and fittings are predicted. Furthermore, manufacturing processes are used to realize the electrode, mold and spacers. After that, the sensor is measured to determine its capacitance signal.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091412
Authors: Natalia Związek Anna Prescha Daiva Gorczyca Mariola Paściak Bogumiła Szponar James R. Hebert
Background and objectives: Respiratory tract infections are the most common cause of children’s morbidity in the world. Children with recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRIs) frequently use health care services and antibiotics, undergo surgical procedures and are at risk of asthma in early life. In RRIs, the induction of the immune system and inflammatory processes is associated with changes in metabolic milieu; however, the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) blood profile in RRIs has not been well recognized. Diet is among the factors that can modulate inflammation; therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of the inflammatory potential of diet on the serum PUFA profile in children with RRIs and on the risk of the disease. Methods: In 44 children with RRIs aged 3–16 years and 44 healthy children aged 2.5–17 years, dietary intake was assessed via 24 h dietary recall, then the children’s dietary inflammatory index (C-DII) was calculated using dietary data. Serum PUFA levels were determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and immunological parameters were investigated in children with RRIs. Results: One-third of the RRI group had elevated IgE level and 14% had eosinophilia. Dietary intake did not differ in either group, except for significantly lower fiber intake in RRI children (7.97 g/1000 kcal vs. 9.43 g/1000 kcal, p = 0.004, respectively). The RRI group was characterized by the higher inflammatory potential of the diet than in the control group (C-DII = 0.26 vs. −0.92, p = 0.000). In the serum of RRI children, a higher level of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid was shown than in healthy subjects. The C-DII score was positively associated with serum n-6 PUFA levels in both groups. The high inflammatory potential of the diet, low fibre intake, BMI over 75 percentile, and a lack of breastfeeding or its duration up to 6 months age were identified as RRI risk factors. Discussion: Our study indicates that assessing the inflammatory potential of diet and nutritional status may be crucial for determining comprehensive interventions in RRIs, as well as for establishing rational preventive management.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097027
Authors: Antonino Proto Anselmo Pagani Paolo Zamboni Angelo Taibi
A cervical plethysmography system has been developed to monitor blood vessel pulses on the neck area and at the same time to record the electrocardiogram signal. The system was tested on subjects in upright (90°) and supine (0°) position. The proposed cervical plethysmography system can be used as a biomedical tool for cardiovascular screening in the general population.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097024
Authors: Romain Alcesilas Jean Claude Bastien Marc Sansa Camille Jouvaud Patrice Rey Christophe Delaveaud
We present a differential wireless passive sensor based on a miniature antenna associated with a MEMS capacitive pressure sensor. In this configuration, a change in the external pressure results in a shift of the antenna resonance frequency and, thus, a variation in the antenna Radar Cross Section (RCS) detectable from a distance of a few meters. The MEMS and the antenna are modelled and simulated, and a co-design procedure is developed to optimize their performance. The MEMS are fabricated on a 200-mm technological platform and characterized. A specific setup was conceived to characterize the antenna sensor as a function of pressure in an anechoic chamber.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096010
Authors: Mariflora Caruso Alessandro Spadaro
Data science, deep learning, artificial intelligence, and automation processes are becoming increasingly central in most research fields and promise significant developments in each of them. For some time now, their paradigms have also entered the field of digital humanities and archaeology. However, there is still a lack of ethical and disciplinary reflection among scholars and professionals about the current state of the art and the consequences it is already having, and especially the ones it could have in the future. This contribution aims to create a moment of reflection and proposals in this regard.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097023
Authors: Tim Hosman Massimo Mastrangeli Marco Spirito
Organ-on-chip (OoC) is emerging as a key technology for improved pre-clinical drug testing. Monitoring tissues and the artificial microenvironment in OoC devices is critical to recapitulate human physiology; however, sensing is often invasive, superficial, and not continuous over time. This work aims to overcome these issues by proposing dielectric spectroscopy as a non-invasive and time-continuous sensing technique capable of extracting information from multi-layer OoC devices, including distinguishable tissue layers. The presented results set the foundations for this goal by proving this technique’s feasibility, showing excellent correspondence between the experimental and modelled data, and providing design guidelines for application-tailored optimization.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091410
Authors: Aneta Kopeć Joanna Skoczylas Ewa Piątkowska Teresa Leszczyńska Sylwester Smoleń Joanna Pitala Ivo Doskocil
Background and Objectives: Iodine and selenium are trace elements essential for health. In many countries, a deficiency of both minerals is common. Sea fish can be a good source of these minerals and their consumption should be increased. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of various thermal treatments of sprats and sardines on the concentration of total iodine, its iodide form (I-) and selenium. Material and Methods: Sprats and sardines were purchased from markets selling sea food. Sprats were caught in the Baltic Sea and sardines in the Mediterranean Sea. After removing inedible parts and washing, fish were thermally treated using the following processes: cooking, steaming, baking or frying. In freeze-dried samples, the concentrations of selenium and iodine were measured using the ICP-MS/MS method. For an analysis of iodide the form HPLC-ICP-MS/MS method was used. Data were statistically evaluated using two-way factorial analysis of variance (MNOVA), and Scheffe’s test at significance level p < 0.05. Results: Iodine concentration was not affected by the type of fish. The lower loses of iodine were measured in samples of baked fish. The iodide form of iodine concentration was statistically different between sardines and sprats. In both cases, the best thermal processes to protect from iodide (I-) losses were cooking, steaming and baking. The highest concentration of selenium was measured in raw sardines and thermally treated ones, as compared to the raw and thermally treated sprats. Cooking, baking and steaming were the best processes for the protection of the concentration of selenium in both types of fish. Discussion: Sardines and sprats can be source of iodine in the diet, and especially a portion of 200 g of baked sardines or sprats can provide, respectively, 55 µg or 32 µg of iodine (39% or 20% of the recommended daily allowances [RDA] for adults); 100 g of baked or steamed sardines covers about 78% (48 µg/100 g f.m.) of the RDA for selenium. Steamed or baked sprats can cover the daily requirements to 54%. It can be suggested that the frequent consumption sprats and sardines can improve the intake of iodine and selenium.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097022
Authors: Simon Kulifaj Clément Chauvin Antoine Bouvier Solène Meinier Fengzhi Gu Jérôme Degouttes Nicolas Terrier Patrick Pittet Bruno Berge
We present the development study of a reliable and low-power actuator for microfluidics-based active glasses. The adaptive part of the lens implements two liquids of a specific refractive index separated by a thin membrane, the modification of their relative volumes allowing adaptive optical power corrections. The proposed actuator is connected to an adaptive lens by microchannels since it is intended to be installed in the temple of the glasses. The actuation is based on the electrostatic displacement of a thin film, which changes the relative volumes of two cavities filled with these liquids. The metalized film is placed slack with an “S-shape” between two electrodes biased with the actuation voltage. Very compact actuator prototypes have been developed and characterized. Power corrections ranging from +0D to +3D can be achieved via liquid volume displacement as low as 120 µL and with a power consumption of a few mW. The prototypes show good reliability without any significant change in their operation after more than 1 million actuations. For RD purposes, we have replaced some electrodes with transparent windows. With this setup, we show experimental results on the interplay between the performances and the film folding inside the actuator.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097021
Authors: Olena Yurchenko Patrick Diehle Katrin Schmitt Jürgen Wöllenstein
The work deals with the development of Co3O4-based catalysts for application in catalytic gas sensors. Among the transition-metal oxide catalysts, cobalt oxide exhibits the highest activity in catalytic combustion. The catalytic activity of the catalysts was examined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), evaluating the catalyst’s activity by measuring its thermal response to 1% methane (CH4).
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091408
Authors: Aneta Kopeć Joanna Skoczylas Ewa Piątkowska Teresa Leszczyńska Ivo Doskocil
Background and objectives: Fish should be an important part of a properly balanced diet because of their nutritional value. Sprats and sardines are rich sources of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially n-3, and other nutrients. Unfortunately, fish consumption is too low among almost all European countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of sprats and sardines subjected to thermal treatment: boiling, steaming, baking, and frying. Materials and methods: Samples of sprats and sardines were purchased from markets selling sea food. Based on the distributor information, the sprats were caught in the Baltic Sea and the sardines were caught in the Mediterranean Sea. After removing the inedible parts and washing the fish, the fish were cooked, steamed, baked, or fried. Thus, the prepared samples were freeze-dried. Next, a methanolic extract was prepared for an antioxidant activity analysis. The antioxidant activity was measured using the ABTS•+, DPPH as well as FRAP methods. Data were statistically evaluated using a two-way factorial analysis of variance (MNOVA), and Scheffe’s post hoc analyses with a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: The higher antioxidant activity measured with the ABTS method was determined in raw sprats as compared to thermally treated both types of fish. The highest antioxidant activity measured with the ABTS method was found in the steamed and baked sprats as compared to other samples of fish. The fried and baked sardines had the highest antioxidant activity measured via the FRAP method. The raw sprats and the raw and fried sardines had the highest antioxidant activity measured with the DPPH method. Discussion: Based on these obtained results, it can be suggested that generally, sprats have better antioxidant activity than sardines. This can be explained by the different living conditions that affect the content of various antioxidant compounds. Furthermore, the type of thermal treatment used for the sprats and sardines can strongly affect their antioxidant activity. Using traditional cooking methods that cause compounds soluble in water to be removed from food products can also affect the antioxidant activity of fish. Steaming and baking are processes in which the antioxidant activity became higher.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091409
Authors: Emily Royle Kirsty Pourshahidi Emeir McSorley Pamela Magee
Nutritional deficiencies in iron and vitamin D are common in children at a global level, albeit they can be overlooked in apparently healthy children. Iron deficiency in children has been associated with a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, although it is unclear which deficiency has the greater effect on the other, owing to the different metabolic fates of each nutrient. Iron is required in the second hydroxylation step in conversion of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) to the active form, 1,25(OH)2D, whereas sufficient vitamin D status may lower the risk of anaemia through a reduction of inflammation. This study examined the differences between sufficient and insufficient/deficient 25[OH]D concentrations and haemoglobin concentrations in a child cohort. Vitamin D status [plasma 25(OH)D] was determined using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry from samples collected between November 2019–February 2023. Complete blood counts were conducted using a Sysmex automated analyser to determine the haemoglobin status. Non-anaemia was defined as haemoglobin concentrations ≥115 g/L (4). Anthropometric measurements were also recorded, including height (cm) and weight (kg). A Mann–Whitney U test was conducted to assess the differences in haemoglobin concentrations between vitamin D sufficient (>50 nmol/L), insufficient (25–50 nmol/L), and deficient (≤25 nmol/L) participants. Due to numerical constraints, deficient and insufficient children were grouped together as non-sufficient. A total of 159 children aged 4–11 years were enrolled on the study. The median (IQR) age was 8 (7) years, and 52% were female. Plasma 25(OH)D concentrations ranged between 21.31 and 141.11 nmol/L. Whole blood haemoglobin concentrations ranged between 101.0 and 158.0 g/L. Overall, 3% (n = 5) of children were classed as iron-deficient anaemic, 1.9% (n = 3) and 28.9% (n = 46) were vitamin D deficient and insufficient, respectively. Haemoglobin concentrations in vitamin D sufficient (median 130.0 g/L) and non-sufficient children (median = 128.5 g/L) were not statistically different (U = 2685, z = 2685, p = 0.970). These preliminary results suggest that vitamin D and haemoglobin concentrations were predominantly sufficient in this cohort of children. Close to one third of participants had an inadequate vitamin D status, and thus this may explain why no differences in haemoglobin concentrations were observed according to vitamin D status.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097018
Authors: Ettore Massera Brigida Alfano Tiziana Polichetti Maria Lucia Miglietta
This article presents the results of a study of the ability of the vibrating membranes, such as quartz crystal microbalances, to measure particulate matter. This study builds on the feasibility study previously presented using a low-cost commercial product suitable for research and development purposes. This work shows the results of the treatment of the vibrating surfaces of the membranes, which significantly amplifies their sensitivity. The study provides an analysis of the impedance spectra of the membranes during their exposure to known concentrations of particulate matter. The results of the study show electronic features highly correlated with the concentration of particulate matter in the air.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097013
Authors: Mark Schepperle Sebastian Arnold Peter Woias
This paper reports, for the first time, on the use of thin-film platinum microheaters to influence the flow boiling of DI water in microchannels with rapid low power heating pulses. A custom-designed control module allows microheaters to be actuated simultaneously and independently, enabling precise local control of flow regimes along an entire channel. In this study, bubbly flow was converted into a slug and annular flow. This pioneering technique promises a radical improvement in the heat transfer and performance of flow-boiling cooling devices by actively targeting flow conditions with high heat dissipation.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097020
Authors: Pascal Vorwerk Jörg Kelleter Steffen Müller Ulrich Krause
Multi-sensor data from a small laboratory setup was used to create a new feature space with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to improve the classification of different fire materials. The LDA parameters were applied to a real room dataset to evaluate classification models. Data transformation using LDA improved the classification rate by up to 17% compared to principal component analysis (PCA) approaches used in previous studies.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097019
Authors: Federica Mitri Andrea De Iacovo Serena De Santis Lorenzo Colace
In recent years, fluorescent probes based on quantum dots have become a popular tool for explosive detection. However, despite their high sensitivity, these probes still require lab-based instrumentation and procedures that are difficult to be converted into a small, low-power system. Furthermore, they are hardly applied to the detection of vapor-phase explosives, being limited to water samples. Herein, we propose two alternative ways of employing quantum dots as a sensing material to build simple devices for vapor explosive detection. First, we report on a compact optical system where a solid-state QD photoluminescent probe is successfully integrated with a QD photodetector on the same silicon chip. Therefore, a high-performance chemiresistive sensor whose electrical resistance changes proportionally to the target gas concentration is proposed.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097015
Authors: Arianna Rossi Barbara Fabbri Elena Spagnoli Andrea Gaiardo Matteo Valt Vincenzo Guidi
Low-cost sensors working at low/room temperature for CO2 mapping in indoor–outdoor environments are in growing demand. Solid-state gas sensors are a suitable alternative to expensive optical sensors, but to date, materials designed for chemoresistive devices have not proven functional for CO2 detection. This work addresses this challenge both in terms of sensing materials research, with the innovative use of alkali metals as dopants in semiconductors, and in terms of deeply understanding the sensing mechanism through DRIFT spectroscopy. The result is a sensor operating at 200 °C that detects CO2 between 250–5000 ppm with a negligible effect of humidity above 17 RH%.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091407
Authors: Sarah Shaw Sarah Crozier Cyrus Cooper Dianna Smith Mary Barker Christina Vogel
During adolescence, many young people commence making more independent food purchases. Subsequently, these independent food choices will increasingly contribute to their overall diet quality; little is known, however, about this relationship. This study aimed to (1) understand the role adolescents’ independent food purchases play in their overall diet quality and (2) explore if these relationships vary according to socioeconomic status (SES). A one-week observational study was conducted with 108 adolescents, aged 11–18 years, from Hampshire, UK. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and a validated 20-item Food Frequency Questionnaire, which assessed diet quality. Participants also used a mobile phone app to record their food purchases. The healthfulness of food purchases was assessed against UK healthy eating guidelines. Linear regression models were used to investigate associations between the healthfulness of food purchases and diet quality. An interaction term was used to determine the modification effect of SES. During the study week, 583 food/drink items were purchased on 273 food-purchasing occasions by 80 participants. The majority of purchases (n = 359, 62%) were coded as ‘not adhering’ to the UK Eatwell Guide, 30% were coded as ‘adhering’ and 8% were coded as uncategorised foods. No notable differences were observed in the healthfulness of food purchases according to age, gender, ethnicity or SES. Healthier food purchasing was associated with better diet quality (β 0.52, (95% CI 0.06, 0.99) p = 0.03); the results were attenuated after adjustment (β 0.41, (95% CI −0.08, 0.91) p = 0.10). Interaction analysis showed that the healthfulness of purchases was more strongly associated with diet quality among young people of lower SES (p = 0.06). Discussion: The majority of purchases made by adolescents were categorised as ‘not adhering’ to healthy eating guidelines. For adolescents experiencing disadvantage, these food choices had a more detrimental impact on their overall diet. We speculate this is because independent food choices represent a greater proportion of the foods consumed by these adolescents compared to those who are less disadvantaged. Finding ways to support more healthful independent food choices among adolescents, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, is important to improve dietary quality and reduce inequalities.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097014
Authors: Marcelo A. Haberman Enrique M. Spinelli Ferran Reverter
This work proposes and experimentally characterizes a novel front-end circuit for capacitive sensors with one electrode grounded, which are quite common in liquid-level and position measurement applications. The circuit relies on a properly shielded custom transformer, as already suggested in the literature, but uses a square excitation instead of a sinusoidal excitation, thus being a simpler solution. Furthermore, the sensor signal is read by a charge amplifier with a single supply voltage, instead of a transimpedance amplifier with a split supply voltage. The preliminary experimental results show an input–output characteristic with a non-linearity error lower than 0.5% FSS in the [0, 33] pF measuring range.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097016
Authors: Damien Hoareau Gurvan Jodin Abdo-Rahmane Anas Laaraibi Jacques Prioux Florence Razan
Previous work has shown that the impacts induced by human sport activities are one of the most relevant features to operating a cantilevered piezoelectric harvester. In addition, the optimal orientations of the simulated harvester according to body parts were investigated. In this contribution, we study the influence of the harvester dimensions on the simulated harvested energy. The results show that for a defined mass of active material and the optimal harvester orientation, a low-frequency harvester is preferred. Thus, the harvester operating frequencies, orientation, and location on the human body are explored.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097017
Authors: Girolamo Tagliapietra Jacopo Iannacci Flavio Giacomozzi Leandro Lorenzelli
In this paper, a class of three series ohmic switches is presented, including its design principles, the simulation results, and the outcomes of the measurements performed on the first batch of fabricated samples. The design of the adopted membranes is based on meandered beams, targeting a reduced actuation voltage. The initial and promising electro-mechanical simulations, performed in an Ansys Workbench environment, predicted actuation voltages in the 5–8 V range, whereas the measurements highlighted slightly greater values. The electro-magnetic behavior of such devices demonstrated a general and qualitative agreement with the simulations performed in the Ansys HFSS environment, with a satisfying performance in terms of return loss (<−20.22 dB) and isolation (<−14.86 dB) along the 5–30 GHz interval.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096005
Authors: Francesca Bindelli Alessandro Campedelli
This paper discusses an experience developed as part of the 2021 Topographic Survey Workshop, organized by the Department of Cultural Heritage of Ravenna (University of Bologna) in the Roman city of Suasa (Castelleone di Suasa, AN), during which the potential of integrating photogrammetric and laser scanner surveys was explored in order to geometrically and morphologically characterize the remains of the Roman amphitheater.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096007
Authors: Roberta Manzollino Laura Leopardi Edoardo Baiocchi Saverio Giulio Malatesta
Human mummies can often emotionally impact several people and affect the enhancement of territories. A new audience was born through the evolution of cultural tourism, as an example, in the case of the pop culture or fandom market, where tourism flows are aimed at the research of specific emotional experiences that are concentrated on literature or cinematic interests. Another revolution in the tourist industry is connected to the disputable case of dark tourism when the concept of travel meets the death topic. Human mummification catches both the abovementioned topics, and it may assign new forms and scopes in a typical schematic of geographic contests in territory enhancement.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096006
Authors: Francesco D’Antoni
In recent years, 3D reconstruction has become an indispensable tool for archaeological research. 3D modeling software makes it possible to bring together and visualize different interpretative hypotheses simultaneously and to pose new questions that otherwise would not have emerged. The aim of this paper is to expose the process that, starting from the acquisition of the raw data, led to the volumetric reconstruction of a hexagonal-shaped building and a private bath belonging to the pars urbana of the villa of the Vetti, a Late Antique residential complex identified in the municipality of Capraia and Limite (Florence, Italy).
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096008
Authors: Mariflora Caruso Laura Leopardi Saverio Giulio Malatesta
This poster delves into the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with both the marketing and cultural heritage realms. By examining case studies, we elucidate AI’s pivotal role in personalizing consumer experiences within marketing. In the domain of cultural heritage, AI is instrumental in crafting bespoke experiences, such as the “Hermes—a trip as you like it” project. By utilizing AI algorithms, this initiative tailors customized itineraries for visitors based on data analysis and user input. This approach aims to predict and meet individual preferences, redefining engagement and outreach strategies in cultural settings.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097010
Authors: Marc Martínez-Estrada Ignacio Gil Raúl Fernández-García
A woven textile capacitive sensor array fully integrated on a car seat is presented to detect the driver’s position. The sensor array consists of two planar interdigital capacitive sensors located on the base and the backrest of the seat. With this sensor array, the position of the driver can be continually measured in real time with potential detection for events such as back detaching or buttocks displacement, which could indicate a risk of traffic accidents.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096004
Authors: Claudia Sabbini Varinia Nardi Saverio Giulio Malatesta Luca Di Bianco
SH.AR.P.P. is a project conceived by the Digilab Research Centre of Sapienza University as a tool against the fragmentation of archaeological data for inquiry and the generalized public disregard toward the prehistory of the Italian Peninsula in favor of more recent and impressive evidence. This article reports updates on the project since its presentation, focusing on technical solutions to widespread issues featuring open-access tools, database building, sharing raw data at different levels, and user-friendliness for both developers and final users.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097008
Authors: Ondřej Keresteš Miroslav Pohanka
Although methods for point-of-care testing gains are growing in importance, it is still essential to develop alternatives for tests performed centrally on commercial analyzers, thus making photometry cheaper and more accessible to the public. We introduce a low-cost photometer based on the Arduino with APDS9960 sensor and RBG LED in this work. A photometric platform based on a color sensor can gain a four-signal response. Acetylcholinesterase was chosen as the model element for the biosensor. The device can also easily be upgraded for fluorometric assays.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097011
Authors: Mattia Ragnoli Paolo Esposito Gianluca Barile Giuseppe Ferri Vincenzo Stornelli
Hazards like landslides have significant economic and societal repercussions; hence, the issue of remote structure health monitoring has grown in significance for geologic applications. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) stand out among the new sensing architectures as a particularly well-suited solution, thanks to the versatility they offer. This research, necessary for safety reasons, predictive maintenance and emergency evacuation, presents a WSN-based landslide monitoring system with multi-technology sensor implementation. Its goal is to track the land movements on a hillside. The network is composed of long range (LoRa) sensor nodes connected using a LoRaWAN media access control (MAC) layer. The nodes are several and of different natures and help monitor land movements, hydric parameters and rockfall events, and they also offer a camera view of the landslide in case of an emergency. The system is built on an Internet of Things (IoT) framework, enabling online access to data and reports. The final work will include a system description of the hardware and functionality of all the devices, a description of the web section for remote monitoring, a power analysis and statistics from actual scenarios.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097012
Authors: Wiebke Gehlken Melanie Kirsch Michael J. Vellekoop
In this work, a process to realize metallized 2-photon-polymerized (2PP) structures in prefabricated microfluidic channels is presented, aiming at 3D-structured electrodes. The channel is fabricated using a single-layer process of SU-8 to realize vertical sidewalls with a height and width of 300 µm. Electrodes in a ring shape with an outer diameter of 250 µm are printed in the channel using 2PP and metallized via sputtering. Using chromium as sacrificial layer, a lift-off is performed to structure the metal. This allows us to fabricate individual electrically controllable 3D electrodes that use the total height and width of the channel. Metallization with good step coverage on ring-shaped 3D structures in the high microchannel was achieved, which was confirmed using conductivity tests.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097009
Authors: Cristiano D’Andrea Martina Banchelli Chiara Amicucci Panagis Polykretis Filippo Micheletti Marella de Angelis Yurim Han Heebo Ha Byungil Hwang Paolo Matteini
A wearable sweat sensor chip based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is developed. The plasmonic core of the chip, obtained by depositing silver nanowires on a PTFE porous membrane, permits the direct and label-free detection of urea and lactate at physiological concentration in combination with the evaluation of sweat pH in the range between 4 and 9.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097003
Authors: Ismael Benito-Altamirano Ferran Crugeira Míriam Marchena J. Daniel Prades
We present the application of QR Codes as carriers for colorimetric dyes, whereby this refined version of machine-readable patterns applied to colorimetric sensing also allows us to maintain the data from the QR Code standard in a back-compatible way, which means that the QR Code is still able to encode digital data (readable with a standard QR Code decoder) alongside a hundred colorimetric references and the dyes. Also, we discuss in detail the effectiveness of different color correction methods in attaining color accuracy levels suited for sensing via colorimetry. Moreover, we illustrate how color correction techniques can be applied to take advantage of having hundreds of color references, with an exemplary case of a CO2 printed sensor used to monitor the integrity of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091405
Authors: Fatma Özsel Özcan Araç Irem Özcan
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that presents with repetitive behavior and weakness in social interaction. The nutritional problems experienced by children with autism aggravate the symptoms of autism, but also cause aggravation of the gastrointestinal system, an increase in hyperactivity disorders and sleep problems. This study was conducted to measure the effects of the nutritional status of children with autism on GIS symptoms, hyperactivity disorders and sleep problems. This study was conducted to measure the effects of the nutritional status of children with autism on GIS symptoms, hyperactivity disorders and sleep problems. The study was carried out with the families of children with autism at Kartal Umut Işığı Special Education and Rehabilitation Center. Within the scope of the study, a questionnaire consisting of four parts was given to the parents of 62 children with autism. The questionnaire included a voluntary consent form, personal information form, Conners Parent Rating Scale (CADS-48) and food frequency questionnaire. The parents completed these questionnaires in a face-to-face environment. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed and presented with the SPSS 22 program. As a result of the study, it was found that different food groups can affect GI problems, hyperactivity disorders and sleep problems. It was found that the children who consumed dry broad beans did not have GIS complaints, and the children who consumed fast food experienced the problem of hyperactivity more regularly (p < 0.05). It was concluded that children who did not have GIS problems did not have sleep problems (p < 0.05). It was confirmed that simple carbohydrate consumption causes hyperactivity in children, but no significant results were found regarding GI problems and sleep disorders in the literature, and there are studies that overlap or contradict our study. More work is needed on this subject.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097005
Authors: Ieva Sakinyte-Urbikiene Vidute Gureviciene Julija Razumiene
The determination of L-glutamate in biological media is very important, as it is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter related to some neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s, communication dysfunction, stroke, epilepsy and schizophrenia. When aiming to study the pathways of these diseases, as well as for the evaluation of medical treatments, it is very important to have rapid and reliable methods for the determination of L-glutamate. This study presents the new approach of an enzyme-based biosensor operating at −0.1 V, which ensures its good sensitivity and selectivity. The reduced graphene oxide used in the biosensor allowed for the monitoring of L-glutamate via the electro-oxidation of the NH3 released during the reaction catalyzed by Glutamate oxidase.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091406
Authors: Esther M. Gonzalez-Gil Sarah Lewis Helen Croker Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu Beatrice Lauby-Secretan Marc J. Gunter Laure Dossus
Background and Objectives: Biological and mechanistic data can support observational evidence to aid causal inference. The substantial body of available epidemiological evidence on the role of diet, nutrition, physical activity, and body weight and cancer has been systematically reviewed within the World Cancer Research Fund Global Cancer Update Program (WCRF CUP Global) over the past few decades. Mechanistic data can provide substantial additional support to established or suspected associations between diet and cancer but has not previously been systematically reviewed within the CUP Global. Here, we describe the development of a framework for the evaluation of biological and mechanistic data to support CUP Global in their evaluations. Methods: The protocol to evaluate mechanistic data utilizes a two-stage, iterative approach: (1) use of expert knowledge in combination with text mining automated tools (https://www.temmpo.org.uk/ accessed on 14 February 2024 to identify a set of the main potential mechanisms (typically 2–3 mechanisms) and their associated intermediate phenotypes (IPs) that link the factor of interest (exposure: E) to the cancer outcome of interest (outcome: O) and (2) for selected mechanisms, perform systematic literature reviews of human studies to evaluate the associations between E and IPs and between IPs and O. An expert committee then assesses the level of evidence for the role of each potential mechanism in the E–O association. If appropriate, additional literature reviews of experimental studies will be performed to address specific questions. Results: A protocol has been developed that can be used to systematically review data on mechanisms in a timely manner. As a first test case, the proposed protocol will be tested to evaluate mechanisms linking dietary patterns and colorectal cancer development. Discussion: This project will produce a framework for the systematic evaluation of mechanistic research to support causal associations between diet, nutrition, physical activity, body weight and cancer risk within WCRF CUP Global.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097004
Authors: Christian Ratti Beatrice Julia Lotesoriere Carmen Bax Laura Capelli
The realisation of an electronic nose network for the monitoring of the odour concentrations at the fenceline of a waste treatment plant has been investigated. One of the main challenges for instrumental environmental monitoring concerns the interference of the daily variability of humidity and temperature of the ambient air to which sensors are exposed. In this study, we propose a solution to overcome this problem, implementing a specific normalisation pretreatment into the data processing procedure. The preliminary results obtained show a better classification and quantification performance whenever humidity model compensation is applied.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097006
Authors: Giovanni Piccininno Nicola Laurieri Alessandro Anselmo Sergio Russo Alessandra Sorrentino Daniele Sancarlo Grazia D’Onofrio Letizia Lorusso Laura Fiorini Filippo Cavallo Antonio Greco Francesco Giuliani
We describe an innovative case study focusing on a social robot able to help healthcare professionals compute criticality scores for patients hosted in a Geriatric Sub-Intensive Care Unit. The aim is to establish the feasibility of a scenario in which the robot modulates the frequency of its visits to the room of bedridden patients, based on the criticality scores it has computed.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097007
Authors: Andreas Anastasopoulos Vasiliki Zacharia Achilleas Bardakas Christos Tsamis
Haptic feedback, also known as tactile sensing, plays a vital role in human interactions with the external environment. The artificial replication of tactile sensations using triboelectric sensors has sparked the attention of the scientific community by developing advanced electronic skins with haptic perception. In this work, we design and fabricate different flexible tactile sensors based on the triboelectric effect. The triboelectric sensors were evaluated in respect of their ability to identify different materials that were in contact with the sensor. Our results show that the triboelectric signal depends on the nature of the substrate, and a clear distinction among different substrates could be obtained.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091404
Authors: Özge Dinç Fatma Nur Baran Aksakal Begüm Mutuş Özlem Üliç Çatar Halit Tanju Besler Serhat Ünal Orhan Aydoğdu
Background and objectives: Considering the information pollution in the field of nutrition and health in society, more than half of the community asks family physicians (FPs) as the closest counseling unit about healthy nutrition and related issues. However, FPs’ nutritional knowledge levels are limited, and nutrition-related courses are not an integral part of their education. There is a need to organize postgraduate nutrition-based training programs for FPs. Methods: In order to determine the training needs of FPs, a needs assessment questionnaire was developed by the researchers in order to select topics in which they need to be trained before preparing a training program. There were 26.252 FPs in Turkey at the time of the study. AHEF is the federation of all seventy-six FP associations in Turkey. FPs who are members of any of these associations constituted the study population. The questionnaire was sent to all registered FPs electronically. Results: The questionnaire was replied to by 1308 FPs, of whom 46% were female and the average working period was 15 ± 3 years (1–38). Only 26.4% of the FPs declared that they felt competent while answering patients’ questions on nutrition, 12.8% thought their knowledge was insufficient, 62.6% thought their knowledge was partly sufficient, and 23.2% recommend some kind of supplement to their patients. The topics that are indicated by the FPs were quantified and taken into consideration while the training program was prepared. The training program, which provided the first ever nutrition and nutrition communication online information platform for physicians in Turkey, was developed in collaboration with an NGO, the university, and AHEF. It consisted of eight online training topics starting in March 2022 and was conducted once every two weeks. Discussion: Postgraduate nutrition training programs for physicians and other health professionals who wish to improve their current knowledge of the role of nutrition and communication in the prevention and management of chronic diseases are limited worldwide. It is necessary to increase the level of nutrition knowledge of FPs with postgraduate training programs. Nutrition communication is the next step toward improvement.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096011
Authors: Gabriele Ciccone
During the Ph.D. project titled Flying off-site: new investigation methodologies for the analysis of historical landscapes, QGIS was used as a workspace for the archaeogeographical analysis of the territory of Castronovo di Sicilia (PA). The interaction between native applications and plug-ins developed by third parties showed that this software is the ideal environment for a complete archaeogeographical analysis, as it can integrate archaeological and geographical information of different types. The possibility of using a single software not only reduces research costs and time but also allows for new data to be obtained and a holistic approach to be applied to analyzed landscape
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097002
Authors: Gerardo D’Elia Matteo Ferro Paolo Sommella Sergio Ferlito Saverio De Vito Girolamo Di Francia
Future air quality monitoring networks will include fleets of low-cost gas and particulate matter sensors calibrated using machine learning techniques. Unfortunately, it is well known that concept drift is one of the primary causes of losses in data quality in operational scenarios. This work focuses on addressing a low-cost NO2 sensor calibration model update triggered via a concept drift detector. This study defines which data are most appropriate for use in the model updating process in order to maintain compliance with the relative expanded uncertainty (REU) limits established by the European Directive, as well as evaluate the potential of general and importance-weighted calibration models in the mitigation of concept drift effects.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024097001
Authors: Tina Mitteramskogler Andreas Fuchsluger Rafael Ecker Thomas Wilfinger Bernhard Jakoby Robert Wille
Whether liquids in open microchannels show spontaneous capillary flow or not crucially depends on the involved surface energies and the shape of the microchannel. In this study, we present a two-dimensional model based on the Gibb’s free energy of a system that predicts the presence of spontaneous capillary flow in open microchannels. We expand our model to include curved microchannels and verify our findings using simulations of a liquid surface with Surface Evolver. Finally, we comment on how these results can be used to measure the liquid contact angle through open capillary flow.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091403
Authors: Emanuela Cazzaniga Francesca Brivio Francesca Orgiu Paolo Corbetta Elena Lonati Alessandra Bulbarelli Andrea Greco
Poor eating habits have been correlated with an increased probability of developing chronic health problems, including weight gain. In particular, dietary choices during the first years of life can have a lasting impact on dietary preferences and habits. Parents strongly influence the child’s relationship with food which will be maintained for the rest of their life; in particular, a greater sense of maternal self-efficacy is correlated with healthier eating habits and the child being less overweight. To date, there are few studies investigating the relationship between parental eating habits, self-efficacy in promoting healthy behaviors and the use of social media (SM). The general purpose of our study is to investigate the eating habits of families, food awareness and choices and the use of SM to search for pediatric nutrition content. The habits were collected through a questionnaire administered online on the most popular SM platforms. Data show that parents take care of their children’s food choices (96.1%) and rarely comply with their requests (77.9%). More than half read product labels (56.1%) and the origin (43.9%) before purchasing. Overall, 44.1% are influenced by TV and newspapers regarding their purchases, while 39.4% are influenced by the opinions of their friends and relatives. Food style correlates positively with the influence of TV and newspapers (r = 0.238) and the influence of friends and relatives (r = 0.231). Overall, 77.1% aim to follow a healthy diet, even if fish (24.5%) and vegetables (36.3%) are difficult to include in the child’s diet. Instagram (50.2%) and Facebook (36.3%) are the SM platforms most used to search for information on pediatric nutrition. Health professionals’ (60.3%) and institutions’ (24.9%) profiles are the most followed for reading articles and blogs (59.4%), but without direct interactions (78.9%). Only 20% are satisfied with the content found. Parental self-efficacy in promoting a healthy diet for their children correlates positively and moderately with encouragement to follow a healthy diet (r = 0.340) and control over the amount of snacks and sweets consumed (r = 0.302). The data demonstrate parents’ interest in using SM to search for information on pediatric nutrition but indicates that few (33.3%) are satisfied with what they find online. Therefore, future educational interventions need to be refined to help parents to better influence children’s eating habits.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096009
Authors: Eleonora Iacopini
During the development of the digital archaeological map of the city of Ancona, in the Marche region, around 12,000 files were digitized relating to the documents associated with the individual archaeological contexts, coming from the administrative archive, the historical archive, the drawing archive, excavation diaries, and all of the scientific documentation associated with them. Given the amount of data and their importance from an information point of view, to prevent them from remaining as “silent” documents, it was envisaged to associate each of them with a metadata system based on the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) standard.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024094061
Authors: Maria Tsiouni Georgios Kountios Alexandra Pavloudi
The purpose of this paper is to conduct an empirical investigation of the theoretical and literature-based constructs related to the adoption of precision agriculture (PA) practices by young farmers. For this research, primary and secondary data are used. The sample includes 220 young farmers. Among the results of this research, farmers are aware of the positive effects of technology systems in agriculture. Also, young farmers seem to be familiar with precision agriculture and have already adopted some of its methods, but the high cost of investment prevents farmers from adopting such technology. Innovative technologies and production methods can help young farmers to be competitive in the worldwide market.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024094060
Authors: Dimitris Alexandridis Christina Kleisiari George Vlontzos
In recent years, more people have expressed interest in Plant-Based Milk Alternatives (PBMAs). Our research focused on Greek consumers to examine consumer behavior regarding PBMAs. Using relevant literature, a questionnaire was designed and distributed both online and through personal interviews. The sample was random and concerned 576 consumers from the Greek mainland, of which 53.5% were women and 46.5% were men, aged 18 to 80. The Health Belief (HBM) and Stimulus Organism Response (SOR) models were used to design the questionnaire, while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied for the interpretation of the survey results. PCA showed that consumers’ perception of PBMAs, and their willingness to consume them or influence others to do so, are the most significant variables. Furthermore, Linear Regression Analysis revealed that PBMAs are primarily purchased by younger and more highly educated consumers. The results of the research can contribute to the improvement of PBMA retail marketing strategies in Greece.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091401
Authors: Snezana Barjaktarovic Labovic Ines Banjari Ivana Joksimovic Zorica Djordjevic Jelena Balkić Widmann Dijana Djurovic
Introduction: Knowing the principles of proper nutrition is extremely important for everyone, especially for athletes, but also for recreational people. Objective: The aim of the research was to examine and compare the level of knowledge about nutrition and supplementation among athletes and recreational sports players. Participants and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on athletes from Montenegro (N = 249, 71.5% men and 28.5% women) and recreationists from Bosnia and Herzegovina (N = 156, 57.7% men and 42.3% women). A specially structured questionnaire was used to assess knowledge about nutrition and supplementation from the perspective of sports performance. Results: Supplementation is used by 60.6% of athletes and 67.3% of recreationists. Athletes use vitamins the most (75.3%), while recreationists use proteins the most, alone (30.8%) or in combination with vitamins (21.2%) and creatine (12.2%). The fact that the majority of recreationists make decisions about supplementation independently (67.9%) is worrying, while among athletes, decisions about the need for supplementation are made independently 32.7% of the time and according to the trainer’s recommendation 28.6% of the time. A low level of knowledge about nutrition and supplementation was found in both groups of respondents, but athletes showed somewhat better knowledge compared to recreational players; athletes had an average of 77.2% correct answers and recreational athletes had an average of 67.7%. The fact that most athletes (30.9%) are not informed about nutrition at all and that 28.1% receive information from fitness trainers is worrying. On the other hand, recreational users primarily look for information about nutrition on the Internet (56.4%). Conclusion: The results show a devastating level of knowledge about the influence of nutrition on sports performance, especially around certain aspects (e.g., protein sources in the diet). Despite this, a majority of people independently decide to use supplements.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091400
Authors: Klaudia Kopczyńska Paola Migliorini Alexander Wezel Carola Strassner Ivan Manolov Adrian Timar Dominika Średnicka-Tober
The GOODFOOD project, as an educational and research project supporting the sustainable development of food systems, is aimed at establishing cooperation between EU universities and rural territories and their communities related to food production through a number of educational activities. This work resulted in the development, exploration and implementation of experiential learning activities and outcomes enabling the academic community to develop and exchange knowledge about territorially embedded food systems (EFS) and gain insight into possible pathways of their implementation. Through these multidisciplinary activities, the academic community, with the involvement of the explored EFS actors, developed teaching materials to contribute to supporting the sustainable development of rural food systems and their communities, based on experience and peer-to-peer learning. Local knowledge, built on the traditions and experiences of the local territory, supported by the input of qualified university graduates, has the potential to contribute to building sustainable, territorially embedded food systems, addressing challenges related to, i.e., resource constraints, diverse food quality and safety aspects, the environmental impacts of food production, biodiversity, food sovereignty, adapting to climate change, etc. To achieve the project’s goals, educational content and activities tailored to students’ preferences and major educational gaps were created in the form of e-learning courses and intensive study programs (summer schools). Students from six countries (PL, IT, FR, DE, BG, and RO) participated in two experiential-learning-focused summer schools in the Münsterland and Piedmont regions (2022, 2023). The project research team analyzed the students’ understanding of the concept of EFS and identified their preferred methods of learning about EFS. Educational materials for students, descriptions of selected EFS case studies and a guide on innovative teaching about territorially embedded food systems addressed to academics working in this subject area were developed. The created, publicly available educational materials and approaches may be used in the future to support the restoration and development of socially, economically and environmentally sustainable EFS in the rural areas of Europe.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091402
Authors: Johnson Lok Valeria Iannone Carlos Gómez-Gallego Ruben Vazquez-Uribe Morten Otto Alexander Sommer Marjukka Kolehmainen Hani El-Nezami
Background and objectives: Endocrine dysregulation and intestinal microbiota unbalance are commonly associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of engineered probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle (EcN) 1917 expressing various hormones (IGF1, GLP-1, FGF19, Adiponectin) downregulated in MASLD as a potential therapeutic. Methods: 41 C57BL/6J mice underwent 14 weeks of a high-fat diet intervention for MASLD development. The mice were then separated into seven groups and underwent 7 weeks of probiotic intervention while under the control diet. The mice were grouped as follows: (1) without probiotic; (2) EcN without hormone expression; (3–6) EcN expressing IGF1, GLP-1, FGF19, and Adiponectin, respectively; and (7) liraglutide treatment. Liver fat was measured using MRI and the Oil-Red-O staining of liver histological samples. 16s rRNA sequencing was used to investigate the bacterial composition in mice cecum. Results: Mice receiving EcN expressing IGF1, GLP-1, and FGF19 were effective at reducing liver fat accumulation. Microbiota compositions were different between groups, and the microbial communities of mice receiving EcN expressing IGF1 and FGF19 had higher observed richness. Mice receiving EcN-IGF1 had lower abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (Desulfobacterota) associated with gut inflammation and higher abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria (Roseburia sp.) and Lactobacillus reuteri. Mice receiving EcN-FGF19 had lower abundance of bacteria associated with intestinal inflammation (Coriobacteriia) and higher abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria (Roseburia sp. and Blautia sp.) and plasma propionate levels. Discussion: EcN expressing IGF1 and FGF19 have the potential to reduce liver fat accumulation and restore microbial equilibrium. This may be a combined effect of hormones and EcN, as a probiotic, thereby improving gut endocrine and immune functions.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024098001
Authors: Pasquale Stano Murat Kuscu Michael Barros Malcolm Egan Yutetsu Kuruma Sasitharan Balasubramaniam Jiewen Wang Tadashi Nakano
On 25 July 2023, a workshop entitled “Molecular Communication Approaches for Wetware Artificial Life” took place as a satellite event at the international conference ALIFE 2023 (The 2023 Conference on Artificial Life). In this report, we comment on the workshop by focusing on the main theme and the motivations that led us to develop this initiative. In particular, we highlight how recent progress in synthetic biology and in the study of molecular communication from an engineering perspective can be fruitfully joined to provide a powerful platform to develop frontier research lines in “wetware” Artificial Life. The talks presented at the workshop are briefly summarized. This report is, ultimately, an opportunity to promote an emerging field that calls for collaborative efforts of scholars from multiple disciplines, from chemistry to molecular biology, from communication engineering to nanotechnology, and up to those interested in more theoretical aspects about complex artificial systems that mimic natural ones.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091399
Authors: Sadime Basak Kisi Sidse Ida Ingemann Rasmussen Caroline Filskov Petersen Mette Friberg Hitz Inge Tetens
Background: The validation and reproducibility assessment of dietary assessment tools are needed in order to assess the precision and accuracy of the methods applied when estimating habitual intake. Using objective biomarkers in these validation studies is a further strength. Earlier validation studies showed high rates of underestimation of dietary energy intake. Myfood24 is an online tool that was developed in 2015 in the UK with the aim of being able to cover the need for high-quality dietary assessment instruments with a high validity and reliability for all ages, and it has already been validated in settings consisting of British and German adults, but not in a Danish population. Objective: To assess the validity and reproducibility of a self-administered 7-day web-based dietary assessment tool, Myfood24®, among healthy Danish adults regarding objective biomarkers, and to assure the quality of a self-administered web-based dietary recall tool as a valid dietary assessment method for internal use. Methods: A cross-sectional study with repeated measurements is being conducted with healthy adults from both sexes. Participants are asked to complete a self-administered web-based 7-day 24 h dietary recall tool (Myfood24®) at baseline and 4 weeks after (±1 weeks). The validity of this tool will be assessed by comparing the estimated mean dietary intake obtained by the tool with reference measures of energy metabolism and objective biomarkers of intake of selected nutrients: measurements of the concentration of urea, creatinine, and potassium analyzed in a 24 h urine sample, as well as folic acid in fasting blood plasma samples as a biomarker of intake of fruit and vegetables. The estimated dietary intake of energy will be compared with resting energy expenditure (REE) measured by means of indirect calorimetry and multiplied by a PAL value obtained from the IPAQ-International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Reproducibility will be assessed by means of comparison of the results of two 7-day web-based dietary assessments obtained by Myfood24®, 4 weeks apart. Preliminary results: Among 164 interested subjects, a total of 67 were eligible according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. At the time of writing, 35 subjects (9M/26 F) have completed the first visit of the study, while 97 subjects have been excluded. Of the included subjects, 24 have finished the second dietary recording and finished their participation after a final meeting with a dietician. The trial will end in September 2023. The baseline characteristics (mean ± SD) are as follows: age, 55.2 ± 10 years; height, 1.69 ± 0.09 m; body weight, 74.4 ± 10.6 kg; and BMI, 25.8 ± 2.4. REE was 1427 ± 201 kcal. Discussion: The recruitment is still ongoing. More results will be ready to be presented at the FENS conference.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024094059
Authors: Panagiota Pantazi
The interconnection of cooperatives with tourist products is the assumption of the quality of their products as an incentive for tourists to visit the country and propose it further through their gastronomic experience. The high quality of this gastronomic experience is the proposal to link tourism (tertiary sector) with agri-food (primary sector). The research questions that arise through the analysis of the agri-food and tourism industry, concern the finding of the reasons that hinder the interconnection of agri-food and tourism through gastronomy as well as the advantages arising from the interconnection between them. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research has been chosen as a research methodology.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096003
Authors: Alessandro Vanzetti Sara Marino
Open resources are increasingly used in preventive archaeology, following a more general trend in society, with a useful and effective impact for this task. In fact, on the one hand, we are witnessing the definition of standards increasingly devoted to open source access by the direct decision of the Ministry of Culture, effective both at a central and peripheral level, in order to guarantee standardization and interoperability in data management. On the other hand, in the preliminary archaeological risk assessment phase, the use of contextual data—cartography, remote images, datasets, etc.—which increasingly populate the open source repositories of the web, is necessary, but not always obvious to recover. The use of open source resources in preventive archaeology must be improved, as sometimes they are employed at an insufficient definition. What are the opportunities ahead, but also the main limitations that have not yet been overcome?
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091398
Authors: Erika Rosbotham Colin McRoberts Ruth Price Sean Strain Michael McWhinney Kirsty Pourshahidi
Meat and meat products are one of the largest contributors to vitamin D dietary intakes. Little is known, however, about how different animal husbandry practices and/or finishing diets might affect the vitamin D content of the animal. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of bovine finishing diet (grass vs. concentrate) on the 25(OH)D plasma concentrations of cattle and subsequent vitamin D content in beef. Cattle were fed grass (n = 7) or concentrate (n = 9) finishing diets for 15 weeks prior to slaughter. Bovine blood samples were collected at slaughter and plasma aliquots were stored (−80 °C) until analysis. Beef top rump from each animal was chilled for an ageing period of 21 days, then homogenised and frozen (−80 °C) until analysis. Bovine plasma samples were analysed for circulating 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 (nmol/L), and raw beef muscle (top rump) samples were analysed for vitamin D metabolites; vitamin D3, vitamin D2, 25(OH)D3 and 25(OH)D2 (µg/kg), all by LC-MS/MS. Total vitamin D activity was defined: [vitamin D3 + (25(OH)D3 × 5) + vitamin D2 + (25(OH)D2 × 5)]. Statistical analysis was conducted by SPSS with independent t tests used to compare groups; significance level p < 0.05. Data were presented as mean ± SD. A significantly higher plasma 25(OH)D2 concentration was observed in the grass finished cattle compared to the concentrate group (43.18 ± 11.75 vs. 16.56 ± 1.58 nmol/L, p < 0.002). No difference in plasma 25(OH)D3 concentrations was observed between groups. In beef top rump, the grass finishing diet resulted in a significantly higher mean ± SD vitamin D2 [0.07 ± 0.05 vs. 0.01 ± 0.01 µg/kg] and 25(OH)D2 [0.70 ± 0.16 vs. 0.25 ± 0.07 µg/kg] compared to concentrate finishing diet (both p < 0.001). Moreover, beef from grass finished cattle demonstrated a significantly higher total vitamin D activity compared to those in the concentrate group [9.52 ± 2.43 vs. 6.78 ± 2.00 µg/kg, p < 0.05]. No difference was observed for muscle vitamin D3 or 25(OH)D3 between groups. In conclusion, a more favourable bovine vitamin D profile, driven by vitamin D2 metabolites specifically (not vitamin D3), is reported from a grass-based finished system, compared to concentrate finishing. Further research is required to understand the impact of these findings for both agriculture practices and human nutrition.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091397
Authors: Meri Simojoki Niina E. Kaartinen Mirkka Maukonen Kennet Harald Heli Tapanainen Anne-Maria Pajari Satu Männistö
Background and objectives: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally. A shift from animal-based diets to more plant-based diets is likely to reduce the risk of CVD. This modelling study aimed to assess the impacts of the partial substitution of processed meat with plant-based foods on CVD risk. Methods: We used pooled data from five Finnish cohorts (n = 42868, 78% men, aged ≥25 years at baseline, 7.9 years median follow-up time with 4421 incident CVD cases). Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline and CVD cases were ascertained from national health registers. In the substitution models, 50 g/week of processed meat were substituted with similar amounts of plant-based foods (legumes, vegetables, fruits, cereals, or a combination of these). Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards multivariate model adjusted for relevant confounding factors. Pooled HRs were estimated from the cohort-specific HRs using a random-effects model. Results: There was a small yet statistically significant reduction in CVD risk when processed meat was partially substituted with legumes (men: HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93–1.00, p = 0.03), vegetables (men: HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99–1.00, p < 0.001, women: HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p < 0.01), fruits (women: HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p < 0.01), cereals (women: HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.98, p < 0.01), or a combination of plant-based foods (women: HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p < 0.01). Discussion: The modelled partial substitution of processed meat with several plant-based foods was associated with lower CVD risk. Our findings suggest that even a small change towards a more plant-based diet may contribute to cardiovascular health at the population level and, moreover, environmental sustainability.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091396
Authors: Hayriye Biyikoglu Adam Collins Denise Robertson
Intermittent energy-restricted diets have shown improved metabolic health and alterations in postprandial glucose and lipid responses. Given these diets’ inherent low carbohydrate content due to fasting and carbohydrates’ crucial role in postprandial metabolism, it is essential to determine if the observed benefits are primarily due to decreased carbohydrate consumption. This study aims to evaluate the acute metabolic effects of carbohydrate restriction on postprandial substrate metabolism, both in the presence and absence of energy restriction, compared to an iso-caloric balanced diet. Twelve (six male) healthy adults (27.33 ± 1.82; 26.64 ± 1.64 kg/m2) participated in this acute, three-arm crossover study. Participants consumed three pre-prepared intervention diets for one day (36 h), each separated by a 5-day washout period: a normal-carbohydrate (55% of energy) energy-balanced diet (nEB), a low-carbohydrate (50 g/day) energy-balanced (100% energy) diet (LCEB), and a low-carbohydrate (50 g/day) energy-restricted (25% energy) diet (LC25). Following each 36 h diet phase, blood metabolites were measured in the morning fasted state and serially across 360 min postprandially. Concurrently, substrate utilization (RQ) and energy expenditure were evaluated using indirect calorimetry. Data were analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Wilcoxon signed-ranks, with results displayed as mean ± SEM. Resting energy expenditure and postprandial thermogenesis showed no significant difference across the three study arms (p > 0.05) although RQ was markedly decreased in both LC arms (p < 0.001). Elevated hepatic 3-β-hydroxybutyrate production was observed in both low-carb groups compared to control (p < 0.01). Following 36 h of both low-carbohydrate diet improved postprandial TAG levels (p < 0.001). However, glucose tolerance was impaired in both low-carb diets (p = 0.04), while insulin responses showed no statistical difference between all diets (p > 0.05). Fasted and postprandial NEFA levels increased in both low-carb diets (p = 0.02, p < 0.01, respectively). Similarly, fasting GLP-1 levels rose in low-carb arms (p < 0.5), declining postprandially (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between them in all analysed parameters (p < 0.05). This data suggest that limiting carbohydrates without concurrent energy restriction can mimic the short-term metabolic effects of fasting. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term impacts of intermittent low-carb diets and their viability as alternatives to traditional energy-restricted plans, factoring in tolerance, sustainability, and lasting physiological effects.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091394
Authors: Lejla Mujezin Adna Salkić Milka Popović
Background and objectives: Endometriosis is a condition, in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder, caused by the imbalance of androgen hormones. This study aims to shed light on the mechanisms of action and efficiency of curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin, polyphenols found in medicinal plants and foods, in the treatment of endometriosis and PCOS. Methods: The literature review from PubMed/Medline, Embase electronic databases, and Google Scholar databases with the keywords related to the study topic is used as a research methodology. Only studies with supplemental herbal products intervention in patients with diagnosed PCOS or endometriosis were included. Results: An interventional study conducted on women with endometriosis, diagnosed using laparoscopy, showed that curcumin administered in the solution concentrations of 30 μmol/L and 50 μmol/L reduced the number of E2 endometriotic stromal cells and slowed their growth. A systematic review showed that curcumin administered in doses of 80 mg and 500 mg decreased body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (CRP) among patients with PCOS. An interventional study among 40 patients with PCOS, showed that resveratrol administered in a dose of 800 mg/day decreased the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-18, NF-κB, and CRP. A randomized clinical trial found that the intake of resveratrol in a dose of 40 mg/day with the monophasic contraceptive pill reduced the pain scores in women with a diagnosis of endometriosis. A systematic review reported that 1000 mg of quercetin improved PCOS-related indexes and the levels of estradiol among women in experimental studies. An experimental study showed that quercetin had antiproliferative effects in vitro and in vivo, by cell accumulation at sub-G0/G1 phase and apoptotic function in endometriosis cells. Discussion: Curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin have various effects on PCOS and endometriosis and are effective through various mechanisms of action. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to evaluate the polyphenols’ efficiency in detail, especially the effects of resveratrol and quercetin in humans.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091393
Authors: Uroš Čakar Maria Čebela Aleksandar Petrović Ivan Stanković Brižita Đorđević
Background and objectives: Blackberry is one of the most important berry fruits growing in Serbia. Crops and derived products are rich sources of many natural active compounds, which possess beneficial health effects. In particular, it is possible to point out the role of blackberry and its derived products in hyperglycemia prevention since it is a very common problem among the general population today. Blackberry wine is a product which could have significant beneficial health effects during moderate consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of blackberry wine and the contribution of some natural compounds to this activity. Methods: Fruit wines were produced through microvinification during controlled fermentation by using pure yeast strain culture. Samples were lyophilized and dissolved in DMSO. The inhibition of α-glucosidase was evaluated by using α-glucosidase and substrate solution, p-nitrophenyl α-D-glucopyranoside. The identification and quantification of some natural compounds was conducted by using UPLC TQ-MS/MS. Results: After lyophilization of the produced blackberry wine, all of the determinations were conducted in four samples. The results for the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity were in the range of 31.5–55.7 µg/mL. The control showed acarbose whit inhibitory activity of 75.3 µg/mL. Moreover, the estimated amount of epicatehin, catehin, chlorogenic, ellagic, and gallic acids and their contribution to the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the sample was from 1.7% to 7.7%. Discussion: The obtained results show that blackberry wine is a good inhibitor of α-glucosidase compared to acarbose. The presence of phenolic compounds in wine is due to its extraction from the skin and seeds of blackberry during alcoholic fermentation. Ethanol, which naturally occurs in wine, has a key role in this process. Fruit wine can be considered as a potential functional food. α-glucosidase activity depends on the synergistic and antagonistic effect of natural active compounds in fruit wine.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096002
Authors: Alessia Mandorlo
One of the uses of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)—also known as drones—in archaeology is aerial reconnaissance, and they are usually used to detect and record the features of archaeological sites. This article focuses on the application and integration of drones with surveys supported using a mobile GIS (QField). The research results presented herein concern an area of the northeastern countryside of the city of Perugia, in the Upper Tiber Valley. Field walking was carried out in 2020/2021. The information contained in this article has been organized and elaborated in a GIS environment (Qgis) to produce archaeological cartography.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091395
Authors: Siew Ling Tey Winnie Siew Swee Chee Yatin Berde Geraldine Baggs Dieu Thi Thu Huynh
Lifestyle modification, including nutrition therapy, plays an important role in diabetes management. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of a diabetes-specific formula (DSF) on glycemic control and cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes. A total of 251 adult men and women with type 2 diabetes on oral anti-hyperglycemic medication(s) were enrolled, and 235 were randomly assigned to one of two study treatments: (i) DSF with standard of care (DSF group) (n = 117) or (ii) standard of care alone (control group) (n = 118). The DSF group was asked to consume either one serving of DSF (if baseline BMI ≥ 23.0 and <27.5 kg/m2) or two servings of DSF (if baseline BMI ≥ 27.5 and <35.0 kg/m2) as a meal replacement (MR) or partial MR. Blood biomarkers, anthropometry, body composition, and blood pressure were assessed at baseline, day 45, and day 90. Mean (SE) HbA1c of participants was 7.94 (0.05)% and BMI was 28.37 (0.21) kg/m2 at baseline. The DSF group had a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c than the control group at day 45 (−0.44% vs. −0.26%; p = 0.015) and day 90 (−0.50% vs. −0.21%; p = 0.002). Fasting blood glucose was significantly lower in the DSF group at Day 90 (−0.14 mmol/L vs. +0.32 mmol/L; p = 0.036). The DSF group lost twice as much weight as the control group at day 45 (−1.30 kg vs. −0.61 kg; p < 0.001) and day 90 (−1.74 kg vs. −0.76 kg; p < 0.001). Waist circumference, hip circumference, fat mass, and visceral adipose tissue were significantly lower in the DSF group compared to the control group (all overall p ≤ 0.004). The DSF group also had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure (overall p = 0.045) and systolic blood pressure at day 90 (p = 0.043). This study demonstrated that consuming DSF as a MR or partial MR in addition to the standard of care resulted in significantly greater improvements in glycemic control and cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes compared to the standard of care alone.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091392
Authors: Lorena Calderón-Pérez Djamel Rahmani Metin Güldaş Asmaa El Hamdouchi Simona Mincione Noemí Boqué
The population from Mediterranean countries is abandoning the Mediterranean traditional dietary and lifestyle pattern (MD), moving to unhealthier habits because of profound socio-economic changes. There is a lack of adequate study protocol for inducing a positive dietary, environmental and lifestyle behavior in the family setting. SWITCHtoHEALTHY aims to demonstrate the efficacy of a multi-component nutritional intervention to improve the adherence of families to MD in three Mediterranean countries. A parallel, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted in 480 families with children and adolescents aged 3–17 years from Spain, Morocco and Turkey over 12 months. The multi-component intervention will combine digital interactive tools, hands-on educational material and easy-to-eat healthy developed snacks for children. Through the SWITCHtoHEALTHY App, the parents will receive personalized weekly meal plans and ideas and suggestions about dinner and weekend preparation taking into account the children’s lunch, promoting a balanced food intake for all family. The engagement of all the family will be prompted by using a life simulation game. In addition, a set of activities for adolescents based on a learning-through-play approach to be carried out within the family and at the research centers will be developed through co-creation. Innovative and sustainable plant-based snacks will be introduced to the children’s dietary plan as healthy alternatives for between meals. By using a full-factorial design, families will be randomized into eight groups (one control and seven intervention) to test the independent and combined effects of each component. Three visits will be performed, including one pre-assessment (baseline), one at the beginning (month 9) and one after the 3-month intervention (month 12). The impact of the intervention on diet quality, economy and the environment, as well as classical anthropometric parameters and vital signs, will be assessed at each visit. The main outcome will be adherence to the MD assessed through MEDAS in adults and KIDMED in children and adolescents. This protocol describes the rationale, eligibility criteria, methods, recruitment strategies and analysis plan of a novel multi-component intervention. SWITCHtoHEALTHY will provide new insights into the use of sustained models for inducing dietary and lifestyle behavior changes in the family setting. It will allow for generating, boosting, and maintaining the switch to a healthier MD dietary pattern across the Mediterranean area.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091389
Authors: Mirkka Maukonen Kari Koponen Aki Havulinna Niina Kaartinen Teemu Niiranen Veikko Salomaa Satu Männistö
Background and objectives: The consumption of fermented milk products has been considered beneficial for health. The moderate use of fermented milk products can also be part of environmentally sustainable diets. Findings on fermented milk and gut microbiome associations, however, have been inconsistent, and studies conducted on population-based samples are scarce. We examined whether the consumption of fermented milk (e.g., yoghurt, buttermilk, curdled milk) is related to individual gut microbiota diversity (alpha diversity), compositional differences in gut microbiota (beta diversity), or bacterial species abundances in Finnish adults. Methods: We used data from the National FINRISK/FINDIET 2002 study (final n = 1273, aged 25–65 years, 55% women). Diet was assessed with 48 h dietary recalls. Gut microbiota were analyzed using shallow shotgun sequencing. In our statistical analyses, multiple linear regression, permutational multivariate ANOVAs, and multivariate analysis using linear models (MaAsLin) were utilized. Our analyses were adjusted for sex, age, smoking, BMI, energy intake, and potentially gut microbiota-altering medicines (metformin and psycholeptics/analeptics). Furthermore, those treated with antibiotics within the past six months or who were pregnant were excluded from the final sample. Results: The mean consumption of fermented milk was 107 (SD 145) g/day. Fermented milk consumption was not associated with individual microbial diversity (alpha diversity, beta = 0.02, sd = 0.01, p = 0.18) or compositional variation between individuals’ gut microbiota (beta diversity, R2 = 0.001, p = 0.57). In species-level analysis, fermented milk consumption was associated with 15 bacterial species, of which 11 were positively associated, and 4 were negatively associated. The positive associations mainly included known lactic acid-producing/probiotic species such as Bifidobacterium longum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The negative associations included species mainly from genus Prevotella, which has been associated with plant-rich diets. Discussion: No associations were found between fermented milk consumption and microbial diversity measures. In line with previous studies in the literature, however, our species-level findings indicated that fermented milk consumption was positively associated with the abundance of several beneficial genera, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, whereas findings regarding Prevotella species abundances have been inconsistent. Further studies are needed to explore the importance of these findings in relation to the role of fermented milk in healthy and sustainable diets.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091390
Authors: Hristo Hristov Rok Poličnik Matej Gregorič Masa Hribar Igor Pravst
Estimating the dietary intakes of certain populations is essential for making the right decisions on a national level in respect to nutrition, epidemiology, economic, environmental, and policy applications. The objective of this study is to determine the usual dietary intakes of macronutrients and micronutrients, considering how the population are individually affected by food and nutrient intakes. From the Central Register of Population, employing a two-stage stratified sampling procedure, a representative sample of adolescent participants was randomly selected, according to sex and place of residency. Two non-consecutive 24 h dietary recalls were collected using a web-based Open Platform for Clinical Nutrition (OPEN) software. Additionally, a food propensity questionnaire was used to collect information about a participant’s frequency of food consumption. A total of 468 adolescent were included in the analyses: 10–12 years old (N = 194), 13–14 years old (N = 93), and 15–17 years old (N = 181). The analyses reveal dietary patterns that were different both between age groups and between genders. An overall lower variability in energy and fat intakes but a much higher variability for micronutrients was observed. Unbalanced usual dietary intakes were especially represented through high consumptions of foods that are high in sugar as well as fresh and processed meats, and low intakes of legumes and legume products, fruits and vegetables, while a higher variability was detected within dairy products. Determining the usual dietary intake using the Multiple Source Method provided wider intake distributions that allowed for more precise estimates for the prevalence of inadequate/excessive intakes for analyzed subpopulations. The overall results suggest a deviation from national dietary guidelines and a call for public health interventions in order to improve dietary patterns.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091391
Authors: Akmaral Baspakova
The health of the younger generation in modern socio-economic conditions is characterized by an increase in the prevalence of functional abnormalities and chronic diseases. Of the total number of factors that have a negative impact on the health of adolescents, the impact of schooling and violating the rules of nutrition are the top priority. The etiopathogenetic role of nutrition as a risk factor in modern conditions determines the nature of the development of alimentary-dependent pathologies in children and adolescents, which include anemia, iodine deficiency conditions, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, etc. Therefore, optimal nutrition in childhood and adolescence will contribute to the prevention of diseases, proper physical and neuropsychic development, and increase the adaptive capabilities of the body. The cross-sectional design of the study was used to collect data from adolescents aged 13 to 15 years. Improbability quota sampling was used for data collection. Data processing was carried out using SPSS version 25.0. Mean values and standard deviations were calculated for continuous variables, while categorical variables were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. The chi-square criterion was used to determine the relationships between categorical variables. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant in all analyses. The study covered 1254 adolescents aged 13–15, of which 46.3% were boys and 53.7% were girls. From the data presented, it was found that 37.3% of adolescents did not comply with the diet, and 62.5% kept to the diet. In total, 37.6% of first and second hot meals were consumed 2–3 times a day, and 35.2% were consumed only once a week. There was no statistically significant relationship between nutrition and obesity (p = 0.362) or between dietary diversity and nutritional status (p = 0.549). The results of this study on the proper nutrition for adolescents shows that secondary school students do not follow the proper diet and often eat fast food.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091387
Authors: Perdana S. T. Suyoto Mariëlle G. de Rijk Jeanne H. M. de Vries Edith J. M. Feskens
Background and objectives: Night shift workers experience circadian disruption that may manifest in poor alertness. This study aimed to explain the mediation by acute glucose concentration resulting from the assignment of meals varying in glycemic load (high and low) and meal frequency (1 and 3) on alertness parameters, including the number of lapses, reaction time median (RTMed), and variability (RTVar). Methods: A two-arm randomized cross-over trial was conducted on female nurses working night shifts. In each of the study arms, the 1-MEAL and 3-MEAL arms, the participants followed three intervention periods consisting of the provision of high glycemic load (GL) or low GL meals in the form of yogurts with either dextrose added or the combination of lactose and fructose or fasting (no meal) during three consecutive night shifts with a 2-week washout period. In the 1-MEAL arm, the participants were provided with one meal (1-high GL or 1-low GL), while three meals were provided in the 3-MEAL arm (3-high GL or 3-low GL). Twenty-four-hour interstitial glucose concentrations were measured using continuous glucose monitors during the interventions. The participants performed brief psychomotor vigilance tasks (PVT-B) at 04:00 h. Mediation analysis was performed to determine whether the meal glycemic load effect on the number of lapses, RTMed, and RTVar was explained by the mean glucose concentration 120 min prior to performing the PVT. Result: A mediation effect of mean glucose concentrations on RTVar was observed, for instance, in 1-high GL (βind = 16.23 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.62, 33.89) and 3-high GL (βind = 8.85 mmol/L, 95%CI: 0.90, 19.33) compared to no meal. Significant mediation effects of mean glucose concentrations on RTVar were also detected between 3-high vs. 1-high GL, 1-high GL vs. 1-low GL, and 3-high GL vs. 3-low GL. However, no mediation effect was observed on the number of lapses or RTMed. Discussion: In summary, mediation analysis suggests that an elevated mean glucose concentration 120 min prior to performing the PVT increased the reaction time variability, indicating difficulties in maintaining attention.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2024096001
Authors: Giuseppe Guarino Alessia Brucato
This paper focuses on a preliminary space-based detection protocol to identify proxy indicators useful to assess a specific threat to the archaeological heritage: quarry development. This research used diverse open-access satellite repositories offered by space programs such as Copernicus and, as case studies, analyzed two inland highland sites in Sicily (Italy). All images were processed with filters, algorithms, and routines in free Open-Source software such as QGIS 3.34.0 and cloud computing platforms like Google Earth Engine. The results of the classification were validated with statistical accuracy techniques.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091388
Authors: Mireia Obón-Santacana Anita R. Peoples Eric Kawaguchi Cornelia M. Ulrich Ulrike Peters W. James Gauderman Victor Moreno
Physical activity (PA) is an established protective factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are less understood, and it is not known if the association is modified by genetic variants. To investigate this possibility, we conducted a genome-wide gene–PA interaction analysis. Using logistic regression and two-step and joint tests, we analyzed the interactions between common genetic variants across the genome and self-reported PA (categorized as active vs. inactive and as study- and sex-specific quartiles) in relation to CRC risk. PA had an overall protective effect on CRC, showing a 15% risk reduction among active vs. inactive participants (OR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.81–0.90). The two-step GxE method identified an interaction between rs4779584, an intergenic variant located between the GREM1 and SCG5 genes, and PA for CRC risk (p = 2.6 × 10−8). Stratification by genotype at this locus showed a significant reduction in CRC risk by 20% in active vs. inactive participants with the CC genotype (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.75–0.85), but no significant PA–CRC association was observed among CT or TT carriers. When PA was modeled as quartiles, the 1-d.f. GxE test identified that rs56906466, an intergenic variant near the KCNG1 gene, modified the association between PA and CRC (p = 3.5 × 10−8). Stratification at this locus showed that increase in PA (highest vs. lowest quartile) was associated with a lower CRC risk solely among TT carriers (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.72–0.82). In summary, these results identified two genetic variants that modified the association between PA and CRC risk. One of them, related to GREM1 and SCG5, suggests that the bone morphogenetic protein-related, inflammatory and/or insulin signaling pathways may be associated with the protective influence of PA on colorectal carcinogenesis.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091386
Authors: Annabelle Somers Jenny Baverstock Philip Calder Frances Gawthrop Eleftheria Stavridou Guy Poppy
One in six British teenagers is clinically deficient in folate. A growing body of evidence suggests that this could be negatively impacting their short- and long-term health, with folate deficiencies being linked with conditions such as depression, colorectal cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. To address this, there is a need to identify cost-effective, culturally appropriate, and sustainable interventions to improve folate intakes across the UK. This project explores how the root vegetable parsnip could be better utilised to help improve folate intake in vulnerable populations. To understand the effects of genetics and growing conditions on nutritional quality, a microbiological assay has been used to explore the variation in folate content among different parsnip cultivars. This information will be combined with HPLC-based investigations of changes in folate content with storage, processing, and digestion to determine the difference between a parsnip in the field and a parsnip as it is purchased and consumed. In parallel, the adequacy of micronutrients provided in food system leverage points, such as school meals and hospital food, will be evaluated by analysis of recipes and meals. This will be compared to the UK government-recommended nutrient intake values to investigate whether sufficient micronutrients are being delivered in these settings. These research work packages will be combined to investigate whether the micronutrient content of meals provided in food system leverage points would be improved by the incorporation of more root vegetables, such as parsnips. Our research shows that the quantity and quality of folates in parsnip are affected by variation from farm to fork, including the variety grown, the length of storage, and how the parsnips are cooked before consumption. All of these factors should be taken into consideration when evaluating whether increased parsnip consumption could be implemented in food system leverage points like school meals to address folate deficiency in the UK. The same issues are likely to be the case for a range of other fruit and vegetables, and using the framework established with parsnip, the utility of other food-based interventions for addressing micronutrient insecurity in the UK can be assessed.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091385
Authors: Fanny Salesse Alison L. Eldridge Tsz Ning Mak Eileen R. Gibney
Over the past decades, increased food intakes have contributed to rising obesity rates. This worldwide phenomenon partly results from the consumption of larger portion sizes. In this context, food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) have been described as an essential public health tool to guide populations toward achieving a healthier and balanced diet and reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases. Recent literature has underlined the wide variability in portion size recommendations as a future challenge to the derivation and success of FBDGs and has highlighted the need for common standard portions. This review aims to report the recommended portions of nine common food groups within existing FBDGs for the general adult population. The methods used to derive recommended portion sizes are also compared, including the type and scope of data used and the statistical approaches applied. The government-endorsed food-based dietary guidelines listed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) were analysed, as well as their related scientific reports. Results from 99 FBDGs show that several countries (n = 11) promote the consumption of a variety of foods, without providing further reference quantities for daily food intake or portion size. Furthermore, some guidelines (n = 13) derive recommendations from local or national food consumption surveys, which may not necessarily align with appropriate or recommended intakes. When used, statistical methods for the derivation of recommended portions combine diverse criteria, including reported dietary habits (median food type/group intakes) and recommended levels of macronutrients and micronutrients of concern in the population. The inconsistencies in methodological approaches reflect uneven access to relevant dietary data, which in turn seems to drive the observed variability. This review informs the reader of the range and sources of variability in food group portion size recommendations across countries and constitutes a basis for the future elaboration of a global methodological framework to derive harmonised reference portions.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023090046
Authors: Grigore Pșenovschi Mihaela Cîlțea-Udrescu Andreea-Luiza Mîrț Constantin Neamțu Gabriel Vasilievici
The pyrolysis process converts lignocellulose organic materials into gases, liquids (bio-oil), and solids (biochar) [...]
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091383
Authors: Ashwinkumar Dabhi Leena Ashwin Dabhi
The prevalence of MS has increased exponentially in the last two decades, and more so after the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside numerous weight loss interventions with both favorable and adverse health outcomes. India is a capital of patients with metabolic syndrome occurring at quite a young age due to altered body composition with inflammations going on backstage. Various studies have already documented low to very low consumption of Omega-3 FA across many parts of the world, including India, and to overcome this, we designed a strategy to supplement Omega-3 FA alongside a standard of care and medical and lifestyle interventions for MS. In this study, all patients were given a mixed EPA/DHA 1 gm Omega-3 FA capsule within 2 h of the completion of meals three times a day, all through the study duration of 6 months. There were significant reductions in metabolic profiles, including lipid profiles, hs CRP, hepatic transaminases, and glycemic parameters, across a wide range of metabolic derangements. Among patients with dyslipidemia, there were significant reductions in triglycerides and borderline elevations in HDL. In diabetic and prediabetic patients, there were significant reductions in FBS, PPBS, and glycemic parameters like HBA1C. Many participants with prediabetes and diabetes had improvements in fibromyalgia, lethargy, and lassitude. To conclude, there is a potential for optimizing the use of Omega-3 FA in countries with low to very low consumption of fatty fish, and due to its multimodal actions and safety profile, it is assumed that the majority of patients will need such supplements to improve their metabolic profiles.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091384
Authors: Esma Karahmet Farhat Orjena Žaja Ines Banjari Ivana Smolić
The complexity of eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa (AN), is associated with reduced bone mass (RBM) caused by much more than calorie restriction. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of reduced bone mass (RBM) in children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), with the consideration of endotypes. This retrospective study with prospective data collection enrolled 197 hospitalized patients, including 65% with a restrictive type, 25% with a purgative type and 10% with an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. At the time of hospitalization, the patients already had a noticeable RBM, which did not differ according to their endotype. The age of patients at the time of hospitalization (14.9 ± 2.5 years) was confirmed as an independent risk factor for SKM (41.1% higher risk in older patients). Prevalence of RBM did not differ between the endotypes. However, at the time of hospitalization, the patients already had an RBM, which did not differ by the endotype. Patients’ age at hospitalization (14.9 ± 2.5 years) is an independent risk factor for RBM (41.1% higher risk with older age). Body mass at hospitalization directly correlates with bone density (r = 0.531; p < 0.01) and is another independent risk factor for RBD. The risk drops by 9.6% per each kg of body mass more at hospitalization and by 5.7% per each kg body mass more before the diagnosis. Interestingly, longer nutritional support during hospitalization (per day) independently reduces the risk of RBM by 8.4%. The results confirm RBM, which worsens with AN duration, regardless of the endotype. There is a need for an early diagnosis and adequate physical recovery in order to prevent long-term consequences from fractures to osteoporosis.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091380
Authors: María Fernanda Zerón-Rugerio Maria Izquierdo-Pulido Aradeisy Ibarra-Picón Francisco José Pérez-Cano
The relationship between psychological health and diet is bidirectional. As such, nutritional interventions can improve mood and wellbeing due to the complex interaction between nutrient intake and the gut–brain axis. Walnuts contain a number of potentially neuroactive compounds (e.g., tryptophan, serotonin, melatonin) that could have a potential effect on mood and wellbeing among the general population. Therefore, the present study sought to determine the effect of walnuts on perceived stress, mood states, and wellbeing. Methodology: A total of thirty young adults (aged 24.0 ± 4.2 years; 90% women) participated in an 18-week randomized crossover trial (NCT04799821). All the participants completed two randomized crossover protocols: intervention (daily consumption of 40 g of walnuts for 8 weeks) and control (refrain from walnuts or any other nuts for 8 weeks). After 2 weeks of washout, the two groups followed the intervention/control in reverse order. Baseline data were collected for perceived stress, mood states, and wellbeing. In addition, spot urine samples were collected at baseline for the determination of 5-hydroxy-3-indol acetic acid (urine serotonin metabolite). Data were collected once more at the end of the 8-week intervention and control periods. Results: After an 8-week intervention, daily walnut consumption significantly reduced perceived stress (p = 0.008) and improved certain mood states, such as anger–hostility and fatigue–inertia (p = 0.026 and p = 0.010, respectively). Furthermore, levels of serotonin’s metabolite were higher (p = 0.035) in the urinary samples of the intervention group, whilst no differences were shown between the baseline and control trials. Finally, daily walnut consumption did not affect wellbeing. Discussion: Our results show that daily walnut consumption has a significant impact on serotonin levels, and this could be associated with improved mood and stress states. However, more evidence is needed to explain the mechanisms underlying this association.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023091381
Authors: Maria Izquierdo-Pulido María Fernanda Zerón-Rugerio Aradeisy Ibarra-Picón María Diez-Hernández Francisco Pérez-Cano Trinitat Cambras
Diet and sleep are two factors intrinsic to health which influence each other. For instance, diet may influence sleep via melatonin and its biosynthesis from tryptophan. Experimental data exist indicating that the provision of specific foods rich in tryptophan or melatonin can improve sleep quality. Walnuts are nutrient-dense foods that have a unique nutritional profile, including tryptophan and melatonin. However, clinical trials are needed to confirm the causal impact of walnuts on sleep and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether the daily consumption of walnuts could have a positive impact on sleep quality. Methodology: In this randomized cross-over trial (NCT04799821), 80 young adults (24.1 ± 3.9 years; 85.5% women) either ingested 40 g of walnuts daily (intervention) or refrained from eating walnuts or any other nuts (control) for 8 weeks, with a washout period of 2 weeks. The outcome variables included sleep quality, measured with actigraphy (duration, latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), awakenings, and efficiency), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), and the melatonin metabolite, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SMT), which was determined in urine samples collected (a) from 20:00 to 23:00 and (b) from 23:00 to 7:00. Results: The 8-week intervention with walnuts was significantly associated with an improvement in sleep quality (p = 0.033). Notably, the intervention was significantly associated with lower sleep latency (p = 0.003), higher sleep efficiency (p = 0.022), and less daytime sleepiness (p = 0.004). Furthermore, at the end of the intervention, the concentration of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in urine samples from 20:00 to 23:00 was significantly higher (p = 0.024), whilst no differences were shown between the baseline and control conditions. Discussion: These data suggest that a daily serving of 40 g of walnuts provides an increase in melatonin which can be beneficial in improving sleep quality and in reducing daytime sleepiness in healthy young adults. However, more studies are needed to explain the mechanisms underlying this association.
]]>Proceedings doi: 10.3390/proceedings2023093023
Authors: Jacki L. McEachran Zoya Gridneva Debra J. Palmer Nicolas L. Taylor Ching Tat Lai Lisa F. Stinson Sharon L. Perrella Donna T. Geddes
When submitting conference proceedings to the journal Proceedings, the volume’s editors notify the publisher that they carried out a peer review of all published papers [...]
]]>