Search Results (414)

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify the main issues related to public patient safety campaigns reflected in Korean online news. This study utilized a text-mining method to identify keywords and topics related to patient safety campaigns. Methods: The data collection period was from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023, and 4110 news articles were extracted. Through data preprocessing, 2661 duplicated news and 1213 unrelated news were removed, and 236 news were selected. Using the NetMiner program, keyword co-occurrence frequency calculation, keyword centrality analysis, and topic modeling analysis were performed. Results: The results showed that the most frequently mentioned keywords with high degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and closeness centrality in online news were “hospital”, “medical”, “medicine”, “project”, and “treatment”. The topics of online news related to the patient safety campaign were “patient-centered care for medical safety”, “health promotion projects at a regional institution”, “hand hygiene education to prevent infection”, “healthcare quality improvement through the Mint Festival”, and “safe use of medicines”. Conclusions: This study analyzed patient safety campaign news topics using text network analysis and topic modeling. It was confirmed that patient safety campaigns are essential for fostering a patient safety culture, improving medical quality, and encouraging patient participation in hospitals. Therefore, to build a safe medical environment, it is necessary to establish an effective patient safety campaign for not only medical staff providing medical care, but also patients and their caregivers, and for this, cooperation and participation from various professional occupations are necessary. Full article

The grain supply chain is crucial for any nation’s self-sustainability due to its huge impact on food security, economic stability, and the livelihoods of several people. The path grain takes from farmers to consumers is opaque and complicated, due to which consumers cannot trust grain quality and its origin. Although blockchain is widely used for fair and secure transactions between farmers and buyers, issues related to transparency and traceability in the grain supply chain, such as counterfeiting and middlemen involvement, have not been adequately addressed. To tackle these issues, a blockchain-based solution is proposed that unites farmers, warehouses, government central and state agencies, transporters, and food corporations on a single platform to enhance transparency, traceability, and trust among all parties. This system involves minting a non-fungible token (NFT) corresponding to each lot of grain approved by government officials. The NFT comprises grain quality, type, temperature data from sensors, weight, and ownership information, which updates as the grain lot moves across the supply chain from central agencies to state agencies and so on. NFTs enable stakeholders to track the grain lot from cultivation to end-users, providing insights into grain conditions and quality. An Internet of Things-based circuit is designed using a Digital-output relative humidity & temperature (DHT22) sensor, which offers real-time temperature and humidity readings, and geolocation coordinates are gathered from the GPS module across the supply chain. Farmers can directly interact with warehouses to sell grains, eliminating the need for middlemen and fostering trust among all parties. The proposed four-tier framework is implemented and deployed on the Ethereum network, with smart contracts interacting with React-based web pages. Analysis and results of the proposed model illustrate that it is viable, secure, and superior to the existing grain supply chain system. Full article

Our work investigated the antimicrobial and prebiotic properties of basil, mint, oregano, rosemary, savory, and thyme honey. The potential antimicrobial action, assessed against the pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, evidenced the capacity of the honey to influence the pathogenic hydrophobicity and hemolytic activities. Honey inhibited pathogen biofilms, acting especially on the mature biofilms, with inhibition rates of up to 81.62% (caused by the presence of mint honey on L. monocytogenes). S. aureus biofilms were the most susceptible to the presence of honey, with inhibition rates up of to 67.38% in the immature form (caused by basil honey) and up to 80.32% in the mature form (caused by mint honey). In some cases, the amount of nuclear and proteic material, evaluated by spectrophotometric readings, if also related to the honey’s biofilm inhibitory activity, let us hypothesize a defective capacity of building the biofilm scaffold or bacterial membrane damage or an incapability of producing them for the biofilm scaffold. The prebiotic potentiality of the honey was assessed on Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and indicated their capacity to affect the whole probiotic growth and in vitro adhesive capacity, as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic abilities, and to inhibit, mainly in the test performed with the L. casei Shirota, L. gasseri, and L. paracasei supernatants, the immature biofilm of the pathogens mentioned above. Full article

Drying is one of the most common and effective techniques for preserving the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of medicinal plants in the post-harvest phase. Therefore, in this research, the effect of the new refractance window (RW) technology on the kinetics, thermodynamics, greenhouse gasses, color indices, bioactive properties, and percentage of mint leaf essential oil was investigated in five different water temperatures in the form of a completely randomized design. This process was modeled by the methods of mathematical models and artificial neural networks (ANNs) with inputs (drying time and water temperature) and an output (moisture ratio). The results showed that with the increase in temperature, the rate of moisture removal from the samples increased and as a result, the drying time, specific energy consumption, CO₂, NO_x, enthalpy, and entropy decreased significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, the drying water temperature had a significant effect on the rehydration ratio, color indices, bioactive properties, and essential oil percentage of the samples (p < 0.05). The highest value of rehydration ratio was obtained at 80 °C. By increasing temperature, the main color indices such as b*, a*, L*, and Chroma decreased significantly compared to the control (p < 0.05). However, with the increase in temperature, the overall color changes (ΔE) and L* first had a decreasing trend and then an increasing trend, and this trend was the opposite for the rest of the indicators. The application of drying water temperature from 50 to 70 °C increased antioxidant, phenol content, and flavonoid content, and higher drying temperatures led to a significant decrease in these parameters (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the efficiency of the essential oil of the samples was in the range of 0.82 to 2.01%, and the highest value was obtained at the water temperature of 80 °C. Based on the analysis performed on the modeled data, a perceptron artificial neural network with 2-15-14-1 structure with explanation coefficient (0.9999) and mean square error (8.77 × 10⁻⁷) performs better than the mathematical methods for predicting the moisture ratio of mint leaves. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of harvesting stages (turning-color fruit and light red color) and postharvest treatments (distilled water, hot water at 35 °C, 10% Aloe vera, 2% CaCl₂, 5% Mint, and 5% Catnip) for 5 min on the quality and storability of tomato fruits cv. Sangaw stored at 10 ± 1 °C and a relative humidity of 90%–95% for 20 days. Fruit harvested at the turning-color fruit stage presented significantly lower weight loss, greater firmness, and higher amounts of vitamin C, total phenol, and calcium (3.22%, 1118.31 g mm/s, 15.83 mg 100 g⁻¹, 95.49 mg 100 mL⁻¹ FW, and 0.14%, respectively). However, the tomatoes harvested from the light red color fruit stage presented the highest contents of total soluble sugars, total sugars, and lycopene (4.36%, 3.99%, and 41.49 mg kg⁻¹, respectively). Notably, the postharvest treatment of tomato fruits with 2% CaCl₂ significantly decreased weight loss and resulted in greater firmness, pH, total sugar, total phenol, and calcium contents (3.90%, 1212.39 g mm/s, 4.83, 3.85%, 95.60 mg 100 mL⁻¹ FW, and 0.18%, respectively) than the control. Hence, coating with 10% Aloe vera resulted in the highest amount of total soluble solids and the highest amount of vitamin C. Tomato picked at the turning-color fruit stage and immersed in 5% Mint significantly lowered the loss of fruit weight, increased the total titratable acidity, and had the lowest content of lycopene. Additionally, the fruits harvested at the same stage and immersed in 2% CaCl₂ retained greater firmness, total phenol content, and calcium content. On the other hand, fruits harvested in the light red stage and dipped in 5% Mint presented the highest total soluble sugars and total sugar contents. Finally, the harvested tomato fruits coated with 10% Aloe vera retained a relatively high level of vitamin C, indicating the storage life and quality of the tomato fruits. Full article

Mint is one of the most valuable herbs, and has multiple benefits and uses. The effect of cultivation methods on the biometric parameters of mint plants was determined by comparing a hydroponic system involving moveable flood tables with plastic covers and a raised-bed growing system in an open field. The morphometric parameters of mint plants may vary depending on species and cultivation method. An interaction between both factors was observed for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and the number of leaves. Spearmint and apple mint grown under field conditions were characterized by higher average values of plant height and width and a higher number of branches than hydroponically grown plants. In the hydroponic system, the number of branched stems decreased by up to 80% with increased plant height. Leaf width was correlated with the total number of leaves. An increase in the number of leaves per plant induced a decrease in leaf width (up to 61%). Field-grown mint is usually characterized by higher marketable and total yields than hydroponically grown mint. However, the marketable yield of apple mint was approximately 50% higher in the hydroponic system than in the field. Full article

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biodegradable polymer resembling paper after being dried. It finds a growing number of applications in many branches of industry and in medicine. In the present study, BC was produced after Gluconacetobacter hansenii ATCC 23769 strain culture and used as a matrix for plant extracts (tulsi, brahmi, lemon, blackberry, nettle root, and nettle leave) and essential oils (cinnamon, sage, clove, mint, thyme, lemongrass, rosemary, lemon, anise, tea tree, lime, grapefruit, and tangerine), and the antimicrobial properties of these biomaterials was determined. The growth-inhibiting effects of plant extracts and essential oils combined with BC were analyzed against five Cronobacter species isolated from food matrix and two reference strains from the ATCC (513229 and 29544). Additional analyses were conducted for BC water activity and for its capability to absorb biologically active plant compounds. The cellulose matrix with a 50% extract from brahmi was found to effectively inhibit the growth of the selected Cronobacter strains. The other plant water extracts did not show any antimicrobial activity against the tested strains. It was demonstrated that BC soaked with thyme essential oil was characterized with the strongest antimicrobial activity in comparison to the other tested EOs. These study results indicate the feasibility of deploying BC impregnated with natural plant components as an active and environmentally-friendly packaging material. Full article

The aim of this study was to develop ready-to-eat vegetable–herb mixes with high nutritional and sensory values as well as good storability. In this regard, the suitability of fresh herbs (peppermint, oregano, green basil, red basil, and parsley) was tested for their use in mixes with fresh-cut iceberg lettuce. Lettuce–herb mixtures were stored for 6 days at 5 °C. The reason for the decrease in the appearance of the salads was the browning of the cut surface of the lettuce, as well as discoloration on the cut herbs. Comparing the storage abilities of the cut herbs, red basil and parsley retained the best appearance for 6 d at 5 °C. A small addition of herbs to fresh-cut iceberg lettuce caused a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the contents of pro-health ingredients such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, L-ascorbic acid, and polyphenols in the mixes. There were large discrepancies in the sensory quality of the mixes, but the highest quality and consumer acceptance were found for salads with parsley (5% and 10%) and red basil (5%). After harvest, the fresh herbs were more contaminated by molds than the iceberg lettuce. Bacterial, yeast, and mold contamination increased during storage, but the rate of mold growth was much lower in the mixes with parsley compared to lettuce alone. In conclusion, the addition of parsley and mint contributed the most to the health-promoting and microbiological properties of iceberg lettuce salads. However, according to sensory evaluation, parsley and red basil contributed the most to improving the acceptability of the product in terms of best taste and shelf life. Full article

The oral microbiome is a diverse and complex ecosystem essential for maintaining oral and systemic health. Our study is the first to define the oral microbial community in Egyptian young adults and investigate the effects of natural antimicrobials on the oral microbiome. SuperMint (SM) is a proprietary blend of peppermint, Japanese mint, bergamot mint, and spearmint essential oils encapsulated in a tiny soft beadlet. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of SM beadlets on the oral microbiome. This study recruited twenty healthy participants. A baseline investigation of the oral microbiome of the selected participants was performed by collecting saliva and swab samples before treatment. Treatment included chewing four SM beadlets twice a day for 7 days, and then, post-administration saliva and swab samples were collected at the end of treatment. The oral microbiome samples were analyzed by the high-throughput amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments, and the community composition was determined. The results showed that the abundance of some microbial genera and families decreased after using SM, including Prevotella, Streptococcus, Neisseria, and Haemophilus. However, some genera showed inconsistent patterns. We also found that the subject’s gender and SM usage were significantly associated with diverse microbial composition. The results suggest that SM treatment decreased the abundance of several bacteria associated with halitosis and periodontal diseases, such as Actinomyces and Streptococcus. Furthermore, Corynebacterium species increased and Streptococcus decreased after SM usage. More research is needed to fully understand the antimicrobial effects of mint oils and their potential applications in maintaining good oral health. Full article

Rhinacanthins, derived from Rhinacanthus nasutus, widely used in traditional medicine, exhibit antifungal, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiplatelet aggregation effects. Recently, their anti-diabetic activity was confirmed, which makes them an interesting natural alternative in the therapy of the early stage of diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the possibility of formulating orodispersible tablets (ODTs) and orodispersible films (ODFs) containing rhinacanthin-rich extract (RRE). Tablets with 50 mg or 100 mg of RRE were produced by direct compression. ODFs were manufactured by casting of Lycoat RS 720 or polyvinyl alcohol solution with RRE and additional excipients. The mechanical properties and disintegration times of the prepared formulations were studied. The effectiveness of taste masking was analyzed with an electronic tongue system. Six months simplified stability studies were performed in conditions complying to ICH guidelines. Appropriate friability of ODTs was achieved, despite low tensile strength (0.45–0.62 MPa). All prepared ODFs successfully met the acceptance criteria regarding Young’s modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break. The observed variations in their mechanical properties were dependent on the type and quantity of polymers and plasticizers used. Disintegration time of ODTs ranged from 38.7 s to 54.2 s, while for ODFs from 24.2 to 40 s in the pharmacopoeial apparatus. Analyses made with the electronic tongue showed the significant taste-masking effect in both formulations. The addition of sucralose as a sweetener and menthol with mint flavor as a taste-masking agent was sufficient to mask an RRE’s taste in the case of ODTs and ODFs. Stability studies of ODTs packed in the PVC/Alu blisters showed a decrease in the RRE content below 90% after 6 months. However, ODFs with PVA were physicochemically stable for 6 months while being stored in Alu/Alu sachets. Our study proved for the first time the possibility of the formulation of orodispersible dosage forms with RRE, characterized by good mechanical properties, disintegration time, and appropriate taste masking. Full article

Increasing demand for functional beverages is attracting consumers’ attention and driving research to expand our knowledge of fermentation using symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) and demonstrate the health effects of consuming kombucha. The objective of this study was to develop innovative recipes for unpasteurized mint/nettle kombucha analogs, and to compare the products obtained under varying conditions in terms of chemical composition, bioactive polyphenols and health-promoting activity. Four variants of kombucha beverages (K1–K4), differing in the addition of sucrose and fermentation temperature, were formulated. The fermentation process provided data indicating the increase of antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and anticholinergic properties, while a decrease in antioxidant capacity was observed. The content of polyphenolics was the highest on the seventh day of fermentation. A higher fermentation temperature and a larger amount of sucrose accelerated the fermentation process, which may be crucial for shortening the production time of kombucha drinks. Full article

Thailand’s hospitals face overcrowding, particularly with non-communicable disease (NCD) patients, due to a doctor shortage and an aging population. Most literature showed implementation merely on web or mobile application to teleconsult with physicians. Instead, in this work, we developed and implemented a telemedicine health kiosk system embedded with non-invasive biosensors and time-series predictors to improve NCD indicators over an eight-month period. Two cohorts were randomly selected: a control group with usual care and a telemedicine-using group. The telemedicine-using group showed significant improvements in average fasting blood glucose (148 to 130 mg/dL) and systolic blood pressure (152 to 138 mmHg). Data mining with the Apriori algorithm revealed correlations between diseases, occupations, and environmental factors, informing public health policies. Communication between kiosks and servers used LoRa, 5G, and IEEE802.11, which are selected based on the distance and signal availability. The results support telemedicine kiosks as effective for NCD management, significantly improving key NCD indicators, average blood glucose, and blood pressure. Full article

In this study, the resistive switching phenomena in TiN/Ti/HfO₂/Ti metal–insulator–metal stacks is investigated, mainly focusing on the analysis of set and reset transitions. The electrical measurements in a wide temperature range reveal that the switching transitions require less voltage (and thus, less energy) as temperature rises, with the reset process being much more temperature sensitive. The main conduction mechanism in both resistance states is Space-charge-limited Conduction, but the high conductivity state also shows Schottky emission, explaining its temperature dependence. Moreover, the temporal evolution of these transitions reveals clear differences between them, as their current transient response is completely different. While the set is sudden, the reset process development is clearly non-linear, closely resembling a sigmoid function. This asymmetry between switching processes is of extreme importance in the manipulation and control of the multi-level characteristics and has clear implications in the possible applications of resistive switching devices in neuromorphic computing. Full article

This study aims to provide analyses of the levels of airborne particulate matter (PM) using a two-pronged approach that combines data from in situ Internet of Things (IoT) sensor networks with remotely sensed aerosol optical depth (AOD). Our approach involved setting up a network of custom-designed PM sensors that could be powered by the electrical grid or solar panels. These sensors were strategically placed throughout the densely populated areas of North Texas to collect data on PM levels, weather conditions, and other gases from September 2021 to June 2023. The collected data were then used to create models that predict PM concentrations in different size categories, demonstrating high accuracy with correlation coefficients greater than 0.9. This highlights the importance of collecting hyperlocal data with precise geographic and temporal alignment for PM analysis. Furthermore, we expanded our analysis to a national scale by developing machine learning models that estimate hourly PM${ }_{2.5}$ levels throughout the continental United States. These models used high-resolution data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-16) Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) dataset, along with meteorological data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), AOD reanalysis, and air pollutant information from the MERRA-2 database, covering the period from January 2020 to June 2023. Our models were refined using ground truth data from our IoT sensor network, the OpenAQ network, and the National Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) network, enhancing the accuracy of our remote sensing PM estimates. The findings demonstrate that the combination of AOD data with meteorological analyses and additional datasets can effectively model PM${ }_{2.5}$ concentrations, achieving a significant correlation coefficient of 0.849. The reconstructed PM${ }_{2.5}$ surfaces created in this study are invaluable for monitoring pollution events and performing detailed PM${ }_{2.5}$ analyses. These results were further validated through real-world observations from two in situ MINTS sensors located in Joppa (South Dallas) and Austin, confirming the effectiveness of our comprehensive approach to PM analysis. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently updated the national standard for PM${ }_{2.5}$ to 9 $\mathsf{\mu }$g/m${ }^3$, a move aimed at significantly reducing air pollution and protecting public health by lowering the allowable concentration of harmful fine particles in the air. Using our analysis approach to reconstruct the fine-time resolution PM${ }_{2.5}$ distribution across the entire United States for our study period, we found that the entire nation encountered PM${ }_{2.5}$ levels that exceeded 9 $\mathsf{\mu }$g/m${ }^3$ for more than 20% of the time of our analysis period, with the eastern United States and California experiencing concentrations exceeding 9 $\mathsf{\mu }$g/m${ }^3$ for over 50% of the time, highlighting the importance of regulatory efforts to maintain annual PM${ }_{2.5}$ concentrations below 9 $\mathsf{\mu }$g/m${ }^3$. Full article