bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High‐density polyethylene microplastics in agricultural soil: Impact on microbes, enzymes, and carbon‐nitrogen ratio
Authors: Moharana Tanushree , Patnaik Aliva , Mishra C. S. K. , Behera Binayak Prasad , Samal Rashmi Rekha 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMicroplastics (MPs), recognized as emerging pollutants, pose a significant threat to diverse organisms and have adverse effects on agricultural soil. High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) holds a prominent position among prevalent forms of MPs. In the current investigations, the impact of HDPE was assessed at four different concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0%) on agricultural soil, microbial population, exoenzymes activities including amylase, cellulase, and invertase, and alteration in carbon‐to‐nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Both bacterial and fungal populations exhibited a non‐concentration‐dependent response to different concentrations of HDPE over time. In this study, we refer to the concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0% as HT1, HT2, HT3, and HT4, respectively. Initial MP application significantly reduced bacterial colony counts for HT1, HT2, and HT4, while HT3 showed no significant change. On the 60th day, HT1 and HT3 exhibited a higher bacterial colony count compared to the control. On the other hand, fungal populations increased to maximum on day 1 but displayed no distinct time‐dependent trend from days 15 to 60. Furthermore, enzyme activities decreased with increasing concentrations of MPs over an extended period. Molecular docking studies suggest that HDPE can hinder enzyme activity by forming hydrogen bonds with enzymes. The C/N ratio was found to be significantly higher in MP‐treated soils on the 60th day relative to control, suggesting relatively slower degradation of carbon compounds in the MP‐treated soils.
Biomechanical comparison of reverse offset‐L osteotomy and chevron osteotomy in cadaveric hallux valgus surgery
Authors: Cingoz Tunca , Ziroglu Nezih , Bozdag Ergun , Yamak Fatih , Yozgatli Tahir Koray , Bayramoglu Alp , Kocaoglu Baris , Esemenli Behic Tanil 
Published: July 2024

AbstractObjectiveChevron osteotomy offers near‐excellent clinical results and adequate stability at lower shift percentages, among the techniques used to correct hallux valgus deformity. This cadaveric study aimed to compare the Chevron osteotomy with the reverse offset‐L osteotomy, which may provide a greater surface area and a more stable geometry to withstand higher cantilever forces at higher shift percentages.MethodsMetatarsal bones obtained from 20 human cadavers with similar bone quality were divided into two groups: Chevron osteotomy was applied to the 1st group and reverse offset‐L osteotomy was applied to the 2nd group. The load‐to‐failure, displacement in the y‐axis, and total displacement values of both groups were compared statistically. Furthermore, bone densities were compared between the groups with computed tomography imaging.ResultsWhen outliers in both groups were excluded, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of reverse offset‐L (143 ± 42 vs. 204 ± 51.2 N, p = 0.02) in terms of failure load. The groups were similar in terms of displacement on the y‐axis and total displacement values. Bone densities were similar.ConclusionThe reverse offset‐L osteotomy has been shown to withstand greater loads before failure compared to the standard Chevron osteotomy. This significant difference in load‐to‐failure may enable reverse offset‐L to provide reliable stability in osteotomies performed in advanced HV cases requiring higher shifts.
Application of molecular epidemiology in revealing HIV‐1 transmission network and recombination patterns in Tianjin, China
Authors: Hehe Zhao , Minna Zheng , Qin Fan , Tielin Ning , Yi Feng , Liping Fei , Fangfang Chen , Houlin Tang , Shi Wang , Maohe Yu , Fan Lyu 
Published: July 2024

AbstractUsing a comprehensive molecular epidemiological approach, we characterized the transmission dynamics of HIV‐1 among the MSM population in Tianjin, China. Our findings revealed that 38.56% (386/1001) of individuals clustered across 109 molecular transmission clusters (TCs), with MSM aged 50 and below being the group most commonly transmitting HIV‐1. Among the identified TCs, CRF01_AE predominated, followed by CRF07_BC. Notably, CRF07_BC demonstrated a higher propensity for forming large clusters compared to CRF01_AE. Birth‐death skyline analyses of the two largest clusters indicated that the HIV/AIDS transmission may be at a critical point, nearly all had Re approximately 1 by now. A retrospective analysis revealed that the rapid expansion of these large clusters was primarily driven by the introduction of viruses in 2021, highlighting the crucial importance of continuous molecular surveillance in identifying newly emerging high‐risk transmission chains and adapting measures to address evolving epidemic dynamics. Furthermore, we detected the transmission of drug‐resistant mutations (DRMs) within the TCs, particularly in the CRF07_BC clusters (K103N, Y181C, and K101E) and CRF01_AE clusters (P225H and K219R), emphasizing the importance of monitoring to support the continued efficacy of first‐line therapies and pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Recombination analyses indicated that complex recombinant patterns, associated with increased amino acid variability, could confer adaptive traits to the viruses, potentially providing a competitive advantage in certain host populations or regions. Our study highlights the potential of integrating molecular epidemiological and phylodynamic approaches to inform targeted interventions.
Adeno‐associated viral vector gene therapy: Challenges for the paediatric hepatologist
Authors: Jagadisan Barath , Dhawan Anil 
Published: July 2024

AbstractHepatoxicity associated with recombinant adeno‐associated virus gene therapy is being increasingly encountered by hepatologists in tertiary and quaternary referral units due to the recent increase of these therapies for neuromuscular and haematological disorders. The challenges in managing the condition stem from a lack of good‐quality evidence on the appropriate protocols for immunosuppressants due to lack of representative animal models. There is a need for protocols for diagnosing and treating hepatotoxicity and this possible with further research to understand the problem and its management. The review also highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team in managing hepatotoxicity and recommends further research to better identify at‐risk individuals, define the extent of the problem and assess the long‐term effects of liver injury and immunosuppressants.
Exploring data sources and farmers' perceptions regarding agrochemical use and food safety in Nigeria
Authors: Apeh Andrew Chiahalam , Apeh Chikamso Christian , Ukwuaba Sunday Ifeanyi , Agbugba Ikechi Kelechi , Onyeaka Helen 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundFarmers in Nigeria are using agrochemicals inappropriately which pose health and environmental risks. The current research aims at establishing the socio‐economic pressure factors behind these practices and also assesses the effectiveness of measures into reducing the risky use of agrochemicals. Data were collected from 840 participants comprising farmers and agrochemical marketers using a multistage sampling technique across six states in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics and detailed case studies were employed to explore socio‐economic antecedents of agrochemical application.ResultsFindings of this study showed that market demands, costs, and unavailability of safer compounds put the farmers in a dilemma regarding proper usage of agrochemicals. Among the farmers in Esanland, 96% of them applied agrochemicals in their farming activities without first following the best practices, and the reason was that 61% of them mentioned that they were compelled to use it due to market demands. Likewise in Fadan Daji, 65% farmers revealed that high cost and no training were the causes of their improper use of agrochemicals. This study also established that factors that hindered the prevention of these practices including financial constraints, lack of adequate education and training, and weak enforcement of regulations.ConclusionThis study suggested that to encourage proper utilization of agrochemicals, extended emphasis needs to be placed on addressing the socio‐economic factors. Hence, the study recommended the following measures: incentives to facilitate the use of sustainable practices by encouraging financial rewards, extensive education, and training on the benefits of sustainable practices as well as new legislation to reduce supply of reckless agrochemicals.
Differential expression of host oncogenes in human papillomavirus‐associated nasopharyngeal and cervical epithelial cancers
Authors: Sheila Santa , Adoquaye Brown Charles , Kafui Akakpo Patrick , Lawrence Edusei , Richard Hooper Andrew , Osbourne Quaye , Ayitey Tagoe Emmanuel 
Published: July 2024

AbstractHuman papillomavirus (HPV)‐related cervical and nasopharyngeal cancers differ in molecular mechanisms underlying the oncogenic processes. The disparity may be attributed to differential expression of oncoproteins. The current study investigated the host oncogenes expression pattern in HPV‐associated cervical and nasopharyngeal cancer. Formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissues originating from the nasopharyngeal and cervical regions were screened using Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Genomic DNA and total RNA were extracted from confirmed cancer biopsies and non‐cancer tissues (NC). HPV was detected by PCR using MY09/GP5+/6+ primers. Protein expression levels of AKT, IQGAP1, and MMP16 in HPV‐infected cancers and controls were determined by immunohistochemistry. RT‐qPCR was used to profile mRNAs of the oncogenes. AKT and IQGAP1 proteins were highly expressed in the epithelial cancers compared with the non‐cancer tissues (p < 0.05). IQGAP1 and MMP16 mRNAs level was significantly higher in the cancers than in the NC (p < 0.05), but not AKT mRNA levels. MMP16 protein was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues. AKT mRNA level was significantly elevated in CC compared with NPC (p < 0.001). However, the difference in AKT, IQGAP1 and MMP16 proteins level between CC and NPC was not significant (p > 0.05). The oncoproteins expression level between the HPV‐positive and HPV‐negative cancer biopsies showed no significant difference (p < 0.05). Current study reports AKT but not IQGAP1 and MMP16 mRNAs differentially expression in cervical and nasopharyngeal cancers, independent of HPV infection status.
Spontaneous vegetation recovery in recently abandoned avocado (Persea americana Mill.) orchards in semi‐arid Central Chile
Authors: Muñoz Alejandra E. , Gil Pilar M. , Saavedra‐Torrico Jorge , Ramírez M. Jesús , Arcos Nicolas , Arellano Eduardo C. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAvocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an important commodity with substantial global growth in semi‐arid regions under irrigation, such as Central Chile. This region of Chile has faced severe drought that has resulted in the abandonment of avocado orchards, previously established in a global biodiversity hotspot. This study investigates the early effects of abandonment of avocado farms on vegetation recovery and soil after severe droughts. We measured and characterized early plant successional processes by identifying the flora, vegetation coverage, similarity, and soil characterization through 42 transects distributed in four recently abandoned sites, a productive farm, and a natural site. Multivariate analysis was used to identify significant relationships between soil and habitat properties and vegetation abundance and coverage variations for the dominant species. The Jaccard similarity coefficient was used to compare sites. The establishment of native or endemic species was extremely limited and variable between sites. In total, we recorded 55 vascular plants (49.1% were native). The results indicated that Schinus molle L. has become a dominant colonizer, particularly in highly disturbed planting rows in abandoned farms. Factors such as the sources of S. molle propagules, soil salinity, and organic matter accumulation were identified as key predictors of its coverage and presence in abandoned farms. The study concludes that the abandonment of avocado farms, coupled with severe drought, has created favorable conditions for the recruitment of this species, adversely impacting other native species. This research underscores the importance of considering the remaining features of soil and habitat in new successional processes in highly disturbed areas.
Silk Sericin and Its Effect on Skin Wound Healing: A State of the Art
Authors: Mazurek Łukasz , Rybka Mateusz , Jurak Jan , Frankowski Jakub , Konop Marek 
Published: July 2024

AbstractDespite the significant progress in wound healing, chronic skin wounds remain a challenge for today's medicine. Due to the growing popularity of natural materials, silk protein‐based dressings are gaining more attention in this field. Most studies refer to silk fibroin because sericin has been considered a waste product for years. However, sericin is also worth noting. Sericin‐based dressings are mainly studied in cell cultures or animals. Sericin is the dressings’ main component or can be included in more complex, advanced biomaterials. Recent studies highlight sericin's important role, noting its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and beneficial effects in skin wound healing, such as antibacterial activity, antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects, or angiogenic properties. Developing sericin‐based biomaterials is often simple, free of toxic by‐products, and inexpensive, requiring no highly sophisticated apparatus. As a result, sericin‐based dressings can be widely used in wound healing and have low environmental impact. However, the literature in this area is further limited. The following review collects and describes recent studies showing silk sericin's influence on skin wound healing.
Effect of Fe addition on corrosion behavior of Ni–xFe–5Cr alloys at 570°C in air containing salt vapor
Authors: Yoneda Suzue , Kogin Takashi , Ishikawa Eiji , Murasue So , Hayashi Shigenari 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe high‐temperature corrosion behavior of Ni–xFe–5Cr alloys (x = 0, 10, or 30 wt.%) was investigated in air containing alkali salt vapor at 570°C to clarify the effect of Fe on the corrosion resistance. Fe addition to Ni–5Cr was found to improve the corrosion resistance under the present conditions. In the case of Ni–5Cr, NiCl2 was formed beneath the NiO scale during the initial stage of corrosion, and it grew thicker over time and then evaporated. The formation and evaporation of NiCl2 resulted in a porous scale that underwent spallation resulting in mass loss. In the Fe‐containing alloys, (Fe, Ni, Cr)3O4 spinel and Fe3O4 decreased the partial pressures of oxygen and chlorine and thus prevented the generation of NiO and NiCl2, leading to superior corrosion resistance compared with Ni–5Cr.
Local and global solutions on arcs for the Ericksen–Leslie problem in RN$\mathbb {R}^N$
Authors: Barbera Daniele , Georgiev Vladimir 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe work deals with the Ericksen–Leslie system for nematic liquid crystals on the space with . In our work, we suppose the initial condition stays on an arc connecting two fixed orthogonal vectors on the unit sphere. Thanks to this geometric assumption, we prove through energy a priori estimates the local existence and the global existence for small initial data of a solution
for , asking low regularity assumptions on and .
On the Cauchy problem for a two‐component higher order Camassa–Holm system
Authors: Zhou Shouming , Zhou Luhang , Chen Rong 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we focus on the well‐posedness, blow‐up phenomena, and continuity of the data‐to‐solution map of the Cauchy problem for a two‐component higher order Camassa–Holm (CH) system. The local well‐posedness is established in Besov spaces with , which improves the local well‐posedness result proved before in Tang and Liu [Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 66 (2015), 1559–1580], Ye and Yin [arXiv preprint arXiv:2109.00948 (2021)], Zhang and Li [Nonlinear Anal. Real World Appl. 35 (2017), 414–440], and Zhou [Math. Nachr. 291 (2018), no. 10, 1595–1619]. Next, we consider the continuity of the solution‐to‐data map, that is, the ill‐posedness is derived in Besov space with and . Then, the nonuniform continuous and Hölder continuous dependence on initial data for this system are also presented in Besov spaces with and . Finally, the precise blow‐up criteria for the strong solutions of the two‐component higher order CH system is determined in the lowest Sobolev space with , which improves the blow‐up criteria result established before in He and Yin [Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. 37 (2016), no. 3, 1509–1537] and Zhou [Math. Nachr. 291 (2018), no. 10, 1595–1619].
(1,p)$(1,p)$‐Sobolev spaces based on strongly local Dirichlet forms
Authors: Kuwae Kazuhiro 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn the framework of quasi‐regular strongly local Dirichlet form on admitting minimal ‐dominant measure , we construct a natural ‐energy functional on and ‐Sobolev space for . In this paper, we establish the Clarkson‐type inequality for . As a consequence, is a uniformly convex Banach space, hence it is reflexive. Based on the reflexivity of , we prove that (generalized) normal contraction operates on , which has been shown in the case of various concrete settings, but has not been proved for such a general framework. Moreover, we prove that ‐capacity for open set admits an equilibrium potential with ‐a.e. and ‐a.e. on .
Facile Preparation of Silica/Tannic Acid/Zein Microcapsules Templated from Non‐Aqueous Pickering Emulsions and their Application in Cargo Protection
Authors: Li Yunxing , Xiong Zhiqiang , Feng Yikai , Jiang Hang , Sun Yajuan , Kwok Man‐Hin 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMicrocapsules have attracted significant attention in academia and industry due to their unique properties for protecting and controlling the release of active substances. However, based on water‐insoluble biopolymers, developing a straightforward approach to prepare microcapsules with improved biocompatibility and functional shells remains a great challenge. In this study, zein, a water‐insoluble protein, is employed to prepare robust microcapsules facilely using oil‐in‐aqueous ethanol Pickering emulsions as templates. First, the emulsion template is stabilized by hydrophobic silica nanoparticles with in situ surface modification of tannic acid. The zein is then precipitated at the interface in a controlled manner using antisolvent approach to obtain silica/tannic acid/zein (STZ) microcapsules. It is found that the concentration of zein and the presence of tannic acid played a significant role in the formation of STZ microcapsules with well‐defined morphology and a robust shell. The uniform deposition of zein on the surface of template droplets is facilitated by the interactions between tannic acid and zein via hydrogen bond and electrostatic force. Finally, the resulting STZ microcapsules showed super resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and high temperature for the unstable, lipophilic, and active substance of β‐carotene.
Citric Acid and Polyvinyl Alcohol Induced PEDOT: PSS with Enhanced Electrical Conductivity and Stretchability for Eco‐Friendly, Self‐Healable, Wearable Organic Thermoelectrics
Authors: Lu Lijun , Cao Guibin , Huang Yueting , Yan Yibin , Liang Yongxin , Zhao Boyu , Chen Zhifu , Gao Chunmei , Wang Lei 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPoly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) is a promising material for organic thermoelectric (TE) applications. However, it is challenging to achieve PEDOT: PSS composites with stretchable, self‐healable, and high TE performance. Furthermore, some existing self‐healing TE materials employ toxic reagents, posing risks to human health and the environment. In this study, a novel intrinsically self‐healable and wearable composite is developed by incorporating environmentally friendly, highly biocompatible, and biodegradable materials of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and citric acid (CA) into PEDOT: PSS. This results in the formation of double hydrogen bonding networks among CA, PVA, and PEDOT: PSS, inducing microstructure alignment and leading to simultaneous enhancements in both TE performance and stretchability. The resulting composites exhibit a high electrical conductivity and power factor of 259.3 ± 11.7 S·cm−1, 6.9 ± 0.4 µW·m−1·K−2, along with a tensile strain up to 68%. Furthermore, the composites display impressive self‐healing ability, with 84% recovery in electrical conductivity and an 85% recovery in tensile strain. Additionally, the temperature and strain sensors based on the PEDOT: PSS/PVA/CA are prepared, which exhibit high resolution suitable for human–machine interaction and wearable devices. This work provides a reliable and robust solution for the development of environmentally friendly, self‐healing and wearable TE thermoelectrics.
A novel wideband phase shifter on coupled microstrip line
Authors: Feng Linping , Mo Datie , Yu Xinhua , Zhu Haoshen 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn this paper, a new 180° broadband phase shifter with coupled microstrip line with enhanced coupling by etched slots is proposed, which uses the energy coupling between the parallel‐coupled microstrip lines on the upper layer of the dielectric substrate and the etched rectangular slots (RS) structure on the bottom floor to circumvent the problem for achieving wide operating broadband and low insertion loss with compact size and simple structure. First, the main line and the reference line of the proposed phase shifter are composed of two parallel coupled lines and a uniform transmission line, respectively. Then, its working mechanism is described. Afterward, the phase shifter introduced an RS structure to increase the coupling strength, achieving a broadband of 69.7% and very low insertion loss (0.09 dB) with a phase shift of 180 ± 5°. Finally, a prototype 180° phase shifter with a center frequency of 3.0 GHz was designed, fabricated, and measured, and the measured results are good in agreement with the simulated ones.
Quantitative BOLD (qBOLD) imaging of oxygen metabolism and blood oxygenation in the human body: A scoping review
Authors: Alzaidi Ahlam A. , Panek Rafal , Blockley Nicholas P. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPurposeThere are many approaches to the quantitative BOLD (qBOLD) technique described in the literature, differing in pulse sequences, MRI parameters and data processing. Thus, in this review, we summarized the acquisition methods, approaches used for oxygenation quantification and clinical populations investigated.MethodsThree databases were systematically searched (Medline, Embase, and Web of Science) for published research that used qBOLD methods for quantification of oxygen metabolism. Data extraction and synthesis were performed by one author and reviewed by a second author.ResultsA total of 93 relevant papers were identified. Acquisition strategies were summarized, and oxygenation parameters were found to have been investigated in many pathologies such as steno‐occlusive diseases, stroke, glioma, and multiple sclerosis disease.ConclusionA summary of qBOLD approaches for oxygenation measurements and applications could help researchers to identify good practice and provide objective information to inform the development of future consensus recommendations.