bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Performances of PTFE and PVDF membranes in achieving the discharge limit of mixed anodic oxidation coating wastewaters treated by membrane distillation
Authors: Turk Oruc Kaan , Zoungrana Ali , Cakmakci Mehmet 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe mixed wastewater generated by anodic oxidation coating facilities contains high levels of various contaminants, including iron, aluminum, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and sulfate. In this study, the effectiveness of the membrane distillation (MD) process using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes was investigated to treat mixed wastewater from an anodized coating factory. The results indicate that both hydrophobic membranes effectively removed targeted contaminants. However, the PTFE membrane achieved higher removal efficiencies, with over 99% removal of sulfate, conductivity, iron, and aluminum, 85.7% of COD, and 86% of total organic carbon (TOC). In contrast, the PVDF membrane exhibited a significant decline in removal efficiency as the temperature increased and performed well only at lower feed temperatures. The PTFE membranes outperformed the PVDF membranes in treating chemically intensive anodic oxidation wastewaters. This superiority can be attributed to the PTFE membrane's morphology and structure, which are less influenced by feed water temperature and chemicals. Additionally, its slippery surface imparts anti-adhesion properties, effectively preventing membrane fouling, and maintaining the treated water quality and flux for longer operation time.
A Statistical Analysis of the Impact of Gun Ownership on Mass Shootings in the USA Between 2013 and 2022
Authors: Daraklis Madison , Pol Mehul , Johnson Lindsey , Salvatora Cianna , Kerns Lucy 
Published: June 2024

AbstractMass shootings (incidents with four or more people shot in a single event, not including the shooter) are becoming more frequent in the United States, posing a significant threat to public health and safety in the country. In the current study, we intended to analyze the impact of state-level prevalence of gun ownership on mass shootings—both the frequency and severity of these events. We applied the negative binomial generalized linear mixed model to investigate the association between gun ownership rate, as measured by a proxy (i.e., the proportion of suicides committed with firearms to total suicides), and population-adjusted rates of mass shooting incidents and fatalities at the state level from 2013 to 2022. Gun ownership was found to be significantly associated with the rate of mass shooting fatalities. Specifically, our model indicated that for every 1-SD increase—that is, for every 12.5% increase—in gun ownership, the rate of mass shooting fatalities increased by 34% (p value < 0.001). However, no significant association was found between gun ownership and rate of mass shooting incidents. These findings suggest that restricting gun ownership (and therefore reducing availability to guns) may not decrease the number of mass shooting events, but it may save lives when these events occur.
Knockdown of DJ-1 Exacerbates Neuron Apoptosis Induced by TgCtwh3 through the NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Yang Di , Wu Minmin , Zou Nian , Tang Yiru , Tao Qing , Liu Lei , Jin Mengmeng , Yu Li , Du Jian , Luo Qingli , Shen Jilong , Chu Deyong , Qin Kunpeng 
Published: June 2024

AbstractMutations or loss of function of DJ-1 and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, which are often caused by oxidative stress. However, the relationship between DJ-1 and T. gondii infection is not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expression of DJ-1 in the hippocampus tissue of mice or in HT22 infected with T. gondii Chinese 1 genotype Wh3 strain (TgCtwh3) and the effect of DJ-1 knockdown on neuronal apoptosis induced by TgCtwh3 tachyzoite, as well as the underlying mechanism at the cellular and molecular level. Firstly, we detected DJ-1 protein expression and cell apoptosis in the hippocampal tissue of mice infected by TgCtwh3. Then, we examined DJ-1 expression and apoptosis in HT22 challenged with TgCtwh3. Finally, we evaluated the apoptosis in HT22 with DJ-1 knockdown which was infected with TgCtwh3 and assayed the expression of NF-κBp65 and p-NF-κBp65. Our results showed that DJ-1 expression was reduced and neurons underwent apoptosis in the hippocampus of mice infected with TgCtwh3 tachyzoites. Additionally, the knockdown of DJ-1 followed by infection with TgCtwh3 tachyzoites led to increased apoptosis in HT22 cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway. Therefore, this study suggests that DJ-1 is an important target for preventing apoptosis caused by T. gondii TgCtwh3.
LGBTQ Mental Health Peer Support: A Descriptive Survey
Authors: Pepping Christopher A. , Worrell Shane , Anderson Joel , Waling Andrea , Lyons Anthony , Bourne Adam 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Background
Gender and sexual minority adults have significant unmet mental health care needs and are often faced with barriers to accessing appropriate services. In this context, LGBTQ individuals often turn to each other for mental health support.

Methods
In a sample of 326 LGBTQ adults (M age = 37.64) who were providing mental health support to their LGBTQ peers, we examined the nature of LGBTQ peer support, including who provides peer support, to whom, and for what issues. We also examined the experiences of those providing LGBTQ peer support, and the role of mental health training. Data were collected in 2020.

Results
Participants provided support to a range of individuals, including close friends, colleagues, and those who were previously strangers. The types of concerns they supported their peers with varied greatly, though depression, anxiety, suicidality, and coping with discrimination were common concerns. Participants were often managing multiple competing demands, and many appeared to be managing their own mental health concerns. Those who had received at least some mental health training appeared to fare better in their experiences of providing peer support compared to those without such training.

Policy Implications
Findings illustrate the importance of increasing access to LGBTQ-affirmative mental health services. We also highlight the importance of developing and disseminating initiatives designed to support those providing LGBTQ peer support, both to increase the effectiveness of peer support and to help manage the impact of providing LGBTQ peer support.
Swift Detection of XSS Attacks: Enhancing XSS Attack Detection by Leveraging Hybrid Semantic Embeddings and AI Techniques
Authors: Bakır Rezan , Bakır Halit 
Published: June 2024

AbstractCross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks continue to be a significant threat to web application security, necessitating robust detection mechanisms to safeguard user data and ensure system integrity. In this study, we present a novel approach for detecting XSS attacks that harnesses the combined capabilities of the Universal Sentence Encoder (USE) and Word2Vec embeddings as a feature extractor, aiming to enhance the performance of machine learning and deep learning techniques. By leveraging the semantic understanding of sentences offered by USE and the word-level representations from Word2Vec, we obtain a comprehensive feature representation for XSS attack payloads. Our proposed approach aims to capture both fine-grained word meanings and broader sentence contexts, leading to enhanced feature extraction and improved model performance. We conducted extensive experiments utilizing machine learning and deep learning architectures to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach. The obtained results demonstrate that our combined embeddings approach outperforms traditional methods, achieving superior accuracy, precision, recall, ROC, and F1-score in detecting XSS attacks. This study not only advances XSS attack detection but also highlights the potential of state-of-the-art natural language processing techniques in web security applications. Our findings offer valuable insights for the development of more robust and effective security measures against XSS attacks.
Distribution widening of a ground-nesting social bee across Europe favored by climate change and urban setting
Authors: Gil-Tapetado Diego , Ferrari Andrea , Ronchetti Federico , Polidori Carlo 
Published: June 2024

AbstractClimate change and/or land use change were repeatedly reported as important for both range expansion of alien bee species and range shrinking for native bee species. However, environmental changes may also positively affect native species that may expand across contiguous areas to their native ones. Here, we focused onHalictus scabiosae(Rossi, 1790) (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), a ground-nesting, primitively eusocial wild bee that has its primary distribution in Western-Southern Europe but that was recently recorded in Eastern-Central Europe. In particular, we studied the range expansion patterns ofH. scabiosae, and we hypothesized that previously unsuitable areas may be currently colonized because of environmental changes. In the last 5 years,H. scabiosaemoved its densest record areas to North-Eastern Europe, but its ecological niche remained almost unchanged from 1970 to date, suggesting that this bee species is following its preferred conditions (high temperature, high temperature seasonality, and low precipitation seasonality). Potential distribution models revealed high suitability in still unoccupied North-Eastern areas, with urbanization increasingly important as potential stepping stones towards the expansion. The relevant role of urbanization is confirmed by the increase in the number of urban records through time and by the fact that cities with greater population density and greater fragmentation are more likely associated with this species’ occurrence.Halictus scabiosaeis thus expanding its range because climate change is producing—and urban environment is offering—suitable conditions in areas previously inadequate for its establishment.
Hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in a river corridor: the compounded impacts of various environmental factors
Authors: Yuan Ruiqiang , Li Zhibin , Guo Siyu 
Published: June 2024

AbstractVarious environmental factors could induce groundwater hydrochemical evolution, which should be considered when addressing groundwater environmental issues. However, the complex interactions among the environmental controls remain unknown for a groundwater flow system spanning multiple geological units. To fill this gap, we conducted a study on the groundwater hydrochemical evolution in the fluvial corridor of the Fen River, Northern China, utilizing a combination of hydrogeochemical and multiple isotope methods. Results reveal that the groundwater in the corridor has significantly degraded due to high concentrations of $${\text{SO}}_{4}^{2 - }$$

SO

4

2
-

, $${\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - }$$

NO

3

-

, Cl−, or F−. We find an unordered evolution of the hydrochemical composition of groundwater along this corridor. These evolutions are driven by mineral dissolution/precipitation, dedolomitization, and cation exchange processes. Human activities play a significant role, with notable contributions including $${\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - }$$

NO

3

-

fluxes from agricultural fertilizers, manure, and sewage, as well as $${\text{SO}}_{4}^{2 - }$$

SO

4

2
-

fluxes arising from coal mining activities. The combination between karst spring areas and faults/uplifts, between coal-bearing strata and mining activities fosters the mixing of karst water/mine water with shallow groundwater, promoting dramatic hydrochemical evolution of groundwater. The flat terrain and the natural blockage formed by mountains significantly enhance water–rock interactions and groundwater evaporation by slowing groundwater flow. The contribution of evaporation on groundwater salinity ranges from ~ 0.2% to 4.8%, highlighting its importance in the groundwater hydrochemical evolution. This study unravels the multifaceted nature of groundwater hydrochemical evolution. It emphasizes the four types of environmental controls, including hydrogeochemical processes, climate factors, human activities, and variations in geological settings, can be equally important, which is usually ignored. The findings enrich our understanding of groundwater evolution and highlight the challenges encountered in regions composed of diverse geological units.
Assessment of water quality parameters due to longitudinal salinity inundation at Indus Delta: a case study of Kharo Chan, District Sujawal
Authors: Imad Hafiz Usama , Sanjrani Raza Ali , Hassan Sajid , Solangi Shahjahan , Sanjrani Ghulam Shabir 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDeltas are landforms that are formed at the regions where a river meets an ocean. When the freshwater of a river joins the saline water of an ocean, a transitional state of water is obtained. This zone of transition varies on the quantity of freshwater entering the ocean and the quality of both waters. Indus River is facing severe challenges due to climate change which has resulted in reduced water flow in the river. Consequently, seawater intrusion takes place which causes coastal erosion, stunted mangrove growth, and the narrowing of the river towards the seaside. The groundwater in the deltaic regions is unfit for drinking which forces an increased reliance on surface water. Sindh Province of Pakistan, particularly the coastal regions, suffers from severe water quality problems, affecting approximately 41% of the population. The population of this region is deprived of good-quality water for their daily use. This research aims to evaluate the physiochemical parameters of water in the Indus River to identify the zone of salinity inundation and determine safe zones for accessing surface water in the Indus Delta in the Sujawal district. Water samples were collected from Khobar Creek, ending in the Arabian Sea in the areas of Shah Bandar and Kharo Chan at an approximate interval of 5 km. These samples were analyzed for various physical and chemical properties. Properties were compared spatially to develop a relationship between distance and quality of water. Results indicate that the values of dissolved solids in collected samples are between 21,450 and 900 mg/L, pH was between 6.66 and 7.63, conductivity of the samples varied from 33,000 to 1385 µS/cm, acidity values were between 921.14 and 399.84 mg/L, hardness was in the range of 3654 to 192 mg/L, and the turbidity was in between 21 and57 NTU. It was revealed from the results that seawater is having a severe influence upto 15 km from the mouth of the creek in which not a single parameter except the pH was complying with WHO recommendations. In the interval of 15 to 30 km, some properties of water were complying with WHO recommendations, while some of them were deviating from the limits. It has been concluded that turbidity was improving while going toward the ocean, while Total Dissolved Solids, hardness, and chloride concentrations were increasing as water was getting closer to the sea while pH was found almost unaffected. The findings emphasize the need for addressing environmental degradation, social hardships, and economic challenges caused by these water quality issues. Ultimately, the quality of water is crucial for various activities specifically for drinking purposes, and its suitability for specific purposes is of utmost importance.
Priority-based Multi-feature Vector Model Using Convolution Neural Network for Biometric Authentication
Authors: Madduluri Suneetha , Kumar T. Kishore 
Published: June 2024

AbstractMany societal institutions have increased standards for the efficacy and dependability of identification systems in response to the ever-increasing sophistication of computer technology. Biometric identity systems have mostly supplanted the usage of conventional key and smart card systems in highly secure industries. There has been a dramatic increase in the adoption of biometric authentication systems in the last decade. While many biometric systems have relied on exterior physiological traits like fingerprints, iris scans, palm prints, and faces, very few have investigated the possibility of using interior physiological traits as a biometric. It is challenging for the benefits of unimodal biometric technology to be realized in real-world applications because to its inherent constraints, such as the fact that it only proposes a single piece of information and that environmental factors can impact data verification. While passwords have served their purpose of authenticating users and controlling access, they have also revealed their weaknesses. Concerns about forging or impersonating authentication have prompted the proposal of various Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions. A lot of people are interested in user authentication based on ECGs these days. Unlike other biometrics, an electrocardiogram verifies that the person is actual and alive, making it one of the most trustworthy advanced authentication methods. The P, Q, R, S, and T characteristic points of an ECG signal are responsible for its most salient features. Feature selection is a statistical method that can be implemented in a supervised or unsupervised setting via regression or classification. A Convolution Neural Network (CNN) is a type of neural network that extracts and feeds into another neural network, which then classifies those extracted features. The ECG signal serves as input to a feature extraction network. The neural network performs categorization based on the retrieved feature signals. To overcome the problem that the recognition accuracy of traditional ECG identification methods declines with the rise in the number of testing samples at various moments or throughout different heartbeat cycles, this research offers a multi feature reuse model. In this research, an Associated Priority-based Weighted Multi-Feature Vector model using Convolution Neural Network (APbWMFV-CNN) is proposed for ECG signal-based authentication. The proposed model selects the most appropriate features used for accurate biometric model. The comparison results represent that the proposed model performance in user detection is high.
Voice Lessons
Authors: Levy Gary 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis paper reflects on the national referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament that took place in Australia in mid-October 2023. At the time of writing, the aftershocks from the failure of the referendum to gain the necessary majorities were still being felt keenly by many of the Voice advocates and supporters. The hurt and grief of many First Nations people were shared by millions of non-Indigenous “Yes” voters, while much reckoning continued in the subsequent weeks and months. The author here explores what might have been gained if more attention had been given to what an Indigenous Voice to Parliament might “sound like,” instead of the excessive focus on, and public discourse around what it might “look like.” Resources from the philosophies and physiology of voice, communication ethics, cultural studies, critical anthropology, Australian Indigenous writing and scholarship, and psychoanalytic politics are utilised to explore the connections between the human voice, vocal expression, hearing and listening, silence and song.
Inpatient screening for social determinants of health: A quality improvement initiative
Authors: Kliewer Dana , McGillen Brian 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Introduction:
Social determinants of health (SDOH) can contribute to disparities that negatively impact health outcomes and healthcare utilization. Comprehensive screening is frequently overlooked during inpatient clinical care. This pilot aimed to evaluate the capturability of a multi-domain SDOH screening tool during hospitalization, as well as correlation of SDOH needs to readmissions.

Methods:
The Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’ Assets, Risks and Experiences (PRAPARE) screening tool was implemented on admission with adult inpatients at an academic tertiary medical center in central Pennsylvania. A total of 80 patients were screened over an 8-week period using the PRAPARE tool.

Results:
43.7% of participants were identified as having at least one SDOH need and 21.2% were identified as having two or more needs. Of the participants identified as having at least one SDOH need through PRAPARE screening, 42.5% experienced a readmission within 30 days, compared to 15% readmissions among participants with no identified SDOH needs. For each additional SDOH need a patient had, the odds they experienced a readmission increased by 2.2 times.

Conclusions:
The study findings suggest that utilization of the PRAPARE screening tool has the ability to capture significant SDOH needs among hospitalized patients. This study also suggests that higher SDOH needs correlate to increased odds of experiencing a hospital readmission.
Establishing partnerships with people with lived experience of mental illness for stigma reduction in low- and middle-income settings
Authors: Mendon Gurucharan Bhaskar , Gurung Dristy , Loganathan Santosh , Abayneh Sisay , Zhang Wufang , Kohrt Brandon A. , Hanlon Charlotte , Lempp Heidi , Thornicroft Graham , Gronholm Petra C. 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Social contact refers to the facilitation of connection and interactions between people with and without mental health conditions. It can be achieved, for example, through people sharing their lived experience of mental health conditions, which is an effective strategy for stigma reduction. Meaningful involvement of people with lived experience (PWLE) in leading and co-leading anti-stigma interventions can/may promote autonomy and resilience. Our paper aimed to explore how PWLE have been involved in research and anti-stigma interventions to improve effective means of involving PWLE in stigma reduction activities in LMICs. A qualitative collective case study design was adopted. Case studies from four LMICs (China, Ethiopia, India and Nepal) are summarized, briefly reflecting on the background of the work, alongside anticipated and experienced challenges, strategies to overcome these, and recommendations for future work. We found that the involvement of PWLEs in stigma reduction is commonly a new concept in LMIC. Experienced and anticipated challenges were similar, such as identifying suitable persons to engage in the work and sustaining their involvement. Such an approach can be difficult because PWLE might be apprehensive about the negative consequences of disclosure. In many case studies, we found that long-standing professional connectedness, continued encouragement, information sharing, debriefing and support helped the participants’ involvement. We recommend that confidentiality of the individual, cultural norms and family concerns be prioritized and respected during the implementation. Taking into account socio-cultural contextual factors, it is possible to directly involve PWLEs in social contact-based anti-stigma interventions.