bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does fiscal burden impede green transition? Income, taxation, clean energy, and ecological sustainability in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Okezie Benedette Nneka , Agbanike Tobechi Faith , Nnachi Nwaonuma Douglas , Otta Nkama Nnachi , Nwani Chinazaekpere , Eneje Beatrice Chinyere , Onuoha Ijeoma Perpetual , Nnam Hilary Ikechukwu 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis study examines the role of tax burden (TB) in the income–energy–environment nexus in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) using the ecological load capacity (ELC) factor as a sustainability indicator. Analyzing data from 1999 to 2021 using the method of moments quantile regression with the bootstrap variance algorithm, the results defy the load capacity curve hypothesis, revealing an inverted U‐shaped relationship between income and ELC. The turning point income is $3257.48 at the 10th quantile and $4317.23 at the 90th quantile. An increased renewable energy share in the consumption mix boosts ELC. Regarding TB, a U‐shaped curve exists between fiscal freedom and ELC, with significance at the 40th and 90th quantiles, with TB score turning points at 67.60 and 71.37, respectively. The Dumitrescu–Hurlin test uncovers bidirectional causality between ELC and the variables. TB affects income and renewable energy unidirectionally, while income and renewable energy have bidirectional causality. These findings suggest that higher taxes on households and businesses hinder the transition to a greener economy via income and energy consumption. An integrated policy approach is necessary to balance revenue generation with the preservation of ecological sustainability in SSA.
Insight into a natural novel histidine decarboxylase gene deletion in Enterobacter hormaechei RH3 from traditional Sichuan‐style sausage
Authors: Pei Huijie , He Wei , Wang Yilun , Zhang Yue , Yang Lamei , Li Jinhai , Ma Yixuan , Li Ran , Li Shuhong , Li Qin , Li Jianlong , Hu Kaidi , Teng Hui , Hu Xinjie , Zou Likou , Liu Shuliang , Yang Yong 
Published: December 2023

AbstractHistamine (HIS) is primarily formed from decarboxylated histidine by certain bacteria with histidine decarboxylase (hdc) activity and is the most toxic biogenic amine. Hdc, which is encoded by the hdc gene, serves as a key enzyme that controls HIS production in bacteria. In this paper, we characterized the changes in microbial and biogenic amines content of traditional Sichuan‐style sausage before and after storage and demonstrated that Enterobacteriaceae play an important role in the formation of HIS. To screen for Enterobacteriaceae with high levels of HIS production, we isolated strain RH3 which has a HIS production of 2.27 mg/mL from sausages stored at 37°C for 180 days, using selective media and high‐performance liquid chromatography. The strain RH3 can produce a high level of HIS after 28 h of fermentation with a significant hysteresis. Analysis of the physicochemical factors revealed that RH3 still retained its ability to partially produce HIS in extreme environments with pH 3.5 and 10.0. In addition, RH3 exhibited excellent salt tolerance (6.0% NaCl and 1.0% NaNO2). Subsequently, RH3 was confirmed as Enterobacter hormaechei with hdc gene deletion by PCR, western blot, and whole‐genome sequencing analysis. Furthermore, RH3 exhibited pathogenicity rate of 75.60% toward the organism, indicating that it was not a food‐grade safe strain, and demonstrated a high level of conservation in intraspecific evolution. The results of this experiment provide a new reference for studying the mechanism of HIS formation in microorganisms.Practical ApplicationThis study provides a new direction for investigating the mechanism of histamine (HIS) formation by microorganisms and provides new insights for further controlling HIS levels in meat products. Further research can control the key enzymes that form HIS to control HIS levels in food.
Optimization and modeling of vacuum impregnation of pineapple rings and comparison with osmotic dehydration
Authors: Thomas Binuja , Pulissery Sudheer Kundukulangara , Sankalpa K. B. , Lal A. M. Nandhu , Warrier Aswin S. , Mahanti Naveen Kumar , Kothakota Anjineyulu 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe vacuum impregnation (VI) process parameters (vacuum pressure = 20–60 kPa; VI temperature = 35–55°C; concentration of the sucrose solution = 40–60 °Brix; and vacuum process time = 8–24 min) for pineapple rings were optimized based on the moisture content (MC), water loss (WL), solids gain (SG), yellowness index (YI), and total soluble solids (TSS) content of pineapple rings using response surface methodology (RSM). A relationship was developed between the process and response variables using RSM and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. The effectiveness of VI was evaluated by comparing it with the osmotic dehydration (OD) technique. The optimum condition was found to be 31.782 kPa vacuum pressure, 50.441°C solution temperature, and 60 °Brix sucrose concentration for 20.068 min to attain maximum TSS, YI, SG, and WL, and minimum MC of pineapple rings. The R2 values of RSM models for all variables varied between 0.70 and 0.91, whereas mean square error values varied between 0.76 and 71.58 and for ANN models varied between 0.87–0.93 and 0.53–193.78, respectively.Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) revealed that parenchymal cell rupture was less in VI than in OD. The VI pineapple rings exhibited more pores and high SG, as compared to OD, due to the pressure impregnation. Spectroscopic analysis affirmed that the stretching vibrations of intermolecular and intramolecular interactions were significant in VI as against OD. The VI reduced the drying time by 35% compared to OD, with the highest overall acceptability score and lower microbial load during storage.Practical ApplicationPineapple is a perishable fruit, which necessitates processing for extended shelf life. This study highlights the potential of the vacuum impregnation process as a promising alternative to conventional preservation methods such as osmotic dehydration for pineapples.
Ochratoxin A case study: Establish metrological traceability of mycotoxin measurements using certified reference materials
Authors: Zhang Kai , Tran Ivy , Phillips Melissa M. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractFor the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) mycotoxin program, the desired application of certified reference materials (CRMs) is primarily for validating methods for the determination of mycotoxins in foods and establishing metrological traceability of measurement results generated by such validated methods. The latter has been an important but insufficiently addressed challenge due to the lack of appropriate protocols and CRMs. Taking advantage of two recently available mycotoxin CRMs, OTAN‐1 and Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1565, a protocol was developed for systematically examining uncertainty and establishing metrological traceability of measurement results of ochratoxin A (OTA) in corn through a series of calibration operations using the two CRMs. Instrument and method calibrations were performed using OTAN‐1 and SRM 1565. The OTA value and its standard and expanded (k = 2, approximately 95% confidence) uncertainties were estimated from the calibration data and documented. These results demonstrate that the major contributing source of uncertainty is the sample matrix, highlighting the important role of the certified matrix reference material in method calibration. The value of OTA (38.5 ± 7.2 µg/g; 95% confidence interval) in the incurred sample was metrologically traceable to the International System of Units through two CRMs using the multi‐laboratory validated liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry FDA compendial method. In addition, an alternative estimation of uncertainty was conducted using a one‐point calibration, resulting in comparable uncertainty.
The imprecision of micronutrient requirement values: the example of vitamin D
Authors: Fernandes Tito Horácio , Bell Victoria 
Published: December 2023

AbstractFood, not nutrients, is the fundamental unit in nutrition. Nutrient requirement values and recommended daily intakes have long been determined and organized in tables by several regulators. These figures, however, overlook the complexity of mixing different foods in a diet and the mediation by human gut microbiota on digestion, metabolism, and health. The microbiome molecular mechanisms and its potential influence on nutrient requirements are far from clear. Guidelines should depend on the sort of intake, along with the dietary habits, rather than focusing on single nutrients. Despite many decades of attempts to investigate the proximate nutrient composition of foods consumed by different world populations, there are still neither standardization of food composition databases nor harmonized dietary intake methods of assessment of nutrients. No all‐inclusive attempt was yet made to emphasize the requirements of the various micronutrients, phytonutrients, and non‐nutrients on gut microbiota and vice versa, and thereafter reflected into dietary guidelines. New multifaceted methods have been advanced to reevaluate the way nutrients and nutrient requirements are assessed within the intricate biological systems. Our main goal here was to enhance the fact that existing food guidelines hold inherent strengths and limitations but fail, in many aspects, namely, in not taking into account essential geographical, ethnic and cultural differences, and the different stages of life, infant nutrition, and the microbiota impact on several micronutrient requirements. Vitamin D is given as an illustration on present inaccuracy of its requirements. Defining dietary reference intakes is therefore an ongoing process specific for each population.
Emotions and inventor productivity: Evidence from terrorist attacks
Authors: Luo Yue , Chen Yangyang , Lin Ji‐Chai 
Published: December 2023

AbstractWe examine whether the emotional shocks associated with terrorist attacks affect local inventors' productivity. We find that high‐fatality attacks make inventors less innovative, and low‐fatality attacks make them more innovative. Inventors living in high risk‐taking environments have greater increase in productivity following low‐fatality attacks, while less decrease in productivity following high‐fatality attacks. Further, the effect of terrorist attacks on inventor productivity comes mainly from exploratory innovation which involves more risks. Inventors affected by high‐fatality attacks are also more likely to move to places without any significant terrorist attack history, but there is no such effect for low‐fatality attacks.
Biologics for inherited disorders of keratinisation: A systematic review
Authors: Chen Michelle K. Y. , Flanagan Alice L. , Sebaratnam Deshan F. , Gu Yaron 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackground/ObjectivesRecent literature highlights the potential of biologics in the management of inherited disorders of keratinisation. In this study, we conducted a systematic review of existing literature on treatment outcomes of inherited keratinisation disorders treated with biologics.MethodsEligible records were retrieved through searches of the electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed and Scopus. Databases were searched from inception to July 2023 for eligible records. A snowballing method was employed to search the references of the retrieved records for the identification of potentially relevant articles.ResultsOne hundred and four eligible studies consisting of a total of 166 patients with an inherited disorder of keratinisation were included. Patients had a median age of 19 years (range: 0.5 to 70 years). The most common disorders were Netherton syndrome (n = 63; 38%), autosomal recessive congenital ichthyoses (n = 27; 16%), CARD14‐associated papulosquamous eruptions (n = 17; 10%) and familial pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) (n = 15; 9%).Of the 207 times biologics were employed, the three most frequently employed biologics were secukinumab (n = 47; 23%), dupilumab (n = 44; 21%) and ustekinumab (n = 37; 18%). Complete remission was observed in 10 (5%) instances, partial remission in 129 (62%), no or limited response to biologic therapy in 68 (32%) cases, and results are still pending in one case. A total of 33 adverse events were reported.ConclusionsWhilst biologics may be considered in cases of inherited keratinisation disorders recalcitrant to standard therapy, definitive conclusions are prohibited by the low‐level of evidence and substantial heterogeneity in methodology across the included studies. Establishment of consensus definitions, and randomised clinical trials may help ascertain the efficacy and safety of biologic therapy in this context and establish the best agent and dosing protocol for each disorder.
Physiological stress in eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) as influenced by their density, climatological variables and sexes
Authors: Okita‐Ouma Benson , Gort Gerrit , Millspaugh Joshua J. , Prins Herbert H. T. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIt is important to understand the physiological stressors in animals especially for threatened species or intensively managed to improve their conservation and optimise their reproduction. We sought to understand changes in stress hormones (faecal glucocorticoid metabolites) in black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) in relation to population density and sex (intrinsic factors) and plant minerals, rainfall and land surface temperature (extrinsic factors). We used non‐invasive faecal sampling techniques on animals of known sex, age and dominance in seven populations of contrasting population densities over 1 year. We measured variability in faecal corticosterone metabolites through radioimmunoassay and related them to population density, sex and faecal calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc and potassium as characteristic of plant minerals, rainfall and temperature. We used linear mixed models (LMM) to analyse the data. We did not detect a significant relationship between physiological stress parameters and population density. However, we have indications that stress levels increased as rainfall and temperature increased and were correlated negatively and positively with concentration of faecal phosphorus and copper respectively; we found higher stress levels in females than in males. These results suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors explain the variation in physiological stress observed in black rhinoceros.
Alterations of small non‐coding RNA in the spermatozoa of mice with paternal experimental autoimmune epididymo‐orchitis are associated with metabolic dysfunction in offspring
Authors: Yang Chen , Li Jianlin , Liu Jin‐Chuan , Zeng Qunxiong , Yeung William Shu‐Biu , Chiu Philip Chi‐Ngong , Duan Yong‐Gang 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundInfection and inflammation of the genital tract are major potentially treatable factors contributing to male infertility. The profile of small non‐coding RNA (sncRNAs) in spermatozoa can be altered by environmental exposures and inflammatory conditions.ObjectivesExperimental autoimmune epididymo‐orchitis (EAEO) is a well‐established model of autoimmune‐induced chronic testicular and epididymal inflammation. This model investigates the effect of chronic inflammation on sperm sncRNA profiles and offspring phenotypes.Materials and methodsRegarding the EAEO model, mice were immunized with testis homogenates thrice. Subsequently, flow cytometry and histological analyses were conducted on EAEO mice. Next‐generation sequencing was used to profile small RNA of spermatozoa from the caput, corpus, and cauda epididymis. We performed a comprehensive integrative analysis of sperm sncRNAs and chronic epididymitis and identified their molecular signatures. The metabolic functions of the first‐generation (F1) offspring were evaluated using a glucose tolerance test (GTT).ResultsBody weight and metabolic function were significantly altered in F1 offspring from EAEO sperm donors. The analysis of cauda sperm sncRNA profiles revealed that the proportions of miRNAs and tsRNAs increased and decreased, respectively, after autoimmunization. Three differentially expressed miRNAs and seven differentially expressed tsRNAs were significantly correlated with F1 metabolic dysfunction. The expression patterns of miRNAs and tsRNAs in mice partially overlapped with those observed in the spermatozoa from human patients with chronic epididymitis.Discussion and conclusionsWe revealed that autoimmune epididymo‐orchitis alters sncRNA profiles in mouse spermatozoa. Offspring from mice with autoimmune orchitis develop metabolic disorders. A comprehensive analysis of human and mouse inflammation data revealed an association between alterations in the miRNA and tsRNA profiles of epididymal spermatozoa and offspring phenotypes.
Microaneurysm detection using high‐speed megahertz optical coherence tomography angiography in advanced diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Huber Kim Lien , Stino Heiko , Schlegl Thomas , Steiner Irene , Nagy Gergely , Niederleithner Michael , Baumann Bernhard , Drexler Wolfgang , Leitgeb Rainer A. , Schmidt‐Erfurth Ursula , Schmoll Tilman , Pollreisz Andreas 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPurposeTo compare detection rates of microaneurysms (MAs) on high‐speed megahertz optical coherence tomography angiography (MHz‐OCTA), fluorescein angiography (FA) and colour fundus photography (CF) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsFor this exploratory cross‐sectional study, MHz‐OCTA data were acquired with a swept‐source OCT prototype (A‐scan rate: 1.7 MHz), and FA and CF imaging was performed using Optos® California. MA count was manually evaluated on en face MHz‐OCTA/FA/CF images within an extended ETDRS grid. Detectability of MAs visible on FA images was evaluated on corresponding MHz‐OCTA and CF images. MA distribution and leakage were correlated with detectability on OCTA and CF imaging.Results47 eyes with severe DR (n = 12) and proliferative DR (n = 35) were included. MHz‐OCTA and CF imaging detected on average 56% and 36% of MAs, respectively. MHz‐OCTA detection rate was significantly higher than CF (p < 0.01). The combination of MHz‐OCTA and CF leads to an increased detection rate of 70%. There was no statistically significant association between leakage and MA detectability on OCTA (p = 0.13). For CF, the odds of detecting leaking MAs were significantly lower than non‐leaking MAs (p = 0.012). Using MHz‐OCTA, detection of MAs outside the ETDRS grid was less likely than MAs located within the ETDRS grid (outer ring, p < 0.01; inner ring, p = 0.028). No statistically significant difference between rings was observed for CF measurements.ConclusionsMore MAs were detected on MHz‐OCTA than on CF imaging. Detection rate was lower for MAs located outside the macular region with MHz‐OCTA and for leaking MAs with CF imaging. Combining both non‐invasive modalities can improve MA detection.
Crossing riverborderscapes and a view from in‐between: Passenger ferries in South West England
Authors: McGrath Eva , Yarwood Richard , Harmer Nichola 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis paper explores the everyday experiences of crossing rivers that form local borders. It proposes and utilises the term ‘riverborderscape’ to bring together the particularities, complexities, and creativities associated with these border crossings. The term draws on three areas of scholarship. First, the riverborderscape draws on recent scholarly attention to the materiality, and effects on understanding space and place, of watery environments. Second, the term draws on scholarship from within border studies and cognate disciplines that highlights the border as a liminal space. Third, landscape geographies are used to examine the imagination and performance of crossing riverborderscapes. The paper reports on research carried out with passengers, crew, and communities on three rivers in South West England where the ferry routes cross local administrative boundaries. Over the course of the research, participants shared their experiences of crossing these river borders through writing and drawings created while on board the ferry, as well as through surveys and interviews. The research highlights the effects of the materiality of the river on the routes and experiences of crossing, the role of humour in the construction and subversion of everyday boundaries, and the river in‐between as a liminal space, a landscape where the imagination may be unmoored and creative licence temporarily set free.
How to train students to engage in text‐picture integration for multimedia lessons
Authors: Leng Xiaoxue , Wang Fuxing , Mayer Richard E. , Zhao Tingting 
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the effectiveness of visual training or verbal training on how to use a text‐picture processing strategy for learning from computer‐based multimedia instructional material. Sixty‐nine university students were randomly assigned to the verbal training group (students received text‐based instruction for a text‐picture processing strategy), the visual training group (students observed a video depicting an expert's eye fixations while using a text‐picture processing strategy for an initial portion of a multimedia lesson) or the control group (students did not receive any instruction). During reading a multimedia lesson on biology, students' eye movements were tracked; and after the lesson, students took a posttest. Concerning learning outcomes, both visual and verbal training helped students perform better than the control group on a recall test and the verbal training group perform better on a transfer test. Concerning learning processes, both visual and verbal training caused students to attend less to on‐screen text and more to on‐screen pictures as compared to the control group. Mediation analysis showed that increased attention to pictures was a mediator for better learning outcomes. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic

Pre‐training on key concepts or terms improves learning, but little is known whether and how pre‐training on strategy acquisition supports learning.
Mayer's multimedia principle suggests people learn better from illustrated text than from text alone; however, learners sometimes fail to integrate text and picture.
What this paper adds

Pre‐training on text‐picture processing strategy is effective.
Verbal and visual training foster text‐picture processing strategy acquisition.
Verbal training improves both recall and transfer test performance, and visual training improves only recall test performance.
Verbal training is better in improving outcomes.
Fixation time on pictures mediates the effects of training on learning outcomes.
Implications for practice and/or policy

Pre‐training should be used to support learners' strategy acquisition.
This study also provides suggestions on how to design pre‐training on strategy acquisition.