bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ecological filtering and phylogeographic structuring of Psychrilyobacter within two closely related limpet species from the Southern Ocean
Authors: Schwob Guillaume , Rosenfeld Sebastián , González-Wevar Claudio , Orlando Julieta 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose
The ecological interdependence between macroorganisms and their microbial communities promotes stable associations over time, potentially leading to their evolutionary co-diversification. The detection of intricate eco-evolutionary interactions between animals and their microbiota is challenging, primarily due to complex bacterial communities related to poorly resolved host population structure. Strikingly, co-diversification in invertebrates, characterized by generally less complex microbiota, remains largely unexplored. Here, we compared the bacterial communities associated with two distinct lineages of Nacella limpets, a dominant shallow water patellogastropod of the Southern Ocean shores with a well-described population structure. Our goals were to elucidate the uniqueness of Nacella microbiota, resulting from an ecological filter that selectively favors certain bacterial taxa. Additionally, we aimed to depict the genetic structure of bacterial symbiont seeking evidence of co-diversification with Nacella.

Methods
We sequence the V4-V5 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene in three distinct microenvironments associated with Nacella: rock substrate, radula, and whole intestine. These samples were collected from two populations of Nacella deaurata and Nacella concinna, located in the West Antarctic Peninsula and Falkland/Malvinas Islands, respectively.

Results
We assessed ecological filtering patterns in the limpet microbiota, uncovering unique bacterial communities in both radulas and intestines, with specifically enriched bacterial taxa compared to the surrounding environment. By examining microdiversity patterns of core bacterial taxa, we revealed a deep phylogeographic structure of Psychrilyobacter in Nacella intestines.

Conclusion
We highlight the Southern Ocean limpets of the Nacella genus as a novel and promising model for studying co-diversification between marine mollusks and their resident microbiota.
Nonexistence of positive solutions for the weighted higher-order elliptic system with Navier boundary condition
Authors: Zhao Weiwei , Shao Xiaoling , Hu Changhui , Cheng Zhiyu 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWe establish a Liouville-type theorem for a weighted higher-order elliptic system in a wider exponent region described via a critical curve. We first establish a Liouville-type theorem to the involved integral system and then prove the equivalence between the two systems by using superharmonic properties of the differential systems. This improves the results in (Complex Var. Elliptic Equ. 5:1436–1450, 2013) and (Abstr. Appl. Anal. 2014:593210, 2014).
MSFANet: multi-scale fusion attention network for mangrove remote sensing lmage segmentation using pattern recognition
Authors: Fu Lixiang , Chen Jinbiao , Wang Zhuoying , Zang Tao , Chen Huandong , Wu Shulei , Zhao Yuchen 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMangroves are ecosystems that grow in the intertidal areas of coastal zones, playing crucial ecological roles and possessing unique economic and social values. They have garnered significant attention and research interest. Semantic segmentation of mangroves is a fundamental step for further investigations. However, mangrove remote sensing images often have large dimensions, with a substantial portion of the image containing mangrove features. Deep learning convolutional kernels may lead to inadequate receptive fields for accurate mangrove recognition. In mangrove remote sensing images, various challenges arise, including the presence of small and intricate details aside from the mangrove regions, which intensify the segmentation complexity. To address these issues, this paper primarily focuses on two key aspects: first, the exploration of methods to achieve a large receptive field, and second, the fusion of multi-scale information. To this end, we propose the Multi-Scale Fusion Attention Network (MSFANet), which incorporates a multi-scale network structure with a large receptive field for feature fusion. We emphasize preserving spatial information by integrating spatial data across different scales, employing separable convolutions to reduce computational complexity. Additionally, we introduce an Attention Fusion Module (AFM). This module helps mitigate the influence of irrelevant information and enhances segmentation quality. To retain more semantic information, this paper introduces a dual channel approach for information extraction through the deep structure of ResNet. We fuse features using the Feature Fusion Module (FFM) to combine both semantic and spatial information for the final output, further enhancing segmentation accuracy. In this study, a total of 230 images with dimensions of 768 pixels in width and height were selected for this experiment, with 184 images used for training and 46 images for validation. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method achieves excellent segmentation results on a small sample dataset of remote-sensing images, with significant practical value. This paper primarily focuses on three key aspects: the generation of mangrove datasets, the preprocessing of mangrove data, and the design and training of models. The primary contribution of this paper lies in the development of an effective approach for multi-scale information fusion and advanced feature preservation, providing a novel solution for mangrove remote sensing image segmentation tasks. The best Mean Intersection over Union (MIoU) achieved on the mangrove dataset is 86%, surpassing other existing models by a significant margin.
Salience theory value spillovers between China’s systemically important banks: evidence from quantile connectedness
Authors: Jin Xiaoye 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAnalyzing the interdependencies among financial institutions is critical for designing systemic risk monitoring mechanisms; however, most existing research focuses on the first moment of the return distribution, which falls into the conventional models of choice under risk. Previous literature has observed the scarcity of investors’ attention and processing power, which makes the traditional theory of choice under risk more vulnerable and brings the salience theory that accommodates investors’ cognitive limitations to our attention. Motivated by evidence of salience theory value (STV) containing unique information not captured by traditional higher-order moments, we employ a quantile connectedness approach to examine the STV interconnectedness of China’s systemically important banks (C-SIBs). The quantile approach allows us to uncover the dynamic STV interconnectedness of C-SIBs under normal, bearish, and bullish market conditions and is well-suited to extreme risk problems. Our results show that the C-SIBs system is asymmetrically interconnected across quantiles and at higher levels under bullish than bearish market conditions. Principally, a bank’s performance in the C-SIBs system depends on its systemic importance and market conditions. Furthermore, the comparative analysis indicates that STV could provide more information than higher-order moments in capturing the dynamic change in the C-SIBs system and detecting some market events more precisely. These results have important implications for policymakers and market participants to formulate regulatory policy and design risk management strategies.
Multi-task approach based on combined CNN-transformer for efficient segmentation and classification of breast tumors in ultrasound images
Authors: Tagnamas Jaouad , Ramadan Hiba , Yahyaouy Ali , Tairi Hamid 
Published: January 2024

AbstractNowadays, inspired by the great success of Transformers in Natural Language Processing, many applications of Vision Transformers (ViTs) have been investigated in the field of medical image analysis including breast ultrasound (BUS) image segmentation and classification. In this paper, we propose an efficient multi-task framework to segment and classify tumors in BUS images using hybrid convolutional neural networks (CNNs)-ViTs architecture and Multi-Perceptron (MLP)-Mixer. The proposed method uses a two-encoder architecture with EfficientNetV2 backbone and an adapted ViT encoder to extract tumor regions in BUS images. The self-attention (SA) mechanism in the Transformer encoder allows capturing a wide range of high-level and complex features while the EfficientNetV2 encoder preserves local information in image. To fusion the extracted features, a Channel Attention Fusion (CAF) module is introduced. The CAF module selectively emphasizes important features from both encoders, improving the integration of high-level and local information. The resulting feature maps are reconstructed to obtain the segmentation maps using a decoder. Then, our method classifies the segmented tumor regions into benign and malignant using a simple and efficient classifier based on MLP-Mixer, that is applied for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, for the task of lesion classification in BUS images. Experimental results illustrate the outperformance of our framework compared to recent works for the task of segmentation by producing 83.42% in terms of Dice coefficient as well as for the classification with 86% in terms of accuracy.
A review on ultra high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete with nanomaterials and its applications
Authors: Anish V. , Logeshwari J. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractUltra high-performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced concrete which exhibits a higher performance mostly in all aspects and has a compressive strength higher than 150 MPa. The paper reviews the usage of different types of fibres, nanomaterials, mineral admixtures, preparation techniques and the utilization of UHPC. Improved microstructure, reduced porosity and homogeneous mixing are the basic requirements of the UHPC design. Though UHPC helps in the preparation of structural members at lesser size, it requires an enormous amount of cement which is accountable for a huge CO2emission, abrasion and cracks; hence, supplementary cementitious materials might be utilized as a limited alternative for cement without sacrificing the strength of concrete at lesser cost. The nanomaterials act as a nucleation site for the C-S–H gel formation by filling the voids and pores, thereby aiding to attain a denser microstructure for UHPC and also delaying the nucleation of the cracks at the nanoscale. The fibres used in the UHPC help in energy dissipation and also produce a bridging effect for micro- and macro-cracks. Based on the investigations, it has been found that the usage of medium hooked-end steel fibres and a hybrid combination of fibres with nanomaterials helps in improving several properties of the UHPC.
Highest resolution high signal-to-noise ratio sonic slowness and application to Brothers Volcano, Kermadec Arc, New Zealand
Authors: Xu Song 
Published: January 2024

High resolution and accurate acquisition of underground sonic properties is essential for energy detection and earth exploration. An effective method is developed to accurately calculate sonic slowness at the highest resolution (receiver spacing of 0.5 ft) with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The method uses supervirtual interferometry to reconstruct a large number of waveforms for slowness extraction using redundant information from overlapping interreceiver spacing. Synthetic calculations are used to verify the validity of the method, especially in the limited case of strong noise interference and the presence of damaged channels in the array receivers, to accurately calculate the formation of sonic slowness. The theory is applied to process and interpret low data-quality field measurements acquired at Brothers Volcano from the International Ocean Discovery Program. The processing analysis indicates that in the case of very weak formation signals, the residual tool waves from the wireline sonic logging can still interfere with the high-resolution processing, whereas this method can effectively suppress this interference and accurately obtain the formation sonic velocity.
Features of self-attitude and self-esteem of freelancers
Authors: Umlauft V. 
Published: January 2024

Introduction
Freelancing can be analyzed through psychological prism of escapism, through the
desire not to be involved in the systems of inflexible social ties that are accepted in group
(career, family, classical education, etc.)

Objectives
Freelancers have a non-standard self-attitude and self-description, which indicates
their “isolation” from the real social world by these people.

Methods
Quantitive (Spyrman’s criteria and corellations) and qualitive
analisys ( semi-structured interviews). N = 300, residents of ussia and Austria.

Results
The hypothesis was rejected that freelancers do not have career and personal
orientations, in contrast to individuals who are not prone to this type of career choice. The
absence of a connection between goal setting and downshifting was revealed based on the
analysis of the author’s questionnaire for goal setting.
The hypothesis was empirically confirmed that freelancers have more pronounced
indicators such as global self-attitude, self-esteem, self-sympathy, expected attitude from
others, self-confidence, self-acceptance in the affective component of the self-concept, in
contrast to people choosing the traditional career path.

Conclusions
Freelancers have a less pronounced indicator of self-accusation, in contrast to people
committed to careerism.

Disclosure of Interest
None Declared
Gender differences in trachomatous scarring prevalence in a formerly trachoma hyperendemic district in Tanzania
Authors: Wolle Meraf A. , Muñoz Beatriz E. , Mgboji Glory , Naufal Fahd , Kashaf Michael Saheb , Mkocha Harran , West Sheila K. 
Published: January 2024

Background
Trachoma is a chronic conjunctivitis caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Repeated infections lead to trachomatous conjunctival scarring which can progress to potentially blinding trachomatous trichiasis (TT). In trachoma hyperendemic conditions, women compared to men have an increased risk of scarring and TT, which can progress to blinding corneal opacification. This study determined if there were gender differences in scarring prevalence and severity when trachoma prevalence approaches elimination, in a formerly trachoma hyperendemic region.

Methodology/Principal findings
A cross-sectional prevalence study was conducted amongst adults age 15 years and older in Kongwa district, Tanzania in 2019. 3168 persons over age 15 years agreed to be examined and had at least one eye with a gradable image. Ocular photographs were graded for scarring according to a published four-step severity scale. Overall, about half of all study participants had scarring. However, more females (52.3%) had any scarring compared to males (47.2%), OR = 1.22 (95% CI = 1.05–1.43). For every year increase in age, there was a 6.5% increase in the odds of having more severe scarring (95% CI: 5.8%, 7.2%). Women were more likely than men to have severe scarring, OR 2.36 (95% CI: 1.84–3.02). Residence in a community with TF≥10% was associated with a 1.6-fold increased odds of any scarring.

Conclusions/Significance
Overall scarring prevalence and more severe scarring prevalence was higher in females compared to males, even adjusting for age and community TF prevalence. The data suggest that processes occur that lead to women preferentially progressing towards more severe scarring compared to men.
County-level variation in healthcare coverage and ischemic heart disease mortality
Authors: Ibrahim Ramzi , Habib Adam , Terrani Kristina , Ravi Soumiya , Takamatsu Chelsea , Salih Mohammed , Ferreira João Paulo 
Published: January 2024

Background
Healthcare coverage has been shown to have implications in the prevalence of coronary artery disease. We explore the impact of lack of healthcare coverage on ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in the US.

Methods
We obtained county-level IHD mortality and healthcare coverage data from the CDC databases for a total of 3,119 US counties. The age-adjusted prevalence of current lack of health insurance among individuals aged 18 to 64 years were obtained for the years 2018 and 2019 and were placed into four quartiles. First (Q1) and fourth quartile (Q4) had the least and highest age-adjusted prevalence of adults without health insurance, respectively. IHD mortality rates, adjusted for age through the direct method, were obtained for the same years and compared among quartiles. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression for each demographic variable was conducted with the quartiles as an ordinal predictor variable and the age-adjusted mortality rate as the outcome variable.

Results
We identified a total of 172,942 deaths related to ischemic heart disease between 2018 and 2019. Overall AAMR was higher in Q4 (92.79 [95% CI, 92.35–93.23]) compared to Q1 (83.14 [95% CI, 82.74–83.54]), accounting for 9.65 excess deaths per 100,000 person-years (slope = 3.47, p = 0.09). Mortality rates in Q4 for males (126.20 [95% CI, 125.42–126.98] and females (65.57 [95% CI, 65.08–66.05]) were higher compared to Q1 (115.72 [95% CI, 114.99–116.44] and 57.48 [95% CI, 57.04–57.91], respectively), accounting for 10.48 and 8.09 excess deaths per 100,000 person-years for males and females, respectively. Similar trends were seen among Hispanic and non-Hispanic populations. Northeastern, Southern, and Western regions had higher AAMR within Q4 compared to Q1, with higher prevalence of current lack of health insurance accounting for 49.2, 8.15, and 29.04 excess deaths per 100,000 person-years, respectively.

Conclusion
A higher prevalence of adults without healthcare coverage may be associated with increased IHD mortality rates. Our results serve as a hypothesis-generating platform for future research in this area.
Sociodemographic factors associated with the success or failure of anti-tuberculosis treatment in the Chiapas Highlands, Mexico, 2019–2022
Authors: Sánchez-Pérez Héctor Javier , Gordillo-Marroquín Cristina , Vázquez-Marcelín Janeth , Martín-Mateo Miguel , Gómez-Velasco Anaximandro 
Published: January 2024

ObjectiveTo estimate the incidence rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the Highlands (Tsotsil-Tseltal) region of Chiapas and to analyze sociodemographic factors that might influence the success of anti-TB treatment from the period of January 2019 to June 2022.MethodsRetrospective study in which the TB databases of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE) were analyzed. TB incidence rates were calculated based on the number of registered TB cases and estimated annual populations. The success-failure of anti-TB treatment was analyzed according to sociodemographic indicators, degree of concentration of indigenous population of the municipality of residence and admission to SINAVE.ResultsTwo hundred thirty-three cases were analyzed. The variables associated to a lower success rate of treatment against TB were: living in a municipality with high-very high concentration of indigenous population, being indigenous, having a primary school education or lower, and agricultural occupation. The number of TB diagnosed from 2020–2022 and the incidence rates from 2020–2021 decreased significantly compared to 2019.ConclusionsIt is necessary to strengthen the follow-up of TB cases in the region, mainly in areas with high-very high indigenous concentration, in people with low levels of education and engaged in agricultural work.
Volatile organic compounds in headspace characterize isolated bacterial strains independent of growth medium or antibiotic sensitivity
Authors: Hintzen Kim F. H. , Blanchet Lionel , Smolinska Agnieszka , Boumans Marie-Louise , Stobberingh Ellen E. , Dallinga Jan W. , Lubbers Tim , van Schooten Frederik-Jan , Boots Agnes W. 
Published: January 2024

Introduction
Early and reliable determination of bacterial strain specificity and antibiotic resistance is critical to improve sepsis treatment. Previous research demonstrated the potential of headspace analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to differentiate between various microorganisms associated with pulmonary infections in vitro. This study evaluates whether VOC analysis can also discriminate antibiotic sensitive from resistant bacterial strains when cultured on varying growth media.

Methods
Both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia were cultured on 4 different growth media, i.e. Brain Heart Infusion, Marine Broth, Müller-Hinton and Trypticase Soy Agar. After overnight incubation at 37°C, the headspace air of the cultures was collected on stainless steel desorption tubes and analyzed by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-tof-MS). Statistical analysis was performed using regularized multivariate analysis of variance and cross validation.

Results
The three bacterial species could be correctly recognized based on the differential presence of 14 VOCs (p<0.001). This discrimination was not influenced by the different growth media. Interestingly, a clear discrimination could be made between the antibiotic-resistant and -sensitive variant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p<0.001) based on their species-specific VOC signature.

Conclusion
This study demonstrates that isolated microorganisms, including antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, could be identified based on their excreted VOCs independent of the applied growth media. These findings suggest that the discriminating volatiles are associated with the microorganisms themselves rather than with their growth medium. This study exemplifies the potential of VOC analysis as diagnostic tool in medical microbiology. However, validation of our results in appropriate in vivo models is critical to improve translation of breath analysis to clinical applications.