bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Land use characteristics affect the sub-basinal scale urban fish community identified by environmental DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Kang Yujin , Shin Wonhyeop , Kim Yonghwan , Song Youngkeun 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe heterogeneity of urban landscapes has effects on the environmental characteristics and fish composition of individual urban streams, even within a single water system. It is, therefore, imperative to assess the influence of physiochemical properties on urban streams by analyzing the spatial distribution of fish communities at the local scale. However, conventional fish surveys encounter time and labor constraints when selecting and surveying dense sampling points under 2 km in stream networks. In this study, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding was used as an innovative survey methodology to identify the effects of land use and stream order on fish composition and tolerance guild in an urban area. The eDNA sampling was conducted in 31 sites of the Anyang stream network in Korea, including part of the stream undergoing ecological restoration. The eDNA survey detected 12 of 17 species (70.6%) that appeared in the historical data, and 12 of 18 species (66.7%) identified in a conventional field survey with kick nets and casting nets. The proportions of urban area, forest and grassland were positively correlated with abundance (p < 0.05) and richness (p < 0.05) in multiple regression analyses, while the proportion of agricultural area showed a negative correlation (p < 0.05). For abundance, richness, and diversity within the fish community from first- to third-order streams, there was a significant decrease in sensitive species (p < 0.05) alongside a significant increase in tolerant species (p < 0.01) across all three indices. The results of this study highlight variations in fish composition across sites within the local scale of the urban stream network, underscoring the need for detailed monitoring to understand the ecological function of urban streams.
Research on the estimation and spatial pattern of net tourism carbon emissions in the Yellow River Basin from 2009 to 2019
Authors: Peng Ruijuan , Su Rui , Gao Wanqianrong , Zhang Xinhong 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBased on panel data and remote sensing data of cities in the Yellow River Basin in China from 2009 to 2019, and using the tourism carbon footprint and tourism carbon carrying capacity models, the tourism carbon emissions, tourism carbon carrying capacity, and net tourism carbon of 65 cities in the Yellow River Basin were calculated. The balance and dynamic changes in carbon emissions and carbon fixation of urban tourism in the past ten years were compared. The results show that (1) tourism carbon emissions in the Yellow River Basin are generally on the rise, along with a distribution characteristic of downstream > middle reaches > upstream with obvious characteristics of urban agglomeration centrality within the basin; (2) the carbon carrying capacity of tourism is higher than that of tourism. The growth of carbon emissions is relatively slow, showing a spatial distribution pattern of high in the west and low in the east, which is mainly related to the geographical environment and economic development of the city; (3) the tourism carbon emissions and tourism carbon carrying capacity in the upstream areas can basically maintain a balance, but in the middle and lower reaches of the region, they show a carbon surplus. There is a significant positive spatial correlation in urban net tourism carbon emissions, and the clusters are mainly H-H and L-L.
Understanding the differential impacts of two antidepressants on locomotion of freshwater snails (Lymnaea stagnalis)
Authors: Raman Nandini Vasantha , Dubey Asmita , van Donk Ellen , von Elert Eric , Lürling Miquel , Fernandes Tânia V. , de Senerpont Domis Lisette N. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThere is growing evidence of negative impacts of antidepressants on behavior of aquatic non-target organisms. Accurate environmental risk assessment requires an understanding of whether antidepressants with similar modes of action have consistent negative impacts. Here, we tested the effect of acute exposure to two antidepressants, fluoxetine and venlafaxine (0–50 µg/L), on the behavior of non-target organism, i.e., freshwater pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. As compounds interact with chemical cues in the aquatic ecosystems, we also tested whether the effects altered in the presence of bile extract containing 5α-cyprinol sulfate (5α-CPS), a characterized kairomone of a natural predator, common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Behavior was studied using automated tracking and analysis of various locomotion parameters of L. stagnalis. Our results suggest that there are differences in the effects on locomotion upon exposure to venlafaxine and fluoxetine. We found strong evidence for a non-monotonic dose response on venlafaxine exposure, whereas fluoxetine only showed weak evidence of altered locomotion for a specific concentration. Combined exposure to compounds and 5α-CPS reduced the intensity of effects observed in the absence of 5α-CPS, possibly due to reduced bioavailability of the compounds. The results highlight the need for acknowledging different mechanisms of action among antidepressants while investigating their environmental risks. In addition, our results underline the importance of reporting non-significant effects and acknowledging individual variation in behavior for environmental risk assessment.
Graphical Abstract
Improved subcutaneous edema segmentation on abdominal CT using a generated adipose tissue density prior
Authors: Liu Jianfei , Shafaat Omid , Bhadra Sayantan , Parnell Christopher , Harris Ayden , Summers Ronald M. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Edema, or swelling, is a common symptom of kidney, heart, and liver disease. Volumetric edema measurement is potentially clinically useful. Edema can occur in various tissues. This work focuses on segmentation and volume measurement of one common site, subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Methods
The density distributions of edema and subcutaneous adipose tissue are represented as a two-class Gaussian mixture model (GMM). In previous work, edema regions were segmented by selecting voxels with density values within the edema density distribution. This work improves upon the prior work by generating an adipose tissue mask without edema through a conditional generative adversarial network. The density distribution of the generated mask was imported into a Chan-Vese level set framework. Edema and subcutaneous adipose tissue are separated by iteratively updating their respective density distributions.

Results
Validation results on 25 patients with edema showed that the segmentation accuracy significantly improved. Compared to GMM, the average Dice Similarity Coefficient increased from 56.0 to 61.7% ($$p<0.05$$

p
<
0.05

) and the relative volume difference decreased from 36.5 to 30.2% ($$p<0.05$$

p
<
0.05

).

Conclusion
The generated adipose tissue density prior improved edema segmentation accuracy. Accurate edema volume measurement may prove clinically useful.
Auxiliary roles of nardilysin in the early diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome: a prospective cohort study, the Nardi-ACS study
Authors: Ohno Mikiko , Shiomi Hiroki , Baba Osamu , Yano Mariko , Aizawa Takanori , Nakano-Matsumura Yukiko , Yamagami Shintaro , Kato Masashi , Ohya Masanobu , Chen Po-Min , Nagao Kazuya , Ando Kenji , Yokomatsu Takafumi , Kadota Kazushige , Kouchi Ichiro , Inada Tsukasa , Valentine Cindy , Kitagawa Takahiro , Kurokawa Masato , Ohtsuru Shigeru , Morimoto Takeshi , Kimura Takeshi , Nishi Eiichiro 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAcute coronary syndrome (ACS) includes myocardial infarction (MI) and unstable angina (UA). MI is defined by elevated necrosis markers, preferably high-sensitivity cardiac troponins (hs-cTn). However, it takes hours for cTn to become elevated after coronary occlusion; therefore, difficulties are associated with diagnosing early post-onset MI or UA. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to examine the diagnostic ability of serum nardilysin (NRDC) for the early detection of ACS. This study consisted of two sequential cohorts, the Phase I cohort, 435 patients presenting to the emergency room (ER) with chest pain, and the Phase II cohort, 486 patients with chest pain who underwent coronary angiography. The final diagnosis was ACS in 155 out of 435 patients (35.6%) in the phase I and 418 out of 486 (86.0%) in the phase II cohort. Among 680 patients who presented within 24 h of onset, 466 patients (68.5%) were diagnosed with ACS. Serum NRDC levels were significantly higher in patients with ACS than in those without ACS. The sensitivity of NRDC in patients who presented within 6 h after the onset was higher than that of hsTnI, and the AUC of NRDC within 1 h of the onset was higher than that of hsTnI (0.718 versus 0.633). Among hsTnI-negative patients (300 of 680 patients: 44.1%), 136 of whom (45.3%) were diagnosed with ACS, the sensitivity and the NPV of NRDC were 73.5 and 65.7%, respectively. When measured in combination with hsTnI, NRDC plays auxiliary roles in the early diagnosis of ACS.
Exploring Imagined Temporalities in Resettlement Workers’ Narratives: Renegotiating Temporal and Emotional Boundaries in Post-Brexit Britain
Authors: Forde Leona , McGovern Mark , Moran Lisa 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis paper develops the concept of ‘imagined temporalities’ to explore multiple temporal subjectivities, time cultures, ‘myths’, and realities evident in interviews with resettlement workers who were part of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) in Merseyside, United Kingdom (UK). Conducted in 2019, the interviews took place as the triggering of Article 50 signalled the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU). This period of unprecedented social, economic, and political changes formed a crucial backdrop framing our interviewees’ narratives. The views of resettlement workers have been little explored and are employed here to complement the insights provided by work undertaken by others with refugees and asylum seekers. This research provides important insights into their perceptions of the interplay of factors that affect belonging and access to supports for refugees and asylum seekers, revealing wider, largely underreported, concerns.1 These include, their own personal experiences working in support services and system changes, driven by growing socio-political pressures that impact on community-building among refugees during their resettlement. Significantly, debates about “Brexit” and the UK’s political future, as well as heated public discussions of the historical legacies of colonialism which underpin the present treatment of migrants, are reflected in these resettlement workers’ views as well. Subsequently, this paper employs the concept of ‘imagined temporalities’ to explore how support workers understand the treatment of migrants by social and political systems—and their own personal struggles and hopes,—against this wider, divisive post-Brexit backdrop. Overall, the paper underlines the highly politicised space the resettlement workers operate in, where they balance the needs of service users in the midst of constraints imposed by overly rigid time regimes.
Subjective pain and reward in a social judgment paradigm
Authors: Torzillo Judith , Topel Selin , Harrewijn Anita , van der Molen Melle J. W. , van der Veen Frederik 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAffective problems such as social anxiety and depression theoretically involve negative cognitive biases that trigger and maintain symptoms during everyday experiences. This study employed a social judgment paradigm to investigate possible biases in expectation of social acceptance, and subjective feelings of pain and reward. Healthy adult participants (N = 120) were told their image had been judged by others. In 120 trials, they were shown photos of the judges and asked to anticipate whether they were liked by them or not, before being shown the judgment. Participants rated their level of pain and reward in each trial. Results indicated that social acceptance was expected less often by participants with higher levels of social anxiety. Self-reported pain was greatest after unexpected rejection. A greater likelihood of the presence of pain and higher self-reported pain were associated with higher levels of social anxiety and depression respectively. Self-reported reward was greatest after expected acceptance, and was not associated with social anxiety or depression. This study provides subjective experience information that has been missing from existing social judgment research. Moreover, these findings suggest that in social situations, those with social anxiety and depression more often expect rejection and experience rejection as more painful, respectively. These biases are potential maintaining factors and may be targets for further research and future intervention development.
Characterization of Aspergillus section Flavi associated with stored grains
Authors: El-Dawy Eman G. A. M. , Gherbawy Youssuf A. , Hussein Mohamed A. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIncreased frequencies of Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins in cereal grains have been seen in recent years due to changes in climate circumstances, such as high temperatures and drought. To assess the microbiological risks of contamination, it is critical to have a reliable and accurate means of identifying the fungi. The main goal of this study was to characterize Aspergillus species from section Flavi obtained from twenty-three samples of barley and maize grains, gathered from different markets in Qena, Egypt, using morphological and molecular techniques. Twenty-three isolates were chosen, one isolate from each sample; they were identified as A. aflatoxiformans (4 isolates), A. flavus (18), and A. parasiticus (1). The existence of four aflatoxin biosynthesis genes was also investigated in relation to the strains’ ability to produce total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1, focusing on the regulatory gene aflR and the structural genes aflD and aflM. All strains producing aflatoxins were linked to the presence of aflR1 and/or aflR2, except two isolates that exhibited aflatoxins but from which aflR1 or aflR2 were not detected, which may be due to one or more missing or unstudied additional genes involved in aflatoxin production. AflD and aflM genes were amplified by 10 and 9 isolates, respectively. Five samples of barley and maize were contaminated by aflatoxins. Fifteen isolates were positive for producing total aflatoxins in the range of 0.1–240 ppm. Antagonistic activity of Trichoderma viride against A. flavus (F5) was assessed at 31.3%. Trichoderma reduced total aflatoxins in all treated seeds, particularly those subjected to Trichoderma formulation.
Mitigating the Environmental Impact by Synthesis of Adsorbents from Aluminium-Containing Waste
Authors: Yunusov M. P. , Gulomov S. , Nasullayev K. A. , Turdiyeva D. P. K. , Isayeva N. F. , Abdurakhmanova I. S. K. , Mustafayev B. D. , Murzin D. Yu. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To develop effective adsorbents and carriers for removing harmful impurities from waste, due to the shortage of natural bauxite for alumina production.

Methods
To determine the influence of various impurities present in the waste—spent alumina adsorbent (SAA) on the characteristics of adsorbents for chlorine-containing compounds, samples with a different content of V, Ti and Na have been synthesized. Properties of adsorbents based on a commercial alumina and extensively treated SAA, both types undergoing impregnation with sodium hydroxide and sodium vanadate, have been compared. Alumina adsorbents and alumina-kaolin-borate catalyst carriers with the Ti content of ca. 0.2% were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiCl4 on the ready granules, while introduction of large quantities of titania have been performed by addition of ground alumina-titania carrier waste into the extrusion paste. Adsorption of steam, tetrachloroethylene and hydrochloric acid has been investigated.

Results and Conclusions
It was found that the adsorption capacity for water vapor reached 43.6 g H2O/100 g SA and 38.9 g H2O/100 g AN-2, while after ALD modification it decreased by ca. 1 and 35%, respectively and with the introduction of SA-Ti(15.0) with the same amount of titanium by ca. 35%. Modification of AN-2 with sodium vanadate at about 0.3% Na and 0.4% V had no effect on water adsorption; while as the concentration of sodium introduced by impregnation with NaOH increased, the adsorption ability deteriorated. Modification of AN-2 and SA using ALD technology sharply diminished efficiency of adsorption of water vapors, tetrachlorethylene and hydrochloric acid. By adsorption of a mixture simulating reforming exhaust gases, formation of chlorinated oligomers on AKB, AN-2 and SA was established. NaOH modification effectively suppressed oligomerization; thus SAA-based adsorbents containing more than 5% Na can be used for drying and purification of reforming exhaust gases, as the most effective, cheapest and resource-saving option.

Graphical Abstract
Storage stability of lysostaphin solution and its pulmonary delivery
Authors: Zeng Ping , Zhang Pengfei , Chan Ho Wan , Chow Shing Fung , Lam Jenny Ka Wing , Ip Margaret , Leung Sharon Shui Yee 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a leading causative pathogen of nosocomial pneumonia with an alarming in-hospital mortality rate of 30%. Last resort antibiotic, vancomycin, has been increasingly used to treat MRSA infections, but the rapid emergence of vancomycin-resistant strains urges the development of alternative treatment strategies against MRSA-associated pneumonia. The bacteriolytic enzyme, lysostaphin, targeting the cell wall peptidoglycan of S. aureus, has been considered as a promising alternative for MRSA infections. Its proteinaceous nature is likely benefit from direct delivery to the lungs, but the challenges for successful pulmonary delivery of lysostaphin lying on a suitable inhalation device and a formulation with sufficient storage stability. In this study, the applicability of a vibrating mesh nebulizer (Aerogen Solo®) and a soft mist inhaler (Respimat®) was investigated. Both devices were capable of aerosolizing lysostaphin solution into inhalable droplets and caused minimum antibacterial activity loss. In addition, lysostaphin stabilized with phosphate-buffered saline and 0.1% Tween 80 was proved to have acceptable stability for at least 12 months when stored at 4 °C. These promising data encourage further clinical development of lysostaphin for management of MRSA-associated lung infections.
Graphical abstract

Lysostaphin had insignificant activity loss after aerosol generation by a vibrating mesh nebulizer and a soft mist inhaler.

Most of the lysostaphin aerosols generated by the vibrating mesh nebulizer and soft mist inhaler are inhalable.

The vibrating mesh nebulizer and soft mist inhaler are suitable device for pulmonary delivery of lysostaphin.
Antimicrobial activity of spiculisporic acid isolated from endophytic fungus Aspergillus cejpii of Hedera helix against MRSA
Authors: Osama Sarah , El Sherei Moshera , Al-Mahdy Dalia A. , Bishr Mokhtar , Salama Osama , Raafat Marwa M. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe surge in multidrug-resistant pathogens worldwide has jeopardized the clinical efficiency of many current antibiotics. This problem steered many researchers in their quest to discover new effective antimicrobial agents from natural origins including plants or their residing endophytes. In this work, we aimed to identify the endophytic fungi derived from Hedera helix L. and investigate their potential antimicrobial activity. Bioguided fractionation approach was conducted to isolate the pure compounds from the most active fungal fraction. Out of a total of six different isolated endophytic fungal strains, only Aspergillus cejpii showed the highest activity against all tested microbial strains. The most active fraction was the dichloromethane/methanol fraction (DCM:MeOH), where it showed significant activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhi, and three drug-resistant clinical isolate strains including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, H1), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PS 16), and Acinetobacter baumannii (ACT 322) using tetracyline and kanamycin as the control antibiotics. Bioguided fractionation of the active fraction led to the isolation of the γ-butenolide, spiculisporic acid. Structure elucidation was carried out using 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopic analysis. The compound showed good antimicrobial activities with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 3.9 to 31.25 μg/mL against all tested strains. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling was also carried out to identify the metabolites in the microbial crude extract. In conclusion, endophytic fungi, Aspergillus cejpii, isolated from Hedera helix L. roots showed promising antimicrobial activity which merits further in-depth investigations for potential utilization as a source of new antibiotics in the future. It can also be considered as a novel source for spiculisporic acid.
On the connection between uniqueness from samples and stability in Gabor phase retrieval
Authors: Alaifari Rima , Bartolucci Francesca , Steinerberger Stefan , Wellershoff Matthias 
Published: January 2024

AbstractGabor phase retrieval is the problem of reconstructing a signal from only the magnitudes of its Gabor transform. Previous findings suggest a possible link between unique solvability of the discrete problem (recovery from measurements on a lattice) and stability of the continuous problem (recovery from measurements on an open subset of $$\mathbb {R}^2$$

R

2

). In this paper, we close this gap by proving that such a link cannot be made. More precisely, we establish the existence of functions which break uniqueness from samples without affecting stability of the continuous problem. Furthermore, we prove the novel result that counterexamples to unique recovery from samples are dense in $$L^2(\mathbb {R})$$

L
2

(
R
)

. Finally, we develop an intuitive argument on the connection between directions of instability in phase retrieval and certain Laplacian eigenfunctions associated to small eigenvalues.
“Reading”, “listening” and sound, light environment
Authors: Wu Shuoxian , Qiu Jianzhen 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSound is always an important medium for passing on knowledge and skills as well as for communicating information. Reading accompanies the use of the brain in the silent reading of words, an act that transforms textual information into verbal information. People can “listen” and “read” in a dark or low light environment. Learning and thinking in a quiet, dark environment is not only conducive to the formation of innovative thinking, but also the inheritance of ancient ideas of health and wisdom. Modern disciplines follow the human perception mechanism and advocate concepts of “Quiet Area” (in soundscape discipline) and “Dark Night Sky” (in lightscape discipline). It is in accordance with the ancients preference of thinking and learning in a “quiet, dark environment”, which is consistent with the law of the matter and the origin of things. This also reflects the integration of human life wisdom and modern science.