bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased antibiofilm and growth inhibitory effect of Imipenem/Cilastatin nanoliposomes against clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates
Authors: Milani Faezeh , Adibkia Khosro , Hamishehkar Hamed , Gholikhani Tooba , Bani Farhad , Milani Morteza 
Published: September 2023

AbstractNumerous infections are linked to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is one of the major medical concerns because of virulence and antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic encapsulation in liposomes is a good strategy for controlling infections caused by this microorganism. Evaluation of anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa effect of liposomal form of Imipenem/Cilastatin in vitro condition. By using the disk agar diffusion technique, the isolates’ pattern of antibiotic resistance was identified. The antibiotic was placed into the nanoliposome after it had been made using the thin layer and ethanol injection techniques. SEM and DLS were used to determine the size, shape, and zeta potential of the encapsulated drug form and the empty nanoliposome. Additionally, Imipenem/Cilastatin encapsulation in nanoliposomes was studied using FT-IR spectroscopy. In the microbial assay experiments the MIC, MBC and MBEC of liposomal and free drug forms were determined. The nanoparticles were spherical, with a diameter ranging from 30 to 39 nm, and the EE% in the thin layer and ethanol injection procedures were 97 and 98, respectively. Imipenem/Cilastatin nanoliposomes showed peaks at 3009 cm−1 and 1650 cm−1, demonstrating the thermodynamic stability for the chemical structure of the drug enclosed and validating the encapsulation of antibiotic in the nanoliposomes. When compared to free drug forms, nanoliposomes had lower MIC and MBC values in the majority of the isolates and had a greater ability to eradicate the biofilm formation. It was shown that the two nanoliposome preparation techniques were more efficient in 80% of the isolates, which had outcomes that were consistent with those of numerous other investigations. Overall, we demonstrated that the antibacterial activity of nanoliposomes was higher than that of the free drug form based on the evaluation of their MIC and MBC. Pharmaceutical nanoliposome techniques provide an excellent future perspective on how to manage microbial infections that are resistant to antibiotics.
Graphical Abstract
Exclusion rates from international large-scale assessments: an analysis of 20 years of IEA data
Authors: Atasever Umut , Jerrim John , Tieck Sabine 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCross-national comparisons of educational achievement rely upon each participating country collecting nationally representative data. While obtaining high response rates is a key part of reaching this goal, other potentially important factors may also be at play. This paper focuses on one such issue—exclusion rates—which has received relatively little attention in the academic literature. Using data from 20 years of international large-scale assessment data, we find there to be modest variation in exclusion rates across countries and that there has been a relatively small increase in exclusion rates in some over time. We also demonstrate how exclusion rates tend to be higher in studies of primary students than in studies of secondary students. Finally, while there seems to be little relationship between exclusion rates and response rates, there is a weak negative association between the level of exclusions and test performance. We conclude by discussing how information about exclusions—and other similar issues—might be more clearly communicated to non-specialist audiences.
Impact of potassium fertilisation on mobile proximal gamma-ray spectrometry: case study on a long-term field trial
Authors: Pätzold Stefan , Ostermann Markus , Heggemann Tobias , Wehrle Ralf 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMobile proximal gamma-ray spectrometry (GS) is an emerging approach to estimate soil texture directly in the field. It relies on gamma radiation emitted during the natural decay of potassium-40 (K-40) and other isotopes. The K-40 counts are correlated with total K content, mineralogical soil composition and therefore with soil texture. Yet, it is not clear if K fertilisation impacts the ratio of K-40 to total K which would necessitate to take the fertilisation history into account for soil sensing applications. To elucidate this question, a well-documented long-term experiment was selected. The soils of the Rengen grassland experiment (55 plots) were investigated for total K (XRF-K) and for K-40 via mobile proximal GS. No significant differences in XRF-K and K-40 were found between the treatments with and without K fertilisation, although formely published results point to negative and positive K balances, respectively. Fertiliser analysis revealed a ratio of K-40 to total K that was almost identical to the natural abundance of 0.0117%. It was concluded that it is not necessary to take K fertilisation history into account when predicting soil texture from mobile proximal GS on agricultural land for, e.g., precision farming purposes.
Evaluation of concentration procedures, sample pre-treatment, and storage condition for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater
Authors: Cutrupi Francesca , Rossi Michele , Cadonna Maria , Poznanski Elisa , Manara Serena , Postinghel Mattia , Palumbi Giulia , Bellisomi Marta , Nicosia Elena , Allaria Giorgia , Dondero Lorenzo , Veneri Carolina , Mancini Pamela , Ferraro Giusy Bonanno , Rosa Giuseppina , Suffredini Elisabetta , Foladori Paola , Grasselli Elena 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCrucial information on the pandemic’s spread has been gathered by monitoring the trend of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. This surveillance has highlighted that the initial concentration is a critical step of the analytical procedure due to the low viral titer that may be present in this matrix. This paper presents the results of the evaluation of two different wastewater concentration protocols to determine the most efficient and cost-effective. The two methods tested were the following: (a) a biphasic separation system with PEG-dextran and (b) a PEG/NaCl precipitation protocol. Other aspects of the detection method were also investigated including the influence of storage temperature on virus recovery and the heat treatment of pasteurization, which aims to make samples safer for operators and the environment. The PEG/NaCl precipitation method was found to perform better than the biphasic separation system, allowing for more sensitive identification of the presence of the virus and the detection of a higher viral titer than that identified with the biphasic separation in all results. Storage of the samples at 4.3±0.2°C for up to 3 weeks did not adversely affect the virus titer and the pasteurization pre-treatment increases operator safety and maintains the identification of the viral concentration.
Graphical abstract
Artificial light and neurodegeneration: does light pollution impact the development of Alzheimer’s disease?
Authors: Karska Julia , Kowalski Szymon , Gładka Anna , Brzecka Anna , Sochocka Marta , Kurpas Donata , Beszłej Jan Aleksander , Leszek Jerzy 
Published: September 2023

AbstractTwo multidimensional problems of recent times — Alzheimer’s disease and light pollution — seem to be more interrelated than previously expected. A series of studies in years explore the pathogenesis and the course of Alzheimer’s disease, yet the mechanisms underlying this pathology remain not fully discovered and understood. Artificial lights which accompany civilization on a daily basis appear to have more detrimental effects on both environment and human health than previously anticipated. Circadian rhythm is affected by inappropriate lighting conditions in particular. The consequences are dysregulation of the sleep-wake cycle, gene expression, neuronal restructuring, brain’s electricity, blood flow, metabolites’ turnover, and gut microbiota as well. All these phenomena may contribute to neurodegeneration and consequently Alzheimer’s disease. There is an increasing number of research underlining the complexity of the correlation between light pollution and Alzheimer’s disease; however, additional studies to enhance the key tenets are required for a better understanding of this relationship.
Voxel-based morphometry of grey matter structures in Parkinson’s Disease with wearing-off
Authors: Zhai Heng , Fan Wenliang , Xiao Yan , Zhu Zhipeng , Ding Ying , He Chentao , Zhang Wei , Xu Yan , Zhang Yuhu 
Published: September 2023

AbstractOur study aimed to investigate the grey matter (GM) changes using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with wearing-off (WO). 3D-T1-weighted imaging was performed on 48 PD patients without wearing-off (PD-nWO), 39 PD patients with wearing-off (PD-WO) and 47 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). 3D structural images were analyzed by VBM procedure with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12) to detect grey matter volume. Widespread areas of grey matter changes were found in patients among three groups (in bilateral frontal, temporal lobes, lingual gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, right precuneus, right superior parietal gyrus and right cerebellum). Grey matter reductions were found in frontal lobe (right middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and precentral gyrus), right parietal lobe (precuneus, superior parietal gyrus, postcentral gyrus), right temporal lobe (superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus), bilateral lingual gyrus and inferior occipital gyrus in PD-WO group compared with the PD-nWO group. Our results suggesting that wearing-off may be associated with grey matter atrophy in the cortical areas. These findings may aid in a better understanding of the brain degeneration process in PD with wearing-off.
Wastewater-based Epidemiology and SARS-CoV-2: Variant Trends in the Apulia Region (Southern Italy) and Effect of Some Environmental Parameters
Authors: Triggiano Francesco , De Giglio Osvalda , Apollonio Francesca , Brigida Silvia , Fasano Fabrizio , Mancini Pamela , Bonanno Ferraro Giusy , Veneri Carolina , La Rosa Giuseppina , Suffredini Elisabetta , Lucentini Luca , Ungaro Nicola , Di Vittorio Giuseppe , Mongelli Onofrio , Albano Nelhudoff , Montagna Maria Teresa 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater monitoring has been used to monitor the levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA entering the sewerage system. In Italy, the Istituto Superiore di Sanità coordinated the SARI project (Sorveglianza Ambientale Reflue in Italia) to detect SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. In this study, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in raw wastewater against COVID-19 cases was evaluated together with the effect of temperature and precipitation on virus spread. We validated a predictive model, proposed by De Giglio et al., 2021, to establish the number of COVID-19 cases/100,000 inhabitants. A receiver operating characteristic curve model was applied to predict the number of COVID-19 cases and Poisson regression was applied to study the effect of temperature and rainfall on viral load. In Apulia, from October 2021 to December 2022, we analyzed 1041 samples, of which 985 (94.6%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Median atmospheric temperature was inversely proportional to viral load in wastewater; no correlation was found with precipitation. The predictive model confirmed that at least 11 cases/100,000 inhabitants would occur in the 15 days following the detection of the virus in wastewater. Environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 can be used to map the virus and its variants.
Rationalisierung durch Digitalisierung?
Authors: Waag Philipp 
Published: September 2023

ZusammenfassungDer vorliegende Beitrag möchte den Analysen zur Digitalisierung in der Sozialen Arbeit eine arbeits- und interaktionssoziologische Perspektive hinzufügen. Auf diese Weise werden mögliche Vor- und Nachteile der Digitalisierung aus der Sicht von Fachkräften, Hilfsbedürftigen und Organisationen deutlich. Es zeigt sich, dass die im Zuge der Digitalisierung oft geäußerten Ängste und Hoffnungen hinsichtlich der Rationalisierung Sozialer Arbeit zu kurz greifen. Die Analyse wird durch arbeitssoziologische Überlegungen zur Dienstleistungsarbeit sowie die Interaktionstheorie Luhmanns theoretisch gerahmt. Letztere ist in eine Organisations- sowie eine umfassende Sozialtheorie eingebettet und bietet dadurch kohärente Anknüpfungspunkte für die Untersuchung der möglichen Auswirkungen der Nutzung digitaler Technologien in helfenden Interaktionen. Anstatt durch Standardisierung Abstimmungsprobleme zu reduzieren, dürfte die Nutzung digitaler Technologien vor allem neue Abstimmungsprobleme begünstigen.
Network Analysis Reveals Unique Associations of Mindfulness and Distress with Immunity in Māori and Non-Māori New Zealanders
Authors: Billot Moana , Chalmers Rebecca A. , Cervin Matti , Sutton Anna , Reid Vincent M. , Singh Nirbhay N. , Medvedev Oleg N. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractObjectivesA healthy immune system is required to protect against viral infection and ensure the efficacy of vaccines. Psychological distress can threaten immune resilience, while mindfulness practices can be protective. In New Zealand, Māori experience significantly higher levels of distress compared to non-Māori. The aim of this study was to explore the role of ethnicity in the relations among immunity, depression, anxiety, stress, and mindfulness relate to each other.MethodNetwork analysis was used to explore unique relations among distress (depression, anxiety, stress), mindfulness facets, and immune status in matched (age, ranging from 19 to 88 years, sex, and self-classified socio-economic status) samples of Māori (n = 195) and non-Māori (n = 195) participants from New Zealand.ResultsThe networks of distress, mindfulness, and immune status were significantly different between Māori and non-Māori participants. The mindfulness facets Describe and Act with Awareness were more strongly positively linked in Māori, and Non-judge and Depression more strongly negatively linked in Māori, while Describe and Non-judge were more strongly positively linked in non-Māori. For both Māori and non-Māori, similarities included a negative link between anxiety and immune status, strong positive links between the distress variables, and positive links between the mindfulness facets of Non-judge and Act with Awareness, Observe and Non-React, and Observe and Describe.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that anxiety is strongly linked to poor immunity across both Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand while networks of mindfulness and distress also demonstrated differences unique for each of these groups. Both similarities and differences between Māori and non-Māori should be considered when developing targeted interventions to improve physical and mental health in New Zealand.PreregistrationThis study is not preregistered.
Sub-surface configuration in the northern part of Lembang groundwater basin recharge area
Authors: Nugraha Gumilar Utamas , Nur Andi Agus , Sudrajat Yayat , Arifin Jauhari , Bakti Hendra , Lubis Rachmat Fajar , Rulyadi Aisyah Dewi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLembang groundwater basin has an area of 209 km2. Increased tourism activities in the Lembang Groundwater Basin require sufficient groundwater resources to support the sustainability of these tourism activities. The purpose of this study was to analyze the hydrostratigraphy of the groundwater recharge zone of the Lembang groundwater basin in the Cikole-Lembang. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) with dipole–dipole electrode array and seismic refraction was used to analyze the hydrostratigraphy. The results of ERT and seismic refraction inversion show that Tangkubanparahu Pyroclastic Fall 2 can be characterized as aquifers. This layer consists of low (123–292 $$\Omega $$
Ω
m) and intermediate (293–700 $$\Omega $$
Ω
m) resistivity value and also has low (300–1350 m/s) to medium (2700–1350 m/s) velocity. Tangkubanparahu lava (Tl) layer has a high resistivity value (701–3875 $$\Omega $$
Ω
m) and high (1350–2999 m/s) velocity. The Tangkubanparahu Pyroclastic Fall 1 has a resistivity of 300–700 ohms. Tangkubanparahu (Tl) lava deposits can be characterized as fracture aquifer and impermeable layers in the Tangkubanparahu volcanic hydrogeological system depend on the historical structural geology event.
School-based research centres: one school’s exploration
Authors: Loch Sarah 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSchool-based research centres are growing in number and have potential to amplify school students’ voices in research through activities within the school. This paper explores how one research centre in an independent school in Australia, in a financially and socially privileged context, is using tertiary-type structures (namely, an ethics committee, research journal and conference) to engage students in research activities and give them voice about research in their school. Writing as centre director and practitioner researcher in the school, I explore these activities which position research as a skill with potential to further students’ academic capital, as well as their ability to challenge their understanding of privilege in the world. A core motivation for this paper is consideration of the transposition of structures designed for adults into the school context and exploring how students engage with these structures in order to have a voice as researchers and in research.
Stratified reduction of singularities of generalized analytic functions
Authors: Molina-Samper B. , Palma-Márquez J. , Sanz Sánchez F. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractGeneralized analytic functions are naturally defined in manifolds with boundary and are built from sums of convergent real power series with non-negative real exponents. In this paper we deal with the problem of reduction of singularities of these functions. Namely, we prove that a germ of generalized analytic function can be transformed by a finite sequence of blowing-ups into a function which is locally of monomial type with respect to the coordinates defining the boundary of the manifold where it is defined.
Environmental drawbacks of lightweight design algorithms in material extrusion additive manufacturing: a case study
Authors: Mele Mattia , Pisaneschi Gregorio , Ciotti Michele , Campana Giampaolo , Zucchelli Andrea , Fiorini Maurizio 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLightweight design is often assumed to be the leading strategy to improve the sustainability of parts produced by additive manufacturing. The present study confutes such an assumption by a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of different lightweight strategies applied to a specific case study in the medical field. In particular, a patient-specific finger splint made of polyamide is redesigned by means of generative design, topology optimization and lattice structures. The analysis investigates two markedly different deposition processes, namely Arburg plastic freeforming and fused filament fabrication. The former is carried out on an industrial-grade machine, while a desktop printer is used for the latter. This allows for observing the impact of the redesign in two quite distinct scenarios. Findings demonstrate that, since environmental impacts are mainly driven by building time, the adoption of automated design algorithms can be detrimental to the sustainability of the process. On the other hand, relevant benefits on environmental impacts were achieved by reducing the infill percentage of parts. The results of this work highlight the most relevant aspects which must be considered to limit environmental impacts when designing parts for deposition-based additive manufacturing. This information can be used by designers to drive weight reduction towards sustainability.
Overcoming vaccine hesitancy by multiplex social network targeting: an analysis of targeting algorithms and implications
Authors: Fügenschuh Marzena , Fu Feng 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIncorporating social factors into disease prevention and control efforts is an important undertaking of behavioral epidemiology. The interplay between disease transmission and human health behaviors, such as vaccine uptake, results in complex dynamics of biological and social contagions. Maximizing intervention adoptions via network-based targeting algorithms by harnessing the power of social contagion for behavior and attitude changes largely remains a challenge. Here we address this issue by considering a multiplex network setting. Individuals are situated on two layers of networks: the disease transmission network layer and the peer influence network layer. The disease spreads through direct close contacts while vaccine views and uptake behaviors spread interpersonally within a potentially virtual network. The results of our comprehensive simulations show that network-based targeting with pro-vaccine supporters as initial seeds significantly influences vaccine adoption rates and reduces the extent of an epidemic outbreak. Network targeting interventions are much more effective by selecting individuals with a central position in the opinion network as compared to those grouped in a community or connected professionally. Our findings provide insight into network-based interventions to increase vaccine confidence and demand during an ongoing epidemic.
Contribution of the SOS response and the DNA repair systems to norfloxacin induced mutations in E. coli
Authors: Lin Tongtong , Pan Jiao , Gregory Colin , Wang Yaohai , Tincher Clayton , Rivera Caitlyn , Lynch Michael , Long Hongan , Zhang Yu 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAntibiotic-resistant bacteria severely threaten human health. Besides spontaneous mutations generated by endogenous factors, the resistance might also originate from mutations induced by certain antibiotics, such as the fluoroquinolones. Such antibiotics increase the genome-wide mutation rate by introducing replication errors from the SOS response pathway or decreasing the efficiency of the DNA repair systems. However, the relative contributions of these molecular mechanisms remain unclear, hindering understanding of the generation of resistant pathogens. Here, using newly-accumulated mutations of wild-type and SOS-uninducible Escherichia coli strains, as well as those of the strains deficient for the mismatch repair (MMR) and the oxidative damage repair pathways, we find that the SOS response is the major mutagenesis contributor in mutation elevation, responsible for ~ 30–50% of the total base-pair substitution (BPS) mutation-rate elevation upon treatment with sublethal levels of norfloxacin (0 ~ 50 ng/mL). We further estimate the significance of the effects on other mutational features of these mechanisms (i.e., transversions, structural variations, and mutation spectrum) in E. coli using linear models. The SOS response plays a positive role in all three mutational features (mutation rates of BPSs, transversions, structural variations) and affects the mutational spectrum. The repair systems significantly reduce the BPS mutation rate and the transversion rate, regardless of whether antibiotics are present, while significantly increasing the structural variation rate in E. coli. Our results quantitatively disentangle the contributions of the SOS response and DNA repair systems in antibiotic-induced mutagenesis.