bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trends and variability in methane concentrations over the Southeastern Arabian Peninsula
Authors: Francis Diana , Weston Michael , Fonseca Ricardo , Temimi Marouane , Alsuwaidi Aisha 
Published: May 2023

Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas with an important contribution to global warming. While national and international efforts have been put in place to reduce methane emissions, little is known about its variability, especially in hotspot regions where natural and anthropogenic emissions are compounded. In this study, the current state of CH4 concentrations and their trends over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and surrounding region are investigated with satellite and reanalysis data. CH4 concentrations have increased over the last 5 years, with a trend in the satellite-derived column values (XCH4) of about 9 ppb/year. A clear annual cycle is detected in XCH4, with an amplitude of up to 75 ppb and peak values in the warmer months. The largest concentrations are found in coastal sites, where sabkhas and landfills are present, and along the Al Hajar mountains, where agricultural activities and microhabitats that may host CH4-producing microbes occur and where advection by the background flow is likely an important contributor. The reanalysis data shows a good agreement with the satellite-derived estimates in terms of the spatial pattern, but the magnitudes are smaller by up to 50 ppb, due to deficiencies in the data assimilated. Surface CH4 concentrations in the reanalysis data account for more than 50% of the corresponding XCH4 values, and exhibit a seasonal cycle with the opposite phase due to uncertainties in the emissions inventory. Our findings provide an overview of the state of CH4 concentration in the UAE and surrounding region, and may aid local authorities to propose the appropriate emission reduction strategies in order to meet the proposed net-zero greenhouse gas emission target by 2050. This study highlights the need for the establishment in the Arabian Peninsula region of a ground-based observational network for greenhouse gas concentrations which is still lacking to date.
The response of Tampa Bay to a legacy mining nutrient release in the year following the event
Authors: Morrison Elise S. , Phlips Edward , Badylak Susan , Chappel Amanda R. , Altieri Andrew H. , Osborne Todd Z. , Tomasko David , Beck Marcus W. , Sherwood Edward 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionCultural eutrophication threatens numerous ecological and economical resources of Florida’s coastal ecosystems, such as beaches, mangroves, and seagrasses. In April 2021, an infrastructure failure at the retired Piney Point phosphorus mining retention reservoir garnered national attention, as 814 million liters of nutrient rich water were released into Tampa Bay, Florida over 10 days. The release of nitrogen and phosphorus-rich water into Tampa Bay – a region that had been known as a restoration success story since the 1990s – has highlighted the potential for unexpected challenges for coastal nutrient management.MethodsFor a year after the release, we sampled bi-weekly at four sites to monitor changes in nutrients, stable isotopes, and phytoplankton communities, complemented with continuous monitoring by multiparameter sondes. Our data complement the synthesis efforts of regional partners, the Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay Estuary Programs, to better understand the effects of anthropogenic nutrients on estuarine health.ResultsPhytoplankton community structure indicated an initial diatom bloom that dissipated by the end of April 2021. In the summer, the bay was dominated by Karenia brevis, with conditions improving into the fall. To determine if there was a unique carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) signature of the discharge water, stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were analyzed in suspended particulate material (SPM). The δ15N values of the discharge SPM were −17.88‰ ± 0.76, which is exceptionally low and was unique relative to other nutrient sources in the region. In May and early June of 2021, all sites exhibited a decline in the δ15N values of SPM, suggesting that discharged N was incorporated into SPM after the event. The occurrence of very low δ15N values at the reference site, on the Gulf Coast outside of the Bay, indicates that some of the discharge was transported outside of Tampa Bay.DiscussionThis work illustrates the need for comprehensive nutrient management strategies to assess and manage the full range of consequences associated with anthropogenic nutrient inputs into coastal ecosystems. Ongoing and anticipated impacts of climate change – such as increasing tropical storm intensity, temperatures, rainfall, and sea level rise – will exacerbate this need.
Urban sprawl at the expense of cultivated land: decadal land use and land cover changes and future projections in the upper Awash basin of central Ethiopia
Authors: Hirpa Birtukan Abebe , Adane Girma Berhe , Asrat Asfawossen , Nedaw Dessie , Song Cholho , Roh Minwoo , Lee Woo-Kyun 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionUrban sprawl in developing countries affects future sustainability concerns related to environment, ecology and cropland losses. This study aimed at identifying, classifying and quantifying the changes in land-use and land-cover (LULC) during the last two decades (2000–2020) and predict the decadal pattern for the next three decades (2030–2050), with particular emphasis on urban sprawl at the expense of cultivated land in the upper Awash basin of central Ethiopia.MethodsLandsat images were used to analyze the LULC change dynamics using hybrid image classification and maximum likelihood classifier techniques. The Cellular Automata-Markov Chain (CAMC) Model was used to predict its future LULC change dynamics. A detailed analysis of the urban sprawl in the cities of Addis Ababa, Adama, and Mojo was also conducted.ResultsIt was observed that during the last two decades, settlements, particularly urban sprawls, substantially expanded at the expense of cultivated land, whereas the latter modestly expanded at the expense of forestland, bare land, and shrubland. From its size in 2000, the urban sprawl of Addis Ababa has grown in all directions towards cultivated land by more than six times in 2020 and is expected to become double of that by 2050 in the urban and peri-urban areas of the basin. Adama city has expanded by the same rate of 9.7% in the past two decades, while Mojo town has sprawled 9 folds between 2010 and 2020. The predicted percentage change in settlement for Addis Ababa and its neighboring districts within 22 km radius from the centroid shows a 40% expansion in 2030, 77% in 2040, and 87% in 2050 compared with the reference year 2020. Similarly, the Mojo town will expand significantly in 2030 (54%), 2040 (119%), and 2050 (by a staggering magnitude of 244%), while Adama will expand within the 12 km radius by 18%, 42%, and 117% in the next three respective decades.DiscussionThe rapid cultivated land conversions in the basin may contribute to major shifts in urban and peri-urban ecological environments. Our predictive LULC change maps and urban sprawling could be useful for developing effective and sustainable land-use policies for environmental and ecological management in the upper Awash basin.
Disturbed microbiota-metabolites-immune interaction network is associated with olfactory dysfunction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Han Xingyu , He Xuejia , Zhan Xiaojun , Yao Linyin , Sun Zhifu , Gao Xing , Wang Shan , Wang Zhenlin 
Published: May 2023

PurposeOlfactory dysfunction (OD) is a debilitating symptom frequently reported by patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and it is associated with a dysregulated sinonasal inflammation. However, little information is available about the effect of the inflammation-related nasal microbiota and related metabolites on the olfactory function in these patients. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the nasal microbiota-metabolites-immune interactions and their role in the pathogenesis of OD in CRS patients.Methods23 and 19 CRS patients with and without OD, respectively, were enrolled in the present study. The “Sniffin’ Sticks” was used to measure the olfactory function, while the metagenomic shotgun sequencing and the untargeted metabolite profiling were performed to assess the differences in terms of the nasal microbiome and metabolome between the two groups. The levels of nasal mucus inflammatory mediators were investigated by a multiplex flow Cytometric Bead Array (CBA).ResultsA decreased diversity in the nasal microbiome from the OD group compared to the NOD group was evidenced. The metagenomic analysis revealed a significant enrichment of Acinetobacter johnsonii in the OD group, while Mycoplasma arginini, Aeromonas dhakensis, and Salmonella enterica were significantly less represented (LDA value &gt; 3, p &lt; 0.05). The nasal metabolome profiles were significantly different between the OD and NOD groups (P &lt; 0.05). The purine metabolism was the most significantly enriched metabolic subpathway in OD patients compared with NOD patients (P &lt; 0.001). The expressions of IL-5, IL-8, MIP-1α, MCP-1, and TNF were statistically and significantly increased in the OD group (P &lt; 0.05). All these data, including the dysregulation of the nasal microbiota, differential metabolites, and elevated inflammatory mediators in OD patients demonstrated a clear interaction relationship.ConclusionThe disturbed nasal microbiota-metabolite-immune interaction networks may be implicated in the pathogenesis of OD in CRS patients and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms need to be further investigated in future studies.
Abrine, an IDO1 inhibitor, suppresses the immune escape and enhances the immunotherapy of anti-PD-1 antibody in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liang Xiaowei , Gao Hongwei , Xiao Jian , Han Shan , He Jia , Yuan Renyikun , Yang Shilin , Yao Chun 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundIndoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is responsible for tumor immune escape by regulating T cell-associated immune responses and promoting the activation of immunosuppressive. Given the vital role of IDO1 in immune response, further investigation on the regulation of IDO1 in tumors is needed.MethodsHerein, we used ELISA kit to detect the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), Tryptophan (Trp), and kynurenic acid (Kyn) levels; western blot, Flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence assays detected the expression of the proteins; Molecular docking assay, SPR assay and Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) were used to detect the interaction between IDO1 and Abrine; nano live label-free system was used to detect the phagocytosis activity; tumor xenografts animal experiments were used to explore the anti-tumor effect of Abrine; flow cytometry detected the immune cells changes.ResultsThe important immune and inflammatory response cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) up-regulated the IDO1 expression in cancer cells through the methylation of 6-methyladenosine (m6A) m6A modification of RNA, metabolism of Trp into Kyn, and JAK1/STAT1 signaling pathway, which could be inhibited by IDO1 inhibitor Abrine. CD47 is IFN-γ-stimulated genes (ISGs) and prevents the phagocytosis of macrophages, leading to the cancer immune escape, and this effect could be inhibited by Abrine both in vivo and in vitro. The PD-1/PD-L1 axis is an important immune checkpoint in regulating immune response, overexpression of PD-1 or PD-L1 promotes immune suppression, while in this study Abrine could inhibit the expression of PD-L1 in cancer cells or tumor tissue. The combination treatment of Abrine and anti-PD-1 antibody has a synergistic effect on suppressing the tumor growth through up-regulating CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, down-regulating the Foxp3+ Treg cells, and inhibiting the expression of IDO1, CD47, and PD-L1.ConclusionOverall, this study reveals that Abrine as an IDO1 inhibitor has an inhibition effect on immune escape and has a synergistic effect with the anti-PD-1 antibody on the treatment of HCC.
Enrichment of rare methanogenic Archaea shows their important ecological role in natural high-CO2 terrestrial subsurface environments
Authors: Jia Zeyu , Lipus Daniel , Burckhardt Oliver , Bussert Robert , Sondermann Megan , Bartholomäus Alexander , Wagner Dirk , Kallmeyer Jens 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionLong-term stability of underground CO2 storage is partially affected by microbial activity but our knowledge of these effects is limited, mainly due to a lack of sites. A consistently high flux of mantle-derived CO2 makes the Eger Rift in the Czech Republic a natural analogue to underground CO2 storage. The Eger Rift is a seismically active region and H2 is produced abiotically during earthquakes, providing energy to indigenous microbial communities.MethodsTo investigate the response of a microbial ecosystem to high levels of CO2 and H2, we enriched microorganisms from samples from a 239.5 m long drill core from the Eger Rift. Microbial abundance, diversity and community structure were assessed using qPCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Enrichment cultures were set up with minimal mineral media and H2/CO2 headspace to simulate a seismically active period with elevated H2.Results and discussionMethane headspace concentrations in the enrichments indicated that active methanogens were almost exclusively restricted to enrichment cultures from Miocene lacustrine deposits (50–60 m), for which we observed the most significant growth. Taxonomic assessment showed microbial communities in these enrichments to be less diverse than those with little or no growth. Active enrichments were especially abundant in methanogens of the taxa Methanobacterium and Methanosphaerula. Concurrent to the emergence of methanogenic archaea, we also observed sulfate reducers with the metabolic ability to utilize H2 and CO2, specifically the genus Desulfosporosinus, which were able to outcompete methanogens in several enrichments. Low microbial abundance and a diverse non-CO2 driven microbial community, similar to that in drill core samples, also reflect the inactivity in these cultures. Significant growth of sulfate reducing and methanogenic microbial taxa, which make up only a small fraction of the total microbial community, emphasize the need to account for rare biosphere taxa when assessing the metabolic potential of microbial subsurface populations. The observation that CO2 and H2-utilizing microorganisms could only be enriched from a narrow depth interval suggests that factors such as sediment heterogeneity may also be important. This study provides new insight on subsurface microbes under the influence of high CO2 concentrations, similar to those found in CCS sites.
Discrete Ricci curvatures capture age-related changes in human brain functional connectivity networks
Authors: Yadav Yasharth , Elumalai Pavithra , Williams Nitin , Jost Jürgen , Samal Areejit 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionGeometry-inspired notions of discrete Ricci curvature have been successfully used as markers of disrupted brain connectivity in neuropsychiatric disorders, but their ability to characterize age-related changes in functional connectivity is unexplored.MethodsWe apply Forman-Ricci curvature and Ollivier-Ricci curvature to compare functional connectivity networks of healthy young and older subjects from the Max Planck Institute Leipzig Study for Mind-Body-Emotion Interactions (MPI-LEMON) dataset (N= 225).ResultsWe found that both Forman-Ricci curvature and Ollivier-Ricci curvature can capture whole-brain and region-level age-related differences in functional connectivity. Meta-analysis decoding demonstrated that those brain regions with age-related curvature differences were associated with cognitive domains known to manifest age-related changes—movement, affective processing, and somatosensory processing. Moreover, the curvature values of some brain regions showing age-related differences exhibited correlations with behavioral scores of affective processing. Finally, we found an overlap between brain regions showing age-related curvature differences and those brain regions whose non-invasive stimulation resulted in improved movement performance in older adults.DiscussionOur results suggest that both Forman-Ricci curvature and Ollivier-Ricci curvature correctly identify brain regions that are known to be functionally or clinically relevant. Our results add to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the sensitivity of discrete Ricci curvature measures to changes in the organization of functional connectivity networks, both in health and disease.
Relationship between cognitive dysfunction and the promoter methylation of PER1 and CRY1 in patients with cerebral small vessel disease
Authors: Xu Yiwen , Wang Yugang , Jiang Yi , Liu Mengqian , Zhong Wen , Ge Zhonglin , Sun Zhichao , Shen Xiaozhu 
Published: May 2023

Background and purposeThe prevalence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is increasing due to the accelerating global aging process, resulting in a substantial burden on all countries, as cognitive dysfunction associated with CSVD is also on the rise. Clock genes have a significant impact on cognitive decline and dementia. Furthermore, the pattern of DNA methylation in clock genes is strongly associated with cognitive impairment. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the connection between DNA promoter methylation of PER1 and CRY1 and cognitive dysfunction in patients with CSVD.MethodsWe recruited patients with CSVD admitted to the Geriatrics Department of the Lianyungang Second People’s Hospital between March 2021 and June 2022. Based on their Mini-Mental State Examination score, patients were categorized into two groups: 65 cases with cognitive dysfunction and 36 cases with normal cognitive function. Clinical data, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters, and CSVD total load scores were collected. Moreover, we employed methylation-specific PCR to analyze the peripheral blood promoter methylation levels of clock genes PER1 and CRY1 in all CSVD patients who were enrolled. Finally, we used binary logistic regression models to assess the association between the promoter methylation of clock genes (PER1 and CRY1) and cognitive dysfunction in patients with CSVD.Results(1) A total of 101 individuals with CSVD were included in this study. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in baseline clinical data except MMSE and AD8 scores. (2) After B/H correction, the promoter methylation rate of PER1 was higher in the cognitive dysfunction group than that in the normal group, and the difference was statistically significant (adjusted p &lt; 0.001). (3) There was no significant correlation between the promoter methylation rates of PER1 and CRY1 in peripheral blood and circadian rhythm of blood pressure (p &gt; 0.05). (4) Binary logistic regression models showed that the influence of promoter methylation of PER1 and CRY1 on cognitive dysfunction were statistically significant in Model 1 (p &lt; 0.001; p = 0.025), and it still existed after adjusting for confounding factors in Model 2. Patients with the promoter methylation of PER1 gene (OR = 16.565, 95%CI, 4.057–67.628; p &lt; 0.001) and the promoter methylation of CRY1 gene (OR = 6.017, 95%CI, 1.290–28.069; p = 0.022) were at greater risk of cognitive dysfunction compared with those with unmethylated promoters of corresponding genes in Model 2.ConclusionThe promoter methylation rate of PER1 gene was higher in the cognitive dysfunction group among CSVD patients. And the hypermethylation of the promoters of clock genes PER1 and CRY1 may be involved in affecting cognitive dysfunction in patients with CSVD.
Cortical excitability in patients with REM sleep behavior disorder with abnormal TRODAT-1 SPECT scan: an insight into prodromal Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Su Siao-Chu , Chen Rou-Shayn , Chen Yi-Chieh , Weng Yi-Hsin , Hung June , Lin Yi-Ying 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionREM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) has been highlighted to identify a patient with prodromal Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although many studies focus on biomarkers to predict an RBD patient’s evolution from prodromal PD to clinical PD, the neurophysiological perturbation of cortical excitability has not yet been well elucidated. Moreover, no study describes the difference between RBD with and without abnormal TRODAT-1 SPECT.MethodsBy measuring the amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEP), the cortical excitability changes after transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were evaluated in 14 patients with RBD and eight healthy controls (HC). Seven of the 14 patients with RBD showed abnormal TRODAT-1 (TRA-RBD), and seven were normal (TRN-RBD). The tested parameters of cortical excitability include resting motor threshold (RMT), active motor threshold (AMT), short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF), contralateral silence period (CSP), and input–output recruitment curve.ResultsThe RMT and AMT showed no difference among the three studied groups. There was only SICI at inter-stimuli-interval 3 ms revealing group differences. The TRA-RBD demonstrated significant differences to HC in these aspects: decreased SICI, increased ICF, shortening of CSP, and augmented MEP amplitude at 100% RMT. Moreover, the TRA-RBD had a smaller MEP facilitation ratio at 50% and 100% of maximal voluntary contraction when compared to TRN-RBD. The TRN-RBD did not present any difference to HC.ConclusionWe showed that TRA-RBD shared similar cortical excitability changes with clinical PD. These findings would provide further insight into the concept that RBD is the highly prevalent entity in prodromal PD.