bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of the Bacterial Community in Alpine Meadows in Response to Altitude and Aspect in the Qilian Mountains, Northwest China
Authors: Li Qiang , Zhang Ying , Liu Xiaoni , Yang Fan 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTAs one of the most sensitive and fragile alpine ecosystems in the Qilian Mountains, the alpine meadow holds significant scientific importance in understanding the changes in the characteristics of soil bacterial community in response to altitude and aspect variations. In our study, we analyzed the composition, diversity, and function of soil bacterial communities in alpine meadows at different altitudes and aspects and their relationship with environmental factors. Our results indicate that altitude and aspect orientation significantly influences the diversity index and composition of soil bacterial communities. Specifically, the Shannon and Chao1 indices of soil bacteria initially increased and then decreased with increasing altitude, with the Shannon index being lower in shady aspects compared to sunny aspects, and the Chao1 index being lower in sunny aspects above an altitude of 3400 m compared to shady aspects at the exact altitudes. Using Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis, we identified 77 bacterial species in the research area, with key ecological functions primarily associated with nitrification, aerobic ammonia oxidation, and chitinolysis. Furthermore, we found that soil water content and Urease were the main factors influencing bacterial community composition. Our findings underscore the significant impact of altitude orientation on bacterial communities in alpine grasslands, emphasizing the importance of considering bacterial differences in evaluating alpine grassland health.
Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships Based on Mitogenomes of Spider: Insights Into Evolution and Adaptation to Extreme Environments
Authors: Zhang Rongxiang , Xiang Niyan , Gao Xiaoman , Zhang Guiyu , Lu Tian , Yuan Tao 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTIn this study, we performed a comparative analysis based on a total of 255 spider mitogenomes and four outgroups, of which the mitogenomes of 39 species were assembled de novo, to explore the phylogenetic relationships and the adaptive evolution of mitogenomes. Results showed that Argyroneta aquatica had the longest mitochondrial length and the most pronounced codon preference to be UUA, followed by CCU. Codon usage frequencies were similar between families and codon usage in the mitogenome of spiders was mainly influenced by natural selection pressures rather than G/C mutation bias. Our phylogenetic topology clearly explained the evolutionary relationships among the spiders, and divergence time estimates indicated that the spiders originated in the early Devonian, and that the two clades of Mesothelae and Opisthothelae separated in the late Carboniferous. Ancestral range and trait reconstruction results supported the ancestral origin of spiders to the Devonian Nearctic realm, with the trapdoor being the original trait. Selection analysis detected positive selection signals in the ATP8 gene in Desis jiaxiangi. The ND5 gene is a convergent evolutionary gene between D. jiaxiangi and A. aquatica. Positive selection signals in the ATP8 gene and convergent selection sites in the ND5 gene may facilitate metabolic adaptation to the aquatic environment in two aquatic spiders. In conclusion, our analysis contributes to a better understanding of the taxonomic status, species diversity, mitochondrial characteristics, and environmental adaptations of these spiders.
How Can Overlooking Social Interactions, Space Familiarity or Other “Invisible Landscapes” Shaping Animal Movement Bias Habitat Selection Estimations and Species Distribution Predictions?
Authors: Dejeante Romain , Lemaire‐Patin Rémi , Chamaillé‐Jammes Simon 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTSpecies' future distributions are commonly predicted using models that link the likelihood of occurrence of individuals to the environment. Although animals' movements are influenced by physical and non‐physical landscapes, for example related to individual experiences such as space familiarity or previous encounters with conspecifics, species distribution models developed from observations of unknown individuals cannot integrate these latter variables, turning them into ‘invisible landscapes’. In this theoretical study, we address how overlooking ‘invisible landscapes’ impacts the estimation of habitat selection and thereby the projection of future distributions. Overlooking the attraction towards some ‘invisible’ variable consistently led to overestimating the strength of habitat selection. Consequently, projections of future population distributions were also biased, with animals following changes in preferred habitat less than predicted. Our results reveal an overlooked challenge faced by correlative species distribution models based on the observation of unknown individuals, whose past experience of the environment is by definition not known. Mechanistic distribution modeling integrating cognitive processes underlying movement should be developed.
Biodiversity Change in Cultural Landscapes—The Rural Hotspot Hypothesis
Authors: Neumann Carsten , Behling Robert , Weiss Gabriele 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTA dramatic decrease of biodiversity is currently questioning human‐environment interactions that have shaped ecosystems over thousands of years. In old cultural landscapes of Central and East European (CEE) countries, a vast species decline has been reported for various taxa although intensive land cultivation has been reduced in favor of agroecological transformation, nature conservation and sustainable land management in the past 30 years. Thus, in the recent history, agricultural intensification cannot solely be discussed as the major driver controlling biodiversity. In cultural landscapes, we state that drivers and pressures mainly emerge from the backyards of rural settlements that act as interconnected rural hotspots and therefore form an ecological metapopulation in which small‐scale backyard habitats are capable of preserving and exchanging species pools of the historical cultural landscape. We further argue that shifting sociocultural norms significantly affecting the survival of source populations in rural hotspots and drastically limit their dispersal pathways, which triggers the degradation of the rural metapopulation in recent times. Pressures of cultivation shift, landscape decoupling, structural homogenization, and use of technology and agrochemicals are identified as backyard ecological drivers negatively affecting biodiversity preservation, particularly in the surrounding rural landscape. Spatiotemporal dimensions of backyard pressures involving material fluxes, species exchange and retention, alternation of site conditions, and local genetic adaptation are delineated for different backyard features, including building structures, gardens, lawns, and paved grounds. Finally, we propose a future research agenda to quantify effects and trends of rural hotspots and followed patterns of altered species dynamics. We give an example on the use of satellite time series to remotely map rural backyard habitats and reveal significant spatiotemporal trends induced by small‐scale human behavior that may lead to a new socioecological perception and stimulate actions to shape ecological dynamics emerging from the backyards of human settlements.
Testing Phylogenetic Placement Accuracy of DNA Barcode Sequences on a Fish Backbone Tree: Implications of Backbone Tree Completeness and Species Representation
Authors: Fernando M. A. Thanuja M. , Fu Jinzhong , Adamowicz Sarah J. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTAdvancements in DNA sequencing technology have facilitated the generation of a vast number of DNA sequences, posing opportunities and challenges for constructing large phylogenetic trees. DNA barcode sequences, particularly COI, represent extensive orthologous sequences suitable for phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic placement analysis offers a promising method to integrate COI data into tree‐building efforts, yet the impacts of backbone tree completeness and species composition remain under‐explored. Using a dataset comprising 27 genes and 4520 species of bony fishes, we assessed the accuracy of phylogenetic inference by “placing” COI sequences onto backbone trees. The backbone tree completeness was varied by subsampling 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 99% of the total species separately, followed by placement of those missing species based on their COI sequences using software packages EPA‐ng and APPLES. We also compared the effects of biased, random, and stratified sampling strategies; the latter ensured the representation of all major lineages (Family) of bony fish. Our findings indicate that the placement accuracy is consistently high across all levels of backbone tree completeness, where 70%–78% missing species are correctly placed (by EPA‐ng) in the same locations as the reference tree derived from the complete data. High completeness produces slightly high placement accuracy, although in many cases the differences are nonsignificant. For example, at the 99% completeness level with stratified sampling, EPA‐ng placed 78% missing species correctly, and when only considering placement with high confidence (LWR > 0.9), the percentage is 87%. Additionally, stratified sampling outperforms random sampling in most cases, and biased sampling has the worst performance. The likelihood‐based EPA‐ng consistently provide higher accurate placements than the distance‐based APPLES. In conclusion, COI‐based placement analysis represents a potential route of using the available vast barcoding data for building large phylogenetic trees.
Dynamic Test of Negative Stiffness Damped Outrigger With Damping Amplification
Authors: Wang Meng , Koetaka Yuji , Sun Fei‐Fei , Liu Chao , Nagarajaiah Satish , Ashida Yosuke , Du Xiu‐Li 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThis paper proposed a novel negative stiffness damped outrigger with damping amplification (NSDO‐DA) through a smart combination of an L‐shape lever, a precompressed disc spring brace (DSB), and a viscous damper. A theoretical model of the NSDO‐DA considering nonlinear adaptive negative stiffness, damping amplification of nonlinear viscous dampers, and frictions were established. Cyclic tests of disc spring pairs and DSB were presented to verify the feasibility of using DSB as the precompression component of the NSDO‐DA. Subsequently, large‐scale dynamic tests of five different outrigger systems were conducted involving (i) conventional damped outrigger (CDO), (ii) amplified damped outrigger (ADO), (iii) purely negative stiffness mechanism, (iv) negative stiffness damped outrigger (NSDO), and (v) NSDO‐DA. Then, discussions on the dynamic test results and validations of the NSDO‐DA model were provided. The major contributions of this paper are the proposal of the NSDO‐DA and the experimental validation of its two special features: (i) producing negative stiffness force in the parallel direction of the precompression force rather than in the perpendicular direction, making the physical configuration more concise and condensed for outrigger application; (ii) sharing the amplification mechanism of the L‐shape lever for both the viscous damper and the negative stiffness mechanism, leading to an additional damping amplification mechanism for the damper. Moreover, the adaptive stiffness behavior and the frequency‐independent feature of the proposed negative stiffness mechanism were successfully validated by the dynamic tests.
Advancing Sustainable Compressed Earth Blocks Practices: A Critical Application of Simulation and Optimization in Reducing Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Emissions in Green Building
Authors: Al‐Sakkaf Yaser Khaled , Bashir Faizah Mohammed , Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed Said , Falude Emmanuel , Gammoudi Taha , Dodo Yakubu Aminu , Nazoktabar Mohsen 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the viability and benefits of utilizing compressed earth blocks (CEBs) as a sustainable construction material under varying climatic conditions, focusing on two cities in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, representing a hot desert climate, and Abha, representing a cooler, high‐altitude climate. A comprehensive simulation‐based methodology was employed, which included energy performance modeling and optimization using EnergyPlus software, climate data analysis, environmental impact assessment, and cost analysis. To further verify the results, the EnergyPlus simulations were validated using a machine learning model, specifically the gradient boosting regressor (GBR), to ensure accuracy and reliability. The simulations demonstrate that CEBs provide substantial benefits in terms of structural performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability. For instance, CEB buildings showed reduced cooling loads by 35% in Riyadh and 25% in Abha, while also maintaining high indoor air quality and thermal comfort, leading to 80‐85% occupant satisfaction. The use of CEBs contributed to significant reductions in carbon emissions, with 90% renewable materials, and proved to be cost‐effective over the long term. The GBR validation confirmed less than 2% variation from the EnergyPlus simulations, further ensuring the reliability of the results. Environmental impact assessments revealed substantial reductions in carbon emissions, resource consumption, and waste generation through the adoption of CEBs. Although the initial cost of CEBs may be slightly higher than traditional materials, the long‐term energy savings and reduced maintenance costs make them an economically viable option, particularly in regions with extreme climates. This study underscores the potential of CEBs as a versatile, efficient, and sustainable building material, offering significant benefits in energy efficiency, environmental impact reduction, cost‐effectiveness, and occupant comfort—all based on robust simulation and modeling results.
Morphophysiological Plant Phenotyping for the Development of Plant Breeding Under Drought and Heat Conditions: A Practical Approach
Authors: Estrada Félix , Gonzàlez‐Meler Miquel A. , Dias de Oliveira Eduardo A. , del Pozo Alejandro , Lobos Gustavo A. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTCurrently, the breeding programs focus their efforts on identifying and developing tolerant genotypes to adverse conditions, such as drought and high temperatures. In this context, the physiological approach, which involves phenotyping several traits, is useful for breeding programs. Leaf photosynthetic traits have become one of the main objectives to be evaluated for breeders due to their relationship with improving grain yield and biomass production. Gas exchange (Ge) and chlorophyll “a” fluorescence (Chf) are the main tools to characterize the photosynthetic activity in real time at the leaf level. Consequently, several association studies using proximal and nonproximal sensing (e.g., RGB, thermography) have been developed. However, for the correct application of this breeding approach, it is essential to have a basic knowledge of both the physiological principles involved in the readings and the limitations of phenotyping due to the characteristics of the devices available on the market. This revision also covers other traits, such as the morphological and anatomical characteristics of leaves and roots, and the use of isotopes complementing Ge and Chf measurements.
Economic Value of Informal Care: Contingent Valuation From the Perspective of Caregivers and Care Recipients in China
Authors: Fan Hongli , Gao Jinyan , Chen Lu , Peng Zixuan , Coyte Peter C. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTWe estimated the monetary value of informal care from the perspectives of informal caregivers and care recipients in China using the contingent valuation method. Data were obtained from a specially designed survey of 1458 informal caregivers and 972 care recipients. The mean for caregivers' willingness to pay (WTP) for reducing informal care by 1 h per week was CNY32.37 (€4.11), while the mean for willingness to accept (WTA) increasing informal care by 1 h was CNY46.21 (€5.87). The mean for care recipients' WTP (WTA) values for increasing or reducing informal care by 1 h per week were CNY28.74 (€3.65) and CNY44.78 (€5.69), respectively. The WTP and WTA values varied according to care hours and tasks, kinship, and living arrangements, and correlated with the characteristics of both caregivers and care recipients. The WTP and WTA values were also sensitive to a broad range of factors such as health, level of education, employment status, and household income. We highlight the contribution made by informal caregivers to elderly care and recommend the promotion of informal care activities to support and incentivize them.
An Exploration of Adults Transitioning Into Retirements' Perspectives on Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity
Authors: Pang Bingyan , McVeigh Joanne A. , Thompson Craig , Thøgersen‐Ntoumani Cecilie , Stamatakis Emmanual , Moullin Joanna C. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTIssue AddressedAustralian adults transitioning into retirement aged 55–75 years (> 50%) do not meet the World Health Organization recommendation of physical activity (PA). One potential strategy to promote PA is through vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA). This study aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators from adults transitioning to retirement about participation in VILPA and to identify strategies to promote and implement VILPA.MethodsThirty adults transitioning to retirement (mean age = 64 years) were recruited to participate in focus groups to provide their perceptions on VILPA. All participants' PAs were measured by accelerometers. A set of semi‐structured questions developed from the findings of a previous scoping review was used to guide focus groups with participants. To increase awareness of PA bouts and intensity, the focus group discussions were prompted by participants' individualised accelerometer‐measured PA reports. The identified barriers and facilitators were mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework. Intervention strategies were derived from the framework domains.ResultsThree focus groups were conducted. Participants perceived barriers to participation in VILPA stem from health constraints, insufficient awareness about VILPA, and adverse weather conditions. To promote VILPA, adults transitioning to retirement require a better understanding of PA intensities, knowledge of identifying VILPA opportunities, and monitoring and feedback for engagement. Intervention to promote VILPA should include elements of education, persuasion, incentivisation and enablement.ConclusionsAdults transitioning to retirement perceived VILPA as feasible and convenient for increasing their overall PA.So What?The study findings will directly inform the development of a targeted VILPA intervention with key stakeholders and an implementation plan to promote PA in adults transitioning to retirement.
The Impacts of Engagement in Men's Sheds on Incidental Physical Activity and Wellbeing Outcomes
Authors: Guerrini Briana , Clarke James J. , Smith Brendan J. , McVeigh Joanne A. , Holmes Kirsten , Wild James , Talbot Rebecca , Ashley Jaxon , McEvoy Peter M. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTBackgroundAs a large proportion of older adults are insufficiently active, it is imperative to identify ways to increase incidental physical activity. Men's Sheds, a mutual‐aid, community‐based organisation appear to be a promising approach for optimising wellbeing outcomes.ObjectivesTo investigate whether Men's Sheds attendance is associated with higher levels of physical activity, and the relationships between physical activity, health‐related quality of life (HRQOL), and wellbeing in Men's Shed members.MethodsParticipants (N = 45) wore a hip accelerometer (Actigraph GTX‐9) for 11 days. The majority (n = 30, Mage = 72.3 ± 9.4) also consented to complete an online questionnaire investigating HRQOL and wellbeing.ResultsLinear mixed models revealed members, on average, spent an additional 34 min in light physical activity, had an extra six breaks in sedentary behaviour, and took an extra 1193 steps on days they attended Men's Sheds, though, these effects were small. Physical activity was not significantly associated with HRQOL and wellbeing.ConclusionMen's Sheds appear to be a valuable approach for increasing light intensity physical activity, breaks in sedentary behaviours, and step count in older adults. However, additional Men's Shed activities specifically targeting increased movement may be required to realise greater impacts on health‐related quality of life and wellbeing.So What?Men's Sheds may provide a valuable opportunity to increase some indices of physical activity, which may contribute to better overall health. While these effects may be small for active Men's Shed members, these effects may be more appreciable for more sedentary individuals.
Do Mortgage Buy‐To‐Let Investors Pay More or Less for Properties? Empirical Evidence From the UK Residential Market
Authors: Petris Panagiotis , Dotsis George , Alexakis Panayotis 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we test whether mortgage buy‐to‐let investors buy houses at significantly different prices compared to other buyers. The distinctive characteristic of a mortgage buy‐to‐let transaction is that lenders require the price offered to be explicitly tied to the rental income that the property will be able to generate. To test the existence of a price differential between the two groups of buyers, we use house price data of more than 600,000 residential unit transactions that took place in England and Wales. Using data that span the period 2014–2021, our empirical findings show that mortgage buy‐to‐let investors buy houses at a significantly discounted price (discount of about 4.5%) compared to other buyers. We provide evidence that home price differentials among the two buyer groups are less pronounced in a highly competitive market, such as the London housing market. We also find that the mortgage buy‐to‐let discount was on average higher before the 3% rise in the stamp duty land tax that took place in 2016.
The Role of CXCL13 in GC‐1 Cell Cycle Arrest Induced by Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Through JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Lei Yuzhu , Dong Ruoyun , Sun Chenhao , Hu Yunhua , Yan Yizhong , Song Guanling , Wang Yan 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTTitanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) can induce the cell cycle arrest in spermatogonia, and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in cell cycle progression, but the specific upstream regulatory mechanisms are not completely clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether CXCL13 regulated the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway to participate in cell cycle arrest after mouse spermatogonia cell line (GC‐1) exposure to TiO2 NPs. The GC‐1 cells were treated with TiO2 NPs at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 μg/mL) for 24 h to detect cell viability, cell cycle distribution, CXCL13 protein, JAK2/STAT3 pathway‐related proteins, and cell cycle–related proteins. The CXCL13 recombinant protein was used to verify the role of CXCL13 in cell cycle and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. TiO2 NPs inhibited cell viability; regulated cell cycle–related proteins including remarkably decreased Cyclin D1, CDK4, Cyclin E1, and CDK2 as well as increased p21; and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. TiO2 NPs inhibited the levels of CXCL13 protein and weakened the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway by reducing the levels of p‐JAK2/JAK2 and p‐STAT3/STAT3 proteins. Furthermore, CXCL13 mitigated the suppression of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and the G0/G1 cell cycle arrest caused by TiO2 NPs. Taken together, TiO2 NPs downregulated the expression of CXCL13 to inhibit the activation of downstream JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, eventually inducing cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. These results provide a novel insight for complemented understanding of the mechanisms of TiO2 NPs–induced cell cycle arrest in GC‐1 cells.