bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Review of current hydroponic food production practices and the potential role of bioelectrochemical systems
Authors: Wang Shuyao , Kleiner Yehuda , Clark Shawn M. , Raghavan Vijaya , Tartakovsky Boris 
Published: August 2024

AbstractHydroponic cultivation is an efficient, resource-saving technology that produces high yields of high-quality products per unit area without soil. While this technology can save water and fertilisers, water recirculation increases the accumulation of root exudates known to be toxic to the plant, causing growth inhibition. The usage of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) is well-documented for wastewater treatment, desalination, contamination remediation, bioelectricity generation, etc. In this review we explore the issues associated with the usage of traditional approaches in detecting and removing the phytotoxic substances exudated from plant roots. Furthermore, we investigate the prospects of deploying BESs in hydroponic systems and highlight potential benefits and challenges. The application, feasibility and scalability of BES-hydroponic systems, as well as the possibility of integration with other technologies are all critically discussed. It is concluded that the use of BESs for hydroponic wastewater treatment and for real-time plant growth monitoring represents a novel and valuable strategy. This approach has the potential to overcome limitations of the existing treatment methods and contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture.
Graphical abstract
Multi-disciplinary approach identifies pelagic nutrient linkage by sawsharks
Authors: Burke Patrick J. , Meyer Lauren , Raoult Vincent , Huveneers Charlie , Williamson Jane E. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractQuantifying the trophic role of a species is key to understanding its ecology and ecological role. Their trophic role can influence community composition, ecosystem stability, and nutrient transport and cycling between habitats through ingestion, egestion, and excretion, which requires an understanding of species diet and habitat use. Despite the regular occurrence of sawsharks in Australian temperate fisheries, there remains limited information on their trophic ecology or habitat use, but they are assumed to be benthic consumers. We used fatty acid and stable isotope profiles along with stomach content analysis to investigate the trophic ecology of two sympatric species of sawsharks, the common sawshark (Pristiophorus cirratus) and southern sawshark (Pristiophorus nudipinnis) in south-eastern Australia. Stable isotope analysis of δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S in sawshark muscle revealed that P. nudipinnis fed at a higher trophic level than P. cirratus, and mixing models and stomach contents indicated P. nudipinnis was surprisingly reliant on pelagic and benthopelagic prey sources. In contrast, P. cirratus preyed on more benthic invertebrate species, not found in P. nudipinnis. This bentho-pelagic partitioning between species was supported by P. nudipinnis fatty acid profiles having higher levels of tracers associated with dinoflagellate basal sources (16:1/16:0, 22:6ω3) than P. cirratus, indicating a reliance on pelagic food webs. These data demonstrate that sawsharks are mesopredators that play a substantial role linking pelagic and benthic food webs and highlights the value of incorporating multiple biochemical tracers to provide a comprehensive representation of an animal’s trophic ecology and role in and between ecosystems.
Developing and Gathering Validity Evidence for an Instrument to Measure How High School Students Identify as Researchers
Authors: Morell Linda , Bathia Shruti , Koo Bon W. , Wilson Mark , Gochyyev Perman , Smith Rebecca 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe authentic research experience, which provides students with meaningful collaborative research opportunities designed to promote discovery and innovation under the guidance of mentors, is increasing as a way to attract and engage students in STEM fields. However, despite the increase in authentic research experiences offered to students, there has been little research, particularly at the high school level, investigating students’ attitudes about themselves as researchers. To address this need, we developed a theory (or construct) for how high school age students self-identify as researchers and a companion survey to measure their identity. After three iterative development cycles, 823 high school students from diverse backgrounds were administered the 12-item survey, the Researcher Identity Survey—Form G (RISG). The partial credit Rasch model (1960/1980) was used to analyze the survey data. The results indicate that the survey identifies and locates high school age students as researchers validly and reliably along an easy to use and interpret scale. The survey holds promise as an important element for use in programs designed to broaden the entryway for students into the STEM disciplines.
Effect of salt stress on growth and phenolic compounds production in callus suspension culture of the dioecious species thyrse sorrel (Rumex thyrsiflorus Fingerh.)
Authors: Gozdur Kacper , Szopa Agnieszka , Ślesak Halina 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe sex-dependent differences in the response to salt stress of the dioecious Rumex thyrsiflorus and the influence of different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) on the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in callus suspension cultures were evaluated. The cultures originated from callus obtained on hypocotyls isolated from male and female seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0.4 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine and 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The results showed that the response to salt stress depends on both the sex of the plant and the NaCl concentration in the culture medium. The analysis of the main morphometric parameters showed that callus tissue derived from the hypocotyls of female seedlings was less sensitive to salt stress than that from male seedlings, which was correlated with higher concentrations of phenolic compounds. The optimal NaCl concentration to increase the production of phenolic compounds was 129 mM for females and 43 mM for males. In the methanolic tissue extracts 22 compounds were determined using the HPLC–DAD method. In general, higher amounts of compounds were detected in the extracts from the female tissue. The following dominated: catechin (max. 213.31), cryptochlorogenic acid (max. 76.35) and epicatechin (max. 54.84) (mg/100 g DW). This comprehensive phytochemical analysis of the sex-related aspects of the response to salt stress was performed for the first time in this dioecious model species. The results revealed potential application of NaCl as the ecological friendly and inexpensive elicitor to increase the production of pharmaceutically valuable compounds and highlight the importance of dioecy in phytochemistry.
Sich vorstellen (‘imagine’) as a Fiction Verb and as a Verb of Thinking
Authors: Sode Frank 
Published: August 2024

AbstractI argue that sich vorstellen (‘imagine’) in German, similar to English imagine, has a use as a fiction verb and a use as a verb of thinking. I follow Vendler (Rev Métaphys Morale 84(2):161–173, 1979) in assuming that the fiction verbs like vorstellen can be used to report acts of subjective imagination (imagined inner experiences) and acts of objective imagination (imagined outer experiences). For sich vorstellen as a verb of thinking we have to distinguish between a use on which it introduces an activity and takes interrogative complements and DPs on a concealed question interpretation as arguments and a use on which it introduces an attitudinal state that can be characterized as betting on the truth of a proposition in a given subject matter. Given the differences in grammar and interpretation I argue that we have to distinguish four lexical entries for German sich vorstellen: imagine$$_{{\textsc {exp}}-{\textsc {sbj}}}$$

E
X
P

-

S
B
J

, imagine$$_{{\textsc {exp}}{-}{\textsc {obj}}}$$

E
X
P

-

O
B
J

, imagine$$_{\textsc {prop-act}}$$

P
R
O
P
-
A
C
T

, imagine$$_{\textsc {prop-state}}$$

P
R
O
P
-
S
T
A
T
E

. Having laid out all the necessary distinctions to account for the data, I discuss the prospects of reducing the number of lexical entries. I propose that imagine$$_{{\textsc {exp}}-{\textsc {sbj}}}$$

E
X
P

-

S
B
J

and imagine$$_{{\textsc {exp}}{-}{\textsc {obj}}}$$

E
X
P

-

O
B
J

could be reduced to imagine$$_{\textsc {prop-act}}$$

P
R
O
P
-
A
C
T

if we assume that all reports of experiential imagining can be reduced to reports of propositional imagining that combine the predicate imagine$$_{\textsc {prop-act}}$$

P
R
O
P
-
A
C
T

with a question of the kind ‘what would it be like?’, following an idea in D’Ambrosio and Stoljar (Synthese 199:12923–12944, 2021). Under this assumption only two lexical entries are needed: an entry for imagine$$_{\textsc {prop-act}}$$

P
R
O
P
-
A
C
T

, a rogative predicate that introduces activities, and imagine$$_{\textsc {prop-state}}$$

P
R
O
P
-
S
T
A
T
E

an attitude predicate that takes propositions as arguments and introduces an attitudinal state. The overall result is that the grammar and interpretation of the fiction verb sich vorstellen is much closer to verbs of thinking than one might imagine.
Learning General and Specific Embedding with Transformer for Few-Shot Object Detection
Authors: Zhang Xu , Chen Zhe , Zhang Jing , Liu Tongliang , Tao Dacheng 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Few-shot object detection (FSOD) studies how to detect novel objects with few annotated examples effectively. Recently, it has been demonstrated that decent feature embeddings, including the general feature embeddings that are more invariant to visual changes and the specific feature embeddings that are more discriminative for different object classes, are both important for FSOD. However, current methods lack appropriate mechanisms to sensibly cooperate both types of feature embeddings based on their importance to detecting objects of novel classes, which may result in sub-optimal performance. In this paper, to achieve more effective FSOD, we attempt to explicitly encode both general and specific feature embeddings using learnable tensors and apply a Transformer to help better incorporate them in FSOD according to their relations to the input object features. We thus propose a Transformer-based general and specific embedding learning (T-GSEL) method for FSOD. In T-GSEL, learnable tensors are employed in a three-stage pipeline, encoding feature embeddings in general level, intermediate level, and specific level, respectively. In each stage, we apply a Transformer to first model the relations of the corresponding embedding to input object features and then apply the estimated relations to refine the input features. Meanwhile, we further introduce cross-stage connections between embeddings of different stages to make them complement and cooperate with each other, delivering general, intermediate, and specific feature embeddings stage by stage and utilizing them together for feature refinement in FSOD. In practice, a T-GSEL module is easy to inject. Extensive empirical results further show that our proposed T-GSEL method achieves compelling FSOD performance on both PASCAL VOC and MS COCO datasets compared with other state-of-the-art approaches.
Statistical modeling and optimization of volatile fatty acids production by anaerobic digestion of municipal wastewater sludge
Authors: Gracia Jeniffer , Acevedo Oscar , Acevedo Paola , Mosquera Jhessica , Montenegro Carlos , Cabeza Ivan 
Published: August 2024

AbstractObtaining value-added products from renewable resources is limited by the lack of specific operating conditions optimized for the physico-chemical characteristics of the biomass and the desired end product. A mathematical model and statistical optimization were developed for the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic digestion of municipal sewage sludge. The experimental tests were carried out in triplicate and investigated a wide range of conditions: pH 9.5, 10.5, and 11.5; temperatures 25 °C, 35 °C, 45 °C, and 55 °C; primary sludge with organic loading (OL) of 10 and 14 g VS (volatile solids); and digested sludge with 4 and 6 g VS. Subsequently, a statistical search was performed to obtain optimal production conditions, then a statistical model of VFA production was developed and the optimal conditions were validated at pilot plant scale. The maximum VFA concentration predicted was 6975 mg COD (chemical oxygen demand)/L using primary sludge at 25 °C, initial OL of 14 g VS, and pH 10.5. The obtained third-degree model (r2 = 0.83) is a powerful tool for bioprocess scale-up, offering a promising avenue for sustainable waste management and biorefinery development.
Self-regulated strategy development’s effectiveness: underlying cognitive and metacognitive mechanisms
Authors: Fernandez Jonathan , Guilbert Jessica 
Published: August 2024

AbstractSelf-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is a method designed to explicitly teach students self-regulation skills and help them implement them. While SRSD’s beneficial effect on writing quality has been confirmed in a large body of literature, the questions of why, how, and for whom SRSD works remain unclear. To investigate the underlying cognitive and metacognitive mechanisms, and identify the factors that potentially moderate SRSD’s effectiveness, we compared fourth- and fifth-graders who either received regular writing instruction or underwent an SRSD intervention in a quasi-experimental setting. Students’ abilities to plan, write quality texts, and self-evaluate were measured. Factors that have been demonstrated to be related to writing abilities were assessed to study whether they might facilitate or hinder acquisition of strategies taught in the SRSD intervention. The results indicated that compared with students who received regular writing instruction, students who underwent the SRSD intervention produced higher-quality texts and evaluated their texts’ quality more accurately, despite persistent overestimation. Mediation analyses indicated that progress in producing high-quality texts was explained by improvements in students’ planning skills, enabling them to write stories that were better-structured and contained more ideas. However, the results also indicated that some students under the SRSD condition struggled to implement the planning strategies they were taught, particularly students with poor working memory. Recommendations for optimizing the SRSD intervention’s effectiveness in developing all students’ writing skills are discussed.
Exploring the Impact of Routine Activity and Financial Strain on Fraud Victimization During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong
Authors: Siu Jacky Cheuk Lap , Zhong Hua , Nivette Amy 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fraud victimization in Hong Kong, providing valuable insights beyond the Western context. Drawing on general strain theory and routine activity theory, this research explores the influence of economic recession at the local and adjacent societal levels, as well as residential duration (refers to relative time spent at residences), on fraud victimization in Hong Kong. Utilizing 10 years (120 months) of monthly police-recorded victimization data, this study employs various methodologies, including ARIMA forecasting, single-group interrupted time series analysis (ITSA), and Poisson regression, to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fraud victimization in Hong Kong. The ARIMA framework reveals an unexpected and significant increase in fraud victimization during the COVID-19 period, surpassing the predicted levels. The ITSA results demonstrate that the pandemic had a short-term and long-term effect on fraud victimization in Hong Kong. To further understand the factors contributing to this change, a Poisson regression analysis is conducted. The findings highlight the positive and significant impact of residential duration and the unemployment rate in mainland China on fraud victimization, aligning with the propositions of routine activity theory and general strain theory. Limitations and policy implications at both the local and international levels are discussed.
Managing the patient portfolio using mathematical programming: decision support guidelines using a real-world use case at a university hospital
Authors: Grieger Milena , Heider Steffen , McRae Sebastian , Koperna Thomas , Brunner Jens O. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractMany hospitals in Germany are facing escalating economic pressures. After several years of stagnation, the number of inpatient hospital treatments dropped by $$\:13\%$$ in 2020 compared to the previous year. This negative tendency can also be seen in operating theaters (OTs). Strategic management of the case mix in hospital OTs now necessitates a solid data foundation. The case mix and the case mix index have become central economic indicators in contemporary hospital operations. In this work, we develop a mathematical model for case mix optimization at Augsburg University Hospital in Germany, which is based on an extensive data analysis with descriptive methods. The optimization model is subject to rigorous testing and evaluation through an extensive series of scenario analyses. The primary objective is to calculate a revenue-maximizing patient mix while respecting the available scarce personnel resources in the OT and intensive care unit. This research marks a pioneering effort in delineating the practical integration of case mix planning into a hospital’s routine operations using mathematical optimization. The analyses reveal a strong correlation between an upsurge in revenue and an increased number of cases. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that strategic planning of the patient mix has the potential to enhance revenue with existing resources. Even though the optimal patient mix may not be directly implementable in practice, the findings yield valuable insights for managerial decision-making. A critical examination of these results also fosters a nuanced discourse on the utilization of optimization models as decision support tools within hospital management.
Perception of corruption as a business obstacle, generalized trust and relation centrism in low- and middle-income nations: the moderating influence of governance
Authors: Olarewaju Tolu , Tamvada Jagannadha Pawan , McDowall-Emefiele Sharin , Swaray Raymond 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWe examine regional differences in how generalized trust and relation centrism influence how 16,785 firms across 20 lower- and middle-income countries perceive corruption as a business obstacle. Using the machine learning method LASSO, our empirical findings indicate that higher out-group generalized trust is associated with increased perceptions of corruption hindering business operations. Conversely, higher in-group friend centrism aligns with reduced perceptions of corruption as an obstacle. Interestingly, regional disparities highlight that family centrism generally outweighs friend centrism in firms' perceptions of corruption obstacles. Furthermore, while legal institutional and regulatory quality partly mitigate this effect, political stability consistently plays the most significant role in weakening this association.
Mathematics teachers’ multiple perspectives on adaptive tasks: task evaluation and selection as core practices for teaching quality
Authors: Bardy Thomas , Holzäpfel Lars , Reinhold Frank , Leuders Timo 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe selection of tasks based on the evaluation of task features can be considered a core practice of teaching and a relevant component of teaching quality. This is typically part of teachers’ preparation for their classroom teaching, which prompts the following question: What are the characteristics of the tasks that teachers use when selecting tasks for differentiated teaching? To answer this question, we analyzed systematic differences in the focus of 78 in-service high school and lower secondary school teachers during the evaluation of task features. The teachers had to select eight tasks about the practice of fractions with respect to their differentiation potential—operationalizing their adaptive teaching competence from a mathematics educational perspective. To analyze the differences, we performed a cluster analysis of the task features that the teachers drew upon. Three groups of teachers could be identified with variations in their focus on directly or indirectly relevant, domain-specific or domain-general task features. Taking into account such variations may explain differences in teaching quality and student outcomes and may be relevant when designing teacher professional development programs.
Lagging Brain Gene Expression Patterns of Drosophila melanogaster Young Adult Males Confound Comparisons Between Sexes
Authors: McLamb Flannery , Feng Zuying , Vu Jeanne P. , Griffin Lindsey , Vasquez Miguel F. , Bozinovic Goran 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Many species, including fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), are sexually dimorphic. Phenotypic variation in morphology, physiology, and behavior can affect development, reproduction, health, and aging. Therefore, designating sex as a variable and sex-blocking should be considered when designing experiments. The brain regulates phenotypes throughout the lifespan by balancing survival and reproduction, and sex-specific development at each life stage is likely. Changes in morphology and physiology are governed by differential gene expression, a quantifiable molecular marker for age- and sex-specific variations. We assessed the fruit fly brain transcriptome at three adult ages for gene expression signatures of sex, age, and sex-by-age: 6698 genes were differentially expressed between sexes, with the most divergence at 3 days. Between ages, 31.1% of 6084 differentially expressed genes (1890 genes) share similar expression patterns from 3 to 7 days in females, and from 7 to 14 days in males. Most of these genes (90.5%, 1712) were upregulated and enriched for chemical stimulus detection and/or cilium regulation. Our data highlight an important delay in male brain gene regulation compared to females. Because significant delays in expression could confound comparisons between sexes, studies of sexual dimorphism at phenotypically comparable life stages rather than chronological age should be more biologically relevant.