bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethnic Liberalism
Authors: Rovny Jan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis empirical chapter demonstrates the core association between ethnic minority status and constitutionally liberal political preferences. It asserts that despite being inherently similar to others, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds encounter different social and political circumstances due to their ethnic distinctiveness, leading to a latent sense of insecurity. This insecurity influences their pursuit of liberal rights as a means to safeguard their identity against potential threats from the majority. The analysis begins by studying core human values and the tendency of ethnic minority individuals to exhibit more risk-averse behavior, seeking greater security compared to their majority counterparts. It then explores how this inclination shapes minorities’ broader social perspectives, particularly regarding tolerance and acceptance of diversity. The chapter demonstrates the relationship between ethnic minority status and constitutional liberalism using diverse quantitative analyses. It compares the values and political preferences of individuals from minority and majority ethnic backgrounds. It further examines the stances of ethnic minority representatives and parties, highlighting that ethnic minority status propels a quest for protection through a liberal political framework. The chapter thus demonstrates the key, yet conditional, association between ethnic minority status and liberal preferences.
Ethnicity and New Issues
Authors: Rovny Jan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis empirical chapter investigates how ethnicity influences responses to new political issues. Using diverse quantitative data, the chapter explores the significant impact of ethnic minority views on shaping general ideological tendencies for both minorities and majorities, influencing individual and political parties’ stances on related issues, such as immigration and European integration. By analyzing individual and party perspectives, the chapter shows that attitudes toward immigration and European integration are closely linked with views of ‘otherness,’ generally developed in the context of how one sees ethnic minorities. The chapter further delves into how ethnic heterogeneity shapes the formation of political preferences of majority populations, showcasing the influence of ethnic minority presence on individual-level political views across ethnically homogenous and heterogeneous countries in the region.
Ethnicity and Democratic Resilience
Authors: Rovny Jan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe chapter investigates the role of ethnic politics in shaping the democratic outcomes of eastern European countries, both in the context of democratic transition in the 1990s, and amidst recent challenges to liberal democratic norms and democratic backsliding. It demonstrates how politically mobilized ethnic minorities contribute to democratic outcomes, with their presence shaping the resilience of democratic institutions and practices. Using experimental as well as observational quantitative evidence, the chapter shows how ethnic minorities and their representatives reinforce the liberal side of politics, countering the influence of illiberal parties that typically spearhead democratic regression. A survey experiment among ethnic minority respondents in Estonia and Slovakia demonstrates the causal effect of ethnic minority status on democratic preferences. Observational evidence underlines the role of ethnic representation in democratic politics. In heterogeneous societies where ethnic minorities are politically relevant, their involvement impedes the monopolistic dominance of illiberal forces, safeguarding democratic institutions. Ultimately, the chapter demonstrates that the electoral success and government participation of ethnic minority parties contribute to reinforcing liberal democracy in the region.
Permanent or Provisional? The Sudeten Germans
Authors: Rovny Jan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis chapter provides a case study of the German minority in interwar Czechoslovakia, studying the positions of German political representatives from 1920 to 1938. Using historical sources as well as quantitative analyses of all parliamentary speeches of German representatives, the chapter highlights two central arguments. First, it emphasizes the significance of the Germans’ status as a provisional versus permanent ethnic minority. In doing so, the chapter underscores the circumstantial nature of ethnic minority liberalism. It shows the centrality of perceived permanence of ethnic minority status, which determines political strategies. Second, the chapter underscores the role of interethnic cooperation. It demonstrates the systemic benefits of cooperative endeavors between moderate minority and majority representatives as a driving force for ethnic liberalism, particularly in the pursuit of shared non-ethnic political goals, promoting democratic cooperation in the face of extremist threats. The chapter reveals how, during the early days of the Czechoslovak state, the Sudeten German minority hesitated as a provisional minority, inclined toward association with Austria. However, as the state solidified and their minority status became permanent, their pursuit shifted toward establishing peaceful relations with the ethnic majority. Despite the onset of the Great Depression, cooperation between Czechs and Germans thrived, but collapsed with the rise of Nazism, leading to the breakdown of Czech-German collaboration due to Hitler’s policy of offering Sudeten Germans an exit from minority status. The chapter maintains a nuanced perspective on the Sudeten Germans, acknowledging the diversity among their elites’ affiliations, encompassing both committed Nazis and dedicated anti-Nazi activists.
Major Minority: The Estonian Russians
Authors: Rovny Jan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis chapter studies the important Russian-speaking minority in Estonia. Using an original individual-level survey that over-samples the Russian-speaking minority, as well as a large number of interviews with key politicians, civil servants, and academics, the chapter explores how ethnic identity influences the political preferences of Estonian Russian speakers, and examines the representation of this group in Estonian politics. Tracing the emergence of political elites among the Russian-speaking community, the chapter assesses their views and actions, and the formation of their political strategies. The chapter highlights the specific views of Estonian Russian speakers, and how they are influenced by generational and other factors. Furthermore, the chapter sheds light on the translation of these preferences into the political sphere by partisan actors, addressing the strategic cooptation of ethnic minority elites into majority parties. The chapter illuminates the delicate balance between preserving Russian language and culture while fostering constructive cooperation with Estonian peers. The chapter offers insights into the historical context of Estonian–Russian relations, and the re-establishment of Estonian independence. It highlights the role of ethnic minority politics in shaping political preferences, representation, and democracy in the Baltic country.
Comparison between computer recognition and manual measurement methods for the estimation of leaf area
Authors: Mu Youying , He Ke , Shi Peijian , Wang Lin , Deng Linli , Shi Zhuyue , Liu Mengdi , Niklas Karl J 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background and Aims
Leaf area (A) is a crucial indicator of the photosynthetic capacity of plants. The Montgomery equation (ME), which hypothesizes that A is proportional to the product of leaf length (L) and width (W), is a valid tool for non-destructively measuring A for many broadleaved plants. At present, the methods used to compute L and W for the ME can be broadly divided into two kinds: using computer recognition and measuring manually. However, the potential difference in the prediction accuracy using either method has not been thoroughly examined in previous studies.

Methods
In the present study, we measured 540 Alangium chinense leaves, 489 Liquidambar formosana leaves and 215 Liriodendron × sinoamericanum leaves, utilizing computer recognition and manual measurement methods to determine L and W. The ME was used to fit the data determined by the two methods, and the goodness of fits were compared. The prediction errors of A were analysed by examining the correlations with two leaf symmetry indices (areal ratio of the left side to the right side, and standardized index for bilateral asymmetry), as well as the leaf shape complexity index (the leaf dissection index).

Key Results
The results indicate that there is a neglectable difference in the estimation of A between the two methods. This further validates that the ME is an effective method for estimating A in broadleaved tree species, including those with lobes. Additionally, leaf shape complexity significantly influenced the estimation of A.

Conclusions
These results show that the use of computer recognition and manual measurement in the field are both effective and feasible, although the influence of leaf shape complexity should be considered when applying the ME to estimate A in the future.
Effect of 4 hydroxy fatty acids on lipid accumulation in the 3T3-L1 cells: a comparative study
Authors: Kaji Nanaka , Omae Tsubasa , Matsuzaki Hidenori , Yamamoto Yukihiro 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT
Notwithstanding the several investigations of the hydroxy fatty acids (hFAs)’ physiological functions, studies focusing on their anti-obesity effects are limited. This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of 4 hFAs—10-hydroxy stearic acid (10-hSA), 12-hydroxy stearic acid (12-hSA), 9,12-hydroxy stearic acid (9,12-dhSA), and 12-hydroxy oleic acid (12-hOA)—on the 3T3-L1 cells. All hFAs suppressed lipid accumulation, with 10-hSA and 12-hOA exhibiting the strongest suppression, followed by 12-hSA and 9,12-hSA. This trend was similar to that observed for the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity level. Contrastingly, only 9,12-dhSA suppressed cell viability. The mRNA levels of HK1 and Aldoa were markedly suppressed by 10-hSA and 12-hSA compared to the control. Additionally, mRNA expression of Gyk was considerably suppressed by 12-hSA. Thus, all hFAs suppressed lipid accumulation by suppressing GPDH activity, although their molecular mechanisms were different. These findings will aid the application of hFAs in the food and medical industries.
Exposure to humans and task difficulty levels affect wild raccoons (Procyon lotor) learning
Authors: Lazure Louis , Weladji Robert B 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Cognition helps wildlife exploit novel resources and environments. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) have successfully adapted to human presence, in part due to their cognitive abilities. However, interactions between humans and wildlife can create conflict. A better understanding of the raccoon’s behavioral flexibility and learning ability could mitigate some conflicts. Our objective was to evaluate wild raccoons learning in contexts varying in terms of exposure to humans (recreational and preservation zoning within protected areas) and task difficulty. Learning can be evaluated over multiple exposures to a cognitive task. Across three years of experiment, we employed 2 food extraction tasks to gauge the change in problem-solving performance over trials. This assessment considered the success probability (the number of successful trials divided by the total number of trials) and the time taken to solve the puzzles. We also looked at the effects of 2 behavioral traits, exploratory diversity and persistence. We found strong evidence for learning over consecutive trials in terms of improved success probability. Improvement in terms of success probability and solving time was more pronounced with the initially easier task. We detected an increase in success probability over trials only in the recreation zones, and there was no evidence of an effect of behavioral traits. The improved performance attributed to learning was also maintained over consecutive years. We provide additional evidence that raccoons can learn how to solve a problem, resulting in a more effective solution in consecutive trials. Finally, we consider the management implications of dealing with raccoons accessing anthropogenic resources.
Effect of synthetic CT on dose-derived toxicity predictors for MR-only prostate radiotherapy
Authors: Thomas Christopher , Dregely Isabel , Oksuz Ilkay , Guerrero Urbano Teresa , Greener Tony , King Andrew P , Barrington Sally F 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Toxicity-driven adaptive radiotherapy (RT) is enhanced by the superior soft tissue contrast of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging compared with conventional computed tomography (CT). However, in an MR-only RT pathway synthetic CTs (sCT) are required for dose calculation. This study evaluates 3 sCT approaches for accurate rectal toxicity prediction in prostate RT.

Methods
Thirty-six patients had MR (T2-weighted acquisition optimized for anatomical delineation, and T1-Dixon) with same day standard-of-care planning CT for prostate RT. Multiple sCT were created per patient using bulk density (BD), tissue stratification (TS, from T1-Dixon) and deep-learning (DL) artificial intelligence (AI) (from T2-weighted) approaches for dose distribution calculation and creation of rectal dose volume histograms (DVH) and dose surface maps (DSM) to assess grade-2 (G2) rectal bleeding risk.

Results
Maximum absolute errors using sCT for DVH-based G2 rectal bleeding risk (risk range 1.6% to 6.1%) were 0.6% (BD), 0.3% (TS) and 0.1% (DL). DSM-derived risk prediction errors followed a similar pattern. DL sCT has voxel-wise density generated from T2-weighted MR and improved accuracy for both risk-prediction methods.

Conclusions
DL improves dosimetric and predicted risk calculation accuracy. Both TS and DL methods are clinically suitable for sCT generation in toxicity-guided RT, however, DL offers increased accuracy and offers efficiencies by removing the need for T1-Dixon MR.

Advances in knowledge
This study demonstrates novel insights regarding the effect of sCT on predictive toxicity metrics, demonstrating clear accuracy improvement with increased sCT resolution. Accuracy of toxicity calculation in MR-only RT should be assessed for all treatment sites where dose to critical structures will guide adaptive-RT strategies.

Clinical trial registration number
Patient data were taken from an ethically approved (UK Health Research Authority) clinical trial run at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Study Name: MR-simulation in Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03238170.
Statin use and risk of Parkinson’s disease among older adults in Japan: a nested case–control study using the Longevity Improvement and Fair Evidence study
Authors: Ge Sanyu , Zha Ling , Kimura Yasuyoshi , Shimomura Yoshimitsu , Komatsu Masayo , Gon Yasufumi , Komukai Sho , Murata Fumiko , Maeda Megumi , Kiyohara Kosuke , Sobue Tomotaka , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Fukuda Haruhisa 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
The association between statin use and the risk of Parkinson’s disease remains inconclusive, particularly in Japan’s super-ageing society. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between statin use and the risk of Parkinson’s disease among Japanese participants aged ≥65 years. We used data from the Longevity Improvement and Fair Evidence Study, which included medical and long-term care claim data from April 2014 to December 2020 across 17 municipalities. Using a nested case–control design, we matched one case to five controls based on age, sex, municipality and cohort entry year. A conditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Among the 56 186 participants (9397 cases and 46 789 controls), 53.6% were women. The inverse association between statin use and Parkinson’s disease risk was significant after adjusting for multiple variables (odds ratio: 0.61; 95% confidence interval: 0.56–0.66). Compared with non-users, the dose analysis revealed varying odds ratios: 1.30 (1.12–1.52) for 1–30 total standard daily doses, 0.77 (0.64–0.92) for 31–90 total standard daily doses, 0.62 (0.52–0.75) for 91–180 total standard daily doses and 0.30 (0.25–0.35) for &gt;180 total standard daily doses. Statin use among older Japanese adults was associated with a decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Notably, lower cumulative statin doses were associated with an elevated risk of Parkinson’s disease, whereas higher cumulative doses exhibited protective effects against Parkinson’s disease development.
Post-synthetic modification of near-infrared absorbing cyclodextrin-encapsulated cyanine dyes for controlling absorption wavelength, stability, and singlet oxygen generation
Authors: Zhang Huimin , Masui Yoichi , Masai Hiroshi , Terao Jun 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
In this study, near-infrared absorbing rotaxane-type cyanine dyes exhibit high tolerance to various chemical reactions, which is attributed to the encapsulation effect of their cyclic molecules. As a result, rotaxane dyes can be post-modified on the host α-cyclodextrin or guest cyanine skeleton to adjust their solubility, absorption wavelength, stability, and singlet oxygen generation ability. The guest modification product obtained via the Heck reaction demonstrates a red shift of its absorption wavelength owing to the extended conjugation system. Moreover, the products of host modification through the methylation and benzylation of all cyclodextrin hydroxyl groups not only become lipophilic and show extended absorption, but also exhibit higher photooxidation tolerance, lower singlet oxygen generation rate, and increased singlet oxygen tolerance, indicating their potential applicability as highly durable dyes. Furthermore, the outstanding singlet oxygen tolerance of these dyes enables their use in long-life singlet oxygen generators, in which the total amount of singlet oxygen increases. This work demonstrates that an intrinsically unstable near-infrared cyanine dye can be used as a synthetic intermediate by stabilizing it via α-cyclodextrin encapsulation, allowing the post-modification of various properties of cyanine dyes toward the higher-order near-infrared-absorbing materials with complex functionalities and diverse utilities.
Distinguishing the transitions of fluorescence spectra of tryptophan-134 and 213 in BSA induced by bindings of UV filters, oxybenzone-3, and avobenzone
Authors: Minamide Megumi , Tsurushima Minori , Koga Ryotaro , Hasegawa Kanji , Kurosawa Yuya , Tsuchida Tomohiro , Goto Satoru 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Oxybenzone-3 (OBZ) and avobenzone (ABZ), commercially available ultraviolet-light filters for sunscreens, are known to induce photosensitizing allergy as an adverse effect, similar to an analgesic ketoprofen (KTP) due to their benzophenone moiety. The present study focused on OBZ and ABZ's protein binding compared to the related analgesics, KTP, diclofenac (DCF), and ibuprofen (IBP). The bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a protein model, measuring the fluorescent spectral peak shifts (i) and Stern–Volmer analysis (i) of its intrinsic tryptophans. Moreover, their adsorption types (iii) were verified using the singular value decomposition (SVD) computation of fluorescence spectra. For (i), (ii), and (iii), KTP and DCF caused a no-shift peak, an ordinary dynamic quenching, and a simple Langmuir adsorption. We found OBZ exhibiting (i) red-shift and (ii) including static quenching, ABZ suggesting (i) blue-shift and (iii) binding to multiple bind sites, and IBP indicating (i) blue-shift and (iii) multivalent bindings. Integrating the results, it can be understood that OBZ interacts with subdomain IA (around W134) in BSA, while ABZ interacts with subdomain IIA (around W213) in BSA. Moreover, IBP is bound to BSA with a cooperative effect, certified by Hill's plot. OBZ and ABZ had their individual binding sites on a protein, suggesting the exchange between OBZ and ABZ might reduce their own adverse effect. The present study verified the effectiveness of the SVD computation in distinguishing the details of the adsorption manner of ligands around the intrinsic fluorescent probes.
Photocatalytic water splitting over K6M10.8O30 (M = Ta, Nb) with a partially filled tetragonal tungsten bronze structure
Authors: Moriya Misa , Kato Hideki , Iwase Akihide 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
K6M10.8O30 (M = Ta, Nb) with partially filled C sites in a tetragonal tungsten bronze structure represented as the general formula (A1)4(A2)2C4M10O30 shows photocatalytic activity for water splitting under UV light irradiation upon loading with suitable cocatalysts. An apparent quantum yield of the optimized NiO(0.2 wt%)-loaded K6Ta10.8O30 for water splitting is 13% at 248 nm.
Prognostic value of aortic valve calcification in non-severe aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Ye Zi , Scott Christopher G , Gajjar Rohan A , Foley Thomas , Clavel Marie-Annick , Nkomo Vuyisile T , Luis S Allen , Miranda William R , Padang Ratnasari , Pislaru Sorin V , Enriquez-Sarano Maurice , Michelena Hector I 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Aims
Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is prognostic in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). We assessed the AVC prognostic value in non-severe AS patients.

Methods and results
We conducted a retrospective study of 395 patients with non-severe AS, LVEF ≥ 50%. The Agatston method was used for CT AVC assessment. The log-rank test determined the best AVC cut-offs for survival under medical surveillance: 1185  arbitrary unit (AU) in men and 850 AU in women, lower than the established cut-offs for severe AS (2064 AU in men and 1274 AU in women). Patients were divided into 3 AVC groups based on these cut-offs: low (&lt;1185 AU in men and &lt;850 AU in women), sub-severe (1185–2064 AU in men and 850–1274 AU in women), and severe (&gt;2064 AU in men and &gt;1274 AU in women). Of 395 patients (mean age 73 ± 12 years, 60.5% men, aortic valve area 1.23 ± 0.30 cm2, mean pressure gradient 28 ± 8 mmHg), 218 underwent aortic valve intervention (AVI) and 158 deaths occurred during follow-up, 82 before AVI. Median survival time under medical surveillance was 2.1 (0.7–4.9) years. Compared with the low AVC group, both sub-severe and severe AVC groups had higher risk for all-cause death under medical surveillance after comprehensive adjustment including echocardiographic AS severity and coronary artery calcium score (all P ≤ 0.006); while mortality risk was similar between sub-severe and severe AVC groups (all P ≥ 0.2). This mortality risk pattern persisted in the overall survival analysis after adjustment for AVI. AVI was protective of all-cause death in the sub-severe and severe AVC (all P ≤ 0.01), but not in the low AVC groups.

Conclusion
Sub-severe AVC is a robust risk stratification parameter in patients with non-severe AS and may inform AVI timing.