bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethical Issues Associated with Managing and Sharing Individual-Level Health Data
Authors: Kaur Sharon , Cheah Phaik Yeong 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the generation of an unprecedented and exponentially mounting volume of data, including individual-level health data, bringing into sharp focus the importance of thinking about what constitutes ethical use of data in a public health emergency. The timely and appropriate use of such data (e.g. data from public health surveillance, electronic health records and research projects) has great potential to contribute to successful public health policies, effective therapeutic interventions and enhanced public support for, and trust in, governmental responses to the pandemic. However, a number of ethical issues arise from the use of different kinds of data, and the ways in which they are collected, processed and shared in the context of research during a pandemic. Two broad principles are generally associated with managing and sharing health data in research: first, that researchers should ensure research is carried out in a way that is respectful of persons and communities; and second, that the research is carried out in a manner that is fair to stakeholders, i.e. that it promotes equity. These should also remain the foundational principles of data sharing during a public health emergency. The principle of respect for persons and communities requires careful attention to be paid to consent processes for data sharing, justifications for waiving consent and approaches to protecting privacy and confidentiality. The promotion of equity prompts consideration of how the needs of differing stakeholders in data sharing are recognised and balanced, including appropriate forms of recognition for data sharers, and fair benefit sharing with the individuals and communities data have been collected from. The cases in this chapter illustrate issues arising when populations contribute data to a symptom-checker app, when heightened concerns arise raised about privacy and confidentiality in the context of collecting data about individuals who are potentially easily identifiable by their demographic characteristics, when very sensitive data is collected, and when a waiver of consent to access survey data is requested to enable potential participants of a study to be identified and contacted.
Corruption and Investment Arbitration in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Corruptio Incognito
Authors: Weeramantry Romesh , Sharma Uma 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIn recent years, corruption has become prevalent in investment arbitration. This chapter closely examines the issue of corruption in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic through the lens of two key investment-treaty arbitration decisions:Lao Holdings N.V. v. Lao People’s Democratic RepublicandSanum Investments Limited v. Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The decisions place a spotlight on how tribunals address allegations of fraud and corruption, and also the larger systemic issues which plague the Republic. The chapter thoroughly analyses the two decisions and discusses their implications on the conduct of arbitral proceedings. It is envisaged that these observations will provide a guide for practitioners navigating allegations of corruption in investment-treaty arbitration proceedings while contextualising the socio-political environment within which such grafting is perpetuated.
Foreign Investment, Corruption, Investment Treaties and Arbitration in Thailand
Authors: Khoman Sirilaksana , Nottage Luke , Thanitcul Sakda 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThailand’s economy has developed strongly by consistently attracting foreign investment especially since the 1980s, despite political upheavals and persistent corruption amidst ongoing challenges. It has also expanded the numbers and scope of its investment treaties, including more options for investor–state dispute settlement arbitrations to enforce substantive commitments to foreign investors, resulting in a few treaty-based arbitrations as well as some contract-based arbitrations involving foreign investors. A few, and possibly the Kingsgate v. Thailand claim under the Thailand–Australia Free Trade Agreement since 2017, have involved allegations and investigations concerning corruption and other serious illegal behaviour. As reiterated in the conclusion, corruption investigations and court proceedings are necessarily very lengthy, sometimes more so than the time taken to generate and enforce final awards in large (especially treaty-based) investment arbitrations. To reduce the consequent risk of enforcing an award that later proves to be based on seriously corrupt conduct, one solution may be for investment treaty arbitrators to apply the same higher standard of proof that corruption investigators and criminal courts need to apply, although this will mean more delays and perhaps costs in arbitration. Secondly, more transparency could be added to Thailand-related investment arbitration proceedings, so that the public at least knows that corruption is being alleged.
Corruption in International Investment Arbitration
Authors: Hwang Michael , Chang Aloysius 
Published: April 2024

AbstractCorruption takes on several forms, including bribery, trading in influence and facilitation payments, with some forms facing universal condemnation but not others. The topic of corruption and its many forms is gaining increasing importance in the field of investor–state dispute settlement, where three broad categories of issues are relevant: evidentiary issues, attribution of responsibility and legal consequences. As corruption is notoriously difficult to prove, many unique legal issues arise with regard to the evidence required to prove the relevant allegations. Even where there is evidence of the alleged corruption at hand, there is the added complexity of the need to establish whether the relevant act is attributable to the party alleged to have committed it—particularly host states. Once corruption has been proven and properly attributed, the legal consequences of that finding of fact must be determined, which may differ depending on various factors, including the extent to which the parties were complicit in the corruption and the nature of the corruption.
Foreign Investment, Investment Treaties and Corruption in China and Hong Kong
Authors: Bath Vivienne , Gu Tianqi 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis chapter focuses on the interaction of domestic regulation of corruption in China and Hong Kong and the increasing number of international arbitration cases brought by and against China. In conjunction with the enormous growth in foreign investment in China since it opened up at the end of the 1970s, China has developed a comprehensive network of international investment agreements (IIAs). Hong Kong is also a party to about 30 IIAs in its own name. Government and business corruption and bribery have been a problem in both jurisdictions. China and Hong Kong have taken active steps to criminalize, and to investigate and prosecute, corruption and to participate in major international initiatives relating to corruption. While corruption has, so far, made a limited appearance in the small number of investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) cases brought by investors against China and cases brought against other states by Chinese and Hong Kong investors, based on existing material, a number of tentative conclusions and recommendations can be made. China should move towards a higher level of transparency, both in relation to ISDS cases and to its domestic criminal law system; both China and Hong Kong should play a more active role in prosecuting bribery by enterprises outside China, including by joining the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials; and, finally, China should consider including provisions relating to corruption in its future IIAs in order to demonstrate its commitment to the international war on corruption in business.
Running of the top quark mass at NNLO in QCD
Authors: Defranchis Matteo M. , Kieseler Jan , Lipka Katerina , Mazzitelli Javier 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The running of the top quark mass (mt) is probed at the next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics for the first time. The result is obtained by comparing calculations in the modified minimal subtraction ($$\overline{{\text{MS}} }$$) renormalisation scheme to the CMS result on differential measurement of the top quark-antiquark ($${\text{t}}\overline{{\text{t}} }$$) production cross section at $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV. The scale dependence of mt is extracted as a function of the invariant mass of the $${\text{t}}\overline{{\text{t}} }$$ system, up to an energy scale of about 0.5 TeV. The observed running is found to be in good agreement with the three-loop solution of the renormalisation group equations on quantum chromodynamics.
Discrete Degree of Symmetry of Manifolds
Authors: Mundet i Riera Ignasi 
Published: April 2024

AbstractWe define the discrete degree of symmetry disc-sym(X) of a closed n-manifold X as the biggest $$m\ge 0$$

m
≥
0

such that X supports an effective action of $$(\mathbb {Z}/r)^m$$

(
Z
/
r
)

m

for arbitrarily big values of r. We prove that if X is connected then disc-sym$$(X)\le 3n/2$$

(
X
)
≤
3
n
/
2

. We propose the question of whether for every closed connected n-manifold X the inequality disc-sym$$(X)\le n$$

(
X
)
≤
n

holds true, and whether the only closed connected n-manifold X for which disc-sym(X)$$=n$$

=
n

is the torus $$T^n$$

T
n

. We prove partial results providing evidence for an affirmative answer to this question.
Effect of thermomechanical aging on force system of orthodontic aligners made of different thermoformed materials
Authors: Elshazly Tarek M. , Keilig Ludger , Nang Diva , Golkhani Bijan , Weber Anna , Elattar Hanaa , Talaat Sameh , Bourauel Christoph 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
The aim was to investigate the effect of aging by thermocycling and mechanical loading on forces and moments generated by orthodontic clear aligners made from different thermoplastic materials.

Methods
A total of 25 thermoformed aligners made from 5 different materials, i.e., Essix ACE® and Essix® PLUS™ (Dentsply Sirona, Bensheim, Germany), Invisalign® (Align Technology, San Jose, CA, USA), Duran®+ (Iserlohn, Germany), Zendura™ (Fremont, CA, USA), underwent a 14-day aging protocol involving mechanical loading (a 0.2 mm vestibular malalignment of the upper left second premolar [tooth 25]) and thermocycling in deionized water (temperature range 5–55 °C). The 3D forces/moments exerted on tooth 25 of a resin model were measured at three time points: before aging (day 0), after 2 days and after 14 days of aging.

Results
Before aging, extrusion–intrusion forces were 0.6–3.0 N, orovestibular forces were 1.7–2.3 N, and moments as mesiodistal rotation were 0.3–42.1 Nmm. In all directions, multilayer Invisalign® exhibited the lowest force/moment magnitudes. After aging, all materials showed a significant force/moment decay within the first 2 days, except Invisalign® for orovestibular and vertical translation. However, following thermomechanical aging, Duran®+ and Zendura™ aligners had equivalent or even higher vestibular forces (direction of mechanical load).

Conclusion
Thermomechanical aging significantly reduced forces and moments during the first 48 h. Multilayer aligner materials exhibit lower initial forces and moments than single-layer ones, and were less influenced by aging. Material hardening was observed after subjecting some of the aligner materials to mechanical loading. Thus, orthodontists should be aware of possible deterioration of orthodontic aligners over time. This work also sheds light on how material selection impacts the mechanical behavior of aligners and may provide valuable guidance regarding optimal timing for the aligner changing protocol.
Long-term effects of doping with anabolic steroids during adolescence on physical and mental health
Authors: Berger K. , Schiefner F. , Rudolf M. , Awiszus F. , Junne F. , Vogel M. , Lohmann C. H. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Systematic doping programs like in the GDR were applied in adolescent competitive athletes to induce supramaximal athletic performance. The substances had adverse somatic and psychological effects. The psychological development of the young athletes was impaired and they suffered in adulthood from long-term effects and secondary diseases even years after the doping period.

Method
The study compared three groups: competitive athletes with doping (I), competitive athletes without doping (II) and persons with no sports activities (III). Somatic and psychological diseases were analyzed to identify the adverse effects of doping in the most vulnerable phase of development in adolescence. Participants were asked to supply a patient history and completed a questionnaire with standardized psychological tests.

Results
The doping cohort had a higher rate of somatic diseases, psychological disorders and social and professional difficulties. The differences were gender–specific with males more often having impaired liver function, depression, tumors and difficulties associated with the workplace .
The doping group reported more emotional and physical neglect during childhood. They proved to be less optimistic but more pessimistic, to perceive less social support and to be more depressive. The study identified less extraversion and more neuroticism. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurred in a small number of participants in the doping group. Doping is associated with psychiatric variables. Predictors were the subscale identifying feelings of the Toronto alexithymia scale 20 (TAS-20), the sense of coherence and the Beck depression inventory 2 (BDI-II) and the Beck depression inventory (BDI).

Conclusion
Physical and psychosocial effects imply correlation with the application of doping substances but might not only be due to the side effects of these substances but also caused by the system, which exerts great psychological pressure and stress during adolescence, a highly vulnerable phase.
Identification of different plastic types and natural materials from terrestrial environments using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy
Authors: Wohlschläger Maximilian , Versen Martin , Löder Martin G. J. , Laforsch Christian 
Published: April 2024

AbstractEnvironmental pollution by plastics is a global issue of increasing concern. However, microplastic analysis in complex environmental matrices, such as soil samples, remains an analytical challenge. Destructive mass-based methods for microplastic analysis do not determine plastics’ shape and size, which are essential parameters for reliable ecological risk assessment. By contrast, nondestructive particle-based methods produce such data but require elaborate, time-consuming sample preparation. Thus, time-efficient and reliable methods for microplastic analysis are needed. The present study explored the potential of frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) for rapidly and reliably identifying as well as differentiating plastics and natural materials from terrestrial environments. We investigated the fluorescence spectra of ten natural materials from terrestrial environments, tire wear particles, and eleven different transparent plastic granulates <5 mm to determine the optimal excitation wavelength for identification and differentiation via FD-FLIM under laboratory conditions. Our comparison of different excitation wavelengths showed that 445 nm excitation exhibited the highest fluorescence intensities. 445 nm excitation was also superior for identifying plastic types and distinguishing them from natural materials from terrestrial environments with a high probability using FD-FLIM. We could demonstrate that FD-FLIM analysis has the potential to contribute to a streamlined and time-efficient direct analysis of microplastic contamination. However, further investigations on size-, shape-, color-, and material-type detection limitations are necessary to evaluate if the direct identification of terrestrial environmental samples of relatively low complexity, such as a surface inspection soil, is possible.
Graphical Abstract
Acacia fiber or probiotic supplements to relieve gastrointestinal complaints in patients with constipation-predominant IBS: a 4-week randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled intervention trial
Authors: JanssenDuijghuijsen Lonneke , van den Belt Maartje , Rijnaarts Iris , Vos Paul , Guillemet Damien , Witteman Ben , de Wit Nicole 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Purpose
To date, no adequate treatment for irritable bowel syndrome with predominant constipation complaints (IBS-C) is available. Fibers with prebiotic properties and probiotic compounds have shown promise in relieving IBS-C-related complaints. We aimed to determine the effects of a 4-week intervention with either an Acacia fiber (AF) with prebiotic properties or a probiotic Bifidobacterium Lactis (BLa80) supplement, compared to a control supplement, on stool pattern, IBS symptoms and Quality of Life (QoL), in IBS-C individuals.

Methods
A parallel, double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 180 subjects meeting the ROME IV criteria for IBS-C was conducted. Following a 4-week observation period, subjects received either AF (10 g), Probiotic BLa80 (4 g; 2 × 1011 CFU/g) or a maltodextrin placebo (10 g) daily for 4 weeks. Subjects reported daily information on stool pattern and gastrointestinal complaints. Before and after each 4-week period, questionnaires on symptom severity, constipation symptoms, anxiety and depression and QoL were completed. Stool mass was measured for 5-days before and after the intervention.

Results
Stool frequency significantly improved in the AF and Probiotic BLa80 groups compared to placebo (P < 0.001, P = 0.02, respectively). Probiotic BLa80 showed a significant reduction in IBS symptom severity (P = 0.03), for AF a trend towards decreased constipation symptoms (PAC-SYM, P = 0.10) was observed. No significant changes in stool consistency, stool mass or QoL measures were observed between the AF and Probiotic BLa80 compared to placebo.

Conclusion
Daily dietary supplementation with Acacia fiber and probiotic supplements might help IBS-C patients by relieving IBS-related complaints compared to a placebo supplement.

Registration number of clinical trial
The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04798417: Study Details | Nutrition to Relieve IBS Constipation | ClinicalTrials.gov.
Impact of fed-batch process intensification on the productivity and product quality of two CHO cell lines expressing unique novel molecular format proteins
Authors: Wolnick Nicolas Q. , Dickson Marissa R. , Webster Thaddaeus A. , Connolly Roger P. , Fernandes Nancy , Encheva Vesela , Crittenden Hunter , Hodgkins Jessica , Hadley Brian C. , Palermo Gabriella , Hendrick Shannon J. , Newell Roy A. , Gray Genevieve , Siltanen Christian , Armstrong Julia , Downey Brandon J. , Mason Carrie 
Published: April 2024

AbstractWhile monospecific antibodies have long been the foundational offering of protein therapeutics, recent advancements in antibody engineering have allowed for the development of far more complex antibody structures. Novel molecular format (NMF) proteins, such as bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), are structures capable of multispecific binding, allowing for expanded therapeutic functionality. As demand for NMF proteins continues to rise, biomanufacturers face the challenge of increasing bioreactor process productivity while simultaneously maintaining consistent product quality. This challenge is exacerbated when producing structurally complex proteins with asymmetric modalities, as seen in NMFs. In this study, the impact of a high inoculation density (HID) fed-batch process on the productivity and product quality attributes of two CHO cell lines expressing unique NMFs, a monospecific antibody with an Fc-fusion protein and a bispecific antibody, compared to low inoculation density (LID) platform fed-batch processes was evaluated. It was observed that an intensified platform fed-batch process increased product concentrations by 33 and 109% for the two uniquely structured complex proteins in a shorter culture duration while maintaining similar product quality attributes to traditional fed-batch processes.
Structured feedback and operative video debriefing with critical view of safety annotation in training of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled study
Authors: Cizmic Amila , Häberle Frida , Wise Philipp A. , Müller Felix , Gabel Felix , Mascagni Pietro , Namazi Babak , Wagner Martin , Hashimoto Daniel A. , Madani Amin , Alseidi Adnan , Hackert Thilo , Müller-Stich Beat P. , Nickel Felix 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
The learning curve in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is lengthened compared to open surgery. It has been reported that structured feedback and training in teams of two trainees improves MIS training and MIS performance. Annotation of surgical images and videos may prove beneficial for surgical training. This study investigated whether structured feedback and video debriefing, including annotation of critical view of safety (CVS), have beneficial learning effects in a predefined, multi-modal MIS training curriculum in teams of two trainees.

Methods
This randomized-controlled single-center study included medical students without MIS experience (n = 80). The participants first completed a standardized and structured multi-modal MIS training curriculum. They were then randomly divided into two groups (n = 40 each), and four laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs) were performed on ex-vivo porcine livers each. Students in the intervention group received structured feedback after each LC, consisting of LC performance evaluations through tutor-trainee joint video debriefing and CVS video annotation. Performance was evaluated using global and LC-specific Objective Structured Assessments of Technical Skills (OSATS) and Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) scores.

Results
The participants in the intervention group had higher global and LC-specific OSATS as well as global and LC-specific GOALS scores than the participants in the control group (25.5 ± 7.3 vs. 23.4 ± 5.1, p = 0.003; 47.6 ± 12.9 vs. 36 ± 12.8, p < 0.001; 17.5 ± 4.4 vs. 16 ± 3.8, p < 0.001; 6.6 ± 2.3 vs. 5.9 ± 2.1, p = 0.005). The intervention group achieved CVS more often than the control group (1. LC: 20 vs. 10 participants, p = 0.037, 2. LC: 24 vs. 8, p = 0.001, 3. LC: 31 vs. 8, p < 0.001, 4. LC: 31 vs. 10, p < 0.001).

Conclusions
Structured feedback and video debriefing with CVS annotation improves CVS achievement and ex-vivo porcine LC training performance based on OSATS and GOALS scores.