bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Sustainable Development and Standard of Living in Territorial Units: Methodological Concept and Application
Authors: Łuczak Aleksandra , Cermakova Klara , Kalinowski Sławomir , Hromada Eduard , Mec Michal 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThe growing importance of sustainable development and improved living standards has created a need for comprehensive methods to assess these concepts in a consistent manner across different regions. Despite widespread discussion in the scientific and policy communities, there is no standardised model for their measurement. The aim of this study is to present a methodological approach for determining the development position of territorial units in terms of sustainable development and living standards of the population. A new approach is proposed, integrating the modified positional TOPSIS method and bilinear ordering, to assess the levels of sustainable development and living standards of territorial units and to determine their development positions along with possible development scenarios. This approach was applied to evaluate European countries in 2021, based on statistical data from Eurostat. The results showed different levels of sustainable development and living standards among the countries evaluated. This study makes a significant contribution to the literature by providing a comprehensive framework for assessing sustainable development and standard of living at the territorial level. The results provide valuable insights for policy makers in designing strategies and policies to promote sustainable development and improve standard of living. Furthermore, the methodology proposed in this study can be adapted and applied in different regional and contextual analyses, making it a versatile tool for future research in this area.
Elucidating the Impact of Key Filtration Parameters on the Recovery of Peptides and Oligosaccharides From Colostrum Whey Permeate at Pilot‐Scale
Authors: Tam Andrea J. C. , Durham Sierra D. , Wang Aidong , Wickramasinghe Saumya , Mills David A. , Barile Daniela , Leite Nobrega de Moura Bell Juliana Maria 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTBovine colostrum whey permeate, a byproduct of commercial ultrafiltration for protein isolation, contains bioactive peptides and prebiotic oligosaccharides. The study aimed to assess how feed flow and transmembrane pressure affect the concentration of peptides and oligosaccharides from colostrum whey permeate by comparing the efficiency of the Synder NFW (300–500 Da) and Hydracore 70 (500–700 Da) nanofiltration membranes. Additionally, it evaluated the in vitro biological activity of the resulting nanofiltration retentates, which were enriched in oligosaccharides and peptides. Despite nearly 8‐fold faster permeate fluxes, the Synder NFW membrane achieved equivalently high retention (99%–100%) compared to the Hydracore 70 membrane. These results imply that greater fouling occurred in the larger pores of Hydracore 70, as evidenced by resistance measurements. Optimum filtration conditions for each membrane (Synder NFW: 18.05 L min−1, 27 bar; Hydracore 70: 3.95 L min−1, 35 bar Hydracore 70) were used to concentrate whey permeate to a concentration factor of 15. Both retentates showed equivalent selective prebiotic activity toward Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis ATCC15697 growth (1% w/v powder), ACE‐inhibition at 1.67 mg mL−1 of powder (Synder NFW: 54%, Hydracore 70%: 67%), and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity at 100 mg mL−1 of powder (Synder NFW: 48%, Hydracore 70%: 53%). The retentates exhibited 26 and 29 μmol Trolox equivalents/g of powder for Synder NFW and Hydracore 70 membranes, respectively. Glycomic profiling identified potentially antidiabetic and prebiotic oligosaccharides, while peptidomic profiling coincided with the observed bioactivity. These results show how key filtration conditions affect the nanofiltration of bovine colostrum whey permeate for recovering of oligosaccharides and peptides with potential health benefits.
Adjusting for Ascertainment Bias in Meta‐Analysis of Penetrance for Cancer Risk
Authors: Ruberu Thanthirige Lakshika M. , Braun Danielle , Parmigiani Giovanni , Biswas Swati 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTMulti‐gene panel testing allows efficient detection of pathogenic variants in cancer susceptibility genes including moderate‐risk genes such as ATM and PALB2. A growing number of studies examine the risk of breast cancer (BC) conferred by pathogenic variants of these genes. A meta‐analysis combining the reported risk estimates can provide an overall estimate of age‐specific risk of developing BC, that is, penetrance for a gene. However, estimates reported by case–control studies often suffer from ascertainment bias. Currently, there is no method available to adjust for such bias in this setting. We consider a Bayesian random effect meta‐analysis method that can synthesize different types of risk measures and extend it to incorporate studies with ascertainment bias. This is achieved by introducing a bias term in the model and assigning appropriate priors. We validate the method through a simulation study and apply it to estimate BC penetrance for carriers of pathogenic variants in the ATM and PALB2 genes. Our simulations show that the proposed method results in more accurate and precise penetrance estimates compared to when no adjustment is made for ascertainment bias or when such biased studies are discarded from the analysis. The overall estimated BC risk for individuals with pathogenic variants are (1) 5.77% (3.22%–9.67%) by age 50 and 26.13% (20.31%–32.94%) by age 80 for ATM; (2) 12.99% (6.48%–22.23%) by age 50, and 44.69% (34.40%–55.80%) by age 80 for PALB2. The proposed method allows meta‐analyses to include studies with ascertainment bias, resulting in inclusion of more studies and thereby more accurate estimates.
Evaluation of Drug Delivery Systems Based on Host–guest Interactions Between Pure/Metal‐doped BN Nanotubes with Oteracil and Potassium Oteracil Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Moradian Majid , Makiabadi Batoul , Zakarianezhad Mohammad , Faramarzi Abdolreza 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe aim of this project is to investigate host–guest complexes based on pure and doped‐BN nanotubes for the treatment of gastric and gastrointestinal cancer. Therefore, in this work, the host–guest complexes obtained from the interaction of pure boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) as well as Al and Ga‐doped BN nanotubes with the anticancer drugs of Oteracil (OT) and potassium oteracil (OTP) were investigated in the gas phase and water solvent. All calculations were performed at the M06‐2X/6–31G(d) level of theory. Interaction energies, structural parameters, topological properties as well as RDG, ELF, and CCD analyses were used to assess the strength of interactions in the complexes. The results show that the doped‐BN nanotubes have stronger interactions with OT and OTP drugs. Adsorption energies (ΔEads) reveal that the adsorption tendency of drugs on nanotubes is in the order of BN(Ga) > BN(Al) > pure‐BN. The electronic properties of pure and doped‐BN nanotubes were investigated and compared before and after the adsorption process. The quantum molecular descriptors were used to investigate the reactivity of pure and doped‐BN nanotubes to drugs. The energy gap (Eg) was dramatically changed when the dopant atoms were added to the BN nanotube. Therefore, the impurity can improve the reactivity of the pure BN nanotube. The type of adsorption in pure and doped‐BN nanotubes can be physical. Increasing temperature reduces recovery time. Analysis of natural bond orbital (NBO), molecular electrostatic potential surface maps (MESP), and the (RDG) were performed to evaluate the nature of the drug/nanotube intermolecular interactions. Generally, the tendency of Al and Ga‐doped nanotubes to absorb OT and OTP drugs is higher than that of pure nanotubes. This study can provide insights into innovation in the design of drug delivery systems.
Small Molecule Alkynyl‐Phenylaminoguanidines: A New Weapon Against Multi‐Drug Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Abuelkhir Abdelrahman A. , Nagy Yosra I. , Gamal Tarek , Abdelhalim Ali M. , Attia Ahmed S. , Mayhoub Abdelrahman S. , Elsebaie Mohamed M. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe coexistence of Gram‐negative organisms, such as Acinetobacter baumannii and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in diabetic foot ulcers poses significant therapeutic challenges and increases the rate of treatment failure. By studying the structure‐activity relationships of small alkynylphenyl‐aminoguanidine molecules, we identified heptyne and octyne derivatives as promising antibacterial agents. These compounds exhibited potent activity against Gram‐positive MRSA USA300 (MIC = 0.5 µg/mL) and reasonable activity against Gram‐negative A. baumannii AB5075 (MIC = 8 µg/mL). It is noteworthy that octynylphenyl‐aminoguanidine demonstrated a rapid bactericidal effect within 2 h and showed no evidence of resistance development. Despite systemic intolerance, topical application of the two most active compounds significantly improved skin condition and reduced bacterial burdens in an murine skin infection model (MRSA). These results highlight a promising therapeutic avenue for MRSA skin infections, with potential efficacy in coinfections with multidrug‐resistant Gram‐negative pathogens such as A. baumannii.
Fluoride Exposure Modulates Skeletal Development and Mineralization in Zebrafish Larvae
Authors: Ottappilakkil Harsheema , Perumal Ekambaram 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThe presence of high levels of fluoride (F) in groundwater is a major issue worldwide. Although F is essential for healthy teeth and bones, excessive exposure can cause fluorosis or F toxicity. This condition primarily affects the hard tissues due to their high F retention capacity. F accumulation alters bone formation and resorption mechanisms interfering with mineral homeostasis and eventually manifests as skeletal fluorosis. Albeit the numerous studies on skeletal fluorosis, the effect of F on developmental osteogenesis is inconclusive. In light of this, we studied the effect of F on osteogenic differentiation, bone development, and mineralization in zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos were subjected to a low (25 ppm NaF), and a moderately high (50 ppm NaF) dose, along with a control (E3 medium alone) until 7 days postfertilization (dpf). The F content in the larvae was quantified to reveal a dose‐dependent increase in the exposed groups. Alizarin Red and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining suggested enhanced mineralization in the F‐treated groups. Quantitative analyses of the ALP activity and hydroxyproline (Hyp) content revealed similar results. Alcian blue staining of pharyngeal cartilages showed that F exposure alters the morphology of the major cartilages, indicating a possible craniofacial defect. Moreover, gene expression analyses of the bone markers associated with osteogenic differentiation, early mineralization, and remodeling (runx2a/b, bmp4, ocn, osx, col1a1, alp, rank, rankl, and opg) showed enhanced expression in the low F group. While the 50 ppm F group showed a decline in osteogenic activity, a considerable increase in the expression of mineralization markers was observed. The expression levels of cartilage markers sox9a and sox9b, remained insignificant, indicating the effect of F toxicity on osteogenesis and mineralization. Also, F exposure interferes with bone metabolism through altered osteogenic differentiation, development, and mineralization in zebrafish larvae.
Stabilization of loosely coupled schemes for 0D–3D fluid–structure interaction problems with application to cardiovascular modelling
Authors: Regazzoni Francesco 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
In this paper we analyze the numerical oscillations affecting loosely coupled schemes for hybrid-dimensional 0D–3D fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems, which arise e.g. in the field of cardiovascular modeling, and we propose a novel stabilized scheme that cures this issue. We study several loosely coupled schemes, including the Dirichlet–Neumann (DN) and Neumann–Dirichlet (ND) schemes. In the first one, the 0D fluid model prescribes the pressure to the 3D structural mechanics model and receives the flow. In the second one, on the contrary, the fluid model receives the pressure and prescribes the flow. The terms DN and ND, employed in the FSI literature, are borrowed from domain decomposition methods, although here a single iteration is performed before moving on to the next time step (that is, the coupling is treated explicitly). Should the fluid be enclosed in a cavity, the DN scheme is affected by non-physical oscillations whose origin lies in the balloon dilemma, for which we provide an algebraic interpretation. Moreover, we show that also the ND scheme can be unstable for a range of parameter choices. Surprisingly, increasing either the viscous dissipation or the inertia of the structure favours the onset of oscillations and, for certain parameter choices, the ND is unconditionally unstable. In the presence of inertial terms, by reducing the time step size below a certain threshold, the amplitude of the numerical oscillations is even amplified. We provide an explanation for these facts and establish sharp stability bounds on the time step size. Our analysis extends to Robin–Robin schemes, based on linear combinations of the conditions of pressure continuity and either volume or flux continuity. While appropriate choices of Robin coefficients can achieve numerical stability, tuning these coefficients can be challenging in practice. To address these issues, we propose a numerically consistent stabilization term for the Neumann–Dirichlet scheme, inspired by physical insight on the onset of oscillations. We prove that our proposed stabilized scheme is absolutely stable for any choice of time step size. Notably, the proposed scheme does not require parameter tuning. These results are verified by several numerical tests. Finally, we apply the proposed stabilized scheme to an important problem in cardiac electromechanics, namely the coupling between a 3D cardiac model and a closed-loop lumped-parameter model of blood circulation. In this setting, our proposed scheme successfully removes the non-physical oscillations that would otherwise affect the numerical solution.
Approaches for the preparation and evaluation of hydrophilic polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastic particles suited for toxicological effect studies
Authors: Seghers John , Cella Claudia , Pequeur Emmy , La Spina Rita , Roncari Francesco , Valsesia Andrea , Mehn Dora , Gilliland Douglas , Trapmann Stefanie , Emteborg Håkan 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
When performing effect studies to investigate the impact of microplastic (MP) on cell lines, algae, or daphnia, it is advantageous if such experiments can be performed without the use of surfactants. The need for surfactants arises from the fact that finely milled pristine MP particles generally are hydrophobic. Methods for the preparation of larger amounts of hydrophilic and hence artificially aged MP particles and approaches for their characterization are of high importance. Here we present methods to artificially age polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and low-density polyethylene (PE) using alkaline and acidic treatments that reproducibly result in large quantities of particles below 5 µm with considerably increased hydrophilicity. The artificially aged MP particles were characterized using particle counting by single-particle extinction and scattering (SPES), particle size by laser diffraction measurements, zeta potential using electrophoretic light scattering, hydrophobicity index (Hy) through dark-field (DF) microscopy, chemical composition by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy, and Raman microscopy. The hydrophobicity index values obtained should allow the aged MP particles to be characterized as qualitative reference materials (RMs) with an ordinal property. Evidence for the maintained integrity and hydrophilicity of the artificially aged MP particles (in powder form) over time was obtained by measurements of zeta potential with a 33-month interval. Uniformity of subsampling with respect to particle number concentration in suspensions within a 10-day period was also investigated. It provided evidence for the possibility of reproducible spiking of a specific number of hydrophilic MP particles with relative standard deviations (RSDs) from 6.2 to 13.6%. For the development of future reference materials of artificially aged microplastics, they should be characterized for an ordinal property (artificial age as Hy-index) and nominal property (identity of PET or PE based on spectral matching).

Graphical Abstract
Weak evidence for a relationship between group size and flight initiation distance in response to underwater human presence in an exploited fish species
Authors: Sbragaglia Valerio , Morroni Lorenzo , Blumstein Daniel T. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Group size can influence flight initiation distance (FID), a key antipredator behavior, in many animal species. In fishes, however, the effect of group size on FID remains unclear. Two different mechanisms might explain a putative relationship between group size and FID. If fish benefited from having more vigilant individuals around, we would expect group size to be positively associated with FID (considering collective vigilance in the context of the many eyes hypothesis). By contrast, if fish benefited from a predator dilution effect, we would expect group size to be negatively associated with FID. Importantly, such relationships should be critically sensitive to background risk levels. We capitalized on FID observations inside and outside marine protected areas and simulated risk by having a risky spearfisher or a non-risky snorkeler swim towards white seabream (Diplodus sargus) to estimate the relationship between FID and group size. Model selection provides weak evidence that group size positively influences FID of white seabream when group size was modelled two ways: categorically (alone vs. shoal), and continuously (range 2–15). While the results suggest that overall group size has a measurable impact on FID, the presence of spearfishers or snorkelers had a weak effect on the relationship of group size and FID, which seems to be more sensitive exclusively to the protection level (inside/outside marine protected areas). Our findings align with previous studies showing mixed results on the relationship between group size and FID. This study underscores the complexity of antipredator behaviors in natural settings and suggests that multiple interlinked factors, rather than group size alone, drive FID in fishes. Future research should integrate field observations, laboratory experiments, and modeling to study the ecological influence of group size on FID more comprehensively.
Autologous minced cartilage implantation in osteochondral lesions of the talus—does fibrin make the difference?
Authors: Kühle Jan , Wagner Ferdinand C. , Beck Samuel , Klein Lukas , Bode Lisa , Izadpanah Kaywan , Schmal Hagen , Mühlenfeld Nils 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Introduction
Implantation of minced cartilage is a one-step-procedure that leads to satisfactory results in osteochondral defects.

Material and methods
A retrospective review was performed on a consecutive cohort of patients that received minced cartilage with fibrin (MCF), minced cartilage with membrane and fibrin (MCMF) and minced cartilage with the “AutoCart”-procedure (MCAC) between January 2019 and December 2023. Radiological outcome parameters were evaluated via Magnet-Resonance-Tomography (MRI) within one year using Ankle-Osteoarthritis-Scoring-System (AOSS).

Results
Final data included 25 patients: 13 women and 12 men with a mean age of 28.2 years ± 10.9(range:18–51). Mean defect size was 103.6mm2 ± 59.0(95% CI = 79.2–128.0), mean depth 5.2 mm ± 3.6(3.7–6.6). Differences between groups in defect sizes were not significant (p = 0.999). MCF was carried out in 9(36.0%), MCMF in 7(28.0%) and MCAC in 9(36.0%) patients. Mean postoperative AOSS values were 2.6 ± 1.9(95%CI:1.1–4.1) for MCF-patients, 3.3 ± 2.9(0.6–5.9) for MCMF patients and 3.9 ± 2.8(1.7–6.1) for MCAC-patients, respectively. Differences were not significant (p = 0.639). Revision surgery because of symptomatic non-integration of the graft or ventral impingement occurred in 5(20%) of cases – all part of MCAC-patients that did not receive additional fibrin fixation as the top layer of transplant (p < 0.05).

Conclusions
Autologous minced cartilage implantation seems to be sufficient as a viable, one-step treatment for osteochondral lesions of the talus. It leads to low complication rates and excellent AOSS values within a 12-month period whereas the application of fibrin as the last fixation layer seems to be advisory, which demands further investigation.
Sexual dimorphism of the humerus bones in a French sample: comparison of several statistical models including machine learning models
Authors: Blanc Manon , Knecht Siam , Nguyen Kathy , Poulain Clément , Quatrehomme Gérald , Alunni Véronique , Nogueira Luísa 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Sex estimation is an important part of skeletal analysis and forensic identification. Traditionally pelvic traits are utilized for accurate sex estimation. However, the long bones, especially humerus, have been proved to be as effective for determine the sex of the individual.
The aim of this study was to compare the predictive accuracy of seven statistical modelling techniques including classical statistical methods and machine learning algorithms, to assess the sexual dimorphism of humerus on a French sample based on a metric analysis of 26 measurements. A total of 98 humeral bones (divided in two samples) were measured. Seven statistical models were compared: Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Regularized Discriminant Analysis (RDA), Penalized Logistic Regression (PLR), Flexible Discriminant Analysis (FDA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Random Forest (RF).
With cross validation, classification accuracy was greater than 90% (ranges between 92% and 98%) for all models without variable selection methods. The simplification of the models has improved the accuracy between 98% and 100% and also a reduction of the number of variables to 6 or less. Penalized logistic regression (PLR), Random Forest (RF) and Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were the best accuracy models.
The measurements made at the proximal part of the humerus (WTT, CSD), at distal part (BEW, WT, MAW, THT) and of the entire bone (PLCT) stand out among the various models.
The present study suggests that the humerus is an interesting alternative for sex estimation and that non-classical statistical models can provide a new approach.