bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A randomized double-blind trial to measure the absorption characteristics of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid rich oil blend with natural lipid-based delivery system
Authors: Chuang Jennifer , Briskey David , Dang Jennifer , Rajgopal Arun , Rao Amanda 
Published: December 2023

AbstractA randomized, double-blinded trial with 65 subjects was conducted to compare the pharmacokinetics between PhytoMarineCelle (PM) that consists of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA) plus a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS), and a standard EPA + DHA ethyl ester (SEE) that does not contain SEDDS. PM showed 1.6-fold greater plasma area under the curve (AUC) than SEE at 300 mg, although no significant difference was observed. PM showed a 3.1 and 3.2-fold (p < 0.05) greater plasma AUC than SEE at 500 mg and 1000 mg respectively. The concentration max (Cmax) of EPA + DHA did not change between PM and SEE at 300 mg. Cmax of PM was twofold greater than SEE at 500 mg and 1000 mg respectively. The Cmax of EPA + DHA achieved significant difference (p < 0.05) only with the 500 mg dose. The PM formulation increased the bioavailability of EPA + DHA by threefold compared to SEE at 500 and 1000 mg.
Usefulness of time-resolved MR angiography in spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF)—a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wójtowicz Katarzyna , Przepiorka Lukasz , Maj Edyta , Kujawski Sławomir , Marchel Andrzej , Kunert Przemysław 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSpinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) constitute the most common type of spinal vascular malformations. Their diagnosis requires spinal digital subtraction angiography (DSA), which is time-consuming, requires catheterizing many vessels, and exposes patient to a high radiation and contrast doses. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of time-resolved MR angiography (TR–MRA) in SDAVF diagnosis. We performed a systematic review of the PubMed and EMBASE databases followed by a meta-analysis. TR–MRA was an index test, and spinal DSA was a reference. Of the initial 324 records, we included 4 studies describing 71 patients with SDAVFs. In 42 cases, TR–MRA was true positive, and in 21 cases, it was true negative. We found 7 false-positive cases and 1 false negative. TR–MRA allowed for shunt level identification in 39 cases. Of these, the predicted level was correct in 23 cases (59%), to within 1 level in 38 cases (97.4%) and to within 2 levels in 39 cases (100%). The diagnostic odds ratio was 72.73 (95% CI [10.30; 513.35]), z = 4.30, p value < 0.0001. The pooled sensitivity was 0.98 (95% CI [0.64; 1.00]), and the pooled specificity was 0.79 (95% CI [0.10; 0.99]). The AUC of the SROC curve was 0.9. TR–MRA may serve as a preliminary study to detect SDAVFs and localize the shunt level with sensitivity and specificity as high as 98% and 79%, respectively. Unless the TR–MRA result is unequivocal, it should be followed by a limited spinal DSA.
Die gute fachliche Praxis in der Waldbewirtschaftung – Regulierungsbedarf im novellierten Bundeswaldgesetz unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Klima- und Biodiversitätsschutzerfordernissen
Authors: Stubenrauch Jessica 
Published: December 2023

ZusammenfassungDer Aufbau biodiverser, naturnaher und mithin größtmöglich resilienter Wälder
in Deutschland ist für die erfolgreiche Bewältigung der Klima- und Biodiversitätskrise unabdingbar.
Das BWaldG ist diesen Herausforderungen de lege lata nicht gewachsen und wird aktuell reformiert. Der vorliegende
Beitrag widmet sich der Frage nach der Regulierung der guten forstlichen Praxis und leitet diesbezüglich
verbindliche Einzelkomponenten einschließlich ökologischer Mindestanforderungen für private
Waldbesitzer und Wälder in öffentlicher Hand ab. Die rechtliche Analyse bezieht bereits etablierte
Standards der klimaangepassten und biodiversitätsfördernden Waldbewirtschaftung ein und bewertet
diese – auch in Abgrenzung zu möglichen Fördertatbeständen – im Hinblick auf
übertragbare Elemente. Damit soll ein Diskussionsbeitrag für politische Entscheidungsprozesse
geschaffen und zur Schließung der Gesetzeslücke bezüglich vollzugsfähiger Regeln zur
guten forstlichen Praxis beigetragen werden.
Removal of organic compounds in wastewater using cocoa shell‑based activated carbon–SiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: León Adan Y. , Contreras-Arenas José D. , Garnica-Fuentes Cristian F. , Jiménez-Caballero Michell A. , Pinto-Hernández Diego F. , Ariza-León Emiliano , Peña-Ballesteros Darío Y. , Molina-Velasco Daniel R. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis work aimed to use low-cost residual cocoa shell biomass for the preparation of activated carbon with different amounts of SiO2 nanoparticles using the coprecipitation method. The use of residual plant biomass seeks to strengthen the challenges of the bioeconomy in the generation of value-added products for the agro-industry. Subsequently, the adsorption capacity of phenol and 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol as representative species of persistent organic pollutants was quantified. The chemical activation of the carbon was carried out at 480 °C during 30 min with a 1.5 phosphoric acid (H3PO4) impregnation ratio. The activated carbons were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), showing the presence of functional groups associated with substances such as phenols, carboxylic acids, aromatic rings, and SiO2. Also, activated carbons were structurally characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), finding that the granules had structured surfaces but with irregular size and disordered channels, which facilitates the impregnation of SiO2 nanoparticles onto the activated carbon surface. The adsorption study of the organic compounds was carried out using UV–Vis spectroscopy. The adsorption isotherms, which were adjusted to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models, were determined with correlation coefficients of 0.9835, 0.9885 and 0.987. On the other hand, the adsorbent materials achieved removal percentages around 97.9% and 97.8% for phenol and 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol, respectively. The results showed that activated carbons with SiO2 nanoparticles increased the specific surface area by up to 20%. Therefore, this property allows a greater interaction of contaminants at the time of adsorption.
Graphical abstract
Nonunion Supervisors’ Humility at Work and Union Intolerance: An Exploratory Study Centered on One Hypothesis
Authors: Mellor Steven , Elliott Ross 
Published: December 2023

AbstractViewing supervisors’ humility at work as experiential from a self-awareness perspective, we formulated a central hypothesis that more humility would be related to less union intolerance in the work environment. Based on a broad sample of nonunion supervisors (N = 101) surveyed at neutral sites away from work, support was found for the relationship. To explore supervisors’ experience as indicated by their demographics as moderators, our data suggested that the relationship was stronger for supervisors at lower levels of supervision and for supervisors with at least one parent who was a union member. Results were discussed in relation to future studies to verify and extend this first-ever hypothesis, in which supervisors’ humility experienced at work is linked to unions and union employees.
Active methodologies in Higher Education: reasons to use them (or not) from the voices of faculty teaching staff
Authors: Idoiaga Mondragon Nahia , Beloki Nekane , Yarritu Ion , Zarrazquin Idoia , Artano Karmele 
Published: December 2023

AbstractTeaching based on active methodologies emphasizes the importance of giving students a leading role in the learning process. With the implementation of the European Higher Education Area, universities have undergone a reform that significantly increased student involvement in the teaching–learning process. The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) responded to this change by introducing its own educational model: IKD i3. The general objective of this research is to explore the effect of the IKD i3 strategy on the teaching staff of the UPV/EHU. The study aims to identify the active methodologies adopted by the teaching staff and the reasons behind the use (or not) of these methodologies. A total of 403 teachers participated in the study, and their opinions were gathered freely to accurately represent their viewpoints. The results reveal that teaching staff at the UPV/EHU utilize active methodologies, with the most frequent being problem-based learning, cooperative learning, and the case study method. The reasons for incorporating these methodologies vary and include both benefits for students and advantages related to teaching, while the rationale for not using active methodologies is based on the lack of training, time constraints, and having a large number of students. Interestingly, the teachers who expressed these arguments were primarily those who were not familiar with or actively participating in the IKD i3 educational model. We believe that while our findings validate the UPV/EHU’s IKD i3 educational model, they also highlight the importance of universities not only having an educational model but also fostering a culture that encourages the active engagement of teaching staff. This commitment is essential to effectively develop and implement such a model.
Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
Authors: Swindell Nils , Thomas Jennifer , Tree Jeremy , Hill Denise , Hudson Joanne , Stratton Gareth 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIn response to increasing concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of university students and staff, policy aims have shifted towards a ‘whole-university approach’ to mental health and wellbeing. This policy advocates for a culture wherein mental health and wellbeing are a key priority across all levels (individual, societal, environmental). Thereby, responsibility for mental health and wellbeing is distributed across the institution, requiring contributions from staff irrespective of whether mental health and wellbeing are central to their role. Consequently, boundaries of responsibility and expertise can be unclear, while individual and professional capacity and opportunity influence the consistency of support. Effective governance of the whole-university approach requires an understanding of the complex network of ‘actors’ in the wellbeing system to cohesively deliver strategic objectives. This mixed-methods case study of one Higher Education Institution (HEI) employed social network analysis (SNA) to identify network structures and connections between staff who promote mental health and wellbeing. Qualitative follow-up explored factors associated with network prominence, cohesion between the informal network and formal structures, and overall perceptions of the network. An informal network of 211 actors in the wellbeing system was identified, revealing disparities with formal governance structures. Prominence in the network was attributed to both extrinsic (e.g. workplace culture and leadership) and intrinsic (e.g. social rewards) factors, and was perceived to provide value by increasing cohesive and collaborative working. However, findings also indicate the need to raise awareness of the network and improve capacity for network membership and engagement.
“Maybe it was a shield, you know”: Exploring family language policy through the lens of perezhivanie
Authors: Vorobeva Polina , Leontjev Dmitri 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe current study builds an argument for using Vygotskian perezhivanie as a theoretical perspective to explore the becoming and being of family language policy (FLP). We shift the focus from the three components constituting FLP – language beliefs or ideologies, language practices, and language planning or management – to the individual. Namely, we suggest focusing on the individuals who sift their explicit and implicit FLP decisions through their emotional lived experiences – perezhiviniya. The study draws on interviews with two single Russian-speaking mothers in Finland. It explores how they refract their experiences connected to language use (i.e., Finnish and Russian) through the prism of perezhivanie, focusing on individual dramatic events that shape family language policies. The analysis illustrates that participants attach different or even controversial, however, co-existing, meanings to their FLPs. Furthermore, it accentuates the non-linear nature of individuals’ development, and, as a result, the development of their FLP. Above all, tracing the two mothers’ development through the lens of perezhivanie allowed making visible the complex trajectories that led them, despite struggles and obstacles, to gain the volition to act and implement a bilingual language policy in their families.
Assessing the introduction of regional driverless demand-responsive transit services through agent-based modeling and simulation
Authors: Patricio Anne S. , Santos Gonçalo Gonçalves Duarte , Antunes António Pais 
Published: December 2023

AbstractDemand-responsive transit systems are seen as a solution to improve the level of service and decrease the costs of providing transit to rural or low-demand areas. There are great expectations on the impact that driverless demand-responsive transit (DDRT) systems can have on a regional setting. Nevertheless, the application of DDRT in such type of setting has not been widely studied, in particular for scenarios where the system is an addition to the existing alternatives (as characteristic of the early diffusion stage of an innovation). This study provides an assessment of the early-stage operation of a regional DDRT system used by a small portion of the entire potential adopters. A methodological approach is built upon an agent-based model through which the daily operation of a DDRT system is simulated in detail. This approach is applied to a case study in Portugal considering scenarios varying in terms of several operational parameters, adoption rates (from 1 to 20%), and types of services (private versus shared rides). Results show that each vehicle in the DDRT system with shared rides could replace up to 13 private vehicles with a decrease in the vehicle-kilometers traveled of 1%. The DDRT system operation is profitable even with low adoption rates (starting from 2% for the system with shared rides). When considering the adoption rate of 5%, the system with shared rides is 54% more profitable than the one with private rides, but, from the perspective of travelers, shared rides lead to longer waiting times and detours.
Referendums, Initiatives, and Voters’ Accountability
Authors: el-Wakil Alice 
Published: December 2023

AbstractDo democratic systems that include binding referendum and initiative processes violate a core principle of democracy, namely that legislators should be accountable? Some have argued that they do: these popular vote processes would grant the right to legislate to ordinary voters even though they cannot be held accountable—i.e., face possible consequences imposed by others for their actions and decisions. As a result, we should favor conventional representative systems over systems with popular vote processes. In this article, I analyze this ‘accountability objection’ to referendums and initiatives and the conception of voters as ‘legislators’ on which it relies and argue that it does not withstand scrutiny. I first demonstrate that there is no sound basis to characterize only voters in popular votes, and not voters in elections, as ‘legislators’. Therefore, the scope of the objection is broader than anticipated by its proponents: it cannot be consistently used to dismiss popular votes without also being fatal to elections. I then argue that voters’ lack of accountability is not fatal to either mass voting process. The institutional role of ordinary voters provides them with co-lawmaking powers; but these are not the kind of special powers that justify holding certain actors accountable in democratic systems. This does not exclude that voters have responsibilities. I close by highlighting that, compared to conventional representative systems, democratic systems including well-designed popular vote processes could offer voters more supportive conditions to meet such possible responsibilities.
An overview of the ecological roles of Mediterranean chondrichthyans through extinction scenarios
Authors: Fernández-Corredor Elena , Ouled-Cheikh Jazel , Navarro Joan , Coll Marta 
Published: December 2023

AbstractFisheries, climate change, and habitat degradation are triggering the depletion of marine animal populations worldwide. The ecological impacts of the extinction of keystone species such as chondrichthyans can be far-reaching along the entire food web. Here, we first reviewed the trophic ecology of the 81 chondrichthyan species of the Mediterranean Sea through a literature search. We then compared prey composition among chondrichthyan species considering their taxonomic group, body size, and habitat. Finally, we represented the Mediterranean meta-web, emphasizing the chondrichthyan groups, using a qualitative network approach, and tested the vulnerability of the food web to selective removals of threatened chondrichthyan species by applying different extinction scenarios. We found trophic data for 53 species, which highlights the need to complement current knowledge gaps for many species. Diet dissimilarities between chondrichthyan taxa were detected, mainly due to the consumption of crustaceans and cephalopods. We found that large chondrichthyan species had a major contribution to the trophic dissimilarity and the omnivory of the food web when compared to small and medium-sized species. Conservation efforts within the Mediterranean chondrichthyan community may be particularly important for this group, as high levels of omnivory could moderate the occurrence of trophic cascades, while high trophic similarity can lead to less diverse ecosystems. This study provides a first overview of the ecological role of chondrichthyans in the Mediterranean and highlights the urgent research needed to increase the knowledge about these key species in the Mediterranean marine food web.
A legacy of excellence: celebrating 40 years of the Diokno–Lapides essay contest
Authors: Chancellor Michael , Bartolone Sarah 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe Diokno–Lapides Essay Contest was originally established in 1984 as the Jack Lapides Essay Contest on Urodynamic and Neurourology Research. Developed by Ananias Diokno to honor his mentor, Jack Lapides at the University of Michigan, it was funded by a grant from Marion Laboratories. The contest recognizes individuals doing outstanding work in neurourology and has been awarded yearly since 1985. Renamed the Diokno–Lapides Essay Contest in 2014, it has generated significant papers and discoveries in neurourology. Spanning 40 years, winners and other participants have attested to the contest’s influence on their careers and its opportunities for networking and mentorship across the global urology community.
Growth Performance and Biochemical Composition of Desmodesmus sp. Green Alga Grown on Agricultural Industries Waste (Cheese Whey)
Authors: Salah Asmaa , Sany Hoda , El-Sayed Abo El-Khair B. , El-Bahbohy Reham M. , Mohamed Heba I. , Amin Ayman 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAgricultural industries produce vast amounts of liquid waste, which contains a significant concentration of nutrients. In the context of emphasizing the huge increase in population, climate changes, and pollution which results in depletion of fresh water resources, a sustainable solution for a greener future is needed. Wastewater treatment by the use of microalgae can mitigate a part of the problem by restoring water for irrigating agricultural crops. Little studies give insights on the physiological responses and ultrastructure of the Chlorophyta alga Desmodesmus sp. as it grows in cheese whey (CW). The algal strain was mixotrophically grown in a growth medium composed of CW only and CW supported with Bold’s basal medium (BBM) for 14 days. The potent response was observed with algal cultures fed by 15% CW enriched with 50% BBM. Fifteen percent CW in combination with 50% BBM significantly improved Desmodesmus sp. growth (303%), productivity (325%), and accumulation of cell metabolites, mainly lipids (3.89%), and carbohydrates (1.95%). On the contrary, protein and photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids) contents were higher in BBM than in all treatments. Fatty acid composition demonstrated that the predominantly accumulated fatty acids were palmitic (25.86%), oleic (35.31%), and linoleic acid (13.22%). In conclusion, Desmodesmus sp. can be a good candidate for phycoremediation when cultivated on CW, whereas it can reduce the nutrition costs and water demand of algal cultivation by 50% and 15%, respectively. Therefore, it may be an effective strategy for algal mass production in sustainable agricultural systems.
Going Deep in Diagnostic Modeling: Deep Cognitive Diagnostic Models (DeepCDMs)
Authors: Gu Yuqi 
Published: December 2023

Cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) are discrete latent variable models popular in educational and psychological measurement. In this work, motivated by the advantages of deep generative modeling and by identifiability considerations, we propose a new family of DeepCDMs, to hunt for deep discrete diagnostic information. The new class of models enjoys nice properties of identifiability, parsimony, and interpretability. Mathematically, DeepCDMs are entirely identifiable, including even fully exploratory settings and allowing to uniquely identify the parameters and discrete loading structures (the “Q\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\textbf{Q}$$\end{document}-matrices and develop Bayesian formulations and efficient Gibbs sampling algorithms. Simulation studies and an application to the TIMSS 2019 math assessment data demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed methodology.