bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Arsenic and polystyrene‐nano plastics co‐exposure induced testicular toxicity: Triggers oxidative stress and promotes apoptosis and inflammation in mice
Authors: Rao Gan , Qiao Baoxin , Zhong Gaolong , Li Tong , Su Qian , Wu Shaofeng , Tang Zhaoxin , Hu Lianmei 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCo‐existing of polystyrene‐nano plastics (PSNPs) and arsenic (As) in the environment caused a horrendous risk to human health. However, the potential mechanism of PSNPs and As combination induced testicular toxicity in mammals has not been elucidated. Therefore, we first explore the testicular toxicity and the potential mechanism in male Kunming mice exposed to As or/and PSNPs. Results revealed that compared to the As or PSNPs group, the combined group showed more significant testicular toxicity. Specifically, As and PSNPs combination induced irregular spermatozoa array and blood–testis barrier disruption. Simultaneously, As and PSNPs co‐exposure also exacerbated oxidative stress, including increasing the MDA content, and down‐regulating expression of Nrf‐2, HO‐1, SOD‐1, and Trx. PSNPs and As combination also triggered testicular apoptosis, containing changes in apoptotic factors (P53, Bax, Bcl‐2, Cytc, Caspase‐8, Caspase‐9, and Caspase‐3). Furthermore, co‐exposed to As and PSNPs aggravated inflammatory damage characterized by targeted phosphorylation of NF‐κB and degradation of I‐κB. In summary, our results strongly confirmed As + PSNPs co‐exposure induced the synergistic toxicity of testis through excessive oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation, which could offer a new sight into the mechanism of environmental pollutants co‐exposure induced male reproductive toxicity.
Synthesis of aluminum bis(hydroxy‐phenyl‐methyl)phosphinate and its synergistic flame retardant mechanism in PLA
Authors: Xu Baoming , Yang Jingxue , Wang Xinhui , Wang Na , Chen Guorong , Zhang Heng 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we report on the synthesis of a new aluminum bis(hydroxy‐phenyl‐methyl)phosphinate, AlBPi, under mild reaction conditions. The product structure was confirmed via characterization, and its thermal stability and flame retardant properties were assessed. To improve the flame retardant properties, we employed ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as a synergist with AlBPi. The PLA composite material containing 10% AlBPi and 5% APP achieved an LOI of 28.1% and a UL‐94 rating of V‐1. Cone calorimetry tests showed a significant reduction in PHRR, THR, PSPR, and TSP for the PLA/AlBPi/APP composite compared to the pure and PLA/AlBPi materials. SEM analysis revealed a continuous and dense char layer on the residual surface of the synergistic flame retardant sample. AlBPi and APP exhibited excellent synergistic flame retardant effects, with both releasing a large amount of PO·free radicals. APP was also able to release inert gas, exhibiting excellent flame retardant effects in the gas phase. Additionally, APP improved the charring performance of AlBPi and formed a compact char layer on the material surface, achieving good flame retardant effects in the condensed phase. Therefore, the AlBPi and APP synergistic flame retardant system can be considered a viable flame retardant additive for PLA.Highlights
A novel flame retardant AlBPi was synthesized.
AlBPi and APP demonstrate good synergistic flame retardant performance in PLA.
AlBPi and APP play a flame retardant role in both gas and condensed phases.
Automated Feedback on Writing
Authors: Cotos Elena 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAutomated Writing Evaluation (AWE) tools have not only confidently entered the scene of digital writing technologies but also secured a prominent space in teaching and learning practices due to their formative automated feedback on various traits of the writing construct. The nature and types of AWE feedback vary depending on the history and origins of the tools. Having evolved through multiple generations, they can be broadly categorized as assessment-driven and genre-based. This chapter elaborates on both of these ramifications of AWE, describing their purposes, functional specifications, and two exemplary tools. AWE research has been increasingly adopting the validity argument framework, which allows to consolidate multifarious evidence into a progression of empirically supported inferences about AWE uses. To that end, AWE effectiveness has been investigated in terms of: how well the tools represent the target writing domains; how accurate, consistent, and appropriate the feedback is; whether the feedback extrapolates to other contexts and feedback sources; how the tools are utilized; and what their beneficial effects are. The implications discussed following a brief synthesis of this research highlight the need for advancing the theory-research-practice interface, contemplating the potential for theorizing the modelling of cognitive writing in a digital environment, which could further inform the design and implementation of the next-generation of AWE tools.
On Corpora and Writing
Authors: Chitez Madalina , Dinca Andreea 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe chapter aims at providing an overview of the modalities in which linguistic corpora have been integrated in writing related approaches and technologies. The history of corpus linguistics is almost one century old, demonstrating a wide range of applications and interdisciplinary research potential. In this study, two main directions have been identified which describe approaches at the interface of corpora and writing. The first direction is represented by a large body of literature and refers to the use of corpora for academic writing research. The second direction focuses on the applicability of corpora for writing support, covering three aspects: (a) A section on corpora as a basis for primary linguistic tools for writers, which illustrates the use of corpora for the creation of dictionaries and phraseology lists. (b) A section on the use of corpora to teach academic writing. This section captures and exemplifies Data Driven Learning methods for corpus based academic writing and tools that support such approaches. (c) The third section refers to the use of built-in corpora for the creation of writing support tools (e.g. Ludwig.guru) or corpus related integrative tools (e.g. Thesis Writer).
Writing and Learning: What Changed with Digitalization?
Authors: Devitt Ann , Benetos Kalliopi , Kruse Otto 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThis chapter explores the relationship between writing and learning and reconsiders for the digital age some of the assumptions underpinning current conceptions of writing-to-learn and learning-to-write. We interrogate the mediating role of technology in connecting writing and learning. Our key argument is that through digitalization both writing and learning have transformed, resulting in many new kinds of interactions between them. In this chapter we focus on four new dimensions of the writing-learning nexus to exemplify and explore this constantly transforming relationship: (1) New spaces for writing and learning, (2) convergent trends in knowledge work, (3) collaborative learning/writing activities, and (4) the role of feedback and assessment. We conclude by looking to the future for some tentative predictions of how the relationship will develop as technology, writing, and learning continue to evolve. We explore how concepts such as creativity and critical thinking will remain as fundamentals of human activity within the digitally mediated relationship of writing and learning.
Beyond MS Word: Alternatives and Developments
Authors: Rapp Christian , Heilmann Till , Kruse Otto 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMicrosoft Word, the word processing software developed by Microsoft in 1983, established itself as the market leader in the 1990s and 2000s and remained the gold standard for many years. Despite its obvious benefits, it always faced criticism from various quarters. We address the persistent criticism that MS Word is overloaded with features and distracts from writing rather than facilitating it. Alternatives, mainly distraction-free editors and text editors for use with a markup language, are briefly reviewed and compared to MS Word. A serious challenger emerged in 2006 with Google Docs, a cloud-based writing software that has moved text production into the platform era, enabling files to be shared and creating collaborative writing spaces. Even though Google Docs failed to break the dominance of MS Word, it became the trend-setter in online writing. Microsoft and Apple soon followed by designing complex web environments for institutions and companies rather than individual writers. We give an overview of technologies that have evolved to challenge the supremacy of MS Word or compete for market share. By this, we hope to provide clues as to the future development of word processing.
Digital Tools for Written Argumentation
Authors: Benetos Kalliopi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDigital tools for argumentative writing aimed, from early on, to support the use of argumentation to develop knowledge about the topic being argued. Many products were initially created to serve research purposes, and few developed in the last thirty years have made it to the educational technology market for use by instructors and writers. Others are reserved for institutional use or have become obsolete. More recently, research in argumentative writing has moved away from digital platform development specifically aimed at argumentative writing, to simpler generic diagramming and collaboration tools to be integrated in learning activities. Development has focused more on analytic approaches to generating representations of writing (processes and products), while research has shifted towards strategy instruction and related design principles. A selection of differing environments developed to support argumentative writing will be presented to highlight the evolution and the gaps in digital tools for written argumentation.
Social Annotation: Promising Technologies and Practices in Writing
Authors: Hodgson Justin , Kalir Jeremiah , Andrews Christopher D. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe act of annotation is intimately associated with reading, thinking, writing, and learning. From book marginalia to online commentary, this centuries-old practice has flourished in contemporary educational contexts thanks to recent advances in digital technologies. New computational affordances, social media platforms, and digital networks have changed how readers–as writers–participate in acts of annotation. Of particular interest issocial annotation(SA), a type of learning technology that enables the addition of notes to digital and multimodal texts for the purposes of information sharing, peer interaction, knowledge construction, and collaborative meaning-making. This chapter reviews prominent SA technologies, functional specifications, key products, and insights from research, with particular attention to the use of SA in writing studies and composition. The chapter concludes by discussing implications for writing studies and suggests SA technologies can make a critical impact on student reading and writing practices.
Formal Reasoning Using Distributed Assertions
Authors: Al Wardani Farah , Chaudhuri Kaustuv , Miller Dale 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWhen a proof system checks a formal proof, we can say that its kernel asserts that the formula is a theorem in a particular logic. We describe a general framework in which such assertions can be made globally available so that any other proof assistant willing to trust the assertion’s creator can use that assertion without rechecking any associated formal proof. This framework, called DAMF, is heterogeneous and allows each participant to decide which tools and operators they are willing to trust in order to accept external assertions. This framework can also be integrated into existing proof systems by making minor changes to the input and output subsystems of the prover. DAMF achieves a high level of distributivity using such off-the-shelf technologies as IPFS, IPLD, and public key cryptography. We illustrate the framework by describing an implemented tool for validating and publishing assertion objects and a modified version of the Abella theorem prover that can use and publish such assertions.
Alcohol does not influence trust in others or oxytocin, but increases positive affect and risk-taking: a randomized, controlled, within-subject trial
Authors: Wenger Leonard P. , Hamm Oliver , Mühle Christiane , Hoffmann Sabine , Reinhard Iris , Bach Patrick , Kornhuber Johannes , Alpers Georg W. , Kiefer Falk , Leménager Tagrid , Lenz Bernd 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Alcohol consumption to facilitate social interaction is an important drinking motive. Here, we tested whether alcohol influences trust in others via modulation of oxytocin and/or androgens. We also aimed at confirming previously shown alcohol effects on positive affect and risk-taking, because of their role in facilitating social interaction.

Methods
This randomized, controlled, within-subject, parallel group, alcohol-challenge experiment investigated the effects of alcohol (versus water, both mixed with orange juice) on perceived trustworthiness via salivary oxytocin (primary and secondary endpoint) as well as testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, positive affect, and risk-taking (additional endpoints). We compared 56 male participants in the alcohol condition (1.07 ± 0.18 per mille blood alcohol concentration) with 20 in the control condition.

Results
The group (alcohol versus control condition) × time (before [versus during] versus after drinking) interactions were not significantly associated with perceived trustworthiness (η2 < 0.001) or oxytocin (η2 = 0.003). Bayes factors provided also substantial evidence for the absence of these effects (BF01 = 3.65; BF01 = 7.53). The group × time interactions were related to dihydrotestosterone (η2 = 0.018 with an increase in the control condition) as well as positive affect and risk-taking (η2 = 0.027 and 0.007 with increases in the alcohol condition), but not significantly to testosterone.

Discussion
The results do not verify alcohol effects on perceived trustworthiness or oxytocin in male individuals. However, they indicate that alcohol (versus control) might inhibit an increase in dihydrotestosterone and confirm that alcohol amplifies positive affect and risk-taking. This provides novel mechanistic insight into social facilitation as an alcohol-drinking motive.
Pediatric multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis in Germany – diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of an “orphan disease”
Authors: Schäfer Hannah-Lena , Barker Michael , Follmann Peter , Günther Annette , Hörning André , Kaiser-Labusch Petra , Kerzel Sebastian , Maier Christoph , Roth Samra , Schmidt Christian , Schütz Katharina , Stehling Florian , Struffert Marie , Timmesfeld Nina , Vöhringer Paul , Brinkmann Folke 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDelay in diagnosing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-pTB) in children prolongs time to effective treatment. Data on risk factors for pediatric MDR from low-incidence countries are scarce. Retrospective nationwide case–control study to analyze MDR-pTB cases in Germany between 2010 and 2020 in comparison to a drug-susceptible (DS)-pTB group. We included 52 MDR cases (24 tuberculosis (TB), 28 TB infection (TBI); mean age 7.3 years) and 56 DS cases (31 TB, 26 TBI; mean age 7.9 years). Groups were similar for sex, household size, and migration background. Compared to the DS group, more children with MDR were born in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (22% MDR-pTB vs. 13% DS-pTB, n.s.) and had more MDR index cases (94% MDR-pTB, 5% DS-pTB, p < 0.001). The interval between first healthcare contact and initiation of effective therapy was significantly longer in MDR-pTB (47 days) than in DS-pTB (11 days, p < 0.001), correlating with disease progression. Treatment for MDR-pTB was successful in 74%, but 22% experienced long-term adverse effects (e.g., hepatopathy, hearing loss).Conclusions: Close contact to MDR cases or birth in MDR-TB-high-incidence countries are risk factors for MDR-pTB. Early identification of potential MDR index cases by contact investigation, and susceptibility testing in children from high-burden MDR-TB countries are essential for timely diagnosis and treatment, reducing the severity of disease and treatment side effects.Trial Registration: Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien (https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00023817), DRKS00023817, 2020–09-08.

What is Known:•Management of children with MDR-TB remains challenging due to difficulties in diagnosing MDR-TB (lack of information on MDR index case, lack of microbiological confirmation in paucibacillary disease).•Choice of treatment regimen and monitoring of side effects.

What is New:•Children with an MDR-TB index or born in a MDR-TB-high-incidence country are at higher risk of developing MDR-TB in a low incidence country.•The time lag to initiate treatment in MDR-TB is longer than in DS-TB and MDR-TB treatment involves a higher risk of adverse effects in longer treatment regimens especially with injectables.
Die Kommunikation von Risiken in der Onkologie
Authors: Wegwarth Odette 
Published: September 2023

ZusammenfassungEine effiziente Gesundheitsversorgung braucht gut informierte ÄrztInnen und PatientInnen. In unserem gegenwärtigen Gesundheitssystem gibt es beide nicht. Um das Problem zu illustrieren: In einer nationalen Studie mit 412 US-amerikanischen ÄrztInnen wusste die Mehrzahl nicht, dass die Fünf-Jahres-Überlebensstatistik eine irreführende Metrik im Kontext von Screenings ist und basierten fälschlicherweise ihre Screeningempfehlung darauf. Unter deutschen GynäkologInnen gab es nicht eine einzige, die alle Informationen zu Nutzen und Schaden des Mammographiescreenings bereitstellte, deren es für eine informierte Entscheidung bedürfte. Und in einer nationalen Stichprobe von 300 US-BürgerInnen, die an einer oder mehreren Früherkennungsuntersuchungen teilgenommen hatten, waren 91 % von ihren ÄrztInnen nie über die größten Schäden von Früherkennungsuntersuchungen – Überdiagnosen und Überbehandlungen – informiert worden. Warum haben wir diesen Mangel an Risikokompetenz? Die Forschung dokumentiert, dass es weniger kognitive oder emotionale Defizite sind, die Menschen davon abhalten, Evidenz richtig zu verstehen, sondern vielmehr die Art und Weise, wie statistische Informationen präsentiert werden. Was kann gegen den Mangel getan werden? Medizinische Fakultäten sollten damit beginnen, StudentInnen die simplen Techniken der Risikokommunikation beizubringen, um sie dabei zu unterstützen, medizinische Statistiken richtig zu verstehen. Leitlinien zur vollständigen und transparenten Berichterstattung in Fachzeitschriften, Broschüren und den Medien müssen besser durchgesetzt werden, um die Vermittlung tatsächlicher Fakten zu fördern. Eine kritische Masse informierter Menschen wird nicht alle Probleme unseres Gesundheitssystems lösen, aber sie kann der auslösende Faktor für eine bessere Versorgung sein.
Reactive oxygen species creation by laser-irradiated indocyanine green as photodynamic therapy modality: an in vitro study
Authors: Atta Diaa , Elarif Abdelrahman , Al Bahrawy Mohamed 
Published: September 2023

AbstractApplications of lasers in phototherapy have been the trend for the last few decades. The photodynamic therapy process normally depends on photosensitizers and laser beams. Through this study, indocyanine green has been used as a photosensitizer, which is normally activated using laser lines between 750 and 805 nm. The activity of the indocyanine green to do fluorescence by other pulsed laser sources has been tested by fluorescence technique, and it has been proven that the laser lines at 810, 940, and 980nm are able to excite the indocyanine green with different extents. The indocyanine green activation has been tested by several laser lines (810, 940, and 980 nm) commonly used as surgical lasers. The generated oxygen has been measured after irradiating the indocyanine green with the different laser lines. A comparison has been made between laser irradiation as a pinpoint and a broad beam. It is found that the wide beam is more effective in activating oxygen production. In the end, it is concluded that lines 810 and 940nm were effective in activating the used dye, while the 980nm activity did not show enough efficiency.
Evaluating the impact of public health messages for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in South Africa: temporal versus geospatial trends (2021–2022)
Authors: Wand Handan , Moodley Jayajothi , Derrick Kate , Vujovich-Dunn Cassandra , Reddy Tarylee , Naidoo Sarita 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Aim
Despite intensive efforts to increase vaccine coverage, South Africa still has a low vaccination rate for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the African region. A comprehensive evaluation of the current vaccine promotion programs is urgently needed to guide policymakers to develop effective tailored programs.

Method
Geoadditive models were used to investigate the geospatial variations in correlates of vaccine hesitancy in South Africa. We used consecutive rounds of “COVID-19 Vaccine Surveys” (CVACS 1, n = 3510 and CVACS 2, n = 3608), which were implemented in 2021–22.

Results
We observed a considerable reduction in vaccine acceptability within less than 3 months. The model predicted degrees of freedom ranged from 4.13 to 12.66 and provided compelling evidence for sub-geographical level variations in vaccine hesitancy across the country. Our data visualization analysis showed strong geospatial correlations between vaccine hesitancy and beliefs. We found that most vaccine hesitancy could be avoided by increasing trust in the vaccine and the government.

Conclusion
Investigating geospatial heterogeneity in correlates of vaccine acceptability may assist in modifying the current vaccine promotion strategies by targeting those who are vaccine hesitant due to unjustified/wrong rumors.
An algorithm based on fuzzy ordinal classification to predict students’ academic performance
Authors: Gámez-Granados Juan C. , Esteban Aurora , Rodriguez-Lozano Francisco J. , Zafra Amelia 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPredicting students’ performance in distance courses is a very relevant task to help teachers identify students who need reinforcement or extension activities. Nevertheless, identifying the student’s progress is highly complicated due to the large number of students and the lack of direct interaction. Artificial intelligence algorithms contribute to overcoming this problem by automatically analyzing the features and interactions of each student with the e-learning platform. The main limitations of the previous proposals are that they do not consider a ranking between the different marks obtained by students and the most accurate models are usually black boxes without comprehensibility. This paper proposes to use an optimized ordinal classification algorithm, FlexNSLVOrd, that performs a prediction of student’s performance in four ranking classes (Withdrawn < Fail < Pass < Distinction) by generating highly understandable models. The experimental study uses the OULA dataset and compares 10 state-of-the-art methods on 7 different courses and 3 classical classification metrics. The results, validated with statistical analysis, show that FlexNSLVOrd has higher performance than the other models and achieves significant differences with the rest of the proposals. In addition, the interpretability of FlexNSLVOrd is compared with other rule-based models, and simpler and more representative rules are obtained.