bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ozone pollution threatens bird populations to collapse: an imminent ecological threat?
Authors: Agathokleous Evgenios , Sicard Pierre , Feng Zhaozhong , Paoletti Elena 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWhile bird populations are declining, the factors associated with this decline are unclear. Based on laboratory experiments, air pollution has long been recognized as a factor causing oxidative stress and adversely affecting bird health. Recently, studies employing an epidemiological approach have reported significant declines in avian populations in Central Europe and the United States due to air pollution, and ozone in particular. We advocate that urgent actions are needed to mitigate these effects, which threaten biodiversity and environmental health, and propose a series of measures which can enlighten the path toward mitigating air pollution effects on avian populations.
Impact of Pregnancy on Weight Loss After Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Authors: Carlino Giorgio , Benson Ariel A. , Bove Vincenzo , Pontecorvi Valerio , De Siena Martina , Matteo Maria Valeria , Farina Annarita , Polidori Giulia , Vinti Laila , Giannetti Giulia , Costamagna Guido , Spada Cristiano , Boškoski Ivo 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Obesity and pregnancy are strictly related: on the one hand, obesity—one of the most common comorbidities in women of reproductive age—contributes to infertility and obesity-related pregnancy complications, whereas pregnancy is a condition in which, physiologically, the pregnant woman undergoes weight gain. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) may be used for the treatment of obesity in women of childbearing age.

Materials and Methods
A retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate weight trajectories, the evolution of obesity-related comorbidities, and lifestyle modification in women who became pregnant after ESG. A comparison was made between childbearing-age women who became pregnant after ESG and non-pregnant women.

Results
A total of 150 childbearing-age women underwent ESG at a large tertiary medical center. Of these, 11 patients (33.4 ± 6.2 years) became pregnant after the procedure, following a mean time interval of 5.5 ± 3.9 months. Three women (two affected by polycystic ovary syndrome) reported difficulty getting pregnant before undergoing ESG. The mean preconception BMI was 31.9±4.0 kg/m2 (−7.24 ± 4.0 kg/m2 after ESG). Total body weight loss (TBWL, %) was 18.08 ± 8.00, 11.00 ± 11.08, and 12.08 ± 8.49, at the beginning of pregnancy, at the delivery, and at the first follow-up (19.6 ± 7.8 months after ESG). TBWL of at least 5% was achieved before pregnancy in all patients (73% reached a TBWL ≥ 10%).
No significant differences in weight loss and QoL were found between the pregnancy and non-pregnancy groups up to 24 months after ESG.

Conclusions
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty allows for adequate weight loss before and after pregnancy in patients with obesity.

Graphical Abstract
Robotic docking time with the Hugo™ RAS system in gynecologic surgery: a procedure independent learning curve using the cumulative summation analysis (CUSUM)
Authors: Panico Giovanni , Mastrovito Sara , Campagna Giuseppe , Monterossi Giorgia , Costantini Barbara , Gioè Alessandro , Oliva Riccardo , Ferraro Chiara , Ercoli Alfredo , Fanfani Francesco , Scambia Giovanni 
Published: August 2023

AbstractRobot-assisted surgery has been proven to offer improvements in term of surgical learning curve and feasibility of minimally invasive surgery, but has often been criticized for its longer operative times compared to conventional laparoscopy. Additional times can be split into time required for system set-up, robotic arms docking and calibration of robotic instruments; secondly, surgeon’s learning curve. One of the newest systems recently launched on the market is the Hugo™ RAS (MEDTRONIC Inc, United States). As some of the earliest adopters of the Hugo™ RAS system technology, we present our data on robotic docking learning curve for the first 192 gynecologic robotic cases performed at our institution. Our data indicates that robotic set-up and docking with the new Hugo™ RAS robotic surgical system can be performed time-effectively and that the specific robotic docking learning curve is comparable to preexisting data for other platforms. This preliminary insights into this recently released system may be worthwhile for other centers which may soon adopt this new technology and may need some relevant information on topics such as OR times. Further studies are necessary to assess the different features of the Hugo™ RAS considering other technical and surgical aspects, to fully become familiar with this novel technology.
On connections between skewed, weighted and distorted distributions: applications to model extreme value distributions
Authors: Navarro Jorge , Arevalillo Jorge M 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe purpose of the paper is to explore the connections between skew symmetric, weighted and distorted univariate distributions as well as how they appear related to the distributions of the extreme values in a sample of identically distributed random variables under both the independence and dependence scenarios. Some extensions of the concept of skewed distributions are proposed in order to cover the most general cases of extremes. Their natural connections to the likelihood ratio ordering and the role played by the P–P plots for handling these models are also highlighted. The results can also be applied to order statistics and coherent systems although these cases do not always lead to skewed distributions. The theoretical findings are illustrated by applied examples to model extremes as well as by several applications concerned with the analysis of artificial and real data.
Synergistic promotion of particulate matter reduction and production performance via adjusting electrochemical reactions in the zinc electrolysis industry
Authors: Ma Zizhen , Jiang Jingkun , Duan Lei , Deng Jianguo , Xu Fuyuan , Li Zehui , Jiang Linhua , Duan Ning 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Heavy particulate matter (PM) pollution and high energy consumption are the bottlenecks of hydrometallurgy, especially in the electrolysis process. Therefore, an urgent need is to explore PM reduction methods with production performance co-benefits. This study presents three PM reduction methods based on controlling operating parameters, i.e., lowering electrolyte temperature, H2SO4 concentration, and current density of the cathode. The optimized conditions were also investigated using the response surface methodology to balance the PM reduction effect and Zn production. The results showed that lowering electrolyte temperature is the most efficient, with an 89.0% reduction in the PM generation flux (GFPM). Reducing H2SO4 concentration led to the minimum side effects on the current efficiency of Zn deposition (CEZn) or power consumption (PC). With the premise of non-deteriorating CEZn and PC, GFPM can be reduced by 86.3% at the optimal condition (electrolyte temperature = 295 K, H2SO4 = 110 g/L, current density = 373 A/m2). In addition, the reduction mechanism was elucidated by comprehensively analyzing bubble characteristics, electrochemical reactions, and surface tension. Results showed that lower electrolyte temperature inhibited the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and compressed gas volume. Lower H2SO4 concentration inhibited the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and reduced electrolyte surface tension. Lower current density inhibited both OER and HER by decreasing the reaction current. The inhibited gas evolutions reduced the microbubbles’ number and size, thereby reducing GFPM. These results may provide energy-efficient PM reduction methods and theoretical hints of exploring cleaner PM reduction approaches for industrial electrolysis.
Downstream Allosteric Modulation of NMDA Receptors by 3-Benzazepine Derivatives
Authors: Ritter Nadine , Disse Paul , Aymanns Isabel , Mücher Lena , Schreiber Julian A. , Brenker Christoph , Strünker Timo , Schepmann Dirk , Budde Thomas , Strutz-Seebohm Nathalie , Ametamey Simon M. , Wünsch Bernhard , Seebohm Guiscard 
Published: August 2023

AbstractN-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) composed of different splice variants display distinct pH sensitivities and are crucial for learning and memory, as well as for inflammatory or injury processes. Dysregulation of the NMDAR has been linked to diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and drug addiction. The development of selective receptor modulators, therefore, constitutes a promising approach for numerous therapeutical applications. Here, we identified (R)-OF-NB1 as a promising splice variant selective NMDAR antagonist. We investigated the interaction of (R)-OF-NB1 and NMDAR from a biochemical, bioinformatical, and electrophysiological perspective to characterize the downstream allosteric modulation of NMDAR by 3-benzazepine derivatives. The allosteric modulatory pathway starts at the ifenprodil binding pocket in the amino terminal domain and immobilizes the connecting α5-helix to the ligand binding domain, resulting in inhibition. In contrast, the exon 5 splice variant GluN1-1b elevates the NMDARs flexibility and promotes the open state of its ligand binding domain.
Anti-inflammatory Effects of Siponimod in a Mouse Model of Excitotoxicity-Induced Retinal Injury
Authors: Basavarajappa Devaraj , Gupta Vivek , Chitranshi Nitin , Viswanathan Deepa , Gupta Veer , Vander Wall Roshana , Palanivel Viswanthram , Mirzaei Mehdi , You Yuyi , Klistorner Alexander , Graham Stuart L. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractGlaucoma is a leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide and is characterized by neurodegeneration linked to progressive retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, axonal damage, and neuroinflammation. Glutamate excitotoxicity mediated through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors plays a crucial role in glaucomatous RGC loss. Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs) are important mediators of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in the brain and the retina. Siponimod is an immunomodulatory drug for multiple sclerosis and is a selective modulator of S1PR subtypes 1 and 5 and has been shown to have beneficial effects on the central nervous system (CNS) in degenerative conditions. Our previous study showed that mice administered orally with siponimod protected inner retinal structure and function against acute NMDA excitotoxicity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind these protective effects, we investigated the inflammatory pathways affected by siponimod treatment in NMDA excitotoxicity model. NMDA excitotoxicity resulted in the activation of glial cells coupled with upregulation of the inflammatory NF-kB pathway and increased expression of TNFα, IL1-β, and IL-6. Siponimod treatment significantly reduced glial activation and suppressed the pro-inflammatory pathways. Furthermore, NMDA-induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and upregulation of neurotoxic inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were significantly diminished with siponimod treatment. Our data demonstrated that siponimod induces anti-inflammatory effects via suppression of glial activation and inflammatory singling pathways that could protect the retina against acute excitotoxicity conditions. These findings provide insights into the anti-inflammatory effects of siponimod in the CNS and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammatory conditions.
The welch-gong stream cipher - evolutionary path
Authors: Zidarič N. , Mandal K. , Gong G. , Aagaard M. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThis survey presents the rich history of the Welch-Gong (WG) Stream cipher family. It has been a long journey that lead the WG stream ciphers to become practical. The evolutionary path is a combination of mathematical endeavour and engineering striving to transfer pure mathematical functions to practical encryption algorithms for various applications. This path began as the pioneering work on WG transformation sequences with 2-level autocorrelation, leading to important breakthroughs in the early 2000’s, such as the submission of the first WG stream cipher to the eSTREAM competition in 2005 and the subsequent introduction of the WG stream cipher family WG(m, l), followed by extensive work on particular instances proposed for various (mostly lightweight) applications. A recent construction using a WG permutation is the authenticated encryption WAGE, submitted to the NIST LWC competition in 2019. The story of the WG stream cipher is by far not finished. The future opens numerous possibilities for WG stream ciphers and WAGE, with applications in both lightweight environments and in high-performance computing. We conclude the survey with new ideas and open problems.
Conformity and Group Performance
Authors: Abofol Taher , Erev Ido , Sulitzeanu-Kenan Raanan 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThis research provides evidence regarding the causal effect of group conformity on task performance in stable and variable environments. Drawing on studies in cultural evolution, social learning, and social psychology, we experimentally tested the hypotheses that conformity improves group performance in a stable environment (H1) and decreases performance (by hindering adaptability) in a temporally variable environment (H2). We compare the performance of individuals, low conformity groups, and high conformity groups in a four-arm randomized lab experiment (N = 240). High conformity was manipulated by rewarding agreement with the group’s majority and imposing a cost on disagreement. The monetary implications of conformity impaired performance in a variable environment but did not have a significant effect on performance in the stable environment. Intragroup individual-level analyses provide insights into the mechanisms that account for the group-level results by showing that lower conformity in groups facilitates efficient adaptability in the use of social information.
Do People Comment on Social Networks About Sexual Consent in TV Series? Rethinking Consent (or not) in Real Situations: Contributions from Debates in Social Media
Authors: Pulido Cristina , Cañaveras Paula , Redondo-Sama Gisela , Villarejo-Carballlido Beatriz 
Published: August 2023

AbstractScientific evidence has established that sexual consent can be expressed with more than only speech acts. Moreover, scientific analysis of other elements beyond speech acts reveals that coercion can be clearly indicated. Theories on communicative acts contribute to this debate, introducing three situations where these elements can occur: ones of physical, institutional, or interactive power. However, the public comments on these situations on social networks (Instagram, Twitter and Reddit) has not been analysed before. Within the framework of the Spanish competitive project Consent (PID2019-110466RB-I00), we conducted a novel study on the comments and reactions made around the communicative acts that prevent or facilitate the identification of sexual consent in specific episodes of television series aimed at young and adolescent audiences internationally. Social Media Analytics (SMA) with communicative content analysis with predefined codes was carried out on 1465 tweets about sexual consent on Twitter relating to 10 television series and movies watched internationally. The results show that when viewing these scenes, young people: (1) open debates (albeit few, as yet) around communicative acts beyond the verbal and nonverbal ones; (2) take a position against whoever coerces and (3) perceive that they will be able to avoid future situations of a lack of sexual consent by remembering the image discussed and the communicative acts that were in it. In doing so, the results can promote healthy discussions of sexual consent among youth through prevention programs and critical media literacy activities.
Welcoming and Generative Local Welfare as an Agent for Territorial Development: A Case Study from Southern Italy
Authors: Lomonaco Alice , Bergamaschi Maurizio , Musarò Pierluigi , Parmiggiani Paola 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn Italy, shrinking regions cover more than 60% of the national territory. Although these areas are in demographic and economic decline (Accordo di Partenariato, 2014), many resilient initiatives have been developed over the years (Moss, 1996; Meloni, 2015). Among these experiences, several are aimed at welcoming the migrant population (Corrado, 2013), becoming privileged spaces for more equitable and inclusive modes of territorial regeneration (Van der Ploeg et al., 2003; Oostindie et al., 2010). Drawing upon these premises, the paper intends to reflect on the presence of non-EU migrants in shrinking Italian areas and on their role in local sustainable development. The contribution presents some of the first results of the Horizon 2020 project “WELCOMING SPACES”, with a specific focus on the municipality of Camini, one of the most shrinking areas in Southern Italy, to highlight how migration can lead to local development and rural regeneration processes. Camini is a good case study, as the reception centre managed by the social cooperative ‘JungiMundu’ hosts 118 migrants out of a total population of 810. Thanks to the presence of this number of people, several public services (i.e., post office, school, etc.) have been (re)activated. In the first part of this article, we introduce the case study, while in the second part, we reflect on how the reception of migrants contributes to the implementation of collective and public services for the whole community. The increase in population, both in terms of newcomers and Italian returnees, has also allowed for the regeneration of the village, economically and socially, creating connections between different cultures and traditions that had almost disappeared.
Expressed emotion and wellbeing in South Asian heritage families living in the UK
Authors: Shaikh Madiha , Fatima Zahra , Sharif Hira Salman , O’Driscoll Ciarán 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe primary aim of this paper was to understand expressed emotion (EE) and its relationship to wellbeing in South Asians (SAs) living in the UK. A total of 529 participants of South Asian heritage were recruited from the UK and completed an online survey consisting of the family questionnaire, the level of expressed emotion scale (LEE), warmth measure, the hospital anxiety and depression scale. Components of EE and wellbeing were investigated using network analysis. Overall, the participants were classified as low EE for criticism, but high for emotional overinvolvement. They scored relatively high on the warmth scale. LEE scores were in the middle range. The network analysis revealed unique associations between EE subscales and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and highlighted positive aspects of EE. The network analysis also highlighted differences in EE between parents and partner. The findings provide an overview of the interactions and influence of EE variables within this population. Future research should focus on the differences between SA ethnicities and religions; differentiating between intrusive and non-intrusive involvement may help further explain part of the variance between variables; exploring first and second-generation immigrants would help discover the impact of acculturation and intergenerational trauma on EE.
A Conceptual Framework to Safeguard the Neuroright to Personal Autonomy
Authors: Muñoz José M. , Bernácer Javier , Güell Francisco 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn this article, we propose a philosophical exploration on the main problems involved in two neurorights that concern autonomous action, namely free will and cognitive liberty, and sketch a possible solution to these problems by resourcing to a holistic interpretation of human actions. First, we expose the main conceptual and practical issues arising from the neuroright to “free will,” which are far from minor: the term itself is denied by some trends participating in the neurorights debate, the related concept of ultimate control is also disputed, the understanding of free will depends on cultural context, and the exercise of being free to act in several domains may be covered by other regulations. Second, we analyze the historical origin of cognitive liberty, its current status, and its relation with free will. Third, we criticize the concept of decision in mainstream action theory and propose to conceive action as a unified process constituted by three explanatory, non-sequential dimensions: intention, decision, and action realization. Fourth, we discuss two possible cases involving neurotechnologies and suggest ways to interpret them according to a unified framework in which free will and cognitive liberty fall under a single neuroright to personal autonomy. Finally, we outline a recommendation to introduce freedom of thought and personal autonomy as complementary neurorights to protect both the internal and external dimensions of thought and action.
Application of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in identification of cold-pressed vegetal oils
Authors: Szukay Beata , Gałęcki Krystian , Kowalska-Baron Agnieszka , Przybyt Małgorzata , Saletnik Łukasz , Budzyński Jacek , Fisz Jacek J. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMonitoring the quality of food products is very important, due to the fact that substances potentially harmful to consumers may be formed during production and storage. In addition, vegetal oils are subject to falsification, which is based mainly on mixing and adding other, usually cheaper equivalents or providing false data on the composition and origin. In this way, the path from a very healthy product to a product that has a negative impact on the human body is very short. In this study fluorescence spectra and fluorescence decay kinetics of selected cold-pressed oils were characterized and the origin of the observed fluorescence bands was discussed. The obtained fluorescence characteristics were found to be the unique fingerprints of the individual oils and showed evident differences which arise from specific qualitative and quantitative compositions of the oils. The most apparent differences in the shape of fluorescence bands were observed in the emission spectrum at excitation wavelength 350 nm and in the excitation spectrum recorded at emission wavelength 500 nm. The obtained results show the utility of the applied steady-state and time –resolved fluorescence measurements in the identification of the tested vegetal oils.
Enhancing conversational agents for successful operation: A multi-perspective evaluation approach for continuous improvement
Authors: Lewandowski Tom , Kučević Emir , Leible Stephan , Poser Mathis , Böhmann Tilo 
Published: August 2023

AbstractContemporary organizations increasingly adopt conversational agents (CAs) as intelligent and natural language-based solutions for providing services and information. CAs offer new forms of personalization, speed, (cost-)effectiveness, and automation. However, despite their hype in research and practice, many organizations still fail to seize CAs’ potential because they lack knowledge of how to evaluate and improve the quality of CAs to sustain them in organizational operations. We aim to fill this knowledge gap by conducting a design science research project in which we aggregate insights from the literature and practice to derive an applicable set of quality criteria for CAs. Our article contributes to CA research and guides practitioners by providing a blueprint to structure the evaluation of CAs and to discover areas for systematic improvement.