def select(cls, dataset, selection_mask=None, **selection):
        df = dataset.data
        if selection_mask is None:
            selection_mask = cls.select_mask(dataset, selection)

        indexed = cls.indexed(dataset, selection)
        if selection_mask is not None:
            df = df.loc[selection_mask]
        if indexed and len(df) == 1 and len(dataset.vdims) == 1:
            return df[dataset.vdims[0].name].iloc[0]
        return df